Laodicean Church Age

Laodicean Church Age

Bro. Lee Vayle March 23, 1969

a. So, happy to be here this morning in the House of the Lord. And trust that we’ll have a blessed time together studying His Word. Because that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” [Mt 4:4] Many people are unaware of the importance of God’s Word. The Scripture says that all things were made by Him. That is, He spoke them into existence. All things were literally created by that creative Word and all things are maintained by that Word. So therefore, the Word is more important than people realize. Spiritual experience is good, but it can be both good and bad. Many people are deluded today, because they feel their experience is what they’re looking back upon, rather than looking into by the Word of Almighty God. Remember, quite some time ago, I asked a man if he’d been born again.

He said, “I went to the altar ten years ago.”

I said, “I didn’t ask you when you went to the altar. I asked you, if you were born again.”

b. I talked to another man one time leaving the church, and I mentioned people being born again. A most peculiar expression came on his face, making me to know that as much as he talked about being a converted man, or, having reality, he did not have reality. But, the real reality lies in the Word, because we can be born of a creed or a dogma, and be just as excited or excitable, and maybe try to show works and fruit, and everything else. Maybe even more so, than those who are born of the Word. Because when you’re under the Word, born of that Word, then you have to go according to the Word. You can’t even exercise any authority you have, apart from the Word. See? That’s what we have today, we have people that they take the Word to use God. They’re politicians, they don’t know they’re politicians, but they are. But there are those who only would have the Lord manifest Himself according to the Word. See?

There’s a big difference today in the Age in which we live. I know you can’t tell that to many people, but, we’re not here to tell a lot of people. We’re here to just study, and show ourselves approved unto God, not unto man. If we were to prove ourselves unto man, …that wouldn’t be too hard to do. Just have a good program going for you, and you’d have it made. But to be approved unto God, is something different.

c. Now, before getting in the message…we were out in L.A. the other day, and I know the different ones are anxious for, not really anxious, but perhaps interested, in picking up a good tape recorder. And I wouldn’t even talk about this, it’s over a pulpit. But, there are a few [really] good tape recorders available today, at a very reasonable price. They’ve been all checked out, and gone over.

So, if you’re interested, they run anywhere from $180 for the very best that perhaps money will buy, to about, oh I think $75 for a machine that’s a real workhorse. So, if you’re interested, you can see Bro. Harold Marconda. He’ll talk to you. I’ve got the figures here for him. We got them together. But there’s no use you paying $200 and $300 or anything anywhere near that, for a machine that’s actually almost professional. That would be a good one, at a [really] good price. So, I thought I’d tell you that, in order to let you know that there are a few available. So, if you want one, you’ll be able to get one. So, let’s bow our heads in a word of prayer.

Gracious Heavenly Father, we praise and thank You for Your goodness and mercy to us, all the days of our life. We know, Lord, sometimes we are apt to praise you a little more, because we feel that You are manifesting Yourself according to a blessing that we have in our lives. And then, Lord, we are failing to praise You for those blessings which are under cover. Those, Lord, which come, showing us that we are sons and daughters. Those blessings are persecution and trial, which really are the great ones. And we are not really too happy about them. Even as Paul told us, we wouldn’t be too happy for no little chastisement for the time seems to be joyous, but actually it’s grievous, but afterward, the peaceful fruit of the Spirit.

So, this morning, Lord, in our sane moments of quietness, and confidence in You, we would attempt somehow to thank You for all the things in our lives. The rain, as well as the sunshine. The bitterness as well as the sweet. The trials as well as the triumphs. All these things, Lord, we would thank You. Help us, O God, now in these moments we have before us to restore our souls by being in Your Word and being blessed of You. Let every mind be brought into subjection of the Spirit of Almighty God. And every thought, Lord, into obedience to the Word this morning. May we search and see if we can find out. Help us, Lord, to beware in these days. Give us the words to say, the words to hear. Speaking and understanding, in the Holy Ghost. And we’ll be careful to give You the praise, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

1. Now, I want to bring a message this morning on ‘The Laodicean Church Age’. The age in which we’re in. The age in which we’re in, yet, not in. It is something the Christian in this age, the true Bride, is a little bit like that Scripture that says, we’re a peculiar people. The word ‘peculiar’, is a word which is a picture. It’s a circle with a dot inside of it. Showing that they are absolutely surrounded by the providence and goodness of God. And that’s what we are. We’re in the Laodicean Church Age and yet, we are in the age of the move is on for the Bride. They are running concurrently, and yet one is within the other, and cannot be helped. The Laodicean Church Age ends when the Bride is gone. The move is on, and the move on for the Bride is over too, when the Bride is gone. But, that’s the picture we have today, and we’re going to talk about the Laodicean Church Age, as found in the Book of Revelation 3: and let us see what we can learn, as we study the Scripture together. Beginning at verse 14, in Revelation 3: reading through to verse 22.

(14) And unto the (messenger) of the church (which is in Laodicea)

write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true

witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Now, I’ll just make a little comment here before I get into the message itself. You will notice here that these words start the same as in every single Church Age. First of all, God makes Himself known to the messenger. It is a revelation to the messenger. It must be something real. As the Apostle Paul speaks over here in the Book of Ephesians 1:

(17) That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,

may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the

knowledge of him:

2. A revelation of God, has come in every single age. The revelation to Paul was; when God spoke to him, beginning to show Himself, and He said, “Saul, Saul, why kickest thou against the pricks?” And He said, “Why do you persecute Me?” [Acts 5:9]

And he said, “Who art Thou Lord?”

He said, “I am Jesus, whom thou persecuteth.”

And the revelation started there. Always, it has to come by a personal knowledge of Almighty God by the Holy Spirit rebirth. Then this messenger here for this Age, has to have a fresh revelation of God, of God himself, before he can come with a message. There must be a complete knowledge, a unity of Spirit and Word, to that man, and in that man for the people. Every Age starts the same way. There is no Age that starts any other way. God is the central figure. There must be a personal revelation, and knowledge of Him.

3. And then he said in [Revelation 3:]15,

(15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou

wert cold or hot.

(16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will

spue thee out of my mouth.

You know, it’s a lukewarm Age, Zechariah 14:6-7 speaks of where it’s neither light nor dark. You know light brings heat. The sun brings heat. Sun begins to go down, it’s like a lukewarm condition. But it’s in that Age of course, the light comes forth.

(16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,

I will spue thee out of my mouth.

(17) Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and

have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched,

and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

(18) I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou

mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed,

and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint

thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

(19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore,

and repent.

(20) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice,

and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him,

and he with me.

(21) To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,

even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his

throne.

(22) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the

churches.

4. Right away, here you’ll notice, that every Age starts and closes the same way. He says, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” But the churches, is spoken to always by the anointed messenger. People say, “Well, I’ve got the Holy Ghost. I can hear God too.” You lie in your own teeth. I might as well upset you now this morning, with a dogmatic assertion, you’re wrong, you’re deluded. For all your talk that you can hear from God, you cannot hear from God. The message comes to the messenger. And the messenger brings the message, and you hear, because you have an ear, you’ve got the same Spirit that he has, or you do not hear. See?

I don’t say this to be impassioned, I say this simply as a static fact. I say static, because it has never changed. But it is living because it goes to every Age. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says.” But the Spirit spoke unto the messenger. See? Away with your ideas, that you think you can hear your own way. Well that’s the spirit of the Pharisees and the scribes. Why, it’s always been that way. "Moses, we don’t need you." And he was the first great giver of the Word. Jesus was typed by Moses as a second great giver of the Word. Then came Paul as the third. Of course, he was also the messenger to the First Age. And every Age has had a giver of that Word, by revelation of Almighty God.

5. Now, we want to look at the characteristics and the Message, and the consummation of the Laodicean Age, which began around 1906. Now, to begin with, we’re going to think of the Age itself. And that is, this is the Seventh Church Age.

There are seven ages, and this is number seven. And it is the seventh age of the Gentile Church Ages. Now seven is completion. So therefore, this is the end age, and there will be nothing left after this. And that’s what Paul tells us. It’s at the end of the age. Remember, Jesus came at the end of the world. That’s strange, isn’t it? He came at the end of the world. You say, “Well, how did He come at the end of the world?” He came at the end of…those ages, the Seven Church Ages, we might call them…of Israel. And now once more, we have a coming. And it’s at the end of this age which is the Seventh Church Age, which is completion. Now you will notice, it’s entitled ‘Laodicea.’ Now the word 'Laodicea', was given to women of pre-eminence in that ancient day. It was a female name. And it means; ‘people’s rights.’ Rights of the people, or human rights.

6. Now, in other words, as the name signified, what was going on in this Age, there is going to be…there has been, and will continue to be, the people clamoring for rights. Now, you will notice the church became involved in this. Back when? In 1929, when we got into our first great depression. The church involved itself in human rights, way back there. And this is where you’ll find, such phrases came, from ‘Christian Democrats’ and ‘Christian Confederation of Churches’, and so on. They took up is when preachers begin to preach politics as they had never done it before, because there was much in the land, there was great substance. And because of the breakdown of the money system, the people were living perhaps on wheat. And because of that’s an alkaline food, it would produce a diarrhea condition.

And people’s bodies wasting away. Children without clothing. Burning your coffee beans in South America. The [Franklin D.] Roosevelt government telling you to kill one of your chickens, and raise the price of the second chicken. So that, as one fellow in the Christian Science Monitor said, “What is this all about?” The government went out pleading with the people, they said, “Now, what do you get for one chicken?” Which is twenty-five cents. “All right, instead of raising two chickens, raise the price to fifty cents.” The farmer thought that was a good idea. And then they went to the shirt manufacturer, and said, “What do you get for a shirt?” He said, “I get twenty-five cents.” They said, “Don’t make so many, and sell the one for fifty cents, like you’re selling two.” Now he says, the farmer has one chicken and one shirt, when he could’ve had two chickens and two shirts. See?

