The Parousia - Saskatchewan

So here's to me standing for prayer. God, Heavenly Father, again we come into thy presence through the Lord Jesus Christ, known as the Father of Blood. We have boldness to enter into thy very presence, not just secondary presence, not just some inner door which leads to other inner doors, hoping we might get there, but actually into the very presence of Almighty God now, which startles us, Lord, and causes fear to come upon our hearts. If we should say and do those things, Lord, which are not right. Help us, my God, to keep our constant mind of your presence, Lord, Your goodness and mercy to us, the grace you've given us. Respond to it with your eyes, Lord, and we will walk softly before you. Help us this morning, Lord Jesus, to know what is in your word. Some of the hard things, Lord, which have been said at the end time, difficult to understand to the people who do not let their minds go, but by simple faith, those who let their minds go, it is not difficult. So that each of you be with us now to help us. We listen to all truth and kindness. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. You may be seated.

Now. This last week we've been doing the best to minister along the lines which usually I normally feel are exclusive to the pastor. But because we're in a little bit of a camp meeting with many people with us, it's

wise to bring thoughts of grace and mercy and faith from the word of God, but this morning to deal in doctrine because that's essentially why I'm here. Now, the message this morning is one that... It's most unusual, one that the prophet taught, and it will require the letting of our thinking go. It is not difficult. It will not go over your heads if you're simple -minded enough to be simplistic in your faith to believe it. You know, many times I go to a place, and, well, I shouldn't say many times, but it has occurred. Especially in one place I went, and I gave a number of messages, and the people seemed quite happy. They were getting a picture of what I was saying. About four years later, I came back, and I was met in Jeffersonville, and they told me they were replaying my tapes, and for the first time they understood them. Well, that might sound flattering to those who wish to be highly praised for an academic approach, but to me it was very unflattering, because I like to believe that you are catching what I'm saying. So don't think it's going to go over your head now, because it simply will not, because this is what the prophet taught. It will not go over your heads. It will illuminate what he has already said from 1 Thessalonians 4, 13 to 18. And that's our subject this morning, 1 Thessalonians 4, 13 to 18, or the parousia. That's a Greek word which is used by many students. 1 Thessalonians 4, 13 to 18. But I would not have that you ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep. that you so are not even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so then also we sleep in Jesus, for God bringeth him. For this we send you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain under the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep, but go before them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend, member of the show, the voice of the archangel, the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. And we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with him in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. Now, let's read again verse 13. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not even as others which have no hope. Now, Paul is addressing the living concerning the dead, so we immediately see that the following verses will deal with the relationship of both the living and the dead Christians at Christ's return. That's number one. He's talking to the living concerning the dead. So therefore in verse 13 we find that what is to follow will deal with the relationship of the living and dead Christians at Christ's coming. Verse 14, For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. Now it says here, If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so also we believe, we know, that them which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. In other words, verse 14 is saying concerning the dead that the death and resurrection of Jesus demand a return to this earth of the sleeping saints where they will mingle with the living. That is what he tells you there. Going on to 15 to 17. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain under the coming of the Lord shall not go before them which are asleep.

Now,

these verses then describe how the living and the dead will be gathered to the wedding supper. It tells you that they will be brought forth by Jesus. They'll be on earth with the living. and then together they'll be caught up, the former dead going first, to meet the Lord in the air, and they will go to the wedding supper. So we learn here the time and condition of this great coming together, the gathering of the entire bride, that is set forth in these verses. Now first we want to examine the time when this is going to happen. Again reading in verse 15, For this we see unto you by the word of the Lord. that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord. Now that's the secret right there. It takes place at the coming of the Lord. The living at the last age will be heirs to 1 Corinthians 15, verses 51 to 54.

Paul tells us over here, Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. Now we saw that the dead are going to get a change. We were not told that the baby standing there, would get a change, but it tells you they do. In a moment, in the change of an eye, the last trump for the trumpet shall sound. That's the gospel trumpet, by the way, not the trump spoken of there in the other verse and also in Revelation. And the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall all be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruptibility and this mortal must put on immortality. So in this corruptibility shall I put on incorruptibility and this mortal shall I put on immortality. Then she brought to pass a saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. The dead fulfill Romans chapter 8, verse 11 and 23. If

the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, that's what he said over in that Thessalonians, see? He that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you. Verse 23. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first spirit, even we ourselves grow within ourselves, waiting for the adoption and the redemption of the body. The bodies are redeemed out of the dust, made immortal. Those that have not gone to the dust standing there will be made immortal. Now, but what does the word coming actually mean? That's what we're talking about, what takes place at the coming. What will take place at that coming? This is what we're talking about. By the coming of the Lord, he speaks to the living, he speaks concerning the dead, They're coming together. There'll be a rapture. There'll be a merry supper. The dead come out of the ground immortal. The living are changed. This is at his coming. But what does the word coming mean? Now, that's the point right there. It is from the Greek word parousia, which does not actually mean coming at all. It

is from the Greek word parousia, which does not actually mean coming at all. It comes from the Greek word paramai, which means to be present, not coming. But to be present as in Luke 13 and 1. Let us look at it. We're

present at that season. Some that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. Didn't say that people came there. Said they'd already come. They were present. We go to John chapter 11, verse 28.

And it says, And when she had so said, she went away and called Mary, her sister, secretly saying, The master is come. The Master is present in the actual rendition. He has already come and calleth for thee. Acts 10 is the best of all. Verse 33.

Immediately, therefore, I sent to thee, and thou hast well done that thou art come, that you are here, you are present. Now, therefore, are we all here present before God? Then God is present. Cornelius is present. He was there already. Peter came. Having arrived, he is present. God is there to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. This word means a being present with. Not the act of arriving, but a period of time more or less extended, a being with. It fixes the attention on the stay which follows the arrival. The person, of course, could not be present without having first come. Thus, it should never be used with the idea of the actual specific time of arrival concerning Jesus' return to earth. And that settles the question right there. But it certainly refers to a definite period when it is relative to his coming and is a part of his coming. We'll go to 2 Peter, the

first chapter, rather, verse

16.

And then he tells you the story of Matthew 17, 1 to 8 on the Mount of Transfiguration. I want to ask you a question. Did Jesus come upon the Mount of Transfiguration? No. He was already there. He never came. He was there. So he says, I'm telling you about that coming. I'm telling you of that presence.

Because he'd already come.

Thus we see in 1 Thessalonians 4 .15, and we might as well go back to it. We

send you by the word of the Lord. This is thus that the Lord were telling you something. That we which are alive and remain unto the presence, the time when he's present on earth, shall still not go before them which are asleep. And then it tells you what's going to happen. It'll

be a shout, a voice, a trumpet, the dead rising, out of the ground first, being with us, we're changed. Then we're caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we see in 1 Thessalonians 4, 15, an indefinite, I said an indefinite period of time, takes place and embraces the events of verses 16 and 17.

Voice, trumpet. Then

that this perusia of the Lord, or presence of the Lord, is a period with a beginning, a course or a chain of events, and a conclusion, which is the whole picture. It's beginning. is definitely 1 Thessalonians 4 .15, as you read. Its conclusion, I believe, from where I stand, is Revelation 19 .11 to Revelation 20 and verse 3. And

I saw heaven open, behold a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True. In her righteousness he does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head many crowns. He had name written that no man knew but himself. And he has clothed the vesture, dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him from white horses clothed in fine linen and white and clean. That's the saints of Brian. Out of his mouth goes a sharp sword. The way that he should smite the nations and rule them with a rod of iron. And he treadeth the winepress, the fearsome wrath of Almighty God. That's when you have the rod of iron also, the saints do. And up on his vesture and on his thigh in the unwritten kingdom of kings and lord of lords. And I saw an angel stand in the sun. He had a cradled -out voice saying to the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come, gather yourselves together and suffer the great God.

I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and the armies gathered together to make war against him, to stab him in the horse and against his army. The beast was taken with him to the false property without miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and him that worshipped him. These both were cast alive in the lake of fire, burning in brimstone. And then it was slain to the sword of him that sat upon the horse with the sword.

