Revelation 10:7

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William Branham's interpretation of Revelation 10:7 is solely about pointing to himself. Branham thought that he was:

  • The angel sent to the Church in Laodicea in Revelation 3:14;
  • Responsible for the opening of the seven seals of Revelation 6; and,
  • The angel of Revelation 10:7.

Important questions that must be addressed

  1. When does this take place?
  2. Which scripture says that Revelation 3:14, the unveiling of Revelation 6, and Revelation 10:7 all happen at the same time?
  3. Where does the Bible say that the Angel in Revelation 3 is the same Angel as that in Revelation 10?
  4. What passage states that the Angel to Laodicea in Revelation 3:14 is the one who opens the seals?
  5. How can you conclude biblically that the Angel to Laodicea in Revelation 3:14 is the same angel that sounds in Revelation 11:15? (which is the same as the Angel in Revelation 10:7)

These questions must have scriptural answers. What does the Bible say?

What the Bible says

Revelation 10:7 in the New American Standard Bible, a word for word translation, states that:

but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.[1]

When does this take place?

The Greek can literally be translated, “but in the days of the voice [phonē] of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound his trumpet.” Since the seventh angel does not speak, however, the word phonē must refer to the “sound” that the angel’s trumpet makes. Fulfillment does not come when the angel is “about to” blow the trumpet but occurs after the trumpet sounds in Revelation 11:15.[2]

When the seventh angel, who is about to trumpet his message, sounds his instrument, then the mystery of God preached through the prophets will be accomplished or completed.[3]

Is the angel of Revelation 10:7 the same angel as Revelation 3:14?

The Bible speaks of an angel (or messenger) to each of the churches in Revelation chapters 2 & 3. There is no indication that these are the same angels as indicated in Revelation 8:1 which states:

Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.[4]

The Bible does not teach that Revelation 3:14, the unveiling of Revelation 6, and Revelation 10:7 all happen at the same time. It also does not teach that the Angel in Revelation 3 is the same angel as that in Revelation 10. It does not teach that the Angel to Laodicea in Revelation 3:14 is the one who opens the seals (the Lamb is the one that opens the seals). Similarly, the Bible does not teach that the Angel to Laodicea is the same angel that sounds in Revelation 11:15.

So where did William Branham get this from? Charles Taze Russell in his book, The Finished Mystery, tied together Revelation 10:7 and Revelation 3:14:

[Rev] 10:7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel.—Pastor Russell was the seventh angel.—Rev. 3:14.[5]

In fact, it is clear that the sixth trumpeting angel sounds in Revelation 9:13 and the seventh trumpeting angel (the one spoken of in Revelation 10:7) does not actually sound his trumpet until Revelation 11:15:

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”[6]

The sounding of the seventh trumpet takes place AFTER the two witnesses of Revelation 11:1-12 have been resurrected and leave the earth.

What William Branham did was to use the same interpretation as Charles Taze Russell, which Russell used to point to himself. William Branham plagiarized Russell's interpretation for the sole purpose of pointing to himself (in a fashion that the Bible never intended).

Where did William Branham get his interpretation?

In his book, The Finished Mystery, Charles Taze Russel said this about the seventh seal of Revelation 6:15:

Had opened the seventh seal.—“The seal of the living God.” (Rev. 7:2.) The opening of the seventh seal is progressive. The opening and unfolding of the Truth goes on as the saints are sealed. By the time the saints are all sealed in their hearts and minds with the Present Truth, the deepest features of the Truth itself will have been disclosed. “The time will undoubtedly come in the near future when the number of the Elect will be complete. Then only such vacancies as might still occur by some falling out would remain.” (Z. ’14‐68.) “God’s people down through this Gospel age have been privileged to know something of the ‘Secret of the Lord’—the Divine Plan. But not until the last seal is broken, does the scroll fly wide open, permitting the ‘Mystery of God’ to be fully disclosed; as it is written: ‘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.’ (Rev. 5:1; 10:7.)”—Z. ’97‐257.
10:4. And [when] WHATSOEVER the seven thunders had uttered [their voices], I.—Pastor Russell as a representative of the John class.
10:7. But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel.—Pastor Russell was the seventh angel.—Rev. 3:14.

Charles Taze Russel went on to explain that a series of seven subjects he published between 1880 and 1910 were the seven thunders that fully revealed the mystery of God, which completed the unrolling of the seventh seal.

