The United Nations is the disgusting thing, and Christendom is viewed as a holy place by its followers. But when you shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that reads understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: Daniel 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? In all biblical uses, the term can be . The same Eighth World Power will be his handy tool in making the desolation of Babylon the Great complete. That such parts deserve to be destroyed also will be shown to all the universe when the disgusting desolator, the mightily armed Eighth World Power, turns its forces against the Founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God at HarMagedon.Rev. 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. Jerusalems desolation in 70C.E. 16 Necessarily the fulfillment of this prophecy means great tribulation for Christendom, the most reprehensible part of Babylon the Great. 24:21,22) That means nothing less than that the entire system of things, including antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem, will be annihilated, never to be restored. This object of disgust, an idol, will cause desolation, causing those in Judea to flee to the mountains ( Matthew 24:16 ). Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. But, as now seen, Babylon the Great is actually the world empire of false Babylonish religion, of which Christendom is the most populous and powerful part. For that reason, it ought to be understood that the little horn that emerges from the ten is the same entity as the disgusting thing. Look! Her type, the prophetic figure of her, is the unfaithful Jerusalem of the first century of our Common Era. (a)What is the case as regards love for Christendom among the member-nations of the United Nations? By means of his angels he is separating the individual members of the nations just as an Oriental shepherd separates his sheep from the goats. But she had her type back there in Bible times. 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. 13. Jesus foretold: "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." (Matt. This bad condition and heart attitude led to their monumental act of rebellion in rejecting Gods own Son, and Jesus showed that this would bring certain destruction upon them.Mt 21:33-41; Lu 19:41-44. Additional prophecies of a disgusting thing. [1] Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, trans. Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular. The Desolating of Christendom by the Disgusting Thing. He is in the wilderness, do not go out; Look! The words "spoken of by Daniel the prophet" are omitted in many of the best MSS. (1Cor. (a)Who should rejoice at the wonderful prospect ahead? to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear. 14,15. She, like the rest of Babylon the Great, will never be found again. (Rev. Help train Christians to boldly share the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that clearly communicates to this secular age. (Space forbids that I address double and partial fulfillments of elements of 24:3-35. The disciples probably thought they were asking one question. . 29 These words emphasize, not a flight in escape to various places of safety, but a gathering of the chosen ones by angels. 13 Exactly so, the international organization for world peace and security springs from the preceding seven world powers or surviving relics of them, and it is in itself an eighth world power. The scarlet-colored wild beast of Revelation chapter17 is now the United Nations. So, since the Watchtower teaches that Germany was the king of the north during the first half of the 20th century, followed by the USSR, the they is ostensibly understood by Jehovahs Witnesses to be the Anglo-American kings of the south and the Nazi/Soviet kings of the north. 30 Jesus words, immediately after, do not mean right after ancient Jerusalems great tribulation in 70C.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. Did not Jesus indicate that even in the larger fulfillment Christians will be required to take decisive action to flee from the danger zone when the disgusting thing stands where it ought not? Rbi8 pp. The disciples then asked Jesus to explain: When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age? (24:3). idolatry. 7:9-17; Matt. 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. Nevertheless, when the League was dissolved at the outbreak of the Second World War and the United United Nations was established in the aftermath of the war, the Watchtower then proclaimed that the scarlet beast had ascended from the symbolic abyss. How could such a numerous, mighty religious organization ever be desolated, be brought to ruin? When he came to suppress the rebellion, his forces entered the temple, stopped the regular sacrifices, set up an idol of or altar for Zeus, and apparently offered swine there as a sacrifice. (Daniel uses siqqus, a term that always appears in connection with idolatry.). This something different does not restrict matters to a modern-day period of three and a half years to parallel the period of 66-70C.E. For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought. (Rev. What is the holy place and how will it be brought to desolation? Daniel 9:26-27 refers to a prince who will destroy the city (Jerusalem) along with its temple and sacrifices, and on the wings of abominations shall come one who makes desolate. Two chapters later there is another reference to an abomination in connection to the temple: forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. (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? Not only that, but consider this: If the holy place represents Christendom then how is it possible that false Christs and false prophets are operating after the point at which the disgusting thing brings desolation? It is then, in the future, when the disgusting thing will be put into place. 