Paradox #8
A Figure of Speech
Lee Vayle
Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, we’re again a very
privileged people to be gathered together in Your Presence, especially knowing
now where there is neither time nor eternity as such but has blended together.
And we don’t believe there is anymore space and distance, Lord, or all these
other things that deal with matter and energy - all those things, Lord, are
given way to a higher order, although we are still involved in the dregs of
what we know was the order of this hour and the times; but we’re glad, Lord, we
know that we have passed into that which takes us right into the realms have
gone the way they’re suppose to be; and we appreciate it very much. Help us in
the study of Your Word today, Lord, to just yield ourselves to the simplicity
of the grace and the knowledge of God so that we might be partakers of the
Divine grace of this hour. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen. You may be seated.
[Tape stopped for announcements.]
1 We’re
still dealing with the Paradox. I thought that message number seven might
conclude the comments on it, but no, we’re still going into number eight this
morning. [ ] And we’re seeing an exact duplicate of the very ministry and
message and its attending results and consequences, both good and bad, present
and to come, of our Lord Jesus Christ when He was here in human flesh.
Now this is what I want you to understand, that
in this very hour - it’s been going on for years - we take our stand to
understand our knowledge is a revealed knowledge, and we accede perfectly that
we are seeing a duplicate of the very ministry and message, and its attending
results and consequences that took place two thousand years ago, is being
repeated today as It was in the human form of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Bro.
Branham said - this very thing I’m describing - for he declared that Jesus
Christ was obligated to do in the form of the Holy Spirit for the Gentiles what
He did for
2 Now
come on. We’re going to take our time this morning, and I’m very serious. I
have no problems with anything except to stick to the simplicity of this Word,
and that is not a problem. But I want you to know the simplicity, and I want
you to understand that you don’t know what you think you know, and I don’t know
what I think I know, because... see, the Pillar of Fire in that prophet... When
he was aware of the literal Presence of God he looked like a hunted animal. But
when God was in him, he stood there so sweet, so calm, so different. Why? Why?
You would think opposite, wouldn’t you? See? It doesn’t add, does it? I’m going
to tell you something. Nothing adds. Nothing adds. You couldn’t figure this if
you tried. There’s no way you can put it together. And yet you can. See? Why
did he have no fear? One place fear.. .no fear, until one day there wasn’t any
fear or guilt at all. Now you can’t figure it, but it’s true.
3 The
Omega of the Alpha is here. The ministry and message, as have been given -
that’s the ministry and message have been given—that’s the Omega. But the
effects are in progress. Now it’s not over. They’re in progress. But there will
come a time when it is over. This simplicity of it all is literally shocking. And
the question comes, “Who can hear it?” I’m asking the same things that Jesus
said. “Who can hear it?” And the answer is, “Who’s that body? Who can take it?”
That’s what we’re talking about.
4. This
thesis that we are now scrutinizing comes from the actual meaning of the word
‘paradox.’ By this J am saying that the Presence of Jesus, and all that that
Presence entails in flesh, or formerly entailed in flesh, was a paradox back
there. And now the identical Presence in the form of the Holy Spirit is here in
another identical paradox. Now this is what we know to be true. And if you miss
this, in my books... Well, I love you; but you’re not going to make it. Now I’m
not trying to scare you. See people say, “Well Bro. Vayle tries to scare
people.” Look I’m not scaring anybody. I’m telling you the truth. I don’t care
how you pour it on me. I’m in the truth. [ ]
5 Now
identical is identical. I’m talking about a God Who doesn’t change. I’m talking
about a God Whose ways don’t change. I’m talking about One Who was in human
flesh. Now in the form of the Spirit once more in a human flesh through human
flesh. “I am not the Pillar of Fire. The Son of man is not the Pillar of Fire.
It is here in Spirit form. “All right, I repeat. It will do the same thing. It
will bring the same results.
6 Now
“Paradox.” Now let’s watch simplicity to see just how simple we are not. We’re
like the kid in whose house I used to be years ago. His mother put something
new on his plate.
And he said, “I don’t like it. I won’t eat it.
What is it?”
Yes, paradox. Why? A paradox is a figure of
speech. Now you really didn’t understand that before, did you, until this
minute?
Well you say, “I think I did, brother.”
No, you’re wrong entirely, because I didn’t
understand, and I’m way ahead of you, or I wouldn’t be here, right? Now, I’m
not saying you didn’t understand it as though you didn’t have a clue. Oh yes
you did! But you had your own interpretation.
7. Now
the interpretation is this: a ‘paradox’ is ‘a figure of speech.’ That’s what it
is: ‘a figure of speech.’ Thus a paradox is a certain phraseology. All right
let your ears go out. Paradox is not what you see. It’s what you hear. Now a
paradox can have a lot to do with what you see, but be careful how you hear.
Not what you hear; how you hear. For Samuel saw by hearing. A paradox is a
certain phraseology— speech. It amounts to a description in which lies an
explanation, of course. And the description is not the thing itself, but what
is said about it. Thus, the thing itself is not the issue. Thus the thing
itself is, therefore, not the issue, or the important thing, but the
explanation or revelation is.
8 All right. This figure of speech, by
definition, is ‘an incredible statement or opinion.’ Now ‘incredible’ is an
adjective and means ‘seemingly too extraordinary to be believed.’ The
explanation then is incredible. Paradox; still a statement orally given.
One man stands and says, “Well, it’s so and so
and so and so.”
The prophet stands there and said, “I beg to
differ This is what its about.”
What do you mean?
Now, what the prophet said cannot be believed,
humanly speaking. There’s no way you can get it.
9
‘Paradox!’ ’Incredible beyond
belief.’ Thus if you now take the word ‘believe,’ from which comes ‘belief,’
and put it into the Scriptural sense of believing, which will be your
revelation, there would hardly be any way to reconcile them. But there will
have to be a rejection of one or the other, and sometimes both, or apathy. Now
it says again, ‘paradox:’ ‘incredible beyond belief.’ That has to do with
believing, which has to do with faith. Faith is a revelation. Faith and belief
is what you base everything upon as a Christian.
10 Now,
there will be hardly a way that you can reconcile your faith to what has been
evident, so that in the long run, there will have to be a rejection of the
thing itself, Or the explanation, or maybe both, or there will be an acceptance
of the one, and not the other. Hardly ever will there be a
reconciliation between the two. And then there’ll be those with absolute
apathy. “Well, what’s going on. We’ve heard and seen
all that stuff before. I never did see a miracle anyway.” This is perfectly
obvious in the Scripture.
11 We go
to Acts 26, and we begin reading at verse 4 to hasten ourselves along.
4 My manner of life in my youth, which was at
the first among mine own nation at
5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they
would testify, that after the most straightest sect of
our religion I was a Pharisee.
6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of
the promise made of God unto our fathers:
7 Unto which the promise our twelve tribes,
instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake king
Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
What Jews? Sadducees.
Oh you say, “Just a minute. Didn’t the Pharisees
join hands?”
Sure they did, because Paul said, “I stand here
as a champion of the resurrection.”
And they said, “Preach it Paul”
And the Sadducees said, “Hogwash.”
Then Paul said, “Listen, that One
that you killed is raised from the dead, and Abraham is in a [living] form
again.”
Oh they said, “Merciful God; you’re nuts. We
believe in the resurrection but not that.”
Paul was explaining about something that took
place. Well come on. Jar your thinking, because we’re on dangerous territory
this morning. See?
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible
with you, that God should raise the dead? (In other words, Paul is telling them
something that happened, and he is saying, “The dead have been raised. This is
the entire explanation. This is the revelation. Here it is.” And some are going
to say, “Hogwash.” Some are going to be apathetic. It’s going to draw a lot of
responses of which, hopefully, there’ll be some who say, “I see it.”)
9 I verily thought within myself, that I ought
to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus Christ. (Now watch his
testimony. He said, “I was against it.”)
10 Which thing also I did in
Well, there’s your original anti-Christ. It
wasn’t the state. It was the religious order that took precedence over the
state and got the state in its control. I said, “Let me tell you something, you
boys sitting on the throne. If you want insurrection, we’ll give it to you. And
we won’t pull you down. And
11 punished them oft from synagogue to
synagogue, compelled them to blaspheme; being exceedingly mad against them, I
persecuted them into strange cities.
12 Whereupon I went into
12 Now, this is the..
.this we got ‘to go to now, Acts 24:10-15
10 Then Paul, after the governor had beckoned
unto him, spake and answered, Forasmuch as I know
that thou hast been many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully
answer for myself:
11 Because that thou mayest
understand, that there are yet but twelve days since I went up to
12 And they neither found me in the temple
disputing with any man, neither raising up the people,
nor in the synagogues, in any city.
13 Neither can they prove the things whereof
they now accuse me.
14 But this I confess unto thee (now watch),
that after the way which they call heresy (Here’s your paradox. Paul said, “I’m
going to explain it to you and tell it to you.” And they said, “No way. We’re
going to have it our way.” Now watch! They couldn’t deny the things that were
done. And reading history, there’s no way they could deny the things were done.
But they said, “No we don’t see it that way.”)
So worship I the God of
my father, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets.
15 And have hope toward
God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of
the dead, both of the just and unjust.
Now here’s two people standing there—two
groups—and they say, “Yes we believe this implicitly.” But a man came—Jesus,
God in human flesh was on the scene—and it changed the whole story, because
they could not accept what was being said. They could accept what was being
done, but they couldn’t accept what was being said. Paradox is a figure of
speech. The Bible is a paradox. People will argue until doomsday about certain
things. It isn’t going to do them any good. Okay, we go back to Acts 26:16-23.
Now this, Paul said.
16 The voice said, rise and stand upon your
feet. For I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister
and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of the things in
the which I will appear unto thee;
Now, what did He appear unto Paul in? A revelation. Well did He, or did He not? Come on. Wonderful. You’re smarter than a bunch of theologians. Let’s
not get on that subject.
17 Delivering thee from the people,
and from the Gentiles unto whom I now send thee.
18 To open their eyes, and turn them from
darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith
that is in me.
19 Whereupon, 0 king Agrippa, I was not
disobedient unto the heavenly vision;
20 But showed first unto them at
21 And for these causes the Jews caught me in
the temple, and went about to kill me.
And after poor old Paul thought things were
straightened up, one day God said, “You better go up there to
19 Whereupon, 0 king Agrippa, I was not
disobedient unto the heavenly vision.
