Que Ferons-Nous De Ce Jésus Qu’on Appelle Christ?
Que Ferons-Nous De Ce Jésus Qu’on Appelle Christ? - Shp
1 ... afternoon, I want to
hurry up, because I know that you're all tired from being in the church
(Thank you, sir.)--being in the church today. I want to take just this
moment of time though to express my gratefulness to Brother Demos
Shakarian, and...
[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]...
never meet as Pentecost, under the groups. There's too many
differences. But there's one place where we have things in common:
under the Blood of Jesus Christ. That's where we have things in common.
That's God's way for us to meet, anyhow. And there's no other place
that God promised to meet men: only under the shed Blood.
3 I was thinking last night
of our brother Oral Roberts, when he made that wonderful statement here
about, "Out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of water." The
great... How he brought that in, about, "out of his belly," I believe
he said, "throw--will flow these rivers of water."
Did you ever notice, it's rivers of one water. "Rivers," plural;
"water," one. Not "rivers of waters," but, "rivers of water," one
Spirit. "By the same Spirit we're all baptized into the same Body." Out
of Him flows the goodness and grace of God.
5 And now, you California people, we'll be in your state, beginning next week, I believe, over there. And then on down through Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, on down till we start overseas.
6 The Lord bless you,
greatly. I appreciate the little ladies that's played the music, and
these fine men that I've met.
And this new brother here, Brother Solomon King. I may say that wrong.
I can think of King Solomon, and just turn it around. That was that
day; and this is another king too. Now, that's right. A son of a King
anyhow, that's right: son of a King, of not a king, the King.
8 When I look at this, it
reminds me of down in Mexico here a few years ago in Mexico City. We
were there one night; there'd been a blind man, the night before, come
on the platform, totally blind for many years. I looked at his feet. I
was standing there with a good suit on, a pair of shoes, and I looked
at his. He was blind, no shoes on, ragged trousers, and standing out
there in that rain. Oh, maybe thirty thousand or more, standing there
in that rain, leaning against one another (no seats), been there since
early that morning, just waiting to get there that night. And there'd
been this blind man had received his sight.
And the next night, much--about twice the size of this bench here,
whatever we'd call it, was just on the platform, was just ricks almost
as high as what that curtain hangs, of just old shawls and coats, and
that the people had wore and thrown up there just that we might touch
it.
Most all were Catholic, of course, there in Mexico City. And I got in,
being the first Protestant ever come in under military invitation. That
was from General Valdena, our good friend here of the Full Gospel
Business Men.
11 I remember that night;
there was a scream come from the outside. And my son came to me; he
said, "I've got at least a hundred and fifty ushers, or more, standing
there, and they can't keep a little Spanish woman. She's got a dead
baby, died this morning." Said, "They can't keep that woman out." Said,
"She'll climb over their backs and everything."
And I said, "Well, just reinforce it."
He said, "I haven't got nothing else to reinforce with."
I said, "Give her a prayer card."
Said, "I haven't got one. They're all give out."
I said, "Brother Moore, you go pray for her," I said, 'cause she don't
know me." And I said, "You go pray for her. And I'm going to try to
pray for this big rick of clothes, just in a few moments."
13 And while I was standing
there, I looked out over the audience like this, and before me was a
little Mexican baby, no teeth, just smiling, right out in front of me.
I said, "Wait a minute, Brother Moore."
And they brought the little fellow. And the little lady come in,
falling down with a crucifix in her hand. I told, through a brother
interpreter to have her stand up.
And I said, "Brother Moore, I don't know whether this is it or not, but
I seen a little baby standing out in front of me in a vision just now,
smiling."
16 She had it under a little
blue and white striped blanket, just soaking wet. It was just raining.
It was about ten o'clock at night. The baby had died that morning
around eight or nine in the doctor's office with pneumonia. And so she
had been standing in the rain. Her hair was all down in her face,
and--and she was a very lovely child. She looked to be probably, her
first baby, in her early twenties. And the little fellow died.
And I just laid my hands over on it, and I said, "Lord Jesus, I don't
understand this, but according to that vision I seen..." And no more
than said that, he kicked and screamed, and the little fellow was alive.
And I had Brother Espinosa. How many knows Espinosa., Brother
Espinosa.? He was the one who chased it down to the doctor's office,
found that it was true. See? That's right. The baby died that morning,
to sign the statement.
And so now He's the same God today, if we can just have the same kind
of faith in Him. That's right.
20 Our heavenly Father, send
us that faith of that little Mexican woman today. She'd seen that
little blind man healed, the night before. Standing out there with her
baby in that cold blowing wind, it took pneumonia. And the next morning
early, it died in the doctor's office. Her first thought come, "If God
can heal a blinded eyes, can reveal the secret of the heart, it's still
the Word of God; for the Word of God discerns the thoughts that's in
the heart." And she knew that He could discern the thoughts that was in
her heart. She believed Him, and that He could raise up Lazarus from
the grave, and He was the same yesterday, today, and forever. She come,
and You rewarded her, Lord, by giving her back her baby. It lives
today, so far as we know. We thank Thee for this.
Bless us, today, Father. Bless these people with these handkerchiefs
and coats laying here also. And may Your Holy Spirit come now and
impart the Word of God to us. We ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.
22 I know you have a meeting
just in a few moments, or at five o'clock, I believe. And usually that
wouldn't give me time to get started, but I've--I've been converted
from that, I think, now. I've tried hard this week under a sore throat,
maybe that was working together for good.
I told the people the other day, I--I had me a hairpiece, but I was
ashamed to wear it, because I had hollered at the women so much about
their hair. And I--I had my hair taken out by carbolic acid. And the
other night they opened that door; a little air circulated through
here, and I didn't think I was going to get back today. I said, "If
Oral Roberts is here, he can stand by, if he will." He hasn't showed
yet, so I'll read the Scripture, and you pray for me.
