End Time Events (1766) (Mesa Az)

End Time Events

(Mesa Az)

Bro. Lee Vayle - December 11, 1966

[Main message begins on page 3]

The message tonight is one on the 'End Time Events'. It's a recapitulation, or you may say, well, you may say, you can just call it that, a re-study of what you already know, and yet maybe hope to add a few things that will be profitable to us. Profitable for us. It is interesting to come back this way, very pleasant to come back sometime. I use both of those words on purpose. Be pleasant and interesting. (See?) Because every time you go somewhere you meet new people, and what they say makes it interesting. And you know when you come back you talk some more, and it would be interesting some more. That's right, that's it, and then you have a good time indicates, so have a good time next time.

I never had it fail yet, only had one real bad time when I was preaching, I didn't want to go there. And the reason I didn't want to go there, because the pastor, or pastoress. And I have scruples against that. And everybody began saying to me, "Well, why don't you go anyway and give it a try." Well, "the wages of sin is death," [Romans 6:23]and I got clobbered. And I stayed three nights and I knew it was all over from what I taught, that she was one of those real hip preacheress’s, that liked to bang up time, and the blood and oil, and fire and thunder.

And I decided I’d preach the truth as Bro. Branham taught it, and that went over like a lead balloon. And the Lord showed me that she was going to send her husband to say certain things. I went up to my room, and I waited for him and he came right along.

And when I knew what was going to happen, I baited him, which may not have been too Christian like, but I think I find that in the prophets, and drew out of him everything. And so I departed and not maybe completely justified. Slightly horrified, but went down the road, then the Lord was good to me.

That's about the most memorable, maybe the only memorable time and it wasn't so good. Every other time it's been better then I deserved. Now, I had a really marvelous time. I always admired folks that got enough stamina to come and hear me preach. You see they keep coming back, and I think, then that crowd is going to make it. They might not have much discernment, but they sure got a lot of what it takes [Bro. Vayle chuckles] Going to come and listen to a fellow like me. So, I appreciate you coming, and you've been very faithful, and I really trust that the Lord will give unto you as Paul prayed, "the spirit of wisdom and revelation of Himself; that you may have truly experiential knowledge of what is it to understand by reality the hope of His calling. And also go beyond that, know that we're...that there must be something real about God's people in order that He said we're His Seed, we are His inheritance, and He's going to come back to be admired in His people. And then, that the exceeding and greatness of His power might be toward us." [Eph 1:]

I believe at that, actually sets the record clear. Many people want the power without the first two. We've got to be in His calling. And I don't believe that calling is simply election, I think that it is also in the fact that what we're called unto, "living epistles read and known of all men." And to see the dignity to of being a child of God, that we are literally the inheritance of the Lord. (See?)

And then I believe the next step without a doubt would be that God begins to manifest His power. There is a dignity in a Christian there seems to be missing today. I just somehow look around and if you review church history it seems that the people of yesteryear had this dignity. Christians were so dignified. I don't mean petrified, I mean dignified. There was something about them. It wasn't that they were pedantic, [too concerned] it's just that they were genuine. (See?) They were puritans without being prudes, there's a big difference. You know what I mean?

And there's a great difference in being courteous and being a stuffed shirt. Well, there are a lot of stuffed shirts today. But a courtesy kind of, has died. I don't know whether the men killed it, or the women killed it, I really don't know. Kind of reminds you of Bro. Branham when he put his hands around what he thought was a man, began talking very chummy. "I have you understand I'm a woman," she said. By looking at her cussing and smoking he wouldn't have noticed. Courtesy… Something to think about, isn't it? When was the last time you saw a man open the door for a woman? That is run around the car and all. That's kind of a thought you know. Not as much of a thought, but it's a thought. Where is gentility gone?

You know, Christianity is... if Christ does anything there's a refinement without being slop-ish. There's got to be. (See?) And the... you know I often say this, and it's so true, but it's so bad. Moses had forty years to mess around with. He had forty years to learn, and forty years to make good. Now, I’m in my first forty and twelve more and I'm still messing around. And I know I'm not going to last to a hundred and twenty to make good. I sure hope God does a short work someway, to teach me now and eternally. Because we need it, don't we?

There's been something about this last age that hasn't been good for us. I don't know, I don't know what it is. But you know, as long as God's dealing with us, there must be something that's going to come out. May God help us. (Uh?)

I read years ago a preacher, I forget who it was, it wasn't Henry Ward Beacher, it was somebody of greater stature. I think it was a Britisher, and way back in the old days, and this pastor such a gracious man of God, doffed his hat so nicely and his little son seeing his father do it, took off his little hat too, and a man that was kind of crude, laughed uproariously, and the preacher with tears in his eyes, besought him, he said, "Don’t do that I'm setting an example for my son that he may be a fine man."

You don't hear that anymore They're out there kidding, poking him in the teeth, and show him you’ve got something, bless God. Can't do it, learn a little karate, in the old chop. What in the world? What have we come to? Now, you know that's the truth. Now, I'm not scolding at the man, I'm just sort of mulling it over, up here. I talk a little bit this way trying to get me ready for the message, then too, maybe cut it down a little bit. I don’t what to preach too long on it. But something has departed this race.

Now, it may be that this is just what is coming on (you know) for the end time, just likely it is. Just likely, what it is. But, I say it you think about it and God dealing a bit with us, could be very wonderful. Perhaps there's something coming, a fine spirit. I believe God...if God dwelt in the flesh here, in other words, we could see Christ literally walking this earth, I believe He was a very refined man. I believe he was, there is a quality of gentleness about Him, (you know) there had to be. Not just compassion, as we understand it, but he'd be such a fine person. Not in the sense that that he'd be a pantywaist. No, I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about real character. (See?) A man that could pick up the heavy end of the log. (See?) A man that would carry the greatest weight of the burden. Man, who would be a real man, and yet something about him that wasn’t bruff. (See?)

I've read a little bit about his life according to the letters that is still extant in the Vatican in Constantinople, and they're there, and we've got copies. And it was said concerning him that he was a fine man. According to records he was over six feet weighed over two hundred pounds. Has chestnut brown hair, had a very quiet disposition, was not known to laugh, but wept often, that he was very much misunderstood. And the most devastating quality he had about him was, there wasn't anybody that asked him a question and when he answered it, there was nothing you could add to it. And that killed them, they hated it. You know that's the way it is in this Word, you can't add to It. It's a fine thing. And according to the record he was a real man. A fine man. He could fish, he could work. In many things, he could and would do, and yet so gentle and so loving. Hurt anybody no. Stand in the breach, and when it was justly right, he'd pick up a whip and lash out at the temple those who'd desecrate His Father's house.

See, a man that would refused to let anybody to stand in His way doing the will of God. But yet, a fine intelligent person. I'm not saying now that he was educated, because he wasn't. Education doesn't make intelligence. You're born with it, you haven't got it period, it's not something you learn. You have it, or you don't have it. (See?) But, we think about these things. We think about... what manner of man we ought to be of service. That's right.

Now, we're going to talk about the end time events, but before we do, let's pray a little bit.

Gracious Father, we thank You for thy Spirit Who has come to dwell within us, dishonorable though we were, and our minds foreign to Thy thoughts, O God, and our ways foreign to Thy ways. Yet, Lord, You in mercy called us by Your grace and in Your love You brought us to Yourself and placed us as sons. Redeemed us through Your Blood, and then set us in a place, Lord, in this world to show forth Thy glory.

We thank You for it, Lord, we admit tonight and confess that we have been very disappointing in places. But, Lord, we didn't mean it that way. And we know that with plenteous grace and mercy You've already forgiven us ere we ask. And have already, Lord, set up Your standard by the Holy Ghost and we may have strength to overcome the next time, and go from glory to glory by Your Spirit manifesting the Word. And we praise You for It, Lord, and we do love You. And thank You for Thyself and all that You mean to us, what You are in us, and are to us, and shall continue to be so.

