  Please Note: For the most part this "Resume Of The Seven Church Ages" is a "paraphrasing" of the original published version. The purpose of paraphrasing is to be concise, to simplify certain words or statements, and also to "condense" the text for online presentation. NO idea or revelation has been altered or changed by the paraphrasing. By the Grace of God, the Editor of The William Branham Home Page has maintained the "character" and "characteristics" of Brother Branham's ministry of the Word. I recommend that you also read the original "version" as found in Chapter Ten of the book, "An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages". |
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The original study of the seven church ages (Revelation Chapter 2 and 3) was a verse by verse and phrase by phrase exposition of each age, separately. Bro. Branham did not set forth a continuous historical pattern of the 'two spirits at work" through the ages. Therefore, the purpose of this resume is to set forth "the pattern" beginning with the Ephesian Age and tracing the path of the True and false vines through all ages - according to the revelation given to John (in another dimension (Rev. 1:10) by an Angel (Prophet-Messenger) from God.
"And I John saw these things, and heard [them]. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See [thou do it] not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. "To more fully comprehend the "two spirits" at work down through the Seven Church Ages we need to understand that, as all Israel is NOT Israel, so all Christians are NOT Christian. Not all who professed to be the "natural" seed of Abraham, had the "faith" of Abraham. Not all who profess to be "Christian" are "Christ-like or have the Spirit of Christ. Also, PLEASE note: Each generation is responsible ONLY FOR the Light which God revealed to them in THEIR AGE. The Revelation of Jesus Christ has been a "progressive Revelation" to the Church through Seven Ages, with each succeeding generation being held responsible for more and more Revelation on the Word. Till, in the last age the Lord calls for a "resurrection and rapturing faith" in His Elected Bride. The Message, through the Messenger of the Age always produces the "faith" required by God in that Age. Therefore, it's important to recognized "our" day and it's "message". God's dealings with Israel in the "natural" are a "type" or representation of God dealing with the Church in the "spiritual" realm, through the ages. Though ALL Israelites who came out of Egypt, in the Exodus, were the "natural" seed of Abraham, identified in the covenant by circumcision in the flesh, NOT ALL were of the "faith" of Abraham [Deut. 32:20]; and NOT ALL entered into the promised land. Even so, though ALL who professed Christianity through the ages, were because of their water baptism and partaking of the communion, etc., "outwardly" (in their traditional and rituals) identified with Christianity, but NOT ALL had the "faith" or "true revelation" of Christ in the heart - NOT ALL, like our Lord Jesus Christ, "Did only those things that please the Father" John 8:29, OR "Did nothing till the Father Showed Him." John 5:19 We learn from Scripture that Israel in the wilderness QUCIKLY departed from the path of obedience and loyality to the True God. The Lord had gloriously delivered them out of Egypt and at the Red Sea. In fact the Bible tells us that the Children of Israel sang thus unto the Lord, "The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my Salvation. He is my God...my father's God, and I will exalt Him." Exodus 15:2. Less than five months later they were worshipping a "golden calf" declaring, "These are thy gods O Israel, which brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt." In the Church Ages we also learn that the vast majority of those who [through the Revelation of Jesus Christ] were gloriously brought out of a "spiritual" Egyptian bondage and through the "Red Sea" of "paganism and spiritual death", into a "spiritual wilderness" to be tried and tested. Like Israel, the Christian Church was QUICK to depart from their "first love" (the path of obedience and loyality to Christ); and under the influence of Nicolaitanism and Balaamism establish "the synagogue of Satan", impersonating the True Christian Church. Like Israel the church sang the praises of her resurrected Lord and then QUICKLY turned their allegience to the "false prophestess, Jezebel" [Revelation 2:4,20]. Thus we learned that the church is made up of two vines, the true and the false. This "pattern" can be traced all the way back to the Garden of Eden wherein was the "Tree of Life" (Pure Word) and the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil" (a mixture). According to the "law of contrast" one follows right on the heels of the other - the false ALWAYS following on the heels of the true, impersonating the true in an attempt to deceive the sons and daughters of God. It has been Satan's goal to exalt himself above the "stars of God". Through false prophets he has attempted to accomplish this in in the natrual seed of Abraham (the Jews) and now, through the false vine to do it in the Church. In fact the Revelation of the Seven Church Ages confirm what Jesus said in Matthew 24:24, warning that "the two spirits at work (false vs. the true) through the ages would be so close that, they shall deceive the very elect - IF IT WERE POSSIBLE". Why??? Because, both would be very religious, professing to believe "in" God. But both DO NOT necessarily "believe God". The True vine of course will always "believe God", whereas the false vine will not accept, believe and live by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). The True Vine is of course motivated by the Holy Spirit while the false vine is endued with the spirit of antichrist. The false vine, while professing to believe the Bible to be the Word of God, will put more emphasis on what the church creed says than on what the Bible actually says. Both vines claim to know and be known of God. Both purport to speak for God. Both believe certain very basic truths and differ on others. But since both bear the name of the Lord, being called Christ-ians, and claim a relationship to Him (God calls it marriage), God now holds them both responsible to Him and therefore speaks to each - the true and the false. In this study of the Church Ages we learn the most amazing truth that the Holy Spirit could and would fall upon the unregenerate false vine Christians and manifest powerfully in various signs and wonders, even as Judas had a definite ministry in the Holy Ghost though he, himself, was pronounced to be a devil. They are "false anointed ones", having a genuine Holy Spirit anointing in their spirit or flesh, enabling them to manifest powerfully in various signs and wonders but having a false teaching on the Word. We further learned in our verse by verse study that both these two vines grew side by side throughout the seven ages, with both of them coming to maturity for the harvest at the end of the last age. The false vine (church) would through the ages increase in popularity and power, seemingly almost extinguishing the Light of the True Vine in the fourth age. But in the fifth age the Light of the True Vine begins to flicker higher into the spiritual darkness - a reformation begins. The True Vine is revived. From the fifth, through the sixth and into the early part of the seventh age revival spreads accross the nations and around the world. Through the reformation which started in the fifth age, to the prophetic restoration ministry in the seventh age God called out His elect before the over-whelming spiritual darkness of the false vine church settles completely upon the people. So great a spiritual darknesss would prevail that, speaking of this age, Jesus said, "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8).
