oming is near. "So likewise ye,
when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the
door." Mat. 24:33. The things spoken of here by which we may know that the
coming of the Lord is near, is the gathering together of God's elect from
out the ruins of Babylon and the world. The work of gathering is now in
rapid progress. The messengers are flying with the everlasting gospel.
Soon it will reach all nations. They are calling, "Come out of her, my
people, for the hour of her judgment is come." Thus we now see the
Savior's coming is near, even at the door. Even so, come, O Lord Jesus!

He sounds a warning to all to be ready. "Therefore be ye also ready: for
in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." Mat. 24:44. What
will be the condition of this world when Jesus comes? "But as the days of
Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the
days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying
and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and
knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the
coming of the Son of man be." Mat. 24:37-39. Who is not able to fully
understand this? In the end of the world wickedness and revelry shall be
as it was in the days of Noah. "In the last days perilous times shall
come." "But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and
being deceived." 2 Tim. 3:13. The very deepest deceptions shall be upon
the people in the time of the end. They shall be saying, "Peace and
safety," then sudden destruction cometh upon them.

Just before the second coming of the Savior, and while God is gathering
together the scattered fold of Israel, Satan "shall go out to deceive the
nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog [both
forms of the apostasy], to gather them together to battle: the number of
whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went upon the breadth of the
earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city
[Zion]." Rev. 20:8, 9.

We are now living in the time when the sixth angel is pouring his vial
upon the great river Euphrates, and the waters are being dried up. The
time when the unclean spirits (the state power, ecclesiastical power, and
the Babylon ministry) are going out unto the whole earth to gather them to
the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Rev. 16:12-14. Even at this
day the state power is favorably inclined tow