Easter - The Resurrection

Easter - The Resurrection

Bro. Lee Vayle - March 29, 1970

Jefferson, Indiana

Its' a privilege to be here this morning, I saw the snow this morning and I thought well alright, it can't be too bad, because it's not too cold and I got down the road, before I got too far down it wasn't too pretty. And then afterward opened the window a bit looked out and looked real pretty. Trees all covered with snow, and I thought, well that's pretty nice after all. And I got thinking this morning the Bible…Bro. Branham mentioned everything has a type. I'm not good at typing, I'm liable to go off on a tangent typing. I don't have that ability, but the Bible does say, "that our sins shall be washed away white as snow." [Isa 1:18]

And Christ is coming for a Bride that is spotless. So we have a type in the snow, this Resurrection morning that the Bride will be spotless [in] this end time before she rises. And also that old adage that says that, "March comes in like a lamb and goes out like a lion." Well, the 'lion' is the tribe of Judah on His way. So, no matter how you look at it, everything is alright. The Bible says, "All things are pure to the pure in heart." [Titus 1:15a] That' right, there is nothing that is impure by itself. Man messes things up. And we go and trample on the purest snow, fuss about it for being there. Well, that's human nature. I can't help that. I guess we just…well, it's all of grace. And if it weren’t for grace we'd never make it.

Last night, I noticed that Bro. Billy mentioned six to seven o'clock. Well, that was when he was in the pulpit. [Bro. Vayle and congregation laughs] And now that I'm in the pulpit, the only way you might get me out is to walk out. That wouldn't be the first time that happened, and not be the last.

I want to speak of the Resurrection this morning, but before we do let's bow our heads in a word of prayer.

Gracious Eternal Father, how good and how precious it is for brethren to dwell together here, Lord, and come before Jesus to hear Your Word and to understand It, O God. And also to have fellowship with each other and then to pray for each other. I know there's requests this morning like Bro. Jerry's little family. Sick, Lord, we pray for them now all of us together in Jesus' Name. Just expecting that they'll be perfectly well, those coughs and colds, and temperatures to disappear, O God, anyone amongst us that's sick, may everyone be healed, Lord, for the Glory of God let it be known that there is a God amongst His people. Lord, we believe that this morning, and believe it shall be so even as it was set forth in Your Word, that it would be so, and we bring it before to that end.

Lord, pray for the Word that there'll not be anything said that ought not be said, Lord, that it's Your prophet prayed before that You were able to shut lion's mouths, You'll shut mouths this morning, Lord, less something be said ought not to be said. And then, Lord, but may the mouths be open wide to say those things that ought to be said, O God, and ears opened wide to hear the things that ought to be heard. That together we might be one, and we'll give You the glory for it, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

1. Now, in the Book of James 5: we have just a couple of verses there 7-8

(7) Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he (the husbandman) receive the early and latter rain.

(8) Be (you) also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

Also in James 1:18, It says,

(18) Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

2. And 1 Corinthians 15:20

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

And 23,

(23) But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; (and) after- ward they that are Christ's at his coming.

3. Now, my text is one over here in James, [5:] where It says:

(7) Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for (that precious fruit of the earth) until he (the husbandman, Jesus) receive the early and latter rain.

Now, I don't suppose that this text is one which many would use for a text, for a sermon on the Resurrection, but I believe that's It's a wonderful one.

Now, you notice what It says, "the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth." Now, Paul calls us God's husbandry." So therefore, the precious fruit of the earth is the believer, who is according to the Scripture lying asleep in the dust.

Now, notice also in James 1:18, (which I read) We are called 'a kind of a first-fruit'. So, those that have gone before us, and are sleeping in the dust, they are a first-fruit. And they're according to Scripture, a kind of a first-fruit.

4. Now, I wonder what kind of a first-fruit these people are? Now, the way to find out is to find out first of all what a first-fruit is. And we found it over here in the Book of 1 Corinthians 15: and in verse 20, It says:

(20) (Jesus) Christ (is) risen from the dead, and (He has) become the first- fruits of them that slept.

Now, if He's the first-fruit, then there's got to be a second fruit, and a third fruit, and a fourth fruit, and a fifth fruit. So, we say, "What kind of a first-fruit are we?" Well, we're the Jesus kind of first-fruit. That's exactly what we are, and that's what Christ is waiting for.

Now, you notice in [1 Corinthians] 15:35-38

(35) But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

(36) Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:

(37) And that which thou sowest, (now watch, that which thou sowest) thou sowest not that body that shall be, but (a) bare grain, (that's the seed, see?) it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:

(38) But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

5. Now, you notice it's the seed that brings forth the body after its kind. Every plant on earth it had a seed, and then it brought after its own kind. Now, if we're a kind of a first-fruit, and Christ is the first-fruit then there's got to be many fruit, and it's got to be after the same seed, then this first-fruit is the literal Seed of the Lord Jesus Christ that's coming out of that ground. And He of course, He is the Royal Seed. So therefore, every child of God, every son of Abraham by faith, is in the Royal lineage, and that's sure true. Because we were in Him before the foundation of the world.

