What did Jesus mean by “because of the elect, those days will be shortened”. Matthew 24:22? Shorten the length of a day, shorten the number of days, or something else?

The context of this verse says: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor will there be. And if those days were not shortened, no flesh would be saved: but because of the chosen those days will be shortened.” (Matthew 24:21,22)

This tribulation is also mentioned in Daniel 12:1, “…it shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there were people until that very time: and at that time your people will be freed…”

These and other scriptures show that trouble will come on this earth that could end up destroying everyone on earth. During these last days, we shall see, “make the hearts of men faint from fear and for waiting for the things that will come on the earth…” Luke 21:26

However, God He doesn’t want us to be afraid from this. Along with these tribulation prophecies, He also gives us hope. He shows that he is still in control of everything, and that he will shorten those days… not that the individual days are less than 24 hours, but that the problems of these days will not be allowed to reach the point of destroying everyone. He will only allow this to continue until the lesson is learned. Humanity needs to recognize that without Him all flesh would be destroyed.

God has always preserved a “remnant” in times of tribulation. When the flood came, he saved Noah and his family. When the nation of Israel was overthrown, He again preserved a faithful remnant. God saved some Jews to gather and reestablish the nation of Israel as prophesied in Ezekiel 37. Today, we rejoice as we see the beginning of the fulfillment of this promise.

In Matthew 24:21,22, it says because of the elect those days will be shortened. The Holman Bible says, “But those days will be limited because of the elect.” Other translations say, “because of the elect.” Are the chosen ones (those faithful Christians who will be resurrected to heavenly life) who will be working with our Lord Jesus to shorten these days and bring the blessings of the Gospel . Galatians 3:8: “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the glad tidings beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘ALL NATIONS SHALL BE BLESSED IN YOU.'”

During Christ’s reign, the nations “will neither harm nor destroy…for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea”. Isaiah 11:9. People will not want to repeat the mistakes of the past, which would have led them to destruction, but will learn to follow God’s law of love and will be able to truly say with the angels: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.”

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