The Seven Churches Ages: Difference between revisions
    No edit summary
    Line 8: Line 8:
    =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>
    ''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?==
    We will prove that William Branham took his teaching on the church ages directly from Clarence Larkin, who wrote a book in 1919 about the Book of Revelation.  To see the details of what William Branham [[Plagiarism|plagiarized from Clarence Larkin, please click on this link.]]
    ===Comparing William Branham's teaching to Clarence Larkin's===
    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<ref>All quotes of William Branham below 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>
    |-
    | style="width: 50%; background-color: white;"|
    | style="width: 50%; background-color: white;"|
    |-
    |-
    |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 character of the Church at '''Ephesus''' is a fair outline of the Church Period from '''A. D. 70 to A. D. 170'''
    |-
    |...the very name "'''Ephesus'''" means '''"let go,''' '''relax, backslidden,'''" called by God, "The backslidden church."
    |Its character is seen in its very name, for '''Ephesus''' means to '''“let go,” “to relax.”''' It had become a '''Backslidden''' Church.
    |-
    |...then started in the '''Smyrna''' Church Age which lasted from '''A.D. 170 until A.D. 312.'''
    |...the '''Smyrna''' Church...extended from '''A. D. 170 to Constantine A. D. 312.'''
    |-
    |Then come in the Pergamos Church Age, and the '''Pergamos''' Church Age begin at '''312 and lasted till A.D. 606.'''
    |.'''..Pergamos'''...extends from the accession of Constantine, '''A. D. 312 to A. D. 606,''' when Boniface III was crowned “Universal Bishop.”
    |-
    |Then come in the '''Thyatira''' Church Age, and the church age of Thyatira begin at '''606 and went to 1520''', the dark ages.
    |The Message to the Church at '''Thyatira'''.  This Period extended from '''A. D. 606 to the Reformation A. D. 1520.'''
    |-
    |And then the '''Sardis''' Church Age begin at '''1520 and lasted till 1750''', the Lutheran age.
    |The “Sardis Period” extended from '''A. D. 1520 to about A. D. 1750.'''
    |-
    |Then from 1750, the next age come in was the '''Philadelphian''', Wesley age; that begin at '''1750 and lasted till 1906.'''
    |The “'''Philadelphia''' Period” covers the time between '''A. D. 1750 and A. D. 1900.'''
    |-
    |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 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.
    |-
    |}
    ==Do the messengers match the ages?==
    William Branham stated that:
    :''And, remember, '''the messenger is always comes at the end of the Message.''' We know in the church ages there how we got that.<ref>William Branham, 62-0909M - Countdown, para. 60</ref>
    :''Remember, Paul come at the end of the age. '''All the messengers come at the end of the age.''' It's at the end time, when these things are—are brought forth.<ref>William Branham, 62-1230E - Is This The Sign Of The End, Sir?, para. 271</ref>
     
    :''Each messenger has had his message, and the—the message and the messenger of the age. And it is most remarkable that each messenger… We even found in the church ages (and tonight we'll go back in the Old Testament and find that it's the same thing) that '''God sends the messenger of that age at the end of the time; always at the end, never at the beginning.''' At the end!<ref>William Branham, 63-0116 - The Evening Messenger, para. 79-80</ref>
    So did the messengers that William Branham picked meet the criteria of coming at the end of the age?
    #Ephesus - 53 - 170 A.D.  Messenger - Paul (born circa 5 A.D. - died circa 67 A.D.) - '''beginning of age'''
    #Smyrna  - 170 - 312 A.D.  Messenger - Irenaeus (born c. 130 A.D. - died circa 200 A.D.)  - '''beginning of age'''
    #Pergamos  - 312 - 606 A.D.  Messenger - Martin (born c. 316 A.D. - died 397 A.D.) - '''beginning of age'''
    #Thyatira  - 606 - 1520 A.D.  Messenger - Columba (born 521 A.D. - died 597 A.D.)  - '''was not eve born in his "age"'''
    #Sardis  - 1520 - 1750 A.D.  Messenger - Martin Luther (born 1483 A.D. - died 1546 A.D.) - '''beginning of age'''
    #Philadelphia  - 1750 - 1906 A.D. - Messenger - John Wesley (born 1703 A.D. - died 1791 A.D.) - '''beginning of age'''
    #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 two exceptions:
    #Columba - he was born in another age and never even made it to "his age"
    #Branham - he thought he was at the end of his age, but it turned out he was wrong.
    ==Messengers Outside Their Ages, Messengers Confronting Heresies==
    John was told to write to each churches.  William Branham said that each church represented an age, and that each age had a messenger. So, you would expect that each messenger would have lived within the correct church age... but this is not the case with William Branham's "messengers".
    ===Paul===
    *[[Paul the Apostle]] was martyred between 68 and 73 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. '''I guess he never got the memo.''' 
    ===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.
    ===Columba===
    *William Branham said the Thyatira Age started in 606 AD.
    *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.
    ===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:
    :''"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>
    ===Plagiarism in the Breach Between the Seals and the Church Ages===
    {| class="wikitable"
    !What William Branham Said
    !What Clarence Larkin Said
    |-
    | style="width: 50%; background-color: white;"|
    | style="width: 50%; background-color: white;"|
    |-
    |-
    |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.<Ref>THE.BREACH.BETWEEN.THE.SEVEN.CHURCH.AGES.AND.THE.SEVEN.SEALS_  JEFF.IN  SUNDAY_  63-0317E</ref>
    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.<ref>QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS_  JEFF.IN  COD  SUNDAY_  62-0527</ref>
    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.<ref>THE.FIRST.SEAL  JEFF.IN  63-0318</ref>
    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.<ref>THE.FIFTH.SEAL_  JEFF.IN  63-0322</ref>
    |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.<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture, 32 (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919).</ref>
    |-
    |}




