WHAT IS ?
FOREWORD
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
-- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8Yes, this is the time for the true ministers of God to take a tougher stand for the TRUTH that they have received from the Lord. This is the time to pluck up by the roots the things that the devil has planted in the pasture where the sheep of God are fed; the time to break down and to destroy the roots of those errors, and to gather and cast them away; and the time to build up the saints of God who are weakened by the poisons of man's traditions, and to keep them from falling into the hands of men. Not only is this the time to love the Word of God and to hate the spirits of error, this is also the time to break the silence and SPEAK UP!
I am sick at heart to know that many so-called ministers and believers of the message of Bro. Branham have been planting devilish teachings in the pasture of God's sheep. The condition of the Church today certainly makes the true servants of God feel sick. Worst of all, those so-called ministers and believers have added insult to injury by telling me to mind my own business and not to raise a standard of Truth against them. Woe unto them, for they are a bunch of feeble-minded and foolish people! “The lion hath roared, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3:8).
Some Endtime Message believers have been taught to accept and embrace everyone as “elect” and “bride member” as long as they believe in William Branham as the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5-6, Luke 17:30 and Rev.10:7; and regardless of what they may propagate, we should not speak out against their errors. If all the true believers of God must possess such a “sweet” spirit, then our Lord was a failure because not only did He speak very strongly against the errors of the Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes, He also exposed their hypocrisies. Yes, so-called ministers and believers of the Word are robbing the saints of God of the Truth.
In writing this book, I do not mean to be critical of anyone. My main purpose is to pluck up by its roots the errors that have been sown. If you wish to make any comment, or to declare a stand, I shall be glad to hear from you. But, please do not send me a bunch of Quotes and Statements of Brother Branham to try and prove to me your revelation. I have received enough of them, from self commissioned preachers, to know that they are no more than just pieces of jigsaw puzzle which, more often than not, do not fit properly to form the correct picture of what the prophet had tried to convey within the context of each of his sermon.
Richard l. s. Gan,
The Author
1985P.S. For many years now, I have received word, from several fellow believers of the Truth in different nations, telling me that my books were and are still being collected from believers by some Branhamites to be burnt or destroyed. These actions were mainly instigated by Caucasian ministers from Canada and USA, several of whom I have met personally. Such men use 'spiritual' threats on believers to achieve their purposes. They are no different from the Jesuit priests. And like self-righteous Cain, who killed Abel because he lacked the complete revelation of God, they hate the Truth; they get angry; they destroy. May God have mercy on them.
It has been more than 20 years now since the death of the 7th Church Age Messenger, William Marrion Branham. And all those years, many followers of his message have been searching his taped messages for THE MESSAGE OF GOD that God had ordained him to carry to His people. Each day, many more are joining the ranks of those who confessed: “We are to stay in his message, and search the message, just as he had told us to. We're to say just what he said.”
Well, apparently these people have not understood the prophet's words. Otherwise, they would not continue to “search” every literal word of the prophet for that MESSAGE OF GOD (which they find it ever so elusive). They think that they have to believe and recite every word of the prophet in order to be the true believers and members of the Bride of Christ. When they say or quote, word for word, what the prophet said in his messages, they have probably only heard his UTTERANCES (Grk: RHEMA) but have not grasped the THOUGHT EXPRESSED (Grk: LOGOS) behind those spoken words. They cannot understand his words (rhema) because they are more eager to hear the words of the man rather than to hear the WORD (LOGOS) of God as spoken through the man. The Scriptures contain many such examples.
RHEMA — LOGOS
When our Lord Jesus was brought before Caiaphas the high priest, the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin sought to bring a false accusation against Him to put Him to death. Two witnesses came forward and testified. “This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days” (Matt.26:61). Now, the two witnesses had truly heard Jesus' words. Yes, they had heard His utterances: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (Jhn.2:19). But they did not grasp the Logos or the Thought Expressed behind those words or utterances! Jesus was not speaking about the temple built of stones in Jerusalem. He was speaking about His body. Notice the difference? Though they had heard the words (rhema) of Jesus, they did not get the Truth (Logos). Though they quoted Jesus word for word, they had not conveyed his actual thought. No wonder Matthew called them false witnesses.
In Acts 10:44, we read: “While Peter yet spake these words (rhema), the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the WORD (LOGOS).” Not all of them who heard the preaching of Peter received the Holy Spirit. Only those who heard the Word (Logos) received the Holy Spirit. See? They had the REVELATION of the Word. Therefore, when we listen to the preaching of a man, we have to be sure of what we are listening to. We need to get the revelation of the WORD (LOGOS). We can listen to the prophet's tapes. We can read “THE SPOKEN WORD” books. But we have to tune our spiritual ears to hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying (that is, to hear the Logos or Expressed Thought) behind those Spoken or Written words (Rhema). Therefore, unless you have got the Logos of what the prophet was saying you cannot possibly “say what he said”. Truly, “he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches”.
QUOTES VERSES QUOTES
In 1984, I had the privilege of visiting the nations of Ghana and Nigeria. I was invited by certain ministers to preach in their conventions. While in Ghana, I was invited to a ministers' meeting. [That was the second time that I was attending such a meeting.] I expected all the ministers and church elders present to discuss the Absolute Word of God so that everyone could gain a better understanding of the prophet's teachings regarding the various doctrines. However, when the question on the “Seven Thunders” was asked, a group who believed that the “Seven Thunders” were already revealed began to quote incessantly from the various SPOKEN WORD books to prove their “revelation” to the assembly. After that, another group took the SEVEN SEALS book, the SEVEN CHURCH AGES book, and some other SPOKEN WORD books, and started to quote paragraph after paragraph from them to refute the “revelation” of the other group.
On the whole, it was a comical scene where Quotes were used to fight against Quotes. Almost everyone was preoccupied with the SPOKEN WORD books. They would flick through one sermon book after another. They tried to convince one another that they were “in the message” by burying their heads in the prophet's words. Most of the time, they had not considered the BIBLE to be “profitable for doctrine,…for correction” (2 Tim.3:16). They had not been diligent in searching the Scriptures to “prove all things” (1 Thess.5:21).
Just as quickly and noisily as it had begun, that “Seven Thunders” ended with a squabbling bolt of confusion and the first group was forced to make a lightning exit.
It is not wrong to quote the words of Bro. Branham. However, to try and prove a doctrine or a teaching based on his statements alone shows that one is ignorant or has no understanding of the Truth of God's Word. It shows that the “Quoter” has no revelation of the Logos. (These people are ignoramuses.) Whatever was revealed to the prophet of God and taught by him according to the Holy Scriptures to be true and right became distorted and wrong when taught by many so-called preachers who, for the most part, took statements out of his different sermons to teach what they called “endtime revelation”. Even more appalling are those who play jigsaw puzzle with the various statements taken from the prophet's sermons. They try to put the various 'pieces' of Quotes together to form a picture of their mysterious 'revelation'. Many such juggler (of Quotes) have been deceived by the devil so much so that, when they see a cow eating grass on top of a tree which bears strawberries and blackberries, they would jump and shout for joy: “Praise God! Amen! What a beautiful picture that the prophet had painted for us!” What folly!
