The Abomination Of Desolation

Mt. 24:15-16 "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judea (national Israel) flee into the mountains." I have long thought that the Islamic Mosque, called Dome of the Rock, might be somehow connected to this. But how could it be the abomination of desolation requiring the urgency suggested in Mt. 24:17-18, not even enough time to pack a bag?

The Dome of the Rock has now stood on the temple mount for over 1300 years. So even if it is directly connected to this event, how could it be the thing that when the people of Judea (now national Israel) see it, they will have very little time to flee? And Jesus' words in Mt. 24:2 suggest that the destruction will be complete this time, "There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." More on this later.

I think that some careful attention to a long string of prophecy relating to the Jewish temple might help us see another possible cause for this desolation (i.e., total destruction), with a lot of Scriptural support for it. While I do not presume to have the last word on who or what the abomination of desolation is, these verses will give us a view of the Jewish temple practices from God's perspective. They will reveal some very important things to us; certainly that even if it is not the one that causes the desolation, the Jewish temple itself is an abomination to God. Let's start with a question. Does God, the Creator of all things, need a house of wood and stone built with human hands to dwell in? Let us carefully consider God's reaction to David's decision to build Him a house in 2 Sam. 7:2.

David said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains." Let us first realize that the ark of God, elsewhere referred to as the Ark of the Covenant, was simply a container; its main contents, the stone tablets given to Moses on the mountain (Ten Commandments), the ark of the testimony (Mosaic covenant), the golden pot of manna (showbread), and Aaron's budded rod. It was not a home for God. What was in there was no more God than a box with the Bible in it. God's Word is referred to as the "living word" but the words are what have spiritual life, not the paper (or stone) they are written on, or the ink; neither the container they are stored in. God's words are expressions of His indestructible Spirit, whose home is in the hearts of His obedient children. God's Word did not live in and was not, nor could it be, confined to a box. I understand the reasoning and importance of protecting the contents and the container, but let us not lose perspective here.

Look at God's reaction to David's notion in 2 Sam 7:2 to build Him a house (dwelling place, temple). God told Nathan in verse 5, "Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?" Can't you almost hear the stress on "me"? This is the Almighty God who created all things, speaking to little human David. Doesn't it appear that God is being a little sarcastic here? As if He's asking, "Do I need a mere mortal to build a house for Me?"

God continues, still ridiculing David (try to imagine it). 2 Sam. 7:6 "Whereas I have not dwelt in [any] house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked (or moved about) in a tent and in a tabernacle." One might assume that by "tent or tabernacle" He meant where the Ark of the Covenant was. But keep in mind that the Hebrew word for tent here is "ohel" and could mean tent, tabernacle, dwelling, home, etc. The Hebrew for tabernacle here is "mishkan," and means about exactly the same as ohel. It is probably another instance of synonymous parallelism. He is not referring to the little box.

2 Sam. 7:7 tells us where it was that God walked (or moved about), "In all [the places] wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?" See, "with all the children of Israel." He doesn't say wherein I was carried about in the ark; He says wherein I walked. God cannot be carried about in a box. He asked David: "spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel ... saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?" God is making a very important point here; not only that He has never asked them to build Him a house of cedar, but more importantly, the parenthetical statement I left out for clarity, "whom I commanded to feed - as a shepherd tends his flock - my people Israel."

He is not only telling David (and us) what He did not command but also what it was that He actually did command. He preferred that His Children (in whom He does dwell) be fed (tended) to having an extravagant, lifeless building, right? He wanted them to be spiritually and physically nourished so they could live godly, happy, healthy, and productive lives; not exploited and abused as they were and are today by self-serving false teachers. God didn't simply ask or suggest that they feed His Children, He commanded it - and never once suggested that they build Him an earthly dwelling place.

God is the King of Heaven, Creator of all things; why would He want to live in a stinking cedar house, a musty old box, or lifeless, stagnating pile of stone and wood, etc? Even more profound is that He could live in Paradise, yet chooses to live with and in His Children, however decrepit and horrible the conditions, rather than in the luxury and extravagance of earthly kings and self-serving false prophets. Isa, 63:9 "In all their affliction he was afflicted." The false prophets like to live in earthly mansions surrounded with luxury; but God will not condescend to their level; nor will He be bought with such vanity.

