1. In the previous chapters we have been dealing with the first and second parables and the first and second letters, and I want to mention enough of them to show that it does cover the same period of time as the parable does. We dealt with the binding of the tares and the wheat and I feel that the Spirit of God will convince all, that the harvest time, that many are looking for out in the end of time, takes place beginning at A.D. 33 on the Day of Pentecost. I want to refresh your mind again. There is one clause in those scriptures that will help you. The Word of God tells us right in that parable, that the Son of Man did this sowing. So that harvest had to be that first harvest that His reapers gathered on the day of Pentecost. The harvest that we reap today is the same Word of God, but men are sowing it now. Luther sowed it, and Wesley, and others right up through. But this harvest that we dealt with, was a harvest that the Son of Man sowed himself when He walked the old shores of Galilee.

We came on up through and found by the Word of God, that while men slept the enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and they began to move into the apostasy and the darkness moved upon the earth because the Word of God was being choked out. We are over into the part of the dark ages, the twelve hundred and sixty years, when the kingdoms or the Church, was hid from the eyes of man and covered up under the earth as the Word of God would teach us in the Revelation. God took the true Church and hid her away in the wilderness and those who were true to God we know had to worship in caves and in hiding, and the kingdom was as the Word of God would speak, as a metaphor, it was hid under the earth. We read in this third parable, the 31st verse, the 13th chapter of Matthew: "Another parable put He forth unto them saying, The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which is indeed the least of all seeds. But when it is grown it is the greatest among herbs and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof."

Here we are back again to the next period of time that the Kingdom covered; back again to the thought of individual experience. The kingdom is an individual experience, as well as a collective one. Some of you would like to say that the Kingdom is an individual experience in the heart of man and the church is a collective phase of the Kingdom. I'll go along with you on that. I believe the Word of God will. But I would like to say this as a word of warning. We must be careful in drawing too rigid a line between the Kingdom and the Church or we will 'clip our power.' Somebody will take the Word of God and 'whip us all to pieces.' There is a difference. But, my friend, when we begin to make it too great a difference, we get into trouble, because the same Word of God says, that at the second coming of Christ, He is going to deliver up the Kingdom. And other Scriptures say that He is going to present the Church unto Himself and it will be both the same action. It will be at the same time. It won't be two different services, it will all be the same service. I want to repeat. We are moving into the thought again of an individual experience. During these dark ages Jesus would show us that the Kingdom reigned through' there. In other words, the parable is nothing more than showing us the reign of the Kingdom and what it had to undergo, and how it thrived through each period of time. Here, even though it couldn't come out openly and reign on the earth, thank God, the Kingdom still prevailed.

Millennialists say, that 69 of Daniels weeks are fulfilled, but God stopped His clock. I'm talking about what they are preaching. God stopped His clock -- they don't know how to handle those 70 weeks in Daniel. But my friend, if we will take them as they are, they will bring us right up to the very establishment of the Kingdom of God. The 69 weeks bring us up to Christ, if you please, and His baptism. Then, He said He'd preach this Word and establish it and preach the covenant for one week. Time symbols give us a day for one year or one week would be seven years. From

A.D. 26 there were 7 years to A.D. 33, and those were the seven years through there when John the Baptist and Christ preached this Gospel and brings us up to A.D. 33 when the Kingdom came with power and Daniel's week was fully accomplished. I pray that God will help us to see this by His Word and through these parables that even though the Kingdom was not always a visible something it was working all the time. These parables in a consecutive way, takes the Kingdom from the day He set it up, clear through to the end of time. The old paganistic power and the papal power prevailed against the Christians but I'm here to declare that the Kingdom never ceased. Glory be to God. Even though it was covered up with earthly organizations, or as the Word of God speaks of, as under the earth, let me tell you it was still working and still growing and as we see in our lesson it had to go through a stage there, but it was going to come out after a while, just as visible as it was in the morning time. Jesus would take that lesson and liken it unto a grain of mustard seed, which is the least of all seeds.

