Water From The Rock
Shriner Temple in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.A.
Sermon translation in French: 55-0224 - Shp
E-1 Thank you, brother. Good evening, friends. So happy to be back out tonight here in the Shriner auditorium, for our fifth night of service, in the Name of our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom be all praise and glory, forever and ever, worlds without end.
Last evening it was just a little difficult for me. Something happened that I very seldom have happen in a meeting. I just getting ready to make the... seeing the visions begin to break over the people, and as I started to move into the vision, something happened before me. We talked about it till, after I got to myself good, until one o'clock this morning nearly.
I saw Adam leave the garden of Eden wilfully because--he went out because he loved his wife. I seen Jesus come and go out wilfully, taking the sinner's place, because He loved the Church. I just couldn't keep from expressing it. And we hear that the Lord did bless, and fill with the Holy Spirit, and save the lost. After all, that's the main thing that we're here for.
E-2 Divine healing is wonderful, but Divine healing's like the bait that's on the hook. You don't show the fish the hook; you show him the bait. If he gets the bait, he's got the hook too. If a man can ever be healed and see the power of God, what it does to you, he will then become a believer. That's right.
Now, we're happy to be in tonight... just a little bit late. And had to perform an operation today on my friend here, Brother Tracy. I kept telling him that that jumping cactus would get him. And so he just didn't hardly believe it. So after a while, I found him caught up with a bunch of cactus hooked behind his legs. I didn't have a pair of pliers or anything. We were taking a little hike on the desert to go up to sing the praises to the Lord on top of Superstitious Mountain, if we could've gotten there. That was his ambition. So about halfway up, the cactus got him. And then we had to operate on him to get it out.
E-3 He done a little squealing and grunting, but we got it all out. Ha-ha-ha. So they don't have that in Texas, you know, and this is new. He's going to tell his great-grandchildren about it, you know, that he was at Superstitious Mountain.
So we got back down late. And if I ever had a night of difficult, it's tonight. Coming back down, and then... Thought I would go into the room early then and go to fasting, praying. We hadn't eaten, so we decided to do that. And in the room, when I-- when I went into--to go to praying, I picked up my Bible and I felt real tired. I just set down in a chair. When they come back from the afternoon meeting, they woke me up. I went to sleep.
E-4 And then the lady of the house said, "Come eat a sandwich." I hope I never have to eat a full dinner anywhere. Steak about that big around with everything that goes with it.
And then I said, "Brother Tracy, you all do the preaching tonight, because I certainly feel kindy unqualified. It's approaching just by grace tonight, that the Lord will bless in some way and give us of His blessings."
We wish tonight to call your attention, God willing, in the Old Testament again just for a few remarks. Perhaps next week we'll go over into the New Testament, but just for a little teaching. By the way, this is all new to me. Preach and make the altar call before praying for the sick, and I mean, teach a little.
E-5 And now, before we can open the Word... We can pull the lids down like this, but it takes God to open it. The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and just gets it right out in every heart, just as we have need for it, if we could get ourselves submitted to the Holy Spirit, to where the preacher will not try to use his own thoughts, just let the Holy Spirit move. And let the congregation not try to criticize, but just set with an open heart, and honest before God. Then we'll have a real meeting, won't we? So shall we bow our heads while we talk to the Author of this Book that we're fixing to read.
E-6 O beloved God, we come to Thee most humbly, Father, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, to ask first, to forgive us of our sins and error. And we're so happy to know that we have a High Priest setting in glory, Who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Believing this, that He's climbed the ramparts of glory, setting way high and exalted above every Angel, Archangel, way beyond the moon, stars, and sun. And He hears the prayer of every one that'll come humbly asking. This great telephone connection we have, as it were, taking down the receiver, calling central, Christ Jesus, asking to be plugged into eternity.
Come, Lord Jesus. Send Your Angels tonight, and may They take their positions at every seat, speak to the unsaved, those who are without Christ, going to a Godless, Christless eternity, to a devil's hell, when Jesus Christ died to save them from such. Help tonight, and may the Holy Spirit just get into the Word, and take It right out to every heart and divide it up as severally as we have need.
Father, may we humble ourselves in Thy presence. May the Holy Spirit now take a hold of every heart. Get glory out of the service, for we ask it in His Name. Amen.
In the 20th chapter of Numbers, we read just for a short text:
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother... speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall bring forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so that... give the congregation and their beasts.
And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear... ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
And Moses lifted up his hand... with the rod and smote the rock thrice--twice: and the waters came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
May the Lord add His Blessings to the reading of His Word.
E-7 That was one thing that Moses did which was very contrary to God's Word. That's the reason we have to watch, Christian people. That's the reason my meetings... many of them say, "Brother Branham, Brother Roberts will pray for five hundred people while you pray for five. That's true. But Brother Roberts does what God tells him to do. I do what God tells me to do. See? So that's the difference. Brother Roberts has the ministry of one type from the Lord, and I have a ministry of another type from the Lord. And we both, as God's servants, must do what God tells us to do.
My ministry is not to personally contact each one. It's to bring forth the--the full assurance of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and tell them to "Look and live." That's it. It's to each and every one. Just like Moses lifting up...
E-8 Now see, Brother Roberts' is the gift of healing. He prays and lays hands on the sick, like that. And got a real, dominating, hard (as we call it), bulldog faith, just stands up there with his eyes closed and believe that--that he does--that God will do it if he ask, and just lays his hands on the people as they pass by. That's good. That's what the Bible said do; "Lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
I can't do that. Just as soon as I touch a person, there it begins to break. I can't let the person go, unless somebody snatches him through the line. And there comes a vision. Firstly, before I ever... No one ever heard me guilty of ever trying to cast out an evil spirit, till first I knew what I was doing.
E-9 Many times, people comes to the house, that's been in the meetings, and so forth, that failed to get healed. They wonder why. Then when they come in, maybe there's some hidden something back in their life that they haven't done or should have done. And maybe they'd forgotten about it. Maybe that's the very cause that the brother laying his hands on them, or anointing them with oil at the church (whatever it was), they didn't get healed.
Listen friends, you've got to find the cause before you find the cure. Absolutely. If you went to the doctor, said, "Doctor, I'm having a headache, just a persistent headache."
He says, "Well, take this," and gives you a few aspirins. He's not a doctor. He's trying to get rid of you.
Now, the only thing it is, that doctor, if he's a real doctor, he will diagnose that case till he finds the cause of that headache, then work from there. Now, if you pray for a person that doesn't get well, then there's something, somewhere causing it, because God's sovereign to His Word. He's got to stay with His Word.
E-10 Peter said on the day of Pentecost, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." If a man repents and is baptized, He's absolutely... God's duty- bound to give him the Holy Ghost, if he's repented from his heart.
Why tarry, why wait a long time? It's because there's something here that isn't right. Correctly. God's got... You say, "Well maybe God just don't want to give it to me."
Oh yes He does. You take every bit of the... Well, you say, "Maybe the Holy Ghost has been to so many." God's got plenty of it for you. Don't worry. Could you imagine a little fish, about that long, standing out in the middle of the ocean, swimming around, saying, "Say, I'd better drink of this water kindy sparingly, 'cause I might run out someday?" Well, that's just about like thinking God hasn't got enough Holy Spirit for you. That's right.
E-11 Could you imagine a little mouse, under the great garners of Egypt there, where they're stacked with a billions of tons, and a little mouse down there say, "Well, I'd better not eat about one or two grains a day, because I might run out this winter?" My, that's like trying to think that God hasn't got grace enough to save you, heal you, and He'd want to do it to you more than you are to receive it. That's right. Sure, He wants to do it.
Could you imagine all the waters in the world, packed into a stand pipe, about this big around. It would go a thousands and thousands of miles through the air. And how the pressure of that water coming down, pressing down, trying to find one little crevice to get out of? That's the way the love of God and the healing power is trying to pour in this meeting tonight, trying its best everywhere. God trying to make His way into our hearts, with all that pressure of Divine love, and will, and--and everything, trying to press His way into the people...
E-12 If you just know the right approach to it, you could walk right up and receive it just like that. That's all. See? Because if God promised anything, and you don't receive it, there's something wrong.
People come sometime... I haven't time tonight to go into detail on this, I will maybe next week, on testimony. But how that people come from everywhere, say, "Well, I failed to get it."
E-13 And a lady come not long ago, saying that someone told her that she had seven devils. Another person told her she only had five, and she wanted to know where the four went. Poor woman, plumb gone, nearly, set in the room, taking off her stockings, and pulled her feet up in the chair. Said, "I haven't eaten for several days, and I'm not going to eat till I find out what become of those devils. Said, "What are they?"
I said, "I don't know, I never knowed nothing about it."
Said, "Well one minister told me I had seven devils, and the other lady minister said I only had five. Now, there's two of them gone somewhere. Now see? And come... stayed there about two hours in the house, until God begin to speak, and said, "Lady, listen. You come from St. Louis."
She said, "Yes. How'd you know it?"
I said, "Your husband's on the police force."
"That's right."
And I said, "You used to be a lovely housekeeper."
She said, "That's right."
I said, "Recently, your house looks like a hog pen."
Said, "That's right."
I said, "Your daughter's over there now, taking care of your husband."
Said, "That's right." Said, "Who told you that?"
I just kept talking 'cause it was in the vision. And I said, "You went down to a little place. First, you went to a doctor."
"Yes."
"He give you shots."
"Yes."
"Those shots was called hormones."
"Yes."
I said, "You went down to a place, and they told you had devils."
"Yes."
"Because you had a real, funny feeling."
"Yes."
"They sent you to California."
"Yeah."
"And some man told you you had seven devils."
"Yes."
"You went to a woman. She said you had five devils."
"Yes."
"And they told you to come to me."
"Yes, that's right." Said, "How did you know that?"
I said, "The Holy Spirit said so." I said, "You haven't got any devils to begin with. That's right."
She said, "I haven't?"
I said, "No." I said, "Lady, surely you know your mother went through the menopause. It's the menopause, something natural." And I said, "What do you think hormone shots are for?"
She said, "I don't know."
I said, "For the change of life, that's what it is. No devils at all. It's just absolutely a... It's just your condition of life." She begin to relax.
My wife was cooking some bacon and eggs out there. She begin to look through the house. And I said, "Kindy hungry?" She refused to eat first.
Said, "Yes." She went out and ate three eggs, a big bunch of toast, and two cups of coffee, a lot of jelly. And she's just happy as she could be.
She said, "Brother Branham, are you going to pray for me and cast it away?"
I said, "Cast what away?"
She said, "The--the--the thing."
I said, "There's nothing to cast away."
She said, "Well, I never felt so good in my life." Said, "What must I do?"
I said, "Go home. Straighten up your house, cook your husband a nice, big, apple pie, about that thick. When he comes in tonight, throw both arms around him, and kiss him, set down, and get on his lap and tell him you love him, and live like a lady ought to." That's exactly. That's all there is...?...
E-14 But see, all the pouring on of oil, all the stomping, kicking, all the loud hollering, wouldn't do a bit of good. It's the truth that makes you free. That's true. "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." That's right.
So many times, sure, in a group, you'll find lots of people, whe--when you bring three or four hundred people through the line, there's many, clean, pure hearts in there that comes right through and gets healed. That's right. But there's some that we have to get back and pick up the strugglings, like that, that fails it. Now we can only do as God says do.
E-15 Now, did you know if a man, that was given power, or faith... not power, not himself to do it, but faith in God to do it, to cast out an evil spirit, and would do it outside of God's will, would get hisself in trouble?
