The Spoken Word is the original seed
You can find this sermon at ChurchAges.net
1 Good morning, friends. So happy to be here. This morning we're starting a little early. Always sorry to see not enough adequate room to seat the people, and I know it's hard for you to stand. I have give out this morning that this would be the time that when I wanted to have plenty time. And I think it would be real nice along, as the service goes on, that if some would sit down, others stand, and kind of rest one another and if you want to get outside and walk around just a moment, remember, being a long service that it will be perfectly all right. Then we can swap around.
2 And now, we know they're in the building program here at the Tabernacle for a larger and bigger church that can have adequate seating room. And I think the church here will only seat around 250, 300 people, and there's probably a hundred more than that in here now. So it will ... and I come in, seen the people driving back and forth---couldn't find a place to park around and of course when they come there at the door and see the halls jammed up and the walls jammed up, and so forth, with people then ... all over the platform and so forth, then they go away. And we want everyone to hear the message of the Lord as we try to bring it.
3 I want to announce that immediately, I will try to speak up till twelve o'clock and then after ... and I'll dismiss at twelve. And that will give everyone time to go get something to eat. During this time the minister, the pastor, Brother Neville here, will have a baptismal service during this time. And you people that slip out and get something to eat and then we'll return back and I'll try to be at the pulpit exactly two o'clock, and then go on this afternoon.
4 And I've been in prayer much this week, and I would not even get through if I hadn't have cut about, maybe a fourth of it, or maybe a third, away, of what I wish to say to the people. Now, so we thank you for your fine cooperation of coming to meetings and what you have done for us and helping us and praying for us.
5 And I had the privilege a few moments ago of talking to an old man and woman which is ... we know them as Brother and Sister Kidd who have been very faithful down through the years. They stopped a few moments ago. I told them to come by; I wanted to see them a minute and what a privilege it was to talk to old people that'd been preaching the gospel when I was yet a baby. And the glorious old gospel gets better all the time as we near the end of the road.
6 And now, there are some prayer cloths laying here and I want to pray over them after a bit. And now, let us just bow our heads a moment for a word of prayer.
7 Our heavenly Father, You said in Your Word: "If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me." And, that is our purpose in life, is to lift up before a dying generation of people that Jesus Christ is still the Son of God, the Saviour of the world. And I'm so happy to know that I live where there is people who believe that, and along with the thousands that has accepted Him as their Saviour.
And knowing that after this life is finished, there will be a life on the other side that will be so glorious that this toils and few hours that we're passing through these shades and shadows of life here in the testing ground, that we are merely entering into the orbit now, waiting for the countdown, for soon there will come a time that when God's time is fulfilled. The great arm that's held back the time so long, will finally let go and His church will move off from this earth in space out yonder into a land where there'll be no sickness, sorrow, old age, death. That's why we are gathered today, Lord, is to express our feeling about these things.
John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
8 We're so glad to know that this is just not bringing the people together for something in vain; that it has been proven the greatest reality the world has ever known, that the Son of God is not dead, who made the promises, but is alive among us forevermore. And we're so happy this morning, Lord, above all things, though we own the world and could be young for hundreds of years to enjoy it, but it would only be a season compared with what's the time that's laid up for those who love Him. So, we are trying to point our brother and sister to this great hour that's approaching us. And as we see that time coming, Lord, our hearts burn. We want to make ready.
9 One by one we go down the lane. We just got through burying one from our midst. Our sister Bell, going quickly (according to her request), so quick we couldn't get to her to pray with her, but it was her request to go ... to see how good that You are to provide all the things that we desire in our hearts. You leave none of them. You promised it.
Now, we pray that You'll bring hearts to understand You today---those who do not understand You. Bring sinners to repentance; bring sick people to the healing knowledge of God. Oh, God, bless Your saints and bind their hearts together. And as these tapes goes out to the cities and the churches all out through the nations around the world, may ministering brethren, who has maybe once misunderstood, understand now that Thy church might be prepared.
10 And now oh, Lord, who separated me from my mother, who's fed me all the days of my life and has brought me to this hour, by Thy grace, feeling it was Thy will that I should explain to the people why that I have acted and did the way I have done, may it be in such a way that people will have a better understanding, Lord, of the peculiarity of thy servant.
Grant these things, Father, and these Scriptures and text and words that we have written here through the week praying and studying. May they fall on good ground everywhere they are heard---a ground that can hold them and nourish them, and then all praise shall be given to Thee, for we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
11 To the people out in the cars who can't get in, I'm attaching a little instrument here now, and turn on your radio to 1150 and you will get the message right on your radio in your car.
[Now is this the connection here? It's on, is it, for the tapes?]
12 Now, to all my friends both here and wherever these tapes may travel, I feel that I owe it to the people for an explanation of many things that I have said and done. So many times people has come to me and said, "Our pastor says, 'why would you do that,' Brother Branham? Why did you say this? And what makes you do it this a-way?" Now, with all my heart, everything that I have done, I have done it with the best intention I know how. And everything that I have said I have said it from my heart. And I have did it for a purpose; and I'll try this morning by God's help to explain from the Bible the purpose and why I have done it.
13 And now there perhaps, in a group of people this size, there is probably many ministers sitting here, and there will be many hear this, and I wish we had enough time to put all that I had thought of and scripturalized ... brought the scriptures to, rather, to the people. But to my brethren: even though that you might've disagreed with me---now I'm speaking both here and for the tapes---you might have disagreed with me much because of my stand towards what I think to be right. And you have a right to disagree with me as you may see it different; but I hope that by the help of God this morning, I'll be able to show you the reason why that I have took this stand.
14 And I have never ... there's been many times that I have scolded churches, denominations, the dressing of women, the acting of men. I think I have thoroughly supported that by Scripture. And never one time, God knowing my heart that I have ever had a bad feeling towards anyone. No matter if they disagreed with me as far as the east from the west, I still loved them. And as long as I have the Spirit of God in me I'll always love His church---His people. No matter what they do, or how they treat me, that won't have anything to do with it. I still love them.
15 I remember one time a man named Moses. Those people constantly (we would call it in our southern expression) aggravated him---just constantly kept him on the move. Everything was a murmur or complain and so forth. But Moses, when it come to the showdown, when God said, "Separate yourself from them, because I'm going to take you and start a nation," Moses throwed himself in the path of God's wrath. Said, "Take me, and not the people," that he'd called rebels, (rebellion against God and against him) yet, he loved them so much till he said, "Take me and save them." That was Christ in Moses.
And if a man, no matter how much some other one would disagree with him, if he doesn't feel that way then there's a lacking of Christ I believe---if from his heart, not his lips, but his heart, if he don't feel that way towards humanity.
Exodus 16:2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
Exodus 32:32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
Numbers 14:11 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?
Numbers 14:12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
Numbers 16:21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
Deuteronomy 9:14 Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they.
16 I was astonished one time (not just merely for a sense of humor at this time), but there was a Chicago meeting and a colored man was sitting there and he kept saying, "I want to see Dr. Branham." He had a great big hat on and great big crosses, eight or ten inches long and wide, across his chest, and robes and dressed very strange with funny rings and beads and so forth. And I told Brother Baxter, which was my associate, tell him, "Bring him on in the room; I'll see him." And he sat down to me and he said, "Shall I regard you as 'Father,' or as 'Reverend,' or as 'Elder,' or what would you want me to regard you as?"
I said, "If you love me, call me 'brother,'" And he, in respects, did so; and gave me his title which, oh, I'd take a few lines to write across the paper the titles of the name of the church, and his title in the church.
17 But he said one thing that's always stuck with me. He said, "I'm interested in this, Brother Branham." He told what he was interested in in his church and his things. He said, "I'm interested in one race"; he said, "that's the human race."
I said, "There we'll shake hands." The human race to everybody, to every creed, to every color, and to every person that Christ died for, that's my interest this morning. And I've tried to always make it my interest.
18 Now, I want to read, and then just... I'm not aiming to preach because it'd probably be at least... What I've got here to say will probably take me four or five hours. So after about two hours now, then we'll dismiss and go to dinner, then come back at two o'clock. Be here before two because I want to start right at two. Be here about one-thirty if you can. Then we'll be out in time for tonight.
I have to leave this afternoon yet for Tifton, Georgia where I'm to hold a service tomorrow night at the high school auditorium there---just a preaching service. And then from there, I don't know. Just wherever He leads from there. Many places ... Brother Arganbright and them has called from overseas to start right away over there, all across the West, out into Canada, around the world. But you'll know... I believe you'll know better after I get finished, if God will help me to give it to you the way it was given to me; then after the service, you'll understand, I hope.
19 And then, if there be any questions that you don't understand, I ask you to bring your books, and then you who have tape recorders can get the tapes, and put them in your home and sit down with an open heart---just an open heart. Just lay it out and say, "Lord, I've just relaxed now; I'm going to listen", and then when you catch something, turn the recorder off and go get the Scripture. And the Bible said, Jesus said, "They are they that testify of Me," see. Let's look through the Scripture and see if it's all right.
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
20 Now, I want to open ... (Pardon? Right in here. He's showing me the different mikes to use. There's such a bunch of them here this morning, I don't know which one to start on.) Now, let us turn to the scriptural ... I'm going to start in Genesis, and I wind up tonight in Revelation. I believe the Word. Genesis, beginning with the 1st chapter, I wish to read a portion of the Word. And now if somebody would want someone to take the ... got your pencils and papers and so forth because I've got many scriptures. I want to keep reading all the time on these scriptures.
In the beginning God created the heavens and ... earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided ... light from the darkness.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
And God said, Let there be ... firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the water which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
... God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he the Sea: and God saw that it was good.
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herbs and seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
And the earth brought forth grass, and herbs and yielded seed after his kind, and the tree yielded fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
And the evening and the morning were the third day.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
Genesis 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
Genesis 1:6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
Genesis 1:7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
Genesis 1:8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
Genesis 1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
Genesis 1:10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.
21 Now, I want to begin this morning with my text to use this: "The Spoken Word is the Original Seed." Now that's what I wish to lay the text on---"The Spoken Word is the Original Seed." Now if you'll notice God said, "Let it bring forth of his kind." Whatever it was it must be brought forth of its kind.
Now, this Word of God is eternal. God, being infinite, cannot speak one thing and then later on change it to something else, to a better decision, because every decision of God is perfect. He cannot ... once His Word is once spoken, it can never die. It lives on, on, on, and can never die because it is God. His Word can no more die than He can die. That's the reason we read in 1 John ... or St. John, 1st chapter, that "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... And the Word was made flesh..." The same Word that was spoken in the beginning with its eternal purpose came on over and was made flesh and dwelt among us---God's Word.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
22 Some years ago I heard that a woman (now this may not be authentic) that licked her tongue in radium while mixing it to put on hands of dials of clocks and watches---it killed the woman. And years later, keeping her skull for an autopsy like, they said you could take instruments, whatever they use, and put against that skull bone, and with a rumble you could still hear that radium going on in her skull after she had been dead years. Radium continually goes on.
23 The Word of God continually goes on. I'm told that if we could pick up an instrument that could catch it, that a man's voice, my voice that I speak today, ten thousand years from now could still be picked up in the air. It's like dropping a pebble in the middle of a pond. And the teeny little waves after they fail to be seen by the eye, continue on till it hits the bank. And the airwave of our voices continually travels around and around the world; therefore, then our voice what we say will be our judgment. Our testimony will rise right against us. Our own voices will echo in our own ears at the judgment bar of God when His great instrument catches every voice that's been spoke---every word that's been muttered.
24 And now there's only one way to stop that voice that's wrong; that's repent. God alone can stop it. If it doesn't, it goes on and meets up with you in the eternity. Therefore, God being perfect and His voice eternal, His own voice will have to catch up with it. Therefore, He must be perfect in every decision. For when He once says something, it has to go all the way and come back to the judgment.
25 Now, if you'll be real understanding, or try to be, you'll see why I have took always the stand for the Word of God that I have; because, all other things must perish, God is eternal and His Word is eternal. Now, as you study, and I'll try to speak just as lengthy as I can so that you'll get the words; and I do that for the tapes also---that you must know that this Bible is God's Word!
26 Now we know that we're coming to a judgment, that the voice of God is going to catch up with us somewhere because it was given to every mortal to hear. Ministers are responsible of taking it, and if this voice of God has to catch up with every person, then you've got to hear it either here or at the judgment bar. So if the church has the voice of God, then you must hear the voice of the church as our Roman Catholic people tell us. And when they, in themselves, are so confused and different in their doctrine, (the Roman, the Greek and the different types) then there cannot be any place to have faith because which one is the church?
27 Is the Roman church right or is the Greek church right, or is some of the other churches right? Is the Lutherans right? Baptists right? Methodists right? Presbyterians right? or who is right when there is so much difference in them? One is as far as the east from the west from one another, but to my opinion the voice of God is the judge. So the voice of God, and if it's so perfect, it's got to come from some perfect resource and if men bring it one way and another way with their difference of denominations, then there's no way to set a faith surely in what they're saying.
28 I hope that's clear, see, because and if one says it's this way ... one says you must join this church: "This church only has salvation"---that's the Catholic version. The Lutheran come around and say they are the way. Here comes along the Methodists with something else, the Baptists with something else, the Pentecost with something else; and there seems to be such a gathering of confusion. Then when you take this written Word to our brethren, many of them says, "Well, them days isn't now." Another one says, "It's just a history." The other one says, "It's a book of poems." The other says, "The church has a right to change it." Then where do we stand? Where is there a resting place for faith?
29 When God, being eternal... I believe if we are to be judged (and always have) ... that if we're to be judged by anything, it will be by the Word of God that's given the commission. Then if we're to be judged by that Word, then God would be an unjust God to put such a confusion on earth. And the poor human mind so baffled, it doesn't know what to do; and one will join this one then join that one, the poor fellow trying to think he's trying to find the right place. He'll listen to this denomination, then he'll listen to another denomination, and this one seems to be better than that one; he'll go and first thing, he's back to the first one again. He just doesn't know what to do. But if God is going to judge the world by something, it will be by His Word. I believe that.
Deuteronomy 33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
Romans 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
30 And now, my brethren---now when I say that, I'm meaning not only this little group here this morning, but I'm meaning where these tapes will be sent around the world---I wish you would bear with me awhile and think of that, that there's got to be some place come for a judgment. Then some of them says, "The King James version" or the certain other version, and now they're making a Standard version or something.
31 I believe if God be the sovereign God (as He is), the eternal one, He has to see to it; it's up to Him. If I want to go to heaven to His place, it's up to Him to furnish me a place where I'll know what to do---somewhere that you can lay your hand and say, "This is it." Do you agree with that? There's got... It's up to Him. He'd be unjust.
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
32 If I said, "Lord, I was a Lutheran," and the other one said, "Well, I was a Catholic," well, there's your two protesting one another. Now, what's the poor man going to do? Or what if the Catholic church is right?---then all Lutherans are lost. What if the Lutherans are right?---all Catholics are lost.
See, you've got to have somewhere that faith can take it's resting place. And to me---I don't know how you feel about it, but to me the Bible is the infallible Word of God. And I believe that God has watched over His Word that there's not one punctuation out of place.
Psalm 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
33 My daughter back there, Rebekah, was saying, "Daddy, in school we proved that there are millions and millions of years this world is old; then isn't that contradictory to the Bible?"
"No, sir," I said, "it isn't."
"Well," said, "If the different study of rocks and formations and stalagmites and stalactites and so forth prove that dripping of millions of years, and God said He made the heavens and earth in one twenty-four hours, doesn't that misprove... disprove the Bible?"
I said, "No." If you'll notice God telling Moses about the Bible, He said, "In the beginning God created the heavens and earth."---period! How long it took, that's none of our business. Then He goes ahead and begins to bring in His time of putting seed in the earth. But in the beginning---might have been hundreds of billions of trillions of years, aeons of time, but God created the heavens and the earth, period! That settles that. That's the first thing. See, He makes no mistakes. Paul, the great preacher said ... told Timothy to "study to prove yourself, rightly dividing the Word of God." Study it open heartedly, and that's what I try to do.
Psalm 119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
34 Now, with my faith in the Word like that, then I cannot take some private interpretation, for the Bible states that the Bible is of no private interpretation. Now the Spirit just revealed that. I know the scripture, but right now I don't know just exactly where it's in the Scripture; but you who are putting it down, you'll find it; I think it's in Peter that the Bible is of no private interpretation.
Therefore, if the inspired writer said ... and if that's wrong, then how much other parts of it is wrong? It's either all right or all wrong. You can't make it nothing else. Well, about the church, you say, "Well, then the church..." No, if you go to the church, then which church is right? Which church is right? See you have to come back again to something that faith has to rest on. And to mine, it's on the Word of God believing that this Bible is God's program for the people---always has been.
2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
35 Jesus said the Scriptures must be fulfilled. That is, all that's written in the Scriptures--- (now bear this in mind because you who are getting the tape now, at the end of these tapes you'll find I come back to that again) that all that's in the Scriptures must be fulfilled. Now, let that soak just a minute, class, see. All that's in the Scriptures has got to be fulfilled. Then if God said anything---there you are! It's got to be fulfilled! Or if it isn't, that's not the Word of God. Then if it is ... that isn't the Word of God, then where are we at? Let's get something that looks like God or anything we want to do. As the Bible said, "Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die," see.
Isaiah 22:13 And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.
John 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
1 Corinthians 15:32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
36 Now, if that is not the Word of God, then we're all lost; and if it is the Word of God, God is absolutely honor-bound! The God of ... who is the fountain of all honor, who is the beginning of all honor, who is the source of all honor, who is the source of all truth, has got to stand by what He said! And if this isn't God's Word, then who is God? Where is God? or is there a God?
37 "Oh," you say, "Brother Branham, I feel it." Oh, the heathen can tell you the same thing on his idol.
Traveling does something to you, when you see it yourself.
"So I believe I could look and see this."
"Yes."
"I believe if I... I believe because I was changed like this, because..."
I do that too, but remember heathens do the same thing. Why the morals of Africa would snow ... some of them tribes would make Americans here that call themselves Christians feel ashamed of themselves---the morals and cleanness amongst the people who worship heathen idols. So maybe that's God. See what I mean? You see, when you look at the thing in the face, there's a great big circle here you've got to cover; so you've got to have somewhere to come back and place your hands.
38 Now let's take the Lutheran claims; they fail! Let's take the Catholic claims; they fail! Let's take the Baptist claims, Pentecostals; they fail! So you can't put no confidence in them. But there's not one thing written in this Bible but what God has proved by somebody that it's the truth. It is the truth.
As I've often said, "Maybe my faith won't climb where Enoch climbed, but I certainly wouldn't stand in anybody's way that could climb there." Great faith. Now, getting this background that the reasons why I believe the Bible, and that's where I take my text.
39 Now, next thing I want to say, that I do not believe the Bible contradicts itself, and I have offered a challenge, world around, for any persons who claim such to come prove it to me. Come, prove it. The Bible doesn't contradict itself; it's you contradicting the Bible. God cannot contradict Himself. If He does, then He isn't God. And if this Word is God then ... and it's contradictory then you make God contradicting Himself; then where is your God then? Kind of gets thick, doesn't it?---complicated.
Malachi 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
40 If God contradicts Himself, He's not no more than I am or no more than you are, for He can contradict Himself. The Word's there, but it's hid from the eyes of the wise and prudent.
That's why someone says that Matthew 28:19, where: "Go ye, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost"; Acts 2:38 said, "Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus"---is a contradictory." It isn't a contradictory!
Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
41 Everybody that's ever baptized has to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And if you are not baptized using the name of Jesus Christ, you are not baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! You are baptized in some titles that pertains to a name. If that isn't the right revelation, then the Bible would be wrong when it went ahead, and everybody baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. But if the Bible baptized ... everyone of the apostles all down through the age baptized in the name of Jesus Christ after Jesus commissioned them to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, then the Bible absolutely contradicts itself. But if you look at it ... they did just what He said. Not titles, but name. So there's no contradiction.
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
42 How many more could I pull out here that I've even got wrote down, that where people say it contradicts itself. I've asked for twenty-five years (almost thirty now) for someone to show me. It isn't there. No, sir. It's there, the truth, all the truth, and nothing but the truth, and our faith rests right there, right there on what God said. Don't try to interpret it; just say it the way it says it. Don't put any private interpretation, and I believe that there's not anything else...
43 Now, I hope that if this hurts that it isn't mean; I'm trying to say why I believe what I believe and the way I've acted the way I've acted---of the things that I've done. I'm trying to show myself to the world, that I have done this because this is my conviction.
I believe that any word that's added to this Bible and whoever is guilty of doing it, his part will be taken out of the book of life---Revelation 21: "Whosoever shall add to this or take from this..." I do not believe that any creed, any dogma, anything else, but just the literal Word of God is God's plan. Anything else is sinful and will be dealt with and will be eternally lost---any man, any creed, any denomination, or anything that will add to or take from one punctuation of this Word. God, who is not a god of yesterday who wrote a book and handed it out in a bunch of men's hands and let it be confused and everything else, and then go to judge the world with that book! But the God that wrote it lives!---lives in it and confirms His Word. (Now in studying the tapes, I want you to study that real close right there---that remark, see.)
Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
44 Now, I begin at Genesis, I'm over to Revelation now bringing this together that this is God's Word. Revelation says that whosoever will take from it or add to it, the same will be taken, his part, out of the book of life. I'll get to the Scripture ... quote it after while. Revelation the last chapter.
That's the 1st chapter shows now, what? What is the Word?---now, it is eternal. It must not be tampered with, added to, or taken away from, see. Must not be tampered with---God sees to that. It must not be added to---anything to it. Nothing can be taken from it because it's eternal, see. Now, now to base upon to show you that, what I'm trying to say, is in between these (Genesis to Revelation) it will not mix with anything else.
Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
45 Now, here's where we're going to differ---from here till five o'clock this afternoon, see. Here's where we're going to differ. How many will agree that this is God's Book of judgment, that we'll be judged according to the Word of God? It shall not be added to or taken away from. Then why has this been done? Now we're getting to it. Why has this been done in such a rude way? Now, we're going to find it between Genesis and Revelation, right down in our time, down through other times.
46 Now, let me make that real clear for the tapes. Now, after I have told you why I believe the Word and what God said about it, and how it should not be taken or added to, taken from, I want to go into the dense part of it, to the context of this long text that I have drawed out, and explain to you and show you what happened; then you can see the reason that I believe what I believe, see.
47 Now, it cannot be mixed, and it will not hybreed with nothing else. It will not hybreed. Today is a great day of hybreeding animals, corn, wheat---making a better looking product, but it's no good. It's rotten, no life in it---dies, can't reproduce itself; it's dead because everything that we have on earth today in its original form is a spoken Word of God!
48 That's why that a mule, a bastard-born animal with a crossbreeding cannot breed itself back again. God made a horse and He made a mule, or made a donkey. You breed them two together, you got a mule. It's a hybrid; therefore it can't breed itself back. (We're going to hit the serpent's seed after awhile now.) It can't breed itself back.
49 Now what's my text?---"The Spoken Word Is The Original Seed." Now I want to prove that. Let us turn now over to Matthew 24:35 just a moment and as we search through these Scriptures for a little while (and I'll see how much time we have), and I want to read here a word that Jesus said. Matthew 24 and the 35th verse---24th chapter, 35th verse---show how eternal this Word is (what we've been talking about).
Verily ... [34] Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Heavens and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Matthew 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
50 Now, could you mix anything with that then? Now, in the book of Revelation the 22nd chapter and the 19th verse, I'd like to read this. Revelation the 22nd chapter and the 19th verse and see what this says. Let's begin with the 18th verse.
For I testify unto every man ... [now remember from Genesis where He spoke the Word, see.] For I testify unto every man [that's priest, pope, bishop, state presbyter or whatever] ... that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
What about your dogmas? What about your unscriptural creeds that you're listening to?---of all denominations, there's not a one excused!
... if any man shall take away from the words [saying it's not the same, you know, see] ... away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things that are written in this book.
Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Revelation 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
51 Though he be a preacher (see), though he be a church member all of his life, though he be a bishop or a pope, whosoever shall take one word of this---just one word! Do you realize it was one word that Eve doubted that caused all the trouble?---one spoken word of God, Eve doubted to be the truth, and it caused every sickness, every disease, every suffering baby, caused every hospital to be built, every operation was ever performed, every death that ever died---for one person to believe one ... disbelieve one word. There you are.
Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
52 What did Eve try to do?---hybreed it, mix it with something. You've got to take it the way God spoke it! It won't mix with nothing. No, sir. Jesus one time said, "If you have the faith like a mustard seed..." I'm told that mustard seed won't hybreed. You can't mix it with nothing. You can mix other grains, but You can't mix mustard seed, see, because it won't hybreed. And if you've got that kind of faith, that's one ... taking one word of God... That's where so many evangelists crack up (we'll get to it later), how they say, "Oh we believe this" and they'll take that and they believe that one word, and they can make that work, but what about the other one next to it? "Blessed is he that does all his biddings, see. He'll have the right to enter into the tree of life for without are sorcerers, dogs, and whoremongers," and so forth.
Now, I got a mixed class but I got a lot of context here that's just really flat so I want you sisters to understand; see, be sure to understand.
Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Luke 17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
53 Now, that's why we believe it---that it is the Word of God; therefore God's spoken Word is original. And everything that God created (spoke into existence) is original. And you can hybreed some of His creation secondarily. That's the reason Eve could do what she did with her own seed---because she wasn't in the original creation. She's a by-product of a man---not in the creation of God. God created the whole thing, and then He took a part of His creation and made a helpmate.
That's the reason you can hybreed a donkey and a horse, but it won't last! It's death! But the original has got life. It comes back again! I hope you can see it now. The original has the life; so that's the reason I think that cults and denominations and organizations die! History proves they are every one dead. They never did rise no more; they never will. They can't breed themselves back. Got nothing to breed with; they are sterile. That's why Eve's children die.
Genesis 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
54 I'm taking my time, so the tapes ... give people time to study. I don't want to be in any hurry. I want to just take my time. I don't know what will happen from here on, but I want this to the people that even though someday God take me from the world, if I don't live to see His coming, the message will still live on. Truth. Stay with the Word.
55 Now remember, every spoken word of God is the original seed. God planted everything in the earth by His Word, and as long as you stay with the original seed, it will breed itself right back and reproduce itself again. Hybrid it; it dies! And Eve, the woman, was the first hybrid thing that ever was.
Now, I hope you don't turn tapes off till we get down and prove that after awhile, see---show you just why.
56 She was a hybreeder, a bride. Notice, through that brought death---through trying to take the Word of God and mix some wisdom with it, see. You're not supposed to do that. Whether you got wisdom to explain it, just say, "God said it, and that settles it" ---that God said so, and that's all there is to it. If you can't explain it, leave it alone, but just say it's so because God said so, see. Just say, "God said it."
57 Now, notice. Now, it will not mix. It must not be tampered with. God will punish the one that does it, and it will not hybreed to nothing else. It's God's Word alone. God don't need your word with His. We're not supposed to speak our own word; we're supposed to preach His Word---God's Word.
58 Now, therefore, true life can only come or reproduce itself by its original breeding. See, life... Now, study that, now, when you're studying the tapes and study it now. Life l-i-f-e---can only be reproduced by its original breeding, the way it started at the beginning; then it reproduces itself. If it doesn't it's a hybrid; it runs out. Some of them run out in the first generation, see---it's gone right then. It'll soon find itself back. It can't bring correct life because it's hybrid.
59 Genesis 1:11 the Bible said (God said), " Let every seed bring forth of its kind." Now when God said that, that settles it. It's always settled. "Let every seed bring forth of its kind." To mix it brings a super crop. It's a super crop of what? Listen now. Let's coast. To mix it ... (I'm trying to hold them, such text, I could preach on it. But I'm trying to keep from doing that.) To mix it will bring forth a super crop after it's proven. But what kind of a crop?---a crop of falsehood, death!
Hybreed your corn; it brings forth a big crop, better crop, better looking; but it's dead. Plant it back, can't reproduce itself again. It's done; it's finished. Like Eve, see. She brought forth a hybrid crop. Look at us today. You can look around and see that's true. Sure did. It wasn't God's purpose, no, sir. Just have to hold back for something I'm thinking right now, see.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
60 To mix it brings forth a hybrid crop; and a hybrid crop is a dead crop---as far as rebreeding. It won't rebreed itself; it can't because God said so. It has to bring forth of its kind, and you've mixed it.
