Matthew 24:21-22 21For then there will be great tribulation of the sort that has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, never will be. 22And if those days had not been shortened, no flesh would be saved. But for the sake of the chosen those days will be shortened.
Humans have suffered ever since the fall of Adam and Eve, but Jesus warns that the suffering will significantly increase during the last days. The keyword tribulation (thlipsis) can mean distress, pain, and affliction. Some interpreters, especially those called “millennialists,” interpret this word to refer to a period of time, usually interpreted as seven years (Revelation 7:14). Jesus puts no specific time factor with the word here. The suffering before Jesus comes again will be unparalleled with any other point in history (Ezekiel 5:9; Daniel 12:1; Joel 2:2). Other texts in the Bible that refer to end times can help fill in the situation further.
Verse 22 implies the seriousness and extent of the days of suffering, that things will get so bad that no flesh would survive. The word flesh (sarx) could be taken broadly in reference to creation itself or more narrowly to human beings. The salvation mentioned here could simply mean survival. The point is that the tribulation with be so bad that life itself would be threatened and destroyed. This apocalyptic scenario is often depicted in various secular movies and books because of the threat of nuclear war and annihilation. God will intervene in the situation, implied in the passive voice of the verb will be shortened, and save those who are chosen, which refers to believers. God will not let his people suffer to the point of annihilation but will save them. This verse gives us hope and assurance that God will be with us to the end of this age.
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