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THUS SAITH THE LORD: Difference between revisions
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William Branham believed that when he spoke "Thus saith the Lord" that God was obligated to carry out what William Branham said. | William Branham believed that when he spoke "Thus saith the Lord" that God was obligated to carry out what William Branham said. | ||
:''I prayed for a woman at the platform who had a horrible stomach trouble and couldn't eat nothing. And the Holy Spirit told her, "THUS SAITH THE LORD..." Watch you got your recorders here, if you want to see what He says. Said, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, you're healed of that stomach trouble." | :''I prayed for a woman at the platform who had a horrible stomach trouble and couldn't eat nothing. And the Holy Spirit told her, "THUS SAITH THE LORD..." Watch you got your recorders here, if you want to see what He says. Said, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, you're healed of that stomach trouble." | ||
:''When you hear that come forth, brother, I lay my life right there, it's going to be just that way. I'm forty-five years old, seen visions since I was a baby, and have never seen one time or challenge anybody to mention one time that He ever spoke in that manner, that it didn't come to pass just exactly the way He said it. That's right. Just ask anywhere; take any recordings you want to and find out. When you hear Him speak out like that, that it isn't just exactly that way. | :''When you hear that come forth, brother, I lay my life right there, it's going to be just that way. I'm forty-five years old, seen visions since I was a baby, and have never seen one time or challenge anybody to mention one time that He ever spoke in that manner, that it didn't come to pass just exactly the way He said it. That's right. Just ask anywhere; take any recordings you want to and find out. When you hear Him speak out like that, that it isn't just exactly that way.<ref>DIVINE.HEALING DES.MOINES.IA 54-0620E</ref> | ||
=The Biblical View= | |||
In the King James Version of the Bible, the phrase '''"''Thus saith the Lord''"''' appears 415 times in the Old Testament '''but does not appear at all in the New Testament.''' The term "saith the Lord" does appear 13 times in the New Testament but generally in reference to a quotation from the Old Testament. | |||
While William Branham appears to have been fixated on this phrase, '''it appears to have no significant relevance in the New Testament'''. | |||
Hebrews 1:1–2 | |||
:''God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son... | |||
Deuteronomy 18:20–22 | |||
:''‘But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, '''that prophet shall die'''.’ | |||
:''“You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’ | |||
:''“When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, '''if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken'''. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. | |||
Jeremiah 23: 25-32 | |||
:''“I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds? They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship. | |||
:''Let the prophet who has a dream recount the dream, but let the one who has my word speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? | |||
:''“Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’ Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. | |||
:''“They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least,” declares the Lord. | |||
==The Biblical terms of when "Thus Saith The Lord" can change== | |||
God has clearly outlined the conditions under which a "Thus Saith The Lord" prophecy will not come to pass and what God has declared clearly can change. There are three circumstances in which this can happen according to scripture. | |||
===Judgment is declared but there is repentance=== | |||
God told Jeremiah: | |||
:''Then the word of the LORD came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.<ref>The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Je 18:5–8.</ref> | |||
'''The question: Did this condition apply to ANY of William Branham's failed prophesies?''' | |||
===Peace is declared but the nation does evil=== | |||
God further told Jeremiah: | |||
:''And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.<ref>The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Je 18:9–10.</ref> | |||
'''Again, ask the question: Did this condition apply to ANY of William Branham's failed prophesies?''' | |||
===The future is foretold but prayer prevails to change it=== | |||
The Bible says of King Hezekiah in Isaiah 38: | |||
In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” <ref>The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Is 38:1.</ref> | |||
