Yes, the church must be removed before the tribulation because God's prophetic program for Israel resumes only after the church is taken out.
The church age is a parenthetical period during which God deals primarily with Gentiles, while Israel is set aside in dispersion. When the last Gentile is saved, the church is raptured, allowing God to turn back to Israel and bring the tribulation to fulfill His covenant promises.
Romans 11:25 — Paul states that when the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in, God will turn again to Israel, directly supporting the necessity of the church's removal.
Romans 11:25 (KJV) declares: "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." This indicates that God's dealing with Israel is temporarily set aside until the full number of Gentiles is saved. Scripture also affirms that Israel has not been permanently cast away (Romans 11:1), but that their fall brought salvation to the Gentiles (Romans 11:11-12). The church age, however, is not prophesied in the Old Testament; it is a mystery revealed through Paul. The Bible shows that God's prophetic timeline with Israel was interrupted at the rejection of Christ, and will resume after the church is complete.
Les Feldick teaches that God interrupted His prophetic program with Israel when they rejected the Messiah and were dispersed in AD 70. The church age is a parenthetical period, consisting mostly of Gentile believers, during which God is calling out the Body of Christ. Since the tribulation is primarily God dealing with Israel under the Law, and since Law and Grace cannot be mixed, the church must be removed before that seven-year period begins. When the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, the church will be raptured, and God will resume His unfinished dealings with Israel. The rapture is triggered according to Romans 11:25, and the church is a Pauline revelation absent from the Old Testament.
Les explains that Old Testament prophecy is directed solely to Israel, and the church is a Gentile-heavy parenthesis inserted when Israel was set aside. The church age has no prophetic time frame; it began after Israel's dispersion and will end when the last Gentile is saved. This separation is why the church cannot be present during the tribulation, which is Israel's prophetic program.
Les argues that God cannot mix Law and Grace. During the tribulation, Israel will be under the Law again, while the church is under Grace. Therefore, to avoid mixing these two dispensations, the church must be removed before God resumes His Law-based dealings with Israel.
Les maintains that Romans 11:25 is the triggering mechanism for Christ's coming for the church. When the fullness of the Gentiles is brought in, God will take out the church and immediately resume His program with Israel, beginning the tribulation with Daniel's seven-year treaty.
Israel's Interruption
Les explains that Israel's rejection led to a parenthesis in prophecy, and after dispersion in AD 70, God turned to the Gentiles.
Church as 'Fish Out of Water'
Les uses the analogy that the church would be a fish out of water in the tribulation, because it is not part of Israel's program.
God Does Not Deal on Both Sides
Les teaches that God does not deal with Israel and the church simultaneously; the church must be removed before Israel's final seven years.
Law and Grace Cannot Mix
Les insists that because Israel will be under the Law in the tribulation, the church (under Grace) must be taken out to avoid mixing.
Romans 11:25 as Trigger
Les identifies Romans 11:25 as the mechanism that triggers the rapture, when the fullness of the Gentiles comes in.
Church in Parenthesis
Les explains that the church age is a parenthetical period, not found in Old Testament prophecy, entirely Pauline and Gentile in nature.
Mandatory Removal
Les reiterates that the church must be removed so God can pick up where He left off with Israel, emphasizing the incompatibility of Law and Grace.
Church Age After Israel's Rejection
Les notes that the church age is inserted between Israel's rejection and the future tribulation, and that God did not deal with the church while He was dealing with Israel.
Romans 11:25: For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
This verse shows God's temporary setting aside of Israel until the Gentile church is complete, implying the church's removal before Israel resumes.
Romans 11:11: I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.
Paul explains that Israel's fall opened salvation to the Gentiles, which is the basis for the church age.
Romans 11:12: Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?
This underscores that Israel's restoration will bring even greater blessings, implying a future resumption of their program.
No, according to Les Feldick, the church will be removed before the tribulation. He teaches that the tribulation is primarily for Israel, and since God cannot mix Law and Grace, the church must be taken out first.
Les Feldick explains that the 'fullness of the Gentiles' refers to the complete number of Gentile believers that God has predetermined. When that number is reached, the church will be raptured, as Romans 11:25 indicates.
Once the church is removed, God resumes His prophetic program with Israel, beginning the seven-year tribulation period, including the Antichrist's treaty with Israel, as described in Daniel 9.
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