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Sermon Texts Beginning With B
Behold A Greater Than Solomon Is Here (62-0612)
| Behold A Greater Than Solomon Is Here (62-0612) |
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E-1 Thank you...?... Good evening, friends. It's a privilege to be back here tonight, and to be in the service of the Lord. And we certainly enjoyed last night (just commenting) the message, a little drama. Why, you never enjoyed it any more than I did, of trying to rehearse it to you, as I see it, the way the Lord did it, or they did it in the Bible. And tonight it's such a--a privilege to be back here tonight and see all of you back again. That's mighty nice.
E-2 And those who travel along, and in the meet along the roads, and so forth, and at home, the visions that come there are not like they are on the platform. The one on the platform, you're doing it yourself. See? You don't know it, but you are. It's your faith doing. And the--the ones at home is the ones that God's doing it. And this is what you're doing.
E-3 Well, now, what about when He raised up Lazarus? How much greater that was to call a man back after he'd been dead for four days. Wasn't a thing said about Him getting weak there. See? That was God doing it. Now, St. John 5:19, He said, "Verily I say unto you, the Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing first." See? See, it was a vision. Not, "what I hear the Father saying," but "what I see the Father doing." See?
E-4 Now, God must've told Him, then, to leave Lazarus and go away because he was going to die. And after so many days they'd send, but not go, because that lovely family sending for Him, and He went on.
E-5 Such a short stay and such a grand bunch of people, that I kinda hate to leave, though tired. But I got to... Now, I know tonight they got a--a baptismal service, and so forth, here at the church. Brother Ned Iverson, my friend and brother, is going to take over the service now and carry on for a while. And I certainly would recommend him, recommend that you come, hear him.
E-6 And I'm not too big. If I was as big as your pastor, here, I believe I could just go day and night. I ain't telling you to run him day and night. But--but--but little Brother Ned said today, when I was talking with him, the pastor, said, "I wish I could transfer some of my strength to you." Well, that would be good, 'cause he's so big and strong. And I was always little.
E-7 Now, I believe all the brethren has been introduced, I think, all the way along the line. And one little brother that I left off at the other meeting, and that's the little Methodist boy that was a dyed-in-the-wool Methodist out of the seminary. And--and got a brother that's a very prominent figure in Asbury, Wilmore, Kentucky. And this boy and his family has come out and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, preaching the Full Gospel. That's Brother Collins, Wilbur Collins. Where you at, Wilbur? Wilbur Collins, somewhere back in the back. Would you just like to give us a word from there, or come up here? I'd like somebody to see a Methodist that's got the Holy Ghost, besides Brother Neville over here. Come here, and just say a word for us.
E-8 Brother Collins, I've knowed him for a number of years--sweet precious Christian, a real man of God. He and his wife and family is all under the order of--God's order of the Bible. Brother Collins.
E-9 And Jack Schuller, many of you know him, is a fine Methodist. Jack told me... One time I come to Phoenix, and I was going to Madison Square Garden. He was out in the school auditorium. And I called him up, I said, "Jack, I didn't know you were here."
E-10 I was in a Lutheran college, Bethany, where I'd been called on the carpet, oh, my, just digging me up. He's the one that called me "a polished-up soothsayer." And then the Lord kinda got after him about it a little bit, you know, and so he called me up to apologize. We went down into a basement where they set a nice big dinner. And he said to me; he said, "Brother Branham, I just want to ask you some questions. First, I'm sorry I said what I said in that letter."
E-11 "Then after while some of the pollen fell off of there down back into the leaf again, and it brought forth a ear of corn, like the original grain that went in the ground." I said, "That was the Pentecostal." I said, "But see, it's got the original grain." I said, "We got a lot of fungus on the ear, but yet there's some grains there too, you know." I said. But they... I said... And I said, "Now, the Pentecostal church is the advanced Lutherans." He saw it.
E-12 I've been graciously invited back by your pastor, and maybe, the Lord willing this fall when I come back, I can come up a few more nights this fall.
E-13 So I asked him if he'd try to get me another one of those, 'cause there's some more books coming up, and they're--they're going... I want the article in it with his name. And, by the way, I think they got some books out the back (I think that's right, isn't it?), Brother Wood and them, and the tapes, and so forth, as the--out the back, as you go out.
E-14 And each day... There's people setting right here now, looking right at me, that I was on interview this morning with, and so forth, and knows that... how it just takes the Spirit of God to move out in there, and find those cracks and corners in life.
