Questions Et Réponses n° 1
919-1 Let us remain standing just a moment as we bow our
heads for prayer.
Gracious Father God, we thank Thee this morning from the depths of our
heart,
because Thou art able and willing to answer our prayers. And we pray
that You
will receive our thanksgiving for what You've already done for us. We
are
waiting with great anticipations for You to help us this morning, and
when we
leave the portals of these building, may we go out of here a different
person
than we was when we come in. May the Holy Spirit mold us this morning,
our
characters, and make us into the subjects of Your Kingdom, for we ask
it in
Jesus' Name. Amen. (Can be seated.)
919-2 Just sorry to be just a little bit late, but I had
quite a few things
to do, and a lot of sick people and interviews before I get into
the--to the
building almost.
And so, we are happy to be here this morning and to see all you fine
people.
And I want to thank that--those folks who sent us those fine things,
the
present for the wife and for--and the--the brother who sent me his deer
rifle.
The Lord bless him. He said he's getting old and wouldn't want to use
it
anymore, and he wanted me to have it; so I--I certainly grateful to
that--for
that. As long as I live, brother, as far as I can help myself, I'll
have it.
I'll never put it in my hand 'less I think of you and pray for you.
919-4 Now, we're... So many things to be done today, I
thought maybe while
I was here I'd have some questions and find out what was on my church's
heart--the different ones. I certainly did. I got enough questions to
last me
till the millennium starts. I didn't know there was so many could be
gotten.
I--I got some hundred in here, and there's a hundred or more come in
this
morning. So I would never be able to answer them, I guess, rightly,
'cause...
And they're--they're good questions, really good.
Now, some of them could not be read right out in public, so you know,
I've
asked them... If what I can't put in a round about way... It's problems
of
family and... You understand. And I--I've asked to have the--both
husband and
wife on private interview, so I can talk to them privately about these
matters.
It's not bad things; it's things that should be settled in the family,
just
human nature and race that we--time we live and so forth that brings
these
things about, and they're problems that goes to a--the human family;
and they
must be answered. And so, I'll do everything I can to answer them in
the best
way.
920-6 Sometimes in answering questions, it kinda takes a
long time; and I
don't want to miss any of them. I'll get every one just as close as I
can. Now,
they're just--I just got them pushed in a bag here, answer them,
and--and put
down a Scripture if I have to have it, and--and set it back. Then I was
all day
yesterday, and big part of the night last night, and ever since a
little after
daylight this morning... And I got about twice this many more come in
this
morning. So, I think what we'll do, the Lord willing, I'll answer them
up
till--as far as I can till around noon, then dismiss, then come back
again this
evening and--and try to finish up as many as I can tonight, and see if
I can
get--finish them up. And maybe I won't have to punish you so long in
one great
long session. And I think it'd give you time to get out, and rest, and
recuperate a little, take a nap or something, and come back if you can.
If you
can't, why, Brother Fred Sothmann, I suppose, is taping this. Is it
being
taped? All right; that's fine. Yeah, they're in the room taping it,
and--and
this tape may be--if it's all right--you may have the tape; it'd be
kept and
called "Questions and Answers," because there's some real hard
questions in here and something... Many of them are on the doctrines of
the
church.
920-7 Now, I would like for the people to know that
sometimes in answering
these questions, it's hard. It takes a lot of grace to stand here, if
you know
the love that I have for you people. I couldn't express it. I don't
even
express it to my children; I don't even express my--my deep love for my
wife as
I ought to, because I'm--I'm temperamental, and I just keep going in
one
straight line. There's only one thing I'd express my whole love to:
that's God
Almighty. And I--I just love Him first of all. Other people I love, but
I--I
don't want to get--I don't want to mar that love that I have for Him;
let that
be first. So therefore, when I answer your questions, I'm answering it
with
love in my heart to you, but one thing before me all the time: that's
Jesus
Christ (See?), in that way that He'd answer it.
921-8 Sometimes I might have to answer... It might hurt,
might scratch, and
I--I don't mean it to be that way. I'm answering it with one purpose,
as I
said, Christ before me. And I got to remember that It's Him that I'm...
I've
got to give an account for. So my first love is to Him; my second love
is to
you people, and so I--His Church that He's purchased with His own
Blood. And He
really loves you more than He loved Himself, because He gave Himself
for you.
You're the purchase of His Blood, and I--I handle it just as careful
and
sincere as I know how. But then, in doing it sometime you think, "That
was
a very rude remark (I'm about...); it's so blunt and flat." I'm doing
it
with Him in my mind (See?) to try to make--that the rest--everybody see
just
that it must be this way. It's not any--anything to hurt or no more
than just
to make sure that the people gets it, and I hope everybody receives it
in that
way. And now, in here we find out what is on our minds.
And as I see you all all assembled this morning and everything packed
around,
and I think we got a overflowing crowd in the--in another church. A
sister
church has picked up a--a radio or some kind of a--a telephone hookup.
That's... The overflow is in that church this morning; I understand.
Brother...
Or another brother's got a--a church that's got the overflow that's
being
transmitted from here to that church. That's so that you won't have to
stand on
each other's feet and things around the walls.
921-10 Now tonight, the Lord willing, we'll have a--we'll
begin early
tonight. I'd like to ask the pastor and the--the board if they would...
Let's
start just a little bit early tonight, 'cause the people, some of them
are
here, and they'll have a long drive to drive. And I'd like to start at
least a
hour earlier tonight, if we could, and finish that out. So you... Just
as soon
as you have your lunch after 6 o'clock or anytime, why, I'd start. See?
Say,
you usually start at 7:30 don't you? Let's be--let's let me be on the
platform
by 7:00. See? And there by 8:00 or 8:30, or something like that, it'd
give you
time to--to go to your homes and be ready for tomorrow's work, if there
is a
tomorrow.
Now, the Lord be with you and bless you abundantly, and I'll go in as
soon as
this service is over and pick up these other questions and try to
answer them
out. I just write on them, just a little--little pieces of notes and so
forth,
that I can--I can... Kinda forget the Scriptures. Then when I'm in the
room
studying, then I (I like to refer back to them somewhere, and I got it
here.)
and just jot it down on a piece of paper. And therefore, if it's in
a--in a
encyclopedia I have to pick it up, or some expression of a word, or a
name,
I've got it wrote before me. I don't have to bring a big bunch of books
and so
forth; I've got it there.
922-12 Now, if the question is not satisfactory to you,
well, then I--maybe
I've made a mistake. See? I--I--I might've made a mistake, 'cause these
things
are just the best of my understanding. And I want the--the ministers
who may
have their congregation, or the congregation of a certain church that
would
listen to these questions... I do not want this... If it's any
reflection upon
your teaching and your--your--your congregation, I want the
congregation to
understand clearly that this is just our teaching here at the
Tabernacle. I'm
not trying to press it upon any other groups of people. And I--I--I
want to be
a Christian in--in my heart, that I teach what I believe. I stand on my
conviction. If I compromise to that, I'm a traitor to Christ and a
hypocrite to
you; and I--I must stand loyal on what I believe to be the truth. But
every
other man has a right to do the same. God is the Judge of us all.
922-13 Now, just before we start, I thought I would make
mention of the--a
fine historian, Paul Boyd. Many of you know him; he comes here at the
Tabernacle. He just returned from Jerusalem and attended the World
Fair. He's a
very much of a--a prophecy teacher, and he's a historian, one of the
finest.
He's a Mennonite brother; he was, and received the Baptism of the Holy
Spirit.
And so he become a very personal friend of mine. And he always watched
and
taken note of everything that I said pertaining to prophecy, to watch
and see
if it come to pass.
And now, he writes me here (as he's here in the States again now), and
it's on
the bulletin board, I think, this morning. And he writes down here a
note that
he's put in one of the papers or something or other, about outstanding
prophecies. And he mentions the fifth thing, I think it is, that I seen
thirty-three years ago concerning the achievement of--the progress of,
rather,
of science. And any of you that remembers, you got it down. I've got it
in my
books. And everything that the Lord told--tells me, I write it down,
that's of
a major under--or thing that I can tell the people.
923-15 And I thought this morning, before we started
this... This is not
sermons, but we're here to set together to learn from one another
what's on our
hearts. Let's get these things combed out now, as we've come down
through the
church ages and so forth. I think it's good to stop for a meeting or
two, and
check up, and find out what's on the people's heart, and then go from
there on.
You see? Then go back in again and--into a series of services. If the
Lord
willing, I want to have that here at the Tabernacle before long, just
long
series of services; you know what I mean, of--of like of different
subjects;
and just keep on going till He comes for me or I go to meet Him, one.
See?...?...
Paul Boyd wrote here concerning those seven things that I seen in 1933,
that
was to come to pass. And he watches them just as close, technically, as
he can,
because he's a historian. And he watches it, just exactly what you say.
And he
seen those things that was told of many years ago: about how that
Mussolini,
and what would become of him, and Hitler, and what would become of him;
and how
Communism would take both Fascism and all of these; and how the--the
Siegfried
Line would be built, and how that the Americans would take a beating
there (and
they never would admit it till just about two years ago, and they got
the
German pictures of the siege there; and they really took a beating.
They
liked... They lost their whole army almost right there.); and all those
things
that were done.
923-17 And now, it also said, "And it shall come to pass,
that before
the end time shall come, that automobiles will take on the shape of an
egg,
become more like an egg. And I saw an American family driving down a
highway in
a car that... They were setting facing one another, and had a table,
and were,
look like, playing checkers or cards. And they didn't have any steering
wheel
in the car. And it was controlled by some power without a steering
wheel. How
many remembers me prophesying that (See?), that's been here?
Now, at the World's Fair they've already got the car on the market.
Here is
the... It's sold now; some big company has taken many of them. And this
car,
here it is. Paul Boyd remembered the prophecy, looked into his book
what I'd
said, and took the picture in there. And there it is, exactly in the
form of an
egg, with two seats setting that way, and two setting this way, and a
table
setting in the middle to play the cards and things on, just exactly.
924-19 The Lord's Word is perfectly accurate. That was in
1933. That would
be... Let's see, what would that be? Thirty-two years ago, wouldn't it?
This is
'64. Yeah, thirty... Yeah, thirty-one years ago. Thirty-one years ago
the Lord
told me that, and here it is. And the company's here that's already
ordered
them; and the--and trucking companies and things are getting trucks
made like
them. They can control it right from their headquarters like that,
don't even
have to have a driver in it. And here it is all already made, and there
it is
with the cars. Now, it's on the bulletin board in the back, and you can
read
the prophecy and just see how accurate our God is, how His Word... He
said,
"Heavens and earth will pass away, but My Word shall never fail."
Just look, thirty-three years ago. You know what a--what a 1931, or
whatever it
was, model car would look like; it'd look like a relic. And It said,
"It'll look just like an egg, become like an egg. Of course, there's
nobody here, I guess, that's a-living today or among us that heard me
say that.
It's... You've heard me say it down through the ages, but... Yeah,
here's a
woman setting here. Why, Mrs. Wilson, I didn't see you there. You
remember when
that taken place. That's when she was healed, dying with TB (The woman,
her
husband and daughter came for me to go pray for her.) till she'd
hemorrhaged
until the--the corner was laying full of--of pillow slips and things
that she'd
bled. And the doctor said, "There's not a way of getting her ever to
live." And even... She was trying to say something to me before dying,
and
the blood would spurt out over the blankets and sheets when she was
there, when
she'd try to cough. And I took her out of that bed, and took her to a
cold
river here, in a icy water, and baptized her in the Name of Jesus
Christ. And
that's been thirty-three years ago, and here she sets today still
living, when
the big, healthy children, a lot of them are gone on. There you are.
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me."
That just shows how perfect it comes to pass when it's THUS SAITH THE
LORD.
924-21 [A woman speaks to Brother Branham from the
congregation--Ed.] Yes,
that's... That's right, sister. Yes, sir. The women... I said the women
would
become so immoral in the last... Now, you know thirty years ago how
they
dressed. Said they'd become so immoral, till they'd walk down the
street
with--till like--just like their underneath clothes on. And I said,
"Then
will come to pass, that they'll even be so disgraceful, till they'll
wear
something look like a fig leaf." I saw it, and they've got it; and
they're
wearing it. Just the--the immorality of women would get so low and
degraded...
We can't go no lower now; you can't go no worse. She's at the end. See,
they'll
never be completely nude. No, they...
I preached to people, women by the tens of thousands that don't have
one speck
of clothes on them (See?), young men, and young women, and all, but
they don't
know they're naked. See? They don't know it.
925-23 And the way women acts today... I was talking the
other night to
some friends of mine where we was way back up in the mountains, and
a--a young
woman... I'd just prayed for her baby; it had epilepsy; and the baby's
well.
And a little, poor family, way back up a hollow, a little old tobacco
patch
around the house, and about two rooms in it, and seven or eight
children...
That woman works (oh, my.)--just a broad axe out there, chopping wood
and
things, and--and hoeing gardens, and canning stuff. And I looked at the
poor
woman, same dress she's been wearing for a year or two, and it all
split up and
everything... And I was trying to find some of Meda's dresses to take
down to
her next week.
And--and we noticed standing there, a couple of brothers and I, the
lady
nursing her baby. She just removed her breast from her--from her--from
her
dress and begin to nurse the baby; and it was kind of amazing for a
minute;
that's the way my mother nursed me. It's exactly right.
925-25 I have more honor for a woman like that than I do
some of these
women that put a little old strap under them to throw theirself out:
don't even
look like a human being. They got a purpose in doing that; that's sexy,
ungodly. A woman wear ever so many clothes and try to make herself look
like something
she isn't... I... Why, women ain't--ain't actually that way; it's some
kind of
Hollywood stuff. And the devil spirit get on them women to make them
try to
attract attention of men through sex. A woman's breast was given her
for the
baby to nurse. That's exactly right. The woman's right in the primitive
line,
but she's lined right. I have more respect for that, for that woman
like that,
'cause she... That's the way her mother raised her; that's the way...
They--they never--don't pay any attention to it. The baby nursed right
out like
the Madonna picture that you'd see. And if people would only get their
minds
set like that, it would be different.
926-26 But when you come to go on the outside and maybe
wear ever so much
of a blouse or so forth, and then boost yourself out there with straps
and
things, that looks ungodly and cause men... Do you realize that's a
spirit of
the Devil on you? Oh, yeah. So you don't want to do that, sister. Don't
you do
that; that's Hollywood's makeup and a trap of the Devil. When you do
that, you
make men think the wrong thing about you; and when you do that, then
you're
guilty of committing adultery with that man, because you presented
yourself
that way to him. You can't help the way you're built, but just go and
stay the
way God made you. See? Don't try to make yourself something that you're
not.
Just stay human being. That awful? Well, maybe that answers some
questions of
somebody too.
926-27 Our Father, we thank Thee today for Jesus Christ
and for the
straightness of the Word. As I see You so perfectly make them words
come to
pass, it makes me more determined to stay with the Truth and every word
of the
Truth. So I pray, Father, that You'll bless us this morning, this
lovely
people. And knowing that this tape is going into many places that'll
hear even
that remark that was just now made... I didn't--it wasn't premeditated;
Thou
knowest my heart. It just come on my mind, and I believe You wanted me
to say
it. And I've said it, and it's over now. And--and that's exactly my
convictions
and what I believe that You'd have me to say.
Let every woman that hears that across the lands and around the nation
and
world; may she become ashamed of herself and see what's happened, and
dress
herself like a lady then, that she won't be guilty of an adultery. A
beautiful,
lovely creature as You have give, a part of a man, to be that way
to--to--to
attract his attention back to it: they two might become one, because
she came
out of the man. I pray, God, that the woman will realize that her
beauty and
what she is, is confined only to her own husband. Grant it, Father.
926-29 We ask that You'll help us now as we try to
explain these questions.
We're insufficient of these things, but let Thy great Spirit come,
Lord, which
is our Sufficiency; and may It answer the question in many hearts. We
thank You
for what You've give us: The Church Ages, and The Seals, and the... Oh,
how You
have dealt with us in great mighty things that's been great to us,
Lord,
because we see the end time near.
Now, to--thought it was prosperous or would be prosperous for Your
Kingdom if I
should check up upon the people. Many times under the discernment and
seeing so
many different things, and you can't concentrate on one of them; so
thinking
I'd just let them write out what they thought on their heart. And then
I could
express their thoughts from a piece of paper that they've wrote on, and
then
You give us the right answer. We're all waiting, Lord. Come into our
presence,
Lord, and walk up and down the aisles, and deal with each one according
to Thy
will. We ask in Jesus' Name. Amen.
(Pearry, did I... Is that still coming in over there on the broad... I
touched... Does this shut that off or any thing? It doesn't it? I
touched it
with my hand. I didn't know.) [Brother Branham talks to a brother about
the
tape recording--Ed.]
927-31 Now, as I say again now, as we start, to
the--those ministers or
peoples in the different parts of the country, or that will hear the
tape,
you're--you're (if the tape's all right)--this is questions on the
people's
heart that belongs here at this Tabernacle, where we have no
denomination, just
fellowship with one another. And I trust that it'll be a--clear up our
thoughts, that we'll know what to do and know how to live better after
our
question's answered. I know, just reading them, it was a blessing to me.
Now, I just got them laying here in a pile, and I'll watch and about
five
minutes till 12:00, I'll dismiss. And then, come back this afternoon at
6:30.
927-Q-236 First question I have, I believe it's five
questions in a row,
written by type on a piece of yellow paper.
236. What does this mean? Matthew 24:19: "Woe unto them that are with
child, and to them that give suck in those days!"