We must not dissect these parables and take them apart to try to preach something. He never quit my friend, until he had taught them all.

Now, He said the Kingdom in this period of time would be like a grain of mustard seed, which is the least of all seeds. Now, what has been our seed all down through the lesson this far? The Word of God. So what is the first thing we learn about the parable that covers this age? The Word of God was the least of all seeds. There was very little or no Gospel preached during this period of time. The seed of the kingdom was the least of all seeds. There were paganistic ideas and idolatry and atheism and papalism, with all its doctrines and catechisms, but very little of the Word of God preached. During this period of time, the Word or the Word of the Kingdom, was the least of all seeds. That is why we have got such a harvest of confusion. It came out of the dark ages when there was little or no Word of God preached. And the only thing that will bring people out of confusion today is to get off of this stuff of human Ideas and theories and preach the straight Word of God. Brethren, I declare unto you, that it has been a time in the past and maybe a lot of places yet, when right around a Church of God Camp meeting, the Word of God, is the least of all seed. That is why you don't see much production in the thought of children of God, and bringing forth true children of God. If we are going to bring forth the Church of God, we have to preach the Word of God just as it is. God bless your heart, it will bring forth; it will produce the people of God, but we are getting too much of carnality seed sown, and because of it, all that is produced is a bunch of people following man. You preach the Word of God and you will produce a bunch of people that are following God. It makes no difference where He goes, where He leads them, they will follow Him. So Christ would show us the Kingdom through this period of time. He would liken it unto a grain of mustard seed, which was the least of all seeds,

The 20th chapter of Revelation tells us that the rest of the dead lived not, until the thousand years was finished. Why? The Word of God is the seed of life and there was little or no Gospel preached through here (270-1530). No life-giving substance, and so people lay dead in their trespasses of sin, until God got hold of Luther and others earlier than him, that again sowed this seed and many people began to be resurrected from their dead condition. Jesus tells us that even though it was the least of all seeds, when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs. Here He takes this silent growth of the Kingdom, the Word of God through here, was the least of all seeds. Very few people got hold of the Word of God through the dark ages, especially during the thousand year period of it. This is a positive message against the modern age in which we are living. People say, we just cannot get an experience like we used to. God bless your heart, there were very few who got hold of the Word here, but every one that laid hold of it got just as rich an experience right in that darkness as people did in the morning time when there was a full light.

The least of all seeds, but when it is grown, it becomes the greatest among herbs. Now, may we let Webster help us to clarify this message of truth here, covering this dark age. Webster said "An herb is a plant with a soft succulent or juicy stem; after flowering it withers away." This was the condition of the Kingdom during this period. Those that did lay hold on the Word of God, or the seed, my friend, Christ calls it the Kingdom in the herb stage 'right here.' What are you talking about, the herb is that, which grows under the earth? He said an herb is that of a soft or succulent or juicy stem that blooms and then withers away. That was the condition of the Kingdom right through here; men and women got hold of a real experience with God; they blossomed out, but as soon as they blossomed out, the cool winds of papalism 'froze them out' and killed them and they withered away. That was the condition of the Kingdom right through there. Now, I want you to see that he said it is the greatest among herbs, and then, He prophesied a little. It is the least among seeds -- becomes the greatest among herbs when it is full grown and then, it is going to become a tree; something visible; something above the earth. The saints of God need this soft stem. Someone asked, "What are you talking about, a soft, succulent stem?" Romanism tried to twist those people; they worked every persecution there was on them, to break them; but they couldn't break them. Why? They loved not their lives unto death. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and nothing that Rome could do to them, in the thought of persecution, could break down that experience they had with God. Just as you take a soft, juicy stem, brother, they will take the twist and the turning and everything else. Some old dried thing, will break the first time you try to bend it. I want us to see, Church, if we ever become a tree -- something of a visible form, that will be a blessing to man, we have got to go through this stage 'right here' of being a herb, first. The Church never shines out to a world, unless they are a people that can take the twisting, and the turning, and everything else the devil puts on them -- and would die rather than submit, or yield, or let down in any way. It is then, the kingdom begins to shine out in a visible form, before mankind.