THE SCRIPTURES CONTAIN THE LOGOS OF GOD
Now, you may argue that the Apostles of the Bible quoted the Old Testament Prophets, and that the Old Testament Prophets also quoted their predecessors. Yes, that is true, but they did that without dislocating and misplacing the words. And they never misinterpreted the Scriptures. Whatever they had quoted was taken from THE INSPIRED WRITTEN WORD WHICH WAS LAID DOWN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AS THE URIM AND THUMMIM OF GOD. IT WAS (AND IS) THE “THUS SAITH THE LORD”.
It takes only a little common sense to know that the Prophets and Apostles, when preaching and teaching God's Truth, must have had used many more words than what we read in the Sacred Written Word. If magnetic tape recording machine was available in those ages, and if every word uttered by the prophets and Apostles was recorded, transcribed and printed in book form, we would have volumes of “Spoken Bible” instead of the one inspired “Written Bible” that we have now. But what good would that do us? There would probably be many errors in the speeches of those holy men since they were men of like passions with us. To err is human. And don't ever think that every single word that they had uttered was prompted by God. Even Bro. Branham himself had cautioned us “…to be careful what you're listening to. See? There's so much of it that it's just the human side…” (Sermon: HE CARES, DO YOU?”). Bear in mind that almost all the Prophets and Apostles were men without a formal education. Right. It's not the “rhema”, it's the essence or revelation of the sermon — The Logos — that God wants us to know. Amen. Therefore, those who think that every “spoken word” of Bro. Branham was a “word for word” prompting by God are treading on dangerous ground.
The 66 books of the Bible are not records of prophetic utterances, they are prophetic scripts/writings. Each book of the Bible was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. God inspired His holy servants to write down certain things, certain spoken words and certain events as a record to bear witness of the Truth. Many things that were spoken by the prophets in their generations were not recorded, otherwise each book would fill a good size library building. Read John 21:25. Do you know the difference between utterances and inspired written words? Blessed are you, if you do. Unfortunately, many don't. They believe that every word uttered by the prophet, including all his stuttering, repeated words, etc., was inspired and put there in the mouth of the prophet by God Himself. Misinterpretation of Truth is tantamount to sin which leads to death.
Yes, although all those servants of God could have uttered many more words in their preaching, only those which were inspired by God were written down as Sacred Scriptures as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Then those which have been written down are not the human side of those holy men. Every written word was inspired (God-breathed) by God. The Inspired Sacred Scriptures contain God's Revelation to mankind! They are God's Expressed Thought (Logos) in Written Word (Rhema).
Therefore, anyone who claims that he truly believes the messages of the 7th Church Age Messenger would treasure the most valuable Book which God has given to mankind. However, throughout the church history, we have learned that the majority of “Bible believers” had considered many other things to be more “sacred” than the Book of God. The same is still true today.
Today, THE SPOKEN WORD books and the TAPES of Bro. Branham are considered as more “sacred” than the Bible even to the extent that a teaching has been propagated that the believers must use them as “the hind sight of a rifle” together with the Bible as the fore sight in order to hit the truth of the Word. Beloved, God has already provided us a fore sight and a hind sight in His Word — the Old Testament and the New Testament respectively. When properly lined up, the Christ of Calvary will always be within focus of our spiritual eyes. Amen!
DARKENING THE COUNSEL OF GOD
The devil has ensnared many “Message people” by his cunning craftiness. I would estimate that about 75 per cent of them are following certain tradition of today's many ministering elders of the Endtime Message. It is the preaching or teaching of Quotes gathered from the prophet's books and tapes. Instead of preaching the Word and the Power of Christ's resurrection, they are preaching the prophet and his words (utterances: rhema). Thus, they have caused all the confusions among the people. They have the “words” but have no knowledge of the Truth. Thus, they darken the true counsel of God that the prophet had brought to His people. (Read Job 38:2) They don't learn by the Scriptures anymore. That's because they have not had their hearts turned back to the Faith of the Apostolic Fathers. They don't want to hear by the Scriptures anymore. These people are so unlike the Bereans (in Paul's day) who “searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so”. They would accuse anyone, who searches the Scriptures to prove the teachings of Bro. Branham, of doubting and disbelieving the prophet of God. Instead of the Sacred Scriptures, the taped messages of Bro. Branham have become their supreme authority, their Absolute Authority. They have spat God in His Face. Like the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Scribes, who contradicted Moses' laws by applying the traditions of their elders, many “Message people” today are applying the tradition of the many ministering elders by misusing various Quotes of the prophet's messages.
How foolish can they be that they do not realise that they are making the Word of God of none effect? Do they not know that they are unwittingly telling the people to disbelieve the Word of God?
YARDSTICK TO THE BUILDING OF
AN IMAGE TO THE BEASTI have seen many “judges” among the ministers and believers “in the message”. To them, a person is “in the message” only when he fits into their “revelation” of what the Endtime Message should be. They have what I would call “The Quote-yardstick” by which they would size up the person to find out whether or not he is truly “in the message”. If he does not measure up to their Quote-yardstick, they would knock him on the head with it and perhaps try to inject some “revelation” or “holiness” into him — “The prophet said, to practise Church order!” “The prophet said, to blow your TV away!” “Did the prophet give you permission to do this?!” “You have no authority to do that, if the prophet did not say anything about that!” “The prophet said...this!” “The prophet said...that!” Etc, etc. Yes, I have known people who actually did these things. There are also some who believe that a believer can only do, or must not do, certain things Bro. Branham happened to mention in his sermons. Bro. Branham's words have become their laws. His every word is considered divine in so much that many were made, by the deceiving spirit, to believe that he was The Son of Man, The Word of God, or Elohim Himself. (Some believers in India have proclaimed him to be Christ Branham The Lord.)
When a group of people subscribes to a set of rules and is governed by a Ruler (in this case the tradition of the Quote-yardstick invented by some men) it has become organized as a denomination. Perhaps these people do not realize the consequences. Being under such an influence, they are motivated to polish up the image of their belief to let others know that they are “in the message”. Unfortunately, they also fail to realize that they are actually erecting an image to that dreadful Beast mentioned in the Book of Revelation. By the same token, when the “Message people” preach Bro. Branham and his taped messages instead of Christ, the Word of God, they are erecting an image to the Beast! Their Ruler is no longer the Christ (Word) of God but the Quotes (words) of Bro. Branham. And behind all that is the spirit of the antichrist!
Brethren, I am glad that I am not “in the message” that these people have been preaching. I sincerely believe in that Message which the prophet had brought to God's people. That message was given by God to cause those who had strayed from His Word to get back “in the Christ” – “in the Word” – as their hearts are turned back to the Faith of the Apostolic Fathers. My Ruler is Christ the Lord. My Yardstick is His Word. To every true elect of God, CHRIST JESUS and the LOGOS in the Bible are the ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY.
DEVILISH PROPAGATION
At the conventions in Ghana and Nigeria (aforementioned), there were three other ministers who were also invited there from overseas. Two of them were from the U.S.A. and one was from Canada. Some very absurd and unbiblical remarks or statements were made by those three ministers. You may or may not have heard of them before. But if those ministers, who represent a very small minority of the many who hold on to such beliefs, would continue to do so in their propagation, I can only say, “May God have mercy on them”. To cause them to change their erroneous beliefs, God would have to tear their world to pieces.