Lord, we pray that every Word shall be Yours, my It be received with joy, may It be received permanently, may It be in good soil and bring forth what the Word was planted for. Now, we commend ourselves to You in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

1. I want to read tonight from the Book of Revelation was given to John by the Holy Ghost. In chapter 1 just a few verses, beginning at verse 9.

(9) I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

(10) I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

(11) Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

(12) And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;

(13) And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

(14) His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

(15) And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

(16) And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth In his strength.

(17) And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

(18) I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

(19) Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which (will) be hereafter;

(20) (And) the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

2. Now there are many people who believe that these seven churches because they were located in Asia Minor and had the seeds within them of what the various messages in the following two chapters spoke of, I say many people, (although not a vast number) still there are a number of people who believe that these churches were simply local churches, and do not refer to Church Ages. However, this is absolutely incongruous with the fact. Because John was told to write the things that were seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter.

And those things which John saw at that moment, and which were passing before him, and which were to come embraced the Ages up to the end of the thousand-year Millennium, when there shall be those things which pertain to the too far distant future for anyone to be too concerned about. So therefore, John was not sending a message to a purely local church. He was speaking to these churches which represent the Seven Church Ages. And each of these churches have within them the seed of the future Ages which would be.

3. And we also notice this is true, because referring to Church ages John saw Jesus Christ in the midst of the churches. And in His hands were the seven messengers. And there were no seven messengers in those Ages. There isn't any history, there is no Scripture whatsoever concerning it. And the messengers were not pastors. They were not elders, they were not prophets. They were men who were bringing messages, and the messages would have to be to the church. And there was one message at that day, which was the Message of Paul. For he said, "If any man shall say anything other than I say, let him be accursed." [Gal 1:8] Even an angel, or I myself come and change It, let me and that angel be accursed.

No, what it is, is the Seven Church Ages, which are the Ages of the Gentile church, even as Israel had its Seven Church Ages. And we know that Jesus Christ is in the midst of His Church, all through the Ages, which are represented by the seven golden candlesticks.

Now, these Church Ages you will notice as they start and they end. In other words, there is a start of the Age, and there is a finish of the Age. And the Scripture tells us that there is going to be a great apostasy which will come at the end of the Seventh Age. And It also tells us, that there is going to be a restoration of the church. Because God said, "I am going to restore."

4. Now, in other words, the two seeds which we saw planted, that which came at Pentecost when Jesus Christ's Spirit came back upon the true Seed of God, which is the beginning of the church. For the apostles and the prophets are the foundation of the church. In other words, those twelve charter members, of which actually Paul was one, are the original charter members, the foundation the church of Almighty God.

Now, on the other hand we see Spirit of antichrist enter in. And that spirit of antichrist, the white horse rider, going to the red rider, going to the black rider, going to the brindle of the last day, because it was all poured into one, would bring about the great apostasy. And we know, there is going to be a harvest. The children of God must be taken up to be with God, the tares must be bound and burned, but also must the chaff.

In other words, the residue of the church which brings forth the true Bride, the carrier, or the husk, or the chaff. That which is nominal Christianity, not truly born again, must also be dispensed with in that great and last day.

5. Now, these Church Ages have within them, (or, how will I put this,) these Church Ages, which are coming to a conclusion at this time are centered within a period of history known as the 'times of the Gentiles'. Now, let's go back and see that in the Book of, Luke 21:20-28

(20) And when (you) shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

(21) Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter there into.

(22) For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

(23) But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

(24) And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

(25) And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; (That represents mankind, more than does the actual physical features of water and the earth.)

(26) Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

(27) And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

(28) And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

6. Now, you will notice in here that Jesus mentions specifically that there is such a thing as a ‘times of the Gentiles’. And He mentions when those times are going to be ended. The actual fact of the matter is, the times of the Gentiles is a political period that started when Nebuchadnezzar carried away Israel into captivity. And Israel has not been truly autonomous nation until this time. Israel has tried her best, but she's always has been under the reigns of captivity. And she broke away for a while, she was immediately subjugated. And at no time could Israel ever come back to be a nation until this very period.

Now, you may not be aware of this, but this is an historical fact. That even as the crusaders attempted to win back Jerusalem and establish the Jews, and it couldn't be done. I think it was in the fifteenth or sixteenth Century that many people attempted to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. They had the money, they had the means to do it. And it so happened, that they couldn't do it, because God sent earthquakes, and balls of fire, rent the land, until the people fled in despair. It was absolutely impossible for Israel to be in the homeland until God's appointed time.

7. Now, He said, the Gentiles would lord it over Israel, and He also said that you don't need to look for the Second Coming of Christ, until Israel was back in the homeland as a nation. And Israel is back in the homeland, and she is a nation. She has her own armies, she has her own ships, has her own air force, her own stamps, her postal system, her judicial system, her legislative bodies, and she has a seat in the World Congress today. There is absolutely nothing which needs to be fulfilled concerning Israel. We know today that this part of world history has been filled.

The Israel, …the people are no longer trodden down. They are in the homeland. They are exactly where God has placed them politically. Now, we know how they got there, they got there by the wrath of man praising God. They got there by the Zionist movement. They got there by treachery and many contemptible things.

8. But, let's face it, as often as you hear about the terrible things that are being done to the Arabs over there. Remember, God gave the land to Israel, and He never took it back, it's theirs. Let an intruder, or an interloper come in for any set time. Let him come in and take over. His days are over, because God said so.

And remember, when God deals with the Jews, He deals as a nation, and He will not suffer any man. He usurped the authority He had placed in that land. The times of the Gentiles historically is over, because Israel is back in that homeland. Let's not mistake it, when He said, "When you see the fig tree, (the emblem of Israel) begin to stretch forth and show productivity, which it is now a producing nation. The desert, even the blossoming as a rose. They found oil where the Bible said it was. They found water where the Bible said it was. It is right back to biblical historical times in Israel, and God is finished with the Gentiles.

There never was a time like this before. I think it took place in either 1946, or '48, I never remember, I don't put it in my notes, because I forget to look it up when someplace else. But, it happened in '46, or '48. Israel became a nation.

9. Now, within this political era, there is another era which is called the fullness of the Gentiles. This is a spiritual Age, which takes in the Seven Church Ages, when God turned from Israel. Remember, though Peter opened the door, God had not turned from Israel to the Gentiles under Peter. It was under Paul, when Paul said, "Seeing you don't want the Word of God, you count yourself unworthy, lo, God turns to the Gentiles." [Acts 13:46b] And the Scripture says, "The Gentiles hearing It, they would glorify God, and took the Word of God." [Acts 13:48a]

Imagine, a Gentile taking the Word of God. They with their conglomeration of gods, and their understanding of theology which is so far from reality, and yet the people, the Gentiles were taking the Word of God. And Paul said, "Now, that you have left the Word of God, count yourselves unworthy, God has turned to the Gentiles." And there began the Gentile Church Age. Why? Because Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. He had the revelation for It. Peter never had it, you can say what you want.

All Peter had concerning a revelation was that God forced them against the wall, and made him open the door. Because the Scripture says, "When Peter and James, the rest got together and pressure was put upon Peter, because he wasn't acting like a Jew, but like a Gentile, they put pressure on him, and Peter back tracked. And Paul said, "Who did sin, you or God?" He said, "If I build a thing that God destroys, that proves that I'm a sinner, not God." Paul never would compromise, he was the apostle to the Gentiles. And the minute that Israel turned to that crucial point, there began the Seven Church Ages in perfection, and the times of the Gentiles came into being. I mean the fullness of the Gentiles came into being.

10. Now, if you want to know about this period, turn to the Book of Romans 11:13-15

(13) For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the (sent one to) the Gentiles, ...

