Enduring To The End

In Matthew 24:13, some must "endure" to the end to be saved. Who must endure? What must he endure? When is the end? And what does the Bible mean by saved?

What does the Bible mean by saved? One Fundamentalist preacher/Bible teacher, who believes strongly in the doctrine of "once saved, always saved," tells us that this doesn't mean soul salvation, but physical rescue from the midst of the future "Great Tribulation."

That Bible teacher overlooked a very important point; Jesus said that this man must endure to the end to be saved. But if he is rescued from the midst of the Tribulation, then he hasn't endured to the end. And if he has endured to the end, then there is no need to rescue him.

It is obvious, then, that this Bible teacher's answer is inadequate to explain Matthew 24:13. Does this verse speak of soul salvation, or physical rescue? There are other relevant Scriptures which confirm the fact that this speaks of soul salvation rather than physical rescue. We assume that "enduring to the end" is the same thing as "overcoming." "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels." (Rev. 3:5)

What must he endure to be saved?
Again, if "overcoming" is the same as "enduring to the end," then we find the answer in Revelation 12: "V9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." V10 "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." V11 "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death."

We see that it is the dragon, the devil himself, which they must overcome. And they had to endure all his attacks, even at the cost of their lives. "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast [some] of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." (Revelation 2:10). If they were faithful even unto death, they would receive a crown of life. That clearly speaks of salvation.

Who does the enduring?
The first century Jews, those who lived until about the time of the Roman decimation of the temple and the city of Jerusalem.

When did the "end" come?

We have assumed that the end came in the time of the war between Rome and Israel in AD70. It was not the end of the world in general, but the end of the Jewish world. Can that be proved? I believe it can.