9. For the time is near. This symbolically means, the state of the church being such that it can no longer continue to maintain its conjunction with the Lord.

There are two essential elements which make possible a conjunction with the Lord and so salvation: an acknowledgment of one God, and repentance of life. But at the present day instead of an acknowledgment of one God we have an acknowledgment of three, and instead of repentance of life, a repentance solely of the lips that one is a sinner; and these two do not lead to any conjunction. Consequently, unless a new church arises which acknowledges the two essential elements and lives them, no one can be saved. Because of this danger, the Lord has shortened the time, in accordance with His words in Matthew:

...then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until now, nor shall be. Indeed, unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved. (Matthew 24:21-22)

This does not mean near at hand or a nearness in time, as may be seen in no. 947 below.