The false vine would not overcome and destroy the true vine, but then, neither would the true vine be able to bring the false vine into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. As pertaining to ownership, ALL are His - all claim Him (Jesus) as their "Saviour". As pertaining to relationship, not all are His - only a few are able to claim Him as "LORD" and "Saviour". Notice these beautiful verses of Scripture: "I am the good shepherd, and know my [sheep], and am known of mine." "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" "and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out."To further enforce the revelation that there is a "true" and a "false" vine coming up through the ages, Jesus said: ".......Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." Our Lord Jesus Christ walks in the midst of that body that has within it life and death. According to the parable of the "wheat and the tares" His servants wanted to root out the tares, but Jesus said: "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." Christ in Matthew 7:15-16 warns us to beware of "wolves in sheeps clothing"; but He said, "Ye shall know them by their fruits." In 1st. John 4:1 we are exhorted to, "...believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God:" Indeed, we need to be, "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves". (Matthew 10:16) With these principles in mind we start to trace both the True and the false vine churches through the various seven ages.
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How long the church at Ephesus continued in the faith without faltering we do not know, but one day even as Eve was tempted and seduced by Satan in the Garden of Eden, so the church was contaminated by the entrance of an antichrist spirit in this first age. "And this is that spirit of antichrist whereof ye have heard that it should come and even now already is it in the world." Before going further, let's be reminded again that these messages addressed to the Seven Churches in Asia Minor are not messages just to the actual local church assemblies only. But rather these messages are prophetic in their content and reflect the conditions, circumstances and situations encountered in each of the Seven ages of the Gentile Church. Considering the Message to this first age we discover that age had in it the seed of truth and the seed of error exactly as set forth according to the parable of the wheat and the tares. (Matthew 13:24-42) In plain and simple language Jesus tells us that "the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked [one]; The enemy that sowed them is the devil;" Both the wheat and the tares are in the SAME field. We'll find that this parable applies down through all the Ages. In every age the Lord made a difference between the True and the false vines.
The antichrist contamination in this first age had already had a negative effect upon the True Vine Bride, causing her to leave her first love. As Satan had gotten to Eve before Adam, even now had Satan seduced the church, the bride of Christ, before the 'marriage supper' of the lamb. Paul's fears expressed in 2nd Corinthians 11:2-3 were realized: "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."There were other influences in that first age which sought to beguile and take from the True Vine Bride her "virgin" commitment to the Word only. According to Revelation 2:2 we discover that she encountered the "false vine" represented by "false apostles", teaching things contrary to what the Messenger to the Age [Paul] had taught. These false apostles were found to be liars. Revelation 2:6 identifies the works of these "false apostles" as being "The Deeds Of The Nicolaitanes." The True Vine in this Ephesian Age were said to have shared with the Lord Jesus, a common "hatred" for this antichrist spirit which was already at work in the first age. "But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate." The seeds of the "Nicolaitane" spirit had taken root, sprouted and become, not just an idea or a thought, but "deeds" among the people. Little by little "the deeds of the Nicolaitanes" began to make itself manifest in the midst. But, WHAT are these "deeds" which stir the hatred of a Holy God? Literally, the word "Nicolaitane" means "to conquor the laity". There was a spirit afoot to establish a "human government" within the church, placing the "clergy above the laity", making the laity answerable to man instead of God - undermining the "direct access" of ALL believers to the Lord. This spirit was antichrist to the core. It was Satan beginning (in simplicity) to set himself up in the Temple of God to deceive the people into doing things his way and eventually worship him - thinking they're worshipping God. So great was the influence of the deeds of the Nicolaitanes that men, like the venerable Polycarp were calling themselves "bishops"; using the 'title' in a way that was contrary to the Word of God - evidence that another spirit (the spirit of antichrist) was contending for preeminence in the early church. Spiritual death was on the heels of the True Vine. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was just as potent with death here in God's second Eden (the Church) as it was in the first Eden. Partaking of it would eventually result in "spiritual death". In the Fifth Age Christ said, "I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead." Knowing the dangers of the "deeds of the Nicolaitanes", our Lord (in this First Age) acknowledges the works, labour and patience of His little True Vine Bride and then exhortes them to: "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." He does not forsake His own. He will not turn His True Vine Bride out of His garden as he did Adam and Eve in the beginning. He had redeemed her with His own blood. This time He would now work with them in the garden, guiding them through the minefields of Satanic deception working through the false vine. According to His promise he would, down through the Seven Church Ages watch over His elect, until the final age when the final separation is made for the Rapture.
Revelation 2:1 describes the Lord Jesus as in the midst of His church and holding the messengers in His right hand - showing His authority and control over His Messengers. In the end, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; ...And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."
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But the church in it's first beginnings was predominately Jewish and centered in Jerusalem. Any Gentiles in the church were previously "converts" to Judaism. But there was no church that was "exclusively" Gentile until Paul founded the Gentile Church at Ephesus. Peter had ministered the Word to Gentiles in the house of Cornelius (Acts 10) but it was Paul whom the Lord singled out to be the "Apostle to the Gentiles". He was responsible for taking Gospel to Gentiles, and for establishing Gentile churches.
