E-1 Thank you, Brother Roy. Let's remain standing just a moment while we pray. We bow our heads, if you will. And let's just think now if there's anything in your heart that you would desire God to answer you by, tonight, some request, just let it be known as you lift your hand, and say, "I have a request before God." Now let us bow our heads as we pray.
E-2 Our Heavenly Father, we deem this such a great privilege, to come to You; knowing this, that if we come in the Name of the Lord Jesus, we've been promised that we would receive what we ask for. Now we do not come to the Throne of Judgment. We certainly wouldn't want to come there, or to the Throne of Justice. But we… is coming to the Throne of Mercy, where we are—are sure to have our requests granted. For, we could not stand Your judgment, neither could we live by Your justice, but Your mercy is what we beg. Forgive us then, Lord, of our sins. We pray that You'll grant that, and that You will be with us tonight, answering every request that those hands represented as they were lifted up. You know what was beneath the hand, in the heart. And, God, no doubt it was for sickness, and salvation, and loved ones. We pray tonight, Father, especially for those, that You'll grant their requests.
E-3 Now we have been speaking upon Thy loyal servant, Abraham, continuing on with him tonight, in his journey. We pray that You will bless us as we go down along the road of many hundreds of years ago, with a faithful servant who believed Your Word. May it be an example, as Paul said in the Hebrews, of what Abraham was, an example. And we pray that he, the faith that he had, will be revealed to us tonight; to believe the Word of God, and not doubt It, one Word of It, but believe It all, and believe everything that He said. And may we be able to hold onto them promises that He has made us, and be the children of Abraham by being in Christ. We ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
Be seated.
E-4 Brother Borders is a little taller than I, so I have to get the microphones a little further down. And it's a privilege to be here tonight in this meeting again, and to pray for the sick, and do whatever the Holy Spirit bids us to do. I want to say this, complimentary. Of all my travels through the U.S., the United States and Canada, I seen something last night that thrilled me more than all the wheelchairs that I've seen emptied up, and all the crutches laid down, the blind to see, the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak, the dead raised up, the doctor signed a statement that "the person was dead, and raised up." That's all been thrilling. But when I seen people last night, who are members of the church, receive Truth and stand right up in the midst of the people, to confess they're wrong and willing to do right, that was the best that I know of.
E-5 The Church, perhaps the Bride is done chosen. It's, get Her ready now. The getting Her…
E-6 The revival is over. We know that. There's no more revival spirit. Two hours of service, everybody is complaining. In a revival, it's day and night, all the time, never breaks. The revival is done. And so we are just gleaning.
E-7 Abraham had to sweat it out until he found character. And then when he found character, the next thing was prepare her then to meet the bridegroom. That's the next thing. You remember when he found her? In the evening time, the evening light.
E-8 Striking at the women and men, both, last night; and seeing them, in respect to the Word, stand up and admit they're wrong, want God's forgiveness, and to go on. This is the place to have a revival. If there'd be any revival I know of, it'd happen right along here, where honest hearts. Why? You've got something to work on, see. Something… Most of them will get arrogant, they don't want you to tell them about it; just remember, that type of seed is a denominational seed, not a Seed of Abraham. A Seed of Abraham sees the Word, and it believes the Word, quickly.
E-9 When that little prostitute, at the well that night, the woman at the well… There was priests and rabbis standing around, looking at Jesus performing, giving His Messiahic sign to them, a Scriptural sign, and they said, "He's Beelzebub, a devil, a fortuneteller."
E-10 But as soon as that Light flashed to that little woman, when He told her what she had done, she said, "Sir, I perceive that You're a Prophet. And we know that the Messiah is coming, and, when He comes, He'll tell us those things." See, quickly that predestinated Seed caught it, because it was a Seed of Abraham, truly. And she saw the Light. It was the Word. She knowed the Word promised that, when Messiah come, He would do those things, and she recognized it.
Jesus said, "I am He that speaks to you."
E-11 She run into the city and tried to convince others. She said, "Come, see a Man Who has told me the things I've done. Isn't this the very Messiah?" See?
E-12 Now just a word to our sisters. I've always been considered a woman-hater, but I'm not. See? When I was a little kid, I had a sour experience; but I've always had a great respect for a woman that was a woman, a lady. But I haven't no respects for them that professes to be and is not. I like to see a lady, a real genuine lady, she's a gem.
E-13 In this day when women is perverted, most perverted in these last days. The Scripture says so. Why? It's the going out of the age. You remember what was the first perversion? Was a woman. That's right. And in the last day! We never had this; we've had six thousand years that ladies tried to remain ladies. Now they try to act like man, put on clothes like man, cut their hair off like man, and so forth. They never did do that in any other age. The Bible predicts this, that they would do this in the last days. And here you are, perversion of women. No wonder the Bible said, "Those that escaped out of—out of—out of Zion shall be glorious in the sight of the Lord, in that day." See, how that those who escape!
E-14 You say, "It doesn't make any difference." It does make a difference. Someone said to me not long ago, said, "Brother Branham, that little thing don't make a difference."
E-15 I said, "It did to Paul. And Paul said, 'If an angel from Heaven come and taught anything else, let him be accursed.' Whether they be minister, or angel, or bishop, pope, or whatever he is, let him be cursed if anything is contrary to This.'" See, that's exactly. Galatians 1:8, if you want to read It.
E-16 And he said, "Well, I don't think…" Said, "I seen women with short hair, was just as meek and sweet."
E-17 I said, "That's exactly right, I've seen that also. But that isn't it. See, you've got to come to what the Bible said!"
E-18 What if God said to Moses, "Take off your shoes," and he said, "Lord, I'll just take off my hat, instead"? See? You've got to do what God says do! And the trouble of it was, that I think of, what makes me so worried about it, that ministers will put up with such a thing! What is it? It shows it's a modern Adam that went with his wife. See? God wants another Adam that stands with the Word, and Him alone, the Word alone. The Word is right, regardless! Don't go that way.
E-19 Never, in six thousand years, has it ever been that women ever desired to cut their hair, dress like man, be perverted. We're at the end time. And America, anyone who knows prophecy, knows that America is represented by a woman. This is called "women's freedom." Freedom for what? To do as she pleases, sin.
E-20 A woman cannot do what she wants to do. The Bible says not. A woman is a by-product of a man. She's not even in the original creation. That's exactly right. She was took from a man. Man was both feminish and masculine; He took the feminish spirit and put it in a rib that come from his side. Listen! Did you notice when Rebekah went to meet Isaac, when she jumped off the camel, she veiled her face? Why? She was coming to her head.
E-21 They don't know it. They have to do it, anyhow. Did you notice a woman when she gets married, she puts a veil over her face? Why? She's coming to her head. And the Church, the Church, being the Bride, should veil herself to any creed, she's coming to her Head, the Word. Christ is the Word, and He is the Head.
E-22 Now, friends, I don't want to get started on that. I—I—I was looking over there today, with five hundred texts, a little better than five hundred texts, of deep teachings on the Bible. But I just want to stay with Abraham for this meeting, somehow.
E-23 You know, I believe the Lord might, if the brethren don't mind, and if everybody, I'd like to come back here and hold a revival where you could stay a while, see, where we would really get down and just see. [Congregation applauds—Ed.] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I know there's fish here, I—I—I know it. And I love to fish. And you got material to work with, somebody who is honest. Anybody can be wrong. You don't know; I die daily, from my wrongs, and try to live before Christ. And anybody that's big enough, and got enough Spirit of God to walk up and admit they're wrong, say, "I want the right thing," I got a lot of confidence right there, for, that's truly Abraham's Seed. They want to know It. They don't know It unless they hear It. But It's got to be heard first, said, "How we… without a preacher? And how can a preacher preach unless God sent him?" That's exactly the Truth. Now, notice now.
E-24 We're going back to Abraham now. We better get back on him, so, and carry it on. Can you hear me all right, up in the balcony up there? We're… Nice to see, tonight, such a nice crowd. You're such lovely people here. I sure…
E-25 Was talking to a friend today, that come from Canada. The Lord had led me down to a certain place where I had to watch for something to happen. And then standing… This friend, I met him, and he was talking about how the American people were friendly. And I said, "Yes, and in here is some of the—the predestinated Seed of God, in and around these places, and in this most wicked place." I don't mean your city here. My city, that I come from, is as wicked as yours. But the whole world is wicked, but the riffraff has all floated to the West. We know that. Civilization has traveled with it. And where civilization is, there's where sin sets in. That's right. Look at it up and down here. This is a preacher's graveyard. That's right. Look at Los Angeles, everything and every cult lands right in there, and everybody has got a creed, a doctrine. To get the Word in there, you can't do it. It's so contaminated! That's right. Demons, devils, right at the seat of Satan! But yet in the midst of all of it, there's some Seed in there, also. And only thing you can do is scatter the Light. And if any of that Light… If there's Seed there, it'll come to Life as soon as the Light strikes it. You just have to sow Light, that's all. And He is the evening Light, we know that, His Word.
