Humble Pie: Difference between revisions

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    '''This article is a formal apology for publishing and distributing false doctrine.'''  <br>
    '''This article is a formal apology for publishing and distributing false doctrine.'''  <br>


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    |''But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.'' ~ John 3:21
    |''But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.'' ~ John 3:21
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    [[Image:PieOK.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Humble Pie '''''"If you find that the evidence on this site has misled you in the past, we apologize."''''']]
    =A message to our readers=


    Dear Reader,
    Dear Reader,


    [[Image:PieOK.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Humble Pie '''''"If you find that the evidence on this site has misled you in the past, we apologize."''''']]From the start, the purpose of Believethesign.com has been to provide evidence to support truth.  Having grown up in a Message Church, the truth being supported was naturally that William Branham was Elijah the Prophet in fulfillment of Malachi 4:5 and Revelation 10:7.  In the fall of 2011, we changed the main scripture reference of the website to ''“Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever”'' (Hebrews 13:8) in order shift the focus of the site clearly onto Jesus Christ
    From the start, the purpose of Believethesign.com has been to provide evidence to support truth.  Having grown up in a Message Church, the truth being supported was naturally that William Branham was Elijah the Prophet in fulfillment of Malachi 4:5 and Revelation 10:7.  In the fall of 2011, we changed the main scripture reference of the website to ''“Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever”'' (Hebrews 13:8) in order shift the focus of the site clearly onto Jesus Christ.   
     
    The driving force behind this change is that we have uncovered a number of significant issues with the evidence supporting William Branham’s prophetic ministry, as he proclaimed it.  At the same time, we have not found any significant issues with the evidence supporting the healings and word of knowledge that brought attention to William Branham’s ministry.   


    The driving force behind this change is that we uncovered a number of significant issues with the evidence supporting William Branham’s prophetic ministry, as he proclaimed it.  Since that time, we have also uncovered issues with his honesty, his healing ministry, and his word of knowledge. 


    In 1963, William Branham said:   
    In 1963, William Branham said:   
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    In 1965 William Branham said:
    In 1965 William Branham said:


    :''We're in the last days. We're standing near the judgment. Why? They're trying to eat old manna that fell back yonder fifty years ago, the Pentecostal church. …They're trying to eat old manna. Oh, brother, that stuff is stagnated. It's contaminated. It's got…wiggle-tails in it, maggots. It'll kill you, to eat it.'' (Trying to do God a service, Jeffersonville, Indiana, July 18, 1965)  
    :''We're in the last days. We're standing near the judgment. Why? '''They're trying to eat old manna that fell back yonder fifty years ago''', the Pentecostal church. …They're trying to eat old manna. Oh, brother, that stuff is stagnated. It's contaminated. It's got…wiggle-tails in it, maggots. It'll kill you, to eat it.'' (Trying to do God a service, Jeffersonville, Indiana, July 18, 1965)  
     
    This quote was made over 50 years ago.  As a result, the question must be asked: '''Is it time to move on?'''


    While our responsibility is simply to present the truth in love, our concern is that fifty years later, the beauty of William Branham’s ministry has been consumed by impurities that were always present in his ministry.  Some of these items are described in the pages that are linked from this page (just click on the colored headings to go to the detail pages).  Why it took so long for these things to surface is not clear.   
    While our responsibility is simply to present the truth in love, our concern is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been replaced with a bowl full of rotten manna in Message Churches.  Some of our major concerns are are described in the pages that are linked from this page (just click on the colored headings to go to the detail pages).  Why it took so long for these things to surface is not clear.   


    If you find that the evidence on this site has misled you in the past, we apologize.
    If you find that the evidence on this site has misled you in the past, we apologize.  Furthermore, if you can find anything in this website that is not accurate, please let us know and we will change it.  


    Thankfully, humble pie is always fresh.   
    Thankfully, humble pie is always fresh.   


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    |''Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.'' ~ Hebrews 13:18
    |''Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.'' ~ Hebrews 13:18
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    =Problems With Prophecies=
    =Problems With Prophecies=
     
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    |''Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail.'' ~ I Corinthians 13:8a
    |''Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail.'' ~ I Corinthians 13:8a
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    The following list contains the articles on Believethesign of prophecies made by William Branham.  Beside the prophecy is a short summary of an issue that calls into question the validity of the prophecy.  Some of these prophecies may still come to pass, while others cannot because they are in the past.  The unfortunate truth is it appears that William Branham was “hit some, miss some” with his prophecies.  
    The following list contains the articles on Believethesign of prophecies made by William Branham.  Beside the prophecy is a short summary of an issue that calls into question the validity of the prophecy.  Some of these prophecies may still come to pass, while others cannot because they are in the past.  The unfortunate truth is it appears that William Branham was more “miss some" than "hit some” with his prophecies.  
     
    Another serious problem is that there do not appear to be any clear prophecies that William Branham announced in a publicly recorded sermon that later were clearly fulfilled.  If every prophecy that William Branham's followers point to as vindication of his prophetic office were, in fact, only announced as being fulfilled after the fact, how is that evidence of a truly prophetic ministry?


    '''Click on headings''' if you want to read detailed commentary on a particular issue.
    '''Click on headings''' if you want to read detailed commentary on a particular issue.
    [[A Challenge to Message Believers|'''Are There Any Real Prophecies???''']]
    :We have been asking message believers for months to provide us with one single solitary ''unambiguous'' prophecy made by William Branham that was recorded publicly (i.e. we can verify on a tape) and that was later fulfilled in a clear manner.
    :To date, no one has been able to provide us with one prophecy that would meet this test.


    '''[[The Municipal Bridge Vision|Municipal Bridge]]'''
    '''[[The Municipal Bridge Vision|Municipal Bridge]]'''
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    :But on this final trip the vision again failed to materialized.  William Branham's visa was restricted in a way that prohibited him from holding any meetings. He died just prior to the end of 1965 with the vision remaining unfulfilled.
    :But on this final trip the vision again failed to materialized.  William Branham's visa was restricted in a way that prohibited him from holding any meetings. He died just prior to the end of 1965 with the vision remaining unfulfilled.


