Sermon Texts (Adding Now)
Sermon Texts Beginning With J
Jezebel Religion (61-0319)
| Jezebel Religion (61-0319) |
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1 Let's remain standing just a moment while we offer God thanks for this. Let's bow our heads.
2 I am so grateful to you people as to God for this. Brother Sullivan took it upon himself. You see, it wouldn't be right for Brother Sullivan to do that, so we were fixed to prepare for it. We thank you for your kindness.
3 And now, I want to thank the United States Army for letting us have this building to set in to have these services. I certainly do thank them with all my heart. 5 You want to live just what you talk about. If you don't live it yourself, how could you expect somebody else to live it. See? So you are written epistles read of all men; so always be honest, just, true. Tell the truth, no matter how bad it hurts something. Tell the truth anyhow, 'cause you can always tell it the same way each time. And if you tell a lie, you'd have to go a million miles around, and still you have to come back to that lie again; and you just made an awful thing. Just be honest, and you can always tell it the same way because it's the truth.
6 That's the way with the Bible. Tell it just the way the Bible says it; don't compromise with it; say it just that way, just... It's written right here and--and you can point your finger to it. It's--it's... That's the way you defeat Satan. Satan said to Jesus, "If thou be the Son of God, let's see you perform a miracle. They say you're a miracle worker. Turn these stones to bread, and let's see. You're hungry." 8 Then, I will always be grateful to Brother Sullivan. This is... Excuse this expression: I think when they made Brother Sullivan that He just throwed away the pattern. There's none like him. There's only one man I ever met in my life that reminded me of Brother Sullivan; that was E. Howard Cadle. I don't know whether he ever knowed him or not, from the--from... Brother Cadle was just a good old country boy like Brother Sullivan. He'd stick his hands down in his pockets so far till his suspenders was drawed way down, and talk with his head sideways, and he was just one E. Howard Cadle. And so I'm--I'm so glad to have Brother Sullivan as a friend and a brother in the Gospel. And I pray that God will bless him and his little church up here, his precious wife, his loved ones.
9 And to you, the other ministers that's here, to you and your congregation, Full Gospel preachers, upon little technical things of the Scripture we might disagree with one another. I disagree with my wife on some things. And you know what that's on? She likes apple pie and I like cherry; so we disagree. And I tell you what I do with mine: I like a good hot piece of cherry pie (I could stand it right now.), and pour butter on top of it, and then pour molasses on top of that; brother, you got something worth eating. My wife's afraid of it. I think she's afraid of the calories; she might like it. But you know how the women are, they're afraid... They get so thin you could stick them with a pin and cut them to the bone, and yet they want to--they want to reduce. Now, that's the nature of them, I guess, so there's... And... But I like that.
11 If I can ever be of any help to you, I'll be glad to do it. And I'm sure you'd say the same thing to me. And you can be a help to me. And that's one thing you can do, that I know, is pray for me, that God will never let me go wrong. I--I--I... It's not in my heart to go wrong. I--I want to go right. I want to do what's right. Because I realize, as Brother Jack Moore told me one time, he said, "Brother Branham, I wouldn't stand in your boots for all your experience at the day of the judgment, because God's going to require of you a great answer," said, "because He's give you millions of people in your hand."
13 But when I seen the vision here not long ago, and heard them people scream out... Did you get your little book last night, the--the Business Men's "Voice"? That's good. And in the vision... Sometime we'll have it printed in full detail; that's not all of it. But in that, and seeing that, and I stood there just as--just as I'm standing right now. And I was looking at myself laying there on the bed, watching my wife, and yet standing here looking at myself. And here was those people standing around like that when I said, "Will Paul have to be judged for the Gospel he preached?" 18 And then, many times, the brethren think that I'm against my brothers. God knows different from that, just as long as He knows what's truth. See? Not against brethren, it's the system that's making us not to be brothers. It isn't the Word of God keeping us from being brothers; it's the system that we join into that keeps us from being brothers. That's right. So where must we stand? Stand on the Word, and God will draw all men to It (That's right.) on--on and that... Don't never organize it, denominational it, just keep it though in God, and just keep moving on; just watching the end, hold steady, God will bring the rest of it.
19 There's been so many things you've done for me, and I appreciate it. Now, if I can help you towards giving you a prayer cloth or something... Now, don't ask me doctrine, because I--I don't desire to do that. So many people writes me questions about marriage and divorce and so forth, which is a tangle in the church; I always refer them back, and say, "Ask your pastor." 21 Remember the good Samaritan that found the man wounded? He brought him to the inn (That's the church.) and gave the man there two pence, and told him if he needed any more he'd pay him when he come. So he's got two pence; he's able to doctor you up if he's a man of God. If he's a man of God that stands on the Word of God, he--he's got what God give him: the Spirit and the Word. Is that right? How is it we're to worship? In Spirit and in Truth. And the Word is the Truth. Is that right? 22 Now, thank you very kindly again. And now, I'm awfully tired, and real tired this afternoon; I never intend to stay in another hotel as long as I live. Big drunken party and all night long, beating the doors and screaming, and women... Oh, I just set up, all night. That's all. And so I--I never intend to have another hotel. I'll go to a motel. I'm going to get me a truck so I can sleep in it outside on the ground somewhere; I'm going to just get it, get me a tent and a sleeping bag, or somewhere where I can get to myself somewhere. That's right. 23 It's so sinful, this nation, no wonder. It's honeycombed, and rotten to the core. Right up here in another place, in your state... Not only this state, everywhere... Right up here, a few years ago, I was in a--in a religious meeting up here in the state, a big city. And that night a religious group, a orthodox church with teen-agers, had a convention. I--I never... I've been in Africa under voodoo and everything; I never heard anything like that. And the next morning (I can't tell you exactly, we're a mixed audience)... laying on the floor, immoral things that had been done, whiskey bottles all over. And them young kids, boys and girls in the same room all night together. And the next morning, the "holy father" setting out there, and them come up bowing to him like that, under the Name of Jesus Christ... 24 Have I gone crazy? What--what's the matter with me? I just can't stand those things. It... Something just shakes me to pieces when I see that. Is that to represent my Lord Jesus? A drunken, immoral party with immoral things that used on them young men and women, laying on the floors, and in the waste baskets, and bottles, and... Oh, my, goodness. Could you call that Christianity? No wonder the world's in a sinful condition. Well, what does the sinner say when he looks at that (thousands of them)?
