Jehovah-Jireh

You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net

1 Thank you. I, the humble servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, greet you. God's peace be with you all. Last evening I did not get a chance to finish my text. I got to a place in the Scripture where I was trying to comfort the old folks. There was so ... let them know that when we are old God hasn't forsaken us. He still loves us. He never forgets us.
He said, "A mother may forget her little baby, but I will never forget you. You're engraved on the palms of My hands."

2 So, when we get old, we have nothing to worry. Some day, we'll be back here on earth, young men and young women, and never to get old no more. Isn't that wonderful? I am so happy for that. And then while we're here now, He loves us. And He will never leave us; neither will He ever forsake us. He said He would be with us to the end of the world. I'm so happy for that.

3 Now, we have two more nights after tonight. I wish we had longer. Just when we get to know each other, then we have to say, "Goodbye." It seems to be that all around the world. I meet lovely friends, and I have to say goodbye, but I'm looking for the day where we'll meet and never say goodbye. When Jesus comes, then all troubles will be over. And that's the day we're all looking for. And now, to be rest assured of that, He has give us His Word. And He has raised from the dead, and He expresses His love towards us all. Isn't that wonderful? Doesn't it make you happy that you're a Christian?
I'd rather be a Christian than anything. And you know, when I go into all nations, to the white man, to the black man, to the brown man, and to the yellow man, and to the red man, they're all the same. When they are Christians, they love each other.

4 Recently, when a little boy was raised from the dead in Finland... Many of you has read of it. The night when they were taking me back to the Messuhalli, why, they were Russian soldiers standing along the side, and Finnish soldiers were taking me in. And when I would pass by, they would stand attention, with a salute, and tears running down their cheeks. And when they come around the building, they would put their arms around the Finnish soldiers, and hug each other, and pat on the shoulder.
Christ is the answer for every problem. And it's the answer to make all men brothers. God has made of one blood all men.
If I was... If you or I were sick, and we needed blood, the black man could give us blood. The yellow man, or any other man; but we could not take animal blood. It would kill us. God has made of one blood, all men. So we are brothers the world over.

5 Now, I wish to continue my text. And it was found in Genesis 22:14. And the text was: "Jehovah-Jireh." Now, God has seven compound redemptive names. Now, in these compound redemptive names, it was God expressing His present attitude for all His creatures, what He would be for them in all generations. You cannot separate His compound names.

6 Now, in Washington, DC, my name is recorded. It makes me ... they ... what nationality I am, who my father and mother was, how much I weighed when I was born, my description, my prints of my thumb. You see, it's the expression to the nation who I am; and William Branham is recorded up there in Washington. That's the expression of me to the nation. Now, that is my name.
So, when God came down from heaven to be king over the earth, He expressed Himself to His subjects in seven compound redemptive names. Jehovah-jireh was His first name. It means "God will provided for Himself, a sacrifice." The next compound redemptive name is Jehovah-rapha, means "I am the Lord that healeth thee." And on He goes.
As Jehovah our banner, our peace, our shield, our righteousness, that's what He is to us. So, we can't separate those names. If He's still Jehovah-jireh, He has to be Jehovah-rapha, also. If He's our provided sacrifice, He has to be our healer also. So, the names are inseparable.

7 When we accept Him as Saviour, we must also accept Him as healer, as our peace, as our shield, as our banner, all these redemptive names; God's present attitude is to His people now the same.
Now, I think myself that God has done just about all that there is to be done. Now, first He put the Old Testament for types. He sent the law, then He sent prophets to back up the law. The law was for the whole nation. The prophet was to show the supernatural. The law was the letter---letter of the law. But the prophet was a supernatural sign. And what He did for Israel, He does for the church.

8 Today, the Bible is the letter. It's the expression of God towards His people. It's the blueprint: where the church is to be built, the plan of salvation, how to live, how to treat the neighbors, and His promises. Then after that, He sends the Holy Spirit to confirm this Word. In order to do that, He sets in the church first, apostles, prophets, teachers, and evangelists; all these are for the perfecting of the church. That's church offices, not office here on earth, but coming from heaven. Then in the church, He sends gifts of healing, gifts of prophesy.

9 Now there's a difference between a gift of prophecy, and a prophet. One is a gift of prophecy, and the other one is a prophet. A gift of prophecy must be judged by two or three spiritual men. It can come upon one person tonight, be on another person tomorrow night, and on another one the next night. What it is is a gift in every local body of church.
But a prophet is different. They're born a prophet. And they come up prophets. All that they say must be true every time, or it cannot be recognized as a prophet in the office. Now, God has done wonderful things for us. He is not willing that any should perish. He wants us all to come home to Him.
We don't have much of this world's goods, but we are looking for a city whose builder and maker is God. And He so loves us, that's why He does those things for us. He wants you to just believe Him.

