Prophecy of the Cloud

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The Cloud: Just the Facts • Intro • Prophesied? • Location? • Cause? • Timing?

The Prophecy of the Cloud.

Page 112 of the May 1963 edition of Life Magazine

On December 22, 1962 in Jeffersonville, Indiana, just before 10:00 in the morning, William Branham said he saw a vision of Angels coming from the west in a pyramid-constellation. Shortly after this vision (and a year after the death of his mother), William Branham moved his family to Tuscon, Arizona, where he said the vision was fulfilled, commissioning a series of sermons on the Seven Seals.

Was this the prophecy that foretold the appearance of the sign of the Cloud in the heavens?

The Vision

The following quotes are taken from the sermon entitled "Reproach for the cause of the Word" spoken on December 23, 1962 in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It is interesting to note that nowhere in the entire sermon is the word "cloud" mentioned:

Talking to his Son

Now, I have had many things to happen in my life, but I never had anything like that. I went into a trance. I don't know the interpretation. I've never had anything like it in my life. But before me, it seemingly that I realized that it was a vision, and I was in the vision. But I was talking to my son, Joseph which he was not in the room at the time. But somehow, just as it struck me, I was talking to Joseph.

Little Birds

And I--I looked up, and kind of in the shape of a pyramid, standing before me, was little small birds, something like a half-inch long. And they were up at the top on the limbs, they was a--may say three or four, and the next--next limb had maybe eight or ten, and down at the bottom had fifteen or twenty. They were little warriors, because their feathers was beaten; and looked like they were trying to talk to me, saying something.

Near Tucson

'And I was in the west, seemingly around Tucson, Arizona.

Larger Birds

Then all of a sudden, one bird begin to take the other one's place--jumping like that--and they, the little birds, swiftly left, flying eastward. And when they did, from that came a larger bird, more like doves, with the pointed wings; and--and--and they come in a swarm and swiftly--more swift than what the little birds was--flew eastward.

A Blast

But here they come. And they were so terrifically fast, till I thought when it lifted up... I heard that explosion like, or like a blast that went out, like a sound barrier; and when it did, I thought, "Well, this must mean that I'm fixing to be killed (See?) in a blast of some sort." And--and I--and while I thought on those things, I thought, "No, it wouldn't be that, because if it was a blast, it would've got Joseph too, because there he is still talking, thinking that I'm there. I can hear him. It wasn't that."

Five angels mentioned five times

And no more than the second group of birds come by, I looked to the west; and it looked like in a form of a pyramid, like two on each side with one in the top, came five of the mightiest Angels I ever seen in my life. Such a terrific speed I never seen...

They were around me. I couldn't see them, but I'd been brought into this constellation of a pyramid of them, inside this constellation of--of Angels, of five. And I thought, "Now, a death angel would be one, five would be grace."

It just seemingly, just shakes me, that blasting and that swift coming of those Angels like that, five of them together, in a—a constellation of Them. Like, kind of like—like I had that pyramid drawed here, see. They looked to be, at first, They looked like, kind of a…in the distance, They looked kind of like that color of doves. And they were in—in coming from this way. And they were, look like, one, two; three, four; and then one right at the top, see, making five. And they come with such a speed! There is nothing, no jets, no nothing else can compare with that.

The Cloud was not prophesied

There is no mention in the vision of a cloud or any other sign in the heavens that would be seen by the general public.

The Vision Changes?

One week later, William Branham spoke a sermon entitled "Sirs, what is the time?" December 30, 1962 also spoken in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The remaining quotes are all taken from that sermon.

Five or Seven Angels?

And way off into eternity I saw a constellation of something coming. It looked like that it might've been little dots. There could've been no less than five, and not more than seven. But they were in the shape of a pyramid, like these messengers coming.

No, It's Definitely Seven

Knowing nothing about it, a blast come forth and here come seven angels from eternity.

Is these seven angels in this constellation that came to me... When I meet you at the day of the resurrection, you'll see that I lie not: God my Judge.

