Vieme, že tieto dve veľké veci čoskoro vyústia do dvoch veľkých, veľkých zovretí; svet je práve teraz zovretý týmito dvoma vecami: znamením šelmy alebo Božou pečaťou. Niektorí to kladú ďaleko do budúcnosti; niektorí hovoria, že to už bolo v minulosti. Verím však, že existujú len dve odpovede. A to je, že Božia pečať je krst Duchom Svätým; znamenie šelmy je jeho odmietnutie. To sú jediné dve veci. Uvediem vám Písmo, prečo to tak je, keď budeme pokračovať.
Pamätajte si, že všetci ľudia na zemi v posledných dňoch budú buď označení pečaťou Božou, alebo znamením šelmy. A prinútil všetkých, chudobných, veľkých, otrokov, slobodných, všetkých na zemi, aby prijali toto znamenie, ktorí nemali pečať a ktorých mená nie sú zapísané v Baránkovej knihe života od založenia sveta, od založenia sveta, keď bol Baránok zabitý a keď boli ich mená zapísané do Baránkovej knihy života.
1 Zostaňme ešte chvíľu stáť a modlime sa. Náš nebeský Otče, sme naozaj vďační za privilégium, že sa môžeme zhromaždiť v Mene Pána Ježiša. Teraz leží pred nami Tvoje Slovo a, ó, narábame s ním v tichosti, Pane, a s úctou, lebo je to Slovo Božie. A je Tvojou vôľou, aby som sa dnes večer pokúsil vysvetliť veľkú tému. A modlím sa, Otče, aby mi Duch Svätý dal slová, ktoré budú prospešné pre cirkev a – a pre dobro Božieho kráľovstva. Udeľ to, Pane. Si náš Otec a milujeme Ťa celým svojím srdcom.
A teraz sa modlíme, aby si nás požehnal. A keď premýšľam, čo by som urobil, keby som mal dnes večer v rukách v pohári len jednu kvapku Krvi Pána Ježiša, ako by som si ju pritisol k srdcu. A len by som... ach, takmer by som sa bál dýchať. Ale potom, Otče, v Tvojich očiach si mi dal do rúk niečo väčšie, výkupnú cenu Tvojej Krvi, Tvoju Cirkev, za ktorú si dal Svoju Krv, aby si ju zachránil. Teraz nám pomôž, Pane, aby sme mohli pásť Božie stádo, nad ktorým nás Duch Svätý ustanovil za dozorcov. Lebo o to prosíme v Ježišovom Mene. Amen. Môžete sa posadiť.
2 Dôverujeme Pánu Ježišovi, že na nás zošle svoje požehnania. Pred pár minútami som bol v miestnosti a niečo ma práve otriaslo. Koľkí z vás poznajú Raymonda Richeyho? Sedí tam vzadu v miestnosti; práve som sa za neho modlil. Prepracoval sa a spôsobil si kolaps a mŕtvicu, je v hroznom stave, je to milý brat. Vtedy... Brat Raymond stál práve tam na pódiu v tú noc, keď Anjel Pánov zostúpil pred tisíckami ľudí, keď som povedal, ak... keď doktor Best diskutoval s doktorom Bosworthom o mojom službe, a ja som povedal, „Netvrdím, že som uzdraviteľ.” Povedal som... On povedal, „Nikto okrem bandy svätuškárskych fanatikov by tomu neveril.“
Povedal som, „Koľkí baptisti, ktorí sú členmi týchto baptistických cirkví, môžu povedať a dokázať, že boli uzdravení Pánom, zdvihnite ruku.“ A asi, no, myslím, že tristo alebo viac ľudí sa postavilo. A ja som povedal, „A čo oni?“ Vidíte? A tak potom on... Povedal som, „Ľudia veria v Božie uzdravenie.“ Povedal som, „Ja nie som... ja nie som božský uzdraviteľ; to som nikdy netvrdil.“ Povedal som, „Moja literatúra je publikovaná v mnohých rôznych jazykoch.“ Povedal som, „Nikdy som netvrdil, že som uzdraviteľ.“ Povedal som, „Ja... ja tvrdím len to, že som Boží služobník.“ A povedal som, „Teraz, ak je dar Boží, ktorý mi dal na rozpoznávanie,“ povedal som, „Teraz, ak to je to, čo je tu pretriasané, Boh bude hovoriť Sám za Seba.“ A asi v tom čase tu On zostúpil, takto tu zostúpil. A vtedy to vyfotili.
3 A on mi povedal, kľakol si tam vzadu, potom, čo som sa za neho modlil, objal ma a povedal, „Mám pre teba odkaz.“
„Čo?“
Povedal, „Prestaň kázať príliš tvrdo a príliš dlho.“ Povedal, „Pôjdeš presne tou istou cestou, akou som išiel ja.“ Raz som to takmer urobil. Povedal, „Brat Branham,“ povedal, „ako máš tie videnia a podobne, vidím, ako to na teba pôsobí.” Povedal, „Jednoducho som pokračoval,“ povedal, „mal som jedno zrútenie.“ Potom odišiel do zahraničia a mal ďalšie. A tam je... Ak sa ho Boh nedotkne, je s ním na celý život koniec. Tak povedal, „Viac toho už nedokážeš.“ Povedal, „Niektorí budú hovoriť, 'Toto, tamto, alebo toto, alebo tamto, a tak ďalej.'“ Ale povedal, „To to nijako nezlepší.“ Povedal, „Pokiaľ necháš... Ak len budeš vykonávať tvoju službu, ukážeš ľuďom, že ťa poslal Boh,“ povedal, „potom je to vybavené, nechaj to tak.“ Povedal, „Ak... ak nebudú,“ povedal, „ak nebudú…” Povedal... Donútil ma sľúbiť tam s rukami v jeho rukách, povedal, „Už to nerob, brat Branham. Pamätaj, Pán ma varoval, aby som ti povedal, že sa dostaneš do rovnakého stavu ako ja (vidíš?), ak to budeš robiť ďalej, ak s tým začneš.“
A ja som povedal, „Dobre, brat.“ Nehovor to mojej žene. Ona... ona má Billyho a ostatných rozmiestnených všade okolo, a ak ma Leo a Gene a ostatní uvidia len trochu unaveného, no, potom ma majú odviesť z pódia, či chcem ísť alebo nie. A ona vedela, že ak by som sa tak potácal po pódiu, no, plakala by a tak. Takže sme... Vieš, môžeš urobiť len určité množstvo a viac nemôžeš; to je všetko.