    Line 75: Line 184:
    :''Notice. This last message of the last church age is not a reformer; he is a prophet, not a reformer. Show me where one prophet ever started a church age. He's not a reformer; he is a prophet. '''Others was reformers but not prophets.''' If they would've been, the Word of the Lord comes to the prophet; that's the reason they continued on in the baptism in Father, Son, Holy Ghost, and all these other things, because they were reformers and not prophets. But yet they were great men of God and saw the need of the day that they lived in, and God anointed them, and they sent out there and tore those things to pieces. But the full Word of God never come to them, because they was not prophets. They were reformers. 194 But in the last days it'll have to be a prophet to take up the mysteries of God, bring it back, because the mysteries was only re—known by prophets. So it has to be this fellow come. See what I mean now? He can't be a reformer; it's got to be a prophet, because it's got to be somebody that's gifted and set there that catches the Word.<ref>63-0318 - The First Seal, para. 191-192</ref>
    :''Notice. This last message of the last church age is not a reformer; he is a prophet, not a reformer. Show me where one prophet ever started a church age. He's not a reformer; he is a prophet. '''Others was reformers but not prophets.''' If they would've been, the Word of the Lord comes to the prophet; that's the reason they continued on in the baptism in Father, Son, Holy Ghost, and all these other things, because they were reformers and not prophets. But yet they were great men of God and saw the need of the day that they lived in, and God anointed them, and they sent out there and tore those things to pieces. But the full Word of God never come to them, because they was not prophets. They were reformers. 194 But in the last days it'll have to be a prophet to take up the mysteries of God, bring it back, because the mysteries was only re—known by prophets. So it has to be this fellow come. See what I mean now? He can't be a reformer; it's got to be a prophet, because it's got to be somebody that's gifted and set there that catches the Word.<ref>63-0318 - The First Seal, para. 191-192</ref>


    ==Do the messengers match the ages?==
    William Branham stated that:
    :''And, remember, '''the messenger is always comes at the end of the Message.''' We know in the church ages there how we got that.<ref>William Branham, 62-0909M - Countdown, para. 60</ref>
    :''Remember, Paul come at the end of the age. '''All the messengers come at the end of the age.''' It's at the end time, when these things are—are brought forth.<ref>William Branham, 62-1230E - Is This The Sign Of The End, Sir?, para. 271</ref>
     
    :''Each messenger has had his message, and the—the message and the messenger of the age. And it is most remarkable that each messenger… We even found in the church ages (and tonight we'll go back in the Old Testament and find that it's the same thing) that '''God sends the messenger of that age at the end of the time; always at the end, never at the beginning.''' At the end!<ref>William Branham, 63-0116 - The Evening Messenger, para. 79-80</ref>
    So did the messengers that William Branham picked meet the criteria of coming at the end of the age?
    #Ephesus - 53 - 170 A.D.  Messenger - Paul (born circa 5 A.D. - died circa 67 A.D.) - '''beginning of age'''
    #Smyrna  - 170 - 312 A.D.  Messenger - Irenaeus (born c. 130 A.D. - died circa 200 A.D.)  - '''beginning of age'''
    #Pergamos  - 312 - 606 A.D.  Messenger - Martin (born c. 316 A.D. - died 397 A.D.) - '''beginning of age'''
    #Thyatira  - 606 - 1520 A.D.  Messenger - Columba (born 521 A.D. - died 597 A.D.)  - '''was not eve born in his "age"'''
    #Sardis  - 1520 - 1750 A.D.  Messenger - Martin Luther (born 1483 A.D. - died 1546 A.D.) - '''beginning of age'''
    #Philadelphia  - 1750 - 1906 A.D. - Messenger - John Wesley (born 1703 A.D. - died 1791 A.D.) - '''beginning of age'''
    #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 two exceptions:
    #Columba - he was born in another age and never even made it to "his age"
    #Branham - he thought he was at the end of his age, but it turned out he was wrong.
    ==Messengers Outside Their Ages, Messengers Confronting Heresies==
    John was told to write to each churches.  William Branham said that each church represented an age, and that each age had a messenger. So, you would expect that each messenger would have lived within the correct church age... but this is not the case with William Branham's "messengers".
    ===Paul===
    *[[Paul the Apostle]] was martyred between 68 and 73 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. '''I guess he never got the memo.''' 
    ===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.
    ===Columba===
    *William Branham said the Thyatira Age started in 606 AD.
    *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.
    ===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:


    :''"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>


    ==The Value of [[Church History|History]]==
    ==The Value of [[Church History|History]]==
    Line 132: Line 197:
    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.   


    =Who was 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.]]


    =What is the proper interpretation?=
    =What is the proper interpretation?=
    Line 149: Line 213:
    The second and third chapters of the book of Revelation contain "the things that are now", while the remainder of the book contains " the things that will happen afterwards." <ref>John Chappel Woodhouse, The Apocalypse, Or, Revelation of Saint John, Translated; With Notes, Critical and Explanatory, vol. 2 (London: J. Hatchard; J. Brettell, 1805), 40–41.</ref>
    The second and third chapters of the book of Revelation contain "the things that are now", while the remainder of the book contains " the things that will happen afterwards." <ref>John Chappel Woodhouse, The Apocalypse, Or, Revelation of Saint John, Translated; With Notes, Critical and Explanatory, vol. 2 (London: J. Hatchard; J. Brettell, 1805), 40–41.</ref>


    =Plagiarism in the Church Ages=
    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<ref>All quotes of William Branham below 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>
    |-
    | style="width: 50%; background-color: white;"|
    | style="width: 50%; background-color: white;"|
    |-
    |-
    |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 character of the Church at '''Ephesus''' is a fair outline of the Church Period from '''A. D. 70 to A. D. 170'''
    |-
    |...the very name "'''Ephesus'''" means '''"let go,''' '''relax, backslidden,'''" called by God, "The backslidden church."
    |Its character is seen in its very name, for '''Ephesus''' means to '''“let go,” “to relax.”''' It had become a '''Backslidden''' Church.
    |-
    |...then started in the '''Smyrna''' Church Age which lasted from '''A.D. 170 until A.D. 312.'''
    |...the '''Smyrna''' Church...extended from '''A. D. 170 to Constantine A. D. 312.'''
    |-
    |Then come in the Pergamos Church Age, and the '''Pergamos''' Church Age begin at '''312 and lasted till A.D. 606.'''
    |.'''..Pergamos'''...extends from the accession of Constantine, '''A. D. 312 to A. D. 606,''' when Boniface III was crowned “Universal Bishop.”
    |-
    |Then come in the '''Thyatira''' Church Age, and the church age of Thyatira begin at '''606 and went to 1520''', the dark ages.
    |The Message to the Church at '''Thyatira'''.  This Period extended from '''A. D. 606 to the Reformation A. D. 1520.'''
    |-
    |And then the '''Sardis''' Church Age begin at '''1520 and lasted till 1750''', the Lutheran age.
    |The “Sardis Period” extended from '''A. D. 1520 to about A. D. 1750.'''
    |-
    |Then from 1750, the next age come in was the '''Philadelphian''', Wesley age; that begin at '''1750 and lasted till 1906.'''
    |The “'''Philadelphia''' Period” covers the time between '''A. D. 1750 and A. D. 1900.'''
    |-
    |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 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.
    |-
    |}
    ===Plagiarism in the Breach Between the Seals and the Church Ages===
    {| class="wikitable"
    !What William Branham Said
    !What Clarence Larkin Said
    |-
    | style="width: 50%; background-color: white;"|
    | style="width: 50%; background-color: white;"|
    |-
    |-
    |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.<Ref>THE.BREACH.BETWEEN.THE.SEVEN.CHURCH.AGES.AND.THE.SEVEN.SEALS_  JEFF.IN  SUNDAY_  63-0317E</ref>
    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.<ref>QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS_  JEFF.IN  COD  SUNDAY_  62-0527</ref>
    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.<ref>THE.FIRST.SEAL  JEFF.IN  63-0318</ref>
    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.<ref>THE.FIFTH.SEAL_  JEFF.IN  63-0322</ref>
    |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.<ref>Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture, 32 (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919).</ref>
    |-
    |}


    =Quotes of William Branham=
    =Quotes of William Branham=
    Retrieved from "http:///index.php?title=The_Seven_Churches_Ages"