In 2 Sam. 7:8, God makes it clear that it was He, not David, who made David what David was. He tells Nathan to say to him, "I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:" God continues in verses 9-11, "And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great [men] that [are] in the earth. Moreover I will (note it) appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, And as since the time that I commanded judges [to be] over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will (note it) make thee an house."

In order to better understand this passage, consider 2 Sam. 7:5 "Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?" together with verses 9-11 "the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house." There is an implied to the contrary here: "Shall you build Me a house to dwell in? No, I will build you a house!" See verses 12-13, "And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever." It is easy to wrongly assume that God is referring to David's offspring, Solomon, as the one who would build Him a house (or dwelling). So assumed David and Solomon, who proceeded to build the first earthly temple. They weren't paying attention.

Remember that David's words in 2 Sam. 7:18-29 were David's words, not God's. David was praying to God, based on his understanding of what God had said to him. Remember that sometimes the prophets themselves didn't understand what they were writing, often because they were hidden mysteries for a future time. But we are now living in that future time.

Please see 1 Pet. 1:10-12 "Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into." They are reported, though not always understood by the reporter or the hearer; however, the clouds are lifting. After that, David went about his kingly business until he grew old and died.

On his deathbed, David urged Solomon in 1 Ki. 2:3-4 to "Keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children (descendants) take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man (person) on the throne of Israel."

God knew Solomon would falter and that David's offspring who would build Him a house was in the far distant future. God was not referring to a material house. He was referring to a spiritual house in the midst of and within His obedient Children. (Acts 5:32 "The Holy Ghost (indwelling Spirit), whom God hath given to them that obey him." Note, the Spirit did not say to those who speak in an unknown tongue, but to those who obey God. David's descendant who would build God a house is He whose words, if we obey them, will open our hearts so God's Holy Spirit can live in us and teach us new things that we could not grasp otherwise. God's Children are His temple.

Noting that Solomon succeeded David as king (1 Ki. 1:12), and with 1 Ki. 2:4 in mind, let's jump to 1 Ki. 6:12-13. God speaking to Solomon, "[Concerning] this house which thou art in building, if (note if) thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father: And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel."

Note that God's promise was not conditional on whether Solomon built the temple, but on whether he kept God's statutes, executed His judgments, and kept all of His commandments to walk in them. God was saying that if Solomon did those things, He would fulfill His words to David in Solomon; but Solomon was not obedient, as God knew he would not be, though the opportunity was there. From that point things only got worse for Solomon's descendants. The one God spoke to David about, who would build God a house, was not David's immediate offspring; nor any of his near descendants.

1 Ki. 11:11 should put a final end to any misconception that God chose Solomon to build Him a house or that the temple Solomon built was the temple that God would live in. "Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon ... thou hast not (note not) kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee." Those negating words should have resounded throughout history like thunder; yet have gone virtually unnoticed. God informs Solomon in no uncertain terms that he had fallen short of the requirements necessary for the one who would build the prophesied house for God. They are clear evidence, as well; that the temple Solomon built was not the prophesied house (temple) that David's offspring would build, in which God would dwell.

Before continuing, let us refer to Eph. 2:19-22 for a clear description of the house God was talking to David about, that David's descendant would build for God. "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone]; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple (house) in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation (house, dwelling place) of God through the Spirit."

See, not a house of wood and stone, built with human hands for God; but one built by God's Spirit; the house where heaven is - the paradise that issues out from God's Word by His Spirit through Jesus Christ. Clearly, God's Children, in whom His Spirit dwells, are His temple. He does not live in some glorified box or tent or musty old building. He is Almighty God. He prefers the warmth and love of human beings to cold, lifeless stone, etc.

Before you can accept what I say about the temple, you may need some more convincing as to what God meant when He told David that his seed would build Him a house. Let us see Heb. 3:6 "But Christ as a son over his own house (temple); whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." See 1 Cor. 3:16-17, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" See 2 Cor. 6:16, "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God), and they shall be my people." Again in 2 Cor. 6:17, as in Rev. 18:4, God urges His Children to "Come out from among them and be ye separate."