4 Spomínam si, ako raz Paul Rader... Koľkí z vás ho poznali? Iste, Paul Rader bol veľký Boží muž. Raz rozprával taký malý príbeh, povedal, že išiel vlakom, a povedal, že bol s jedným človekom, a povedal, že tento muž sa ho snažil pokarhať, lebo tej noci spal v pullmane [“pullman” - lôžkový salónny vagón, luxusnejšia alternatíva ako bežný vagón s radmi sedadiel - pozn.prekl.]. Povedal, že na raňajkách nasledujúce ráno išla skupina kazateľov niekam na zjazd. Tak sa tento muž posadil hneď vedľa Paula a povedal, „No, chvála Bohu,“ povedal. „Včera večer som sedel v sedadlovom vozni,“ a povedal, „Ušetril som Pánovi nejaké peniaze.“
Paul povedal, „Chvála Bohu, ja som si vzal pullman a ušetril som Pánovi človeka.” Tak teraz, o čo má väčší záujem – o svoje peniaze alebo o svojho človeka? Vždy o svojho človeka. Sme za to veľmi vďační.
5 A teraz, pomyslel som si, že ja sám som mal včera večer nádherný čas. A práve, keď som odchádzal, ten – to tiahnutie ľudí, Ducha Svätého, On zostúpil priamo medzi ľudí a začal dávať rozpoznávanie priamo na zhromaždení. Bolo to ohromné. Vidíte, a pre mňa to znamená, že sme sa na tom zhromaždení modlili za každého. Vidíte, vidíte? Teraz som povedal, „Koľkí tu...“ Teraz, Boh zasľúbil, že to urobí. To je Jeho Slovo, nie je to tak? Tak Boh dodržiava Svoje Slovo, že? Potom som povedal, „Koľko tu je veriacich, zdvihnite ruky.“ Všetci zdvihli ruky. Povedal som, „Teraz si položte ruky jeden na druhého. Biblia hovorí, 'Tieto znamenia budú sprevádzať tých, ktorí uverili.'“ Potom sme sa modlili za každého ako zjednotená ruka za Božie Kráľovstvo. Ach, pre mňa je to jednoducho dokonalé. Vidíte?
6 Dnes som bol na čerpacej stanici tankovať benzín, niekde tu v okolí, a vyšiel nejaký chlapec, pozrel sa na mňa a povedal, „Vy ste brat Branham.“
Povedal som, „Áno.“ Bolo to asi míľu odtiaľto, niečo také.
A on povedal... povedal, „Som brat Roberts,“ a povedal, „Moja matka bola celkom uzdravená zo srdcových ťažkostí, odkedy ste boli tam dole v cirkvi Assemblies of God.“ Povedal, „Chytila silnú chrípku,“ a povedal, „nemala ani najmenší náznak srdcových ťažkostí, odkedy bola vyvolaná (v modlitebnom rade), čokoľvek to bolo, ani jednu.“ A povedal, „Mala silnú chrípku,“ a povedal, „Ak sa dozvie, že som ťa tu stretol a ona vie, že sa za ňu pomodlíš,“ povedal, „tak príde dnes večer na zhromaždenie.“
Povedal, „Chce sa pokúsiť prísť v nedeľu večer, ak to bude možné.” Pravdepodobne patrí do inej cirkvi, ale bola uzdravená tu. Takže sme za to radi.
7 A vidíme, ako neustále prichádzajú svedectvá od rôznych ľudí. A stretávam ľudí, ktorí boli uzdravení v rokoch 1946 a 1947, keď sme tu boli, už dávno, a stále sú v poriadku, odvtedy nemali žiadne problémy. Niekde bola jedna pani; práve som dostal jej list, myslím, že dnes. Dnes večer je tu, asi v cirkvi. Prišla... Bola tu uzdravená, keď som tu bol v roku 1946 alebo 1947, tak nejako, z rakoviny. A potom neskôr mala veľký nádor. A ten nádor bol taký veľký, že ju museli všade nosiť, kamkoľvek išla, takto. A bol príliš veľký na operáciu. Tak ju priviezli do Jeffersonville. A ja som tam bol v tej malej modlitebni na jeden večer a nejaký muž ju posadil do kúta a povedal, že... že ja... Pred pár týždňami sa tu zastavila a ukázala mi, čo sa stalo. A bola taká veľká, až niektorí diakoni a správcovia zboru… Chcela, aby sa za ňu modlili, a v Modlitebni sa niekedy za ľudí nemodlím viac, ako len v nedeľu ráno, keď tam som. Nie som tam veľmi často. A oni ju odniesli a posadili na zem, vzadu za miestom, kde som vychádzal. A keď som prechádzal okolo, Duch Svätý sa náhodou pozrel nabok, prinútil ma pozrieť sa nabok a vidieť ju. Povedal som jej o tom, položil som na ňu ruky a ona je teraz úplne normálna ako každý iný človek.