25 Them young girls so drunk they couldn't hardly stand up, and in the room all night with them boys, and awfullest dirty talk you ever heard in your life. I put pillows over my head like this to try to go to sleep. Out in the floors, drunk, and running up and down the floors like that, religious...
27 I want to read for you just a word out of the Bible. You find it, a few words I want to read here for a text found in the 17th chapter of I Kings 1st verse:
As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain in these years,... according to my word. (I Kings, 1st chap--17th chapter, 1st verse)
28 If I can send you a prayer cloth anytime, just write to me; my secretary here, that's present now, Brother Maguire... How many's ever got a prayer cloth from us? Let's see your hand. Stand up Brother Jim. I want to see you, you and your wife too. Here's my secretary and his wife, the ones that works to send. That's the boy and girl that sends you your prayer cloth from the meeting, both consecrated Christians. And the voice, that sweet little voice you hear on the phone when you call me, that's the little lady setting there, his wife. Her father and mother and them, are here with us today; and--and the loved ones, all around. So... And then you know my field secretary, Mr. Mercier, Brother Leo Mercier, he's here somewhere, and Brother Gene Goad. And so if we can send you a prayer cloth, anytime, or anything we can do, pray for you on the phone; anything we can do, we'll do it. 29 This strange looking man with a staff in his hand, his steps steady, his eyes gleaming with the glory of God, his beard blowing on the side of him, an old hairy piece of sheepskin wrapped around him, he was making his step just as sturdy as he walked down the road to Samaria. He wasn't very much to look at, but he had THUS SAITH THE LORD for that great nation of Israel. Yeah, Elijah the Tishbite, a prophet of the Lord, he wasn't much to look at, but he had the Word of the Lord. 30 He wasn't afraid to stand before the king, for he had been in the Presence of greater than the king, he'd been in the Presence of Jehovah. Therefore he knowed where he was standing. And when he walked before the king he didn't stutter and stammer, he knowed what he was talking about. He could say to the king, "THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, 'There will be no rain or no dew until I call for it.'" Why did he say that, "Till I call for it. According to my word"? Because he had the Word of the Lord. He was a prophet, and the prophet has the Word of the Lord.
31 It's a striking thing to see the parallel between Israel of the Old Testament and America now. Both of them were great nations. Both of them had been founded, and their people had come there because of religious persecutions. 33 And so is this great nation of ours. We come here, and on Plymouth Rock this nation was founded on freedom of religion because our forefathers had fled Roman persecution of the modern Jezebel system, and had come up, and stood many great persecutions and martyrdom under that false system of Jezebel. And according to the Bible, of Revelations the 13th chapter, God had promised them an oasis and a place, for the woman was carried into the wilderness where she was fed for a time, time, and a dividing of time. God had made the promise to America, or to the church (to the woman) to come into this country.
34 Did you notice in Revelations 13? All the other beasts had come up out of the sea, waters; Revelations 17:17 said, "The waters which thou sawest is thickness and multitudes of people." All the other beasts, they come up out of the water, thickness and multitudes of people. But when the United States come up, "It come up out of the earth where there was no people." And remember, when it come up, it looked like a little lamb.
37 And then we find that this country came up as a free country, and was--had a lamb, which means the Lamb of God. But after while, this same system that we have, spoke like the dragon and exercised all the power the dragon had before him.
39 What did they do for Israel? He made Israel the most mightiest nation in the world, and she stayed that way until she got out of the will of God. What did He do with America? He made her the mightiest nation in the world until she's getting out of the will of God: parallel, one to the other exactly.
41 And America, upon the basis of our forefathers who came here for religious freedom... We had godly men in them days as leaders: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, men of renowned character, men of God. America was America in those days.
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light;
Protect us by Thy might,
Great God, our King!
