What is the meaning of our Lord’s words, “He that shall endure unto the end the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13)? Why was this promise made? To what time does it apply?

In interpreting words of Scripture it is very important, before attempting any general application, to understand the original intention of the speaker, that is, first to interpret the words in their context. What then is the “end” spoken of here, and what did the Lord mean by being “saved”?

We notice that the disciples’ question was, “What shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the age?” This word (sunteleia) is much the same as is used in the other occurrences of the chapter for “end” (telos), and seems to include the general winding up of things. It occurs before in Matthew 13:39-40 and 49 as “the end of the age.” The Lord in His reply warns against mistaking for the end of the coming storm, its premonitory rumblings—”wars and rumours of wars.” “But the end is not yet,” He says (v. 6), for wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes are only “the beginning of sorrows” (v. 8).

Before that “end” there must intervene terrible persecutions against the disciples of the Lord (of whom those addressed were the living representatives), and all will not pass through these unscathed: “many shall be offended,” and shall even apostatise from the faith. “And many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many. And because inquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure to the end” (i.e. of this great tribulation)—that is, shall not apostatise—”shall be saved,” in the sense, I believe, of being preserved alive.

Apostasy will not be the means of safety, but standing firm. This sense of physical preservation we find in other places. “God is the Saviour of all men, specially of them that believe,” “Eight souls were saved by water” (i.e. Noah and his family); and in this chapter also at verse 22 we read: “Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved, but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened”—reminding us of Paul’s words on the ship in Acts 27:31 “Except these (the sailors) abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.”

We may notice in closing that the scene of these happenings will be Judaea; the temple will be rebuilt, and when a special sign spoken of by Daniel the prophet is seen, let all the disciples “flee into the mountains” (v. 16). It will be “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7). Let them pray that their flight be not on the Sabbath day. Before the end, the Gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed everywhere as a witness. No doubt, the words we are considering may be used by extension to-day.

The best proof of reality is continuance in the faith. “Enduring to the end” is the outward and visible effect of the new-birth. It is those who are most truly in Christ who will feel most their need of being kept by the power of God, and consequently their faith will be in exercise. There were false professors in the early churches, who forsook the assembling of themselves with their brethren, and it is to be feared that such exist to-day. Jude speaks of them. They may boast of their correct knowledge of God, but alas their works sometimes seem to give the lie to their profession. The prayer of the true believer will be increasingly and to the end, “Hold Thou me up and I shall be safe!”

W.H.

• A Christian friend is "claiming her boys for Christ," even if the rapture occurs. Is this sound?
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• Are the ten virgins a picture of backsliders?
• Are there more earthquakes occurring in our world?
• Are there two Babylons?
• Are those whose graves were opened when the Lord died typical of the Rapture for us?
• At the Judgment of the Nations, do the condemned go directly to the Lake of Fire?
• At the transfiguration, did Moses and Elijah have physical bodies?
• Can the 144,000 be those who claim to be Jehovah's Witnesses?
• Did Matthew misquote Jeremiah and Zechariah?
• Did saints who rose from the dead after Jesus died go to heaven?
• Did the Mayan Calendar predict the end of the world in 2012?
• Do the churches of Revelation show a historical timeline?
• Do worshippers offer animal sacrifices during the Millennial reign?
• Does "that day" refer to the same day in its three uses in 2 Timothy?
• Does "the coming of the Son of Man" refer to the Rapture?
• Does God treat people differently in different ages?
• Does Revelation describe the Roman Catholic Church?
• Does the Bible phrase "one shall be taken and the other left" refer to the rapture?
• Does the parable of the 10 virgins teach a second chance of salvation after the Rapture?
• Does the Parable of the Ten Virgins refer to the Rapture?
• Has prophesy been fulfilled in our lifetime?
• How are Psalm 22 and Psalm 24 related?
• How can I understand the Bible book of Revelation?
• How do the churches of Revelation prophetically show ages of the church?
• How will believers during "the tribulation" differ from believers in this age?
• How will the weather be affected during the Millennium?
• Is Bible prophecy literal or figurative?
• Is Israel ever going to be removed from it's land again?
• Is John the Baptist the same as Elijah?
• Is the "prophetic view" of Revelation two and three an interpretation or an application?
• Is the "Rapture" distinct from Christ's return to earth?
• Is the Great Commission for a future dispensation?
• Is the Pope the Antichrist?
• Is the rapture found in the Bible?
• Is the tribulation less than 7 years long?
• Is there a connection between the resurrection and the timing of the Levitical offerings?
• Is there a time gap in Daniel 9:26 and 27?
• Please explain Romans 11:26, "All Israel shall be saved."
• Please give a clear understanding as to the terms Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven?
• What are the "signs of the times" according to the Bible?
• What are the "sure mercies of David"?
• What does "for as the days of a tree are the days of my people" mean?
• What does Ezekiel's vision of dry bones mean?
• What does Nebuchadnezzar's dream mean in Daniel 2?
• What does the Bible mean "He that endures to the end shall be saved"?
• What does the parable of 10 virgins mean?
• What does the phrase mean "wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together"?
• What does the phrase mean We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed?
• What events tell us that the Lord's coming is imminent?
• What happened to the people who rose from the dead when Jesus was crucified?
• What is "my Father's Kingdom" in Matthew 26?
• What is behind the present aim to bring all the groups in Christendom back to the "mother church"?
• What is the 70t week of Daniel? How long is the tribulation?
• What is the difference between the Day of Christ, the Day of the Lord, and the Day of God?
• What is the difference between the rapture and the coming of the Lord?
• What is the Illuminati conspiracy theory and One World Government?
• What is the interpretation of the parable of the ten virgins?
• What is the significance of the hidden manna and the white stone?
• What is the significance of the terms
• What language will be spoken in the Millennium and beyond?
• What will happen to infants whose parents are taken at the Rapture?
• When did the 2,300 days in Daniel 8:14 begin and end?
• When will Jesus drink of the wine in his father's kingdom?
• When will Old Testament believers be resurrected?
• When will the Old Testament believers be raised from the dead?
• Where do the eastern religions fit into "mystery Babylon"?
• Who are the 24 elders of Revelation?
• Who are the beheaded saints of Revelation 20?
• Who are the overcomers in Revelation?
• Who were some messengers sent from God?
• Who will be saved in the Great Tribulation?
• Why do the 144,000 not believe "the lie" after the Rapture?
• Why does Peter use the word "heavens" instead of "heaven" in 2 Peter?
• Why is the 70th week of Daniel still future?
• Why should disciples pray for the kingdom to come?
• Why was the Revelation given by God to Christ, Who gave it to John?
• Why will animal sacrifices be required in the Millennium?
• Why will there be sacrifices made in Jerusalem during the Millennium?
• Will a fourth temple be built during the Millennium?
• Will believers and unbelievers die in the Millennial reign?
• Will believers reign on the earth in the Millennium?
• Will the Church be present in the tribulation?
• Will the Church be sent to separate the wheat from the tares?
• Will the Church go through the Tribulation?
• Will the Holy Spirit no longer be working on earth during the tribulation?
• Will there be night in the Millennium?
• Will young children be taken in the rapture?