Could it be that? The mighty thunder, or the seventh angel in the seven constellation, seventh period constellation, the pyramid made in a form, three on a side, and one on top, and they dropped from eternity. Could it be? Is this the mystery of the thunders that will bring back the Headstone?

Why Did the Number of Angels Change?

The question must be asked: Why did the number of angels change over the period of a week?

In his book, "The Twentieth Century Prophet", Lee Vayle writes that he met with William Branham on December 26, 1962 and speculated whether the vision could relate to an unveiling of the seven thunders of Revelation 10.

Did William Brsnahm's discussion with Lee Vayle impact William Branham's recollection of the vision? Why did the number of angels change from clearly being five to being seven?

It is also possible that William Branham changed the number of angels in his vision to tie in more closely with the upcoming series of meetings on the Seven Seals

“By the help of God, I'll be here when this thing is finished and preach the Seven Seals;”

'I'm asking you the question. It blasted with thunder when this voice rung out. Did you notice that when the seven seals, that followed the seven church ages; when the first seal was opened, that there was a thunder? The first seals in the Book was opened, there was a thunder.

Could it be that? The mighty thunder, or the seventh angel in the seven constellation, seventh period constellation, the pyramid made in a form, three on a side, and one on top, and they dropped from eternity. Could it be? Is this the mystery of the thunders that will bring back the Headstone?...

And now Joseph is with him

In the first telling of the vision, Joseph is in another room. But now he is with William Branham:

Now, it seemed like that my little son, Joseph, was by my side. I was talking to him.

Other Questions about the Vision

1. His son, Joseph appears in the vision, yet has no part in its apparent fulfillment.

2. The Cloud figures very prominently as a sign that that accompanied the visitation of the seven angels. Why is it never mentioned in the vision if it is so important?

3. Why did the visitation of the angels center around Tucson while the cloud appeared over Flagstaff (over 200 miles away)?

What William Branham said after the fact

Six months later, William Branham claimed that the appearance of the cloud had been prophesied in advance:

Now science took the picture of It, you seen It, went on Associated Press. They didn’t know what It was. There is a Cloud hanging, twenty-six miles high. That’s fifteen miles, or twenty, above even where vapor is at. They don’t know what it’s all going about, and they are trying to investigate It. And there, right under It, I was standing. And those seven Angels roaring out their voices, of those Seven Seals, standing there. And the witness, three of us, as a witness of the things that was prophesied on the tape, Sirs, What Time Is It? And there now they’re trying to find out. It’s a mystery to them.

The following contains every reference to the word "cloud" in that sermon:

Now, in the 10th chapter of the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, I wish to read the first few verses, the first seven verses, 1 to 7. And listen close now, and pray for me. And I saw another mighty—another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud...

Did you notice here, this Angel? “He was clothed in a Cloud.” See, He was “a Cloud by day.” Now, that same Light.

Then is the time for the seven voices of Revelation 10 to be revealed. When the Book is finished, there is only one thing left, and that’s the seven mysterious voices of thunder that was wrote on the backside of the Book, that John was forbidden to write. Let me read it. And I saw an angel, mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as…the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire...

Just think of it! “An Angel, clothed in a cloud, and a rainbow covenant over His head.” Why, you know Who that is. “Put one foot on the land, and on the sea, and lift up His hand and swore, that, ‘When them Seven Thunders uttered their voices,’ that, ‘time would be no more.’”

And He comes down from Heaven, clothed in that Pillar of Light, Cloud, with a rainbow over His head. And a rainbow is a covenant. It was Christ, “With one foot on land, and one on the sea, and swore, that, ‘Time will be no more.’” Where are we at, sirs? What’s all this about? I’m asking you.

There was nothing prophetic regarding a "cloud" in the sermon.

Video Script

William Branham said that he saw a vision on December 22, 1962 in Jeffersonville, Indiana, just before 10:00 in the morning. He told about it in a sermon the very next day…

THE REPROACH FOR THE CAUSE OF THE WORD (62-1223)

But before me, it seemingly that I realized that it was a vision, and I was in the vision. But I was talking to my son, Joseph which he was not in the room at the time. But somehow, just as it struck me, I was talking to Joseph…

I looked to the west; and it looked like in a form of a pyramid, like two on each side with one in the top, came five of the mightiest Angels I ever seen in my life.