44 Sometime ago, I talked to an old man down at Corydon, Indiana. He told me about when the capitol was in Corydon, and how he said how he went in a ox cart down to hear the--the governor speak. And he and the governor was the only two that had two piece suit on. Said that he raised the sheep and sheared them, and washed their wool, his sisters spun it and made him a coat to go with his trousers. And the old fellow setting there, then of about eighty-five or ninety years old, pulled his beard like that, and he said, "Billy, that's when Amerikee was Amerikee." 46 What happened to Israel after all this godly background? They begin to get carefree. They begin to get to a place where they, well, they didn't care what went on. They begin to go get slack in their worship to God, although they held a form of religion just like we have. They had a form of godliness. But they begin to get free with their people, and--and they begin to bring in different heresies in their church. The worship of Balaam begin to creep in, and Israel become pleasure mad, drunk, and such things as that, and finally brought in a leader who didn't know God: Ahab, who succeeded his father. And his father was a ungodly man, rich man, but an ungodly man. And he done all the sins, more than anyone before him ever done. But Israel in their drunken stupor, they put a man in like that, and put him on the throne to be a ruler over them. They thought it was all right, just like a lot of Americans do today, "He's a good politician, so what difference does it make? It won't make any difference, because he's a good politician." 47 A lot of Americans, too many of them has sold out their birthrights as an American, and say, "What difference does it make, as long as you can get a few extra dollars from the government and live?" They sold out to their belly, and to the lusts and crave of a sinful world, and forgot the very thing that we landed on Plymouth Rock for. They forgot our heritage and went and sold out to the pleasure-mad crowds. As it was in the days of Israel, so has it been; America's took that same road, right down the same path: pleasure. 48 After while the government endorsed sin: "Just as long as you had a synagogue, what difference did it make?" That's exactly what America done. And we begin to organize ourselves together and make little groups, and more sinful, more sinful, more sinful. We'd have stayed with the real principles that we landed here for... Sin begin to creep into the churches just like it did then. Women begin cutting off their hair, wearing immoral clothes, cutting them off each year. And men begin doing this, that, and the other, and playing cards and making bunco games in the church, and just as worldly as they was, pleasure mad, drunken stupors.
49 Ministers graduating from the seminary, the bishop saying, "Preach, boys, whatever you wish to. As far as I am concerned, the blood of Jesus Christ dried up nineteen hundred years ago." Until the church got to nothing but a organization like a lodge... May you never forget this afternoon. Become like a lodge, world begin to creep in; ministers begin to compromise just like they did in the days of Ahab. Sinful, rotten to the core, and on and on it went just as hard as it could go.
51 The old... The Methodist church today to what the Methodist church used to be... What the Pentecostal is today, and what it used to be... What the Baptist is today to what it used to be... We had time to go back and talk of John Smith and many of those early reformers... John Smith said, before he died, said, "The horrible thing is that the Methodist women are beginning to wear gold rings on their fingers." Methodists... What would he say today to see them with their hair cut off, and paint all over their face, wearing shorts? It's because of sin. 53 If one of my sisters and one of my brothers out of this church today, would've stood in that hotel last night and raised up their hands and praised God and shouted in that room, they'd be in jail today over it. But a drunken, stupored bunch of idiotic "unholy-rollers" can stand up there and scream all night; and drunk, and cuss, and grab their clothes off their women, and carry on, and fall on the floor, and scream all night long, and even they can't say a word about it. No wonder we are doomed under the hand of God. 54 Notice, on and on, God sent ministers, performed signs and wonders, proving His Word. And the most of the thing, a lot of modernistic clergymen turned It down and made fun of every revival. Such as so-called Church of Christ and them, "Days of miracles is past." Trying their best to shut it off from that little remnant of God. As it was in Israel, so is it today. Many times God has to take His people out of them organizations and denominations, take them out in the wilderness alone to talk to them. And He's going to have a remnant; don't you worry about that. He did then; He will now. On and on they went through sin, wading through things. Why? Their leadership; there's nothing to stop it.
55 Well, honest, I know many nations that if they'd catch the people on the street dressed like we do here in America, they'd put them in jail. When I went to St. Angelo in Rome (Now, think of it, as low as that is), they had a sign up there by St. Angelo catacomb, "To the American women: Please put on clothes and honor the dead."
57 Dirty, filthy thing, it's... A dog is the worse thing that God speaks of. Even the tithe off of them can't even be paid in the house of God. "It's like the whore, a tithe of the whore," the Bible said. And yet, there you are. They'll practice birth control and pay a thousand dollars, nearly, for a little old dog, and lead it around, and give it a child's love, so she can run out all night long, and will practice birth control.
59 There we find what taken place, what did. Finally, the great hour come: Ahab was elected, and when he did he married Jezebel, that rotten old woman who led all of Israel to idolatry. And as Israel did then, why, did... They must have been in a backslidden condition to ever let a thing like that happen in their nation. The laws are made by the people for the people, and we've done the same thing.
62 Oh, when Ahab was on the throne... You say, "He's on the throne." That's right, but Jezebel was the head behind that throne. She was the one that done the leading. Look how she took the very laws of the land and twisted them around, and for her own gain and for greed, and made Ahab do it because she was married to him. And that's the way with our leader today. I don't say he isn't a nice man, but look what's behind him: the harlot, the very thing that we run here, to be America for; the very principles that America's built upon... We, by our own free choosing, elected a thing like that. 64 Then what's going to happen? Just like it did then, so will it be now. She was the power behind it; she was the one who controlled it. Read the... I believe it's the 7, and about the 17th or 18th chapter along in there; you'll find what Jezebel did: how she took Ahab, and he couldn't say nothing about it because it was his wife. Look what the nation was built upon then, a backslidden Israelite with a pagan wife behind him, who was a worshipper of Baalim. And what did she do? She finally made everything so modernistic, and so nice, and the people had it so easy, until the whole church fell for it, preachers and all. Didn't Elijah say, "Lord, I'm the only one's left"? And as it was then, it parallels today.
