Mat 24:15-22 | TNotes | STEP | 24:15 Daniel ... spoke about a profaning or desolating of the Temple (see Dan 8:13 ; 9:27 ; 11:31 ; 12:11 ). • the sacrilegious object that causes desecration: Attempts to identify a specific fulfillment include: (1) a false priest assuming the priesthood (see Josephus, War 4.3.6-10); (2) the presence of unlawful images of God or humans, or certain humans themselves (such as Antiochus Epiphanes, Caligula, Vespasian, or Titus) who were not to be allowed within the Temple precincts (see Josephus, War 4.4.1–4.7.1); (3) the presence of the antichrist in the Temple (cp. 1 Maccabees 1:54-64; 2 Maccabees 8:17). • Reader, pay attention! This covert statement reflects a special bond between writer and reader, based on a shared understanding that the events being described fulfill the prophecies of Dan 9 , 11 , and 12 .

24:15 ^a Daniel ... spoke about a profaning or desolating of the Temple (see Dan 8:13 ^b; 9:27 ^c; 11:31 ^d; 12:11 ^e).

• the sacrilegious object that causes desecration: Attempts to identify a specific fulfillment include: (1) a false priest assuming the priesthood (see Josephus, War 4.3.6-10); (2) the presence of unlawful images of God or humans, or certain humans themselves (such as Antiochus Epiphanes, Caligula, Vespasian, or Titus) who were not to be allowed within the Temple precincts (see Josephus, War 4.4.1–4.7.1); (3) the presence of the antichrist in the Temple (cp. 1 Maccabees 1:54-64; 2 Maccabees 8:17).

• Reader, pay attention! This covert statement reflects a special bond between writer and reader, based on a shared understanding that the events being described fulfill the prophecies of Dan 9 ^f, 11 ^g, and 12 ^h.
24:20 ⁱ Josephus records the winter swelling of the Jordan River, which made it more difficult to cross (see Josephus, War 4.7.5). Muddy roads also made travel difficult in winter.

• Normally Jews did not travel on the Sabbath in order to rest as God had commanded (see Gen 2:1-3 ^j; Exod 20:8-11 ^k; 23:12 ^l; 31:12-17 ^m; Lev 23:3 ⁿ; Deut 5:12-15 ^o; Jer 17:19-27 ^p).
24:21 ^q greater anguish: Similar language is found in Neh 9:37 ^r; Jer 11:16 ^s; Dan 12:1 ^t; Joel 2:1-17 ^u. The blatant savagery of the times has been documented by Josephus (see War 5.10.2-3).
24:22 ^v God’s chosen ones endure (24:13 ^w) and remain faithful (24:37–25:46 ^x; see Isa 65:8-9 ^y; Rom 11:7 ^z).