The words "''you will not recover''" must have sounded to Hezekiah like the final hammer blows on the nails of his coffin. They seem final and without apparent reprieve. Yet, it is evident that Hezekiah knew something of God’s character that Moses also knew (Exod. 32:7–14): God is always ready to be entreated. He is unchanging in his intention to bless his creatures and is willing to change their outcomes if people turn to him in intensity of faith (Jon. 4:2). This does not mean that matters will always turn out as we wish. But it does mean that prayer can change the course of events, and that failure to pray is not necessarily a sign of submission to God’s intractable will. Rather, it may be a sign of apathy and unwillingness to wrestle with God (note Jacob’s refusal to let go of the man with whom he wrestled, Gen. 32:26).<ref>John N. Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 1–39, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1986), 675.</ref> | |||
Hezekiah’s response is instructive. He does not withdraw completely, for he does not withdraw from God. Neither does he rage against God nor does he demand that God heal him in payment for “services rendered.” Rather, he simply pours out the feelings of a wounded heart to a heavenly Father. No father’s heart can be unaffected by such a cry: | |||
:''Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, “Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.<ref>The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Is 38:2–3.</ref> | |||
As 2 Kings 20:4 indicates, Isaiah had not gotten out of the palace before the word of reprieve came to him. Another person might have been chagrined by the need to change a pronouncement so recently made with such certainty. But the prophet was a man under appointment. It was not his word but God’s, and if God wished to change it, who was the prophet to quibble?<ref>John N. Oswalt, The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 1–39, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1986), 676–677.</ref> | |||
:''Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city. “ ‘This is the LORD’s sign to you that the LORD will do what he has promised: 8 I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’ ” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.<ref>The New International Version, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Is 38:4–8.</ref> | |||
'''Ask yourself the question a final time: Did any of these conditions apply to ANY of William Branham's failed prophesies?''' | |||
=Was | =Was it always correct in William Branham's ministry?= | ||
Was each time that William Branham said "Thus saith the Lord" correct? | Was each time that William Branham said "Thus saith the Lord" correct? | ||
One of the big challenges with William Branham's prophetic ministry is actually finding verifiable examples of it. This is dealt with in detail in our article on the [ | '''One of the big challenges with William Branham's prophetic ministry is actually finding verifiable examples of it.''' This is dealt with in detail in our article on the [[Proof of the Prophetic]]. From the period from the first recorded tape in 1947 until his last recorded sermon in 1965, we have been unable to find any examples of unambiguous prophecies that were publicly announced by William Branham and that were clearly fulfilled at a later date. We have [[Proof of the Prophetic#The Test|repeatedly asked for examples publicly]] but have had no one yet contact us with any clear examples. | ||
This is a serious problem for those that wish to believe that William Branham was a prophet. | This is a serious problem for those that wish to believe that William Branham was a prophet. | ||
Based on our research, there are several instances where William Branham spoke in the name of the Lord or pointed to a vision that he said came from God but that did not ultimately come to pass. Examples of these would include: | Based on our research, '''there are several instances''' where William Branham spoke in the name of the Lord or pointed to a vision that he said came from God but that did not ultimately come to pass. Examples of these would include: | ||
*[[The Municipal Bridge Vision]] | *[[The Municipal Bridge Vision]] | ||
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**[[America in Ashes]] | **[[America in Ashes]] | ||
=Was | =Was it unique in William Branham's ministry?= | ||
Some message believers are of the view that William Branham's ministry was unique because of his use of "''Thus Saith The Lord''" and in this way can be differentiated from other self-appointed prophets like Joseph Smith, Ellen G. White and others. | Some message believers are of the view that William Branham's ministry was unique because of his use of "''Thus Saith The Lord''" and in this way can be differentiated from other self-appointed prophets like Joseph Smith, Ellen G. White and others. | ||
