The remnant Jews are a mixed, cross-section of Jewish society — not the 144,000 — who flee Judea for the mountains at the Tribulation's midpoint when the Antichrist defiles the temple.
Les Feldick describes this group from Matthew 24:15-22 as 'the escaping remnant of Israel.' It is a mixed group and a cross section of any society — including workers in the field, young mothers, pregnant women, well-to-do retired people on rooftops, old and young, men and women, boys and girls. They flee the Jerusalem area at the Tribulation's midpoint, going out in unbelief, and are protected by God for the final 3½ years.
Matthew 24:15-16 — Jesus defines the trigger — the abomination of desolation in the holy place — and commands those in Judea to flee to the mountains, which is the event that creates the remnant.
Matthew 24:17-22 — This passage details the composition of the fleeing group — people on housetops, laborers in the field, and pregnant and nursing mothers — and God's shortening of those days for the elect's sake.
In Matthew 24:15-22, Jesus instructs those in Judea to flee to the mountains when they see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place. He tells the one on the housetop not to come down to take anything out of his house, and the one in the field not to return to take his clothes. He then pronounces woe on those who are with child and to those who give suck in those days, showing that pregnant and nursing mothers are among the fleeing group. Jesus tells them to pray that their flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day, and declares that this will be a time of great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world, nor ever shall be. He promises that except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved — but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
Les Feldick calls the fleeing group in Matthew 24:15-22 'the escaping remnant of Israel.' He stresses repeatedly that this is not the 144,000 — it is 'a cross section of any society' and 'a mixed group.' The remnant includes older well-to-do people spending time on rooftop patios, younger laborers working in the fields, young mothers, pregnant women, and men and women, boys and girls of all ages. Les also notes that they went out in unbelief. These Jews are living in the area of Jerusalem and Judea when the Antichrist defiles the temple and turns on the Jew at the midpoint of the Tribulation. They must flee immediately — time is of the essence, and they will not need to bring possessions. They go to the mountains southeast of Jerusalem, where God will supernaturally insulate and protect them for the final 3½ years, just as He protected and provided for Israel in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt. Les emphasizes this is not the whole nation of Israel but only a percentage. He also points out that Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse to the twelve as if these events would happen in their lifetime, with no indication of the intervening church age.
No. Les Feldick explicitly says 'this is not the 144,000' and calls it 'a totally different group.' The 144,000 are young Jewish men sealed by God at the beginning of the Tribulation who take the gospel of the kingdom. The remnant, by contrast, is a mixed group of Jewish society — including old and young, men and women — who flee the area of Jerusalem at the midpoint.
The remnant is a cross-section of Jewish society. Jesus's own words in Matthew 24:17-19 describe people on housetops, people in the field, and pregnant and nursing women. Les adds that the housetop people are probably retired and fairly well-to-do, spending spare time on rooftop patios, while those in the field are younger laboring people. He concludes it is old and young, men and women, boys and girls — workers, young mothers, and pregnant ladies alike.
Matthew 24:16 commands those in Judea to flee to the mountains. Les says they go to the mountains to the southeast of Jerusalem. There God will protect and provide for them for the last 3½ years, insulating them from the horrible events of the final half of the Tribulation — just as He protected Israel in the desert of Sinai for 40 years. It is a percentage of the nation, not all Israel, that escapes.
The trigger is the abomination of desolation. Les says the Jews flee as soon as they get word that the Antichrist has defiled the temple and turned on the Jew. Time is of the essence: the person on the housetop must not come down to take anything out of his house, and the laborer must not return to take his clothes. Even well-to-do people with expensive belongings are told not to delay for them.
Jesus Spoke as if Events Were Imminent
Les notes that Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse to the twelve as if the abomination of desolation would happen in their lifetime, with no indication of the intervening church age — background for why the Tribulation warnings apply to Israel.
Escaping Remnant Is a Mixed Group
Les defines the escaping remnant of Jews who leave the Jerusalem area at the Tribulation's midpoint as a mixed group — workers in the field, young mothers, and pregnant women — who come down to the mountain.
Not the 144,000, but a Cross Section of Society
Les explicitly states the fleeing Jews are not the 144,000 but a cross section of any society, and that God will protect and provide for them as He did for Israel at the exodus from Egypt.
Housetop and Field: Two Sides of the Remnant
Les contrasts the retired, well-to-do person on the housetop with the younger daily laborer in the field, showing the remnant spans different social levels and circumstances.
Old and Young, Men and Women, Boys and Girls
Les describes the remnant as a mixed group that includes those on housetops and those with children — not the 144,000 — covering every age and gender, and notes they went out in unbelief.
A Percentage of Israel Protected for 3½ Years
Les says the escaping remnant is not the whole nation but a percentage, and that God will insulate them supernaturally in the mountains southeast of Jerusalem for the final 3½ years.
144,000 Sealed at the Beginning — a Different Group
Les distinguishes the 144,000 young Jews sealed at the start of the Tribulation, who take the gospel of the kingdom, from the fleeing remnant of Matthew 24.
Cross Section Fleeing the Defiled Temple
Les describes the remnant as a cross-section of Jewish society fleeing as soon as the Antichrist defiles the temple and turns on the Jew, including wealthy retired people reluctant to abandon expensive possessions.
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:)
The sign that triggers the remnant's flight from Judea.
Matthew 24:16: Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
The direct command to flee to the mountains — the remnant's destination.
Matthew 24:17: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
Describes the well-to-do person on the housetop who must not linger for possessions.
Matthew 24:18: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
Describes the younger laborer in the field told not to return for clothes.
Matthew 24:19: And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
Shows the remnant includes pregnant and nursing mothers.
Matthew 24:20: But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
The urgency of the flight — even winter or the Sabbath would be a hardship.
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.
Identifies this period as the great tribulation, the worst time in history.
Matthew 24:22: And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.
God's shortening of those days for the elect's sake — the remnant's preservation.
No. Les Feldick is emphatic that the fleeing remnant in Matthew 24 is not the 144,000. The 144,000 are sealed young Jewish men at the beginning of the Tribulation who carry the gospel of the kingdom, while the remnant is a mixed cross-section of Jewish society — old and young, men and women, boys and girls — who flee Jerusalem at the midpoint.
At the midpoint of the Tribulation, after the Antichrist defiles the temple and turns on the Jew. Jesus ties the flight to seeing the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet (Matthew 24:15).
A mixed group and a cross-section of any society: retired well-to-do people on their housetops, younger laborers in the field, young mothers, pregnant women, and old and young, men and women, boys and girls.
They flee to the mountains southeast of Jerusalem, where God supernaturally protects and provides for them for the final 3½ years of the Tribulation, just as He protected Israel in the wilderness.
Watch the Teaching: The Antichrist's 7-Year Treaty & Israel's Great Escape