Here is another "long time" in the allegory. This time the Lord stays with the servants of the vineyard. This long time will last 1000 years and refers to the Millenium. The efforts during the Millenium will be to lay up the fruit of the vineyard against the season, which speedily cometh. In other words, bad times are coming again and the Lord intends to strengthen his forces as much as possible while the destroyer is bound in the bottomless pit.