Twentieth Century Prophet

Twentieth Century Prophet The Messenger To The Laodicean Church Age By Lee Vayle, Bible Teacher Columbus, Ohio

DEDICATION

"The Messenger To The Laodicean Church Age" is gratefully dedicated to those Christian friends and churches whose love for both the minister and the ministry has prompted them to generously publish and distribute this book, in the one hope that many may be enlightened concerning the very soon coming of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. L. Vayle, Author

Christian Friends Mr. and Mrs. Ray Bingaman, West Palm Beach, Florida Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Brewer, Thayer, Missouri Mr. and Mrs. Tom Brown, Lima, Ohio Mr. and Mrs. George Burcham, Albany, Kentucky Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Dale, Troy, Ohio Mr. and Mrs. William Dauch, Lima, Ohio Mr. and Mrs. Pearry Green, Beaumont, Texas Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Harris, Houston, Texas Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Jones, Beaumont, Texas Mrs. S. H. Keenan, Beaumont, Texas Mr. and Mrs. Morris Ungren, Memphis, Tennessee Mr. and Mrs. R. Watson, Birmingham, Alabama Churches Bible Tabernacle, Juaneta, Louisiana Christian Tabernacle, Wardell, Missouri Life Tabernacle, Chicago, Illinois The Local Christian Assembly, New York, New York Word Of Life Mission, Warner Robins, Georgia

TABLE OF CONTENTS

             Chapter 1: Fixing the Church Ages Historically.
             Chapter 2: A Scriptural Messenger...
             Chapter 3: The Vindicated Messenger...(Part 1)
             Chapter 3: The Manifested Vindication...(Part 2)
             Chapter 4: Conclusions...

Preface

It is no doubt true that every generation of Christian Believers from the time of the apostles has attempted to apply to itself the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:32, "This generation shall not pass away until all these things be fulfilled." The purifying hope of the return of Christ must of necessity have been in the heart of every generation; but the actual physical return of Jesus could come only to the final, or end generation. It is believed by the vast majority of Christians that this end-time generation is now living. This is based upon the fact that certain historical events absolutely necessary to His return have but come to pass in very recent years. There is actually no major prophetic event that is now in progress or that must yet come to herald His return. There is left to us only a breathless hush of waiting as it was in the days of Noah when he entered into the Ark and the flood delayed yet seven days.

No major event in the plan of God has been without a witness to that impending event. In the days of the flood, the Ark was a testimony to the eye while Noah, preached the Word. In the time of the Exodus God sent Moses with signs and wonders and the Word. In the days of the First Coming of Jesus, there appeared a mighty prophet with the Word. In these last days we are promised (in Scripture) a forerunner to the event of the Second Coming of Christ. Hence this booklet now is written to acquaint you with the Messenger-Prophet who fore-runs the literal return of the Lord Jesus when He comes to take His people unto Himself.

Since there has never been a time in Bible History that the people were ready and willing to listen to the witness of God relative to coming events of great magnitude, it is believed that only a few people will be even a little aware of the witness God has already given to us and established as proof of His Coming. But it is hoped that every reader of this article will think awhile on the contents and ask God for guidance in this critical time.

The Messenger To The Laodicean Church Age

Chapter 1

FIXING THE CHURCH AGES HISTORICALLY

The Bible very clearly sets forth that God has appointed a limited time wherein He deals with faithfully unto Salvation with the Gentiles. In it He calls out a people for His Name. To do this He (temporarily) turns from Israel as a nation, and calls to repentance individually the Gentiles whom He foreknew of every kindred, tribe and nation. These statements are correct in every detail.

It is written:

"Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." (Acts 11:18); "It was necessary that the Word of God should first have been spoken unto you: But seeing ye (the Jews) put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles." (Acts 13:46).

"Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Simeon hath declared how God at first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His Name. And to this agree the words of the prophets, as it is written, after this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down: and I will build again the ruins thereof and will set it up: that the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles upon whom my Name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth these things. Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world." (Acts 15:13-18).

This Period (wherein God is calling out from among the Gentiles )is known as the "Fullness of the Gentiles." Again the Bible says, "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this Mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits: That blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." (Romans 11:25). This period will end when the last elected Gentile member of the Body of Christ is brought in.

Romans 11:7-12 says, "What then? Israel has not obtained that which He seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded, (according as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear) unto this day. And David saith, let their table be made a snare, and a trap and a stumbling block, and a recompense unto them; let their eyes be darkened that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid, but rather through their fall Salvation us come unto the Gentiles to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the dimishing of them be the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness?"

"The Fullness of the Gentiles" is itself the larger part of another well known period of time which is ending right now and is called the "Times of the Gentiles". Luke in his Gospel writes, "And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the 'Times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." It should be noted immediately that these two periods run concurrently, But one is political and the other is spiritual in connotation.

The Times Of The Gentiles

The "TIMES" of the Gentiles is the political period of time referring to Gentile Dominion over Israel. It began when Nebuchadnezzar carried Israel away captive, and ends when God restores Israel to world dominion.

It is written...

"In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every house with astonishment, and his rider with madness. And I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God.

In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left; and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah.

In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as an Angel of the Lord before them. And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of Grace and supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn."

This restoration (prophesied by Zechariah) ushers in the millennium.

The Fullness Of The Gentiles

The "Fullness of the Gentiles" is the spiritual era of the Gentiles wherein we noted that Israel is blinded while Light appears to the Gentiles. This period will end when Christ comes for His Gentile Bride.

The "Fullness of the Gentiles" as set forth by Paul in Romans is identified in the Book of Revelation as "The Seven Church ages. They are one and the same. The proof of this is found in Revelation, chapters two and three.

Therein is the Spirit speaking to the Messengers of the Seven Church Ages in Asia Minor. He begins with the Messenger to the Ephesian Church (Age) and ends with the Messenger to the Laodicean Church (Age). These are all Gentile Churches. At no time does the Spirit speak to the church which is at Jerusalem which is a Jewish Church.

If He were addressing both the Gentile and the Israeli Churches He must of necessity speak to the Church at Jerusalem. But not so. The original church group is left out. This is exactly as it ought to be. During this time, (Fullness of the Gentiles and The Seven Church Ages) God has left off dealing with the Jews. A few Jews, through election, will come in, but not many. These will belong to the Gentile era.

See the perfection of this premise in the type of Joseph meeting with His brethren in Egypt. Joseph (perfect type of Christ) has been betrayed by his brethren. Now in Egypt they stand before him. They are very fearful; but in love he greets them. However, Joseph's Gentile Bride is not there when his brethren meet with him. She is hidden away in the palace. So it is when Christ comes before His brethren - they see His wounds and are full of fear. He treats them in love. But His Gentile Bride is not with Him. She is in the palace, for at that time God will have finished dealing with the Gentiles.

Now, it is not an easy or commonplace task to fix with certainty the Seven Church Ages as to their dates, duration, messengers and other pertinent characteristics. Who would arbitrarily announce himself the authority to do so? Certainly not this writer. Yet any Bible student knows that a certain combination would most effectively accomplish this work. That combination is a Scriptural study of history plus Divine Revelation.

No one can deny that certain of these Ages have passed into history. But since Christ has not yet taken His Bride home, it is evident that we are in one of the Ages still extant. The Ages that are gone can and will be verified by the study of the Scriptures in the light of history. (This is how we have ascertained much concerning the prophecies of Daniel).

The immediate Age and its characteristics will be revealed by Divine Revelation. This is a MUST in order for the Church to know exactly where it is at. One can hardly expect the Church to be helped if all her information were historical. She would not know what was happening to her. Thus with the perfect combination of history, Scripture and Divine Revelation (Spiritual understanding, by the Spirit) we can assuredly know the Truth of the Seven Ages.

Our course, at this time, is to review the Ages in the light of history and to ascertain where we are and then implore God to send His Prophet to reveal the Scripture relative to this age in order that the Church know and perform the whole counsel of God.

But to begin with, we most certainly know from Scripture, itself, what the First Church Age was and who its Messenger was. The Age was the Ephesian Age and the messenger was Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles . It was through Paul that the complete revelation from God came to the Gentiles. His revelation was actually more abundant than that received by Peter and the other apostles relative to the Gentiles.

Paul, in Galatians 2:6b-8 stated, "For they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me, but contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the un-circumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter, for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles."

