Deity Identified

Deity Identified

Bro. Lee Vayle - ?? - ?? - 1970

We're all happy to be here this afternoon in the presence of the Lord where the Saints are gathered, there is the Lord in the midst. I was grateful for the Scripture that encourages us. And of course we need great encouragement these days, because this is a very treacherous age. You know many people look back on the four beasts you know, the creatures, the living creatures that guarded the Word. You had the lion, the Word going forth as a lion. Then you had the ox showing the sacrificial age. Then there is the face of a man, the wisdom of man. At the end time the eagle. But, with the eagle age there comes the age of peril. It wasn't the age of peril in the first couple of ages, which seemed so disastrous when Christianity was held the balances, because of so much persecutions.

We often think of that's perilous, but that wasn't the age of peril. Today is the age of peril. because of the subtleties of the enemy, and subtlety of what is going on in the church. You know, nobody but us believed what's going on in the church. Of course there are a few who would believe this outside of us, and they really believed nothing. They're not …?... But they say, "I'll go along." And they will too, because they can see what the others things are phony. You know, it's plain as your nose on your face. Of course it's plain as if it's on my face, it's certainly plain. …?... Well, it says, "How plain it is, of what's going on to the Elect, and to those that don't know anything."

But, the fellow that thinks they know something, it's not plain at all, they're absolutely confused and they're walking into a death trap. And that's what we're going to talk about this afternoon, the message on 'The Identified God'. Now, before we study, let's bow our heads once more in prayer.

Gracious Eternal Father, we come now at this moment to study Your Word, Lord, on Your own identification among us. What You have done at the end time, what You've done through the Ages. Now, be with us, Lord, that the people may know the hour in which they live. Not only be assured of it, but have great assurance in their hearts that they're part of that hour of the Word of Almighty God in this day.

And so, Lord, we look to You, we pray every Word shall be circumspect by the Holy Spirit that's It's exactly right. And also the earth be …?... Lord, that we might be one, as one person today, and we'll be careful to give You the praise, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

1. 'The identified God', and we're going to read first of all 1 Kings 18: I could have read many portions of Scripture, but this is the one that seems to suit me the best. Beginning in verse 17

(17) And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

(18) And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that (you) have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

(19) Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

(20) So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

(21) And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt (you) between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

(22) Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; (and) Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

(23) Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

(24) And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

2. Over in the Book of Acts 17:22-23, Paul on Mar's hill.

(22) Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, (You) men of Athens, I perceive that in all things (you're) too superstitious.

(23) For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore (you) ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

Now, in 1 Kings, we have the marvelous story of the true God identifying Himself among the people. And now we're all familiar of course of the story that we just read a part of, and that is that Israel had gone into idolatry, and they come to a peak of their idolatry under Ahab, who had married a heathen woman who was the daughter of Ethbaal, the priest king of Baal. And then he with her perverted that Israel to wrong worship through the heathen priesthood, and the heathen theology.

3. Now, then there came a clash between Israel under the leadership of Ahab and Elijah, and the prophets of Baal. And this prophet Elijah who was claimed by Ahab to be troubling Israel, because he was a servant of God, and obeying what God wanted him to do, asked for a showdown in order that the people might know exactly if they were worshipping the right god or not.

Now, since the trouble hinged over who was serving the true God, a showdown on Mount Carmel then came about as indicated in the other Scripture, which I think we'll maybe take time to read a little later on.

Now, you'll notice that there is a great test of worship set for here in this premise as to who is going to be the one that is God. Now, you notice that I said it was a test of worship. And this is what we want to understand, because both sides were worshipping.

4. Now, reading 1 Kings 18: verse 25

(25) And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for (you) are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

(26) And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

(27) And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

(28) And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

(29) And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, (the prophecy is quite a gimmick, and excitement) that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

(30) And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD (which) was broken down.

Now, you'll notice in the first instance there is, they were worshipping. And the show down, is in worship. See, there's a worship and see what God is that answers according to how the fire will come or not come.

5. Now, Elijah begins the worship:

(31) And (he) took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

(32) And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

(33) And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

(34) And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

(35) And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

(36) And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

(37) Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

(38) Then the fire of the (God) fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

(39) (So,) when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is God.

Now, this showdown where God answered by fire and identified Himself, is identical to what we find in the beginning of the Word, way back in Genesis 4: You'll notice that two people are worshipping and they're both calling upon God. They're both interested in and believing they've got a relationship with God, and they're looking to God. In verse 2,

(2) …Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the (soil.)

(3) And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

(4) And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock…the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

Now, you'll notice particularity in verse 4, (the last part there) says,

(4) …And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: (where he was worshipping God.)

