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| [[ William Branham]] believed that the world would end in 1977. | | [[ William Branham]] believed that the world would end in 1977. |
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| =1) Prediction vs. Prophecy== | | =Prediction vs. Prophecy== |
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| William Branham said "I predict (I do not prophesy)". | | William Branham said "I predict (I do not prophesy)". |
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| On one hand William Branham said ‘Thus saith the Lord” many times during his ministry, and each time he was 100% correct. Why then is there a big deal about the one time when he said “this is not Thus saith the Lord, but just me”? For someone to deny his ministry based on this one prediction is irresponsible, as William Branham himself said:
| | William Branham said ‘[[Thus saith the Lord]]” many times during his ministry. It is interesting that he actually realized he could completely destroy his legacy with a prophecy that was incorrect as to exact timing. As a result, he waffled on the date. |
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| :''Now, I could miss that a year; I can miss it twenty years, I could miss it a hundred years. I don't know where…And I could be wrong; I'm predicting. Everybody understand say, "amen" if you do. [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] See?.'' (LAODICEAN.CHURCH.AGE_ JEFF.IN ROJC 493-550 SUNDAY_ 60-1211E)
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| :''And at 1906 the Laodicean church age set in, and I don't know when it'll end, but I predict it'll be done by 1977. I predict, not the Lord told me, but I predict it…''(EPHESIAN.CHURCH.AGE_ JEFF.IN ROJC 131-183 MONDAY_ 60-1205)
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| :''and then I predicted... I never said the Lord told me that…''(SEVENTY.WEEKS.OF.DANIEL_ JEFF.IN DA 89-141 SUNDAY_ 61-0806)
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| :''I don't want anyone to misunderstand it. Don't misunderstand now, and say, "Brother Branham said Jesus will come in 1977." I never said no such a thing. Jesus may come today…''(SEVENTY.WEEKS.OF.DANIEL_ JEFF.IN DA 89-141 SUNDAY_ 61-0806)
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| :''I PREDICT (I do not prophesy) that these visions will have all come to pass by 1977…''(LAODICEAN.CHURCH.AGE - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.9)
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| Based on the above quotes, it appears William Branham made it very clear that his comments on 1977 were just that - comments - and not prophetic revelation. Contrast the above quotes with the following prophetic revelation:
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| :''Jezebel is the type of the modern church today, 'cause Catholic and Protestants are joined together now. Right. There is no getting around it. They're both denominations, so it's--so it's just mother and sister. That's all. They fuss and argue with one another, but it's the same thing, both harlots. Now, I'm not saying that myself. I'm quoting from THUS SAITH THE LORD.'' (FOURTH SEAL_JEFF IN_63-0321)
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| If someone wanted to disprove William Branham as a prophet, they should focus on the doctrines he established as coming from the Lord, rather than his own commentary. This is similar to court cases where a judge makes a decision and provides reasoning to the decision ('Rationes decidendi') that is binding, but also adds commentary (called 'obiter dicta') which does not have the force of law to become a precident, but may be considered or ignored by later court cases on the merit of its own persuasion. (this comment relates to the Canadian Judicial system)
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| ==2) "These visions" are true prophecy== | | ==2) "These visions" are true prophecy== |
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| ==6)What is the 'Ushering in the the Millenium'?== | | =What is the 'Ushering in the the Millenium'?== |
| William Branham is referring to the ushering in of the millennium, not the date of the millennium itself.
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| The definition of ‘usher’ is as follows:
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| Verb: to conduct to a place,
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| Noun: one that goes before, guide, shepherd
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| Based on this definition, the ‘ushering in’ is a process - an activity that is extended over a period of time. One of the common duties of ushers is to seat people and ensure order prior to a wedding. Before leading a person to their seat, an usher will come down the isle ahead of a person to secure their spot; however, that person may still remain at the door or even out of sight. Once the duty of the usher in seating the people has been finished, the wedding has not yet begun. While the usher is working to make everything ready, the bride may be in a car in the parking lot, or still in another room.
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| The ‘ushering in’ is inseparably tied to the wedding as it relates to those things that immediately precede or herald the coming of the bride. 1977 is therefore irrelevant as a year to look for the skies to open (the dreadful day of the Lord), as it relates to the ushering in (preparing), not the wedding march, the wedding itself, nor the final departure of the bridegroom and bride.
