This verse depicts the grave desecration of God’s temple at the hands of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, prefiguring the eventual triumph of the Lord’s purposes despite human defiance.
Daniel 11:31 describes a shocking act of desecration against Israel’s place of worship. The verse reads: “Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation” (v.31). Historically, this prophecy is widely understood to have been first fulfilled in 167 BC under the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175 - 164 BC), a Greek king of the Seleucid Empire. He intruded upon the temple in Jerusalem—a sacred sanctuary fortress for the Jewish people—ending the customary sacrificial system (the “regular sacrifice”) and establishing a profane altar to the Greek deity Zeus. This sacrilege was so egregious that it came to be known thereafter as the “abomination of desolation.” By outlawing Jewish worship and forcibly promoting Greek religious practices, Antiochus sought to eradicate the faith and identity of God’s people.During this period, the Jewish populace was subjected to oppression and violence intended to crush their cultural and spiritual foundations. Antiochus’s campaign included the sacrifice of unclean animals in the temple, an act that shocked and horrified devout Israelites who observed the dietary laws and worshiped the LORD as the one true God. This blasphemy triggered resistance among Jews like the Maccabees, ultimately leading to a revolt that achieved a temporary liberation of the region and the reclamation of the temple. Jesus later referenced the abomination of desolation in His own teachings (Matthew 24:15), signaling that a final and more ultimate fulfillment remains for the future.In a theological sense, Daniel 11:31 warns of how those who oppose God’s covenant can violate the heart of worship itself. It foreshadows the spiritual conflict faced by believers in any age: worldly powers can exalt themselves against the Lord, perverting sacred things and trampling the faithful. Yet the history of Antiochus—who was eventually cast down—underscores that God preserves a faithful people, even when faced with seemingly overwhelming forces. This verse provides a sober lesson on how relentless evil can appear, yet it is a fleeting shadow set against the sovereignty of the Almighty.
Set to dark mode
Daniel 11:31 meaning
Daniel 11:31 describes a shocking act of desecration against Israel’s place of worship. The verse reads: “Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation” (v.31). Historically, this prophecy is widely understood to have been first fulfilled in 167 BC under the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175 - 164 BC), a Greek king of the Seleucid Empire. He intruded upon the temple in Jerusalem—a sacred sanctuary fortress for the Jewish people—ending the customary sacrificial system (the “regular sacrifice”) and establishing a profane altar to the Greek deity Zeus. This sacrilege was so egregious that it came to be known thereafter as the “abomination of desolation.” By outlawing Jewish worship and forcibly promoting Greek religious practices, Antiochus sought to eradicate the faith and identity of God’s people.During this period, the Jewish populace was subjected to oppression and violence intended to crush their cultural and spiritual foundations. Antiochus’s campaign included the sacrifice of unclean animals in the temple, an act that shocked and horrified devout Israelites who observed the dietary laws and worshiped the LORD as the one true God. This blasphemy triggered resistance among Jews like the Maccabees, ultimately leading to a revolt that achieved a temporary liberation of the region and the reclamation of the temple. Jesus later referenced the abomination of desolation in His own teachings (Matthew 24:15), signaling that a final and more ultimate fulfillment remains for the future.In a theological sense, Daniel 11:31 warns of how those who oppose God’s covenant can violate the heart of worship itself. It foreshadows the spiritual conflict faced by believers in any age: worldly powers can exalt themselves against the Lord, perverting sacred things and trampling the faithful. Yet the history of Antiochus—who was eventually cast down—underscores that God preserves a faithful people, even when faced with seemingly overwhelming forces. This verse provides a sober lesson on how relentless evil can appear, yet it is a fleeting shadow set against the sovereignty of the Almighty.