65 All of them was afraid to say anything. Isn't it just like the same thing today? They were afraid to say something. So we find out, they were just loose, haphazard, drunk, carrying on, and pleasure mad, and everything else, just as it is today. Jezebel twisting those Scriptures... What did she... or them laws, as--as Jezebel will twist. Remember, Jezebel, she calls herself a prophetess to subdue the people, and she says that she is the only voice of God on the earth. She'll make the carnal mind believe that as sure as the world.
67 And you precious colored people in the south, how you voted. You say, "You have no business saying that in the pulpit." Oh, yes I have; it's the Word of God. And the stain of--of Abraham Lincoln, the one that freed you, laying yonder in that museum on a woman's dress, and you sell your birthright. Shame on you.
69 Watch! Already... Did you see the other day about the Catholic schools and Protestant schools? Support the Catholic school but not the Protestant school. Oh, brother, you watch for a wave of stuff coming forth now. Notice, and as they did it, look what taken place. All this sin heaping in, got to a place and got the nation in that kind of a staggering place...
71 Now, just a minute, and watch just how this comes out. Now, we find out what they did and the things they did; we see it parallel in here just exactly, sin on every hand. Jezebel come in; she bewitched all the people. And notice, finally she begin to build big shrines to Baalim. Is that right? And the Baalim priests flocked from everywhere to get into that place, and begin to contaminate the land with Baalim worship. 73 What are we going to do as missionaries, going out yonder to liberate in South America and all over the part of the world, Tommy Osborn and them, trying to get the people out of that paganism, and they can point their finger right back that we elected our leader, and the same thing. What's--what's going to happen to this world? It should shake every person in here. How we going to answer? What's the missionary going to say when they say, "You come here to liberate us from this, and your own people put the same thing in your office there on the throne"? How we going to... What... 74 Look back in the pages of history; turn back and see if it--if it's absolutely, almost, unconstitutional for it to be. They wouldn't do it years ago, but (See?), we've sold out our Christian rights to politics, and that's how the Devil weaved hisself in. Ahab was nothing but a figurehead for Jezebel. That's all this will be, just a figurehead. He won't do it himself, but that system behind him will drive him to it. That's exactly right. Pinch your conscience, you Christians. Wake yourself up; it's later than you think. The condition that we're in, condition that they were in, and how they let themselves get loose...
75 How the great loving heart of God must have cried out, weeping, as He seen His missionary people. Made them an example to all the nations coming everywhere, because God had blessed them, seeing them in unity, spiritually, serving God. And then to think that He--He longed to see them come back to their first love and do what was right, but continually they went away, and away, and away, till finally Jezebel come in. That's exactly what we done: drifted from the principles of Christ. When God sent His ministers across the nation, they preached holiness, Pilgrim Holiness, Nazarenes, Pentecostals, "Get back to God. Get back to God." 78 Look how Israel got, how they floated with the tide till finally Jezebel come. Look how America got, and floated with the worldly tide, until finally Jezebel took the throne. That's right. Now, Jezebel actually wasn't on the throne of Egypt--or throne of Israel, but she was the main head behind the throne. And the Catholic hierarchy's not on the throne of the United States, but she's the system behind it, because he's married to her. And the Bible said, in this country they'd make a image likened unto the beast. 79 Oh, brother, sister, what's the matter with... Well, I--I know what it is. The Bible said they'd get this Laodicean age, and there's where we're at. You might hate me now, but one day you won't when you find out what's Truth. You may disagree and get up and stomp out of the building; that just shows your illiteracy. But someday you'll realize; someday you'll long and know that it's the Truth. I speak it in the Name of the Lord, put myself up for a target, which finally will drive me to the grave. I'm going to be a witness till I die, if God will help me. That's right. 80 Here we are in this condition we are today, all of it going on like that. And Israel, how Ahab did, a figurehead for Jezebel, 'cause he was--he was married to her. America, our leader, how did a... You know our leader was a rich man? How many know that? A multimillionaire. Somebody told me in a magazine or some radio or television or something, Jack Benny or somebody made a... Ernie Ford, I believe it was. Somebody said that "His father helped him get two states that he didn't own." Just about owns the rest of it. How did he get it? How did that money come? Through the whiskey traffic and liquor. That's the reason he dropped the taxes on whiskey and stuff. That's what made him a rich man. The very thing that damned our nation, the very thing that corrupted the minds of our people, the thing that sent our boys to be drunkards and our girls to be prostitutes, the money off of that made him a rich man.