    [[Image:USSArizona.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Photo: The USS Arizona sinks in Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941.  In 1960 William Branham said, ''I speak this in the Name of the Lord.  The president which now is, President Franklin D. Roosevelt... will cause the whole world to go to war... took America to England's tea party. That's right. Germany never picked on us; we picked on them, throwed the whole world into a war, to cause a world war.'']]
    [[Image:USSArizona.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Photo: The USS Arizona sinks in Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941.  In 1960 William Branham said, ''I speak this in the Name of the Lord.  The president which now is, President Franklin D. Roosevelt... will cause the whole world to go to war... took America to England's tea party. That's right. Germany never picked on us; we picked on them, throwed the whole world into a war, to cause a world war.'']]
    '''[[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'''
    '''[[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'''
    :Part of William Branham’s 1933 prophecy was that FDR would pick on the Germans, lead the world to war, and run for four terms.  While Roosevelt was inaugurated four times, he did not pick on the Germans and followed the world to war after provocation by the Japanese. William Branham called Franklin D. Roosevelt a “rascal” in 1960, which indicates that he just did not like him.   
    :Part of William Branham’s 1933 prophecy was that FDR would pick on the Germans, lead the world to war, and run for four terms.  While Roosevelt was inaugurated four times, he did not pick on the Germans and followed the world to war after provocation by the Japanese. William Branham called Franklin D. Roosevelt a “rascal” in 1960, which indicates that he just did not like him.   
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    :The only source of this prophecy is William Branham. We have not found any third-party verification that this prophecy took place.     
    :The only source of this prophecy is William Branham. We have not found any third-party verification that this prophecy took place.     


    '''[[Pillar of Fire Explained|Star of light]]'''
    '''[[The Houston Photograph]]'''
    :The Houston photograph appears to vindicate William Branham's statements in the 1940's that a "pillar of light" followed his ministry.  However, the photographer's statement that it was a 'supernatural' light is based on William Branham's own recorded statement.
    :The Houston photograph appears to vindicate William Branham's statements in the 1940's that a "pillar of light" followed his ministry.  However, the photographer's statement that it was a 'supernatural' light is based on William Branham's own recorded statement.


    '''[[Kari Holma]]'''
    '''[[Kari Holma]]'''
    :While this prophecy was not recorded on the tapes, a boy was raised from a critical/dead state based on the testimonies of people who accompanied William Branham in Finland.
    :While this prophecy was not recorded on the tapes, a boy was raised from a critical/dead state based on the testimonies of people who accompanied William Branham in Finland.  What is troubling is that William Branham's story differs from other eyewitnesses who published their stories.  


    '''[[Rattlesnake Mesa]]'''
    '''[[Rattlesnake Mesa]]'''
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    '''[[Destruction of Los Angeles]]'''
    '''[[Destruction of Los Angeles]]'''
    :There were numerous prophecies of LA sinking in Pentecostal circles in the 1950s, including the prophecy of Joseph Brandt originally published in 1937.  William Branham would have known of these prophecies, and his own prophecy only occurred as late as 1965. Even in popular culture, the risk of LA sinking was known and discussed, as evidenced by the April 1, 1957 issue of Time Magazine that reports on this topic in detailIn this regard, the sinking of Los Angeles may still happen.
    :There were numerous prophecies of LA sinking in Pentecostal circles in the 1950s, the April 1, 1957 issue of Time Magazine included an in-depth report on parts of L.A that had already sunk as much as 12 feetWilliam Branham did not give his prophecy until the 1960's.  


    :William Branham also compared the sinking of Los Angeles to the sinking of Capernaum.  However, Capernaum did not sink but was simply abandoned, and its ruins are still on the shore of the sea of Galilee to this day.   
    :William Branham also compared the sinking of Los Angeles to the sinking of Capernaum.  However, Capernaum did not sink but was simply abandoned, and its ruins are still on the shore of the sea of Galilee to this day.   


    '''[[Florida under water]]'''
    '''Florida under water'''
    :This prophecy has not been fulfilled to date.  Also, a lot of Message believers live in Florida, and are apparently undaunted by this prophecy.   
    :[[Florida under water|This prophecy has not been fulfilled to date]].  Also, a lot of Message believers live in Florida, and are apparently undaunted by this prophecy.   


    '''[[Destruction of the Vatican]]'''
    '''[[Destruction of the Vatican]]'''
    :This prophecy appears to be an interpretation of the wording in the book of Revelation, as opposed to a formal prophecy.  
    :This prophecy appears to be an interpretation of the wording in the book of Revelation, as opposed to a formal prophecy.  
    [[Proof of the Prophetic|'''Are There Any Real Prophecies???''']]
    :A serious problem is that there do not appear to be any clear prophecies that William Branham announced in a publicly recorded sermon that later were clearly fulfilled.  If every prophecy that William Branham's followers point to as vindication of his prophetic office were, in fact, only announced as being fulfilled after the fact, how is that evidence of a truly prophetic ministry?  With all of his recorded sermons, shouldn't there be some correct prophecies recorded on tape?  We have been asking message believers for months to provide us with one single solitary ''unambiguous'' prophecy made by William Branham that was recorded publicly (i.e. we can verify on a tape) and that was later fulfilled in a clear manner.
    :To date, no one has been able to provide us with one prophecy that would meet this test.


    If William Branham was not accurate with even one of his prophecies, then this calls into question his authority as an infallible prophet.  While some of these prophecies may still come to pass, other have definitely missed the mark.  In the end his prophetic scorecard appears to be “you hit some, you miss some”, and not something you can trust.   
    If William Branham was not accurate with even one of his prophecies, then this calls into question his authority as an infallible prophet.  While some of these prophecies may still come to pass, other have definitely missed the mark.  In the end his prophetic scorecard appears to be “you hit some, you miss some”, and not something you can trust.   