Now I see what starts by the actual presence of the Lord. And this our day will continue right through until he comes back. not only to meet the Lord, the people in the air, God incarnate in human flesh, but right down here on earth as David upon the throne and our Lord. Now, let's just stop a moment to reemphasize our understanding of the word parousia, which erroneously is called coming. And men in the caliber of Dr. Vine suggest that the word should never have been even translated. They suggest that it's such a peculiar word with its own definite meaning that it could be called parousia. with the actual Greek meaning outlined for us, so that we would instinctively or automatically know what is being spoken of. Now, it is not the event of arrival, the exact time the person came, but the person having come, that same person is remaining present for an extended period of time, perhaps not even leaving. Then how could anybody know the day or the hour he comes? You can't do it. Utterly impossible. Now, thus we note that the Lord, according to verse 15, has already arrived and is presently with the living even before one dead is raised physically to immortality. This peruse here, or being present with the living, is by the Lord himself descending, because that is what the scripture says. He actually comes down and is present. Now, please note, this is not Acts 2 and 4. where the Holy Ghost descends as a pillar of fire and indrows believers. It is not Matthew 28 and 20, where he says, Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. It is not the coming of the Holy Spirit to baptize individuals into the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is something other than that. And it must be a known, definite presence of which the saints are aware. That he is present with them by descent and staying with them was gathered from what we saw in Acts 10 .33. Let us look at it once more.

Immediately therefore I sent to thee, and thou hast well done that thou art come, that you are present. Cornelius might not have even seen him come. Some servant opened the door, entered him in, and so on. I don't say that's a record, but I'm just saying to let you know that Cornelius doesn't have to be aware that the man is there. or having come through the gate of the moment. But a servant could call him when Peter and the men are sitting within the house. And he could say, I'm glad to see you are here. He didn't say, I'm glad I saw you come. I'm glad to see you here. Because that is the thought. You are present. You are here. Now, therefore, we are all here present, and God is present. And notice the beautiful thought here, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. If you're not letting your mind go, you should have caught this. If you are letting your mind go, that this is exactly like William Branham giving us what God told him to give us. Now, let's go to 1 Corinthians 16, verse 17 to see the same thing. We're just checking these words out to show you that they run in continuity. They don't have hidden secret meanings. The meaning is the same. 17, verse 16, chapter. I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus. No, I am glad that they are present because it wasn't their coming. See, it's their presence they rejoice over, the fact that they are there. That is what we're looking at. We go also to 2 Corinthians, the seventh chapter, and there we read two verses, six and seven. Nevertheless, God, the comfort of those that are cast down, comforted by the coming of Titus. Not the coming, the presence. He's glad that he's there, see? And not by his presence or coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you. when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent, and so on. What I'm presenting here is absolutely foreign to all present -day teaching, and nowhere, as far as I know, in any extant book of theology or eschatology, it is not there. It is the revealed teaching of a vindicated prophet who said, and I'm paraphrasing, I'm not riding a midnight trail crying, he's coming, he's already come. who said in the rapture cake, quote verbatim, when you see God come from the heavens, stand before groups of men, stand there and declare himself just as he ever did. That's the truth. And this Bible opened. He said, that's the truth. And it's right here in the word of God that proclaims it. Let me quote to you further. And today he is standing amongst us in the person of the Holy Ghost, manifesting himself more and more, coming into his church. Making himself known. That's doing God a service. Two. The Son of Man has already come from glory.

Huh? And

is revealing himself for the past few years to his church in mercy. Showing them his great presence. Huh? He didn't know the first thing about a Greek word, a Greek duck, or a Greek horse, or the Trojan horse.

Doing the same things he did when he was here on earth. Revealing himself like he did to Abraham before the destruction. He has come down now. He has come down in mercy, revealing himself to the church. The next time he reveals himself, it will be judgment in the world on nations that forgot God. See, I told you when he closed up. That was said in 1958. Will the church go through the tribulation? Three. The headship is here. Amen. Christ, the risen Lord, is here in the same power of his resurrection that he ever was manifesting himself. Four. Now we know that Christ is here. Maybe you don't see him with your eyes, but through vision I tell you he is here. Souls in prison. Five. And when the seals are broken and the mystery is revealed, down comes the angel, the messenger, Christ, setting his foot in the land and sea with the rainbow over his head. Now remember, the seventh angel is on earth as the messenger at the time of his coming. Breach, 74. Six. The seventh seal brings him back to earth. Souls in prison. Seven. Because the seventh seal there was silence, no one knew that was the minute or hour that Christ would come. Huh? What did he say? I didn't even know he said this and I put that in my notes. He revealed it to us. First seal. Eight. After almost 2 ,000 years, God has visited us again, going beyond the camp. Nine. That brings the entire fullness of the Godhead bodily amongst us, among you. God's only provider for the worship. Ten. The Elijah of this day is the Lord Jesus Christ. He is to come according to Luke 17 and 30. He's the Son of Man that's to reveal himself among his people. Not a man God, but to come by a prophet, doing God's service. Eleven. The headstone coming into the body. That's... The Redeemer coming to take his own. He is here with us. Future home. Twelve. That life is present here tonight. That's right. The Holy Ghost is here. It's Christ in spirit form. His spirit, the anointing, is here. Leadership. Page 16.

Thirteen quotes I've given you. Fourteen. Two times seven. Fourteen quotes. No doubt there's others.

Now, we will take some of the other verses of Scripture that we have always used to express the sudden advent or coming of a person, and especially Jesus, but in the Greek. does not express it, for it is parousia, he already present having come. Let us look at the scripture, therefore, beginning in a beautiful scripture. Matthew 24 and 3. We're going to see something good here. As he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him proudly, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? What will be the sign of your coming into the world? What will be the sign of your presence? Jesus answered and said, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the one who was to be present.

But it's an entirely different light, doesn't it? It doesn't sound like the old Bible anymore. It's a new Bible. See? This never made sense before.

Couldn't. How's anyone going to say, I am the corporate God, the incarnated God? Well, they'd laugh you out of town. They always were coops, idiots, devil -possessed, God knows what. But if he's here, and

somebody said, I'm that one. Now notice, they could not say that until he was here. The genuine before the counterfeit. Always take place. What's going to be the sign when you're present with it? Like you said. Well, he said, I'll tell you frankly, that no man deceives because that's a very risky age. When that time when I'm here is going to be the most deadly age of all.

The most deceiving. And many will come in my name saying I am that anointed one. I am that present one. and shall deceive many. Now, let's notice here that this verse 3 is based upon verses 1 and 2. Jesus went out and deprived them of the temple. His disciples came to him for to show him the building temple, and Jesus said, See you these things? Verily I say, there'll not be one stone left here upon another shall not be thrown down. Now, you realize it takes a little while to throw things down and get things corrupted. So he's showing them here what happens by change of events. He's not talking of something that's instantaneous. He's actually talking of a period of time. How could you couple this with that which is instantaneous if you're going to have a progression of things going on of people saying, I am that one? You can tell right there this consumes a period of time. And it's the end time. And it can't take place until the real one is with us. So therefore, when you see a bunch of people rising up pointing to themselves, as revealing and manifesting him who is present with us. That's the time you know that he is present. See, that's the time, the only time it can come forward. Now, let's keep reading here. We read 4 and 5. Now let's take 23 to 28. Then if any man shall say, Lo, here is Christ, or lo, there believe it not. For there shall arise false Christ, even lying prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, inasmuch as they shall receive the very next. Now that's a period of time. Behold, I've told you before. Wherefore, if they shall send you, behold, he's in the desert. Go not forth. Behold, in the secret chamber is not. In the secret chamber is when three or more men come together and make a decision. Brother Banner said there'll never be by more than one man. It can't be. So it says all this here is going on. There'll be something going on to deceive. Great deception. And all but the very elect are going to miss it. Because they are going to attribute. To Christ, what should not be attributed. And they will attribute to others what should not be attributed, but should be attributed to Christ. Now see, go back in your minds with Brother Brown's ministry and see how that was completely fulfilled to the very letter. A prolonging of days. A period. Not signs pointing to his coming, but signs pointing to his presence having already arrived and amongst us. That's right. 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

23. But every man in his own order. Christ is the firstfruits. Afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. His coming.