81 The same thing in that old Jezebel system, the same thing that persecuted our people, the same thing that drug them out, in Romanism, and burnt them, and pulled them apart, and done everything to them, the same blood of the martyrs, the Bible said, is in her. There they are married together. And we Americans stagger right on, "Oh, well, we got a few extra dollars and we're having a good time. Better off than all the rest the nations." But, brother, you just wait a minute. 83 The preachers got right along, just knucked down with them, went right on with them, all the system. The whole Israelite system went right along with Jezebel. They had a form, yes. And don't the Bible tell us that in this last days they'll have a form of godliness? All the prophecies are fulfilled, brother; we're at the end. Nationally, we're at the end. Spiritually, we are at the end. Every system is at its end. The next thing is the coming of the Lord and the translation of the Church. 84 God sent every sign, wonder, done everything He could do, trying to draw the people, and constantly they move right on in. Look at this town here, look at this country around here, with tens of hundreds and hundreds of Pentecostal people; and because of standing on Truth, where they at this afternoon? Because someone told them not to cooperate with the meeting. You poor, deliberate... God be merciful to you, is the only thing I can say. When you Christians got no more backbone than that, you got a wishbone instead of a backbone. That's right. What we need is preach the Gospel with teeth in it, that'll chop the thing to pieces. Went just like the rest of them, then you wonder why we holler about it. Then, you see, you get the cold shoulder. I expect it; I have to. 85 All this went on in Israel. Finally, one day, come stomping out of the wilderness, come an old hairy-looking fellow, Elijah the Tishbite. He never come up out of any of their organizations; he come out of the wilderness. He had nothing to do with them. He was a prophet of the Lord. Brother, he shook that Jezebel kingdom for everything that was in it. They hated him. He had no cooperation; I'll guarantee you that. The Bible says not. Certainly. He made them painted-faced Jezebels burn up, I imagine. He laid the axe to the root of the tree like John did; the chips fall wherever they wished to, but he laid her in there. He shook the nation, showing that they were wrong, and trying to call them back to a true living God, and back to His Word instead of a Jezebel worship. 86 What did they do? Did they receive him? They hated him. But his Word went forth just the same, because he had THUS SAITH THE LORD. God worked with him and showed he was anointed prophet by the things that he said coming to pass. And all that he did proved that he was God's prophet. But yet they would not believe it, because he tore up their playhouses. He told them that they were wrong. Ahab was a roustabout. True. And you notice they didn't believe him, but he preached it just the same. None of the preachers agreed with him; he said, "I'm the only one that's left, Lord. Look at them, they won't even... One, nobody will cooperate." But he had a mission to do and he did it. He had the Word of the Lord; THUS SAITH THE LORD. And he attacked the nation; he attacked the church; he attacked everything there was, and God was with him.
87 We're promised in the last days, that he will return to this country too. I know, Jesus, when... Matthew 17, when they asked Him, "Why the Scribes say, Elias..."
91 Now, watch. The first John came, the first Elijah, what did he do? He came and brought a message and turned the old orthodox hard hearts to the faith of the young church, the children. But when the next Elijah comes in the end time, he's to go back and take the--the father's hearts--the children's hearts, rather, and turn them back to the faith of the Pentecostal fathers. See the difference? He'll not be one of these here so-called we have today; he'll go right back to Acts 2 and start right from there. He'll preach the unadulterated Gospel, just say the same things that Peter did on the day of Pentecost, 'cause what he said on Pentecost is vindicated the rest of the Scriptures through. 92 I believe, if anything, the message that we got today will forerun that great coming of him. Yes, sir. He's on his road, already born, like Elijah was, and come busting out of the wilderness, somewhere he'll make hisself known. He'll preach Acts 2. He'll bring the faith of these old Pentecostal fathers right back to the--the faith of these Pentecostal children, right back to the faith of the Pentecostal fathers. He'll go right back to Acts 2, Acts 2:38, all down through. He'll bring the real, unadulterated Gospel. He'll not have anything to do with Jezebel and her system. He'll be a servant of God. Sure will. The Bible said he would come. He'll prophesy and bust his message in the face of these Jezebels, just exactly like Elijah did in the beginning to Israel. They'll hate him. They won't cooperate with him, no, no. He'll come. God promised it, and he'll rise on the scene. He'll--he'll preach to the elected Church as it said he would, shaking that Elect, shaking the carnish off of it, the--the world and things, shaking it down, boiling it down, getting the Church together, a people.
93 I know you say, "That's my denomination." Brother, you're wrong. John came as a one-man system to introduce a one Man Jesus Christ. And the Elijah will not be a system; it'll be a man, Jesus said so. He'll be one man that's anointed of the Holy Ghost. And he won't introduce any three or four gods; he'll introduce One: the Lord Jesus Christ; 'cause his Message will shake the Pentecostal children back to the faith of the fathers again. 95 And where did the Methodist church, where'd the Lutheran church come from? Where'd the Methodist, Baptist, where did all organizations come from? God never did organize a church. Catholic church said they begin back there, when Jesus organized the church. I want--I want the page in history or the page in the Bible. There never was an organization for three hundred and six years. After the death of the last apostle, then they formed the Nicene Council and made an organization. And when Luther came out... He was a great man of God, but as soon as he left, that little group of people went over and formed another organization. Then the Holy Spirit went out upon John Wesley; he never organized anything, but after he left then they organized. Then the Holy Ghost come in the Pentecostals, and they went out from the Methodist. And what happened? Then they organized. 96 But there'll be a one-man system come forth with the power and the anointing of Elijah to fulfill the prophecy. Hallelujah. He'll shake it. And remember, he prophesied to them, and prophesied, and told them all the things, and God worked with him. But his final message was attacked on the White House. When John came, his final message was attacked on the White House of that day. Elijah's final message, when he walked down that road that morning after being in the Presence of God out there, walked down that road with old hairs all over him, his bald head shining, the whiskers blowing, them little old eyes was gleaming with the glory of God, that stick in his hand, and his feet just as steady as they could be: what's he doing? Walking right down from Samaria into the presence of the White House, and saying, "THUS SAITH THE LORD." Fearing nothing... The churches had turned him down; the people had turned him down; so now he's giving his final attack upon the White House.
