The book of William Branham, a preacher of the Gospel and the prophet of the XX century, based on the series of sermons “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.”
The book outlines all the fundamental teachings revealed to William Branham during his 33 years of service. Many facts and events of history are presented in the light of Bible prophecy.
The Revelation Of Jesus Christ
E-1 Good evening, friends. It’s a–a great privilege to be back here in the house of the Lord tonight, in the service, and still living on the–the Manna from this morning that our souls were so greatly blessed by His great Presence.
And now tonight, we are–have a–starting on the subject of the “Breach Between the Seven Church Ages and the Seven Seals.” And I was just speaking this afternoon to a friend. And maybe, the Lord willing, sometime this summer, if He doesn’t take me home, or–or I get to come back (don’t go overseas or something), I would like to strike again at the seven last trumpets (See?), and it all bridges together. And–and then there is the seven last plagues, and–and it all blends right together as we’ll see as we go along.
E-3 So tonight while we’re kind of getting quietened, I may be just a little lengthy tonight, but even… As soon as I get back here… Now, all the preaching I done in Phoenix, I never one time even got hoarse (See? That’s right.), and oh, my, how hard I preached. And for, I believe, it was twenty-seven services without getting hoarse, but it’s the climate here. You see? It’s just simply–it’s just bad right here, just a valley. It’s–it’s just a bad condition back here, and–of healthy–you know what I mean; it’s–it’s bad. And any preacher has a–that speaks has a bad throat to begin with.
A doctor friend of mine looked into my throat one time to see what was wrong, said, “Nothing.” Said, “You just got callouses on your vocal chords there.” Said, “That’s from preaching.” Well, I–I–I kinda like that, you know. That made me feel better as long as it could be applied to preaching. You see? It would be all right for the Kingdom of God.
Now, we might not be able to bear in our body the mark of the–of Jesus Christ like Paul did from being beat, but we might bear a mark from preaching and giving our voice against the things that’s wrong. So we’re thankful that we don’t have to be beat anymore, especially up to this time.
E-6 So…?… we are… How many in here has read “What Time Is It, Sirs?” or has heard it, you know, “What Time Is It, Sirs?” That’s bothered me quite a bit. If you haven’t, I wish some way, if you could get a–to hear it or some way… Kind of bothered me, I just wanted to drop this before starting the service. About–about a week or ten days ago I was so disturbed, I just… I–I–I just didn’t… I wouldn’t take services or anything, because I–I didn’t know. It–it seemed like it could be something that was bad, and I didn’t know just what it was. So I…
One early morning, I got up to go up into Sabino Canyon, which from the house is only about thirty minutes drive to the–or forty to the head of the Sabino Canyon; then there’s a road that runs thirty miles up into the mountain: strange country up there. I can be here on the desert where it’s eighty and ninety, right now, and in thirty minutes be in eight foot of snow (See?), on top of the mountain.
E-8 We was at Phoenix just recently where it was twenty something, twenty-eight degrees (They had the swimming pool heated, people swimming.) and about forty minutes drive from there, it was forty below zero at Flagstaff. See? That’s the difference from the up currents and the desert… And very healthy for asthmatics and so forth. But…
E-9 Now, I went up in the canyon, and I climbed way as high as I could go, and I–I–I asked the Lord, while setting up in there, what all this meant and so forth. I was kinda bothered and didn’t know just what to do.
And so, while I was praying, and strange thing happened. I–I–I want to be honest. Now, I could’ve fallen asleep. It could’ve been like a trance, or it could’ve been a–a vision. I’m more less inclined to believe that it was a vision that… I had my hands out saying, “Lord, what does this blast mean, and what does these seven Angels in a constellation of–of the pyramid, picking me up from off the ground and turning eastward: what does it mean?”
E-11 I was standing there in prayer, and something happened. And now, something fell in my hand. Now, I know if you don’t understand spiritual things, it may seem very strange. But something struck in my hand; and when I looked, it was a sword. And the handle was made of pearl, the prettiest pearl I ever seen. And the–the guard (you know, where I guess, it’s to keep your hands from being lanced, you know, while you’re–the–the people were dueling) was gold. And the saber’s blade wasn’t too long, but it was just razor sharp, and it was glistening silver. And it was the prettiest thing I ever seen. It just fit my hand exactly, and I was holding it. I said, “Isn’t that pretty?” I looked at it, and I thought, “But you know, I always afraid of a sword.” I was kind of glad that I lived out of the days that they used them, because I–I’m afraid of a knife. And so I–I thought, “What would I do with that?”
And while holding it in my hand, a voice from somewhere said, “That is the King’s sword.” And then it left me.
E-13 Well, I–I wondered what it meant, “That is the King’s sword.” And I thought, “If it would’ve said, ‘A king’s sword,’ it might’ve been that I would’ve understood it, but it said, ‘The King’s sword.'” So I may not have this right, but I thought, “There’s only one The King; that’s God. And His Sword is this, sharper than a two-edged sword. See? And… “Ye abide in Me and My Words…” See?
And a… I–I thought in dueling… You see, and as I under–I don’t understand one word of it, but–or one principle of dueling, but the best of my understanding, the knife striking across, and then finally, the–the swords, if they lock–the enemy and you lock the swords like this, then it takes the strength of the man dueling, because (See?) his sword would be pointed to my heart and mine to his; but they’re locked, as our knives striking each other, and then they strike, and then the swords come together. And the one that can shove the other one down, the sword’s straight to the heart. So it takes, even though the Sword be the Word, it takes the hand of strong faith to hold It there to bring It to the heart of the enemy.
E-15 Now, not knowing these things, but just all that I have received of Him that I can tell, I’ve told you. So that… You know, I believe it was–wasn’t it our Lord said all that He’d received of the Father, that He had told and withheld nothing? And–and so we want to do those things just as they come.
Now, if you’ll be real wise and pray, I’m sure you’ll understand something pretty soon–now, something that I hope is revealed.
E-16 Now, in this Book–let’s all turn now to the–the 5th chapter of the Book which is called the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Now, tomorrow night is the First Seal, which the first four Seals are opened by four horse riders, one on each Seal that strikes the earth. And then, perhaps they will not be long until after we pass about, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday–about Thursday; then, I suppose on the Sixth and Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Seal will probably be very lengthy. So maybe it’ll give you a little time to catch up a little rest.
E-18 We aim to start the services here, I believe, at seven in the week nights, and I’m to be on the platform at seven-thirty exactly. And then that might let us out by midnight, so–so… I–I went a hour over this morning. I didn’t mean that; I just… I don’t know when, because I do not know what the first rider is. I do not know Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, or Seventh Seal. I… To this moment, I do not know. See? I’m just depending on Him.
E-19 So that’s why–trying this week by the grace of God to help, believing that if you understand deeply… You know, in visions you cannot reveal things until you are permitted to reveal them. How many times have you all heard me say, go into a house; perhaps a hat be lying here, and this certain child or so forth will not be healed until that is laid over here. I cannot tell them, or neither can I move it there. It’s got to be moved in some other way. Somebody else has to take it and move it and everything in order–then it can be revealed. So now, be in prayer.
E-21 Now, just before we approach the Book, let’s talk to Him with our heads bowed. Lord Jesus, we are altogether insufficient. We would not try by no means to approach this sacred Book in this most holy hour, which souls hang in the destination of time, without asking, Lord, that the only One that can reveal this Book, that He come forward now, blessing the feeble efforts of Thy servant.
Bless the Word as It goes forth. May It go in the power of the Spirit. And may the spiritual ground of the–those who are hungering and thirsting to know righteousness and to know the will of God; may it fall in there and bring forth of its kind. Grant it, Lord. All praise shall be Thine. May the hungry and the thirsty find food and drink tonight from the Word. We ask it in Jesus’ Name of Whom the revelation is of. Amen.
E-23 Now, now, we’re going to turn to the 5th chapter. Now, this is not the Seven Seals. It is the “Breach Between the Church Ages and the Seven Seals.” Now, there is also a 6th chapter of… and there was a 4th chapter, rather, of Revelation, and in that it kind of revealed something that would take place after the Church going up: that the Church goes up on the 3rd chapter of Revelations and does not return until the 19th chapter of Revelations. See? Therefore, the Church misses the tribulation. I know that’s contrary to–to pretty near every teacher I ever talked to, but I–I don’t mean to be dis–disagreeable. I–I mean to be your brother, but I–I must teach just as I can see it. If I don’t, I can’t put it together. You see? And now, whether it goes up before the tribulation or after the tribulation, I want to go up with it. That’s the main thing.
E-25 So those things we–we just are presuming, because, without education, I type. I look and see what is or has been in the Old Testament, which is a type or a shadow of the New, then I have some idea what the New is. See? Like if Noah went into the ark before the tribulation set in–a type… But even before Noah (See?) went in the ark, Enoch went up (See?) before anything happened. And Lot was called out of Sodom before one speck of the tribulation set in, or destruction. But Abraham was all the time out of it (See?): type.
E-26 But now, we will read the 1st verse. I’ll read the first two or three verses of it.
And I saw in the right hand of him that set upon a throne a book written within and on the backside sealed with seven seals.
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who’s worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under–neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look upon it. (What a book.)
And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. (Now, you speak about unworthiness, not even worthy to look at it: no man, nowhere.)
And one of the elders said unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts,… in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that set upon the throne.
We will pause there for a few moments from the reading of Revelations 5 down to the–including the 7th verse.
E-29 This seven-sealed Book is revealed at the time of the Seven Thunders of Revelations 10. If you’re marking it down… Let’s turn to Revelations 10 just a moment, so you’ll get a understanding before we get into it. Now, this is at the end time, for listen.
… I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow… upon his head,…
If you notice that’s Christ (See?), ’cause He in the Old Testament was called the Angel of the Covenant, and He’s directly coming to the Jews now, for the Church is finished. See? All right.
… and his face… as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
You remember that Angel in Revelations 1? Same thing. Angel is a messenger, and He’s a Messenger to Israel. See? The Church has been raptured. See? Now, or fixing to be raptured. He comes for His Church.
E-32 Now, watch.
And he had in his hand a little book open:…
Now, here it was closed here, and sealed, and here it’s open; it’s been opened. Since that time of the sealing we’re getting into tonight, now the Book’s opened. A little Book in His hand–in His… It was opened. Oh, how… The sun as pillars… Wait just a minute, let me start back here reading.
And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth,
And he cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth:… (We know He is the Lion of the tribe of Juda. Over here He’s a Lamb, but here He’s a Lion. See?)… and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
Now, John was commissioned to write what he saw, so the apostle and prophet picked up his pen to write it.
And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. (Now, that’s what we don’t know. That’s yet to be revealed; it’s not in Holy Script, what them thunders say.)
And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hands to heaven, (Now, listen.)
And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created the heavens, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things… therein are, and… there should be time no longer: (Watch, here’s a verse I want to get to.)
But in the day of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he has declared to his servants the prophet.
E-37 Now, see, the mystery of this seven-sealed Book will be revealed at the sounding of the seventh church angel’s message. See? The seventh angel begins to sound, and there’s the messages wrote out there, and we got it in tape and book form.
Now, at the beginning of the sounding of the message, the mystery of God should be finished (See?) at that time. Now, we will notice, the Book of the mystery of God is not revealed until the seventh angel’s message is sounded.
Now, these points will be important in the Seals; I’m sure, ’cause it must every bit tie together. Now, it’s wrote mysterious, because no man nowhere knows it: God alone, Jesus Christ. See?
E-39 Now, but it–it is a Book, a mysterious Book. It’s a Book of Redemption. (We’ll get into that in a little while.) And now, we know that this Book of Redemption will not be thoroughly understood: it’s probed at through six church ages, but at the end, when the seventh angel begins to sound his mystery, he winds up all of the loose ends that these fellows probed at, and the mysteries comes down from God as the Word of God and reveals the entire revelation of God. Then the Godhead and everything else is settled. All the mysteries: serpent’s seed and whatevermore is to be revealed.
E-40 Now, you see, I’m just not making that up. That’s what… It’s THUS SAITH THE LORD. I’ll read it to you out of the Book: the sounding of the seventh angel’s message, the mystery of God should be finished that’s been declared by His holy prophets. That’s the prophets who has wrote the Word. At the sounding of the seventh church age, the last church age, all the loose ends that through these church ages have been probed at, will be wound up together. And when the Seals are broke and the mystery is revealed, down comes the Angel, the Messenger, Christ, setting His foot upon the land and upon the sea with a rainbow over His head. Now remember, this seventh angel is on earth at the time of this coming.
E-42 Just as John was giving his message, the same time that Messiah come in the days… John knew he would see Him, because he was going to introduce Him. And we realize that in the Scriptures over in Malachi 4, there’s to be a one like John, a–an Elijah, to whom the Word of God can come to, and he is to reveal by the Holy Spirit all the mysteries of God and restore the faith of the children back to the faith of the apostolic fathers: restore back all these mysteries that’s been probed at through these denominational years. Now, that’s what the Word said. I’m just responsible for what It said. See? It’s–it’s written is right. That’s what It is.
E-44 Now, we see that this seven-sealed Book now, is the mystery of redemption. It’s a Book of Redemption from God. Now, all the mysteries at this time should be finished at the sounding of this messenger. Now, here’s the angel on earth, and another Angel, mighty Messenger come down. See, this angel was a earthly angel, messenger. But here comes One down from heaven: a rainbow, covenant. See? Only Christ, it could be; just exactly like it was in Revelations 1st chapter, standing in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks with a rainbow to look upon as jasper and sardius stone.
E-47 And here He returns back in the 10th chapter after the coming time, that all the mysteries is to be finished, and the Seals are to be broke, and proclaiming that its time is no more. And he said, “When the seventh angel has begin to sound, then the mysteries should be finished and time for the Angel to appear. We’re close, somewhere. That’s right.
E-48 Now, notice, the Seven Seals holds the mystery of the Book. Until we can see what those Seven Seals has sealed in, we’re only presuming them things. Because as I’ve told you this morning, upon my little message this morning of “God Hiding in Simplicity,”… You see, we are–we are–we are sure to miss the thing unless it is absolutely, genuinely revealed by the Holy Spirit and vindicated the same. See? If the prophet rises and tells you that this is just that, and God don’t vindicate the thing, forget it. See? But God in every statement, in everything has to vindicate it to make it right. See, see? So His children will watch those things (See?), and be alert.
E-49 Notice, Seven Seals on the Book has the… These Seven Seals has the Book sealed. See? The Book is absolutely sealed. Do you see it? The Book is absolutely a sealed Book until the Seven Seals is broken. It is sealed up with Seven Seals.
Now, that’s a different from the Seven Thunders. See? This is Seven Seals on the Book, and the Book will not–the Seals will not be released until the message of the seventh angel. See? So we–we are presuming, but the genuine revelation of God will be made perfect in that sounding and vindicated Truth. Now, that’s exactly what the Word said. The mysteries should be finished at that time. And this seven-sealed Book, remember, it was closed here in Revelations the 5th chapter, and in Revelations the 10th chapter it is opened.
E-51 And now, we’re going to see what the Book says about how it become open. And is not made known until the Lamb takes the Book, and breaks the Seals, and opens the Book. See? The Lamb’s got to take the Book; it’s His.
Now remember, no man in heaven, no man in earth: pope, bishop, cardinal, state presbyter, or whoever he is can break them Seals or reveal the Book but the Lamb. And we have probed, and presumed, and stumbled, and wondered, and–and that’s the reason we’re all in such a confusion: but with the Divine promise that this Book of Redemption will be perfectly opened by the Lamb, and the Seals thereof will be loosed by the Lamb in the last day in which we’re living now. And is not made known until the Lamb takes the Book and breaks the Seals, because remember, the Book was being holded in the hands of Him that set upon the throne. And the Lamb comes to Him that sets upon the throne and takes the Book out of His right hand: takes the Book.
E-54 Oh, that’s deep. We’ll try to solve it out if we can by the help of the Holy Spirit. Now, we’re depending on Him. And we will see later it is at the end time when time has run out. No denomination has a right for the interpretation of the Book. No man has a right to interpret It. It is the Lamb Who interprets It, and the Lamb is the One Who speaks It, and the Lamb makes the Word to be known by vindicating and bringing the Word to Life. See? Exactly.
E-56 Notice, and is not revealed until–this Book is not revealed until the church ages and denominational ages has run out, and there’s time no more. See it? It’s only revealed after church ages and denominational ages has run out. That’s the reason the thing is in such a scruple tonight. See? They pick up a little doctrine, and they run off here to one side and say, “This is it.” Another one picks up another doctrine, runs off to this side and said, “This is it.” And each one builds a denomination under it, until we got hundreds of denominations. But still in all of it to see the confusion; the people are wondering, “What is truth?” If that isn’t just the condition today…
E-57 But then He promises that when that time has finished out, there’ll be the sounding of the seventh angel’s voice, and then the Book will be revealed (See?) at that time. Now, don’t say, “Nobody… them people ain’t saved back there.” But the mysteries that they couldn’t understand: how that God can be three and yet One; how that the Scripture can say baptize in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and turn around and say baptize in the Name of Jesus. See? Oh, so many things… How can Eve eat a apple and cause the–the wreckage of the whole world? See? How can these things be? But those mysteries are promised to be revealed in the end time. It’s little loose ends that these great warriors has come on the scene, such as Irenaeus, and Martin (Saint Martin), and Polycarp, and the different ones; and Luther, and Wesley, and all of these (See?), as–how they have come and just lived long enough to–to kind of bring a light and shine it, but they left many things in–in the darkness.
Along come the Pentecostal age, like the Lutheran age, and they run out on limbs. But still all right; don’t say they wasn’t right. They were, but there’s loose ends left that can’t be explained. But then in… Why? The Seals hasn’t been broke to thoroughly reveal what these things are. See?
E-61 But then in the last age, all these mysteries are to be solved and handed out, and the Seals are to be opened by the Lamb and revealed to the Church, and then time is no more. See? How wonderful. Then the Book then is the Book of Redemption for… Then it goes ahead, and we bring in later on how the hundred and forty-four thousand is brought in and so forth. All right. That’s Jews.
E-63 Now, now, Paul… Let’s read a little bit. I get some of these Scripture, and I think we ought to–to read them. Now, let’s all of us turn… Paul in Ephesians 1… Many of them I see are writing and got their books and writing the Scriptures down, marking them in their Bible for a change. So that’s–that’s fine; I like for you to do that, and then go home and study it. See? And–and if you study it yourself, then you’ll–you’ll understand it better. See? Just study it, and ask God to help you to understand.
Now, let’s read a Scripture I got written down here: Ephesians 1:13 and 14. Now.
In whom we also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, and the gospel of your salvation: in whom… after that ye believed, you were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (See?)
E-66 Now, while we got the Scriptures open, let us… See, the Holy Spirit here Itself is a Seal. The Holy Spirit is a Seal. And a Seal signifies what? A finished work. The Holy Spirit being a Seal to the individual… And to that individual, when he receives the Holy Spirit, then his time of groaning is over (See?), because it is a finished work.
E-67 Like I used to work for the railroad company, and we’d load box cars with cans and different things from the canning factory and–and… But then, before that car could be sealed, the inspector come around to see if that car was properly loaded. If not, the first time it rammed together or something, it’d scatter the stuff and break it, and–and the railroad company was responsible. And that inspector would test everything to see if it was properly in place. If it wasn’t, he condemned the car. Then we had to do it all over again until the inspector was satisfied. And then when the inspector’s satisfied, he shuts the door. The inspector shuts the door. And the inspector places a seal upon it, and then no one can break this seal until it reaches its destination.
E-68 That’s what the Holy Spirit’s been doing. See? He goes, and He inspects… That’s the reason you can’t have these things and… You say, “I spoke in tongues, and I shouted, and I danced in the Spirit.” That don’t have nothing to do with it. See? The Holy Spirit inspects that person until He’s thoroughly satisfied and knows that they are… Then they are sealed unto their eternal destination. There’s not nothing can ever break that Seal.
The Bible (you’re putting your Scripture down), Ephesians 4:30 said…
… grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed until the day of your redemption.
Hold that Word “redemption” (See?), until the day that the Book of Redemption has been revealed, and the Redeemer comes to claim His possession nothing can do it. See? Don’t grieve It. Say; do things that pleases God, for the Book is sealed now and you are sealed. The Holy Spirit Itself is the Seal.
E-70 Seal signifies… (Now, this is words I got from the dictionary.) Seal signifies a finished work. And when the Seventh Seal is broken, the mystery of God that’s sealed in these mysterious seals is finished; until the day that Seal is broken, then it’s revealed what’s on the inside of it.
If the man’s wondering what’s in that box car; you say, “It’s supposed to be such-and-such. There’s supposed to be…” He’s presuming. But when the seal is broken and the door is open, we see into it then and see exactly what’s in there. You see it? And that’ll only be done at the end time.
E-72 Another thing a seal signifies is ownership. See? The seal has a mark on it, shows ownership. When you are bought by the Blood of Jesus Christ and sealed by the Holy Ghost, you no longer belong to the world or anything pertaining to the world. You are owned by God.
And another thing is: a seal is a security. Seal means you are secured. Now, you that don’t believe in eternal security, I don’t know, but now… But a seal signifies security to its destination. Woe unto that guy that would try to break that seal. And the Holy Spirit Seal cannot be broken. You all have heard me say that people said, “The devil made me do this.” No, no, the devil didn’t do it. You just wasn’t sealed in, so then (You see?), ’cause when you’re sealed in, he’s sealed out. See?
E-74 Now, you went out to him. He couldn’t get into you, because the only way he’d get into you is come through the same process that you have. He’d have to be saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Ghost; then he’d be your brother. So, see, so he–he didn’t do it, no, no. You just went to the borderline and come back lusting for the things of the world. He never went all the way over into Canaan (You see?), across Jordan, the death to self. See?
E-75 Now, notice. Now, this Book is sealed, and–and you are sealed with the Book until the day of redemption. Again in Romans 8:22 and 23… Let’s get that, and we’ll give this background, then I think we’ll understand it a little better if each person reads it for themselves. And giving you a few Scriptures here, so we can–we can look upon them, and while the hour’s still young. Now, 8, Romans 8:22 to begin…
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
E-77 Oh, my, oh, my. Don’t that make us old folks feel good? It ought make us all feel good, waiting for this hour. We understand this will take place at the first resurrection. See, nature is groaning; we are groaning; everything is groaning, because we realize there’s something not right. And the only way you can groan and wait for it, is because there has been new life come in here that speaks of a new world.
E-78 Like the wife, here not long ago we went over here to the super market, and I said, “We found a strange thing: a lady had on a dress,” and it was so strange. See? They–they… Nearly all of them don’t wear dresses. You see? And somehow they’re forgetful; they go out without them. So then we… They’re willfully forgetful.
So then Meda said to me; she said, “Bill, why is that?” She said…
“Oh,” I said, “it’s just the spirit of the nation.” And I said, “When you go to Germany, they have a certain spirit. Go to Finland, they have a national spirit. You come to America, we have a national spirit.” Our national spirit is frolic (See?), jokes. You know why? We were founded upon the doctrine of the apostles. We were founding upon leadership of great men like Washington, Lincoln, but we have moved off of that foundation, and we know that we’ve got it coming. We know that a atomic bomb’s got our name wrote on it. We know that slavery lays ahead of us, no need of fooling yourself.
E-82 It reminds me–like some of these comedians going down, and–and telling these jokes, and carrying on, and women carrying on the way they do and men together. It just reminds me of a little boy going through the graveyard, whistling, trying to make hisself believe he’s not scared. Sure, he’s scared. See? He ain’t fooling nobody; that’s why He’s whistling. See? He’s trying to say he’s not scared, but he is.
That’s what’s the matter today. But, oh, what a blessed hope for the believer that’s lifting up hands, for redemption is drawing nigh when he sees these things appearing. It’s a great time for the believer.
E-84 Now, these things, that the groaning in our bodies… Did you ever notice a tree how it struggles for life? It wants to live. And you notice a animal, how in–in death, how it struggles. You notice a human being. Everything, nature is groaning. We in ourselves are groaning. See? We know there’s something wrong. We see from these verses that something has been lost, both to man and earth. Creation of all type has lost something, for we see from this inspired Word that it’s groaning for some reason. You–you don’t groan ‘less there’s a reason for it. As I spoke of the ink, it’s a reason.
E-85 That’s the way in praying for the sick; until you can find the cause… I know the cure, but I got to find the cause. That’s why the visions are so needed and promised. It reveals the secret of the heart, tells the person where you made your mistake and what to do. See? No matter how much medicine you take, or how much oil you throw on their heads, or how loud anyone would scream over you, if there is something wrong, he will lay right there. I said, “he”; that’s Satan.
See, today, as advanced we are in medicine, we still don’t know nothing about these things. You say, “He’s got cancer.” Well, that ain’t nothing; that–that–that just names what it is. That names the medical name: cancer. That don’t have anything to do with what it is. That’s the name that we call it. We just call it the name, cancer. But really what it is, break it down, it’s the Devil. See?
E-87 Now we say “sin”; we just call it sin: break it down. What is sin? A lot of people say, “Drinking, committing adultery.” No, no, that’s the attributes of sin. See? That’s what sin causes (See?), but real sin is unbelief. That’s where–that’s where it’s named and called out. If you are a believer, you don’t do those things. But no matter how holy you try to make yourself and how religious you try to be, if you do those things, you’re an unbeliever. That’s Scriptural.
E-88 Now, something’s lost, and it’s groaning. It’s trying to get back to be back to its original condition. Would you imagine someone falling from the earth down into a deep pit somewhere, and was struggling, climbing, pulling… They must, by some means, get out of this pit. They’re not in their original state, and frantically they’re screaming; they’re clawing the walls, making a noise or doing some way. They’re–they’re groaning because that they want to get back to their original state.
E-90 As when a person is struck with disease, aches, and pain, one time they wasn’t that way; but they’re groaning. Why? They’re not right; there’s something wrong, and they’re groaning, and trying to get back to where they was when they had health. And when nature and people, as the Bible said, are groaning, it shows there’s something that they’re not in their ought-to-be condition. They have fallen from somewhere.
E-91 Now, we don’t need anybody to interpret that for us. See? For of course, we know it was Eternal Life they had fallen from, and they lost their claims on Eternal Life by the fall of Adam and Eve, who fell from Eternal Life to death in the garden of Eden and brought all nature under them to death.
A tree never died before Adam. A animal wouldn’t die before Adam. And there’s only one thing that cannot die, and that’s God because He’s Eternal. And that’s the only way we can ever keep from dying; we have to have Eternal Life in us to be sons and daughters of God. But when we died (as I said in the message this morning) to sin we sold out our birthright and crossed this chasm. Now, we’re beyond the reach of God on this other side of the chasm.
E-93 Now, of course, when Adam fell to death, he brought death upon all creation. Now, he was given free moral agency. It was given to them just as we–so to make a choice.
Now, Adam and Eve, in the beginning there was a tree of right and wrong before them, and that same tree sets before each and–and every one of us. See, God isn’t doing for Adam or for Eve… You say, “Well, it’s their fault.” No, not now it isn’t. It’s your fault. You can’t place it on Adam now. You got to place it on yourself, because right and wrong is set before you. We’re on the same basis as Adam and Eve.
E-95 But, you see, when we are redeemed, we no more want our own choice, but we want His choice. See, see? Now, Adam and Eve wanted their own choice. They wanted to–they wanted to find out what it was to have wisdom. So they–they probed into it, and it caused death.
E-97 Now, when a man’s been redeemed, he don’t care anymore for scholarship. He don’t care for anymore of the things of the world, the wisdom of the world. He don’t want no choice at all. Christ has been his choice, and that’s all of it; he’s redeemed. He just no more wants to lead himself. He don’t want nobody to talk him into where to go and what to do. He just waits and finds out the choice of his Maker. See? Then he goes in the Name of his Maker, when the Maker tells him to go.
But man seeking wisdom wants to find… Well, “This parish is pretty good, but they pay me more over yonder, so I’ll go over there.” See, see, wisdom…
E-99 Now, when Adam sinned by heeding his wife’s reasoning, instead of holding to God’s Word, that’s what made Adam sin. His–his wife reasoned with Satan, and then produced the product to Adam, and Adam turned loose the Word and sold out. He lost also his inheritance when he lost his fellowship and right to Life. Remember, “The day you eat thereof, that day you die.”
And when he lost his Life, he also lost his inheritance in life, because he had completely supreme control of the earth. He was a god of the earth. God’s the God of the universe, everywhere. But His son had this earth under his own control. He could speak; he could name; he could say; he could stop nature; he could do anything he wanted to. See? But when he did that, he lost his inheritance.
Now, Adam could say, “Let this mountain here be moved over there,” and it would do it. Adam could say, “Let this tree here, be plucked up and planted over here”; it would do it (See?), for he had complete, supreme control, as a minor god under God our Father, because he was a son of God.
E-102 Now, couldn’t we stop here just a minute and get our real sermon. See? Oh, then if the Blood has cleansed it back, what about now? See? Look what that Son of God, the second Adam did (See?), and said, “The works that I do, shall you also.”
See, Adam lost his inheritance: the earth. Now, it passed from his hand to the one he sold out to: Satan. He sold his faith in God to Satan’s reasonings. Therefore, his Eternal Life, his right to the Tree of Life, his right to the earth belonged to him, and he forfeited it every bit to the hands of Satan. He passed it from his hand to Satan.
Therefore, now it has been… It returned and has been polluted, and the seed of Adam has destroyed the inheritance that Adam should’ve had; that’s the earth. That’s right. See? The seed of Adam…
E-104 I stopped the other day at–down in Tucson where I live. And I was talking to someone up on top of the mountain, looking down. I said, “What do you think that three hundred years ago, the old Papago come down through there on his travois with his squaw and children setting on the back, rode out there somewhere, and lived peacefully. There was no adultery, no whiskey, no gambling, no nothing among them; they lived clean. And the coyote come down the–the wash each night through Tucson here, howling, and the mesquite and cactus bloomed around on the bank, and Jehovah looked upon it and must have smiled. But the white man come that way, and what has he done? He’s dug up the cactus; he has polluted the country with beer cans and whiskey bottles; he’s ruined the morals of the nation. The only way he could whip the Indian was kill out his food, the buffalo.
E-105 When I was reading at Tombstone the other day in the–the museum and saw the picture of Geronimo… And many of you might think that Geronimo was a renegade. To me he was a genuine American. He was only fighting for that which was right that God had give him a land, and a nation, and a place to live. I don’t blame him. And when those white soldiers come in there and by force taken over the land and killing them out like a bunch of flies… And there was the original picture of Geronimo’s medical headquarters or his hospital. It was two or three blankets over a piece of mesquite. And them wounded, real, genuine American Indians fighting for their God-given rights… And there, Geronimo with a baby of his own on the hips, standing there looking upon his own warriors, bleeding, dying with no penicillin or nothing, no way to help them: genuine, God-given American. Then call him a renegade? I’d call him a gentleman.
E-106 Cochise would’ve never surrendered. He was an old man. But the American army (them all dressed in there), and they went out there and would kill the buffalo. They run excursions out (and Sharpe invented the buffalo rifle), and they went out there and say, “Oh, I had a good day today,” shooting off the side of a–of a boxcar or a passenger car, saying, “I killed forty today.” Forty buffaloes, which would’ve kept the whole tribe of Indians two years or more. What did they do with them? Let them lay on the desert. The old a carrion bloated the land and stunk the lands. The coyotes eat.
E-107 When the Indian killed a buffalo, there was a religious ceremony. He took his hoofs, saved them to make pans. His meat they eat, even to the meat on the entrail. They taken all of his meat and hung it up and dried it. His hide was dried, and they made clothing and tents; there wasn’t nothing… But when the white man come in… The renegade is the white man. He’s the rascal. And he come in and killed off those buffaloes and starved those Indians out. Any genuine man would fight for his God-given right. It’s a stain on the American flag what they did to the American Indian. After all, it belonged to him.
What would you think if Jap–Japan or–or some–Russia would come in and say, “Get out of here. Get back out here.” And–and do us and our children the way we did those Indians? But remember, we’ve sowed, and now we’re going to reap. That’s the law of God, you know. There’s a planting time and then a harvest time. I think that it’s too bad; yes, sir.
E-111 Now, what happened? The polluted seed of Adam has polluted and absolutely destroyed the land. Do you know the Bible says that? And because that he has did this (the polluted seed of Adam), God will destroy them. You want to read that? Let’s see, I got it wrote down here. Turn to Revelations the 11th chapter, and we’ll find out. Get over in Revelations the 11th chapter, and we’ll see what God said about them who’s destroying the earth. The 11th chapter, and let’s take the 18th verse, I believe it is: 11:18, here we are.
And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come,… (Now, watch God’s wrath. See?)… and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, both small and great; and should destroy–destroy them which destroy the earth.
E-112 What they going to do? Reap what they sowed, sure. When you see sin running in the streets… How many on this Sunday night, how many adulteries will be committed in this city tonight? How many women will break their marriage vow in this little hole in the ground here called Jeffersonville? How many abortion cases you think are recorded in Chicago in thirty days? It–between twenty-five and thirty thousand per month, besides the ones that’s not turned in. How much whiskey is drank in the city of Chicago? What do you think happens in Los Angeles in one night? How many times has the Lord’s Name been taken in vain in the city of Jeffersonville today? Is it better now, or was it better when George Rogers Clark came down on the raft?
You see, we have absolutely polluted the earth with our filth, and God will destroy those that destroys the world. God said so. I always thought there’s something down in me like to get up in the mountains and look the way God fixed it.
E-114 I hate Florida where they’ve got them artificial palm trees and… Oh, my. I’d rather see the crocodile switching his tail back in the wilderness than to see all that there put-on and stuff that they do in our Hollywood and all that there glamour and bunch of drunks and… Oh, my. I just think, “Someday, someday…” Yeah.
E-115 But remember, the Bible has told us in Matthew the 5th chapter that the meek shall inherit the earth. That’s right. The meek and humble will inherit the earth. Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek (the simple ones that just don’t try to be some great big something); they shall inherit the earth.” Jesus said so. Yes.
Now, they’ve polluted it, and God will destroy them, but the meek will inherit the earth after it’s been purified.
E-116 Now, oh, my. Now, the forfeited title deed is now in the hands of the original Owner, Almighty God. The title deed to the earth and to Eternal Life, when Adam forfeited it, then Satan’s dirty hands could not take it; so it went back to its original Owner, God Himself. We’re going to find it in just a minute; there He sets on the throne with it in His hand: the title deed. Oh, that makes me feel religious, friends. The title deed to Eternal Life, abstract title deed to Eternal Life, when Adam forfeited it for wisdom and instead of faith, it went back to the hands of the Owner: Almighty God. What a great thing.
All right, waiting… What’s it doing? In the hands of God, waiting for redemption claims. He made a way of redemption. He made a way back, and someday the Redeemer is to take it back. You see where we’re getting to now? We’ll watch this Fellow setting upon the throne. All right.
E-117 Waiting for redemption claims… Its redemption… What is this Book of Redemption, this title deed, abstract title deed? You say, “Abstract?” What does an “abstract” mean? Means “it’s searched all the way back to its beginning.” Like that little–like that little drop of ink this morning, when it struck that bleach, it went all the way back. And when sin has been confessed and fallen into the Blood of Jesus Christ, oh, my, it gives an abstract right straight back to the Creator again, and you become a son of God. Abstract title deed is held in the hand of the Almighty. Oh, my.
E-119 Its redemption means all legal possession to all that was lost by Adam and Eve… Oh, my, what ought that to do to a borned again Christian. Its legal possession to the abstract deed, title deed of Eternal Life means that you possess everything that Adam and Eve lost. Whew. What of it, brethren? The possession of that deed…
Adam could not meet the requirements of redemption after he found he lost it. He had sinned and he’d separated himself from God and was on this side of the chasm, so he could not redeem it. He just couldn’t do it, ’cause he was–he needed redemption himself; so he could not do it.
E-121 But the law required a Kinsman Redeemer. The law of God required a Kinsman Redeemer. If you want to mark that down, kinsman redeemer, find it in Leviticus 25. We won’t have time to thoroughly search this, ’cause you know each–each text would make a–a night. See?
But God’s law received a substitute. Now, what if God had not offered to take a substitute? But love constrained Him to do it, that man was without a way back, and there’s no way for him to get back; he was gone. But the grace of God met this Kinsman Redeemer in the Person of Jesus Christ. Law required it; grace met its requirements. Oh, “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound…”
E-123 God’s law required a innocent substitute, and who was innocent? Every man had been born sexual, after sex: every one. And the only one that wasn’t, had forfeited the rights to Eternal Life and to be king on the earth. Oh, when I think of that Scripture, “For Thou has redeemed us back to God, and we may reign and be kings and priests upon the earth.” Oh, my, what… The Kinsman Redeemer… Oh, what a story we would have here.
Notice, law required a Kinsman Redeemer to redeem a lost substance. Grace met this requirement in the Person of Jesus Christ. A Kinsman must be born of the human race.
E-127 Now, how could we be? When every man that’s born has to… And anybody that couldn’t see it was a sex act there, why, he’s totally blind (See?), ’cause every man that was born was borned of a woman. And God required a Kinsman Redeemer, and He must be a human. Oh, my, what are you going to do now? Law required a Kinsman Redeemer.
Now, He couldn’t take an Angel; He had to have a man, ’cause we’re not kin to the Angel; we’re kin to one another. The Angel never fell. He’s a different kind of a being, got a different body. He never sinned or nothing; he’s a–different. But the law required a Kinsman Redeemer, and every man on earth was born of a sex.
Now, don’t you see, there’s where it come from. That’s where sin started. So you see where it’s at now? There comes your seed of the serpent in. See?
E-130 Now, notice: required a Kinsman Redeemer, and the Redeemer, Kinsman Redeemer, must be borned of the human race. Here that leaves us on a limb, but let me sound the trumpet to you. The virgin birth produced the–the product. Amen. The virgin birth produced our Kinsman Redeemer, none other but the Almighty God become Emmanuel, one of us, Emmanuel. The Kinsman Redeemer was met.
You see how God makes a requirement, and there’s nothing we can do. But then grace steps in and overshadows that law, and produces the product. Amen.
E-132 Oh, when you get over home, “When I get my little cabin down there,” as Brother Neville sings about. When you all hear something down there on one morning sing, “Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!” you say, “Praise God, old Brother Branham made it; there he is.” See?
Yes, oh, “It’s grace that taught my heart to fear; it was grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed.” Wait till we get down to it just in a moment. Oh, my.
E-134 Now, we look. The Book–the Book of Ruth gives a beautiful picture of this: how Boaz and Naomi had lost the estate. (You–you know–you heard me preach on it, haven’t you? Raise your hands up if you heard me preach it, so you understand. See?) Boaz had to become a redeemer, and he was the only one that could… He had to be a kinsman, a near kinsman, and redeeming Naomi he got Ruth. That was Jesus, Boaz typing Christ; and when He redeemed Israel, He got the Gentile Bride. So then, you see… So very beautiful… We have it on tape, I’m sure, here somewhere, if you’d like to have it.
E-135 Now, notice. Now, he must be kinsman. So, you see, an Angel couldn’t do it; a man couldn’t do it; it must be a man, but he can’t be borned of a woman: a sex act. So the virgin birth, the Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary; therefore, Jesus was not a Jew. Jesus was not a Gentile. Jesus was God. That’s exactly. His Blood didn’t come from any sex act. He was the holy created Blood of God. And we’re not saved by Jewish blood; neither are we saved by Gentile blood. We’re saved by the Blood of God. That’s according to the Bible. It says so. We’re saved by…
E-136 So, you see, Jesus was God. He was not no third person, fourth person, second person; He was The Person. He was God. See? He was God Emmanuel. God come down from His glory, revealed Himself…
I love that story of Booth-Clibborn, that great, beautiful hymn.
Down from His glory, Ever living story,
My God and Saviour came,
And Jesus was His name,
Born in a manger,
To His own a stranger,
A man of sorrow, tears and agony.
Oh, what condescension,
Bringing us redemption;
When in the dead of night,
Not one faint hope in sight,
God, precious, tender,
Laid aside His splendors,
Stooping to woo, and save my soul.
O, how I love Him! How I adore Him!
My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!
The great Redeemer, Became my Saviour–The great Creator, Became my Saviour,
And all God’s fullness dwelleth in Him.
That’s the One met the requirement.
E-137 Grace produced the Person of Jesus Christ. And we find this Book now… God stretched His tent, come from God to become a man. He changed His strain from the Almighty to be a man to take on the form of man, so He could die to redeem man. Wait till we see Him, when there’s nobody worthy. See?
E-138 All right, in the Bible, in the Book of Ruth as you read it you’ll find out such a person was called the goel, G-o-e-l, was called the goel, or it was a person that could meet the requirement; and the goel must be able to do it, must be willing to do it, and must be a kinsman, next to kinsman to do it. And God, the Creator of spirit, became kinfolks to us when He become man in order He could take our sin upon Him, and pay the price, and redeem us back to God again.
There it is. There is the Redeemer. Christ has redeemed us now. We are now redeemed, but He has not claimed His possession yet. Now, you might different with that, but just hold on a minute (See?); we’ll see. See?
E-140 He hasn’t claimed it. See? If He took the Book of Redemption, everything that Adam had and everything that he lost, Christ redeems back; and He’s already redeemed us, but He hasn’t took the possession yet. He cannot until the time appointed, and then will come the resurrection, and then the earth will be renewed again, and then He will take possession, His possession which He got when He redeemed us, but will do it at the appointed time. Oh, my.
This is described in this seven-sealed Book that we’re talking of now. All right. The Book of Redemption, it’s all described in here. All that what Christ will do at the end will be revealed to us this week in the Seven Seals if God will let us. See? All right; it’ll be revealed.
E-141 And revealed as the Seals break and are released to us, then we can see what this great plan of redemption is and when and how it’s going to be done. It’s all hidden in this Book of mystery here. It’s sealed up with Seven Seals… And so the Lamb is the only One Who can break them.
Now (pardon me), we realize… Now, if you’d like to look in the Scriptures; you can get over in Jeremiah and find out there when he was–when he–he was going into the captivity of the land, you know, he–he bought his uncle… His uncle’s son had some–some property, and he went through that sealing, and if we took it all… We got that also, in the Seven Church Ages, them seals and so forth in there.
E-144 You see, a seal in the Old Testament was like a roll, like this. And here was a mystery, and this mystery was hidden. All right, it was sealed around and put here: the claim to so-and-so.
Then the next mystery was wrapped around of what this inheritance was and stuck out here on this side: “The–the–the claim to so-and-so,” and went on down until it made a scroll, because people didn’t have books like this then. It was in a roll (How many knows that?) called a scroll. Well a sealed scroll you could break loose one here (what the mystery of this was) and tear it loose, and you could see what that claim was. And then break the other one loose, and you see what that claim was.
E-145 And the whole thing here, the Seven Seals got the mysteries of God from the foundation of the world all sealed up in there, and revealed by Seven different Seals; that if God willing–let Him–let us pull back these Seals and look down through the Book and find out what it’s all about. See? Oh, I hope we have a great time.
There the mystery of redemption is sealed until… This Book could not be broken until the last angel’s message. The scroll’s there, we knowed it was there. We know that it was redemption. We believed it was redemption.
E-146 Jeremiah said, “This scroll must be kept…” (as you read it there) he’d say, “He must be kept in a earthly vessel.” See? Oh, what a beautiful thing there I could talk about awhile. This scroll was kept in an earthly vessel, a vessel that once became flesh (Glory.), died, rose again, and kept in a earthly vessel until the time of the purchase. Oh, my, beautifully.
All right. Now, these messages are all kept up until this earthly vessel, until the time of God’s appointed time at the last messenger at the earth, and all that these people had jugged at and said, “I know it’s there; I believe it’s there”; and they’d fought at it, and brought it forth, and produced the things; by faith they believed it. But now it’s going to be brought to us in revelations and from the hand of God by vindication. God said so; He promised it.
E-148 Now, now, let’s see what–where was we at? Let’s go to verse 2 now. That’s a long time for verse 1, but let–let–let’s take verse 2. Now, we probably won’t stay that long on the next one.
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open… book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Now, remember, let’s read the 1st verse again so we can get it together.
… I saw in the right hand of him that set upon the throne…
God: Who is that? The absolutely original Holder of the Book of Life. He holds it; God does. When Adam forfeited it, it went back to its original Owner. It belongs to Him. And John, in the vision looked over and
… saw in the right hand of him that set upon a throne a–a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. (See, inside…)
E-151 Now, when we go to breaking these Seals, you’re going to see, it goes plumb back in the Scripture, all the way back. For each one of those Seals, the whole thing together, the whole mystery lays right here in these Seals. See? Every mystery of the Bible lays in these Seals, and the Seals cannot be broken until that time. I’ll prove it here just in a minute.
E-152 Notice, now the Book, remember, is sealed. Here’s one; here is this seal, then another one’s wrapped: a seal. Another one’s wrapped: a seal. It’s a Book of Redemption. And the whole thing together makes the Book, and it’s sealed with Seven Seals. And being it’s on the backside is because it’s wound up; the seal mystery is on the inside, and it only says the white horse rider, or the black horse rider, and whatmore on the outside, but the mystery of the whole Book is in them Seals. From Genesis to Revelations, a complete plan of redemption is revealed in these Seven Seals. Oh, it’s an important time. God help us to get it. See?
E-153 Now, and a strong Angel… Now, verse 2, the strong Angel with a loud voice proclaiming, “Who is worthy?” Worthy for what? “Who is worthy to take that Book?” Now, we find out… Where’s the Book at now? To its original Owner, because it has been forfeited by a son, the first son of God in the human race. And when he forfeit his rights to listen to Satan, he give up… What did he do? He accepted Satan’s wisdom instead of God’s Word.
E-154 Now, couldn’t we stop here awhile? Sons of God will take a seminary’s idea about it instead of the Word of God. See, see? Same thing Adam did: forfeited his right. And when it did, it went right straight back. Can’t you see where those ages has been? See? Went right straight back to the original Holder. And John, in the Spirit, standing up here in heaven… He’s just been lifted up now from the Church Ages (See?), saw the Church Ages, and then he was taken up in the 4th chapter. He said, “Come up higher; I’m going to show you things that will come.”
E-156 And he saw One setting upon the throne with this Book in His hand, in His right hand. Think of it. Now, and then in this Book was the title deed to redemption. And it was sealed with Seven Seals. And then a Angel came forth, a strong Angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who was worthy to open the Book, to take the Book; Who was able to open the Seals; Who was able to open this Book?” See? The Angel asked it; John saw it, and he said, “Now, Who’s worthy? Let Him…” Oh, my, maybe I’m just feeling this this a way. “But, let Him,” said the Angel, “let Him…” Here is the Book of Redemption. Here is the plan of redemption. Here is the only way you’ll ever be redeemed, for here is the title deed to redemption of the whole heavens and earth. “Let Him come forward, if He will.” Oh, my. “Now speak or forever hold his peace. Let Him come forward and claim this Book. Who’s worthy to do it?” And John said there was no man in heaven found worthy; no man on earth found worthy; no man beneath the earth that ever lived and died was found worthy; no man was found worthy.
E-159 The Angel’s call was a call for the Kinsman Redeemer to appear. God said, “I have a law, a Kinsman Redeemer can–can be a substitute.” Where is that Kinsman Redeemer? Who’s able to take it?
And it come from Adam all the way down through all the apostles, and prophets, and everything else, and nobody was found. Now, what about that? Nobody in heaven, nobody on earth, nobody that ever lived… Elijah was standing there. Moses was standing there. All the apostles were standing there of–of all the ones that had died, all the holy men, Job, the sages. Everyone was standing there, and nobody was worthy even to look at the Book, let alone take It and break the Seals.
Now, where’s the pope and all these come in at? Where’s your bishops? Where’s our worthiness? We’re nothing. That’s right.
E-162 He asked for the Kinsman Redeemer to step forward, if He could. But John said no man was worthy, not that there wasn’t worthy people there. Now, like an Angel, like for instance we’d say Gabriel or Michael, but remember, it had to be a kinsman. Remember, John said here, “And no m-a-n,” not Angel, not Seraphim; they hadn’t sinned, but they were in a different category. They’d never fallen. But this had to be a kinsman redeemer. No man, ’cause there was none of them redeemed. No man was worthy to look at it. Oh, no, my, my.
E-164 So it took a human kinsman; and he asked for it, and he wasn’t found nowhere. There’s nobody. No bishop, no archbishop, no priest, no hierarchy; no nothing was even a–that didn’t even have the holiness enough to even look at the Book. Whew, my, my. That’s pretty strong, but that’s what the Bible said friend, I’m just quoting what John said.
E-165 The Bible said that John wept, not as some people has taught it. I was hearing a man teach this one time; said, “John wept because that he found himself not worthy.” Oh, any man under the Holy Spirit would know different from that (See?), under the inspiration of God would know different from that.
E-166 But John wept. Here’s what I think he wept for: because if no one was worthy and could open this Book of Redemption, the whole creation was lost. Here is the Book; here is the title deed; and It will be offered to the Kinsman Redeemer that can meet the qualifications. That’s God’s own law, and He can’t defile His law–can’t defy His Law, rather. See, God required a kinsman redeemer who was worthy, who was able to do it, who had the substance to do it. And the Angel said, “Now let that Kinsman Redeemer step forward.”
And John looked, and he looked all over the earth; he looked beneath the earth, and there was nobody. Their creation and the–everything was lost. Of course, John wept; everything was lost.
His crying didn’t last but just a minute though. Then there stood one of the elders said, “Don’t weep, John.” Oh, my. His crying didn’t last but just a minute.
John thought, “Oh, my, where is the man? There stands the prophets; they was born like I was. There stands the sages; there stands… Oh, ain’t there nobody here?”
E-172 “I want a man that’s able to do it. I want a man that can redeem,” and he wasn’t found. So John broke out; oh, everything was lost, and he wept bitterly. And he–he–he was sad, ’cause everything, the whole creation, everything was gone if they couldn’t find somebody. Glory to God. If they couldn’t find somebody that could meet that requirement, they–every human being, the whole world and creation was gone. All, everything had fallen. The–the–the rights of redemption, the rights of–of Eternal Life, a–the Light, or–all these rights had been forfeited, and there was nobody who could pay the price.
E-173 And John started crying, ’cause no one was worthy, and no one could even look at the Book. Oh, it took a human being. John wept, because no one could do it, and everything was lost.
And there came a voice from one of the elders standing in the midst of the four beasts, and all that great host of heaven said, “Don’t weep, John.” (Oh, my, the grace of God.) “Don’t be broken hearted, John. Don’t weep, for the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root and Offspring from David, He has prevailed.” “Prevail” means “wrestle with and overcome.” Oh, my.
In the Garden of Gethsemane when His Blood dropped down out of His face, He was overcoming…?… The Lion of–and the Root of David has prevailed, has overcome.
E-179 Like Jacob, being supplanter, and when he got in contact with the Angel, he held on. And the Angel tried to pull away. He said, “I–I’m just not going to let you go.” He held on until he got what he wanted for, and his name was changed from “supplanter,” which means “deceiver” to what? To a “prince with God, Israel.” He prevailed.
E-180 And this Lion of the tribe of Juda prevailed. He said, “Don’t weep, John, for the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David has prevailed; He’s already overcome. He’s done it; it’s over, John.” Oh, my. He produced a bleach that sends sin on back to the greasy hands that the–with his wisdom that defiled it: the human being. Yes.
E-181 But when John turned to look, he saw a Lamb. What a difference from a Lion. He said, “The Lion has prevailed.” See, again I can use that there “God Hiding in Simplicity.” He said, “He’s a lion.” That’s the king of the beasts. The Lion has prevailed. The strongest thing there is is a lion.
I’ve laid out in the jungles in Africa and hear the–the giraffes squealing and–and the great mighty elephant with his trunk in the air, “Whee, whee, whee,” and hear the–the–the savages of the desert screaming out their bloody curdle cries, and the–the beetles till… And Billy Paul and I laying in a little old place covered over with stickers and hear away off in a distance a lion roar, and everything on the desert shuts up. Even the beetles stop hollering. The king speaks. Oh, my.
Oh, I tell you, that’s when denominations and doubts fall to the ground. Everything’s keeps still when the King speaks. And this is the King. That’s His Word.
E-184 Oh, he said, “John, don’t worry; don’t cry; don’t be broken up, John. I have you here in a vision; I’m showing you something. And I know you’re all tore up, because, you know, it–it–it… there’s nothing to be redeemed; everything’s gone. There’s nobody could meet the requirement, but the Lion of the tribe of Juda…” You know Judah’s… We had it in–on the blackboard here, you know, the tribe of Judah’s emblem was a lion.
Remember, the lion, the–and the ox, and the–and so forth, a head of the man and so forth, and then watching those Seraphims–that Word–while all Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John all stood around the Book of Acts.
E-187 And I heard a man said, a great minister said, “The Book of Acts is just a scaffold work.” It was the first vine that the holy church ever put forth. Yes, sir. And she ever puts forth another one, it’ll be that kind too. Yes, sir. You got some grafted vines in there bearing lemons that ought to be oranges, but it–it–when that vine–that vine ever puts forth its branch again, it’ll be just exactly like the original.
And Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, those Gospels are standing there guarding that: the wisdom of a man, the power of a lion, the work of an ox, and the swiftness of the leopards, or the eagle, rather. Yes, the Gospel’s standing there what… Remember when we had it? It’s in the Seven Church Ages.
E-190 Now, He said, “The Lion of the tribe of Juda.” Why? Out of Judah… “Oh, Judah a law giver shall not go before or between its knees until Shiloh comes”; but He will come through Judah. And the Lion (the symbol of the tribe of Judah) has prevailed; He’s overcome.
And when he looked around to see where that Lion was, he saw a Lamb: strange, look for a Lion and see a Lamb. The elder called Him a Lion, but when John looked, he saw a Lamb–a Lamb as It had been slain from the foundation of the world: a Lamb, having been slain… What was it? What was that Lamb? It was bloody, wounded, a Lamb that had been slain, but was alive again; and he was bloody. Oh, my. How can you look at that, folks, and remain a sinner?
E-193 A Lamb stepped up; the elder said, “A Lion has overcome, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. And John looked to see the Lion, and there come a Lamb, shaking, blood on Him, wounds; He had prevailed. You could tell He’d been in battle. He’d been slain, but He was alive again.
E-194 John hadn’t noticed this Lamb before, you know here. He hadn’t been mentioned before. Nowhere had it been mentioned. John didn’t see It all over the heavens as he’s looking, but here It come forth. Notice, where It came forth… Where did It come from? It come from the Father’s throne where He had been seated since He had been slain and raised again. He raised up and set on the right hand of God, ever living to make intercessions. Amen. Raised there today as an Intercessor with His own Blood to make intercession upon the ignorance of the people. Now, oh, that’s the One I’m depending on. He still was covered with bleach, the bleach of the forgiveness of sin.
E-196 John looked at that Lamb, and the Lamb looked like He’d been slain. And then he noticed He was wounded, and cut, and bruised, and bleeding: a bloody Lamb. That’s what took our place.
Isn’t it strange a simple Lamb had to take our place? And he saw the Lamb. He proceeded out; John hadn’t saw Him, because He had been way back into the eternities, even making intercession and showing that those who had come to God under the offering of the blood of bulls, of goats, a substitutionary offering, He also… ‘Cause them who believed it pointed to Him. And the Blood had not been shed yet, so He was there to clear them. He was there to clear you and I. And oh, God, I hope He’s there tonight. For every sinner, the Lamb been slain.
E-198 How can Jehovah see anything but that bloody Lamb standing there? And the Lamb proceeded out into the vision now, as It had been slain. Notice: come from the Father’s throne… Oh, think, He… Where did He advance from, to this vision? He come from glory where He’s seated at the right hand of God. He advanced forth to John out of glory.
Oh, would not it be a glorious thing if our sinful thoughts tonight could be laid aside long enough to accepting Him, He would advance all the way from glory tonight to make Himself known to anyone: the Lamb advancing from glory for intercessions (All right.) to make claims now for His redemption…
E-201 Remember, He’d been on His mediatorial work back here. But remember, these Seals are ready to be opened, and the Lamb come from the sanctuary of God, advanced forward… Wait till we get over there at that one hour–take that one-half hour that is silent; the sanctuary’s smoking; there’s no more intercession; the Sacrifice has left; it’s a judgment seat. There’s no Blood on it no more, for the Blood covered Lamb has walked away. Don’t you wait till that time.
E-202 Remember in the Old Testament? As long as the blood was off the mercy seat, it was judgment, but as long as the blood was on there, there was mercy. But when the Lamb walked away, that did it.
What’s He been? He’s been an Intercessor. No other person… Tell me where Mary could make intercessions then. What could Mary offer? What could Saint Francis, Saint Assisi, or–or any of the… Saint Cecilia, rather, or any other human being? John never saw a thousand saints come out from the mediatorial; he saw a Lamb, a Lamb that had been slain: bloody.
I don’t care how many saints have been slain; they were all due it, every one of them. Like the thief said at the cross, “We’ve sinned, and we are due this, but this Man’s done nothing.”
E-203 He was the only Man that was worthy. Here He come from the intercessory box. What’s He coming for now? Watch Him. Oh, my.
John was weeping. Where’s it all at? What’s going to happen?
Said, “Don’t weep, John,” said the elder, “here comes the Lion. He was the One prevailed.”
And when he looked, here come a Lamb, bloody, that’d been slain. Anything that’s killed is bloody, you know, been killed; its neck’s been chopped open or something; the blood’s all over it. Here come a Lamb, been slain. And He came forth. Oh, my. What? To make His claims on His redemption. Amen. Oh, I… Don’t you just feel like just going over in a corner and set down and cry awhile?
E-208 Here come a Lamb, still bloody. John… There wasn’t nothing there, all the celebrity was standing around, but there was none of them could do it. So here come the Lamb now. His intercessory days is over, the mediatorial days. That’s when this Angel’s going to stand there (You wait till we get in the Seals.) and time shall be no more. That’s right.
That half hour of silence; watch what takes place in that half hour of silence on that Seventh Seal next Sunday night, Lord willing.
E-210 He comes forth (what?) to take His claims now (Oh, my.), comes forth to take His claims. Now, He had done the kinsman work. He’d come down, become man, died; He’d done the kinsman work of redemption, but had not as yet called for His claim. Now He comes on the scene to claim His rights (Watch what takes place. Oh, my.) for which He was slain. For as becoming a Kinsman to man to die in his place to redeem him, but the elder was right when he said He was a Lion. See? The elder called Him, said, “a lion,” because He had been a Lamb, an Intercessor, a bloody Lamb, but now He’s coming forth as a Lion. My.
His days of intercession’s over. “Let him that’s filthy be filthy still. Let him that’s righteous be righteous still. Let him that’s holy be holy still.” The thing is closed. Oh, brother, then what? Then what? And remember, it comes at the seventh church age, when the mysteries of God will be opened up.
E-212 Now, watch real close. This is something you must get. Now, He had been doing His mediatorial work making intercessions for the believer. For two thousand years He’d been back there, a Lamb. Now, He is stepping forth from eternity to take the title deeded Book, and to break the Seals, and reveal the mysteries. When of it? At the end time. Do you get it? All right, we’ll go on then.
Now, break the Seals and release all the mysteries to them–to the seventh angel whose message is to reveal all the mysteries of God. The mysteries of God lays in these Seven Seals. See? That’s what He said here. All the mysteries lays in these Seven Seals.
E-215 And the Lamb comes forth now from being a Mediator between God and man; He becomes a Lion. And when He becomes a Lion, He takes the Book; that’s His rights. God’s held it, the mystery, but now the Lamb comes. Nobody could take the Book. It’s still in the hands of God. No pope, priest, whatever it might be, they can’t take no–the Book. The Seven Seals hasn’t been revealed. See? But when the Mediator, when His work is done as an Intercessor, He comes forth, and John… The elder said, “He’s a Lion,” and He comes forth. Watch Him. Oh, my. See?
He comes forth to take the Book (Now, watch.) to reveal the mysteries of God that others has guessed at in all these denominational ages. See then, the seventh angel… If this Book, mysteries, is the Word of God, the seventh angel has to be a prophet for the Word of God to come to. No priests, popes, or anything else can get it. The Word don’t come to such. The Word of God comes only to a prophet: always. Malachi 4 promised such. And when He come forth, He’d take the mysteries of God, where the church had got all scrupled up in all these denominations, and restore the faith of the children back to the fathers; and then the world judgment would strike, and the earth would be burnt; and then the righteous would walk out upon the ashes of the wicked in the millennium. You understand it now? All right.
E-220 Others had guessed at in the denominational age, but see, he must be this man, the seventh angel of Revelation 10:1-4 is a… The seventh angel has the mysteries of God given to him and finishes all the mystery been left off down through the denominational ages.
Now, you can see why I do not strike at my brethren in denomination. It’s the system of denomination. They do not… There’s no need of them trying to know it, because it could not be revealed. That’s according to the Word. They presumed at it, and–and believed it was there, and by faith walked by it, but now it’s evidently proved. Amen. Oh, my, what a–what a Scripture.
E-222 Now, watch. Then it is He, the Lamb, that takes His kingly position when His saints come to crown Him Lord of lord and King of king. See? See, time has run out. Revelations 10:6; there’s no more time.
E-224 Notice, there’s seven horns on this Lamb. Did you notice it? “Having seven horns…” We just been through that. “Horns” means “power” to the animal. And notice, He was not a animal, because He took the Book out of the right hand of Him that set upon the throne. See?
Notice. Oh, my, I believe I had that wrote down somewhere. Oh… To break the Seals and to loose the title, title deed, and the–the message to the last angel, and He takes His kingly place; that’s what he comes forth now to do.
Now watch, when He comes out, the seven horns… Now, when he saw this Lamb (John looking at It) It had looked like It’d been slain: bloody. And He’s come from eternity, and He ceased to be a Mediator. Then pray to Mary as much as you want to.
There was no man in heaven, in earth or no person, no being, nowhere else could take it; John even wept about it. Oh, Catholic friend, can’t you see that? Don’t pray to some dead person. The Lamb is the only Mediator. See? He was the One that came forth.
E-228 And what did He do now? He’s been back here interceding until His Blood has atoned for every person, and the Lamb now, knows what’s written in the Book. So He knowed from the foundation of the world their names were in there, so He has stood back here and re–and–and done mediator work like this until–mediatorial work till every one that’s been put in the Book has been redeemed and it’s finished, and now He walks out.
E-229 See, He’s done His kinsman work. He’s all… You know–you know what the kinsman work was to testify before elders. You remember Boaz kicking off his shoe and so forth? He’s done all this now. Now, He comes to take His Bride. Amen. He comes now as King; He’s looking for His Queen. Amen. In this Book is the whole secret of it wrapped up around Seven Seals (Oh, brother.), Seven Seals, waiting for Him to come.
Notice, Let’s get these symbols. It’s just nine o’clock; we got three hours yet or more to go. We got… Let’s just… Satan keeps telling me them people’s getting tired, so I guess they are, but let–let’s take this anyhow.
E-231 Seven horns was the seven churches (See?), the Seven Church Ages, because that was the Lamb’s protection. What He protected His rights with on earth was a God-sent group of people that’s protected. See, the horn on the Lamb…
Seven eyes are the seven messengers of the Seven Church Ages: seven eyes, seven seers.
E-233 Would you like to write down some Scripture? Let’s just turn to it. What do you say? Got that much time? All right, let’s go to Zechariah, the Book of–of Zechariah, just a little bit, and we’ll–we’ll read some of this. I–I don’t want to keep you too long on these things, and–and I… But yet, I don’t want you to miss it. What’s any more important than this? What’s the matter? What? There’s nothing more important than Eternal Life to a person, and we must–we must get this now and–and be sure that we get it. All right.
E-235 All right, sir. And now, we want to read Zechariah the 3rd chapter. I think that’s right now: Zechariah 3. We’re just going to get these symbols here, if I’ve got my Scriptures wrote down. I was just shouting all over the place this afternoon when I hit this, so I–I just don’t know whether I got it right or not; I hope I have. Zechariah 3, let’s see if it’s… I got 89 here, but it must be 8 to 9. All right. All right, I know it can’t be 89. Zechariah 3:8 and 9:
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that set with thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the branch. (Christ)
For behold the stone that I will lay before Joshua; upon… stone–one stone shall be seven eyes–seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the engraving thereon, saith the LORD of hosts,… I will remove the iniquity of the land in one day.
E-236 Now, let’s turn over to Zechariah 4:10–4:10. Listen.
… who has despised the day of small things?… (God in simplicity. See?)… for they shall rejoice, and… see the plummet in the hands of Zerubbabel with whose–with those seven; these are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
The seven eyes–eyes mean seeing. Seeing means prophets, seers. This Lamb had seven horns, and on each horn had an eye: seven eyes.
What is it? Christ and His Bride. Seven Church Ages, out of there was seven prophets that went forth, seven seers, eyes. So the last one must be a seer. All right.
E-238 Notice, He is not an animal. He took the Book out of the right hand of Him that set upon the throne. Who was it? The–the Owner, the original Owner that had the Book of Redemption in His right hand, and no Angel, no angelic being, nothing else could take the place. And this bloody Lamb walked out and took the Book out of His hand. What was it? Brother, this is the most sublime thing in the Scripture, a act, that not an Angel, not nothing could do it, and the Lamb come and took it from the right hand of Him that set upon the throne. What is it? Now it belongs to the Lamb. Amen.
E-239 God’s laws required… He’s the One that holds it. God’s law required a Kinsman Redeemer, and the Lamb come out boldly. “I am their Kinsman. I am their Redeemer. I now have made intercession for them, and now I’ve come to claim their rights for them.” Amen. Amen. “I’ve come to claim their rights. In that they have a right to everything that lost in the fall, and I’ve paid the price.” Oh, brother. Whew. Don’t it make you feel religious?
Not by good works which we have done, but by His mercy. Oh, wait a minute. And them elders and everything else begin to throw off crowns, and dignitaries begin to get on the ground. See?
E-241 No one, no one could do it. And He walks right up to the right hand of God and took the Book out of His hand and claimed His rights, “I have died for them. I am their Kinsman Redeemer. I have–I am the Mediator. My Blood was shed. I have become man, and I did this in order to get that church back again, the one I foresaw before the foundation of the world. I have purposed it; I spoke that it would be there, and nobody was able to take it, but I went down and done it Myself. I am their Kinsman…?… I become kinfolks.” And He takes the Book. Amen.
Oh, Who’s waiting there for me tonight? Who is that One, church, that’s waiting there? What else could wait there for you but that Kinsman Redeemer? Oh, my. What a sublime statement or act.
E-244 Now, He has the Title Deed to redemption. He has it in His hand; mediation is done now. He has it in His hand. Remember, it’s been in the hand of God all the time, but now it’s in the hand of the Lamb.
Now, watch, the Title Deed of Redemption of all creation is in His hand, and He’s come to claim it back to–for the human race, not claim it back to Angels; claim it back to the human which it was given for to make sons and daughters of God again, bring them back to a garden of Eden, everything they lost: the whole creation, the trees, the animal life, everything else. Oh, my. Don’t that make you feel good? Whew.
E-245 I thought I was tired but I’m not now. You see? Sometimes I think I get–I’m getting too old to preach, and then I go to seeing something like that; and I think I’m a young man. Hm. It does something to you. See? For I know this, that there’s Someone there waiting for me. There’s Someone paid the price that I couldn’t pay; that’s right; He did it for me, Charlie. He did it for you; He did it for the whole human race, and now He comes forth to claim His redemptive rights. Claim it for who? Not for Himself, for us. He’s one of us; He’s our kinfolks. Oh, my. He’s my Brother; He’s my Saviour; He’s my God; He’s my Kinsman Redeemer; He’s all, for what was I without Him or what could I be without Him?
So, you see, He’s my all, and He’s standing there as our kinfolks. And now, He’s been interceding for us up till this time, and now He comes forth and takes the Book of Redemption to claim His rights of what He did for us.
E-247 They died… Jesus said, “He that believeth on Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Whosoever liveth and believeth on Me shall never die. He that eats My flesh and drinks My Blood has Everlasting Life, and I’ll raise him up at the last day.”
No matter if he falls asleep in the first watch, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh, wherever he falls asleep… What’ll happen? The trumpet of God shall sound, that last trump will blast forth the same time that the last angel’s giving his message and the last Seal is opened, that last trumpet will sound, and the Redeemer comes forth to take His redeemed possessions: His church, blood-washed.
E-249 Now, oh, the whole creation lays in His hand now, on which the whole plan of redemption is sealed by Seven mysterious Seals in this Book that He took… Now, watch. And He alone can reveal It to whomsoever He will. He’s got it in His hand. See? Now, He promised it would be at that time, now, for it is sealed by Seven Seals of mystery, the Book of Redemption. Now, watch. As now… Friends, I told you I was going to let you out at eight-thirty, but I’ve throwed over three or four pages here to get to this. So I want… I’m already after nine, so that you can get back tomorrow.
E-251 But now, in this Sevenfold Book of Seals of Redemption that the Lamb took within Himself–was the only One Who could do it. And He took it from the right hand of Him that set upon a throne; now, to claim His redemptive, to claim His rights, to claim for me and you what He redeemed us from, to (See?), back to everything that Adam lost in the garden of Eden; He has redeemed us back to that.
E-252 Now, with the Lamb, with the Book in His hand, we are ready to ask His grace and mercy upon us to open these–seven-sealed Book to us and let us look a-past the curtain of time just a little bit. Oh, my.
Notice, when He took the Book, the Title Deed, sealed (Just get that in your mind, now.) and broke the Seals of the mystery to reveal them, to bring them to His… See? All of His redeemed subjects…
Now, when we hit this in the Seals, we’re going to go back there and see them souls under the altar crying, “Lord, how long, how long.”
E-254 And here He is as a Mediator on the altar, “Just a little longer until there’s more has to suffer like you.” But now He comes from here at this last Seal. He’s no more Mediator; He’s King now. And what does He do? If He’s a King, He has to have subjects, and His subjects is them that He has redeemed; and they cannot come before Him until He takes the rights of redemption. And now, He walks forth from a Mediator, where death put us in the grave, He comes forth with the rights. Amen.
And even those who are alive and remain till His coming shall not hinder them which are asleep, for the trumpet of God shall sound at that last trumpet, when the last Seal is broke, and when the seventh angel’s given his message; the last trumpet shall sound and the dead in Christ shall rise, and we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet Him in the air. He claims… He’s come forth now to claim His–His possession.
Watch, look at this. My, broke the Seals, revealed the mysteries… Revealed them where? To the last church age, the only one that’s living. The rest of them’s sleeping.
E-258 He said, “If He comes in the first watch, second watch, third watch, on down to the seventh watch…” In the seventh watch there went out a–a command or call, “Behold the Bridegroom cometh.” And when they did, the sleeping virgins, the nominal churches said, “Oh, you know. I–I believe I’d like to have that Holy Ghost.” Have you noticed the Presbyterians and Episcopalians? Did you hear my message in Phoenix to them men who stand up there and the “Voice” in there saying, “Well, what’s the matter with this author, saying, ‘Holy Father So-and-so,'” when the Bible said call no man, “father.” See? They’re sleeping with them; that’s the reason. But when they come forth and said, “Yeah, we believe…”
E-260 A woman just called up another woman and said, “You know, I’m Episcopalian,” said, “I–I–I spoke in tongues the other day; I believe I received the Holy Ghost, but sh, don’t tell nobody.” I doubt that very much. You might’ve spoke with tongues; but you set a man on fire, how is he going to set still? Yes, sir. They can’t do it.
Could you imagine Peter, and James, and John, and them up in the upper room saying, “Oh, we got the Holy Ghost now, but maybe we better keep still.” Brother, through windows, doors and everything they went out into the street, acting like a bunch of drunks. That’s the real Holy Ghost.
E-262 But you see, that sleeping virgin ain’t receiving nothing anyhow. That’s right. And remember, while they went to try to buy oil… You remember the Scriptures doesn’t say they got it. But while they were out trying to buy it, there come a sound. What happened? All those virgins that slept rose, and trimmed their lamps, and went in to the supper (Is that right?), and the rest was left for the tribulation period (Right.), weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. That’s the church, not the Bride, the church. The Bride went in. There’s a whole difference between the church and the Bride. Yes, sir. Went in to the wedding supper… Oh, notice, boys.
E-266 The Seals was broke. Why? In the last Church Age to reveal these truths. Why? The Lamb broke the Seals and revealed them to His church in order to collect His subjects for His Kingdom, His Bride. See? Oh, my. He wants to bring His subjects to Him now.
What is it? Out of the dust of the earth, out of the bottom of the sea, out of the pits, out of everywhere and every place; out of–out of the regions of the dark, out of paradise, wherever they may be, He will call and they’ll answer. Amen. Amen. He will call, and they’ll answer.
He come to get His subjects. He revealed His secrets, and they saw it; and time is no more at that time. Time has run out; it’s finished. All right.
E-269 He leaves the throne of–to be an Intercessor as a slain Lamb to be a Lion, King, to bring the world to judgment who has rejected His message. He’s not a Mediator.
Remember the Old Testament teaching now, as we hurry. When the blood went off the mercy seat, what was it? Judgment seat. And when the Lamb slain walked forward from eternity out of the Father’s throne and took His rights, it was a judgment seat. Then He become not a Lamb, but a Lion, King. And He calls for His Queen to come stand by His side. “Know ye not the saints shall judge the earth?”
E-272 Daniel said the judgment was set, and the books were opened, and ten thousands times ten thousands of thousands ministered to Him: King and Queen. And then another Book was opened, which is the Book of Life. That’s for the church. And the Queen and the King stood there.
E-273 As the cowboy’s meditation said…
Last night as I laid on the prairie,
I gazed to the stars in the sky;
And I wondered if ever a cowboy,
Could drift to that sweet by and by.
There’s a road to that bright happy region;
But it’s dim there, a trail, so they say,
But the broad one that leads to perdition,
Is posted and blazed all the way.
They speak of another great Owner…
He’s speaking in the terms of his cattle life. If you was ever in a roundup, you can see it plain.
They speak of another great Owner,
And He’s never over stocked, so they say.
He’ll always make room for a sinner,
That’ll drift on that straight narrow way.
They say He will never forsake you,
And He knows every action and look,
For–for safety we’d better get branded,
Have our name on His great tally Book.
For they say there will be a great roundup,
When cowboys like dogies will stand,
To be marked by the riders of judgment (Them prophets and seers),
That’s posted and knows every brand.
E-275 If you ever were in a roundup, see a boss stand out there, and riders and milling in that herd of cattle. He will see his own brand go by, and he will motion to the boss; and the boss will see it, and give him a nod. His pony runs right in around, around this milling cropping bunch of horns like that and cut his own cows out. See?
They say there will be a great roundup,
And cowboys like dogies will stand,
That’ll be marked by the riders of judgment,
That’s posted and knows every brand.
See? So he said:
I guess I will be a stray yearling,
Just a man that’s condemned to die; (Unbranded; he–they make soup out of him.)
That’ll be cut in the bunch with the rusties,
When the boss of those riders come by.
See Who it is? The Boss of the riders. That’s the Lamb to the seven messengers who’s posted and knows every brand. See? Hm.
E-278 Notice, here He comes, leaves the throne as an Intercessor, as a slain Lamb to become a lion, King, to bring the whole world into judgment that’s rejected. Our Kinsman Redeemer then is King over all. Why? He’s got the Title Deed of Redemption. It all lays within His hand. I’m glad I know Him…?…
Then claims His inheritance; that’s the Church, the Bride; He claims it. What does He do then? He disposes of His contestant, Satan. He throws him into a lake of fire with all those who was inspired by Satan to reject His Word of redemption.
E-281 He’s King now. Mercy’s still on the throne. Don’t you reject His offer. See? The riders know just who you are. And now, His contestant, who’s give Him trouble for two thousand years, claiming, “I can do with them what I want to. I still have them; they’re mine. I… They forfeited the title back there”; but He’s the Kinsman Redeemer.
He said… He’s back here making intercessions now, but someday… He say, “I’ll put them in the grave.”
But He told the Church, “I’ll bring you out (See?), but first I’ve got to be an Intercessor.”
E-285 Now, He comes forth, steps out from eternity back yonder, off of the throne of the Father where He set as an Intercessor. Now He comes to be King, oh, to rule all nations with a rod of iron. Judgment is set. Oh, brother, our Kinsman Redeemer holds it all. That’s right; yes, sir.
What does He do? He calls that contestant’s hand, Satan. “They’re mine now; I’ve raised them up from the grave.” And He takes all the liars, and the perverters of the Word, and all like that with Satan and destroys them in the lake of fire. She’s all over now. Throws them in a lake of fire… Oh, my.
E-287 You know what? I want–I want to just say something here before we close. And then we’ll–we’ll–we’ll hurry. Notice, we’re down now to the 7th verse, but from the 8th verse to the 14th, I want you to notice what takes place. All that was in heaven and all that was in the earth… Just listen to this; let me just read it. I–I believe it’d be better if I just read it out of the Book. We’re at the 7th verse. See?.. And… Watch the 6th verse.
And I–And I behold–beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven heads–seven horns,…(I mean) and seven eyes… (We just explained it.)… which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth to all the earth. (See, Seven Church Ages, the seven messengers that kept that fire burning. See? All right.)
And he came… (the Lamb)… and took the book out of the right hand of him that set upon a throne–(set upon the throne)
E-290 Now watch, and when He done that, watch what taken place. You talk about a jubilee. Now, this is exactly the breaking of them Seals take place. We’ll get in that half hour of silence, just after this. Watch this. And we started in, and we finish this up next Sunday night, right here. And listen close now. Are you ready? Say “Amen.” Listen close what took place.
When He had did this–when all creation was groaning, no one knowed what to do, and John was weeping. Here come the Lamb, walked over; and this Book was in the hands of–of the original Owner, because man had fell and lost it, and no man was able to take it anymore to redeem the earth: no priest, pope, nothing, as I said; but the Lamb come up, no Mary, no saint this or saint that; the Lamb come up, bloody, slain, and took the Book out of the right hand of Him that set upon the throne. And when they seen there was a Redeemer… And all the–the souls under the altar, when the Angels, when the elders, when the… everything seen it, when this was done… it…
E-291 Here it lays in the future. Tonight He’s a Mediator, but He’s coming to this; watch.
And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints.
That’s those that’s under the altar that have prayed for long ago (See?), they had prayed for redemption, prayed for resurrection, and here he–these elders are pouring out the prayers before, ’cause “Now, we’ve got a representative. We got a Kinsman in heaven that’s come forth to make His claims.”
And they sang a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to our God… (Watch)…by thy blood out of every kindred,… tongue, and people, and nation;
And has made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
E-293 They wanted to come back, and here they are going back to be kings and priests. Glory to God. I feel good enough to speak in tongues. Look. Watch. Here, it seems like I ain’t got enough language I could praise Him with it. I need one that I don’t even know, notice.
And I beheld… (Listen to this.)… And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels…
E-296 Listen what a jubilee going on. When they seen that Lamb come and take that Book of Redemption, the souls screamed out. We’ll get it. All, everything, the elders fell down; they poured out the prayers of the saints. What? There was represented a Kinsman for us. They fell upon their faces, and they sang a song and said, “Thou art worthy, for You were slain.” Watch what… And look at these Angels.
And I beheld, and… heard the voice of many angels around about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand,… of thousands; (Whew. Notice)
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
E-297 What a jubilee going on in heaven when that–the Lamb leads–leaves that intercessory box to come here to possess His claim. You know that got next to John. He must’ve saw his name wrote there. When them Seals broke, he must’ve got real happy. Listen what he said:
And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and underneath the earth,… such as are in the sea, and all that… in them, is–is in them heard (me) I saying, Blessings,… honour,… glory,… power, be to him that sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever…
Amen, and amen, and amen. Oh.
And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that lives for ever and ever.
E-299 Talk about a jubilee, talk about a time when that Lamb walked forth… See, the Book’s even sealed in heaven, the mysteries are. Say, “Is my name there?” I don’t know; I hope it is. But if it is, it was put on the Book before the foundation of the world. But the first thing that represented that redemption, come the Lamb that had been slain from the foundation of the world. And He took the Book (Glory.) opened the Book, and tore off the Seals, and sent it down to the earth to His seventh angel to reveal it to His people. There you are. Oh, my, what happened? The screams, the shouts, the hallelujahs, hosannas, the–the glories, the manifestations…
And old John, who had been standing there our brother, crying; “Why,” he said, “everything in heaven, everything in the earth, and everything in the sea heard me holler, Amen, blessings, honor, and might and power be to Him that lives forever and ever.”
E-303 Talk about a happy time when them Seals broke… John must’ve looked in and seen a-past the curtain of time and said, “There’s John.” Oh, he was so happy. He said, “Everything in heaven.” He must’ve really cried out, didn’t he? “Everything in heaven, everything in the earth, everything beneath the earth, every creature, and everything else, heard me saying, ‘Amen, blessings and glory and wisdom, and power, and might, and riches belongs to him. Amen.'”
E-305 Why? When the revelation come that the Lamb, the Redeemer, our Kinsman had come back from the throne of mediatorial and had walked out here to take His possession.
Oh, soon the Lamb will take His bride
To be ever at His side,
All the host of heaven will assembled be;
O, it will be a glorious sight,
All the saints in spotless white;
And with Jesus we shall reign eternally.
Oh, “Come and dine,” the Master calleth (now on the Word), “Come and dine.” (Oh, I–I get without words. See?)
Come and dine; come and dine,
You can feast at Jesus’ table anytime. (Now! But when He leaves there, no.)
He who fed the multitude;
Turned the water into wine…
E-307 He that said that he that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also…” Oh, my. He that promised these things in the last day. He that said these things, He that’s now in the time of the revelation of these things being made known, “Come and dine.” Oh, don’t miss it, my brother. Now, let us bow our heads just a minute.
Tomorrow night by the grace of God we try to break that First Seal, if God will break it for us and let us see what this revelation has been, hid from the foundation of the world.
E-309 Before we do that, sinner friend or lukewarm church member, do you just have a membership in a church or do you not have a membership? And if you have only a membership, you’d be pretty near as well off without it. You need a birth. You must come to the Blood. You must come to something that just spots the sin away till there’s no more remembrance of it.
If you haven’t made preparation yet to meet the Lamb in the air, and by the power invested me by my commission given by Almighty God and ministered to me by an Angel, a Pillar of Light, I charge you in the Name of Jesus Christ: Don’t try to meet Him with only a membership of a lodge, a church of this earth.
Come while the Mediator, as far as I know, is still on the throne making intercessions, because there will come a day when you’ll want to come, and there will be no Mediator. For if we see the hour we’re living, in the seventh church age, and the mysteries of God become what they have with the vindicated Spirit of God showing everything that He promised in the last days, how much more time is left? Sinner friend, come.
E-312 Lord Jesus, the hours are growing late. It may be even later than we are thinking. And we are happy to see this hour approaching. It is the most glorious hour that the world has ever known for the believer, but for the rejecter, the most saddest time that could ever be… There couldn’t find words in the alphabet, letters to make words, that could express the trouble and sorrow that lays ahead. And neither is there words could be formed from our alphabet to express blessings that lays ahead for the believer.
Father, there may be some tonight here without hope, and they are intelligent human beings. And now, if the Blood still lays on the mercy seat, let the Lamb walk out from the throne to their heart tonight and reveal to them that they are lost, and with bloody hands say, “Come while it is time to come.
I commit the message, Lord, with my prayer to Your hands. Do whatever You will, Father, in Jesus’ Name.
E-314 With our heads bowed, if you have not met this request and this requirement; if you’ve only trusted in your church, there was nothing that could redeem you. If you trusted in the intercessions of some saint, you’re still lost. If you have trusted in the works of your hands, something that you’ve done, good works, you’re lost. If you have trusted within the–within the prayer of your mother or the righteousness of your mother, your father, if you’ve trusted in that, you’re lost. If you’ve trusted upon some sensation, some strange feeling, some emotion of speaking with tongues or dancing; if that’s all you’ve trusted in and don’t know the Lamb personally, don’t know Him, then I charge you before God: make that thing right now with God. Down in your heart pray and just be simple, because God hides in simplicity.
E-316 You remember, the Bible said, “As many as believed was added.” And while we pray for you, I trust that you’ll make your–that one eternal decision: “Lord, I’ll say yes.”
And a decision is a stone, but what good is a stone without a stonemason that can cut it to shape the building, to fit the building? Then let the Holy Spirit cut you from what you are to what you should be. If you’re just a starchy church member, if you’re a sinner, whatever you are, if you’re without Christ, without the Holy Spirit, God grant to you peace tonight.
E-318 Now, Lord, as sanely as I know how to come, and as–as Scriptural as I know how to come, I come now with these I have committed to You with the Word. I’m trusting, Lord, that the Word has found It’s place in the heart of people tonight. If there be such here that does not know or have not that assurance of the Holy Spirit’s sweet Presence abiding in their life; that tempers, or indifferences, or selfishness, or something has cut this great thing from them and has kept them from it, or some creed, or–or some sensation has kept them from the sweetness of the fellowship of God, that it will now be turned loose. And that the Lamb, that bloody holy Kinsman that come walking forth from the throne down through the mystic Lights of the corridors of God’s throne, walked out to claim His inheritance… God grant tonight, that they will receive Him. May each decision be made solemnly, and may they surrender themself to Him alone, Who can cut them and shape them into sons and daughters of God.
E-321 Now, in solemn prayer… I’m doing this the way I feel led to do it. In solemn before God as He has proven Himself to you, and you wasn’t a Christian or you wasn’t a what we call it–not a–not a denominational joiner, but I mean a borned again Christian, but you solemnly believe the message is true, and you solemnly believe that you can only be saved by the grace of God; and you do believe that He’s speaking to your heart now, and you want to accept Him and are ready for His Word to–to cut you from what you are and make you what you should be, will you witness the same by standing to your feet. If that person’s here and wants to make that suff–that all sufficient, stand to your feet…
E-322 Heavenly Father, I know not no more what to do but to quote Your Word. Here are men standing on their feet that feels that they haven’t been where they should be–ready for this rapture; for it may take place before the First Seal be opened to us.