8 A dostal som jej list. Zaujímalo by ma, či je tá pani dnes večer tu, nech zdvihne ruku. Bola v cirkvi predvčerom. Ona a jej manžel, sú tu. Verím, že on... prišiel v karavane a nedávno zastavil pred mojím domom a rozprával sa so mnou. A verím, že povedala, že sa dozvedela... že je priateľkou matky brata Merciera, alebo niečo také; písala mi to v liste. A myslel som si, že tu možno bude. Ten list bol napísaný minulý týždeň. Ale ja... Čože? V pravom krídle sú ľudia, o ktorých hovoril brat Mercier alebo brat Goad. V pravom krídle je tá pani, ktorá mala veľký nádor, bola doma a bola uzdravená. Ak je niekde tam v pravom krídle, prečo nevyjdeš sem a nedovolíš ľuďom vidieť, čo Boh môže urobiť pre niekoho, kto bol naozaj... naozaj uzdravený, keď bol ten nádor taký veľký, že ju museli niesť. Je to... Nie je tam vzadu? No, asi... museli práve vyjsť. Brat Goad povedal, že tam pred chvíľou sedeli. Ak ich uvidíte, bol by som rád, keby vydala svedectvo. Je štíhla ako ja. A s tým nádorom bola takmer takáto. A ako Pán... Ak by sme len…
Teraz, pozrite, čo som povedal o Bohu? On bude mať... Ak niekto iný s takým veľkým nádorom bude konať rovnako ako ona, Boh musí konať rovnako voči vám, ako konal voči nej. Ak by to neurobil, urobil by chybu, keď ju uzdravil. Vidíte? Boh nemôže urobiť chybu. Takže to, čo urobí jednému, musí urobiť aj druhému. Teraz je tu len jedna požiadavka. Ak si len osvojíte tú istú jednoduchú vieru, to je všetko.
9 Jedna drobná žena niekde tu hore na mieste zvanom Eureka; verím, že je to Eureka v Kalifornii. Prišiel som sem pred rokmi a nikoho som nepoznal; nemohli ju ani presunúť z postele. No, jej malá hlava, kde bola opuchnutá... Ospravedlňte ma, sestry, ak vám to nevadí. Prsia tej ženy trčali hore až takto, ako tam mala opuch z toho nádoru. A jej manžel šoféroval taxík. A ja som povedal, „Brat, neviem, ako...“ Moja viera sama od seba poklesla, keď som sa na to pozrel. A povedal som, „Boli ste u lekára?“
Povedal, „My neveríme v lekárov.“ No, dobre. Povedal, „Ak zomrie, tak zomrie. Ale my veríme v Boha.“
Povedal som, „Dobre, to je skutočná viera.“
Povedal, „Jediná vec, ktorú od teba chcem, je, aby si vošiel dnu, položil ruky na moju ženu a modlil sa za ňu, brat Branham, a ona bude uzdravená.“ Ó! Musím... musím priznať, že mal o niečo viac viery ako ja. To je pravda. Ja som práve začínal; bol som v tom asi rok. Ešte som nevidel, aby sa niečo také stalo. Tak som šiel a položil ruky na tú ženu, a viete čo? Toto je jej príbeh z listu. Možno je práve teraz tu. Otvoril sa jej bok a vyliali sa z nej galóny vody. Hneď sa to znova zahojilo, schudla na asi sto a niečo libier, stopäť, stodesať libier. Nielenže robí svoju vlastnú prácu, ale robí aj prácu všetkých susedov. Takže... Chodí hore-dole po ulici, stará sa o deti, perie im a podobne. Jednoducho chodí...
10 Teraz, ak tá istá osoba, iná osoba, pristúpi na tom istom základe, On musí urobiť to isté. Alebo, ak to neurobil, potom urobil chybu. Urobil chybu vtedy, keď uzdravil tú... tú jednu ženu a uzdravil ju tým spôsobom, potom urobil chybu, keď ju uzdravil, ak to urobil... ak neurobil... Ak ju uzdravil, potom ak vás neuzdraví, konal nesprávne, keď uzdravil tú prvú, ak splníte tie isté požiadavky viery, aké splnila ona. Je to založené len na jednej veci, „Ja môžem, ak vy veríte.“ To je všetko. Takže, vidíte, potom to všetko ustúpi, bez ohľadu na to, aký tlak alebo čo na to kladieme, nie je to tak; je to uvoľniť sa a veriť. Vidíte, ja som... Zase to robím, brat Roy. Vidíte?
11 Prečítali ste mi ten úryvok z Písma? Bol som požiadaný, aby som hovoril na túto tému, alebo som sám povedal, že by som radšej hovoril o „znamení šelmy“ a „Pečati Božej“. Je to skvelá téma. A myslím si, že ju dnes večer možno nestihneme prebrať celú, možno to budeme musieť odložiť na zajtrajší večer.
A tí, ktorí majú teraz osobné rozhovory, myslím, že pán Mercier povedal, že máme začať o ôsmej hodine ráno. Mám súkromné rozhovory, kde sa ľudia chcú stretnúť kvôli videniam a podobným veciam. To je to, čo sa vám tu všetkým nedostáva (rozumiete?). Je to aj počas dňa. Chápete? A potom na týchto súkromných rozhovoroch... Takže si zapamätajte, ja... kto je prvý ráno, začína sa o ôsmej. Práve mi to pred pár minútami povedal.
