A True Prophet to Our Generation?
Every serious Christian knows the hour is desperately late; that soon our beloved Lord Jesus will meet His Bride in the air (I Thess. 4:16-17). What most people don’t know is that, even as John the Baptist foreran the first coming of our Lord, there must come a prophet having the spirit of Elijah who will forerun Christ’s second coming. Of course, even now there are many false prophets in the world, leading many astray (Matthew 24:11-24). But the same God who said there would be the false, said there would come a TRUE Prophet.
In Malachi 4, where it talks of the end of the world, God said, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” (Malachi 4:5-6) This verse, having a compound meaning, is referring to two separate comings of Elijah. An angel said concerning John the Baptist: (Luke 1:17) “And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias (note: Elias is the Greek word for Elijah), to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, (John was to fulfill this much of Malachi 4:6, but that was all, for the angel goes on) and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” The angel said nothing about John turning “the heart of the children to their fathers”, because that part of Malachi 4:6 didn’t pertain to him.
Now, Jesus said John the Baptist was Elijah, that’s true, (Matthew 11:7-14), “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.” But now turn to (John 1:19-21): “And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, what then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.” That’s odd. Jesus said John was Elijah, and John said he wasn’t.
Does the Bible contradict itself? Not at all. Remember the Jews were expecting the Messiah to destroy the Romans and set up Israel up as the rulers of the world. They were expecting an Elijah to forerun a Messiah who would come in power. John said, “No, I’m not that Elijah,” for he was not sent “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” “Then said they unto him, who art thou that we may give an answer to them that sent us, what sayest thou of thyself? He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make straight the way of the Lord.” (John 1:22-23) John, knowing well who he was likened himself to Isaiah 40:3
Christ himself split up Malachi 4:5-6 as two comings of Elijah. Although Jesus had told His disciples plainly that John the Baptist was Elijah (Matthew 11:14), sometime later (Matthew 17) they were still confused. “And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then
say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:10-13)</
Examine closely verse 11, where Jesus says, “Elias truly SHALL FIRST COME, (note future tense. This Elijah had not yet come) and RESTORE ALL THINGS.” Did John the Baptist restore all things? John prepared a people for our precious Lord’s appearance, but he didn’t restore all things. But Jesus said there would come an Elijah in the future who would restore all things. Now read Acts 3:19-21, where Peter talks about Jesus Christ. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.’ So the Lord who we love must remain in heaven until all things are restored; and Jesus himself said Elijah would restore all things. Does 1 + 1 = 2? Then this Elijah’s ministry is essential.
In Matthew 24:37-39 Jesus said, “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Alright, how was it in the days of Noah? There was gross blindness in the people concerning the Word of God, which caused them to act wickedly. God sent one man, a prophet, with a Message, “Come into the ark and be saved!” God said that if he didn’t send Elijah in these days, the Truth would be so watered down and messed up He would have to “smite the earth with a curse.” This Elijah’s message will be, “Come into Christ and be saved!” Remember, Christ is the Word, (John 1:1, 14, 1 John 5:7). The Word of God has been twisted and perverted and lost down through the ages until today there are more than 900 denominations in the world, all claiming to have the correct interpretation of the Word. But God promised the Truth would be restored. This, in fact, is what the strange language of Malachi 4:6 says. The angel said to John would “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.” By studying what John later did we can see he turned the hearts of the orthodox Jewish fathers’ faith to the new faith in Jesus Christ, for Christ’s followers at John’s time were but spiritual children. Those children grew spiritually and became the apostolic fathers, whom God used to build His church, and to write the New Testament. But the churches today have strayed from that original foundation, (Ephesians 2:19-20) to their organizational ideas and man-made theologies until the Truth lies hidden before our eyes, smothered by hundreds of philosophies and millions of opinions. This end-time Elijah will “turn the heart of the children to their fathers” ,that is: he will turn the hearts of us, the children of the end-time, back to the faith of our apostolic fathers, until our faith, lives, and doctrine match theirs perfectly