And, Father, I pray for them. I–I as Your servant offer this prayer to the great Intercessor, Christ; as they pray, I offer my prayer with them upon the ivory throne of God where the bloody sacrifice is setting there tonight and most any time might step from the throne to come forth to claim His possessions. Then there’s no more mercy left; it’s judgment.
Grant, Lord, that these people on their feet that’s standing, in their hearts making their confession and willing to let the Spirit of God mold them, and cut them, and shape them into Living stones into the house of the Lord God…
Grant it, Father. I commit them to You now. And You said, “He that will confess Me before men, him will I confess before My Father and the holy Angels.” And now, You’re setting there in the presence of all tonight, and they’re standing, confessing You, and, Lord, if that is from the bottom of their heart, just as sure as God’s Word’s right, You’re now making intercessions for them and accepting them in the–the grace and mercy realms of the cleansing Blood of the sacrificial Lamb, and they shall be Yours in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
E-326 Now, you that sees these people standing on their feet… There’s young men right in there, some are standing up: you who felt that all sin and condemnation is gone, I want you just to raise up (some of you close to them), shake their hand and say, “Brother, I’m praying for you.” “Sister, I’m praying for you.” Just shake their hand and say, “God bless you. And now, the rest belongs to the hand of the Almighty.” Say, “I will pray, and I will do all I can to help you into the Kingdom of God.”
… Oh, calling today!
Oh, Jesus is calling,
Is tenderly calling today.
E-327 You love Him? Isn’t He wonderful? Oh, what would we do without this? “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God shall man live.” Oh, feed me, Lord, upon the Word. “Forsaking not to assemble yourselves together as the manner of unbelievers and that much more as you see the day approaching.”
God willing, tomorrow night, by the grace of God, I’ll try with all that’s in me to ask Him to inter–intercede that the mystery of these Seals, as they break forth, will proclaim the Word of God to the people.
E-329 Until I meet you, God be with you. And now, I turn the service to our noble brother, Brother Neville, the pastor. How many loves Brother Neville? Now we all do. Come forward, Brother Neville. Brother Neville, God bless you.
The Patmos Vision
E-1 Thank you, Brother Neville. Lord bless you. Good morning, friends. I certainly deem this one of the highlights of my life, to be in the Tabernacle again this morning to see its beautiful structure and the order of the children of God setting in His house today.
I was so astonished when I got here yesterday and seen the looks of the building. I never dreamed that it would be this way. When I seen the blueprints, that when they had drawn up the blueprints, I just seen another little room setting on the side, but now I find it to be a–a beautiful place. And we are grateful to the Almighty for this beautiful place. And we are…
E-3 I’m bringing you this morning greetings from my wife and my children who long to be here at this time for this dedicational service and these–a week of consecration to Christ; but the children are in school, and it’s hard to get away. And… They have about worn away from their homesick feeling for the house, but we will never wear away the feeling for you people. You don’t wear that away.
There’s such as having friends, and I–I appreciate friends, everywhere, but there’s something about old friends: no matter where you make new friends, it still isn’t the old. No matter where I’d ever roam, this spot will always be sacred. For about thirty years ago in a muddy pond bed, I dedicated this piece of ground to Jesus Christ when it wasn’t nothing but a–a mud bed. This was all a pond. That’s the reason the street’s out of cater there, the–the road had to go around to get away from the pond that was in here.
E-4 And in here there used to be lilies, pond lilies come up. And the–the lily is a very strange flower. Though it is born in mud, it has to press its way through the mud and then through the waters and slime to get itself up to the top to show its beauty. And I–I think this morning that that’s a whole lot what’s happened here. That since that time, a little pond lily has pushed itself; and when it got to the top of the water, it spread its wings forth; its little petals went out, and it reflected the Lily of the Valley.
E-6 May it long stand. May it be a house fully dedicated to God. The Tabernacle itself has been dedicated in 1933, but thinking this morning it would be a–a very good thing for just a–a small service of dedication again and especially to the people who’s… (with their love and devotion to Christ), has made this all possible.
E-7 And I want to thank each and every one of you for your offerings and so forth that you have put forth to dedicate this church to Christ. And I’m greatly in appreciations and thank the congregation to speak these words in behalf of our good brethren here of the church who’s dedicated their services to this: Brother Banks Wood, our noble brother; Brother Roy Roberson, our noble brother; and many others who, with unselfishness and with singleness of heart, has put months in constructing this place the way it’s been–stayed here to see that it was built just right. And…
E-9 When I walked in to see this pulpit, the kind I have always longed for all my life–I… Brother Wood knew what I liked. He never said he would build it, but he has built it. And I noticed the building and how the construction, it’s just all… It’s supreme.
E-10 And now, there’s no words to express my feeling. There’s just no way to do it (See?), and–but God understands. And may you each be rewarded for your contributions and all that you have done to make this place what it is in the way of a building, a house of the Lord.
And now, I–I would like to say these words: Now, the building, as beautiful as it is, inside and out… My brother-in-law, Junior Weber, had the brick masonry… I don’t see how it could have been anything better than what it is: a perfect job.
E-12 Another brother who’s here (I never met the man), he put in the sound system. But noticing even in a flat building like this, I can just… There’s no rebound to the acoustics; they’re in the ceilings here–different ways. No matter where I stand, it’s just the same. See? And every room is–is constructed that the speakers are in them. And you can make it any way you wish to hear. It’s–I believe it was the hand of Almighty God Who did these things.
E-13 Now, if our Lord has so given us a building that we can worship Him in… For better than–around thirty years… We started off with a mud floor–sawdust, and set here by old coal stoves. And the contractor, Brother Wood, one of them, Brother Roberson was telling me that where those pilasters was, and those old stoves used to set in those rafters that went across, they had caught fire and had burned back maybe two or three feet. Why it didn’t burn down, only God that kept it. And then after burning off and all the weight of the Tabernacle laying on that, why it did not fall in–only the hand of God. Now, it’s undergirded with steel and setting on the ground built up strong.
E-14 Now, I think it’s our duty to make the inside right by the grace of God to be so grateful to God that our… This will just not only be a beautiful building that we’ll come to, but may everyone who comes in see the beautiful characteristic of Jesus Christ in every person that comes in.
May it be a consecrated place to our Lord, a consecrated people, for no matter how beautiful the structure is (that we certainly do appreciate), the beauty of the church is the character of the people. I trust it’ll always be a house of God of beauty.
E-15 Now, in the dedicational service of the original cornerstone being laid, a great vision came, and it’s wrote in the cornerstone the morning I dedicated it.
E-16 And you might’ve wondered a few minutes ago why I was so long coming out. My first duty as I come into the new church, I married a young man and woman standing in the office. May it be a type that I’ll be a loyal minister to Christ to get a Bride ready for the ceremonies of that day.
E-17 And now, let us do as we did at the beginning. When we started at the first dedication of the church, I was just a young man and my–maybe twenty-one, twenty-two years old when we laid the cornerstone. It was before I was even married. And I always wanted to see a place correctly in order and God’s–for God to worship (See?) with His people. And we can only do that, not by a pretty building, but by a consecrated life is the only way we can do it.
E-18 And now, before we dedicate a dedicational prayer–read some Scriptures and dedicate the church back to God, and then I have some–I have a message on evangelism this morning to build in to my message coming up.
And tonight, I want to take the 5th chapter of Revelations, which is blending in from the–from the Seven Church Ages to the Seven Seals, that I… Then we’ll have… Monday night will be the white horse rider; Tuesday night, the black horse rider and on down–the four horse riders. And then the Sixth Seal being opened, and then Sunday morning, next Sunday morning, if the Lord willing (we’ll see later, announce it later), maybe next Sunday morning have a prayer meeting for the sick in the building. And then Sunday night close off with… May the Lord help us to open the Seventh Seal, where there’s just a short verse, and it says this: “There was silence in heaven for a half hour,” by that silence…
E-23 Now, I don’t know what these Seals mean. I am just as much at the end of my wits to them as perhaps some of you are this morning. We have ecclesiastical ideas that has been presented by man, but that will never touch it. And if you’ll see, it has to come by inspiration. It must be; God Himself is the only One Who can do it, the Lamb, and tonight is that Book of Redemption.
E-24 Now, in this I… The reason I’m not announcing prayer meetings for the sick or so forth is because that I am–I’m staying with some friends, and I’m giving every minute of my time to study and prayer. And you know the vision that I had just before leaving and going out west–of those seven Angels come flying, so you’ll understand a little later.
E-25 So now, now in the building I think that we ought to have in this, if it’s been dedicated (or going to be dedicated in a few minutes to the worship of God), we should keep it that way. We should never buy or sell in the building.
We should never do any business in this auditorium here; it should never be done in here. That is, such as permitting ministers to come in and sell books and everything. No matter what it is, there’s other places to do that for… We–we shouldn’t buy and sell in the house of our Lord. It should be a place of–of worship, holy, consecrated for that purpose. See? Now, He’s give us a nice place; let’s dedicate it to Him and dedicate ourselves with it to Him.
E-26 And now, this may seem a little rude, but it’s not a place to visit; it’s a place of worship. We should never even murmur a word inside of here, outside of worship, to one another unless it’s absolutely necessary. See? We should never rally around; we should never run through the building or let our children run through the building.
And so doing this, feeling not long ago that–of doing this, we constructed it so we could take care of all of it. Now, we have this set here… ‘Course many people are strangers. The Tabernacle folks know this, that the building is going to be dedicated to the service of the Almighty.
E-27 Therefore, dedicating ourselves, let’s remember when we enter that sanctuary, keep still to one another and worship God. If we want to visit each other, there’s places we may visit each other like that but never walking around where you can’t hear yourself think, and some person come in, and they just don’t know what to do. See? It’s so much noise and things, it’s just humanly…
And I’ve seen it in churches until it has made me feel real bad, because we do not come into the sanctuary of the Lord to meet each other; we come here to worship God, then go to our homes. This sanctuary’s dedicated to worship. When… Stand outside; talk anything you wish to as long as it’s right and holy; go to one another’s homes; visit one another in places; but when you enter that door, be quiet.
You come here to talk to Him (See?) and let Him talk back to you. The trouble of it is, we do too much talking and don’t listen enough. Then when we come in here, wait on Him.
E-29 Now, in the old Tabernacle, there might not be one person present this morning that was there the day of the dedication, when Major Ulrich played the music, and I stood behind three crosses here to dedicate the place.
I would not permit anybody… The ushers stood at the door to see that nobody talked. When you done your talking outside, you come in. If you desired to, silently you come to the altar and prayed silently. You walked back to your seat, opened up the Bible. What your neighbor done, that was up to him. You had nothing to say. If you want to talk to him, say, “I’ll see him outside. I’m in here to worship the Lord.” You read His Word or set quietly.
E-30 And then the music–Sister Gertie, I don’t know whether she’s here this morning or not, Sister Gibbs. The old piano, I believe, set back in this corner the best of my remembrance. And she would play softly, “Down at the cross where my Saviour died,” some real sweet soft music, and–and then until it come time for the service, and the song leader got up and led a couple of congregational songs, and then if they had some outstanding solo, they sang it, but never just a bunch of carrying on.
And then the music continually played, and then when I heard that, I knowed it was my time to come out. When a minister walks into a congregation of people praying in the anointing of the Spirit, you’re bound to hear from heaven. That’s just all. There’s no way to keep from it. But if you walk into confusion, then you–you’re–you’re so confused, the Spirit’s grieved. And…
We don’t want that, no. We want to come here to worship. We have lovely homes that I’m going to speak about just in a minute and so forth at home, where we visit our friends and take them. This is the house of the Lord.
E-32 Now, there’s little children, now, little babies. Now, they don’t know no different. They… The only way they can get what they want is cry for it. And sometimes it’s a drink of water, and sometimes they need attention. And so we have by the grace of God dedicated a room; it was called on the list a “cry room,” but it’s right straight in front of me. It’s, other words, where the mothers can take their baby.
Now, it’s never bothers maybe me here at the pulpit; maybe I won’t even notice it, being anointed, but there’s other people setting near, and it bothers them. See? And they come here to hear the service.
So the mothers, if your little baby starts whimpering, you can’t help that. Why, sure it’s a… You should, you ought to bring it. A real mother wants to take her baby to church, and that’s the thing you should do. And we’ve got a room there to where you can see every corner of the building, all the auditorium, and a speaker there to where you can control the volume any way you want to, with a–a little toilet in the end, and water basin, and everything just exactly for the mother’s convenience. With chairs and things you can set down, a place to change your baby if it needs to be changed and everything setting there. It’s all fixed.
E-35 And then, many times teen-age children and sometimes adults will get to, you know, young people will pass notes or cut up or something in church. Now, you’re old enough to know better than that. See? You should know better than that. See? You shouldn’t come here… If you expect to be a real man someday and raise a family to the Kingdom of God, then start it off in the beginning (You see?), and–and act right and do right. And now, ‘course…
Now, the ushers stands at the corners of the buildings and so forth and if any carrying on, they are–they’re ordained as their duty (and trustees set here in the front) that in a case of someone getting misbehaving, they are–are commissioned to ask the person to keep quiet.
E-37 Then if they don’t have that respect, it would be better that someone else had the seat, because there’s somebody that wants to hear. There’s somebody come for that purpose to hear and that’s what we’re here for, is to hear the Word of the Lord. And so everybody wants to hear, and we want it just as quiet as they can be–just as quiet as they can be. That is, not a bunch of talking and carrying on.
Of course, somebody worshipping the Lord; that’s expected. That’s what it should be; that’s what you’re here for, is to worship the Lord. And just if you feel like praising God or shouting, just go right on (See?), ’cause that’s what you’re here for (See?), but–is to worship the Lord in your own way of worshipping. But there’s nobody worships the Lord while you’re talking and passing notes, and you’re helping somebody else to get away from the worship of the Lord. See?
E-38 So we feel that that would be wrong, and we want to make that a ruling in our church, that in–in our congregation, that to this building, this church will be dedicated to the Kingdom of God and to the preaching of the Word. Pray; worship; that’s the reason you should come here, to worship. Then…
And then another thing, when service is over usually the people in churches… I don’t–I don’t think it’s here ’cause I’m always gone (See?), ’cause I get away usually even in preaching other services, the anointing comes, and visions happen, and I’m wore out, and I step off into the room, and maybe Billy or some of the men there take me on to home and let me rest awhile till I get out of it, ’cause it’s a very much of a strain.
And then, I have seen churches though, to where the children were permitted to run all over the sanctuary, and–and the adults stand and holler across the room to one another. That’s a good way to ruin the service coming that night or whatever time it is, See?
E-42 As soon as the service is dismissed leave the auditorium. You’re through in the worship then. Then go out and talk to one another and whatever you want to do. If you’ve got something you want to talk to somebody, to see them, why, you go with them or to their home or whatever it is, but don’t do it in the auditorium. Let’s dedicate this to God. See? This is His meeting place where we meet with Him. See? And the law goes forth from the sanctuary, of course. And I–I believe that that would be pleasing to our heavenly Father.
E-43 And then when you come and you get to find out that gifts are beginning to fall among you… Now, usually it… I’ll trust it’ll never be here. But when people have a new church, the first thing you know, the congregation begin to get starchy. You never want that to be. After all, this is a place of worship. This is the house of the Lord.
And if spiritual gifts begin to come among you… I understand that since I’ve been gone that people have moved in here from different parts of the country to make this their home. I’m thankful, grateful to God that I believe that the morning when I dedicated and laid that cornerstone there as a young man, I prayed for its standing to see the coming of Jesus Christ. And when I did, owing thousands of dollars–and they… You could take up an offering in a congregation of this size and get thirty or forty cents, and our obligation was somewhat a hundred an fifty, two hundred dollars a month.
How could I ever do it? And I knowed that I was working, and I would pay it off. I… Seventeen years of pastoral without taking one cent, but giving everything that I had myself, outside of my living, and all that come into the little box on the back to the Kingdom of God… And people prophesied and predicted that within a year’s time, it would be turned into a garage.
E-46 Satan tried to take it away from us one time in a flaw, in a fraud of a lawsuit: some man claimed he hurt his foot while he was working on it, and then let it go, and then–and he sued and wanted to take the Tabernacle. And for weeks I stood at the post, but in spite of all the misunderstandings and the predictions and what they said, she stands today as one of the prettiest auditoriums and the finest churches there is in the United States. That’s right.
E-47 From here has went the Word of the living God around the world (See?), around the world, and it’s constantly taken its circle around the globe from every nation under heaven as far as we know, around and around the world. Let us be thankful for this. Let us be grateful for this. And now that we have a place to dwell in, a roof under our head, a clean nice church to set in; let’s dedicate ourselves newly to the task and consecrate ourselves to Christ. And…
E-49 Brother Neville, our noble brother and real pastor, servant of the living God, as far as that man knows the message, he holds with it with all he’s got. That’s right. He’s a gentle person; he’s a little a–afraid to–or not afraid, I don’t mean that, but he’s so–so awful gentle; he just will–doesn’t speak out. You know, like to–to say a thing that’s sharp and cutting or “set down,” or “keep still.” I–I’ve noticed that and listened to the tapes behind it.
But it so happens that I can do that, so I–I–I want you to remember my words. You see? And this is all being taped (See?); everything is taped.
And please let every deacon stand to his post of duty and remember that you’re under a commission from God to hold that post sacred (See?), every trustee the same.
E-50 Pastor is to bring forth… It isn’t the pastor’s place to have to say that; it’s the trustees–or I mean the deacons, for they are the police of the church. That is, if young couples come on the outside and blow horns, and you know how they usually do, or something like that at meetings or–or get out there… And mother sends her girl down here, and she takes off out with some renegade kid and runs out there in the car, and her mother thinks she’s in church like that, the deacon ought to see to that. “You either come in here and set down, or I’m going to take you in my car and take you home to your mother.” See? You–you must do that.
E-52 Remember, love is corrective (See?), always. Genuine love is corrective. So you must be able to stand the correction. And mothers know now that there’s a place there for your babies. You young kids know different than to run around over the building. See? And you adults know different than to talk and carry on your conversations in the auditorium. See? Don’t do that; it’s wrong. It isn’t pleasing to God.
Jesus said, “It is written: My house shall be made a house of worship, prayer, called the house of prayer by all nations.” And they were buying and selling, and He plaited ropes and ran the people out of the auditorium. And we certainly don’t want that to happen in this sanctuary here. So let’s dedicate our lives, our church, our tasks, our service, and everything we have to the Kingdom of God.
E-54 Now, now, I want to read some Scriptures before we have the dedicational prayer. And–and then, it’s just a rededication, because the real dedication happened thirty years ago. Now… And then–then as we–we read this Scripture and talk on it for a few minutes, I trust that God will bring His blessings to us.
And now, there was another thing I was going to say. Yes. Where we used to have the recorders and so forth, we got a regular room there where those who wants to take recordings; there’s special hookups and everything there that comes directly from the main mike in there.
E-56 There’s rooms, robes, everything for baptismal service. And then one thing: many people has always felt bad at me (many people who really didn’t know the Scripture) about having a crucifix in a church. I remember one time of something happened here about that. I had three crosses, and a brother got all shook up ’cause he heard a–another denomination say that a crucifix was meant Catholic.
I want some student, or somebody, or some borned again Christian to say that Catholics has got the option on the Crucifix. Crucifix of Christ doesn’t represent Catholicism; that represents God, the Kingdom. Now, saints represent Catholicism. We believe there’s one Mediator between God and men, and that’s Christ; but Catholics believe in all kinds of mediators, thousands of women and men and everything. Any good Catholic, almost, that dies becomes an intercessor. Now, crucifix of Christ represents Jesus Christ.
E-58 Did you know the early Christians, according to the–the ancient history of the early church, they carried crosses on their backs wherever they went to signify and identify themselves as Christians. Now, the Catholics claim that was them. ‘Course they claim they was the first ones, but the Catholic church wasn’t even organized then (See?), but Christians packed the cross on…
You’ve heard people say, “Crossback.” You refer that to Catholic? It is the real Catholic, the universal Holy Ghost Church of the world, correct. We are Catholic; we are the original Catholic, the Bible believing Catholic. See? They are the church Catholic, the organization. We are free from that. We are the continuation of the doctrine of the apostles. We are the continuation of the baptism of the Holy Ghost and all the things that the early church stood for, and the Catholic church has none of them. See it?
E-60 So they placed the crucifix here that was brought, that was hewed out of olive trees under where Jesus prayed, that the crucifix had taken years and was given to me by Brother Arganbright, and I want to dedicate it with this church… And how appropriate that ever who hung it there (I don’t know who it was that hang it here) to my, to my left, He pardoned the thief to His right. That’s me.
And another thing it represents: As His head is bowed as you see His suffering, any persons who are… It’s looking over the altar, and He’s expecting you here, sinner. He will be looking down upon you. Later they’ll have a little light setting here that when the altar call is being made, a light will flash on to that, that when people are here to…
E-63 You say, “Why do you need that? You shouldn’t have an image.” Well then, the same God that said, “Don’t make yourself any graven images,” the same God said, “Build two cherubims and tip their wings together, and put them at the mercy seat where the people pray.” You see, it’s–it’s without understanding. See? So that is inspired and directly hung in its right place, and I’m so thankful to be the one at the right side.
And I trust that He has forgiven me, for I–as far as literally stealing anything as I know, I never did in my life; but I so misused His time till I stole that way, and I–and done many things that I shouldn’t do, and I’m grateful to God this morning that He has forgiven my sins.
E-66 And now, I want to read out of the Book of I Chronicles 17 and just speak for about five minutes on dedicational service, pray, and then we going into the message. Now, in I Chronicles, the–the 17th chapter…
Now, it came to pass, as David set in the house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.
Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.
And it came to pass the same night, that the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying,
Go and tell my servant David… Go and tell David my servant… (rather)… Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in:
For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.
Whereas I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house?
Now, therefore thus shall thou say unto David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:
And I have been with thee wheresoever thou has walked, and have cut off thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of great men that are in the earth.
E-67 I would like to say that this place that–that David saw the same thing that we saw. David said, “It is not right that you people have built me a house of cedar, and the ark of the covenant of my God is still under curtains.” (That was skins that been sewed together of sheep and animals.) He said, “It isn’t right for me to have a nice home, and the ark of the covenant of my God remaining in a tent.”
So God put upon his heart to build a tabernacle. But David, being a man of–of love and consecration to God, yet he had shed too much blood. So he said… David speaking this in the presence of the prophet of that age, which was Nathan, and Nathan, knowing that God loved David, he said, “David, do all that’s in your heart for God is with thee.” What a statement. “Do all that’s in your heart, for God is with you.”
E-68 And that same night–showing the consecration of David to the love of God, and then to see the same night, knowing that he was in a error that he was not permitted to do it, God was graceful enough to come down and speak to Nathan. And I always like these words: “Go tell Nathan, My…” or “Go tell David, My servant, that I took you from the sheepcote.” Just… He wasn’t nothing.
I–I’d like to apply that here just a minute. “I took you from nothing, and I–I–I give you a name; you’ve got a name like great men that’s in the earth.” And I’d like to apply that in a–in a confidential, yet in a–a way of making a point.
I was thinking that a few years ago I was standing down in the city here, and nobody cared for me; nobody loved me. I loved people, but nobody loved me because of the background of the family. No disregards to my precious mother and father. How I wish that mama could’ve lived to walked in this sanctuary this morning.
Many of the old-timers who placed their money to help build it here, maybe God this morning will let them look over the banister.
E-73 But the family of Branham didn’t have a very good name around here on account of drinking. Nobody had nothing to do with me. I remember telling my wife not long ago, just remember that I–I couldn’t get anyone to talk to me. Nobody cared for me, and now I have to hide to get a little rest.
And now the Lord has give us this great place and–and these great things that He’s done. And He give me a, besides a bad name, He give me a name liken to some of the great men; and He’s cut off my enemies wherever I went. There’s never been nothing stand before It wherever It went–but–and how grateful I am for that.
E-75 And how would I ever knowed, as a little ragged kid, up here two or three blocks from here to the Ingramville School, when I was the laughing stock of the school from being so ragged and skate on an old pond. How did I ever know that down beneath that pond laid a seed of a lily that could bloom like this? And how did I ever know that no one talking to me, and yet, He would give me a–a name that would be honored amongst His people?
E-76 And now, David was not permitted to build the temple. He could not do it. But He said, “I’ll raise up from your seed, and he will build the temple, and that temple will be an everlasting temple. And upon your son, the Son of David, will be an everlasting Kingdom He will control.” Solomon, David’s son in the natural (from his natural strength) built a house unto the Lord, a temple. But when the real Seed of David come, the Son of David, He told them there would come a time that there wouldn’t be one stone left upon the other of that temple, but He tried to point them to another temple.
E-78 John, the revelator, over in the Book of Revelation, he saw this tabernacle (Revelations 21). He saw the new temple coming, descending down from heaven, adored as a bride was adored for her husband, and a voice out of the temple said, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and God shall be with them, and they’ll wipe all tears from their eyes. And there shall be no more hunger, nor no more sorrow, no more pain or death, for the former things have passed away.”
Then the true Son of David (as we’re going to see in this lessons coming on in this week) will then come to His temple, the temple of God, the real tabernacle, which He has gone away to construct now. For He said in John 14, “In My Father’s house are many mansions, and I will go…” What did He mean by that? It was already foreordained, “And I’ll go to prepare a place for you, and will return back to receive you unto Myself.” And of course, we know that’ll be in the great age to come. And the true Seed of David will take the throne, which is Jesus Christ, and there will reign over the Church as His Bride, in the house with Him and over the twelve tribes of Israel throughout all eternity.
E-80 And these little places… As David could not build the true tabernacle of God, because he wasn’t prepared to do it… There was nothing he could do. He was a mortal and shed blood.
So is it today to us. We are not prepared to build the true Tabernacle of God. There’s only One can do that, and it’s being in its construction now. But this little tabernacle, along with the temple that Solomon built Him, and along with the others, are only temporary places of worship until the time comes when the real Tabernacle will be set up upon the earth, and righteousness shall reign from sky to sky, and there will be no more sorrow. There’ll be no funerals preached in that Tabernacle. There’d be no more weddings, for the wedding will be one great wedding for eternity. What a time that will be.
E-82 But let us purpose in our hearts today, that in commemoration and waiting for that Tabernacle to come, that we will so characterize ourself by His Spirit that we will worship in this place as if we were in that other place, waiting for that place to come.
Now, let us stand to our feet, and as I read the holy Script.
And I saw a new heavens and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth was passed away; and there were no more sea.
… I John saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adored for her husband.
And I heard the… voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
E-83 Let us bow our heads now. Our heavenly Father, we stand in awe. We stand in respect and in holy reverence. And we ask You, Lord, to accept our gift that You’ve given us grace, money to prepare for a worship place for You. There’s nothing or no place that we could prepare upon the earth that would be worthy for the–the Spirit of God to dwell in, but we offer this to You as a token of our love and feelings toward You, Lord. And we thank You for all the things that You have done for us.
And now, the building and the grounds being dedicated long ago to the service, and we thank You for memories of what has been… And now, Lord God, as the vision broke through years ago expressing this, that I seen in old buildings that the people once was in, and they had been repaired and made new, and I was sent back across the river.
E-86 Now, Lord God, Creator of heavens and earth, we stand as the people of Thy fold. We stand as the–the–the–the people of Thy Kingdom, and with myself, and the pastor, and the church, the people, we dedicate this building to the service of the Almighty God through the Name of Jesus Christ, His Son, for the service of God and for reverence and respects of God. And may the Gospel so flow from this place till it’ll cause the world to come from the four corners of the globe to see the glory of God going forth from it. As Thou hast done in the past, may the future be many times greater.
E-87 And, Father, we now dedicate ourselves to the service to the Word with all that’s in us. Lord, the congregation and the people, they dedicate themselves this morning to the hearing of the Word. And we, as ministers, dedicate ourselves to the preaching of the Word, to be instant in season, out of season, reproving, rebuking with all long-suffering as it’s written there in the cornerstone from thirty years ago. You said the time would come when people would not endure sound doctrine, but would heap for themselves teachers having itching ears and be turned from the truth to fables.
E-88 Lord, as we have tried to hold out the Word to the people, may we be inspired and strengthened with a double effort, Lord, as a double portion of the Spirit strikes upon the place, may the Holy Spirit as it was in the day of the dedication of the temple when Solomon prayed, the Holy Spirit in the form of the Pillar of Fire and Cloud came in the front door, rode up around the cherubims, and went over to the holy place, and there took Its resting place.
O God, Solomon said, “If Thy people be in trouble anywhere, and look to this holy place and pray, then hear from heaven.” Lord, may the Holy Spirit this morning come into every heart, every consecrated soul that’s in here. And the Bible says that the glory of God was so great until the ministers could not even minister for the glory of God.
E-89 Oh, Lord God, let it repeat again as we give ourselves to Thee with the church in dedication for service. And it is written: “Ask and you shall receive,” and we commit ourselves with our offering of the church this morning to You for service, for the latter day Light for the evening time Lights, that we might bring consolation and faith to the waiting people that’s waiting for the coming of the Bridegroom to dress a Bride in the Gospel of Christ for the Lord Jesus to receive. This we dedicate, myself, Brother Neville, and the congregation to the service of God in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
May be seated.
E-91 David said, “I was happy when they said unto me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.'” And may it ever be with us, that when it’s mentioned, we’ll be happy to gather in the house of the Lord. Amen.
E-92 Now, after the little dedicational service, I have a hour now. And now, just remember now what we’re dedicated to: to reverence, holiness, quietness before the Lord; worship before the Lord and be just as reverent as you can be in the house of the Lord. And now… And when this service is dismissed–immediately after the service is dismissed, go from the building (See?), and that gives the janitor time to get in here and clean it for the next time and get ready. Then it’s not a confusion in the house of the Lord. And there’s near about…
E-93 I think you… Place will be cleared out in about fifteen minutes after the services is dismissed. Be sure to be friendly; shake hands with everybody, and invite everybody back. And–and we expect to have this coming week now, one of the most solemn services that’s ever been held in the Tabernacle. We’re looking forward to it.
E-94 Now, I–I never dawned upon me to something till long late wee hours last night in prayer; I begin to see something. So I–I trust this will be a great time, which I believe it will if the Lord will help us. Now, now, when I said “great time”… Now, I’m going to speak on something about that this morning.
You know what man calls great sometimes is not great, but what God calls great, man calls foolish; and what God calls foolish, man calls great. So let’s bear that in mind. Weigh every word.
E-95 Now, the services are long; they’ll be drawn out because it’s a hard service, much teaching, consecration and I just… The place where I’m staying, the people just kind of want to feed me everything, but I… Said, “Well, you’ve lost so much weight, Brother Branham,” everything, but I’ve been constantly in service. I’ve got to leave here next Sunday night to get to another one right quick in Mexico, so it’s just a hard thing. So but I’m just trying to let off from so much eating and–and making myself ready. And I’m happy, this morning, to see Brother Junior Jackson, and–and Brother Ruddell, and–and the different ministers and so forth around; God bless you all.
E-98 Now, I want to–to speak to you this morning upon a subject that I have some notes written here on. And I want to read first from the Book of Isaiah the 53rd chapter. Now, while you’re turning to it I’d like to make a announcement or two, that tonight, I want to speak on this Book, bridging it between the last church age to the Seal opening. Now, there’s a vast gap in there. And…
Before, when I ended up on the Church Ages, I also spoke there upon the Seventy Weeks of Daniel immediately following ’cause it tied in. And I said, “Now, if I ever take the Seven Seals, I’ll have to get rid of this Daniel’s Seventy Weeks in order to tie in the Seals, leaving one thing open.” And that was the 5th chapter of the seven-sealed Book, and we’ll take that tonight.
E-101 We want to try to start early tonight. How about me… You already mentioned it have you, start early? How about… Can everybody be here about seven o’clock? All right. Let’s start the regular service at six-thirty, the song service, and I’ll be here by seven. And then through the week we’ll make an early start. And–and we… Now, we come… There’s nobody loves singing like Christians does. We love singing; we love those things, but now we’re–we’re in something else now. We’re–we’re in the Word (See?); so let’s just–let’s stay right with that. Now, we’re going to…
E-103 We’re–we’re in teaching, and you can realize what a great strain it is on me (See?), because if I teach anything wrong, I’m going to have to answer for it. See? And so I must not take what anyone says; I must–it must be inspired. And I believe that the Seven Angels who’s holds these seven thunders will grant it. See? And I’m…
E-104 Now, in Isaiah the 53rd chapter of Isaiah, the first verse or two. I want to ask this question. Now, this is not pertaining to the Seven Seals at all. This is just a message, for I knowed I had to have dedication; I couldn’t go into that because I wouldn’t have time. But I thought, just for a little dedicational service, little memorial service for this church (or a little dedicational service, rather) then they–they wouldn’t be time then to go into what I want to say (See?), on this opening of this Book. So I will tonight.
E-105 And now, this is just a little service that–it–it’ll blend right in with it though, so listen to every word. Catch it. And–and if you’re taking it on tapes or anything, then you stay right with that tape teaching. Don’t say nothing but what that tape says. Just say just exactly what the tape says (See?), now because some of those things… We’re going to understand a whole lot about this now, why it’s misunderstood. See? And you be sure to say just what the tape says. Don’t say nothing else (See?), ’cause… I don’t say that of my own. It’s Him that says it. You see? And… So many times confusion, people will raise up and say, “Well, so-and-so said it meant so-and-so.” Let’s just leave it just the way it is.
E-107 See, that’s the way we want the Bible. Just the way the Bible says it, that’s the way we want it, just–just like that. Don’t put own–no interpretation to it. It’s already interpreted. See? Now…
Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
Let me read it again now, closely.
Who has believed our report?… (Question)… and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
In other words, if you have believed our report, then the arm of the Lord has been revealed. See?
Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
E-110 Now, I want to read also in the Book of Saint Matthew’s Gospel, the 11th chapter of Saint Matthew. And now, you bring your papers and things, because constantly we’re… If you don’t have a recorder, you–you bring the–your paper so we can get it. The 11th chapter of Saint Matthew, the 25th and 26th verses, 11:26, 27. All right. Jesus speaking in prayer… I want to begin a little bit behind that. Let’s make it the 25th and 26th verse I believe that’s where I announced though, for I had it marked here in my Bible.
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou has hid these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them unto babes.
Even so, Father: for so it seems good in thy sight.
E-111 Catch those two Scriptures. “Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?” Even… Then Jesus thanked God that He’d hid the mysteries from the wise and prudent, and would reveal it to babes such as would learn, for it seemed good to God to do that.
Now, from this text, or from this Scripture reading, I draw this text: “God Hiding Himself in Simplicity, Then Revealing Himself in the Same.” Now, for the tapes I keep repeating, so for the tapes (You see?), ’cause they’re–they’re taping it. See? “God Hiding Himself in Simplicity, Then Revealing Himself in the Same.”
E-113 It is strange to think how that God does such a thing as that. God will hide Himself in something so simple that’ll cause the wise to miss it a million miles and then turn right back around in that, some simple thing in the simplicity of His way of working and reveal Hisself right out again.
I thought it made a–a text that we might study this before we go into the–the–the great teachings of the Seven Seals. Many miss Him by the way He reveals Himself. Now, man has their own ideas of what God ought to be and what God is going to do; and as I have made the old statement many times that man still remains man. Man is always giving God praise for what He did do, and always looking forward to what He will do, and ignoring what He’s doing. See, see?
E-114 That’s the way they miss it. They look back and see what a great thing He done, but they fail to see what a simple thing He used to do it with. See? And then they look forward and see a great thing coming that’s going to happen, and nine times out of ten, it’s already happening right around them, and it’s so simple that they don’t know it. See?
E-115 One day a–a man up here at Utica… And if some of his people is here, I don’t say this for any–for any radical exposure of the man. He was a–a veteran of the Civil War, and I believe he was… I don’t know which side he was on, but I believe he was a rebel. But he–he was an infidel, and he claimed that there was no such a thing as God. He lived in Utica; his name was Jim Dorsey.
Many of you people might’ve knowed him. He’s given me many a watermelon when I was a little fellow. He used to raise watermelons down on the river in the–in the bottoms there. And he was quite a friend to my daddy. But he said one day, one of the great outstanding things that was ever said to him in contrast (Now, I was just a little boy in those days.)–but in contrast to his belief that caused him to walk away, and drop his head, and cry. And I understood that by this the man was gloriously converted to Christ at the age of about eighty-five years old.
E-117 He asked a little girl one day, who was coming from Sunday school, why did she waste her time on doing such a thing as that? She said, because she believed that there was a God.
And Mr. Dorsey said that… He said, “Child, you are so wrong to believe in such a thing as that.”
And said that the little girl stooped down and picked up a–a little flower out of the–off of the ground, pulled it from its petals, and said, “Mr. Dorsey, could you tell me how this lives?”
There it was. When he begin to search back… He could have said to the child, “Why, it’s growing in the earth.” And then the questions could revolve back: “Where’d the earth come from? How’d that seed get here? How it happen?” On and on and on and run it on back until he seen… See? Not the great glamorous things that we think about, but it’s the simple things that God is so real in, the simplicity.
E-120 So it pleases God to reveal Himself and then hide Himself, then hide Himself and reveal Himself in simple little things. It’s–it’s put over the top of the head of man because… If you’d say, “Why would a just God do that?” Is because that man was made up in the beginning not to try to shift for himself.
A man was made to rely completely upon God. That’s the reason we’re likened unto lambs or sheep. A sheep cannot lead himself; he has to have a leader; and the Holy Spirit’s supposed to lead us. So man is made that way, and God made all of His works so simple that the simple could understand it; and God makes Himself simple with the simple in order to be understood by the simple.
E-122 And otherwise, He said in Isaiah 35, I believe. He said, “Though a fool should not err therein…” It’s so simple. And we know that God is so great, till we expect it to be some great something, and we miss the simple things.
We stumble over simplicity. That’s how we miss God, is by stumbling over simplicity. God is so simple until the scholars of these days and all days miss Him a million miles; because in their intellects, they know that there’s nothing like Him so great. But in His revelation, He makes it so simple they go plumb over the top of it and miss it.
E-124 Now, study that. Study it all. And you people who are visiting here, when you go to your motel rooms, take those things and ponder over them. We don’t have time to break it down as it should be broke down, but I want you to do it when you get to the motel, or hotel, or wherever you’re staying, or the home. Gather together and study over it.
E-125 Miss Him by the way that He reveals Himself, for He is so great, yet hides Himself in simplicity to make Hisself known to the least. See? Don’t try to get the great, because he goes over the top of it; but listen to the simplicity of God, and then you find God right here in the simple way.
High-polished worldly wisdom, educated, always misses Him. Now, I’m not here… And I know there’s school teachers, two or three that I know of setting in here; and I’m not here to contradict school and education and try to support illiterateness; I’m not here for that. But what it is, the people have so placed so much upon that, until they’re… Even in the seminaries and so forth they’re missing the very thing that God has put before them.
E-127 That’s why I not against brethren who are in denominations, but I’m against system of denominations; because it tries to magnify itself and–and–and educate its ministers in such–such a place, until if that they don’t have the proper schooling and education, they’re ousted; and–and they have to stand the psychiatrist’s test and so forth. I’ve never think that it was God’s will to test a minister by psychiatry but to test him by the Word. See? Yes. See, it’s just the Word would be God’s way of testing His men that He sent out to have the Word–preach the Word.
Now, today we preach philosophy; we preach creed, and denominationalism, and so many things and leaving off the Word, because they say It can’t be understood. It can be understood. He promised to do it. Now, we’re asking Him to do it.
E-129 Now, we’re going to take a few characters here for a few minutes. Let’s notice in the days of Noah. Noah’s day, God seen worldly wisdom so greatly punctuated and respected, He sent a simple message by a simple person to show them His greatness. Now, we know that in the day of–of–of Noah, they claim that a civilization was so mighty then until we have never reached that spot yet in our modern civilization.
And I believe that it will finally be reached, because our Lord said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of man.” And He gave some illustrations.
E-132 And they built the pyramid and the sphinx there in Egypt, and they built gigantic things that we have no power today to build such with. They had an embalming that they could embalm a body to make it look so natural until it still stays today. We cannot–we cannot make a mummy today; we haven’t the stuff to make it with. They had colors that–that hold so fast for four or five thousand years ago, it still remains just the same color it was. See? We don’t have no such as that today. And many great things of that civilization speaks of its superiority over our modern civilization.
E-133 And so you can imagine how education and science of such great tokens that we have left that there was such a civilization, what the–what a great civilization that must be by these memorials, how that science and–and modern civilization and education was–was a–a must with the people. They must be. It had to be.
There was hardly any, I guess, any illiteracy among them at all. And so God, searching through that great economy at that day in their systems could not, perhaps, find the right type of a man till He found an illiterate, maybe farmer by the name of Noah, a sheepherder. And He gave him His message to preach to the people that was so simple till their–their scholarships of that day, until the people stumbled over the simplicity of the message.
E-134 And yet, the message was in the face of science, radical. How could there be rain in the skies when there was no rain up there? See? And the simple message of–of building an ark, constructing of something to get into that there’s no water to float it, why, he become a fanatic. And he become a–an–a–a–a what we would call (if you’d excuse the expression of today) a “oddball.”
And nearly all God’s people are oddballs (See?), they are. I’m glad to be one of them. So… You know, they–they’re different from the–the modern trend of civilization. So they become odd, strange. He said His people was a peculiar people (odd, strange), but a spiritual priesthood, a royal nation, offering spiritual sacrifices to God, the fruits of their lips giving praise to His Name. What a–what a people. He’s got them.
E-136 And notice now what a great thing that must’ve been in that day for some fanatic to come forth to the church, a fanatic, and preaching a gospel that was seemingly all out of line to their way of believing. And scientists… Why, they–it was simply crazy. How they could scientifically prove there was no rain there. But this simple sheepherder believed if God said it would rain, it would rain. See?
And so that… Just compare that with today about somebody gets healed, they say, “It’s only emotion,” or “I can scientifically prove to you that the cancer, or the substance, or–or the thing is still there.” But to the simple believer, it’s gone (See?), because he’s not looking at the substance; he’s looking at the promise, just the same as Noah did.
E-139 So don’t you see: “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man.” Scientifically, no one… The doctor could say, “Looky here, your lump is still there. Your cancer remain. Your arm is as crippled as it ever was. You’re crazy.”
And remember, that’s that same spirit from the days of Noah that said, “There’s no rain up there. We can shoot the moon with instruments, and there’s no rain there.” But if God said there would be rain there… For faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things that not seen. And faith takes its final resting place on the Word of God. There’s where it finds its resting place. You–you understand? Its resting place is on God’s Word. That’s where Noah rested it: “God said so.” That settles it.
E-143 Now, if you notice again then… And now, Noah in believing such was a fanatic. And the people of today who believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit… Now, the church says, “These people are fanatics. They’re nothing but a bunch of worked-up, emotional, panic-stricken people.” But little do they know, that the Word of God teaches that; it’s a promise.
E-145 And to Noah, no matter how much they said the old man was off at his mind, that he was scientifically wrong, and–and mentally he was wrong; but to Noah it was the Word of the Lord. And Noah stayed with it, and the wise and prudent stumbled over the simplicity of it and lost their being. What a–a rebuke. Now, it is to that generation.
Many people say, “If I would’ve lived back there…” No, you’d have took the same attitude, because today in the very same thing being reproduced again today, only in another form, they stumble over it today just like they did then.
E-147 No doubt in them days they had plenty of preachers, but Noah was inspired of God. And Noah could look out and see that what was fixing to happen and know that an adulterous and wicked generation like that, that God would not let stand. So what can we do today, but see the same thing: a modern Sodom and Gomorrah (See?), wicked, adulterous people so polished in scholarship that they stumble over the simplicity of God’s manifestation of His Being and His Word, showing His Word.
E-148 There’s not a person in the world, Rosella, that… or any–any can say that we don’t see with us the very Word of God made manifest. The very promise of the last days, the very evening Lights that was to shine, we are privileged people to see that. And where the high-polished world, it’s hid from them…
Jesus said to God the Father; He said, “It pleased You to hide it from them. Even so, Father, You have hid it.” Let them with their wisdom… You see, it was wisdom that started the ball rolling in the muck of sin at the beginning. For Eve was seeking wisdom when she met Satan, and Satan give it to her (See?), and wisdom is contrary to the Word.
We’re not asked to have wisdom; we’re asked to have faith in what’s already been said. So you see? But today the scholars polish it up in such a way, and set it over there, and put their own interpretation to it, always have… They do the same thing today. It’s in the same measure.
E-150 Now, people… But the people then missed it just as they miss it and do it today, same thing. They do the same things. For they–for the reason they missed it, for they were too smart to believe it. See? Now, the message was so simple that the smart was too smart to believe the simplicity of the message. Oh, my. God made it so simple in Truth that the smart and intellectuals missed seeing it, because it was so simple. Well, that’s what makes the greatness of God so great, because being the greatest can make Himself simple.
E-151 Men today, showing that they are not of God; they are great and trying to get greater and express themselves greater as big Bishop, Doctor holy Pope, everything–making themselves something that they’re really not, and God being so great, brings Hisself down simple. Simplicity is greatness. We can build a jet plane; we can fire a rocket to the to–to–put a missile in orbit, and we can do all these things. Yes. But we cannot build one blade of grass. Amen. What about that? But instead of trying to come back and see what makes that grass and accepting the very God that created the grass, we’re trying to build a missile that’ll get there quicker than somebody else can build one. See?
E-153 We are so smart and intellectual in our churches till we can build a million dollar building, or ten million dollar building, but yet–and trying to build one better than the Methodists, or the Baptists build one better than the Presbyterian, and the Pentecostals got in the rat race. But by–the thing of it is this: we are yet–we are so smart and so set on our ways until we fail to humble ourself to realize the God that’s in the little mission on the corner. See? That’s right. Well, that’s… We stumble in simplicity. They’ve always done it.
E-154 Now, they–they were–they were too smart to believe such a simple message. It wasn’t polished enough for their scientific researches that they’d had. It wasn’t–it wasn’t brilliant, the message wasn’t enough for their educational program that they had in that day. See? They’d studied to know that there was a God; and they studied to know that He was great; and they tried to build themselves up great with Him, when the way up is always down.
Now, who knows whether the North Pole is the North or the South Pole is the North, or the North Pole is the South, the South Pole the North? Which is up and which is down? We’re hanging in space. We say, “The North Pole’s up.” How do you know? The South Pole might be North. See, you don’t know. So let’s remember…
In this words, said, “Then how would you say, Brother Branham, that up is down? On the basis of Jesus Christ’s Word. He said, “He that humbles himself shall be exalted, but he that exalts himself shall be abased,” be brought down. So then, actually, up is down and down is up.
E-158 As the old saint said in Chicago, that a man… A certain minister from a certain organization got up where there were some Pentecostals… He had all of his intellectual things together. And he got up there and used words that the Pentecostals knowed nothing about. And he got up there, and he seen it wasn’t going over with the Pentecostal people. And he went up with his chest stuck out, and he was holy Doctor So-and-so, you know, from certain, certain big school there in Chicago. And he looked around, and them Pentecostals were looking at one another. They didn’t even know what he was talking about; he was so educated, so smart, brilliant. They didn’t know…
E-159 It was something like a certain senator or man that just run recently for President and was defeated. Tuck Coots told me, when I was preaching Mama Ford’s funeral and was telling about the resurrection, the guarantee of the resurrection… Just as sure as the sun rises, so shall I rise. Just as sure as the grass dies in the fall, and the leaf falls from the tree, it comes back again; when the earth corrects itself around the orbit, it’s got to rise again.
E-160 Tuck said, “I appreciated that message, Billy.” Brother Neville and I were setting together in the car, and I said, “Tuck…”
He–he said, “I appreciate your messages.”
I said, “Tuck, I have no education.” I said,…
He said, “That’s the good part about it.” See? And I… He said… He went to see… Well, I guess the man forgive me; I don’t mean, Adlai Stevenson, you know. And he said he heard him fifteen minutes, and Mr. Stevenson is such a brilliant speaker, supposed to be, you know, until Tuck said (I guess he’s got a college education.) he said he set there and went to sleep. And said he went to sleep listening to him in fifteen minutes. And said, “With a college education, I didn’t understand but very few words he said. It was so highly polished.” He said, “You never seen me sleeping in one of your services, did you, Brother Branham?”
So, see, it’s the simplicity of it, just simple. That’s where God lays.
E-163 Now, they–they were–they were too smart in that day to catch the meaning of God’s simple way of doing things. It wasn’t polished for them. It’s got to be polished. It’s got to be highly chromed, or they miss it. Now, but the great Jehovah was hid in His Word, and He made Himself known to the people that believed in His Word by saving them and bringing to pass a simple message, the simple message of Noah, God brought it to pass. Now, notice that.
E-164 Now, then again in Moses’ day, notice another time of deliverance. When God is just about to do something to deliver His people, God sends a message to the people, and it’s so simple, as we’ll catch in the breaking of these Seals (That was my purpose of bringing this first.), that we find out that the breaking of those Seals is so simple, the–the–the smart miss it a million miles. See? I hope that God anoints me for it. See, see? It just goes over the top. And that’s the reason I thought this message this morning would be appropriate to lay a foundation on the simplicity of God (See?), how God hides Himself in simplicity.
E-166 Just think, they could break atoms and do everything else, but when it comes to touching life, they can’t even tell where it come from. A simple blade of grass, and God’s hid in it. They can fire a rocket to the moon and–and shoot a radar over there or whatevermore and yet can’t explain the life in a blade of grass. That’s right. See, it’s because it can’t be explained; it’s so simple they overlook that.
E-167 Now, notice. Moses, in the day that God was going to deliver the children of Israel, according to His Word He… What did He do? He chose a simple family; we have no record of them. See, he’s just a son of Levi is all we know (See?), and so we… And his wife… Just a ordinary, probably a mud dauber (as the world would think,) out there making brick for the enemy. He was just an ordinary slave in Israel, but God chose that family to bring forth the deliverer: just an ordinary Jewish family. He never went and got royalty, and celebrity, or something, or even got some priest; He took a common ordinary family (See?): simplicity.
Notice what He done then. He brought forth a child, a simple human being. He never… He could’ve–He could’ve ordained the sun if He wanted to to deliver them. He could’ve ordained the wind to deliver them. He could’ve ordained an Angel to deliver them.
Oh, hallelujah. God can do whatever He wants to do. “Well, how do you know that, Brother Branham?”
E-169 God won’t leave His program. That’s the reason we know that this day, it’s got to be simple. See? Now, He always works in simplicity. But God in the beginning that could’ve made the sun preach the Gospel, or the winds preach the Gospel, or an Angel preach the Gospel, but He ordained men for that purpose, and He never changes it.
He never ordained indiv… He never ordained denominations; He never ordained groups of men; He ordained men to preach the Gospel, not machinery, mechanical devices, or any angelic being; it was man. And when He brought deliverance to the people down there, He sent a simple human being, born of a simple family in a bunch of slaves. Oh, my, what a God He is, unfolding Himself in simplicity.
E-171 Now, notice. And He had him trained in worldly wisdom so that he could fail and show that it isn’t wisdom that we’ll ever be delivered by; it’s by faith that we are delivered. He let him go in and get such an education until he could teach the Egyptians wisdom. He was so smart. God was with that simple family, who could, perhaps, maybe not write their name.
And Moses was took into the highest of schooling with such a great education, till he could teach the wisdom to teachers. He could teach the genius. Yes. And God let him get that way so He could display Himself in humility to show that wisdom has nothing to do with it; and Moses miserably failed in his genius. He let him get that way for His purpose, so he’d fail, and he did fail, and he fell.
E-172 So to show, not by power, not by might, but–not by the wisdom of Egypt, not by the wisdom of our schools, not by the power of our seminaries, but–not by the amounts of our organization, not by the power of our scholarly teaching; but “by My Spirit, saith God.” His wisdom was vanished and at its end. When he met God in the burning bush there, he took off his shoes and humbled himself to humility and forgot all about his wisdom.
God, bringing deliverance, had to train him in wisdom to let him fall to show that you cannot lean upon the arm of your own understanding or anybody else’s understanding. Let him fall to show His hand. Can you see it? God’s purpose in doing so was to display Himself in humility.
E-173 And He let Moses become the highest until he would was the–he’d be the next pharaoh. He was a mighty general. According to history, he conquered (Moses, himself) the countries around. And then when he turned to the work of the Lord with all of his talent, God let him take a headlong topple, so that He could put him out there on the desert and beat all that out of him, and then appear to him in humility, and send him down with a stick in his hand to deliver the people.
When he couldn’t do it by a military training, by an education, by a scientific education, and by a military force, he could not do it, and He give him an old crooked stick off the desert, and he did it with it: God in humility, simplicity. God was in the stick and in Moses. And as long as Moses had the stick, then God had it, because God was in Moses. Sure.
E-175 Notice. “Not by power, nor by–by might, but by My Spirit…” But by the simple faith, Moses had a understanding that he was to be the deliverer from the teaching of his mother. And he trained himself in military might to do so, but it failed. See? He had the understanding; he had the education, but that didn’t work. So he had to forget it all and come to the simple thing of taking God at His Word, and then he delivered the people. Yes, sir.
E-177 God delivers by what? Faith in His Word. Always has been… We could take a look if we had time. (We’ve got about twenty something minutes yet. We had…) We could take a–a look at Cain and Abel, how that–that Cain tried to please God by some beauty. Another way, people think by–by great fine dressed congregations, by a priest, with–with a ministers with robed, and robed choirs, and all the–the put-on, that pleases God.
Can you see where it come from? Cain tried the same thing, and he built him an altar. No doubt that he made it pretty, and the man was sincere. He worshipped. He thought, “As long as I’m sincere, it doesn’t make any difference.” It does make a difference. You can be sincerely wrong.
E-181 Notice, he–he built this altar and he’s–more–more like put flowers and fixed it up and put beautiful fruits, and thought, “Surely, a great, holy, clean, beautiful God will accept that sacrifice.” But, see, he done it with his own wisdom. He done it by his own thoughts, and that’s what it is today. He–he… They do it by their own wisdom, by their schooling, by their education and ethics that they have learned.
But Abel by a revelation, by faith, offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice. Nothing clean about it as far as it looked, humanly speaking, the little fellow, and grabbing him by the neck, and wrapping a vine around him like that, and pulled him along to this altar. There was nothing so beautiful about it, laying him upon the altar and hacking his little throat with a–a sharp rock until his blood flying all over him, him bleating, dying. It was a horrible sight (See?) to see it.
It was simple though. In simplicity he knowed that he was born of his mother and father’s blood, born in his mother’s blood by his father’s blood, and it was blood that caused the fall, so it was blood that would take it back. So he offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice ’cause it was revealed to him.
E-185 And some of the brethren, today, who think they eat apples and pears and… I seen the most radical thing the other day in the paper. They said now they proved that it wasn’t an apple that Eve eat; that I–I think they claim it was an apricot. So… Oh, see where that spirit comes from.
And they said that Moses never crossed actually the Red Sea, that it was a–a bunch of reeds down there, a sea of reeds; and he brought the children of Israel through this sea of reeds. Up at the end of the–the sea, there’s a big bunch of reeds up there, and Moses crossed the sea, but it was the sea of reeds that he crossed, you know, grass, called like tules and things that he crossed through there.
How ridiculous when “The water,” the Bible said, “parted from right to left, and God caused a–a mighty east wind to separate…” See, see? They–they want to try to figure it out in their own way, and that’s the way they’ve always failed, and they’ll continue to fail.
E-188 You know, all these things that Cain–the very type of the carnal minded man today who’s religious outwardly. He wants to do something outwardly, but he’s–he goes to church, and–and he will do lots of things for the–the buildings. There’s only one Church, and you don’t join that. These are lodges. See? You join the Methodist lodge, the Baptist lodge, the Presbyterian lodge, the Pentecostal lodge, but you’re borned into the Church. See? These all are lodges; they’re not churches; they’re lodges. No such a thing as Methodist church or Pentecostal church. No, there isn’t such a thing. No, that’s all wrong. See? They’re… That’s right. They–they’re lodges that people join, but you’re born into the Church of the living God, and that’s the mystic body of Jesus Christ being formed.
E-193 Now, but it pleased God to reveal His secret to Abel by simple faith in the shed blood. Oh, I wished I had time to lay on that a little while. See? Yet and Cain with all of his wisdom, the smart man… Oh, you say, “Now, Brother Branham, you said he… You’re trying to make him the educated genius.” He was. He was the smart… Follow his–follow his strain. Look at his children. Every one of them was scientists and doctors and smart men, every one. But you follow the generation of Seth; they were humble peasants and farmers and so forth on down to the destruction. But Cain’s children were the smart, intellectual group. They even… They could–claim could temper copper and make metals and builders, and they were smart men; when–when these other men just dwelt in tents, and herd their sheep, and rested upon the promises of God. See, see? See what it was? Now, just follow the genealogy down through and see if that isn’t right. See? They rested upon the promise of God.
That’s how Noah was chose from that kind of a people. That’s how Paul was taken out from his flock. See? That’s how John Wesley, Martin Luther, and whatmore. That–that’s how you come to be what you are today (See?), the same thing: humbled to believe the simple promise of God.
E-199 Now, notice. It pleased God to–to identify… Now, God always will a-vindicate whether it’s the Truth or not. See? Now, many people try to act themselves into something that God stays a million miles from. That’s right. But when you see God come back around and say it, punctuate it, say, “It’s right. That’s right. That’s right.” Then you know that’s true.
Now, when the offerings was on the altar, God refused his intellectual conception of God. But when He seen Abel by simple faith to believe that it was not apples or fruits of the field, but it was blood, by faith he believed it, by a revelation from God, God a-vindicated Adam by accepting his sacrifice. See?
E-201 That’s where we think of praying for the sick–anything else. Jesus said, “If ye abide in Me and My Word in you, just ask what you will, and it shall be done to you.” Now, as we’re coming right on down, fastly now, with twenty minutes more…
E-203 Notice. Elijah’s day, God chose to hide Himself in a simple person. Now, just think of it. God chose… That was His choosing. Remember, they had rabbis, priests; they had great men in them days. Even King Ahab himself was a Jew. He had great men in the land in that day, but God hid Himself in a simple man, not a scholar, no, not a renown man of the world, some great military genius, or something, no, no big names. We don’t even know who his papa and mama was. We don’t know anything about his genealogy: just a plain old farmer somewhere that was raised up for the purpose to be a prophet.
God had him living to himself in the wilderness. Only thing we know, he stomped right out of nowhere, walked right in and condemned the whole ecclesiastical system. My.
E-204 And you know what they thought about him? “What school did he come from? See? What denomination is he with? Is he with the Pharisees the Sadducees,” or whatmore they had? He didn’t belong to any of them, but he condemned the whole thing. See? God chose to do that. But a simple man, no education… We have no place where he ever went to school; we have nothing about him, just a simple man; but God was pleased to hide in that simple person. God, back there with this simple man, hiding in a human being, can you grasp it? God hiding in a illiterate crank to the world… ‘Cause…
You know, they–they accused him of everything, even being a witch. Elijah, all prophets are accused of that. See, so… Jesus was accused of being one (You see?): Beelzebub. And being crazy, said, “Why, you’re mad. You… We know you got a devil. You’re–you’re off at your head.” See? That’s where He told them when it come in the last days that they’d–that’d be blasphemy to do such. He forgave them, but it wouldn’t be forgiven in these last days. It had to be paid for with eternal separation, never to be forgiven in this world or the world to come.
E-209 But Elijah was considered a crazy man. Could you imagine him, standing up to the… The women was all cutting their hair like the modern days, I guess, and painting up like Jezebel, the first lady of the land; and–and the–the preachers all gone worldly and everything, and then what taken place? Then here come old Elijah out condemning the whole thing all the way from Jezebel down.
They thought, “We don’t have to listen to you; we got pastors.” Sure they didn’t have to, but he was their pastor anyhow. He was Jezebel’s pastor. She didn’t want… She might’ve had a different kind, but–but God sent; he was. See? He was God’s sent pastor for her. She hated him, but he was pastor just the same.
E-212 Notice. And Elijah humbled himself and stayed with what God said in such a way that it pleased God to take that same Spirit from Elijah and promise to shove it three times down the road from there (See? Amen.), and He did it. Amen. Sure He did. Sure. He promised it that it would come. And it come upon Elisha, his successor, then come on John the Baptist, and according to Malachi 4, it’s supposed to be here again in the last day. See?
God loved that spirit that was upon that simple, uneducated woodsman from back there in the woods somewhere. And so… It was so obedient to His Word that He could say, “Elijah, do this,” and Elijah would do it. And God hid Himself in there in such simplicity till they all told him… “That old crank. Don’t have nothing to do with him,” and so forth.
E-215 But one day when–and he got old and his head bald and his–and his whiskers hanging down, gray, what few hairs he had hanging over his shoulders, his little old skinny arms, and the meat flopping on them like that, come walking down that road to Samaria, and them eyes looking up toward the skies with a crooked stick in his hand. He wasn’t very much to look at, but he had THUS SAITH THE LORD for the day.
He didn’t stammer with it. He–he didn’t stutter. He didn’t say, “Now, great Ahab…” He walked up and said, “Not even the dew will fall from heaven till I call for it.” Oh… God had honored his simplicity.
E-216 Now, you see, while it was in the simple way and everybody was–everybody against him, everybody was at his throat… All the ministerial association and everything else was at his throat (That’s true.), trying to get rid of him, everything else. But in that simplicity, even though they had no cooperation with his campaigns and whatevermore they had, everybody thought he was a crank, God was hiding Himself. But when it come time for that seed to get ripe that had been planted, God manifested Himself by sending fire out of the heavens and licking up the sacrifice. God hiding in simplicity and then revealing Himself again. See? Sure. It pleased God to do that. He’s always did it in such a way. Yes, sir.
E-217 Now, we find out that He–He promised these things. The trouble is today with so many of us people, we want to get so, you know, so seminary and denominational, educated minded that God can’t use us. God can give a man a start to do something and give him a ministry. The first thing you know, he will go to catering to what others say. And the first thing you know, he will be all wrapped up in a big bunch of stuff, and then God just takes His hands off of him and let him alone. See, see?
E-219 And then He will try to find Him another man somebody that will do it. See? He’s got to find something that will–will take His Word, will take the Divine revelation and won’t move with it, will stay right there on that Word. That’s the way He–He does it. He’s always done it that way. So when man gets so educated and smart that he tries to put his own interpretation… Well, like they say, “The baptism of the Holy Ghost,” they say, “oh, that was for another day.” But if they don’t… “Well, it wasn’t for another day, but I’ll tell you; it don’t come just like it did on the day of Pentecost. We received the Holy Ghost when we believed,” and–and all kinds of stuff like that. You see?
E-220 And talk about the baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ, they–where the Bible teaches it that way, they say, “Well, but the seminary says, and so-and-so says.” That’s compromising. See? God can’t use a person like that. See? He may let a man be beat all across the country like that and the man cast out, and laughed at, and made fun of, and everything else like that, but when the real showdown come, God stands up and vindicates Hisself right in the same simplicity.
E-222 Rise right up like the flower, the seed look like it’s over with; it dies and falls in the ground. Dig the little seed up, and it’s rotten and looks like a mess, but out of there springs life to reproduce another flower again: God in simplicity.
He does the same thing. The way up is down, always. Humble yourself. Don’t never say, “Well, I’ve got this and that.” You ain’t got nothing. Just–just remember, if you’ve got the grace of God, just be thankful for it and be humble…?… Just keep humbling yourself.
E-224 Now, I’m going to have to hurry ’cause the clock’s… I don’t want to keep you too long, ’cause I don’t want to wear you out. See? We got a long time yet through this week.
E-225 Now… And now, we find out that people get so smart and educated. Now, I want to show you another. The–the other goes so far to the other side, they become fanatics trying to be religious. Now, we know we have that group. See? They go to the other side…
That’s where I different with the group of brethren that pulled off here not long ago from the–the way of Righ–Light; they–they just couldn’t see the phenomena of being done unless they made themselves a group, so they gathered up in Canada and–and made a group of people that they was going to give out and make apostles and prophets out of one another and things, and it fell right through. See? And it always will. See?
They become… They feel that because that they are… That–that they don’t… They so condemn the other things and the–and the things till they go plumb on the other side.
E-228 See, there’s one side that’s highly intellectual, cold and indifferent; they deny everything there; and the others get on the other side, on the other side’s a radical bunch of emotion and deny the Word. But the real true Church stays right in the middle of the road.
E-229 Now, if you notice, it’s–it’s–it’s got the Bible knowledge of what God said, and it’s–it’s spiritual enough to be warm in its heart, and it’s just a road. Isaiah said it would be that way He said, “There shall be a highway.”
And the blessed, holy, precious friends of the Nazarene church, a mighty little move that God started up. But what did they get? When God begin to speak with tongues in the church, they were so religiously and so self-starched that they called it the devil, and you see what happened to them. See, see? They–they… And the holier than thou are… And–and so we find out that all those things goes to seed and dies right out. See? And the–the–the other side…
E-231 Now, one side becomes a fanatic; the other side becomes cold and starchy. Now, Isaiah said, “There shall be a highway.” And the Nazarenes and many of the old holiness people used to say, “The blessed old highway (Glory to God.); we’re walking up the old highway.” But you remember, that wasn’t exactly what he said. He said, “There shall be a highway and (‘And’ is a conjunction.) and a way,” and it shall not be called a highway of holiness, but the way of holiness.
E-234 Now, an highway of holiness… People try to make themselves holy. And when you do, it’s just like I said before; it’s like a… It would be like a buzzard trying to put dove feathers in himself to make a dove out of it, when his nature’s still a buzzard. See? See, it’s… It would be like a crow trying to put a–a pigeon’s feathers in, or a peacock, and saying, “You see, I’m a beautiful bird.” See, it’s something manufactured.
But a peacock don’t have to worry whether he’s going to have peacock feathers or not. The dove don’t have to worry whether he’s going to have dove feathers or not. As long as his nature is a dove, he will have dove feathers.
And see, the holiness people begin to say, “The women must wear long hair and long sleeves,” and all these things, “and long skirts, and not wear any wedding rings, or jewelry of any type.” See, it become a self-righteous holiness. See, see? That–that’s–that’s manufactured holiness. But the real Church of the living God is–it a…
E-236 Look what’s happened to the denomination. Now, they’ve all got cut hair like the Pentecostals and–and so forth, and–and they all, nearly, wear rings and so forth.
Look at the Pentecostals years ago how they harped on that. See? “And we, the church–we, the church.” The Church is Christ’s body. It’s a individual amongst other individuals that is born in the Kingdom of God. That comes from the inside out. It’s automatically lived.
E-238 You don’t ask the sheep to bear wool or manufacture wool, I mean. The sheep don’t have to manufacture wool. He’d say, “Now, my master wants me to have some wool this year. I got to get busy.” No, the only thing he has to do is just remain a sheep. That’s right. The wool will automatically–it will–it will–he will bear it because…
And we’re not asked to manufacture fruits; we’re supposed to produce fruit (See?), bear fruits. See? We are supposed to bear fruits. And as long as you are a fruit tree of God with God’s Word, God’s Word will vindicate Itself. It’ll bear fruit as long as the Word’s in there.
And Jesus said, “If ye abide in Me and My Word in you, ask what you will, and it shall be done.” See it? You don’t manufacture it. You work yourself not up to it; it’s just actually there. And it goes on and on.
Now, let’s go–just, hurrying it up now with just a few minutes left, and then we’ll close.
E-241 Now, now, others go so far as to be fanatics. Now, they go on the other side. And they think just because that they jump up and down, or get some kind of a sensation or emotion, speak with tongues, or–or–or give a prophecy that happened to be right or something like that, they think that’s it: that–they–they’ve got it, but it isn’t.
Jesus said, “Many will come to Me in that day and say, ‘Lord, have not I prophesied in Your Name; Your Name done many works and cast out devils?'” He say, “Depart, I never knew you.” See? That isn’t it. That isn’t it, friends. That’s the reason that tongues evidence… I believe in speaking in tongues, but I don’t take it to be the only evidence of the Holy Spirit. No, sir. The fruit of the Spirit is the evidence. See? And now…
You see, that’s the reason I have different with the move of the Pentecostal brethren in that manner that they say, “If a man speaks in tongues, he has the Holy Ghost.” I different. That’s no sign he’s got the Holy Ghost. See? I’ve heard devils speak with tongues just as fast as they could, drink blood out of a human skull, and call on the devil.
E-245 I’ve seen Indians take snakes and wrap around them in the–in the–in the rain dance out there in Arizona, hold their hands up like that, and run right around; the witch doctor come out lancing himself, and lay a pencil down, and it write in unknown tongues and give the interpretation. So, see? So don’t–don’t tell me that. No, I’m too old for that. See? So…
The–the fruit of the Spirit is the… Jesus said, “By their fruits (not tongues or emotions, but) by their fruits ye shall know them.” So that is the fruit of the Spirit.
It’s God unfolding Himself in humility, sweetness, and everyday the same. It’s something about a man that stays right with the Word, every time that he sees the Word, he punctuates it with an “Amen,” no matter what the other people say.
That’s… He believes it. You see?
E-247 All right. See? But we go far enough then to rest upon a fanatical… And Satan gets amongst the people. That’s Satan’s business, and he’s a good businessman. And he–he gets amongst the people to make them think that they’ve got it just because they can jump up and down; and then hate your neighbor? No, see? To–to say things and speak in tongues just wonderfully and things like that… And remember, you can speak in genuine Holy Ghost tongues and still not have the Holy Ghost. The Bible said so. “Though I speak with tongue of men and Angels and have not charity, it profit me nothing. I’m become as a sounding brass, and tinkling cymbal”: I Corinthians 13. See? So you don’t–that don’t do it. See?
E-249 The Methodists said, “When we shouted, we had it,” but they didn’t. The Nazarene said when they lived holy they had it, but they didn’t. The Pentecostals said, “We speak in tongues; we got it,” but they didn’t. See, see? God unfolding Himself, not in sensations, no, that’s… Sensations yet’s with it. You see the place? He just gets it so humble till anybody can see it, if you don’t–if you don’t try to put–inject your own mind to it (See?) and your own thoughts. It’s God. Now…
And then they become a bunch of fanatics. Then here’s the cold formals on this side; here’s the fanatics on the other side, and here goes the Bride right straight through it all, calling from both sides. That’s just God vindicating It as He goes along: His Word.
Now–oh, I’ve got to skip some of this, because I got too much here, and I–I got… My time’s run out. I’ll hurry just as quick as I can now.
E-253 From Eden–from Eden it has come, been being prophesied that there was coming a Messiah, all the way from Eden. Now, I’m going to skip over a few of my Scriptures I got wrote down here and notes, just to get the message off in time if I can. God hiding in humility… Now, I’ll talk fast, but yet I–I want you to catch this. See?
E-255 Since Eden, it had been prophesied that there would come a Messiah. It was foretold what kind of a Person He would be. We could linger a long time. You know the Bible, what He would be, what kind of a Person He’d be. Moses said, “The Lord, your God, shall raise up a prophet like me.” They knowed that that Messiah was to be a prophet, the kind of a ministry He would have with Him. All the prophets spoke of what He would do.
They spoke of it in symbols, and it went plumb over the top of their head and plumb under the rest of them (See, see?), went under one and over the other one. See? By the time that He arrived on the scene of time, the people to whom He was sent had their own interpretation of what that He was to be in their own imaginary interpretation.
E-257 The Bible never changed. The Bible is always the same. That’s the reason I say the Scripture says, and I stay with that: “The Bible is of no private interpretation.” So Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals, don’t try to put your interpretation to it, saying, “It don’t mean that; it means this.” It means just what it said, just exactly.
Someone said, “How can it… I don’t know how.” It’s not me to say that; it’s God to take care of that. He’s the One Who said it, not me (See?), and He will take care of His own.
E-260 But now, but–this Messiah had been prophesied. The prophets told just exactly how He would come, what He would do when He come, but their own private interpretation of it amongst the people… And when He come He was in such a simple way in simplicity till the whole church group stumbled over it. Is that right?
There those men who had been taught… A man could not be a teacher, a priest until he was born in a certain lineage, after Levi. And just think, his great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather was a priest, laying right in that Word in the temple day and night like the Catholic priest or the minister, that’s a–a handed-down minister from generation to the certain churches and so forth. “My great-great-grandfather was a Methodist bishop. My grandfather was a bishop,” and so forth. See?
E-263 All that–lived right in the Word, but they had formed their own way of it. And their children had accepted it in such a way that the fathers had taught it, until the fathers had taught it off of the real way, and they’d made such an organization out of it, till when the Spirit tried to present Truth, they couldn’t receive it. And that’s the same thing today.
I don’t mean to be rude, but it’s right. It’s the same thing today. They make it so–so complicated and–and some other way they teach they’re… Just like it’s been said: God don’t have any grandchildren. You know that? God has sons, and He has daughters, but no grandsons and granddaughters. Every man must pay the same price and come the same way; just as your father did, so must you. Now…
E-265 So He was so simple, when this Messiah… For four thousand years every prophet spoke of Him. David sung of Him, and all down through. And when He come, the people had their own idea built up what He must do, how He was going to do, how it was all explained, drawed out on charts, and everything till when He come in that real simple way, it just–it just ruined their theology. See? They didn’t know it. See, He come according to the Word.
Now, do you believe that God spoke through the prophets that that Messiah would come in a certain way? It’s too bad we haven’t got about another hour that we could go through there and explain how it was. See? We all know how it was though, most of us. How God said He would come and “How that thou, Bethlehem of Judaea, art not the least amongst…” and all down through there and how He would do, and what He would do. See?
E-267 And yet He was so simple till those great scholars had got it so mixed up, till they missed it. But you know Jesus didn’t come contrary to the Word; He come according to the Word, but contrary to their interpretation. See? He taught things that was against their ecclesiastical training about Him.
Now, they said, now for instance, “When Messiah comes, certainly He will come up to the temple and say, ‘Caiaphas (or ever who’s high priest), I have arrived.’ He will come with a ten million Angel salute. The… God will say, ‘All right, fellows down there, you’re really a mighty church. You’re My people. I’m going to turn the crank here and let the corridors of heaven down; I’m sending you Messiah to you this morning. I’ll let it land right out there in the yard.’ And all the people get around and say, ‘Doctor So-and-so, you and Doctor So-and-so; you all can stand at the head to greet Him first.'” You See?
E-269 That’s perhaps something like they thinking today. Now, I know it’s a little–it sounds a little “rashal,” but I don’t–I’m trying to make a point. “And–and there is–that’s the way it’s going to be. And if it don’t come that way, it’s not right. It’s an antichrist. If it don’t come just that way, it’s an antichrist (You see?), so it won’t be. And so then there’ll be a… Then the next thing comes down will be about a ten million Angel salute with their bands, and they’ll land out there in the yard where Solomon built the temple, and oh, all up and down through here, this holy place where saints and sages had died…” and so forth.
E-271 “Yes,” Jesus said, “you hypocrites, you sons of the devil,” said, “you garnish the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers put them in there.” That’s right. That’s right. See? “How many righteous men and prophets was sent to you, and still you slayed every one of them.” See? But what would He called righteous then, what they called fanatics and cranks. Yes. There they thought it would come that way.
But when He come in a stable, borned of a–a virgin, with just a common carpenter for a foster father and a–a little unknown girl… See, not the high priest’s daughter or whatmore; He–He come as from a little lady that lived down in the–in–in a little old mean country called Nazareth. And just a common widower; his wife was dead. He had some children: Joseph. And–and she–he was engaged. And then He come with a black name to begin with. They said He was illegitimately born.
E-273 Oh, my. That hit their polish too hard. See? Their educational ethics could not swallow that. Their interpretation of the Scriptures knowed nothing about that, but yet it was the THUS SAITH THE LORD. Oh, my. Shivers me to think it. And to see the same thing reoccurring again… God cannot change. (It’s already twelve, but… Will you just… Shall I stop or just–just go on? I think if you can sit still just a little bit. See? Now, now, this is… I’m basing something here for a message coming. See? And I’ll try to let you out just as quick, maybe the next ten or fifteen minutes if we can. God bless you.)
E-276 Notice. Now, it’s so simple that it–it–it just missed the mark for them, but it hit God’s mark (See?); it hit the Word. He come just exactly the way He said, but they–their interpretation of it was wrong. The interpretation of the deliverer in Moses’ time was wrong; the interpretation in the time of Noah was wrong (See?), but God comes according to His Word.
And then Jesus came, and He–and He taught things that was contrary. “If Thou be the Messiah, do such-and-such.” You see? “If Thou be… Come off the cross, and show it to us now.” See? But God don’t clown for people; God just does the things that’s pleasing and right.
E-278 They thought such a One would certainly have to come with a great salute of Angels, but He come by a stable. And to their own polished ethics, it was ridiculous for a–an ordinary human being to think that Almighty God, the great mighty Jehovah, Who owned the earth and created the whole thing, couldn’t fix a place for His own Child to be born, better than some cow barn over a manure pile. How could there… See?
What was it? God in simplicity. That’s what made Him so great. See, the ethics of education cannot belittle itself like that. See? It cannot stand it, but God is so great that He brought Himself down to that, not even of clothes to put on His own Child. Think of it. And the world… There was no room in the inn, and He went into a cow stable, a little–a little ledge, a little cave-like back in the side of the hill; and there upon a straw bed came the Son of God. Oh, that was a lot different from meeting up there…
E-280 And His mother was to be mother; she was found to be mother, oh, months before they was even engaged to be married or even married. See? She was to be mother, and the people saw it, and they knowed that it was this a way. And Mary, in her own heart she knowed what was going on. And Joseph didn’t understand, but the Angel of the Lord came to him by night saying, “Joseph, you’re a son of David. Don’t fear to take unto you, Mary, your wife, for that’s not nothing bad, but that is of the Holy Ghost.” That settled it.
E-281 The man, Joseph, with such connection with God till God could speak to him. But today we get our ecclesiastical jackets so drawed around us till nothing can speak to us outside of the ecclesiastical group that we belong to. I don’t want to get harsh or radical, so I’ll leave that alone right there. Notice… But you understand what I mean.
E-283 Notice. A stable was ridiculous for them. The polished… We don’t even have a–no record where He ever attended one day of school, and yet at the age of twelve years old, a simple boy confounded the priests in the temple by His teaching. Oh, my. What was it? God hiding Himself. I feel pretty religious right now.
God hiding Himself in a barn, God hiding Himself in a little Child… See? Watch. It’s going to display after while though. See? He had to… He… When He went on the streets, the parents, no doubt would talk and say, “Don’t play with that kid. Don’t have nothing to do with Him. His mother’s nothing but a common prostitute. (See?) And the father and mother… The baby was born before they were actually married. She was to be mother. Have nothing to do with it.”
E-285 What Mary thought… But altogether, no matter what the outside thought, she pondered all these things. They hid it in their heart. They knowed they couldn’t say nothing about–against it. God speaks to His men sometimes, say, “Hold your peace. Don’t say nothing about it.”
I’ve had people in my meetings say, “Well, if you be a servant of Christ, you know this is going on there.” Sure I know it’s going on, but then what are you going to do when He says, “Hold your peace. Don’t say nothing about it.”
E-289 Took some men the other day, showed them on a book, something spoke years ago. I said–said…
Said, “Well, I couldn’t understand it.”
I said, “You see there?” Here it was back there, got it dated and everything when it happened back there. Oh, when many people had seen it on the book there, I said, “It’ll come to pass that this will do this way and that way.”
Said, “Well, why didn’t you say something about that?” ‘Cause it had to be that way. See?
E-292 And Joseph knowed different. He knowed Who that baby belonged to. Mary knowed Who it belonged to. Jesus knowed Who His Father was. What did He say? “I must be about My Father’s business,” not sawing wood and–and making a door, but about His Father’s business. Amen. He said that to His mother: “Can’t you understand that I–it’s time for Me to be about My Father’s business?”
E-293 Now, they thought this little cracked-up Child–any illegitimate child is kind of an odd, curious thing anyhow, and there you are. See? But God hiding Himself… Listen. God hiding Himself in what was thought of the world as filth, corruption, illegitimate… Look, God hides Himself in the corruption of a dead seed to bring forth life. See? Do you get it?
God hides Himself in a simple little wash woman or an ordinary man with his dinner under his arm, kiss his wife and children good-bye, and go out there, and maybe hide Himself in that man to do something that a archbishop would know nothing about. See? You don’t hear Him blow no horns and send it out. He–He… God just gets glory; that’s all. The simple hear it and are glad. See?
E-296 Now, God was hiding Himself in the simplicity of a baby, hiding Himself in the simplicity of a–a common family, God. And the ecclesiastics and the great men, the mind, the genius, and the–and the–all of them, the Herods and so forth of that day, and the Neros, and they all overlooked it: God hiding in simplicity. (Now, quickly).
E-297 John the Baptist, in Isaiah 40… We could get it if you want to. Malachi 3, all… Well, yeah, you mark it down if you want to. Isaiah 40, all you know, speaking peace to the… As it is, maybe I… It might be good that I–I–I would read it right here, if you got–if you got that much time…?… just for a minute. We’ll turn over here in the Book of Isaiah the 40th chapter and–and read here and just see what he says about this now. Look, here.
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people,…
E-297 Now, remember this is seven hundred and twelve years (Look at the heading on there. See?)–seven hundred and twelve years before He’s born; here’s the prophet speaking of Him.
Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith the Lord.
Speak ye comfortable words to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she has received of the LORD’S hand double for all of her sins.
The voice of him… crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight his path in the desert a highway for our God.
And every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough… shall be made… plain: (Oh, hallelujah. What a man that was to be. See?)
E-298 Now, turn over to Malachi with me, the last book of the–last of the prophets in the Old Testament. Now, and in Malachi, listen here; Malachi picks it up just at the end time, so they be sure not to forget it. Malachi the 3rd chapter:
Behold, I’ll send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, who you delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
See? Still speaking of John… “Send My messenger before Me to prepare the way.” Jesus spoke of it in Matthew 11:10. Said, “If you can receive it, that’s who was spoken of, ‘Behold I send my messenger before my face…'” See? That’s right.
E-300 Now, how all this spoke. When it had been for seven hundred years there was to be a forerunner come before the Messiah; but when he came on the scene in such simplicity, they missed him. They missed him. Remember, he was a priest’s son. Well, look how ridiculous that was for him not to follow the office of his father, go back to the seminary, but his job was too important.
At nine years old he went into the wilderness, and he came out preaching. They missed it. He was so simple, too simple for their high-polished education to believe such a one. They thought when this man come… “How about: ‘All the high places will be made low; all the low places be made high; all the rough places be made plain’?” David saw it and said, “The–the mountains skipped like little lambs and the leaves clapped their hands.”
E-303 What, did it happen? An old whiskered guy like that with no education at all, with a piece of sheepskin wrapped around him, came stumbling out of the wilderness of Judaea saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. And you bunch of snakes, don’t you think to say ‘I belong to a certain organization.’ God’s able of these stones to rise children to Abraham.”
My. “Well, that’s not him there. We know that’s not him.” But it was him. See? He was making the path clean. See?
There’s when the rough places was made plain. There’s where the high places was brought down. “Don’t you think you got Abraham to your father? Don’t begin to tell me that kind of stuff, ’cause God’s able of these stones to rise children to Abraham.” The high places was brought down. Oh my. That’s it. Yes. See the difference?
E-304 He said that’s what would take place. And when they come, they thought, “Oh, my.” They was just ready to receive him, if he come to their own organization. But because he come like that, in such a simple way, yet in interpreting the Scriptures, the high places was made low. They didn’t want to accept it, but they was.
Boy, he shaved them off. He shook the hide right off them. Said, “You bunch of vipers. You snakes in the grass. I tell you the axe is laid to the root of the tree, and every tree that won’t bring forth the fruits is cut down and cast into the fire. And I indeed will baptize you with water, but there’s coming One after me Who’s mightier than I. He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and Fire, and His fan is in His hand. He will thoroughly purge the floors, and…?… of straw, burn up the chaff, and take the wheat to the garner.” Amen.
That was when the rough places was made plain (See?), but the people didn’t get it; but it’s just exactly with the Word, just exactly the way the Word said it, so simple that they missed it. They missed seeing it. Don’t you be that blind. See? Don’t you be that blind.
E-308 So listen. Now, they missed it. He was so simple for their common beliefs of such a person that he missed it. Again, what was it? God, which is the Word, hiding in simplicity, not a priest with his collar turned around, with smart education.
Jesus asked them the same thing. He said, “What’d you go out to see?” when John’s disciples come over. Said, “What’d you go to see? Did you go to see a man dressed with a priest robe on, you know, and soft clothing,” He said, “that–that–that kind of a preacher?” He said, “Did you go to see that?” He said, “No”.
“Them kind kiss the babies, and, you know, and bury the dead.” They–they don’t know nothing about a two-handed sword on the battle front. They was out there, some intellectual speech to some Kiwanis Club or something, you know. They’re all right there, but when it comes out there it’s battle to face it, they know nothing about it. See? ‘Cause they–they–they’re in kings’ palaces. They fool around with that kind of celebrity.” But said then, “What did you go to see? Did you go to see a reed shaken with any wind? A man that could say… Somebody’d say, ‘You know, you belong to the–you belong to the Oneness, but if you’ll come over here to the Assemblies, I’ll tell you what I do: we’ll–we’ll make it…”
“I believe I’ll do that,” a reed shaken… Not John. No, no, no, no.
E-312 “If you’ll come and be a Sadducee and not be a Pharisee, or something or other. You didn’t see anybody shook with the wind, not John.” No, sir, brother. Not him. He said, “Then, what did you go to see? A prophet?” It’d take a prophet to do that. See? He said, “Now…”
That was the evidence of a prophet. See? The Word of God with him. The Word comes to the prophet. See? Said, “What did you go to see, a prophet?”
He said, “Yes, that’s right.”
“But I say to you, even more than a prophet,” for he was. Why was he more than a prophet? He was a messenger of the Covenant, that bridged the way between law and grace. He was the keystone in there that been spoke of. He said, “If you can receive it, this is he who the prophet spoke of. ‘Behold (a… Malachi 3) I’ll send My messenger before My face (See?) and he will prepare the way before Me.” See? Oh, he was so simple, God again hiding in simplicity.