12 Teraz k tejto veľkej téme o znamení šelmy a pečati Božej. Počuli sme o tom toľko. Bolo to... Videl som grafy, ktoré by sa tiahli cez toto pódium, o znamení šelmy a pečati Božej. Ale podľa mňa je to také jednoduché, je to len taká... jednoduchá vec pozrieť sa do Slova a vidieť to, až si nemyslím..... No, mám tu asi tri alebo štyri strany rôznych miest Písma, ktoré som si tu napísal a na ktoré sa chcem dnes večer s vami pozrieť. Keď som nad tým dnes popoludní premýšľal, zapísal som si sem verše a rôzne strany, aby som to mohol nájsť a vy ste si to mohli zapísať, ak chcete.
Je to skvelá téma a myslím si, že je to jedna z tých podstatných tém, o ktorých by sa malo učiť. Mali sme kázne o Evanjeliu, mali sme kázne o Božskom uzdravení. A teraz by to malo byť založené na druhom príchode Krista, na Jeho druhom príchode.
13 Brat Smith, to je tvoja manželka? No ja... ako sa máš, sestra Smithová? Ja... ja... Niet divu, že je to... je to skvelý muž. Ako manželka tohto brata, si taká pekná, zbožne vyzerajúca dáma. Ja... možno som ťa už stretol. Hovorí sa, že za každým dobrým mužom stojí dobrá manželka. To... to je veľmi pekné. Viem, že moja manželka je... Ak patrí nejaká zásluha rodine Branhamovcov, pripíšte ju jej, lebo ona je tá, ktorá... Ale je o desať rokov mladšia ako ja a má snehobiele vlasy, a to len preto, že stála medzi mnou a verejnosťou, a neviem, čo by som bez nej robil. Boh mi určite dal úžasnú manželku. Sú úžasné, brat Smith. Len... Veď keby mohol dať mužovi niečo lepšie, urobil by to. To je pravda. Správne. To je pravda. To je pravda. „Kto našiel ženu, našiel dobrú vec,“ hovorí najmúdrejší človek, akého sme kedy mali. Ja... ja si myslím, že manželka je to najlepšie, čo môže muž mať okrem spasenia. To je pravda. To je pravda; je úžasná.
14 Teraz sa budem opierať o Písmo... Najprv vám poviem, čo si myslím, že je znamenie šelmy, a čo si myslím, že Písmo hovorí o znamení šelmy. Potom vám poviem, čo si myslím, že Písmo hovorí o Božej pečati. Vieme, že tieto dve veľké veci čoskoro vyústia do dvoch veľkých, veľkých zovretí; svet je práve teraz zovretý týmito dvoma vecami: znamením šelmy alebo Božou pečaťou. Niektorí to kladú ďaleko do budúcnosti; niektorí hovoria, že to už bolo v minulosti. Verím však, že existujú len dve odpovede. A to je, že Božia pečať je krst Duchom Svätým; znamenie šelmy je jeho odmietnutie. To sú jediné dve veci. Uvediem vám Písmo, prečo to tak je, keď budeme pokračovať.
Pamätajte si, že všetci ľudia na zemi v posledných dňoch budú buď označení pečaťou Božou, alebo znamením šelmy. A prinútil všetkých, chudobných, veľkých, otrokov, slobodných, všetkých na zemi, aby prijali toto znamenie, ktorí nemali pečať a ktorých mená nie sú zapísané v Baránkovej knihe života od založenia sveta, od založenia sveta, keď bol Baránok zabitý a keď boli ich mená zapísané do Baránkovej knihy života.
15 Teraz, tie dve veľké veci. Teraz začneme najprv s „Božou pečaťou“. Čo je to pečať? Po prvé, pečať v Biblii, v časoch, keď ľudia neboli takí vzdelaní ako dnes, zvyčajne – ich pečať bola ich podpisom, rovnako, ako my dnes používame naše meno. Niekedy Rimania, a ešte skôr Židia, a dávno v raných východných krajinách, mali prsteň, na ktorom mali svoju pečať, a odtlačili ju na niečo. Ak nemohli podpísať svoje meno, tak mali tú pečať. Pečať bola dôveryhodným vyhlásením, že to bolo zapečatené touto pečaťou. A pokúsiť sa to kopírovať znamenalo vysokú pokutu, rovnako, ako by to bolo dnes, keby sa niekto pokúsil sfalšovať šek, meno niekoho na šeku. Bola to vysoká pokuta za pokus o kopírovanie tejto pečate. A človek tú svoju pečať nosil obyčajne na zadnej strane zápästia alebo na prsteni. A namiesto podpisu to zapečatil. To malo ukázať, že to zapečatil.
16 Teraz, Ježiš povedal, že v posledných dňoch, podľa svätého Matúša, 24. kapitoly a 24. verša, že tieto dva duchy, tieto – tie, ktoré boli zapečatené Bohom, a tie, ktoré budú označené šelmou, antikristom, budú tak blízko pri sebe, až by to zviedlo aj tých vyvolených, keby to bolo možné. Rozumiete? Teraz, budú si tak veľmi podobné. Niektorí ľudia hovoria, „No, komunizmus je znamenie šelmy.” Mýlite sa. Komunizmus nie je znamením šelmy, a predsa je, ale nie je to to hlavné. Znamenie šelmy je náboženskej povahy, je to veľmi náboženské, a tak rafinované a prefíkané, až by oklamalo aj samotných vyvolených, keby to bolo možné, tak veľmi podobné, až by to zviedlo aj vyvolených, keby to bolo možné. Samozrejme, oni...