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    |''And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.'' ~ Deuteronomy 18:21-22
    |''And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.'' ~ Deuteronomy 18:21-22
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    =General Credibility=
    =General Credibility=
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    |''We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.'' ~ 2 Corinthians 4:2 (NLT)
    |''We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.'' ~ 2 Corinthians 4:2 (NLT)
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    |''Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.'' ~ Ephesians 4:25
    |''Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.'' ~ Ephesians 4:25
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    =Doctrinal Issues=
    =Doctrinal Issues=
     
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    |''These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?'' ~ John 10:21
    |''These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?'' ~ John 10:21
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    The primary purpose of this website is to provide a balanced, unbiased information on the ministry of William Branham.  We therefore have a number of articles that discuss his doctrinal teachings.  We have not removed them, but over time will be augmenting them with comments relating to how they relate to a more orthodox position.  Some of these teachings include:
    The primary purpose of this website is to provide a balanced, unbiased information on the ministry of William Branham.  We therefore have a number of articles that discuss his doctrinal teachings.  We have not removed them, but over time will be augmenting them with comments relating to how they relate to a more orthodox position.  Some of these teachings include:


    '''[[Healing lines|Healing]]'''
    '''[[Healings|Healing]]'''
    :Jesus died for your salvation, and suffered for your healing.  Accepting his sacrifice results in spiritual and physical blessings that are confirmed by scriptures.   
    :Jesus died for your salvation, and suffered for your healing.  Accepting his sacrifice results in spiritual and physical blessings that are confirmed by scriptures.   


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    '''[[The Godhead]]'''
    '''[[The Godhead]]'''
    :One problem with William Branham’s teaching on the Godhead is that you can find quotes of William Branham clearly teaching both the Trinity or Oneness doctrines, and then denouncing both doctrines as false.  William Branham's teaching appears closest (but not identical) to Swedenborg’s explanation of the Godhead (which John Wesley ridiculed).  
    :One problem with William Branham’s teaching on the Godhead is that you can find quotes of William Branham clearly teaching both the Trinity or Oneness doctrines, and then denouncing both doctrines as false.  William Branham's teaching appears closest (but not identical) to Swedenborg’s explanation of the Godhead which John Wesley ridiculed.  


    '''[[The Serpent's Seed]]'''
    '''[[The Serpent's Seed]]'''
    :William Branham taught that Cain and Abel were twins, yet Adam was the father of Abel and the Serpent was the father of Cain.  When examined closely, this doctrine appears to have little actual support in the Bible.  
    :William Branham taught that Cain and Abel were twins, yet Adam was the father of Abel and the Serpent was the father of Cain.  When examined closely, this doctrine appears to have little actual support in the Bible.  
    '''[[Angel|Angels]]'''
    :This site also includes a study based on William Branham’s teachings on Angels.


    '''[[Seven Church Ages]], [[Seven Seals]], [[Mystery Babylon]]'''
    '''[[Seven Church Ages]], [[Seven Seals]], [[Mystery Babylon]]'''
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    :Studying the church ages is a great way to learn Church history.  Some items you may learn while studying the Church Ages as taught by William Branham are:
    :Studying the church ages is a great way to learn Church history.  Some items you may learn while studying the Church Ages as taught by William Branham are:
    :*The fourth church age messenger (Columba) died before the start of the fourth church age, and had a ministry as supernatural as William Branham’s ministry.   
    :*The fourth church age messenger (Columba) died before the start of the fourth church age, and had a ministry as supernatural as William Branham’s ministry.   
    :*How the white horse rider has moved throughout Church history, which will help you identify how it is moving in message churches today.
    :*That the dates of the church ages are copied from Clarence Larkin's books.  
    :*The dates of the church ages are copied from Clarence Larkin's books.  
    :*Charles Taze Russell (the founder of the Jehovah Witnesses) was the first person to assign names to the Church Age Messengers (including himself as the Laodicean Messenger).  
    :*Charles Taze Russell (the founder of the Jehovah Witnesses) was the first person to assign names to the Church Age Messengers (including himself as the Laodicean Messenger).  


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    *A seven letter word ending in “ham” is evidence of a spiritual man.   
    *A seven letter word ending in “ham” is evidence of a spiritual man.   


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    For more on this topic, please read our article on [[Doctrines]].
     
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    |''But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.'' ~ Hebrews 5:14
    |''But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.'' ~ Hebrews 5:14
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    =Problems with Eyewitness Testimonies=
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    |''Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.'' ~ 1 TImothy 5:19-20
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    When this site was created, we were very selective regarding the testimonies that were posted on this site.  We verified testimonies, checked them with records we could find, interviewed people we knew and trusted, and looked for respectable character references.  Despite our best intentions to present verifiable evidence, we have had to remove a few testimonies of people who we could no longer trust.
    We encourage you to be vigilant before relying on the testimonies of witnesses. 
    '''[[A Prophet Visits South Africa, by Julius Stadsklev]]'''
    :The story in this book about the healing of [[Florence Nightingale]] had facts that were so wrong, that the Voice of Healing magazine published an article in 1954 to provide the correct facts, written by a minister in attendance. 
    '''[[Pearry Green]]'''
    :While an eyewitness to the prophet, he was also accused of swindling a number of Message Believers out of their money in a letter written by Sarah Branham, William Branham's daughter.  Pearry Green also wrote that Los Angeles would sink before Billy Paul was an old man (he was born in 1935).
    '''[[Jim Jones]]'''
    :Why did we only learn that William Branham preached with Jim Jones after we left the Message?  Jim Jones also had a gift of 'discerning the hearts', but ended up committing mass murder/suicide in 1978.  We speculate this happened after he realized that he hadn't made the rapture in 1977.
    We have also learned of many sad stories of physical, sexual and mental abuse by Ministers and others in the Message.  One thing we have learned is that the Message may look clean from the outside, but it has a dirty core and bad fruit.  Ern Baxter said this about William Branham's ministry years ago:
    :''I think there can be a lesson in this. Branham, as a miracle worker, had a real place. Branham as a teacher was outside of his calling. The fruits of his teaching ministry are not good.'' 


    =The Prophecy of William Branham's Death=
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    |''Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,'' ~ Matthew 19:18
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    =Prophecy of his passing=
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    |''And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.'' ~ Hebrews 12:27
    |''And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.'' ~ Hebrews 12:27
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    Sometime in 1964 or 1965, a prophecy was communicated to William Branham that he would pass off the scene before the end of 1965 because of an error he would make.  We have researched [[Hagin Prophecy|this prophecy as detailed by Kenneth Hagin and Gordon Lindsay’s wife, Freda Lindsay]], and found that, according to Biblical principles, '''Kenneth Hagin accurately prophesied William Branham's death  in January 1964'''.  This should cause significant concern to anyone following William Branham's message.     
    In early 1964, a prophecy was communicated to William Branham that he would pass off the scene before the end of 1965 because of an error he would make.  We have researched this [[Hagin Prophecy|prophecy as detailed by Kenneth Hagin and Gordon Lindsay’s wife Freda]], and found it to be accurate enough to cause concern.     