7. Who was meddling in this? It just wasn’t the government, it was the church. See? The church meddling, wanting the people to have more, because it was a trying condition. Now, that’s what’s happening in the end time. See? The church is meddling. The church…now, I don’t say the unions are wrong. In fact, I look at unions as having been a necessary force in the world. To bring us to this place. But, the church is behind the unions. And they’re saying now, “You must have a profit incentive.” And they’re encouraging people everywhere to dogmatically go after their rights. Until everybody says, “I want my rights. I want my rights.” Well, pretty soon, you’ve got energy. Because everybody wants his rights. See? What is there left? Nothing but, anarchy.

And so, this age ends in anarchy. And it’s anarchy, against all government. See? What do we see today? We see Catholics, we see Lutherans, we see Presbyterians. We see all manner of people leading in civil rights movements. And they are encouraging the people to break the law. Because they say, “This is of a higher order.” Now, you can’t break any law, but what you’re fighting against God, because all law and order, is of God. The magistrates, the kings, the governments, everything is placed here by God. And so, they are getting into a state of anarchy.

Now remember, that this Age has to be the consummation of sin. Because sin starts and has got to end. And this Age, has got to end with the blotting out of sin, so that Satan is tied, as Bro. Branham said, “By a chain of circumstances.” We go into the Millennium after this period of time, and we’re going to be living as a righteous, godly people, in a Millennial situation of a honeymoon like Adam and Eve had.

8. Now, let me show you something here, in the Book of 1 John 3:4

(4) Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin

is the transgression of the law.

That’s a wrong translation. It says, sin is lawlessness. See? Sin is lawlessness. They don’t want to abide by a law. They say, “I don’t have to be under this. I don’t have to be under that. I’m apart from it.” See? And that’s where the world is today, because of Laodicea. And if you can’t see that this is the Laodicean Age, like one fellow out of …Bro. Estevan out in California. I think Bro. Harold [Marconda] wrote him a letter and said, “You say this is not Laodicea, but is the Philadelphian Age. Prove it.” And the man simply wrote back, “Well I’m the big shot, it's Philadelphian, because I say so.” It’s Laodicean! There’s absolutely no respect for anybody anymore. Except self respect. And that’s not the true Word. It’s self love, is what it is. Lovers of self, the Bible calls it. Lovers of pleasure. Anybody cuts across anybody else, there’s a war on right now. See?

9. Lawlessness, sin is lawlessness. Now therefore, if sin will come to full fruition, there’s got to be lawlessness. And the lawlessness, is absolutely going against the Word of God, and all authority. See? And you’ve got that right in the world today. University students are telling the presidents, and the deans, and the regents, how to run a thing. They’re getting together. Now, I’m not saying that’s entirely bad. See? Because if you could…if it was done according to the laws of the land, it would be a good thing. But, these people don’t care about the law of the land. The Black Panthers say, “Bring your guns to school.” We’re going to get educated by a gun. See? Every place you look, there’s anarchy. There’s a people that’s risen up against all authority to say, “Look, we’re running things.” Well, how can you run things if you’ve got three billion people pulling against each other. See? It’s in a great mess. But, this is what the world has today, it is Laodicea…human rights, bill of rights every place you go.

Just in 1968 as you recall, just two decades, or twenty years after the United Nations came into force, they published across the world, this is ‘human rights year’. In other words, we’re com-memorating the fact, that we have now have gone to the age of liberation of humanity. It’s not liberation of humanity, because there has to be a law. What is it our psychiatrists tell us? They say, “Why are kids in such a turmoil today?” because the parents took their hands off them. Kids want to be chastised. They want to be disciplined. They want to have an authority. See? But, what did they teach you way back there, in those [19]20’s and [19]30’s? Why they said, “If a kid felt like throwing mud, let him express himself. Throw his mush across the table.” Let him throw his mush across my table, he'll get a hand across his mush. [laughter] Yes, siree.

10. There’s no sense in talking about letting a child show his angers and passion. because love also is an emotion. Let him show a little love, and learn a little love. See? But what have we got? We’re reaping the condition of Laodicea. Now I’m saying this, because I want you to know it’s going to get worse. If there is such a thing here as, how I don't say there is such a thing, the pressure goes on by the Ecumenical Council, I don’t believe for one minute, they are going to do terrible things to the Christian. I don’t believe that they will. But because they’re going to have to do it in refined ways. Our pressures I believe, will be the pressures of being ostracized… (see?) …and those things. But remember, there’s roving bands of kids out there, who love to murder. And if they have a spirit against the Bride…except God’s hand be upon that people…there’ll be many, and I don’t really doubt this, I kinda think it could happen. That there could be many people could die terrible deaths, because of that spirit.

Remember, as Bro. Branham said, “The people are getting more and more insane.” See? And violence always takes place when there’s no law. Now you get the emotional situation, plus the spiritual situation, because millions of devils have been released. Until the people are hallucinating on every hand...why there would be a terrible time ahead. I wouldn’t want to be here after the Bride is gone, that’s for sure. And it might not even be too pleasant for a little while, while the Bride still is here, when the pressure’s on. Because the pressure at this point is not on. Why? Because our money system hasn’t collapsed, but they’re waiting for it for the churches have said, “We’re ready to take over.” And they’ll do it you see.

11. Now, this is Laodicea. Now notice, this which started, which we’re talking about, started over here in the Book of Genesis 3: this Laodicean spirit. And we read it in the first seven verses.

(1) Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field

which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman,

Yea, hath God said, (You) shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

“Why, (He said) woman, is it right that God is supposed to love you, has made an arbitrary statement that you can’t do such a thing?” Why, now she wasn’t too fussed up by this time, because everything was going [really] good, there in the garden. And she said, “Well, it’s not quite as bad as you say. We’ve got a little freedom, yeah,

(2) …, We (can) eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

(3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden,

(God has said, “That’s right.” He put us under the law. You)

shall not eat of it, neither shall (you) touch it, lest (you) die.

(4) And the serpent said (Now, hold it. He said, You won’t) surely

die:

“Why, (he said) you can go all the way. Well you won’t die.” And he said,

(5) For God doth know that in the day (you) eat thereof, then your

eyes shall be opened, and (you) shall be as gods, knowing good

and evil.

12. In other words, you’ll be putting yourself up there toward the driver’s seat. See? You won’t be just told to do a thing, and you'll go ahead and do it. See? He says, “Rise up, come on, go against this Word, throw it overboard, be God yourself.” If that isn’t exactly what we’re doing today, I don’t know I’m alive. The people are risen up, and they’ve told the preachers, they’ve told the hierarchy, and they said, “Listen, you’re going to preach what we want to hear. And you’re going to do what we want to do. Because as they told the pope, “Now listen, you’ve got to bless birth control, because if we do it and we’re going to do it. It goes against our conscience now, and we don’t want it to go against our conscience, we want perfect freedom in going against the law that God laid down.” Not the pope now. The pope’s right for the first time in centuries. Poor old boy. The Word of God is going to be used for his destruction.

Yes sir, and that’s right here where it started. Do you follow me? If it’s in the first Book, it’s got to be in the last Book. If it starts in the first Book, it’s got to end in the last Book. See? And Laodicea is the end. And here’s where it started. It starts with the woman. Who is the woman? The church! See? That which came out of the man, …God’s creation. That which came out of Christ, …the church. It began, how? By rising up against Paul. I showed you. I took roughly three sermons to do it. In the 20th chapter in the Book of Acts, remember it entered there. it was against the Word. If they were against Moses, always anarchy against the Word. Remember, when the people came to Samuel and said, “We want our own form of government.” He went all to pieces, and he went to God. And God, said, “They have not rejected you, they've rejected Me.”

Why? Because the Word of the Lord comes by the prophet. See? Always the people go toward anarchy. See? They won’t listen to what God has said. Oh, it puts you under pressure. "You mean, I can’t eat that tree, now why shouldn’t I?" See? There’s where anarchy came in.

12. Now, [Genesis 3:]

(6) And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, …

In other words, she was willing to see if she couldn’t come up with something. Which was contrary to God’s Word. See? Just a little change in here…just change one word. Then It said,

(6) …it is a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Of course, he wasn’t with her at that time. We proved that by Scripture many weeks ago.

(7) And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they

were naked; …

Now listen here, always you will find, that when you are contrary to the Word of Almighty God, your nature changes. You’re put under the bondage of frustration. Because the law of God is perfect. And this Age is killing itself with frustration. We’ve got everything and we’ve got nothing. We have all things, and we’re absolutely destitute. We’re the most frustrated people in the world. Our utopia, has gone to ashes and dust. We’re in a position by our science and our mental ability, that which we have at our fingertips, to build the most marvelous civilization. But it’s going down faster than any civilization I believe that’s ever gone down, because of its animalistic frustrations. We’re in a terrible condition. This is what happened in Laodicea.

13. This…as I mentioned, comes into full bloom over here, in the Book of Revelation which is what we’re talking about…the 3rd chapter, and verse 14. It says here, Laodicea, messenger to the church of the Laodiceans, the religious institution at the end time, comes into full bloom, of repudiating God Almighty’s Word, until the Scripture says in [Revelation 3:] verse 20,

(20) Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: …

Christ outside the church. The Word of God repudiated. Man, his own God. Man making his own word. Man not caring what God’s law said, nor wanting to abide by it. But completely substituting his word for God’s Word, thereby paving the way when the antichrist…a man, can step in and say, “Worship me.” And they’ll do it. They’re doing it now. Why? Because they started by turning their eyes upon themselves way back in the Garden, until the day all eyes are only upon humanity. They say, “To serve God, is to serve man.” That’s a beautiful thought, but it’s a cliché. That’s one of those good/evil, or evil/good statements. See? Israel is serving God by destroying the Canaanite. Right? You preach that today, and see where you go. The anarchy.

