Sermon Texts (Adding Now)
Sermon Texts Beginning With I
I Have Heard But Now I See (65-1127E)
| I Have Heard But Now I See (65-1127E) |
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1 You be seated. It's good to be back again tonight. Thankful we have this opportunity again now to serve the Lord. And after keeping you so long last night, I feel it wouldn't be fair to keep you long again tonight.
3 And he said--and he said, "Then on the last night" that I "was speaking and praying for the sick." And I said, "'Something's fixing to happen.' And sounded like a clap of thunder." And said, "The people begin screaming." And said, "As the thunder begin to go away, why," said, "It made a voice, and begin speaking." Says, "That speaking was going on, that through these lattices (windows up here) come the Glory of God, moving in, in the form of the Pillar of Fire." He's never seen It. He's heard us talk about It, but he's never seen It himself. And said, "There It was, come through the windows up like that, and formed that Light like you see in the picture, right above the audience here." But said, "It was rumbling off something." And said, I "stood, and said, 'That is Jehovah God.'"
6 See him going down the aisle right now, Brother Jackson, a former Methodist preacher. And he was so disturbed till he come down; and said when he walked in, he was so astounded, just exactly the way he had saw it in a dream. I don't know what it means. The Lord's kept it from me. But something could happen, and seeing Brother Jackson dreamed that, knowing him as a honest, real--real man, servant of God.
9 Now, we are grateful to the Lord to be living in the day that we're living in, just before the coming of Jesus. As I have said before, it's the greatest time of all history. I'd rather be living right now than any time, I'd--to--on earth.
11 Glad to see Brother Mann here, another Methodist preacher, saved and baptized with the Holy Ghost, and in the Name of Jesus Christ, setting here. He's also one of our associates from Indiana. And I understand Brother Hickerson's setting here by him, one of our deacons from Jeffersonville, Indiana (They're listening in up there tonight.). And I understand that Brother Wheeler, one of the other deacons is here somewhere. And I--I haven't located him just yet, somebody pointing their fingers over and I'll catch him after a bit: setting over, way over to the right, yes. 12 Lyle was setting in the boat there that day, when the day before it was told him that something was going to happen concerning a resurrection of life. He was a real Jehovah Witness too. But that morning, setting there, fishing, and he caught... Well, he had a great, big old (that Kentucky fashion, you know)--a big hook and a little, bitty fish swallowed it. And he just pulled gills, entrails and all out, throwed it out on the water (little, bitty sunfish), and he said, "Well, little fellow, you shot your last wad." The little... Flipping along on the water, died, the wind blowed him up into some pond lilies.
13 And the day before, setting, I said, "The Holy Spirit tells me that there'll be a resurrection of some little creature. Perhaps there'd be a--a kitten, when I get back home, 'cause just..."
15 And I said, "Let me see the cat." Well, they went and got the cat. I seen what was going to happen, so they give her a box. And next morning, was about seven or eight kittens there, you know. So my little boy, Joe, picked one of them up, and squeezed it and dropped it on the ground; and just--just... The little fellow lay there wiggling around and around, killed it.
18 Then, the next morning... While, we fished all night, with little fish, we was catching some for bait. But he just throwed that little fish in the water, quivered, flabbed over. About a half hour later we were setting there, and I was... I said, "Brother Lyle, you let the fish swallow the hook all the way down in his stomach." See? I said, "Take the fly line here, flip it over, the bait out like that; just soon as he touch it," I said, "then just hold him and then bring him in." I said, "He... Don't pull him out like that, don't swallow it, you catch the fish."
20 So just about that time, I heard Something coming off the top of the mountain up there, a whirlwind, whirling around and around. Here It come down like that, and the Spirit of God come over the boat, said, "Stand up on your feet." Said, "Speak to that dead fish. Say, 'I give you back your life.'"
22 Brother Lyle, are you here somewhere? I--I seen you last night. Whether he's inside, outside, or where he's at, raise your hand if I can see you. [Someone in congregation says, "Balcony"--Ed.] What say? In the bal... Oh, yes, way up in the balcony, through the windows back there. That's the man, a Jehovah Witness.
25 Well, we travel along and you see those things happening, knowing... Now, just think what was it to show? I had a-many little spastic child on my prayer list, praying for it, but when the vision come, it was for a little old fish about so long, about two inches long or three. Looked like the hook was a big as the fish. But what it was, was to show you that God looks on the little things too. See? 27 Now, let us bow our heads everywhere. I wonder now, before we pray, if there's anybody tonight that's interested in Him, but yet you haven't got your reservations yet for the other land where we're going to see Him. You know, you can't come in without reservations. And you haven't made them yet, but you would like to be remembered in prayer now, that everything will be made right between you and God tonight, would you just raise up your hand. Just say, "Remember me, Lord"? Here... Just let Him see your hand. God, grant it.
28 Heavenly Father, as we stand tonight between the living and the dead; and these things that's happening in these days, mysterious, sure they're mysterious; but God, You know whether they are true or not; You are the solemn Judge of the heavens and earth. And we say this, Lord, just to encourage the people (some of the things that Thou has showed us), that they might be encouraged to love You, and believe You, serve You, and to know that no matter how little the deed is, good or bad, You see it. I pray, dear God, that You'll bless every one of those hands tonight, and the soul and spirit that motivated that hand to go up. I pray, God, that this will be the night that their reservations will be made for that land beyond the river. Grant it. 31 Now, tonight, after keeping you so long last night and this morning, and I kinda getting a little bit hoarse. I got a little piece of hair I got, I wear over my bald spot here when I'm preaching. But I forgot it this time, and this air, sweeping through these windows, is begin to give me a--a little bit of hoarseness. I used to... I'd have to close meetings, but since I got that, then I don't bother with it no more, I just go on. And I forgot it, and it's... I've kinda can feel it, so your prayers will be appreciated. And now, these are two services each day, that they are--kinda get... You know, when you got a lot of miles, it--you can tell it. 32 So now to you people in California, and out in Arizona, we all send greetings across the nation. Brother Leo and the group that's waiting on the Lord up at Prescott, invited now, and all you people around Phoenix, a week from tonight, we're to be over in Yuma at the banquet. They done sold out all their tickets over there and got a bigger auditorium, and they can't place the people. So come early, you all, to--to get in. Then we're going on into Los Angeles from there, next Monday... next Sunday, Sunday night. And so we're looking to see you all over there. God's rich blessings rest on you all.
