A Discussion with Jason Watkins: Difference between revisions

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:''“Then He set Me down at Durban, South Africa, where we had a hundred thousand people in the meeting, the last meeting. Had thirty thousand converts in one day, when they seen what the Lord had did, how He done the great and mighty works. And there, then I was setting back there again; He showed me another crowd just like it showed that crowd passing away.
:''“Then He set Me down at Durban, South Africa, where we had a hundred thousand people in the meeting, the last meeting. Had thirty thousand converts in one day, when they seen what the Lord had did, how He done the great and mighty works. And there, then I was setting back there again; He showed me another crowd just like it showed that crowd passing away.
Then He turned me this way, and an Angel came down with a light, flash it on. I just seen oceans of people, and they were Indians wrapped in Indian garb. He told me, said... And I seen the Angel come real near. And I said, "Who are these people?"  And He, the other Angel who was standing by me, the One that you see back there in the picture, well, He--He come near me; He said, "There's three hundred thousand of those in that meeting."  Now, you mark it in your Bible, and watch what the report is. When I return from India, there'll be three hundred thousand people attend the meeting there at one time. I look for a hundred thousand conversions at one time. See? It's the only thing that'll stem the tide of Communism now, when forty percent of India has already turned Communist.”<ref>ISRAEL.AND.THE.CHURCH.5 JEFF.IN 53-0329</ref>
 
:''Then He turned me this way, and an Angel came down with a light, flash it on. I just seen oceans of people, and they were Indians wrapped in Indian garb. He told me, said... And I seen the Angel come real near. And I said, "Who are these people?"  And He, the other Angel who was standing by me, the One that you see back there in the picture, well, He--He come near me; He said, "There's three hundred thousand of those in that meeting."  Now, you mark it in your Bible, and watch what the report is. When I return from India, there'll be three hundred thousand people attend the meeting there at one time. I look for a hundred thousand conversions at one time. See? It's the only thing that'll stem the tide of Communism now, when forty percent of India has already turned Communist.”<ref>ISRAEL.AND.THE.CHURCH.5 JEFF.IN 53-0329</ref>


:''“And here's what will take place: The Angel of the Lord which come to me and told me to return to Africa... And He set me down in Africa and showed me a greater meeting than was there at the first time.  Then while I was standing there, while another Angel come down from the heavens. He looked like some sort of a red like garment. But He was above me, and He--He turned me to the east. And I seen all the African people here. The African people are sturdy, heavy built, but these were thin-like people, looked like they had a--like a--a blanket around them, and it had been pulled up and stuffed down like this. And I couldn't recognize any. But oh, there were so many more than they was of these African people.
:''“And here's what will take place: The Angel of the Lord which come to me and told me to return to Africa... And He set me down in Africa and showed me a greater meeting than was there at the first time.  Then while I was standing there, while another Angel come down from the heavens. He looked like some sort of a red like garment. But He was above me, and He--He turned me to the east. And I seen all the African people here. The African people are sturdy, heavy built, but these were thin-like people, looked like they had a--like a--a blanket around them, and it had been pulled up and stuffed down like this. And I couldn't recognize any. But oh, there were so many more than they was of these African people.
And this Angel, above me, turned on a great big operating light, and begin to show back, like that. And just as far as I could see, was nothing but people. And it was up over hills and valleys. And they looked like Indians. And then when this Angel above me spoke to the Angel that's always with me, up side the big fellow, kind of dark complected, hair down to His shoulders, folded His arms, He was standing here by my side.  I heard Him tell this One standing by me, and the Voice was so strong that it broke me out of the vision, said, "There's three hundred thousand of those in that meeting." Mark that down, for it's THUS SAITH THE LORD. His Word comes to pass.  When the archbishop of India came to my place, recently, and received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, Archbishop Palai, he said, "Brother Branham, the way they're looking for you there, so that meant converts." Said, "I'll assure you, there'll be anywhere from a half to a million people in your congregation." He said, "All India's awaiting."  And with this vision to back it up, watch what our Lord will do. See? I'm expecting a half a million converts in my journey. We go to Africa, to India, to Palestine, to Luxembourg, and Frankfurt, back to London, and then back home; and then down in South--Australia, New Zealand, and down in there. Now, perhaps, maybe I'll get to see you after I come back from overseas.”  <ref>DO.YOU.NOW.BELIEVE PHOENIX.AZ 54-0307E</ref>
 
