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The Seven Churches Ages: Difference between revisions

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Revelation 1:11 is addressed from the '''"Alpha and Omega"''' to '''"the seven churches which are in Asia."'''   
Revelation 1:11 is addressed from the '''"Alpha and Omega"''' to '''"the seven churches which are in Asia."'''   


The problem with William Branham's doctrine is that:
The problem with William Branham's doctrine on the Church Ages is that:
*Only two of the Church Age Messengers set foot in Asia.
*Only two of the Church Age Messengers set foot in Asia.
*Revelation 22:18 says, "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book."  The word "Ages" is extra. Its not found at all in Revelation 1:11.  So Ages may be a small word, but it's scary.  Go there at your own risk.   
*Revelation 22:18 says, "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book."  The word "Ages" is extra. Its not found at all in Revelation 1:11.  So Ages may be a small word, but it's scary.  Go there at your own risk.   
*He copied this doctrine from Clarence Larkin.  
*He copied this doctrine from [[Plagiarism|Clarence Larkin]].  


==Where is Asia?==
==Where is Asia?==
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Other than Irenaeus and Paul, none of these individuals set foot in Asia.  
Other than Irenaeus and Paul, none of these individuals set foot in Asia.  
==Who is Clarence Larkin?==
William Branham took his teaching on the church ages directly from Clarence Larkin, who wrote a book about the Book of Revelation.  To see exactly what William Branham [[Plagiarism|plagiarized from Clarence Larkin, please click on this link.]]


==Messengers Outside Their Ages==
==Messengers Outside Their Ages==
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*William Branham named Columba as the messenger to the Thyatira Age.  
*William Branham named Columba as the messenger to the Thyatira Age.  
*Columba died in 597 A.D., 9 years before the Age was supposed to start.  
*Columba died in 597 A.D., 9 years before the Age was supposed to start.  
==Who is Clarence Larkin?==
William Branham took his teaching on the church ages directly from Clarence Larkin, who wrote a book about the Book of Revelation.  To see exactly what William Branham [[Plagiarism|plagiarized from Clarence Larkin, please click on this link.]]
===Plagiarism in the Church Ages===
NOTE: William Branham's book "An Exposition of the Seven Church Ages" (which is commonly referred to as the "Church Age Book" or the CAB) contains all of the plagiarism noted in his sermon series on the Seven Church Ages which were delivered in December, 1960.  Most of the references in this article relating to the church ages are primarily to the actual sermons and not to the CAB.  While the CAB contains all of the plagiarized text referred to here, some have said that the plagiarism in the CAB was the direct result of the involvement of Lee Vayle and, therefore, cannot be attributed to William Branham himself.  The quotes contained below, however, clearly show that William Branham was the one that plagiarized Clarence Larkin's works.
{| class="wikitable"
!What William Branham Said
!What Clarence Larkin Said
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|Now, the first church age started about A.D. 53, when Paul established the church in--in Ephesus... and the church age lapped over to 170.
THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205
|The character of the Church at Ephesus is a fair outline of the Church Period from A. D. 70 to A. D. 170.
Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 128 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).
|-
|...the very name "Ephesus" means "let go, relax, backslidden," called by God, "The backslidden church."
THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205
|Its character is seen in its very name, for Ephesus means to “let go,” “to relax.” It had become a Backslidden Church.
Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture, 20 (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919).
|-
|...then started in the Smyrna Church Age which lasted from A.D. 170 until A.D. 312.  THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205
|...the Smyrna Church...extended from A. D. 170 to Constantine A. D. 312.
Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 128 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).
|-
|Then come in the Pergamos Church Age, and the Pergamos Church Age begin at 312 and lasted till A.D. 606. THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205
|...Pergamos...extends from the accession of Constantine, A. D. 312 to A. D. 606, when Boniface III was crowned “Universal Bishop.”
Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 129 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).
|-
|Then come in the Thyatira Church Age, and the church age of Thyatira begin at 606 and went to 1520, the dark ages. THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205
|The Message to the Church at Thyatira.  This Period extended from A. D. 606 to the Reformation A. D. 1520.
Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 130 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).
|-
|And then the Sardis Church Age begin at 1520 and lasted till 1750, the Lutheran age. THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205
|The “Sardis Period” extended from A. D. 1520 to about A. D. 1750.
Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 130 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).
|-
|Then from 1750, the next age come in was the Philadelphian, Wesley age; that begin at 1750 and lasted till 1906. THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205
|The “Philadelphia Period” covers the time between A. D. 1750 and A. D. 1900.
Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 131 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).
|-
|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 according to a vision that was showed me some years ago...  THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE 60-1205
|The character of the Church today is Laodicean, and as the Laodicean Period is to continue until the Church of the “New-Born” is taken out, we cannot hope for any great change until the Lord comes back.
Clarence Larkin, Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 133 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).
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===Plagiarism in the Breach Between the Seals and the Church Ages===
{| class="wikitable"
!What William Branham Said
!What Clarence Larkin Said
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|Now, now, we're going to turn to the 5th chapter. Now, this is not the Seven Seals. It is the "Breach Between the Church Ages and the Seven Seals." Now, there is also a 6th chapter of... and there was a 4th chapter, rather, of Revelation, and in that it kind of revealed something that would take place after the Church going up: '''that the Church goes up on the 3rd chapter of Revelations and does not return until the 19th chapter of Revelations.''' See? Therefore, the Church misses the tribulation. '''I know that's contrary to--to pretty near every teacher I ever talked to, but I--I don't mean to be dis--disagreeable.''' I--I mean to be your brother, but I--I must teach just as I can see it. If I don't, I can't put it together. You see? And now, whether it goes up before the tribulation or after the tribulation, I want to go up with it. That's the main thing.  THE.BREACH.BETWEEN.THE.SEVEN.CHURCH.AGES.AND.THE.SEVEN.SEALS_  JEFF.IN  SUNDAY_  63-0317E
Do you realize that the first three chapters of Revelation deals with the church in the church age? That's the tribulation period, not the church age; '''the church raptures and goes up at the 4th chapter of Revelation, never comes again till the 19th chapter when it comes with Jesus.''' That's right. That's in the tribulation period, not nothing to do with the church at all.  QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS_  JEFF.IN  COD  SUNDAY_  62-0527
John caught up in the 4th chapter to see things which was, which is, and which is to come. '''But the Church finishes at the 4th chapter, and Christ takes up the Church, caught up in the air to meet Him, and does not appear again until the 19th chapter''' when He comes back with--as King of king and Lord of lords with the Church. THE.FIRST.SEAL  JEFF.IN  63-0318
And at the same time the Church is gone, and these things don't even happen in the church age at all. That's right. They're--they're away from the church age. The Church absolutely is raptured at this time. '''The Church goes up in the 4th chapter of Revelation, and does not return until it comes back with its King in the 19th chapter.''' But these Seals here are revealing what has been, what is, and what will be. See? And now, what was to be for the church age was revealed by these Seals, and now, watch what takes it.  THE.FIFTH.SEAL_  JEFF.IN  63-0322
|The word “hereafter” permits a “time space,” while the words “after these things” refer to the things that shall immediately follow the completion of the “Church Age,” as prefigured in the Messages to the Seven Churches. The Church disappears from view with the close of the third chapter and is not heard of again until the nineteenth chapter, where her marriage to the Lamb is announced. Rev. 19:7–9.
Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture, 32 (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919).
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===The Message to the Seven Churches===
===The Message to the Seven Churches===