Let me deal with the first remark: “If anyone brings you any revelation, or mystery, or truth, do not receive him because no one can bring any more other than what the prophet had taught. And because Bro. Branham was a major prophet – a divine interpreter of the Word – all truths and all mysteries including the “Seven Thunders” were revealed to him or else there will have need for another major prophet to come. But Bro. Branham was the last, and revelation only comes to the prophet (Amos 3:7). And according to Revelation 10:7, the mystery of God (that is, all mysteries of God) should be finished under the ministry of the Seventh Angel.”
When we examine this remark, we have to question those ministers' profession and integrity in the Word and their works for the Lord. They were able to quote the prophet and say that anyone who had been baptized of the Holy Spirit would not contradict the Word but would say “amen” to every Word of God. On the other hand, they would unhesitatingly spurn and ridicule the Truth of the Scriptures expounded by other ministers of God who are not to their liking. That was exactly what they had done to me: “Bro. Branham never preached that. You shouldn't teach anything that he never touched on. Are you a (major) prophet, Bro. Gan?”
One of them derided me further during a ministerial meeting: “Bro. Gan ought to distribute and preach Bro. Branham's message rather than his own.” By that, he actually meant that I ought to be a “Quoter” like him — a playback tape-recorder of Bro. Branham's messages! Therefore, they were strongly against me (or any other ministers) for preaching the subjects which the prophet had not touched upon, such as “The Trail of the Serpent”, “The Battle of Ezekiel 38 & 39", ”The Mark of Cain" and “The Holy City, New Jerusalem”. They felt that we had no business to seek the Lord for the Truth on the subjects based on the Scriptures. As such, they also accused me of preaching “my own message”.
PLAYBACK TAPE-RECORDER
I am glad that I have a message to preach. It is not my message. It is not Bro. Branham's message. It is God's message. If any man preaches or teaches anything contrary to the LOGOS of God, by adding to IT, or by taking away from IT, let him be accursed. Amen! However, any man acting merely as a playback tape-recorder is already cursed since he is under the influence of the spirit of deception! Yes, it would be better for him to keep quiet if he knows only the Rhema and not the LOGOS. “Thy LOGOS, O Lord is TRUTH!” Amen! Did not the Lord Jesus also warn against the use of vain repetitions even in prayer? (Read Matthew 6:7.)
AMOS 3:7
There are many obtuse believers who stumble at Amos 3:7. They would always quote the verse to prove that only Bro. Branham had the revelation of the Word because he was a major prophet. But let us ask ourselves this question: Why did the Lord Jesus choose and ordain 12 APOSTLES instead of 12 PROPHETS if REVELATION could come by the prophets only? As we read the epistles of those Apostles we can see the wonderful revelations that they had received from the Lord as the Spirit led them into all truth. Their epistles are records of the revelation that the Lord had given unto them. And was not the final revelation – “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” – revealed unto the Lord's beloved apostle, John, on the Isle of Patmos? Hence, was it not so that the Word of the Lord came also unto the Apostle(s)? In fact, in the New Testament, the position of prophets is placed second to the apostles (1 Cor.12:28; Eph.2:20; 4:11). Why? Under Grace a new order is instituted as our Lord Jesus Christ becomes our Saviour, and the APOSTLE and High Priest of our profession (Heb.3:1). And Christ chose and ordained 12 Apostles, not 12 Prophets. A New Testament prophet is a preacher whose ministry is mainly the proclamation of the Word with the gift of prophecy and its related gifts of knowledge and discernment. Exhortation of the Church is a main part of his calling. The prophetic revelation of a true (New Testament) prophet would always be in line with the Divine Word.
Bro. Branham was an Old Testament type Prophet-Seer. He had open visions. Being what he was, he often quoted Amos 3:7. But if you would read the verse carefully, you would realize that it is not referring to God revealing the Truth of Doctrines (such as Water Baptism in Jesus' Name or the Mystery of the Godhead) to His servants the prophets. In its proper context, the verse actually refers to the secret counsel or plan of God (in dealing with certain group of people, the world, etc.) and that God will do nothing without first revealing it to His servants the prophets — “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” See? And have we not heard or read in the various messages of Bro. Branham, the secret counsels that God had revealed to him as His servant, concerning the Church, certain world events, the endtime, and etc?
THE TAPED MESSAGES OF THE PROPHET
When I asked one of those ministers the question, “WHAT IS THE MESSAGE OF THE HOUR?”, I received this reply: “The tapes, of course! The taped messages of the prophet are the Full Word! They are the Revealed Word!”
This is one of the most erroneous concepts ever propagated. The Message of the Hour is not the taped messages of the prophet! The taped messages are not the Full Word nor are they the Revealed Word! The answer is found in 2 Peter 1:19: “We have also a more sure Word (Logos) of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the Day Star arise in your hearts”, and 1 John 1:5: “This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all”.
What is the “Full Word”? Christ is the Full Word. He is the Revealed Word, the very revelation that God is manifested in Christ Jesus. Hence, the Word of the Lord should be allowed to arise in our heart. However, when those “Message people” used the term, “Full Word”, they believed that the taped messages of the prophet, William Branham, contained the full revelation of God's Truth. Unwittingly, they were saying that everything hidden in the Holy Scriptures had been revealed by Bro. Branham in his tapes and that absolutely nothing had been left out as he was the last major prophet. Simply, they believed that the “PERFECT” (which Apostle Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13:10) had come. And when you need an answer regarding a doctrine, a mystery, a spiritual warfare, etc, you would be able to find it in those one thousand-odd taped messages. This would probably be their approach: “Now, this is a mystery. Let's see what the prophet said on this tape…” “Well, for this problem of yours, Bro. Branham said this…” “Let's see whether we can find out what the prophet said about these verses of Scriptures…” What they were saying was that we should never try to search the Scriptures regarding something which could not be found in the tapes! If you do, they would hit at you and say: “You are not a prophet to try and interpret the Scriptures! You are not a believer of the prophet! You are preaching another Gospel! You are…blah, blah, blah!” They considered every single word uttered by Bro. Branham to be “Thus Saith The Lord”.
Now, Bro. Branham has become the answer to all the needs of those “Message people” that they would invariably turn to his taped messages, instead of the Bible, for help. What about you? Who is the answer to all your needs? Christ the Word or Branham the prophet, a servant of Christ? May God help you to see through the devil's deception.
If the message is the “Full Word”, why are there squabbles among the people over the Quotes? Why are there so many different factions on certain subjects? [Discrepancies are common. There are, at least, 4 or 5 different teachings on the “Seven Thunders” alone. And all of them are based upon the opinions formed by the “teachers” as a result of their examinations and interpretations of the various Quotes on the subject. Such are delusions, which are lies.] No wonder Paul told us that heresy (which, in the Greek word, means sect of different groups and ideas) would come. The fact that there are still some unanswered questions on certain subjects of the Bible is enough proof that not every hidden truth was revealed to the prophet. Though the prophet was given the privilege to receive and preach the revelation of the Seven Seals and the very Fundamental Doctrines of the Bible to the Bride, yet he did not know everything. Bro. Branham himself said: “You know, God don't tell His prophet everything; just what He wants him to know” (in his sermon entitled GOD HAS PROVIDED A LAMB), and “I don't know all the answers, folks, I don't know” (in his answer to a question on THE REVELATION OF THE SEVEN SEALS). Amen! That couldn't be any clearer.