Billy Graham to nedávno povedal; počul som ho pred pár týždňami v rádiu, keď som sem išiel. A kázal; povedal, „Toľko sa hovorí o cigaretách a Viceroy,“ alebo čokoľvek to bolo, a „špička na tomto konci a oheň na tomto konci a všetko také.” Povedal, „Človek, ktorý by to fajčil, by musel byť blázon.“ A myslím si, že má pravdu. Povedal, že dokonca získali toľko publicity na rôznych veciach, až diabol zviedol vyvolených. Ja neverím, že brat Graham to myslel práve tak, lebo vyvolení nebudú zvedení. Nie, veru, nebudú oklamaní. Boli predurčení Bohom a nebudú zvedení.
Ale Ježiš povedal, že to bude veľmi podobné. Takmer rovnaké. Pamätajte si, že to bude tak podobné, že aj vyvolení by mohli byť zvedení, keby to bolo možné.
17 Teraz chceme zistiť, odkiaľ pochádzajú. Kde to všetko začalo? Ako som vám povedal, že každá sekta a každé náboženstvo začalo v Genesis, všetko, čo máme. Zbory Božie začali v Genesis. Baptisti začali v Genesis. Môžem to dokázať. Áno. Každý kult, aj ten, čo máme, môžem to dokázať, začal v knihe Genesis. To je pravda. Vyhľadajte to v knihe Genesis a potom máte to ostatné, uvidíte, aké je to semeno, uvidíte, kam smeruje. Vidíte? A stačí to sledovať a uvidíte, ako sa to vinie priamo cez Bibliu. Presne tak.
Obe začínajú v knihe Genesis. A zistíme, že Genesis je kapitolou o semene.
18 Zistili sme, že prvé označenie človeka začalo v knihe Genesis, v Genesis 4:15. Boh označil Kaina. Tam bolo prvýkrát umiestnené znamenie šelmy, bolo umiestnené na Kaina; on je jeho počiatok. Teraz poviete, „Kain má znamenie šelmy?“ Dobre, všimnime si to.
Teraz povedal, „Tvoje potomstvo rozdrví hlavu hada a jeho hlava rozdrví tvoju pätu.“ Pozrite sa na rodokmeň Kaina. Ako sa Kain rozširoval, v jeho línii sa ľudia stali vedcami, múdrymi, veľkými ľuďmi, a tak ďalej. Ale potomstvo Seta, ako sa rozširovalo, z neho sa ľudia stali roľníci, pastieri oviec, farmári. Takže vidíte, je tu... Teraz si všimnite, Biblia hovorí, „Položím nepriateľstvo (Boh to urobil) medzi tvoje semeno a semeno hada.“ Takže... Teraz, slúžiaci bratia, buďte len chvíľu potichu. Ja... ja viem, že ma za to vždy kritizujú. Ale Biblia hovorí, že had mal semeno. Tým je to vybavené. Semeno hada, nech si to vykladáte akokoľvek chcete, nechám to tak; ja mám na to tiež svoj názor. Ale oni... ale nech... Nech je to akokoľvek, Biblia v Genesis 1, na začiatku Genesis hovorí, že had mal semeno.
A teraz si pamätajte, had nebol spočiatku hadom, plazom. Bol niečím, čo sa blížilo k ľudskej bytosti. Veda sa už tisíce rokov snaží nájsť ten chýbajúci článok medzi človekom a zvieraťom. Najbližšie sa dostali k šimpanzovi. Ale nedokážu prejsť od šimpanza k ľudskej bytosti. Prečo? Bol to had. Ak si všimnete v 1. Mojžišovej 3:1, „Zviera – had bol najprefíkanejší zo všetkých zvierat poľa.“ Zviera, nie plaz. Bol skôr ako človek. Vyzeral ako človek. Bol tým chýbajúcim článkom medzi nimi, lebo to je jediná možnosť. Semeno človeka sa nemôže spojiť so semenom zvieraťa. Ale tento tvor bol jediný, ktorého mohol diabol použiť, lebo bol práve medzi človekom a zvieraťom. A rodokmene...
19 Verím v evolúciu. Možno na začiatku, keď nebolo nič, len číry chaos, sopečné výbuchy. Viete, Boh je skvelý staviteľ. Veríte tomu? Dobrý staviteľ si vždy rozloží všetky svoje veci, keď stavia nejakú štvrť. Keď Boh hýbal zemou, vytváral vápnik, draslík, ropu, a tak ďalej, práve vtedy kládol na zem naše telá, materiál, z ktorého sme stvorení. A ten veľký Duch Svätý vyšiel od Boha, aby sa vznášal nad zemou, alebo šepkal, s láskou opatroval ako sliepka svoje mláďatá. A Jeho... Predstavme si, že mal krídla. Nemal, ale predstavme si, že mal krídla ako... ako sliepka nad mláďatami. Začal sa vznášať nad zemou. A vidím, ako prichádza vápnik, steká po nejakom mieste, mieša sa s vlhkosťou a draslíkom. A vyrastie tam malý veľkonočný kvietok. A počujem, ako On hovorí, „Poď sem, Otče, a pozri sa na to.“
„Veľmi dobre, ďalej sa vznášaj a opatruj.“
Po chvíli sa ešte trochu viac staral a opatroval. To, čo vyšlo potom, boli pravdepodobne... kvety a rastliny, a vtáky vyleteli z prachu zeme. A potom prišiel živočíšny život a stále sa dostával k vyššiemu životu, vyššiemu životu, vyššiemu životu, vyššiemu životu, až kým sa nakoniec neobjavil človek na samotný obraz Boží. Je zvláštne, že sa neobjavilo nič vyššieho ako to, že? Vyššie sa už dostať nedá; bol to obraz Boží. Tak, ako to... Evolúcia to tak vysvetľuje. Ale druhy sa nemôžu krížiť a stať sa vyššími, Boh povedal, že každé semeno prináša svoj druh. A v tom sa potom objavil človek.