Now you can see the church right there, where it'll wind up. It dies there, for it cannot bring forth of it kind. Why?---it's mixed! You can't do nothing with it. It's dead; it's finished. All right. That's why each generation has its own revival---a chance at the Word. So, the sovereign God, at the judgment ... John Wesley's group will raise up, and these "starch-washed" Methodists of today will answer for it? Luther will raise up. The Catholics will raise up. And back behind Irenaeus, Martin, Polycarp and those and will have to stand the judgment for hybreeding the Word of God to dogmas. This group of Lutherans that followed Luther's revival will answer the same thing. The group of Baptists that followed John Smith's revival will do the same thing. Alexander Campbell's will do the same thing. And the Pentecostals will do the same thing. That original revival, when the Holy Ghost fell, called out a people and God trying to get His Word to it, and they organized it, set over here and denominated and died right there!
You say, "But look what they're doing."
We'll get to that a little later on today. We're coming right down to all the... I'm just putting the seed in now. Then we're going to show you after awhile what happened.
61 Now, that's why each revival has its own revival ... each generation has its revival. God raises Him up a man, sets him with His Word and starts him out with the message for that age. And as soon as that man is taken off the scene somebody else catches it, and hybreeds it, and it all falls back to a perfect...
Everything may... I could stop here for a minute. We ain't in no hurry. Go back; that's exactly what it started way in the beginning in Genesis. God set forth His crop of human race, and Eve hybrid it. See what happened? So there's the judgment for Eve.
62 Luther set forth---all the rest---Christ set forth. The apostles set forth. The prophets set forth. Didn't Jesus say, "Which one of you has not your fathers persecuted the prophets that God sent?
Didn't He teach that a king one time sent his servant, and then sent another servant, and sent another servant, and so forth, then finally he sent his son, see. Each generation receiving ... because it's repeating right back to Adam and Eve again---the first crop in the garden of Eden. Half of them lost ... wise virgin, sleeping virgin. Half of them ... one kept the Word; other one hybreeded it. Right back and forth just as hard as it can go, right like that, it's been right down through the age. We'll prove it by God's Word and by the history here. That's right---hybreeding.
Matthew 21:34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
Matthew 21:35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
Matthew 21:36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
Matthew 21:37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
Matthew 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Matthew 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Acts 7:52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
63 Hybreeding first started in Eden, started in Genesis. It's the beginning. That's where... And it ends up over here in Revelation, at the second coming of Christ. Now remember correctly, that's why each generation has its own revival; it gets a chance at the Word. Then they hybrid it---instead of taking it on, they go somewhere else.
64 My mission, that I believe that God has called me for... I have to say some personal things today because that's what I told you I'd do (see), and tell the world. My mission, I believe, to the earth is what?---is to forerun the coming Word (see), the coming Word which is Christ. And Christ in Him has the millennium and has everything right there because He is the Word, see.
Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
65 All right, Jesus said in John 3:5---now if you want to mark that down, John 3:5. We all know it, or either I'll turn maybe, somebody on the tapes would ... might not be able to turn just at that time, and I'll read here in St. John the 3rd chapter and the 5th verse, and we'll see what Jesus said. We might start off just a little before that ... 3rd.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Jesus answered, Verily, ... I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of ... Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
66 Is that a seed? Every spoken word of God is a seed. That's right. I'm going to prove that just in a minute---where Jesus said so. Every spoken Word of God is a seed. Then except a man be born again---why must he be born again? He's dead in the flesh that he is in. He's a hybrid. He's got to be born again. Why? He was born in sin from Eve's sin, shaped in iniquity, come to the world speaking lies. He's a liar to begin with. No matter how smart, educated, whatmore he is, he's a liar---the Bible says he is---how holy his parents was or anything about it, he's a liar to begin with. And the only way he can tell truth is say what truth is through his own lips. That's the only way truth can come. Anything contrary to that Word, he's a liar yet.
That's pretty flat, but that's what God said, "Let every man's word be a lie and mine be true," see. Anything that comes from his lips contrary to deny this Word or put it in some other race or some other generation or whatever it is, he's a liar. That's exactly. He's got to born again, and then he sees every word. The only way he can be born again is that life of God in him to produce that life.
Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
67 A seed must have water to grow. Now, you put a seed in the ground, if there's no moisture in the ground, it's dust, and it won't grow in the dust. It can't. It's got to have a certain percent of moisture or it won't grow. Is that right? The letter killeth; the Spirit giveth it life, see. Now, it must have moisture to grow.
His Word is a seed. Now to prove that, let's turn to Luke the 8th chapter, the 11th verse and see if this is true or not---if the Bible says His Word is a seed. Luke the 11th chapter ... or the 8th chapter rather and the 11th verse. And we'll see what God said about it---8th chapter, 11th verse. Now He goes ahead and begins to tell. There's much things to say about it. Let's start at the 4th and just read.
And when much people were gathered together, and there come unto him out of every city, he spake by ... parables:
A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
And some fell upon ... rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
Luke 8:4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:
Luke 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
Luke 8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
2 Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
68 Moisture---Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans without the water.
And when he's first converted, he looks right straight to Christ; he believes. And the first thing you know, that denomination binds him up into a place, and the moisture of the Spirit's gone from him; he becomes denominational, and he's dead. Not only Baptists but Pentecost! Don't believe that. I know many of you don't, but you just wait a little bit. We'll see whether the Bible states that or not.
69 All right, of lack of moisture---last word in the 6th verse, of the 8th chapter. The lack of moisture.
And some fell among thorns; and ... sprang up with it, and choked it.
See, what was that? He goes ahead and tells that some as soon as they get to be... I'm not going to pull one punch today on nothing. Just what I think the Christian Businessmen and the rest of them of these Pentecostal organizations, and these people that's building all these big millions of dollars of things---the riches of the world has choked out the glory and Spirit of God. Dying because it's choked. The world, care of the world, has choked them out.
Luke 8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
Luke 8:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
70 The women wants to be active and bob off their hair and have waterhead haircuts, wear shorts, and look like the rest of the world. The preacher stands in the pulpit, with ... practice their "amen"s and afraid of the Word of God because of a meal ticket. If they can't ride a Cadillac, they're not even considered spiritual anymore. That's right. If they can't dress in the best of clothes and do everything else, they are considered: "They are backslid. They're not so-and-so."
An old man back there, old Brother Kidd, told me this morning they don't want him no more, because he's old and he stays right with the Word. What's the matter?---they lack moisture. That's right.
And others fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit ... when he had said these things, he cried, He that has an ear to hear, let him hear.
Oh, what a parable! How I could like to preach a text on that now ... a sermon. "When he had said these things...", the 8th chapter or 8th verse and 8th chapter.
... others fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit a hundred fold. And when he had said these things, he cried [screamed out, something maybe like this when He said, "Will bring forth a hundredfold. He that has an ear let him hear." In other words, if your ear is in tune with God, let him hear, see.]
... his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom ... [the mysteries---see what He's talking about here? Now watch. What is the mysteries of the kingdom? Watch just a minute.] ... mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. [See, but God's Word comes right on down to the judgment to judge them---because they did see it! It was there!]
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Luke 8:8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Luke 8:9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
Luke 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
71 What is the seed of life?---the Word of God! Therefore, for life, you can't come through a creed, you can't come through a denomination, you've got to come back to the Word! Now, the seed of life.
All right, His Word is His seed, and His Spirit is the water. Now, right back to John 3:14 there, you get it again, you see. See? The Spirit is the water.
Now look, John 3:14, we understand what it means if you want to read it.
... as Moses lifted up the brass serpent in the wilderness, ... so must the Son of man be lifted up:
See? Now if Moses lifted up the brass serpent, for the same cause Christ was lifted up, now what is it? Moses lifted up the brass serpent so that the people that was perishing might have water for life. And look, Jesus ... (oh, God!) Jesus is the Word of God. Now we're going to hammer that down this afternoon, see, prove that.
Numbers 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
72 Jesus is the Word of God, and He was bursted open, that life, the life that's inside the seed, that this life, which, is Spirit, water flowing over ... the Spirit over the seed of God will bring forth the life of the seed. And if it brings forth something else, there's some other kind of seed there then! Amen! Do you understand?
If the Spirit of God comes forth to water the seed, if it's the seed it's watering, it will produce the life of the seed. Is that clear? Produce the life of the seed, for that's what it's give for.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
73 I believe the Bible is the Word, the whole truth, and Jesus is the Word made manifest; He and His Word is one and the same. What was He? Now look. He was that seed.
(Now, I've got to hold something back in order to get it in here this evening, you see. It's hard.)
He was that seed that Eve should have produced. Do you get it! He was the seed that Eve was to produce, but she hybrid it by disbelieving God's Word. So He was that seed, and the only way that life could be, in the reproduction of life, life had to come through that seed, and that seed had to die in order to spread out the life! Can't you see it? That's why the water was given---to water the seed!
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
74 The Holy Spirit that was in the garden of Eden was to water the seed. Man wasn't made to die; he was made to live, but hybreeding brought life ... or death rather. She hybrid. Now you deny the serpent's seed. Then I'll ask you, "What's these funeral services about?" She was hybrid. Everyone of us are hybrid from the original. That's the reason we're constantly dying. But (oh, God!) there's a germ of life come from the real seed, that God proved it was His seed, He rose Him up again! See? That through that life that's going over the original seed like was given to Eve over His real church, it's bringing forth life again through the birth, through the womb, of His bride, see.
Oh, it's rich and glorious. Now, give it a little time to study so it will sink in.
He is that seed. He is that seed that was produced by the Word of God. "Be it unto me according to thy word." There's the seed, see. Taking the Word, see.
Luke 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
75 Now, Jesus is the Word made manifest. He and the Word is one and the same, and that's why it was so ... made manifest in Him so perfectly. That's the reason that God manifested Himself so perfectly in Jesus: because He was the seed Word, the germ Word itself (the germ that's inside the seed, that's the life in the seed). You get it? See, it was the... He was the germ Word of God. The germ is the Spirit; the germ is the water, and Jesus had to be broken open there in order for that seed to let forth it's life to water other seed that was coming. Do you see? Even He said, "Other sheep that's not even of this fold, I have. They're going to see that; they're going to get that Word and stay right with it. And I'm sending forth the Spirit to water it, and it will produce just exactly." It will produce miracles, it will produce the power of God, it will produce ... and it will not deny anything, because it is a kindred seed with the seed. It can't say, "Mr. Cocklebur, you come live with me." No, no, sir; no, no. It won't do it. No indeedy. It just won't mix. You can't mix death and life. You can't be dead and alive at the same time.
76 So, you see what I mean? It is the germ that come from the seed---He is. He is the Word of God made perfectly manifest. That's the reason that in Him was what? That was the thing that He is correctly ... the son from the first Adam was the son that was promised through Adam continuing on the human race, and Eve hybrid it to the serpent and brought forth a generation of bastard children born to death without life, and Jesus come and was that seed. He proved it. Everything that Adam lost, Jesus was. See it? He is the correct ... Eve would have finally brought that child forth, but she hybrid it, brought the serpent in, listening for wisdom, understanding, knowledge.
77 Now wait till we get into the bride with that. That's what's ... that's the reason I believe what I believe. It's got to come back to this Word. That's the reason I say if somebody wants to discuss with me, talk to me about this Word, "Come." That's right. I've offered that anytime. If you think that the name of Jesus Christ isn't the right way to baptize, come talk to me about it. If you don't believe there is such a thing as serpent's seed, you come see me. Let's just take the Word. If you don't believe that women should have long hair and that's their covering, come talk to me about it with the Word. If you don't believe that the end of the time is at hand and these things that I'm talking about is ... come talk to me about it, see. Come with me. Brother Seed, just come on. Right.
1 Corinthians 11:15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
78 You can't be a seed and disagree with the Word because the Word is the seed. And if you are the Word, how can you disagree with it? You would be disagreeing with yourself. You'd be defeating your own purpose. Like somebody said, "Why do you ever go out with them people like that?" Well, if I didn't do it, I'd be defeating the very purpose I was sent here for. There's got to be a light.
Now as we go on down, we're going to bring them things in and show just how they set themselves in order---just exactly perfectly with the Word.
79 Now, yes, sir. He is ... that's why God could work through Him. And what did He say when He was here on earth?---"I do nothing until the Father shows Me"---perfectly. And anything He done always was vindicated by the Scriptures. He said, "Search ye the Scriptures for they are they that testify of Me, and if I don't do the things that they said they did, then I'm not that original seed. But if I do do the things, then why don't you believe Me? (That's right.) If you can't even believe Me, the way I stand, then believe the Word that I say, believe the works that I do, because my seed can only bear forth what I am."
Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
80 The cocklebur can only be a cocklebur. You can hybreed it with anything else but it's still a cocklebur. That's right. It will express it.
That's the reason that a dual is a hypocrite. That's a hybrid. A man that claims to be a man of God and deny the Word, he's a hypocrite. A mule that claims to be the horse, he's not a horse. He said, "I'm a donkey." And neither one; you're a hypocrite, bastard born, just exactly. That's flat, but that's what it is. He didn't aim to do that. Man done that with his wisdom. That's where he gets. That's where all man's wisdom winds up---to be bastard borned. All right.
81 Now, that's why Jesus was so perfectly manifested---God was so perfectly manifested in Jesus because He was the Word of God He was God's Word. That's the reason He couldn't produce nothing---but just exactly God. And if God is in you, what more can you be?
Didn't Jesus say of the prophets who the Word of God came to... Who did the Word of God come to?---prophets. Didn't Jesus call them gods? Why?---God was manifested in them. What was it?---the spoken Word manifested, see. That's it. Said, "How can you deny ... say... If you had any wisdom, you'd understand." He said, "How can you say we called them... God Himself called them gods." And said, "How can you then say you believe them and deny Me when I say I'm a Son of God?" Why didn't they see this then?
Numbers 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
John 10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
John 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
John 10:36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
82 Same thing today: "I'm that seed that was to come (the woman's seed)." " I'll give you a seed"---to the serpent. The serpent had already defiled her. He said, "But thy seed that I'll give you shall bruise his head." It'll take that thing back again! Amen! I wish---I just wish everybody could see that. "I've come to conquer and correct what he done." And the only way I can do is through a woman that believed the seed where a woman didn't believe the seed. Woman believed the Word where one didn't believe it. "I'm that overcomer. I'm the one that's come to give life that through my death, to pay the penalty of what she done, through my life will be given to you, shall flow over you, and you'll be sons of God and daughters of God," see, as long as the seed's in there.
You hybrid it and you ain't got nothing but a denominational bastard child. That's all. Anything deny the Word. Excuse me, sisters. I want you ... I've just got to say it just the way it says it here, see. And that's the way it is.
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
2 Corinthians 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
83 All of God's sons must be the same. Yes, sir. To be born of the Word and Spirit brings us back to the spoken Word again like in John 3, see. To be born of the water and the Spirit, what does it do? Then it brings you right back again unto the place of where you should have been at the beginning, see. That's the reason of Christ's death: brings us right back again to where?---sons of God.
If Eve would have brought forth that child... She would have finally done it. Did not God tell her, "Multiply and replenish the earth?" But she had to walk over here and play the part of a whore.
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
84 You just say, "That's flat, Brother Branham," but wait just a little bit; we'll get into that a little later, see. You say, "It can't be." Well, we'll just find out whether the Word says it is or not, see. Then it's right. It's not hid. If it is, it's hid from those that's lost. See, that's right.
85 Now, now, brings you right back to the spoken Word. Then we are God's Word made manifest, see. Jesus said the same thing. "He that believeth on me, the things that ... who I am, what I come for and the purpose I do---to bring a man back to believe the Word of God and take nothing else with it, the works that I do, He'll do also." There you are.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
86 Why is it not being done today?---it's hybrid, bastard children, mixed up. It's a mule; it don't know what it believes. A mule don't know who his daddy is, who his mama is. He don't ... he's no pedigree; there's nothing to him. He's a illegitimate creature.
That's the way any person that claims to believe God and don't believe His Word will take a denominational creed and breed it with the Word. See, you're not enough God; you're dead. You can't be dead and alive at the same time. So even the Word of God don't even grow. You're just playing the part of a hypocrite. Let that go for bishop, priest, cardinal or whoever it might be. That's right. It's got to be the Word or you're dead---just a illegitimate child. God's Word... God part won't grow. You might grow in the same field as we're getting to directly, but you're sure not in the fold. It won't grow.
87 All right; all right, we notice then, see, the spoken Word; then we are God's Word made manifest. That's how God wants His church---is to manifest Himself. How can He manifest Himself unless His own seed is in that person? How can you use your own thoughts and God manifest Himself through you? How can you take your own belief and say, "Well, my pastor teaches... My creed says that this ... days of miracles..." How are you going to do that and then be a manifested son of God? How are you going to do it? The death of Jesus wasn't nothing to you. "Oh, I accept Him as my Saviour." You don't! You say you do, but you don't! Your works proves what you are. Jesus said the same thing. "If you think I am illegitimately born..."
They said, "We're Abraham's son, and need nobody to teach us."
Said, "If you was Abraham's children, you'd know Me." Said, "Which one of you condemns Me of sin (unbelief)? Show Me one thing that God promised of me that ain't fulfilled. Show Me one thing that the Father promised that I haven't fulfilled. Sin is unbelief. Let's see you produce it then." That dehorned them, see. Certainly. Said, "Who's accusing Me? Who can condemn Me with sin and unbelief?" See? "If I don't believe, then why is the Father doing through Me like He's doing---every Word that He promised? Now let Me see where you got it in yours."
John 8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
John 8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
88 Who is illegitimate born then?---they were! Illegitimate children professing to be God's. Jesus said, "You are of your father, the devil, and his works you do." What kind of works did the devil do?---try to hybrid the Word of God through Eve!
That's exactly the same thing that these big denominations do today. The works of the devil, their father, they do. They are trying to take a creed and breed it with the Word of God! That's what Satan done in the beginning---the father, the devil.
God bless you, brethren. Come out of it! Jesus said so. If you've got one little scratch of God in you, you ought to look and see that. Hybrid! Oh, my!
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
89 The works that Jesus did---if a man has the seed of God in him with the Spirit of God watering that seed, the same works that Jesus ... was manifested in Jesus, Him being the original seed of God. His death brings you back to the original seed of God. And if the same Spirit that was within Him is in you, then the same works will be manifested. You don't believe that? All right, let's turn over to St. John 14:12.
You say, "I'm a believer, Brother Branham. I sure am a believer." All right, I'm going to see if Jesus would call you one, see if the Word of God calls you one.
Verily, verily [absolutely, absolutely], I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
90 What is it?---same seed. Can't keep ... how can you plant wheat here and wheat here and say, "I'm going to get cucumbers here and wheat here?" You can't do it. The only way you are going to get cucumbers is plant cucumbers and if you hybrid it, then it won't be a cucumber. It will be a hypocrite. Is that right? It will be a hypocrite, friends. Just got to say it, it is just neither one. It isn't cucumber or what you bred it with. It's a crossbreed, and it is a bad product, and it's dead in itself, and it can't breed itself back no more. It's dead right there---back, won't go no farther. That finishes it; that's all. But if you want a cucumber, start with a cucumber. If you want a church, start with the Word of God. If you want a life of God, start with the Word of God. Accept the Word of God in its fullness, every measure of it. And then let's... And if that is the fullness of God in you, then the rain that's falling will produce exactly what's in your garden. Then now, where's your latter rain coming up at? You see where that's going after while, don't you? Going over with them wild gourds that Elijah got and thought they weren't gourds or that ... them school of the prophets up there, that denomination they had. Gathered some wild gourds and thought they were peas. Oh, well.
91 Then the works will be manifested in Him are the same, for it is the same seed Word of God. God's Son was His example seed. And what His life was when the Spirit poured upon Him after His baptism and the Holy Ghost come upon Him, the very life that He produced will (that same watering Spirit of the Holy Ghost)--- will bring forth the same kind of a life, doing the same thing that He did; if it's the same seed. Son of God seed will bring forth a Son of God seed. Now shame on you women with bobbed hair. Shame on you preachers denying that truth. Say, "That's all right; hair has nothing to do with it." But God said it did.
1 Corinthians 11:15 But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.
92 See where it's at? See? That's why I believe the Word. It's a seed. And if the rain falls upon the seed, it will bring forth of its kind. Now what's the matter with these revivals? What do we do?---make a million more in '44: Baptists, Presbyterians, and whatever more, Pentecostals. But where is that manifestation of the works of Jesus Christ! "I do nothing till first the Father shows Me." Where is that kind of a seed coming from?
The Holy Spirit will water and bring forth that seed. It's the water to the seed. If the seed's been planted, that's exactly what the water's for. And if the water falls on you say, "Bless God, let me tell you something, preacher. I'm So-and-so and I don't believe in that stuff." You're denominational. You're just an old hypocrite to start with. That's what kind of seed was planted.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
93 Don't misunderstand me. I love you, Honey. I'm trying to get this to you, see. I'll stop at it when I finish today. I'll let it go, but I want you to know one time what's right and the reason I believe what I believe. And I believe the devil's deceived you. Frankly, I know he was. According to God's Word, it can't fail. He's deceived you. Yes, sir. That's why I preach those things the way I do: because God's Word said it.
"Oh," say, "Well, Brother Branham, this is a different day." It's the same Word though. They got some wheat out of the garner from back there that was in the time of Joseph and put it and planted it here a couple years ago (Did you see that in the magazine?), and it produced a crop of wheat. It was still wheat; that's the reason. The only thing it needed was just some water.
94 God's Word is just the same as it was when He spoke it back yonder thousands of years ago. The only thing it needs is water! Why don't we get a crop?---because we got the wrong kind of seed in.
"How many of you all would like to change your letter?"---twofold child more of hell than you was when you started! "How many of you Methodists would like to become Baptists?" "...you Baptists like to become Pentecostal? Just bring your membership over here." Oh, for goodness sake! Tommyrot! Trash! Trash of the devil. There's no life in it at all. It's hybrid, hypocritical, dead twice, dead plucked up by the roots. Didn't Jesus say, "Every plant that my heavenly Father hasn't planted will be rooted up?" Denomination or whatever it is, it will be rooted up! God's Word alone will stand! Right. That's what He said. Every man's word is a lie, but mine's the truth.
Matthew 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
95 Then where are we going to go? You better come back to your senses. But you can't hear unless you're predestinated to hear it. We're getting into that. No wonder it falls like water on a duck's back. He's made to shed the water, not absorb it.
The ark was made out of gopher wood and shittim wood. It's the most... It's nothing but just hollow; nothing in it but hollow. Everything's taken out of it. It's growed that way---the lightest wood there is, lighter than balsam. Why did they do it?---so he could soak it with pitch. If it'd been oak ... you say, "Wouldn't oak do just as good?" No, sir, it won't soak up nothing; it turns it away. It's repellent, and this is an absorbent. And a real seed of God is an absorbent for the Spirit! All denominationalism is took out. All unbelief is out, and when the Holy Spirit comes into that germ of life that's laying there, it produces another seed, just exactly. Another son of God is born. Amen. Another amateur god, son of God.
Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
96 I am a Branham because I was borned of Charlie and Ella Branham. That makes me a Branham because I am their seed. Their two agreements with their sperm together made a seed, and that made me.
When God and His Word becomes one (Hallelujah!) that's ... when God's Spirit waters the seed of God, the Word of God, it produces God; and it's not the individual, it's God! For what?---you are dead; you're not yourself no more. You reckon yourself dead, hollowed out, waiting for the seed germ. Then what is it? It isn't you no more, isn't the man; it's God in the man. It's the seed germ like the beginning spoken Word. It's God's Word made manifest in the man; then it isn't the man, it's the man that's died. He can't be a hybrid and a son at the same time. He's either a son of death or a son of life. So if he's a son of death, give it over to the devil and let him kill it. Give it over to God and let Him kill the devil that's in you---run him out. Hollows you out. Then let God plant His own life in you, then it's not you no more; it's God's life because it's God's Word---watered by the Holy Spirit will produce the same thing. You see it? I'd just love to preach on that a few minutes, but with thirty or forty pages of Scripture here... And I've only got three so far.
97 All right---manifested. The works manifested the same by us, for it is the same Word. Now, if you want to do the works of Christ, do the same thing He done. "He that believeth on Me shall have My works." What is that? believeth what?---that He is the original seed germ that come. Where is the seed? Here, let me take these handkerchiefs. Here is the man that was supposed to be, right here. This is the man that was supposed to be. What happened? Eve hybrided it---breed it. What it did ... then what did it do?---turned to death, just keep dying, dying.
Now this one come that out---now here stays the Word just the same. Here's the Word laying here just the same. Now what happened? Here's the Word. Now the Word that God spoke to multiply and replenish the earth, it couldn't find a place to land. Finally this Word caught into the womb of a virgin. (We'll speak of the two wombs this afternoon.) And what happened? From Him came forth the germ life---the thing that gives, the water that gives the kernel its chance to reproduce itself. The Spirit came out of Him and went up.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
98 Here we are. We come along. What happens? We believe it; we believe it. Now what did Jesus say?---"He that believeth on Me [see] ... he that believeth on Me, the works that I do---the manifestation that the Holy Spirit come in the form of a dove come upon Me and done this, not through hybreeding, but through virgin born. Not the course of life, like breeding a child, husband to wife; no, not that, not a hybrid, but a virgin born. "Now, through this, I'm giving this life that if you by faith will accept what Father, all the prophets, all the Word of God, I will pour this life down upon you, and you can't do nothing else but produce the same thing that I am." There you are.
Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mark 1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
Luke 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
Luke 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luke 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
John 1:32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
99 "The works that I do shall he do also." And what did He do? ---just as the father led Him, what He saw. St. John 5:19---just ... "I do nothing till the Father shows Me." What was He---made Himself a man. God was made flesh and dwelt among us. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. God's spoken Word, through a virgin, brought forth a body, and in that body come the water, the Spirit, and washed by the water of the Word and then went in Him, dwelt in Him, and there come the life of God manifesting Himself through Christ. God was in Christ, the anointed one.
Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
100 Christ means "the anointed one"---a man that was anointed. And God dwelling in Him. What was it? The germ with the flesh, the anointed one, flesh being anointed with the Spirit of God produced the Word of God made manifest. "And we beheld Him, the only begotten of the Father, full of grace...", see. There He was, see. He was God's Word made manifest. And now He died in order to pay the debt of your hybreeding. Now! My! There it is. What is it?---that you could die to yourself until you are no more yourself and be filled with His Word, believing His Word and then the Holy Spirit that was in Him comes down to water that Word, to make it grow.
See? And then what is it? God manifesting, continuing the work of His first Son, His only begotten, see, that died for our hybreeding life, that He might reconcile us back to be sons and daughters of God that through the church, might flow the same life by the Word continuing the work being manifested as it was in Christ. Christ was God's Word made manifest. And He died, gave His life, that He might send the Spirit---take His body up and send the Spirit back to water, pay the redeeming price, if we'll believe it. That's it right there---if you believe it. "He that believeth on me, the works that I do..." Then come the Holy Spirit upon the same Word of God...
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
101 "Now," you say, "why do you throw it upon the Bible then?" The Bible has got to be in you. The Word is a seed, as long as it is laying here it won't do nothing. But when it comes in here, when it comes in the heart, then it begins to manifest by the Holy Spirit, the works of God. Then visions come, power comes, humility comes. All your know-it-all is gone. You become nothing; Christ becomes alive. You die; He lives. There it is. Because He died, I live. When I die, He lives again. And when I die He promised me life. And I died out to myself so in order that I can have His life; and how do I do it?---by taking His Word, His seed, put His seed in here by faith and believe it, and then it produces exactly what the Bible said.
102 Now, my brethren, search out across the country. We find a lot of imitations. Let's go on just a little while longer.
All right, the works is the same manifested in His church that would be, that was manifested in Christ. He said so---St. John 14:12---"Heavens and earth will pass away but My Word shall not." Is that right? All right, predestinated as He was, makes the Word seed flesh... I better stop there now. Maybe you wouldn't but somebody out on the tapeland might not understand it.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Mark 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
103 Predestinated: all sons and daughters of God are predestinated. We'll get to the scriptures after while I'll just quote it to you---Ephesians 1st chapter, 5th verse. All right, we are predestinated. Why?---Christ is the original seed and this original seed was predestinated by the foreknowledge of God, knowing that the fall would come, and predestinated Him to take our place. You get it? All sons and daughters of God are predestinated. "But," you say then, "would He condemn something?" No, sir. You're here on free moral agent, but the reason that He, being God, the infinite one (as I've spoke to you about), He foreknew everything that would be. He knowed who they was.