22 Having therefore obtained help from God, I
continue in this day witnessing both to small and great things, none other things
than those which the prophet and Moses did say should come.
23 That Christ should suffer, he should be the
first that should rise from the dead and should show light unto the peoples and
unto the Gentiles. (Now do you think they’re going to take that? There’s your
paradox.)
24 And thus he spake
(and so on).
13 All right, ‘paradox:’ ‘a statement or
proposition which at first view seems absurd, or at variance with common sense,
or which is actually, or actually apparently contradicts some ascertained
truth, or received opinion.’ Now you can say, “Hey, where’s your vindication?”
Well, they say, “We don’t have to have any vindication. We’ve ascertained that
this is it. Our good brethren that we know to be faithful servants of God,
these fine men, they have said it, and so we have received their opinion.”
All right, ‘a statement or proposition which at
first view seems absurd or at variance with common sense, or which actually
apparently contradicts some ascertained truth or received opinion, though on investigation
or when explained, it may appear to be well founded.’ So therefore, the secret
of a paradox, or anything which runs contrary to what you think you believe,
investigate it.
14 Let’s go to John
11 I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd
gives his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an
hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf
coming, and leaves the sheep and flees: the wolf catcheth
them that scatters the sheep.
13 The hireling flees because he is an hireling and cares not for the sheep.
14 1am the good shepherd and know my sheep, and
are known of mine.
15 If the Father knoweth
me, even so that I know the Father and lay down my life for the sheep.
16 Other sheep I have which are not of this fold
(that’s the Gentile), them I must also bring, and they shall hear my voice; and
there shall be one fold and one shepherd.
I want to ask you one question. When did the
Gentiles ever hear the voice of God? Never, never, never, except in seven
church age messengers. See? It’s a paradox right here. Paul said, “If you have
heard and been taught by Jesus Paradox. They’re going to come on judgment day
and say, “You didn’t visit me in prison. You saw me naked. Didn’t you?” They
said, “Lord, when did we see you naked? When did we...?” Paradox—Paradox.
All right.
17 [Therefore doth my Father love me, because] I
lay down my life that I might take it again.
18 No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of
myself. I have power to lay it down. I have power to take it again. (It’s the
paradox.) This commandment have I received of my Father.
19 There was a division therefore among the Jews
for these sayings.
20 And many of them said,
He hath the devil and is mad; why hear ye him?
21 Others said, These
are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the
blind?
Investigation—paradox overcome.
Now listen, did any of those guys say, “Now just a minute, we know He opened
the eyes, and the devil doesn’t do it.” Oh they said, “He doeth it by
Beelzebub.” Pentecost, supposed to be full of the Holy Ghost, said, “Bro.
Branham had a familiar spirit.” Theirs should be familiar. It wasn’t with God.
Their father had blinded their eyes. No wonder their harlot daughters wear
slacks and go around as men teasers. Corrupt whores on the
street. Pardon the vulgar expression, but it’s in the Bible; so I don’t
feel too bad. I’m rough anyway. What’s the difference?
22 It was in
23 Jesus walked in the
24 Then came the Jews round about him and said, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ,
tell us plainly. (Now watch.)
25 Jesus said, I told you already.
How many more answers do you want? Now people
come to say, “William Branham, say ‘so and so.’ William Branham say ‘so and
so.” Walked off. If he had what he said, then could he
be different from this? The answer is “no.”
I’m going to tell you something. The very
comfort these people want, they’re going to lose. Because what I said to
preface this, my remarks before this message opened, if you had caught it and
understood, God in the prophet, brought a perfect
ease.
The Presence which should literally scare the
living daylights out of you, and It does. Just think
anyway, makes you to understand that God in a man has bridged every gulf, and
nothing else matters. And if you are full of the Holy Ghost, you will be seeing
what is taught. Any you will not be
drawing you own conclusions. You’ll be
listening for verbatim statements, and you will be hearing them shortly.
15 I’m
going to read. We’ll take our time, get ready for another ninety minute tape. It’s going to be slow. All right.
24 …Tell us plainly.
25 He said, I’ve told you and you believe
not. The works that I do in my Father’s
name, they bear witness.
I already said, “Take a look at the work.” Make
your choice. If that’s God, and you’re not doing it, why aren’t you listening?
If your mouth couldn’t bring it to pass, then your mouth doesn’t have the
explanation. If your word didn’t bring it, then your word can’t tell it.
25 The works I did in my Father’s name, did
witness of me.
26 But you believe not because you’re not of my
sheep. (Now notice. He says that flat.) as I said unto
you,
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, they
follow me (They’ll take a paradox anytime.)
28 1 give them eternal life, and they will never
perish. (The greatest moment of my life was when I took a paradox, and I
preached twenty-three sermons on it. I’ll likely start all over again.) . . .Neither can any man pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
29 My Father, which gave them to me, is greater
than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
30 I and my Father are one.
And Bro. Branham said, “When the bride says,
‘land my Father are one,’ the chaff separates. “You say, “Bro. Vayle, I don’t
understand it.” Who asked you to understand it? The point is,
can you receive it?
16 I wanted...
I tried to tell people, because the tapes go out. How long? I don’t know. I
don’t know anything anymore. All I know is one thing. I tell you the truth,
that time and eternity have blended, and something has happened. I don’t care
[if you] deny, leave this building. Thank God you’ve left it, and get out of my
hair everybody, because I’m tired, tired, tired. I’m not mad at anybody, but
I’m trying to get something across to you that’s
desperate and sincere and serious.
Time and eternity have blended. There is no
space any longer, as it has been known. Matter is not known anymore, as it has
been known. It can’t be if the dead are going to come out of the ground. Don’t
you understand something? Take your cotton-picking education, but get it out of
here. I mean it. You’ve got to wake up in this church. Time’s run out. Or
somebody lied! Whatever’s got a-hold of me, has made
me a fool. Say Bro. Vayle, “If you had what you talk about, you would be this
and that.” That’s what you think. That’s the paradox. That’s the Seventh
Seal... [They] don’t recognize it.
Get this flat.—Beautiful Eve... Adam’s hand had
not touched her. He had not come near her in a sensual manner. How was she
fooled? Because she was Eve, and so are you. If you think you’ve got something
to put into this, you are sick. There is only a faith in Almighty God and
desperately believing, like Abraham. That it’s got to be; it’s got to be; it’s
got to be. And they said, “Who do you think you are?” I ain’t
nobody. But God said so.
30 I and my Father are one. (How is it? How do I
know? How
to look out that window. I
used to look out a window, and it doesn’t matter anymore. You say, “Because
you’re callous.” You’re a liar. You’re a liar. How do you know what’s in my
heart? It’s not that at all. I’ve given up on Lee Vayle. That’s all. You say,
“Your words will bring you down.” Let them bring me down. My words will, but
God’s Word won’t.)
31 And the Jews took up stones to stone Him.
(Now listen.)
32 And Jesus answered. Many good works have I
showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? (Now
listen.)
33 And the Jews answered and said, For a good work we stone thee not; but your explanation,
which is blasphemy. (You blasphemed our creeds. You blasphemed our doctrine.
Well, you’ve destroy our opinions and our learned rabbis.) . . .Because thou being a man, makest
thyself God.
34 And Jesus said, Is
it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of
God came, the scripture cannot be broken;
36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath
sanctified, and sent into the world, thou blashpemest;
because I said, I am the Son of God?
37 If I do not the works of my Father, (Then if
I don’t, you tell me to shut up and sit down and don’t listen, because I don’t
even have a Word for you. But if those works are done, then I tell you what’s
behind the works. You better watch it! Paradox.)
“Oh Bro. Vayle, I know you’re quite intelligent
after a very vulgar and crude way, because your mind is analytical. And we’ve
heard you’re worth a lot of money, and we would love to have you come to our
church. But that Presence stuff... You won’t preach it.” And I say, “Like fun I
won’t preach it.”
18 Do
you realize that Jesus Christ died, not because of what He did, but because of
what He said. And do you know that no martyr ever died
because of what he did? It was because of what he said. And do you know that no
sheep ever got to heaven because of what he did, but because of what he said?
Now you’re rejoicing; but some of you don’t believe it, so I’m going to give
you this Scripture. Because you still think you’re a little bit like somebody.
You’re like somebody all right.
19 Rom
10:6:
6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine
heart. (Don’t ask questions.) Who shall ascend to heaven (that is, bring Christ
down)?
7 Who shall descend into the deep (that is, to
bring Christ up)?
8 And they say, what’s that? The word is nigh
thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart that is the word of faith, which we
preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the
Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart God hath
raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Then don’t add to the Word. And they said, “Oh
listen, we agree on the ministry. Hallelujah.” But it’s what you said about the
ministry.
20 With
these words of Jesus we go to page 3, paragraph 18-22. We go to the Paradox.
Some people think Bro. Branham announced this as ‘a pair of socks,’ or
something, you know. I didn’t like the style, so I didn’t put them on. Paradox!
It has to do with speech. Speech. By your words you’re
condemned, and by your words you’re justified. And remember, the thoughts of
your heart speak louder in heaven than your words on earth.
And if I have lied in this pulpit, God knows my heart, I cannot explain what I tried to tell you. There is
no way. I would die for it. I will have to maybe die for it. One thing, Twill die with it. I have got to. And I only talk this way, not as
though you do not have something yourselves. I’m not preaching down to you. I’m
only trying to lay everything out to give you a hope and encouragement to
explain some things. Listen, I’ve got a man sitting here that I caught
something on his face one night. But I knew he was thoroughly confused; and
after two hours, he became de-confused.
Once in awhile I catch a few things. Then you
wonder why I say and do things, because I have to do things and say things. And
they catch a fire and somebody walks out with something. You say, “Well what if
you I haven’t got anything. I’ve got a Word. And after today, I’ll be more
determined than ever to quit preaching, if I possibly can. But I always stick
my stupid neck out. [ ]
21 All right, we’re on page 3, paragraph 18-22.
Here.
18 Because, healing is the children s bread. We
realize that it’s in the atonement, and the atonement first is applied to our
souls. The healing has always, and healing has always forerun every message,
and it’s also been a means to gather the people together To
get in there to look at it.
19 Many people sponsor a healing meeting, many
will come to a healing meeting, or a song festival, but when it comes to a poor
soul to get saved, there s not many people interested in that. But that’s the
main thing. Divine healing and singing festivals, so forth, well that’s okay
but as Daddy Bosworth said, “Healing is the bait on the hook.” It just shows
the fish the bait, not the hook.
