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Many opponents of William Branham have focused on a particular prediction he made regarding the year 1977 as proof that he was not a genuine prophet.  William Branham's actual words regarding 1977 have been reprinted below, and are followed by a series of compelling arguments why the furore around this prediction are baseless and irrelevant.
[[ William Branham]] believed that the world would end in 1977.


::''Based on these seven visions, along with the rapid changes which have swept the world in the last fifty years, I PREDICT (I do not prophesy) that these visions will have all come to pass by 1977. And though many may feel that this is an irresponsible statement in view of the fact that Jesus said that 'no man knoweth the day nor the hour.' I still maintain this prediction after thirty years because, Jesus did NOT say no man could know the year, month or week in which His coming was to be completed. So I repeat, I sincerely believe and maintain as a private student of the Word, along with Divine inspiration that 1977 ought to terminate the world systems and usher in the millennium.'' (Laodicean Church Age)
=1) Prediction vs. Prophecy==


==1) Prediction vs. Prophecy==
William Branham said "I predict (I do not prophesy)".   
William Branham said "I PREDICT (I do not prophesy)".   


On one hand William Branham said ‘Thus saith the Lord” many times during his ministry, and each time he was 100% correct.  Why then is there a big deal about the one time when he said “this is not Thus saith the Lord, but just me”?  For someone to deny his ministry based on this one prediction is irresponsible, as William Branham himself said:
On one hand William Branham said ‘Thus saith the Lord” many times during his ministry, and each time he was 100% correct.  Why then is there a big deal about the one time when he said “this is not Thus saith the Lord, but just me”?  For someone to deny his ministry based on this one prediction is irresponsible, as William Branham himself said:
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==5) William Branham spoke as a man==
==5) William Branham spoke as a man==
William Branham made this statement as "a private student of the Word" and not as a prophet.  This is scriptural as the Bible records other times when prophets spoke as men, rather then as prophets.  When they did speak, their words were fallable, rather than when the Lord spoke through them making their words infallible.   
William Branham made this statement as "a private student of the Word" and not as a prophet.  This is scriptural as the Bible records other times when prophets spoke as men, rather then as prophets.  When they did speak, their words were fallable, rather than when the Lord spoke through them making their words infallible.   
Some examples are as follows:
====Elijah,====
In running from Jezebel, Elijah was afraid of the wrath of Jezebel, and thought he was the only faithful man left on the earth. Speaking these words did not take the commission of prophesy away from Elijah.
:''And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away...'' (I KINGS 19:14)
:''And the LORD said unto him...Yet I have left [me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.''(I KINGS 19:16a,18)
====Paul====
There are examples of when men of God talked in their own opinion, but that opinion was so inspired, that the Lord kept it in the scriptures.  For example, when Paul speaks as an unmarried man about marriage, he says:
:''But I speak this by permission, [and] not of commandment.'' (I CORINTHIANS 7:6)
====Jonah====
A case can be made that Jonah turned away from the instruction of the Lord.  However, the Lord makes sure that His Word did not return to him void, and required the people of Nineveh to obey the voice of a 'disobedient' prophet. 
====Samson====
In another example, judgement came to the Philistines from the hand of a backslidden Samson. 
:''Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her.'' (JUDGES 16:1)
:''And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with [all his] might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that [were] therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than [they] which he slew in his life.'' (JUDGES 16:30)
====Samuel====
The prophet Samuel told King Saul to meet him at a certian place in 7 days.  However, Samuel delayed in appearing and so Saul made a sacrifice unto the Lord in direct disobedience to Samuel's message.  While Samuel might have been wrong on the time he would arrive (i.e. spoke as a man), he was not wrong on his instructions and consequences. 
:''And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and [that] thou camest not within the days appointed'' (I SAMUEL 13:11)
:''And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.'' (I SAMUEL 3:19)
====Summary====
Though the words and actions of a prophet be at times fallible, it is not man’s position to judge that prophet, but the Lord’s position.  It is man’s position to respect the words of a prophet, and like Naaman, obey regardless of whether or not we like the words and doctrine we hear.  The Lord proves he is with his prophets through the blessing of supernatural signs, wonders, and miracles.  It is man’s position to positively identify the works of the Lord and obey.  The Lord will then ensure that the one he has chosen will correctly lead the people to Himself.




