In a physical world peopled by those of the flesh spiritual things will appear bizarre. Nothing has caused more confusion and controversy than the Abomination of Desolation. But why not. The readers of this passage are all staring at various spots all around the planet looking for an apparition to appear. Perhaps like the obelisk appeared in 2001 a Space Odyssey.
“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:)” (Matthew 24:15).
We see in Daniel reference to a “they” and then to a “him”. That is first Daniel speaks of an individual and then of a plurality. Assuming he is not using gendered language the individual and the group while important subjects of this event they are not the main player.
“And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.” (Daniel 11:31).
“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27).
If the main character is not a person or group of persons but an ideology or culture the abomination of desolation is a corrupted viewpoint exercised by man that is “poured upon the desolate”.
“When ye therefore shall see,” … is not a remark aimed at a physical observation. There is no visual “abomination of desolation” there is a situation that we have become accustomed to, which we see in a new light with new understanding. When we see, refers to an awakening and the scales of blindness falling from our eyes.
If we assume charity covers a multitude of sins and leads to perfection, the abomination of desolation destroys charity, this for all intents and purposes, is the state.
The state is the antithesis of charity.
The state is also discussed in the singularity of the leader or in the plurality of the government and its allies.
Charity works towards the perfectness of the people. This is both subjective and objective in that the people determine what they value but this value is then quantified in a way that can be justified. But if the state removes the means and the ability of the people to engage in charity, the means to our salvation is compromised.
We can say the sinner’s prayer and we can get baptized, but how do we bind together and produce fruits of faith in a system when the abomination of desolation sits in the place where charity would have taken place?
How can we be perfected in a system of law, where the state defines what is good and evil, or as the state sees it, what is legal and what is illegal?
The abomination of desolation destroys everything, because it sits at the center of our value systems.
We are to be theological and strive for perfection as we seek God, but the state defines the path that is open to us. This path is not charitable because the state pre-empts the possibility for charity. Yet, the bible says that it is charity that covers a multitude of sins.
But it is what lays behind the state that makes it an abomination and of desolation, not only is the state parasitic it is logically incoherent. There is no way for the state to logically justify itself. Nor can its existence be morally justified, it is an illegitimate creation.
Everyone lies and holds ideas that are logically incoherent. None of us are perfect morally, but it takes a government to legalize and legitimize logical incoherency and make it a legitimate part of our life’s.
Christians cannot be obedient to God nor obey the shepherd Christ and comply with the logical incoherent dictates of the state. There is a choice that must be made and a separation of church and state.