20 Now, that’s just thing, to get people to
listen till you can really present to them your message. God has done that in
every age, through every age, there’s always been a healing campaign. If it’s a
genuine healing campaign, behind that campaign, there is always a message.
Paradox—because if He’s the same yesterday,
today, and forever... I don’t care if the fullness of God indwelt Bro. Branham
as it indwelt nobody but Jesus Christ. He can’t change. And William Branham
can’t change it.
They’re going to stand there and see the
miracles and say, “Well, ha. Oh, Bro. Branham was a great prophet, and when he
discerned it was so nice. And oh the miracles. But you
know when he began preaching, [he went haywire].”
You say, “Hey, you guys are doing what the
Pharisees did. Don’t you remember when you came out of Methodism and those
other “isms” to become a Pentecostal, and you said if there’s further light
down the road, we don’t want to miss it? And you came out for gravy. What if
this were it?”
Ah, forget it. Say, “Well just a minute. Just a minute.”
No. I’m going to just a minute you. Their eyes
are blinded by the devil, because their father’s the devil.
You say, “Now just.” I’m not... Don’t just a
minute me for nothing brother/sister. You think I’m going to blaspheme Jesus
Christ for you and your lunk-head? I’ll see you on
your way to the
You say, “Oh, Bro. Vayle you have no love.”
I have no love? Hah. Let’s stack the record up.
Three things: money, popularity, and women. Now let’s see where we go. Let’s
see where we go. I’m not here to be any virtuous person; but neither am I the
devil and the tool of hell. Okay?
22 Now.
20 A genuine healing campaign there’s to behind
it, there’s a message. There never is a sign just given for a sign; it foreruns
the message.
21 And I believe the same thing is, seventeen
years ago, or eighteen now, the Lord sent me out to start praying for the sick.
It made a great revival amongst the people. Many great servants of God has gone
forth in healing campaigns, but the healing campaign, in itself if you still
stay in the same old trend of what you always was, there something wrong that
healing campaign wasn’t sent from God. False anointed It’s
got to attract attention first, then get the attention, then get the message.
22 Jesus when He came
forth, healing the sick, and so forth. He was a great Prophet to them all. But when He began to tell them the Truth, Paradox, a figure of
speech. Just preaching wasn’t a paradox per say. It was a paradox to
them. When He told them the Truth, the Gospel, Who He was and what He came for,
then He was not popular after that. And that’s the way it’s always been through
every age, and it will continue that way.
And William Branham said, “Here I stand, Pillar
of Fire over me. Here God, here Jam veiling the Word to you people, and I’m a
paradox.”
The whole thing’s a paradox, because you’ll say,
“Oh Bro. Bran- ham, come and heal my daughter. Oh Bro. Branham do this, oh Bro.
Branham do that.”
And he said, “Look, I... hold it. I don’t have
the power to do it.” He said, “I couldn’t take it off you if I wanted to
because I might doing God a disfavor I’ve got to hear
from Him.”
And they say, “Ah, phooey, we’ve heard from God.
Listen William Branham, the goodness of God leads to repentance, get that
daughter of mine back her sight, and bless God that will make her repent.
Hallelujah, she’ll feel good.”
That man’s a liar, and the truth isn’t in him.
They’ll turn right around
and take their old creeds
and dogmas once more and say, “Hallelujah,
I knew it could be done.” [ ]
23 All
right, now. Bro. Branham puts It together for them.
Healing, discernment, etc. are for signs for the coming message. But Bro. Bran-
ham could neither heal nor give a revelation. All right, paragraph 24.
24 I’m here, my brother, a helper in God’s
kingdom, to help you do anything that I can. To answer your question, I might
not be able to do it. But, prayerfully, we would probably understand if we
would pray over it and went to God about it, and not draw our own opinions.
Well, how in the world are you going to find out
if William Branham drew his own opinion? Well he better have some vindication.
Now just as soon as the vindication comes, the miracle that would vindicate
him, and show positively that, you know, he’s the one to listen to. They’re not
going to listen. Why? Because He’s the same yesterday, today,
and forever.
And you don’t make the Word fight the Word. You
watch It’s continuity. That’s why Bro. Branham said,
“Don’t get Moses mixed up with Noah. Hey, we’re going to float them down the
25 Now he said, If
you’re sick, I wish I could heal you, but no man can do that Its already done.
Healing lies in you, but your faith in the finished works that God did on
But he didn’t say, “In you is
the ability to bring forth the revealed Word,” or he would have lied. Now he
said, “Healing is in you. But this one I want to tell you, the Paradox, is not
in you.”
And they said, “Oh William Branham, that dear,
dear man. You know. See what it is. He had that mentality of a
So you’re telling me now that your parents are
high grade, and you’re high grade; and you got an education? So now you’re it.
“Well not really.”
Then what are you trying to tell me?
“Well you see, it was
just this.
You-see the man got puffed up with the ministry, and he got carried away.”
Yes, and you got puffed up with your education,
and your pre-eminence, and your dogmas, and trying to be a minister to other
men so you can lead groups to you.
25 All
right. Also we go to page 2, 13-16.
13 Now, the Message that the Lord has allotted
to me, it’s sometimes, you know, these things get pretty touchy. And it’s been
that way in every age. And I’ve tried my best to stay with It.
It’s something And if I did not speak that thing that
God told me, and if it wasn’t of God, then it wouldn’t be in the Word. If it’s
in the Word, and a promise for this hour then I feel
what I’m doing is right, because I’m only hoping to keep what He promised for
this hour.
That’s what Jesus said.
Well, they said, “We got Moses, hallelujah.” He
said, “If you knew Moses, you’d know me.”
“Well, we have seed.”
Oh, He said, “If you were Abraham’s seed, you’d
be like Abraham. He didn’t fuss at Me. He was glad to
see Me.”
Oh they said, “For Pete’s sake, you’re not 55
years of age, and what are you talking about, you dumb jerk?”
William Branham said, “I’ll reveal things that
were not known from before the foundation of the world. “And he did.
They said, “Oh phooey. Puke on that stuff.”
Pardon the language. Let it stay right where it is. I tell you, I’m putting in
vulgar words exactly what their vulgar sentiments were. I’m putting in strong
words where their strong unbelief was. I’m putting into harsh phraseology what
their stinking pride was (and is). And I won’t apologize.
At this point I could even say, God bless the
pope. That’s right, the Catholics were a dying breed
with nothing. Take a map. Put it in purple where the Catholics were. And then
go where the Commies are and paint it red. And every place the Catholics were
and are is red. Protestant America saved Catholicism. So I’ve got more feeling
for the pope than I got for the Protestants, although it’s mixed when I say
that. No, no, no. Maybe I’ve got none for any of them. I suppose that’s more
the truth.
26
14 Many times when you cross up someone in their
theology, they’ll fall out with you, right quick. But that shouldn’t be. I try to… I find friends of mine that’s all a different denominational churches, so forth I
never fall out with them as brethren. I go
to their churches, everywhere, they let me come, and speak. We
shouldn‘t fall out with little ideas.
What’s he trying to say? Why don’t you listen?
We both believe in a rapture. We both believe in the
second coming. We both believe in healing the sick. We both believe in the end
time. Look. I’ve got something here that says, “Hey.” And they said, “Well, we
heard the devil could do that too.”
27 Notice
in paragraph.. .We keep reading, paragraph 15.
15 And you know, if I
said anything different from what’s in my heart, I would be a hypocrite. Far be
it! I might have to meet Him someday, as a sinner but I certainly don’t want to
meet Him as a hypocrite. I want to be true. And if I just saic4 “Well, I’ll
just omit This because that’s the rest of them
believes this, and that, “then what kind of a person would be? You couldn’t have any confidence in me, I couldn’t have confidence in God or in myself when I
could so easily compromise. Now listen.
16 Anyone has got to have something that they’re
sure of That’s when you can base your faith, is when
you’re sure. But until you’re sure, if there is a question, leave it alone
until you’re sure.
Now listen, brother/sister. I go back over
Presbyterianism, the mixed dogma of the two churches Methodist and Presbyterian
coming together, which is less than nothing, and I kid you not. I have been
with the Baptist, been with the Pentecostals, right down the line. And this was
the first time in my life that I can stand here on a Word. I can’t go by
experience, because I’ve been through them. I’ve been in the churches. I’ve
preached for them and everything else. It doesn’t work.
Now there’s got to be somewhere to put your
faith. Now he says here, “On your faith.” He says, “The paradox is incredible.”
You simply can’t believe it—normally speaking. But when you investigate, it
could be true. How he said in paragraph 16, “Base your faith.”
28 It
now comes to this point. Here is a great ministry. What does it indicate? Let
the man involved in the ministry reveal It. Okay.
Old Dave [Barradas], I
think, invented something to kind of put shingles on the roof, so they come out
right. Don’t they? Well, so I’m going to say, “Hey, you people, Dave invented,
but I’m going to tell all about it. I’m going to tell how Dave invented it.” I
haven’t the least idea how he invented it. I haven’t the least idea how he does
it. Furthermore, I’m not even interested. But if I was, and I wanted to show
off, I could say, “I’ll tell you, Dave’s going to shingle you.” Why he’s the
guy that did it.
Another Dave, he fixed a problem up for the air
conditioners that condition air for Air Force planes. Well, I don’t know the
first thing about that, Dave. I don’t know how he did it. Yes, I’d like to
know, but it wouldn’t do any good to tell me.
But I’ll tell you, I’d like to have somebody
stand up here. Now Joe’s [White] of the same outfit, and we’ve got some
educated birds here. They’re birds, yes. Doves and eagles, and I’d like them to
tell me how Dave did it. And actually our good buddy Chris [White] here has
worked in air conditioning. Now he hasn’t got a clue, except he hooked ‘em up.
In other words, let the man that did it tell you
about it. Let him tell about it. But no, they all stood back, and they said,
“Well, I believe it’s this. I believe it’s that.” “No it ain’t.”
“Oh yes it is.” And when he told it, oh
they said, ‘Ain’t no way.”
