Daniel, the Gospels, and the Book of Revelation.In Daniel we read the fol-
lowing words:
In the end desolation [will fly in] on a bird of abominations; even to
the close and the cutting down, it will drip steadily upon the devasta-
tion. (Daniel 9 : 27 )In the Gospel of Matthew the Lord says these words:
Then many false prophets will rise up and lead many astray. Therefore
when you see that the abomination of desolation foretold by the
prophet Daniel is standing in the holy place, let those who read note it
well. (Matthew 24 : 11 , 15 )Later in the same chapter we read,
Then there will be a great affliction such as has never existed since the
world began until now and will never exist again. (Matthew 24 : 21 )
This affliction and abomination are dealt with in seven chapters in
the Book of Revelation. They are meant by the black horse and the
pale horse that came out of the book whose seal the Lamb had opened
(Revelation 6 : 5 – 8 ). They are meant by the beast that came up from the
abyss and made war on the two witnesses and killed them (Revelation
11 : 7 – 10 ). They are meant by the dragon that stood by the woman who
was about to give birth, that intended to devour her child, and that
pursued her into the desert and cast water like a river out of its mouth
to swallow her up (Revelation 12 ). Also by the beasts of the dragon,
one from the sea and the other from the land (Revelation 13 ); and by
the three spirits like frogs that came out of the mouth of the dragon,
the mouth of the beast, and the mouth of the false prophet (Revela-
tion 16 : 13 ).
In addition, the affliction and abomination are meant by these
events: the seven angels poured out the bowls of God’s anger that con-
tained the seven last plagues, pouring them onto the earth, into the sea,
into springs and rivers, onto the sun, onto the throne of the beast, into
the river Euphrates, and finally into the air, and then a tremendous
earthquake occurred unlike any that had happened since the creation of
humankind (Revelation 16 ). An earthquake means the act of turning the
church upside-down, which was caused by falsities and by falsified
truths—this meaning parallels the meaning of the great affliction such as
has never existed since the world began (Matthew 24 : 21 ).
§179 the holy spirit & divine action 251