God doesn't need an earthly temple. If you were God of the whole universe, would you want to spend your time in a box, or lifeless, damp, musty, lonely old temple, or church building? Yet, with the whole universe at His fingertips, God chooses to dwell in and among His Children, many who are suffering hunger, disease, heat and cold, loneliness and despair. Again, Isa, 63:9, "In all their affliction he was afflicted." God told David that He didn't ask any of the children of Israel to build Him a temple but that He commanded those who could have, to feed (tend) His Children. Yet, in an effort to endear God to themselves, they built Him a temple He didn't need and clearly did not want, with wealth that could have gone to relieve the immeasurable suffering of His needy children. And God destroyed it. They rebuilt it and God destroyed it again, by sending hostile enemies to do it for Him. They plan to build another one and when/if they do, I believe that God will destroy that one as well.

Those who think the Jerusalem temple must be rebuilt before Christ returns are mistaken. The temple that Christ will suddenly come to (Mal. 3:1) is the Temple Christ has built for God, comprised of His obedient Children, "And the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts."

Look What Jesus Himself said regarding David's offspring who would build God's temple, Mk. 12:36-37 "For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he [then] his son? And the common people heard him gladly." The point being, I believe, is that because of the honor and respect due parents, the Holy Spirit would not have inspired David to refer to his own son as "My Lord," no matter who or what else he was. Careful, unbiased observation reveals that God didn't tell David that his son Solomon would build Him a house.

Pay careful attention to Dan. 9:27, "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate."

Now, note this variant reading from the NIV footnote, which means that at least one of the manuscripts they considered had this alternate reading for Dan. 9:27. "And one who causes desolation will come upon the pinnacle of the abominable [temple], until the end that is decreed is poured out on the desolated [city]." My main concern is with the word "pinnacle," which could mean completion. In that case, the reading could be "And one who (or a thing which) causes desolation will come on the completion of the abominable temple, until the end that is decreed is poured out on the desolated city."

It appears that what is being called "abominable" here is the temple itself, and, if so, what causes the desolation could be the temple itself.

Could "the end that is decreed" be what Jesus referred to in Mt. 24:1-2? Referring to "all these things" (the whole temple complex), He said, "There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." That prophecy is not fulfilled until the Western Wall is demolished. These inferences are based on God's own words, which will provide much support as we continue on. Isn't on God's words where His Children's priority should be?

A copyist or translator with special interests might be inclined to alter God's words if the originals would undermine some firmly rooted belief that he/she wanted to preserve. Those changes could cause considerable confusion when comparing different manuscripts; but not difficult enough to confuse God and thwart His will. Let us try to see the temple from God's perspective, as He reveals it in His words.

Look at Isa. 66:1-3 "Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations." Look! Now God is calling the temple practices "abominations."

The temple is an un-needed substitute for what God commanded. It was easier for them, using your donations, to try to buy God's favor with costly buildings, etc., than to comply with His commands. If you were God living in the bodies of millions of suffering people (His Children), what would you call the product of such ungodly extravagance that could have gone to ease the suffering of those whose pain you share?

The preachers and TV evangelists now have their tentacles in nearly every part of the world extorting money from the tired old hand of the aged poor; even in third world countries that barely survive, to build luxurious empires that serve only the vanity of the builders, on promises of wealth from God in return; or of other miracles not in their power to give. They can afford to hire desperate people to participate in their phony miracle healing scams and still come out ahead. Scripture says God will destroy them too, if they don't repent. I hope they do repent, and feel the shame they should for what they have done and are doing. May God put an end to these things for the sake of the exploited!

The false "Christian" churches, like the temples, are abominations to God and there are Scriptural implications that they will all cease to exist. The temple of God (His Children) will last forever. About the most foolish thing anyone could do with another single dollar is donating it to the third temple fund (or to the false prophets to build more multimillion dollar churches). Psa. 127:1 "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it." They labor in vain, be assured, who build the third temple.