24 Saint Matthew the 27th
chapter, beginning with the 11th verse, I wish to read. Now, listen
real close to the reading of the Word, 'cause my word is a man's word;
it'll fail. His Word can't fail; so now listen close as we read.
And before you... While you're turning, I'd like to announce that our
Brother Oral Roberts is going to be down in--at Jerusalem also next
Friday night, so you all want to come. You say, "Where?" Somebody said
Florida was a promised land; I guess I can call Tucson Jerusalem.
Phoenix is in the valley (See?) and Jericho is just down the valley
from Jerusalem. And I'll never get out of here like that, will I?
Brother Oral Roberts speaks next Friday night, and I'm sure you'd all
be glad to hear him. We'd be glad to have you down.
26 27th chapter, the 11th
verse.
And Jesus stood
before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the
Christ of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
And when he was of
the chief--accused of the chief priests and elders, and of the... and
answered nothing,
Then said Pilate
unto him, Hearest now not how many things they witness against thee?
And he answered him
through never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled...
Now at the feast the
governor... wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.
And they had then a
noble prisoner, called Barabbas.
Therefore when they
were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I
release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?
For he knew that for
envy they had delivered him.
When he was fast
down on the--set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him,
saying, Have... nothing to do with this just man: for I have suffered
many things this day in a dream because of him.
But the chief
priests and the elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask for
Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
The governor
answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I
release unto you? And they said, Barabbas.
Pilate said unto
them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all
say unto him, Let him be crucified.
And the governor
said,... what evil has he done? But they cried out the more, saying,
Let him be crucified.
... Pilate saw that
he could prevail nothing, but that rather the tumult was made, he took
water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent
of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.
Then answered all
the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.
Then released he
Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to
be crucified.
27 My subject today, if I
should call it that for the next thirty minutes is: "What Shall We Do
With This Jesus Called Christ?" And then I would like to say this also,
"Jesus on our hands."
Now, I believe that the hour where our scene starts is along about
daylight in Pilate's judgment hall. And it's one of the saddest times,
and one of the most crucial times of all history. It was the saddest
mistake the church ever made in its history. They had just made it, and
now it's been throwed into the laps of the governor, the state. Both
church and state, because they were a people chosen of God, He called
to be His servants, and the nation was supposed to be controlled by
God's laws.
29 And the church had turned
down their Messiah. Although He'd been so well identified to them, they
had chosen rather to stay with the tradition of the elders of that day,
than to believe the anointed, the vindicated Word that God had promised
them for hundreds of years, to come.
Did you notice, it also prophesied that they would be blinded? They
couldn't understand this, that how they would be blinded, but they were.
And they had made their great mistake, and this day they had made their
final show of it. And now, it's in the hands of the government, and now
the government has to make its choice. The churches had already
rejected Him, though God had thoroughly proved that He was their
Messiah.
32 Now, I want to take just a
few moments before we get down into this--to the text and so forth that
I have notes I got written here about it. How could those people have
failed to see that? One thing the Scripture clearly says; they were
blind. But it's hard to make them understand they're blind, just as
hard as it is today.
When the Bible tells us that this generation is naked, miserable, poor,
and blind, and don't know it, now, that's the Scripture. Now, you tell
we American people that we're blind, we'll tell you right quick you
don't know what you're talking about.
But I'm going to bring you to trial this afternoon, and find out
whether we are blind or not. And we got Jesus on trial this afternoon
and His Blood on our hands, and now we want to see what we're going to
do about it. Will we make the same rashal mistake that they made then?
35 Notice what happened. He had been clearly identified and fulfilled the office that God said He would fulfill as Messiah. There was no question about it. For He was born the way God said He would be born. He was rejected the way God said He'd be rejected. He had proven Himself to be the Messiah, because the Messiah was God. "Messiah" means "anointed One." And He was anointed with the--with the Fullness of the Godhead bodily dwelled in Him. He wasn't just a prophet. Yet He was a Prophet, but He was more than a prophet. He was the Godhead bodily dwelling in a human Being known as the Son of God. God, the Father, had overshadowed a virgin and created in her blood--in her womb a Blood cell that brought forth the Son of God, which God tabernacled in.
36 And He was identified to
them, as Who He said He was, but He never did come right out and tell
them, "I am the Son of God." No, no. They have to believe that. He
said, "My works testify Who I am." He commanded them, look in the
Scriptures and see what day they were living in, then they would know
what He was.
I think it would behoove us to do this, as we see another exodus at
hand. I think we should look and search the Scriptures, when we see
things arise.
38 We notice then that the
church had made their decision that they wanted nothing to do with Him.
Why when the Word correctly identified Him, and His works vindicated
that He was the Messiah? Such a horrible, crucial thing, mistake, that
that church made.
And I wonder if it could be possible that we could make that same
mistake? They had been given their last chance to see what He was and
to accept It. Now, you won't always have the opportunity to accept what
God sends. See? His patience finally runs out, and then you cross that
line between grace and judgment. There's nothing left but judgment when
God's patience finally runs out.
But they had been given this opportunity, and had seen Him identify
Himself, see Him at the well with the woman, and told her that she had
five husbands. Seen Nathanael come up to Him, after Philip had went
and--and brought Nathanael into His Presence, and He spoke and told
exactly who he was and where he come from. Told Simon Peter who his
father was, and what his name was. And they hadn't had a prophet for
hundreds of years.
41 And even that little
prostitute woman recognized the Word of God. She wasn't all mixed up in
something. She--she... Well, her mind wasn't all, what we would call,
if you'd excuse the expression from this, "muddled up," running here
and running there. It was a virgin mind, as far as that concerned. She
said, "We know the Messiah's coming, and this is what He'll do."
And He said, "I'm He."
And quickly she run, told the men in the city, "Come, see Him; this is
the very Messiah."
43 Why, those educators and
people of that day couldn't see that, it's... It's be hard to see if
you wouldn't know the Scriptures. But the Scripture said they were
blinded. They were actually blinded. But they chose, rather, instead of
that lovely Jesus, at the--the... We hear the cry come out, "Crucify
Him."