Strangely, not knowing that, I was going to say this about the woman,
and here
it is in this time, the first question.
Now, Matthew 24:19, Jesus had been asked three questions. In these
questions
was that: When will the time be there won't be one stone left on
another? and,
What will be the sign of the coming of the end of the world? and--and
three
different questions He was--He was asked. And He answers it in three
different
ways, answers each question. When will it be when there won't be one
stone upon
another? And what will be the sign of Your coming? And what is the sign
of the
end of the world? And He answers it in three different ways. He tells
them when
the time will come when there won't be one stone upon another; what
will be the
sign of His coming; and then, at the end of the world. And many times,
if you
don't watch closely now how that He answers (See?), you'll get it mixed
up and
throw it all in one time; and then you're all mixed up.
927-34 Now, no disregards to our--to our Adventist
brethren who take this
literally to be in the future, to get in that subject of the seventh
day that:
"Pray also that your flight be not in the wintertime or on the Sabbath
day," said (See?), they'll still be keeping the Sabbath. Not throwing
off
to those brethren, that wouldn't be Christian like to do that, but just
in order
to straighten it up. See?
How would the whole Christian world be gathered inside of a wall, and
the walls
are not opened and closed like they are then. See? What difference
would it
make, that whether it was the wintertime or summertime to the people
that lived
in a tropic zone. See? It was just for Israel alone. That's under the
time that
there won't be one stone left upon another... woe unto them that are
with
child, and to them that give suck in those days, because a mother that
is with
child (See?), it would be hard for her to run, and to those that are
giving
suck to their babies to pack them, 'cause they had to come from
Jerusalem out
of the city into the--up into the mountains of Judaea.
928-36 And now, I could just stay all morning on that one
thing there, just
to make it clear; but I'm just going to try to hit the high spots that
I can,
till it gets to the people, and then go to the next question.
Now, Jesus had told them that they'd... "When you see Jerusalem
compassed
about with army, then let him that's in the field, don't return back
into the
city to get his coat, take anything out of his house; don't return back
into
the city at all, but flee into Judaea, for there'll be a time of
trouble not
since the world began." And that all come to pass in the days when the
Roman general, Titus, besieged Jerusalem, burnt the city, and there was
only--and killed the people till the blood flew out of the gates and
rolled out
in--out of the streets. He besieged it. I don't know just how many
years it
was, that he just took his armies and come up and just camped right
around the
city. And even the people, the women, boiled their own children and eat
them,
eat the bark off the trees, the grass off the ground. That was for
rejecting
the Word. That's what caused it. And then...
929-38 Now, those who had received the Word, as Josephus,
the great
historian writes... He called them cannibals, said they was eating a
body of a
Man called Jesus of Nazareth, Who Pilate crucified; and they come at
night and
stole away His body, and these people took it out and cut it up to
pieces and
eat it. (They was taking Communion, you see. They didn't know. They
did--they
did...) That was just a tale going around, like they have today about
us and
the rest of the Christians. You see? They say those things, but...
Now, those people that were... The reason, "Pray that your flight not
be
in the wintertime," Judaea was snowbound. See, Christmas? Now, how was
Jesus borned up there then in them snowbound hills? "Pray that your
flight
be not in the wintertime, neither on the Sabbath day (See?), because on
the
Sabbath day the gates was shut, and they'd be caught right in their
trap. If
Titus got there on--on--on Friday afternoon, they was besieged in there
for the
Sabbath, because the doors was closed. The gates was closed on the
Sabbath and
didn't open. There's no coming and going out of the city on the Sabbath
day.
929-40 And now, you see what happened? Then He said, "Woe
unto them
that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days," (See?)
because
fleeing and running... And according to the history, there wasn't one
of them
that believed in Jesus and believed the Word but what was watching for
that to
happen. And they escaped, and went from Jerusalem into Judaea, and--and
fled
for their lives, and not one of them... Because they were warned by
their
Shepherd and was watching for that hour to come. When they heard Titus
was
coming, they took off, run for their lives, and got out of the city.
930-Q-237 Now, the next question follows.
237. Matthew 24:24: "And there shall rise false prophets--and false
christs, and false prophets, and will show great signs and wonders."
How
shall we recognize them?
"There shall rise..." In that now you're coming on down into another
age. See? "... raise false christs and false prophets." A false
christ is a false anointed, because Christ is the Anointed. How many
knows that
the "Christ" means "the anointed One"? There will be false
anointed ones, and they'll call themselves prophets. But how will you
recognize
them? By the Word; that's how you'll know it: by the Word, whether they
are
right. How will we recognize them? Will be by the Word. If they're...
If they
say that they have the Word, and then deny the Word, then there's
nothing to
it, no matter what they do. They might heal the sick; they might open
the eyes
of the blind; and deny the Word, stay away from it. Don't care what it
is, stay
with that Word regardless (See?), because many times I've seen voodoo
and all
kinds of things take place under--under healing.
930-42 Here sets Brother Sidney Jackson, Sister Jackson
this morning from
South Africa. He could stand up here and take that subject and really
tell you
some things about it down there. Why sure, people come to idols and are
healed.
See, because why?
Just like Dr. Aegery gave me that bawling out that time, of me saying
that the
devil cannot heal. And said, "A man that stands before as many people
as
you do, and such poor theology," said, "saying that the devil can't
heal." Said, "We got a woman right in our neighborhood carries a
apron around her, and goes there; and the people come around her and is
supposed to drop money in this apron; then she'll rub them and then
take hair
out of her head and blood out of their veins and--and put it on a hair
and
throw it behind her; and she's constrained to look back around, the
disease
comes back to people." And said, "Thirty percent of them get well.
And then you say the devil can't heal?"
930-44 And I thought, "Oh, my." I wrote him back, and I
said,
"Dear sir": I said, "It's a strange thing to me that a dean of a
Lutheran college would base his theology upon an experience instead of
the Word
of God." See? "The Word of God says that Satan cannot cast out Satan.
That settles it; Jesus said so." If Satan... Say, "Then..." I
said, "you might wonder how these people are healed through that, that
witch, is because the people themselves think they are approaching God
through
that witch. And healing is based upon faith, not upon how righteous you
are,
how good you are, how much you keep the commandments, or whatever it
is; it's
based solemnly upon faith. 'All things are possible to them that
believe.' See?
It's not based upon how good you are. I've seen prostitutes come to the
platform and be instantly healed and a sainted woman cross the platform
and
miss it. Sure, it's based upon faith; if thou canst believe, not upon
righteousness."
Look down here in France where they go to that shrine of that woman, go
in
there in wheelchairs and come out walking, upon nothing but a purely a
superstition,
if anything, spiritualism, to worship a dead person. See? And yet
they're
healed, because they think they're approaching God. Now, not degrading
Catholic
people, I'm degrading Catholic system, just like I am Protestant system
(See?),
all these things.
931-46 Now, ministers, I know this is going to tear in,
but I'm answering
questions; and I want--I want you to understand that (See?) I just--was
just
telling you the truth from my heart; Christ before me the best of my
knowledge.
See? It's all systems, and those systems has wound people up like...
People go
join the Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostals, Catholic; and
they
think they're approaching God when they're just going through a system.
God
honors it sometimes and takes their--their diseases away from them
through
idols. Well, right in the Hottentots of Africa they get healing with
idols and
so forth (See?), but they think they're approaching God.
You think a Catholic nun goes and joins the--the Catholic nunnery
because she
wants to be a bad woman? She joins that nunnery because she wants to be
a good
woman. A man don't go join the Catholic church just to be a bad man; he
goes
there to join it to be a good man. You don't... Say, "Well, what is
it?" Neither does those--neither does the Indian in India, or the Hindu
join Hinduism to be a bad person.
931-48 When I went into the temple of the--of the Jains,
where I was
interviewed there by that priest--like a pope setting upon a big
pillow, his
feet wound up under him, holding his toes--with such eye sight that he
wrote a
comparison of Scripture of the 23rd Psalm with his naked eye on a piece
of
steel that was less than a--not much more than a quarter of an inch.
Now, and
it's beyond any human reasoning to write it, and he engraved it on
there with
his natural eye; and he was a man forty years old or better. See?
Why sure, you--you just stay around here, just hear about Methodist,
Baptist,
Presbyterian; you ought to go out and get into the mission fields one
time: get
things to open your eyes. See?
932-50 Now, you think that all them sisters setting
there; they won't
even--they won't cook; they won't eat; they have to beg everything that
they
get. They won't--they make little mops with their hands to mop the ants
and
things off the street, because they believe in reincarnation; they
might be
stepping on their relation. Wouldn't step on ants, kill flies, nothing;
wouldn't even sterilize the knife to operate on a finger. Let the man
die,
because they kill a germ; it might be their--some of their relation
returning
back. See? You keep getting better, and better, and better; finally,
you become
a human being, a better human being, and on and on like, till you
become a god.
Just on, and on, and on, rotating, getting better and better.
Now, they don't do that to be bad people. They do that with sincerity,
but you
see, "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man." There's only one
thing, people, that I know to tell you as--as a class this morning on
these
questions, is the Word, the Word of God. Then you believe that Jesus
Christ is
that Word, and that Word is made flesh now among us, fulfilling exactly
what He
said He would do in this age. All right.
Now, that's how you'll know them, not by their church, not by their
creed, not
by their sign, not by their denominations, not by any healing, not by
anything,
but by the Word. See?
932-Q-238 238. Matthew 24:26 (next) speaks of a "certain
chamber"
and "in the desert places." What does this mean?
It means there will be antichrists, anti-anointings, so forth. And what
is
anti-? "Anti-" is "against." It'll be these same creatures
against the Word. And they'll be in the desert, in the secret chambers,
and
they said, "Don't go after it; stay away from it." See?
933-Q-239 Now, the fourth question:
239. Matthew 24:28: (The person's coming right down. They never signed
it; yes
they did. I beg your pardon. I won't call these names, because it's not
necessary. See?) Matthew 24:28: "For wheresoever the carcase is, there
will the eagles be gathered together." Who is the carcase and who are
the
eagles?
Now, that's a good question, nothing wrong with that. What is the
carcase? The
carcase is what the eagles feed on. Now, a eagle is considered in the
Bible, a
prophet. A prophet is the eagle. God--God calls Himself a eagle, and
we're
"eaglets" then, the--the believers. You see? And what is the carcase
that they feed on? Is the Word. Wherever the Word is, the true nature
of the
bird will show itself. See? A eagle, which wants fresh meat, he must
have his
fresh meat. He's not a--not a buzzard; he--he's an eagle. You can't
give no
denominational stuff to him; he's got to have eagle's food; that's the
freshest
of the meat, not what Moses done, not what somebody else done, not what
Sankey,
Finney, Knox, Calvin, but right now, the Meat that's killed for this
day. And
that's the part of Christ that died to make this Word be confirmed.
That's what
they eat on. Get it? See, see?
933-54 Not what Noah done, what Moses done, they're
examples; we see and
read what they did, but it's what He promised to do now. He was the
Word back
there; that was the Carcase for that day. The day of--of Wesley was a
carcase
for that day; the day of Luther was a carcase for that day; but they
don't go
back to that. That's already contaminated. What was left over must be
burned,
of the communion even; don't leave it for the next generation. The
Bible said
when you're taking the communion, what's left over of it, don't even
let it lay
till morning; burn it. So refer back to that? No, sir. We got fresh
Food today;
that's the Word that's promised to this hour be made manifest in this
hour.
That's where the eagles are, where the carcase is. We can stay a long
time on
that, but I'm sure you understand what I mean.
933-Q-240 All right, fifth question:
240. Will the Bride be gathered together in one place at the rapture,
and will
it be in the west?
Nope, don't have to be there. Yeah, the Bride will be gathered together
in one
place. That is true, but not until the resurrection. See? "For we which
are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord..." Ephesians--II
Thessalonians the 5th chapter, I believe it is. "We which are alive and
remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (or hinder) those
which
are asleep (universally); for the trumpet of God shall sound, and the
dead in
Christ shall rise, and we shall be caught up together with them to meet
the
Lord in the air." Therefore, the Bride will all be together when it
goes
to meet the Lord. See? It will be together, but it don't necessarily
mean that
we--they all have to be setting in one place like this; because the
Bride is
sleeping in the dust of the earth around the world, from the Arctic to
the
tropics, and from--from the east to the west, from north to the south.
934-56 Jesus said, "When the Son of man shall appear,"
why, said,
"it'd be like the Light that shines from the east even into the
west." The whole thing, there'll be a resurrection, a rapture, and away
it'll go. And before it ever go up to meet Him...
Watch the wisdom of the Lord. Now, let's say, for instance, in talking
this...
I'm saying this through thoughts of grace and faith in the Word, that I
say
"we." I'm throwing myself in with you all and I--and with the whole
Body of Christ, universally. I'm--I believe that. And when I say "we"
then, I mean, by grace I--I believe it. By faith I believe it in His
grace,
that we will be among those people that'll be caught up.
934-58 Now, the first thing happens when we're
resurrected... The ones
which are a-living will just still remain... The resurrection will set
in
first, the resurrection of those that are asleep. There'll be a
wakening time,
and those which are asleep in the dust now, not those that are asleep
in sin,
'cause they sleep right on. They don't awake for another thousand
years. But
those who are--are sleeping in the dust will be awakened first, and
they'll--these corruptible bodies will put on incorruption in the
rapturing
grace of the Lord. And then we'll all get together. And when they begin
to get
together, then we which are alive and remain shall be changed. These
mortal
bodies will not see death, but just of a sudden, there'll be like a
sweep go
over us, and you're changed. You're turned back like Abraham was, from
an old
man to a young man, from an old woman to a young woman. What's this
sudden change?
And after while you--you're traveling like a thought, and you can see
those
then who are already resurrected. Oh, what a hour. Then we'll gather
with them
and then be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air.
935-59 It's not necessary, if your uncle is buried down
in southern
Kentucky, that he has to be brought up in Indiana, or buried in Indiana
has to
be taken to southern Kentucky. No matter where he is... Them are dead
in the
sea shall rise from the sea. Those that were destroyed in that arena
and eat up
by lions, those who are throwed in the fiery furnaces and not even the
bones
will be left or the dust, they shall still rise. Whether they was in
Rome, or
the arena at Rome, or whether they were in the tropic jungles of the
south, or
in the frozen regions of the north, they'll rise from the dead and be
changed
and be brought up; and the living shall be changed in a moment, a
twinkling of
an eye and be caught up together.
935-60 Look at the missionaries that died down there in
the fields of Africa.
Look at them that's died up yonder in the--in the--the frozen regions
of the
north. Look at them that died in the arena, all over the world, in the
Congo,
and all around across the world. They've died everywhere in China,
Japan,
around the world; and the coming of the Lord will be universal, this
rapture
will.
Watch the changing. "There will be two in the bed; I'll take one and
leave
one," the same moment, "There'll be two in the field; I'll take one
and leave one," one on the dark side of the earth and one on the light
side of the earth. See? It'd be a universal rapture. Yes, the church
will all
be together, but after, after the resurrection and the rapture has set
in.
Now, if that is not the way you see it, why, that's all right now. I'm
not
exactly talking when I say that; we're taping this. You see? And it
might be
other ministers who disagree with that. That's all right.
935-Q-241 241. Dear Brother Branham, my question is on
baptism. When is a
person saved? I have heard it was when a person believed. Some say that
when
you receive the Holy Ghost you are saved, even though you haven't been
baptized
in water, as in the case of Cornelius at Acts 10:47. Some say Paul was
saved on
the road to Damascus, but in Acts 22:16, says that he still had his
sins three
days later. Can a person be baptized in the Holy Spirit as Cornelius
was, and
still have his sins, since he has not had water baptism, on--or is a
person's
passage to heaven not until he has had water baptism, even though he
has the
Holy Spirit?
Now, my precious friend... Now, this brother signs his name; I don't
know him,
but he signs his name. But I--I won't call the names, because it's not
necessary; 'cause other people will be getting to them and say, "Well,
I--I disagree with you on this and that." See? And I just won't call no
names. Most of these has their names signed, but I--just for me. See?
I'm
putting them back in here, so I can keep them. So it's just a blue
handwrite;
some of it's typed and different ways.
Now, the question here first was: "When are you saved?" And the
next--the follow this, "Can sins be remitted outside of water baptism,
for
Cornelius had received the Holy Ghost--he and his house--and had not
yet been
baptized in water." And Paul had not--after he'd met his experience
at--on
the road to Damascus, he, also, still had his sins on him until he was
baptized; because it said (I've read all these Scriptures through again
to be
sure.)... And so it was... He said, "Rise and go straightway and be
baptized, calling upon the Name of the Lord--be baptized, having your
sins
forgiven (remitted), and--and go calling upon the Name of the Lord."
936-65 And then, "Is the Baptism of the Holy Ghost...
person can be
baptized with It and still have their sins and not--and not baptized in
water."
"Is a person's passage assured to heaven when baptized, though they
have
the Holy Ghost; yet they must be baptized in water, before their
passage is
assured to heaven?" Now, I believe... Now, I don't--I don't know this
brother, and that's a very good and an intelligent question. And it
should be
dealt with at length, because it's important that we know these things.
See?
936-67 Now, I kinda believe that the brother may be
saying to me or getting
me to say it (or maybe he believes in it; I don't know) and--of
something that
I do think is just a--a little bit contrary to real, true faith in the
Word.
I... This sounds like that the brother is saying... Now, which is all
right.
Brother, you may be setting here; and that's fine. I--I think that's a
good...