That's the resurrection. Christ came out of the grave first. Now the other got to come out of the grave. Ask you a question. Jesus when the first half of the first resurrection took place. Right with him. Right? If

he's the same yesterday and forever. At the second half. Right with him.

That's the picture. Let your thinking go. Don't bother asking questions. Just believe it. After everybody makes mistakes on the subject, you always got to ask questions. I don't ask any questions. See, when I start reading, I read, I read, I read. And I go to my Bible. And I wait for something to happen. I start writing, writing, writing. I could no more preach this sermon without notes and nothing. I don't even know what it says. Except vaguely. Let your thinking go. We're not here to ask questions. We're here to believe what the prophet taught, what the word said. I've checked every scripture, every quote. We're taking it back and forth, right? And it can't be wrong. It's got to be right. So you've got to let your thinking go. If you're, how can it be? How do I, what do I care how it's going to be? As long as it is. I've got no problem. I've already told you, Rockefeller let me sign checks with poverty. I don't charge any money. I just sign checks.

No problem. He

is here with us and he will be here. This is part of his descent. Let's go now to 1 Thessalonians 2, 19

verse. What is our hope for joy? Or crown of rejoicing. Are not even ye. In the presence. Of our Lord Jesus Christ. That he's coming. The

same word. The presence. All

to see. Those come out of the grave with him. Is

doing all this. Concerning.

Changing the living. Wedding supper. Coming back. To reign upon earth. Now. No doubt about this being a continuing presence. Of the one who came. The one who is here now. And the same one which we'll see. that we will be in the bodily presence of the incarnate Almighty God. 1 Thessalonians 3 .13 To the end that he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. Now watch. To the end, if Paul prays for all grace and love to abound, to the end, that he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father. When? At the coming. of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. Now at that time the living are going to be established and unblameable with all the saints that have no problem because they're gone on at his presence. At his presence. Not coming, having come. In other words, there's going to be a people standing on earth here that are absolutely perfect in the sight of God. For as the prophet said, they without us cannot be made perfect. There's got to have something take place that brings us a perfection. And that perfection has got to be in his presence. It cannot come apart from his presence. You follow me? All right, listen. I read you 1 Thessalonians 3 .13. And see how Revelation 22 .10 -15 follows it. Unblameable at the time of his presence. Okay? Revelation 22. What? And he said to me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still. He that is filthy, filthy still. But he that is righteous, righteous still. He that is holy, holy still. And unblameable. At this time, when the book is opened to be sealed no more, and he alone opens the book. His presence does it. The book came. Down. 3

.13. Read again. To the end you can establish your hearts unblameable. In holiness. Before God. Even our Father. At the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. With all his saints. Now it's going to be too late up there to be established. You've got to get established down here. So it's not the presence up there. It's the presence down here. He's already here. Right? That's right. Truly right. No problem. Not at all. Now listen. That's what he said he wanted. Now could this be. This prayer. 1 Thessalonians 1 .13 actually reads 1 Corinthians 13 .9 and Ephesians 4 .13. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 13 .9 and hear what it says. Of

course, we read on. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part should be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, understood as a child, thought as a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things. What things? The speaking and the thinking. And you can only think, you can only speak as you think. So the major thing then is your thinking. And the angel of God said, your thoughts in heaven speak louder than your words. So therefore your thoughts are more important than your words. Huh? Okay. Remember at the end, time thinking is what? By the mind, right? All right, now we're going places. Now, now we see through glass darkly, then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know even as I am known. There's coming a confrontation when God reveals himself as thoroughly as we are revealed to God.

Huh?

Maybe it didn't even evaporate. But then I shall know even as also I am known. Well, you could say, brother, that could refer to the word. Fine and dandy. I'll take it the word. But he is the word.

Comes a full revelation. Right? Well, he said, I see through a glass donkey knowing part what is prophecy. And remember, at the end time, the book of Revelation opens and closes with the spirit of prophecy, which is the testimony to Jesus Christ. Right? Whether you see it or not, don't worry. I'm telling you the truth. I'll read it to you. I'm telling you. It opens and closes it. It actually does. That's the spirit of prophecy. Now, I said, could it be that 1 Thessalonians 3, 13 is 1 Corinthians 13, 9 to 12 plus Ephesians 4, verse

13. And henceforth, we'd be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by slight of men and cunning craftless, whereby they lay in wait to deceive, but speaking the truth in love, repping him in all things, which is the head even Christ. Listen, didn't I read you a quote on that?

From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted. But that which every joint supplies according to the effect you're working in the measureary part make an increase of the body identifying itself in love. Right? That's our day. See? What's going to do it? The presence. Nothing else could do it. Now, let's continue. 2 Thessalonians 2 and 8 And

shall the wicked be revealed whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of the mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. Now here is that shining one shining forth. The very one the revealed word that reveals the Antichrist. And our time at this hour is the very thing which will put the Antichrist out of the way. See? Second Thessalonians 2 and 9. Even him, whose coming is after working Satan, with power and signs and lying wonders. Now, we're looking at the coming of Satan. Is the coming of Satan just banging us all over? No. It's the presence of Satan that does this. You've got the presence of God first, followed by the presence of Satan. And neither one is right here. And though the devil incarnates himself, that is true. See? God does not incarnate himself at that very moment. Now, let's go to James, the fifth chapter.

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husband and wife waited for the precious fruit of the earth, have long patience for it, until he receive her in the land of rain. Now we are to wait for the presence of God, the presence of Jesus, and he will receive the early and the land of rain, and when he brings it together. Be also patient, establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. There's coming a time when he is going to receive the authority over the word. See, that's the former rain. and the latter rain.

It tells you right here, there's going to be a teaching, a rain, and there's going to be a harvest rain, which means there's going to be a restoring, there's going to be a gathering of the harvest. Does that take overnight? Is that an instant? No, that's a period of time. Who is doing it? Jesus is doing it. Why? Who's got it? He has got it. Notice it says, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth until he, Jesus, receive the former and the latter rain. He has got to do it. He has got to have it. And he will do it being here amongst us. But the prophet said. Okay. Let's go to 2 Peter, the third chapter. And I'm using just about every single verse in Scripture. It's in the Bible on this subject. Now, verse 4. It's saying, where is the promise he's coming? For since the Father fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation. Okay. Let's read 5 to 9. For this they willingly ignored of, that by the word of God, the heavens were of old, the earth standing out of the water, and in the water were by the world. that was then being overflowed as water perished but now the heavens and the earth which are now but the heavens and the earth which are now are the same word that kept the stone reserved in the fire against the day of judgment and a tradition of ungodly men but be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years a thousand years one day and the Lord is not slack concerning his thomas as some men count slackness but his long southern history not willing that you perish but all chum depends now there you are right there he's telling you right here that the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ It absolutely compares with what has taken place before, which is the process of time. It's the spirit of time. The earth was destroyed in the flood, not instantaneously. Noah preached for quite a long time. Then the flood changed. That was it. True. And remember, that same spirit was present there preaching to those souls condemned that never had a chance because they couldn't believe. Presence of Almighty God, the same one. Now let's go to 1 John 2 and 28. And

now little children abide in him. that when he shall appear, you may have confidence and not be ashamed before his coming. Now watch what it says here. He's talking about being in the wrong word, wrong anointing. Now

there isn't one of us at the end time who was not ashamed at the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ for everyone had to repent. That's what Brother Bannon put emphasis on, ashamed of him, especially this message. Now John brings it out right here. He said, little children, I want to warn you something right now. He said, there are strange things coming upon the earth, the major of which is a false doctrine. Now he said, you better watch what you're getting. Check. the Spirit by the Word on every occasion. People amongst us still at this hour do not understand that you do not check the Word by the Spirit, but you check the Spirit by the Word. See, if you get your wires crossed, you'll never make it. You'll be deceived every time. Now, he said, look, check that Spirit by the Word that you won't be ashamed when he appears on that day. You'll find one of us that didn't need correction, the prophet himself. There wasn't one that had to be ashamed. that could stand before God and say, Lord, I had the correct revelation. There wasn't one. And John was warning, you watch, that shame will come. See? A period of time. A period of checking. The whole thing, see? Now, with this understanding that 1 Thessalonians 4 .15 is an indefinite period of time rather than a momentary arrival, we can do verse 16. Let's take a look at verse 16. We'll go back to it. Because now we know what to look for. Something going on.

