17,18. If a group of Christians sat down to list perplexing passages, it wouldnt take long for someone to mention Matthew 24:15-16: So when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of through the prophet Daniellet the reader understandthen let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.. They say unto him, Yea, Lord. So how could the international peace-and-security organization promoted by it be the abomination or disgusting thing? pagan Roman armies surrounded the holy city Jerusalem, now the center of Jewish revolt against Rome. If you think you know the answer, maybe we should look into this prophecy a little more closely. (a)Why in this time of the end is the disgusting thing that causes desolation not the military people of the Roman Empire? Then, at that time. 7 What, though, is the disgusting thing that will soon bring Christendom to complete desolation? Antiochus treated Israel with such violence and contempt that they rebelled against him. (Da 9:27) The popular view has generally followed early Jewish tradition in applying this expression to the profanation of Jehovahs temple at Jerusalem in the year 168B.C.E. Jerusalems desolation in 70C.E. In short, the disgusting thing will stand in a holy place when the present system collapses and is replaced by a tyrannical world government, supported initially by organized religion, and the work of Jehovahs Witnesses is crushed. (The Answer May Surprise You). Additional prophecies of a disgusting thing. What was the first-century type of modern-day Christendom, and how was her desolation typified? That connection is confirmed in the 8th chapter of Daniel as well, where we read regarding the fierce-looking king: In the next verse the fierce-looking king is shown to also bring desolation upon a holy place. by Syrian King AntiochusIV (Epiphanes). Long ago The Watch Tower in its issue of July15, 1926, page215, explained that under the heading League Foretold. At that time the peace-and-security organization still was; it had not ceased to be, as it did during World WarII. Daniel 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. Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant. (b)What salvation will they experience as regards the coming tribulation? 18 The United Nations organization is described as a "disgusting thing" because it claims to be able to do something that only God's Kingdom can do bring world peace. It cannot possibly apply to Jesus return. Additional prophecies of a disgusting thing. 20. (b)How is Babylon the Great implicated in this, and who actually is she? . These have one thought, and so they give their power and authority to the wild beast [the disgusting thing]. Obviously, the desolation of Jerusalem, as horrific as it was, did not result in a great tribulation that obliged God to cut short on account of the chosen ones. Even though they are used as an instrument in bringing devastation upon Babylon the Great, they gain no reward for this. 15 "The prophet Daniel said that the disgusting thing that will cause destruction will stand in the holy place. It is a wholly artificial and self-serving interpretation intended to blind Jehovahs Witnesses to the judgments of Jehovah. When you see this (let the reader take note), 16 those of you in Judea should flee to the mountains. (b)Daniel 11:31 associates the disgusting thing with what power struggle, and what has been the thing that they put in place? This attack on Babylon the Great will be the beginning of the great tribulation. Christ Jesus showed this view to be in error when he gave the warning to his disciples: Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place, (let the reader use discernment,) then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains. (Mt 24:15,16) These words show that the disgusting thing that causes desolation was not then past but future. There will be 1290 days from that time until the time that the terrible thing that destroys is set up. ( Matthew 24:15; Daniel 12:11) w85 10/1 pp. However, its ascending up from the earth symbolizes its recovery from death as if coming out of grave the abyss. When you see this (let the reader take note), And discerning students of prophecy well know that this is not the only place in Daniel where these things appear together in context. Returning to Daniel 11:31, what are the arms that will stand up proceeding from the king of the north? 13. a great crowd of sheeplike persons have been separated from the goatlike persons who do not do good to the anointed chosen ones, the spiritual brothers of Jesus Christ. 24 And as Jesus added: In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short. (Matt. Jehovahs Witnesses are well aware that the disgusting thing originally appeared in the form of the Roman armies, which was foretold in the 9th chapter of Daniel. (b)Why will fulfillment of Revelation 17:16 mean great tribulation for Christendom, and how is her desolator like that of ancient Jewish Jerusalem? Excitedly we wait to see how members of the world organization will act together as the disgusting thing that causes desolation. Back in the year 70C.E. This is the first installment in a new series that analyzes perplexing passages of the Bible. 34. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc. 12:4-11; see also 11:40. A prolonged form of a primary stao stah'-o; to stand, used in various applications. (b)Thus the great tribulation such as has not occurred since the worlds beginning begins and ends upon whom? Standing where it ought not.--St. (Daniel uses siqqus, a term that always appears in connection with idolatry.). As always, the first step is to read the text in literary, cultural, historical, and canonical contexts. Jesus gave relatively little attention to the question When? and much toward the question How shall we live faithfully? Preaching on such texts today should be shaped by Jesus concern for the welfare and endurance of his church. (b)In spite of what fact has Christendom been most forward in riding the United Nations, and why? He uttered that remarkable prophecy in connection with foretelling the sign of . . Who says so? . (a)When in the great tribulation does Christendom get destroyed? Thereafter how will all other parts of the system of things show that they deserve to be destroyed? 