E-15 The apostles are actually missionaries. I believe, now... My education's very limited, but the--I think the word "apostle" means "one sent." Is that right? Doesn't missionary the same thing? "One sent." So how you ever desired to be called missionaries, instead of apostles, I don't know. But either one of them's all right, as long as--long as the Lord sent. That's fine.
E-16 I said last night, "Give me thirty minutes." And when I was going down the road, after I was trying to come back to myself from swinging from those spheres in there, my son said, "That was a good twenty minutes, dad." Said, "Just about an hour and forty-five."
E-17 But you know, sometimes... Every minister knows when the Holy Spirit just seems to... every word you say just sinking in. Isn't it a wonderful feeling? You just hate to stop, don't you? And yet, you know you're rude and interrupting the meeting, but you just can't hardly stop.
E-18 Well, a few years ago, and... I was coming in from a meeting. They're both daddy's girls. Oh, my. You know how... And the little boy, little hmm, talk about a... He said he's going to be a preacher. I said, "Honey, you got a lot of reforming to do, if you do." And so... Joseph.
E-19 I think every minister should stay by himself a long time before entering the pulpit, to come out in the freshness of the Holy Spirit, because he's got the purchase. See, I've often thought what I would do with two drops of the literal Blood of Jesus. And now here we have before us the purchase of His Blood. He gave His Blood for you, and we're handling that audience. Oh, my. Better be real sure and just as reverent as we can be.
E-20 Becky, she'd woke up. Quickly she thought, "This is daylight. Daddy must be home." And when she jumped up, she woke up Sarah, her little sister. And Becky is kind of skinny, and long-legged, and--and--and so she come running through the room. And Sarah, a little short fellow...
E-21 And just about the time she got there, Becky looked around, and she said, "Sarah, my sister, I want to tell you something. I was here first." See? And said, "I've got all of daddy, and there's nothing left for you."
E-22 Now, let us read some of the precious Word now, 'fore we talk on it again, just for a little bit. And let's turn in the Bible now, over in the book of St. Matthew, you who wish to write down the text. Let's begin with the 12th chapter and the 38th verse down including the 42nd verse.
And there were certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and an adulterous generation seeketh after... sign; and there shall be no sign given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
For as Jonas was in three days and three nights in the belly of a whale; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
The men of Nineveh shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
If I should call a little word that I'd like to draw from that, "Behold A Greater Than Solomon Is Here." He had been rebuking those Pharisees for their--their disbelief. They'd had the Bible down through the ages of scrolls, where all the prophets had spoke of Him coming. All the way from Moses when he wrote Genesis, spoke of the coming Messiah.
E-23 Moses described Him, just what He would be, how that... And Isaiah described how He would be born, how his birth would be of a virgin. And Moses spoke that He would be a prophet just like him. And all these things had been said about our Lord. E-24 And now, as I have often said, I may not have faith to make every promise come to pass, but I sure wouldn't stand in the way of somebody who did have enough faith to do it. I've often said I'd like to have enough faith like Enoch did, that I wouldn't have to die when my time come, just take an afternoon stroll, and go up home with Him. But if I haven't got that faith, I'm sure hope I get to see somebody that has got it. And I'll trust that someday we'll all have that faith, that when He comes we can just take a stroll and go home with Him.
E-25 Now, Jesus had strictly, as we noticed last night in the little drama, that He would strictly perform, and did just exactly what the Scripture said He would do. And many of those had believed it because... Even like the woman at the well, as soon as that Spirit and act had flashed upon her heart, she knew quickly that that was the sign of the Messiah. There was... The Messiah, when He came, He was to do that manner of work. So she said, "You must be a prophet."
E-26 Some good friend that loved him, and he pleaded for him, and he couldn't get no answer. So he went to the highest source that he could. He went to Mr. Lincoln. They said that Mr. Lincoln was getting out of the carriage. And he fell down before him and said, "Mr. Lincoln, sir..." told the case. And he said, "He's a good man."
E-27 He would not receive it. He said, "No. If it was Mr. Lincoln's, it would have to be sealed by the seal of the United States," and so forth, and all like that. Said that how the polish would have to be on it. And because he rejected it, he was killed. Because he rejected that... There was Mr. Lincoln's seal... or, name signature, but he rejected it.
E-28 So Jesus had strictly, and straightly, performed every sign that he had supposed to be. Now, we also know, before we leave this part of the subject, that the Jews seek signs (See?); Greeks, wisdom. And Paul said, "We preach Christ crucified." Now, the Jews... seeking a sign because they--they put the sign above their theology. And it was a good thing. If... E-29 Now, we notice in the Bible, if a prophesier, or a dreamer, had a dream and they was uncertain about it, they'd take them down to the temple and put them before the Urim Thummim. And you notice, if the Urim Thummim didn't answer back... Now, the closest study that I can find on that, what that Urim Thummim was, was this breastplate of Aaron's. I picked it up the other day at one of the conventions up at the American Baptist grounds, up in Green Lake, Wisconsin, where the Full Gospel Business Men was having a convention. And they had the pattern of the stones there... all.