Paul was both the Messenger to the Ephesian Age and also the Pastor to the Church at Ephesus for he both founded it and cared for it. We cannot set an exact date as to when this age ended. there is not need for an exact date, as the Ages, like all other of God's eras of time seem to overlap. But it did not last too long for the power of God had abated through unbelief even in the early years. Judging by the actual wane of power this age was not longer than about 170 A.D.

Continuing to fix the Church Ages by referring to Scripture and history, examine Rev. 3:1-6. This is spoken to the Church at Sardis and is the Fifth Age. The key herein is found in verse two. "Be watchful, strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die." There was no strength in the Dark Ages. Except for a tiny flock, and that widely scattered, there was no strong evidence of True Christianity. But now in this Fifth Age (Sardis), Martin Luther appears and successfully nurtures the doctrine of Justification and the Light begins to glow again.

The first show of strength in hundreds of years appears, showing definitely that this is the Age of the Reformation of which Luther was the Messenger without a doubt. It was said of him in Sauer's history, "Dr. Martin Luther was a prophet, evangelist, speaker in tongues, interpreter, in one person. endowed with all the gifts of the Spirit." This Age is well known to have existed from about 1550 to around 1750.

With the fifth age fixed, it is not difficult to go on and place the sixth or Philadelphian Age. Rev. 3:7-13, the Messenger to that golden age of brotherly love was no doubt John Wesley. This was the Age of the open door, missions, great teachers, tremendous revivals. the Holy Spirit was even more manifested herein than in the Fifth Age. God was truly giving Light, Life and Blessing. This Age lasted from about 1750 to the turn of the twentieth century.

Turning backward and leaving the Seventh Age to consider at a later time, it is certainly easy to establish in time the Fourth Age . This found in Rev. 2:18-29. Here is the Age that knew the depth of Satan (verse 24). The darkest of all the Ages to this date - little Word -little power. Man had usurped the position and authority of God. The greed of Rome had dammed countless souls and in the Name of God they blasphemed the very Name and Word of God. This age lasted from about the turn of the sixth century to the middle of the sixteenth. It was the Thyatiran Age, and its Messenger was pronounced to be Columba , for he showed forth in his life that which most closely resembled the power and glory of God in the first century Believers. That is always the criterion.

The next Age that we can easily affix is the Third Age. Rev. 2:12-17 speaks to the Messenger to the Church at Pergamos. But Pergamos is where Satan's seat is. This is when Satan's own religion (ancient Babylonian religion) came out to the forefront. This religion that goes against the Word of God from the time of Cain, now, after the Nicean council, invades the nominal church and introduces pagan rites, and holidays, etc. It is no problem to fix the dates here, for this is the aftermath of the Nicean Council of about 325 A.D., and before the Dark Ages which of necessity must follow such perfidy. It last from the turn of the fourth century to the beginning of the seventh. Its Messenger on the same basis we try the various believers, was without doubt, Martin.

By the process of elimination, one readily sees that the Second Age, Rev. 2:8-11 which is called the Smyrnean Age lasted from 200 to 300 A.D. No man defended the Truth more ably or believed God more firmly and thus manifested the Spirit of God more abundantly than Irenaeus. He was well qualified to be the Messenger to that Age.

This finally brings us to the Age that we have reserved for the last because it is, indeed, the last. This Age also brings us a Messenger, as set forth in the Scripture. That we are now in the Laodicean Age is indisputable. It is at the end of this Age that Israel must become a nation and no longer be trodden down of the Gentiles.

Today, Israel is a nation. She has her own government and all that pertains to being a full fledged nation. The "Times of the Gentiles" is all but over. Thus the "Fullness of the Gentiles" is all but over. God's timepiece (Israel) has struck the Gentile midnight hour, when the Bridegroom cometh. This is the Laodicean Age and according to the Word of god, this Age has both a Messenger and a Message before it expires.

Chapter 2 A Scriptural Messenger

A careful student must admit that we know certainly who the first messenger was. It was Paul. He was a prophet who brought the Word direct from God to the people. He was an Apostle for he took the Word of God TO the people. That was his vindication. Gal. 1:12, "Neither was I taught it (the Word) but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." He continually called himself an "Apostle" or "sent one".

Now except for our study of history we found it Scripturally impossible to designate who the messengers to the Church Ages actually were. But hold a minute. There is an obscure passage in Revelation wherein we have a direct allusion to the Messenger To Laodicea. God most certainly has let us know who the Messenger to the First Church Age was, and just as certainly He can and will let us know who the last Messenger to the Last Age is. Paul stood vindicated through an infallible ministry in the Spirit.

1st. Corinthians 2:1-5 states:

"And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you save Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of man but in the power of God."

THUS, in the Last Age this Messenger of whom God speaks MUST and WILL HAVE a vindicated ministry in the WORD and POWER of God as did Paul, or we cannot know him.

This Messenger is set forth in Rev. 10:7. "But in the days of the Voice of the SEVENTH MESSENGER, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished as He hath declared to His servants the prophets." This verse clearly relates, NOT to an heavenly angel sounding on a trumpet, but it is the MESSENGER (a man) to the Laodicean Age SPEAKING TO US THE WORD OF GOD.

The proof of this is amply set forth in Rev. 9:13 and Rev. 11:15. HERE are the two heavenly trumpeters. "And the SIXTH angel sounded and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God saying to the SIXTH angel which hath the trumpet." Rev. 9:13). "And the SEVENTH angel sounded and there were great voices in heaven saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, etc."

NOTICE that with the SIXTH trumpet the terrible woes that come upon the earth in judgment. NOTICE in the SEVENTH trumpet that Christ is set forth as taking His rightful kingdom. BUT in Rev. 10:7 the Messenger there is still sounding, and his sounding is declaring the Mysteries of God to the Church.

Notice, too, that in Rev. 10:1-6 we do not have the Lord Jesus taking a throne but He is portrayed here as standing on earth with His head in heaven:

"And I saw another Mighty Angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud; and a rainbow was upon His head, and His face was as it were the sun, and His feet as Pillars of Fire: And he had in His right hand a little book open; and He set his right foot upon the sea, and His left foot upon the earth, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth;

and when He had cried, Seven Thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write: And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the Seven Thunders uttered, and write them not. And the Angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up His hand to heaven."

This is exactly what Stephen said in Acts 7:47-51:

"But Solomon built Him an house, Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in temples made withhands, as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool: What house will ye build me? saith the Lord: Or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things? Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost, as your fathers did so do ye."

This is a picture of Jesus building His Church on earth. That is what Stephen said referred to Jesus portrayed standing on earth (footstool) with His head in heaven (throne). At the time of Rev. 10:7 the Message is still going out. it is the last days, however. Time will be no longer delayed. But He is still calling His people unto Himself, but not for long. Yes, this shows us very clearly that this one we call The Seventh Angel, is no spirit being. He is a man. He is a MESSENGER, and since he is the Last Messenger, being the Seventh Messenger, he is the MESSENGER TO THE LAODICEAN AGE. SURELY WE CAN AND WILL KNOW HIM AND LISTEN TO HIM AS ATTENTIVELY AS DID THE EPHESIANS TO THEIR MESSENGER, PAUL.

We must now begin our search for this Messenger. There is but one way to do it. We must study the Scripture and see what the word demands of him. When such a man appears, thoroughly vindicated by the word, we have out Messenger. It is that simple. Yet it is often in simplicity we fail as did the Jews when they failed to recognize both the Messenger (John) and Jesus the Christ.

Since the Truth of the Seventh Age Messenger receiving special attention is found in Rev. 10, we will study that portion as one of the keys to his identity. According to verses 1-3 a part of the Book of Revelation is unwritten, for John heard the Voices of the Seven Thunders but was forbidden to write what he heard.

The Scripture says:

"And I say another Mighty Angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud; And a rainbow was upon His head, and His face was as it were the sun, and His feet as pillars of fire: And He had in His hand a little book open; and He set His right foot upon the sea, and His left foot on the earth, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth; and when He had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices."

Students of prophecy admit that there must come a time when the content of those seven voices will be revealed. Realizing that we can't "add to" or "take away" from what's written in the Word, These Seven Voices must be 'a revelation' of something that is already written but presently hidden from our eyes. At present they are sealed up. They are a mystery to us. But it is declared in Revelation 10:7 that ALL Mysteries will be finished at the end of the "Fullness of the Gentiles". That is our day.