Look at Moses tonight. He was a prophet. You believe he was a prophet? Oh, he was the prince of prophets. That's right. Never was a prophet on earth like Moses. Course, Jesus was; He was--he was Divine. Moses was just a man. But Moses in every way, a type of Christ: birth, law-giver, high priest, oh, everything to... just in type of Christ. And notice, that God give him power, and he went out there and did something with that power which was contrary to God's will, but he did it anyhow.
E-16 You remember the prophet, the young fellow in the Bible name Elisha? He kindy went along with the real prophet, and poured water on his hands. He kindy kept his company right. And when Elijah died, or was taken up, rather, translated, the spirit of Elijah come upon him. And this fellow was bald-headed, when he was young. And he was going down the street and some little children begin to tease him, call him "Old bald head." And when he did, he turned around, in anger... He kindy had a lot of temper anyhow. And he turned around in his anger and cursed those children in the Name of the Lord. And two she bears killed forty-two little, innocent children. Now, that ain't the nature of the Holy Spirit, but that's an angered prophet. See?
I heard some of you kindy... your spirit kindy moved back when I said he had a temper. He did. Look at him when Jehoshaphat and them come down. He got his righteousness indignation then all stirred up. He said, "If it wasn't I respected your presence of Jehosephat, I wouldn't even look at you." Had to play some music to get him back in the spirit again. Is that right? Sure was.
E-17 So Moses, this great warrior in the time now, that God had promised Abraham, that in this great long-suffering, that someday, He would... The people would sojourn for four hundred years in a strange land. And during this time... Remember, there was a lapse of time. Listen right close a minute. There was a lapse of time. It wasn't exactly four hundred years, it was four hundred and twenty years. Because, of the--the condition of the people. Moses came in the right time to bring the people out, but they rejected the messenger. So it taken another forty years, a lapse of time, which made it run over four hundred and twenty years.
The same thing it was in the antediluvian world. The time was already set at hand, but through the long-suffering... "God's not willing that any should perish, but that all might come to repentance." See the lapse of time in the antediluvian destruction? See the lapse of time in the delivering of the children of Israel? So I want you to catch it close now, listen.
E-18 Now, get my words straight. Don't say, "Brother Branham said, 'Jesus should have come.'" But I believe that the coming of Christ is past due, way past due. After all the theologians and everything knowing it must be in a certain time... I think well, after the prophets could set and say, "It'll be some time with in that period of time." And they missed it, because the long-suffering of God, not willing that John Doe, setting here tonight would perish, but wanting him to come to repentance. Not willing that Mrs. Doe, sitting here, and all the little children, that they would perish, but long-suffering.
He sent Brother Roberts in and gave a great meeting. He sent the other men in, give a great meeting. Now, he sent us in, and God's giving us a great meeting. "Not willing that any should perish, long-suffering."
The bomb that would probably burst every atom in the earth is hanging yonder in Russia tonight. It ought to a been fired a long time ago, but God's long-suffering, not willing that any should perish, past due.
E-19 God promised them that He'd bring them out under a mighty hand. And all of those things there of the pilgrimage, from the children of Israel cast out down in Egypt... We know the story how God sent them down there, and they had their habitations, got in Goshen, and became a great popular, through the prophet, Joseph. And then, after the time of the promise drew nigh, there raised up a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph.
We're going to have one raised up, one of these days, that knows not Joseph. After while, the time drew nigh, God sent a saviour to them. I think the greatest mistake that Israel ever made was the 19th chapter of Exodus, where after grace had already provided a saviour, had already provided a lamb, had already provided deliverance, and then they said, "Let us do something." See?
E-20 They knowed they wanted to do something. Man's always trying to find some way to save himself. Right here it is. That's his nature.
In the garden of Eden, the man, as soon as he found out he was lost, he made hisself a religion, a fig leaf apron, and put it over him. You see why I think Eve was so beautiful? See? See why I don't think these things, these strains... That's the strain of man yet tonight. Even after four thousand, yes, nearly six-thousand years, man's still trying to cover his own sins by his own merits.
He will quit eating meat. And he will keep all kinds of days, and--and, oh, he will--he will tear hisself down. He will try every thing that he can to save hisself, when it's so simple that even a fool couldn't fail to find it. That's right. The Bible said so.
E-21 Just simply, "By grace are you saved through faith." He will try to mystify it, and have all kinds of a seeing lights, and hearing sounds, and everything, and all kinds of mystifying things to get people to be saved. Maybe some one did see it, but that don't mean that all has to see it. You just believe it. That there is... And God has His program, and He will set you and place you in Christ, just where He thinks you'll work best for Him, if you'll just stay in your calling.
Don't try to get somebody else's calling. Stay in your own calling. If you're a housewife, remain a housewife. Whatever God's called you to do, just remain there. He knows where to put His hand on you and use you.
He had a little, old woman named Hannah, one time, little housewife. He knowed where to place her, what He was going to do with her. He had one named Mary, one time. Oh, my, He will just do with you whatever He wants to do, if you'll just let Him do it. Just be humble, submit yourself to Him, and walk on.
E-22 Now, when the time of the promise drew nigh, well then, God sent Moses down... I'm going to try to quit in about fifteen minutes, if I can, so I want to... Don't want to take too much time, 'cause I get to preaching, and then I won't have the prayer line. And I want to pray for the sick tonight.
Billy just told me, out there, a few minutes ago, said, "Daddy, I give out a whole group of prayer cards today, this afternoon, around..." So I want to try to pray for as many as I can. So look.
E-23 Then when the time come near, God had raised up Moses to do the work that God had ordained him to do. And Moses went down into Egypt, and with a mighty hand brought the children out from under the bondage. Brought them to the Red Sea and crossed over on their journey to the promised land. Very, very, beautiful type of the church today. Aren't you glad you come up out of Egypt? Oh, was taked out from the old garlic pots, and flesh pots, and things of the world, dances and carrying on of the world, and now, pitched up in Beulah land (Amen), having a camp meeting out here. We having our ups-and-downs, but we're still going towards the promised land. The Pillar of Fire is still marching on, building new camps every year. Is that right?
E-24 When Martin Luther built the first camp, he organized it so tight he--he just couldn't be nothing else but a Lutheran. God come right along, moved the Pillar of Fire out, the children followed it. Wesley brought the message. And the first thing you know, Wesley organized so tight, till he couldn't move. Then the first thing, the Pillar of Fire moved out, and here come the Pentecostals to get...?... going right on with it. The Pentecostals organized so tight till they're fussing whether they're oneness, twoness, threeness, or one hump camel, two hump camel, three hump camel, this way, that way, that way, God's moving right on out, leaving them. That's right. The Holy Spirit's moving on, children's a following It.
Oh, won't it be wonderful when one of these times, He will break the eastern horizon, and the screams will...?... a triumph, and down through that Light will come--will come the Blood-washed saints. Watching, praying, looking every day, keeping our robes washed in the Blood of the Lamb, renewing our faith each day as we walk, believing on Him, hearts open to receive anything that He will send. Believing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things, that's love, God. God is love.
E-25 Notice Him now. And when they got to the Red Sea, the Red Sea got in the way of God. Think of that. The Red Sea got in God's way. God was moving on with His children. Do you believe He's with His children today? "A little while and the world won't see Me no more; yet ye shall see Me, for I will be with you, even in you to the end of the world." God moving with His children...
Now, notice, here's another beautiful picture. We don't get too much into it, but notice, that when Pharaoh's army was just about to overtake Israel, because they had to halt, the sea was before them, an obstacle. But before God could move them through the sea, and move back the sea, the Pillar of Fire went over and stood between Pharaoh and Israel. And what was light to Israel was dark to Pharaoh. You see it? If you won't accept the truth, it'll become darkness, and you'll walk in darkness. "He that sins wilfully, after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin."
E-26 They marched on,
Walked in the light, the beautiful light,
Come where the dew drops of mercy are bright. (You remember singing the old song?)
Shine all around us, by day and by night,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
Israel was marching on, yet there was a--a sick spell in front of them, or an obstacle of some sort. And Israel marched down to the sea. God caused a mysterious thing to happen. He opened up a little crack yonder in the atmosphere or some where, and blew down a hard wind from His nostrils. And it blew it real hard, and it just dried up the sea, and she got scared and moved her walls back, and Israel marched across on dry land. Oh, isn't that marvelous?
You remember, that same God's here tonight. He wasn't back there only; He's forever the same. He is here tonight. And He gives the same kind of a sign for an evidences that He is in the camp.
E-27 Listen. I will get off this--on--just for a minute. Any time, any place, any part of the Bible, where God's message is going, there was signs and wonders following it, always. Never still a ritualistic thing that died when they got without a vision. Pattern it to judges, during the time of judges, nothing happened. Just the very, cold, formal, ritualistic affair. God wasn't in the camp. But as soon as God came in, then signs and wonders begin to take place. Do you see what I mean?
Notice. Then God opened up the Red Sea, and Moses and... led Israel across the Red Sea, and the uncircumcised--ritualistic ones that rejected the Light, refused to walk in the Light... God being long-suffering, give them plenty of time to believe it. He give them signs and wonders, and so forth, and they shut up their faces from it. "I don't believe it. I believe it's witch-craft." Get it? And they refused to receive it. They, being uncircumcised in heart and ears... "Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the Word." Receiving the Word brings new Light. And if they strived to cross like the--the Israelites did, the sea gave away and destroyed every one of them. See it?
E-28 Then notice, here is a beautiful thing of every believer that once takes his stand for Christ Jesus. Remember, they come forth... why? Why was God favoring them? Because they was a redeemed people, redeemed by the blood of the lamb. God had brought them into a full assurance, and had redeemed them from death, and was taking them to the promised land. You see it?
No wonder God could work with them. They were under the blood. He couldn't see their sins, because it was hid by the blood of the lamb, redeemed, marching forward. None of your business to say, "Well, wait a minute, let me look out what that's going to be, how we going to do this." They didn't even use their own knowledge. They only followed the Spirit.
E-29 And every man that's borned again tonight doesn't try to figure out his own... with his own mentality, for it's so weak, it's human, full of corruption. But he seeks after the things of God. Here it is. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, that walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
The Indian friend, last evening, he's coming up here... There's a little, lovely, little Spanish woman come up crying, the tears running down her cheek. I never said nothing. I reached over to shake her hand, (she's probably sitting here tonight) and she had a gallstone trouble. I seen a vision break over her. She took a hold of my hand, and she kissed me on the back of the fingers, like that. She looked up like that, just as satisfied. And God's my judge here. I... If she's here now, she knows she's free of gallstones.
It was a little, Indian maid walked up there in her humble simplicity, her staring, black eyes looking this way, she kept searching till she caught mine. A little smile tricked across her. She had a breast trouble. She'd stuck a pencil in her breast, years ago, and it'd hurt her breast. She'd had an awful time with it. If she's setting under the sound of my voice, don't you worry, sister. Your faith made you whole; you're going to get well. That's right. Watched them in the simplicity of walking, their faith moving... I thought, "There's no need of telling her about it, 'cause she'll find it out after a while, any how." Just... When God's done it, that settles... You couldn't tell everything, Just going every way.
E-30 So I was just thinking of how after they crossed, they was separated people. God required total annihilation from sin. Isn't that a word for a Calvinist to say? But that's right. God requires total annihilation. And how can you do it as a man? You can't. But Christ can for you. And you just abide in Christ. That's all. God can't see the sin at all, 'cause He has to see the Blood first, and He can't see through the Blood. If He's looking through the Blood, He sees you white. Just stay in Christ, that's all. Isn't that simple?
And we're in our pilgrimage; we're going to have our up-and-downs like they did, our jubilee times, that are up-and-down, but we're on our road.
