In the New Testament, from the first book to the last, there are always two main things revealed. These two matters are clearly set before us in Matthew 13. One of them, on the one side, is the leaven taken by the woman and hid in the meal. We must see clearly that this leaven was not merely put into the meal, but "hid" in the meal. The meal is visible and apparent, but actually a corrupting, filthy, and defiling element is hidden within it. What is observed by our visible perception is the meal; it is more difficult to discern that leaven is hidden within it. You may say, "Look, is this not meal? Is this not good for food?" Yes, but listen, some thing corrupting, damaging, filthy, worldly, and sinful, is hidden within it. May the Lord open our eyes, not just to see apparently, but to see discernibly that which is hidden. The meal is indeed good for food; it is the very thing that God is after. No one has any problem with the meal. But we must see what is hidden within the meal. It is the leaven. And who put the leaven into the meal? Of course, not God, neither the church, but a woman. And who is the woman? The Roman Catholic Church, the great harlot and mother of all harlots.
I am greatly concerned that, after speaking so much concerning religion and Babylon and linking these matters with the Christianity of today, you may say, "That is too much. Are there not many good works for the Lord in Christianity? Have there not been many who have gone to the mission fields and helped people know God? Have there not been many ministers who have helped others grow in Christ?" Yes, undoubtedly. But consider this parable spoken by the Lord Jesus. The Lord refers to meal, real meal. But we must see that within this meal, hidden to the natural sense, is a certain element called leaven inserted by an evil woman. In the entire Bible, both in the Old Testament and in the New, leaven is set forth as a corrupting, damaging, evil element. The meal is good; the meal is the thing that God is after. But within this God-blessed substance is something sown which is sinful, devilish and evil. We all must see this. There is no argument.
We must certainly admit that in today's Christianity there are many good works. We can even say the same for the Roman Catholic Church. But within these good works is a subtle element. Oh, the devilish subtlety in this matter! Something of the devil, something of Satan, something of the enemy has been put into the meal in a subtle way. People today only see the meal; they are quite blind to the leaven.