Dates of the Abomination of Desolation (Corrected)
Channel: Galen Currah
Date: 2020-11-11

Dates of the Abomination of Desolation Spoken of by Daniel and by Jesus
An hypothesis of Dr Galen Currah based upon the Greek sources of Daniel, of Maccabees, of Jesus and of Josephus
Bible quotations from the New Revised Standard Version (1989).
Quotations from The Works of Flavius Josephus (1828) based on the translation by William Whiston 
November 2020
Music by Natrix
wordwatchers.currah.us

Hypothesis

The prophet Daniel foresaw two desolations: the desolation of the temple under Antiochus (165/166 BCE) and the desolation of Jerusalem and the temple (66-73 CE).

Presuppositions

● The prophet Daniel lived and prophesied in the 6th century BCE.
● The Book of Daniel reports Daniel’s prophecies.
● The apocryphal Book of 1 Maccabees recounts true events of the 2nd century BCE.
● The canonical Gospels of the New Testament report true teachings of Jesus Christ.
● The writings of Flavius Josephus recount true events of the 1st century CE.

Daniel’s Greek-era prophecy of desolation

Daniel 8:13-14
Daniel 11:30-31
Daniel 12:11

Fulfillment of the Greek-era prophecy (167/8 – 162/3 BCE)

Judean rebels apostatize 

1 Maccabees 1:11-13

The temple robbed (167/8 BCE) 

1 Maccabees 1: 20-21
1 Maccabees 1:37

The temple desolate (165/6 BCE) 

1 Maccabees 1:54, 59
1 Maccabees 3:45
1 Maccabees 4:43

The temple restored (162/3 BCE) 

1 Maccabees 4:52-53

Daniel’s Roman-era prophecy of desolation 

Daniel 9:26-27

Jesus’ Roman-era prophecy of desolation (33 CE)

Luke 21:20-24
Matthew 24:15-16

Fulfillment of the Roman-era prophecies (66 – 73 CE)

Wars 1:25
Wars 6:94, 95
Wars 6.260
Wars 6.316
Wars 6:346
Wars 6:353
Wars 6:435
Wars 7:1

Conclusion

● Daniel’s prophecies of an Abomination of Desolation in the Jerusalem temple have been fulfilled, once in the Greek era, and again in the Roman era.

● Jesus’ prophecy of an Abomination of Desolation in the Jerusalem temple has been fulfilled, as Daniel had predicted.

● Because there is no longer a temple in Jerusalem, there will be no further Abomination of Desolation, either before Jesus’ return, or at his return.

● Thus, in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, the Apostle Paul, writing about a coming Man of sin who enters God’s temple, does not quote from Daniel or from Jesus.