I'm so glad you put it on here. Now, see? But I do not believe in being
baptized in water to regeneration (See?), because when you do, that
omits the
Blood. See? You are baptized in water to show that regeneration has
taken
place. See? That's just an outward--a symbol of regeneration. The whole
thing
rests solemnly upon predestination. See? But we don't know who is and
who
isn't; therefore, we preach the Gospel. By faith we just go preaching.
937-68 But on regeneration, now there's where I differ
with the oneness brethren.
And you oneness brethren who hear this tape of questions, if it would
fall into
your office, or your house, or among you people that's oneness people,
don't
misunderstand me, now, that I--I--just 'cause we disagree.
Me and my wife disagree; sure we do. I tell her I love her, and she
says don't
believe I do. So then--so then we certainly disagree, but I'm telling
you that
we sure get along all right.
Now, notice. Maybe I don't show enough signs to her that'd do it... I'm
out
preaching, then come in home and get my fishing rod and go fishing.
See? But
down in my heart I love her; I just have to stay away from her; that's
all.
Now, notice in this... Now, if we disagree, it's all right; but you
see, water
does not remit sins; it's an answering towards a good conscience.
937-72 Now, I believe the reason that Paul had to be
baptized there,
because it's officially and it's essential in the Bible that we are
baptized.
Because I take right back to this then: when the thief was hanging on
the
cross... And he died without being baptized at all, and yet with a
promise that
Jesus would meet him in paradise that day--in paradise, not in the
regions of
the lost, because it was the first time the opportunity was presented
to him.
And I believe the same conditions was with those hearts at the house of
Cornelius when they had received the Word of God with gladness. And the
Holy
Spirit is that Word quickened, and It had been quickened to them.
That's the
reason the Holy Ghost begin to speak out in other tongues and prophesy.
It was
the receptacle hearts of the people that the Word fell into, seeing all
the
supernatural.
That's what puzzles me today in this hour that we're living in. After
that
bunch of Romans had--and Greeks, as they were, had just seen the
manifestation
of a vision made sure, the Holy Ghost so alarmed them hearts till while
Peter
yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them. See?
938-75 Just like... See, Cornelius said, "Go call up..."
He was a
centurion, and that come, "century" is from a hundred. He was over a
hundred men. He's a Roman centurion; and he'd--he had seen a vision
while he
was praying, and an Angel come to him. He was a good man. He say go
down to
Joppa, one Simon, a tanner, and there's one named Simon Peter. He's
up...
You'll find him there, and he'll come tell you the Word."
Well, he thought that vision was so real. "I couldn't have been asleep;
I
was looking right at the--the Angel." So he sent some of his
faithfullest
soldiers down.
And while there, God was making the apostle ready at the other end of
the line.
And He said, "Now, rise." He said... Seeing he was up on top of the
house waiting for the--Mrs. Simon to fix the dinner. And while he was
up
there... He'd been hungry, probably walking, the apostle had, through
the--the
deserts. And--and he was laying up there on the house just before
dinner, on
the housetop, as it was customary. Still do the same thing, lay upon
the roof,
and they go down a ladder and sometimes steps and things, off the
roof--set up
there in the cool of the evening.
938-78 But the apostle fell asleep, and while he was in a
sleep, he went
beyond a sleep into a trance; and then he seen a sheet coming down with
all
unclean and things in it, and he heard a Voice saying, "Rise, slay and
eat."
He said, "Not so, Lord, nothing's ever come into my mouth unclean."
Now, see, there's a vision. Now, watch. That has to be interpreted.
Now, that
look like Peter's going to take a hunting trip and was going to find
some kind
of a animal he'd never eat before and try to eat it. He said, "Not so,
Lord, I--I never had anything unclean come into my lips."
He said, "Don't call that clean what I make--unclean what I make
clean." Said, "Rise, there's men waiting at the gate for you. Go,
don't doubt nothing." The same time they was knocking on the door.
[Brother Branham knocks on pulpit--Ed.]
938-81 Now, see? And then when he found this man there,
these faithful
soldiers, just according to the vision... And here they come back with
the very
man that God had said in the vision--a unknown person, just a little
unknown
fisherman. But among that little group, it was so significant that he
found
this little fisherman. And here he is up here coming into a house now,
the very
place where he saw the vision. Cornelius drawed all the people together
and
said, "Why, it's just exactly the way I saw it." And then Peter stood
up and begin to speak about how they'd received the Holy Ghost, and
while he
yet spake... They had seen everything so perfectly in order of one
vision. A
bunch of people who were Gentiles, that saw one vision manifested, and
they
heard the Word of the Truth that how they would receive Life; and the
Holy
Ghost fell on them before they was even baptized.
939-82 What ought it to do to this Tabernacle this
morning? Sick, the
afflicted, the blind, the deaf, the dumb, the--the sinner,
everything... Just
think, out of ten thousands of things, not one time has it ever failed
one
iota. Why, it ought to set our hearts aflame.
Now, now, he yet, while he yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell.
Then
Peter said, "Can we forbid water, seeing that these received the Holy
Ghost like we did up there." I believe their sins were already gone,
for
the Holy Spirit would've not come in; and He would not have come in
'less it'd
been a predestinated vessel. He knew that they would follow. He knew...
939-84 I believe Paul, the reason that he had to be
baptized again is, he'd
persecuted the Christians. That's right. And he--God knew, 'cause He
said,
"I have chosen him," He said to Ananias, the prophet. When He noticed
Saul was down there in a room, blackened face and darkened eyes, and
he'd--he'd
prayed so hard and dust all over him, and he was blinded from the
Pillar of
Fire that appeared to him on the road down; and He said, "I have chosen
him a vessel to the Gentiles." God knew that--that Ananias would be
able
to baptize him in the Name of Jesus Christ in the Damascus River three
days
later. But I believe his sins were already remitted, but he had to do
this to
show to the world. And I believe that that's the reason that we must be
baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ. And I believe predestinated seed
will see
it, and only them will see it.
939-85 Now, brothers of the trinitarian faith, I'm not
throwing this off to
you, my dear brother, I'm only answering questions. I'm only giving my
true
thoughts of it. This tape might one time wind up in Africa. I believe
that
we're in the shadows of His coming. We all believe that.
I've got precious friends, the duPlessis and Schoemans, and all,
Yeager, all
them fine brothers in--in South Africa. But there's always somebody
that just
stands right out in a man's life. And of all the men that--and I love
them just
as dear as I love this brother, just as dear; but Brother Jackson and
his wife
always stood out in my life. I just couldn't understand it; he--he
stood out.
Now, there's Justus duPlessis, bosom friend, and oh, so many of those
fine,
fine Afrikaans brethren and sisters.
Well, why did Brother Jackson and his wife stand out to me? Because he
was a
hunter? Nope. Because I've got many fine hunter friends down there. But
why did
he stand out? And why? If you only knew the secret behind this all. But
I don't
tell people all the secrets that I know. Well, why was it at the same
hour that
the Lord said, "Contact Sidney Jackson in South Africa," the Lord
spoke to Sidney Jackson to come here? Sunday a week he was baptized,
him and
his wife, in the Name of Jesus Christ, right here in the shadowing
time. See,
predestinated to the cause... See?
940-87 Now, I believe that you are--are--are saved by
accepting Jesus
Christ. And water baptism is an outward expression to show that
something
inwardly has happened, because water has no virtue; it's just a symbol.
And I
believe that you're saved when you...
Now, there's many people... Let me straighten this for brother. There's
many
people that are--say they're saved; many are baptized in Jesus' Name;
many
speak in tongues, and have all kinds of signs of the Holy Ghost, and
still not
even saved. That's right. "Many will come to Me in that day and say,
'Lord, have not I prophesied in Your Name?' (preacher), 'Have not I in
Your
Name cast out devils and done many mighty works.'" He'd say, "Depart
from Me, you that work iniquity; I never even knew you." See? So all
those
things, yet it--it's--it's God; it's in His hands. But when I see
that...
You say, "Well then, why do you recall the people to be rebaptized?"
Is because I'm following the pattern of the beginning. We can't lose
that
blueprint.
941-90 Now, we take apostle Paul when he found certain
disciples that were
wonderful people. I believe they were saved, and yet they had not been
baptized
in the Name of Jesus Christ, though they had been baptized (Acts 19).
Paul
passed through the upper coast of Ephesus; he finds certain disciples.
And he said
unto them, "Have you receive the Holy Ghost since ye believed?"
And they said unto him, "We don't know about the Holy Ghost, whether
there
be any Holy Ghost."
He said, "Then unto what were you baptized?"
They said, "We've been baptized. John baptized us, the same man that
baptized Jesus." That's a pretty good baptism.
Watch this stern apostle though. He said, "But John only baptized unto
repentance," not for remission of sins, because the Sacrifice had not
been
killed, baptized unto... And when they heard this, they were rebaptized
in the
Name of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost came upon them.
941-92 Now, what did this do? Showed that these people
who were
predestinated unto Life, as soon as they saw the Scriptural Truth, they
walked
in the Truth and received the reward of a believer: the Holy Ghost came
upon
them, and they spoke in tongues, prophesied, magnified God. You get it
now?
See? They did that after they'd already had great joy, shouting, and
praising
God.
In the Bible they had a Baptist preacher up there; he was baptized too.
But he
was, and he was--proved by the--by the Bible that Jesus was the Christ.
And the
people had great joy, and--and they was just so happy over it; and
still they
didn't have the Holy Ghost. They had to be rebaptized again. And Paul
said in
Galatians 1:8, "If a Angel from heaven comes and preaches any other
gospel
than this I've preached unto you, let him be accursed." Don't care what
it
would be...
941-94 Therefore, knowing these things... Maybe you don't
know them, my
brethren; but knowing these things, then I'm constrained and duty bound
to God
to carry out the plan of the first foundation, 'cause no other man can
lay any
other foundation than that which already laid; that's the apostles and
the
prophets. The prophets foretold it, and the apostles carried it out;
and we're
supposed to keep on carrying it till the building's completed.
Now, I believe then, that a man is saved when he believes on the Lord
Jesus
Christ with all of his heart, and from his heart, not from his outside
conscience now...
942-96 See, you--you're a dual person, three people in
one, soul, body, and
spirit. Now, I believe your outward senses, your--your soul from
the--not your
soul, but your outside conscience, your senses... When you're awake, in
other
words, you're--you're operated by five senses: see, taste, feel, smell,
and
hear. Them were only given you to contact your earthly home; and
they're-- they
were not given to you to contact your heavenly home. There's actually
six
senses in a human body, because he is number six in the Bible. He was
created
on the sixth day, and he is number six--a man is. And he's got see,
taste,
feel, smell, hear, and faith. His faith sets his destination, where
he's headed
for.
Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things
you do
not see, taste, feel, smell, or hear. But by faith, when he catches the
Word,
It sends him into a dimension (See?) that makes It so real to him, till
he's
just as good as got it in his hand. He knows it's going to happen.
942-98 Now, there is the same thing on this question here
on water baptism.
See? God knew that these people were going to be baptized in the Name
of Jesus
Christ. And Paul, he set the statement that no man, even a Angel from
heaven,
should not teach any other doctrine than that what he had been taught;
so
therefore, if I come as a preacher, as a minister, as a prophet, or
whatever I
might be, or even an Angel coming down, and would teach something
contrary to
what this apostle did, and I did not command the people to be
rebaptized in the
Name of Jesus Christ, I'd be found by the Bible a false witness of the
thing
that I claim to believe.
942-99 So I believe that the pattern has been laid down.
Every person in
the Bible was baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ. Never one time was
anybody
ever baptized in the name of the Father, Son, Holy Ghost. See? Never
was
anybody ever sprinkled; they were all immersed.
So I believe that when you are actually... To your question, precious
brother,
I believe that when God knows your heart... There'll be thousands there
that's
been baptized in Jesus' Name. You just go down a dry sinner and come up
a wet
one. See, see? But as the genuine, true believer, that you must walk in
all of
the faith and good conscience towards God, when you see it, you are
baptized.
But I believe that it's only in an outward expression showing that a
inward
work of grace has been done.
943-101 Just same as God built the ark. Said, "Noah, get
into it, you
and your family and household." And they got into it. Now, I believe if
there had not been an ark there, God would've let Noah set on a log or
walk on
the water. See? But he made an ark for him to get into, and that was
the way of
doing it; that was God's provided way. I believe that God saves a man
by grace.
In the Name of Jesus Christ through an outward expression is God's
provided way
to enter into it, for they was all baptized that way.
I'm not condemning the other fellow, but that's just... I think that
that's
what it is. Water does not save a man, it only shows that he has been
saved;
it's an outward expression. Now, that might not be right, brother. If
it isn't,
well, we'll get it some other time or... All right.
943-Q-242 242. In Genesis 6:4, after the flood, where did
the giants come
from?
That's a good one, very good. That's a sensible question. Where did
these
giants come from? Adam wasn't a giant as far as we know, 'cause if it
would,
the Bible would said so. He was just an ordinary man. Where did they
come from?
Now--now, this is a great dispute, and this was just handed to me. It's
on a
big, dark paper, and it's a--or big, dark letters on white piece of
paper.
943-104 Now, these giants... I believe it was
one--somebody here not
long... It might've been Josephus. I'm not--I'm not saying that now,
minister
brothers, that it was Josephus. But it seems to me like that it
might've been
him, or Dr. Scofield, or some of them, that said that these giants that
was in
the land were actually fallen spirits of God that listened to--to
Satan's tale,
as he told in the--around in heaven... And it was Michael... Trying to
raise a
war with Michael in heaven... was kicked out... That these sons of God
saw the
daughters of man, and that these giants was in the land at that time,
that they
pressed themselves into human flesh. If you do that, you make Satan a
creator.
You can't do it.
943-105 No more than Dr. Smith, on the Seventh Day
Adventist on the
sacrifice goat. He said one goat that was... They killed two goats at
the--the
day of the sacrifice--the day of Atonement, and one goat was killed and
the
other one turned loose. And then he said the goat that was killed
represented
Jesus, our sin Bearer that died; but the goat that was turned loose
represented
the devil, that bears our sins and goes away into eternity with it.
Now, you
see, any... To my opinion... If this ever gets back to an Adventist
brother,
I'm not saying nothing about that great man, Dr. Smith. Oh, he was a
smart,
intelligent, fine, cultured Christian, a believer; but to me, you see,
it doesn't
make sense. When you do that, you're sacrificing to the Devil then.
They both
represented Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. He also died for
our sins
and carried our sins far away; both of them was Christ.
944-106 So the giants never come from pressing themselves
in. These giants
were the sons of Cain, whose father was the serpent, who looked in
every
respect exactly like a man, but was a great, huge fellow, bigger than a
man.
And that's where those sons came from, because they were the sons of
Cain,
because they were Canaanites in the land of Canaan, where they come
from; and
that's where Cain went to. And that was... See, that also proves the
serpent's
seed. It was a different race of people altogether. That was serpent's
seeds.
See?
Now, that--that serpent's seed question's in here, so we're--we're
going to get
to it, and I want you to bear this in mind. See? Now, this will give
this
background.
944-108 See, they were--they were Canaanites, these
giants; and they were
the sons of Cain, which was the son of the serpent. And the serpent was
a giant
man, great monstrous sort of a fellow, not a reptile at all, beautiful.
He was
the most subtle of all the beasts of the field. And he was the only...
See, the--the genes from an animal into a woman will not breed at all.
They
tried it over and over; it's unfertile to the woman's sperm. And now,
they
can't find it. They take a chimpanzee, it's the closest thing they can
find to
the man, or the gorilla, or some of those close up to the man. As God
in His great
evolution begin to make fish; and then He made birds; and then He made
other
things, animals, and they kept coming on up, till one come out to a
chimpanzee,
and to a monkey, and on down to a gorilla, and then into the form of
the
serpent, and then from the serpent to a man.
945-110 And mankind has tried to search, science, trying
to find bones,
what this animal was that was next to the human. And human is an
animal. The
man, the flesh part is animal flesh; we know that. We are mammal, which
is a
warm-blooded animal; we know that. But what makes the difference? The
animal
does not have that inward soul, but the human does. He don't know right
from
wrong.
Little female dog don't know she has to wear a dress, and I don't
believe she'd
wear shorts if she was--understood. Neither would a sow, but it's a
fallen
human race. See?
945-112 Now, there's--there's where it comes from. That's
where these
giants came from. They were sons of the serpent.
And see, when he saw Eve in this condition, he--Satan got into him and
caused
him to... See, Adam had never discovered yet. I--I don't know how to
use these
words. It'd be all right here with you all, but somebody so criticizes
it. You
know, they're always trying to pick something. But see, Adam had never
knew Eve
his wife. He had never come to that place, and Satan beat him there.
See? And
then when she become pregnant, then he knew her. We'll get to that on
this next
question or one of these questions. I don't know where it's at; we--I
just seen
it in here. Now, but there's where the giants came from.
945-Q-243 243. Dear, Brother Branham, will all the sons
and daughters of
true, borned again believers be saved?
No, brother; no, they sure won't. See, as I--as I copied David
duPlessis on
this remark, "God don't have grandchildren (See?), just sons and
daughters." See, they'll have to be born just exactly like their father
and mother was born of the Spirit. See? That's what makes a man a new
person,
is because he's born again, reborn. His first birth brings him a
natural man on
earth; his second birth brings him a spiritual man of heaven. See? It
changes
him, his soul, not his outward conscience, his outward being, his
senses; he
still feels, and smell, taste, and hear; but his inward parts, his
desires,
what motivates him, has been changed to God. See?