E-30 Now, and they took a dreamer, or a prophesier. No matter how well it seemed, if those mysterious lights like rainbow flickering on that Urim Thummim, then the dream wasn't accepted, neither the prophecy. It was tried by the Urim Thummim. So, see, it was supernatural that always vindicated truth.
E-31 He promised He'd pour out the Holy Ghost in the last days. So it's just a reflection. It's--It's this Urim Thummim reflecting itself in the people. See? I'm sure that's not hard to understand amongst this kind of a people. It's the--the Urim Thummim here, the Bible, reflecting God's promises.
E-32 Now, now, God in all ages, always had gifts in His church. He's always vindicated His people. Wherever you see the living God, you see the signs of a living God. Now, there was Moab upon the hill, and he was offering. He had seven altars, Balaam did, and he had seven bullocks. He had seven rams, that bullocks, a clean sacrifice; rams speaking of the coming just One. Fundamentally, he was just as fundamental as--as Moses was down in the camp of Israel. E-33 Now, if we talk fundamentalism, now Cain was just as fundamental as Abel was. Both boys was wanting to find favor with God. Cain brought a sacrifice. Cain built an altar. Cain worshipped, just as much sincere as Abel was. But Abel, by spiritual revelations, on which the church is built, on spiritual revelations of the will and Word of God, offered a sacrifice that God was pleased with. And now, I believe that's the day that we're living in now also.
E-34 Now, God always had signs. Jesus here was speaking of--upbraiding them cities and saying, "Oh, thou Capernaum," and different ones. "If the sign... If the mighty works had been done in you that--or was done in Sodom that'd been done in you, it would remain till this day. And you're exalted into heaven, but be brought down to hell," how would... Rebuking the cities that did not receive the message...
E-35 Now, Jesus was speaking here of some of the people in the days that God had showed signs. One He spoke of was Jonah, and Jonah was sent down to Nineveh. And I always felt sorry for Jonah, because many people, I think, misunderstood Jonah. Now, they said Jonah was backslidden, and he was this, that, and the other, and I've said the same. But let's just study Jonah for a minute.
E-36 Now, Nineveh was a city much larger than this one--yes, about the size of St. Louis. And it was a--a city of heathens, and it was a great commercial city, and a great city of the sea coast. One of their main occupations there was fishing. And they were idol worshippers, and their sins had become so great until God just couldn't stand it any longer.
E-37 And the prophet, when he got down to the sea coast... Instead of going to Nineveh, he took a ship that was sailing out to Tarshish. Now, we've always thought that was a short cut, or dodging the duty. But I'm going to try to take up for that preacher tonight, and I'm going to say that I believe he was a prophet, and was exactly in the will of God. I believe he followed the leading of the Spirit. I believe he was led to go that way. He didn't understand it, after God had commissioned him one place, and here he found himself going another way. E-38 Now. God had a big fish (we call a whale) to swallow him, and the fish was feeding through the water in that storm. Many of you notice how a fish will surface especially in a storm to feed, because there's much... The--the--the ocean's having a revival. You know, it's jumping up and down, having a big time. That's when it's... That's a revival.
E-39 I remember when I stood by the side of the seashore the first time... It wasn't the sea; it was Lake Michigan. I was just a boy preacher, went up to hear Paul Rader preach at the World's Fair, about 1933, I believe it was, when it was at Chicago. And I had my first opportunity to walk out and look at the large body of water, larger than the Ohio River. And it was just a-jumping, and a-going on, you know. And it was early spring, Easter sunrise service we were there. And I seen those great big whitecaps coming in, you know, and hit the--the bank, and roll out. And I thought of that... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... sing, "Floods of joy over my soul like the sea billows roll."
E-40 Well, I thought, "You know what? There's not one speck... not one drop more of water in that place now, in that lake, than there was if it was perfectly quiet. There's no more water. Not a bit. Did you ever think of it? But it's just having a revival (See?), just jumping, and screaming, and shouting, having a revival.
E-41 So then, as this ship jumping, and the fish feeding... And the first thing you know, a big whale came by and swallowed up Jonah. And I was talking to someone about that here a few years ago, when they brought a whale to Louisville on a flatcar, just the skeleton of it. And this man was--made a remark about it.