E-31 Now, look at this. After crossing, after they looked back and seen the old taskmasters dead behind them, it caused a little jubilee time. I believe in having those once in a while, don't you? It kindy shakes off all the ashes, you know.
I was standing, not long ago, above--up in Chicago, a few weeks ago, when I was watching there on Lake Michigan, the ice froze around everywhere, that great, big, old sea waves coming in like that, dashing and flashing, angry like. It was trying to get in. I thought, "Well, what's that dashing like that for?" And I thought, "Well, you know what? There's no more water in it right now, than it is when it's perfectly calm, only it's just having a revival." That's all. That's right.
E-32 When you believe the Lord Jesus, that settles it. Jesus Himself said, "He that heareth My words, believeth on Him that sent Me, has Everlasting Life, and shall not come into condemnation, but's already passed from death to Life." Now, we need a revival.
I thought, "What does the sea jump like that for?" Well, there comes a mighty, rushing wind down and causes a revival. Same amount of water (That's right.), but it's got a revival. What does it do? It throws--floats all the trash up on the shore. We need a scouring out once in a while. God gives us a revival, and a sweeping mighty wind, that rushes down through the church like that, and floats all the trash out of her. God purifies us by the Holy Spirit, the Wind that comes from heaven, that shakes your soul, scours you out. Still the same creature, but you got scoured out. See? That's right.
E-33 Now, Miriam and them, looking back, and saw that separation, annihilated from their enemies forever... How long? How long was they going to be safe from them? "These Egyptians that you see today, you'll see no more forever." Amen. Put them in the sea of forgetfulness and remember them no more. That's what kind of a God we have, not goes and digs it up again, and holds it against you. "I forget about it." Amen.
Oh, my! No wonder Miriam had a hot spell. She picked up a tambourine, begin to dance, and jump down on the bank. Oh, you know the Holy Spirit looked like just catches from one to another, like a atoms in a relay. See? And it begin to jump from one to another, and they all got tambourines, and just had a real jubilee. And old Brother Moses got so happy, that he held up his hands and sang in the Spirit. If that ain't a holy-roller meeting, I never seen one. That's right. This is nothing new. It's just a new taped with the old. That's right.
There they was, singing in the Spirit, dancing in the Spirit; beating all the music, clapping their hands. What a time they was having. Why? They was annihilated from their enemy. Amen. He still does the same thing, under a better covenant, way better than the old covenant.
E-34 Now, God promised He'd supply all their needs, not their wants, now, their needs. So they come out with just a little bit of bread, enough to last them for about one day. God doesn't want you to hang on to the things you once had, hang on to your old habits, and things that you once had. Cut loose of them. God will give you something else better. That's right. Did you ever try? He will.
You say, "Well, I just couldn't." Yes, you can; you just let loose one time and let God. Just let loose and let Him show what He can do about it.
E-35 Now. And then when they looked, the next morning when they got up, there was something supernatural had happened. They were hungry (breakfast time), and they had waffles with honey the next morning for breakfast. That's right. Said they had a little wafers that taste like honey, wafers already cooked, and sent down with honey on them. Brother, you can't beat that. That's good for any breakfast. Yes, sir. Waffles and honey. They'd smack their lips on it. And it was a type.
That was Christ, that came down from glory, humiliating Himself in the form of the Bread of Life, Life-giving for the journey. And it never ceased to fall until they went into the millennium. Amen. That right?
That same manna fell constantly every day except Sunday, every day the same, until they went into the millennium, the type, over into the promised land. And that's where all the Hebrew prophets, through the years have looked forward to the millennium. And the same Holy Ghost, which was a type that fell on the day of Pentecost, will continue the same until the millennium sets in. Men will still have the Holy Ghost, and the same things will take place, all the way through (That's right.) until the millennium age.
E-36 Christ, the Bread of Life, come down from heaven, humiliating Himself, giving His Life, that through His Life, you might have journeying mercy. Where did that come from? Out of that Pillar of Fire. That's where it dropped out of. He was up there. That was Christ, Himself, the Logos, the Angel of the covenant, that Moses forsook Egypt, not knowing where he was going, but he was on his road; the children of Israel followed it. That God promised that the Angel would lead. And look, God said, "I will put my Name in him. He won't pardon your transgressions, but beware of Him." He hadn't been made flesh yet to dwell among us, to shed His Blood to take away our sins. So the blood of lambs and goats was very, very fragile. It would break easy.
But now, the Blood of Christ, once shed, cleansed until the day of redemption. All the way through, once perfected, through the sanctifying process of the Holy Spirit, by the Blood of the Lord Jesus, that believer is anchored until the day of redemption. Why? He is held. Ephesians 4:30 said, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed until the day of redemption."
E-37 Don't that just take the scare out of it now? God's with us. Although you sin, you got an Advocate. Tell God you're sorry, come on back. That's the way to do it. Don't think you're cast off forever. As long as you still have enough desire to come to this church, come on. God's still with you. That's right. Sure He is.
Yes, He will just keep moving, as long as you'll... as He's called you. He's still in the saving business to call you. And all He's calling, He's still wooing at your heart. Come on, no matter what you done. God still wants to forgive you and take you back, love you a little bit, and hug you up to His bosom, give you a few spiritual vitamins, put you back in the church, in your position again. He came to redeem, to seek and save that which was lost.
E-38 Now, notice. The manna fell, and they eat it. And it was the Bread of Life that sustained them all the way through the journey. And if they--they entered into the type of the millennium, over in the other promised land. Where they could... Like we are to live for a thousand years without death... When they entered into that land, then the manna ceased to fall, a very beautiful type, as the Holy Spirit falling today, which is the Manna from heaven. The day that we enter the millennium, Christ, the Son of David, will set on David's throne. Amen. Won't need any Holy Spirit then, because Christ will be here Himself, in a body form, as King Jesus. Then all the nations is sure going to beat their plowshares, or their pruning, or swords into plowshares, and war is over then. Going to have some rest around here. The whole world's going to rejoice, and the jubilee year will come.
Notice. Now, as they journeyed on... I have to hurry; I got about five minutes longer. Notice. They got over there then, and aft... Isn't it strange, even although redeemed by the Blood--I want you to notice a person cannot be sinless in himself, takes an atonement.
E-39 After seeing all those miracles and things that God did for them, they still grumbled and complained. God's love, not willing... One day God was going to take the whole thing group of them out, start with Moses, and raise a new generation. And Moses (here's the power of a believer) throwed hisself in the breach for the people, said, "God, don't cross over me. Take me first, 'fore you take them." Notice. And God could not cross Moses. The love of that people, Moses had. The heart of God seen that and couldn't cross over His prophet. Oh, my! Can you see it, what prayer can do: change God. Yes, after God's already spoke something that's going to be, prayer can change it.
Hezekiah was told by the prophet that he was going to die; put his house in order, for it's, THUS SAITH THE LORD. The king turned his face to the wall, and begin to weep bitterly, and said, "Lord, I beseech You to consider me. I've walked before You with a perfect heart." And when he did, looks like God would've talked right back to the king. He's the biggest, greatest man in the land.
E-40 But God has a way of doing things. He went back out and told the prophet, said, "Now, you go back and tell him."
How humiliating it was to Isaiah, after coming out of the palace, to all the celebrities, "What about our beloved king?"
"THUS SAITH THE LORD, he's going to die."
Walked out to the soldiers, "What about our king, oh, prophet of God?"
"THUS SAITH THE LORD, he's going to die (weeping)."
Went out to the poor people at the gates, "What about out king?"
"THUS SAITH THE LORD, he's going to die." Gets out there and sets down in his little cabin, weeps a little bit for the king, picks up his Scriptures, and goes to read it. Here come a vision down. God stood in the vision, said, "Go back and tell him I heard his prayer."
Here he comes right back again, all the poor people at the gate, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, he's going to live." Right back up again, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, he's going to live." Brought him a little sack of figs along, made him some poultices, and put it on the king. Third day he went to church to worship. Prayer changed from death to life. "The prayer of faith shall save the sick, God shall raise him up." There you are.
E-41 All this grumbling, and the first thing you know, because they begin to grumble, God cut off their water supply. That's what's the matter with the water supply today. That's the reason we're not having any revival in America--grumbling, complaining.
"You don't belong to the Assemblies; you're not in it."
"No, you have to be this, and you have to be the Church of God. You have to be a Baptist or Methodist. You have to be this, that..." Oh, that's the reason we can't get nowhere. Yes, sir. If it wasn't for the sovereignty of God, He'd shut the whole thing off. That's right. Grumbling of the people.
I tell you, brother, as long as people argue, and complain, and grumble about their church affiliations and denominations, you're still carnal, walking with carnal minds, like little old kids. Why don't you grow up and be a man once in a while? Look at the over-all picture. What difference does it make what church you belong to, as long as you're a child of God? Not a bit.
E-42 Mr. Baxter used to tell me a little story. In Canada they was going to give a Schwinn bicycle, or some kind of a bicycle, for any boy who could ride a twelve inch plank for a half a city block without falling off. He said, "My, I know I'll get that." He'd go downtown and get a sack of groceries, come back, and never even put his hand on the handlebars. Said, "I... many of the boys..."
They had a little, old, sissy boy around there. He entered the contest too. So they all got up, and every one of them fell off the board, but the little old sissy boy. So after it was all over, the boys got around, said, "How did you come to ride it?"
Said, "I will tell you what's the matter, boys." said, "Each one of you took a hold of your handlebars and was looking down, like this, trying to keep it on the board. Said, "I never paid any attention what was here; I watched the end." Therefore, you don't wiggle if you watch the end. Amen. There it is. You see it? Don't pay any attention to this present condition, look at the end, the coming of the Lord.
E-43 I'd be a miserable person tonight, if I looked around now, and see what was going on. But I'm looking to Him, the Author and Finisher of the faith. Christ, at the end, when He will come and say, "Why did you colonize yourself? Why did you take sides here, take sides there? Why wasn't you big enough to look up here, and know that I love 'whosoever will, let him come'?" Amen. I say we're brethren then, let's stand right together. Amen. There you are. Notice.
Then you argue and your water supply was cut off. They begin to stick at one another. That's what's the matter with that thistle today, or that jumping cactus, brother. Didn't have no water out there. Be a lot of water on the desert, and in a few years, you know what'd happen? That thing would have leaves on it, instead of stickers.
E-44 That's what's the matter with the Church tonight, it ain't got no leaves for the healing of the nations. It's sticking and out of the water, become thorns. Sticking one another, because you don't belong to certain organizations. Stickery--pour on the Waters the Holy Spirit.
E-45 Grumbling, carnality cut off their water supply. Would you imagine, a people that left the muddy waters of Egypt to drink from the spiritual Rock, and was still complaining? Could you imagine leaving the flesh-pots and garlic in Egypt, to eat Angel's food, and was still complaining? Could you imagine that?
Leaving the boasting physicians of Egypt, saying, "The days of miracles is past. There's no such a thing as miracles any more." And they go out to be with the people who believe in the signs following, with a sign of a King in the camp, and great wonders, and signs; a Pillar of Fire hanging over them, the blessings a falling, spiritual manna out of heaven, and still grumbling... Insult to their Maker. Right.
E-46 Oh, what a time. God's still in His mercy, still merciful. Said, "Moses, go out and speak to the rock and bring them some water. They have forgot all the miracles that happened last month. They forgot how I opened up the Red Sea."