Now you see General Motors, they think they’re
real smart. This guy Smokey, I forget his name, but he’s a pretty good mechanic
down in
29 Now
isn’t it logical if Bro. Branham had a ministry that he would be the one to
know about it? Now Jesus Christ came from God with a ministry. Wouldn’t it be
right that He’s the one to tell about it? Now a messenger is a physical form
for a Word. Who wants to believe it? Okay. (Make sure I don’t get too far here,
one way or the other. Okay?) Where do you base your faith? The man said it; but
who can take it? They could not accept. It is exactly as the prophet said on
page 8, paragraph 57-68.
57 Joshua here is a Book actually, it’s a Book
of redemption, of the Old Testament Joshua, we would
have to consider it to be that, Book of redemption. Because
redemption has two pans. Redemption, anywhere, has two parts. That is,
“out of” and “into. “It takes two parts to make redemption, “out of” “into.”
58 Moses represented the law which brought them
out of
59 It also represents something for our day Now represents, as they were in the journey coming from
60 It’s the law that brings us to recognize
we’re wrong, there’s diagnosis, but it’s the grace that forgives us, that’s the
prognosis. The law has no hope for redemption because that is to complete it.
It has no grace in it, because law only points that you’re a sinner but grace
tells you how to get out of it. Law is the policeman that puts you in jail,
redemption the One Who paid your fine; to come ‘out of” and “into” grace.
61 The
30 Now
the people said, “Just a minute now. What do you mean?” Can’t people just sit there and listen? Just
take it and say, “This is Ephesians” Okay, let’s see where it goes; put it bare
right now. Like everybody said, “Joshua is a man.” Sure Joshua is a man, but
Joshua is a book. See, dealing with structural history, a
history that’s been structured. And that is a prototype in the sense of
this.. It was a build-up back there. We’re modeling on
[it]. It was a type of our anti-type, whatever you want to call it.
31 All
right.
62 Now, we find Joshua... He’s explaining it.
Now we find Joshua representing grace, or some propitiation,
that could not exist in the same time law was in existence.
If you’re under law, there’s no propitiation—no
blood, and Life that’s going to avail. Now you see, propitiation and the Life
stood there at the time of the law, he said they were together. But if you’re
going to keep with the law, the mix up, you can’t go in.
63 Neither does any message,
that forwards the people on, ever coincide with a past message. Now he’s
telling you something here. He is talking about his talking or his sermonizing.
And he said, “I’m going to be different in my preaching. And no more can you
get into the Father’s house of many mansions starting with the Millennium, than
nothing if you don’t follow this route which they followed back there: come out
of
64 And Joshua could not at all become into his
ministry until Moses, could not become at all. In other words, Joshua, the
ministry could not be effective until Moses was gone. Until
the law was gone, until everything was gone. They smelled of garlic and
leeks and those things, it wouldn’t work anymore. Joshua could not at all
become into his ministry until after Moses was gone. So you see the very first
verse here, ‘Moses my servant is dead; arise and take the people to the promised land. “Moses representing law,
served his time. The law served its time.
65 They started out really with grace, to begin
with. Before they had law, they had grace. While they were in
But you see grace couldn’t do a thing with it, I
mean law couldn’t stop it that grace couldn’t work.
32
66 Here was Joshua, representing grace, was
right along with the law, but could not be enforced as long as law was in it’s
proper place.
67Andso has the church world in this last day!
Now he’s drawing a paradox. He’s drawing a comparison. And they say, “Well
William Branham, when you start talking like that, we lose you. You lose us.
Forget it. You’re a nut. No way. He blew it right there and himself calling
himself a type-ologist.” No man living, no man living
is doing what William Branham did. And so the church world in this last day! Its come along, it’s played it’s part, but there’s coming a
time when it must cease. It must do it. There has got to be an Ephesians, also,
of this journey, just as there was other journeys.
There has to come an Ephesians, an
68 Wherein that law could never save a sinner as
I have pointed out. It could not
Therefore the promised land represented a day of race.
Not the day, but a day of grace. See, he could not take them into that journey.
See? As you notice now. He’s showing you... He’s
telling you right here in his message, he’s going back there, and he’s got a
period of time in which we have a Message for this hour which is positively
disassociated from everything of the old, and is going to be responsible to
bring us into the Millennium. The signs and the wonders have proved it, so
[you] better receive it. Now they say, “I don’t think we can do that.”
Now, never forget John 10:30-33. We just read It awhile ago.
30 I and my Father are one.
31 They took up stones again to stone him.
32 Jesus answered, Many good works have I showed
you from my Father; for which of these works do you stone me?
33 And they answered and said, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy;
because thou being a man, makest thyself God.
Now they tell Him, “Look, Your ministry is
wonderful, but when You perform the miracles, shut-up
and sit down. We’ll take over.”
There’s a certain man that Bro. Branham thought
the world of. I got to know that fellow through a friend of mine, and I knew he
wasn’t so wonderful. But he’d done a lot, and he’d done a nice thing for Bro.
Branham one day, commenting how nice he was, and appreciated the ministry. And
so I let Bro. Branham have both ears full from my wagging tongue on both ends,
and I raised my voice suitably on the right occasions. And I let him know what
kind of a skunk this friend of his was. He looked at me, didn’t say one word. Just passed right on. I thought, well that’s fine. Here’s a
hear-not, sort of. At least they don’t hear evil. That’s very nice of Bro.
Branham; he wouldn’t hear.. wouldn’t
take an accusation.
But within the next year I didn’t hear one more
word about this guy. How come Bro. Branham doesn’t talk about this wonderful
friend of his? You know what I found out? That Bro. Branham overheard him say,
“Don’t worry, William Branham will bring the crowd, and we’ll take it from
there.” So, Bro. Branham still didn’t say one word.
Now if he’s in this room, which he could be by
form of theophonic body which I couldn’t see, I don’t
think he’ll feel too bad that I said that. It’s kind of my little joke with
him, you know now. Of course this guy wasn’t too hot, and neither was I. So no
use the pot, you know, calling the kettle black. But you see,
he was using Bro. Branham. “Bring on the miracles. Bring on the prophet. Let’s
have the miracles. And let’s teach them creeds and dogmas.” Could you believe
[it]?
35 Listen,
do you understand that Bro. Branham would not be used if he could help it? Do
you realize what that means? It’s a typical parallel of Jesus Christ’s ministry.
He was used. But you know something? God does not intend to be used. And I’m
talking in terms of the ulterior.
36 All right. See this carried on in Acts
4:8-19. Acts 14, now did I say 4? Acts 14, because I knew it couldn’t be Acts
4, because I know that chapter better than this one. All
right?
8 There sat a certain man at Lystra,
impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never
walked:
9 The same heard Paul speaking; who steadfastly
beholding him, perceiving it of faith to be healed.
10 Said with a loud voice, Stand up on your
feet. And he leaped and walked.
11 And when the people saw what Paul had done,
lifted up their voices, saying with the speech of Lycaonia,
the gods are come down in the likeness of men.
12 They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker.
13 And the priest of Jupiter, which was before
the city, brought oxen and a garland unto the gate, and would have done
sacrifice with the people.
14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul,
heard of it, they rent their clothes and ran among people crying,
15 Sirs, why do you do these things? We’re men
of like passions with you, and preach unto you that you should turn from these
vanities unto the living God, which made heaven and earth, and the sea and all
things that are therein:
16 In times past suffered nations to walk in
their own ways.
17 Nevertheless he left not himself without a
witness, in which that he did good, giving us rain from heaven, fruitful season,
filling our hearts with food and gladness.
18 And with these sayings scarcely came they the
people that had done sacrifice unto them. (Okay.)
19 Then there came thither certain Jews from
Now they took the miracles, but they couldn’t
take the Word. Every single time, it’s the parallel. All
right. We are seeing what is exactly the ‘paradox.’
It is ‘the incredible explanation of the manifestation.’ That’s exactly what it
is.
37 Thirteen
of Acts 40.
40 Beware therefore, lest that which come upon
you, which is spoken in the prophets.
41 Behold you despisers and wonder, and perish;
for I work a work in your days, a work which you shall in no wise believe,
though a man declare it unto you.
What he’s telling you in plain English there,
you will not take what that work indicates, because a man will tell you. And
you’ll say, “Well I’m as good as anybody, bless God.” Like Mr. Pentecost, he
with his friend, another man that’s dead now, said, “Well you can take Bro.
Branham to be a prophet when he tells you your troubles, but don’t believe him
in the Word.” The same man is still living, Mr. Pentecost, and he called Bro.
Branham, he said, “That man that judged others, look
how he’s judged himself.” Very happy to see Bro. Branham smeared across the
road. “Now I stand here vindicated, hallelujah. Watch, we’re living here, bless
God.”
I’m going to tell you something. There’s a lot
of Pharisees lived after Jesus died. They’re not vindicated because they lived.
There’s a lot of people living after Paul died, and they’re not vindicated.
There are people that lived after Luther, and they’re not vindicated. And there
are people living today that aren’t vindicated. And Bro. Branham’s dead, and if
I die tomorrow, what’s the difference? Good for me, hallelujah, no problem. I
am persuaded.
38 Acts
28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught,
saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I came; I am not come of myself,
but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not. (Now, that’s because of the
works.)
29 But I know him; for I am from him, and he
hath sent me. (They said, “There’s a man sent from God,” concerning William
Branham.)
30 Then they sought to take him; but no man laid
hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
31 And many of the people (don’t want to read
too far here, all right, not quite far enough yet) made to believe on him and
said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man
has done? (What of William Branham? If he comes to the Gentiles, will anybody
do more? No, he’s still the granddaddy. He’s still the one infallible.)
32 The Pharisees heard the people murmured such
things concerning him (they were complaining, see?) And the Pharisees and chief
priests and officers sent to take him. Crucify the Son of man afresh, the Son
of God afresh.
39 Okay,
40-53.
40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard
this saying said, Of a truth this is the prophet.
41 Others said, This is
the Christ. But some said, Shall the Christ come out
of
42 Hath not scripture said,
Christ comes of the seed of David, and out of the town of
43 So there was a division amongst the people
because of him.
44 Some of them would have taken him; laid hands
on, but no man laid hands on him.
45 Then came the officers, the chief priests and
Pharisees; and said, Why have you not brought him?
46 The officers said, Never a man spoke like
this man.
47 The Pharisees said, Are you also deceived?
(Why I didn’t thing you were such low, brown, manure-heads. I thought you had
the gold and silver of our intelligence, and o
48 Have any of the rulers of the Pharisees
believed on him? (Oh no, they just came and explained Him away.)
49 But this people who knoweth
not the law are cursed.