945-115 Now, remember, the only way that this could
happen would be this:
just like it was in the time of the Roman centurion. Paul told the
Roman, him
and Silas, when he wanted to pull his sword and kill himself, because
God had
shook the jail down with an earthquake; he said, "Do thyself no harm,
seeing we're all here. Rise." And wanted to know what he could do. He
said, "Rise and be baptized, calling upon--on the Name of the Lord, and
thou and thy house shall be saved." See? In other words, "Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ, thou and thy house shall be saved."
Now, how? If your house believes in the same way that you believe. See?
You
pray and commit your children to God and hold onto God, believing that
they
will be saved.
946-117 I've just went through the experience with my
Rebekah. See? Just
commit it to God. When she got to be a little "teeannie," and she was
going with some girl when we first went out there, going--run over to
some
girl's house taking music lessons... And this girl... I come by one
day, and
here this girl was setting there at the piano playing rock-and-roll.
Well, that
was just enough for me. So I told her stay away from over there. See?
And then
she said, "Well, it's the only place I got to go to take music." (You
know how "teeannies" get.)
And I said... Every kid has to go through that. Practically everyone
goes
through that age. You did; I did. And we got to think their thoughts.
946-119 So then, a few days after that her mother got
after her for
something, and she sassed her. Now, that's not Rebekah at all. Took off
and
slammed the door, almost, and knocked the things off the wall, went to
school.
Now, I ought to have, seemingly, just taken my belt off, and followed
her out
there in the yard, and brought her back with warps around her. See? But
I
thought, "Wait a minute; I got to think eighteen year old thoughts."
See? "Now," I said, "Mother, I know that..." She started
crying, Meda. I said, "I know you done all you can do; I done all I can
do. Now, if it's out of our hands, we have to take the next step."
As some lady sweetly wrote the other day (It's in one of these
questions
here.), said, "Brother Branham, you're not the Messiah, are you?"
I said, "No, ma'am."
She said, "We believe you to be our shepherd, but you're always
pointing
us to the Great Shepherd."
I said, "That's right (See?); that's right." See?
I said, "Well look, honey, now, you've got to listen to me. It's hard
for
you to do this; I'm your husband. But people drive across the nations
and around
for just a few words of advice. Now, if you... I talked to her the
other day,
and she just walked away from me."
947-123 Now, Becky never did do that to me. See? And when
her mother said
something about it, she slammed the door and say, "You expect me to set
here and be a wallflower all my life?" And blammy, she slammed the door
and went out. That was the devil.
I remember, the first two years of her life she cried. We'd go into a
restaurant and eat; I'd walk her on the street while Meda eat, and then
she'd
walk her while I eat. Just cried and cried. And one day up here in
Canada,
cried all night, and I couldn't rest and everything, me standing
there... Now.
And Something said to me, "It's the devil getting at your ministry."
I said, "Hand me that baby." I said, "Satan, in the Name of
Jesus Christ, you take your hands off of her." She stopped right then
and
never cried no more. She's the quietest kid I got. From that very hour
it was
gone. You have to get that... You have to have that in you though,
before you
can do it.
And then when she--and then that--she started that. And I took Meda
about a
hour. I said, "Meda, take your hands off."
"Me? That's my kid."
I said, "Isn't it mine too?" All right. I said, "If she was
dying this morning, you'd have to commit her to God for her eternal
destination. Why can't we commit her to God now for her earthly
journey?"
And she said, "Well, that's my kid."
I said, "It's mine too."
I said, "Now, can you take your..."
"Me not say nothing to her?"
I said, "I never said that. We'll quit scolding her, just advise her.
She
needs a buddy, and you're the one to be her buddy, you and I. We're her
parents."
947-128 These kids today needs a buddy. If they had a
mother and father
would stay home and take care of them, instead of out here in a barroom
running
around all night and things like that, wouldn't have--wouldn't have a
juvenile
delinquency. See?
They got away from the Bible; they all went to church and made bunco
games and
things like that and... See? You're trying to polish up like Satan's
ground out
Hollywood. You could never bring Hollywood into the church; you've got
to--I
mean bring the church into Hollywood, you've got to bring Hollywood to
your
grounds. See? Not go on their grounds, let them come over here. We got
something
they know nothing about.
948-130 So we there got down on our knees and committed
it to God. I said,
"I know she's eighteen years old, will be in a few days, and she and a
girl that age will think about boyfriends, and we've kept her in." I
said,
"I--I never wanted to see her get married. I want to put her in the
office
here, do the work. I want to see her filled with the Spirit
and--and--and live
like that. "
And she... Well, we all wanted that. She said, "Well, we can't do
that." Said, "She just won't listen to it."
I said, "Wait a minute. We've raised her all we can, now put her in the
hands of God: commit her." And I said, "Then when she does anything
say, 'Becky, darling, mother don't want you to do that, but I'm your
pal; I'll
stick by you.' See? Let her know that you love her. She's going to get
somebody
to love her, and it might be the wrong woman." See? I said, "You be
the woman does the loving." I said, "Honey, that sounds kind of
crude, but people come everywhere, and set on personal interviews, and
things." I said, "I'm so common; we're common to one another, because
we're husband and wife, but we never let that happen. You must
remember, this
is the Name of the Lord."
So she said, "All right."
We got down and committed it to God. Said we'd take our hands off it.
That
afternoon she come in; she said, "Well, I guess you're still saying I
ain't going over there."
Meda said, "No, I never said nothing about it." Said, "You know,
mother don't want you to do that; and you know it liked to killed your
daddy
when he heard you up there playing that boogie woogie music, ever what
it was,
with that girl." Said, "Now, he didn't want you to do that, and we
don't want you to do that, Becky, but we just committed it to the Lord.
I want
you to know we love you. Whatever you do, we still love you."
She hollered, said, "I'm going anyhow."
Said, "All right, dear." So went ahead. Said, "All right, I'll
have supper ready when you get back." She never did go. No, she's never
went since. See?
Not long after that she met George; George is a Christian. That--that
settled
it then.
She's trying to tell Mrs. Wood about it the other day. She said, "Oh, I
got awful wild." Said, she just... Said, "Daddy and mother committed
me to the Lord." Said, "Awful wild..." But that--that was wild
to us; we don't want to get any wilder than that. See? Just let it go
like
that. All right.
949-Q-244 244. Brother Branham, what do you think about
our... (Oh, oh, I
remember reading this one. I wasn't... I was going to keep it back
late, but I
guess I might as well read it. Some woman's handwrite. She must be from
Kentucky, 'cause she's got a--a Kosmos Portland Cement ticket here.)
Brother
Branham, what do you think about our sisters in the church wearing such
short
dresses? Doesn't it mar our testimony and set the wrong example for our
young
people in this our church? It seems so i-n... to see a--a young--to see
a grown
woman wearing a dress so short that it shows her knees when she walks.
Ever who you are, sister or brother, whoever it is, I agree with you
one
hundred percent. It's a disgrace, but tell me what to do about it. See?
I
preach it just as hard as I know how to preach it; they do it the same.
So it's
their judgment, 'cause the Word's went forth. Yes, I'm certainly
against them
little old skintight dresses that look like... I constantly fuss at my
kids,
Becky and Sarah. I don't care how little they are, I... that... I just
fuss at
them all the time. I think they even wear their dresses... Meda takes
Becky
apart every day about it. See? Dresses plumb up... 'Cause kids, you can
expect
that in kids, and you have to correct them; but when it comes to a
woman,
there's something wrong there. See?
950-136 Don't hurt feelings now; I'm just answering
questions. You ask me
from your heart; I'm telling you from my heart. If you find the
solution,
I--please come tell me, I'll sure do it, if I can do anything about it.
Like somebody said the other day, he said, "Well, I tell you, Brother
Branham," said, "I tell you what Adam and Eve..." Said, "It
was just exactly; they had a apple." I noticed they changed that now;
they
said they had a what? I believe it was called a something? [Man in
congregation
replies, "Apricot"--Ed.] Apricot, yeah, it was a apricot they eat.
Well, it's time to pass the apricots again if it makes them realize
they were
naked. See? Uh-huh.
950-Q-245 245. Brother Branham, I have accepted God's
Message of today, and
also our son. And we both have been baptized in the Name of the Lord
Jesus
Christ. My husband--my husband hasn't accepted the Message and is
fighting this
Message. And he has influenced our son and is taking him to a Methodist
church.
He wants me to go with him to church when we are not in service here at
the
Tabernacle. Would it be right for me to go with him or would it be
better to
stay out of that denomination?
Well now, dear sister... She never signed no name, but perhaps you're
listening
to your question; if you don't, you'll hear it on tape. Go with your
husband,
but don't be partakers of--of what they're doing. See, you're supposed
to love
your husband, and love is what does it. You just be real salty; he'll
get
thirsty if there's anything in him.
Don't join their denomination. You said, "Stay away from that
denomination." Don't join it; go to it. If you can't get a whole loaf,
get
a half; can't get a half, just get a slice. See, see? But that's the
way you'll
win your husband by doing that. Don't be arrogant, then he'll know he's
got
just as much as you have. See? But when you can show something that you
have
that he don't have, that'll make him thirst to be like you. The
sanctified wife
sanctifies the husband.
That was just an advice. So I--I could spend a long time on that, but
we just
want to get through as many as we can, 'cause I see I only got about
twenty-two
minutes then. All right.
950-Q-246 246. Brother Branham, I believe the Message you
teach with all my
heart. It thrills my soul; however, my wife and son do not rejoice in
the Word.
They do not desire to separate themselves from some of their worldly
habits.
You said that we should claim our--claim our families. I find that
difficult to
do, seeming that they do not live for the Word or in the Word. What is
my
course, sir? Do I claim them and believe, or do I pray, "Father, Thy
will
be done," and be content in the state I find myself in? I would
appreciate
your guidance, Brother Branham.
God bless you, my brother or sister, whoever you may be. I--I would
just commit
them to the Lord. I... See, because, "What all the Father has given Me
will come to Me." See? Now, the only thing for you people to do...
951-142 It made my heart swell with joy the other day
going up and down
seeing these motel men. The... I went down to Mr. Becker. He said,
"Billy,
you know what? I feed your whole congregation every Sunday"--when the
Blue
Boar feeds three hundred nearly every Sunday. See? And I went out here
and this
guy over here, this gentleman over here at the--the Ranch House, very
fine
man...
I met him; he said--I--I said, "Well, that was really fine." I said,
"I appreciate you keeping all that stuff away from out there--all that
carrying on out there."
He said, "Yes, sir, Brother Branham."
I said, "How'd he know me?" See? I said, "How'd you know
me?"
He said, "I know you," Said, "I feed your whole congregation
here every Sunday by the... Well," he said, "and I want to tell you
something: they're fine people. They're fine people."
Now see, that made me feel good. You my children. See? When I hear my
children
acting nice and being nice, that makes papa feel real good. See? So you
understand.
951-144 Now, now, mother, when... My sister, if your
husband wants you go
down to the Methodist church, you go ahead. You might not have a whole
loaf of
bread, but if they even say they believe that Jesus Christ is the Son
of God,
you believe that, 'cause we do too. Now, if they're going to go off on
other
tantrums and things, just--just let them go ahead, but you eat that
much of the
bread. See? And in that, you just show by the sweetness of your life
and your
consideration for others... And if you haven't got it, sister dear,
pray till
it comes to you, that you won't have to put on anything artificially,
'cause
when you do that, it's not real. Your husband can tell that. But
you--when you
really have prayed to a place till your life is full of salt of the
Saviour,
it'll make a contact. "If I be lifted up, I'll draw all men to Me."
I'd go; be real careful. Don't join their church though. Please don't
do that;
don't you join their church, but go on.
952-Q-247 247. Brother Branham, here is a question that's
been sort of
puzzling to several of us here. One on--on (pardon me) on some tapes
you speak
only of the Jews being saved after the Bride is raptured. (And it's a
line
across.) Please explain fully about the Gentiles that don't go in the
rapture.
I thought you said that the Gentiles that were left went through the
tribulation and gave their lives for a testimony of Jesus. When He
returns from
the Gentiles to the Jews--when He turns from the Gentiles to the Jews,
then
there isn't any more chance for the Gentiles being saved, just the
Gentiles who
have been saved, but not received their last day truth will go in the
tribulation period and then be saved in the end. Is this right? Please
explain,
because you said that there would be just a small number go in the
rapture.
What about the people that believed in the Lord--believes in the Lord
now and
the way--and don't believe the way you preach for this end-time-day
Message?
Will they be saved? And then the sister signed her name.
Now, very good question. Now, the first place, the confusion is, is
what I have
said about the Gentile's days be done when the tribulation--in the
tribulation.
Now, I do not see the Gentiles in the Bible... The Gentile Bride,
Bride, not
the Gentile church now, the Gentile church will go through the
tribulation
period (See?), but not for their... See, the Bride is the elected; they
go
through nothing but the rapture. They're just changed and taken out of
the
world. See? Now, I'll explain that in a further question here, bringing
it from
Luther up, and you'll see then what it means; it's the maturing of the
body.
See?
Now notice. Now, the Jews that's left is the one who will be preached
to by the
two prophets, Elijah and Moses.
952-147 Now, this is my own thoughts, minister brethren,
in my own way that
I feel the Holy Spirit has revealed to me.
Now, the next thing is to happen is the Jewish--or the Gentile elected
Bride to
be caught up with the rest of the Gentile elected Bride that's been
down
through the ages--be caught up in the Presence of Christ in the
heavens. The
dead raises; the ones that's alive and remain is changed; and they're
caught up
together in the air to meet the Lord. Then, because...
After the wedding ceremony in glory, Jesus--after that has caught up
into the
skies, Jesus returns onto the earth and makes Hisself known to His
people in
the type of like Joseph made hisself known to his brothers. And his
wife, no
Gentile was present, nobody but Joseph alone, when he made hisself
known to his
brethren. All understand that now?
953-150 He sent... Even his wife was in the palace, the
type that the Bride
will be in the palace in glory at that time. Then Jesus makes Hisself
known to
the Jews (See?) after the wedding ceremony, the 3 1/2 years,
and--and--and
Jacob's trouble, that 3 1/2 years, the end of the seventieth week of
Daniel.
The Messiah's to be cut off in the midst of the... And He prophesied 3
1/2
years and was cut off. Then there's 3 1/2 years left yet for the
prophets Moses
and Elijah, and then at the end of their seventy days as yet determined
upon
the people, as Daniel said; then at the end of that seventy days, Jesus
is to
make Hisself known to them. He's that Prince that should come to the
Jews. See?
953-151 Now, and then at that time... See, the Gentile
Bride is in heaven,
and the sleeping virgin, the Gentile virgin, is not to be saved during
that
time; she's already been saved, but has been rejected in the Bride. And
she
only goes through the tribulation period for the time of purification,
because
she has rejected Christ, the Word, for her purification. Then she has
to suffer
for her deeds, but the Bride who has become the Word, a complete
atonement was
made of Christ, 'cause He is the Word. That body was rended, and when
that body
was rended, the Bride was in that body, because It's all the Word.
Amen. You
see it?
953-152 When Jesus suffered in that body, He suffered...
'Cause a man and a
woman are one person. Eve was taken out of Adam, and the Church... What
happened? God opened up the side of--of Adam and took out of there a
helpmate,
the bride. And God opened up the side of Jesus at Calvary and took out
the
Bride. See? And when Jesus died at Calvary...
Remember, the Bride was not taken from the body until the body was
dead. He'd
already died, and they was going to break His legs. And the prophet
said,
"There'll not be one bone broken." So they done drawed back the
hammer to break a leg, and a man run up with a spear and pushed it
through His
heart; and water and Blood came forth; He was already dead. She was
already redeemed
in the body by His death, so there's no more suffering tribulation
period for
the Bride. See? She goes in. But the Gentile church that just believe
on Him
and take the denominational creeds and so forth...
954-153 And still like this poor person said: "My husband
and son,
they still love the things of the world and things like that"... See,
they
haven't accepted that redeeming, for when you do, it cleanses you
automatically. "He that's borned of God does not commit sin." There's
no desire, nothing in him for the things of the world.
Jesus said, "He that loves the world (Kosmos now), or the things of the
world, the love of God's not even in him." He's not in love with the
Groom. See? Therefore, she has to pay that penalty, and not... She's
not saved
during that time; she's saved now from eternal death; but she will have
to go
through the tribulation period for the purification. See what I mean?
Now, now,
that--I believe that settles that question. Let's see, there's
something else
here.
954-155 "Please explain, because you said that there
would be just a
small number go in the rapture."
That is these on the earth that's going to be changed. Jesus said,
"Strait
is the gate and narrow is the way, but few there'll be that find it."
"What about the people that believe in the Lord now and don't--and not
the
way you preach?"
They don't have to believe this. They don't have to believe the way I
preach
it. See? Don't have to believe that. "... for the last day Message.
Will
they be saved?" Yes, if they believe the Lord. See? And if they--if
they
disagree and say, "I don't believe He's the Word. I don't believe that
this is right. I don't believe in the baptism of the Holy Ghost," that
shows where they're headed for, the tribulation period. But those who
can accept
the Word in Its fullness, not me preaching It, because It's the Bible
says so.
Those who accept that is free, because they--the Word's already been
judged.