Setting here sick tonight, you forgot how God saved your soul. And that was a worst of--more of a miracle than it was to heal your body. They forgot all about it, but Moses, yet in your mercy, "Come on, I... In mercy I am going to open the rock again. (Oh, my!) After I sent my Word, and they looked it over, and they heard it preached. They wouldn't believe it. Still yet in that, I'll sent gifts in the Church. I'm long-suffering. I'll show signs and wonders, on and on." Isn't He wonderful?
E-47 Then we go to fussing about what Church we belong to. He still sends the rains, just the same, still blesses our souls, sends us revivals, raises us up evangelists, and pastors, and teachers, sets in the Church gifts of healing, prophecy, and speaking with tongues, interpretations, and all this. Yet in all of our wrangling, and fanaticisms, and things, that we get into, God still sends it right on just the same--long-suffering, waiting. Surely somebody will wake up after a while (See?) before the coming of the Lord.
Moses went up there then, when they were all... Said, "Take the rod, and go out there, and stand before the rock. I'll meet you on the rock." Oh, I love that. "I will meet you on the rock."
E-48 He smote the rock the first time, brought forth waters: a type of Christ was the Rock. Look, the carnal mind would quickly said, "The worst place in the world to try to find water was in the rock. That was the driest place on the desert. Well, surely, if there's no water down here under the palm trees, where the spring was, there's none up there in that rock." Yet, God, yet... Why, the wisdom of God is foolish to man.
"Why, it's the driest place in the country, to try to ever find that."
But yet, God said, "Right there's where the water is."
And the people today, say, "Oh, Divine healing, if there's anything, it'd be up in the big up-and-ups, and it'd be in the big churches, and the Vatican city. It'd be probably with the archbishop of Canterbury, some of them would have the gifts." Or would it be in one of them old missions down on the street, where they're clapping their hands and going on. The foolishness. "Yet, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them was lost." Amen. Do you see it?
E-49 The water is sometimes where you would least expect it to be. Why? The carnal mind would say, "Why strike the rock? Why, Moses..." Some of the dignitaries of the camp would say, "Moses, what are you going up there to strike the rock for?"
"God said so."
"Why, strike it down here where water's at."
"God said, "Strike it up there."
Naaman said, "Isn't the waters up yonder in my country, better than these muddy waters?"
But God said, "Dip in these waters. This is the water."
He held his nose, went down, but kindy hurt his prestige, but he sure got healed. That's what we need tonight, is to forget our prestige, Forget our own mental conception, and believe what the Holy Spirit says, and be led by the Spirit of God.
E-50 Then the next time they got thirsty, they'd moved them out, and said, "Now, go speak to the rock, and it'll bring forth the waters." I wonder tonight if anybody here is out of speaking terms with the Rock.
Hannah, one time, she had a little, thirsty baby. It was dying. She wondered how her mistress, Mrs. Abraham, Sarah, how that they could treat her like that. She'd been a true, little worker for them. And legally (when polygamy was legal), she had married him, just as legally as it could be. And the baby come. Why she had no reason, nothing at all... what... this sudden, strange thing happened. And she was give a little bottle of water, and a basket of bread, and turned out into the wilderness to die, with the baby. She couldn't understand it. You know what she did? The little fellow begin to holler for water, when there was no water to give it. Out in the desert she laid him under a bush, and went off about a bowshot, and she spake to the rock.
Said, "Why are you weeping, woman. Look over here. There's a whole fountain of water." Still stands today, Beersheba, a well, "God looketh and seeth me." She spoke to the rock.
E-51 There's a woman one day who had a blood issue. And she'd spent all of her living, pawned the farm, sold all the teams, and everything, and trying to get well with the doctors. They'd tried everything, and took all the money, and yet, she was no better. So she heard a little skip move into the edge of the willows, down there one morning. She went out and spake to the Rock. She got what she asked for.
Martha, very dilatory about keeping the preachers with something to eat; her sister kinda rebuked her and said she oughtn't to do this, that, or the other. But the first thing you know... She might have been a little unconcerned, but she was listening to good things. And the first thing you know, one day, when her brother was dead, been dead for four days, she went out and spake to the Rock. And the Rock brought forth life to her brother.
E-52 Poor Moses, as we're closing, he'd followed the Rock, and one day, after he was disobedient, God told him, said, "Now, Moses, down in this wilderness of Zin, you've magni--didn't magnify Me, down there or glorify Me. You took all the credit yourself. So I just can't let you go over. So I want you to come up, climb up here into Pisgah. I'm going to show you what lays ahead." I like that.
I'm homesick and tired, and I want to see Jesus,
I want to hear the sweet, harbor bells shine,
It would brighten my... and vanish all my fears,
Lord, let me look a past the curtain of time.
E-53 Moses, climbing the mountain, singing, looking back, tears dimming his eyes, as he climbed up there, disobedience, he'd done something wrong, yet, he'd been a servant of God. He stood and viewed the land over, all the way from Dan to Beersheba. He looked all up and down. He seen it's in springtime, in April, and the great valleys, that flowed through there. How beautiful it was, of milk and honey, a beautiful land. He'd certainly longed to go over. Eighty years nearly... forty years in the wilderness with these children.
And then when God said, "Get ready, Moses. Prepare yourself, 'cause I have to take you home, this morning." Moses, standing looking, and he felt the chilly winds of death sweeping up, his pulse coming up his sleeve. He happened to look, laying here, by his side, there laid the Rock. He stepped over on it, and the Angels took him away.
E-54 About eight-hundred years later, we see him on Mount Transfiguration, speaking to the Rock. That's right. That Rock took him through. The Rock took me through, this far. It's grace that's brought me safe thus far; grace will take me on.
If you're in trouble tonight, let's speak to the Rock. Out of Him comes forth abundance of water, not just a little drip, a whole gusher.
Did you realize how many people--two million people, besides all their camels, come drank from that spring, and there was abundance of it flowing everywhere. He has plenty tonight. Won't you come and speak to Him, while we have our heads bowed for a moment of prayer.
E-55 Our beloved Saviour, this may be the last meeting that many will ever see. May be the last one that we're privileged to set together this side of eternity. After standing here, and speaking about a word, saying that there is a Rock, and "it's smitten now... "God so loved the world, that He smote His only, begotten Son, that out of Him might come rivers of Everlasting waters of Life to a perishing people. God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life."
We thank Thee. Jesus said, "Whosoever heareth My Words, believeth on Him that sent Me, has imperishable Life. He's taken a drink from the fountain of the Spirit of Christ and can never no more come into condemnation, but's already passed from death to life."
Thou knowest the heart of every man, woman, boy, and girl, in here, Father. I pray tonight as I commit these words to You, that You'll deal with human hearts. And may they speak tonight to the Rock, and say, "Yes, Rock, Rock of Ages, cleft for me." Grant it, Father, for we ask it in His Name.
E-56 While we have our heads bowed, I wonder if someone would just raise your hand to the Rock, not to your brother, here, say, "Rock, Christ Jesus, Fountain of Everlasting Life, I humbly come now. I raise my hand, saying this, 'Gush now upon me, Thy Everlasting Life.'"
God bless you, my sister. God bless you, my brother. God bless you. Someone else, raise you hand, here on the bottom floor, and say, "Oh, Fount of Life, I come, I come. By this I raise my hand." God bless you, my Mexican brother. God bless you, my little brother, setting back there.
E-57 "I come, Fountain of Life. I now raise my hand; truly in my heart, I have believed that Christ died as my Redeemer to bring me back to God in relationship, by being a son or daughter, and in fellowship with the Holy Spirit."
God bless you, sonny. God bless you. Someone else raise your hand? Say this, "Lord, I give myself to Thee."
God bless you, little lady. I see you back there in the middle aisle. Someone else? God bless you, young man. God bless you, sir. And God bless you, young lady. That's fine. God bless you, madam, the Mexican woman setting there. God bless you. God bless you, young lady, over here to my left. Someone else? Keep praying, keep your heads bowed.
They're coming now. God bless you. You know what that means? God bless you, sister. That's fine. God bless you, sister. Oh wonderful. You know what God said? "No man can come, less My Father draws him. And all that comes, I'll give them Everlasting Life."
E-58 If you believe me to be the servant of God, and his prophet, your servant, rather, believe that the message I speak is the truth... It isn't carried out right, but it's the best that I can, with all I can. It comes from my heart. Remember, the Word of God said, the very Angel of God, Who confirms the message to be true every night, "That whosoever believeth has Everlasting Life." Not mentally believe, now from your heart, say, "Lord, I just open up my soul." Jesus Christ promised that we'd never come into condemnation, but pass from death to Life, just by making a sign to God, "Here I am, Lord. I now believe."
Someone else, while we're... Think of that, friend. What a simple thing. God bless you, brother, old, gray-headed man, raising his hand. May be the first time in his life. Coming now, God gives thee Everlasting Life, my brother. You may have done a lot of noble deeds in your days, no doubt you have, and you've fathered many children, but friend, that's the greatest thing you ever done in all your life. When death chills you soon (perhaps... I don't know, may be a few years yet.), you'll remember, "I raised my hand." And when you're going out of here, God will reveal it back to you--your hand up. "I now accept Jesus as my Saviour." If God tells you to do that, you'll never perish.
E-59 How simple He's made it, just longing, loving you. Will you raise your hand, someone else on the bottom floor, 'fore we run up to the balcony, right quick, 'fore the prayer line. God bless you, mother. God bless you, gray-headed woman, saintly looking woman, probably a good old mother. Another one too, two of them, setting together. God bless you, sister.
I know my words a saying, "God bless you" is not very much. But what does it mean? It means from the depths of my heart, I'm asking God to grant to you the favor that you're asking, when He promised He'd do it. It's so easy for me to ask Him that. He promised He'd do it.
E-60 Up in the balcony to my left, anyone along there, would just raise your hand and say, "I now want Everlasting Life." God bless you, sir. God bless you, lady. God bless you, sir. God bless you, and you, and you. That's fine. God bless you. "I now..." God bless you, sir. God bless you, lady. God bless you, the little, Mexican girls at the end. I see you. God bless you.
God bless you, the little boy, sitting here to my left. That's right. Look honey, I tell you the truth. Jesus gives you Everlasting Life, right now, because something struck your little heart. And that's the only thing you can do, honey, is just believe. God does the rest of it. Grace, He saves you. See? Be a good, little boy, and all of you along there. Be good children of God now, serve Him. He promised He'd do it.
Because Thou promised, I believe. O Lamb of God, I come...?.... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
E-61 Precious Lord, take these unworthy hands, and as commemoration of the Bible, of when You dealt with the Jews, which we are Jews, spiritually, by being dead in Christ, and take on Abraham's seed, have faith in God. And now, I lay myself over these handkerchiefs, with all the faith that I can pray with, asking you to heal every one, all the peoples, Thou knowest them. May each one be severally, give out where it's destination's to be determined. And may each one be healed. We ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
E-62 Now, we'll pray for the sick. Do you feel real good, say, "Amen." Now, I'm just... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... in the west.
That's your American privilege, but still, in my heart, God knows whether I'm telling the truth or not over this sacred desk. I still love you. I can't help it. There's something in me that tells me your my brother. We don't believe alike, but we're still brothers. You may be fallen, but I still love you anyhow. You may be a bootlegger; you might be a prostitute. I love you anyhow. That's right. There's something in here... Now me, myself, up here, I wouldn't. But there's something in here that loves you. And I can't help it. I don't see you any wrong; I will... I just want you to come, get right.
E-63 Now... You said you give out how many in...? P, Q, R? Let's line up a few of them then. Let's begin, tonight with... Well, let's just start with number 1, prayer card... Did you say B, or P? P...?... prayer card P. On the back of it, L, M, O, P--P, on the back of it, it start... Who has number 1? Is that--that... was it from 1 to a 100? You have number 1? All right, number 2, number 3...