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    If you have evidence that you are willing to share that can answer any of the following questions, we would love to move any of these items from “serious problems” to “good evidence”, or update our summary of specific prophecies.   
     
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    |''And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.'' ~ Ezekiel 14:9
    |''And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.'' ~ Ezekiel 14:9
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    =Where do we stand now?=
    =Where do we stand now?=


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    *Was William Branham the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5?
    *Was William Branham the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5?
    {{col-break}}
    {{col-break}}
    *Probably (but it is not in our place to render judgment)
    *He sure [[Credibility|lied a lot]] for a Christian.
    *[[The Status of Message Believers|Some are.]]  
    *[[The Status of Message Believers|Some are.]]  
    *There is evidence that some were healed.  
    *A few were healed, [[How many people were healed in Branham's meetings?|most weren't, and some died.]]
    *There is some evidence of this.  
    *There is [[William Branham speaks in tongues|some evidence that the discernment was faked]].  
    *Not to the extent he claimed he did.   
    *[[Proof of the Prophetic|There is '''no evidence''' of any "before the fact" prophecies]].   
    *No.
    *No.
    *No.   
    *No.   
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    To become an Old Testament prophet, William Branham had to start teaching the law.  He began focusing on outward conformation to the “rules” in the Bible (tithing, hair, divorce), and eventually left the weightier matters.  [[Image:CrossOK.jpg|right|thumb|250px| Let's be simple Christians who believe in Jesus - his death, his resurrection, and his power. A "mighty revelation" won't do us any good if we don't have the love of Jesus Christ, and love for others.]] Some followers of William Branham even preach a "Third Testament" doctrine, which replaces grace with revelation.  A month before his passing, William Branham was teaching that Elijah was Jesus Christ.  He had defined God into the box of his own life, and appears to have started exalting himself over the church of God.   
    To become an Old Testament prophet, William Branham had to start teaching the law.  He began focusing on outward conformation to the “rules” in the Bible (tithing, hair, divorce), and eventually left the weightier matters.  [[Image:CrossOK.jpg|right|thumb|250px| Let's be simple Christians who believe in Jesus - his death, his resurrection, and his power. A "mighty revelation" won't do us any good if we don't have the love of Jesus Christ, and love for others.]] Some followers of William Branham even preach a "Third Testament" doctrine, which replaces grace with revelation.  A month before his passing, William Branham was teaching that Elijah was Jesus Christ.  He had defined God into the box of his own life, and appears to have started exalting himself over the church of God.   


    Today, if you go into a message church, you will often hear a fair Christian sermon.  However, the sermon will likely end with a focus on outward conformity (proper clothes, hair, doctrine, pray more, be more sincere), the “vindications” (stories about his healing and discernment ministry) or comparisons (such as, ''"I’m glad we’re not like secular Christians who aren’t saved by knowing Message doctrine, like we are"'').  You will also find people who just can’t seem to conform to the preaching, others who can willingly meet all the rules but don’t understand why, and people who need (but are unable to access) the healing of the 2nd pull.   
    Today, if you go into a message church, you will often hear a long sermon that will likely end with a focus on outward conformity (proper clothes, hair, doctrine, pray more, be more sincere), the “vindications” (stories about his healing and discernment ministry) or comparisons (such as, ''"I’m glad we’re not like secular Christians who aren’t saved by knowing Message doctrine, like we are"'').  You will also find people who just can’t seem to conform to the preaching, others who can willingly meet all the rules but don’t understand why, and people who need (but are unable to access) the healing that is being preached and promised.   


    The sad part is that these people are all Christians who have simply forgotten the power of faith in Jesus’ atonement, and replaced it with faith in a gifted man.     
    The sad part is that these people are all Christians who have simply forgotten the power of faith in Jesus’ atonement, and replaced it with faith in a gifted man.     
    Line 311: Line 340:
    William Branham said that every man will get caught by money, power or women.  For him, what originated as a gift of healing became a display of power over diseases, which seems to have ultimately led to a desire for dominion over the church through his “my way or the highway” preaching.   
    William Branham said that every man will get caught by money, power or women.  For him, what originated as a gift of healing became a display of power over diseases, which seems to have ultimately led to a desire for dominion over the church through his “my way or the highway” preaching.   


    So, William Branham’s life may more closely parallel Solomon’s life, or Samson’s life, than Elijah’s life.  
    So, William Branham’s life may more closely parallel Solomon’s life, or Samson’s life, than Elijah’s life. Or, he may have been a complete fraud.  


    If you experienced "disequilibrium" when you read this article (frustration, nausea, dread, guilt, anger, embarrassment, anxiety, or other similar symptoms), this is only natural.  It is a condition that is referred to as [[Cognitive Dissonance]].
    If you experienced "disequilibrium" when you read this article (frustration, nausea, dread, guilt, anger, embarrassment, anxiety, or other similar symptoms), this is only natural.  It is a condition that is referred to as [[Cognitive Dissonance]].
    Line 317: Line 346:
    The main question is where do we go from here?  The answer is back to the grace of the New Testament covenant.  Sound strange?  If so, it’s because we as message believers haven’t realized (or forgot) that it was Jesus’ blood, and not William Branham’s doctrine, that has kept us clean before God.  Even though we really know that in our hearts, we haven’t let it permeate our being like the scriptures teach.  
    The main question is where do we go from here?  The answer is back to the grace of the New Testament covenant.  Sound strange?  If so, it’s because we as message believers haven’t realized (or forgot) that it was Jesus’ blood, and not William Branham’s doctrine, that has kept us clean before God.  Even though we really know that in our hearts, we haven’t let it permeate our being like the scriptures teach.  


    So, this letter is an encouragement to get back to our first love, Jesus Christ, and the Good News of his grace.   
    So, this letter is an encouragement to get back to our first love, Jesus Christ, and the Good News of his grace.  [[If you need help|If you need help, please click on this link.]]


    May the Lord Jesus Christ lead you in his light,  
    May the Lord Jesus Christ lead you in his light,  


    Jeremy Bergen, Editor <br>
    Jeremy Bergen, Editor <br>
    Rod Bergen, Webmaster<br>
    www.believethesign.com
    www.believethesign.com


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    Revision as of 00:34, 3 May 2019

    Click on headings to expand them, or links to go to specific articles.