And then became expressed, an individual body, and then now today those bodies have to come out of the ground. And of course they are going to be like unto Him, because remember, He was changed. Now, He was a perfect man, there's no one can doubt it. And you know He don't want to be, could have lived forever. He could have married, He could have had children. I know people don't believe that, but you're believing wrong if you don't believe that. Because He was absolutely the second Adam…the last Adam I meant, second man. The Bible says, "As by man sin came into the world and died. By a man came death, so by man." [1 Cor 15:21] Doesn't say God. It says, by man came the resurrection from the dead. (See?) And God raised Him. So, He is that first-fruit and we are like unto Him and we of course will be in the Resurrection with that same kind of a body that He has.

6. Now, notice over here also what Paul said about this Resurrection that's taken place. He says in Romans 8: (and we'll read a little bit here) starting with [verse] 18, otherwise I don't think we'll get too much sense.

(18) For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time ( and that's in the body) are not worthy to be compared with the glory (that) shall be revealed in us.

When we get that change I was talking about. (See?) Because His body was changed. Absolutely changed. Even His form was changed. You know they couldn't recognize Him after He rose from the dead. And the Book of Luke says, "He appeared to them in another form." [Lk 24:18] Now, that's the Bible. (See?) Now, Paul speaking of the glory that shall be revealed in us.

(19) For the earnest (he's talking about this end time) for the earnest expectation of the (creation) waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Why? Because they're the primary ones. (See?) Like Bro. Branham said, "God made the earth for the tree." There couldn't have been a tree without the earth.

7. Now, all of these things that are coming today and in the future, God doing for us is based upon the fact that man is first in God's thought. Not the world itself, He's made that for us.

(20) (Now) for the (creation) was made subject to vanity, not willingly, (no sir, they're brought into bondage, because of man's will) but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

God said, "I'm going to give the world a hope too, and it's going to come forth in a resurrection.

(21) Because the creature (creation) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

(22) For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

(23) (But) not only they, but ourselves also, (now notice for ourselves) which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, (See? we have the first-fruit of the Spirit right now) even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, (or) to wit, (mainly) the redemption of our body.

That body is going to be redeemed out of the dust. (See?) Many people don't think in terms of a resurrection when man is coming back. He is coming back. He's coming back changed, but he's coming back as a human being. And He's coming back immortal. That's why the Lord put a cherubim with a flaming sword in his hand. And He said, "Lest now that man goes over and touches that tree, and eats that Tree of Life, and then he lives forever in the condition he's in." But, you see, we're going to come back and live forever in a human body and it'll be under right conditions. It'll be immortality in the way that our hearts are crying for.

8. Now, I know our hearts are crying for we can't express. As Bro. Branham said last night, it's so true that 'Deep calleth unto Deep'. [56-04-15] If there wasn't an answer out there, there couldn't be a problem in here. If there wasn't an answer out there, there couldn't be a need in here. If there wasn't something out there to give us satisfaction, because Christ is our satisfaction, there'd never be something in here crying for it. You can't cry for something that isn't there. (See?)

Now, we're crying for many things that we don't understand. And one of them is we're crying for the Resurrection and this glorified body. And maybe if we get a little erratic at times not knowing just what it's all about. But that's alright, don't let that bother you. That cry is not there, and you don't understand Scripture maybe, and then say, "Well, I-I-I-I…well, we're not going to have a resurrection. We're going to be something else, we're going to be changed and we won't be human beings, we'll be angels." That isn't true. There's a crying in man's heart to be a real, (pardon the expression, I like the expression, but it's the best maybe I'll use) 'an honest to God man'.

9. See, man was made in His image and fell away from it, so he's not honest anymore, the image. He's a discredit to it. But, being honest to that image is what man is crying for, and he'll be a human being in a resurrection when that takes place. Literal men and women. And what's in here that need fulfilling out there, that'll sure come to pass. And we've got that spirit in us. (See?) It's the first-fruit spirit. It's a spirit that guarantees the Resurrection.

Just like Paul said, in chapter 8, "But it's a Spirit to Him, that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you. He that raised up Christ from the dead, shall quicken you mortal body by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." [Rom 8:11] It's that Spirit, God guaranteed that He's going to bring us forth out of the ashes and out of the dust, and back from those gases. Take that…the very elements that are here. (See?) It's not this same body that rises, but it's the same invisible substance, because we're made of something you can't see.

And one day when these bodies fall to the ground and return to the gases, God will take those absolute same gaseous elements and what's no longer visible. And He'll mold it into a create again, a brand new body, because of the Spirit of God in it.

10. Over here in Ephesians 4: Notice Bro. Branham quoted this a lot of times. And in verse 30,

(30) And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby (you) are sealed (to) the day of redemption.