14. Now, today we see people demanding what they call, “Their rights.” Over here in the Book of 2 Timothy, that Bro. Branham used so extensively, and you can see why, because of this Age. He said here, “I charge thee before God, (in the 4th chapter) and the Lord Jesus Christ, shall judge the quick and the dead at His Appearing, and His kingdom. Preach the Word.”

Notice what he said first of all. “Preach the Word.” What word? The Word that he laid down. The Word that he said, “If any man thinks he’s a prophet, or Spiritual, let him admit what I say is the commandments of the Lord.” And he said, “What came the Word of God unto you only, or came It out of you?” See? He said, “If anybody including myself come and preach another Word, let him be accursed.” What was it? The revelation that God gave to him.

Notice, [2 Timothy 4:]

(2) … be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort

with all longsuffering and (teaching)

Where does this come from? The Word of God. See? Don’t just preach part, preach It all. Notice verse 3.

(3) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; …

15. Now, there’s only one ‘sound doctrine’… and that’s God’s teaching. There isn’t any other. See? But they’re not going to endure it. They’re not going to want. What are they going to want? They’re going to want the concept of the God of their imagination, with whatever Word, they wish to attach to Him.

(3) …they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts…

Now, watch that word in the Bible. We use the word ‘lust’, and it’s a very tough word. It seems to signify a moral, a physical craving. But it isn’t. In the Scripture, it’s ‘pleasure’. Pleasure… when was there an age so pleasure bound? Say well, “I’m going to look back on Rome, when the peoples were so absolutely terrible, that they loved to throw the Christians to the lions, and watch the gladiators.” No, you can see a gladiatorial battle right now, where two men with boxing gloves, beat each other’s brains out. There’s no difference. You can go to a circus, and see the performers defy death, for our amusement. Pleasure, pleasure, pleasure, and more pleasure. See? Always, the people are screaming for pleasure. It’s all they want. This Age, is the Age of pleasure. Everybody is pleasure bound.

16. You can’t go to church on Sunday, because it’s too much fun fishing, or going to ball games, or this or that. See? Everything is pleasure. There must be something sensate, or sensual, which is pleasing to the eye, or to the senses, the ears, or something. They carried it too far, until there’s nothing left which is sound or whole.

(3) … after their own (pleasure they shall) heap to themselves …

Heap, notice, ‘heap'! What’s a ‘heap’? Well, that’s a heap. That really isn’t in the Greek of course, but it’s a good expression. In other words, they’ll be greedy for it. They’ll want it. This will be their meat. This will be their desire. They’ll keep at it until it’s compounded and it’s gotten great.

(3) …heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

Now, the teachers don’t have itchy ears. It’s the people that have got the itchy ears. The preacher’s got the itchy mouth. You see? Because they want to hear, what they want to hear. And the preachers want to preach, what they know the people want to hear. Well, you could do it in this Message. Sure. Oh, I won’t even bother going into that. You couldn’t just be that. You just couldn’t be that far out of the woods, not to catch them talking about Him. See?

(4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, (See?) and

and shall be turned unto fables.

17. A fable. See? Literally turned to something which is not functional in the Word of Almighty God. He said,

(5) But (therefore,) watch…in all things, (and in your) afflictions, do the

work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry, (and so on.)

Here, is the warning of the end time of Laodicea. I realize many people could say, “That happened years ago.” True, it happened years ago. But, we’re talking today about what God pinpoints as the harvest. See? Today the people have got that kind of a preacher. Man they’ll rise up, and if they don’t have that kind of a preacher to rise up and kick him out. They won’t tolerate it. They won’t tolerate a man, to preach the Word of God. That is, I’m talking now about those out here that are not in the move of the Bride. They’ll not tolerate a man…to come in and preach the truth. We’re back to the tower of Babel. See? People altogether trying to build their high tower unto God. And to reach God by their own ideas. It isn’t going to work. Now notice, the moral characteristics, the nature of the moral characteristics of this age.

It started in Eden, with a sexual perversion, and it ends the same, according to the Book of Luke 17: Now, if you don’t understand serpent seed, you wouldn’t understand sexual perversion. Actually, it’s what Israel was taught in the days of Jesus Christ. And Jesus knew it, and He admits in the 8th chapter of John, that He knew it. Because it was taught in Israel, many centuries before Christ, that Eve and the serpent that as they say, …the serpent had coitus with Eve, and she produced Cain. That Cain is the seed of the serpent. Now, there is sexual perversion.

18. Now notice where sexual perversion ends. In this age, it’s happened before, and it’ll happen again. And in Luke 17:28

(28) Likewise, also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank,

they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

Now, what happened in the days of Lot? In the days of Lot the two messengers went down to Sodom and Gomorrah, …especially Sodom. And there, they were attacked by the men of the city who wanted to have carnal knowledge of them…sexually perverted. See? And notice, the angels blinded their eyes, but in their lust, they still attempted to find the door. Now, I used to really believe that their eyes were actually blinded, so they were feeling in the dark so driven by their passions, they didn’t care about anything. See? But actually, they were blinded as to where the door was, and their eyes were open, and they couldn’t figure out why they couldn’t get to that door knob, or that door latch. See? And you’ve got the same thing right today. People positively know what lies in sexual perversion. And yet your church is endorsing it, until in England, two men got married and in Hollywood the same way. Around the world now, they say, “You’ve got to recognize perversion.” See? The church’s stood up for it. The church has stood up for something that is contrary to God’s Word, and this age has to end.

19. Now, I realize that many, many, years ago, there has been, and always has been, this perversion. But you tell me the time the church stood up for it? See? Always you’ve got someone with a big mouth, and he hasn’t got anything between or behind the eyeballs, or between the ears, when he wants to talk about these things. He’ll say, “Oh, that happened down there one thousand years ago.” I don’t care if it did. When did the church back it up, and sponsor it? The church is doing this. This is what God said would obtain in the last day of the church. An absolute perversion. It started in the Garden of Eden, and if it started there, it has to end in this Age.

It also started in Eden...How did it start in Eden? It started in Eden, with the anointed one. That’s right. I hope you caught that. Always the Lord showing us, something on this end time anointing. The anointing started in Eden, it was already there.

20. We go to the Book of Ezekiel, and we’ll show you the picture of it. In the 28th chapter, the Book of Ezekiel, and he says here in verse 12,

(12) Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say

unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou (Satan, the king of Tyrus) sealest up the sum of wisdom, …perfect in beauty.

(13) Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone

was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl,

the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the car-

buncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes

was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.

(14) Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; … (See?)

The anointed one Satan, that started this whole perverted thing, was in the Garden. And he was there as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Even as Christ, the Tree of Knowledge of Good, or of Life, was there. And here is this one, and his anointing, he places upon the serpent. And the serpent thereby, seduces Eve, where she is mentally and morally seduced, according to what the actual Hebrew, says. Now, the Scripture call this one, "the cherub, the anointed cherub that covers, I have set thee so." Notice, “I have set thee”, said God, “As the one to bring perversion.” Now, here he is, …here he is in the Garden, the Bible says, God set in Satan, anointed, …(See?) …anointed, positively. Now, this anointing, he has to place somewhere. Now, he can’t place it on Adam…he just wouldn’t go. Adam’s not fooled. So, he uses the serpent.

And the serpent fools Eve. And you’ll notice the fooling comes in on the Word. God is discredited, and God is questioned, as to His right to legislate, or take authority. Now, this anointing, which is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, finds its full climax and fruition in the end Age of Laodicea, according to the Book of Matthew 24: Now, I hope this is helpful to you, because it should be, on the grounds of giving a good understanding of this whole subject.

21. Now notice, It says here, at the very end time, "if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not.” [Mt 24:23] See? Here’s the anointing, of that anointed one. Believe it not,

(24) For there shall arise false Christs, (there’ll be a lot of them (even lying) prophets, …

20. What’s a lying prophet? A man that comes with a sign and a wonder, to take you away from the Word of God. See? Many people going by feelings, don’t know if they’re in the Word of God. You can be absolutely in the Word of God, and your feelings betray you. You can be a hundred million miles from the Word of God, and your feelings betray you. A young man can be absolutely in fear and trembling preaching the Gospel of God, and he’d be a hundred percent in the will of God. Where a woman steps up full of vim and vigor, and courage, she’d be a million miles from the Word of God, preaching the Word. See? Great signs and wonders to take you from the Word. How do you know if you’re a child of God? You’ve got to be in the Word. Even Bro. Branham said, “They turn it down flat, showing the whole bunch of them are a bunch of spiritual prostitutes, and perverts.”

You say, “I love the Lord.” Do you love the Lord? Judas loved the Lord. The Bible distinctly said, that he affectionately kissed Jesus to betray Him. You this morning, may be absolutely betraying Christ, saying, “Well, I love the Lord. Glory to God, Bro. Vayle. We just won’t talk about, what you want to talk about, we’ll just talk about Jesus. And, wasn’t it a nice day today?” I was through that two weeks ago in Denver. Who did it? A woman. You women…you call yourselves ‘Mothers in Israel’ you have taken a human motherly instinct, and made it your god. Because you are made tender by nature to bear children, and to show love, you had thought you had to be of God, because you had that.

22. Let me tell you something. You are no more of God, than, the devil is. I’ve got proof of what I said, there’s two sources. Cain was of the source of the wicked one. And God is not wicked. You can be just as much serpent seed with your tenderness so-called. And your love, a million miles from God, because you defy the authority of the man that God put in the house, and the authority God put in the church, by the Word, and say, “I don’t need anybody Bro. Vayle, I’ve got the Holy Ghost you see, I love the Lord.” Yes, you can be sweet and tender, and a million miles from truth. I don’t say that to excoriate you, it’s to wake you up before it’s too late. Because let’s stick with the Word. I’ve got no fight with any woman.

