“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the ‘holy place,’ (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.” — Matthew 24:15-18 (NKJV)

Continuing last week’s column, we will look at the abomination of desolation that will precede the gathering of the saints (the Rapture) when Jesus assembles all believers together at the end of this age, vs. 31.

Prior to this gathering there will be a great deception by false prophets and teachers, there will be imitators of the Christ and the persecution of believers will increase. Hatred, lawlessness, and betrayal will increase, as an absence of love for others becomes the normal attitude. As with the desecration of the Temple by the Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes in the second century BC, and the destruction of the Temple in 70AD by the Roman army, we have a prophetic warning concerning the abomination of desolation to come prior to the end of this age. Daniel prophesied about the Greek desecration, Jesus told of the destruction of the Temple by the Roman army (24:2) and also warned of the events that would signal the end of this age (24:4-31).

When we examine the things that Jesus said would be evident during these last days, we might well think that we are reading an account of today’s world, and especially so of the church. All that Jesus said in Matthew 24 has either come to pass, or is in the process of being fulfilled.

One would have to be blind, and willfully so, to not see the travesty being played out in the once great mainline denominations. Reverence for Scripture has fallen by the wayside, replaced by whatever seems to please the masses. No longer is God’s word held to be inerrant and infallible; replaced by the gibberish of “hyper grace”, and “prosperity gospel” too many pulpits are now guilty of “speaking smooth things” and “prophesying deceits” (Isaiah 30:10). When Popes, and Bishops, pastors and teachers laud the abomination of homosexuality and abortion over holiness and righteousness, can the end of this age be long in coming?

The abomination of desolation is standing in the holy place, again.

The Rev. Bobby Thornhill is a retired pastor.