Abraham and Sarah
The Lord told Abraham they would have a child, and Sarah laughed in the tent. She then subsequently denied it to the angel. William Branham said that if it wasn't for Abraham, God would have struck her dead. But is this what the Bible teaches?
What the Bible says
The Bible never implies that God would have killed Sarah if it were not for Abraham. In fact, the Lord never even rebuked her for it. He just noted the fact that she did.
- And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”[1]
- The LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’[2]
But Abraham had been guilty of the same thing earlier. Why didn't the same comments apply to him.
Also, both Abraham and Sarah's laughter was not disrespectful, but understandable. They simply had a hard time imagining that at their advanced age, Sarah would be capable of having a child.
After all, the Lord did tell them to call his name 'Isaac' which means 'laughter'.
This is another example of William Branham stating something that the Bible does not say.
Quotes of William Branham
Like He talked to Abraham, when Sarah doubt Him, well, right then He would've slayed... He would've slew Sarah right then for doubting, 'cause that's the worst sin there is is unbelief, and the only sin. And she doubted and laughed within herself when the Angel discerned her through the tent. Is that right? But why couldn't He take Sarah? Because she was a part of Abraham; He'd had to take Abraham too. And we are part of Jesus when we're in the Body of Christ. Our unbeliefs are excused if we do it ignorantly like she did, for she was scared.[3]
Then Genesis 15 here, like the stars of heaven. Genesis 17:1, He appeared to him after the great trial, where Sarah had went off of the line. God would've slew Sarah. Oh, here's a beautiful thing. When he doubted...
When Sarah doubted God, God would've got rid of her, but He couldn't do it. Why? She's part of Abraham. That's the reason when we do wrong, God would slay us. I could never come here and preach a revival, no other preacher couldn't; you'd never have a revival. You'd be cut off forever, but He can't do it. He cuts His own Son off if He does. See? For the wife is a part of the husband. They're no longer twain; they're one. So He couldn't have hurt Sarah without hurting Abraham. So He had to take Sarah in. That's the way God does to us. Our sins, He'd depart from us a long ago, but we're in Christ. Amen. See, so He--He forgives us of our sins. Sarah, all of her mistakes...[4]
But the One that was with the group that was pulled out, done a miracle before Abraham, to show that Who He was, and was with Abraham.
He said, "Why did Sarah laugh?" concerning this baby. And Sarah come forth and said she didn't. And said, "But you did." And He would have killed her right there if she wasn't a part of Abraham.
So would God slay us if we wasn't a part of Christ. The mercy of Christ all holds us together, us doubters and perversions in the Word.[5]
He said, "I'm going to visit you according to the time that I promised you. I'm going to visit you." And Sarah kind of laughed to herself.
With His back to the tent, and He said, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'How can these things be?'" If she hadn't been in Abraham, his bride at that time, God would have slayed her. So would we today with all of our unbelief, if we wasn't in Christ. That holds us right there, see. He couldn't hurt or couldn't take Sarah without hurting Abraham. See?[6]
Footnotes
- ↑ The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ge 17:15–17.
- ↑ The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ge 18:10–13.
- ↑ ELIJAH.AND.THE.MEAL.OFFERING PHX.AZ 60-0310
- ↑ ABRAHAM'S.COVENANT.CONFIRMED LONG.BEACH.CA 61-0210
- ↑ BIRTH.PAINS PHOENIX.AZ 65-0124
- ↑ MODERN.EVENTS.ARE.MADE.CLEAR.BY.PROPHECY SBD.CA 65-1206