Malachi 4:5
| What do you think? The statements by William Branham included in these articles are so strong, they force you to make a conclusion. (a) Will you accept William Branham's statements and conclude that he was God himself - greater than Jesus, equal to the Holy Spirit, infallible, and above reproach? (b) Or will you conclude that William Branahm was delusional. There is no middle ground, because to compromise these statements requires you to deny William Branham's own words. It's time to choose: is William Branham's word Infallible, or was his message fallible? |
This article is one in a series of studies on the doctrines of William Branham that pointed to himself - you are currently on the article that is in bold:
- Revelation 10:7
- The Fulfillment of Malachi 4:5
- The Laodicean Church Age Messenger
- Matthew 17:11
- Luke 17:30
- Matthew 24:28
- Zechariah 14:7
- Joel 2:25
- 1 Thessalonians 4:16
- The Importance of a Seven-Lettered Name
- The Prophet and The Eagle
- The Sign of the Messiah
- Two major prophets never ministered at the same time
- William Branham's View of Himself
- William Branham and the Nation of Israel
William Branham taught that he was the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5-6. This is a foundational doctrine of the message.
As a result of our research, we have had countless people email us asking the question: "If Bro. Branham wasn't the fulfillment of Malachi 4:5, then who is?"
The problem with this question is that it starts with an assumption that a Gentile Elijah must come. But is this assumption correct? Do we have to look for a Gentile prophet to fulfill Malachi 4:5?
Here are a number of views that most message believers should consider when asking this question. We should also add that we are not pointing to any man, church, denomination or system. People need Jesus Christ and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
The questions that need to be asked when looking at William Branham's interpretation of Malachi 4 are as follows:
- If the least in the kingdom of God is greater than John the Baptist (and therefore, also greater than Elijah) why would we need another Elijah prophet?
- If Jesus himself said that John the Baptist fulfilled Malachi 4, why did William Branham say he didn't?
- If we have the Holy Spirit to teach us all things, why would we need Elijah?
- According to a careful reading of the text, there is no half scripture left to fulfill. So is the scripture really saying we should expect another Elijah prophet?
- What if William Branham's interpretation is based on the ambiguous wording of the King James Version, but newer translations confirm his interpretation is doubtful?
- Why should we even expect a Gentile prophet if all the prophets were until John?
These questions and others are answered below.
Who was Malachi's message directed to?
William Branham claims that the message of the prophet Malachi was to both Israel and to the Gentiles. But look at the plain wording of the opening statement of the Book of Malachi:
- A prophecy: The word of the LORD to Israel through Malachi.[1]
Malachi's message was to Israel. That is what the Bible says. It does not say it is to Israel and to the Gentiles at the end-times.
The spirit of Elijah, and the spirit of Jesus
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, among those born of women, no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is." (Mt 11:11).
The least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist.
Why?
Because every true Christian has the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which is far greater than the spirit of Elijah!
Why would we need the spirit of Elijah when each believer possesses something greater?
Are we falling short of what God intended for believers by looking for the spirit of Elijah when, in fact, we possess something much greater? Are we really living and attaining to the level of spiritual life that God intends for us?
Malachi 4 vs. Malachi 3
William Branham stated that John the Baptist fulfilled Malachi 3 but did not fulfill Malachi 4.
However, Jesus told his disciples, referring to John, that "if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, who is to come." (Matt 11:14)
The problem is that there is only one reference to Elijah in Malachi, and that is in Malachi 4. So how could William Branham's interpretation that John did not fulfill Malachi 4 be correct if Jesus specifically referred to John the Baptist as Elijah, a direct reference to Malachi 4?
Scriptures
Matthew 11:!4
- And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, who is to come.
Mark 9:11-13
- Then they asked him, “Why do the experts in the law say that Elijah must come first?” He said to them, “Elijah does indeed come first, and restores all things. And why is it written that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be despised? But I tell you that Elijah has certainly come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written about him.”