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
104 Now, He didn't make Eve do that. He didn't make her do it, but He knowed she would do it.
Now, no wonder I believe in the 12th chapter of St. Luke (I believe it is). He said I ... (don't put that down; I've got it wrote down a little later) that He said, "They got eyes but they don't see. They got ears but they don't hear. Isaiah well spoke of you. Isaiah foresaw you." And there they are sitting there with eyes, ears, and everything else, but yet they can't see. Why?---they are a repellent to the Word of God. Then Jesus said, "Oh, you hypocrites. You are the children of the devil and his works you do. Then condemn Me," He said---"refuse My ministry." When show me where your ministry is producing the full Word of God, as His was, see. See?
Jeremiah 5:21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
105 Now, predestinated as He was---now you say, "How does that predestination come?" God, formal ... now everybody don't understand this, I want you to raise your hand now when I get finished, see.
106 God, in the beginning, commissioned Adam and Eve to multiply and replenish the earth. That's how sex was given, that's why it was. But what caused the hybreeding?---bring death. Now we'll get that this afternoon in the two wombs, see.
Now notice. Now in this God foresaw and predestinated a world of sons and daughters. He predestinated them to be there. And because of hybreeding---disbelieving God's Word, caused a hybreeding---God's put it right back again that you don't have to be hybrid anymore; you can come right back to the original Word and be a son of God just like you was supposed to be at the beginning, see.
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
107 Christ couldn't help being what He was. He was the Son of God. That's it. See what I mean now? See if you were intended, you see the Word of God, you believe it; because why?---there's something new. Why? Have you ever heard of strain in a family? A son will kind of impersonate his father, or the mother, or the grandfather, or the grandmother. That's strain in a family. You've heard of it, haven't you? Well, that's the same thing from predestination. You were supposed to be here in the right way at the beginning, but being that you come the way you did, you are subject to the fall. But being that you are predestinated you hear the Word and it brings you right back where you were predestinated! Amen. Never saw that before. Brings you right... What makes you believe the Word of God and turn down these other things? It's because you were ... there's something in you. Way back yonder you was supposed ... why, that you are made to live here forever.
108 "Now ... scripture for that, preacher."
Here it comes: "All that He foreknew He has called, all that He has called He has justified, and all that He has justified, He has already glorified!"
"What's the use of preaching, Brother Branham?"
There is a crop out there; only thing I'm doing is seining. I'm just throwing it out there and see where it goes. If the repellents, the grease of the muck of the world, denominations throw it off, I can't help it; but if there's one out there that can absorb it, he will turn to be a son and daughter of God just as sure as the world. Amen! Because it's predestinated.
Romans 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
109 That's the reason that God could work His works through Jesus; He was a predestinated Son. He was the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world! Before a hundred billion, trillion, million years ago that we said Genesis 1:1 spoke of awhile ago, He was right then predestinated to take His place. Amen! That's the reason the will of the Father He did. He was the Word made manifest. And every one of the other sons will have the same manifestation, and that's the ones that was predestinated.
Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
110 That little group in every generation will come up in the resurrection all the way from the beginning of the world. And the reason they hold on to it... Even Paul spoke of it in Revelation ... in Hebrews the 11th chapter, said they wandered about in sheep's skins and goat skins and was destitute and afflicted and tormented; of whom this world is not worthy of! Amen! Had nothing to eat and run about and dug out and persecuted and sawed asunder like Isaiah was and many of the others---Paul speaking of them men. Who was he spoke of, sawed asunder?---Isaiah, the prophet predestinated even before the world begin. He should have come through the womb of Eve. But then he come through the womb of a woman; his spirit had to come here to be a witness.
So Jesus was also came for a witness of the death, burial, and resurrection that man will die, but live again through Him! For he is the seed that has to come up. Amen. Hope you see it.
Hebrews 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
111 All right, predestinated as He was, makes the Word seed flesh in you, His church. God's Word ... You say, "Sure Brother Branham, every word, I believe it." Then don't back up when you get your tradition, see? Stay right with that Word and stay with that; watch what happens Say, "Oh, Lord, I believe it. Send the Holy Spirit." Then watch. Then if He goes to bearing record, then you know you got it---not by some sensation, the devils do that; not by some miracle, the devils do that; but by your constant belief in the Word of God and the life that you live---never denying nothing. All right, that makes the Word becoming flesh, see, flesh and the same water---Spirit.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
112 Now wait a minute. I can't pass this by. See, Jesus was the seed of Abraham, fleshly speaking. Is that right?---a predestinated seed of Abraham. And when the Spirit fell on Him, what kind of a life did He bring?---He brought a faith life. What kind of a life?
"You mean He's going to be a sojourner like Abraham?"
That's where people get so mixed up today. They try to think that a man of God has to do this and follow this and do that. Oh mercy, no! What was...? How was Christ the seed of Abraham? Not in His ... so much in His body, because Isaac, that seed of Isaac, finally fell and died. It backslid and hybrid too. We'll get to it directly. See, but the faith seed of Abraham that he believed God's Word regardless of what the circumstances were. There you are! Whew! You know, I feel like shouting! Look, see look, the faith seed of Abraham. What was it?---not Abraham's body, but Abraham's faith. Abraham's faith in what?---the Word of God. No matter what come, he called anything contrary to it as though it wasn't even there. Oh, man, wouldn't that rip these denominations to pieces? Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm! It sure would.
Matthew 1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Romans 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
Galatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
Galatians 3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
113 If the truth of even marriage and divorce was only brought out in its light that it's in here in the Bible, it would break up every church in this city---any other city---try to get back to it. They're both sides wrong. I can prove it by the Word. They are both wrong. All right. Whether a man should do this or do that, or the woman this or that, I'm not going to say it, because I got enough confusion now amongst them, see. Jesus said, "Let them alone. The blind leads the blind." Why, they'd just fuss about it; they wouldn't believe it. If they're born to eternal life, they'll believe the Word. That's right. If they don't, God will manifest Himself to them. If they don't believe it, why, they won't believe it; that's all.
Matthew 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Luke 6:39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
114 Let's get to this first. We might get to that later sometime, but let's take care of this first and see why we must believe these things---how we got to believe them. You must believe them. If you don't, you're lost; you are.
"Believe what, Brother Branham?---you?"
No, sir, not me. You believe me ... I'm saying the Word. I'm not putting anything here. I'm just telling you what the Bible says about believing this Word. And that's what I've done is try to believe that Word just the way it's wrote. I don't add anything, take anything; I just read it just the way it is and believe it just like that. And by the grace and help of Almighty God, He has confirmed it and I ask anybody to disprove it. Now, you on the tapes come do it. Tell me one time I ever told you anything wrong ... it didn't come to pass. Tell me anything, anytime that God never confirmed and worked it just exactly according to the way it was said.
115 All right. Predestinated as he was, makes the Word seed the same water on what? This church today is a bride predestinated? Did God say He would have a bride without spot or wrinkle? Then it's predestinated, isn't it, see. Well, Christ was predestinated. He was a royal seed of Abraham, and what did it do? When the Spirit come on Christ, He bore record of the Word of God, and when the water, Spirit, falls on the Word seed, the royal seed of Abraham's faith in God's Word will produce the same kind of a crop.
Say, "I don't believe that." All right, let's find out. Let's go now and see; are we Abraham's seed? Genesis 17. Go back in Genesis and get the 17th chapter. I'm leaving a lot of these off here, but I've got to hit some of them in here because some critic might come along and say, "I don't believe that," so we'll just place a little bit in there so we can stop him from saying it, see. All right, 17:7. Let's start at the 6th verse.
And I will make thee exceedingly fruitful [Abraham's seed] and I will make many nations [Gentiles and all] and kings shall come out of thee.
And I will establish my covenant [now watch] between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Genesis 17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
Genesis 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mark 1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:
Luke 3:22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
John 1:32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
Ephesians 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
116 What is the seed of Abraham now? Now his flesh. Paul said that Jew outward is not Jew; it's Jew inwardly, see. What is the seed of Abraham?---those that believe the whole Word of God regardless of what denomination or papa or mama or anybody else says; they believe the whole Word of God. God said, "I'll establish my covenant right now (predestinate) this covenant with thee and with the seed in each generation after thee that will believe it." There you are---seed of Abraham. Now you say ... now watch, God said, "I will establish it with the seed."
Genesis 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
Romans 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Romans 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
117 "Well," you say, "Brother Branham, that gives everybody..." Wait now just a minute. Let's go to Ephesians now, over to the book of Ephesians, and we're going to start at the 1st chapter of Ephesians. And then we'll read a little bit here and just see what God has to say about this subject. Now, listen. Paul ... now, watch the way he addresses this now. Now everybody on your feet now. We just got ... on your lookout. We got just a few minutes now, then we'll ... about forty-five minutes, something, then we'll dismiss for lunch. Now look:
Paul, an apostle...
What is apostle?---one sent. "Paul, a sent one of Jesus Christ." Is that right? "By the will of the Sanhedrin?" I misread that, didn't I? "By the will of the Luth..." Well anyhow...
Paul, a sent one of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints [Who is it? To everybody? No, sir. Everybody can't take it. That's right.] ... to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
118 Them that's already in there. That's what I hope I'm talking to in this congregation this morning---those that are already in Christ Jesus. Now that's where this is ... See, you can't tell those babies out there about it. They can't eat meat; they have to drink milk. They're stunted, see. So remember, they can't eat strong meat. Now:
... to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. [All right.]
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us [now he's talking to the church now. This is not the outside; this is the church] with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places [like this morning---those who love it; is just eating it up] ... heavenly places in Christ:
Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Ephesians 1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
119 According as he has chosen us...
Did we choose Him? Huh? "Oh, Brother Branham, I beg your pardon, I did." No, according to the Word, you didn't." Jesus said, "You never chose me; I chose you." Oh, yeah. When did He choose it? When did Jesus say He chose His church?---before the foundation of the world.
According as he hath chosen us in him ... [At the last revival that Dr. So-and-so had. No, no. You might read that in the creed, a text book, but not in this one.]
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world ...
When were we chosen? At the last revival? The night we got saved? Why, when there wasn't no world, was no stars, there was no atoms, no molecules---that's when we were chosen. Amen. Oh, don't let me start preaching on that. I'm just trying to explain something here. All right...
... before the foundation of the world, that we should be [what?---members. "No we should ... oh, after we are saved we just do as you want to"---no.] ... we should be holy and without blame before him in [membership? Oh, no. It's love ain't it? That's right. All right. In love! Excuse me, I'm just cutting up I guess now. I shouldn't do it. All right.] ... in love.
Having [What? P-r-e-d-e-s-t-i-n-a-t-e-d] predestinated us unto the adoption of children [the seed from the beginning, see] ... of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
120 Who did it?---God! When did He do it?---before the foundation of the world. Then if we come in a illegitimate birth through Eve's corruption, making us all her children and subject to death, then the sovereign God has to make a way to redeem His children. "And all the Father hath given Me will come to Me. And no man can come unless My Father draws him." Oh, my! Now where's your great big thing you done? You never done nothing. You ought to be ashamed. It's God, who done all things. The wheel's a-working just right.
Someone come the other day and said somebody said something bad about me and accused me of something that was wrong. I said, "Oh forget it."
Said, "How can you take it like that? That involves your family."
I said, "Oh, my." I said, "That was predestinated before the foundation of the world to give me a trial. I said, "My, my, my. Sure, so that's all right."
Said, "How do you do it?"
I said, "If I looked right down this way, I'd be falling all the time."
John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
121 That's the way with the people today: "If I accept the truth of God's Word, Brother Branham, they'd kick me out." Well, what are you looking here for? Look out here at the end of the road. See, a man who looks like this, he don't know where he's going. He's looking this way. But if you look out yonder, you don't care what's going on now, you know where you're going, see. That's it. Look where you're going. Stay lined up with the Word.
122 All right, predestinated us now unto the adoption. Now do you believe we were predestinated? Now, was Jesus predestinated? He was the Lamb of God already slain before there was a light, before there was a meteor, before there was a molecule, atom or anything. He was the Son of God slain. Oh, the greatness of God. Then these little peanut brains out of some little manufactured supernatural incubator over here tries to debate that and say it's not right. That's a shame.
Who are you? Even some of them saying there is no hell, and you're sitting on a pot of it everyday---eight thousand miles thick just below you, volcanic, and then look up and defy God and His Word. When you defy the Word, you defy God. That's right. Oh, my! How great Thou art, Lord. How thankful we should be.
Ephesians 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
123 All right, so believers of the Word and Spirit must be one. You get it? Believers, the Word, and the Spirit are absolutely one. You don't do your own thinking; you don't use your own mind. Isn't that wonderful? The mind was in Christ is in you, see. The mind was in Christ and you will take the Word just like He did because He was the Word. And if the mind of Christ is in you, you are the Word. You are God's living Word, representatives of Him here on earth---that's right---continuing the work. The church should be that way.
And when so, the Bible is manifested again like in the early days of the disciples, just like the disciples. The Bible is living again in you.
Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
124 Now let's see, I've got to try to get at least about fifteen pages here right quick, and I just hate to do that, but I'm just going to have to run over it because if I don't, then I'll be this afternoon and I got a meeting tomorrow, and I just got to hurry now. All right, now we'll try to make it just a little quicker if we can; snap into it. Are you believing? All right.
125 And when so, the Bible is manifested again like in the early days of Christ. See, because you are a predestinated seed just like Christ was; and when the rain falls on the seed, the life produces itself. When the Holy Spirit---falls ... when it fell on those seed that Jesus said He chose them when?---before the foundation of the world. Then they were a predestinated seed. Is that right? Then here they haul themselves up in the upper room, these seeds, the Word, and the Word was laying on there without life in it. All of a sudden there came a sound from heaven as the waters begin to gush down. And it actually filled all the house where they were sitting. And the seeds begin to grow. They begin to manifest themselves---the Word of God being manifested.
Acts 1:13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Ephesians 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
126 All right, why then has the revival fires let up? Now, I got about ten Scriptures here (if you could just notice it on here) that I ought to say it, but I've got to skip over a lot of it, I'm just ... so you get the outline of it.
All right, why then has the revival fires let up? Now, I have got to call names. I won't do it after this, unless God tells me to. But I've got to call names. I've got to say things that I don't want to say, but in order to make this clear... You can see now where I'm getting to, the reason I have done what I have done. I believe this is the Word. And I believe that Christ has a church, and the church is the field (we'll get to it after while) and you've got to get the Word in the field before the Spirit can ever do anything, see.
127 Why then has the revival fires let up? You don't hear very much more of Billy Graham, like great evangelists. Oral Roberts is not burning the country like he used to. My meetings is not even heard of. There's just three. What's the matter? Now we're going to get some real deep teaching. I'm going to have to just use it now and if this tape should fall in the hands of Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, I want you to know, my brethren, that I am not disregarding you; I'm taking myself, if you notice, in there as your fellow brother in the gospel. And I think after this you'll have a better understanding, brethren, of why I have did what I've done. And I hope that I'll find grace in the sight of God, and before you, in being honest and truthful to tell you the reason why.
128 Billy Graham---the world was a-burning here not long ago with Billy Graham. You very seldom hear of it now. He's still going, but what's the matter? Oral Roberts---why, just burning the earth up; dying down. Tommy Osborn---all them are good godly men. What's a-happened? Believing that God called me for a ministry, what's happened to mine? Now here's going to answer some questions. What's happened?
You say, "Brother Branham, yours is deadest of all of them." That's true. That is right. Billy Graham is more heard of than I am, and Billy is more heard of than Oral. Oral is more heard of in one day than I am in six months. Tommy Osborn, Tommy Hicks, any of those godly men, they are more heard of. So as far as that turns, mine's farther away than all of them. What's happened? "Brother Branham, you saying that ... that you're telling us here now that you actually believe the Word and everything, well what's happened to you then? What taken place?" That's what we want to know. That's what we want to know.
129 Now put her down in your mind now. Pull down the umbrella, and shake the rain off, and open up your heart just a minute and listen. Remember the Bible said in Genesis the first chapter, we read to base our thought for the day, is every seed after it's kind. It will have to bring forth after its kind. That's right. Every seed will have to bring... Remember, the earth is full of seeds and the rain makes it bring forth after its kind.
I believe it is near the harvest time. Don't you believe it? You all agree with that. We are near the harvest time. Now, the seeds has been planted. That's what's the matter with us. The seeds has been planted. Oh, God, I wish you could see what passed before me then. The seeds has been planted. Remember there is a planting time, then a harvest time. They know they said so.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Ecclesiastes 3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
130 All right. Now, there has been three different kinds of seeds planted. A denominational---Billy Graham; he was the head planter. Oral Roberts for the Pentecostal. The Pentecostal seed's been planted. (I'm talking about organization now.) And then the Word's been planted. Now you'll have to understand, folks. I ain't saying this no more unless God tells me. I want you to get this good and clear. Three seeds has been planted. That's the reason the planting is just about over, see. All over. Seeds must be planted before the rain falls (is that right?) or otherwise the Spirit. Now you're going to disagree there, but hold on just a minute. Seeds must be planted and then the rain falls to water the seed. Is that right? Now, I want... Is there anybody in here that understands Hebrew? Knows Hebrew words? All right, you look it up if you want to.
131 Now we're hearing so much and so many organizations and everything else talking about we're in the "latter rain." Nonsense. No such a-thing. Now, oh, I ... something's happening. I can just see it passing before me. It's done caught the Spirit, see. Amen. I know this is truth; it's "Thus saith the Lord." Like visions, see, just moving and coming. Can't hardly look down here. Every time I look, I see it just moving up in front of me like that and breaking off and move this way and look this way. I've been trying to watch some fellows sitting around down here. Look away and everywhere I look, looks like there it is, see.
All right, let's go back and try it again now, be sure I got it in there. I don't know what exactly happened along that line.
132 Look. I believe that it is near the harvest time. The seeds have been planted. Denominational seeds of the churches such as the Evangelicals, like Baptist and Presbyterian, Lutheran, and the Pentecostal seeds has been planted into the Pentecostal organization, by great men like Oral Roberts, Tommy Hicks, and Tommy Osborn, great men of God, see. And I believe that the Word of God has been planted unadulterated away from any of those organizations. That's what's the matter, see.
The seed must have... The seed plant must have seed water before it can grow. It must have water to fall before the seed that's been planted can grow.
Now, "Well," you say, "Brother Branham, there's been..." I know, that's right. Catching your thought now, you see; you just can't hide it now. All right, so be careful what you're thinking.
133 Now, the seed must be planted and then it must have water in order to grow. Now, you say, 'Well, Brother Branham (I'm going to express your thoughts out there), we've had the water." So be it. That's correct. You have had the water. Did you ever plant cabbage or anything or seeds or something or other like that, you usually ... they ain't got no water there, you just pour a little on it.
All right, but now wait, what did we have in that planting time?---the former rain. "Oh," you say, "Brother Branham, nonsense." Now wait just a minute. You take the word "former" in Joel 2 and look at it and see if the Hebrew word ... you go to the Hebrew and see if it don't... If you want to write it down, m-o-u-r-e-h, moureh, and get the Hebrew word and interpret and see what moureh means---teaching. The teaching rain has went forth. The denominational teaching rain has went forth. "A million more in '44"---Baptist. So-and-so, So-and-so---members in the church. Oral Roberts, and them brothers with the Pentecostal move the economic ... or the great Pentecostal move and moved up into the millions, see, that's right. And the seed has went forth, the Word, for the minority---the group.
Joel 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
134 Now watch. Now remember the word, m-o-u-r-e-h, moureh, means teaching, the former rain. It says the moureh rain, the teaching rain. Teaching rain went forth.
Billy Graham has struck the world. The Pentecostals struck the world, and the Word has struck the world. Now, what's the matter now? She's now waiting for the latter rain. That's when she produces her fruits. Oh, I hope you get it.
Joel 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
135 Then the kind of seed you have planted in your field will be the kind of crop you will reap. If the denominations wants more members, that's what they are going to get. That's what they have gotten. The Pentecostals wants more Pentecostals, that's what they are going to get. Right. But the Word's going to produce sons and daughters of God. That's coming too. Watch, look at that great latter rain supposed to be done---how they would run over the wall, leap over and how they'd be an army coming. Just wait a minute. The kind of crop you'll get is the kind of seed you put in your field.
136 All right, the two denominational kinds ... you understand? The two denominational kinds will unite together to go to Sodom. But the Word will stay with the elected, the royal seed. Amen. Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Sodom so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man." Two angels went down, two anointed ministers, went down to Sodom to try to bring out a man that was backslidden (had a little speck of God about him) and his wife, his bride---you know what happened to her; she was disgraced. And look at his daughters and look what it hatched out to be after he got out. There's always a "hair in the biscuit." You know that's right. Excuse that expression, but you know, a gaggy thing, so that's ... it always was; we know that. Now you can't deny God's Word!
Genesis 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;
Genesis 19:12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place:
Genesis 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luke 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
137 But there was one that stayed with Abraham that gave a sign. Is that right?
All right, all right, one stayed back... What was Abraham and his group called?---the elected seed that never went down. They were pilgrims. They journeyed here; they journeyed there. They journeyed here, they journeyed there---interdenominational. But the denomination went down and made himself a city, and Lot became the priest, or the bishop, or the ... you know, whatever it was there, the big man, sat in the city and done the judge, who says (the bishop the state presbyter), " No, we won't have that guy in our midst; no, sir! He disagrees with our theology. We can't have it." There's old Lot. There he sits. "If he don't pack credentials from our group, we won't have him at all." Who made you a judge over the house of God, you hybrid? God's Word will be preached anyhow!
138 St. Martin went to a group like that, and that guy wouldn't even stand up to give him respect after he had broke the gates. God even burned his robe off of him, back of him; made him rise up and salute that prophet of God that entered the city. That's right. His seat caught on fire where he was sitting, the throne he was on. That's right. You have read the history of the church. Yes, sir. He went down there with the true Word, performed miracles and signs and proved on the Word that he was. They had their own bishopric and they had what they wanted, and that's just what they wanted; but God's going to see that ... might've be some elected children in there, He had to go get them. That's right.
139 So remember, what was it? Now let's stop here just a minute. Lot once had the choice to be interdenominational himself. Is that right? He once had the choice to journey with Abraham, but the love of the world choked him out. That's what it's done today. And remember, those down in Sodom never seen one of those supernatural miracles. They had a blinding; and preaching the Word blinds the eyes of the unbeliever. That's what Billy Graham and them's done---blinded the eyes of them unbelievers out there. That's right. Now you can't deny that Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the coming..." And here it is in the Bible. It will be the same thing at the coming of the Son of man.
Genesis 13:8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
Genesis 13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
Genesis 13:11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luke 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
140 Now watch, but there was one which was the Word. He was the Word, and where did He stay?---with the promised one, the elected one. The Word stayed with the elected one. And the Word of God today will stay with the elected ones; the royal seed of Abraham by the promise.
What kind of a works did it do? When it was manifested about eight hundred years later in the form of Jesus Christ, it done the same works that that one did there, the Word did, at the gate at Abraham's tent, sitting with His back turned to the tent, told Abraham his name was Abraham not Abram, what it always had been (what his name...), but his name was Abraham because God met him a few days before that and told him his name was Abraham. Said, "Where is thy wife..." not S-a-r-r-a, S-a-r-a-h. "Where is thy wife Sarah?" like He didn't know.
Said, "She's in the tent behind You."
He said, "I'm going to visit you..." I, the personal pronoun. "I'm going to visit you according to the time of life (Oh!), and you're going to have that baby that you've waited on. The latter rain is fixing to fall. You've held that seed in there long enough now, on believing, and you're looking for a coming Son, and He's coming!" That's the real church today, see, that elected seed. "You have been looking for Him and I'm going to send Him to you." Amen. What said that?---the Word.
Genesis 17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
Genesis 18:9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
Genesis 18:10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
Genesis 18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
141 "Oh," you say, "that wasn't the Word." I beg your pardon. Abraham called Him "Elohim"---that's the Almighty self-existing one. He was the Word---Elohim. Where did He come to?---Abraham's seed.
Now, remember, He had nothing to do with them denominations. He stayed right with the elected and preached (that's right), and showed the sign. And Jesus said... Now wait just a little bit.
142 Then Sarah, in herself ... watch that pollution, see. Now, actually to disbelieve that, God would have killed her right there. Did you know that? And she come out and denied Abraham. She laughed up her sleeve, in other words, to herself. Now she never maybe even cracked a smile but down in her heart she kind of laughed a little bit. "Me, an old woman, a hundred years old, fifty years since the menopause, time of life, live with him all them years. Why, we haven't lived as husband and wife for twenty-five years, maybe thirty, see, and mean to say I'm going to have pleasure with my lord!"---Abraham, her husband. That's the kind of wives you all ought to be, should be. Paul said the same thing. Love your husband that much. Not hybreed something out here, you see. Remember your thoughts. We'll get to that this afternoon in the womb thought.
Genesis 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
143 So now, but in that, she loved Abraham so much she called him her lord. "My lord being old, too, and me old, and me have pleasure with him again?" And she ... [Brother Branham imitates Sarah stifling a laugh.] And the angel showed Abraham who He was, that He was the Word! He said, "Why did Sarah laugh?" So he called her forth, and she said, "I never."
He said, "But you did!" What? That's grace. See, right there God would have slew her, right there, but He couldn't! See our stupidity? He'd kill every one of us, but He can't. To kill Sarah, He had to take Abraham because Sarah was a part of Abraham. They were one in union! And to take the church and destroy it, He can't do it, because it's part of Himself! Christ, part of Himself, the Word being made flesh. "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound." Couldn't do it. You get it? He couldn't kill her. He couldn't take her life, because she was part of Abraham. See, she was flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone.
Genesis 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Genesis 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
Genesis 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
Genesis 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
144 In our mistakes... Don't say, "Well, I made a failure." No, that don't make a... Abraham made failures too, see. But He couldn't take the church. He can't kill the elected. He can't take your life, because you're part of Himself. You're the Word. The Word is in you. It's manifested itself, proven itself---love, joy, peace, long-suffering. All the words of God, you believe everyone of them---working, God working through you. See, you're part of the Word which is Christ. And we are taught that He is the Word, and we are flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone. There you are. Now we are coming down to something.
145 Moureh, moureh---the rain, former rain, claiming rain, has went forth. Now, what'd happened? The former rain was being planted. The latter rain fell. What happened?---Sodom and its Sodomites burned! Abraham received the promised son.
Jesus said, "Let them grow together. The tares will be bound, bundled, and burned. The wheat will go to the garner," see. The latter rain is just at hand. We're going to get... I don't want to wait too long on that because I got something real good back here on that, I know, see.
Genesis 19:28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
Genesis 21:3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
Matthew 3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Matthew 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Luke 3:17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
146 The two denominations will unite. Pentecostal and these others will unite, but the Word will stay with Abraham's promised seed as it did then. Jesus said, "As it was then..." Have you got ears to hear? Eyes to see? Understanding to understand with? Jesus said, "As it was. Is not it written," would He say if He was standing here this morning? Would not He say this: "Is not it written that as the days of Sodom, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man." Don't you see the two harvests coming up here? Receiving their last shower. They've come along to that last shower, see. Then what happens? The angels and the Lord disappeared. Then the rain took place.
Matthew 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Matthew 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 4:9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 4:23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 7:16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 8:18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?
Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luke 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
147 All right, now watch real close now. Now, I believe I was on this subject here; yeah, on the rain, for the latter rain. All signs are pointing to the end now. Everybody that believes God's Word knows that. Even...
Let me stop on another one right here. I'm going to have to call names. I don't mean to be rude but I've got ... I told God I'd pull no punches. I'd come right here and just express exactly what I've knowed all my life, and then there's some things over here at the end I'm going to have to withhold, I know, but I'm going to express to you as far as He'll let me do it. Mrs. Wood knows that after I got this and many more pages beside this, the Holy Spirit said, "Don't do that." Did I call you, Mrs. Wood, and said He told me not to do that? So I went back and prayed and that night He come to me in a vision and said, "Go do this. Take this and place it there because they won't understand this. It isn't time for this yet, place this here," and I did. That's right. "Obedience is better than sacrifice," see.
All right---obeying.
