To be gathered by death means being taken to be with the Lord and united with believers who have gone before us.
The concept of being gathered by death encompasses the transition from this life to eternal life with God. As Jacob stated before his death, he would be 'gathered unto his people', signifying a reunion with fellow believers who have passed away (Genesis 49:33). The New Testament assures us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). This gathering signifies not only a personal reunion with God but also the eventual resurrection of believers at the last day, where all Christians, living and dead, will be reunited with the Lord forever (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Thus, death for the believer is a passage into a glorious state of fellowship with Christ and other saints.
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