It is clear from the Scriptures that the “PERFECT” is yet to come. The “PERFECT” is CHRIST our Lord. In one of His messages to His disciples, our Lord said: “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you” (Jhn.16:12-16). God is still speaking in the Spirit of His Son to His people. He is still revealing Himself, He is still revealing THE WORD. Apostle Paul said: “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away…For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Cor.13:9,10,12). That's right. We can only preach in part for we only know in part. But when the PERFECT is come and we see HIM face to face, then we will know HIM in full even as we are fully known of Him. Amen. Bro. Branham spoke the truth when he said: “You know, God don't tell His prophet everything; just what He wants him to know.” As long as there is a people of God, God will send His servants to feed them His Prophetic Word. Apostle Peter said it on behalf of those true servants of God: “We have also a more sure Word (Logos) of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the Day Star arise in your hearts.” Yes, let's take heed to the Prophetic Word until the Day Star arise fully in our hearts unto the Coming of Jesus Christ, the PERFECT One! Amen.
THE ONE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH
According to the Word of God, there is ONLY ONE FOUNDATION upon which the Church is built. And that is THE REVELATION OF WHO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS! Read Matthew 16:16-19. St. Paul taught: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Cor.3:11). So, who then was Bro. Branham? Who was St. Paul? They were but ministers by whom we believed, even as the Lord gave to every man. Read 1 Corinthians 3:5-15. Therefore, how could believers of Christ Jesus build their foundation upon Bro. Branham, a man whom God had sent to call His children back to His Original Faith?
THE ARK
“O we are not building our foundation upon the prophet. We believe the message of the prophet is the Ark. His words are nothing but the truth, and his message is the Full Word. It's the Restored Word of God.”
This confession appears palatable, but it is poisonous. People who make such a confession do not know what they are saying because their minds have been numbed with the poison of that Serpent. How can the message of the prophet be the Ark when the Message is pointing to the Ark??? And since the message and the messenger cannot be separated, what they are saying is that the messenger is the Ark! In other words, there is safety or salvation in Bro. Branham. What heresy! [Separate yourself from such heretics, my friend!]
When referring to the Lord Jesus and His servants the prophets, Bro. William Branham in his sermon, WHAT IS THE ATTRACTION ON THE MOUNTAIN?, said: “The prophets were a portion of THE WORD, and HE was THE WORD in ITS FULLNESS.” And in the UNVEILING OF GOD, he said: “When Jesus came, HE WAS THE WORD IN ITS FULLNESS, because the whole plan of Redemption lay in Him. The whole plan of redemption did not lay in Moses, nor in Joseph, nor in Elijah. They were only part of THE WORD, pointing to IT. Now keep your thought; here it comes: THE WHOLE PLAN WASN'T IN THEM, THEY WERE ONLY POINTING TO IT. Therefore after JESUS, THE FULLNESS, we cannot point to something else, for it points back to HIM, THE WORD. THIS IS THE COMPLETE REVELATION. Nothing can be added to or taken away from IT.” [Amen! Bro.Branham, you spoke the truth! But I cannot say that for the Branhamites who claimed to believe what you taught.]
Truly, Bro. Branham could not point to anything other than the Christ, Jesus Himself, the Full Word of God! The prophet's message was not the Full Word! The prophet or his message was only part of the Full Word. According to the Bible, the Full Word is to be manifested not before or during Revelation 10:7, but after it. When the Seventh Angel (or Messenger) began to sound his message, the Mystery (not mysteries) of God should be finished, as the Full Word was introduced, bringing into our hearts the rising of the Day Star.
Yes, the Spirit of the Full Word of God is here, and His Bride is now wedded to Him and is getting ready for the [Grand] Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev.19:7-8).
WHAT IS THE “MYSTERY OF GOD”
IN REVELATION 10:7?In Paul's epistles we read how that God had made known unto Paul and unto His other apostles and prophets the “Mystery of God”, which was hid in Him before the foundation of the world, “that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel” to the Jews. (Read Eph.2: 11–3:11; Rom.16:25-26). This “Mystery of God” was hinted in the Old Testament writings by God's “servants the prophets” (Rev.10:7). From the calling of Abram (Abraham) who was made “a father of many nations” (Gen.17:5) in whom “all the nations of the earth shall be blessed”, God had indicated that Israel was to be “for a light to the Gentiles” (Isa.42:6; 49:6) and that “the Gentiles shall come to thy light” (Isa.60:3) by the promised Seed of Abraham — Christ. (Read Gen.17:7,19; Rom.9:6-8; Gal.3:16).
Abraham was the first “father” of the Faith of God. God chose him and called him out from among the nations of people to make a covenant with him. The promise was given to him that in him “shall all the families of the earth be blessed”. The “Promised Seed” would come through him to redeem mankind. (Read Gen.12:1-3; 15:5-6; 17:1-8; Gal.3:16-18) [In his epistles to the Gentile believers, Paul often emphasized to them that the faith they had received was the same as that of Abraham's.]
Hence, the “Mystery of God” is not certain doctrine (such as that Christ is the Mystery of God revealed, what some believers claimed to be based upon a sermon by Bro. Branham) neither is it all the mysteries of the Bible. It is the dispensation of time, the 2000 years of grace, which God had allocated to graft the Gentiles into His Kingdom and His Word as he had declared unto His servants the prophets of old. It is known in the New Testament as the “Kingdom of Heaven” or the dispensation of “Seven Church Ages”. And when the Seventh (and last) Church Age Messenger shall begin to sound his message, this “Mystery of God” should be finished (accomplished, fulfilled). Then time shall no longer delay the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
NOAH - MOSES - JOHN THE BAPTIST
“What is the difference between the Message and the Bible?” The answer often given is this: There is no difference; they are the same thing.
Beloved, there is certainly a difference! The Sacred Scriptures stand on Its own. The Message points to It. The messages of all God's Old Testament and Church Age messengers pointed to God and revealed or manifested God. God took the form of the Logos (Word) and from that form He was made (manifest in) flesh. Each message declared God. It was only a part of God and not the whole of God.
Every Message of God that was given to His people in their respective generations was a Token of Life. Outside of that Token, Death reigned supreme.
Consider Noah and his message. Because Noah was God's prophet, God revealed His secret plan to him concerning the destruction of the whole human race. He told him to take a message to the people and warn them of the impending judgment. Noah took that message to the people. God backed up that message with a token — the ark. The message of Noah pointed to that ark of safety. Anyone who believed in that message must act. He must put his faith into action. He must get into the ark for his own safety. Those who stayed with that message without a revelation were destroyed together with those who rejected it.
In the generation of Moses, God revealed His secret to Moses. Moses fearlessly witnessed to all the people of Israel, who were enslaved in Egypt, concerning God's redemption of Israel and the judgment that must follow. The message was preached. The token was the blood which had to be applied on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses of the believers. The blood was their “ark of safety” which would protect them from the death angel who was to strike the land of Egypt that night. But I could imagine how some of the “believers” of Moses' message behaved. Like many of the “believers” of Bro. Branham's message today, they probably said to one another, “Yes sir, I believe in the message of Moses. He's a great prophet. I believe in every word that he has spoken. I'm going to stay with the message of the hour.” But they would not do what Moses had told them to do — that is, to get under the blood! Their firstborns died even though they had stayed with the message. Why? Because, like those in Noah's time, they did not have the revelation to put their faith into action. They only heard the rhema. They did not hear the Logos of God to act upon the words of the prophet!
