THE "ABOMILATION OF DECIMATION"

It is my joy to spend most Sunday afternoons with my eleven year old granddaughter. We may spend our time snuggled up and watching a movie together. We may play a game or bake something sweet for Grandpa. Going for a walk when the weather is nice is also a treat, always hand in hand of course. While on our walks our conversations range from how she’s doing in her math class to the mare in the pasture that we just passed. Lately we’ve been talking about the Lord’s return. She knows that Matthew 24 is one of the chapters in the New Testament where we find the signs for which we should be watching to know when His return is near.

“What’s the first really big sign?”, I ask her.

“The abomilation of decimation”, she replies. (We’re working on that one.)

“And what is that?”, I query further.

“When Antichrist stops the sacrifices in the temple and tells everyone he is God and they must worship him.”

“What happens after that?”

“Really bad persecution.”

“Then after that?”

“The sky goes black and the stars fall out of the sky and we see Jesus and His angels gather the elect.”

“And who are the elect?”

“Those who have trusted Jesus as their Savior.”

"What do you do if someone tells you Jesus is over there, before the sky goes black and He comes in the clouds?"

"Don't believe them and stay put!"

You might ask why I would teach my granddaughter such things. It's because of Jesus' instructions to us in Mt. 28:20. We are to teach new disciples to observe all the Lord commanded, even His instructions and warnings in Mt. 24. And all is one of those 100% words.

Jesus' final words to His followers in Mt. 28 were, “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Upon a close look in Mt. 24 we see that the end of the age has not occurred before the “abomilation of decimation”. Its sign falls immediately after the tribulation. That places the church squarely facing the persecution of Antichrist. Jesus does say that those days of tribulation will be cut short for the sake of the elect. While Antichrist is given authority to rule for 3 1/2 years, he will not be allowed to do harm against the elect for the entire period. The tables will get turned on him, at a day and hour known only by the Father.

The second reason I quiz my granddaughter about our Lord’s return is to prepare her for the things that will take place should she be in that generation that will see all these things come to pass.

And we'll keep working on her pronunciation. :)