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William Branham preached a series of sermons in March 1963 on the Seven Seals of the book of Revelation, and said that each seal identifies a religious disturbance.
{{7 Seals Top}}
 
<youtube>https://youtu.be/BTc9W2oZITo</youtube>
=Where did William Branham say he got his revelation from?=
=Where did William Branham say he got his revelation from?=


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:''I'm as positive as I'm standing here tonight that this is the Gospel Truth that I'm going to tell you about. I just know it is. Because if a revelation's contrary to the Word, then it isn't revelation. And you know, there's some of the stuff can look so absolutely true, and yet isn't truth. See? It looks like it is, but it isn't. <ref>William Branham, 63-0318 - The First Seal, para. 35-39</ref>
:''I'm as positive as I'm standing here tonight that this is the Gospel Truth that I'm going to tell you about. I just know it is. Because if a revelation's contrary to the Word, then it isn't revelation. And you know, there's some of the stuff can look so absolutely true, and yet isn't truth. See? It looks like it is, but it isn't. <ref>William Branham, 63-0318 - The First Seal, para. 35-39</ref>
He didn't get it from reading books:
:'''''I have read every book on it I could find'''. And with a…I…The last time that I was—was tried to go through it, just teaching it, about thirty years ago, I took the book...  Somebody had told me that the Adventists had more light on the second Coming of Christ than any people that they knowed, so I found some of their good books, to read it. I got Smith’s book on Daniel, of revelations. And he said this white horse that went forth was white, and it symbolized a conqueror. And in this conquering... Many of you Adventist brethren here knows the book, and many of you others, also, by reading it. And—and others, '''I read two or three. I read, and I can’t call…There’s two more books I read''', and both man agreed that that was right. [Brother Branham knocks on the pulpit five times—Ed.] That was fine teachers, supposed to be some of the best, with the best light.
:''So I thought, “Well, if I don’t know, I’ll just say what they said, try to teach it that way.” They give a very good exclamation of it, what it really meant. And they said, “Now, here is a white horse, and a white horse is a power, a charger.” And said, “The man that sit on that, was the—the white horse, was the Holy Spirit that went forth in the early age and conquered that age for the Kingdom of God. He had a bow in his hand, which meant, like Cupid, he shot the arrows of love into the hearts of the people, the love of God, and he conquered.”
:''Now, that sounds very good, but it isn’t the Truth. No, sir. Yeah. It wasn’t. White does mean righteous. We—we realize that. The white means righteous. The teachers taught it, that it was the Holy Spirit conquering in the first age; '''but my revelation''', by the Holy Spirit, is not that way.<ref>William Branham, 63-0318 - The First Seal, para. 265-267</ref>


=William Branham's Revelation of the First Seal=
=William Branham's Revelation of the First Seal=
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==Comparison to the teachings of Clarence Larkin==
==Comparison to the teachings of Clarence Larkin==


If he got everything from the Holy Spirit, then why did he also plagiarize things from Clarence Larkin's works as detailed below.  Why does he mention Dr. Smith but not Russell or Larkin?  All of William Branham's quotes in the table below are from the First Seal and the Larkin quotes are from his book, The Book of Revelation published in 1919:
In addition to Charles Taze Russell, William Branham also borrowed a few things from Clarence Larkin in the First Seal sermon as detailed below.  Why does he mention Dr. Smith but not Russell or Larkin?  All of William Branham's quotes in the table below are from the First Seal and the Larkin quotes are from his book, The Book of Revelation published in 1919:


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
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!What Clarence Larkin Said <ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture, 53-54 (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919).</ref>
!What Clarence Larkin Said <ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture, 53-54 (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919).</ref>
|-
|-
| style="width: 50%; background-color: white;"|
| style="width: 45%; background-color: white;"|
| style="width: 50%; background-color: white;"|
| style="width: 45%; background-color: white;"|
|-
|-
|What are we saying? Who is this rider, this horse rider? You know what it is? It's '''Satan's superman'''...  Notice, this rider is nothing but Satan's superman, a incarnate devil.
|What are we saying? Who is this rider, this horse rider? You know what it is? It's '''Satan's superman'''...  Notice, this rider is nothing but Satan's superman, a incarnate devil.
|This “White Horse Rider” will be '''Satan’s “SUPERMAN.”''' The Scriptures clearly teach that there is some day to arise a human being who shall be the embodiment of all Satanic power.
|This “White Horse Rider” will be '''Satan’s “SUPERMAN.”''' The Scriptures clearly teach that there is some day to arise a human being who shall be the embodiment of all Satanic power.
|-
|-
|So here stands Christ, the Lamb. We know He was the Lamb. He's standing here with the Books in His hand, and there goes the white horse rider. See? So it wasn't the Holy Spirit. And notice, Christ is not seen any more (See?) from the time there. But He is on a white horse; so if this guy is riding a white horse, he's only an impersonator of Christ. See?
|'''The rider has no arrows for his bow.''' Did you notice? He had a bow, but there's nothing said about having any arrows; so he must be a bluffer. That's right. Maybe he's got a lot of thunder and no lightning.   
|Who is the “Rider” upon this White Horse? He is not Christ, as some claim, for Christ, as the LAMB, is holding the “Seven Sealed Book” and breaking its “Seals.” Christ does not appear as a White Horse Rider until chapter 19:11–16.
|'''This “Rider” has a “bow,” no arrow is mentioned.'''
|-
|Notice, the rider on the white horse don't have any name. He might use two or three titles, but he hasn't got any name. But Christ has a Name. What is it? The Word of God. That's what it is. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And the Word made flesh. See?The rider has no name, but Christ is called the Word of God. That's what He is. He's called that. Now, He's got a Name that no man knows, but He's called the Word of God. This guy isn't called nothing (See?), but he's on a white horse.
|He is called “Faithful and True,” and on His head there is a many “Diademed Crown,” and He is clothed in a vesture dipped in blood, and His name is called the “WORD OF GOD,”
|-
|The rider has no arrows for his bow. Did you notice? He had a bow, but there's nothing said about having any arrows; so he must be a bluffer. That's right. Maybe he's got a lot of thunder and no lightning.   
|This “Rider” has a “bow,” no arrow is mentioned..
|-
|but you find out Christ had both lightning and thunder; for out of His mouth goes a sharp two-edged Sword, and He smites the nations. And this guy can't smite nothing (See?), but he's playing the part of a hypocrite.
|and there is no weapon of warfare in His hand, but a sharp sword comes out of His mouth, and the effect upon His enemies will be swift and terrible.
|-
|
|and he is not crowned at first, but a crown will be given to him later...
|-
|-
|And for this cause God has sent them strong delusion, that they should believe a--a lie:... (It should be translated there, as I looked in the Lexicon, "the lie," not "a lie"; '''"the lie,"''' same one he told Eve.)
|And for this cause God has sent them strong delusion, that they should believe a--a lie:... (It should be translated there, as I looked in the Lexicon, "the lie," not "a lie"; '''"the lie,"''' same one he told Eve.)
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|Now, look, let's take--go back to Daniel again just a minute. I want to read something 'fore... Whether if you don't go back, it's all right. I want to read Daniel 9--Daniel 9, and I want to read the '''26th and 27th verse of Daniel 9'''.  
|Now, look, let's take--go back to Daniel again just a minute. I want to read something 'fore... Whether if you don't go back, it's all right. I want to read Daniel 9--Daniel 9, and I want to read the '''26th and 27th verse of Daniel 9'''.  
|He is the “PRINCE WHO IS TO COME” of Daniel’s Vision of the “Seventy Weeks,” and who will confirm the Covenant for “ONE WEEK,” the last or “Seventieth Week,” with Daniel’s people the Jews. '''Dan. 9:27'''.)  
|He is the “PRINCE WHO IS TO COME” of Daniel’s Vision of the “Seventy Weeks,” and who will confirm the Covenant for “ONE WEEK,” the last or “Seventieth Week,” with Daniel’s people the Jews. '''Dan. 9:27'''.)  
|-
|Now, we find out in Revelation 13:1-8...  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up... (Now, here's twelve, where he was kicked out. Now, watch.)... saw a beast rise up out of the sea... <ref>March 21, 1963, The Fourth Seal</ref>
|All this will be fully brought out under the “Sixth Personage,” the “Beast Out of the Sea,”
|-
|-
|}
|}


==A Liar on a Horse==
=The Four Living Creatures or Beasts=
The first seal is a rider on a white horse with a bow and a crown.  William Branham said the beast that spoke was a lion-angel.  
 
William Branham stated his view of the four living creatures:
 
:''And Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, those Gospels are standing there guarding That. The wisdom of a man; the power of a lion; the work of an ox; and the swiftness of the leopard…or the eagle, rather. Yes, the Gospels standing there!<ref>William Branham, 63-0317E - The Breach Between The Seven Church Ages And The Seven Seals, para. 189</ref>
 
:''You know what the Beasts were. We’ve took them. “One like a lion; one like a calf; and one like a man; and one like an eagle.” Now, this first Beast said…Watch, each time there’s a different Beast, till them four horse riders pass. There is four Beasts, and there is four horse riders. Notice, each one of them Beasts announce. Matthew, Mark—Mark, Luke, and John.<ref>William Branham,  63-0318 - The First Seal, para. 161-162</ref>
    
In the early Church, it was thought that the figures in Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4:7 represented he four Evangelists:
#The Lion—Matthew—Kingship.
#The Calf—Mark—service.
#The Man—Luke—Humanity.
#The Eagle—John—Godhead.<ref>W. H. Griffith Thomas, Methods of Bible Study, Sixth Edition (New York: Association Press, 1911), 74.</ref>
 
We can't determine exactly where William Branham copied this but it is clear that he did, because this view dates back to the Ante-Nicene Fathers.
 