Therefore, it will be in this age that the Voices of the Thunders must be heard again and this time revealed. BUT SINCE THE WORD OF THE LORD COMES ONLY TO AND THROUGH THE PROPHET (Amos 3:7), we can now see an evident Truth in Rev. 10:7 wherein it said, "...As He (God) hath declared to His servants the PROPHETS." This makes the Messenger to Laodicea a Prophet, even as Paul was a Prophet. This man will be a Prophet-Messenger in order to receive the unrevealed Word of God and give it to us. It is going to take a Prophet to unseal the written words of Daniel's Revelation. How much more will it take a Prophet to receive the unwritten words of the Seven Thunder voices.

In order to further magnify this thought, let us approach these verses from another way. We go back over the verses Rev. 10:3-4. "And cried with a loud voice as when a lion roareth; and when he had cried seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write; And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not."

Now here is a great mystery. The revelation must be complete and yet we are cut off from knowing what was said. We know that sometime or other we will have to hear them. That time is in the end time.

To Whom Does The Mystery Of God Come?

We now ask ourselves, "Who will receive from God the mystery? Will it be the Pope? Will it be the Patriarch? Will it be the president of the World Council of Churches? Will it be the chairman of some denomination?" The answer is, NO! There is ever only one way that God can give His Word for He is the same yesterday, today and forever. It is in Amos 3:7 "Surely the Lord will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto his servants the prophets." That is exactly what Rev. 10:7 says, "His servants the prophets."

Further Proof that the End time ministry will be a Prophet, is indicated by the fact that When the "Mighty Angel" of Rev. 10:1 descends in the lasts days, His cry is "as when a Lion roareth" (Rev. 10:3). In Amos 3:8 the "the roaring Lion" is symbolic of the ministry of a Prophet. Thus this Messenger of the last Church Age will be a prophet! A Prophet-Messenger he will have to be in order to reveal the mysteries that have been hidden from us.

But hold a moment! Does it not say in Rev. 22:18b "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plaques, that are written in this book." How then can any man add unto this book? Surely if he hears and writes the voices of the thunders, he will be adding, to this book. NOT SO. For the voices of the thunders are SEVEN and since one CANNOT ADD, it is apparent that what the thunders said, are ALREADY contained in the Word but have remained as seven mysteries to us through the ages. And that is exactly what it all means.

Is it not so that a PROPHET reveals and APPLIES the Word to the people? Thus, there will come a Prophet-Messenger to reveal and conclude the mysteries of the Word. And since it is the Word that gives Life and Power and understanding, this final revelation will bring the believing, receiving ones to a readiness to meet the Lord. What other reason could there be? God is always utilitarian in His works.

The Earmarks Of A Prophet

We must now satisfy ourselves as to what the earmarks of a prophet are. We must also determine from Scripture what specific manifestation a prophet to the Laodicean Age would be required to have. To clarify the last premise, simply recall that Moses had different vindicating manifestation than did Elijah. Both were prophets but in different periods of history, so of course they must needs have qualifying and differentiating phenomena.

To examine the earmarks of a prophet: These are set forth irrevocably in Deut. 13:1-5, and Deut. 18:20-22.

13:1 "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,

13:2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto you, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;
13:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God proveth You, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

13:4 Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and ye shall serve Him, and cleave to Him.
13:5 And that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death, because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
18:20 But the prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?
18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: Thou shalt not be afraid of him."

It is evident from these verses that God has placed men in this world with the ability to foresee the future or to reveal hidden present things. Now, it is absolutely impossible for any man to know the future for a certainty unless he is dealing in a power that can bring the prediction to pass. Also, no man can of himself perform acts of power that lie outside the realm of human possibilities, unless he is in touch with some force that will do the miraculous for him at his command.

But this ability may be common to two groups of men: - Those who are of God, and those who are of Satan. A good example of this is found in the Book of Exodus where Moses, with the Anointing of God upon him was contending with the magicians of Egypt who were under another anointing. Moses demonstrated a supernatural power through faith in God; and the Magicians duplicated the miracles by Satanic ability. BUT eventually the Power and Anointing upon Moses prevailed. Yet, there is no doubt that God has His Prophets and Satan has his.

But please note carefully the Scriptures presented to You (above) from Deut. Chapters 13, and 18. The prophet who is of God will lead and keep men true to God by God's Word, but the false prophet will lead men astray.

Today we can still apply the same test. The true prophet will be a man of the WORD and will insist that all men make the Word the criterion. He will lead men to Christ. His life will be exemplary in obedience to the Word, and his motives pure. He will not deal in miracles and foretelling for the sake of material good, but will every time point men and women to Christ and a greater spiritual depth. He will always exalt the Lord Jesus Christ in thought, word and deed. This is so, because the spirit of prophecy is truly the Spirit of Christ.

The Contrast - True Prophet Vs. False Prophet

A good illustration of what is set forth here is seen in the lives of two men. They are two prophets - Moses and Balaam. See the concern of Moses who is ready to give his life and his all for the sake of the glory of God and the eternal good of the people he leads. Here is a man crying out against sin, pleading with mankind, and glorifying God. Here is one who can say: "Have I ever taken anything from you? Have I ever told you a lie? When I prophesied, did it ever fail to come to pass? Have I ever led you astray or held anything back from you that you ought to have had? Have I not always led you to God and thought always of your good? Have I not been faithful to both God and you?" Sure! Moses was faithful in his calling.

But Balaam was just the opposite. In his haste to get money for divining he almost broke his leg as the ass rubbed it severely against a stone wall. In blind greed be tries to make merchandise of whatever gift be possessed. And when he could not get enough power or authority to do Israel harm he conceived a plan to destroy them. This plan was to lead Israel into fornication with the Moabites at Ball-Peor. This was one hundred percent contrary to the Word of God. He led them FROM God. To lead man away from the Word of God is to lead man away from God.

This man, Balaam, actually had no time for the Word of God, or God, or of God's people. He was a self-seeker, a destroyer. But a true prophet all through the Word is set forth as a servant, a seeker of other men's welfare above his own. He does not curry favor with authority, nor does he look down on the lowly. He says and does the Word of God. His devotion to God is in and through the Word, which he personally demonstrates by his ministry and his conduct.

From what we now know it behooves us to shun power that comes from, or through lives of wrong-hearted and wrong-acting men. Shun the words of those (though they speak ever so highly) who would by-pass the Word of God or be in any way contrary to the Written Scripture God has breathed to us for our life's welfare.

In The Last Days.....

Two Spirits So Close - Deceive The Very Elected If Possible!

It would be well to remember that the two Simons are with us yet today: Simon Peter and Simon the Sorcerer. There is the great one of God and the other great one who has neither part nor lot with God. There are always two men or two groups who demonstrate power, but one has a wrong source of power. The spirit of Antichrist is here as well as the Spirit of Christ . The spirit of Antichrist in Satan's prophets is so close to the real and true Spirit of God that only the VERY ELECT will escape the deception. PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF: Matt. 24:22-24

It is Written...

24:22 "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."

These true elect ones take the Word. When these true Elect Ones see the prophet and his acts of power, and see that he is right with the Word and never deviates, they know that he is of God and receive him. All that prophet says and does leads them closer to Him Who is coming soon. They look for no other vindication. This is the vindication.

The Last Age Messenger Will Be.......
.......Both Prophet And Messenger

Now to examine what the Scripture sets forth as to the ministry of this prophet and messenger to the Laodicean Age. He is BOTH Prophet and Messenger. Actually he is the MESSENGER to the AGE. He has a MESSAGE. But he could hardly come on the scene as a Messenger and be approved as such without being basically a prophet with whom is the Word and the Power. The office of a prophet qualifies him to be called the Messenger. This is as it was with John the Baptist.

Jesus said:

"What went ye out for to see? A Prophet? Yea, I say unto you - More than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written, Behold I send my MESSENGER before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee."

This Messenger preceding the First Coming of Christ was predicted in the Bible, but not called by name. Nowhere do we find the name of John the Baptist in the Old Testament. BUT John in his ministry was a direct fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy. By Faith the Believers in that day recognized it. They saw the Word fulfilled in John's Ministry. AMEN! The same will apply to the Messenger preceding the Second Coming of Christ. His name will not be mentioned in Scripture BUT his ministry will be a direct fulfillment of BOTH Old and New Testament prophecy. The Scriptures prophesy of a Messenger to come in the last days; and that Messenger, like John, will have the office of a Prophet which will vindicate his position as MESSENGER to the age, and that is exactly what Rev. 10:7 says:

"In the days of the voice of the seventh messenger, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets."