Last evening it was just a little difficult for me. Something happened that I very seldom have happen in a meeting. I just getting ready to make the... seeing the visions begin to break over the people, and as I started to move into the vision, something happened before me. We talked about it till, after I got to myself good, until one o'clock this morning nearly.
I saw Adam leave the garden of Eden wilfully because--he went out because he loved his wife. I seen Jesus come and go out wilfully, taking the sinner's place, because He loved the Church. I just couldn't keep from expressing it. And we hear that the Lord did bless, and fill with the Holy Spirit, and save the lost. After all, that's the main thing that we're here for.
E-2 Divine healing is wonderful, but Divine healing's like the bait that's on the hook. You don't show the fish the hook; you show him the bait. If he gets the bait, he's got the hook too. If a man can ever be healed and see the power of God, what it does to you, he will then become a believer. That's right.
Now, we're happy to be in tonight... just a little bit late. And had to perform an operation today on my friend here, Brother Tracy. I kept telling him that that jumping cactus would get him. And so he just didn't hardly believe it. So after a while, I found him caught up with a bunch of cactus hooked behind his legs. I didn't have a pair of pliers or anything. We were taking a little hike on the desert to go up to sing the praises to the Lord on top of Superstitious Mountain, if we could've gotten there. That was his ambition. So about halfway up, the cactus got him. And then we had to operate on him to get it out.
E-3 He done a little squealing and grunting, but we got it all out. Ha-ha-ha. So they don't have that in Texas, you know, and this is new. He's going to tell his great-grandchildren about it, you know, that he was at Superstitious Mountain.
So we got back down late. And if I ever had a night of difficult, it's tonight. Coming back down, and then... Thought I would go into the room early then and go to fasting, praying. We hadn't eaten, so we decided to do that. And in the room, when I-- when I went into--to go to praying, I picked up my Bible and I felt real tired. I just set down in a chair. When they come back from the afternoon meeting, they woke me up. I went to sleep.
E-4 And then the lady of the house said, "Come eat a sandwich." I hope I never have to eat a full dinner anywhere. Steak about that big around with everything that goes with it.
And then I said, "Brother Tracy, you all do the preaching tonight, because I certainly feel kindy unqualified. It's approaching just by grace tonight, that the Lord will bless in some way and give us of His blessings."
We wish tonight to call your attention, God willing, in the Old Testament again just for a few remarks. Perhaps next week we'll go over into the New Testament, but just for a little teaching. By the way, this is all new to me. Preach and make the altar call before praying for the sick, and I mean, teach a little.
E-5 And now, before we can open the Word... We can pull the lids down like this, but it takes God to open it. The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and just gets it right out in every heart, just as we have need for it, if we could get ourselves submitted to the Holy Spirit, to where the preacher will not try to use his own thoughts, just let the Holy Spirit move. And let the congregation not try to criticize, but just set with an open heart, and honest before God. Then we'll have a real meeting, won't we? So shall we bow our heads while we talk to the Author of this Book that we're fixing to read.
E-6 O beloved God, we come to Thee most humbly, Father, in the Name of the Lord Jesus, to ask first, to forgive us of our sins and error. And we're so happy to know that we have a High Priest setting in glory, Who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Believing this, that He's climbed the ramparts of glory, setting way high and exalted above every Angel, Archangel, way beyond the moon, stars, and sun. And He hears the prayer of every one that'll come humbly asking. This great telephone connection we have, as it were, taking down the receiver, calling central, Christ Jesus, asking to be plugged into eternity.
Come, Lord Jesus. Send Your Angels tonight, and may They take their positions at every seat, speak to the unsaved, those who are without Christ, going to a Godless, Christless eternity, to a devil's hell, when Jesus Christ died to save them from such. Help tonight, and may the Holy Spirit just get into the Word, and take It right out to every heart and divide it up as severally as we have need.
Father, may we humble ourselves in Thy presence. May the Holy Spirit now take a hold of every heart. Get glory out of the service, for we ask it in His Name. Amen.
In the 20th chapter of Numbers, we read just for a short text:
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother... speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall bring forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so that... give the congregation and their beasts.
And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded. And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear... ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
And Moses lifted up his hand... with the rod and smote the rock thrice--twice: and the waters came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
May the Lord add His Blessings to the reading of His Word.
E-7 That was one thing that Moses did which was very contrary to God's Word. That's the reason we have to watch, Christian people. That's the reason my meetings... many of them say, "Brother Branham, Brother Roberts will pray for five hundred people while you pray for five. That's true. But Brother Roberts does what God tells him to do. I do what God tells me to do. See? So that's the difference. Brother Roberts has the ministry of one type from the Lord, and I have a ministry of another type from the Lord. And we both, as God's servants, must do what God tells us to do.
My ministry is not to personally contact each one. It's to bring forth the--the full assurance of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and tell them to "Look and live." That's it. It's to each and every one. Just like Moses lifting up...
E-8 Now see, Brother Roberts' is the gift of healing. He prays and lays hands on the sick, like that. And got a real, dominating, hard (as we call it), bulldog faith, just stands up there with his eyes closed and believe that--that he does--that God will do it if he ask, and just lays his hands on the people as they pass by. That's good. That's what the Bible said do; "Lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover."
I can't do that. Just as soon as I touch a person, there it begins to break. I can't let the person go, unless somebody snatches him through the line. And there comes a vision. Firstly, before I ever... No one ever heard me guilty of ever trying to cast out an evil spirit, till first I knew what I was doing.
E-9 Many times, people comes to the house, that's been in the meetings, and so forth, that failed to get healed. They wonder why. Then when they come in, maybe there's some hidden something back in their life that they haven't done or should have done. And maybe they'd forgotten about it. Maybe that's the very cause that the brother laying his hands on them, or anointing them with oil at the church (whatever it was), they didn't get healed.
Listen friends, you've got to find the cause before you find the cure. Absolutely. If you went to the doctor, said, "Doctor, I'm having a headache, just a persistent headache."
He says, "Well, take this," and gives you a few aspirins. He's not a doctor. He's trying to get rid of you.
Now, the only thing it is, that doctor, if he's a real doctor, he will diagnose that case till he finds the cause of that headache, then work from there. Now, if you pray for a person that doesn't get well, then there's something, somewhere causing it, because God's sovereign to His Word. He's got to stay with His Word.
E-10 Peter said on the day of Pentecost, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." If a man repents and is baptized, He's absolutely... God's duty- bound to give him the Holy Ghost, if he's repented from his heart.
Why tarry, why wait a long time? It's because there's something here that isn't right. Correctly. God's got... You say, "Well maybe God just don't want to give it to me."
Oh yes He does. You take every bit of the... Well, you say, "Maybe the Holy Ghost has been to so many." God's got plenty of it for you. Don't worry. Could you imagine a little fish, about that long, standing out in the middle of the ocean, swimming around, saying, "Say, I'd better drink of this water kindy sparingly, 'cause I might run out someday?" Well, that's just about like thinking God hasn't got enough Holy Spirit for you. That's right.
E-11 Could you imagine a little mouse, under the great garners of Egypt there, where they're stacked with a billions of tons, and a little mouse down there say, "Well, I'd better not eat about one or two grains a day, because I might run out this winter?" My, that's like trying to think that God hasn't got grace enough to save you, heal you, and He'd want to do it to you more than you are to receive it. That's right. Sure, He wants to do it.
Could you imagine all the waters in the world, packed into a stand pipe, about this big around. It would go a thousands and thousands of miles through the air. And how the pressure of that water coming down, pressing down, trying to find one little crevice to get out of? That's the way the love of God and the healing power is trying to pour in this meeting tonight, trying its best everywhere. God trying to make His way into our hearts, with all that pressure of Divine love, and will, and--and everything, trying to press His way into the people...
E-12 If you just know the right approach to it, you could walk right up and receive it just like that. That's all. See? Because if God promised anything, and you don't receive it, there's something wrong.
People come sometime... I haven't time tonight to go into detail on this, I will maybe next week, on testimony. But how that people come from everywhere, say, "Well, I failed to get it."
E-13 And a lady come not long ago, saying that someone told her that she had seven devils. Another person told her she only had five, and she wanted to know where the four went. Poor woman, plumb gone, nearly, set in the room, taking off her stockings, and pulled her feet up in the chair. Said, "I haven't eaten for several days, and I'm not going to eat till I find out what become of those devils. Said, "What are they?"
I said, "I don't know, I never knowed nothing about it."
Said, "Well one minister told me I had seven devils, and the other lady minister said I only had five. Now, there's two of them gone somewhere. Now see? And come... stayed there about two hours in the house, until God begin to speak, and said, "Lady, listen. You come from St. Louis."
She said, "Yes. How'd you know it?"
I said, "Your husband's on the police force."
"That's right."
And I said, "You used to be a lovely housekeeper."
She said, "That's right."
I said, "Recently, your house looks like a hog pen."
Said, "That's right."
I said, "Your daughter's over there now, taking care of your husband."
Said, "That's right." Said, "Who told you that?"
I just kept talking 'cause it was in the vision. And I said, "You went down to a little place. First, you went to a doctor."
"Yes."
"He give you shots."
"Yes."
"Those shots was called hormones."
"Yes."
I said, "You went down to a place, and they told you had devils."
"Yes."
"Because you had a real, funny feeling."
"Yes."
"They sent you to California."
"Yeah."
"And some man told you you had seven devils."
"Yes."
"You went to a woman. She said you had five devils."
"Yes."
"And they told you to come to me."
"Yes, that's right." Said, "How did you know that?"
I said, "The Holy Spirit said so." I said, "You haven't got any devils to begin with. That's right."
She said, "I haven't?"
I said, "No." I said, "Lady, surely you know your mother went through the menopause. It's the menopause, something natural." And I said, "What do you think hormone shots are for?"
She said, "I don't know."
I said, "For the change of life, that's what it is. No devils at all. It's just absolutely a... It's just your condition of life." She begin to relax.
My wife was cooking some bacon and eggs out there. She begin to look through the house. And I said, "Kindy hungry?" She refused to eat first.
Said, "Yes." She went out and ate three eggs, a big bunch of toast, and two cups of coffee, a lot of jelly. And she's just happy as she could be.
She said, "Brother Branham, are you going to pray for me and cast it away?"
I said, "Cast what away?"
She said, "The--the--the thing."
I said, "There's nothing to cast away."
She said, "Well, I never felt so good in my life." Said, "What must I do?"
I said, "Go home. Straighten up your house, cook your husband a nice, big, apple pie, about that thick. When he comes in tonight, throw both arms around him, and kiss him, set down, and get on his lap and tell him you love him, and live like a lady ought to." That's exactly. That's all there is...?...
E-14 But see, all the pouring on of oil, all the stomping, kicking, all the loud hollering, wouldn't do a bit of good. It's the truth that makes you free. That's true. "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free." That's right.
So many times, sure, in a group, you'll find lots of people, whe--when you bring three or four hundred people through the line, there's many, clean, pure hearts in there that comes right through and gets healed. That's right. But there's some that we have to get back and pick up the strugglings, like that, that fails it. Now we can only do as God says do.
E-15 Now, did you know if a man, that was given power, or faith... not power, not himself to do it, but faith in God to do it, to cast out an evil spirit, and would do it outside of God's will, would get hisself in trouble?
Look at Moses tonight. He was a prophet. You believe he was a prophet? Oh, he was the prince of prophets. That's right. Never was a prophet on earth like Moses. Course, Jesus was; He was--he was Divine. Moses was just a man. But Moses in every way, a type of Christ: birth, law-giver, high priest, oh, everything to... just in type of Christ. And notice, that God give him power, and he went out there and did something with that power which was contrary to God's will, but he did it anyhow.