33 To you in New York, and you that are around up in Ohio and different places, soon I want to preach the message of "The Trail Of The Serpent," the beast at the beginning, and the beast at the end, at the Tabernacle. Billy will send you a note for that, when we're going to speak it, 'cause I do that in the Tabernacle because it'll, at least, be four hours or more long.
36 And then tomorrow night I'm going to ask a favor, that is, for a healing service. And I--I want an old fashion healing service. And if the Lord willing, I want to speak on a subject that alarmed me today... When Brother Moore and I were talking out together, my precious brethren, we were discussing Scriptures. And how lovely it was to be with them brothers, like old times. And he said, "You know, Brother Branham, all the preaching you ever done for us here in Shreveport, the Lamb and the Dove was one of the most outstanding messages you ever brought us here at Shreveport." Said, "I guess with your Message so strenuous to you today, you never get to one like that."
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious Blood
Shall never lose its power,
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved, to sin no more.
Ever since by faith, I saw that stream
Thy flowing wounds supplying,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.
38 Tomorrow night, if it be the will of the Lord, I want to preach on a subject on: "On The Wings Of A Snow White Dove," tomorrow night: the Lord coming down on the wings of a Dove, that is, if the Lord willing, my voice don't get too bad. Now... So, pray for us.
40 I'm glad tonight to have another associate brother with us, just looked around and recognized then and seen him a few minutes ago, Brother Gordon Lindsay. He's one of the old-timers, was with us a long time ago. Doing a great job, printing, he's printing my book now: The--"The Seven Church Ages." We hope to have it ready again: "The Seven Seals." If he happens to read that before he prints it, we're going to have a theological discussion. I can just feel it coming. But he knows I'm no theologian, so... But we're looking forward to tomorrow night. If you're in, Brother Lindsay, be here tomorrow night. If you are, drop around and be with us on the platform for an old fashion prayer meeting.
42 Now, if you've got the Book of Job, the 42nd verse--or 42nd chapter, and the first six verses of the 42nd chapter of Job: very strange. Brother Ted Dudley, if you're listening in tonight over in Phoenix, you remember you and I talking one time about a week or two ago, and we referred to this? I told you, "Someday that would become a text to me." And I want to use it tonight.
Then answered... Then Job answered the Lord, and said, (listen close to this reading, now)I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no doubt can be withholden from thee.
Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
Now, I want to take a text from that 5th verse.
I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now my eye seeth thee.
May the Lord bless His Word.
44 Job, let's take a little of his life. Job was a prophet. He was a man that lived back before the Bible was written. It's been thought that Job was one of the oldest books of the Bible, because It was written before Genesis was written. Job, this great warrior and prophet, was a--a mighty man in his day. No doubt that he'd been brought up and had served the Lord all of his life. And had lived such a gallant life to the people, all had respects for him.
46 And now, this man being a prophet, he had had access to God's grace, but Job didn't have a Bible to read. He... The--the Bible wasn't wrote then, but he had access to God by revelation and by vision. That was before the Bible was written.
49 Now, we notice here that Job, after he went through his trials, all of his afflictions... He had a lovely family; they were taken from him. He had good health; it was taken from him. Everything that he owned in this life was taken. And he set on a ash heap, with a piece of crock, scraping his boils. And even to his own wife spoke against him; she said, "Why not curse God, and die?"
51 Now, Satan had come up before God, 'cause he could come before God, and accuse the Christians (or, the believers) all the time. So he accused Job of many things, and said that Job, the reason he could serve God, because everything was coming good for him. But said, "If You'll just let me have him in my hands, I'll make him curse You to Your face."
53 Now, Job was a man that carried out God's commandments to the letter, exactly. And Satan knew that, but he said, "If You'll just let me have him, I'll make him curse You to Your face."
56 But Satan thought he could twist him around a little bit, and cuff him up, and make him do it. But, you see, Job with his perfect revelation of God, and Who God was, and how God loved him, he waited. No matter what the circumstances was, he waited for his faith to be confirmed, because he'd had a grip on God, a revelation (that I spoke of last night).
58 Someone come not long ago, a group of men, some of them listening in tonight, and told me, said... I kept telling them, "Go to Kentucky; oil's down there." I knew it was; I seen it in a vision. 66 See, we don't use the gift of God for commercial. No, no. He could tell me where it was at, but I don't have any need of it. I wouldn't even have faith enough to ask Him. See? If I had a need of it, I believe if I'd ask Him, He'd tell me. But first (You see?), your motives and objectives has to be right. You have to have reasons for this. God don't give you those things just because you ask. And you cannot ask in faith unless there's a real objective to that, to be in the will of God. See? If you want to be well, what do you want to be well for? See? If you want to be healed, what's the reason you want to be healed? What are you telling God? What do you want to do with you life when you get healed? See? There's got to be... You've got to have a motive and objective, and they have to be right according to the will of God. And then's when the faith is revealed to you, and God by His sovereign grace places that faith in there, then it's over. See? Now. See? 67 Now, to make that Word true, when the brethren got down there, they got... One fellow went over and bought a bunch of stuff, and sold leases, and cheated the other one this way. I said, "You see, it won't work." Now, just to make the prophecy sure, within a hundred yards of where these men were digging their well, some man struck the big gusher. And it's there, eleven hundred barrels of oil in a half a day, or something or other like that: still putting it out, right in that main stream. But just to make the prophecy, the Word that had been said that it was there, it was there. The rest of them nearly's all dried up, everywhere through Kentucky. Little ponds, they pump them a little while, and they go. It's only the overflow from this. See?