E-42 But did you notice, this was a special whale. God prepared this one. This was a special-built for the occasion. You know, God can do that. Yes, He can. He had Himself a sacrifice up there one time on the mountain, in Genesis 22. Jehovah-jireh could provide for Himself a whale. Don't you believe so? So He got one big enough to swallow this prophet. And then when he went down after he fed...
E-43 But you know, Jonah down there in the belly of this whale with the seaweeds wrapped around his neck... And he was in a bad shape. And he turned over on his back, and he was in vomit of the whale, and he begin to look this way...
E-44 So he was looking at symptoms down... Look. What if he would've looked at them down there? Well, if he'd look this way it was a whale's belly; look that way it was whale's belly; everywhere he looked it was whale's belly.
E-45 But you know what? He wouldn't look at that whale's belly. You know what he said? They were lying vanities. They just wasn't right. He was going to look at something else. He said, "Once more will I look to Your holy temple." Now, Jonah knew that when Solomon dedicated that temple, that he prayed and said, "Lord, if Thy people be in trouble anywhere, and look toward this holy place and pray, then hear from heaven." And he had confidence in that prayer. E-46 Now, if Jonah could have faith, and under those circumstances, on a prayer that a man prayed (an ordinary man that later backslid) and God honored that faith, what ought we to do tonight? Not looking at a--a temple made with hands but in glory, and not a man that backslid, but the Son of God setting there with His--with His Bloody garments to make intercession upon our confession. How we should not look at our symptoms, but look at God's promise. Yes, sir.
E-47 "Ask the Father anything in my Name, I'll do it." That's all. He's the High Priest setting at the right hand of His majesty on high to make intercessions upon our confession, what we have believed and confessed. And anything that He did for us, we can confess it, and believe it, and He's there to make it good before the Presence of God. How we ought to rejoice, and don't look at any symptoms. Look at what God promised. That's a promise.
E-48 So all of them out there fishing in the sea, and all at once, up raised their god, run right up to the bank, and licked out his tongue, and the prophet come walking right out of the mouth of their god. How could they keep from believing. See? Sure. No wonder they put sackcloth on their animals, for the--the sea god had spit the prophet right out, and he told them to repent. Now, you see, Jonah wasn't out of the will of God; he was right in the will of God.
E-49 Now, this is a wicked and an adulternous generation. We know it. And what was the sign they was going to receive? The sign of the resurrection. Jesus is not dead, but He's raised again. Again, great commercial cities given over to the--to the enemy, over to the devil, and marrying, giving in marriage, and adultery, and perversion, and all kinds of filth that's in the earth today; and unbelieving Christians, form of godliness, heady, high-minded, intellectual age...
E-50 You say, "Them communists, Brother Branham." No, sir. They're church members having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. From such... So... Are getting the sign of Jonas...
E-51 So I don't think that Jonah was out of the will of God. And I believe the wicked and adulternous generation seeks after signs. Now. And they... God never refused, but He always gives them a sign. E-52 And the reason, when Solomon, the son of David, when he took the throne, well, he never prayed that God would--would give him so much, but just wisdom to know how to govern and--and hold the people together. Well, now, God worked with him, and He gave him a gift of discernment. True, certainly did. And he could discern the right from the wrong, and so forth, and the news scattered everywhere, throughout all the world, of this great...
E-53 Do you know, if God in any age, when He sees the people, and He gives them a gift, or a sign... And a gift always produces a sign. That's the reason Jesus was rebuking them, because He was God's gift, and the sign of God's gift was being vindicated. He said, "If you can't believe Me, believe the works, for they speak of Me." You see?
E-54 Think of every American tonight that professes to be a Christian and believe in Jesus Christ would accept and believe the Gift that God has sent us in this last days: the Holy Spirit. Why, you know what? They'd take every police off the force. They could just burn down the jails. We wouldn't need them no more. No, no. There'd be no more law offices and things. We wouldn't need it. Why, the millennium would be on. Sure.
E-55 Noah had to sweat it out too. Now changing from Solomon now to Noah, but did you notice God... After Noah give his message, God told him to go in the ark, and He sealed him up in there. And the next morning he thought it would rain.
E-56 There's just so many of that kind today, just to see what's going to happen. See? So the... Said, "If it really does start, like some water up there in the skies, clouds, or something, we'll knock on the door, and come in."
E-57 I was speaking the other night on "Presuming," what if the apostle said, "We've waited here nine days. I believe we've got the Holy Ghost. I presume we've got it. Let's go on out and start our ministry." Oh, no. They waited till that Bible sign appeared over there, well, that's--till it was right. And they wasn't thinking nothing.