In verse 5, It says, (the first part)

(5) But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect…

Now, you can see here that God did not identify Himself with both of these worshippers, even though He was being worshipped. He refused to identify Himself with Cain, but He did identify Himself with Abel. And there's no doubt in my mind this identification with Abel was identical to the identification with Elijah, which was the Fire of God falling, and licking up the sacrifice. I was just thinking about that how tremendous was that Fire that descended upon the sacrifice. The best that man could do was to have an atomic fire come down, and this would destroy the people as well as that which was near them. But here with God He merely licked up the sacrifice, but the people themselves were not in any way touched, but they were delivered .

So, here we see… I believe the Scripture would have to be kept in continuity throughout, this would be the Fire would be lifting up the offering that Abel brought to the Lord.

6. Now, you notice that God identified Himself also in the same way in Genesis 15: beginning at verse 7.

(7) And he said unto him, I am the LORD (that's Abraham) that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

(8) And he said, LORD God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it?

(9) And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.

See, if they're three years old they'd be in about going on their fourth, like the ministry of Christ.

(10) And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

(11) And when the fowls came down upon the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

(12) And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

(13) And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

(14) And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and after- ward shall they come out with great substance.

(15) And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.

(16) …in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

(17) And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.

Notice again, the Fire of God licking up the sacrifice, God identifying Himself to Abraham, and in the process of worship.

7. Now also, we go to Exodus 3: and we read verse 1-6.

(1) Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, (that's where God was to be worshipped) even to Horeb.

(2) And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

(3) And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

(4) And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

(5) And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

(6) Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

Now, let us understand that the real reason for God identifying Himself in all of these places, or coming into the open. What was the reason? It was in order that the people might know whom they worship. In order, and this is the meat of it, that God might receive worship and not some other god, or something reckoned to be God.

8. See, this is the purpose, that's what we found back here in the Book of Acts chapter 17, where they were all worshipping. Paul said here,

(23) (I perceive as I pass) by, (I) beheld your devotions, and I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore (you) ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

Now, they were attempting to worship God, and yet they weren't able to worship God, because God had not declared Himself unto them.

9. Now, keeping this in mind, this takes us right back to Exodus 20: beginning in verse 1.

(1) And God spake all these words, saying,

(2) I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (Now:)

(3) Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

(4) Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

(5) Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; (of those that won't worship God.)

(6) And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

(7) Thou shalt not… (bear, the word 'take' there, doesn't mean to curse, it means 'to bear', 'to take up', or 'to cherish'.) Thou shalt not take up… (and carry, or bear) the name of the LORD thy God in vain;

Now notice, there's a vanity also, it's after knowledge of God that could destroy relationship to God, even though there was a revelation of it.

(7) …for the LORD will not hold him guiltless (who beareth) his name in vain. (See?)

It's impossible then to be clear in the sight of God when a revelation comes if it's turned down. And people knowing the revelation, do not stay with it.

10. Now, notice in here he mentions the fact that there are gods. In other word, there are forces, and powers, and what you might call great things happening in the universe, and which of course could bring us into witchcraft. And then there is also much that is a phenomena, and people look at it, and they say, "Now we're going to call that God, and we're going to worship."

Now, God stands in the midst of all of this, and He says, "Now, you cannot have any other gods before Me, or any gods beside Me. And there is nothing that you can possibly pay any attention to in the efforts of worship and I will call you. In other words, I will call you... I cannot call you blameless, as long as there is any worship whatsoever that is given in My name, or towards Me. He refuses it, absolutely. (See?)

God redeeming Himself, and identifying Himself in order to be worshipped. Now then, what will happen if people turn down the identification of God to the people at …?... worshipping? Now, this is what we want to see, and this is what we see in the whole Scripture, right from the first chapter of Genesis right through to the very end.

11. Now, let's go back also to Genesis 12:1-8

(1) (And) the LORD said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee:

(2) And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

(3) And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse (them) that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

(4) So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him;…(and It mentions here how they all went out.)

Now notice in verse 7

(7) And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. (See, worship.)

Now, he couldn't worship back in the Ur of the Chaldees, where they were worshipping the moon god. You couldn't built an altar back there. There could not be a worship of God that God would accept, unless it was based upon the revelation of the Lord. And you notice God appeared unto Abram and said, "Now, come on out." And so he came out and built the altar and there he worshiped God according to the reality of the Word that God set before him.

12. Now also, notice the same thing in Exodus, (we're going to read a lot of Scripture today) in chapter 3:10-12, God said to Moses:

(10) Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

(11) And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

(12) And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, (you) shall serve God upon this mountain.