148 Now, now look, show you we're at the end time, even the parable of the wise virgin and the unwise virgin is with us. Now look, the unwise version---virgin, (excuse me), the unwise virgin is going to be the hybrid. See, she had the seed without the oil, the moisture to make it grow. Now, and what's she doing? The two groups, the Pentecostal group and the denominational of the world, the evangelical groups has emerging together, see. What for?---going to Sodom (now notice) to reap this harvest.
Matthew 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Matthew 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Matthew 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
149 Notice, the unwise virgin. Have you noticed that ... even one of my great friends, a real scholar, a man that's smart, intelligent, brilliant Pentecostal man. And I noticed my brethren in the Christian Businessmen is shouting the praises of God because in there they've got Episcopalian preachers, Catholic priests. I wonder if those men are sound asleep. Do you realize... They say, "Oh, it's the greatest thing you ever heard, Brother Branham. Why this Episcopalian people, come over here and they say they got the Holy Ghost. They spoke in tongues; they've did these things. Glory to God! I'm telling you, they're just ... why, their church has been revolutionized." Oh my, brethren, don't you know what that is? It's a sign.
150 When the wise virgin wants oil ... or the unwise virgin, rather, wants oil, and while she's buying it, that's the time that the bridegroom comes! Oh, you Pentecostals, what's the matter? Well, you can't see it unless God shows it to you; that's one thing sure. If you wasn't born back yonder, predestinated to it, you're going to miss it. Blessed are the ears that can hear; blessed are the hearts that can understand, for the time is at hand. Every sign pointing to it, see.
Matthew 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
151 Look what kind of revivals they're having. Great revivals, have had. Looks good, doesn't it? You say, "Well, Brother Branham, now you've got us on a limb." That's where I wanted you. How are you going to know what's right and wrong? Give it the Word test. That's the way to tell whether it's right or wrong. That's it; just give it the Word test. See what it says about the Word. Any spirit, see what it says about the Word. If it denies the Word, it's not of God, see. No matter what it is, if it denies the Word it's not of God. Look, give it the Word test and see what happens. Jesus warned us of these things---Matthew the 24th chapter and the 35th verse. I just want to refer to that because ... on account of the tapes.
152 Just a moment. Now, we haven't got but just about twenty more minutes till we dismiss, and I'm sure we're not going to even get one third of the way through, but I got to read this anyhow, see. Matthew 24:35.
Now listen real close what Jesus said. Now, how He told us that the two spirits would be so close, it would deceive the very elected. You know that, don't you? Now, is it going to be true? Yes, sir. Matthew 24:35 says:
Heavens and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Now that the two spirits so close together... Now it's got to be that way. It's got to be that way. The Pentecostal denomination has got to act so real like the real until Jesus said that only the elected wouldn't be deceived. That kills me nearly. But my denominational brethren, can't you see why I've done what I've done? So close that it would deceive the very elected if it was possible. But the elected that's elected to eternal life... Now you talk about striking this, we're going to strike it after while, really hit it, see. See, remember it's the elected is the only kind that will catch it.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
153 "Well," you say, "how do you know that you're not right?" Then test me by the Word. Come test your denomination by this Word. Let's see who's right. "Prove all things," the Bible says. You say, "It don't make any difference; be baptized this way or that..." It does make a difference! That's what Satan told Eve.
Somebody already been baptized in Acts 19. A good Christian man baptized them, too, John the Baptist. Paul said, "Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?"
He said, "We know not whether there be any Holy Ghost."
Said, "Then how was you baptized? If you had caught it you'd have knowed it," see. Said, "How would you have ... how was you baptized?"
He said, "Unto John---the great man that baptized Jesus."
Paul said, "That will not work now." Because John never baptized, only unto repentance, not for remission of sins; the sacrifice wasn't offered. And when they heard this, they were rebaptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Acts 19:2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
Acts 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Acts 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
154 What if Moses said ... God said, "Take off your shoes, Moses"?
He said, "You know I tied them a little tight this morning, Lord. I'll show more respect; I'll take off my hat." That wouldn't have worked. He never said hat; He said shoes! And that's the devil that tries to whitewash that like he did with mother Eve. It's every word the truth just the way God's got it wrote there. That's the way I believe it.
Now, you can go ahead if you say, "Well, we got the truth." Well you go ahead then. That's all right. If you're that blind, you go right ahead staggering in darkness. This is the Word's going to judge you, brother, not your creed. Oh, it looks good. Yes, sir, looks good.
Exodus 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
Acts 7:33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground.
155 And you say, "Well, Brother Branham, wait a minute. Bless God, I've seen them go out there and heal the sick." Oh sure; so have I. "Oh, I've seen them speak in tongues." Yes, sir. So have I. And I've never believed, and there's no one can prove it by God's Word, that the initial evidence of the Holy Ghost is speaking in tongues. I want the man to come do it. I've challenged that all along. I believe in speaking in tongues. Yes, sir; but I've seen devils speak in tongues, witches and wizards speak in tongues and interpret it, denying there was such a thing as Jesus Christ. I've seen men speak in tongues living with another man's wife. Stand and looking me right in the face in a vision before him---call him out to one side and made him a witness to it. And you call that the Holy Spirit?
156 "Oh, yes." You say, "Well, Brother Branham, don't you believe the Holy Ghost speaks in tongues?" Yes, sir, but give it the Word test! See, Jannes and Jambres worked miracles. That's right, didn't they? Yes, sir---Jannes and Jambres. When Moses went down to Egypt, everything that Moses done in the way of a sign, Jannes and Jambres, them two witches, could produce the same thing---two devils. Moses would say, "Fleas!"
They said, "Fleas!"
Moses said, "A stick on the ground!"
They said, "A stick on the ground!"
"A serpent!"
"A serpent!"
That's right! They could work miracles. The Bible said that in the last days that devils would rise working miracles and would deceive the people. Awful hard, brother, but you must know the truth.
Exodus 7:10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
Exodus 7:11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
Exodus 8:17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
157 Jesus said, "Many will come to me in that day and say, 'Lord, Lord, have not I did this and did that and did that, and so forth, in Your name?'"
He'll say, "Depart from me, you worker of iniquity." What is iniquity?---something that you know that's wrong, and you do it anyhow; and you know that God's Word is right! Why do you play the hypocrite?---because of your organization and pick a little bit here and won't take the rest of it. "You worker of iniquity," He said, "depart from Me; I never even knew you." Now, that's ... you either wade through hell here or hereafter so...
Psalm 6:8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.
Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Matthew 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
Luke 13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.
158 Now, remember, that's true; that's what Jesus said, Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses; remember and the Bible says, "As they withstood Moses, in the last days they would reappear [those spirits] again." What?---just before the liberation of the people. Hallelujah! The liberation time's here! Jesus said in Matthew 24 over there that they would deceive the very elected if it was possible. Just the elected, will catch it just one here and there. The very elected if possible. "As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so will these men of reprobate mind concerning the Word" ---concerning the truth, and the Word is the truth. Is that right? Now, this is not skim milk, friends.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
2 Timothy 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
159 Look, the Bible said, Jesus said that they would be so close that they would deceive the very elected, if it was possible; but it ain't possible. That seed's going to fall there because it was predestinated to fall there. The seeds has went forth. The denominations is sowed; the Word's been sowed, see. And Jannes and Jambres, them people... The Bible said these devils would rise up in the last days and would deceive the people by these miracles and signs that they could perform. How are you going to know the difference?---the Word!
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
160 Even the Old Testament said, "If they speak not according to the law and prophets, there's no life in them"---if they deny one thing. Then show me one person that was ever baptized using the title of, name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Why do you do it then?---a creed, hybrid, dead children, bastard children, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. "And every root that my ... every plant that My heavenly Father hasn't planted will be rooted up." "Both heavens and earth will pass away, but My Word shall not pass away," said Jesus. Now you see why I've stood the way I have.
Matthew 15:13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Mark 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
161 Show me one place, if it isn't a curse for a woman to cut her hair. There you are. Then you fuss at me. Then the people say, "Brother Branham's a prophet. Oh you believe him as long as he's talking to the people, telling their sins and things like that, but when he goes to teaching, don't you believe that." Well, you poor hypocrite. You don't know nothing! Doesn't the Bible say the Word of the Lord came to the prophets? I don't call myself a prophet, I'm no prophet. But you said so; I'm saying what you said. And then turn around and say a thing like that. Don't say you didn't do it. I've even got it taped where you said it. You didn't know that, did you? Just want you to say you didn't one time; that's all I want you to say. I'll let your own voice play back to you.
162 As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses---miracle workers, but where was the Word, the true Word? There was guys working miracles. There was guys could do everything in the miracle line that ... but there was two anointed prophets standing there, or one prophet and his helpmate. There was an anointed prophet called Moses, stood there had, "Thus saith the Lord." And at the end, it was all manifested---before the deliverance. Is that right? The so-called miracle workers died right out.
2 Timothy 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
163 Now, what they're trying to do, they're trying to manufacture a latter rain. Nonsense! Why, the latter rain will sweep the world, brother. There's been a former rain sowing Word. That's right. Now you'll see what the latter rain produces. You'll find out there'll be an affiliation. The Pentecostals and all the groups will come together, and they will shut the doors on them guys that won't listen to it, and you won't even be allowed to open your mouth. Right! That's when He'll come. That's when He'll show. That's when you'll see a rain. Oh, my, lay still; be quiet; let it go.
164 Oh, but the Word was with that anointed prophet because the Word of the Lord came to the prophet. Now, God doesn't change His system. No, no. He never changed his system. Now, what was it? There stood three again. There went Jannes and Jambres performing miracles, like went down to Sodom, done one little miracle---blinded people, see. There stood Abraham, the anointed one, with God and his helpmate, Sarah. Is that right? Here stood Jannes and Jambres performing miracles---anything that Moses could do in the sign of miracles, signs---and there stood the anointed Word, the prophet, with his helper---his assistant. Oh, I wished I could preach on that now, for just about a good two hours.
Exodus 7:11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
165 All right. In Genesis one, remember, every seed after its kind. It must forever be that way. There's all those types. A man who would say, could believe, that the church will go through a tribulation period, I wonder where you'd ever get a seed for that? When even ... "Well," you say, "I believe it says this that they'll do..." That's all right. Did you notice back yonder where the rains fell on the other time? Where did it fall? Noah was in the ark before the judgment struck. Sodom---Lot was out of Sodom before it ever taken place. Sure, we ain't going through no tribulation period; you're going in a rapture one of these days. Certainly. What do we ... why do you have to be judged? He stood my tribulation---Jesus Christ. There's where my tribulation taken place right there, yeah. I accepted Him, and free---"When I see the blood I'll pass over you." That's right. Moses was safely protected with Israel while the tribulation fell. That's right.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 7:10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
Genesis 19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
Genesis 19:16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
Exodus 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
166 All right every seed must come after its kind. God made man in His image after His kind to be His Word on earth. He expressed it in Jesus Christ. What was?---God was in Christ. That's a man after His kind, see. When God, which is the Word... How many knows He's the Word? When the Word was in Christ, a man, human man, expressing itself through Him; that was God, the Word, in Christ expressing itself; and God in the beginning made man in His own image, and that's the kind of man that God makes today. The seminary and the incubator hatchery turns out a bunch of hybrids. See, the schools. But when God calls a man, he's in His own image---the Word made alive in him. That's right. There he is; that's God's man. Man in His own image, in His very likeness. And Jesus said, that he'll do the works that I do. So God made man in His own image after His kind.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
167 His kind---what is His kind?---the Word. He is the Word. Then if a man denies God's Word, how can he be in God's image? Just ask the question. Ask yourself. How can he be in God's image and deny God's Word, when the Word's expressed image of Himself? "Oh," he says, "it doesn't mean that." Expressed image of God, saying, "Oh, I said it, but I didn't really mean it. I was wrong there. I back up. That was for some other time. I didn't mean it." Oh mercy, trash, slop of the devil that he fed to Eve. Don't let him try to poke it down the elected neck though. No, sir. They won't believe that. "Just come join with our gang." Join nothing, you've got to be born; not join! A new creature.
168 Yes, in His own image of His kind to be His expressed Word on earth. Now Jesus was God's expressed Word. Do you believe that? Then what are we to be?---sons of God, too, with the expressed Word in the church, carrying on (that's the mystical body of Christ), carrying on the same works that Jesus did when He was here on earth, see. That's the kind after His kind.
Now you can have the Lutheran kind after the Lutheran; the Methodist kind after the Methodist; the Catholic kind after the Catholic; the Pentecostal kind after its kind; the Oneness after its; the Trinity after its, but if you're God's kind, that's different. See, you are the expressed image of the Word making itself manifest. Oh, my! Why, it's got to. If the water falls on it, it's got to do it.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
169 Then give him a birth, a type and after... God made man in His own image. I just don't think I got time for this next expression; it's a dandy, but I don't want to... All of God's words are dandies, see. And look here, where I was supposed to be at dinner time, I'm just about that far away from it, see. About one-sixth of it. All right, can I... Let's just leave it there. What do you say? Then we... How many can come back this afternoon? Raise your hand. Good. I don't want to keep you too long. Now I'll just ... I don't want to wear you out. Now, you tape boys, just leave the tapes run just a minute, and I'll cut this off just in a minute myself. All right, sir.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
170 Now, our last thought here was that God made man in His own image after His kind. God made a man after His kind. You get it? A man after His kind. Well, what kind of a man was He? If you'll look back and see what he was when He was made flesh, that's the kind of man He makes. Is that right? A man after His kind. Amen. That's right, isn't it? That's His kind of man.
He said another time, one time to a man: "You're after My own heart." A man after His own heart---David. Remember that? The Spirit of God in David. David, a rejected king. Always the anointed is rejected. David, the rejected king, went up the hill when his own people ... I will preach this for this next three minutes. When David's own people should be, his own kind dethroned him, his own son, and run him off the throne. David went down there, and even one of them come out there spitting on him---that anointed king. This little old guy come along there, crippled up in his doctrine (the Bible said he was crippled, you know), and he went along spitting on that king. Watch Christ. Spitting on him! That messenger by his side, an angel representing him, pulled a sword said, "Should the head of that dog stay on ... spit on the king?" The angel said, "I'll strike him dead!"
2 Samuel 15:6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
2 Samuel 16:9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
171 David said, "Put up your sword. I have to do this." Went up on top of the hill of Jerusalem, looked back down (a rejected king) and he wept. Eight hundred years from there the Son of David, the Spirit that was in David in a portion, stood on the same hill, a rejected king, being spit on and made fun of. Is that right? I can imagine God said, that angel was walking along there with Him when He went up to Calvary like that: "Shall the head of that dog stay on him?"
"Let him alone." Oh, my, there's coming a time.
But what about David when he come back? The story changed. David come riding in triumph. This fellow run screaming for mercy. Sure, let him alone. He'll come someday in power. Then the laugh will turn the other way. That's right, just let them alone.
2 Samuel 15:30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.
2 Samuel 16:9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
2 Samuel 16:11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.
2 Samuel 19:9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled out of the land for Absalom.
2 Samuel 19:23 Therefore the king said unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.
172 But, God said, "David, you are a man after My own heart." When God creates a man, he's of His kind. David said, "Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I sin not against You Lord." Only thing he needed was the rain. David would have been all right if he could have just had that rain, but the Holy Ghost wasn't yet given. He had the Word and the Word was in him, and he could know it; he said, "I've hid it in my heart, Lord. It won't bloom out and act like it should but I've hid it there Lord. I've hid it there." But when Jesus came, which was the Word made manifest, took the germ life out of it and brings it back to the Word, now. And if David's cup run over, what ought ours to do? Right. Without the Spirit. Amen. Isn't He wonderful? Do you love Him?
Isn't He wonderful, wonderful, wonderful?
Isn't Jesus My Lord wonderful?
Eyes have seen, ears have heard,
What's recorded in God's Word;
Isn't Jesus my Lord wonderful?
Isn't He? How many loves Him? How many love Him? Oh, wonderful.
Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will.
173 Now, it's rough, friends. It's very rough. I don't mean to be that, myself. I hope you understand that, see. But today I'm giving the expression of why I have did the things that I have done.
Now, for just a little analysis before we dismiss for lunch is this: I want you to know that I have ... this has been my motive, and my objective, is God's Word. My motive is to please Him. And I can't listen to everything and believe God's Word; neither can I listen to everything and please God. My motive is to know His Word and to please God by serving Him by His Word. Not that I have anything against... Now every person in here that's borned of the Spirit of God that's in the elected group was perhaps once a Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, or something or other somewhere. Now, you know that. You know that. So then you see when you say, "Go out to them," that's what you have to do. There's somebody in there if you'll sow the seed; there'll be a harvest someday. It will fall... Some of them will go by and say, "Ah, he's nothing but a... He's a deceiver." Didn't they say the same thing about our Lord? "There's nothing to that." Well then, why don't you check it with me? "He's nothing but a deceiver." Then check it with the Word. See, if it isn't the Word, then it is deceiving, see. Now, if your theology is different from the Word, then it isn't right.
174 Now, others will go by and say, "Well you know what, I believe I'll try it a while." He'll choke. That's right. But when you really empty out; say, "Lord Jesus, no more of me, but You from this on." Then it's going to bring forth a hundred fold. Do you believe that? I believe it, too. With liberty and justice for all. That's right. Yes, sir. I pledge my allegiance to my Lord, see, to preach His Word and to stand on His truth if it cost my life. I'll still go on just the same.
For I would ... it would be a great thing for me, not wanting to do it, but if I had to do it, will mingle my blood in this earth like those who mingled their blood for the same thing---like those who died in the pits of the lions; like those who died on the crosses; those who were sawed asunder---that was kicked out of their organizations and wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, and was destitute. It would be a great privilege for me as the disciples of Christ return back and counted it all joy because they were able to stand the reproach that was brought on His name. They could suffer that for Him, their little suffering. I don't want to suffer; nobody wants to suffer. I would like to join my hands with all the denominations say, "Brethren, let's go." I'd like to do that. If I do, I take my hand out of His. Far be it from me ever doing that. If I stand alone, I stand with Him and His Word.
Matthew 19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.
Hebrews 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
175 As Eddie Perronet said, "On Christ the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand." And Christ is the Word. "In the beginning..." And what is it? Every word brings forth ... every seed brings forth of its kind. The denominational seed will bring forth of its kind. The Pentecostal organization will bring forth of its kind. The Baptists will bring forth of its kind. What is it?---organization, constantly, constantly.
We're going to show this afternoon, God willing, how them started, and what caused it, and where the Bible said they would, and how they will end up---exactly what will be the end.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
176 God bless you all in the cars. Many of you all that's in the cars that couldn't come in, that's listening through this mike. And God bless you that's standing around these walls and you that sit here this morning. And I trust that by the grace of God, I haven't brought any offense. But I'm making myself clear.
Now, if you believe the same thing that I have said this morning, would not you stand the same way? Sure you would. Let us bow our heads just a moment.
177 Gracious heavenly Father, we're not trying to bring the meeting to a close but just a halt for a little rest for a few moments. And now may these seeds that's been sown this morning, may they have fallen upon good fertile ground. May they bring forth abundance, Lord, abundance of eternal life. Now we pray, Father, that these seeds that's sown will be laying waiting for the latter rain to fall. Waiting---they that wait upon the Lord, they shall renew their strength. God, may we not run ahead of the Word; stay with the Word. Grant it, Lord.
Bless us now and those who go off to eat, I pray that You'll give them their lunches and bless their food and give them strength and bring them back this afternoon real early. Lord may they be sitting in the temple here waiting. And may You help me as I go to pray and come back. I pray that You will freshly anoint me this afternoon. Grant it, Lord, that I might bring what I believe to be Your Word to the people. Grant it, Father.
178 I pray that You will bless our dear beloved pastor, Brother Neville, our precious brother---a few minutes to get into the water here with a group of people to go into baptism. And, Father, if there's any here this morning that has been baptized otherwise than Christian baptism that Your great servant, Paul---and he said that he had the Word of God within him---and he said, "If a man or an angel (even an angel come down from heaven, like Satan was in the form of an angel) come down and said anything different than that what He said, let him be accursed." Father, we know that that's written in the Scriptures, and I pray, Father, that it will sink into their hearts that Paul was the very one that made the people that had not been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins, he was the one who commissioned to be baptized over again. May it go to the people, Father. May they realize that this baptismal service moving up---may they realize that that's the truth, knowing that they can't produce one word in the Scripture to support their trinitarian three-god idea. Father, of course we believe You're a trinity of offices---of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Most surely we believe that, Lord, but not making You three gods; making You one God that served three offices---both Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and the name of that God was called Jesus Christ. Now that is the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Galatians 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
179 Father, may the people see it and be obedient to water baptism for the remission of their sins. And may these few words for baptism fall deeply now in the heart of everyone, for we don't know how must longer we have, Father. It is getting very close. The enemy, as we expect to speak on this afternoon, is growing deeper, more bolder all the time. Since they've took the throne; they are moving right on in. Lord, we see it on every hand. Not communism, Lord. May the people be able to understand that it's Romanism, the old mother whore and her harlots; and we see them, Lord, coming an image unto the beast and here we are.
Father God, be merciful now, and let us all get into the safety, into the ark and be ready for the latter rain. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
Revelation 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
180 Now to you that's here in the building, now if you want to slip out and get something to eat, all right. And if you want---then come back, get in here just as quick as you can after the service. Now, let's stand just a moment. Let's stand up together. How many believes the Word of the Lord, raise up your hand. Amen. Oh, thank the Lord. Oh how I love Jesus.
Oh, how I love Jesus;
Oh, how I love Jesus;
[Brother Branham prays over handkerchiefs.]
Lord Jesus, bless these handkerchiefs. Give to them, Lord, the anointing of the Spirit upon them. Lord, we believe it in Jesus' Name...
Oh, how I love Jesus
Because He first loved me.
181 [The afternoon service begins here after a short intermission of approximately one and one half hour] Oh, that's fine, brother... He wants to say a word about his healing. [A brother gives a testimony] That's just it. Brother Ed, that's what it is. Oh, isn't that wonderful. I like that old test...
Now, the car radio is hooked up, what this thing here is a--for here. [Gap in the audio]
Everybody feeling good now? Well now, we'll start right in now until midnight, and then we'll... We are so happy that the Lord has helped us, and blessed us.
Now, before we start again, let's just have a little word of prayer to the One who we're talking to.
182 Gracious heavenly Father, You hear the testimony of this godly, saintly, old man. Down through the age, him and his little wife, working together, and how that she had to hold on to You and beg You to make a preacher out of her husband, and here he is. And then when he was laying there dying, the best doctors in the country saying that he's gone, "He can't live but a few hours. He's done; his body is eat up with cancer; he could never walk another step---the infection in his ankles and so forth has done took him away." And here he is, years later, still going. We're just so thankful, Father. It goes to prove that when the Word is planted, then watered, it will bring forth the crop.
Now we pray, Father, that You will let us lay out the words this afternoon from Thy Word. It is Thy Word, and we want to lay it out just the way it is, and then You water it, Lord, with the Spirit. We ask, as we commit ourselves with the message to You, that You use us in Jesus' name. Amen.
183 Now to hurry right up. My wife was telling me this morning about how hard the people ... you know, and their legs cramping and things---the ladies, and more people like myself getting a little old and have to stand around like that. I appreciate that---your loyalty. And now, we'll get right straight back to the message and go on. I don't want to be in too much hurry, and yet I want to hurry up enough to try to get it finished this afternoon if I possibly can. Then as soon as we're finished, we're going right straight then to Tifton, Georgia, not for a continued meeting; we're at the high school auditorium there just for one night. That's tomorrow night, and ... just a preaching service; and I'll have some ordinary little text or something I preached on right here because it is just to visit with the people there. They haven't got a regular stayed meeting or anything.
184 So we ... and now we are left off this morning speaking on our text found over in Genesis the 1st chapter, the 11th verse, mainly: "The Spoken Word is the Original Seed." And now my purpose this morning and today is to try to explain to the people---try to explain to the people of my actions now, why that I have did the things that I have done. And realizing that these tapes are being taped and will be sent out; many people will probably be hearing them after I am away from here, if Jesus tarries; but I want to say that I believe the Word of God, that it ... that is the truth.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
185 Now we left off where that the ... of the last days. What's happened to the ministry of the evangelists that a few years ago were just burning the country up and seems like all of them have just stopped. Now, I don't mean they are off the field. They are still going, but there is no results, seems like. They are not getting anywhere, see. What's the matter?---the field is done sowed, see. Now remember, don't forget...
186 Someone asked me to repeat that Hebrew word again. In Joel the 2nd chapter (Joel 2:28) where he's speaking of the coming of the former and latter rain, the word "former" is the Hebrew word m-o-u-r-e-h, moureh, which means teaching. In other words, it will be a teaching rain and a harvest rain. Now we've had the teaching rain, and we're ready now for the harvest rain. You know the first rain is when you plant the seed. That starts your crop growing. Then just before it matures, there comes another crop. That's what they call the harvest rain. We know when it is---the spring rains, and then the rains about June, it makes your crop.
Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
187 Now, the rain we found out was the Spirit. And now we left off at where I gave my thoughts of what the whole thing will be. That is, I believe that the rain has been brought---the rain. That is the reason we are quietening down, because the ground is already sowed over. You can't find anywhere hardly but what's been sowed. And it's went out through radio, television, tapes, word, everything; it's sowed the country down. It's planted seeds. Now what seeds was planted, you cannot get nothing else from it but what seeds that was planted. Can you understand now? It will be the seed that's planted. Now, the Spirit will fall, but it'll bring a harvest of the seed that it falls on. Now, remember.
188 All right, I predict that the two denominational groups, Pentecostal and the Evangelical groups, will work together in a denomination, will unite themselves together, and will become a member (all of them) of the Federation of the Council of Churches or the Council of Churches. They already belong to it---all of them. And there will come through them a forcing or a boycott, that will stop everything but what belongs to that union of churches. That's what a... The Bible said that there would be a boycott, even to such a way it would cause people to not buy or sell unless they had received this, the mark of the beast, which is Romanism, and the image of the beast, which is Protestantism, that the image ... the beast had power, authority to give the image life to speak, and it did. And that's the Confederation of Churches, when they confederate themselves together.
Revelation 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
Revelation 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
189 Now there's many young people here. I don't know, Jesus may come this afternoon; He may come next year. I don't know when He'll be coming. But remember, if I do not live to see that day of His coming---which I hope that I will, and somehow believe I will---now if I do not see it, do not let this Word ever depart from your ears and your heart. Just remember, I speak in the name or the Lord. Now, I believe with all my heart, that's the way it will wind up. There will be like a union, a boycott. All such places as this here will be closed down. And you'll not be able to speak unless you got a permission or a license from this federation of churches to hold a service.
190 It's almost ... it shows it does that now even in the denomination. It shows where it's at. Yes, sir, you have to have it. And that's where it will wind up at. That's my prediction, as a servant of Christ through the understanding that I have of the Word and the inspiration; that's where it will come. All signs are pointing to the end. I just got through speaking on that.
And it's even to the unwise virgin ... is beginning to cry out for oil. Now remember, she was a virgin, and if she's a virgin, she's a church. See, we will get to that this afternoon Revelation 17. If she's a virgin, she's a church, because the church is a virgin. Paul said, "I espouse you to Christ as a chaste virgin." The prostitute of Revelation 17 was a church. John admired her because of her beauty, what she was; she was a beautiful thing, but yet in her was found the blood of every saint of Jesus Christ---had been murdered in her. That's right.
Matthew 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
Revelation 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
Revelation 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
191 I believe it is sixty-eight million on the martyrology that the Roman Catholic Church has put to death since St. Augustine of Hippo. Sixty-eight million Protestants has been killed and recorded on the record of the martyrology by the Catholic church because of disagreeing with her doctrine. No wonder the Bible said, "In her was found the blood of every martyr."
Now, now didn't Jesus say there would come a time they would kill you, thinking they were doing God a service; and they are sincere about that. They're not hypocrites. They believe that; they're taught that. And when that Word is planted there, it has got to bring a crop. Sure it has. Remember, we are staying with the seed. That's our text---our seed. The spoken Word of God is a seed, see. It's got to come back to this Word, and that Word will produce what it says.
Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Revelation 17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
Revelation 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
192 That's the reason I believe in divine healing; that's the reason I believe in visions; that's the reason I believe in angels; that's the reason I believe in this message, is because it comes from the Word of God. And anything outside the Word of God, I don't believe it. It could be so, but still I'll just stay with what God said and then be sure that I'm right. Now God can do what He wants to; He's God. But as long as I stay with His Word, then I know that's all right. I believe that.