E-26 Now, last night we left Abraham. I started on—on the 22nd chapter, but I never got through it, because I went to basing back on what Abraham was at the beginning. And we left him last night where God was confirming the covenant with him. Oh, I like that. Tearing the host, making a—a covenant with Abraham. And how we got… When He called Abraham, and was going to confirm the covenant to him, He told him to take three three-year-old animals, and separate them. And we got the threes. We don't have time to go into it. My, you can stay on that one, that one subject right there, till in the morning, wouldn't have it explained. But you just kind of hit the high places, and expect the Holy Spirit in this time to reveal the rest of it.
E-27 Now, how that the perfection, the perfect Sacrifice, perfect, God perfected in human life what He was going to do. We know we have… We had God the Father, which was the Almighty Jehovah. Then That was in a Pillar of Light, took Israel through the wilderness. And That same Jehovah become flesh and dwelt among us, in the form of His only begotten Son, created a Tabernacle for His Own Self to dwell in, God manifested in flesh. The fulness of the Godhead bodily dwelt in Him, the perfect manifestation. Then (through the covenant) the human part of Him was taken away, severed, that He might (this covenant) separate the Body that died, the Blood that was shed for the remission of sins, and raised It up and set It on His right hand, and sent the Spirit back on the Day of Pentecost. And that same Life that was lived in Christ Jesus has to be lived in the covenant people, same Life doing the same thing. Jesus said in John 14:12, "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he also." Now, that's either right or wrong. It's got to be right! To me, every Word of It is right. Every Word is perfectly right. Notice how glorious God works.
E-28 And then how that those of Father… Like Matthew said, "Go ye therefore, teach all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost." See? Now, Father… Don't mean we got three Gods. We got one God in three offices (Fatherhood, Sonship, Holy Spirit), same God yesterday, today, and forever. That's exactly.
E-29 Now notice how glorious that was manifested to Abraham, and how that God, in this Light, went between these pieces, severing them. Just as the… We took last night, how they made a contract, wrote it out and then tore it, that they must dovetail. The contract must dovetail.
E-30 Now you see, friends, that's what I'm trying to say. Even among our Pentecostal people, there is becoming this devil of intellectual, trying to make people… Now, I believe in all the gifts of God. I believe in shouting. I believe in speaking with tongues. I believe in all the things that God said. But yet you cannot rely upon any of those things being why you got the Holy Ghost. See, your life has to go with it. See? Your… "By your fruits you are known." See? And those are the things that worries me today, because I see my own church, the Pentecostal church, becoming that "form of godliness," getting away from Truth. And bring the Truth of the Word to them, they back off from It. Then ask them, "Come, sit with me," they won't do it. See, it shows there's something wrong. That's what worries me. And, now, it's not as I'm against my church. I'm…
E-31 If I love Christ, it'd be a lot more better for me to brag on His Church than it would be brag on Him. Because I would rather you'd brag on my children than to brag on me. And, remember, I've often thought, if I had two drops of the literal Blood of Jesus in a charger, how I would hold That, that I didn't spill It. I'd walk real careful. But tonight I've got greater than that, in His sight, I've got the purchased of His Blood. See, He shed His Blood for you. And here I am as a minister tonight, holding, or pointing you your Eternal destination. So I'm not going to refer to any creed or any dogma; it's got to be the Word, 'cause that's the thing that's going to last. My faith is built on the Word, and Christ is the Word. And if Christ be made the Word, then the Word is made manifest right among us. See, it's got to be!
E-32 Now, therefore, I believe that God of the Old Testament, all that He was, He poured into Jesus His Son. And all that Jesus of the New Testament was, He poured into the Church that He purchased with His Own Blood. See? "A little while and the world," kosmos there, the world order, "will see Me no more. Yet ye shall see Me," ye, the Church, "for I will be with you, even in you, to the end of the world." Then the Life, that Contract, that Spirit that was took out of Christ at Calvary, is brought back and poured down upon the people, the Seed of Abraham, that God made the promise to. Remember, it wasn't to all his seeds, but the "Seed."
E-33 Now, there's a doctrine of predestination which is rotten, nonsense. But there really is a true predestination. God, by foreknowledge, could predestinate because He has foreknowledge. God is not willing that any should perish, but, being the infinite God, knew that who would perish and who would not.
E-34 That's the reason He said before Isaac or—or… before Jacob or Esau was born, He hated Esau and loved Jacob. His foreknowledge let Him know that Esau was a shyster, and He let Him know that Jacob respected that birthright; regardless of how he got it, he wanted it. Now, both boys, twins, born from the same holy mother and father, but one was a renegade and the other was a—a believer. Now God, by His foreknowledge, knew that.
E-35 Now, God, by foreknowledge, He—He doesn't set His business like… You wouldn't do your business that way, on a loose-leaf like that. God knew, by foreknowledge, who would be saved, so He sent Jesus to catch those who He foresaw would be saved. Read Ephesians, the 1st chapter, and you'll see it. See? Now, there.
E-36 Then He sends down His Gospel and sows It, sends down His Spirit to make It alive. Now, they'll both grow in the same field, Hebrews 6 tells us that, "That the rain comes oft," Jesus said, "upon the earth," and you notice in there, "to prepare, to dress the earth; but thorns and thistles, which is nigh unto rejection, whose end is to be burned." Find it? Now remember.
E-37 We'll take a wheat field. You people raise wheat here. And here is a—a drought come on. Here is creepers or weeds that you have here, some known weed growing up in the field; the creepers in the field, the milkweeds in the wheel… the field, the thistles in the field. And the wheat is in the field. They're both thirsty. And the rain comes not for the weed, but for the wheat, but that little weed will stand right up and rejoice just as much as the wheat will.
E-38 But by their fruits you are known. The same Spirit falls upon a hypocrite and he'll shout and carry on like the rest of them, but his life is what proves what he is. See? And we're relying too much on sensation. And today the field is full of all kinds of sensations, every kind of an unscriptural sensation and everything else. Certainly. But we got to come back to the Word, the Truth of the Word. The Word, what It said!
E-39 Now, God telling Abraham that through him, the third covenant, and the only covenant. Jesus only was a confirmation of the covenant that He made with Abraham, the royal Seed, Spirit's Seed.
E-40 And to you precious Catholic friends of mine, when you say, "Hail, Mary, mother of God," aren't you ashamed? How could Mary be a mother of God? She could not be. You say, well…
E-41 I was talking to someone the other day, they different. They said that—that Jesus was the—the seed of—of Mary. If He was the seed of Mary; before the seed could come down through the tube, there had to be a sensation to bring it. Then you're making Jehovah… You see what you're making Him do?
E-42 God, the Creator, created both the egg and the Blood cell, and brought forth the Tabernacle. And man had nothing to do with It! It was God alone! That's right.
E-43 She was a good woman, certainly. There's many good ones sitting here tonight. And when God gets through using anything, it's off the scene. And she's not a mediator. She's no mother of God. She's a good, sainted woman in Glory, because she served the purpose of God. And every woman in here has the same opportunity, maybe not in the same way, but to serve God. See? God will use you.
E-44 He just used her for an incubator, but the Child belonged to God. Yeah, He was the Creator of both egg and the hemoglobin. And the hemoglobin, of course, come from the male sex; and He was the Creator of that. And Mary was brought this baby without any sensation, no more than the Holy Ghost overshadowing her and creating in her womb this Blood cell and egg that brought forth the Man, Christ Jesus.
E-45 And that was the covenant that God was writing with, that when God was made human among us, then He was tore apart. See, the three of them, three-year-old, then tore apart. And God took one part of It Home with Him, and sent the other part down here. Now when the Body meets again, it'll have to be the same Life that governed that Body will have to be the same Life govern this Body. And He was the Word. And He is the Word! See? And the works that the Word did then does the same thing today. He is the Word, the Eternal Word. And God's Word is Eternal. All right.
E-46 Now what was He doing? Making a way, showing, know that Israel, the natural seed, would reject Him; but knowing that the royal Seed, not from the sexual affair with Sarah, but from the faith that Abraham had, that brought forth Christ, that's the royal Seed of all nations, the mixed, the Bride coming out of all nations. Abraham, a father of nations, not because he had the… lived with his wife, Sarah, and brought forth the son, but because he believed the Word. Amen. That's it.
E-47 Now we find, after this, this great experience. Now we're coming over to the 17th chapter. We're going to try to get the 22nd, if possible. The 17th chapter. Do you love the journey with Abraham? I just love to watch it. Because why? Everything that he did was a perfect type of the Church. You believe that? Notice, all the Scriptures type it.
E-48 Look at Joel, said, "It shall come to pass in the last days, that God would pour out His Spirit." How that there would come a cankerworm and eat up His church! "What the palmerworm left, the cankerworm; and the cankerworm, the caterpillar." And it's the same bug, same insect in four different stages. Each one eat a part. Here come the old caterpillar or the cankerworm and eat the bark off, and the other eat the fruit off, and—and then come along the others that sucked the life out of it. That's when…
E-49 Christ, that Tree that was in the garden of Eden! There were two trees in the garden of Eden. These two trees were set there for a birth purpose. And when… Eve, she was the tree of death if she was touched. And Christ was the Tree of Life. Now by the woman comes death; by the Man come Life.