For the Lord himself shall descend. from heaven to the ship, with the voice of the archangel, with the trumpet of God, and then Christ will rise for it. Jesus will do three things in his descent. In other words, descending, he does three things. Actual descending. There will be a shout, which is a military command. There will be the voice of the chief messenger. There will be the trumpet of God. After the trumpet sounds, the resurrected ones will be smashed up into the air. Then the living ones will be caught up, that's the seventh church, eighth group, to meet them with clouds, in clouds, to go to the married supper. Now, by divine revelation, the prophet said that the shout was the message sent forth to get the bride ready. As John the Baptist forerun the first coming of Christ, so your message will forerun the second coming. Now notice, John was there when Jesus was there, and John revealed to him who was present but unknown amongst them. So it must be now. Face to the trumpets. And I checked my tape very, very thoroughly because this is not what the manuscript says. Now how it, what

the book says. Now how it says, he shall appear in the last days. To

bring the people back to the word.

Never mind your own thinking. You're stuck. This is why you say what the prophet said. This is why I am saying what the prophet said. And I'm breaking it down point by point as the prophet said to do it. And I'm not going to use a bunch of quotes that go against this.

Many people have run with what I'm teaching this morning and believe the resurrection is over the millennium, during the millennium now, because

they don't understand what I'm talking about.

Now, how it said he shall appear in the last days is to bring the people back to the word. That's Christ. The bride will know her husband, her mate, the revealed word.

Identification is now waiting.

Dynamics are released to the trumpet. How it said, the Holy Spirit, how God wanted it. He shall appear in the last days. Not instantaneous, days. is to bring the people back to the word. So the bride will know her husband, her mate, who is the redeemed word. That's the presence. Now

we see right here what the shout is. It is Christ, the anointed, living, word descended, declaring and vindicating himself and showing that he is that one, even Jesus' husband, even the Son of Man revealed, manifesting himself amongst us. That

means, now listen, that means it has got to be marriage supper time. For what is a bride and groom all about but marriage? Now, we know the rapture is going to bring the marriage. Marriage is up, right? Okay, truth. All the bride is not here. No, not on here. Now, listen carefully. She's got to be revealed to the living, right? Not the dead. The living. Because she's got to know her mate.

She's got to know who she's marrying. The

bride's not here. So

the next step has got to be a resurrection.

Thus, if the shout is the message or the gathering of those on earth, then the voice has to be heard. to be the resurrection. We're

not pulling this out of thin air now. We're getting out of Scripture. Because

that's what it says. You're here. The dead got to mingle with you. And

Paul said, by our gathering together, the message, so you'll be righteous and holy. The Antichrist doesn't deceive you in 2 Thessalonians. You're getting ready for Revelation 22.

They with us cannot be made perfect. That is the shout.

You couldn't get it any other way.

Then there's got to be, you're looking for the marriage. But the rest of the dead aren't here. Now they've got to come up. It's got to be the shout. The third thing's got to be attention. When Brother Branagh said that, our eyeballs spinned and our shirt went out. There's nothing to it. He didn't pull a cat out of it.

He always said, it's in there, it's in there, it's in there. Look in there, it is there.

I'm a Canadian by birth. Let me tell you something flat. I became a Yankee. Let me tell you something. I thought he was Canadian. He was conservative as Lee Vale, who became Yankee. Word

to the wise sufficient.

Anybody can talk, but only the prophet knew. And I know I shock folk when I say, I am not an authority. And I can prove I've only got one hope. And I take it back to the word. Now you do what you want. But I'm cautious. And

if I miss it being cautious.

Less trouble on the other side. Got to

be a resurrection. Thus if the shouts the message. The voice has to be the resurrection. And this is true. Because we go to John 11. 19 to 26. That's where the prophet took us. Follow right through. Say what the prophet said. Okay. 19 to 26. Jesus

came to Martha and Mary. To comfort them concerning their brother. And Martha as soon as she went. As she heard that Jesus was coming. Went to meet him, but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if I had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now, whatever you ask of God, God will give it to you. And Jesus said to her, thy brother shall rise again. Martha said, I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day. And Jesus said, I'm not talking about that. I am the resurrection of life. And he that believeth in me, Lazarus, though he believe in me, and you believe in me, let me tell you something, there's going to be a resurrection. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, Lazarus, yet shall he live. And I made a special promise to you. You're going to be standing right here while I make a resurrection. Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

38 to 44. Jesus, therefore, again, groaning in himself, comes to the grave. Now, that word groaning is actually, I wish I remembered the exact term, but it's a term of literal disgust. Almost anger at the people.

He's in a bad mood here.

Like the prophet Lashonel. A cave and a stone laid upon him. And Jesus said, take ye away the stone. Hold it, hold it, hold it. By this time, Lord, he sinks because he's been gone four days. He said, didn't I tell you that you'd see the glory of God if you believed? Aren't you a believer and isn't Lazarus a believer? Take that stone away. They took the stone where he was laying. He lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. I knew that thou hearest me always, but because of the people to which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. When he had said thus, he had thus spoken, he cried out in a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot, with grave clothes, and his face was bound to the napkin. And Jesus said, loose him. And let him go.

53. Jesus went and cried against the loud voice. He healed up the ghost. And behold, the veil of the temple was written between him from top to bottom. The earth did quake and the rocks rent. And the graves were opened. And many bodies which slept arose and came out of the graves after his resurrection. And went to the holy city and appeared unto many. Now, that voice on Calvary woke up the sleeping dead. For the bodies to come out in the resurrection. For Christ came out first. He

called those others out.

Jesus crying with a loud voice

to bring the bodies out of the grave. Okay? 1 Thessalonians 4, 14. Jesus

died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. Bring with whom? Bring with Jesus. First

of all, awakens the dead. For in the vision they said, he will come to you first, then you will go down to them. Old

Testament saints, they were awakened. So the shout will awaken the living. They'll be prepared. to be brought forth with Jesus, which they will, for he'll come to them in his physical body. God will bring them forth. But remember, when he consorts with them, and they come down to the atmosphere, or to some, you might call, some dimension out here. Call it whatever you want. Remember that he does not come down with them. He sends them in their theophonic bodies, which is really not a great term. It's a spiritual body. And they come down here without those physical bodies, and they'll be amongst us.

Yeah. Because they don't get their bodies instantaneously. They've got to come down. Those

bodies could leap out of the graves and meet them instantaneously. What if they didn't? One

place, Brother Branham said, Moses decayed. Another

place, he said, God preserved the body. I don't know which he did.

Wouldn't matter. Nothing to God performing a resurrection.

No problem at all. What if those dead walk among us? Not in glorified bodies, but in bodies which they went to, because you know, when we leave here, we're clothed upon by that which is eternal in heaven, which Brother Branham called a theophonic body. It's not theophonic, because theo means God, and peneir means to show forth. Paul called it a spirit body, but Brother Branham gave it the best name that would suit our intelligence. I don't think anybody could do any better. Now, what if they're down here walking amongst us? Brother Branham said they could hug you, you know, felt something, shake your hand, but they couldn't eat. Too

much about the subject, I just say I wonder, why am I saying this? Because look, I don't fight anybody. I

don't fight anybody who believes that Brother Ben is going to come back in the resurrection and have a minister or anything else. I won't do it. Because he's coming back. There's no doubt about it.

What if he came back and

they all had the non -resurrection body?