What redemption is that? I believe that's the redemption of the body. Because the body at this point is not redeemed. It has a promise of redemption. You've been redeemed inside, spirit and soul, been made one through the Spirit of Christ, "Because he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit." [1 Cor 6:17] Today we're loosening its body representing a Christ Himself here upon earth. But, you know, there's coming a day when that body won't be loosening its body. It'll be like unto His Own glorious body and constitute a many membered beautiful Bride upon the earth. And be just like Him. Why? Because He's the first-fruit. And there are going to be many fruit just like unto Him. So, we praise the Lord, He's given us His Spirit which guarantees us that. Because if we have the Spirit of God, that is our guarantee.

11. My, I hate to see people despondent in this Message. Many folk get despondent, look around and they say, "Well, ain't nobody got nothing. (See?) And nobody got the Holy Ghost." I want to challenge you right now, you don't know what you're talking about. You don't know what the prophet taught. You've got no idea.

Brother/sister, listen to me: it's that Seed that we have that guarantees that resurrection body. Yes sir, we have truth this morning, and we've been sealed into Him, guaranteed of redemption. (See?) Not anything we do, but what He's done.

12. Now, you can see from what I brought out here on my text; it's a text is a proper one for the subject of the Resurrection. Now, looking at it again, James 5:7 he talks on the Resurrection, and he links It up with Jesus Christ Coming. And you know that's right. You can't separate the Resurrection from the Coming. But, what is He coming for? (See?) Well, He said He's coming for us, the first-fruits of the earth, He's coming for His Own Seed. Because that is His Own Seed. (See?) "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ, all should be make alive." [1 Cor 15:22] So, He's coming for His Own Seed. Why? Because there's life there. They died in Adam, because Adam couldn't give them life.

Now, He comes along and give them life, He takes them away from Adam. (That's right) He takes them away. And sovereignty now has been restored to the original Owner. See, because Christ made it all, and according to the Book of Romans it's His all by virtue of the fact that He made it. "For all things are by Him, and for Him and toward Him." You can't get away from it.

13. Now then, He's Coming for His Own. And that is His Own Seed, the Elect of Almighty God. But notice here now in the Bible, It says, "The seed cannot come forth until there is an early and a latter rain." [Jas 5:7b] Now, the Bible mentions that. That's why the meaning is so peculiar that any preacher can preach anything at all about the Resurrection, until he preaches the early and the latter rain. (See?)

Now, if everything today in this world was cash and you couldn't buy anything on credit, you'd have to give them money before you got the article. Like Bro. Branham often said about the Chinese laundry men, he gave you a piece of paper that he ripped in two, and you had to give him that piece of paper, or you wouldn't get your laundry. As the venerable saying is: "no tickey, no laundry." That's exactly right. And you know, that that's the same thing, if there is no former and latter rain, there is no Resurrection. So, there's got to be produced a former, and latter rain. (See?) There cannot be a Resurrection, there is no use in Him coming. Because He's coming for His precious fruit of the earth, which are the human bodies. Because that is the fruit, we came out of the ground. (See?) We go back to the ground, and we come right up again. And He's coming for it. And this coming for them is based upon a former rain and latter rain. And yet you don't hear anybody around the country preaching on the fact there's got to be a former and latter rain. (See?)

14. They're trying to get their cars for which you paid…got to pay tax without the cash. Well, it isn't going to work. I don't believe anybody anywhere is going to be a part of this resurrection unless he's absolutely aware, of the…(that is the end time I'm talking about, the end time Bride) I don't believe they'll be a part of that Resurrection Rapture, unless they're in that early and latter rain. Because the Bible says so. Now, I can't change the Bible, I just got to go along with It. And if I don't understand it, it's up to me to seek the Holy Spirit to find out what's all about. (See?)

Not just pass over it and say, "Well, I think, I think I'll get by without it." But, the Bible says, they don't get by without it, because the Bible says that even Jesus is waiting for it. Now, if He's waiting for it, that's why James goes right along and says, "Now He's waiting patiently for the former and latter rain." Now, he says, "You better be patient too and establish your heart." [Jas 5:7-8] But, people aren't establishing their hearts. "Oh my, I don't think we've got a thing."

15. Abraham was looking for his resurrection body. And you know something? When he got the promise from God Himself, that day that God stood with him, I've got news for you, he was in worst shape the day after God appeared, then he was the day before God appeared. You don't believe it, the Bible said, "The promise is still down the road." And the second day he was in worst shape then he was in the first day after the promise. And I suppose that went on for weeks, until the cycle began to come in, and then only then there was a change. (See?)

And we're going though the same thing right now. Because Abraham was resting on the promise that I'm going to give you a son by Sarah, and we're resting on the promise, "I will restore saith the Lord." And until that restoration we're following in the steps of faithful Abraham, who considered not his own body now dead. That word in the Greek is 'thoroughly perceive'. He didn't run around looking …?.... saying, "Well, I just don't see it's going to happen." Yes sir, the hands are more withered, yet the eyes balls look a little more yellow and red this morning Sarah honey…I just wonder…now I don't think they tried…I really… well, just nobody got nothing." You see where the danger is? Ain't nobody got nothing? Don't count Lee Vayle in that please. Don't count Lee Vayle. Because for the first time I know I got something. For the first time I can read the map. All the cars got a map light. At least it's supposed to have, you don't have one, better to pay for it. Pay for your map light honey. (See?) Sure, a former and latter rain. That's exactly right.

