The term "shortened" in the biblical context often refers to the reduction or curtailment of time, days, or life span, typically as an act of divine intervention or judgment. This concept is found in various passages throughout the Bible, where it is used both literally and metaphorically.

Divine Intervention and Judgment

One of the most notable references to the shortening of days is found in the New Testament, where Jesus speaks about the end times. In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus warns of a period of great tribulation, stating, "If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened" (Matthew 24:22). This passage suggests that God, in His mercy, will intervene to limit the duration of suffering for the sake of His chosen people.

The concept of shortening as a form of divine judgment is also evident in the Old Testament. In the book of Psalms, the psalmist laments, "For He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return. How often they rebelled against Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! Again and again they tested God and provoked the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power—the day He redeemed them from the adversary" (Psalm 78:39-42). Here, the brevity of life is highlighted as a consequence of human rebellion against God.

Human Life Span

The shortening of human life span is another theme found in Scripture. After the fall of man, God declares, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days shall be 120 years" (Genesis 6:3). This decree marks a significant reduction in the longevity of human life compared to the antediluvian patriarchs, who lived for several centuries. The shortening of life span serves as a reminder of human mortality and the consequences of sin.

Metaphorical Use

In a metaphorical sense, the concept of shortening can also refer to the hastening of events or the acceleration of God's plans. The prophet Isaiah speaks of the Lord's swift action, saying, "The Lord will carry out His sentence on the earth thoroughly and decisively" (Isaiah 10:23). This passage underscores the idea that God's purposes will be fulfilled in His perfect timing, often in ways that are unexpected or rapid from a human perspective.

Prayers and Pleas

The theme of shortening is also present in prayers and pleas for deliverance. The psalmist cries out, "O LORD, how long will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, my precious life from these lions" (Psalm 35:17). Here, the plea is for God to intervene swiftly and shorten the period of suffering and oppression.

In summary, the concept of "shortened" in the Bible encompasses divine intervention, judgment, the brevity of human life, and the hastening of God's plans. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty, mercy, and the temporal nature of human existence.2856. koloboo -- to curtail
... Word Origin from a derivation of the same as kolazo Definition to curtail
NASB Word Usage cut short (2), shortened (2). shorten. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2856.htm - 6k

3652. Olumpas -- Olympas, a Christian
... Rome. Word Origin shortened form from a comp. with Olumpos Definition Olympas,
a Christian NASB Word Usage Olympas (1). Olympas. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3652.htm - 6k

3160. Mattatha -- Mattatha, an Israelite
... Mattatha. Probably a shortened form of Mattathias (compare soterion); Mattatha
(ie Mattithjah), an Israelite -- Mattatha. see GREEK Mattathias. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3160.htm - 6k

3159. Matthias -- Matthias.
... Matthias. Apparently a shortened form of Mattathias; Matthias (ie Mattithjah), an
Israelite -- Matthias. see GREEK Mattathias. (maththian) -- 2 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3159.htm - 6k

4958. sustello -- to draw together, hence wrap up
... Word Origin from sun and stello Definition to draw together, hence wrap up
NASB Word Usage covered (1), shortened (1). limit, shorten. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4958.htm - 6k

3556b. nossos -- a young bird
... a young bird. Transliteration: nossos Short Definition: young. Word Origin shortened
from of neossos Definition a young bird NASB Word Usage young (1). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3556b.htm - 5k

3158. Matthat -- Mathat.
... Mathat. Probably a shortened form of Mattathias; Matthat (ie Mattithjah),
the name of two Israelites -- Mathat. see GREEK Mattathias. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3158.htm - 6k

440. Eloni -- a descendant of Elon
... Elonites. Or rather (shortened) oeloniy {ay-lo-nee'}; patron from 'Allown; an Elonite
or descendant (collectively) of Elon -- Elonites. see HEBREW 'Allown. ...
/hebrew/440.htm - 6k

2426. chel -- rampart, fortress
... Or (shortened) chel {khale}; a collateral form of chayil; an army; also (by analogy,)
an intrenchment -- army, bulwark, host, + poor, rampart, trench, wall. ...
/hebrew/2426.htm - 6k

2543. chamor -- a male ass
... he-ass. Or (shortened) chamor {kham-ore}; from chamar; a male ass (from its dun
red) -- (he)ass. see HEBREW chamar. 2542, 2543. chamor. 2544 . Strong's Numbers
/hebrew/2543.htm - 6k

180. ubal -- a stream, river
... river. Or (shortened) ubal {oo-bawl'}; from yabal (in the sense of yabal); a stream --
river. see HEBREW yabal. see HEBREW yabal. 179, 180. ubal. 181 . ...
/hebrew/180.htm - 6k