E-50 Now when He stood here talking to the Jews, He said, "I… your…"
E-51 They said, "Our fathers eat manna in the wilderness for forty years."
E-52 He said, "And they're, every one, dead! But I am the Bread of Life, Tree of Life, that come from God out of Heaven, that a man eats this Bread and shall never die."
E-53 God put Seraphims there, guarding that Tree, that no one would touch It. Now He's got Seraphims out, trying to drive them in to the Tree. Them day, they seen the vision, they wanted to the Tree, to get back without an atonement. But now after the atonement is made, the devil is blinding them, turn them this way from the Tree. Notice.
E-54 When Christ came on earth, He was God's perfect Tree. David saw Him in the 1st Psalm, said, "Tree planted by the river, rivers of water." Many rivers, one Water; many gifts, same Spirit. "His leaves shall not wither."
E-55 But when He come on earth, what happened? The Roman power cut that tree down and hung Him on a man-made tree. Then God raised that Tree up and set It at the right hand, and sent the Spirit back to make a Bride for Him, like Adam should have had in the garden of Eden. And when that tree started off, it was a pentecostal tree.
E-56 We hear the pope saying, "All the churches, come back to the mother church, to the beginning. Come back to Rome!"
E-57 I want one historian, one minister, or somebody to stand, look me in the face and show me that the church begin at Rome. The Church begin in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost! That's where. Organization begin in Rome, three hundred and something years later. But the Church begin at Pentecost; God raising up a Bride tree for Christ, with the same Spirit was in Christ, raising up a Bride tree. And what happened? When it got to begin groaning, growing, the Roman bug got on it and begin to break it off. What the palmerworm left, the caterpillar eat, till it went plumb to a stump.
E-58 But God said, "I will restore, saith the Lord." That tree is going to come forth again, for the Bride Tree is coming after the Bride.
Up come Luther, what did he do? Following justification.
E-59 That's exactly the way the church come in, John preaching justification. In come Christ, preaching sanctification. Hebrew… I mean Saint John 17:17, "Sanctify them through the Truth, Father. Thy Word is Truth." And He was the Word. That's right. He was the Sacrifice. Then, on the Day of Pentecost, with the Holy Ghost. Justification; sanctification; and when the tree received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, it was a full Bride tree!
E-60 The Romans eat it down. Just as it went down, it come up! And as it begin to come up through Luther, what? After Luther's death, they organized it. What did the Husband do? Pruned the old dead vines off.
E-61 Away she went, farther, the heart of the tree growing. It's a predestinated tree! That Seed is laying there, it's got to come! And up it come again, and Wesley started. And they had a great revival under sanctification. What happened? He pruned it off again, when they organized. Never did an organization ever rise. Never one ever fell that ever come back again.
E-62 Then along come the Pentecostals, with the restoration of the gifts. What did it do? Organized! What did God do? Pruned it off!
E-63 But what did He say? "I will restore, saith the Lord." He'll bring out of that conglomeration, a Church that's Blood-washed, Bible-bought, and Word-solid, a Bride! The evening Lights are coming out. Where does the fruit ripen at? Right in top of the tree. Here I go again!
E-64 Back to Abraham, back, let's get to Abraham. Here He comes, evening-time's royal Seed coming in. Nations… Notice now after the 17th chapter, we find out here in the 17th chapter, God appeared to Abraham in the Name of the Almighty God.
E-65 Abraham was ninety and nine years old, and all this time had never waved, but believed God's Word; and called the things which were not as though they were, 'cause God said so, still believing that baby would come, holding onto the promise. What a man! What a brother! "Abraham, who against hope…" Sarah's womb was dead. He was sterile. His body dead. The Bible said it was, that his body was as good as dead. And Sarah's womb was dead. And she was now pretty near forty years past menopause, and still Abraham believed it, that she'd have the baby because God said so. There you are. Holding to the Word 'cause God said so! No matter what, the creeds that covered It up, and, still that Word laid there! It had to come. And that Word laying in Abraham's heart!
E-66 No matter how many says, "The days of this is gone, and that there." As long as that Word is laying there, it'll be creative, because it's a germitized Word. For, God is the Word, and the Life of God is in the Word. Notice now when that Word drops into the Life of God, something happens, it comes to pass. Now notice.
E-67 Then He appeared to him in the Name of Almighty God. Now, God has seven compound redemptive names. And He appeared to him here in the form of Almighty God, which means "El Shaddai." In the… "Shaddai," in the Hebrew. El means "strong one." Shad means "breast," like the woman's breast. And now instead of being "shad," singular; "Shaddai," plural. Now what a sweet consolation to an old man, a hundred years old, holding the Word of God in his heart, and here the Voice of God comes to him and said, "I am El Shaddai. I am the Breasted-God."
E-68 Oh, what consolation we have! Now, not, remember, not just "breast," but "breasted"! "Wounded for our transgressions; by His stripes we're healed."
E-69 Now, what does a mother, with her little baby, when he's sick and fretting? She picks up the little fellow. She holds him up to her breast, and she… he nurses the mother's strength into his own body through the breast. And not only is he satisfied or is he… He is quietened. He is screaming to the top of his voice, he's all disturbed; but when the mother picks him up and puts her… puts him upon her breast, and begins to hum to him, rock him back and forth, he feels his mother, his head is on her bosom, and he begins to nurse and draw the strength from his mother, into his body. He's rejuvenating himself, building up strength; and also satisfied, while day by day he's growing stronger and stronger.
E-70 What an experience to the Seed of Abraham! He's still Almighty God, El Shaddai! We can take a hold of any promise that He made in the Bible. His Seed, His children, if you're sick, just take a hold of the breast of the promise of the Word that said, "By His stripes we are healed." It satisfies! And we are drawing constantly, our strength, from the strong One, El, the strong One, the Eternal One, drawing His Life from Him, through His promise.
E-71 What a feeling it gives a person laying upon the bosom of El Shaddai, believing, knowing that we are nursing the power of Christ, from His promise, into us!
E-72 When El Shaddai leaned Abraham on His bosom, twenty-five years before; an old man, seventy-five years old, and his wife sixty-five; he never left that Breast. He walked right on through a strange land, amongst strange people who knew not God, but he constantly give testimony and was strong in faith, giving praise to God, because he knowed he was drawing from that promise.
E-73 What a hope it is for the church tonight, in the hour of darkness, superstition, sensation, intellectual. The Holy Spirit said, "In the last days there'd come an intellectual church. The Spirit speaks expressingly," First Timothy 3, "in the latter times some shall depart from the Faith, give heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils," sure, "having a form of godliness." What were they doing? "Heady, high-minded." Doctor Ph.D., LL.D., QST, all these titles. "Why, Doctor So-and-so, a time so-and-so, is our pastor."
E-74 I'd rather some man be in my family, or my child, that didn't know the difference between split beans and coffee, and knowed Christ! That's right. Take him out yonder somewhere by an old stump and kneel down on his knees and pray with him till the Holy Ghost comes into him. I'd rather have that than all the psychology you could pour into him by a doctor's degree. Tell him the Word of God! Yes.
E-75 "But heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, and despisers of those that are right."
E-76 Oh, you say, "That's Communists." No, no! That's so-called Christians.
E-77 "Having a form of godliness, but denying the Power thereof, from such turn away. For this is the sort that goes from house to house, leading silly women, led away with divers lusts, never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." That's right. That's what it is. And we see that day.
E-78 And what a consolation for the believer, to separate himself from all the unbelief, all their ungodly creeds, all their ungodly doctrines, and look straight to Christ and take the Word, and hold onto that Word till you see It being made manifest. No matter how long you have to wait, stay there! God promised it. He led you to it, hold onto it! Stay there. Don't take it back. Stay right there. If you're sure of it, you'll stay there. But if you're wavering, you'll turn loose of any little thing. A monkey grabs at shiny things, but a bear holds his hold. So, you stay on! Yes, hold on, good grip!
E-79 El Shaddai! He said, "I'm El Shaddai. Abraham, I am the strong One. You're an old man. You're a hundred years old now, your strength is all gone; but I am your Strength! Your hope is all gone; but I am your Hope!"
E-80 Oh, you suffering, tonight, out here with cancer and stuff, can't you see where your Strength comes from? Not from the surgeon's knife, but from God's Word! "I am your Portion! I am your Strength! You draw your strength from Me!"
E-81 Not disregarding the surgeon now; he does his part that's up to him. But God is the Healer. No surgeon, no doctor, no medicine ever heals. No, sir, they haven't got one medicine that will heal. Now, any doctor will tell you that. They got aids, but God is the Healer. They might cut a gash in your hand, but God has to heal it. They haven't got nothing to build tissue; if they could, they could build a man. So you see, God is the Healer. You can set a bone, but God has to heal it. God is the Healer, "I'm the Lord that heals all your diseases." And you can't make God's Word lie; It'll come right back to the truth every time, just right straight back. You can't make It lie.
