Question: What are some of the Scriptures that show the four elect classes?
Answer: We will note seven of them:
(1.) Joel 2: 28, 29:
28: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.”
29: “And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.”
Those two verses mention the four elect classes and the two restitution classes – the quasi-elect and the non-elect. Verse 29 presents the two classes of the spiritual phase of the Kingdom, selected under the High Calling of the Gospel Age (“in those days” – the days of the Gospel Age) – the Little Flock and the Great Company (“the servants and the handmaids”). Verse 28 shows that “afterward,” after those days of the Gospel Age, in the Millennial Age, God will pour out His spirit for all humanity; and The Christ’s “sons and daughters” of restitution – the stronger and the weaker, the quasi-elect and the non-elect – shall prophesy (declare the Truth), under the supervision of the Ancient and Youthful Worthies, for your “old men,” the Ancient Worthies “shall dream dreams” (receive revelations of the deeper truths); and “your young men,” the Youthful Worthies “shall see visions” (receive revelations of the simpler truths). These two classes, the Ancient Worthies, developed during Old Testament times, before the High Calling was open, and the Youthful Worthies, developed after its close, will during the thousand-year Judgment Day “rule in judgment” (Isaiah 32: 1) as the earthly phase of God’s Kingdom.
(2.) The four elect classes are pictured in the priests (the Little Flock) and the three groups of Levites (the Ancient Worthies, the Great Company, and the Youthful Worthies) encamped on the four sides of the Tabernacle, separate from the twelve tribes of Israel (who represent mankind in general).
(3.) The four hills of Jerusalem (Psalm 121: 1) stand for God’s four elect classes: Mt. Zion, the Christ class – Jesus and His 144,000 Body members (Revelation 14: 1); Mt. Moriah, the Ancient Worthies; the hill Akra, the Great Company; and the hill Bezetha, the Youthful Worthies.
(4.) The mountains and the little hills of Psalm 72: 3 picture the four elect classes. This Psalm describes the Millennial reign of Christ, implying that Jerusalem will be the seat of government (verse 16). Literal Jerusalem was built upon two mountains, Zion and Moriah, and upon two hills, Akra and Bezetha. Zion and Moriah represent the heavenly and the earthly phases of the Kingdom respectively – The Christ and the Ancient Worthies as the two higher powers of the Kingdom. Akra and Bezetha represent the subordinate powers of the Kingdom – the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies. The world of mankind is symbolized by the valley sections of literal Jerusalem. The two phases of the Kingdom, co-operated with by the subordinate powers of the Kingdom, will be used by God to bless the world of mankind with peace and prosperity through righteousness during the Millennium.
(5.) The four elect classes are pictured in the four kinds of vessels mentioned in 2 Timothy 2: 20: “In a great house [the great house of typical Aaron (Leviticus 16: 6) consisted of his sons and the three classes of Levites (the Kohathites, Merarites, and Gershonites); accordingly, in the great House of our Great High Priest there are four classes antitypical of these] there are not only vessels of gold [the Little Flock] and of silver [the Great Company], but also of wood [the Ancient Worthies] and of earth [the Youthful Worthies]; and [additionally] some [vessels] to honor [the quasi-elect], and some [the non-elect] to dishonor [less honor].”
(6.) The four elect classes are pictured in Noah’s Ark. The four couples in Noah’s Ark represent four classes from the Millennial Age standpoint: Noah and his wife represent Jesus and His Bride, the Lamb’s wife (Revelation 19: 7); Shem and his wife represent the leaders and the led of the Ancient Worthies respectively; Japheth and his wife represent the leaders and the led of the Great Company; and Ham and his wife represent the leaders and the led of the Youthful Worthies.
(7.) They are pictured in the four evergreen trees: the cedar (the Little Flock – Psalm 92: 12), unto whom the other three elect classes will come: the fir tree (the Ancient Worthies – Isaiah 60: 13), the pine tree (the Great Company), and the box tree (the Youthful Worthies) together (in co-operative service), to beautify the place of God’s sanctuary; and He will in restitution make the place of His feet glorious (the earth is His footstool – Isaiah 66: 1).