Briefly we will sketch this Elijah through the Book of Revelation. In Chapters 2 and 3 Jesus Christ is dictating 7 letters to 7 Gentile churches in Asia Minor. If you note the listed conditions of each of these churches, then study church history, you’ll discover that each letter was a prophecy, for the letters in sequence correspond exactly to 6 ages the Gentile Church has gone through. Today we are in the 7 or Laodicean Church age, Revelation 3:14-22. Now notice that each church age has an angel, (Revelation 1:16,20; 2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1,7,14). The word angel literally means MESSENGER, and does not always mean a heavenly being, (Galatians 4:14; Revelation 22:8,9). Since these are earthly Gentile churches, these are earthly angels, so each church age had an angel, or messenger, the apostle Paul being the messenger to the first or Ephesian Age. (Revelation 2:1, Acts 9:15, 13:46-49; Romans 11:13, 15:15-16; Galatians 1:11-12, 2:6-8, Ephesians 3:1-8; 1st Timothy 1:11). Concerning the 7 church age we read, “And unto the angel (Messenger) of the Church of the Laodiceans write…” (Revelation 3:14a). Jesus then severely denounces the vast, rich, organizational systems of this age, saying they’re poor, blind, naked and DON’T KNOW IT! In verse 20 we find Christ pushed out of his own church, making a call to the few individuals who hunger and thirst to go all the way with God. Since this 7 age is the last church age, and since Elijah must restore all things before Jesus comes for His Bride, we see the man who will have the spirit of Elijah will also be the 7 church age messenger. He will be a prophet-messenger, even as John was both prophet and messenger. (Luke 7:24-27) Therefore Revelation 3:14-22 will be a part of this Elijah’s message
Now consider Revelation 10:7 “But in the days of the Voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” According to this verse, the 7 church age messenger will wrap up all the loose ends in our thinking. God will reveal to him the mysteries that have been hid in the Bible pages through the centuries, thus finishing the mystery of God, at least to the extent that He has declared it to the prophets. This corresponds to what the man clothes in linen told Daniel, “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end:” (Daniel 12:4a, 8-9). So the vision given Daniel must be revealed in our day, and “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but He revealeth unto his servants the prophets,” Amos 3:7. Some other mysteries this Elijah will reveal are: The mystery of the translation of the saints (1 Corinthians 15:51-54) of the Church as the Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:28-32) of Godliness, (1st Timothy 3:16) of iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2:6-12) of MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH (Revelation 17).
Are you beginning to see the necessity of receiving this end-time Elijah and his message? Jesus said, “He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward.” (Matthew 10:41a) and again, “He that receiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth ME (John 13:20). How can you say you love Jesus, then reject a prophet whom Jesus sends? You’re standing on shaky ground. Be careful, lest you have the same spirit as the religious Pharisees, who believed what God did IN THE PAST, but could not accept what God was doing RIGHT BEFORE THEIR EYES! They reviled the blind man whom Jesus had healed saying, “Thou art his disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is,” (John 9:28-29) Jesus said of theses hypocrites, “For had ye believed Moses, (really believed him) ye would of believed me: for he wrote of me,” (John 5:46). Likewise, is we really believed Jesus Christ, we will believe His end-time Elijah, for Jesus spoke of him. Christ also said to the Pharisees, “And ye have not His (the Father’s) Word abiding in you: for whom He hast sent, him ye believe not,” (John 5:38) Oh, Christians, let us believe that Elijah when we recognize him! Remember, everyone who rejected Noah’s message, perished in the flood. To reject God’s prophet is to reject God. (1 Samuel 8:4-7; Exodus 16:2,8).