Genesis 46:2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
Luke 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
193 Now, this unwise virgin is a woman, she's a church, but she is unwise, see. She has just been dilatory. And yet she's called herself the bride. And remember everything runs in a three for perfection. Three is the number of perfection. God's offices---Father, Son, Holy Ghost. God, the Father, was a God that lived in the pillar of fire. He was trying to draw Israel to Him. They wouldn't come. God, the Father, lived in the Son, which made Him God the Son---same God, express image of God, the seed of God manifest, trying to draw the people to Him---they crucified Him. The Holy Ghost is the same God that was at the beginning in the Son of God and now here the other office of God in the last days, living in the church, trying to bring the Word (the spoken Word like the other two offices did) to the people, and they reject it. It's the same thing. It's the three offices or manifestations of one God in action. And God in His people today in action is God in action, see. It's God in the people.
Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
194 Lord willing, I want to speak on that tomorrow night---God in His universe, God in His Son, God in His people, and so forth. Now I've spoke on that before here, I believe.
195 Now then, this unwise virgin, when she went to buy oil---she was sent to buy oil. When she did, she found out that she was too late. Why? Why, friends?---the seeds are done planted. There was three up to the Sodom time. There has always been a number of three all the time. There's three comings of Christ. He came once to redeem His bride. He comes the next in the rapture to catch away His bride. He comes again in the millennium with His bride. Everything is in threes. Threes is a perfect number. Five is the number of grace. Seven---completion; twelve---worship; twenty-four ... or forty---tempted; and fifty is the jubilee. The very word "Pentecost" means jubilee---fifty, see.
Genesis 18:2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
Matthew 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Matthew 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
196 Now, and now God in His numerals, He's perfect in His numerals; He's perfect in His Word; He's perfect in His action; He's perfect in everything because He's a perfect God. And we see that in these virgins---now look, there is called a whore in the Bible. (Now, I want my sisters to forgive me. That's what the Bible says. Today I am speaking just plain.) Calls her the whore and a mother of harlots, which is the same thing.
Now, if you notice, there is a whore spoke of in the Bible, that's a church, a harlot spoke of in the Bible, that's a church, and a bride spoke of in the Bible and that's a church. There's the three. I'm going to get into them after a while showing whose brides those are and how they've been rejected and all about it if the Lord willing.
Revelation 17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
197 Now, the first thing ... I want to say this before I forget it. Do not never fear communism. Communism is only working in the hands of God. It's an ungodly affair just like King Nebuchadnezzar was, but He sent him over there and chopped Israel out because of their disobedience. When the prophet told them what was coming and he told them to stay in their land and remember God, they wouldn't do it; they went on anyhow, and the king come right out and got them anyhow, because he said he would. Communism is a thing that's... The reason that communism rose up is because the illegitimacy of the Catholic church overseas in Russia. They took all the money and had everything hoarded up, and that's all there was to it. That's exactly what made communism.
198 When that little boy was raised from the dead up there in Finland, them big communistic soldiers standing there with a salute when I passed by, and the tears running down their cheeks said, "We will receive a God like that"---sure, a God that can raise the dead and keep His Word, sure, see. But when it comes to just going to church and living like the devil and everything else, like the rest of the world, making nothing, then they don't believe in it. And to be honest, I don't either. That's right. That's right. There's no scripture that says communism will rule the world, but there is a scripture and all the Scripture says Romanism will do it. So keep your eyes on that.
Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
199 Look tonight; just look what's happened even last night---this senator of Kentucky said about having a Republican in the seat up there now representing the state of Kentucky and said, "He's a Protestant and makes no bones of it"---him a Catholic. They're getting as bold as they can be. And remember, there's other things that goes with that. Unwise virgin's time---we see that. Things that's never happened---that none of the men, the teachers down through the age could say these things like we can now, because they're here.
200 Now, the unwise virgin and the hybrid Pentecostals (that's the same thing---hybrid with the things of the world) ... Now remember, I'm Pentecostal, but not Pentecostal by denomination. I resent that. I'm Pentecostal by experience. We must have the ... the Methodists are Pentecostal; the Baptists are Pentecostal; the Catholic are Pentecostal if they've got the Pentecostal experience. You cannot organize Pentecost, because it is an experience, and it's God, and God cannot be organized.
201 Now. Now, Jesus has told us these things would come, now ... told us about what would take place---the unwise virgin would rise up and the things that she would do, and how that the people would call out in their day and want oil, but they would be too late, see. Now watch them three churches. There is the prostitute; she didn't come for nothing. Now she is self-centered in herself. There was the unwise virgin, which is the Protestant church. And there was the bride, see? Now, there is the three stages of the church in the last days. Now watch, we're going to bring them right straight out and from Genesis and bring them out here and place them in Revelations in the rapture, the Lord willing.
Matthew 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Matthew 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
202 All these things look real. Pentecost looks real. Think, "Why I belong to a Pentecostal organization." That don't mean no more than if you lived in a hog pen! Wouldn't make a bit of difference. It's just a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. No matter where you belong, if you're not borned of the Spirit of God and receive the Holy Ghost---and the reason---if you haven't---don't believe all the Word of God, you haven't received the Holy Ghost yet. Right. That's exactly right The Holy Spirit... When you hear the truth, and the Holy Spirit don't lead you to it, then there's another spirit in there keeping you away from it. So the spirit you got in you ain't the Holy Spirit.
John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
203 All right, now we find out as ... went on, said, as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses (we talked about that), how that these things would be in the last days. Now, and last quotation we had was that God made every seed after it's kind; that's His ... see. Then when He made His man in His image---was the seed of His Word. And when Jesus was made flesh, He was the flesh of the Word of God. And when we receive the Word of God, then we become God's Word in our flesh, see? The church should be in that condition.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
2 Timothy 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
204 Now, then after He made man in His own image ... "in the image of God created he him..." Now after He did this (now don't miss this), after God made His man in His own image by His own spoken word---now that was the perfect man, but where the fall came, was when He took from him a by-product and made him a bride. That's where the trouble is now. If you were spiritual, you've already caught it see, see. It wasn't Adam that got in trouble. It wasn't Adam that doubted the Word; it was his bride that doubted the Word. And it isn't Jesus that's doubting the Word, for He was the Word; it's His bride.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Genesis 2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
Genesis 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
205 There's where the hybreeding comes---didn't come through Adam. Shame on you who don't see that! It's not Adam's fault. He had nothing to do with it. If death come by Adam, then it come by God. Death come by crossbreeding. Death can't come by God's Word. Death comes by crossbreeding it to denomination and creed. Instead of Christ, dogma---instead of the Word. It doesn't come by the Word. The Word is life. Jesus said, "My words are life," and the Spirit quickens that Word and makes it life. To crossbreed it, there's where the death comes from. And if Adam, be God's Word, His spoken Word, His original seed (for He was the first, by creation), then His second Adam was also by creation (spoken Word). You follow? Now Adam was not deceived, but his bride was deceived. Christ today is not deceived. The Word is not deceiving. It's the bride that's doing the deceiving by the Word. You see it?
Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
206 Now, He gave him a bride---a type of the second Adam. He gave the first Adam a bride; she fell. He gave the second Adam, Christ, a bride; she fell. That's exactly. Why?---she is not in the original; she is a by-product. The bride today is a by-product. See, she calls herself the bride. But what she is, she's made up of the material of organization, not of the Word---so much Word in it to make it kind of a by-product to make it hypocritical. Eve believed most of the Word, but she doubted one part of it. Today she can't even get Acts 28 ... or Matthew 28:19 straight with Acts 2:38, see. It confuses her. That's just one little place of the hundreds of others.
Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
207 Now, the bride of Adam was a type of the second Adam's bride. Now, Adam's bride---Adam's bride could not wait. God had told Adam and Eve: "Multiply and replenish the earth." It was an oncoming thing---a promise. She was not his wife as yet because he had never lived with her. The bride of Christ is not His wife yet; the wedding supper is to take place. Get it? Notice, oh this is rich! She got in a hurry, and what did she do?---she crossed her seed. She mingled it with the serpent's seed; and when she did, she brought a... What did she bring? She brought a child of death, a child that ... she perverted every child after that. And when the church of Jesus Christ was perverted in the time of Rome, after her virgin birth, and was given to Christ at Pentecost. What did she do? She crossed herself with Roman dogma. And the Protestant church has done the very same thing. She can't wait.
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Genesis 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
208 A woman engaged to a fine, young, clean man, and before they come together, what's she done? She is found pregnant by someone else. Then her own seed which is betrothed, her own body which is betrothed to her boy friend, her engaged husband, is found full of seed of another man. What a disgrace! That's exactly what Adam found.
That's what Christ has found. Couldn't wait. That's what's the matter with the people today. They can't wait for the real Holy Spirit to take the church in position. They've got to manufacture something, work up something---initial evidence, speaking in tongues---to get more members in the church, all these kind of tommyrot instead of waiting upon the Lord for the real manifestation of the resurrection of Christ making Himself known among the people. She can't wait.
209 What did she do? She went out and become pregnated with denominationalism. First was the Assemblies of God; then come the Oneness, then come whatmore after that. Now the so-called bride is pregnated with all kinds of tommyrot, disgrace. The women won't pay a bit more attention to what God's Word says than nothing in the world, neither will the men, or even the preachers. Then call that a bride!
What is it? She's pregnated. Christ's bride has become pregnant with the world---dressing like the world, acting like the world, big churches, fine... It shows what she is. She's of the devil! That's what Satan done at the first place, was try to build a big beautiful kingdom in the heavens and was kicked out for it---excommunicated from heaven. And that's what Christ's modern bride is, she's kicked out, because she's excommunicated from God, because she is a whore and not a virgin. It's deep, but I hope you get it.
Isaiah 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isaiah 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isaiah 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isaiah 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
210 Adam's bride could not wait, but she mingled her seed illegally, illegally. We are supposed to believe God's Word and that alone!
Now brethren, here and on the tape, do you see why I am contending for that Word, word by word. I've told you I believe that is God's truth. God's protected that Bible. He's got to judge the world by something ... through Jesus Christ which is the Word. And this Word was made flesh to become Jesus Christ. I'm just letting it soak in. Remember, the Word. And now He finds her all messed up. You think he'd marry such a thing as that? Never. He's holy.
She couldn't wait. Illegal, that's what Adam found.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
211 Now brethren, sister, look back. If you look at a shadow of anything, it is the very expression of the real image that's coming. So you see Adam had to find the wife pregnant. And she said, "The serpent beguiled me."
Now, I'm going to take it both ways just in a few moments, the Lord willing, see, show you that it is impossible for it to be anything else.
Genesis 3:13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
212 Now, Adam's bride could not wait, but she went forward first. That's the way today, the bride today. She wants to manufacture something. "Glory to God!"---she's got to work it up on the platform. She's got to have everything, see. What is she doing---manufacturing something.
Look where it's going. You can see there's nothing to it; it's a phony. Exactly right. If it wasn't, this world would be a-flame with the power of God; the church would be on fire; oh, dead would be raised and all kinds of things would be taking place. But what did she get sowed up with before Christ could get to her, before He got to her to plant His own seed? What did she have?---weed seeds, the world, denominational seeds. That's the reason what she's reaping her harvest right now. I hope it don't make you upset, but I hope it gets right down to a place where I'll trust that God has given it to you, see.
213 Now, she mingled her seed illegally, illegal to the Word. What was she trying to find? (Now listen close.) What was she after?---wisdom! Wisdom! And that's what she's done today. She's sent her preachers away to schools, incubated them out on a machine, psychology, all kinds of stuff that's not even in the Bible. And she's incubatoring her eggs. And when she's done, she's brought out a product of a bunch of people that will compromise anything and refuse the very message of God, not knowing what she's doing.
She's ignorant of it. She don't believe---she don't think she's wrong. Neither did Eve think she was wrong. Eve thought she was right. And if that was a type, and this is the antitype, it will have to work the same way the type did. Now that's just ... to me that's just two times two equal four.
Genesis 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
214 Now notice, what happened to Eve's children? The first one that was born---now if God said, "Multiply [to his bride, to Adam's bride] and replenish---multiply and replenish the earth," that was God's commission; and she would have done it, and he would, mixing themselves together. But what happened? When Adam got ready to come to her, she was already a mother. See what I mean?
Now the same thing has happened to Christ's church, Christ's bride. Now we're going back farther than that in a minute. Notice, in this bride, what did she do then? Her first child come forth, it was a bastard child, and he was full of death and caused death. And everyone since then is death! Now you see it had to be sex. Why're you dying if it wasn't sex? When God give a commission which cannot perish! God's Word's eternal! It cannot fail! When He said, "Multiply and replenish the earth"---that was God's eternal purpose. To carry that out you cannot die, because it's His Word. You have to live. And if that child had been brought forth right, there would have been no death; but she couldn't wait.
Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Mark 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
215 That's what's the matter today. You want some kind of a phony makeup with screaming, jumping, speaking in tongues, or something, instead of waiting for the real Word of God to be made manifest through the bride. Them kind that takes the Word is God's true bride, bringing forth children. They can't die. A child, the bride brings forth on the Word can't die because it's the Word. Amen. Did you get it? She can't die cause she's... That child can't die because he's a Word child; he's a seed child; he's an eternal child. Hallelujah!
That's exactly what Jesus Christ was---a spoken eternal child. Didn't have to die, but He did it in order to pay the debt. That's the only way it could be paid. Nobody else could do it; they was all sexual born after the devil, his plan. You got it now? See?
216 But every man, no matter whether he's the pope, priest, bishop, whatever he is, he dies because he's a hybrid. That's exactly! He was born between Satan and Eve. Call it whatever you want to, it was Satan and Eve. The original Word had nothing to do with it. The original Word was life. He'd hybrid it and it brought death! And when the church today that's called themselves Pentecostal, called themself Baptist, whatever they want to, when they hybreed this Word with dogma, it produces a dead child. And she can't have no life in her! She's dead and her children's dead!
God said, "I'll throw her in a bed of worldliness and kill her children." God said so in Revelation. How many knows that's true? Put her in a bed of worldliness (that's where she's at), and kill her children, even with fire. We watch where... What happens to the tares that's among the wheat?---be burned. Oh, you can't make the Word lie. It's the truth. Sometimes you'll scruple up and we might make it wrong, but if you'll keep it running straight, it will run one-two, one-two, one-two, one-two, right on. Throwed her in a bed of worldliness. She can't bring forth nothing but dead children.
Matthew 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Revelation 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
217 Then if a denomination can only bring forth a hybrid child, why do you want to belong to it for? Now brethren, that's the reason I'm against it. She's a whore to begin with. The Bible said she was---a harlot. That's plain words, but I told you I was going to talk plain today. It's what she is. She commits spiritual fornications by taking dogma and creed instead of the Word, teaching her children to do the same thing.
Now, her children are come from the womb, dead. She's got to die. That's exactly right. Just the same as every man... Listen, just as sure as every mortal person that breaks the womb of a woman will die, so will every person that's born by them will die, because she's a hybrid, illegitimate, and her children are illegitimate. That's correct. I hope that don't go over your head.
Revelation 17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
218 Now, Jehovah had a bride once. Adam had a bride, Jesus had a bride, Jehovah had a bride. You know that? He had to put her away. She become a whore, so He put her away. That's exactly what He said. She become a whore, prostitute. What caused her to do that? (I wish we had time to read it. I may get to some of it after while.) Right now, it was in the time of Samuel when Israel had a king, a God, and she was a virgin. She was going to produce something. And what happened? She begin to look around and see the other nations had kings, so she wanted to be like the rest of them.
1 Samuel 8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
219 You back washed Pentecost, that's exactly what you've done. When this old preacher sitting here, nearly a hundred years old today, when Pentecost broke through back there, you couldn't tell them nothing about no organization. They wouldn't listen to that. They called that the things of the devil, and them men were right! But what did you do? You had to act like the rest of the churches. You had to organize it. Then, as he said, you drawed fences between you. Went to teaching, "Musn't teach this. Glory to God! Hallelujah! This way," and jump up and down and speak in tongues, say, "Put him in as a member; he's got her." He's not baptized right---neither with the water nor with the Spirit. He's wrong and his fruits prove it. He's got the wrong kind of seed to grow on. "Bless God, brother, we'll lay hands on you here and make you an elder! I tell you what, we're going to build this organization here till it's going to be bigger than the Assemblies!" That's just the way it's went. Read the Pentecostal history and see if that isn't so, or any of the church.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
220 The Baptists wants to outdo the Methodists. The Methodists wants to outdo the Lutheran. The Lutheran want to outdo the Catholic. Everyone wanting to outdo, outdo somebody. See, that's the spirit of the organization. Jesus said, "But few there will be that will be saved. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way but few there'll be that'll find it." Just a few. If He said few (that's the Word of God, that's seed), there'll be a few. Won't be no tens of billions and billions. It'll just be a few that'll find it. Them that's predestinated to it, they hear it. The former rain has went forth now.
Jeremiah 5:24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
Hosea 6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
Matthew 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
221 Now, Jehovah had a bride that He loved, but she went whoring. What did she do?---after the other powers of the world. And what did He do with this godly, old, anointed prophet? which the Word of the Lord comes to the prophet. He carried that old prophet, Samuel, walked up to him; he said, "Children, gather around me a minute, I want to talk to you, all of you. What do you want a king for? Jehovah is your King. What do you want a creed for? The Bible's your creed. The Bible is the truth. The creeds are lies. They're dead, man-made." Apostles' Creed, show me that in the Bible. Whoever heard of such a thing? "I believe in the communion of saints." Anybody that believes in the communion of saints is a spiritualist. Communion with the dead. There is only one intercessor between God and man, that's Christ, and He's not dead, but He's alive forevermore, raised from the dead. Protestants swallow that down with a round collar and I don't know what else, with all the catechisms of the churches, swallow it right down just the same. They love it, sure, like the rest of the world.
1 Samuel 8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.
Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
222 "Oh, you know, we used to be Pentecostal. We stood down on the corner with a tambourine in our hand and prayed; and the women standing there and their long hair hanging down and praising God and things like that." Oh my goodness, you know better than to do that. They'd laugh right in your face, a real Christian would. Standing out there with a pot of bobbed hair up like that and a big pan of paint on like that and a dress look like a skinned-down wiener, and going out like that, and calling yourself out there a saint of God? You know better than that! So does the world know better than that. Shame on you. You had better stay off the corner, if you can't produce no more than that. I'm not critical, I'm not beside myself. I'm telling you the truth, and you'll find out in the days to come that... But it's just like it's always been, and it will always go over and then they won't see it till it's too far. They've did it every time. They've done, done it.
223 Jehovah's bride wanted to go whoring after the rest of the people, like the rest of them. That's what Jesus' bride wanted to do. Old Samuel, who the Word came to ... who did the Word come to?---the prophets. What did that old prophet walked up and said, "Now just a minute, children. What do you want to go out after that for?" Said, "Have I ever told you anything in the name of the Lord but what come to pass?" Remember that? How many ever read that? Sure you have. "Have I ever told you anything in the name of the Lord but what come to pass. And another thing, did I go out holding big campaigns, or so forth, and taking all your money away from you? Did I," said, "Did I ever beg any..." I'm talking about Samuel now. Somebody the Word of the Lord came to. He said, "Did I ever ask you to take ... to put in so much and do such-and-such?"
"No," they said, "no, you never did that. You never did tell us anything but what was right."
He said, "Then why would you want to go out after that?"
They said, "Samuel, you are so right, but we want it anyhow."
1 Samuel 12:3 Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.
1 Samuel 12:5 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.
224 That's just exactly what the Pentecostal church done. That's the reason I don't join them. Sure, I want to stay a virgin before God with His Word. Whether they... I don't have to have no great big shows and things like this. I've refused it. I didn't want to get myself tied up. That wasn't my wisdom; that was God's wisdom. If I had to go out so I could ... had to sucker around with the people and the devil and tell them, "Yes, I have to have so much for a telecast, and I have to have so much of this; you have got to pay for it," I'd have to pull strings like that, too. But I've never told you nothing in the name of the Lord but what would come to pass. I've never told you nothing but the Word. Judge yourselves. Have I ever asked you for anything? No, sir. No, God's taken care of that. I don't have no big programs to support. I wouldn't have one. Everyone that belongs to God will hear God! Just feel led of the Spirit where to go and what to do and do that. That's all that's necessary. Keep that, not a great big money making program with millions of dollars in it---millions and millions and millions, and some of them now building millions and billions of dollars in it.
225 I don't feel bad about criticizing. It's due criticism. I don't want to hurt nobody's feelings, but I'd rather hurt some man's feelings to hurt God's feelings. If He commissioned you and sent you out here to do these things and proved it amongst the people, then you ought to hear it. I'm telling you the truth. God's proving it's the truth. Only by... Not only signs, but He's proving it by His Word it's the truth. That's exactly right.
226 So Jehovah's bride went whoring, and what did she do?---she brought forth a bunch of illegitimates again. Is that right? We know it's the truth. Even had to be taken away by King Nebuchadnezzar and so forth. Christ's bride has done the same. What's the matter?---can't wait. Oh, no. Unh-uh---just can't wait.
They have to manufacture something. They can't wait for the Holy Spirit to come and get into the church. See, they have to get more in their denomination. If it had stayed the way it was back yonder a hundred years ago, or fifty years ago, when Pentecost first started out in this latter day, when the Word begin to be preached, if it had stayed like that, she probably wouldn't had over fifty members today. That's right. But they would be blood washed! They'd have the power of God in them! The world would be shaken under her tremendous impact of the Word flesh being spoke word by word. But today, why, it is a sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. That's right. Just become nonsense, a laughing block, a disgrace to the world, disgrace to God.
1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
227 I went into a place, three brethren... Two brethren and I went into a place across from Springfield, Missouri the other morning for breakfast coming from Arizona. And a little lady there that Brother Wood called my attention to that looked like our Sister Collins---blonde, with a big bunch of hair in the back. And he said, "Doesn't that look like Brother Willard Collins' wife?"
I said, "It does." Here come an older lady out, and I said, "I imagine that's her mother. Look at the big bunch of hair." I said, "That's right here by the Assembly of God church, the Assembly of God headquarters; that's where ... the reason they are like that." And a whole lot of little sisters sitting in there with water-head hair out like that; that was the students. Little Ricky and all of them out there, you know, carrying on; all of them packing Bibles under their arms.
228 So, we watched them till they all went out---snickering, laughing, carrying on just like the modern... That's the crop of Pentecost coming on for tomorrow---if there is one. Why! Why! Why!---because that's the seed that's been sowed. Exactly right.
When she went out, all of them went out, this little lady come back around and said, "Could I do anything for you all?"
I said, "I'd like to ask you a question."
"Yes, sir?"
I said (like, as a stranger, I thought she might know us)--- and I said, "Isn't that a Bible school across there?"
She said, "Yes, sir, it is."
I said, "I guess you get a whole lot of trade from there." (Now that was Brother Fred Sothmann sitting out there and Brother Banks Wood, two of the trustees of the church.) And I said...
She said, "Yes, it is."
I said, "I suppose you belong there?"
She said, "No," said, "I'm sorry, I don't."
And I said, "The reason I thought that was because that pretty long hair you have. And I suppose that's your mother?"
She said, "No, sir"; said, "she just works here." She said, "No, I don't..." Said, "I like long hair. I've got a little girl, and I just have her to wear long hair, too," and said, "my husband likes long hair."
I said, "God bless him."
229 And so she said, "Well," she said... I said, "Well, it's strange. Was them the students in here, them girls with them pushed out hair cuts like that, like the first lady?"
"Yep."
I said, "Thank you"; walked out. I said, "God put that woman there for a rebuke to that bastard born bunch of kids over across the street!"
That's right, illegitimate, after the things of the world. How many women after Jezebel, the first lady of that land, how many of them do you think is in heaven tonight, today? See? The things of the world... If you love the world or the things of the world, the love of God is not even in you. What is that?---the cream of tomorrow's crop in Pentecost---the biggest movement in the nation. There you are. That's the bride. I don't get it.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
230 All right, what's she trying to do? Oh, she manufactures a little jumping on the platform---not making fun of it; it's all right. She manufactures something else. Why?---to get members in the church. What's the matter? She just can't wait, see. She can't wait for God to do it. They've got to get members in there somewhere. So they tell them, "You have to do that," and away they go. See, there's the seed coming right up. You have to do it.
231 I'm a missionary. I've seen the Africans take blood of an animal and pour it over theirself like this (stark naked, men and women), put paint on their face---that's where it come from; paint come from a heathen trait, it's not for human beings, Christians, believers; never was. Wasn't only one woman in all the Bible ever painted herself, that was Jezebel, a devil.
So then they put paint on their face, big long things in their ears like blocks of wood (Zulus)--- it is a block of wood, make the flesh of the ear hang way down there. Sometimes split their lips and put them way out (think it looks beautiful), put over their breast and down around their legs and things, blood, and then take a make stripes like a zebra, and shout, dance in the spirit and speak in tongues, and worship devils: evidence of the Holy Ghost!
2 Kings 9:30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.
232 I've been right there in India when they had the fire walkers and everything else and know it's the truth. A great big idol there with rubies in the ears for earrings and things like that, and they've put torments and sticking things through their flesh and beat themselves and sew their lips up that they've lied, and doing penance and run a saber through their lips here or through their chin up through their nose and stick it out like that; take big fish hooks, like Christmas tree balls, went and fill it full of water and hook thousands of them over their body, right through the flesh, and go over there and dance around this idol like that, and kill a goat and do worship like this, and walk right through red hot fire without a scorch. Some of you Pentecostals try it!
233 But it was done---the Hebrew children. But they never tempt the Lord thy God; they was just thrown into it. They didn't try to manufacture something. That's what's the matter with Pentecostals today. They are manufacturing something! They can't wait! Oh, God, they just can't wait, so they commit adultery. Amen. Tries to manufacture something, and what does it bring forth?---like it did the first time, the first bride that couldn't wait.
She brought death through a bastard born child which we all are children of. But God came in the flesh to give us another birth to bring us back to original sons and daughters of God, see. There you are. The life sperm of Eve never happened. It never did. Why? She mingled it, kept it away. Instead of Adam coming to her for a bride when the time appointed would be---just like Christ would have come to the group, Christ would have come to His church; He promised to do it. God promised to multiply, but they had to wait until God's time.
234 That's what's the matter today. They don't want to wait God's time. They want to get something else, and so the devil's got the wisdom right there to give it to them. Make an organization; be big as the rest of them.
Now do you see why I'm against it? Sure, I'm against it with everything that's in me. As long as the Word's in there, it'll always be against it. God's against it. God said He was. That's right. Just couldn't wait.
235 So the sperm of Eve never happened. Hybrid to Satan's lie, his lovely bride become polluted. And so has Christ's bride. The bride---what made her become polluted? (Adam's bride now)--- because she never stayed with God's Word. Is that right? I ask---now, if it's not so, don't say it; but if it is so, say it. The reason that God's... The reason that Adam's bride... There's the three: Adam, Christ, God. The reason that Adam's bride never did bear right the life child is because she disbelieved God's Word. If that's right, say "Amen." The reason that Jehovah's wife was put away, or His bride, was because that she rejected God's Word, the prophet. Is that right? The reason that Christ's bride is put away in divorcement is because that she has rejected the Word of God, like Eve did, like the rest of them did; exactly, all whores, all polluted. Their husband couldn't get to them. They was already pregnated before their husband got to them.
Oh, God, if that ain't a pitiful sight! Think of a young man coming to a woman and find her with seed of some other man in her. What a thing! That's what God has done. That's what Adam done. That's what Christ has done. Oh!
236 Yes, never stayed with the Word and caused a hybrid condition. That's what Israel did. See where she's at? That's what Christ's bride did. See where she's at?---right back with the rest of them. Christ's Pentecostal bride did the same.
She can't bring forth spiritual Word children, for she is a hybrid herself. How can she do it when she's hybrid herself with the denominations? Done joined up with them and everything just the same as they are. In with the council of churches and everything else, just hybrid as the rest of them are. How can she do it? She can't.
237 Now, I just got so much to say, and I just got to hurry over these. Each one of them I want to preach on, see.
238 Now watch, the true bride. Hallelujah! There's going to be one! Why? She's predestinated. She won't be denominated, because she's predestinated. She don't have to worry about some denomination, she's already predestinated to take the place.
Look, like Mary... I want you to get this now and don't fail. Are you ready? Say, "Amen." When Christ comes to His bride, she will be a virgin like Mary was, for God will not bring Christ through a womb of a whore, and neither will He bring the bride. He can't bring His Word through a whore of His Word. Them's horrible words, but that's what the Bible said. I'm saying what it says because this has got to be understood.
Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Luke 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
239 The true bride, like Mary, will have a virgin womb for the bride of the Word, which is Christ. When Christ, the Word, comes to the bride, she will be the same as He is---a virgin by the Word. I hope it's going over, Brother Neville, see. I hope you understand. What was He?---Word!---The Word of God. "Upon His vesture He had a name written, 'The Word of God.'" "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... And the Word ... made flesh, and dwelt among us." He is God, and God is the Word. And when His bride comes, she will be the same product that He is---virgin!
Luke 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
240 Did Christ belong to a denomination? Did Jehovah? Neither does His bride! She's part of Him. She needs no dogma; she won't have any. She will be absolutely virgin. How?---by the Word. Amen. She will punctuate every word God says with an "Amen. Amen. Oh, 'be it unto me according to thy Word.' Amen." Oh, my! There you are. Punctuate God's Word.
Have a virgin womb. What will she come out of?---a virgin womb, the Word. What did Jesus come out of?---a virgin womb, see.
Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Luke 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
Luke 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
Luke 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
241 When Adam come to his wife she was pregnant. She had done something. She was mixed. She was ... hybrid the child, and it died. But when Joseph come to his bride, she was pregnated, but with life. Adam's wife, or Adam's bride, when Adam---before they came together---just like Joseph and Mary, just like Christ and the church now (don't you see it? see)--- and before they came together (Adam and Eve), she was pregnated with the corrupt seed from the serpent; and when Adam come to his wife he found her pregnated to death, see. Death! How?---spiritually, physically dead; but when Joseph, the human, come to his wife (glory! can't hardly hold her!), she was pregnated with life, the Word of God flesh among you!
242 Bring back that spoken Word! Bring back that Word of God which was Word here---come through a human's womb. Amen! God will do it anyhow. He spoke it, and it's got to be so. Amen! That's our God. Oh, that's rich, brethren, if you can dissolve it---you can hit it. That's where He found her.
243 When Adam come to his wife, she was pregnated with the wrong seed. That seed died! When Joseph come to his, she was pregnated. Now what caused the different pregnation? Because that Adam's wife doubted the Word. Is that right? Joseph's bride believed the Word. That's the difference. So what is it then? It's the Word! Oh, that precious Word! The world was formed by the Word of God! Hallelujah! There's my stay right there. Let all denominations and everything else fall, do what they are going to. On that Word I stand.
That's why I have done what I've done. That's why I've downed denominations. Say, "Well he's just a ... breaks up churches." They said the same thing about our Lord. Just say it every time, see.
244 Now, now he found her. Christ comes to His bride. Where does He find her?---same thing. Why? When she first started out ... (Now listen, I don't want you to miss this.) When she started out, she was a virgin. She was going to be all right. She went right on in that early church. It used to be wonderful. God gave him a bride, and what did she do? If you know history, in 606 she goes right down there and pregnates herself with Roman dogma, or organization. And from that on, that old mother whore in the Bible give birth to churches, and they were harlots, which is a whore---that's Protestants---because they was every one borned right out of her and everyone took their own thing---organization. Now do you see why I'm against it? All right.
245 Now, for the birth of the Word is Christ. Not polluted with denominations. The early church---no denominations, just the Word and Spirit irrigated. Brother, God laid the Word down like that and the Holy Spirit irrigated it, and there she went. She brought forth children, certainly, but this church can't do it. She's too denominated. See, she can't do it. She's got the world mixed up with it. Look what they did.
246 Now, now watch, God confirmed His Word through His body. Is that right? Then she went whoring like Adam's wife did in Eden and Jehovah's wife did in the days of Samuel, that took a king, divorced God (her espoused husband) and His Word and His prophet (His outlet to His Word), and went whoring like the rest of the nations; and God divorced her! Same has He done today. Same act.
247 Sons of the bride, commit adultery (see) with the bride, God's Son---His bride from Pentecost, virgin with the Word, went whoring and committed adultery just like Adam's wife did, just like Jehovah's wife did; and here is the Son's wife---she goes whoring, committing adultery with the Roman gods (plural), gods, and for her lovers' sake, the Roman gods, tried to take her own husband and split him into three---to please her lovers! God have mercy on it! Sure, they got hundreds of gods, oh sure---Astarte, the sun god, and Balaam, the sun god, and the queen of heaven and all that stuff there. So the bride, to please her ill-famed lovers---didn't God speak over there in the Songs of Solomon and tell about how his wife was nothing but a prostitute and sat with herself open all the time and took every lover that come by. I'm talking plain, but that's what the Bible said. Every man that wanted to run with her, could run with her. That's the same thing the bride of Christ has done---opened up herself to every old dirty, filthy habit of every organization they ever had. Doing the same thing.
248 I'm going to get criticized for this. That's all right, I'm going to be blessed for it too, for it's going to be the truth, It's God's truth 'cause He wants it said, and here---I'm trying my best to say it, see.
249 She tried to please her many lovers. Doing so she hybrid, tried to hybrid with her lovers, the Word of God; so it would not work, so she said, "Denounce that" and made her own word. Now she claims to be the Word herself. But don't let Catholics---or Protestants call Catholics, because they do the same in the council of their own churches---whoring. No wonder they are called harlots! That's rough, isn't it? That shook the skin off your back, but that's what it takes to do to wake you up sometimes.
1 Samuel 11:15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
250 That's exactly what she done. She left Jesus, the Word-husband. And like Samuel---they left Samuel and took Saul, left the prophet anointed with the Word and took a king with a scepter; when she finally would have come to the King, the scepter, in the millennium, but now she's rejected. He went to the Gentiles for a bride. Is that right? It's the Word.
Now, she left Jesus the Word, Jesus the Word, and married another man called the pope with dogma. Now she hasn't got Jesus; she's got a pope. Now we haven't got... The Protestant hasn't got Jesus; it's got a denomination, same thing---an image unto the beast.
251 So she can't give Word-birth to her children, none of them. She is a harlot herself. The Bible said she was. She had a cup in her hand and was giving out her doctrine to the people which was an abomination of the filthiness of her fornication. What is fornication?---it's living unclean. And for her doctrine she is giving to the people, is the filthiness of her fornication. And the kings of the earth and all was made drunk with the wine of her fornication. Exactly right, look at them. Boy, they'd cut your throat in a minute for that. Not only Catholics, but Protestants.
Revelation 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
252 Listen, you Methodists. Who killed Joseph Smith? Now crow. Although I don't believe in his doctrine, neither do I believe in yours. That's not out there, it's here. That's the reason. Joseph Smith had just as much right to preach his religion here in this nation as you do, but you killed him up here in Illinois; shot him without a cause, because he had something a little different. Then you holler about the Catholic church. Come out of that bunch of nonsense you Methodists that's ordained to eternal life! John Wesley'd turn over in his grave, acting like that. Sure, he would. John Wesley never established no such a church as that. A bunch of Rickys and Elvises did it after John's death. That's right. Not John Wesley. It's not them old early Pentecostals ever made such an outcome as this. It's the same group after it's death. That's right. Jesus Christ wouldn't establish something like we got now called Pentecost; neither would the Holy Ghost, but it's something they got here instead; but the Holy Ghost is something they can't kill now. It's going to take a bride anyhow. It's going to take one anyhow. He said He would predestinate her.
253 She left Jesus, her Word-husband to marry a pope, so she can't give birth, spiritual birth. She can give denominational birth now; she's got plenty of seed of that. She can't give spiritual birth because she was a harlot. Only thing she can give is denominational life and a lot of ballyhoo. The Catholic church itself is made upon a few superstitions of Christianity and a bunch of Romanism, and the Pentecostal church is just as bad---a bunch of jumping and shouting and speaking in tongues and things like that. When it comes down---enough temper to fight a buzz saw and turn you out of their congregation. If God come in there and raised the dead, if you didn't agree with them, they'd run you out, if you don't belong to their organization.
254 Now, this old mother harlot (I'm going back to her a minute), she claims power to forgive sins, but you're not judged by your claims; you're not known by your claims. You're known by your works. How could she forgive sin? Look at her. When Jesus did the same thing, they ... said, "Condemn Me; show Me where I disbelieve the Word." She claims power to forgive sins, but that comes only by the Word. That's right. God only can forgive sins. Is that right? Didn't those Pharisees say that? What was the matter with the blind bunch of hypocrites. Why?---because they didn't see that was the Word standing with them! He is the Word! Glory to God! That's the reason He could forgive sins. He was God! He was the Word manifested.
255 Now the Catholic church says Jesus gave them power. He did. He give the church power That's right. We believe that. All her daughters are harlots. All of her daughters, her denominational daughters, are harlots. "Brother Branham, that's a big word." That ain't my word; that's His Word. That's exactly. It's not mine, it's His.
All right, How? You say, "How are they? How do they become harlots? Why, they are good people. So's..." I don't say a thing about that. I'm not saying what they are. I ain't saying the Catholics are not good people ... as good as anybody. They are human beings like we are. But when it comes to that old church, she's wrong. The Protestants are just as good---the Methodists as good as the Baptists or Pentecostals, or anybody else. They are all the same.
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
256 But the thing of it is, how then can she be a harlot? Why? Give her the Word test. That's how you know it. Try her on the Word once and see what she says. "Oh, of course, we're taught in the seminary that them days... It used to be that way, but (ha-ha) that was way back in the days of the apostles. That was only for the apostles only." You so-called church of Christ---"speak where the Bible speaks and silent where..." I'd like to hear you do some speaking now. No, you shut up. God's Word shuts everything up, brother. No man can brag. That's right.
257 All her daughters are harlots. How?---by the same as their mammy---committing just spiritual fornications against the Word. That's how the Catholic church become a whore. That's how her daughters become harlots. Same thing, spiritual fornication against the Word. She and her daughters has a whoring womb. Only death can come from them. God can't bring life through death, and anything that's born dead is not alive. And like Job said, "Can you bring a clean thing out of an unclean ... no not one." Right. Well, how can she give birth herself when she is dead herself? How can she be virgin when she is a whore? See, there you are. That's the whole thing.
Job 14:4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
258 Oh, my, now we're going to hit something real rich, full of vitamins from Genesis to Revelation. Notice, and she and her daughters has a whore's womb. Only death can come from them. If you want to join the organization, think you're all right, you see where you're landing. You're landing right in the midst of death. Just exactly. If you can't see that now, you're spiritually blind, see.
259 Now, let's go back now and pick up again and come down for something. You remember what last Sunday's service was?---"The Gate to the Soul." You remember? Now, there is a womb of the physical; there is a womb for the spirit. Do you believe that? There is a spiritual womb and a physical womb. And the mind is the womb to the spirit. Why? Now remember, I told you last Sunday and drawed it out here for you, there's five senses that enters the seed from the outside: see, taste, feel, smell, and hear; five on the inside: conscience, and so forth, from the inside---five. Now on the life side there's only one. That's you're on the basis of free moral agency to accept, take in, or let out, see.
260 That's how adultery is committed spiritually. When you, knowing better by the Word of God, by the intercourse of the mind, take in a lie of the devil against the Word of God. That's exactly what Eve done. With a spiritual intercourse first that come by believing Satan's lie into the womb of her mind, that polluted her soul, set death in the soul; then the natural act taken place. And that's the only way that a woman ever can commit adultery against her husband, is to first let some man talk her into it and then receive another man that's not her husband. Then she's committed adultery. And when the bride of Jesus Christ lets man-made creeds and dogmas take the place of the Word of God, she is committing adultery.
261 Did not Jesus say, "Whosoever looketh upon a woman has committed adultery with her already in his heart ... looketh upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already"? Why? He let it come into his mind. That's the womb; it starts the things moving. Satan come in---we was sowed with the Word.
"Someday I'll bring the life into the earth and replenish the earth." What Eve failed to do, Mary did. She took the Word. Eve took Satan's lie. Mary took God's Word. And through Mary's seed replenishes the earth again through His bride, through the Word, and will bring up the millennium. Through that goes forth the Word, and the Word is planted into every predestinated heart, and the Spirit comes down and waters it, and they cannot die. "I'll raise him up again at the last days." Oh, brother, sister, that's real.
Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Matthew 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Luke 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
Luke 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
262 What is it?---the mind is the womb for the spirit. What?---to take in or let out. That's how they commit adultery, is taking ... let some Satan devil spirit put in them something against the Word of God; then she's committed adultery. Eve received (listen to this) wrong seed word, Satan's lie, against Jehovah's Word. Results was death.
263 Now, we'll get off of this subject in a few minutes, but I want to get it pounded out real good before it gets down to the place I have to stop. I'm going to skip a page here about now---in a minute.
264 Now, look. Eve what? What did she do? She received the wrong seed. How did she do it?---believing Satan's lie. How many says that's right? Why, sure it's right, sure. She received Satan's lie. What did she bring forth by doing it? Satan said, "You know this is glorious. This is a wonderful thing. Do you know you were made for that? Why, you were actually made for this purpose."
"Oh, was I?"
"Oh, it is pleasant to the eye. It's good. You should try it."
"But the Lord God said, 'Not-not-not not yet.' We mustn't! No, no!"
"But, you know..."
"Oh, if we do..."
"Oh, you surely won't die." That slick-tongued devil. He ain't got hoofs and forked tail, no, like they'd try to make you believe. He's a slicker behind the pulpit. That's right. Or some little Ricky with his hair combed down like a duck, sitting on his back out there to harm some mother's daughter. That's the guy---come around with a little cute like little... Oh, I'll let that go.
265 Now, the womb---Eve, received the wrong seed word. Now, listen real close now. We're going to drive this right down, if the Lord willing. She received the wrong word. What did it do?---it was Satan's lie, said she'd be wise; why, she could belong to the big church, she would be well thought of in the city; why, she would be like the rest of the people. Sure, that's exactly what Jehovah's bride believed. That's exactly. That's exactly what Satan would have tried to have said when the Word come to Mary, but she shook him away.
Said, "How can this be?"
Said, "The Holy Ghost will overshadow you. it's the Word of God."
Said, "Be it unto me according to Thy Word." That brought the life. There you are.
Well, do you know Satan said, "They'll all laugh at you."
That little rosy-cheeked girl didn't pay any attention to that. Right up in Judaea she went ... "You know, I'm going to have a baby"; before she felt anything, because the Word had already been set there. That was all. She didn't have to go through the prayer line the second time. No. Yes, sir; she believed it. She didn't have any sign of life; she never had no sign of pregnancy at all; she never felt nothing; everything had been just like it was, but she went telling everybody, "I'm going to have a baby." Why?---God said so. What's that?---the royal seed of Abraham.
Genesis 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Luke 1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
Luke 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
266 "Going to have a baby, Abraham by that woman?" "God said so."
"Well, you told me that twenty-five years ago."
"I know, but God said so." That's it. There you are. That's the same thing.
What do you say today? "Well, you know the denomination will kick you out."
"But God said so; God said so."
"Well, you know, if you get baptized like that..."
"God said so. That's it. That's it."
There's your virgin; there she is. Not only to baptism, but anything else---the rest of the Word, see. So, watch.
267 This was both physical and spiritual with Eve. First and any time... Now, I've told you and asked you this morning, sisters, to forgive me so I can mention that---anytime that a woman takes the wrong step---I'm talking about Christ and bride now---but anytime a woman takes a wrong step, she has to first receive it in her mind. That's right. Some slicker has to persuade her, and she listens to it against her own better judgment. Then the act's committed. So first, it hit Satan---hit Eve's mind, and in the womb of her mind she doubted God's Word then come the actual act.
268 And the only way that we can ever be borned again is first in the womb of the mind receive the Word, and then the Spirit comes on top of that and brings it. There you are. That's what does it. That's the real gospel teaching, Brother. I believe if St. Paul was standing today he'd teach the same thing in this hour. All right.
What was the results with her?---physical and spiritual death. What is the results of those who accept the other way, that goes into this frolic today that they got?---both physical and spiritual death. Both body and spirit shall be annihilated, be no more. That's exactly right.
269 Note, Mary's womb---Mary's womb, the physical mind, see, was virgin womb. Why? She believed God's Word. No matter how much anybody criticized, how many things somebody else said, that didn't have one thing to do with it; she believed God's Word regardless.
Oh, I wish I could just get that over. Are you getting it? See, first, was her mind. Before the act ever taken place in her literal womb, the act had to take place in here first to let the Spirit come in, to do the rest of the work. Oh, Glory! Before the actual spiritual birth can take place, the Word has to find itself through your mind; believe it. "He that heareth My words, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath eternal life, and shall never come to the judgment (or through the tribulation period), but has passed from death unto life." That's it.
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
270 Oh, my! Now notice: virgin womb, her mind, virgin mind to believe God's Word. You say, "Now look here. Oh," say, "Brother Branham, it couldn't be that way; it's impossible. John Wesley would have saw it; So-and-so would have saw it."
Sure, the devil could have said the same thing to Mary: "Who are you? Why, you're the poorest of the city. You ain't nothing but a young'un, sixteen years old---eighteen---down here packing water out of this pump; your father dead and your mother an old blind woman down there. Now, how in the world will you ever ... [Ann was her mother, we're told] how in the world are you ever going to do that?"
"Listen, my old mother is a blind woman, but she's a godly woman. Through her lips she's planted a seed in my heart. I've read it out of God's Word that God said in Isaiah 9:6: 'A virgin shall conceive.'"
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
271 Hallelujah! Can you see, the Word takes flesh. There you are. God's going to have a church. It's going to be borned of the Word of God because it is the living Word of God. Do you see it?
"How do you know it?"
"Why, it's going..."
"You know what you're going to be called from this on? You're going to be called..."
"I don't care what I'm called, that has nothing about it. Be it unto me according to the Word of the Lord."
Oh, could everybody say that today? Oh, if people could really from your heart, all of us, could say that, see: "Be it unto me according to Thy Word, Lord." My! Really mean it. One or two or somewhere out in there is going to pick up some predestinated that really means that, and, brother, you're going to see sparks flying, right then. That's right. When you really got that there to meet that, what's coming, when that irrigation begins to fall on that Word. Yes, sir.
Luke 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
272 Now, what was it?---the virgin mind, womb, virgin womb for the baby. Results?---eternal life. Eve, a good a woman as she was; virgin as she was, but first she let the doubt come in by the word, a devil's lie. What did it do?---brought her into contact in the wrong way. What was her child?---death.
Mary: virgin mind, virgin womb. When the devil tried to tempt her, and he come---and the angel come to her then and said, "You're going to have a baby." Satan said, "Now, you better inquire about that." The angel said, "It's an act of God." Then she no doubt thought of Isaiah 9:6; she said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord." What's the results?---virgin birth; eternal Word in her, and she brought forth eternal life.
Luke 1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
Luke 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
273 All right, Jehovah's bride, mixed ... Jehovah's bride, mixed seed. "How did you say now, Brother Branham? This morning you said Jehovah's bride committed adultery."
I won't leave it out. Now let's watch real close now. Now, we got just about another hour, I guess. Then I've got some over here, I'm just going to have to skip some, then start reading just in a few minutes, see. Just read just as fast as I can to get it out. Now another hour I believe we'll be out if you'll just bear with me and pray with me, see.
274 Now, where did Jehovah's bride ever do wrong? All right. Jehovah sent what down to his bride in Egypt? He'd promised Abraham that His bride, the seed, would sojourn in Egypt for four hundred years. Is that right? The time come for the Word to be fulfilled. Are we time for the Word to be fulfilled?---for deliverance, taken out. All right, how did they get the Word? Did they form an organization, a bunch of men get together and priests and said, "Now, brethren, we will have a vote here, and it's passed unanimously that we're going to have an organization called the 'Pharisees' and through that God's going to work"? God never did do a thing like that, never did.
275 What did He send them?---prophet. And the Word of the Lord came to the prophet, raised him right up among them, a prophet, and anointed him and vindicated him right in the midst of all the other devils working, with miracles and everything else---because Moses stayed with the Word.
Picked that bunch of people up; mixed multitudes started with him. When they got across towards the promised land, before they got there, His precious bride committed adultery with Moab. Tell me she didn't do it, now. How did she do it? A lying prophet against the Word of God, yet he had all the signs and all ... ritualistic. He was just as spiritual as Moses or just as well.
Exodus 12:37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.
Exodus 12:38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.
Numbers 25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
2 Samuel 24:11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,
276 Look! listen! listen close now. Here sat Israel in a camp, an interdenominational. That's right. What was it? They had an anointed prophet with them. He had a pillar of fire, a rock that water came out of to water them. They were doing all right. And watch, they had seven altars; that's perfect. On them altars went seven clean animals---rams, and a ram represented the coming of Christ.
Numbers 20:11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
Numbers 23:1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
Numbers 23:4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.
Numbers 23:14 And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
Numbers 23:29 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
277 Moab... What happened? When Balaam went down there, he built seven altars just exactly like they had. Don't talk on them fundamentally because you had better know what you're talking about. Jesus said, "It would almost deceive the very elected." It's spiritual revealed. You catch it, then it's the Word, and you see the Word made manifest.
Look, here they was up here; here was Moab. No doubt but he was a bishop, sure, great guy, and he built seven altars. He put seven rams on it---speaking that he believed that there was coming a Messiah. Brother, if it come to fundamentalism, God had to recognize both of them.
When Cain built an altar to the Lord (Satan's son, built an altar to the Lord), he built the same kind of an altar that Abel built. They both worshipped; they both went to church; they both paid their dues. They both obligated; they got down and worshipped the same God---and one was received and the other one lost. How's a-come?
Genesis 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Numbers 23:1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
Numbers 23:4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.
Numbers 23:14 And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
Numbers 23:29 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
278 Jesus said, "Upon this rock I'll build My church." The Catholic church says, "There's a rock there, the church is built on it; or the ... and Peter was that rock." And the Catholic church says that Peter's buried there. That's a lie, but... As far as I can ever see at the time they said Peter was buried in there, the Bible said he was over here in Jerusalem. He never was in Pal... over there. But anyhow, they say he was there. There's actually not a record of Paul ever being there in history. But they say Peter ... let him be buried there, if he was, what difference does that make? That wasn't what Jesus was talking about. See, how they got the material thing mixed up.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
279 Well, the Protestants said, "No! Jesus said He was that rock."
Now, He never said it. He said, "Blessed art thou, Simon, the son of Jonas; flesh and blood didn't reveal it to you..." "Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God." "Flesh and blood..." He never learned it in a seminary. "Some denomination didn't teach you this, but My Father which is in heaven has revealed it, and upon this rock (the spiritual revealed truth of God's Word) I'll build My church, and the gates of hell can't prevail against it."
Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
280 Moab did the same thing. He come down there, and he taught the children of Israel; said, "Now, looky here, friends [now that's the same thing they done in Pentecost, now, look], now looky here, aren't we all the same? don't we believe the same God? We're all the same." The children of Moab was Lot's daughter. See that old bunch escape down there? Still a "hair in the biscuit," see. There they are, gaggy. See, they was up there, and they had... "Why," she said, "now, looky here, you know we're all the same." (How many knows that that was Lot's children? Sure, from their own daddy---adultery.) And said, "Now, we're all the same. You know, you Methodists, and you Baptists, we Presbyterians and all; why sure, we want some of your oil. We're all the same." And what did they do? They married among them! And that's what Pentecost did to the Protestants. She married in a Federation of Churches; she denominated herself, and where is she? Just exactly like Israel was: put away for both spiritual fornication and literal fornication. God refused her from then on. Even those children which become Samaritans was cursed. Is that right? Sure she was. Jehovah put her away.
281 Christ's bride did the same---mixed her denominational seed and put Christ, her espoused husband, away. You dry-washed bunch of Pentecostals; what's the matter with you? Revelation the 3rd chapter and the 20th verse, we find in prophecy, Jesus Christ outside of His own church in this Laodicean age, knocking on the door trying to get back---the most pathetic picture in the Bible. What did she do? She took on whoredom. When Jesus comes, what's He knocking for? Jesus come back to receive His bride; and when He come to knock at the door, He was fastened out.
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
282 "Why, you can't come in here; you can't hold a revival. Let me see your ordination papers"---a man filled with the Spirit of God, the real true ... God's Word made manifest among His ministry. Not one thing you can say against Him, immorally or anything. Who can accuse Him of it? Come to a denomination: "Why he ain't Oneness; he ain't Assembly; he's Trinity. He ain't Trinity, he's Assembly."
You poor bunch of illegitimates; shame on you! God on the outside; but what did John say (that last messenger down there before His coming)? " He's able of these stones to rise children to Abraham. Don't you come saying, 'we belong to this and we belong to that.' God can ... these stones rise children to Abraham."
Matthew 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
Luke 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
283 All right, as we go on now. Oh, how I love this! Christ's bride, same as Adam's bride and all the rest, mixed the seed and put Christ out for her denomination. She sure did it. She certainly did it. She refused God (her to-be-husband) like Eve did, accepted Satan's death-lie weeds in a results: a dead, formal church has been born from her. Now you say that's a lie!
Where's your Pentecostals?---more formal than the Baptists are. Sure, you know what? It looks like a bad picture right now, don't it? But what did Joel say in Joel 2:28? "But I will restore, saith the Lord."
Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
Matthew 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
284 As Adam found his wife pregnated with the seed of death of Satan's lie she had accepted, Joseph found his wife pregnated with the seed of God, which the Word she had accepted.
What's it all about? What am I trying to say? Now, to you people on the air, you people out in the car, to you people in the tabernacle, do you see why I have stayed the way I've tried to stay right here and denounce that? It's not I've got anything against them men, them women; I haven't one thing against them, but I just can't go on that grounds. I just can't do it, because it's wrong.
285 How... I've got a scripture here I'd like to take on Jesus, on His temptations; when he tried to get Him, said, "I'll give you all these kingdoms of the world. They're mine," see. Same thing he come to Eve (see) first, by turning the bread ... about eating, so forth, see. "I'll do all this if you'll worship me." "If you'll just come join our group."
Jesus said, "It's written, 'man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.'"
Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Matthew 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Luke 4:6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
Luke 4:7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
286 What is it? Some of you preachers now, that's too scared to take your stand; afraid that they won't even let you come into the organization: "What else are you going to do then?---they'll kick you out!" I feel sorry for you. First thing, for your weakness. That's right. Where is your faith in God? They told me the same thing. Sure. I worked seventeen years, till God got me out and built me around this, and then I thought, "Now, Satan you come now." See where it's at. When you really realize that God has revealed to you the truth of the thing, there's nothing in the world that's going to defeat you in it. That's all. You're absolutely undefeatable; not you, but God that's in you. Not Christ, but ... not the body, but the Word that was in Him. Not Mary, but the Word that was born from her.
287 Now, so man shall live what by?---not by his meal ticket, but by the Word of God; not by your organization that furnishes you a place. "Well, let me show your credentials. Are you in good standing? Got a check on it. Well, yes, you stand rank about a hundred percent. Well, we can receive you for a few days for a revival, try you out and see what you'll do." O-o-o-o-o my! How can God ever work in a bunch like that?---twice dead, plucked up by the roots, rooted, rotted and everything else. Oh, my. There's another one.
Jude 1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
288 Oh, people, God bless you. Hear me! I can't believe nothing but God's Word and I want it to be my life, everything that I am. I want you to do the same. Let your walks, your talks, your moves, everything you do, be in the Word of God. Let the mind of Christ come into you, and that'll pregnate you with the Word. If you don't... If you let the mind of the denomination come in, you'll be denominational pregnated. If you let the mind of Christ come into you, He can't deny His own Word 'cause He's God. You'll be pregnated with the Word and believe it. I don't care if they put you out, kick you out, run you out, and every door is closed, you'll go just the same! Amen! (Whew!) I got to hurry.
289 My! Christ is now taking Himself a bride to be pregnated with His own seed-Word in her womb (spirit womb) in her mind, and won't mix with any denominational trash with it. She is a virgin to Him.
Oh, I remember standing there in the room, three days in there praying and waiting on the Lord and fasting. When that struck me I thought, "Oh, God what is it? Here I am in a picture, here I am! If I bring up this much to the church, where will I be? I'll have them on a limb, what can I do? I've done seen the church as every type and shadow and everything else---shows she's gone. What will you do?"
And then, I thought of that Word, "I will restore, saith the Lord; I will restore." Remember, the old pine tree; when the fire hits her and burns her down, she shakes off a seed though. That seed brings forth a new one. That's right. The old trees are burnt up with organization and everything else, but there still remains a seed of Word in it. If it's God's Word, it'll come right back, reproduce itself just as sure as the world. Yes, now, now, she won't miss it.
Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
Matthew 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
290 Notice, but Christ... We believe we're in the end time, do we? Do you believe that before you have a crop now, you have to plant a seed? Do you see why I've let churches turn me out, tell me everything; call me all kinds of names and everything else and just stay right with that Word? See? There's a plant---seed been planted; it's already been planted, friends. It's already done. I can say it now: it's over. That's right. She's done been planted (oh, yeah); so has denominational seed, all the rest of them.
291 Like as our great, precious brother, Billy Graham, said right here in Louisville, said, "Paul could take a Bible..." Took the Bible and said, "Now Paul could go into a city and hold a revival. He'd have one convert; go back the next year he's got sixty from that one." Said, "I can go and hold a six weeks' revival and have twenty thousand converts and come back in six months, and can't find twenty!"
What is it? They're not converts! They're converts to denominationalism, that's all. Certainly. You got to plant, see, you plant denominational seed, that's what you get. "Come now, brother, join the church and put your name on the book." That's all they know. That's right.
292 Pentecost has done the same thing. "Speak in tongues and so forth, that's all you have to do, that's got it. Come on, join the church." All right, get your false baptism and so forth and go on, and that's all you have to do, see.
But when Christ comes, He's coming for a virgin, a church without even one spot or one wrinkle of denomination or any other thing, dogmas, mixed with it. It's going to be Word and that alone.
Ephesians 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
293 Now! Oh, man. Here we are! Blessed be the Lord! Now, we come to the body to be the bride of Christ. Now to be flesh of His flesh, and bone of His bone. Now, we'll hurry up now. Flesh of His flesh and bone of His bone. Why didn't ... (ask you a question.) Why didn't all your rains back yonder bring the bride to Christ? I want you to answer me that!
If His coming is overdue; we believe it. Like it was in the days of Noah, long-suffering. He's getting His bride ready. Why didn't these rains... Why didn't you Pentecostals back yonder a few years ago (when you started forty or fifty years ago)--- why didn't you bring Christ, the bridegroom, to the bride? We'll let that soak a minute. Why? Because you pregnated her yourself with your denomination; that's exactly what you done. He won't marry a whore. He'll marry a virgin. It's flat, but that's the truth. You know it in a flat way. You don't have to wonder. I don't stumble around about it; I tell you the truth.
Genesis 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
Matthew 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Luke 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
294 Why didn't it bring her? Why didn't it bring Christ, bring Christ to her? Because she's not fit. He found her in adultery---exactly the reason children don't live forever when they're born. Adam found his wife pregnated. That's the reason Jehovah had to take a Gentile bride---found her pregnated. That's exactly the way Christ has to get Him a bride now. He's found this so-called group pregnated. He's going to sow His seed; somebody's going to get it, because they're predestinated to be a church at the end of the road.
295 Like Adam and Jehovah's, He found them pregnated with man-made doctrines of denominations. Like God's truth in Genesis 1, every seed has brought forth after its kind. So when the Spirit fell on her, man had been there to her womb and filled it with denominational seeds of his own thinking; so that's why she got to be the way she is, and Christ could not come to her. Umm, that's hard, isn't it?
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
296 One day, I was up in Green's Mill, I had been praying for a couple of days; been many years ago. I went up here to Mishawaka. (I never said this on tape before.) I went to Mishawaka. You remember about the colored boy? I'd just found Pentecostal people; I never knowed there was such a thing. And I went up there and found them, and I thought I had a bunch of angels. I see them speaking in tongues and things. I never heard of it before, but there they was, running up and down the floor speaking in tongues. I thought, "My, that's wonderful!" The old U.P.C. and P.A. of W. and all them kinds merged. There was a segregation between the white and colored then; they had to have their convention up north. And it was at Mishawaka, Indiana.
297 My! I had $1.75---just enough to get me home. I put a nickel of it in some old doughnuts or rolls (about two or three days old) went down and got me a jug of water at the hydrant, and went out in a cornfield and took my seats out of my old Ford and laid it down; pressed my britches for that night (seersucker pants I had on) and a little old T-shirt. And the next morning I went down again. I didn't want to eat with them. I was welcome, but I didn't want to eat with them 'cause I had nothing to put in their offering.
And so I went to find out that day they would dance; and they would prance, and they would sing in the Spirit. And I thought, "Oh, my, that sounds good! Um!" One man would raise up and speak in tongues, and this one give the interpretation. And, brother, it was so. They called people back there in the audience. I thought, "Oh, brother, that's wonderful!"
298 "Tell Miss Jones or So-and-so, come right now; the Lord's calling her." Here she come. That's right.
Then, this one would speak in tongues, and the other one interpret. I thought, "Oh, my! My! The millennium is fixing to start. This is it." And so ... "If I could just shake the hands of them godly men," I thought. And I went over to one of them when I was outside walking around. They didn't know me, I was a little old fellow out there. And so I went walking around the church and after awhile when they had a little recess, and I met a man out there and I ... (one of them) and I shook his hand, I said, "How do you do, brother?"
299 Now, you know God's give me a little gift here to find out things when He wants me to know it, see. I thought, "If I could ever get him to speak and let him say something, I'd find out whether it was really true or not." So I seen that looked like to be the leaders of it, and I shook his hand. "How do you do, brother?" Said, "How do you do?" And I talked to him a little bit, he was a real Christian; he was, and I thought, "Praise God!"
After awhile I come around the corner, and hit this other man, I said, "How do you do, brother?" and got to talking to him. If I ever talked to a hypocrite, there was one of them. He was a black headed man, and he had a baby by a blonde headed woman ... two babies by a blonde headed woman. I saw it in the vision, right before me.
300 And I thought, "Now, I'm really confused. Now, how could that same Spirit---one be on a man, a godly man, and the other one on a devil, hypocrite?" I thought, "God, I better leave the whole thing alone, I don't know." I was only about nineteen, twenty years old, and I thought, "I just better leave the thing alone. Well, I don't know. How in the world could that be? I can't say nothing about it, I can't say nothing against it, but I know that man's wrong." And that same Spirit, I'd watch it, it fall there and take the same effect. I thought, "There's something wrong here somewhere. That's all there was to it.:"
301 I said to this man... He said, "Did you ever receive the Holy Ghost?"
I said, "I don't believe I've got what you fellows have."
Said, "Glory to God! Did you ever speak in tongues?"
I said, "No, sir."
He said, "You ain't got her."
I said, "Well, I don't guess I have," see. I said, "This is something new. I've never seen or heard of it."
He said, "Well, go in there and get her. Sure, she's for you."
I said, "Thank you, sir." I thought, "Brother, I don't want what you got!" So then I looked at it a little bit, and I went on around a little while, and went on around, and I went out in the woods that night, and I thought, "God have mercy, I'm going home." And I went home. I couldn't say nothing for or against.
302 One time, I was up here at Green's Mill (my little old cave where I always go that you know about). I had been there on something else. Three or four days I had been up there fasting and praying. It got musty in the cave, and I come out one afternoon it was pretty and sun was shining ... leaves. There was an old log that fell down like this just below it (down towards the creek), and I sat down on there rubbing my eyes (had been back in that dark cave for a while). I laid the Bible down like that, and I thought, "Well, I believe I'll read some out of the Bible." And I leaned back against this limb here and just rest myself and lean back; I was dusty all over.
303 And I started to read, and when I picked up the Bible, it was Hebrews the 6th chapter, see. "For it is impossible for those that was once enlightened; made partakers of the Holy Ghost, seeing if they should fall away, to renew themselves again unto repentance. Seeing that the rain cometh upon the earth oft to dress it and prepare for that which... But thorns and thistles, which is nigh unto rejection, is to be burned."
I thought, "Well, what's that?" Stopped, and I thought, "What was that? Oh," I said, "I guess it's just something." ... went away. I was up there praying about something else. And I laid my Bible down again. I said, "Well, I guess I'll turn over and get me something to read," like that, and the wind come and blowed it right back. I was in the Old Testament; blowed it right back to Hebrews the 6th chapter. I looked down again, and there it was. I looked; I picked it up, I read it again---same thing. "Well," I thought, "my! Are you getting superstitious, Bill?"
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
Hebrews 6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:
Hebrews 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
304 So, I thought, "Well, I'll read here," and I started to read, and I couldn't get interested in nothing. I thought, "Well, I believe I'll just raise up my hands and praise the Lord." I laid the Bible down like that; raised up my hands to praise the Lord. When I raised up my hands, the wind went, "Whoosh," blowed again, and when it did, I looked down there: Hebrews 6. I read it again. I thought, "What does that mean? I can't understand." I had done forgot about the Pentecostal idea. Then I thought, "What does that mean?"
305 And I was sitting there and I thought, "Is there something in there, Lord?" I thought, "Now, I believe in election. Yeah. 'They that which were once enlightened; partakers of the Holy Ghost [see], and have tasted the Word of God...'" I said, "That's that borderline believers that'll come right up almost to the real thing and then go back; just like them was in the times of Joshua." Joshua and Caleb went on over, but these just stayed borderline, see, tasted and seen the good works of God, then refused it.
People sit around the church all the time, saying, "I believe that, Brother Branham," but never make a move towards it. See, it's impossible for them to ever go across. So then they come to that place, and you preach to women with short hair; the next year they got short hair, just the same. Preach to them, they do just the same thing, you see. Never see---borderline believers. Just say, "Oh, yes, I believe it's right."
Numbers 14:29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,
Numbers 14:30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
Numbers 26:65 For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
Numbers 32:11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me:
Numbers 32:12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.
306 I said, "Of course I believe that." But this ... when it come to that place. "But thistles and thorns which is nigh unto rejection, whose end is to be burned." I thought, "What does that mean? Can't get it."
And I was sitting there a little, and I thought, "God, if this is something You want me to know, I'm up here seeking a vision from You, Lord, to know just what to do about a ministry down there, and I want You to tell me, Father." And I looked, across the holler going on up towards (I was way and above Charleston) ... going towards New Market, that way, across over the hill, and I looked and I seen that like a rainbow hanging over the valley. And through this rainbow I seen something turning, and I looked, and it was the world. And here went a man dressed in white.
Hebrews 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.
307 Now, many of you people here are too young to know this. Do you remember, when we used to broadcast seeds with our...? Put a great big bag on your side, and take your hand and throw it? Mr. Wood, you remember that---broadcasting seeds like that. Take them in your hands and spray them out like that. Let the wind blow them into the dirt.
And I seen a man dressed in white going across like that, sowing seeds. And I watched him go plumb around the curvature of the earth. And I thought, "Wonder what that means." And then, I looked; just as soon as he got his back turned, here come a real slicker, coming around, looking like that. He had a sack full and he was sowing weeds, behind him. He went around the earth; still looking, sneaking, you know, throwing them like this, and he went on around the earth.
308 Then I seen they come up, and up come wheat and up come weeds, stickers, thorns, thistles. And they was both growing together. And there come a great drought, and I seen that little wheat holding its little head over, going, "Hh-hh hh-hh hh-hh hh," just dying for water. And I seen the little old cocklebur with his head hanging over "Hh-hh hh-hh," just dying for water. And everybody began to pray for water, and all at once the great rains come up in answer to prayer. And away went the rains across the earth, and as soon as the water hit the earth, that little wheat jumped up and said, "Glory! glory! glory! glory!" And up jumped the little cocklebur and hollered, "Glory! glory! glory! glory!"
Well, I thought, "Now what's that?" And just then ... "Well, that wheat was a-shouting, I can see that; but what did that cocklebur mean?" Then He said, "Read Hebrews 6."
309 The rain falls on the just and the unjust. That's what's the matter; that's why we didn't have a bride ready for Christ now. We sowed denominational seed instead of the Word. What has it done?---brought some more denominational children. That's right. But in among there is some wheat has fallen. That's right.
But look, the same Spirit that makes the real, true, genuine believer speak with tongues, the real Spirit that makes the genuine believer a Christian (see, because it's irrigating a word, a seed), that same Spirit makes something substitute to it, like Eve's hybrid. Makes the hybrid just as happy, just as much shouting, feel just as much joyful about it as the rest of them. But what is the truth of it?---the seed's wrong to begin with!
Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
310 So all your fleshly demonstrations don't mean nothing! "Though I speak with tongue of men and angels and have not charity, if profiteth me nothing. Though I can move mountains and have not charity, it profit me nothing. Though I give all my goods to feed the poor and have not charity, it profit me nothing. If I speak with tongues like men and angels, it becomes like sounding brass and tinkling cymbals." See, it's nothing. Listen, church: Pentecostal---nothing! Why? It's a hybrid seed. It can't come to the Word.
1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
311 Now, there you are. The body that gives birth to Christ's body again must come from a virgin womb. The Word, right! That's why... Listen to this. That's why she produced "a million more in '44." (That was a Baptist slogan.) That's why the Pentecostal denominations could not give spiritual birth to bring forth the manifestations and to Christ, because it was only a sowing rain, and she's brought forth a denominational church, and she's consolidated with the great evangelicals, and she's gone in with the way of Korah. She's gone with the denominations, that's why.
312 Now, let's go back to the Old Testament for some types, and then I'm going to start here in a few minutes on something and let you go. Let's go back to the Old Testament for some types to prove these things. Now, I've took several hours here, laying this on. Now, we're going to change the subject, change the program. Now, first, I've got something, just when I get to... I got a few pages here and then I got to... Oh, my! my! my! surely not that! I just have to hurry real quick, then I'll read it, see. Just read as fast as I can, 'cause I know we haven't got but just a very short time now, see. Now are you tired? No! Well, then it's me. Go ahead, that's all right.
313 Now, that's why we got all the things that we've got. Now all these things I've said, if they don't jive with the Bible or dovetail with God's Word---they're wrong. They're wrong. And all this picture... Now, I'm just going to hurry over some of this (not explain it, but just hurry over it so we can get to it; I promise you, just as quick as I possibly can).
I got a place here where I got so in the Spirit. I got the church up to show it and prove it in the Word here exactly what's happened all along. And then when I did, I thought, "Lord, I got the people standing here now---I'll have them standing there; what can I tell them? I can't predict the future. I can't tell them what to do. What will I do? I'll leave them standing on a limb." And I raised up my hand, I said, "God, I think I'm doing this for Your will. I've never did this, never did before.", 'cause the seed hadn't been sowed yet. I said, "Now I've got... I believe it's time for me to say it; but now, what am I going to say now?"
314 And just as plain as you hear my voice, something said, "Pick up your pen." I'll read it to you in a minute. And when I got through, there it was, just the answer. I didn't even know what I was writing, I just started writing. And when I got through, I laid the pen down; I looked, I thought, "God have mercy, there it is, right there. That's what I'm looking for." Now, there's some things I had to bypass. We'll get to it in a little bit, the Lord willing.
315 All the Old Testament was types that point to Christ and His church. Do you believe Adam and Eve pointed to Christ and His church? Do you believe Jehovah and His wife pointed to Christ and His church? Well, if them are types and this is the antitype, it has to be like the type, 'cause the type takes from the ... the antitype takes from the type. Christ is the head, the true stone of God. Do you believe that? The true Word. The bride is the body.
You want some Scriptures on these, so you can look them up? (I was going to read the scriptures, but I won't.) I Peter 2:1-6; Ephesians 5:22; (see), I Peter 2:1-6; Ephesians 5:23. Read that chapter, both of them in there, see.
316 The Old Testament: Christ, looky here. Let's just take this for instance. (Maybe if my wife didn't take my dollar. Here it is. Paid for some sandwiches awhile ago. Excuse me, friends, I oughtn't to've said that, But ... I got a good wife.) Now, on the back of this dollar ... (If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have the dollar, I guess; God's mercy giving it to us and her helping me.) Now, on the back of this, looks like, if that be our money, the American seal on the left hand side of the dollar ought to be the great seal in this country. Is that right? Well, why is it the pyramid is called the great seal? Even your money has to testify of it. Yes, every time you send a postcard or a mail you have to test... it testifies: the year of our Lord, nineteen and sixty-two. Everything testifies of Christ, see.
317 Did you notice that the great seal, it's the pyramid? Anybody ever know that the pyramid never had the capstone put on it? How many knows that? Sure. I've been there in Egypt, Cairo, through there. Never had the capstone. Why?---it was rejected, the cornerstone. That was the cornerstone that held this building---is a keystone. How many knows what a keystone is? When the arch is built, then the keystone holds it together. The cornerstone's what holds up the building, is that right? And the cornerstone in the pyramid was the capstone ... was the keystone that held the rest of it together. Now, this keystone was rejected.
Did you notice, up there, it's standing up above, up above the pyramid. Now, what did that represent when Enoch built it?
318 Here's what taken place: it's just like the gospel church coming. See, now down in the wide part of the pyramid, represent the early days of reformation. Just to call yourself a Christian, deny the Catholic church, meant you get killed for it. Then along come ... they preached justification by faith.
Then along... Now watch the three come back again. Along come John Wesley, preaching sanctification. The church become in the minority more. See, come down this way.
319 And then after John Wesley's days of sanctification, come the Pentecostal church, and God took a remnant out of that; each one accepting the Word, see. Now, when it come down to the Pentecostals, it cut it down a lot closer because it was the restoration of the gifts. Bringing it right on up... What is it? Way down here it's a way away from the looks of the head. Down here it's a little closer to the head. Up here it's a little closer, but that's got to be absolutely to fit with the rest of it. It's got to be honed. In that pyramid, you can take a razor blade and you can't run between them rocks where the mortar was; it's so fitly put together. They said Solomon's temple was the same, see.
320 God is taking the elect out of that Pentecostal church (that hybrid), pulling it out and finishing up the Word. And it's got to be so close until the Word itself will blend with this Word. There comes the headstone, crying, "Grace, grace, amazing grace."---the headstone. Here you are like this, see, on there. See, how it's way wide down here? And it keeps getting closer, closer, closer (the ministry), after awhile here come... Here's Luther: justification, justified. Here come Wesley: sanctified bunch. Here come Pentecostal: restoration of the gifts.
Now, God's taking from there, honing out a bunch to make a ministry just exactly like that Word there, because it's got to fit with the Word. There's the bride; take her up.
321 Now, Christ was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. Do you believe that? Now, I can't explain all this; I'm just going to go through it, just quickly now; hit the high place so you won't stay too long. Christ was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. Is that right? You all believe that? That's why... What was He?---God's Word, which destroys the works of the hybrid, the devil. Is that right? He was done to do that; He was born to be that, to destroy the works of the devil.
Now, His body is to do the same because the body is ... the head and body is together. Is that right? If Christ is the head ... was the Word, His body has to be the same thing as His head was. Is that right? A church of the Word, borned of the Word. Virgin born from the Word, not denominational now. Virgin born from the Word.
322 The way the body operates is by the head. Is that right? My body can't move until my head tells it to move. Well, what if my head is flesh and my body is concrete?---can't move. Head can say, "Move, move, move, move, move," but there's nothing to send a message to. Is that right? Well, if my head is Christ and my body is a denomination, how's it going to work? How can purity and a whore work together?
I love it, brethren; I tell you. I would like to preach on some of this awhile. The way the body operates is by the head, and the head is the Word. Is that right? The head is the Word.
Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
323 Compare the modern church, now. Why don't we have miracles in it? Why don't we have the Word in it? It can't get the Word to it; the denomination stops it. Sure.
Say, here comes a good sainted man of God, preaching the Word of God just as straight off the Bible as he can. The denomination: "Hmm, no-o-o! No, sir! Get him out of here!" See? Body can't move; chugged off ... has to.
324 Now, the body carries the works, carries on the works and does the works that the head commands it to do. Tell me where He ever said "Organize"! Tell me where the head says, "All right for women to cut their hair"! Mention it?---it's not there. Tell me where the head ever said, "These works I do, but you shall not do them!" Tell me that! But the head said this (if you want to put the scripture down, I'll give it to you: John 14:12), " The works that I do, shall you also." That's His body, see.
See now, why I have been so zealous of the kind of seed that I have planted for the body? The rain's going to fall pretty soon; I mean the real rain. And it's got to have seed to fall on. I hope I live to see it. Do you understand now? It will be the living Word as it was at the beginning---the spoken Word of God, have His power; for it is in Him in His own body, working His own way. Look to the promises that God gave this body.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
325 Now, we're coming to something. We're coming to Mt. Zion, now. Let's look what He said to this body---I mean virgin born. Now we see the impersonations of it. We see it every day. But let's come to the real body, see what He said about this. Let's look. All right, here's what He promised.
Do you believe that John 3:16 is right? I've just got to read this. That's all there is to it. All right. You ... everybody that believes John 3:16: "God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son," and so forth, say, "Amen." I dare you to believe the rest of it! I'm talking about the body, now.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
326 Let's take John 20 to start with. All right, take John the 20th chapter, and let's see. John the 20th chapter and we're going to begin at the, oh, I'd say about the 19th verse. St. John 20, (I believe that's what I got marked down here), and beginning with the 19th verse. Now, listen close.
I challenge you to believe it! Oh, I just feel good. Oh, if I could just... I wish I could just see the Holy Spirit just huddle over here, like that; say, "Now, it's Me." Listen:
... the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for the fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you.
And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. [And when his disciples ... let's see ... his side and when ...] Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
Then said Jesus unto them ... Peace be unto you: [Oh, are you ready?] as my Father has sent me, [He's the Word, the seed, Word-seed] so send I you. [You believe it? Don't stop; there's more of it.]
And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Whose soever sins you remit, to them they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins you retain, they are retained.
John 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
John 20:20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
John 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
327 Is that the truth? Who did He say that to?---the seed, the Word. Why?---they can only be born by the Word. That's the reason. Do you believe that? Let's take Matthew 16 now, just a minute. Matthew 16:19. Let's read this just a minute. All right:
And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on the earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on the earth shall be loosed in heaven.
I challenge you to believe it. If that ain't the Word, John 3:16 ain't the Word. Why should you take some and not take the other? All the Word of God is right, but it's got to come into a virgin womb where nothing but the seed lays there. You believe it? All right. Now, watch this real close.
Matthew 16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
328 I know the harlot claims it, and they do remit sins by their denominational power. But look at their children: every dance hall, cut their hair, painted up like clowns, men out living with other men's wives, flirting running around on the street, mixed bathing; everything else. Sure, they forgive; they remit sins in their own way, but their fruit shows what it is. It's not right for them, no, sir. What do they do?---they wear shorts, cut their hair, wear makeup. Jesus said, "By their fruits they are known," the kind of seed that they are. There's what it is.
Denominational seed gives denominational forgiveness. That's exactly right. God said, "Let the Word be after its kind," and so it is. That's right. Oh, brother, the Scriptures is true. Do you believe it?
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Matthew 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
329 And the Holy Spirit bears record of the predestinated gift that the church claims she has? What? By watering the Word, punctuating the Word with a amen.
When it said, "Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ" ... "Amen!" When it says these other things ... "Amen!" That's it: "Amen" to everything, see. It punctuates the Word. And God predestinated the gift to come, to remit sins. But it was given to the Spirit-filled Word body, 'cause the Word can only forgive sins, because the Word is God.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
330 How true the Pharisees was. I mentioned this morning we'd get to this, now I've took up my time. But the Pharisees said, "This man forgives sins. We know he's a blasphemer. Only God can forgive sins, and this man's forgiving sins"---not knowing that that was the Word. The Word forgives sins 'cause it's God. And when you become not your own---God knows ... knowed and foreknew by foreknowledge who would take this gift and who would use it in the right way. Those who have it, are vindicated by the Word of God with the rest of the Word and Spirit. That clear? Some would have you believe it comes by schooling, scholarship, degrees; if you go to school so long; if you become a bishop, study to be a pope, or you become a cardinal or something like that (that some would have us believe that that's where it comes from) when men, by laying on of hands, make you something to do it. But they are off of the Word!
Mark 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
331 Romans 11:29 said, "Gifts and callings are without repentance." God gives it. And also John 15:16, if you want to write it down. Listen, close now. How different Jesus was in His days from the denominations of His day! They would point back to Him---I'd like to hold on this awhile, Whew! They would point back over their shoulder, back down through the time and say, "We're Moses' disciples. We know that God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, we know." They knowed the history of Moses, but they did not know the God of Moses, 'cause He stood before them in John 6 and said, "Before Moses was ... before Abraham was, I Am."---the burning bush. They knowed Moses' history.
So is it today. They know the God ... they claim they know the Word of Christ, but they don't know the God that was in Christ. Painted fire. Who can get warm by a painted fire---a seminary experience? They knowed Moses, but not his God.
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
332 Jesus could and did say amen! Listen to this, brother. Whew! Now, I feel like David, winding that sling up now. I hope I don't seem sacrilegious to you, friends. I'm all right, but I just feel good. I'm just getting feeling fine now.
Jesus could and did say, "The Father that sent Me is in Me, and as He has sent Me, so send I you"---to His disciples. "The Father that sent Me is with Me. If I do not the works of the Word promised of My Father, then don't believe Me, because they are the ones that testify of Me." Hallelujah! Oh, church, where are you at? Jesus said... They say, "Oh, we know that God did do this, but not today." Jesus said the same... "We know God was with Moses."
"But the God that was with Me is in Me, because if you don't believe it, see what's written of Me. See what the Scripture said I would do, and if I don't fit the Scriptures, then don't believe Me."
John 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
333 Let me say this not sacrilegious, but let me say that about the message that I'm preaching: If God don't vindicate this to be the truth, then it's not; but if the Word vindicates I'm telling you the truth, then believe the Word! They are what testify of whether I'm telling the truth or not. They are the testimony; they testify for my ... for the ministry He gave me. He promised this in the last days. Here it is! He said what He would do. Here it is; we're going right into it now! You see whether it's the truth or not.
Let God do the testifying. If the works, the things that I'm preaching don't testify back that it's the truth, then it's not the truth; but, if the Word speaks of this, and here it is, then what are you going to do about it?
334 Jesus said, "I know you; you think you know Moses. You might know the history of Moses, but you don't know his God; for I was before Moses. I was the one that talked to Moses. I'm the I Am; I am the Word." They couldn't see it 'cause they're of their father, the devil. Their denominations wouldn't let them see it. That didn't stop the Word from going on just the same. It fell on some, and from that come a bride in that generation.
Exodus 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
335 All right, how different ... painted fire. Jesus could say, "The Father that sent Me is with Me, and the works that I do testify because I'm going to do the same things the Scriptures said I would do." Jews knew their historical God. Same now, yes. Why did they know the historical God is because they had the historical seed! Why did they not receive Him?---because it was hybrid with denomination. Jesus knew who sent Him, for He that sent Him was in Him, and there was no denomination tied to Him. Amen! "Tell me which one...? What school did He come from?" they say. "Where did He get this wisdom? Where was this learning come from?" They couldn't find a school that He ever went to, and yet at twelve years old He confounded the scribes and the Pharisees. Oh, my! That spoke of it.
John 5:36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
John 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
336 Why didn't they say something to Him as a kid? It was God's Word. They couldn't withstand that. No wonder the people were astonished at His doctrine. Did you ever read that? Mark 1:22, if you want to put it down. The people was astonished at His doctrine because He taught like somebody that had authority. He knowed what He was talking about, see. The church now should have a double portion of the Spirit. For it is true, like Elijah's garment that fell upon Elisha (a double portion), the same thing come from Jesus Christ.
Now you say, "Oh, Brother Branham, you're talking about His church." That's right. That's His body. Isn't my wife part of my body? Isn't your wife part of your body? Flesh of your flesh and bone of your bone; a holy union, is that right? That's the reason a Christian shouldn't be married to a harlot, see. That's not right. No, sir, 'cause it breaks all the things of God.
Genesis 2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
2 Kings 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
2 Kings 2:13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
2 Kings 2:14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
Mark 1:22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.
337 You say, "Oh, now, Brother Branham, wait a minute; you talk about the Spirit of Christ being upon..." The Bible said it would. Is that right? Isaiah 9:6, it said, "Unto us a child is born, a son is given; His name shall be called Counsellor, Prince of Peace, mighty God, everlasting Father, and of His kingdom there shall be no end, and the government shall be upon His..." What? [Congregation replies: "Shoulders."] That's part of His body. That's His body, is it? His shoulders is His body. Where's the government on the earth at?---in His body. The saints shall judge the earth. Is that right?
Paul said, "I dare you to go to court with one another; and not take it before the church." That's right. Saints shall judge the earth. Where's the government going to be upon?---upon the shoulders, His body. The government upon His shoulders. That's a part of the body.