16. 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. Verb - Perfect Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular. (a)What has that Seventh World Power professed to be religiously, and so what question arises? He uttered that remarkable prophecy in connection with foretelling the sign of . Here is the Christ, or, There! do not believe it. Thus since 1935C.E. Antiochus treated Israel with such violence and contempt that they rebelled against him. So how could the international peace-and-security organization promoted by it be the abomination or disgusting thing? As regards the little horn with eyes and a mouth speaking great blasphemies, the prophecy states: I kept watching as that horn made war on the holy ones, and it was prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was rendered in favor of the holy ones of the Supreme One, and the appointed time arrived for the holy ones to take possession of the kingdom., In the book of Revelation, the same event is depicted thusly: But as for the courtyard that is outside the temple sanctuary, leave it out and do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city underfoot for 42 months. So his core prediction was fulfilled by AD 70. Now, lets consider Daniel 11:31 more closely. Then, in 24:36, Jesus starts to speak exclusively about that daythat is, the last day. He was also a lead pastor of a very small church (5 years) and a very large church (eleven years. 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. He has written seventeen books on exegesis and biblical ethics, and is the founder and president of Center for Faith and Work, St. Louis. What is an abomination? 12:4-11; see also 11:40. 18:4) They did not wait until after the year 1945 nor until after they saw correctly what the disgusting thing is. (Na 3:4-7) The bloodstained and disgusting things to be removed from the teeth of the Philistine (Zec 9:6,7) likely relate to the pagan practice of eating sacrificial animals along with their blood.Compare Eze 33:25. In the historical books, abomination always describes idolatry, often with child sacrifice (1 Kings 11:7, 2 Kings 23:13). A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. in the tribulation upon Jerusalem it was the armed forces of the Sixth World Power (Imperial Rome) that acted as the disgusting thing that causes desolation. In the coming great tribulation as it affects the antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem (Christendom), it is the members of the Eighth World Power that carry out the work of the disgusting thing that is causing desolation. And are these members of the Eighth World Power armed? What was the first-century type of modern-day Christendom, and how was her desolation typified? 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. At the time that. This attack on Babylon the Great will be the beginning of the great tribulation. The interpretation of Daniel 9-11 is difficult and disputed, but it does have some fixed points, and the nature of the abomination that causes desolation is one of them. 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. The national covenant with God, established on the basis of obedience to Gods law as given through the prophet Moses, does. 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." 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. 5,6. How do we know the eighth king has not begun ruling? What is the sign of the close of this age. In all justice the whole system must end! In the concluding words of the prophecy Daniel recorded the words of an angel who said: And from the time that the constant feature has been removed and the disgusting thing that causes desolation has been put in place, there will be 1,290 days., It is apparent that the removal of the constant feature and the placing of the disgusting thing are inseparable. An entity needs to have a linkage with food, have contamination potential, and also a sense of 'offensiveness' in order to . 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. That destructive hate must therefore strike at Christendom, the hypocritical Christian organization. The apocalyptic picture in Mt 24 verse29 also calls for sobriety of judgment.a. To flee, escape, shun. to comprehend, heed. It should be noted, however, that Daniel 11:31-35 and 12:9, 11 connect a 'disgusting thing causing desolation' with "the time of the end." It is reasonable that the development of this latter expression of 'the disgusting thing causing desolation' in the time of the end should follow the . What did the Watch Tower issue of July15, 1926, explain the scarlet-colored wild beast to be, and how is it an eighth king? (b)Daniel 11:31 associates the disgusting thing with what power struggle, and what has been the thing that they put in place? brought the end of the holy place, Jerusalem, the holy city. (Mt 27:53) However, the Scriptures direct our attention to a heavenly Jerusalem, the Messianic Kingdom, which is represented on earth by anointed Christians. (b)Was there to be something similar for the chosen ones of today, and what do Jesus words in Matthew 24:29-31 show on this? The problem is how much time intervenes between the tribulation of those days and the vivid symbolisms of Mt 24 verse29. (Throughout the Hebrew Scriptures idols and the false gods they represented are depicted as disgusting things. 