Who is the leader that Israel will almost think is the Messiah during the end times?
The leader is the Antichrist, a charismatic figure backed by Western Europe’s economic and military power. He guarantees Israel’s safety, signs a seven-year treaty, permits temple worship, and is almost mistaken for the Messiah before turning on the Jews at the midpoint.
Les explains that Israel will feel so secure because this man, with all his charisma and seemingly all his economic and military power behind him from Western Europe, will guarantee her safety and borders. Israel will almost think he is the Messiah, and he will be benevolent. When he signs the seven-year treaty, he gives Israel permission to have temple worship, so if the temple is not built by then, it soon will be, and Israel will come back under the law, including sacrifices and the whole nine yards. Les also notes the growing momentum of the Orthodox over the secular in Israel. But at the midpoint, after three and a half years or 1260 days, this man suddenly turns on the Jew and causes the sacrifice and oblation to cease. Since something must start before it can cease, by the midpoint Israel will have been enjoying sacrificial temple worship with the blessings of the man Antichrist.