E-16 You remember the prophet, the young fellow in the Bible name Elisha? He kindy went along with the real prophet, and poured water on his hands. He kindy kept his company right. And when Elijah died, or was taken up, rather, translated, the spirit of Elijah come upon him. And this fellow was bald-headed, when he was young. And he was going down the street and some little children begin to tease him, call him "Old bald head." And when he did, he turned around, in anger... He kindy had a lot of temper anyhow. And he turned around in his anger and cursed those children in the Name of the Lord. And two she bears killed forty-two little, innocent children. Now, that ain't the nature of the Holy Spirit, but that's an angered prophet. See?
I heard some of you kindy... your spirit kindy moved back when I said he had a temper. He did. Look at him when Jehoshaphat and them come down. He got his righteousness indignation then all stirred up. He said, "If it wasn't I respected your presence of Jehosephat, I wouldn't even look at you." Had to play some music to get him back in the spirit again. Is that right? Sure was.
E-17 So Moses, this great warrior in the time now, that God had promised Abraham, that in this great long-suffering, that someday, He would... The people would sojourn for four hundred years in a strange land. And during this time... Remember, there was a lapse of time. Listen right close a minute. There was a lapse of time. It wasn't exactly four hundred years, it was four hundred and twenty years. Because, of the--the condition of the people. Moses came in the right time to bring the people out, but they rejected the messenger. So it taken another forty years, a lapse of time, which made it run over four hundred and twenty years.
The same thing it was in the antediluvian world. The time was already set at hand, but through the long-suffering... "God's not willing that any should perish, but that all might come to repentance." See the lapse of time in the antediluvian destruction? See the lapse of time in the delivering of the children of Israel? So I want you to catch it close now, listen.
E-18 Now, get my words straight. Don't say, "Brother Branham said, 'Jesus should have come.'" But I believe that the coming of Christ is past due, way past due. After all the theologians and everything knowing it must be in a certain time... I think well, after the prophets could set and say, "It'll be some time with in that period of time." And they missed it, because the long-suffering of God, not willing that John Doe, setting here tonight would perish, but wanting him to come to repentance. Not willing that Mrs. Doe, sitting here, and all the little children, that they would perish, but long-suffering.
He sent Brother Roberts in and gave a great meeting. He sent the other men in, give a great meeting. Now, he sent us in, and God's giving us a great meeting. "Not willing that any should perish, long-suffering."
The bomb that would probably burst every atom in the earth is hanging yonder in Russia tonight. It ought to a been fired a long time ago, but God's long-suffering, not willing that any should perish, past due.
E-19 God promised them that He'd bring them out under a mighty hand. And all of those things there of the pilgrimage, from the children of Israel cast out down in Egypt... We know the story how God sent them down there, and they had their habitations, got in Goshen, and became a great popular, through the prophet, Joseph. And then, after the time of the promise drew nigh, there raised up a Pharaoh who did not know Joseph.
We're going to have one raised up, one of these days, that knows not Joseph. After while, the time drew nigh, God sent a saviour to them. I think the greatest mistake that Israel ever made was the 19th chapter of Exodus, where after grace had already provided a saviour, had already provided a lamb, had already provided deliverance, and then they said, "Let us do something." See?
E-20 They knowed they wanted to do something. Man's always trying to find some way to save himself. Right here it is. That's his nature.
In the garden of Eden, the man, as soon as he found out he was lost, he made hisself a religion, a fig leaf apron, and put it over him. You see why I think Eve was so beautiful? See? See why I don't think these things, these strains... That's the strain of man yet tonight. Even after four thousand, yes, nearly six-thousand years, man's still trying to cover his own sins by his own merits.
He will quit eating meat. And he will keep all kinds of days, and--and, oh, he will--he will tear hisself down. He will try every thing that he can to save hisself, when it's so simple that even a fool couldn't fail to find it. That's right. The Bible said so.
E-21 Just simply, "By grace are you saved through faith." He will try to mystify it, and have all kinds of a seeing lights, and hearing sounds, and everything, and all kinds of mystifying things to get people to be saved. Maybe some one did see it, but that don't mean that all has to see it. You just believe it. That there is... And God has His program, and He will set you and place you in Christ, just where He thinks you'll work best for Him, if you'll just stay in your calling.
Don't try to get somebody else's calling. Stay in your own calling. If you're a housewife, remain a housewife. Whatever God's called you to do, just remain there. He knows where to put His hand on you and use you.
He had a little, old woman named Hannah, one time, little housewife. He knowed where to place her, what He was going to do with her. He had one named Mary, one time. Oh, my, He will just do with you whatever He wants to do, if you'll just let Him do it. Just be humble, submit yourself to Him, and walk on.
E-22 Now, when the time of the promise drew nigh, well then, God sent Moses down... I'm going to try to quit in about fifteen minutes, if I can, so I want to... Don't want to take too much time, 'cause I get to preaching, and then I won't have the prayer line. And I want to pray for the sick tonight.
Billy just told me, out there, a few minutes ago, said, "Daddy, I give out a whole group of prayer cards today, this afternoon, around..." So I want to try to pray for as many as I can. So look.
E-23 Then when the time come near, God had raised up Moses to do the work that God had ordained him to do. And Moses went down into Egypt, and with a mighty hand brought the children out from under the bondage. Brought them to the Red Sea and crossed over on their journey to the promised land. Very, very, beautiful type of the church today. Aren't you glad you come up out of Egypt? Oh, was taked out from the old garlic pots, and flesh pots, and things of the world, dances and carrying on of the world, and now, pitched up in Beulah land (Amen), having a camp meeting out here. We having our ups-and-downs, but we're still going towards the promised land. The Pillar of Fire is still marching on, building new camps every year. Is that right?
E-24 When Martin Luther built the first camp, he organized it so tight he--he just couldn't be nothing else but a Lutheran. God come right along, moved the Pillar of Fire out, the children followed it. Wesley brought the message. And the first thing you know, Wesley organized so tight, till he couldn't move. Then the first thing, the Pillar of Fire moved out, and here come the Pentecostals to get...?... going right on with it. The Pentecostals organized so tight till they're fussing whether they're oneness, twoness, threeness, or one hump camel, two hump camel, three hump camel, this way, that way, that way, God's moving right on out, leaving them. That's right. The Holy Spirit's moving on, children's a following It.
Oh, won't it be wonderful when one of these times, He will break the eastern horizon, and the screams will...?... a triumph, and down through that Light will come--will come the Blood-washed saints. Watching, praying, looking every day, keeping our robes washed in the Blood of the Lamb, renewing our faith each day as we walk, believing on Him, hearts open to receive anything that He will send. Believing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things, that's love, God. God is love.
E-25 Notice Him now. And when they got to the Red Sea, the Red Sea got in the way of God. Think of that. The Red Sea got in God's way. God was moving on with His children. Do you believe He's with His children today? "A little while and the world won't see Me no more; yet ye shall see Me, for I will be with you, even in you to the end of the world." God moving with His children...
Now, notice, here's another beautiful picture. We don't get too much into it, but notice, that when Pharaoh's army was just about to overtake Israel, because they had to halt, the sea was before them, an obstacle. But before God could move them through the sea, and move back the sea, the Pillar of Fire went over and stood between Pharaoh and Israel. And what was light to Israel was dark to Pharaoh. You see it? If you won't accept the truth, it'll become darkness, and you'll walk in darkness. "He that sins wilfully, after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin."
E-26 They marched on,
Walked in the light, the beautiful light,
Come where the dew drops of mercy are bright. (You remember singing the old song?)
Shine all around us, by day and by night,
Jesus, the Light of the world.
Israel was marching on, yet there was a--a sick spell in front of them, or an obstacle of some sort. And Israel marched down to the sea. God caused a mysterious thing to happen. He opened up a little crack yonder in the atmosphere or some where, and blew down a hard wind from His nostrils. And it blew it real hard, and it just dried up the sea, and she got scared and moved her walls back, and Israel marched across on dry land. Oh, isn't that marvelous?
You remember, that same God's here tonight. He wasn't back there only; He's forever the same. He is here tonight. And He gives the same kind of a sign for an evidences that He is in the camp.
E-27 Listen. I will get off this--on--just for a minute. Any time, any place, any part of the Bible, where God's message is going, there was signs and wonders following it, always. Never still a ritualistic thing that died when they got without a vision. Pattern it to judges, during the time of judges, nothing happened. Just the very, cold, formal, ritualistic affair. God wasn't in the camp. But as soon as God came in, then signs and wonders begin to take place. Do you see what I mean?
Notice. Then God opened up the Red Sea, and Moses and... led Israel across the Red Sea, and the uncircumcised--ritualistic ones that rejected the Light, refused to walk in the Light... God being long-suffering, give them plenty of time to believe it. He give them signs and wonders, and so forth, and they shut up their faces from it. "I don't believe it. I believe it's witch-craft." Get it? And they refused to receive it. They, being uncircumcised in heart and ears... "Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the Word." Receiving the Word brings new Light. And if they strived to cross like the--the Israelites did, the sea gave away and destroyed every one of them. See it?
E-28 Then notice, here is a beautiful thing of every believer that once takes his stand for Christ Jesus. Remember, they come forth... why? Why was God favoring them? Because they was a redeemed people, redeemed by the blood of the lamb. God had brought them into a full assurance, and had redeemed them from death, and was taking them to the promised land. You see it?
No wonder God could work with them. They were under the blood. He couldn't see their sins, because it was hid by the blood of the lamb, redeemed, marching forward. None of your business to say, "Well, wait a minute, let me look out what that's going to be, how we going to do this." They didn't even use their own knowledge. They only followed the Spirit.
E-29 And every man that's borned again tonight doesn't try to figure out his own... with his own mentality, for it's so weak, it's human, full of corruption. But he seeks after the things of God. Here it is. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, that walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."
The Indian friend, last evening, he's coming up here... There's a little, lovely, little Spanish woman come up crying, the tears running down her cheek. I never said nothing. I reached over to shake her hand, (she's probably sitting here tonight) and she had a gallstone trouble. I seen a vision break over her. She took a hold of my hand, and she kissed me on the back of the fingers, like that. She looked up like that, just as satisfied. And God's my judge here. I... If she's here now, she knows she's free of gallstones.
It was a little, Indian maid walked up there in her humble simplicity, her staring, black eyes looking this way, she kept searching till she caught mine. A little smile tricked across her. She had a breast trouble. She'd stuck a pencil in her breast, years ago, and it'd hurt her breast. She'd had an awful time with it. If she's setting under the sound of my voice, don't you worry, sister. Your faith made you whole; you're going to get well. That's right. Watched them in the simplicity of walking, their faith moving... I thought, "There's no need of telling her about it, 'cause she'll find it out after a while, any how." Just... When God's done it, that settles... You couldn't tell everything, Just going every way.
E-30 So I was just thinking of how after they crossed, they was separated people. God required total annihilation from sin. Isn't that a word for a Calvinist to say? But that's right. God requires total annihilation. And how can you do it as a man? You can't. But Christ can for you. And you just abide in Christ. That's all. God can't see the sin at all, 'cause He has to see the Blood first, and He can't see through the Blood. If He's looking through the Blood, He sees you white. Just stay in Christ, that's all. Isn't that simple?
And we're in our pilgrimage; we're going to have our up-and-downs like they did, our jubilee times, that are up-and-down, but we're on our road.