68 But because of the selfishness got among it, the objectives was wrong, signing up a bunch of stuff "it would be this way," when they promised they would do it for the Kingdom of God, but looked like it's for themselves. See?
70 So Job, checking himself with the genuine faith that God had give to him that he was just, that he had done everything that God required him to do... Now, when we're going to be prayed for for our sickness, I wonder if we have done everything that God requires us to do. Have we followed every iota of the Scripture? Have we give Him our hearts and lives to service? What's the reason you want to be healed? That's the reason you can't get faith enough (See?), because you haven't maybe made this thing to God sincerely from your heart. Like Hezekiah did, give God the reason, he wanted to set his--his kingdom in order. And God sent His prophet back and told him, and he'd be healed. See? But you have to have those things made right first. 72 Now, just like Abraham when he was ninety and nine years old (I believe Genesis 17)... God appeared to this old man now, ninety and nine years old, when he was almost a hundred years old, that had been waiting upon that promise all these years, He appeared to him in the name of El Shaddai, the "Breasted-one." And what an encouragement it was, yet the promise wasn't fulfilled then. But, "Abraham, I am the Almighty God, El Shaddai, the Strength-giver, the Breasted God." 73 Like I've told you before, like the little baby that's fretting, and sick, and crying, and it lays upon its mother's breast and nurses its strength back from her, because it's satisfied while it's a-nursing, because the only access it has and knows of is the mother's breast. It knows no dose of medicine. You might give him a dose of medicine; he'd squeal and cry, give him a shot in the arm, and he'd carry on. But the only access to satisfy him is the mother's breast.
74 And He said, "Abraham, you're old; your strength is gone; your arms are withered up; your manhood's gone; but I am your Mother. Just take ahold of My promise, and be satisfied while you're waiting. Be rested." 76 Job knew that he was right. When we find out here in the Scriptures, that there was these fellows come to him (his church members). Everything that once seemed dear to him had turned against him, and tried to accuse him of being a secret sinner, because all these things had happened to him. You hear people, yet today, say, "I told you. Look at him. You see what..." That ain't altogether the truth. Sometime it's God testing His people. In this case it was God testing Job, the best man there was on earth at the time. Now, He was holding him there, because that He knew Job was a prophet that had a vision from God, that he had exactly done what God told him to do and he... God was duty bound to keep His promise to him.
77 Oh. All Christians has got to be that. When the last struggle of our life comes, and death rattles are in our throat, we still must hold steady and remember that God said, "I'll raise you up again at the last day." See? Got to hold that--that, our testimony, our place in Christ, our position, what we are, knowing that we have kept every Word of His commandment. "Blessed are they that do His commandments that they might have the right to enter in." See? And when we know, that no matter what anyone has said, we've kept every commandment that we see in the Bible, that God has done us--told us to do, with reverence, and love, and respect to the Creator Who wrote the Bible...
80 Now, we see this great man. And, remember, Job had no Bible to read in his day. No. He only went by inspiration. He was a prophet to whom the Word of the Lord comes to. He had--he had only to be inspired, because he knowed his position that he was God's prophet. Now, the only thing had to happen, was for the inspiration to strike him. And then he knowed what he said would happen, because it was by inspiration. 82 He had a channel of communication to God, that he'd got by inspiration. He had a way of moving himself out and letting God move in. And he knowed he was justified. It was a gift; it was a gift for the people; not for Job, but for the people. That's what all Divine gifts are, to serve God's people with. Everybody's not ordered to be a prophet. All of you not--is not ordered to be pray for the sick. All of them's not ordered to be pastors, and so forth. But it's a channel that God has opened to them. And as we had this morning in the lesson, that he... One man has no business deviating in the next man's channel, no matter how inspired, how much it seems, how well... How many was at the meeting this morning? Let's see your hand. So see? See, you cannot.
83 There's David, just as inspired as he could be, all the people shouting and glorifying God, for a reason that seemed exactly Scripture, but he was the wrong person. That inspiration should have come to Nathan, not David. See? He never even consulted Nathan. You see what happened? See? We have... God said He does nothing till He reveals It to His servants the prophets.
86 Just like the old prophet at the coming of the Lord Jesus, we find out it was revealed to him, the old sage, that he would not see death until he seen the Lord's Christ. And he believed that, and he waited for it. And the people thought he was crazy, the old man had lost his mind. But he still believed it. Nothing could shake him from it; he knowed God had revealed it to him, for the Bible said it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost.
89 Now, notice, Job needed a channel of inspiration; he had it open. He had a channel to communicate with God by His inspiration. He had a way of moving himself out and let the Word of God move in. Notice how they--how they come to consult him from the east and from the west, people looking for him because they know that what Job said was the truth. They knowed that man told the truth. Because what he prophesied, that's what happened. And so people come from the east and west. 91 Then, one day, we find out that in that, that's the time that... Everybody, as long as you can help them, all right. But when they want to disagree with you, that's when trouble comes in. But he alone knew he was right; his pulsation of faith, of hearing God's Word speak to him, he knew it was the truth. Yes, sir. He knew God's Voice. Nobody could fool him on It, for he knew It. It... But whenever you--something's revealed to you, maybe contrary to what the people think... I'm speaking in the line of prophets. Once God reveals something, which, if there ever is a secret comes out from God to be made known to the people, it will never come through a seminary; it will never come through a group of people; it never did. It always will, has, and will, through one individual, a prophet: Amos 3:7 (See?), "The Lord does nothing except first He reveals it through His prophets."