16. Now, I said, "The Seed cannot come forth until there is a former and latter rain," which is the truth. Jesus cannot come for that Seed until there is a former and latter rain. Now, what is that former and latter rain? It's over here in the Book of Joel. There's no doubt about it, we can put our finger right on it. [Joel 2:] 23-25

(23) Be glad then, (you) children of Zion,…

Now, what did Bro. Branham say the third showdown was? Mount Zion. Which is the Rapture, right? So therefore:

(23) Be glad then, (you) children of (the Rapture) and rejoice in the LORD your God:

Of which the Bible says at the end time, when He does a special work (which we'll talk about) no man will have to say, "Know the Lord," he'll just know. (See?)

(23) … and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, (it's a good thing it was only moderately back there, or they'd have a resurrection right off the bat. The first Age would have been a Rapture. See?) and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first…

Now, they've got a 'month' there. But I don't know if it's a month. I was going to leave it the way the Bible says in the first.

(24) And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

(25) And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

Now, you'll notice in here, that as Bro. Branham taught, and I know Scofield I guess does the same thing here, that there is a different student that this little bug here is the same miserable insect that is eating on this wheat, and he's been doing it for all the Ages.

17. Now look, I don't know how many you folk know much about grasshoppers, which I think is another form of a locust as far as I know. He said, "He's got about the same miserable creature." We've seen them in Canada where they come in, in there when I was a kid, and man they really come in, and they just ate everything up. Then along came these army worms, I've seen them, and oh, they take the leaves off the trees and they don't leave anything. And caterpillars, they're miserable.

Now, how would you like to have this fellow come along in all these forms and chomp down that grain? Cankerworm, that sounds like a miserable insect, isn't? A caterpillar, a palmerworm, and a locust. How much is left come harvest? Nothing! I've never seen a farmer yet get a harvest off of a crop that was chomped up by this insect? So, what's the fellow do? He just goes ahead and he sows all over again. That's the only hope he's got.

18. Now, the Bible says here, "Rejoice you people that ain't got nothing." (See?) Now, we were that way. That's how I'm going to do for it. He says, "You're still part of the Bride, but see, you haven't got a thing. "Why, (He said) if I didn't send Elijah I'd just come and smite the whole bunch of you." He said, "It's a mess. Every table is full of vomit, I haven't got a Seed here." (See?) Nothing He could come for. Says, "What I'll do, I'll just replant it."

He says, "Where do you get that in the Bible?"

I'm glad you asked. Because It says over here, "I will send the former rain." And according to the Hebrew that word is 'moreh', (m-o-r-e-h) which Bro. Branham was too modest to tell you the whole meaning, he said, 'it's teaching." But, it isn't just teaching, it's teacher. Teacher as well as teaching. So, the message and messenger are one. (See?) He's just too modest. Now, as you his modesty,

Now, He said, "I'm going to send you teaching all over again." Because creeds, denominations and dogmas and ideas and thoughts and everything interpolated, and all the explanations and everything has run the Word of God completely out of power. Because He said, at the time the just…you have absolutely voided My Word, (see?) by your traditions." [Mk 7:13]

19. Now, if that's the case, the promise of the Second Coming, the promise of the Resurrection has been voided by the creeds and dogmas of mankind. And I don't care what anybody says.

"Well, Bro. Vayle I'm looking for resurrection."

I say, "Hold it, you ain't going to get one."

"I'm looking for a Rapture."

"You're not going to get it."

You won't get it, unless Elijah comes, and restores that Word of God, because the Word of God is no longer the Word of God, it's been one hundred percent chomped up and trampled on, and distorted and dirtied, and filthy until every table, bar-none, is full of vomit. And vomit is nothing but partly digested food regurgitated mixed up with somebody's digestive tract. Like God bless these men, I've got nothing against them, but let's just put it right on the line. Wesley, Spurgeon and Rabbi Ben Gabaline, Rabbi Ben Gray, Rabbi Ben Strong, Rabbi Ben Young. All of them. They chomp the food down, they brought it up. Sunday morning people went home and they said, "Hmm, Hmm, wasn't that the best food?" If you like vomit, been doing it for centuries. God said here, He said, "You voided the whole thing."

20. Now, that said, I'm looking for Christ." But, look it, if your doctrine is wrong on it, that promise is void to you. Now, I'm not making this up. This is not Lee Vayle talking. I know I'm rougher than the Bible, that's a pretty sweet Book along side of me. But I'll tell you one thing, this is the age where we might talk awful sweet and talk in circles and get nowhere. It's better laying it on the line. And my Bible tells me that Israel they had voided the Word of God.