Right there again, you understand worship is involved. And God said, "I'm going to reveal myself to the people in order to receive worship.

13. Now, this brings us into perfect manifestation, the Book of John 4:23-24

(23) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

(24) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

14. Now also in the Book of Mark 7:7

(7) Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Now, God can only be God as the prophet said, if He is the object of worship. (See?) you can't be God otherwise. He's a creator, oh, that's about all that you can say about Him. But if God is going to be God, then He must be the object of adoration, He must be the object of some kind of worship.

Now, thus He must identify Himself as the true God, or He will not be worshipped. Now, think of what we are bringing all along at this time from Scripture. If God must identify Himself as the true God, or He will not be worshipped. And yet, He must be worshipped, because God is demanding a worship. (See?)

15. Now, God absolutely recognizes that others, or something else can attract a worship. Now, God recognizes that. We brought that out in the Book of Exodus. That's why He said in there, "You'll have no other gods before Me." (See?) In other words, He recognizes the possibility of something that will come and actually have enough influence and power, and authority with the people to literally take them away from God.

Now, you can't change anything if you tried in a million years. (See?) I know, people say, "Well, let's get this thing down iron clad." Now, God's God, there's definitely going to be a way of worship, that He being such a wonderful personage that I know that it'll never happen that something can slam in and take us away. He's a hundred percent wrong. You're a hundred percent wrong. Because It says right here, then he corrects himself in the midst of the other authorities and demonstration, and phenomena, (there's a word I'm trying to get in my mind, and I can't get it, maybe I'll get it later on, because it's a very special word you can use, it just puts the whole thing in sharp focus.) but God recognizes the utter forces or entity program, qualities conditions, charismatic features, (how you want to call it) and yet He says, "I am the only one that you are to worship." (See?)

And I will tolerate nothing else. So, there has to be an identification of exactly who and what god is. There's got to be an identification. Otherwise, your worship is going to be absolutely in vain.

16. Now, let's go to Exodus 34: 12:17

(12) Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, (see?) lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:

(13) (For) ye shall destroy their altars, …(see?)

You'll break up the very foundation of their worship, lest you be snared with it. That sure doesn't sound like going back to organization, playing around with it, does it? (See?)

(13) …cut down their groves: (living symbolically now.)

(14) For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

(15) Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and go a whoring after their gods, (notice, spiritual adultery) and do sacrifice unto their gods, (an act of worship to their god. A literal act of worship, just like they're doing, taking a part with them. See?) and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;

That's like taking the Lord's Supper, (see?) in their own way.

(16) And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.

(17) Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.

Now, you can see in here exactly what we're saying that there can be an actual worship going on based upon something which is concrete, that's not faith turned around of just somebody thought up something, but something that works. And they say, "Look at works, and it's God therefore." So therefore, they'll worship this and be a million miles away from the true God.

17. Now, let's go also that this thing is recognized to what it is, it's in 1 Corinthians 10:19-21

(19) What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?

(20) But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: (there, Paul lays it right down, the very same thing that Moses laid out in the Word that Paul lays out in the Word. And it could a literal sacrifice the devil) and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

See, he said:

(21) (You) cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: (the very same thing Moses said, you) cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

In other words, you can't partake of what God has laid down in His Word for the true believer, and then turn around and cover that and go your way to worship God, thinking you're worshipping God, yet you're basing it on the Bible say, "Well therefore that's the true God, because I'm basing it on the Word." It won't work. (See?) Because you can do that very, very easily.

18. Now, with this go back to Genesis 11: (we could go into the other Book and find the very same thing, but ..?.... Genesis, we don't need to worry, that's where your theme comes from) look at verse 4.

(4) And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

Now, what were they going to do here? They were going to do exactly what God said they must not do, which was to worship anything pertaining to the heavens. And they were going to build a great big tower in a series in their base and new city. And at the base of this tower would be a circle with the twelve signs of the Zodiac. And this of course is the Bible in the stars. The twelve signs with the other substantiating signs with it. You can see the whole Gospel in the heaven, starting from Virgo, the virgin unto Leo the lion. Christ born of a virgin, coming back as a lion. And they laid this out for many, many acres, and this is what they were worshipping. They were worshipping God according to their understanding. Now, let's understand this that they were worshipping God. But God was not pleased, because the worship of God was not according to the truth. (See?)

19. Now, we understand that. And also we understand our reading in 1 Kings there…we read concerning Elijah, you'll notice that when Elijah built the altar he built it in Israel. And remember, Israel was what? Prince with God. What was they doing though? Worshipping idols. (See?) Now, what about today? What about all through Scripture? It's been the bone of the Bible always the people have claimed an identity, or identification with God, God had to reveal Himself to them, and then they go off and they still attempt to retain the identification, but they can't do it because their worship is off.