E-316 Then and watch what he done. He preached such a mighty Christ coming; “He’s got His fan in His hand. He will–He’s fanning His way. I mean He will thoroughly purge His floors. He will take up the trash and sweep it out yonder and burn it. That’s right. He will gather up the grain and take it into the garner.”
See, he was inspired. But when Jesus come, they was looking for… And all them apostles, you know, they was looking for a great something to come. My, my. “Boy, He’s coming. That’s all there is to it. Boy, He will be mighty. He will kick them Romans off the face of the earth. My, He will make them Greeks go this way and Romans go that when He come.” When He come, a little humble Fellow being pushed around from one side to the other. What was it? God hiding Himself in simplicity. Oh, my.
E-319 Then He stood at the end of His message and said, “Who can condemn Me of sin? What all the Bible said that I would do, if I do not the works of My Father, then condemn Me. But what did the Scriptures say that I would do that I haven’t done?” Sin is unbelief you know.” Who can accuse Me? If I cast out devils by the fingers of God, then show Me what you’re doing by.”
Simplicity: even surrendered Himself unto death, but, oh, on that Easter morning. Hallelujah. That’s where He purged the floor. He swept out the trash all right, brother. Yes, indeed. And the wheat was sealed in the garner–laying there in the ground with Eternal Life resting there, waiting for that great day that we’re going to speak of the coming of the Lord when that life will come to Life, and we’ll rise in that resurrection, be caught away with Him in the air and be gathered into the garner. And the trash will be burnt yonder, the husk that’s wrapped around and tried to pull it this way or that way, will be burnt with unquenchable fire. Amen. Oh, isn’t He wonderful. They missed Him: God in simplicity.
E-321 Why? Why, He never even preached in the ecclesiastical terms. He never. He never preached like a preacher. See? He preached like a… He used the terms of simplicity of God, the terms like “the axe is laid”; the terms of the “tree,” the terms of “snakes,” not some seminary teacher, as in the ecclesiastics of the day, like a Doctor of Divinity, Doctor So-and-so. He didn’t do that. He preached like a woodsman out yonder somewhere. He talked about axes and trees and serpents and things like that, and wheat and garners, and everything like that. He’d be considered today a, I guess, a “soap box preacher.” I think He was called a “stump preacher” in that day, standing on a stump down there by Jordan…?… God in simplicity, hiding from the wisdom of the world…
E-322 Now, let’s find out… Jesus said, “I thank Thee, Father, Thou has hid these things from the wise of the world and is going to reveal it to babies such as will learn.” See? God hiding in simplicity in Christ, God hiding in simplicity in John… See? Just… See, He was–He was… Just think of it. God in simplicity, hiding Himself from the wisdom of the world.
Now, we’ll close in just a minute or two, ’cause I don’t want to hold you no longer.
E-324 Look. Let’s stop just a minute: something personal. Think of the day that we’re living in (to close this off now). Think of the day we’re living in: when God coming down in a little old humble place that we’ve been dwelling, healing the sick. And the rich and the haughty and the high scholared, “Days of miracles is passed. There’s no such thing as divine healing.”…
You remember the message I preached from right across this piece of ground here, the morning that I left, about David and Goliath? Said, “How you going to meet an educated world out there, Brother Branham, with all this?”
I said, “I can’t help how I’m going to meet it, God said go.” See? That’s all. See? It’s His Word; He promised it. The hour is here.
E-328 When that Angel, that you see in that picture over there, come down on the river down there that day, thirty years ago this coming June or thirty-three years ago, rather, this coming June, and said, “As John the Baptist was sent forth,” (before five thousand people or more) “the hour has come when your message will stray the world.”
You remember the criticism if any you were there… I guess Roy Slaughter or some of them setting here might remember the day, or some–Mrs. Spencer or ever who would be–some of the old people here that would–would know. See? George Wright or some of them (See?), who know that, how it was… But hasn’t it done it? It did it. And then in the midst when the–they turned down and said, “It’s just a mental healing.” And God turned right back around and sent an old dumb opossum in there and was healed by the power of God.
E-331 Lyle Wood and Banks, when we was setting down there and know the God a-vindicated truth when a little old dead minnow fish, laying on the water, and the Holy Spirit spoke the day before, He was going to show them His glory and do something about it. And there that morning, standing there, the Holy Spirit come down in that boat, and I raised up and spoke to that fish, and it laying on the water dead for a half hour, its gills and entrails pulled out of its mouth; it come to life and swam away as good as any other fish. What is it? God hiding Himself in simplicity.
E-332 God’s able of these stones to rise children to Abraham. God’s able to heal a opossum, or a fish, or anything. If He will bring His message forth and the people won’t believe it, God can raise up a opossum to believe it. Hallelujah. God can raise a dead fish; He can raise a dead opossum; He can–He can do anything He wants to do.
What a rebuke to this generation, when they stumble over it and fuss about it, and “You didn’t do this and do that,” and God sent a simple animal in. See? What a rebuke. What was it? God in simplicity (See?), showing Himself to be great. Oh, my. Rebuke these men of this generation of their unbelief.
E-334 Now, they think now like they always have: “It must be done in their own way. Now, if there’s such a thing as divine healing…” Like a Catholic man told me, this fellow, the other night, told me about that. You know, about… Said this Ayers that I went to see about his boy there at Houston. He said–he said, “Well now, if–if that was a gift of God, it’d have to come in the Catholic church.” You see? See?
Yeah. The Methodists thought It’d have to come in their church, and the Pentecostals thought It’d have to come to their church, but It didn’t come in any of them. And It come in the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ Who manifested Hisself. That’s right. Sure He does. Yeah. Just watch it. Don’t let it pass from you. Keep it under your–your heart and remember; ponder it there.
Got to come in their own way, for their–from their own denomination. And except it does that, it isn’t Him. See? “It’s just psychology, or it’s the devil.” It’s a–it’s–it’s not God, because if it was God, He’d have to come in their own way, you see, “The way we’ve got it interpreted…”
E-337 That’s the way that Jesus had to come to the Pharisees. It had to be that way. See? If there… If God was going to–to send a Messiah, they had it all interpreted just how He must be, and because He come different, then it wasn’t the Messiah. He was the illegitimate something; He was the Beelzebub. But it was God hiding in simplicity.
The forerunner must be a certain educated man that there… Well, one no doubt each day, each year when they–they ordained their ministers and sent them out as missionaries to proselyte and bring in… Each one thought, “This will be that forerunner that comes forth,” but God raised him out of the wilderness where there wasn’t no seminary at all (You see?), and things like that. See? God hiding Himself in humility and in simplicity…
E-339 But now, wait. In closing we say this: But to reject God’s simple message… To–to–to reject it, God’s simple way, is to be destroyed eternally. Now, that’s how much we talk how simple it is, and people think, well, they can laugh at it and run over it and treat it any way they want to, but it’s eternal separation from God.
Those who died in the days of Noah and did not listen to his message, they perished. And Jesus went and preached to them in the chains of darkness in His death before He rose up, and He went to hell and preached to the spirits was in prison that repented not in the long-suffering of the days of Noah while a simple message of God by a simple man was being preached. He went. He said, “Noah preached that I would be here, and here I am.” That’s right. See?
E-341 Those who failed to listen to that prophet’s message, Moses out there in the wilderness, that he received from God, properly vindicated by a Pillar of Fire and was led out in the wilderness, and then tried to raise up and make an organization by it, and they perished and died in the wilderness, every one of them but two men, Joshua and Caleb. And over there, the–the Pharisees was so blind they couldn’t see that, so they looked back and said, “Our fathers eat man–eat manna in the wilderness.”
And Jesus said, “And they are everyone dead.”
E-343 They seen the glory of God; they walked in the Light of the… They walked in the Light. They walked in the Light of the Pillar of Fire. They walked in the presence of Its power. They walked through the places that the Holy Spirit made for them to walk. They eat the manna that fell out of heaven that God provided and lost and went to hell. They’re every one dead. And if you take that word, it’s eternal separations from the Presence of God. They’re every one dead. See?
E-344 Every one that refused Jesus is perished. See what I mean? To refuse that simplicity of God… It’s just not something… You say, “Well, I made a mistake.” You don’t do it that way. God don’t receive it that way; you perish eternally. We’d better be thinking about something. We best. Now, it’s got to be properly identified by God. See? Then if it is, it’s His Word. See? Oh. Like those that rejected Moses, rejected Elijah, rejected John, rejected Jesus of their days…
E-345 Here, let me just tell you a little bitty thing, and then I hope I’m not hurting too much. But, look. The other day I was called to Houston, Texas, to try to get a pardon… I gathered some people together to preach a message to get people there to sign a pardon of–of this young fellow and young girl, you know, that got in that trouble (I guess you’ve read about it in the paper) and that was Mr. Ayers’ step son.
Mr. Ayers is the one who had taken the picture of the Angel of the Lord that you see right there: a Roman Catholic, and his wife was Jewish.
E-346 And he married this Jewish girl; they wouldn’t speak religion among one another and so forth like that, and Ted Kipperman, which was also with him in the business had the Douglas Studio. And when he come over there where Mr. Best, Dr. Best, of the Baptist church, holding his fist under Brother Bosworth’s nose, and shook it and said, “Now, take my picture doing that.” Said, “I’m going to take that old man’s hide and hang it on my study room as a memorial of divine healing.”
And before I went to Houston, Texas, the Lord God told me to go there, and I was there in the Name of the Lord. And you all know the debate and things that come up. You’ve read it in the books and so forth, and there it was. And that night, trying only to walk humble, “Why,” they said, “they’re a bunch of ignoramuses.” Dr. Best said, “They’re nothing but a bunch of ignoramuses.” Said, “There’s no such people believes in divine healing, stuff like that. That’s a bunch of backwash.”
They don’t know that it was God in simplicity. “Why,” said, “the man ain’t even got a grammar school education.” He was polished with all the scholars of degrees that he could, till he thought he could smother Brother Bosworth down anyway, but when it come to the Word, he wasn’t even a tenth of a match for him. See?
E-350 Brother Bosworth knowed where he was standing. Many of his people setting right here was at the debate. And there he was, and then he just throwed off on us every way, as being a bunch of ignoramuses. Said, “Decent thinking people don’t even believe it.”
Brother Bosworth said, “Just a moment.” He said, “How many people in this city (of about thirty thousand that night, setting among us like that)… How many people in this city here that goes to these big fine Baptist churches can prove by a doctor’s statement they’ve been healed by the power of God since Brother Branham’s been in the city, stand up,” and three hundred stood up. Said, “What about that?”
E-352 There it was. God was hiding in simplicity. Then he said, brother… He said, “Bring forth the divine healer. Let me see him hypnotize somebody; then let me look at them a year from today.”
And Ted Kip–and Ayers there, the very one who took the picture. Said “Mr. Branham ain’t nothing but a hypnotizer. I seen a woman had a goiter on her throat, like that, and said he hypnotized that woman; the next day I talked to her, and she didn’t have no goiter.” Said, “The man hypnotized her.”
And, oh, he just ridiculed me, said I ought to be run out of the city, and he ought to be the one to do it (See?), and all like that: big lines in the front page of the Houston Chronicle.
I never said a word. I was there to do my Father’s business, and that was all: stay with that Word. He sent me there, and it’s His business…
E-356 That night when I walked down there, and I said, “I–I–I’m–I’m no Divine healer. I–I’m not… If anybody says that,” I said, “they’re wrong.” And I said, “I don’t want to be called a Divine healer.” I said, “If Dr. Best here preaches salvation, well then he wouldn’t want to be called a Divine saviour.” And I said, “Then I preach Divine healing, and I don’t want to be called a Divine healer, but he says he isn’t a Divine saviour. Certainly he isn’t; neither am I a Divine healer, but ‘By His stripes we were healed.’ I’m pointing to that.” See?
And so… “He’s nonsense.” You know, walked around.
I said, “But if the Presence and this gift of God, this Angel of the Lord, if that’s in question, that can be proven.” And about that time, here she come whirling down on me. Said, “No need of speaking now; He’s already spoke for me.” And I walked out.
E-358 I went… And Houston, that big city, one of the nicest cities there is in the country anywhere… When I walked in there the other day, it was a disgrace to look at that city. The streets were dirty. The counters of the place, right down on Texas Avenue, and I went into the Rice Hotel where movie stars used to stay, and went down there in that basement, that cafeteria, and the ceiling’s dropping out, plaster on the floor, and filth, and dirt, and a confusion amongst preachers like has never been or ever heard in my life.
Why? To refuse Light is to walk in darkness. There sets their children in death row. Right. God came down when simplicity was displayed and rejected, then God showed Himself in simplicity. And there they took that picture which has swept the world. Even the scientists said It’s the only supernatural Being was ever photographed in the–all the history of the world, and hangs in Washington, D. C. in the Hall of Religious Art. See? There it is, simplicity manifested then. See, see? God hiding Himself in simplicity, then manifest Himself. See?
E-361 Now, He hid Hisself in the death of Christ, but manifested Himself in the resurrection, oh, my, so forth. You can just–we just–we… There’s no end to it. Just keep saying… But there you are. To refuse to say there’s a sunshine is to go into the basement and shut your eyes from light. That’s right.
And remember, the only way that you can be wrong is first to refuse right. And to refuse to open your eyes, you’ll live in darkness. See? If you just refuse to look, how you going to see? See? Watch the simple things. It’s the little things that you leave undone, not the big things you’re trying to do–do. Oh, my. Then look here.
E-363 Let me tell you. In Mal… In Matthew 11:10 He said, “If you can receive it, this is he (See?), this is he who was sent before Me.” It was simplicity.
It was asked of Him one day, said, “Why does the scribes say then that…”
He–He said, “Son of man’s going up to Jerusalem. I’m going to be put in the hands of sinners, and they’re going to kill the Son of man. He’s going to die, and on the third day He’s going to rise again.” Said, “Don’t tell nobody the vision up there.”
E-366 And the disciples… Now, think of it, disciples who had walked with John, talked with him, eat with him in the wilderness, set down on the bank, they said, “Why does the teachers say that Elias must first come? You say you’re going up to the crucifixion and going to rise; you’re the Messiah, take the throne. Now, why does the scribes… All of our Scriptures say here–the Scriptures plainly says that before the Christ shall come, that Elias will come first.” See?
He said, “He’s already come, and you didn’t know it.” Now, who was that? Disciples.
E-368 I’m going to hurt here in just a little bit now, but I don’t mean it. See? For the next few minutes (See?), just a minute too; but so that you’ll be sure to understand. (Can you hear me?) Look: Why… Them men who’d walked with Christ, “Why does the Scriptures first say that Elias must come,” and they were John’s own converts and didn’t even know him. Why did the Scriptures say, the teachers? Can you see what I mean? “Why does the Scriptures say that Elias must first come?” Disciples that walked with him. “Why does the Scriptures say that he must first come before these things and restore all things?” He did to about a half dozen people, and that’s all there was. See? That’s all that was supposed to receive it. That was what was ordained to see it.
E-370 Jesus said, “He’s already come, and you didn’t know it. But he done just what the Scriptures said he would do. He restored them, you all, that received Me and believed on Me. He done exactly what the Scriptures said he’d do. And they did to him what the Scriptures said they would do. He’s already come, and you didn’t know it.” Are you ready?
I want to shock you a little bit. The rapture will be the same way. It’ll be so simple; no doubt it’ll be likewise, till the rapture will come one of these days and nobody will know nothing about it.
E-371 Now, don’t–don’t–don’t get up now, but study just a minute. I’m sure enough closing. The rapture will come in such a simple way till the judgments will fall, and they’ll see the Son of man; they’ll say, “Wasn’t we supposed to have such-and-such… And wasn’t there supposed to be Elias sent to us? And wasn’t there supposed to be a rapture?”
Jesus will say, “It’s already happened, and you didn’t know it.” God in simplicity… See?
E-373 Now, this week we’re going to get in some awful deep teaching on the Word. Now, notice. The rapture will be… So few go in that Bride. It’ll not be… Now, see how the teachers has got it? They’ve got charts, and they go to show ten million people coming up here, and all the Methodists, if it’s a Methodist preacher; and if it’s a Pentecostal, all the Pentecostals coming. It will never touch it.
It’ll be, maybe one leave Jeffersonville, just somebody come up missing. They’ll say, “Well, you never…” The rest of them won’t know. There’ll be one leave Georgia. See? There’ll be one leave in Africa. And let’s say there’d be five hundred people a-living will go in the translation. Now, that ain’t–that ain’t the church body; this is the Bride. That ain’t the church; this is the Bride. See? The–the church will come up by the thousands, but that’s in the next resurrection. They lived not for the space of a thousand years. See? But in the Bride if five hundred people left the earth this very minute, the world would know nothing about it.
E-377 Jesus said, “There’d be one in a bed; and I’ll take one, leave one.” That’s at nighttime. “There’d could be two in a field (over on the other side of the earth); I’ll take one and leave one. And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man.”
Think. Everything will move just as common as it can be. A fanatic message will go by, and the first thing you know something, “This minister going somewhere, he’s never come back. He probably went to the woods hunting; he’s never returned no more. And this fellow went somewhere…” “You know what happened? I believe that young girl, she–she must’ve been caught away somewhere, you know. Somebody take that girl out and ravish her, probably throwed her in the river. She was miss…?… Nobody… Half of it.”
Ninety-nine out of every… May say one out of every hundred million will ever know anything about it. See? Unless somebody’s acquainted with… Say, “The girl’s missing. Why, I can’t understand. She never did leave like that.” No.
E-379 And when they say the–the graves will open, how is the graves going to open when… I–I haven’t got time to get into this, what I wanted to. I’m going to have to take this… Just to show you the simplicity of God. And that calcium, potash, and everything when… When everything that’s in you of materials only makes a spoonful… That’s right. And what that does it breaks on back into spirit and life…
God just speaks and the rapture will come. It ain’t going out there, and the Angels come down and shovel out the graves and get out an old dead carcass here. What is it? It’s born of sin to begin with, but a new one made in its likeness. You know… See? If we have this, we’ll die again. See? Nobody will say, “The graves will open. The dead shall walk out.” That may be true, but not open the way you say open. See? That’s right. See? It won’t be like that. It’ll be a secret, because He said He’d come like a thief in the night.
E-380 He’s already told us this, the rapture, then judgments will strike: sin, plagues, sickness, and everything. The people will cry for death to take them when the judgment… “Lord, why is this judgment upon us when You said that there’d be a rapture first?”
He will say, “It’s already come, and you didn’t know it.”: God hiding Himself in simplicity. Oh, my. All right. “It’s all–it’s already happened and you knew it not.”
Why don’t believers believe the simple signs of His coming? They’re expecting the–a–all this things that’s spoke of by the Scripture, and–and the moon’s going to go down in the middle of–the sun in the middle of the day, and there’s going to be all kinds of things.
Oh, if we just had… I got the notes wrote here on it (See?), to show what them things are, and we’ll get it on the breaking of these Seals this week anyhow. See, see? There it is, just where it’s already passed and you didn’t know it. See? See if it is. If the Angel of the Lord will break them Seals forth to us… Remember, it’s sealed with them seven mysterious thunders. See?
E-385 Now, why–why can’t people believe the simple simplicity of a humble bunch of people (See?) and the–the voice of the signs of God? Why can’t they believe it? Just like it always been. The true Word of God being made manifest, It’s… They’re too smart and too educated to believe the simple form of the written Word. They want to put their own interpretation to it. “It don’t mean this. It don’t mean that.” See? It does mean that.
Listen. May I say this right quick now? Even the visions that God gives here at the place, it’s so misunderstood. That’s the reason you hear me on the tapes say, “Say what the tapes say. Say what the visions say.”
E-386 Now, if you’re wide awake, you’ll see something. See? I hope I don’t have to hold it in my hand to show you. See, see, see? You’re… It’s–it’s here. We’re at the end. Yes, sir. Smart, education will miss it. The simple visions, when they’re revealed in such simplicity, till it just crosses over the top of people’s head. See?
Because I seen the vision and told you all about going up there hunting, and, you know, that just stumbled people. And there God set it up there for the very purpose, and come back and interpret it right around, showing of the going of my mother and things like that, and then come back and told it beforehand, and it happened just exactly the way He said it would do…
E-388 See? And yet, John came right out there and confessed: He said, “I’m not no Messiah, but I’m the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” And then them very disciples say, “Why did–does the scribes say, the–the Scripture teach that Elias must first come?” See? The simplicity of God goes–just roosts right over the top of people’s heads.
Let me take this, and then close; I will, by the help of God. See, look. Now, let’s break this down. Then I–I’m sorry to keep telling you all that going down there. See, so… Sorry to hold you, but just a few hours, we come back.
E-391 Look. Let’s take a simple drop of ink. Everything is for a purpose. You’ve gathered here this morning for a purpose. I eat at your house, Charlie. Nellie, you cooked for me for a purpose. Now, everything’s for a purpose. This church is erected for a purpose. There’s nothing without a purpose and a cause.
E-392 Let’s take the simple drop of ink now. (Can you hear me?) Let’s take a simple drop of ink and look at it. What is it? A drop of ink. Where did it come from? All right. Let’s take this drop of ink. Now, it’s–let’s say it’s black ink. Now, that ink is for a purpose. It can write my pardon in a–out of a penitentiary. It can write my pardon from a death cell. That right?
It can write John 3:16 and save my soul by believing it. Is that right? Or it can sign my death warrant. See? It can condemn me at the judgment bar. It’s for a purpose. Is that right?
Well, let’s look at that little ink and see where it come from. Now, it’s ink; it’s been put together in chemicals and so forth, till it’s become ink, and it’s black.
You drop it on your clothes; it’ll stain it. But we have manufactured a stuff called bleach. You women use Clorox bleach. Well, I’ll take that one drop of ink and drop it into a tub of–of bleach. Now, what happened to the ink? See? Why? A bleach has been manufactured, invented and manufactured chemicals together that’ll break up that coloring so bad till you can’t find it.
E-394 Now, part of the bleach is water. Water is H2O which is hydrogen and oxygen, and both hydrogen and oxygen, both are dangerous explosives. And then hydrogen and oxygen are actually ashes. That’s what it is (That’s right.), chemical ashes, just chemical ashes. Now, now, put it together you got water; but break it, you got hydrogen and oxygen. You just keep on going back. Now, in getting in this, let’s take…
Now, I cannot… Now, there might be chemists setting here, and I–I want to say it ’cause there would be chemists listening at it. I don’t know the formula, but I want to just explain it in my own humble way, trusting that God will reveal Himself in it.
E-397 Look. I drop that drop of ink into a–a–a bleach. What happens? Immediately the black stain is gone. You couldn’t find it again if you had to; it’s gone. You’ll never see it no more. What happened? Now, you don’t see nothing come up from it. You don’t… Why don’t you? Because it’s broke up. Now, science would say, “It turned back to its original acids.”
What did the acids come from? See? Well, you say, “It come from–from certain things.” All right. Say, for instance, like fumes made acids. Where did fumes come from? Well, it was–we’ll say, fumes was made by molecules. Where’d molecules come from? From atoms. Where’d atoms come from? From electronics. Where’d they come from? Cosmic light. See? You’re plumb back a-past finding of chemist now. And if it is a substance and a creation, it has to come from a Creator; so you’re not setting here by chance.
E-400 I’m not holding till twelve-thirty or one o’clock by chance. The footsteps of the righteous is ordered of the Lord. See? There’s some reason for it. There’s some reason for you to believe. There’s some reason for you not to believe, just like you’re–with that ink. Now, let’s break that down.
Now, the first thing, say, after we get back to… We bring it back as far as molecules. Now, we took molecule, I’d say number one times molecule nine, times molecule twelve. Now, if it had been eleven, it would come out red; but it–it had to be twelve to make black. Then we’ll take that down to atom. It was atom nine-six, times plus four-three to equal atom sixteen-eleven. If it’d been sixteen-twelve, it might’ve been purple. See? Then you keep breaking it on down.
E-403 It shows that there was a something back yonder to begin with. That’s only common sense. It’s a creation, it has to have a Creator, and it went out from a Creator. And then it–it was determined and put into these different… Now, science cannot take atom B-sixteen times twelve times fourteen times, whatever what like–like that, to make that. God had to do that. And then it’s brought down to a place to where it’s got down into atoms, then science can begin to touch it.
Then it comes out into molecules, then they can begin to see a little better. Then it comes down from that into something else, and the first thing, it comes into chemicals and then they blend these together.
E-405 Now, when man–before he sinned… (I’m closing, but don’t you miss it). When man sinned, he separated himself from God and crossed a great chasm and put himself in death on this side. He left; there’s no way back. Exactly. There’s no way for him to get back. But then when he did, God accepted a substitute which was a lamb, or a goat, or a sheep, or something for blood, which Adam spoke of–or Abel spoke of on the other side of the chasm.
On that side he’s a son of God; he’s an offspring from God. He’s an inheritance of the earth. He can control nature. He can speak into existence. Why, he’s a creator himself. He’s an offspring of God.
E-407 But when he crossed, he separated his sonship. He’s a sinner by nature; he’s under the hands and dominion of Satan; and God took a sacrifice, a chemical of the blood, but the blood of bulls and goats did not divorce sin; it only covered sin.
If I’ve got a red spot on my hand and cover it with white, the red spot’s still there. See, it’s still there. But God sent down from heaven a Bleach for sin. It was the Blood of His own Son, that when our confessed sin drops into God’s Bleach, try to find it again. The coloring of sin goes back through the mediators and down through the time until it hits the accuser, Satan, and lays on him till the day of the judgment.
E-410 What happens to the son? He becomes in perfect fellowship with the Father again, standing on the other side of the chasm with no remembrance of sin against him. No more… There’s no more stain of bleach can be seen anywhere. He’s free. Hallelujah. Just as that Clorox or that ink can never be ink no more because it’s broke up and sent back again…
And when confessed sin is confessed and been dipped into the… A man or woman that’s been dipped into the Blood of Jesus Christ, it kills all symptoms, and every molecule of sin goes back to the devil and laid on him till the day of judgment where his eternal destination will be throwed into a lake of fire; and the chasm is bridged and never to come into remembrance no more. And a man stands justified as a son of God: simplicity.
E-411 Moses, under the blood of bulls and goats, with his confession in the Word of God, and God could take that simple man and put His Words in his mouth. And he proved that he was Jehovah’s servant, for he could walk out there… And Jehovah spoke to him by vision. He walked out, stretched his hands towards the east… And now, remember, God had spoke to him; it’s God’s thought. God uses man. God spoke to him; it’s right.
He said, “Go stretch that rod in your hand towards the east and say, “Flies.”
E-413 And Moses, under the blood of that goat, sheep, walked out there and took that stick, reached towards the east, “THUS SAITH THE LORD, let there be flies.” Never heard a fly… Walked on back, it’s already spoke. It’s a thought; now it’s spoke; it’s expressed. It’s the Word of God then. It come into a human’s lips, a simple man under the blood of a bull–bull or goat.
First thing you know, a green fly begin to fly around. The next thing you know, they were five pounds per yard. What was it? Was the Word of God spoken through Moses, the creator, because under the blood he was standing in the Presence of God, and his own words wasn’t his word.
E-415 “If ye abide in Me and My words abide in you, then ask what you will; it shall be given to you.” Where’s the Church standing at? “Let there be frogs,” and there wasn’t a frog in the country. In a hour’s time, they were ten foot deep in places. What was it? It was God, the Creator, hiding Himself in a simple man.
I want to ask you something. If the blood of a bull or a goat be used for a bleach, which can only cover, could put a man in position to speak the creative Word of God and bring flies into existence, why would you stumble at the Bleach of Jesus Christ’s Blood Who could speak a squirrel or something into existence?
Don’t you do it. Don’t stumble over simplicity. Believe that He still remains God. Oh, my. Pardoned of sin… Oh, how I wish I could… Then, Mark 11:22: “If you say to this mountain ‘Be moved,’ and don’t doubt in your heart, but believe that what you said will come to pass (oh), you can have what you said.”
E-420 My, I’ve got three or four pages; we’ve got to leave it go. Thank you. God hiding Himself in simplicity. Don’t you see? There’s something wrong somewhere. There’s something wrong somewhere. When God makes a statement, He cannot lie. He made the promise. See? He hides in simplicity. It’s so simple the educated and scholars say, “Aw, it’s–oh, it’s telepathy,” or something. You know it’s a…
E-423 God can sweep Himself back down through the streams of time and tell you back there just exactly what happened, tell you just exactly what you are today, and what you will be to come. That’s still by the Bleach of Jesus Christ, Who can take a sinner to bleach him into there, and he stands in the Presence of God, “And if ye abide in Me and My words in you, you can ask what you will and it’ll be done. He that does believe on Me, the works that I do shall he do also. How do you condemn Me? Oh, did not your own laws say that those who the Word of God came to, the prophets, did not you call them gods? And then how can you condemn Me when I say I am the Son of God?” They failed to see it. They failed to see it.
E-426 Now, Church, in the coming messages from tonight on, don’t fail to see it. See? See the day that we’re living in. And remember, the Blood of Jesus Christ takes sins so far from you, until it’s not even in the remembrance of God anymore. It takes all stains.
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.
Then before the throne,
I stand in Him complete…
E-427 Oh, my. How can I be complete? How can I be complete? Because the Blood, not me, but that Blood stands between God and me. I accepted It, and He put It… I’m a sinner, but He’s God. But the chemistry stands between me to kill sin, so God sees me just as white as the–the water that’s in the–that’s in the bleach. Sin is gone. It can’t even reach him because there’s a Sacrifice laying there.
E-428 Where’s our faith to believe the simple Word of God? Just what God said, take Him at His Word. God hides Himself now in simplicity in a humble little bunch, but one of these days, He will manifest Himself as He always has in the days passed by. Do you love Him?
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary’s tree.
E-429 You love Him? My, isn’t He wonderful? I hope and I trust that the message will produce what it was intended to do; that it’ll get you to a place that you don’t look for flowerly things or some… When you see God in greatness, look how humble it is, and then you’ll see God. Don’t look for Him…
E-430 When Elisha was back in that cave, the smoke went across, blood, thunder, lightning, and (See?), all these kinds of sensations we’ve had–blood in the face and in the hands, and sensations and everything, they never bothered that prophet. He just laid there, but he heard a still small Voice. What was it? the Word. Then he covered his face and walked out. See, that was it.
E-431 Remember, friend, don’t look for great big… You say, “God.” He speaks of great big things. There’ll come a time there’ll be this, that, or the other, great big things… I hope you’re catching what I’m talking about (See?), great big things… See? And oh, when this comes to pass, it’ll be great, big like this, and it’ll be so humble you’ll miss the whole thing and just go right on. See?
You’ll look back and say, “Well, that never did come to…” See? Passed right over the top, and you never even seen it, just…?… See? It’s so simple. See? God lives in simplicity to manifest Hisself in greatness. What makes Him great? Because He can simplify Himself. A big great man can’t simplify himself; he’s got to be a dignitary. See? But he ain’t big enough yet. When he comes big enough, then he comes down like this (you see?), can humble himself.
E-434 As the old saint said up there in Chicago, that fellow went up with all the education and things, said he come down whipped out, head hanging down, walking out defeated. He said, “If he’d have went up the way he come down, he’d have come down the way he went up.”
Well, that’s right. See? Humble yourself. Just be humble. Don’t try to be peculiar; just–just love Jesus (See?), say, “Lord, if there’s any guile in my heart; if there’s anything wrong, Father, I don’t want to be like that. You take it away. I don’t want to be like that.”
“Oh, I want to be numbered as one of them in that day, Lord. And I see the day approaching.” You see these Seals begin to… If God will open them to us. And remember, He alone can do it. We’re depending on Him. God bless you.
E-437 Now, I suppose our pastor will have a word for you to say–or for him to say, rather, to–to you before we meet again this afternoon. And I think the service will, the song service is at six-thirty fine, sir? And it’s… All right, six-thirty, and it’s… The doors open at six; song service will start at six-thirty. And…
The Lord willing, I’ll be speaking tonight on the subject of the Seven Sealed Book. And then Monday night the white horse rider; Tuesday night the black horse rider; Wednesday night the grizzled horse, the pale horse and then the red horse rider. Then go into the 6th–4th, 5th and 6th and then Sunday night… Next Sunday morning maybe a healing service I don’t know.
E-439 Now, remember, we’re dedicated to the Lord–ourselves and the church for the service of God. God bless you. I’ve–I’m one hour late; will you forgive me now? I don’t–I don’t mean to do that. But see, I–I just can be with you this week and I’m be leaving again. And I don’t know where I’ll be going; just where He leads. And I want to spend every minute I can, because I want to spend eternity with you. God bless you. Now, Brother Neville.
The Ephesian Church Age
E-1 Let us bow our heads now for prayer. Our heavenly Father, we thank Thee tonight for this another opportunity to come to worship You. We are thankful to be alive and to have this great revelation of Eternal Life dwelling within us. And we’ve come tonight, Father, to study Thy Word together: these great hidden mysteries that’s been hid since the foundation of the world; and the Lamb is the only One that can reveal it to us. I pray that He will come among us tonight, and will take of His Word, and reveal It to us, that we might know how to be better servants to Him in this end time.
O God, as we see that we are now in the end time, help us to know our place, Lord, and our frail being and the certainty of the coming of the Lord soon. We ask it in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
I believe it was David said, “I was happy when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.” It’s always a great privilege to come; and in the studying of the Word together gives us this great hope.
E-3 Now there’s many standing, and I’m just going to hurry as quick as possible. But I trust that you have enjoyed the Presence of the Holy Spirit like I have in these last couple of times. And today I had something to happen that I haven’t had for a long time. I was studying on this–on this revelation here, on the opening of the Seal.
Years ago I run through it here, about some twenty years ago I guess, or something like that, but somehow or another I never was just exactly satisfied. It seemed like there was some things especially in these Seals, because those Seals are the entire Book. See? It’s the Book. The whole Book is one Book sealed. It starts…
E-6 For instance if I had something here–I’d show you what I mean. Here is one seal. That’s one… And you roll it up like this–the way it was rolled. And you roll it up in this manner, and at the end there is a little piece sticking out like that. That’s the First Seal. All right. Then that’s the first part of the Book. Then the next seal is rolled in this manner, right by the side of it, and it’s rolled up in this manner like here and then at the end, right here, there’s another sticking out, means two seals. And that’s the way the whole Bible was wrote, in scroll. And so to break these Seals, it opens the mysteries of the Book.
E-8 Did you get to study in Jeremiah, how he wrote that, many of you taken it down last night? How them Seals were wrote and placed away for keeping until he returned after seventy years of the captivity. He was to return back and claimed his possession. And I certainly like to study it. You can’t… There’s no way to express it all, because it’s an eternal Word. It’s an eternal Book.
And therefore, we just have to kindly hit the high places. And today in studying, I have written down many Scriptures so you can study it. And also in the tapes will reveal much of it as you study. And…
E-9 There are so many things. If I could just stand here at the platform and reveal it to you the way it’s revealed to me in the room, my, it would be marvelous. But when you get here, you’re pressed, and you just kind of jump over the things and try to just get the main part to the people that they might see it.
E-11 I certainly appreciate that song Brother Ungren just sang: “Down From His Glory.” If He hadn’t have come from His glory, where would we all be tonight? So we’re thankful that He come down to help us.
E-12 Now, with many standing, we’ll just hurry right through in here to the best we can. I don’t say, we’re going to hurry right through, but I mean we’re going to get started as quick as possible.
And now, let us turn now, after the… We’ve had the 1st chapter, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, and 5th last night, and tonight we’re starting on the 6th chapter of Revelation.
Now, as we study this chapter we are referring different places even to Old and New Testament alike, because the entire Book is the revelation of Jesus Christ. See? That’s altogether the revelation of–of the Lord Jesus: the revelation of Jesus Christ. It’s God revealing Himself in the Book, revealing Himself through Christ in the Book. And Christ is the revelation of God. He come to reveal God, because He and God were the same. God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.
In other wise, you’d never knowed just what God was until He revealed Himself through Christ; then you can see.
I used to think years ago that maybe God was angry with me, but Christ loved me. Come to find out, it’s the same Person. See? And Christ is the very heart of God.
E-16 And now as we study this; you’re comparing it now… The first three books of the Bible of Revelations (which we have pretty thoroughly combed that) is the church ages, the–the Seven Church Ages. Now, there’s seven church ages, seven seals, seven trumpets, and vials, and–and unclean spirits like frogs, and all this goes together. My, how I’d like to have a–a great big map and draw it all across the way I see it, you know; just how that each one takes its place. I drawed it out on a little sheet of paper, but I–you know… And everything so far hit just exactly right. And with the time and the ages as they have come and gone and everything has blended in just perfectly right. So it may not altogether be right, but it’s the best that I know about it anyhow. And… I know if–if I do my best, and I make a mistake in trying to do my best, and the best that I know of, God surely will forgive me for doing–for the error if I have done wrong. But…
E-18 Now, those first three books is the first seven church ages, and then we find out in the 4th chapter of Revelations John is caught up. See? We see the churches… There’s not too much said about the church ages. There’s where I think that people are going to be so surprised. They’re–they’re–they’re applying the church way over into the tribulation to those things that’s a-happened. And as I said Sunday (yesterday), “The first thing you know those tribulations will break in, and you’ll wonder why was not the–the first coming was the rapture. And it’ll be as it has been; it’s passed and you didn’t know it.” See?
Now, there’s not too much promised to that Church, that Gentile Church, the Bride.
E-19 Now, I want you to bear in mind, there is a church and a Bride. See? You always have to make it run in threes. Fours is wrong: threes: threes, sevens, tens, twelves, twenty-fours, and forties, and fifties, in those unbroken numbers. The Bible is… And God runs His messages in–in num–in num–numerals of the Bible in those numbers. And you get something that flies off of one of those numbers, you’d better watch. It won’t come out right on the next things. You got to bring it back here to where you start from.
E-21 Brother Vayle, Brother Lee Vayle, he–he… I think he’s here. We were talking the other day about people who, getting off the track. It is just like shooting a target. If that gun is perfectly balanced, perfectly trained and sighted, it’s got to hit the target unless that barrel moves, or twists, or vibrations throws it off and wherever–or a wind puff. Wherever it starts off at, there’s only one way to do, is come back to where it left the track and start again, if it’s going to hit the target. If it doesn’t, why, it just doesn’t hit the target.
E-22 And that’s the way in studying Scripture, I believe. If we find out we start something here, and it doesn’t come out right, you see it isn’t–we–we’ve made a mistake somewhere; you got to come back. You’ll never figure it with your mind. It just isn’t… We just found out by the Scriptures that there’s no man in heaven or in earth, or beneath the earth, or ever was, or ever will be that can do it. The Lamb alone can do it. So seminary explanation, whatever it might be, is just nothing. See? It takes the Lamb to reveal it. That’s all. So we trust that He will help us.
E-24 John caught up in the 4th chapter to see things which was, which is, and which is to come. But the Church finishes at the 4th chapter, and Christ takes up the Church, caught up in the air to meet Him, and does not appear again until the 19th chapter when He comes back with–as King of king and Lord of lords with the Church. And now… Oh, I hope someday that we can get through it all, maybe before He comes. If we don’t, we’ll see it anyhow; so it doesn’t matter.
E-25 Now, in this 5th chapter, the breaking of these Seals… And now, the seven-sealed Book… First we want to read the First Seal. Last evening (to background just a little more) we find out that when John looked and seen that Book still in the hands of the original Owner, God… You remember how it was lost? By Adam. He forfeited the Book of Life for the knowledge of Satan and lost his inheritance, lost everything, and no way for redemption.
Then God, made in the likeness of men, came down and become a Redeemer to us to redeem us. And now, we find out that in days passed by, these things which was mysterious is to be opened up to us in the last days.
E-28 Now, we find out also in this, that as soon as John heard this announcement for the–the Kinsman Redeemer to come forth and to make His claims, there was no man that could do it. No man in heaven, no man in earth, no man beneath the earth, and no one was worthy even to look at the Book. Just think of that: no person at all worthy even look at it. And John just started weeping.
He knowed that all… There was no chance for redemption then. Everything was failed, and quickly we find his weeping stopping quickly, because it was announced by one of the four beasts–or the elders, rather. One of the–the elders said, “Don’t weep, John, for the Lion of the tribe of Juda has prevailed,” in other words, “overcome and has conquered.”
E-31 John turning, he saw a Lamb coming out. It must’ve been bloody and cut and wounded. It had been slain, the–said–it–a Lamb that had been slain, and ‘course it was still bloody. If you’d have cut the lamb and–and killed it the way that Lamb was anyhow, it was hacked to pieces on a cross, spears in the side, and nails in the hands and feet, and thorns over the brow. He was in an awful condition. And this Lamb come forth and went over to Him that set upon the Throne that held the complete Title Deed of Redemption; and the Lamb goes and takes the Book out of the hand of Him that set upon the Throne and was–took and opened the Seals and opened the Book.
And then when that happened, we found out that it must have been a great a–a something took place in heaven, for the elders and the four and twenty elders, and the beasts, and–and everything in heaven begin to cry out, “Worthy.” And here come the Angels and poured out the vials of the prayers of saints. The saints under the altar screamed out, “Worthy art Thou, O Lamb, for You have redeemed us, and now You have made us kings and priests, and we shall rule on the earth.” Oh, my. And that soul was… He… to open that Book…
E-33 You see the Book actually was planned and written before the foundation of the world. This Book, the Bible was really written before the foundation of the world. And Christ, being the Lamb, was slain before the foundation of the world. And the–the members of His Bride, their names were put in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world, but it’s been sealed up. And now it’s being revealed whose names were in there, all about it. What a great thing. And John, when he saw it, he–he said, “Everything in heaven, everything underneath the earth, everything heard him saying, ‘Amen, and blessings and honor.'” He just really was having a great time, and–for the Lamb was worthy.
E-35 And now, the Lamb is standing now tonight as we enter into this 6th chapter; He’s got the Book in His hand and starting to reveal it. And, oh, I would’ve absolutely today… And I hope that people are spiritual. I would’ve had a horrible mistake on that if it hadn’t been about twelve o’clock today when the Holy Spirit came in the room and corrected me on something that I was writing down to say.
I was taking it from an old context. I had nothing on it. I don’t know what the Second Seal is no more than nothing, but I’d got some old contexts of something that I’d spoke on several years ago and wrote it down, and I’d gathered this context–context… And Dr. Smith, many great outstanding teachers that I–I’d gathered, and all of them believed that, so I’d wrote it down. And I was fixing to say, “Well, now I’ll study it from that standpoint.” And there about twelve o’clock in the day the Holy Spirit just swept right down into the room, and the whole thing just opened up to me, and there it was…?… of this–of this First Seal being opened.
E-38 I’m as positive as I’m standing here tonight that this is the Gospel Truth that I’m going to tell you about. I just know it is. Because if a revelation’s contrary to the Word, then it isn’t revelation. And you know, there’s some of the stuff can look so absolutely true, and yet isn’t truth. See? It looks like it is, but it isn’t.
E-40 Now, we find the Lamb with the Book now. And now, in the 6th chapter we read.
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of a thunder, and one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that set on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
E-41 Now, that’s the First Seal, the one we’re going to try by the grace of God to explain it tonight by the very best… And I realize that a man trying to explain that is walking on dangerous grounds, if you don’t know what you’re doing. See?
So if it comes to me by revelation, I’ll tell you so. If I just have to take it through my own mind, then I–I’ll tell you it’s that before I talk about it.
But I’m just as positive as I’m standing here tonight, that it come afresh to me today from the Almighty. I’m not prone to just saying things like that when it comes to this part of the Scripture. I–I–I’m–I hope you know what I’m talking about now. See?
Now, you know, you can’t say things if something’s supposed to be laying over here before it happens. You–you can’t say it till something lays it over there. See? But are you reading; are you listening to something? See?
E-43 Now, the seven-seal, roll Book is now being released by the Lamb. We approach that place tonight. God help us. As the Seals are broken and released, the mysteries of the Book are revealed. Now, you see, this is a sealed Book. Now, we believe that, do we not? We believe that it is a sealed Book. Now, we never knowed this before, but it is. It’s sealed with Seven Seals; that is, on the back of the Book the Book is sealed with Seven Seals.
E-45 If we was talking about this kind of book, it would be like putting a strap across it, seven straps. But it isn’t this kind of a book; it’s a scroll. And then when the scroll is unwound, that’s one; then laying right in the scroll is number two, and right here it says what it is, but it’s a mystery. But yet we have probed in it; but remember, the Book is sealed, and the Book is a Book of mystery of revelation. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ (See?), a Book of revelation. And now, you know down through the age, man has probed and tried to get into that. We all have.
E-47 And yet, one time I remember… If–if Mr. Bohanon happened to be present, or–or some of his people, I–I don’t mean it by any insult. Mr. Bohanon is a bosom friend, and he was the superintendent of the Public Service when I was working there. When I first got saved, I was telling him about reading on the Book of Revelations, and he said, “I tried to read that thing,” he said. And Mr. Bohanon was a fine man, and he–he was a member of the church. And–and I don’t know what all he belonged to, but he said, “I think that John must’ve had a red pepper supper that night and went to bed on a full stomach.”
E-48 I said to him (although it could’ve cost my job), I said, “Aren’t you ashamed to say that?” And I was just a boy, but I said, “Aren’t you ashamed to say that about the Word of God?” See? Yet, I was just a kid no more than my early, maybe twenty-one, twenty-two years old, and work scarce, and the depression on, but yet there was a fear in there when I slanted–heard any slant toward God’s Word. It is Truth, all Truth.
So it was not even a dream or a nightmare; it wasn’t John eat. He was on the Isle of Patmos because he tried to put the Word of God into a book form and was exiled there by the Roman government, and was on the island on the day of the Lord, and he heard behind him a voice of many waters and turned to look, and he saw seven golden candlesticks. And there stood the Son of God in between them.
E-50 Now, and then the Book is a revelation. So “a revelation” is “something that’s made known of something–something that’s been revealed.” And now, notice, so you won’t forget it: It is closed up until the latter time. See? The whole mystery of it is closed up until the latter times; we find that in the Scripture here.
E-51 Now, the mystery of the Book are revealed when the Seals are broken. And when the Seals completely are broken, the time of redemption is over, because the Lamb left the intercession post to walk out to take His claims. He was a Mediator between that, but when the real revelation happens on the Seals as they begin to break, the Lamb is coming forth from the sanctuary. It’s according to the Word. We read it last night. He come from the–out of the midst and took the Book. So He’s no more Mediator, because even they called Him a Lion, and that’s the–that’s the King, and He’s not a Mediator then.
E-52 Although the actors of these Seals begin at the first church age… Now, remember, so you’ll–you’ll–we’ll get the background of it thoroughly if we can, or as thoroughly as possible. The actors… I’ll place it like that, because an–an actor is a man who changes masks. See?
And in this act tonight, we’re going to see that it’s Satan changing his mask. And all actors… Christ, acting the part as He did when He become from a Spirit to man, He only put on an actor’s garment, human flesh, and came down in the form of a man in order to be a Kinsman Redeemer.
E-55 Now, now, you see, it’s only an actor’s form. That’s the reason they are all in parables and sym–and the way they are here like beasts, and animals, so forth; it’s in a act. And these actors begin in the first church age, because it was Christ revealing Himself to the seven church ages. Now, you understand it? All right. See? Christ revealing Himself to the seven church ages, then through these church ages, there’s a great mess-up comes along. Then at the end of the church age, the seventh angel’s message is to pick up these lost mysteries and to give it to the Church. See? Now, we’ll notice that.
E-57 But the–not then revealed in their true state. Now, in the Bible times, the mysteries were there, and they seen these things happen the way John saw it here. Now, he said, “There is a white horse rider.” But what the mystery of it is, there’s a mystery that goes with that rider. Now, what it was, they didn’t know; but it’s to be revealed. But it is to be revealed after the Lamb leaves the Father’s throne of His intercessory as Kinsman Redeemer.
E-58 I’m going to drop a little something in here. Now, if anybody gets these tapes… Any man can speak whatever he wants to. He has a right to–to anything of his conviction. But if, you know, if a minister doesn’t want this amongst his people, then tell them not to take it. But I–I… This is amongst the people that I have been sent to speak to; therefore, I must reveal what is the Truth. See?
E-59 Now, the Lamb in the time of intercessory back here, He knew that there were names in there that was put in there from the foundation of the world, and as long as them names have never been manifested on earth as yet, He had to stay there as Intercessor. Do you get it? Perfectly predestination… See?
All right, He had to stay there, because He came to die for those that God had ordained to Eternal Life. See, see? By His foreknowledge He saw them, not by His own will. His will was that none should perish, but by His foreknowledge He knew who would and who would not.
Therefore as long as there was one name hadn’t never yet been clared–declared in earth, Christ had to stay there as an Intercessor to take care of that name. But as soon as that final name had been splashed in that Clorox or bleach, then His intercessory days was over. “Let him that’s filthy be filthy still. Let him that’s holy, he’s holy still.” See? And he leaves the sanctuary, and then it becomes a judgment seat. Woe unto those outside of Christ then.
E-61 Now, notice: But it’s to be revealed when the Lamb leaves His intercessory place from the Father. (Now, that’s Revelation 5). Now, He takes the Book of Seals, the Book of Seals or a Book sealed with Seals, breaks them and shows them (look) at the end of the age now, after the intercessory is over; the church ages has done finished up. He come in the first age, the Ephesian Age, revealed, sent the messenger. Notice what happened as we go along.
Here’s the plan of it: The first thing happens, there is a–a–an announcement in the heavens first. What happened? A Seal is opened. What is that? A mystery is unfolded. See? And when a mystery unfolds, then a trumpet sounds. It declares a war. Or a plague falls, and a church age opened. See? What is the war part? The angel of the Church catches the mystery of God, not fully yet revealed, but when he does, he catches this mystery of God, and then he goes forth to the people (after the mystery has been given to him), goes forth to the people. What does he do out there? He begins to proclaim that message, and what does it start? A war, a spiritual war.
E-65 And then God takes His messenger with the elect of that age, and lays them away asleep, and then He drops a plague upon them who rejected it: a temporary judgment. And then, after that is over, then he goes on, and they denominate, and bring in denominations, and start off with that man’s work like of–of Wesley and all the rest of them, and then it gets all in a scrapple again; and then another mystery comes forth. Then what happens? Another messenger arrives on earth for a church age. See?
Then when he arrives, he–the–the trumpet sounds. He declares war. See? And then what happens? Finally then he’s caught away. And then when he’s laid away, then plague falls destroys them. Spiritual death hits the church and she’s gone, that group. Then He goes on to another one.
Oh, it’s a great plan until it comes to that last angel. Now, he has no certain mystery, but he gathers up all that’s been lost in them other ages, all the truths that wasn’t truly revealed yet (See?), as the revelation come. Then he reveals those things in his day. If you want to read it, there it is: A Revelations 10:1 to–1 to about 4. You’ll get it. All right. See?
E-68 Takes the Book and… of Seals and breaks them and shows the seventh angel, for this alone, the mysteries of God, is the ministry of the seventh angel. Now, we just come through the church ages with even history and prove that. See? It is the–the angel’s message of the seventh church.
All right, reveals all the mysteries that’s been in the past, all the things in the past: Revelations 10:1-7. That’s to be.
E-69 Now, remember, in the days of the seventh angel, his sounding forth, blasting forth the Gospel Trumpet, he is to finish all the mysteries of God. Just like here come forth in the early church ages (We’ll get it after while.), a doctrine, then it become a saying first, then a doctrine, and then become a statute, then become a church, and through the dark ages, and out of the dark ages come the first Reformation–Luther. And he brought with him all kinds of mysterious things that happened during that church age, all back in there, then… But he never finished it up.
Then along come Wesley with sanctification, got some more of it, but still never finished it, left loose ends everywhere, such as sprinkling instead of baptism, and Luther took “Father, Son, Holy Ghost” instead of the “Lord Jesus Christ,” all these different things.
E-72 Then along come the Pentecostal age with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and they cabbaged down on that. Now, there cannot be no more ages. That’s all of it; that’s the Philadelphia, or the–not–the Laodicea Age. But then the… We found in the studying of the Scripture that the messenger to the age come right at the end of the age every time. Paul come at the end of the age. We find out that Irenaeus come at the end of the age. Martin, end of the age. Luther, the end of the Catholic age; and what?–Wesley, at the end of the Lutheran age; and Pentecost, at the end of the age of sanctification through the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
And at the end of the Pentecostal age we are supposed to receive, according to the Word, as God help me tonight to show you through here, that we are to see–receive a messenger that will take all those loose ends out there and reveal the whole secret of God for the rapturing of the Church.
E-75 And then there’s coming forth seven mysterious thunders that’s not even written at all. That’s right. And I believe that through those seven thunders will be revealed in the last days in order to get the Bride together for rapturing faith; because what we got right now, we–we wouldn’t be able to do it. There’s something we’ve got to step farther; we–we can’t have enough faith for Divine healing hardly. We’ve got to have enough faith to be changed in a moment and be swept up out of this earth, and we’ll find that after a while, the Lord willing, find where it’s written.
E-76 Then all the judgments of these evil doers… Now, see, down through the ages as these Seals has been breaking, until now the last Seal is broken. And now, as they–as they have been watching in on these Seals and just presu–presuming what they were doing, now at the end of the ages, of the church ages, all these evil doers will–will take place and head up in the tribulation.
All of these evil doers of the Seven Seals has been working mysterious in the church, and we’ll find out in a minute, they even work in the name of a church. They call themselves the church. You just see if that isn’t right. No wonder I have been so against denomination, not knowing why. See, see?
They end up… Now, it starts back here in a mild form, just keeps getting worse and worse, on down until… And people go right into it, saying, “Oh, yes, this is just fine.” But in the last days these things are made known. And they finally go so bad until they go plumb into the tribulation period.
E-79 And how can a man say that the Bride of Christ goes into the tribulation? I can’t understand it. See? She’s took away from the tribulation. If–if the Church has been judged, and they have judged themselves, and have accepted the Blood, how can God judge a man that’s perfectly, totally sinless? You say, “There’s no such a person.” Every borned again believer, true believer, is perfectly, absolutely sinless before God. He’s not trusting in his works. In the Blood of Jesus that his confession’s dropped into…
The Bible says so. See? “He that–that is borned of God does not commit sin, for he cannot sin.” How can you make a man a sinner when the bleach of the Blood of Jesus Christ is between him and God, that would scatter sin till there’d be nothing left of it. See? How can that pure Blood of Christ ever let a sin pass there? He cannot.
Jesus said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” And how could we even start the thought of being perfect, but Jesus required it. And if Jesus required it, He’s got to make a way for it; and He has: His own Blood.
E-82 Now, all–reveals all the mysteries that’s gone on in the past. Now, the thought is here at the end time that the mysteries that begin way back long ago and has come down through the church ages is to be revealed here at the breaking of the Seals here at the last days, after the time of intercession is just about finished at that time.
Then the judgments wait for those who are in the back. They go on out into that. That is after the Bride has been taken from the scene.
E-84 Oh, let’s just read a Scripture. You all like to put down some of the Scriptures? Let’s take II Thessalonians just a moment and–and look here just a minute. It–it’s such a beautiful picture here. I like it. And let’s see. Yes, II Thessalonians, and I want the 2nd chapter of II Thessalonians and the–the 7th verse. Let’s see. II Thessalonians 2:7. I think that’s right. Now, I was writing this down, quivering and shaking.
… the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who… letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
Who? He that letteth. See? See, a mystery… The mystery of iniquity way back in that very first church age here, here’s Paul writing, saying that the mystery of iniquity… What is iniquity? Iniquity is something that you know you ought not to do, and you do it anyhow. And Paul said there’s such in the earth today, workers of iniquity.
E-86 Oh, if you… We’re going to get to the… Let’s just read that piece–start up a little farther–the 3rd verse.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that… (m-a-n)… man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (That’s right.)
Who opposeth and exalts himself above all that’s called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God setteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. (remitting sin)
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?… (I’d like to set under some of his teaching. Wouldn’t you?)… And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
Not then (See?), not then, but in his time… See, at the breaking of that Seal we know exactly what it was. Who is this man of iniquity? Who is this man of sin, this fellow that’s a working iniquity, would he be revealed in his time?
E-87 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work:… (deceivers, you see, deceiving the people off into something. See?)… only he… (God)… that… letteth will let, until he… (the Church–Christ, the Bride)… be taken out of the way.
And then shall the Wicked one be revealed… (at the breaking of the Seal, at his time. Paul said, “Not in my time, but in the time when he’ll be revealed. See?)… whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth… (We’re going to get to that after while.)… the spirit of his mouth… (Watch what that is.)… and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan… (him, him, a man)… whose working is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. (See?)
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness… (deceiving people by unrighteousness)… in them that perish;… (not this Bride, in them that’s looking for such a thing)… because they received not the love of the truth… (And Christ is the Truth, and Christ is the Word, but they’d rather have a creed.),… that they might be saved.
And for this cause God has sent them strong delusion, that they should believe a–a lie:… (It should be translated there, as I looked in the Lexicon, “the lie,” not “a lie”; “the lie,” same one he told Eve.)
That they… might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
E-93 What a statement. My. After the Bride is taken away, then this man of sin will reveal himself. She, the true Bride of Christ has been elected out of every church age.
Now, the other day I made a statement: The Bride could go home and you’d never know nothing about it. That’s true. Somebody said, “Well, Brother Branham, that would be a mighty small group.”
Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noah (Now, you talk to Him about it. See?) wherein eight souls were saved by water, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man.”
If there was eight hundred went in the rapture tonight, you’d never hear a word about it tomorrow, or the next day, or no other time. They’d be gone and you’d know nothing about it. See? It’d just be the same thing.
What am I trying to say? I’m not trying to scare you, worry you. I’m–I want you to be on your toes. Be ready, watching, every minute. Quit your nonsense. Just get down to business with God, ’cause it’s later than you think.
E-98 Now, you remember, the true Bride… Now, there is a false bride. We get that in Revelations 17. She said, “I am a widow and have no need of nothing,” (You see?), setting upon the scarlet clothed beast, and so forth (the beast, rather).
Now, but the true Bride will be made up of thousands times thousands of people, but it will be the elect out of every church age. Every time a message went forth and the people believed it and accepted it in all the Light it was, when they were sealed away until that day of redemption…
Don’t Jesus speak the same thing when He said the–the sound come in the–the seventh watch? That’s the last church age. See? And said, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go out to meet Him.”
And then the sleeping virgin come, rubbed her eyes, and said, “Suppose I ought to have some of that oil too; so maybe we’d better have some.”
And the real true Bride standing there said, “We have just got enough for ourself. We just got enough to get in ourself. We can’t give you nothing. If you want some, you go pray up.”
E-104 And while she was gone, the Bridegroom come (See?), and in went the Bride. And then them remnant there, the ones that were absolutely virtuous, the church was left outside. And He said, “There will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.” See? Now, that’s the elect.
And when the sound come, “The Bridegroom cometh,” then everyone of those that slept down through those ages awakened, every one.
E-105 See, it isn’t God, as we’d think, just going to hunt Him out a few thousand people of this age and take them. It’s the very elected out of every age. And that’s the reason Christ has to stay on the mediatorial seat back there as an Intercessor until that last one comes in at the last age. And these revelations then of what it has been breaks forth upon the people, and they see what’s happened. See? You get it now?
E-106 All right. Notice, the rest of the dead, church members, lived not again until one thousand years was passed. The church members, the–the Christians, the church lived not again until the end of the thousand years, and then they come forth to stand before the Bride (That’s right.), stand before the King and the Queen. Glory.
Some church today calls herself “The Queen of heaven.” The Queen of heaven is the selected Bride of Christ, and she comes with Him.
Daniel saw it and said: “Ten thousands times ten thousands ministered to Him.” Now, if you’ll watch the Scripture there in Daniel. Judgment was set, and the books were opened.
E-107 Now, remember, when He come, He come with His Bride. The wife ministers to her husband. And ten thousands times ten thousands of thousands ministered to Him. Judgment was set, and the books were opened, and another book was opened which is the Book of Life. Not the Bride at all, she’s done gone up and come back and standing there in judgment of those generations that refused the Gospel message.
Didn’t Jesus say the queen of the south shall rise with this generation in her days of the judgment and will condemn this generation, for she came from the utmost parts of the world to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and a greater than Solomon is here.
E-108 There stood the–the judgment, the queen of–of Sheba of the south stood there in the judgment, and her own testimony… Not even a Jew came up with that generation that was Jews, and they were blind and missed Him, because they were looking for Him; but He come so simple that they went plumb over the top of it, like that. And there that great queen humbled herself, and come and accepted the message. “And she’ll stand in the judgment,” He said, “and condemn that generation.”
E-111 Now, you see the three classes always? The book, the dead were judged out; another book, the Book of Life: them who had their names in the Book of Life…
You say, “If your name’s in the Book of Life, it’s all right, huh?” No, sir. Look, Judas Iscariot had his name in the Book of Life. Now, say that’s wrong. Jesus in Matthew 10 gave them power to cast out devils and sent them forth to heal the sick, and to cleanse the lepers, and raise the dead. And they went out and returned back, Judas right with them; and they cast out devils and done all kinds of miracles, and returned back, and said, “Even the devils is subject unto us.”
Jesus said, “Don’t rejoice that the devils is subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven,” and Judas was with them. But what happened? When it come down to the elected group to go up there at Pentecost and really receive the Holy Spirit, Judas showed his colors. He’ll be there in the judgment. So the books was opened and the Book of Life was opened, and every man was judged thus. Now, the Bride’s standing there with Christ to judge the world.
E-115 Don’t the… Paul say, “Dare you (talking to the Bride) having a–any matter or grievance against each other that you’d go to the unjust law. Don’t you know the saints shall judge the earth?” There you are. The saints is going to judge the earth and take it over. That’s right. You say, “How in the world is a little group like that…” I don’t know how it’s going to be done, but He said it’s going to be done; so that just settles it as far as I know. Now, look.
E-117 Now, notice the rest of the dead (the church members, dead church members) lived not again until the thousand years, and then at the thousand years, they were gathered… Another resurrection come, which is second resurrection, and they were gathered, and Christ and the church, the Bride (not the church, the Bride) Christ and the Queen (not the church)… Chur… Christ and the Bride stood there.
And they were separated like the sheep from the goats. That’s right. There’s the church members come up. And if they heard the Truth and rejected the Truth, then what’s going to be said when the big thing’s spread across the canvas when even your own thoughts will be there, what you thought about it. How you going to escape, and it right there on the canvas of the skies; and God’s great television and there’s your own thoughts rebelling right… Your own thoughts will speak against you in that hour.
So if you speak one thing and think another, you better stop that. Get your thoughts on God. Keep them pure, and stay right there with it, and speak the same thing all the time. See? Don’t say, “Well, I’ll say I’ll believe it; but I’ll go find out.” You believe it. Amen.
E-120 Notice, these type, the reason they die out, they go through the purging of trial of the tribulation; because they’re not actually under the Blood. They claim they are, but they’re not. How can they go through a trial to purify them when the–when the bleach Blood of Jesus Christ takes every symptom of sin and stuff away from you. And you’re already dead, and your life is hid in Him through God and sealed in there by the Holy Ghost; what are you going to be judged for? Where you going to get your purification? What do you have to be purified from when you’re perfectly in Christ, sinless? How… What’s the judgment for? But it’s this sleeping bunch that them people can’t make out.
E-121 Now, they haven’t done it for years (See?), but this is the hour of revelation (See, see?) being revealed, just at the coming of the Bride… The last winding up, the last things are coming… It’s coming to an end, friend, I believe. When? I don’t know. I–I can’t tell you, but anything… I want to live tonight like if it was tonight, I’d be ready. See? He might come tonight yet, and He might not come for twenty years. I don’t know when He’ll come, but whenever it is, I… My life might be over tonight, and then whatever I’ve done here is finished at that hour; I–I’ve got to meet Him in the judgment the way I went down here. The way the tree leans; that’s the way it falls.
E-122 Remember, when they went to buy oil, they… “Oh,” you say, “now, wait a minute, Brother Branham. I don’t know about that.” When they went to buy oil, when they come back, the Bride was done gone, and the door was shut; and they knocked and said, “Let us in; let us in,” but they were out in outer darkness.
Now, if you want a type of that, now look: “In the time of Noah…” Jesus said–referred to it. Now, in Noah’s time, they went into the ark, but they were carried over the–during the time of the judgment. But that–that didn’t type Christ’s Bride; Enoch typed the Bride.
Enoch… Noah went over through… The Bride… Went over through the tribulation period, and suffered, and become a drunk, and died. But Enoch walked before God for five hundred years and had a testimony he pleased God with raptured faith, and just started walking right out, and went up through the skies, and went home without even tasting death, never died at all.
E-125 That’s a type of we which are alive and remain shall not prevent, or hinder, those same type of people that are asleep, that fell asleep on account of the human age and the–and the state of human age. They died back there, but they’re not dead. They are sleeping. Amen. They are asleep, not dead. And the only thing it needs is the Bridegroom to wake them. And we which are alive and remain shall not hinder those that’s already fell asleep, for the trumpet of God shall sound and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them and will meet the Lord in the air. And the rest of the dead lived not for a thousand years. There you are. They went through the tribulation period. What was it? Like Enoch.
E-127 You know, Noah watched Enoch, for when Enoch come up missing, he knowed judgment was at hand. He got to hanging around the ark, but Noah didn’t go up. He just lifted a little piece off and rode over the tribulations. He was carried through the tribulation period to die the death. See? But Noah was carried through; Enoch was translated without death: a type of the Church being caught up with those who are asleep to meet the Lord in the air, and the rest of the church is carried over into the tribulation period. Can’t make nothing else out of it myself. Enoch raptured, no death…
E-130 Now, let’s start studying a little now, get down to our lesson. I’ll just keep on that we never will get into these–this Seal. Now, notice. Let’s take now, because we’re going to have a long (maybe tomorrow night or the next night) hit a trumpet now and then, because the trumpet sounds at the same time the Seals. It’s just the same thing, the church age opens, it’s just the same thing.
E-131 Now, a trumpet always denotes war or otherwise political disturbance: the trumpet does, a political disturbance, and that causes war. When you go to get messing in politics, you get them all messed up, like we got it now, look out, war is at hand.
But, see, the kingdom still belongs to Satan. He’s still got this part in his hand because why? It is redeemed by Christ, but He’s doing the part of the Kinsman Redeemer taking His subjects, until the last one name is put on that Book, has already received it and been sealed away. Now, do you got it? Then He comes from His throne, His Father’s throne, walks forward, takes the Book out of God’s hand from the throne and claims His rights. The first thing He does is call for His Bride. Amen. Then what does He take? He takes His opponent, Satan, and binds him, and casts him into the fire out there with all that followed him.
Now, remember, it wasn’t Russia. No, the antichrist is a smooth fellow. Just watch how smooth he is. He’s smart. Yes, sir. Just takes the Holy Spirit, only thing can outdo him.
E-135 Notice, trumpets means political disturbance: wars. Matthew 24, Jesus spoke of it. He said, “You’ll hear of wars and rumors of war…” See, all the way down through. You remember the–Jesus speaking that. Wars, rumors, and wars, and rumors and wars, and plumb on down to the end. Now, that’s a trumpet sounding.
Now, when we get on the trumpets, we’ll go back there and pick up each one of them wars and show you that they followed them churches, show you they follow these Seals. Wars and rumors of wars… But trumpet denotes political disturbance, whereas seals deals with a religious disturbance. See?
A Seal is opened; a message is dropped. And then the church is always so set up in its own political ways, and whatevermore, and all of its dignitary; and when that real message drops down, that messenger goes forth, and he shakes them to pieces. That’s right. It’s religious disturbance when a Seal’s opened. That’s what’s happened. See? Yes.
E-138 They get all at ease in Zion. The church gets all settled down and… “We’ve got it all made.” Just like the church of England, they was all settled down; the Catholic church, all settled down, and along come Luther. There was a religious disturbance. Yes, sir, sure was. Well, the church went on off by Zwingli, and from Zwingli come on down to different ones, and to Calvin; and after while the Anglican church settled down, and it was just at ease; and along come Wesley. There was a religious disturbance. That’s right. See, it always denotes a religious disturbance.
E-139 Now, the Seal. Let’s just read it a little bit now. I–I want to–to get this… Just we’ll read it. I get to talking. I…
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals… (What happened?)… and I heard, as it was the noise of a thunder…
Oh, how I’d like to dwell on that just a few minutes. I hope now that all the people that know these things and are waiting for the consolation of the Lord will now study real close, and on the tapes also that you’ll think of this. The first thing happened… When that Lamb broke that First Seal, a thunder roared.
Now, that’s got a significance; it’s got–it’s–it’s a–it’s–it’s got a meaning. It’s a meaning. Nothing happens without a meaning. All right, a thunder, a thunder roared. Wonder what that thunder was?
E-142 Now, let’s read a little bit. Let’s turn to Matthew… No, let’s take St. John first, St. John, 12th chapter and just hold it a minute: St. John, the 12th chapter, and now let’s begin with the 23rd verse of St. John 12. Now, listen here now real close; then you won’t have to wonder no more what it is.
And Jesus answering them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
See, you’re at the end of an age there. His ministry is ending. See? ”
… The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
What about the hour has come that when His Bride must be taken away? What, that the hour has come that time shall be no more? The Angel is ready to set one foot on land and the other on the sea with a rainbow over Him, with feet, and say, “Time’s run out.” And besides that, He raised up His hand and swore that time would be no more when this happened. How–how perfect it is, a sworn affidavit to the Church.
… The hour has come that the Son of man should be glorified.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there… also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
Now, is my soul troubled;…
E-145 You say, “Well, Him coming to the end of the road and you got trouble? What does it make you think when some great spiritual something happens that troubles you? Oh, my.
Now, is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this–unto this hour.
Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
The people said… that stood by, that heard it, they said… it thundered:…
E-146 Then when the Lamb took the Book and broke that First Seal, God spoke from His eternal throne to say what that Seal was to be revealed. But when it’s placed before John, it was in a symbol. When John saw it, it was still a mystery. Why? It wasn’t even revealed right then. It cannot be revealed until what He said here at the end time. But it come in a symbol.
When the thunder… Remember, a loud clapping noise of a thunder is the voice of God. That’s what the Bible said (See?), a clap of thunder. They thought it was a thunder, but it was God. He understood it, for it was revealed to Him. See? It was a thunder.
And notice, the First Seal opened–the First Seal when it was open in the symbol form it thundered. Now, what about when it’s opened in its reality form?
E-148 It thundered as soon as the Lamb struck back the Seal. And what did it reveal? Not all of Itself. First it’s with God; next It’s in a symbol; then It’s revealed: three things. See? It’s coming forth from the throne. First It can’t be seen, heard, or nothing. It’s sealed up. The Lamb’s Blood paid the price. It thundered when He spoke it out. And when He did, a white horse rider started out. And it still was a symbol.
E-150 Now, watch, He said it would be known in the last day, but it comes forth in a church symbol. Do you understand it, church? It comes forth in a–a symbol of a church that they know there is a Seal, but just what it is yet, they don’t know, because it’s a white horse rider.
And it only is to be revealed at the last day when this actual Seal is broken. Broken to who? Not to Christ, but to the Church. Notice, now. Oh, my, that just makes me tremble. I–I–I hope that the Church truly understands it (See what I mean?), you people. I’m going to call you Bride. (See?) That you’ll understand it.
E-152 The voice is a thunder. The voice came from where? From the throne where the Lamb had just left as Intercessor. Now, He’s standing here to take His position and His claims. But the thunder came from the inside of the throne, thundered out. And the Lamb was standing out here. The thunder, where the Lamb had left, left the Father’s throne to go to take His own throne… Glory. Now, now, don’t miss it, friends.
We all know as Christians that God swore to David that He would raise up Christ to set on His throne and give Him an everlasting Kingdom here on the earth. He did it. And Jesus said, “He that overcomes the antichrist and all the things of the world shall set with Me on My throne as I have overcome and have set down on My Father’s throne.” See?
E-155 Now, someday He rises from the Father’s throne, and goes to take His own throne. Now He comes forth to call His subjects. How’s He going to claim them? He’s already got the Book of Redemption in His hand. Glory. Oh, I feel like singing a hymn.
Soon the Lamb will take His Bride
To be ever at His side,
All the hosts of heaven will assembled be; (To watch that.)
Oh, It will be a glorious sight,
All the saints in spotless white;
And with Jesus we shall feast eternally.
Oh, my. Talk about setting now in heavenly places, what will it be? If we can feel this way setting down here on earth before the rapture comes, in this condition that we’re in now, and we can enjoy standing up around walls, and stand in the rain just to hear this, what will it be when we see Him setting there? Oh, my. Oh, it’ll be a glorious time.
E-158 Left the Father’s throne, came forth to, His son, to be the… He is the Son of David. That’s what the–Israel thought He would do then. Remember the Syrophenician woman said, “Thou Son of David”? Remember blind Bartimaeus, “Thou Son of David”? See? And Jesus knowing what the plan was, yet they didn’t know it; they tried to force Him to make Him take the throne, and even Pilate asked Him. But He said, “If My Kingdom was of this world, then My subjects would fight. My Kingdom is above.” But He said, “When you pray, pray, ‘Thy Kingdom come, Thine will be done in earth, here like it is in heaven.'” Amen. How glorious this great thing.
E-160 Left the Father’s throne to take His own throne… He now has come forth from His intercessory work to claim His own throne, His redeemed subjects. That’s what He come forth from the throne to do. It is then that the Lion-like creature said to John, “Come, see.” Watch. Now, you reading it?
… one of the seals, and it…, as if it was the noise of a thunder, and one of the four beasts…
You know what the beasts were. We took them; one like a lion, one like a calf, and one like a man, and one like an eagle. Now, this first beast said… Watch; each time there’s a different beast till them four horse riders pass. There’s four beasts, and there’s four horse riders.
E-162 Notice, each one of them beasts announce: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. We’re going to get back in and prove which one Matthew; Mark; which one Mark–Mark; which one was John, each one as they went.
No…?… One of the beasts saying, “Come, see.” He heard the noise of a thunder, and one of the beasts said, “Now, come, see.” In other words, here stands the Lamb, and John standing out there watching it happen. And the Lamb come up from the throne like He’d been slain, blood all over Him. He was the One that was found worthy, and when He reached over and took the Book, then everything begin to shouting, and screaming, and carrying on (You see?), ’cause they know redemption was paid for.
E-165 Now, He’s come to claim His Own. So He takes the Book, stands out there before John, and He pulls it back, and breaks the Seal, pulls the Seal down; and when He pulls the Seal down, a thunder clapped through the place. And when a thunder clapped, no doubt John might’ve jumped up in the air, when a thunder roared; and then one of the four beasts said, “Now, come and see what it is, what’s revealed beneath here. (Oh, my.) John, write what you see.”
So John goes to look, see what it was. John goes to see what the thunder said. It’s then that this creature told John come and see what the mystery is under the First Seal. The thunder, the voice of the Creator has uttered it. Now, He ought to know what’s there. Amen. Oh, my.
E-166 But think, now he wrote this, but when he started to write those other seven thunders, he said, “Don’t write it.” He’d been commissioned to write everything he seen. But when these seven thunders over in Revelations 10 uttered, he said, “Don’t write them at all.” They’re mysteries. We don’t know what they are yet; but my opinion they’ll be revealed right away. And when it do, it’ll give faith for that rapturing grace for that Church to move out. We just move through everything that we know of; through all the dispensations we’ve watched everything. We’ve seen the mysteries of God. We’ve seen the appearing of the–of the great gathering together of the Bride in the last days, but yet there’s something in there that we just can’t lighten ourself with. There’s something another. But I imagine when them mysteries begins to come forth… God said, “Hold it back now. Wait a minute. I’ll reveal it in that day. Don’t write it at all, John, ’cause they’ll stagger over it. Just let–let it go. (See?) But I’ll reveal it in that day when it has need to done.”
They never uttered for nothing. You remember, like the little drop of ink, everything is for a purpose. Everything’s for a cause. But notice, the Creator uttered, and he had a–he heard this voice, and he went to see.
E-171 But now the Lamb is showing John in the symbol of s–of a–of a church Scripture like, for the church (you know) what to write. He just show him, said, “Now, don’t–don’t tell this, just what it is. Don’t go down, John, and say, ‘Now, this is just what this is.’ Now, what’s under this Seventh Seal, don’t–don’t go down and tell that, for if I tell John that, then all down through the age the whole plan will be broke: it’s a secret.” See? He just wants to…
His coming… He said, “I–I… Nobody’s going to know when I’m coming; I’m just coming.” See, see? That’s all. It ain’t for my business to know when, I’ll just be ready. You see? So…
Then he said, “Now, John, went forth…” He thought, “I’m going to see it now,” and what did he do? When John went forth; he, now what’s he got to do? Now, he’s got to write this to the church age. That’s what he’s supposed to do: write it to the church ages. “Write what you see of these seven golden candlesticks at the beginning, write to this Church and tell them.”
E-173 All right, and a thunder went off. John knew it was the Voice of God. And then the–the lion-like creature said, “Come, see what it was,” and John went forth now with his pen to write what he was going to see.
Now, he never seen exactly what it was. He never understood it, but what he saw was what God was sending to the Church for a time. Now, He’s got… He will; He always does; He makes it plain when it’s time to make it plain. But He didn’t make it plain then. Why? Because He was going to keep it a secret until the last days, and the sounding of the last angel’s message was to gather up these mysteries (See?); didn’t make it clearer.
E-175 But what John saw he just seen a white horse go out with a rider on it; so that’s what he wrote down. See? When he did… That’s what he said, “Come, see.” So John went to see what he could see to write to the Church, and when he did, he saw a white horse, and him that set on it had a bow, and he went forth conquering and to conquer. And there was given to him a crown. And now, that’s all John saw, so he just write–wrote all that down.
Now, see, that’s in symbol. That’s the way the Church has received it, but with the promise that at the last day He’d reveal it, show what it is. God help us to understand.
E-177 Church ages… But is not made fully known till the seventh message of this last church age.
Notice, he starts–this messenger of the seventh church age, if you’ll notice it, he doesn’t start a denomination like the rest of them did. Remember if he doesn’t start… No. All right. If you find out, he’s against it. Was Elijah–was Elijah against it? Sure he was. Was John against it with Elijah’s spirit? What kind of a spirit did Elijah have on when he was… Nobody knows much about him. He was just a man, but he was a prophet. He was hated. My. And what time did he rise? Right in the time of the popularity of Israel when they’d all went worldly, and he got her out there and he was a woman hater…?… Sure was. And he loved the wilderness. That was his nature.
E-180 Then them people ought to knowed when that fellow come out there with that same Spirit on him, come out there, this John, not dressed all up like the celebrity, as I said last night. They kiss the babies, and marry, and bury, and so forth, but this man come out as a wilderness man. What was he? He loved the wilderness. Another thing he done, he hated denomination. He said, “Now, don’t you begin to say, ‘We belong to this or that,’ for I’ll tell you God’s able of these stones to rise children to Abraham.” He was no compromiser. They couldn’t…
Said, “Did you go to see a reed shaken with wind?” Not John. No, sir.
E-182 What did he do also? Just like Elijah that told Jezebel, he told Herodias. Walked right up to Herod’s face and said, “It’s not lawful for you to have her.” He chopped his head off for it. See? She tried to get Elijah. That same spirit was in Jezebel was in that woman. And the same thing is in the Jezebel church today (See?), same thing. Now, notice it. What a great lesson we find here. And now, looks like those people would’ve knowed. John begin to bawl them people out; and standing there, looked like they’d have knowed that was that spirit of Elijah. They should’ve understood that. That’s what it was.
E-185 Now, and we find out and have through the church ages, according to the Scripture, that we’re promised a return of that spirit just before the end time. Is that true? Now, and notice, you’ll notice the nature of it. Now, he will not start another church age like Luther, and Wesley, and all the rest of them did. He won’t start another church, because there is no more church ages to come. See? There won’t be any more, so he must be against it, because his spirit will be just exactly like they were back there: the same spirit. As I said last night, “It pleased God to use it three different times.” That’s His number, three, not two, three. He’s already used it twice; now He’s going to use it again. He said so. He promised it.
E-188 Now, notice, he… Notice now when He did. He’s not going to start a denomination because the Laodicea Church Age is the last age, and the messenger of the seventh angel, which is the seventh messenger to the seventh church age, is the fellow that is going to reveal, by the Holy Spirit, all these mysterious things that is going to… How many was here last night? Let’s see your hand. I guess I won’t have to read it over then. You know just where it’s at, the–the 10th chapter of–of… All right. All right.
E-189 The reformers came to reform the last fallen church age preceding them. And then after the reformers come and reform the–the church age from where it was and is went back into the world, then they start a new church age: always done it, always. Now, we went through that. See?
In other words, here’d been a Catholic church age, of the Roman Catholic church. Along come Luther, a reformer. He’s called a reformer. And what does he do? He starts right out there a-hammering away, and when he does, he protests the church, and the first thing you know, what does he do? He builds the same thing that he come to drive out of: another church. Then they have another church age.
Then the first thing you know, here comes… The church age is in such a mess, along comes John Wesley, another reformer (See?), builds another church age. Get what I mean? Another church age is built up. They’re all reformers.
E-192 Notice. This last message of the last church age is not a reformer; he is a prophet, not a reformer. Show me where one prophet ever started a church age. He’s not a reformer; he is a prophet. Others was reformers but not prophets. If they would’ve been, the Word of the Lord comes to the prophet; that’s the reason they continued on in the baptism in Father, Son, Holy Ghost, and all these other things, because they were reformers and not prophets. But yet they were great men of God and saw the need of the day that they lived in, and God anointed them, and they sent out there and tore those things to pieces. But the full Word of God never come to them, because they was not prophets. They were reformers.
E-194 But in the last days it’ll have to be a prophet to take up the mysteries of God, bring it back, because the mysteries was only re–known by prophets. So it has to be this fellow come. See what I mean now? He can’t be a reformer; it’s got to be a prophet, because it’s got to be somebody that’s gifted and set there that catches the Word.
Now, them reformers knowed there was something wrong. Luther knowed that–that–that the bread wasn’t the body of Christ, and so he preached, “The just shall live by faith,” and that was his message.
And when John Wesley come along, he saw that there was sanctification, so he preached sanctification. That was his message. See?
The Pentecostals brought in the message of the Holy Ghost and so forth. But in the last days in this last age the messenger is not to start any reformation, but is to take all the mysteries that those reformers left off, and gather them together, and solve them to the people.
E-196 Let me just read it again. It sounds so good to me; I–I like to read it.
… I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud:… a rainbow… upon his head, and his face was… the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
Now, we saw the same thing, which was Christ. And we know Christ is always the Messenger to the Church. All right. He’s called a Pillar of Fire, the Angel of the covenant and so forth.
And he had in his hand a little book opened:… (Now, the Seals had done been broke here. We’re breaking them now; but this, the thing’s opened.)… and he set his right foot on the sea, and his left… on the earth,
And he cried… a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he… cried, seven thunders uttered their voices… (My, the complete)
… when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I… (John)… was about to write:… (Write what? What they said.)… and I heard a voice from heaven… (God)… saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. (Don’t write them. See?)
And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea… lifted up his hands to heaven,
And sware by him that lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens, and the things… in there they are, and the earth, and the things that are there–in there…, and the sea and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
E-199 Watch. Don’t forget this now, as we go.
But in the days… (days)… of the voice of the seventh angel,… (That last angel, earthly angel.)
This Angel come down from heaven. Wasn’t Him. He come from heaven, but He’s speaking here the voice of the seventh angel. Which is a “angel” means “a messenger.” Anybody knows that. And the messenger to the church age…
… in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery… (Seven Seals, all–all the mysteries)… of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
E-201 The entire mystery is unfolded. That’s the ministry of that angel. See? Be so simple people just drop off the top of it. But yet it’ll be perfectly a-vindicated everywhere, just be perfectly normal. See? Everybody that–that wants to see it can see it. See? That’s right. But those… Jesus said, as He said when He come, said, “You got eyes and can’t see, Isaiah said you did. (See?) And you got ears and you can’t hear.” Now… So we find out that…
That scared me. I looked back there at that clock, and I thought it was ten o’clock. But it’s a… I–I got… It ain’t even nine yet. You see? All right. Oh, my. Let’s get it now.
E-203 Notice. I love this. Others reformers, but by being great men of God, seeing the need of the day, and brought forth reformation… But Revelations 10 said his message was to reveal not reform, reveal the secrets, reveal secrets. It’s the Word in the man. Hebrews 4 said that the Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, a piercing even to the sunder of bone, and a Revealer of the secrets of the heart. See? This man is not a reformer; he’s a revealer, revealer of what? The mysteries of God. Where the church has got it all tied up and everything, he’s to come forth with the Word of God and reveal the thing out, because he is to restore the faith of the children back to the fathers. The original Bible faith is to be restored by the seventh angel.
Now, oh, how I love this. All the mysteries of the Seals that the reformers never understood fully… See?
E-206 Now, look at Malachi 4 just a minute. Well, well, you just mark it down. He is a prophet and restores the original faith of the fathers. Now, we’re looking for that person to appear on the scene. He’ll be so humble, the ten millions times ten millions will… Well, there’ll be a little group that’ll understand it.
When… You remember the other day when John was supposed to come, prophesied a messenger before Christ come, a voice of one crying in the wilderness; Malachi saw him. Look, the 3rd chapter of Malachi is the coming of the Elijah that was to come and forerun the coming of Christ. You say, “Oh, no, no, Brother Branham. It’s the 4th chapter.” I beg your pardon. Jesus said it was the 3rd chapter.
E-209 Now, take Saint–you take St. Matthew the–the 11th chapter and the 6th verse. He’ll–he’ll say this (11th chapter, I believe it’s the 6th verse; 4th, 5th, or 6th, right along there). He said, “If you can receive it (when He’s talking about John) this is he who was spoken of, ‘I’ll send My messenger before My face.'” Now, read Malachi 3.
Some of them try to apply it to Malachi 4. No, sir. That’s not it. Notice, Malachi 4, as soon as that messenger goes forth, the world is completely burned, and the righteous walk out in the millennium on the ashes of them. So you see, if you put that being him back there, then–then the Bible told something that wasn’t so. We’ve had two thousand years, and the world ain’t burned up yet, and the righteous living in it. So it’s got to be in the future.