I’m a funny kind of a guy. I stay to my own nephew, I credit, I say to my wife, “There’s no skin off my nose what you do. I’ll stay on my feet in judgment, and you’ll stand on yours.” I don’t mean to lay that down as though I’m a hard carnal person. I mean to lay it down just the way it is written. Just the way It is written. Because I can’t help you one little bit, you can’t help me one little bit. See? Today we may walk together if we be agreed. That is good, that is fine. But there is coming a day, if we’re (not) Bride, we’ll stand alone, with maybe a million voices raised against us. See? Now, at that end time, It says…the Bible distinctly says, there’s going to be these false prophets, and they’re going to show great signs and wonders. That’s the anointing. Don’t you know that Satan was anointed by the Holy Ghost?

23. Oh, I know that sounds terrible. “Say, Bro. Vayle, the Holy Ghost wouldn’t fall on an unclean vessel.” Then, how come Judas was the devil according to God, and he had the Holy Ghost to perform wonders? How come Balaam who dabbled in divining, when he couldn’t get through to God, how come the Holy Ghost fell on him, and he had a vision of prophesy? How come if the devil has got power of his own, the Word of God lied, because It says, “God is Almighty, and almighty, means He’s got all might, and nobody’s got anything but Him?” And remember, it’s the Holy Ghost alone to give power. So therefore, the devil was absolutely anointed by God. Because it’s the only power he had, and what did he do with it? He prostituted it, he said, “I’ll use God’s power, to work my own end.”

Now do you see where these people are in the world today, with this anointing on them. See? And It said, “If possible, they would deceive every single person but, the very Elected.” [Mt 24:24] And the word ‘elected’ means; ‘those who come out by the Word.’ You say, “Bro. Vayle, I come out because a preacher said a certain thing.” Is it in the Word? Was It correctly interpreted? See? If you haven’t come out by that Word, you’re still where you’re at, and the Bible said, “As sure as you’re there, you’ll be deceived at this end time.” Because you will not know what the score is. You’ll look around and say, “Those fellows don’t preach that Word that this other man preaches.” Then he’s got as many signs and wonders, perhaps, even got more. But, how come these me men didn’t have it before the original before Bro. Branham, came on the scene? That’s all I want to know.

24. You can’t have a counterfeit without an original. So, don’t pretend. And don’t pretend Pentecost ever had this, because Pentecost didn’t have it. Pentecost never had what William Branham had. So, let’s put it right on the table now, and make an issue. And I’m happy to make an issue. So, I’m standing up here, and either my reputation is telling you a lie, or, I’m telling you the truth. And I’ve been in this thing for thirty-five years, and I’ve heard the stories all these years too. And not one had what William Branham had, because not one could ever come in the Name of the Lord with ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, and do it repeatedly, or even once, to my knowledge. See? So, let’s check it out with the Word of God. Now, he said, “In the end time, this very thing would be in the church to such an extent, that only those called by the Word, would not be deceived.”

Now listen, Adam was not deceived! Bible said he wasn’t. The Scripture distinctly says that,

"Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." [1 Tim 2:14]

And I’m going to tell you brother/sister, those alone who have the Word, will not be deceived, but all the rest will be deceived. And as Eve came out of Adam, and she represents the church, so, today the church will be deceived. But who can deceive Adam, but Christ? Nobody can deceive Him. And, if you have Him, you will not be deceived. Proving the rest do not have Him, they have an anointing. Now, can you tell me that Satan had Christ? He had an anointing. Can you tell me Balaam had Him? He had an anointing. Can you tell me Judas had Him? He had an anointing. The Scripture distinctly says, “this is going to repeat.” Because I don’t mind repeating this, because my precious Bro. Branham repeated I think, as much or more than I did.

25. So, I’m going to say it again. Joel is being quoted here by Peter under the Holy Ghost influence. It says here: [Acts 2:]

(17) … in the last days, (said) God, (these are the last days) I will

pour out of my Spirit upon all (a-double-l) flesh: …

Now, he says, it’s on the flesh. And He said,

(17) … and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young

men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

(18) And on my (men) servants and on my... (women servants, I’m going to do the same thing. )

He says in the end time there’s going to be two groups of people. One is going to be a bunch of sensual carnal Christians, that are away from the Word of God. They’re not born of the Word. So therefore, they’ll take any sensation. And I want to set the record here this morning…God helping me, to show you people, why the second-generation Pentecostals, can’t make it. In 1906 they sought God for power. They never sought tongues. Now, you know that. You know anything about Pentecost. Now, come on, I’ve been thirty-five years, you want to match my record, go ahead. And I’ll take you to the textbooks, …they did not seek for tongues. They did not seek for manifestation. They sought God. And without knowing why, many people were filled with the Holy Ghost, and then they spake with tongues. They prophesied, God begin doing wonderful things amongst them. But they weren’t seeking that. And for roughly, let me see…thirty years almost, almost thirty years, they said, “Listen, don’t you dare seek tongues.” Don’t you dare seek a manifestation. Seek God. But they said, “We know this one thing.” As soon as you get the Holy Ghost, you’ll speak in tongues. See? That’s lie number one. They didn’t mean to lie, but, they were wrong.

25. There’s no Bible for it. Because they say, “That was the evidence.” Now, I’m not saying you won’t speak with tongues, if you receive the Holy Ghost. If you’ve really got the Holy Ghost, as

Bro. Branham said, “You no doubt will speak with tongues. But, it’s not at that time you think.” It’s when that great heavenly inflatus, as they call, comes upon you. And now it’s so full you can’t speak. It’s like gushing's unutterable, flowing out of the man’s body

You see, they were so close that one word spoiled it, …initial evidence. There is no such thing as initial evidence in the Bible, concerning tongues. So please don’t put your…“But Bro. Vayle, I got it that way.” I don’t care what you got that way. You could be a bootlegger and get your money by bootlegging. You’ve got money, but you got it wrong. See? Don’t you tell me. Le't's stick with the Word. Now Peter said, “In the end time, (he said), they’d both be doing it.” The hand maidens and the men servants of God, would be receiving the Holy Ghost, an anointing, and so would the others. He said, “Your children and Mine” They stood as two groups. He didn’t say yours and mine are one. He said, “Yours,” he said, “Mine.” In the end time, the end time anointing. See?

26. Now, that’s in Matthew here, let’s go to, in Matthew here, “Jesus said, I told you this before.” Now, when did He tell them this before? In the Book of Matthew 7:15,22-23 where He said,

(15) Beware of false (shepherds), (that) come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Now, notice this. See? Oh people, if you just read the Bible the way It’s written. Oh, for years we’ve heard this preached just to soothe men’s conscience. I don’t care about your conscience, anymore than I care about mine. If I could preach myself into heaven, I’d have done it years ago. If I could preach you there, I’d do it now. So, I haven’t a ghost of a chance, so, let’s just preach it the way that it is, and throw ourselves at the mercy of God, and see if we can make it.

(15) Beware of false prophets, ...

What about these false prophets? They come to you in sheep’s clothing. They look just like sheep. They talk like sheep. They act like sheep. But, they’re not sheep, they’re wolves. Ravening wolves, attempting to destroy. You’ll know them by their fruits.

27. Now, right away you say that’s got to be love. That guy, doesn’t say that at all. It tells you over here what it is.

(22) Many will (come) to me in that day (and say), Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?

(23) And then will I profess…I never knew you…(See?)

Why? Because they’re contrary to the Word. Oh, they act nice and sweet. “Well, Bro. Vayle, I don’t read It that way.” Well, you’d better read It the way It’s written, because I’m reading It right. The Bible said, “Any man that does a miracle in My Name, cannot lightly speak evil of Me.” He warns you. Anybody that God let's do a miracle, he’ll come with sweetness. See? But he won’t be in that Word. A Pentecostal fellow I know, that speaks in tongues, and everything else, he’s got a gift ministry, almost second to nobody that I know of. Why he was telling about a fellow up in Calgary, Alberta…you know he’s a Canadian, where I come from too. Telling of a fellow up there, every time he got drunk and thrown in jail, he speaks in tongues.

Now, he said, that was old Lee. He said the Bible said, "If you speak in tongues that’s to edify yourself." And here’s the Holy Ghost trying to edify that man to get him out of his drunkenness. Ha, ha. I know he couldn't follow me, I can’t follow him myself. That’s just about the most mixed up theology I heard. He’s got a point, he came out of Pentecost, and he’s still got a following there. See?

28. Now, let’s go to 2 Corinthians, and see the same picture. That’s where Jesus said it would take place. Now, let’s watch over here in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, notice what It said:

(13) For such are false apostles, (notice) deceitful workers, transforming

themselves into the apostles of Christ.

Now look, if you read your Bible at all, and know anything about Jesus Christ, you think this man would come swearing. and drinking, and smoking, and carrying on? Defrauding, living it up, why, you’d say, “That’s nothing to do with Christ, that miserable hypocrite.” But, watch what It says.

(14) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of

light.

What is that? A truth bringer. A truth bringer, to set you free. “Why, I’m going to set you free, and get you away from the Word of God. You won’t be bound by, “Oh Bro. Vayle, do you mean you're going to be bound by the Word of God?" Why surely you women can paint and powder, why that’s not so bad. You can cut your hair…of course, you can’t cut your hair, that’s unscriptural. 'Thus Saith the Lord', Bible says, you can’t do it. You can’t pray, …with cut hair…I’m sorry. Your prayers aren’t going to get past your eyeballs. Bible says you can’t pray with cut hair. You cut your hair, …let this be the last time scissors ever touched your head. See? “Oh, let’s just bypass this.” No, sir. You don’t bypass anything. You’ve got light, but it’s a false light. Bible says, when your light becomes darkness, how great your darkness is. Satan himself, is transformed into a bringer of truth.