E-58 And Solomon was God's great anointed one. How I'd imagine everybody in one heart and one accord, the whole nation with one heart and one accord. Wasn't that the way to be? What if all of the churches called the church of Jesus Christ tonight was just like Israel was at that time, one heart and one accord?
E-59 And now, in them days they didn't have television, and--and radio, and press, and so forth to scatter news. It was just from lip to ear. And the great camel caravans and things passing through the different parts of the country, why, they'd take the news.
E-60 You know, faith cometh by hearing the Word of God. See? That's right. So these people saying that, way down in the heart of this little queen, she begin to wonder, "Wonder if all that is so. Well, wait till the next camel caravan comes through." And so, the next one come through. "Have you passed through Israel?"
E-61 Boy, that little heart begin to beat. She wanted to go. Now, I think if we would start telling how good our people was, how wonderful this Holy Ghost is, instead of trying to run one another down (You see?), to each other. I think it'd make every... You're the salt of the earth. You see? But the salt can only save when it contacts. See? So I think if we'd just get real salty, the world would get real thirsty. Don't you think so? That's right. Get real salty.
E-62 Finally her heart begin to beat, till she said, "Well, you know, I'm going up to find out for myself." That's good. Make your choice. You know when something begins to beat, begins to thirst, it's time to go to hunting then. If you begin to think, "I may die one of these days. I don't know God," you better get started, because that's God's red light. The signal's coming down, so you'd better hurry.
E-63 Now, this little woman, she was hungering and thirsting to go up there. So now... after all, she was a church member, so she had to go get a consent from her pagan priest, see if she could attend the revival or not. And so I can see her now go down, and she said, "Holy father, I would like to ask permission from you, if I could... They're having a revival over in Israel, they tell me. They got a God over there that, oh, He's living right in the people. And they're all one heart. And they tell me that man has got a gift of discernment of some kind. He knows the mysteries, and can foretell things that's coming to pass. And they say there's a great God up there that they serve. And you know, holy father, I would like to go down there and see if that's right."
E-64 You know, where God is pouring out His Spirit, they're always looked down upon somehow, as a bunch of know-nothings. Sure they don't know nothing of this world. They lose their own mind, that they might find the mind of Christ. See?
E-65 She said, "But Father, it's--it isn't so. And they tell me... So I'd just like to get permission from you, if I could go up there."
E-66 'Cause why? Faith cometh by hearing, hearing the Word. And when God goes to tugging at a heart, there's no way to get rid of it, only go do what it tells you to do. That's the only way to do it. So here she was, tugging at her heart, and going...
E-67 There, that's what I like. And if there is such a thing as a God that can come into you... You all know the form of pagan worship? (I know...I don't want to... I'm watching that clock up there, and I'm going to get wrong on this one.)
E-68 Now, that's contrary to God. See? God is not a idol; God is a Spirit, and we prostrate ourselves before that. And the Spirit don't come into some idol, as some so-called Christians would have us to believe, but the Spirit comes into you. And you are God's house, living...?... walking around, manifesting the living God. For God dwells not in temples made with hands, "but a body hast thou prepared Me."
E-69 Now, this little old woman says, perhaps, to this priest, said, "I've been here all these years. You've talked about all this. I haven't seen one time it spoke; I haven't seen one person that acted any different; it's always been the same old thing, and there's no life in it at all. And if there's somewhere that there is a God that can give life, I want it.
E-70 And now, the first thing, she said, "I'm going up. And I've read all the books of what this Jehovah should be. And I'm going up to see for myself." And then, she loaded down some camels with some gifts. And she said, "If it is so, then I'm going to support it. If it isn't so, I'll bring my money back." Boy, she could teach some of us in America some lessons, couldn't she? Yes, sir. If there is anything to it, it's worth everything. If it isn't, it ain't worth nothing. Get away from it. E-71 But you know something? When you are going out to meet Christ, and determined to meet Christ, there's no danger you understand at all. You don't care for nothing else. You've got one objective and one achievement, and that is to meet Christ. Oh, if the world could get to hungering like that. She wanted to meet Christ, and that was her main objective, or, meet Solomon, the gift, and see if it was God. And she didn't know any danger. She didn't know.
E-72 Somebody said one time... I seen a woman got up and started shouting, and she run around. Honest, she hurdled about four chairs. And some of them said, "Looked like that woman would've broke her neck."
E-73 And now, remember, if you'll draw on your--watch on your map, from where Jerusalem was all the way down to Sheba, that's across the Sahara desert... And it just takes a camel three months to get across there. Now, she didn't go across in a air-conditioned Cadillac. See? She had to cross on a camel, and taken three months to do it. Now, that's when she was really hungering for God.