John the Baptist came on the scene of Israel shouting and testifying: “Prepare you the way of the Lord! Get ready to meet your Messiah! The Lord our God has revealed to me His secret concerning the One who is to take away your sins. He is standing among you. Repent!” Then one day he pointed to Jesus and introduced Him to his disciples, saying: “Behold the Lamb of God!” And his two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus (Jhn.1:35- 37). Amen!
When a person hears right, he will do right. The disciples had stayed with the message of John the Baptist. Throughout the time they were with John they had heard the Word (Logos) of his preaching. Now they were introduced to that ONE PERSON Whom he had been telling them about. Straightaway they followed the Lamb of God. Notice, they did not hesitate to act. They did not try and recollect the words of John the Baptist in their heads, saying, “John the Baptist said this…, he said that…, blah, blah, blah.” They had stayed long enough with his message to know that, as a messenger, John the Baptist was pointing to THE MESSENGER. The Messenger of the Covenant (The Ark of the Covenant) Himself was right there! They must act! So, why stay with John the Baptist, the messenger of Malachi 3:1; 4:6a and Isaiah 40:3 when the Messenger of the Covenant, THE WORD OF GOD, was revealed right there?! Their prophet must then decrease and the Lamb of God must increase as he had said (Jhn.3:30). [A man cannot serve two masters.]
Now, who was the ARK? Was it Noah? Was it Moses? Was it John the Baptist? Was it the message that they carried? Or was it something or someone else that each of those servants was sent to point to? If you cannot answer these questions, you certainly have yet to learn the ABC of Scriptures.
RESTORATION
The term “The Restored Word” has been so freely used in sermons and songs, and in witnessing that it has become assimilated into the believer's life and accepted as truth. It is common to hear believers say, “God has sent us a prophet-messenger to restore His Word to us”, “We have the Restored Word.” These are just two of the ways that the term is being used. [Note: Here are two examples on how Bible believers dislocate and misplace words of Bible statements thus giving rise to misinterpretation. Discern which is right: “God was made flesh” or “the Word was made flesh”; and “God was the Word” or “The Word was God”.]
The anomalous use of any term or statement will invariably distort the whole picture which God is presenting. I believe that many have gone to seed for lack of understanding of the words “The Restored Word”. Some verses of the Scriptures concerning Restoration or Restitution (such as Matthew 17:10-13 and Acts 3:19-21) have often been misinterpreted and misapplied.
Let's read what Jesus and Peter had said and then consider a few questions.
Jesus said: “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.”
Peter said: “…Jesus Christ…Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things.”
Did Bro. Branham “restore all things”? If so, what are the “all things” which he had restored? Are they all the WORD of God? Are they all the various true major doctrines and teachings, which are not accepted by the church system, that have been restored to the True Church? I believe many believers have such misconceptions.
However, let's ask ourselves: Was the WORD of God really lost in the first place? Was IT then restored to the BRIDE through Bro. Branham? Or rather, was it the BRIDE (the True Church) of Christ that had drifted away from the WORD of God into errors since the early Church Age? Is it not SHE that has been restored unto the WORD of God (and not the WORD unto the BRIDE)?
The WORD of God was not lost, IT had never been and can never be lost, for the WORD is the expression of God Himself. It is the Church that was lost to the WORD as she got mixed-up with carnal men and accepted their carnal interpretations throughout the Church Ages. And in this last and final hour of the Grace Age, God had sent His people a prophet-messenger with the spirit of Elijah upon him, to turn the hearts of the children of God, who had strayed from the Pure WORD, back to the True Faith of their Apostolic Fathers. These Apostolic “Fathers” were those “children” who had received the Gospel of John the Baptist nearly 2000 years ago. So, the message of “Elijah the prophet” to the Church is a message to bring about a Restoration of the BRIDE to God's Original WORD (as taught by the Apostles) before the “dreadful” day of the Lord comes upon the world.
JEWS — GENTILES
In those verses of Scriptures, Jesus and Peter were not speaking to the Gentiles. They were speaking to the Jews who were concerned about “the restitution of all things” which they had lost. Read Joel chapters 1 and 2.
Biblical history shows us that Israel was God's chosen people; the Gentile people were not, and they, therefore, had lost nothing.
When the Jews rejected the Gospel, God turned to the Gentiles to call out a people, a Church, for Himself. Remember, the Gentiles had lost nothing whatsoever, instead they had found something — a Saviour in Christ Jesus. When the Gentile Church drifted away from the Word into errors, they still did not lose anything except themselves. They were lost to the Word. And God had to restore them to His Word. Therefore it is not a “Restoration of the WORD” but the “Restoration of the BRIDE” to the WORD.
THE ABSOLUTE
Consider this rash statement which the American and the Canadian ministers lashed out at the camps: “Bro. Branham was the Absolute”. Then, they also quoted the prophet, saying, “The message and the messenger cannot be separated”. Now, examine both statements and see what they had confessed. They were trying to say that the message was 'THE ABSOLUTE' because Bro. Branham, the messenger, was 'THE ABSOLUTE'. And by saying that the message was 'THE ABSOLUTE' they were implying that the messenger was infallible. Whichever way it was said, they were saying that Bro. Branham and his message were both The Absolute Authority, The Full and Infallible Word, The Urim and Thummim. And evidently, that is heresy! (No wonder there are those who would even baptize a convert in the name of William Marrion Branham. Some even pray in his name and calling him Lord Branham Christ. What blasphemies! And all these came about as a result of using the taped sermons as 'THE ABSOLUTE'.)
Many “Message people” like them believe that the Evening Time Message in itself is the Full Word. Hence, they stay with the tapes and the books of Bro. Branham as 'THE ABSOLUTE'. But those who believe that the Evening Time Message is a message which points us to the Word, the Living Christ, the Day Star, Who is the Full Word of God, would stay with the Sacred Scriptures as 'THE ABSOLUTE' — “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (Jhn.5:39). Amen.
Now, it is correct to say that the prophet was 'An Absolute'. All the prophets of the Old Testament were absolutes to the people of God when they came unto them with the “Thus Saith The Lord”. But none of them was THE ABSOLUTE as they were not GOD HIMSELF, but was each a god to whom came the WORD, Which was GOD (Jhn.10:35; cf.1:1). A Prophet is an Interpreter of the Divine Word of God. He is not a Divine Interpreter of God's Word.
WILLIAM MARRION BRANHAM:
THE SEVENTH STAR OR THE DAYSTAR?John, the beloved apostle of the Lord, was in the Spirit on the Lord's day when he saw the Son of man in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, and He had in His right hand seven stars. And we know that the seven stars were the seven messengers of the seven churches which the seven golden candlesticks symbolized. Read Revelation 1. So, we know that it was Christ Jesus who was holding the seven stars in His right hand. He is the Master over all the stars.
Now, just before the closing of each Church Age, as the antichrist spirit of darkness crept upon God's people, a star was sent to show the way of Truth. It pointed to the Truth from whence it was sent. None of those seven stars pointed to itself, as no star gives light of its own. It had none. All stars receive light from the Sun — the Daystar. They are the reflections of the Daystar. They point to the Daystar.
