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A Particular Abomination

As Christians, we will never be able to understand the full reality of the wonderful happiness and pleasures that will be eternity with God and one another.  Perhaps, reading about Perfect Unity in God and what a small aspect about our future life will be like in eternity will give us a small understanding of perfect friendships and love.  Those who have had Near Death Experiences speak about this perception of feeling what other people feel that gives an extra capability of sharing, with enjoyment, of other's happiness 

Pride, arrogance, selfishness and other abuses that we do to one another in our earthly lives grieves God, and also will grieve us when we realize that these acts required a punishment penalty paid by Jesus Christ on the Cross.
 

Mathew 24:40

And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.

Pride is an Abomination

Understanding how God views thoughts and acts of pride, can help us to relates to the most egregious act of pride which is putting oneself in the place of God. 
 

Proverbs 6:16-19 King James Version	16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Depending upon the version translation, which can have different wording, the seven areas are: (1) A proud look which means Arrogance, Pride and Idolatry which is the 1st of the four greatest sins. (2) lying tongue. (3) shed innocent blood which is the 3rd of the four greatest sins. (4) deviseth wicked imaginations which means plans evil deeds. (5) swift in running to mischief which means enjoys sinful pleasures. (6) a False witness which means gossiping, giving false information about someone and perjury in a trial. (7) soweth discord among brethren which means doing anything that cause problems in someone's life that includes: --> adultery which is 4th in the four greatest sins, and --> harm against the helpless people which is the 2nd of the four greatest sins. --> Is not limited to actions against the "brethren", but this is foremost. Notice also in Proverbs 6:20-35 details penalties on adultery, which confirms the 7th item of the areas that God hates.
Proverbs 16:5	Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 16:18	Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
1 Corinthians 4:6-7	6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. 7 For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
Philippians 2:2-8	2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
in the positive sense:
Proverbs 29:23	Pride brings a person low. But those whose spirits are low will be honored

Pride has always been evident in history with the Kings, Queens, Emperors, Magistrates, War Lords and even the leaders in certain positions in the Church.  Today, Abuse of Power is not only widespread but it is honored as a worthy attribute for a leader of a company and government office. 

The greatest act of pride was done by Lucifer and will be repeated later by Lucifer through the Antichrist in the Tribulation Period.  Lucifer believed in his heart that he could be like God and be an equal to God, where Lucifer:

• Acted on it,
• Deceived 1/3 of the Angels, and
• Also caused the fall of mankind with Adam and Eve. 

In Isaiah 14, God is first speaking about the King of Babylon and then shifts to the thoughts of Lucifer.

Another Abomination, Babylon

Over the entirety of the Old Testament, the City of Babylon is idiomatic as the city of Lucifer and his capital city on Earth.  In contrast, the city of Jerusalem has always been and is God's Holy Earthly city.

Babylon has its roots as the place were idolatry started after the Great Flood.  The City is called Mystery Babylon often in the scriptures and it has a future judgment against it where it will be wiped out like Sodom Gomorra, and never inhabited again.  There are some Biblical Scholars that believe Babylon has already faced a judgment and the Vatican in Rome, Italy is now the Mystery Babylon, and this cannot be true based on the scriptures.

Babylon is mentioned in this topic because it is not the Abomination of Desolation but identified:

1. As a Mystery, which means something hidden that is now revealed,
2. As the "Mother of Harlots", which means a prostitute to draw people away from the true God while killing those who don't, and
3. The abomination of the Earth. 

Abomination of Desolation Historical Event

In the period of 175 to 164 BC, the 8th king of the Seleucid Dynasty, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, ruled until his death in 164BC.  The Seleucid Empire lasted from 312 to 63 BC and was one four divisions created from Alexander the Great's empire after Alexander's death.  The first ruler of the Seleucid Empire was Seleucus I Nicator, who was one of Alexander's Generals, and where the naming of the empire originated.  Of the four divisions of the Alexander the Great's Empire, the Seleucid Empire is of Biblical interest because it partially controlled the region of Israel.

