Beware of The Abomination That Causes Desolation 

Daniel 9:27 (NIV) – He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

The abomination that causes desolation seems to be some strange mystery that only a few Bible prophecy gurus know about, yet that is not true. God doesn’t bring message to us and then make it cryptic and hard to decipher, that is not how our God is. God sends His message so that we can all understand. Therefore this abomination that causes desolation should be a simple concept that we should break down and learn what God wants all of us to understand.

Let us define this complex words, abomination that causes desolation. An abomination is something that is disgusting. Something that is generally unacceptable. An abomination is something that triggers hatred and is so annoying that something has to be done. An abomination is something that offends. An abomination naturally elicits a reaction that shows disgust. Violence against a few months old toddlers is an abomination. Mixing sewer with water that will be consumed domestically is an abomination.

Abomination that causes desolation. Now that we have an idea what an abomination is, we now seek to know what desolation is all about. What is desolation? Desolation has to do with destruction. Desolation also has to do with emptiness in the sense of a deserted place. A desolate place in the jungle, an empty place, without any form of life. Desolation of the house, referring to destruction of the house. 

The Bible tells us of an abomination that causes desolation. Something disgusting that brings destruction and or causes a place to be deserted. With this understanding, we go back to study the Bible texts that refer to the abomination that causes desolation.

Daniel 9:27 (Contemporary English Version) – For one week this foreigner will make a firm agreement with many people, and halfway through this week, he will end all sacrifices and offerings. THEN THE “HORRIBLE THING” THAT CAUSES DESTRUCTION will be put there. And it will stay there until the time God has decided to destroy this one who destroys.

The context is that Jesus will come and die. Jesus by His death will bring salvation to the world. After Jesus has completed His ministry of dying and resurrection, that is when the abomination that causes desolation will arise. The horrible thing that causes destruction.

The major thing that happened after the ministry of Jesus, and which can be interpreted to be the abomination that causes desolation, is the Roman attack on Jerusalem and its subsequent destruction. Jesus predicted it as part of the events that were to soon follow after His preaching, death and resurrection.

Matthew 24:15 (NIV) – “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—

Jesus told His disciples that they will soon after that, see the abomination that causes desolation. He advised them to run for their lives when that happens. He advised them to avoid Jerusalem at that time. To remove all doubt on what Jesus meant, the book of Luke clarifies it as follows.

Luke 21:20-24 (NIV) – 20 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its DESOLATION is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

The coming of Roman armies in the holy temple in Jerusalem was the abomination. It was an abomination because only Priests and High Priest could enter that part of the temple. A Roman soldier would be a very offensive person if seen approaching the temple. When Roman soldiers entered the temple – that was an abomination. This was an abomination that would lead to destruction of the temple by the same Roman armies and destruction of Jerusalem.

It is an abomination for anyone who isn’t a Priest to enter that temple. Roman soldiers entered the temple. Abomination that causes desolation, or a disgusting thing that causes destruction. The same Romans ended up destroying the temple and the city. 

The temple had daily sacrifices and annual sacrifices. The death of Jesus ended the daily sacrifices. We are now living in the time of the final annual sacrifice. Therefore the death of Jesus abolished the daily sacrifices. That is why at His death, the curtain in the temple got torn top to bottom, ending the daily sacrifices. Jesus ended the daily sacrifices. Jesus abolished the daily sacrifices.

Daniel 11:31 (NIV) – “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION.

When daily sacrifices come to an end, the next thing was to be an abomination that causes desolation. The armed forces of Romans that killed Jesus and thereby ended the daily sacrifices. The armed forces of Romans that will enter into the temple, are the same ones who will cause the abomination and the subsequent destruction.

Daniel 12:11 (NIV) – “From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the ABOMINATION THAT CAUSES DESOLATION is set up, there will be 1,290 days.

The abomination that causes desolation happens after Jesus (when daily sacrifice is abolished) and not before Jesus. Therefore it cannot be an occurrence at the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175BC/BCE to 164BC/BCE) who lived before Jesus (4BC/BCE to 31AD/CE). The abomination that caused desolation refers to Romans desecration of the temple and subsequently destroying it.

As we move towards the end of the world, there will be an accumulation of abominations that will cause God to destroy the world, before creating a new heaven and a new earth. Governments and leaders will make decisions that offend God, decisions that are an abomination. Decisions such as forcing people to worship on Sunday, contrary to biblical dictates. During such times God’s people will be persecuted for being faithful to God. These persecutions will disgust God. These are abominations that will cause desolation happens.

We should not participate in abominations that cause desolation. We should not participate in living lives contrary to what the Bible teaches. We should not promote a lifestyle of defying the Bible principles. We should not persecute people who are faithful to God. These are things that disgust God and causes Him to harm us. They are abominations that cause desolation.

However, there are other abominations in scripture, and they too can cause destruction. These abominations apply to us. We should be concerned about them.

Proverbs 6:16 (English Standard Version) There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an ABOMINATION to him:

Proverbs 6:16-19 (NIV) – 16 There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, 19 a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

These sins and many others are an abomination to God. Because of these sins and many others, God will destroy people. Therefore, we should be concerned about these sins and others, because they are the abominations that cause desolation happens after, that are relevant to us today. 

We should not be so obsessed with Romans attacking Jerusalem, that we forget that in our times and individual lives, we have the abominations that causes desolation. 

Proverbs 6:16-19 (Message Bible ) – Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion 17  eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hands that murder the innocent, 18  a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, 19  a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family.

May God save us from these abominations that can eventually destroy us. May God help us to live lives that please Him. In Jesus name, Amen!

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