No other age has this said about its messengers. There is not a hint at any other age except the first and last having a Prophet -Messenger. The other five ages had messengers. They were not Prophets. They were Reformers. All had messages. All had some revealed light. None of that five had a vindicated, "Thus saith the Lord." But Paul, the first Messenger to the first Church Age, did have a "Thus Saith The Lord" ministry. Now in this last day when the Mystery of God should be finished we're suppose to receive a messenger who is also a prophet, and " Thus saith the Lord" will again be with us as it was with the Apostle, Paul.

This Prophet-Messenger must have already been on the scene, for Israel has returned to her native land; The Day of Vengeance of Our God is dawning upon the earth; The "Times of the Gentiles" is soon over; therefore, the Fullness thereof must be about completed. There is therefore even now, somewhere, some evidence, that this mighty Prophet- Messenger to this dying age, has already come and given to the Elected Bride of Christ an Eternal legacy of the Word of God which was OPENED and REVEALED in and through his ministry. This legacy will meet the need of the Elect Seed of God in this hour.

How Will We Know This Prophet Messenger?

But how will we recognize him? This may not be the easiest to discover because we are so complex in our thinking, and so in our own ideas as to how he should come, and what he will be like, and what he will say and how he will act. But if we will just consider the Messenger of the First Coming we ought to find help regarding the Messenger of the Second Coming.

John came apart from every school of religious thought. He was not a priest, though he was entitled by birth to be one. He was not a Pharisee, nor was he a Sadducee. There is no record that he belonged to the Essenes. He was not educated either formally or religiously by men. He was, however, filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb, and that same Spirit that Filled him taught him.

His aims were so different from those round about him that he was NOT ONLY misunderstood but violently repudiated. He was not truly understood by his own disciples, and much less understood by the groups who came to question him. His coming, his actions, his preaching - all caused more confusion than apparent illumination. He seemed more against men than for men.

In all realms, except that of the Spirit, he was absolutely a non-conformist. Except for the Very Elect of that day he was either repudiated or held in doubt. Now then, is it not more than possible that the Messenger who foreruns the Second Coming of Christ will be every bit such a man? Surely we must credit Bible history when it shows profusely that every major prophet and messenger of God was both misunderstood and finally rejected by all except a bare minority in whom was the same Spirit of God.

Only a very small minority will recognize this Prophet-Messenger because only a very small minority have the courage to face up to Scriptural Proof and accept the Truth even when it is contrary to their own ideas. STOP! Consider WHAT you are believing! Is it the real genuine Revelation (by the Spirit) of the Word of God, OR is it your own interpretation of that Word?

God interprets His own Word by bringing it to pass. All we're doing in this study is showing you What God has interpreted, "HAS" brought to pass, and "IS" bringing to pass.

A factual study of the spiritual conditions of the last day or Laodicean Church will give us much insight as to what kind of a person this Messenger will be. In Rev. 3:14-22,

14. "And unto the messenger of the church of Laodicea write, These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou wert cold or hot,
16. so then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17. Because thou sayest I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked,
18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20. Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him and he with me.
21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my father in his throne.
22. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."

According to what is set forth here, the last church of the last age is the most deplorable of all ages, and climaxes its shame and confusion in utter apostasy for Rev. 3:20 says

"Behold I stand at the door and knock and if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him."

This is none other than Christ shoved out of His own church, and he is now outside trying to regain admittance. This is not a far-fetched interpretation, but the desolate truth - "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying." Verse twenty has been used for so long on sinners by well meaning but wrong believing personal workers that we have failed to see the Spirit of God is foretelling the exact condition of the Laodicean Age Church. It Finally Becomes Christless.

Now do not be confused. The reason we have failed to see this truth is because of another failure in our reading the Word of God the way it is written. Read again carefully, Revelation, chapters 2 and 3. Notice that in every single age the Spirit is speaking to those who are true Christians and those who are pretenders, or unbelievers. On one hand He lashes out at their gross sin and on the other He commends them for their piety, faith, suffering, understanding, etc.

How is this? The answer is simple. All Israel is not Israel. Therefore, All Christianity is not Christian. As Israel means, 'Prince with God', there were multitudes who bore the name as in the days of Elijah, but that did not make them truly Israel. Perhaps there were as many as five million in that day that were Israelites after the flesh, but there were only seven thousand true Israelites that had not bowed the knee to Baal.

Today we have an identical situation in the Church. All who bear the Name "Christian" are not truly WORD BORN, SPIRIT FILLED CHRISTIANS. They identify with the church, profess to believe in God, the Virgin Birth and basic Christian Doctrines BUT they are NOT truly Christian - Christ-like. They were just caught in the Gospel net; A fisherman goes forth to cast a net. All kinds come in. There are eels, serpents, turtles, crabs, lobsters, shrimp, water spiders, frogs, etc., that get in that net - but also there are FISH.

A shepherd has a flock, both sheep and goats. A farmer has a field - it contains wheat and tares. Today we have second, third, fourth, fifth, tenth, twentieth, and thirtieth generation Christians. But God does not have grandchildren, only children. The REAL BODY OF CHRIST - the REAL CHRISTIAN is only a small part of all that professes to make up Christianity, and it is spiritual as were the seven thousand in the days of Elijah.

But as Israel after the flesh purported to speak for God, and worshipped God, and regulated the religious life for their day, even so now does the present nominal church purport to speak for God, worship God and regulate worship as we know it today. BUT Jesus, knowing that the church would become lukewarm and spiritually blind, asked the question: "When the Son of Man cometh, will He find Faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). Will He find someone to believe in the Whole Body of revealed Truth as restored and revealed by the Prophet-Messenger to the age.

In spite of being lukewarm and spiritually blind the church today is rich. She has vast holdings in real estate and stocks and bonds. Her pastors have retirement funds of multiplied millions. She is rich in worldly goods but poverty stricken in the spiritual. She is so far from God spiritually that God calls her wretched, blind, and naked and she doesn't even know it. Yet for all her apostasy she says she speaks for God. God says, " You can't speak for me. You are lukewarm. You won't take a truly righteous stand though you claim to believe the major truths of the Word. Thus you are no longer my mouthpiece - I spue you out of my mouth."

Not only is this so, but the organized religious moves we have today is so all-embracing that Christ is forced to step outside the church, for light and darkness cannot mix. The Protestants are getting back with the Roman Catholics in the ecumenical and charismatic moves. The Patriarch and the Pope have come into fellowship. Millions of Protestants and Roman Catholics are already finding common ground to unite on.

The one thing which they consider expendable in this unity is the WORD OF GOD. They are sacrificing the WORD for unity. America has already had one Catholic president and no doubt will have more to follow. When Americans voted for it's first Catholic President in 1960 it was an indication of the shift which had taken place in American religious thinking.

The leaders of each of the religious groups have repudiated the Word and drawn up their own creeds and dogmas as a substitute so that people live no longer by the Word of God, but by a Church creed.

Yet, in spite of all of them denying the Holy and Infallible Word of God, these same people dare to say that they speak for God. Some go so far as to say they are the vicars of Christ. This is truly antichrist. Christ must needs leave the church to its bankruptcy. As He leaves He has a word of warning to His own:

"Come out of her my people and be not partakers of her sins. Wherefore, come out from among them , and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you." Rev. 18:4 and 2 Cor. 6:17.

To reject the Word is to reject Christ. When Eve allowed Satan to change but ONE WORD of the commandments of God, she opened the door to the floods of sin and misery that have dogged the ways of mankind for all these thousands of years. The very last words of Jesus to the church warns, "Don't take away one word - don't add one word - leave it exactly as it is, and go by that." But the church has not listened. She has changed the Word of God to suit herself. Why right now there is a conclave of students from the Jews, Catholics and Protestants who are rewriting the Bible to suit all three groups.

No wonder Dr. Billy Graham said that if the Holy Spirit left the church, she would be so unaware of it that she would go on doing ninety percent of what she is now presently doing, and would not miss Him.

And that is exactly right. For when the Word is rejected the Spirit is rejected, for the Word and the Spirit are ONE. You can't have God apart from His Word. It is impossible.