10 Now, God has to keep His Word. His very law would express that of Him. If you take hydrogen [Brother Branham explains to the interpreter: "one part of hy... it's still water, see"] and two parts of oxygen, now if that goes together, the law of chemistry and science will make water every time. It has to. If it made it in the beginning, it has to make it now.
And the same thing by God. If God made a law, spoke His Word, He has got to keep it. In the Old Testament, in the New Testament, forever He has to keep His Word. If He was Jehovah-jireh there, He was Jehovah-jireh in Genesis, He was with the prophets, He was with the law, He was in Jesus, He was in the early church, He has to be now. And when people would believe Him in Genesis, in the law, in Christ, in the church, His law compels Him to do the same thing that He did in the beginning. If it isn't, He did wrong in the first place. See, He has to do the same to be God. As I have said to you, what good does it do us to have a God of history if He isn't the same God today? See, it would do us no good.
It's just like in our country, our first president was George Washington. Well, that's history. It does no good today. We have to have another president. He was all right in his day. But, just Washington alone, he's gone. He won't do today. See what I mean?

11 Now, if God was just God for Moses, and He is gone today, what good would it do us? But, He's the God of Moses, He was the God of Elijah, He was the God of David, He was the God of Christ, He was the God of the early church, He's the God of today; with the same law, compelled to His redemptive name, He must do the same thing, or He isn't God.
I wish we could all see that and accept it. It would change things. You do not see in Bible terms with your eyes. You see with your heart.
Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a man be borned again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." It doesn't mean "look at"; it means "understand." And when we can understand God's attitude towards us, then God is compelled then, to give the blessings that He promised through His redemptive name.

12 Now, when we left Abraham last night, where God had turned him and Sarah back to a young woman. It's proven, because that she was a young woman we found out that Abimelech, the king, fell in love with her. And God rebuked him. Why? Out of that stream of blood was coming the Lord Jesus. So, the Jewish blood must be kept clean, until Jesus comes. And so He protected Sarah.
After a bit, after a few months, a woman near a hundred years old gave birth to a baby. Don't you see the beautiful type? With the world, it was impossible; but with God, all things are possible. It was a type of Jesus, for He was the Father's only begotten Son, and Mary had a child, knowing no man. Impossible without God.

13 Now, when Abraham's boy, Isaac, was born, of course, he called him Isaac, which was "the promised one." God had promised Abraham, had changed his name from Abram to Abraham. He was going to make him a father of nations. In that line, he's the father of Germany. He's the father of America, and of Sweden, everywhere. The father of the nations.
So, he was going to take this boy, and was going to, through him, bless all nations. You see, what he was, he was a type of Christ. Born the impossible way, the only son of the father, and every way he typed Christ.

14 Now, Abraham, when the boy was about sixteen years old, God was going to show to Germany and the rest of the world how perfect He keeps His Word. He gave Abraham a double trial.
Now, He said, "Abraham, you're about a hundred and sixteen now. And here's your little boy, Isaac that I promised you. Now, I want you to take this boy, and take him up in the mountain, and there kill him."
Now, how is he going to be the father of nations, when he is going to destroy the only thing that he has to be a father? How is he going to do it? But, notice, Abraham never questioned God.
I can imagine that poor old dad, taking his boy, holding him up, look at him, stroke his hair back, pat him on the cheek, put his bearded face again his soft cheek, hug him in his arms. He said, in his heart, "I can't tell his mother. She wouldn't understand maybe." So, he got some servants, saddled up some mules, and took a three-days' journey back in the wilderness.

15 Now, an ordinary man can walk about forty kilometers a day, I guess. I suppose that would be about right. That's compared... I can walk thirty miles a day myself, that be it. Now, an ordinary man could walk that many miles in a day. How far back would he be in the wilderness?
Sarah thought he was going back to worship. So, after he had traveled three days, then he lifted up his eyes, and way farther in the wilderness, he saw the mountain. I don't know how much farther it was, but he went on to the mountain. Did you imagine how that father felt, knowing he was going to take the life of his own son? And when he stopped the mules...

16 Now, German people, listen, just a moment. Look at Abraham---what he said to the servant. He said, "You wait here while the lad and I go yonder. The lad and I shall return." Praise God. How is he going to return? He's going to kill him. How can the lad return?

17 Oh, listen! In his heart, he knew that God was able to raise him up from the dead, for he had received him as one from the dead. My dear brother, can't you understand now? When God shows supernatural with His Word, He expects you to believe it. He had promised Abraham, and then He by supernatural had proved it to Abraham.
God said in these last days, that He would pour out His Spirit, and He would show the same signs that He did in the beginning. There would be a former and latter rain together. We are seeing it. We should believe with all of our heart. Here's His Word; it proves it. His Spirit comes nightly, shows the supernatural, knowing that it's got to be Spirit. Now, He can't heal you, He wouldn't let me heal you, for that's His finished work. He has already did that at Calvary. So, He wants you to believe that he has did that for you. Do you understand? Say, "Amen."

