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