92 And, now, Job had something wrong with him, but he couldn't get the inspiration on him, and it was worrying him, and that... When you get in that kind of a fix, that's when the enemy moves into every friend, nearly, you got. And they begin to accuse him. Oh, it must have been a miserable thing for him to know his friends that accused him; Satan then goes and joins himself with the enemy. That's when Satan comes in, "Let me have him, and I'll make him curse You to Your... I'll make him deny his Message. I'll make him curse You. I'll make him go back and say it was all wrong." Then he tried him with everything he could, to all the great men and the friends that he used to have. But Job stood flatfooted, for he knew he had heard God's Voice.
94 Now, Job knew it was going to happen. And he knowed that God had told him that, that he was just. But they made him a sinner, so he waited then for the inspiration. Satan getting in all the--the people and he come around the--his comforters, the so-called, and accused him, but it didn't move him a bit. But when the Word of God became vindicated to him... He had heard of God by the hearing of the ear, but one day setting out at his lowest point... And while he was setting there, and everyone accusing him, even his wife telling him he was wrong; he was scraping his boils; and Elihu came down and rebuked him for being selfish, about the way he was accusing God and so forth. 96 He saw... He'd been talking about the trees, the botany life, how it dies and lives again; water brings it back again, the smell of water, the scent of water, the results of water pouring upon a tree or something, a seed that went in the ground. He said, "But a man layeth down; he giveth up the ghost; his children come to honor and he perceive it not. O that Thou would hide me in the grave (Job 14) till Thy wrath be past." He said, "But if a man dies, shall he live again? All the appointed times of my life, I'll wait till my change comes. Thou wilt call me, and I'll answer. Thou hast appoint me bounds that I cannot pass," so forth. He knowed all these things. He watched the tree live, but what happened to a man when he died? He didn't raise up again. So God was showing him this Redeemer.
97 He wanted to see if there was somebody who could intercede for him. He had interceded for so many people, but now is there somebody can speak for him? Could there somebody put his hand on Job, or on a sinful man and a holy God, and make bridge the way? Could he go to His house and knock at the door? Would He open the door and talk to him awhile? 99 Now, we wonder if we could see God. Is there a way that we could see Him? Now, it was the only way God had trying Job out. He said, "I have heard of Thee with the hearing of the ear, but now I see Thee. But now I see Thee, with my eyes." The vision of the invisible had been made plain. He seen the cloud rolling around; he heard the flashing of the lightning, or saw it, and seen the roaring of the thunder, maybe on a clear day, and he seen God was in that cloud and in that lightning. He could see God with his natural eye (See?), because the invisible was made visible. The visible vision of others was then vindicated, clear, to the natural eye. 100 Just like faith with works, as we spoke on last night, Abraham, no--had no Bible to read either, but he was a prophet, his vision and his faith... And it seemed wrong to others that he should think that way, that he should think they was going to have a baby. But they did have the baby, because his vision of the baby was what he was talking about; "I'm going to have it. I'm going to have it." But when the baby was born, then the other people could see with the eye what he saw in a vision. And when you go to acting upon what you believe in your heart, then the people know God, and know what's happening to you by the way you act. That's how you see God with the eye. But to him, all that he had done that was good, all that he had done for others, he needed somebody to intercede for him. When the birth of the baby come, Isaac, the--the inspiration that had led him to this had vindicated his vision to where the people could see that what he had saw in a vision was actually the truth. 101 Now, sometimes these great pulsations of faith come right in the time of crisis. It's usually crisis that drives us into this. It was a crisis that drove Job into it. Why, he was at the end of his life. His children was dead; his camels, and all of his goods was gone and destroyed. And his own life, he was broke out from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet with boils. It was a crisis that he pressed hisself, there's where the inspiration struck him.
102 O men and women, tonight, if you could look around and see how close we are to the coming of the Lord. You who've put off the baptism of the Holy Ghost, you maybe relied upon some sensation, or something that you done that Satan can impersonate, and can't have the real Spirit in you to go all the way in God's promises. How can a man that claims to have the Holy Ghost deny one Word of this Bible, being not right? You can't do it. 104 The Elected of God seen It in Noah's time, Moses' time, Jesus' time, the apostles' time, Luther's time, Wesley's time, Pentecostal time, because that was the Seed that was on the earth when this inspiration was poured out. Now, while the inspiration's poured out to gather the Bride together, it's only those who are Elected will see It. Jesus said, "I thank Thee, Father, that Thou hast hid these things from the eyes of the wise and prudent, and revealed It to babes such as would learn." Now, inspiration has to strike it.
