But all in vain! The "abomination of desolation" is a Hebrew idiom, meaning "the abomination that maketh desolate." St. Luke ( Luke 21:20) does not use the expression; it would have sounded strange to his Gentile readers. 15 Gods angel, who said to the apostle John: And the ten horns that you saw mean ten kings, . Who is the reader, and what should he or she understand? left the city, and moved to a town called Pella.[1] So Jesus, ever the Good Shepherd, told the first Christians how to survive those most harrowing years of the churchs infancy. Inasmuch as the appointed times of the nations ended in the year 1914C.E. This is the disgusting thing that is foretold to desolate Christendom, Gods Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached, The Watchtower Announcing Jehovahs Kingdom1975, The Watchtower Announcing Jehovahs Kingdom1970, The Watchtower Announcing Jehovahs Kingdom1999. The scarlet-colored wild beast of Revelation chapter17 is now the United Nations. 26 Fleeing out of the antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem (Christendom) has been the right thing for them to do at any time since the end of World WarI in 1918. The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics helps Christians show unbelievers the truth, goodness, and beauty of the gospel as the only hope that fulfills our deepest longings. Disgusting Thing, also Loathsome Thing - jw.org 17:1-6,18) Back in 1930 the publication Light, VolumeII, pages87-93, explained her to be organized Christian religion or organized Christianity as exemplified in Christendom. From ho and hote; the when, i.e. The sheeplike ones, who are gathered to the right hand of the King Jesus Christ, will make up the flesh that will be saved by the cutting short of the days of tribulation on account of Gods chosen ones. So these sheeplike ones will not join the nations in beating themselves in lamentation when the Son of man makes it evident to all people on earth that he, although invisible as if enveloped with the clouds of heaven, is coming with power and great glory to destroy the goatlike persons.Matt. In, on, among. And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 10 For more than two centuries this Seventh World Power has professed to be Christian and has been a stronghold of Christendom. (Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures idols and the false gods they represented are depicted as disgusting things. 24:15, 16) w74 12/1 pp. Properly, to stare at, i.e. 19 Jesus prophecy concerning the disgusting thing he gave when foretelling the sign of [his] presence and of the conclusion of the system of things. (Matt. Is this a figure we should still expect, or has he come already? Thus since 1935C.E. Here is the Christ, or, There! do not believe it. by Syrian King AntiochusIV (Epiphanes). (b)What reason, then, is there for the Bible to call the international peace organization a disgusting thing or abomination? Concerning this a number of questions come to mind foremost being: What is this disgusting thing? Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple; that the gospel must be preached to all nations; that great calamities shall happen to the Jews; and the manner of his coming to judgment; the hour whereof being known to none, every man is to watch and pray, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Gospels: Mark 13:14 But when you see the abomination (Mar Mk Mr). This is what is symbolized in Revelation the 17th chapter where the 10 kings, symbolizing all the national governments, give their kingdom to the wild beast until the will of God is accomplished. (a)What does history show as to whether the chosen ones have waited till now to flee out of antitypical Jerusalem? That connection is confirmed in the 8th chapter of Daniel as well, where we read regarding the fierce-looking king: It exalted itself even against the Prince of the army, and from him the constant feature was taken away, and the established place of his sanctuary was thrown down. As always, the first step is to read the text in literary, cultural, historical, and canonical contexts. And discerning students of prophecy well know that this is not the only place in Daniel where these things appear together in context. What Is the Disgusting Thing That Causes Desolation in Our Time As In 24:4-14, the, Jesus is preparing his disciples for eventsmost of them extremely difficultthat will take place in their lifetime. 12:4-11; see also 11:40. From bdelusso; a detestation, i.e. The apocalyptic picture in Mt 24 verse29 also calls for sobriety of judgment.a. . For the same reason, the following command not to go back to get a cloak and the woe for nursing mothers who must flee cannot refer to Jesus return. Jesus warned His disciples of an "abomination of desolation" who would defile the temple. (a)Jesus prophecy about the disgusting thing was given when foretelling the sign of what? To them he said: When you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place, . 