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system either good or bad. Thus we have "that woman Jezebel" in Rev. 2: 20, and she is
seen very plainly hiding the "leaven" in the meal. "Thou sufferest that woman Jezebel
which calleth herself a prophetess to teach and to seduce My servants to commit
fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols." Here is corruption; this is the doctrine
of Balaam as specified in verse 14. In Rev. 17: 4, 5 we have another woman:--
"And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and
precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abomination and
filthiness of her fornication. And upon her forehead was a name written, a secret,
Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and the abominations of the earth."
The interpretation given by God is that this woman "is that great city" (verse 18), and
Babylon, and all that Babylon stands for, is intended here--the great corrupter. The
revival of Babylon forms part of Zechariah's prophecy. In chapter 5:, under the figure of
a lawless woman sitting in the midst of an ephah (a dry measure used for grain, &100:), the
prophet depicts the return of wickedness to its original seat--"to build it an house in the
land of Shinar." Many commentators look upon the woman as symbolizing Rome.
Romanism is certainly one of the polluted streams, but it is not the fountain head, for
idolatry and its accompaniments were doing their deadly work before Rome was built, or
Romanism founded. It is interesting to note the efforts now being put forward in
Mesopotamia for the revival of this ancient seat of rebellion and corruption.
We have seen that leaven signifies corrupt doctrine. We have seen that the meal
represents the perfect offering of Christ and the unadulterated Word of God, and we see
that the woman has much to make us feel that Babylonianism is behind this corrupting
work. In the parable of the Tares we see the enemy sowing his false seed; in the parable
of the Mustard Tree he is found supported by the branches of the abnormal growth which
typifies the Gentile epoch; and in the parable of the Leaven he is seen using that great
system of corruption, of which he was the founder (Gen. 10:), to leaven the pure meal of
God.
Coming back to Matt. 13: we ask, with the disciples, why it is that the kingdom of the
heavens is delayed, and the King rejected? The answer is "An enemy hath done this." He
has sown his tares, he inhabits the tree, he leavens the truth.
We have already seen the connection between the leaven and the doctrine of the
Pharisees, Sadducees and Herodians. Here is leaven enough for the three measures of
meal. It will be found that this leaven has reference to the Word of God and the Person
of Christ. In Matt. 16: 6-12 the Lord warns His disciples against the leaven of the
Pharisees and the Sadducees, and immediately the Scripture records His question, "Who
do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" Peter's wonderful confession is immediately
followed by an attack of satan, where the cause of the opposition is the revelation of the
fact that the Lord Jesus must suffer, die, and rise again. Peter's words, "be propitious to
Thyself" (verse 22) savoured of men, and were instigated by satan (verse 23).
The Lord had said, further, that the leaven of the Pharisees was hypocrisy. This
leaven is exposed in Matt. 23: 13, "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!