Pilate said, "What will I do with this Jesus which is called the
Christ?"
They said, "Away with Him. Crucify Him."
"Who shall I release to you, Barabbas or Jesus?"
And they made the rashal mistake by choosing a murderer instead of
Life-giver. One that was identified as Life-giver, they chose a
murderer who was identified as life-taker. What a contrast. And I
wonder if...
46 I say this with all godly
respects for my brethren and my sisters, and for the men and women of
this day, who I preach to, with love in my heart for all people: I
wonder if we are not about ready to see the same thing as they seen
then. The government had become involved in this, and the--the issue
was on. The question must be settled. It was at a showdown.
And so has it been today; so is it in this hour. The showdown is on.
Something's got to be done; you've got to say "yes" or "no." But
remember, it won't be when you're forced to do it. You have to do it on
your free moral will now. Now, not when that time takes place; when it
does, it's over. Now: this may be the last day you'll have time to make
choice. You can't do it then; you've already took it; it's too far at
that time. You must do it now. Don't wait till the last minute, because
his--the boat will pull out and leave you; the doors will be closed.
Many people would've come into the ark if they could've gotten in
there, when the rain started falling. But the issue was made; the
Gospel was preached; the signs was showed; and the time was over; the
rain was then falling; judgment was on.
49 Now, the whole nation had
to reject Him, because that it was called, as we would say today, a
Christian nation, like this is called a Christian nation. Therefore, if
it was called Jehovah's nation, His selected people, then the whole
nation had to turn Him down. The church had already turned Him down.
The church had kicked Him out. They wanted nothing to do with Him, but
now the government involved in it.
So is it back again; it's right back in the lap again with the
Scriptures laying here identified just exactly what Jesus said would
happen. Why do we stagger on in this hours of darkness? Why do we let
this come upon us, when we been thoroughly warned? Just as it was in
the days of Lot, we see the very same thing. Jehovah has set the scene
and told us, "As it was in the days of Lot..." You see the messengers
out yonder into Babylon, trying to get Lot out; and you see the Message
to the elect, Abraham, that was already out. And everything's exactly
to name, place, and time, has been thoroughly identified.
51 But now it's in the hands
of the government. The government's got to condemn it now, and they're
going to do it. Don't you worry about that. It's a Christian nation;
it's got to take its Christian stand if it is. The showdown is on.
The whole nation had to be brought into judgment. Because it happened
about AD 70, when the great Roman general Titus besieged Jerusalem,
about AD 70, with his army from Rome, and there they paid the price for
rejecting Him.
53 Today, as we look upon that
trial there, and we go out here and impersonate it in different ways of
trials on Good Friday, and talk about it, and things, and the very same
thing that we are talking about, happened on that Good Friday, is right
under our noses today. And our elders are doing the same thing they
did, taking it right in on a similar trial after a similar promised
Word of this day has been a-vindicated just the same as it was
vindicated there.
As Jesus, a common carpenter's boy, so thought... He was the Word of
God made manifest. And He was thoroughly identified, because the works
of God had manifested themself through Him, and proved that He was the
Messiah.
55 And today that similar case
has come again, when the Holy Spirit has come upon us in the last days
and identified Himself right in our church, and has proven the same
works that He did when He was here in the Fullness upon Jesus Christ.
He did the same thing upon the Bride, doing the same thing, and still
we want to get rid of It.
Remember, these are tapes that's made now, that goes over the world,
not only to Phoenix here. I'm speaking to half of the world at this
time, 'cause we got a tape business that goes around the world.
57 Notice, today we have a similar trial, after the same identified Word: Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever." Saint John 14:12, "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also." Matthew 28, "All the world, preach the Gospel to every creature." "Lo, a little while the world seeth Me no more; yet ye shall see Me, for I will be with you, even in you, to the end of the age." "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever."
58 They have chosen today, not
only a murderer, but a murderer of the Word, a satellite to the very
first murderer.
When the apostles was preaching the Gospel, and come down through
Irenaeus, and many of the great reformers and founders back in the
early age, it come to Nicaea, one time for a showdown, and they decided
to make a universal church, to force people to come under their
jurisdiction. Many who's read the history there, knows many old
prophets come there with animal skin wrapped around them, eating only
herbs and things, and they tried to hold out for that Word, hold for
the Word of God. But what did they do that fifteen days of bloody
politics? They finally decided to make a universal church, and graft
some paganism with Christianity, and sent it out as a universal church.
60 And today the Protestants
are throwing themselves together in the Ecumenical Council, doing the
same thing, grafting in tradition of men, and instead of taking the
Word of God which is thoroughly identified by the Holy Ghost, that He's
the same yesterday, today, and forever. The church stands in the
balance, today and is found wanting. You're back in Pilate's judgment
hall. Yes, sir.
What does it do? It's making an image unto the beast. It's a satellite
unto Rome, when the Ecumenical council is forcing, and will force every
Protestant denomination into it; and it practically all is there now,
Full Gospel and all. And the hour is going to come when they'll have to
come or stay out, and at the time, when that force come, you've already
identified yourself with the mark of the beast. Now, that's exactly.
62 What is it? A Protestant
harlots with the old mother Rome, the whore. Revelations 17 said she
was a mother of harlots, exactly, Protestant denominations, holding out
in her hand the cup of the wrath of the--of God, for her toast, her
testimony, "This is what we believe," and each one, "This is what we
believe."
Here's what the Church is to believe: the Word of God, and let every
man's word be a lie. That's what it's supposed to be.
64 But we bring Christ again
to that great crucial hour that He stood in in Pilate's judgment hall;
pathetically, a little bunch pushed off to one side with a bowed head.
Other denominations rejected them, refused them, and turned them away,
and say, "Have nothing to do with it." You better check up on the Word.
Now we find out this Ecumenical council is... What's it doing? It, the
Bible...
You say, "Does the Bible say about that?" Yes.