18 So when Revelation 17:16 foretells that the symbolic wild beast and its ten horns turn to hating the religious harlot and make her devastated and naked and eat up her fleshy parts and completely burn her with fire, it means that this treatment will be experienced and shared by Christendom, the antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem. (a)Why does not the scarlet-colored wild beast gain a reward for being used as an instrument in devastating Babylon the Great? Sorry, there was an error loading the video. 7. (b)What salvation will they experience as regards the coming tribulation? In what sense should readers flee to the mountains? Even though they are used as an instrument in bringing devastation upon Babylon the Great, they gain no reward for this. 18:4) They did not wait until after the year 1945 nor until after they saw correctly what the disgusting thing is. Indeed that abomination did come in Roman form in AD 70. The United Nations will attack Christendom and the rest of Babylon the Great, as also foretold at Revelation 17:16-18. Is it out of affection for God that the scarlet-colored wild beast destroys Babylon the Great (including Christendom)? This act was the abomination of desolation, the abomination causing desolation. That terrible time of trouble is destined to coincide with the coming of Christ. Daniel 12:11 - Michael's Deliverance and the End Times Copyright 2023 The Gospel Coalition, INC. All Rights Reserved. 5 To be true to type, the desolating of Christendom must come within the time period in which a system of things comes to its full conclusion. Additional prophecies of a disgusting thing. So those who make up the wild beast oppose those who practice the true Christianity and who preach and faithfully stick to Gods Messianic kingdom, in which the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, serves as King under Him. Another contradictory aspect of the Watchtowers latest interpretation is the fact that Jesus indicated that his own followers would be directly impacted and will not be mere sideline observers. In other words, they receive the judgment of the second death, which Jehovahs Witnesses correctly understand to mean permanent death no resurrection. "Desolation" is from the Greek root word eremosis and means something that has been stripped or laid waste. When Jesus gives instruction concerning future events, his purpose is not to satiate our curiosity or answer all or our speculative questions. Dan Doriani (MDiv, PhD, Westminster Theological Seminary; STM, Yale Divinity School, Research Fellow, Yale University, 1981, 1995) is Professor of theology and Vice President at Covenant Theological Seminary. not exist, is not in force anymore. (a)Till when did the chosen ones of nineteen hundred years ago wait before fleeing out of all Judea? From hos and pou; what(-ever) where, i.e. Though it has historical fulfillments, there is also a future fulfillment when daily sacrifices will be offered in Jerusalem and then cut off and replaced by some sort of blasphemous display. Let the Reader Use Discernment - Jehovah's Watchman Is the Watchtowers interpretation that the disgusting thing is presently the U.N. correct? (a)Why in this time of the end is the disgusting thing that causes desolation not the military people of the Roman Empire? 16 Necessarily the fulfillment of this prophecy means great tribulation for Christendom, the most reprehensible part of Babylon the Great. Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Plural. What kind of organization is pictured by the scarlet-colored beast that has seven heads and ten horns? And discerning students of prophecy well know that this is not the only place in Daniel where these things appear together in context. Thus, the causing of desolation by the disgusting thing was imminent, and so this was the final signal for discerning Christians to flee to the mountains. (Mt 4:5; 27:53; 24:15, 16; Lu 19:43, 44; 21:20-22) Following their flight, the desolation of the city and nation occurred, Jerusalem being destroyed in the year 70C.E., and the last Jewish stronghold, Masada, falling to the Romans in 73C.E.Compare Da 9:25-27. 27,28. But Jehovah God has a heavy account to settle with all the rest of the world empire of false religion, namely, Babylon the Great. In all biblical uses, the term can be . Read discussions, or register to add your comments or ask questions, (Most modern translations use the term abomination, rather than disgusting thing. For comparison check out, Calling to mind the words of the Lord Jesus, discerning Christians living in Judea and Jerusalem seized the opportunity. 