E-31 Now, look at this. After crossing, after they looked back and seen the old taskmasters dead behind them, it caused a little jubilee time. I believe in having those once in a while, don't you? It kindy shakes off all the ashes, you know.
I was standing, not long ago, above--up in Chicago, a few weeks ago, when I was watching there on Lake Michigan, the ice froze around everywhere, that great, big, old sea waves coming in like that, dashing and flashing, angry like. It was trying to get in. I thought, "Well, what's that dashing like that for?" And I thought, "Well, you know what? There's no more water in it right now, than it is when it's perfectly calm, only it's just having a revival." That's all. That's right.
E-32 When you believe the Lord Jesus, that settles it. Jesus Himself said, "He that heareth My words, believeth on Him that sent Me, has Everlasting Life, and shall not come into condemnation, but's already passed from death to Life." Now, we need a revival.
I thought, "What does the sea jump like that for?" Well, there comes a mighty, rushing wind down and causes a revival. Same amount of water (That's right.), but it's got a revival. What does it do? It throws--floats all the trash up on the shore. We need a scouring out once in a while. God gives us a revival, and a sweeping mighty wind, that rushes down through the church like that, and floats all the trash out of her. God purifies us by the Holy Spirit, the Wind that comes from heaven, that shakes your soul, scours you out. Still the same creature, but you got scoured out. See? That's right.
E-33 Now, Miriam and them, looking back, and saw that separation, annihilated from their enemies forever... How long? How long was they going to be safe from them? "These Egyptians that you see today, you'll see no more forever." Amen. Put them in the sea of forgetfulness and remember them no more. That's what kind of a God we have, not goes and digs it up again, and holds it against you. "I forget about it." Amen.
Oh, my! No wonder Miriam had a hot spell. She picked up a tambourine, begin to dance, and jump down on the bank. Oh, you know the Holy Spirit looked like just catches from one to another, like a atoms in a relay. See? And it begin to jump from one to another, and they all got tambourines, and just had a real jubilee. And old Brother Moses got so happy, that he held up his hands and sang in the Spirit. If that ain't a holy-roller meeting, I never seen one. That's right. This is nothing new. It's just a new taped with the old. That's right.
There they was, singing in the Spirit, dancing in the Spirit; beating all the music, clapping their hands. What a time they was having. Why? They was annihilated from their enemy. Amen. He still does the same thing, under a better covenant, way better than the old covenant.
E-34 Now, God promised He'd supply all their needs, not their wants, now, their needs. So they come out with just a little bit of bread, enough to last them for about one day. God doesn't want you to hang on to the things you once had, hang on to your old habits, and things that you once had. Cut loose of them. God will give you something else better. That's right. Did you ever try? He will.
You say, "Well, I just couldn't." Yes, you can; you just let loose one time and let God. Just let loose and let Him show what He can do about it.
E-35 Now. And then when they looked, the next morning when they got up, there was something supernatural had happened. They were hungry (breakfast time), and they had waffles with honey the next morning for breakfast. That's right. Said they had a little wafers that taste like honey, wafers already cooked, and sent down with honey on them. Brother, you can't beat that. That's good for any breakfast. Yes, sir. Waffles and honey. They'd smack their lips on it. And it was a type.
That was Christ, that came down from glory, humiliating Himself in the form of the Bread of Life, Life-giving for the journey. And it never ceased to fall until they went into the millennium. Amen. That right?
That same manna fell constantly every day except Sunday, every day the same, until they went into the millennium, the type, over into the promised land. And that's where all the Hebrew prophets, through the years have looked forward to the millennium. And the same Holy Ghost, which was a type that fell on the day of Pentecost, will continue the same until the millennium sets in. Men will still have the Holy Ghost, and the same things will take place, all the way through (That's right.) until the millennium age.
E-36 Christ, the Bread of Life, come down from heaven, humiliating Himself, giving His Life, that through His Life, you might have journeying mercy. Where did that come from? Out of that Pillar of Fire. That's where it dropped out of. He was up there. That was Christ, Himself, the Logos, the Angel of the covenant, that Moses forsook Egypt, not knowing where he was going, but he was on his road; the children of Israel followed it. That God promised that the Angel would lead. And look, God said, "I will put my Name in him. He won't pardon your transgressions, but beware of Him." He hadn't been made flesh yet to dwell among us, to shed His Blood to take away our sins. So the blood of lambs and goats was very, very fragile. It would break easy.
But now, the Blood of Christ, once shed, cleansed until the day of redemption. All the way through, once perfected, through the sanctifying process of the Holy Spirit, by the Blood of the Lord Jesus, that believer is anchored until the day of redemption. Why? He is held. Ephesians 4:30 said, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed until the day of redemption."
E-37 Don't that just take the scare out of it now? God's with us. Although you sin, you got an Advocate. Tell God you're sorry, come on back. That's the way to do it. Don't think you're cast off forever. As long as you still have enough desire to come to this church, come on. God's still with you. That's right. Sure He is.
Yes, He will just keep moving, as long as you'll... as He's called you. He's still in the saving business to call you. And all He's calling, He's still wooing at your heart. Come on, no matter what you done. God still wants to forgive you and take you back, love you a little bit, and hug you up to His bosom, give you a few spiritual vitamins, put you back in the church, in your position again. He came to redeem, to seek and save that which was lost.
E-38 Now, notice. The manna fell, and they eat it. And it was the Bread of Life that sustained them all the way through the journey. And if they--they entered into the type of the millennium, over in the other promised land. Where they could... Like we are to live for a thousand years without death... When they entered into that land, then the manna ceased to fall, a very beautiful type, as the Holy Spirit falling today, which is the Manna from heaven. The day that we enter the millennium, Christ, the Son of David, will set on David's throne. Amen. Won't need any Holy Spirit then, because Christ will be here Himself, in a body form, as King Jesus. Then all the nations is sure going to beat their plowshares, or their pruning, or swords into plowshares, and war is over then. Going to have some rest around here. The whole world's going to rejoice, and the jubilee year will come.
Notice. Now, as they journeyed on... I have to hurry; I got about five minutes longer. Notice. They got over there then, and aft... Isn't it strange, even although redeemed by the Blood--I want you to notice a person cannot be sinless in himself, takes an atonement.
E-39 After seeing all those miracles and things that God did for them, they still grumbled and complained. God's love, not willing... One day God was going to take the whole thing group of them out, start with Moses, and raise a new generation. And Moses (here's the power of a believer) throwed hisself in the breach for the people, said, "God, don't cross over me. Take me first, 'fore you take them." Notice. And God could not cross Moses. The love of that people, Moses had. The heart of God seen that and couldn't cross over His prophet. Oh, my! Can you see it, what prayer can do: change God. Yes, after God's already spoke something that's going to be, prayer can change it.
Hezekiah was told by the prophet that he was going to die; put his house in order, for it's, THUS SAITH THE LORD. The king turned his face to the wall, and begin to weep bitterly, and said, "Lord, I beseech You to consider me. I've walked before You with a perfect heart." And when he did, looks like God would've talked right back to the king. He's the biggest, greatest man in the land.
E-40 But God has a way of doing things. He went back out and told the prophet, said, "Now, you go back and tell him."
How humiliating it was to Isaiah, after coming out of the palace, to all the celebrities, "What about our beloved king?"
"THUS SAITH THE LORD, he's going to die."
Walked out to the soldiers, "What about our king, oh, prophet of God?"
"THUS SAITH THE LORD, he's going to die (weeping)."
Went out to the poor people at the gates, "What about out king?"
"THUS SAITH THE LORD, he's going to die." Gets out there and sets down in his little cabin, weeps a little bit for the king, picks up his Scriptures, and goes to read it. Here come a vision down. God stood in the vision, said, "Go back and tell him I heard his prayer."
Here he comes right back again, all the poor people at the gate, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, he's going to live." Right back up again, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, he's going to live." Brought him a little sack of figs along, made him some poultices, and put it on the king. Third day he went to church to worship. Prayer changed from death to life. "The prayer of faith shall save the sick, God shall raise him up." There you are.
E-41 All this grumbling, and the first thing you know, because they begin to grumble, God cut off their water supply. That's what's the matter with the water supply today. That's the reason we're not having any revival in America--grumbling, complaining.
"You don't belong to the Assemblies; you're not in it."
"No, you have to be this, and you have to be the Church of God. You have to be a Baptist or Methodist. You have to be this, that..." Oh, that's the reason we can't get nowhere. Yes, sir. If it wasn't for the sovereignty of God, He'd shut the whole thing off. That's right. Grumbling of the people.
I tell you, brother, as long as people argue, and complain, and grumble about their church affiliations and denominations, you're still carnal, walking with carnal minds, like little old kids. Why don't you grow up and be a man once in a while? Look at the over-all picture. What difference does it make what church you belong to, as long as you're a child of God? Not a bit.
E-42 Mr. Baxter used to tell me a little story. In Canada they was going to give a Schwinn bicycle, or some kind of a bicycle, for any boy who could ride a twelve inch plank for a half a city block without falling off. He said, "My, I know I'll get that." He'd go downtown and get a sack of groceries, come back, and never even put his hand on the handlebars. Said, "I... many of the boys..."
They had a little, old, sissy boy around there. He entered the contest too. So they all got up, and every one of them fell off the board, but the little old sissy boy. So after it was all over, the boys got around, said, "How did you come to ride it?"
Said, "I will tell you what's the matter, boys." said, "Each one of you took a hold of your handlebars and was looking down, like this, trying to keep it on the board. Said, "I never paid any attention what was here; I watched the end." Therefore, you don't wiggle if you watch the end. Amen. There it is. You see it? Don't pay any attention to this present condition, look at the end, the coming of the Lord.
E-43 I'd be a miserable person tonight, if I looked around now, and see what was going on. But I'm looking to Him, the Author and Finisher of the faith. Christ, at the end, when He will come and say, "Why did you colonize yourself? Why did you take sides here, take sides there? Why wasn't you big enough to look up here, and know that I love 'whosoever will, let him come'?" Amen. I say we're brethren then, let's stand right together. Amen. There you are. Notice.
Then you argue and your water supply was cut off. They begin to stick at one another. That's what's the matter with that thistle today, or that jumping cactus, brother. Didn't have no water out there. Be a lot of water on the desert, and in a few years, you know what'd happen? That thing would have leaves on it, instead of stickers.
E-44 That's what's the matter with the Church tonight, it ain't got no leaves for the healing of the nations. It's sticking and out of the water, become thorns. Sticking one another, because you don't belong to certain organizations. Stickery--pour on the Waters the Holy Spirit.
E-45 Grumbling, carnality cut off their water supply. Would you imagine, a people that left the muddy waters of Egypt to drink from the spiritual Rock, and was still complaining? Could you imagine leaving the flesh-pots and garlic in Egypt, to eat Angel's food, and was still complaining? Could you imagine that?
Leaving the boasting physicians of Egypt, saying, "The days of miracles is past. There's no such a thing as miracles any more." And they go out to be with the people who believe in the signs following, with a sign of a King in the camp, and great wonders, and signs; a Pillar of Fire hanging over them, the blessings a falling, spiritual manna out of heaven, and still grumbling... Insult to their Maker. Right.
E-46 Oh, what a time. God's still in His mercy, still merciful. Said, "Moses, go out and speak to the rock and bring them some water. They have forgot all the miracles that happened last month. They forgot how I opened up the Red Sea."
Setting here sick tonight, you forgot how God saved your soul. And that was a worst of--more of a miracle than it was to heal your body. They forgot all about it, but Moses, yet in your mercy, "Come on, I... In mercy I am going to open the rock again. (Oh, my!) After I sent my Word, and they looked it over, and they heard it preached. They wouldn't believe it. Still yet in that, I'll sent gifts in the Church. I'm long-suffering. I'll show signs and wonders, on and on." Isn't He wonderful?