"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." Blind,
naked, church-goers, having a form of godliness, but deny the power of
the Holy Ghost which identifies Jesus Christ to His Word. How can a man
claim to have the Holy Spirit and deny the very Word which is the Holy
Spirit? How can a man do that? His own testimony gives witness that
he's not what he's supposed to be, committing spiritual fornications,
denying the power of God. Paul said in II Timothy 3rd chapter that
that's what it'll be, said, "Be heady, high-minded."
66 "I've got a doctor's
degree, a Ph.D., LL.D." To me, that's further from God than you was
when you started. Yes, sir. That only takes you away from God, don't
bring you to God. Only one thing can draw you to God, and that's the
Holy Spirit by His Word.
The Holy Spirit is a compass. The North Star is the Word. And the
compass will only point to the North Star. And the Holy Ghost will only
point you to the Word, not some ecumenical move, not some denomination,
but to the Word of God. You remember, all the other stars shift with
the world, but the North Star stays exactly, because it's in the
center. And every other man's word will fail, but God's Word can't
fail. It's the North Star, centered. It won't shift with the world. No
matter where the world is, It remains the same yesterday, today, and
forever. And He is the Word.
68 Brother and sister, I plead
you, in Jesus' Name, to consider this. You've believed me in what I've
said in these years. If God has proved what I've said has been the
Truth, not me, it's been His Word that's done it, then I plead you, in
Jesus' Name, to check on this. Don't be blind to these things; it's
right upon you.
And remember, the Bible said in Matthew 24:24, that all whose names
were not written in the Lamb's Book of Life from the foundation of the
earth would take this mark. Only the elected, who's ordained to see it,
will see it. The rest of them will miss it a million miles.
70 We see this big move set up
now; Satan's big machinery set in order. The only thing it needs is...
It's got the mechanics; it only waiting for its dynamics to put it in
force. The move's all congregation, a big council and thing. The big
machine's setting there, but they're waiting for the hour when the lid
goes down, and then they can make it, and force it, make it a law. Look
at the broadcasts and things we hear today over the radio and the
newspapers. Why, it's right on you now.
We haven't time to do nothing else but receive Jesus Christ. He has
been thoroughly identified.
72 Listen, we say about Satan's big machine up there ready to move (That's right.) to crush down; but remember, God's little flock that believes the Word, its mechanics is ready too. It's ready for the Dynamics to set it afire with the Holy Ghost. "Fear not, little flock, it's your Father's good will to give you the Kingdom." The Holy Ghost will strike a little Church that's come out from the world, women that wears long hair, a Nazarite, to prove they've separated themselves from the...
73 A Nazarite is one who what?
A one that separates themselves for the Word of God, not short-wearing,
painted faces, Jezebels, calling themselves Christians; no, sir; men so
wishy-washy, that'll stand for a denomination, and hold onto their coat
tails, of some Caesar or Herod, instead of standing for the Word of
God. But God's got loyal people, genuine flock of God, who don't care
what the world says. They believe that Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today, and forever.
This is not popular. It makes you unpopular, but it's the truth. It's
God's command for it to be done, and God will do it. God bless you.
Don't mean to scold you, but to warn you. It's better to be scorched
than burned at any time, so take warning. The Holy Spirit speaks in
this last days.
75 All's written in the Book
will escape it. Now, we find out the little flock is ready for the
Dynamics to move It up into the skies to escape all this tribulation.
Someone said the other day when I was talking, said, "Brother Branham,
you don't believe then the church will go through the tribulation?"
I said, "I believe the church will, but not the Bride." The church will
go through the tribulation (Yes, sir.), but the Bride's free from it.
She'll go in the rapture, in a moment in a twinkling of an eye she'll
be caught up to meet her Lord in the air for the Wedding Supper. She
has nothing to go through any tribulation about; her Lord has paid her
price. We're so thankful for that. Yes, sir.
78 After the rejection, of
both church and nation, there was only one cry come, the next move,
was, "Get rid of It."
That's the next cry we have. The church has firmly turned down the Holy
Spirit. We know it has. Oh, members has come out of everything; that's
the great call, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Lutherans; but the
church itself, the denomination, it cannot move. No, sir. It's already
denominated. What's the thing of it is now? "Crucify It." "Crucify It."
What? Crucifying, afresh what? The a-vindicated Word to be the Truth.
God's Word, crucified afresh. Just as Eve corrupted the whole physical
world, by rejecting one little bit of God's Word, so has the church did
the same thing.
80 You may say to me, "Brother
Branham, you've got the wrong interpretation of It." Well, that's to
your opinion.
God don't need any interpreter. God's His Own Interpreter. That's what
the trouble of it is today; we got too many manmade interpreters. God
can interpret Himself. His Own vindication of His Word is the
interpretation.
The Pharisees might've cried out too, "We got the interpretation."
The Sadducee says, "We got It." But Jesus was the interpretation. Amen.
83 The manifestation of God's
revealed power, promised, is the vindication. Read the Scriptures and
see what the church is supposed to be today. Yes, sir. God don't need
any interpreter.
That's a--what they done to Jesus. They found out back there that they
thought He didn't have the interpretation. He was the interpretation.
God didn't have to interpret It. Jesus' Life interpreted. He said,
"Search the Scriptures, for in Them you think you have Eternal Life;
They are They that testify of Me. And if I do not the works of My
Father, then believe Me not. If the works that was spoke of this day,
don't manifest Itself in Me," He said, "then don't believe it."
85 Did They do it? God said,
"A virgin shall conceive," and she did. You believe it? Certainly; but
they didn't. "A virgin shall conceive," and she did. It said the lame
shall walk, the blind shall see, and what would take place. It proved
they would do it, and Jesus was the manifestation.
Moses said, "The Lord your God shall raise up a Prophet like unto Me."
The Word comes to the prophet. And the prophet... The Word is a
Discerner of the thoughts of the heart. When they see Him doing that
discernment, they said, "This is Beelzebub, a fortuneteller." That's no
more than a name they pin on Him, the same thing today, called,
"holy-roller," or something like that. That's right.