2545. chamoth -- husband's mother
... mother in law. Or (shortened) chamoth {kham-oth'}; feminine of cham; a
mother-in-law -- mother in law. see HEBREW cham. 2544, 2545. chamoth. 2546 . ...
/hebrew/2545.htm - 6k

1145. Ben-yemini -- a descendant of Benjamin
... inserted (1 Sam. 9:1) Ben-miysh Ymiyniy {ben-eesh' yem-ee-nee'}; son of
a man of Jemini; or shortened (1 Sam. 9:4; Esth. 2:5) eiysh ...
/hebrew/1145.htm - 6k

1682. deborah -- a bee
... bee. Or (shortened) dborah {deb-o-raw'}; from dabar (in the sense of orderly motion);
the bee (from its systematic instincts) -- bee. see HEBREW dabar. ...
/hebrew/1682.htm - 6k

1366. gebul -- border, boundary, territory
... space. Or (shortened) gbul {gheb-ool'}; from gabal; properly, a cord (as
twisted), ie (by implication) a boundary; by extens. The ...
/hebrew/1366.htm - 6k

1730. dod -- beloved, love, uncle
... Or (shortened) dod {dode}; from an unused root meaning properly, to boil, ie
(figuratively) to love; by implication, a love- token, lover, friend; specifically ...
/hebrew/1730.htm - 6k

211. Ophir -- a son of Joktan, also his desc., also a region from ...
... Or (shortened) pophiyr {o-feer'}; and fowphir {o- feer'}; of uncertain derivation;
Ophir, the name of a son of Joktan, and of a gold region in the East -- Ophir ...
/hebrew/211.htm - 6k

Refutation of the Homeric view of the Soul's Detention from Hades ...
... Now either their days are appointed to all men severally, and if so appointed, I
cannot suppose them capable of being shortened; or if, notwithstanding such ...
/.../tertullian/a treatise on the soul/chapter lvi refutation of the homeric.htm

On the Mount of Olives
... And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for
the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." For more than a thousand ...
//christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 69 on the mount.htm

Jerusalem that Killeth the Prophets
... And 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. ...
/.../mark/jesus of nazareth a biography/chapter xiii jerusalem that killeth.htm

That it was Before Predicted that the World Would Hold us in ...
... arise. And unless those days should be shortened, no flesh should be saved;
but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/11 that it was before.htm

The Bible and the French Revolution
... In foretelling the "great tribulation" to befall the church, the Saviour said:
"Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/white/the great controversy/chapter 15 the bible and.htm

The Bible and the French Revolution.
... In foretelling the "great tribulation" to befall the church, the Saviour said,
"Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /15 the bible and the.htm

But when Ye See Jerusalem with the Army Compassing it About...
... [2902] And except the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would have lived:
but because of the elect, whom he elected, [19] he shortened those days. ...
/.../hogg/the diatessaron of tatian/section xlii but when ye.htm

The Doom of the Antichrist
... And 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" (Mark 13 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/the doom of the antichrist.htm

God's Dealings with the Earth During the Tribulation Period.
... And 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" (Mark 13 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/3 gods dealings with the.htm

Discourse Concerning the Future.
... And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved:
but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/discourse concerning the future.htm

Shortened (11 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Shortened (11 Occurrences). Matthew 24:22 Unless those
days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. ...
/s/shortened.htm - 9k

Unless (102 Occurrences)
... Matthew 24:22 Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved.
But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened. ...
/u/unless.htm - 36k

Elect's (3 Occurrences)
... Matthew 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be
saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. (KJV ASV WBS). ...
/e/elect's.htm - 7k

Saved (183 Occurrences)
... Matthew 24:22 Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved.
But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened. ...
/s/saved.htm - 35k

Survive (20 Occurrences)
... Matthew 24:22 Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved.
But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened. ...
/s/survive.htm - 12k

Shorten (1 Occurrence)
... Mark 13:20 Unless the Lord had shortened the days, no flesh would have been saved;
but for the sake of the chosen ones, whom he picked out, he shortened the ...
/s/shorten.htm - 8k

Sake (241 Occurrences)
... Matthew 24:22 Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved.
But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened. ...
/s/sake.htm - 36k

Elect (32 Occurrences)
... Matthew 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be
saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. ...
/e/elect.htm - 21k

Except (236 Occurrences)
... (YLT NAS NIV). Matthew 24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should
no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. ...
/e/except.htm - 35k

Ones (687 Occurrences)
... Matthew 24:22 Unless those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved.
But for the sake of the chosen ones, those days will be shortened. (WEB). ...
/o/ones.htm - 35k

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