Now, and later on they go plumb away from God with no hope at all. They leave God absolutely entirely, and even though they might claim to know God. Look today at astrologers, now there's no astrologers talks about the devil. He talks about God. Yet astrology is based upon the signs of the Zodiac, and they attempt to do everything through astrology. To which there is a bit of merit, but then, when it becomes meritorious and the people are fooled, it takes them absolutely right away from God. So, they're talking about God.

20. Now then, let's go from astrology to the next step which is spiritist. Then you go to spiritism, you have actual signs and definite miracles and great manifestations …?... But it's by devils. And yet the same people talk about God. From there you go to Christian Science, you go to Unity, you can go to a dozen religions, they're actually spiritist, but every single one of them claims an identity with Almighty God. And they're worshipping God, and each one of them have something going forth. You see, this is where people are wrong in their thinking.

They say, "Well now, if I'm going to worship God in anyway but my way, then that person's got nothing going for him." And that's where they're wrong entirely. You can have people that are worshipping God and be a million miles off, and they've got a lot of things going for them. They've got many, many things which are good, and you might say acceptable in a sense of the word. And you can well be fooled by them.

21. Now then, watch this: by the time that Jesus came on earth Israel was one hundred percent cured of idolatry. They were, (see?) they knew God brought into sin, brought into idolatry, for a …?... factor, were brought back, and when they were brought back they were absolutely turned to idolatry. That's what happened in seventy years captivity in Babylon.

All right, let's prove it by Scripture, (that is, idolatry in the sense of raw heathenism) let's go to the Book of Mark 12:28

(28) And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

(29) And Jesus answered (the scribe), The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: (Not two, not three, but one.)

(30) And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

(31) And the second is like (into this), namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

(32) And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

(33) And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

(34) And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said…Thou art not far from the kingdom of God...

22. Now, you notice in here, that the teaching of Israel was one God Who was Spirit. Who was supposed to be worshiped according to the Word. Yet you'll notice, we read in Mark 7:7, that their worship was vain.

(7) Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Now, notice right in here that their worship of God was vain. Now it's not that they were claiming to know other God. They were cured of raw heathenism. But now their worship is still vain, and they are still not accepted of God. Why? Because they teach for the Word of God the doctrines of men. Now, where does that come from?

23. That comes right back from Genesis 4:4-7 again. Notice:

(4) …Abel, brought of the firstlings of his flock… And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

(5) But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. (Listen:)

(6) And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

Now, verse 7 can be translated this way:

(7) Thou hast offered right, (said He to Cain) yet, if thou hast not rightly divided, (what? The Word) has thou not sinned. (See?)

Now, you'll notice in here that both of them were worshipping the one and only true God. But, one of them did not divide the Word correctly, so therefore, his worship was vain, and God had to finally curse him. (See?)

Now, we must understand this. The worship was not accepted. (See?) Now, God revealing Himself, identifying Himself in order to be worshipped. That's the first step. And then the next thing is, God revealing Himself, (by the Word) in order for the worship to be accepted and one with Him.

24. Now, God identified Himself to Israel, (that's the time of Jesus) He showed that He is the one true God, but they do not recognize Him, unless being shown that He's the one true God. We go to John 15:22-24

(22) If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

(23) He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

(24) If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin:…

Now, there was no Pillar of Fire to come down, but there was an identification. He identified Himself.

(24) If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now listen) …they both (have) seen and hated both me and my Father. (See?)

God revealing Himself, identifying Himself as to who He was, (see?) in order to receive worship.

25. Let's go to: John 14:7, notice what He said here to Philip.

(7) If (you) had known me, (you) should have known my Father also: (now:) and from henceforth (you) know him, and have seen him.

(8) Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

Now, watch what Jesus said:

(9) …Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how (then) sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

What more are you looking for? Now, nothing else could be seen, because that was the identification. Now, Israel could have said, "Well, show us some more, and then bring down some more fire." They do something else. But God showed Himself before the people absolutely identifying Himself.

Now notice verse 10

(10) Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

(11) Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. (See?)

Now, notice what He said. "Believe Me for the work's sake."

26. Now, with that go back to John 10:30

(30) I and my Father are one.

Now John 8:24

(24) I said therefore unto you, that (you) shall die in your sins: for if (you) believe not that I am…(not he, that word's not in the Greek. If you don't believe that I am, you) shall die in your sins. (See?)

