It Starts with an Event...

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 Judea flee into the mountains; let him which is on the housetop not come down to take anything out of his house; neither let him which is in the field return back to take his cloak.
-Matthew 24: 15-18

Two posts previously when we examined the superlative magnitude of the tribulation depicted in Matthew 24: 21-22, I pointed out that, as severe as the torment in Jerusalem in A. D. 70 was, it did not meet all the conditions given in these two verses. This scripture is therefore still awaiting fulfillment. Matthew 24:21 emphatically states the predicted tribulation will be the most severe in the entire history of the world, before or after; verse 22 indicates that no flesh would be saved unless those days were cut short. Thus, in both scale (global vs. local) and severity (the worst travail ever vs. a time of great distress), verses 21 and 22 anticipate a future end-time cataclysm of unique proportion which will far exceed the events in A. D. 70.

In Matthew 24: 15 a sign is given to indicate when this Great Tribulation prophesied in verses 21 and 22 will be on the verge of starting. An event described as "the abomination of desolation" is the signal which demands a response so urgent (verses 16-18) that the inhabitants of Judea are warned to flee to the mountains without even the delay it takes to return inside the house from outside or to backtrack and retrieve a coat.

When Titus led the Roman invasion of Jerusalem in A. D. 70, Matthew 24: 2 was literally fulfilled and the temple was completely dismantled. Luke 21: 20-24 was also literally fulfilled; Jerusalem was, in fact, surrounded by Gentile armies and was "trodden down", many of its citizens fell "by the edge of the sword" and others were "led away captive into all nations." However, the parallel passage in Luke must be seen as a harmonization of Matthew 24 and Mark 13 with Luke providing additional specific details about the first-century invasion of Jerusalem and Matthew and Mark giving more information about the end-time tribulation. All three gospels predict both the first-century and end-time tribulation events spoken about in the Olivet Discourse. But Luke 21: 20-24 does not refer to "the abomination of desolation", does not speak in superlative terms about the time of distress anticipated in the coming invasion, and, while warning the inhabitants to flee "...when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies (21: 20 NASB)," it doesn't forbid taking a minute to return to the house from outside. Instead it warns those in rural areas not to return to the city. I believe it is a mistake to view Luke 21: 20-24 as a reference to the same event as Matthew 24: 15-22 and Mark 13: 14-20.

The attention to detail in Matthew's and Mark's accounts cannot be overlooked; especially given the precise fulfillment of the predicted 70 A. D. invasion. The reference to the abomination of desolation is emphasized in both accounts, with the caveat that when it occurs, it will immediately preceed (very immediately) the greatest travail the world has ever known or will ever know again. So one indication that it has occurred will be that the greatest tribulation in world history will follow right after it. The Lord Himself provides two additional clarifications to assist the reader in understanding the meaning of the reference to the abomination of desolation: First, it is an event spoken of in the Old Testament book of Daniel. Secondly, the reference involves a location--the abomination of desolation will be standing "in the holy place (Matthew 24: 15)", "where it ought not (Mark 13: 14)".

The Greek reference to the abomination of desolation language of Matthew 24: 15 and Mark 13: 14 is found in the Greek Septuagint in Daniel 9: 27, 11:31, and 12:1. It is also found in the non-canonical but historically reliable book of 1 Maccabees (1: 54), which describes the fulfillment of Daniel 11:31, when Antiochus IV "Epiphanes" desecrated the temple at Jerusalem in 167 B. C. The book of 1 Maccabees provides an account in which the regular temple service was suspended, idolatry was set up in the temple, pig's blood was sacrificed there, and the altar profaned. So offensive was the desecration that after Judas Maccabees' army liberated the temple, the priests would not use the same altar, but replaced it before restoring the regular temple proceedings. Josephus also records the abomination of desolation committed by Antiochus IV, and sees it as the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy.

But like many Old Testament eschatological Scriptures, the reference was both to a short-term future occurrence and an end-time ultimate fulfillment. The sacrilege by Antiochus IV reveals a foreshadowing of what the event would be expected to resemble when ultimately fulfilled. And at the time of Jesus' Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, its ultimate fulfillment had not yet come.

When it does, it will signal impending worldwide travail to the superlative degree.