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The Seven Churches Ages: Difference between revisions
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:''...What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches '''which are in Asia'''; unto [[Ephesus]], and unto [[Smyrna]], and unto [[Pergamos]], and unto [[Thyatira]], and unto [[Sardis]], and unto [[Philadelphia]], and unto [[Laodicea]].'' | :''...What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches '''which are in Asia'''; unto [[Ephesus]], and unto [[Smyrna]], and unto [[Pergamos]], and unto [[Thyatira]], and unto [[Sardis]], and unto [[Philadelphia]], and unto [[Laodicea]].'' | ||
:''The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.'' | :''The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.'' | ||
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=Where did William Branham say he got his teaching from?= | =Where did William Branham say he got his teaching from?= | ||
''Now, then, when we got finished with the book of the revelation of the church, '''what God did to those seven churches''', which were then in their infancy, or their shadow, in Asia Minor. Then '''the Holy Spirit revealed and opened to us all the mysteries in There''', of how He has brought His Church through history. And if you don’t have The Seven Church Ages on tape, it would be good if you listened to them. And soon they’ll be in book form.<ref>William Branham, 64-0719M - The Feast Of The Trumpets, para. 38</ref> | William Branham told his followers that he received his revelation of the seven church ages from God: | ||
:''Now, then, when we got finished with the book of the revelation of the church, '''what God did to those seven churches''', which were then in their infancy, or their shadow, in Asia Minor. Then '''the Holy Spirit revealed and opened to us all the mysteries in There''', of how He has brought His Church through history. And if you don’t have The Seven Church Ages on tape, it would be good if you listened to them. And soon they’ll be in book form.<ref>William Branham, 64-0719M - The Feast Of The Trumpets, para. 38</ref> | |||
==Where did he actually get his teaching?== | ==Where did he actually get his teaching?== | ||
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!What William Branham Said<ref>All quotes of William Branham below are from his sermon, THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE (60-1205)</ref> | !What William Branham Said<ref>All quotes of William Branham below, except the last one, are from his sermon, THE EPHESIAN CHURCH AGE (60-1205)</ref> | ||
!What Clarence Larkin Said<ref>All of the Clarence Larkin quotes below are from his book - Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 128 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).</ref> | !What Clarence Larkin Said<ref>All of the Clarence Larkin quotes below are from his book - Dispensational Truth, or “God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“, 128 (Philadelphia, PA: Clarence Larkin, 1918).</ref> | ||
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|The “'''Philadelphia''' Period” covers the time between '''A. D. 1750 and A. D. 1900.''' | |The “'''Philadelphia''' Period” covers the time between '''A. D. 1750 and A. D. 1900.''' | ||
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|'''Eyesalve''', open your eyes so we can look way back and see where it come from. '''You’re just looking what the church is today'''; look back and see where it come from, then keep moving towards God, you’ll get away from it. Yes, sir. | |'''Eyesalve''', open your eyes so we can look way back and see where it come from. '''You’re just looking what the church is today'''; look back and see where it come from, then keep moving towards God, you’ll get away from it. Yes, sir.<ref>60-1211E - The Laodicean Church Age</ref> | ||
|'''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. | |'''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. | ||
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#Laodicea - 1906 - present - Messenger - William Branham (self- proclaimed) (born circa 1909 A.D. - died 1965 A.D.) | #Laodicea - 1906 - present - Messenger - William Branham (self- proclaimed) (born circa 1909 A.D. - died 1965 A.D.) | ||
'''Every one of William Branham's messengers was at the beginning of the age''' with | '''Every one of William Branham's messengers was at the beginning of the age''' with one exception. Columba, the messenger to Thyatira, was born in the Pergamos age and never even made it to "his age." | ||
William Branham thought he came at the end of the Laodicean age, but it turned out he was wrong. | |||
==Messengers Outside Their Ages, Messengers Confronting Heresies== | ==Messengers Outside Their Ages, Messengers Confronting Heresies== | ||
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*[[Paul the Apostle]] was martyred between 68 and 73 AD. | *[[Paul the Apostle]] was martyred between 68 and 73 AD. | ||
*John wrote the Book of Revelation from the Isle of Patmos around 95 AD. | *John wrote the Book of Revelation from the Isle of Patmos around 95 AD. | ||
If William Branham was correct, then Paul had been dead for over 20 years when John sent him the letter. ''' | If William Branham was correct, then Paul had been dead for over 20 years when John sent him the letter. '''So Paul never got the letter sent to him?''' | ||
===Irenaeus=== | ===Irenaeus=== | ||