Oh, my. If you get over here in Revelations and see what that messenger at the end of this age is supposed to do, then you’ll see what it is. He must be a prophet. He’s got to catch these ends that these reformers didn’t see and place it in there.
E-212 How can Matthew 28:19 compare with Acts 2:38 without the spiritual revelation of God? How can these people say the days of miracles are past and so forth like that, and–without revelation of God? Why, only way they’ll ever know it, know whether it’s right or wrong. See? But they’ve come through seminaries… I hope we have time to get into them. I want to hurry, ’cause I don’t want to keep you over a week (you know what I mean) in–in this–open these Seals. I’ve got one day, and I’d like to have prayer for the sick on that day if I could.
E-214 Now, look, Malachi 4. He’s a prophet and restores the original faith of the fathers. At the end time, when the tribulation period comes… Now, here’s a little thing; we’re going to reverse back a minute, where the three and a half years or Daniel’s seventy weeks (the last half of Daniel’s seventy weeks which is three and one-half years.)… Now, we… How many remembers that from the church ages? Sure, you see? There’s seventy weeks determined: look how perfect it was; said, “Messiah will come, and He’ll be cut off for a Sacrifice in the midst of the week, and the obligation will cease.”
E-215 Then there is still three and a half years waited for the Messiahic doctrine to the Jew, and God does not deal with the Jew and the Gentile at the same time. He deals with Israel as a nation, Gentile as an individual. He never taken the Gentiles for His Bride, He taken a people out of the Gentile. See? Now, He deals with Israel as a nation. And now, there she sets right there now as a nation.
I got a letter from Paul today, Paul Boyd, and he was telling me, said, “Brother Branham, how true it is; these Jews still have a funny feeling towards the Gentiles, no matter what’s happened.” Sure they will, and they ought to.
E-218 When Martin Luther made the proclamation that all Jews ought to be run off and their buildings burned down because they were antichrist… See? Martin Luther made that statement hisself in his writing.
Now, Hitler just fulfilled what Martin Luther said. Why did Martin Luther say that? Because he was a reformer, not a prophet. God that… My prophet blessed Israel. He said, “Whosoever blesses you will be blessed, and who curses you will be cursed.” How can one prophet stand and deny what the other prophet said? He can’t do it. It’s got to be in harmony. See? But…
E-220 That is the reason they class… See, Germany is supposed to be a Christian nation, and they–the way they treated Israel, they still got a stick on their shoulder; and you can’t blame them. But just remember, if there’s a Jews setting here, don’t you worry; the day’s coming. God can never forget them. They were blinded for our sake.
You know He said to this prophet, He… The prophet cried out and said, “Will You forget Israel?”
He said, “Take that measuring stick, and how high is the sky? How deep is the sea?”
Now, he said, “I couldn’t measure it.”
He said, “Never can I forget Israel.” That’s His people, His servants. And the Gentile is only a few taken out of there for His Bride. It’s exactly right. That’s the Bride.
E-225 Now, just seventy weeks was determined, perfectly, as Daniel said that Messiah would come and would be cut off in the midst of the week. And Jesus prophesied three and a half years. Now, in the middle of this three and a half years of Daniel, in the middle of it He was cut off. And now the last part is the tribulation period where the Gentile church is… Oh, this is great. Now, don’t…?… The Bride goes in with the Groom, then after the millennium, walks out upon the ashes of the wicked.
E-226 Let me show you something here, just, while we’ve just got it in mind, let’s just show you what it says, what the Bible says. And we can’t deny this being the Word of God. If we do, then we’re infidels. See, we got to believe. You say, “I don’t understand it.” Neither do I, but I’m looking for Him to reveal it. Look.
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud… (like the Americans and so forth)… yea,… all that do wickedly, shall be stubble:… (It’s going to burn.)… and the day that cometh that shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts,… it shall leave them neither root or branch.
E-227 How you got a eternal hell in there then? See, it’s the last days when these things are being revealed. There’s no place in the Bible says hell’s eternal. To–to have… To be in a eternal hell, you’d have to have Eternal Life to stay there. There’s only one form of Eternal Life, and that’s what we’re struggling for. Everything had a beginning has an end. Hell was created for the Devil and his angels, and will be consumed and done away with. Right. See?
But when this takes place, it neither leaves them root or branch.
But unto them that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness rise with healing in his wings;… ye shall go forth, as a–grow up as calves of the stall.
And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in that day that I will do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
Where’s the wicked going to be after the tribulation? Ashes.
Remember… the laws of Moses…, which I commanded… him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
Behold, I will send to you Elijah the prophet before the coming of that great and dreadful day of the Lord:
E-229 Amen. Here’s the Old Testament closing out like that, and here’s the New Testament closing out with the very same thing. How you going to keep it away? Then, look, “I will send to you Elijah the prophet before that day comes:”
And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
There you are. That’s the Word of the Lord. He’s promised it. It must come.
E-230 And now, if you’ll notice how this happens, it’s beautiful how God does it. The Bride goes forth and the–with the Groom; and–and then after that the wicked is burned with unquenchable fire. And after the world has been purified, reproduces itself… Everything has to do that, has to go through a state of purification. Volcanic will break forth in that great last time, and the world will burst, and belch, and go forth; and all these cesspools of sin and all that’s upon the earth will be molded into nothing. It’ll burn with such a fervent heat that it’ll be like that bleach that sends the–the color of–of the ink back into its original creation; so will the fire from God be so hot that it’ll turn every filthy thing back to its condition again, when Satan and all sin is burned up and everything. And then she’ll come forth as beautiful as she was in the garden of Eden. That’s right. Oh, that great hour laying just ahead of us.
E-232 During the tribulation period… Here’s what I want you to notice now, a little thing I dropped in here. During this tribulation period, after the Bride has been called out, and the church goes through the tribulation period, the hundred and forty-four thousand is called by the two witnesses of Revelations 11. Now, look, they’ll prophesy one thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth.
E-233 Now, we know this Roman calendar has… We got twenty-eight days and sometimes of thirty and thirty-one, but actual the calendar reads this: thirty days to every month. That’s right. And take a hundred–a thousand, two-hundred and threescore days and put thirty to it, and see what you got: three and one-half years exactly on the dot. That’s the time–that’s allotted time for the Messiahic message to be preached to Israel like it was back there.
When He returns back and makes Hisself known in a symbol, that when He comes…
E-234 When Joseph was taken down into the country and was rejected by his brethren because he was a spiritual man… He could see visions and interpret dreams, and when he did, he was taken down into the country and was sold for almost thirty pieces of silver.
He portrayed Christ exactly, because it was Christ’s Spirit in him. Notice what happened then. And notice that when he did this, he was put in the prison, and one man was saved and the other lost: exactly Jesus when He was in prison on the cross. One thief was saved and the other one was lost. Exactly. Throwed into the grave, supposed to be dead, and was took up and ascended to the right hand of Pharaoh, that nobody could see Pharaoh without seeing Joseph first. Jesus sets at the right hand of God, and no man can come to the Father except by the Son. That’s right.
E-237 And notice, every time Joseph left, when Joseph rose up from that right hand of that throne… Watch? Glory. There set Joseph by the right hand of Pharaoh. And when Joseph raised up to leave that throne, the trumpet sounded. “Bow the knee, everybody. Joseph is coming.”
When that Lamb leaves the throne yonder on His days of mediatorial work, when He leaves the throne up there and takes that Book of Redemption and walks forth, every knee will bow, every tongue…?… There He is.
E-239 Notice, and when Joseph, rejected by his brethren, he was given a Gentile wife. Potiphar give him… Or Pharaoh give him a Gentile wife, and he bore Gentile children: half Gentile and Jew. They give a great symbol that when Jacob was blessing them, Ephraim on one side, Manasseh on the other, he crossed his hands and give the younger child the blessing; and the two kids was added unto the twelve tribes, which was only ten at that time, and he blessed them in Jacob himself; and Joseph, his prophet son, standing there said, “Father, you’ve done wrong.” Said, “You put your right hand blessing on the young child, where it ought to went on the old one.”
He said, “I know my hands was crossed, but God has crossed them.” Why? Israel, having the rights to be a Bride, rejected and sold their birthrights, and the–went from the old son, Israel, to the new, Gentile, and the blessings went from there through the cross to the Bride.
E-241 But notice, after that (See?), through that… When all… He’d took his bride. But when them boys came down to buy food… Oh, it’s such a beautiful picture. I’m off of the Seal, but I just got to say it (See?), ’cause you’ll get the picture better, I believe.
Notice. Now, when they come down to buy food, you know, Joseph recognized them right away. And Joseph was the son of prosperity; no matter where he went it always prospered. You wait till the–He comes to the earth again; wait till our Joseph comes. The desert shall blossom as a rose, and the Son of righteousness rises with healing in His wings. Oh, my. All that cactus around Arizona will unfold into beautiful trees in there… It’ll be beautiful.
E-245 Notice, here he comes forth, and he plays a little trick on them there. And he stands and he says, “Is my father still living?” See? He wanted to know if that boy’s father was living.
He said, “Yes.” (He knowed that was his brother.)
But did you notice. When he got ready to reveal himself to his brothers, and he found little Benjamin, which had been born since he had been gone. And that represents these Jews, this hundred and forty-four thousand that’s gathering right there now, since He’s been gone. And when He returned, he said… He looked at Benjamin; his heart was about to break.
And remember, they had–they didn’t know that he could speak Hebrew. He was taken an interpreter; he act like he was an Egyptian. See?
E-247 And then when it was made known, he wanted to make himself known, he kept looking at little Benjamin. And–and remember, he dismissed his wife. She was in the palace when he made hisself known to his brethren. And the Gentile Bride, the wife, after Jesus being rejected by His own people, He has taken a Gentile Bride and will take Her from here to the palace to His Father’s house in glory for the wedding supper and will slip back down to make Hisself known to His brethren, the hundred and forty-four thousand…?… See? There He stands. And remember, look at the symbols, perfectly.
E-249 And when he come back to where this was, he looked down to them and he said–he said–begin to look… And they begin to talk. They said, “Now, Reuben, you know that we’re in for it now. See? Because, you know what we done? We’ve got this boy in this fix. Now, we oughtn’t to have sold our brother.” That was their brother standing there, that mighty prince, and they didn’t know it.
That’s the reason Israel can’t understand Him today. It isn’t the hour yet to know it. And then he–they thought he couldn’t understand Hebrew, but he was listening right at them.
They said, “Now, we’re in for it.”
E-251 And Joseph, when he looked at them, he couldn’t stand it no longer. Now, remember, his wife, his children was in the palace at the time: the saints gone out–out of their presence. And he said, “I’m Joseph, your brother.”
And he run over and grabbed little Benjamin, fell on his neck, and begin to cry. And he made himself known.
And then they said, “Now, we know we got it coming, for we sold him. We was the one who sold him off. We was the one who tried to kill him, now we know he’ll kill us.”
He said, “No, don’t be angry with yourself; you only done it to preserve life. That’s why God sent me down here.” And when He makes Hisself known, the Bible says (as we come to it), when He makes Hisself known to that hundred and forty-four thousand there, the little Benjamin of today and the remnant of those Jews left there; when He makes Himself known, they’ll say, “Where did You get those scars? What are they doing in Your hands?”
He’ll say, “Oh, I got them in the house of my friends.” See?
E-257 Oh, then they’ll realize that they have killed the Messiah. But what will He say? The same as Joseph did it: “You did it to serve life, don’t–to save life. Don’t be angry with yourself.” Because that the Gentiles would not have been brought in, if the Jews hadn’t have done that blindfolded trick. So He saved the life of the church by the things they done. So there you are. That’s the reason today they can’t understand this; it isn’t the hour. No more we could understand these things until the time comes for it to be understood. Oh, my.
E-259 Seven thunders of revelation… May He show the Bride how to prepare for the great translation faith. (Now, let’s hurry up because we haven’t got about fifteen or twenty minutes yet.)
Now, what does this white horse mean? Let me read this. I’ve been so far off. Excuse me for getting off my subject, but–but I’ll read the verse again, the two verses.
And I saw when the Lamb had opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it was the noise of thunder, and one of the four beasts saying, Come… see.
And I saw, and behold a white horse:… (Now, we’re going to the 2nd verse)… a white horse: and he that set on him had a bow; and a crown was given… him:… (He didn’t have it then.)… unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. (That’s all of that. That’s the seal.)
E-262 Now, let us find the symbols. We found out what the thunder means. That’s perfectly; we know that. See? The thunder was the Voice of God when the Seal opened.
Now, what does the white horse mean? Now, here’s where the revelation comes. I’m just as positive of this as I’m standing here knowing this is the Word. I’ve read every book on it I could find. And with a… I… The last time that I was–tried to go through it, just teaching it, about thirty years ago, I took the book… Somebody had told me that the Adventists had more light on the second coming of Christ than any people that they knowed, so I found some of their good books to read them. I got Smith’s book on “Daniel’s Revelation.” And he said this white horse that went forth was white, and it symbolized a conqueror, and in this conquering… Many of you Adventist brethren here knows the book, and many of you others also by reading it. And others, I read two or three of… I read when the… I can’t call… There’s two more books read, and both men agreed that that was right. That was fine teachers, supposed to be some of the best with the best light. So I thought, “Well, if I don’t know, I’ll just say what they said, try to teach it that way.” And they give a very good explanation of it, what it really meant.
E-266 And they said, “Now, here’s a white horse, and a white horse is a power, a charger.” And said, “The man that set on that was the–the white horse was the Holy Spirit that went forth in the early age and conquered that age for the Kingdom of God. He had a bow in his hand which meant like Cupid. He shot the arrows of love into the hearts of the people, the love of God, and He conquered.”
Now, that sounds very good, but it isn’t the Truth. No, sir. That… It wasn’t. “White” does mean “righteous.” We–we realize that, that “white” means “righteous.” The teachers taught it, that it was the Holy Spirit conquering in the first age. But my revelation of it by the Holy Spirit is not that way.
My revelation by the Holy Spirit is: Christ and the Holy Spirit is the self same Person (See?), only in a different form. So here stands Christ, the Lamb. We know He was the Lamb. He’s standing here with the Books in His hand, and there goes the white horse rider. See? So it wasn’t the Holy Spirit.
E-269 Now, that’s one of the mysteries of the last days, how that Christ can be the three Persons in One. It’s not three different people: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, being three gods as the trinitarians try to tell us it is. It’s three–it’s three manifestations of the same Person, or you might call it three offices. If you’re talking to ministers, you wouldn’t use office, ’cause I…?… just happened to think I’m on tape. So I’ll tell you… ‘Course Christ couldn’t say, “I’ll pray My office, and He’ll send you another office.” We know that. But if you want to make it: it’s three attributes of the same God, and not three gods; three attributes of the same God. See? And so how could Christ be out there with a white horse conquering and standing here with a Book in His hand? It isn’t so; it isn’t Christ.
E-271 Notice. Now, the Holy Spirit and the revelation and Christ is… The Holy Spirit is Christ in another form. That’s right. Notice, it is a Lamb that opened the Book, and the Lamb is Christ; and Christ is not seen anymore from then, but He is seen in the Book of Revelations the 19th chapter, coming on a white horse. If you’d like to read it, let’s turn to Revelations 19:11 to 6. Let’s read it right quick now while we’re–while we’re–if we got enough time, I hope, so it’ll make it just a little better to us: 19, 19:11, begin at the 11th verse and read down including the 16th.
And I saw heaven opened,… behold a white horse;… (not on the earth; in heaven. See?)… and he that set on him was called Faithful… True, and… righteous… does he judge and make war.
His eyes were… flames of fire, and on his head was many crowns;… (Look at the diadem.)… and he had a name written, that no man knowed, but… himself.
E-274 I wished I could stop on that just a minute. Oh, my. I got a good notion but maybe when I see that you… See, nobody knows it. Did you ever know that the Name of Jehovah is not correct? Anyone knows. Dr. Vayle, you know that’s true. The translators could never translate it. It’s spelled J-u-h-v–J-v-h-u, I mean. It isn’t Jehovah. They couldn’t touch it. They don’t know what it is. Called it Jehovah, but it wasn’t His Name. Look. Every time a victory’s won or something goes on, a name is changed.
E-277 Look at the days of Abraham. He was first Abram, and never could have that baby until his name was changed to Abraham. And Sarra, S-a-r-r-a could not have nothing but a dead womb until her name was changed to S-a-r-a-h.
“Jacob” means “supplanter, deceiver,” and that’s what he did. He put sheepskin on hisself and deceived his prophet father to take the birthright. He put poplar sticks in the water, speckled them, and scared the cattle when they was pregnated with the–with their young, to make speckled cattle and sheep. Nothing but a deceiver, but one night he caught ahold of something real. And he knowed it was real, and he stayed with it and held on until he overcome, and his name was changed and called “Israel” meaning “a prince with power before God.” Is that right? Every overcomer…
Simon was a fisherman; but when his faith caught and knowed that was Jesus, when He told him He was the Messiah and told him who his name was and what his father’s name was, he was overcome and changed from Simon to Peter.
Saul, good name, Saul was a king one time in Israel, but Saul didn’t fit an apostle. Might be all right for a king, but not an apostle. So Jesus changed his name from what? From Saul to Paul. Look at the sons of thunder and on down.
E-283 And Jesus, His Name on earth was Redeemer, Jesus. When He was on earth, He was the Redeemer; that’s true. But when He conquered death and hell, and overcome them, and ascended on high, He received a new Name. That’s the reason they holler the way they do and don’t get nothing; it’ll be revealed in the thunders. See?
E-284 Notice, the mystery. He’s coming, riding… There’s got to be something to change this Church, you know that. There’s got to be something. Notice. No man knowed but Himself. Now, notice, no man knowed but Hisself.
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name was called The Word of God. (Oh, notice.)
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And he had on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
E-285 There comes the Messiah. There He is, not this fellow on this horse back here. Watch the different. Here He stands with the Book in His hand here. The redemptive work is just… He hasn’t took His place yet.
So it was not the Christ that went forth, the Holy Spirit. Not disagreeing with them great men, no, sir, I don’t do it. I wouldn’t want to do that, but this is what my revelation of it is. See, if you got something different, well, that’s all right, but it ain’t all right with me. See, I–I believe it this way; you know–you know what. See?
E-287 And notice, Christ is not seen any more (See?) from the time there. But He is on a white horse; so if this guy is riding a white horse, he’s only an impersonator of Christ. See? Get that? Notice, the rider on the white horse don’t have any name. He might use two or three titles, but he hasn’t got any name. But Christ has a Name. What is it? The Word of God. That’s what it is. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And the Word made flesh. See?
E-289 The rider has no name, but Christ is called the Word of God. That’s what He is. He’s called that. Now, He’s got a Name that no man knows, but He’s called the Word of God. This guy isn’t called nothing (See?), but he’s on a white horse.
The rider has no arrows for his bow. Did you notice? He had a bow, but there’s nothing said about having any arrows; so he must be a bluffer. That’s right. Maybe he’s got a lot of thunder and no lightning, but you find out Christ had both lightning and thunder; for out of His mouth goes a sharp two-edged Sword, and He smites the nations. And this guy can’t smite nothing (See?), but he’s playing the part of a hypocrite. He’s going forth riding on a white horse, going out to conquer.
E-291 Christ has a sharp Sword, and watch. It comes from His mouth–the living Word. That’s the Word of God revealed to His servants, like He said to Moses: “Go, stand there and hold that stick out yonder, call for flies,” and there was flies. Sure. Whatever He said, He done it, and it come to pass. His living Word… God and His Word is the self same Person. God is the Word.
Who is this mysterious rider of the first church age then? Who is he? Let’s think of it. Who is this mysterious rider that starts forth in the first church age and rides plumb on out into eternity, goes to the end.
E-293 The Second Seal comes forth and goes right on out into the end. The Third Seal comes forth and goes right on out into the end. Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh; every one of them winds right up out here in the end.
And at the end time, these Books that’s been rolled up all this time with these mysteries in them, is broken. Then out comes the mystery to see what it is. But actually they started forth at the first church age, because at the first church age received the message, like this.
A white horse rider went out. See? Who is he? He’s mighty in his conquering power, is a great fellow in his conquering power. You want me to tell you who he is? He’s the antichrist. That’s exactly what he is.
Now, because, you see, if an antichrist… Jesus said that the two would be so close together until it would deceive the very elected, the Bride, if it was possible. Antichrist, it’s the antichrist spirit.
E-295 Remember in the church ages when we opened the first church age back there, we found out that the Holy Spirit was against a certain thing that got started in that church age, and that was called “the deeds of the Nicolaitanes.” You remember it? “Nico” means “to conquer.” “Laity” means “the church, the laity.” “Nicolaitanes” “to conquer the laity”: take the Holy Spirit out of the church and give it all to one holy man, let him be the boss of all of it. You went through it (See?), Nicolaitane. Notice, Nicolaitia was a–a saying in one church; it become a doctrine in the next church age. And in the third church age it was a forcement; and they had the Nicaea Council. And it was then made a doctrine and a church.
E-296 And what was the first thing happened? An organization from it. Now, is that right? Tell me where the first organized church come from: Roman Catholic church. Tell me if Revelations don’t say, in the Book of Revelations 17, that she was a whore, and her daughters were harlots. That’s the same thing that organized with her: harlots. Taken the abomination, filthiness of their fornications for doctrine, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.
E-297 Notice. Look, he starts out to conquer. Notice, he has no crown. The white horse rider; I’m speaking of here. See? A bow and a crown was given him afterwards. See? He had no crown to start with, but a crown was given him. Notice, later he was given a crown: yeah, three of them, three on one. That was three hundred years later at the Nicaea Council when he started out a spirit of Nicolaitia to form an organization among the people, and then it kept on going on, going on; it become a saying, then it become a doctrine.
E-298 You remember Christ speaking back to the church, said, “Thou hatest the deeds of these Nicolaitanes which I hate too,” trying to conquer, take the Holy Spirit: just on one holy man; he can forgive all the sins and everything. Have we just read it over there, Paul spoke of it: that thing would set in the last days, and he couldn’t be revealed till the last days? Then He that letteth will take the Spirit of God out of there, and then he’ll reveal himself.
Today he’s under the disguisement of a white horse. Watch how he changes from that white horse in a few minutes. He don’t only become a white horse; he becomes a beast with many heads and horns. See, see? The white horse, he’s a deceiver now, and that’s the reason the people hasn’t known it all this time. They thought it, but here it is now; it’s going to be revealed by the Scripture.
E-301 Notice, when Nicolaitia (See?), antichrist is finally… He’s incarnate in a man; then he’s crowned. When he starts off as a Nicolaitia spirit in the church, he’s a spirit. You can’t crown a spirit. But three hundred years later he become a pope. And then they crowned him. He had no crown to start with, but he got a crown later (See?), when that spirit become incarnate. See? He become a man. Nicolaitane doctrine become a man; then they could crown it. They couldn’t do it because he was just a doctrine. Glory.
Notice, and when this Holy Spirit that we have, becomes incarnate to us, the One that’s in our midst now in the form of the Holy Ghost, becomes incarnate to us in the Person of Jesus Christ, we’ll crown Him King of king…?… That’s right. See?
E-303 Now, remember, about the time Christ come on the throne, the antichrist come on the throne: Judas. About the time Christ went off the earth, Judas went off the earth. Just about the time the Holy Spirit come back, the antichrist come back.
You know, John said over here: “Little children, I would not have you ignorant, you know, about the antichrist, which he’s already come and working in the children of disobedience.” The antichrist then, there he was, begin to form in there the Nicolaitane spirit to make an organization.
No wonder I hated that thing. See, see? There you are. It wasn’t me; it was something in here. There’s the thing; it’s come out. You see it? I was all around the sides of it; I couldn’t see it till now; I–I know it now. There it is, that Nicolaitane spirit God hated, and now that spirit become incarnate, and they crowned it. And here it is right here what the Bible said they’d do with it: perfect. Oh, my.
E-306 Incarnate… He become a man and then they crowned him. Read, notice, or read, rather, how Daniel said he will take over the church kingdom. Would you like to read it? Let… We got time to do that, haven’t we? All right. Listen. Let’s go back to Daniel just a moment. Turn back to the Book of Daniel, and we’ll read just a moment; and we won’t be, maybe another fifteen, twenty minutes or thirty, or something. All right, let’s get Daniel the 11th chapter, and let’s take the 21st verse. Here’s Daniel. Daniel’s speaking now how this fellow is going to take over.
And in his state shall stand up a vile person… (Rome, talking)… to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom:… (Now, watch.)… but he shall come in a peaceable–come in peaceable, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
E-309 That’s exactly what it done, what Daniel said this antichrist would do. He will fit the people’s place. Yes, it’ll fit their–their menu for this day for the churches. For in this church age they don’t want the Word, Christ; but they want church. The first thing, they don’t ask you if you’re a Christian. “What church do you belong to?” “What church?” They don’t want Christ, the Word. You go tell them about the Word and how to straighten up; they don’t want that.
They want something, just live anyway they want to and still belong to church and obtain their testimony. See, see? So, he fits the menu just exactly. And you remember, “he” was finally called “she” in the Bible. And she was a prostitute and had daughters. Just fits the bill of the day, what the people want. There it is.
E-310 God has promised it; when the Word is refused then they are turned to their desires. Let’s read Thessalonians again. Let’s… I want you to watch here just a minute. Say, “Well, we read it awhile ago.” II Thessalonians 2:9-11, It said that they would, in turning down, rejecting the Truth, they would be given over to a reprobate mind and would believe a lie and would be damned by it. Now, that’s what–that’s what the Holy Spirit said.
Now, isn’t that the desire of the church today? You try to tell people they have to do this, that, or the other; they’ll let you know right quick they are Methodists, Presbyterian, or whatmore; they don’t have to paddle in your boat. See? Certainly. They want it. And God said, “If they want it, I’ll just let them have it. And I’ll actually make them believe that that’s the truth, ’cause I’ll give them a reprobate mind concerning the truth.”
E-312 Now, look here what the Bible says also. “As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses…” so will these guys in the last days with a reprobate mind concerning the truth, and shall turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness, deny the Lord God. Now, you see where it’s at. Not only Catholic, but Protestant, the whole thing, it’s all the whole organized world.
That’s that white horse rider under the–the way of a white, righteousness church (See?), but an antichrist. It’s got to look like–on a horse even, just like Christ is coming on a horse. All anti–so close it’d deceive the very elect…
Here he is. He’s the antichrist. He started riding in the first church age. Now, he rides on down, on down through every age. Now, watch him.
E-314 You say, “Way back–way back in the apostles time?” He was called Nicolaitia there. Then in the next church age, then he become a doctrine in the church. First he was just a saying, then he become a doctrine.
Swell, celebrity people, fine dressed, highly educated, polished didn’t want all that carrying on in the church. No, they didn’t want all that Holy Ghost stuff. Must be a church… “And we all go through the Nicaea Council and so forth at Rome.” Then when they come there, they took the church, and took paganism, Roman Catholi–or paganism–pagan Rome and a few superstitions and took the–the Astarte the Queen of heaven, and turned it to be Mary, the mother; make intercessors out of dead people, and so forth, and took that round kosher wafer which is still puts round on there and called it the Body of Christ, because it represents the mother of heaven… When a Catholic passes by, he crosses himself because that light’s burning in there is supposed to be the kosher which is turned to God by the power of the priest, when it is nothing in the world but just plain paganism. That’s right.
E-316 I just don’t understand it. Well, yes I do. (Excuse me.) Yes, sir. I understand by the grace of God. Sure. Now, notice. Oh, my, how they can do that. See? And they are given their desire. No, that’s true. You don’t have to do that. No, sir. If you don’t want to do, you’re not forced to do it. If you don’t want to tally up to God’s way of living and things and worship, you don’t have to do it. God don’t make nobody do it. But let me tell you something. If your name was placed on that Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world, you’d be so happy to do it, you can’t wait for the minute to do it.
Look here. When you say, “I’ll give you to understand; I’m just as religious…” Well, that might be true. Look it… Who could say them priests wasn’t religious in the days of the Lord Jesus? Who could say Israel wasn’t religious in the wilderness?
E-320 When they was even… “Why, God’s blessed me so many times…” Yes, He did them too. They didn’t even have to work for their living. He fed them out of the heavens, and Jesus said, “They’re everyone lost and gone and perished.”
“Our fathers,” they said, “eat manna in the wilderness for forty years.”
Jesus said, “And they’re every one dead,” eternally separated. See? He said, “But I’m the Bread of Life that come from God out of heaven. If a man eats this Bread, he’ll never die.” See? He’s the Tree of Life.
E-323 Notice just how… And when Jesus come, those priests, they come up there, very religious. Boy, nobody could say they wasn’t nice men. My, they walked to the line of that law. Everything that church said, they did it. If they didn’t, they were stoned. And so they walked out, do you know what Jesus called them? John called them, “You bunch of snakes in the grass. Don’t you think because you belong to that organization you got anything to do with God.”
And Jesus said, “You are of your father the devil.” He said, “Every time that God sent a prophet, what happened? You stoned him, and throwed him in the grave, and now you go out there and polish his grave.”
E-325 Isn’t that the same thing that Catholic church has done? Look at Joan of Arc, and Saint Patrick, and all the rest of them. They’re the one who puts them in, and then dug Joan of Arc’s body up, and throwed it in the river a couple of hundred years later, and burned her for a witch. “You are of your father the devil, and his works you do.” That’s exactly. Go all over the world… See?
That’s right. That’s what Jesus said; and you think it’s all right. It looks pretty good, that white horse; but look what you got. That’s exactly what’s riding it.
E-327 Now, but He said they wanted it, so He would give them a strong delusion. Remember, this prostitute of Revelation 17, she is a mystery, Mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots. And John admired her, just like this man… (Look, wait till we get here and watch him watching this horse here.) See, but you noticed he was… What happened was this: that he admired her with great admiration, but the mystery was that she drank the blood of the martyrs of Christ. A beautiful church, set there decked in purple and gold, and she had a cup in her hand of filthiness of her fornications.
E-329 What is “fornication?” Is “unrighteous living.” That’s her doctrine she was giving out, taking the Word of God and making it of non-effect by some, “Hail, Marys,” and all this other kind of stuff and giving it out, and the kings of the earth committed fornications with her.
Well, you say, “That’s the Catholic church.” But she was a mother of harlots, same thing that she was. There you are.
What happened? When the reformer died and his message died out, you–you organized it, and put a bunch of “Rickys” in there, and started the thing right back to live the way you wanted to. You didn’t want to stay with the Word. Instead of moving right on with the Word, they stayed right there, and, “This is it.” You don’t do that. He… That’s it, Him up there.
E-332 Notice. (That’s one thing. We want to hit just a couple more places before closing.) He is the prince that was destroy; Daniel’s people. You believe that? I’m going to make this if you just help and be lenient with me for a few minutes, I–I’ll make it just as quick as I can, but I want to make it positive (See?); ’cause I–the Holy Spirit’s give me this just as certain as I’m standing here. See, see?
E-334 Now, look, let’s take–go back to Daniel again just a minute. I want to read something ‘fore… Whether if you don’t go back, it’s all right. I want to read Daniel 9–Daniel 9, and I want to read the 26th and 27th verse of Daniel 9. And watch, if he isn’t the one to destroy Daniel’s people–what he’s going to do.
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off… (See, that’s the threescore and two weeks, He’d be cut off out of the seventy weeks.)… not for himself: but for the people and the prince… (That’s the hierarchy here.)… that shall come–that shall come shall destroy the city and… sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with great flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
E-336 I want to ask you people something. After Christ was cut off from the earth in the three and a half years of His ministry, and what destroyed the temple? Who destroyed it? Rome. Sure. Constantine (Or, no, I beg your pardon.) Titus, the Roman general. He destroyed the prince. Now, notice. Watch this fellow come right on down just go on.
E-337 When Jesus was born, the red dragon in heaven stood at the woman to devour her child as soon as it was born. Is that right? Who was it tried to devour the child when it was born? [Congregation says, “Rome.”–Ed.] See? There’s the red dragon. Here’s your prince. Here’s your beast. See? There they are, everyone of them, just the same. See? Devour the child… God caught it up into heaven to set on His throne. That’s where Christ is now till the time appointed. See? Now, watch what he shall do.
E-338 Now, oh… Now, I believe I was talking to somebody here. It might’ve been Brother Roberson today, or somebody I was talking on about this (about not this here but just on the same thing.) I believe I preached on it here not long back, what will happen to this United States on this money situation. See? Well, we are now paying our debts on taxes that’ll be paid forty years from today. That’s how far we are behind.
Did you ever turn on “KAIR” up there or “Lifeline” and listen to it (See?) from the… Washington? Why, we are completely busted. That’s all. What’s the matter? The gold’s all housed up, and the Jews holds the bond. It’s going to be Rome.
Now, watch. We know who owns the big department stores, but Rome has the greatest part of the wealth of the world. The rest of it the Jews have. Now, watch this. Now, just listen to this how the Holy Spirit brought this out for me.
E-340 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:… (Now, watch.)… and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the obligations to cease,… for the over spreading of abomination he shall make it desolate, even unto the consummation, and that determined shall be poured out upon the desolate.
Watch. Oh, what a shrewd thing he is. Here he is. Now, we got our picture and know that he’s Rome. We know that he’s the white horse rider. We know that he went forth as a doctrine. And then what was pagan Rome? Converted into papal Rome and crowned.
E-341 Now, watch. In the end time, not in the early days when Christ was preaching, but in the end time, the last part of the week, where we just took the seventy weeks of Daniel; and Christ has prophesied for the three and a half years, and three and a half years are yet determined. Is that right? And this prince in that time is to make a covenant with Daniel’s people, which is the Jews. That’s when the Bride’s taken out now. She won’t see it.
E-342 Notice. In the last one-half of Daniel’s week, the people makes a covenant–this prince makes a covenant with Rome; makes a covenant with them no doubt for the wealth, for Catholic and Jew holds the wealth of the world.
I was in the Vatican. I’ve seen the triple crown. Was supposed to have an interview with the Pope. Baron Von Blomberg got it for me on a–for a Wednesday afternoon at three o’clock.
And when they took me to the king, they took the cuffs out of my trousers. That’s all right. Told me never to turn my back, walk away from him. That’s all right. But I said, “What do I have to do before this guy?”
Said, “Well, just go in and kneel down on one knee and kiss his finger.”
I said, “That’s out. That’s out. No, sir.” I said, “I’ll–I’ll call any man a brother that wants to be a brother. I’ll call him reverend, if he wants to have the title of that, but to worship a man, that all belongs to Jesus Christ.” No, sir. Kissing no man’s hand like that. No, indeed.
E-346 So I didn’t do it, but I got to go all through the Vatican. Why, you couldn’t buy it with a hundred billion billion dollars. Why, you… And just think, “The wealth of the world,” the Bible said, “was found in her.” All… Just think of the great places, the billions times… Why did Communism raise up over here in Russia? It just makes me sick at my stomach to hear so many preachers hollering about Communism, and they don’t even know what they’re crowing about. That’s right. Communism ain’t nothing. It’s a tool in the hand of God to bring revenge upon the earth for the blood of the saints that… That’s right.
E-349 And after the church is taken away, Rome and–and the Jews will make a covenant with one another. The Bible said they would, with the holy people. And now notice, they’ll make it, because why? This nation is going to be busted, and the rest of the world that’s on the gold standard is busted. You know that. If we’re living off of taxes, due bills for forty years from now, where are we at? There’s only one thing can happen. That’s to call in the currency and pay off the bonds; and we can’t do it. Wall Street owns them, and Wall Street’s controlled by the Jews; the rest of it’s in the Vatican, and the Jews has got the rest of it in Wall Street with the commerce of the world.
E-350 We can’t call it in. And if we could do it, do you think these whiskey guys and–and all these tobacco people with billions times billions of dollars a year and write off all their income tax for old vulgar pictures and things like that–go out in Arizona there and buy millions of acres of land–or thousands–and dig them big wells at fifty thousand dollars and pay it off with income tax? And they’d put you in jail if you don’t pay yours. But they write it off and throw up wells and send bulldozers in.
And what do they do? They put housing projects in there, and the next turn around with their money they made (they have got to make an investment) and put houses, projects in there and sell them for millions of dollars. Do you think them guys is going to compromise to change the currency?
E-352 Like this fellow down here in–in (What’s his name?) Castro did. He done the only smart thing he ever did do then, when he destroyed the bonds: paid them off and destroyed them. Notice, but we can’t do that. These guys won’t let us.
The rich merchants of the earth hold it, and then there’s only one thing to do: The Catholic church can pay it off. She’s the only one that’s got the money; she can do it, and she will do it.
And in doing this to get it, she’ll compromise with the Jews and make a covenant, and when she makes this covenant with the Jews… Now, remember, I’m taking this from the Scriptures. And now, when she does this and makes this covenant, we notice in Daniel 8:23 and 25 he will cause craft to prosper (And craft is manufacturing.), in his hand.
E-354 And he makes this covenant with the Jews, and in the midst of this three and a half years, he breaks his covenant as soon as he gets the thing wrapped up and gets the money of the Jews tied up. And when he does that, oh, my, oh, my, he’s called the antichrist until the end of the church age, for he is the–he and his children are against Christ and the Word. This man’s called the antichrist. Now, he’s going to hold the money. And that’s where I think he’ll come in. Just a minute, while I say this, then I want to go back to it in a minute.
He’s called the antichrist and will be called the antichrist in the sight of God until the end time. Now, but then he’ll be called something else.
E-359 Now, when he gets the money all under control, then he’ll break this covenant with the Jews, as Daniel here said he would do it, in the midst of the last half of the seventy weeks of Daniel. And then, brother, what will he do? He will have all of the world trade and the commerce, a pact with the world, ’cause he’ll hold the wealth of the world completely.
And during that time, them two prophets will rise on the scene and call that hundred and forty-four thousand. Then what’ll take place? Then the mark of the beast of Revelations 13 will set in, ’cause he holds all the commerce, trade and everything of the world. And what will take place then? The mark of the beast will come in that no man can buy or sell except him that has the mark of the beast. Thank God, the Church will be enjoying a great three and a half years in glory. Don’t have to go through that.
E-361 Now, notice, at the end time–at the end of the church ages, now, he is called–he and his children are called the antichrist, ’cause anything that’s against Christ is antichrist. And anything that’s against the Word is against Christ, ’cause Christ is the Word. Now, he’s antichrist.
Then in Revelations 12:7-9, when Satan is cast out, the accuser… You want to put that down, ’cause I want to read it; we haven’t got time now, ’cause it’s twent–fifteen till ten. See?
But in Revelations 12:7-9, Satan the spirit, the devil, which is up there now, accuser of our brethren, all right; the Church is taken up, and Satan is cast out. When the Church goes up, Satan comes down. Then Satan incarnates himself in the antichrist and is called the beast.
E-363 Then in Revelations 13, he sets the mark down. See, when He that letteth–only now Christianity is left on the earth in its purity is because Him that letteth. You remember back here in that–in Thessalonians? Setting upon the temple of God, calling himself God; forgiving sins on earth, and that’ll go on, and iniquity shall abound and on, ’cause it won’t be known yet until his time to be revealed is called. And then the Church will be caught away. And when it’s caught away, then he changes hisself from an antichrist now. Oh, my, the church, the great church and… Now, he becomes the beast. Hm. I wished I could make people see that.
E-367 Now, remember, the antichrist and the beast is the same self spirit. There’s the trinity. Yes, sir. It’s three stages of the same devil power. Remember, Nicolaitia (See?), it had to be incarnate before it could be crowned. See? Now, watch this. Three stages: first stage he’s called antichrist; second stage, he’s called the false prophet; third stage, he’s called the beast.
E-368 Notice, Nicolaitia, the antichrist teaching that started in the days of Paul against God’s Word: antichrist… Then he’s called again the false prophet, which when the teaching become a man, he was a prophet to the teaching of the hierarchy of the–the hierarchy of the Catholic church. The Pope was the prophet to the false word, and that made him a false prophet.
The third stage is a beast, a man that’s crowned in the last days with every power that pagan Rome ever had, because the seven-headed beast, dragon, was cast out of heaven and come incarnate in the false prophet. Here it is; he had seven crowns, and he was cast out and throwed into the earth and the sea. All right.
What are we saying? Who is this rider, this horse rider? You know what it is? It’s Satan’s superman.
E-372 I went the other night… Two brothers setting in this church now (Brother Norman, back there, and, I believe, and Brother Fred); we was over to hear a man teach on the antichrist, a well known man, one of the best the Assemblies of God has got. And his interpretation of antichrist was, that they’re going to take a vitamin of some sort out of a–of a man and transfer this life out of a man into a great image that’s going to step a city block at a time. And that’s going… Could you imagine a man filled with the Holy Ghost under such illusion as that, or claimed to be? When here’s the Bible that says who the antichrist is. It’s not a… It’s a man.
E-373 Notice, this rider is nothing but Satan’s superman, a incarnate devil. He’s a educated genius. Now, I hope you got your ears open. They was trying one of his children out not long ago in a television cast to see if he wasn’t smarter than the next man to run for presidency; but however, he’s got a lot of wisdom; so has Satan. He tries to sell it. He sold it to Eve; he sold it to us. We’ve been wanting a superman; we got it. All right. The whole world’s wanting a superman; they’re going to get it. Just wait till the Church goes up, and Satan’s cast out. He’ll incarnate. That’s right. They want somebody who can really do the job; he’ll do it.
E-374 Educated… This is the Satan’s superman with education, with wisdom, with church theology of his own word, of his own making, and he rides his white denominational horse to deceive the people. And he will conquer every religion of the world, ’cause they’ve all going into the confederation of–of the–of churches and the world confederation of churches. And they already got their buildings built and everything setting right in line. There ain’t one thing left. Every denomination’s stuck right into it, the federation of churches. And what’s backing it? Rome. And the pope’s now crying, “We’re all one. Let’s come together and walk together.”
E-375 And these people, even some of you Full Gospel people, deny–have to deny your evangelical teaching to take such a step as that. What have you done? So blind to that denominational thing you’ve rejected Truth. And Truth was set before them, and they–they walked away from it and left it, and now they’ve been given over to a strong delusion to believe a lie and be damned with it. That’s exactly what it is, and the antichrist takes it all. And the Bible said that he deceived all, a-double-l, all upon the face of the earth whose names were not written under those Seals from the foundation of the world. Now, if the Bible said he did it, he did it.
They say, “Well, I belong…” There you are. See? That’s just exactly. It’s the same prostitute institution. It’s the same system that started in the beginning which is antichrist throughout. I’ll hear from it, but that’s–it’s the Truth. I expect to. Amen.
E-379 Now, notice, he’ll conquer and almost has in his grip right now, while he’s still antichrist before he can becomes beast. You talk about cruel punishment. You just wait. Watch what them that’s left here on earth will have to go through with. There will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. For the dragon, Rome, spurted water out of his mouth to make war with the remnant of the woman’s seed that was left upon the earth after the Bride had been selected and took out. And the dragon made war with the remnant that didn’t want to come in, was hunted down. And the real Church will go through that if it was possible, but you see, they are done under this Blood by the grace of Christ, and is not going through…?… have no tribulation period. The next thing for the Church is rapture. Amen and amen. Praise be God.
E-381 Oh, how I love this. Let me tell you. We’re telling what a conquer he’s going to do, and he’s really going to conquer; he’s already done it. It’s just already sewed up. That’s all. Going to sew up with the money, filthy lucre. It’s exactly. They love money more than God. Everything they think about now is how much money has he got. What is it? You know it’s been said lots of times: “Give the church the money, and she’ll revolutionize the world. Give the church the money, and she’ll send evangelists all over the world. And what will she do? She will conquer the world for Christ.”
Let me tell you something, my poor blind friend. The world’s not won by money, but by the Blood of Jesus Christ. Give God men who’s gallant men will stand on that Word, live or die, that’ll conquer. There’ll only be one thing that can conquer: those that’s got their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life from the foundation of the world. That’s the only thing will hear it. Money won’t have nothing to do with it: send them farther into the denominational traditions.
E-384 Let’s see. Yes, with educational genius, he’ll be. He’ll be smart. My, my, my, and all of his children around him will be smart: Ph.D., LL.D., double L.D., Q.S.D., A.B.C.D.E.F. on down to Z. They’ll have it all. Smart. Why? It’s after the order of Satan. Any shrewd craftiness against the Bible is of Satan. That’s exactly what he took Eve with. Eve said, “Oh, it’s written. God said for us not to do that.”
He said, “But wait. Surely God won’t do it, but I’ll open your eyes and give you some wisdom.” She got it. We’ve been wanting him; we got it too, this nation.
E-387 Notice, he’ll conquer the whole religious world. He’ll conquer–make a covenant with Daniel’s people. Here it is, both in the Gentile and in the Daniel’s people, the Jews to the last week, and here we are, even drawed out on boards, and you see it perfectly, there’s where it is. Thank God. There he is. That organizational system is of the devil. And that’s no punches pulled on it either. (See?) It’s exactly. It’s a root of the devil; it’s a… And now, not people, not people in there, them are God’s people, many of them. But you know what, when we get over here till where we get in these trumpets sounding; and the next time I come by, these trumpets sounding. You remember when them last angels, that third angel come across, “Come out of her my people.”… When that angel flies at the same time that message drops here for the last trumpet, last angel’s message, last Seal opens. All happens at the same time. Yes, sir. All seals up and goes over into eternity.
E-389 Now, watch, at the same time that this guy’s a-conquering (Then I’ll close.), God’s going to do something then too. Let’s not just give Satan all the credit here. See? Let’s not talk about him altogether. See? While this great thing is going out there, this great system winding in these organizations in a union so they can pool themselves together and stand against Communism, and not knowing that God raised up Communism to conquer them. Sure. What–what–what made Communism rise in Russia? Because of the impurity of the Roman church and the rest of them. They took all the money there was in Russia and starved the people to death and give them nothing instead of live just like the rest of the world.
E-391 I was down in Mexico not long ago and see them poor little children. Any Catholic country is not even self-supporting; there’s not a one of them. Ask me where… Show me where they’re at. Any Catholic-controlled country can’t even support its own self. France, Italy, and all them, Mexico, wherever you go, they’re not self-supporting. Why? The church took everything they have. That’s the reason Russia kicked it out.
E-393 Watch what taken place. I know this myself. I stand down there and you think the golden jubilee was on you hear the bells ringing. And here a poor little woman coming down the street, dragging her feet, and a father packing a baby, and two or three of them crying. She was doing penance to some dead woman up there, they had her, thought she’d get to go to heaven by it. Oh, what a pitiful thing.
Then I seen standing down there… Here comes… Their economics is so poorly balanced; the church takes everything they got. Here little Pancho, maybe–maybe Pancho Frank, he comes down, and he’s a brick mason, and he maybe he makes twenty pesos a week, but it’ll take the whole twenty pesos to buy him a pair of shoes. That’s their economics. But now here, what about then if he being a mason and a bricklayer and make twenty pesos a week (just saying, I don’t know what he makes, but say that kind of economics–the way it’s balanced up).
E-395 Notice, now, if he makes twenty pesos a week, here comes Chico (See?), which means “little one,” and he works out there for about five pesos a week, and he’s got ten kids to feed; but there’ll be somebody knocking on his door to take about five of those pesos or four of them anyhow to pay for some grease candle to burn on a million dollar gold altar for his sins. There you are. That’s the balance of economics. That’s the way their countries are. The thing takes it all. The church takes it all.
She’s just got it in her hands. That’s all. And her, with the money of the Jews in that covenant; the Bible said they’ll take the whole thing, and then he becomes a beast; he breaks his covenant; he ravishes; he tears out the rest of that woman’s seed like that, and spurts water out of his mouth, makes war; and there’ll be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. And the Bride’s getting married in glory (See?) same time. Don’t miss it, friends. God help me; and I–I want to be there. I don’t care what it costs. I–I want to be there.
E-398 Now, notice, in the same time this is going on, just before this takes place, rather, on the earth, God has promised, while all them scruples of denominations arguing their difference about their creed, God promised that He would send us a true prophet of the true Word with a message to return to the original Word of God and the faith of the fathers to bring down the power of the Holy Ghost amongst the people, with a power that will raise her above these things and take her in at the same time. Yes, sir.
Same Word be vindicated of Jesus Christ that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. “Lo, I am with you always, even to the consummation. And the works that I do shall you do also. I’ll be right with you. A little while and they won’t see Me no more, ’cause they’ll organize themselves and scatter out, but ye’ll see Me, for I will be with you. I’ll even be in you unto the consummation.” When He said… His indignation be poured out after the consummation. There you are. Oh, God. Who is that white horse rider? You’re not blind. You see who it is. It’s that antichrist and that deceitful spirit that’s gone now and crept in, and made and then sh…
E-399 See, God just keeps repeating it. He showed there’s a man going forth with a white horse and with his bow and no arrow. He’s a bluff. He has no power. You say, “The power of the church…” Where’s it at? What do they do? They say, “We’re the original church.” The original church cast out devils, healed the sick, and raised the dead, saw visions and everything else. Where is it now? See? He’s a bluff: bow with no arrow. That’s right.
E-400 But you see, when Christ come, a Sword went forth from His mouth like a lightning flash. It went forth and consumed His enemies and cast away the devil. It cut away everything else and He come, His vesture dipped in Blood and on His thigh was written “The Word of God.” Amen. Here He come with His army, coming from heaven.
E-401 That white horse rider has been in the land all the time. He will change from antichrist. He does that and becomes to a false prophet. See, he first started an antichrist, the spirit; then he become a false prophet. Then later, when the devil is cast out, he’s incarnate then with the devil. Three stages: the first he’s a devil to begin with, a spirit of the devil; then he becomes a false prophet, teacher of a false doctrine; next thing he comes as the very devil himself incarnate. See? There he is.
And at the same time that this devil falls out of heaven and becomes incarnate in a man, the Holy Spirit goes up and comes down incarnate Man. Amen. Oh, my. What a time.
E-402 Tomorrow night, God willing, the Second Seal. You love Him? (All right, Brother Fred…?… the tapes, brother, keep…?…) Now, you–you believe it? (I just shut the tape off.) Now, I’m going to hear from that; you know that. See? But I expect to. Let me tell you something, brother. I just now know for one time in my life why that Spirit has always warned me against them, that organization.
E-405 I’m grateful to the Lord God for showing me these things. I know that it’s the Truth. There it is, revealed right there. Here he rides right down through the age and comes right out here and displays himself right down here just as perfect as he can be. See? That’s him. Now, we’re not deceived on that. Now, you got your eyes opened. Stay away from that kind of stuff. Love the Lord with all your heart, and stay right with Him. Yes, sir. Come out of Babylon.
E-406 [Blank spot on tape—Ed.] Three things: proved by the Word, shown by a picture, manifested by the works of the Spirit, vindicating that It is the Word.
E-407 Let the Word come upon these handkerchiefs, Lord. Heal the sick. Heal every sick person that’s present, Lord, and those out there that writes in and calls in.
E-408 Father, at this hour, there’s another healing that should be done right now, and we go on to healing service. But, Lord, it’s that soul, we want that just in order, Lord. And these things must come.
E-409 We pray, God, that You’ll take these words now that has been said, and make them real to the people. Let them see It, Lord. Being pinched for time, and, You know, Father, so I pray that enough has been said that the Holy Spirit will take It and reveal It into hearts. Those who are writing the Scriptures down, may they study Them. Those who are making tapes or—or—or hearing the tapes, may they study It; not put their own interpretation to It now, but just study the Word. Grant it, Father. In Jesus’ Name, I commit it all to You, and for Your glory. Amen.
E-410 [A brother prophesies. Congregation rejoices—Ed.] Amen. Oh, thank You! [Congregation continues rejoicing.] Oh!
E-411 If there is somebody here that don’t know Him, in pardon, do it now. Hear that straight, strong rebuke. If you ever expect to draw nigh, do it now, for days after this.
E-412 What if that was the breaking of that Seal? What if that was the Angel that sent forth there, that blasted (almost) me off of the ground, the other day, standing back there, when three witnesses are standing close. That I told you before I went, “There would be an explosion that would almost send me up.” And I was caught up by seven Angels, and come eastward. The thing like to shook me from the ground.
E-413 Is that right, Brother Norman, Brother Fred Sothmann, who was standing with me when it happened, above Tucson? And the—the…Setting, picking the burrs off of my clothes, exactly what the vision said. And it was south of…towards Tucson. If that’s right, raise up your hand, Brother Fred, Brother Norman. There they are. Stand up on your feet, so the people can see that you were there, a witness. I never heard anything like it, in my life.
E-414 And, immediately, they didn’t hunt, the rest the day. I begged Fred, the next morning. He don’t know this. I begged him to go out hunting, kept saying, “Do it. Do it.”
E-415 But He said, He told me back there, “He won’t do it. You’re going East, right now.”
E-416 And them seven Angels! The first blast, she opened. Yeah. What if it is? We’re at the last hour. See?
I love…
Let’s worship Him.
I love Him
Because He first loved me
Let’s stand.
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary’s tree.
E-417 Let’s cleanse our hearts now, brothers, as we bow our heads. My sisters, I’ve talked awful to you, but I’ve done it in godly love. I’ve done it because I loved you; about wearing long hair, and dressing and acting right. I’ve done it because of godly love. Let’s pure our conscience now while—while the Clorox of God.
E-418 In the morning, may be too late. He may step forth. These things coming forth like this, brethren, might be the end of the mediatorial office. Did you ever think of that? Well, I don’t know it is. I don’t say it is. But what if it is? What if it is? What about it? There’s no more redemption; it’s gone, at that time. I hope it’s not, but there is a possibility that it is.
I love Him, I…
Cleanse us, Lord. [Blank spot on tape—Ed.]
…love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary’s tree.
E-419 Blessed be the Name of the Lord! Glory to God! I love that sweet feeling. Don’t you feel That? Just the Holy Spirit, like, bathing around you, walking around with It. Oh, how wonderful! Oh, think of His mercy!
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary’s tree.
E-420 Don’t forget It, friend. Don’t forget It. Take It home with you. Stay with It. Hold It on your pillow. Don’t forget It. Stay with It. God bless you now.
Brother Neville, your pastor.
The Smyrnaean Church Age
E-1 Good evening, friends. Let’s all stand just a moment for prayer if you will.
Our heavenly Father, we have assembled again in this solemn assembly tonight in the service of the Lord. And Thou hast promised that wherever we would meet together, as many as two or three of us, that You would be in the midst of us. And we can be assured that You are here, for we have assembled in His Name.
Now, we pray, Father, that–that You will come tonight and will break this Second Seal for us. And as the–the poet has said, that he would like to look apast the curtain of time. And that’s our desire, Lord, is just to–just to look apast and see what lays ahead. And we pray that the Lamb that had been slain will come among us now and break the Seal and–and reveal it to us, the things we have need to see.
E-4 There be some here, Lord, who has not yet entered into this great fellowship around Christ, we pray that tonight that they’ll make that eternal decision, be filled with the Spirit of God.
If there be any sick, Father, we pray that You’ll heal them. Here are many handkerchiefs laying here that I’m holding my hands upon in commemoration of the–of the Bible of Saint Paul, where they taken from his body handkerchiefs and aprons. Unclean spirits left the people and they were healed.
We see the near coming of the Lord. We know that time is drawing nigh. These things has returned again to the Church after nineteen hundred years.
Now, we pray, Father, that You’ll grant these things we ask for. Strengthen Thy servant and help Thy servants everywhere, Lord, and especially we who are assembled here tonight, that we might be able to receive the Word. We ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
E-8 It’s certainly good to be back in the house of the Lord again tonight. And I know so many of you standing, I–I’m sorry about that, but there’s just hardly anything more we can do. We–we got the–the church, just as increased it to where we could get three, four, three hundred or four hundred more in, but in special meetings this way, it–it carries a little heavier crowd.
E-9 Now, oh, I’m just having a wonderful time praying and studying these–these Seals. I hope you all are too. I’m–I’m sure you are. If it’s meaning as much to you as it is to me, it’s certainly a–you’re having a wonderful time. And I got a…
I want to call a girl friend of mine after service, and this is her birthday. She’s twelve years old today: Sarah, my daughter. And next, then day after tomorrow I have to make another call ’cause it’s Becky’s birthday.
E-11 And now, tonight we are studying this Second Seal. And e… For the first four Seals there is four horse riders. And I tell you today something happened again, and I–I… Something that I… I go and get the old script that I had that I talked on long ago. And just set down there, and I thought, “Well, I–I did the very best I could.” And many writers and things… And I thought, “Well, I’ll read a little while, and look over and see this and that,” and the first thing you know, something just happens, and it’s altogether different. It just comes in different. Then I grab me a pencil right quick and start writing down just as fast as I can while He’s there.
E-12 Oh, it’s just something happened just about one-half hour ago. I was telling Brother Wood, coming down just a few minutes ago, just something that… Oh, you know there’s a lot of things happen that you just can’t talk about, you know, but just something just took place that just helped me so much.
I got a friend here somewhere in the building. ‘Course you are all my friends. This–this brother is Brother Lee Vayle. He’s a precious brother and–and a real student of the Scripture. Dr. Vayle is a Baptist with the Holy Ghost, and he’s a… I don’t say this complimentary; I just say it because I believe it. I think he is one of the best versed students that I know of among our ranks. And he just wrote me a little note here and was–sent it in there by Billy. And Billy couldn’t hardly make it out to me, and I think–I haven’t read it over–but I was just going to say what he said here. And I just read it, Brother Vayle, if you’re here–I just read this about six months ago.
E-14 “I’m not positive,” he said, “Brother Bill, I’m not positive, but I believe that Polycarp was a student of Saint John. (That’s correct; he was.) I think Irenaeus was a student of–of Polycarp. (That’s correct, exactly.) Irenaeus said, ‘Jesus will return–will return when the last elected member of the body of Christ comes in.'”
That was Irenaeus about four hundred years after the–after the death of Christ. He said, “When this last age comes in…” Now, that’s in the–the Pre-Nicaea Council. You fellows here that read the–the–study the Scripture, and study the, I mean study the history of the Bible, we find that in Pre–in the Pre-Nicaea Council. And I think it’s the first book or the second book, you–you’ll find it.
E-15 Now, he saw it years ago that he said at the last–last spot, last one elected–that elected… People thinks that election is something that’s just been–that’s just been something hatched up here lately. My, that’s one of the oldest teachings that we have: election and calling. And so Irenaeus certainly a–the real student of the Scripture always believed in election. And so Irenaeus was one of the–the angels of the church age, as we seen as we studied, we believe. ‘Course now they were all mysteries. They’re all healed right–hid right here in these Seals (You see?), and they are to be revealed in the last day. How they started off with Paul, and–and Irenaeus, and Martin, and so forth down, and has come on down to the last age.
E-18 And now… We’re trusting now that the Lord will bless us in our efforts tonight. Now, we been… The First Seal, I certainly enjoyed that. The First Seal, the blessings that went with it to me… And now, I–I don’t want to keep you too long, but you see, I–I’ll be going now just again in a few nights and after this is over, and we have to just kind of suffer a little while.
E-19 I appreciate… I see Brother Junior Jackson standing there, and I–and I thought I seen Brother Ruddell a few moments ago, here somewhere. And them brethren, that’s our sister churches that has let out and the others; we certainly appreciate it. And I see Brother Hooper, I believe, standing up along the wall there from Utica, the church there. And we certainly appreciate your all’s fine cooperation in this.
E-21 Now, last evening as we always like in teaching on the–on the Seals, we have–teach it the same way you do on the–on the–the church ages. And… When we got finished with teaching the church age, the last time when I drawed them out here on the–on the pulpit on a board, how many remembers what took place? He came right down, went right back there on the wall in a Light and drawed it off Himself, right there on the wall before us all. The Angel of the Lord stood right here before several hundred people. And now, He’s–He’s doing something real supernatural now too. And so we’re just expecting great things. We don’t know… Do you like to just wait for that–that great anticipation, just don’t know what’s going to happen next, you know, just–just waiting?
E-22 Now, how great God is to us. And how wonderful, we so appreciate Him. Now, the 1st and 2nd verse, I’ll read it to kind of give a little background, then we’ll take the 3rd and 4th verse for the Second Seal, and then the 5th and 6th verse is the Third Seal. And the 7th and 8th is the–the two verses to each horse rider.
E-23 And now, I want you to watch how these fellows on this pale horse, maybe here it comes, just keeps changing as it goes down, and then that great last Seal to be opened, if God willing, next Sunday night, that when it happened there was just, the only thing that taken place was silence in heaven for a half hour. God help us. Now, I’ll read the third verse now.
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
And there went out another horse… (4th verse)… that was red: and power was given to him that set thereon to take peace from the earth, that they should kill one another–they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
E-26 Now, a mysterious thing now when the–the beast told John, “Just come and see.” And he didn’t see what it was; he just saw a symbol. And that symbol, the reason it was… He said, “Come, see.” But he saw a symbol that he was to symbolize it to the church in a way that they would watch until it come to the last age, and then the Seal would be open. Now, and everyone understands that now? See, the Seals would be opened.
E-27 And aren’t you happy to be living in this day? That… See? Not only that, friends, but always remember now; last Sunday morning where the whole thing was based on, simplicity (See?), simple, humble. Happens in such a way that people just go right on by and don’t even know it happened. And remember, we are looking for the coming of the Lord anytime. And when we…
I made a statement that I perhaps the rapture would be the same way. It’ll be gone, over, and no one will know nothing about it, and just come like that. See? And usually… Just go on back to the Bible and look how it happens like that (See?), even as great a thing as the Lord Jesus coming. Nobody knew nothing about it. They thought, “That crank, somebody…” The churches said, “Just a fanatic. We… He’s really crazy.” Said, “He’s a mad man. We know thou art mad.” “Mad” means “crazy.” “We know you got a devil, and it’s run you crazy. And you try to teach us when you were borned out there illegitimately. Why, you was born in fornication, try to teach men like us, the priests and so forth, the temple.” Why, my, that was a–an insult to them.
E-30 When John came, been talked about down through the ages from Isaiah to Malachi–that’s twelve hundred–or seven hundred and twelve years he’d been seen of the prophets coming. Everybody was looking for him to come, expecting it at anytime. But the way he come, he preached, and done his service, and went on into glory, and even the apostles didn’t know it. For they asked Him; they said, “Now, the Son of man is going to Jerusalem, all these things to be offered,” and said, “why is it the Scripture says the–that Elias is going to come first?”
Jesus said, “He’s already come; you didn’t know it. And he did just exactly what the Scripture said he would do, and they did to him just what was listed.” See, see? And they couldn’t understand it. He said, “It was John.”
E-33 And then, “Oh.” See, they–they woke up to it. They… And when… Even at last, after all the things He–He had done and the signs that He’d had show them, and had even called them, said, “Which one of you can condemn Me of sin (unbelief)? If I haven’t done just what the Scripture said that My office would do when I come to the earth, then show Me where I’ve sin. (See?) Then I’ll–I’ll show you what you’re supposed to be, and let’s see whether you believe it or not.” See? He’d have come right back and said, “You supposed to believe on Me when I come.” They didn’t do it. See? So they knowed better than to tie in on Him on that.
But He said, “Which one of you can accuse Me of unbelief? (See?) Haven’t I done just what it was?”
E-34 And even the apostles going along, stumbled. (We know how the Scriptures go.) Then finally, at last they said, “Now, we believe. We believe that no man has to tell You, for You know all things.”
And I’d had just liked to have seen His face. He must’ve looked at them and said, “Well, do you now believe?” Finally it dawned on them. Well, it wasn’t supposed to be maybe till that time. You see? And God works everything just right, you know. I love Him for that.
E-36 But now, we’re thinking of our age now, ’cause I get to talking on that, we won’t get into these Seals at all. And… Now, remember, I–I’m getting much requests for prayer for the sick, and I’m praying for the–you all the time for every request I get and for the handkerchiefs and things. And if we can get these Seals finished up to the last Seal Sunday morning, we–if it be the will of the Lord, we’d like to have just a good old fashion healing service here, you know, where you just take the entire morning for praying for the sick. And I–I’m pretty sure it’ll be a strange healing meeting. Yeah, I just have a feelings like that. And so… Not strange, but it may be a little strange to some. See, what…
E-38 Now, how great is God’s grace to reveal His secrets to us in this day. Now, we all will believe that we’re living in the last day. We believe that. And remember, the secrets was to be revealed in the last day. And how does He reveal His Word, His secret, the Bible? Would you like to read where He says it? Let’s just turn over and see how He reveals His secrets.
Now, I want you to read Amos; turn over to the Book of Amos, and I want you to read in the 3rd chapter of Amos and the 7th verse. All right. I’ll read the 6th verse too.
Shall a trumpet… blow in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD has not done it?
Surely the LORD… will do nothing, but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the prophets.
E-40 Now, in the last days we are–it’s predicted to us that there will rise a–a prophet. Now, we know that we’ve had all kinds… Now, I realize after looking around tonight, I–I’m speaking here where students are setting, and I–I’d like for you to understand me. And you realize these tapes cover the world (See?), just about all the world. And I’d want you to, not by no mean, think that I am trying to inject some kind of a–a cult of Elijah’s blankets or robes and oh, all those things we’ve had plenty of them. But you know all those things are only a forerunning of the real thing that is to come to throw the people off.
E-42 Did you know we had false–false leaders raised up, false messiahs before Christ come? Didn’t–did–did not the–the teacher of that day, that mighty teacher, Gamaliel, when the–the question come up about beating these men and so forth; he said, “Let them alone. If it’s of God, why, you’ll be found fighting against God, but if it isn’t of God…” Said, “Didn’t a man raise up not long ago and take four hundred into the wilderness and so forth? We have those things.” What was it? All forerunning the real thing when it come.
E-43 Now, see, Satan raises those up. Watch the shrewdness of this fellow that we’re talking about here, Satan, where we’re unfolding him right here, just stripping him down by the Scriptures and letting you see who he is. That’s what the–what’s supposed to be done, and you remember, he has not tried to go in to be a Communist; Satan hasn’t. He’s an antichrist, “So close that” Jesus said, “would deceive the very elected.” And that’s the one that’s hid down in these Seals, whose names are on the Book since the foundation of the world.
E-45 He is a shrewd fellow, and when he sees this thing coming, coming up, then he throws everything he can out there to upset it ‘fore it gets there. Did you know there will be false christs arise in the last day? It should follow immediately after this–after this great message that this brother will speak, that will actually come, be anointed in the spirit of Elijah, immediately. And they’ll mistake him; some of them will think he’s the Messiah. But he will strictly say, “No,” because it’s got to be coming like John.
In the time of John the Baptist, when he came out there to preach, they said to him, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Aren’t you He?”
He said, “I am not. I’m not worthy to loose His shoe. But I–I baptize you with water, but He will baptize with the Holy Ghost.” And John was so sure that He’s on earth he said, “He is among you somewhere now.” But he didn’t know Him till he saw that sign come down upon Him. Then when he seen that Light coming down, spread out like a dove and lit upon Him, he said, “There He is. That’s Him.” But John was the only one that saw It, you know. John was the only one heard the Voice. All the rest of them there, no one heard It.
E-50 But then when the real true servant comes on, with all the impersonation to it, it’s to upset the peoples’ mind. Satan does that. And those who can’t discern right from wrong, they just tumble over; but the elected won’t do it. The Bible said he wouldn’t be able to deceive the elected.
And now, just before the coming of Christ, the Bible said there would be false christs arise and would claim to be Christ, and would say, “Lo,” the people say, “He’s in the desert.” Don’t believe it. “Lo, He’s in the secret chamber.” Don’t believe it. “For as the sun shineth from the east unto the west, so shall the coming of the Son of man be.” See? Yes, He’ll–He’ll–He’ll appear, and it’ll be a universal thing. And now, that will…
E-51 Now, of course, when they find out that something has taken place (You see?), then they’ll… Now, remember, that will take place immediately after the going home of the Church (after the rapture). Now, there’ll be false impersonations all the time, and we do not mean to be connected in anything like that. No, sir.
And I believe when the person comes, this one that is predicted to come (I’m showing you only by the Scriptures.), that the man will have to be a prophet. He certainly will. And the revelation of God, because God… The Word of the Lord comes to His prophet. That’s exactly right, that’s… And God cannot change. You see? If He had a better system, He would–He would’ve used it, but the–He–He’s got–He chose the best system at the beginning.
E-54 Just like, He could’ve chose the sun to preach the Gospel. He could’ve put–chose the moon. He could chose the–the wind, but He chose man. And He never did choose groups; individuals. See, the… And never two major prophets on the earth at the same time.
See, every man is different. He’s got a different makeup. If God can get one person (That’s all He has to have.) right in His hand, He can do what He wants to. He just has to have one.
In the days of Noah, days of Elijah, days of Moses… Many rose up in the time of Moses. You know how they did and wanted to say, “Well, you’re not the only holy one in the bunch,” and–and Dathan and–and Korah… And God said, “Just separate yourself; I’ll just open up the earth and swallow them away.” You see? And–and so… And then the people got to complaining. He said, “I’ll–I’ll just take the whole thing away.”
And there Moses took the place of Christ then to throw hisself in the breach and say, “Don’t do it, Lord.” See? And ‘course, He… After He’d ordained Moses to do this, He didn’t come over Moses, ’cause he was acting like Christ in that time. It was Christ in Moses. Absolutely.
E-60 Now, we’re so glad today that God is revealing Hisself to us. And I believe the great day is just begin dawning, breaking; the lights are begin to flash; the birds of paradise is begin to sing in the saints’ heart, they know that–isn’t long now. Something’s going to happen. It’s just got to.
So if He does not do anything… Now, all Scripture is inspired. The Scriptures must absolutely be the Truth, no way around it. There’s where I different with our friends the Catholic church. I believe that It was not written by just mere man; I believe It was moved by the Holy Spirit. And all these little things that’s been added, try to add to It, did you notice in the solving up they was everyone kicked out. And these real true Scriptures dovetail one with the other one till there–there’s no contradiction in them nowhere at all.
E-62 Show me one piece of literature that can–that can write a verse hardly without contradicting itself, or write a verse or two. And the Bible does not contradict Itself anywhere. I’ve heard the old critics say that, but I have had an offer for him for a long time to show me where it’s at. It isn’t in here. It’s just because the human mind is confused. God’s not confused. He knowed what He’s doing. He knows…
And look, if God’s going to judge the world by a church (as the Catholic church says it is), all right, then what church is that? Just look at the churches we got. We got nine hundred and something different organization of churches. Now, how… One teaches this way and one that way. What a confusion. Then anybody just do anything they want to; you go on in anyhow. God’s got to have some standard, and that’s His Word.
E-64 Speaking… Not throwing off to the Catholic now, ’cause the–the Protestant’s just as bad. But speaking with a priest, he said, “Mr. Branham,” he said, “God is in His church.”
I said, “Sir, God is in His Word, and He is the Word.” Yes, sir.
He said, “Well, He’s in… The church is infallible.”
I said, “He don’t say that, but He said the Word’s infallible.”
He said, “Well, we used to teach that baptism that way and so forth.”
I said, “When?”
Said, “Back in the early days.”
I said, “Do you allow that to be the Catholic church?”
He said, “Yes.”
I said, “Then I’m Catholic, old fashion Catholic. I believe the old fashion way. You guys today has got it all messed up. There’s hardly anything in the Scripture you teach: intercession with women, and dead people, and all these other things, and, oh, my, non-meat-eating, and I don’t know what all.” See? I said, “You find that in the Scripture for me.”
He said, “It don’t have to be there. As long as the church says so, that’s it. Don’t make any difference what that says, it’s the church.”
I said, “The Bible said that whosoever shall add one word to it or take one away, his part will be taken from the Book of Life.” So it’s the Word; I believe the Word.
E-71 Now, and then if Amos says, and the other Scriptures that go with it, that if… And you remember on this we’re just striking the highlights of it. Just… My, if–when I get in that room there and–and that anointing comes in, if I could write down what He–what all goes on, I’d be here for three months on one of the Seals. So I just strike the places and let it out just what it would seem to be that wouldn’t choke the people, but yet not enough to hurt them, but just so that believing it would–it’d season the thing. You know what I mean.
E-73 Now, watch this now. “If God does not do nothing,” said Amos, “until first He reveals it to His servants the prophets,” and then we see what He’s doing, it must be that He’s fixing to do something, what He’s revealing now. God is fixing to move on the scene in judgment; I believe. He’s fixing to do something. And one thing again that testifies: surely we are in the last day; we’re at the end of the age, the Laodicea Church Age. Now, for these things were to be revealed only at the last day.
E-74 Now, just think of that now. Let’s just–just try to soak in what we believe that the Holy Spirit would have us know. Now, remember, nothing could be revealed, God will do nothing at all until first He reveals it to His servants the prophets. And before He does anything, He reveals it, and when He reveals it, you can remember this: something’s on its road. See? It’s being revealed.
E-76 And these things that we’re talking about was to be revealed at the last day, just before the last trumpet, at the end of the message of the last church age. That’s right. If you want to read that now, you can turn to… You… I just referred to you last night two or three times, Revelations 10:1-7 (See?): “And in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel’s message, the mystery of God would be revealed and finished.” And there’s only one thing left when this Seven-sealed Book is open, then the entire mystery of God, why, we probed at through years, and according to the Scripture then when there was no way to understand it until this day, because it’s been hid. We’ve seen the symbol, what it was symbolized by, but it could not be correctly revealed until the last day. See? Now, then we must be there at the–at the end time.
E-78 Now, remember, don’t–and don’t forget now that He does nothing until He reveals it; and don’t forget also, that He does it in such a simple way that the wise and the prudent miss it. Now, if you want to mark that down, that’s Matthew 11:25, 26. And…
Remember, He does nothing till He reveals it, and He reveals it in such a way that the smart, educated people miss it. Remember, it was wisdom that the world desired instead of the Word when the first sin did what it did. Don’t forget that now. Oh, how grateful we should be to think that… Now, just look at the things that happened; look at the things that He’s told us; look at here in this Tabernacle, you people that we been raised up here with.
E-79 Now, I’m going to ask the tapes to… Well, go ahead and take it. But look, I’m just going to say this to the Tabernacle people, you that’s been here: I charge any of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus to ever–to put your finger on one thing of the hundreds of things that’s been told before they come to pass and say they did not come to pass. Tell me one time that on the platform, out there wherever it was, that He ever spoke anything that wasn’t perfectly just exactly that way. How… Could a human mind be that way? Certainly not.
E-80 When He appeared down there on the river thirty-three years ago this coming June in the form of a Light, you old-timers remember that I told you since a little boy that voice and that Light, and people thought you was kind of a little bit off at the head; of course, I would’ve probably thought the same thing somebody said it. But now, you don’t have to wonder about it now, and the church hasn’t wondered since 1933.
Down on the river that day where I was baptizing hundreds of people, I remember that Mayer boy told me, said, “You’re going down to duck those people, Billy.” Little Jim Mayer down here, I think he’s dead now. I think he got killed out there; some woman shot him. But he–he asked me, “Are you going down to duck those people?”
I said, “No, sir, I’m going to baptize them in the Name of our Lord Jesus.”
E-83 And there was a woman going along in the group. She said to another woman; she said–made a remark, something about it. She said, “Well, I wouldn’t mind to be ducked”; said, “that’s all right; I don’t care…”
I said, “Go back and repent. You’re not fit to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ.”
This is not nothing to play with. It’s the Gospel of Christ, revealed by a commission, the Word. Just, now… You saying, “Nonsense,” and “Foolishness,” you could’ve placed it somewhere else; but remember, it’s promised in the Word that this would happen, and just exactly what it would be, and here it is. See?
E-86 Then down there that day, when they were standing at the river, and the Angel of the Lord that I had told you that It looked like a–a star or something in the distant, and then It got close, and told you how the emerald Light looked, and there It come right down on the river where I was baptizing, when businessmen down here in the city said, “What does that mean?”
I said, “That wasn’t for me; that was for you; I believe. That was for your sake that God did that to let you know that I’m telling you the Truth.” By being a kid, a boy like, and about 21 years old, they–they wouldn’t believe that (You see?), because it’s too much for a kid.
E-88 And then, I was thinking; Brother Roberson here, one of our trustees, I seen here a few minutes ago, he was telling me the other day about being in Houston when the picture there was taken that you See? And I was on that debate. I was started to say something about it the other night. Brother Roy was the only–with one more man, was the only person in the group that had a recorder. It was one of them old fashion wire recorders (I see Brother Roberson now, and his wife) so, and–and this–Mrs. Roberson was sick.
Brother Roy was a veteran, his legs blowed, and they laid him out for dead. He was an officer in the–in the Army. The German eighty-eight hit this tank that he was with and just killed the men, and blowed him to pieces; they laid him out for dead for a long time, and they said he never would walk because both legs was severed, the nerves in them and things. My, he can almost outwalk me.
But what was it? There was something that he seen, and he went to Houston. And he was telling me about his wife. He’s got–he’s got the wire; he’s going to fix it on a tape, and after the services is over here, why, he’s going to play it for you all, I hope. And on the old wire–tape there, he’s got my services held in Houston. And then his wife, he said he got her on there, and he never noticed it till the other day. She was, oh, she was so sad; she was sick, and she wanted to get in to the prayer line. (They never knew me, and I never seen them in my life.) So she was setting at a–a window that day, looking out and so dreary, you know, and upset, and wishing she could get a prayer card to get in the line; and happened to be that night she got in the line or the night after or something; I believe the same night.
And she got in the line, and when she got up on the platform, the Holy Spirit told her, said, “Now, you’re not from here. You’re from a city called New Albany.” And said, “You were setting at a window today looking out and all worried about getting a prayer card.” And there it is on the tape, years ago.
E-93 And then at the beginning of the meeting, when the Holy Spirit was there… That was the first of the meeting; we was only having about three thousand people, then we went to eight thousand, then to about thirty thousand.
So then in the… While I was speaking at the–one of the very first meetings, I said, “I don’t know why that I’m saying this (Now, it’s on the tape.), but it’s–we are–This is going to be one of the highlights of my time. Something is going to happen during this meeting that’s going to be greater than anybody’s seen yet.” And it was just about eight or nine, ten nights after that when the Angel of the Lord appeared before around thirty thousand people, and come down, and the picture was taken; there it is right now, which is copyrighted in Washington, D. C. as the only supernatural Being that was ever photographed in the world.
E-96 Then I talked about, you know, saying that sometime under the discernment say, “A person is shadowed to death. There’s a dark hood of a shadow. They’re fixing to die.”
And then up here at East Pines–or Southern Pines, I believe it is, just when I was there in the last meeting, a little lady setting there; and something told her, “Take that picture right quick,” when I was speaking to a lady, and there it was. I think it’ll be on the bulletin board, has been for quite awhile. There’s that dark hood hanging right over the lady.
She shot another picture as soon as the Holy Spirit announced it; it was gone. Said, “You’re going to be healed. The Lord’s healed you. The cancer’s gone.” There it was, and she was healed. See? There you are. See, it just goes to show that God knows what’s the time of day it is. We don’t. We just have to obey Him.
Now, we can just keep on talking, but let’s get down here now just a minute and touch this back Seal so we can blend this one in with it. Now, just to review for a few moments the–the other–the First Seal.
E-101 We notice in the breaking of the First Seal, Satan had a–a super religious man. Did you notice that white horse rider, which they–it was thought to be that that was a–the early church going forth. But, oh, my, that’s been taught through the years, but it couldn’t be. Just watch when the rest of them, when we get them all tied together, then look where it’s at. See? Now… And I don’t know what the rest of them’s going to be as yet, but I know it’s got to come just perfectly in there, because it’s the Truth. It’s the Truth. That was the hierarchy church of Rome. Exactly.
E-102 These people who think that the Jews are the antichrist, they are certainly a million miles off the line. Don’t you never think the Jews are an antichrist. Their eyes were blinded purposely that we might have a way to get in, giving us a time of repentance. But the antichrist is a Gentile. Certainly it is, an impersonator of the truth: “Anti,” “against.”
Now, this great superman… Oh, how he become a great man, and–and then finally was throned. Then after throned, he was crowned. And now, he… After that he was worshipped in the stead of God. Now, look, before that ever come… I want to ask you something: Who was that? What was that on Paul in II Thessalonians 2:3, that said that man would come? Why did that man look down through the age and see it? He was God’s prophet. Certainly.
E-105 Why was it He said the Spirit speaks expressingly that in the latter time that they’d depart from the faith and would give heed to seducing (You know what “seduce” is.)–a seducing spirit in the church? That is clergy, seducing clergy spirit, workings of devils, hypocrisies in the church, heady, high-minded (wisdom. You see? smart, intelligent), having a form of godliness (just go say, “Well, we’re Christians, we should go to church.”), having a form of godliness but denying the revelations, the power and the working of the Spirit, from such turn away. See?
E-106 Now, notice he said, “For this is the sort that’ll go from house to house and will lead silly women (Now, that don’t mean Holy Ghost women.)–silly women that’s led away with divers lusts.” Divers lusts, they just like to get in every little thing that they can get into, and all kinds of societies, and live anyway that they want to, and still, “We go to church. We’re just as good as anybody,” dances, parties, cut their hair, paint, dress anything they want to, say, “We’re–we’re Pentecostals; we’re–we’re–we’re just as good as anybody.” Oh, your own works identify you.
E-107 Notice, but he said, “Man of reprobate minds concerning Truth.” What is the Truth? The Word, which is Christ “… concerning the Truth.”
“Oh, you… You make… You–you’re a woman driver; you’re a woman hater; you do this and that.”
No, sir. That’s not right. That’s a falsehood. I do not hate women. No, sir. I… They’re my sisters–if they are sisters. But the thing I… Love is corrective. If it isn’t corrective, it isn’t love. If it is, then–if it’s love, it’s–it’s phileo love and not agapao, I’ll tell you that. You might have a little phileo love for some nice looking lady, but agapao love is a different thing. That’s a love that straightens the thing out and meet God yonder somewhere where we can live eternally. See? I didn’t mean that, maybe, in the way it sounded, but I… You know, what… I–I hope you understand. All right. Now…
E-112 But remember he said, “As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so will they. But their folly was soon made manifest.” Why? When Moses was commissioned to do something that seemed radical, but he went down there just as honest as he could be, and God told him to take this stick and to throw it down, and it would turn to a serpent. Then He did it to show him what it would take place. And before Pharaoh he stood out there just as God had commissioned him and throwed down his stick, and it turned to a serpent.
E-114 And no doubt Pharaoh said, “A cheap magician trick.” So he goes and gets his Jannes and Jambres, said, “We can do those things, too.” And they threw down their stick, and they become serpents. Now, what could Moses do? What was it? It was to show him that every genuine thing of God, the devil’s got an impersonator for it. He impersonates to throw the people off the track.
What did Moses do? He said, “Well, I guess I made a mistake; I better go back.” He just stood still for he’d carried out his commission to the letter. Then the first thing you know Moses’ serpent eat up the other one. See?
Did you ever think what become of that other serpent? Where did he go to? Moses picked up the stick and went on out with it. He worked miracles with it. And that serpent was on the inside of the other stick. That’s wonderful, isn’t it? Yes, sir.
E-118 Now, antichrist comes into light gradually. I want you to notice. Now, when you here… Now, to my Catholic friends, just set still just a minute… And now… And then we’re going to see where the Protestants, where we all are. See? Notice, the first church… When the Catholic church said that they were the first original church, they’re exactly right; they were. They begin at Pentecost. That’s where the Catholic church began. Now, I once didn’t hardly believe that till I read history, and I found out it is right.
They begin at Pentecost, but they begin to drift. And you see where they are at? And if Pentecost drifts with the speed it’s drifting now, they won’t have to go two thousand years. In a hundred years from now they’ll be farther away than the Catholic church is. That’s right.
E-122 But notice how this white horse rider… (Now, we just backgrounding it a little till we hit this Seal.) Now, notice the white horse rider. When he went out he–he serves in three stages. The devil, as I proved to you the other night is in a trinity just like God, but it’s the same devil all the time in three stages.
Notice his stages: In the first stage he come in, the Holy Ghost fell, and people had everything in common. And the Spirit of God was upon them, and the apostles went from house to house breaking bread with the people, and there was great signs and wonders wrought. And–and then the first thing you know, Satan began to cause a murmur to come up. Then after while these slaves and the poor of the land what received the Holy Ghost, they went out into different places testifying. They testified to their masters.
E-126 And after while there begin to come all like army captains and… And the different people the celebrity begin to see the gallantry and the miracles and signs that these men done, so they accepted Christianity. Well then (You see?), when he embraced Christianity and go down there to a place where they’re meeting in a little old dark, dingy hall, and clap their hands and shout and speaking in tongues and getting messages, why, he could never take that to his–his competitor or whatever it is in his business. He’d never believe it like that (Certainly not.), so he’s got to dress it up.
E-127 So they begin to get together and begin to think, “Now, we’ll form something a little different.” And Jesus, right immediately at the first church age, He told them in the 2nd chapter of Revelations here, “I have somewhat against you, because these deeds of the Nicolaitanes.” “Nico,” “conquer the laity.” In other words, they want to make… Instead of everybody be one, they want to make some holy fellow. They wanted to make some kind of… They wanted to pattern it in paganism from where they had come out from, and they finally done it.
Now, watch. First Nicolaitane. The Nicolaitane was called in the Bible, antichrist, because it was against the original doctrine of Christ and the apostles.
E-131 I don’t want to call this man’s name. He is a great man. But I was at his meeting here a few years ago, and he knew I was there, ’cause I’d shook his hand. And he said, “You know, we have such today that they call Pentecostals.” And he said, “They–they rely upon the Book of Acts.” And he said, “You see, the Acts was only scaffold work for the church.”
Would you imagine a man that’s studied the Bible, a gallant old man, and had studied the Bible the way that fellow has, and then would make a remark like that? It sounds–it–it don’t–It even doesn’t sound like the Holy Spirit is around, it’s got not to be nowhere; because anybody with common understanding would know that the Acts of the Apostles was not acts of the apostles; it was the acts of the Holy Spirit in the apostles.
