Those in Judea are to flee to the mountains because the abomination of desolation marks the moment the Antichrist defiles the temple and turns against the Jewish people.
Jesus ties the command to flee directly to the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place (Matthew 24:15-16 KJV). Les Feldick explains that this is the Antichrist entering the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, defiling it, and forcing the Jews to worship him. The urgency is underlined by Jesus' instruction that no one should stop to gather possessions or even clothes. Once the temple is defiled, the Antichrist is ready to bring the last three-and-a-half years of horrific persecution upon Israel.
Matthew 24:15-16 — Jesus directly commands those in Judea to flee to the mountains when the abomination of desolation stands in the holy place.
In Matthew 24:15, Jesus tells His disciples that when they see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, they are to understand what is happening. The very next verse gives the command: Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains (Matthew 24:16 KJV). Jesus immediately explains why the flight must be so urgent. A person on the housetop is not to come down to take anything out of the house, and a person in the field is not to return to get his clothes (Matthew 24:17-18 KJV). The scriptures themselves do not name the Antichrist in these verses, but they make clear that the appearance of the abomination of desolation in the temple is the signal for an immediate departure.
Les Feldick explains that the abomination of desolation in Matthew 24 is the Antichrist coming into the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and defiling it. According to Les, this happens at the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation. The Antichrist will probably defile the temple in a way similar to Antiochus Epiphanes, possibly by offering a hog on the altar. At that same hour, he turns against the Jewish people, takes away their freedom of worship, and forces them to worship him instead of Jehovah. Les emphasizes that the command to flee applies to a cross-section of Jews in the area of Jerusalem and Judea—not just the 144,000. It includes people relaxing on housetops, whom Les pictures as older or retired, and people working in the fields, whom Les pictures as younger laborers. None are to stop for possessions, because the danger is immediate. This escaping remnant goes to the mountains southeast of Jerusalem—possibly the rock city of Petra—where God will supernaturally protect them for the last three-and-a-half years, just as Israel was sustained in the wilderness for forty years.
Jesus refers to the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (Matthew 24:15 KJV). Les Feldick identifies this as the Antichrist entering the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and defiling it. Les suggests the defilement may resemble what Antiochus Epiphanes did, possibly by offering a hog on the altar. Once this happens, the Antichrist turns on the Jewish people and forces them to worship him instead of Jehovah.
Jesus' command is to those in Judea, and Les emphasizes it applies to a cross-section of Jews—not just one group. Those on housetops (whom Les compares to older, retired people) are not to come down to take anything, and those in the field (whom Les sees as younger laborers) are not to go back for clothes. The urgency is because the Antichrist has just defiled the temple and will immediately turn against the Jews.
Les points to the mountains southeast of Jerusalem, possibly the rock city of Petra, as the destination. This escaping remnant is a percentage of Israel, not the whole nation. God will supernaturally protect them for the final three-and-a-half years, just as Israel was protected in the wilderness for forty years.
The Surviving Remnant
Les introduces this passage as showing the remnant—which he believes will be the one-third that survives the horrors of the tribulation—and shows that Jesus' words guarantee their survival.
Why the Jews Flee
The trigger is the moment Jerusalem's Jews realize the Antichrist has entered the temple, defiled it, and forced them to worship him; Jesus then says to flee to the mountains. Les clarifies this applies to a cross-section of Jews, not the 144,000.
The Abomination in the Holy Place
Jesus connects the abomination of desolation to Daniel's prophecy and says that when it is seen standing in the holy place, those in Judea must flee immediately—so quickly that no one should stop to get clothes.
Midpoint Defilement and Flight
Les places the event at the midpoint of the tribulation: the Antichrist defiles the temple, turns on the Jews, and at that same hour a remnant flees to the southeast mountains, possibly Petra.
The Time-Marked Trigger
Les uses the time words 'until' and 'then' to show that the point of no return is reached when the Antichrist defiles the temple and stops Jewish worship; that is when the command to flee takes effect.
Defilement Like Antiochus
The Antichrist enters the rebuilt temple and defiles it—perhaps like Antiochus, possibly by offering a hog on the altar—and then turns on Israel, marking the beginning of the last three-and-a-half years and the moment to flee.
A Cross-Section Must Flee
Les shows that the fleeing remnant is made up of all types of Jews: the one on the housetop (perhaps retired) and the laborer in the field, neither of whom should stop for possessions.
Protection of the Escaping Remnant
The remnant that flees to the mountains southeast of Jerusalem is not all Israel but a percentage whom God will protect supernaturally for the last three-and-a-half years, as Israel was sustained in the desert.
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:)
This is the trigger verse that leads to the command to flee.
Matthew 24:16: Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
It directly commands those in Judea to flee to the mountains.
Matthew 24:17: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
It shows the urgency by instructing housetop dwellers not to retrieve possessions.
Matthew 24:18: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
It shows the urgency for those in the field not to return for clothes.
Les Feldick identifies it as the Antichrist standing in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and defiling it. He says it may involve offering a hog on the altar like Antiochus Epiphanes did. It is the event that Jesus says will trigger the flight from Judea.
They are a cross-section of Jews in the area of Jerusalem and Judea, not the 144,000. Les pictures some as older or retired people on housetops and others as younger laborers in the fields. All of them are commanded to leave immediately.
Les points to the mountains southeast of Jerusalem, possibly the rock city of Petra. God will supernaturally protect this escaping remnant for the final three-and-a-half years of the tribulation, just as He protected Israel in the wilderness for forty years.
Watch the Teaching: The Great Tribulation: Israel's Flight & God's Protection Explained