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Mussolini invades Ethiopia: Difference between revisions
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William Branham claimed he saw a series of eight prophetic visions in June 1933. In the second | William Branham claimed he saw a series of [[Prophecy#William Branham's SevenNine Visions of 1933|eight or nine prophetic visions in June 1933]]. In the second prophecy, William Branham witnessed Benito Mussolini brutally invading Ethiopia and then coming to a shameful demise. [[Image:Benito_Mussolini.gif|thumb|right|450px|Benito Mussolini]] | ||
=The initial telling of the Mussolini prophecy= | |||
The first recorded version of this prophecy was on March 26, 1953, when William Branham stated: | |||
:''When I said that Mussolini, when he first come in power twenty-some-odd years ago, I said, "If Mussolini ever goes towards Ethiopia, mark this down, there'll never be peace till Jesus Christ comes."''<ref>ISRAEL.AND.THE.CHURCH.2 JEFF.IN IC 35-64 53-0326</ref> | |||
==The 1961 version== | |||
:''The dictator that's now arising in Italy (which is Mussolini), he will come into power, and he will go to Ethiopia; and Ethiopia will fall at his steps." There's people setting here now that knows that there's a group of people come and stood...was going to throw me out of the hall for saying such a thing...when I said that. But did he do it? But I said, "He'll come to a shameful end," and he did. Him and the woman he run with was turned upside down and hung on a rope in the street with their feet up, their clothes hanging down. All right, that come to pass.'' <ref> William Branham, Sermon: Seventy Weeks of Daniel, August 6, 1961 </ref> | :''The dictator that's now arising in Italy (which is Mussolini), he will come into power, and he will go to Ethiopia; and Ethiopia will fall at his steps." There's people setting here now that knows that there's a group of people come and stood...was going to throw me out of the hall for saying such a thing...when I said that. But did he do it? But I said, "He'll come to a shameful end," and he did. Him and the woman he run with was turned upside down and hung on a rope in the street with their feet up, their clothes hanging down. All right, that come to pass.'' <ref> William Branham, Sermon: Seventy Weeks of Daniel, August 6, 1961 </ref> | ||
=Problems with the Prophecy= | |||
There are significant problems with this prophecy as detailed below. | |||
==The initial prophecy is not really a prophecy== | |||
William Branham initially said: | |||
:'''''IF''' Mussolini ever goes towards Ethiopia...'' (emphasis added) | |||
Starting a statement with "if" is hardly prophetic. However, given that Mussolini did invade Ethopia, we now have a clear prophecy: | |||
:''"...there'll never be peace till Jesus Christ comes."'' | |||
According to the New York Times: | |||
:War is defined as an active conflict that has claimed more than 1,000 lives. | |||
:Of the past 3,400 years, humans have been entirely at peace for 268 of them, or just 8 percent of recorded history.<ref>New York Times, 'What Every Person Should Know About War', Chris Hedges, July 6, 2003</ref> | |||
So given that there are normally wars going on somewhere in the world most of the time, how is this a prophecy? Isn't William Branham just couching his "prophecy" in a way that reflects what the Bible has already said? | |||
:''And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.''<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 24:6–8.</ref> | |||
:'And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.''<ref> | |||
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 13:7–8.</ref> | |||
We must conclude therefore, that the original Mussolini prophecy by William Branham was not a prophecy at all. | |||
==Incorrect Statements as part of the Prophecy== | |||
William Branham often included incorrect statements as part of this prophecy, such as: | William Branham often included incorrect statements as part of this prophecy, such as: | ||
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How can a prophecy be true, yet contain multiple incorrect statements? While the truth can sometimes be found in a lie, can a lie be found in the truth? | How can a prophecy be true, yet contain multiple incorrect statements? While the truth can sometimes be found in a lie, can a lie be found in the truth? | ||
==Progressive Changes In The Prophecy== | |||
William Branham said repeatedly that the prophecies he received in 1933 were written down: | |||
:''...it's written on old paper, laying at the house today, dated way back in 1933--'32 or '33.''<ref>THE.FAITH.THAT.WAS.ONCE.DELIVERED.TO.THE.SAINTS_ CHICAGO.IL 55-0501E</ref> | |||
:''I've got it wrote, old yellow paper still waiting in a Bible. I saw the end time coming.''<ref>TEACHING.ON.MOSES_ JEFF.IN V-14 N-4 56-0513</ref> | |||
:''Yeah, I know that, see, just exactly what's wrote on my book of prophecy in 1933, that would take place.''<ref>SOULS.THAT.ARE.IN.PRISON.NOW_ JEFF.IN V-2 N-22 SUNDAY_ 63-1110M</ref> | |||
But if this is the case, then why is it so difficult to ascertain exactly what the prophecy was? The problem is that William Branham slowly changed it over the years. | |||
#1953: No peace until Jesus comes if Mussolini goes towards Ethiopia <ref>''When I said that Mussolini, when he first come in power twenty-some-odd years ago, I said, "If Mussolini ever goes towards Ethiopia, mark this down, there'll never be peace till Jesus Christ comes."'' (Israel and the Church, March 26, 1953)</ref> | #1953: No peace until Jesus comes if Mussolini goes towards Ethiopia <ref>''When I said that Mussolini, when he first come in power twenty-some-odd years ago, I said, "If Mussolini ever goes towards Ethiopia, mark this down, there'll never be peace till Jesus Christ comes."'' (Israel and the Church, March 26, 1953)</ref> | ||