20 Hriech nezačal na zemi. Začal v nebi a on bol vyhodený z neba a prišiel na zem. Nemal kam inam ísť. Zviera by bolo od neho príliš vzdialené, to semeno by sa nezmiešalo, takže musel vojsť do hada, ktorý bol bytosťou viac podobnou človeku. A keď ho Boh preklial a položil ho na brucho, zmenil v ňom každú kosť. Veda sa snaží vykopávať kosti a tak... No, je to skryté v Božích tajomstvách a On to zjaví každému, kto o tom chce vedieť, určite. Je tu...
Teraz sledujte, on bol najrafinovanejší, najprešibanejší, najmazanejší, najmúdrejší, múdrejší ako nejaké iné zviera. Bol hneď vedľa človeka (vidíte?), najrafinovanejší zo všetkých poľných zvierat.
A tak si spomeňte, že Kain dostal znamenie. A teraz poviete, „Satan nemohol byť tým hadom.“ Ak sa so mnou teraz pozriete do 2. Korinťanom 11:14, Biblia hovorí, že on sa premenil na anjela svetla. Vy len podceňujete satana; to je všetko. Veru. Premenil sa na anjela svetla. Ak sa mohol premeniť do takejto formy, prečo by sa nemohol premeniť na zviera, ktoré je najbližšie k človeku?
21 Zisťujeme, že keďže Kain počúval nepriateľa, čo sa stalo? Stal sa prvým vrahom. Stal sa prvým, kto mal na zemi žiarlivosť. Povedzte mi, kde je tá čistá línia od Boha k Adamovi... To je jediné spojenie. Adam bol synom Božím. Biblia to hovorí. Tak odkiaľ sa vzala tá žiarlivosť? Odkiaľ sa vzal ten vrah? Odkiaľ sa vzal celý ten druh ducha? Z Adama? To nemohlo byť. Pochádza zo Satana. Presne odtiaľ pochádza.
Teraz zisťujeme, že bol prvým vrahom. A bol prvým, kto pocítil žiarlivosť. A Lucifer žiarlil na Michaela, priniesol to priamo na zem a preniesol to do človeka. A Satan... Kain tým, že na seba vzal toto zlo, dostal prvé označenie. Boh ho označil. Nikto ho nemal zabiť. Mali ho nechať na pokoji. Ale pamätáte si, že hneď, ako ho Boh označil, on odišiel z Božej prítomnosti. Zapamätajte si to.
Ó, nemáme čas na to, aby sme to skutočne dôkladne preštudovali, lebo, ó, brat, mohli by sme to tu rozoberať šesť mesiacov (vidíte?) a nikdy by sme sa nedotkli ani okrajov tejto témy. Vidíte?
22 Všimnite si, že keď bol označený, odišiel z Božej prítomnosti, odišiel do zeme Nod a vzal si ženu. Je to typický obraz cirkvi: odíde od Boha a vezme si ženu zo sveta. Chápete? Dávajte pozor. Je to úžasné. Teraz musíme rýchlo prejsť ďalej, aby sme to príliš nepreťahovali.
Zistíme, že potom Kain zabil svojho brata Ábela. A Boh dal Adamovi namiesto Ábela ďalšieho syna, ktorého meno bolo Set. A to bolo znamenie, znamenie od Boha o smrti a vzkriesení. Takže Set nikdy nešiel do krajiny Nod, aby si našiel ženu; Boh mu dal ženu. Ale Kain, so znamením šelmy na sebe, vyšiel a našiel si ženu v krajine Nod, a Set prijal Božiu voľbu. Dokonalý typ dnešnej denominačnej cirkvi, ktorá vychádza von a prijíma čokoľvek. Ale pravá cirkev živého Boha, Kristovo telo, prijíma len to, čo zapečatí Duch Svätý: je to dokonalé. Boh to v cirkvi ustanovil.
23 Čím prišlo znamenie? Čím boli cirkvi označené? Čo bolo znamením? Vieme, že Kain mal znamenie. Tak čo bolo znamením vzkriesenia? To je to, čím je dnes Cirkev označená, znamením Ducha Svätého, že Kristus nie je mŕtvy, ale vstal z mŕtvych a bol prijatý do cirkvi. Vidíte, zapečatenie Jeho cirkvi, tam to začína práve tými dvoma chlapcami práve tam v záhrade Eden, hneď za hranicami záhrady.
Znak šelmy... Tulák, utečenec, nevie, kam ide, nevie, kde je – čo vie, nevie, čo vlastne chce. Je to utečenec.
24 Ale Set zostal doma. A on bol so svojím otcom. A Boh mu dal ženu. Tam sa začína ten rodokmeň. A ak by ste to chceli raz vysledovať... Radšej to nechám tak. Len vám to chcem dokázať znova a znova a znova a znova. Tak, veru. To je pravda, tam to začalo. Niektorí ľudia si myslia, že v raji vzali jablká a zjedli ich. A zrazu to bol prvý hriech. Ach, brat môj. Poviem vám niečo; nehovorím to zo žartu; nie je to miesto na žarty: Ale ak jedenie jabĺk spôsobí, že si ženy uvedomia, že sú nahé, radšej by sme im mali znova tie jablká podávať. Myslím si to. Myslím si, že by sme to mali robiť.
Neboli to jablká; to všetci vieme. Nie, sme v zmiešanom publiku a uvedomujeme si, čo to bolo. A vidíme, čo to spôsobilo. Teraz zistíme, že to bolo...