E-132 Don’t you know how we patterned it out in the church ages, the–them beasts setting there watching that ark there: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John standing there watching that. And in there is what happened as a results of the writing of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. That’s what the tree putteth forth its first branch, and that is what happened. And if that tree ever puts forth another branch, they’ll write another book of Acts behind it. ‘Cause you see, the same Life’s got to be in the same thing.
E-135 So now, today when we look over our denominational churches: Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Church of Christ (so-called), and Pentecostals and things, where do we find that? You don’t find it. I will admit that the Pentecostals has the closest thing to it there is, because they are up here in the Laodicean Church Age. They had Truth and rejected it. They got lukewarm with it, and God spewed them from His mouth. That’s exactly according to the Scriptures. You can’t make them Scriptures lie. See? They’re going to be truthful always. Don’t try to… The only thing, don’t try to line your thought up to the–or the Scriptures up to your thought, but reline yourself up with the Scriptures. That’s… Then you’re running with God. No matter how much you have to cut away or lay aside, line up with that. See?
E-138 Look what it did the first time it fell. Well, if God acted like that the first time, He’s got to act like that the second time. He’s got to act like that every time, or He acted wrong the first time. See, we as mortals, we can make mistakes. God can’t. God’s first decision is perfect. And the way He chose to do things, there can’t be no other better way. He can’t improve on it, because it’s perfect to begin with. If it isn’t, then He isn’t infinite.
And if He’s infinite, then He is omniscient. And if He is omniscient, then He’s omnipotent. Amen. He’s got to be that to be God. See? So He… You can’t say, “He learned more.” He didn’t learn more; He’s the–He’s the very fountain of all wisdom. See? Our wisdom here come from Satan. We inherited it from Eden where we swapped off faith for wisdom. Eve did it.
E-141 Now, he was first called antichrist. The second stage, he was called the false prophet, because that spirit among the people become incarnate. You remember the white horse rider now had no crown when he started, but then he was–was given a crown. Why? He was the Nicolaitane spirit to begin with. And then he become incarnate in a man, and then he was crowned, and received a throne, and was crowned.
E-143 And then he served that for a long time, as we’ll see as the Seals break, and then we find out after that a long time Satan was kicked out of heaven. And he come down, according to the Scriptures and enthroned himself. Just think, enthroned himself in that man and become a beast. And he had power, supreme power like, that he done all the miracles and everything that there–the killings and bloody fights and everything that–that Rome could produce.
All right. He killed by cruel Roman punishment. Just… Oh, how we could break in some Scriptures here. Remember, Jesus Christ died under the punishment of Rome: capital punishment. The message that I’ve got in my heart to preach up here at this next meeting on Good Friday afternoon meets three, four things. See? “There They Crucified Him.” There, the holiest, religious place in the world was Jerusalem. They, the most holy (supposed to be) people in the world, the Jews. There they crucified, the most cruel punishment that Rome could produce. Crucified Him. What? The greatest person that ever lived: There they crucified Him. Oh, my.
God help me to swing it into that bunch of businessmen to let them see where they’re standing. All right. Now, not to be different, not to be nasty, but to shake that till them brothers can see that their dignitaries and holy fathers and things they’re writing up in this Business Man’s Journal is nonsense. Christians are not supposed to call any man, “Father.” They start that… I’ve tried to help them in everything I can (you see where this tape goes, so) I’m finished. I will certainly won’t have anything else to do with it. All right.
E-146 First, remember Christ. First as Nic–Nicolaitane. And what did the Nicolaitane age ask for? It asked to get away from them bunch of people that shouts, and clapped their hands and looks like disgracefully–like they did on Pentecost, act like drunk men, staggering in the Spirit and things. They didn’t want none of that stuff. They said they were drunk.
And when the celebrity… (Listen, don’t miss this. It may sound crazy to you, but it’s the Truth.) When the–the dignitaries begin to come in, they couldn’t stoop to that.
What makes God big is because He’s big enough to stoop down. That’s what makes Him big. There’s nothing bigger, and He stooped the lowest that anybody could stoop or any human being ever stooped. He was the King of heaven, and He come to the–to the lowest city on the earth, Jericho. And He got so low to even the shortest man in the town had to look down on Him to see Him. Is that right? Zacchaeus. That’s right. He was called the worst name that any human being could be called: a sorcerer, a devil, Beelzebub. That’s what the world thought of Him.
E-148 Died the cruelest death. Didn’t have a place to lay His head, kicked out by every organization. But when God exalted Him so high, till He has to look down to see heaven…?… God in humility. See? And He give Him a Name so great that the whole family of heaven is named after Him, and every family of the earth. All the family on earth is named “Jesus.” All the families in heaven is named “Jesus.” And such a Name that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He’s the Lord, either here or in hell. Hell will bow to it. Everything else will bow to it. See, but first it was humility, then it become great. See? Let God exalt. He that humbles himself, God will exalt. See?
E-150 Now, we notice this “Nico” spirit wanted wisdom, smarter. It had to reason it out like it was in Eden, reason against the Word of God by the wisdom; and the church fell for it. What was it? Now, let’s say–take this church here and take a bunch of people like we are, if you wasn’t real Spirit-filled. And let us take, say… Now, nothing against the mayor of our city, I don’t think I know him, Mr. Bottorff. Is he still mayor? See, I don’t… See? Mr. Bottorff is a fine friend of mine. See? But say the mayor of the city and all the police force and–and all the marshals and they–they all come here. The first thing you know, if they got just a little thing in their head and begin to talk to the Board and the people around here, and say, “Now, you know what? This ought to be different…” If you’re not Spirit-filled and got a real Spirit-filled man behind the pulpit, the first thing you know you’d be catering to them. Maybe not this generation; maybe the next generation.
E-152 And that’s the way it started in. See? Why? They were saying, “Looky here, it’s reasonable.” You–you’d listen to it. Say a man come in here that could say, “This church is too little. Let us build a big church. I’ll build you one out here; it’ll be worth so much money–half a million dollars will be put in there. I’ll put the thing on the broadcast.” When they do that, then they got an axe to grind–nine times out of ten. You know one of them kind.
The first thing you know, then if he does, he runs things to suit himself. You can’t say nothing because Brother John Doe back there, he’s the finance of this church. See? And then you get a little Ricky out of some seminary who knows about as much about God as a Hottentot does about Egyptian knight, and he will come along there, and he will cater to that guy, because he buys him a new car all the time, lets him ride around, and buys him this, that, and the other. And that’s exactly how it started out. Right.
E-154 Notice, wisdom and smartness… They said, “Now, looky here. Isn’t it only sensible that… Now, the–our–our women, what difference does it make how they wear their hair?” But the Bible says it does make a difference. Just take that one thing, besides the hundreds of others. See? It does make a difference. God said it made a difference, so it is a difference. But you see, if they get that started (and the Trustee Board and deacons and everything), the first thing you know the pastor either gets in or gets out. That’s all. See, it’s the people that voted it in.
E-156 All right, now notice, that spirit begin to move and the church that–that–that got so much dignitary in it, so much big things, and so much money started till after while they listened to it and fell for it, the crudeness of the devil. And that’s the very thing that Eve done in the garden of Eden. Now, you hear that; that’s right.
Look, the natural woman, Adam’s bride, before he come to her as a wife, fell for the Satan’s scheme against the Word of God by reasoning it. Before Adam lived with Eve as a wife, Satan beat him there. That’s right. You heard “The Bride Tree” I preached on, that talks of it. (See?) All right.
Now, notice, there Eve fell for reasoning. Now, he, Satan tried to reason it. And she said, “But the Lord said…”
He said, “Oh, you know, but surely the Lord won’t. See? You–you ought to be wise, you want to know something. Why, you’re nothing but a dumb child. See? You ought to know something.” If that isn’t Satan… Oh, my. If that isn’t some of these modern… See? “Oh, they’re just a bunch of holy-rollers; don’t pay no attention to them.” See? Don’t go…”
E-160 Now, the natural first bride of the human race, before her husband come to her, she fell from grace by listening to Satan’s lie after God had her fortified behind His Word. If she’d have stayed behind the Word, she’d have never fell. Now, that’s in the natural. Notice, the natural woman. And what was the curse? The actual curse of coming out from behind God’s Word…
Now, remember, she believed about ninety-eight percent of It, but you just have to let one thing go. See? She believed a whole lot of It. Oh, certainly. She said this, and Satan admit that’s right. If he can just get you on one corner, that’s all he wants. See? Only thing you have to do is give the bullet a little twist this way, and it’ll miss the target. See? That’s all. Now, she believed so much of it, but yet missed it.
E-163 Now, and the–and the results, because she left the Word for one little speck of a reason… What say now, “What about the women? or, Why do you want to talk about something like that? But any of those little things… What’s the difference whether it’s initial evidence…” It’s something to it. You got… It’s got to be straightened out. We presumed at it through seven church ages almost, but the hour has come when God speaks it. And He don’t only speak it, but He shows it, and vindicates it, and proves it. That’s right. If He doesn’t do it, then it isn’t God; that’s all. God stands behind His Word.
Notice now. Now, the natural woman caused natural death, because she listened to reason to make herself wise–make herself wise instead of staying behind the Word and doing what God told her to. She wanted wisdom and be wise, and she listened to reason, and–and she lost the whole human race. See?
E-167 Now, this time the spiritual woman, the Bride of Christ that started on the day of Pentecost with the early apostolic church, lost the same thing at the Nicaea Council. Lee, you know that’s right. At it’s at the Nicaea Council when she swapped her spiritual birthrights to take Constantine’s big churches and things that he offered them there; and she sold out her Scriptural birthrights for a bunch of Roman dogma. Now, that’s hard on the Catholic, but the Protestant has done the same thing. They’re represented in the Bible here as a daughter of the–a harlot of the whore. That’s exactly right. Every one of them… No excuses, but out of there has always been a little remnant right along that goes to make the Bride. Notice, she lost her birthright (See?), before her husband got to her (See?); before the wedding she lost her virtue.
E-170 And now, you remember over there, she said, “I sit as a queen; I have no need of nothing,” in that Laodicean Age there. “I’m rich and increased in goods,” and so forth, “and oh, the whole world looks up to me. I’m the great holy church,” and so forth. “We’re this a way.” The whole age…
And He said, “You don’t know that you’re naked, blind, miserable, wretched, poor, and don’t know it.” That’s the condition.
Now, if the Holy Spirit said the condition would be that way in the last days, it’s that way. There’s no way of getting around it. That’s the way it is.
Now, watch. Now, when she sold her birthrights back there, her virtuous right of the Word, what does she do? When Eve did it, she lost the creation; whole creation fell under her. Now, notice, and when the church did it, accepted dogmas instead of the Spirit and the Word, it cursed the whole system. Every denominational system that ever was or ever will be was cursed with it and fell, ’cause there’s no other way.
E-174 When you get a bunch of men together to figure out anything, one’s got a head this way, and one’s got a head that way, and one’s got a head this way. They put the things together, and shake it up, and when it comes out that’s what you have got us.
That’s exactly what they did at the Nicene Council. That’s exactly what they do at the Methodists, Presbyterian, Church of Christ and the rest of them. And no man, no matter what God reveals to him, you got to teach it the way their credentials–their creed–creeds said or they’ll kick you out. And don’t tell me; I been there (See?), and I know it; and that’s just exactly what’s happened, so the whole thing’s cursed.
E-176 No wonder the angel said, “Come out of her, my people, and be not partakers of her plagues.” Because she’s going to–she’s cursed, and she’s got to suffer the curse of God’s wrath upon her, because she sold her virtue and right. But oh, my. But remember, seeing all that condition, but yet God promised in Joel 2:25 (if you want to put it down), in the last days when He said, “What the palmerworm left, the caterpillar had eaten; what the caterpillar left, the–the locusts has eaten; what the locust eaten…” just on down, bug after bug have come and eat on that church until finally it wasn’t nothing but a stump.
E-178 Watch. What the Romans left, the Lutherans eaten; what the Lutherans left, the Methodists eaten; and what the Methodists left, the Pentecostals eaten (See?), until she’s down to a stump. And do you know what? You take those worms in there, that locust and caterpillar and so forth, and you chase them down through the–a–the Book, and find out it’s the same worm in just different stages.
Hold your point: So is these Seals. It’s the same worm. You’re going to see it when we bring it out, so I’ll tell you now: It’s the same worm all the time. Four of those worms, four here. And there they are the same thing; it’s the same spirit. What one left, the other eat. What this one left, the other one eat, like that, till they brought it to a stump. But Joel said, “I will restore, saith the Lord, all the years the caterpillar has eaten.”
E-182 What is it? How’s He going to do it? If it started out antichrist by being against the teaching of Christ that accepted dogma instead of Word, and through the years the reformers have plunged at it as the Bible said, “But in the last days at the sounding (Revelations 10:1-7 He said,) the mysteries of God would be finished in the last days at the sounding of the seventh angel.”
Malachi 4 said that He would send Elijah before that evil day come upon the earth, when He’d burn it like a furnace, and He would restore and to bring back the–the children to the faith of the fathers–the original apostolic Pentecostal faith which He promised to be restored. Now, that’s just as plain as Scripture can say it. Now, it’s promised. And if we’re in the last days, something’s got to happen; and it is happening, and we’re seeing it.
E-184 Notice Satan’s trinity: same person coming, just incarnate from one to the other. That’s the way them bugs did, them worms, one to the other (Exactly.), Nicolaitane, spiritual antichrist, Pope, false prophet; beast, the devil himself incarnate. He can’t do it… Now, you keep that on your mind now. When you follow this, you’re going to see these riders come right straight up to that. See, I’m laying you a picture here. If I had it on a blackboard you could understand it better. See, I’m watching.
E-186 First, now you remember this: the first thing he is, he’s an antichrist spirit. John said so. “Little children, the spirit of antichrist already working in the children of disobedience.” See, that thing had begin to start. And then it become kind of a saying in the next church age. And the next church age it was a doctrine. And the next church age she was crowned. Now, isn’t that just as plain as reading, anywhere you could read it? See?
See, there he come. Now, first he was called what? Antichrist spirit, because he was against the Word. That’s what started it. That’s exactly what done the whole thing, was turning from God’s Word. Not because Eve might’ve give Cain a spanking one day. See? That wasn’t what done it. The first thing that’s done the whole thing was that she turned from the Word. She turned from the Word. And the first thing started the prostitution in the church of the living God, Christ’s Bride, she turned from the Word and accepted Roman dogma in the stead of God’s Word. What’s happened to every organization’s did the very same thing.
E-188 Now… But promised that in the last day He would make a way to restore again. The Word of the Lord would drop upon the earth as He did it in the beginning, and alway, and will restore back what? What started it? Against the Word. And what does this fellow supposed to do when he comes anointed with God’s Spirit? He just brings the faith of the children back to the fathers. That’s how He restores.
And you get this same Word in the same place that it is here, it’s going to do the same thing. Jesus said, “If any man be of Mine… If… He that believeth in Me, the works that I do shall he do also.” And when he asked Him to do certain things, He said, “I do just what the Father showed Me. I don’t do nothing until I see it first. What I see the Father doing, that I do also. The Father worketh, and then I worketh hitherto.” See? Don’t you see it? Why, it’s just like reading a newspaper. See?
E-189 Now, now, first… Then he become an antichrist. Now, he couldn’t be antichrist, only in spirit. Then he become an antichrist, and that spirit took a man that taught the same things that that antichrist spirit was doing, and then he become a false prophet to the antichrist spirit. Now, what about a man in a organization? Suit yourself. I don’t know what you think about it. But all right.
Now, finally he becomes a beast. Now, wait; we’ll get in that in a–after while. See? All right. Now, if Satan’s trinity lays like that… Satan all the time, Satan, antichrist spirit (the antichrist spirit incarnate) false prophet, then becomes the beast. See? When–not a demon that was in that antichrist, but when Satan himself is kicked out, he comes down and takes over the place where the demon was: the devil then. Then the devil is incarnate in a man. It’s just repeating itself.
E-193 That’s what Judas Iscariot was. And what would–did he do? Was he one of the fellows that was against Christ? Why, he was the treasurer, walked with Him (Certainly.), walked right along with them, went out there, and cast out devils, and done just exactly what they did.
And Christ was the incarnate God: God incarnate in flesh, Emmanuel. And Judas was the son of perdition as Jesus was Son of God. Incarnate God, incarnate devil… Some people only sees three crosses at that time. There was four of them. There was three on Golgotha that we see. That was Jesus in the middle, a thief on His left and a thief on His right. And watch.
One thief said to the other one, or said to Jesus, “If (Now, you know He’s the Word.)…” But “If Thou be the Word, won’t you save yourself? Won’t you do something about it?” That’s the same thing today.
E-197 Haven’t you heard these old devils come, say, “If you believe in divine healing, there’s somebody with the eyes; won’t you open their eyes? Smite me blind. Smite me blind.” The same old devil… See? “Come down off from the cross; we believe you. If you be the Son of God, turn these stones into bread”: same devil. Just walk away (See?) from them; that’s the way Jesus did it. He never clown for any of them.
Put a rag over His hand–over His precious eyes like that, and they took a stick and hit Him on top the head, said, “Tell us, if you are a prophet, now tell us who hit you? (They changed the stick one to the other.) Now, tell us who hit you, and we’ll believe you are a prophet.” He never opened His mouth. He just stood there. He don’t clown. He just does as the Father says. See? Let’s them go ahead. Their time’s coming. Don’t worry. Yes, sir.
E-199 Now, they touched His garment; they felt no virtue; but a poor little woman had a need just touched His garment, and He turned around and said, “Who touched Me?” See? Said… What a different touch. It depends upon how you’re touching Him (See, see?), what you believe.
Now, you see, now as Satan is going to–has incarnate himself from antichrist to false prophet now, and in the days of the Jew, is antichrist amongst the early church… In the dark ages he become a false prophet to the world. See her there with her cup of iniquity. Now, that’s to the church age.
E-202 Now, but in the age after the Church goes home, he becomes a beast. He becomes the devil incarnate, the red dragon himself. Oh, my. Can’t you see what I mean? He’s incarnate in his people then. He’s got his people bound by his power. The false prophet has prophesied them right into it, give them over to strong delusions to believe a lie and be damned by it, denying the Word with a form of godliness.
God works His place in a trinity: justification, sanctification and incarnate Himself in His people ii the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Same thing. The devil’s just in a type after Christ. Oh, Satan incarnates himself.
E-205 Now, watch. Satan… When Jesus incarnates Himself in His people, the very Life that was in Christ is in this person. What would it do if you took the life out of a grapevine and put it in a pumpkin vine? It wouldn’t bear pumpkins no more; it’d bear grapes. See? What if you took the life out of a peach tree and put it in a pear tree? Would it bear pears? No, bear peaches. The life tells what it is. See?
When you say–hear people say they got the Holy Ghost and deny this Word, there’s something wrong. The Holy Ghost wrote that Word. And Jesus said this: “If a man has My Spirit in him, he will do My works.” You want to read that? If you want to put it down, it’s Saint John 14:12. Yeah. All right. “He that believeth in Me, the works that I do shall he do also, even more than this shall he do, for I go to the Father.” See?
Then He sanctifies and cleans him so he can stand before God. That drop of ink falls there and takes him across the chasm. See?
E-209 Now, watch. Satan, when he incarnates himself in his subjects, they do the work that he did. Don’t you see? What did he do? Come right to that innocent woman to deceive her. And that’s exactly what some of these devils do: come right into a place, and say, a little pastor gets started out somewhere come in and say, “Oh, if you just join up with us…” See? The same devil work. Now, that’s the Truth.
And when Satan become incarnate into his church, if there be a devil, then they are the ones that does the murdering and killing and so forth, because Satan is a killer in the first place, a liar and a… See?
All right, what does Satan do when he does, when he becomes incarnate amongst the people? It’s his duty to be shrewd. He is shrewd. You search the Bible, and you show me where God ever dealt with intellectual people. Hunt for it and see if it isn’t always the intellectuals that’s devil possessed. It’s a big word, but it’s true. I challenge you to take the–the lineage from Abel to Cain, and them fourteen generations, run them out, and see which ones was on the smart side and which ones was the humble ones.
E-211 Why didn’t Jesus choose such people? He got fishermen and men that couldn’t even sign their own names to put them the head of His Church. See? That’s right. Wisdom is–is nothing. It’s–it’s against Christ. Worldly wisdom is against Christ always. Jesus never did tell us go build seminaries (He never did it.), having Bible schools. He said, “Preach the Word; preach the Gospel.” And then if He said, “These signs shall follow them that believe…” See, you’ll have to have the… In other words, He said, “Go, demonstrate the power of God to all nation.”
Now, watch. Satan’s duty is to pervert the Word of God to wisdom’s reasoning. Oh, my. Oh. Then he marks his subjects by rejecting the original Word. Now, let… (Will you–will you–will you suffer with me just a little bit where we get this–this? I don’t want you to miss this.) Let me show you a type so you can see it–all in typing and Word and everything. You–you can’t… You shouldn’t go away confused.
E-214 In the Old Testament when a man had been sold to slavery, there come a year of Jubilee every fifty years (forty-ninth year and then the year of Jubilee). And when a slave heard this, and he wanted to go free, there’s–there isn’t nothing that can keep him from going free. He can throw down his hoe and say, “So-long,” go back home. The trumpet sounded. That’s right.
But if he don’t want to go, and he’s satisfied with his slave master, then he’s taken into the–the temple, and they take an awl (you know what an awl is), and they pierced his ear, and put a hole in his ear. And it’s a mark that he can never go back. Is that right? He has to serve this master for all time. I don’t care how many more times the Jubilee sounds, whatever happens, he’s absolutely has–has sold out his birthright of being free.
E-216 And when a man turns down the Gospel Truth, Satan marks him. Where? At his ear. He deafens him so he can’t hear the Truth no more. And he’s finished. My. He stays with the group that he’s with, if he won’t hear the truth. No. “You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free.” The Truth makes free.
God marks His when they come. God marks His by vindicating His promised Word through them. That’s exactly. Saint John 14:12, and another thing if you want to put down–down: Mark 16. Jesus said, “These signs shall follow them that believe.”
E-219 Now, let us just take that a minute. Was He joking? [Congregation replies “no”–Ed.] Did He just mean–did He just mean the apostles as some would tell us? [Congregation replies “no”–Ed.] Watch, read the background of it. Go ye into (where?) all the world; preach to–this Gospel to (what?) every creature.” It has not even one-third of the way have met it yet. “These signs shall follow in all the world, to every creature, wherever this Gospel’s preached. “These signs shall follow them that believe,” not just to one little handful.
Like a fellow one time tell me: “God only gave the twelve apostles gifts of healing, and…” Oh. Many of the brethren is setting here when he raised up to say that. See? He got enough of it in a few minutes. So now, notice, “All the world, to every creature, these signs shall follow.”
E-223 Don’t take Satan’s unbelieving mark. Now, he will put it on you tonight if he can do it. He will poke you up against the wall and you’ll walk out and say, “Aw, I don’t know about that.” You go home and study it. And then be sincere and pray, ’cause everything’s too–is too perfectly Scriptural at this very hour, this sacred hour of time. It’s done been for years, proved. Come right up to it and this is the hour. This is the time.
And now, don’t let him poke that in your ear, his unbelieving mark. See? ‘Cause he was an unbeliever to begin with. He doubted it. All right. Oh, don’t even let–don’t let him take the Scripture with his wisdom and–and twist It and pervert It with his own wisdom into reasoning powers. You just be humble and say, “God said so, and that’s all there is to it.” (Now, oh, let’s–we’re going to get too late, so we’d better stop right here and–and start on.)
E-227 Now, let’s go to the Second Seal. When the slain, risen Lamb opened it, and the second calf-like beast said, “Come, see what the seal mystery is.” Now, we get it. The Lamb, you remember, has to open every Seal. And the second beast… If you notice in the routine of where we just went through with the church ages–the same thing. The 2nd… First was a lion; the next was a–was a–was like a calf or ox or something. You see? And this beast said, “Come, see.” now, and–when the Lamb opened the Seal. And then, went to see.
And when he walked in, what happened? Let’s see what he found. “Come, see.” There’s a mystery sealed up here. That’s been here now for two thousand years about. Let’s see what it is. Now, we find here that he saw what? A red horse go forward.
E-230 Now, to my understanding (this to my understanding), this great sword that he had in his hand… (Now, we got about three things to look at now for about the next fifteen, twenty minutes.) Let’s just read and see what He says here.
And there went out… (4th verse)… there went out another horse that was red:… (the first one’s white)… and power was given unto him that set thereon to take peace from the earth, and… they should kill one another: and there was given to him a great sword.
E-231 Now, there’s symbols here, and we want to look at them real close. But to my understanding, the best that I know now (You see?), Jesus predicted the same thing in Matthew 24. See? He said, “Now, you are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars, and just wars and rumors of wars and wars, and…” but said, “All these ain’t yet. (See?) Time ain’t yet.”
See, they asked Jesus three questions (See?), and He answered them in three questions. There’s where a lot of our brethren got tangled up, trying to place… Or the Adventists brethren about those seventh day and so forth back there to “Woe unto her that give child that gives suck and the gates will be closed on the sabbath day” and things like that. My. That don’t even pertain to the question at all (See?), not at all. See? He was answering what they asked, but He didn’t–didn’t apply it all to the last days.
E-233 He said, “You’ll hear… (Now, we’re working on this one thing here. We’ll come to some more of it in a few nights.) Look. He said, “You’ll hear of wars and rumors of wars and so forth. Then all this is not… See, then they–they’ll go back again and they’ll deliver you up and so forth like this and all–all… That’s not right yet.” But when He got to the time when He was going to talk to them about what they asked Him about the end of the world, “When will all these things be, when there’d not be one stone left upon… What will the sign be? And when will be coming the end of the world?” See? They asked Him three things.
Then when He got down to the end of the world, He said, “When you see the fig tree putting forth its bud (See?), now you know that the time is at the door, and verily, I say unto you that this generation shall not pass until all be fulfilled.”
How the infidel without the interpretation likes to lay onto that. See? He said, “This generation,” not the generation He was talking to, the generation that seen the fig tree putting forth its bud.
E-237 Now, I just want to ask you something. Just let–just–just look at something right here in the face. Israel is now for the first time for twenty-five hundred years a nation. The oldest flag in the world is flying over Jerusalem tonight. Israel’s in her homeland.
There was a brother here one time wanted to be a missionary, felt to go missionary to the Jews. I said, “You might get one now and then.”
Oh, people thinks the whole nation… No, sir. Israel is converted as a nation, not as a person. “A nation will be borned in a day.” That’s Israel. All Israel’s saved. Just remember that. Paul said so. All Israel’s saved. Now, notice. All Israel… That’s exactly right.
E-240 Now, notice this. But He said, “When you see the fig tree and all the other trees putting forth their buds…” Now, watch. There’s never been a time for twenty-five hundred years that Israel has ever come to her homeland. We got the little show, “Three Minutes To Midnight.” There she is, a nation, the six point star of David flying, all these things.
Has there ever been a time that the denominations has had revivals like they have in the last few years? Now, just study now; we’re at home. When did the denominations ever bloom out over any man’s ministry like it has with Billy Graham’s, Methodists, Baptists, and so forth? When was there ever a man (Search down your history.) that ever went forth to the church formal by the name ending with h-a-m before? Just ask you…”A-b-e… A-b-r-a-h-a-m.” Now, look, Abraham’s name has seven letters, A-b-r-a-h-a-m, but our Brother Billy Graham has G-r-a-h-a-m, six, not seven, the world. That’s where he’s ministering to: church natural.
E-245 Church natural was Lot in Sodom, and when this fellow went down there and preached and blinded them by the Gospel, but there was One Who stayed with Abraham, and Abraham called Him “Elohim, Lord.” Now, when Abraham seen Three coming, he said, “My Lord.”
And Lot seen two coming; he said, “My lords.” There’s your difference. See your trinitarian work? See, see? Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Lot…” You see that?
E-248 Notice, count it. Now, there was one come to this church spiritual, the Bride, Abraham, that wasn’t in–in Sodom to begin with. And watch what He did. He never done no preaching like they did. He taught them, but then He done a sign before them. He done the Messiahic sign. He had His back turned to the tent, and He said, “Abraham…” Now, remember his actual name a few days before that was Abram. But He says, “Abraham, where is your wife, S-a-r-a-h?” A few days before that it was called S-a-r-r-a.
Abraham said, “She’s in the tent behind You.”
And He said, “Abraham, I (There’s your personal pronoun again.), I am going to visit you according to the promise that I’ve made you.” You see Who it was. See? A Man with dust on His clothes, eating the meat of a calf, and drinking the milk from the cow, and eating corn bread (Yes, sir.): God, Elohim, manifested in flesh: promised in the last day to manifest Himself in flesh again.
Notice. “Abraham, where is your wife, Sarah?”
“She’s in the tent behind You.”
He said, “I’m going to visit you.”
E-252 And the lady, of course, being a hundred years old, she kinda laughed up her sleeve; she did: back in the tent now, behind the curtains in the tent. She said, “Me, an old woman…” Why, it’d ceased to be with them as husband and wife for years, you know, ’cause he was a hundred years old, and–and she was ninety. Said, “Now, that will never happen.”
And he said, “Why did she laugh?” (Whew.) With His back turned to the tent. “Why did she laugh saying, ‘How can these things be?'” See, He showed him a sign.
Now, He promised us that this will repeat at the end time again. And the two men went down there and preached the Word and told them to get out of there, the place was going to burn up and so forth, and it did. And Lot staggered out, the church natural down in sin, in the mire, but yet struggling along in their organizational programs… But the Bride, that one man never went to them. He went only and called the Bride type. Now, we’re in the last days. See?
E-256 Now, notice. You said, “There God manifested in the flesh.”
Jesus said Himself, “How do you condemn Me?” Said, “Isn’t it written in your Bible, your laws, that they, the prophets, who the Word of God came to…” Jesus said the Word came to the prophets because He was Scriptural in all things. He said, “Now, the Word of God says that the Word came to the prophets, and you called them gods, for the Word of God came to them.” Said, “Then how are you going to condemn Me when I say I’m a Son of God?” with their own laws… Oh, my. There you are. See? How, where we at? We’re at the end time.
E-258 Now, listen real close now. Now, we find out that there would be wars and rumors of wars. And now we see that the fig tree’s put forth its buds, and the other trees put forth their buds, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, and all put forth their buds, a great revival going on. Now, I believe that God’s gathering the Bride for that last hour, the elect. Oh, my.
Now, notice. Let us now consider what John saw then, of these things what he saw: A red horse and his rider goes forth; power given to him to slay with a great sword.
Now, here’s my revelation of it: This is Satan again. It’s the devil again in another form. Now, we know that–that Seals pertained… (As I said the other night) and trumpets pertained to–to–to civil wars (You see?), amongst the people, or among nations. But you find out here that this man has a sword so he pertains to church political war. Now, you might not think that, but just watch it a minute, just a few minutes.
Notice the change of color of these horses: same rider. Change of color of horses… And a horse is a beast, and the beast in the Bible under a symbol represents a power. The same system riding on another color power from the innocent white to a bloody red… See? Watch him now how he’s coming.
E-263 When he first started, he was just… Well he’s just a little doctrine in the–in the–amongst called the Nicolaitanism. Of course it wouldn’t slay anything. (That’s Revelations 2:6, if you want to put it down.) He wouldn’t slay anything. It’s just a doctrine, just a spirit amongst the people. Now, he wouldn’t slay nothing.
Oh, he was so innocent riding on this white horse. “Well, you know, we can have a great worldwide church. We could call it the universal church.” They still do. All right. See? Now, “We could have… Oh, it is perfectly innocent. And, oh, it’s so innocent. It’s just a group of men. We’ll all get together for fellowship.” See, it’s very innocent; it’s white, the white horse was. See? Now.
E-264 So the dignitaries, and the better dressed, and the educated, you know, kind of like “birds of a feather,” you know, we’ll–we’ll kind of get things together. “And the poor bunch, why, if they want to stumble along, well, all right; but we–we’ll get a better class coming to our church. If we can just get ourselves pulled off right here, we’ll–we’ll be a–we’ll be a bunch of masons or so forth. You know we–we’ll just have the things fixed up–or ‘Odd Fellows,’ as they are.” And so then… Not the Odd Fellow Lodge now, but you know what I mean. So it’s odd to the real believer.
Now, but otherwise, in other words, “We want a little group, a little syndicate we can call our own. It’s just a doctrine–very innocent. Brethren, why, we have nothing against you people, certainly not. You are all right, but, you know, we feel that–that we have business and ever… We–we’d be better off if we just had ourselves together.” See? Un-huh. It finally went right on down till it happened. Yes, sir. Get together…
But when this awful deceiving spirit (Oh, man.) incarnated–incarnate spirit, this doctrine spirit became incarnated to take the place of Christ into a man, it must be worshipped then–turned to be a worship like Christ.
E-265 In other words, up over the Vatican (Now, I’ve been right there.) it’s wrote Vicarius Filii Dei, and it’s wrote in Roman numerals. Now, you just draw a line at the bottom of those Roman numerals, and it means “Instead of Son of God.” In other words, he’s a vicar. (You know what a vicar is. Just takes the place of something.) He is the vicar instead of the Son of God. And the Bible said, “Let him that has the gift of wisdom count the numbers of the beast, for it’s the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.” Now, if you take VICARIUS FILII DEI and draw a line (the Roman numbers of V for 5, I for 1) and add it up and see if you haven’t got six hundred and sixty-six.
E-267 The Bible said he would be setting in the temple of God, worship like God. When that little doctrine become a–incarnate, it become a vicar instead of the Son of God. See? Oh, my. That awful deceiving spirit. If you want to read that, read in II Thessalonians 2:3 and you can see where it’s at.
And of course, you will remember Satan is the head of all political power of every nation. How many knows that? You want to put it down? Matthew 4:8
Satan took Jesus up to a high mountain, and he showed Him all the kingdoms of the world that ever was, or ever would be in a moment of time. Talk about a person, he said, “I’ll give them to you if you’ll worship me.” And Jesus knew that He was going to fall heir to them.
E-269 That’s what they say, “Why, you bunch of poor holy-rollers…” Why, we get the world. “The meek shall inherit the earth.” What Jesus said. See, see?
Notice, Jesus knowed He would fall heir to them so He said, “Get thee hence, Satan. It’s written. (Right back with the Scripture again. See?) Thou shalt worship the Lord and Him only.” See?
Now, now, when–when he as his head demon incarnate in this super religious man (as the Bible predicts), then he unites his church and state, both of his own powers unite together. See? When the antichrist spirit went forth, it was a spirit. Then it become what? It become then… Now, watch this Seal. When the spirit went forth it was antichrist, against the teaching of Christ.
E-273 All right. The next thing did… What Christ set out for His Church to do, it was against sin. “It ought… Oh, it don’t mean that. It–it don’t mean it. That was for somebody else. That–that’s back in the–a hundred years ago back yonder. That–that ain’t for us.” See? That’s the “anti,” “against.” Then it become… Now, the rider went out; he was–he didn’t have no crown, but he was given one. That white horse… He had a bow, no arrow. See?
So then when he went forth, then after while he was given a crown, because you can’t put a crown on a spirit’s head. But when this spirit become incarnate in the second work of his–of his dispensation of his mystic… The second work he become a crowned false prophet to the working of the antichrist spirit. Now, we see him there now. Now, he becomes that when he takes that… Then he is already… Satan controls the political powers of the world.
E-276 Now, he gets into a place till he’s going to make a universal church power, taking religious power. And do you not understand, my brothers, that in–when this nation appears in the 13th chapter of Revelation, this little animal raised up like a lamb and it’s got two horns: civil and ecclesiastical power. But he done the same thing the beast did before him.
It’s strange, America is number thirteen and a woman. And strange it appears even in the 13th chapter of Revelation. We started out with thirteen stripes in the flag, thirteen stars, every–everything’s thirteen, thirteen, thirteen, thirteen all the way down; and everything’s woman, woman, woman all the way down.
E-278 And it finally end up, I predicted, a woman will control her. Remember that was thirty years ago I said it, and–and the–the seven things that I predicted, five of them’s done come to pass. And they got the man right there now to bring her in. And you voted it in through your politics there. You…
All right. So much to say, you can’t hardly get to where you want to get to. Notice now. I won’t keep you but a little bit longer, if I have to carry over tomorrow night.
E-280 Look, notice. When Satan… Now, everybody that realizes that Satan controls all political powers of the world… He said so (Matthew the 4th chapter and you get it, and the 8th verse). All the kingdoms belong to him. That’s the reason they fight, war, kill.
Now, remember, isn’t that strange? They was given this sword to kill one another. Oh, my. Notice now. Now, when he did that he did not have the ecclesiastical power yet; but he started in with a demon of a false teaching, and that teaching become a doctrine. That doctrine become car–incarnate in a false prophet, and then he went just to the right place; he never went to Israel now, he went to Rome, Nicaea, Rome.
E-284 The council was held, and they elected a head bishop. And then by doing this they united church and state together. Then he dropped his bow; he got off his white horse; he got on his red horse, for he can kill anybody that don’t agree with him. There’s your Seal. Oh, my. Same fellow. Watch him go right on into eternity yonder with it. See? Unites both his powers together, the same thing they are trying to do right now, same thing.
E-285 Today and… A strange thing, maybe you don’t understand it, but today from a Baptist group in Louisville (You heard it on the radio.) a speaker raised up and… (How many heard it? See, see? All right here you are.) They want and asking the church now that we don’t really have to, oh, just kind of join the Catholic church, but we have to kind of fellowship with them. Get… And the same time that going on in Louisville, over here God’s unfolding the Seals to His people to show us, “Don’t do it.” See them both working together. Remember, the crow and dove set on the same roost pole in the ark. Sure. Just remember.
E-286 Now, we find out he unites his power. Then when he become both state and church, the ecclesiastical, then what are you going to do? He forms his own religion, and now he can do whatever he wants to. Then he has the right to put to death whosoever will not agree with him.
That’s exactly what he did too. And he did that just exactly. And when he–he–he did it to the true saints of the living God who kept the Word and wouldn’t agree with him on his dogmas, he put them to death.
E-287 Now, Brother Lee Vayle and you teachers here of the Nicaea age and the early church, I don’t know if you read this or not. If you want to read it, you get in Smuckers’ “Glorious Reformation” and you find it that when Saint Augustine of Hippo become a priest under the Roman church, had the opportunity to one time the Holy Spirit tried to come on him, and he rejected It. How many knows that, as a teacher? So he rejected the Holy Spirit.
That’s exactly what a type of the Protestant church today that’s rejected the Holy Ghost. He went back down to Hippo, and he was the very one that signed that–that paper that had the revelation from God that it was all right and pleasing God to put every person to death that didn’t believe with the Roman Catholic church.
E-289 Now, listen, I am quoting from the Martyrology: “From the time of–of Saint Augustine of Hippo until 1586 on the Roman martyrology, the Roman Catholic church put sixty-eight million Protestants to death.” Was his sword red? Was he riding a red horse? What was it? The same power, the same rider. There’s the Seal. They admit sixty-eight million on the martyrology besides all those put to death outside of that. Oh, mercy. During the dark ages there were millions fed to lions and slaughtered in every way, because they wouldn’t bow down to that Catholic dogma. You know that.
E-290 How much time you got? All right, let me read something. Turn with me; now let me show you something. Let’s–let’s picture this thing just a minute. Just happened to come on my mind, and we’ll just read it. Let’s turn over in Revelations to the 17th chapter of Revelations. We still got fifteen minutes more. All right. Now, listen real real close now as we read. You who have your Bibles can turn; I’m going give you just a little time so that you’ll get it.
Did you get that, Lee? In Smuckers’ is where I got it. See? “Glorious Reform,” that taken straight out of the martyrology of Rome at the Vatican. Now…
E-292 That was down to the persecution of Saint Patrick’s people. And then they call Saint Patrick their–their saint. Saint Patrick was about as much Catholic as I am; and you know how much I am. He–he detested the doctrine of the church. He refused to go to the pope. Yes, sir.
Saint Patrick even… Why, you ought–did you ever go up in Northern Ireland where he had his schools? You know his name wasn’t Patrick. How many knows that? His name was Sucat. That’s right. Lost his little sister. You remember when they were… See?
E-293 All right. Now, notice: 17th chapter of Revelation. Now, everybody just try to open your heart and let the Holy Spirit teach you now.
… there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the–had the seven vials,…
Now, you see there’s seven vials; you know these sevens as we are going through. They all happen right at the same time, following the plagues, following the church ages just the same, ’cause it is all sealed up into that one Book, everything, and everything happens just in rotation, and one goes right into the other, and the other into the other. There’s two spirits a working: God and the devil. See?
… which had the seven last vials, and he talked with me, saying…, Come here; and I will shew thee–unto thee the judgment of the great whore that setteth upon many waters:
E-295 Now, look here, over here. That waters… Whore, what is that? That’s a woman. Can’t be a man. And what is the woman symbol in the church–in the Bible? Church. Why? Christ’s Bride and so forth (You see?), it’s woman, the church.
Now, “waters,” what does that mean? Watch here. Read the 15th verse of it there.
And he said unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore setteth, are peoples,… multitudes,… nations, and tongues.
This church is ruling over the whole world (See?) “set upon many waters.”
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,… (Spiritual fornication is taking her doctrine–Nicolaitane doctrine.)… and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication… (Boy, you talk about a drunken bunch on it. You…)
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman…
E-300 And did you know what, the Catholic’s own writing admit this is their church? How many knows that? Right in their own writing, I got “Facts of our Faith” it’s called that. See? Belongs to a priest. All right. All right.
And so he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman setting upon a scarlet clothed beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Now, just watch that, that symbol, that seven-heads. Now, you see here, said,… “And the–and the–and the–the heads which thou sawest are seven hills on which the woman setteth.” Rome sits on seven hills. See? Now, there’s no mistake about it. See? Seven heads and ten horns. You know are ten Kingdoms, and so forth.
And the woman was arrayed in purple… scarlet clothed,… decked in gold and precious stones… pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations–abomination of the filthiness of her fornication:
That antichrist spirit, fornication (See?) teaching, that committing adultery with God. See? Now, she’s supposed to be a bride (See?), and committing adultery (See?); see just like Eve did–just like the church does there. See?
E-302 And upon her… head was written–a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT… (And anybody knows Babylon’s Rome.)… THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
And… (Listen to the 6th verse.)… And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
She was such a beautiful thing with crosses and everything on her; how in the world could she be the guilty of drinking the blood of the saints. It puzzled him. Now, he’s going to tell him.
And the angel said unto me, Wherefore does thou marvel? I’ll tell thee the mystery of the woman, and… the beast that carried her,… (Now, this is not under one of the Seals. This is something else. See?)… And he said… the seven heads and the ten horns.
The beast… thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit,… (has no foundation, the pope)… and shall go into perdition: and they that dwell upon the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the Lamb’s book of life… (There’s the elected. See?)… life from the foundation of the world,… (How, when was your name put on the Book of Life? At that revival you attended? No, sir. From the foundation of the world.)… when they beheld the beast that was, he is not, and yet is.
See, the beast. One will die; another one take his place. He was; he was not; he was; he was not; was; he was not, and she’s go plumb into perdition that way. See? All right.
E-308 And here is–and here is the mind which hath wisdom… (How many knows there’s nine spiritual gifts, and one of them are wisdom? All right.)… The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman setteth. (Oh, you’d have to be totally blind, deaf and dumb not to get that. All right.)
… there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is… (Nero)… and… one is… to come; and when he cometh, he must continue just a short space.
You remember what he done: burnt the city and laid it on to the Christians, and put his mother on a single tree of a horse and run her through the streets, and fiddled while Rome burned. All right.
And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth,…
Pagan Rome brought into papal Rome, when the incarnate antichrist spirit become incarnate and was crowned, he was made a crowned king of Rome, both in state and church together. Oh, brother. See? It’s just full of it. See?
… is… the seventh, and he goeth… (How long does he last? They never change the system.)… to perdition.
… the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kings–kingdoms as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. (That’s dictators, you see, of course.)
These have one mind,… (Now, look here. And they talk about Communism.)… These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he’s Lord of lord, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, chosen, and faithful.
And he said unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore setteth, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.
E-313 … the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore… (When that covenant is broken, we talked about last night)… and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
Don’t you know the Bible says the shipmasters and everything else said, “Alas, alas, that great city… how it’s met its doom in one hour.” See?
For God has put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdoms over to the beast, until the word of God shall be fulfilled.
… the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over all the kings of the earth.
E-315 Tell me one… Russia don’t reign over all; we don’t reign over all. There’s only one king that reigns over every… like that Nebuchadnezzar’s iron running out to every one of them toes, that it’s Rome. Rome don’t do it as a nation; it does it as a church.
Every nation under heaven is to Rome. No wonder he said, “Who can make war with him?” He can say “peace” that settles it. Every Catholic says “Don’t fight.” and he… They don’t fight. That’s all. Who is able to do what he can do? Nobody. That’s right. So they wondered at the miracles he could do. He can stop war. The only thing he has to do is just say, “Stop.” That’s all. But you think he will do it? Certainly not.
E-317 Notice. That sure show… They should kill one another; they should kill each other. His bow had no arrows at first, but his great sword did. He done his killing later and changed from white horse to a red horse, the same exactly devil with his sword.
What did Jesus say? Jesus said, “They that take the sword will perish by it.” Don’t fight back. See? Jesus that night when He told–said that and Peter took his sword. See? Just–just do like He did; just go ahead.
E-319 Now, now, remember he’s got a sword. He’s going forth a sword in his hand, riding red horse, wading through the blood of everybody that disagrees with him. Now, do you understand it? How many understands what that Seal is now? All right. Now, what did Jesus say? “They that take the sword will perish by the sword.” Is that right? All right.
All right. This rider and all his kingdom subjects that are slain down through the age that’s drawed all this blood of the martyrs of the saints will be slain by the sword of Jesus Christ when He comes. “They that take the sword will be slain by the sword.” They took the sword of dogma and antichrist and cut down the real true worshippers all down through the ages by the millions, and when Christ comes with the Sword (For it is His Word that proceeds out of His mouth.), He will slay every enemy there is before Him. You believe it? “Kill the enemy…”
E-321 Let’s go over here just a minute. Revelations… We’ll see now if I’m just saying that or whether the Word says it: Revelations 19:11.
And I saw heaven opened,… (Amen.)… and behold a white horse; and he that set on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he did judge and make war.
His eyes were… the flames of fire, and on his head… many crowns;… (Oh, brother. See, He’s done been crowned by his saints. You see?)… and he had a name written, that no man knew, but himself. (You remember, we–we can’t–we don’t know that, see? what it is.)
And he was clothed… (Let’s see.)… And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called… (not “is,” but called)… The Word of God.
For He and the Word is the same. See? Now, notice, not His names, His Name; called Word of God. He only knows one Name, no other Name.
And the armies… of heaven… which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (That’s the righteousness of saints. See?)
E-325 Now, watch. What did Jesus say? “He that takes the sword…” All right, red horse rider, here where she’s coming. “He that takes the sword…” You might have killed sixty-eight million of them down through these ages since then, maybe more, but Jesus said, “He that takes the sword will perish by it.” Watch.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword…
Hebrews the 4th chapter said, “The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, cutting even to the marrow of the bone.” And what else does the Word do? It’s a discerner of the thoughts of the heart. That’s right.
… out of his mouth goeth a sharp two-edged–a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he tread the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.
And he had on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KING, AND LORD OF LORD.
E-327 As the impostors against the Word of God, and because they wouldn’t agree… And this thing, Satan placed, united the political powers which he held and the spiritual powers which he held together and made a church that sweeps into every nation; and he’s put millions times millions (after he had jumped off from his white horse onto his red horse), and he took his sword and went forth; but God said with the same thing that he perverted, or tried to–the false teaching, that same Word will rise in power, coming forth from the lips of Jesus Christ, and it shall slay him and everything before him. Amen.
E-329 There’s the Second Seal. Do you love Him? Oh, my. That’s THUS SAITH THE LORD. Praise be to God.
If all these other revelations and visions and everything has hit just exactly on the–on the point… And how many knows that, raise your hand. Hundreds, everybody here with their hands up. That’s right. So shall this be. Remember, it’s so.
Oh, friend, come to the fountain that’s filled with Blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins; where sinners plunged beneath the flood, lose all their guilty stain.
Come believe on Him if you’ve never… Don’t take any chance. Don’t–don’t… If there’s anything in your life, friend, we’re here…
E-331 Something is fixing to happen. I don’t know why; I don’t know when. I know what’s going to happen, but I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but it’s bound to be, because He is revealing it right now. He doesn’t do anything ‘less He makes it known (Amos 3). He makes it known first, and He promised that these things would come in the last days, and the seventh church age, at the end of it, when the messenger’s arrived, there it would be.
It would be revealed; those broken Seals will be revealed; and here they are. Now, that is in the Name of the Lord. Believe it, friend. Yes, sir. Come out of Babylon.
I want to say something before closing, ’cause I got–I’m getting just nine-thirty; just right now time.
Billy and I, when we got off of the plane in India, our last trip there, I was looking at a–a paper that they brought, was written in English. And it said, “The earthquake must be over; the birds are coming back,” then it give the details. They… There’s something funny happened.
E-334 India don’t have woven fences like we do; they pick up rocks and make their fences, and they build a lot of their houses out of rocks, just place them up there and it’s warm there around, oh, anywhere pretty near in India, ‘less just in the mountains. And all down through Calcutta and things, the people just lay on the streets, starving to death, so forth.
Now, so, and they build their houses and towers of their house. They run the fence right up here at the side their house, build the tower for the house, and the tower maybe, where they got their well, they dug it for their cattle and things, then run their fences around.
E-336 And all at once something begin to happen. The little birds, you know, go into those rocks, and they build their nest and raise their young ones; and something begin to happen.
Every day when it would get hot, all the cattle will come around and stand under the shadow of those walls, keep cool. And all the little birds live in those places; and all of a sudden, all them little birds, for some unknown reason… (Now, you know what we said the other day about little birds. See?) Some unknown reason, they all took off; and they went out and didn’t come back to their nests. They went out in the field, and they set in the tree, wherever they could get, right on the ground.
The cattle wouldn’t come around. The sheep wouldn’t come around. They stayed right out in the field and hugged up against one another, a good way to do. They knew that something was going to happen. Then all of a sudden a earthquake took place, and shook the walls down, the fences down, and everything else.
Then the little birds begin to come back. Didn’t come back for three or four days, then begin to come back. They said, “Well, the earthquakes must be over now; the birds are coming back.”
E-342 Why? Don’t you believe that the same God that could make them birds and cattle and sheep in the days of Noah go into the ark, He is still the same God that can make them fly to safety? Is that right?
Now, let me say something, brethren. There’s something fixing to happen, and all these big old ecclesiastical walls are going to collapse and go right back over yonder and agree, ’cause they are going to do it as certain as I’m standing here. There’s an image to that beast just as certain as I’m standing here, and this nation took it according to the Word of the Lord.
Listen, when you feel that little funny feeling, you get away from them walls. Get away; you’ll die in there. Don’t do it. Come out of it. Get away from all this stuff. Flee to safety as quick as you can. Ask God for mercy.
Don’t just take some, “Well, my mother was Methodist, so I suppose I’ll be.” “My papa was Baptist, I’ll be.” Don’t you do that. Don’t you–don’t you take any chance. I don’t care how simple and humble it seems; it’s the Word of the Lord. You flee to Jesus Christ just as quick as you can, and stay there until God fills you with His Holy Spirit, for the hour’s going to come when you’re going to hunt for it and it won’t be there. So be sure to do it.
E-345 Let’s bow our heads just a moment. Heavenly Father, oh, I just sometimes, Lord, stand here, and I tremble. I think of that awful hour that’s approaching, and I… There’s no way to stop it. It’s predicted that it would come. Now, I’ve thought of why don’t the people come and–and–and listen, and why don’t they come and accept it? But of course I know that–that You–You said they wouldn’t, so they won’t. But there is some that’s got their names written on the Lamb’s Book of Life, and when them Seals are throwed open there, they see their name there, and the Holy Spirit speaks to them; they come.
You can’t keep them away. No one can: no one. They’re coming anyhow because You’re leading them like You did those little birds and the sheep and the cattle. Thou art God. Some instinct that them animals have that they know that they must get away…
If instinct to an animal could warn him to flee from danger, what should the Holy Spirit do to a church that claims to be filled with it? God, be merciful to us.
Forgive us all, Lord, of our short comings. We don’t mean to stand here in this pulpit and let these people stand around walls, and their limbs a-aching, and then just go away and say, “Well, that sounds very good.”
E-348 Lord, we want to do something about it. We–we want You to search our heart, and if there’s anything wrong, Lord, let us know now. Please don’t let us come to that hour yonder when it’s too late. Search me; try me, Lord. Here I stand here by the grace of God seeing those Seals broke down there and come telling the people, when You predicted it would happen this way weeks ago. And now, Father, here it is right before us.
Now, Lord, try me. Search me. Search me in my heart. Lord, we don’t–we–we want You to look into our lives, and if there’s anything in there that’s not right, just speak it to us, Lord. We want to make it right, right now, right now while there is a fountain filled with Blood, while there is a–a Bleach that can cleanse our sins and unbelief. We want to plunge our souls beneath that, all of our unbelief…
E-350 God, help our unbelief. Take it away from us, Lord. We want to receive rapturing grace. We want to be able when that mysterious thunder thunders out yonder, and the Church is taken up, we want to be ready to receive it, Lord. Grant it. Try us, Lord, by Thy Word. Let us look into It, and if we see that we have failed…
If there are those here, Lord, who were baptized in titles, knowing nothing about the real true baptism, may I be as faithful as Paul when he passed through the upper coast of Ephesus and he found disciples screaming and shouting and having a glorious time. He said unto them, “Have you received then the Holy Ghost since you believed?” They know not whether there be any. He said, “Then to what was you baptized?” And they’d been baptized by that glorious holy prophet, but they only baptized unto repentance; then they were rebaptized in the Name of Jesus Christ. And Paul commanded them to be baptized over again.
E-354 Lord, in the Light of Your Word, I command every person that’s not baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ to hasten to the water quickly while you have a chance. You who have not been filled with the Holy Ghost, I command you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ; fall to your knees and don’t get up until the Holy Spirit has sanctified you thoroughly and filled you with His love and goodness until your soul is so satisfied in the Presence of God that your whole desire is to serve Him and walk for Him and work with Him all the rest of your life. Grant it, I pray, that God will give you this charge, in Jesus Christ’s Name.
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me (Do you really love Him? Now, put your hands up.)
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary’s tree.
E-357 [Brother Branham begins humming, “I Love Him.”–Ed.] If there’s any setting that feels their need tonight, feels that they need to be baptized, or needs the baptism of the Holy Spirit… You know your need; it’s been revealed to you, and you want to be remembered in prayer. There’s none of us can give it to you, only we can baptize you; but the only thing, we can’t give you the Holy Spirit. God does that alone, but you feeled your need that God is speaking to your heart that you need It, and you want us to remember you in prayer, would you stand up so we could know you–know who you are? God bless you. The Lord bless you.
I guess there’s hundred and fifty, maybe, standing in here, or maybe it’s like that if I can see all. I don’t know what’s in the rooms and around outside holding their hands up, so forth, but you have a need, now, let’s pray.
E-359 Now, you who see those people that’s standing by you and they’re standing as a witness before Christ, “I–I–I need You, Lord. I need You. I–I’m trusting I–I’m one of those that’s going to find my name tonight behind that seal yonder that was put on there from the foundation of the world. Something struck my heart and I’m standing, Lord, is it me? Are You calling me? I want You to reveal to me my name over there. Fill me and seal me into Yourself by the Holy Ghost.” You who’ve already been sealed in, I want you to raise up, turn around to them and lay your hands upon them to pray for them. Now, be deadly sincere.
E-360 Heavenly Father, in the Name of the Lord Jesus let the great Holy Spirit move upon this audience as a rushing wind a fall into every heart here, Lord, and send down the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon these people. And there’s water waiting… While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them that heard the Word, they were all filled with the Holy Ghost…
[The balance of Brother Branham’s prayer is not clear–Ed.]
The Ephesian Church Age
E-1 Let us bow our heads now for prayer. Our heavenly Father, we thank Thee tonight for this another opportunity to come to worship You. We are thankful to be alive and to have this great revelation of Eternal Life dwelling within us. And we’ve come tonight, Father, to study Thy Word together: these great hidden mysteries that’s been hid since the foundation of the world; and the Lamb is the only One that can reveal it to us. I pray that He will come among us tonight, and will take of His Word, and reveal It to us, that we might know how to be better servants to Him in this end time.
O God, as we see that we are now in the end time, help us to know our place, Lord, and our frail being and the certainty of the coming of the Lord soon. We ask it in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
I believe it was David said, “I was happy when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.” It’s always a great privilege to come; and in the studying of the Word together gives us this great hope.
E-3 Now there’s many standing, and I’m just going to hurry as quick as possible. But I trust that you have enjoyed the Presence of the Holy Spirit like I have in these last couple of times. And today I had something to happen that I haven’t had for a long time. I was studying on this–on this revelation here, on the opening of the Seal.
Years ago I run through it here, about some twenty years ago I guess, or something like that, but somehow or another I never was just exactly satisfied. It seemed like there was some things especially in these Seals, because those Seals are the entire Book. See? It’s the Book. The whole Book is one Book sealed. It starts…
E-6 For instance if I had something here–I’d show you what I mean. Here is one seal. That’s one… And you roll it up like this–the way it was rolled. And you roll it up in this manner, and at the end there is a little piece sticking out like that. That’s the First Seal. All right. Then that’s the first part of the Book. Then the next seal is rolled in this manner, right by the side of it, and it’s rolled up in this manner like here and then at the end, right here, there’s another sticking out, means two seals. And that’s the way the whole Bible was wrote, in scroll. And so to break these Seals, it opens the mysteries of the Book.
E-8 Did you get to study in Jeremiah, how he wrote that, many of you taken it down last night? How them Seals were wrote and placed away for keeping until he returned after seventy years of the captivity. He was to return back and claimed his possession. And I certainly like to study it. You can’t… There’s no way to express it all, because it’s an eternal Word. It’s an eternal Book.
And therefore, we just have to kindly hit the high places. And today in studying, I have written down many Scriptures so you can study it. And also in the tapes will reveal much of it as you study. And…
E-9 There are so many things. If I could just stand here at the platform and reveal it to you the way it’s revealed to me in the room, my, it would be marvelous. But when you get here, you’re pressed, and you just kind of jump over the things and try to just get the main part to the people that they might see it.
E-11 I certainly appreciate that song Brother Ungren just sang: “Down From His Glory.” If He hadn’t have come from His glory, where would we all be tonight? So we’re thankful that He come down to help us.
E-12 Now, with many standing, we’ll just hurry right through in here to the best we can. I don’t say, we’re going to hurry right through, but I mean we’re going to get started as quick as possible.
And now, let us turn now, after the… We’ve had the 1st chapter, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, and 5th last night, and tonight we’re starting on the 6th chapter of Revelation.
Now, as we study this chapter we are referring different places even to Old and New Testament alike, because the entire Book is the revelation of Jesus Christ. See? That’s altogether the revelation of–of the Lord Jesus: the revelation of Jesus Christ. It’s God revealing Himself in the Book, revealing Himself through Christ in the Book. And Christ is the revelation of God. He come to reveal God, because He and God were the same. God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.
In other wise, you’d never knowed just what God was until He revealed Himself through Christ; then you can see.
I used to think years ago that maybe God was angry with me, but Christ loved me. Come to find out, it’s the same Person. See? And Christ is the very heart of God.
E-16 And now as we study this; you’re comparing it now… The first three books of the Bible of Revelations (which we have pretty thoroughly combed that) is the church ages, the–the Seven Church Ages. Now, there’s seven church ages, seven seals, seven trumpets, and vials, and–and unclean spirits like frogs, and all this goes together. My, how I’d like to have a–a great big map and draw it all across the way I see it, you know; just how that each one takes its place. I drawed it out on a little sheet of paper, but I–you know… And everything so far hit just exactly right. And with the time and the ages as they have come and gone and everything has blended in just perfectly right. So it may not altogether be right, but it’s the best that I know about it anyhow. And… I know if–if I do my best, and I make a mistake in trying to do my best, and the best that I know of, God surely will forgive me for doing–for the error if I have done wrong. But…
E-18 Now, those first three books is the first seven church ages, and then we find out in the 4th chapter of Revelations John is caught up. See? We see the churches… There’s not too much said about the church ages. There’s where I think that people are going to be so surprised. They’re–they’re–they’re applying the church way over into the tribulation to those things that’s a-happened. And as I said Sunday (yesterday), “The first thing you know those tribulations will break in, and you’ll wonder why was not the–the first coming was the rapture. And it’ll be as it has been; it’s passed and you didn’t know it.” See?
Now, there’s not too much promised to that Church, that Gentile Church, the Bride.
E-19 Now, I want you to bear in mind, there is a church and a Bride. See? You always have to make it run in threes. Fours is wrong: threes: threes, sevens, tens, twelves, twenty-fours, and forties, and fifties, in those unbroken numbers. The Bible is… And God runs His messages in–in num–in num–numerals of the Bible in those numbers. And you get something that flies off of one of those numbers, you’d better watch. It won’t come out right on the next things. You got to bring it back here to where you start from.
E-21 Brother Vayle, Brother Lee Vayle, he–he… I think he’s here. We were talking the other day about people who, getting off the track. It is just like shooting a target. If that gun is perfectly balanced, perfectly trained and sighted, it’s got to hit the target unless that barrel moves, or twists, or vibrations throws it off and wherever–or a wind puff. Wherever it starts off at, there’s only one way to do, is come back to where it left the track and start again, if it’s going to hit the target. If it doesn’t, why, it just doesn’t hit the target.
E-22 And that’s the way in studying Scripture, I believe. If we find out we start something here, and it doesn’t come out right, you see it isn’t–we–we’ve made a mistake somewhere; you got to come back. You’ll never figure it with your mind. It just isn’t… We just found out by the Scriptures that there’s no man in heaven or in earth, or beneath the earth, or ever was, or ever will be that can do it. The Lamb alone can do it. So seminary explanation, whatever it might be, is just nothing. See? It takes the Lamb to reveal it. That’s all. So we trust that He will help us.
E-24 John caught up in the 4th chapter to see things which was, which is, and which is to come. But the Church finishes at the 4th chapter, and Christ takes up the Church, caught up in the air to meet Him, and does not appear again until the 19th chapter when He comes back with–as King of king and Lord of lords with the Church. And now… Oh, I hope someday that we can get through it all, maybe before He comes. If we don’t, we’ll see it anyhow; so it doesn’t matter.
E-25 Now, in this 5th chapter, the breaking of these Seals… And now, the seven-sealed Book… First we want to read the First Seal. Last evening (to background just a little more) we find out that when John looked and seen that Book still in the hands of the original Owner, God… You remember how it was lost? By Adam. He forfeited the Book of Life for the knowledge of Satan and lost his inheritance, lost everything, and no way for redemption.
Then God, made in the likeness of men, came down and become a Redeemer to us to redeem us. And now, we find out that in days passed by, these things which was mysterious is to be opened up to us in the last days.
E-28 Now, we find out also in this, that as soon as John heard this announcement for the–the Kinsman Redeemer to come forth and to make His claims, there was no man that could do it. No man in heaven, no man in earth, no man beneath the earth, and no one was worthy even to look at the Book. Just think of that: no person at all worthy even look at it. And John just started weeping.
He knowed that all… There was no chance for redemption then. Everything was failed, and quickly we find his weeping stopping quickly, because it was announced by one of the four beasts–or the elders, rather. One of the–the elders said, “Don’t weep, John, for the Lion of the tribe of Juda has prevailed,” in other words, “overcome and has conquered.”
E-31 John turning, he saw a Lamb coming out. It must’ve been bloody and cut and wounded. It had been slain, the–said–it–a Lamb that had been slain, and ‘course it was still bloody. If you’d have cut the lamb and–and killed it the way that Lamb was anyhow, it was hacked to pieces on a cross, spears in the side, and nails in the hands and feet, and thorns over the brow. He was in an awful condition. And this Lamb come forth and went over to Him that set upon the Throne that held the complete Title Deed of Redemption; and the Lamb goes and takes the Book out of the hand of Him that set upon the Throne and was–took and opened the Seals and opened the Book.
And then when that happened, we found out that it must have been a great a–a something took place in heaven, for the elders and the four and twenty elders, and the beasts, and–and everything in heaven begin to cry out, “Worthy.” And here come the Angels and poured out the vials of the prayers of saints. The saints under the altar screamed out, “Worthy art Thou, O Lamb, for You have redeemed us, and now You have made us kings and priests, and we shall rule on the earth.” Oh, my. And that soul was… He… to open that Book…
E-33 You see the Book actually was planned and written before the foundation of the world. This Book, the Bible was really written before the foundation of the world. And Christ, being the Lamb, was slain before the foundation of the world. And the–the members of His Bride, their names were put in the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world, but it’s been sealed up. And now it’s being revealed whose names were in there, all about it. What a great thing. And John, when he saw it, he–he said, “Everything in heaven, everything underneath the earth, everything heard him saying, ‘Amen, and blessings and honor.'” He just really was having a great time, and–for the Lamb was worthy.
E-35 And now, the Lamb is standing now tonight as we enter into this 6th chapter; He’s got the Book in His hand and starting to reveal it. And, oh, I would’ve absolutely today… And I hope that people are spiritual. I would’ve had a horrible mistake on that if it hadn’t been about twelve o’clock today when the Holy Spirit came in the room and corrected me on something that I was writing down to say.
I was taking it from an old context. I had nothing on it. I don’t know what the Second Seal is no more than nothing, but I’d got some old contexts of something that I’d spoke on several years ago and wrote it down, and I’d gathered this context–context… And Dr. Smith, many great outstanding teachers that I–I’d gathered, and all of them believed that, so I’d wrote it down. And I was fixing to say, “Well, now I’ll study it from that standpoint.” And there about twelve o’clock in the day the Holy Spirit just swept right down into the room, and the whole thing just opened up to me, and there it was…?… of this–of this First Seal being opened.
E-38 I’m as positive as I’m standing here tonight that this is the Gospel Truth that I’m going to tell you about. I just know it is. Because if a revelation’s contrary to the Word, then it isn’t revelation. And you know, there’s some of the stuff can look so absolutely true, and yet isn’t truth. See? It looks like it is, but it isn’t.
E-40 Now, we find the Lamb with the Book now. And now, in the 6th chapter we read.
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of a thunder, and one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that set on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
E-41 Now, that’s the First Seal, the one we’re going to try by the grace of God to explain it tonight by the very best… And I realize that a man trying to explain that is walking on dangerous grounds, if you don’t know what you’re doing. See?
So if it comes to me by revelation, I’ll tell you so. If I just have to take it through my own mind, then I–I’ll tell you it’s that before I talk about it.
But I’m just as positive as I’m standing here tonight, that it come afresh to me today from the Almighty. I’m not prone to just saying things like that when it comes to this part of the Scripture. I–I–I’m–I hope you know what I’m talking about now. See?
Now, you know, you can’t say things if something’s supposed to be laying over here before it happens. You–you can’t say it till something lays it over there. See? But are you reading; are you listening to something? See?
E-43 Now, the seven-seal, roll Book is now being released by the Lamb. We approach that place tonight. God help us. As the Seals are broken and released, the mysteries of the Book are revealed. Now, you see, this is a sealed Book. Now, we believe that, do we not? We believe that it is a sealed Book. Now, we never knowed this before, but it is. It’s sealed with Seven Seals; that is, on the back of the Book the Book is sealed with Seven Seals.
E-45 If we was talking about this kind of book, it would be like putting a strap across it, seven straps. But it isn’t this kind of a book; it’s a scroll. And then when the scroll is unwound, that’s one; then laying right in the scroll is number two, and right here it says what it is, but it’s a mystery. But yet we have probed in it; but remember, the Book is sealed, and the Book is a Book of mystery of revelation. It is the revelation of Jesus Christ (See?), a Book of revelation. And now, you know down through the age, man has probed and tried to get into that. We all have.
E-47 And yet, one time I remember… If–if Mr. Bohanon happened to be present, or–or some of his people, I–I don’t mean it by any insult. Mr. Bohanon is a bosom friend, and he was the superintendent of the Public Service when I was working there. When I first got saved, I was telling him about reading on the Book of Revelations, and he said, “I tried to read that thing,” he said. And Mr. Bohanon was a fine man, and he–he was a member of the church. And–and I don’t know what all he belonged to, but he said, “I think that John must’ve had a red pepper supper that night and went to bed on a full stomach.”
E-48 I said to him (although it could’ve cost my job), I said, “Aren’t you ashamed to say that?” And I was just a boy, but I said, “Aren’t you ashamed to say that about the Word of God?” See? Yet, I was just a kid no more than my early, maybe twenty-one, twenty-two years old, and work scarce, and the depression on, but yet there was a fear in there when I slanted–heard any slant toward God’s Word. It is Truth, all Truth.
So it was not even a dream or a nightmare; it wasn’t John eat. He was on the Isle of Patmos because he tried to put the Word of God into a book form and was exiled there by the Roman government, and was on the island on the day of the Lord, and he heard behind him a voice of many waters and turned to look, and he saw seven golden candlesticks. And there stood the Son of God in between them.
E-50 Now, and then the Book is a revelation. So “a revelation” is “something that’s made known of something–something that’s been revealed.” And now, notice, so you won’t forget it: It is closed up until the latter time. See? The whole mystery of it is closed up until the latter times; we find that in the Scripture here.
E-51 Now, the mystery of the Book are revealed when the Seals are broken. And when the Seals completely are broken, the time of redemption is over, because the Lamb left the intercession post to walk out to take His claims. He was a Mediator between that, but when the real revelation happens on the Seals as they begin to break, the Lamb is coming forth from the sanctuary. It’s according to the Word. We read it last night. He come from the–out of the midst and took the Book. So He’s no more Mediator, because even they called Him a Lion, and that’s the–that’s the King, and He’s not a Mediator then.
E-52 Although the actors of these Seals begin at the first church age… Now, remember, so you’ll–you’ll–we’ll get the background of it thoroughly if we can, or as thoroughly as possible. The actors… I’ll place it like that, because an–an actor is a man who changes masks. See?
And in this act tonight, we’re going to see that it’s Satan changing his mask. And all actors… Christ, acting the part as He did when He become from a Spirit to man, He only put on an actor’s garment, human flesh, and came down in the form of a man in order to be a Kinsman Redeemer.
E-55 Now, now, you see, it’s only an actor’s form. That’s the reason they are all in parables and sym–and the way they are here like beasts, and animals, so forth; it’s in a act. And these actors begin in the first church age, because it was Christ revealing Himself to the seven church ages. Now, you understand it? All right. See? Christ revealing Himself to the seven church ages, then through these church ages, there’s a great mess-up comes along. Then at the end of the church age, the seventh angel’s message is to pick up these lost mysteries and to give it to the Church. See? Now, we’ll notice that.
E-57 But the–not then revealed in their true state. Now, in the Bible times, the mysteries were there, and they seen these things happen the way John saw it here. Now, he said, “There is a white horse rider.” But what the mystery of it is, there’s a mystery that goes with that rider. Now, what it was, they didn’t know; but it’s to be revealed. But it is to be revealed after the Lamb leaves the Father’s throne of His intercessory as Kinsman Redeemer.
E-58 I’m going to drop a little something in here. Now, if anybody gets these tapes… Any man can speak whatever he wants to. He has a right to–to anything of his conviction. But if, you know, if a minister doesn’t want this amongst his people, then tell them not to take it. But I–I… This is amongst the people that I have been sent to speak to; therefore, I must reveal what is the Truth. See?
E-59 Now, the Lamb in the time of intercessory back here, He knew that there were names in there that was put in there from the foundation of the world, and as long as them names have never been manifested on earth as yet, He had to stay there as Intercessor. Do you get it? Perfectly predestination… See?
All right, He had to stay there, because He came to die for those that God had ordained to Eternal Life. See, see? By His foreknowledge He saw them, not by His own will. His will was that none should perish, but by His foreknowledge He knew who would and who would not.
Therefore as long as there was one name hadn’t never yet been clared–declared in earth, Christ had to stay there as an Intercessor to take care of that name. But as soon as that final name had been splashed in that Clorox or bleach, then His intercessory days was over. “Let him that’s filthy be filthy still. Let him that’s holy, he’s holy still.” See? And he leaves the sanctuary, and then it becomes a judgment seat. Woe unto those outside of Christ then.
E-61 Now, notice: But it’s to be revealed when the Lamb leaves His intercessory place from the Father. (Now, that’s Revelation 5). Now, He takes the Book of Seals, the Book of Seals or a Book sealed with Seals, breaks them and shows them (look) at the end of the age now, after the intercessory is over; the church ages has done finished up. He come in the first age, the Ephesian Age, revealed, sent the messenger. Notice what happened as we go along.
Here’s the plan of it: The first thing happens, there is a–a–an announcement in the heavens first. What happened? A Seal is opened. What is that? A mystery is unfolded. See? And when a mystery unfolds, then a trumpet sounds. It declares a war. Or a plague falls, and a church age opened. See? What is the war part? The angel of the Church catches the mystery of God, not fully yet revealed, but when he does, he catches this mystery of God, and then he goes forth to the people (after the mystery has been given to him), goes forth to the people. What does he do out there? He begins to proclaim that message, and what does it start? A war, a spiritual war.
E-65 And then God takes His messenger with the elect of that age, and lays them away asleep, and then He drops a plague upon them who rejected it: a temporary judgment. And then, after that is over, then he goes on, and they denominate, and bring in denominations, and start off with that man’s work like of–of Wesley and all the rest of them, and then it gets all in a scrapple again; and then another mystery comes forth. Then what happens? Another messenger arrives on earth for a church age. See?
Then when he arrives, he–the–the trumpet sounds. He declares war. See? And then what happens? Finally then he’s caught away. And then when he’s laid away, then plague falls destroys them. Spiritual death hits the church and she’s gone, that group. Then He goes on to another one.
Oh, it’s a great plan until it comes to that last angel. Now, he has no certain mystery, but he gathers up all that’s been lost in them other ages, all the truths that wasn’t truly revealed yet (See?), as the revelation come. Then he reveals those things in his day. If you want to read it, there it is: A Revelations 10:1 to–1 to about 4. You’ll get it. All right. See?
E-68 Takes the Book and… of Seals and breaks them and shows the seventh angel, for this alone, the mysteries of God, is the ministry of the seventh angel. Now, we just come through the church ages with even history and prove that. See? It is the–the angel’s message of the seventh church.
All right, reveals all the mysteries that’s been in the past, all the things in the past: Revelations 10:1-7. That’s to be.
E-69 Now, remember, in the days of the seventh angel, his sounding forth, blasting forth the Gospel Trumpet, he is to finish all the mysteries of God. Just like here come forth in the early church ages (We’ll get it after while.), a doctrine, then it become a saying first, then a doctrine, and then become a statute, then become a church, and through the dark ages, and out of the dark ages come the first Reformation–Luther. And he brought with him all kinds of mysterious things that happened during that church age, all back in there, then… But he never finished it up.
Then along come Wesley with sanctification, got some more of it, but still never finished it, left loose ends everywhere, such as sprinkling instead of baptism, and Luther took “Father, Son, Holy Ghost” instead of the “Lord Jesus Christ,” all these different things.
E-72 Then along come the Pentecostal age with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and they cabbaged down on that. Now, there cannot be no more ages. That’s all of it; that’s the Philadelphia, or the–not–the Laodicea Age. But then the… We found in the studying of the Scripture that the messenger to the age come right at the end of the age every time. Paul come at the end of the age. We find out that Irenaeus come at the end of the age. Martin, end of the age. Luther, the end of the Catholic age; and what?–Wesley, at the end of the Lutheran age; and Pentecost, at the end of the age of sanctification through the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
And at the end of the Pentecostal age we are supposed to receive, according to the Word, as God help me tonight to show you through here, that we are to see–receive a messenger that will take all those loose ends out there and reveal the whole secret of God for the rapturing of the Church.
E-75 And then there’s coming forth seven mysterious thunders that’s not even written at all. That’s right. And I believe that through those seven thunders will be revealed in the last days in order to get the Bride together for rapturing faith; because what we got right now, we–we wouldn’t be able to do it. There’s something we’ve got to step farther; we–we can’t have enough faith for Divine healing hardly. We’ve got to have enough faith to be changed in a moment and be swept up out of this earth, and we’ll find that after a while, the Lord willing, find where it’s written.
E-76 Then all the judgments of these evil doers… Now, see, down through the ages as these Seals has been breaking, until now the last Seal is broken. And now, as they–as they have been watching in on these Seals and just presu–presuming what they were doing, now at the end of the ages, of the church ages, all these evil doers will–will take place and head up in the tribulation.
All of these evil doers of the Seven Seals has been working mysterious in the church, and we’ll find out in a minute, they even work in the name of a church. They call themselves the church. You just see if that isn’t right. No wonder I have been so against denomination, not knowing why. See, see?
They end up… Now, it starts back here in a mild form, just keeps getting worse and worse, on down until… And people go right into it, saying, “Oh, yes, this is just fine.” But in the last days these things are made known. And they finally go so bad until they go plumb into the tribulation period.
E-79 And how can a man say that the Bride of Christ goes into the tribulation? I can’t understand it. See? She’s took away from the tribulation. If–if the Church has been judged, and they have judged themselves, and have accepted the Blood, how can God judge a man that’s perfectly, totally sinless? You say, “There’s no such a person.” Every borned again believer, true believer, is perfectly, absolutely sinless before God. He’s not trusting in his works. In the Blood of Jesus that his confession’s dropped into…
The Bible says so. See? “He that–that is borned of God does not commit sin, for he cannot sin.” How can you make a man a sinner when the bleach of the Blood of Jesus Christ is between him and God, that would scatter sin till there’d be nothing left of it. See? How can that pure Blood of Christ ever let a sin pass there? He cannot.
Jesus said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” And how could we even start the thought of being perfect, but Jesus required it. And if Jesus required it, He’s got to make a way for it; and He has: His own Blood.
E-82 Now, all–reveals all the mysteries that’s gone on in the past. Now, the thought is here at the end time that the mysteries that begin way back long ago and has come down through the church ages is to be revealed here at the breaking of the Seals here at the last days, after the time of intercession is just about finished at that time.
Then the judgments wait for those who are in the back. They go on out into that. That is after the Bride has been taken from the scene.
E-84 Oh, let’s just read a Scripture. You all like to put down some of the Scriptures? Let’s take II Thessalonians just a moment and–and look here just a minute. It–it’s such a beautiful picture here. I like it. And let’s see. Yes, II Thessalonians, and I want the 2nd chapter of II Thessalonians and the–the 7th verse. Let’s see. II Thessalonians 2:7. I think that’s right. Now, I was writing this down, quivering and shaking.
… the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who… letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
Who? He that letteth. See? See, a mystery… The mystery of iniquity way back in that very first church age here, here’s Paul writing, saying that the mystery of iniquity… What is iniquity? Iniquity is something that you know you ought not to do, and you do it anyhow. And Paul said there’s such in the earth today, workers of iniquity.
E-86 Oh, if you… We’re going to get to the… Let’s just read that piece–start up a little farther–the 3rd verse.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that… (m-a-n)… man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (That’s right.)
Who opposeth and exalts himself above all that’s called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God setteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. (remitting sin)
Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?… (I’d like to set under some of his teaching. Wouldn’t you?)… And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
Not then (See?), not then, but in his time… See, at the breaking of that Seal we know exactly what it was. Who is this man of iniquity? Who is this man of sin, this fellow that’s a working iniquity, would he be revealed in his time?
E-87 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work:… (deceivers, you see, deceiving the people off into something. See?)… only he… (God)… that… letteth will let, until he… (the Church–Christ, the Bride)… be taken out of the way.
And then shall the Wicked one be revealed… (at the breaking of the Seal, at his time. Paul said, “Not in my time, but in the time when he’ll be revealed. See?)… whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth… (We’re going to get to that after while.)… the spirit of his mouth… (Watch what that is.)… and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan… (him, him, a man)… whose working is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. (See?)
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness… (deceiving people by unrighteousness)… in them that perish;… (not this Bride, in them that’s looking for such a thing)… because they received not the love of the truth… (And Christ is the Truth, and Christ is the Word, but they’d rather have a creed.),… that they might be saved.
And for this cause God has sent them strong delusion, that they should believe a–a lie:… (It should be translated there, as I looked in the Lexicon, “the lie,” not “a lie”; “the lie,” same one he told Eve.)
That they… might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
E-93 What a statement. My. After the Bride is taken away, then this man of sin will reveal himself. She, the true Bride of Christ has been elected out of every church age.
Now, the other day I made a statement: The Bride could go home and you’d never know nothing about it. That’s true. Somebody said, “Well, Brother Branham, that would be a mighty small group.”
Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noah (Now, you talk to Him about it. See?) wherein eight souls were saved by water, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man.”
If there was eight hundred went in the rapture tonight, you’d never hear a word about it tomorrow, or the next day, or no other time. They’d be gone and you’d know nothing about it. See? It’d just be the same thing.
What am I trying to say? I’m not trying to scare you, worry you. I’m–I want you to be on your toes. Be ready, watching, every minute. Quit your nonsense. Just get down to business with God, ’cause it’s later than you think.
E-98 Now, you remember, the true Bride… Now, there is a false bride. We get that in Revelations 17. She said, “I am a widow and have no need of nothing,” (You see?), setting upon the scarlet clothed beast, and so forth (the beast, rather).
Now, but the true Bride will be made up of thousands times thousands of people, but it will be the elect out of every church age. Every time a message went forth and the people believed it and accepted it in all the Light it was, when they were sealed away until that day of redemption…
Don’t Jesus speak the same thing when He said the–the sound come in the–the seventh watch? That’s the last church age. See? And said, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go out to meet Him.”
And then the sleeping virgin come, rubbed her eyes, and said, “Suppose I ought to have some of that oil too; so maybe we’d better have some.”
And the real true Bride standing there said, “We have just got enough for ourself. We just got enough to get in ourself. We can’t give you nothing. If you want some, you go pray up.”
E-104 And while she was gone, the Bridegroom come (See?), and in went the Bride. And then them remnant there, the ones that were absolutely virtuous, the church was left outside. And He said, “There will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.” See? Now, that’s the elect.
And when the sound come, “The Bridegroom cometh,” then everyone of those that slept down through those ages awakened, every one.
E-105 See, it isn’t God, as we’d think, just going to hunt Him out a few thousand people of this age and take them. It’s the very elected out of every age. And that’s the reason Christ has to stay on the mediatorial seat back there as an Intercessor until that last one comes in at the last age. And these revelations then of what it has been breaks forth upon the people, and they see what’s happened. See? You get it now?
E-106 All right. Notice, the rest of the dead, church members, lived not again until one thousand years was passed. The church members, the–the Christians, the church lived not again until the end of the thousand years, and then they come forth to stand before the Bride (That’s right.), stand before the King and the Queen. Glory.
Some church today calls herself “The Queen of heaven.” The Queen of heaven is the selected Bride of Christ, and she comes with Him.
Daniel saw it and said: “Ten thousands times ten thousands ministered to Him.” Now, if you’ll watch the Scripture there in Daniel. Judgment was set, and the books were opened.
E-107 Now, remember, when He come, He come with His Bride. The wife ministers to her husband. And ten thousands times ten thousands of thousands ministered to Him. Judgment was set, and the books were opened, and another book was opened which is the Book of Life. Not the Bride at all, she’s done gone up and come back and standing there in judgment of those generations that refused the Gospel message.
Didn’t Jesus say the queen of the south shall rise with this generation in her days of the judgment and will condemn this generation, for she came from the utmost parts of the world to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and a greater than Solomon is here.
E-108 There stood the–the judgment, the queen of–of Sheba of the south stood there in the judgment, and her own testimony… Not even a Jew came up with that generation that was Jews, and they were blind and missed Him, because they were looking for Him; but He come so simple that they went plumb over the top of it, like that. And there that great queen humbled herself, and come and accepted the message. “And she’ll stand in the judgment,” He said, “and condemn that generation.”
E-111 Now, you see the three classes always? The book, the dead were judged out; another book, the Book of Life: them who had their names in the Book of Life…
You say, “If your name’s in the Book of Life, it’s all right, huh?” No, sir. Look, Judas Iscariot had his name in the Book of Life. Now, say that’s wrong. Jesus in Matthew 10 gave them power to cast out devils and sent them forth to heal the sick, and to cleanse the lepers, and raise the dead. And they went out and returned back, Judas right with them; and they cast out devils and done all kinds of miracles, and returned back, and said, “Even the devils is subject unto us.”
Jesus said, “Don’t rejoice that the devils is subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven,” and Judas was with them. But what happened? When it come down to the elected group to go up there at Pentecost and really receive the Holy Spirit, Judas showed his colors. He’ll be there in the judgment. So the books was opened and the Book of Life was opened, and every man was judged thus. Now, the Bride’s standing there with Christ to judge the world.
E-115 Don’t the… Paul say, “Dare you (talking to the Bride) having a–any matter or grievance against each other that you’d go to the unjust law. Don’t you know the saints shall judge the earth?” There you are. The saints is going to judge the earth and take it over. That’s right. You say, “How in the world is a little group like that…” I don’t know how it’s going to be done, but He said it’s going to be done; so that just settles it as far as I know. Now, look.
E-117 Now, notice the rest of the dead (the church members, dead church members) lived not again until the thousand years, and then at the thousand years, they were gathered… Another resurrection come, which is second resurrection, and they were gathered, and Christ and the church, the Bride (not the church, the Bride) Christ and the Queen (not the church)… Chur… Christ and the Bride stood there.
And they were separated like the sheep from the goats. That’s right. There’s the church members come up. And if they heard the Truth and rejected the Truth, then what’s going to be said when the big thing’s spread across the canvas when even your own thoughts will be there, what you thought about it. How you going to escape, and it right there on the canvas of the skies; and God’s great television and there’s your own thoughts rebelling right… Your own thoughts will speak against you in that hour.
So if you speak one thing and think another, you better stop that. Get your thoughts on God. Keep them pure, and stay right there with it, and speak the same thing all the time. See? Don’t say, “Well, I’ll say I’ll believe it; but I’ll go find out.” You believe it. Amen.