50 Nicodemus said, he that came to Jesus by
night, being one of them.
51 Doth our law judge any man, before he’s tried,
before he’s heard?
52 And they said, Are you also
53 And every man went to his own house.
They divided the people. See? Successfully,
because no man traced the geneology.
40 Where
are you going to find out about William Branham, prophet of God? His name’s not
in the Bible. A lot of names are not in the Bible. Where you going to find
about them? Except you begin tracing the Word down? Let’s find out if there
could be a prophet amongst the Gentiles. Yes. Let’s just ask ourselves
questions about this whole thing too, of where seed comes from. But you can’t
tell people that.
41 Now,
the Omega, they were based upon, had a truth back in Mat
15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself
from thence; and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;
16 And charged them that they should not make
him known;
17 That it might be fulfilled spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying;
18 Behold by servant, whom I have chosen; my
beloved in whom my soul is well pleased; I’ll put my spirit upon him (that’s
back there in the days of His flesh. Now watch) . . . and he shall show judgment
to the Gentiles. (Future - the same one.)
19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither does
any man hear his voice from the street. (Now that didn’t happen in
He was out there shouting and striving and
kicking up a ruckus every time.)
20 The bruised reed shall not break with the
Gentiles. (He did with the Jews. Took away it all.)
The smoking flax he didn’t quench, (He did quench it there, He
doesn’t quench it here. Yet people try to tell you, there’s going to be a law
in
21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.
(All right, that’s for
42 Let’s
go to Acts 3 now, Peter speaking about this day. Now watch how he puts it. Verse 19, the middle part. He says to the Jews first.)
19 Repent ye therefore,
and be converted, your sins may be blotted out. (Period.)
When times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;
20 Even he shall send Jesus Christ which was
preached unto you.
Now the Presence of this Lord in verse 19 is not
the Presence of the Lord in verse 20, because the Lord in verse 19 is going to
send the One in verse 20. Well read it. I’m a bit of a jug-head, but I can
figure that out. Jesus never said, “I sent myself.” He said, “The Father sent Me.”
43 Now
notice in verse 20, verse 21 says, “Whom the heavens must keep there even
though this one is present, and he’s present to visibility.” What the eye
apprehends, which are the signs, and wonders, and miracles. See? People say,
“Well I tell you what, Why didn’t Bro. Bran- ham create?” He did, through the
voice of Almighty God, but nobody saw it. You say, “Well they saw Moses.” I beg
to differ. When Moses said, “Let fleas come,” I think the fleas came that
night. Nobody saw it. When he said, “Let the Hood turn to water,” began
trickling down. They said, “Oh there’s a mountain up, a volcano erupts up
there, and this red stuff comes and makes it red.” But it didn’t make the water
stink. But this one did. Blood!
44 Okay.
Let’s keep reading. “Then heaven must retain him until the restitution of all
things.” Now I want to ask you a question. If the One that’s going to send Him
is here, and that One up there has got to stay there
until something’s restored, I ask you, who’s doing the restoring? The One down here. Hah, well naturally. He’s not here to do
it. The One up there’s not here to do it down here, is He? Do you want me to
prove this? I want one lady to run upstairs with the vacuum cleaner, and one
stay down here. Now the one that vacuums down here is not the one vacuuming up
there. Unless you are completely nuts. I don’t even
know who I’m talking to around here anymore.
I’m just out to the place of the two old Scots
ladies: one Scots lady says here, I’ll tell you, she said, “Maud, I do believe
the whole world is queer but thee and me, and sometimes I’ve got my doubts
about thee.” Or the two thousand British soldiers- that marched by the house of
Maggie McQuire and her little Johnny. She saw him,
and she said, “Oh just to think the whole army’s out of step but my Johnny.”
Well, it’s good to look into these things. That’s all I want to know. So reduce
it to a joke.
45 Right
at this time, God holds this world in derision. And the speaking in tongues
brings derision, because they say, “Hey, we’ve got it. We speak in tongue.”
He says, “No you don’t got
it.”
“We heal the sick.”
He says, “So did Judas.”
“We raised the dead.”
He said, “So did Judas.”
46 How
many people with a ministry are preaching the “Paradox.”
You don’t need a theorem proved over and over again once the theorem is proved.
You use it to solve your problems. The problem is life and death. The theorem
is in sight, my brother/my sister.
47
21 “Now restore all things which God has spoken
by the mouth of all his holy prophets.”
What went by the board? The Word went by the
board. Just think, the same Pillar of Fire that brought the Word to Paul, had
better be here giving the Word to somebody. Had better be here and prove it.
Because the bride fell from a virgin to a prostitute of the street, giving her
favors to every filth under God’s high heaven. And
Jesus Christ wants a bride like that? Well, He wouldn’t have asked us to be
cleaned by the blood, would He? We’d just fit nice—sanctified by the Word. No.
This is I Corinthians 15: the One that came down at the time of the
resurrection with the Message, with the Shout, at the head of the church, is
bringing her all into order. The great General is here. It’s another Joshua.
It’s another Ephesians. Sure it is. Amen.
48 All right, so far we have gone.. .Okay, it is Eph
17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him (You’ll know Who is Present. And Bro.
Branham said, 41l about Him, what He’s doing, where He’s going and everything
else.” And said, “You’re going to know.”);
18 The eyes of your understanding, the eyes of
your heart being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling,
the riches of glory of his inheritance in the saints.
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his
power to us- ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.
20 Which he wrought in Christ when he raised him
from the dead.
That does not apply to you and me, in the sense
of a resurrection. Because resurrection means to go down and
come up. We will not go down and come up. We have already come out in
the Spiritual resurrection, and we re going into the promised
land, immortal Absolutely You say, “Who said so?” The vindicated prophet. Yes, he said so. Yes.
49 All
right Furthermore, Bro Branham said, in page 12, 83-90.
83 But notice, just before they entered the promised land, of all the differences that rose up among
them One of the great things was Korah. He didn’t want this one man leadership Dathan, and how they come up before Moses and tried to tell
him, The message had to mean this, and put a different interpretation to it,
their own ideas of what it was And every one perished! Every one!”
Now Moses was the meekest man. Now the Bible said “A fruit of the spirit is
meekness.” Not weakness. I don t think It says
one word about strength at all. So It says, “You’ll not get a spirit of fear But a power, love and
a strong mind“. That s
a converted mind. That s what it was.
All right? Moses stood there when the people had erred. Like Jesus said, “Forgive them, they know not
what they do“. Moses said, “If you take
them, you got to take me”. But on the
day they came against the vindicated Word, see?
Now listen, God stood there, and He said “No, Moses look ,“ He said,
“I’m sick and tired of the whole mess I’m going to blot them all out Ill give
you wife and wives, and you just start on a complete new bunch.” That was possible. No harm done.
No harm done, because in one male all the life of the universe is there.
I believe with just one male, could handle the
whole thing. When you get trillions of
sperm over a period of a lifetime, everything has got to be in there. And you consider the woman came from the man,
and if God can understand a sperm count, can also take the ova count of a woman,
the little cilia hair in there like things, be literally millions, although
only about a quarter million actually mount to anything. You think that that computer mind of God couldn’t
take and bring every on together to life? Nothing to it. Nothing to it. Every single one would have been brought back
to continue the lineage; just get rid of this bunch here. And Moses said “No.” He stood in the breach.
But you know there came a day like Jesus said,
“You can say all you want against the Son of man, but the day that you
blaspheme the Holy Ghost, that’s the day that nobody stands.” And that’s where Moses stood, because it was
against the Word and the leadership that the Word came in And Moses saw that if
they could persuade him off that Word, never mind the little doggie stupid
tricks they were doing You know, their beer guzzling
and their frivolity and their idolatries, which is pretty serious. It is
serious. And their fornications, which is abysmal and rotten, said, “I’ll overlook that.” See? When
it came to the place of that Word though, that Moses life himself depended on,
because what they did didn’t affect Moses.
You commit adultery, that doesn’t affect me.
That’s your tough luck. You’ll pay for it. You go out and lie, cheat, and
everything else, you’ll pay for it. I ain’t going to.
Because you’re not going to bug me one little bit. But you try to get me off
this Word, that’s where the fight is; because that means my death. And Moses
stood there, and he said, “Just a minute.” He said, “1 stood in the breach way
back there, and I wouldn’t let you go down. But if you think I’m going to
change from this, and you’re going to [make] me, you’re wrong. You’ll all go
down.”
You say, “How could a person be that way?” Paradox. You’ve got to stand with the Word. That’s the one
place where Bro. Branham squinted his eyes and just
stood there.
51 All
right, we’re reading on page 12, 83-90.
83 There wasn’t none of them but what perished.
84 Our fathers ate manna in the wilderness, for
the space forty years, every one dead.
85 Eternally separated. All dead, yet they
enjoyed hearing the message, enjoyed the manna that fell. Not another manna; the genuine manna! You say, “That’s happened
here?” It’s happening.
86 When it came to the
time when Balaam came out with his false doctrine, said, “Well we’re all one.
Why don’t we just go together let our children many one another? There’s a
fellow trying to start that right now. Yes. He said, in a certain place,
“They’re all one,” he said. I’m not going to sit with him. No—no. You say,
“Well Lee, you’re making a mistake.” I’ll answer to God. I’ll answer to God.
You say, “The people.” What people? Am I preaching to foolish virgin? Have I
been called to the derelicts, the unregenerate? Have I been called to help a
bride? I don’t know. I flatter myself that I’ve been called to help a bride.
Maybe I’m wrong. Marrying together was the unforgivable sin. It never was
forgiven Israel Then Joshua raised up for the exodus. To take them in, see?
We’re talking, now listen. We’re talking, watch him
bring it in now.
87 Revelation chapter
6, I believe, yes, sixth chapter of the Seven Seals. They’re suppose...
The Book to be sealed up with seven mysteries, or Seven
Seals, Revelation 6. The last day, Revelation 10, Revelation 10 we find
out that the
88 In every age there had been some of It left off The reformers didn’t have time to take care of
It. The days of Luther only preached justification by faith. He was gone, they
made a church. Came Wesley, preached sanctification.
There it was. Came along Pentecostals.
89 But we’re promised, in Revelation 10,
according to Malachi 4, and Saint Luke 17:22.
Paradox. Say, “Just a minute
Rev. Branham. You flying to tell us that you’re
Malachi 4. That you’re Revelation 10. You’re Luke
17:22?”