I want us to see that much of the solidness of the very church or kingdom rests on this condition that came through right here. What holds you solid in a trying time? (Why, you're ashamed of yourself when you get hurt when somebody does not speak to you or talks about you.) Think about people who had their head out off, and did not give up. We look back at a people that were willing to suffer and die and take any of the persecution that the devil put on them. It brings a solidness into your and my experience; it brings something there, thank God, that we can look back to, and give us a boost when we need It. If they could suffer being burned, crucified, torn asunder--It will drive any thoughts out of our minds about letting our feelings 'get out,' like people are letting them 'get out.' No wonder people's feelings get hurt. You couldn't miss them. If you met them in the aisle, you would hurt them. Their feelings are 'way out there.' Pretty soon, they 'go around' and hit something--- ouch! Somebody touched me. Well, how could we miss you? God bless your heart, the Word of God said to gird them up -- get charity shed abroad within our hearts. This experience here, Jesus said, was the greatest among herbs; and It becometh a tree,

It was the greatest among herbs because none but true Christianity would be willing to die so gallantly. Here is an experience that God put within the hearts of people, that they were not only willing to suffer, but die for it that it might live. I pray God to help us see it. It was the greatest among herbs. The Church grew faster in this age than she has ever grown in any other age. How about the great revivals 'over here?' I'd like for you to show me any age through the history of the Church, where during any one thousand year period, she sent fifty five million converts 'up.' Come on, now, you Bible historians. I've looked into 'this thing.' Somebody said, "My, wasn't the dark ages terrible?" Yes, but God did His greatest work right through there. History, my friend, tells us 55 million souls laid down their lives, and went on to glory and are around the throne of God. Amen, in the presence of the lamb. What are you trying to get at? When they are putting the pressure on you from every side -- putting the squeeze on you; it is then, if you really possess the Spirit of God, it really radiates out. This little flower here, has got a beautiful smell. But brother, if you want it to really smell, just take it and squeeze it. Now, it's smelling. I don't have to get up against it. I can smell it. It is just 'a sending out' the richest aroma. Amen! The same thing is true with a child of God. God bless your heart, when the devil's putting the squeeze on us, if the real thing is in there, it is then, the sweet aroma of the Spirit of God goes out and men and women all around know that definitely God has done something to that individual, and they have got hold of something that they, through man's word and man's religion, did not get. Never be afraid to stand the pressure. An artificial flower won't do it. It's when the enemy puts the pressure on, that we show forth this wonderful Spirit of God. We must have, I want to repeat, that soft succulent stem to ever overcome. What are you talking about, be willing to be twisted, tried, tested? Amen! Brother, if the devil can break you under temptation, you are never going to be a part of this thing. You must have this soft succulent stem. God will put you 'on the proving ground' and let the devil twist you, and try you, and turn you, and turn you upside down and work everything he can, to break You.

Too many have got seasoned in this thing. "He is never going to budge me." That will be all right, if you are looking at it in the right way, but I am going to try to tell you, God is still going to have a 'tried and tested' people, right down to the end of time; and we are going to have to be twisted and tried in every way and still be pliable and refuse to break under it. That is what I am talking about. There are too many that have said, "I am going to 'break,' if I don't get some help pretty soon." Well, you have already broke. This experience, that let's you stand in the persecution and grit your teeth and says, if he takes me a bit farther I am going to mash him! Too many like that. God bless your heart, there is nothing such as that. This thing was given to make us more than overcomers through Christ that loves us. You cannot read of the martyrs that died here that when they were taken down to the stake or any other thing that said, if you take me much farther, I will give up. No. The more pressure that was put on them, the more they praised God, if you please. God wants to do likewise, for us.