However, many people will reject this prophet-messenger. It has always been that way. Most prophets were never received by the majority of people in their day, (Matthew 5:11-12; Acts 7:51-52). Out of millions, only 7 listened to Noah. The children of Israel continually murmured against Moses and rebelled against Moses; the people rejected Samuel; Elijah was so hated he thought he was the only one left who loved God; The people constantly laughed at Jeremiah; Jesus said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee…” (Matthew 23:34-37). All the scriptures concerning this end time Elijah will be fulfilled, yet so simply and humbly most will miss it. (Example: read the spectacular prophecy about John the Baptist’s ministry, (Isaiah 40:4), then read in Matthew 3:1-12 how humbly it was fulfilled). But how can we find this true prophet-messenger, amidst the multitude of false prophet that’s swarm the earth today? Jesus said, “By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:15-20). Not only by their gifts and miracles, now, for many will do signs and wonders in the Name of Jesus Christ, and yet be workers of iniquity, (Matthew 7:22-23; Mark 13:22; Deuteronomy 13:1-3) false prophets will look like sheep, (Matthew 7:15). False prophets will be WIDELY ACCEPTED MEN, LIKED, ADMIRED, AND WELL SPOKEN OF BY ALL! (Luke 6:26) False prophets will mislead many because of what they speak is true, yet they will really be after your money, (2 Peter 2:1-3). False prophets will make people trust in a lie, (Jeremiah 28:15) Saying things as, “Be at peace, you’ll be in the rapture, whether your life lines up with the Word or not,” (Jeremiah 23:16-17; Ezekiel 13:10). False prophets will “Pervert the right ways of the Lord” and though they have power, it will be nothing compared to God’s true prophet, (Acts 13:6-12; Exodus 7:8-12). Yet their ways are extremely deceptive, (Jeremiah 23:9-32; Ezekiel 13). False prophets will look and act so close to the real prophet, that only the elect will not be deceived, (Matthew 24:24; 2 Chronicles 18; Jeremiah 28).
But there is one final test. God said, “And if thou say in thine heart, how shall we know the Word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him,” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). That is how to tell a true prophet, when he prophesies in the name of the Lord and the thing comes to pass, (See also Jeremiah 28:9). This end-time Elijah will have “THUS SAITH THE LORD.” When he says, “THUS SAITH THE LORD” on doctrine, it will be perfectly in line with the scriptures, when he says, “THUS SAITH THE LORD, such and such will happen,” the thing will happen exactly as said. If it ever fails to be perfect, just once, he is not a true prophet, for every true prophet has “THUS SAITH GOD” and God’s Word can’t fail. A prophet’s words under the Anointing are not his own; they are God’s words, (1 Peter 1:20-21).
Now, Jesus said concerning John the Baptist, “But I say unto you that Elias is come already, and they KNEW HIM NOT, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed,” (Matthew 17:12-13). Everyone in Christ’s day was looking for Elijah to come, yet he came and went and THEY MISSED HIM! Likewise they were looking for the Messiah, yet He came and went and THEY MISSED HIM! Would it be any surprise if this end-time Elijah would come and go and the majority of people miss him? That ought to make us fall on our faces before God in fervent prayer, for we know the hour is late, our Lord’s coming is nigh. Of course, simply recognizing this prophet-messenger won’t save anyone, for salvation comes only through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. However, we must heed this prophet’s message, for he will turn us to the PURE Jesus Christ, free from all man-made creeds, doctrines, traditions, philosophies, programs and ideas. The Bride of Christ must be so much like him; she will be saying the same thing He says. (Revelation 22:17) She must have, “The mind of Christ,” even as did the Bride in the Ephesian Church age. 1 Corinthians 2:16, Paul said, “Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water BY THE WORD (and this end-time Elijah will restore the PURE WORD for the Bride), that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing (creeds, traditions); but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27). Through this Elijah’s message we will know exactly know what does and doesn’t please our Lord Jesus. We will be restored.
One more thought. John the Baptist prepared a people for the Lord, even as the angel said he would. But did he prepare everyone? Though many heard him, there were but a few who really perceived his MESSAGE and were prepared for the Lord. Likewise this end-time Elijah will “restore all things,” but not for everybody. There will be relatively few who heed his MESSAGE, come into the fullness of Christ and are really ready for the rapture. Few? “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it,” (Matthew 7:13-14; also Luke 13:23-24; 1 Corinthians 9:24). “For many are called, but FEW are chosen.” (Matthew 20:16; 22:14) Eight were were saved in Noah’s day; three saved in the days of Lot. Jesus said that both of these were types of His second coming, (Luke 17:26-30). And after the “Rapture”, of course, “There shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation,” (Daniel 12:1), “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the PROUD, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” (Malachi 4:1) Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man,” (Luke 21:36; 1 “Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets; behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you. (Acts 13:40-41) In other words, you must be careful lest you be so high minded and set in your ways that you can’t receive that prophet and his message when it is declared unto you. (Romans 11:20-21).