“I said it.”
“Oh, oh, oh, oh boy. Ah yes, Mr. Pharisee,
was that renegade that called Himself Jesus, you know, did He say He was the Son
of God?”
“Yes he did Rev. Vayle. And I want to tell you,
He didn’t fool us for one minute.”
Put it together kid. You’re not dumb. Alpha is
Omega. Alpha is Omega. Same thing right today. William
Branham was Rev 10:7. He was Mal 4:5-6—part of it. He was Luke
52 All
right, “. . .that the God of the Lord Jesus Christ may
give you, the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.” And
over in the fourth chapter at the time of headship, verse 20.
20 But you have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that you’ve heard him, and been
taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus;
You say, “Just a minute Paul. You’re shooting
your mouth off. You’re making yourself Jesus.” He said, “Who else? I’m a real
vicar of Christ.” Catholics aren’t wrong. They’re just deluded, because the
truth went to seed. Original Catholic church was
Pentecostal, started by two Jews. When
Don’t go blaming it all onto old
53 Ephesians.
Got to come again to be taught to hear the voice of Jesus. Its promised. There
it is. There it s promised friends. There must come an
Ephesians that the sevenfold mysteries of the Word of God must be unfolded. The
seven thunders is Eph 1:17-23, Eph 4:1-16. And the old song..
.the old thing was this, Who shall bring Him down from
heaven? Then who shall take Him up from the deep? And who shall bring Him down
again? He came as the Holy Ghost, and they say, “Hah, He came to the apostle
Paul as the Pillar of Fire and gave him the Word.” And they say, “Well who’s
going to bring Him down now, so Hell give us the Word all over again? Ha, ha, ha.” There is it. A fool is known by his own
thoughts.
54 Brother/Sister,
let’s get this flat. I hope you’re understanding,
because I could easily leave you off with my foolishness up here. I hope you’re understanding that Alpha is Omega, and we’re getting
a perfect repeat. We’re getting the Paradox all over again. It’s not what was
done. It was what was said about what was done. That’s where the hassle is.
55 Okay.
Paragraph, right down there... Okay. Want to turn it over? Good. [End of side
two, tape one.] 90 “The coming of the Son of God, that is Joshua just before
the Ephesians raised up, so did John the Baptist raise up just before the next Ephesian.”
Now, where was John the Baptist? Right there on
the scene when the One came on the scene. Who was down at the river in 1933,
June 11th? Well there was a nice bunch of water flowing down there, and I think
there was a Mrs. Wilson down there at the time. Yes, there was. And this Meda, you
know Broy was down there too, and wasn’t it possible
that a man named Slaughter was down there? Oh, there was a bunch of people down
there.
I’m not talking about that. I said, “Who?”
“Well, let me see, there was a little. Baptist preacher by the name of somebody.”
Yes. He said, “John the Baptist, then the
Ephesians.”
Who would be the Ephesians? God—in
a human form.
Who took
Who stood by there in the river? William
Branham.
56
90 “And we’re promised another Ephesians. It’s
predicted here in the Scripture, therefore I think
we’re living in the Ephesians again. We’re promised what was left off during
those ages.”
What was left off during those ages? A
revelation, a resurrection, a rapture. Now what’s the Seven
Thunders got to do about it? What’s the Seven Seals got to do about it?
Everything in this hour is going to bring in what was left off “that I might
know Him in the power of His resurrection.” He did not, and he still doesn’t,
know it. But he will.
Listen, a lot of people get carried away with
this. They think that’s a figure of speech, “the power of His resurrection.”
“Oh, the thing that raised Jesus Christ, we got it now, hallelujah.”
I’m going to tell you something. Even John the
Revelator didn’t know. He knew Him in the power of a trance. and
being lifted up and seeing everything. There he was maybe for days. And Paul
was with Him, and he said, “I came down. I cannot tell you the things that I
saw.”
“Oh, that’s it.” You’re kooks. That’s not it. That’s an attribute of It.
They’re waiting for the power of the
resurrection. Every cell that was touched by the Holy Ghost, that the lions ate
and put as dung on the ground, that went back into
gases—fertilizer for plants. Do you realize that? They made fertilizer for the
animals to eat. Then people ate the animals all over again, and those cells
that the Holy Spirit touched... If you’re sanctified by the blood that you and
I believe in, there isn’t one cell I believe is not going to come back, but
it’s going to be different, a different body. Waiting to come
back. Waiting to come back.
No wonder Paul said, “If there’s no
resurrection,” he said, “forget it.” And people are anxious to just sort of by
pass the resurrection, because you know, something might happen, you know,
because I’m not so good. Yes, nobody’s any good.
Tell me one nice thing you’ve got, Lloyd. Blue eyes? Fap, that ain’t so good. I’ve seen prettier blue eyes than yours by a
mile. Who’s got the best hair here? Yours is pretty good there Chris. Bill’s
still got a lot of hair. I’m not looking at Russ. He’s out of the picture.
Brian’s hair is nice. You’ve got a lot of nice hair. Mine was nice, but when
you see it… 70% is already gone when you start noticing. Don, 80% of yours is
gone right now waiting for a resurrection. Haven’t lost one
of them. Stand here in the hope of the resurrection. Paul stood right
there. Only hope [back then]. We got it. Somebody’s not going to die amongst
us. See? Yes.
Listen, he said, “Ephesians” What was left off
back there? Time was running. Eternity hadn’t crossed in. Has
now. Time doesn’t matter. Space doesn’t matter. Matter doesn’t matter.
The glue that holds it together is God. God matters. Oh It’s
beautiful, if you only believed It. Which I’m sure you do.
Listen, page 18, paragraph 127-128, what we’re
reading. 127 “And then when He come on the scene, to prove that He was that
Please understand whoever hears what I’m saying,
on tape and off tape. I am before God. I’m not trying to be mysterious, or get
a crowd, or anything else. I am trying to come across to people. Do what you
want. And just. ..If you love me, just have one prayer: Lord, let old Lee Vayle
get off the scene and finish whatever he’s got to do, good, bad, or
indifferent. Because it gets you to the place where you just, you want to
scream yourself and go off into orbit somewhere. Say, “Merciful God, what is
happening anyway?” Why should I preach? Maybe you say, “Maybe good old Lee, if
he’s such a good boy, maybe he ain’t. Maybe the poor
deluded jerk, he could just learn to shut his mouth.” The Bible has a word for
that: it’s called “Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself.” But when you’re
dealing with a revelation, you don’t have it to yourself. When you’re dealing
with the Word, you don’t have it. But I would like to get out of it. See?
60 But
Jesus... Now notice, He said, but when He came.. .Let me see. I’m going to read this.
126 There are many a men
raised up. There had been, for hundreds of years no prophets, they had great
priest and great men, between the time of Malachi and Matthew—four hundred
years. That’s true, the Maccabees and so on. Then it
says.
127 And then when He that’s Jesus Christ came on
the scene, to prove that He was that Ephesians made manifest, John announced
it.
Now there it is right there. William Branham the
announcer of the Ephesian. Well, where do you find it
in Ephesians? The Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of Him. The Spirit that comes down to set a
fivefold ministry and a church right, to bring them to perfection. See?
To conclusion, to finishing it off, to seeing the whole thing done exactly as
it should have been done. All right.
128 When Peter came to Him one day, with Andrew,
his name was Simon. And Jesus standing there never saw the man in His life,
listen close when He stood there and looked at the man, He said, “Your name is
Simon, and you are the son of Jonas.” That’s a paradox. Sure it was, a paradox.
But what’s he talking about? Ephesians.
Okay? We’re reading further, paragraph 133.
133 Now he had need, to
go by
134 And she said “Its
not customary for You to ask that“. She
said, “You’re a Jew, I’m a Samaritan, we have no dealings with you.”
135 He said, “But if you knew Who you were
talking to,“ watch this paradox fixing to happen. Don’t miss it said, “How can you, how can you
say this, I’m a woman of
136 He said, “but if you knew Who
you were talking to, Who’s talking to you, you would ask Me for a drink. “And
he went ahead till He found her trouble, and told her “Get your husband. “And
she said, “I don’t have any husband.”
137 And He said, “That’s the truth. You don’t
have a husband, because you had five, the one you’re with is not your husband
now”
What’s He talking about? Paradox of Ephesians.
What’s the Ephesian?
The Spirit, Son of man returns, the Son of man ministry, the Spirit operating
through a prophet. Pillar of Fire standing right here.
Here’s the sounding board. Watch God begin to move through
Him; Son of man. Then you watch how the Word... Then He moves in with
the Word, and He stands there bringing out the Word veiled. Then William
Branham steps down. God moves out again.
61 You
say, “I don’t believe that.” You don’t have to believe nothing. Be my guest. I’m happy you don’t. If anybody
thinks I want to preach to big crowds and see thousands come in, I don’t
want... See? Because I’m a little bit of a hayseed and a coward myself. Like
Bro. Branham said, “I hear ten thousand believe this message. Got to shake them off.
That’s too many.”
62 I was
just about tearing… ready to tear my hair out and give up the Presence. I said,
“I’ve got to be wrong.” Until I found out that people don’t say what I say. Now
listen. There again I’m not trying to make myself right. But I’m going to be
honest with you, absolutely honest. I believe that a certain way, and that
certain way I stand with, and I’m sorry if somebody else sees it different. I
see it the way I see it. I just told you a minute ago, if you caught it. Go
back to the Son of man, the Pillar of Fire. Not hard, it’s not too hard once
you get used to it.
63 All
right, now listen, paragraph 135. He said, “If you knew who was talking to
you!” Now see, so and so.
All right, let’s go to page 25; so I haven’t led
you astray here, I want you to get this. Page 25 and paragraph 182, he said.
“Now, if He can reveal to you (he said to the woman) what your trouble is, me
not knowing you and you know that; but now if He can reveal to me what your
trouble is, or something about you, then shows you that there is a Spirit here
somewhere that knows you, and you know that I don’t And he’s telling you, if
that Spirit knows you, He’ll have to tell me, because I don’t know you. I’m in
touch with the Spirit that knows both of us. So it wouldn’t be man, it would be
the Spirit. And that’s what God promised at this time of
64 So
the prophet says, “Woman, the Pillar of Fire stands between you and me. I don’t
know your name. I don‘t know about you,
but One Somebody knows both of us, and I’m going to tell you what that Somebody tells me about you. And you’ll know if it’s right”
The woman said, “That’s right.“ He says, “That is
65 Now
listen. Bro. Branham was supposed to go catch fish. Threw the lure out, the
bait... That ended it. And God said, “You can’t teach Pentecostal babies
doctrine.” He said, “I tried to explain everything in my ministry: how from the
soul, to the mind, to the this and that. He went to all the mechanics.” And God said,
“All you did was make a big mess by trying to explain how it was done. Why
don’t you just shut up, and let it be done?” So he did. He got rid of the messy
preachers that way.
