“That Great and Abominable Church”

George Reynolds, Janne M. Sjodahl

The Book of Mormon, in several places, mentions an organization which it characterizes as an "abominable" church. It is also called the "church of the devil." (1 Ne. 14:17)

In the language of the Scriptures, any object or custom, that is detested or disliked for religious reasons, is called an abomination. That was the case in Egypt. (3 It was this blasphemy and the other outrages connected with it that drove the Maccabees out into the mountains, and prompted them to instigate the most heroic war of the entire history of the Jewish nation.

Our Lord, according to Matthew (24:15) and also Mark (13:14), quoted this prophecy of Daniel and predicted another profanation of the sanctuary, and left with the disciples the instruction that those who were in Judea at that time would better flee to the mountains, as the Maccabees had done in their day. 4

Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 1

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