E-120 Notice, these type, the reason they die out, they go through the purging of trial of the tribulation; because they’re not actually under the Blood. They claim they are, but they’re not. How can they go through a trial to purify them when the–when the bleach Blood of Jesus Christ takes every symptom of sin and stuff away from you. And you’re already dead, and your life is hid in Him through God and sealed in there by the Holy Ghost; what are you going to be judged for? Where you going to get your purification? What do you have to be purified from when you’re perfectly in Christ, sinless? How… What’s the judgment for? But it’s this sleeping bunch that them people can’t make out.
E-121 Now, they haven’t done it for years (See?), but this is the hour of revelation (See, see?) being revealed, just at the coming of the Bride… The last winding up, the last things are coming… It’s coming to an end, friend, I believe. When? I don’t know. I–I can’t tell you, but anything… I want to live tonight like if it was tonight, I’d be ready. See? He might come tonight yet, and He might not come for twenty years. I don’t know when He’ll come, but whenever it is, I… My life might be over tonight, and then whatever I’ve done here is finished at that hour; I–I’ve got to meet Him in the judgment the way I went down here. The way the tree leans; that’s the way it falls.
E-122 Remember, when they went to buy oil, they… “Oh,” you say, “now, wait a minute, Brother Branham. I don’t know about that.” When they went to buy oil, when they come back, the Bride was done gone, and the door was shut; and they knocked and said, “Let us in; let us in,” but they were out in outer darkness.
Now, if you want a type of that, now look: “In the time of Noah…” Jesus said–referred to it. Now, in Noah’s time, they went into the ark, but they were carried over the–during the time of the judgment. But that–that didn’t type Christ’s Bride; Enoch typed the Bride.
Enoch… Noah went over through… The Bride… Went over through the tribulation period, and suffered, and become a drunk, and died. But Enoch walked before God for five hundred years and had a testimony he pleased God with raptured faith, and just started walking right out, and went up through the skies, and went home without even tasting death, never died at all.
E-125 That’s a type of we which are alive and remain shall not prevent, or hinder, those same type of people that are asleep, that fell asleep on account of the human age and the–and the state of human age. They died back there, but they’re not dead. They are sleeping. Amen. They are asleep, not dead. And the only thing it needs is the Bridegroom to wake them. And we which are alive and remain shall not hinder those that’s already fell asleep, for the trumpet of God shall sound and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them and will meet the Lord in the air. And the rest of the dead lived not for a thousand years. There you are. They went through the tribulation period. What was it? Like Enoch.
E-127 You know, Noah watched Enoch, for when Enoch come up missing, he knowed judgment was at hand. He got to hanging around the ark, but Noah didn’t go up. He just lifted a little piece off and rode over the tribulations. He was carried through the tribulation period to die the death. See? But Noah was carried through; Enoch was translated without death: a type of the Church being caught up with those who are asleep to meet the Lord in the air, and the rest of the church is carried over into the tribulation period. Can’t make nothing else out of it myself. Enoch raptured, no death…
E-130 Now, let’s start studying a little now, get down to our lesson. I’ll just keep on that we never will get into these–this Seal. Now, notice. Let’s take now, because we’re going to have a long (maybe tomorrow night or the next night) hit a trumpet now and then, because the trumpet sounds at the same time the Seals. It’s just the same thing, the church age opens, it’s just the same thing.
E-131 Now, a trumpet always denotes war or otherwise political disturbance: the trumpet does, a political disturbance, and that causes war. When you go to get messing in politics, you get them all messed up, like we got it now, look out, war is at hand.
But, see, the kingdom still belongs to Satan. He’s still got this part in his hand because why? It is redeemed by Christ, but He’s doing the part of the Kinsman Redeemer taking His subjects, until the last one name is put on that Book, has already received it and been sealed away. Now, do you got it? Then He comes from His throne, His Father’s throne, walks forward, takes the Book out of God’s hand from the throne and claims His rights. The first thing He does is call for His Bride. Amen. Then what does He take? He takes His opponent, Satan, and binds him, and casts him into the fire out there with all that followed him.
Now, remember, it wasn’t Russia. No, the antichrist is a smooth fellow. Just watch how smooth he is. He’s smart. Yes, sir. Just takes the Holy Spirit, only thing can outdo him.
E-135 Notice, trumpets means political disturbance: wars. Matthew 24, Jesus spoke of it. He said, “You’ll hear of wars and rumors of war…” See, all the way down through. You remember the–Jesus speaking that. Wars, rumors, and wars, and rumors and wars, and plumb on down to the end. Now, that’s a trumpet sounding.
Now, when we get on the trumpets, we’ll go back there and pick up each one of them wars and show you that they followed them churches, show you they follow these Seals. Wars and rumors of wars… But trumpet denotes political disturbance, whereas seals deals with a religious disturbance. See?
A Seal is opened; a message is dropped. And then the church is always so set up in its own political ways, and whatevermore, and all of its dignitary; and when that real message drops down, that messenger goes forth, and he shakes them to pieces. That’s right. It’s religious disturbance when a Seal’s opened. That’s what’s happened. See? Yes.
E-138 They get all at ease in Zion. The church gets all settled down and… “We’ve got it all made.” Just like the church of England, they was all settled down; the Catholic church, all settled down, and along come Luther. There was a religious disturbance. Yes, sir, sure was. Well, the church went on off by Zwingli, and from Zwingli come on down to different ones, and to Calvin; and after while the Anglican church settled down, and it was just at ease; and along come Wesley. There was a religious disturbance. That’s right. See, it always denotes a religious disturbance.
E-139 Now, the Seal. Let’s just read it a little bit now. I–I want to–to get this… Just we’ll read it. I get to talking. I…
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals… (What happened?)… and I heard, as it was the noise of a thunder…
Oh, how I’d like to dwell on that just a few minutes. I hope now that all the people that know these things and are waiting for the consolation of the Lord will now study real close, and on the tapes also that you’ll think of this. The first thing happened… When that Lamb broke that First Seal, a thunder roared.
Now, that’s got a significance; it’s got–it’s–it’s a–it’s–it’s got a meaning. It’s a meaning. Nothing happens without a meaning. All right, a thunder, a thunder roared. Wonder what that thunder was?
E-142 Now, let’s read a little bit. Let’s turn to Matthew… No, let’s take St. John first, St. John, 12th chapter and just hold it a minute: St. John, the 12th chapter, and now let’s begin with the 23rd verse of St. John 12. Now, listen here now real close; then you won’t have to wonder no more what it is.
And Jesus answering them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
See, you’re at the end of an age there. His ministry is ending. See? ”
… The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
What about the hour has come that when His Bride must be taken away? What, that the hour has come that time shall be no more? The Angel is ready to set one foot on land and the other on the sea with a rainbow over Him, with feet, and say, “Time’s run out.” And besides that, He raised up His hand and swore that time would be no more when this happened. How–how perfect it is, a sworn affidavit to the Church.
… The hour has come that the Son of man should be glorified.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.
If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there… also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
Now, is my soul troubled;…
E-145 You say, “Well, Him coming to the end of the road and you got trouble? What does it make you think when some great spiritual something happens that troubles you? Oh, my.
Now, is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this–unto this hour.
Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
The people said… that stood by, that heard it, they said… it thundered:…
E-146 Then when the Lamb took the Book and broke that First Seal, God spoke from His eternal throne to say what that Seal was to be revealed. But when it’s placed before John, it was in a symbol. When John saw it, it was still a mystery. Why? It wasn’t even revealed right then. It cannot be revealed until what He said here at the end time. But it come in a symbol.
When the thunder… Remember, a loud clapping noise of a thunder is the voice of God. That’s what the Bible said (See?), a clap of thunder. They thought it was a thunder, but it was God. He understood it, for it was revealed to Him. See? It was a thunder.
And notice, the First Seal opened–the First Seal when it was open in the symbol form it thundered. Now, what about when it’s opened in its reality form?
E-148 It thundered as soon as the Lamb struck back the Seal. And what did it reveal? Not all of Itself. First it’s with God; next It’s in a symbol; then It’s revealed: three things. See? It’s coming forth from the throne. First It can’t be seen, heard, or nothing. It’s sealed up. The Lamb’s Blood paid the price. It thundered when He spoke it out. And when He did, a white horse rider started out. And it still was a symbol.
E-150 Now, watch, He said it would be known in the last day, but it comes forth in a church symbol. Do you understand it, church? It comes forth in a–a symbol of a church that they know there is a Seal, but just what it is yet, they don’t know, because it’s a white horse rider.
And it only is to be revealed at the last day when this actual Seal is broken. Broken to who? Not to Christ, but to the Church. Notice, now. Oh, my, that just makes me tremble. I–I–I hope that the Church truly understands it (See what I mean?), you people. I’m going to call you Bride. (See?) That you’ll understand it.
E-152 The voice is a thunder. The voice came from where? From the throne where the Lamb had just left as Intercessor. Now, He’s standing here to take His position and His claims. But the thunder came from the inside of the throne, thundered out. And the Lamb was standing out here. The thunder, where the Lamb had left, left the Father’s throne to go to take His own throne… Glory. Now, now, don’t miss it, friends.
We all know as Christians that God swore to David that He would raise up Christ to set on His throne and give Him an everlasting Kingdom here on the earth. He did it. And Jesus said, “He that overcomes the antichrist and all the things of the world shall set with Me on My throne as I have overcome and have set down on My Father’s throne.” See?
E-155 Now, someday He rises from the Father’s throne, and goes to take His own throne. Now He comes forth to call His subjects. How’s He going to claim them? He’s already got the Book of Redemption in His hand. Glory. Oh, I feel like singing a hymn.
Soon the Lamb will take His Bride
To be ever at His side,
All the hosts of heaven will assembled be; (To watch that.)
Oh, It will be a glorious sight,
All the saints in spotless white;
And with Jesus we shall feast eternally.
Oh, my. Talk about setting now in heavenly places, what will it be? If we can feel this way setting down here on earth before the rapture comes, in this condition that we’re in now, and we can enjoy standing up around walls, and stand in the rain just to hear this, what will it be when we see Him setting there? Oh, my. Oh, it’ll be a glorious time.
E-158 Left the Father’s throne, came forth to, His son, to be the… He is the Son of David. That’s what the–Israel thought He would do then. Remember the Syrophenician woman said, “Thou Son of David”? Remember blind Bartimaeus, “Thou Son of David”? See? And Jesus knowing what the plan was, yet they didn’t know it; they tried to force Him to make Him take the throne, and even Pilate asked Him. But He said, “If My Kingdom was of this world, then My subjects would fight. My Kingdom is above.” But He said, “When you pray, pray, ‘Thy Kingdom come, Thine will be done in earth, here like it is in heaven.'” Amen. How glorious this great thing.
E-160 Left the Father’s throne to take His own throne… He now has come forth from His intercessory work to claim His own throne, His redeemed subjects. That’s what He come forth from the throne to do. It is then that the Lion-like creature said to John, “Come, see.” Watch. Now, you reading it?
… one of the seals, and it…, as if it was the noise of a thunder, and one of the four beasts…
You know what the beasts were. We took them; one like a lion, one like a calf, and one like a man, and one like an eagle. Now, this first beast said… Watch; each time there’s a different beast till them four horse riders pass. There’s four beasts, and there’s four horse riders.
E-162 Notice, each one of them beasts announce: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. We’re going to get back in and prove which one Matthew; Mark; which one Mark–Mark; which one was John, each one as they went.
No…?… One of the beasts saying, “Come, see.” He heard the noise of a thunder, and one of the beasts said, “Now, come, see.” In other words, here stands the Lamb, and John standing out there watching it happen. And the Lamb come up from the throne like He’d been slain, blood all over Him. He was the One that was found worthy, and when He reached over and took the Book, then everything begin to shouting, and screaming, and carrying on (You see?), ’cause they know redemption was paid for.
E-165 Now, He’s come to claim His Own. So He takes the Book, stands out there before John, and He pulls it back, and breaks the Seal, pulls the Seal down; and when He pulls the Seal down, a thunder clapped through the place. And when a thunder clapped, no doubt John might’ve jumped up in the air, when a thunder roared; and then one of the four beasts said, “Now, come and see what it is, what’s revealed beneath here. (Oh, my.) John, write what you see.”
So John goes to look, see what it was. John goes to see what the thunder said. It’s then that this creature told John come and see what the mystery is under the First Seal. The thunder, the voice of the Creator has uttered it. Now, He ought to know what’s there. Amen. Oh, my.
E-166 But think, now he wrote this, but when he started to write those other seven thunders, he said, “Don’t write it.” He’d been commissioned to write everything he seen. But when these seven thunders over in Revelations 10 uttered, he said, “Don’t write them at all.” They’re mysteries. We don’t know what they are yet; but my opinion they’ll be revealed right away. And when it do, it’ll give faith for that rapturing grace for that Church to move out. We just move through everything that we know of; through all the dispensations we’ve watched everything. We’ve seen the mysteries of God. We’ve seen the appearing of the–of the great gathering together of the Bride in the last days, but yet there’s something in there that we just can’t lighten ourself with. There’s something another. But I imagine when them mysteries begins to come forth… God said, “Hold it back now. Wait a minute. I’ll reveal it in that day. Don’t write it at all, John, ’cause they’ll stagger over it. Just let–let it go. (See?) But I’ll reveal it in that day when it has need to done.”
They never uttered for nothing. You remember, like the little drop of ink, everything is for a purpose. Everything’s for a cause. But notice, the Creator uttered, and he had a–he heard this voice, and he went to see.
E-171 But now the Lamb is showing John in the symbol of s–of a–of a church Scripture like, for the church (you know) what to write. He just show him, said, “Now, don’t–don’t tell this, just what it is. Don’t go down, John, and say, ‘Now, this is just what this is.’ Now, what’s under this Seventh Seal, don’t–don’t go down and tell that, for if I tell John that, then all down through the age the whole plan will be broke: it’s a secret.” See? He just wants to…
His coming… He said, “I–I… Nobody’s going to know when I’m coming; I’m just coming.” See, see? That’s all. It ain’t for my business to know when, I’ll just be ready. You see? So…
Then he said, “Now, John, went forth…” He thought, “I’m going to see it now,” and what did he do? When John went forth; he, now what’s he got to do? Now, he’s got to write this to the church age. That’s what he’s supposed to do: write it to the church ages. “Write what you see of these seven golden candlesticks at the beginning, write to this Church and tell them.”
E-173 All right, and a thunder went off. John knew it was the Voice of God. And then the–the lion-like creature said, “Come, see what it was,” and John went forth now with his pen to write what he was going to see.
Now, he never seen exactly what it was. He never understood it, but what he saw was what God was sending to the Church for a time. Now, He’s got… He will; He always does; He makes it plain when it’s time to make it plain. But He didn’t make it plain then. Why? Because He was going to keep it a secret until the last days, and the sounding of the last angel’s message was to gather up these mysteries (See?); didn’t make it clearer.
E-175 But what John saw he just seen a white horse go out with a rider on it; so that’s what he wrote down. See? When he did… That’s what he said, “Come, see.” So John went to see what he could see to write to the Church, and when he did, he saw a white horse, and him that set on it had a bow, and he went forth conquering and to conquer. And there was given to him a crown. And now, that’s all John saw, so he just write–wrote all that down.
Now, see, that’s in symbol. That’s the way the Church has received it, but with the promise that at the last day He’d reveal it, show what it is. God help us to understand.
E-177 Church ages… But is not made fully known till the seventh message of this last church age.
Notice, he starts–this messenger of the seventh church age, if you’ll notice it, he doesn’t start a denomination like the rest of them did. Remember if he doesn’t start… No. All right. If you find out, he’s against it. Was Elijah–was Elijah against it? Sure he was. Was John against it with Elijah’s spirit? What kind of a spirit did Elijah have on when he was… Nobody knows much about him. He was just a man, but he was a prophet. He was hated. My. And what time did he rise? Right in the time of the popularity of Israel when they’d all went worldly, and he got her out there and he was a woman hater…?… Sure was. And he loved the wilderness. That was his nature.
E-180 Then them people ought to knowed when that fellow come out there with that same Spirit on him, come out there, this John, not dressed all up like the celebrity, as I said last night. They kiss the babies, and marry, and bury, and so forth, but this man come out as a wilderness man. What was he? He loved the wilderness. Another thing he done, he hated denomination. He said, “Now, don’t you begin to say, ‘We belong to this or that,’ for I’ll tell you God’s able of these stones to rise children to Abraham.” He was no compromiser. They couldn’t…
Said, “Did you go to see a reed shaken with wind?” Not John. No, sir.
E-182 What did he do also? Just like Elijah that told Jezebel, he told Herodias. Walked right up to Herod’s face and said, “It’s not lawful for you to have her.” He chopped his head off for it. See? She tried to get Elijah. That same spirit was in Jezebel was in that woman. And the same thing is in the Jezebel church today (See?), same thing. Now, notice it. What a great lesson we find here. And now, looks like those people would’ve knowed. John begin to bawl them people out; and standing there, looked like they’d have knowed that was that spirit of Elijah. They should’ve understood that. That’s what it was.
E-185 Now, and we find out and have through the church ages, according to the Scripture, that we’re promised a return of that spirit just before the end time. Is that true? Now, and notice, you’ll notice the nature of it. Now, he will not start another church age like Luther, and Wesley, and all the rest of them did. He won’t start another church, because there is no more church ages to come. See? There won’t be any more, so he must be against it, because his spirit will be just exactly like they were back there: the same spirit. As I said last night, “It pleased God to use it three different times.” That’s His number, three, not two, three. He’s already used it twice; now He’s going to use it again. He said so. He promised it.
E-188 Now, notice, he… Notice now when He did. He’s not going to start a denomination because the Laodicea Church Age is the last age, and the messenger of the seventh angel, which is the seventh messenger to the seventh church age, is the fellow that is going to reveal, by the Holy Spirit, all these mysterious things that is going to… How many was here last night? Let’s see your hand. I guess I won’t have to read it over then. You know just where it’s at, the–the 10th chapter of–of… All right. All right.
E-189 The reformers came to reform the last fallen church age preceding them. And then after the reformers come and reform the–the church age from where it was and is went back into the world, then they start a new church age: always done it, always. Now, we went through that. See?
In other words, here’d been a Catholic church age, of the Roman Catholic church. Along come Luther, a reformer. He’s called a reformer. And what does he do? He starts right out there a-hammering away, and when he does, he protests the church, and the first thing you know, what does he do? He builds the same thing that he come to drive out of: another church. Then they have another church age.
Then the first thing you know, here comes… The church age is in such a mess, along comes John Wesley, another reformer (See?), builds another church age. Get what I mean? Another church age is built up. They’re all reformers.
E-192 Notice. This last message of the last church age is not a reformer; he is a prophet, not a reformer. Show me where one prophet ever started a church age. He’s not a reformer; he is a prophet. Others was reformers but not prophets. If they would’ve been, the Word of the Lord comes to the prophet; that’s the reason they continued on in the baptism in Father, Son, Holy Ghost, and all these other things, because they were reformers and not prophets. But yet they were great men of God and saw the need of the day that they lived in, and God anointed them, and they sent out there and tore those things to pieces. But the full Word of God never come to them, because they was not prophets. They were reformers.
E-194 But in the last days it’ll have to be a prophet to take up the mysteries of God, bring it back, because the mysteries was only re–known by prophets. So it has to be this fellow come. See what I mean now? He can’t be a reformer; it’s got to be a prophet, because it’s got to be somebody that’s gifted and set there that catches the Word.
Now, them reformers knowed there was something wrong. Luther knowed that–that–that the bread wasn’t the body of Christ, and so he preached, “The just shall live by faith,” and that was his message.
And when John Wesley come along, he saw that there was sanctification, so he preached sanctification. That was his message. See?
The Pentecostals brought in the message of the Holy Ghost and so forth. But in the last days in this last age the messenger is not to start any reformation, but is to take all the mysteries that those reformers left off, and gather them together, and solve them to the people.
E-196 Let me just read it again. It sounds so good to me; I–I like to read it.
… I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud:… a rainbow… upon his head, and his face was… the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:
Now, we saw the same thing, which was Christ. And we know Christ is always the Messenger to the Church. All right. He’s called a Pillar of Fire, the Angel of the covenant and so forth.
And he had in his hand a little book opened:… (Now, the Seals had done been broke here. We’re breaking them now; but this, the thing’s opened.)… and he set his right foot on the sea, and his left… on the earth,
And he cried… a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he… cried, seven thunders uttered their voices… (My, the complete)
… when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I… (John)… was about to write:… (Write what? What they said.)… and I heard a voice from heaven… (God)… saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. (Don’t write them. See?)
And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea… lifted up his hands to heaven,
And sware by him that lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens, and the things… in there they are, and the earth, and the things that are there–in there…, and the sea and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:
E-199 Watch. Don’t forget this now, as we go.
But in the days… (days)… of the voice of the seventh angel,… (That last angel, earthly angel.)
This Angel come down from heaven. Wasn’t Him. He come from heaven, but He’s speaking here the voice of the seventh angel. Which is a “angel” means “a messenger.” Anybody knows that. And the messenger to the church age…
… in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery… (Seven Seals, all–all the mysteries)… of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
E-201 The entire mystery is unfolded. That’s the ministry of that angel. See? Be so simple people just drop off the top of it. But yet it’ll be perfectly a-vindicated everywhere, just be perfectly normal. See? Everybody that–that wants to see it can see it. See? That’s right. But those… Jesus said, as He said when He come, said, “You got eyes and can’t see, Isaiah said you did. (See?) And you got ears and you can’t hear.” Now… So we find out that…
That scared me. I looked back there at that clock, and I thought it was ten o’clock. But it’s a… I–I got… It ain’t even nine yet. You see? All right. Oh, my. Let’s get it now.
E-203 Notice. I love this. Others reformers, but by being great men of God, seeing the need of the day, and brought forth reformation… But Revelations 10 said his message was to reveal not reform, reveal the secrets, reveal secrets. It’s the Word in the man. Hebrews 4 said that the Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, a piercing even to the sunder of bone, and a Revealer of the secrets of the heart. See? This man is not a reformer; he’s a revealer, revealer of what? The mysteries of God. Where the church has got it all tied up and everything, he’s to come forth with the Word of God and reveal the thing out, because he is to restore the faith of the children back to the fathers. The original Bible faith is to be restored by the seventh angel.
Now, oh, how I love this. All the mysteries of the Seals that the reformers never understood fully… See?
E-206 Now, look at Malachi 4 just a minute. Well, well, you just mark it down. He is a prophet and restores the original faith of the fathers. Now, we’re looking for that person to appear on the scene. He’ll be so humble, the ten millions times ten millions will… Well, there’ll be a little group that’ll understand it.
When… You remember the other day when John was supposed to come, prophesied a messenger before Christ come, a voice of one crying in the wilderness; Malachi saw him. Look, the 3rd chapter of Malachi is the coming of the Elijah that was to come and forerun the coming of Christ. You say, “Oh, no, no, Brother Branham. It’s the 4th chapter.” I beg your pardon. Jesus said it was the 3rd chapter.
E-209 Now, take Saint–you take St. Matthew the–the 11th chapter and the 6th verse. He’ll–he’ll say this (11th chapter, I believe it’s the 6th verse; 4th, 5th, or 6th, right along there). He said, “If you can receive it (when He’s talking about John) this is he who was spoken of, ‘I’ll send My messenger before My face.'” Now, read Malachi 3.
Some of them try to apply it to Malachi 4. No, sir. That’s not it. Notice, Malachi 4, as soon as that messenger goes forth, the world is completely burned, and the righteous walk out in the millennium on the ashes of them. So you see, if you put that being him back there, then–then the Bible told something that wasn’t so. We’ve had two thousand years, and the world ain’t burned up yet, and the righteous living in it. So it’s got to be in the future.
Oh, my. If you get over here in Revelations and see what that messenger at the end of this age is supposed to do, then you’ll see what it is. He must be a prophet. He’s got to catch these ends that these reformers didn’t see and place it in there.
E-212 How can Matthew 28:19 compare with Acts 2:38 without the spiritual revelation of God? How can these people say the days of miracles are past and so forth like that, and–without revelation of God? Why, only way they’ll ever know it, know whether it’s right or wrong. See? But they’ve come through seminaries… I hope we have time to get into them. I want to hurry, ’cause I don’t want to keep you over a week (you know what I mean) in–in this–open these Seals. I’ve got one day, and I’d like to have prayer for the sick on that day if I could.
E-214 Now, look, Malachi 4. He’s a prophet and restores the original faith of the fathers. At the end time, when the tribulation period comes… Now, here’s a little thing; we’re going to reverse back a minute, where the three and a half years or Daniel’s seventy weeks (the last half of Daniel’s seventy weeks which is three and one-half years.)… Now, we… How many remembers that from the church ages? Sure, you see? There’s seventy weeks determined: look how perfect it was; said, “Messiah will come, and He’ll be cut off for a Sacrifice in the midst of the week, and the obligation will cease.”
E-215 Then there is still three and a half years waited for the Messiahic doctrine to the Jew, and God does not deal with the Jew and the Gentile at the same time. He deals with Israel as a nation, Gentile as an individual. He never taken the Gentiles for His Bride, He taken a people out of the Gentile. See? Now, He deals with Israel as a nation. And now, there she sets right there now as a nation.
I got a letter from Paul today, Paul Boyd, and he was telling me, said, “Brother Branham, how true it is; these Jews still have a funny feeling towards the Gentiles, no matter what’s happened.” Sure they will, and they ought to.
E-218 When Martin Luther made the proclamation that all Jews ought to be run off and their buildings burned down because they were antichrist… See? Martin Luther made that statement hisself in his writing.
Now, Hitler just fulfilled what Martin Luther said. Why did Martin Luther say that? Because he was a reformer, not a prophet. God that… My prophet blessed Israel. He said, “Whosoever blesses you will be blessed, and who curses you will be cursed.” How can one prophet stand and deny what the other prophet said? He can’t do it. It’s got to be in harmony. See? But…
E-220 That is the reason they class… See, Germany is supposed to be a Christian nation, and they–the way they treated Israel, they still got a stick on their shoulder; and you can’t blame them. But just remember, if there’s a Jews setting here, don’t you worry; the day’s coming. God can never forget them. They were blinded for our sake.
You know He said to this prophet, He… The prophet cried out and said, “Will You forget Israel?”
He said, “Take that measuring stick, and how high is the sky? How deep is the sea?”
Now, he said, “I couldn’t measure it.”
He said, “Never can I forget Israel.” That’s His people, His servants. And the Gentile is only a few taken out of there for His Bride. It’s exactly right. That’s the Bride.
E-225 Now, just seventy weeks was determined, perfectly, as Daniel said that Messiah would come and would be cut off in the midst of the week. And Jesus prophesied three and a half years. Now, in the middle of this three and a half years of Daniel, in the middle of it He was cut off. And now the last part is the tribulation period where the Gentile church is… Oh, this is great. Now, don’t…?… The Bride goes in with the Groom, then after the millennium, walks out upon the ashes of the wicked.
E-226 Let me show you something here, just, while we’ve just got it in mind, let’s just show you what it says, what the Bible says. And we can’t deny this being the Word of God. If we do, then we’re infidels. See, we got to believe. You say, “I don’t understand it.” Neither do I, but I’m looking for Him to reveal it. Look.
For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud… (like the Americans and so forth)… yea,… all that do wickedly, shall be stubble:… (It’s going to burn.)… and the day that cometh that shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts,… it shall leave them neither root or branch.
E-227 How you got a eternal hell in there then? See, it’s the last days when these things are being revealed. There’s no place in the Bible says hell’s eternal. To–to have… To be in a eternal hell, you’d have to have Eternal Life to stay there. There’s only one form of Eternal Life, and that’s what we’re struggling for. Everything had a beginning has an end. Hell was created for the Devil and his angels, and will be consumed and done away with. Right. See?
But when this takes place, it neither leaves them root or branch.
But unto them that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness rise with healing in his wings;… ye shall go forth, as a–grow up as calves of the stall.
And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in that day that I will do this, saith the LORD of hosts.
Where’s the wicked going to be after the tribulation? Ashes.
Remember… the laws of Moses…, which I commanded… him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.
Behold, I will send to you Elijah the prophet before the coming of that great and dreadful day of the Lord:
E-229 Amen. Here’s the Old Testament closing out like that, and here’s the New Testament closing out with the very same thing. How you going to keep it away? Then, look, “I will send to you Elijah the prophet before that day comes:”
And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
There you are. That’s the Word of the Lord. He’s promised it. It must come.
E-230 And now, if you’ll notice how this happens, it’s beautiful how God does it. The Bride goes forth and the–with the Groom; and–and then after that the wicked is burned with unquenchable fire. And after the world has been purified, reproduces itself… Everything has to do that, has to go through a state of purification. Volcanic will break forth in that great last time, and the world will burst, and belch, and go forth; and all these cesspools of sin and all that’s upon the earth will be molded into nothing. It’ll burn with such a fervent heat that it’ll be like that bleach that sends the–the color of–of the ink back into its original creation; so will the fire from God be so hot that it’ll turn every filthy thing back to its condition again, when Satan and all sin is burned up and everything. And then she’ll come forth as beautiful as she was in the garden of Eden. That’s right. Oh, that great hour laying just ahead of us.
E-232 During the tribulation period… Here’s what I want you to notice now, a little thing I dropped in here. During this tribulation period, after the Bride has been called out, and the church goes through the tribulation period, the hundred and forty-four thousand is called by the two witnesses of Revelations 11. Now, look, they’ll prophesy one thousand two hundred and threescore days clothed in sackcloth.
E-233 Now, we know this Roman calendar has… We got twenty-eight days and sometimes of thirty and thirty-one, but actual the calendar reads this: thirty days to every month. That’s right. And take a hundred–a thousand, two-hundred and threescore days and put thirty to it, and see what you got: three and one-half years exactly on the dot. That’s the time–that’s allotted time for the Messiahic message to be preached to Israel like it was back there.
When He returns back and makes Hisself known in a symbol, that when He comes…
E-234 When Joseph was taken down into the country and was rejected by his brethren because he was a spiritual man… He could see visions and interpret dreams, and when he did, he was taken down into the country and was sold for almost thirty pieces of silver.
He portrayed Christ exactly, because it was Christ’s Spirit in him. Notice what happened then. And notice that when he did this, he was put in the prison, and one man was saved and the other lost: exactly Jesus when He was in prison on the cross. One thief was saved and the other one was lost. Exactly. Throwed into the grave, supposed to be dead, and was took up and ascended to the right hand of Pharaoh, that nobody could see Pharaoh without seeing Joseph first. Jesus sets at the right hand of God, and no man can come to the Father except by the Son. That’s right.
E-237 And notice, every time Joseph left, when Joseph rose up from that right hand of that throne… Watch? Glory. There set Joseph by the right hand of Pharaoh. And when Joseph raised up to leave that throne, the trumpet sounded. “Bow the knee, everybody. Joseph is coming.”
When that Lamb leaves the throne yonder on His days of mediatorial work, when He leaves the throne up there and takes that Book of Redemption and walks forth, every knee will bow, every tongue…?… There He is.
E-239 Notice, and when Joseph, rejected by his brethren, he was given a Gentile wife. Potiphar give him… Or Pharaoh give him a Gentile wife, and he bore Gentile children: half Gentile and Jew. They give a great symbol that when Jacob was blessing them, Ephraim on one side, Manasseh on the other, he crossed his hands and give the younger child the blessing; and the two kids was added unto the twelve tribes, which was only ten at that time, and he blessed them in Jacob himself; and Joseph, his prophet son, standing there said, “Father, you’ve done wrong.” Said, “You put your right hand blessing on the young child, where it ought to went on the old one.”
He said, “I know my hands was crossed, but God has crossed them.” Why? Israel, having the rights to be a Bride, rejected and sold their birthrights, and the–went from the old son, Israel, to the new, Gentile, and the blessings went from there through the cross to the Bride.
E-241 But notice, after that (See?), through that… When all… He’d took his bride. But when them boys came down to buy food… Oh, it’s such a beautiful picture. I’m off of the Seal, but I just got to say it (See?), ’cause you’ll get the picture better, I believe.
Notice. Now, when they come down to buy food, you know, Joseph recognized them right away. And Joseph was the son of prosperity; no matter where he went it always prospered. You wait till the–He comes to the earth again; wait till our Joseph comes. The desert shall blossom as a rose, and the Son of righteousness rises with healing in His wings. Oh, my. All that cactus around Arizona will unfold into beautiful trees in there… It’ll be beautiful.
E-245 Notice, here he comes forth, and he plays a little trick on them there. And he stands and he says, “Is my father still living?” See? He wanted to know if that boy’s father was living.
He said, “Yes.” (He knowed that was his brother.)
But did you notice. When he got ready to reveal himself to his brothers, and he found little Benjamin, which had been born since he had been gone. And that represents these Jews, this hundred and forty-four thousand that’s gathering right there now, since He’s been gone. And when He returned, he said… He looked at Benjamin; his heart was about to break.
And remember, they had–they didn’t know that he could speak Hebrew. He was taken an interpreter; he act like he was an Egyptian. See?
E-247 And then when it was made known, he wanted to make himself known, he kept looking at little Benjamin. And–and remember, he dismissed his wife. She was in the palace when he made hisself known to his brethren. And the Gentile Bride, the wife, after Jesus being rejected by His own people, He has taken a Gentile Bride and will take Her from here to the palace to His Father’s house in glory for the wedding supper and will slip back down to make Hisself known to His brethren, the hundred and forty-four thousand…?… See? There He stands. And remember, look at the symbols, perfectly.
E-249 And when he come back to where this was, he looked down to them and he said–he said–begin to look… And they begin to talk. They said, “Now, Reuben, you know that we’re in for it now. See? Because, you know what we done? We’ve got this boy in this fix. Now, we oughtn’t to have sold our brother.” That was their brother standing there, that mighty prince, and they didn’t know it.
That’s the reason Israel can’t understand Him today. It isn’t the hour yet to know it. And then he–they thought he couldn’t understand Hebrew, but he was listening right at them.
They said, “Now, we’re in for it.”
E-251 And Joseph, when he looked at them, he couldn’t stand it no longer. Now, remember, his wife, his children was in the palace at the time: the saints gone out–out of their presence. And he said, “I’m Joseph, your brother.”
And he run over and grabbed little Benjamin, fell on his neck, and begin to cry. And he made himself known.
And then they said, “Now, we know we got it coming, for we sold him. We was the one who sold him off. We was the one who tried to kill him, now we know he’ll kill us.”
He said, “No, don’t be angry with yourself; you only done it to preserve life. That’s why God sent me down here.” And when He makes Hisself known, the Bible says (as we come to it), when He makes Hisself known to that hundred and forty-four thousand there, the little Benjamin of today and the remnant of those Jews left there; when He makes Himself known, they’ll say, “Where did You get those scars? What are they doing in Your hands?”
He’ll say, “Oh, I got them in the house of my friends.” See?
E-257 Oh, then they’ll realize that they have killed the Messiah. But what will He say? The same as Joseph did it: “You did it to serve life, don’t–to save life. Don’t be angry with yourself.” Because that the Gentiles would not have been brought in, if the Jews hadn’t have done that blindfolded trick. So He saved the life of the church by the things they done. So there you are. That’s the reason today they can’t understand this; it isn’t the hour. No more we could understand these things until the time comes for it to be understood. Oh, my.
E-259 Seven thunders of revelation… May He show the Bride how to prepare for the great translation faith. (Now, let’s hurry up because we haven’t got about fifteen or twenty minutes yet.)
Now, what does this white horse mean? Let me read this. I’ve been so far off. Excuse me for getting off my subject, but–but I’ll read the verse again, the two verses.
And I saw when the Lamb had opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it was the noise of thunder, and one of the four beasts saying, Come… see.
And I saw, and behold a white horse:… (Now, we’re going to the 2nd verse)… a white horse: and he that set on him had a bow; and a crown was given… him:… (He didn’t have it then.)… unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. (That’s all of that. That’s the seal.)
E-262 Now, let us find the symbols. We found out what the thunder means. That’s perfectly; we know that. See? The thunder was the Voice of God when the Seal opened.
Now, what does the white horse mean? Now, here’s where the revelation comes. I’m just as positive of this as I’m standing here knowing this is the Word. I’ve read every book on it I could find. And with a… I… The last time that I was–tried to go through it, just teaching it, about thirty years ago, I took the book… Somebody had told me that the Adventists had more light on the second coming of Christ than any people that they knowed, so I found some of their good books to read them. I got Smith’s book on “Daniel’s Revelation.” And he said this white horse that went forth was white, and it symbolized a conqueror, and in this conquering… Many of you Adventist brethren here knows the book, and many of you others also by reading it. And others, I read two or three of… I read when the… I can’t call… There’s two more books read, and both men agreed that that was right. That was fine teachers, supposed to be some of the best with the best light. So I thought, “Well, if I don’t know, I’ll just say what they said, try to teach it that way.” And they give a very good explanation of it, what it really meant.
E-266 And they said, “Now, here’s a white horse, and a white horse is a power, a charger.” And said, “The man that set on that was the–the white horse was the Holy Spirit that went forth in the early age and conquered that age for the Kingdom of God. He had a bow in his hand which meant like Cupid. He shot the arrows of love into the hearts of the people, the love of God, and He conquered.”
Now, that sounds very good, but it isn’t the Truth. No, sir. That… It wasn’t. “White” does mean “righteous.” We–we realize that, that “white” means “righteous.” The teachers taught it, that it was the Holy Spirit conquering in the first age. But my revelation of it by the Holy Spirit is not that way.
My revelation by the Holy Spirit is: Christ and the Holy Spirit is the self same Person (See?), only in a different form. So here stands Christ, the Lamb. We know He was the Lamb. He’s standing here with the Books in His hand, and there goes the white horse rider. See? So it wasn’t the Holy Spirit.
E-269 Now, that’s one of the mysteries of the last days, how that Christ can be the three Persons in One. It’s not three different people: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, being three gods as the trinitarians try to tell us it is. It’s three–it’s three manifestations of the same Person, or you might call it three offices. If you’re talking to ministers, you wouldn’t use office, ’cause I…?… just happened to think I’m on tape. So I’ll tell you… ‘Course Christ couldn’t say, “I’ll pray My office, and He’ll send you another office.” We know that. But if you want to make it: it’s three attributes of the same God, and not three gods; three attributes of the same God. See? And so how could Christ be out there with a white horse conquering and standing here with a Book in His hand? It isn’t so; it isn’t Christ.
E-271 Notice. Now, the Holy Spirit and the revelation and Christ is… The Holy Spirit is Christ in another form. That’s right. Notice, it is a Lamb that opened the Book, and the Lamb is Christ; and Christ is not seen anymore from then, but He is seen in the Book of Revelations the 19th chapter, coming on a white horse. If you’d like to read it, let’s turn to Revelations 19:11 to 6. Let’s read it right quick now while we’re–while we’re–if we got enough time, I hope, so it’ll make it just a little better to us: 19, 19:11, begin at the 11th verse and read down including the 16th.
And I saw heaven opened,… behold a white horse;… (not on the earth; in heaven. See?)… and he that set on him was called Faithful… True, and… righteous… does he judge and make war.
His eyes were… flames of fire, and on his head was many crowns;… (Look at the diadem.)… and he had a name written, that no man knowed, but… himself.
E-274 I wished I could stop on that just a minute. Oh, my. I got a good notion but maybe when I see that you… See, nobody knows it. Did you ever know that the Name of Jehovah is not correct? Anyone knows. Dr. Vayle, you know that’s true. The translators could never translate it. It’s spelled J-u-h-v–J-v-h-u, I mean. It isn’t Jehovah. They couldn’t touch it. They don’t know what it is. Called it Jehovah, but it wasn’t His Name. Look. Every time a victory’s won or something goes on, a name is changed.
E-277 Look at the days of Abraham. He was first Abram, and never could have that baby until his name was changed to Abraham. And Sarra, S-a-r-r-a could not have nothing but a dead womb until her name was changed to S-a-r-a-h.
“Jacob” means “supplanter, deceiver,” and that’s what he did. He put sheepskin on hisself and deceived his prophet father to take the birthright. He put poplar sticks in the water, speckled them, and scared the cattle when they was pregnated with the–with their young, to make speckled cattle and sheep. Nothing but a deceiver, but one night he caught ahold of something real. And he knowed it was real, and he stayed with it and held on until he overcome, and his name was changed and called “Israel” meaning “a prince with power before God.” Is that right? Every overcomer…
Simon was a fisherman; but when his faith caught and knowed that was Jesus, when He told him He was the Messiah and told him who his name was and what his father’s name was, he was overcome and changed from Simon to Peter.
Saul, good name, Saul was a king one time in Israel, but Saul didn’t fit an apostle. Might be all right for a king, but not an apostle. So Jesus changed his name from what? From Saul to Paul. Look at the sons of thunder and on down.
E-283 And Jesus, His Name on earth was Redeemer, Jesus. When He was on earth, He was the Redeemer; that’s true. But when He conquered death and hell, and overcome them, and ascended on high, He received a new Name. That’s the reason they holler the way they do and don’t get nothing; it’ll be revealed in the thunders. See?
E-284 Notice, the mystery. He’s coming, riding… There’s got to be something to change this Church, you know that. There’s got to be something. Notice. No man knowed but Himself. Now, notice, no man knowed but Hisself.
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name was called The Word of God. (Oh, notice.)
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
And he had on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
E-285 There comes the Messiah. There He is, not this fellow on this horse back here. Watch the different. Here He stands with the Book in His hand here. The redemptive work is just… He hasn’t took His place yet.
So it was not the Christ that went forth, the Holy Spirit. Not disagreeing with them great men, no, sir, I don’t do it. I wouldn’t want to do that, but this is what my revelation of it is. See, if you got something different, well, that’s all right, but it ain’t all right with me. See, I–I believe it this way; you know–you know what. See?
E-287 And notice, Christ is not seen any more (See?) from the time there. But He is on a white horse; so if this guy is riding a white horse, he’s only an impersonator of Christ. See? Get that? Notice, the rider on the white horse don’t have any name. He might use two or three titles, but he hasn’t got any name. But Christ has a Name. What is it? The Word of God. That’s what it is. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And the Word made flesh. See?
E-289 The rider has no name, but Christ is called the Word of God. That’s what He is. He’s called that. Now, He’s got a Name that no man knows, but He’s called the Word of God. This guy isn’t called nothing (See?), but he’s on a white horse.
The rider has no arrows for his bow. Did you notice? He had a bow, but there’s nothing said about having any arrows; so he must be a bluffer. That’s right. Maybe he’s got a lot of thunder and no lightning, but you find out Christ had both lightning and thunder; for out of His mouth goes a sharp two-edged Sword, and He smites the nations. And this guy can’t smite nothing (See?), but he’s playing the part of a hypocrite. He’s going forth riding on a white horse, going out to conquer.
E-291 Christ has a sharp Sword, and watch. It comes from His mouth–the living Word. That’s the Word of God revealed to His servants, like He said to Moses: “Go, stand there and hold that stick out yonder, call for flies,” and there was flies. Sure. Whatever He said, He done it, and it come to pass. His living Word… God and His Word is the self same Person. God is the Word.
Who is this mysterious rider of the first church age then? Who is he? Let’s think of it. Who is this mysterious rider that starts forth in the first church age and rides plumb on out into eternity, goes to the end.
E-293 The Second Seal comes forth and goes right on out into the end. The Third Seal comes forth and goes right on out into the end. Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh; every one of them winds right up out here in the end.
And at the end time, these Books that’s been rolled up all this time with these mysteries in them, is broken. Then out comes the mystery to see what it is. But actually they started forth at the first church age, because at the first church age received the message, like this.
A white horse rider went out. See? Who is he? He’s mighty in his conquering power, is a great fellow in his conquering power. You want me to tell you who he is? He’s the antichrist. That’s exactly what he is.
Now, because, you see, if an antichrist… Jesus said that the two would be so close together until it would deceive the very elected, the Bride, if it was possible. Antichrist, it’s the antichrist spirit.
E-295 Remember in the church ages when we opened the first church age back there, we found out that the Holy Spirit was against a certain thing that got started in that church age, and that was called “the deeds of the Nicolaitanes.” You remember it? “Nico” means “to conquer.” “Laity” means “the church, the laity.” “Nicolaitanes” “to conquer the laity”: take the Holy Spirit out of the church and give it all to one holy man, let him be the boss of all of it. You went through it (See?), Nicolaitane. Notice, Nicolaitia was a–a saying in one church; it become a doctrine in the next church age. And in the third church age it was a forcement; and they had the Nicaea Council. And it was then made a doctrine and a church.
E-296 And what was the first thing happened? An organization from it. Now, is that right? Tell me where the first organized church come from: Roman Catholic church. Tell me if Revelations don’t say, in the Book of Revelations 17, that she was a whore, and her daughters were harlots. That’s the same thing that organized with her: harlots. Taken the abomination, filthiness of their fornications for doctrine, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men.
E-297 Notice. Look, he starts out to conquer. Notice, he has no crown. The white horse rider; I’m speaking of here. See? A bow and a crown was given him afterwards. See? He had no crown to start with, but a crown was given him. Notice, later he was given a crown: yeah, three of them, three on one. That was three hundred years later at the Nicaea Council when he started out a spirit of Nicolaitia to form an organization among the people, and then it kept on going on, going on; it become a saying, then it become a doctrine.
E-298 You remember Christ speaking back to the church, said, “Thou hatest the deeds of these Nicolaitanes which I hate too,” trying to conquer, take the Holy Spirit: just on one holy man; he can forgive all the sins and everything. Have we just read it over there, Paul spoke of it: that thing would set in the last days, and he couldn’t be revealed till the last days? Then He that letteth will take the Spirit of God out of there, and then he’ll reveal himself.
Today he’s under the disguisement of a white horse. Watch how he changes from that white horse in a few minutes. He don’t only become a white horse; he becomes a beast with many heads and horns. See, see? The white horse, he’s a deceiver now, and that’s the reason the people hasn’t known it all this time. They thought it, but here it is now; it’s going to be revealed by the Scripture.
E-301 Notice, when Nicolaitia (See?), antichrist is finally… He’s incarnate in a man; then he’s crowned. When he starts off as a Nicolaitia spirit in the church, he’s a spirit. You can’t crown a spirit. But three hundred years later he become a pope. And then they crowned him. He had no crown to start with, but he got a crown later (See?), when that spirit become incarnate. See? He become a man. Nicolaitane doctrine become a man; then they could crown it. They couldn’t do it because he was just a doctrine. Glory.
Notice, and when this Holy Spirit that we have, becomes incarnate to us, the One that’s in our midst now in the form of the Holy Ghost, becomes incarnate to us in the Person of Jesus Christ, we’ll crown Him King of king…?… That’s right. See?
E-303 Now, remember, about the time Christ come on the throne, the antichrist come on the throne: Judas. About the time Christ went off the earth, Judas went off the earth. Just about the time the Holy Spirit come back, the antichrist come back.
You know, John said over here: “Little children, I would not have you ignorant, you know, about the antichrist, which he’s already come and working in the children of disobedience.” The antichrist then, there he was, begin to form in there the Nicolaitane spirit to make an organization.
No wonder I hated that thing. See, see? There you are. It wasn’t me; it was something in here. There’s the thing; it’s come out. You see it? I was all around the sides of it; I couldn’t see it till now; I–I know it now. There it is, that Nicolaitane spirit God hated, and now that spirit become incarnate, and they crowned it. And here it is right here what the Bible said they’d do with it: perfect. Oh, my.
E-306 Incarnate… He become a man and then they crowned him. Read, notice, or read, rather, how Daniel said he will take over the church kingdom. Would you like to read it? Let… We got time to do that, haven’t we? All right. Listen. Let’s go back to Daniel just a moment. Turn back to the Book of Daniel, and we’ll read just a moment; and we won’t be, maybe another fifteen, twenty minutes or thirty, or something. All right, let’s get Daniel the 11th chapter, and let’s take the 21st verse. Here’s Daniel. Daniel’s speaking now how this fellow is going to take over.
And in his state shall stand up a vile person… (Rome, talking)… to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom:… (Now, watch.)… but he shall come in a peaceable–come in peaceable, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
E-309 That’s exactly what it done, what Daniel said this antichrist would do. He will fit the people’s place. Yes, it’ll fit their–their menu for this day for the churches. For in this church age they don’t want the Word, Christ; but they want church. The first thing, they don’t ask you if you’re a Christian. “What church do you belong to?” “What church?” They don’t want Christ, the Word. You go tell them about the Word and how to straighten up; they don’t want that.
They want something, just live anyway they want to and still belong to church and obtain their testimony. See, see? So, he fits the menu just exactly. And you remember, “he” was finally called “she” in the Bible. And she was a prostitute and had daughters. Just fits the bill of the day, what the people want. There it is.
E-310 God has promised it; when the Word is refused then they are turned to their desires. Let’s read Thessalonians again. Let’s… I want you to watch here just a minute. Say, “Well, we read it awhile ago.” II Thessalonians 2:9-11, It said that they would, in turning down, rejecting the Truth, they would be given over to a reprobate mind and would believe a lie and would be damned by it. Now, that’s what–that’s what the Holy Spirit said.
Now, isn’t that the desire of the church today? You try to tell people they have to do this, that, or the other; they’ll let you know right quick they are Methodists, Presbyterian, or whatmore; they don’t have to paddle in your boat. See? Certainly. They want it. And God said, “If they want it, I’ll just let them have it. And I’ll actually make them believe that that’s the truth, ’cause I’ll give them a reprobate mind concerning the truth.”
E-312 Now, look here what the Bible says also. “As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses…” so will these guys in the last days with a reprobate mind concerning the truth, and shall turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness, deny the Lord God. Now, you see where it’s at. Not only Catholic, but Protestant, the whole thing, it’s all the whole organized world.
That’s that white horse rider under the–the way of a white, righteousness church (See?), but an antichrist. It’s got to look like–on a horse even, just like Christ is coming on a horse. All anti–so close it’d deceive the very elect…
Here he is. He’s the antichrist. He started riding in the first church age. Now, he rides on down, on down through every age. Now, watch him.
E-314 You say, “Way back–way back in the apostles time?” He was called Nicolaitia there. Then in the next church age, then he become a doctrine in the church. First he was just a saying, then he become a doctrine.
Swell, celebrity people, fine dressed, highly educated, polished didn’t want all that carrying on in the church. No, they didn’t want all that Holy Ghost stuff. Must be a church… “And we all go through the Nicaea Council and so forth at Rome.” Then when they come there, they took the church, and took paganism, Roman Catholi–or paganism–pagan Rome and a few superstitions and took the–the Astarte the Queen of heaven, and turned it to be Mary, the mother; make intercessors out of dead people, and so forth, and took that round kosher wafer which is still puts round on there and called it the Body of Christ, because it represents the mother of heaven… When a Catholic passes by, he crosses himself because that light’s burning in there is supposed to be the kosher which is turned to God by the power of the priest, when it is nothing in the world but just plain paganism. That’s right.
E-316 I just don’t understand it. Well, yes I do. (Excuse me.) Yes, sir. I understand by the grace of God. Sure. Now, notice. Oh, my, how they can do that. See? And they are given their desire. No, that’s true. You don’t have to do that. No, sir. If you don’t want to do, you’re not forced to do it. If you don’t want to tally up to God’s way of living and things and worship, you don’t have to do it. God don’t make nobody do it. But let me tell you something. If your name was placed on that Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world, you’d be so happy to do it, you can’t wait for the minute to do it.
Look here. When you say, “I’ll give you to understand; I’m just as religious…” Well, that might be true. Look it… Who could say them priests wasn’t religious in the days of the Lord Jesus? Who could say Israel wasn’t religious in the wilderness?
E-320 When they was even… “Why, God’s blessed me so many times…” Yes, He did them too. They didn’t even have to work for their living. He fed them out of the heavens, and Jesus said, “They’re everyone lost and gone and perished.”
“Our fathers,” they said, “eat manna in the wilderness for forty years.”
Jesus said, “And they’re every one dead,” eternally separated. See? He said, “But I’m the Bread of Life that come from God out of heaven. If a man eats this Bread, he’ll never die.” See? He’s the Tree of Life.
E-323 Notice just how… And when Jesus come, those priests, they come up there, very religious. Boy, nobody could say they wasn’t nice men. My, they walked to the line of that law. Everything that church said, they did it. If they didn’t, they were stoned. And so they walked out, do you know what Jesus called them? John called them, “You bunch of snakes in the grass. Don’t you think because you belong to that organization you got anything to do with God.”
And Jesus said, “You are of your father the devil.” He said, “Every time that God sent a prophet, what happened? You stoned him, and throwed him in the grave, and now you go out there and polish his grave.”
E-325 Isn’t that the same thing that Catholic church has done? Look at Joan of Arc, and Saint Patrick, and all the rest of them. They’re the one who puts them in, and then dug Joan of Arc’s body up, and throwed it in the river a couple of hundred years later, and burned her for a witch. “You are of your father the devil, and his works you do.” That’s exactly. Go all over the world… See?
That’s right. That’s what Jesus said; and you think it’s all right. It looks pretty good, that white horse; but look what you got. That’s exactly what’s riding it.
E-327 Now, but He said they wanted it, so He would give them a strong delusion. Remember, this prostitute of Revelation 17, she is a mystery, Mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots. And John admired her, just like this man… (Look, wait till we get here and watch him watching this horse here.) See, but you noticed he was… What happened was this: that he admired her with great admiration, but the mystery was that she drank the blood of the martyrs of Christ. A beautiful church, set there decked in purple and gold, and she had a cup in her hand of filthiness of her fornications.
E-329 What is “fornication?” Is “unrighteous living.” That’s her doctrine she was giving out, taking the Word of God and making it of non-effect by some, “Hail, Marys,” and all this other kind of stuff and giving it out, and the kings of the earth committed fornications with her.
Well, you say, “That’s the Catholic church.” But she was a mother of harlots, same thing that she was. There you are.
What happened? When the reformer died and his message died out, you–you organized it, and put a bunch of “Rickys” in there, and started the thing right back to live the way you wanted to. You didn’t want to stay with the Word. Instead of moving right on with the Word, they stayed right there, and, “This is it.” You don’t do that. He… That’s it, Him up there.
E-332 Notice. (That’s one thing. We want to hit just a couple more places before closing.) He is the prince that was destroy; Daniel’s people. You believe that? I’m going to make this if you just help and be lenient with me for a few minutes, I–I’ll make it just as quick as I can, but I want to make it positive (See?); ’cause I–the Holy Spirit’s give me this just as certain as I’m standing here. See, see?
E-334 Now, look, let’s take–go back to Daniel again just a minute. I want to read something ‘fore… Whether if you don’t go back, it’s all right. I want to read Daniel 9–Daniel 9, and I want to read the 26th and 27th verse of Daniel 9. And watch, if he isn’t the one to destroy Daniel’s people–what he’s going to do.
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off… (See, that’s the threescore and two weeks, He’d be cut off out of the seventy weeks.)… not for himself: but for the people and the prince… (That’s the hierarchy here.)… that shall come–that shall come shall destroy the city and… sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with great flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
E-336 I want to ask you people something. After Christ was cut off from the earth in the three and a half years of His ministry, and what destroyed the temple? Who destroyed it? Rome. Sure. Constantine (Or, no, I beg your pardon.) Titus, the Roman general. He destroyed the prince. Now, notice. Watch this fellow come right on down just go on.
E-337 When Jesus was born, the red dragon in heaven stood at the woman to devour her child as soon as it was born. Is that right? Who was it tried to devour the child when it was born? [Congregation says, “Rome.”–Ed.] See? There’s the red dragon. Here’s your prince. Here’s your beast. See? There they are, everyone of them, just the same. See? Devour the child… God caught it up into heaven to set on His throne. That’s where Christ is now till the time appointed. See? Now, watch what he shall do.
E-338 Now, oh… Now, I believe I was talking to somebody here. It might’ve been Brother Roberson today, or somebody I was talking on about this (about not this here but just on the same thing.) I believe I preached on it here not long back, what will happen to this United States on this money situation. See? Well, we are now paying our debts on taxes that’ll be paid forty years from today. That’s how far we are behind.
Did you ever turn on “KAIR” up there or “Lifeline” and listen to it (See?) from the… Washington? Why, we are completely busted. That’s all. What’s the matter? The gold’s all housed up, and the Jews holds the bond. It’s going to be Rome.
Now, watch. We know who owns the big department stores, but Rome has the greatest part of the wealth of the world. The rest of it the Jews have. Now, watch this. Now, just listen to this how the Holy Spirit brought this out for me.
E-340 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:… (Now, watch.)… and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the obligations to cease,… for the over spreading of abomination he shall make it desolate, even unto the consummation, and that determined shall be poured out upon the desolate.
Watch. Oh, what a shrewd thing he is. Here he is. Now, we got our picture and know that he’s Rome. We know that he’s the white horse rider. We know that he went forth as a doctrine. And then what was pagan Rome? Converted into papal Rome and crowned.
E-341 Now, watch. In the end time, not in the early days when Christ was preaching, but in the end time, the last part of the week, where we just took the seventy weeks of Daniel; and Christ has prophesied for the three and a half years, and three and a half years are yet determined. Is that right? And this prince in that time is to make a covenant with Daniel’s people, which is the Jews. That’s when the Bride’s taken out now. She won’t see it.
E-342 Notice. In the last one-half of Daniel’s week, the people makes a covenant–this prince makes a covenant with Rome; makes a covenant with them no doubt for the wealth, for Catholic and Jew holds the wealth of the world.
I was in the Vatican. I’ve seen the triple crown. Was supposed to have an interview with the Pope. Baron Von Blomberg got it for me on a–for a Wednesday afternoon at three o’clock.
And when they took me to the king, they took the cuffs out of my trousers. That’s all right. Told me never to turn my back, walk away from him. That’s all right. But I said, “What do I have to do before this guy?”
Said, “Well, just go in and kneel down on one knee and kiss his finger.”
I said, “That’s out. That’s out. No, sir.” I said, “I’ll–I’ll call any man a brother that wants to be a brother. I’ll call him reverend, if he wants to have the title of that, but to worship a man, that all belongs to Jesus Christ.” No, sir. Kissing no man’s hand like that. No, indeed.
E-346 So I didn’t do it, but I got to go all through the Vatican. Why, you couldn’t buy it with a hundred billion billion dollars. Why, you… And just think, “The wealth of the world,” the Bible said, “was found in her.” All… Just think of the great places, the billions times… Why did Communism raise up over here in Russia? It just makes me sick at my stomach to hear so many preachers hollering about Communism, and they don’t even know what they’re crowing about. That’s right. Communism ain’t nothing. It’s a tool in the hand of God to bring revenge upon the earth for the blood of the saints that… That’s right.
E-349 And after the church is taken away, Rome and–and the Jews will make a covenant with one another. The Bible said they would, with the holy people. And now notice, they’ll make it, because why? This nation is going to be busted, and the rest of the world that’s on the gold standard is busted. You know that. If we’re living off of taxes, due bills for forty years from now, where are we at? There’s only one thing can happen. That’s to call in the currency and pay off the bonds; and we can’t do it. Wall Street owns them, and Wall Street’s controlled by the Jews; the rest of it’s in the Vatican, and the Jews has got the rest of it in Wall Street with the commerce of the world.
E-350 We can’t call it in. And if we could do it, do you think these whiskey guys and–and all these tobacco people with billions times billions of dollars a year and write off all their income tax for old vulgar pictures and things like that–go out in Arizona there and buy millions of acres of land–or thousands–and dig them big wells at fifty thousand dollars and pay it off with income tax? And they’d put you in jail if you don’t pay yours. But they write it off and throw up wells and send bulldozers in.
And what do they do? They put housing projects in there, and the next turn around with their money they made (they have got to make an investment) and put houses, projects in there and sell them for millions of dollars. Do you think them guys is going to compromise to change the currency?
E-352 Like this fellow down here in–in (What’s his name?) Castro did. He done the only smart thing he ever did do then, when he destroyed the bonds: paid them off and destroyed them. Notice, but we can’t do that. These guys won’t let us.
The rich merchants of the earth hold it, and then there’s only one thing to do: The Catholic church can pay it off. She’s the only one that’s got the money; she can do it, and she will do it.
And in doing this to get it, she’ll compromise with the Jews and make a covenant, and when she makes this covenant with the Jews… Now, remember, I’m taking this from the Scriptures. And now, when she does this and makes this covenant, we notice in Daniel 8:23 and 25 he will cause craft to prosper (And craft is manufacturing.), in his hand.
E-354 And he makes this covenant with the Jews, and in the midst of this three and a half years, he breaks his covenant as soon as he gets the thing wrapped up and gets the money of the Jews tied up. And when he does that, oh, my, oh, my, he’s called the antichrist until the end of the church age, for he is the–he and his children are against Christ and the Word. This man’s called the antichrist. Now, he’s going to hold the money. And that’s where I think he’ll come in. Just a minute, while I say this, then I want to go back to it in a minute.
He’s called the antichrist and will be called the antichrist in the sight of God until the end time. Now, but then he’ll be called something else.
E-359 Now, when he gets the money all under control, then he’ll break this covenant with the Jews, as Daniel here said he would do it, in the midst of the last half of the seventy weeks of Daniel. And then, brother, what will he do? He will have all of the world trade and the commerce, a pact with the world, ’cause he’ll hold the wealth of the world completely.
And during that time, them two prophets will rise on the scene and call that hundred and forty-four thousand. Then what’ll take place? Then the mark of the beast of Revelations 13 will set in, ’cause he holds all the commerce, trade and everything of the world. And what will take place then? The mark of the beast will come in that no man can buy or sell except him that has the mark of the beast. Thank God, the Church will be enjoying a great three and a half years in glory. Don’t have to go through that.
E-361 Now, notice, at the end time–at the end of the church ages, now, he is called–he and his children are called the antichrist, ’cause anything that’s against Christ is antichrist. And anything that’s against the Word is against Christ, ’cause Christ is the Word. Now, he’s antichrist.
Then in Revelations 12:7-9, when Satan is cast out, the accuser… You want to put that down, ’cause I want to read it; we haven’t got time now, ’cause it’s twent–fifteen till ten. See?
But in Revelations 12:7-9, Satan the spirit, the devil, which is up there now, accuser of our brethren, all right; the Church is taken up, and Satan is cast out. When the Church goes up, Satan comes down. Then Satan incarnates himself in the antichrist and is called the beast.
E-363 Then in Revelations 13, he sets the mark down. See, when He that letteth–only now Christianity is left on the earth in its purity is because Him that letteth. You remember back here in that–in Thessalonians? Setting upon the temple of God, calling himself God; forgiving sins on earth, and that’ll go on, and iniquity shall abound and on, ’cause it won’t be known yet until his time to be revealed is called. And then the Church will be caught away. And when it’s caught away, then he changes hisself from an antichrist now. Oh, my, the church, the great church and… Now, he becomes the beast. Hm. I wished I could make people see that.
E-367 Now, remember, the antichrist and the beast is the same self spirit. There’s the trinity. Yes, sir. It’s three stages of the same devil power. Remember, Nicolaitia (See?), it had to be incarnate before it could be crowned. See? Now, watch this. Three stages: first stage he’s called antichrist; second stage, he’s called the false prophet; third stage, he’s called the beast.
E-368 Notice, Nicolaitia, the antichrist teaching that started in the days of Paul against God’s Word: antichrist… Then he’s called again the false prophet, which when the teaching become a man, he was a prophet to the teaching of the hierarchy of the–the hierarchy of the Catholic church. The Pope was the prophet to the false word, and that made him a false prophet.
The third stage is a beast, a man that’s crowned in the last days with every power that pagan Rome ever had, because the seven-headed beast, dragon, was cast out of heaven and come incarnate in the false prophet. Here it is; he had seven crowns, and he was cast out and throwed into the earth and the sea. All right.
What are we saying? Who is this rider, this horse rider? You know what it is? It’s Satan’s superman.
E-372 I went the other night… Two brothers setting in this church now (Brother Norman, back there, and, I believe, and Brother Fred); we was over to hear a man teach on the antichrist, a well known man, one of the best the Assemblies of God has got. And his interpretation of antichrist was, that they’re going to take a vitamin of some sort out of a–of a man and transfer this life out of a man into a great image that’s going to step a city block at a time. And that’s going… Could you imagine a man filled with the Holy Ghost under such illusion as that, or claimed to be? When here’s the Bible that says who the antichrist is. It’s not a… It’s a man.
E-373 Notice, this rider is nothing but Satan’s superman, a incarnate devil. He’s a educated genius. Now, I hope you got your ears open. They was trying one of his children out not long ago in a television cast to see if he wasn’t smarter than the next man to run for presidency; but however, he’s got a lot of wisdom; so has Satan. He tries to sell it. He sold it to Eve; he sold it to us. We’ve been wanting a superman; we got it. All right. The whole world’s wanting a superman; they’re going to get it. Just wait till the Church goes up, and Satan’s cast out. He’ll incarnate. That’s right. They want somebody who can really do the job; he’ll do it.
E-374 Educated… This is the Satan’s superman with education, with wisdom, with church theology of his own word, of his own making, and he rides his white denominational horse to deceive the people. And he will conquer every religion of the world, ’cause they’ve all going into the confederation of–of the–of churches and the world confederation of churches. And they already got their buildings built and everything setting right in line. There ain’t one thing left. Every denomination’s stuck right into it, the federation of churches. And what’s backing it? Rome. And the pope’s now crying, “We’re all one. Let’s come together and walk together.”
E-375 And these people, even some of you Full Gospel people, deny–have to deny your evangelical teaching to take such a step as that. What have you done? So blind to that denominational thing you’ve rejected Truth. And Truth was set before them, and they–they walked away from it and left it, and now they’ve been given over to a strong delusion to believe a lie and be damned with it. That’s exactly what it is, and the antichrist takes it all. And the Bible said that he deceived all, a-double-l, all upon the face of the earth whose names were not written under those Seals from the foundation of the world. Now, if the Bible said he did it, he did it.
They say, “Well, I belong…” There you are. See? That’s just exactly. It’s the same prostitute institution. It’s the same system that started in the beginning which is antichrist throughout. I’ll hear from it, but that’s–it’s the Truth. I expect to. Amen.
E-379 Now, notice, he’ll conquer and almost has in his grip right now, while he’s still antichrist before he can becomes beast. You talk about cruel punishment. You just wait. Watch what them that’s left here on earth will have to go through with. There will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. For the dragon, Rome, spurted water out of his mouth to make war with the remnant of the woman’s seed that was left upon the earth after the Bride had been selected and took out. And the dragon made war with the remnant that didn’t want to come in, was hunted down. And the real Church will go through that if it was possible, but you see, they are done under this Blood by the grace of Christ, and is not going through…?… have no tribulation period. The next thing for the Church is rapture. Amen and amen. Praise be God.
E-381 Oh, how I love this. Let me tell you. We’re telling what a conquer he’s going to do, and he’s really going to conquer; he’s already done it. It’s just already sewed up. That’s all. Going to sew up with the money, filthy lucre. It’s exactly. They love money more than God. Everything they think about now is how much money has he got. What is it? You know it’s been said lots of times: “Give the church the money, and she’ll revolutionize the world. Give the church the money, and she’ll send evangelists all over the world. And what will she do? She will conquer the world for Christ.”
Let me tell you something, my poor blind friend. The world’s not won by money, but by the Blood of Jesus Christ. Give God men who’s gallant men will stand on that Word, live or die, that’ll conquer. There’ll only be one thing that can conquer: those that’s got their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life from the foundation of the world. That’s the only thing will hear it. Money won’t have nothing to do with it: send them farther into the denominational traditions.
E-384 Let’s see. Yes, with educational genius, he’ll be. He’ll be smart. My, my, my, and all of his children around him will be smart: Ph.D., LL.D., double L.D., Q.S.D., A.B.C.D.E.F. on down to Z. They’ll have it all. Smart. Why? It’s after the order of Satan. Any shrewd craftiness against the Bible is of Satan. That’s exactly what he took Eve with. Eve said, “Oh, it’s written. God said for us not to do that.”
He said, “But wait. Surely God won’t do it, but I’ll open your eyes and give you some wisdom.” She got it. We’ve been wanting him; we got it too, this nation.
E-387 Notice, he’ll conquer the whole religious world. He’ll conquer–make a covenant with Daniel’s people. Here it is, both in the Gentile and in the Daniel’s people, the Jews to the last week, and here we are, even drawed out on boards, and you see it perfectly, there’s where it is. Thank God. There he is. That organizational system is of the devil. And that’s no punches pulled on it either. (See?) It’s exactly. It’s a root of the devil; it’s a… And now, not people, not people in there, them are God’s people, many of them. But you know what, when we get over here till where we get in these trumpets sounding; and the next time I come by, these trumpets sounding. You remember when them last angels, that third angel come across, “Come out of her my people.”… When that angel flies at the same time that message drops here for the last trumpet, last angel’s message, last Seal opens. All happens at the same time. Yes, sir. All seals up and goes over into eternity.
E-389 Now, watch, at the same time that this guy’s a-conquering (Then I’ll close.), God’s going to do something then too. Let’s not just give Satan all the credit here. See? Let’s not talk about him altogether. See? While this great thing is going out there, this great system winding in these organizations in a union so they can pool themselves together and stand against Communism, and not knowing that God raised up Communism to conquer them. Sure. What–what–what made Communism rise in Russia? Because of the impurity of the Roman church and the rest of them. They took all the money there was in Russia and starved the people to death and give them nothing instead of live just like the rest of the world.
E-391 I was down in Mexico not long ago and see them poor little children. Any Catholic country is not even self-supporting; there’s not a one of them. Ask me where… Show me where they’re at. Any Catholic-controlled country can’t even support its own self. France, Italy, and all them, Mexico, wherever you go, they’re not self-supporting. Why? The church took everything they have. That’s the reason Russia kicked it out.
E-393 Watch what taken place. I know this myself. I stand down there and you think the golden jubilee was on you hear the bells ringing. And here a poor little woman coming down the street, dragging her feet, and a father packing a baby, and two or three of them crying. She was doing penance to some dead woman up there, they had her, thought she’d get to go to heaven by it. Oh, what a pitiful thing.
Then I seen standing down there… Here comes… Their economics is so poorly balanced; the church takes everything they got. Here little Pancho, maybe–maybe Pancho Frank, he comes down, and he’s a brick mason, and he maybe he makes twenty pesos a week, but it’ll take the whole twenty pesos to buy him a pair of shoes. That’s their economics. But now here, what about then if he being a mason and a bricklayer and make twenty pesos a week (just saying, I don’t know what he makes, but say that kind of economics–the way it’s balanced up).
E-395 Notice, now, if he makes twenty pesos a week, here comes Chico (See?), which means “little one,” and he works out there for about five pesos a week, and he’s got ten kids to feed; but there’ll be somebody knocking on his door to take about five of those pesos or four of them anyhow to pay for some grease candle to burn on a million dollar gold altar for his sins. There you are. That’s the balance of economics. That’s the way their countries are. The thing takes it all. The church takes it all.
She’s just got it in her hands. That’s all. And her, with the money of the Jews in that covenant; the Bible said they’ll take the whole thing, and then he becomes a beast; he breaks his covenant; he ravishes; he tears out the rest of that woman’s seed like that, and spurts water out of his mouth, makes war; and there’ll be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. And the Bride’s getting married in glory (See?) same time. Don’t miss it, friends. God help me; and I–I want to be there. I don’t care what it costs. I–I want to be there.
E-398 Now, notice, in the same time this is going on, just before this takes place, rather, on the earth, God has promised, while all them scruples of denominations arguing their difference about their creed, God promised that He would send us a true prophet of the true Word with a message to return to the original Word of God and the faith of the fathers to bring down the power of the Holy Ghost amongst the people, with a power that will raise her above these things and take her in at the same time. Yes, sir.
Same Word be vindicated of Jesus Christ that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. “Lo, I am with you always, even to the consummation. And the works that I do shall you do also. I’ll be right with you. A little while and they won’t see Me no more, ’cause they’ll organize themselves and scatter out, but ye’ll see Me, for I will be with you. I’ll even be in you unto the consummation.” When He said… His indignation be poured out after the consummation. There you are. Oh, God. Who is that white horse rider? You’re not blind. You see who it is. It’s that antichrist and that deceitful spirit that’s gone now and crept in, and made and then sh…
E-399 See, God just keeps repeating it. He showed there’s a man going forth with a white horse and with his bow and no arrow. He’s a bluff. He has no power. You say, “The power of the church…” Where’s it at? What do they do? They say, “We’re the original church.” The original church cast out devils, healed the sick, and raised the dead, saw visions and everything else. Where is it now? See? He’s a bluff: bow with no arrow. That’s right.
E-400 But you see, when Christ come, a Sword went forth from His mouth like a lightning flash. It went forth and consumed His enemies and cast away the devil. It cut away everything else and He come, His vesture dipped in Blood and on His thigh was written “The Word of God.” Amen. Here He come with His army, coming from heaven.
E-401 That white horse rider has been in the land all the time. He will change from antichrist. He does that and becomes to a false prophet. See, he first started an antichrist, the spirit; then he become a false prophet. Then later, when the devil is cast out, he’s incarnate then with the devil. Three stages: the first he’s a devil to begin with, a spirit of the devil; then he becomes a false prophet, teacher of a false doctrine; next thing he comes as the very devil himself incarnate. See? There he is.
And at the same time that this devil falls out of heaven and becomes incarnate in a man, the Holy Spirit goes up and comes down incarnate Man. Amen. Oh, my. What a time.
E-402 Tomorrow night, God willing, the Second Seal. You love Him? (All right, Brother Fred…?… the tapes, brother, keep…?…) Now, you–you believe it? (I just shut the tape off.) Now, I’m going to hear from that; you know that. See? But I expect to. Let me tell you something, brother. I just now know for one time in my life why that Spirit has always warned me against them, that organization.
E-405 I’m grateful to the Lord God for showing me these things. I know that it’s the Truth. There it is, revealed right there. Here he rides right down through the age and comes right out here and displays himself right down here just as perfect as he can be. See? That’s him. Now, we’re not deceived on that. Now, you got your eyes opened. Stay away from that kind of stuff. Love the Lord with all your heart, and stay right with Him. Yes, sir. Come out of Babylon.
E-406 [Blank spot on tape—Ed.] Three things: proved by the Word, shown by a picture, manifested by the works of the Spirit, vindicating that It is the Word.
E-407 Let the Word come upon these handkerchiefs, Lord. Heal the sick. Heal every sick person that’s present, Lord, and those out there that writes in and calls in.
E-408 Father, at this hour, there’s another healing that should be done right now, and we go on to healing service. But, Lord, it’s that soul, we want that just in order, Lord. And these things must come.
E-409 We pray, God, that You’ll take these words now that has been said, and make them real to the people. Let them see It, Lord. Being pinched for time, and, You know, Father, so I pray that enough has been said that the Holy Spirit will take It and reveal It into hearts. Those who are writing the Scriptures down, may they study Them. Those who are making tapes or—or—or hearing the tapes, may they study It; not put their own interpretation to It now, but just study the Word. Grant it, Father. In Jesus’ Name, I commit it all to You, and for Your glory. Amen.
E-410 [A brother prophesies. Congregation rejoices—Ed.] Amen. Oh, thank You! [Congregation continues rejoicing.] Oh!
E-411 If there is somebody here that don’t know Him, in pardon, do it now. Hear that straight, strong rebuke. If you ever expect to draw nigh, do it now, for days after this.
E-412 What if that was the breaking of that Seal? What if that was the Angel that sent forth there, that blasted (almost) me off of the ground, the other day, standing back there, when three witnesses are standing close. That I told you before I went, “There would be an explosion that would almost send me up.” And I was caught up by seven Angels, and come eastward. The thing like to shook me from the ground.
E-413 Is that right, Brother Norman, Brother Fred Sothmann, who was standing with me when it happened, above Tucson? And the—the…Setting, picking the burrs off of my clothes, exactly what the vision said. And it was south of…towards Tucson. If that’s right, raise up your hand, Brother Fred, Brother Norman. There they are. Stand up on your feet, so the people can see that you were there, a witness. I never heard anything like it, in my life.
E-414 And, immediately, they didn’t hunt, the rest the day. I begged Fred, the next morning. He don’t know this. I begged him to go out hunting, kept saying, “Do it. Do it.”
E-415 But He said, He told me back there, “He won’t do it. You’re going East, right now.”
E-416 And them seven Angels! The first blast, she opened. Yeah. What if it is? We’re at the last hour. See?
I love…
Let’s worship Him.
I love Him
Because He first loved me
Let’s stand.
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary’s tree.
E-417 Let’s cleanse our hearts now, brothers, as we bow our heads. My sisters, I’ve talked awful to you, but I’ve done it in godly love. I’ve done it because I loved you; about wearing long hair, and dressing and acting right. I’ve done it because of godly love. Let’s pure our conscience now while—while the Clorox of God.
E-418 In the morning, may be too late. He may step forth. These things coming forth like this, brethren, might be the end of the mediatorial office. Did you ever think of that? Well, I don’t know it is. I don’t say it is. But what if it is? What if it is? What about it? There’s no more redemption; it’s gone, at that time. I hope it’s not, but there is a possibility that it is.
I love Him, I…
Cleanse us, Lord. [Blank spot on tape—Ed.]
…love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary’s tree.
E-419 Blessed be the Name of the Lord! Glory to God! I love that sweet feeling. Don’t you feel That? Just the Holy Spirit, like, bathing around you, walking around with It. Oh, how wonderful! Oh, think of His mercy!
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary’s tree.
E-420 Don’t forget It, friend. Don’t forget It. Take It home with you. Stay with It. Hold It on your pillow. Don’t forget It. Stay with It. God bless you now.
Brother Neville, your pastor.
The Smyrnaean Church Age
E-1 Good evening, friends. Let’s all stand just a moment for prayer if you will.
Our heavenly Father, we have assembled again in this solemn assembly tonight in the service of the Lord. And Thou hast promised that wherever we would meet together, as many as two or three of us, that You would be in the midst of us. And we can be assured that You are here, for we have assembled in His Name.
Now, we pray, Father, that–that You will come tonight and will break this Second Seal for us. And as the–the poet has said, that he would like to look apast the curtain of time. And that’s our desire, Lord, is just to–just to look apast and see what lays ahead. And we pray that the Lamb that had been slain will come among us now and break the Seal and–and reveal it to us, the things we have need to see.
E-4 There be some here, Lord, who has not yet entered into this great fellowship around Christ, we pray that tonight that they’ll make that eternal decision, be filled with the Spirit of God.
If there be any sick, Father, we pray that You’ll heal them. Here are many handkerchiefs laying here that I’m holding my hands upon in commemoration of the–of the Bible of Saint Paul, where they taken from his body handkerchiefs and aprons. Unclean spirits left the people and they were healed.
We see the near coming of the Lord. We know that time is drawing nigh. These things has returned again to the Church after nineteen hundred years.
Now, we pray, Father, that You’ll grant these things we ask for. Strengthen Thy servant and help Thy servants everywhere, Lord, and especially we who are assembled here tonight, that we might be able to receive the Word. We ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
E-8 It’s certainly good to be back in the house of the Lord again tonight. And I know so many of you standing, I–I’m sorry about that, but there’s just hardly anything more we can do. We–we got the–the church, just as increased it to where we could get three, four, three hundred or four hundred more in, but in special meetings this way, it–it carries a little heavier crowd.
E-9 Now, oh, I’m just having a wonderful time praying and studying these–these Seals. I hope you all are too. I’m–I’m sure you are. If it’s meaning as much to you as it is to me, it’s certainly a–you’re having a wonderful time. And I got a…
I want to call a girl friend of mine after service, and this is her birthday. She’s twelve years old today: Sarah, my daughter. And next, then day after tomorrow I have to make another call ’cause it’s Becky’s birthday.
E-11 And now, tonight we are studying this Second Seal. And e… For the first four Seals there is four horse riders. And I tell you today something happened again, and I–I… Something that I… I go and get the old script that I had that I talked on long ago. And just set down there, and I thought, “Well, I–I did the very best I could.” And many writers and things… And I thought, “Well, I’ll read a little while, and look over and see this and that,” and the first thing you know, something just happens, and it’s altogether different. It just comes in different. Then I grab me a pencil right quick and start writing down just as fast as I can while He’s there.
E-12 Oh, it’s just something happened just about one-half hour ago. I was telling Brother Wood, coming down just a few minutes ago, just something that… Oh, you know there’s a lot of things happen that you just can’t talk about, you know, but just something just took place that just helped me so much.
I got a friend here somewhere in the building. ‘Course you are all my friends. This–this brother is Brother Lee Vayle. He’s a precious brother and–and a real student of the Scripture. Dr. Vayle is a Baptist with the Holy Ghost, and he’s a… I don’t say this complimentary; I just say it because I believe it. I think he is one of the best versed students that I know of among our ranks. And he just wrote me a little note here and was–sent it in there by Billy. And Billy couldn’t hardly make it out to me, and I think–I haven’t read it over–but I was just going to say what he said here. And I just read it, Brother Vayle, if you’re here–I just read this about six months ago.
E-14 “I’m not positive,” he said, “Brother Bill, I’m not positive, but I believe that Polycarp was a student of Saint John. (That’s correct; he was.) I think Irenaeus was a student of–of Polycarp. (That’s correct, exactly.) Irenaeus said, ‘Jesus will return–will return when the last elected member of the body of Christ comes in.'”
That was Irenaeus about four hundred years after the–after the death of Christ. He said, “When this last age comes in…” Now, that’s in the–the Pre-Nicaea Council. You fellows here that read the–the–study the Scripture, and study the, I mean study the history of the Bible, we find that in Pre–in the Pre-Nicaea Council. And I think it’s the first book or the second book, you–you’ll find it.
E-15 Now, he saw it years ago that he said at the last–last spot, last one elected–that elected… People thinks that election is something that’s just been–that’s just been something hatched up here lately. My, that’s one of the oldest teachings that we have: election and calling. And so Irenaeus certainly a–the real student of the Scripture always believed in election. And so Irenaeus was one of the–the angels of the church age, as we seen as we studied, we believe. ‘Course now they were all mysteries. They’re all healed right–hid right here in these Seals (You see?), and they are to be revealed in the last day. How they started off with Paul, and–and Irenaeus, and Martin, and so forth down, and has come on down to the last age.
E-18 And now… We’re trusting now that the Lord will bless us in our efforts tonight. Now, we been… The First Seal, I certainly enjoyed that. The First Seal, the blessings that went with it to me… And now, I–I don’t want to keep you too long, but you see, I–I’ll be going now just again in a few nights and after this is over, and we have to just kind of suffer a little while.
E-19 I appreciate… I see Brother Junior Jackson standing there, and I–and I thought I seen Brother Ruddell a few moments ago, here somewhere. And them brethren, that’s our sister churches that has let out and the others; we certainly appreciate it. And I see Brother Hooper, I believe, standing up along the wall there from Utica, the church there. And we certainly appreciate your all’s fine cooperation in this.
E-21 Now, last evening as we always like in teaching on the–on the Seals, we have–teach it the same way you do on the–on the–the church ages. And… When we got finished with teaching the church age, the last time when I drawed them out here on the–on the pulpit on a board, how many remembers what took place? He came right down, went right back there on the wall in a Light and drawed it off Himself, right there on the wall before us all. The Angel of the Lord stood right here before several hundred people. And now, He’s–He’s doing something real supernatural now too. And so we’re just expecting great things. We don’t know… Do you like to just wait for that–that great anticipation, just don’t know what’s going to happen next, you know, just–just waiting?
E-22 Now, how great God is to us. And how wonderful, we so appreciate Him. Now, the 1st and 2nd verse, I’ll read it to kind of give a little background, then we’ll take the 3rd and 4th verse for the Second Seal, and then the 5th and 6th verse is the Third Seal. And the 7th and 8th is the–the two verses to each horse rider.
E-23 And now, I want you to watch how these fellows on this pale horse, maybe here it comes, just keeps changing as it goes down, and then that great last Seal to be opened, if God willing, next Sunday night, that when it happened there was just, the only thing that taken place was silence in heaven for a half hour. God help us. Now, I’ll read the third verse now.
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
And there went out another horse… (4th verse)… that was red: and power was given to him that set thereon to take peace from the earth, that they should kill one another–they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
E-26 Now, a mysterious thing now when the–the beast told John, “Just come and see.” And he didn’t see what it was; he just saw a symbol. And that symbol, the reason it was… He said, “Come, see.” But he saw a symbol that he was to symbolize it to the church in a way that they would watch until it come to the last age, and then the Seal would be open. Now, and everyone understands that now? See, the Seals would be opened.
E-27 And aren’t you happy to be living in this day? That… See? Not only that, friends, but always remember now; last Sunday morning where the whole thing was based on, simplicity (See?), simple, humble. Happens in such a way that people just go right on by and don’t even know it happened. And remember, we are looking for the coming of the Lord anytime. And when we…
I made a statement that I perhaps the rapture would be the same way. It’ll be gone, over, and no one will know nothing about it, and just come like that. See? And usually… Just go on back to the Bible and look how it happens like that (See?), even as great a thing as the Lord Jesus coming. Nobody knew nothing about it. They thought, “That crank, somebody…” The churches said, “Just a fanatic. We… He’s really crazy.” Said, “He’s a mad man. We know thou art mad.” “Mad” means “crazy.” “We know you got a devil, and it’s run you crazy. And you try to teach us when you were borned out there illegitimately. Why, you was born in fornication, try to teach men like us, the priests and so forth, the temple.” Why, my, that was a–an insult to them.
E-30 When John came, been talked about down through the ages from Isaiah to Malachi–that’s twelve hundred–or seven hundred and twelve years he’d been seen of the prophets coming. Everybody was looking for him to come, expecting it at anytime. But the way he come, he preached, and done his service, and went on into glory, and even the apostles didn’t know it. For they asked Him; they said, “Now, the Son of man is going to Jerusalem, all these things to be offered,” and said, “why is it the Scripture says the–that Elias is going to come first?”
Jesus said, “He’s already come; you didn’t know it. And he did just exactly what the Scripture said he would do, and they did to him just what was listed.” See, see? And they couldn’t understand it. He said, “It was John.”
