In the 25th chapter of Matthew, the parables of the virgin cover the day and age in which we live. It leads right up to the coming of Christ, the bridegroom. It has to be in that period of time. Then the Kingdom will be like this, just before the coming of Christ. It will be like ten virgins, five wise and five foolish, but all asleep. God sent me out to wake them up. Yes, He did. He told me one morning and gave me that message. Someone says, "How do you know that is the end of time? How do you know that is where the parable belongs?

You take the 24th chapter of Matthew and right down through, He dealt with the signs of the end and the sign of His coming, and don't forget that there was no chapter break there. Matthew wrote a whole book. Man broke it up in chapters for reference form. He was still talking about the same thing in the 25th chapter of Matthew as He was in the 24th chapter. He had told them about the second coming. He said, "You watch also." Who? You disciples.

He told them how He would come on the world as a thief at an unguarded time when they didn't look for Him, but He said you watch also, for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when you even do not think. He came right on in to the 25th chapter and said then the Kingdom will be like this. When will the Kingdom be like this? When? Just previous to the second coming of Christ. What will it be like? It will be like ten virgins, five wise and five foolish. I can't teach that parable now, but I want you to hold 'this' thought on sleeping. God sent me out to wake the church up; and you know what He told me - if I would wake up myself and stay awake, there would be nobody sleep around me. I just 'kick over things' and 'make noise,' But they are not supposed to be woke up until 'the midnight cry.' Jesus gave us a picture of that parable to show us the pitiful plight of mankind. The midnight cry is too late. The midnight cry is the second coming of Christ. He has some ministers woke up that cry in this eleventh hour and wake up a few before the midnight cry comes. When the midnight cry 'goes out,' the oil shops will be closed for time and eternity. In the name of the Lord, people, wake up and get a lamp and get some oil before Christ comes.

The devil can not do anything with God's people, if they are awake. So the first thing he does is put God's people to sleep. Now I haven't time to prophesy, but you study through the Gospel Day and before the dragon or beast or second beast or eighth beast began to move, the first thing he did was to put the church to sleep. If the church is awake, they are going to fire on him, they will bruise his bead. It will make no difference if he has got seven of them, as fast as he sticks one up, the church bruises it, he sticks out another and the church bruises it. But when he puts the church to sleep he can get his head out and his body and his whole tall out without anybody hindering. When we see Roman Catholicism and Communism on the move as they are, it is a 'dead give-away' that the church is asleep. I am speaking to the church as a whole. God has some people awakened, but it is a big job. It is a 'dead sign' that we are asleep. Roman Catholicism - Think a little, when does a robber break into your house? He won't come in when you are awake and the lights are all on. He waits until you go to bed and turn the light out. God bless your heart, Roman Catholicism is coming right in the front door. They are not sneaking around - they're coming in the front door and just taking possession of 'the thing' and the ministry says, "I don't believe you ought to say anything about it." They are asleep. They are not awake to the true condition of things. They went on the stool of do nothing, and are at ease in Zion and resting there. Even so, right back there while the disciples slept, the morning church slept. I do want to hold the thought that the first thing the devil does, is put God's people to sleep, because he can't come in and rob them when they are awake. We will prove that pretty soon. When he tries to rob us while we are awake,he gets caught in his own net. Even so, back there while men slept, he sowed tares among the wheat.

In every age, and I want to declare, it is the same in this evening time of light, he is getting a work done among us as sure as can be. While men slept an enemy came an sowed tares among the wheat. The devil cannot work if we will stay awake and keep the light on. When the Church let her light shine, they didn't have to worry with many things we have to worry and fret about today. How come? Why, old Babylon's merchants, unclean workers, workers of iniquity, as Jesus called them, can come in and feel at home and fill the pulpit, right around what is claiming to be the church that Jesus built. That is a dead sign that the light has been turned down, because men with evil deeds won't come around and come to the light if we let it shine in its brightness.

Jesus, speaking the same thing in the 4th chapter of Mark, maybe down about the 2nd verse, asked this question. I want you to see that it was when God's people were asleep and the light not shining as it should, that the devil did his work. I haven't time to go into the thought - how Christ, when He went to the grave (He who was their light) - they all went back to their old walks of life.

Now, He said there in the 4th chapter of Mark, (let's deal with it a little and lay a foundation, and then we are going to clarify this parable). "Do you light a lamp to put it under a bed, or put it under a bushel?" No! The candle is lit to be set on a candlestick. Now, let's just use a little common sense. You don't turn the light on when you go to bed; you turn it off. You believe that. What in the world did you go to bed for when you got it lit up? That is what he is talking about. What are you talking about, going to bed? Well, people get an experience and get all lit up with God, and then they say, Oh me, be a while before Jesus comes again, I might just as well wait until He comes, long old wait. Ho-hum, sometimes we get so tired waiting on Him. It looks like He will never come. That is what He is talking about - lighting a lamp and putting it under a bed. I tell my congregation, "I pray to God, if you have your lamp under the bed - it will burn the bed down.

