14. To what class mentioned at 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 do these revived, reactivated witnesses of modern times belong, and how is what Jesus called “the last day” a “happy” one for them?

¹⁴ In modern times, the revived, reactivated remnant of spiritual Israelites who took up the witness work again in the spring of 1919 were those whom the apostle Paul spoke of as “we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord.” (1 Thess. 4:15) They expect, after finishing the final Kingdom witness world wide, to die “in union with the Lord” and during his presence. Their death is during that “last day” during which, as Jesus said, he would raise up from the dead those disciples who are privileged to feed on his flesh and drink his blood. This signifies for them their being “caught away” to meet him, their Lord, “in the air.” This instantaneous resurrection of theirs to heavenly life is unseen to humans left behind on earth as if it were obscured by “clouds.” “Happy,” indeed, they are because they “die in union with the Lord from this time onward” during the “presence of the Lord,” not needing to sleep in death in expectation of his second coming.​—Rev. 14:13; John 6:53, 54; 1 Cor. 15:52, 53.

15. What recent colaborers will be on hand when the surviving remnant make their departure at the close of the “last day,” and what kind of parting may this prove to be?

¹⁵ Many Christian companions, a “great crowd” of them, are left behind. During this “time of the end” and during the invisible “presence of the Lord” they have become colaborers with the remnant of spiritual Israelites in the final Kingdom witness to all the nations. This “great crowd” expects to survive the “great tribulation” in which this worldly system of things perishes. (Rev. 7:9, 14) Thus they will be on hand when the happy time arrives for the last ones of the remnant of spiritual Israelites to “be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” (1 Thess. 4:17)

This prophetically pictured the reviving of the remnant of spirit-begotten Christians in Kingdom service in the spring of 1919. Their ascending to worldwide prominence was not the fulfillment of 1 Thessalonians 4:17. In this connection, we recall that the 120 disciples of Jesus Christ were not revived to public activity in Jerusalem until 51 days after the impalement and burial of their Lord, Jesus Christ.