105 Now, when the inspiration struck him, that did it. He had It then. Now, we find out, there comes a time of these crisis when the press is right on. And you look around today, look at the condition we're living in. Aren't we living in a modern Sodom and Gomorrah? Hasn't the world come back? That was a Gentile world that was destroyed then by fire. Didn't Jesus say in St. Luke the 17th chapter, the 28th, 29th, and 30th verse, that, "As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man, when the Son of man is being revealed"? What is a "revealed"? Is a secret made known, a revelation; is to reveal or make known a secret. 107 And just as it was hard for the Catholics to see Luther, and the Luthers to see the Wesley, and Penteco--the Wesleys to see the Pentecostal age, so is it hard for the Pentecostals to see this age. It's always been that way, because it's poured out upon an elected seed, and that only. That's what the Bible teaches. They can't see it. Jesus even prayed for them, said they was blind, they didn't know it. Revelations tells us, in this Laodicean church age, when He was put out of the church, that they're naked, poor, miserable, blind, and don't know it. Back again, they can't see it, can't understand it. They're so creeped up in traditions. 108 But remember the promised Word of God by the mouth of Jesus Christ, the very God that spoke creation into existence, He was the One before the foundation of the world that spoke the words, "And let there be," and there was. For He said, "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. But as many as did know Him, to them he gave the power to become the sons of God." The very Creator, and the very Creator Himself, when He raised up Lazarus from the dead, He said, "Think this not strange, for the hour's coming that when all that's in the grave will hear the Voice of the Son of man, and shall come out." The very God that said, "Let there be Light," said, "The Voice of the Son of man would wake those that are in the grave." It has to happen in its season. He spoke, "Let there be male and female," and so forth, and all this, years and hundreds of years before it happened.
109 The inspiration hit the prophet Isaiah; he said, "Unto us a Child is born, a Son is given. His Name shall be called Counselor, Prince of Peace, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father." Years passed, months, years, days, weeks, years rolled by; hundreds of years rolled by. Eight hundred years later Emmanuel was borned by a virgin. Why? Is because it was spoke by the lips of God's anointed prophet; a seed went forth. See? "And that great hour," said, "will you seek... Ask Me of a vision or a sign." 112 Now, we notice here that in Luke the--the 17th chapter and the 30th verse, that He said in the last days, that the Son of man would reveal Himself as He did just before Sodom and Gomorrah, and the same conditions would exist. He told about Moses, about... And I beg your pardon, not about Moses, but about Noah, how that the people was eating, drinking, and so forth, marrying and given in marriage. Then He come around; He said, "Now, as it was in the days of Lot, so shall it be at the time when the Son of man is being revealed." Now, watch, the Son of man was revealed to Abraham's group as a Man, a Prophet in a form of human flesh, a ordinary Man with dust on His clothes, and Abraham called Him Elohim. 113 Now, Jesus promises here that in the last days the Son of man will be revealed again to that same type of group, the royal Seed of Abraham, just before the fire falls. Remember, the church never received any more witness, Abraham and them didn't. The promised son that they were looking for was brought right away after that. And the church is looking for the promised Son, He will come right after the days of this ministry; He'll be revealed from the heavens. Now, we see it too plain; it's got to be. Now, the only thing there has to be is something pulsates, gets into a man, God vindicate and tells him and shows him that that is the thing to happen; and that you're going to...
114 Like Moses did, he didn't want to deliver those children, but God spoke to him in a burning bush. He didn't want to go, but he had to go. Moses had heard of Him being the great Jehovah, but then he could see Him. He was in the form of a Pillar of Fire. "I've heard of Thee, but now I see Thee." What was He seen in? His Word vindicated.
117 Now, we've heard that in the last days that the Son of man will come among His people and reveal Himself to the people in the same way that He did at the--just before the destruction of Sodom. The Son of man, what did He do? He knowed the secrets that was in Sarah's heart, also give the promise to Abraham. Abraham had heard God's Voice; he might've seen Him in many different ways (I don't know how He talked to him, through dreams or through prophecies.), but this time he saw Him. "I've heard of You, now I see You."
119 Moses, in that crisis, cried out. And we find out in Exodus the 14th chapter, the 13th and to the 16th verse, Moses in that great strain there with the children of Israel, inspiration struck him, and he said what he was supposed to say, not knowing he said it. See? "Stand still and see the salvation of God." God had never spoke to him yet. See, the inspiration struck him.
122 But as immediately after he spoke it, God told him how to do it, said, "Moses, don't cry to Me, take your staff in your hand, and stretch it out over the sea, and tell the children of Israel to walk." Amen. 126 Joshua was in a hour of crisis when the armies was routed, and the sun was going down. Joshua was a prophet, and he knew that if them armies ever had a chance to unite again and come against him, he would lose more men; so in that hour of crisis when something had to be done... There's only one thing, if he could keep them running, he'd rout them every one down. But there wasn't enough light to do it, so Joshua stood, raised his hands, and said, "Sun, stand still. And moon, hang over Ajalon till I get through with this battle." And the sun stood still. They heard Joshua speak, and then they seen God with their own eyes in action. True.
127 See? of course, it was a paradox to see something that seems to be impossible, yet it's true. But, "The sun stood still," says the Bible. I don't know what you people think that thinks the world was run now; but anyhow, the sun stood still. Perhaps Joshua never had tried to figure out how he was going to--to do it, how God was going to do it; the only thing that he said was, "Sun stand still." He said it, perhaps not knowing what he was saying, because it was God that give it to him, and He worked.
129 Excuse the expression; but that day setting there in that woods (And God's my judge, and I could fall dead on this pulpit.), when that Scripture had stumped me all my life. Setting there that morning in the woods, I was thinking on that, and that Voice spoke to me, He said, "That Scripture is like all Scriptures; It's true."
135 And I heard It again, say, "You are hunting, and you need game. How many do you need?"
143 And I looked around, I said, "God, that was You." I said, "Thank You for this. I'll go out and..."
149 I thought, "Somehow I've broke into that channel, and I know He's here because I'm almost beside myself." I thought, "I'll make this one ridiculous, sure enough."
151 Listening in, in Jeffersonville now, there's a family named Wright. Brother Wood and I went down to see them. They make the communion wine for the church. Little Edith was setting there in the room, a little crippled girl, that she'd been sick all of her life, and so we'd always looked to God to heal her. Her sister, a widow, her husband had been killed; her name was Hattie, very humble little woman. And while Brother Banks and I went out to get her a rabbit, they'd cooked a big cherry cobbler; and made me set down and eat.
