(Matthew 24:1-51) Jesus was leaving the temple, and his disciples remarked about some of the buildings of the temple. Jesus told them of the coming destruction of the temple. He then also told them of the turning of men's hearts from the LORD to wickedness, as the love of many would grow cold. He warned them, and us, of the coming tribulation that would come upon us.
Jesus speaks about the "abomination that causes desolation," that was told to Daniel (Daniel 9) by the angel, Gabriel. Solomon's temple was destroyed in 586 BC by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. This would make the temple Jesus is talking about, the second temple. That temple was destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 CE, by Titus, the son of the Roman Emperor Vespasian.
I looked up Paganism, and, surprise of surprises (tongue in cheek), it's a worldwide thing. That the love of many has grown cold, and is growing cold, is no surprise. We see events happening every day that attest to this. Mass shootings, cold-blooded murders, riots for the sake of rioting, etc., are common occurrences.
Jesus makes a statement, in (Verse 15) of the passage of scripture, about the abomination (idol worship) that causes desolation (emptiness, destruction, bleakness, misery, gloom), standing in the holy place (altar of sacrifice). Modern day altar of sacrifice is, first, our hearts-we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Secondly, that holy place can be considered to be places of Christian worship and Christian education. I believe that there is one God, so I will say that any place of the worship and education of God, can be included in this. Here's an interesting thing: In (Mark 13:14) the words, "standing where it ought not to be," are used.
What I want to focus on are those words in Mark. Jesus told the woman at the well, "the hour is coming, and is now, when the Father seeks those who worship Him to worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23) He also talked about things that come out of our hearts having the power to defile us; or, to justify us, and edify others. When we look at abomination in this light, we can see the importance of keeping our hearts pure, and in line with God's Word and His Will, with all diligence. This is not only the act of checking ourselves, our attitudes, etc., against the standard(s) that God has set for us. It is also the act of keeping unclean and impure things out; of enforcing boundaries set for us. We cannot allow anything else take precedence. This is where that regular spiritual "inventory" and "maintenance" come in.
Love you from Café du Mondieu
Copyright by Marina Morrison (aka) Eden Stillwater, April 5, 2023, 11:34 a.m.
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