Revision as of 22:39, 18 July 2014

Most Message Believers recognize that the are visions and prophecies relating to William Branham that were not fulfilled in his lifetime.

The Returned Ministry Sect

This DC-7C was sitting in Arizona for years, waiting for the resurrection of William Branham

The Returned Ministry Sect is a group within the Message that believes that William Branham will rise from the dead to "ride this trail once again." At the time of his resurrection, he will:

Hold a large tent meeting
Speak to 300,000 people in Africa in a single meeting
Shoot a large brown bear
Speak things into existence.

Apparently Evan Mosley held a large plane on standby for years waiting for William Branham's return. It is ironic that William Branham mocked the religion of Islam for holding a white horse as they waited for the resurrection of their prophet.

Why must William Branham Come Back?

But some followers of Wiliam Branham's message admit that there are visions that were left unfulfilled at the time of his death. However, they are not prepared to admit that William Branham was not a true prophet. Their method of dealing with the unfulfilled visions is to hold to a doctrine that William Branham will return from the dead prior to the rapture to fulfill all of the visions that remain unfulfilled.

This is an example of Cognitive dissonance in action, as believers try to lower the importance of certain critical facts to rationalize unfulfilled prophecies.

What does the Bible say?

Hebrews 9:27

...it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. (KJV)

...it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment. (ESV)

Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God. (GNT)

There is no scriptural basis for William Branham or anyone else to return from the dead years after they have died. What this explanation does demonstrate is the reality of cognitive dissonance in message believers.

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.

The Signs of His Coming, April 7 1962

He said here was the test of a prophet: if a prophet prophesied, and that what he said come to pass, then hear him. But if it don't come to pass, then God hasn't spoke. That's all. So don't--don't fear him. That's right. "If there be one among you who's spiritual or a prophet, I, the Lord God, will make myself known unto him in visions, speak to him in dreams. And if it comes to pass, then I--that's Me speaking." Sure, God ain't going to lie. You know He can't lie there's nothing in Him to lie. He's the Fountain of all purity, all truth, is God. So it can't be a lie come from God. He's perfect, pure.

There were a number of prophecies or visions which William Branham told that did not come to pass. How many false visions or prophecies is a true prophet of God allowed to have? The answer according to scripture is "none".

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-Some message believers recognize that the are visions and prophecies relating to William Branham that were not fulfilled in his lifetime.
+Most Message Believers recognize that the are visions and prophecies relating to William Branham that were not fulfilled in his lifetime.
-=The Problem=
+=The Returned Ministry Sect=
+[[Image:Branham Aircraft.jpg|thumb|right|300px|This DC-7C was sitting in Arizona for years, waiting for the resurrection of William Branham]]
+The Returned Ministry Sect is a group within the Message that believes that William Branham will rise from the dead to "ride this trail once again." At the time of his resurrection, he will:
-Deuteronomy 18:21–22
+*Hold a large tent meeting
-:''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.''
+*Speak to 300,000 people in Africa in a single meeting
+*Shoot a large brown bear
-The Signs of His Coming, April 7 1962
+*Speak things into existence.
-:''He said here was the test of a prophet: if a prophet prophesied, and that what he said come to pass, then hear him. But if it don't come to pass, then God hasn't spoke. That's all. So don't--don't fear him. That's right. "If there be one among you who's spiritual or a prophet, I, the Lord God, will make myself known unto him in visions, speak to him in dreams. And if it comes to pass, then I--that's Me speaking." Sure, God ain't going to lie. You know He can't lie there's nothing in Him to lie. He's the Fountain of all purity, all truth, is God. So it can't be a lie come from God. He's perfect, pure.''
-There were a number of prophecies or visions which William Branham told that did not come to pass.  How many false visions or prophecies is a prophet allowed?  The answer according to scripture is "none".  But how do followers of William Branham's message deal with the unfulfilled prophecies?
-=The Solution (for members of the Returned Ministry Sect=
+Apparently Evan Mosley held a large plane on standby for years waiting for William Branham's return.  It is ironic that William Branham mocked the religion of Islam for holding a white horse as they waited for the resurrection of their prophet.
-[[Cognitive Dissonance|Cognitive dissonance]] will not allow a message believer to contemplate the possibility of unfulfilled visions, so most message followers use the technique of lowering the importance of the discordant facts by rationalizing the unfulfilled prophecies in such a way as to make them unimportant.
+=Why must William Branham Come Back?=
+But some followers of Wiliam Branham's message admit that there are visions that were left unfulfilled at the time of his death.  However, they are not prepared to admit that William Branham was not a true prophet.  Their method of dealing with the unfulfilled visions is to hold to a doctrine that William Branham will return from the dead prior to the rapture to fulfill all of the visions that remain unfulfilled.
-But some followers of William Branham's message admit that there are visions that were left unfulfilled at the time of his death.  However, they are not prepared to admit that William Branham was not a true prophet.  Their method of dealing with the unfulfilled visions is to hold to a doctrine that William Branham will return from the dead prior to the rapture to fulfill all of the visions that remain unfulfilled.
+This is an example of [[Cognitive Dissonance|Cognitive dissonance]] in action, as believers try to lower the importance of certain critical facts to rationalize unfulfilled prophecies.
-=Is this Biblical?=
+=What does the Bible say?=
 Hebrews 9:27
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 There is no scriptural basis for William Branham or anyone else to return from the dead years after they have died.  What this explanation does demonstrate is the reality of [[Cognitive Dissonance|cognitive dissonance]] in message believers.
-Deuteronomy 22:18 provides clear instructions which message believers are prepared to ignore because of their firm belief that William Branham was a true prophet.
+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.''
+The Signs of His Coming, April 7 1962
+:''He said here was the test of a prophet: if a prophet prophesied, and that what he said come to pass, then hear him. But if it don't come to pass, then God hasn't spoke. That's all. So don't--don't fear him. That's right. "If there be one among you who's spiritual or a prophet, I, the Lord God, will make myself known unto him in visions, speak to him in dreams. And if it comes to pass, then I--that's Me speaking." Sure, God ain't going to lie. You know He can't lie there's nothing in Him to lie. He's the Fountain of all purity, all truth, is God. So it can't be a lie come from God. He's perfect, pure.''
+There were a number of prophecies or visions which William Branham told that did not come to pass.  How many false visions or prophecies is a true prophet of God allowed to have?  The answer according to scripture is "none".