You see something? Such chaos on one side and such faith on the other. It would drive people almost insane.

I'm just saying from Scripture and what the prophet taught. Don't think you have the answers if you really don't. Just stand back and watch it. Just live a good Christian life. I'm not saying anybody's wrong. They can be 100 % right. They can be 100 % right. There's nothing to fight about. Just watch your spirits. Because this message was to bring us together, not scatter us. And if we're being scattered by this message, then it is not the message or it's the wrong spirit. You just keep yourselves in control. I'm branded as a kind of a fool because they want the middle of the road. But I do it with all my heart. Because if I don't know, I don't know. I

also know it was during the squeeze in the resurrection that the disciples hid and Jesus appeared. But

I can see gimmers of light. with your pastor, honey.

Honey, the rapture ain't done, took place yet. And Brother Branham said there's going to be people who are so sure they're going to make it, don't. And some that felt so bad because they felt so rotten they wouldn't make it. And they do make it. So when you think you know you're going to have to produce,

stick your neck out, it's going to get chopped off.

Anybody can do

the same prophecy with different things. Remember, Brother Branham gave the example. He said, any man draw a circle and draw me up. I'll just draw another circle. Right back in again. And he did it, and he meant it. You don't fuss at anybody and don't think you know everything, because you don't. Now, if you say, look, I believe it, but I don't understand it, that's wonderful. And nobody's going to say, well, look here what you're trying to convince me for. So

a little word to the wise. I don't have an ax to grind with anybody. Believe me, when I hear men bring doctrine on the scene, I love to listen, because it opens my eyes to things I have not, even by way of hearing, to what I've not been looking at. I enjoy it. I appreciate it. But

let's be very careful here, because... I don't think any of them have mentioned the fact you've got to come down and get your body. What if something took place in that period of time? Brother Bass had a minimum of 30 days. Where did he get it? I don't see any 30 days. I say, Daniel, you're 12. And I see a 75 there, too. What if that's 75 days the resurrection takes place?

In other words, I'm saying this. Look, don't guess. Don't guess. Don't presume. Watch. Look. Don't turn anybody aside. Just watch. And

don't fuss. The minute you fuss, so

if your doctrine's right, forget it. You're still messed up. So you want to bring us here. See now. Now listen. And our theophany has come down to us. Oh my.

The Bible is clear and unclear. But there's one place where you and I don't need to be unclear that's going to get us there. And that's seeing no more darkly him who is our bridegroom.

That's right. These other things are unclear. We look at them and we don't know. But the bride is to know her mate, the revealed word. That's the main thing for me. So whatever's going to come is going to come anyway. But if you and I aren't ready for it, if we don't get into that shout and pass the shout, so

keep your spirits, be gentle, be sweet and kind, because we just may have to sit a while. And then the prophet said, these things are revealed in the manifestation. What if you and I don't know until we get them out of the ground?

We might not see fear for any forms. Then again, we might. What's to stop us? What about that man get hit by the car out there in Tucson in the desert of Arizona? And Brother Vance said that was that. in the spirit world saw the very same thing and the car went bump and the body went bump. It would then happen five years ago.

They're trying to make you think. I don't have the answer. That doesn't mean somebody else hasn't got it. Sure, somebody has all the answers. Sure, praise God. I know God's got it.

But just, see, just walk. Jump the things. Just walk. Now, that Jesus himself does this, as the prophet said, that he's going to do this bringing forth the resurrection, is in Philippians 3, chapter 20, 21, as I look at it. For

our citizenship is in heaven. From whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile bodies. Now watch this. Our bodies have got to be changed before the rapture. Our

citizenship is in heaven from whence we look for Jesus to come on down and do it. Voice

done by Jesus. Who shall change our vile bodies, that they may be fashioned unto his glory. Notice it's fashioning. Fashioning. Fashioning. Now look. Fashioning.

Putting on. Putting on. Growing up into. Drawing closer. More and more. According. To the working. Whereby what working? You want the Word. All things made by the Word. Fashioned by the Word. Huh? Why do you have to have the shelf? Get your eyes on that shelf. Keep it there till God somehow works the next step out. I'm not afraid of any next step. That does not concern me. I got my lesson. Brother Bannon could not preach the trumpet because God said, that's none of your business. You're going to be gone.

But he saw a little few clues. Well, look down that road. Work forward. Look now. Some people got noses 18 miles long. Way to looking down the road. Brother

Bam on the 7th, he watched. Something couldn't get it.

Lots of things on the 7th he liked. Actually, right now, I stand a lot of things I preach. As far as I know, I'm right. But I always said, look, I'm no authority and I'm not. Look at what I'm saying. If you don't like it, praise God. Dismiss it. No problem. I'm happy. Yes, sir. Christ is going to do it. Then the trumpet blasts, they catch us all up and meet in the clouds and go to the marriage supper and then it's face to face physically. See? He physically does not come to us. We go to him. It

basically does not come to us. We go to him. Behold, the bridegroom's coming. Go and meet him, bridegroom. Bride, rather. Not go. Come out. No word in the Greek says go. No place. It says come. Come. What does he say? Go unto me, all ye that weary. Come unto me, all ye weary. Come out of her. Come out and meet him. One

of the monks has got something. That's why God sent a prophet. Get him up and give him something. Now listen. We go to him. He's coming, see, to his coming. Now, his coming, that which we were discussing, is not his physical resurrection form. No, sirree. Let us just see that. In 1 Thessalonians 4, 16 again. Now, let's watch this, because this is fantastic. Not because I'm saying it, because the prophet said it. Now, look at me. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout. Now, the Greek plainly states that the shout is not... said to be the voice of Jesus. It just says he descends with a shout.

And the word descends by the prophet. Heaven

knows. I don't know. I just quote it.

The voice is not said to be the voice of Jesus. Quote. Now, I want you to know this is sure, said Brother Vanham, that you that listen to this tape, you might have thought today that I was trying to say that about myself being I was passing or preaching this message. I have no more to do with this message than nothing. No more than just the voice on

the 18th. How are we going to know the voice? Thus said the Lord, when the man prophesies the thing and the thing comes to pass, then from now on, that's the man you listen to. That is God to you. When was Brother Branham God? When the word was veiled in him, but as soon as the word was unveiled, he was no more God. But he was only God to us. He wasn't God. The works were God.

Next, who could it be that has the voice of the chief messenger and raised the dead? Well, the prophet said, Jesus does all things. Let's just take a peek at John 5 .25. Trying

to hear somewhere? We're

trying to take it slow so you'll understand. It's easy on my throat. If I can slow down through sickness or anything else, it's better for all of us. But listen. Truly, truly, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. This took place, of course, in Matthew 27, which we read. And it is yet to take place in the last half of the first resurrection. And Fr. Bannum also said there are two halves. Now, we must note here that the dead hear the voice of the Son of God, not the voice of the Son of Man. We hear the voice of the Son of Man. The dead hear the voice of the Son of God. Now, that to me shows that the prophetic days of the voice of the prophet are over. The Son of Man has been revealed. But I'm not going to try to build a doctrine on it. It just appears to me that's the way it is. The last ones have come into Christ, which is true, or the dead cannot be raised. And Brother Bantam also said there'd be a time of training. He never rescinded the training of anybody. But since God does a short, quick work, I will say this. I've never seen anybody come to this message and live lives like the people that come to this message. Never has it been produced in other ages outside of age number one, I don't believe. Fantastic people, best of your young people. Now, I know of no statement of the prophet that defines this voice other than what he said in John 11 and after 27, so I can go no further. But we could look at James 5, 7 just a minute.

Now we know what that is, we read it. Be patient, ever brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husband, which is Jesus, waits for the precious fruit of the earth. He's got long patience for it, till Jesus receives the early night of rain. Now, here it is evident that Jesus himself, as the prophets said, brought the shout and former rain, or teaching rain, because Jesus is the husband, and he is to get the teaching rain during the time of the latter rain. Now, this is guaranteed to bring up the precious fruit of the earth, the bodies of dust that lay in the dusk, as the Bible says so. Then it says in verse 8 what we should watch out for. Be also patient. Establish your hearts. For the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Get your hearts ready, because when you're ready, that's when the voice can take place, the dead can come out of the ground. And notice in verse 9, it warns us, Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest you be condemned. The judges at the door, who's going to be in rapture or not? You and I don't settle it. I've been put out of the rapture so many times, it's very beautiful. The rapture this day is a revolving door, in, out, in, out, depending who's swinging the door.