The messenger for this age is Irenaeus. What was planted in the first age will develop in the second age and in all other ages until it comes to maturity and harvest. Thus in the Smyrnaean Age we expect to see, through the revelation of the Spirit, a clearer view of the church's decent into the confusion of man-made organizations and denominations which is so prevalent today. In this age the hatred of the false vine against the 'true' increases. The separation between the "true" and the "false" increases - so much so that the "false" persecutes the "true" even unto death. The false are found to be liars in their confession. But rather than destroy them God's plan was and is to, "Let them alone and both will go to the harvest." But He encourages His bride to, "Be thou faithful unto death. Love Me even more". In the first age the false vine is referred to only as the "deeds of the Nicolaitanes". Here in this second age they are more clearly identified as being religious but of "the synagogue of Satan" Their gathering is of him (Satan). They profess to know Christ, but in works they deny him, doing and teaching those things that are contrary to the original doctrine of the Apostles. In Revelation 2:9 Jesus states that the false vine is now guilty of "blasphemy". Still, God will hold them responsible and in each age He speaks of them and to them. They remind us exactly of Balaam. He had the prophetic office. He knew the proper approach unto God, but motivated by his lust for gold and popularity among men he was willing to compromise the true Word of God. The perfect will of God gave way to the permissive will of God because of Balaam's determination to "do it his own way". It was Balaam who was the loser for he by-passed the only source of Eternal Life - the true Word of God. And today we have that very same thing. Many in the religious realm "hold the [false] doctrine of Balaam" and "run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward [money and popularity]". In the Third Age all these things gain more preeminence among the people - gaining more power and authority over the people. They worship God, even with Spiritual manifestations in their lives, but, like Balaam, they're self-willed and self-centered - wanting to do it their way instead of God's way. God knew that Balaam wanted his own heart desire above the Word and He gave it to him. Even so today, because the people are spiritually stubborn and rebellious, refusing to take ALL the Word of God, He permits them to go their own religious ways, knowing that in the end THE WILL OF GOD WILL BE DONE REGARDLESS - He will make a final separation - taking the True Bride vine into a Rapture and leaving the false religious vine to a tribulation. Amen. I hope you see this Truth.
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death. " "But as then he that was born after the flesh [false vine-organized religion] persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit [true vine-born of God], even so [it is] now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. " Seeing this Truth will not only clear up much of what is seen in all ages but it will especially help in this last age which has so much religious manifestation and external blessings but so against the 'Word-Revealed-Will' of God - refusing to believe what God is doing in their age.
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The church messenger to this age is St. Martin. In this third age the false vine church is so powerful that it now establishes "a Throne" from which to issue it's edicts, ritual, ceremonies and creeds. The Bible calls it "Satan's Seat [throne]. But a man is enthroned on it as "God's vicar" or representative on earth - giving "a mouth" to the idea, deeds and doctrine of the Nicolaitanes - to speak great and powerful things against the Most High.The prophet Daniel expressed it perfectly in these words: "And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws:" (Daniel 7:8, 25). The false vine is found to be blaspheming [with it's anti-Word teachings] the Holy Spirit, God's true "vicar" or representative on earth. In Isaiah 14:14 Lucifer said, "I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." It is revealed by the Spirit of prophecy that the worldly church in this age, under the headship of a man adopts Nicolaitanism as a doctrine. Not an idea,, not a deed, but now a doctrine [masquerading as Truth] - a foundation doctrine on which the false vine church would establish it's Authority to teach "anything" it deemed necessary to keep the people submissive. In the First Age God "hated" the "deeds" and according to the Message to this Third Age the Lord considers the "doctrine" to be blasphemy. God's order in the early church was "Holy-Spirit-led" men (not women) guiding (overseeing) the laity by the Word. But the spirit of antichrist creeping into the church begin to bring about a separation of the clergy from the laity wherein the clergy set themselves in ranks one over the other. This unscriptural formula then evolved into a priesthood that placed the clergy between man and God, giving the clergy certain rights all the while denying the laity their God-given rights. This is Nicolaitanism: "conquor the laity". Nicolaitanism - human government controlling the church eventually led the church to become involved in politics. This involvement was welcomed by a dictator-emperor (Constantine) who joined church politics with state politics and by force established the false church (Satan's false religion )as the true religion. And through various edicts by various emperors we find the false church with state power destroying the true vine - even unto death. 68 Million Christians were put to death because of their opposition to the false church. In Pergamos another "doctrine" is instituted - the "doctrine of Balaam". Jesus said, "But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam..." This doctrine was the uniting of religion and politics for mutual gain. Fearing the Children of Israel, Balak, King of the Moabites (idolatrous distant cousins of the Israelites) called on the most dominant spiritual figure of his day - Balaam. He tried to get Balaam to 'curse' Israel, but every time Balaam opened his mouth God caused him to bless and not curse. Therefore, Balaam taught Balak to "corrupt" [by flattery and deception] the Israelites by causing them to "defile" their "separation" and "abandon" their "pilgrim character", to contaminate the Camp of Israel with Moabitish customs and practices. The Children of Israel began to intermingle and inter-marry with the Moabites, eventually bringing idolatry into Israel. The Doctrine of Balaam would have the same effect on the church. It became [and still remains] a stumblingblock to the people, causing them also to "defile" their "separation onto the Lord" and "abandon" their "pilgrim character", to settle down in a "world" contaminated with pagan religious customs and practices. They would ease their conscience with religious creeds, dogmas, ritual and ceremony. As Balak joined forces with Balaam to secure his kingdom, even so, Constantine joined forces with the First organized-denominated Christian Church - the Church of Rome, to secure his kingdom by getting the Christians behind him. The outcome was the Nicene Council of 325. There the Christians, both true and nominal, came together at the invitation of Constantine. The true Christians had no business even going up to the meeting. In spite of all Constantine could do to unite them all, the real believers knew they were out of place and left. They could not accept the anti-Word ideas being present at Nicea. To them it was "strange fire on the altar of God". But to those who remained, Constantine gave of the state's treasury along with political and physical force. Out of the Nicea meeting came idolatry and spiritism. Statues with names of saints were placed in the buildings and the people were taught to commune with the dead, or pray to saints - absolute spiritism. Instead of giving the people the fullness of the Word of God, they were given creeds, and dogmas and rituals which were also enforced by the state. And above all they were given "Three gods" with the triple compound name of the One True God; and water baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ gave way to the pagan baptism, invoking only the three titles. The real believers ought not to have gone there. They had already lost much truth, and now they too, would lose [for a time] the understanding of Godhead and forfeit names for titles in water baptism. The darkness of the "Dark Ages" was overtaking the Church. Sad to say the true vine was not exactly immune to the ideas behind the Nicolaitane and Balaam doctrines. By no means did the true vine ever establish the Nicolaitane ideas as a doctrine, or completely fall to the deception of the "Balaam teaching". Far from it. But it's influence was felt within the ranks of the true church. But not to the extant of becoming a predominate force as it was with the false vine. Both Paul and Peter spoke out against Nicolaitanism [subverting the laity] and Balaamism [worldliness in the church].
