Question 5 (ABM) - The coming of the Lord
The following are a series of questions and answers between one of our editors (referred to as BTS) and an anonymous Branham minister (referred to as ABM). This series of Q&A relates to William Branham's prophetic ministry. The full text of this question and its answer is below.
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Q&A relating to William Branham's Credibility
Q&A relating to William Branham's Doctrine
Q&A on the current status of the "message"
Question 1 - The Municipal Bridge vision
Question 2 - The Billy Graham Prophecy
Question 3 - The Brown Bear Vision
Question 4 - The Roosevelt prophecy
Question 5 - The coming of the Lord
Question 16 - The Vision of the Plum and Apple Trees
Question 17 - The Mystery of the Empty Cornerstone
Question 19 - The Marilyn Monroe vision/prophecy
Question 20 - The Vision of the Meetings in South Africa
Question 22 - Are there any true prophecies that were clearly fulfilled?
Question 23 - Can we ignore the plain reading of Deuteronomy 18:20-22?
Question regarding the coming of the Lord
In 1963, in a sermon entitled "The Breach between the Seven Church Ages and the Seven Seals" (63-0317E), William Branham stated:
- Now, you see, I'm just not making that up. That's what... It's THUS SAITH THE LORD. I'll read it to you out of the Book: the sounding of the seventh angel's message, the mystery of God should be finished that's been declared by His holy prophets. That's the prophets who has wrote the Word. At the sounding of the seventh church age, the last church age, all the loose ends that through these church ages have been probed at, will be wound up together. And when the Seals are broke and the mystery is revealed, down comes the Angel, the Messenger, Christ, setting His foot upon the land and upon the sea with a rainbow over His head. Now remember, this seventh angel is on earth at the time of this coming.
Some Message preachers explain this by stating that Christ came secretly (using the same approach as the Jehovah's Witnesses) when William Branham preached his series on the Seven Seals. This is one of the quotes behind the Third Testament sect of Donald Parnell who teaches that Jesus Christ's second coming happened in 1963.
William Branham stated clearly that the return of Christ would take place while the seventh messenger was on earth.
How do you explain this given that William Branham is dead?
Shalom,
BTS
Answer
BTS,
Thank you for your continued dialogue.
The answer to this question is relatively short. This particular quote you use is one of the known examples where the tapes were altered from the original. I am glad though to see that you are using the proper unaltered quote.
First I want to introduce the paragraph the precedes your given quote:
- Now, but it--it is a Book, a mysterious Book. It's a Book of Redemption. (We'll get into that in a little while.) And now, we know that this Book of Redemption will not be thoroughly understood: it's probed at through six church ages, but at the end, when the seventh angel begins to sound his mystery, he winds up all of the loose ends that these fellows probed at, and the mysteries comes down from God as the Word of God and reveals the entire revelation of God. Then the Godhead and everything else is settled. All the mysteries: serpent's seed and whatevermore is to be revealed.
- Now, you see, I'm just not making that up. That's what... It's THUS SAITH THE LORD. I'll read it to you out of the Book: the sounding of the seventh angel's message, the mystery of God should be finished that's been declared by His holy prophets. That's the prophets who has wrote the Word. At the sounding of the seventh church age, the last church age, all the loose ends that through these church ages have been probed at, will be wound up together. And when the Seals are broke and the mystery is revealed, down comes the Angel, the Messenger, Christ, setting His foot upon the land and upon the sea with a rainbow over His head. Now remember, this seventh angel is on earth at the time of this coming.
My purpose for introducing this preceding paragraph is to demonstrate the "Thus Saith The Lord" is in reference to the preceding paragraph. His statement that the seventh angel will be on earth at the time coming of Christ in Revelation 10 is not a prophecy but his own thought. In 1 Thes 4:17 we find a biblical precedent for this. The Apostle Paul includes himself ("we") in the group of people who would be alive at the coming of Christ and caught up in the rapture. This was obviously incorrect. However, all believers have a right to hope that they will be alive at the coming of Christ. Bro. Branham is relating his hope. His hope though is based on a scripture, Revelation 10:7. At the time, no doubt he thought it safe to interpret the scripture in such a way as to believe he would still be present when Revelation 10:7 was fulfilled. However, the scripture is not that specific.
- Rev. 10:7 - But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
It is curious that is does not say in the days of the seventh angel, but instead says in the days of "voice" of the seventh angel. Going back to the 1933 baptism, the voice which spoke said he "carried a message" that would fore run the second coming of Christ. It is the message which fore runs Christ. It is in the days of his voice that Revelation 10:7 will be accomplished. Bro. Branham has passed on to his reward, but his voice and his message is still alive and well.
Conclusion
You state: "William Branham stated clearly that the return of Christ would take place while the seventh messenger was on earth." Yes he did. So did the apostle Paul concerning himself in 1 Thes 4:17. Therefore Bro. Branham's statement is with scriptural precedent.
Your question: "How do you explain this given that William Branham is dead?" The answer is simple: Bro Branham was mistaken. Just like Paul was mistaken. His hope to be alive at the time of Christ's coming is a right of all believers. This was not a prophecy. And a review of the scripture he was considering reveals that it leaves open an interpretation that fits events that have occurred.
This is an answer that is not palatable to those who not accept Bro. Branham as fallible.
I look forward to your next issue.
Regards,
ABM
Footnotes