29. He came to Eve, he told the truth. Sure, he did. But he didn’t tell her the results of what he said. He said, “You will know good and evil.” But he didn’t tell her, that from that day on she couldn’t cope with evil, it would take her over. And it did. Devil come along, “I’ll set you free.” Yeah. “Why, we’re building a great move to God,." 'Glory to God’, says the church. Everybody is falling in taken right in, taken into ecumenicity. It’s going to end worshipping the devil, and they’re going to call it God. They’re worshipping the devil right now, calling it God, how? Because they’re off of the Word. The minute that Eve left that Word, her allegiance went to the devil. She didn’t mean to. But, she did it. Now notice, in verse 15,

(15) Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers…be transformed

as the ministers of righteousness; …

Oh, look at that! All right, now, does that line up on Matthew 7: …does it? Sure does. Why, these men are sweet men. They’re gracious men, They’re lovely men. They’re like the boy that saw the blue light. Talks about the blue light when anybody who studies spiritism, knows that blue light is devil power. And he thinks it’s God. How can you have the Holy Ghost and be fooling with the devil? That openly, …you can just read a magazine on spiritism, and know about that one. You don’t have to be a student of divinity, or anything else. Let’s just put it that way.

30. Now, the same boy gets up at a meeting and his business agent says, “Now, we’re going to pray for the sick, but, (he said) of course, if you’ve got a …we’re in a bind tonight, and my brother (he names the fellow’s name) …he sees the blue light. So, you know who he is.” Maybe several see the blue light, this is a special one.

And he saw the blue light in Dayton, and of course. Maybe he saw a green light…go ahead. But he said, “Now, we’re going to pray for everybody, but if you’ve got a bad headache, and we’re in a bind for money or something, then you put in five dollars, and we’ll pray for you first.” But, he said, “We’re going to pray for everybody of course.” And the man came on the platform, now he said, “My business agent shouldn’t have said this, but seeing he’s done it, I’ll pray for you.” Now, he should’ve said, “Give the money back, we’re going to pray for everybody.” And I would’ve known the man was at least on a right trail. But see? Now, he didn’t get up and say one thing against the Lord. He spoke highly even of Bro. Branham. Not that that makes him superlative… you know what I mean. But I mean to say he was not against the end time messenger. As though he were somebody to lead people astray. He spoke very highly of him. Spoke very highly of God. Preached a good sermon, …loved the folk, …did his best to help them. But do you see what it was? He’s transformed here, as ministers of righteousness.

That’s your wolf in the sheep’s clothing. See? Because that Word ‘wolf’ is in there, everybody thinks he goes around snapping off people’s heads, doing crooked deeds, and being a miscreant , or absolute reprobate. That’s not so. See? Here’s your delusion.They may show more love, more programming, more vitality, more everything. But if you think vitality wins the world for God, if you think vitality is a mark of Christ, then, how come God said to Paul, “Don’t go to Asia where the millions are, you go to Europe, to one little spot.” See? You say, “Well, I’m going to win the world for God, We're going to..." Are you? Well, you’re going to out-god God, then? It won’t work. See?

31. Now, this all ends, …notice where this ends now, because we’ve got to have an end to it…it’s in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

(3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come,

except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be

revealed, the son of perdition;

(4) Who (opposes) and (exalts) himself above all that is called God, (and) that is worshipped; so that he as God (sits) in the temple of God, (showing) himself that he is God.

Notice that: He said, this is going to happen. Now, why does it happen? It happens, because of the anarchy through the anointed spirit of deception that started in Eden, and comes all the way here. See? Satan got Eve away from the Word, and now at the end time, getting the rest of the people away from the Word, he’s going to get them right to worshipping himself, as he steps into a human vessel. Remember, that God said Judas was the devil. He didn’t say one of you is a devil. That’s a wrong translation. He said, “One of you is diablos.” Which means, one of you is the devil. When did he become the devil? When God loosed him to do it. See? Remember, he couldn’t betray Christ, until God loosed him. Neither can the Bride go, and neither can the man of sin be revealed, until God looses it. And when the Holy Ghost looses it, hindering is stopping it. Then, it’ll come out.

32. So, when Jesus said, “Whom I dip the sop…the bread and the wine, and give it to him, (He said) that one is the betrayer.” See? And this one at the end time, is the betrayer, because he betrays the church. They think they’re going right into the Kingdom of God, and they’re fooled. See? That spirit of deception upon the people, ends up in a man.

So therefore, even as the devil, the Bible says, “The devil entered into Satan.” [Lk 22:3] See? And remember, even with the devil in him, he affectionately kissed Jesus. Do you know that that fellow was so deluded, he might have thought he was doing exactly right. My own opinion is, Judas wanted to be a savior, he wanted to save Israel. See?

And in the end time we’ve got the very same thing here, where the man of sin takes over, because it’s a climax. And here is where we think only in terms of the church. Not the age as seen in the world. Or, I should say, many times we get confused about these subjects, and we say, “Well Bro. Vayle, I believe that’s all going out there, in Laodicea, that’s the world system. But, when you deal with the church, you’re dealing with something different." No, the fact is, what God said about Laodicea, is the church. See? It’s the church, the whole church comes under blanket denunciation.

33. Now, let’s look at that denunciation for awhile, and see where we come out at. Now, in [Revelation 3:]verses 15 and 16,

(15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou

(were) cold or hot.

(16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will

spue thee out of my mouth.

Now, also verse 19.

(19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore,

and repent.

33. Now, you’ll notice in here, that their works are more of a show, than of reality. Because he said,

(15) I know thy works, that (you’re) neither cold nor hot: I would thou

(were) cold or hot.

Now, look it, what they’re doing is putting on a show. Now listen, just think of that for a minute. If you can’t figure that one out now, I’ll help you. But it’s very simple. Why does the Baptist want a million more in '44? And a million more in '54, and about ten million more in '64. And as time goes on they want twenty million more in [correction] '74 and '84. Why? Is it because of an honest, real, tremendous, heart call for the lives of people, to be brought into the Kingdom of God, because they know the power of hell and death and sin is reigning? No! It’s a program. See? It’s what they’re taught. Like I got back there and didn’t finish it on the second generation, Pentecostals.

You could start with a truth back in that day; like the Baptists and everybody had. And the first thing you know, the second generation, will take what they’re taught, and they’ll manifest what they’re taught, even in the Holy Ghost they’ll manifest not having the Holy Ghost. But, they’ve been taught the keys, and they’ll do it. Balaam, had the keys, but, he wasn’t of God, and he did it.

34. There are people right today who aren’t of God. But, they’ll lock themselves in a clothes closet to get gifts, and they’ll come out…using those gifts. Now, you’ve got the Baptists, they don’t do that, but they do the same thing. The Bible condemns the churches, because they’re putting on a show. There’s not reality there. He said, “You’re lukewarm." Now look, if you were red hot, you’d be screaming to God, for God to do for them what He’s done for you, because you know the consequence of sin and death. But they’re saying, “Now look people, it’s nice to be moral and kind and sweet. And you get baptized into the church, and we’ll help you to have a nice home and this and that.”

It’s a great big show. Go to the mission field, and what do they do? Like Bro. Branham over there, saw a man packing an idol. And they said, “What is that man?” And he said, he’s a Christian. Then how come he packs this idol? “Well, (he said), if the Spirit doesn’t work, then this other spirit might.” See? So, what is it? It’s a fire escape from hell. They think, join the church and you’ll be all right. All right, now what about the Baptist women with their short hair? And their short skirts? You know there is…I’ll tell you. I thought women wore their skirts shorter around the country, until this last trip to LA, and I don’t think I was especially looking for it, but they hardly got any clothes on anymore at all.

35. And now, what there wasn’t before, there’s a spirit on them. I thought to me was a very sad thing, this little girl, very sweet little girl with I suppose her skirts were oh, eight inches or so, above her knees. A very sweet little thing. But the way she went, you could tell both she and her mother had a sex spirit on them. Now, I don’t think I was moved or anything, not for a minute. Not that I’m any Rock of Gibraltar, morally. I’m not trying to say that. I’m just trying to tell you, it is so apparent, just so apparent now, there’s no wonder, there’s no nothing. It’s actually become a spirit on them. And you know what, they’re looking for. But the cry is going to be when the poor thing is seduced, and messed up, then who is going to bear the blame? See? The miserable, rotten, condition the world’s in. See? What brought it on? It’s right in the churches. See? The church has not cried out against it. Nobody has cried out against it. If the preacher’s cried out, they’d kick them out. See? That’s shows where Laodicea is.

Now, there’s a show going on, but it’s not real. Now notice, in verse 17, they’re condemned for their speaking. “Thou sayest.” Now remember, the Pharisees were condemned for the same thing. See? Because they spoke, but they weren’t saying the Word of God. They wanted the Talmud. They wanted tradition. They didn’t want the truth, and this is what it is. Notice, they’re doing the talking. And in the end time, when the messenger comes, they won’t say what the messenger said. They’ll go right on saying what they always said. That’s what it says right here. I didn’t write the Book, I’m just telling you what It says.

36. Now, notice their self-diagnosis in [Revelation 3:] verse 17. They said,

(17) … (we’re increased in goods, we’re rich,) … increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not (said God, you're) wretched, …

Now, notice the Bible said here, that they are talking about themselves, and their diagnosis is, they have everything just exactly right. So therefore, according to this first part of this 17th verse, they are devoid of spiritual insight. And unable in the face of the times, to make an accurate appraisal. Even like the Pharisees, who could judge the sky and the weather, but, they couldn’t tell the day in which they lived, which was the day of restoration. Then judgment, which we’re in right today. See? They couldn’t understand. Their own self appraisal, being their own and not God’s, …notice it, (see?) …they turned down God’s Word, until God’s Word is of none effect, and they cant’ get a true picture of themselves.

37. Now, let’s go right back to the Word again, brother/sister. How can you get a picture of yourself, apart from that Word? See?

