Yes, the abomination of desolation is the Antichrist's defilement of the rebuilt temple at the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation, when he stops Israel's temple sacrifices.
According to Les Feldick, the Antichrist will come into the temple in Jerusalem, cause the sacrifice and the oblation to stop, and defile the temple. He will likely offer a hog on the altar, just as Antiochus Epiphanes did, making the temple desolate. This act marks the beginning of the last three and a half years, when he turns on Israel.
Daniel 9:27 — Directly predicts the prince will cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease in the middle of the week and make the temple desolate.
Daniel 11:31 — Describes the polluting of the sanctuary and the setting up of the abomination that maketh desolate.
Daniel 12:11 — Identifies the abomination of desolation with the removal of the daily sacrifice and sets a time of 1,290 days.
Matthew 24:15-16 — Jesus refers to Daniel's abomination of desolation standing in the holy place and commands those in Judaea to flee.
Daniel 9:27 says that after the prince confirms a covenant with many for one week, "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 11:31 says "they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate." Daniel 12:11 also connects the event to the daily sacrifice being taken away: "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." In Matthew 24:15, Jesus speaks of "the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place" and immediately tells those in Judaea to flee to the mountains. The Bible thus presents the abomination as a defined act that defiles the temple and is connected to the cessation of Israel's sacrifice.
Les teaches that the abomination of desolation happens at the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation. The Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty with Israel, and God's prophetic clock starts again; at the middle, he causes the sacrifice and the oblation to stop. Because sacrifices can only be offered at the temple, Israel must have a rebuilt and operating temple by that point, and Les is confident the Jews will have one. Les compares the act to Antiochus Epiphanes, who defiled the temple by sacrificing a sow, or hog, on the altar. He thinks the Antichrist will do something very similar, because a hog being slaughtered and its blood spilled on the altar is anathema to a Jew. In the same event, the Antichrist turns on Israel, defiles the temple, and begins to force Israel to worship him as their Messiah.
Les teaches that the abomination of desolation happens at the midpoint of the seven-year period. The Antichrist signs a seven-year covenant with Israel, and in the middle of that week he causes the sacrifice and the oblation to stop. This means Israel has already restarted temple worship under the Antichrist's supposed protection for the first three and a half years.
Les points to Antiochus Epiphanes, an Old Testament figure who overran Israel around 200-300 B.C. He decimated and defiled the temple by sacrificing a sow, or hog, on the altar. This was a horror to the Jewish people, and Les believes the Antichrist will do much the same when he comes into the temple in Jerusalem.
In Matthew 24, Jesus says that when they see the abomination of desolation stand in the holy place, those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Les emphasizes the urgency: the one on the housetop is not to come down to take anything out, and the flight will be especially difficult if it happens on the Sabbath or in winter. The Antichrist defiles the temple and immediately turns on Israel.
Les says the temple will be rebuilt and operating by the midpoint of the seven years because the Antichrist must be able to stop the sacrifice and oblation, which can only be offered at the temple. He notes that Jews worldwide are waiting for the temple to be rebuilt, and although he does not know how it will be arranged with the Muslim world, he is confident the temple will be back on the scene.
After defiling the temple, the Antichrist turns on the nation of Israel and forces them to worship him as their Messiah. That begins the last three and a half years of the Tribulation, a time Les describes as awful, when the Antichrist brings persecution against the Jewish people.
Seven-Year Treaty and Stoppage of Sacrifice
In the middle of the seven years, the Antichrist causes the sacrifice and oblation to stop; the temple is the only place these sacrifices could be offered.
Defilement and Command to Flee
The Antichrist enters the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, defiles it, and likely offers a hog on the altar; Jesus then tells those in Judea to flee to the mountains.
Antiochus Epiphanes as a Foreshadow
Les uses Antiochus Epiphanes, who sacrificed a sow on the altar, as the historical pattern for the Antichrist's defiling act.
Temple Worship Restarted Before the Midpoint
For the sacrifice to stop, it must have restarted, indicating the temple is functioning during the first half of the seven years.
Turning on Israel and Forcing Worship
The Antichrist makes the temple desolate and forces Israel to worship him as their Messiah, beginning the second half of the Tribulation.
Why a Hog on the Altar
Les believes the Antichrist will likely offer a hog on the altar because it is anathema to a Jew, and immediately after this the Jews must flee.
Rebuilt Temple at the Midpoint
Israel will have a temple back and operating by the midpoint of the seven years, otherwise the Antichrist could not cause the sacrifice to stop.
The Exodus and Urgency of Flight
The Jewish flight is urgent and difficult, with warnings about the Sabbath and winter, and the Antichrist comes from Europe to defile the temple.
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 key Old Testament verse Les connects to the Antichrist causing sacrifices to stop at the midpoint.
Daniel 11:31: And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
This verse describes the pollution of the sanctuary and the setting up of the abomination.
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.
This fixes the abomination after the daily sacrifice is removed and gives a specific time period.
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 Daniel's prophecy the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place.
Matthew 24:16: Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
Jesus gives the urgent command to flee when the abomination appears.
Les teaches it is the Antichrist's defilement of the rebuilt temple at the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation. He stops Israel's sacrifice and oblation and makes the temple desolate, probably by offering a hog on the altar.
It will occur in the middle of the seven-year period, at the midpoint of Daniel's 70th week. Israel will have restarted temple worship, and the Antichrist will turn on them at that moment.
Because Antiochus defiled the temple by sacrificing a sow or hog on the altar, and Les believes the Antichrist will do something very similar. The hog sacrifice is especially horrible and offensive to Jewish worship.
Yes. Sacrifices and oblations can only be offered at the temple, so a rebuilt temple must be operating by the midpoint. Les is confident Israel will have a temple again.
Watch the Teaching: What Happens at the Midpoint of the Tribulation?