E-74 There she was. She had to cross the Sahara, and here it was. And these old camels, perhaps, travel at night, a few maids with her, and a bunch of little eunuchs along out there, not thinking of nothing else. But all through the days, setting up on the oasis somewhere, reading those scrolls, what Jehovah was, 'cause faith cometh by hearing, and hearing the Word of God. She'd got these scrolls and was reading them. She wanted to know exactly what Jehovah was, and Solomon was manifesting Jehovah. So she went to find out. E-75 And first thing you know, Pastor Solomon come out, and all the music played, and so forth. And Pastor Solomon come out. She got her... She didn't have a prayer card, so she just waited way in the back of the building, you know. So she waited back there for a long time. And when Pastor Solomon got to--got to talking, they--she noticed that there was nothing but the wisdom of what she had heard.
E-76 And the next morning, when she come in I guess she got about middle way. And the first thing you know, it come to pass that she got right up close. And one morning she got in the line, and she got up before Solomon. She said, "Now, I'll see how--whether it's right or not. I'm just--I... Just something all over me tells me it's right." And the Bible said there was not any secret but what God let Solomon know about. That's right. And when Solomon begin to talk to her, and discern her heart and her desires, you know what she said? E-77 And if you don't believe the Holy Ghost is right, give it the same kind of try. You might hear it on others, but wait till it goes to work on you once. Then you'll know for sure that it is the gift of God. It takes all temper, all the sin, all unbelief, all doubts, all fears; even the fear of death goes away from you when the Holy Ghost comes in. Oh, it's real, friends. If you've never received it, don't let the night pass without receiving it.
E-78 What a--a great thing it was. That poor little lady was so thrilled, until she--she stood up there, and even wanted to--to take some ground back down with her. She was--really become a believer. E-79 And now tonight, after He's been dead, buried, and risen again into glory as a High Priest for two thousand years... And the infidelic world, communistic-inspired as it is tonight, in the midst of all of it, a greater than Solomon's standing here, a greater than all, the same God with the same promised gift, the same Holy Spirit with Eternal Life.
E-80 What was the matter with the little lady? She had seen something for one time in her life that was real, something that wasn't a put-on, a ritual, or a form or something. She had come to a church where she seen the moving of a living God. Now, if that little woman will raise in the day that Jesus was on the earth with that generation and condemn it, what about today? E-81 The Holy Spirit with Bible evidence has come into the church, and showing the signs and powers of the resurrected Jesus right among us now, a greater than Solomon. The immortal Spirit of God is working not just with one; He's working in the entire church, showing signs and wonders, healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out devils, speaking with tongues, giving interpretation, pouring down powers, converting sinners. Oh, He's showing signs of His being here, discerning the hearts and thoughts of the people that He had promised He would do. And remember, the last sign that Israel got was that. And that's the last sign promised now: the last-day sign. And here we are.
E-82 That little queen had seen something that was real, something that she could look at herself. And it was real. She could see the reacting of it upon that man. She knowed that it was something that... E-83 I remember not long ago... I might've told you this little thing... As you know, I'm a hunter, or I just like to hunt. I'm not a hunter, but I hunt in Africa, India, and everywhere around the world. My mother was a half-breed, and she... And my grandfather was a noted hunter. And so, I always loved it. The first thing I ever bought... I dropped sweet potato plants all day and got a quarter, bought me two steel traps, and I was in business. And I--I caught me a opossum and sold that hide, and I got me some more traps. And I went in real business then. I was about eight years old, and I've been hunting ever since.
E-84 Now, I used to go up in the north woods and hunt, way up north. And I used to hunt with a good hunter up there, by the name of Burt Caul. This was a real hunter, didn't have to worry about him. Many times you take a fellow in the woods, and if you don't watch... if he don't really know the directions, and how to read signs--moss on trees and so forth--you'll have to look him up for a day or two. He get turned around, just right out a little piece.
