The abomination of desolation

“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 Judaea flee into the mountains…” (Matt. 24:15,16).

What is the abomination of desolation? When and where will it be?

When we see the abomination of desolation we must finally flee to the wilderness. But what is it? This question and its ramifications have bothered my mind for some time. A possible answer has slowly jelled as tidbits of information coalesced in my thoughts. Yesterday as I was trying to explain the urgency of the times to someone, an old thought from Psalm 77 verse 13 came to me. Here is its context:

“Psa 77:5  I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

Psa 77:6  I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

Psa 77:7  Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will He be favourable no more?

Psa 77:8  Is His mercy clean gone for ever? doth His promise fail for evermore?

Psa 77:9  Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah.

Psa 77:10  And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.

Psa 77:11  I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember Thy wonders of old.

Psa 77:12  I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings.

Psa 77:13  Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?

Psa 77:14  Thou art the God that doest wonders: Thou hast declared Thy strength among the people.

Psa 77:15  Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed Thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

Psa 77:16  The waters saw Thee, O God, the waters saw Thee; they were afraid: the depths also were troubled.

Psa 77:17  The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: Thine arrows also went abroad.

Psa 77:18  The voice of Thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

Psa 77:19  Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known.

Psa 77:20  Thou leddest Thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.”

Here was the old thought: the Palmist is not primarily speaking of the Mosaic temple when he writes in verse 13 “the sanctuary”. In the context of verse 20, the Psalmist calls the whole Promised Land the sanctuary.

Moses and Aaron were not leading the children of Israel by the hand into “the Tabernacle of the congregation” (Ex. 33:7). I know that we Adventists have quoted this verse to prove the heavenly sanctuary is the way to God through Christ’s heavenly High Priestly ministry, especially His Most Holy Place ministry during this investigative judgment period. There can be no doubt about the investigative judgment since 1844 and the soon close of probation upon God’s last day remnant people of the Advent movement, and then the close of probation upon the rest of the world. I have written endlessly to promote these truths.

But, we must take another look at this pivotal verse from Psalm 77 that Ellen White used somewhat out of context (a practice used by inspired prophets throughout the Bible). The original, deeper meaning of Psalm 77:13 was a larger sanctuary than the one made by hands (human hands)—it was the sanctuary of “My land, …Mine heritage” (Jer. 2:7), “Mine inheritance” (Jer. 16:18), “the pleasant land” (Dan. 8:9), “the glorious land” (Dan. 11:41), “a good land and a large, …a land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 3:8).

“Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt? And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled My land, and made Mine heritage an abomination.” (Jer. 2:6,7).

“I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled My land, they have filled Mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.” (Jer. 16:18).

“Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob, and also My covenant with Isaac, and also My covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land. The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised My judgments, and because their soul abhorred My statutes.” (Lev. 26:42,43).

The Creator needs more space than any human structure can offer. He needs vastness; He needs the works of His own hands.

“We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; …the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” (Heb. 8:1,2).

“God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though He needed any thing, seeing He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.” (Acts 17:24,25).

This is why Jesus spent most of His public ministry out of doors. “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.” (Matt. 8:20).

Our Creator needs an incomprehensively large home with its outlying kingdom of peace. He needs immensity.

“That temple, filled with the glory of the eternal throne, where seraphim, its shining guardians, veil their faces in adoration, could find, in the most magnificent structure ever reared by human hands, but a faint reflection of its vastness and glory.” The Great Controversy, p. 414.

Since the beginning, at the least He needed an earthly dominion. For His kingdom He has needed His Middle-eastern foothold in His usurped inheritance, planet Earth. But, His New Testament Israel has been the church; and today it’s His last days’ remnant church.

Having shown that the sanctuary, which we normally think of as a building, can be the natural world, and specifically a country that God claims to be especially His holy province, now let’s continue looking at the abomination in the holy place that Jesus gave warning of in our opening scripture above, Matthew 24:15.

When Jesus said this He was referring to the prophecy of Daniel 8 and 11. And He required an in-depth study of His Matthew 24:15 merciful commentary, “Whoso readeth, let him understand.” So let’s look at that.

“Dan 8:9  And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.

Dan 8:10  And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

Dan 8:11  Yea, he magnified himself even to the Prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down.