Peter was not sent to the Gentiles, the Gentiles were sent to him. They wouldn`t mix with them. Nobody except Paul, he went.

(13) ...I magnify mine office: (Why? Because he is the original.)

(14) If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

Notice, he didn't say, "save many, (he said) save some." If I can even get one or two out of them.

(15) For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, ...

Now, read your Bibles, watch what I'm telling you. Not watch what I'm telling you, watch what I'm reading:

(15) For if the casting away of (Israel) be the reconciling of the (Gentile) world, what shall the receiving of (the Israelite) but life from the dead?

Now, you've heard It, but did you get It? You sure you got It? But I doubt if you did, I'm not scolding you, because unless God shows you, you're not going to get It. What is life from the dead? What's it called? Resurrection. What happens when God takes Israel back, what's going to happen tell me? Resurrection. Are they back in the homeland? Then what are you looking for? Tell me! Yeah, are you looking for Christ? True, but not really true. What are you looking for? Resurrection is around the corner, you know that? That's what It says, right here.

11. He's not talking about Israel being born again, only a 144,000 are going to be sealed. The rest die. He said, "When Israel is taken back, it's Resurrection time they're coming up. So, Israel is back in Palestine. Right? And what's the next step on the agenda? Resurrection. If the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy. If the root be holy, so, are the branches. What does that remind you of? Was Adam a true child of God? Was he? Then will every son of Adam be redeemed? Every son will be redeemed. Miss not one. "As in Adam they all died, in Christ they're all made alive." [1 Cor 15:22]

Remember, Adam was not cursed, and neither was Eve. She was put under the lordship of her husband, and the earth was cursed for his sake. No curse in Adam. Don’t believe that, because he wasn't. He was a son of God. (See?) Now, we've got the very same thing here all the way down in time.

12. And it's now Paul speaking here to the Israelites, if some of the branches be broken off, (why?) because God deals by election. He deals by nations, he deals by election within the nation. "Some of those branches broken off. (It's true.) And other branches were graft in. So, that they could partake of the fatness of the original. [Rom 11:17] "Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in." [Rom 11:18-19] (That's true.) "Because of unbelief they're broken off, (But they couldn't believe, they were blinded.) and thou standest by faith. (What is faith? It's perception. Faith is a revelation. They couldn't get a revelation, they were blinded.) Be not high-minded, but fear." [Rom11:20]

That's a good thought for this last day. "I sought the Lord, and I found Him." My, you're cleaver. I thought that He was doing the seeking.

"For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." [Rom 11:21-22]

Are they going to get cut off? You bet they're going to get cut off. And just as soon as God takes back Israel start looking for Resurrection. (See?) Behold they're there now. "And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graft in:" (They're calling on God right now, they've been turning to God. They've gone back to their homeland to worship God.) for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert gaffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be gaffed into their own olive tree?" [Rom 11:23-24]

13. He said, Paul said, he's just as plain as I'm telling you right now, Israel's got to go to back and God's going to raise up that nation. Not many. He's going to raise Him up. Paul said, I wish some of them would be saved." I wish I could deal with them. I wish they might be brought in and redeemed. But, he said, "They're not, but there's a day coming when they will." Now notice, he said: "For I would not, brethren, that you be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits; (now here's the mystery) that blindness in part is happened to Israel."

They're blinded. See? This is the mystery of the souls under the altar, the Fifth Seal. They're going to come up and get redeemed Second Resurrection. Why? Because God blinded them. He didn't cast away Israel. That is truly cast them away Israel and forget them. He said, "Can I ever forget you? Why I can no more forget you than a mother can forget her nursing child." He said, "Yes she can and will forget, but I'll never do it, you’re engraved upon the palms of My hands, you’re walled in, as soon as you’re born." Now, He said, [Romans 11:]

(25) ...lest (you) should be wise in your own conceits; ...

According to a lot of people they think they're going to bring in the Millennium. It says:

(25) ...blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

14. The word 'fullness' means 'completion'. And the minute the last Gentile is brought into the Gentile Bride, it's all over for the Gentiles. There won't be one more person brought in, Israel is in the homeland, our Church Age is finishing up, and it's all over its harvest time. The end of the Ages has come upon them. And that's exactly what the Scripture teaches.

So, you see this period of time called 'the fullness of the Gentile' the political order has running contrary with it, a spiritual era, which it the fullness of the Gentiles. God filling up the Gentile body. They will both run out, and the sign of the running out of both of them is that Israel is back in the homeland, resurrection is at hand. That means, the dead are going to come out of the graves, the Rapture is going to take place and that's it. For three and a half years, you’ll see tribulation upon the earth and the Son of Man shall reveal Himself. He'll be called the Son of David, reveal Himself to the 144,000. We'll talk about that later.

15. Now, at the time of the Seventh Church Age, or at this time right today God speaks concerning this church, (the Gentile church) and this church age. He does not speak concerning Israel, but He says that Elijah the prophet is going to come. Now, you're all acquainted with that in the Book Malachi 4:5-6, we'll go to It anyway, and read It, because I haven't memorized It, At least I don't think I have.

(5) Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

(6) And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

Now, you will notice right here that this is a prophecy concerning the literal Second Coming of Jesus Christ. But the fact of the matter is, a portion of this also obtains with the First Coming of Christ.

16. Because open the Book of Luke 1: and beginning at about verse 13, the Angel of the Lord appearing to Zacharias told him about this boy John who was going to be born, and He called him the Elijah for that day, and He used a portion of this Scripture.

(15) For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

(16) And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

(17) And he shall go before... (the Lord their God) ...

You can switch that pretty easy. You say, "Why, he's going to go before Jesus." It doesn't say that. It said, that this John is going to go before the Lord their God. See, the Jews couldn't take that, the Gentiles can't either, because they've got three gods. Now, make up your minds. Was Jesus Christ the Lord their God to the Jews, or wasn't He? If this is a Bible, and this doesn't make a mistake, then Jesus Christ is the one God, Lord God of Israel, or somebody boo-booed.

17. An angel of God came down and told Zacharias, "God, your God is going to come upon this earth. And here's a man that is going to forerun Him. Forerun God? Zacharias hadn't comprehended the virgin birth. But here's what he was told"

(17) And he shall go before (the Lord God of Israel) ... to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

Now, if you keep your thumb there and turn back to Malachi, you will find here that one part of that verse is left out. The last part of [Malachi 4:] verse 6, because it'll miss saying, that this One will turn, (in this portion of Luke) it's admitted, turning the hearts of the children back to the fathers. It's omitted.

18. Now, what about that part? Well let's find out. Who are the fathers? We go to the Book of Acts, because that's the place we're going to have to see the inception of the early church history. In the Book of Acts 2:37-39

(37) Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

(38) (And) Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and (you) shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

(39) For the promise is unto you, (Jews) and to your children, (Jews) and

to all that are afar off, (and who's the afar off, the Gentiles.) even as

many as the LORD our God shall call. (Both Jew and Gentile. See?)

Peter by the Holy Ghost was already embracing the Gentiles. Which He does of course again in chapter 11 of the Book of Acts. And in the Book of Acts 11:14-18 And Peter said:

(14) Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.

(15) And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.

(16) Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but (you) shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

How come Peter remembered that day when the Gentiles received the Spirit of God?

(17) Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

(18) (And) when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

19. Now, let's turn to the Book of 2 Peter 3:1-9 (and we'll just show you how all these go together)

(1) This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:

(2) That (you) may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior:

(3) Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days (that's the last days, the end of the ages, see, the end of the Gentile era) scoffers, walking after their own lusts,

(4) And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

Peter tells them who the fathers were. The fathers were the apostolic founders of the church. The original charter members. They're the fathers, and they were. And John the Baptist had something to do with it. He foreran Jesus Christ, and we know by reading the Bible, that the disciples of John in the majority turned to Jesus Christ, and Christ received apostles, (for His disciples) out of those that heard the Message of John.