E-33 And then, “Oh.” See, they–they woke up to it. They… And when… Even at last, after all the things He–He had done and the signs that He’d had show them, and had even called them, said, “Which one of you can condemn Me of sin (unbelief)? If I haven’t done just what the Scripture said that My office would do when I come to the earth, then show Me where I’ve sin. (See?) Then I’ll–I’ll show you what you’re supposed to be, and let’s see whether you believe it or not.” See? He’d have come right back and said, “You supposed to believe on Me when I come.” They didn’t do it. See? So they knowed better than to tie in on Him on that.
But He said, “Which one of you can accuse Me of unbelief? (See?) Haven’t I done just what it was?”
E-34 And even the apostles going along, stumbled. (We know how the Scriptures go.) Then finally, at last they said, “Now, we believe. We believe that no man has to tell You, for You know all things.”
And I’d had just liked to have seen His face. He must’ve looked at them and said, “Well, do you now believe?” Finally it dawned on them. Well, it wasn’t supposed to be maybe till that time. You see? And God works everything just right, you know. I love Him for that.
E-36 But now, we’re thinking of our age now, ’cause I get to talking on that, we won’t get into these Seals at all. And… Now, remember, I–I’m getting much requests for prayer for the sick, and I’m praying for the–you all the time for every request I get and for the handkerchiefs and things. And if we can get these Seals finished up to the last Seal Sunday morning, we–if it be the will of the Lord, we’d like to have just a good old fashion healing service here, you know, where you just take the entire morning for praying for the sick. And I–I’m pretty sure it’ll be a strange healing meeting. Yeah, I just have a feelings like that. And so… Not strange, but it may be a little strange to some. See, what…
E-38 Now, how great is God’s grace to reveal His secrets to us in this day. Now, we all will believe that we’re living in the last day. We believe that. And remember, the secrets was to be revealed in the last day. And how does He reveal His Word, His secret, the Bible? Would you like to read where He says it? Let’s just turn over and see how He reveals His secrets.
Now, I want you to read Amos; turn over to the Book of Amos, and I want you to read in the 3rd chapter of Amos and the 7th verse. All right. I’ll read the 6th verse too.
Shall a trumpet… blow in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD has not done it?
Surely the LORD… will do nothing, but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the prophets.
E-40 Now, in the last days we are–it’s predicted to us that there will rise a–a prophet. Now, we know that we’ve had all kinds… Now, I realize after looking around tonight, I–I’m speaking here where students are setting, and I–I’d like for you to understand me. And you realize these tapes cover the world (See?), just about all the world. And I’d want you to, not by no mean, think that I am trying to inject some kind of a–a cult of Elijah’s blankets or robes and oh, all those things we’ve had plenty of them. But you know all those things are only a forerunning of the real thing that is to come to throw the people off.
E-42 Did you know we had false–false leaders raised up, false messiahs before Christ come? Didn’t–did–did not the–the teacher of that day, that mighty teacher, Gamaliel, when the–the question come up about beating these men and so forth; he said, “Let them alone. If it’s of God, why, you’ll be found fighting against God, but if it isn’t of God…” Said, “Didn’t a man raise up not long ago and take four hundred into the wilderness and so forth? We have those things.” What was it? All forerunning the real thing when it come.
E-43 Now, see, Satan raises those up. Watch the shrewdness of this fellow that we’re talking about here, Satan, where we’re unfolding him right here, just stripping him down by the Scriptures and letting you see who he is. That’s what the–what’s supposed to be done, and you remember, he has not tried to go in to be a Communist; Satan hasn’t. He’s an antichrist, “So close that” Jesus said, “would deceive the very elected.” And that’s the one that’s hid down in these Seals, whose names are on the Book since the foundation of the world.
E-45 He is a shrewd fellow, and when he sees this thing coming, coming up, then he throws everything he can out there to upset it ‘fore it gets there. Did you know there will be false christs arise in the last day? It should follow immediately after this–after this great message that this brother will speak, that will actually come, be anointed in the spirit of Elijah, immediately. And they’ll mistake him; some of them will think he’s the Messiah. But he will strictly say, “No,” because it’s got to be coming like John.
In the time of John the Baptist, when he came out there to preach, they said to him, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Aren’t you He?”
He said, “I am not. I’m not worthy to loose His shoe. But I–I baptize you with water, but He will baptize with the Holy Ghost.” And John was so sure that He’s on earth he said, “He is among you somewhere now.” But he didn’t know Him till he saw that sign come down upon Him. Then when he seen that Light coming down, spread out like a dove and lit upon Him, he said, “There He is. That’s Him.” But John was the only one that saw It, you know. John was the only one heard the Voice. All the rest of them there, no one heard It.
E-50 But then when the real true servant comes on, with all the impersonation to it, it’s to upset the peoples’ mind. Satan does that. And those who can’t discern right from wrong, they just tumble over; but the elected won’t do it. The Bible said he wouldn’t be able to deceive the elected.
And now, just before the coming of Christ, the Bible said there would be false christs arise and would claim to be Christ, and would say, “Lo,” the people say, “He’s in the desert.” Don’t believe it. “Lo, He’s in the secret chamber.” Don’t believe it. “For as the sun shineth from the east unto the west, so shall the coming of the Son of man be.” See? Yes, He’ll–He’ll–He’ll appear, and it’ll be a universal thing. And now, that will…
E-51 Now, of course, when they find out that something has taken place (You see?), then they’ll… Now, remember, that will take place immediately after the going home of the Church (after the rapture). Now, there’ll be false impersonations all the time, and we do not mean to be connected in anything like that. No, sir.
And I believe when the person comes, this one that is predicted to come (I’m showing you only by the Scriptures.), that the man will have to be a prophet. He certainly will. And the revelation of God, because God… The Word of the Lord comes to His prophet. That’s exactly right, that’s… And God cannot change. You see? If He had a better system, He would–He would’ve used it, but the–He–He’s got–He chose the best system at the beginning.
E-54 Just like, He could’ve chose the sun to preach the Gospel. He could’ve put–chose the moon. He could chose the–the wind, but He chose man. And He never did choose groups; individuals. See, the… And never two major prophets on the earth at the same time.
See, every man is different. He’s got a different makeup. If God can get one person (That’s all He has to have.) right in His hand, He can do what He wants to. He just has to have one.
In the days of Noah, days of Elijah, days of Moses… Many rose up in the time of Moses. You know how they did and wanted to say, “Well, you’re not the only holy one in the bunch,” and–and Dathan and–and Korah… And God said, “Just separate yourself; I’ll just open up the earth and swallow them away.” You see? And–and so… And then the people got to complaining. He said, “I’ll–I’ll just take the whole thing away.”
And there Moses took the place of Christ then to throw hisself in the breach and say, “Don’t do it, Lord.” See? And ‘course, He… After He’d ordained Moses to do this, He didn’t come over Moses, ’cause he was acting like Christ in that time. It was Christ in Moses. Absolutely.
E-60 Now, we’re so glad today that God is revealing Hisself to us. And I believe the great day is just begin dawning, breaking; the lights are begin to flash; the birds of paradise is begin to sing in the saints’ heart, they know that–isn’t long now. Something’s going to happen. It’s just got to.
So if He does not do anything… Now, all Scripture is inspired. The Scriptures must absolutely be the Truth, no way around it. There’s where I different with our friends the Catholic church. I believe that It was not written by just mere man; I believe It was moved by the Holy Spirit. And all these little things that’s been added, try to add to It, did you notice in the solving up they was everyone kicked out. And these real true Scriptures dovetail one with the other one till there–there’s no contradiction in them nowhere at all.
E-62 Show me one piece of literature that can–that can write a verse hardly without contradicting itself, or write a verse or two. And the Bible does not contradict Itself anywhere. I’ve heard the old critics say that, but I have had an offer for him for a long time to show me where it’s at. It isn’t in here. It’s just because the human mind is confused. God’s not confused. He knowed what He’s doing. He knows…
And look, if God’s going to judge the world by a church (as the Catholic church says it is), all right, then what church is that? Just look at the churches we got. We got nine hundred and something different organization of churches. Now, how… One teaches this way and one that way. What a confusion. Then anybody just do anything they want to; you go on in anyhow. God’s got to have some standard, and that’s His Word.
E-64 Speaking… Not throwing off to the Catholic now, ’cause the–the Protestant’s just as bad. But speaking with a priest, he said, “Mr. Branham,” he said, “God is in His church.”
I said, “Sir, God is in His Word, and He is the Word.” Yes, sir.
He said, “Well, He’s in… The church is infallible.”
I said, “He don’t say that, but He said the Word’s infallible.”
He said, “Well, we used to teach that baptism that way and so forth.”
I said, “When?”
Said, “Back in the early days.”
I said, “Do you allow that to be the Catholic church?”
He said, “Yes.”
I said, “Then I’m Catholic, old fashion Catholic. I believe the old fashion way. You guys today has got it all messed up. There’s hardly anything in the Scripture you teach: intercession with women, and dead people, and all these other things, and, oh, my, non-meat-eating, and I don’t know what all.” See? I said, “You find that in the Scripture for me.”
He said, “It don’t have to be there. As long as the church says so, that’s it. Don’t make any difference what that says, it’s the church.”
I said, “The Bible said that whosoever shall add one word to it or take one away, his part will be taken from the Book of Life.” So it’s the Word; I believe the Word.
E-71 Now, and then if Amos says, and the other Scriptures that go with it, that if… And you remember on this we’re just striking the highlights of it. Just… My, if–when I get in that room there and–and that anointing comes in, if I could write down what He–what all goes on, I’d be here for three months on one of the Seals. So I just strike the places and let it out just what it would seem to be that wouldn’t choke the people, but yet not enough to hurt them, but just so that believing it would–it’d season the thing. You know what I mean.
E-73 Now, watch this now. “If God does not do nothing,” said Amos, “until first He reveals it to His servants the prophets,” and then we see what He’s doing, it must be that He’s fixing to do something, what He’s revealing now. God is fixing to move on the scene in judgment; I believe. He’s fixing to do something. And one thing again that testifies: surely we are in the last day; we’re at the end of the age, the Laodicea Church Age. Now, for these things were to be revealed only at the last day.
E-74 Now, just think of that now. Let’s just–just try to soak in what we believe that the Holy Spirit would have us know. Now, remember, nothing could be revealed, God will do nothing at all until first He reveals it to His servants the prophets. And before He does anything, He reveals it, and when He reveals it, you can remember this: something’s on its road. See? It’s being revealed.
E-76 And these things that we’re talking about was to be revealed at the last day, just before the last trumpet, at the end of the message of the last church age. That’s right. If you want to read that now, you can turn to… You… I just referred to you last night two or three times, Revelations 10:1-7 (See?): “And in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel’s message, the mystery of God would be revealed and finished.” And there’s only one thing left when this Seven-sealed Book is open, then the entire mystery of God, why, we probed at through years, and according to the Scripture then when there was no way to understand it until this day, because it’s been hid. We’ve seen the symbol, what it was symbolized by, but it could not be correctly revealed until the last day. See? Now, then we must be there at the–at the end time.
E-78 Now, remember, don’t–and don’t forget now that He does nothing until He reveals it; and don’t forget also, that He does it in such a simple way that the wise and the prudent miss it. Now, if you want to mark that down, that’s Matthew 11:25, 26. And…
Remember, He does nothing till He reveals it, and He reveals it in such a way that the smart, educated people miss it. Remember, it was wisdom that the world desired instead of the Word when the first sin did what it did. Don’t forget that now. Oh, how grateful we should be to think that… Now, just look at the things that happened; look at the things that He’s told us; look at here in this Tabernacle, you people that we been raised up here with.
E-79 Now, I’m going to ask the tapes to… Well, go ahead and take it. But look, I’m just going to say this to the Tabernacle people, you that’s been here: I charge any of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus to ever–to put your finger on one thing of the hundreds of things that’s been told before they come to pass and say they did not come to pass. Tell me one time that on the platform, out there wherever it was, that He ever spoke anything that wasn’t perfectly just exactly that way. How… Could a human mind be that way? Certainly not.
E-80 When He appeared down there on the river thirty-three years ago this coming June in the form of a Light, you old-timers remember that I told you since a little boy that voice and that Light, and people thought you was kind of a little bit off at the head; of course, I would’ve probably thought the same thing somebody said it. But now, you don’t have to wonder about it now, and the church hasn’t wondered since 1933.
Down on the river that day where I was baptizing hundreds of people, I remember that Mayer boy told me, said, “You’re going down to duck those people, Billy.” Little Jim Mayer down here, I think he’s dead now. I think he got killed out there; some woman shot him. But he–he asked me, “Are you going down to duck those people?”
I said, “No, sir, I’m going to baptize them in the Name of our Lord Jesus.”
E-83 And there was a woman going along in the group. She said to another woman; she said–made a remark, something about it. She said, “Well, I wouldn’t mind to be ducked”; said, “that’s all right; I don’t care…”
I said, “Go back and repent. You’re not fit to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ.”
This is not nothing to play with. It’s the Gospel of Christ, revealed by a commission, the Word. Just, now… You saying, “Nonsense,” and “Foolishness,” you could’ve placed it somewhere else; but remember, it’s promised in the Word that this would happen, and just exactly what it would be, and here it is. See?
E-86 Then down there that day, when they were standing at the river, and the Angel of the Lord that I had told you that It looked like a–a star or something in the distant, and then It got close, and told you how the emerald Light looked, and there It come right down on the river where I was baptizing, when businessmen down here in the city said, “What does that mean?”
I said, “That wasn’t for me; that was for you; I believe. That was for your sake that God did that to let you know that I’m telling you the Truth.” By being a kid, a boy like, and about 21 years old, they–they wouldn’t believe that (You see?), because it’s too much for a kid.
E-88 And then, I was thinking; Brother Roberson here, one of our trustees, I seen here a few minutes ago, he was telling me the other day about being in Houston when the picture there was taken that you See? And I was on that debate. I was started to say something about it the other night. Brother Roy was the only–with one more man, was the only person in the group that had a recorder. It was one of them old fashion wire recorders (I see Brother Roberson now, and his wife) so, and–and this–Mrs. Roberson was sick.
Brother Roy was a veteran, his legs blowed, and they laid him out for dead. He was an officer in the–in the Army. The German eighty-eight hit this tank that he was with and just killed the men, and blowed him to pieces; they laid him out for dead for a long time, and they said he never would walk because both legs was severed, the nerves in them and things. My, he can almost outwalk me.
But what was it? There was something that he seen, and he went to Houston. And he was telling me about his wife. He’s got–he’s got the wire; he’s going to fix it on a tape, and after the services is over here, why, he’s going to play it for you all, I hope. And on the old wire–tape there, he’s got my services held in Houston. And then his wife, he said he got her on there, and he never noticed it till the other day. She was, oh, she was so sad; she was sick, and she wanted to get in to the prayer line. (They never knew me, and I never seen them in my life.) So she was setting at a–a window that day, looking out and so dreary, you know, and upset, and wishing she could get a prayer card to get in the line; and happened to be that night she got in the line or the night after or something; I believe the same night.
And she got in the line, and when she got up on the platform, the Holy Spirit told her, said, “Now, you’re not from here. You’re from a city called New Albany.” And said, “You were setting at a window today looking out and all worried about getting a prayer card.” And there it is on the tape, years ago.
E-93 And then at the beginning of the meeting, when the Holy Spirit was there… That was the first of the meeting; we was only having about three thousand people, then we went to eight thousand, then to about thirty thousand.
So then in the… While I was speaking at the–one of the very first meetings, I said, “I don’t know why that I’m saying this (Now, it’s on the tape.), but it’s–we are–This is going to be one of the highlights of my time. Something is going to happen during this meeting that’s going to be greater than anybody’s seen yet.” And it was just about eight or nine, ten nights after that when the Angel of the Lord appeared before around thirty thousand people, and come down, and the picture was taken; there it is right now, which is copyrighted in Washington, D. C. as the only supernatural Being that was ever photographed in the world.
E-96 Then I talked about, you know, saying that sometime under the discernment say, “A person is shadowed to death. There’s a dark hood of a shadow. They’re fixing to die.”
And then up here at East Pines–or Southern Pines, I believe it is, just when I was there in the last meeting, a little lady setting there; and something told her, “Take that picture right quick,” when I was speaking to a lady, and there it was. I think it’ll be on the bulletin board, has been for quite awhile. There’s that dark hood hanging right over the lady.
She shot another picture as soon as the Holy Spirit announced it; it was gone. Said, “You’re going to be healed. The Lord’s healed you. The cancer’s gone.” There it was, and she was healed. See? There you are. See, it just goes to show that God knows what’s the time of day it is. We don’t. We just have to obey Him.
Now, we can just keep on talking, but let’s get down here now just a minute and touch this back Seal so we can blend this one in with it. Now, just to review for a few moments the–the other–the First Seal.
E-101 We notice in the breaking of the First Seal, Satan had a–a super religious man. Did you notice that white horse rider, which they–it was thought to be that that was a–the early church going forth. But, oh, my, that’s been taught through the years, but it couldn’t be. Just watch when the rest of them, when we get them all tied together, then look where it’s at. See? Now… And I don’t know what the rest of them’s going to be as yet, but I know it’s got to come just perfectly in there, because it’s the Truth. It’s the Truth. That was the hierarchy church of Rome. Exactly.
E-102 These people who think that the Jews are the antichrist, they are certainly a million miles off the line. Don’t you never think the Jews are an antichrist. Their eyes were blinded purposely that we might have a way to get in, giving us a time of repentance. But the antichrist is a Gentile. Certainly it is, an impersonator of the truth: “Anti,” “against.”
Now, this great superman… Oh, how he become a great man, and–and then finally was throned. Then after throned, he was crowned. And now, he… After that he was worshipped in the stead of God. Now, look, before that ever come… I want to ask you something: Who was that? What was that on Paul in II Thessalonians 2:3, that said that man would come? Why did that man look down through the age and see it? He was God’s prophet. Certainly.
E-105 Why was it He said the Spirit speaks expressingly that in the latter time that they’d depart from the faith and would give heed to seducing (You know what “seduce” is.)–a seducing spirit in the church? That is clergy, seducing clergy spirit, workings of devils, hypocrisies in the church, heady, high-minded (wisdom. You see? smart, intelligent), having a form of godliness (just go say, “Well, we’re Christians, we should go to church.”), having a form of godliness but denying the revelations, the power and the working of the Spirit, from such turn away. See?
E-106 Now, notice he said, “For this is the sort that’ll go from house to house and will lead silly women (Now, that don’t mean Holy Ghost women.)–silly women that’s led away with divers lusts.” Divers lusts, they just like to get in every little thing that they can get into, and all kinds of societies, and live anyway that they want to, and still, “We go to church. We’re just as good as anybody,” dances, parties, cut their hair, paint, dress anything they want to, say, “We’re–we’re Pentecostals; we’re–we’re–we’re just as good as anybody.” Oh, your own works identify you.
E-107 Notice, but he said, “Man of reprobate minds concerning Truth.” What is the Truth? The Word, which is Christ “… concerning the Truth.”
“Oh, you… You make… You–you’re a woman driver; you’re a woman hater; you do this and that.”
No, sir. That’s not right. That’s a falsehood. I do not hate women. No, sir. I… They’re my sisters–if they are sisters. But the thing I… Love is corrective. If it isn’t corrective, it isn’t love. If it is, then–if it’s love, it’s–it’s phileo love and not agapao, I’ll tell you that. You might have a little phileo love for some nice looking lady, but agapao love is a different thing. That’s a love that straightens the thing out and meet God yonder somewhere where we can live eternally. See? I didn’t mean that, maybe, in the way it sounded, but I… You know, what… I–I hope you understand. All right. Now…
E-112 But remember he said, “As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so will they. But their folly was soon made manifest.” Why? When Moses was commissioned to do something that seemed radical, but he went down there just as honest as he could be, and God told him to take this stick and to throw it down, and it would turn to a serpent. Then He did it to show him what it would take place. And before Pharaoh he stood out there just as God had commissioned him and throwed down his stick, and it turned to a serpent.
E-114 And no doubt Pharaoh said, “A cheap magician trick.” So he goes and gets his Jannes and Jambres, said, “We can do those things, too.” And they threw down their stick, and they become serpents. Now, what could Moses do? What was it? It was to show him that every genuine thing of God, the devil’s got an impersonator for it. He impersonates to throw the people off the track.
What did Moses do? He said, “Well, I guess I made a mistake; I better go back.” He just stood still for he’d carried out his commission to the letter. Then the first thing you know Moses’ serpent eat up the other one. See?
Did you ever think what become of that other serpent? Where did he go to? Moses picked up the stick and went on out with it. He worked miracles with it. And that serpent was on the inside of the other stick. That’s wonderful, isn’t it? Yes, sir.
E-118 Now, antichrist comes into light gradually. I want you to notice. Now, when you here… Now, to my Catholic friends, just set still just a minute… And now… And then we’re going to see where the Protestants, where we all are. See? Notice, the first church… When the Catholic church said that they were the first original church, they’re exactly right; they were. They begin at Pentecost. That’s where the Catholic church began. Now, I once didn’t hardly believe that till I read history, and I found out it is right.
They begin at Pentecost, but they begin to drift. And you see where they are at? And if Pentecost drifts with the speed it’s drifting now, they won’t have to go two thousand years. In a hundred years from now they’ll be farther away than the Catholic church is. That’s right.
E-122 But notice how this white horse rider… (Now, we just backgrounding it a little till we hit this Seal.) Now, notice the white horse rider. When he went out he–he serves in three stages. The devil, as I proved to you the other night is in a trinity just like God, but it’s the same devil all the time in three stages.
Notice his stages: In the first stage he come in, the Holy Ghost fell, and people had everything in common. And the Spirit of God was upon them, and the apostles went from house to house breaking bread with the people, and there was great signs and wonders wrought. And–and then the first thing you know, Satan began to cause a murmur to come up. Then after while these slaves and the poor of the land what received the Holy Ghost, they went out into different places testifying. They testified to their masters.
E-126 And after while there begin to come all like army captains and… And the different people the celebrity begin to see the gallantry and the miracles and signs that these men done, so they accepted Christianity. Well then (You see?), when he embraced Christianity and go down there to a place where they’re meeting in a little old dark, dingy hall, and clap their hands and shout and speaking in tongues and getting messages, why, he could never take that to his–his competitor or whatever it is in his business. He’d never believe it like that (Certainly not.), so he’s got to dress it up.
E-127 So they begin to get together and begin to think, “Now, we’ll form something a little different.” And Jesus, right immediately at the first church age, He told them in the 2nd chapter of Revelations here, “I have somewhat against you, because these deeds of the Nicolaitanes.” “Nico,” “conquer the laity.” In other words, they want to make… Instead of everybody be one, they want to make some holy fellow. They wanted to make some kind of… They wanted to pattern it in paganism from where they had come out from, and they finally done it.
Now, watch. First Nicolaitane. The Nicolaitane was called in the Bible, antichrist, because it was against the original doctrine of Christ and the apostles.
E-131 I don’t want to call this man’s name. He is a great man. But I was at his meeting here a few years ago, and he knew I was there, ’cause I’d shook his hand. And he said, “You know, we have such today that they call Pentecostals.” And he said, “They–they rely upon the Book of Acts.” And he said, “You see, the Acts was only scaffold work for the church.”
Would you imagine a man that’s studied the Bible, a gallant old man, and had studied the Bible the way that fellow has, and then would make a remark like that? It sounds–it–it don’t–It even doesn’t sound like the Holy Spirit is around, it’s got not to be nowhere; because anybody with common understanding would know that the Acts of the Apostles was not acts of the apostles; it was the acts of the Holy Spirit in the apostles.
E-132 Don’t you know how we patterned it out in the church ages, the–them beasts setting there watching that ark there: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John standing there watching that. And in there is what happened as a results of the writing of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. That’s what the tree putteth forth its first branch, and that is what happened. And if that tree ever puts forth another branch, they’ll write another book of Acts behind it. ‘Cause you see, the same Life’s got to be in the same thing.
E-135 So now, today when we look over our denominational churches: Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Church of Christ (so-called), and Pentecostals and things, where do we find that? You don’t find it. I will admit that the Pentecostals has the closest thing to it there is, because they are up here in the Laodicean Church Age. They had Truth and rejected it. They got lukewarm with it, and God spewed them from His mouth. That’s exactly according to the Scriptures. You can’t make them Scriptures lie. See? They’re going to be truthful always. Don’t try to… The only thing, don’t try to line your thought up to the–or the Scriptures up to your thought, but reline yourself up with the Scriptures. That’s… Then you’re running with God. No matter how much you have to cut away or lay aside, line up with that. See?
E-138 Look what it did the first time it fell. Well, if God acted like that the first time, He’s got to act like that the second time. He’s got to act like that every time, or He acted wrong the first time. See, we as mortals, we can make mistakes. God can’t. God’s first decision is perfect. And the way He chose to do things, there can’t be no other better way. He can’t improve on it, because it’s perfect to begin with. If it isn’t, then He isn’t infinite.
And if He’s infinite, then He is omniscient. And if He is omniscient, then He’s omnipotent. Amen. He’s got to be that to be God. See? So He… You can’t say, “He learned more.” He didn’t learn more; He’s the–He’s the very fountain of all wisdom. See? Our wisdom here come from Satan. We inherited it from Eden where we swapped off faith for wisdom. Eve did it.
E-141 Now, he was first called antichrist. The second stage, he was called the false prophet, because that spirit among the people become incarnate. You remember the white horse rider now had no crown when he started, but then he was–was given a crown. Why? He was the Nicolaitane spirit to begin with. And then he become incarnate in a man, and then he was crowned, and received a throne, and was crowned.
E-143 And then he served that for a long time, as we’ll see as the Seals break, and then we find out after that a long time Satan was kicked out of heaven. And he come down, according to the Scriptures and enthroned himself. Just think, enthroned himself in that man and become a beast. And he had power, supreme power like, that he done all the miracles and everything that there–the killings and bloody fights and everything that–that Rome could produce.
All right. He killed by cruel Roman punishment. Just… Oh, how we could break in some Scriptures here. Remember, Jesus Christ died under the punishment of Rome: capital punishment. The message that I’ve got in my heart to preach up here at this next meeting on Good Friday afternoon meets three, four things. See? “There They Crucified Him.” There, the holiest, religious place in the world was Jerusalem. They, the most holy (supposed to be) people in the world, the Jews. There they crucified, the most cruel punishment that Rome could produce. Crucified Him. What? The greatest person that ever lived: There they crucified Him. Oh, my.
God help me to swing it into that bunch of businessmen to let them see where they’re standing. All right. Now, not to be different, not to be nasty, but to shake that till them brothers can see that their dignitaries and holy fathers and things they’re writing up in this Business Man’s Journal is nonsense. Christians are not supposed to call any man, “Father.” They start that… I’ve tried to help them in everything I can (you see where this tape goes, so) I’m finished. I will certainly won’t have anything else to do with it. All right.
E-146 First, remember Christ. First as Nic–Nicolaitane. And what did the Nicolaitane age ask for? It asked to get away from them bunch of people that shouts, and clapped their hands and looks like disgracefully–like they did on Pentecost, act like drunk men, staggering in the Spirit and things. They didn’t want none of that stuff. They said they were drunk.
And when the celebrity… (Listen, don’t miss this. It may sound crazy to you, but it’s the Truth.) When the–the dignitaries begin to come in, they couldn’t stoop to that.
What makes God big is because He’s big enough to stoop down. That’s what makes Him big. There’s nothing bigger, and He stooped the lowest that anybody could stoop or any human being ever stooped. He was the King of heaven, and He come to the–to the lowest city on the earth, Jericho. And He got so low to even the shortest man in the town had to look down on Him to see Him. Is that right? Zacchaeus. That’s right. He was called the worst name that any human being could be called: a sorcerer, a devil, Beelzebub. That’s what the world thought of Him.
E-148 Died the cruelest death. Didn’t have a place to lay His head, kicked out by every organization. But when God exalted Him so high, till He has to look down to see heaven…?… God in humility. See? And He give Him a Name so great that the whole family of heaven is named after Him, and every family of the earth. All the family on earth is named “Jesus.” All the families in heaven is named “Jesus.” And such a Name that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He’s the Lord, either here or in hell. Hell will bow to it. Everything else will bow to it. See, but first it was humility, then it become great. See? Let God exalt. He that humbles himself, God will exalt. See?
E-150 Now, we notice this “Nico” spirit wanted wisdom, smarter. It had to reason it out like it was in Eden, reason against the Word of God by the wisdom; and the church fell for it. What was it? Now, let’s say–take this church here and take a bunch of people like we are, if you wasn’t real Spirit-filled. And let us take, say… Now, nothing against the mayor of our city, I don’t think I know him, Mr. Bottorff. Is he still mayor? See, I don’t… See? Mr. Bottorff is a fine friend of mine. See? But say the mayor of the city and all the police force and–and all the marshals and they–they all come here. The first thing you know, if they got just a little thing in their head and begin to talk to the Board and the people around here, and say, “Now, you know what? This ought to be different…” If you’re not Spirit-filled and got a real Spirit-filled man behind the pulpit, the first thing you know you’d be catering to them. Maybe not this generation; maybe the next generation.
E-152 And that’s the way it started in. See? Why? They were saying, “Looky here, it’s reasonable.” You–you’d listen to it. Say a man come in here that could say, “This church is too little. Let us build a big church. I’ll build you one out here; it’ll be worth so much money–half a million dollars will be put in there. I’ll put the thing on the broadcast.” When they do that, then they got an axe to grind–nine times out of ten. You know one of them kind.
The first thing you know, then if he does, he runs things to suit himself. You can’t say nothing because Brother John Doe back there, he’s the finance of this church. See? And then you get a little Ricky out of some seminary who knows about as much about God as a Hottentot does about Egyptian knight, and he will come along there, and he will cater to that guy, because he buys him a new car all the time, lets him ride around, and buys him this, that, and the other. And that’s exactly how it started out. Right.
E-154 Notice, wisdom and smartness… They said, “Now, looky here. Isn’t it only sensible that… Now, the–our–our women, what difference does it make how they wear their hair?” But the Bible says it does make a difference. Just take that one thing, besides the hundreds of others. See? It does make a difference. God said it made a difference, so it is a difference. But you see, if they get that started (and the Trustee Board and deacons and everything), the first thing you know the pastor either gets in or gets out. That’s all. See, it’s the people that voted it in.
E-156 All right, now notice, that spirit begin to move and the church that–that–that got so much dignitary in it, so much big things, and so much money started till after while they listened to it and fell for it, the crudeness of the devil. And that’s the very thing that Eve done in the garden of Eden. Now, you hear that; that’s right.
Look, the natural woman, Adam’s bride, before he come to her as a wife, fell for the Satan’s scheme against the Word of God by reasoning it. Before Adam lived with Eve as a wife, Satan beat him there. That’s right. You heard “The Bride Tree” I preached on, that talks of it. (See?) All right.
Now, notice, there Eve fell for reasoning. Now, he, Satan tried to reason it. And she said, “But the Lord said…”
He said, “Oh, you know, but surely the Lord won’t. See? You–you ought to be wise, you want to know something. Why, you’re nothing but a dumb child. See? You ought to know something.” If that isn’t Satan… Oh, my. If that isn’t some of these modern… See? “Oh, they’re just a bunch of holy-rollers; don’t pay no attention to them.” See? Don’t go…”
E-160 Now, the natural first bride of the human race, before her husband come to her, she fell from grace by listening to Satan’s lie after God had her fortified behind His Word. If she’d have stayed behind the Word, she’d have never fell. Now, that’s in the natural. Notice, the natural woman. And what was the curse? The actual curse of coming out from behind God’s Word…
Now, remember, she believed about ninety-eight percent of It, but you just have to let one thing go. See? She believed a whole lot of It. Oh, certainly. She said this, and Satan admit that’s right. If he can just get you on one corner, that’s all he wants. See? Only thing you have to do is give the bullet a little twist this way, and it’ll miss the target. See? That’s all. Now, she believed so much of it, but yet missed it.
E-163 Now, and the–and the results, because she left the Word for one little speck of a reason… What say now, “What about the women? or, Why do you want to talk about something like that? But any of those little things… What’s the difference whether it’s initial evidence…” It’s something to it. You got… It’s got to be straightened out. We presumed at it through seven church ages almost, but the hour has come when God speaks it. And He don’t only speak it, but He shows it, and vindicates it, and proves it. That’s right. If He doesn’t do it, then it isn’t God; that’s all. God stands behind His Word.
Notice now. Now, the natural woman caused natural death, because she listened to reason to make herself wise–make herself wise instead of staying behind the Word and doing what God told her to. She wanted wisdom and be wise, and she listened to reason, and–and she lost the whole human race. See?
E-167 Now, this time the spiritual woman, the Bride of Christ that started on the day of Pentecost with the early apostolic church, lost the same thing at the Nicaea Council. Lee, you know that’s right. At it’s at the Nicaea Council when she swapped her spiritual birthrights to take Constantine’s big churches and things that he offered them there; and she sold out her Scriptural birthrights for a bunch of Roman dogma. Now, that’s hard on the Catholic, but the Protestant has done the same thing. They’re represented in the Bible here as a daughter of the–a harlot of the whore. That’s exactly right. Every one of them… No excuses, but out of there has always been a little remnant right along that goes to make the Bride. Notice, she lost her birthright (See?), before her husband got to her (See?); before the wedding she lost her virtue.
E-170 And now, you remember over there, she said, “I sit as a queen; I have no need of nothing,” in that Laodicean Age there. “I’m rich and increased in goods,” and so forth, “and oh, the whole world looks up to me. I’m the great holy church,” and so forth. “We’re this a way.” The whole age…
And He said, “You don’t know that you’re naked, blind, miserable, wretched, poor, and don’t know it.” That’s the condition.
Now, if the Holy Spirit said the condition would be that way in the last days, it’s that way. There’s no way of getting around it. That’s the way it is.
Now, watch. Now, when she sold her birthrights back there, her virtuous right of the Word, what does she do? When Eve did it, she lost the creation; whole creation fell under her. Now, notice, and when the church did it, accepted dogmas instead of the Spirit and the Word, it cursed the whole system. Every denominational system that ever was or ever will be was cursed with it and fell, ’cause there’s no other way.
E-174 When you get a bunch of men together to figure out anything, one’s got a head this way, and one’s got a head that way, and one’s got a head this way. They put the things together, and shake it up, and when it comes out that’s what you have got us.
That’s exactly what they did at the Nicene Council. That’s exactly what they do at the Methodists, Presbyterian, Church of Christ and the rest of them. And no man, no matter what God reveals to him, you got to teach it the way their credentials–their creed–creeds said or they’ll kick you out. And don’t tell me; I been there (See?), and I know it; and that’s just exactly what’s happened, so the whole thing’s cursed.
E-176 No wonder the angel said, “Come out of her, my people, and be not partakers of her plagues.” Because she’s going to–she’s cursed, and she’s got to suffer the curse of God’s wrath upon her, because she sold her virtue and right. But oh, my. But remember, seeing all that condition, but yet God promised in Joel 2:25 (if you want to put it down), in the last days when He said, “What the palmerworm left, the caterpillar had eaten; what the caterpillar left, the–the locusts has eaten; what the locust eaten…” just on down, bug after bug have come and eat on that church until finally it wasn’t nothing but a stump.
E-178 Watch. What the Romans left, the Lutherans eaten; what the Lutherans left, the Methodists eaten; and what the Methodists left, the Pentecostals eaten (See?), until she’s down to a stump. And do you know what? You take those worms in there, that locust and caterpillar and so forth, and you chase them down through the–a–the Book, and find out it’s the same worm in just different stages.
Hold your point: So is these Seals. It’s the same worm. You’re going to see it when we bring it out, so I’ll tell you now: It’s the same worm all the time. Four of those worms, four here. And there they are the same thing; it’s the same spirit. What one left, the other eat. What this one left, the other one eat, like that, till they brought it to a stump. But Joel said, “I will restore, saith the Lord, all the years the caterpillar has eaten.”
E-182 What is it? How’s He going to do it? If it started out antichrist by being against the teaching of Christ that accepted dogma instead of Word, and through the years the reformers have plunged at it as the Bible said, “But in the last days at the sounding (Revelations 10:1-7 He said,) the mysteries of God would be finished in the last days at the sounding of the seventh angel.”
Malachi 4 said that He would send Elijah before that evil day come upon the earth, when He’d burn it like a furnace, and He would restore and to bring back the–the children to the faith of the fathers–the original apostolic Pentecostal faith which He promised to be restored. Now, that’s just as plain as Scripture can say it. Now, it’s promised. And if we’re in the last days, something’s got to happen; and it is happening, and we’re seeing it.
E-184 Notice Satan’s trinity: same person coming, just incarnate from one to the other. That’s the way them bugs did, them worms, one to the other (Exactly.), Nicolaitane, spiritual antichrist, Pope, false prophet; beast, the devil himself incarnate. He can’t do it… Now, you keep that on your mind now. When you follow this, you’re going to see these riders come right straight up to that. See, I’m laying you a picture here. If I had it on a blackboard you could understand it better. See, I’m watching.
E-186 First, now you remember this: the first thing he is, he’s an antichrist spirit. John said so. “Little children, the spirit of antichrist already working in the children of disobedience.” See, that thing had begin to start. And then it become kind of a saying in the next church age. And the next church age it was a doctrine. And the next church age she was crowned. Now, isn’t that just as plain as reading, anywhere you could read it? See?
See, there he come. Now, first he was called what? Antichrist spirit, because he was against the Word. That’s what started it. That’s exactly what done the whole thing, was turning from God’s Word. Not because Eve might’ve give Cain a spanking one day. See? That wasn’t what done it. The first thing that’s done the whole thing was that she turned from the Word. She turned from the Word. And the first thing started the prostitution in the church of the living God, Christ’s Bride, she turned from the Word and accepted Roman dogma in the stead of God’s Word. What’s happened to every organization’s did the very same thing.
E-188 Now… But promised that in the last day He would make a way to restore again. The Word of the Lord would drop upon the earth as He did it in the beginning, and alway, and will restore back what? What started it? Against the Word. And what does this fellow supposed to do when he comes anointed with God’s Spirit? He just brings the faith of the children back to the fathers. That’s how He restores.
And you get this same Word in the same place that it is here, it’s going to do the same thing. Jesus said, “If any man be of Mine… If… He that believeth in Me, the works that I do shall he do also.” And when he asked Him to do certain things, He said, “I do just what the Father showed Me. I don’t do nothing until I see it first. What I see the Father doing, that I do also. The Father worketh, and then I worketh hitherto.” See? Don’t you see it? Why, it’s just like reading a newspaper. See?
E-189 Now, now, first… Then he become an antichrist. Now, he couldn’t be antichrist, only in spirit. Then he become an antichrist, and that spirit took a man that taught the same things that that antichrist spirit was doing, and then he become a false prophet to the antichrist spirit. Now, what about a man in a organization? Suit yourself. I don’t know what you think about it. But all right.
Now, finally he becomes a beast. Now, wait; we’ll get in that in a–after while. See? All right. Now, if Satan’s trinity lays like that… Satan all the time, Satan, antichrist spirit (the antichrist spirit incarnate) false prophet, then becomes the beast. See? When–not a demon that was in that antichrist, but when Satan himself is kicked out, he comes down and takes over the place where the demon was: the devil then. Then the devil is incarnate in a man. It’s just repeating itself.
E-193 That’s what Judas Iscariot was. And what would–did he do? Was he one of the fellows that was against Christ? Why, he was the treasurer, walked with Him (Certainly.), walked right along with them, went out there, and cast out devils, and done just exactly what they did.
And Christ was the incarnate God: God incarnate in flesh, Emmanuel. And Judas was the son of perdition as Jesus was Son of God. Incarnate God, incarnate devil… Some people only sees three crosses at that time. There was four of them. There was three on Golgotha that we see. That was Jesus in the middle, a thief on His left and a thief on His right. And watch.
One thief said to the other one, or said to Jesus, “If (Now, you know He’s the Word.)…” But “If Thou be the Word, won’t you save yourself? Won’t you do something about it?” That’s the same thing today.
E-197 Haven’t you heard these old devils come, say, “If you believe in divine healing, there’s somebody with the eyes; won’t you open their eyes? Smite me blind. Smite me blind.” The same old devil… See? “Come down off from the cross; we believe you. If you be the Son of God, turn these stones into bread”: same devil. Just walk away (See?) from them; that’s the way Jesus did it. He never clown for any of them.
Put a rag over His hand–over His precious eyes like that, and they took a stick and hit Him on top the head, said, “Tell us, if you are a prophet, now tell us who hit you? (They changed the stick one to the other.) Now, tell us who hit you, and we’ll believe you are a prophet.” He never opened His mouth. He just stood there. He don’t clown. He just does as the Father says. See? Let’s them go ahead. Their time’s coming. Don’t worry. Yes, sir.
E-199 Now, they touched His garment; they felt no virtue; but a poor little woman had a need just touched His garment, and He turned around and said, “Who touched Me?” See? Said… What a different touch. It depends upon how you’re touching Him (See, see?), what you believe.
Now, you see, now as Satan is going to–has incarnate himself from antichrist to false prophet now, and in the days of the Jew, is antichrist amongst the early church… In the dark ages he become a false prophet to the world. See her there with her cup of iniquity. Now, that’s to the church age.
E-202 Now, but in the age after the Church goes home, he becomes a beast. He becomes the devil incarnate, the red dragon himself. Oh, my. Can’t you see what I mean? He’s incarnate in his people then. He’s got his people bound by his power. The false prophet has prophesied them right into it, give them over to strong delusions to believe a lie and be damned by it, denying the Word with a form of godliness.
God works His place in a trinity: justification, sanctification and incarnate Himself in His people ii the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Same thing. The devil’s just in a type after Christ. Oh, Satan incarnates himself.
E-205 Now, watch. Satan… When Jesus incarnates Himself in His people, the very Life that was in Christ is in this person. What would it do if you took the life out of a grapevine and put it in a pumpkin vine? It wouldn’t bear pumpkins no more; it’d bear grapes. See? What if you took the life out of a peach tree and put it in a pear tree? Would it bear pears? No, bear peaches. The life tells what it is. See?
When you say–hear people say they got the Holy Ghost and deny this Word, there’s something wrong. The Holy Ghost wrote that Word. And Jesus said this: “If a man has My Spirit in him, he will do My works.” You want to read that? If you want to put it down, it’s Saint John 14:12. Yeah. All right. “He that believeth in Me, the works that I do shall he do also, even more than this shall he do, for I go to the Father.” See?
Then He sanctifies and cleans him so he can stand before God. That drop of ink falls there and takes him across the chasm. See?
E-209 Now, watch. Satan, when he incarnates himself in his subjects, they do the work that he did. Don’t you see? What did he do? Come right to that innocent woman to deceive her. And that’s exactly what some of these devils do: come right into a place, and say, a little pastor gets started out somewhere come in and say, “Oh, if you just join up with us…” See? The same devil work. Now, that’s the Truth.
And when Satan become incarnate into his church, if there be a devil, then they are the ones that does the murdering and killing and so forth, because Satan is a killer in the first place, a liar and a… See?
All right, what does Satan do when he does, when he becomes incarnate amongst the people? It’s his duty to be shrewd. He is shrewd. You search the Bible, and you show me where God ever dealt with intellectual people. Hunt for it and see if it isn’t always the intellectuals that’s devil possessed. It’s a big word, but it’s true. I challenge you to take the–the lineage from Abel to Cain, and them fourteen generations, run them out, and see which ones was on the smart side and which ones was the humble ones.
E-211 Why didn’t Jesus choose such people? He got fishermen and men that couldn’t even sign their own names to put them the head of His Church. See? That’s right. Wisdom is–is nothing. It’s–it’s against Christ. Worldly wisdom is against Christ always. Jesus never did tell us go build seminaries (He never did it.), having Bible schools. He said, “Preach the Word; preach the Gospel.” And then if He said, “These signs shall follow them that believe…” See, you’ll have to have the… In other words, He said, “Go, demonstrate the power of God to all nation.”
Now, watch. Satan’s duty is to pervert the Word of God to wisdom’s reasoning. Oh, my. Oh. Then he marks his subjects by rejecting the original Word. Now, let… (Will you–will you–will you suffer with me just a little bit where we get this–this? I don’t want you to miss this.) Let me show you a type so you can see it–all in typing and Word and everything. You–you can’t… You shouldn’t go away confused.
E-214 In the Old Testament when a man had been sold to slavery, there come a year of Jubilee every fifty years (forty-ninth year and then the year of Jubilee). And when a slave heard this, and he wanted to go free, there’s–there isn’t nothing that can keep him from going free. He can throw down his hoe and say, “So-long,” go back home. The trumpet sounded. That’s right.
But if he don’t want to go, and he’s satisfied with his slave master, then he’s taken into the–the temple, and they take an awl (you know what an awl is), and they pierced his ear, and put a hole in his ear. And it’s a mark that he can never go back. Is that right? He has to serve this master for all time. I don’t care how many more times the Jubilee sounds, whatever happens, he’s absolutely has–has sold out his birthright of being free.
E-216 And when a man turns down the Gospel Truth, Satan marks him. Where? At his ear. He deafens him so he can’t hear the Truth no more. And he’s finished. My. He stays with the group that he’s with, if he won’t hear the truth. No. “You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free.” The Truth makes free.
God marks His when they come. God marks His by vindicating His promised Word through them. That’s exactly. Saint John 14:12, and another thing if you want to put down–down: Mark 16. Jesus said, “These signs shall follow them that believe.”
E-219 Now, let us just take that a minute. Was He joking? [Congregation replies “no”–Ed.] Did He just mean–did He just mean the apostles as some would tell us? [Congregation replies “no”–Ed.] Watch, read the background of it. Go ye into (where?) all the world; preach to–this Gospel to (what?) every creature.” It has not even one-third of the way have met it yet. “These signs shall follow in all the world, to every creature, wherever this Gospel’s preached. “These signs shall follow them that believe,” not just to one little handful.
Like a fellow one time tell me: “God only gave the twelve apostles gifts of healing, and…” Oh. Many of the brethren is setting here when he raised up to say that. See? He got enough of it in a few minutes. So now, notice, “All the world, to every creature, these signs shall follow.”
E-223 Don’t take Satan’s unbelieving mark. Now, he will put it on you tonight if he can do it. He will poke you up against the wall and you’ll walk out and say, “Aw, I don’t know about that.” You go home and study it. And then be sincere and pray, ’cause everything’s too–is too perfectly Scriptural at this very hour, this sacred hour of time. It’s done been for years, proved. Come right up to it and this is the hour. This is the time.
And now, don’t let him poke that in your ear, his unbelieving mark. See? ‘Cause he was an unbeliever to begin with. He doubted it. All right. Oh, don’t even let–don’t let him take the Scripture with his wisdom and–and twist It and pervert It with his own wisdom into reasoning powers. You just be humble and say, “God said so, and that’s all there is to it.” (Now, oh, let’s–we’re going to get too late, so we’d better stop right here and–and start on.)
E-227 Now, let’s go to the Second Seal. When the slain, risen Lamb opened it, and the second calf-like beast said, “Come, see what the seal mystery is.” Now, we get it. The Lamb, you remember, has to open every Seal. And the second beast… If you notice in the routine of where we just went through with the church ages–the same thing. The 2nd… First was a lion; the next was a–was a–was like a calf or ox or something. You see? And this beast said, “Come, see.” now, and–when the Lamb opened the Seal. And then, went to see.
And when he walked in, what happened? Let’s see what he found. “Come, see.” There’s a mystery sealed up here. That’s been here now for two thousand years about. Let’s see what it is. Now, we find here that he saw what? A red horse go forward.
E-230 Now, to my understanding (this to my understanding), this great sword that he had in his hand… (Now, we got about three things to look at now for about the next fifteen, twenty minutes.) Let’s just read and see what He says here.
And there went out… (4th verse)… there went out another horse that was red:… (the first one’s white)… and power was given unto him that set thereon to take peace from the earth, and… they should kill one another: and there was given to him a great sword.
E-231 Now, there’s symbols here, and we want to look at them real close. But to my understanding, the best that I know now (You see?), Jesus predicted the same thing in Matthew 24. See? He said, “Now, you are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars, and just wars and rumors of wars and wars, and…” but said, “All these ain’t yet. (See?) Time ain’t yet.”
See, they asked Jesus three questions (See?), and He answered them in three questions. There’s where a lot of our brethren got tangled up, trying to place… Or the Adventists brethren about those seventh day and so forth back there to “Woe unto her that give child that gives suck and the gates will be closed on the sabbath day” and things like that. My. That don’t even pertain to the question at all (See?), not at all. See? He was answering what they asked, but He didn’t–didn’t apply it all to the last days.
E-233 He said, “You’ll hear… (Now, we’re working on this one thing here. We’ll come to some more of it in a few nights.) Look. He said, “You’ll hear of wars and rumors of wars and so forth. Then all this is not… See, then they–they’ll go back again and they’ll deliver you up and so forth like this and all–all… That’s not right yet.” But when He got to the time when He was going to talk to them about what they asked Him about the end of the world, “When will all these things be, when there’d not be one stone left upon… What will the sign be? And when will be coming the end of the world?” See? They asked Him three things.
Then when He got down to the end of the world, He said, “When you see the fig tree putting forth its bud (See?), now you know that the time is at the door, and verily, I say unto you that this generation shall not pass until all be fulfilled.”
How the infidel without the interpretation likes to lay onto that. See? He said, “This generation,” not the generation He was talking to, the generation that seen the fig tree putting forth its bud.
E-237 Now, I just want to ask you something. Just let–just–just look at something right here in the face. Israel is now for the first time for twenty-five hundred years a nation. The oldest flag in the world is flying over Jerusalem tonight. Israel’s in her homeland.
There was a brother here one time wanted to be a missionary, felt to go missionary to the Jews. I said, “You might get one now and then.”
Oh, people thinks the whole nation… No, sir. Israel is converted as a nation, not as a person. “A nation will be borned in a day.” That’s Israel. All Israel’s saved. Just remember that. Paul said so. All Israel’s saved. Now, notice. All Israel… That’s exactly right.
E-240 Now, notice this. But He said, “When you see the fig tree and all the other trees putting forth their buds…” Now, watch. There’s never been a time for twenty-five hundred years that Israel has ever come to her homeland. We got the little show, “Three Minutes To Midnight.” There she is, a nation, the six point star of David flying, all these things.
Has there ever been a time that the denominations has had revivals like they have in the last few years? Now, just study now; we’re at home. When did the denominations ever bloom out over any man’s ministry like it has with Billy Graham’s, Methodists, Baptists, and so forth? When was there ever a man (Search down your history.) that ever went forth to the church formal by the name ending with h-a-m before? Just ask you…”A-b-e… A-b-r-a-h-a-m.” Now, look, Abraham’s name has seven letters, A-b-r-a-h-a-m, but our Brother Billy Graham has G-r-a-h-a-m, six, not seven, the world. That’s where he’s ministering to: church natural.
E-245 Church natural was Lot in Sodom, and when this fellow went down there and preached and blinded them by the Gospel, but there was One Who stayed with Abraham, and Abraham called Him “Elohim, Lord.” Now, when Abraham seen Three coming, he said, “My Lord.”
And Lot seen two coming; he said, “My lords.” There’s your difference. See your trinitarian work? See, see? Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Lot…” You see that?
E-248 Notice, count it. Now, there was one come to this church spiritual, the Bride, Abraham, that wasn’t in–in Sodom to begin with. And watch what He did. He never done no preaching like they did. He taught them, but then He done a sign before them. He done the Messiahic sign. He had His back turned to the tent, and He said, “Abraham…” Now, remember his actual name a few days before that was Abram. But He says, “Abraham, where is your wife, S-a-r-a-h?” A few days before that it was called S-a-r-r-a.
Abraham said, “She’s in the tent behind You.”
And He said, “Abraham, I (There’s your personal pronoun again.), I am going to visit you according to the promise that I’ve made you.” You see Who it was. See? A Man with dust on His clothes, eating the meat of a calf, and drinking the milk from the cow, and eating corn bread (Yes, sir.): God, Elohim, manifested in flesh: promised in the last day to manifest Himself in flesh again.
Notice. “Abraham, where is your wife, Sarah?”
“She’s in the tent behind You.”
He said, “I’m going to visit you.”
E-252 And the lady, of course, being a hundred years old, she kinda laughed up her sleeve; she did: back in the tent now, behind the curtains in the tent. She said, “Me, an old woman…” Why, it’d ceased to be with them as husband and wife for years, you know, ’cause he was a hundred years old, and–and she was ninety. Said, “Now, that will never happen.”
And he said, “Why did she laugh?” (Whew.) With His back turned to the tent. “Why did she laugh saying, ‘How can these things be?'” See, He showed him a sign.
Now, He promised us that this will repeat at the end time again. And the two men went down there and preached the Word and told them to get out of there, the place was going to burn up and so forth, and it did. And Lot staggered out, the church natural down in sin, in the mire, but yet struggling along in their organizational programs… But the Bride, that one man never went to them. He went only and called the Bride type. Now, we’re in the last days. See?
E-256 Now, notice. You said, “There God manifested in the flesh.”
Jesus said Himself, “How do you condemn Me?” Said, “Isn’t it written in your Bible, your laws, that they, the prophets, who the Word of God came to…” Jesus said the Word came to the prophets because He was Scriptural in all things. He said, “Now, the Word of God says that the Word came to the prophets, and you called them gods, for the Word of God came to them.” Said, “Then how are you going to condemn Me when I say I’m a Son of God?” with their own laws… Oh, my. There you are. See? How, where we at? We’re at the end time.
E-258 Now, listen real close now. Now, we find out that there would be wars and rumors of wars. And now we see that the fig tree’s put forth its buds, and the other trees put forth their buds, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, and all put forth their buds, a great revival going on. Now, I believe that God’s gathering the Bride for that last hour, the elect. Oh, my.
Now, notice. Let us now consider what John saw then, of these things what he saw: A red horse and his rider goes forth; power given to him to slay with a great sword.
Now, here’s my revelation of it: This is Satan again. It’s the devil again in another form. Now, we know that–that Seals pertained… (As I said the other night) and trumpets pertained to–to–to civil wars (You see?), amongst the people, or among nations. But you find out here that this man has a sword so he pertains to church political war. Now, you might not think that, but just watch it a minute, just a few minutes.
Notice the change of color of these horses: same rider. Change of color of horses… And a horse is a beast, and the beast in the Bible under a symbol represents a power. The same system riding on another color power from the innocent white to a bloody red… See? Watch him now how he’s coming.
E-263 When he first started, he was just… Well he’s just a little doctrine in the–in the–amongst called the Nicolaitanism. Of course it wouldn’t slay anything. (That’s Revelations 2:6, if you want to put it down.) He wouldn’t slay anything. It’s just a doctrine, just a spirit amongst the people. Now, he wouldn’t slay nothing.
Oh, he was so innocent riding on this white horse. “Well, you know, we can have a great worldwide church. We could call it the universal church.” They still do. All right. See? Now, “We could have… Oh, it is perfectly innocent. And, oh, it’s so innocent. It’s just a group of men. We’ll all get together for fellowship.” See, it’s very innocent; it’s white, the white horse was. See? Now.
E-264 So the dignitaries, and the better dressed, and the educated, you know, kind of like “birds of a feather,” you know, we’ll–we’ll kind of get things together. “And the poor bunch, why, if they want to stumble along, well, all right; but we–we’ll get a better class coming to our church. If we can just get ourselves pulled off right here, we’ll–we’ll be a–we’ll be a bunch of masons or so forth. You know we–we’ll just have the things fixed up–or ‘Odd Fellows,’ as they are.” And so then… Not the Odd Fellow Lodge now, but you know what I mean. So it’s odd to the real believer.
Now, but otherwise, in other words, “We want a little group, a little syndicate we can call our own. It’s just a doctrine–very innocent. Brethren, why, we have nothing against you people, certainly not. You are all right, but, you know, we feel that–that we have business and ever… We–we’d be better off if we just had ourselves together.” See? Un-huh. It finally went right on down till it happened. Yes, sir. Get together…
But when this awful deceiving spirit (Oh, man.) incarnated–incarnate spirit, this doctrine spirit became incarnated to take the place of Christ into a man, it must be worshipped then–turned to be a worship like Christ.
E-265 In other words, up over the Vatican (Now, I’ve been right there.) it’s wrote Vicarius Filii Dei, and it’s wrote in Roman numerals. Now, you just draw a line at the bottom of those Roman numerals, and it means “Instead of Son of God.” In other words, he’s a vicar. (You know what a vicar is. Just takes the place of something.) He is the vicar instead of the Son of God. And the Bible said, “Let him that has the gift of wisdom count the numbers of the beast, for it’s the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.” Now, if you take VICARIUS FILII DEI and draw a line (the Roman numbers of V for 5, I for 1) and add it up and see if you haven’t got six hundred and sixty-six.
E-267 The Bible said he would be setting in the temple of God, worship like God. When that little doctrine become a–incarnate, it become a vicar instead of the Son of God. See? Oh, my. That awful deceiving spirit. If you want to read that, read in II Thessalonians 2:3 and you can see where it’s at.
And of course, you will remember Satan is the head of all political power of every nation. How many knows that? You want to put it down? Matthew 4:8
Satan took Jesus up to a high mountain, and he showed Him all the kingdoms of the world that ever was, or ever would be in a moment of time. Talk about a person, he said, “I’ll give them to you if you’ll worship me.” And Jesus knew that He was going to fall heir to them.
E-269 That’s what they say, “Why, you bunch of poor holy-rollers…” Why, we get the world. “The meek shall inherit the earth.” What Jesus said. See, see?
Notice, Jesus knowed He would fall heir to them so He said, “Get thee hence, Satan. It’s written. (Right back with the Scripture again. See?) Thou shalt worship the Lord and Him only.” See?
Now, now, when–when he as his head demon incarnate in this super religious man (as the Bible predicts), then he unites his church and state, both of his own powers unite together. See? When the antichrist spirit went forth, it was a spirit. Then it become what? It become then… Now, watch this Seal. When the spirit went forth it was antichrist, against the teaching of Christ.
E-273 All right. The next thing did… What Christ set out for His Church to do, it was against sin. “It ought… Oh, it don’t mean that. It–it don’t mean it. That was for somebody else. That–that’s back in the–a hundred years ago back yonder. That–that ain’t for us.” See? That’s the “anti,” “against.” Then it become… Now, the rider went out; he was–he didn’t have no crown, but he was given one. That white horse… He had a bow, no arrow. See?
So then when he went forth, then after while he was given a crown, because you can’t put a crown on a spirit’s head. But when this spirit become incarnate in the second work of his–of his dispensation of his mystic… The second work he become a crowned false prophet to the working of the antichrist spirit. Now, we see him there now. Now, he becomes that when he takes that… Then he is already… Satan controls the political powers of the world.
E-276 Now, he gets into a place till he’s going to make a universal church power, taking religious power. And do you not understand, my brothers, that in–when this nation appears in the 13th chapter of Revelation, this little animal raised up like a lamb and it’s got two horns: civil and ecclesiastical power. But he done the same thing the beast did before him.
It’s strange, America is number thirteen and a woman. And strange it appears even in the 13th chapter of Revelation. We started out with thirteen stripes in the flag, thirteen stars, every–everything’s thirteen, thirteen, thirteen, thirteen all the way down; and everything’s woman, woman, woman all the way down.
E-278 And it finally end up, I predicted, a woman will control her. Remember that was thirty years ago I said it, and–and the–the seven things that I predicted, five of them’s done come to pass. And they got the man right there now to bring her in. And you voted it in through your politics there. You…
All right. So much to say, you can’t hardly get to where you want to get to. Notice now. I won’t keep you but a little bit longer, if I have to carry over tomorrow night.
E-280 Look, notice. When Satan… Now, everybody that realizes that Satan controls all political powers of the world… He said so (Matthew the 4th chapter and you get it, and the 8th verse). All the kingdoms belong to him. That’s the reason they fight, war, kill.
Now, remember, isn’t that strange? They was given this sword to kill one another. Oh, my. Notice now. Now, when he did that he did not have the ecclesiastical power yet; but he started in with a demon of a false teaching, and that teaching become a doctrine. That doctrine become car–incarnate in a false prophet, and then he went just to the right place; he never went to Israel now, he went to Rome, Nicaea, Rome.
E-284 The council was held, and they elected a head bishop. And then by doing this they united church and state together. Then he dropped his bow; he got off his white horse; he got on his red horse, for he can kill anybody that don’t agree with him. There’s your Seal. Oh, my. Same fellow. Watch him go right on into eternity yonder with it. See? Unites both his powers together, the same thing they are trying to do right now, same thing.
E-285 Today and… A strange thing, maybe you don’t understand it, but today from a Baptist group in Louisville (You heard it on the radio.) a speaker raised up and… (How many heard it? See, see? All right here you are.) They want and asking the church now that we don’t really have to, oh, just kind of join the Catholic church, but we have to kind of fellowship with them. Get… And the same time that going on in Louisville, over here God’s unfolding the Seals to His people to show us, “Don’t do it.” See them both working together. Remember, the crow and dove set on the same roost pole in the ark. Sure. Just remember.
E-286 Now, we find out he unites his power. Then when he become both state and church, the ecclesiastical, then what are you going to do? He forms his own religion, and now he can do whatever he wants to. Then he has the right to put to death whosoever will not agree with him.
That’s exactly what he did too. And he did that just exactly. And when he–he–he did it to the true saints of the living God who kept the Word and wouldn’t agree with him on his dogmas, he put them to death.
E-287 Now, Brother Lee Vayle and you teachers here of the Nicaea age and the early church, I don’t know if you read this or not. If you want to read it, you get in Smuckers’ “Glorious Reformation” and you find it that when Saint Augustine of Hippo become a priest under the Roman church, had the opportunity to one time the Holy Spirit tried to come on him, and he rejected It. How many knows that, as a teacher? So he rejected the Holy Spirit.
That’s exactly what a type of the Protestant church today that’s rejected the Holy Ghost. He went back down to Hippo, and he was the very one that signed that–that paper that had the revelation from God that it was all right and pleasing God to put every person to death that didn’t believe with the Roman Catholic church.
E-289 Now, listen, I am quoting from the Martyrology: “From the time of–of Saint Augustine of Hippo until 1586 on the Roman martyrology, the Roman Catholic church put sixty-eight million Protestants to death.” Was his sword red? Was he riding a red horse? What was it? The same power, the same rider. There’s the Seal. They admit sixty-eight million on the martyrology besides all those put to death outside of that. Oh, mercy. During the dark ages there were millions fed to lions and slaughtered in every way, because they wouldn’t bow down to that Catholic dogma. You know that.
E-290 How much time you got? All right, let me read something. Turn with me; now let me show you something. Let’s–let’s picture this thing just a minute. Just happened to come on my mind, and we’ll just read it. Let’s turn over in Revelations to the 17th chapter of Revelations. We still got fifteen minutes more. All right. Now, listen real real close now as we read. You who have your Bibles can turn; I’m going give you just a little time so that you’ll get it.
Did you get that, Lee? In Smuckers’ is where I got it. See? “Glorious Reform,” that taken straight out of the martyrology of Rome at the Vatican. Now…
E-292 That was down to the persecution of Saint Patrick’s people. And then they call Saint Patrick their–their saint. Saint Patrick was about as much Catholic as I am; and you know how much I am. He–he detested the doctrine of the church. He refused to go to the pope. Yes, sir.
Saint Patrick even… Why, you ought–did you ever go up in Northern Ireland where he had his schools? You know his name wasn’t Patrick. How many knows that? His name was Sucat. That’s right. Lost his little sister. You remember when they were… See?
E-293 All right. Now, notice: 17th chapter of Revelation. Now, everybody just try to open your heart and let the Holy Spirit teach you now.
… there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the–had the seven vials,…
Now, you see there’s seven vials; you know these sevens as we are going through. They all happen right at the same time, following the plagues, following the church ages just the same, ’cause it is all sealed up into that one Book, everything, and everything happens just in rotation, and one goes right into the other, and the other into the other. There’s two spirits a working: God and the devil. See?
… which had the seven last vials, and he talked with me, saying…, Come here; and I will shew thee–unto thee the judgment of the great whore that setteth upon many waters:
E-295 Now, look here, over here. That waters… Whore, what is that? That’s a woman. Can’t be a man. And what is the woman symbol in the church–in the Bible? Church. Why? Christ’s Bride and so forth (You see?), it’s woman, the church.
Now, “waters,” what does that mean? Watch here. Read the 15th verse of it there.
And he said unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore setteth, are peoples,… multitudes,… nations, and tongues.
This church is ruling over the whole world (See?) “set upon many waters.”
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,… (Spiritual fornication is taking her doctrine–Nicolaitane doctrine.)… and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication… (Boy, you talk about a drunken bunch on it. You…)
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman…
E-300 And did you know what, the Catholic’s own writing admit this is their church? How many knows that? Right in their own writing, I got “Facts of our Faith” it’s called that. See? Belongs to a priest. All right. All right.
And so he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman setting upon a scarlet clothed beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Now, just watch that, that symbol, that seven-heads. Now, you see here, said,… “And the–and the–and the–the heads which thou sawest are seven hills on which the woman setteth.” Rome sits on seven hills. See? Now, there’s no mistake about it. See? Seven heads and ten horns. You know are ten Kingdoms, and so forth.
And the woman was arrayed in purple… scarlet clothed,… decked in gold and precious stones… pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations–abomination of the filthiness of her fornication:
That antichrist spirit, fornication (See?) teaching, that committing adultery with God. See? Now, she’s supposed to be a bride (See?), and committing adultery (See?); see just like Eve did–just like the church does there. See?
E-302 And upon her… head was written–a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT… (And anybody knows Babylon’s Rome.)… THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
And… (Listen to the 6th verse.)… And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
She was such a beautiful thing with crosses and everything on her; how in the world could she be the guilty of drinking the blood of the saints. It puzzled him. Now, he’s going to tell him.
And the angel said unto me, Wherefore does thou marvel? I’ll tell thee the mystery of the woman, and… the beast that carried her,… (Now, this is not under one of the Seals. This is something else. See?)… And he said… the seven heads and the ten horns.
The beast… thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit,… (has no foundation, the pope)… and shall go into perdition: and they that dwell upon the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the Lamb’s book of life… (There’s the elected. See?)… life from the foundation of the world,… (How, when was your name put on the Book of Life? At that revival you attended? No, sir. From the foundation of the world.)… when they beheld the beast that was, he is not, and yet is.
See, the beast. One will die; another one take his place. He was; he was not; he was; he was not; was; he was not, and she’s go plumb into perdition that way. See? All right.
E-308 And here is–and here is the mind which hath wisdom… (How many knows there’s nine spiritual gifts, and one of them are wisdom? All right.)… The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman setteth. (Oh, you’d have to be totally blind, deaf and dumb not to get that. All right.)
… there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is… (Nero)… and… one is… to come; and when he cometh, he must continue just a short space.
You remember what he done: burnt the city and laid it on to the Christians, and put his mother on a single tree of a horse and run her through the streets, and fiddled while Rome burned. All right.
And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth,…
Pagan Rome brought into papal Rome, when the incarnate antichrist spirit become incarnate and was crowned, he was made a crowned king of Rome, both in state and church together. Oh, brother. See? It’s just full of it. See?
… is… the seventh, and he goeth… (How long does he last? They never change the system.)… to perdition.
… the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kings–kingdoms as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. (That’s dictators, you see, of course.)
These have one mind,… (Now, look here. And they talk about Communism.)… These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he’s Lord of lord, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, chosen, and faithful.
And he said unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore setteth, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.
E-313 … the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore… (When that covenant is broken, we talked about last night)… and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
Don’t you know the Bible says the shipmasters and everything else said, “Alas, alas, that great city… how it’s met its doom in one hour.” See?
For God has put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdoms over to the beast, until the word of God shall be fulfilled.
… the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over all the kings of the earth.
E-315 Tell me one… Russia don’t reign over all; we don’t reign over all. There’s only one king that reigns over every… like that Nebuchadnezzar’s iron running out to every one of them toes, that it’s Rome. Rome don’t do it as a nation; it does it as a church.
Every nation under heaven is to Rome. No wonder he said, “Who can make war with him?” He can say “peace” that settles it. Every Catholic says “Don’t fight.” and he… They don’t fight. That’s all. Who is able to do what he can do? Nobody. That’s right. So they wondered at the miracles he could do. He can stop war. The only thing he has to do is just say, “Stop.” That’s all. But you think he will do it? Certainly not.
E-317 Notice. That sure show… They should kill one another; they should kill each other. His bow had no arrows at first, but his great sword did. He done his killing later and changed from white horse to a red horse, the same exactly devil with his sword.
What did Jesus say? Jesus said, “They that take the sword will perish by it.” Don’t fight back. See? Jesus that night when He told–said that and Peter took his sword. See? Just–just do like He did; just go ahead.
E-319 Now, now, remember he’s got a sword. He’s going forth a sword in his hand, riding red horse, wading through the blood of everybody that disagrees with him. Now, do you understand it? How many understands what that Seal is now? All right. Now, what did Jesus say? “They that take the sword will perish by the sword.” Is that right? All right.
All right. This rider and all his kingdom subjects that are slain down through the age that’s drawed all this blood of the martyrs of the saints will be slain by the sword of Jesus Christ when He comes. “They that take the sword will be slain by the sword.” They took the sword of dogma and antichrist and cut down the real true worshippers all down through the ages by the millions, and when Christ comes with the Sword (For it is His Word that proceeds out of His mouth.), He will slay every enemy there is before Him. You believe it? “Kill the enemy…”
E-321 Let’s go over here just a minute. Revelations… We’ll see now if I’m just saying that or whether the Word says it: Revelations 19:11.
And I saw heaven opened,… (Amen.)… and behold a white horse; and he that set on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he did judge and make war.
His eyes were… the flames of fire, and on his head… many crowns;… (Oh, brother. See, He’s done been crowned by his saints. You see?)… and he had a name written, that no man knew, but himself. (You remember, we–we can’t–we don’t know that, see? what it is.)
And he was clothed… (Let’s see.)… And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called… (not “is,” but called)… The Word of God.
For He and the Word is the same. See? Now, notice, not His names, His Name; called Word of God. He only knows one Name, no other Name.
And the armies… of heaven… which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (That’s the righteousness of saints. See?)
E-325 Now, watch. What did Jesus say? “He that takes the sword…” All right, red horse rider, here where she’s coming. “He that takes the sword…” You might have killed sixty-eight million of them down through these ages since then, maybe more, but Jesus said, “He that takes the sword will perish by it.” Watch.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword…
Hebrews the 4th chapter said, “The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, cutting even to the marrow of the bone.” And what else does the Word do? It’s a discerner of the thoughts of the heart. That’s right.
… out of his mouth goeth a sharp two-edged–a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he tread the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.
And he had on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KING, AND LORD OF LORD.
E-327 As the impostors against the Word of God, and because they wouldn’t agree… And this thing, Satan placed, united the political powers which he held and the spiritual powers which he held together and made a church that sweeps into every nation; and he’s put millions times millions (after he had jumped off from his white horse onto his red horse), and he took his sword and went forth; but God said with the same thing that he perverted, or tried to–the false teaching, that same Word will rise in power, coming forth from the lips of Jesus Christ, and it shall slay him and everything before him. Amen.
E-329 There’s the Second Seal. Do you love Him? Oh, my. That’s THUS SAITH THE LORD. Praise be to God.
If all these other revelations and visions and everything has hit just exactly on the–on the point… And how many knows that, raise your hand. Hundreds, everybody here with their hands up. That’s right. So shall this be. Remember, it’s so.
Oh, friend, come to the fountain that’s filled with Blood drawn from Immanuel’s veins; where sinners plunged beneath the flood, lose all their guilty stain.
Come believe on Him if you’ve never… Don’t take any chance. Don’t–don’t… If there’s anything in your life, friend, we’re here…
E-331 Something is fixing to happen. I don’t know why; I don’t know when. I know what’s going to happen, but I don’t know when it’s going to happen, but it’s bound to be, because He is revealing it right now. He doesn’t do anything ‘less He makes it known (Amos 3). He makes it known first, and He promised that these things would come in the last days, and the seventh church age, at the end of it, when the messenger’s arrived, there it would be.
It would be revealed; those broken Seals will be revealed; and here they are. Now, that is in the Name of the Lord. Believe it, friend. Yes, sir. Come out of Babylon.
I want to say something before closing, ’cause I got–I’m getting just nine-thirty; just right now time.
Billy and I, when we got off of the plane in India, our last trip there, I was looking at a–a paper that they brought, was written in English. And it said, “The earthquake must be over; the birds are coming back,” then it give the details. They… There’s something funny happened.
E-334 India don’t have woven fences like we do; they pick up rocks and make their fences, and they build a lot of their houses out of rocks, just place them up there and it’s warm there around, oh, anywhere pretty near in India, ‘less just in the mountains. And all down through Calcutta and things, the people just lay on the streets, starving to death, so forth.
Now, so, and they build their houses and towers of their house. They run the fence right up here at the side their house, build the tower for the house, and the tower maybe, where they got their well, they dug it for their cattle and things, then run their fences around.
E-336 And all at once something begin to happen. The little birds, you know, go into those rocks, and they build their nest and raise their young ones; and something begin to happen.
Every day when it would get hot, all the cattle will come around and stand under the shadow of those walls, keep cool. And all the little birds live in those places; and all of a sudden, all them little birds, for some unknown reason… (Now, you know what we said the other day about little birds. See?) Some unknown reason, they all took off; and they went out and didn’t come back to their nests. They went out in the field, and they set in the tree, wherever they could get, right on the ground.
The cattle wouldn’t come around. The sheep wouldn’t come around. They stayed right out in the field and hugged up against one another, a good way to do. They knew that something was going to happen. Then all of a sudden a earthquake took place, and shook the walls down, the fences down, and everything else.
Then the little birds begin to come back. Didn’t come back for three or four days, then begin to come back. They said, “Well, the earthquakes must be over now; the birds are coming back.”
E-342 Why? Don’t you believe that the same God that could make them birds and cattle and sheep in the days of Noah go into the ark, He is still the same God that can make them fly to safety? Is that right?
Now, let me say something, brethren. There’s something fixing to happen, and all these big old ecclesiastical walls are going to collapse and go right back over yonder and agree, ’cause they are going to do it as certain as I’m standing here. There’s an image to that beast just as certain as I’m standing here, and this nation took it according to the Word of the Lord.
Listen, when you feel that little funny feeling, you get away from them walls. Get away; you’ll die in there. Don’t do it. Come out of it. Get away from all this stuff. Flee to safety as quick as you can. Ask God for mercy.
Don’t just take some, “Well, my mother was Methodist, so I suppose I’ll be.” “My papa was Baptist, I’ll be.” Don’t you do that. Don’t you–don’t you take any chance. I don’t care how simple and humble it seems; it’s the Word of the Lord. You flee to Jesus Christ just as quick as you can, and stay there until God fills you with His Holy Spirit, for the hour’s going to come when you’re going to hunt for it and it won’t be there. So be sure to do it.
E-345 Let’s bow our heads just a moment. Heavenly Father, oh, I just sometimes, Lord, stand here, and I tremble. I think of that awful hour that’s approaching, and I… There’s no way to stop it. It’s predicted that it would come. Now, I’ve thought of why don’t the people come and–and–and listen, and why don’t they come and accept it? But of course I know that–that You–You said they wouldn’t, so they won’t. But there is some that’s got their names written on the Lamb’s Book of Life, and when them Seals are throwed open there, they see their name there, and the Holy Spirit speaks to them; they come.
You can’t keep them away. No one can: no one. They’re coming anyhow because You’re leading them like You did those little birds and the sheep and the cattle. Thou art God. Some instinct that them animals have that they know that they must get away…
If instinct to an animal could warn him to flee from danger, what should the Holy Spirit do to a church that claims to be filled with it? God, be merciful to us.
Forgive us all, Lord, of our short comings. We don’t mean to stand here in this pulpit and let these people stand around walls, and their limbs a-aching, and then just go away and say, “Well, that sounds very good.”
E-348 Lord, we want to do something about it. We–we want You to search our heart, and if there’s anything wrong, Lord, let us know now. Please don’t let us come to that hour yonder when it’s too late. Search me; try me, Lord. Here I stand here by the grace of God seeing those Seals broke down there and come telling the people, when You predicted it would happen this way weeks ago. And now, Father, here it is right before us.
Now, Lord, try me. Search me. Search me in my heart. Lord, we don’t–we–we want You to look into our lives, and if there’s anything in there that’s not right, just speak it to us, Lord. We want to make it right, right now, right now while there is a fountain filled with Blood, while there is a–a Bleach that can cleanse our sins and unbelief. We want to plunge our souls beneath that, all of our unbelief…
E-350 God, help our unbelief. Take it away from us, Lord. We want to receive rapturing grace. We want to be able when that mysterious thunder thunders out yonder, and the Church is taken up, we want to be ready to receive it, Lord. Grant it. Try us, Lord, by Thy Word. Let us look into It, and if we see that we have failed…
If there are those here, Lord, who were baptized in titles, knowing nothing about the real true baptism, may I be as faithful as Paul when he passed through the upper coast of Ephesus and he found disciples screaming and shouting and having a glorious time. He said unto them, “Have you received then the Holy Ghost since you believed?” They know not whether there be any. He said, “Then to what was you baptized?” And they’d been baptized by that glorious holy prophet, but they only baptized unto repentance; then they were rebaptized in the Name of Jesus Christ. And Paul commanded them to be baptized over again.
E-354 Lord, in the Light of Your Word, I command every person that’s not baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ to hasten to the water quickly while you have a chance. You who have not been filled with the Holy Ghost, I command you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ; fall to your knees and don’t get up until the Holy Spirit has sanctified you thoroughly and filled you with His love and goodness until your soul is so satisfied in the Presence of God that your whole desire is to serve Him and walk for Him and work with Him all the rest of your life. Grant it, I pray, that God will give you this charge, in Jesus Christ’s Name.
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me (Do you really love Him? Now, put your hands up.)
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary’s tree.
E-357 [Brother Branham begins humming, “I Love Him.”–Ed.] If there’s any setting that feels their need tonight, feels that they need to be baptized, or needs the baptism of the Holy Spirit… You know your need; it’s been revealed to you, and you want to be remembered in prayer. There’s none of us can give it to you, only we can baptize you; but the only thing, we can’t give you the Holy Spirit. God does that alone, but you feeled your need that God is speaking to your heart that you need It, and you want us to remember you in prayer, would you stand up so we could know you–know who you are? God bless you. The Lord bless you.
I guess there’s hundred and fifty, maybe, standing in here, or maybe it’s like that if I can see all. I don’t know what’s in the rooms and around outside holding their hands up, so forth, but you have a need, now, let’s pray.
E-359 Now, you who see those people that’s standing by you and they’re standing as a witness before Christ, “I–I–I need You, Lord. I need You. I–I’m trusting I–I’m one of those that’s going to find my name tonight behind that seal yonder that was put on there from the foundation of the world. Something struck my heart and I’m standing, Lord, is it me? Are You calling me? I want You to reveal to me my name over there. Fill me and seal me into Yourself by the Holy Ghost.” You who’ve already been sealed in, I want you to raise up, turn around to them and lay your hands upon them to pray for them. Now, be deadly sincere.
E-360 Heavenly Father, in the Name of the Lord Jesus let the great Holy Spirit move upon this audience as a rushing wind a fall into every heart here, Lord, and send down the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon these people. And there’s water waiting… While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them that heard the Word, they were all filled with the Holy Ghost…
[The balance of Brother Branham’s prayer is not clear–Ed.]
The Pergamean Church Age
E-1 Good evening, friends. Let us stand now just a moment for prayer. We bow our heads.
E-2 Our Heavenly Father, as we hear that—that beautiful hymn, we—we are thinking, Lord, of…that You are near. And we pray that You’ll receive us tonight, Lord, as Your children, forgiving all of our sins and trespasses, and giving us of Thy blessings, as we are a needy people.
E-3 And in this great hour that we’re now living, and we see, yearly, it gets darker and darker, to the world. And the Coming of the Lord gets brighter and brighter, as He reveals Himself in the…in His Word and in His manifestation. We have come again, tonight, Lord, to attempt, of this meeting, and to pray Thee to open to us, Lord, this Third Seal of this Book, that it might be known to us, that we would know what to do and how to live, and how to be better Christians.
E-4 I pray, God, that You’ll make every un-Christian in here, tonight, realize their need of You. Grant it. And I—I pray, Heavenly Father, that every born-again Christian will realize that he must live closer than he has in the past, that we might all be in that unity of Christian love and faith.
E-5 Grant that every sick person in our midst will be healed tonight, Lord. They do realize their need of You. And I pray, Father, that You’ll bless everything that’s done or said, to Your honor and glory, in Jesus’ Name we ask it. Amen.
E-6 Well, again, tonight, we’ve assembled together again for this, the—the Wednesday night of the week. And we are trusting the Lord, tonight, for a—a great outpouring of His blessings upon His Word. And today I have been studying, as usual, and trying to think of the things that would be more appropriate to say, and the thing, how to say it, and then depending on the Lord to give to me the interpretation and meanings of—of this Word that’s written. And I am grateful to Him for what He has done for us through the week, that we…of the opening of these Seals.
E-7 And, now, perhaps it would be a good thing if Sunday morning, at…You know, many times…We don’t mean to be misunderstood, but, you know, you…It gets that way. And so, maybe, Sunday morning, if all who has a question in their mind concerning it, would write it out and give it on the desk here, Saturday night, and so I can see what it is. And then I try to answer it for you, Sunday morning, the Lord willing. I think that would be better than what we were planning, because sometimes it’s misunderstood, you know. And so that way I’ll get…It would be better that I would—I would get it straight, you know. It would be just what it should be. Cause, sometime, now…
E-8 Someone called today and said, that—that, called up and wanted to know if it was true, that, “When the—the Rapture taken place, there’d only be one in Jeffersonville and one in New York, and the rest of them overseas.” So, see, it just misunderstood. Then someone said, that, “Saturday night, if the Lord give to us the last Seal, then Jesus would be here Sunday morning.” See? So it’s a—it’s a…You see, you—you don’t…That, that isn’t so. And you don’t…It isn’t.
E-9 We don’t know. If anyone tells you that they know when He is coming, you know they’re wrong, to begin with, because no one knows that. But we want to live, today, like it was right now.
E-10 I am going to kind of turn you around for a minute, so be ready. I—I believe Jesus will come within, less than, three minutes from right now, of His time. You know how long that would be? About thirty-five years. See, thousand years is only one day, with Him, you see.
E-11 So, when you hear the apostle back here say, “The time is at hand,” over here, “the time is at hand.” The apostle said that in Revelation. You know how long that’s been? That hasn’t… That was just yesterday, to God, not even two days yet.
E-12 And, see, if it’s three minutes, less than three minutes of His Coming, see, that would be thirty years, about, to us, or something on that order. And look how, what three minutes would be to Him: He is already rising up, to come. So we, you…sometimes when you read here, He is speaking in the terms of the Word, see, not in our terms.
E-13 And then if I knew He was coming tomorrow night, tomorrow night, tomorrow I would study and ask Him to give me the Message for the Fourth Seal. And I’d come down here and preach It, just the same. See? I—I want to be doing every day just what I would be doing if He comes. And I don’t know no other better place than to be caught right at the post of duty, see, at the post of duty. So we just keep carrying on till He comes.
E-14 Sometimes when we just read, and, now, be real careful. And when you read, get the tapes, listen to them real close. Because, you’ll get it on the tape, because they’ve been playing them tapes back, and they’re really good and plain. So, you’ll get it clearer there.
E-15 Now, everybody in love with Christ, I hope, tonight, and everybody loving Him.
E-16 I’ll tell you what, sometimes, what confuses the people, that someone that come in and didn’t get the first part of the service, you see. Then they come in and they hear you refer back, hit back, something, and then they take that, what’s said, and they didn’t get the first part. Then it’s all confusing to them, you see, then. And they do think that something was said different, but It—but It isn’t.
E-17 So if you got a question that you don’t understand, just write it on a piece of paper. Lay it in, any time between now and Saturday night. And I’ll try, Sunday morning, to…If it’s a little puzzling, you say, “Well, I wonder just what this meant here. I didn’t get it.” You know what I mean. Then I’ll try to answer it for you, Sunday morning, the Lord willing.
E-18 Now, tonight we’re going to read from this blessed old Word again, in the 6th chapter. And we start tonight with the Third Seal. And that is the 5th verse, the 5th and 6th verse.
E-19 And tomorrow night we close the four riders; the white horse, and the red horse, black horse, and pale horse.
E-20 And I want to say this. That, each time, even till this morning, about…I get up real, real early and go to prayer before things stir, and just keep on praying through the day. But this morning, early, the Holy Spirit came to where I was. And just as plain as anything, I—I seen this other Seal open up now, just exactly. Now—now—now, He hears me, I know. And I’m very grateful.
E-21 Now, you’ll just remember that there is something happening. That, I—I hope you’re catching it, see, see, that there is something happening. I just want to test this church one time, and see if they could actually pick up something before it actually taken place. Now remember, remember what I’ve told you. And, now, the Lord help us.
E-22 Now in the 5th verse.
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come…see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts saying, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; but see thou hurt not the oil and…wine.
E-23 Now let’s background this just a little bit, and on the Seals that we have passed. Because, just like in the church ages, why, we try to give a background, to kind of lap it over, till you can…That’s the way the ages are actually in the Scripture, one laps the other one over, just like that. Like climbing a ladder, and climbing a step, rather; one running down to the other, and coming back like that, as you go up a step.
E-24 And now, this Seals, the…It’s a—the Book of Redemption, sealed. Everybody understands that? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] And this Book is sealed with Seven Seals. It is a seven-sealed Book. See?
E-25 And now remember, as we pictured it out to you, and took it from Jeremiah and all. Now, they, when they had…They wrote like this, on a piece of—of script, or a paper, rather; or, not paper, but it was a hide. [Brother Branham illustrates the rolling and sealing of a scroll, by using sheets of paper—Ed.] And they rolled it up, like this. Now that…And then the end of it was left like that; that denotes what’s there. Then the next one takes the same kind of a position, rolls up the same way, roll like that. And then, at the end here, it’s torn off like that, and left another one.