Dan 8:12  And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

Dan 8:13  Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

Dan 8:14  And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”

The transgression of desolation, which is defined as “an host” “against the daily sacrifice [the gospel of Christ’s poured out soul for an offering acceptable to God]” “by reason of transgression [revolt, apostasy, ‘a falling away’ after ‘that man of sin, the son of perdition’ (2Thess. 2:3)]”. Daniel’s chapter 8 vision was later explained with another vision in chapter 11. Paul’s “that man of sin, the son of perdition’” was Daniel’s “vile person…king of the north” (Dan. 11:21,40).

The abomination of desolation refers to a great apostasy not only away from the one true religion of God’s Law, but also of an entire world population caught up in lawless Spiritual Formation and spiritualistic celebration worship.

“And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” (Dan. 11:31,32).

Here the word “arms^H2220” means “power”, “strength”, and it reiterates the “host” of Daniel 8:12, as well as the “many waters” and the beast upon which “the great whore” (Rev. 17:1,3) would sit. Those waters represented “all the world [that] wondered after the beast” (Rev. 13:3). “And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” (Rev. 17:15).

“An host”, “many waters”, “arms”, does not only indicate military forces. Rather it speaks of the world’s masses, its governments, and international corporations, all of which have been controlled by Satan’s self-pitying wine and then dominated by his voracious hang-overs. “For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.” (Rev. 18:3).

“Dan 11:40  And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

Dan 11:41  He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

Dan 11:42  He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

Dan 11:43  But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

Dan 11:44  But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

Dan 11:45  And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.”

The abomination of desolation will have its antitype in the condition of the Jews in 70 AD, after the 70 week prophecy’s end had previously occurred in 34 AD, after another generation of heaven’s grace upon grace had been given them.

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks…. 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 [because of] the overspreading of abominations He shall make it desolate, even until the consummation [consumption], and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Dan. 9:24,25,27).

The Daniel 9:27 event from 2,000 years ago presages the final destruction of the whole world. That final, rapid, horrendous period of violent apostasy away from the God of Abraham is also described in Revelation 17:8-11.

“Rev 17:8  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

Rev 17:9  And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

Rev 17:10  And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

Rev 17:11  And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and goeth into perdition.”

A Jesuit, demonic, machine of dominating paganism and bullying persecution, technologically advanced and inescapable, will reign over the nations. Never again will the Law of God be seen. The individual morals and social mores that the Creator instilled in Adam’s race will be completely blotted from their consciences. The global consciousness will exclude all knowledge of righteousness and faith. Mercy and truth, loving-kindness and tender mercies, “the old paths, where is the good way” (Jer. 6:16) wherein all could find rest for their souls, will be extinct. A bewitching substitute will rule the hearts and minds of the world. Emotion will be their imaginary redemption. Endless, empty contemplative prayers will be the only available means for peace, “a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh” (Col. 2:23). Atheism, the New Age, and the New World Order will constitute the only worldview for science, religion, and government. Humanity refused to accept the Creator’s science, religion, and government. The human race pushed away His wise and balanced overtures of mercy and justice until He could no longer turn them away from the epitome of captivity ascending from the bowels of hell. The new perception of reality will be an endless rabbit hole, and a bottomless torment.

“The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Rev. 14:10,11).

So, “the transgression of desolation” (Dan. 8:13), “the abomination of desolation” (Matt. 24:15), “the abomination that maketh desolate” (Dan. 11:31), will be the world corrupting beast power when it “goeth into perdition” (Rev. 17:11). That perdition is a lawlessness that Nimrod bequeathed to the post-flood generation, an abomination of gigantic proportions, and powerful lusts and indulgences of the flesh from wicked giants. That kind of delusion will be thrust upon our New Age world when they “behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is” (Rev. 17:8) because they turned away from the blessedness of Christ, which He dispensed through the Reformation.

Now that we know what to look for as the sign to flee to the wilderness, where will it appear? Can we know where to be watching for its appearance? “Then shall that Wicked [lawless one] be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness.” (2Thess. 2:8-10).

Can we know where to be expecting its appearance? “Well,” you say, “the abomination of desolation, son of perdition will appear ‘in the holy place’, as Jesus said.” But, what does “holy place” mean? Does it mean the first compartment of the heavenly sanctuary or an earthly sanctuary? Where is the holy place? Will it be Jerusalem? Will it be in the third temple? Will it be in the Holy Land somewhere? Will it be in Rome? In the Sistine Chapel? Will it be in the hearts of men? Will it be literally in heaven, as Daniel 8:10 seems to indicate, or does Daniel’s vision only symbolically describe a work of deception that Satan accomplished in the hearts of men and in the doctrines of the apostolic church?

