The abomination of desolation is the Antichrist's defiling of the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem at the midpoint of the Tribulation.
At the middle of the seven-year period, the Antichrist will cause the daily temple sacrifice to stop and will force Israel to worship him as God. Jesus called this event the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, and He warned those in Judea to flee to the mountains when they see it. Les Feldick teaches that this is a literal event involving the Antichrist entering and defiling the temple.
Matthew 24:15 — Jesus directly names the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, standing in the holy place.
Daniel 9:27 — Daniel predicts the one who causes sacrifice to cease and makes the temple desolate in the midst of the week.
Daniel 12:11 — Daniel sets the 1,290 days from the daily sacrifice being taken away until the abomination that maketh desolate is set up.
The Bible teaches that the abomination of desolation is a future event connected to the temple in Jerusalem. In Daniel 9:27, the prophet writes that "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." Daniel 12:11 adds that "from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days." Jesus then points His disciples to this exact prophecy in Matthew 24:15, saying, "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand)." In the next verse, Jesus commands those in Judaea to flee to the mountains.
Les Feldick teaches that the abomination of desolation is what happens when the Antichrist enters the rebuilt Jewish temple in Jerusalem at the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation. At that moment, he shuts down the daily sacrifices and temple worship, defiles the sanctuary — likely in the same way Antiochus Epiphanes did, by offering a hog on the altar — and then usurps the temple to force Israel to worship him as their God and Messiah. Les points out that Jesus was referring to this very event in Matthew 24, and that it is the signal for the Jews in Judea to flee immediately to the mountains without going back for belongings. He also connects Daniel 9:27's "overspreading of abominations" to the whole last three and a half years of judgment that Daniel says is "poured upon the desolator," that is, the Antichrist.
Les Feldick places the abomination of desolation precisely at the middle of the seven-year Tribulation. He notes that Daniel 9:27 says the Antichrist will confirm a covenant for one week, and in the midst of the week he will cause sacrifice and oblation to cease. Daniel also tells us the temple will be made desolate at that time. This is the event that triggers the final three and a half years of judgment.
Les describes how the Antichrist will enter the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, stop the daily sacrifice, and defile the temple. He says the Antichrist will probably offer a hog on the altar, just as Antiochus Epiphanes did centuries earlier. Then he will set himself up as God to be worshipped, forcing Israel to worship him instead of Jehovah. That defilement is what makes the temple desolate.
When Jesus warned about the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, He immediately told those in Judea to flee into the mountains. Les emphasizes that this is an urgent signal for the Jews living around Jerusalem: they must not come down from the housetop to gather possessions or return to get clothing. The next three and a half years will be so terrible that delay is dangerous.
Les teaches that the temple must be rebuilt before this prophecy is fulfilled, because the Antichrist cannot stop the temple sacrifices unless the temple is functioning. He points out that the Jews have been waiting for the temple to be rebuilt, and it will be on the scene before the Tribulation begins. The Bible says the daily sacrifice is taken away, and that only happens at the temple.
When Will the Tribulation Begin? The 70th Week of Daniel
be seven years cleaning up and burying the dead and cleaning up the equipment, that tells me that this invasion could take place ten months—eleven months—after the Antichrist signs the treaty, and Israel, according to the scriptural reckoning of time, would still have the full seven years to fulfill the cleaning up the mess and have it all done before Christ returns and sets up the kingdom.
Daniel's Prophecy and Jesus' Seal of Approval
Les shows that Daniel predicted the Antichrist setting himself up as God in the temple and that Jesus confirmed this as the abomination of desolation in Matthew 24.
Temple Defilement and the Command to Flee
Les describes how the Antichrist will defile the rebuilt temple — possibly sacrificing a hog — and explains Jesus' command for those in Judea to flee immediately without gathering possessions.
The Midpoint Sacrifice of a Hog
Les ties the abomination of desolation to the Antichrist sacrificing an unclean animal on the temple altar at the midpoint of the Tribulation.
Temple Worship Ends at Midpoint
Les explains that in the middle of the seven years the Antichrist will command all sacrificial and temple worship to stop, then make the temple desolate with 'the overspreading of abominations.'
The Abomination in Daniel 12
Les connects Daniel 12:11's prophecy of the daily sacrifice being taken away to the Antichrist usurping the temple and forcing Israel to worship himself.
The Desolator and the Consummation
Les applies Daniel 9:27's 'overspreading of abominations' to the Antichrist making the temple desolate, with all the end-time judgments poured on him.
Israel's Worship of the Antichrist
Les teaches that in the middle of the seven years the Antichrist breaks his treaty with Israel, enters the temple, shuts it down, and forces Israel to worship him as their Messiah.
Matthew 24:15: When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Jesus explicitly calls the event the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, standing in the holy place.
Matthew 24:16: Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
The immediate command for Jews in Judea to flee when they see the abomination.
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.
Daniel's prophetic description of the one who stops sacrifices and makes the temple desolate in the midst of the week.
Daniel 12:11: And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
Daniel gives the exact time from the removal of the daily sacrifice to the abomination that maketh desolate.
The abomination of desolation is the event Jesus warned about in which the Antichrist stands in the holy place of the temple in Jerusalem. Les Feldick teaches this occurs at the midpoint of the Tribulation when the Antichrist stops temple worship and defiles the temple, forcing Israel to worship him.
Les teaches it will happen at the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation, exactly in the middle of Daniel's seventieth week. At that time the Antichrist will turn on Israel, shut down the temple sacrifices, and defile the temple.
Yes. Les explains that after stopping the daily sacrifice, the Antichrist will set himself up as God in the temple and force Israel to worship him. This is the defilement that makes the temple desolate.
Watch the Teaching: When Will the Tribulation Begin? The 70th Week of Daniel