Abomination of Desolation - An exact fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy of the 1290 + 1335 days

Note: The fulfillment of prophecy is usually obvious in retrospect, and we aren't there yet. The following is based on the assumption that the Abomination was the dedication of the Dome of the Rock on the Desolation of the destroyed Temples, preceded by 1290 years and followed by 1335 years to a Blessing. This was with the absence of the Ark of the Covenant, so will it appear again? Will the timing be a setup for a yet future Abomination?

What was/is/will be the Abomination of Desolation? Do the scriptural references and history have multiple fulfillments?

While in exile in Babylon, Daniel came to understand Jeremiah's words that the desolation of Jerusalem would last "70 years." While Daniel was in prayer the angel Gabriel appeared and told him the word had gone out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, including the Temple II. Gabriel further gave the cryptic prophecy of the "70 Weeks."

He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. (Daniel 9:27)

A first possible fulfillment of the "abomination that causes desolation" occurred at Temple II when the Syrian Antiochus IV Epiphanes desecrated the altar on December 6, 167 BC.

Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Judah on every side. (1 Maccabees 1:54)

This interpretation appears bolstered by timing Daniel's further words to match Antiochus' desecration. Then, and, perhaps, future.

His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. (Daniel 11:31)

Daniel's last reference to the Abomination of Desolation includes timing of 1290 days and 1335 days, which does not match up the the desecration in 167 BC. This appears an event future to Jesus, who said:

So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel - let the reader understand - then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Matthew 24:15-16; see also Mark 13:14 and Luke 21:20)

A second possible fulfillment is the destruction of much of Jerusalem and Temple II by the Romans in 70 AD.

A third possible fulfillment of Daniel's apocalyptic visions lands us in the End of Days:

From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. (Daniel 12:11-12)

The scenario: The intervening years are missing the Ark of the Covenant and God's fire.[1] 1) The daily sacrifice with God's fire is abolished. 2) The Abomination of Desolation follows 1,290 years later. 3) After the Abomination we must wait 1,335 more years for the blessing of sacrifice with God's fire.

The blessing will make sense to many Jews at the renewing of the daily sacrifice at the dedication of a future Temple III in Jerusalem. It will make sense to many Christians because Jesus said the Abomination of Desolation was yet future, and many expect a rebuilt Temple III where the Two Witnesses preach (Revelation 11); this heralds the return of Jesus some 3½ years later.

Many Jews are prepared to rebuild Temple III today, but there is a deterrent. The Temple must be built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, on the exact spot where Solomon’s Temple stood and where the Temple II was made Desolate. And what Abomination now stands on that spot? Islam's Dome of the Rock.

To fulfill the expectations of many Jews and Christians it is necessary to destroy the Dome of the Rock. There are also many Muslims who would also destroy that shrine to set off events to bring back their Mahdi. This will be a self-filling prophecy that will trigger war. Temple III = WW III. See the Red Heifer.

OK, let’s look at some dates. When the Ark of the Covenant was removed by Jeremiah, he also removed the Tent of the Tabernacle and the Altar of Incense (2 Maccabees 2:4-8). The “official” daily sacrifice was abolished at the time. The Ark of the Covenant and original Altar of Incense were never used in the Second Temple. They remain hidden to this day.

Jeremiah removed the Altar of Incense shortly before Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar on March 15, 597.[2] The daily sacrifice was disrupted. So we count forward 1290 years from March, 597 BC and we end in the Jewish year beginning in March of 692 AD. What happened on the Temple Mount about that time?

Workmen had cleared the rubble from the Foundation Rock of Mount Moriah, the Temple's location of the Holy of Holies where the Ark of the Covenant sat in Solomon’s Temple. This is the place from which Muhammad is said to have ascended to Heaven on his Night Journey to meet Allah. Construction began on the Dome of the Rock, the Abomination of Desolation.

The dedication inscription of the Dome of the Rock is 72 AH. This lunar year marked on the western calendar ran from June 4, 691 to May 30, 692. The exact day of the dedication is unknown. We have our mid-range date, overlapping the 1,290 years for the Jews beginning in March of 692.

So where do we end up 1,335 years later? In the religious Jewish year beginning April 8, 2027. Will the Ark of the Covenant be revealed? What are some possible dates?

Passover – Nisan 15, 5787 = April 22, 2027

Temple Destroyed Twice – Av 9, 5787 = July 30, 2027

Day of Atonement – Tishri 10, 5788 = Oct 11, 2027

Hanukkah – Kislev 25, 5788 = December 25, 2027 (Saturday - Sabbath) Jesus’ birthday.

So maybe Jesus will return 3½ years later around 2030 AD in time for the Millennial Sabbath. Or a bit later?

A fourth possible fulfillment for the Abomination of Desolation will be a desecration of Temple III by the Antichrist. This might be similar to corrupting the altar by the Syrian Antiochus in 167 BC. Who will be our Syrian Messiah.

The Dome of the Rock must be destroyed and a Temple III built to fulfill both Jewish and Christian prophecy. All it takes is a small drone with a webcam and lifting power for a small amount of high-explosives. Will the destroyer be a Jew, Christian, Sunni Al Qaida, or Shia 12er? Or, perhaps, a great earthquake? (Revelation 6:12)

[1] Talmud, Mishnah Yoma 21b: "The difference between the First Temple and the Second Temple, in that they were not in the Second Temple. And these are: The Ark of the Covenant, and the Ark cover upon it, and the cherubs that were on the Ark cover; fire; and the Divine Presence; and the Divine Spirit; and the Urim VeTummim. Apparently, there was no fire from heaven in the Second Temple."

[2] In the Babylonian cuneiform clay tablets it was the seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign on Addaru 2, the twelfth Babylonian month. In the Bible it happened: In the eighth year of the king of Babylon, he took Jehoiachin prisoner. (2 Kings 24:12) It was both the 7^th and 8^th year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, depending on who did the counting. He ascended the throne of Babylon on Sept 7, 605, the 21^st year of Nabopolassar. His first regnal year began the following New Year on April 2, 604. The Babylonians counted non-inclusive reigns (like birthdays) where the first partial year was zero (0). The Jews used inclusive reckoning where the first partial year was one (1). The seventh year for the Babylonians was the eighth year for the Jews.

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