18 It is only the love of our Father that loves us so much that He sends His Word, He sends His ministers to preach the Word. Then He sends gifts into the church with His arms spread out, trying to get you to believe it. He wants to heal you tonight, a thousand times more than you want to be healed, but you're afraid. You go by how you feel, because you've regarded that; you've lived by your feelings. Your whole life has been wrapped in that.
But you must get away from that, and act on God's Word, not what you feel, not what you see, what God said, and act on that. Make a confession of that. Confess means "to say the same thing." And He's at the right hand of the Father, with His own blood to make intercession on your confession. Now, He cannot do anything for you until, first, you accept it and confess it, and then He can act on it. For He's the High Priest of what you confess that He is to you. Do you get what I mean?

19 Seeing the supernatural He was showing to Abraham, He is also showing to you. When Abraham started to offer up little Isaac, he didn't worry one bit. He knew that God was able. And He had promised through Isaac He would bless the world.
He got the wood together, and laid it on Isaac's back. Did you notice? There goes the father up the hill, Isaac behind him, his son, packing the wood that he was going to lay on to be crucified. What a beautiful type of the Father, leading His Son, Jesus, with the same cross that He was to be nailed on, up to Golgotha. A beautiful picture!

20 And when they got up on the mountain, he built the altar and made the fire. And little Isaac, he looked to his father. He said, "Father?"
He said, "Here am I, my son."
He said, "Here is the altar, and here is the fire, and here is the wood; but where is the sacrifice?"
Then the crucial moment come. With no wave in his voice, he said, "My son, God will provide a sacrifice." Amen. So, He was called Jehovah-jireh, "the Lord will provide Himself a sacrifice." All the types was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He is God's provided sacrifice.
Now look. Abraham pulled the big knife out, after tying his son's hands, and throwing his head back, and was fixing to cut his son's throat. And when he drew up his hand, something screamed. The Holy Spirit caught his hand. Said, "Abraham, hold your hand. I see that you love Me."

21 And what happened then? Abraham turned around, and there was a ram. It was a male sheep. It was hooked in the wilderness by its horns. And when it begin bleating... Where did that ram come from? Now, I want to ask you something. Where did it come from? Abraham was a hundred and fifty kilometers back from all of civilization, from all sheep, and all that there was of animal.

22 And listen. He was on top of the mountain where there is no water. How did that ram get there? Where did it come from? A hundred and fifty kilometers away from civilization, up on top of a mountain, where there's no water, and there was a ram. Oh, God will provide Himself a sacrifice.

23 It wasn't a vision. He never saw a vision of the ram. For Abraham picked the ram up and laid it on an altar, and killed it, and blood run out of it. It wasn't a vision. What was it? It was Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. It wasn't a vision. Listen.
God spoke the ram into existence in one minute and took it out in the next minute. Why? He will provide a sacrifice. He will provide a way for your healing. He will provide a way for your blind eyes. He will provide a way for that cancer to leave you, that stomach trouble to leave you.

24 And my, brother, He has provided already, in Jesus Christ, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, has been provided for your sickness tonight. He has wrote it out in a book. He has sent the Holy Spirit. He has put gifts in the church. Now, it isn't God's fault; it will be our own unbelief. Isn't that true? If we don't receive it, it isn't God's fault. Do you believe that with all your heart? That Jesus Christ has been provided as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, for your salvation and healing. Do you believe that? Raise your hand.

25 Thank you. You are very lovely. I like you German people. I like the way you take things. You're not flighty [Brother Branham explains to the interpreter: "That's just jump at anything."] But if it can be proven, you are looking for a solid foundation. That's what you're looking for now. That's what you're looking for to reunite yourself.
I am praying daily that one day Germany will all be together again: no Iron Curtain, mothers and fathers can be together, sons and mothers can be together, the families reunited, all under the leadership of Almighty God. God grant it.
As His poor unworthy servant, I am here tonight, to try to do my part to let you know, God will do this. I know I am a very poor servant. I wish I had some other way that I could present Him to you. But this is the only way He could trust me with, I suppose. I am so unworthy, I am unworthy of His blessings. But what He has did for me, it makes me love Him so. And I love my brothers, that I have come for that purpose.