Bro. Branham was the last of the seven stars that pointed to the Truth. Being the last in the line (so to speak), he was just next to the Daystar Himself Who would come for His Church. He was brighter than most of the other stars before him, as he was sent with a message to forerun the coming of the Son (Daystar) of God. Perhaps, it is for this reason that many “Message people” have the mistaken belief that he is the Son Himself.
Consider the stars within our natural realm. Can an Evening Star be the Daystar (Sun)? Remember that the stars shine only in the Evening Time. [Bear in mind that we are speaking here not of astronomy but of the natural settings of day and night.] Is it not recorded in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 that “to every thing there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven”? Then, the stars shine the brightest when there is total darkness. They never come out in the Daytime when the Daystar is present. Why? Simply because the Sun never shares its Glory with others (Isa.42:8; 48:11). It only sheds its Glory around. [Note: Do not mistake it for the Glory which the Elect shall receive of Christ. They are Christ's Body formed out of His Glory.] The Daystar is Master over all the other stars and controls their light. The Daystar is the Source-giver of light to each of the other stars. Therefore, anyone who rejects the Seventh Star, which came shining in the evening time of the Laodicean Church Age, has rejected the Daystar. And anyone who lifts the Seventh Star from its proper position to that of the Daystar is blaspheming the work of the Holy Spirit. Bro. Branham, the Seventh Star, was sent to lead the Bride of Christ back to the Light of the Apostolic Faith. Sent to the Church with a message, he was “a light that shineth in a dark place”, and it will do us well to take heed to it, “until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in our hearts” (2 Pet.1:19). Praise the Lord, “because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth”! (1 Jhn.2:8).
THE REVEALED WORD
Friend, THERE IS ONLY ONE PERSON WHO IS THE ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY, WHO IS THE FULL AND INFALLIBLE WORD, AND WHO IS THE URIM AND THUMMIM. And, He is none other than the Almighty God Who had manifested Himself in the flesh called Jesus the Christ! It is better for you to cast into the trash-can any revelation, or teaching, not lighted up by the Word of God because the Revealed Word is not something that comes out of the blue. The prophet's revelation has always been based on the Sacred Written Word. The Revealed Word is neither the message nor the taped sermons of Bro. Branham. The Revealed Word is the Thought of God Expressed. It is the Revealed Logos of God. And God had It hidden within the pages of the Bible! The Bible is God's Expressed Thought (Logos) put into Written Words (Rhema). [When faced with a mystery that they cannot understand, the denominational Christians would say: “It's hidden, it's sealed because it's not meant for us to know.”] The Truth that God has revealed or unveiled to us, as He opened our spiritual eyes to see It, is called the Revealed Word. Although the Truth may have been hidden, It has always been there in the pages of the Written Word. And not one Word (Logos - the Revelation of God) can be added to, or taken away, from It. Amen!
Therefore, anyone who is making Bro. Branham 'THE ABSOLUTE' (like the Roman Catholics have made the Pope) is under the influence of an antichrist spirit.
THE SPOKEN WORD
Some believers claimed that Bro. Branham was infallible in his speech because he had the “spoken word”. Hence, he had all the Truths. To support their belief they quoted this statement of the prophet: “The Spoken Word is The Original Seed”. Such shallowness of their understanding is appalling. They might as well say that of Moses, Peter, and everyone of those true servants of God, past or present, who had that “spoken word” experience in their lives.
The Spoken Word of God is the Original Seed. And the Original Seed is none other than Christ, the Word of God. Christ, the Logos, is that Spoken Word which came forth from the Mind of God before anything else ever existed. And, like a Roman candle, It burst forth the creations of the heaven and earth. Then this Logos took the form of a man, called Jesus, to manifest God that man may behold the Glory of God. Now, the revelation of all these came to us by the Spirit from the Written Word of God — the Sacred Scriptures. Simply put, the Sacred Scriptures was God's Inspired Written Word about the Spoken Word — “in the volume of the book it is written of me” (Heb.10:7); “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (Jhn.5:39). The mysteries of It will remain hidden until the Holy Spirit reveals them to the Church. When the revelation comes forth, then it is called the Revealed Word.
TURNING THE CORNER
Many people, who have been blessed by the Lord in the ministry of the prophet, find it hard to turn the corner to follow a new ministry. One reason is that Bro. Branham was the last and final major prophet, or messenger. Therefore, they believe that there is no other ministry to lead them further. It is true that many have confessed their belief in the 5-fold ministry, but evidently they are merely paying lip service to it as they do not have the revelation of what God is doing through that “Ascension Gifts” ministry. In fact many do not even know what the 5-fold ministry is, much less recognize it. Some have been taught that the 5-fold ministry is a ministry that teaches from the sermon-tapes and sermon-books of Bro. Branham instead of the Sacred Scriptures that Bro. Branham held so dearly. In fact such ministers who do that are “talking parrots” without brains. (Calling names? No apology. Just read Matthew 23:33 and Luke 13:32.)
We can see a true type of today's ministry in the Old Testament ministries of Moses and Joshua. Many believers agree that Bro. Branham was a type of Moses who was sent with a message of deliverance to God's chosen people. Yet, they cannot see beyond the death of the prophet to recognize the ministry of “Joshua” (which name means Jehovah-Saviour — Yahshua — Jesus) working through His “Ascension Gifts” to take His children into the state of perfection by His Word (Eph.4:11-16). Moses did not lead the children of Israel into the Promised Land. Joshua did. So, the same was true of Bro. Branham whose message did not perfect the Bride of Christ. [Some are claiming that the message is perfecting them now and that Rapturing Faith can be obtained by reading or studying THE SPOKEN WORD books or hearing the taped messages. I wonder how many of the 1000-odd sermons must be studied or heard before a person can be perfected and possess the faith for the rapture. And how are the poor uneducated Believers in the Third World countries going to get Rapturing Faith when the English language is just beyond their comprehension?] Like the messages of the prophets and apostles of old, the message of Bro. Branham was a perfect message. However, the message was not a “perfecting” message to perfect the Bride. It was a “restoring” message (of separation and restoration of a people) which first separates the elect and then restores them to the Full Word for the perfection. The Lord Jesus, our “Joshua”, is the Leader Who is now leading His Bride into perfection by the Promised Word of God. However, some may even deny this simple truth. A Nigerian minister, in trying to argue against it, quoted Bro. Branham as saying that Joshua was a type of the Holy Spirit in action in the Church. Well, are not the Holy Spirit and Christ the same Personality? What a blind leader! Did he not know the “parousia” of the Lord? Probably this minister could be a Trinitarian?
Many believers were quick to defend the 'sacredness' of the tapes and THE SPOKEN WORD books of the prophet by pointing to the ministry of Joshua as recorded in the Book of Joshua. Their defence was this: “All right, we agree with you, but notice that Joshua was warned (many times as recorded in that book) to stay with all of Moses' law, and that he was not to deviate from it.”