Message Believers cringe when people speak against William Branham's doctrines. A common complaint is, '''"don't judge".''' What they do not realize is that [[Irenaeus]] taught against the Serpent's Seed doctrine. He labeled it a heresy. And William Branham said you had to believe the Messenger for your Age in order to be saved. | Message Believers cringe when people speak against William Branham's doctrines. A common complaint is, '''"don't judge".''' What they do not realize is that '''[[Irenaeus]] taught against the Serpent's Seed doctrine.''' He labeled it a heresy. And William Branham said you had to believe the Messenger for your Age in order to be saved. | ||
===Columba=== | ===Columba=== | ||
*William Branham said the Thyatira Age started in 606 AD. | *William Branham said the Thyatira Age started in 606 AD. | ||
*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.''' | ||
===John Wesley=== | ===John Wesley=== | ||
[[John Wesley]] labeled William Branham's understanding on the Godhead as ''"...Blasphemy, joined with consummate nonsense."''<ref>~ Thoughts on the writings of Baron Swedenborg, by John Wesley, Wakefield, May 8, 1782.</ref> We know this because William Branham's doctrine on the Godhead was very close to Emmanuel Swedenborg's doctrine on the Godhead, and John Wesley also concluded the following about Swedenborg's doctrine: | '''[[John Wesley]] labeled William Branham's understanding on the Godhead as ''"...Blasphemy, joined with consummate nonsense.'''''<nowiki/>''"''<ref>~ Thoughts on the writings of Baron Swedenborg, by John Wesley, Wakefield, May 8, 1782.</ref> We know this because William Branham's doctrine on the Godhead was very close to Emmanuel Swedenborg's doctrine on the Godhead, and John Wesley also concluded the following about Swedenborg's doctrine: | ||
:''"O my brethren, let none of you that fear God recommend such a writer any more; much less labor to make the deadly poison palatable, by sweetening it with all care! All his folly and nonsense we may excuse; but not his making God a liar; not his contradicting, in so open and flagrant a manner, the whole oracles of God! True, his tales are often exceeding lively, and as entertaining as the tales of...the fairies! But I dare not give up my Bible for them; and I must give up one or the other. If the preceding extracts are from God, then the Bible is only a fable! But if all Scriptures are given by inspiration of God, then let these dreams sink into the pit from whence they came." <ref>~ Thoughts on the writings of Baron Swedenborg, by John Wesley, Wakefield, May 8, 1782.</ref> | :''"O my brethren, let none of you that fear God recommend such a writer any more; much less labor to make the deadly poison palatable, by sweetening it with all care! All his folly and nonsense we may excuse; but not his making God a liar; not his contradicting, in so open and flagrant a manner, the whole oracles of God! True, his tales are often exceeding lively, and as entertaining as the tales of...the fairies! But I dare not give up my Bible for them; and I must give up one or the other. If the preceding extracts are from God, then the Bible is only a fable! But if all Scriptures are given by inspiration of God, then let these dreams sink into the pit from whence they came." <ref>~ Thoughts on the writings of Baron Swedenborg, by John Wesley, Wakefield, May 8, 1782.</ref> | ||
= | =Did an Angel draw the Church Age diagram on the wall of the Branham Tabernacle?= | ||
William Branham stated that after he finished teaching on the Seven Church ages: | |||
:''...that Angel of the Lord, that Light, It come right in before three hundred people, moved Itself right over on the wall, and drawed with that round Light, just the way I drawed the churches, and showed exactly the same depths and everything, as it went through, while three hundred people screaming, and crying, and looking at It on the side of the wall. Why, It stood out here, and reflected Itself on the wall and made that same thing.<ref>William Branham, 61-0208 - Sirs, We Would See Jesus, para. 11</ref> | |||
If this had actually happened and could be corroborated, it would help to "vindicate" William Branham's teaching on the subject, at least to his followers. | |||
However, multiple sources who were present at the service said what they saw was the reflection of the headlights of a car coming through the window. The light went across the wall as the car turned. There were a couple of people who did scream in the back when it happened, as though it was something supernatural. But almost no one thought it drew the picture of the seven church ages at the time. Brother Branham and a few people just started to say it afterwards. | |||
=Other Problems with William Branham's interpretation= | |||
There are a number of problems with William Branham's interpretation of the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation. Here are a few of them which are dealt with below: | |||
#As seen above, William Branham [[Plagiarism|plagiarized the concept of the seven church ages from Clarence Larkin]] (see link for detail or brief discussion below) | |||
#The Bible does not talk about church ages and this interpretation of Revelation 2 & 3 is clearly wrong on the basis of church history and current events. | |||
#A map shows that Revelation addresses the seven churches in the very sequence that a messenger from John, arriving first in Ephesus near the sea, would travel to each of the cities listed, presumably along the main roads of Asia (see the Introduction). The average distance between each city was about thirty to forty-five miles. | |||
#Only a forced reading of church history (regularly revised with the passing of time) has allowed this interpretation.<ref>Craig S. Keener, Revelation, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999), 75.</ref> | |||