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Therefore, please receive William Branham in the name of a prophet, have respect for the message he spoke, and when rewards are given in heaven you will not be disappointed.
Therefore, please receive William Branham in the name of a prophet, have respect for the message he spoke, and when rewards are given in heaven you will not be disappointed.
=Quotes=
''Then I seen the United States as one smoldering, burnt-over place. It will be near the end. (Then I've got in parenthesis: "I predict that this will take place." Now, remember, the Lord ne... '''That's what the Lord showed, but "I predict this will take place before 1977."''') Upon this prediction, I base, because of the onrushing slaught that's coming now, how fast that it was moving, how long it'll take till this nation meets its place.<Ref>CONDEMNATION.BY.REPRESENTATION_  JEFF.IN  V-2 N-13  SUNDAY_  60-1113</Ref>
''Then I turned to look and I seen the United States was a smoldering something had burned it up.  And down beneath there I said, not in the trance, but, "I predict..." (remember this, I guess this is taped too), '''"I predict that these things will take place between now, 1933 and 1977."'''  Which will give us sixteen more years if my prediction strikes right.
''Now, there was seven things spoke of that would happen. Five of them has already happened. There's two left to take place. It'll be that way.  That's in the Name of the Lord it shall be that way. See?  Oh, He's great. [Someone speaks in tongues--Ed.] [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] Father, for Your Spirit for the... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
''Upon the people, the gifts that's in the Church. We thank Thee, Lord, for they speak in unity. They speak in unity of Thy coming. The prophets, the speakers with tongues, the interpreters, all are warning us. The hour is at hand, and truly we believe that it's later than we think. May we prepare our hearts and souls for the coming of the Lord.<Ref>CONFERENCE_  SHREVEPORT.LA  FRIDAY_  60-1125</Ref>
''And at 1906 the Laodicean church age set in, and I don't know when it'll end, but '''I predict it'll be done by 1977'''. I predict, not the Lord told me, but I predict it according to a vision that was showed me some years ago, that five of those things has (out of the seven)--has already taken place about...<Ref>THE.EPHESIAN.CHURCH.AGE_  JEFF.IN  ROJC 131-183  MONDAY_  60-1205</Ref>
''We believe that the Laodicean church started in A.D. 1906. I predict... Now, remember, "predict," especially you listening at the tape. I don't say it will be, but predict that it will end by 1977, that the church will go completely into apostasy, and she'll be ousted out of the mouth of God. And the second coming, or the rapture of Christ, might come any time. Now, I could miss that a year; I can miss it twenty years, I could miss it a hundred years. I don't know where. But I just predict that according to a vision He showed me, and taking the time, the way it's progressing, I say it'll be sometime between '33 and '77. At--'''at least, this great nation is going to strike a war that's going to blow it to bits.''' See? Now, that's pretty close; it's awful close. And I could be wrong; I'm predicting. Everybody understand say, "amen" if you do.<Ref>THE.LAODICEAN.CHURCH.AGE_  JEFF.IN  60-1211E</Ref>
''Now, counting the time, we find that we have exactly (Listen.) seventeen years left, and we will have the same span of time given to us as God dealing with us in the power of the Holy Spirit since A.D. 33 until 1977, '''the same span of time of 1954 years'''. God deals with us the same as He did with the Jews. See? How about that?
''Now, mark down in your book a little Scripture here I want to give you. Leviticus 25, begin with the 8th verse. God calls a jubilee every forty-ninth year; the fiftieth year was the jubilee. We know that. We understand that. From the first jubilee of Leviticus 25:8, in '''1977 will be the seventieth jubilee, making exactly 3,430 years'''. Jubilee means the going up, the release.<ref>THE.SEVENTIETH.WEEK.OF.DANIEL_  JEFF.IN 61-0806</ref>
''And I predicted that there would be some great tragedy happen to this United States before or by the year of 1977. How many remembers me saying that? Look at the hands. Sure...
''And here comes around and shows, and then I predicted... I never said the Lord told me that, but standing that morning in the church, I said, "The way progress..." I got back to one end of the wall and run to the other end of the wall, and I said, "The way progress is going on, I'll predict that the time (I don't know why I'm saying it.)--but I predict that that'll all happen between right now, 1933, and 1977. And not knowing it, God knows my heart, I never knowed it until yesterday, that 1977 is the jubilee, and exactly the same amount of time run out that He give with Israel and everything at the end. So we're at... And here we are at the end of the age, at the coming in of the seventieth week. We don't know what time that the church will be gone. Oh, my. What can we do, friends? Where are we at?
''Now, '''what's the next thing? The Seven Seals now'''. We drop right in on them when the Lord will permit. When that'll be, I don't know. Just whenever He delivers it, then we'll go right into it. Then we're going to have a long, long meeting, 'cause we're going to take from the 6th chapter through the 19th to get through it. And as slow as I am with it...
''Now, I do not want anyone to go away misunderstanding this. Tape's still playing? I don't want anyone to misunderstand it. Don't misunderstand now, and say, "Brother Branham said Jesus will come in 1977." I never said no such a thing. Jesus may come today. But I have predicted that between '33 and '77 something would take place, that these things that I seen come to pass in the vision would take place. And five of them has already took place.<ref>THE.SEVENTIETH.WEEK.OF.DANIEL_  JEFF.IN 61-0806</ref>
''The Laodicean Age began around the turn of the Twentieth Century, perhaps 1906. How long will it last? '''As a servant of God who has had multitudes of visions, of which NONE has ever failed, let me predict (I did not say prophesy, but predict) that this age will end around 1977'''. If you will pardon a personal note here, I base this prediction on seven major continuous visions that came to me one Sunday morning in June, 1933. The Lord Jesus spoke to me and said that the coming of the Lord was drawing nigh, but that before He came, seven major events would transpire. I wrote them all down and that morning I gave forth the revelation of the Lord. The first vision was that Mussolini would invade Ethiopia and that nation would "fall at his steps". That vision surely did cause some repercussions, and some were very angry when I said it and would not believe it. But it happened that way. He just walked in there with his modern arms and took over. The natives didn't have a chance. But the vision also said that Mussolini would come to a horrible end with his own people turning on him. That came to pass just exactly as it was said.
''Based on these seven visions, along with the rapid changes which have swept the world in the last fifty years, I PREDICT (I do not prophesy) that these visions will have all come to pass by 1977. And though many may feel that this is an irresponsible statement in view of the fact that Jesus said that 'no man knoweth the day nor the hour.' I still maintain this prediction after thirty years because, Jesus did NOT say no man could know the year, month or week in which His coming was to be completed. So I repeat, I sincerely believe and maintain as a private student of the Word, along with '''Divine inspiration that 1977 ought to terminate the world systems and usher in the millennium'''.<ref>321-3 LAODICEAN CHURCH AGE - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.9</ref>
=References=
<References/>


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