955-157 Now, could a righteous Judge judge a man twice
for anything if the
penalty's been paid? If I was in the pawnshop, and you come by and
said,
"I'm going to redeem him"; and you went in and paid the price for my
redemption (and that's my penalty of being in the pawnshop), and you
pay my
redemption, then how can the pawnbroker claim me again? Unless I sold
out
again. There you are. When I rejected the Fullness of the Word, then I
go right
back in the pawnshop again. See, see? Then fight my way out then, if I
can. But
He redeemed me. All right. I hope that that... I'm--just got so many
here I
want to get these and... [End of first side of tape. Second side begins
with
part of question missing--Ed.]
955-Q-248 248... this the third pull and is speaking the
Word. It seems
entirely possible for you to speak the word and one would be completely
and
fully restored, placed entirely ready for the rapture in the
resurrection, the
Son of man. This is so, or is it not? And you would do this if properly
pressed
upon. Would you not "escape all these things (it's got a ditto there)
escape all these things and stand before the Son of man"? (Luke 21:36)
Now, my--my dear friend. See? Now, I think here that you--you--you got
a--you
got a good statement. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Now, that would be so. You
said,
"Brother Branham..." In other words, here's what I'm... I don't think
that it's... I can... I believe I... Not polishing up what you said,
but I
believe I can make it a little clearer to people. See? You are
believing,
because of the Spoken Words and things like that that He said about.
And all of
you here witnessed the squirrels and all these other things that's been
done.
But did you notice, that was Sovereignly given. I never asked Him,
"Lord,
let me do this, speak these things in like that, do these things
there." I
never asked Him that. He by His own Divine will came to me and said,
"You
go do this." See? I wasn't asking one thing about it. Moses never asked
to
go down in Egypt, but was God that sent him down to Egypt. See?
955-159 Now, I believe that the Holy Spirit would come to
me and say in a
vision, "Go tell certain, certain person that they are not--they're
trying
to overcome a certain thing, and they cannot do it. (And they're
smoking;
they're drinking; they're lying, stealing, or committing adultery,
whatever it
might be; or they got lustful spirit.) And you just go where they are
and say,
'Thou spirit, come out of there; I set this captive free.'" Would it
take
place? Absolutely. Yes, indeed, it absolutely would; it'd take place.
But now,
upon my own presuming... Now, "presume" is--means "to adventure
without authority." See? I'd go down there to help this person; I'm
just
presuming that it'll be all right. See? Then I don't know; I can call
the Name
of the Lord over them; I can pray for them, do whatever I wish to.
956-160 If I had my own way this morning... I--I just had
a interview with
this little lady setting here in this wheelchair. To come to this
meeting
today, they had to have the fire department to take her out of her
house in
Chicago; and people live across the street and don't come to the
meetings. See?
What would I do? If it was in my power... It is in... I have the
authority to
do it, but I have to wait for orders to do it. See? I have the
authority from
God to do it; but now, when He gives the orders, she'd go back home
well. See?
I know that is the truth. See? I'd just be as willing to die this
morning on
that as I--I'd be in anything. See? That's the truth.
But first, you see, it's all that... No one, even Jesus Himself said,
"The
Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He seeth the Father do, that
doeth the
Son likewise." We know that? St. John 5:19. All right. "The Son does
nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing, that the Son
will do
likewise." All right.
956-Q-249 249. Has the vision you had years ago of the
great miracle to
happen near Corydon, Indiana, ever come to pass?
I looked in my book when I got this and put a question mark. Now, there
was to
be a time that I was--had to watch where those cedar trees... Just as
you start
down the hill there, on the other side, going down towards Corydon,
after you
get out top the hill at New Albany, I was to watch at those cedar trees
for a
horrible accident that I would be in. And by the grace of God, I
escaped it
when a young girl, drinking a bottle of whiskey, was killed--her throat
was cut
right there with the bottle she had in her mouth, sixteen year old
girl, and
I'd been right along there at that time. See? Now, that might've been
what you
was talking about. I read that.
956-164 And then also, when I had this meeting in Brother
Beanblossom's...
It might've been that. It might've been Georgie Carter. See? That was
another
one that happened there. And then there's four or five of them in
there... I
didn't see nothing but what had come to pass. If--if the person who
wrote this
would just write it back again and tell me what I said during that
time, then
I'll look it up. See? If you just tell me what I said, the--the
vision...
'Cause I noticed in the vision there the things that I set down in the
book,
and here it is where it happened like this. I didn't have nothing set
down,
that I knowed, any certain thing out side of that.
957-165 And then there was a--another thing; that was the
conversion of
Omar Price down there that time when he was so critical against me. And
you
know, he come here at the Tabernacle and was baptized in the Name of
the Lord
Jesus. Oh, he fought me so hard on that; and I stayed with him at
nighttime. I
just kept loving him, staying right there just the same; but he finally
come,
'cause the Lord told me he was going to come, and so I--I just stayed
right
with it. See?
Same thing with the little preacher setting behind me here. I went down
to
Clarksville to speak with him one time, speak for him in that Methodist
church,
and he was Methodist through and through--what I mean. I come back up
here; I
said, "Someday I'll baptize him in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ."
And I did; that's Brother Neville. Ha ha ha.
957-Q-250 250. If it is wrong for me to--is it wrong for
me to run a--a
beauty shop? I'm a beautician and don't believe in Christians cutting
her hair,
but I cut others' and (I guess it's t-i-n-t, tint, that means to color,
I
guess, isn't it?) color also.
Sister dear, I would--I wouldn't know what to tell you. Listen, I can't
say for
women about that, putting color in their hair. I have no Scripture
about--against that; I can only stay with the Scripture. See? The
Scripture
don't say for them not to do that. The Scripture says she must have
long hair,
and after that, I don't know where to go. See? I--I don't know nothing
about
that.
957-168 Now, a little minister that's present here
somewhere I know, a dear
friend of mine, we was talking together the other day at the Blue Boar
when we
was having dinner. He said, "My wife's kind of ashamed to come before
you." A very saintly, godly, little woman, and she's a--a pretty little
lady, grandmother, and... But she's a nice, clean, real... My wife's
just crazy
about this woman, and--and I think she's a real, real woman. She... I
don't
know if she's setting here; I guess she is. I think her husband's here.
And he
said to me; he said, "She let her hair grow out after she heard you
preach
and she sees it was right, but," said, "she's been using some
coloring in her hair; and she's trying her best to get all that color
to grow
out before she comes around where you are."
958-169 Now, look, sister dear, I highly respect that. I
have a honor for a
woman that'll do that. For some woman just to come up and do her hair
any way,
or spit on your feet and walk around arrogant and no respects at all,
remember,
Jesus said, "What you do to these, you've done it to Me." See? And I
respect that in you, and God will bless you for that.
But, sister, about the hair color or something like that, I--I don't
know. I--I
can't back that up with the Scripture, so I--that's just up to you. You
see?
You, if you want to do it, that's perfectly all right with me. As far
as I
know, the church has no such customs. If you want... Anything that's
not in
this Bible, well, you just... That's up to you. You see? But I'll just
give you
my advice, you see, and as far as I would know... You know, it's just
the
nature of a woman to want to look pretty; she's supposed to be that way.
958-171 You know, in every life there is, the male is the
prettiest, but
the human race. Take any bird, cow. Take a bunch of cattle. Which is
the
prettiest, the old crumpled-horn cow or the big bull? Take a deer;
which is,
the little doe or the buck? Take a bunch of elk; which is the
prettiest, the
male or female? Moose, whatever you want to do. Take it--take it in the
bird;
take it in the chicken, the rooster or the hen? Take it in the bird,
the little--big
pretty cardinal or the little speckled hen, set on her nest and raise
her eggs?
See? Everything in the whole race, always the--the male is the
prettiest, but
the female to the human. Why? She caused the fall. Satan chose her
right there,
and beauty is of the devil. See?
958-172 Satan was the most beautiful angel. He was a
cherubim that
overshadowed. Look how difference women is getting now to what they
used to be.
How many remembers Pearl--reading of Pearl O'Brien? Let's see your
hands, some
of you older people. Sure. See? Supposed to be the most beautiful woman
in
America. Any little teenage snicklefritz on the street would be twice
as pretty
as she now. Why? That's just exactly what the Bible said: "When the
sons
of God saw the daughters of men were fair..." That was a bunch of
renegades that sent the flood upon the earth, that God destroyed the
whole
human race. See? It's exactly. And today everything's based upon
Hollywood
and--and beauty and things like that, when beauty is the secret thing
of the
heart (See?) and not the outward appearance. Let them adorn themselves,
not
with outward appearance, but inward, of meek, gentle spirit.
That's--that's a
Christian.
So now, on your question, sister, I don't know just what to tell you.
Now, I can stop right now or take another thirty minutes then, and
then...
Would thirty minutes... How many will just stay another thirty minutes,
and
then that'll give us a little more time tonight. But I'll hurry right
quick
then.
959-Q-251 251 Brother Branham, does this I Timothy 2:9
mean a woman cannot
braid her hair? Does "broid" hair mean "braided" hair?
Now look, sister, now this... I'm--I'm glad that followed this. I never
fixed
it there, but it just--it followed that good.
Notice, a braided hair in that day was the sign of a street woman;
that's what
she done, braided her hair. And Paul said to the Christians, "Now, that
adorning, not let it be of a braided..." (or 'broided' and 'braid' is
the
same thing)--to braid their hair, because it looked like the rest of
the world.
Now, you're supposed not to look like the world or act like the world.
See? The
women are supposed to be different there. See? No, now, braiding
hair... Now,
today braided hair is pretty, and it's a long ways from the fashion of
the
world. Now, you see the women, the way they do their hair today... Just
keep
your hair in any way; just don't look like the world. See? Don't look
or dress
like it. If they wear shorts, you wear a dress. If they--if they do
their hair
all--cut it all off and bob it, and do them ever... You--you--you just
let
yours alone. See?
959-175 And the braid--but braid... The question was:
Does
"braided" mean--"broided" mean "braided"? Yes,
that's right. And now, on the street...
Now, I looked that up to find out years ago what the "braided" hair
meant. See? The women, actually, the women of old, they just pulled
their hair
back and tied it, more like in a ponytail today. And they went
around... They
had robes on like that, but the women of the street took their hair and
braided
it all across their heads, and wrapped it around like that, and put
flowers in
it and things like that, and that was kind of the--the flapper on the
street;
just like we would see the flapper today, the way she dresses. I'm
saying
flapper, 'cause you know I'm an old man; so that's what they's called
them in
my days. What is it they call them today? I... My, I don't know. Chicks
or
something or another. So... Ever what it is. Give them any kind of a
name, they
like it.
960-Q-252 252. Brother Branham, you said on one of the
tapes that Noah
saved his household. Does this mean a mother can have the same faith
for her
household? And does it mean every one of the family will be saved if we
believe
it?
Now, that's... Yeah, that's kind of a... You'd have to watch the way I
answer
this now. See? First, "You said... (Now, let me see right...) You said
on
one of your tapes that Noah saved his household." Why? Because they
believed. That's it, because they believed his message.
"Does this mean that a mother can have the same faith for her
household?" Yes, sister. I can see a little mother's heart crying for
her
people. "And does this mean every one of the family will be saved if we
believe it?" Yes, if they will accept it. That's right.
960-179 Remember the Philippian jailer. Believe for both
you... If you've
got enough faith for your own salvation, can't you have that same faith
that'll
work upon your people? What is faith? It's an unseen force. See? What
is--what
is--it's a Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings faith. See? It's a unseen
force.
Why would I lay hands upon the sick? See? If I can get that personal
contact
with that spirit in that person there, something's going to happen.
See? Here
stands the Holy Spirit; He'll reveals the secrets of the heart. He'll
do just
exactly what He said He'd do in the last day. The people believe that;
they
look at it, "Yes, sir, I believe that."
Now, if I just don't become too common to you (See?), becomes just a
common
thing. You tromp through one day and tromp through the next day. See?
That's--that's
just chance-taking. You don't believe it in the first place (See?),
because
just as soon as you really believe it... That woman said, "If I can
touch
His garment, I'll be made every whit whole," and she did it. See? She
didn't say, "Let me try it again." See? She believed it. See?
That's--that's...
961-182 Now, if you will just believe with all that's in
you for your
family...
Now, like here, what motivates me? What--what is this strength in my
arm? It
certainly is not my muscle; it's my spirit. Certainly, take that spirit
out,
and what's the muscle going to do? It's as dead as it can be. See?
It'll rot,
but it's... See, it's a spirit that strengths.
Look at little Samson. A lot of them seen doors looked like it'd be
between
these two posts here. Why, a man that big could take up a lion and tear
him to
pieces, Brother Jackson. A lion jump at a man like that with door--with
shoulders like a barn door, why sure, that wouldn't be no mystery; but
the
mystery was, he was just a little curly-headed shrimp, little bitty,
old guy,
about--little sissy, little mama's boy, seven little sissy curls
hanging down
his back. But you noticed, he was just as helpless as anything until
the Spirit
of the Lord come upon him. And when the Spirit of the Lord come upon
him, that
lion run out and growled, he just tore him to pieces. It wasn't Samson;
It was
the Spirit of the Lord.
961-185 Now, how is he going to take the jawbone of a
mule, that'd been
laying on that desert and bleached white... And them Philistine helmets
was
about a inch thick of solid brass. Why, you take that jawbone and hit
it
against one of them helmets, it'd go to a thousand pieces. You know
that.
They'd hit that old, dry jawbone... But look there; he stood there with
this
jawbone in his hand and beat down a thousand Philistines; the rest of
them run
to the rocks. He said, "Come on, you want some of it too?"
still--still holding it. What was it? The Spirit of the Lord came upon
him.
See?
Therefore, It is the Spirit of the Lord. And when you've got Spirit of
the Lord
in you to believe for your own salvation, place that upon your family.
Say,
"I claim them in the Name of Jesus Christ; I claim it. God, I don't
know
how You're going to make her do it, and how You're going to make him do
it, but
I believe it. I believe it, Lord. Help my unbelief." Claim it and watch
what happens. It'll do it.
962-Q-253 253. Will the Bride--will the Bride before
Jesus comes, will she
have all power of Holy Ghost to perform miracles, raise dead, and so
on, as in
the latter rain--or is this the latter rain for the 144,000 Jews? Will
all
ministers have this, are we--or are we just waiting for the coming?
Yes. See, friend, I--I--I am not a theologian. I am not a theologian;
therefore, I have to teach all that I know about the Bible from shadows
and
types. You kind of call me a typologist. But if I can look on that
wall, and
I've never seen myself; and I look, and I can see that I got a head,
and ears,
and hands, and--I know something about what I'm going to look like if I
ever
see myself. See? If I see my reflection in a mirror, I know what I
would look
like if I could stand off and look at myself.
Now, that's the way I think of the Bible. "All of these things,"
Romans 26 said, "happened for our examples." We can look back and see
what it was. Like the moon reflecting the sun, we know what the sun
will be
when--if we never see the sun; we can see the moon, and see that it's
going to
be greater than that. Well, when you see what happened in the Old
Testament,
it's just a reflection of what happens in the New.
962-189 Now, in here, I believe with all my heart I--we
are, or this
days... If we're not, somebody is; it's got to be. Time has run out;
we're at
the end. Every... The world...
God made the world in six thousand years, and the seventh thousand He
rested.
He said a man will never live that time out--a--a year--or--or
day--"day
you eat thereof, the day you die." Adam--or Methuselah was the oldest
man
that ever lived in the Bible, and he was 969 years old; and he never
lived that
thousand years. But the man that's going to live through the
millennium, one
thousand years, to show that the--that the penalty has been paid... Man
lives
forever; the day is finished; the time is finished; they're in eternity.
962-191 By the way, I got so many letters on my message
two or three
Sundays ago on the--"The Future Home of the Bride and Groom." That
sure hit home somewhere; there's a lot of them. That... It did to me
too. I've
never got over it.
962-192 Now, notice. On this (See?), Abraham saw... Now,
as He dealt with
Abraham, so has He with his seed. Now, one of these days when I come
back
sometime, I want to take that a little more closer and show you exactly
the
stations of Abraham's life. It's exactly with Luther, Wesley, and on
down to
here, just exactly how He's dealt with the churches like He did with
Abraham;
how He appeared; how that there when He confirmed the covenant to him
under the
shed blood, it was a Philadelphian age. Yes, sir, that was the blood
age,
Luther--the Wesleyan age.
But then watch the Pentecostal age. After He come to there, He made the
promise
of El Shaddai, "nurse from Me." The question is: Can you nurse? That
was brought before the Pentecostals. See? Can you nurse? But they
didn't do it;
they grabbed them a--a breast from the denomination where they come out
of. But
then the seed, real seed, come on to nurse that breast.
963-194 And what was the last sign they had before that
promised son that
they'd waited on all these years re--come back? Was God standing in the
form of
a Man and could discern the thoughts that was in Sarah's heart (Sarah
being the
church, representing the church)--discern the thoughts that's in the
church
that was even behind Him. Is that right? And immediately after that,
she
changed back to a young woman and him a young man; and Isaac was
brought on the
scene, the promised son.
I believe you're seeing the last thing that'll happen to the church
before the
rapture. That's exactly. I believe it. The rain is over. Just read the
first
three chapters of Revelations and you'll see what's promised to the
church.
That's what's promised, church, right there--the church ages.
You noticed the other day when we started them trumpets, the Holy
Spirit said,
"That don't belong here." See, see?
964-197 Now, latter rain, 144,000 Jews, no, that
isn't--that--they
won't--that's--that's when Elijah and Moses... There's where the
miracles take
place. The things that the people's been looking for, the Pentecostals,
for
miracles, that's where that'll take place in that--under them. See,
that's
Elijah's and Moses'. They smite the earth with curses as oft they will;
they
close the heavens that it don't rain in the days of their prophecy. And
God
will stand and fight for them like He did, and He'll bring them out
under a
mighty hand just exactly like He did in Egypt (See?), out of these
"isms" of the world. And He'll do that, but that is not...