Peter gave the following instructions to the clergy: "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: No matter what authority Paul or Peter had, they kept the people looking to God from Whom is all authority. But under Nicolaitane influence the clergy were always trying to mix Divine Leadership PLUS HUMAN ideas, giving honor where honor was not due (to men). In this we find that the true church was spotted with humanism. By the end of the Third Age Nicolaitanism was fully established - apostolic succession - ministers, trained and appointed by a man-made system, etc., it was only one step for the false church to proceed to Balaamism. The second step to the 'depth of Satan' was now in full progress. Now watch this doctrine of Balaam most carefully. Notice above all, that it is the deliberate maneuver of a corrupt clergy to bind the people to them, by leading the people deliberately into the sin of unbelief. The Nicolaitane doctrine was the corruption of the clergy as they sought political power (over the laity) amongst themselves, while Balaamism is the subjection of the people to their system of creed and worship in order to hold them. Now watch this carefully. What was it that bound the people to the nominal church and thereby destroyed them? It was the creeds and dogmas formed into church tenets. It was the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. They were not given the true food, the Word. They were given the food that came from idol worship, Babylonian paganism wrapped up in Christian terminology. And that very same spirit and doctrine is right amongst all Protestants and it is called DENOMINATION. Balaamism is denominationalism which puts more emphasis on the church manual than on the Bible. And right to this hour, many of God's people are caught in the snare of denominationalism and God is crying to them:
"Come out of her My people, lest ye be partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not her plagues. " If the rapture should take place at this moment, ignorance would be no court of appeal from the judgment of God for being in the wrong ranks. Regardless of bow wonderful and necessary it may seem. It is nothing but human reasoning taking the place of the Word. Now let's make this very plain: WE ARE NOT AGAINST THE PEOPLE. WE ARE AGAINST THE SYSTEM that binds the people, keeping them from obedience to the whole Word of God. And any person who is in the organized denominations is right in the midst of an antichrist system - not saying that the individual is antichrist but rather that they are supporting the antichrist system. The individual's attitude (obedience or disobedience) toward ALL the Word of God determines which side they're really on.
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With a state and church union the stage has been set for the era commonly known as the Dark Ages (Thyatira). And indeed for about 1000 years the church went into the depth of blackness, knowing the depths of Satan. The messenger of the fourth church age is Columba.First Nicolaitanism (conquoring the laity); secondly, Balaamism (bring the laity subject to creeds, dogmas and rituals, contrary to the Word); and now "that woman Jezebel" (representing a powerful organized church) wrecks havoc in this fourth age. The Bible says she calls herself a prophetess and is guilty of "teaching" false doctrines, causing God's servants to commit spiritual fornication and to eat (spiritually) things sacrificed to idols (Revelation 2:20). When any religious people embrace both Nicolaitanism and Balaamism, and have the political, financial and physical power to back it up there is only one direction they can go. That direction is right into the Jezebel doctrine, producing a man-made church with man-made headship and man-made doctrines - ALL inspired by the Devil. In the Old Testament Jezebel married Ahab (King of Israel) for political expediency. She then took over the religion of the people, murdered the Levites, and erected temples wherein she caused the people to worship Astarte (Venus) and Baal (Sun god). She formulated the teaching and made her priests teach it, and they in turn made the people accept it. Rather than being a religion of 'free-will' choice - it is forced on the people. The Jezebel of the New Testament Church, with ecclesiastical and political power, takes absolute control of "Christianity" and for over a thousand years stifled the Gospel of Grace and by a church law forced the people to observe the creeds, rituals and idolatry of the Roman Catholic Church. Though it came in Christ's Name it was absolutely antichrist. With the exception of a few Scriptural principles, the Word of God was kept from the people entirely. Jezebel's priests would instruct the people, twisting what they did take out of the Bible by changing its meaning. Their college of bishops, etc., wrote vast treatises, their popes declared themselves infallible and said they received revelation from God and spoke as God to the people. The priests, through fear made the people believe it. To dissent was death or excommunication which might be worse than death. Remember, the deeds and doctrines of the Nicolaitanes, the doctrine of Balaam, and the teaching of the false prophetess, Jezebel, are but the various manifestations of the same spirit as it goes from depth to depth, even to the "depths of Satan". What it all is, is the antichrist spirit of organization in its three various stages. During the "Dark Ages" the false church ruled with absolute authority; and wild with power they drank the blood of the martyrs until the true Christians were all but exterminated and there was hardly any Word left, and very little manifestation of the Holy Ghost. But God in His Grace and mercy preserved a 'true vine' remnant through it all. God was faithful to the little flock and in spite of what Rome might do to their bodies, Rome could not kill the Spirit within them, and the light of the Truth shone on, backed by the Holy Ghost and power.