97 Then what happened after that? Listen. After that attack, his voice became quiet, nobody heard him no more. God called him off the scene, said, "Elijah, you've done made your message known to all of Israel; they know It. Now, come up here in the wilderness; get away from them; separate yourself, 'cause I'm going to do something. I'm going to show them what it is to turn My message down." What set in? War, famine, starvation. 99 What did Elijah do? He found a hidden spring way up in the mountain where he got some Water of Life, Divine revelations from God as he set up there under the power of God. The revelations being a little hidden spring, while the rest of them was famishing. And God bless His servants, them ravens; they brought him something to eat while he was isolated from the people. And they were down there famishing for a revival and all going on, "Don't hear no more of his revivals at... Where is that old crank that goes around blasting our organizations? Where's he at now?" They didn't know. He pulled hisself with God, out into a isolated place where they didn't hear his voice. Then they begin to see.
100 When God sends forth a message and tells the people, and they don't receive it, then He withdraws His servant and sends His plagues: famine, death, spiritually speaking, physically also. You watch for a depression, brother. You think you've seen something; you just wait after while. You haven't seen nothing. You think you're dying for a good spiritual revival; you wait till after a bit. You just wait, long and cry to hear the Word of God. The Bible said so. "There'll be a famine in the last days," said the prophet, "and not for bread and water alone, but for hearing the true Word of God." But that voice will be quiet in the wilderness somewhere, hid away. 102 Then one day after sin had took its toll, and God has brought His people to their knees... Jezebel took everything; she wiped it all up; and she'll do it again. That's THUS SAITH GOD'S HOLY BIBLE. She'll do it again. She's right on the throne now, behind the figurehead, twisting it anyway she wants to; and nobody's going to stop her. Certainly, nobody's going to stop her now, because what they couldn't get in the religious circles they cut it--cut it all into politics, and there they done it. Uh-huh, that's exactly what they done. Which the political will be a boycott just exactly back to the mark of the beast, as sure as I'm standing here. See? And the Bible said it.
103 I know we're getting late; I'll hurry. I got to get this last word in, if the Lord will let me.
106 Then after the days of his prophecy, what happened? The church languished, the great terror of Jezebel; she took them all in herself, gobbles them all up, took them in herself, and build groves and everything else.
108 Oh, we think sometimes, you little group there that's so faithful and do everything you can to have a meeting to try to show to the people that your heart's right and you want them to get right, you think you're having a hard time. But remember, God's got His eye on you. You love Him. I know you love Him, you wouldn't set here; you wouldn't attend any such a thing. God's got His eye on you. Yes.
111 Now, it looked like that he was sent to take what little she had, but it was vice versa. When she was willing to give what she had in support of the Word, God fed her. And if you're willing to give what Spirit you do have, what Spirit that God's give you to support of the Word, then God will keep you alive. Hallelujah. O glory to God. Do you see it, church? Don't think I'm beside myself; I'm not. But what you have got, what little you do believe in God, what faith you have got, place it on the Word, not on organization. Put it in God's Word; He'll keep you alive.
114 Now, we haven't got time to take the rest of the story out, you know, how he had to come to a showdown with Baal. He'll do it one of these days, don't you worry. When he comes stomping out of that wilderness, you watch what takes place. 117 When he got down to Jordan, he reached around and got that robe of power off of his shoulders, said, "Death, you can't do nothing to me." And he struck the Jordan, "Get away; I'm crossing over this morning." What happened? She moved back and dried like powder. What was the old prophet doing? He was looking across Jordan; he knowed there was a chariot waiting for him over there with the horses. He was going home; his work was over. His son in the Gospel was taking his place. 118 I was coming home the other day from out west. This comes on my mind. I turned the radio on. I had to drive three days, twenty-four hundred miles, by myself. I turned the radio on and I--hearing spirituals out of Del Rio, Texas. There was a man made a talk about an old, colored, Negro man. He was fixing to die and he had to come down to the river; he said, "Them golden slippers that I'm goin' to wear to walk the golden streets." This old Negro had preached all of his life, and the only thing he could think of was comfort that he had, was his old banjo that hung on the wall. He set out on the cotton bails and played the hymns, rested himself from his ministry with the old banjo. That was the way he had to relax. He said the old bobtailed horse that he used to drive will be down there with the chariot. I was thinking of them. He said, "Oh, them golden slippers that I'm goin' to wear to walk the golden streets." 119 And when he got through singing, I turned the radio off, and was going there, holding the wheel; "Oh, that's right. I got to come down there too. What's ever give me comfort? Where do I find my comfort? In the wilderness. I got a little, old rifle that's called... I hunt with it in the fall of the year. It's a .270, model 721 Remington. A man, brother give it to me in California, years ago. I've hunted with it for years and years. How--what a comfort it's been, 'cause I--I know it's a good shooting gun, and it's my comfort in the wilderness. 120 Then I thought about my vision. When I got over there and seen all my people, I heard something nicker, and here come my little Prince (my little saddle horse), and put his head upon my shoulder. I thought, "Yep, one of these mornings I'm coming down too to the Jordan." And the old .270 that I used to--hangs on the wall. I haven't had it down since away, last fall. "That little saddle horse that I used to ride, God will have hooked to my chariot on that morning when I come down to the river." It'll be standing just across the river there. God will send him; I seen him the other night. He'll be hooked to my chariot, one of these mornings. I'll be gone, climbing up through the clouds. 121 Let's pray. Oh, to that power of God that I'm going to enjoy as I walk those golden streets... Yeah, the old rifle that now hangs on the wall, won't have any use for it then. I wonder, if my chariot comes along, if my little saddle horse that I seen in a vision will be hooked to my chariot that morning, standing down at the river. I hope he is. I want to be caught up. I want the Church to go up like that too; I want every one of you.
