What does Jesus mean when He says those days will be shortened?
Jesus means the great tribulation will not be cut short arbitrarily or extended past its appointed time. Those days must end exactly on schedule—1,260 days plus 1,260 days—because if prolonged even ten or twelve days, no flesh would survive; for the elect’s sake, they end on time.
Les explains that the Greek word translated “shortened” is unfortunately rendered, because it does not mean the days will back up a month or two or be extended. Rather, it means the days will end right on schedule: three and a half years and three and a half years, that is 1,260 days and another 1,260 days. Jesus says that unless those days should be shortened—meaning end on schedule—no flesh would be saved. If they went on another ten or twelve days, no one would survive, but there will be survivors. For the elect’s sake, in other words for believers, those days shall be shortened, or end on schedule and not be prolonged. The tribulation will bring tremendous loss of life because of natural calamity, earthquake, volcanoes, cosmic disturbances, and likely a great meteor.