The “disgusting thing that causes desolation” did bring about an extermination, according to God’s own decision. The Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, reports that 1,100,000 Jews were killed or died.

22, 23. (a) What, then, was the “holy place” where the abomination that causes desolation ought never to stand? (b) How does Luke’s parallel account indicate that that was really the “holy place”?

²² What, then, was the “holy place” in which the “disgusting thing that causes desolation” was to stand? Well, what place in all Judea was the “holy place”? It was the holy city of Jerusalem and its immediate surroundings. That is the “holy place” where the “disgusting thing that causes desolation” “ought not” to be standing at any time. (Mark 13:14-20) In fact, the parallel account of Evangelizer Luke concerning Jesus’ prophecy plainly names Jerusalem. Luke, chapter twenty-one, verses 20-24, reads:

²³ “Furthermore, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. Then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains, and let those in the midst of her withdraw, and let those in the country places not enter into her; because these are days for meting out justice, that all the things written may be fulfilled. Woe to the pregnant women and the ones suckling a baby in those days! For there will be great necessity upon the land and wrath on this people; and they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations, until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled.”

24. (a) How did Christian Jews in Judea come to see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies? (b) By this what did they know?

²⁴ When was it that the Christian Jews in Judea saw “Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies”? It was in the year 66 C.E., after the revolt by the Jews brought the Roman armies of General Cestius Gallus against the city, at the time of the celebration of the festival of booths (tabernacles), October 19-25. This was exactly thirty (30) years after the seventieth week of years, foretold by the prophet Daniel, had ended in the year 36 C.E. On the thirtieth day of the Jewish month Tishri, or about November 3/4, General Gallus brought his army into the city. For five days they made an attack on the temple wall and succeeded in undermining it on the sixth day. Then, suddenly, for apparently no good reason, he withdrew his armies, which suffered considerable casualties at the hands of the pursuing Jews. Thus the unparalleled “great tribulation” for the Jews in Jerusalem and Judea did not begin then. But now the Christian Jews knew it was near.

25. (a) So the disciples in Judea thus saw what thing standing where it ought not to stand? (b) How had Daniel 9:26, 27 foretold this thing and the desolation it would cause?

²⁵ In this manner the Christian Jews caught sight of the “disgusting thing that causes desolation” standing in a “holy place,” where it “ought not” to stand, when the Roman armies stood on ground considered holy by the Jews around the city, especially when undermining the temple wall. This was the “disgusting thing” foretold in Daniel 9:27. In that verse, after describing events of the seventieth week of years, Daniel goes on to say: “And upon the wing of disgusting things there will be the one causing desolation; and until an extermination, the very thing decided upon will go pouring out also upon the one lying desolate.” This desolation of the rebuilt Jerusalem is detailed in the preceding verse Da 9:26(26b), in these words: “And the city and the holy place the people of a leader that is coming will bring to their ruin. And the end of it will be by the flood. And until the end there will be war; what is decided upon is desolations.” Jesus said that Daniel had foretold this “disgusting thing.”