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Apostolic Writings Discussions Prophets and Writings

Demystifying the mysterious ‘abomination of desolation’

One of the ways we can look at the mysterious apocalyptic phrase “abomination of desolation” is to see it as a “Tale of Three Cities” — Babylon, Tyre and Ninevah — and how all three cities are really symbolic of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) herself. The carnage of the “abomination of desolation” will not come on Babylon, Tyre, Ninevah or any of our great cities of modern times like London, New York or Tokyo. From God’s prophets, we understand that it was and will be the people of Yerushalayim who will have a front row seat, and it will be for the same reasons for the previous desolations.

George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” We are blessed to read these repeated warning of the spiritual condition of people God calls before an “abomination of desolation” — and internalize the lessons.

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Discussions Prophets and Writings

1st Kings 9: Prophecy of the cursed blessing of Israel, the Temple

1st Kings 9 and its parallel in 2nd Chronicles 8 read like reports on building projects, yet God is communicating something extremely important that would ring true over thousands of years to our day: Something that is a great blessing — Israel and the Temple — could become a curse, yet something cursed can become a blessing.

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Discussions Prophets and Writings

1st Kings 5: Meet the King of Tyre who will help Solomon build the Temple

Solomon is a Messianic figure and Solomon is building a house for God’s name and Yeshua, the Messiah is building God’s name, not in a building but in His people.

This is a Messianic chapter and we are learning about the foundations of God’s house.

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Discussions Prophets and Writings

2nd Samuel 5:11-6:11 — David establishes his reign in Yerushalayim

David begins to establish himself in Yerushalayim (Jerusalem). He builds a home and continues to establish his household. The Philistines find out about David’s promotion and attacks him but God helps David prevail against his enemies. After David pushes the Philistines back to their historic borders, David starts to bring the Ark of the Testimony from its place of exile back to Yerushalayim but the endeavor runs into trouble and the Ark’s trip to Yerushalayim stalls.