They were around me. I couldn't see them, but I'd been brought into this constellation of a pyramid of them, inside this constellation of--of Angels, of five… And I thought, "Now, a death angel would be one, five would be grace."

It just seem to just shakes me, that blasting, and that swift coming of those Angels, like that, five of them together in a constellation of them…

And they were in a--in a--coming from this way. And they were looked like one, two, three, four, and then one right at the top, making five.

He is very clear from his testimony that he saw 5 angels, because he repeats this five times in this sermon.

In Chapter 3 of the book, "The Twentieth Century Prophet", Lee Vayle states that he met with William Branham on December 26, 1962 and discussed this vision. He wrote that they speculated whether the vision could relate to the unveiling of the seven thunders of Revelation 10.

When William Branham retells the same vision on December 30, 1962, seven days after his first retelling, the number of angels begins to change from 5 to 7.

IS THIS THE SIGN OF THE END SIR? (62-1230E)

And way off into eternity I saw a constellation of something coming. It looked like that it might've been little dots. There could've been no less than five, and not more than seven. But they were in the shape of a pyramid, like these messengers coming.

In this sermon, Brother Branham also tells of another important set of meetings coming up…

IS THIS THE SIGN OF THE END SIR? (62-1230E)

You know, the next thing up, as far as we know, is those Seven Seals…

So on December 23 he is very clear that there were 5 angels in his vision, but on December 30th, he seems unsure as to whether there were 5 angels or 7 angels.

What caused the change?

Numbers were very important to Bro. Branham. In his sermon on December 23, he mentions the number 5 ten times, and the number 7 only five times. Then in his sermon on December 30, he mentions the number 5 seven times, and the number seven 64 times. But these sermons are about the same vision!

IS THIS THE SIGN OF THE END SIR? (62-1230E)

This year coming up is 1970. Seven years out of date...

And these Seven Seals, as you know, is just the manifestation of the seven angels of the Seven churches; but, there are Seven other Seals that's on the backside of the Book, It's outside the Bible.

...The Seven Golden Candlesticks, the Seven church ages...

...then is the time for the Seven voices of Revelations 10 to be revealed...

Seriously think. If it is, then the pyramid is capped by the Seven Thunders....

The people are present now, the six people that had those dreams. Isn't it strange there wasn't Seven? Isn't it very strange?

William Branham obviously paid very close attention to his discussion with Lee Vayle. Then, after he had introduced some doubt into the minds of the people as to how many angels he saw, he now lands decisively on the number seven.

IS THIS THE SIGN OF THE END SIR? (62-1230E)

And those blasting the other morning that shook me plumb till I raised up in the air as high as this building, and that constellation of angels, seven angels, in the form of a pyramid... Is that them thunders that's coming forth?...

Knowing nothing about it, a blast come forth and here come seven angels from eternity…

See? "Get west and come back." Or is it this? Is these seven angels in this constellation that came to me...

Could it be that? The mighty thunder, or the seventh angel in the seven constellation, seventh period constellation, the pyramid made in a form, three on a side, and one on top, and they dropped from eternity. Could it be? Is this the mystery of the thunders that will bring back the Headstone?

Is that why William Branham changed the vision from 5 to 7 angels? Did he change the vision because he knew he was going to be preaching the seven seals and wanted the vision to tie into that?

You may also be wondering why the cloud is not mentioned in this vision, if it was so important? But that is a topic for another video.

Thanks for watching...

Evidence from the Branham Family

Rebekah Branham Smith, William Branham's daughter, also wrote on the Cloud and specifically details the timing of the events surrounding the appearance of the Cloud in the Only Believe Magazine, "Road to Sunset".

• Only Believe Magazine, "Road to Sunset", Page 1
• Only Believe Magazine, "Road to Sunset", Page 2
• Only Believe Magazine, "Road to Sunset", Page 3
• Only Believe Magazine, "Road to Sunset", Page 4

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