What if you don’t line up to that Word? What did James say? Didn’t James say there were supposed to behold as in a mirror, as we look in the Word of God? (I don’t know if I can find it right here, now.) Yes, it says here, now, [James 1:]

(22) …be…doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your

own selves.

Now what would it mean here? Well, Bro. Vayle, that means to take what the Word says, and exactly do it. Now listen here, you can’t exactly do anything unless you believe it. You won’t do it unless you believe it. And if you believe it, you will do it.

(23) (Now) if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, (Now he doesn’t believe the thing, so, he’s going to do it.) he is like … a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

(24) For he (beholding) himself, and goeth his way, and straightway

(forgets) what manner of man he was.

(25) But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, …

Now, if you’re going to look, you’re going to have to be with anointed eyes.

(25) …and continueth therein, (Now how did Abraham continue? By faith.) he (is) not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed (of the Lord. See?)

They hear the Word of God, and it doesn’t make any difference to them, but they go on their own way. Notice also, they claim to have a knowledge of God. They sure did, they claimed they had a knowledge of God, but they were ignorant. The truth of the matter is, they were ignorant.

Let’s take a look at this in [Revelation] verse 17, of that 3rd chapter. It says here, "that you don’t know that you’re wretched and miserable." They claimed they had a knowledge of God by the Word, but they did not have it. Now, notice what the Scripture said. They felt that they were rich in God. See? Because this is the church. "I am rich, now, I’m rich in God." Now, they thought they were rich in God, but they were completely void of what it means to be rich in God.

38. Now, let’s look at the Scripture to see what it is to be rich in God. We go to the Book of Luke 12:21

(21) So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Now, this man here, he says, “I’ve got everything, I’ve got my barns built, I’ve got a lot of grain, I’ve got a lot of things laid up here.” Now, he said, “I’ll tell you, I can see here, that I’m going to make out just fine. I’ll do all right, I’ve got a lot of things laid up.”

39. Now, let’s just take a look with this. It’s in the Book of Hebrews 10:34

(34) For (you) had compassion of me in my bonds, and (you) took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that (you) have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

Now remember, in the early church, you could take what they had, and they’d say, “That’s all right, that’s not mine, go ahead and get it. I’ve got something laid up, that’s where mine is.” Today, everybody says, “This is mine, and you put your finger on it, and you lose your arm. Don’t you infringe on my right, don’t you cross my path.” See?

Now, the people that are rich toward God, are those who take joyfully, the spoiling of their goods. Because they are laying up in heaven a treasure, but you try and get that across even anybody that believes this Message. You can see where this spirit of anarchy is gone. We’re living in Laodicea, we’re up to our ears in it. That’s why the whole church is condemned, Bride and false bride, the whole bunch are condemned. They’re tarred with the same stinking brush. Money, money, producing. Oh, if it weren’t for a rat nest, I could raise these crowds concerning this ministry, we think we’re in too.

On the same basis of programming and stinking money can do. But only the Spirit of God can do. Somebody planning this, somebody planning the other. What do you do in the day, you’re doing in the day of judgment? If God sends us, we’ve got to face reality the way it is. It’ll be a whole lot different. You can’t read between those lines, I’m not going to spell it out for you. ‘Richness’ according to the Greek, means; ‘fullness’. Fullness, I’m rich, I’m full. Fullness.

40. Notice, what God says in Luke 6:25

(25) Woe unto you that are full! for (you) shall (be hungry) …

You think you’ve got God, you think you’ve got everything in this world, because you’ve got a few bucks here? And something, a little authority there, a prestige here, let’s get together and do this and that. Listen, I say this to those that follow this Message, we can be just as condemned because of the Bride…the Bible says,

(25) Woe unto you that are full! for (you) shall (be hungry) …

That’s not just to the Pentecostals. They’re the ones that claim they’re so full. They’ve got the Holy Ghost. They got the nine gifts. They got that. Right, they don’t need anything more. They say, “We don’t need a messenger to come in the end day. Bless God, we’re…” Listen, don’t you see the very spirit that they believe in, back there they said it’s Pentecost, the Holy Ghost fell upon the world, and nobody preached it. And Cain had come to all, and now they say, “We stand the same way, we don’t need a messenger.” And they’re condemning themselves, because God said, “Laodicea must have a messenger.” Hallelujah. I’m so glad I’ve been made free. At least I’ll stand in the Word of God. It says, “It’s increased with goods.” [Rev 3:17]

This word, ‘increased with goods’, means; ‘wealthy’. Now, look at this. Not increased with the increase of God…no, no, these are not increased with the increase of God. These are increased with wealth. Years ago, our little Pentecostal churches, little old corner stores…weren’t they? Where are they today? Even you people that have been …what you call ‘independent’ all your lives. Look at your churches which you’re building now. You’re just as independent as well no, …never mind that, you know what I’m talking about.

41. In Ephesians 4: Notice what It says,

(7) But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of

the gift of Christ.

(8) Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, … and gave gifts unto men.

Now, what did He give? It says in verse 11,

(11) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, pastors

and evangelists; …

According to Paul, there’s apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors and evangelists. Pastors are evangelists, no, evangelists are pastors. Now, then he said here, he gave them for what?

(12) For the perfecting of the saints, …

He gave them to make perfect, the saints…that’s the body of Christ.

(12) … for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

(13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the

Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

(14) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and (by) cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

41. Listen, there’s going to be a group of people, that that doesn’t apply to. They’re going to be above it. They’re going to be above it. They’re going to be above it, because those faithful old-time preachers that preached the best they could and knew how, unto the anointing and revelation of the Holy Ghost, until the prophet came. Yes sir, but these, lie. But now It says,

(15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

(16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body (of Christ) unto the edifying of itself in love.

These people don’t have the increase of God. Because they turned down the Word. But they’re going to be one people that have the increase of God. In other words, God will pour more on you, and more on you, until you which have shall receive more. Until you’re right in His Presence, and manifesting Christ. While the rest have nothing, because you led them on your creeds and your dogmas, and said, "I can speak in tongues.' Go ahead, talk in your tongues. I can produce any amount of tongues evidence you want, by spiritists. I know what I’m talking about. Don’t tell me I’m wrong. I can show you more evidence of what you think would be a Holy Ghost ministry, by gifts. By the two Orelle’s out there in Philadelphia, who use spiritism, and she sees their mother and talks in tongues. And they pray for the sick, and get great results. And see absolute miracles until doctors come, and they pray in the Name of Jesus Christ too, believe me.

42. And It’s Jesus Christ that heals them. Amen. It's Christ that heals them. It’s not a false gift, not a wrong gift, it is Christ Himself. Because the poor delusive believer, believes he is approaching God through those people. Oh, if we’d inspire faith enough, and the people in this world by the lives we live and our conduct, in Christ, they too might come and receive the help they’re longing for. But no, you’re not going to increase with the increase of the Christ, it’ll be the increase of the world. In other words, it won’t be in the body of Christ. These are increasing outside the body. That’s right, they’re increasing, but, it’s outside the body. It is not the body of Christ, that shows the increase of God. In other words, God becomes increasingly manifest. Notice:

(17) (They say, we) …have need of nothing; …

That means, they’ve got it all, or, they’re not interested. Boy, if that isn’t the truth. Wretched.

43. Do you know that word ‘wretched’ is used elsewhere in the Bible in only one place. The word ‘wretched’ is found over here in chapter 7 of the Book of Romans, where Paul said here, concerning his own problems of vacillation and all, says,

(24) O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Yes sir. The Bible says they are wretched. See? What was Paul doing when he said he was wretched? He was in the throws of a dilemma. And he wondered how it was, …and I’m going to spiritualize this., now catch it…I am not going to preach you doctrine now. I’m not teaching you doctrine, I’m just teaching you something which I see here in the Word of God, and you can spiritualize it. And it won’t hurt us any at all. Now, this body of death, the Bible says that at the end time there’s going to be a group whose bodies don’t die. But, the Bible distinctly says, because of sin in the body, it’s got to die. The body is dead because of sin. So, It says, "therefore, this mortality, this corruptible, which can be worn away, (see, by wearing it out) must put on that which cannot be worn out. And this mortal, that which is fading away, must put on that which cannot fade away." Then death is stopped.

44. Now, Paul’s talking about the wretchedness of the fact that he’s in the body. See? Who shall deliver me? We’re in the same throws, today. We are waiting for a deliverer, so we will not die but, walk right in to immortality. And brother/sister, the Bible says at the end time, that’s the condition of Laodicea. They’re miserable, they’re wretched. Yeah, they’re wretched. This waiting for the Rapture, they think they’ve got it figured. But they haven’t. It’s this, that’s going to change the body. They’re looking for it. No matter what science has done, people get sicker and sicker. No matter how many millions you pray for, there’s millions if not billions more to get prayed for. See? This wretched, this wretchedness, that’s in the body today. Who is going to deliver us? There is one thing to deliver, in this wretched age brother/sister, it’s coming. You see what I’m trying to show you?

This is the wretched age which precedes the deliverance of the body. It wasn’t there before. No sir, this Age is wretched now. Why? Because we’ve got to be delivered, or we’ll all go to the mud, just oozing our lives away, until God without pity watches the last one die, maybe a hundred years from now. That’s right. Unless God does something brother, by destroying this world, and starting again, in a hundred years, the last one will sink in the ooze, just gasp his breath and die. Wore out. It’s run its course. See? Wretchedness. Pains for a Resurrection, apart from death. They’re paining for it. The Laodicean Church is crying for it. They’re screaming, “We’re going to make the Resurrection.” They know there is something ahead. But they’re going to miss it.

Why? because there’s no deliverance. Why? because they’ve turned down the Word. You can’t turn down that Word. They’re miserable. The word ‘miserable’ means; ‘pitiable’, and needing compassion.

