The question now is, Do we find a period of harvest in the
gospel age after 1874 which serves as a fulfillment of the prophecy of
the Lord?
[413]In addition to his words cited in Matthew 13:24-30, and in answer
to the specific question with reference to his presence, Jesus said:
"And he [the Lord] shall send his angels [messengers] with a great sound
of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four
winds, from one end of heaven to the other". (Matthew 24:31) The
following facts bear unmistakable testimony of the great harvest period
of the gospel age in fulfillment of prophetic utterances, which
fulfillment is one of the strongest proofs of the Lord's presence.
[414]In this text the words "sound of a" are not contained in the oldest
manuscripts and should be omitted. The text is written, as will be
observed, in symbolic language.
[415]Under the terms of the law covenant the Jews were required to keep
the fiftieth year as a jubilee, and the jubilee year was announced by
the blowing of a trumpet. In the text here under consideration the
trumpet symbolizes the message announcing the presence of the Lord,
proclaiming the fact that the harvest is due, that the time has come
when the saints should be gathered together, because the kingdom of
Messiah is at hand.
[416]"Angels" in this text means messengers or servants who make
announcement of the presence of the Lord and the incoming of the
kingdom.
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