#We are not in the Laodicean church age. Less than 20% of evangelical Christians live in North America or Europe where lukewarm churches abound. Today, more evangelicals live in Asia than any other continent. 60% of evangelicals live in Asia or Africa. The churches in the third world… particularly in countries where the church is persecuted… are anything but lukewarm. | |||
#If Revelation requires the completion of seven church ages before Jesus’ return, then in most centuries of church history Christians had no right to expect the imminent return of the Lord! This would be a curious conclusion for advocates of the seven church ages view, most of whom vehemently emphasize the imminence of Christ’s return.<ref>Craig S. Keener, Revelation, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999), 75.</ref> | |||
#The whole point of William Branham's interpretation was to [[William Branham's View of Himself|point to himself]]. | |||
==Is this also a Jehovah's Witness doctrine?== | |||
The preface to the book, "The Finished Mystery", published by the International Bible Students Association and said to be the posthumous work of Charles Taze Russell<ref>It was later established that this book was largely written and compiled by two of Russell's associates, Clayton J. Woodworth and George H. Fisher, and edited by Russell's successor, Joseph Franklin Rutherford</ref>, states the following: | |||
:Through St. John the Lord Jesus revealed the fact that the Church would be developed during '''seven distinct periods''', or epochs; and that for each of these epochs Ho would have '''a special angel, or messenger''', to serve the other members of the Body. It follows, then, that '''the messenger to the last, or Laodicean, epoch would declare the Presence of the Lord and the time of the Harvest of the Gospel Age'''. The great Master laid special emphasis on the importance of the messenger to the seventh, or Laodicean, period of the Church, saying that such an one would be "a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord would make ruler over all His Household, to give them meat in due season." | |||
:Those consecrated Christians who have read and fully appreciated the Truth as contained in the preceding six volumes of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES readily sea and agree that '''Charles Taze Russell was the messenger of the Church of Laodicea'''. In the mind of every one who believes the Bible the evidence set forth in this volume will establish that fact beyond the question of a doubt. | |||
==Seven Church '''Ages'''?== | ==Seven Church '''Ages'''?== | ||
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:''"The seven churches with their angels represent the whole Christian church, dispersed throughout the whole world, as it subsists, not, as some have imagined, in one age after another, but in every age. This is a point of deep importance, and always necessary to be remembered: that these seven churches are, as it were, a sample of the whole church of Christ, as it was then, as it is now, and as it will be in all ages."'' - John Wesley | :''"The seven churches with their angels represent the whole Christian church, dispersed throughout the whole world, as it subsists, not, as some have imagined, in one age after another, but in every age. This is a point of deep importance, and always necessary to be remembered: that these seven churches are, as it were, a sample of the whole church of Christ, as it was then, as it is now, and as it will be in all ages."'' - John Wesley | ||
It is easy for people in the First World (North America, Europe, etc.) to look at the state of the church and to see the parallels between the modern church and the church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22. However, this parallel does not hold true in third world countries and, is as far as one can get from the truth in countries where Christians are openly persecuted for their faith (for example, Islamic countries) | It is easy for people in the First World (North America, Europe, etc.) to look at the state of the church and to see the parallels between the modern church and the church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22. However, this parallel does not hold true in third world countries and, is as far as one can get from the truth in countries where Christians are openly persecuted for their faith (for example, Islamic countries). | ||
===Where is Asia?=== | ===Where is Asia?=== | ||
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*[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Martin_Luther#Preface_to_the_Letter_of_St._Paul_to_the_Romans.2C_by_Martin_Luther.2C_1483-1546 Martin Luther's Preface to Romans], or | *[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Martin_Luther#Preface_to_the_Letter_of_St._Paul_to_the_Romans.2C_by_Martin_Luther.2C_1483-1546 Martin Luther's Preface to Romans], or | ||
*[[John Wesley on Money|John Wesley's sermon on Money]] | *[[John Wesley on Money|John Wesley's sermon on Money]] | ||
sit collecting dust on Message shelves... if they even get there in the first place. We challenge you to take a step and learn what these men had to say for yourself. | sit collecting dust on Message shelves... if they even get there in the first place. We challenge you to take a step and learn what these men had to say for yourself. | ||
=What is the proper interpretation?= | =What is the proper interpretation?= | ||