155 And little old Hattie setting back there, said, "Brother Branham, that's nothing but the Truth."
159 I had twenty dollars in my pocket to give to her, that she had put in a donation. The woman don't make a capital of about two hundred dollars a year on that little old, poor farm, her and two of the boys. Her boys had got to be regular Rickys, school days, you know, and just sassing their mother, and fifteen, sixteen years old. And, oh, they were standing over there laughing at what I was saying.
166 In that crucial moment... Think of the men and the people that I'm acquainted with. God's bypassing all the celebrities, and everything, to give a poor, little old humble woman, can't hardly sign her own name; and He knowed that what she'd ask for. And that was the greatest thing; for her sister is now dead, and her mother and father has to die, the money would've perished, but the souls of her boy is eternal. And that was the hour for them to catch it. And just as soon as I said, "I give you your boys, in the Name of Jesus Christ," there they fell across their mother's lap. How many in here knows that to be Truth, you know it? See? There it is. Yes. Why? Inspiration. 168 Notice, when you have a need, perhaps like Joshua, he had a need; he never thought of the circumstances; he spoke it, and it was God. You believe the sun stood still? So do I. How did it do it? Don't try to figure it out, but it did it. Joshua did it, and raised his hands; in that crucial moment he had access to God, and that's what happened. It was timely. The Spirit of the living God had seen the need of it, and pushed upon Joshua to say it. The same God seen the need of Abraham. The same God seen the need of confirming this Scripture to me, that that Scripture's true too. The same God seen the need of those two predestinated boys, and it was that moment He proved it and confirmed His Word.
169 St. Mark 14, we see a woman believed on Him, she had had need and seen He had need for His feet to be washed, she had only to be inspired to go into action. Now, listen close as--'fore we close. She only had to be inspired to go into action, because she'd already heard about Him. She heard that He forgive a woman of her sins, a harlot. And said, "Which one of you is without sin, cast the first stone." She'd heard about Him, but now she seen Him. She was inspired to serve Him. That's the only thing you have to be. 171 Notice, she had a service to do for Him. She had heard of Him, now she seen Him with her eyes. She had a service to do, and she had nothing to do it with. So she rushed forward anyhow to do the service; God furnished the water and towels to wash His feet. She had heard of a living God, all of her life, but now she seen Him with her eyes. She knew it was Him, and inspiration struck her, and said, "This is the Messenger." He needed a service; she had nothing to serve Him by; His feet was dirty. But she rushed forward anyhow to do Him a service, because she was inspired to do it.
172 O backslidden church member, denominational man or woman, can't you see the need Jesus has tonight? If inspiration can only strike you, this is the hour to do it. But she seen Him with her eyes. The others there were even mocking Him. They didn't believe His Message. Frankly, the host, the pastor-host, old Simon, had got Him down there to make fun out of Him. They didn't believe He was a prophet.
174 Her eyes had seen beyond his criticism. She believed He was. See? The Word of the prophets, she knowed that That was all the Words of the prophets was vindicated in Him. She'd heard He was on earth, but now she sees Him. Watch what she done. She seen the Word made flesh, the Messiah, the Emmanuel. When she gave vent to her pulsation of faith (of revelation of Who He was, in the time she was living, that He was God's Lamb for such sinners as she was), she went forth to serve His needs without knowing how she would do it.
178 She went forward to serve Him, because inspiration struck Him--struck her, that that was the hour, that was the Messenger, that was the Messiah Who was to heal, and she believed it. And He needed a service done to Him, and she went forward without anything showing that she could do it. She just went upon her inspiration. Watch. God broke up the fountains of the tear glands in her eyes. The same eyes that had heard--ears that had heard Him; the eyes that seen It, broke up with joy. Then her God-given long hair, with them tears flowing down. God furnished her towels with her hair, and with her tears. She served His needs, the need of the living God. She had heard about it, but now she seen Him; she could do Him a service.
180 Like if you was pouring--taking a match and striking it, if the match hasn't got the sulfur right on the head of the match, it cannot strike. And you can rake and rake and rake, but if some chemical has killed the sulfur on there, it will not strike, there'll be no light. But if that chemical, the sulfur to strike against the metal will--it's still on there when it strikes, it'll light. 182 You heard in the Bible what He did, how the woman touched His garment. He turned around and told her what her trouble was, and her faith made her whole. Now, He promised that He would do that same thing again just before the world would be burnt, and the world would be in a Sodom condition. The New Testament, the Prophet, the God-prophet, the Prophet of prophets, the God of all the prophets, the Fullness of the Godhead bodily, God manifested in a flesh, the Creator, of Genesis (Hallelujah.), It's His Word. He said it would happen. And we see Sodom condition; we see the world in that condition; now we see Him come down and do exactly what He said He would do. Now, we've heard of Him; now we see Him. "I've heard of You with my ears; now I see You with my eyes." Amen. "I see Him with my own eyes." What a hour it should be, what a time it should be: the confirmation of His Word. Always when the Word is confirmed, that's God speaking in His Word, making Hisself visible that you can see.
183 Now, here's a little old prostitute off the street; she falls at the altar before Jesus and she washed His feet with the--with the tears, and--and wiped them with her hair. God honored; He said, "Wherever this Gospel is being preached, let this be told for a memorial to her." Why? Look how filthy she was, but something struck. She seen the Word of the promise, from the garden of Eden, this, "woman's Seed shall bruise the serpent's head." She seen the Messiah that had been borned of a virgin. 185 Now, everybody knows that we have a promise of the church condition in the last day. The church, in its present condition, can never fulfill the commandments of God, the great commission, could never call the Bride out. Which one would do it? The Pentecostals? I should say not, none of the rest of them. That's the shuck that's on the wheat, that come out, looked just exactly like the wheat, but there was no wheat to it. It opens up, but the grain comes out of that. They organize; they kill themselves. There's where they die. They're stalks. But the wheat has come up through there, and now it's begin to form in the Bride form. The corn of wheat that fell into the ground through the dark ages; it had to die.
