Matthew 24:22
Matthew 24:22-24, 31 (see also Mark 13:20; Colossians 3:12)
“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short. Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. … And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”
Dave Hunt: “Israel is called God’s elect in both the Old and New Testaments (Isaiah 45:4; 65:9, 22; Matthew 24:31, ect.). There is no question that God chose Israel, called her, and drew her with ‘bands of love’ (Hosea 11:4) unto Himself.” (What Love is This?, p.424)
Calvinist, Charles Spurgeon: “Jesus Christ says, ‘Except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.’ ‘False Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.’ ‘Then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven’ (Mark 13:20,22,27). ‘Shall not God avenge his own elect, who cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?’ (Luke 18:7). Together with many other passages which might be selected, wherein either the word ‘elect,’ or ‘chosen,’ or ‘foreordained,’ or ‘appointed’ is mentioned; or the phrase ‘my sheep’ or some similar designation, showing that Christ’s people are distinguished from the rest of mankind.” (Election, emphasis mine)
Question: Who is meant by “the elect”?
Answer: Jesus was speaking to the Jews, about a Jewish
future, that is, during the Great Tribulation, and while the
Church is raptured in Heaven. That’s why this should be
understood within a Jewish context, and after all, the Jews
are the elect people, that is, the “chosen people,” elect in
Abraham. In fact, Matthew 24:16 states: “Let those who
are in Judea flee to the mountains.” At v.20, Jesus states,
“But pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on
a Sabbath.” Then Jesus adds at v.22, “And unless those
days had been cut short, no life would have been saved;
but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.”
These are distinctive of Israel. I don’t live in Judea and I
don’t observe a Sabbath.
The Christian Jew Foundation explains: “This is part of Christ’s great sermon on prophecy, better known as the Olivet Discourse. Our Lord is speaking about the Great Tribulation and the intense suffering that the Jews will have to experience at that time. He says, “For then shall be great tribulation. . . and except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matt. 24:21-22). It is plain to see that the end to which Christ referred is the end of the Tribulation Period, not the end of a person’s life. This verse simply means that those who endure to the end of the tribulation will be able to go right into the Millennial Kingdom without dying. In other words, those who endure to the end of the Great Tribulation will be able to go into the Millennium in their natural bodies. In this passage, Christ is not talking about salvation of the soul but salvation of the body.” (http://www.cjfm.org/)
This is about the Tribulation. He is speaking to the Jews, and about their future tribulation. Besides, Christians won’t even be around during this time. They will be raptured and in Heaven.
Question: Can this include Gentiles too?
Answer: Of course. These are Tribulation converts, and it will be worldwide. Whether you call them “Christians” or “elect,” the result is the same, because they belong to Christ. However, what I’d like to know is how Calvinists can claim that this designation can somehow include the unconverted, who will eventually be given an irresistible grace. From the Calvinist perspective, it is because they are given, and being given, they must belong to God as His secret sheep, and on that account, be deemed elect. That’s Calvinism. However, I find it ironic to see Scripture speak of the elect in a manner that is inconsistent with being inclusive of the unconverted: “Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” (Romans 8:33-34)
John Calvin: “Note this too, that He checked the onrush of His anger for the elect’s sake, lest all should die. Why did He wish to keep a few survivors out of a huge number? And what reason had He for preferring these above the others? Because His grace dwelt with the people whom He had adopted, and, in case His Covenant should have been in vain, certain ones by His eternal purpose were elect and destined to salvation. So Paul (Rom. 11:5) ascribes to free election the reason why a remnant had to be kept out of a very great people. So away with human merit, when we are recalled to the mere good-pleasure of God. Let there be no distinction between this one and that, but that those who are elect must be saved. To state this more clearly and fully Mark adds a pleonasm saying, for the elect’s sake whom He chose He shortened the days. The participle alone would have done if he had not wanted to state precisely that God is not led by external causes to assign His favour to one rather than another: but because it has pleased Him to elect those whom He will save, He confirms His hidden purpose of grace in securing their salvation. It is asked how God put a limit on the troubles for the sake of the elect, so as not utterly to destroy the Jews, when many reprobate and desperate men were saved. The answer is easy, that part of the nation was delivered that God might bring forth His elect out of it, who were mixed with them, like grain from the scattered chaff. Temporal safety reaches reprobate and elect alike, but like the former get no benefit; it is rightly ascribed to the latter only, since the wonderful providence of God was sent for their sake.” (Calvin’s New Testament Commentaries: Matthew, Mark and Luke Vol. III, and James and Jude, pp.88-89, emphasis mine)
However, Matthew 24:22-24, 31 refers to elect Israel, meaning, God’s “chosen people.”
Deuteronomy 7:6: “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”
Isaiah 45:4: “For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.”
Isaiah 65:9: “And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there.”
Isaiah 65:22: “They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.”
As for Israel, God’s elect, whom He has chosen (Mark 13:20), they were elect in Abraham (through Isaac and Jacob), and it is for the sake of the Jews that the days of the Great Tribulation will be cut short according to the promise of the covenant of God with Israel. Calvin, however, imagines the alleged, secretly elect in the Father within Israel. In other words, Calvin imagines that among elect Israel, there exists the reprobate Jews and elect Jews, such that for the sake of the elect of the Father’s eternal flock of sheep, those days were cut short that both the elect and reprobate among corporately elect Israel would be spared. However, Calvin shouldn’t infer elect versus reprobate from this passage. It is only speaking of the elect in terms of chosen Israel such that for the sake of the Jews, the tribulation will be cut short so that a remnant of Israel might remain. On the other hand, the elect in Christ, the Church, Jew and Gentile, are not even on earth during the Great Tribulation, but are in heaven with Christ, having been raptured, and will return at the conclusion of the 7 year tribulation to reign with Him. (Revelation 19:11-14)