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.) So what affects Babylon the Great must also affect Christendom. (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. Necessarily, then, desolation for Babylon the Great must also include desolation for Christendom. (a)What does history show as to whether the chosen ones have waited till now to flee out of antitypical Jerusalem? "Abomination of desolation" is a phrase from the Book of Daniel describing the pagan sacrifices with which the 2nd century BCE Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes replaced the twice-daily offering in the Jewish temple, or alternatively the altar on which such offerings were made. . Those disgusting things were represented by idols and given names like Molech and Chemosh. 26. "The daily sacrifice will be stopped. The salvation and the glory and the power belong to our God, because his judgments are true and righteous. To read, know again, know certainly, recognize, discern. Why, hate will soon lead to the destruction of the Babylonish world empire of false religion. In the 1st century CE it was taken up by the authors of the gospels in the context of the Roman destruction of . Reliable history now proves that the gathering together of the anointed chosen ones of Jehovah God began in 1919, or after World WarI, and that in continues, at least to some extent, down till now. 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. 19. ( Matthew 24:15; Daniel 12:11) w85 10/1 pp. The temple that was built for the worship of Jehovah as God has never been rebuilt, and never will be. An outstanding feature of Jesus' answer was his mention of Daniel's prophecy about " the disgusting thing that causes desolation" and that would 'stand in a holy place.' ( Matt. Returning to Daniel 11:31, what are the arms that will stand up proceeding from the king of the north? See Insight on the Scriptures Disgusting thing). Thereafter how will all other parts of the system of things show that they deserve to be destroyed? An expression like that of Daniel (associating disgusting things with desolation) appears in the Apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees (1:54) as applying to this event. What does the need to cut short the days to save flesh mean for the system of things? He says, "When ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that her desolation is at hand." Jehovah's Witnesses have also pre-identified the disgusting thing that will bring desolation; recognizing the United Nations as a disgusting thing in God's sight; since it is posed to become a world government, and as such, it presumes to accomplish what only God's kingdom can possibly accomplish. From bdelusso; a detestation, i.e. Tugis life was full of dignity and worth. These will battle with the Lamb, but, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. . From eremoo; despoliation. Christian Cruse (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1955), 86-87. No, even though they may love still the various non-Christian religious elements of Babylon the Great. See Insight on the Scriptures . 25 What, though, about the remnant of Gods chosen ones on whose account the days of the approaching great tribulation will be cut short in order for some flesh to be saved by not having too long a tribulation? 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. 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? For he has executed judgment upon the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged the blood of his slaves at her hand.Rev. (b)Why will fulfillment of Revelation 17:16 mean great tribulation for Christendom, and how is her desolator like that of ancient Jewish Jerusalem? 35 But will the great tribulation then be complete? ERV. 21,22. 3. Indeed, Scripture calls sexual sins like adultery, homosexuality, and bestiality abominations (e.g., Leviticus 18:22, 29-30). I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy for 1,260 days dressed in sackcloth.. Ancient Jewish Jerusalem was not a type of Babylon the Great but was a type of the most prominent and powerful part of Babylon the Great, namely, Christendom. This prophecy makes sense only with reference to the fall of Jerusalem. 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. 34. 10. 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. (b)With whom else must Jehovah God settle accounts, and by what means? CHRISTENDOM is represented by her hundreds of religious sects. Such fleeing out of Christendom has meant also fleeing out of Babylon the Great, for Christendom is also an integral part of religious Babylon the Great. And the ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire. Evangelical scholars will disagree about how muchof this passage is devoted to each question, but they generally agree that 24:3-35 mostly refers to events leading up to the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70. 17:12-16; 19:11-21. 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? When you see this (let the reader take note), 16 those of you in Judea should flee to the mountains. 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. Truly the Jewish system of things with those features came to its full conclusion with the desolating of ancient Jerusalem in 70C.E. 32. Thus the great tribulation will not be over at the desolating of Babylon the Great (including Christendom). tsim] on her. Hence what affects the most important part will also affect the rest or remaining part of Babylon the Great. A desolation, devastation. The United Nations will attack Christendom and the rest of Babylon the Great, as also foretold at Revelation 17:16-18. '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. (b)How is Babylon the Great implicated in this, and who actually is she? That terrible time of trouble is destined to coincide with the coming of Christ. 