Then Shall the Elect Be Gathered

and bid a long farewell to all the ills of this mortal life. How rich in all that is precious to the Christian is this promise! Wandering in exile in this evil world, separated from the few of like precious faith, he longs for the companionship of the righteous, the communion of saints. Here he shall obtain it; for all the good shall be gathered, not from one land only, but from all lands; not from one age only, but from ages, —the great harvest of all the good, coming up in long and glorious procession, while angels shout the harvest home, and the timbrels of heaven sound forth in joyous concert; and a song before unheard, unknown, in the universe, the song of the redeemed, shall add its marvelous notes of rapture and melody to the universal jubilee. So shall the saints be gathered, to be joyful in each other’s presence forever and ever,WWSJ 12.4

“While the glory of God, like a molten sea,
Bathes the immortal company.”WWSJ 13.1

This gathering has nothing in it but that which is desirable. The saints can but sigh and pray for it. Like Job, they cry out for the presence of God. Like David, they can not be satisfied till they awake in His likeness. In this mortal condition we groan, being burdened, not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon. We can but be “upon tiptoe” for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body. Our eyes are open for its visions, our ears are waiting to catch the sounds of the heavenly music, and our hearts are beating in anticipation of its infinite joy. Our appetites are “COME, LORD JESUS, COME QUICKLY. No news more welcome than the announcement that the command has gone forth from the Lord to His angels,WWSJ 13.2

“Gather together unto Me My elect from the four winds of heaven.”WWSJ 13.3