Now since these are the true conditions of the church, what kind of a man will the messenger be who comes to this age? He will not be from ANY ORGANIZED group. That would be impossible for these organizations are coming together and are bereft of God. He will not be from any so-called REPUTABLE religious source. He will stand alone, and that FOR GOD and WITH GOD. His manner of life, speech and attitudes both spiritual and material will be unlike others. He will appear to be the same misfit as was John and just as controversial. He will not be popular.

In fact any popularity he gains in the early days of his ministry he will lose when he begins to speak the truth as it is given him from on high.

But he will be God's man, and the Elect will know him as they have always through the ages. This man's ministry will open wider the eyes of the elect but it will close and make even blinder the eyes of those who have become hardened. This is how it was in the days of Jesus.

In the days when Jesus walked the earth, those who had a measure of light and righteousness were the Pharisees. BUT when they began to question and doubt and reject, all their light turned to darkness and they were utterly darkened until they killed their very Lord. But on the other hand there was a Samaritan lady of ill fame who saw Him at a well. In her sin she believed in Him, and all her darkness became pure light and she lived through His GRACE while the Pharisees died. Hear, then, this Prophet-Messenger when he comes with the Word, and close not the ears, lest your light become darkness, and the Spirit of God speak no longer to you.

Having seen this much, let us go further in finding what scripture has to say about this messenger. Since this man must come to us in the last day just before Jesus returns, let's examine in the Light of Scripture, the conditions which will exist on the earth at that time. Let's see if we can find more illumination on this messenger. Jesus, Himself, gave us the key in Luke 17:26-30. The characteristics of two specific periods of time will reappear at the endtime. Those characteristics are from the days prior to the flood and the overthrow of Sodom.

I t is written...

17:26 "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.

17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the days that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded.
17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed."

Natural insight alone will surely confirm to the reader that we are living in the days like unto the "days of Noah" and the "days of Lot". Those with spiritual insight will surely answer with a resounding "AMEN!" The conditions of the world and the world systems have waxed worse and worse until it is like the days of Noah and Lot (Sodom). Even more so because it is on such a larger scale.

BUT what does it profit us to recognize the condition the world is in if we FAIL to recognize what God HAS done and IS doing to give us the Faith that pleases Him in this day?

The above Bible reference clearly shows us what the world will be like at the time of the Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. BUT remember, there are always TWO SIDES to consider. We know what the world was doing in the "days of Noah" and the "days of Lot" BUT what was the True Seed (children) of God doing during those times?

In the days of Noah there were two groups. There were the wicked who perished; but there were also the righteous who escaped. In the days of Lot there were three groups: 1. The dwellers in Sodom, 2. Lot and his family, 3. Abraham and his family. Now if our days are to be an exact parallel to those days we must look to see WHAT GOD WAS DOING then and apply that to ourselves in this day. As God was on the scene in the days of Noah and Lot, so also God comes on the scene today. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans (15:4) reminds us that "Whatever things were written in earlier times were written for our learning....."

Look at the days of Noah. Here is not only a preacher of righteousness but a PROPHET for the Word of God came to him and through him for that day. He warned and preached. He built the ark. This was in obedience to the whole counsel of God and thereby he and seven others were saved. The Spirit of Christ was in this man.

But even before Noah there was a prophet called Enoch. Jude speaking about Enoch said that in the desperate time before the flood this man spoke of the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST. Imagine that. Enoch had spoken of The Second Coming when there had not even been a First Coming. Here, indeed, is something we ought to know about for we are waiting for the Second Coming right now.

Way back there, where for many, many years they had gone against God and His holy Word there arose a PROPHET. There, when the sons of God had defiled themselves with the daughters of men - when knowledge was so great, and men so renowned - a period when they were rich and lacked nothing, yet spiritually they were wretched and blind as in this day - yes in those days there came a PROPHET with the WORD of the Lord.

A nd since our day is to pattern after that period, we will not only look and see the increase of sin, and the lack of spirituality amongst those that claim to be Christians, but we will ALSO look for that Prophet who MUST come to fulfill Malachi 4:5-6 and Revelation 10:7.

As Enoch blasted out against sin and iniquity, he also preached about the Second Coming of Christ just before the earth was destroyed by water. So will it be soon. That age of the flood, then, is a type of today when the Coming of the Lord draweth nigh. In Noah's day God sent a Prophet with the WORD to catch the righteous and save them from destruction. God did it. The wicked perished. That will all happen again . But don't ever forget, as they had a Messenger who was a prophet we have had one also.

Take now the days of Lot when Sodom was destroyed. The whole story is in Genesis Chapters 18 and 19. Again we must not have eyes only to see the wicked. We must see what is the portion of the righteous. When the enemy comes in like a flood, God raises up a standard. In Isaiah 59:19 we read, "So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him." Well, the enemy has come in - let us then look for that standard.

In the days of Lot when the cup of iniquity was filled, God did not forget His own elect. They had His special care. What was that care? God Himself appeared to Abraham. There in the heat of the day as Abraham sat at the door of his tent he saw three "men" approaching. He ran and fell at the feet of ONE of them and cried "MY LORD". For a while Abraham sat and had fellowship with these three "men".

BUT towards Evening "two" of these "men" rose up and went toward Sodom. The "third" "man" stayed with Abraham. He began to converse with His prophet, Abraham, revealing to him the Word. In Gen. 18:17, God said, "Shall I hide from Abraham the thing I am about to do?" No, He could not do that because God reveals His secrets unto His servants, the prophets. And as He is revealing to Abraham about the coming destruction He also tells him about the COMING SON for whom FAITHFUL Abraham longed.

And notice this. Here is God appearing in human flesh, revealing to Abraham the time of that Coming Son. As He does so, Sarah (in the tent behind Him) laughs in her heart. And God, with His back to the tent, knows that she laughs in her heart and He speaks out revealing her very thoughts, even the thoughts of her heart. God the GREAT PROPHET HIMSELF read the heart of Sarah. And this is exactly as it should be.

In Hebrews 4:12 we read.....

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing, even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

That is what the Word does. It discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. But the Word is God. Thus the Manifested Word (God) in the presence of Abraham discerned the thoughts and intents of the hearts of those present.

This is exactly what Jesus did when He came 2000 years ago. And we know that Jesus was God manifested in flesh. It was this sign (discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart) that made the elect accept Him as the Messiah.

Read what the Bible says in John 1:40-51.....

1:40 "One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

1;41 He first findeth bis own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jonas: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
1:43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow Me.
1:44 Now Phillip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law and the Prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
1:48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
1:50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these.
1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

See from these verses that this sign (discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart) caused Nathanael to immediately claim this man of Nazareth to be the very Son of God, the King of Israel. Likewise the woman at the well received Christ as the Messiah on the same basis.

In John 4:14-29 we read.....

4:14 "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

4:15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
4:16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.
4:17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:
4:18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; And ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
4:27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? Or, why talkest thou with her?
4;28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?"

She knew that He had to be a prophet. She knew that when Messiah would come He would do that. That would be the SIGN of the Messiah. That would be His Vindication. The SIGN which Nathanael and the Woman at the well saw Jesus manifest in the New Testament, Abraham saw that same SIGN in the Old Testament. This is true. Read in John 8:56... "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad." Jesus was talking about himself at that time. He said that Abraham actually saw His day - the day in which He was, right at that time.

This is what He meant by that statement. Twice in the Old Testament God appeared to Abraham in human form. The first time was when He appeared after the battle of the kings, and was called the King of Salem. Then, later, He appeared at the tent of Abraham immediately prior to the destruction of Sodom. In the first instance His appearance typed Him as the High Priest, the office of which He assumed after His resurrection. But at the tent He typed out His ministry as the PROPHET, which office He would assume during the days of His flesh. In Deut. 18:15-19 we find these words...

18:15 "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

18:16 Acording to all that thou desirest of the Lord Thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
18:17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him."

And what He was at the tent, He was on earth and so He is right now. The sign does not change. Only now it will be the Spirit in the Prophet bringing that same sign back to earth. It has to be by way of the prophet, for as Israel cried unto God, "Let us not hear your voice audibly or see the fire visibly, but speak to us through a man, even Moses ." God hearkened and has since then spoken only by and thru the prophet. That last day Prophet- Messenger is duty bound to produce that sign if we are in the day that EXACTLY parallels the days of Lot and the destruction of Sodom.