27 Nineteen centuries ago the anointed chosen ones did wait until they saw the disgusting thing standing in the holy place before they found it advisable and urgent for them to flee out of Jerusalem and all Judea, that is, from 66C.E. Now, lets consider Daniel 11:31 more closely. The priesthood in the family of Aaron the brother of Moses that carried on the religious services at that temple does not exist anymore. She, like the rest of Babylon the Great, will never be found again. (Rev. How do we know the eighth king has not begun ruling? At whichever spot. 17 Nineteen centuries ago great tribulation came upon the ancient Jewish Jerusalem. Jerusalems desolation in 70C.E. Do we mean that the membership of the United Nations will shortly lay desolate the religious organization of Christendom? Because the emergence of the last kingdom initiates Gods hour of judgment upon the world and the book of Revelation is quite clear that all who give their allegiance to the wild beast after it emerges from a death-like state, from the abyss, do not have their names written in the book of life. The Desolating of Christendom by the "Disgusting Thing" Calling to mind the words of the Lord Jesus, discerning Christians living in Judea and Jerusalem seized the opportunityto flee before the disgusting thing returned three and a half years later bringing utter desolation upon the holy city. Rbi8 pp. But inexplicably the army withdrew. Hence, although not directly named in Bible prophecy, she is typed or prophetically pictured. Today, Barry Cooper turns to the context of Christ's warning to give clarity to this figure's identity. See Insight on the Scriptures Disgusting thing). And when you see the SHIKUTS MESHOMEM (the abomination of desolation, the abomination that causes desolation, DANIEL 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) standing where it ought not . From the time when the regular daily offering is removed and an abominable thing that causes desolation is set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days. A prolonged form of a primary stao stah'-o; to stand, used in various applications. 17:12, 16,17) The fulfillment of this part of the prophecy takes place after the scarlet-colored wild beast ascends out of the abyss, and hence sometime after the year 1945, when it made this ascent out of the abyss. In the prophetic vision of Revelation 17, the symbolic immoral woman, Babylon the Great, is depicted. Therefore, if people say to you, Look! But this was only the Jewish interpretation of matters, not an inspired revelation. That two-horned beast is properly understood to be the Anglo-American dyad. Matthew 24:15 ESV - "So when you see the | Biblia Of the two, the former seems, in its enigmatic form, more likely to have been the phrase actually used; the latter to have been an explanation. But under the title of League of Nations this organization did not destroy Christendom. Feminine of Ioudaios; the Judaean land, a region of Palestine. (b)May they be among those to whom what cry of praise to Jehovah is directed? (b)Daniel 11:31 associates the disgusting thing with what power struggle, and what has been the thing that they put in place? Attempting to stamp out the worship of Jehovah, Antiochus built an altar over the great altar of Jehovah and sacrificed upon this a pig to the Olympian Zeus (Jupiter). These have one thought, and so they give their power and authority to the wild beast [the disgusting thing]. What is the Great Tribulation and Holy Place? - Jehovah's Watchman To read, know again, know certainly, recognize, discern. 15 "The prophet Daniel said that the disgusting thing that will cause destruction will stand in the holy place. - And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.The Septuagint is, "From the time the sacrifice is taken away for ever, and the abomination of desolation is prepared to be set up, are a thousand two hundred and ninety days." 26. How J. K. Rowling Played, then Lost, the Polarization Game, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Christian Nationalism, GAFCON IV: Lessons from a Communion in Birth Pains, What to Do When Your Child Is Addicted to Video Games, Radical Christian Gentleness in an Era of Addictive Outrage, The FAQs: Anglican Group Calls on Church of Englands Leader to Repent, Whats the Earliest Evidence for Christianity? While the Jewish people, and particularly their religious leaders in Jesus days on earth, were evidently scrupulous in avoiding anything connected with literal idols, they were, nevertheless, guilty of disgusting practices of self-idolatry, disobedience, hypocrisy, greed, and falsehood, and Jesus said that, like their forefathers, they had turned the temple into a cave of robbers. (Mt 23:1-15, 23-28; Lu 16:14, 15; compare Mt 21:13 and Jer 7:11,30.) 17,18. (a)To be true to type, Christendoms desolation must come within what time period, and Daniel associates that time period with the placing of what? No Jew can prove his qualifications as a real member of that priestly family. This object of disgust, an idol, will cause desolation, causing those in Judea to flee to the mountains ( Matthew 24:16 ). When you see this (let the reader take note), Jesus' reference to "the disgusting thing that is causing desolation" (11:31), in his prophecy about the sign of his presence, shows that this power struggle of the two kings continues right down to "the conclusion of the system of things." Overconfident because of having been used to destroy the false religion, the Eighth World Power will make a final attempt to desolate the true worship of Jehovah God as an act of defiance of Jehovahs Godship and sovereignty. The Watchtower first began teaching that the League of Nations was the original abomination as well as the manifestation of the symbolic scarlet-colored beast of Revelation back around 1929.