87 Though He needs no
interpretation, He was the interpretation. God proved it by Himself.
Who is that sinful man today, or who was that sinful man then, that
would deny that the Word wasn't interpreted?
Jesus asked them, said, "Search the Scriptures. They testify Who I am.
They are the interpretation. If My life doesn't interpretate what I'm
talking about, then don't believe Me."
What sinful man could there be today, that could look in the face of
the Bible and see if the Holy Spirit isn't the Interpreter of the Word
today, making Hisself known by manifestations of promises of the gifts,
and the things that He promised to do in this day: Malachi 4 being
fulfilled, all the rest of the Scriptures being fulfilled, and see it
right here at the end of the time. You don't need any man to interpret
it. No, sir. It interprets Itself. It proves It's the Message of the
hour. Repent and turn to God, all the world. You churches, repent and
turn to God. Don't try to wash Him from your hands, 'cause you can't do
it. The issue's right on now, as it was then.
He said, "Search the Scriptures; They testify of Me." Jesus said, "My
works are My interpreter."
91 He told Moses, when He met
him up there at the burning bush. He said, "I AM. I remember My
promise. I remember that I'd take them people out by a mighty hand. I
made the promise, and I'm going with you. I'm sending you. You just be
My mouthpiece, and the signs will interpret whether I sent you or not."
Amen.
That's what men and women ought to look for today, a promise of another
exodus and an interpretation of God's Word being made manifest.
Trouble of that today, they say, "Well, my church don't believe this."
What's the matter? You're living in a shadow of another age. Them
churches was fine in their ages, but what about this age? This is
another age. You'd never make Wesley believe on Luther; there wasn't
sanctification. No, sir. You'd never make the Pentecostal believe on
the Baptist, or like that, go back to that. They found something
better. They lived in the light of their day.
96 And, today, Pentecost has
organized and set right down like they did; it's exactly the same
thing. And the Word's moving on, and It's moving right away from them.
That's exactly right, 'cause we get so stiff and so starchy. We let our
churches get in any kind of condition, go right on. Long as we got
members, that's all is necessary, 'cause we got more than we ever had."
We blow about that.
Let me tell you something that's an old proverb, that, "The devil
counts his crowd, but God weighs His."
That's true too yet today. God weighs you by His Word, see if you're
found wanting or not. I don't care about crowds, how many's, how
unpopular It is. It's God's Word being made manifest for this hour.
Exactly right. I don't care about crowds, and who comes and who
doesn't. It's God's Word's at stake, like it was there in Pilate's
judgment hall. Weigh It, and see what we have found, where we're found
wanting. Yes, sir. We believe that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today, and forever.
99 We find out that He told
Moses that, "I'll be with you, and I'll just use your mouth. You go
speak the words as I tell you, and the signs will interpret themselves."
See, God don't need no interpreter. Oh, no, he mustn't be interpreter.
God's interpret proves Himself. He said that He was the Interpreter of
His Own Word, and He is. He did it by Moses, and He does it today. We
know Him in the Bible as Elohim. "Elohim" is "the all-sufficient One."
He needs nobody's advice. He stands alone. He's God, and He is the
Word. And when the Word promises something, and makes It identified
before you, what kind of an interpretation do you want outside of that?
101 Oh, sinful man or woman,
who are you that could rise up and say that It's wrong? When God, with
His Holy Spirit and promise Word, interprets It in the face of every
one of us, who are we to say that it's wrong? Oh, sinful person, how
could you do that? "Sinful, what do you mean by that, Brother Branham?"
Unbelief. There's only one sin; that's unbelief. Need not man's silly
interpretation, He interprets His Own. "I am the Lord," He said, "I
planted it; I'll water it, day and night, 'less some should pluck it
from My hand." He also said in another Scripture that He watched over
His Word to perform It: Perform It, reveal It to what? His elected, to
those that is sent to see--that's sent to see It, rather. He performs
It to those who are sent to see--to see It.
He watches over It, keeps It away from all these foolish carnal
interpretations, these things, that, "This is right, and that's right,
and that's right." God's right, God's identified Person.
104 All them Pharisees could've
stood up and said, "We're of God. We have the laws. We have this." And
there stood the Word Itself. Said, "Away with it. Crucify it. It don't
identify itself by what we believe." But It identified Itself with the
Word. Amen. Those who had eyes to see, saw It. Those who were blind did
not see It. Neither will they do it today. That's all. They're going,
done sealed themselves off, many of them, from away from It.
Oh, yes, by fulfilling It, showing It to be true...
107 Some say, "I believe so
much of It. Brother Branham, I can believe the Bible. I sympathize with
the Bible. I'm a Bible sympathizer. I believe so-and-so. I believe
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. But I just can't believe all of It,
because my denomination says It's not so."
Then what kind of an interpreter do you got? The same kind that Eve
had: the devil. He tried to interpret the Word to Eve, and he said,
"Oh, this is right, and that's right, but surely..." Surely's right.
What God says, It's right. I don't care how much It seems to others.
When God said it's going to happen, it's going to be that way.
Would you use Eve's interpreter? Oh, sinful person, how could you do
that? Yes, sir. They had got Eve's interpreter.
109 The evidence, as I said the
other day, we try to place evidence. Luther said, "Believe and walk
out." The devil believes too.
Wesley said, "Shout, and you got It," but he found out he didn't.
Pentecost said, "Speak in tongues, and you got It." They didn't.
Christian Science said, "Love, and you got the fruit of the Spirit,"
but they haven't. They deny the Divinity of Jesus Christ.
What is the evidence of It? When that spirit that's in you can
punctuate every promise with a "amen," and God will confirm it. That's
exactly the way it was with Jesus Christ. Oh, yes. They had--they had
more fruits of the spirit. They had all kinds of evidences. You can't
pin any evidence down to anything but God Himself manifests His Word.