19:1,2. a See Volume1, pages192, 193 of the book Word Pictures in the New Testament, as of 1930, by A.T.Robertson, M.A., LL.D. Please make sure all fields are filled out. In Matthew 24:29-31 Jesus said: 28 Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Who is the reader, and what should he or she understand? 24:15, 16) In the first fulfillment, the "standing in a holy place" occurred in 66 C.E . (a)Jesus prophecy about the disgusting thing was given when foretelling the sign of what? In the concluding words of the prophecy Daniel recorded the words of an angel who said: It is apparent that the removal of the constant feature and the placing of the disgusting thing are inseparable. the conclusion of the system of things. (Matt. 29,30. 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. 25. Daniel 12:11 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. In fact, many Christians didflee, sparing their lives, when they saw Romes armies coming. The national covenant with God, established on the basis of obedience to Gods law as given through the prophet Moses, does. But this was only the Jewish interpretation of matters, not an inspired revelation. However, there are still a number of serious problems with Bethels latest, revised interpretation foremost being, that the eighth king, symbolized by the scarlet-colored wild beast from the abyss regardless of what agency ultimately fulfills the role has not begun ruling for the prophesied one hour., However, for the reason previously stated it simply cannot be true that the U.N. is presently in the role of the image the idol brought to life by the resuscitated beast. Instead, his purpose is to protect and guide and instruct his people. Since when after the great tribulation of ancient Jerusalem has this gathering of the chosen ones been going on, and under guidance of what? What is an abomination? Probably from an obsolete oro; a mountain: -hill, mount(-ain). Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural. Feminine of Ioudaios; the Judaean land, a region of Palestine. It states: And arms will stand up, proceeding from him; and they will profane the sanctuary, the fortress, and remove the constant feature. When Jesus gives instruction concerning future events, his purpose is not to satiate our curiosity or answer all or our speculative questions. , Luke 21:21-24 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 18 Those who are in the field should not turn back to get their coats. As the angel explained the seven heads to the Christian apostle John: There are seven kings: five have fallen, one is [namely, imperial Rome], the other [the Anglo-American World Power] has not yet arrived, but when he does arrive he must remain a short while. Therefore, if people say to you, Look! Do we mean that the membership of the United Nations will shortly lay desolate the religious organization of Christendom? 'Now when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be let the reader understandthen those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. (Rev. But how is it even possible that the chosen ones could be misled by the clergy or anyone not associated with the leadership of the trusted Watchtower organization? (b)Into what will any love turn, and who says so, and where? And the prophecy says that the disgusting thing "causes desolation" because the United Nations will play a key role in the destruction of all false religion. (b)Is it at the desolation of Babylon the Great (including Christendom) that that system of things ends? Christendom and the remainder of Babylon the Great are only a part, the religious part, of this age-old system of things. The system includes also the political, military, secular part, including now the Eighth World Power. These verses come in the context of the Olivet Discourse, which begins with Jesus telling his disciples that the temple will be destroyed (24:1-2). (a)What other gathering under angelic guidance has been going on since 1935C.E.? (Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures idols and the false gods they represented are depicted as disgusting things. . However, Jesus prophecy indicated something different in the case of the anointed chosen ones in the present-day time of the end when great tribulation is getting near for antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem (Christendom). The chief promoter of this international organization for world peace and security was the Seventh World Power, the Anglo-American dual world power. flee to the mountains (Luke 21:10-24). Their being gathered together has doubtless been done under the active guidance of the heavenly angels sent forth by the invisibly present Jesus Christ. In fact, she is said to be the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth. (Rev. the constant feature has been removed and there has been a placing of the disgusting thing that is causing desolation.Dan. The eighth chapter of Daniel makes that connection clear, as the context indicates the removal of the constant feature and the trampling of the holy place coincides with the fierce-looking king bringing to ruin the people made up of holy ones. Such disgusting things evidently refer, not to idolatrous objects, but to things generally unclean or repulsive, as dirt and filth, thereby making the rapacious city despicable in the eyes of all. the present worldwide system of things has been in its time of the end. (Luke 21:24) The prophet Daniel associates the time of the end with the placing of the disgusting thing that is causing desolation when he writes: Make secret the words and seal up the book, until the time of the end. Why not? (a)What does history show as to whether the chosen ones have waited till now to flee out of antitypical Jerusalem? It may well be. What does the need to cut short the days to save flesh mean for the system of things?