 |
| Not my photo: Southern Europe? Southern Hemisphere? |
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Britannica
Cited
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
Seleucid King
'By: Hans Volkmann
Cited
Antiochus IV Epiphanes, (Greek: “God Manifest”) also called Antiochus Epimanes (the Mad), (born c. 215 BC—died 164, Tabae, Iran), Seleucid king of the Hellenistic Syrian kingdom who reigned from 175 to 164 BC. As a ruler he was best known for his encouragement of Greek culture and institutions. His attempts to suppress Judaism brought on the Wars of the Maccabees.'
Bible Hub: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Cited
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
'Antiochus Epiphanes ANTIOCHUS IV; ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES (Epiphanes, e-pif'-a-naz, "Illustrious"): Son of Antiochus III who became king after his brother, Seleucus IV, had been murdered by Heliodorus. As a boy Antiochus lived at Rome as a hostage. The Pergamene monarchs, Eumenes and Attalus, succeeded in placing upon the throne the brother of Seleucus, although Heliodorus had wished to ascend the throne himself. The young king was even more enterprising than his father...'
Cited
'While Antiochus was on a second campaign in Egypt, he heard of the siege of Jerusalem. He returned immediately, slew many thousands of the inhabitants and robbed the temple of its treasures (1 Maccabees 1:20-24; 2 Maccabees 5:11-21). By his prohibition of the Jewish worship and his introduction or substitution of the worship of the Olympian Zeus (1 Maccabees 1:54; 2 Maccabees 6:2; Ant, XII, v, 4) he brought about the insurrection of the Jews, under the Maccabees, upon whom he made an unsuccessful war in 167-164 B.C. After this war Antiochus retired to the eastern provinces and died, after having failed in an attack on the temple of the Sun in Elymais, in Persia.'
Catholic Dictionary
'Term ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
Definition
The omen of future calamity, predicted by the prophet Daniel and referred to by Christ (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15). Daniel seems to be foretelling the erection of a statue of Zeus in the Temple of Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes (168 B.C.). Christ applied the prophecy to the siege of Jerusalem by the pagan enemies of Rome in A.D. 70. This was to be a sign for the Christians to flee Jerusalem.'
---
Kevan explains that the term Abomination of Desolation is also found in Mark 13: 14. (3). Most expositors over the years have reasoned that Daniel alludes to the desecration if the temple by Antiochus Epiphanes on December 15, 168 BC. (3). Here a pagan alter was built on the site of the alter of burnt sacrifices and ten days later, heathen sacrifices were offered. (3)
Kevan, like many scholars, reasons Jesus Christ is foretelling the desecration of the temple in 70 AD by the Roman Empire. (4)
There is also a futurist interpretation (s) that the abomination of desolation relates to, in a third way, similar acts of the antichrist in a future third Jewish temple.
This view is often supported within dispensationalism.
I am certainly open-minded in regard to biblical interpretations of eschatology, but in many contexts find dispensationalism too speculative with Scripture and theology. Notice, that Kevan does not speculate in a futurist manner within his entry.
A theological point that comes to mind is that scripturally and within religious history, God has at times allowed his sacred places of worship to be desecrated and destroyed by forces and authorities that are enemies of the people, by the aggressor's choice, that publicly worship the God of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament.
This is consistent with how the triune God works within this present realm.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) (1939) (2018), Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
KEVAN, E.F. (1996) ‘Abomination of Desolation’ in Walter A. Elwell (ed.) Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Books.