I never had any man put me in. How can I get put out? Put anybody in. How can I put anybody in? It's hard to hold your spirit, brother, sister. But this to me is a far greater test whether you know the full word of God or not and can quote, quote, quote. You know something? I believe a lot of folk living today can outquote the prophets. Hey, brother, man, what did you say in tape so -and -so? Proof, sister. Well, I'll tell you. I told the prophets. I'm not trying to be sarcastic. It's just something for a thought. Well, it's not too hot. Look what God really said in there.

Thus, we're to watch verse 8. Be patient. Establish your hearts. How do you do it? By the show. Thus, the latter rain has already been waiting for the former rain. Brother Branham said that. The latter rain started in 1906. The latter rain is after I came in one. Back here, second to last book in the Bible. The Old Testament asks you to lower the rain in the time of latter rain. The Lord will send bright clouds. Why? Because the light's coming. And give showers of rain, which is the word of God, to everyone who grasps the field. All right? So, at the end time, the former rain lights with... It unites with the latter rain. So mechanics and dynamics come together. And this, in my mind, could be the third pull in the bride. And if there is a ministry symptomatic of signs and power, I believe that is the time it will be done according to spoken words, original seed. Because he said the bride would have the word. And that doesn't mean she simply got takes and things. It means she leaves that word abiding by faith in the word, the word abiding in her. When you receive the word, your flesh becomes the word in flesh. That's what we're talking about. See? Then certainly she will say only what God would have her say. And that thing would come to pass. So whatever ministry lies there, I believe that is that time. You say pre -resurrection, Brother Bales, post -resurrection. Could be both. I will not argue any side. I don't have the answer. Because Brother Brown said the fullness of the adoption comes in the resurrection. I don't know if he meant the manifestation preceded the... the raising of the body to immortality, or just what he was saying, I don't know. I can't say. I leave it there. Somebody else might be able to tell you. Praise God if they can. That's fine. I'm not an authority. Now, this then would be the perfection or finished work of Christ and the bride, so that the dead can come forth, for they without us cannot be made perfect. Some feel that since the word and the voice is in the bride, she'll bring about a resurrection. I have no word for that. In other words, go to the graveyard and say, come out. I have no word for it. I know the word in the bride will bring the resurrection on the grounds that the fruit is now available to come out. That much I do know. How it's going to be done, I cannot tell you. But we'll look at some scriptures some people think they have a little thought upon. Revelation 18, 20 to 24. Let's take a look at it.

Now it says, But I'm not going to read that part there. Except it says here in verse 23, Okay?

And then go on down. I don't have to read the rest of it. But Revelation 22 and 17. That's what we're looking at right here for just a second. And it says here, the spirit and the bride say come. Let him that thirsts say come. And let him that hears say come. Rather, he that thirsts come. And whosoever let him come and take the water like freely. They believe from this scripture here that the word of God is so in the bride that the shout could become the voice that actually they could cause the dead to come out of the grave. I will not argue that. I have an apologist idea. My thinking is no. It's a little different from that. But I'm just going to say people think that. But I know this one thing here, that Jesus is going to do it. Whether he does it in the spirit form he came to us in, whether he does it in the bride, how he does it is his business. He hasn't told me. I find no tape for it. If somebody does, that's fine. But I know there's going to be a resurrection when the standing bride is ready. Until she's ready, there will not be one. See? And I know that this is the ancient option. The move of the bride is on. I know these things, but I cannot describe it, nor will I be caught describing it. I know up to this point of Scripture, it's very clear to me. Point number two and three is not clear. If I must wait until the manifestation comes from my revelation, I will do it. If in the meantime God shows me something, I'll be glad to know. But at this point, I have nothing to tell you. Now, after that will come the wedding supper. And this takes place when the bride ascends and sees the bridegroom in his resurrection flesh, even as she is in her resurrection flesh. He is the Word. She is the Word in immortal flesh. And you have to have light seed to bring forth the word of God. So Christ now can have the marriage supper with his bride at that particular time. Now, this has to be so as you read it in Matthew 22, verses 8 to 14.

Now, we know what this says here. He said to his servants, the wedding is ready, but they which are bidden were not ready. Go therefore into the highways, many shall find that the marriage of the servants went and did so and so. And it says here the wedding was furnished with guests in verse 11. And when the king came in to see the guests. he saw there a man which had not a wedding garment on. And he said unto him, Friend, how comest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, cast out of darkness, leaving nationality, for many are called, and three are chosen. That's a great tribulation. Now, what's happening? In meetings just like this, where Brother Branagh said, The word of God is preached, the unadulterated word, many will come in, but they will not literally put on the wedding robe of the word. They won't do it. Then at the last time on earth when the people are all together here, God is going to have to separate. And it's at that time, because remember, this is preparatory for the wedding supper. It's part of the wedding. And the king is inspecting the people. And he said, you cannot be in it. You cannot be in it. That's what Brother Brandon said. The showdown is Mount Zion. Many people believe it, see. Wrong motive. Not really taking it. Brother Brandon said, every place, believers, unbelievers, make believers. So there's always those who say, I believe, but they're not dedicated to it. They're not dedicated. You've got to be dedicated, brothers and sisters. That's the first step. It starts with the prophet, with thus saith the Lord, the William Branham. If you don't see thus saith the Lord, you do not see this message. To my heart's cry, I have seen people I've known for years have no more understanding of thus saith the Lord than nothing. It's not a final court of peace for them. Oh, no. You've got men right now running clean around this world that Brother Branham said they'll turn nations upside down even. Outside this message. How gullible are you, my people? How gullible? Are you in this word?

Can you hold your spirit? We're going to the test, my brethren, I said to you. The judge at the door is already here separating the body. I'm not saying this with legal things. I'm telling you what the word says. He's right here. And he said they go to tribulation. Enter tribulation and they go to the lake of fire. Brother Branham, put this in your speech. But now we can be righteous and perfect with him. Not of ourselves, my friends, but by seeing.

Listen. Here we are. Many are called and few are chosen. Of course, you know what the wedding garment is? It is 1 Corinthians 15, putting on the inner garment. Remember, Brother Branham took that sword and he screened a prophecy. He said, the sword of the king. He said, bring on his holy vesture with the holy word of God standing by. How could a man say that except in prophecy? Sword and dress. You don't dress with a sword. You knight with a sword. But it wasn't even that. He thought it was some knighting. But it wasn't knighting. It was the dressing of a bride. The

holy word cuts away all the creeds and all the slash, slash, slash creeds and all this.

Misunderstanding. Even misunderstanding puts us out. Get the brick on it.

Misunderstanding even. Not disobedience willful, but misunderstanding. How can there be misunderstanding with lust of the Lord? Come on, tell me.

With his presence here and he revealed himself. Misunderstanding is willful disobedience, as Hebrews says. What is left but judgment. Hebrews 6 and so on. See? All right. Now, for a moment.

That's the wrong word. For a while. We're going to consider what we call his coming or actual Matthew

16, 28.

here there shall be some standing here which shall not be changed to death till they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom. Now that's the actual fact what he's going to be like when he takes power in earth glorified and all. See? He was transfigured he was glorified. Now remember Peter's song in his coming the present denoting he would see without dying the actual figure was going to take place. Glorified immortality. There it is. Pardon me. With that let's go to 24 Matthew 30. Then shall appear the Son, the Son of Man, in heaven. Not on earth, in heaven. All the tribes of the earth mourn, and they'll see the Son of Man coming, what? In clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. Okay? 25, 27. I ought to put my money to exchanges. Then am I coming? I shall receive my own usury.

