Elijah and Elisha did pray
William Branham said that neither Elijah or Elisha prayed when they raised a baby to life? Is this true? What does the Bible say?
What the Bible teaches
Elijah
What did Elijah do?
- And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.[1]
Elisha
Did Elisha pray?
- And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. 35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.[2]
Why did William Branham contradict the Bible?
Contrary to scripture, William Branham said Elijah did not pray:
- Elijah went with her to the death chamber, and there walked up-and-down the room, not praying for the baby. Walked up-and-down the room, then took and stretched his body out over the baby. Lord God worked in Elijah. Hallelujah![3]
Well at least he was consistent in contradicting scripture regarding Elisha as well:
And Elijah said, "Well, can't get rid of her, I might as well go with her." So he girded up his loins, and away he went. 215 Watch when he got into the room. He didn't know what to do. He never prayed. He just walked back and forth, up-and-down the floor, until he felt the Spirit of God come on him. Then he went and laid himself over the baby, and he sneezed seven times, and come to life.[4]
Why did he find it necessary to contradict scripture?
Footnotes
- ↑ The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 1 Ki 17:19–24.
- ↑ The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version. (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 2 Ki 4:32–35.
- ↑ William Branham, 50-0716 - Believest Thou This?, para. 79
- ↑ William Branham, 63-1116E - Perseverance, para. 214 & 215