Now while we are dwelling on that, Christian friend, elect of God, remember that Abraham was not mixed up down there in Sodom. He was separated unto the Lord. God's elect are always a separated people. (Come out of her my people) They are not of the world. Lot was down there, but then, he was not elected. God had not called and separated him. He came along only on the invitation of Abraham. He was a good man, to be sure, but God did not appear to him. God sent two angels with a message, warning him to get out of Sodom.

Lot was not truly separated and neither were his children. They are a type of the nominal Christians who go through the tribulation.

The Sodomites, of course, are the wicked, and they are destroyed as it says in Malachi - they are burned to ashes. But how wonderful it is to know that right now God is dealing with His elect as He did with Abraham who is our father in the faith. He has appeared to His elect of the last days in a prophetic ministry, showing the same sign He showed to Abraham and his group. Truly Abraham's seed is blessed with Abraham, and visited by God through the Spirit.

Since it is absolutely impossible to deal with a prophet relative to the Second Coming of Christ without considering Elijah, we will do so now. Matt. 17:10-13,

17:10 "A nd His disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?

17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias shall truly first come and restore all things.
17:12 But I say unto you that Elias is come already, and they knew him not but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise also shall the Son of Man suffer of them.
17:13 Then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist."

It will be noted here immediately that the prophet Elijah must certainly return to this earth. But it is also immediately noted that Jesus termed John the Baptist, Elijah. John was not the reincarnation of Elijah. He was John with the same Spirit upon him that was upon Elijah. This is the same case as is seen when Elisha prayed for a double portion of the Spirit that was upon Elijah and he received that double portion of the same Spirit. This did not make Elisha to be Elijah. It simply gave him the ministry by the Same Spirit.

Now follow this up to our time. Will we not also have a prophet upon whom this same ministry by the Holy Ghost descends? Will such a one come at the end of this church age? Look at Malachi 4:5-6,

4:5 "Behold, I will send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:

4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

Here is one of those most peculiar scriptures that in one sweep encompasses two widely separated events dealing with one person. The person involved is Elijah. The two events are his manifestation before both the comings of Jesus Christ. Now of course this is not Elijah himself, but only the "Elijah ministry" for there is no reincarnation in the Bible. In fact the Word explains these two events. Malachi 4:6a "And he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children," is a reference to John the Baptist as set forth in Luke 1: 17.

4:6a "And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

This one upon whom the Holy Spirit comes in such a way as to designate an Elijah ministry is the very same in Malachi 3: 1a,

3:1a "Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me."

John the Baptist fulfilled Malachi 4:6a and Malachi 3:1a. Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 11:7-10.

11:7 "And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?

11:8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothinly Pire in kinos' houses.
11:9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee."

Now as it has been pointed out in Malachi 4:6 only the first part of that verse referred to John the Baptist upon whom the Elijah ministry had fallen. The last part obviously belongs to another messenger with the same ministry, who will at some time turn the hearts of the children to the fathers. They will not be the same person. They will be different men, ages apart. Indeed, if this prophet appears today, he will be the Elijah for our day, living 2000 years after John.

Now to understand the meaning involved in Malachi 4:6 let us study carefully the thought, "He shall turn the hearts of the Fathers to the children." John, with the "Elijah ministry" for that day was turning the hearts of the Pharisee, Sadducee fathers to the children who were being made ready to receive the Messiah when He came. It was the children (spiritual) of these 'fathers' who believed on John and then went on to follow Jesus. And this ministry of John had to do with the FATHERS of these elect children.

Something had to be done to turn the hearts of the fathers to them. It would come through the ministry of John. And it did come through that ministry. For when John appeared the fathers were not taking God's Word but their own. They were sinning and calling it righteousness. They had made the Word of God of 'no effect' by their traditions. John came thundering on the scene.

Out of the desert he came dressed in skins, and rough and coarse was his exterior. Bold and cutting were his ways. He slashed with the Word and Spirit of God. And they being stronger than the gates of hell cut at men's hearts and brought many to the baptism of repentance and faith that the MESSIAH was about to appear.

This ministry in the Spirit that John began was taken up by Jesus, for John had to decrease while Jesus increased. The hearts of the fathers being tuned to the Word (written) - it was not so great a step now to turn to the WORD (Manifested). These disciples, who were children then, later became the apostles and they in turn became the fathers of the church, for the Gentile church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

2:19 "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God:

2:20a And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets."

John had, in forerunning the First Coming of Christ, " Turned the hearts of the Fathers to the Children". NOW, 2000 years later we look back to those "Children" as being the "Fathers" of the Gentile Church. But since the "fathers fell asleep", the church has drifted from the Original Word. Once more the Word has been left and men have accepted tradition in its place.

Now, there was need for a man, a prophet, like Elijah, Elisha and John to come and fulfill Malachi 4:6b - "Turn the hearts of the CHILDREN back to the original Church Fathers" - back to the Word originally preached, back to the signs that follow the Word. This last-day Prophet with the Elijah Ministry will forerun the Second Coming of Christ wherein Jesus comes to catch away His Bride.

Yes, a Prophet-Messenger was prophesied to come and indeed that Messenger has come to bring the Bride back to the Word and the mighty works that follow the believers. According to Rev. 10:7, through his Ministry and Message he will "finish the Mystery of God" and forerun the Second Coming of Christ.. The Message of this Endtime Messenger has revealed the Mysteries that have been hidden in God since the foundation of the world. This may sound like a large order. It is, but yet it has come to pass.

This generation needed this type of ministry and this generation HAS RECEIVED it. WHY the desperate need? Paul, The First Messenger to the First Church Age, had "Thus saith the Lord", on the Scriptures. He was God's vindicated spokesman for that age. BUT as the church progressed into the Second and Third Ages DARKNESS overtook it. The spirit of Anti-Christ which was present in the First Age (1st. John 2:18) began to lead the people away from the True Word into Creeds and Dogmas of man-made religion.

Since then man has been divided over the interpretation of Scripture. But God promised to RESTORE back that which the Church had lost through the DARK AGES. Therefore, in this last age, we needed a Messenger to arise with, NOT "Thus saith the Church or Theologian" BUT "Thus Saith The Lord." To TURN the hearts of the CHILDREN to the exact Truth of the FATHERS.

It was abiding in that original WORD that brought the power. We have to get back to the TRUE meaning, TRUE Interpretation of the Word and then ABIDE in it. Only by abiding in the Word can we become WORD Believers, ready for the Second Coming of Christ and the Rapture (Catching Away) of His Bride. This messenger to the Laodicean age had a tremendous burden placed upon him. It was with him as it was with other prophets, especially Moses. The people were oppressed under Pharaoh.

For Moses to come and declare himself a prophet of God and worthy of attention and obedience to the Word of God in his mouth, he would of necessity have to gain their attention through some vindication by God that would defy all dispute.

This can be easily understood. The Hebrews had not had a prophet for about 400 years. Such a length of time would see several generations without the truth of God in their midst, and the result was ignorance of God's Word and ways. Moses would need supernatural vindication of his ministry to catch their attention and TURN their hearts to the TRUTH of God's Promise for their day - A Promise of Deliverance (Genesis 15:13-14) .

This is the very same situation when both John and Jesus came. Israel was without a prophet for another 400 years and the TRUTH had in human hands deteriorated into human tradition. How very difficult it would be to TURN Israel to Truth by a prophet. Thus when God sent Moses He sent him with two signs. If the people refused the first sign (the rod made into a serpent) they would hearken to the voice of the second sign (the hand placed in the bosom, turning leprous and then clean.) Ex. 4:8

4:8 "And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first siqn, that they will believe the voice of the second sign."

Did you notice? God said that His signs had a voice with it. God NEVER sends a Sign WITHOUT a Voice. The SIGN is meant to attract your attention to the VOICE. There's bound to be a Message to follow the Sign. Don't focus on the Sign only BUT Listen for the Voice - it's a Message from God.

The Voice of the Sign usually does Two things. It will open the eyes of some and bring them closer to God and harden the hearts of others more and more as they reject what the Voice is saying. In Egypt Pharaoh's heart was hardened, but Moses wasn't discouraged. He knew that the VOICE of the SIGN was a Scriptural Voice. It was "THUS SAITH THE LORD". The VOICE that cried out of the burning bush spoke the Word of God as it had been given to that great Prophet, Abraham. It said, "I remember my promise to my people." So Moses listened and obeyed, and in so doing he brought the promise of God for the people of that generation.