    This article is a formal apology for publishing and distributing false doctrine.

    But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. ~ John 3:21
    Humble Pie "If you find that the evidence on this site has misled you in the past, we apologize."

    A message to our readers

    Dear Reader,

    From the start, the purpose of Believethesign.com has been to provide evidence to support truth. Having grown up in a Message Church, the truth being supported was naturally that William Branham was Elijah the Prophet in fulfillment of Malachi 4:5 and Revelation 10:7. In the fall of 2011, we changed the main scripture reference of the website to “Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) in order shift the focus of the site clearly onto Jesus Christ.

    The driving force behind this change is that we uncovered a number of significant issues with the evidence supporting William Branham’s prophetic ministry, as he proclaimed it. Since that time, we have also uncovered issues with his honesty, his healing ministry, and his word of knowledge.

    In 1963, William Branham said:

    If I say anything that you don't believe, why, do it just like I do when I'm eating cherry pie. I love cherry pie. But when I hit a seed, I never throw the pie away; just throw the seed away. So you do the same thing. Eating chicken, when you hit the bone, you don't throw the chicken away, you just throw the bone away. If I say something you don't believe, just throw the bone away. (Conferences, June 8, 1963, Tucson, Arizona).

    What you now read on Believethesign.com should be an accurate historic account of William Branham’s life. By bringing to light supportable evidence, we hope that you find yourself in a better position to separate any pits from the pie.

    However, there is another analogy that concerns us even more.

    In 1965 William Branham said:

    We're in the last days. We're standing near the judgment. Why? They're trying to eat old manna that fell back yonder fifty years ago, the Pentecostal church. …They're trying to eat old manna. Oh, brother, that stuff is stagnated. It's contaminated. It's got…wiggle-tails in it, maggots. It'll kill you, to eat it. (Trying to do God a service, Jeffersonville, Indiana, July 18, 1965)

    This quote was made over 50 years ago. As a result, the question must be asked: Is it time to move on?

    While our responsibility is simply to present the truth in love, our concern is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been replaced with a bowl full of rotten manna in Message Churches. Some of our major concerns are are described in the pages that are linked from this page (just click on the colored headings to go to the detail pages). Why it took so long for these things to surface is not clear.

    If you find that the evidence on this site has misled you in the past, we apologize. Furthermore, if you can find anything in this website that is not accurate, please let us know and we will change it.

    Thankfully, humble pie is always fresh.

    Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. ~ Hebrews 13:18


    Problems With Prophecies


    Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail. ~ I Corinthians 13:8a

    The following list contains the articles on Believethesign of prophecies made by William Branham. Beside the prophecy is a short summary of an issue that calls into question the validity of the prophecy. Some of these prophecies may still come to pass, while others cannot because they are in the past. The unfortunate truth is it appears that William Branham was more “miss some" than "hit some” with his prophecies.

    Click on headings if you want to read detailed commentary on a particular issue.

    Municipal Bridge

    William Branham told of a vision that he had as a child in which he saw the construction of the Louisville Municipal Bridge (now called the George Rogers Clark Memorial Bridge) take place on the Ohio River. During the building of the bridge, he claimed to have seen 16 men fall from the bridge and drown. He also claimed that the vision was perfectly fulfilled 22 years later.
    However, based on all public information available, only 2 individuals died during the construction of the bridge. Their deaths resulted from two separate accidents and neither involved drowning.

    The Brown Bear Vision

    William Branham shot a silver-tip grizzly bear while hunting in British Columbia in May of 1961. In a sermon called “Presuming” in June 1962, William Branham said that ...I'm going to get a brown bear that's almost twice that size. You see if it's right or not.” A month earlier, in a sermon called “Possessing All Things”, William Branham said that the vision of the brown bear was “THUS SAITH THE LORD.”
    William Branham returned to British Columbia in late July 1962, preached six services on Vancouver Island, and then went hunting in northern British Columbia but did not fulfill the vision at that time. He returned to British Columbia again in October of 1964 with Pearry Green, but did not fulfill the vision at that time either. When William Branham passed away on December 25, 1965, the vision had never been fulfilled.

    The Vision of the Meetings in South Africa

    In 1952 after a series of very successful meetings in South Africa, William Branham had a vision of a meeting in Durban, South Africa and stated publicly that "I'm going to have a meeting that's going to consist of three hundred thousand people." In 1965, after many failed attempts to return to South Africa, plans were again made to return to Africa and the fulfillment of the vision was clearly anticipated:
    And I--I'm going to South Africa after this. For, oh, my, you know how it is down there where you can't even talk to the people. And there'd be... We're at least expecting three hundred thousand, one single meeting.
    But on this final trip the vision again failed to materialized. William Branham's visa was restricted in a way that prohibited him from holding any meetings. He died just prior to the end of 1965 with the vision remaining unfulfilled.
    Photo: The USS Arizona sinks in Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941. In 1960 William Branham said, I speak this in the Name of the Lord. The president which now is, President Franklin D. Roosevelt... will cause the whole world to go to war... took America to England's tea party. That's right. Germany never picked on us; we picked on them, throwed the whole world into a war, to cause a world war.

    Franklin D. Roosevelt

    Part of William Branham’s 1933 prophecy was that FDR would pick on the Germans, lead the world to war, and run for four terms. While Roosevelt was inaugurated four times, he did not pick on the Germans and followed the world to war after provocation by the Japanese. William Branham called Franklin D. Roosevelt a “rascal” in 1960, which indicates that he just did not like him.

    The Voice on the Ohio River in 1933

    Many followers of William Branham's message point to the voice that was heard on the Ohio River as proof that William Branham was to forerun the second coming of Christ just as John the Baptist foreran Christ's first coming. However, when closely examined there are a number of problems with this story, including the fact that the first accounts make no reference of a voice. After a great deal of research, we are now of the view that William Branham's story of the baptismal service changed over time to include a voice when, in fact, no one that was there actually heard it.

    Heavenly Vision

    William Branham published a tract entitled “I Was Not Disobedient To The Heavenly Vision”, in which he outlines the vision that started his commission. The problem is that this vision is not the angelic commission that he tells about in his recorded sermon titled “I Was Not Disobedient To The Heavenly Vision”. Piles of bread, a tent, and a tabernacle of people that would not eat the bread are later forgotten, and replaced with an Angel. No reconciliation is ever provided.

