William Branham and the International Money System
William Branham believed the Roman Catholic system was the richest organization in the world. Richer than all governments combined. He taught that Rome controlled all of the gold in the world and that eventually, Rome would call in all of the money in the world because the governments didn't have enough gold but Rome did.
In the words of William Branham:
- ...the Catholic church owns the wealth of the world. [1]
Is this true?
What is the total "wealth of the world"?
According to Credit Suisse's Global Wealth Report for 2019, the "wealth of the world" totalled just over $360 trillion[2]. North America was the wealthiest region at more than $114 trillion, with Europe at just under $91 trillion and China at almost $64 trillion.
What is the Roman Catholic church worth?
According to nasdaw.com:
- The Vatican Bank manages $64 billion of assets on behalf of its 17,400 customers, according to a Dec. 5, 2014, article in International Business Times (they don't own $64 billion, but manage it)
- The bank owns $764 million in equity.
- The bank keeps gold reserves worth over $20 million with the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Pope Francis made the Vatican Bank's financial and operational statements public. According to a May 29, 2015 article in Reuters, for the fiscal year 2014, the Vatican Bank reported about $76 million in net profit.
According to a March 9, 2013 report by the National Post, a Canadian newspaper, the Vatican owns:
- 716,290 square kilometres of land globally — an area slightly bigger than the province of Alberta. Properties include Vatican embassies, churches, cathedrals, monasteries, some schools and convents.
- $10 billion in marketable securities
- One metric tonne of gold (worth $64.3 million at $2,000 per ounce)
While this is a lot of money, it is not even close to the "wealth of the world", even if the estimates of Vatican wealth are significantly under-reported.
What can we conclude?
William Branham appears to be way off the money on this prophecy (pardon the pun).
Does the Roman Catholic church have the ability to "call in all the money"?
William Branham stated on several occasions that:
- Rome has acquired nearly all the supplies of gold. The Jews have the bonds and all the paper. At the right time, the harlot will destroy the present day money system by calling in all the paper, and demanding gold. With no gold, the system falls.[3]
This might have been theoretically possible when William Branham was alive if the Vatican had a sufficient amount of gold (but they didn't as indicated above). this was because of the "Bretton Woods" system of monetary management which established the rules for commercial and financial relations among the United States, Canada, Western European countries, Australia, and Japan under the 1944 Bretton Woods Agreement. The chief features of the Bretton Woods system were an obligation for each country to adopt a monetary policy that maintained its external exchange rates within 1 percent by tying its currency to gold.
However, the Bretton Woods system came to an end on August 15, 1971, when President Richard Nixon ended the gold-based system. The current system of monetary management is referred to as the "Washington Consensus". This system is not backed by gold and the gold standard[4] no longer exists globally.
Our conclusion
William Brnahm's prophecy relating to the Roman Catholic church "calling in all the money" because of its massive gold reserves is a false prophecy. It could not happen today because:
- There is currently about $1.2 trillion of US currency in circulation according to the New York Federal Reserve Bank.
- The Vatican does not have sufficient gold reserves to "call in all the money".
- Even if the Vatican had sufficient gold reserves to "call in all the money," they have no right to do so. US currency is no longer on the gold standard.
What William Branham prophesied could not happen. He made a false prophecy. Or he had no clue what he was talking about.
Quotes of William Branham
392 That’s the only sensible thing to do, change the currency. But they won’t do it, under this present ministration. Roman Catholic church owns the gold of the world. And what they’ll do is sell out, “These rich men,” and so forth, “of the earth,” as the Bible said. What will they do, before they lose? The Brown and Williamson Tobacco Company, most all of it’s Catholic, anyhow. And all these other things, what will they do? They’ll accept that, and they’ll take the money from Rome, and then she sold her very birthright. Rome backs her up. Yes, sir. She’ll back it up. And they’re getting enough policy now, getting enough around them, bringing in his cabinet. Look what Mr. Kennedy is asking for.[5]
216 We’ll have to do that, or there’s one thing stuck in our face, that is, that the Catholic church owns the wealth of the world. She’s got the money. She’s got the gold, to buy our bonds back again. That’s exactly. And you think these whiskey dealers, and tobacco dealers, and great people of the country won’t sell out, to keep from losing all their business and counterfeiting the currency? They’ll go right back and take that money from the Catholic church, and then she’s sold. Right. Don’t the Bible predict that, “The wealth of the world”? I’m not a politician, neither a smart man, but I thank the Lord I know Him. And that’s right. There is where she’s going to lay, right there. You watch it. You watch and see if that ain’t right. Just…I hope we all live to see it, and I don’t think we’ll have to live too long. 63-0119 - The Way Of A True Prophet
178 We are living off of tax money that will be paid in forty years from today. The nation is broke. Where is it at? Who has got the money? We haven’t got it? Our—our bonds are no good. We’ve got to have gold. Who’s got it? The Catholic church. What will they do? Before these whiskey man and all these great holders and stockholders will ever give it up, they will absolutely sell out, and the church will loan the nation the money. And what it will do, it’ll sell its birthrights right straight into Catholicism. Then what are you going to do? That’s the gold of the world, them and the Jews, and that’s the covenant that he makes with Israel. 63-0628M - O Lord, Just Once More
Furthermore, the elect will not only be kept, but as this move becomes the “IMAGE ERECTED TO THE BEAST,” the saints will be gone in the rapture. And this little delightful, winsome movement that started out in fellowship at Ephesus will become the monster of Satan that defiles and deceives the whole world. For the church system of the Roman Catholic and the Protestant in coming together will control the whole wealth of the world system and force the whole earth into its religious trap, or will kill them, by refusing them the privilege of buying and selling whereby they would make a living. This will be accomplished simply, for the harlot’s daughters are all but gone back to her. In the meantime, Rome has acquired nearly all the supplies of gold. The Jews have the bonds and all the paper. At the right time, the harlot will destroy the present day money system by calling in all the paper, and demanding gold. With no gold, the system falls. The Jews will be trapped and come into the alliance, and the harlot church will take over the whole world. An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - 8 - The Philadelphian Church Age
This may seem far fetched to some but actually it is very plain for all to see because right now the churches are controlling politics and at the opportune time will manifest exactly how great is that control. This ecumenical move will end up with Rome at the head even though the people did not envision it that way. This is so because in Revelation 17:3-6 it states that the whore, Mystery Babylon is seated on the beast. She is controlling the last, or fourth empire. This Roman Church is doing that. With the world church system under her Rome will be controlling, and this image (church system) will be obedient to Rome because Rome controls the gold of the world. Thus all the people have to belong to the world church system or be at the mercy of the elements for they cannot buy or sell without the mark of the beast in the hand or head. An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - 10 - A Resume Of The Ages
Footnotes
- ↑ William Branham, 63-0119 - The Way Of A True Prophet, para. 216
- ↑ All of the amounts are reported in USD
- ↑ An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - 8 - The Philadelphian Church Age
- ↑ The gold standard refers to a currency that is back by physical gold reserves
- ↑ William Branham, 62-1014M - The Stature Of A Perfect Man, para. 392