It is a serious hour, and this is no trifling subject. Dear Christian, may you be like the people of Berea, who “were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17:10-11; also 1 Thessalonians 5:17-21)
A God Ordained Prophet
Hear the Word of the Lord
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Jeremiah 1:5
“O ye hypocrites,” cried Jesus “ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” (Matthew 16:3). Can you?
From all over the world the Jews are returning to their homeland. Israel became an independent nation in 1948 after centuries of being scattered and persecuted by the Gentiles. Nearly 2,000 years ago JESUS prophesied all this would take place, (Luke 21:24). Jesus then said, so likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. But Verily I say unto you, THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS AWAY, TILL ALL BE FULFILLED. (Luke 21:31-32).
So we know that the hour is late. Yet before JESUS CHRIST can come again, there must be a restoration within His Church (Acts 3:19-21), which is to be accomplished by means of a prophet, one man, having the spirit of Elijah, (Malachi 4:5; Mark 9:12), sent to the last generation to correct all those things that have gone off into error, this preparing a people to be the Bride of JESUS CHRIST.
That prophet has come and gone. All the scriptures concerning him have been fulfilled. Christ’s Bride will soon be caught away to the MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB (Revelation 19:6-9) and for those left on this earth, the GREAT TRIBULATION, (Matthew 24:21; Revelation 6:12-17).
Whom is this man of whom I speak? And what makes me believe him to be that end-time prophet promised to the Gentiles?
The world knew him as Reverend William Marrion Branham. Those who love him call him “Brother.” As far as a prophet – judge for yourself. God didn’t vindicate His servant in a closet, or some “secret chamber,” (Matthew 24:23-26, Luke 11:33). The world saw the proof, yet perceived it not. Newspapers and magazines proclaimed it, but not with understanding. Hundreds of thousands of eyewitnesses around the bear record of who he was, though few realized the meaning of the evidence before their eyes.
He was born in the hills of Kentucky in a crude log cabin, April 6, 1909. Those present witnessed a strange hazy light hovering over him, although it was before daylight, (Jeremiah 1:4-5).
He was born in the hills of Kentucky in a crude log cabin, April 6, 1909. Those present witnessed a strange hazy light hovering over him, although it was before daylight, (Jeremiah 1:4-5).
His first vision occurred when he was seven. While playing on the banks of the Ohio River, he suddenly beheld a bridge rise up and form across the water, as if under construction. As he watched, 16 men fell from the bridge and died in the river. Twenty-two years later a bridge was built in that exact spot and 16 men fell from it, losing their lives during its construction.
There was no form of religion at all in the Branham family. William’s early life was filled with much hardship and poverty because his father drank heavily. His father also bootlegged whiskey during the Prohibition. One time he made his son carry water to his still. As William was passing under a poplar tree, he heard the sound of wind. It puzzled him for the day was calm. Looking up he saw a strange whirlwind in the branches. A voice spoke out of the whirlwind (as in Job 38:1) and said, “Don’t ever drink, smoke or defile your body in any way, for when you get older there’s a work for you to do.”It terrified him, yet he never forgot it.
Several years later his father called him a “sissy” because he wouldn’t take a drink. Determined to prove himself a “man”, he raised a bottle of whiskey to his lips. …he heard that whirlwind. Fear gripped him. He dropped the bottle and ran. In like manner, several years later, his friends called him a “sissy” because he wouldn’t smoke. Angered, he grabbed a cigarette, but again that whirlwind stopped him short.
Yet, despite these and many more similar experiences, he was still a sinner who knew not God, (Romans 11:29). While working for the gas works about the age of twenty he was overcome with gas, became very ill and had to have an operation. As he lay in the hospital, near death, he had a vision. He was standing in a forest and far away he heard the sound of wind rustling leaves – coming closer. He thought it was death. Then that voice said, “Never drink, smoke or defile your body in any way. I called you and you wouldn’t go.” (As in Jonah 1:1-3) “Lord” cried William, “if that is you, let me go back to earth again and I’ll preach your Gospel from house tops and street corners. “The vision faded. Miraculously, William recovered.
