The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 24 Part 7 Abomination Of Desolation And God's Prophecy Clock.

Here is where to find indexes to all Bible lessons posted on this blog since its inception in 2019.

Click on the drop down menu and look for the archives tab. Then find the date listed below to find the appropriate index.

I hope this will help you find lessons on a particular book of topic that we have studied through.

An index for all lessons posted from 2019 through 2021, was published on September 7, 2022.

An index for all lessons posted in 2022, was published January 24, 2023.

An index for all lessons posted in 2023 was published on February 28, 2024. 

An index for all lessons posted in 2024 was published on January 21, 2025.

An index for all lessons posted in 2025 was published on January 24, 2026.

Our lesson today requires us to exert our mental energy so that we can grasp the prophetic calendar that God established, that will take us to the end of this world.

I will do my best to explain the timing of Daniel's prophecy in relationship to Christ and the end times, but it will help us to read through it a few times in order to cement these truths in our minds.

The abomination of desolation will precede God pouring out His wrath upon Christ rejecting sinners.

Matthew 24:15-22  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:) 16  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17  Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18  Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19  And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20  But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 

We are going to study what Jesus called "the abomination of desolation" that the prophet Daniel wrote about.

Remember the general principle regarding prophetic writings. 

Often there is a short term fulfillment that happens to be followed by a future completion of the prophecy.

We will see that Daniel's prophecy had a partial fulfillment that took place in 167 BC, while a full and final fulfillment will happen in the future.

Jesus was answering three questions from His disciples: "When the end of the world will be, what will it look like and what are the signs of His return?"

This part of Jesus' answer speaks specifically to what will be the last seven years of this present evil world.

This period of time is often called the tribulation period and Jesus referred to it with that term.

When the Jewish people see the abomination of desolation they are warned to flee to the mountains. 

They are warned not to return home to pack up necessary items, because a quick escape will be vital for survival in that day.

It will be a harsh day for moms with infants because of the reality of leaving home and heading to wilderness areas.

Jesus said the Jewish people should pray that the abomination of desolation does not happen on the sabbath day, when they gather to worship God.

Why? Because this abomination is going to occur in the Temple of God. 

If the Jewish people were attending a sabbath service, then they would quickly be slaughtered by antichrist's forces.

God will pour out His wrath upon all the wicked sinners during the tribulation period.

All the prophets refer to this judgment as the great and terrible day of the LORD.

His judgment will be so intense, that all humanity would be wiped out unless God stopped it early.

The elect refers to the Jewish people who are faithful followers of God's Word. It is for their sake that He will restrain His judgment.

Who was Daniel?

Daniel 1:3-4  And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes; 4  Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans. 

He was a young Hebrew boy who was connected with the royal family of Israel.

These young boys were of good physical stature and were good students having wisdom and understanding.

These young Hebrew boys were taken to Babylon so that they could be taught the language and ways of the Chaldeans.

As they grew up, God gave them favor with the king.

Daniel, along with Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego, had a good testimony of righteousness in that pagan land.

In addition, God gave Daniel  the ability to interpret visions for various kings.

As Daniel aged, God began giving him visions of the end times, the coming of Messiah and the reign of antichrist.

God sent His angel Gabriel to help Daniel understand what the visions meant.

Seventy weeks of prophecy to bring all things to a God ordained conclusion.

Daniel 9:24-26  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. 25  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: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26  And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 

The prophet Daniel was given an awesome, and overwhelming vision of the end times.

What does the term "seventy weeks" mean?

Gabriel said that there were seventy weeks of prophecy to be fulfilled that complete the history of the nation Israel and the final judgment of all the wicked.

Thus, each week of seven days refers to seven prophetic years. 

One week equals seven years on God's prophecy clock.

This calculates to 490 years of time needed to bring all things to a conclusion.

Remember, Jerusalem was attacked by Nebuchadnezzar and the Jews were fully vanquished by the Babylonian forces in 586 B.C.

This was in accord with God's plan to send His idolatrous people into seventy years of captivity in a nation of idolatry.

Gabriel said that there would be an announcement that Israel's captivity was over and the Jews would be allowed to return home to rebuild Jerusalem and the holy temple.

This announcement came in 444 B.C. during the reign of King Artaxerxes who ruled over the Persian empire, which included Babylonia.

From that moment, God's prophetic calendar began counting down. 