That's the only true evidence that there is that you're a Christian.
How can you be a Christian when...
111 "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was
made flesh and dwelled among us," the same yesterday, today, and
forever. He was the same God that was in David. He was the same One
that was in Moses. He was the same One was in all the apostles. And
He's the same One that was in Jesus Christ to manifest Himself there by
that promised Word. And He's the same God today, the same Word,
throwing Light upon the Word of the hour. God be merciful to us. Yes,
sir.
Believing God to interpret Himself, every Word to be vindicated. Yes,
He is His Own interpreter.
112 And, brother, I think of the hour. I could stay on this a long time, but you got a meeting coming. I believe, and I'm going to say today; if we don't watch, He is on the hands of we Americans. Think of it. I say this not for anger; I say this for Light. I say that the Blood of Jesus Christ is on the hand of the American church today. The Blood of Jesus Christ is on America, whole. The Blood of Jesus Christ is against the Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Pentecostals. It's on the hands of all of us. Let's see if it is now. Think of it, the Blood of Jesus Christ. Oh, my.
113 And as Pilate that day, it
reminds me of three ways that Pilate tried to get It off his hand. He
tried all three ways to get It off his hand, but he failed. There's
only one way you take It off your hand. Let's see what he did. Pilate
tried these three ways, and they all failed.
We must face the issue. We know it's here, for His Word has been
identified by the Scripture evidence. The Word promised for the day is
made flesh, even to the evil part of refusing Jesus Christ; and Him in
this Laodicean age on the outside of the church. We know that's the
truth. Think of it, the Blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, on our hands.
You... That scares me to think of it. To run through Him, it sends
chills, to think, the Blood of Jesus Christ.
115 When, a man will watch his
own fellowman's blood. One time in Chicago, not long ago, a friend of
mine was standing there when one of the--the Dillinger outfit, or
whatever it was, shot down on the street. People gathered up by the
hundreds, and they stood all around. But, they, what did they do? Where
that blood was spread out on the street, and that bullet hole,
everybody walked around that blood. They wouldn't step in their
fellowman's blood. Oh, no, sir. They're very suspicious of that.
But they'll walk right through the Blood of Jesus Christ. This old
saying is still true, "Fools will walk with hobnailed shoes where
Angels fear to trod." That's right. They'll walk right over It, say,
"The days of miracles is passed. That was all right for the apostles,
but not for us." Oh, my, how can you say it? You're tramping under the
foot the Blood of Jesus Christ wherewith you were sanctified with. Oh,
my, think of the Blood on our hands.
117 When a man's fellow's
blood... I think about long ago, a few weeks ago, when we thought it
couldn't happen in our nation. What about this fellow Oswald, setting
there in that cell, sweating it out, if he's in his right mind?
And I think of a man that would listen to this tape, or setting present
here anywhere, and listen to the message a proving, sweating it out,
knowing that you got to come to judgment and answer to the Word of God,
answer to the Blood of Jesus Christ, which you've been introduced to on
your hands, on our hands.
119 Notice Oswald setting
there, what an awful thing it should ought have been to him, or
would've been, or I guess it was, when he thought that he would face a
angry Supreme Court with the anger of murdering their President. There
would be no mercy. Any evidence they could get against him, it'd be
crammed against him. Fingerprints, gun, place he was at, all would be
brought before him.
That's a mild thing to what it's going to be to people who set in these
meetings and watch Jesus Christ rise in the form of His Being, and
identify Himself, and you walk out without accepting Him, holding to
some little creed, or something that you call petty. That'll be a mild
thing, when you set in the Presence of angry God, who's tramped
the--you who have tramped the Blood of His Own Son, and crucified Him
afresh in your mind, swapped your birthrights for a popularity. It's
going to be a terrible thing on that day. It'll be a horrible thought.
How can you set in that sweat cell?
121 You natives in Africa, you
in Australia, Sweden, Switzerland, you listening to this tape, how you
going to answer in the day of judgment, when I've been in your nations
and you've seen the identification of Jesus Christ rising among the
people and proving Himself?
Sweat, my, he must've sweated out. Oh, how could he do it if he was in
his right mind?
What kind of a angry God do you think it'll be to those who have trod
under foot the Son of God and crucified Him afresh again?
124 Notice a pilot when he gets
ready to take a plane up. A pilot will take a plane out; he'll check
everything before he leaves, every instrument. He'll go out on the
runway, and stand out there and check those wing flaps, check his gas
caps. Everything, every instrument he's got, he checks it over and
over. Many of you has flown in planes, and you know that's the truth.
He checks every instrument. Why? He's got the blood of his fellowman
upon his hands. He wants to be sure that everything possible is--is
running right.
How about a doctor in an operation, when he knows that he's going to
operate, take a tumor or a heart, or something another, and operate on
it? When he's going to operate on your body, he'll check your heart,
he'll check your blood pressure, he'll check whether you got any cold,
he'll check the anesthetics. He checks everything over, and over, and
over again, Why? He don't want the blood of his fellowman upon his hand.
And if a doctor and a pilot, and so forth, will check, how ought the
Church of Jesus Christ to do, when we see the things that we're living
in today? We had better check. The Blood of Jesus Christ might be left
upon our hands.
127 Now, let's take one thing,
Pilate's first scheme, was, "I find no fault in Him."
How that is amongst many of the fine groups today, "I find no fault in
the Word. It's all right, but that was for the apostles." The Bible
said He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. You say, "That Bible
is all right. I believe they spoke in tongues; I believe they cast out
devils; I believe they discerned the thoughts; I believe there were
prophets; but not this day." Oh, mister, sinful man, what's the matter
with you? What happens when Matthew the 28, or 24:24, lays right back,
Hebrews 13:8 flies right back in your lap again?
Pilate, he couldn't wash It from his hands like that. No, sir, It come
right back in his lap again. So will it to every man, when you stood
and seen God keep His promise.