964-198 We're just to wait on the coming of the Lord.
Just wait; keep your
lamps trimmed, all filled full of oil. Pray up every hour, not every
day, every
hour. Just keep ready; be ready; be sweet, and watching...
Oh, we're watching for the
coming of that glad Millennium day.
When our blessed Lord shall come and catch His
waiting Bride away.
Oh, my--oh, my heart is filled with rapture as I
labor, watch, and pray,
For our Lord is coming back to earth again.
That's it; that's the hope of the church this
hour.
964-Q-254 254. Is the Name of "Jesus Christ" all right
for
baptism, or does it have to be in the Name of the "Lord Jesus
Christ"?
Either one. I take it Lord Jesus Christ (See?), because I think He is
our Lord.
Now, just the Name of Jesus, like some of our brethren baptize, I--I
different
there (See?), 'cause I know I've got a lot of friends named Jesus, a
lot of--a
lot of preacher friends in Mexico, and--and Italy, and so forth. They
call them
Jesus, and so Jesus is not enough. He was born Christ the Saviour, as
He was
born the Saviour, Christ, the anointed. And eight days later He was
given the
Name of Jesus. See? Then He was the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what He
was. All
right.
964-Q-255 255. Brother Branham, would the Lord permit you
to instruct us on
the marriage and divorce question at this time? Question: Can a man
marry a
woman and be divorced by her and then marry another? If both of them
marry
another, are they both committing adultery? You mentioned it would tie
into
serpent's seed. How so?
Now, here--here is one of the most treacherous questions that we have
in these
bunches, and it's the most questioned in the--in the world today. Now,
hear me,
and I have a reason for this. If I really brought to this church and on
this
tape this morning, the correct thing about marriage and divorce, it'd
break up
every church in the country, if they listened to it. See? That's right.
964-201 Now, so help me, here lays the Bible before me; I
have on that
question, THUS SAITH THE LORD. And both sides that are arguing are
wrong. Both
those who remarry the married and so forth, they're both wrong on what
they're
doing, but in between it is the truth, the middle of the road. I don't
want
to... I'm going to make a tape whether if something happens to me, then
the
brethren can play it after I'm gone (See?) to the churches. But I--I
want to
make a tape on it and just show you where it's at; but until I feel led
of the
Lord, I will not say anything about it. But I feel that on these things
that I
must be led of the Lord; if I don't, I'll do more damage than I do
good. See?
965-202 Now, I want you to notice this. Question: "Can a
man marry a
woman and be divorced by her and then marry another; and if both of
them marry
another, are they both committing adultery?" Now, my friend, I don't
want
to hurt your feelings, but that's the truth. Jesus said, "Whosoever
marries her that is put away commits adultery." See? Now, I just don't
want to say it, but it's the truth.
"You mentioned this would tie into the serpent's seed." See? I don't
remember mentioning that, but I probably did somewhere, said something
about
it.
965-204 Like the other day, I got something mixed up; I
happened to hear
it, and it's... I caught it right there; and it's on the tape, and
I--I'll
probably hear from it. When I was talking about the Seven Trumpets, I
said it
was seven trumpets. I was referring to the Pentecostal feast. From the
Pentecostal feast until the seven--until the--the Trumpets, there was
seven
Sabbaths. Seven Sabbaths was between the feast of Passover to Pentecost
(you
see?), which made the fifty days. See? But what I was referring to,
being that,
I said, "That means the Seven Church Ages."
On that tape (if you happen to get it or anything)--on that tape it
should be,
that the seventh month after that brought in the--the feast of the
Trumpets,
which meant the Seven Church Ages: seven months, not seven Sabbaths.
Seven
Sabbaths went to... I did explain it on there. I said the seven
Sabbaths, like
that, but then I carried that same thought on over, when it's the
seventh month
after the Feast of the Passover--or at the feast of--of Pentecost, then
come
the feast after the sheaf was brought in, waved. You see then--then...
Remember
there, the sheaf turns into a loaf of bread after that time. See? When
the--the
sheaf of--one sheaf, then all goes into one loaf. Oh, it's a great
teaching
there; I didn't touch the edge of it. But if you happen to catch that
on your
tape, remember, look in the Bible. You see, it's seven months after
that. Count
off seven months: January, February, March, April, May, June,
July--it'd be
July, seven months, which represents the full Seven Church Ages. Some
minister
might pick that up, and then you'd have it. You see there? All right.
966-206 Now, on this here, let--let--let's just kind
of... You... Here's
what I say. Let me say this, not the Lord, let me say it. If you are
married at
this time, and you both are saved, and you're filled with the Holy
Spirit, and
you love one another, and you've got little children (Now, remember
this is me,
not the Lord. See?), go ahead and live together; be happy; 'cause you
couldn't
live with your first wife or you wouldn't have married her. Then if you
leave
this and go back to your first one, you're doing worse than you did in
the
first place. See? So you see, you're all messed up; there's no way of
getting
out of it. There'd only be one way truly that I can say from the Bible:
both of
you live single. See?
Now, but... That's the only way I could say right now, but there is
another
thing in there, that I--I can't tell you now, and the reason I say,
"Not
I, but the Lord, continue on." If you'll ever bring that to a tape, and
someday, if I ever bring it, you remember the way I said that. If you
were
wise, you could've picked it up (See?), of how I said that then, and
then you
would know.
966-Q-256 256. Brother Branham, should we go to the other
churches even
when they disagree with you?
Sure, yep. Jesus did when they disagreed with Him. Go ahead. We notice
here,
says, "Should we go to another church that disagrees with you?" Sure,
I don't... I'm not the only pebble on the beach, you know.
There's--there's
just other godly men everywhere; I hope I'm one of them. See? But don't
never
get down here...
I was called in on something like this the other day. A--a group in
Arizona
called my attention to that. See? A ministerial group said, "The only
thing that we have against you, Brother Branham, is (one of the things)
the
people that comes out here with you, we can't get them to go to church
anywhere." Said, "They got children and everything; they won't go to
church." And said, "Well, we told them they was welcome to come--come
to our church."
967-210 Now, I know they put a pressure on you and want
you to join, but
you don't have to join; but put them kids in Sunday school somewhere.
And you
go to church; don't set at home, go fishing, and hunting, and things
like that
on Sunday.
You say, "Well, I'm not a legalist."
Well, you'd better be in that manner for a while, dishonoring the
resurrection
of Christ. You go to church somewhere.
If I--if I went... If I couldn't get... If I went to a certain church
that I
know there's only one thing them people ever said that I believed--they
said
they believe Jesus was the Son of God. They said it (I doubt it), but
I'd go
hear them say that. Maybe you say... That's this church, maybe the next
church
would be something like the Baptists. They say, "Yeah, I believe you
have
to have an experience." I--I'll go with them that. Then I believe Jesus
Christ is the Son of God; I believe you have to have an experience. All
right.
Then maybe there's the Assemblies of God. Now, they believe... See,
I--now I
can eat about three or four slices of bread with them (See?), 'cause
they can
believe...
967-213 Like the other day, this same person called up
and wanted to know
about that, and said, "You said..." (This minister out there, this
fellow down there that wanted discuss that. Poor brother, he's in such
a
delusion.) He said, "Well, Brother Branham (See?)," he said, "he's
against you Assemblies of God." And if a Assembly minister happens to
pick
up this tape, I want you to tell me when was I ever against the
Assembly of God
men or any other man. Why is it, when your own headquarters admit that
I have
sent to you three-quarters of a million of my children that I've
begotten to
Christ? How am I against the Assemblies of God? Why am I against the
oneness?
I'm not against no oneness, Assemblies of God, Church of God, or no
man. I'm
against every system that separates men.
967-214 Look, I have sent to the Assemblies, by their own
count,
three-quarters of a million of my own children. If they're so bad,
why'd I do
that? Why? I think it's the best there is in the land to send them to,
either
the oneness or the--some of the Pentecostal belief, 'cause they believe
in
Divine healing; they believe in the supernatural; they believe in the
baptism
of the Holy Ghost. That's the best... I--I can't bring them all right
here;
they're all over the world. I got friends all over the world, children
that
I've begotten to Christ. I'll send them to the best... Did you ever
hear me
when I'm making an altar call? I say... When I get them up there and
get them
saved, I say, "Now, you go to some good Full Gospel church and get you
a
church home." How many ever heard me say that? Sure, sure. Well, why
would
I send them there then? Would I be a hypocrite to send my own children
to
death? Far be it from me. No, sir.
968-215 If you can't go... If you can't come here at the
Tabernacle, get
some church somewhere; go to it. You don't have to take all they do.
What part
of the bread they're serving, you serve the bread. When they got the
garlic,
why, you just leave it alone. See? That's right. I can't make
them...?...
that's exact... Sure, you go to church. Wherever the church door opens,
you
take off as hard as you can go. If they don't believe, well... Now, you
don't
have to partake. Don't join them; don't join any of them churches; but
go to
them; fellowship with them. How do you know it's not the Lord? He said
He'd
make everything work together for the good. And maybe there's a soul in
there
that ought to be saved, and you can shine the Light to them. See? Go on
down
there. Don't go arrogant, go sweet; and the people begin to say,
"That's
such a Christian woman, and a Christian couple; that's such a Christian
boy or
girl. My, I'd like to... Boy, they really act like they've got
something."
See? And say, "What is it?"
"Here it is." Then tell them. But you just be salty, and they'll get
thirsty.
968-Q-257 257. Dear, Brother Branham: Do you believe that
signs should
follow all who have the Holy Spirit? (Jesus said so, Mark 16.) If so,
what
about the people who believe the Message with all that is in them, yet
they
have not these signs? Are they unbelievers or do they need the Holy
Spirit? If
so, please instruct us today, how to receive the Holy Ghost. We believe
you are
God's mouthpiece for our day. Your brother.
Thank you, my brother, for regarding me as your--your brother, and I
think that
that's a very good question. Friends, yes, it is a little slack. I'd
like to
deal a little bit longer on that if I could. See? It is slack. Look.
Some of
you... See? When--you cannot receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost
without
having an experience when it happens... Now, if you believe "every
speck of
the Word," you say... You say you believe every speck of It, then the
Word
is laying in there waiting for the Holy Spirit to put It to work; but
it takes
the lighting of the candle.
Here's the candle with the wick in it, and with all the--the tallow,
and
everything it has to have in that candle; but until the fire comes on
it, it
will not shine any light. No matter how perfect the candle is, and how
perfect
it'll burn and everything, it's got to be litten, and then it burns.
And when
you believe and are made up of the instructions of what the Holy Spirit
is,
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness,--the fruits that It bears
out,
until the Holy Spirit with a fiery experience comes down and lights
that
candle, then you are--you are--you haven't received the Holy Ghost.
See? You've
got to have the experience to have the Holy Ghost.
969-Q-258 258. I belong to a labor union. Is this wrong
for a Christian?
The Word says, "Swear not--swear not." We must swear to uphold a
constitution of the labor union. I have taken no active part since
becoming a
Christian, but I still pay my dues.
969-Q-259 259. Was Judas Iscariot's name blotted out of
the Lamb's Book of
Life, or was it on the Lamb's Book of Life?
All right. Pertaining to labor union: I know you work... You men have
labor
unions and things that you... If you want to work, you have to belong
to it.
That's exactly right. You have to do that. But watch it (See?), because
it's
going to come from labor to religion one of these days. See? Now, you
just
remember; it's a forerunner of everything becoming unionized. You can't
work;
they won't let you on the job; you're--you're a "scab," unless
you--unless you belong to this union.
Now remember, you young people, remember what Brother Branham's saying.
And may
my words be graved with a iron pen in a--a--a mountain of steel. THUS
SAITH THE
LORD, that same thing will happen in religion. You'll belong to a
denomination
of some sort, or you cannot buy or sell. So be real careful, brother.
Let it go
just to labor alone. Watch it; it's a warning.
970-220 Was Judas Iscariot's name blotted out of the
Lamb's Book of Life,
or was it ever on it?
Yes, it was on it and was blotted out. See? 'Cause in Matthew the 10th
chapter,
Jesus called Judas and all the rest of them, and gave them power
against
unclean spirits. They went out casting out devils, and Jesus said, "I
even
saw Satan falling from heaven." Is that right? And they come back, all
those disciples together, and they was rejoicing; and He said, "Rejoice
not that your--the devils is subject unto you, but rejoice that your
name is
written on the Book of Life." See? That's right. And Judas was right
with
them. See?
So remember, at the judgment, watch, at the judgment seat, "The
judgment
was set; the books were open; and another Book was opened, which was
the Book
of Life, and every man was judged thus."
970-222 Now, there you are, to the question awhile ago.
See? At the
judgment seat... Jesus, the church, the Bride, was raptured, went up
into
glory, and was up there and was married, returned back to the earth,
and lived
a thousand years. At the end of the thousand years Satan was loosed out
of his
prison, that is bound by an Angel with a chain, not a log chain, but a
chain of
circumstance; all of his subjects was in hell. All that was resurrected
on the
earth was redeemed and Jesus with them. He couldn't work on nothing;
but at the
end of the thousand years, the second resurrection... "Blessed and holy
is
he that has part in the first resurrection over which the second death
has no
power."
Now notice, in this second resurrection, when they come up, then
Satan's loosed
out of his prison for a little season; then the judgment is set. Now,
watch.
Jesus with the Bride, as King and Queen, set at the throne, white
throne
judgment; and the books were opened, the books of the sinners. And
another Book
was opened, which was the Book of Life; and every man was judged thus
by the
Bride. "Know ye not (taking these little matters before the law)--know
ye
not that the saints shall judge the earth?" See, see? All right.
970-Q-260 260. Could you please explain who the group of
Revelations 20:4
is? Are they the part of the Bride of the past or in the future?
They are the Bride completely, both past and now. They are the Bride
completely, because they're living in the millennium. All right.
971-Q-261 261. Call.. could you please (Well, it's
exactly the same
question.)... Revelations 20:4, are they souls of the beheaded for the
witness
of Christ who would not worship the beast nor receive his mark in the
Bride?
(Oh, I see what they're getting to now. This was just give to me, just
handed
to me.)... since it says they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand
years?
So it's puzzling, because the persecution of the Bride, but who else
could they
be and reign with Christ a thousand years? Would they--they--would they
be the
144,000?
No, no. They are the Bride. Now, remember, remember, they...
You said, "While they're beheaded for the witness..." Now, you say,
"For the--worship not the beast." Sure. You say, "The beast is
yet to come." The beast has been all the time; the beast was the one
that
fed them back there in them lions' dens, fed them back there in that
arena
there in Rome. That was the antichrist; that was the beast right there,
set up
a form of religion. Just exactly like--almost a pattern. The Roman
church was
taken right out of the Bible, and then... What they did that, they
organized
the thing and made a institution and made a--a universal church out of
it, and
all wouldn't bow down to it had to be destroyed. See? It was.
And them in the part of the Body that was then... Now, the body has
grown just
like a tree till it's coming to the Head. See? And all, both martyr,
and
persecuted, and so forth...
But Jesus has given us peace this side the river, just like He did the
tribes
that--there (See?) didn't cross over. Now.
971-Q-262 262. What can I do for him? Should I continue
to (Oh!) care for
dad on the farm? What can I do... make a--a living for...? And he signs
his
name.
Yes, my brother... It--it's wrote here. I don't know who... It says,
"Brother Branham..." It just starts out, "What can I do for
him?"
Now, probably some boy for his dad. Look, my dear brother, blessed are
you when
you will take care of your dad, for your dad took care of you when you
could not
take care for yourself. And the first commandment with promise, first
commandment with promise: "Honor thy father and thy mother which may
lengthen the days upon the earth that the Lord thy God giveth thee."
See?
Yeah, take care of dad any way that you can. See that he gets the very
best.
972-Q-263 263. You said that Cain was of the serpent's
seed. Why did Eve
say, "I have gotten a man from the Lord"?
Here we go. I'd better wait till after dinner on this one. Yeah, I'll
wait till
after dinner on that. Oh, that's going to take about a little time to
explain
that. All right.
972-Q-264 264. Dear, Brother Branham: Would you explain
this verse to me,
Isaiah 2:2: "And it shall come to pass that in the last days, that the
mountain of the Lord--in the mountain of the Lord's house shall be
established
in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and
all
nations shall flow into it."
Yes, I did, Sunday before last. See? The--the house of the Lord shall
be
established in the top of the mountains, and all nations shall flow
into it.
The big... If you haven't got the... If you've got the tape on the
Bride and
Groom's future home, it explains it just exactly that way.
Oh, my. I might as well quit right now, because my, oh, my, brother, we
never
get through all of these here. Whew.
972-Q-265 265. Brother Branham, is... (Let's see what
this is.) Brother
Branham, it is commonly believed by many that follow your message that
you are
the Messiah of this day. Is that so?
No, sir.
Plainly tell us, Brother Branham. You seem to hesitate in making
yourself
known, and we know that with such a ministry as God has given you, you
should
be identified in the Scriptures somewhere.
972-Q-266 266. ...?... Number 2: You told us your purpose
of going to
Arizona the first time. You told us why, and it came to pass, but you
did not
tell us why you went back again.