20. Because John said, "There is One coming after me." And they received the revelation of the coming One. That's how there was the spirit of Elijah in John telling of the Coming One. And the same Spirit has to come back in a prophet in this last day, the same Spirit. And a Message would forerun the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. "Because, the hearts of the children will be turned back to the fathers." [Mal 4:6]

And there's only one group of people. In fact, there's only one Scripture I know of in the whole Bible, that speaks of a people prepared for the Lord, and that's in Romans 9: Paul speaking of the Elect children of God in the Gentile Age. The vessel prepared for it, turning the hearts of the children back to the fathers, in preparation for the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In other words, they're going back to reality, to know assuredly, the Word of God. In other words, Christ will be revealed in His people through the Word. Because the last day Message will be a revelation of the Word, because Jesus is the Word. And this will turn the hearts of the people back. "Because faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." [Rom10:17] Everything depends upon that Word. Certainly, It does, the worlds were made by the Word. The worlds are maintained by the Word. (See?) This Word of God is what we eat, our bread, and so on.

21. Now, chapter 10 of Revelation positively sets forth that a prophet will appear in the Seventh Age. Revelation 10:1-7

(1) And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, (not a messenger) clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

(2) And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

(3) And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

(4) And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

(5) And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

(6) And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, (that One) who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

That's literally, that time should no longer be delayed. In other words, it's run out.

(7) But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, (messenger added) when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

Now, you will notice in here that this is interpolated. The continuity of chapter 9, and chapter 11 is broken and this is stuck in. And that's why it is so hard to understand. Because the minute that you read verse 7, you think in terms of a trumpeting angel. But that's not so, because in [Revelation] 9:13-15 is the trumpeting angel number six.

(13) And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

(14) Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

(15) And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. (And so on.)

22. However, in [Revelation] 11:15

(15) And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, ...

You will notice that at each time a trumpet sounded, something was happening in Heaven. But this not what's happening down in verse 7. It says, "When this man begins to sound, which is to speak, or declare." (See?) When this man begins, I'm told that the Greek here is: "In the days of the voice of the seventh messenger, when he shall begin to declare, (see?) the mystery of God should be finished as God has declared to His servants the prophets." [Rev 10:7]

What's this man going to do? He's going to declare. But, It says here that somebody else, somebody else, has already been declaring. It says the prophet had been declared. (See?) He's going to declare what the prophets declared. Why? Because nobody today knows what the prophets did declare, or this is just a bunch of redundancy, forget it. They don't know what they declare. Why? Because they can't receive revelation. Why? Because this is the end age, where the Scripture says, "Come to me for gold, and for your garments." And It doesn’t say, "anoint your eyes" as though you've got the eye-salve. But He says three things, "Come to me for gold, and for raiment, and for eye-salve." [Rev 3:18] Then you can anoint your eyes, but there's nobody in this age with enough anointing to know anything about the things of God. Unless God deliberately raises up a man of the same stature and the same caliber that originally declared. He’s a prophet. (See?) And he's declaring what was declared. You follow me?

23. Now, hold steady. Now then, do you still believe that there's some believer you're going to give credit, so seven thunders are yet to come? Your prophet told you, the thunders already came in the Seventh Seal. He said, "It's going to come so simple, you're going to miss it." You'll find it on a tape, on a hot summer day, he preached it. I was challenged on that, because of the 'Twentieth Century Prophet'. And as Roy Borders were here, he would tell you that in Louisville, Mississippi, in the original notes of the Twentieth Century Prophet were the same thing that Dr. Bloomfield, believed, "There must come a man who will tell us what is missing in the Bible."

Bro. Branham said, "Lee, you've missed it." If the Word of God says, you can't add to the Book, or you can't take from It, then woe betide any man who says he's got something to tell us will add to this Book that’s missing. What it is, it’s already in there, but it's a mystery and that's exactly what verse number 7 says. What the prophets have already put in there and declared, this man will come and declare and cleaning up all the mysteries of God and he did it. And you hear him say exactly the same thing on a tape. Do you want to know who challenged me? I'll tell you, he didn’t mean to challenge me, he said, "Lee, I believe you're wrong." Bro. Richard Blair, was in two weeks Bro. Branham said the same thing I'm saying, he said, "Lee, I've got to apologize, you're right." (See?) He's declaring what the prophets have already declared.

24. Now, if he's declaring something that the prophets haven't already declared, then this has got to be put in here. He's not only declaring something what the prophet's said, he's going to declare it himself. And he didn't have a thing to say for himself. (See?) He did not. That's beside the point. That was just bringing out the fact that this is Bro. Branham is the messenger. But, we're talking about this messenger in the sense of forgetting who he was.

Look at what the Bible said he will be. He will be a prophet. It's got to be a prophet. Now, a prophet doesn’t only have the ability to foretell the future, but he is also a man who comes in order to reveal what's going on. (See?) In many instances you'll find in the life of the prophet, they were, A: they knew the condition, and God must send a man who knows the condition. (See?)

25. And again, you will find where Bro. Branham mentioned that it's not enough for God to use historians, because then you're looking back and you don't know where you are in the set up in which you are in. God has to have a prophet who can tell you just exactly where you are in the Church Ages. And He did too, in the Church Ages now.

Now, in this Age here, we understand that there is going to be a man coming. He's going to be the seventh messenger. That means that he comes in the Seventh Age. That means he comes at the Laodicean Age. That means he has everything to do with the winding up of the Age, because he's going to be declaring. And it's his declaration that precedes the Second Coming of Christ, preparing the people to receive Him. This man is a revealer. That's true, he's got to be a revealer.

26. Now, let's just find out. In the Book of Luke 17: we'll see the truth, this man is a revealer.

(22) And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when (you) shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, (didn't say, "You'd desire to see me,) you'll) desire to see one of the days, (you're not going to) see it.

(23) And they shall say to you, (go here, go) there: ...

Notice, not talking about days, He's talking about Himself. (See?) Those that are in the know, know that Christ is gone. But they'll desire to see one of His days. They won't be looking for Him, but there'll be people saying, "Now, start looking for Him." Said, "Don't do it,

(23) ... (don't) follow them... (leave them alone.)

(24) For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. (Now, He's going to be.)

(25) But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.

Now, notice verse 26

(26) And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

Now, He said here, the days are going to repeat. Didn't say He was going to come back, It says His days are going to repeat.

(27) They did eat, they drank, they married wives, were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.

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

(29) But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.

27. Now, Jesus said, "The times of the Gentiles would end in a time like this. (See?) The Gentile Age would be with destruction. Tremendous signs, tremendous powers, but the earth rocking and reeling, things would be going on of cataclysmic proportion. (See?) Then He says:

(30) Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

(31) In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.

(32) Remember Lot's wife.

(33) Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. (See?)

(34) I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one... taken, (one) ...left.

(35) Two women...grinding together; one...taken, (one) left.

(36) Two men...in the field; one taken, and ...(one) left.

(37) And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Where (ever) the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

The word there in the Greek is 'soma', means 'the healthy body'. These are clean eagles. There's two kinds of eagles, there's dirty eagles, and clean eagles. The clean eagle is the one that hits the water and renews his youth. The dirty eagle he doesn't do it. He doesn't hit the water ever, and gets all his old feathers knocked off. He's a vulture type. Bro. Branham called it a hawk over here. But if you go over to Palestine you'll find two kinds of eagles, one is a vulture eagle, one is a clean eagle. One is the one which gets his meat fresh, like an old carrion kind of eagle.

28. In Matthew 24: you'll find It says, "Where the carcass is, there the eagles are." [Mt 24:28] That word is 'toma', ptomaine poisoning. At the time where the World Ecumenical forces gathering over the dead meat, of; ‘our God is dead,’ ecumenicity. And all the foolish tripe they but in a magazine, there'll be a real people coming together on real bread. They'll be coming together. They'll be eating together, says they're going to gather. I don't believe that means Tucson or Jeffersonville.

