William Branham and the mother eagle: Difference between revisions

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:'''''"...these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories."'''''<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 2 Pe 2:3.</ref>

==Where did William Branham get his story?==

Deuteronomy 32:11 states:

:As an eagle stirs up its nest, and hovers over its young,

:He spread His wings, He caught them, He carried them on His pinions.<ref>New American Standard Bible (Dt 32:11). (2020). The Lockman Foundation.</ref>

This is similar to the statement in Exodus 19:4:

:You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself.<ref>New American Standard Bible (Ex 19:4). (2020). The Lockman Foundation.</ref>

First, although the eagle cannot be totally ruled out, the bird referred to is more likely the griffin vulture, with a wingspan of eight to ten feet.<ref>Matthews, V. H., Chavalas, M. W., & Walton, J. H. (2000). The IVP Bible background commentary: Old Testament (electronic ed., Dt 32:11). InterVarsity Press.</ref>

This is a metaphor, and one must read it closely. While this can be read as stating that this is the actual behaviour of the bird in question, it is not necessarily so. The passage talks about the eagle stirring up its nest and hovering over its young. Then, it states that GOD spread HIS wings, caught Israel and carried them. That does not mean that this behaviour was ever observed in a vulture (or eagle) in the wild.

It appears that William Branham misinterpreted this passage as stating that this was a common behaviour of eagles and then invented the story of him observing this behaviour when it has never been observed by ornithologists or anyone else.

=Video Transcript=

@@ Line 23: / Line 23: @@
 :'''''"...these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories."'''''<ref>The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), 2 Pe 2:3.</ref>
+==Where did William Branham get his story?==
+Deuteronomy 32:11 states:
+:As an eagle stirs up its nest, and hovers over its young,
+:He spread His wings, He caught them, He carried them on His pinions.<ref>New American Standard Bible (Dt 32:11). (2020). The Lockman Foundation.</ref>
+This is similar to the statement in Exodus 19:4:
+:You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to Myself.<ref>New American Standard Bible (Ex 19:4). (2020). The Lockman Foundation.</ref>
+First, although the eagle cannot be totally ruled out, the bird referred to is more likely the griffin vulture, with a wingspan of eight to ten feet.<ref>Matthews, V. H., Chavalas, M. W., & Walton, J. H. (2000). The IVP Bible background commentary: Old Testament (electronic ed., Dt 32:11). InterVarsity Press.</ref>
+This is a metaphor, and one must read it closely. While this can be read as stating that this is the actual behaviour of the bird in question, it is not necessarily so. The passage talks about the eagle stirring up its nest and hovering over its young. Then, it states that GOD spread HIS wings, caught Israel and carried them. That does not mean that this behaviour was ever observed in a vulture (or eagle) in the wild.
+It appears that William Branham misinterpreted this passage as stating that this was a common behaviour of eagles and then invented the story of him observing this behaviour when it has never been observed by ornithologists or anyone else.
 =Video Transcript=