E-26 Well, that was the seven-sealed Book. Now we never had Books like this till lately. The Books in the old time were scrolls. They were rolled up. And then when they want the subject or anything…Like if—if the Bible is rolled up, you want to read the Book of Isaiah; you would turn down here to Isaiah, then unroll It like that, and read It. And this is a seven-sealed Book of Redemption.
E-27 And now we find that the Lamb comes out, takes the Book out of the hand of Him that sat upon the Throne, and breaks the Seals, and—and loose…and looses That, looses the Seals to the people.
E-28 And the four Beasts sitting there, that we took in the church ages, the same four Beasts, you see them all the way through the Scripture, and they are the One Who does the announcing of these Seals being broke. Now, and we see it is a—a Book of Redemption.
E-29 Then we went back and got the—the Kinsman Redeemer, and picked Him up, to see what His work was. And now for all these years, Christ has been doing the Kinsman Redeemer work. Now, all that understands that, say, “Amen.” [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] He has been doing the work of the Kinsman Redeemer.
E-30 But there will come a time that when the redeeming work will be over. And when the redeeming work is over, then He leaves the Throne of God, where He is seated now. But that’s not His Throne. “He that overcometh shall sit with Me in My Throne, as I have overcome and set down on My Father’s Throne.” That’s not His Throne. That belongs to Spirit, God. Christ, the Lamb, it doesn’t belong to Him. He is the incarnate God, see; which is the same God, made incarnate. Now, He rises from the seat…
E-31 First, the announcement went forth, for, “Who is able to come and re-…and take this Book of Redemption?” See, for the whole plan of redemption, from Adam, all that Adam lost.
E-32 There was nothing lost until Adam. And after Adam, all was lost, in the earth. And everything on the creation of the earth was lost. And everything fell with Adam, crossed the chasm, that no one could get back, no way at all. Man, when he sinned, he left his way, he left no way back for himself. And then the…
E-33 When this question was asked; John the revelator, that… the prophet John, was in the vision and saw it. And there was no man in Heaven, no man on earth, no man beneath the earth, or nobody, was even worthy to look at the Book. See? Now just think of that! Then the Lamb comes forward, and He takes the Book. Now John was asked not to weep anymore. He said, “Behold, the Lion of Juda has prevailed, and—and He can take the Book and open It.” So, he turned to look for a Lion, and he saw a Lamb. The elder called, said, “A Lion has prevailed.” But when he come and looked, it was a Lamb coming out from the Throne.
E-34 Now, he had never noticed That before. Why? He had been back there, in His doing His mediatorial work; for He was bleeding for the people, intercessing for the people, until the last soul, that was put on the Lamb’s Book of Life before the foundation of the world, come in. There is just going to be so many of them there, and that’s it. That’s all. The others won’t even want to come in; they have no desire to come in. And so, then, when that last soul comes in, then the time of redemption is finished.
E-35 Then the Lamb comes forth to claim His rights to what He has redeemed, and that’s all creation. The earth and everything belongs to Him. See? He has redeemed it with His Own Blood. And when He come forth to take this Book, to open It, why, my, they was…John didn’t weep anymore. And he looked, and this Lamb was a slain Lamb. It was already been killed, but it was alive again. And now we found out that a slain lamb is a bloody lamb, bleeding all over. It’s been slayed. After It been slain, It had raised again. It was sitting on the Throne, say, back in behind the Throne, like this, interceding for all those souls that would come. Then when the last one was here, and it was completed, the…God still held the Book of Redemption. See? Now He’s just doing the Kinsman work now.
E-36 Like, Boaz went down, and Ruth was just sitting there waiting until Boaz…I mean, Boaz done the re-…kinsman, redeeming work. Remember me preaching that, not long ago? Ruth, the gleaning; and, Ruth, whatever she did; and on down, and the last thing was, Ruth, waiting. Remember how I typed that in the Church? While, Boaz goes down to do the kinsman redeeming work. He did it; kicked off his shoe and made a testimony, and redeemed Naomi, and, through there, got—got Ruth. Now, so, Ruth was just waiting, because she had already labored. She had done all these other things, but she was waiting now. And then when…The Church is waiting, resting (many of them, most of them, in the dust of the earth), while He is doing His Kinsman Redeem work.
E-37 Now the world is still going worse. And sin is heaping up, and—and sickness, and trouble, and death, and sorrow. The godless men and godless women die right down. Cancer eats them up, and everything else, when they can’t appropriate enough faith to reach out there and take a hold of it.
E-38 Now notice. But then after it was all over, after His media-…His interceding was done, He comes forth, takes the Book out of the hand of Him. And then John, and everything in Heaven, and begin…The souls under the altar begin screaming. We get that in the Sixth Seal, again. And how they rejoiced! And—and they fell down, the elders, and poured out the prayers of saints. And the souls under the altar cried, “Worthy art You, because You have redeemed us to God! And we’re going back to earth, to live as kings and priests.” Oh, there was a great…
E-39 And John said, “Everybody in Heaven, everything beneath the earth, and everything,” heard him praising God about it. John must have found his name on There, you know. All that time!
E-40 Then he said, “He is worthy to take the Book of Redemption.” Now it doesn’t belong back to the Judge anymore. It belongs to the Redeemer, and He has done done the work of redemption.
E-41 Now He is going to show the Church what He done. Amen. See? Then He just takes…But the Book is closed. No one knowed, at all. They know It was a Book of Redemption, on It there, but It’s to be revealed in the last days. According to Revelation 10, the seventh angel is going to be given the Message of That. Because, It said, that, “In the time of the sounding of the seventh church age, the seventh angel, when he sounds, all the mysteries of God should be finished up, by his sounding.” Then, after It’s revealed, the Angel come down from Heaven, which was Christ. Now remember, this angel is on earth, a messenger.
E-42 Down comes Christ, you see Him in the 10th chapter of Revelation; puts one foot upon the land, the other one on the sea; rainbow over His head, eyes like…and feet like fire, and so forth; raises up His hand, and swears by Him that lives forever and ever, on the Throne, that, “Time shall be no more.” And when He takes this oath, Seven Thunders utter their voices.
E-43 And the writer, which, when John was taken up, was supposed to write what he saw. He started to write down. He said, “Don’t write It.” Because… “Don’t write That.” It is an un-…He said, “Seal It up.” What in? “Seal up. Don’t say It.” See, It’s to be revealed, but It’s not even written in the Word.
E-44 And then when He begin to open the Seals, we find out, they were all puzzling. See? When He opened the First Seal, he thought, “Now here It’s going to say, ‘And it will come that so-and-so will take the throne, and certain do this, and this will do that.’”
E-45 But when it was, here he’s went, a white horse, riding, and a rider on it. Well, “He had a bow in his hand; and he was given a crown, after a while,” he said. That’s all.
E-46 And the Lamb turned back again, and pulled another Seal off, and here went out a black…a red-horse rider. “And he had a…given a—a sword; and he was going to make war; and given great power, and take peace from the earth, and kill one another.” That was kind of a…still a mysterious thing (wasn’t it?), when He opened It up.
E-47 And then goes on, and said, “In the day just before these Seven Thunders, all the mysteries here are revealed.”
E-48 Now look. Then we find out, as we’ve been studying, that, down through the ages, we’ve had reformers, not prophets. Reformers! And each office carries its own—its own work.
E-49 Just like a man that’s a—a telephone operator, he isn’t exactly an electrician. He might do a little job at it. And like, if a man is a lineman, well, he certainly…A man is a posthole digger, and never did do any line work, he better keep off the line; but he might do a little patch up work or something.
E-50 But when the real Thing is to be revealed at the last day, of the last part of the Church, is when God has said that He would send to us, according to the Scriptures. And we’ve searched it through and through, that He predicted that the Spirit of Elijah would return in some person. Now, I think that’s been made just as clear. And we…And we’re looking for that to happen; somewhere, an anointed person, in the last days, to rise up. Now you’ll hear a lot of fanatics and everything else, but that just—just tries to…It’s the devil, trying to take away from the real one when he gets here, see. But it’ll be properly identified. You know what Elijah was; and watch that, and you—you’ll know. And then when he…Now, the Elect will know.
E-51 Not the others; they sure won’t do it. They’ll miss It, a million miles. Like…We been through all that, and showed how they missed John, how they missed Elijah, how they missed Jesus, how they missed them all the way along. And they’ll do the same thing, ’cause the Bible said they would. See? So then, in that time, It’ll be very humble. It’ll be so simple. That’ll…what will make people fall away from It. It’s too simple for them. We find out, and always, when people get smart and educated, and know a whole lot, then they just…That’s just the kind that misses it, you know. See?
E-52 Jesus never took them kind of people for (be) His disciples. He took unlearned people, fishermen, and nobody was connected with their churches and things. He just got ordinary men, tax collectors, and farmers, and fishers, and so forth, to do His work. See? Cause, they—they know they’re nothing, then He can make something out of them, see. As long as they keep knowing that they’re nothing, then God can work.
E-53 But when they get to thinking that they know something, then, “You don’t know nothing that you ought to know,” the Bible says. And so, then, we—we find that.
E-54 And now, we find out, then, that these mysteries are supposed to be revealed.
E-55 And why didn’t these other men, Wesley, Luther, and those great reformers, who brought out justification, sanctification, the pentecostal age with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and things, why didn’t they catch these—these Messages? Why didn’t they get Them? Because they were reformers. See?
E-56 Just like, take it on the other side, there was people come in who was “had power as kings, but wasn’t kings.” See? See? You have to notice the Bible terminology of anything. See? Now watch. But, this, the reason that all the straying ends, of the mysterious part about justification, the mysterious part of sanctification, the mysterious part of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. And, why, what kind did…Did Eve eat an apple, or did she eat a pomegranate, or something? See? Did…What was the serpent’s seed? And—and is the baptism in the name of the “Father, Son, Holy Ghost,” or the Name of the “Lord Jesus,” right? And, oh, hundreds of those things, has been left loose-ended. See?
E-57 And then in the last hour, this fellow is to come on and reveal the thing, see, take up the Scriptures. It’ll be properly identified. Look. Yes, sir. And, now, it won’t be a great, big thing now. It looks like, here in the Bible, it would be something big.
E-58 How much bigger was it, when John was supposed to come down there and baptize! Just think now. The prophets, back, all the way back, Isaiah, Malachi, and all of them spoke of him, when he would come. And when he did, just a lone, old, uneducated fellow, with whiskers all over his face, and hair sticking out like a fuzzy worm, and a big old piece of sheepskin draped around him; no education at all, never went to school a day in his life, as far as we know. See? Here he come, out of the wilderness, not even as much as welcomed into a pulpit, and stood out there on the river of Jordan and began to call for people to repent. Could you imagine!
E-59 The Bible said, that, “Everything will be so great in that day, even till all the high places will be made low, and all the low places will be brought up.” Yes sir. “And all the rough places will be made plain.”
E-60 Why, I can imagine seeing them out there, think John would come out, or this great forerunner of Christ, and just take all the desert and smooth it out, and put it in grass again. See? Oh, they, I imagine they had it all fixed up, about like they have today.
E-61 But, it was so humble, even the apostles missed it. They said, “Well, why does the Scripture say, if the…You’re going up there to be offered up now? Why does the Scripture say that—that Elias must come first?”
E-62 He said, “He’s already come, and you didn’t know it. And, Son of man, they’ll do the same thing. But, John,” He said, “did just what was listed for him to do. And they done to him just what they was supposed to do. And,” said, “so must the Son of man be suffered.”
E-63 Why, there wasn’t, I guess, one-third of the whole Jewish race ever knowed that Jesus Christ was on earth. Didn’t… They might have heard of some fanatic down along there somewhere, but they didn’t pay any attention to it, just going on. “He came to His Own, and His Own received Him not.” Now, there is where I believe even…Now, it didn’t say He would secretly come.
E-64 But the Rapture will be a secret. So if that was so secret, when He come, how much more will the Rapture be unknown! See? They won’t know it. Directly they’ll say, “Well, I thought we was supposed to have a Rapture. And all this judgment upon the earth?”
E-65 He’ll say, “It’s already taken place, and you didn’t know it.” See? It’ll be so, just like a thief at the night.
E-66 Like a—a book I read, one time. What is that called? Romeo and Juliet, is that what it was, or something? He let, got the ladder up aside the house, some way. I for-…Been a long time ago. And come, got his…to get her out at nighttime.
E-67 Now, that’s the way that it’ll—it’ll take place, and it’ll be gone. Not, they’ll send a bunch of Angels down, with some spades, and dig up the graves. The Bible said, “We’ll be changed, before even you could bat your eye.” Just a twinkle, it’ll all be over, that quick.
Just say, “Somebody disappeared.”
E-68 Well, I’d imagine if we could search the world over, today, there’s been five hundred people disappear off the earth each day, see, they don’t know nothing about. They just come up, disappearing.
Well, there ain’t going to be too many go in that Rapture.
E-69 Now, I don’t want to scare you, and I—and I—I—I—I don’t think it’s that way, but I just want to tell you what He said. And you know it, yourself. “As it was in the days of Noah, wherein eight souls were saved by water. Eight souls out of the world, be saved by water.”
E-70 Well, you say, “Oh, my! There’s no need of me trying.” That shows you haven’t got the kind of faith you need.
E-71 If there’s just going—going to be one, that’ll be me, amen, ’cause I believe. See? That’s the way you want to believe it, see, “Be me.” Sure. I want to live so close to Him, that I know He’s going to take me when He comes. I believe it. That’s right. So if there…If everybody else misses it, I’m going to be there, by His grace. Cause, He promised me that, and I know that I’ll—I’ll be there, ’cause He can’t lie. And I know my soul and life bears record, and I try to live daily just like He was coming, so I’m—I’m—I’m going to be that one. That’s the way you want to feel, “If there’s going to be eight, I’ll be one of that eight; going to be five hundred, I’m going to be one of that five hundred. Don’t know about the other fellow, but I want to be one of that five hundred.” See? That’s the way you want to remember. See?
E-72 And if you don’t remember it like that, there is something wrong with your faith. See? You’re not sure you’re saved yet, then. You’re just guessing at it. Don’t do that. All right.
E-73 We ain’t going to get into this Seal, are we? All right. I want, each night…I don’t know whether you mind me taking up your time. We could get out a little bit earlier. There’s not too…
E-74 In the revealing of these, of these Seals, remember, it’s only really one verse. The first, tells the announcing of it, the 2nd verse. Most all commentaries, and so forth, the reading of it, or—or reading of their thoughts, and I have—and I’ve always believed like nearly all of them does, that that first horse rider was the—was the early church. But when the Holy Spirit revealed it, it was absolutely contrary to that. And so then, all it does, just show what it is. And then I try…
E-75 Now, to me, this is very sacred. That’s the reason I’d rather answer these questions. And let’s get it, everybody knowing straight, and on tapes, too, that they’ll understand now. See? I tried to speak a while, at night, on backgrounding, to get the people…
E-76 Rushing in and pushing in, and, you shouldn’t do that. See? But, when it does, it’s human beings. And it’s hot in—in here, and you—and you are restless.
E-77 But you been very, very nice. The best I’ve ever seen the people act, in the tabernacle, has been this meeting; and sitting quiet, and mothers taking their babies to the nursery when they started crying. And everything has been very nice.
E-78 But I try to background it until I just feel the anointing of the Spirit on me, to say these Words, to say what has been revealed to me. And then if I have, somewhere, doing that, if I have made a mistake here, surely here before all the people He’ll correct it for me. I—I want it. It’s—it’s…I want It right. There’s no need of taking just what you imagine. There is something right, and—and we want That. We want God to give us what’s right.
E-79 So now we took this, these riders, as they come up. The first horse, now, and we realize that that was the—the antichrist that went forth. And then we find out, last night, that the same fellow that went forth as antichrist, as a white horse, we found him with a sword, last night, riding, and killing people.
E-80 Now, now, there’s always the natural and the spiritual. And for the Church sake, I want to type, just before we get to the opening of this Seal.
E-81 Which, what He give me, I got it wrote down here. I got several Scriptures here, seven or eight pages of it, and as I refer to it.
E-82 Notice, I want to give a type, of the Church, and make it so plain that you’ll be bound to see it. See?
E-83 Now, there was a natural bride in the garden of Eden. Remember last night? That natural bride, she was Adam’s sweetheart, not yet his wife, ’cause he hadn’t knew her yet as a wife.
E-84 Just like Mary was Joseph’s wife, but he never knew her yet. “She was found with a child.” See?
E-85 Now, before Adam knew his wife, she was just a bride to him. All right. And we find out that God…She, she fell in the garden of Eden because she failed to hold to God’s Word.
E-86 Now, He knew that Satan would be loosed among them, so He gave them a—a place to stay behind; fortify them. Well, there, who could know any better place to be fortified, than God, if He’s trying to take care of His own children?
E-87 If I wanted to take care of my little Joseph, well, brother, everything…And I knowed his life depended on it, why, I’d…and I was able to do it. Well, if forty-foot concrete, reinforced, would—would be the thing would do it, that’s…I’d make it ninety foot, to be sure, that.
E-88 And if I can think that about my little boy, (which, if his mortal life had lost, I believe a child would be saved,) how much more, to God, to His child that would be Eternally lost! What should He place him behind? He placed him behind His Own Word. As long as you’re in that Word, you’re safe. “If ye abide in Me, and My Words in you, then just ask what you will.” That’s it, the Word.
E-89 So, Eve got to strolling in the garden, and she run into the serpent, a very polished-up sort of a fellow. And she…And he begin…Now, he was on the other side. God lives, dwells, works in humility, never any other way. See? Now, the little, humble lady walking along there, and Satan come up as a wise, slick, polished sort of a fellow. And he wanted to sell her the program. As long as…
E-90 No matter how much Satan was around; as long as she stayed behind this Word, she was all right. [Brother Branham pats his Bible—Ed.] See? So, let Satan do whatever he wants to; you just stay with the Word. Don’t make a bit of different.
If he says, “Why, you’re sick.”
“By His stripes I’m healed.”
“Well, you’re going to die.”
“He’ll raise me up again. He promised it.”
E-91 See, just stay behind the Word. That’s all. Christ retreated to the Word, Himself. “It’s written.” See? Now, stay behind the Word.
E-92 But, Eve, she begin to kind of let down, but she never let it all down. She only let one little phrase down. And that’s what Satan wanted her to do. He got her from behind God’s promise, by reasoning.
Don’t never try to reason God’s Word. Just believe It! See?
E-93 So, she stepped out from There. And before Adam ever got to her, for a wife, she was already defiled by Satan. And she…
E-94 And did you notice? Christ did the same thing, exactly. Now, for redeeming, God had to be there first. Did you notice? Mary, before she come to Joseph, the Holy Spirit had done got there. Amen. See? That’s where the Redeemer come.
E-95 Now, now notice, the natural woman fell, and God made a way for her to be redeemed. Although she had fallen, He made a way.
E-96 Now, that was the first bride on earth, fell, before her husband and her were married. She fell, by—by the reason of—of reasoning, instead of staying with the Word. She fell. And she fell to death, Eternal separation. With her, she took her husband and everything else there was on the earth. She fell!
E-97 Now, but, God, full of mercy, made a way to redeem that woman. And now He promised her, telling her that sometime, in the future, the true Word would come to her again. The true Word will be made known to her. Now remember that. Cause, He promised Christ, through the woman.
E-98 And Christ is the Word. Saint John 1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh,” see, “and dwelt with us.” God dwelt with us in flesh. He was the Word.
E-99 Before a Word, it’s a thought. And a thought has to be created. All right. So, God’s thoughts become creation when it was spoke, by a Word. That’s when He presents it to—to you as a thought, His thought, and it’s revealed to you. Then, it’s still a thought until you speak it. That’s the reason…
E-100 Moses went out to pray. That Pillar of Fire around him, and He said, “Go, hold your stick towards the east, and say, call for ‘flies.’”
E-101 There’s no flies. But he went and held the stick there, and said, “Let there be flies.” No flies at all, yet. Went on back. But the words, God’s thought, has already been spoken. It’s a word, now it’s got to happen.
E-102 Now don’t you see where Jesus said? “If you say to this mountain; not if I say it. But you say to this mountain, ‘Be moved.’”
E-103 And the first thing, I guess, in Moses’ time, big old green fly begin to buzz. And, after a while, they was five pounds per yard. See? Where’d they come from? He…God created them. Don’t you see how…
E-104 God can destroy this world tonight, with—with gnats, if He wants to. Well, He could pile gnats plumb to the moon. Only thing He could do is just say, “Let there be gnats, to the moon.” That would be all there would be to it. No chemicals or nothing, they’d just keep on growing, growing, growing on. See?
E-105 He can do what He wants to. He is God, the Creator. The only thing to do is just speak it. [Brother Branham snaps his finger once—Ed.] That’s right. He’s the Creator. Now, if we just get to realizing how great He is! See? He just does what He wishes to.
E-106 He sits up there and looks at people, and these little educators, smarting out, and, “There’s no God,” and—and everything. Huh! Why, it just like they was at Babel, again. Babel, rather.
E-107 Now we notice that God told Eve, that, “After so long a time, the Word is coming back to you.” Now, how did she fall? I want my class to say it. What did she fall from? What did Eve fall from? The Word. Is that right? [Congregation says, “The Word.”—Ed.] The Word. And God said He would make a way to redeem her back to the Word again. All right. After so long a time, the Word would be known to her. All right. The Word would come for one purpose now. Hold tight now, what I’m saying. The Word would come to her for one purpose, that was for redemption. All right.
E-108 But, until—until then, she had a substitute that would—that would work until the time arrived for the original Word. Now you—you understand clearly? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] See? He told her the Word would come to her again, but, until that time, He give her a substitute until that time arrived. So, He gave her an offering to make, a substitute for that Blood.
E-109 Now, the blood was of bulls and sheep, and goats and things, but it didn’t take away her sin. See? It only covered her sin. It didn’t take it away, at all. It covered it. For, it was an animal’s blood, and in the animal’s blood is the animal life. It was a substitute until the real…Now get your coats on.
E-110 The real, human Blood, as human beings would be, become incarnate (God); without sex, virgin, the virgin birth produced that. Now God’s Word, promise, became Blood, and was incarnated in the Person of Jesus Christ the Saviour. “The blood of bulls and goats, and so forth…”
E-111 But now wait. Here God made the promise, saying it would be there when It come, “Her Seed should bruise the serpent’s head.” Now, if her seed come just like from Adam, or like had been from the serpent, and so forth, then it’d still be sinful seed.
E-112 That’s the reason John wept. There was no man, because no man…Everybody was across, the other side of the ditch, the chasm. But there is coming a time that when this substitute blood of animal would be done away with, when the real, incarnate Blood came: God, made flesh and Blood. The Bible said He was. First Timothy 3:16, “Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: for God was manifested in flesh.” That’s right. The virgin birth did this.
E-113 Now, the blood of sheep and goats covered sin, but didn’t get rid of it, for it was an animal’s blood. But it was to be alright, was to be a substitute.
E-114 And they sure got—got used to that substitute, and so they just kept on.
E-115 And, when, the real, promised Word was made manifest in Jesus Christ, Who proved to be the Son of the great Creator, God; and was vindicated, Himself, by being the living Word of God. Whew! My! He proved He was. He could speak things into existence.
E-116 There ain’t a human being, or—or nothing in the world, could do that. There ain’t a thing on earth can create, but God. The devil can’t create. He’s a perverter of what’s been created, but he can’t create. Sin is only righteousness perverted. You know what I mean. What is a lie? It’s the truth misrepresented. See? What is an adultery? The right legal act perverted. Everything in sin, sin is just the Truth perverted. Now, he could not create.
E-117 But when Christ came, proved He was the Creator. There was the Blood that had been promised. Now if you want to read that, you…Let’s just turn for a minute. We going to take the time on this, anyhow, tonight. I…
E-118 It makes me nervous. I think everybody wants to go home, you know. And so it’s a…[Congregation says, “No.”—Ed.] Now let’s get Acts 2. Thank you. And we’ll just…
E-119 Acts 2, and we’ll find out whether this is right, or not, whether He was proved that He was God. All right. Get Acts 2. Now let’s get here at the 22nd verse, Peter speaking, the Day of Pentecost.
Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles…wonders and sign, which God did by him in the midst of you, as you your-…al-…you yourselves also know:
E-120 “A man that was approved, that it was God among you.” By the very things He done, proved that He was. Here is Peter, standing at the Sanhedrin, telling them.
E-121 Nicodemus knowed the same. He said, “Rabbi, we all know that You are a teacher comes from God, ’cause no man could do these things ’less He come from God.” See? They knew it. But why?
E-122 Now watch. Now, Eve was promised this. But when… That bride come on down, and refused, when the real Word came to her. So, the woman refused to recognize; the Hebrew bride. For, she was the bride of—of God; He put her away, in divorcement. Is that right? She was the bride of God.
E-123 You say, “Well, they wasn’t ever married yet.” That’s right. But Joseph put Mary away before…Was going to put Mary away ’fore they was married. See? He was engaged to her.
E-124 And when He come, and the Word that He promised, come for the wedding, He found her wrapped in her substitutes, so bad, that she wouldn’t take the real promise that had been made, the Word, Christ.
E-125 Maybe you don’t get it. Now let me go over it again. I want you to get this, see.
E-126 She was promised, (the bride, Eve), to be a Redeemer. Her Redeemer would be the Word. And when the Word came, made flesh, she rejected It. She was given substitutes. Now hold that, “substitute.” Given substitutes to go on, until the Redeemer come. And when the Redeemer come, she wanted to continue with her substitute, and rejected the true Word. See it? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] And that was the Hebrew bride.
E-127 So did He, by the second Eve, bride, the mother of all spiritual living. See? Eve means “the mother of all,” that’s spirit-… “all that’s living.” Eve, “mother of all that’s living.”
E-128 Now, and when He came to the Hebrew bride, she was the mother of all that was living, but she rejected It.
E-129 Natural Eve fell, in Eden, by listening to Satan’s reasoning against God’s Word. That’s how she fell. All right, sir. She fell because she did that.
E-130 Spiritual Eve, now, that’s the church, Christ’s bride. She fell, not in Eden, but in Rome, see, at the Nicaea Council, when she rejected, that Pentecostal church, that went down to Nicaea, and listening to Roman’s reasoning, instead of holding onto the Word, she fell. And everything away from her, died with her, around her. Now, just as natural Eve fell, spiritual Eve fell. God’s bride fell—fell in the garden; Christ’s Bride fell in Rome. See?
E-131 Notice, by the same reasoning, against God’s Word, she also forfeited her rights of virtue, to Satan. Which, we found in the breaking of these Seals, that that was Satan, and still is Satan there. The Bible said it’s the very seat of Satan. And as Eve forfeited her—her virtuous rights, and give them over to Satan, in the garden of Eden; the church, the bride of Christ, did the same thing at Rome, when they forfeited the Bible for their dogmas and reasonings. See how it types? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.]
E-132 You just run those types, you’re bound to come out right. If my hand looks like…If I’ve never seen myself, and I see my shadow coming, I’ll know just about what I look like. See? But, that’s the way. If you want to see what’s coming, look what has been. “For the…all the old things were shadows of things to come,” the Bible said. All right.
E-133 For, she forfeited her virtuous Word, the Word of God, when she sold the Bible, and put a man in there that says that the church has rights to change anything they want to change. And they’ve done it. And the bride of Christ, the pentecostal bride, sold out her virtue, at Nicaea, just as Eve sold her virtue to Satan in the garden of Eden. Exactly. All right.
E-134 God has promised; this church, this pentecostal church, knowing she would do it; like He did to Eve, God has promised.
E-135 The pentecostal church, do you believe that she sold her birthrights, before…her virtue, when she left over there? You believe that? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] She, sure, she did. Then what good is a creed, not based on this Bible? I want somebody to find what’s called the Apostles’ Creed, or even one word of it in the Bible. That’s a Catholic creed, not apostles’ creed.
E-136 Read Acts 2:38, that’s apostles’ Creed, if He’s got any. Yeah. See? Now, that’s what they used all the time, anyhow. So if you…See?
E-137 So, they sold out their birthrights. Not only that, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterian, Pentecostals, the rest of them, has done the same. She formed a denomination. Rome, what made her do that, she formed a denomination and put man at the head of it. And the Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals and every one, has done the same thing, put a group of men at the head of it. No matter what God says, they…You got to do it the way they say do it.
E-138 Well, what is it? It’s nothing in the world but spiritual prostitution, the wrong type of woman; yes, sir, creeds, lying creeds, man-made. Then she became, when she did that…Now I’ll prove this. She became a whore, to God. Do you believe the Bible says that? Yes, sir. Her daughters has done the same.
E-139 Now in Revelation 17, if you want to mark it down. John was taken in the Spirit, “And saw a great whore sitting upon…” And we read it last night. And there was the seven hills, and exactly what she had done. And she had given the world her filthy fornications. Is that right? “And all the kings of the earth committed fornications with her,” cheat, and steal, and lie, and paying for repentance, and—and novenas, and every other thing.
E-140 Well, now remember, she had daughters. Well, if she had become a body, and under an organizational system, then the whole system is wrong. And if Eve, disobeying God, throwed everything into death, that was under her; and every church that organizes, throws everything to death, under it. Exactly. The whole thing is gone. That’s exactly according to the Word here. Read Revelation 17. And the Bible said that He would “burn her with fire, and all of her children with her.” That’s right. That means, every organizational system will burn, with the whore.
E-141 Now, that sounds flat, and I—I know you’ll hear from it, and I—I want to hear from it. And I—I…That’s right, though. The Bible said so, so that makes it right.
E-142 She became a “whore.” You can read it in Revelation, the 17th chapter. She, what did she do? She committed fornications, against her own Husband. “Well,” you say, “no, that’s the Bible.” The Word is God. And if you take one thing…
E-143 Would you want your wife kissing some other man? If she didn’t do no more than that, you wouldn’t want her doing it. She would prove her un-trueness.
E-144 “Whosoever shall take one Word away from It, or add one to It.” Hallelujah! Christ wants His Wife pure with the Word. [Brother Branham knocks on the pulpit four times—Ed.] That’s the way She must be.
E-145 Cause, nothing, not one tot, or one jittle, or anything, or tittle, will pass from that law, or from that Book, till It’s all fulfilled. Jesus said, “Both heavens and earth will pass away, but My Word shall never pass.”
E-146 Don’t put any private interpretation to It. He wants a pure, unadulterated, not even a flirt. I wouldn’t want my wife flirting with some other man. And when you go to listening to any kind of reasons, beyond That, you’re listening, you’re flirting with Satan. Amen! Don’t it make you feel religious? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] God wants you to stay unadulterated. Stay right there with that Word. Stay right with It. All right.
E-147 God promised to her, as He did to Eve in the garden of Eden, to this last Eve here. Which, the pentecostal church, the beginning of the church, the church itself, is the mother of all of the living people, because, as long as they go in there. But, you see, when they take up her sins, they die with her.
E-148 Here comes a little fellow along. He say, “I—I want to serve God.”
E-149 They say, “Well, here is what you do. Go down there and repent.”
“All right, I’ll do it. Glory to God!” Go down there, repent.
E-150 “Now come join us.” There, there you are. Uh-huh. See? That got it. Huh! That’s right, died right with it. See? See? That’s just…That’s what this Book is teaching, see, not what I’m saying. Because, It says Here, so. All right.
E-151 Now, God has promised her, as He did Eve. He told Eve there would come a time that the—the Word would come back to her again. Now you remember that? What she lost from, it would be restored. Cause, there’s only one Thing can restore, and that’s the Word. Exactly.
E-152 I said, shoot a gun; if you don’t hit the target, find where it went off at. You got to come back there and start again. See?
E-153 And if you go back, you go to Nicaea. That’s where you start again, see. Go back, away from them organizations, away from all that church. We been seeing these Seals just perfectly.
E-154 I always wondered, all my life, why I was so against organizational systems. Not the people, no. The people are just like me or you, or anybody else. But that system, that denominational system, now I see it right here. I never knowed it till now. And that’s right.
E-155 God promised the spiritual Eve, the same as He did the natural Eve, that again the Word would be restored to her. In the last days He would restore to the Church, to the original Word again.
E-156 Now watch real close. I—I want you to be sure now. God promised Eve, the time would come when the Word would be restored by her Seed. This Word, Itself, would become Seed. And when they give her a substitute, she held that substitute. And when the Word come to her, what’d she do? “I don’t want It.” It was too humble. Didn’t look right, to her. Wasn’t polished enough. “A stable? Oh, my! My! A Guy like that, not a day in school? Well, I couldn’t accept That. That’s no Messiah. A Guy let guys kick Him around like that, and then call It ‘Messiah’? Let them put a rag around His face, then hit Him on the head? And He called Himself a Prophet, a real Prophet, raised up?”
E-157 Actually, they didn’t know prophets. Jesus said so. He said, “If you would have known the prophets, you’d knowed Me.” That’s right.
E-158 Now notice. But when the Word came to her, the way, just exactly the way God said It would come; she had It figured out some other way. I’m talking about the bride, the Jewish bride, the Hebrew bride. That was Eve, to begin with. Then when It come out here, she didn’t want It. She wanted to stay with her substitutes.
E-159 Now, God promised spiritual Eve, at Pentecost, told it even before it happened, four hundred years before the church ever fell, that they would fall away, and they would do what they’ve done. But, He promised, in the last days He would send the Word again.
E-160 Jesus spoke the same thing when He was on earth; He would send It again. And what is…What will It find? It’ll find the same thing that It found when It come first. Right. They’ve got…They, they want their substitutes. They want their denomination. They want their creeds. They want to live just the way they want to. And they want, “Well, I’m So-and-so. I belong to So-and-so.” Don’t make any difference what God is a doing, how much He manifests Himself; He could raise the dead; He could tell the secrets of the hearts; He could do everything that the Bible said He would do. That don’t make a bit of difference. “If it ain’t connected with my organization, it is nothing to It.” See?
E-161 Same thing that Hebrew bride did, that’s right, see, they listened to their substitute. And God promised them the real. And when the real come, they didn’t want It. It was too humble.
E-162 Now it’s the same thing today, when—when It rises on the scene. Now, God said, in Malachi 4, that He would send the Message in the last days, that would restore. Joel said, “I will restore all the years.” Everything that Rome eat up, and everything the Methodists eat up, and everything the Baptists eat up, off of that original pentecostal branch, God said, “I will restore in the last day.” That’s right.
E-163 And He can send us such a person that will be…The only thing that God ever sent His Word to was a prophet, not to reformers; to prophets. It wasn’t the hour for it. Now it’s getting to be the hour, and that’s the reason we’re watching for it to come. It’ll be so humble and gentle! And so…Oh, my!
E-164 You think them aristocratic Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterian, Pentecostals, will ever receive it?
“Oh,” you say, “Pentecostals?”
E-165 The Pentecostals is the Laodiceans. “Rich, and have need of nothing.”
E-166 It said, “You don’t know that you are poor.” Might be building millions-of-dollars buildings, but you’re still poor, spiritual poor.
“Oh,” you say, “I see It all.”
“You’re blind!”
“Well,” you say, “bless God, I’m covered.”
“Naked!”
“Well, I sure of our boys. We got seminaries. We…”
E-167 “And don’t know it.” Now that’s just vice versa. Now, if the Bible said that the Laodicean Church would be in that condition…
E-168 And there’s no person on earth could deny that this isn’t the last age, because, the Laodicean Church Age, or, the seventh church age. And, here we are, the second two thousand years is finishing it. There is no more church ages. That’s the reason you Latter Rain brethren couldn’t start another organization. There’s going to be no more. That’s right. It’s at the end. Amen. Can’t be no more church ages. It’s all over.
E-169 But then if the pentecostal message was the last message… Which, justification, sanctification, the baptism of the Holy Ghost, the last three messages, the last three church ages forms the complete Birth.
E-170 Just like when a woman is having, going to have her baby; the actual first thing happens is water, the next thing is blood, the next thing is life.
E-171 When they killed Jesus at the cross, the substance come from His body, to make up the new…to make up the—the Birth. They struck His side, Blood and water came out, and, “Into Thy hands I commend My Spirit.” What came from His body was water, Blood, Spirit.
E-172 Now, First John 5:7 tells you about that, “There are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word (which is Christ,) and the Holy Ghost.” And these three agree in one; they’re not one, but they agree in one. And there are three that bear record…Or, “They are one,” I mean. I’m mistaken there. “And the three that bear record in earth, is the water, Blood, and Spirit, and they agree in one.”
E-173 You can be sanctified without being justified. And you can be justified without being sanctified. You can be sanctified without receiving the Holy Ghost. That’s exactly.
E-174 The disciples, in John 17:17, was sanctified and given power to cast out devils, but still didn’t have the Holy Ghost. See? Sure. Had to go up to Pentecost, and wait till the Holy Ghost come.
E-175 That’s where Judas showed his colors. See how that spirit worked its way through justification, sanctification? But when it come to the end, he showed his colors. See? That’s right.
E-176 Now notice, now, and here we are at the end time. And spiritual Eve, just as nat-…as Hebrew Eve was promised, the Hebrew bride was promised the Word to return. And the spiritual bride from Pentecost, when she fell at Nicaea, then she is promised in the last days that the Word will come again. Now you say, then…
E-177 You want another Scripture, take over here, Revelation 10. And said, “In the hour, the time of the—the last angel, the seventh angel (seventh messenger) begins to sound, the mystery of God is finished.” See? The restoration back to the Word! The Bible said that this messenger of the last days would be, “Restore them back to the original Faith again, back to the Faith of the fathers.” But do you think they receive It? No, sir. “Last days, He would restore the original Word again,” as He said in Malachi 4.
E-178 But she had forfeited. Now, she had forfeit that Word at Nicaea. Eve forfeited in Eden; Eve rejected hers at Calvary. And Nicaea’s group is rejecting It in the last days, just the same. My!
E-179 But when the Word came in human flesh, she, Eve, the Hebrew church, mother of all spiritual living, It then, she rejected It. She was so dead, in her traditions and dogmas, that she missed It. So is this one, exactly. All right.
E-180 They miss Him, the living Word manifested in the flesh, by the Word that is promised. The Word promised to do these things. The promise was made, that it’ll be like this in the last days. “As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the Coming of the Son of man.” Now watch what happened at Sodom. “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man.” See? Watch what happened then. See? Now, He said it would be the same thing, and we live in that day. Well, and it could be, I guess, I could get six hundred promises of them like that, out of the Scripture, just referring to it. See? Now, but, they reject It.
E-181 She held to traditions and substitute, instead of the—the… She held to the substitute blood, instead of the real Blood. Jesus, the Word, said, when It was manifested to her, “Because she held to these traditions…” Jesus, the manifested Word, said to the bride, Hebrew bride, “Because you hold to your traditions, you make the Word of God without any effect to you. It can’t be effective.”
E-182 Now that’s what’s the reason today, that, the—the revivals that we’re supposed to have, we have denominational revivals. We haven’t had a real stirring. No, no, no. No, sir. Don’t think we got revivals. We haven’t. Oh, they’ve got millions and millions and millions of church members, but not a revival nowhere. No. No.
E-183 The—the Bride hasn’t had a revival yet. See? There’s been no revival there, no manifestation of God to stir the Bride yet. See? We’re looking for it now. It’ll take those seven unknown Thunders back there, to wake Her up again, see. Yeah. He’ll send it. He promised it. Now watch.
E-184 Now, she was—she was dead. And now if the churches would forget their creeds, and forget their dogmas, and just take the Bible, plead the promise, then it would come effective to them. But, see, Jesus said, “You, with your traditions, make the Word of God not effective to you.” Well, that’s the same thing today with spiritual Eve, see, the spiritual bride of today, so-called, the church. She takes the Word of God, and she won’t accept It. And she accepts dogmas, instead. Therefore, the Word is not effective to her, see, because she tries to inject her creed with the Word, and it won’t work. Now, what we need today…
E-185 I just keep reading this here, Herald of His Coming, across the headlines, “We need a prophet to return! We need a prophet to return!” And I guess, when he does return, they’ll know nothing about it. Just…That’s right. It’s always been that way, you see. “We need it,” everything you talk about, “we need a prophet to return, who will bring the Word of the Lord, fearless. We believe the Bible promised it.”
E-186 Now, I know Brother—Brother Moore and them, eat in his house, and everything else, the editor. And he’s the finest man that—that walks in shoe leather, I guess, one of the finest fellows. But, see, he knows that we got to have that. And Sister Moore, one of the finest women, little…poor little fellow, and they sacrifice.
E-187 And that’s one of the best papers on the field, in my opinion, is The Herald of His Coming. But you find out, they keep blasting that, “We need a prophet! We need a prophet!” See? My! That’s what they talk about.
E-188 And then here we are, today, and like yesterday and today, announcing on the radio, that…and the Baptist churches and so forth, that, “We’re not to take in with the Catholics, but we’re to kind of fellowship with them.” See?
E-189 And right here, the Message going out right here, to, “Stay away from that poison thing!” See? See? “How can two walk together ’less they be agreed?” Light and dark can’t fellowship together. When Light comes in, dark goes out. See? It can’t…The most powerful! You can’t put Light out, with dark. But you can put dark out, with Light. That’s right. And He is the Light, and He is the Word. See? Now, there you are, right straight back. You can’t make It lie or do anything wrong. It comes right straight back to the spot again. Yes, sir.
E-190 Just like some guy start, try to fuss with you; if you know where to stand, know what he believes.
E-191 It’s just like taking a rabbit and turning him loose in a pen, and you got every hole stopped up. Just stand at the gate; he’s got to come back. That’s all there is to it. See? He’ll have to come right back to the gate again, ’cause that’s the only way he can get out. He’ll stick his head through here, and almost break his neck; and go over there, over there. Just stand and watch him, and he’ll come right back. See? That’s all.
E-192 That’s the only way to do. Stay with that Word. You can blast all around, with your creeds, just break your neck everywhere, but you got to come right back to this Word. See? Yes, sir. It’s all of It.
E-193 Now, see, they—they—they—they don’t want It. They don’t want God’s Word. Because she held to her traditions, she kept the Word of God from being of none effect.
E-194 The same now, on spiritual Eve. She don’t want…She wants to keep her traditions, and get away from the Word of God. She holds again to the denominations, and their creeds and traditions of her elders, instead of taking the Word of God.
E-195 And when the promise of the Word, in the last days, is brought to her, she will not receive It, because, with her traditions, like the Hebrew bride did. The real Word, though manifested, proven, vindicated, she won’t have It. Why won’t she? Because there is her type. She can’t do it. That’s right. She can’t beat her type. See? And it’s predicted she would do it, so how you going to keep from anything?
E-196 Now the only thing to do is just be happy you’re in. That’s all. Be waiting for it. All right.
E-197 God promised, in the last days, that He would manifest and would vindicate His Word to her, and still she wouldn’t do it. All that, God promised her, by His servants, the prophets. God promised, through Jesus Christ. God promised, through Joel. God promised, through Paul. God promised, through Malachi. John…God promised, through John the revelator, all them prophets, just exactly what the last Message would be to her. Now, if you want to write them down; ’course, you all know them: Jesus, John 14:12; and Joel, Joel 2:38; Paul, Second Timothy 3; Malachi, 4th chapter; and John the revelator, Revelation 10, seven-teen, one to seven-teen. See, exactly what would take place now! And, to the church, what is It? The incarnate Word made flesh amongst His people again! See? And they just don’t believe It.
E-198 You know what Jesus said when He seen He…when He done them miracles before them, and proved that He was God? Proved that, what He was doing. He was. He had done exactly. He—He said to them, He said, “Oh, you, Capernaum, who is exalted into heaven, if the works had been…mighty works had been done in Sodom, that’s been done in you, it would be standing today.” That’s right. And in Capernaum, He never done nothing but heal a few people, and told them the secrets of their hearts, and walked out. Uh-huh. That’s all. See?
E-199 They don’t know what mighty works are. They think it has to be a great big program where everybody gets up, and the judge makes a speech, and—and the bands play, and the colors fly, and the—and the well-dressed women, and their…and tarrying, and all the Ph.D, LL.D’s, and the big, tall hats, and turned-around collars, and everything, they all have to walk in. “That’s something great.”
God says, “That’s foolish.”
E-200 And He brings up a little something that don’t know what difference between maybe ABC’s, hardly, and perform something that just sets the real Church afire. And the rest of them says, “A bunch of holy-rollers.” God calls That “great,” and the world calls It “foolish.” The world calls that “great,” and God calls that “foolish.” See, just vice versa. See? And the thing that God has promised, God will and has done. See? Here we are.
E-201 Now, still, she remains as she did, the Hebrew Eve. She just wouldn’t do it. You could raise up the dead; you could see the Spirit of God. Jesus came down, vindicated Himself to be the Son of God. First, He started preaching. Well, they thought, “Well, kind of odd-like Fellow. Who is He, anyhow?” Well, the first thing you know, people begin to say…
E-202 Course, they had said, before, when His forerunner come, John, they said, “Are you the Messiah?”
E-203 He said, “No. But He is standing among you somewhere.” Uh-huh. See? Why? He knowed, when his message taken place, what he was to do. He knowed what he was going to do.
E-204 Just like Noah kept watching Enoch. When Enoch went, Noah said, “Better get close to the ark. The time is at hand.” Noah kept watching Enoch. See?
E-205 And John watched for the sign that Jesus told him, or God told him, to watch. He said, “He is standing right here now, somewhere among you. I don’t know Him, but I will know Him.”
E-206 Standing there, they said, “Aren’t you the Messiah?” Said, “We were sent from the headquarters.” Uh-huh. Said, “The elders, and all, sent us down here. If you’re the Messiah, why don’t you come up and make yourself known up there, not down here in this bunch of stuff down here! You come up there and make yourself known.”
E-207 He said, “I’m not the Messiah.” He said, “I’m the voice of one crying in the wilderness.”
E-208 That went as far over their head as it could go. They didn’t know nothing about it, see, and yet they was all looking for him to come. “But it couldn’t be a guy like that. Oh, my, that would be terrible!”
“What school are you from?”
“None.”
“Have you got your fellowship card?”
“What is it?” See?
E-209 He was anointed of God. He said, “There’s one thing I have. The ax is laid to the root of the tree.” Now, that’s all he—that’s all he had. He talked in terms of a woodsman, not in the terms of a clergyman; vipers, and axes, and trees, and so forth. He—he didn’t talk in ecclesiastical terms.
E-210 But Jesus said there never was a prophet like him. “Never a man born of a woman, like him, till his day.” That’s right. “He was more than a prophet.” He was the messenger of the Covenant, stood right between the—the two dispensations, coming in. See? “More than a prophet.”
E-211 And so then—then they didn’t know him. They didn’t understand him. He was kind of an odd-like sort of fellow, so they dismissed him, see.
E-212 Then when Jesus come, then, and surely wasn’t going to accept Him, this carpenter’s boy, there wasn’t nothing like that, with a black name behind Him, of “illegitimate.” And, He, they wasn’t going to see a fellow like that.
E-213 But, but look what God did. He took the unlearned, poor, fishermen, woodsmens, farmers, and harlots, and let the dignitaries sit there. Why? What? Why did He do it? Why did He do such a thing? Could you imagine? Because that them people recognized Him to be the Word. Now let’s just watch them just a minute.
E-214 Here is an old ignorant fisherman, can’t write his name. The Bible said he was “ignorant and unlearned.” He brings his fish up and sets it down. Goes down there and sees what all this noise is about. But way down deep in him, he knew that the Bible said that the Messiah…All Hebrews looked for the Messiah, because there was to be a Scriptural thing happen when He come.
E-215 There had been a lot of messiahs, raised up and said, “I am He,” and led them off, by the hundreds, and—and perished and everything. But, see, that was to throw off the real One when It comes.
E-216 We’ve had Elijah’s mantles and coats, and every other thing, but that—that’s—that’s—that’s just to throw off the real thing when he does come. See? That’s right. All kinds of people that’s wore the robes and the garments, and been buried in all kinds of hoods turned around, and everything else. That don’t…That—that just only vindicates. Like a bogus dollar, shows there’s a good one somewhere, if you can just find it. See?
E-217 So here He come. Now these dignitaries come out, and they was so on their substitute! “Why,” they said, “now, if the Messiah comes, He’ll certainly come to Caiaphas. He’ll come to our denomination. He’ll come to the Pharisees.” The Sadducees, “That’s what you think! He’ll come to the Sadducees.” And there they was, see, the same thing they have today, now.
E-218 But when He come, it was strange. He will come, oh, very contrary to what they thought, but He come according to the Word. And they didn’t know the Word.
E-219 Let me say that, real, so you’ll…it’ll sink way down. I want this to get it. That’s what’s the matter with you today, see, you don’t know the Word! See?
E-220 Jesus said, “You can discern the face of the skies, but the signs of time you can’t discern.”
Said, “We have Moses.”
E-221 So, said, “If you had knowed Moses, you’d a knowed Me.” Didn’t know Moses, and therefore they didn’t know. They just know a creed that they had hatched out.
E-222 Now let’s take this old fisherman. Sets his basket down. Pushed his gray beard down, and walks down, “I believe I’ll see Who it is.”
E-223 Brother said, “Come on. Let’s go down here.” Said, “That’s that same Guy. That’s that Guy they said the other day…I stayed all night with Him last night. You know John, I was talking to you about?”
E-224 “Yeah, that wild man down there! Yeah, I heard about him.” “Well,” old Simon, you know, said, “I heard about him down there. Yeah, had been down there, two or three months ago, down there. Yep.”
E-225 “Well, he said…And one day he was standing there, he said an odd thing. He said, ‘You know, here He comes right now!’ They said, ‘How do you know?’ Looked over there; just an ordinary Fellow standing there. He said, ‘I see the Spirit of God, like a dove, coming down. I hear a Voice saying, “This is Him. This is My beloved Son in Whom I am pleased to dwell in.”’ Then he walked right in the water and baptized Him, so forth. Well, there, he said he knew Him.”
E-226 “Oh, I don’t know,” Simon said. “I’ve heard all of that, lots of times.” But here he comes up. But down in his heart was a predestinated seed. See? Jesus said so. Right. Walks up to Him. Walks up. Said, “I’ll go down to the meeting and see.” Walks up there.
E-227 Jesus was standing there, just an ordinary little Fellow. Walked up. He said, “Why, your name is Simon. And your father’s name was Jonas.” That deflated him. Why? That little, Eternal Life seed struck in there. Yes, sir.
E-228 Said, “Wait a minute! How is that? You never did see me. Neither did you know my dad, ’cause he had been dead for years. But here You come, tell me that? Now, I know that the Bible says…” Now, that’s not go back to what the elder says. “But the Bible said that the Messiah would be a prophet. There He is. That’s Him.”
E-229 One day He passed through Samaria, going down through there with a bunch of Jews. He left them. And this little, ill-famed woman come out, maybe a pretty little lady, you know. And she had been turned out on the street, as a kid. And she was going through there. Maybe she was thinking about something. She walked up there and set the bucket down. And she started to let the windle down, you know, get the water. And she heard a Man say, “Bring Me a drink.” She looked around, and there sit kind of a middle-aged Jew.
E-230 She said, “Say, aren’t You a Jew? You shouldn’t do that. It’s not customary for You to talk to me. I’m a Samaritan.”
E-231 He said, “But if you know Who you’re talking to, you’d bring…you’d ask Me to give you a drink.”
E-232 Said, “Where is Your bucket?” See? “Where is Your string?”
“Well,” He said, “the water that I give is Life.”
E-233 “The what?” See? “Why,” she said, “why, you all want to worship in Jerusalem. And our fathers worshipped…”
E-234 “Oh,” He said, “that’s right, but,” said, “we Jews know what we worship. But,” said, “you know, the time is coming when—when men will not worship in Jerusalem or in this mountain.” He said, “They’re—they’re going to worship God in the Spirit, because He is a Spirit, Spirit and Truth.” Well, she began to study, you know.
And He said, “Go get your husband and come here.”
She said, “My husband? I haven’t got any husband.”
E-235 “Why,” said, “that’s the truth.” Said, said, “You’ve been running around with five, and got the sixth one now.” And said, “You’ve had five. And—and, you, you know. You’ve told the truth.”
E-236 Watch! What was it? That Light struck that seed. It had been laying there, that was spoke by God. Yes, sir.
E-237 The seed was on the earth. When God moved the water away, and the sun hit it, it come up. That’s right. See? That’s all it needed, was sun. Just needed light. Yes, sir.
E-238 And then when the Holy Spirit, in Him, moved away her past life, and showed it to her, that Light struck it. She said, “Sir, I perceive You’re a Prophet.” She said, “Now, we know, I know it, that when Messiah comes, that’s what He’s going to be. And we ain’t had a prophet for hundreds of years. We have never had a true prophet, for hundreds of years.” And she said, “How You tell me about my husband, and told me how many I’ve had, and so forth. Why,” said, “I don’t understand this.” Said, “When Messiah cometh, well, He is going to do that. But Who are You?”
He said, “I am He.”
That was it. See? A harlot!
E-239 And the priests looked around and said…Well, they have to answer to their congregation. Said, “Don’t fool with that Fellow. He’s—He’s possessed of a devil. That’s all.” Now, that’s the difference. That’s the same thing today. See? Same thing today, hits just exactly. Yeah. Yes, sir.
E-240 She, she knew it, because the Light struck It. They se-…Them fishermen, woodsmen, farmers, tax-collectors, harlots, they seen in Him what the simple Scriptures said He would do. And the Pharisees couldn’t see, because of their tradition. [Brother Branham pauses and gestures in some way. Congregation responds affirmatively—Ed.] They couldn’t see, because their traditions. But the prostitute, the farmers, and all them, they saw It, all that was predestinated. When the doubts rolled away, the seed went to growing. That’s right.
E-241 What did she do? She said, “Well, I’m glad I met the Messiah”? Oh, no, brother. Right into the city she went. She forgot about the water. She said, “Come, see a Man Who told me the things that I’ve done. Isn’t this the very thing that the Scripture says Messiah is going to do? Isn’t this exactly that?” And the people could see that same thing.
E-242 As Jesus Christ said, in Saint John 14:12, it would happen again. He said it also in Luke, when He said, “As it was in the days of Noah.” How God manifested Himself in a Man, and told who was behind Him; and what Sarah did, laughing in the tent. And all these Scriptures, of Malachi, and so forth, predicted in the last days. Hebrews 4 said, when “the Word” comes back. Malachi 4 said It would return back by a man. The Hebrews 4 said, “The Word of God discerns the thoughts that’s in the heart.”
E-243 And they can see it done, and walk right away from it. Their traditions hide it and makes it none effect. Well, we’re just here. That’s all. Uh-huh.
E-244 You know, He could do the same thing today. He’d come right on the scene and produce the same things He did then, as He said He would. See? He promised to do it. He promised to do it. And if He would do the same thing, the Laodicea messenger is supposed to do it.
E-245 And then if the Laodicea church sees it done, they’ll do just exactly like the Hebrew church did at the beginning. No matter how well vindicated It is, oh, they’d do it, anyhow. Oh, my!
E-246 Now, It says that it would. We would return to the original Word, and be made manifested as promised, to restore again the Faith, original Faith, again. And if He made Hisself known that He was dwelling amongst His people, by doing these things; He could even have His picture taken, scientifically prove it. And still they don’t believe it. And proven, let the mechanical eye of the camera catch Him standing there, that same Pillar of Fire, same yesterday, today, and forever, Hebrews 13:8, to show that it—it’s scientific, and every other way, scientifically in the spiritual realms. In every way it could be vindicated, it’s been vindicated.
E-247 And, you know, they would probably do the same thing. They would probably just walk right away and do the same thing as they did.
E-248 Oh, God help us! Oh! We’ll just stop here. But, God help us to see now, my prayer, as we come now. Cause, I don’t want to keep you too late. God help us to see. I believe maybe, the Spirit upon us, it’d be right now that He would help us to reveal, open up this Seal.
E-249 Let’s read. As we see the state the church is in, we see where it has been, seen what they did, seen where it was supposed to come, see it there, and see what they was supposed to do. They did just that. Now you see where we’re at? You do the judging. I can’t judge. I’m just responsible for bringing this Word. Just as It’s give to me, I can give It. Until It’s give to me, I can’t give It; no one else can.
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
And I heard the voice in the midst of the four beasts saying, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; but see thou hurt not the oil and…wine.
E-250 Now, the Lamb has got the Book in His hand, breaking the Seals. He’s broke the first one, second one, and now He breaks the third one. And as He breaks it, the Lamb breaks it, the Third Seal, the third Beast…
E-251 Now how many knows what the third Beast looked like? Looked like a man. The first one looked like a lion; the other one looked like a calf, or an ox; and the third one looked like a man, as a man. And he heard the—the living Creature, the—the Beast. Living Creature, like a man, said to John, “Come, see what It is, this mystery that’s been hid.” All down through the years of redemption, since the foundation of the world, It’s been hid under this Seal, what’s going to happen. Now, “Come, look what It is.”
E-252 And so He opens It up. A thunder blasts, and the Lamb opens the Seals.
E-253 Now, and John walked up, to see what It would be. What did he see? He seen a black horse. And his rider had a balance, or scales, in his hand. Now, that’s the first thing he saw. When the Lamb announced It, broke the Seal, then the other Beast…See, them Beasts are taking turn, about announcing, “Come, see.” And John, where he was standing, maybe like this, he walks over here, when the Lamb opened, and walked over. Usually…
E-254 The thunder strikes, as we seen the First Seal. And he watches to see what takes place. And he sees a man coming, first, on a white horse. He watches him ride down. And on down through, John sees him plumb to the end. He sees him come down, his white horse, got a bow in his hand, and the—the rider has, and he has no arrows with it. And the next thing he sees, he gets a crown, rides right on through.
E-255 Then we find out, then, the Lamb, here comes again, He opens another one. And looks. Now here comes a—a red horse. This man has a sword in his hand. He rides right on down through the Scripture, see, with this sword in his hand, and was to kill and take peace from the earth.
E-256 Now the Lamb opens another Seal. Another one of the living Creatures, like a man, said, “Come, see.” Now he walks up, see what this is. And when he does, there comes a rider on a black horse.
E-257 Now, last night, we found out that the same rider that rode the white horse was the same one on the red one.
E-258 And the Voice said, in the midst of the Beasts, called out, you see. There, come to see what it was: He was in this living Creatures. And he saw this black horse.
And when…the voice in the midst of the four beasts called out, A measure of wheat for a penny, and—and three measures of barley for a penny; but see that thou hurt not the—the oil and the wine. (See?)
E-259 This rider, let’s discuss him. If you’ll notice the first rider, who he was. And we found out, last night, Scripturally, that the second rider was exactly the same man, only he was on another horse. What happened? He changed his ministry. See? Right. We found out he was an antichrist, and he had changed his position.
E-260 We found out that when he, first, just was a white horse, he become a doctrine. Now, we’ve taken every one of these right back in the Scriptures. See?
E-261 Now, watch where we’re at, tonight, that other church age now. See? We’re coming down to the third church age now. See? Just exactly on the third church age, is just exactly like the third horse. See?
E-262 Now, the first church age, what was it? The Nicolaitanes had a doctrine, see, just the first one. All right. And then, the first thing we know, this Nicolaitane doctrine, it become sanctioned and was right, went into action. And they crowned this fellow. Then, this spirit, antichrist, become incarnate in a man. See? And we find out, later on, he becomes an incarnate devil, too; the demon goes away, and the devil comes in.
E-263 And just as that church is that kind, antichrist church, progresses; so has the Bride come along with different things: through justification, sanctification, baptism of the Holy Ghost, and moving right on, see, just like that. Only, they taken their revival first, and the Church is taking it the last. Their first three years…first three stages of them that went through the dark age; then the third, three stages, comes the Church out; from justification, sanctification, baptism of the Holy Ghost, in incarnate God made manifest among us. Here he comes in, as the antichrist, as the false prophet, then the beast, then in dark age. And the Church comes out of that dark age; justification, sanctification, baptism of the Holy Ghost, incarnate Word, the way now. And he goes down. Uh-huh. You see that? He goes down. The Church goes up. See? It’s just as perfect as it can be. Oh, it’s beautiful. I just love it.
E-264 This rider is the same one, but another stage of his ministry.
E-265 The first stage, a white horse, see, he was just a teacher, just an antichrist teacher. He was against the Word of God.
E-266 And now how can you be an antichrist? Anybody that denies that every Word of this isn’t true, and to be taught just the same, is an antichrist, ’cause they deny the—the—the—the—the Word. And He is the Word.
E-267 Now, first stage, white horse, he was just a teacher, but an antichrist spirit in its doctrine and its quality. It was innocent. It couldn’t hurt nothing, seemed like; just go on. That’s the way Satan comes in. Oh, he’s a slick bird.
E-268 He told Eve, said, “Now, you know you’re looking for wisdom. You don’t know what’s right and wrong.” Said, “Now, if your eyes were opened, you would know what.” And said, “The fruit is very pleasant. It’s good. It’s—it’s pleasant to the eye. You should take it now. You don’t know whether it is, or not, do you?”
“No, I don’t. But God said not to do it.”
“But, oh, well, I know, but…”
“God said He…we would die.”
E-269 He said, “Surely He won’t do that.” See, just sweet as it could be. Look what it did.
E-270 Watch this antichrist spirit rise up amongst the early church, a doctrine of Nicolaitane. Nikao, “conquer” the laity, make a holy man. Oh, it’s just as inn-… “Well, we just want fellowship. Why, you’re scattered out here; nobody knows where nobody is at. I think we all ought to have an organization and just be different. See, we go, put ourself together. We ought to make a lodge out of it.” And that’s what it is. There is no such a thing as the Christian Church of Methodist. That’s not a Church; that’s a lodge. Baptist, that’s not a Church; it’s a lodge.
E-271 There is only one Church, and that’s the mystical Body of Jesus Christ. And you’re born into That, that’s right, by predestination. That’s right. “All the Father has give Me will come. No man can come lest the Father calls him. And all He has give Me, will come to Me.” So, that, that’s it. He just…
E-272 The Lamb sits there, making—making intercession, till the last one comes in. The little bell rings, and He walks out and takes His possession then, see, that’s all; brings His Church Home, His subjects. And casts His enemy into the Lake of Fire, and all of his subjects go in there with him, and that’s it. Then we walk out in the Millennium.
E-273 Same rider, now. This first stage, he was innocent. And second, now, if you went a little bit higher, a little more than that; the second stage, the Bible said he’d be “given a crown.” And they crowned a man, a superman. See, crowned him! And, then, the Bible didn’t call him a pope. The Bible called him a “false prophet.” Why? Yeah. Of course, he must be a false prophet, by his antichrist spirit, that taught antichrist against the original Word. Cause, if he taught against the original Word, it was antichrist. It was. And the Word is God, see, Christ. All right. Now, after that, we find him then crowned. And when he got crowned, now, he’s very innocent and helpless. He’s just a little fellow.
E-274 But then in the Nicaea Council, he was made it, and Constantine give him all the property. And then what did he do? Then he, see, Satan, give him his throne and authority. The Bible said so, as we’ve went through it.
E-275 Now, the next thing we find out, that the devil controls all politics that ever has been or ever will be. We find that in Matthew 4:11.
E-276 And now we find out, then, that Satan already had politics.
But he’s trying to get the Church, so he goes down to deceive It. He gets his superman, works him into an organization, and crowns him “vicar,” see, a christ. Christ acted in stead of God. See, this guy is a vicar, in stead of God. See? Just the same, “in stead of God,” what he’s supposed to be, a vicar under Christ.
E-277 Now, now, when he did that, then what did he do then? He, Satan, took his political power, which he was already over, and took the religious power, which he had already been crowned, and put them together.
E-278 And then he made him another crown over hell. And them that had passed on, if they’d pay enough money, he’d get them out. See? So now he’s—he’s vicar over Heaven, over purgatory, as he wants to call it. No such thing in the Bible, see, but he had to make something. The Bible said it come out of the bottomless pit, and returns back the same way. And, on earth, a ruler!
E-279 Now what was he given then? First, he had a bow, but he didn’t have any arrow. But now he’s got a mighty sword in his hand. He can do something now. Then he jumps off his white horse; the white horse rides on out. Now he straddles what? A red horse, blood, blood-red horse. He really rides that one. Oh, sure. Now he’s given great power and a great sword, to kill, then he rides his blood-red horse.
E-280 We see, from the Second Seal, that was broke last night, he had taken peace from the earth and did kill one another. And his own martyrology, of the Roman Catholic church, shows that they put sixty-eight million Protestants to death, from the time of Saint Hippo of…after Saint Augustine of Hippo, until fifteen hundred and eighty something. “Sixty-eight million.” Schmucker’s Great Reform, if you want to read it, Glorious Reform, rather, see. Now, sixty-eight million recorded on the martyrology! When one of their so-called saints got the revelation that anybody that disagreed with the Roman church should die as a heretic, that just set them around then. Boy, he went to spilling the blood! He—he jumped on his white horse…on his red horse, and he went to riding. Oh!
E-281 Now his great power comes. He was made vicar of Heaven, and worshipped as God. Ruler of the earth, by uniting the church and state together, made him ruler on earth; give him a crown over that. He could pray the souls out of purgatory. He could also interce-…He was just like God, on earth, in stead of God. Together, he had great power to kill whomever did not agree with his command. Who is going to say anything to him? The church can’t say nothing; he’s head of it. State can’t say nothing; he’s head of it. So, they died by the millions. All them little churches, brother, was busted up, and killed and murdered, and fed to lions, and everything else. See? “The dragon,” Rome, “give him his seat and authority.” The Bible said so. See? So he rode his typed, red horse through human blood, till it become a red horse.
E-282 Now John sees him on a black horse. He changed, something else.
E-283 Now I have to—to say this just the way it come to me. And then and if it come to me and didn’t compare with the rest of the Scriptures, then God never give it. See, the Scriptures has to, every one, it’s just one great big—big thing like that. Scripture has to agree with Scripture. And anything is contrary to the Scripture…If that Angel of the Lord told me anything that wasn’t Scriptural, I wouldn’t believe Him. See?
E-284 I said, there in Chicago the other day, when all them hundreds of ministers…Was anybody there at that meeting? Sure. That meeting in Chicago, I said, “Now, you all talk about you got…You thought you was twisting me in here, on something.” About like is in this room now. I said, “What is it? You got it against me.” I said, “The Holy Spirit showed me, three nights ago, where every one of you would be. And we wouldn’t be in that…Ask Carl here if it isn’t right.”
E-285 And there was Hank and all of them, “That’s right.” You all was there to hear.
E-286 I said, “Now you got against me, on my Teaching. That’s what’s the matter. Now I want one of you to come here, and get your Bible and stand by me, and disprove It.” It was the quietest bunch you ever heard. I said, “What’s the matter with you?” I said, “Then, if you know you can’t stand up against the Word, then get off of my back. You Doctors of Divinity and everything, and talking how, introduce yourself as ‘Doctor,’ ‘Doctor,’ ‘Doctor.’ And I’m a…” (Oh, Brother Wood and I say “cheechaker,” or, “greenhorn.”) “I have no education, never come through any seminary or school. But you get your Bible and come here and stand by my side, disprove the serpent’s seed, the baptism in Jesus’ Name, or any of those things that I teach.” Nobody said a word. You all know that. That was the quietest bunch you ever seen.
E-287 See, they just crow like I don’t know what. Now, now here it is. I don’t believe in fussing with people, but when it comes to a spot where they try to drag you into it. And I wouldn’t have went, but the Holy Spirit told me, said, “Go on over there. I’ll stand by you.”
E-288 Told them, three or four days before time. You all was there and heard Mr. Carlson and them, and—and Tommy Hicks. And all of them sit there. And I went, three days before, and I said, “You’re going to have to cancel that place.”
E-289 It was a stormy night. I was having a meeting. He said, “Go, stand to that window, at that third little door there.” And I went there and stood right in there. I looked out like that.
E-290 He said, “They got a trap set for you. They’re going to ask you to speak at that Ministerial Association of Greater Chicago.” Said, “They got a trap set for you, on your teaching of My Word.”
E-291 He said, “Now, they’re going to cancel off that place over there. They ain’t going to get it. And they’re going to get to a place, where it’s brown.” Said, “Here it looks.” I stopped, and I seen myself in a corner; looked back there and seen. I seen all them there. I seen all them ministers sitting there, the way they was. I looked them all over. And He said…
E-292 “Oh,” I thought, “I’d better not go over there then, Lord, if they’re going to do that. I don’t want to hurt their feelings or do anything wrong.”
He said, “Go. I’ll stand by you.” He did. That’s right.
Now, you all, there is witnesses right here, were sitting right there and know that’s true. That’s right. Well, you got the tapes here, also. But, there you are, you see.
E-294 Now, now here is the mystery of this. And now, It, when It revealed to me early this morning, ’fore daylight. Then I went quickly to the Scripture and begin to look, search it up. There it was. Three of them, so far, has been absolutely, supernaturally revealed. Yeah. Now here is the mystery of the black horse, according to what it was revealed to me.
E-295 He has started riding him in the time of the dark ages. That’s what the dark horse represented, the dark ages, for it was a time of midnight to the true believers that was left. Watch now in that church age, that middle church age, the dark church age. Watch how He says, “You just have a little strength.” It was a midnight to them, for the true believer. Now watch. Practically all hope had been taken from the true Church, for this fellow controlled both church and state. What they going to do? See, Catholicism had taken over, both church and state. And all, didn’t agree with Catholicism, was killed. That’s the reason he was on a dark horse. And watch what a dark thing he done, see, then you can see. And you just…If you know your history, watch it, then you’ll…Well, you won’t have to even know it, to—to know This. Now watch. All hope was gone. That’s his black horse.
Now, he rode in on his white horse, cunning.
E-296 Then he was give power; he took peace, slaughtered the millions. That’s what he was going to do as he rode on through. And he still does it. See?
E-297 Now, here he is on his black horse now, coming forth. Dark age, that was that time. Just about the time after the church got set up, and got in power, they smothered out everything else. And went through, about, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of year, is what every reader knows as the dark ages. How many knows that? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] Sure, the dark ages. There is your dark horse, representing that dark age. Now, all hopes gone; no hope at all. Everything looked dark, for the little believers. Now, that’s the reason it’s called, represented, the dark horse.
E-298 “His balances, or his scales, in his hand,” you see. Calling out, “Measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny.” See, actually, that is, wheat and barley is natural staff of life. That’s what bread and stuff is made from. But, you see, he was charging for this. What it means, that, he was charging his subjects for the kind of the hope of life that he was sending out to them, by making…He started in that very time, of making them pay for prayers, charging for prayer. They still do it; novenas.
E-299 Cause, what was he doing? Capturing the wealth of the world. The scale, weighing out, “Measure of wheat for a penny; three measures of barley for a penny.” The rider on a black horse, see, he was making…stripping his subjects of their money. When, the Bible predicts that he holds, about, the wealth of the world. As we said last night about Russia, and all that, they just take all the money and just strip the people for everything they got, everything. So, there you are.
E-300 Now notice. You see where that old money-taking, in church, comes from? Get away from that stuff; to build an organization, a big something, million-dollar here. And—and you see what the mother of it is?
E-301 Thank You, Lord. Oh, my! I’m so glad. Yes, sir. All right. It’s been His grace. That’s all. All right. All right.
E-302 It was a midnight time. Do you understand that now? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] And here he is charging for the kind of life, that’s his barley and stuff, natural; wasn’t spiritual, now. It was barley, see, so, and barley bread and wheat bread. He was charging for that kind of a life that he was giving to his subjects. Charging for prayer by the priests, to pray people out of purgatory. Charging! Now I’m taking this right out of history. Charging for, I guess, it’s novena, I guess, what everybody knows what. Novena, I guess that’s something you have to do, you know, some penance. Somebody have to charge for that. Bringing the wealth of the world to him, into hisself, into the church itself. And he is still riding. Oh, sure he is. Yes, sir. Still riding!
E-303 Notice. Here is the good part now. Notice.
…see that thou hurt not this wine and oil.
“Just a little bit of It left there, but don’t you touch That!”
Now, oil is…symbolizes the Spirit, the Holy Spirit. I’ll give you a few verses if you want to. There’s two Scriptures. In Leviticus, 8:12, where Aaron, before he went in, had to be anointed with oil, you know. And in Zechariah 4:12, of oil coming, pouring through the pipes, and said, “This is My Spirit, Oil.” Another thing, if you want to see Matthew, 14…25, there was a foolish virgin, or 25:3, the foolish virgin had no Oil, no Spirit. And Matthew 25:4, the wise virgin had Oil in her lamp, Spirit-filled. Spirit! Oil typifies the Spirit. Oh, glory! [Brother Branham claps his hands together once—Ed.] All right. You get it? [Congregation says, “Amen.”] All right. Now, oil typifies Spirit.
E-306 And wine symbolizes stimulation of revelation. Oh, I—I like to a run all over the place. Wonder I didn’t wake up the neighborhood, when the Lord showed me that, see, “stimulation of revelation.” See?
Oil and wine, in the Bible, is associated together, always. I got the concordance and looked. There’s a string of them, that like—like that, where wine and oil goes together, all the time. See?
E-308 When the Truth of a promised Word of God has been truly revealed to His saints that’s filled with Oil, they all get stimulated. Wine is a stimulation. Glory! I feel It right now. Stimulated with joy, shouts! See? And, when It does, It has the same effect upon them that—that wine does upon a natural man. Because, when the revelation has been given, of a Truth of God, and the true believer filled with Oil, and the revelation is revealed, the stimulation becomes so great that He makes him behave hisself un-normally. Right. Glory! [Congregation rejoices—Ed.] See, that’s what’s the matter with them now. That’s right, makes them behave theirself unseemingly.
E-309 Now, if you want Scripture for this, just start reading Acts 2. Where they at? They had the promise that had been given them. When all of the promise of the Holy Spirit was poured out on them. And was…It was Scripturally a vindicated. Now, you see, the…
E-310 What if they had said… “Now, wait, He told us to wait up here for our ministry.” And after eight days, they’d said, “Well, I’ll tell you, boys,” Mark said to Matthew, “I—I believe we’ve already got It, fellows. Don’t you think so? See, we already got It. While we’re waiting on our ministry now, we ought to just go on out, preaching. He told us to come up here and wait, and this is eight days we been here.”
“Well, let’s wait another one.”
E-311 Nine days come. Then Mark comes around, or—or—or maybe one of the rest of them, John, said, “I—I—I believe we oughtn’t to wait any longer. I believe we’ve already got It. Don’t you?”
E-312 Then I can see Simon, ’cause he had the keys, you know. “Now wait a minute, boys! The Scripture has got something to say about this. He never told us just how many days to wait. He said, ‘You stay there until! You stay there until Joel’s prophecy comes to pass, until Isaiah’s prophecy is a vindicated.’”
E-313 “For with stammering lips and with other tongues will I speak to this people. And this is the refreshment.” This is the wine that’s poured out. What is wine, in the Bible? Refreshments. “This is the refreshments that comes from the Presence of the Lord.” See? It’s—it’s got to be Scriptural now. See?
E-314 So, you see, wine represents stimulation of revelation. And when the Holy Ghost fell, and they seen the Fire of God fall upon them, my, that begin to stimulate them. And the first thing you know, they got so stimulated till the people actually thought they were drunk, but they were stimulated by the revelation. By God’s…Here it is! God’s vindicated revelation, made plain to them, they was happy about It. God promised it. Here it was revealed to them, and vindicated to them. Amen! Here was a man standing there, saying, “This is That! This is It!” And there It was, being a vindicated by the same sign that we have today. There is—there is stimulation by revelation. See? And, now, they really had It then.
E-315 That’s the reason Peter could get out there, and say, “Why, you men of Judaea, and you that dwell in Jerusalem, listen to me. All you Doctors of Divinity, listen to what I’m going to tell you, see.”
E-316 Oh, how wonderful! Revealed! Revealed! They become so stimulated when they seen it vindicated. That just always does that. It always does.
E-317 When I see that God promised to do a certain thing in this day, when He promised to break off these Seals in this last day! And you don’t know the joy, the glory, when I seen Him reveal this, stand there and watch it happen! And know that I’ll take any person, to charge: He never did say one thing to us but what happened that way. And then to see the joy that’s in my heart, when I see His promise for this last days, as He promised to do it. And here I see it vindicated and made perfectly right. I’m just…You hear me say, “I feel religious.” That’s what’s the matter. The stimulation is so bad, I—I—I just—just about ready to go to cutting up, you know. Stimulation, from revelation! All right.
E-318 They become so stimulated, over the—the revelation, that they vindicated, all right, the promise. Now, oh, my! There broke out the joy of stimulation, till the people said, “They’re drunk on new wine,” when God revealed His promise to them. And not only did He reveal it, but He proved it.
E-319 That’s what I’ve always said. A man can say anything, yeah, he could just apt to say anything; but when God comes around and vindicates that!
E-320 Now, the Bible said, “If there be one among you, who claims to be spiritual or a prophet, if he says these things and it don’t come to pass, then don’t pay no attention to him. Don’t fear him, at all. Don’t fear that man. But if he says it and it comes to pass; that’s Me, you see. I, I’m in that. That proves why it’s Me.”
E-321 And, then, that little Samaritan woman. When the Scripture said that this Messiah would do these things, and here He stood and did it just exactly what the Scripture said. She said, “There He is. Come, see a Man! Isn’t that exactly the thing that the Scripture said would happen?” See, she got stimulated by revelation. Is that right? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] She become a stimulated by revelation, when it was vindicated. See? That’s right. She knowed that there was…
E-322 “We know that Messiah is a coming, Who is called the Christ. And when He comes, He will do these things.” She seen it.
And He said, “I am He.”
Then the stimulation started. And away she went, shouting, and down through the city. She left her old water pot, and went down there, and said to the men, “Come, see!”
E-324 Now, if you only knowed the Eastern traditions, that’s wrong for her to do that. Yes, sir. A woman of that type, nobody would listen to her. No, sir. See, she had a mark, and when she…If she would go down the street like that, and act like that, the men of the street pay no attention of her.
E-325 But, brother, she had a Word of Life there! She was stimulated. You could…It was like trying to put a house out, on fire, on a windy day. Oh, there’s something fanning it! She was—she was ready. Yes. They couldn’t put That out. That was God’s Fire burning. Yes, sir. She said, “If you don’t believe it’s so, you just come over here where the meeting is going on. I’ll show it to you.” Yeah. That’s it. Yeah. Yes, sir.
E-326 And so the men went out there. And He didn’t do it one more time. But they knowed something had happened to that woman. She was changed, so they believed Him. Yes, sir. They believed on Him.
E-327 Cause, “Faith cometh by hearing, hearing the promise of God, the Word of God, and watch It being made real.” Cause, It’s a seed. And when It’s sowed, It’ll take Life. It’ll produce just what It’s talking about. If it doesn’t, then it isn’t God’s Seed. Or, the sower didn’t know how to sow It; He wasn’t sent of God, to sow Seeds. He might be sowing Them on top of a rock or something. See? So you—so you see, the sower sowing the Seed, God takes care of It, It falls in the right place, you see. Oh, my!
E-328 Then what does It say to this rider in black? “Don’t you hurt My wine and My Oil! Don’t you touch It, My wine and Oil! I’ve got just a little bit of It down there, but there’s still a little bit there. Yeah. Now you can go on through and measure out all that kind of life that you’re putting out; that’s up to you. You’re going to pay for it down there. But when you come across that wine and Oil, you leave It alone!” Oh, my! If you can, if you…
E-329 In other words, like this, “If you catch some of My little Flock, that’s filled with My Oil and wine, see, wine and Oil of the pure Word, see, and you are going to kill them. Cause, you, you’re doing it. That’s what you’re doing. Don’t you force them to say any ‘Hail Mary,’ or do anything like that, or some of your creeds. You keep your hands off of them. They know where they’re going, for they are anointed with My Oil. And by being anointed with My Oil, they have the wine of joy, ’cause they know My Word of promise, ‘I’m going to raise them up again.’ Don’t hurt That! Don’t go trying to messing them up. Cause, just keep away from It. No.” All…
E-330 He vindicates His Word and brings It in. They knowed. They knew they would rise again. Oh, how I like that! Whew! They’ll rise again. Here comes the black horse, riding now, dark ages.
E-331 There went the white horse; we seen what he done, perfectly. Here comes the red horse; we see exactly what he done. Here comes the black horse. You see, he’s the same rider all the time, what he’s doing, right down through the ages.
Now we find out, he measured it out and charged for it, exactly: wheat, natural, natural life. That’s what they was living on.
But, symbolizing; Spirit, Oil; and joy of the wine. “That spiritual Life, don’t hurt That. Leave It alone!” Otherwise, “Rome, don’t you touch It! It’s Mine! That belongs to Me!”
E-334 Now I got another thing here I want you to know. Notice, it was not one of the four Beasts that said, “Don’t touch the Oil and the wine.” Did you notice that? The four Beasts had been talking, but…Watch, let me just read out here, just a little bit, see, now.
…measure, a penny, for a—for a…wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see that thou hurt not the wine and…oil.
E-335 Now listen here.
And I—and I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts…
E-336 What was It? The Lamb! Amen! It wasn’t the four Beasts. The Lamb said it. Why? He is going to take His Own. That belongs to Him. He has redeemed it. See? Amen! “Don’t you touch that Oil!” No, sir. Not the four Beasts, but the Lamb was the One that said it. And, oh, my! The Lamb! Not…The four Beasts didn’t announce this. The Lamb said, Itself.
E-337 When the four Beasts said, “Come and see,” and they went, and they seen it like that.
E-338 And He said, “A measure of wheat for a penny, and for mea-…and so much like this, and so much barley.” But then the Lamb cried out, right among them, said, “But don’t hurt the wine and Oil!” Uh-huh. That’s right. Oh, my! Listen to it, “Don’t you hurt It, boy, or you’re going to pay for it someday.” Oh, my!
Nine-thirty.
E-339 Well, to the best of my understanding, and the best that I know of, and with all that I believe in my heart, that’s the true meaning of those three Seals. I want to thank God for it. And I’ll say this, that, it’s the revelation that He give me. He gave that to me, the revelation of It. And I do believe that we’re living in the last days.
E-340 Tomorrow night we’ll take that pale-horse rider. And now I don’t know. I do not know. God knows that’s true. I do not know one thing about it. No.
E-341 I looked up my old context I had years ago. I seen Brother Graham Snelling a while ago; he might have went out. But, I remember when I was preaching here, before. I looked up to see what I said years ago. One day I was going through the Book of Revelation, I took all four horse riders at one time.
E-342 I said, “A white horse, that was the early church, no doubt.” I read that out of a book of the Adventists. And I read something there. I said, “That was the early church that went forth, conquering.” And the next was a black horse, I said…I forget now what I called that black horse. I said…
Or, “The red horse,” rather, I said, “that horse was probably mean that—that trouble is on the road, and it going to mean a lot of wars going to hang up, or something like that.” I said, “Probably there’ll be a lot of war.” I said, “That’s what that’d be.” And then I said, “The—the pale hor-…”
E-344 Or, “The—the black horse,” I said, “that—that means that—that maybe there’ll come a black time on earth, when all the stars will—will quit shining; the sun will go down, and moon won’t give its light.” I said, “That’s probably what that means.”
E-345 I said, “The pale horse, it means a lot of sickness is coming on.” Now, I don’t know what it means. But, that’s, that was my interpretation of it then, ’cause I just took it the best I could, standing here in the pulpit.
E-346 But, oh, I almost said something! All right. Hum! Oh! You’ll—you’ll see. Just watch, see.
E-347 Now, oh, aren’t we happy for this hour that we’re living! [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] When we see all this thing heading up, I think:
Nations are breaking, Israel’s awakening,
The signs that the prophets foretold;
The Gentile days numbered, with harrows encumbered;
“Return, O dispersed, to your own.”
The day of redemption is near,
Men’s hearts are failing for fear;
Be filled with the Spirit, your lamps trimmed and clear,
Look up, your redemption is near! (Oh, my!)
False prophets are lying, God’s Truth they’re denying,
That Jesus the Christ is our God;
Do you believe It? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.]
But we’ll walk where the apostles have trod.
For the day of redemption is near,
Men’s heart are failing for fear;
Be filled with the Spirit, have your lamps trimmed and clear,
Look up, your redemption is near!
E-348 Isn’t that wonderful? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] I love that. Redemption is near.
And it shall be Light in the evening time,
The path to Glory you will surely find;
In the water way, is the Light today;
Buried in the precious Name of Jesus.
Young and old, repent from all your sin,
The Holy Ghost will surely enter in;
The evening Light has come,
It is a fact that God and Christ are One.
He’s the Word! Oh, my! Wonderful!
Soon the Lamb will take His Bride to be ever at His side,
All the host of Heaven will assembled be;
Oh, it will be a glorious sight, all of the saints in spotless white;
And with Jesus they shall feast Eternally.
Oh, “Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine;”
Oh, you may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;
He that fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”
Oh, “Come and dine,” the Master calleth, “Come and dine;” (Dine on the Word!)
You may feast at Jesus’ table all the time;
He that fed the multitude, turned the water into wine,
To the hungry calleth now, “Come and dine.”
E-349 Oh, my! Are you hungry? [Congregation rejoices—Ed.] “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness.”
E-350 Do you love Him? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] Do you love Him? The key to I Love Him, you know. Let’s all just stand now, and raise up our hands and express ourself to Him. “I love Him, I love Him because He first loved me.” All right, all together now.
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary’s tree.
E-351 [A brother speaks in another tongue. Brother Branham pauses—Ed.] Just real reverent. We have an interpreter here, Brother Higginbotham. I don’t know if he’s here tonight, or not. We want to find out what He said to us. Just wait a minute. Here, here…[A sister gives an interpretation.]
Sure, praise the Lord! My faith is lifted up high in God. You, you love Him, tonight, with all your heart? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] Oh, praise Him, and say, “Thank You, Lord Jesus!” [Congregation praises God.]
How we give You praise, with all of our hearts, Lord! Glory to God!
Just give Him praise, all you people. God be with you! [Congregation continues rejoicing and praising God—Ed.]
The Thyatirean Church Age
The Sardisean Church Age
The Philadelphian Church Age
The Laodicean Church Age
A Resume Of The Ages