The evidence suggests that the Abomination Of (that causes) Desolation is the third temple. The Jews (Middle-Eastern Israel) are not likely to build it anywhere but where the last one was. To do so would be an embarrassing compromise. That necessitates building it over the previous temple mound, where Islam's Dome of the Rock is inconveniently located. In order to build the third temple where they think they must, they must remove the Dome of the Rock, which will inflame the entire Islam and Arab world. Then soon after the third temple, the abomination of (that causes) desolation, is built; the desolators will desolate—but not just the temple—and not even one stone will be left standing on another this time (Mt. 24:1-2). Sounds like total annihilation and I think of more than just the temple complex.

Look what Jesus says about the worshippers and organized places of worship. The Samaritan woman at the well said to Jesus in Jn. 4:19-20 "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus replied in Jn. 4:21, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father." I think verse 22, at least the part that says, "for salvation is of the Jews" has been added (Explained in Is God Gender Biased? - 6th paragraph), because salvation is from God, through Jesus Christ, the Word . Jn. 4:23-24 "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth."

By "neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem," Jesus was revealing that none of the organized places of worship, with their phony ritual and repetitive token gestures are what God desires. He tells us what God does desire, and we can do that from anywhere without even a hint of tithing or passing of a collection box. We can do it for free, without making anyone rich, who is claiming the money is for God. If they truly believe that those who give money receive back more than they give, why don't they give their money to the poor instead of taking as much as possible of what little they have? Doubtless, if the monies donated to them were at all for God, it would mostly be used to relieve suffering, not just the tiniest amount possible to appear to be using it for good.

Listen to God's words! Psa. 40:6 "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required." Psa. 50:7 "Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God." In verse 8, He is more or less saying, "Go ahead and do it. I won't argue with you about it," but in 9-13 that He won't accept it, "I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds. For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?" and then in verse 14, something that He actually does want from us - more or less acknowledgement of our dependence on Him and gratitude for what He has given us.

Listen to the truth! Jer. 7:22-23 "For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you."

Listen to the voice of reason! Acts 7:48-50 "Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?" In Isa. 1:11 God denies the significance of sacrifice. "To what purpose," He asks, implying that it is useless. In verse 12 He denies authorizing it "who hath required this?"

In Isa. 1:13, He commands the end of them and other ritual observances "Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity..." In verse 16-17, He tells us again what He does want " Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment (i.e. justice), relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow." If you need more proof, see Hos. 6:6; Amos 5:21-27; Mic. 6:6-8; and 1 Sam. 15:22. What he wants in Amos 5:24 is "let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream." In Mic. 6:8 He requires "to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."

Let no one deceive you, love is the key that opens heaven's doors. It doesn't matter who you are or where you are. Isa. 66:3 "Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations..." Might these abominations and the thing in which they are practiced be the abomination that causes Jerusalem's desolation; i.e., total destruction?

We cannot ignore what God says, just because we want to, and expect Him to condescend to our wishes. God is fed up with our greater devotion to temple and church ritual and practices than to easing human suffering. And if we refuse to change, and only a small remnant will, He will erase most of us from very existence. That is (I repeat), those of us who will not conform to the immutable will of God, will cease to exist.

How could a loving God be "cruel" enough to destroy human beings? Well, God wants justice; and justice is not the good being perpetual prey for the evil to exploit to selfish advantage in any way they possibly can. It would not have to be so; the evil have a choice. They can stop being evil or perish. Their victims have no choice. It is crueler to allow the evil to continue than to destroy those who will not dispense with it. But that is for God to do (and He will), not for us to do. They have had ample time to choose between their way and God's.

Allow me to repeat what may relate directly to the Jewish temple and might very well be the Lord's final word on the matter, i.e., it is not negotiable: Psa. 127:1 "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it."

Let us end this chapter with a very important note on the Rev. 21:10 "holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God," remembering that "descending out of heaven from God," means issuing out from God's Word; i.e., it is a product of God's Word being put into practice. Note Rev. 21:22 very well: "And I saw no temple therein." Note it very well, "No temple.."