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:''The book of Revelation having the authority of a ‘thus saith the Lord’ states that a Man-child (David Koresh) shall be born in the latter days (our day), see Rev.12:5. The latter day Man-child had within his body the same spirit which was also within Yahshua’s body. The duplicate spirit of Yahshua (for the old testament period) and the spirit of David Koresh (for the new testament period) is the same duplicate spirit of the Archangel Michael. In other words, Yahshua and David Koresh were the Angelic Michael in human form. In the latter days the Man-child’s name (David Koresh) and now the Chosen Vessel’s name (typified by Darius), are the only names whereby salvation may be attained. <ref>[http://branchdavidian.tripod.com/timothy.html BranchDavidian.com]</ref> | :''The book of Revelation having the authority of a ‘thus saith the Lord’ states that a Man-child (David Koresh) shall be born in the latter days (our day), see Rev.12:5. The latter day Man-child had within his body the same spirit which was also within Yahshua’s body. The duplicate spirit of Yahshua (for the old testament period) and the spirit of David Koresh (for the new testament period) is the same duplicate spirit of the Archangel Michael. In other words, Yahshua and David Koresh were the Angelic Michael in human form. In the latter days the Man-child’s name (David Koresh) and now the Chosen Vessel’s name (typified by Darius), are the only names whereby salvation may be attained. <ref>[http://branchdavidian.tripod.com/timothy.html BranchDavidian.com]</ref> | ||
=Quotes= | =Quotes= | ||
:''But let me tell you something. A lot of you women tonight would have an awful time doing that; you'd have to stand on your head to do it. Shame on you. The Bible said, "The hair is given to a woman for her glory." '''And the Bible rights gives any man a right to leave and divorce and leave his wife, that'll cut her hair. That's the Bible. That's '''THUS SAITH THE LORD'''.''' Too bad you got away from the old fashion trainings, isn't it?<ref>THE.WORST.SINNER.IN.THE.CITY_ MINNEAPOLIS.MN SATURDAY_ 56-0218E</ref> | |||
:''But let me tell you something. A lot of you women tonight would have an awful time doing that; you'd have to stand on your head to do it. Shame on you. The Bible said, "The hair is given to a woman for her glory." And the Bible rights gives any man a right to leave and divorce and leave his wife, that'll cut her hair. That's the Bible. That's '''THUS SAITH THE LORD'''. Too bad you got away from the old fashion trainings, isn't it? | |||
:''Now, I'm an old man now. And I--I have never one time... And can call the world to--to a standstill, and ask them. '''"Put your finger on one thing that He ever told me, in THUS SAITH THE LORD, in the Name of the Lord, but what was absolutely the truth and fact, and come to pass,''' out of the thousands times thousands of things."<ref>SPIRIT.OF.TRUTH PHOENIX.AZ 63-0118</ref> | |||
:''Now, I'm an old man now. And I--I have never one time... And can call the world to--to a standstill, and ask them. "Put your finger on one thing that He ever told me, in THUS SAITH THE LORD, in the Name of the Lord, but what was absolutely the truth and fact, and come to pass, out of the thousands times thousands of things." | |||
:''And before you can accept it, you've got to believe it. Because, faith is based; or, healing is based on faith, and faith is based on the Word. | :''And before you can accept it, you've got to believe it. Because, faith is based; or, healing is based on faith, and faith is based on the Word. | ||
:''Now, you can't say, "If I touch this microphone, I'll be healed." There, there is no basic to that, see. That's in your mind. | :''Now, you can't say, "If I touch this microphone, I'll be healed." There, there is no basic to that, see. That's in your mind. | ||
:''But when it's THUS SAITH THE LORD, then you can know that's true, 'cause, "All heavens and earth will pass away, but His Word will never be changed." So it's true. | :''But '''when it's THUS SAITH THE LORD, then you can know that's true''', 'cause, "All heavens and earth will pass away, but His Word will never be changed." So it's true.<ref>PERSEVERANCE_ NY.NY V-18 N-12 SATURDAY_ 63-1116E</ref> | ||
:''And He promised, "In the last days, He would send the Spirit of Elijah, and would call the people, the children of God, back to the original Faith like it was in the beginning, of the Word." :''That Word was confirmed, the Son of man in the last days, the same as it was at Sodom; yesterday, today, and forever. He promised to do it. It's God's promise. It's THUS SAITH THE LORD. Notice, they did the same thing, just as Moses did, until God got enough of it. | :''And He promised, "In the last days, He would send the Spirit of Elijah, and would call the people, the children of God, back to the original Faith like it was in the beginning, of the Word." :''That Word was confirmed, the Son of man in the last days, the same as it was at Sodom; yesterday, today, and forever. He promised to do it. It's God's promise. It's THUS SAITH THE LORD. Notice, they did the same thing, just as Moses did, until God got enough of it. | ||
:''Now remember, it's THUS SAITH THE LORD, it'll come to pass in this day. | :'''''Now remember, it's THUS SAITH THE LORD, it'll come to pass in this day'''.<ref>THE.ANOINTED.ONES.AT.THE.END.TIME_ JEFF.IN V-5 N-3 SUNDAY_ 65-0725M</ref> | ||
=References= | =References= | ||
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