66 All
right now, paradox. He gets up, and he says, “Now what I’m telling you, I’ve
preached a Paradox. I’m illustrating the whole thing. That’s it Do what you
want with It.” And he walked off the scene.
67 Now
I’m breaking It down word by word, because I know this from experience, that
the revelation that the Holy Ghost gives you, something gets down so deep from
that time on you just walk and say, “Hey, hey, hey, that’s it. It’s simple.”
Now you keep going. And I’m breaking this down this morning for the last time,
r hope before God. I think it’s the last sermon on It
now. I’ll bring It in a little later on maybe.
68 Bringing
it down to your simplicity of understanding, a paradox has nothing to do with
the event in the sense of it being the event that you’re really looking at.
You’re not. You’re looking at the event only to attract your attention. And
what comes out of the event, having attracted your attention, is laid open
before you. And he said, “God is on the scene. And I’m telling you what He‘s
doing and why He s doing it.” And he walks off. And it’s a paradox.
69 And the trouble is not with discernment. They
get that flat. And they’re discerning like a house afire. The trouble is not
with miracles. There’s lots of miracles. The trouble
lies with William Branham saying, “This is what it is based on the Word of
God.” God having told him and taking him to the Word.
And people turned It down.
70 Okay. Page
19, 141 and 143. Man, we’re way behind. That’s all right. Stick with It. When restaurants are closed,
the grass is getting green. Sheep can
eat grass, even a few dandelions thrown in to help you out. So don’t feel bad. Page 19,
141.
141 All Scripture has got to be fulfilled. So
it’s a paradox, alone, to hear Jesus, the Son of God, make such a statement as
this. Now notice, you see he got It exactly right. The
paradox lies in the words. “The things that I do will you do also. “Now the
Bible said, in Hebrews 13:8, “He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
That’s a paradox, because it can’t be done. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but not one
Word that I’ve ever said will ever fail, “He said. So it has to be done.
142 Now, friends, I believe He’s the same
yesterday, today, and forever I believe He’s just as able this afternoon to
cause, in this building a paradox, because that He promised it would happen. All right? Let’s read a little more.
143 Now, how much more has He promised, how much
more is it leaving in the Bible, to this very age that we’re living the Ephesian age again, of the church ages.
Paul was a vindicated prophet that brought the
Word. A vindicated prophet is bringing the Word, revealing It.
Where was Paul’s vindication? Pillar of Fire. Doing
what he’s supposed to do. Where is William Branham’s? Same
Pillar of Fire. All right? And notice where he
referred them. He referred the great miracles, all
these things would be done. But then he referred it to a special interest area.
See? Right down the line. Watch it.
71 These
other people have made everything in the Bible abstract. See? We have gone from
the abstract to the concrete. Now until Jesus came, It
was in the abstract. When He came, It was no longer.
Through Seven Church Ages we’ve had the abstract, except for age number one.
Now we’re back to there’s no abstract. Here to the concrete. Add one Word, or
take one Word, you’re gone. Now that would be okay in the first church age, and
the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth; it would be fine,
because you see the church was going down. But it isn’t fine now, because the
church has got to go up. So therefore, if you add a Word, I ask you a question.
What are you going to add it to? You can’t. You never left your dog heap in the
first place. You never left your vomit in the first place. You always had it
with you. You never did have a pure Word. That’s why a bride is never going to
get deceived by taking or adding. It’s just that simple; just that easy to
understand.
72 Let’s
go further, 143. “There’d be another Ephesian. That’s
right. And here we are, I believe, with all my heart, that Jesus Christ Who
made the promise. “Now he tells you he’s putting the whole thing together. And
he said, “There it is, as Jesus was at the well with the Israelite, He ‘is
going to come to the Gentiles with the prophet He ‘is going to stand right
there and do the same thing, and when He does that, it’s Ephesians.” That is
your Seven Seals. That is your Thunder. That is the whole thing vindicated that
when this man talks, you listen. And when he talks, it’s not going to jell,
except in the elect.
73 Now I
want to ask you a question. Except for the absolute phony—and there’s a few in
You just don’t grab those things and run and
say, “Well, I didn’t know any better.” You just find what a court of law says.
It’s up to you to know better. You see what the Word of God says. But outside
of people like that, that are abject, and I mean abject... I suppose there’s other words, but that’s the best one I can use.
Everybody else believes in the miracles. Can’t be denied; but they say, “Well,
the miracles are fine, but you see when he got those big miracles going, Bro.
Vayle, it went to his head you see.” Just
like Dowie, you know, went to his head. At that rate,
Elijah will never come. At that rate Jesus Christ will never come, because
Elijah has to come. Ephesians has got to come. And the man with the ministry
ought to know what’s behind it.
74 Now
if he lied, let’s find a better liar. Because look, you got to get a better
liar, because you see if you’ve got $50,000, you ain’t
going to tempt me. But if you had $100,000, you just might tickle my interest
where you say you’re going to give it to me. A hundred doesn’t look too good
anymore, Joe. So we’ll just forget that. Twenty million bucks is more our
style. One guy in
75 Okay,
we were back to paragraph 141. Okay? We’re coming on here. Notice the phrase,
“time of
76 Let
me tell you what you can do. You go to “Daniel’s
Seventieth Week,” and you start on page 14, and you go to the first two
paragraphs of 15, and you notice he said. “The Spirit of wisdom comes into the
church to make known to the church, by the revelation of Holy Ghost, bringing
the church and revealing what day we’re living in. Just the same as Gabriel
came to Daniel, the Holy Spirit comes to the church in the last days, to reveal
His great, deep secret things.”
Now in there he talks about the various
calendars, and how time really is. And if you want to know what the time is
today, it is not 1984, it’s 1991—is what it really is.
So you see brother/sister, we’re exactly nine years from two thousand. See,
it’s closer than you think, and yet far enough away to give you pause to
remember. Don’t try to get it here too quick, all though it could be within
ninety days, and it could be within nine years. I’m not trying to set a date.
All right, it was in September, 1962 he told us that.
77 All
right, what is actually the sum and substance of paradox? It is none other than
I Thes 4:16: “For the Lord himself
shall descend from heaven with a message, to raise the dead and to take us away
in a rapture.” That’s exactly what It is. Who can
receive It?
Now, It is none other
than I Thes 4:16, which is the Rapture and its
attending prerequisite. Now there is your great paradox. The doctrinal
statement of the rapture is the paradox of the age. It is Rev 10:1-7, His
coming for the three steps of the Wedding Supper in the skies and dealing with
the prophet. But who can believe the prophet? Who will? Only
the elect.
It is the Alpha of Isa
53:1, becomes the Omega. “Who hath believed our
report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” Only
those that believe.
It is
78 Now, just winding down. Once more God is
rejected. He is not rejected by rejecting His manifested ministry, or
ministries. No. But the Word that accompanies the original ministry is
rejected. That is how you come into Mat 24:24, ‘the anointed ones of the end
time.’ They shall show great signs and wonders.
24 There shall arise false Christs,
even lying prophets, shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that if it
were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
25 Behold I told you before. (In Matthew 7:15.)
15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in
sheep’s clothing. (They are the very epitomization of
Christianity, as you think it should be. As you swear it is, you can tell them
by their wonderful fruits, their atmosphere, everything about it. Hallelujah.
Wonderful to be born again, glory to God, everything is marvelous, marvelous,
marvelous, hallelujah.) Inwardly they
are ravening wolves. (They are off the Word.)
“Oh,” people say, “I don’t think I can take
that.” Then you don’t know your Bible, you don’t know the God of the Bible, I’m
sorry. There’s time for a people to say, “They believe the bride Message to
wake up.” To put their churches in order.
Number two, above all, to put their lying
tongues in order, because the first thing Paul the apostle says after, “If you
don’t do... Now if you’ve heard Christ and been taught by Him He said,
“Therefore put away all lying, one to another.” Stop being politicians. Stop running the course of this world.
79 You
know brother/sister, I’m going to tell you something.
Are you listening carefully? I’m going to read it to you. I don’t pastor much.
I don’t bear down on people. Once in awhile I say a few things, and you do what
you want. Bro. Branham knew who it was in his church who
were way out on the boondocks, should have known better; did know better, but
didn’t do better. Just watched it.
Now listen, and they
will say in 2 Pet 3:4. “Where is the promise of his presence? For since the
fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the
creation.” Same man said... One man said, “Well, what’s it done to the
individual?” Has it made you thinner, fatter, wiser, smarter, dumber? Has it
given you a great Spiritual appetite to be beautiful, sweet, and this and that,
and the other thing? Oh, they should have all been there before this ever
happened. But everybody says, “Oh, a
whole lot of things just going on as the way they were since Bro. Branham died.
And he’s the last father, you know, that has to do with the Gentiles.”
Now listen. MI things continue as they were in
the beginning of creation. Now remember we added creation. Bro. Branham said,
“He created squirrels.” What effect did that have on people? An
adverse effect. They said, “Oh come on now.” Listen, I have a job with
that myself until I suddenly realized back in 1952, with that three coils
around me, you know, that heavy microphone cord. Not this stuff. Not this thin
stuff here, but the real heavy stuff. Three coils around him—
two, at least, two. Then suddenly, no coil. He
didn’t move. I didn’t move. The cord didn’t move. You tell me about it. They
say, “Oh, things are going on.”
80 Now
listen, It says.
5 They are willingly ignorant of this, that the
word of God and the heavens of old, and the earth standing out of the water and
in the water;
6 Whereby the world then was being overflowed
with water, perished;
7 But now the heavens and earth which are now,
by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
Now listen, they say this... See they say,
“Everything’s just going on. No quickening, no this, no that. Nothing is being
affected.” But they’re forgetting that God is holding this world to the day
when fire falls, and He’s holding the same people that say they believe this
Message to the same fire. Now you had better get what I’m saying,
and I had better get what I’m saying, because I’m telling you the truth before
God, that none of us are getting away with anything.