26 So, don't feel suspicious. It grieves the Holy Spirit. And that's the reason things are not happening the way they should, see. You've had... Now, several days you've had time to read the Bible, and you see Him working, confirming the Word. Now, I don't want to see these wheelchairs and things sitting here. It grieves my heart. But, I can't do nothing about it. I'm only a servant. I can just bring His Word and do what He tells me to do. And I'm sure, it's not His will for this to be. It would be His will for all of you to be well.
The Bible said, "I would above all things that you prosper in health." He wants you to have health. And I know if you'll believe Him, He will give you health.

27 Shall we pray.
Our Heavenly Father, we bring to You this night, this lovely audience of people. As I look at them, see gray hairs on their head, wrinkled face, many; and see the young women beautiful, and the young men beautiful, just in the bloom of life. Look, laying here with people with sickness, some are crippled, some of them are afflicted, and some of them has cancer, and some of them with heart trouble. O God, be merciful.
Now, Father, we do not wish You to perform miracles that we might believe. For Thou has said that a weak and adulterous generation seeks those things. I realize that a crippled man may live an ordinary lifetime. But, Father, a man with heart trouble can't live long without Your help.

28 But, Father, we pray that You'll just pour out Your Spirit and heal the heart trouble, the cancer, TB, and all the crippled, the lame, the blind. O dear God, come, won't You? Stretch out Your arms over the tent tonight. Drive away all unbelief. And let Your lovely Son, Jesus, come into every heart. We ask it for Your glory in Jesus name.
And now, Father, I am Your humble unworthy servant. Oh, You took me from the sheepcote, a little old boy, no education, and give me the privilege to come talk to Your people. And with Your gift that You gave to Your unprofitable servant, I am ashamed, Father, if I haven't done no more than what I have. But, dear Father, forgive me, and help me to show Thy love to the people and make me a better servant, in my feeble efforts. Bless them tonight, Father. And stretch forth the hand of Your holy Child Jesus, and heal the sick. For we ask it in His name, Thy only beloved Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

29 The handkerchiefs are to be prayed for. I wish to pray for them now. You wouldn't mind if I'd ask you to bow your head with me, and pray too? I want you to pray with me. This is somebody that's sick. What if it was your mother? And the doctor had said she couldn't live. You know how you love her. It's somebody's mother, somebody's little child. So, let's be sincere, and ask God earnestly to bless this feeble effort that we have.

30 Will you bow your head?
Dear Heavenly Father, we love You so much tonight. And we're so thankful that You have made it so simple for us, not where we have to pay for anything, not where we have to do any merits. But just simple child-like faith to do Your commandments.
Now, Father, I pray over these handkerchiefs, and wherever they go, may they be blessed. And when they're laid upon the sick people, may they get well. O hear our prayer, Father. Look at Your children with their bowed heads. Will You hear their prayer? And send these handkerchiefs to the sick and needy. Watch over them, Father. We're so thankful they have confidence in You, or even that You hear our prayer. So, we send them in the name of Jesus, Thy Son. Amen.

31 All right, you call the prayer line here.
Not... That doesn't mean they're going to be healed. If I could heal anyone, I'd come down here and go to each one and heal everyone. I would if I could, but I can't. And there's no other man can. And if Jesus was here, He could not. Only if you'd believe.

32 Look. That sounds strange, that Jesus could not heal unless you'd believe. When He went to His own country, the Bible said, "Many mighty works He could not do because of their unbelief." Now, if He was standing here tonight, on this platform, just like that you're looking at us, and you'd come up to Him and say, "Jesus, will You heal me?"
He'd say, "Child, can't you believe that I have already done it on Golgotha? I paid for your sickness. If you believe, go and receive."
For here's what He said: "As thou has believed, so be it unto you." He said, "Now, for Myself, I can do nothing. I do what the Father shows me. The Father shows me a vision, then I do what He tells me. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever."

33 Now, you just act. It's your faith. The ministry is not to come and pray for you. God didn't send me to pray for you. He sent me to speak to you of Jesus. And when you see God confirming and telling that I've told the truth, by His Word and by His signs, then you can say, "The man has told the truth."
Now, Lord Jesus... He tells me that You love me. And I have seen You answer the prayer. I've seen You do things that isn't done no more since the disciples. So, I believe You, and I accept You." That settles it. Just go out believing and you get well. Isn't that simple? It's God's love.

34 Now, we will call a few people up here at the platform to pray for them. You know why I do that? Is to get the anointing spirit started among the people. It begins to build their faith. And as their faith comes up, He speaks to me, just like He did to the Lord Jesus. The woman that touched His garment, and she went out in the crowd. Jesus said, "Someone has touched Me." And everybody said, "Not me."
And then He looked out, He seen the woman. He said, "Thy faith has saved thee."
Now, it was her faith, not Jesus. She drew the power from God through Jesus. Now, watch and see if He doesn't do the same thing, see. As soon as the Holy Spirit gets anointing the people, the prayer line as good as stopped. Then He goes...