Because It says when the day really comes there'll be one in the bed here, and one working the fields. So, there's two working in the fields, and two in bed. Therefore, just like Bro. Branham said, "Don't try to locate the thing, and draw yourself a circumference, just know there's a Rapture coming." And they'll come out of the graves and different places. They'll be taken different places in the world. But they're coming together. The body is coming together. (See?) Clean eagles, (right) they feed on the Word. It's the Word that does it.

29. That's what It says here, "In the day when the Son of man is revealed." [Lk 17:30] And He is revealed, and He is revealed. He has been revealed. He's been revealed in His Word, because the Book of Revelation has been a sealed Word Book, but now It's revealed. But, God is the Word. He is the Word! Christ is that Word! He's been revealed!

Now, the revelation as Bro. Branham spoke of in the Bride is coming, when that Word is revealed in her. In other words, "He's the living epistle read and known of men." [2 Corinthians 3:2] There's your intensive revival he spoke of. Not what the world calls revival. See, the world can't have revival. Revive means, 'to bring back to life what was once alive and died'. They've always have been dead. Because that kind of revival is vivify. Not revive, but vivify. [give live to] Our age is characterized by Paul. "Awake thou that sleepest, arise from amongst the dead, and Christ will give thee light." [Eph 5:14] Come out from amongst the dead. You're not dead, but sleeping. Get out of your denominations. Take your names off their books. Get it while the getting is good, Christ will be down. Right. (See?) It's the last thing, "There shall be light in the evening time." Isn't that right? Amen. See, it all fits in, just like hands in gloves.

30. Now, in this day there is going to be the days of the Son of man return. Now, why did He say, ‘days?’ It says, "Ministry is coming back, the Son of man. Not Himself coming back at this time, it's day. So therefore, God will have a prophet who are called 'son of man'. Like He called Ezekiel. And this prophet will do what Jesus did by the Holy Ghost. And you know exactly how they received Him in that day, He read their hearts.

Phillip said, "Thou are the Messiah." The woman at the well said, “You're the Messiah.” Their heats were prepared, of course by John the messenger, the little woman at the well of course, some thought they were. Then when Christ came and manifested Himself by the sign of Messiah, they positively said, "This is it." And they recognized. (See?) They have the same thing in this day. We had Christ same ministry back upon earth. We saw it in a man. Some were so confused they said he is God, they said he is Jesus Christ.

Now, if they tried to make John the Baptist Jesus Christ, how much more would they try to make this end time messenger Jesus Christ. But, he is not Jesus Christ. He is not the Son of God. He is a son of God. (See?) In him the Spirit of Christ came. And God had to use somebody to so what He said He would do, and He's done it. And He said He would do it in a Sodom condition.

31. Read the Book of Jasher, there are two books of Jasher. One's a phony and one's real, you can tell it. And the earmark of Sodom was, roving bands who hated people and destroyed them for nothing. Sodom condition. Listen, homosexuality is absolutely rampant today. Growing so fast. Give us another couple generations, and they'll all be homosexual, except a small minority. They admit it. They know what they said. "You call us the third sex. You call us queer. You be the queer ones, give us a few more years."

And the third thing was, believe it or not, they have the oral method of birth control. We think we're so scientific and smart, and gone ahead. They had years and hundreds and hundreds of years before we thought. There are three devastating ear marks they're right here today. The Sodom condition upon the land. The glorification of sex, until there's nothing but that. Give men another few years, and they'll be worse than they were at the time of Noah when God destroyed the earth out of pity, because they had let their bodies go down so far, and ravished themselves to death. Instead of letting themselves die in a quagmire until the last one breathing his last little gasp. He said, "I can't stand it, I’ll just blot them all out at one time." We've got the same condition right today.

You've got a condition the Bible says it was in Noah's day, there's going to be destruction upon the earth. This time it will not be by water, it's going to be by fire. That's what the Bible says. He's coming with flaming fire, taking judgment upon those that destroys the earth. The Bible says so, He's going to do it. (See?) Not flood, flood of fire you might say. Happy to be found burning up the chaff and so on.

32. Now, this condition has changed right today and there has to be a prophet in the last day who would positively be identified in the prophetic class and manifest a literal ministry of Jesus Christ upon the earth. What man that you know in history, could stand up and challenge the whole world that certain things should be done? There isn't any man in his right mind or any millions of men in their right minds would dare to make such a statement. Outside of being able to have by revelation exactly what Jesus Christ said, "What I see My Father do, that I do." [John 5:19b] And then the next step is, "What I hear Him say, that is what I say."

And they said, "We'll take the first part maybe, for the last part forget it." And they cut their throats, because this man was sent to tell exactly what prophet said, and nobody wanted to listen except a few.

33. Now, let's go back to the same chapter in the Book of Revelation, … "come down from Heaven, clothed with a cloud." Alright, "Behold, he cometh with a cloud," [Rev 1:7a] Who? Jesus. Who's the Messenger to the covenant? Jesus. Who's the Angel of God? Jesus. "And a rainbow upon His head." [Rev 1:10] Who's got the rainbow? It's around the Throne, nobody else. Who's on the Throne? Jesus. "His face was as the sun." [Rev 1:10] Who has the face of the sun? Jesus. "And his feet as pillars of fire." [Rev 1:7] Who is that, "trod in the furnace and his feet as burning brass?" [Rev 1:15] Jesus. "And He had in his hand a little book." Whose hand had the little book? Jesus. And he set his right foot upon the sea, and upon the earth." [Rev 10:2] Who was that? Jesus. That's what Stephan said. "Heaven is my throne, earth is my footstool." [Acts 7:49a] (See?)

"Feet upon land and sea." [Rev 10:2] "And he cried with a loud voice as when a lion roareth," [Rev 10:3a] Who's got the lions voice even though He's a lamb? Jesus. "And when he cried, seven thunders uttered." [Rev 10:4b] Is that according to the Bible? Absolutely, because His voice is the voice of thunder. "And the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not." [Rev 10:4] "This angel which I saw stand upon the sea and on the earth lifted up his hand to heaven." [Rev 10:5] "He sware by Him that liveth forever and ever, who created heaven and earth, and so on." [Rev 10:6a]

34. Now listen, nobody can swear by God, but God Himself. So, Who is It? This is God. This is God come down, not in the physical body of Jesus Christ, but by a special manifestation, the Pillar of Fire. How do I know? Because His feet were as pillars of fire, and this is the last stage of the statue which has the head of gold, the chest of silver, the belly of brass, the thighs of iron, to the legs and the toes of iron and clay. [Daniel 2:32-33]

We are in the Laodicean Age of the clay and the iron mingled, and therefore the Pillar of Fire must come into only come in the toe age. And the Pillar of Fire fell in 1933, on the Ohio River. As a little man was baptizing many, many converts to Christ. And five thousand people saw the whirling, screaming stars descend upon him. And he heard a Voice saying, "As John the Baptist was the forerunner of the First Coming of Christ, your Message, your declaration will forerun the Second Coming of Jesus Christ Himself. For He must literally come and appear in the heavens to meet with His Own, to whom he has already wedded and participate in the Great Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

35. So, you can see here this is already... this is for this Age. This Age didn't know it, but they should have been looking for a phenomenon. Now, many people were aware that Elijah, the prophet must return. Many, many people. I've heard people tell me, preachers, out of their own mouths, they heard them suddenly blurt out, "Elijah, the prophet." Bobby Woodward of course, was not in that category in that particular sense, but he's the one that Bro. Branham mentioned. This young preacher who when he wanted to go to Shreveport. And he went to a refrigerator door, and as he said, "I want to go and meet the prophet William Branham."