The actual absolute identification, or deity identifying Himself amongst the people. (See?) With no doubt at all and no room. And you notice what He said, "Believe Me for the work's sake." [Jn 14:11b] In other words, doing what no other man could do, (which He did) then He said. "Believe Me for that work's sake." Why? Because this is only what God can do, not what a man can do. (See?) Doesn't …?... what God to do. Now, once He's done it then He said, "Now, you can go from there to where you believe the Word."

27. Now, what did Israel do though in the face of God identifying Himself, or Deity identified amongst the people. They refused to accept Him as the prophet and as the sacrifice they even refute His resurrection, so God turned from them according to the Book of Acts 13: notice verses 44-46

(44) And the next sabbath day came…the whole city together to hear the word of God.

(45) But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.

What were they doing? They were speaking against the very things that Paul and Barnabas were speaking, and they blasphemed God. Notice how they blasphemed, by contradicting and speaking against the Word.

(46) Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing (you) put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. (See?)

God turning from Israel to the Gentiles. Israel blinded.

28. Now, what happened? The church is set in order to the apostle Paul, and the Gentile Bride is espoused to Christ. Well, Israel literally goes what looks like divorcement, but it's really into blindness. 2 Corinthians 11:2

(2) For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Now, here we have the church in a pure form where God has revealed Himself thoroughly identified amongst the people. And they know the Word of God, so they are indeed worshipping Him in Spirit and in truth.

29. Now, isn't that exactly what It says in Philippians over here chapter 3:3, let's find out.

(3) For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Paul admitting that the Bride was a virgin, absolutely chaste, espoused to Jesus Christ. Now, this shows that she was in favor with God, if she was espoused. So therefore, His knowledge of her and her knowledge of Him, and her worship to Him was absolutely correct. (See?) She was accepted.

30. Now, notice though, Paul has great fear, [1 Corinthians 11:] 3-4

(3) But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds …(see, the mind. Eve's mind was subtility inundated, until she was seduced. Now, subtility) so your mind should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Now listen:

(4) For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, (that's another god now) whom we have not preached, or if (you) receive another spirit, (that's another god, that you) have not received, or another gospel, (that's another word, and understanding of worship) which (you) have not accepted, (you) might well bear with…(you might well bear.)

Now listen, what's he shown? He's showing right here the possibility of the accepted truly virgin identified Bride slipping away. And in the Ages to come, Four, Five and Six, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. [Mal 4:5] (See?) "He shall turn the hearts…of the children back to the fathers, less I come and smite the earth with a curse." [Mal 4:6]

God identified Himself amongst the people doing the same works He did when He was on earth. Absolutely.

31. Now, let's go back to 1 Kings 18:37 (just for a second there, just the one verse) [omit]

(37) Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD and hast turned their heart back again. (And the fire fell.)

In other words, the mighty miracle ministry that was to return to this earth, the same ministry of Jesus Christ when He was on earth came back through a prophet. And the mighty signs and wonders which no other man could do, because he alone had 'Thus Saith the Lord'. And nobody else had the magnitude of the ability that he had. Nobody had..the ability to: "bring me your worse case and I'll guarantee healing." Nobody else could stand up to him. (See?)

That same ministry returned to the earth. And when it did, it turned the hearts of the children to the fathers. Why? Because it turned them back to God, because this man was the sole representative of the sole true God. I don't care if you had a million out there doing the same thing. Millions of Jannes and Jambres doesn't matter to me. You were going to listen to his what? Because remember, in the days of Jesus they were casting out devils, because Jesus said, "By whom do your sons cast out devils?" [Mt 12:27] They were casting out devils, even the sick and seeing things done.

There never was a time when God didn’t so something amongst His people. (See?) Never let anybody tell you that that time never was, they're liars. God always has. He's even worked them up to be ignorant, and even the wicked. There's no problem there. (See?)

32. Now, it is to lead the people back to God to worship Him. Now, no worship except that based on the truly divided Word can be accepted. All right, that was back in Genesis 4:1. "Thou hast offered right. And you prayed right, you've sung right. You've done a lot of right things. Oh, you've been a wonderful person. But you know what? You're not accepted."

"You know what, I believe in the Blood of Jesus. I talked in tongues, I've had a great experience."

Sure, but you're still not accepted. You won't divide the Word right.

Now, Cain offered a good sacrifice. Don't let anybody tell you he didn't, because he did. The Bible said, "Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice." [Heb 11:4a] So therefore Cain offered an excellent sacrifice. And God said here in His Word you offered right. That's right, because the first-fruit offering is according to the Bible. Wrong place.

That's like …?... "I've got the Holy Ghost."

When?

"When I believed."

No, you never when you believed, you get It after you believed. Wrong division, you didn’t get the Holy Ghost. How could you?