E-82 Now they say the Bible contradicts Itself. I've asked, and told men I'd give them a year's wages on the field, if I could, everything that I can do, to show me one word in the Bible that contradicts the other one. That's right. It's not there. It's because your carnal mind looks at it the way it does. The Holy Spirit is the Interpreter of that Word. That Word is true, set together. It's all there like a jigsaw puzzle, but it takes the Holy Spirit to put It together, to make It the picture of God's redemption and His blessings to His people. Amen. It does not contradict Itself! There's not one Scripture, not one verse of It, contradicts the other one. If it is, it ain't worth the paper it's wrote on, it's deceiving. God doesn't deceive. God is true, just, holy, honest. He's God.
E-83 Now, when Abraham got this word, that "I am El Shaddai. I am your Strength-Giver! Your wife, her womb has done dried up, she's forty years past menopause, your body is as good as dead; but I'm El Shaddai." He just brought Ishmael, you know; but He said, "That's not him. No, he'll be a great man. He's going to begat so many princes. But the one that I made the promise with, is between you and Sarah." That's it! Amen. Abraham felt real good.
E-84 He said, "Now I want to tell you something, Abraham. I'm going to change your name." He said, "You're not no more to be called Abram, but Abraham." Abram means "high—high father." But Abraham means "father of nations." And S-a-r-a-i no more; she's S-a-r-a-h, Sarah, "princess." Changed their name! What a—a changed name! Something taken place because they're… See, there's got to be a change before things happen. He could not give them the child as long as their name remained that.
E-85 And you cannot be born again as long as your name remains off the Book of Heaven. You might put it on every church, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, packing it from place to place, fussing with all of them; but it'll have to be put on the Book of Heaven before anything can be taking place, and new creation can come. Before new life could come, their names had to be changed. You may have to change yours, too, off of some of these man-made books, to the Books of Heaven.
E-86 "And there, your name is no longer Abram, 'high father'; but it's Abraham, 'father of nations.' No more (Sarah), Sarai, but Sarah, 'princess.'"
E-87 Oh, here we come now over now to the 18th chapter. From the 17th, let's go straight to the 18th, 'cause it's just… I don't want to get too far away from it tonight, to keep you here, 'cause I want you back tomorrow night. Now notice. And we'll get, just as quick as we can, to the 22nd. Watch now. When it come one day about, maybe, say, two or three days after that, Abraham and Sarah, their tents was set.
E-88 Way down in the city down there, I imagine Mrs. Lot was wearing all the new style dresses they had down there. And she was doing all the hairdos and everything they had. She was just living luxurious, and had all of her daughters just the same way. Just the same way old mother harlot's done today, and made all of her daughters do the same thing.
E-89 Now, but Sarah, yet the most beautiful woman in all the land, set on the barren land, because she was holding to him that had the promise. Now I better leave off right here, 'cause I'll go, I'll be… I'll keep you here till midnight. She held onto Abraham. That's right. He had the promise.
E-90 Hold onto Christ, He's the One that's got the promise! He's the Promise. He is the Promise! Notice.
E-91 One day the sun come up real hot one morning, Abraham was sitting out in the shadow of his tent there by the oak. And he looked down, it must have been along about eleven o'clock, and he seen three man coming, walking up, dust on their clothes. And Abraham run out. There was something in his heart that made him feel real good, and he run out and fell down at their feet. And watch, he said, "My Lord!" Isn't it strange? Three of them; but "my Lord"!
E-92 Look at Lot. When two of them went down there, just two of them, he said, "My lords." Lot called them "lords." Abraham… Lot called, two, "lords."
E-93 And Abraham called, three of them, "Lord! My Lord!" Amen! Oh, the time is at hand! Notice, he said, "My Lord, if I've found grace in Your sight, come by, sit under the oak. Let me bring a little water,and wash Your feet, and take a morsel of bread. For this is only the reason You've come by, to see me." They walked over.
E-94 He went out and went through the back of the tent, and said, "Sarah, knead some meal right quick, and make some cakes upon the hearth." Went out and got a little calf, and had it killed and dressed, and made the chops, and brought some butter and some milk, and—and set it down before the man, and they did eat.
E-95 And One of them was God Himself! That's what the Bible said. Now if you want to argue with It, go ahead. He called Him "Elohim, God." He ought to know; he was talking to Him. Notice, "Lord God!" Now, One of them was God. And he looked at Him. Abraham recognized it. Now look at there.
E-96 A minister said to me one time, he said, "Brother Branham, you don't mean to tell me that you believe that, that that Man was God?"
E-97 I said, "Abraham said He was. All the translators has translated it the same way, capital L-o-r-d. And anybody that reads the Bible knows that capital L-o-r-d is Elohim. Come from the same word, Elohim! 'At the beginning, in the beginning, God created,' Elohim, the Almighty, self-existing One, 'created the Heavens and earth.' There He is again, standing right before him."
He said, "Well, you know," said, "that—that was just a man."
E-98 I said, "Sure, He eat meat, He eat, drinking milk, and He—and He—and He eat bread." I said, "Sure, He was God."
He said, "How could that be?"
I said, "Mister, you—you…"
E-99 I—I hope they don't hurt your feelings; they was Jehovah Witness. And he said to me, he said, "Well, Mr. Branham, look at here, I want to tell you something. God couldn't do that."
E-100 I said, "You just don't know my God. That's all." I said, "What is a human body made out of? Petroleum, potash, and cosmic light, sixteen elements. Only thing God had to do to come down and investigate Sodom, He said… just reached over and got Him a handful of cosmic light and petroleum, and 'Whew!' Said, 'Come here, Gabriel, step in here.' That's right. Reached over and got another handful of dust, 'Come here, Michael, step in here.' And made one for Hisself." He had to represent something He was going to be in the last days, so He comes right down and talks in human flesh. Exactly right. Oh, I'm so glad that He's that kind!
E-101 Someday there may not even be not nothing left of me. I'm made of them sixteen elements, too. I was combing what two or three hairs I got left, the other day. My wife looked at me, and she said, "Billy, you're getting baldheaded."
I said, "Honey, I haven't lost a one of them."
She said, "You used to have curly hair."
I said, "Yeah, but I haven't lost a one of them."
She said, "Pray tell me where they're at."
E-102 I said, "Then, honey, you tell me where they come from before I got them. And wherever they was before I got them, they're there waiting for me to come to them."
E-103 Amen! Glory! The Bible said, "Not one hair of your head shall perish!" Hallelujah! That's exactly right. It was not, yet it is; and yet it is not, then is. Certainly. Exactly! Petroleum, cosmic light, calcium, potash, so forth. God… When I'm nothing, nothing that you can see, just ashes, He'll speak, hallelujah, throwing that potash and petroleum together, and I'll live again in His Presence. Hallelujah! He gives us Eternal Life. Amen. "All the Father has give Me, there's nothing lost, and I'll raise him up again at the last days." I believe it! As a Seed of Abraham, I look for that day! I'm searching for a City Whose Builder and Maker is God. Amen. Certainly. No matter how this wrinkles up and draws away, and the hair falls out, no matter what happens, God will raise it up again, in the splendor of youth again, at that last day. He promised He would do it, and I'm looking for that City! Amen. Oh, my! I feel so religious right now, knowing, and that blessed hope waiting for me There. I'm looking for that City. My heart is beating towards It. Oh, not one way would I turn, but look straight towards that Place. God, help me to stay right there, true and faithful., throwing out a lifeline, everywhere, and bringing every weary pilgrim I can, to go along.
E-104 Yes, had a vision of it not long ago, and seen it, and seen my loved ones there, back young again. It's there. It's there. I know it's there! Yes, sir! Now, probably you read it in the Christian Business Men's Voice, and many magazines and things packed it. Friends, that wasn't a vision. I've seen visions, I know, ought to know what they have, by the tens of thousands that He's give me. But this wasn't a vision. I was there, standing right there, looking back. And I know it's there. It's there, friends, it's there! I know it's there! Yes sir! Just as sure as I'm standing here, so help me, if I've got my right mind and standing here in this pulpit, it's there! God has made His promise, and it is true, it's so true! Yes, sir. It is there. Notice.
E-105 Now we find out, these man set down and eat. And two of them got up and went down to Sodom. One stayed with Abraham. Let's watch their conversation. They kept looking towards Sodom. And Abraham knew there was something a little strange about that. So He said, then when He got ready to leave, He said, "You think I should keep from Abraham; being that he's going to be the father of nations, I know how he'll bring up his children, so forth; the thing that I'm going to do?" He said, "The sins of Sodom has become so grievous till it's done entered His ears." He come down to investigate.
E-106 Now remember, as I said the other night, two of those messengers went down into Sodom, and they preached to those Sodomites; and they blinded them that night, at the Word. But, remember, there was One; they, they had their sign, a Stranger among them.