If what we said earlier of Psalm 77 is true, then the most ancient holy place was the Land of Promise. Following His way “in the [Red] sea” (vs. 19), His way was in the land flowing with milk and honey. “Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?.... Thou leddest Thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” (Ps. 77:13,20).

“So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.” (Ex. 15:22). “Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days.” (Deut. 2:1).

But, today the holy land is what God promised the Protestants when He delivered their souls from the Dark Ages persecutions and captivity.

“And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Rev. 12:15-17).

Therefore, the beast that ascends from the bottomless pit, the son of perdition, “that

Wicked [one]” (2Thess. 2:8), who the whole world will follow after, is becoming the United States of America, its old capital Washington D.C. and its new headquarters Denver. Protestant America, which once was the stronghold of anti-Catholicism and the enemy of the Vatican, the refuge continent to which the Revelation 12 Bible-loving bride of Christ fled from Satan and his Beast into the wilderness, after courageously keeping alive the gospel during the Dark Ages.

In the U.S.A. the Antichrist will do his wicked works, no longer in Jerusalem or Rome. Here, the pretended world’s greatest worker of good, who even paves the way for the third temple’s construction by moving the government seat to the Jews’ ancient capital, thus arranges for Jerusalem to be the focus of the (faking) Antichrist (per the Secret Rapture theory’s seven year schedule) until he can rip the mask off his face and become the world’s worst dictator. That (feigned) act, together with the very delusive, mock secret rapture, will lock Evangelical America into believing the false eschatology that it received from the Jesuits, so that it evangelizes the whole world in its centuries-old Jesuit rapture falsehood. But Evangelical America’s evangelism will be by the point of the sword, as it speaks like the dragon, its father the devil. This way, the waking world will find it almost impossible to believe the truth from the 144,000 Adventists and 11^th hour remnant Protestants. Only those suffering souls who have had a real heart change will be able to disregard all that their eyes are beholding.

Can we know when to expect this abomination of desolation?

The faked secret rapture will have sealed the human race in its “signs and lying wonders” and “all deceivableness of unrighteousness”, and there will be an emergence of a Protestant American-flavored, Vatican-like, heinous persecuting power, very similar to the  present “holy war” that America has been already fighting for a decade in the Middle East. When this militant, unstable, and unredeemed Evangelical force, which was never humbled by the Law of God because it mentally abrogated that Law; when this fanatical force, unable to find rest in their soul, demon-driven by a wild fanaticism under the secret rapture spell, and receiving the wrath of God, rears its avenging 8^th head, then we must flee into the wilderness. Because of the captivating rapture spell, all who will have taken part in the Latter Rain preaching of the gospel to “for a witness unto all nations” (Matt. 24:14) will find it impossible to reach anyone who would not open his heart to the fourth angel’s message of Revelation 18. That holy and mighty people, the 144,000, will not lay down their lives for people who cannot be redeemed; and martyrdom will cease. The shut door will finally be a correct injunction from above upon the 144,000.

We can expect the abomination of desolation of Matthew 24:15 to be very soon. Be the new Jesuit pope, we already see the ancient papacy controlled by the Jesuit order, newly empowered by the “fire and smoke and brimstone” (Rev. 9:17) vicious spirits from the bottomless pit. We have long discerned the dimness caused by “the sun and the air…darkened by reason of the smoke of the [bottomless] pit” (Rev. 9:3), which began at the Advent movement’s Sabbath conferences and the California Gold Rush, and is now densely covering the minds of the people with its spiritual darkness, a gross darkness which will drive the new Evangelical papacy into the deepest depths of corruption and tyranny. We already see the lamb-like horned, second beast of Revelation 13 acting like the dragon, and even speaking like the dragon to foment national and global strife.

Nevertheless, although seeing so much already, yet now is still not the time to “run for the hills”. We have yet to fulfill our duties, and see the glory of the Lord, in the Latter Rain of Matthew 24:14. But, who shall be able to stand in that powerful time, when will they, like the earlier Christians, be “enlightened, …have tasted of the heavenly gift, …made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come”? (Heb. 6:4,5).

Who, humbled and converted and sealed, will bravely stand with Jesus when He manifests Himself amongst His people and directs their movements in the final conflict of the Latter Rain, which is the required preparation for His appearing in glory?

Are we watching for the abomination of desolation, the abomination that maketh desolate? “What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.” (Mark 13:37). “Take heed that no man deceive you.” (Matt. 24:4).