And a voice behind him said, "You mean Elijah the prophet?"

And he looked around to see who in the world said that.

Of course, that's contemporary. That many a man previous to Bro. Branham's ministry, or during it, not knowing it, has found themselves saying, "Elijah, must come."

But, there wasn't anybody who got enough of illumination in this Age to realize that God was going to literally come to this earth in special, spiritual, phenomena for this day. You say, "I don't understand." I don't understand myself, but I'll tell you one thing, when I can figure this out, (which I'm going to tell you about) when I understand it.

36. Here was God on the Throne. Right? Here was the Pillar of Fire over here above Moses. Here was a Spirit of God on Moses. God take the fear off of Moses and puts it seventy men. There is more Spirit left on Moses than the seventy, yet there's a ball of Fire enough something about God. Figure it out, who cares. I'm sure going to preach it.

Doesn't say He came off the Throne here. But is speaking what I believe is the Spirit of God manifesting and giving the revelation of Him Who is upon the Throne. And He's giving it to a prophet, and the prophet is declaring by the Pillar of Fire. Indicated, authenticated, vindicated so that no man can doubt, except they will doubt. This prophet will be the one who is in Luke 17: So, this is the Age with that man to come. And of course, we know who he was, and how he came. Now, when this man comes to forerun Jesus Christ, that means positively that he must be on the scene before the Resurrection of the righteous dead, and before the Rapture.

37. Now, what is the Second Coming of Christ, and how is It set forth? Well, we go to the Book of 1 Thessalonians 4:13, we'll read:

(13) But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that (you) sorrow not, even (them) which have no hope.

(14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

(15) For this we say...by the word of the Lord, (this is a genuine prophecy, 'Thus Saith the Lord') that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not (pre-waneial, means; ‘go before’) them which are asleep.

(16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

(17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

(18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Now, when Bro. Branham preached on the revelation of 'The Rapture' [12-04-65] in Yuma, (in your own State here) he brought us this which was; That the Lord Himself doing all these three things: number one: Descend with a Shout, the Voice of the archangel and the trump of God. And he declared by a revelation that the Shout was the Message of the end time given by the prophet of the end time, or the Elijah, to the Gentile church.

Now, we know it's Elijah, to the Gentile church, because he turns the hearts of the children back to the fathers to get them ready for the Supper. If this were Elijah, to the Jews, turning the hearts of the Jews back to their fathers, that's going back to the law. The law is finished. It's a Gentile prophet to a Gentile church. (See?) Now, he says, "That this is the Message."

38. Now, let us see if this is true. I looked the word up in my books by Dr. Vincent and by Dr. Vine. And you already know of course that you got a Greek student here, Bro. Dave Mamalis, and he looked it up in his Greek encyclopedia. And here is what Dr. Vincent said. He said:

"The word derived from the root word which is 'k-e-l-e-u-s-m-a ', meaning to put in motion by a word of command."

To put in motion by a word of command. (See?) Notice it: Time shall be no longer delayed from this moment on. Whatever has happened at this moment it'll never call a stone back, it's got to roll and roll, until that rock cut without hands smashes everything to smithereens. The rock has started to roll for the mountain. A word of command, starting something in motion.

Now, that's not only that, but let's go a little further. It's a cry of incitement, (now, those particular now) I'm talking now of time being no longer delayed. (See?) Whatever happens at that moment, Christ has got to come, you'll never stop it. Now,

"A cry of incitement, urging on. A call, a shout with assemble."

It is basically, primarily used as the shout of the coxswain who causes the rowers to row in time, so they get to where they're supposed to go. There will be no more effort lost, a maximum effort will bring them to their goals, because they have the efficiency of the man who knows what it's all about, or the one who can turn on the lights. It is never used of a loud scream. And when they shouted, Herod gave an oration, or they shouted before the walls of Jericho fell down.

39. Dr. Vine says this: "It is a call, a summon, a shout."

And he goes to the Septuagint, which is the Old Testament in Greek. Here's what the authorized version says: "And the locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands." [Prov 30:27] And here is what the Septuagint says: "At the locust at the word of command, march in ranks."

Bro. Branham’s vision, screaming to the Bride: "Get in step." To get her back in step.

Now, here is a beautiful thing of all, the thing which is the most thrilling, in a sense. I don't know if anything is more thrilling the first part, but listen to what Dr. Vine says:

"The shout here is not said to be the actual voice of the Lord."

No, it isn't, the prophet is using His Voice. But you see, he's declaring what the Pillar of Fire says. But the Lord is already descending…it's started. This thing that started can't be delayed. (See?) The Message has already come, and the messenger went. And he said he goes. We didn't believe, but he did. What is the next step? The next step is resurrection. Just as we said about Israel, they're back in the homeland. What are they looking for? Resurrection. Life from the dead. Now, the prophet said, "That the Voice of the archangel signifies the dead coming out of the grave." Why did he say that? Well, let's trace it through.

40. Let's go back to where the archangel has something to do with the dead person.

Jude 1:9 (a little tiny Book before Revelation,)

(9) Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, (and he) durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke (you.)

Michael the archangel went down to retrieve the body of Moses. And the devil said, "Hold it, you can't take him." The archangel stood right back, and he knew that he couldn't take him. Because you see, the devil has rights to that man's body. He couldn't touch it, so he said, "You're right Satan, I can't handle it. But seeing I've got a command, now God, see this fellow won't let me do it. You're going to have to back me up." And He backed up Michael, and He picked up the body.

41. Now, why is this so? Turn to the Book of 1 Corinthians 15:20-26 and we’ll find out,

(20) But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.

(21) For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

(22) ...as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

(23) (And by) every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits; after- ward they that are Christ's at his coming.

(24) Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.

(25) For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

(26) The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (Death was not destroyed.)

So therefore, the archangel could not take that body.

42. Now, if that isn't correct, let's turn to the Book of Hebrews and prove It out. Because every-thing has got to be a least the best we can do is to get at least two Scriptures. And in chapter 2 of the Book of Hebreews 2:14 , It says here:

(14) Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also...likewise took part of the same; that through death he might... (paralyze, not destroy.)

Oh, that's a terrible translation, because you think then right there, that the man that has... the one that has the power of death is destroyed. If that was the case, nobody could die anymore. He's paralyzed. In other words, he's brought to naught. Rotherham says, "paralysed," the other versions says, "bring…brought to nothing."

Or in other words, took away his complete sovereignty within the subject, within the matter. Paralyze him that has the power of death, that is the devil. That is the devil, (you see) the devil stung Christ, then Christ stung the devil. The devil's sting couldn't keep Christ down, but neither could Christ's sting keep the devil down. It was temporary. Why? Because people are dying right today, and after the Rapture they're still going to be dying.

Therefore, death is not destroyed, and the devil has the power of death, then you can see here how it is that Bro. Branham by the Holy Ghost knew, that the Voice of the archangel signifies the raising of the dead, even though Jesus Himself would do it.

43. Now, let's find out, let's go to Revelation 12: Because It's all here in the Word as I see it. Now, look at It, beginning at verse 7

(7) And there was war in heaven: (now, hold it, look at what we're talking about) Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought (against the) angels,

(8) (But he didn’t prevail) neither was their place found any more in heaven... (for the devil and his angels.)

(9) And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

He who had the power of death, cast right down)

(10) And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

(11) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

(12) Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. (But)woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that (his time is) short.

See, what's happened, he has been cast out of heaven preparatory for the Bride of Christ to be taken up where He was. Cast down on the earth. (See?)

44. Now, do you see the point? Here it is, that Satan has the power of death. (See?) So, the voice of the archangel, is God sending His mighty angels to bring the dead out of the earth. Now, they can't do that by themselves. Because the devil's got power, he said, "These are mine I can hold them." And God said, "Listen, you just think you can hold them, because I can do what I want, because I'm sovereign." And He actually brings the dead out of the earth. And they walk the earth.