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What had been planted, sprouted and grown in the first two ages was in full swing in the Third and well into the Fourth Age. It seemed as if Nicolaitanism, Balaamism and Jezebel had conquered all. The Roman Catholic Church held absolute sway over Kings, kingdoms and peasants. It seemed as if the Truth of the Word would surely die. Jesus warned this age saying, "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God." Revelation 3:2.After what seemed like an infinite period of time, men here and there [recognizing the need for Spiritual a reformation] began to protest the vileness of the Roman Catholic Church, because by no stretch of the imagination could God be in such teaching and such conduct. Not being God's predestinated time these protests were disregarded, failed to arouse attention, or were quashed by Rome. But then, God in His sovereign grace and according to His predestinated plan sent a messenger by the name of Martin Luther - The reformation was on in earnest. God would shake the Roman Catholic Church to it's very foundations. Luther worked in an environment wherein the people - soul, body and spirit were under the control of the Roman Catholic Church. Emotionally and mentally, the people were told [by the church priests] what to think, when to think, how to think, what to do and how to do it - all governed, NOT by the Bible, but by the creeds, dogma and ritual of the organized church. To publicly question the Authority of the Church, especially that of the Pope meant "excommunication" from the Church of Rome or death by burning at the stake. Being fully convinced of the "Absolute Authority" of the Bible in ALL matters pertaining to life and godliness, Luther challenged the "Jezebel doctrinal" idea that only the church through the Pope could interpret Scripture authoritatively; he challenged the Nicolaitane teaching that the clergy were superior to the laity - he taught the Bible truth that each Christian is in reality a spiritual priest before God. He challenged the idea of praying and paying souls out of purgatory; selling of indulgences [selling forgiveness], etc. etc.. Luther's message of justification by faith was a sign of the restoration of God's Bride Tree. He had planted it in the First Church Age. It sprouted and grew, but the Antichrist false vine cut it down, leaving only a stump in the ground. Then in this fourth Age a little of the Light of the Word began to shine upon it causing it to sprout forth again. For the first time in many centuries the True Vine began to grow in a bountiful manner. God was beginning a separation which would eventually climax in the last age with the Second Coming Of Christ, the Resurrection of the dead in Christ, and the Rapture of the living Saints. But the Sardis Age would not be without it's trials. God would deal a severe blow to Nicolaitanism, Balaamism and the Jezebel church, but, it's influence would not be totally annulled as yet. The "beginning" of the Reformation would "reform" ALL things back to it's original state - but it was a "beginning". The Lord would do this in "three" phases through the last "three" Church Ages, starting here with the Sardis Age. In this Age and the previous Age the organized church had used state power to secure it's stand, now state power began to flow against it and side with the reformation. Under these circumstances Martin Luther made his mistake, and the true believers made their mistake by allowing themselves to be drawn into taking sides on political issues. This prevented the Fifth Age (Sardis) from going further than what they did in the Word. But thank God that it gained significant ground; but because it leaned on political power to a great extent, this age ended in organization. This very group that in Luther's generation had broken from the false vine, now turned back to become a daughter of the harlot, allowing Nicolaitanism and Balaamism to infiltrate their ranks. Still, in it all God had reserved unto Himself a few in the Sardis Age who had not defiled their garments with the influence of Nicolaitanism and Balaamism (Revelation 3:4). This era had scores of factions within it, one persecuting the other, even unto death in some cases. But the true, elected Sons and daughters of God stayed with the Word revealed to them in their age. We rejoice in this age for this one thing - the Reformation had started. It was not a resurrection but a reformation. Neither was it a restoration. But the corn of wheat that had died at Nicaea and had rotted in the Dark Ages, now sent up a shoot of truth signifying that at some future date, at the end of the Laodicean Age, just before Jesus came, the church would go back to being a Wheat Seed Bride again while the tares would be harvested and burned in the lake of fire.
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As a result of the first stage of restoration which God started in the Fifth Age the Roman Catholic Church is still trying to find it's way "around" the excitement and fervor of the "reformation". Evangelical Christianity is gaining momentum in this Age. Since the fifth age had brought a great dissemination of the Word through printing, this Sixth Age was quick to take advantage of it. The messenger is John Wesley.This age was the second stage of the restoration [Luther's Age being the first stage]. Missionaries abounded and the Word spread world-wide. This age of brotherly love and the open door (Revelation 3:7) produced some of the greatest Bible teachers and expositors the world has ever heard. It was the last age of long duration, and after it the Laodicean Age would come which would be a short one. The true vine flourished in this age as in no other -spreading around the world. This age brought holy men to the forefront. The true vine spread and the false vine receded. Everywhere the true vine went God gave light and life and happiness. The false vine was shown up for what it was: darkness, misery, poverty, illiteracy and death. And as the false vine in its day of power could not kill the true vine, neither could the true vine now bring back the false vine to Jesus Christ. But the false vine entrenched itself, waiting for the last part of the last age when it would win all back to itself except that small flock that were the elect, true vine of God. But how sad does this age make us feel as we realize that every great move of God (and there were many) neglected to throw off the influence of the Nicolaitane doctrine. After the Messenger passed from the scene, succeeding generations were quick to organized and die spiritually. Each on-coming generation got further and further away from the original message of their messenger, ending up with a denominational "form of godliness" in a very "worldly" church. The religious leaders instituted man-made traditions to hold the spiritually dead in foodless pastures. But the true vine kept calling for more and more of God. In this age as in all other ages the Lord kept His own and let the others go their own religious ways. In this Sixth Age the Lord, in Revelation 3:9, makes this promise to His True Vine Bride: "Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee." The false Jezebel vine - synagogue of Satan, preaching Nicolaitanism and Balaamism will one day be forced to bow and acknowledge the True-Vine-Word Bride. From Luther's Age, into wesley's Age and on into the last age one group after another rose up - all playing a part and all falling to the influence of Nicolaitanism and/or Balaamism. When the revival fire burned low, organization took over and people broke up into denominational groups. Each group claimed with the very same assurance as the Roman Catholic Church that they were right and all others wrong. The stage was truly set for the daughters to go back home in the last age, back to Rome, under the mother hen. Many religious organizations and indvividuals deny that they would ever do such a things - they're forgetful of one thing - they're already united with Rome in doctrine. The last step back is the shortest - acknowledging the authority of the "Bishop of Rome".