He made a promise and he set out to keep it. Yet he knew nothing about finding God. Realizing that God dwelt in nature, he wrote a note and tacked it on a tree so God would read it. When that didn’t work, he entered a woodshed and weeping for his sins, he prayed desperately, “God, I’m no good! Help me!” A cross of light appeared before him. As he realized that his forgiveness lay in the Blood of JESUS CHRIST shed upon the cross, the joy of salvation flooded his soul.
Because he was aware of a strange call on his life, he went into the ministry. It was a hot day, June 11, 1933. He had just held his first revival and was down in the Ohio River baptizing some 130 people in the Name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. As he came to the 17th person a great blazing light appeared in the sky above him (as in Acts 9:1-7) and a voice spoke to him from heaven saying, “AS JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS SENT TO FORERUN THE FIRST COMING OF JESUS CHRIST, SO ARE YOU SENT TO FORERUN HIS SECOND COMING.” There were 4,000 amazed, frightened witnesses who bear record of this. Not even Brother Branham understood then what it meant. Nor could he yet understand his peculiar life. All the ministers he knew told him the visions he so frequently saw were of the devil. However, when they were of a future event, the visions NEVER FAILED to be FULFILLED EXACTLY the way he saw them and they always glorified God by helping God’s children. To make things even more confusing, every time William Branham came in contact with a evil-possessed person, such as astrologers or fortune tellers, they would tell him they saw a light following him, that he was born under a sign, and that there was a divine gift in his possession. These incidents troubled him greatly.
May 7, 1946, as he was coming home from work, a mighty wind started in the top of a maple tree and came rushing down, nearly knocking Brother Branham over. Desperation struck him and he said to his wife, “For over 20 years I’ve not been able to understand this ministry or myself. I can’t go on like this. Is this of God? Honey, I’m going to go into the woods and seek God with my Bible and prayer and find out or never come back!” In a cave in the woods he cast himself down and cried all his heart out to God. About 11:00 that night a star of light filled the cave. Fear gripped William’s heart. He heard footsteps. A man, clothed in white, walked out of the light and said, “Fear not, I am sent from the presence of Almighty God to tell you that your strange life and misunderstood ways have been to indicate that God has sent you to take a gift of divine healing to the people of the world. If you will be sincere and can get the people to believe you, nothing shall stand before your prayer, not even cancer.” For half an hour this angel explained to Brother Branham about his past and told him of his future, (as in Genesis 16:7-12; Exodus 3:2-14; Judges 6:11-23; Zechariah 4:5-6; Matthew 16:2-7; Luke 1:11-38; Acts 5:19-20). He explained why ministers couldn’t recognize a gift of God in William’s life, yet the devil could. It was the same in JESUS’ day: The religious leaders said JESUS had a devil (Mark 3:22; John 7:20; 8:48-52; 10:20), while the demons recognized him as the Holy One of God (Luke 4:33-35; 40-41; 8:27-28; Mark 1:23-24; 3:11). The Angel also told Brother Branham that even as Moses was given two signs to prove he was sent from God (Exodus 4:1-8), so he would be given two signs. First, he would be able to diagnose diseases by their vibrations, which would cause his hand to swell when he took a person by the hand that was sick. If the swelling went down after he prayed he could say, “THUS SAITH THE LORD, you are healed.” The angel said the time would come when Brother Branham would be able to discern the very secrets of men’s hearts, (Hebrews 4:12; John 2:24-25). Millions of people bear record that the words of the angel were fulfilled exactly (as in Acts 27:21-25). As the sign in his hand was manifested, which when seen would raise people’s faith to be healed, his ministry grew nation-wide, then world-wide. Then it came to where the Spirit of CHRIST would reveal to him the very thoughts of people’s hearts (as in Genesis 18:9-15; 2 Kings 6:8-12; John 4:17-19)…reveals their needs; reveal unconfessed sin that were not cleansed by the Blood of JESUS CHRIST; reveal things about their lives that Brother Branham of himself couldn’t possibly know. Not mind reading or psychology, but rather he would see a vision of it before his eyes (Joel 2:28). And when he spoke under the Anointing, out of hundreds of thousands of times all over the world, the words spoken to total strangers NEVER FAILED to be EXACTLY the truth. (Deuteronomy 18:21-22) And the prophesies of healing, of future events, small to great, thousands and thousands and thousands of times NOT ONCE WAS ONE EVEN PARTLY WRONG! It was a literal “THUS SAITH THE LORD!”