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| For example, while the majority of the people on the earth were oblivious to Christ’s coming, a few were aware of it, including the shepherds, the wise men, Mary and Joseph, John the Baptist, and Simeon. Simeon, who was told he would see the Lord’s Christ, did not see Jesus die for his sins, but he did see the Messiah. Others who knew Simeon but did not believe Jesus was the Christ or did not live to see Jesus’ ministry probably dismissed Simeon’s testimony as false because Christ’s coming did not fit into their traditions or observations. They did not realize that the ushering in of the Kingdom of Christ (the star, the heralding angels, the arrival and ministry of John, the promise to Simeon, the jubilant entrance into Jerusalem) was a process rather than instant experience. The importance of each event was historic and essential, yet it took the sum of all of these to fulfill the prophecies in the Word of God.
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| ==7) What is 'Termination of the World Systems'?==
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| The termination of world systems is a similar prophecy given to the gentiles as the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of Israel was given to the Jews. In analyzing how the Jewish prophecy was made and how it came to pass, it should be easier to understand how the Gentile prophecy will come to pass:
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| First of all, Moses spoke to the Children of Israel proclaiming that a curse would be set on the people if they did not follow the law. Once the curse was set upon them, other nations would say:
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| :''For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and [whom] he had not given unto them: And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book: And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as [it is] this day.'' (DEUTERONOMY 29:26-28)
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| In order for this curse to take effect, the iniquity of the Jews would have to be fulfilled as the Lord would not condemn without cause. Just as the iniquity of the Amorites had to be full (Genesis 15:16) before the Israelites could conquer and dwell in their land (Numbers 21:31) so the iniquity of the Jews had to be full (Matthew 23:28) before the Gentiles could claim the Messiah as their own.
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| The termination of Jerusalem and the Jewish system was prophesied from Moses (Deut 29) to Jesus (Luke 21:24). At the same time judgement was pronounced on the Jews, grace was given to the rest of the world. The change was not instantaneous, but began in Jerusalem and moved (was ushered into) the rest of the world (Luke 24:46). Just as the termination of the Jewish system was a process, so the termination of the Gentile world systems will be a process.
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| As the iniquity of the Amorites had to be fulfilled before Moses could lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and conquer the Amorites, so the iniquity of the present Gentile world order has to be fulfilled before the 'Great and dreadfull day of the Lord'. Just as there was a space of time between the fullness of the Amorites' iniquity and the day of their judgement, so there is a space of time between the fullness of the Gentiles' iniquity and the day of their Judgement.
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| It is possible that the iniquity of the Gentiles was full, for the first time, in 1977.
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| ====Example of 'Timing' Prophecies that could have been misinterpreted====
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| The following list of scriptures supports the position that judgment and redemption are processes:
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| *Compare the following scriptures to determine the exact moment the Son of Man was glorified:
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| ::''Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.'' (JOHN 13:31)
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| ::''Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and [to] my God, and your God.'' (JOHN 20:17)
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| ::''Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.'' (JOHN 20:27)
| | William Branham plagiarized a lot of his doctrine from Clarence Larkin and this is another clear case of stealing wording directly from Larkin: |
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| *Also compare the following scripture to determine when the Holy Ghost fell on the disciples:
| | :''We must not forget that the “SEVENTH SEAL” includes all that happens during the sounding of the “Trumpets,” and the pouring out of the “Vials,” and so extends down to the '''ushering in of the Millennium'''. To illustrate, a rocket fired into the air may burst into “seven stars,” and one of these stars into “seven other stars,” and one of the second group of stars into a third group of “seven stars.” So the “Seventh” Seal includes the “Seven Trumpets,” and the “Seventh” Trumpet includes the “Seven Vials.”<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture, 68 (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919).</ref> |
| ::''And when he had said this, he breathed on [them], and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:'' (JOHN 20:22)
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| ::''And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.'' (LUKE 24:49)
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| *The Destruction of Jerusalem: Jesus said unto Jerusalem "Behold, your house is left to you desolate"; however, Jerusalem was not destroyed for another 40 years.
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| *Let there be light: Pretend you were standing on the earth when God said “Let there be light”. (Genesis 1:3) When God said those words, light was created (there are an estimated 70 million million million stars that can be seen from the earth - which is more than the grains of sand on the earth). Five minutes after God said this, you may not have seen any light – because it takes light 8 minutes to travel from the sun to the earth. It would have taken a lot longer to see that the Lord didn’t do a half-job, as it takes years and years for the light from other stars to reach our planet.