Now when God spoke by that sign there was only one avenue left. Israel had to move out of Egypt - the Exodus had to come. So also in this Age, there has been a final vindicating sign with a final vindicated Message announcing that "Time shall be no longer delayed" (Rev. 10:6). It is Finished! It is done! The Second Coming of Christ, the Resurrection and the Rapture is about to dawn in all it's fullness and glory upon the endtime Believer. Indeed, we are caused to asked "What hath God wrought in our generation? We are exhorted to take heed lest it happen to us what happen in the days of John the Baptist.

In Matthew 17:12 it is written...

"But I say unto you, that Elijah is come already, and THEY KNEW HIM NOT, but have done unto him whatsoever they desired.....",

Think of it! The forerunner of Jesus' First Coming, had arrived on the scene but THEY KNEW HIM NOT - They killed him! Then they killed the one whom he was trying to introduce to them. Blinded by tradition, creeds and man-made religion the majority of Professing Christians in this Age has failed to recognize the Messenger-Forerunner of the Second Coming of Christ. And if we miss the Forerunner we shall surely miss Christ's Second Coming and be left to weep in the Great Tribulation.

As John the Baptist cried, "Behold the Lamb of God ", the Messenger-Prophet to this last age continues to cry out, "Behold the Bridegroom cometh." As the apostle Paul declared the mysteries of God in the First Age, it produced Faith for Salvation, Healing and even Martyring Faith - Faith to die for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even so now , the Mysteries of God revealed through the Elijah Ministry of this day IS producing Faith for Salvation, Healing and the Rapture - The Message of This Hour, will in God's time and season give us Faith to walk of the earth without seeing death. That's the Promise for This Day (1st. Thess 4:17; 1st. Cor. 15:51-52).

Unfortunately, most people today are more apt to believe in science-fiction rather then the Promise of the Word for this day. In Luke 18:8, Jesus said, "When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find Faith on the Earth?"

So spiritually blind with creeds and man-made religion would man be in this hour, that Jesus questioned whether or not anyone would be found to Believe the 'whole body' of revealed Truth to receive Rapturing Faith. WHAT a Day! WHAT an Hour!

God made Promises concerning this hour and God HAS and God IS fulfilling those Promises. God Promised us a Prophet Messenger to forerun His second Coming and God HAS sent that Prophet. Without a doubt, most Professing Christians will acknowledge that we are in the last days BUT many do have doubts as to WHO the Endtime Prophet-Messenger really is. WHO IS HE? WHERE IS HE?

Who is that man so vindicated by God with visions and signs and wonders? Who is that man who never yet had a revelation fail? Who is he who leads men to God through the Word and never leaves the Holy Writ?

Such a man we look for. According to the signs of the times, such a man even now must be in our midst, OR has he already come and gone? - a Prophet of prevailing truth! Come with us into Chapter Three as we discover WHO this Vindicated Messenger really is.

CHAPTER THREE

THE VINDICATED MESSENGER
(THE MANIFESTED VINDICATION)

Convinced by the Word that there is a Prophet- Messenger to this last age, we now begin our search for that prophet. We're looking for A Man Sent From God with a Prophetic Ministry, YES, with an Open Vision Ministry. Thus would he be known.

According to our understanding of Scripture this man will not be recognized by the religious systems and orders of the day, so we cannot look for him there. He will not be numbered amongst the ecclesiastical mighty. In fact he could well be as obscure as was John or Jesus. His birth would no doubt be as humble as that of all the other prophets. Without a doubt much of his ministry would be disputed while a part of it would be welcomed. And if he is the Messenger he will, of course, run true to the Bible pattern.

In the recent history of the Evangelical Healing Revivals of the modern world, there were no doubt hundreds of Evangelist who hung out their shingles, declaring themselves to be 'God's man of Faith and Power' or 'God's man of the Hour' BUT, which of these "ministries" will fit the description of the "Elijah Ministry" spoken of in Malachi 4:5-6 and Rev. 10:7? Which of these ministries bore the earmarks of a Prophet with Prophetic vindication?

In 1975 Professor David Edwin Harrell, Jr. Published (Indiana University Press) a history of the Healing and Charismatic Revivals in Modern America under the title All Things Are Possible. It's an excellent, clear, uncluttered account of the Revivals of the 1940's, '50's and early '60's. After extensive research he singled out "The Ministry of One Man" as the initiator of the great healing revival. He said...

"Most of the participants of the 'healing revival' which erupted in 1947, looked upon this man as its initiator. Out of his massive union meetings in 1947 spread reports of hundreds of miracles and marvels. He seemed an unlikely leader. He had been a pastor in a small independent Baptist church; his preaching was halting and simple beyond belief.

But he became a prophet to a generation. A small, meek, middle-aged man with piercing eyes, he held audiences spellbound with tales of constant communication with God and Angels. Night after night, before thousands of awed believers, he discerned the diseases of the sick and pronounced them healed."

Another church historian, Gordon Lindsay, who worked closely with many of the Evangelists of the Revival, also wrote an historical record of the Revivals. In his books "My Story" and A Man Sent From God, he also singled out one ministry AND ONE MAN which stood out among all the others. Concerning this ministry he stated.....

"The story of the life of this 'Man Sent From God' is so out of the ordinary that were there not available a host of infallible proofs which document and attest its authenticity, one might be well excused from considering it far-fetched and incredible.

But the facts are so generally known, and of such a nature that they can be so easily verified by any sincere investigator, that they must stand as God's witness to His willingness and purpose to reveal Himself again to men as He once did in the days of the prophets and the apostles. The story of this Prophet's life - for He Is A Prophet - indeed witnesses to the fact that Bible days are here again."

Another contempory of "This Prophet" said,

"Place the Man Sent From God in one side of the scales of Power and Anointing, and it would take the combined efforts of most of the Evangelistic ministries of our day to tip the other side of the scales."

Truly, he was absolutely Scripturally vindicated as being the Prophet-Messenger to the Laodicean Age. He has met every requirement as set forth in the Word. His ministry is accepted in part, and in part rejected. His birth, upbringing, education, preaching, teaching, ministering in the Spirit, has every scriptural qualification and he is thus vindicated.

Who Is This Man?

He is William M. Branham, He was the first born to a very young couple on April 6, 1909, in a most humble log cabin in Burksville, Kentucky. For two days after his birth his fifteen year old mother, eighteen year old father, and visitors saw hanging over his crib, a white hazy light that had come in through the window, and stood over his head at birth. No one understood the significance of it, and no one, therefore, put any stock in it relative to his future life.

As long as he could remember, he received visions that he could not understand, and yet whenever a vision was of a future event, it never failed to come to pass exactly as he saw it.

The Voice In The Whirlwind

One day when he was but seven years of age, as he was carrying ing water for his father, he was startled to hear the sound of wind in the leaves of the tree under which he was resting for a moment. He looked up, but there was no visible movement. As he started to leave, the sound came again, but this time it was louder. Looking up he saw a whirlwind in the tree, and out of the whirlwind there came an audible voice saying, "Don't ever smoke, or drink, or defile your body in any way, for there will be a work for you to do when you are older." He was naturally frightened and ran screaming into the house. Somehow he was unable to tell his mother the experience, so she concluded that William was a very nervous boy and needed rest.

Vision Of The Ohio Bridge Disaster

A few weeks later while outside playing, a vision broke across his eyes and he saw a bridge being built over the Ohio river (he was now living in Jeffersonville, Indiana) and as men worked he saw a span fall, taking to death a number of workmen. Twenty-two years later when the bridge was being built at that exact spot as seen in the vision, a span did break away, hurling those men to their death.

Tempted To Smoke And Drink

Since he did not come from a spiritual home (his father often bootlegged whiskey) he did not realize that God was dealing with him. Thus, when social pressure was placed on him by his father and companions, he would try to drink, smoke and go to dances, etc. But his trials were failures, for each time he tried to smoke or drink he heard the peculiar sound of the wind blowing and felt the presence of an unseen being. Being frustrated and nervous he tried to keep away from the peculiar life that was his, but he could not.