How long are they going to walk the earth? I don't know, I don't believe it's going to be very long. I'm going to give you what I would call an educated guess as it were. Not that there was much education to it. Because the fact is, when Jesus came out of the tomb, the Bible says the graves were opened, and many of the dead that slept came out with Him. They had on their resurrection bodies, they did not go back to the grave. They are now with the Lord, and they without us, will not be made perfect. They had the Resurrection. (See?)

45. Now, here it is. The dead in Christ now also have their (you know) particular resurrection. They're going to come out of that grave, and when they do, like Jesus, see? When Mary said, "I want to touch you." He said, "Touch Me not, because I ascend to My Father." [Jn 20:17] Nobody had seen Jesus really, except one or two in that area.

Then He went up and somehow, He came down. But, it's in that period of the ten days before He went back to stay, that they saw the dead walking the streets. How whether they're going to walk the streets for ten days, don't ask me? I don't know. Could be twenty days. Could be one day. I haven't the least idea. What's going to happen? It appears to me by the Scripture I read however, that the devil will be here long enough to certainly cause a lot of trouble for the people that don’t want to be associated with...there'll be a real trial here upon earth. Because It said, "Woe to them, because He's come down." But, in that interim period, whatever takes place, I don't know. I haven't any idea. That I can honestly say, because I don't know, there's a revelation on it. But, they will be walking the earth.

46. Now, let's watch this thing. I want to say something here which isn't peculiar, yet may sound peculiar, and it's talking about this resurrection of the dead. Let me assure you, that it is really not resurrection, in the sense as we understand resurrection. Because the Word... because there is only one real Resurrection. That's what Daniel saw when the just and the unjust both come up which John called the Second Resurrection, which precedes the White Throne Judgment. You see? I'll prove it to you, if the Saint's Resurrection is coming up now, it's around the corner, is the First Resurrection, and the next one is a thousand years later, what was Christ's Resurrection? Zero, or minus one?

What was the Resurrection of the Old Testament Bride that came up? Minus two? Now, I'll show you exactly what It is by the Word of God. Let's turn to Philippians 3:10-1. Now, Paul says here…

(10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, (not the power of 'the Resurrection', but 'His Resurrection') and the fellow- ship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

(11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Now, you know that that can't be a real translation. A man comes along says, "Oh, if by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead." You don't have to try brother, you're going to make it whether you want to or not. There's going to be a lot of folk wish they weren’t there.

47. So, you know that's not what the Bible teaches. You know that's not what the original manuscript said, and that's exactly, they didn't say that. Because the original manuscript said, "That I might attain to the out-resurrection from amongst the dead." Not coming up with the dead, but coming out from amongst the dead. And it's not the Resurrection, it's His Resurrection, it's an out-Resurrection. See, it's out, out, out, not in. (See?) And this is exactly what happened. Because though Satan says, "You can't take it." Christ said, "I can and I will." And He takes them right out of the ground, and they walk on this earth for a while. I don't know, days I suppose. I understand Bro. Branham said the maximum is thirty days. I never heard him say, so I can't go by hearsay.

I have to watch what I say, because I realize he told me many things private too, and I'm not going to worry about anymore, forget it. If it's on a tape, we'll talk. If it's not on a tape, forget it. I won't try to convince you, you don't try to convince me. Stick with the tape. Right? Just find out what from God comes. Things I could say here, but I won't. I'm cutting my sermon short, just about over, on the very grounds from now on, I talk nothing about Millennium if I can help it. Because it's held in dispute. So, we let her go.

48. Private conversations don't mean a thing. It's what is on those tapes. And so, thirty days, not interested. I don’t know. I've got Bible to know that it is true, that they saw them walk the street within that ten-day period. And I know that, and if you doubt it, you go right back to your prophet. And he quotes, I believe the Psalms 24: when he said,

(9) Lift up your heads, ye gates; (and be ye lifted) lift up, ye everlasting doors; ..

(10) Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, ... (mighty in battle.)

He went down and despoiled Satan, and He took up those resurrected Saints with Him. And the only place the Resurrection took place at that time was Jerusalem, because it was the chosen people. That's why Abraham was buried was buried there. That's why Isaac was buried there. That's why Jacob said, "Take me back, don't leave me back, don't leave me in Egypt." And that's why Joseph being a prophet said take back my bones. They walked those streets. I don't know anything beyond it. But I know the same thing is going to happen right today. And I assure you by the Word of the Lord, that since the last are first and the first are last, the first one to come up in the last day, is William Branham out of his grave a leader of the Bride in this Age.

49. And if he's got a ministry then, I don't know about it. I have nothing to say. Because I don't any more than anybody else. But, if there is, that's alright by me. But I know one thing, He'll be the first one up of the seven angels, because God said the first is last, and the last is first.

He brought his Message, he was vindicated. What he said was absolutely true. And after the dead walked the earth for a little bit, they're brought out. And I don’t think anyone will see Him but the Elect. I doubt it, because the world did not see Jesus Christ. The Bible distinctly says so in the Book of Acts, He was not seen by anybody, but His own choice ...?...

And that Resurrection body, is a light body, because though you can see light, that light can't go through a wall. But His body went through a wall. Then what is the next thing? In very short order, there must positively come the trumpet blast. Which is what? The feast of the Trumpets, as it were, or the trumpet summoning to the feast of a great married Supper of the Lamb. Which will be in progress for three and a half years. While the retributive wrath of God in the Fifth and Sixth Seal falls upon the earth.

50. In that period of time, there will be religious entente informal alliance] which we're entering into now. And that religious entente will be of the Protestant, Catholic world. And they will embrace all the other religions, and they will also dominate the atheistic people, who do not believe in God. Why? Because the Communist can't and never will supply enough food to take care of their own people. Because the Communist system, as communal system, never has and never will supply food. Because the farmer's a funny fellow, you can't organize them.

And just what they're doing today, they're depending upon us to feed them. And if we wanted to destroy China, and destroy Russia, and Yugoslavia, all we've got to do, we better watch it before we destroy ourselves…stop sending them food. And brother/sister, let me tell you right now, if you haven't already heard it, we're in for it, the whole world. Because we don’t have anything left to send India. And India has a famine, and they will neither practice birth control, nor slaughter their cows, because they have ancestor worship, and transmigration souls, and reincarnation. And we haven't got enough to feed them, because we're to defeated, ourselves.

51. I believe tonight, and I’ll bet tonight, (and I'm not a betting man) that is you went and visited the granaries of America where they say there's food stored, you're going to find the bins are as dry as [Billie] Sol Estes [US conman] and that fellow they had the oil up in New York…so called, didn't have one ounce.

But, as long as there's a capitalistic system which we have and will have, we'll do our dead level best to produce food. And the Communists will have to play ball with the Western Bloc, that's religious. But, they hate the whore and they're waiting for the day to burn her flesh. And that day will come roughly three and a half years after the Bride is gone up. Because the devil who can't stand not to rule and take in everything. He will not tolerate those 144,000 Jewish seed. With the ministry that Moses and Elijah, they too, the real Moses and Elijah coming back upon the earth. They'll not stand it. The devil hates it, he can't take it. And he actually takes his token army and they march towards Jerusalem. The whole world as it were, going up, and as he does, I believe it’s at this time that Russia and the rest of them pulls the double cross. And the bombs fly, but Bro. Branham saw nothing but chaos.

And those bombs are flying, and all the world seems to be breaking into confrontation. Jesus Christ comes to redeem, take out 144,000. And they see Him and they scream, "Yes, that's our God, look there is a real God." Too fussy, they're not worrying about the Second Coming of the man, don’t worry, because the blaze of glory there. When He repels those armies by the sword of His Mouth, by the fire of destruction, they say, "That's our God, we waited for Him." And they see His hands, and they say, "Oh my, this is not what history said we'd hope." The Protestants didn’t know. Christians didn’t know it was God.

