The Revealing of the Man of Lawlessness according to Matthew 24

The earth is currently experiencing birth pains, but the final ‘seven’ has not yet begun. These birth pains have not yet aligned with the first four seals which will be opened in the final generation on the earth at the time of Jesus’ coming. Jesus completed his explanation of the birth pains and continued on to list events and trends that would occur during the second half of Daniel’s seventieth ‘seven’ (Matt. 24:9-14). Jesus’ narrative places Matthew 24:15 chronologically before Matthew 24:9-14. This section examines Matthew 24:15, the revealing of the man of lawlessness.

The Abomination that Causes Desolation

Matthew 24:15 puts us on Daniel’s seventieth ‘seven’ timeline. In this verse, Jesus says: "So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—" Jesus exhorted readers to “understand” that he was pointing to the same event Daniel prophesied would occur. According to Daniel’s prophecy, the abomination that causes desolation will be erected in the temple at the midpoint of Daniel’s seventieth ‘seven’ (Dan. 9:27).

Jesus implied that people would be able to see the abomination that causes desolation being set up with their own eyes. Today we have media that can broadcast live events for the whole world to watch on a screen. This religious and political event is going to be breaking news world-wide. At the time Christians and Jews hear that a man has entered into the Jewish temple and set up the abomination that causes desolation, demanding worship, they will know that he is the anti-Christ. This will be the moment the man of lawlessness is revealed to the world.

The Sign of the Man of Lawlessness

Paul also discussed this event in 2 Thessalonians 2:4, noting that he will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. This event marks the moment the man of lawlessness is revealed. Paul was pointing to the public, visible event to which both Jesus and Daniel referred. He explained that the man of lawlessness would go so far as to declare himself God, and not just any god, but Yahweh, the Creator of heaven and earth.

The most important sign is the telling event that reveals the man of lawlessness to the world: he will enter the Jewish temple and publicly declare himself God. The sign of the man of lawlessness will announce the beginning of the second half of the final ‘seven’ and the beginning of the Great Tribulation. This sign will inform Christians to prepare for the most difficult time of persecution in the history of humankind.

Timeline Stage	Key Prophetic Event
Midpoint of Daniel’s 70th ‘seven’	The abomination that causes desolation is erected in the temple.
The Revelation of the Anti-Christ	The man of lawlessness enters the temple and publicly declares himself God.
Beginning of Great Tribulation	The sign announces the second half of the final ‘seven’ and a time of persecution.

Biblical Context of the Second Coming

There is no fact in history more clearly established than the fact of the "First Coming" of Christ. But as His "First Coming" did not fulfill all the prophecies associated with His "Coming," it is evident that there must be another "Coming" to completely fulfill them. We live on this side of the "Cross," and we can readily pick out all the prophecies that were fulfilled at Christ's "First Coming" and apply the remainder to His "Second Coming."

The man of lawlessness will be completely different from any of his predecessors, and his kingdom will be different from any kingdom to rise before it; therefore, we should exercise caution in making broad conclusions without sufficient biblical evidence. It is critical that Christians know these signs and are able to recognize them when they occur to guard against deception.