The Antichrist's treaty with Israel starts God's seven-year prophetic countdown, and at the three-and-a-half-year midpoint he stops Israel's temple sacrifices and forces worship of himself.
Les Feldick teaches that the signing of a seven-year treaty by the Antichrist and Israel is the triggering mechanism that restarts God's prophetic time clock, which stopped at the cross when Israel rejected the King and Kingdom. Daniel 9:27 says that in the middle of the week he will cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, meaning Israel must already have a functioning temple and sacrificial worship under the Antichrist's protection. At that midpoint he turns on Israel, desolates the temple, and forces Israel to worship him as their Messiah.
Daniel 9:26 — This verse identifies the coming prince whose people would destroy the city and sanctuary, which Les uses to link the Antichrist to the Roman Empire.
Daniel 9:27 — This is the central prophecy of the seven-year covenant with many and the midpoint stopping of sacrifice and oblation.
Matthew 24:15 — Jesus points to the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel, which Les connects to the midpoint of the seven years.
Daniel 9:26-27 places the treaty in a prophetic countdown. After the Messiah was cut off, a later prince — the Antichrist — will confirm a covenant with many for one week (seven years). In the middle of that week, he will cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, and because of abominations he will make the temple desolate until the prophesied end. Matthew 24:15 records Jesus telling His disciples that when they see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel standing in the holy place, they are to understand. Scripture therefore describes, without interpretation, both a seven-year covenant and a midpoint desecration of temple worship.
Les teaches that the treaty is the 'triggering mechanism' that kicks God's time clock back in gear. After the 483 years of Daniel's prophecy were completed and Israel rejected the King and Kingdom, God put His program on hold; the clock has not run for over 1,900 years. When the Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty with Israel, seven literal years will unfold, and then Christ returns.
Les Feldick says the treaty is the 'triggering mechanism' that kicks God's time clock back in gear. Once the Antichrist signs the seven-year treaty with Israel, God's seven-year time clock starts running; it has been stopped since Israel rejected Jesus as King and Kingdom. Seven literal years will unfold and then Christ returns.
Les teaches that the Antichrist is the 'prince that shall come' from Daniel 9, and his people are the empire that destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in A.D. 70 — Rome. Les sees a revived Roman Empire in the European community. He also thinks the treaty will be a peace agreement with Israel and her Arab neighbors, since the Middle East is a powder keg. Because Israel is so enraptured by his promises of peace, protection, and permission for temple worship, Les says the Antichrist may be an apostate Jew.
Scripture says the Antichrist will cause 'the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.' Les points out that for something to cease, it must first start. Therefore, Israel must have rebuilt her temple and be offering sacrifices by the midpoint of the seven years. Les says not to doubt the speed at which this can happen, noting that streets in Jerusalem were rebuilt in a year; the temple will be operating by the midpoint, and the Antichrist gives Israel permission for temple worship.
After three and a half years (1,260 days), the Antichrist turns on the nation he made the treaty with. He causes the sacrifice and oblation to stop, goes into the temple, and makes it desolate through an abomination. He shuts down all temple worship and forces Israel to worship him as their Messiah. This is the desolation Jesus told Israel to flee from in Matthew 24. During the first half of the seven years, Israel had enjoyed his protection and wondered if he was the real Messiah.
In the King James Version, Daniel 9:27 reads: '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 verse alone answers the sequence: a covenant with many, a seven-year span, and a midpoint where sacrifice and oblation cease.
Les teaches that when Israel rejected Christ and the Kingdom, God put His program on hold. After 483 years of Daniel's prophecy were completed, God's time clock stopped and has not run for about 1,900 years. The church age is that indeterminate period. When the Antichrist signs the treaty with Israel, the clock kicks back in gear for the final seven years.
The Antichrist's Roman Origin
Les identifies the Antichrist as the ruler who will arise out of the empire that destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70 — Rome — and says that empire is being revived in the European community.
The Treaty Restarts God's Clock
When the Antichrist signs a treaty with Israel, God's seven-year time clock starts running again; in the middle of the week he stops the sacrifice and oblation, the event Jesus referenced in Matthew 24.
The Church Age Pause Ends
The Antichrist's seven-year treaty with Israel kicks God's time clock back in gear after it had been stopped during the whole church age.
Covenant With Many
Les says the covenant is confirmed with many; it is with Israel and her Arab neighbors, and the midpoint stoppage of sacrifice and oblation shows Israel must have a temple.
The Triggering Mechanism
Les calls the treaty the triggering mechanism; after 483 years were completed and Israel rejected the King, the clock stopped, and once this man signs the seven-year treaty, seven literal years unfold and then Christ returns.
Sacrifices Must First Start
At the midpoint — after three and a half years or 1,260 days — the Antichrist turns on the Jews and stops sacrifice and oblation, which proves Israel had been enjoying sacrificial temple worship.
Rebuilt Temple and Apostate Jew
Israel must rebuild the temple so worship is operating by the midpoint; the Antichrist gives peace, borders, and temple permission, which is why Les thinks he may be an apostate Jew.
Midpoint Abomination
At the midpoint the Antichrist goes into the temple, sets up an abomination, makes it desolate, and forces Israel to worship him as their Messiah; for the first half Israel wondered if he was the real Messiah.
Daniel 9:26: And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
This verse identifies the coming prince whose people destroyed the city and sanctuary, which Les uses to locate the Antichrist in the Roman Empire.
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 verse describing the seven-year treaty and the midpoint stopping of Israel's sacrifices and oblations.
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 confirms the same abomination of desolation will stand in the holy place, which Les ties to the midpoint of the tribulation.
Les says the signing is still future; no true peace treaty with Israel has yet fulfilled Daniel's seven-year prophecy. When it happens, it will restart God's seven-year time clock that has been stopped since Israel rejected Christ.
At the midpoint of the seven years, the Antichrist goes into the temple and sets up an abomination that makes it desolate. He shuts down temple worship and forces Israel to worship him as their Messiah. Jesus referred to this same event in Matthew 24:15.
Les teaches yes. For the sacrifice and oblation to cease, they must already be in operation. He says Israel will rebuild the temple and have sacrificial worship going by the midpoint, with the Antichrist's permission.
Les identifies him as the prince from the revived Roman Empire — the empire whose people destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70. He also speculates that the Antichrist may be an apostate Jew because Israel is so taken by his promises.
Watch the Teaching: What Happens at the Midpoint of the Tribulation?