Luke 1:13
- But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you will name him John. Joy and gladness will come to you, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go as forerunner before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”
Restoration time
Jesus said, “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.” (Mt 17:11b)
This statement has been interpreted by some to mean that Elijah’s spirit is needed again as John the Baptist did not restore all things.
This presents two problems.
First, this ignores Jesus statement, “that Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed… Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.” (Mt 17:12-13)
In other words, John the Baptist introduced Jesus Christ, who was the only person able to restore man to their intended condition. When John bore witness of the light, he was pointing the way back to the Word of God. “In the beginning was the Word,”(John 1:1a) and John the Baptist restored that Word to the people.
Second, Jesus said that the Holy Ghost would “teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26). Why would Elijah be needed if we have the Holy Spirit to teach us all things, and if it is the Spirit himself that brings all things to remembrance?
Turning the hearts
An angel prophecied to Zacharias, before the birth of John the Baptist, that he would “go before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17).
The first, second, and fourth parts of this verse are very clear. The third part says, “the disobedient to the wisdom of the just.” Since it is usually children who are disobedient, and usually parents who have wisdom, this part of the verse could be interpreted to read “to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers.” If this is the true meaning of the prophecy in Luke 1:17, there is no half-scripture left for Elijah to fulfil.
The Great and Dreadful Day
Malachi 4:5 says that Elijah will come before:
- “the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.” (KJV)
- “the coming of the day of Jehovah, The great and the fearful.” (Young’s Literal Translation)
- “the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.” (ESV)
The Hebrew word translated as "dreadful" in the KJV includes the meanings "to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe; or, to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe.”
William Branham, relies on the "dreadful" interpretation of this Hebrew word when he states in the Church Age Book, See, immediately after the coming of THIS Elijah, the earth will be cleansed by fire and the wicked burned to ashes. Of course, this did NOT happen at the time of John (the Elijah for his day.)
However, if the true meaning is “awesome” rather than “dreadful, then this verse is not stating that Elijah will come before judgement. It is stating that he will come prior to the first coming of Jesus. Malachi 4:6 then goes on to say that God will strike the earth if Elijah never comes.
Jesus’ ministry
The following paragraphs are all based on the KJV:
When Jesus was on earth, his ministry was to proclaim “the acceptable year of the LORD” (Luke 4:19). Jesus also said that he would send the “the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost” (John 14:26a). Isaiah 61:2 says that the ministry of the Messiah (Christ, the anointed) was to “proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn”.
- The acceptable year was Jesus’ teaching ministry
- The comforter (the Holy Spirit) came on the day of Pentecost
- The day of vengeance of our God would have to be between these two times, as the scripture is ordered this way.
As a result, the “day of vengeance of our God” is not the tribulation, but the day of the crucifixion and burial of Jesus Christ. That was the day that Jesus Christ suffered God's wrath and vengeance for sin on our behalf.
The Law and the Prophets were until John
Jesus said that “all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:13-15).
Paul taught that “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Romans 10:4). So, if the law has no dominion over Christians after Jesus’ righteousness is imputed to us by faith, then the judgment of the prophets (including Elijah) also have no dominion over us by the same faith.
Note what Peter said:
- But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.[2]
The Old Testament had false prophets but what we were to watch for in the New Testament is false teachers.
Elijah’s 4th coming
William Branham stated that Elijah was to come FIVE times:
- Elijah
- Elisha
- John the Baptist
- William Branham
- One of the two witnesses of Rev. 11
But in his haste to point to himself, did William Branham forget another coming of Elijah?
Peter spoke to Jesus on Mount Transfiguration and said, “Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.” (Matthew 17:4)
He said this because he had seen Moses and Elijah with Jesus. This is the second appearing of Elijah in the New Testament and the fourth in the Bible.
So if William Branham's biblical interpretation is correct and the spirit of Elihjah was to appear five time, then there is no room for a Gentile Elijah.