In verse 24, Gabriel says, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city"

Almost all commentators agree that the seventy sevens should be understood as seventy weeks of years, in other words, a period of 490 years.

These verses provide a “prophecy clock” that gives an idea of when Messiah would come and some of the events that would accompany His appearance.

Daniel's prophecy divides the 490 years into three smaller units: one of 49 years, one of 434 years, and one final period lasting 7 years.

Daniel 9:25-26  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: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26  And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 

From the date the command to rebuild Jerusalem was given by Artaxerxes in 444 B.C. until Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as the Son of David, 483 years would pass.

We know from history that the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem was given by King Artaxerxes of Persia c. 444 B.C. (See Nehemiah 2:1-8).

Details concerning rebuilding Jerusalem are chronicled in the book of Nehemiah and the process took 49 years.

The Jewish people used a 360 day calendar that we must convert to our 365 days a year calendar.

In this conversion, 483 years equals 476 years on the solar calendar.

Adjusting for the switch from B.C. to A.D., 476 years after 444 B.C. decree to rebuild Jerusalem, brings us to A.D. 33. 

This particular date corresponds with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, followed by the week of His suffering, death, burial and resurrection (See Matthew 21:1–9).

Daniel spoke of Messiah being "cut off" which means He would be killed and this was fulfilled when Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

Daniel prophesied that after Messiah was cut off, a military ruler would come to destroy the city and the temple of God.

This was fulfilled when Jerusalem was destroyed by a Roman army led by General Titus in A.D. 70. 

Again, this is a partial fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy which means that a complete fulfillment is yet to occur. 

Daniel spoke of “ruler that shall come” which is a reference to the Antichrist, who will have some connection with Rome, since it was the Romans who destroyed Jerusalem.

The final week of 7 years is further divided into two segments of 3 1/2 years each.

Dan 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. 

This is where we stand in relation to God's prophecy clock. 

Sixty nine weeks of prophecy totalling 483 years, have been completed.

Only the last prophetic week of years remains to be fulfilled.

At this point in time when we live, the next thing to happen will be Christ returning in the air for the resurrection of life (See John 5:24-29) and the rapture of Christ's Church (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:50-58).

The age of the church and gospel preaching was unknown by the prophets because this was a mystery hid in God in eternity past.

The moment that the resurrection of life and the rapture of the Church is complete, God's prophecy clock will shortly begin counting down the last seven year period.

The last prophetic week comprised of seven years is referred to as the tribulation period and it is divided into two equal 3 1/2 year segments or as Daniel put it "in the midst of the week."

Generally speaking, the antichrist will make a seven year peace treaty ushering in an almost universal peace.

He will betray Israel at the mid point of the tribulation period, and all things will rapidly accelerate toward the end of the world from that moment.

His betrayal will be the abomination of desolation that both Jesus and Daniel spoke of.

In 167 BC A Greek ruler named Antiochus, desecrated the Temple of God in Jerusalem.

He set up an idol for Zeus and sacrificed a pig on God's holy altar.

Then, he slaughtered many Jews and sold others into slavery. 

He made a decree that the Jews be forced to eat pig meat in violation of God's law for them.

This seems to be a preview of what the antichrist may do at the mid point of the tribulation period.

Matthew 24:15-18  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:) 16  Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17  Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18  Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

Having learned about God's prophetic clock and the abomination of desolation, let us think about Jesus' words to the Jewish people.

When the antichrist desecrates the temple of God Jesus warned that the Jewish people must immediately flee to a safe place.

They must make haste or face sure death.

Revelation 12 teaches us that Israel will flee into the wilderness and stay in a place God prepares for them, for the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation period.

We learned that God will always keep His Word.

We learned that God's prophecies will be fulfilled exactly as He said.

We learned that some prophecies have both a partial fulfillment and a final fulfillment.

We learned that God will provide for and protect His faithful followers who believe His Word.

He will lead them to a safe place where the Jewish people can live under His protection while He rains down fiery judgment upon the nations and antichrist.

What does this mean to you and me?

It reminds us to live in accord with God's Wod.

It reminds us to walk with Christ, while we watch and wait for His return.

It reminds us that we must keep on serving our Lord and worshiping God until Christ calls us home to heaven.

Last, we are reminded to be faithful witnesses to family members and friends who do not know the LORD.

We do not want anyone we know to go through the tribulation period because they have not responded to the gospel of Christ.

May these truths encourage and motivate us to carry out the Great Commission Jesus gave us.

Bob