I do not disagree with that. But what these believers did not seem to understand was that they were unconsciously making every spoken word of the prophet to be as sacred as the inspired (God breathed) law of Moses which God had caused them to be written. For all that, it seemed that they had failed to notice (whether unintentionally or otherwise) how that those who believed Moses were also supposed to listen to Joshua. Read Joshua 1:16-18. We ought to know that God was leading Joshua in a new ministry. Joshua observed to do all that Moses' law had said and also followed the Leadership of God as well. And the very instructions about how to take the children of Israel across Jordan were given unto him. Moses never had those instructions.
Hence, it's the message of Bro. Branham plus the ministry of “Joshua” for us today. That's exactly right. Of course, some would not like to hear that. Nevertheless, it's still the truth. For, in type, “we have also a more sure Word (Logos) of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the daystar arise in your hearts” (2 Pet.1:19). If I may type it spiritually, “a light that shineth in a dark place” was that Seventh Star-light which shone in this dark Laodicean Age. Its light was also its message which pointed to the Daystar. It was the same light that the Early Church had (1 Jhn.1:5 cf. Jhn.1:9). This was the Light that should bring about the dawning of the Daystar (Christ the Word) in our hearts. And if we have truly taken heed of it, we should now be out of the denominational darkness and be far away from those other spirits of religious confusion. Moreover, we should be marching in the marvelous Light of the Daystar, as we claim the Promised Word of God, wielding the two-edged Sword as our “Joshua” leads us by His “Ascension Gifts” ministry against any hindering “giants” of our Christian Faith. Amen! The Ark of the Covenant is right in our midst. And as the Joshua of old had led the way in the daylight (read Joshua 3,6,7,8,10), so is the “Joshua” of the Church today.
Yes, the day has dawned for me. Has it dawned for you? Has the Daystar, the Sun of righteousness, arisen in your heart (cf. Mal.4:2)? Or, are you still in the darkness of the Evening Time without the True Light which is now shining?
THE WEDDING — THE MARRIAGE SUPPER
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the right- eousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.”
– Revelation 19:7-9The true believers are looking forward to be present in this great Marriage Supper of the Lamb. But there are others who believe that Christ Jesus came in 1963 and that together with Him they are now having this Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
Now, concerning this “mystery” of the Wedding and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, it's very important that we look at the proper Scriptural setting to keep our balance. The Bible is an oriental Book, not an occidental one. Unlike the orientals, there is not much of a ceremony when an occidental couple gets married. The latter would usually go to the church in the morning or afternoon to be wedded by the minister, after which they would, perhaps, have a reception and then leave in their bridal car for their honeymoon.
However, the whole celebration of an oriental marriage could last from a day to several days or weeks. Read Genesis 29:27; Judges 14:12. From the time that a woman is betrothed or espoused to a man, she is considered as belonging to the man as his wife, even before they are actually married (Deut.22:23-24; Matt.1:18-19). The woman is legally and literally the man's wife.
The spiritual relation between God and His people is figuratively spoken of as a marriage or betrothal (Isa.62:4-5; Hos.2:19-20). In Mark 2:19-20, our Lord Jesus called Himself the Bridegroom. In the illustrations of St. Paul, the Church is figured as a Bride espoused or married to Christ (Rom.7:1-6; Eph.5:25-33; 2 Cor.11:2).
In brief, the marriage ceremony always begins in the early morning on the day appointed for the marriage. The bride would bathe, put on her bridal garment, deck herself with jewels, and cover herself with a veil. The bridegroom, dressed in his best attire, accompanied by friends, and perhaps musicians, will come to the house of the bride's parents and, with their blessings, claim his bride. Depending on the distance, the bridegroom may arrive just before sunset. If they are religious, they will then proceed to the temple for their blessings, otherwise they will go to the house of the bridegroom's parents to be blessed, if they lived nearby. A small feast will normally be served in the house. After this, the married couple will hold the wedding feast at the bride's home. In the evening, the bridegroom and bride will be escorted to their nuptial chamber. And it is here that the bridegroom and bride will get to know each other truly as husband and wife. On the morrow, the marriage festivities will resume. Now, all these activities may vary, but there is always feasting and rejoicing from morn till dusk. And whether the marriage ceremony is held in one day or several days in a stretch, the whole ceremony will culminate in a great feasting which is always held at the home of the Bridegroom's Father. In Scriptures, it is simply called the “marriage supper”, but in actual fact it is the feast of feasts — a grand feast. And that will be the finale of the whole wedding ceremony.
Between betrothal and the marriage all communications between the affianced parties were made through a friend deputed for the purpose. He is called the friend of the bridegroom (Jhn.3:29). [The word of the bridegroom, in whatever form it was communicated to the bride, would mean a lot to her as his presence was in that word. The word was as good as his own presence.] In this age, the Seventh Church Age Messenger was that friend of the Bridegroom. God communicated with the Bride by a message through him.
John the Baptist was also a friend of the Bridegroom in his days. He dutifully finished his work, so did Bro. Branham. And just as John the Baptist said that he must decrease and Christ must increase (Jhn.3:30), so did Bro. Branham. The First Forerunner had introduced THE WORD OF GOD to the people. Those who believed his message, turned and followed Jesus, and became His disciples. John the Baptist called the believers the Bride and Jesus the Bridegroom. Therefore she must be espoused to THE WORD OF GOD. Not very long after that, John the Baptist was taken off the scene. He had finished his work of communication. Thence, we only see the Bride and the Bridegroom getting to know each other intimately. Now, type that with the Second Forerunner. Those who truly believe his message must turn and follow CHRIST THE WORD OF GOD. (Did you? Unfortunately, many are still hanging on to the personality or the coat of the messenger, even though he has been gone for more than 25 years.)
The Bride is espoused, betrothed or married to the Bridegroom, Christ the Word. Bear in mind, it is not Christ Jesus the Man Who has been glorified by the Father and is now sitting on the right hand of God. It is His Word, His Presence in the Bride. It is a spiritual marriage. And no matter which way you want to say it — espoused, betrothed or married, we must get intimate with the Word (Logos), and not the Quotes and Tapes of the prophet, lest we get this rebuff from Christ the Word in that day: “I know you not!” Read Matthew 25:1-13.
This is the Uniting Time. It is an Invisible Union of the Bride and the Bridegroom. This is also a time of Spiritual Intercourse as we feast upon the Revelation of the Word. When we get intimate with THE WORD, He will not only lead us, but He will also wash and help keep us clean by THE LOGOS, to be ready for the Grand Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Eph.5:25-27; Tit.3:3-7; Rev.19:7-9). [There cannot be any presence greater than that of His Spirit and Word in us. Some may use the Quote-yardstick to try and make you “holier” (if there is such a state, without being made “holier” than the Holy One).] That is why Revelation 19:6-9 is written the way it is written: “His wife hath made herself ready” and not “will make” or “is to make”. Also, note that the word “marriage” in verse 7 is “gamos” in Greek. It should be translated as the “marriage feast” or “marriage supper” as in verse 9. So, it is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb rather than the Marriage of the Lamb that will take place. And, as we understand it, that is the culmination of the whole marriage affair in the oriental way.
ELIEZER'S CAMEL TRAIN
Genesis 24 records the love story of Isaac and Rebekah. Abraham sent his servant, Eliezer, to his homeland to get a wife for his son. Eliezer did as his master commanded. He set out with his camels and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And it was at the evening time that the bride for Isaac was found.
Rebekah hearkened to all that Eliezer had to say. Though she had never seen Isaac, she certainly got the revelation of what her husband was like through the message of the servant of his father. That produced a love in her heart which stimulated her desire to be Isaac's wife.
