I do not personally believe that the abomination that makes desolate has already occurred.
Mat 24:15 MESSAGE:
"'But be ready to run for it when you see the monster of desecration set up in the Temple sanctuary. The prophet Daniel described this. If you've read Daniel (9:27--see below), you'll know what I'm talking about. If you'are living in Judea at the time, run for the hills; if you're working in the yard, don't return to the house to get anything; if you're out in the field, don't go back and get your coat. Pregnant and nursing mothers will have it especially hard. Hope and pray this won't happen during the winter or on a Sabbath.'"
21 "This is going to be trouble on a scale beyond what the world has ever seen, or will see again. I fthese days of trouble were left to run their course, nobody would make it. But on account of God's chosen people, the trouble will be cut short."
At which point--the abomination of desolation being set up in the Holy of Holies--clueing in the Israelis that they backed the wrong dude; according to another Scripture--the AC begins a massive slaughter of Israeli's.
Daniel 9:27: "'Then for one seven, he will forge many and strong alliances, but halfway through the seven he will banish worship and prayers. At the place of worship, a desecrating obscenity will be set up and remain until finally the desecrator himself is decisively destroyed.'"
Whole Life Study Bible has this note on p 1456: . . .
The major sign is "the abomination that causes desolation" (Mt 24:15), a specific observable event that tells the faithful who are alive during the tribulation that Christ's coming to earth at the end of the age will occur very shortly. This visible sign-event refers primarily to the future desecration of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem by the antichrist (see Da 9:27, note; 1Jn 2:18; see article on THE AGE OF THE ANTICHRIST, p. 1872). The antichrist, or man of lawlessness, will set up an image of himself in God's temple, declaring himself to be God (2Th 2:3-4; Rev 13:14-15). The following are important facts concerning this pivotal event."
"(1) The 'abomination that causes desolation' will mark the beginning of the final stage of the tribulation, which culminates in Christ's return to earth and his judgment on the ungodly at Armageddon (Mt 24:21,29-30; see Da 9:27; Rev 19:11-21)."
"(2) By noting the time of this event ("So when you see" Mt 24:15), tribulation saints can know with a high degree of certainty when the tribulation will end and Christ will come to reign on earth (see Mt 24:33, note). The time span between this event and the end is given four times in Scripture as three and a half years, or 1,260 days (see Da 9:25-27; Rev 11:1-2; 12:6; 13:5-7; see Da 9:25-27, note).
. . .
Earthquake Rattles Israel
No Damage Reported
Epicenter Was In Tel Aviv
Jul 7, 2004 12:48 pm US/Central
JERUSALEM (AP) A moderate earthquake shook Israel on Wednesday, but caused no damage or injuries, Israeli paramedics said.
The magnitude-4.7 quake was felt throughout the country, with its epicenter in the coastal city of Tel Aviv, Israel's seismological institute said. Buildings shook for several seconds.
A magnitude-5 quake can cause considerable damage in populated areas.
The quake was also felt in neighboring Jordan, where some residents in the capital, Amman, left their homes and went into the streets when they felt the tremor. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage there either.
Also in southern Lebanon people in villages bordering Israel said they felt a slight tremor.
An earthquake in Israel in March measured magnitude-3.2 and a magnitude-5.2 struck in February.
Israel and Jordan border the Syrian-African rift, a geological fault line that stretches from Syria to Mozambique and is often subject to tremors.
(© 2004 The Associated Press.