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And so we come to the LAST age: Laodicea. This is OUR age - YOUR age. The is the Age when all things come to it's climax. What began in the First Age - the True and the false vines, now in this Last Age produces it's "fruit" - ripened and matured, making manifest the seed from which it sprang. In this LAST age the ONLY individual Vindicated to be the Messenger is William M. Branham. "God also bearing [them] witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?" (Hebrews 2:4) Without a doubt, any sincere spiritually minded "seeker" of Truth will agree (in the light of Scriptural proof, that William Branham was the Prophet to this Last Age.
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In this Last Age the "false vine" steeped in the doctrines of Nicolaitanism and Balaamism, under the denominational (dominating) Jezebel spirit wields it's influence over the vast majority of Christians. The "True Vine", refusing to be bound by the anti-Word spirit and teachings of organized "man-made religion", are taking their stand for the Word of God only.
The Lord Jesus Christ found the church in this Last Age to be in such a spiritually "sickening" state that He "spit" it our of His mouth. Notice again what He said to the nominal "church" in this Age:
What a state for the church to be in! This is how God sees the church. Of course the church sees itself as being wise, rich, increased with goods - having need of nothing. But as you can see from the above Scripture, God's examination of the church in the Light of His Word produced a completely different assessment.
Another startling fact concerning the end-time church scenario is Christ's position in relation to the nominal church: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Jesus Christ is literally on the "outside" of the church, knocking, calling to see if there's some "individual" who will hear His Voice (Word), open the door and allow Christ to come in a fellowship with them - the "individual" NOT the whole church. He's calling to the True-Vine-Bride This is absolute proof and evidence that those spirits (Nicolaitanism, Balaamism, etc.) which we have traced through the ages have [by creeds and dogmas] taken full control of the organized church. In this atmosphere any zealouness for the Pure Word is considered fanaticism. Other than the condition of the Church (as described in the Message to Laodicea), another important "sign" which clearly indicates that we are in the Last Age is the restoration of the dispersed of Israel back into Palestine. No matter how they got there - they are there. In this age God finishes up with the Gentiles and the Gospel goes back to Israel. A Spiritual Revival will come to Israel to call out the "elected" 144,000 of Revelation 7:4-8. In the Laodicean Age the Gentiles move from "Grace" to "Judgement". The Lutheran Age was the spring time. The Wesleyan Age was the summer of growth. The Laodicean Age is the harvest time of gathering the tares for binding and burning; and garnering the wheat for the Lord. The requirements for "harvest" are a "ripened" and "mature" crop. The tares have already matured under corrupt teachers who have turn the people from the True Word to trust in a "form of godliness", emotionalism, sensationalism or intellectualism. They will sell out the Word for a denominational form, an emotion, or a sensation. They're making the Word of God of non-effect by their false teachings. The "false vine" and the "foolish virgins" are destined for the Great Tribulation. The false vine eventually come to their end in the lake of fire. The foolish virgin [not the Bride] after judgement are "given" white robes to enter into glory. The wheat [Bride] is also maturing. To His True-Vine-Bride the Lord has sent a Prophet-Messenger with a vindicated ministry. The True Bride will only recognize a ministry that is "vindicated by the Word". Recognizing the "man sent from God" she hears his Message as the first church heard Paul's message; and she is maturing in the Word, entering into such a "oneness" with the Word that she becomes a Word Bride. She is destined for the "catching away" [Rapture] into Glory before the Great Tribulation sets in upon the earth. During the ripening and maturing phase of the True and false vines there comes a time when there is a slowing of growth until there is no more growth. It's like the day in which Noah entered the ark, and the door was shut, but yet God tarried in judgment seven days? No one was literally turned to God in those silent days.
While the True Bride of Christ is feeding on the Revealed Word brought by the Messenger to the Age, the false church groups, still sustained by Nicolaitanism, Balaamism and the Jezebel spirit continues to come together in different church federations and a world council of churches, etc. - ALL "compromising on the Word" for the sake of "church" unity. This World Council of Churches is the image ERECTED TO THE BEAST (Revelation 13:11-18). This is discussed in more detail in the in-depth study of the Laodicean Age. "And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. Now remember, it was Imperial Pagan Rome that fell by the sword. But she was healed of her death stroke when she joined to the nominal Christian church of Rome and incorporated paganism and Christianity [in the Third Church Age], and thereby became the Holy Roman Empire which is to endure until Jesus comes and destroys her. Pagan Rome became Papal Rome. But Rome is not going it alone. According to Revelation 17 she has "daughters". The daughters are "left-overs" of the Revivals which God-sent down through the Ages to call the people back His Word. These "left-over" who never stayed faithful to the Message for their Age drifted back into organization and denominational bondage - becoming daughters to Rome, having the same spirit of Nicolaitanism and Balaamism as their mother, Papal Rome. No doubt, this seems far fetched to some but actually it is very plain for all to see because right now the churches (especially Rome) are controlling politics and at the opportune time will manifest exactly how great is that control. Political canidates are always found trying to "court" the "General Protestant", the "Evangelical", and the "Catholic" voters. They can win or lose, depending on their stand on certain issues which are important to different churches. This ecumenical move will end up with Rome at the head even though the people did not envision it that way. This is so because in Revelation 17:3-6 it states that the whore, Mystery Babylon is seated on the beast. She is controlling the last, or fourth empire. This Roman Church is doing that. With the world church system under her Rome will be controlling, and this image (church system) will be obedient to Rome because Rome [through various means] controls the gold of the world. Thus all the people have to belong to the world church system or be at the mercy of the elements for they cannot buy or sell without the mark of the beast in the hand or head. This mark in the head means that they will have to take the doctrine of the world church system which is trinitarianism, etc., and the mark in the hand which means to extend the right hand of fellowship to, and do the will of the world church. With this great power the church systems will persecute the true bride. This image will try to keep the bride from preaching and teaching, etc. Her ministers will be forbidden to give comfort and truth to the people who need it. But before the antichrist (in person) takes over this complete world system of churches the true church will be taken away from this world to be with the Lord. God will catch away His bride for the great Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