That can be useful in the future. 26 and 64. You got the same idea again? Jesus

said, Thou hast

said, Nevertheless, I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in clouds of heaven. Notice how these verses line up. clouds of heaven, clouds of glory, coming, you know, with his people, that he can reward them and so on. Okay? Let's go again to Mark, the 13th chapter. Doing

this quickly. 24 to 27. But after those days, the day of tribulation, the sun will be dark and the moon beyond give light, the stars of heaven fall, the powers be shaken, then shall see the Son of Man coming, where? In clouds, with power and great glory. See? That's it. Incarnate one. That's different. Okay? 14 and 62. And Jesus said, I am, And you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and coming in clouds of heaven.

That's another. See? When he comes back, taking authority. Luke 21 and 27. Notice every single time. Power, clouds of glory, so on, so on.

Clouds of glory, white horses.

27. And it says, They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with power and great glory. All the same. That's that one, you see. Different. Now, we can see that that does not take place until the end of the tribulation as we have already noted. See? As we saw in Revelation 19, 11 and 26. Then the saints come back with him. dressed in robes of white, to take over. Now, I wanted to bring this message to make you aware, once more, what the prophet said. People are all mixed up over the appearing and coming. The fundamentalists say the appearing is the rapture and the coming is after the tribulation. That is not so. The appearing is on earth and precedes the rapture. And he has already appeared amongst us. And that appearing was his revelation of the word bridegroom to a word bride. Here it is exactly as we've already noted. Luke 17. 26 to 30. Now let's take a look at it. And read it this time with greater insight than ever. As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it also be in the days of the Son of Man. They ate, they drank, they married wives, gave in marriage until the day no end of the ark. The flood came and destroyed them all until the process of time. Likewise also it was in the days of Lot. They were buying, they were selling, they were drinking, they were doing everything, building and planting. Process of time. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and rain from heaven and destroyed them all. Thus even it shall be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed, a process of time which will wind up in what? The great tribulation and final destruction.

See? Look how your words are perfect. Okay. Colossians, the third chapter. When

Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory. When Christ, who,

when he shall appear, his presence is here upon earth. That is the time when we know positively the resurrection is at hand. immortality sets in and the rapture takes place, the wedding supper, the great tribulation, the coming back to earth. And brother, sister, the Son of Man has been revealed and absolutely proven. I know that's true. I never intended to include it. Let's go back to Acts, the third chapter. I've given you this so many, many times that if I didn't hear yours until you just can't stand it maybe, I don't mind. For it says right here in the 19th verse, the middle one, times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. A revival is going to break forth from that which is visible to the eye, the part you can see God. And Jesus said in John 15, 24, He said, If I had not done the works which none other man did, they had not sinned, but now they have both seen and hated both me and my father. What was it? The work which no other man could do. The words which nobody could speak and come to pass but God. And when that takes place, that is the presence of God. That is God manifested. That is the Son of Man revealed on earth in his ministry. But not until the Word comes is he fully revealed. You see, the ministry is the honey or the flower, the color of the flower, or the scent that attracts the bee. The Word is the honey and the flower. See? The Word is the honey and the rock. The rock which is so impregnable, you can't tell it. Well, what man has a William Branham has? Right today, they'll tell you what man had what wasn't granted. Oh, you see, he's spoiled. He got so big, he thought he was going to die. Well, Elijah's got to come. Well, find your Elijah, hotshot.

Some Gordon and India or Duplessis. Offers the Bible school. Bring him out. Trot him out. Let's see.

I'd like to see it. Y 'all tell me. They're like the Pharisees. Jesus said they knew Jesus was coming according to Scripture, but their understanding of Scripture was not the way Scripture was to be understood. Nothing against the guy, but here it is. It says right here he's going to be revealed. And the ministry is to attract your attention until the word comes. And that word is your mate. And if you say yes, yes, yes, you're going into the marriage ceremony of uniting time because you're coming under the authority of the word. You don't have the wedding supper until you're married.

It's the marriage supper. They

had to sit here getting married. They're waiting for the wedding supper and the caterer couldn't come and they couldn't go to the wedding supper. They're already married and pretty soon a flood comes and oh my, they can't get out of the building. The crowd can't get out of the building. And pretty, they say, we're pretty hungry, pretty thirsty. Well, that's all right. It'll be over after a while, maybe five days from then. Everybody's pretty looking pretty gone. You say, well, you can come on now. What's the difference? You done gotten married. You weren't even ready for any service. No problem. Okay, 1 John. Well, we read that. 2 and 28, we showed you that. Let's go to 1 Peter 5 and 4. Some of these I'm showing you again. Here, just take them back. Looking at them. 1 Peter 5 and 4. Listen. And when the chief shepherd shall appear, he shall receive a crown of glory that they did not await. But he's got to appear. The chief shepherd must come amongst us. See? And he does. And he did. Do you realize I never did finish that series here last year in Melchizedek. So I never did get to show you number four. And of course I preach a separate message on Melchizedek. But do you realize that Brother Brannon quit preaching the Hebrew series on chapter seven because Melchizedek runs out? There's no point in going any further. It's the age of strong meat that Melchizedek can appear amongst us and reveal. This is the age of strong meat. And who is Melchizedek? He is the one who breached the bread and the wine after the heat of the battle. He is the ascended, risen Jesus Christ, the high priest. He is the one that died and rose as the executive of his own will to serve him again. And he came down and proved it. He said, here I am. He revealed it. He took the word and threw it open before it. Brother Sitchin, anybody who wants anything else, be my guest. Hop to it. I'm satisfied. I'm content right now with whatever God wants you to do. If you want future ministries, hallelujah. I don't mind. If he doesn't want any ministries, hallelujah. I still don't mind. Whoever God wants, I want. Hopefully, because he's God. He's going to get it anyway. He's trying to tell God what to do. Figure things out. Okay. 1 John 2 and 28, read a little while ago. Take a look again. Just look at ourselves here. And it says, Now there are children to bind him, that when he shall appear, you may have confidence. I'm going to tell you something. I'm getting more and more convinced about this message all the time. Sure. And this is the time you have got to have your confidence right now in the appearing, because this is a full assurance of faith in Abraham's day. This is the wind -up. If you can't, you and I don't have full assurance of faith now. You've got to keep looking down the road. I'm not saying something's not coming down the road, but you better be happy with what you've got now.

I'd like to see a brick building that's got to have to... Well, now, this road here, this road here, you know, is crooked, but, you know, I'm going to build a road up there later on, very straight. I've got news that's a lot of hogwash. You're going to have crooked roads all the way through. Back to the hogwash. Time to have it.

Yes, sir. Listen. Now, this is a beautiful story here in John 2, 28. See? Stay in the Word. so that when the Word comes amongst us and proves who He is, we'll be one with Him and not rebuke before Him and be ashamed. John knew they'd leave the Word, but thank God we're back to the Word. Now, we're going to look at some more Scripture. And these final Scriptures, these are the final ones, another five minutes or so here, will give us further insight. Let's go back to Luke 17 and 30. You check these through now. I

went too far there. That's real obvious. You went too far. Then Doug went right past it. That's what happened. He got all mixed up. Brother Angel said, you watch your lines in this day. He said, you got messed up because you tried to eat and you caught the baby dog. Hope

you caught something. If you didn't, I'm not going to explain it to you. You're going to get in trouble. 17 and 30. Even thus it shall be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. What? Apocalypse. When the revelation of the Son of Man comes, it'll be a period of time in an awake and solemn condition. It'll come. Right. 2 Thessalonians 2.