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. . 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. When you see this (let the reader take note), A mountain, hill. (a)What do those quoted words indicate about the chosen ones of now? Indeed, the parallel account in Luke 21 makes this point explicit: when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies . Not only were the United States and the British Empire the principal creators of the United Nations Organization during the Second World War, but they will force the nations to accept the United Nations as a world government in the future. 34 Then at Gods predetermined time, the great tribulation that will surpass anything of previous human history will begin with surprising suddenness. . And an army was given over, together with the constant feature, because of transgression; and it kept throwing truth to the earth, and it acted and had success., In the next verse the fierce-looking king is shown to also bring desolation upon a holy place. Instead, his purpose is to protect and guide and instruct his people. Should they obey literally or metaphorically? 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." After all, this prophecy alerts God's Named People to the timing of Vindicating Jehovah's Sacred and Holy Name. In fact, she is said to be the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth. (Rev. 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. Third person singular active present of deo; also deon deh-on'; neuter active participle of the same; both used impersonally; it is Necessary. 12. is a type or prophetic picture of the desolating of modern-day Christendom, which is likewise unbelieving as regards the Holy Bible and its Author, Jehovah God. Besides that inconvenient fact, the U.S. was not even a member of it. Who or what is that Disgusting thing that causes desolation? (a)What befell Jewish Jerusalem nineteen centuries ago, and why must the antitype of this affect Babylon the Great? 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. 'Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. But, alas, post-WWI Germany did not have anything to do with setting up the League. And they will put in place the disgusting thing that causes desolation., First, it is important to note that there is an obvious connection between the profanation of the sanctuary, the fortress and the removal of the so-called constant feature, as well as the putting in place of the disgusting thing that causes desolation. A wise preacher dealing with this passage may find particular value in focusing on this point. 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. 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. At whichever spot. (Heb 12:22) There are also others that falsely claim to represent that Kingdom, and Revelation chapter17 shows that their religious field of operations will be desolated by the ten horns (kings) of a symbolic wild beast.. Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant. So what is the holy place according to the Scriptures? Is this a figure we should still expect, or has he come already? "So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), A. Hence, although not directly named in Bible prophecy, she is typed or prophetically pictured. 24:15, 16) w74 12/1 pp. Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days! 18 Those who are in the field should not turn back to get their coats. The pagan desecration of the temple altar by Antiochus, however disgusting in Gods sight, did not result in desolationfor Jerusalem, for the temple, or for the Jewish nation. 24:15, 16) In the first fulfillment, the "standing in a holy place" occurred in 66 C.E . 5 Ways to Maintain Unity amid Disagreement, If God Is for Us: Standing Accused with Romans 8, When (and How) to Avoid Contentious People. 8. According to the prophecy of Daniel (11:31) the disgusting thing is put into place by they an apparent reference to both the kings of the north and south. Their being gathered together has doubtless been done under the active guidance of the heavenly angels sent forth by the invisibly present Jesus Christ. Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Plural. Wt 7/15 2013. Eusebius, the first great historian of the church, says that when the Romans fell upon Jerusalem, the church at Jerusalem . Please make sure all fields are filled out. Also, those called and chosen and faithful with him will do so.. (a)What signal were the chosen ones of nineteen centuries ago given to flee at once from Judea? 9. But when ye see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not. Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.. 17:11) Consequently, from the start of the great tribulation upon antitypical Jerusalem (Christendom) and down to its end on the rest of the system of things, that time of trouble will prove to be the great tribulation such as has not occurred since the worlds beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.. 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). Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural. It will bring to an end the total present-day system of things.
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