Experiences With Astrologers

As a young man, he was twice approached by astrologers who attempted to explain to him that he was born under a sign. They both told him that he was the possessor of "a gift", though neither told what it was. One of them told him that she saw a Light following him. To explain these things, one of the astrologers went into the Scriptures to give him details.

Later he understood about astrologers and mediums and rebuked the spirit by which they operated, taking authority over them in the Name of Jesus. BUT it's entirely Scriptural that these should recognize the gift of God before the clergy and professed servants of God. (Note: Acts 16:16-18; Matthew 8:28-29).

His Conversion

Not being born again, these things would at times trouble the young man. He was already aware of the Light that stood over him at birth, the visions, the Voice in the Whirlwind and the strange rushing sound of wind when he tried to smoke and drink whiskey. But he did not understand all these things in the Light of Scripture because he didn't know what the Bible said.

William Branham, the boy, though he had these remarkable manifestations in his life, yet he was not converted. For a time he still resisted the call of God on his life. At the age of fourteen he was seriously wounded while hunting and had to spend seven months in hospital. God dealt with him then, but still he did not take heed. Nevertheless the urgency of the call became more an more conscious to him. Inasmuch as his parents were not Christians he did not get any encouragement from them. As he became older the enemy tried to stifle that 'still small voice' that was ever speaking to his heart.

He Goes West

When he had reached the age of 19, he decided that he would go out West to work on a ranch. In September of 1927, he told his mother that he was going on a camping trip to Tunnel Mill, about fourteen miles north of Jeffersonville. He told her this, knowing that if she were aware of his true intentions to go West, she would plead with him not to go. When his mother finally heard from him, instead of being in Tunnel Mill, he was far away in Phoenix, Arizona. In reality, down in his heart, he knew that he was running away from God.

Of his experiences in the West and the call of God which was ever upon his heart he says.....

I remember the first heard of cattle I helped drive out of the mountains. I thought I was a real cowhand. When evening came I rode off that horse, got my blanket and used my saddle as a pillow. And there was an old guy there we called Slim. And another guy from Texas with a guitar, and they were playing songs. Old Slim was playing a comb with a piece of paper behind it. The herd was all settled down for the night. And after a while they begin to play "Down At The Cross Where My Saviour Died; It was down there for cleansing from sin I cried." My heart begin to jump. I took the blanket and pulled it over my head to keep from hearing it because I was a sinner.

I lay there pretending I was asleep. But when I pulled the blanket down, I thought, "Now, it'll all be over, because they've stopped playing their music and gone to bed..." But when I looked up, them big stars was hanging just above me. Something said: "Who put them up there and Who's holding them in place?" Just then the wind come through those whispering pines and it seemed like there was a voice that said, "There's a land beyond the river that they call the sweet forever. And we only reach that shore by faith's decree." I got my blanket and pulled it around my hears again.

Brother, God is so great He will find you, I don't care where you are. Don't try to hide from Him. you're fighting a losing battle.

And a 'losing battle' it would be for William Branham. This life, chosen of God, would eventually succumb to the Heavenly Fathers Will. Almost beaten into the dust from whence he came, Bro. Branham would rise on wings of faith to serve his God.

A Sad Message Arrives

One day the young man received a letter from home informing him that one of his brothers was very ill. It was Edward, the one next in age to him. He did not think the illness was serious and believed everything would be alright. However, one evening a few days later, he returned to the ranch from the city, and as he was coming through the mess hall, there was a message given him which read, "Bill, come to the north pasture. Very important." He immediately walked out to the pasture and the first person he met was an old Lone Star ranger whom they called "Pop." He had a sad expression on his face and he said, "Billy boy, I have sad news for you." At the same time the foreman came walking up. They told him that his brother, Edward, had died.

You can imagine the shock this was to the young William Branham as he realized that he would never again see his brother alive in this world. Events begin to move swiftly from then on. Each time he resisted God, tragedy or sorrow of some kind would come to him. When he yielded and obeyed God, the Lord would bless and prosper him. Would that we all could learn by what others suffered, rather than by our own bitter experiences.

In his own words, Bro. Branham explains his thoughts at the time and how he felt.....

When I realized the news of my brother's death, for a moment I could not move. It was the first death in our family. I remember wondering about whether or not he was ready to die. As I turned to look across the yellow prairie, tears ran down my cheeks. I remembered how we struggled together when we were lads and how hard it was for us - not enough food to eat and not enough clothes to wear. BUT , Oh how I remember that day when mother gave us Pop corn in our school lunch. That was a real treat. So to be sure that I got my share of it, I went out before noon and took a good handful before my brother got his share. How I wished I could have told him that I was the one who took it. Thinking of these things, there on that prairie, God began to deal with me again - but as usual I kept pushing it to the back of my mind.

I made ready to return home for the funeral. During the funeral services, Rev. Mckinney of Port Fulton church preach and exhorted those not right with God to accept Him as their Lord and Saviour then and there. God began to deal with me again. Oh, how I grasped my seat, resisting the call of God.

After the funeral, I wanted to go back to the West but mother begged me not to go. I agreed to stay if I could find work. I did get work with the Public Service Company of Indiana.

Sickness Strikes

About two years later, while testing meters in the meter shop at the gas works in New Albany, I was overcome with gas, and for weeks I suffered from it. I went to all the Doctors I knew. I could get no relief. I suffered with acid stomach caused by the effects of the gas. Finally, two specialists in Louisville, Kentucky said it was my appendix and advised surgery. I didn't understand it because I had no pain in my side. Still, they insisted on surgery. Agreeing to have it done, I insisted that they use local anesthetic so I could watch the operation.

After surgery, when they were taking me from the table to my bed I felt myself getting weaker and weaker all the time. My heart was hardly beating. I felt death upon me. My breath was getting shorter. I knew I had reached the end of my road. Oh, friend, wait until you get there, then you will think of a lot of things you have done. I knew I had never smoked, drank, or had any unclean habits, but I also knew I was not ready to meet God.

God Speaks In The Hospital room

It began to grow darker in the hospital room, as though it were a great woods. I could hear the wind blowing through the leaves, yet it seemed a great way off in the forest. You have probably heard of a puff of wind blowing the leaves, coming closer and closer to you. I thought, "Well, this is death coming to take me." Oh! my soul was to meet God; I tried to pray but could not.

Closer the Wind came, louder and louder. The leaves rustled and all at once I was gone! It seemed that I was back again a little barefooted boy, standing in that lane under the same tree. I heard that same Voice that said, "Never drink or smoke." And the leaves I heard were the same that blew in that tree that day so many years ago. But this time the Voice said, "I called you and you would not go." The words were repeated the third time. Then I said, "Lord, if that is you, let me go back again to earth and I will preach your Gospel from the housetops and street corners. I'll tell everyone about it.

When this vision had passed, I found that I felt better. My surgeon, who was still in the building, came into the room and looked at me with a surprised look. He said, "I am not a church-going man, my practice is so great, BUT I know God has visited this boy." After a few day I was allowed to return home. This time I would not forget the call of God's warning.

I started out to seek and find God. I went from church to church but found nothing to satisfy the hunger and thirst in my heart.

One night I became so hungry for God and a real experience that I went out to the old shed, at the back of the house and tried to pray. I did not know how to pray, so I just begin to talk to Him as I would to anyone else. All at once there came a Light in the shed and it formed a cross. A Voice from the cross spoke to me in a language I could not understand. It then went away. I was spellbound. When I came to myself again, I prayed, "Lord, if that is you, please come and talk to me again." I had been reading my Bible since I had returned from the hospital and I had read in 1st. John 4, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God."

I knew that something had appeared to me, and as I prayed it appeared again. Then it seemed to me that there had been a thousand pounds lifted from my soul. I jump up and ran to the house and it seemed as though I were running on air. Mother asked, "Bill, What has happened to you?" I replied, "I don't know but I sure feel good and light." I just couldn't stay in the house any longer. I had to get out and run.

Not long after this experience of conversion, William Branham sought and found excellent fellowship and teaching with the Missionary Baptist Church. Shortly thereafter he was ordained to preach the Gospel. God gave him good success for his tent often had crowds of 3000 and there were many people truly born again.

Pillar Of Fire Appears

It was during June of 1933 that as he was baptizing the converts in the Ohio River that a most amazing and well documented phenomenon occurred. As he was baptizing the seventeenth person before a crowd estimated at about 4000 there appeared a blazing whirl