    Mussolini invades Ethiopia

    Part of William Branham’s 1933 prophecy was that Mussolini would rise to power, become a dictator, invade Ethiopia, and come to a disgraceful end. According to the vision, the invasion of Ethiopia would be his last. By 1933, Mussolini had already been a dictator for at least 8 years (he had already risen to power). His invasion of Ethiopia ended in May 1936 and was immediately followed by involvement in the Spanish Civil War starting in July 1936. During WWII, Italian troops helped Germany conquer France, and invaded Sudan, Kenya, British Somaliland, Egypt, Belgium, Greece, and the Soviet Union.

    Hitler and WWII

    William Branham mentions that this vision was “Thus Saith the Lord”, and that he wrote it down in 1933. This creates a problem as he identifies the Maginot Line, and says the vision occurred 11 years before it was fulfilled.

    Russia and the three ...isms

    Part of William Branham’s 1933 prophecy was that the three major “isms” of the world (Fascism, Nazism or Communism) would roll into communism, and then Russia would wind up in Catholicism. He prophesied that Communism would then burn the Vatican, and bring a persecution that would send Jesus Christ to the earth again.
    • Unless Communism returns to Russia, an “ism” will not burn the Vatican.
    • It makes no sense for Communism to wind up in Catholicism, and then burn the Vatican.
    • In 1955 and 1961, William Branham said that these three isms were the three unclean spirits of Revelation 16:13. In 1965, William Branham said the three unclean spirits of Revelation 16:13 was the doctrine of the Trinity. It is unlikely that both explanations are correct.

    Driverless Cars

    While Google has recently received a license for autonomous driving in Nevada, the Nissan Cube, Toyota Scion, and Kia Soul indicate that cars and concept cars are no less round today than in the 1950s. However, when William Branham told this prophecy, he said it had “already happened”. Looking at articles in popular magazines of the 1950s, it is possible to find written and artistic concepts of driverless, egg-shaped, electronic vehicles by the time William Branham publicly disclosed this prophecy in 1956 (egg shape) 1957 (driverless) and 1960 (electronic).

    Morality

    While it sounds like a modern prophecy, women have been wearing fig-leaves since, well, Eve. Fertility goddesses have existed in almost every historic pagan religion, the nations around Israel often worshipped with temple prostitutes, and the Vatican has celebrated its holiness with statues of naked people for hundreds of years. A prophecy on the decline of morals in women is sensational, but misleading. Solomon said, “there is no new thing under the sun”, and the morality of the human race has never been great. Also, this part of the vision was never mentioned until 1964.

    Rise of a Woman in America

    There are a number of ways this prophecy could come to pass. Be it a physical woman, the Catholic church, or the women’s vote, this vision is sufficiently vague that it is likely to come to pass. In fact, William Branham indicated that this may have been fulfilled with JFK (a Catholic) in the White House.

    America in Ashes

    Every major empire in history has fallen, and it is likely that one day America will fall as well. The timing of this would be more helpful. However, 1977 didn’t happen as predicted.

    New Albany Prophecy

    The only source of this prophecy is William Branham. We have not found any third-party verification that this prophecy took place.

    Ohio river flood

    The only source of this prophecy is William Branham. We have not found any third-party verification that this prophecy took place.

    The Houston Photograph

    The Houston photograph appears to vindicate William Branham's statements in the 1940's that a "pillar of light" followed his ministry. However, the photographer's statement that it was a 'supernatural' light is based on William Branham's own recorded statement.

    Kari Holma

    While this prophecy was not recorded on the tapes, a boy was raised from a critical/dead state based on the testimonies of people who accompanied William Branham in Finland. What is troubling is that William Branham's story differs from other eyewitnesses who published their stories.

    Rattlesnake Mesa

    William Branham said that a group of angels met him during a hunting trip to “Sunset Mountain”, and pointed to a picture of a cloud published in the May 1963 issue of Life magazine as a testimony of this event. From the testimonies of his hunting companions Gene Norman and Fred Sothman, William Branham was on Rattlesnake Mesa a week after the photo of the cloud was taken when they heard a boom like a sonic blast. Regardless of how spiritual it sounds, William Branham was not on Sunset Peak when the cloud appeared. The “profile” of William Branham on the side of Rattlesnake Mesa resembles a face, but it is not necessarily an accurate profile of William Branham. William Branham’s retelling of the events related to this hunting trip and the appearance of the cloud are so inconsistent with each other, that it appears he stretched the story. This removes confidence in his testimony and, ultimately, in the sermons on the Seals that followed.

    World Council of Churches

    This prophecy appears to be an interpretation of the wording in the book of Revelation, as opposed to a formal prophecy.

    Destruction of Los Angeles

    There were numerous prophecies of LA sinking in Pentecostal circles in the 1950s, the April 1, 1957 issue of Time Magazine included an in-depth report on parts of L.A that had already sunk as much as 12 feet. William Branham did not give his prophecy until the 1960's.
    William Branham also compared the sinking of Los Angeles to the sinking of Capernaum. However, Capernaum did not sink but was simply abandoned, and its ruins are still on the shore of the sea of Galilee to this day.

    Florida under water

    This prophecy has not been fulfilled to date. Also, a lot of Message believers live in Florida, and are apparently undaunted by this prophecy.

    Destruction of the Vatican

    This prophecy appears to be an interpretation of the wording in the book of Revelation, as opposed to a formal prophecy.

    Are There Any Real Prophecies???

    A serious problem is that there do not appear to be any clear prophecies that William Branham announced in a publicly recorded sermon that later were clearly fulfilled. If every prophecy that William Branham's followers point to as vindication of his prophetic office were, in fact, only announced as being fulfilled after the fact, how is that evidence of a truly prophetic ministry? With all of his recorded sermons, shouldn't there be some correct prophecies recorded on tape? We have been asking message believers for months to provide us with one single solitary unambiguous prophecy made by William Branham that was recorded publicly (i.e. we can verify on a tape) and that was later fulfilled in a clear manner.
    To date, no one has been able to provide us with one prophecy that would meet this test.

    If William Branham was not accurate with even one of his prophecies, then this calls into question his authority as an infallible prophet. While some of these prophecies may still come to pass, other have definitely missed the mark. In the end his prophetic scorecard appears to be “you hit some, you miss some”, and not something you can trust.