Over the next 10 years, Brother Branham circled the globe 7 times, holding some of the largest religious meetings in history. Some 100,000 people heard him in Durban, South Africa. Seven truckloads of crutches, wheel chairs, walking sticks, etc…were hauled away after the healing service. One healed was a poor, deformed beggar, who had never in his life been able to walk erect, but walked all bent over on both hands and feet. This beggar was widely known, because those who cared for him exhibited him as a curiosity, putting a collar and chain on him and having him dance like an animal in the streets. Brother Branham saw a vision of this man standing upright, so he challenged the people and they agreed that if this man was healed in JESUS name, JESUS was indeed God. As soon as Brother Branham prayed, the man stood erect, (as in Luke 12:11-13). Is it any wonder that 30,000 people surrendered their lives to the LORD JESUS CHRIST that night?
Once, God showed Brother Branham a vision of a little boy being raised from the dead. Brother Branham told the vision to thousands of people, describing the scene, telling them to write it down, for it was “THUS SAITH THE LORD!” Two years later, while they were on a campaign in Finland, they came across a car accident in the mountains. A little boy lay in the road crushed, bloody, having been dead for HALF AN HOUR. It was the boy of the vision. Brother Branham faced the crowd standing around and said, “If that little boy isn’t on his feet in five minutes, you can run me out of Finland as a false prophet. But if he is, you owe your lives to the LORD JESUS CHRIST!” As he prayed, life came back into the dead boy (as in Kings 17:17-24; Luke 7:11-16).
While preaching the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST in Portland, Oregon, a huge demon possessed man strode to the platform, calling Brother Branham a fake, an imposter, a deceiver, threatening to break every bone in his body. As the man drew near to execute his threats, Brother Branham said softly, “Satan, because you have challenged the servant of the living God in the name of JESUS, you shall fall at my feet.” The powerful man struggled to come nearer, but couldn’t. He sank to the floor and had to be carried out, (Luke 11:18-20).
In Bombay India, where some 400,000 came to hear the Gospel, there was a blind beggar brought before Brother Branham for prayer. In a vision Brother Branham saw who this beggar was, where he had lived, and that he had become blind by staring at the sun, which he worshipped as God. Then Brother Branham challenged the various heathen priests in turn, “If your god be God, then come up here and have him open this man’s eyes and we’ll fall down and worship your god.” None moved. “But if my God, the LORD JESUS CHRIST, be God and open this man’s eyes, will you forsake your powerless gods and accept JESUS as your Saviour? (As in 1st Kings 18:21-39) To this they agreed. The reason for this prophet’s fearless confidence was because he had already seen the man healed in a vision, and the visions NEVER FAILED. When the beggar’s eyes came open, pandemonium broke loose as those poor people strove just to touch Brother Branham to be healed.
It was in Mexico that the simple faith of a woman caused God to work a mighty miracle. The doctor wrote out a sworn statement that her baby had died at 9:00 in the morning of pneumonia, but because she had seen God give a blind man his sight in Brother Branham’s meeting the night before, she carried her DEAD baby around all day long, believing if she could just get it to Brother Branham, God would raise it up. That night Brother Branham saw a vision of her baby alive. He prayed in JESUS’ name and immediately her infant began to cry.
There was the time Brother Branham stopped his sermon, looked at a man in a wheelchair and said, “Sir I perceive you have faith to be healed. Raise up and walk,” (as in Acts 3:2-10). Congressman Upshaw, who had been confined to a wheelchair for over 60 years, rose up and walked down the aisle praising JESUS CHRIST. Returning to Washington, D.C., Congressman Upshaw was not ashamed to declare William Branham a prophet of God to the 20th Century.
These are but a few (and by no means the most outstanding) of the miracles God used to vindicate His servant. Space fails me to record the hundreds of thousands of times that, “THUS SAITH THE LORD” has been manifested in our generation without one flaw! Did not Jesus say, “If you can’t believe Me simply because the WORDS I speak are the TRUTH, then believe ME for the VERY WORKS’ SAKE, BECAUSE THEY TESTIFY WHO I AM.” (John 10:37-38, also John 5:36; 10:25; 12:37-40; 14:10-12, 15:24; Luke 7:19-23) The same is true of every prophet of God. Is not the same true of William Branham? He had to be sent from God, “for no man can do these miracles…except God be with him,” (John 3:2). If William Branham was not that end-time prophet to the gentiles, when that prophet does come, “will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done? (John 7:31) Assuredly, “If this man were not of God, he could do nothing,” (John 9:33).