First place, I am not a Messiah. See? Messiah is Jesus Christ, but we
are
"Messiahettes," every one of us. Messiah, "Messiah" means
"anointed One." And in Him dwelt the Fullness of the Godhead bodily;
in me just dwells part of His Spirit, the same as dwells in you. I've
been
given a gift to--to--to know little things and foresee things. That
makes me
just still your brother. See? I am not the--no Messiah; I am your
brother
(See?), just a shepherd to the flock. And if I told you I was the
Messiah, I'd
be a liar. See? And I don't want to be a liar.
"Now, why did I go to Arizona the first time?" You understood that. I
went in the Name of the Lord, because I was sent there by a vision. I
returned
the second time for a purpose. Just let it alone. I know what I went
for; I
can't tell everything. When you... Devil don't know--can't get it out
of my
heart. If I speak it out, then he can get that, but he ain't--he can't
get it
when it's in my heart. If I say, "Wait till it comes to pass."...
Just remember, hold this tape; I have went to Arizona for a purpose.
Please
bear with me. See? Just do what I tell you to do (See?); just--just do
as I say
do. See?
973-Q-267 267. Brother Branham, I have some questions I
wish to ask--ask
you. I have heard people say that you have advised people to sell all
their...
(Maybe I'd better leave that one alone too. Let's see. Well, it's
already time
to quit. We maybe get this after dinner, but I'll--I'll answer this one
or try
my best. I don't know; it's just handed to me. See? Billy brought me a
handful
just there--there at the door. See?)
I have heard people say that you have advised people to sell all their
homes
and follow you to Arizona or--or they would not be in the rapture. Is
this
true?
That's a lie. See? Uh-huh.
... or should we sell our homes, or did you even say this?
973-235 No, sir. I did not say it. If anything, I've
advised people not to
do it. Uh-huh. Remember, remember "Junie" Jackson's dream that time
when I went out there? "Junie" dreamed that he saw this... How many
remembers the dream, and how the Lord gave the interpretation: that
great
mountain, we was standing upon it, and old washed-out letters there;
and I was
trying to interpret it, and I couldn't do it. And I--I was interpreting
it to
them. After I got it all interpreted, all of it interpreted, then I
reached
over and got (in his dream now) a some kind of a--like a bar and just
cut the
top of the mountain off and looked in there, and it was all snow white,
like
marble. But it wasn't written on, and I said, "You all stay here and
look
in on this now, while I go yonder."
974-236 And "Junie"... All of them went up and all the
brothers
and all looking in on it, another... They couldn't understand; said,
"Well, what do you know? It's not even written here, but yet he was
reading the outside of it. Why isn't it written in here? We can't
understand."
And Junior turned around and looked, and he seen me going towards the
west,
towards the setting of the sun, going over one mountain, another
mountain, real
fast, just getting... And then he turned around and looked and seen me
gone; a
whole big group of them took off that way, and they wanted to go this
and do
that, after I told them to stay there. Stay there, stay right here;
this is the
place.
974-238 And then, when I did that, then--and I went just
exactly; and a
little bit after that, the Angel of the Lord appeared to me, say, "Go
out
to Arizona yonder." I heard that blast go off and went there, and what
was
it? That boy dreamed that dream just exactly right, and the Lord gave
the
right... Remember, I said, "There's something I'm going there for."
And when I went there, it was the mystery of the Seven Seals, that was
sealed
up on the inside of that mountain of the Lord. Come right back with the
opening
of the Seven Seals. See?
No, you shouldn't do that. If you want to go, that's up to you.
'Course, I
don't... My, I don't care where you go, but just to do that, think the
Bride's
going to go from there, you're mistaken.
974-240 Also I have heard this... I have (Let me... I got
it wrong
somewhere here. Let's see.)... the rapture. Is this true or should we
sell our
homes, or did you ever say this?
No, I never said it. I never... I've always advised people to stay
where you
are and keep on keeping on till Jesus comes. If I've told you many
times, let
this tape be a memorial; let this day be a memorial; let my word be a
memorial;
I have never, at one time, ever told anybody, ever proselyted, ever
tried to
get somebody to come to this church. I have never... As far as telling
them to
leave their own church and sell out their goods and things, God knows
that I've
always advised people to remain a Christian and stay where you are
until God
calls you. Everybody knows that. Stay right there. But now, to tell
people...
Somebody say, "Well, I want to go over here. I want to live over..."
You go wherever you want to go; that's all right. I don't care where
you go;
that's not my business for that.
But now, to think that... See, what does it? It starts a cult (See?),
and then
I get in trouble. They got a group out there now that's going to be on
charity
pretty soon. And then what's it going to be? "We come out here for the
rapture of the Bride." That's just what the newspapers are waiting for.
They're waiting to get it when they fall on charity and can't go back
to their
homes. Then what they going to do?
975-242 "Why, we followed Brother Branham out here.
Supposed to
be..." And I am just as innocent of it as I can be. The dear, sweet
people, they--they know that I love them, and even in their error. And
they...
Why, that... They... I love them anyhow. See? I love them; they're my
children;
but they just won't listen to me, what I'm trying to tell them. I'm
trying to
work out something in the Name of the Lord, and they won't let me do
it. See?
They're actually going against me instead of for me. They're doing...
Didn't I tell you if ever a message was preached, it'd be right here at
this
Tabernacle; anything I had to do, I'd come here and tell you first,
right
straight from this Tabernacle? That's my promise.
975-Q-268 268. Also, I have heard there is a teaching
out, that a book you
wrote several years ago about the bread of life... They interpret it
that we
must all be with you or miss the rapture.
Well, the book is wrong. The book of "The Bread of Life," I remember
that now. That was feed the church universally, everywhere. See, the
trouble of
it is... Now, now, you people, you're solid yourself, but you've got to
have
that. That follows every meeting. The--the...
I was reading about Martin Luther here not long ago, not comparing
ourselves
with that; but this is a reformation just the same as that was. And
the--the
question was... The--the--the historians, they said, "It's a marvelous
thing to think that Martin Luther could protest the Catholic church and
get by
with it. That was a wonderful thing." But said, "The most wonderful
thing about Martin Luther wasn't that. How he could hold his head above
all the
fanaticism that followed his meeting and still stay true to the Word,
his
calling..." See?
No, sir! Don't put your own... Any man or woman that puts anything to
what I
say, don't believe what I say. They don't... They say... They...
976-Q-269 269. Also about these families that have sold
out and moved to
Sierra Vista, Arizona, where they have interpreted from one of your
tapes
titled (just a minute) "Little Bethlehem," "Little
Bethlehem," the rapture will take place in Arizona. Did you advise them
to
go there?
I certainly did not. When they wrote a letter about that, somebody up
here in
Connecticut or something, I answered the letter back and said, "You're
making the worst move you ever made in your life. Don't you do a thing
like
that." See, you can't... Well, you just remember, you people... Now,
you
all know that I'm not telling them people to do that; I'm telling them
not to
do it. But you see, that's got to follow the meeting. Why does people
call me
Messiah? Why does people... They got carry... Well, one fellow out
there showed
me the other day, he had a little thing and he was go--carrying on,
wanted all
the people to be baptized in my name. That'd make me a antichrist. But
I'm not
for those things, and all you people know that. But you see, this has
got...
That only identifies the Message true.
Did not they come and try to tell John, the--that forerun the first
coming of
Christ, "Aren't you the Messiah?"
He said, "I am not. I'm not even worthy to loose His shoes. I'm not
even
worthy to look at Him." See? But he said, "He that cometh after
me..."
976-Q-270 270. Now, Brother Branham, are we missing out
on something? These
people claim to believe every word that you say to be true. (But they
don't.
They don't believe it. Their own actions prove that they don't.) Please
let me
know your straight answer: yes or no (You've got it. All right.) about
these
things, and if it is true, we want to make ready to go join with the
rest of
them there--the rest of them. I--I thank you very much for your answers
to
these questions, as I will be waiting to hear them this Sunday, if the
Lord
should tarry.
Oh, my. Well, brother, sister, I--I hope it's understood (See?) that I
did not,
do not... Now, if people... Oh, sure, if you want to come out to
Arizona to
live... And now, I'll be out in Arizona maybe this first semester. I'll
have to
come back here. I'll have... I--I want to stay there; kids are
healthier and
everything. I--I want to stay there a little while, and I've got a
purpose.
Remember now, on the tape, THUS SAITH THE LORD, I have a purpose in
doing what
I'm doing; you know I have; but I can't tell you that.
Why am I telling you not to sell your homes, you're going to come up
missing,
and you're going to be on the short end of the rope. Don't do that. I
won't
stay in Arizona but a little bit. Why? I can't do it now.
977-250 If I let those people stay out there and go on
charity, what's
going to happen? Then that's just exactly what the denominations and
all of
them is looking for. "Aha, I told you what was behind him, another
school
of prophets or something." See? There you are; that's just what they're
looking for. After all, them people, I'm responsible for them; though
they have
not done what I told them to do, and they've done exactly... You say,
"Let
them go; they--they did what you told them not to do." That isn't in my
heart. I still want to go for them. They're my kids. I might give them
a little
spanking when I get them back, but I--but I--I'm sure going after them.
And how
am I going to do out there?
They said, "We come to follow the Word." I haven't even got a church
to send them to there. The kind of churches they'll go to there is the
same
kind you leave at other places, maybe worse. See? And they won't go to
church
anyhow, and I have no church to preach to them. Then I'm morally
obligated to
take my children out of Arizona, where...
977-252 I ask you something. I've preached better than
thirty messages in
this church last year. And for five years, outside, since I been in
Arizona,
I've preached more in this church in one year than I did in five years
any
other time (Certainly.), here in the church. This is my home base; this
is my
headquarters; here's where we're set up at. Now, hold that in mind no
matter
what takes place. Now, if you're wise, you'll catch something. No
matter what
takes place, this is our headquarters, right here. And keep that in
mind and
refer back to this tape someday, that you heard me prophesying. All
right,
remember that.
If you want--if you must leave and come to the church, don't go out
there to
find it, 'cause I'm not even there. I have no place to go; I have no
place to
preach from. They won't let me preach in their churches. I have not
even a
place, and I promised the men when I come there... They all got scared
I was
going to come there and build a big building, drain out the churches.
But that's
not my purpose of life. See? I--I get the people saved. It's up to
them. Like
the Samaritan come down and took the man to the inn, then let them take
care of
them from there on. I'm not here to break up churches; I'm here to get
converts
to Christ. See? And it makes me misunderstood among the people (See?)
when--when they're interpreting their own way and not--and--saying what
I'm
saying. See?
978-254 Don't you remember the vision? How many remembers
Junior Jackson's
dream? And all them follow it just exactly. What was it? Stay here till
I go
yonder. See? And got the interpretation and come back. Now, I've got
something
else in my heart that I've been warned of the Lord to do, some move to
make
pertaining to this Tabernacle, and this church; that I must go there or
somewhere for a short time. It's for a purpose, a great purpose, a
purpose that
you know nothing about. But remember, I'm just not "ratting" around,
'cause I act like I am. I'm working in the will of the Lord, as far as
I know
how to work in it. See? That's the reason if you believe what I say,
then do
what I say do (See?); then listen to me and believe me as your brother.
If you
believe me to be a prophet, don't misinterpret my words.
If there's anything, so help me, if there's anything that you should
know that
God would tell me, God knows I would tell you just exactly. And don't
add to it
or take away from it; just do it just the way I say it (See?), 'cause
I'm
telling you from my heart the best that I know. See? You just believe
that.
Just--just take just--just what I say about it, and just leave it go
like that.
All right.
So now, I've got to bring them kids back here for something to eat.
They're
down there in the desert starving.
979-258 A minister came to me the other day, said,
"Brother Branham,
they're getting the awfullest cult down there you ever seen." Said,
"Each one of them, every morning, they go out; and they said they ain't
going to work; it's too close to the rapture." They're not going to
work.
Well, that just shows you don't even understand. See? Right. (This
tape's going
down there.) So, yes, sir. You ought to take a lesson from the ant, the
Bible
says, you know. If they don't work, they don't eat. So that's just
exactly
right.
Here's--here, just picked up another one of these.
979-Q-271 271. Is... (I don't know. See, it's just
some--it's
different--it's a different handwrite from this other one. Just to show
you; I
think there's about eight or ten of these in there. See?) Is the
more--is the
more perfect church going to be in Tucson, Arizona? I want to be in
God's
perfect will. Shall we move to Tucson?
It's not at all the other--other handwrite. It's... I... Just look
around here;
I'll just show you how many there is on that one question. I don't...
I--I
couldn't find them, I guess. Here's--here's... I got some marked on
here,
"I'll let you know."
979-Q-272 272. Brother Branham: Please... (Let's see.)
Knowing that you are
the prophet, and the hour that we are living, will--and prophet for the
hour we
are living (That's what it is, not...), will there come a time when
God's
people will have to flee to Arizona with you? If so, will you let us
know when
the time comes?
Sure will. I'll tell you. I'll tell you. Now, see, there's two
different
handwrites, two different people. See? There's one handwrite, and
there's the
other. See? That's what must be what's on the church's mind. See? Well,
let's
just get this settled. Let's see if I could find... Let's see.
979-Q-273 273. Brother Branham... (There's another one,
different
altogether.) Brother Branham, some understood you to say in your
message of the
"Future Home of the Bride and Groom" was to be (No, this is
different.)--be fifteen hundred miles from the
Tabernacle--square--seven
hundred each way (In other words, the Tabernacle setting right in the
middle
would be seven hundred each way--be fifteen hundred miles. Oh.)--each
way. Is
this true? I live outside of this area; should I move into it?
No, honey, don't you do that. Look. Now, you see how easy it is for
people? How
many was here when I preached that message? I said that when I was
measuring
the New Jerusalem, that it would be fifteen hundred miles square. I
said it
would reach approximately from Maine to Florida, and six hundred miles
west of
the Mississippi; that would be fifteen hundred square miles. I said the
city,
to my opinion, will be setting right on the ground where prophet
Abraham
searched for that city, when there'll be no more sea. The Bible said
there'd be
no more sea, which about three-fourths of the earth is in water. And
there'll
be no more sea; so therefore, it won't be too big a city setting in a
place
like that. I believe it'll set in that little place where they fuss so
much
about, and God was born, there in Bethlehem. I believe it'd be right
along in
Palestine there, where it'll raise up out of the earth right there and
be that
mountain.
980-262 But, dear friend, it has nothing to do with this
Tabernacle. See?
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Paul, all the saints, they died all over the
world, was
burnt up, drowned, eat by lions, and everything else; and they'll come
forth
out of every crack, crevice, and corner of the world. I hope I'm there.
I don't
know where I'll be, but wherever it is, if I am in that group, there's
nothing
can keep me from being there. See? And I don't have to be any certain
place.
Only place I have to be is in Christ, for those that are in Christ will
God
bring with Him. I don't care where it's at, He'll bring... Bury me in
Jesus.
980-263 Look at those prophets back there. They knowed in
the literal sense,
now, that the first resurrection, the firstfruits, would be in
Palestine.
Abraham bought a place, and he--not--and he buried Sarah. And he begot
Isaac.
Isaac was buried by the side of his father and mother. Isaac begot
Jacob; Jacob
died down in Israel--in Egypt, brought back into Palestine. And then,
Joseph
also died down there. And they brought Joseph's bones back, 'cause he
said,
"Make..." had Joseph to swear to it--Jacob, that he'd not bury him
down there, but bring him back to the promised land. Joseph said,
"Someday
the Lord your God will visit you. Let me--my bones go and be buried
with my
father." And they did, because, being prophets, they understood that
the
firstfruits of the resurrection would be in Palestine.
981--264 Now, the Bible said... And if you call me a
prophet, I don't say I
am; but if you call me that, remember, I'm saying to you in the name of
a
prophet (See?)--in the name of a prophet, the resurrection and rapture
will be
general all over the entire world. No matter where you're at, when that
hour
comes, you'll be caught up to meet Him. That's all. There's nothing
going to
stop you, no matter where you are. And I only hope that I'm there, one
of them.
I just only trust and hope in God that I'll be one of them and each one
of you
will be in the--in the same.
Now, do we have time for another? Then it's going to be just
(See?)--just
almost 1:00 o'clock.
981-Q-274 274. Dear Brother Branham: My wife and I were
separated. She is
suing me for a divorce. She is not a Christian, and I believe the
Message and
want her to be saved (Isn't that nice? That's real Christian spirit.
See?) and
believe. What must I do? We also have two boys. (Signed their name.)
Brother, look, let me tell you, she's going to sue you for a divorce;
that's
Satan. See? You shouldn't do that, but if you're a Christian and done
nothing
in the world to hinder that woman, then it's Satan doing that. He's
only trying
to tear you up.
Now, if she is one of God's elected, she will come to Him. If she's
not, she's
not worth worrying about. Then if it does... If you worry, it'll break
your
health down, and that's what Satan wants to do. He's working, I know,
at you.
So you just commit the whole thing to God and go right on serving God
just as
happy as you can be. God will take care of the rest of it. "All that
the
Father has given Me will come to me." Get down on your knees; I'll pray
with you or anything. I'll pray over the matter. Just say, "Lord God, I
love her; she's the mother of my children," (if she is) and say,
"I--I--I just commit the whole thing to You, Lord. I want them saved;
You
know I do; but I can't go no further. She's going to divorce me anyhow.
I
haven't done nothing; if I have, reveal it to me; I'll go make it
right. I will
do anything." Then commit it to the Lord and just let it alone then,
just
let it alone. Go right on living just the same as--as nothing had ever
happened. And God will take care of the rest of it.
