Matthew 24:22 – The Days Will Be Shortened: Understanding the End Times

End-times prophecies tend to stir up a mix of curiosity, hope, and a little bit of unease. Matthew 24, often called the Olivet Discourse, is one of those passages that has fascinated and perplexed believers for centuries. In this chapter, Jesus lays out a vivid picture of the events leading up to His return, describing wars, famines, false prophets, and a level of distress the world has never seen.

And then, we hit Matthew 24:22:

"If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened."

It’s a striking statement. What exactly does Jesus mean when He says the days will be shortened? Is He talking about a literal reduction in time? Or is this about divine intervention in another sense? And who are the “elect” for whose sake this is all happening?

This verse, like much of biblical prophecy, raises more questions than it immediately answers. Some see it as a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Others not so much. They believe it’s pointing to a future period of global chaos before Christ’s second coming. And then there are those who read it figuratively, as a promise that God won’t let evil run unchecked.

But what's the truth? That remains to be seen.

The Great Tribulation: An Unprecedented Period

Before we get into what it means for the days to be shortened, we need to talk about why they need to be shortened in the first place. Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 24:21 that this period—often called the Great Tribulation—will be unlike anything the world has ever seen:

“For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again.”

Let that sink in. The worst time in human history. Worse than world wars, worse than plagues, worse than anything we’ve ever witnessed. It’s the kind of statement that makes you stop and wonder: How bad are we talking here?

What is the Great Tribulation?

The phrase "Great Tribulation" comes from both Jesus' words in Matthew 24 and the Book of Revelation (Revelation 7:14), where it's described as a time of intense suffering before Christ’s return. Different Christian traditions interpret this in different ways:

• Some believe it already happened—specifically, during the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, when the Romans laid siege to the city, killing thousands of people. This is the preterist view, which sees much of Matthew 24 as referring to events that have already taken place.
• Others see it as a future event—a time of global chaos and suffering that will unfold before Jesus returns. This is the futurist view, which interprets the Great Tribulation as a literal period of suffering that will impact the whole world.
• And then there’s the symbolic interpretation—which suggests that tribulation is ongoing and that the Church has always faced suffering and persecution throughout history.

Regardless of which interpretation you lean toward, one thing is clear: Jesus wasn’t describing minor inconveniences. He was talking about a time so severe that, if it weren’t for divine intervention, nobody would survive.

This is the context behind Matthew 24:22. The days will be shortened for the sake of the elect. But what does that mean? Is God going to adjust the length of time itself? Or is this about something else entirely?

Interpretations of "The Days Will Be Shortened"

So, Jesus says the days of the Great Tribulation will be shortened—otherwise, no one would survive. But what exactly does it mean? Like many prophetic passages in the Bible, this verse has sparked a lot of debate. Let's break down the main interpretations.

1. A Literal Shortening of Time

Some take Jesus’ words at face value: God will actually reduce the number of days in the Great Tribulation. Instead of letting the full force of chaos and destruction play out, He will cut it short to ensure that some people—His “elect”—survive.

Supporters of this view often point to the seven-year timeline in Daniel’s prophecies (Daniel 9:24-27) and the 1260 days (three and a half years) mentioned in Revelation (Revelation 11:3, 12:6). They argue that while these numbers are set, God could still intervene by ending things sooner than expected.

2. A Reduction in Severity, Not Duration

Another interpretation is that the time itself isn’t shortened, but the intensity of suffering is lessened. Think of it like this: if a storm is coming and you can’t stop it, you might at least limit its strength.

This idea aligns with how God has worked throughout history—intervening to protect His people, even in the worst circumstances. The idea here is that God won’t allow evil to fully accomplish its plans, keeping the suffering within limits that people can endure (see 1 Corinthians 10:13).

3. A Figure of Speech for Divine Intervention

Some scholars suggest that “shortening the days” isn’t about time at all—it’s a way of saying that God will intervene before things get completely out of hand. It’s similar to how we might say, “That meeting felt like it lasted forever,” even though time didn’t actually change.

In this view, Jesus is reassuring believers that evil will not have free reign—God is still in control, and He won’t allow total destruction.

The Bible doesn’t give a crystal-clear answer, and different Christian traditions lean toward different explanations. Some see this verse as proof of God’s sovereignty over history, others see it as a reminder that suffering has an end date, and some see it as a mix of both.

What matters most is the bigger picture: God’s mercy is at work, even in the darkest times. The Tribulation, no matter how terrible, will not last forever. And it won’t end in complete destruction—it will end in Christ’s return.

But there’s still a lingering question: who exactly are the "elect" that Jesus is referring to?

The Elect: Who Are They?

Alright, so Jesus says the days of the Great Tribulation will be shortened “for the sake of the elect.” That raises a pretty big question: Who exactly are the elect?

This is one of those topics that can spark some serious theological debates. Depending on who you ask, you’ll get different answers. But at the core, the elect are the people God has chosen—the ones He’s looking out for during this chaotic period.