E-85 And you know, he used to go out with me hunting, and he would--he would shoot those little fawns just to make me feel bad. And I said, "Burt..." Now, it's all right. I ain't nothing against killing a fawn now, to you hunting brothers. You see? No, sir. If the state says you can have it, all right, 'cause the Conservation watches that to see if they got enough. They can let it go like that. And there's nothing wrong in the--the age of the animal. E-86 And I went up there one winter to hunt with him. It was kind of late in the fall, and there was a kind of... Snow had already fell, and the hunting season had been out for a couple weeks. And I... Burt went up there to meet me, and we got to the camp. And we got our hot chocolate. We'd put it in our thermos bottle. And then, we got out, caught somewhere in the snow, and couldn't... had to stay all night, build up a fire, why, we'd have hot chocolate to keep us kind of warm through the night, and maybe a sandwich, or something. And--and always carried dry matches to build a fire. E-87 And that morning we went up over Jefferson Notch, going into the Presidential Range. And so, we went... Not even a track... Them little white-tailed deer, you talk about Houdini being an escape artist, they're really good. And they can get under that brush, and you'll--you don't see them. Right late of a evening just before dark you'll see one just move. If it's moonlight he will wait till it's nighttime to come out. See? Then after they're shot at, anyhow, they are very, very hard to find. And we hadn't even found one track that morning. And it come about noontime, and... Before we left, Burt said, "I got something for you, Billy."
E-88 And I said, "What is it?" And he reached down in his pocket, and he had a little whistle. I said, "What's that? Coyote... for coyotes?"
E-89 Well, I'd forgot about it. It was about eleven o'clock in the day, and we come to a place about as big as this room in here, snow on the ground. It was a open place. And old Burt set down, and he started reaching back like this. I thought he was going to take a drink of his hot chocolate.
E-90 And when he did, just across the opening a great big doe stood up (Now, that's the mother deer.), those great big ears, big brown eyes, a beautiful animal. And she looked... Old Burt stuck his head down below this little bunch of bush. Them lizard eyes looked up at me, you know, and I thought, "Oh, my. Surely he won't do that." And he blowed it again.
E-91 And all at once I seen Burt. We never put a hull up in the barrel, or a shell, until you see something to shoot at. So he put the shell up. He had a .30-06. I seen... Oh, he was a dead shot. And I seen him level out like that, and I thought, "Oh, my' He will blow that loyal heart of hers plumb through her. He--how could he do that, and that mother trying to find its baby?" See?
E-92 So I watched that hunter, and he turned around, and leveled that gun down. And I knowed that cross hair was right across her heart, that big hundred and eighty grain mushroom bullet. It would blow that loyal heart of that mother plumb through her.
E-93 What was the matter? What was it? He'd saw something real. He saw something that wasn't put on. He saw something that was genuine. He was satisfied. That's what you'd want to know, something real, something not a form, put on, but a real God, real love, real action. Is that what your heart hungers for? Let's bow our heads and talk to Him just a moment.
E-94 Our heavenly Father, truly a greater than Solomon is here. A greater than any of the prophets is here. The Holy Spirit is here, the Gift of God to the world. And He... For hundreds and hundreds of years He could not get His way into the church. But in this last day He promised that He would have a church without spot or wrinkle. And we see Him tonight moving.
E-95 And tonight this little story about Burt and I, up there, Father... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... just live like the world. And the world can't see no difference from them and the rest of the run of the world. You're able to take an old mother deer, and bring one of Your children to his senses. Thank You for it, Lord.
E-96 And now at the end time You couldn't be just, Lord, and then let... The Jews just had to see that sign and had to turn it down; and then they were turned down. Now, Father, if You gave that to them, and let the Gentiles go in just on theology alone... You're not that kind of a father. You're the same. You give one of your children the same as the other. You love them all. And each generation, each dispensation, receives its sign and gift to the age. E-97 Now, with our hearts to Him... Now, I'm sorry to have kept this long. I'm really a half hour late. I told Billy I'd be gone by nine-thirty, and so the brethren can baptize and so forth. We got to crawl out in the morning about three o'clock. Now, that makes me to think that, it makes me nervous. And that's the reason I chop up my message the way I do. You forgive me for that. But I trust that the Holy Spirit has said something in your heart that'll make you believe (That's right.), make you believe with all your heart.
E-98 Now, we could call... I think we got a few prayer cards out. We could call those prayer cards up here and pray for them. Or we can do any way we want to close out the meeting. Or would you just rather... to give everybody the equal chance? Let's just pray then, and ask the heavenly Father, that anyone out there that's got faith enough to touch Him. Would you like to do that? Will you believe you got faith enough to do that? Raise your hands. Here we are. That's right.
E-99 Now, remember, God cannot change. He's God always. When God ever makes... That's my faith in the Bible. If God ever makes a decision on any thing, it has to ever remain that way. It can never change, because He can't have today... Every one of His decisions are perfect, because He's infinite.