=Moving to the Next Seal=
 
Click [[Second Seal|here to go to the next article - The Second Seal]]


William Branham taught that the seal was the antichrist spirit on a ''“white denominational horse to deceive the people,”'' yet was powerless to persecute anyone at the time.  William Branham taught that a horse represents a power, and white represents innocence.  Unlike the white horse rider in Revelation Chapter 19 whose name is called the Word of God, this rider does not have a name, and is the Spirit of the Antichrist impersonating Jesus Christ. 
=Video Transcript=


==The Pope is bad. Don't follow him.==
William Branham’s revelation of the seven seals, in his opinion and those of his followers, was his most important revelation.  In 1965, two years after he preached the series on the Seven Seals, William Branham told his followers:
Pointing clearly at the Pope and his papal crown, William Branham called the first rider a Nicolaitan spirit, which means "to conquer the laity" and occurs when you:  


:''“take the Holy Spirit out of the church and give it all to one holy man, let him be the boss of all of it...See, he first started an antichrist, the spirit; then he become a false prophet. Then later, when the devil is cast out, he's incarnate then with the devil. “Three stages: the first he's a devil to begin with, a spirit of the devil; then he becomes a false prophet, teacher of a false doctrine; next thing he comes as the very devil himself incarnate.”'' (William Branham, the First Seal)
:''He spoke to me, and said, “The Seven Seals will be opened. The seven mysteries, sevenfold mystery of the Bible, that’s been closed up since the foundation of the world, will be revealed. (William Branham, 65-0418M - It Is The Rising Of The Sun, para. 12)


==Elijah is good.  Follow me.==
William Branham told his followers that his revelation came directly from God.  This is clear from a comment he made on March 18, 1963 in his sermon on the First Seal:
While accusing the Catholics of following one man, William Branham then talks about his own role as Elijah because:
#[[William Branham's View of Himself|He is a prophet]];
#[[The Misogyny of William Branham|He hates women]];
#[[The Fulfillment of Malachi 4:5|He fulfills Malachi 4]]; and
#He fulfills [[Revelation 10:7]] by wrapping up the loose ends for the rapture.


In summary, this was a very tame warm-up sermon in preparation of more radical sermons to come. What he does not seem to realize is that everything he says about not following a man (the Pope) can equally be applied to the church following his own leadership.
:''I would've had a horrible mistake on that if it hadn't been about twelve o'clock today when the Holy Spirit came in the room and corrected me on something that I was writing down to say. I was taking it from an old context. I had nothing on it. I don't know what the Second Seal is no more than nothing, but I'd got some old contexts of something that I'd spoke on several years ago and wrote it down, and I'd gathered this context — context…
 
:''And Dr. Smith, many great outstanding teachers that I—I'd gathered, and all of them believed that, so I'd wrote it down. And I was fixing to say, "Well, now I'll study it from that standpoint." And there about twelve o'clock in the day the Holy Spirit just swept right down into the room, and the whole thing just opened up to me, and there it was…?… of this—of this First Seal being opened. (63-0318 - The First Seal, Para.36)
 
William Branham admitted that he was widely read on the subject and he definitely gives the impression that there was no one prior to him who had the revelation God gave him… he got his revelations directly from God and they were different from everyone else.
 
Here is his revelation of the first seal…
 
:''The rider has no arrows for his bow.  (63-0318 - The First Seal, para. 290)
:''You want me to tell you who he is? He is the antichrist. (63-0318 - The First Seal, para. 294)
:''But three hundred years later, he become a pope… (63-0318 - The First Seal, para. 301)
:''Who is this rider, this horse rider? You know what it is? It's Satan's superman... (63-0318 - The First Seal, para. 371)
 
Did William Branham get this directly from God as he said?
 
From pictures of William Branham’s library published in Only Believe magazine, we know that William Branham had the books of Clarence Larkin. Here is a direct quote from Larkin’s book:
 
:''This “Rider” has a “bow,” no arrow is mentioned.
:''This White Horse Rider is the ANTICHRIST.
:''This “White Horse Rider” will be Satan’s “SUPERMAN.”  (Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture (1919), p. 54)
 
We also know that William Branham was familiar with the works of Charles Taze Russel, the founder of the Jehovah’s Witnesses.  In his book, 1918 book, The Finished Mystery, Russell wrote:
 
:''And behold a white horse… And he that sat on him.
:''The Bishop of Rome, the embryo Pope, the personal representative of Satan.
 
What is clear is that William Branham did not have a special revelation of the first seal.  He stole it from Clarence Larkin and Charles Taze Russel and passed it off as though it was something brand new that he got directly from God…  a revelation that had been hidden from before the foundation of the world.
 
But this was clearly not true.
 
In Jeremiah 23:30, we see that God condemns self-proclaimed prophets who say they receive their inspiration from God, when in fact they stole it from someone else:
 
:''“Therefore,” says the LORD, “I am against these prophets who steal messages from each other and claim they are from me.
 
Why did William Branham say he received his revelation of the First Seal from God when, in fact, he stole it from Clarence Larkin and Charles Taze Russell?
 
Was he really fulfilling Jeremiah 23:30?
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[[Category:Doctrines]]
[[Category:Doctrines]]
[[Category:Plagiarism]]
[[Category:Plagiarism]]
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