The Sign of the Messiah

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William Branham taught that discernment (the revealing of people's hearts) was the "Sign of the Messiah". He used the example of Jesus talking to the woman at the well, and then showed how he (William Branham) also possessed this sign as proof that he was a prophet.

Who looks for a sign?

Many people came to Jesus asking for a sign. He replied:

An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; (Matthew 12:39)

This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; (Luke 11:29-30)

A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign (Matthew 16:1,4)

And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? (Mark 8:11-12)

What sign did Jesus promise?

The only sign that Jesus was the Messiah, was his death and resurrection:

Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. (John 2:18-19)

there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:38-40)

and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. (Luke 11:29-30)

and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. (Matthew 16:1,4)

There shall no sign be given unto this generation. (Mark 8:11-12)

What Old Testament Prophecy tells of the Messiah revealing the hearts?

There are no prophecies in the Old Testament that claim that the Messiah would have the gift of discernment. Instead, the prophecies about Jesus tell of his resurrection, pain, and sinless life:

1. Messiah would be born of a woman. (Genesis 3:15)
2. Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2)
3. Messiah would be born of a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14)
4. Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah. (Genesis 49:10)
5. Messiah would be heir to King David’s throne. (2 Samuel 7:12-13; Isaiah 9:7)
6. Messiah would spend time in Egypt. (Hosea 11:1)
7. Messiah would be rejected by his own people. (Psalms 69:8; Isaiah 53:3)
8. Messiah would be a prophet. (Deuteronomy 18:15)
9. Messiah would be preceded by Elijah, whom he identified as JOHN. (Malachi 4:5-6)
10. Messiah would speak in parables. (Psalms 78:2-4; Isaiah 6:9-10)
11. Messiah would be praised by little children. (Psalms 110:4)
12. Messiah’s price monies would be used to buy a field. (Zechariah 11:12-13)
13. Messiah would be crucified with criminals. (Isaiah 53:12)
14. Messiah’s bones would not be broken. (Exodus 12:46; Psalms 34:20)
15. Messiah would resurrect from the dead. (Psalms 16:10; Psalms 49:15)
16. Messiah would ascend to heaven. (Psalms 24:7-10)
17. Messiah would be a sacrifice for sin. (Isaiah 53:5-12)

The troubling doctrine of Christ Branham

William Branham claimed that he had the gift of discernment, and that discernment was the "Sign of the Messiah". Some claim this made him a prophet, but other logically conclude from this doctrine that William Branham is the Messiah. In claiming that discernment was the ‘sign of the Messiah’, William Branham taught that he alone possessed this sign for the Gentiles — the first and only person besides Jesus Christ! He became "the messiah to the Gentiles" in his own mind, because this is not a Biblical doctrine!

If you believe that discernment is the sign of the Messiah, you can only believe one of two things:

1. Either William Branham really was the Messiah, with the sign of the Messiah, or
2. William Branham was not the Messiah, but he had the sign of the Messiah. Since Messiah means Christ, this would make William Branham a false Christ.

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

What William Branham taught

William Branham said Jesus arrived at a town of Samaritans and spoke with a woman who was living in adultery. After their short conversation the woman went into the town calling out "Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" (John 4:29). The only Biblical evidence there is that the "sign of the Messiah" could be discernment...was the claim of an adulterous woman.

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.  But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’  And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the LORD has not spoken?’ — when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

Quotes of William Branham

Notice. She said, "Well, I perceive that Thou art a Prophet." She said... Now, watch close. She said, "We know that Messiah cometh, and when He comes, these signs will be with Him. But being that You're a Prophet, You must be a Prophet to have these Messiahic signs."

Notice. The sign of a seer was the Messiahic sign. She said, "I know when Messiah cometh, He will do these things. But Who are You? You must be a Prophet." Said, "But when Messiah comes, He will do this."

...and He went about and showed these kinds of signs, told Peter who he was and went through, and discerned the thoughts of the mind, and told the woman... And that was the sign of the Messiah.

Now, Jesus had come just exactly the way that He--they said--the Bible said He would come. And He did just exactly what the Bible said He would do. And yet, they did not believe Him. He performed the Messiahic sign and showed them that He was the Messiah (in the very same chapter), and they called Him a Beelzebub, a devil, because He was able to discern their thoughts. And they thought that He was a devil.

The church thinks today, "Oh, there was a great historical Christ. He--He healed the sick. He could discern the thoughts of their heart. He was a historical Christ. He came to the multitudes. He came to Peter, and He said to Peter, his name was Simon, said, 'Your name is Simon; your father's name was Jonas.' Oh sure, that was Jesus did that. That was the sign of the Messiah according to the Scriptures, what the prophet said."

What was the sign of the Messiah? Who knows what the Messiah sign was to be? A prophet (Is that right?), a discerner of thoughts and foretell. All Jews believe that He was a--the Messiah should be a--a forthteller, He would--He would know what was, and what would be, and what has been; that was the sign. All... God said, "If there be one among you who is spiritual or a prophet, I the Lord will make Myself known to him, speak to him in dreams and in visions. And if what he says comes to pass, then fear that prophet, for I'm with him. But if it doesn't, then don't you hear him; don't fear him at all 'cause I'm not with him." Well, that's just only sense.

"And I seen a man stand up on the platform, and by the power of discernment tell people who they were, and out in the meetings, and what was wrong. And just the way the Bible said Jesus done it, to show the sign of the Messiah.

Notice. When He came, He made Hisself known to the Jews by being a Messiah, by showing that He was the prophet that Moses rose up, or that Moses spoke of, rather, that He was the Messiah, because He did the sign of the Messiah. And they knew that was Messiah. He perceived their thoughts. That's the Word, sharper than a two-edged sword, a discerner of the thoughts of the heart. Is that right? And He was the Word, and here He is, discerning their thoughts.

He cared so much till when a woman, living with six man, identified and knowed and recognized His Messiahic sign of discernment, He cared enough till He forgive every sin and give her waters that she didn't come there to draw, because she recognized. She said, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet," when He told her what was wrong with her. And they, she was looking for that day to come, only she had been all church grouped, she didn't have a chance to do it. But when she seen a Man Who could tell her what was wrong with her, she said, "Sir, I perceive that Thou art a Prophet. I know when the Messiah cometh He'll do these things."

When, His Messianic sign, now watch, His Messianic sign identified His character, for it was God in a man, the Word. See what I mean? It discerned the thoughts, and told them all these things.

And being that I've told you all these nights, and tonight, that He is not dead; He is here, and promised to do the same thing. And promised that there would come a time in the last days, according to Malachi 4 and according to Saint Luke, that He would appear again in human form among His people and do the same things, and reveal the same thing, the same Messianic sign. How many knows that, you Bible readers, knows that's the Truth? Say, "Amen." [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] Must all be Bible readers.

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