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After the passing of John Wesley, the Methodist Revival began to slip back into what it came out of - formalism, Nicolaitanism and Balaamism. When the time came for the "restoration of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit" back into the Church, the Lord found the Methodist and all the rest under a denominatinal spirit - not able to receive any further "revelation" on the Word. Therefore the beginning of the Pentecostal revival in 1906 was a call to the Elected Seed of God to once again separate from organized religion to move on with the Lord in the greater revelation of His Word. In the Laodicean Age the true church would return to being the Bride she was at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit begin to create in the hearts of the Sons and Daughters of God a "call", not for a "restoration" of the Word, but for a "restoration" of the power of the Holy Spirit back into the Church. The restoration of the Word would come later. There was a "deep calling to the deep". In 1906 the "deep begin to respond to the deep" as many began to speak in tongues and manifest gifts of the Spirit. This Revival was spreading like fire - everywhere. Mainstream denominationalism criticized the new revivaL, calling it fanaticism, etc. For a period of time the mainstream churches begin to flounder in their membership numbers as more and more people were drawn to this "Moving of the Spirit of God". Many thought that this was the "Revival" which would forerun the Second coming of Christ - but not so. God had promised to crown this Pentecostal Revival with a Prophetic ministry and that ministry would forerun the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus. Not long after the Azuza Street Revival began it "split" into two main factions - the "Oneness" and "the Trinity". In that same year, the prophet (William M. Branham) who would forerun the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus, was born. It would be many years before he would be introduced to the Gentile Church. The mainstream denominational churches kept struggling, waiting for the time when all this excitement would fizzle out. By the time the Prophet was ready to be introduced to the Gentile church these mainstream churches would (in 1948) form themselves into a World Council Of Churches (Image To the Beast) - Ignoring Scripture being fulfilled in their day they were fighting their way to their destiny - the Lake of Fire. Those caught into the net of the Azuza Street Revival kept going their way - some following the "Trinity" camp while others took the "Oneness" path. And like all those who went before - Luther, Wesley, Salvation Army, etc., these [Pentecostal factions] also [faster than previous ages] drifted into organization and became denominations. They were expending more energy on fighting one another than preaching their "full Gospel message". Still, each group produced great men of God [Wigglesworth, C. Price, F.F. Bosworth, John G. Lake, etc.) who cared more about the Word and Children of God than they did for the organized Oneness or Trinity denominations. God used these men to "bridge the gap" between the Azuza Street "restoration of the Gifts" of the Holy Spirit and the Prophetic Ministry which was to come with the "restoration of the fullness of the Word" of God - "taking out" what man had "added" to the Word and "putting back" what man had "taken away" from the Word - finishing the "Mystery of God" as promised in Revelation 10:7.
"But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." In the meantime, the people knew that they needed more of God and less of man. After 37 years of splitting into different factions the "Trinity" and "Oneness" groups [in 1946] realized the need for "unity of spirit" and cooporation if God was to send another wave of His power back upon them - like He did in 1906. Knowing the hour would come for the "crowning of the Pentecostal Message" with a prophetic ministry, revealing the Son of Man to this endtime generation (Luke 17:30) the Lord, in 1933 "appeared" in a Pillar of Fire over Bro. William Branham while he was baptizing converts in the Ohio River. A "Voice" spoke from the Pillar of Fire saying, "As John the Baptist was sent to forerun the First Coming of Jesus Christ, even so your are sent with a message to forerun His Second Coming". But in 1933 Bro. Branham's ministry was still in it's infancy and the divided factions of the Pentecostal Revival were not ready to receive "their messenger". By 1946 this was changing. Putting their differences aside the people began to fast and pray for another "moving of the Spirit of God". The "deep was again calling to the deep"; and the "deep was getting ready to respond" in a way that they least expected. In May of 1946 the Lord called His servant into the wilderness and there an "angel from the Presence of God" appeared to him, giving him instructions concerning the "first two of the three phases" of his ministry. Bro. Smith Wigglesworth died in 1944 and Charles Price died in 1947. In 1948 William Branham moved center stage in a National and International healing revival which would climax with the "restoration of the Fullness of the Word" referenced above; and "turning the hearts of the modern day children back to the "original" Pentecostal fathers of 2000 years ago" (Malachi 4:5-6). The "signs and wonders" made manifest in this humble powerful prophetic ministry had not been so seen since the days of Jesus. But there was no end to the people's hunger for more and more "signs and wonders". So much so that Brother Branham warned them that "too much emphasis" was being placed on physical healing and not enough on "salvation". The Lord was not well pleased. By 1953 the Lord began to pull Brother Branham back from the "influence" of other ministries and churches who were using Brother Branham's ministry for all the wrong reasons. Already, in 1952 this Revival begin to split - the brethren who mis-interpreted this Revival as being the promised "latter rain" of Joel's prophecy took the path which led to "competitive Evangelism" among the "signs and wonders" ministeries, while a second group formed the Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International (FGBMFI), a group which would eventually fall prey to the "Balaam spirit of Charistmatic and Ecumenical Renewal". In all of this, William Branham STAYED WITH THE WORD. In fact, the more he emphasized the WORD the more he was rejected by the Latter Rain Brethren and the FGBMFI. In September 1962 Bro. Branham preached a Message entitled, "The Present Stage Of My Ministry", showing how that because he refused to compromise his stand for the True Word, and because the brethren failed to recognize their day and it's Message, they were turning their back