June 28, 2026

Answer: The phrase “the abomination of desolation” in the Book of Daniel has a profound spiritual meaning in New Christian thought. In Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 11:31, it refers to a state where “the sanctuary of strength” is polluted and “the daily sacrifice” is taken away, replaced by something abominable that causes desolation. Spiritually, this signifies a time when the holy things of the church—genuine truths from good—are profaned or destroyed, and evil and falsity are put in their place (Daniel 9:26-27, Daniel 11:31).

According to the spiritual sense explained in the Heavenly Doctrines, “the abomination of desolation” represents the devastation of the church when there is no longer any truth because there is no good, and no faith because there is no charity. “Desolation” means emptiness of truth; “abomination” refers to the falsities and evils that have taken their place. This happens particularly when faith is separated from charity, leading to the extinction of all truth (Apocalypse Explained 405[34], 684[41]).

When the Lord refers in the Gospels to the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel (see Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14), He is describing the successive vastation, or destruction, of the church—not just in external worship but in the deeper sense: the loss of truth and good in the heart and mind. This results especially when the external practices of religion continue, but the internal essence—love of the Lord and neighbor—is gone (Apocalypse Explained 405[34]).

Further, in the New Christian understanding, this condition described in Daniel and referred to by the Lord also relates to how, over time, false doctrines and profanation of the Word’s deeper meaning replace true worship and faith. The “bird of abominations” in Daniel symbolizes thought regarding truth that has become falsity because it is no longer enlightened by genuine spiritual love, but motivated only by worldly desires (Apocalypse Explained 684[41]).

To summarize: The “abomination of desolation” in Daniel spiritually means the complete loss of truth and good within the church—indeed, within an individual—due to the separation of faith from charity, the rise of false beliefs, and the profanation of what is holy, so that external rituals remain but genuine spiritual life is absent (Daniel 9:26-27, Daniel 11:31; Apocalypse Explained 405[34], 684[39], 684[41]).