You say, "Well Bro. Vayle, we're not like Israel." (Just hold your finger there and we'll go back to Romans.) See, we've got a lot from God Bro. Vayle, and the point is…"

No, I'm going to point you out something right now. When God turns thumbs down on Israel and revealed their conditions, Paul the apostle said, "Who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory, and the covenant, and the giving of law, and the service of God, and the promise, whose are the fathers, and of whom are as concerning the flesh, Christ came." What more could you want? And He said, "They're cursed!"

Why, people right today wouldn't claim all those things that Paul said Israel had when they turned down Jesus Christ. And made void the very promise of God by their traditions. (See?) No wonder He's got to have a former rain, which is a re-seeding of the Word of God. (See?) He said, "I've got to… " God said, I've guaranteed you restoration. I guarantee it." And He said that, "restoration is going to come by not a moderate rain." No sir! He said, "I gave you formerly moderate rain." But He said, "That former rain coming now will not be moderate. It'll be the absolute full revelation."

21. As It says over here in the Book of Acts 3: now, let's look at It, (see?) because this is the subject, 'restoration', we're beginning at verse 19.

(19) Repent therefore, …

And listen, let me get this straight, the word 'repentance' is not godly sorrow. The Bible said, "Godly sorrow worketh repentance." [2 Cor 7:10a] So, repentance is not godly sorrow. In the Greek, it is 'change your mind'. You follow me? Then let's stick with it.

(19) (Change your mind) therefore, and be (turned again) that your sins may be blotted out, (not at Calvary, that took place two thousand years ago. There's a blotting out that's future) when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

And that word 'presence' in the Greek is that part of anything that's presented to the eye. God is going to present to the eye at the end time what Jesus said, "When you saw My works you saw both Me and my Father." So, when the works were manifest they saw the Father, so at the time of the revelation of the manifestation of the Son of man on earth. (Are you getting it? I don't know if I've got an hour to explain it, it's either you've caught it, or you didn't catch it. You know the tape.)

23. This is when refreshing comes. All right?

(20) And (then) he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

(21) Whom the heaven must receive (and that word literally 'put it in your mind is retained'. To receive the avenues means to retain Him) until the times of (restoration, not) restitution…(restoration.)

And I want to say this about last night's film, that people who believe there's a revival don't know for nothing. I've got the finest books that money can buy in the Greek, they're twenty-two fifty a volume. That's right. And the study of this Word says, "This is not revival." No sir, it is not revival. It is not the salvation of souls. It is not a sweeping worldwide movement. It is restoration, which is reconciliation, or to bring back to a former state. We're looking for revival? [blank spot on tape] …a Scripture for it? You haven't got a leg to stand on. How could the world go a whoring after the beast the same time it's going after God? How can you have a lover while you've got a husband. My God have pity. (See?) Then they ran down the prophet, a Kentucky hillbilly?

Well, I'll tell you, I many not agree with everybody preaching, I agree with Perry last night, a fist full of knuckles wouldn't be too bad on some people. Spiritually speaking, spiritually speaking. [laughter] tainted children of God, call them nick-names, mocking. That brought restoration.

24. Now listen, this is the Scripture brother/sister. It's not revival, it's restoration, restore back to original state. If I had my notes, I could read you six or seven different meanings and they all fit perfectly. Even to the extent the astronomers use it in the consolation, when they come back and they're just about back, brother/sister.

Leo, right on the end now where it belongs, because the Virgin starts it, comes all the way around, the serpent joins the two-fold, which little dipper and big dipper. Little dipper is Israel, the big dipper is the Gentiles. The serpent corrects, he courts all the way through, the Christ completes the cycle, and He brings Leo back to that Virgin, which is a virgin Bride now. They go back in a Rapture. (See?) We're right in line of restoration, bless your heart.

25. Now, see It says here that God is going to restore. Now what's He going to restore? He's going to restore all that these creeds and dogmas in this little meley-bug thing ate up. Now, you can prove it, because It says: God is going to:

(21) …(restore) all things which, God hath spoken by the mouths of all his holy prophets since the world began.

Now, what came by the mouth of the prophet? The Word of God. So, God is going to restore the Word. Now, what's He going to do in this restoration?

Now listen: in [Acts 3:] verse 18, Peter said:

(18) …those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

What's He going to do back here? He's going to bring the unfulfilled Word for this day. You don't go back to that day. You're in this day. So, God brings His restoration, which is by the Word. And the heavens…(now listen, watch my text) remember, they're looking for the Coming. (See?) Be patient, (see?) because He cannot Come unless that former and latter rain fall.

26. Now, It says here, "The heavens must receive Him, or retain Him." He cannot come until there is a restoration of that Word. Oh, the simplicity of It. (See?) People stumble at it, looking for some great thing. Well listen, it is a great thing, it all depends on where your thinking is.

When I was young and first married my thinking was, oh boy, my wife and I were both working, we're making a lot of money, and we did too, we sure went through it too. And you know what? I said, "We did get this for the kids, and that for the kids." You know what? We should have been home with those kids. The great thing would have been an apple box and a turnip, watching a beautiful sunset. That's right, brother/sister.