Why then is not William Branham widely acclaimed today? No true prophet was ever accepted by the majority of people in their day. A true prophet must strike against corruption, and people don’t like to change. He must speak the TRUTH, no matter what it costs. Notice: as long as JESUS CHRIST (who was the God-prophet) was healing the sick, multitudes swarmed to Him. But when he began to bring forth strong doctrine, the Bible records: “From that time many of his disciples went back and walked no more with Him,” (John 6:48-68). Likewise as long as God used Brother Branham to heal the sick and afflicted, millions followed his ministry. But when God through His prophet began to restore the Word, most people loved the miracles but hated the Word. Howbeit, the Word had to be restored before JESUS CHRIST could take His Bride, for she must be a PURE WORD Bride, and the true meaning of the Word of God has been so distorted down through the centuries until today, as JESUS said, “In vain do they worship Me, teaching for DOCTRINES the COMMANDMENTS OF MEN… making the WORD OF GOD of NONE EFFECT through your TRADITIONS!” (Mark 7:6, 7, 13) On December 3 1962, Brother Branham had a vision where he was standing near Tucson Arizona, picking a sand burr out of his pants leg, when a tremendous explosion occurred. He told the vision to his congregation in Jeffersonville, Indiana (the sermon was tape recorded) on the 31 of December. Then he moved to Tucson. Over a month later, on February 28, 1963, while out hunting, he noticed a sand burr on his trousers. As he reached to pull it off, a tremendous blast rocked the mountain side. Looking up, he saw seven angels in a pyramid sweeping towards him and for a time he seemed to be caught up in their midst. A voice cried, “Go back east”, and Brother Branham knew it was time for the opening of the Seven Seals in the Book of Revelation, (Daniel 12:4, 8-9, Revelation chapter 5,6 through to 8:1). The angels returned into the sky and formed a cloud some 50 miles long and 30 miles wide, which was visible for hundreds of miles around (Luke 21:25-28). Many pictures were taken of this peculiar cloud, some appearing in Life Magazine, the May 17, 1963 issue; some in Science Magazine of April 19, 1963, along with a scientist’s report of how it was scientifically IMPOSSIBLE for such a cloud to exist. The highest clouds forms at about 10 miles, but this phenomenal cloud was 26 miles up, at which altitude water vapour does not exist. Brother Branham returned to Jeffersonville, Indiana, where for 7 days, as he waited on God, the voice of God spoke out of the Pillar of Fire, revealing the exact truth of the mysteries sealed up in Revelation 5 through 8; which revelation was contrary to what everyone (including Brother Branham) had previously supposed, yet was perfectly in line with the rest of God’s Word. As Brother Branham preached 7 consecutive nights on these Seals (March 17-24, 1963) his sermons were tape recorded; thus the Scripture is fulfilled, “But in the days of the VOICE of the Seventh ‘angel,’ when he should begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the Prophets,” (Revelation 10:7).