122 Would you like to know when you're coming down to the Jordan, will you forsake these ungodly systems of this world and receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour? If you're not a Christian, would you raise your hands and say, "Pray for me, Brother Branham, and when I come to the Jordan..."? God bless you. God bless you. "When I come down to Jordan, I want to take the power of the Holy Spirit on me, and strike the chilly waters, and walk across." 124 Our heavenly Father, three? that'll be wonderful, Lord, if they--they're just there on that day. I pray that they will, Lord. They raised their hands because they're convinced that these worldly systems are dying, and the voices of God's Word will soon be a hard thing to find; God will take it away from the church. The cry, the call of the Bridegroom will soon leave, and the Jezebel system will smother It out. But they want to have--live by that hidden spring like Elijah was to be preserved through the time of famine. God give them the Holy Ghost now; fill their hearts with joy and peace; and put their minds upon God's Word that they might live now and hereafter, forever. Bless them, Father. They are Yours, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
125 With our heads bowed, them who raised their hands and wants to accept Christ, would you just stand to your feet, just a moment, while I pray individually for you? Just raise up to your feet. 128
When I come to the river at the ending of day, (I don't want to sing that.)And it seems like my friends have all gone;
There'll be Somebody waiting that'll show me the way,
I won't have to cross Jordan alone.
Did you give out prayer cards, Bill? I feel heavy. What'd you give out today? B? You give out A's too, didn't you? All right, call B's first, 1 to... Prayer card B-number-1. We're going to pray for your sickness. B-number-1, who has it? Prayer card B-number-1, somebody way back in the back. Come up here, lady. B-number-2, raise your hand. That lady? Number 3, B-number-3, would you raise your hand please so I can see where... 3? Number 4, B-number-4. B-number-5. Would you raise your hand please, B-number-5. That man? All right, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
129 Well, here, let all the B's stand up anyhow, just. Let--let's... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... send it to all the world. Every missionary on the field, wherever they send...
132 That's your little boy? Very cute little man. Please forgive me. This woman here's a good type of a real American. Her little boy, little overalls and striped jacket. Young woman with long hair, dresses nice... God bless her in her home, and her husband and loved ones. And that's really genuine U.S.A., with "Christianity" wrote over top of it. Long may our land be like that. Forgive me, little lady, for saying that, but I just... so that people can see what I think looks like a Christian: no manicure, what the stuff is, just lady...
The Great Physician now is near,
The sympathizing Jesus;
135 You believe in Him? You believe that He is the Great Physician? Now, just be reverent just a moment. We got a little time yet. I cut the message just a little short. I hope you got it all, what was meant. Just believe with all your heart. When they all get lined up, somebody back there to line the people up... Okay? What say? Now, all that's got prayer cards is standing.
137 That little girl setting back there with a bad leg, up here on this... You believe that God will make it well? If you do, just have faith and God will grant it to you.
142 What say? [Someone says, "Could we make a double line here?"--Ed.] Yes, you can. Let's make a double line right here, will be fine. That's good. Now, turn this other way, brethren. Turn around this way, I'm going to bring the people right through here. Now, some of you get on this side of me, right in here if you will, stand around this side. That's it. 144 Now, if we had discernment for everyone here, how long do you think I'd be here? I'd collapse when I got about--after about six, five or six, ten; little more, maybe half, quarter of the line, I'd be gone; the rest of them wouldn't be prayed for. We can't do that. And as it... But you don't have to have that. You know what's your trouble. You know what you've done; now confess your sins. If any of you out there has one speck of doubt in your heart, take it out right now and tell God to forgive you. If you're not right with God, tell God to forgive you. And if you don't, and you're not right with God, it ain't going to do you one bit of good to come through here. You're just wasting your time. That is true. Now, is that right, brethren? That's right. 145 Look here. Here stands Brother Kidd here. I liked to tore the tires off the car to get to him about a year or two ago to... He was dying with cancer, going to die that day. His wife told me, said, "Hurry." Said, "He's dying now." When I got there, the Lord healed him. And here he's still standing. I think he's gained so much weight and everything. An old veteran back you know, there's the kind of man I was talking about, years ago, that preached; and laid right on to that Word, and the people laughed at him. And him and his wife walking the railroad tracks and everything else, and way up in the mountains in coal mines, and run out, and throwed in jail, and everything else. That's the man who's fought to win the prize; that's the kind. 146 Now, brethren, I say to you, you probably would not have the spirit of discernment. That don't have to be (You see?), that--that ain't necessary. The first thing, you're a men of the Word. You're far better, a more preachers than I am, because I'm--I'm not much of a preacher. But I... But you're--you're anointed, any man that's called to preach the Gospel is called to heal the sick. The general orders is: "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. These signs shall follow them that believe. If they lay their hands on the sick, so forth, they shall recover." If you're called to be a minister, you're called to pray for the sick.