    And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. ~ Deuteronomy 18:21-22


    General Credibility


    We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:2 (NLT)

    Was William Branham honest? If he can be shown to have distorted the truth or if his stories are constantly changing over time such that he cannot be believed, this would cast doubt on virtually everything that he said. The following list contains issues that will raise questions regarding his honesty, integrity and truthfulness. Some of these concerns have only recently come to light but they are now sufficient in number to raise genuine concern on the part of anyone who is a follower of William Branham.

    Many followers of William Branham are prepared to excuse the lack of credibility by pointing to Biblical characters such as David (who committed adultery with Bathsheba) or Jacob (who lied to obtain the birthright). The problem is that the New Testament does not allow for such latitude in morality. For example,

    A bishop then must be blameless... of good behavior... Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside...[1]
    ...appoint elders in every city as I commanded you — if a man is blameless... For a 3bishop must be blameless... [2]
    Those men are not true apostles—they are false apostles, who lie about their work and disguise themselves to look like real apostles of Christ. [3]


    When you read the concerns listed below, please ask yourself this fundamental question - Why?

    Click on headings if you want to read detailed commentary on a particular issue.

    Plagiarism

    Plagiarism is the act of taking someone else's work or ideas and passing them off as one's own. Are you aware that William Branham stole multiple messages, doctrines and concepts from other ministers but never properly gave them credit for them. Are you aware that some of these stolen ideas he said came directly from God or the Angel?
    Why would he do this when God speaks against this practice in Jeremiah 23:30 - So I, the LORD, affirm that I am opposed to those prophets who steal messages from one another that they claim are from me. (NET)

    Roy Davis

    There is a heartbreaking story that is familiar to all followers of William Branham. Bro. Branham first encountered Pentecostal people at a convention in Mishawaka, Indiana. While he was drawn to them and was invited to speak in their churches, he refused to join with them because he listened to his mother-in-law instead of God. And, as a result, his wife and daughter died as a direct result of his disobedience to God.
    But, is this the truth?
    According to Roy Davis and Douglas Weaver, William Branham attended a Pentecostal church pastored by Roy Davis well before Hope died. Roy Davis himself says that William Branham received the baptism of the Holy Spirit in his home. This all precedes the death of Hope and Sharon Rose Branham in July 1937.

    The Cloud

    Why did William Branham state that the cloud was directly above him while he was hunting, when it actually appeared 8 days earlier 200 miles away? Why did he say that Life Magazine said the cloud appeared at the same place that he was hunting when it clearly didn't? Why does William Branham state that the pictures in Life Magazine were taken on the day that he heard the blast when they were actually taken over a week earlier?

    The Explanation for His Poor Grammar

    Why did William Branham speak such poor English? His explanation was that when he was a boy, his father died. He had ten children to take care of, and had to work and support his mother and the children. But his father died when William Branham was 34 years old. Was he trying to make people feel sorry for him?

    1933 Ohio River Experience

    Why was there no mention of the voice on the Ohio River by William Branham prior to 1952? Why did the books by Gordon Lindsay and Julius Stadsklev make no mention of the voice (both books were written based on information that came from William Branham)? Why is there no evidence of the newspaper articles that William Branham referred to?

    The Man from Windsor

    William Branham relates a story about a man who came into the prayer line at meetings in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He was there not to get healed but to expose William Branham as a fraud. He had written several illnesses on his card which he did not have, hoping that William Branham would refer to the illnesses that he had on the card, thus demonstrating his gift to be fraudulent. However, this story again changes over time, both in details as to how he knew the man was lying and in what eventually happened to the man. What is truth and what is fiction?

    Prophecy of the Cloud

    On December 23, 1962, William Branham relates a vision in which he sees five angels in a constellation. One week later, he changed the number to seven. Why?

    Hope Branham's Nurse

    Many have listened to William Branham's life story, brushing tears away when they heard the story of Hope Branham's death. How well do you know the story?
    In particular, do you know the story of Hope's nurse?


    Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. ~ Ephesians 4:25


    Doctrinal Issues


    These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? ~ John 10:21

    William Branham did teach things that can be supported by the Bible. However, some of William Branham's theology is just plain wrong and some of his teaching suffers from what we call "Lazy Theology" (he did not take the time to really understand what the Bible said on an issue). These are both serious problems from someone that held himself out to be a divine interpreter of the Bible.

    Also, a number of William Branham's significant teachings appear to have been borrowed in large part from other men. The details of our finding on this issue can be found in our article on Plagiarism.

    The primary purpose of this website is to provide a balanced, unbiased information on the ministry of William Branham. We therefore have a number of articles that discuss his doctrinal teachings. We have not removed them, but over time will be augmenting them with comments relating to how they relate to a more orthodox position. Some of these teachings include:

    Healing

    Jesus died for your salvation, and suffered for your healing. Accepting his sacrifice results in spiritual and physical blessings that are confirmed by scriptures.

    Water baptism

    The early church baptized (immersed) new converts in the Name of Jesus Christ. The book of Acts confirms this, although early Christian writings such as the Didache seem to point to the fact that water baptism in accordance with Matthew 28:19 was also prevalent and acceptable in the early church. On close inspection, it appears that William Branham's prescribed form of baptism cannot be specifically supported by scripture.

    The Godhead

    One problem with William Branham’s teaching on the Godhead is that you can find quotes of William Branham clearly teaching both the Trinity or Oneness doctrines, and then denouncing both doctrines as false. William Branham's teaching appears closest (but not identical) to Swedenborg’s explanation of the Godhead which John Wesley ridiculed.

    The Serpent's Seed

    William Branham taught that Cain and Abel were twins, yet Adam was the father of Abel and the Serpent was the father of Cain. When examined closely, this doctrine appears to have little actual support in the Bible.

    Seven Church Ages, Seven Seals, Mystery Babylon

    These articles each present an interpretation of scripture as preached by William Branham in the 1960's. While William Branham indicated that these doctrines were taught to him by an angel, it appears that much of it comes directly from Clarence Larkin’s published dispensational teachings.
    Studying the church ages is a great way to learn Church history. Some items you may learn while studying the Church Ages as taught by William Branham are:
    • The fourth church age messenger (Columba) died before the start of the fourth church age, and had a ministry as supernatural as William Branham’s ministry.
    • That the dates of the church ages are copied from Clarence Larkin's books.
    • Charles Taze Russell (the founder of the Jehovah Witnesses) was the first person to assign names to the Church Age Messengers (including himself as the Laodicean Messenger).