Too many, my friend, are living short of that which God has for them. We have to have that soft succulent stem, if it ever becomes a tree. He said. Let me read it again. "The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field, which is indeed the least of all seeds, and when it is grown (there's that individual experience), it is the greatest of herbs"(that kingdom was in the herb stage right through this dark age, under the earth just as an herb is, covered up by earthly organizations and works of men). But Jesus said, "it becometh a tree," teaching us that 'out here,' she is going to come up above the earth, and come up in a visible form where men could see her, Glory be to God, and not only see it, but be a part of it. My friend, he went on to say, it becometh a tree so that the birds of the air came and lodged in the branches thereof. Someone said, this shows the growth of the kingdom and it shows how the kingdom has a little beginning and comes on up. Friends, the kingdom did not begin here. It began with John and Christ. Christ was showing us nothing more than the seed was sown in the hearts of men, but the kingdom had to labor under the earth here, like an herb, but it was just as real and worked, just as outstanding a thing for man in 'this condition' as it did 'back here' and said, it becometh a tree so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. I hope you go along with the Word of God.

THE BIRDS LODGE IN THE BRANCHES

The birds of the air that come and lodge in the branches are the same birds that we have been dealing with. They have never changed. Some one said, Ah, Bro. Wilson, I thought that was the blessings of the Kingdom, how they shaded the birds," and I have heard such beautiful things, but you leave it in the light of truth where it belongs. Who are the birds of the air? It is still the same fowls that picked up the seed 'back there.' Now, what is he talking about, the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches?

Here the Kingdom was in the herb stage, but Jesus said it was going to become a tree. On down here, towards the evening time of light, and he said when it became a tree, the birds of the air, or the fowls would come and lodge in the branches. Who are the birds? They are still the false preachers. He was giving us a prophecy here of Protestantism, which was to follow. When the seed began to be planted here by Luther, we will see in a greater way, the Kingdom began to come out, breaking out above the earth, if you please, and came out little by little and the birds of the air, which lodge in the branches were nothing more than the false ministry, Someone said, "How do you know? It is one thing, to be a part of the tree and another to be lodging in the branches.

Jesus said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches." Those who are in the Kingdom, are actually part of the tree. These 'old fellows' do not believe in a born again experience -- they are lodging around in the branches of it. Come on,=) we have got too many birds on the branch. God wants you to be a branch. They come and lodge in the branches of it and you hear them talk, "we are a branch off of the Church." Well, if they are a branch off of the church, they are a 'withered branch.' God bless your heart, they sit around in the branches of the thing. What am I talking about? Clear up through Protestantism, we will find out that they never did get to the root of the Gospel...the Bible foundations of the Church. They just played around in the branches of it up here. Somebody said, well, how can you tell who is a part of the kingdom and not? Shake the tree, the birds will get scared and fly, You are not going to shake any branches off. Shaking the tree, all you do is scare the birds out. That is why I like to shake the thing every once in a while.

We are in the 'last shaking time,' when God is shaking the tree and the birds are fluttering. I have seen them come in here and sit on a branch for two or three services. There was a shaking time went on -- and that was the last time I saw them. They never said, good-by Bro. Wilson, or nothing. You go back to the 8th chapter of Matthew. Take this for what it is worth and think it over and roll it around for a while, in the light of other scriptures. Matthew 8:19: The scribe said to Jesus, "I'll follow thee withersoever thou goest." They wanted to be disciples, but Christ, my friend, using symbolic language all through His expression said, "the birds of the air have nests, the foxes have dens." Someone said, "The Son of Man had no where to lay His head. A lot of people were thinking Jesus was wanting to go to bed and He had no place to lay His head. He was teaching a lesson. Here was a scribe that said he would give up all to follow Him, but Jesus knew he wasn't going to give up all. Who are the foxes that have dens? Revelation tells you who they are, the 6th chapter, when the sixth seal breaks over here those old fellows run for dens. Foxes stay in dens. Who are they? They are foxy fellows. Jesus called Herod a fox. Why? He said one thing and did something else. He said he wanted to come and worship the child, when be really wanted to kill it. Amen.