1. The Elect Are the Church (All Believers in Christ)

This is probably the most common view among Christians. The idea here is simple: the elect are those who put their faith in Jesus. In this case, Jesus is saying that for the sake of His followers—past, present, and future—God will make sure the Tribulation doesn’t wipe everyone out.

• This fits with what Paul says in Romans 8:33, where he calls believers “God’s elect” and reminds us that no one can bring a charge against them.
• It also lines up with how Jesus talks about His followers in John 10:27-28—He knows them, and nothing can snatch them from His hand.

So, according to this view, the elect aren’t a small, secretive group. They’re just all the Christians.

2. The Elect Are the Jewish Remnant

Some believe Jesus is talking specifically about the Jewish people, particularly a remnant of faithful Jews who will turn to Him during the end times. This idea is rooted in verses like Romans 11:5, where Paul talks about a remnant chosen by grace.

• This fits with Old Testament prophecies about God preserving a faithful remnant of Israel (Isaiah 10:20-22).
• Some connect this to Revelation 7, where 144,000 people from the twelve tribes of Israel are sealed by God.

According to this interpretation, the elect are a specific group of Jews who will recognize Jesus as the Messiah before His return.

3. The Elect Are a Select Group Chosen for a Purpose

Then there’s the idea that the elect refers to a specific group of believers chosen for a particular mission during the end times. Some believe these could be key figures, leaders, or those God has set apart to endure the Tribulation and spread the Gospel.

• This view is sometimes linked to Matthew 24:14, where Jesus says the Gospel will be preached to all nations before the end comes.
• It also connects with the idea that not all Christians will go through the Tribulation, which brings up discussions about the rapture (but that’s a whole separate rabbit hole).

At the end of the day, all three views have solid biblical backing. The safest conclusion? The elect are God’s people—the ones He protects and preserves during times of trouble. Whether that includes all believers, a remnant of Israel, or a specific group with a divine mission, the key takeaway is that God is actively looking out for them during the Tribulation.

And that brings us to the next big question: Has this already happened, or is it still coming? To answer that, we need to take a look at history—and what’s still on the horizon.

Is The End of Times Still Coming?

Whenever people talk about the end times, there’s always one big question: Has this already happened, or is it still coming?

1. The 70 AD Fulfillment (The Preterist View)

Some scholars believe that most (if not all) of Matthew 24 was fulfilled when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD. Here’s why they think that:

In Matthew 24:15-16, Jesus tells His followers to run to the mountains when they see “the abomination of desolation.” Many believe this was a reference to the Roman siege of Jerusalem when Christians fled before the city was utterly destroyed.

The siege of Jerusalem was brutal. The historian Josephus recorded mass starvation, crucifixions, and horrific violence. Over a million people were killed. It was, without question, one of the worst events in Jewish history.

If the siege had continued much longer, the entire city could have been wiped out. Some say this fits with Jesus’ words that “if those days had not been cut short, no one would survive.”

This view argues that Jesus was mainly warning His disciples about an event that was coming in their lifetime—and sure enough, within 40 years, it happened.

2. The Future Fulfillment (The Futurist View)

Others believe Matthew 24:22 isn’t about past events but about a future, global tribulation that will happen before Jesus’ second coming. Here’s why:

• Worldwide scope – While 70 AD was devastating, it was limited to Jerusalem. But Jesus’ words suggest something even bigger—a time of trouble so severe that it could wipe out all life if God didn’t intervene. Many believe this points to a future, worldwide crisis.
• Other end-times prophecies – Books like Daniel and Revelation describe a tribulation that involves a global leader (often linked to the Antichrist), widespread persecution, and a battle between good and evil. This hasn’t happened yet.
• Jesus hasn’t returned yet – If the Great Tribulation already happened, why hasn’t Jesus come back as He promised? Futurists argue that if this prophecy was completely fulfilled in 70 AD, we’d be living in the new kingdom by now.

3. The Dual-Fulfillment View (Both Past and Future)

Some say Matthew 24 is both historical and prophetic—meaning it was partially fulfilled in 70 AD, but the ultimate fulfillment is still ahead.

The destruction of Jerusalem was a foreshadowing of a greater end-times tribulation. Some of Jesus’ warnings applied to His disciples’ generation, but other parts clearly haven’t happened yet (like His visible return in the clouds, Matthew 24:30).

This explains why Jesus said, "This generation will not pass away until all these things take place" (Matthew 24:34)—a statement that makes sense if part of the prophecy was meant for them and part of it is still in the future.

What This Means for Us Today

So, what do we do with all this? Sit around waiting for the world to end? Stress over every bad headline? That’s not the point of what Jesus was saying.

If anything, Matthew 24:22 is a reminder that God sets the boundaries, not chaos. No matter how bad things get, He’s not letting the story spiral out of control. The Great Tribulation—whether it’s past, future, or both—has an expiration date because God says so.

So instead of worrying about when or how, the real question is: how do we live now? The answer? Stay faithful. Keep going. Don’t lose heart. Jesus didn’t warn us to make us afraid—He warned us so we’d be ready. That means trusting Him, no matter what happens.

At the end of the day, the world doesn’t win. Evil doesn’t win. God does. And that’s what makes all the difference.