"Well, I did."

No you didn't.

33. I heard people talk about tongues is the evidence get so balled up, that I said, "Aright, are you trying to tell me the brother you said you know Bro. Branham? Are you trying to tell me that he got…that God then gave him the Holy Ghost without speaking in tongues, when everybody else is supposed to speak in tongues?" I said, "Why?"

"Well, (he said) he knew that he couldn't believe it, he just gave him without it."

Well then, he's bigger than God. That man's supposed to be a preacher. He's a preacher alright, but he's a phony preacher. Not because I say so, but his own works condemned him. How can he stand up against 'Thus Saith the Lord'? How can we stand up against it when God identified Himself. God didn't identify Himself with that man. God identified Himself through Elijah, by Moses, by Abel, by Jesus Christ, by William Branham. (See?)

34. Now, God cannot accept service apart from the revealed Word of truth. Now, let's put that down in the Bible and find out. Numbers 16: One hundred percent everything we preach we got from the Bible. We just don't talk about it. And we know we divide the Bible right, because we do what the prophet said. Now, watch that:

(15) And Moses was very wrorth, (with Korah, Dathan and Abiram, the ones that had the gifts, you know the Holy Ghost offering there and giving sacrifices. Now, he) said (to) the LORD, Respect not their offering: (now listen:) I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.

That's the very thing that God said is going to happen in the last day. They'll make merchandise of you. It's going to cost you something to be round up. It takes money …?... Gospel. All that sort of nonsense. Well, they always have the golden calf, never get away from the golden calf. They can't do it, they just can't do it. (See?) You watch anybody with a golden calf scheme. Not of God.

35. Now, Moses said, "Don't accept their worship." They came with a censer. God, 'boom', burn them out. But He said, "Keep the censer because they're consecrated." That's your perfect picture of many of man with a perfect genuine gift of Holy Ghost, but he himself unaccepted by God. "Depart from Me, you that work iniquity, I never knew you." [Mt 7:23b] You know, you're cast out, you get the point? …?... (See?) There you are.

Now, this abundantly clarifies Matthew 24:24. (See?) Bro. Branham most famous verse, we'll never forget that will we?

(24) …there shall arise false Christs, (even lying) prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; (genuine signs and wonders, correctly anointed with the power, but false to the Word every single time. And if He is the Word, how can you worship Him without being one with that Word? Then in) so much that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (See?)

Now, let's find out, 2 Thessalonians 2:12

(12) That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

What is that unrighteous pleasure? Over here in 1 John 3:7. There it is, It says here:

(7) Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as (Jesus) is righteous.

In verse 10

(10) In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

And in verse 12

(12) Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were (unrighteous), and his brother's (were) righteous (in how they worshipped God.)

36. They killed Paul, because he was a heretic according to their idea of worship. And that's exactly we're coming to at the end time. It is not that we will believe in one God, or you know what I mean, like… not that we won't believe God, but it is because that we believe God, and worship according to what an end time vindicated Message laid down. That's why they're going to go after it. And the Bible says right here: "That God is going to send them strong delusion, because they took pleasure in their own understanding of worship, when God brought a messenger and gave them the truth." And told them, "Now, here's your true God, worship him."

And they said, "We won't take that."

Well, why not?

"Oh, we're having just as much fun. In fact we're having more fun. In fact, you ladies you're just like slobs. You got long stupid hair you can't control, even stink, you don't wash it too well. That does it, sure, you've got problem with your hair spray and all this stuff when you use it, you got to have your stupid long skirt. Now, what is that got to do with God? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Good question, but very stupid, got lots to do with God, the prophet said so. Certainly. Why shouldn't men wear trunks, keep them cool? Because the prophet said, don't do it. Why shouldn't women wear slacks? Keep them much more neater, the wind blows. It's better as I said before, be embarrassed rather than abomination. (See?)

37. Well, it's just too bad, women always getting pregnant around you guys, because you don't believe in birth control." Well that's right we don't. Prophet said so. So in …?... are all over. Add one word, take …?.. take away one word means you're out. He said strong delusion. What's a strong delusion? They'll go on worshipping God, they'll go on having signs, wonders and miracles. They'll go on having a great time, they'll go on having a big revival, and they're all talking in tongues. They all got it. The Anglican churches have got it. The Roman Catholic church has got it. The Presbyterian's got it, they've all got it.

Bro. Branham once said, "I thought it was facetious." He said, "The Methodist want the Baptist, the Baptist want the Presbyterian, and the Pentecostal's want them all." And the Pentecostal's couldn't get them all. God, it's at the end time. See, there it is. It's in a showdown. God identifying Himself amongst the people in order to lead them to worship. Then any worship apart from the revealed Word of God will not stand before God. Won't do it. Now, thus we see why God will send strong delusion, those that turn down the truth. They will worship the beast, they believe God. They'll trip right into it. Why? Because God won't accept it.