45. Now, let’s look at this, concerning the last day. Watch this now. 1 Corinthians 15: I’m just spiritualizing now. Now, I know I’ve got a point here that’s real. I don’t have to worry about it, I’m not teaching you doctrine. I’m just showing you something here. In the 19th verse of the 15th chapter,]

(19) …in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (See?)

No sir, this life us going to go now, right into His life, without dying. See? A miserable condition. And Paul said, “If I only had hope in Him, and there’s nothing out here waiting for us. There’s no Resurrection. Why he said, we’re the most pitiable people in the world. See? And that’s exactly right. Because they all claim they’re going to make the Rapture. They’re going to go in the Resurrection. But brother/sister, I challenge you on the Word of God, millions now living, will die. Billions now living, will die. And only a small group shall not die. They are miserable, and don’t know it. They’re talking about making eternal life, but, all they’ve got is this life. Because God is amongst the people, not indwelling them, and they’ve got their healing. They’ve got their tongues. They’ve got their prophecy. They’ve got their churches. They’ve got their money. They’ve got everything. But they’ve got death. And they’re miserable. Because that’s all they’re getting out of this life, is this living here. Amen…but we’re going to go in the Resurrection.

46. I’m still not preaching doctrine, though, but, I’m coming awful close. I’m only saying this because I know it goes on a tape. I don’t want anybody saying, “Well Bro. Vayle, you’re twisting Scripture.” I’m not twisting Scripture, I am showing you something that’s a spiritual truth, which is not a doctrine…it is illustration. But it holds, because these are going on today, just like in the Old Testament, you take much of what it said, and you illustrate, but it is not a doctrine. I hope you understand me now, what I’m saying.

Notice also, it says, ‘poor’. The word ‘poor’ means, to be a beggar. Absolute dependence on others. Crouching like a beggar, in need of grace. Now, the Bible says that these people have got to have someone like to take the pauper, and put him on the throne. See?

He said, “Look, you’ve got your big churches, your big programs. Sure, you sure look good. You’re doing a lot of things. But I want to tell you, you’re poor.” And that word ‘poor’ means; you’re nothing but a bum. (Pardon the expression, but, that’s old American terminology.) You are nothing but a beggar, an absolute bum. See? Now, this is a very sad condition, because it means they’re not appraising their condition at all. And in spite of the fact that they think they’ve paid their way, they have no way whatsoever. In spite of the fact they think they’ve really paved their way, in spite of the fact they think they’ve got something to fall back on, they are absolutely destitute, having nothing to fall back on. And in spite of the fact that they think they’ve got something, they haven’t got a thing. So, therefore, they’re thieves and robbers. Amen. They’re thieves and robbers, because they’re using what isn’t even theirs’. Because, the Bible says, “You’re beggars.” A beggar needs grace. But, they don’t think they need grace, because they think they’ve got it made.

47. Notice, It says here, “They're blind.” This word in the Greek means, 'to envelop in a smoke of conceit, and headiness, and high-mindedness'. Which they are. Blind, enveloped in a smoke. In a fog…a mental fog, spiritual amnesia. When was the prophet ever wrong? Where did he get that term…spiritual amnesia? Do you think he knew that this word, ‘blind’, means being enveloped in a smoke? Now, you know in the spiritual, it’s not a smoke out there…it’s a mental smoke. Headiness, high-minded, Laodicean Church Age. Naked, the word means; ‘nude’. Shall we look at this again in the Book of Revelation 16: the word is also mentioned there.

(15) Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth

his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

The Bible says this will happen. Laodicean Church Age, will be naked. Why? Because the church has been stripped nude by this revelation the prophet brought, showing us the exact condition of this Age, it has been stripped nude, but it refused to go for the cover.

48. Notice also, in this same chapter, also in [Revelation 3:] verse 18 It says,

(18) I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, (Now notice, this is direct merchandizing with Christ.) gold tried in the fire, …

Yet, in verse 20, He says, “I am outside the church”.

Now, He said, “Come to Me, but, I’m outside of the church, yet, I’m on the earth”. Now, when did He get down to earth? Because He never said this before. See? Isn’t it strange He said, “I stand at the door, and knock.” [Rev 3:20] and He, Himself, is the door? Sure. When did this happen? In chapter 10: It says, "the Mighty Messenger came down out of heaven, as a Pillar of Fire, and brought His Word through the prophet." And I don’t have to go any further than that, because that’s on many, many tapes. Now, notice He said, “I want you to go to the market and buy.” He said, “I want you to buy.” That word in the Greek means; to go to the market to buy or redeem.

49. Now, in Revelation 13: 15-17, It says,

(15) And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that

the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many

as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

(16) And he (caused) all, both small and (free), rich and poor, free and

bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

(17) And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or

the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Now listen, It tells you right here, that those that don’t go to Him to buy, will end up buying here. Or at least it’s a tremendous danger…so, they’ll forfeit your life…that’s what’ll happen. Those that don’t buy, will forfeit their lives. You don’t buy now, if you don’t come to Christ now, (see?) to buy of Him, to receive what He’s got. Come out of your church, your dead denominations, your traditions and your dogmas. Which you can’t prove anyway, all you’ve got is you were just taught them. You say, “Bro. Vayle, you’re different.” Sure, I’m different, I had a vindicated man to teach me. So, I know I’m right. Where’s your vindication? A bunch of pastors were taught their old dead dogmas for years, and years? Why, it gets so bad, it’s even a national problem. If you have a certain nationality, you’ve got a certain church, that’ll do it. Show me that in the Bible. Why, you’ve got a Pentecostal Ukrainian. Does that make him, right?

50. You’ve got Pentecostal Bulgarians. Does that make him, right? Pentecostal Swedes, there’s a big bunch in America, they preach in Swedish. Does that make him, right? Italian Pentecostals, does that make him, right? Certainly not. That doesn’t mean a thing. You’re just as dead in your traditions as the next fellow. Because the Bible brands the Laodicean Church Age, as naked, and it doesn’t say that ‘honey dear, little sister, little brother, you’re different, I’m with you’. Prove it. Where’s your vindication, you’re right? You can’t even prove this morning by vindication, you had breakfast. It’s already plumb digested, it might be last nights for all I know. Not to be carnal, but, it shows you a point. You can’t prove anything. You’ve got to listen. You’ve got to shut up and listen.

Just like Paul said to the Corinthian church, lost in their sin and their gifts. He said, “If you’re spiritual, you’ll listen.” Where’s your proof?. Where’s your pastor’s proof? One little thing that happened maybe in your life gives a big mountain of proof? Why, I’ve had visions in technicolor, said many things that came to pass, and seen thousands healed. I don’t have that much vindication. Because I know people surpass mine a hundred different ways. And if I was challenged by a spiritist, I have no doubt that he could produce as much evidence as I do, except he’d get stuck on the name of Jesus Christ, if he went too far. But, I have no vindication, but there’s a vindicated man of this day,because Jesus said, that he was going to speak to His Church.

51. Now He said, “You go and buy of me, or, (He said), “You’ll be in danger of that next time.” He said, “Buy of Me gold.” What is gold? Peter said it’s the gold, the trial of your faith. What is the raiment? It is a dress to put on. And it’s either the outer or the inner. But, we know it’s the inner dress, because you see, their nakedness is caused by their blindness. Anointed, the word ‘anoint’ means; ‘to rub in’, or ‘to besmear’. Now, what are you to rub in? You’re to rub in the eye salve. (Now I’m going rapidly, you just have to get this on the tape, or, do your best to catch it.) Eye salve, listen to what eye salve is. It is a poultice made of broken crackers…which is broken bread. The Word has to be broken at the end time in a very special way. And brother/ sister, you’re to rub it in. Rub it in. Rub it in. Take time to see if it’s so. Take time to look it over. Take a hold of it, and see if it’s real. And It says, rub it in. Why? Because the Spirit of God cannot be loosed to reveal it to you unless, and until you rub it in.

The chronology of this Age, has been reversed. [Bro. Vayle whistles] Did you get that? I’m glad you said, “Amen”, even if you don’t understand it. Because, I’m going to explain it to you now. because you’re willing to listen, and believe. When the Holy Ghost fell, He brought the Word, as He gave It to Paul. And the Word then, went out revealed. Now, at this end time, remember it is the Word of God that brings the Holy Ghost. See? There’s a reversal, not really a switched chronology, but there’s a little difference here. See?

52. People say they’re trying to show you this. “Well, bless God, Bro. Vayle, I’ve got the Holy Ghost, and that takes care of it.” No. You get the Word. That’s the thing for this age. Get the Word. Then, the Spirit falls on the Word. Because there’s a former rain, and a latter rain. And the former rain is the teaching. And remember in the Hebrew, the word ‘teacher’ and ‘teaching’, is the same. So, you can’t have one without the other.

“Well Br. Vayle, I believe this teaching would be fine in our church, but we can’t talk about Bro. Branham.” Well, don’t bother talking as far as I’m concerned, because if your mouth gets dirty because of his name, I don’t know why you’re saying your own. Huh? Certainly. Says, rub in the Word until…the Spirit is loosed to reveal It. Because as Bro. Branham said so correctly, “The Spirit of God has been loosed for the first time in two thousand years. Because He’s been bound by creeds and dogmas.” You wouldn’t, and let the Holy Ghost have a chance to open His Word, because you already knew it by your creed and your dogma. See? Now, with the Word vindicated through the authenticated man, we know what It said. And we’re waiting for the full revelation. That’s putting on your garment…you see. Amen.

53. Well, just keep on moving here. Yes, this Laodicean condition, is the same as in John 9: Let’s go to the 9th chapter of John 1-7

(1) And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man (that) was blind from

his birth.

(2) And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

(3) Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents:

but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

(4) I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the

night cometh, when no man can work.

