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Matthew 17:11: Difference between revisions
→Why did John deny that he was Elijah?
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It is true that before John’s birth, an angel prophesied to his father, Zechariah, that John would “go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17). John the Baptist denied being “Elijah” to counter the expectation (that was held by the Pharisees in his day) that the same Elijah who escaped death in a fiery chariot would return in like spectacular manner.<ref>Andreas J. Köstenberger, John, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 60.</ref> | It is true that before John’s birth, an angel prophesied to his father, Zechariah, that John would “go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17). John the Baptist denied being “Elijah” to counter the expectation (that was held by the Pharisees in his day) that the same Elijah who escaped death in a fiery chariot would return in like spectacular manner.<ref>Andreas J. Köstenberger, John, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004), 60.</ref> | ||
=What did John the Baptist restore?= | |||
Let’s first look at the Greek. The Greek phrase in Matthew 17:11 to “restore all things” is “αποκαταστησει παντα”. | Let’s first look at the Greek. The Greek phrase in Matthew 17:11 to “restore all things” is “αποκαταστησει παντα”. | ||
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Followers of the message have similar pre-conceptions to the Pharisees. They see the truth only unfolding in one way and thus miss what God is doing in the world today. | Followers of the message have similar pre-conceptions to the Pharisees. They see the truth only unfolding in one way and thus miss what God is doing in the world today. | ||
=Do message followers think William Branham restored all things?= | |||
While message ministers used to say that William Branham "restored all things", they generally have tempered this statement significantly. They now say things such as: | |||
:''Bro. Branham brought a restorative message to our generation by pulling the loose ends together...<ref>podtail.com/en/podcast/the-message-of-the-hour-bro-william-branham/</ref> | |||
The above is a direct reference to repeated statements that William Branham made about himself: | |||
:''But, God comes in the Power of His resurrection! And who is going to speak against It? If Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He does the same that He did yesterday, today, and forever. That’s what this angel is supposed to do, take them mysteries, '''them loose ends that people run out on.''' | |||
:''Now watch. There is a lot of Truth lost out there, (why?) where others compromised on Truth. But this seventh angel don’t compromise on nothing. '''He gathers up all the loose ends''', gathers them all up. And at his sounding, “All the mystery of God should be finished.” Oh! God, send him. All of the hidden mysteries was finished when, he, It was revealed to him. By what? If these are hidden mysteries, the man will have to be a prophet. And didn’t we just get through and see that the prophet, that would come in the last age, would be that great Elijah that we been looking for? Because, these mysteries that’s hid, through the theologians, will have to be revealed; to God. And the Word comes only to the prophet. [“Amen.”] And we know it. He will be the second Elijah, as promised. Oh, my! The Message he—he’ll bring will be the mysteries, all, all these things. | |||
:''Now is It plain? When the First Seal was opened, the Seals that was inside the Book, these mysteries that was sounded forth: justification, sanctification, Roman Catholic church, Protestants! And when all their little battles and things left '''these loose ends in the Word of God''', the seventh angel comes on and gathers them all up and explains them. See? And then, he finishes, Seven Thunders utter out. | |||
:''These stars falling into their constellation back yonder! That Angel coming, and said, “As John was sent to wind up the Old Testament and to bring forth the introduction of Christ, '''a Message will wind up the loose ends and will introduce the Messiah''' just before His Coming, the Message of the last days.”<ref>William Branham, 62-1230E - Is This The Sign Of The End, Sir?, para. 268, 289, 353, 363</ref> | |||
:''And at the end of the Pentecostal age, we are supposed to receive, according to the Word, as God help me tonight to show you, through here, that we are to see, receive '''a messenger that will take all those loose ends out there and reveal the whole secret of God''', for the rapturing of the Church.<ref>William Branham, 63-0318 - The First Seal, para. 74</ref> | |||
But did William Branham restore anything? | |||
We believe the evidence shows that he did not. What he brought was such confusion that his followers constitute a bizarre legacy of multiple fractured sub-cults that all think they have the truth. | |||