E-100 Now, if His Spirit worked upon Solomon's age, it worked in the age of the Lord Jesus, and promised it here in the last days, it's the same God. Amen. He promised it. You believe that, all, do you? You believe it, my brethren? That's good. E-101 Now, here I am, standing here. How many people in this audience... Now, I recognize that... I'm not sure, this is Sister Bryant. And then these three people setting right here, I know. Now, outside of that I don't see anyone that I know, but this brother right here. And he come down... He was a Baptist. He come down, kept talking about the Holy Spirit and everything. He couldn't quit smoking. And he got on a couple of interviews, and one morning the Holy Spirit moved right down, and that was the end of it. And so he said, "I'm--I live up in Carolina. I don't..."
E-102 I said, "You find Brother Bigsby., join his church," I said, "'cause that's the place to go if you..." I said, "'cause I--I know he is a real teacher. So... and a man of God."
E-103 Now, how many people in here that's sick that I do not know and you want God to help you, and you know that I don't know nothing about you, nothing about what's wrong with you, or anything? You say... Like I noticed, here somewhere, it might've been at the other meeting, a woman came across the platform, said, "Yes. I know you. I was in one of your other meetings one time, four or five years ago."
E-104 Now, I want you to do this. I want you to quit thinking about we ministers, brothers here on the platform. Now, this is not back in some ouija board, some dark room with the lights out, the devil's work. This is right out here in the broad open light, in the Presence of Jesus Christ and His church, this Holy Bible laying here declaring it. This is the Urim, the Urim Thummim. This is the breastplate. That's the fortified breastplate of every believer. That's right. See? And the Urim Thummim is that supernatural that went off of it, declaring it.
E-105 "I just heard Brother Branham tell in the last couple of nights that the Word of God was sharper than a two-edged sword, and it was a discerner of the thoughts of the heart. Now, when You were here on earth You were the Word made flesh and dwelt among us. We know that, that You were the Word. And now, we believe that the Word has come in the form of the Holy Spirit to vindicate the written Word, to make it right."
E-106 Now, each one of you, just pull your unbelief out, put it under your feet, and curse it in the Name of the Lord Jesus; and take the Word of God, and hold It up there, and say, "I'm a believer; I'm--I'm going to believe it with all my heart."
E-107 Look at that Roman that time. The Jew said, "Come, lay Your hands on my daughter, and she'll get well."
E-108 Now, just pray, and I'll pray with you. And we believe that maybe God will help us. And I hope that He does.
E-109 Now, I don't know those people. They're strangers. Now, do you believe me? Here's my hands up, and my Bible here. I, as far as I know, I never seen them in my life. They're just people that's setting there.
E-110 That struck the lady next to you. There it moved right from that lady over to the next one. You all got a prayer card? You have a prayer card? No. You don't. All right. You don't need one. The lady next to you there, the Light's right over by her. Just look this way, towards me, sister, just a moment. You believe me to be His servant? Yes. It's your daughter just had an operation. You're praying about it. If that's right, raise up your hand. All right. Don't doubt; it'll get all right. You believe?
E-111 Way back, way back, right at the back...?...that man standing with a white shirt on, a woman with a skin trouble. You believe that God will make you well, lady? You accept it, believe it? That's right. There she is. Just stand up on your feet so you can just praise God for it, and that'll leave you. You have a prayer card? You don't need one. When you've got faith like that, you don't need a prayer card. That's going to leave you, 'cause the shadow that was standing right there over you has left. See?
E-112 A lady setting right back here, praying. She's praying for a friend that's an alcoholic, another one with tumor on the brain. Say, you was in one of my meetings one time. You were healed of a cancer. That's right. You live in Charleston. Miss Rearling, go home now. Jesus Christ gives you your desire. Amen.
E-113 Our heavenly Father, we are bringing this audience to You. We've been speaking of the great gifts down through the ages. And here we are, bound in heart by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is here with us, manifesting Himself, showing that--that the church is receiving its last sign just before God turns and takes the church into glory. E-114 Now, Lord God, I pray that You will go with us, Lord. May the power of the Holy Spirit free every person that's in here tonight that's bound by these afflictions, as I'm joining hands with this ministerial group here as Your servants, believing for this audience. And we're in one accord, and one place, and the Holy Ghost is here to heal the sick and the afflicted. O God, may the power of the devil be broken, and the Holy Spirit fall upon this audience of--of people...?... and cast away the evil spirit of unbelief in the Name of Jesus Christ.
E-115 I believe Him. I believe every one of you is healed if you'll just accept it. We ministers here on the platform will join hands together with one unit of prayer. We believe with all our heart it is Christ that's manifesting Himself here before us. What is it? It's the Urim Thummim being made manifest through the Word, the Holy Spirit in the last day's signs before the earth is burned.
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary, Saviour Divine;
Now, hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day
Be wholly thine!
In the Name of the Lord Jesus...
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