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''Remember, up at the tabernacle, when them…You got tapes. I guess, all of you take them. How that the Lord showed there that day, in the tabernacle, exactly where those church ages would be and how they would be! I had them drawed out on the board up there, them church ages which you see here drawed out in a book. '''And if that Holy Spirit didn’t come down in a big Pillar of Fire''', and went right back '''there on that wall and drawed them out''', Hisself, while '''three or four hundred people setting, looking at It!'''<ref>William Branham, 65-1204 - The Rapture, para. 61</ref> | ''Remember, up at the tabernacle, when them…You got tapes. I guess, all of you take them. How that the Lord showed there that day, in the tabernacle, exactly where those church ages would be and how they would be! I had them drawed out on the board up there, them church ages which you see here drawed out in a book. '''And if that Holy Spirit didn’t come down in a big Pillar of Fire''', and went right back '''there on that wall and drawed them out''', Hisself, while '''three or four hundred people setting, looking at It!'''<ref>William Branham, 65-1204 - The Rapture, para. 61</ref> | ||
=Video Transcript= | |||
William Branham told his followers that he received his revelation of the seven church ages directly from God: | |||
:''...when we got finished with the book of the revelation of the church, what God did to those seven churches, which were then in their infancy, or their shadow, in Asia Minor. Then the Holy Spirit revealed and opened to us all the mysteries in There, of how He has brought His Church through history.<ref>64-0719M - The Feast Of The Trumpets, para. 38</ref> | |||
The problem is that William Branham stole significant parts of his “revelation” from Clarence Larkin’s book, “Dispensational Truth, or God’s Plan and Purpose in the Ages“ which was published in 1918. | |||
Now I do understand that William Branham referred to Clarence Larkin but the first time he did so was over seven months after preaching his series on the church ages. Specifically, he refers to Larkin in relation to research he was doing on the seventy weeks of Daniel: | |||
:''I've been reading Dr. Larkin's book, Dr. Smith's book, Dr. Scofield's notes, different commentaries from men everywhere, and yet I cannot put theirs together to make it come out right. See?<ref>61-0730M, Gabriel's Instructions to Daniel, para. 33</ref> | |||
He never mentions Larkin in connection with his sermons on the seven church ages or the seven seals. And when he does mention Clarence Larkin, it seems as though he disagrees with him. | |||
[[Image:Larkin Church Age Dates.png|right|thumb|250px]] | |||
But the truth is that the amount of material that William Branham copied from Larkin in the seven church age series is so significant that it goes beyond the scope of a video presentation. If you wish to see the extent of the theft, please refer to the details on our website and in the information below this video. | |||
[[Image:WMB Church Age Dates.png|right|thumb|250px]] | |||
Here are dates of the church ages according to Clarence Larkin. William Branham copied Clarence Larkin’s dates for each of the ages almost verbatim. | |||
William Branham repeatedly stressed that the messenger to each church age came at the end of their particular age: | |||
God sends the messenger of that age at the end of the time; always at the end, never at the beginning. At the end! (63-0116 - The Evening Messenger, para. 79-80) | |||
But this is completely nonsense. Let’s look at each age: | |||
Most scholars put Paul’s death in either 64 or 65 AD. This is only 12 years after William Branham said the age started. He did change the start of the Ephesian church age from A.D. 70 to A.D. 53 to coincide with the writing of Paul first epistle. The problem with this change is that the letter to the Ephesian church, as contained in Chapter 2 of the book of revelation was not written until after Paul’s death. So Paul never got the letter that William Branham said was addressed to him. How does that make sense? | |||
[[Image:WMB Church Age Messengers.png|right|thumb|500px]] | |||
Irenaeus was at the start of the age and so was Martin. | |||
William Branham really messed up with Columba as he was born in the Pergamos age and never even made it to the age of Thyatira. How could he be the messenger to that age? | |||
Luther and Wesley were both ministering at the beginning of their respective ages. | |||
Finally , William Branham was convinced he was at the end of the Laodicean age but as time moves on it is clear he was born at the beginning of the age. | |||
William Branham’s church age doctrine is outdated and obsolete. While it was at one time accepted by pre-millenial dispensationalists like Clarence Larkin, the continued study of church history has shown that the doctrine was based on poor research and certainly does not fit the current state of the church. | |||
The clearest example of this is the Laodicean age. On a cursory examination it does appears that our current age is one of excess riches and lukewarmness. But that comparison disappears as soon as one looks outside of the first world. | |||
Less than 20% of evangelical Christians live in North America or Europe where lukewarm churches abound. Today, more evangelicals live in Asia than any other continent. 60% of evangelicals are in Asia or Africa. The churches in the third world… particularly in countries where the church is persecuted… are anything but lukewarm. | |||
In fact, according to current research, “More Christians have died for their faith in this current century than all other centuries of church history combined.” (Christianity.com) | |||
The only reason William Branham preached the church ages was to point to himself. It is now over 60 years since he initially preached the church age series, and the only thing about his ministry that is clear, is the failure of his claims as a prophet. | |||
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