on him. As stated above, the brethren had mis-interpreted the early stages of Bro. Branham's ministry to be the promised "latter rain" Revival. When, in reality it was only preparing the ground to receive the FORMER "teaching" RAIN. Then would come the LATTER "Harvest" RAIN - gathering the people under the "Revealed Word" for the Rapture. ALL this was through the prophetic ministry of Bro. Branham. But sad to say - the people were offended by the "LATTER (Teaching) RAIN" because it exposed their "lukewarmness" to the Word. They were not able to reconcile the "Powerful Ministry" of a Prophet in the Twentieth Century with the "Message" that followed it. The SAME THING happened in the days of Jesus - the Pharisees could not reconcile HIS Powerful and Unique Ministry with the Message HE was preaching. Instead of being "rich and increased with goods, having need of nothing", they were exposed to be "wretched, miserible, poor, blind and naked" (Revelation 3:17). Even in this End-time "Restoration Revival" we see the Truth of the "rain [Holy Spirit gifts and blessings] falling on the just and the unjust" (Matthew 5:45) As in the early and latter ages of the church we find this happening. In it all we also find "wolves in sheep clothing", men were under the control of devils, yet no one seemed to realize it. To prove the influence of these ungodly spirits among the people, there is the evidence of how quickly they (Pentecost, Latter Rain Brethren and the Full Gospel Businessmen's Fellowship went into organization - taking on a denominational spirit and writing out their unscriptural doctrines and and creeds. The prophet Joel spoke of this endtime restoration ministry, saying that the FORMER and LATTER Rain would fall in the same season. It would, according to Joel, restore that which the locust, cankerworm, caterpillar and palmerworm had destroyed down through the ages, leaving only a root and a small bit of the stem. Of course, ALL these insects are all one and the same in different stages. It is the antichrist spirit manifested in organization, denomination and false doctrine through the ages. In this endtime Restoration, the Lord Jesus, through the Ministry of the FORMER {teaching] and LATTER [harvest] RAIN restores His Bride Tree to bring forth fruit unto the Second Coming, the resurrection and the Rapture; USHERING IN the Day of Vengenance of our God, the tribulation and the Millennial Reign. What a day! Presently, both the True and the false vines are now manifest in the earth. The false vine [in effort and zeal] seems to outshines the True Vine by a million miles. The false vine is recognized and respected, while the True Vine is unknown or rejected and ignored - as was Jesus in His day - "Can any good come out of Nazareth?" John 1:46. The false vine increases in wealth, possessions, numbers, influence, while the LITTLE True Vine cares only for the eye-salve of the Holy Spirit and the white raimant of Her Lord's righteousness [His word]. The false vine seeks to make it's presence more and more known in the cosmos, while the True-Vine-Bride, in the "secret of HIS Presence", Psalms 27:5; 31:20 like "a thief in the night" [1st. Thess. 5:2,4] is being "caught away" [1st. Thess. 4:16-17] by her Logos-Lord, who, like a thief descends into this dark world to claim His own. Which group are you with today? ...the religious or the Spiritual? ...the one going by sight or those walking by faith [the Revealed Word]? ...the church or the "heavenly places in Christ?" {Ephesians 1:3] ...the false vine or the True Vine? Are you GROWING in the church or in "Grace and the correct and vital knowledge of Jesus Christ" [2nd peter 3;18]? Are you just going from one church service or function to another or are you "going from Faith to Faith"? [Romans 1:17] Be assured that we have written we have written in love - Divine corrective Love. We're not saying these things to be mean - but to be honest with the people. We are certainly NOT condemning "individuals", but rather the "system" of organized religion which binds the people to a creed or dogma, preventing them from "going unto perfection" [Hebrews 6:1] in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. We believe that God has had His Children in every Age - the few who stayed true to what God had given them in their day - those who REMAINED FAITHFUL to the Message proclaimed by Luther, Wesley, William Booth, Knox, Whitefield, Brainard, Jonathan Edwards, Moody, etc.. Unfortunately, succeeding generations always "drifted" from the message which the messengers presented. Instead of experiencing progression in the revelation there was regression - a falling away from the holiness, consecretion and power of the Word, having a lot of "profession" but little or no "possession". But, since the fall of man in Eden the children of the wicked one have always out-numbered the Children of God. Consider the day's of Noah wherein "one" (Enoch) was raptured and only "eight" souls out of several million obeyed the Message and went into the Ark and was taken through the tribulation. Consider, out of all the dwelt in the Ur of the Chaldees, God called "one" man and his wife - Abraham and Sarah. Out of all the two million Israelites that came out of Egypt, only "two" of that original generation went into the promised land - Joshua and Caleb. Again, out of all that dwelt in the cities of the plains - Sodom and Gomorrah, ONLY "four" escaped; and one of them "rejected FULL deliverance" by "disobeying" ONE command - DON'T LOOK BACK!
"Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able."Once again we are reminded of what Jesus said in Luke 18:8, concerning the Last Church Age: "Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"Indeed, this is the LAST Age - the age of apostasy - the age of a complete black out of the True Word in the realm of made-made Churches. But this is also the age of final restoration of the True Word - it is the age of the finished cycle. With this, it is all over.
"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done." "And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. "We conclude this Resume with the following statement by Bro. William Branham: Not for one moment do I bring a message to the people that they may follow me, or join my church, or start some fellowship and organization. I have never done that and will not do that now. I have no interest in those things, but I do have an interest in the things of God and His people. If I can accomplish just one thing I will be satisfied - to see established a true spiritual relationship between God and men, wherein men become new creations in Christ, filled with His Spirit and live a according to His Word. I would invite, plead and warn all to hear His voice at this time, and yield your lives completely to Him, even as I trust in my heart that I have given my all to Him. God bless you, and may His coming rejoice your heart.
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;" |
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This "Resume Of The Ages" is a paraphrase based on Chapter Ten of the book entitled An
Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages, by Brother William Marrion Branham and distributed by Voice of God Recordings. P. O. Box 950 Jeffersonville, Indiana U.S.A. 47131 |