The tribulation begins when the Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty with Israel, which triggers a Russian invasion, famine, pestilence, and persecution.
Les Feldick describes these opening events as the 'beginning of sorrows' that Jesus foretold in Matthew 24. The first half of the tribulation, while already severe, is only the prelude to the far worse last three and a half years. Current world troubles are not the tribulation itself but preparation for it.
Daniel 9:27 — This is the verse behind Les's teaching that the tribulation begins when a ruler signs a seven-year covenant with Israel.
Matthew 24:6-8 — Jesus directly lists wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes as the beginning of sorrows that open the tribulation.
Revelation 6:5-6 — The black horse and famine are the specific judgments John sees once the Lamb opens the seals at the start of the tribulation.
In Matthew 24, Jesus told His disciples, 'And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.' He then said, 'All these are the beginning of sorrows' (Matthew 24:6-8). Revelation 6 matches this picture: when the third seal is opened, John sees 'a black horse' and hears a voice saying, 'A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny' (Revelation 6:5-6). The fifth seal then reveals the souls of those 'slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held' (Revelation 6:9), showing that martyrdom accompanies this opening period.
Les teaches that the final seven years—Daniel's 70th week—begin the moment the Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty with Israel (Daniel 9). He calls this treaty 'the trigger mechanism' that starts the countdown. Les believes that soon after the tribulation begins, a great Russian invasion of Israel will take place, causing the food supply to collapse and bringing the famine of the black horse, along with pestilence (Clips 0, 2). Jesus called all these things the beginning of sorrows. Les is careful to say that today's earthquakes, wars, governmental corruption, and wickedness are not the tribulation itself but the preparation—'the stage is being set' (Clip 1). He also points out that the seven years are divided into two halves of three and a half years / forty-two months each; the first half, though terrible, is not the full wrath and vexation of the last half (Clip 5). Les stresses that when the tribulation begins, Jesus' words in Matthew 24:9-10 apply to Israel: the Jews will be delivered up, afflicted, killed, and hated of all nations (Clip 4).
The signing of the seven-year treaty with Israel, in Les's words, is 'the trigger mechanism of beginning that final seven years' (Clip 2). Once the Antichrist signs that treaty, the curtain goes up and the seven years begin (Clips 0, 1). Les also says the first three and a half years are bad but not as severe as the last three and a half (Clip 5).
In Matthew 24:6-8, Jesus listed wars, rumors of wars, nations rising against nations, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes, and then said these are 'the beginning of sorrows' (quoted in Clips 0 and 3). Revelation 6:5-6 shows the black horse bringing famine, and Revelation 6:9 shows the souls of martyrs who were slain for the word of God.
Les says, 'I feel there will be a great Russian invasion into the nation of Israel sometime after the tribulation has begun' (Clip 2). He connects that invasion to a collapse of the food supply, which then triggers the famine of the black horse and pestilence (Clip 0).
Les teaches that the seven years are always divided into 3.5 and 3.5 years—42 months and 42 months. The first half will be bad enough, but the last half will be the time of God's wrath and vexation, with plagues and cosmic disturbances becoming terrible until Christ appears (Clips 3, 5). At the midpoint, when the Antichrist turns on Israel, there will be 'great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world' (Clip 6).
Les applies Matthew 24:9-10 directly to Israel: once the tribulation begins, the Jews will be delivered up to be afflicted, they will be killed, and they will be hated of all nations. Les comments that if anti-semitism is bad now, 'it's nothing like it's going to be' (Clip 4).
Seven-Year Treaty Opens the Tribulation
Les teaches that the tribulation begins when the Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty with Israel, bringing relative peace and safety; a Russian invasion, famine, and pestilence follow as the opening 'sorrows.'
Current Events Are Preparation, Not Tribulation
Les explains that increasing earthquakes, perplexity, corruption, and wickedness today are not the tribulation itself but preparation—the stage being set for the Antichrist to sign the treaty.
Treaty as Trigger and Russian Invasion
Les says the signing of the treaty is the trigger mechanism for the final seven years, and he expects a great Russian invasion into Israel soon after the tribulation begins, along with famine, pestilence, and earthquakes.
Escalation in the Last Half
Les describes the last three and a half years as a time when plagues and cosmic disturbances become so awful that death runs rampant, and he reminds readers these are the 'beginning of sorrows' Jesus predicted.
Israel Under Attack When Tribulation Begins
Les applies Matthew 24:9-10 to Israel, teaching that once the tribulation begins, Jews will be delivered up to be afflicted, killed, and hated by all nations, with anti-semitism far worse than today.
Seven Years Divided Into Two Halves
Les teaches that the tribulation is Daniel's 70th week, opened by the treaty, and is always divided into two three-and-a-half-year periods (42 months each), with the last half much worse.
Unprecedented Great Tribulation
Les stresses that when the Antichrist turns on Israel, there will be a great tribulation unlike anything in human history, even worse than under the Caesars, Hitlers, or Stalins, and Revelation 11 also divides the seven years in half.
Matthew 24 as the Tribulation Chapter
Les sets Matthew 24 as the chapter that describes the seven-year tribulation, with direct parallels to Revelation 6—including the white horse as the Antichrist—helping identify the opening signs.
Daniel 9:27: And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
This is the prophecy of the ruler who will confirm a seven-year covenant, which Les ties to the opening of the tribulation.
Matthew 24:6-7: And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Jesus lists wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes as the opening signs He called the beginning of sorrows.
Matthew 24:8: All these are the beginning of sorrows.
Jesus explicitly labels the preceding signs the beginning of sorrows.
Matthew 24:9: Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
Jesus tells how believers—and in Les's teaching, Israel—will be delivered up and killed during this time.
Matthew 24:10: And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Betrayal and hatred among people intensify once the tribulation begins.
Matthew 24:21: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Jesus says the coming tribulation will be the worst time in human history.
Revelation 6:5-6: And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
The black horse of famine follows the opening of the seals in John's vision.
Revelation 6:9: And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held.
John sees tribulation martyrs slain for the word of God and their testimony.
According to Les Feldick, the tribulation begins when the Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty with Israel. He calls this treaty the 'trigger mechanism' that opens Daniel's 70th week (Clips 2, 5).
No. Les says today's earthquakes, perplexity, governmental corruption, and wickedness are not the tribulation by any stretch of the imagination, but rather the preparation. The stage is being set for the Antichrist to sign the treaty (Clip 1).
Les teaches the tribulation is divided into two halves of three and a half years each. The first half will be bad enough, but it will not be the wrath and vexation of the last three and a half years (Clip 5).
Les applies Jesus' words in Matthew 24:9-10 to Israel: during the tribulation the Jews will be delivered up, afflicted, killed, and hated of all nations (Clip 4).
Watch the Teaching: What Happens When God's Wrath Finally Begins — Revelation 6