Bring an end to sacrifice

[Castor Muscular]

Daniel 9:27
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.

This verse has been problematic for people who study prophecy, since there is no temple sacrifice anymore.  So it is assumed that Daniel's seventy weeks cannot come to a conclusion until the Jews rebuild the temple. 

Maybe so. 

However, a thought occurred to me as I continued to listen to "Pagan Christianity".  The Catholic communion is treated as a literal sacrifice through transubstantiation.  Indeed, one could easily imagine how the Catholic church continues not only this, but many other traditions of pre-70AD Judaism, and deliberately so. 

Therefore, is it possible that the "end to sacrifice and offering" might refer to the practices of the Catholic church, and not to the Jewish temple at all? 

Just wondering...

 

[T-Bone]

Daniel 9:27
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.

This verse has been problematic for people who study prophecy, since there is no temple sacrifice anymore.  So it is assumed that Daniel's seventy weeks cannot come to a conclusion until the Jews rebuild the temple. 

Maybe so. 

However, a thought occurred to me as I continued to listen to "Pagan Christianity".  The Catholic communion is treated as a literal sacrifice through transubstantiation.  Indeed, one could easily imagine how the Catholic church continues not only this, but many other traditions of pre-70AD Judaism, and deliberately so. 

Therefore, is it possible that the "end to sacrifice and offering" might refer to the practices of the Catholic church, and not to the Jewish temple at all? 

Just wondering...

Since all references in the Daniel 9 passage are to Israel or Jerusalem (your people, ie Daniel's people & your city, ie. Daniel's city) I would tend to associate this with them and not with the church.

 

[rsc2a]

I don't remember exactly where everything falls and when prophetically speaking, but if I recall, it's a strong possibility that this section could be referring to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

 

[Castor Muscular]

I don't remember exactly where everything falls and when prophetically speaking, but if I recall, it's a strong possibility that this section could be referring to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

I've seen that interpretation, and it might be the correct one.  It is Daniel's 70th week, which (as far as I know) most people place in the future.  The only way it can be in the past is if there are two events referred to as the abomination of desolation.  And I've read the opinion that this is entirely possible -- that we had the mini-abomination around AD 70, and the real one occurs in the future. 

Currently, I hold to the opinion that this is a future event, but I'm willing to be corrected. 

 

[Ransom]

And I've read the opinion that this is entirely possible -- that we had the mini-abomination around AD 70, and the real one occurs in the future. 

Antiochus IV Epiphanes set up an altar to Zeus in the second temple, and subsequently sacrificed swine on the altar. "Abomination" was rabbinic language for idolatry, and it certainly would have made the Temple desolate, since defiling it rendered it unusable.

 

[PappaBear]

And don't forget, we are currently fresh out of red heifer ashes.

 

[Castor Muscular]

And I've read the opinion that this is entirely possible -- that we had the mini-abomination around AD 70, and the real one occurs in the future. 

Antiochus IV Epiphanes set up an altar to Zeus in the second temple, and subsequently sacrificed swine on the altar. "Abomination" was rabbinic language for idolatry, and it certainly would have made the Temple desolate, since defiling it rendered it unusable.

Yes, that's the explanation I've read. 

The problem is that Matthew 24 says:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

This clearly says that the abomination of desolation triggers the great tribulation, which I'm pretty sure is a future event.  It may not be, though.  Perhaps what happened in Israel culminating in 70 AD (I think it also went on for a while afterward) was the great tribulation, and there's a long pause between that and the celestial signs of the Day of the Lord and his visible return.