Now, we learn too late. If I could go back and turn that clock back, I'd turn that clock back. [Said with emotion] I can't turn any clock back. I can warn, but they ain't going to listen anyway. They're going to run their own clock. We get so complicated, we don't know when to get uncomplicated. See, simplicity. Now, we don't want a prophet restoring. No, that's too simple. Just give us all the knowledge, just take away all those other things and get us back to the Word.

27. Now, notice It says, James is talking about that early and latter rain coming. That former rain. And you know he said, "Be patient, Jesus has got to receive it." It's Jesus that's got to do it. Here's where they miss out, about Jesus receiving it, and it's over here in Revelation 10:

(1) And I saw another mighty (messenger) come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, …

Now, you know who that One is? Because there's only one got the rainbow, and that's the One sitting on that Throne, and that's Jesus. So, He's got the rainbow. And you notice, what is He? He's a messenger. What is a message? Well, what other Message could He bring but the Gospel. What else could He do? He's not going to bring somebody's else's word. Do you think He's going to come and back up a creed and a dogma? Do you think he's going to come to the Roman Catholic church and say, "Now, you popes, I'm sure glad you took My place, my, I'm sure glad." You think He's going to say it?

Then of course, the Presbyterians they thought they'd lick it, they said, "Well, we'll make ours presbyter." Notice the Assemblies of God, they were the cutest of the works. They said, "Now, we'll just shy away from the whole thing and we'll call him 'chairman'. My Lord, have pity. [laughter]

28. You know…listen, I'm going to tell you something. Why don't people smarten up? When Bro. Branham went to the Pentecostal's, he said, "Now look, (he said) you people just won't take that word 'predestination'. " He said, "You just won't take it, (he said) it's a dirty word. So, I'm going to call it 'foreknowledge'."

"Well, (they said) that's great." [laughter]

Now look, brother/sister, here's a little bottle of oil. Now, if I warned you folk and say, "Look folks, that's oil, but every time you see it you gag." So, I'll say, "Champagne." (Yeah) "Rose water or something." So, every time you hear me say, "Rose water, you know it's oil." But you won't get it. Now, what is that chairman but an elder, or a pope, or something else? …?...

29. Now, Jesus has a Message. And He Himself is coming with that Message, because the Bible says He has a voice, and there's thunder, which is the Word of God according I believe is John chapter 12. And this of course will be the former rain, because He descends with a Message, which the Word of God is. (See?) The Message for the day. And the Messenger of the day of course then is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. But, how does He project? He projects through [Revelation 10:] verse 7,

"In the days of the voice of the seventh earthly messenger, (which is the Laodicean Church Age messenger) when he shall begin to sound, (blow upon his gospel trumpet) the mystery of God, (which is Christ, which is the Word, see?) should be consummated and perfected as God has declared the good news of the Gospel by His servants the prophets." That word in the Greek 'declare' is declare the good news of the Gospel.

In other words, Jesus Himself brings the end time Message of the Word to the Bride, so she has the former and the latter rain, which restores her in order that the dead may come out of the ground and we all be changed and go to be with Jesus Christ. And James said, "Be patient brethren." [Jas 5:7] Now patience always means there's somebody, not just tickling your ribs to make you laugh. No, he's got his thumb in there, or like Joab did to Abner, the little old dagger under the fifth rib. I always feel for my fifth rib, when some people hug me, that I know don't quite mean it. [laughter] That's right. Now, his voice by the prophet of course in verse 7.

30. Now, it also says here, that Jesus receives the latter rain. That's right. He receives not only the former rain, but He receives the latter rain. It is the great Spirit now to fall upon the Word, and It will be to the living, (see?) in order to bring them into manifestation. (See?) That they are the sons of God.

Now, I believe…I know the prophet said somewhere in his own language, and I'm going to use Scripture on it, (and someday I'll find where he said it, because I've never failed so far to find what I'm looking for on the tape.)

31. Now in Hebrews 10, if this is not Bible doctrine, then let me tell you it is my understanding of the prophet's Message, and this then is simply an illustration. In my heart I believe it is doctrine. But, If you can't accept it, it's alright. At least illustration. Now listen to what It says: [Hebrews 10:]

(16) This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord,…

Now, that's after those days, I see of His mediatorial priesthood. That's my understanding of this. You read It the way you want it, but to me I can prove in my heart by Scripture that Hebrews 6, and Hebrews 10 are the same thing. And what goes in between from there on is a picture of this day just lock, stock and barrel. (See?)

32. Now,

(16) This is the covenant that I will make with them…( Now remember, Jesus is a Messenger of the Covenant. See?) after those days, saith the Lord, (God doing it) I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds I write them;

(17) And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Well, didn't He say back there in the time of refreshing there'd be a blotting out? Oh then when does He forget your sins? In the blotting out. When were our sins blotted out? When we were married to our creeds and dogmas, fornicating with every silly rotten unprincipled idea that men had. Some of us were Baptist, ran to Presbyterian, went to Pentecostal, jumped out of that back to the Baptist, down to the brethren here and there. You talk about a bunch of licentious people. All the time claiming marriage to Him?

