The Abomination Of Desolation Stood In The Holy Place

The Abomination Of Desolation Stood In The Holy Place Just As Jesus Prophesied

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Discover from Josephus the Jewish historian, exactly how Jesus' prophecy about the abomination of desolation was fulfilled in AD70.

Bible verses about the abomination of desolation

Mat 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:)


Mar 13:14
But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

Luk 21:20
And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation G2050 thereof is nigh.

Abomination  meaning

• a foul thing, a detestable thing
• of idols and things pertaining to idolatry

Desolation meaning

• making desolate, desolation

The abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel

Dan 8:13
Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

Fulfillment of the Abomination of Desolation Prophecies (Source Josephus)

It was the tenth day of the month Lous [Ab, A.D. 70]⁸: upon which it was formerly burnt by the King of Babylon.

7. And now, since Cæsar was no way able to restrain the enthusiastick fury of the soldiers, and the fire proceeded on more and more, he went into the holy place of the temple, with his commanders; and saw it, with what was in it: which he found to be far superior to what the relations of foreigners contained; and not inferior to what we ourselves boasted of, and believed about it.

The Romans also sacrificed to their idols inside the temple

According to Josephus in The Wars of the Jews (Book 6, Chapter 6, Section 1), Roman soldiers placed their standards, which were considered idols, within the Temple of Jerusalem and sacrificed to them after it had been burned. This event, where the standards were set against the eastern gate and celebrated, is documented in historical accounts:

Chapter 6.

How the Romans carried their ensigns to the temple, and made joyful acclamations to Titus: the speech that Titus made to the Jews, when they made supplication for mercy. What reply they made thereto: and how that reply moved Titus’s indignation against them.

1. And now the Romans, upon the flight of the seditious into the city, and upon the burning of the holy house itself, and of all the buildings round about it, brought their ensigns to the temple, (18) and set them over-against its eastern gate. And there did they offer sacrifices to them: and there did they make Titus Imperator (19) with the greatest acclamations of joy.

Timeline of the Jewish temple (Josephus)

Now the number of years that passed from its first foundation, which was laid by King Solomon, till this its destruction, which happened in the second year of the reign of Vespasian, are collected to be one thousand, one hundred, and thirty: besides seven months, and fifteen days. And from the second building of it, which was done by Haggai, in the second year of Cyrus the King, till its destruction under Vespasian, there were six hundred, thirty nine years, and forty five days.

Timeline from David to the Destruction

Wars of the Jews Chapter 4

And from King David, who was the first of the Jews²¹ who reigned therein, to this destruction under Titus, were one thousand, one hundred, and seventy nine years. But from its first building, till this last destruction, were two thousand, one hundred, seventy seven years.