Quotes of William Branham
Audio Letter to Lee Vayle (May 1964, Tucson, AZ)
- You think it would be good here to let the public know that this wasn't the John of Malachi 4? This is John of Malachi 3, for in Matthew 11, you might quote it like this. See, Matthew 11:9, we put it.
- But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, whom it is written, Behold I send My messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
- Now, that's Malachi 3, not Malachi 4. The Malachi 4 prophet is to come in this day, when the Lord is going to burn the Gentile world just--or the whole Gentile world up like He did at Sodom. You see? It's going to be Malachi 4 when He did that, not Malachi 3. Malachi 3 was John the Baptist also in the spirit of Elijah. But Malachi 4 here is John-or--or Elijah returning again just before the great and terrible day of the Lord, to turn the hearts of the children.
- John did it when he come, and this prophet will do the same thing in the--in the Malachi 4. See, there's two different times. And Jesus refers to it here as Malachi 3. "Behold, I send My messenger before My face." Jesus referring to John here... And Matthew 11 refers to it as Malachi 3. "My messenger before My face," not before the great and terrible day of the Lord shall come.
- I thought you might inject that there and let the public know that Malachi 3 Elijah, and Malachi 4 Elijah, are two different prophets altogether.
QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.4 JEFF.IN 64-0830E
- In Malachi 4, this Elijah is to take the hearts of the fathers to the children, and then the hearts of the children to the fathers. Is this the same person?
- Yes, the same person. All right. Oh, wait a minute. No. Pardon me; I'm sorry. Just... See the Holy Spirit catch that for me then? No. I thought it said the... See?
- What it was in Malachi 3, there, "I send My messenger before My face," which was Elijah. In Malachi 4 it turns back around and said, "Behold I send Elijah." Malachi 3, He was to take a messenger sent before the face of the Lord Jesus, which was John. How many understands that? Malachi 4, when this Elijah comes, immediately after that--his Message and things, and after the--is the coming of the Lord and the renewing of the earth...
BIRTH.PAINS PHOENIX.AZ 65-0124
- Then John, the promised Elijah of Malachi 3, not Malachi 4. Malachi 3, 'cause Jesus said the same thing in--in Matthew the 11th chapter.
- ...Said, "Then what did you go out to see, a prophet? And I say unto you, more than a prophet. For if you can receive it, this is he who was spoken of by the prophet, saying, 'I'll send My messenger before My face, to prepare the way.'" That's Malachi 3:1.
- Not Malachi 4, at all. That's a different. Cause, that Elijah come, the world is to be burnt immediately, and the righteous walk out on the ashes of the wicked.
PROVING.HIS.WORD LA.CA 65-0426
- Now, quickly, let's think of Him a moment, here He is on His road up. A little priest came down, no doubt but that little fellow was a borderline believer.
- There is so many of them in the world today, little borderline believers. They want to believe That. They want to believe that the Holy Ghost is real. They want to believe this is the apostolic move, as God promised in the last days He would pour out His Spirit. We... he wants to believe in Malachi 4, that He promised, in the last days the--the original pentecostal Faith would be restored back to the--to the church again.
- Malachi 4 claims it. "Behold, I will send to you Elijah in the last day," that's right, "and He will restore the Faith of the children back to the fathers again," see, "the Faith of the fathers to the children, also." See, it's got to be.
- You say, "Well, that was John the Baptist." No, no.
- John the Baptist was Malachi 3. That's right. Matthew 11 says so, "If you can receive it, this is he who is spoke of, 'Behold, I send My messenger before My face.'" It was Elijah, certainly. Jesus said it was. But not the Elijah of Malachi 4, at all.
65-1204 - The Rapture
- Now, we've come through the church ages. But we're promised in the last days, according to Malachi 4, that there would be a return again, a prophet in the land. That's right. Notice his nature, what he would be like. He's alway… God uses that spirit five times: once in Elijah; in Elisha; in John the Baptist; call out the Church; and the remnant of the Jews. Five times, "grace," J-e-s-u-s, f-a-i-t-h, and it's the number of grace. See? All right.[3]