Neither do men light them a lamp and put it under a bushel. The bushel that He was dealing with was old Judaism race prejudice. They thought this light was just for the Jews. He said you take this light and put it under that bushel and keep it just for the Jews, and it will go out. Just as you take a candle and put a bushel or a measure down over it - the original Greek says a measure - you put a measure over that light that God has given you and it will smother out.

They take this light and put it in a creed, or dogma or discipline; just take a measure and put over it. Their light has gone out. What was it given for? It was given to be set on a candlestick. What is the candlestick? Jesus said the candlestick was the church. You set her there and it will light the whole house, whosoever will measure to it, it will take in all of God's people. Every nation, every tongue, every color, and all their ideas, it will light the whole house. That is why God took the candle out of old Babylon. I can't stay back there in that morning time. You read in the Revelation, the 18th chapter, and you will find that the candle will not be seen anymore here. Why, they put it under a bushel and they were going to put it out. God took it out of there and set her back on the candlestick, to let her light the whole house - in other words, the whole world. A certain denomination wants to put it under a bushel; they are not going to give their light, only to their particular denomination. Another denomination puts it under their bushel and they are not going to light anyone but those who come to them. However, God said you are not going to work this light 'that way.' You get right back here. I am going to bring it back up to Mt. Zion and set her on the candlestick; let her light the whole house. Whosoever will, all my people, let them come. Let them come.

The Spirit said, "Come" and the bride said "Come" and everybody that tasted of it said "Come." God has one place for the candle; that is on the candlestick. If you don't repent of this business and get back to your first love, what will He do? "I'll take the candlestick away." When the candlestick is removed, there is no place to put the candle. The candlestick is the church. When the candlestick is removed, there is no place to put the candle. There is no light there. There are just professing congregations - I am sure in numerous numbers, that have rejected light. God has given them the message. They have left their first love and wouldn't repent, and the candlestick has been removed. God has taken His people out of there and they are in darkness and confusion today - and walk as blind men. The beast they used to preach against they can 'lock arm in arm' and see nothing wrong with 'now.' Many things they cried out against and held a standard against, they have quit crying out against now, and let down the standard. They can mingle freely the world and feel right at home. Why? The candlestick has been removed - now, there's no place to put the light.

What are you talking about, removing the candlestick? That is the church. God will just give you light so long. You let Him see you don't want it, and let me tell you, He will remove it. You people are the candlestick. What are you talking about then, removing it? If we quit walking in the light, and I am not talking about quitting preaching it; a lot of people preach it but they quit walking in it. The candlestick part is when we bear the light - when we carry it out. When we live this thing according to God's eternal truths. All right, so we see it is not to be put under a bed or under a bushel. Let's read on a little bit.

He said here that when men slept (the 25th verse, 13th chapter of Matthew) "his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way." That Is just the way the 'old boy' works. He will jump in and do his work and get out of the picture. When Satan is doing his greatest mischief, he studies to conceal himself in the greatest way. You'll see 'less devil' in the thing when he is doing the worst work. He ran in while they were asleep and sowed the 'tares seeds' and got back out. Why? So it would look like some other good work there and the devil didn't have anything to do with it. I repeat again, when the devil is doing his greatest work today, you will see 'less devil' in it.

Jesus said that these things would come upon us in the thought of deception that would deceive the very elect, if possible. That is pretty deceptive. The elect are not being deceived by Roman Catholicism. They are not being deceived by Protestantism, but 'this modernism' and some of 'this apostasy,' are the most deceptive things that the saints have ever had to come up against; and our hope is in the Spirit of God. The people that know the beast is wrong, and the second beast is wrong, my friend, are failing to see the 8th beast and some of its 'workings' and deceptive powers. Why is it more deceptive? Because they still speak the right 'things' for God's people so many times. They still preach the Word of God; portions of it anyway, and speak of the fact that they take it all. This 'thing' is the most deceptive thing that the saints ever had to come up against. You mark that down, and I speak of no Individuals. I am speaking of 'tools and systems,' works that the devil is working in the day and age in which we live. He came and sowed the 'tare seed' and then went his way.

The tares will spring up without any cultivation. He didn't have to worry about coming back and cultivating. God help the church to 'get out of bed' and 'throw the bushels away.' Why, you can get 'under a bushel just being 'movement or group wise;' and I speak with all broadness - as broad as the Word of God will let me. I actually, in the past few weeks, have 'run into people' that said, I'll take what D.S. Warner said; no more and no less. If D. S. Warner were here today, with the Spirit he had, he would rejoice in the light of the day. This evening light was a restoration of a morning light, plus a light that gets all the false "isms" of our day. We preach a greater or a more enlightened message here. The sixth seal ministry preached a greater message than the morning church. Why? The morning church never had to fight the second beast. Even so, we are in a day and age today when the devil has come and tossed in other ideas and systems to deceive and destroy and to rend the body of Christ, but God's Eternal Word covers it from beginning to end. I am glad for truth that will tell us what the devil is going to do before he does it. Who in the world couldn't overcome him? You get your eyes on God's eternal Word and open your heart up to the leadership of His Spirit and He will have you waiting on him before he ever comes. Satan is coming around and saying, "I'll get them this time," and when he gets out there you can say, "I have been waiting for you, fellow. I know what you are going to do, you rascal you." That is what God wants to do for His people if we will open our hearts to Him. Just wake up, friends, and lay hold of the goodness that God has given us.