E-47 Then we go to fussing about what Church we belong to. He still sends the rains, just the same, still blesses our souls, sends us revivals, raises us up evangelists, and pastors, and teachers, sets in the Church gifts of healing, prophecy, and speaking with tongues, interpretations, and all this. Yet in all of our wrangling, and fanaticisms, and things, that we get into, God still sends it right on just the same--long-suffering, waiting. Surely somebody will wake up after a while (See?) before the coming of the Lord.
Moses went up there then, when they were all... Said, "Take the rod, and go out there, and stand before the rock. I'll meet you on the rock." Oh, I love that. "I will meet you on the rock."
E-48 He smote the rock the first time, brought forth waters: a type of Christ was the Rock. Look, the carnal mind would quickly said, "The worst place in the world to try to find water was in the rock. That was the driest place on the desert. Well, surely, if there's no water down here under the palm trees, where the spring was, there's none up there in that rock." Yet, God, yet... Why, the wisdom of God is foolish to man.
"Why, it's the driest place in the country, to try to ever find that."
But yet, God said, "Right there's where the water is."
And the people today, say, "Oh, Divine healing, if there's anything, it'd be up in the big up-and-ups, and it'd be in the big churches, and the Vatican city. It'd be probably with the archbishop of Canterbury, some of them would have the gifts." Or would it be in one of them old missions down on the street, where they're clapping their hands and going on. The foolishness. "Yet, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them was lost." Amen. Do you see it?
E-49 The water is sometimes where you would least expect it to be. Why? The carnal mind would say, "Why strike the rock? Why, Moses..." Some of the dignitaries of the camp would say, "Moses, what are you going up there to strike the rock for?"
"God said so."
"Why, strike it down here where water's at."
"God said, "Strike it up there."
Naaman said, "Isn't the waters up yonder in my country, better than these muddy waters?"
But God said, "Dip in these waters. This is the water."
He held his nose, went down, but kindy hurt his prestige, but he sure got healed. That's what we need tonight, is to forget our prestige, Forget our own mental conception, and believe what the Holy Spirit says, and be led by the Spirit of God.
E-50 Then the next time they got thirsty, they'd moved them out, and said, "Now, go speak to the rock, and it'll bring forth the waters." I wonder tonight if anybody here is out of speaking terms with the Rock.
Hannah, one time, she had a little, thirsty baby. It was dying. She wondered how her mistress, Mrs. Abraham, Sarah, how that they could treat her like that. She'd been a true, little worker for them. And legally (when polygamy was legal), she had married him, just as legally as it could be. And the baby come. Why she had no reason, nothing at all... what... this sudden, strange thing happened. And she was give a little bottle of water, and a basket of bread, and turned out into the wilderness to die, with the baby. She couldn't understand it. You know what she did? The little fellow begin to holler for water, when there was no water to give it. Out in the desert she laid him under a bush, and went off about a bowshot, and she spake to the rock.
Said, "Why are you weeping, woman. Look over here. There's a whole fountain of water." Still stands today, Beersheba, a well, "God looketh and seeth me." She spoke to the rock.
E-51 There's a woman one day who had a blood issue. And she'd spent all of her living, pawned the farm, sold all the teams, and everything, and trying to get well with the doctors. They'd tried everything, and took all the money, and yet, she was no better. So she heard a little skip move into the edge of the willows, down there one morning. She went out and spake to the Rock. She got what she asked for.
Martha, very dilatory about keeping the preachers with something to eat; her sister kinda rebuked her and said she oughtn't to do this, that, or the other. But the first thing you know... She might have been a little unconcerned, but she was listening to good things. And the first thing you know, one day, when her brother was dead, been dead for four days, she went out and spake to the Rock. And the Rock brought forth life to her brother.
E-52 Poor Moses, as we're closing, he'd followed the Rock, and one day, after he was disobedient, God told him, said, "Now, Moses, down in this wilderness of Zin, you've magni--didn't magnify Me, down there or glorify Me. You took all the credit yourself. So I just can't let you go over. So I want you to come up, climb up here into Pisgah. I'm going to show you what lays ahead." I like that.
I'm homesick and tired, and I want to see Jesus,
I want to hear the sweet, harbor bells shine,
It would brighten my... and vanish all my fears,
Lord, let me look a past the curtain of time.
E-53 Moses, climbing the mountain, singing, looking back, tears dimming his eyes, as he climbed up there, disobedience, he'd done something wrong, yet, he'd been a servant of God. He stood and viewed the land over, all the way from Dan to Beersheba. He looked all up and down. He seen it's in springtime, in April, and the great valleys, that flowed through there. How beautiful it was, of milk and honey, a beautiful land. He'd certainly longed to go over. Eighty years nearly... forty years in the wilderness with these children.
And then when God said, "Get ready, Moses. Prepare yourself, 'cause I have to take you home, this morning." Moses, standing looking, and he felt the chilly winds of death sweeping up, his pulse coming up his sleeve. He happened to look, laying here, by his side, there laid the Rock. He stepped over on it, and the Angels took him away.
E-54 About eight-hundred years later, we see him on Mount Transfiguration, speaking to the Rock. That's right. That Rock took him through. The Rock took me through, this far. It's grace that's brought me safe thus far; grace will take me on.
If you're in trouble tonight, let's speak to the Rock. Out of Him comes forth abundance of water, not just a little drip, a whole gusher.
Did you realize how many people--two million people, besides all their camels, come drank from that spring, and there was abundance of it flowing everywhere. He has plenty tonight. Won't you come and speak to Him, while we have our heads bowed for a moment of prayer.
E-55 Our beloved Saviour, this may be the last meeting that many will ever see. May be the last one that we're privileged to set together this side of eternity. After standing here, and speaking about a word, saying that there is a Rock, and "it's smitten now... "God so loved the world, that He smote His only, begotten Son, that out of Him might come rivers of Everlasting waters of Life to a perishing people. God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life."
We thank Thee. Jesus said, "Whosoever heareth My Words, believeth on Him that sent Me, has imperishable Life. He's taken a drink from the fountain of the Spirit of Christ and can never no more come into condemnation, but's already passed from death to life."
Thou knowest the heart of every man, woman, boy, and girl, in here, Father. I pray tonight as I commit these words to You, that You'll deal with human hearts. And may they speak tonight to the Rock, and say, "Yes, Rock, Rock of Ages, cleft for me." Grant it, Father, for we ask it in His Name.
E-56 While we have our heads bowed, I wonder if someone would just raise your hand to the Rock, not to your brother, here, say, "Rock, Christ Jesus, Fountain of Everlasting Life, I humbly come now. I raise my hand, saying this, 'Gush now upon me, Thy Everlasting Life.'"
God bless you, my sister. God bless you, my brother. God bless you. Someone else, raise you hand, here on the bottom floor, and say, "Oh, Fount of Life, I come, I come. By this I raise my hand." God bless you, my Mexican brother. God bless you, my little brother, setting back there.
E-57 "I come, Fountain of Life. I now raise my hand; truly in my heart, I have believed that Christ died as my Redeemer to bring me back to God in relationship, by being a son or daughter, and in fellowship with the Holy Spirit."
God bless you, sonny. God bless you. Someone else raise your hand? Say this, "Lord, I give myself to Thee."
God bless you, little lady. I see you back there in the middle aisle. Someone else? God bless you, young man. God bless you, sir. And God bless you, young lady. That's fine. God bless you, madam, the Mexican woman setting there. God bless you. God bless you, young lady, over here to my left. Someone else? Keep praying, keep your heads bowed.
They're coming now. God bless you. You know what that means? God bless you, sister. That's fine. God bless you, sister. Oh wonderful. You know what God said? "No man can come, less My Father draws him. And all that comes, I'll give them Everlasting Life."
E-58 If you believe me to be the servant of God, and his prophet, your servant, rather, believe that the message I speak is the truth... It isn't carried out right, but it's the best that I can, with all I can. It comes from my heart. Remember, the Word of God said, the very Angel of God, Who confirms the message to be true every night, "That whosoever believeth has Everlasting Life." Not mentally believe, now from your heart, say, "Lord, I just open up my soul." Jesus Christ promised that we'd never come into condemnation, but pass from death to Life, just by making a sign to God, "Here I am, Lord. I now believe."
Someone else, while we're... Think of that, friend. What a simple thing. God bless you, brother, old, gray-headed man, raising his hand. May be the first time in his life. Coming now, God gives thee Everlasting Life, my brother. You may have done a lot of noble deeds in your days, no doubt you have, and you've fathered many children, but friend, that's the greatest thing you ever done in all your life. When death chills you soon (perhaps... I don't know, may be a few years yet.), you'll remember, "I raised my hand." And when you're going out of here, God will reveal it back to you--your hand up. "I now accept Jesus as my Saviour." If God tells you to do that, you'll never perish.
E-59 How simple He's made it, just longing, loving you. Will you raise your hand, someone else on the bottom floor, 'fore we run up to the balcony, right quick, 'fore the prayer line. God bless you, mother. God bless you, gray-headed woman, saintly looking woman, probably a good old mother. Another one too, two of them, setting together. God bless you, sister.
I know my words a saying, "God bless you" is not very much. But what does it mean? It means from the depths of my heart, I'm asking God to grant to you the favor that you're asking, when He promised He'd do it. It's so easy for me to ask Him that. He promised He'd do it.
E-60 Up in the balcony to my left, anyone along there, would just raise your hand and say, "I now want Everlasting Life." God bless you, sir. God bless you, lady. God bless you, sir. God bless you, and you, and you. That's fine. God bless you. "I now..." God bless you, sir. God bless you, lady. God bless you, the little, Mexican girls at the end. I see you. God bless you.
God bless you, the little boy, sitting here to my left. That's right. Look honey, I tell you the truth. Jesus gives you Everlasting Life, right now, because something struck your little heart. And that's the only thing you can do, honey, is just believe. God does the rest of it. Grace, He saves you. See? Be a good, little boy, and all of you along there. Be good children of God now, serve Him. He promised He'd do it.
Because Thou promised, I believe. O Lamb of God, I come...?.... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
E-61 Precious Lord, take these unworthy hands, and as commemoration of the Bible, of when You dealt with the Jews, which we are Jews, spiritually, by being dead in Christ, and take on Abraham's seed, have faith in God. And now, I lay myself over these handkerchiefs, with all the faith that I can pray with, asking you to heal every one, all the peoples, Thou knowest them. May each one be severally, give out where it's destination's to be determined. And may each one be healed. We ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
E-62 Now, we'll pray for the sick. Do you feel real good, say, "Amen." Now, I'm just... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... in the west.
That's your American privilege, but still, in my heart, God knows whether I'm telling the truth or not over this sacred desk. I still love you. I can't help it. There's something in me that tells me your my brother. We don't believe alike, but we're still brothers. You may be fallen, but I still love you anyhow. You may be a bootlegger; you might be a prostitute. I love you anyhow. That's right. There's something in here... Now me, myself, up here, I wouldn't. But there's something in here that loves you. And I can't help it. I don't see you any wrong; I will... I just want you to come, get right.
E-63 Now... You said you give out how many in...? P, Q, R? Let's line up a few of them then. Let's begin, tonight with... Well, let's just start with number 1, prayer card... Did you say B, or P? P...?... prayer card P. On the back of it, L, M, O, P--P, on the back of it, it start... Who has number 1? Is that--that... was it from 1 to a 100? You have number 1? All right, number 2, number 3...