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THE REINTERPRETATION OF DANIEL 9 IN THE NEW TESTAMENT FOLLOWING THE FAILURE OF JESUS TO RETURN

Mark chapter 13 is called in New Testament studies the "Little Apocalypse" and it is basically a remez of prophetic Scripture from Daniel (hinting back to Daniel 9 as we shall quickly see).

The allusion to Daniel 9 that is found in the New Testament in Mark 13 along with parallel passages in Matthew 24 and Luke 21.

Mark 13:14-19 1

4 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. 19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. (KJV)

Matt 24:15-21 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (KJV)

Luke 21:20-22 20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. 21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. 22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. (KJV)

NOW IT IS TIME TO THINK

As I read this passage many years ago my mind was opened by God to consider if this passage really referred to me, a Gentile Christian, living in the United States because it mentioned several things that simply did not apply to me:

I live in Dallas, Texas, but the prophecy tells only those living in Judaea to flee and not Texans or all mankind all over the world to flee; only those in Judaea!
It warns those that experience this abomination of desolation that they better hope this does not befall them on the Sabbath when they have according to the Law restrictions on travel which would affect their ability to fight or to flee. As Christians we don't recognize the Sabbath or observe it so this again could not apply to me in America.
Luke makes the parallel to "SEEING" the abomination of desolation which is spoken by Daniel with "Jerusalem being compassed with armies" which means that THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION IS THE SAME AS JERUSALEM BEING SURROUNDED BY ARMIES" yet I live in Dallas, Texas, and this event happened in 70 C.E. long ago....this means that the abomination of desolation has already occurred just like Jesus said it would to "that generation" which was alive in his day.
The reference is repeatedly to those alive in that day when Jesus spoke which will see these things happen to Jerusalem in Judaea and not Texas or other parts of the world.
And lastly the time of the abomination of desolation is described as occurring in the middle to time and not as the end of time as we know it since the prophecy promises that such a time "not shall ever be again" like that time prophesied which means that time has to continue like before if such a comparison is to be real.

My mind was spinning and I realized that the traditional dispensational approach to this prophecy of Daniel and most all other Christian apocalyptic interpretation is bogus!

THE DISCIPLES WERE CONFUSED AS WELL

As we look at the context of these parallel verses, we find that the disciples of Jesus have just asked him an important question:

Mark 13:

1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?

The parallel passage in Matthew has the disciples asking Jesus specifically about his return.

Matthew 24:

3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

Jesus and his followers believed, according to Jewish theology of their day, that the coming of the Kingdom of God was "at hand" (Matt. 4:17, 10:7, 16:28; Luke 21:31; Phil. 4:5; 2 Thess. 2:2; 1 Pet. 4:7) and that, according to these passages in Mark, Matthew and Luke, one of the signs of the end would be the destruction of the Temple, in addition to a great "tribulation." This tribulation is referred to in the Hebrew scriptures as the "time of Jacob's trouble" (Jer. 30:7).

As alluded to previously, Jesus states that the generation that would see these events would be the generation that would see the fulfillment of his mission (Mark 13:29-30; cf. Mark 9:1).

Mark 13:29-30 29

So ye in like manner, when ye (those alive to whom Jesus spoke) shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. (KJV)

Mark 9:1 1

And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here (those who heard Jesus speak), which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. (KJV)

It is no wonder that after the Temple was destroyed and the end of the first century came and went and Jesus had not yet returned, the Gentile Church needed to reinterpret the references to Daniel 9. They did this separating the 70th week from the 69th week in Daniel 9:25 and this was done by altering the Hebrew Scriptures and failing to observe the punctuation of the texts, and thereby pushing the 70th week some 2000 years into the future to a distant and uncertain time. In so doing the problem of the failure of Jesus to reappear as he said and of an imminent "second coming" was solved.