38. Now then, God has identified Himself, make no mistake about it. To worship apart from revelation is idolatry. Now, Bro. Branham absolutely stated that. He said, "Yes, (he said) a man came to me and said, 'what about this witch doctor out there, he healed some sick person, don't tell me the devil can't heal, I saw it done'." And Bro. Branham said, "I'm ashamed that you'd even say that. Why, (he said) I thought you being a theologian all these years you'd know better." Just turned the tables on him. Gave him his own medicine.

"Why, (he said) certainly the devil can't heal, the devil can't create." He said, "What it is those poor people think they're approaching God, and they're doing this through the witch doctor." He said, "Just like they're doing it now through organization, denominations." Nothing but heathenists.

39. Now, call what you will God. Three of them, two of them, all …?... God. There is only one true God, that is the One identified by Elijah, both past and present. That is why the major revelation of this Age is: "The Lord He is God." He's the Lord Jesus Christ, the Alpha and Omega the only One, and there's none beside Him. And the water baptism in His Name is the major revelation of the Age. One God, and His Name is Lord Jesus Christ, and you're baptized in His Name, and the Word of God reveals Him, perfectly in order that you may worship and be accepted by God.

Now, we might ask, since God has identified Himself to us, how will He identify Himself with us? Well, the only way He's ever, ever done that. He's identified Himself amongst us already, by the fact we saw the signs and wonders, we heard the Word, we know the truth. What's the next step? Identification of God …?... by the baptism with the Holy Ghost. "Repent and be baptized everyone in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." [Act 2:38] How's that done? By the laying on of hands by the faithful men in the church. And then you without turning your back will go from there on until you walk right into it, the full stature of the perfect man.

40. Now, finally how will I identify with God? I identify with God by obeying His commandments, of being baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and receiving the Holy Ghost. And starting with the Scripture 'Thus Saith the Lord', never vary from It.

You know, many people still hold to themselves that they could twist a little bit here and there. You can't do it. You have got to be so dedicated, that if there is nothing to this Message, then there is nothing to nothing, forget the whole thing, let God sell His apples someplace else if there is a God.

Now, I use very rotten language for a pulpit, but I get my point across. As far as I am concerned you've got to make this stand with this Message. If this isn’t It, then you are lost, every-body's lost, forget it. Now, that's what happened in the days of Jesus. The original fathers of the church when confronted as though there could be a failure.

And [Jesus] said, "Will you also go?"

And they said, "Who shall we go to? You got the only thing worth looking at. You alone have the Word of Eternal Life. And so, there's no place to go, and if You're gone, we're gone with You, forget it." There's where you start and identify yourself with this end time worship of God whereby you will not be deceived. You identify with this Word one hundred percent, 'Thus Saith the Lord'. And a man comes along and says, "Well this looks good, that looks good."

41. Got a sweet little letter from a boy in prison. And evidently he'd be talking to another fellow outside about the Lord, and Bro. Branham and all. And this kid wrote back a very fine letter. But you see he couldn't bring his own thoughts into subjection. The boy in prison could, but the fellow outside couldn't. The boy in prison was free, but the man outside wasn't free. A lot of people outside the wall think they're free. A lot of people outside the church think they're free, they're not. You got to be walled up with this Word. God's got to put a hedge around them, then you're free. You got to …?.. then you're free. God's free men are slaves to God. Not face the devil, …?... something else.

But, this poor kid couldn't understand that. (See?) So, I wrote back and told how to answer the best that he gave for the time being. And then as he went along he'd answered even far better. But, he's just one boy just couldn't bring his mind the fact that this prophet had 'Thus Saith the Lord'. But people look for what they think is a mistake. It won't work.

42. Now, we identify in order to move in to the full stature of the manifested sons of Almighty God, which is beginning now, because this is that different segment, which will increase from now to the Resurrection, and in the Resurrection, through the Millennium to the White Throne judgment, and then right back to New Jerusalem when the final manifestation of those sons is there before the entire universe. All is in due process.

Now, know when to do it, then by the Word revealed to us, the worker of the works, which work revealed to us, there is a true and Living God. In other words, those mighty manifestations that came our way took it right back to the reality, that's the true God doing. Now, what about it? There's where the prophet came in, to reveal Him by the revealed Word. No other way.

