BelieveTheSign

Plum and Apple Trees: Difference between revisions

← Older edit
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
No edit summary
 
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Top of Page}}
{{Top of Page}}
{| style="width:200px; border:1px solid #E8B399;background-color:#F0DCC8;vertical-align:top; float:right; text-align:center; padding: 0.3em;margin-left:15px"
|'''[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/French#La_v.C3.A9rit.C3.A9_pure_et_simple_sur_la_Trinit.C3.A9 En Francais]''' <br> La vérité pure et simple sur la Trinité   
|-
|}
On the morning William Branham laid the cornerstone for the Branham Tabernacle in 1933, he had a vision. It's not a minor or obscure one. Branham described it in his own words, it made it into his published "Life Story," and he referred back to it repeatedly throughout his ministry. And his own interpretation of it is the problem.
=The Vision of the Plum and Apple Trees=
[[Image:AppleTree.jpg|thumb|75px|left|The Apple Tree represents Trinitarian Christians]]
[[Image:PlumbTree.jpg|thumb|75px|right|The Plum Tree represents Oneness Christians]]
In the vision, the Apple Tree represents Trinitarian Christians and the Plum Tree represents Oneness Christians. Here's how Branham himself described what he saw:
<blockquote>''"And just then I held up my hands, and was shouting the glory of God. And all of a sudden that Pillar of Fire came down over the top of those trees, and the roar and the lightnings flashed, and the winds blew real hard, and the leaves begin to blowing from the trees. And I looked way down, it was in the shape of this Tabernacle, the way it sets now. And at the end where the pulpit would be, there were three trees, and those three trees taken shape of three crosses. And I noticed that both plums and apples were gathered in a clusters around the middle cross."''</blockquote>
That's not ambiguous. Both kinds of fruit — Trinitarian and Oneness — gathered around the cross together. And Branham spelled out exactly what it meant:
<blockquote>''"Both fruits was found in the cross. See? Both of them was in the cross, all clustered together... All found in the cross, because they all believed in God and are filled with the Holy Ghost, and have the Christian works and signs following."''</blockquote>


On the morning William Branham laid the cornerstone for the Branham Tabernacle in 1933, he had a vision. It's not a minor or obscure one. Branham described it in his own words, it made it into his published "Life Story," and he referred back to it repeatedly throughout his ministry. And his own interpretation of it is the problem.
He even made a point of saying he'd lived by this vision:
<blockquote>''"I have never proselyted. I've never said, 'All you trinitarians be oneness' or 'all you oneness be trinitarians.' I have planted in their own vessels... I've eat the fruit from both sides, salvation on both sides."''</blockquote>


In the vision, the Apple Tree represents Trinitarian Christians and the Plum Tree represents Oneness Christians. Here's how Branham himself described what he saw:<blockquote>''"And just then I held up my hands, and was shouting the glory of God. And all of a sudden that Pillar of Fire came down over the top of those trees, and the roar and the lightnings flashed, and the winds blew real hard, and the leaves begin to blowing from the trees. And I looked way down, it was in the shape of this Tabernacle, the way it sets now. And at the end where the pulpit would be, there were three trees, and those three trees taken shape of three crosses. And I noticed that both plums and apples were gathered in a clusters around the middle cross."''</blockquote>That's not ambiguous. Both kinds of fruit — Trinitarian and Oneness — gathered around the cross together. And Branham spelled out exactly what it meant:<blockquote>''"Both fruits was found in the cross. See? Both of them was in the cross, all clustered together... All found in the cross, because they all believed in God and are filled with the Holy Ghost, and have the Christian works and signs following."''</blockquote>He even made a point of saying he'd lived by this vision:<blockquote>''"I have never proselyted. I've never said, 'All you trinitarians be oneness' or 'all you oneness be trinitarians.' I have planted in their own vessels... I've eat the fruit from both sides, salvation on both sides."''</blockquote>So far, so clear. Trinitarians are saved. Oneness believers are saved. The vision confirmed it. God showed it. Branham believed it and said so openly to his congregation — including the Trinitarians sitting in the room.
So far, so clear. Trinitarians are saved. Oneness believers are saved. The vision confirmed it. God showed it. Branham believed it and said so openly to his congregation — including the Trinitarians sitting in the room.


Then 1965 happened.
Then 1965 happened.