Quotes of William Branham

We know that the seventh angel has given the message. We see It vindicated with signs. We know we're at the end of the Laodicean age. We know that national strife, signs and wonders, are appearing everywhere. We know that we're at the end time, God bearing witness. And it behooveth us; it's becoming to us that we fulfill all righteousness. Nations against nations, perplexed at time, distressed, all these things that we have heard... If you can receive it...[7]
...Revelations 10, "And at the sounding of the seventh angel, the Laodicea messenger, the mysteries of God would be made known." And this is the last age, which is Laodicea.[8]
Now mark that with what the last prophet said, "Behold I send to you Elijah the prophet, and he will restore the--the hearts of the children back to the fathers." See? A Message to bring them back to the Bible, and the Son of man will be revealing Himself in that day. And at that day of the sounding of the last church age, the seventh angel, the mysteries of God should be made known in that day. The Seven Seals would be broken. The mysteries of all these churches and things, how they happened, and what tak-... how, what taken place.[9]
Here is where I wanted to get to, in Revelations 10. We'll get to it in a few minutes, and another Scripture verse. He said, "In the days of the Message of the seventh angel, the mystery of God ought to be finished." Here is the question, is, if you follow in that line in this hour, will it be finished? "Will I find the Faith?" Will Malachi 4 be fulfilled in this time, "Restore the Faith of the children, back to the Faith of the fathers, the original, the Word"? See?[10]
And the Seven Seals of God, when It was opened there on the mountain, God will let me die right now at this pulpit if That ain't the Truth. And I foretold you, a year and six months before it happened, what He told me, "Go to Arizona," and what would happen out there in the desert. And there's men setting right here, tonight, was standing right there and present when the seven Angels come down. And even mag-... The magazine, Life magazine, packed the article of It.[11]
Now, we're promised a church age through reformers, and we've had them. But He promised, in Malachi 4, He'd keep His pattern in the last days, what would take place, "To turn the hearts of the children back to the Faith of the apostolic father." For that very purpose! And the church is so broke up in denominations and isms, it's so tore to pieces till it's dead; it's been a carrier. And then He promised, in the hour of the seventh angel's Message, the Seven Seals would be revealed; and the mysteries of God would be declared (Revelation 10) when the seventh angel begins to sound his Message, not the healing service, the Message that follows the healing service.[12]
And these Seven Seals was not to be opened (Revelations 10) until the sounding of the last earthly angel on earth, Revelations 10:7. See? "And in the days of the sounding of the last angel's Message, seventh angel, the mystery of God should be finished in that age." That, and that's the age that we're living in.
We all know we're living in the Laodicea Age. There will never be another age to it. It can't be. So, we're living in the Laodicea Age. And these Seven Seals that's held that Book, is a mystery to people, should be opened at that day. That's what He promised. Now, it won't be nothing outside the Word, because you can't add to the Word or take from the Word. It's got to remain always the Word. But the revelation is to reveal the Truth of It, what It is, to make It fit with the rest the Scripture. And then God vindicates that to be the Truth. See?
...now, in the seventh church age, "When the seventh angel begins to sound, the mysteries of God was to be made known right there," the Seals.[13]
What do you think?

The statements by William Branham included in these articles are so strong, they force you to make a conclusion.


(a) Will you accept William Branham's statements and conclude that he was God himself - greater than Jesus, equal to the Holy Spirit, infallible, and above reproach?


(b) Or will you conclude that William Branahm was delusional.


There is no middle ground, because to compromise these statements requires you to deny William Branham's own words. It's time to choose: is William Branham's word Infallible, or was his message fallible?

This article is one in a series of studies on the doctrines of William Branham that pointed to himself - you are currently on the article that is in bold:

Footnotes

  1. New American Standard Bible, 1995 Edition: Paragraph Version (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Re 10:7
  2. Craig R. Koester, Revelation: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary, ed. John J. Collins, vol. 38A, Anchor Yale Bible (New Haven; London: Yale University Press, 2014), 480.
  3. Paige Patterson, Revelation, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 39, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2012), 233.
  4. Revelation 8:1 (ESV)
  5. Charles Taze Russell, The Finished Mystery, (Published Posthumously), Edited by C. J. Woodworth and George H. Fisher, Copyright 1917 Peoples Pulpit Association, Brooklyn, N. Y., U. S. A., International Bible Students Association
  6. Revelation 11:15 (ESV)
  7. IT.BECOMETH.US.TO.FULFIL.ALL.RIGHTEOUSNESS JEFF.IN 61-1001M
  8. MARRIAGE.AND.DIVORCE JEFF.IN 65-0221M
  9. SPIRITUAL.FOOD.IN.DUE.SEASON JEFF.IN 65-0718E
  10. THE.ANOINTED.ONES.AT.THE.END.TIME JEFF.IN 65-0725M
  11. THE.INVISIBLE.UNION.OF.THE.BRIDE.OF.CHRIST SHP.LA 65-1125
  12. I.HAVE.HEARD.BUT.NOW.I.SEE SHREVEPORT.LA 65-1127E
  13. THE.RAPTURE_ YUMA.AZ V-5 N-14 SATURDAY_ 65-1204


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