E-107 Look at Lot. Lot sitting in the gate, and said, "My lords." And living in such a way! They said, "Come into my house." He said, "We'll sleep in the street." What a home!
E-108 But as soon as Abraham; they said, "This is the purpose we come for. We sit down here by the side of you."
E-109 That's the way. Live so, that if God would want to use you, He knows right where to come get you. You're in a position, living a life clean before God, your words are honest, your life is true. That's the kind of a place that Angels come. Look at—at Elisabeth and Zacharias, see, an honest upright, walking in all the Commandments of the Lord. That's the way we want to live, so when God gets ready to use us, He say, "This is My people. I can do with this church what I want to. They believe Me. They stand on My Word." See, that's the way you want to do, live the life.
E-110 Now we find out that this Angel, He said, "I'm not going to keep from Abraham. But I'm going to visit you according to the time of life." And, notice, He didn't call him Abram, He called him "Abraham." How did He know that that name had been changed? He was the One that changed it. Sure. Notice, never called Sarai, you know, S-a-r-a-i. S-a-r-a-h, "Where is your wife, Sarah?" How did He know he was married? How did He know he had a wife, and her name was Sarah?
And Abraham said, "She's in the tent behind You." What a real lady!
E-111 Today, women is so brassy! Every… Their husband can't even talk. They got to stick right out there, a cigarette in their hand, a pair of shorts on, doing all the talking. How a perverted race of people, she's got to be chief cook and bottle washer, everything else! When she leaves the kitchen, she leaves her place of duty, right, as a mother.
E-112 Now we find out, women then stayed back and behaved theirself, acted like ladies, their head was the one who did the decisions and things.
E-113 And you try to let some man tell his wife; she say, "I'll give you to understand right now!" [Brother Branham blows—Ed.] blowing that smoke out of her mouth, looking such, how the hideous looks. I never seen such! And you can imagine out there, and stand there watch that person, discern that spirit in there, and them things; and maybe singing in a choir in some church. Oh, such a day that we're living! No wonder we're at that day! I—I hope you can catch through the lines what I'm meaning.
E-114 Notice, there it was. Sarah was in the tent, she stayed in there and behaved herself. Abraham was doing the entertaining of these Angels. Now, and He said, "I'm going to visit you."
E-115 And Sarah was listening. And she laughed up her sleeve, she said, "Me, an old woman, as old as I am, and there my Lord also old, and say that we're going to have pleasure again as husband and wife?" And she laughed.
E-116 And the Angel, with His back turned, said, "Why did Sarah laugh?"
E-117 Remember, that was the last sign that the Seed of… or Abraham himself, which is a type of the Church, it was the last sign that he received. From all the other signs that he received, that was the last one before Sodom was wiped out. That right? The last sign!
E-118 When Israel, the seed that followed Abraham. And the Samaritans, which was an offcast seed of a mixed breed, looking for Him, though; they said, "Our—our father Jacob give this well to us," the woman said at Sychar. See? "Our father Jacob, he—he give this well to Joseph, his son, and—and we've drank from it, and he watered his camels. And You say You got water, some so forth like that?" See? And the last sign that the seed of Israel, natural, received, was the same kind of a sign! Whew! Can't you see it? Think a minute!
E-119 The last sign that Abraham with the covenant, the last sign before rejection of the lukewarm church, and her destruction, was the sign of perceiving the thoughts in the hearts and the mind, God manifested in a human flesh.
E-120 And the last sign that Israel seen before she was cut off, was the same thing. And they said, "It's Beelzebub; a fortuneteller."
E-121 Now is the hour! God, let this sink in! Now is the hour, that, the royal Seed of Abraham! Do you get it? God manifested in human flesh, giving them their last sign before the destruction of the lukewarm and the going away as it did. Last! Last splendor of Lot's backsliding! Let that sink just a minute.
E-122 Abraham, one; Abraham's natural seed, two; Abraham's royal Seed, three.
E-123 Watch, the Message don't take with the lukewarm out there. Where did It even go to them? Was sent to the pentecostals, the elect, the drawed-out.
E-124 And as Israel did then, ninety-… Look how many, look how many Israel received It. When the time come for them to go up there, there was a hundred and twenty out of about four million.
E-125 Now watch the royal Seed. See, it's got to come those three times, see, everywhere you take. Ham, Shem, and Japheth's people. The royal Seed of Abraham! There's Abraham; the natural seed; the royal Seed. Everything! The royal Seed is by Christ, through… We come to Abraham's promise that God give him through Christ, the royal Seed. And this is the royal Seed, this Church of the Lord Jesus that He's restoring in the last days. The royal Seed! Notice, he received that sign! And the royal Seed Himself said, when He was here, "As it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man." The royal Seed, Abraham's Seed, called out; Lot also, of his brother, a lukewarm, down in Sodom; and then the Sodomite, the world. Today, the world; the church world; and the royal Seed. Exactly, they're setting positionally and everything, just exactly according to order. And God, with His promise, has come right down, manifesting the same thing. Amen. If it isn't perfect, I don't know what perfection is. It's the Scripture!
E-126 You've had speaking in tongues, dancing in the Spirit. You've had all these sensations you had, seen miracles of healing, and—and wheelchairs, and so forth. We've seen all of that. But here, here's the last sign done come up now. Abraham seen all kinds of things God did for him along the way, sure, but here comes the last sign, just before the promised son come. And now the royal Seed is looking for a promised Son. Hallelujah! Are we, are we looking for a promised Son? The Son of God to return! Hallelujah! Oh, that makes me feel like shouting. Look! The royal Seed is looking for a promised Son. As Abraham did down through the years, watching, holding onto that Word, so has the royal Seed. And the Seed watching for this coming Son, the coming of the Lord, through one watch, two watch, three watch, on to the seventh watch, and here we are still looking for the royal Seed. And what do we see just before the Coming of the Lord? What takes place? God comes down in our midst, showing the royal Seed like He did Abraham's seed; and Abraham, and Abraham's seed, and here It is with the royal Seed. God dwelling among us in the form of the Holy Spirit, doing the same things He did back there, performing, showing it's the same.
And on the scientific research on the picture, the world knows, the scientist's world knows that it's true.
The church knows that it's true, worldwide.
E-127 And I believe that every predestinated Seed is just about in, the door is about closed, and judgment is fixing to strike. That's right. God won't always strive with man. He'll do everything He can. But the hour is approaching, friends. Notice.
E-128 I'm going to give you something to help you now. Remember, what was the next thing taken place now? Before they could receive the royal seed, there had to be a miracle happen to both Abraham and Sarah, physically, before there could be a royal seed… or before the seed could be born. "Now, Abraham's body was as good as dead," the Bible says that. Doesn't it? "And Sarah's womb was dead," the Bible said so. Now there had to be some physical something take place before the royal seed could have… the seed could appear, the promised son. Before that promised son could appear, there had to be some physical something take place in their body, before the appearing of the promised son. Watch what He done. I'm going to give you a little something.
E-129 Now, reading the Bible, It's a love Story that God wrote to His Church. It's God. God is love. Do you believe that? [Congregation says, "Amen."—Ed.] And the Bible is written so that the educated and smart can never understand It. You have to be in love with God to understand It. You have to have God in you. He interprets Himself to you.
E-130 Now, it's just like I got a wife. Oh, how I love her! I love her with all my heart. And I'll be overseas somewhere and she'll… after she gets the kiddies to sleep, she'll write me a letter, and say, "Dear Billy, I'm sitting here tonight, I'm thinking of you. I'm writing." See, I know what she's writing on the paper. But I know her and love her so much till I just know her nature, I know what she means, so I can read between the lines. See?
E-131 And God wants His Church to read between the lines. Not read anything out of It now! You have to read between the lines to see what It's meaning. Now watch and see, find out if It doesn't.
E-132 Now, what God done with Abraham and Sarah, He's showing them, example of His Church. He did for them, He turned them both back to be a young man and woman. Sure, He did, put them back young again, just like He's going to do to every Seed of Abraham. No matter how old and broke down you are, there's a day coming when you'll be young and beautiful again, that's right, the splendor of life.
E-133 I asked a doctor not long ago, "Tell me, sir. When every time I eat, I renew my life."
He said, "Yes, sir, that's correct."
E-134 I said, "Now, God said that we was 'made out of the dust of the earth.'"
E-135 He said, "That's right. The vegetables and meat and stuff you eat is dust. Where you get your potash and calcium and stuff in your vitamins, you then bring it right out of the earth. And you are made out of the dust of the earth."
I said, "Hum. Now, God created it first like that."
E-136 He said, "I know nothing about that, but" said "I know that now you eat food and it builds your body."
E-137 I said, "I ask you." I said, "Then you are questioning me about the virgin birth?"
He said, "Yes, sir, I am."
E-138 I said, "I'd like to ask you something, doctor. Explain this to me."
E-139 He said, "Well, anything that cannot be scientifically proven is not correct."