In July of that year, Branham said this:<blockquote>''"Jesus said, 'Except you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.' He is the revelation of God, the Spirit of God revealed in human form. If you can't believe that, you're lost. You put Him a third person, second person, or any other person besides God, you're lost."'' (July 25, 1965)</blockquote>"You're lost." Not mistaken. Not in need of correction. '''Lost.'''
In July of that year, Branham said this:
 
<blockquote>''"Jesus said, 'Except you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.' He is the revelation of God, the Spirit of God revealed in human form. If you can't believe that, you're lost. You put Him a third person, second person, or any other person besides God, you're lost."'' (July 25, 1965)</blockquote>
 
"You're lost." Not mistaken. Not in need of correction. '''Lost.'''


That's a direct contradiction of the vision. Not a nuance. Not a development. A flat-out reversal. In 1933, God supposedly showed Branham that Trinitarians and Oneness believers are both found at the cross. In 1965, Branham declared that believing in the Trinity damns you. These two positions cannot both be true.
That's a direct contradiction of the vision. Not a nuance. Not a development. A flat-out reversal. In 1933, God supposedly showed Branham that Trinitarians and Oneness believers are both found at the cross. In 1965, Branham declared that believing in the Trinity damns you. These two positions cannot both be true.
Line 18: Line 36:


Either answer is a serious concession. And Branham's followers have to pick one.
Either answer is a serious concession. And Branham's followers have to pick one.
{| style="width:200px; border:1px solid #E8B399;background-color:#F0DCC8;vertical-align:top; float:right; text-align:center; padding: 0.3em;margin-left:15px"
 
|'''[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/French#La_v.C3.A9rit.C3.A9_pure_et_simple_sur_la_Trinit.C3.A9 En Francais]''' <br> La vérité pure et simple sur la Trinité   
=The Full Vision of the Plum and Apple Trees=
|-
|}
=The Vision of the Plum and Apple Trees=
[[Image:AppleTree.jpg|thumb|75px|left|The Apple Tree represents Trinitarian Christians]]
[[Image:PlumbTree.jpg|thumb|75px|right|The Plum Tree represents Oneness Christians]]
''But I have come to this place that I want to explain what stage of time we're living in according to the ministry that the Lord give me. And I wanted to record it from the Tabernacle. It came on my heart last spring, but I waited till got back here so I could get a--a recording of it to send it to you peoples of the world.''
''But I have come to this place that I want to explain what stage of time we're living in according to the ministry that the Lord give me. And I wanted to record it from the Tabernacle. It came on my heart last spring, but I waited till got back here so I could get a--a recording of it to send it to you peoples of the world.''


Line 52: Line 65:


''Now, the denomination won't have nothing to do with it. It'll be the borned again that'll have anything to do with it. It'll be your experience with God that'll have to do with it. Now, we see so much of that.''<ref>William Branham, Present Stage of My Ministry, September 8, 1962</ref>
''Now, the denomination won't have nothing to do with it. It'll be the borned again that'll have anything to do with it. It'll be your experience with God that'll have to do with it. Now, we see so much of that.''<ref>William Branham, Present Stage of My Ministry, September 8, 1962</ref>
=William Branham's changing beliefs=
William Branham appeared to believe the doctrine of the Trinity:
:''And may the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, come in now, the Promise, the Comforter, that You said You would send.<ref>51-0729A - The Resurrection Of Lazarus, para. 28</ref>
:''He’s the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity here tonight...<ref>58-0316E - Door To The Heart, para. 59</ref>
And sometimes he waffled:
:''...the Holy Ghost; you call It the third Person of the trinity, that’s fine...<ref>61-0211 - Abraham, para. 56</ref>
=Does William Branham later contradict his vision from God?=
In 1965, William Branham said:
:''“Jesus said, "Except you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." He is the revelation of God, the Spirit of God revealed in human form. If you can't believe that, you're lost. You put Him a third person, second person, or any other person besides God, you're lost.“'' (July 25, 1965)
If William Branham was correct in condemning Trinitarians in 1965, then the vision of the plum and apple trees from 1933 was wrong. If the vision from 1933 is wrong, then William Branham was a false prophet as visions should not be subject to [[Progressive Revelation]].  Or did God suddenly change his mind on the subject.  Do you think that William Branham was wrong in his teaching in 1965, or that the 1933 vision was false?


[http://en.believethesign.com/images/e/e0/The_Simple_Truth_about_the_Trinity.pdf Click here for a printable summary of this vision].
[http://en.believethesign.com/images/e/e0/The_Simple_Truth_about_the_Trinity.pdf Click here for a printable summary of this vision].
Retrieved from "https://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Plum_and_Apple_Trees"