The Abomination:

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=320 BGCOLOR="#9999FF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <IMG SRC="23a65430.jpg" border=0 width="101" height="67" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" >“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. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now--and never to be equaled again.  If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible. See, I have told you ahead of time."  </FONT>Matthew 24:15-25 (NIV)</div> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> <B>The Abomination:</B></div> <div> Here’s a saying: ‘Curiosity killed the cat.’ </div> <div> It’s easy to get over curious, when looking at the subject of the end of the world. </div> <div> Some time ago I was teaching a teenage group on this subject at church, and one girl was in <B>hyper</B> mode and virtually unstoppable, because she had read a christian fiction book, which was giving names, and places, and other specific details on Bible prophecies. </div> <div> It had so grabbed her imagination, that she saw all these details as being <B>fact</B>. </div> <div> I then had a hard time in trying to persaude the group, to stick to what the Bible told us, and anything beyond that was merely <B>speculation</B>. </div> <div> We have got to stick with what is written in the Bible, because that is the Truth. </div> <div> We may not understand it, but that doesn’t mean we have got to twist circumstances to fit a certain set of verses, so that we can tie up the loose ends. “Done and dusted!” </div> <div> Our minds often need to see things neatly packaged. </div> <div> But God’s Word is not like that, there are some things in it that we won't know the meaning of, until we get to Glory. </div> <div> Also, one portion in the Bible, is not the complete picture on a subject. </div> <div> The Bible is like the ocean. </div> <div> A novice swimmer can splash around on the shore line. </div> <div> A more experienced swimmer can go out further, and a deep sea diver can explore it’s depths. </div> <div> For all of them, there is still more for them to see. </div> <div> And that is true for all Christians whether, new born or mature, at whatever stage we are at, we can feed from it’s <B>richness</B>, we can learn and grow. </div> <div> But we all need to be humble. </div> <div> Just because we know a verse or two on a particular subject, that does not mean we know the complete picture. </div> <div> And I believe the Lord organised the Bible in such a way, so that it is the <B>diligent</B> and the <B>humble</B> who find the hidden treasures.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="23b5a790.jpg" border=0 width="90" height="121" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">So, going back to our portion of Scripture; </div> <div> These verses were of <B>tremendous</B> importance to the believers, because, some time after Christ’s death, and after all the Apostles had been martyred, (except for John), Antiochus set up the image of Jupiter Olympus upon the altar of God in the Temple, which Daniel prophecied about. </div> <div> The prophecy suddenly became a <B>real</B> event before their very eyes. </div> <div> Luke also records Jesus’ teaching on this: </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> “When you see Jerusalem <B>surrounded</B> by armies, you will know that the <B>desolation</B> is near. Then let those who are in Judea <B>flee</B> to the mountains.” <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(Luke 21:20)</FONT></div> <div> The believers recognised the warnings, they had faith in them that they were trustworthy, and so they <B>fled</B> to safety, as if they were leaving a sinking ship. </div> <div> A Proverbs tells us: </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> “A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(Proverbs 22:3)</FONT></div> <div> It was immensely <B>practical</B> for them at that time, and the ones who obeyed were spared from that destruction. </div> <div> I believe we run into problems with these prophetical type of verses, when we remove it from having a <B>practical application</B>. </div> <div> For example, the way a lot of Christians view Revelation is that it is talking about ‘way out’ there in the future, and so it becomes hypothetical. </div> <div> But many Christians through history have received <B>comfort</B> from Revelation, by relating it to themselves in their afflictions, and their sufferings. </div> <div> In fact the book of Revelation is not just a book of future events:</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> “It is the revelation <B>of</B> Jesus Christ”<FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" > </FONT></div> <div> The next few verses say: </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> “<B>Blessed</B> are those who hear it and <B>take</B> to <B>heart</B> what is written in it, because the time is near.”</div> <div> They won’t be blessed, if it is talking about events which are all in the future. </div> <div> All Scripture is practical and relevant to our lives now, and it is not to puff up our minds. </div> <div> It is not to satisfy our curiosity. </div> <div> When the disciples asked “when will these things be?” </div> <div> Jesus gave them <B>no</B> answer, because it is not for us to know. </div> <div> When Jesus had risen from the dead, and He appeared to them, the disciples still asked the ‘when’ question. </div> <div> In Acts 1:7 Jesus answers them: </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> “It is <B>not</B> for you to know the times, or dates the Father has set by His authority.”</div> <div> Jesus makes an interesting point about prayer, said: <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" >“Pray that your flight will not take place in the winter,"</FONT> etc. <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(Matthew 24:20)</FONT></div> <div> It is not wrong for us to pray for ourselves and others, that the circumstances could be changed to something more favourable. </div> <div> We are not to give the comfort of our bodies a high priority, but it can be duly considered. </div> <div> Jesus says: <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Verdana" >“See I have told you ahead of time.” </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3399CC" FACE="Verdana" >(verse 25)</FONT></div> <div> If we are diligent in reading His Word, we shall be more <B>prepared</B> for the things that come at us, and we are more likely to give a <B>good</B> answer to those who ask us a question.</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id157.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Bible Explained"><U>Comment or contact</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The End of the World"><U><B>Return to the End of the World menu</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bible Explained"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> Vulture image: thanks to Serif ARTGallery CD.</div> <div> Destruction of Jerusalem image: thanks to David Alexander, The Lion Handbook to the Bible.</div> <div> ©  2003 Bible  Explained part of www.seeking-god.co.uk</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>