E-140 I said, "I'll take the opposite side, that anything is scientifically proven is not so, nothing to it." And I said, "The only real things there is in life is things that cannot be proven scientifically: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, patience, faith. Scientifically prove it to me? Yet it's a reality! God, the Holy Spirit, Angels!" Amen! "Faith does those things. Everything you see is from the earth, come from the mother earth, goes back the same way." I said, "I want to ask you something. When I was sixteen years old, I ate the same food I eat right now. I ate beans, potatoes, and bread, and meat. And every time I ate, I got bigger and stronger."
He said, "Sure, you was renewing your life."
E-141 I said, "Why is it, after I passed about twenty-two years old, anybody else, no matter how much you eat, you get weaker and older? Think of it." I said, "I got a jug of water here, and I got a glass; and I started pouring water out of this big abundant jug into this glass, and it starts filling up till it gets halfway full; and then without anything down here at all, the more I pour in, the farther down it goes. No matter how much I eat, how well; I eat better now than I used to, hundred times better."
E-142 I know what it was to chew on meat skins all night, and eat corn bread for breakfast with some sorghum molasses, and the same thing for dinner and supper, too. I know what it was to live hard, and now I can eat better. Thank the Lord. But no matter how much I eat, I'm still getting weaker and older. And I'll finally dry up and die. Why? Why? It's an appointment God has made. That's right. Yes, sir.
E-143 And notice Abraham and Sarah, they went back to about twenty-two or twenty-five years old.
E-144 Oh, you say, "Nonsense, Brother Branham!" All right, now sit still just a minute, let's just read between the lines once.
E-145 Immediately after those Angels left, and Sodom was burned, Abraham and Sarah took a long journey plumb down to Gerar. That's quite a journey for an old couple. Measure it on your map. They went down to Gerar. And here's Sarah now, grandma, ninety years old, a little sun-bonnet on, shaking. And Abraham with his long beard hanging down. The Bible said, "They were both well stricken in age." Don't try to say they lived longer. And the Bible said, "Their bodies were both dead, stricken in age." And here they go down to Gerar. And there's a young king down there named Abimelech, and he was looking for a sweetheart, and when he saw Sarah he fell in love with her. Is that right? Grandma?
E-146 "Why, you're the most!" Abraham said, "You're fair to look upon." Amen. "I pray thee, tell him that you're my—my sister." Hallelujah! He was showing there what He was going to do for all of Abraham's Seed. Sarah was beautiful. Abraham was young. I can hear Abraham say, "Sarah, dear, you know what, the gray is going out of your hair."
E-147 "Abraham, the hump is going out of your back. You're straightening up." They returned back to young man and young woman. God, showing! Oh, my!
E-148 And Abimelech fell in love with her, and went and took her, would have married her. I can see him take his bath, and lay down with his pajamas on, and stick his toes up, after he said his prayers, and said, "Tomorrow I marry that beautiful hundred-year-old"? Ridiculous! "That beautiful Hebrew girl! Oh, her brother, that young fellow! And how beautiful she is!"
E-149 And God appeared to him in a dream, and said, "You're just as good as a dead man."
Said, "Lord, why is that?"
He said, "That's a man's wife."
E-150 He said, "You knowed the integrity of my heart, Lord. She said, 'That's my brother.' And he said, 'It's my sister.'"
E-151 He said, "Yes, I know the integrity of your heart, that's the reason I kept you from sinning against Me." But listen! "But you are as good as dead, and your whole nation is gone. Her husband is My prophet. I don't care how holy you are, how much you pray, I'll not hear your prayers. But her husband is a prophet! Go, and take his wife back and let him pray for you. If you don't, you'll die." Hallelujah!
E-152 What was it? God getting Sarah and Abraham ready to receive the promised son. Showing that the next thing after the manifestation of this Angel of God, the Holy Spirit showing His last sign, the next thing, this mortal takes on immortality and we're caught up in the air to meet the promised Son, Abraham's royal Seed. Glory to God! Hallelujah! "For we'll be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, and shall be caught up together to meet Him in the air. So shall we ever be with Him, the promised Son." Hallelujah!
E-153 Oh, I ain't going to get… I'll… Maybe tomorrow night I'll get the 22nd chapter, see.
E-154 Oh, I love it, don't you? I'm so glad, all these things! The Bible is just full of these gracious nuggets. Just reach down and pick them out, roll the dirt off of them and look at them. Every one of them represents Jesus Christ, every man, for in Him dwelt the fulness of God. In Him, everything points to. Everything from the Old Testament pointed to the cross; and is in the New Testament, points back to the cross. That's right. It's all there. Oh!
Blest be the tie that bindS
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred mindS
Is like to that above.
E-155 How I love Him! How I want to see Him! How that I long and wait for this old beat up, bruised up, heartbroken, tore-down body to be changed one of these mornings! The trumpet will sound and the dead in Christ shall rise. We shall be caught up with them, to meet the Lord in the air.
E-156 How that Rebekah watered that camel in the cool of the evening. Eliezer didn't find her in the morning. He never found her at noontime; he found her in the evening light. "It shall be Light in the evening time!" Right! That's where he found her. She veiled her face. She had no head; she was going to her head. Amen. A woman, it's her nature, of a woman, to surrender to a man. And it's the nature of the church to surrender to Christ, surrender to His will. Just surrender! She has no thinking of her own; she takes His Word, not somebody else's. If Eve would have done that, we'd have never had to die; but she listened to reasonings. But the real Bride of Christ takes the Headship of Christ, the Word, and only believes God's Word. That's the real, the restored Bride. Hallelujah! It's nearly time, friends, it's later than you think. We're at the evening time. The Holy Spirit is here tonight. I know it's a little, bitty group.
E-157 You'd think, "Oh, if something like that would happen, God would manifest it over in Rome, to the bishops and to the popes. He'd come to the Methodist bishop. He'd go to the Baptist seminary. He'd…" Yeah, that's what you think. But He never did do it that way.
E-158 He comes to the humble-hearted, those who are looking for Him. And here He is tonight, the Holy Spirit, God, the same Angel; here before the scientists, proving, there He is with His picture taken. George J. Lacy, the head of the FBI fingerprint and documents, he said, "The Light struck the lens." He said, "Mr. Branham, I've said a many time that it was psychology, that you were reading those people's mind. But" said "the mechanical eye of this camera won't take psychology. The Light struck the lens. It was there!" There It is. One of them hangs in Washington, DC, copyrighted, "The only supernatural Being was ever scientifically photographed and proven."
E-159 Why? If I die tonight, if I never enter this pulpit tomorrow night, my words is Truth. Because, it's not my words, it's His. I've never said "myself." It's not me. I couldn't do nothing. I'm a man like you, a sinner saved by grace. But God, in this last days, promised these things, and here they are! It's the Word. If it was some fiction, might be different. But it's the Word proving the Word by the Word, confirmed, Bible through. Confirmed by the scientists! Confirmed by the Spirit! Confirmed by the church! God in our midst! Hallelujah. I'm so glad of that. Aren't you glad, last night, you stood and made that stand? Did it make you feel different? It'll always do, when you stand for God's Word. Stand for Christ! Don't be ashamed of it.
Let us pray.
E-160 Is there any in here tonight would like to raise your hand just for a moment now, and say, "Brother Branham, remember me in your prayer. I'll, I'm so longing to be one of those Seeds of Abraham. I—I don't want to miss Heaven. Pray, Brother Branham. Always down in my heart I felt like there was something I've reached for. I've never been able to get it. Pray for me, Brother Branham, that God will give it to me"? God bless you. Just look at the hands, everywhere, coming up.
E-161 How about the balcony? Now, remember, God is just as great in the balcony as He is down here.
E-162 Are you really sincere, you mean it? Raise up your hand. God bless you. I'm just watching a moment. Just keep praying, keep your heads bowed.
E-163 A sinner in here tonight would want to raise their hand, say, "Remember me, Lord. I'm not raising my hand to that preacher; I'm raising my hand to You. I truly believe that You are living today, that You never died; that when You died, You rose again, rather. And You're alive forevermore, the same yesterday, today, and forever. I'm raising my hand to You, because I believe You're here"? Raise your hand, say, "Remember me, Lord." Just keep praying. Have faith in God.
A backslider, then? God bless you. He sees your hands.
E-164 Our Heavenly Father, You see those hands. You know what's behind them. You said, "A sower went forth sowing Seed. Some fell by the wayside, didn't do no good; some fell on stony ground; some on thorns; some went into a hundredfold." The sower was only responsible for sowing Seed. Let the Holy Spirit catch that Seed just now. Lord, we… I—I believe, Lord, we…
E-165 No man knows when You're coming. We don't know that. You said, "Not even the Angels would know; just the Father only." Jesus claimed that He didn't know. "Just the Father only."
E-166 Now, Father, I pray that if there's those in here that raised their hands, I believe they meant that. There is Something behind them, that, a Spirit, that told them to raise their hands, and they did it. They're sincere. Maybe this is the first time You ever spoke to them, and it may be the last time. Maybe You spoke other times, and never speak again. I don't know. But, Heavenly Father, I pray that You'll grant salvation to everyone that believes.
