William Branham: Difference between revisions

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This life story account is based on both his recorded sermons and as many historical documents as we could find.  Any statements that can be substantiated by written historical documents are referenced.  Hopefully this will let you decide for yourself whether William Branham was honest.   
This life story account is based on both his recorded sermons and as many historical documents as we could find.  Any statements that can be substantiated by written historical documents are referenced.  Hopefully this will let you decide for yourself whether William Branham was honest.   


 
=Early Life=
='''Early Life'''=
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|'''Three Birthdays?''' <br> [http://en.believethesign.com/images/0/05/The_Simple_Truth_about_Birthdays.pdf Click here to learn more about William Branham's three birthdays.]   
|'''Three Birthdays?''' <br> [http://en.believethesign.com/images/0/05/The_Simple_Truth_about_Birthdays.pdf Click here to learn more about William Branham's three birthdays.]   
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**[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/The_Serpent%27s_Seed William Branham preached that Eve cursed the human race by breeding with the Serpent, producing Cain], even though the Bible says that “sin entered the world by one man” (Romans 5:12)   
**[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/The_Serpent%27s_Seed William Branham preached that Eve cursed the human race by breeding with the Serpent, producing Cain], even though the Bible says that “sin entered the world by one man” (Romans 5:12)   
**He taught that Satan designed the Woman, even though God said “Let us make mankind in our image.”
**He taught that Satan designed the Woman, even though God said “Let us make mankind in our image.”
*[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/The_Prophet_and_The_Eagle He taught that prophets were eagles in the Bible] – which is not supported by scripture.  
*[[The Prophet and The Eagle|He taught that prophets were eagles in the Bible]] – which is not supported by scripture.  
*He took doctrines from the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons, modified them, and called the “revelation”.  
*He took doctrines from the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons, modified them, and called the “revelation”.  
*He taught that the Holy Spirit would come or go based on your actions.  While Jesus said, “I will never leave you”, William Branham taught that the Holy Spirit would leave you for something as simple as speeding.   
*He taught that the Holy Spirit would come or go based on your actions.  While Jesus said, “I will never leave you”, William Branham taught that the Holy Spirit would leave you for something as simple as speeding.   
*[http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Fallen_From_Grace William Branham also did not understand the doctrine of grace.  He taught that falling from grace was looking like Elvis], and remaining in God’s grace required obedience to his many rules on conduct, order, and doctrine.   
*[[Fallen From Grace|William Branham also did not understand the doctrine of grace]].  He taught that falling from grace was looking like Elvis], and remaining in God’s grace required obedience to his many rules on conduct, order, and doctrine.   


It was during these years that William Branham introduced the vision of the “third pull” that was to play a more significant part in later years. The third pull relates to a vision of an Angel who was teaching him how to fish. He was to cast his line out, pull slow at first (his healing ministry), jerk a little harder the second time (his discernment ministry), and set the hook for the catch on the third pull. However, in the vision William Branham got his line tangled, and the Angel rebuked him for making a public show of his ministry. He said the angel then took him back to a tent where people were being saved (reminiscent of his 1945 commissioning vision), and that the pillar of fire left him and went into a small building to meet people privately. <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Third_Pull </ref>
It was during these years that William Branham introduced the vision of the [[Third Pull|“third pull”]] that was to play a more significant part in later years. The [[Third Pull|third pull relates to a vision of an Angel who was teaching him how to fish]]. He was to cast his line out, pull slow at first (his healing ministry), jerk a little harder the second time (his discernment ministry), and set the hook for the catch on the third pull. However, in the vision William Branham got his line tangled, and the Angel rebuked him for making a public show of his ministry. He said the angel then took him back to a tent where people were being saved (reminiscent of his 1945 commissioning vision), and that the pillar of fire left him and went into a small building to meet people privately.  


It is in the late 1950’s that William Branham began talking about ‘speaking things into existence’.  By his word, he claimed to have raised dead fish to life, brought a woman’s two sons to instant salvation, and created squirrels.  He shot the squirrels, and one follower of William Branham claimed they sat in his freezer for years, and had no belly buttons. <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Third_Pull#The_First_Temptation </ref>
It is in the late 1950’s that William Branham began talking about ‘speaking things into existence’.  By his word, he claimed to have raised dead fish to life, brought a woman’s two sons to instant salvation, and created squirrels.  [[Third Pull#The First Temptation|He shot the squirrels, and one follower of William Branham claimed they sat in his freezer for years, and had no belly buttons]].


In an interview, Ern Baxter said “Branham as a teacher was outside of his calling. The fruits of his teaching ministry are not good.”     <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Ern_Baxter </ref>
In an interview, [[Ern Baxter]] said “Branham as a teacher was outside of his calling. The fruits of his teaching ministry are not good.”