Is that not a type of the Bride of Christ? She has never seen Christ, her Bridegroom, yet she has faith in the Father's Word which was sent to her through His servant, “Eliezer”. And her faith has given her a special revelation which is stimulating her desire to be intimate with Him. The evening time message which was delivered to the Bride of Christ has caused her heart to palpitate. She is greatly enamoured of the One Whom she has decided to marry.
Eliezer got Rebekah home on his camel train. “And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself” (Gen.24:63-65).
Yes, when told by Eliezer that the man who walked up to meet them was his master, Rebekah immediately veiled herself and hastily alighted from the camel. “And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her…” (Gen.24:67a).
Now, at what time of the day was Isaac introduced to Rebekah? It was the evening time, of course. And what was the reaction of Rebekah? She immediately got off the camel train! What happened next? Isaac brought her into his mother's tent and took Rebekah as his wife. That was the intimate moment of wedlock! There were only two persons in the tent. Where was Eliezer then? He had dutifully finished his work and had gone off the scene. [Note: The type of Scriptures ends here. From this point in time, nothing is heard of Eliezer anymore. Of course, after Rebekah alighted to meet her Isaac, Eliezer most probably had taken his camels to the camel-stable.]
Today, many believers believe that Bro. Branham is still driving or leading the camel train and that they are riding on it. It is not that these people have not been introduced to the Bridegroom, but they just refuse to get off the camel train to meet their loved One. They enjoy the ride (the ministry) and the stories (the sermons) of the late servant of God. “O, the prophet did this! O, he did that! My, did you hear what he said about this…that…and everything?” If they truly love the Word, they would have got off the camel train to be in union with Him.
[Note: I know that many believers have been using this event to type their camel train journey to meet Christ Jesus in the air. But that is taking the natural to type the natural. This is not correct. The natural always types the spiritual. While Eliezer types the Holy Spirit in the prophet, Rebekah types the spiritual Church (Bride). The camel train is a spiritual message of God, which is provided to carry the spiritual Bride. Its purpose is to introduce Isaac, who is the type of Christ the Word (spiritual), to the Bride. We will meet the literal and natural Christ, the Glorified One, face to face later in the air and be whisked off to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.]
Friends, how can Bro. Branham still be driving the “camel train” when he had been taken home long ago? Whatever Bro. Branham did and said were done to point you to CHRIST THE WORD. Like Eliezer, after he had finished what he was called to do, and had introduced THE WORD BRIDE to THE WORD BRIDEGROOM, he was not heard nor seen any more. (Of course, his voice still sounds for those who have yet to hear that they might get on board the “camel train” and be taken on a journey to be introduced to “ISAAC” — THE TRUE WORD OF GOD.) You have to let our “Isaac” bring you into His tent of love and be in union with Him. You may reminisce what “Eliezer” had said but you have to be in full union with THE WORD, for He is the DAYSTAR. Amen! It is only when you are in union with THE WORD that you can be ready for the Grand Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
WHAT THEN IS THE MESSAGE OF THE HOUR?
No matter how we look at the message of Bro. Branham, the true elect will have to declare that it pointed to the Lord. It could not point, and has never pointed, to itself nor the messenger. The star came in the evening time to show us the Daystar. So, what is the message of the hour?
“This is the message we have heard and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness (that is, traditions) at all.”
– 1 John 1:5, NIV“That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”
– John 1:9Amen! The darkness is gone, and the True Light is now shining! It is the same Light which gives Light to every truly born again believer of God since It came into the world! He was the Life, the Way, and the Truth, which came in the flesh that His predestinated seeds might behold His Glory. The Light that Jesus declared was the same Light that John declared in his epistle several decades later in 90 AD. It was the Light that Bro. Branham had declared and it is the same Light that every true servant of God will declare. Amen!
“…if we walk in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 Jhn.1:7). Have we read it right? Or do the Scriptures say, “…if we walk `in the message', we have fellowship one with another, and shall have rapturing faith, for it is the Ark that will carry you into the Rapture"? Is that what is recorded in your Bible?
Friend, do you now understand “The Message of the Hour”? May God help you.
THE ELECT TWICE SEPARATED
Abraham, as we know well, was a type of the elect. He was called out from his homeland and kindred to a land promised of God. However, his nephew, Lot went along with him. Read Genesis 12. Well, it was not very long afterwards that the two camps could not agree one with the other. So, there was a separation. When that took place, God renewed His covenant with Abraham. Read Genesis 13.
Brethren, the Bride of Christ, the elect of God, has received the call to separate from her denominational homeland and kindred (those who called themselves “Christians”). She was covenanted to receive the Promised Word. But her very close relative (the make-believer) has tagged along. However, the two camps will not agree with each other regarding the right pasture that they should feed on. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). So, there must come a second separation before the Bride can ever be “revived” unto the Word. The make-believers are but thorns in her side which plague her incessantly to weaken her. Only after she has separated from the make-believers will the Lord say unto her: “The WORD that thou seest, to thee will I give IT for thy inheritance.” Amen!
CONCLUSION
Wherefore, brethren, let us give diligence to make our calling and election sure; for if we do what the WORD says to do, we shall never fall. Not only must we never be negligent of what the prophet had taught us, but we must also be established in the present truth. Because we are living in the last days of the generation in which the coming of the Lord is imminent, there exists many false prophets and teachers, even among the believers. (The devil certainly knows his time, doesn't he?) They shall bring in damnable heresies, even to the extent of denying the WORD OF TRUTH, and many shall follow their pernicious ways and will bring the WAY OF TRUTH into disrepute. In their greed they will exploit you with stories which they have made up. (I have heard some people tell their dreams and visions to gain a hold on their hearers. But the Spirit of discernment had revealed that they were liars.) However, they will surely be judged just as the angels that sinned were judged; so were those wicked people in Noah's time, in Lot's time, and in every other generation, similarly judged.
As we know the Truth, let us stay in the Truth, and let us not be like a dog which returns to his own vomit, or a sow, which has been washed, return to wallow in the mire. Read 2 Peter 1:10–3:2.
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Jesus said:
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
– John 8:32“Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.”
– John 18:37d
SHOWDOWN
This is a true conversation between two ministers in the U.S.A.
Minister P.G. – “Brother E.C., I heard you are going to hold public meetings in this city. I hope that you're going to preach to the people the Word of God as brought to us by His prophet, Bro. Branham. Perhaps I could give you some advice. When you preach to the people, the first important thing is to tell them about Bro. Branham, that he was God's prophet. Tell them about the things that he had done. The people must know about Bro. Branham. This is very important.”
Minister E.C. – “I am sorry, you are all wrong. The most important thing is to preach Christ. The people must know Him and His Word. He is the Saviour, not Bro. Branham. I'll preach Jesus, and if I have time, I will, perhaps, mention that God had sent him to get His people back to the true teachings of the Bible.”
Minister P.G. – “I am afraid that you do not know what you are doing. Bro. Branham had the Word.”
Minister E.C. – “But Jesus is the Word. If you persist in what you believe is true, so be it. On that day of judgment, when we stand before the Almighty, then we shall know who is right and who is wrong.”
WHO IS RIGHT? WHO HAS THE TRUE REVELATION?