E-167 Let Thy Holy Name be brought into reverence before the people. May Thy love be shed abroad in every heart by the Holy Ghost. Bless these minister brothers, Lord. These precious man here who has, in the midst of conflict, they invited me, anyhow. Bless the people who is attending.
E-168 I don't mean to be arrogant, I don't mean to be different, Lord; just truthful. And that's the only thing that You'll recognize, is the truth that's in a person, for You are the Truth. Hear now, Father, I pray. Grant to them tonight that many of them here, that maybe didn't raise their hands, will be saved, anyhow. Grant it, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
E-169 Now as we set reverently just a moment. I believe we're just a little late to have the prayer line, but we'll have it. Every person, when you… you, if you got a card, you hold your card. If you haven't got a card, you get one. We're… If we have to stay here five days extra, we're going to pray for every one of them. That's right.
E-170 I'm just trying to get a Message to the people. I'm trying to get you to see the main… If you get healed; perhaps, if you live long enough, you'll get sick again sometime. But if you ever get saved, you got Eternal Life. See? You can be healed, and go on your way and lose your salvation… you could lose your life, rather; but when you're saved, you got Eternal Life then, never to be sick.
E-171 I wonder if you understood tonight what I was talking about, that God appeared to Abraham and Sarah there, and gave them the last sign, that Angel, that before the destruction came and the promised son was given. To the Church, it, that sign, was the coming Son. To the world, it was destruction. Now, what He did for Abraham and them was examples.
E-172 Jesus come on earth, the royal Seed of Abraham, and did that same sign. How many knows that to be so, say "Amen." [Congregation says, "Amen!"—Ed.] Sure. And they rejected it. Is that right?
E-173 Now, He never did that to the Gentiles, 'cause the royal Seed hadn't went out, the Church hadn't been borned yet. But when the Church was born, and now it's had two thousand years, just at the… Remember, that was at the close of Abraham's waiting. That was the close of the natural seed's waiting for Messiah, 'cause Messiah was there.
E-174 This is the close of the royal Seed's waiting. He's here, the appearing of Christ. Did you ever try to divide… There's a place in the Bible, you know, I ain't got time to go into it, says "the appearing of Christ," and then "the Coming of Christ." That's two different things, altogether, the "appearing" and the "Coming." He's appearing now, working with us in the form of the Holy Spirit, making it just perfect, the Church. It has to.
E-175 Like if you got a dollar bill in your pocket, take it out and look. On one side it's the American seal; on the other side it's an Egyptian seal, the pyramid with the headstone way up above it, like an eye looking. And why would American dollar put beneath there, "The great seal"? Look like the American seal would be the great seal here. But the United States Government recognizes it whether they want to or not, the great seal.
E-176 Watch that pyramid as it shapes up, the Church. Justification, sanctification, baptism of the Holy Spirit, and then that's got to be honed out to when… The Headstone never did come to the pyramid, It was rejected, just like the Cornerstone. Now, but when that Headstone comes… I've been to the pyramid; it's just so perfectly fit, you couldn't run a razor blade between it, where the mortar is at. And when the Church comes, that's… When the Christ comes to receive His Church, the Church will have the ministry just exactly like that, and through that grace will raise the whole thing, then go. The coming of the Headstone; crying, "Grace, unto the Lord!"
E-177 I got something in my mind. Hallelujah! Our God is still God. He reveals His secrets to His servants. I spoke of an Angel that turned His back to the tent, and had His back turned to the tent, and said what Sarah was thinking about on the inside. I predict that that Angel is here now, the Holy Ghost, the same Pillar of Fire, the same One that was in Christ. The Pillar of Fire led the children of Israel. The Pillar of Fire was made flesh and dwelt among us. He said, "I come from God, go to God."
E-178 After His death, burial, resurrection, ascension, He met Saul on the road down to Damascus. And a Light struck him down. And he said, "Lord, Lord!"
E-179 He said, "Saul, Saul," first. "Who are… Why persecutest thou Me?"
Said, "Who are You, Lord?"
He said, "I am Jesus." Gone back!
E-180 Here He is here tonight, proven by His Church, scientifically and all! Oh, friends, why are we so dull? Why do we sit so drooped? Let the—let the God that spoke the Word, let the God that… As Elisha said, who come back with a double portion of Elijah, folded the mantle, and said, "Where is the God of Elijah?" Let the God that wrote the Word, confirm the Word! If This is His Word, let Him stand by It! He promised to do it. He'll do it if we'll believe it.
E-181 Now let me clearly make this known. I am not that Person. I am a servant to that Person. And you are, too, if you're Abraham's Seed.
E-182 But, me preaching His Word, and standing in the day where every denomination has turned me down, organizations kicks me out from place to place. And just precious brothers who is in those organizations, who sees the Light, will hold onto It regardless of what the headquarters says. God bless men like that. God bless women and men who stood last night. What can I do for you? Ask me something. Ask me what to do, I'll do anything I can for you. You are God's people. Any man or woman will make a stand like that, in the midst of conflict, I got respects for you.
E-183 Now if that Angel… In Jesus Christ's Word it predicted, that just before the coming of the Son of man, that the same thing that took place at Sodom would take place at the Church, let Him come on the scene.
E-184 I'll turn my back. You bow your head and pray. I would by no means say this if I didn't feel led to do it. I'd be foolish for making such a statement. But, believing in Christ the Son of God, believing that He is the Word! And the Word is made reality in our flesh, when we take the Word, because it's His promise, "I'll be in you to the end of the world, and the works that I do shall you also."
E-185 I've turned my back to the audience, Heavenly Father, that I have preached to, on this Message. I pray Thee, God, let it be known tonight that You are still Jesus Christ the Son of God, and You are still Jehovah God. You're the same yesterday, today, and forever. And it was You there talking to Abraham that day at the tent. It was You that could discern what that woman was thinking in the tent, and told her. And right then, her denying it, You would have took her life, but she was a part of Abraham, his bride. Lord, You'd take our lives, for our unbelief, but we're part of Christ. You couldn't a got, took Sarah without hurting Abraham. And You can't take the Church with—without hurting Christ. Help me, Lord. I have no education. I'm just… Lord, I have nothing, but just believe You. And I believe. Help it, Lord.
E-186 [A sister speaks in another tongue. Another sister gives an interpretation—Ed.] Amen. Thanks be to the living God. Now, He's present. Be reverent, respect.
E-187 You can raise your head if you desire. Now not only… See, the Bible says that speaking with tongues is just edifying yourself, unless there be an interpretation. And if the interpretation, that's prophecy to the Church. And the way I understood that interpretation then, was to "Believe the Lord, that it's He that has sent the Word." And then I never come in my own name, I come in His Name. And His works He would do through me then, by preaching His Word and confirming His Word. Certainly. I believe that. You believe the same? [Congregation says, "Amen!"—Ed.] How many believes it now, before He…? God bless you. Now, that's the way to, that's the way. Keep that level balance and you'll see something happen.
E-188 I'm going to turn my back to the audience, because that was the Holy Spirit just witnessing to that. See? Be strong and what to do. Now you believe out there in the audience, somebody. There's not a person that I can see… How many out there is sick and afflicted, or got somebody that's afflicted, or something another that you're praying for, and you know I don't know nothing about it, just raise up your hand. Well, I guess it's just practically everywhere. Well, let's just believe now. Don't, don't no one leave, just give me… It's—it's twelve minutes until ten. Give me twelve minutes, will you? Don't nobody move. Don't nobody leave, at all. Just sit real still now. Just one time, open your heart.
E-189 [A brother speaks in another tongue. Another brother gives an interpretation—Ed.] Amen. Thank You, Lord, thank You. Reverently we respect that with all of our heart. That's a gift in the Church. Just be in prayer, reverently.
E-190 Remember, they was going to battle one time, they didn't know how to meet this great battle. David was standing there, and divided with them a piece of meat and a flagon of wine. But the Spirit fell upon one man, and he prophesied and told them where to meet the enemy, and it was so.
E-191 We're meeting a great battle, brother. And we're standing in a great battle right now. The Spirit has fallen and, upon someone, and has told you just what to do, to "believe." He's trying to get your mind away from being me. See? Some of you must be thinking that it's Brother Branham trying to do something. It's not me; it's Him. I just… A gift is just to yield yourself, like pull yourself in gear. Just like this microphone, turn it on, something has to speak through it. It's just a little gear I turn on, a little thing. The Holy Spirit! I don't turn it on; He turns it on. And then He speaks; it's not me. Now be reverent and believe, each one of you, and just pray.
E-192 Now, everyone knows that the Bible said that "Jesus Christ right now is a High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmity." If that's right, let the congregation say, "Amen." [Congregation says "Amen!"—Ed.] Is He the same High Priest? Say, "Amen." ["Amen!"] If He is the same High Priest, He would act the same way. Is that right? ["Amen!"] Amen. Now what would you do?