81 There’s
nobody more qualified than I am to preach a pastoral message. I have not done
it for a long time, because I deal with the doctrine. But Paul the apostle laid
it on the line when it came to maturity. By now, there shouldn’t be one bit of
things amongst us which are named in the world, because people know that this
day is here now, the fan in the hand.
82 And Bro. Branham did not stop women with short
hair and gunk on their faces, coming to take communion. I don’t stop anybody
here from anything going on. You do what you want. But let me tell you this,
nobody kids anybody in this late hour. And you’re just kidding yourself if
you’re messing around, because you’re going to face fire. Nobody’s getting away
with anything. It’s just being held back. All the lies, all
the things being done. Everything is being held right here. So listen young people: don’t love the world, or you are going
to find yourself in the fire.
83 Now
you say, “Bro. Vayle, I want you to be nice to me.” You had better be nice to
yourself kid in your own shoes, because I am not getting in your shoes.
Everything is being held right now for a judgment. Do you follow what I’m
saying? You’ve been listening all this time, young and old, you’ve been
listening, but you haven’t got the point that the Judge is here. The record has
been read. The evidence is in the open. Now, nobody’s getting away with
anything. See? Nobody is. I’m not, and you’re not.
84 Now,
there’s got to be a quickening amongst us to a tidier life, to more circumspect
feelings, attitudes and understanding, or we haven’t got a revelation in the
first place. You’ve got a little bit of stuff up here that’s been poured into
us. Do you understand what I’m saying? I want you to understand this Scripture
here.
85 You and I are reserved, put in a warehouse,
locked and padlocked just like this world. I want you to know: the verdict has
been passed. That’s why Paul said what
he said, “If you heard the voice of Jesus Christ,” he said, “now,” he said,
“You got the illumination.” He said, Eph 4:17
17 Therefore I testify unto the Lord, you
henceforth walk not as other Gentiles, in the vanity of mind. (The vain mind
says, “Oh well, he said nothing is happening. Oh this great big thing is going
to come you know, and that will make a difference.” Oh my brother, my sister,
it’s already come. See?)
18 Having the understanding darkened, and being
alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because
of blindness and heart. (If that Spirit is given a revelation in the heart,
it’s not blind anymore; Ephesians is here.)
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves
to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 So you’ve not learned of Christ.
21 If you’ve heard this message and been taught
by the Word.
22 You put off former behavior, the old man
which is corrupt according to deceitfulness, deceitful pleasures.
23 Being renewed in the spirit of your mind.
24 Put on the new man, created after God in
righteousness and true holiness. (Then he said:)
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man
truth with his neighbor; for we are members one of another.
First thing he tells them... I’m going to tell
you something, brothers. You know that I moved once because of lies. I said to
a person the other day, I said, “There’s one thing in our church, I believe
we’ve got honesty.” Say, “We’re pretty cruddy in a lot of ways,” think I told
Dave and Lloyd, the other day came by. Talking
to Brian, saying, “We don’t pull any airs around here. We’re pretty cruddy. But
I believe we’re honest.”
86 Now where we going? Put away lying. First
of all don’t lie to yourself, [saying] that [the] fathers fell asleep, you
know, it’s not so bad. It is bad! Everything is working, brother/sister, to
bring us down to that straight and narrow line. Yet the gate has never ceased
to be straight and the way narrow. You want to fool with the world? I’m not
saying you are, but I’m going to tell you what: it’s so easy to go out and
think you can fool with the world. It isn’t worth it.
87 I’m not against decent picture shows, but of course, don’t look at me, because I’m too lazy to go in the
first place. I just think, oh boy, I’ll come out there so tired, there’s no use
going in. I’ve seen I think two picture shows in the last, what, eight years or
so. And they were kind of worth looking at, because they had a little catch in
them, you know, make you think; and you thought wrong of course, which is not
too nice for your intellect; so you’re not too smart.
88 Lots
of things in this world just got to go down the drain. See if you, once... Back
to a paradox, you look out there, and you say, “Hey, I wonder if things are
moving?” You bet they’re moving, and they’re moving mighty fast. You say, “Bro.
Vayle, where do you put speed?” I put speed on simplicity. I have preached
“Paradox,” this is the eighth time. I’ve preached the same thing seven times in
a row, but today it clicked. When it gets simple, I know I’ve arrived. It’s
simple.
Let’s rise.
Gracious, Heavenly Father, we know that there is
nothing like life, as life is itself. We know that You’ve
used that same word, Zoe, concerning Yourself and
concerning us, and concerning life that’s on the earth here. But we know that
Your Life is different from life that’s on the earth. But the life that’s on
the earth is principled after Your Life, patterned in a degree, not It, but a
shadow—a likeness. And here we are with that same Life,
came down in the Pillar of Fire. Same Life in a prophet to
bring the Word. The same One here to lead us into the Millennium by
raising the dead, and taking us into a Rapture. The
same One now through that revealed Word, dealing with
us by the modicum of Life that came into our life.
And now we’re joined to Thee, making it a
blissful oneness. Illuminating us and bringing us on
to the place of a divine revelation, which is a divine faith, which we know,
Lord, because it’s all got to come from You. And here we are, therefore, Lord,
in this particular position. How grateful we are. We really are, Lord. And we know
that if we would turn over every leaf and become the best people as far as the
meticulous behavior is concerned, that it would in a sense glorify You, because
we did put an effort in that end. We know that that’s not it. It’s Your Own
Life and Your Spirit moving in us. And yet we know, Lord, when that Spirit does
move, It does bring forth that which is meticulous and
that which is one with the Word.
And so, Father God, we stand here as the apostle
Paul prayed, and I want his prayer and admonition to be my life course, the
same as everybody here, when he said, “If you live in the Spirit, see that you
walk in It.” Now Father God, we’ve been admonished by
John, “If we walk in the light as He is in the light,” and we know there again,
if we have been sitting in It, we’ve been living in It, we’ve been existing in
It, but now, Lord, we want to walk in It. And Lord, we do walk in It in the sense that It’s brought us apart from all the
creeds and dogmas. We believe that. But now Lord, we look even for more than ever
before. And whatsoever, Lord, You would have us to bring forth at this time, we
are anxious and earnest, Lord, as never before, that it is manifest in our
lives, as You would have it to come forth.
And we feel, Lord, as in ourselves, that this is
that great day of understanding. That everything is now
reserved, just standing here waiting, as it were, for the ax to fall, which is
very true. Everything is reserved; every one of us. And we know Lord, we don’t want to be in that precarious position, where
we say, ‘All things are continued.” Because we know they’re not. They’re not.
And Father God, and because we know the revelation is stepped-up and these
things are stepped-up, we also want a stepped-up life in the Spirit we live in
so that there is a declension; absolutely, a moving away from, a complete
separation from that which is in the flesh.
O God, we want to be away from those things
which come out of the flesh naturally, the emulations, and the strife, and envyings, and murders, and all matter of lasciviousness and
crimes, but to be brought in a oneness with the body productive, the life of
the flesh, the flesh life productive, Lord, because of the Absolute within the
soul. The power of decision, and that decision to go Your
way. Suddenly the Word bringing to our mind what is right. Help us, Lord, to
now stop, as we’ve never stopped before, and realize that all things are not
continuing as they were, but everything is here waiting in store, because
there’s got to be a wipe-out after there’s a take-up. And
Father God, what a people we want to be before the take-up; what manner of
people we ought to be.
And Lord, hasten the day, we pray. Hasten that
day, Lord. It’s really here if we want it, and we do want it, Lord—to walk in
that Life a part as never before. To cease from man whose breath is innocuous,
cease from all these things, Lord. We desire them. Hear our humble prayer and
our petition, 0 God, today. There’s none of us worthy. There’s... We don’t have
a thing in our hands to bring except debt. We don’t have a thing, Lord, to
commend ourselves, not, not anyway. But Lord, we just know one thing, unless You do it, it’s just going to be a waste of time, because
it’s vanity.
So here we are, Lord. We’re
believing You somehow. We’ve stood with this all these years. We’ve
stood all these years knowing, Lord, that if the world and all this is held in store against that day in judgment, there’s a
bride standing here also in store against the day of immortality, of
glorification, of Resurrection, a Wedding Supper. Father God, it’s got to be
that way. By faith we’ve identified, Lord. We know our faith is remiss. We
cannot identify that it was said of us now in this hour, “How come you in
hither, you don’t have a wedding garment on. You shouldn’t even be here.” Then
Lord, we understand, we weren’t destined for that in the first place. We’ve
been presumptuous. Now Father, we believe different from that. We have hope to
the end. For the wedding garment, the Life, in all of us acting as wedding
guests, rejoicing in Him Who is the Bridegroom. We are His friend. Not just
friends, but a part of the august company that makes up the bride.
So Father, we humbly beseech You,
through the Blood and through the grace of Almighty God, to hear our prayer and
to help us, as no people have ever been helpless before. Your Own Word has
shown us completely condemned and un-obliterated except standing at the door
knocking. And Lord we say, “Come in”. We open the door to You. I
don’t know how, Lord, anymore than I m just praying
according to Your Word We open that door as never before to have You come in So
we can say with Paul, “We ye been crucified with Christ, nevertheless we live
And yet not us, but the life we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of
the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us” These things, Lord, we
want to bring our thoughts and our mind and everything under complete control
to It, O God. To begin to see the Glory
of It all the wonder of It, and the marvel of It all
Lord. That’s what we want.
Be with us as we go and come back again on
Friday, Lord for service and for Communion, and hopefully Foot washing too. Bless those who desire to come May those who
ought to come, in the sense, Lord, that it is something for them, there would
be something May they feel the urge to come, giving them journeying mercies
Help us Lord to be not only willing but terribly able to supply every need of
everybody coming, whoever has a need of something We pray that we’ll only be
too glad and able You said Lord that if we did so and so, we’d be able for
every good deed And I know that that s true It’s certainly something, Lord,
that is, that’s been proven out one hundred percent and we know that You’ll
help us And anybody coming, whatever, will come for the blessing of God receive
a blessing from God.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon
everyone, Lord We pray You 11 heal the sick amongst us continue to deal with
those who need Your help We just rejoice in You, Lord, and feel Your Presence -
Your cleansing power Feeling the Blood and the Holy Spirit We are so grateful
Lord for Your love, and the love of each other, which we
have in Him Through Jesus
Christ, our Lord Amen The Lord bless you. [Announcement]