(5) As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

(6) When he had thus spoken, (notice he spoke first, and when he had spoken) he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

(7) And (then he) said, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, (notice now, the interpretation comes now here

Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

With the prophet of God did the same thing. He took the Word of God, and applied It to us. And when we went with that Word to the Holy Ghost, It came into open, because we accepted It, …the anointing, He came into open vision.

54. Now listen, what do you think of a man letting another fellow spit on the ground, …goes ph-toowey…then picks up the clay and puts it in his eyes? See? Oh, yeah, that vulgar person. Spitting…and then…why that’s not the way the Lord does it. The Lord would say, “My dear servant, you’ve been so sweet, and you cut your hair so pretty. And little…and so delightful, and you handsome, handsome gentleman, with your Edwardian clothes and this and that, your lovely haircut down to your shoulders. Now you would just be, eency-meency." Yeah. He spit on the ground and made soft mud, and…pfft…right in his eyeball. Now, He said, “Go on.” Eyes full of mud. You say, “Man, I can’t take that prophet’s Message, fills his eye with mud.” You're going to be surprised, just go to the Holy Ghost.

Just don’t be too ashamed and too eency-meency, to let Him apply. As they said over here, in the Ramada Inn. Is that, right…Ramada Inn? Down here in Phoenix. Which way is Phoenix? If you’re down here, up here in Phoenix, or up here or, down there. Listen, three hundred wanted to be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And what did your businessmen say? Huh? Full Gospel, so-called. “Bro. Branham might cause confusion if you did that.” No, they couldn’t take the mud. No, they couldn’t take the mud. No, no. Why? “Why gentlemen, we’re millionaires, and now God looked upon us people in we know we’ve got such great prestige, and such a lot of money, and all. Now, if we have these things, shouldn’t you come along, you poor bunch of dopes?” Pardon the expression, I’m going to stand on it. You, poor little two-bit people that don’t have a plug nickel, come on now, you ought to join us. Get into the swing of it. Why, we must be it. Must you?

Gain sayings of Korah? Women’s Missionary Society, Christian Businessmen Full Gospel, come on, I don’t care. They can do what they want, if it costs me my life, I’ll still do my best to stand up. And God give me grace to be a Polycarp, if I have to be. I’ll cut this thing to ribbons, any day of the week. Where do you find it in the Bible? You can’t find it, deceives the people. They come with their eyes blinded, but they don’t want the mud of the Word, do they? No. No, they couldn’t have that rubbed in. But, what does the Bible say?

55. Let me just give you a verse of two. Let’s read [John 9:] verses 39-41, over here.

(39) And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they

which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. (See?)

The mud blinded some of them, didn’t it? because they wouldn’t let it be applied.

(40) And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words,

and said unto him, Are we blind also?

(41) Jesus said unto them, If (you) were blind, (you) should have no sin:

but now (you) say, (You) see; therefore your sin remaineth.

It says over here in the Book of Revelation. And I’m going to hook it up with this, and then close. Because this to me is so important, and so enlightening. It to me, clinches the whole thing. It says here, [Revelation 3:]

(18) … anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.

But, the people say, “How can they say we don’t see, in this age?” Why they say, “We’ve got it all.” You don’t have to tell us…See, they’re saying, “Thou sayest, thou sayest, thou sayest.” See? They’re spiritually blind. They’re ignorant of the true God. Yet, they’re worshipping. They are the fall guys for the devil. They’re the chaff that’ll be burned up. But, they say, “We see.” And because they say, “We see,” their sin remaineth. That’s the only thing they’re judged for at the end time.

56. Just like in Jesus’ day on earth. Only one sin you’re judged for. Only one sin. You say, “Bro. Vayle, that guy lied.” I don’t care if he did lie. I do care, but another way I don’t care, that he did lie. Say, “This man committed adultery.” I don’t care if he committed adultery. Don’t you hold anything against that man in this age. There’s only one thing you can hold against him, what the Word of God holds against him, when he says, “I see.” That seals his doom. Because, he turned down Jesus for that day, and once more, he turns down the revealed Word, which is the appearance of Christ amongst the people…the revealed Word of God. And when he says, “I see,” when he’s blind, as the Bible says he’s blind, he sealed his own doom.

Now, Jesus says to the Church, “As many as I love.” That’s the Elect. Now, remember. We don’t love Him. You say, “Bro. Vayle, I wish I had a great love of God.” The Bible says, you haven’t got it. The Bible says, “The love of many will wax cold, because of the abounding iniquity.” All these things press on you, and you can’t understand it. They’re manifesting out here. They’re doing this, they’ve got the Holy Ghost. It’s the real Holy Ghost doing it, but they’re phoneys, and you know it. And you’re pressed down. You’re kind of out of shape. You don’t know where to turn. It’s a bad situation. But He said, “I love you, but, you don’t love Me like you ought to.”

57. Now He said, “I’m going to do something for you. I’m going to rebuke and chasten you.” “I’m going to call your bluff right now. (He said), where were you ever vindicated?” “How do you know I ever spoke to you?” Where’s your proof? You’re going to lay down what you held so dear? Well you say, “Son, you preached that thing for twenty years. Now, you’re going to turn around and tell the folk you were wrong?” “Whew, I can’t do that.” I sure can. And I’d even come back next week and tell you, that I made a mistake last week. I’m doing my best. Not being a hypocrite, because I was honest and sincere. But I tell you, if I find where I said something the prophet didn’t tell me, I'm going to come right back and change it. Come right back and change it, why? Because I know there’s where my life lies.

There’s a revelation comes. The minute I said, “Bro. Branham,” before God, I don’t understand that there’s going to be a Rapture before the Tribulation. Will you do me a favor?

He said, “What is it?”

I said, “Just tell me one thing…is it ‘Thus Saith the Lord’?”

He said, “It’s Thus Saith the Lord.”

I said, “That takes care of it.”

You say, “You’ve got to be a fool.” Well, I’m a fool, you’re looking at one. Have a good look. Sure, I’m not the only fruitcake that’s out of captivity. Don’t worry about it.

You say, “What did it do for you?”

It did everything, It opened my eyes. From then on, the Bible opened up. Now, I can see. But I see with the eyes of another. Certainly. Now, He said here, “I’m going to rebuke you. I’m going to chasten you. I’m going to make you pay a price. (He said), for what you did.”

58. Now He said, “There’s just one thing you can be zealous about from now on. Not winning the world for God…that’s great. Do everything you can to win souls.” But he said, “There’s a zeal that out strips it, and that’s …repent.” To humble ourselves and repent. Say, “My God, we were wrong. We talked about three gods, and there’s only one. We’ve talked about a Father and a Son, there’s only a Father, Who came as a Son, then came back as the Holy Ghost revealing His complete Word. My, I’ve endorsed women preachers I’ve had on my platform.” Repent. “I’ve sent my tithes over there, when it should’ve been here.” Repent. “I’ve written letters, they’re wrong.” Repent. Anything you’ve done contrary to that Word. Repent.

The Message is for today brother/sister, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” [Rev 3:20] If you hear the Voice of God, you’re going to hear It through the messenger. Because remember, that voice in the Church, went to the messengers. And in the Seventh Age, there is a prophet-messenger. And we’re not speaking of you here now in terms of reverence of William Branham, because God forbid, his name could’ve been ‘Joe Bush’. It could’ve been a ‘Henry Levinski’ for all I know. Good old Polish boy. Just because it’s Irish, and Branham is American, that doesn’t mean a thing. See? God could’ve raised up anybody. He could have raised you up, had that been His predestinated will.

And you would have had to have been heard. And like the prophet of God, …the real one… you wouldn’t have said, “You’ve got to hear me, because I’m me.” He made you to know, “I stand before you vindicated that He’s here.” Didn’t I tell you, “He is the prophet, and I’m just the sounding board, the reflector. Didn’t I…I never told you I was that prophet, He is the prophet. But, I’m merely the vessel of God revealing Himself through man’s flesh.” See?

59. In the end time brother/sister, just like in the first time, God sent a man who started it, God sends a man who finishes It, and restores It. What will God do for this Age? Well, we could talk about for hours there. He sent the prophet. What is it God with Your diagnosis now? What is it? Your condition. What is your prognosis? God knows us. What are You going to tell us to do? I said, “Hear the messenger.”

"Behold, I send you Elijah, the prophet. Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. " [ Mal 3:1] And he shall restore, all that the prophets said particularly with Samuel, to whom God revealed Himself by the Word. So that we today, as we look in the Word, can now behold His face. And go from glory to glory, until we say, “Oh, you Laodicean Age, if any age deserved to die, if any age deserved not to walk from mortality to immortality, if any age deserved to lose it, ee deserve, but, we know we’re those old beggars. Yes sir. God described me, when He said, “You think you’re rich.” Yeah. You think you’re rich. He described me when He said, “You think you can see.” Oh, I did too. I built up pretty good cases. But they were the wrong case, in the wrong thing. Double negative. See? Looking at ourselves now, a wretched, miserable, naked and blind. See? That’s us Lord. That’s us.

60. Don’t be afraid to take up those broken crackers. They might bother my eyeballs. Oh, it will. It will, but once it’s all over, it’s like a flax seed, it’ll get all the dirt out. you know, flax seed will take something out of your eye. You know? You say, “Bro. Vayle, I’ve got a bit of dust in there, some little steel. I put a bit of flax seed in there, will take it out?” Sure, drop it in. It envelops a little bit of steel, and takes it out. I say, “Let me drop that Word in this morning.” Drop it in. And you’ll come back. Amen, the Lord bless you. I’m not sorry I took all your time. Just sorry I didn’t do a better job. Let’s rise and be dismissed.

[audio breaks up] …called out by the Word, and, Lord, this morning, that’s all that we’re believing in, and holding to. Oh, Gracious, Eternal, Father God, may we now be held by the Word, that we have tried so hard to hold to. And unto Thee, we shall ascribe the honor and the glory, because You are worthy in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Why don’t you sing that song, ‘We’ll Walk in the Light’.