Abomination in the Bible: False Gods to the Abomination of Desolation
1. Abomination as a Dysphemism for False Gods
The Hebrew noun šiqqûṣ (“abomination”) appears in the Old Testament as a deliberate insult. Rather than calling foreign deities “gods,” Israel’s Scriptures brand them abominations—disgusting things, unworthy of reverence.
Examples include:
Milcom: the god of the Ammonites (1 Kings 11:5, 7).
Chemosh: the god of the Moabites (2 Kings 23:13).
Ashtoreth: the goddess of the Sidonians (2 Kings 11:5, 7).
By labeling these gods as “abominations,” the biblical authors sought to repel Israel from adopting their worship. To the faithful, idols were not alternative divinities but detestable objects leading to ruin.
This rhetorical move matters. Just as calling something “filth” makes it unappealing, calling false gods “abominations” underlines the radical incompatibility between Yahweh’s holiness and idolatrous worship.
2. The Abomination of Desolation in Daniel
One particular expression stands out: šiqqûṣ mĕšōmēm—the “abomination of desolation.” It occurs in Daniel 11:31 and 12:11 and is echoed in Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14.
Historical background
Most scholars agree this refers to the desecration of the Jerusalem temple by Antiochus IV Epiphanes in 167 BCE. On December 6th of that year, Antiochus set up an altar or statue of Zeus Olympios in the temple of Yahweh. Pagan sacrifice was offered in the very place God had chosen for his name.
Theological dimensions
Polemic: The phrase may play on the Phoenician title Baal shamem (“Lord of heaven”), applied to Zeus. By calling Zeus the “abomination of desolation,” Daniel ridicules the supposed lord of heaven as an object of disgust.
Fulfillment and anticipation: For Jesus, the “abomination of desolation” was not confined to Antiochus. It symbolized future desecrations pointing toward climactic judgment and the need for endurance.
Thus the “abomination of desolation” functions as a recurring pattern: human arrogance enthroning idols in the place of God, climaxing in end-times rebellion.
3. Plural Abominations: Idols, Foods, and People
The plural form šiqqûṣîm (“abominations”) broadens the scope beyond specific deities.
Idolatry and cult objects
In Deuteronomy 29:16 and Jeremiah 7:30; 16:18; 32:34, “abominations” refers generally to idols and their cult statues. Ezekiel likewise condemns Israel for filling the land with abominations (Ezekiel 5:11; 7:20; 11:21; 20:7–8, 30; 37:23).
Foods and impurity
Zechariah 9:7 and Isaiah 66:3 use the plural to describe non-kosher foods. Here “abominations” are not idols but foods repugnant to God’s covenant standards.
People and practices
Hosea 9:10 describes Israelites as “abominations” when they joined in the idolatrous worship of Baal of Peor.
Nahum 3:6 applies the word to vile objects—possibly filth—that God would hurl at Nineveh to shame her.
This range of usage shows that “abomination” consistently conveys what is revolting to God—whether idols, foods, or behavior.
4. Abomination and Holiness: Rhetoric of Repulsion
Calling idols “abominations” served a rhetorical purpose: it made them detestable in Israel’s imagination.
Idols appear glamorous: neighboring nations viewed them as powerful and desirable.
Scripture reframes them as disgusting: by calling them “abominations,” the Bible strips idols of allure and marks them as shameful.
The same rhetorical strategy applies in Leviticus 18, where prohibited sexual practices are labeled as abominations. Even if some viewed them as alternative lifestyles, God’s word calls them repulsive—so much so that the land itself would “vomit out” those who practiced them.
Thus “abomination” is a word that polices the boundary of holiness. It marks certain acts and objects as unfit for God’s people, reinforcing the call to covenant faithfulness.
5. The Gospel and the End of Abomination
In the New Testament, the language of abomination reaches an eschatological climax.
Jesus warns that the “abomination of desolation” foretold by Daniel will appear again (Matthew 24:15). This anticipates not only Jerusalem’s destruction in AD 70 but also the recurring pattern of idolatry and desecration until the end.
Revelation 17:4–5 describes “Babylon the Great” as drunk with abominations, a symbol of human arrogance raised against God.
Yet the Gospel proclaims Christ’s triumph:
Idolatry defeated: Through the cross, Christ disarms the powers behind abominations (Colossians 2:15).
Holiness restored: By his Spirit, God sanctifies his people, calling them to live as a holy temple where no abomination may dwell (2 Corinthians 6:16–18).
New creation promised: In the new Jerusalem, “nothing unclean, nor anyone who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it” (Revelation 21:27).
Abomination is not the last word. The Redeemer transforms what is detestable into holiness by grace.
Conclusion: From Abomination to Adoration
The biblical language of abomination is meant to shock and repel. By calling false gods, illicit practices, and unclean objects “abominations,” Scripture teaches God’s people to see sin as disgusting, not desirable. The “abomination of desolation” epitomizes the arrogance of idolatry in God’s temple—but it also points forward to the final confrontation between God’s holiness and human rebellion.
For Christians, the hope lies not in human avoidance alone but in Christ’s victory. Where abominations defile, the cross cleanses. Where idols lure, the Spirit sanctifies. And where the abomination of desolation once desecrated, the holy presence of God will one day dwell forever with his people in glory.
Bible Verses on Abomination
“Milcom, the abomination of the Ammonites” (1 Kings 11:5).
“Chemosh, the abomination of Moab” (2 Kings 23:13).
“Ashtoreth, the abomination of the Sidonians” (2 Kings 11:5).
“Forces shall appear and profane the temple… and they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate” (Daniel 11:31).
“From the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up…” (Daniel 12:11).
“They have set their abominations in the house that is called by my name, to defile it” (Jeremiah 7:30).
“You shall detest them as an abomination; you shall not eat any of their flesh” (Isaiah 66:3).
“They became detestable like the thing they loved” (Hosea 9:10).
“I will throw filth at you and treat you with contempt” (Nahum 3:6).
“Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false” (Revelation 21:27).
