During the seven years of tribulation, God will deal with Israel in wrath and preserve a remnant of believers who will enter His Kingdom.
According to Les Feldick, the tribulation is primarily the time of Jacob's trouble—Israel's trouble—when God pours out His wrath on Christ-rejecting Jews. The church must be removed first so God can deal with Israel again. At the end, a remnant of Israel finally believes and becomes the seed stock of the restored nation in Christ's Kingdom.
Jeremiah 30:7 — Identifies the tribulation as the time of Jacob's trouble, directly linking the final seven years to Israel.
Matthew 24:9 — Jesus tells His Jewish disciples that during the tribulation they will be afflicted, killed, and hated by all nations.
The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah calls the coming period "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7). He declares that "that day is great, so that none is like it," setting it apart from every other era in human history. Deuteronomy 32:8 also shows Israel's centrality in God's plan: God set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the children of Israel. Jesus, speaking to His Jewish disciples in Matthew 24, described the horrors of that time. "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. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another" (Matthew 24:9-10). Jesus also warned those in Judea to flee into the mountains when the abomination of desolation stands in the holy place (Matthew 24:16).
Les Feldick explains that the seven-year tribulation is first of all a work God will do with Israel. He reminds us that God has always had a remnant, and the tribulation will bring out a remnant of believing Jews. Before that can happen, the church—the Gentile body of Christ—must be removed from the scene, because God does not deal with the Gentile body and Israel at the same time. Once the church is taken out, Israel is back in the land and ready for the final seven years. Les teaches that the tribulation is primarily God pouring out His wrath on Christ-rejecting Jews. The last three and a half years will be beyond human description. The Jews will be delivered up, afflicted, killed, and hated by all nations; anti-semitism will become much worse than anything seen before. At the midpoint of the tribulation, a remnant of Israel flees to the mountains southeast of Jerusalem and is protected by God for three and a half years. When Christ returns, that remnant finally recognizes Him and becomes believers, forming the seed stock of the new nation of Israel. Gentile believers who survive the tribulation will become the seed stock of the Gentile nations in Christ's Kingdom.
Les explains that during the present age God is dealing primarily with the Gentiles, while the Jew is out in dispersion. Before God can deal with Israel again in the final seven years, the Gentile body of Christ has to be removed from the scene. "God does not deal on both sides of the fence at the same time." As the church age winds down and the final Gentile is brought in, the church is taken out, Israel is back in the land, and the tribulation events can begin.
Les applies Jeremiah 30:7 to the seven-year tribulation. He says that day is so great that none like it, and all the horrible events of human history pale in comparison to this final seven years. It is "the time of Jacob's trouble" because Jacob is Israel, and the period is primarily the time of Israel's trouble, when God deals with them in His wrath and vexation with the result that a remnant of believers comes out of it.
Israel has some horrible days ahead. Jesus' words in Matthew 24 are quoted by Les: "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations" (Matthew 24:9). Les says that if anti-semitism is bad now, it is nothing like it will be. Many will be offended, betray one another, and hate one another. God's wrath is poured out on Christ-rejecting Jews, yet out of this wrath a remnant of believers will come.
At the midpoint of the tribulation, a remnant of Israel goes down into the mountains southeast of Jerusalem, as Jesus described in Matthew 24. Les says God will take care of them for the final three and a half years, just as He took care of Israel in the wilderness for 40 years. At Christ's second coming, that remnant finally becomes believers and will be the seed stock of the nation of Israel. Gentile believers who survive the tribulation will become the seed stock of the Gentile nations in the Kingdom.
God's Remnant Principle
Les reminds us that God has always had a remnant of believers, which is the foundation for understanding that the tribulation will produce a remnant of believing Jews.
The Church's Removal Before Israel's Tribulation
Les teaches that the seven-year tribulation cannot begin until the Gentile body of Christ is removed, because God will deal with Israel alone during that time.
Tribulation as the Time of Jacob's Trouble
Les connects Jeremiah 30:7 to the final seven years, showing it is primarily Israel's time of trouble in which God will bring forth a believing remnant.
A Preserved Remnant and Gentile Survivors
At the end of the tribulation, survivors include a protected remnant of Israel and Gentile believers; these two groups become the seed stock of the nations in the Kingdom.
The Horrors of the Last Half of the Tribulation
Les says the last three and a half years are beyond human description; the tribulation comes after the times of the Gentiles run their course.
Wrath on Christ-Rejecting Jews
Les shows that God's wrath in the tribulation is directed primarily at Israel—specifically Christ-rejecting Jews—because the entire world revolves around Israel in God's purposes.
Matthew 24 Applied to Israel
Les applies Jesus' warnings in Matthew 24 to the Jewish people in the tribulation: they will be afflicted, killed, hated of all nations, and even betrayed by one another.
Israel's Remnant Protected and Then Saved at the Second Coming
Les says the protected remnant of Israel will at last recognize their Messiah at His second coming and become the new seed stock of the nation.
Jeremiah 30:7: Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
This verse identifies the coming day as the time of Jacob's trouble, linking the tribulation directly to Israel.
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 warns the Jews that in the tribulation they will be delivered up, killed, and hated by all nations.
Matthew 24:10: And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
Jesus predicts that many will be offended and betray one another during the tribulation, adding to its horrors.
Matthew 24:16: Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.
Jesus instructs Judean Jews to flee to the mountains at the midpoint of the tribulation, which Les identifies as the protection of the remnant.
Deuteronomy 32:8: When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
This verse shows how God's dealings with the nations revolve around the children of Israel, preparing the way for the tribulation's focus on Israel.
Yes. Les Feldick teaches that it is primarily the time of Jacob's trouble—Israel's trouble. God's wrath is directed mainly at Christ-rejecting Jews, and the outcome will be a believing remnant that becomes the nucleus of the restored nation.
No. Les teaches that the church, the body of Christ, must be removed before God deals with Israel again, because God does not deal with the Gentile body and Israel at the same time. The church is taken out and Israel is then prepared for the tribulation.
The last three and a half years are beyond human description in horror. At the midpoint, a remnant of Israel flees into the mountains southeast of Jerusalem and is protected by God. These survivors become the seed stock of the nation when they finally believe at Christ's second coming.
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