52. You see, the Bride's in the palace, typed by Joseph and his Gentile Bride, she's in the palace while Joseph made himself known to the brethren. She was up there, because he had gone to meet with them alone. She's in the place safely. And when they look at him and they're scared, he said, "Don't be afraid, (he said) you had to do it. You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." This is exactly how it happened. And they're redeemed.

My understanding, of this, because the Scripture says that they're eunuchs. They're virgins, not having defiled themselves with women according to the Word of God they are eunuchs, and they are the…they are the keepers of the Bridal chamber when the Lord honeymoons with His Bride.

Now, that's right in the...are either the 'The First Seal' [03-18-63] or in 'The Future Home of the Heavenly Bridegroom and the Earthly Bride' [08-02-64] I'll give you the exact manuscripts in my car. He called it, ‘honeymoon.’ A honeymoon period, that one thousand years, which will be minimal of one thousand years, exactly, or multiple, doesn't matter to me. In the Greek I understand it's millennia, but you can take it for one thousand, it doesn't matter. Bro. Bill types it as one day, one thousand years, that honeymoon period. Where the Bride and the Groom are together.

53. Now, what all entails and obtains I don't know from there on. Except at the end of that period whatever is taken off and taken up while the earth is completely renovated by the belching spewing forth of all the atoms and things breaking forth to purify and make the earth anew. Whatever is here will be taken up and held in mid-air, until that process is over. When that process is over, then final rest of New Jerusalem, the Eternal City prepared of God, will and must descend upon this earth and that takes care of the situation.

But, those things we can hold and just leave in the future, because nobody knows God did it until a revelation breaks through is exactly what things may happen. If God wants it to know, because the secret things belong to the Lord our God. But those things revealed, belong to us, and we have the revelation up to this point. And we know that we've already come to that first stage of Christ, literal descent to earth.

54. His might Spirit manifest, in revealing Word. To reveal Himself in us, that's got to come. Brother, the Message is gone forth. The revelation period is going on right now, and that's where the prophet warned, watch it, it's going to come so simple, it can be missed [snaps fingers] just like that. While men and woman were fussing and wondering, others were lying, sleeping, the Bride's walking. The dead must come up out of the ground, with glorified body. The others must be changed in her atoms.

The Scripture says, "In a moment." [1 Cor 15:52a] That's not time, that's in the atoms. We shall be changed in the atoms in a twinkling. How long they're here, we don't know. Nobody knows. But, the days, hours, or moments, nobody knows, at least we haven't been told. It could be for a while. They could go a few at a time, we don't know. All we know, is we'll be caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and they shall be with Him at the great Wedding Supper there.

55. We used to sing that old song years ago, 'Are You Ready'. I wonder tonight if we are ready? The Bible says, "He that is filthy is filthy still, he that is righteous is righteous still." [Rev 22:11b] But there's going to come a time when it's too late. The thing is already ready. A major method of being ready brother/sister, is by tribulation to possess our souls on the grounds of faith.

The race is closing, and the more a runner approaches the end of the race, the more nervous and tense he is. The more apt he is to make an error. We're closing our little race of the Gentile church. We're in a peculiar precarious spot. And if anything we need above else, it's to fortify ourselves by prayer and the Word of God. The Holy Spirit giving us inner revelation to calm us, to a place of peace not dormancy, to a place of peace. And in patience will be made perfect, because that's what the Bible says, "That you may be perfect wanting nothing. Today, we want, we want everything in this world for uniting time. We are lacking it, we are not united yet.

But, the Bible says, when you come patient, when you come to the place of patience you'll lack nothing, you'll be perfect in His eyes. We need to cease every type of agitation, deny ourselves the opportunity and the privilege of frustration, because we seem to like it. The influence of the age is rough ...?... But by the strength of Christ within us, to keep away from the situation that would take us away from the patience which comes through tribulation. (See?) Be sure that we be patient, possess our souls, because it'll soon be here and then it's going to be too late to do anything about the situation. How we need to seek God for revelation. Sure, keep on what we're doing, that's all.

56. But, I believe when Noah was building that ark and he kept testifying, and other things he had to do like various things incumbent upon him, but brother/sister he just kept his eye pealed for the fact that he was building toward and for. May we do the same thing, and be ready because as we have declared tonight on the authority of the Word of God, because it's God's Word. Time isn't being delayed, it's running out.

And the three last phases, one, has already passed into eternity, and the other two, [snaps fingers] would be just like... because what is a few days? Ten days on earth, thirty days, what's that? What are you doing in thirty days? Eating your supper, that's about all you're going to be doing. Could be all over, may God help us. Let's pray:

Gracious Eternal Father, we know, Lord, that this is the hour. We know it, yet we're some-thing like children, Lord, though we're told to be prepared for the final examinations in the beginning of June, there were many things to distract, there are many things to play. Oh, there were many opportunities to get perfectly ready, but so many other things had an appeal. And, Lord, in this day it seems and in final examination time, the end of the Age is coming. Though we have no right to use this as an excuse, we would not, we just know the influence of this age has not been heavenly, but it's in very, very hard.

Until looking at the church as a whole, we know, Lord, that she is without the white garment. She is naked, she is blind, she doesn't have eye-salve. She's wretched and poor, she doesn't know it, just thinks she’s got gold. Oh, she's got a lot of what the world's got, but she's got the same spirit of the world, and that's what's bad.

Lord, we're open tonight that You might rebuke us, oh Thou Sovereign God upon the Throne that You might do anything You want in the way of conditions and all, have Your way. But, to You, O Christ, within us we pray, and here's where we’re the saddest, we have dishonored Thee upon the throne of ours. Some perhaps moving against You, O Lord, when You're the rightful owner to us all, because You bought us, and we're not our own, we're bought with a price.

Forgive us tonight, and rebuke, Lord, where You need to, and where You must. Have Thine Own way, let it be God in us willing and God doing. Whatever is needed, Lord, to the bringing of Your people to a full realization, a full revelation by Thine Own Self, that we may come into the gates at uniting time. Help us tonight, Lord, to that end, every single person here.

We're are praying tonight that maybe someone with our heads bowed you don't even know if you're born again. You've never given your life to Christ. And yet the first part of His Coming is gone by. You've thought, well preacher, I'm just going to wait awhile. You might have waited too late already. But if tonight, God, would give you grace to repent. That Christ might come into your life, you still perhaps have got an opportunity, I don’t know. But, you're saying something that You've touched my heart and I really want God in my life. Put your hand up and we'll pray for you that's all I can do. I can't do it otherwise. I can't save, I can't even pray for you.

But, by our prayers together, perhaps two being agreed together, it might well be what's loosed on earth is loose in Heaven, what's bound on earth, is bound in Heaven. And you could well...enter into Eternal Life.

I have no promise, but God has. That's if any man hear My Voice and open the door, I'll come into him and sup with him, and him with Me. This might be your last opportunity, I don't know. And I wouldn't try to scare you, because scaring you isn't going to do the work, It's going to be God that does the work, that's got to be by His Holy Ghost. He might scare you, He might just love you in. Might now be any chosen, circumstance condition, or twinge of conscious. Might be just God speaking peace to you, I don't know. That you may say by uplifted hands, "Bro. Vayle, I like you and the folk to pray for me. I know that I'm not born again, but I want It." Anyone? I hope that this might be as Paul before Agrippa, that we're altogether like Paul.

God, You know every heart, know everybody’s prayer. Oh, that it might be said that we knew You, as You know us. That we might possess the Creator as thoroughly as Thou by possession, rightful possession by reason of creation, possess us. That it might be that, sure. But we know that it can be that sure, Lord, by everyone being full of the Holy Ghost. If it be such tonight, my God, may every vessel be filled... [tape ends]