    If you are curious as to a sample of William Branham’s doctrines that we feel cannot be supported by scripture (we hope to have articles on these issues in the future), they include but are not limited to:

    For more on this topic, please read our article on Doctrines.

    But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. ~ Hebrews 5:14


    Problems with Eyewitness Testimonies


    Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. ~ 1 TImothy 5:19-20

    When this site was created, we were very selective regarding the testimonies that were posted on this site. We verified testimonies, checked them with records we could find, interviewed people we knew and trusted, and looked for respectable character references. Despite our best intentions to present verifiable evidence, we have had to remove a few testimonies of people who we could no longer trust.

    We encourage you to be vigilant before relying on the testimonies of witnesses.

    A Prophet Visits South Africa, by Julius Stadsklev

    The story in this book about the healing of Florence Nightingale had facts that were so wrong, that the Voice of Healing magazine published an article in 1954 to provide the correct facts, written by a minister in attendance.

    Pearry Green

    While an eyewitness to the prophet, he was also accused of swindling a number of Message Believers out of their money in a letter written by Sarah Branham, William Branham's daughter. Pearry Green also wrote that Los Angeles would sink before Billy Paul was an old man (he was born in 1935).

    Jim Jones

    Why did we only learn that William Branham preached with Jim Jones after we left the Message? Jim Jones also had a gift of 'discerning the hearts', but ended up committing mass murder/suicide in 1978. We speculate this happened after he realized that he hadn't made the rapture in 1977.

    We have also learned of many sad stories of physical, sexual and mental abuse by Ministers and others in the Message. One thing we have learned is that the Message may look clean from the outside, but it has a dirty core and bad fruit. Ern Baxter said this about William Branham's ministry years ago:

    I think there can be a lesson in this. Branham, as a miracle worker, had a real place. Branham as a teacher was outside of his calling. The fruits of his teaching ministry are not good.
    Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, ~ Matthew 19:18


    Prophecy of his passing


    And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. ~ Hebrews 12:27

    In early 1964, a prophecy was communicated to William Branham that he would pass off the scene before the end of 1965 because of an error he would make. We have researched this prophecy as detailed by Kenneth Hagin and Gordon Lindsay’s wife Freda, and found it to be accurate enough to cause concern.

    If you have evidence that you are willing to share that can answer any of the following questions, we would love to move any of these items from “serious problems” to “good evidence”, or update our summary of specific prophecies.

    And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. ~ Ezekiel 14:9


    Where do we stand now?

    Here are some simple questions and answers that will outline the perspective of the editors of www.believethesign.com:

    • Was William Branham a Christian?
    • Are Message Believers Christians?
    • Did William Branham have the gift of healing?
    • Did William Branham have the gift of knowledge?
    • Did William Branham have the gift of prophecy?
    • Are William Branham's prophecies reliable?
    • Was William Branham the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5?

    But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.[4]

    The gifts of healing and of the word of knowledge are gifts of the Holy Spirit that are placed in the church for the benefit of all. There is no scripture in the New Testament that state that these gifts are vindication for a special prophetic ministry.

    William Branham seemed to really, really want to be an Old Testament-style prophet. Sadly, the Old Testament prophets were not able to live up to the law that they were under. Solomon had the gift of wisdom, but ended up worshiping false gods. Samson had the gift of strength, but ended up powerless to temptation. Even Moses and David had faults that got them in trouble with God.

    To become an Old Testament prophet, William Branham had to start teaching the law. He began focusing on outward conformation to the “rules” in the Bible (tithing, hair, divorce), and eventually left the weightier matters.

    Let's be simple Christians who believe in Jesus - his death, his resurrection, and his power. A "mighty revelation" won't do us any good if we don't have the love of Jesus Christ, and love for others.

    Some followers of William Branham even preach a "Third Testament" doctrine, which replaces grace with revelation. A month before his passing, William Branham was teaching that Elijah was Jesus Christ. He had defined God into the box of his own life, and appears to have started exalting himself over the church of God.

    Today, if you go into a message church, you will often hear a long sermon that will likely end with a focus on outward conformity (proper clothes, hair, doctrine, pray more, be more sincere), the “vindications” (stories about his healing and discernment ministry) or comparisons (such as, "I’m glad we’re not like secular Christians who aren’t saved by knowing Message doctrine, like we are"). You will also find people who just can’t seem to conform to the preaching, others who can willingly meet all the rules but don’t understand why, and people who need (but are unable to access) the healing that is being preached and promised.

    The sad part is that these people are all Christians who have simply forgotten the power of faith in Jesus’ atonement, and replaced it with faith in a gifted man.

    William Branham said that every man will get caught by money, power or women. For him, what originated as a gift of healing became a display of power over diseases, which seems to have ultimately led to a desire for dominion over the church through his “my way or the highway” preaching.

    So, William Branham’s life may more closely parallel Solomon’s life, or Samson’s life, than Elijah’s life. Or, he may have been a complete fraud.

    If you experienced "disequilibrium" when you read this article (frustration, nausea, dread, guilt, anger, embarrassment, anxiety, or other similar symptoms), this is only natural. It is a condition that is referred to as Cognitive Dissonance.

    The main question is where do we go from here? The answer is back to the grace of the New Testament covenant. Sound strange? If so, it’s because we as message believers haven’t realized (or forgot) that it was Jesus’ blood, and not William Branham’s doctrine, that has kept us clean before God. Even though we really know that in our hearts, we haven’t let it permeate our being like the scriptures teach.

    So, this letter is an encouragement to get back to our first love, Jesus Christ, and the Good News of his grace. If you need help, please click on this link.

    May the Lord Jesus Christ lead you in his light,

    Jeremy Bergen, Editor
    www.believethesign.com


    Read the article called Here we stand, corrected for more information on those who have left the Message to pursue Jesus Christ.


    Footnotes

    1. The New King James Version, 1 Ti 3:2–7 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
    2. The New King James Version, Tit 1:5–8 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982)
    3. American Bible Society, The Holy Bible: The Good News Translation, 2nd ed., 2 Co 11:13 (New York: American Bible Society, 1992)
    4. The New King James Version, 1 Co 12:7–11 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).


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