End Times: The Hour to Wake Up from Romans 13:11–12

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Cover for a NIV Bible
Cover for a NIV Bible (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In Romans 13:11–12, Paul appeals to the Christians in the city of Rome to understand “the present time” and explains that “the hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (NIV). The “night” is the present evil age (see Gal. 1:4); “the day” is the day of the Lord. Paul’s assertion that “the day is almost here” (Rom. 13:12 NIV) means that the day when God will bring to an end human history as we know it is fast approaching. 

 Paul is convinced that Jesus might return within a very short period of time. Paul does not seek to narrow down the time frame within which Jesus will return, nor does he base his exhortation on the assumption that Jesus’ return would take place very soon. But he clearly believes that Jesus’ return is the next event in God’s plan. And this means that he is convinced that he lives in the last days and that the end times have begun.
Schnabel, E. J. (2011). 40 Questions about the End Times. (B. L. Merkle, Ed.) (p. 22). Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel A
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