And the third verse. Let no man deceive any man. For that day shall not come except the coming falling away. First, in the man of sin be revealed. He's going to have his apocalypse. He's going to pull the veil back. And it was pulled back. He's the Pope. And you watch the one that comes out of America. We'll talk about him Tuesday if we get a chance. Sixth, that you may know what withholds that he may be revealed in his time. Notice the same thing in Revelation. Eighth, destroy the brightness. Even that which the one shall be revealed. Every single time that word is apocalypses. See? And that's what we're talking about now. That Son of Man revealed on earth, not revealed from heaven. The Son of Man revealed on earth takes a period of time, which is the vindicated message, which in turn causes us to know who the bridegroom is, to know our mate, the revealed word. See, that's it. Now, we go back to 1 Peter, the first chapter, and I'm using all the same words. It's just that you know that for the first time in my life, the Greek comes together, and I've never found any theologian who put it together until this hour. I'm not a theologian. The prophet did it. But I've got the books, and you can take book by... By all the various great men in the world. And this much please rapture for pre -tribulation. This one please post -tribulation. This one please that. This one please that. And they all got different understandings of this word. And none of them understand what we're talking about right now. Not one understands. No, sir. They don't. 1 Peter 1 verse 5. Okay. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. It tells you right there. There's going to be a revelation of the apocalypse at the end time. And it's going to be revealed who are in the faith. See, they're going to believe this message here. And you've got the 12 verse, unto whom was revealed, but none of themselves, as they did minister these things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you, but the Holy Ghost sent down heaven. In other words, it says right here that the word of God is a true revelation, and at the end time, we know that that revelation of that word has got to come forth at the end time as brotherhood to all mysteries, that even angels want to listen to it, and the angels are forbidden. That's why there's silence in heaven, and that's an angel that nothing could know about it. See, it says right here, 1 Peter 5 and 1. That's what I get out of it. The elders which are among you, I exhort the most in the other witness the sufferings of Christ and the partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. And it tells you right here that there's a revelation coming that's going to tell the glory that's going to be upon this earth. And Brother Branham was given a certain amount of that to tell us where Paul had to shut the book up and Daniel shut the book up. Brother Branham could open the book and tell us certain things. 1 Corinthians, the first chapter, verses 7 and 8. I'm going kind of fast, but it's all right.

Okay. It says here, so that you come behind in no gift, waiting for the revelation that is the coming, not just the coming, the flashing across the sky and all. You come to the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall also confirm unto you the end, you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. And it tells you right here at that end time, at the apocalypse, at the unveiling, we'll come behind in nothing. In other words, this church is going to catch every single thing up and be ready for their answers. We'll come behind in nothing. a perfect bride, so the dead can be on the ground waiting for Christ to appear. Now, one more verse of Scripture before I close, and that's in 1 John, the third chapter. I've given you this many, many times. Third, second verse. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Everybody, quote that verse entirely wrong. They say, all right, we're going to get changed. We're going to get caught up. We're going to see him. That's absolutely wrong. If you don't get changed down here by seeing him, you will not get caught up there. It says right here, you're going to get changed because you see him as he is. We saw him as one God and his right baptism. We saw the truth and the world says hogwash. I wouldn't have that drop dead. I say, hallelujah, that's the love of my soul. You don't want him, I'll take him any day of the week. Yes, sir. I'm looking for any more sweethearts. That's finished. And he's altogether lovely. I love for this. nation. I love election. I love foreign artists. Love no eternal power. I love one God. Love one Baptist. Love the whole thing. No problem at all. I love serpents. Oh, that's not just love. I treat me. I got a sermon on that you never heard. And y 'all come back and preach it. Don't try to hold me down. All right, listen. In closing, this message to help you see the truth of what I'm talking about. Brother Branham said, justification, sanctification, baptism, the return of the Holy Spirit. Now listen to your quote. This is the hour. to where the Holy Spirit has come down in the form of a light, like he was at the beginning, a pillar of fire, and has manifested himself. Remember, like he said, I'm Jesus. He proved it. Doing the very same things he did when he was on earth. That's what we're talking about. That's the presence. That's the Jesus that descended. That's where the word came. That's the mate. That's the whole thing. I saw God, my brother, sister. I don't know about you, but I saw God. That's my guarantee that one day this heart, this life, is going to have a change like him. for having seen him as he was. And let me tell you, he is altogether lovely. We might not be, but he is. It's not your word and my word that counts. It's not your revelation and my revelation. It's his word that counts. It's his revelation. Because remember, it's the bride that chooses the bridegroom. And he said, you've not chosen me, but I've chosen you. Well, sure we choose him after he chooses us. We'd be approved to journey now. So there you are, brother, sister, what the prophet said. No gaps. No problem. Scripture lining up. Everything. Like what he said. And this is, I keep telling you, I take my stance. You do what you want. But he said, once you see this message, that's all you'll see in the Word. And if he couldn't have to take a word, then I believe every doctrine has got to be here. You do what you want. You follow your pastor. I'm not your pastor. Now, if I'm here and upset him, I'll tell you one thing. If he doesn't believe what I said, you listen to him. I am not a name to carry you through. He is. So therefore, some way, somehow, God will see that your pastor carried you through. Don't be high -minded. You can go on down where you belong, honey. Or you can get messed up like you didn't get messed up. Whether you like it or not. Whether I like it or not. Because I don't like it. Frankly, I don't like it. In my flesh, I don't. Because it makes responsibility. It takes that five -fold ministry to see you through.

Not somebody created one family. The ministry. I didn't say it. He said, I didn't want to be a part. I tried to tuck it. A little bit of finagling of the Ultimo.

Just a real... Go back to when we didn't divide in plus and clans. Because I don't care what anybody believes. I didn't divide. Whether right or wrong, same problem. We'd

be brethren. We'd fight like strangers. Lord

bless you, shall we rise. Dear

Lord Jesus, again we praise and thank for your goodness and mercy. Such a great thing, Lord, to have the Bible come together. You know, Lord, how I studied for a long time on this subject years ago. Took every Greek reference, took everybody I could find. Finally threw it all down to discuss and said, they're all crazy. Nothing comes together. And here it is all again. All the errors. Everything lined up. No confusion. That same one that appeared to Paul came down. He appeared. We saw him. Son of man revealed. By thoughts of grace, now all of us can say we've seen him this year. I pray we have. Shall be like him. Shall be changed. Yes, sir. Caught up to meet you. Not will we give up what you did. Oh, Lord, we magnify your name. Because of grace, amazing grace, how sweet the sound. The Savior is like me. And even though saved, we're pretty blind to the truth. Now you open your eyes. By way of I, Sam, the same Holy Spirit. Praise God. Now we see. Getting ready. Getting ready. Getting ready. Father, may we conform more and more to thy spirit. Grant it, Lord. Not one weak in faith amongst us. Not one weak in body. Coming out by your strength by the pillar of fire. Oh, God. Lord, I don't know what lies down the road. There's many things mysterious to me. I wouldn't try to look in for one minute, Lord. But if you for a chance gave me a glimpse, I'd be happy. Then I'd be fine. But keep every one of us, O God, under the old rugged cross, under your blood and under the shadow of the Almighty, under the spirit of wisdom and grace and knowledge which came to us. Help us, O God, none be high -minded, mighty, in honor before each other. Sweetness, Lord, sweet communion. Greatness all this morning, Lord. Little children, I know that psychologists tell us, Lord, they all want discipline. They all want to be brought into line. And I just thought, Lord, this morning as you sang that song, break me and mold me. We're little children. Just, we're giving way, Lord, to what's innately in us by the Holy Spirit to come under the truth, O God. Help us therefore, Lord. Don't let one of us fail Jesus. Wake us all up, O Lord, to righteousness. To sin not. Mortify that flesh that must be mortified. But to come out in that which must come out in. Bless each one, Lord. God bless the sick amongst us this morning, Lord. You know, I haven't taken time to pray for sick, Lord. Try to build up your faith. But, Father, I know this morning they can be healed. I believe healing's amongst us. Not a far off, but now. You proved yourself. You proved your word by doing it. Then, Lord, how much more can that same word even reveal to do greater things than these? Greater than this shall you do. Thank you, Lord, for helping. Because you've helped me, Lord. Now I look, Lord, for greater help still. Lord, I might have a greater fire and see you to preach that word and go anywhere you ask me. You don't want me to go. If someone can be helped. Grant, O Lord, this morning. We just give you ourselves, Lord. May it be unreservedly. May it be once for all. May you have the honor. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.