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| ==8) Intentional stumbling block== | | ==Intentional stumbling block== |
| Jesus said ''Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.'' (John 6:53) The Bible then records that ''From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.'' (John 6:66) probably on the basis that they could not accept cannibalism as a doctrine. | | Jesus said ''Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.'' (John 6:53) The Bible then records that ''From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.'' (John 6:66) probably on the basis that they could not accept cannibalism as a doctrine. |
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| <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> | | <br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br> |
| In the last church age, Laodicea, the light from the sun was totally eclipsed, and the age ended in utter darkness. This is described by William Branham as follows:}
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| SHALOM_ PHOENIX.AZ V-22 N-1 SUNDAY_ 64-0119
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| :''The moon now, we are in the Laodicea church age. In the Laodicea church age, of all of the other churches, the Laodicea, last lukewarm church age, Christ was on the outside of the church. Any Bible reader knows that. Revelations 3, He was on the outside of the church, trying to get His way back in again, and it never did say He got in. "But as many as He loved, He rebuked and chastened." The message would rebuke and chasten those who He loved. Now, was knocking, trying to get in; darkness shut it off, exactly what's come to pass. The Light that has been shining, soon will absolutely be shut completely out. It'll all go in to form an image unto the beast. And we know what that means here; that's the end time.''
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| SPOKEN.WORD.ORIGINAL.SEED_ JEFF.IN V-3 N-2 SUNDAY_ 62-0318E
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| :''Christ's bride did the same: mixed her denominational seed and put Christ, her espoused Husband, away. And you dry-washed bunch of Pentecostals; what's the matter with you? Revelations the 3rd chapter and the 20th verse, we find in prophecy, Jesus Christ outside of His own church in this Laodicean Age, knocking on the door [Brother Branham knocks on the pulpit--Ed.] trying to get back, the most pathetic picture in the Bible. What'd she do? She took on whoredom. When Jesus comes, what's He knocking for? Jesus come back to receive His Bride; and when He come to knock [Brother Branham knocks on pulpit--Ed.] at the door, He was fastened out.''
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| Again, the end time is a process, not a single event. 1977 therefore could be the date when the gospel light is gone out from the Church. If you think this is impossible, as the Lord has moved on his people since then, consider the following quote:
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| SHALOM_ SIERRA.VISTA.AZ V-13 N-5 SUNDAY_ 64-0112
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| :''Good people caught in this thing, good people, sincere people. Like Mary and Joseph, they were very sincere (See?), thinking He was with them, when He wasn't. Mary and Joseph, you know, when they was up to the feast, Jesus, the age of twelve, they thought, presuming, He was with them, but He wasn't. Good people today think the same thing, they--these people that's organized in this council of churches, these people in these organizations, they--they think they're doing a good thing. They're presuming He's with them, when they're not. See, many people think that He was with them when they shook hands with the preacher and put their name on the book, but He wasn't. Many people thought, when they were sprinkled, confirmed, baptized in name of "Father, Son, Holy Ghost," thinking He was with them. They're good people. Mary and Joseph was good people. But the facts was, He wasn't there. Don't presume anything.''
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| William Branham talked of a “Bride Age” – a short period of time in which the Bride of Christ would make herself ready, and become 100% complete. He talks of this separately from the Laodicean Church age as the Bride will not have any mark against its character as the Laodiceans had. In the last message William Branham spoke, he said:
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| LEADERSHIP_ COVINA.CA V-7 N-7 TUESDAY_ 65-1207
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| :''Now, you see, it's wheat time now. It's getting harvest time. This is not Luther's age; this is not Pentecost age; this is the Bride age. As Moses called a nation out of a nation, Christ today is calling a church out of a church (You see?), the same thing in type, taking them to the glorious eternal promised land.''
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| This is mirrored by the Romans 9:6-7:
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| :''Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they [are] not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.''
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| It could also be said that 'they are not all Church (or Bride), which are of the Church.' Now is the separating time before harvest, when the shuck pulls away from the wheat. Not only will the wheat be separated from the tares, but the wheat will also be separated from shuck, just as the wise virgin was separated from the foolish virgin. The whole purpose of the harvest is to get the seed; therefore, while Christ represented the wave-sheaf offering of the perfect sacrifice before the harvest, there will come a time when 100% of the harvest will be ready, and be identical to the first seed.
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| This is not to say that the rest of the Church (the shuck) will be left without power or gifts. For example: when Abraham sent his servant to find Isaac a wife, that servant gave gifts not only to Rebekah, but also to Laban and his mother. Neither had to return the gifts, but kept them after Rebekah had departed. If the camel train (signifying power) is a type of the Holy Spirit, we can draw two conclusions: 1) Rebekah played an active part in preparing the way back to Isaac by following the Lord’s leading and watering the camels, and 2) Rebekah’s family (the church) was given gifts of the Holy Spirit that remained even after the Holy Spirit had departed.
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| The Bride age, therefore, would be after 1977. This is a time when the Church is active, but without the Holy Spirit, and it is a time when the world is in total darkness, is deceived and blind, and knows it not. The Bride of Christ, however, through the leading of the Holy Spirit is perfecting herself during this time.
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| ==10)Conclusion== | | ==10)Conclusion== |