25 Znamenie je rozlíšenie. Robí rozdiel; oddeľuje niečo. Ale ako... Poviete, že proti tebe svedčí jedna vec [v angl. “a mark against you”, rovnaké slovo, ako použité pri znamení, značke - pozn.prekl.], jedno znamenie. Ale nikdy ste nepovedali, že máte proti sebe jednu pečať; máte proti sebe jednu vec [“značku”]. A pečať je znakom vlastníctva. Značka, znamenie je rozlíšením. A cirkev je zapečatená Duchom Svätým, čo ukazuje vlastníctvo; Boh vlastní cirkev. Ale znamenie šelmy je neposlušná osoba, vyvrheľ, ktorý odmietol prijať Bohom poskytnutú cestu a ísť ňou.
Kain, hneď ako bol označený, bol poslaný preč. To chápeme. Ábel zomrel a Set, ktorý vstal, aby zaujal jeho miesto, bol znamením vzkriesenia. V poriadku.
26 Zistili sme, že tieto dve veci, znamenie a pečať, začínajú v Genesis, prechádzajú celou Bibliou a končia v Zjavení. Máme tu aj verš, ktorý hovorí o tom, že to, čo začalo v Genesis, končí v Zjavení; vždy to bolo v tej či onej forme prítomné.
Ako som kázal minule večer o krvnej obeti, obeti Krvi. O Babylone sa hovorí v Genesis, na začiatku Biblie. O Babylone sa hovorí uprostred Biblie, o Babylone sa hovorí na konci Biblie. Začína to v Genesis a prechádza to až do Zjavenia. Všetko začína – tie dva duchy...
27 Pozrite, my... venujme tomu chvíľku. Aj v arche bola holubica a vrana. Jedna – obidve sú vtáky, obidve vedeli lietať, obidve... Viete, že vrana je pokrytec. Je, je to len špinavý pokrytec. Takže vrana sa môže posadiť tam na starého mŕtveho koňa a len žrať, krákať, mávať krídlami a užívať si to. Tá chudinka holubica sa k tomu nemôže ani len priblížiť. Prečo? Nemá žiadnu žlč. Vidíte? Nemohla by to stráviť. Keby to zjedla, zomrela by. Ale vrana si tam môže sadnúť a pol dňa žrať mŕtveho koňa, vyjsť na pole a vrátiť sa domov a zjesť večeru s pšenicou, s vranou – s holubicou. Je to len starý pokrytec, to je všetko. Všimli ste si niekedy, že holubica nemá žlč horkosti? Ani nikto, kto je pokrstený Duchom Svätým. Všetka horkosť je preč. Obaja boli v tej istej arche, ako pokrytec a skutočný veriaci v tej istej cirkvi, tej istej denominácii, sedeli spolu, na tej istej lavici, sedeli spolu.
28 Chcem, aby ste si všimli ešte jednu vec. Ó, rád hovorím o prírode. Holubica, vedeli ste, že holubicu nikdy neuvidíte, ako sa kúpe? Prečo? Nemusí. Má vo vnútri olej, ktorý vyteká cez jej perie a udržuje ju stále čistú. Taká je skutočná cirkev; nemusí sa kúpať a vrátiť sa k tomu či onomu. Ale oni majú olej, svätý Olej vo vnútri, každý veriaci, ktorý ho udržuje čistého od vecí tohto sveta. Ach, keby sme mohli niekedy kázať o Baránkovi a Holubici. Duch Svätý vo vnútri veriaceho ho udržuje čistého. Nie zvonku, čo si umyje, ale prichádza to zvnútra von. Amen.
Mnoho ľudí hovorí, „Dnes musím ísť a vyznať sa, musím povedať to a to a musím ísť vyznať sa. Musím to urobiť.“ Ale viete, Duch Svätý vo vnútri neustále pôsobí tým olejom, zmierením, a udržuje veriaceho čistého. „Lebo teraz už nieto odsúdenia tým, ktorí sú v Kristu Ježišovi, ktorí nechodia podľa tela, ale podľa Ducha.“
29 Ako sa do toho dostaneme? Jedným potrasením ruky? Nie. Jedným papierom? Jednou denomináciou? Nie. Ale jedným Duchom sme všetci pokrstení do jedného tela, oslobodení od súdu. Boh už to telo odsúdil. Boh ho odsúdil na Kalvárii; už viac nebude musieť byť súdené. „Kto počúva Moje Slovo a verí v Toho, ktorý ma poslal, má večný život.“ Neexistujú dve formy večného života, je len jedna. „Má večný život a neprijde na súd, ale prešiel zo smrti do života.“ „Keď uvidím krv, prejdem, preskočím vás.“ Ó, to mi spôsobuje, že by som chcel kričať.
Prečo? Oslobodený od hriechu. To je pravda. Kto sa narodil z Boha, nehreší, nemôže hrešiť. Božie semeno zostáva v ňom; nemôže hrešiť. Nemôžem byť stále pod Obeťou za hriech a potom byť hriešnikom, to nemôžete. Nikdy ste nevideli hriešneho svätého. Nikdy ste nevideli čierneho bieleho vtáka alebo opitého triezveho muža. Nie, veru. Si buď hriešnik, alebo svätý; to je všetko. A ak si v Kristovi, je tu krvná Obeť zmierenia po celý deň, volajúca, „Otče, odpusť im; oni nevedia, čo robia.“ Ó, potom si môžete byť istí. Amen, to sa mi páči. Je to tam tak krásne, ako nás Duch Svätý pečatí.