43. Now, just had in mind brother/sister here's where we stand showing you conclusively by Scripture, God has to identify Himself as a true God in the midst of what we know can be taken as an object of worship. Because we have the ability to see phenomena and things around. We are not so ridiculously ignorant that we don't understand that there is a Creator. There is no two ways about it, but there has to be a God. There has to be something, only the most woefully self deluded are those who would say there's no God. And there are many of those, but that's true, they're self deluded. They haven't got a leg to stand on, they know it.

Once you get back to the original first cause then…they say, "Where does God come from?" Who cares. Their minds boggles down. But there aren't too many of those. Let's face it, even in Russia (communist country) there's …?.. of atheist never gone over very strong, never has, never will. Man is prone to worship, because he was made to worship. God made …?... Let him be perverted, he still has that propensity and nothing will shake him in the majority. Even the seed of the serpent will worship. Can't get away. Now the point is: God must come on the scene and identify Himself. God identified amongst the people.

44. Now, God made man to worship. So, God must identify Himself in order that man can worship. Then God must reveal His Word in order that man will stay in continuity with God to keep up that worship.

Now, where are we going today? We're right at the end time where the Word's been absolutely perverted, Christ outside the church. We're at the end time where the mark of the beast will soon come through a religious organization, a system of worship. The showdown today is worship. Not that people are not worshipping God, but the showdown is they will not worship God according to the revelation as was vindicated when God revealed Himself to the end time prophet. Now, says they don't do it, they'll believe a lie. So, what's the…there's only one step left, there's two groups left, those who are going to take the mark of the beast, and those who will die refusing to do it. In the mean time the Bride's gone. We're right at that place right today brother/sister. God has…Deity, as Bro. Branham said, "Deity has identified Itself." What are you going to do about it? See, no room to doubt anymore.

45. Whatever you and I thought before, that was fine, we were doing our best. But now, Which is Perfect has come, and that in part is done away. We got no place else to look. But thank God, we don't have to look, that's a waste of time. What a waste of time to look for that which is has been found. What a waste of time to think upon that, which has already been thought out. In other words, look for something else. You try to think it out. Don't bother to think it out, just believe It. (See?)

And God will give us grace as we move on in maturing in the sun. Because the Word of God has within It the full potential and the full power to bring about what It was sent for. And this Word was sent brother/sister for what? First of all the showdown between righteousness and unrighteousness, worship and antichrist worship. And out of that is going to come the Rapture. If we lick the first, I say, If we lick the first, we've got the second made. Don't ever think of the second without that first. And what are we saying? Stay with this Word that's all. Stay with the Word. As Paul said, "If God needs to show us something, he'll show you, don't you worry." You just stick with the revealed Word of God.

The Lord bless you. That's where we stand, and I trust that each one of us as Paul, having done to stand, all that stands will stand. Our loins …?... keep ourselves in the Word of God, that's the place today. No, no other cover do I want, standing on the Rock of revelation of Jesus Christ, God's indentified Himself amongst us. If I'm worshipping that One, then I know I'm right. I know I'm accepted. The Lord bless you. Shall we rise, then to be dismissed.

And gracious Heavenly Father, it's been good for us to dwell together here at this time, to speak about those things, Lord, which were in our day. Between, O God, in person. Between, O God, I hear, not coming tomorrow, they're here. We're in the showdown now, we just haven't felt the squeeze, we're in the showdown now.

Lord, let Your people know that if they weathered the first they'll make the second. Grant it, O God, there be not one that turn from this Word. Lord, put a guard upon every mind, specially every mind, that there be not one creed of dogma, there be not one iota of anything, Lord, contrary to come in. And we think, Lord, that that size of the sperm, a hundred and fifty thousand on the tip of a needle, one word could come into somebody's mind destroy, bring a wrong life in, and destroy that mind.

Lord, don’t let any womb, any mind be open to the wrong seed. Let it be absolutely shut to anything and everything but the Word of God. This is It, and there's no place else to go. To whom shall we go? This is the vindicated Word, Eternal Life. Thank God It is.

Now, I hope, Lord, it's built on nothing less than the solid Rock, the revelation of Christ Himself. God, we know we don't have to turn anywhere. We've already been turned, we're ready to go up. Father, bless each one therefore by faith and use it, every care and doubt dissolved. God, help us so love each other, be sweet and kind. Not, Lord, to be antagonistic …?..., Lord, or be competitive, but to look on each one of us, Lord, as a brother, and a sister, we're all going on.

Help us to have that same spirit of love and unity as the prophet had when he was with us. May that very Spirit of Christ imbue us all as we're marching upward to Zion. And unto the King Eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be all power and honor and glory through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. God bless you. Let's just sing that little chorus: 'We'll give all the glory to Jesus'.