The Book of Daniel, written between 604 and 532 BC (if link missing), writes prophetically about the 600 years prior to Jesus Christ's birth which gives amazing multiple details that include the exploits of Alexander the Great and the legacy of divisions in the areas that affect Israel.  The details in the prophecies were challenged by some historians as being written after the events transpired, but were unaware that there are copies of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint Bible that are dated several hundred years before Jesus Christ with the Book of Daniel in them, plus the proofs in this article.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes, is sited by history as trying to create Greek culture, including Hellenistic worship, into Israel.  The historical record of his ascension and career:

• Was most likely the brother of an earlier Cleopatra of Egypt.  This is not the famous Cleopatra of 30 BC.
• Became King after the murder of his brother, Seleucus Philpator, where the next heir, Seleucus's son Demetrius, should have taken the throne but was being held as hostage in Rome.  The hostage status was done by bribes and flattery made by Antiochus Epiphanes.  This was predicted by Daniel 11:21.
• After coming into power in 175, Antiochus Epiphanes invaded Egypt and defeated the Ptolemy King but was forced by Rome to leave.
• Upon leaving Egypt, Antiochus Epiphanes made Israel a buffer state between his kingdom and Egypt, where he plundered and desecrated the Holy Temple and Jerusalem
• In 167 BC, he took his army into Jerusalem to enforced Hellenistic practices which he was already doing throughout his kingdom.  Outlawed the following religious practices of Israel:
  (a) Sacrificing animals to God by the Levites.
  (b) Required Israelites to work on Seleucid projects on Sabbath days.
  (c) Would not allow an Israelite baby boy to be circumcised, and if found the baby would be killed.
  (d) Stopped all religious practices and rituals of Israel.
• He stationed a Syrian guard of soldiers in a garrison permanently to punish by death anyone practicing Judaism.
• In the Temple at Jerusalem, he had an altar erected for worship of Zeus, which is the Abomination of Desolation against God.

In the non-inspired book of 1 Maccabees 1:44-49, that contains historical information, the information records the penalty of death and ordnances required of Israel under Epiphanes.

After the event of setting up an alter to Zeus in the Holy of Holies, in the Temple of Jerusalem, this action caused Israel to revolt under the leadership of the Maccabee priestly family which lead to a victory against Antiochus Epiphanes and the expulsion from Jerusalem and most of Israel.  The Temple was cleaned and the event is celebrated even today as Hanukkah.

Future Event - The Image of the Beast

Note that as of 2022:

• The biometric appearing "image" can be speculated to be a human life-like type of android according to many Biblical Scholars, that is a counterfeit as Lucifer cannot create life, which will be controlled by internal software to speak in all languages of the Earth (already achievable) and with the ability to have a conversation (already achievable). 
• There are many examples of nearly life like robots who walk and talk, where there is also advanced biological types of research that for decades have had the ability to grow skin and even organs outside of a human-being.  Skin and hair could be possibly used to cover the android Antichrist's image to make it appear completely human.

The idea of having a replica of someone is not a new idea as world leaders and elite businessmen in history have been using body-doubles for security, logistics and to protect against assassinations of the true person.  The Antichrist's reasons are to offend God in the most defamatory way.

Some key points along with some excerpts in a high-level summary from the Tribulation Period and Tribulation Purpose topics:

1. Currently there is no standing temple in Jerusalem, but through this verse in Matthew 24:15-18 and others, we know that the Temple will be rebuilt.  Note that there are several Biblical Scholars along with Archeologists in Israel who believe the location of the previous Temple was not at the exact location of the Dome of the Rock. 
   (a) This means the Jewish Temple can be rebuilt without disturbing the Dome of the Rock building; and besides not disturbing, there is nothing that mandates the Jewish Temple be over the "Foundation Stone" boulder that is inside of the Dome of the Rock.
   (b) It is this author's belief that the rebuilt Jewish Temple, without harm to the Dome of the Rock, will enable the false peace of the first 3.5 years of Daniel's 70th week before the Tribulation Period starts after the Abomination of Desolation event, as a destruction of the Dome of the Rock would inflame the Muslim religious world.
   (c) Interestingly, there is no mention, in the scriptures, of the Antichrist erecting an image of himself in the Dome of the Rock, which in this author's mind shows that the Muslim religion does not worship the true God.  Most likely, the Antichrist will execute and stop any activity at the Dome of the Rock out of jealousy that might also involve destroying the building.
2. When Jesus Christ is speaking in the Matthew 24:15-18 passage, He is instructing that when this event occurs that Jewish people in the land of Israel "Judea ", should flee immediately into the mountains for sanctuary. 
3. In order for this warning by Jesus Christ to be relevant, even though it was spoken 2,000 years ago, the "seeing the event" has to mean:
   (a) A television news event seen worldwide with multiple rebroadcasts. 
   (b) An Internet news event seen worldwide, with links emailed and available on multiples of websites in every language.
   The Levitical Priests, and any other Jewish worshippers, that are present at the Temple are going to be immediately executed before the event.
4. Not all of those fleeing from the Abomination Event will make it to the mountains.  The remnant of Jewish people that arrive in the mountains will be kept safe for the entire 3.5 years of the Tribulation Period as discussed in the Tribulation Period topic section of "Remnant of Israel is Hidden for 3.5 Years". 
5. Those who do not make it to the mountains will be killed by the Antichrist's forces or they will possibly accept the Mark of the Beast.  The primary focus of Lucifer through the Antichrist, as identified in the scriptures regarding the Tribulation Purpose, is to kill every single Jewish person alive on Earth.
   (a) If Lucifer, through the Antichrist, can kill all the Jewish people in the earth then Lucifer can stop Jesus Christ from coming back and ending the Tribulation Period.  If Jesus Christ doesn't come back then this also stops other events in God's Plans that eventually lead to Lucifer being in the Lake of Fire for eternity.
   (b) Two Thirds, 2/3 ~ 2 out 3 Jewish people, will be killed during the Tribulation Period according to Zechariah 13:8-9.  Verse 9 speaks about those of Israel that survive.
6. After this event, the Mark of the Beast will also be immediately enforced with execution, that will be predominately a beheading, for failure to take it. 
   (a) The false religion set up by the Antichrist and the False Prophet will be killing anyone who accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior as read in Revelation 17:6.
   (b) Many Biblical Scholars suggest beheadings will be the predominate execution method.  This is because of the merging of the Muslim and Christian hierarchical administration into a merged religious entity in name only that the Antichrist uses to get power.  Note: as all true Christians were Raptured before the 70th Week of Daniel starts, then leaves only fake Christians in power and in administration of Christian religions.   This false religious entity is later destroyed by the Antichrist in Revelation 12:15-18 after the Antichrist no longer needs the religious entity.  (There will be many, many people accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior during this time by many methods who will form groups to worship Jesus Christ and reject the Mark of the Beast, resulting in millions and millions of people having Salvation.)
   (c) The Japanese in WWII, at one well-known horrific event, had a contest on how many beheadings could be done in a period of time.  Additionally, there is a museum in Shanghai China, that this author visited briefly, that spoke about the mass beheadings done by the Japanese forces during the occupation of China.  The western beliefs and feelings, about beheadings, often consider the execution method as an evil method that had its historic climax with the French Guillotine.  In many previous Asian cultures, beheading was considered an honorable, quick and merciful death when done for a legitimate criminal punishment.  This point (c) is mentioned to open the reader's mind on beheadings as more common in history than thought, and most likely the Antichrist's final method to frighten someone to take the Mark of the Beast.

* The Roman Catholic church has stated wrongly that the woman, sun and moon reference is identifying the Virgin Mary.  This is incorrect as this verse ties with the visions in a dream that Joseph has in Genesis 37:9-11 that identifies Israel's family as the twelve tribes with Joseph's dream of the twelve stars.  In the Revelation 12 verses, the intent of Lucifer is to clearly kill all of Israel, in order to stop Israel recognizing their Savior and Son that they killed so that Jesus Christ cannot have the Second Coming to end the Tribulation Period.  See Zechariah 12:10, John 19:37 and Matthew:37-39.

Two Provocative Questions

At the time of this writing, this author has not seen these two questions discussed in any Biblical Commentaries, where they are important to have a possible understanding when researching and discussing the Abomination of Desolation event.

1. Will there be those who are Jewish who have accepted the Mark of the Beast, so they will not be killed by the Antichrist's forces when the Abomination of Desolation occurs?
2. If the Antichrist's primary mission is to kill all Jewish people so that they cannot recognize and ask Jesus Christ to come back to Earth, then how will the Antichrist take over the government and critical utility areas of Israel without Jewish people kept in strategic offices and jobs?

The answers, in this author's opinion to both of the questions are:

1. Yes, there will be Jewish people who will accept the Mark of the Beast, not knowing the consequences while not believing there is God.  There are many people who go to Church, Synagogues and other religious temples who don't believe there is a God, but are going for political and networking reasons to meet and make friendships with people.  Once a Jewish person, during the Tribulation Period, takes on the Mark of the Beast, they will be given over to the Great Lie of 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, and no longer be able to reverse their action and will not be a threat to the Antichrist.
2. The answer to the second question is because of the answer to the first question.  The Antichrist will have the first three and half years, during the Daniel 70th week, before the Tribulation Period begins to set up politicians, offices, labor and other important positions in the area of Israel that will take on the Mark of the Beast at the time of Abomination of Desolation.  These people will no longer be a threat to the Antichrist.

What to read next?

What is Salvation?  Is it is possible to lose Salvation?  We have eternal life.  Evolution is not real.  When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it.  Rewards in heaven.  Do we Tithe?  What does the 3rd Commandment tell us?  What is Grace and Mercy?  Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?