Back there in the Book of Jeremiah He said, "You've laid with every Arabian, every Syrian." He said, "You've been so rotten, filthy, you ain't fit for nothing." He said, "Shall I take you back?"

"Why, (He said) if I take you back the land will be polluted ."

Yet, turn again, and, "I'll take you back and clean you up and bring you in there."

And Bro. Branham went out there to Tucson, Arizona waiting, waiting. He said, "I can't tell you why I'm going back." He was going back for the blotting out of the sins. Not because you folk were married twice. If God can't forgive that, He can't forgive anything. That's not the unforgivable sin. The unforgivable sin is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. (See?) It was the fornication. It was our sins out there.

33. When I first heard him preach I couldn't figure why he came back and didn't tell me nothing. It was only about four years later I realized he went out there… and you know what? There was a black cloud as well as that amber cloud. That's exactly what they had in Moses' day, when God spoke face to face, it was a black cloud came down. Read it, it's in your book. And there the amber cloud came down. And there He said, "Go on back and tell them I've forgiven them." Their sins are blotted out. "I'll remember their fornication no more."

And then he went down to Shreveport and preach what? The Mystical Union of the Bride in Christ. And there he said, "Remember! You're no longer married, you belong to Him." Every other husband's dead, every other one… as I understand it, I don't know what you understand, I'm under-standing what I understand. And I'm preaching that way. (See?)

Now listen, "And their sins and iniquity I'll remember no more." Now, where's the remission of these, there's no more offering. When that blotting out came, now there's the opportunity for God to come down to people that are sinless. You don't need an offering now brother/sister. You don't need an offering now, you need Him. You want Him now. Not a Lamb sitting on a Mercy Seat, but a Lamb of God, that line coming down embrace His Bride in arms of everlasting love and take her home.

34. Now listen, brother/sister, He said, "I'm going to write this Word, this Bible, in their mind, their heart." If I had this Word here in my mind and here, I would be this Word. I understand He's coming back for a virgin of the Word. I understand He's coming back for a Word Bride. I under-stand He's got to come back just as Isaac took a Bride of his own kinsmen-ship, that is blood line, but He's coming back for a Bride of the Word. That's my understanding.

So, I see that there. It is the Word redeeming flesh, or rather, the Word becoming flesh. Here, the flesh becoming Word as Bro. Branham said. So, that Jesus can come to a living Elect Bride, who will not die. Why? Because sin has been overcome, and sin is the sting that brings death. This Bride can't die. The little Bride won't die. Now, if she won't die, God's got to deal with her somehow, He hasn't dealt with sin before in a certain way. But, it all comes through Calvary, comes through the Blood. (See?) But, it's coming by His process of simplicity, which is the revealed Word, which is restoring through the ministry that the Word prophet has.

35. It is the people, not begotten, (that's the end time Bride) it is the people, not begotten from among the dead in the graves, but begotten by the resurrection Word from creeds and dogmas and denominations. For Bro. Branham said, "We've been resurrected from denominations." Oh, to me this is a great memorial, and Easter service, because it's chimes out on this day speaking of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this end time, this is the one time, the only time as I understand that we can really preach with any assurance the great Resurrection which is about to happen. For the former rain has fallen…fallen, it's already over is what He said. It's on several tapes, I've haven't got my quotes, it's on a least four tapes. The former rain has fallen. It has, the Word of God has come forth.

Now, what is one of Bro. Branham's best quotations, he loved it? He said, "I the Lord have planted." And He said, "I'll water it lest any man pluck it out of my hand." That the Word is planted by Jesus, then (because the Bible says He's the One that does it, see?) then He's got to water it. And what is He going to water with? He's going to water with the latter rain.

The Spirit of God has to fall upon that Word. You say, "What do you believe about that? " Well, I'll tell you what I believe. I believe that latter rain has fallen. I believe the Spirit of God is quickening the Word to the Bride. I believe it's the Spirit of God that is now revealing that Word. Giving us the understanding. Giving us the truth, bringing it into manifestation.

36. Now, the Spirit and the Word and the Bride become one, until I believe that her flesh is His flesh. I believe that, because she's got to have a resurrection too, but she won't die. …?.. no dead in the grave have to have his flesh. Because He's the first-fruit, and they're the same kind, they've got to come the same way.

And I believe this is happening in the Bride. I believe we are entering into the Resurrection by a process. That's right. It's by a process, I believe it's going on. Still, I don' t feel it. But, that's all right, I might not feel either. I don't know if I can feel either. But, are we going by feelings? Didn’t Bro. Branham say in 'Sirs, What is the Time?' the one at the end time mysteries was, receiving the Holy Ghost without sensation?