On June 1956 William Branham preached a three day campaign at the Cadle Tabernacle in Indianapolis with Jim Jones. This three day campaign was attended by over 11, 000 people and sky-rocketed Jim Jones to fame.  Jones later went on to commit mass suicide in 1978 after the world never ended in 1977. <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Jim_Jones </ref>
On June 1956, [[Jim Jones|William Branham preached a three day campaign at the Cadle Tabernacle in Indianapolis with Jim Jones]]. This three day campaign was attended by over 11, 000 people and sky-rocketed Jim Jones to fame.  Jones later went on to commit mass suicide in 1978 after the world never ended in 1977.  
   
   
=A Prophet?=
=A Prophet?=
In 1960 William Branham spoke a series of sermons on the Church Ages (see Seven Church Ages for more details) that outlined his views of church history and his interpretation of the first few chapters of the book of Revelation.  <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Seven_Church_Ages </ref> In these sermons, William Branham predicted that the seven visions he saw in 1933 would be fulfilled by 1977. <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/1977 </ref> Much of these sermons is similar to the doctrines published by the Baptist theologian Clarence Larkin.<ref>[[Plagiarism]]</ref>


In the 1960’s William Branham would often say, “I am a prophet”, then “I am not a prophet”.  He also expressed confusion as to whether he was a seer or an evangelist. <ref>http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/An_Uncertain_Sound </ref>    
In 1960 William Branham spoke a series of sermons on the Church Ages (see [[Seven Church Ages]] for more details) that outlined his views of church history and his interpretation of the first few chapters of the book of Revelation.  In these sermons, William Branham predicted that the seven visions he saw in 1933 would be fulfilled by [[1977]].  Much of these sermons is similar to the doctrines [[Plagiarism|published by the Baptist theologian Clarence Larkin.]]
 
In the 1960’s William Branham would often say, [[An_Uncertain_Sound|“I am a prophet”, then “I am not a prophet”.  He also expressed confusion as to whether he was a seer or an evangelist.]]    
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|'''1962 Vision''' <br> [http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Prophecy_of_the_Cloud learn about the Prophecy of the Cloud]
|'''1962 Vision''' <br>[[Prophecy of the Cloud|Learn about the Prophecy of the Cloud]]
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William Branham’s mother Ella Harvey (Branham) died October 27, 1961. <ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline </ref>  Just over a year later, William Branham moved his family to Tucson, Arizona.  As he left, he told his congregation in Jeffersonville that he was leaving to fulfill a vision of hunting in the Mountains with his son Joseph, and that five angels would appear to him.  <ref> William Branham, December 23, 1962 in a sermon called “Reproach for the cause of the Word” </ref>  
William Branham’s mother Ella Harvey (Branham) died October 27, 1961. <ref>[[Searching for Vindication]] Timeline </ref>  Just over a year later, William Branham moved his family to Tucson, Arizona.  As he left, he told his congregation in Jeffersonville that he was leaving to fulfill a vision of hunting in the Mountains with his son Joseph, and that five angels would appear to him.  <ref> William Branham, December 23, 1962 in a sermon called “Reproach for the cause of the Word” </ref>  


William Branham came back for meetings in Jeffersonville in early 1963 where he preached about an angelic visitation he had received without his son Joseph and without birds appearing, and how he was divinely instructed to preach about the Seven Seals. These sermons contained a lot of church history, and also borrowed heavily from the commentary of Clarence Larkin once again. <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Plagiarism </ref>  People who believe that William Branham was a major prophet consider these sermons the fulfillment of Matthew 17:11, where Jesus says that Elijah must come and “restore all things”. The seals as taught by William Branham can be summarized as follows:
William Branham came back for meetings in Jeffersonville in early 1963 where he preached about an angelic visitation he had received without his son Joseph and without birds appearing, and how he was divinely instructed to preach about the Seven Seals. These sermons contained a lot of church history, and [[Plagiarism|also borrowed heavily from the commentary of Clarence Larkin]] once again.   People who believe that William Branham was a major prophet consider these sermons the fulfillment of [[Matthew 17:11]], where Jesus says that Elijah must come and “restore all things”. The seals as taught by William Branham can be summarized as follows:
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|''The 7 Seals''' <br> [http://en.believethesign.com/index.php/Seven_Seals  Learn about the Seven Seals]
|''The 7 Seals''' <br> [[Seven Seals|Learn about the Seven Seals]]
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After William Branham’s death, the audio tapes were transferred into an entity called “Voice of God Recordings”.  Voice of God Recordings reported assets of $109,834,481 on their US tax return as of June 30, 2011. They earned these funds by distributing the sermons of William Branham.  <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/images/d/d5/The_Simple_Truth_about_Message_Fruit.pdf </ref>
After William Branham’s death, the audio tapes were transferred into an entity called “Voice of God Recordings”.  Voice of God Recordings reported assets of $109,834,481 on their US tax return as of June 30, 2011. They earned these funds by distributing the sermons of William Branham.  <ref> http://en.believethesign.com/images/d/d5/The_Simple_Truth_about_Message_Fruit.pdf </ref>


 
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=='''References'''==
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