IS PAGAN AND PAPAL ROME
What or Who is the abomination of Desolation? There is much speculation as to the identity of the Abomination of Desolation. Some have suggested it is the Syrian King, Antiochus Epiphanes and others, the National Sunday Law.
Antiochus Epiphanes can be ruled out with certainty because Jesus spoke of the Abomination of desolation as a future event in Matthew 24:15 and Antiochus died long before Christ was born:
"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:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:" Matt 24:15,16
Luke 21:20,21 clarifies this further:
"And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto."
THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION IS ROMAN ARMIES
The armies of Pagan Rome surrounding literal Jerusalem intent on her destruction was the original Abomination of Desolation. However, Pagan Rome transitioned to Papal Rome and Matthew 24 while it had a literal local fulfilment has a dual application withy the second application referring to the end-time destruction of the world. Therefore, the end-time application of the Abomination of Desolation refers to the 'armies' of Papal Rome surrounding spiritual Jerusalem, the true church, intent on her destruction. see Last Day Events study.
There is a transition from Pagan Rome to Papal Rome in Daniel chapters 2,7,8 &11.
Daniel 2 - Legs of Iron (ROME) transitions to feet of Iron & Clay (PAPAL ROME)
Daniel 7 - Fourth Beast (ROME) to the Little Horn (PAPAL ROME) on the same beast.
Daniel 8 - Little Horn (PAGAN ROME) to Little Horn (PAPAL ROME)
Daniel 11 - King of the North (PAGAN ROME) to King of the North (PAPAL ROME)
In Daniel 11, this transition occurs in verses 30-31.
v 30 "For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant."
Rome is weakening in this verse with regular Barbarian attacks from the Mediterranean Sea coast (Chittim). Rome sees it fit to engage with the apostates in the Church, "them that forsake the holy covenant." resulting in the beginning of the union of church and state in the form of Papal Rome. French armies in v. 31 (the Franks under King Clovis) came to the aid of the Church and helped "...place the abomination that maketh desolate." Papal Rome or the Pope ascended to the seat of Caesar and ceased the septre. Hence Rome exists to this day in the form of that gigantic global system of Papal Rome.
v 31 "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."
Papal Rome is finally set up and with the union of church & state, persecution of Bible believing Christians begins in verses 32-35 of Daniel 11. see study on Daniel 11 - the King of the North
Daniel 12:11 picks up on the setting up of the abomination of desolation and associates a time prophecy with it:
"And from the time [that] the daily [sacrifice] shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, [there shall be] a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
See the King of the North study for the rest of Daniel 11.
The Abomination of Desolation is not Antiochus Epiphanes. It is not the Sunday Law!