Israel is significant because every true biblical prophecy revolves around the nation of Israel.
Les Feldick repeatedly teaches that all prophecy centers on Israel, not on the church. God set Israel at the core of the nations, and Israel remains His covenant people even though He has set them aside for this present age. Current world events are only the stage being prepared, and the fulfillment of prophecy will resume with Israel in the tribulation.
Deuteronomy 32:8 — Shows that the boundaries of the nations were set according to Israel's number, placing Israel at the center of the human story.
Ezekiel 37:13-14 — God promises to open Israel's graves and place them in their own land, proving His prophetic program is tied to Israel.
Matthew 24:32 — Jesus uses the fig tree sign to point to the nearness of summer in the same discourse that concerns end-time events.
Daniel 9:24 — God gives a time-specific prophecy determined for Israel: seventy weeks upon thy people and upon thy holy city.
Scripture places Israel at the center of God's dealings with the nations. In Deuteronomy 32:8, when the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, He "set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel." Israel's number was the measure for every nation's border. God's prophetic promises to Israel are concrete and tied to the land. In Ezekiel 37:13–14, the Lord tells His people, "when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it." The land promise is Israel's. In the New Testament, Jesus points to a seasonal sign as a lesson for the end times: "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh." Daniel also speaks of a specific time frame for Israel: "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city."
Les Feldick is emphatic: all true prophecy is centered on the nation of Israel. He stresses that there is no prophecy to or concerning the church, and any event in the Middle East must be read through Israel. He also teaches that true prophecy includes a time frame, because God is exact with His timing. Les says the little nation of Israel is still God's covenant people even though God has, for this present age of grace, set Israel aside. Today, Les explains, no prophecy per se is being fulfilled. Instead, we are seeing the stage set, the props placed, and the players prepared. Prophetic fulfillment will resume when the Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty with Israel and the seven-year tribulation begins — tribulation that is again God dealing prophetically with Israel. Les even uses Deuteronomy 32:8 to show that Israel sits at the very core of the human experience, which is why the whole world watches this tiny nation.
Les says that true prophecy not only foretells something but places it in a time frame; God's timing is exact whether it is 40 years or 1,000 years. This kind of prophecy is associated only with Israel. He adds that God says 490 years are determined upon Israel, filling in every detail of that period. The church age, by contrast, has nothing like this — there is no prophecy concerning the church.
No. Les says the idea that God has nothing more to do with the Jews because they rejected and crucified their Messiah is wrong. Although God has set Israel aside for the present, the little nation is still God's covenant people. They are, in every way, connected to the Bible.
Les says no prophecy per se is being fulfilled at this time. We are merely seeing the stage set, all the props put in place, and all the players getting ready. The curtain will rise at the signing of the seven-year treaty by the Antichrist with the nation of Israel; then the seven-year period of tribulation will begin, which is God dealing prophetically with Israel.
In Deuteronomy 32:8, God says that when He divided the nations and separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. Les comments that Israel is at the very core of the whole human experience. Everything else falls into place as it begins with Israel.
Jesus said, "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh." Les notes that if someone thinks Old Testament prophecy is done and of no use today, Jesus Himself quotes it in Matthew 24, so it is solid ground. The tender branch and leaves of the fig tree are the sign that summer is near.
Jesus' Fig Tree Parable Confirms Old Testament Prophecy
Les points to Jesus quoting the fig tree sign in Matthew 24:32 as New Testament confirmation that Old Testament prophecy has continuing relevance.
All Prophecy Is Centered on Israel
Les says all prophecy is centered on the nation of Israel and that understanding prophecy requires knowing Israel's history.
Prophecy Includes a Time Frame
Les defines true prophecy as God foretelling something and setting it in a time frame, and says this kind of prophecy is associated only with Israel.
All True Prophecy Centers on Israel — Not the Church
Les repeats that all true prophecy centers on Israel and is usually time-framed, while the church age has no prophecy.
Israel Is Still God's Covenant People
Les says the Jewish people are still connected to the Bible and are still God's covenant people, even though God has set them aside for now.
Nebuchadnezzar's Dream That Predicted Every World Empire — Daniel 2
Now you want to remember that I stressed it last week, and I'll keep stressing it over and over, that all true prophecy centers on the nation of Israel, and usually, not always, but usually within a time frame. God will put the details out there, and he'll put it in time, like we're going to see if not in the next half hour or two, somewhere in the next few weeks, when we get to chapter 9, he's go…
Today Is Stage-Setting; Fulfillment Awaits the Seven-Year Treaty
Les teaches that no prophecy per se is being fulfilled today—events are only preparing the stage, and the tribulation will begin when the Antichrist signs a treaty with Israel.
Deuteronomy 32:8 — Israel at the Core of the Nations
Les quotes Deuteronomy 32:8 to show Israel at the core of the nations and says the whole world's concern over tiny Israel confirms it.
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 God placing Israel at the center when He divided the nations.
Ezekiel 37:13: And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
God ties Israel's knowledge of Him to their resurrection and regathering as a nation.
Ezekiel 37:14: And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
God promises to place Israel in their own land, making Israel central to His prophetic plan.
Matthew 24:32: Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Jesus uses the budding fig tree as a prophetic sign that summer is near.
Daniel 9:24: Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
God sets a specific prophetic time frame upon Israel and Jerusalem.
According to Les Feldick, no prophecy per se is being fulfilled today. We are only seeing the stage set, with the props in place and the players ready. The curtain will rise when the Antichrist signs a seven-year treaty with Israel, after which the tribulation begins.
Les says God has set Israel aside for this present age, but He has not cut them off. He calls the little nation of Israel still God's covenant people and says they are in every way connected to the Bible.
Les points to Deuteronomy 32:8, where God set the bounds of the nations according to the number of Israel. He explains that Israel is at the very core of human experience, and everything else falls into place as it begins with Israel.
Watch the Teaching: The First Lie: How Satan Deceived Eve (Genesis 3 Bible Study)