In the parable, speaking of Christ before He went away; what did He do? He delivered His goods unto him. Thank God, we are not fighting the devil with different equipment than Christ had. We are fighting him with the same equipment. Our warfare isn't carnal and Paul said in the 6th chapter of Ephesians to put on the whole armour of God. Now, a lot of people say, that the battle of Armageddon is not until the second coming of Christ, but Paul must have been a fool. He had the people getting the armour on, way back there, in A.D. 66. Poor people,they sat all their life with their armour on and died, never did get to fight, I suppose. Why, the battle of Armageddon has been going on since the Garden of Eden. In one sense, it is a fight of truth against error, righteousness against unrighteouness.

Now, he said to put on the whole armour of God. Every time I think about that I think (and I suppose I'm kind of strange), but I like to think of what prompted men to write what they wrote. Paul was just as human as you are. You ministers driving down the road, you see something, or something happens, and you liken that to the church and get up and preach it to us. Paul, was the same way. He saw things, and they became metaphors for spiritual lessons. Where was he when he wrote to the Church at Ephesus? In a Roman jail, sitting in an inner prison, in stocks, chains; not only was he there, but there was a Roman guard walking back and forth in front of him. Paul was sitting there that morning. He wasn't worrying about his condition, he was just like Jesus. He knew his head was going to come off. He wasn't worrying about it; he was worrying about a church back in Ephesus. He was afraid that when he passed on they would falter in the way. He said, "Oh, God, what can I write them this morning that will encourage them to stand?" He watched the old boy walking back and forth in his armour. He said, "That guy's really covered isn't he? You couldn't get at him if you wanted to. That's it! I'll write them, and tell them to put on the whole armour of God."

He saw that old boys helmet and said, "put on the helmet of salvation," He looked at his loins and said, "get your loins girt about with truth, get on the breastplate of righteousness, take the shield of faith, take the sword of the Spirit; you can quench all the fiery darts of the enemy with the shield of faith," He sent us down an armour, if you please. Paul took a few Christian words and built-up an armour that is devil proof. He said, "Put on the whole armour of God," get the helmet on, the breastplate, the loins girded, shoes on your feet, then get the shield of faith. Now that is one step, if you will get that much on. Now we have never took hold of the sword of the Spirit yet; that is the defense. The shield of faith never won you a battle - it protects you. It was given to quench the fiery darts of the enemy. The whole armour is to protect you; it is a devil proof armour. You put it on, then the devil will be after you, and you will see that he can't touch you. Then, after you know that the armour is devil-proof, you can stand right in the 'nest of devils' and still resist him. Then he said, take the sword and go after him, he can't hurt you, put it on him. Saints, you are more than over-comers. Get your sword and go after him, you are more than an over-comer.

Now, that was not the first time that armour was used. The Word of God said that Christ delivered His goods unto us. Everything has been proven before we ever get it. People say, I tried it, and it wouldn't work. Tut! Tut! You haven't got it yet. You don't get to 'try this thing,' it was all tried before it was ever given to us. The stone was tried for hundreds of years to make sure, it would do the job, He tried him every way. He watered them in the drought. He fed them in the famine. He kept clothing on them. I am serving the same God, that can keep your clothes; He will either make them wear or get you a new pair. Glory to God!

This stone was tried and tested in every way, and when it was proven to be infallible; not a failure in it, God moved on Isaiah and said to tell them, "I'm going to lay in Zion a tried stone." It has been tried in every way; not only has that been tried and tested, but the armour has been tried and tested. Some one said, "How do you know? Read the 59th chapter of Isaiah, and he will give you a picture there of man's pitiful condition, the pride of their heart as a cart rope pulling their sins behind them. Pride is the cart rope that pulls men's sins. You get rid of old pride and you can cut the rope and get loose from your sins. Isaiah told of man's pitiful plight and condition and said there was no man that could help them. There was not any intercessor (anybody) that could pray for us. It was then, Isaiah brought Christ into the picture. And what did he put on. You read it. He put on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness. He put on that same armour and went out and met the devil on his own ground and defeated him and He said the armour is devil-proof. I have tested it. He put it on the proving ground, and then He gave it to you and I, to go on with it; not to try it. I pray God to help you see that these things are tested and true. [ The End ]