Jesus said, you go and tell that old fox I'll be here and doing cures until day after tomorrow and I am going to be perfected and I will be doing cures all over the country. The birds have nests. Who was He talking about? The scribes and the pharisees and the false sects of that day, that came up just like that scribe did and said, I will give up all. I will follow you whithersoever you go. He said, "the birds have nests." Who are they -- those old birds that have got their nests -­they have feathered them. It is just the same today; and the foxy fellows have got their dens that they go and hide in,but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. What Is He talking about? Christ, the head of the Church -- He cannot live on sadduceeism and phariseeism. He had to wait until He had a body to put His head on. Now you may not agree with 'that,' but Christ, just will not put His Head on any body. These scribes and pharisees were coming short of the requirements of discipleship. Someone says, "How do you know?"

Well, one said I'll follow you whithersoever you go. Jesus knew he wouldn't. Another spoke up and said, "I'll follow you, but let me go bury my father first." A dozen more said, "I'll follow you, just as soon as I…" The other poor fellow, he did not say, "Please excuse me," he said, "I cannot come, I have married a wife." So it is today, my friend, people all over the country are going to follow Jesus just as soon as "I." Well, there is the fellow that is giving you the trouble. You are going to have to deny this fellow if you are going to follow Christ. No, He will not put His Head on that kind of body. The body of Christ is made up of men and women, who have denied themselves, taken up their cross and are following Christ and truth where ever He leads.

The Son of Man hath no where to lay His head. Oh, God, help us to see that He could not lay His head on this business. The tree, the visible form of the kingdom, began to come out and many lodged In the branches, many false prophets lodged in the branches, but Christ never laid His head on this business. Why? If He did, He would have to have many heads because there are many bodies in 'that.' All right, may we go to the 'letter.' There is more to be said there, but I think that is plain.

The second chapter of Revelation, verses 12 to 17, "To the angel of the church of Pergamos write (Pergamos was the compromising church, Smyrna was the suffering church or the church in the suffering time) these things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth." Let's stop here.

Christ, writing to the church in this very dark age over here, just coming up to the place of Protestantism. What does He say to her? These things saith he that hath the sword, nothing more than the Word of God. Much could be said about its two edges. It has been preached to you many times--both offensive and defensive. There is an edge for the law and an edge for the Gospel. The same sword will save you or kill you. Paul said when he preached the gospel he was a saviour unto life to some and a saviour unto death to others, same message. Now, it is sharp. No heart is so hard, but what it is able to wound it. No knot is so closely tied that it is not able to cut it. Someone said, "Well, I'm pretty well tied up down in Babylon. Well, there is a sharp sword that will cut you loose. It is so sharp, the Word of God said it gets down between the marrow and the bone. It will come between the soul and the spirit; that shows me they are two different things. I hear quite a 'rumble' right around us that the soul and the spirit are the same thing. Well, I've got a Word of God that says there is a difference. It will come right down between the soul and the spirit. Amen. It is sharp.

We don't know how sharp this thing is. It is a sharp instrument. Listen to Him. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is. Now, my friend, we want to see if this is the same period of prophecy. If this parable covers the same thing -- Turn to the 13th chapter of Revelation where it talks about the first beast. He said the dragon gave him his seat and his authority, God bless your heart, so this church, is another definite proof that these letters cover seven ages because Pergamos was living way over here. John wrote those letters in AD 96(?), but over here was where the condition was going on that John wrote to Pergamos about; you are dwelling right where Satan's seat is. Where is that? It is right 'down here' in papalism, where the dragon gave the first beast his seat and his authority. [ End of Part 7 ]

 