What is it?---His earthly strength. God's earthly strength is His Word made flesh in His body here on earth, bringing it to pass. Moses...
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
1 Corinthians 6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints?
1 Corinthians 6:2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
338 Listen, let's bypass some of it. God's messengers always has been rejected. You believe that? Moses was rejected. Is that right? Jesus was rejected. And Luke said, in 10:16 (if you want to write that down, all right) ... rejected; I Samuel 8:7, God's message was rejected. God had a messenger, a prophet called Samuel. Do you believe it? Rejected him and his message. They took the world. This is the law of God. This is going... I don't know whether to say this or not. This is the law of God. God's law is to receive a vindicated servant. Let's just prove that a minute. I want to take one of the Scriptures here: John 13:20. Let's just see; I got something wrote down here. I just kind of ... I get in my mind just then... Oh, yeah, here we are.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receives whosoever I send receives me; and he that receives me receives him that sent me.
A vindicated servant. Oh, brother, there's a thousand sermons laying right here now, see. That's right. Oh, my, it's a law of God; receive it!
1 Samuel 8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
Luke 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
John 13:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
339 Samuel come down and said, "I want to ask you something. Have I ever told you anything in the name of the Lord that didn't come to pass?"
They said, "No."
"Have I ever took up any offerings to build big buildings and do great lot of things, and glorify myself?"
"Nope!"
"Has God proved to answer the Word that I have said?"
"Yep!"
"Well, why don't you hear me?"
340 Jesus said to the Pharisees... "We know you're borned in fornication." He said, "Which one of you can condemn Me of sin? Let Me show you God's Word and see if you believe it. See if God vindicates it in you. And let Me speak of Myself. If I speak of Myself, I'm a liar; but if I speak of God and God speaks through Me by His Word, then it's the truth. Then who believes the Word of God: Me or you?" Aha! There, had it!
Jesus said, "He that receives them that I send, receives me." And now---them that He sends. "And them that receives Me, receives Him that sent Me." Wish we had time to linger on that.
John 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
John 13:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
341 You can only serve God as you do and believe the servants that God sends. You can only serve God on earth (see) as God's servants that's sent on earth by divine inspiration interprets the Word to you.
You believe that? You want to put down some Scriptures for it? I Corinthians 14:16. Paul said, "You follow me as I follow Christ." Also, 11:1; Luke 10:16. See what He said; what Jesus said there. Luke 10:16. Believe we're right close to it here. Let's see what it says one time here. Luke 10:16, while they're writing the rest of them down. Now, that's I Corinthians 14:16, also, 11:1 and Luke 10:16. Now, let's read. I'm getting to Luke 10:16 here just to read, while you all are looking at the other now, just for a moment. All right, here we are.
He that heareth you heareth me; ... he that despises you despises me; ... he that despises me despises him that sent me.
That proves that God speaks His message through His servants. Always has; that's right.
Luke 10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
1 Corinthians 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
Philippians 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
342 Now, the power of the believing church: Christ has all power in heavens and earth. Do you believe that? Then what if He's in you? Has Christ got all power? Matthew 28:18. All right.
He is the seed-Word in His body, and He in us becomes the seed-Word in us. What...? "All that God was, He poured into Christ, and all Christ was, was poured into the church." That's the power.
343 Now watch! Remember God's law of reproduction. Now remember, after its kind. Is that right? The seed of Christ, the Word, must come through His body. (Are you getting tired? All right, just a minute, now. Let's just hold quiet and pray.) I want to get this in real good. I want this to grind down. The seed of Christ must, m-u-s-t, must come through His body---not through a denomination, but through a born again seed of the Word---must come through.
Now remember, what is it? Christ's seed---How does my seed come?---through the body. How does the apple tree seed come?---through the body. Seed is through the body, and the church is the body of Christ. Is that right? The Bible church. This birth produces (that's the new birth) Himself in body. His church is His Word, so that people can see the confirmation of Hebrews 13:8: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever." Do you believe it? These are not denominational hybrids, now. This is those that's in the orbit waiting for the countdown (you know what I mean), fixing to take a rocket. Glory! These are not denominational hybrids, not standing in here, they're not. No, sir. It's the seed.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
Genesis 1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
344 Paul was afraid that the people would watch some kind of a big words that he could say (some of his education). I Corinthians 2:1-8, you want to put it down. I Corinthians 2:1-8, Paul said, "I never come to you speaking words (intellectual, you know) that your faith might be in some seminary thing, but I come to you with the simplicity, in the power and demonstration of the Holy Ghost that your word ... that your faith would rest in the Word of God." Yes, sir.
1 Corinthians 2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
345 Although the denominational churches will outnumber the bride a thousand to one... Do you believe that? Do you believe the Bible teaches it? Isaiah 54:1. He promised it. For the... Do you want me to read it? All right, let's get it. If you want to see where it's at where He promised it, they'd outnumber, let's get over to Isaiah 54:1.
Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.
Is that right? More are the children of the whore than the married wife. Sure, outnumbers many times. Though they be more in numbers they have no true father!
Now, the denominational kinds is represented in Jude 8-13. That's the secular church. "Clouds without rain, foaming out their own shame." The Pentecostal church is represented of that denominational group in II Timothy 3:1-8. "Having a form of godliness"---their seed produced their kind.
Isaiah 54:1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.
2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
346 Notice, the eunuch... Oh, here, we're going to get in something deep now. Now watch, this seed-church, this real church with the real true sperm. Notice, the eunuch had been with all the D.D.'s. Now remember, God never committed His preaching and His gospel to an angel. How many knows that? How many knows that Galatians 1:8 said, "If an angel come from heaven and preach something else besides they had preached, let it be accursed"? So the angel's wrong, if he's different from the Word. God came on down below angels, and committed it to man, which was sons. Do you believe that? Now watch! Now, He never committed it to angels. Notice, He did not do it.
Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
347 Now, Philip had been up to Pentecost, Jerusalem, to worship. How many says, "Amen" to that? The eunuch, he had been with all the DD's and LD's and everything. But why didn't he get something? He come back down studying the prophecy of Isaiah.
Although an angel directed Philip to him, but the germ of life had to come through the body---Philip. Oh, brother, now we're on the line! Where did the germ come from? Through the angel? The angel showed him where to go. An angel is a messenger; here's a son. Philip had the germ, the message, the Word. That's how a child can be born. Philip laid his hands upon him. Philip baptized him in the name of Jesus Christ. There come forth the Spirit of God. Sure.
Now, the germ had to come from the body. What body?---Christ's body. Correct. And Philip was a member of the body.
Acts 6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Acts 6:6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.
348 Now listen, the same thing took place in Acts 10:48. Peter was on the housetop. An angel directed him to Cornelius's house, but where did the Word come from?---the body. Oh! I feel pretty good; I feel like traveling on. An angel come and said, "Don't worry; don't call nothing unclean just go on; don't think nothing." And while Peter spake these words (not the angel, not the cardinal), while Peter spake these words. What? He was the body. He had the Word. The Word took hold. Oh, brother! Whew! Mmm! Oh, my! Angel directed it, but the life come through the body of Christ.
Acts 10:3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.
Acts 10:22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.
Acts 10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.
Acts 10:30 And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing,
349 Paul, on his way to Damascus, a vision directed him; but Ananias (there's the germ) had the Word. Amen! That prophet, Ananias, saw a vision and said, "Go up there and lay your hands on him."
Said, "Brother Saul, the Lord appeared to you on the road coming down here." How did he know? He had the Word. The Word of the Lord came to the prophet. Prophesied, went up there, and said, "He sent me up here that I might lay my hands upon you, and you'd healed and receive the Holy Ghost---receive your sight!" And the scales fell off his eyes, and he rose and was baptized in the name of Jesus and went to studying. Angel directed it. That's right. But, Paul had the seed-germ.
It takes the Spirit of God, the seed to give life eternal. Whew! My!
Acts 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
350 Is it two o'clock yet? I know it. I'm going to read some then. Let me read just for about ten minutes, will you? I got a good notion... I could stay here, but I just better move on a little bit here, and we've got our time. It's just twenty-five minutes until five. I don't know what time we'll get in Georgia! I wish I could stop and comment on this just a little bit, but I'm just going to read it, real slowly.
351 Now listen close. Here's what I picked up the pen for, part of it. Do you see, friends, what I have ... the way I have stood the way I have? See why I am contending---get away from them denominations and get a real church of God? See why it's got to come out of the Word? It can't come by the wisdom of man; it's got to come by the Word of God. That's the reason I believe the Word just the way it's written. I won't add nothing or take nothing; just preach it that way; just keep going.
Now, brethren (you all on the tape), if you disagree with me, I'll pray for you; if I'm wrong, you pray for me. I'm going to read some now just... I want you to listen real close to this. Here's where the Spirit said, "Pick up the pen." I have to leave some of it go, but I've got to bring some of it to you.
352 All right. Now, here is what I'm trying to say to you: the law of reproduction brings forth of its kind (Genesis 1:11). These last days, true church-bride comes to the headstone. Will be the super church; a super race as they near the great headstone. They will be so much like Him, they will be in His very image, in the order to be united with Him. They will be one. They will be the very manifestation of the Word of the living God. Denominations can never produce this. This will be ... they will produce their creeds and dogmas mixed with the Word and brings a hybrid product.
Genesis 1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
353 The first son, was spoken seed-word of God. He was given a bride. (I'm just reviewing the Spirit, and I was picking up what I said, see.) A bride to produce himself. She fell ... (See, that's what the bride was given, to produce himself again another son of God, but she fell by hybreeding, see.) Produced himself---but she fell; caused him to die.
The second son, a spoken seed-word of God was given a bride like Adam, but before He could marry her, she had fallen, also; for she was put to a free moral agency like Adam's wife was, to believe God's Word and live, or doubt it and die---and she did.
354 Then from a little group of the true seed of the Word, God will present Christ a beloved bride, a virgin---a virgin of His Word---and through them and by them will be fulfilled all that has been promised for His Word in the virgin, who knows no man-made creeds or dogmas. The word of promise in Himself like it was in Mary---God Himself made manifest. He will act, Himself, by His own Word of promise so to fulfill all that has been written of Him. As He did when He came from the virgin womb (type of the spirit womb now), so will the virgin now, accepting His Word: "Be it unto me as thou has said," though it was said by an angel while it yet was the written Word. (Isaiah 9:6) They will love Him, love His ... and will have His potentials, for He is their head, and they are His subjects, subject to His head. Headship of Christ was His.
Luke 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
355 Notice, what harmony. Jesus never did anything until seen of the Father or the Father showed Him first. (Harmony between God and Christ, see. John 5:19.) So will the bride, and He shows her His word of life (He shows her), and she receives it. She never doubts it.
Nothing can harm her, not even death; for if the seed be planted the water will raise it up again. Amen. (Now, I got a great big Hallelujah!) Here is the secret: the Word is in the bride and the mind of Christ to know what He wants done with the Word, and she does it in His name. She has "Thus saith the Lord."
Then it is germitized; so the Holy Spirit waters it until it is grown and serves it's purpose. They do only His will. (Amen! I'll believe that.) No one can persuade them different. They have "Thus saith the Lord," or they keep still. Then they will do the works of God. For it is Himself in them, continuing His Word to fulfill as He did complete in His day. All things---when He was here---He did not complete all when He was here, for it was not time yet.
John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
356 Now, let us stand like Joshua and Caleb. (Now, watch close, this is going to have a spiritual background.) Now, let us stand like Joshua and Caleb as we see the promised land coming in sight. It's nearing the time. To be given... Joshua in Hebrew means saviour and represents the promised end-time leader to take the church over. Caleb represents the true believer who stayed with Joshua. God started Israel as a virgin, with His Word, but they wanted something different. So did the last day church.
Numbers 14:7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
Numbers 14:8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Joshua 14:7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart.
357 Notice how God did not move Israel until His own appointed time. (Now listen. This is going to mean something.) Joshua waited for that time! Oh, how ... No matter how much people might have said, "God gave us the land, the promise; let us go now and take it." They might have said, "Joshua, you lost your commission. You're all washed up. Why are you not doing something? You used to know 'Thus saith the Lord' in a moment and what was the will of God." But this wise God-sent prophet knew the promise of God but also knew to wait for that promise---a clear-cut decision from God for his time.
(See these parables? Now watch.) And when the time come, God gave it to Joshua, who had stayed with Him by the Word, for He could not trust others; He could trust him. So will it repeat!
Joshua 14:9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.
Joshua 21:43 And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.
358 Like the mighty anointed prophet Moses knew God would use him, for He had proved Moses to be His servant by his peculiar birth. At the right time, that deliverance for Abraham's seed was at time. (Are you getting it?) Moses never stayed in Egypt and argued his scriptural points with them. He never fussed with the priests, but he went to the wilderness and waited on the Lord until the people was ready to receive him. He had come to testify of them, but they would not receive him. God called His prophet to the wilderness. God had testified; He'd chose him, but the waiting was not by Moses, but for the people to get ready to receive Moses. Moses thought the children would understand that he was sent. (I never wrote it, He did; so is it now.)
359 Like Elijah, after that mighty vindicated prophet that the Word of God came to had finished preaching his message to the modern American groups of the first lady with their bobbed hair and Jezebel paint groups... God confirming His prophet; every time he prophesied, it was the truth. God had to call him off of the field until He plagued that generation with mighty plagues for rejecting the message of His prophet and the word of God that He had sent to them.
God sent him into the wilderness in hiding. Not even the king could call him out. And them that tried to persuade him against the will of God died for doing so! Oh, God! Whew! Mmm! But when God spoke to His faithful prophet by a vision, out of the wilderness he come with "Thus saith the Lord." What did he do? Straight to the Word, back to the Word he went. Brought the twelve stones and rolled them together.
1 Kings 18:31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
1 Kings 18:32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
1 Kings 19:4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
360 Like John the Baptist, Christ's faithful forerunner, the anointed prophet, no school of his father, no school of the Pharisee, no denomination could call him from the wilderness where God had sent him until he heard the voice of God, the Messiah's Lamb!
Are you listening spiritual mind? What more could I say here? I'm skipping something here, now.
361 How different today! Many so-called evangelists claim they have the answer from God for the people, just as Korah did---denying, disputing the authority of God's vindicated anointed prophet, Moses, claiming he had the answer. This was a money-making scheme, too---a golden calf, as many do today---big buildings, big schools, hatched out incubators of their same seed. And then ... people then, as like now, fell for it after they had heard the true Word of God through an anointed prophet that was vindicated.
They fell for Korah's lie. God-proven prophet, and God knew ... and knew God had told them... Israel knew God had told them distinctly that He would vindicate His prophets by His Word. Korah was not a scriptural prophet, but it looked awful good to the people; same as it does now. Today it's blood on your hands, balls of fire on the platform, oil in your fingers; and the same thing produces women preachers, short hair, bobbed ... makeup. What do you have? You would not think that people would fall for it, but they did for Korah, and they do the same thing now and turn away from the true Word for denominations. Shorts: shows what kind of a seed that's in them.
Exodus 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Numbers 16:3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?
362 But thank God all Israel never fell for Korah. Some stayed by Moses, the anointed prophet with the Word of God. Same is it today with many of God's elected, by His Word and His Spirit.
Numbers 16:26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
Numbers 16:27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
363 Remember, the tares, the weeds, are to be gathered and bound in bundles. Is that right? This has come to pass. The apostate organization churches is bound tighter than they ever was bound. They are bundled together in a federation of churches, ready for the fires of God's judgment. (I never wrote this, I feel that He did it.) Pentecostals are full of so-called ... the same as them. The wheat-Word will be gathered someday after they leave, for the Master.
Matthew 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
364 God has promised ... (be careful!) God has promised Malachi 4 for this last day, and Malachi 4 has not as yet been fulfilled, but it must be fulfilled for it is a germitized word of God, spoken through Malachi, the prophet. Jesus referred to it. It is to be just before the coming of Christ the second time.
(Listen close, now.) All Scripture that has not been fulfilled, must be, before that time. The Bible is to be finished; the Gentile dispensation is to be finished with the church age. When this anointed messenger arrives, of course, he will plant the seed of the entire Bible, plumb from the serpent to the messenger, in the former rain. Then he will be rejected by the denominational people as his forefather, John and Elijah, as was spoken by our Lord ... people, as Elijah was the first time to Ahab's time. It will happen here in this country, as this country is a type of Israel.
Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Malachi 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
365 Read, or hear "Jezebel Religion." As this country... Our forefathers worshipped the way they wanted to, come to this country and pushed out the natives and took over; so did Israel take over when they come up out of Egypt. We had godly men like Washington, Lincoln. They had great godly men as David and so forth. Then they got a Ahab on the throne with a Jezebel behind him to direct him---so have we! So it's at this time, in this country, that that person will appear. For it's in the Scripture, and it's "Thus saith the Lord."
366 Then in the latter rain there will come forth a Mount Carmel, a showdown---Bible fulfilled to the letter. John the Baptist, His messenger before His face in Malachi 3, planted a former rain and was rejected by the churches (the denominations---the Pharisees and Sadducees) in his day. Jesus came and had the Mount Transfiguration showdown. This forerunner of the last days will sow for the former rain. Jesus will be the showdown between denominations and creeds (which is His Word). When He comes, the showdown---the rapture of His bride! The first was Mount Carmel; the second was Mount Transfiguration; the third will be Mount Zion! Glory!
1 Kings 18:42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Matthew 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
Matthew 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
Matthew 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
367 Elijah's behavior, Moses' behavior, John's behavior, leaving their field of service---many of the people didn't understand them. It was because they was rejected and their message. The seed had been sown; judgment was next, and they was a sign to the people from God that judgment was at hand. Planting was over.
368 I believe someday the real bride of Christ will be forced to stop preaching the Word of God. The Bible prophesies of it in Revelations 13:16 (if you want to put it down.) Denominations will force it to stop or take its mark. Then when the Lamb will take His bride and judge the whore for this.
Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
369 Remember Moses, born for the work, had to wait on God for the extra gift for the job. (He had to go back and wait.) And for the time appointed by God a certain Pharaoh had to be on the throne. And the people had to be wanting the bread of life before God would send him back. Now, with thousands of sign-workers in this last day has created a generation of sign-seekers, that knows no more ... nothing about the true move of God in His Word in these last days.
As I have said, "Give them blood and oil and fleshly demonstrations on the platform, and they'll support it whether it's God's Word or not, whether it is scriptural or not." Jesus had warned us of such things at the end time. As I have said, in Matthew 24, two spirits, very close alike, deceive the very elected if possible. How can you tell them? Give them the Word test. How can you know it? Speak the Word; see what they say about it. If they don't believe the Word, they have no seed-germ in them. They are of the evil one and deceive you. As the first bride was deceived, then the second bride was deceived. They are deceivers of the third bride by hybreeding the Word, or trying to.
Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
370 God never placed signs ahead of His Word. (Amen! That's a scorcher.) God never placed signs ahead of His Word. They were added for proof of the Word, but the Word is first.
To prove it, Elijah said to the woman, "Bake me a cake, first." Then watch the miracle happen. Come to the Word first and then watch the miracle. The seed-Word itself is what the Holy Spirit energizes. How can a messenger sent from God just believe some of the Scriptures and not all the Word?---deny part of it.
1 Kings 17:11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
371 The true prophet of God will proclaim the Word in the last days; denominations will hate him. He will not pull any punches on them. He will be like he was when he come at the first coming of Christ. "You generation of vipers!" But the predestinated will hear and will make ready for the countdown. The royal seed of Abraham's faith (like him) holding to the Word of God regardless, for he was predestinated. The messenger of Malachi 4 will appear at God's appointed time. We are all looking for him. We believe he will come. That is according to His Word; it will be at the end time, which it is time now for to see it.
Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
Luke 3:7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
372 He will be correctly dedicated to the Word as they have always been; indicated by God's Word---and a-vindicated. God will vindicate what he preaches to be the truth as He did Elijah; for it is Elijah coming, making ready for the Mount Zion rapture. Jesus said in the last days it would be like Lot's time. His preaching will be with the Spirit and straight line of God's Word. Because so much has been called God's truth, many will misunderstand this true messenger. (I've got wrote here p-r-o-p-h-e-c-y, prophecy.) Because so much has been called God's truth by fakers, many true ministers will misunderstand that messenger.
Luke 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
373 As the end time ... prophecies will repeat, I believe. As the first forerunner came from the wilderness and cried, "Behold the Lamb of God," the second forerunner will probably do the same by pointing the people to a Word-born bride. The bride of Christ will be pointed to the skies at the appearing of Jesus, screaming, "Behold the Lamb of God!" will come forth from his lips. God help us to be ready for this near event.
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
John 1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
374 Now, I better leave it from right here.
Do you believe? Why has this been? Have you a better understanding now? It's the Word, friends. This has been about six hours (right close to it), five-and-a-half or six hours. There's much more could be said, but surely the Holy Spirit by this time has sunk it so deep in you, that you know what I'm talking about. We are at the end time. The seeds are sowed now; the latter rain is fixing to come forth.
Remember, there will be such a denominational gathering pretty soon; it'll be terrific. And they will bring themselves together into this federation of churches, and then this kind of a church will be put out of operation (as far as they know). It's at that time that Jesus will appear, and He will show which is bride and which is not.
375 And remember, Christian friends, I'm a man; I can make mistakes, but God, being God, cannot make a mistake. All the words that's been written must be fulfilled, Jesus said so. So we've got things here in the Scripture that must be fulfilled, and that is one of the things---this boycott to come. But before this boycott can come (of the marking of the beast), there has to be a seed sowed for God to take a church out of it. You understand now? A seed has to be sowed. A denominational seed---to make a form or an image to the beast (the church of Rome); and there has to be a true bride.
Revelation 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
Revelation 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
376 And we understand that the so-called bride is rejected. Adam's bride rejected to bring life. She brought death; we're her product (our bodies); we all die. Look at us, you can see.
Jehovah's bride died; He divorced her and took a people out of the Gentiles for His name. Is that right? His name ... like a woman takes a man's name, a bride. Now what's she done? The same thing as they did the other time, denominated herself; polluted. But in every generation, every revival brings forth some prophet of God (a prophet is a preacher, true preacher on the Word that stays with the Word), and they bring forth a revival that gathers that elect out of that generation. Then she goes into seed. Then God will never use it again. I ask any theologian, any historian to tell me one time that a denomination ever rose up; she never. She died when she denominated, and there's where she lays.
377 I think of Dwight Moody (the Moody Bible), dead as midnight. I think of the Methodists, the Pentecostals, the Presbyterians, the Lutherans, the Nazarenes, the Pilgrim Holiness; godly men raised up, Buddy Robinson and George Whitfield and all those great godly men that preached the gospel, and that generation received the seed that was sown for their part. Like the corn---whether it was the stalk, whether it was the leaf, whether it was the tassel, whether it was the grain, whatever it is, that minister brought the Word of that day. It called from the four winds of the earth and took the elect of that generation. Through them elected ones has built the house of the living God.
378 Now, this ministry here has to hone into a place till the very same works that Jesus did---because when He comes, the headstone will catch right into it, because they won't... There'll be a rapture come, and they'll be taken, and the rest of the body will come with it; and she'll be gone into heaven. Not a denomination, friends; a church of the Word of God. Do you believe it? Here's some handkerchiefs, here.
379 Now, I go, I know not where. I am seeking, as you are, the will of God. I wish I could stay at this tabernacle; can't do it. There's thousands ... I hear the cry ... the unclean spirit tearing them. I can't sleep hardly. I hear little children crying and see mothers pushing their kids through the prayer line, see some mother fanning a baby, holding a sheet over it to keep the rain off of it in the yard. My heart bleeds for them.
380 When I built this tabernacle, the day I laid the cornerstone out there, I remember that vision that morning. Got it wrote right there in the cornerstone; said, "This is not your tabernacle. Do the work of an evangelist; make full proof of your ministry." I love it; I love God's children everywhere. I don't know where He's going to lead me. I don't know; I'm waiting. I've been waiting for a year. I may wait for two years; I may wait for three, I don't know. I don't know the next move. I'm waiting for it. But, I think according to the Scripture, the Word's been sowed. The next thing is the coming forth of the Spirit.
381 Billy Graham may preach everywhere; Oral Roberts, them godly men may preach everywhere. The Lord may send me to sow seeds somewhere else (some field), but I believe our nation is sowed down, I believe she's ready for the harvest now.
When the Spirit falls and there becomes a move amongst the people, them denominations will swing together just as certain as I'm standing in the pulpit. And the church of God will be ousted, and they'll make it such a racket until they'll confederate it and put a boycott on anybody that don't belong to them. Rome, will rule the world for just a hour. She'll rule for a little piece. Not communism---Romanism, will rule the world with the cooperation of Protestantism, in a denominational form of church, which God has rejected. That's as close as I know the Word of God.
382 I love you. I appreciate you. Maybe I'll be back about Sunday a week. I'm going down to Florida now, the Lord willing, down in Georgia for tomorrow night. I've got a few little meetings scattered around. If the Lord leads, I've got a book full of them that Brother Roberson ... or Borders sent me the other day. I guess there's ... was places where there's thirty and forty churches are willing to cooperate, but the Spirit seems to hold me. I don't know why. I don't know why. So you pray for me, I'll pray for you. Together may we stand. May God help us. May there not be a one of you here that will ever fail and will miss that great time coming.
383 Now, I've been accused of a lot of things, friends, and a lot of things I'm guilty of. I'm neglectful; that's true. I don't know why it is. Somebody has to push me in a corner to make me fight. I don't know; that's a nature. I've done things that I should not have done, not willfully, but I've plundered in it. And that's what makes me so afraid, in seeing in this day (the day that we're living at)--- and you see now what I believe. I want to hear from God if at all possible, before I make a move, see, 'cause I don't want to fail Him. I want to be with Him everywhere. And I want you to pray for me.
384 And remember, I've told you the truth. And I thank you for sitting here all this day (since early this morning); many of you standing around the walls and the halls yet, feet and legs cramping, sitting out in the cars; your batteries run down almost from listening, and here it is: it's all on tape. The boys has taped it back there, you'll be able to get it.
And if you do get it, take it home and study it real closely and wisely, and see what the Lord will reveal to you. Do you love Him? Where's Teddy? Just before we pray for these handkerchiefs and the people, I want to pray for each one of you. I want to sing this song now, and then Brother Neville will make his announcements for the other service.
I love Him, I love Him
(Do you love His Word?)
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
385 Him that led us, and in this now with the hours of preaching, explaining, doing the best I know how for my fellow man, trying to get them to understand the things that I have said, and why I have done these things.
I bring to You now, Lord, this people, this people visible and the people that will hear will hear the tapes hereafter.
[Gap in the audio]
Think, God, Himself, give the divine interpretation; and I'm sure, Lord, if I have brought the Word, it'll fall on them that it is predestinated to fall on. Thy Word is truth. Father, I'm sorry that I failed You many times. I pray You forgive me. I pray You forgive my audience, visible and invisible, of all their sins; that Lord God, we realize that we are at the end of the road. Every sign is right here before us. I am sure the spiritual mind, Lord, catches what I've just said a few minutes ago. I pray that they'll understand, Lord, that what we're ... where we're at. We're near something. We can hear the breakers; we're close.
386 Help us, Lord in heaven. I pray for every person that's setting here. I pray for these handkerchiefs that represent the sick who trust me, Lord, that I pray a prayer of faith for all. Now, to those that are open hearted to God's Word, by faith I plant this seed. I claim that in the Name Jesus Christ and in faith in God, that, Lord God, I commit them to You now. Water it; send the Spirit upon it, Lord, that germitized Word there, that You're the same great God to heal, same great God to save, the same great God of the resurrection. You're God. May they produce a crop, a bride for our Lord Jesus, a sanctified womb of the heart to receive the Word. Grant it, Lord. I commend them to You to take from here Lord, if possible, every one Your bride. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
387 I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
All together now with our hands up.
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Now, after the Word has been six hours, of exhortation. I commend you the first step. Repent... the God and be baptized in a few minutes in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, and God promised to give you the Holy Ghost, for the promise is unto you and your children and to them that's far off. It's to the Methodists, Baptists, Catholic, Presbyterian, and whosoever will receive the Word, let him come. You believe that?
I see you have a pastor... in service. If you'll make ready now 'cause we're getting ready to ask Brother Neville. Now be seated just a moment. Our Brother Neville, now, our pastor, will tell you about the order of the service right now, just in a minute. God bless you till I see you again.