The Abomination Of Desolation

It was “morally imperative” that Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem be fulfilled within that generation. He said: Matthew 24:15: “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:) … (33-34) “So likewise ye, when ye see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled.”

The “abomination of desolation” was the slaughter of their own countrymen, the sedition against authority, the warring factions of those Jews who raised their armies in order to be named the High Priest by Rome. This “abomination” was carried into the Holy of Holies:

“Those men made the temple of God a stronghold for them, and a place whither they might resort, in order to avoid the troubles they feared from the people; the sanctuary was now become a refuge, and a shop of tyranny, (Josephus’ Wars 4.3.6-7)”

The High Priest, Ananus, said: “Certainly it would have been good for me to die before I had seen the house of God full of so many abominations, or these sacred places that ought not to be trodden on at random, filled with the feet of these blood-shedding villains” (Wars 4.3.9).

“Great slaughter was made on both sides, and a great number were wounded. As for the dead bodies of the people, their relations carried them out to their own houses; but when any of the zealots were wounded, he went up into the temple and defiled that sacred floor with his blood, insomuch that one may say it was their blood alone that polluted our sanctuary.” (Wars 4.3.11)

“And now the outer temple was all of it overflowed with blood; and that day … saw eight thousand five hundred dead bodies there, (Wars 4.5.1-2).

Josephus’ Witness Of God’s Vengeance For Innocent Blood

Even Josephus knew that there was a penalty to pay for shedding innocent blood. He describes the murder of the high priest Jonathan who dared to oppose the Roman appointed Felix:

“They slew Jonathan, and as his murder was never avenged, the robbers went up with the greatest security at the festivals after this time; and having weapons concealed in like manner as before, and mingling themselves among the multitude, they slew certain of their own enemies, and were subservient to other men for money; and slew others not only in remote parts of the city, but in the temple itself also; for they had the boldness to murder men there, without thinking of the impiety of which they were guilty. And this seems to me to have been the reason why God, out of his hatred to these men’s wickedness, rejected our city; and as for the temple, he no longer esteemed it sufficiently pure for him to inhabit therein, but brought the Romans upon us, and threw a fire upon the city to purge it; and brought upon us, our wives, and children, slavery, – as desirous to make us wiser by our calamities,” (Antiquities 20.8.5).

Josephus Refers To The Ancient Prophets

“And who is there that does not know what the writings of the ancient prophets contain in them, – and particularly that oracle which is just now going to be fulfilled upon this miserable city? – for they foretold that this city should be then taken when somebody shall begin the slaughter of his own countrymen! And are not both the city and the entire temple now full of the dead bodies of your countrymen? It is God therefore, it is God himself who is bringing on this fire, to purge the city and temple by means of the Romans, and is going to pluck up this city, which is full of your pollutions,” (Wars, 6.2.l).

Thus the moral imperative of Revelation 1:1, “things which must shortly come to pass” was fully accomplished in the fall of Jerusalem and the fleshly nation, Israel.

Next Lesson: Some False Teachings