William Branham died in December of 1965 when he was hit by a drunken driver (John 3:28-30). But the MESSAGE God used him to bring cannot die. There are over 1,100 different tape-recorded sermons of Brother Branham’s circulating around the globe, crying out against perversion, warning souls that JESUS CHRIST IS COMING VERY SOON, mapping out the TRUTH through God’s Word, preparing a Bride for JESUS CHRIST, it is “the voice of the seventh angel.” Think not that these things exalt a man, CHRIST ALONE IS EXALTED! Brother Branham of himself could do nothing (John 3:27). It was JESUS CHRIST performing (through a humble prophet) the same works He did when He walked in human flesh (Hebrews 13:8). So look not at the man, but at the MESSAGE which he brought, for that Message will point you to the pure JESUS CHRIST, free from all denominational creeds and traditions. Did not the apostle Paul say, “Be ye followers of se, even as I also am of Christ,” (1 Corinthians 11:1; 4:16)? When you obey Paul, you are not “following a man,” but the Holy Spirit speaking through him. “And today,” (as lone man wrote) “this man, William Branham, has had literally thousands of manifested vindications from God, and with his life containing all the other factors that make up the prophetic office, he ought to be received for what he is, HE MUST BE RECEIVED FOR WHAT HE IS. “THUS SAITH THE LORD” in his mouth by the Holy Ghost is absolutely no different from the “THUS SAITH THE LORD” in the mouth of Paul, for it is the same Holy Ghost. But would you have recognized Paul had you lived in his day? Or if you had lived in the days of Noah? Or Elijah? Or Jeremiah? Would you have recognized them as prophets and heeded their message? How about if you had lived in a remote part of Palestine and heard reports about somebody called JESUS who was performing mighty miracles? Would you have recognized Him for who He was, or would you have been like the Pharisees, who believed what God did IN THE PAST, but could not accept what God was doing IN THEIR OWN DAY! “Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees,” cried JESUS, “Hypocrites! Because ye build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous, and say, if we have been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets, wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets!” (Matthew 23:29-31) And God has visited this last generation with a mighty prophet, a humble man, who desired neither wealth nor fame, who NEVER FAILED TO GIVE EVERY BIT OF THE GLORY TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
Briefly I have sketched his life, briefly his vindication, briefly I have shown that both run perfectly in order with the scriptures, (Malachi 3:6). Yet all only briefly. And I have not even touched on the MESSAGE which he brought, even though it is that MESSAGE that is the most important. Now it is up to you. Books, tapes and cds are available free, so you must be sincere enough to check it out, weigh the evidence, examine the Word, and pray it through; if it is the Truth, believe it. If that end-time prophet has come and gone, just how late is the hour? In the year 1933, God gave Brother Branham a continuous vision of 7 major things that would transpire. In brief: (1) First he saw that Mussolini, dictator of Italy would invade Ethiopia and take it, but Mussolini would come to a shameful end, his own people turning on him. (2) Next he saw a young Austrian named Adolf Hitler would gain power in Germany and would lead the world into war, but that Germany would be defeated and Hitler would come to a mysterious end. (3) In the third vision he saw the three great ISMS in the world: Fascism, Nazism and Communism: but that the first two would be swallowed up into Communism. (4) Then he beheld the tremendous advances in science that would follow World War II. (5) The fifth vision showed him the horrible moral decay of the world, centering mostly around the women. He saw her cutting her hair, smoking, drinking, wearing pants and indecent clothes. (Remember, these 5 things were shown to him in 1933 years before they occurred.) (6) In the sixth vision he saw a beautiful, yet cruel woman rise in America; dominating the land with her authority (Brother Branham felt this may mean the Roman Catholic Church, though he wasn’t positive). (7) In the last vision he heard a terrible explosion. As he turned to look, he saw the land of America in smoldering ruins. As far as the eye could see there was no life, only craters and smoking piles of debris. Then the vision faded away.
Brother Branham said: “We are here. We’re at the end, friend. Soon it shall be time run out. Millions will lose their lives. Millions will be–that now believe that they are saved will be counted fodder for the atomic age. We are living at the last hour. By the grace of Almighty God, by His help, to His people that they might look forward to the soon appearing of Christ… “How long, Brother Branham?” Maybe twenty years, maybe in fifty years, maybe in a hundred years; I don’t know. AND MAYBE IN THE MORNING, MAYBE YET; I don’t know… So the thing for you to do is to remember that I speak to you in the Name of the Lord: Be prepared, for you don’t know what time something can happen.” IS IT LATER THAN YOU THINK?
Truly, it is not an hour to be playing games. We must be dead serious, lest we be dead dead, (Luke 11:31-32). As Brother Branham said, “God is going to blast and rock this sin cursed world…and there is only one place that can stand that shock and that is in the fold of the LORD JESUS. And I beseech you while God’s mercy is still available to you to give your WHOLE LIFE, UNRESERVEDLY TO JESUS CHRIST. Who, as the faithful Shepherd will save you and care for you and present you faultless in glory with exceeding great joy!”
By O. A. Jorgenson