You say, "Well, Bro. Vayle, if I could just find all those seven mysteries on…" You're never going to find them." They're there, but you won 't find one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. You can't get this thing by pencil and paper. We get It by the Word of God, spiritually revealed. Seven mysteries. I don't know what they are. I'm not perturbed. But I know one thing, as far as I'm concerned, seven means completion. Seven means perfection. And I believe that definitely every one of those mysteries will be brought forth in that Bride. I believe that with all my heart. And that process because to me it is a process, we are in the process. In other words, we are now becoming. We've become. (See?)

37. Now, he said, "You've got to wait until the former and the latter rain. I believe the former rain has fallen. I believe the latter rain, the Spirit of God is taking this Word now, and bringing It back to restoration. Bringing us to a place where we will enter in to a resurrection. Paul spoke of it, and he said in the Book of 1 Corinthians, "Behold, I show you a mystery." The last mystery that this Bride is the fact that she's going to be changed and caught up in the air. That' the last mystery, there aren't any more. Not while she's on earth there's no more, that's it, the last mystery.

Paul said, "I show you a mystery, we shall not a-double-l [all] sleep, but we shall a-double-l [all] be changed." [1 Cor 15:51] But she won't die. No sir, you won't die. But it's at the last Trump. What's the last Trump? It's the last Message. The end time messenger brings it. This is our assurance that we have received the Word of God showing that we are children of that same One Who was that Word. (See?) It is the process going on. (Now listen, I'm closing, our time's run out.)

38. Bro. Branham said, I can't quote it exactly, but I believe a dear brother came to Bro. Branham one time and asked him what he ought to be doing. Should he be doing this, should he be doing that? And Bro. Branham sternly said, "Be sure you're in the Resurrection."

Brother/sister this morning there's only one way I know to be sure to be in the Resurrection, and that's what James said. He said, "Be patient, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, until he receives the former and the latter rain." [Jas. 5:7]

He doesn't need it, it's we who need it. "Therefore, you be patient, (he said) until you get it." [Jas 5:6] Don't grab something and run with it. You say, "I don't understand it." That's lots of things that I don't understand. Man, if I balked at the fact that I don't understand, I'd give up.

Listen, you know this olive oil, I suppose that's good virgin olive oil. You know that greasy stuff there can make you… If I took that stuff that'd kill me, and yet you know that you can take that for gall bladder trouble. When …?... the Seventh Day Adventist used that in Loma Linda, they said anybody that's got any trouble with the liver, they said you take a tablespoonful night and morning. You say, "Hmm, man I don't under-stand, but it works."

39. I don’t understand how they put lights in here. I don't have that first idea Bro. Matt goes up putting those things up there, the ducts and all. And someone will come in and put in air conditioning. I don't understand. But, I'll tell you one thing, I can receive it and get the benefit. And this morning He said, "He is waiting for that Bride to get the former and latter rain."

If you believe that Bro. Branham is that prophet, if you believe that he brought that Word, you have already now got a Message, a Word of God, that you can rest on. "So, Bro. Vayle, I believe something is more to come." That's alright, that's alright, but you better wait and see. Because He's waiting for it. Be you patient, brother/sister. Let the Word of God have its worth.

He that said, "Let there be light," there's light out there this morning. He said, "Let there be trees," there's trees out there this morning. (See?) I look around and I see every evidence that, that Word of God will perform what He said It would do. I look around and I see every evidence that my Father has planted and is watering, and no man can pluck it out of His hand.

I've got every evidence that we're in the process of a Resurrection and a Rapture. I've got every evidence that what God said is true. And then brother/sister, I better add my own evidence, which is, I believe It, I stand with It, I'm going to be a part of that Resurrection.

The Lord bless you. Let's pray:

Gracious Eternal Father, we look away to You now to this morning, Jesus, knowing that what we've said would not go across many pulpits in this land. What we said, Lord, it wouldn't be received by very many people. Because they say, "Well you're in the church, that takes care of it." And then someone else would say, "No sir, I spoke in tongues, I repented, I know that's it. But, Lord, You didn't say that was it." And, Lord, in this day when thoughts are by the millions going round about. And we know, Lord, there is such a thing as a spirit in the world and it could be just a spirit of the mind. Lord, when that's going around the world, I believe many times Your little Bride trembles and sometimes wonders, "oh, was that it?"

But, Lord, I kind of think of John the Baptist this morning, Your anointed one. He also said, "Was that it?" And You didn't rebuke him. But, Lord, a lot of us aren't John the Baptist? And maybe we better be a little more careful.

So, help us this morning, Lord, to be a little more careful. A little more careful, Lord, not to discount anything that was done, not for one minute. Not look around as though nothing was done, because something has been done. For, Lord, Your Own Word said that when the water was upon the face of the earth, You divided water from waters and then said the dry land appeared. You didn't plant seed, the seed was already planted. You just said, 'let it come forth'.

Now, Lord, we may be in a pretty rough condition here, but I believe the Word of God was planted, and I'm depending on this morning. And trust, Lord Jesus Christ, that Your people, all of us together in one mind, in one heart, one soul will trust that Word. And unto Thee we shall ascribe the honor and the glory, because we ask It in Jesus' Name. Amen.