 

FOWLS ARE FALLEN MINISTERS

1. We need to see something. Why did the dragon give the beast his seat and his authority? The devil saw through this beast system, a greater deception could be worked than with the dragon. Let us analyze a little. Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah; came down and set up a church, and became the head of it. Let me tell you, they had so much power, that when magistrates would see Paul and another apostle coming into town or when men would see them, they would run and get the magistrates and say, "Here comes those fellows, that are turning the world up side down; what are we going to do?" Brother, they turned cities upside down and right side up. There was a power demonstrated, that shook the powers of darkness and the old dragon was cast out of that heavenly ecclesiastical position, that he had held and was cast down to the earth. The truth, told on the old devil, that these things that he was working through, was nothing more than earthly organizations. People try to take that Scripture and say that the devil was in heaven--the devil never was in heaven. Greater than that, nobody else, that ever was in heaven, ever got cast out. Anyone that gets to heaven, cannot get cast out.

The Word of God plainly tells us, that when Jesus came, this old dragon, this paganistic power, had exalted Itself up to a heavenly position. It had men thinking that it was a religion ordained of God, if you please. But when Jesus Christ, (Michael) and-His angels came, they told the truth of the matter and east her down to the earth and said it is just a devilish work of men, God's not in the thing. I'll tell you some of the times when the dragon was cast down. Read about the 19th chapter of Acts, when Paul went down to Ephesus and old Diana had been spread around there and old Demetrius had become 'a millionaire' making little silver gods and had people ordering them. Old Paul went up and down the streets and preached that God isn't a God that can be made with hands, but it is in Him we live and move and have our being, And the Word of God says that Demetrius and others called the Sanhedran together, and that is what tickles me about the ministerial assembly getting together and getting after you today. You know you are putting fire on somebody. All down through the Word of God, whenever a man began to pour the truth out, the next thing they do, is call the Sanhedran together.

Let me tell you, Demetrius got his people together and said, "This Paul, that is preaching about this God of heaven is going to put us 'out of business.' So they got a delegation and the Scripture says they went up and down the streets for two hours and a half crying, "Great is the Goddess Diana." Paul, stood on the street corner and preached, "God is not a God made with hands," Brother, truth will win out. Amen! And truth did win out. We read on a little farther that he called an assembly of them together and it said they came together and built a big fire and burned their books and curious arts and their old idols; threw them into the fire and THE DRAGON WAS CAST OUT. Glory be to God. Truth prevailed.

I said the devil was not in heaven and was never cast out. Anyone else, who ever got to heaven, was never cast out. Somebody said, why? Friends, a man cannot sin unless there is a power to tempt him. There is nothing in heaven, even to tempt a man to sin. What in the world my friend, could ever cause an angel to sin against God and be thrown out of @heaven? There is nothing there to even tempt them. Use your head. Someone said, "What about Jude 6, where he said about fallen angels? Go get your Greek -- "FALLEN MINISTERS". Fallen ministers, that fell from this truth. God put them in everlasting chains of darkness. What are the chains? Not log chains, brother, you'll be chained in darkness, when you turn down the light. Someone said, "I still think you can get out of heaven once you get there." All right, I'm not going to argue with you. I'll just bring Jesus to the witness stand and He will take care of it.

Luke's gospel, where he uncapped hell -- The rich man was trying to call over to Abraham and what did Abraham tell him? There is a great gulf fixed, and we that are here cannot go there, and you that are there cannot come here. If you ever get to heaven brother, you never have to worry about getting kicked out or falling out, you cannot get out once you got there, Praise God for His truth. I love this old truth. It will stand.

"I know thy works where thou dwellest, even where satan's seat is." Brother, here is something we need to consider, "And thou holdest fast my name. How did you hold It? You have not denied my faith. Brethren, when we deny the faith -- that faith that Jude said to earnestly contend for, when we deny that, we had better take the name down because we are blaspheming the name of God.