186 That critic saying, "Why would a God of mercy, could open up the Red Sea, stand let them poor Christians be eat up with lions, and burnt, and everything? Set up, just like He laughed about it." The poor ignoramus. Did he not know, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground..."? It had to die through those dark ages, like any other corn of wheat has to go beneath the earth and be buried, to bring forth in the first reformation them two blades of Luther, the stalk. It had to come forth in the Wesleyans, out yonder, to bring forth the pollen, the tassels, the great missionary age. Had to come forth in the Pentecostal, for the restoration of the gifts, almost to deceive the very Elected (looks like a wheat grain); open it up, there's no wheat there at all, it's only shuck. But back in there then they begin to form the oneness organization, the trinity organization, the twoness organization, and Church of God organization, and all organized, and just death exactly. And now what happens? But it's a shelter for the wheat; it's been growing through it all the time.
188 Though many... How many false impersonators rise, them Jannes and Jambres with all their gimmicks to do everything that Moses did, never shook him or Aaron at all. They knowed where... Like Job, they knowed Who their inspiration come from. They knowed It was THUS SAITH THE LORD. And the same Bible that spoke of them, said they'd come in the last days, impersonators. Those religious denominations, when something started... Who started first? Moses or them? If they had started first, Moses would've been the--the mimic.
190 A Man walked down there before Abraham and his group, just an ordinary-looking Man, dust on His clothes. He had his back turned to the tent; He said, "Where is your wife Sarah?" (not S-a-r-r-a, S-a-r-a-h; A-b-r-a-h-a-m, not A-b-r-a-m). Called his name, said, "Where is she?"
194 Just the Elected understood Who He was. Just think, there's about maybe three million people, Jews, on earth; there wasn't one third of them ever knowed He was there till He'd done come and gone. See? But He revealed Himself to those who were waiting: John the Baptist, and--and the apostles that had been called by John, and so forth, and blind Ann in the temple, Simeon the priest that it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he was going to see the Christ. All those great religious leaders, theologians and things, blind as they could be.
197 Now, I'm going to ask you a question. I'm going to let the Holy Spirit (I trust that He will.) search out your mind, try you, try your soul, and see if you really believe. And if you find there's a little bit of doubt there, will you raise your hand, say, "Lord Jesus, let me see You. I've heard of You, but I've never really seen You. Let me see You; I'll believe." All right. That's fine.
199 What if Moses would've come said, "Let's build an ark like Noah did, float out of Egypt down the river." Oh, no. See? No. He had a Message from God; he was the manifestation. That prophet arising on the scene, ought to have proved to Israel right there... They hadn't had a prophet for four hundred years; they hadn't had a prophet, and here a prophet rises on the scene. They ought to have knowed that something was going to happen. 201 Now, we're promised a church age through reformers, and we've had them. But He promised in Malachi 4, He'd keep His pattern in the last days, what would take place, "To turn the hearts of the children back to the faith of the apostolic father." For that very purpose... And the church is so broke up in denominations and isms; it's so tore to pieces till it's dead; it's been a carrier. And then He promised in the hour of the seventh angel's Message, the Seven Seals would be revealed; and the mysteries of God would be declared (Revelations 10) when the seventh angel begins to sound his Message, not the healing service, the Message that follows the healing service.
202 Jesus was a great Guy as long as He could heal the sick. But He said when, "I and My Father are One." 206 Dear God, in this solemn moment, it's going to be a time like this when there really will be a clap of thunder someday, and the Son of God shall descend from the heavens with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and the trump of God; the dead in Christ shall rise. And each one of us knows, and are aware tonight, Father, that we're going to have to answer for every word we give, and every word we say. Even the thoughts that's in our hearts, we're going to answer for it. I pray Thee, God, in Jesus' Name, that You'll cleanse every heart that's in here. Cleanse my heart; cleanse the hearts of this people. And may we be prepared, Lord, and may our spiritual eyes be opened tonight to see the Glory of Almighty God. We have heard of Him. O Father, God, we pray that You'll let us see Him. Grant it, Father. Grant these blessings, I pray, through Jesus Christ's Name. Amen.
207 Remember, in your heart, where you're setting, make your little altar. Say, "Lord Jesus, come into my heart now. Give me something to--something I can hold to. Let me feel that inspiration that tells me that You're present." 210 How about the Alaskan earthquake? Watch Hollywood fall into the sea. Uh-huh. Watch and see if it doesn't. He's never told me anything wrong yet; it'll do it. See? And just watch and see if we're not living in the closing hours of history. No man knows what hour He's coming. But I know one thing: I believe, in my present condition, if I'm in my right mind, and if I wasn't a Christian, I'd sure want to be a real Bible Christian, not a denominational. Don't rely upon 'cause you've shouted. We heard that this morning, proved it by the Word of God; it's altogether out of the will of God, didn't do a thing but cause death. Don't be in the stalk; be in the Life. See? Have faith in God.
211 Do you believe that the God that made this promise, that did appear Himself in the Book of Genesis, and appeared to Abraham, and performed that miracle... That same God was made flesh, human flesh, borned of a virgin. That was a theophany there, of course, but then when He come in human flesh and was the same Man, and performed the same things... Don't you believe that if God could get a person (that He promised to do, according to Malachi 4), a channel that He could speak through, He'll perform the same thing He said He'd do there? You believe that? I believe He would too.
