The "abomination" is when Satan stands in Jerusalem, and proclaims that he is God, and the world believes it. The "desolation" is an incorrect translation into the English, which should read "desolator", and Satan is the desolator that will make the claim that he is God, the true Christ.
Been over this ground a hundred times. Luke 21:20 is a parallel passage to Matthew 24:15! Luke explains what the "abomination of desolation" is!
But here it is AGAIN for the sake of those who want the truth:
{15} "Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
{16} then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. {17} "Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house. {18} "Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.
{19} "But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! {20} "But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.
{21} "For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. Matthew 24:15-21 (NASB)
{20} "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near.
{21} "Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city; {22} because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled.
{23} "Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people; {24} and they will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. Luke 21:20-24 (NASB)
And here is the passage in Daniel to which Matthew alludes!
{29} "At the appointed time he [Antiochus IV Epiphanes] will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before. {30} "For ships of Kittim [Cyprus] will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant.
{31} "Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. Daniel 11:29-31 (NASB)
And here is how Josephus records the fulfillment of Daniel 11!
And when the king [Antiochus IV Epiphanes] had built an idol altar upon God's altar, he slew swine upon it, and so offered a sacrifice neither according to the law, nor the Jewish religious worship in that country. He also compelled them to forsake the worship which they paid their own God, and to adore those whom he took to be gods; and made them build temples, and raise idol altars in every city and village, and offer swine upon them every day. He also commanded them not to circumcise their sons, and threatened to punish any that should be found to have transgressed his injunction. He also appointed overseers, who should compel them to do what he commanded.
Josephus, Antiquities 12:5:4
And here is how Josephus says this was repeated in the days of the Roman siege!
And now the Romans, upon the flight of the seditious into the city, and upon the burning of the holy house itself, and of all the buildings round about it, brought their ensigns to the temple and set them over against its eastern gate; and there did they offer sacrifices to them, and there did they make Titus imperator with the greatest acclamations of joy.
Josephus, Wars 6:6:1
The pagan armies of Rome offering sacrifices to the eagle on the same consecrated ground that the pagan armies of Antiochus had done barely less than 200 years before.
THAT is your "abomination of desolation" to which Matthew alludes in Matthew 24:15 and Luke explains to us in Luke 21:20!
It absolutely amazes me how so-called "preterists" are always accused of "spiritualizing" the text, when so-called "futurists" want to put Satan in every verse where the actions of men are clearly recorded!!!
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