The “abomination of desolation” is a phrase from the book of Daniel describing a horrifying act that desecrates God’s temple. In Mark 13:14-27, Jesus tells his followers that when they see it, they should flee Jerusalem immediately, because a time of terrible distress is coming. He warns them not to be fooled by false messiahs, and then he describes his own return, when the Son of Man will come in the clouds with great power and glory to gather his people. Many Christians believe this prophecy was partly fulfilled in AD 70 and points ahead to the end of history.
Setting the Scene in Mark 13:14-27
Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives with Peter, James, John, and Andrew, looking across at the temple he had just said would be completely destroyed (Mark 13:1-13). They had asked when this would happen and what the sign would be. Jesus warned them about deception, wars, and persecution, which he called the “beginning of birth pains.” Now he answered their question about the sign.
The Abomination That Causes Desolation
Jesus gave a specific signal for his followers to watch for.
Mark 13:14-17 When you see ‘the abomination that causes desolation’ standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the housetop go down or enter the house to take anything out. Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers!
The phrase “the abomination that causes desolation” comes from Daniel (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11). An “abomination” in the Bible is something detestable to God, usually connected with idolatry. “Desolation” means something left empty or ruined. Together, the phrase describes an idolatrous act so offensive that it drives God’s presence away and leaves the temple desolate.
Jesus’ Jewish listeners would have immediately remembered what happened in 167 BC. The Greek ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes captured Jerusalem, set up an altar to Zeus in the temple, and sacrificed a pig on it. The Jewish book of 1 Maccabees describes this event using Daniel’s exact phrase, “abomination of desolation” (1 Maccabees 1:54). It triggered the Maccabean revolt, celebrated today at Hanukkah.
Jesus was saying something like it would happen again. Notice that Mark adds a note in the middle of Jesus’ words: “let the reader understand.” Mark was signaling his readers to think carefully about what this meant for them.
Fulfilled in AD 70
Many scholars see a fulfillment in the events of AD 66–70. During the Jewish revolt against Rome, Zealot rebels took over the temple, committed murders in its courts, and turned it into a fortress. Then the Roman armies arrived. When they finally captured the temple, Josephus says, they set up their legionary standards, which bore images of the emperor and were treated as objects of worship, in the temple courts and offered sacrifices to them. Luke’s parallel account makes the connection to Jerusalem’s fall explicit: “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near” (Luke 21:20).
Jesus’ instructions were urgent and practical. Flee to the mountains. Don’t go inside to grab anything. Don’t go back for your cloak. Pray it doesn’t happen in winter, when the rainy season would flood the roads and make travel miserable. The early church historian Eusebius records that Christians in Jerusalem, warned by a prophecy, fled across the Jordan to the town of Pella before the city fell. Jesus’ warning may have saved their lives.
Days of Great Distress
Jesus described a time of unprecedented suffering.
Mark 13:18-23 Pray that this will not take place in winter, because those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now—and never to be equaled again. If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.
Josephus describes the horrors of the siege of Jerusalem in graphic detail: starvation, infighting, and mass crucifixions outside the walls. He claims more than a million people died. Jesus’ language echoes Daniel 12:1, which speaks of “a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.”
Yet even in that suffering, God was in control. He “cut short those days” for the sake of his chosen people. And again Jesus warned about deception. False messiahs and false prophets would perform signs and try to lead people astray. Jesus’ followers didn’t need to chase rumors. When he returns, nobody will have to point him out.
The Son of Man Coming in the Clouds
Then Jesus looked beyond the destruction of the temple to something even greater.
Mark 13:24-27 But in those days, following that distress, “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.” At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens.
Jesus used language from the prophets, who often described God’s judgment with cosmic imagery: the sun darkened, the moon dimmed, and stars falling (Isaiah 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10). This language signaled that God was shaking the powers of the world. Then Jesus described the Son of Man coming in the clouds, a direct reference to Daniel’s vision.
Daniel 7:13-14 In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Christians have understood this passage in different ways. Some see it entirely as a picture of God’s judgment on Jerusalem in AD 70 and Jesus’ vindication as King. Others see it as a prophecy of Jesus’ second coming at the end of history. Many see both: the fall of Jerusalem as a preview of the final judgment and Jesus’ visible return. However we interpret the details, the New Testament is clear that Jesus will return in glory (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 1:7).
And when he does, he will send his angels to gather his “elect,” those he has chosen, from every corner of the earth. The story doesn’t end in destruction. It ends with Jesus gathering his people to himself.
What This Means for Us
Passages like this can be confusing, and some people spend a lot of energy trying to match every detail to current events. But Jesus’ main point is simple: stay alert, don’t be deceived, and trust that he is in control. History is moving toward a final day when Jesus will return as King.
For believers, that is incredibly good news. No matter how dark things get, the Son of Man will come with power and glory, and he will gather his people from the ends of the earth. If you belong to him, you don’t have to fear the end. You can look forward to it.
The Takeaway
What is the abomination of desolation? It is a phrase from Daniel describing an idolatrous act that desecrates God’s temple. Jesus warned his followers to flee when they saw it, which many believe happened in AD 70. He warned against false messiahs and promised that he will return in glory to gather his people.