130 Peter said, on the day of
Pentecost, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the Name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children,
and them that are far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
How far? "To all the world, to every nation." Said It was to every
nation. "Go ye into all the world." It hasn't reached there yet.
"Preach the Gospel to every creature. These signs shall follow them
that believe."
How you going to wash that from your hands? You cannot do it. It's
a-vindicated and throwed right back in your lap. It backfires, just
it--like it did on Pilate. Oh, yes, sir, it comes right back to you
again, when you see the Scripture identified right before you.
133 Secondly, as we're
closing... Secondly, we find out, there was another way as Pilate tried
to do, so does people today, pass it on to his Herods and Caesars. Many
fine ministers today, Episcopalians, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist,
Pentecostals, and so forth, will pass it on, "My headquarters is the
one won't let me do it." It backfired. It's backfiring again today.
I'm not asking the Assemblies of God, the Oneness, the Church of God,
the Methodists, the Baptists, the Presbyterian. I'm asking you as an
individual, what do you do with the Blood of Jesus Christ? What will we
do with this anointed Word of God that's right before us today, that we
know is to be, is the Christ, the promise of the hour? What will you do
with It, not what your church does with It. Your Caesar and your Herod
has nothing to do with it. That didn't excuse Pilate. No, sir. No, sir.
Them Pharisees in that day said, "Let His Blood be upon us, and on our
children." It is. That's exactly.
136 What did He, Jesus, tell
them? "You can discern the face of the skies, but you can't discern the
signs of the time."
And, oh, I don't say this for Phoenix, but I say it for anywhere it
wants to go to. You blind Pharisees. How can you, spending millions of
dollars, you can discern communism; but the Word of God, a-vindicated
for the hour, you cannot discern? You are crucifying It again. You know
all about communism; if you knowed your Bible, you'd know the thing's
got to happen. That's not interesting to me. I hate communism. I hate
anything against God. But what my interest is is this, the Church being
ready for this hour, for the going away of the Bride.
"Discern the face of the skies, but the signs of the time you cannot
discern."
139 And on His trial today, it's in the Federal courts to make this Council of Churches, and everything. You can discern communism and all these things that preachers are preaching about, and walking right over the signs of the time, and calling it a fanaticism, calling it mental telepathy, or something like that, and walking away, and preventing their people to come even hear it. If history hasn't repeated itself, I, my name's not William Branham. Exactly right. What's going to happen? It throws the Blood of Jesus Christ right back on your hands, and you're calling It a unclean spirit, like they did then.
140 All around the world. I guess you know what I meant then. Everywhere. Why'd you turn me down in Switzerland? Why did you do it, Finland? The Blood's going to be upon your own hands. That's upon you. Not me, you never turned me down; you turned Him down, not me, because you said, "I don't believe in such." The Word says such. There you are. Blind Pharisees, they can discern communism, discern all these things, but the hour they're living in, they can't discern it. That's exactly right.
141 Now it's about to reach its... My final goal again... The crucial hour is here again. What's is it? "Crucify Him. We'll make... We can't all make them all Methodist; we can't make them all Baptist; we can't make them all Oneness; we can't make them all Trinity; we can't make them all this, that, or the other; but we can have a council." Where you a disagree as far as the east is from the west, and the whole thing is wrong. It's a satellite to Rome. That's exactly right.
142 Now, as an individual, I'm
going to ask you. What will you do with this anointed Word which is the
Christ, the Word that was promised for this day? You, as an individual?
Pilate never got It off his hands. You know that. He screamed, cried,
and every scheme he could do. He failed to do it. There's a legend up
in Switzerland there, where gre--or blue water washes up where he
committed suicide. You know the history of it. He finally run him
crazy, and he committed suicide. Why didn't he repent? He couldn't
repent, no more than Esau could repent. He had done it. Don't you let
that happen to you.
144 He is on your hands. The
works is done; the Bible's preached; the Holy Ghost has identified It.
Any sinful man, dare you to say it isn't so, the Holy Ghost in this
last days. And the Words that's been spoke, said it would come to pass,
and here it is right before us.
Don't try to do it. Don't let your end be like Pilate. No. He should've
accepted Him in his heart. That's the only way you can get Him off your
hands is take Him in your heart. Oh, don't make that same mistake.
Listen, Hebrews 10 says this, "If we sin willfully (disbelieve
willfully) after we received the knowledge of the truth, there
remaineth no more sacrifice for sin." If you sin willfully after It's
has been identified to you, and then you turn It down, you are
absolutely no chance of ever repenting.
147 Just a minute, I got a note
here I want to bring to you before closing.
Like the spies on the road to the promised land. They was in a exodus,
coming out of Egypt, come out by a promised Word of God. God made His
Word known by a prophet, Moses; sent him down there. He was identified
that He was the God to bring him out under the conditions that He would
promise to, the I AM.
When they come to the borderland, Kadesh-barnea, the great mistake they
made, when they got to the land and looked over into the promised land,
they said, "We can't take it." What was the other ten? They looked at
the circumstances, the prestige they would lose. "We're grasshoppers to
the sight of them."
But Joshua and Caleb checked up. They went back to the Word, and the
Lord said, "I give you this land. It's a good land, flowing with milk
and honey." They didn't count what it looked like, what this was, and
what this evidence was. God's Word said, "I give it to you. Go get it."
And they were the only ones that went in.
151 Oh, let us check the
promises of God for today. That's right. Remember, we're in another
exodus, a time; a exodus, this time, not into a promised land of the
earth, but into the promised Land of glory, where there is no return no
more. Glory to God, we're going to be there. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
Will you do it, while we bow our heads?
152 I'm going to ask this question while every man and woman is still. What will you do with this Jesus called Christ? Will you accept Him? Will you take Him as your Saviour? Will you be a... Or, will you wash Him off your hands? Will you try to pass on, "well, my--my creed doesn't say this," or, "My denomination doesn't believe it just like that"? It's right on your hands. You can't get away from it. What will you do with Jesus called Christ? His Blood is on your hands, since this week in the meeting. Let us pray.