:''And this Angel, above me, turned on a great big operating light, and begin to show back, like that. And just as far as I could see, was nothing but people. And it was up over hills and valleys. And they looked like Indians. And then when this Angel above me spoke to the Angel that's always with me, up side the big fellow, kind of dark complected, hair down to His shoulders, folded His arms, He was standing here by my side.  I heard Him tell this One standing by me, and the Voice was so strong that it broke me out of the vision, said, "There's three hundred thousand of those in that meeting." Mark that down, for it's THUS SAITH THE LORD. His Word comes to pass.  When the archbishop of India came to my place, recently, and received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, Archbishop Palai, he said, "Brother Branham, the way they're looking for you there, so that meant converts." Said, "I'll assure you, there'll be anywhere from a half to a million people in your congregation." He said, "All India's awaiting."  And with this vision to back it up, watch what our Lord will do. See? I'm expecting a half a million converts in my journey. We go to Africa, to India, to Palestine, to Luxembourg, and Frankfurt, back to London, and then back home; and then down in South--Australia, New Zealand, and down in there. Now, perhaps, maybe I'll get to see you after I come back from overseas.”  <ref>DO.YOU.NOW.BELIEVE PHOENIX.AZ 54-0307E</ref>


“"What are you going to teach us, how to drink whiskey? That's what you all do over there in your churches: smoke cigarettes? Going to teach us how to divorce our wives and so forth?" Said, "If you're going to do that, we don't want it." And said, "You're coming over here with some new theology or something another; you're going to try to teach us some of the Word; we know more about it than you do." And that's right. He said, "But if you're coming to demonstrate what the Word says, we'll receive it." Amen. There you are. That's the thing they're hungering for.  Mark my word; write it in the pages of your Bible, for it's THUS SAITH THE LORD, "Remember, when we land in India, you're going to hear of tens of thousands times thousands being saved." The Holy Spirit has said it; I've wrote it here in my Bible; it's wrote in tens of thousands of Bibles right here, like the resurrection of the little boy. By a vision that He said, "There's three hundred thousand of them in there." And you see if that isn't right. There's how the Gospel's going to be preached just overnight. She'll just sweep like that from place to place.”  QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS JEFF.IN 54-0515
“"What are you going to teach us, how to drink whiskey? That's what you all do over there in your churches: smoke cigarettes? Going to teach us how to divorce our wives and so forth?" Said, "If you're going to do that, we don't want it." And said, "You're coming over here with some new theology or something another; you're going to try to teach us some of the Word; we know more about it than you do." And that's right. He said, "But if you're coming to demonstrate what the Word says, we'll receive it." Amen. There you are. That's the thing they're hungering for.  Mark my word; write it in the pages of your Bible, for it's THUS SAITH THE LORD, "Remember, when we land in India, you're going to hear of tens of thousands times thousands being saved." The Holy Spirit has said it; I've wrote it here in my Bible; it's wrote in tens of thousands of Bibles right here, like the resurrection of the little boy. By a vision that He said, "There's three hundred thousand of them in there." And you see if that isn't right. There's how the Gospel's going to be preached just overnight. She'll just sweep like that from place to place.”  QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS JEFF.IN 54-0515


:''“Here sometime ago a vision came and told me about going to Africa. And I thought that it meant go to Africa first, then to India. And the Lord spoke to me and told me to go to Africa first, and then to India. Well I thought that compared with the vision.  And then I forgot about it and went to India first and then He condemned me at Portuguese, as you know the story. And said, "I thought I said to you 'Go to Africa first.'" And then I was condemned. And I thought all the time, and now it just comes up, the revelation begins to push me for Africa, and I read in the vision, and the vision really said, "Go to India first and back to Africa." It's just exactly the way it's going to happen.
:''“Here sometime ago a vision came and told me about going to Africa. And I thought that it meant go to Africa first, then to India. And the Lord spoke to me and told me to go to Africa first, and then to India. Well I thought that compared with the vision.  And then I forgot about it and went to India first and then He condemned me at Portuguese, as you know the story. And said, "I thought I said to you 'Go to Africa first.'" And then I was condemned. And I thought all the time, and now it just comes up, the revelation begins to push me for Africa, and I read in the vision, and the vision really said, "Go to India first and back to Africa." It's just exactly the way it's going to happen.
Now, see, the Lord spoke to me, knowing that I would fail, but the vision can't fail. It's what God has already said and it cannot fail. The vision, I've got it wrote in an flyleaf of my Bible. I will bring it down maybe and let you see it. How that it really reads that I will go to India first and then back to Africa; but He told me to go to Africa first and then to India, knowing that I would fail, but the vision can never fail. God has spoke it. It's got to be that way.  ...Look, even that vision, I wrote the vision out myself, and read it over a thousand times or more. I didn't see that I was supposed to go to India first. I thought I was supposed to go to Africa first. But then when this hour comes, here it is written right out in my own hand. See? I just couldn't see it. It was blinded to me till I went ahead and disobeyed God, that He might correct me and show that His Words are eternal and can't fail. See? I just couldn't read it that way.”<ref>THE.QUEEN.OF.SHEBA CHICAGO.IL 58-0107</ref>
 