147 And the reason I do this is so this audience, that they might see that they don't have to wait for some special person, Oral Roberts, Tommy Hicks, Tommy Osborn, myself, somebody comes by for a healing service. I want them to see that you are men of God. See? You're men... Just as much right to lay hands on any of them as--as I or anybody else. After all, brethren, you all know, as--as ministers, it's their own faith in God that does the work. Is that right? We just offer a prayer for them. 150 Now, come here, let this--let this lady come here. I don't know you; I've never seen you. If the Holy Spirit will tell me, so that my brethren here in the presence here like this, so they're all standing here around me... And not only that, my brethren are here, and my Lord is here. It's their Lord too. Now, if He will tell me something wrong with you, whatever's wrong with you, you'll know whether it's the truth or not. I want them... I want the audience... I want the people out there to see that the Holy Spirit's here at the platform to give discernment, but that don't heal anybody. But if He will tell me something about you, that you know I know nothing about, just like it was the woman at the well... Not the same kind of case, but I mean a man and woman meeting for the first time. Jesus, kind of a middle-aged Man, and this woman probably was a young woman, maybe like you. 151 And if He will, could tell me what you're here for, your trouble, would you believe that it'd have to be His Spirit that would do it? Do you brethren believe that, that the same Lord Jesus is standing here? You audience believe the same thing? Would you in the prayer line believe the same thing, and know that these man... Would I called them up here if I thought they wasn't... After preaching like this, and saying the things I have, and then call men up here that wasn't worthy? I wouldn't do that. I'd be defeating the very thing I was fighting about. You see? I believe in them; I believe they're men of God.
152 Now, see if the Holy Spirit stands closely. Just to speak with you, I'm trying... You say, "What are you doing, Brother Branham?" The same thing Jesus done with the woman, said, "Bring Me a drink," He was just trying to talk to her a minute, find out what her trouble was.
154 Now, Jesus perceived their thoughts. Is that right? Well, that's what's happened right now. Is that right? Here, let me tell you something, that you might know. You're really standing here for somebody else. That's right. That's the thing, and you couldn't catch it till then. Now, if the Lord will reveal to me what you're standing here for, for somebody else, will you believe me to be His prophet? It's for your mother. You believe God can tell me what her trouble is? Well, she has heart trouble, high blood pressure, gall stones, complications. That's right. Isn't it? See? Now, that's the Holy Spirit. Isn't it? 156 Let us all bow our heads while we pray for these people. Now, heavenly Father, we're going to lay hands on these people. And I'm praying for them now. Here's Your royal servants standing here, and we're all going to lay hands on the sick, because You said do it. We're going to do it in the Name of Jesus Christ. May the people not just drag through, but may they come through being healed through Jesus Christ's Name. Amen!
157 The Lord bless you. Now, walk right up closely. In the Name of the Lord Jesus, heal.
161 Now, come believing, just everybody, just come... [The ministers pray for the sick in the prayer line. Brother Branham is heard saying, "In the Name of Jesus Christ," as the people pass--Ed.] Everybody...?...
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
A fellowship of kindred mind
Is like to that above.
Here 'fore our Father's throne,
We pour our ardent prayer;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one,
Our comfort and our cares.
He'll sustain you over, God's little, crippled children, blind...?... Ministers of the Gospel, you know we have no power to heal. But our great Lord Jesus Who stands here present and can do signs, and condemn the Devil that has him bound. We condemn the Devil...?... We condemn...?... blind...?... that in the Name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, we would ask that God give them faith to believe that the prayer of faith...?... save the sick and--and God shall raise them up, and they shall be well again. Grant it, Almighty God, through Jesus Christ's Name.Now, you brethren walk away from the platform. Just keep on praying. All the rest of you be in prayer now, while we--the ministers are praying for him anyhow, and we prayed, laid hands on.
166 Heavenly Father... To you out there in the audience that didn't get in the prayer line, lay your hands over on one another now. Lay your hands over on one another. 168 Bless these minister brothers, Lord, as they're gathered together in one heart and one accord, and all the laity of the church. O Almighty God, to this great Middletown, Ohio, send a revival after this, Lord, that'll sweep from side to side, a coming together of the bones, Lord, and sinews skin. And may the power of God raise up a mighty united church here in this city that'll sweep, a example church, all across the nation, that people may come into this city to see the power of God. Grant it, Lord. Heal the sick and the afflicted; save the lost, and get glory unto Thyself.
169 Grant it, that all of these handkerchiefs and little parcels that's laying here... I pray, Lord, that the Holy Spirit upon us, and in this building anointing us, may every one of them be well. It is wrote in the Bible that when Israel was in the path of duty, on their way to the promised land, that the Red Sea got in the way. And one of the writers said, "God looked down through that Pillar of Fire, and the Red Sea got scared and moved back, and Israel went to the promised land which was promised."
171 Audience, to Him Who knows us all, to Him Who raised us up for to be His heritage in the world, in His church, may God's rich blessings be upon you all until we meet again.
172 Until we meet, let us stand and sing:
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me,
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Now, reverently shake hands with somebody in back of you, front of you, and at the side.
I love Him, (everybody, now) I love HimBecause He first loved me,And purchased my salvationOn Calvary's tree.
Now, with your hands up to God, real loud now, everybody make it ring.
I love Him, I love Him
Because He first loved me,
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Let's bow our head now.
Till we meet, till we meet,Till we meet at Jesus' feet; (Remember, many of us will never meet again till then.)Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.
Now, hum it. [Brother Branham begins humming--Ed.] Your pastor.
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