153 Lord Jesus, help us just now in this hour. Let Thy grace and mercy be with us. Let this congregation see, Lord, that Thou art God, and there's none except Thee. Let the power of God now, the Word identify Itself in this people, that it might be known that You're God, and I have told the Truth, Lord. I done it--this at Your command; as Elijah said long ago, "I did this all at Your command." Grant, Lord, that'll be so, in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen.
154 Now with your heads bowed,
every one of you. The Holy Spirit just stopped me, a few minutes ago,
when I started praying. He said, "There's some here that don't know
that yet. May God of heaven leave you without anything, may He throw it
right back in your lap today then.
You sick people that's here. I've never done this at a Business Men's
meeting. You sick people here that believe God, and believe you have
faith to touch His garment. And you remember, the Bible said in Hebrews
4, "The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, a Discerner of
the thoughts that's in the heart." We all know that. Do you believe it?
Will you pray?
156 Let not one person move
from now on. Let everyone be real reverent, real quiet, real quiet.
Pray. And may the Holy Ghost now lead us to what to do and what to say,
for this crucial hour is here now against us.
Lord Jesus, it's in Your hands. I'm in your hands. I commit myself to
You. Throw it back in their laps, Lord; put it right back. Sure, Your
great Holy Spirit tells me here what's right and wrong. And I know this
tape's going to meet many out there; I pray that You'll let it be known
today that I've told them the truth, and I've been sent for this, like
You said on the river that time when that Angel of the Lord stood there
in that Pillar of Fire. Let it be known today that I've told the truth,
through Jesus Christ's Name. Amen.
158 Raise your heads now. Look
this a way and don't you doubt. God Almighty be the Judge of us.
When Jesus Christ stood here on earth... When He died, He healed the
sick, He saved the lost. Do you believe that? But when He was here, how
they knowed He was, because He was the Word. How many knows that to be
true? He was the Word, and the Word discerns the thoughts that's in the
heart. Is that right?
160 I can't see a person in
this building at this time I know, except these pastors and so forth
back here.
Or maybe Brother Roberts is here, I'll just have him start a prayer
line. Is Brother Roberts back in there? He's not here. All right.
My ministry will do for this time. I challenge you, in the Name of
Jesus Christ, to believe me, that I've told the truth about the Word,
and believe that what I've said to be the truth. Will you do that?
Let it be, Lord, let it be.
163 There's a man setting right
here. I want you to turn your eyes; can't you see that Light hanging
there? There's a man setting there, looking at me, praying. He's
suffering with a lung trouble and weakness. Don't miss it, sir. Mr.
Carr, raise up and accept your healing. Jesus Christ makes you well. I
never seen the man in my life.
There's a man behind there, very fine, he was praying too. But what's
the matter with that man, that man there has eye trouble. He's got a
growth in his left side. His name is Mr. Bartlett. You believe. Is that
right, sir? Am I a stranger to you? Wave your hand; we're all
strangers. That's right. God bless you. Believe, you'll be healed.
You believe.
165 What did you tell him that
for? You believe me to be His prophet, sir? Yes, sir. You're suffering
with a spiritual upset, a little upset in business and things. That's
right. That's right. Mr. Carlson, do you believe with all your heart
that Jesus will straightened it out for you? Is that your name? That's
your place? All right, you can have what you asked for. Amen.
Somebody over here believe it (Amen.), somebody with genuine Holy Ghost
faith.
Miss Waldroff, I see that. I know you. No, it isn't for you. It's for
that baby, and that baby is your great-grandson. I never seen him in my
life. That's the truth. The baby's suffering with an eye trouble caused
from an allergy he had. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD. You believe.
168 Lady, you're very sick.
You're nervous, got a stomach trouble, almost in a nervous breakdown.
You believe that God will heal you? Mary, believe with all your heart,
and Jesus Christ will give you your desires.
He's on your lap.
Here's a little lady setting here, praying, looking right at me, head's
down. Raise up and look at me. Good person... You're not from here. You
come from away from here: New York. But if you'll believe that Jesus
Christ makes it well, He'll give you the baptism of the Holy Ghost. You
believe that? Mrs. Bryan from New York, believe with all your heart and
you can receive the Holy Ghost right now.
170 It's in your lap, friends. Do you believe It, the Word making Itself manifest? Do you believe Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever? I don't know these people. God's my Judge. I don't know these this people. Jesus Christ knows them. What will you do with this anointed Word, as He said, "As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man"? If this part's true, the Message that I preach is true. It's the Holy Ghost Itself doing Its Own interpretating, that it's right. Amen. Believe It with all your heart. Will you do it? Stand up on your feet then and accept It, in the Name of Jesus Christ.
172 While the Holy Ghost is
here, I want to lay hands upon these handkerchiefs here. Let's raise
our hands to Christ.
Lord Jesus, we believe You. We know You're the Truth, the Light, the
Word. I put my hands upon these handkerchiefs. I pray, Lord Jesus, that
Your power will circle through this building and through these
handkerchiefs, over these little coats and cloaks. And may the Holy
Ghost come upon them, Lord. Grant it. And may they be healed, every one
of them, for Thy Word is Truth. Grant it, Lord.
174 Now to every one in the
congregation, what will you do with this Jesus called Christ? It's on
your hand. Don't you let the people tell you... I mean the people on
this tape, the people out here in the audience, what will you do with
it today? Why don't you accept Him, every sick man in here? Every
doubting man in here, every doubting woman, why don't you accept Him as
your Saviour? You'll never wash Him off your hand. Your creed will
never take Him off. There's not enough Fuller's soap in the country to
move it. Only one thing you can do: get Him in your heart. Amen. Will
you accept It? Raise your hands then and say, give Him praise and glory.
Heavenly Father, they are Yours. Your Word is identified. The people
are Yours. I commit them to You, in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen.
Raise up your hands now and praise Him. And I commit Him to you, in
Jesus Christ's Name.