982-Q-275 275. Now: Brother Branham, what is all this
about the people (Oh,
again.) moving to Arizona? Explain it. There's another kind of a
handwrite.
See, see?
Well, we've already explained that (See?), what that is.
982-Q-276 276. Brother Branham, will the Bride go through
the persecution
as the early apostolic church did?
No, I just explained that a few minutes ago. No, next thing is a
rapture now.
Remember, we're at the promised land; we're at the border. You
understand the
march of Israel?
982-Q-277 277. Is it lawful for--to use any type of birth
control?
I'd better leave that till this afternoon (See?), 'cause it's... I want
to--I
want to talk something on that.
982-Q-278 278. Brother Branham, I just... (I'm waiting
just 3 more minutes
if I can. Let me get something short here maybe.) I can't give over
completely
to Jesus. Have I an evil spirit?
Let me just spend the rest of the time on that there. You can't
surrender to
Jesus? They don't... See, I don't know man or woman; I couldn't tell
which it
is. God knows that.
You can't surrender to Jesus. Why? What's the matter? If you are a
woman, don't
you have to surrender to your husband to be a wife, surrender all you
are? A
little lady when you were married, virtuous, fought all your life to
stay
virtuous, but one day you found a man that you loved. You were his
completely.
The things that you'd fought against all your life and tried to live
clean, and
clear, and virtuous, now you surrender every bit of it to one man. Is
that
right? You put yourself completely in his hands; you are his. All that
you have
stood for in decency, and moral, and everything like that, now you turn
over to
a man, because you surrender yourself to the man. Can't you do the same
thing
to Jesus Christ? Just surrender yourself that way, "all that I am, all
my
mind, all my thoughts." Certainly.
I don't think that you're possessed of an evil spirit; I think that
evil spirit
anoints you with them kind of thoughts, trying to make you think that
you
cannot surrender yourself to God. When... Let me show you something.
Why would
you want to surrender to Him? Because there's something out there
calling to
you to surrender. It's a very good sign that you ought to surrender
yourself.
983-272 Now, all you do, brother or sister (might be a
young person or old,
whatever it is), you said... Just can't find themselves so they can
completely
surrender. Just give yourself over. "Lord, my thinking, my all that I
am,
I--I want to give to You. My life, I give as a life of service. Take
me, Lord,
and use me just as I am." And it's such a simple thing; I wish the
church
could really... I believe if--if--if the Tabernacle now, benefiting on
these
questions... Do you like them? All right. It'll help a little.
Now look, on this, if the church would just ask these things (You
see?), ask
these things: if they should do this, or do that, and everything, I'll
try to do
the best I can. If I've advised you wrong, it's not been in my heart to
do it.
If I said anything wrong just to uphold some of my own thoughts and
things,
not--knowing--knowing that it's wrong to do that or tell you that, I'd
be a
filthy hypocrite. That's right. But from my heart, if I'm wrong, God
knows
(See?) I have done it with all that's in me to answer your questions.
983-274 And to you ministers out in the land where this
tape will go, I
didn't say these things to hurt you. I said it because I love you. See?
And I
truly, with all my heart... It's... Now, I'm not trying to work to show
that--that I--I know something that you don't know. That isn't it, my
brother.
I'm only doing this because I love you, and I--I--you love me, I
believe.
What if you saw me going down the river in an old boat, out here on
this river,
close to where we're at now, here at the Tabernacle, the Ohio River;
and the
river'd be up and flooded; and the falls is just below me. And you know
that
boat won't go over those falls; it just won't do it... And here I am
setting
out there with my head back, and singing, and resting, and going right
down,
floating down that, leisurely down that river; and you know right down
there
I'm going to wreck up. If you loved me, you'd scream, or you'd jump in
a boat,
and run out there, and konk me on the head with something, bring me in.
"Brother Branham, you're out of your mind. You're out of your mind; the
falls is right here."
And I said, "Oh, shut up. Leave me alone." And yet you love me
anyhow. You'd do anything in the world; you'd grab me. If you had
to--if you
had to bust up the boat, you'd get me out of there, 'cause you love me;
you
know what's going to happen.
984-277 And brother, I know that's what's going to happen
to that
denomination. She won't stem the tide. See? You're going right straight
to the
World Council of Churches; and now, you either got to take it or it's
come out
the way we are now. So it's just exactly, you got to make your choice.
And I--I
don't mean to be... I'd like to bust up the boat, all right; I'd like
to do
anything I could, not to hurt you, brother, but to wake you up that
you're
wrong. Don't do that.
And this water baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, there's not a man
on the
face of the earth could condemn that by the Scripture. There's no man
can
condemn that. There's not one Scripture... You people, you
brethren--you
brethren, remember, just remember, search the Bible; find one place
where
anybody was ever baptized in the New Testament (They wasn't baptized in
the Old,)
but in the New Testament, where anybody was ever baptized otherwise
than in the
Name of the Lord Jesus Christ; then come show it to me. Or go find the
history
book where they ever did baptize for hundreds of years after the death
of the
last apostles... The Catholic church started the baptism. Their
catechism says
the same thing, using the name of Father, Son, Holy Ghost.
984-279 On a interview with a priest, right here at
Sacred Heart church,
told me the same thing. Said the Catholic church used to baptize like
that,
when I told him I baptized this Frazier girl, when the bishop wanted to
know.
He said, "Will you swear to these statements?"
I said, "I don't swear at all."
He said, "The bishop wants you to."
I said, "The bishop will have to take my word or don't believe it,
either
one he wants to." See? I said, "Bible said not to swear at all."
And he said, "Well, uh..." He said, "The..."
I said, "I baptized her by Christian baptism in water, immersed her at
the
foot of Spring Street in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. "
And when the priest put it down, he said, "That's the way the Catholic
church used to baptize."
I said, "When?"
He said, "In the days of the apostles."
I said, "You call them Catholics?"
He said, "Sure, they was."
I said, "Then I'm a better Catholic than you are. I follow their
teaching." That's right. See, see? They claim that, but it isn't so.
The Catholic church was established at Nicaea, Rome, under Constantine,
when
church and state and--united together, and--and the state give the
church
property, and stuff like that; they actually thought they was in the
millennium. They thought they hit a millennium. That was Satan's
millennium.
That's exactly right. Don't you believe that stuff. Yes, sir.
985-284 Now, but... Then when they made up--or had
instead of having a--a
idol, they took down--they took down Venus, put up Mary; take down
Jupiter, put
up Paul or Peter. Right there at--at the Vatican, right there at--at
Rome now,
right in the Vatican City, a nineteen foot statue of Peter, they claim
they've
kissed three of them toes or feet off of that statue. See? And
everything is
a...
All down... Went in a church, Billy and I, one morning there, went down
in the
basement there where they bury all the monks and things like that, let
their
bones rot up in this dust--one bone rot from another up there--and then
take
the bones and make fixtures of light fixtures of bony hands hanging out
like
this, and skulls; and them people come in there has rubbed them skulls
white,
trying to get blessings off of those dead men's skulls. It's a form of
spiritualism. See?
985-286 And that's where it begin right there in Rome,
and that's where the
seat of the beast is, and from there come the old mother whore. And her
daughters are harlots just exactly like she is, because she give the
whole
world a cup of her indignation--a cup of her testimony, which was mixed
in
there with the gall of the earth. And she had her testimony. She said,
"I
set as a virgin, and I--I set as a widow (I mean), and have need of
nothing";
and she don't know that she's miserable, wretched, blind, poor, and
don't know
it. That's it. And that goes for the Catholic church plus every
Protestant
denomination. But in all of that whole mess out there, there's precious
people
who love the Lord God with all their heart, soul, and mind. And they
think they
are right. They think they're doing right. God will be the Supreme
Judge.
986-287 To me, if God is going to judge the church by the
world--the
Catholic church says so--then I asked this man that I was interviewed
by... He
said, "God will judge the world by the church."
I said, "Which one?"
He said, "The Catholic church."
I said, "Which Catholic church? They different one from the other."
Which church? The Greek Orthodox or the Roman? Or which one is He going
to
judge it by? If He's going to judge it by the Protestant church, which
one? The
Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran, Pentecostal; who's He going to judge it
by? The
Bible said He'll judge the world by Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ is
the Word.
So to me, it's the Word of God that He'll judge the world by. That's
right. And
I believe His judgments are in the earth now, and I believe... Let us
seek with
all of our heart to escape the wrath of the damnation of the wrath of
God
that's going to be poured out upon this unbelieving world; and there's
no way
at all for to it--escape it.
986-289 There will never, never, never come salvation to
the world any
more. They have passed their line between grace and judgment.
There's... You
might put a Abraham Lincoln in every county in the United States, and
it'll
never turn this bunch of "Rickys" and "Elvises" back to
God.
When you seen in the paper (I got it. Bring it to you this afternoon if
you
want to see it tonight.), where a Presbyterian church (many of you
might've
seen it)--a Presbyterian church going through the masses or through
the--the--through
the sacrament with rock-and-roll. The pastor standing there clapping
his hands
like that, and they were going through the motion of the crucifixion
and all
"a-shindigging it" as rock-and-roll in a Presbyterian church.
And when this lowdown, screaming, filthy bunch of Beatles, that's so
called,
that got below men and want to become beetles... They turned down a
hundred
thousand dollar contract in St. Louis a few weeks ago; wouldn't stop
for that.
Come over here, a bunch of little, renegade Englishmen there with the
hair
hanging down in their eyes... And now, they've got a religion of their
own
they're starting. You seen it in "Look" magazine. See?
987-302 Oh, how this world is contaminated. There's not a
hope for it at
all; they have crossed the dividing line between--between reason and
common
sense, let alone between salvation.
Man can't even judge. We don't have men no more like we used to have.
Where is
Patrick Henry? Where is Abraham Lincoln? men that can stand for solid
convictions.
Where is that man can raise up and make these crazy women out here,
stripping
themselves off with--and out before these men; and then--and run them
out there
like a bunch of striptease, and then put the boy in penitentiary that'd
insult
one of them... Where is your reasons? What's common sense? If she puts
herself
out there, let her go like a dog. Yes, sir. If she's going to no more
to...
common decency for her than that... Where's the laws that could stop it?
987-305 Right here in Louisville, Kentucky, two weeks ago
when that woman
with a--trying to make a--get her name in the paper, put on a plastic
bikini,
walked out there from the Brown Hotel; and a policeman tried to stop
her, and
she wouldn't stop; laughed at him. And he'd throwed a gun on her to
stop her;
he pushed her in the car and made her meet him at the police station
for
immoral dressing and things like that, and she went and met... You know
what
they done about it? Fired the policeman.
God help a nation that's that rotten. You can't get by 'less you do
wrong. We
might not get by, but we can get up; and that's where we're looking
for. Let us
bow our heads.
987-307 Lord Jesus, let the great Shepherd come and take
us out of this,
Lord. We're waiting for Him. We're watching for that hour. When we see
the
world so corrupt, You said it would be this a-way. Your great prophets
prophesied that these hours would be here. We believe the prophets,
Lord; we
believe it.
And now, we pray, God, that You'll give us prophets to interpret this
Word to
us, that we might know whether we're right or wrong. We see false
prophets
raises up; they're in the deserts, Salt Lake City, and all parts of the
nation,
all kinds of deserts, and all kinds of secret chambers, all kinds of
Father
Divines, and so forth, everywhere.
Seeing those poor colored brethren, sisters out there now; they wanted
integration. As soon as they got it... That's right; they should have
it;
they're brothers and sisters. Now, when they got it, they're worse than
ever.
Shows that it's communist inspired. Oh, God, can those poor men see
that? That
it's only done... Well, it has to be done, Lord.
988-310 Come, that's what we want. You just come, Father.
We're waiting.
Come, Lord, take us under Your arms. Forgive us of our sins. There's
no--no
justice no more in this world. One thing pulls against another, and yet
it's
just so worm-eaten till you--there's no soundness in it. You said the
whole
body has become like putrefied sores. Truly, every table is full of
vomit. You
said, "Who can I teach doctrine? Who will l make understanding in that
day?" The whole table of the Lord is full of vomit. We see it, Lord. We
see the hour here. Help us, please.
Dear God, so many of these questions here about the people coming to
Arizona.
Oh, dear God, let those dear, precious people... They'll listen to this
tape
out there. Let them know that I'm no dictator to tell them where to
live, what
to do. And may they clearly understand it. If they love that country,
so do I,
let them be there, Father. But when they're teaching that the rapture
must come
from there, and there alone, or they must be with me, a poor, unworthy,
filthy
sinner saved by the grace of God--have to be around me... Lord, I want
to be
around--I want to be around Paul; I know he's going. And Peter, and
James, and
John, they're in Palestine buried somewhere there. I know I'll go with
them if
You've just had my name on that Book since the foundation of the world.
I'll be
there. And I pray, God, that each one of them will be there. Help me,
Lord, to
gather them all back here somewhere, where they can... They want to
hear the
message with these great teachers as Brother Neville, and Brother
Capps,
and--and all these other brothers here: "Junie," and Brother Ruddell,
and oh, J. T., and all them--all of them: Brother Collins, and Brother
Beeler,
and Brother Palmer, and... God, I pray that You'll just grant this to
these...
they...
Let--let--let them come here where they really hear it, if they want to
hear
it, not run off out there in that desert. They're trying to do exactly
what the
Scripture told them not to do. "Lo, it's in the desert; believe it not.
Lo, it's in the secret chamber; believe it not." Lord, I'm trying my
best
to warn them, but it all indicates that the hour is close now. The
evening
shadows are falling.
989-312 I pray for mercy, Lord. Have mercy on me; help
me. It makes me
nervous, Father. I pray that You help me. I--I don't want to seal my
life...
All my work here would be out here some fanatic to lead some group, a
cult out
into a desert somewhere. Don't let my name have to go down like that,
Lord. I
fought hard for this. I'm sincere in it as I can be. God, don't let it
happen.
Help me some way. I don't know what to do; I'm just depending on You,
but You
help me. I'll do anything You tell me to do. I'm Your servant; these
are Your
children. Lord, these... Most of these people, ninety-nine out of every
hundred, Lord, is really solid. They believe; they know; they
understand. And
they know it's not me; but I know these things has to follow every
revival, and
this is not immune from it. So I pray that You'll help us now.
Help us as we go to have a little lunch today, Lord. Bless our
fellowships
together. Gather us back here early this afternoon. Many of them will
have to
go home now, Lord. They'll have to go on to their--their home, and I
pray that
You'll help them. May they be able some way, Lord, to get ahold of the
tape to
hear the rest of their questions. Maybe theirs wasn't answered. I pray
that
You'll help them, Lord.
Help me real fast tonight just to answer these questions and get every
one of
them in that I can. Until we meet here again this afternoon, may You
bless us.
In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
989-315
I love Him, I love Him,
Because He first loved me,
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Wrote across there, I wrote it so it'd always be
before me: "Christ before me, while I'm answering these questions."
Do you believe I said it from my heart? Everything is from my heart to
help
you.
Some
of them might come to get their parcels
here.
989-316 Dear God, here's handkerchiefs, parcels laying
here. It's going to
the sick and the afflicted. Let the great Interpreter of the Word, the
Holy
Spirit Who wrote It, may He come near now for this portion of the
service and
bless these cloths. Lord, if I think of myself, who am I to lay my
unclean
filthy body across these handkerchiefs that stands between death and
life to
many? Oh, God, I tremble. But when I think that... You don't see me;
You just
hear my voice. It's coming through the Blood of the Lord Jesus there.
And I'm
believing that You'll answer for me just as You did for Him, because He
went
before me to set at the right hand up there of the Majesty on high. And
His
Blood lays there as an atonement, and I'm covered under that Blood.
I believe, Lord, that You'll heal them, for they're needy, or they
wouldn't
have had these laying here. I pray that You'll make them every one
well. As I
place myself across them, as... They said they took from the body of
Paul... He
was just a sinner too, Lord, saved by Your grace. But people believed
him,
though he scolded them and everything, but they knowed he was a
shepherd. They
knowed he--sent from You, because You proved Yourself by his ministry.
God,
these people believe the same thing today. I pray You help them now and
heal each
one in Jesus Christ's Name. Amen.
990-318 Are you hungry? All right. I'm hungry for more of
the questions.
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds
from
the mouth of God." Now, I may be... Some of these questions, I may not
have
them right; I just done the best that I can. Tonight I'll try to begin
just at
7 o'clock. Well, church will open at 6:30. And you that can stay... You
that
can't, we understand; that's all right. But I'll try to get every one
of these
I possibly can tonight. God bless you till we meet.
Now, let's us stand on our feet and sing this good old song, our
dismissing
song, "Take the Name of Jesus With You." All right. [Brother Branham
speaks with Billy Paul while the song is being sung--Ed.]
Take the Name of Jesus with
you,
Child of sorrow and of woe;
It will joy and comfort give
you,
Take it then, where'er you go.
Precious name, Oh how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of
Heaven;
Precious name, Oh how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of
Heaven.
990-319 I want to make this announcement. Billy just said
they took a love
offering this morning (See?), and said they had a nice love offering. I
have
him to go at the back of the building and stand back there. To the
people here
that never come prepared, don't have the money for your dinner, Billy
will give
you the money for your dinner and for--to pay your hotel bill or motel
bill,
whatever it is. You take and pay that now. If you're... If you can
stay...
Billy will meet you back there and take your name and where you're at,
and
we'll pay for your dinner and your motel bill out of the love offering
that's
taken for me this morning.
Till we meet! till we meet!
Till we meet at Jesus' feet;