214 I'm looking right back to my left here. It seems like there's a channel kinda, as I've spoke, pulling that way. Being I've directed it that way, now it comes in wonderful. It's a lady setting there with her husband. She's not from here. She's from Texas, Dallas. She's suffering; also her husband's suffering. She's suffering from a complication; she's had an operation. That's right. Her husband suffers something with his back, back trouble: Mr. and Mrs. Corbet, from Texas, Dallas, Texas. If that's so, raise up your hand. I'm a stranger to you. Is that right? No way in the world for me to know that. What is it? "I have heard of Thee by the ear, now I see Thee." See what I mean? Now, ask that couple. I never seen them in my life. "I have heard of Thee with the ear, now I see Thee with my eye." 216 That man setting there with his hand up on his chin, with that high blood pressure. You believe God would make you well, sir? You do? Setting with your hand like this, you believe God will heal you of that high blood pressure? Raise up your hand, if you believe it. All right, He does it. See? I never seen the man in my life; I know nothing about him. But you heard that Jesus said here in the Bible that He would do these things; now you see it. You see what I mean? "If thou canst believe, all things are possible." Only to them that believe, it takes real, genuine faith to do it. But if you can believe it, God will grant it.
217 There's a lady setting right back there, looking at me, got a goiter in her throat.
222 Feeling better, son tonight, than you did last night? Setting down? It's all right now; you're going to be well (uh-huh). Setting here last night, butting his head and everything else; now, tonight he looks like a gentleman. See? He was a little bit confused about things, but it's all straightened out now. See? It'll be all right. See? "And in that day, the Son of man is being revealed" (See?) just before Sodom is to be burned.
224 Now, while we're here... It's getting late. Tomorrow night we're going to have a great healing service. We're expecting Brother Moore and I to stand here and pray for every person, wants to come through the line. But I thought in speaking this tonight, I was just going to make the altar call. But then I thought, "no," It said there, "I have heard of Thee with the ear, now I want to see You with my eye." Now, He's here. Do you believe that? 227 Now, while I pray, you pray: Lord Jesus, in the Name of the Lord God of heaven, let Your Spirit drop into these peoples' heart; that genuine faith of God, that will confirm this promise to them, and may the God of heaven heal every one of them, as they obey Your commandments by laying hands on each other. Let it be so, Lord. In the Name of Jesus Christ, grant that it will be so, for Your glory.
228 Now, do you believe that you got what you asked for? Does something in your heart tell you? Do you feel that little speck of inspiration, said, "Why, it's over. It's done."?
I will praise Him! I will praise Him!
Praise the Lamb for sinners slain;
O give Him glory, all ye people,
For His Blood has washed away each stain.
232 Now, do you love Him? Now, let's all together give Him glory, all ye people. Now, look, if that has been revealed to you by God, in the channel that you were saved in, the same channel that told you you were saved, the same channel God moved through, like He did through Job and the prophets, He's moved through you through that channel as a Christian by His Divine revelation that you are healed, then there's nothing going to keep it from happening. So we
Give Him glory, all ye people,For His Blood has washed away each... (every doubt, washed away every doubt).
I will praise Him! I will praise Him!
Praise the Lamb for sinners slain;
O give Him glory, all ye people,
For His Blood has washed away each stain.
233 Oh, don't you love Him? Oh, how wonderful. "I have heard of Thee, Lord, with my ear, and faith cometh by hearing; but now I see Thee: God making Himself known among His people like He did to Abraham by His promise here that the Son of man would reveal Himself in the days that the world become in a Sodom condition.
238 But the One who stayed back with Abraham (See?) performed a miracle by telling Abraham what Sarah was doing and thinking in the tent behind Him. And Jesus, Who was the One that was in this Person, said, "When the world gets in a Sodom condition, like it was then, the Son of man will be revealed again." And all the other Scriptures confirming that to be so. The... "In the beginning was the [Congregation says, "Word."--Ed.]. And the Word was with [Congregation says, "God."--Ed.]. And the Word was [Congregation says, "God."--Ed.]. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." Is that right? Now, we see that same promised Word, of Luke, of Malachi, all these other promises from today, made flesh, dwelling among us, that we heard with our ears; now we see Him with our eyes, interpreting His Own Word; we don't need any interpretation of man. O church of the living God. here and on the phones. Wake up quick, before it's too late. God bless you.
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me,
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary tree.
239 Could you think, church, that you're looking with your own eyes, the living Word of God made manifest, the promise of the hour, in the last days, looking with your own eyes at the living Word being interpreted in natural form: God among us. "I see Him with my own eyes, the One... I heard that He would do it." All the old sages looked for this day, now we see It manifested with our own eyes. How many old shouting Methodists, Baptists, and the real, genuine Pentecostals in their age, longed to see this happen. Many of them knowed it would happen. But we stand tonight seeing it happen. Oh, don't you love Him?
240 Now, Jesus said, "This will all men know you're my disciples, when you love one another." So as we love Him, let's shake one another's hands and sing "I Will Praise Him! I Will Praise Him!" All right.
I will praise Him! I will praise Him!O praise the Lamb for sinners slain;
O give Him glory, all... (How you do?)... peopleFor His Blood has washed away each stain.
241 What did the queen of Belteshazzar say before her king that night? "There is a man in your kingdom that is a dissolver of doubts." And the Holy Ghost tonight is the Dissolver of doubts. Do you believe that? [Brother Branham speaks to someone--Ed.] (What? Excuse me.) The dissolver of doubts. Now, the Blood of Christ takes away each stain, the stain of doubt | ||||||