Mark 13:14-18 14“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be, let the reader understand, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, 15and let the one on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house to take up anything, 16and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take up his cloak. 17And woe to women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 18Pray that it may not happen in winter.
Jesus gets more specific in the next verses and refers to the abomination of desolation, which is a phrase occurring in Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. This reference has been interpreted to mean the desecration of the temple in Jerusalem, which happened twice to the second temple after it was built. The first was by Antiochus IV around 167 BC when he set up an altar to Zeus (1 Maccabees 1:54, 59), which led to the Maccabean Revolt and war. Some scholars interpret the passages in Daniel to be referring to that event. The second occurrence was when the Romans invaded Jerusalem and completely destroyed the temple. Jesus could be referring to that event in this passage.
As he progresses through this chapter, not all the details fit what happened in AD 70, so many people today interpret this passage as referring to events in the last days just before Jesus comes again. One theory is that the desolation will be of a third temple yet to be built, but to read that here requires speculative interpretation of other passages in the Bible. An abomination is something unholy. Desolation is destruction that leaves emptiness. Biblical prophecy is sometimes multilayered in that what happened in one situation is a prelude to an event later on that models the first event in some fashion. The idea is that the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70 could be a model for events later at the close of this age.
Jesus’ warning in verse 14 fits well with the events preceding the invasion of the Romans. He now provides a more specific answer to the disciples’ question in verse 4. When Christians in Jerusalem saw the growing problem with the Romans, they needed to leave the city and flee to the mountains where they would be safe. It was futile to fight back; as people of peace, they needed to stay out of the battle and find safety. The coming crisis would create so much urgency that they should not even pack their bags. It would be a difficult time for pregnant women and nursing mothers. Staying around Jerusalem would lead to great suffering and even death. If the events took place in winter, it would be very challenging for people to survive without food and shelter.
This passage is difficult to interpret for readers today. If it is historical and descriptive of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans, then we can find broad application about Jesus’ prophetic ability to predict the future and the call to trust in his word. If the events are yet to take place, then we like the first generation of disciples need to be prepared for difficult times if we are the last generation before Jesus comes. The rest of this teaching will be a call to readiness that fits believers of any time period.
For older posts, click here.