E-193 Now, to touch me, it wouldn't make any difference; I'm a man. But to touch Him, then He's the Holy Spirit that's in here, then He reacts back and uses human lips. Because, He's the Vine, we are the branches; He doesn't bear fruit, He only energizes the branch.
E-194 That's, just turn my back, so that you can see that the things I've said.
E-195 Now, these ministers here on the platform, they're praying. You can look at me if you wish to. That's all right. Just to see, you might know that they're just… Cause, you're the shepherd, you're the one that's pastoring these sheep. So, just that you might know. And I want you to pray for me, brethren. Cause, you see what I mean? I'm representing the very Christ that you're serving. And I'm your brother, fellow citizen of the Kingdom, with you brethren. And I'm just here…
E-196 See, now, right now the Word that I preached, see, it's at stake. Right now, failure, that's what Satan would want to see. That's all he's looking for. But God is no failure. Just be reverent.
E-197 Now with my back turned, I want somebody… Let me turn it, it's all the way around. Let me turn to this section, first, and then I'll come on over to the other section. Now somebody back this way; there's too many, like, praying. Back in this way, somebody pray back here now, that wants to believe God. Just believe with all your heart, back in here somewhere.
E-198 Now, Heavenly Father, I—I appreciate You in all Your messages, everything that You've done. Now help me, Lord. I'm—I'm… by faith, I believe You, Your Word. I believe It was Your Spirit that called me to do this. Now let it be known that I've spoke the Truth. I've testified of You, now testify, Lord, that I told the Truth. I ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
[A sister speaks in another tongue—Ed.]
E-199 Father God, we're waiting for the interpretation of that. You said, in the Bible, there would be "courses of three," and that's the third one. Now we—we pray that—that You'll make it known to someone who has them gifts of interpretation. I'm leaving it to You, in Christ's Name.
[A brother gives a prophecy—Ed.] Thank You, Lord.
E-200 Now, that was a prophecy, not the interpretation. See, he said more than the woman did. There's an interpretation coming forth. See, that man was a prophet.
E-201 [A brother gives an interpretation—Ed.] Amen. Thank You, Lord.
Directly behind me…
E-202 [A sister in the congregation starts praying—Ed.] God, grant the blessing to the woman, she cries for. Just have…
E-203 Now just be real reverent now, and believe it with all your heart. Now, by the Holy Spirit, I'm trying to bring forth the Word that I have preached, in which He has witnessed that will come to pass. Now believe with all your heart.
E-204 There is someone standing before me, which sets behind me. And it's a woman. And she is suffering with a heart trouble. And she has allergies that's bothering her. She's just behind me. If the woman is not standing up yet… The audience looking; I have my eyes closed. She's also concerned about a loved one, that's, her husband that's sitting just from her; he's paralyzed, has a cane. The woman's name is Mrs. Brumley. Believe with all your heart. Stand up and accept what you have prayed for, and you'll get what you asked for. Stand to your feet. Is she up? [Congregation says, "Yes."—Ed.]
E-205 God bless you. I don't know the woman, never seen her in my life. We are strangers to one another? There's… [The woman says, "Yes."—Ed.] Now ask them, go and ask them if it's right. Now if that ain't the same God that was down there just before Sodom, I don't know what is.
E-206 Somebody else in this section believe now with all your heart. Lord Jesus. There's a woman sitting right behind me. She has a deep desire. She is praying for something for God to give her. It's a baby, she's praying for. She's right here behind me. Mrs. Holm, you raise up and believe the Lord God. And if you'll believe it with all your heart, you can have the baby that you're praying for.
E-207 A woman comes in, and she's crippled. She's sitting in a wheelchair. She's behind me. She's not from this part of the country. She's from—she's from Sacramento, northern Sacramento. She's been very sick. The doctors can't help her. She's been in a hospital. She's had several operations. She's got kidney trouble, trouble with her bones. She's just nervous, till she's just got complications. She's very bad. Mrs. Beeler, there, hold up your hand and believe that the Lord Jesus… and be made… God bless you.
E-208 You believe? God still lives and reigns. If you believe it with all your heart!
E-209 Here's a little woman, I'm looking at her sitting here. She's suffering with a colon trouble. Her name, I don't know her. But do you believe God can tell me who you are, lady? Mrs. Berglund. You believe with all your heart, and you can be made well. You believe.
E-210 Here's a lady sitting right over here, praying for a friend that's just had a wreck. You believe with all your heart, you can have what you've asked for.
E-211 There's a lady sitting there suffering with headaches. Do you believe with all your heart? You can be made well. Don't doubt it. Just believe. If He isn't the same God, I don't know who He is. He's here to—to, if you'll accept it and believe it.
E-212 [A sister speaks in another tongue. A brother gives an interpretation—Ed.] Amen. Praise the Lord.
E-213 Can't you realize you're in the Presence of God? You do that. Now I think what we should do right now, after the Spirit's been speaking, "Come to Me, believe Me, My people," I think we ought to stand for an altar call right now, and let those who that doesn't know Christ come up around the altar here and accept Him as your Saviour. If you haven't received the Holy Ghost, you come, too, to receive the Holy Ghost, cause its just that is going to happen. Won't you come now while we get a chord; someone is going to lead the singing. The Holy Spirit has been speaking. God bless you, sister. That's right. Somebody else step right out with the lady here. Come right up if you got that… God bless you, sister. In the Presence, where the Bible, the Word, the confirmation, the gifts, everything working, isn't it wonderful right now? Come right up to the altar. Come down out of the balconies. You without God, without being filled with the Spirit, come now while we sing.
Jesus is passing this way,
This way, today,
Jesus is passing this way,
He's passing this way today.
Jesus is passing this way,
Won't you come now while He's passing, His Spirit moving, saying, "Come"?
… today,
Jesus is passing this way,
He's passing this way today.
E-214 Won't you come while He's passing? Look what He's doing among you, showing that He's the same. Move right out, every soul that doesn't know Him, not born again. Won't you come now to seek Him? Remember, the same Holy Spirit knows you.
… way today.
Jesus is passing this way,
This way, today,
Oh, Jesus is passing this way,
He's passing this way today.
E-215 Now let every soul come now that doesn't know God, that's not sure of your standing. Come on down. Don't—don't be… Don't have an intellectual conception of it, brother, sister. Don't do that. You might have done any kind of a sensation. You might have had blood in your hands, in your face, you might have had shivers, and so forth. Nothing against that, now, that's all right. You might have spoke in tongues, you might have danced in the Spirit, and still be lost. That's right. It's got to be a Life that's borned in you, that takes this Word and makes It live new again. See, Christ is the Word. And if you haven't got faith yet to move into that Word and believe It, won't you come now.
E-216 As the Church of God, as the evening Lights are beginning to shine down, and the—the tree is getting ripe; God said He would restore that tree, that same pentecostal tree, same kind of a Faith, same everything that they had, that tree will be restored again; without denomination, without anything, it'll come in the simple power of the Holy Spirit, teaching the Bible just exactly the way It did it. We're promised one in the last days, you know, to come and restore that Faith. So I believe He's here tonight, in the form of the Holy Spirit. Come now, while we sing again, so we'll be sure we've made it.
E-217 Now remember, if these spirit… You Pentecostal people certainly believe your gifts of tongues and interpretations! If you can't believe what He's done here, then believe your tongues and interpretation, of calling you to the altar. Let everyone come. If you see that working, this working, God working, why, it's God! How more, here's the Word here confirming It, saying that It's the Truth. Come on. One time more now, and you come now.
Jesus is passing this way,
Today, today,
Jesus is passing this way,
He's passing this way today.
E-218 Now let those who believe in God, real sainted ministers and—and servants of Christ, come, moving out, while we sing again now. Move up close to the altar, around these here. And let's pray with them, together. Come on. Won't you come here? I can't reach them, every one, with my hands. I want you to come. Some of you ministering brothers go down among them down there now, so you can touch them and lay your hands on them. All right. You that knows God, come, moving up around here, some of you women with these women, you man with these man. Move up here now. This is a—an order of God. Move up now, you people. That, that's it, that's the time. Some of you godly mothers and some of you godly brothers, move up around here now so you can lay your hands upon them, in confirmation, laying your hands upon them that they will receive the Holy Ghost. All right. Now, that's it. That's it.
E-219 Now, why did you come? Because that you believe. You're convinced that God is in our midst. He is here tonight. He's here working in great signs and wonders.
E-220 Move right in close, everybody. Move right in so people can have a lot more room. Move right in close. There's more coming down the aisles, you see. Just move in close.
E-221 How many in the audience is concerned about these people standing here now, of the salvation of their souls, raise up your hand. All right. Let's all together now, lift our hands to God, and ask prayer.
E-222 Our Heavenly Father, we bring to You tonight this audience, with the Holy Ghost in our midst, present now, making His Word live new again. Fill every heart, Lord. Come in the power of the Spirit. Grant it, Lord. Cast out every fear, every devil. Move in by the power of God, and take over these souls. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I commit them to You for Your glory.