:''Now, see, the Lord spoke to me, knowing that I would fail, but the vision can't fail. It's what God has already said and it cannot fail. The vision, I've got it wrote in an flyleaf of my Bible. I will bring it down maybe and let you see it. How that it really reads that I will go to India first and then back to Africa; but He told me to go to Africa first and then to India, knowing that I would fail, but the vision can never fail. God has spoke it. It's got to be that way.  ...Look, even that vision, I wrote the vision out myself, and read it over a thousand times or more. I didn't see that I was supposed to go to India first. I thought I was supposed to go to Africa first. But then when this hour comes, here it is written right out in my own hand. See? I just couldn't see it. It was blinded to me till I went ahead and disobeyed God, that He might correct me and show that His Words are eternal and can't fail. See? I just couldn't read it that way.”<ref>THE.QUEEN.OF.SHEBA CHICAGO.IL 58-0107</ref>


Notice in this last example of the 30 instances where this vision is mentioned, Branham himself speaks about the order in which the travel is to take place.
Notice in this last example of the 30 instances where this vision is mentioned, Branham himself speaks about the order in which the travel is to take place.
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:''“I had planned on, so hard, coming back; burdened in the heart. I just returned from Africa, as you all know. And when I got over there, I had a restricted visa, and wouldn't let me, wouldn't let me preach because it gathers too many together. They're expecting an uprise there at any time, and--and they--they wouldn't let me preach because of that gathering too many people together. The only way I could, would to have some organization that's represented by the government, in the government, to invite me over, then that would automatically let the government send out a militia for protection. See, they're just... There is just going to be an uprise, and that's all there is to it. It's just right in hand, see. That government man said, "The last time he was here, he had about a quarter of a million people together." And he said, "Then, you see, that would just be the very thing that communism is looking for, for an uprise." So, I couldn't preach.
:''“I had planned on, so hard, coming back; burdened in the heart. I just returned from Africa, as you all know. And when I got over there, I had a restricted visa, and wouldn't let me, wouldn't let me preach because it gathers too many together. They're expecting an uprise there at any time, and--and they--they wouldn't let me preach because of that gathering too many people together. The only way I could, would to have some organization that's represented by the government, in the government, to invite me over, then that would automatically let the government send out a militia for protection. See, they're just... There is just going to be an uprise, and that's all there is to it. It's just right in hand, see. That government man said, "The last time he was here, he had about a quarter of a million people together." And he said, "Then, you see, that would just be the very thing that communism is looking for, for an uprise." So, I couldn't preach.
And so I, when I started to go over, I'm telling you, I never had so much trouble in all my life, of trying to get there. And then at the very last minute, very last minute to go, here was wrote across my visa, "Cannot anticipate in any kind of religious service; can only come hunting." Well, then, it was rank. But I said, "I don't care what the Devil does, I--I can't... I can't voucher for what Brother Jackson said about yellow-mane lion, and this, that, or the other. I--I can't vouch it. But I do know God told me to 'see Sidney Jackson, and go hunting.' "And I said, "I'm going." And sometime... And I had one of the greatest trips. I found out what the trouble was. Now I think, about October, the Lord willing, I can go back and have a meeting and everything, full cooperation, everything else, see, in Africa now. I got to the bottom of it and found out where it was at, what caused it. Up here, writing, this one has got this to say, and something's got something to say, and this one there. The best thing to do, is go find out, yourself. And I know where the trouble was, and what the reason of it was; it was because of so many people gathering together, the government wouldn't let me have it.”<ref>ASHAMED JEFF.IN 65-0711</ref>
:''And so I, when I started to go over, I'm telling you, I never had so much trouble in all my life, of trying to get there. And then at the very last minute, very last minute to go, here was wrote across my visa, "Cannot anticipate in any kind of religious service; can only come hunting." Well, then, it was rank. But I said, "I don't care what the Devil does, I--I can't... I can't voucher for what Brother Jackson said about yellow-mane lion, and this, that, or the other. I--I can't vouch it. But I do know God told me to 'see Sidney Jackson, and go hunting.' "And I said, "I'm going." And sometime... And I had one of the greatest trips. I found out what the trouble was. Now I think, about October, the Lord willing, I can go back and have a meeting and everything, full cooperation, everything else, see, in Africa now. I got to the bottom of it and found out where it was at, what caused it. Up here, writing, this one has got this to say, and something's got something to say, and this one there. The best thing to do, is go find out, yourself. And I know where the trouble was, and what the reason of it was; it was because of so many people gathering together, the government wouldn't let me have it.”<ref>ASHAMED JEFF.IN 65-0711</ref>


We see that Branham proclaims using his self-proclaimed God-given authority, “THUS SAITH THE LORD”, to describe in detail what will happen.  But we then see where Branham tells us that this vision, this dream, did not come to pass as he proclaimed it to his audiences.   
We see that Branham proclaims using his self-proclaimed God-given authority, “THUS SAITH THE LORD”, to describe in detail what will happen.  But we then see where Branham tells us that this vision, this dream, did not come to pass as he proclaimed it to his audiences.