30 Všimnite si, vrana, holubica. Pozrime sa na Kaina a Ábela. To nebolo nič iné ako Judáš a Ježiš. Určite. Pozrime sa na dym. Keď Kain zabil Ábela pri oltári, Kain... Ak je spravodlivosť všetko, čo Boh vyžaduje, alebo byť fundamentalistom... To som vždy hovoril o tých dvoch triedach ľudí. Stretávam sa s fundamentalistami a letničnými. Fundamentalisti sa pozerajú na veci z pozície svojho vzdelania; vedia, kde stoja, ale nemajú vieru. Letniční majú vieru, ale nevedia, kým sú. Vidíte? Ako som povedal, niekto má peniaze v banke, ale nevie vypisovať šeky. Iný vie vypísať šek, ale nemá v banke žiadne peniaze. Dajte ich dokopy.
Teraz vidíme, že letniční sú tí, ktorí majú vieru. Veria, ale... Sú plní ohňa. Sú plní Ducha Svätého, ale nevedia, ako sa usadiť na tom Slove a povedať, „Tak hovorí Pán.” Všetko to vyfúkajú cez píšťalku s výkrikmi, krikom a behaním. Keby to niekedy dokázali zachytiť, videli by ste cirkev stáť na nohách v moci a sláve. Za tým by bola napísaná kniha Skutkov.
Teraz si všimnite... Áno, nemyslel som tým, že oni... Prejavujú to radosťou namiesto moci, viery. Držte sa toho a verte tomu. Je to Božie Slovo, zostaňte pri ňom.
31 Pozrite sa na Kaina, prišiel a priniesol obeť, postavil oltár, patril do cirkvi, patril do denominácie, kľakol pri oltári a modlil sa, uctieval Boha, dal desiatok. Ak je to všetko, čo Boh vyžaduje, Kain bol rovnako ospravedlnený ako Ábel. Ale vidíte, celé tajomstvo bolo to zjavenie. V tom je problém; ľudia nechápu, že celá cirkev živého Boha je postavená na duchovnom zjavení Krista. Ježiš to povedal v Matúšovi 16. „Blahoslavený si, Šimon, syn Jonášov: telo a krv ti to nezjavili, ale Môj Otec, ktorý je v nebesiach. A ty si Šimon, na tejto skale postavím Svoju cirkev.“ Keď duchovné zjavenie Ježiša Krista... A On je Slovo. „Na počiatku bolo Slovo, a to Slovo bolo u Boha, a to Slovo bolo Boh. A to Slovo sa stalo Telom a prebývalo medzi nami.“ A keď to Slovo vstúpi do vás, Ono je ostrejšie ako dvojsečný meč, dokonca rozoznáva myšlienky a úmysly srdca. Tu prichádza Slovo. Zjavenie každého Božieho Slova je pravdivé. Zaves svoju dušu na akúkoľvek jeho fázu: zjavenie.
Ó, mám rád tieto veci. Myslím si, že to nastavuje cirkev do polohy, kde by ste mohli mať uzdravujúce zhromaždenie. Vidíte? Boh to povedal; tým je to vybavené; to je... to je všetko. Boh to povedal; len pri tom zostaňte.
32 V tých dňoch nebola Biblia, takže to muselo byť zjavované Ábelovi. Hebrejom 11 hovorí, „Vierou Ábel priniesol Bohu lepšiu obeť ako Kain,” svedčiac o ňom, že bol spravodlivý.
Tak Kain povedal, „Myslím, že moja matka zjedla nejaké jablká a musela si obliecť šaty.“ Ale Ábel vedel, že to bola krv, život. Stalo sa niečo zlé. A on obetoval krv baránka.
Vidím ho, ako prichádza s týmto malým baránkom... Ach, Satanov oltár bol oveľa krajší ako Ábelov. Mal ovocie a kvety, všetko bolo pekné.
Ale to je to, čo sa snažím povedať cirkvi. Sestra, nemusíš mať manikúru a byť celá vyparádená a nosiť šaty ako tá pani vedľa, aby si bola v poriadku s Bohom. Nemusíte mať cirkev, v ktorej sú lavice za tisíc dolárov a píšťalové organy, ktoré stoja niekoľko miliónov dolárov, a všetky tieto honosné veci. To pochádza z pekla. To je pravda. Môžem to dokázať Bibliou. To je pravda.
33 Kain si myslel tieto veci, „Ponúknem tieto veci.“ Ale predstavujem si, že Ábelova obeť nebola až taká dobrá. V tých dňoch pravdepodobne nemali konope, takže musel mať okolo krku toho malého starého baránka omotanú ratolesť z viniča, priviedol ho tam a položil ho na skalu. Vtedy nemal kopiju ani nôž, takže musel vziať... kúsok skaly, odtiahnuť mu tú malú hlavičku dozadu a začať mu sekať ten malý krk. A keď začal bečať a kopať a krv sa mu rozlievala po celom tele, krvácal, bečal, umieral na skale...
Čo to symbolizovalo? O štyritisíc rokov neskôr, Baránok Boží, zabitý na skale vekov, krvácajúci, bečiaci, hovoriaci v jazykoch, keď umieral na Golgote. „Ó, drahý umierajúci Baránok, Tvoja drahocenná Krv nikdy nestratí Svoju moc, kým nebude celá vykúpená Božia cirkev spasená, aby už viac nehrešila.“ Naše vzdelávacie programy, denominačné programy nebudú znamenať to [brat Branham luskne prstami – pozn.prekl.]; na to bude potrebná Krv Ježiša Krista a nič iné. Áno.
34 Pozrite, ako sa odtiaľ dymí. A pamätajte, veriaci, tu to je. Ábel zomrel na tej istej skale so svojím baránkom. Každý veriaci musí urobiť to isté: zomrieť na skale so svojím baránkom. Baránok nemá nič iné, len vlnu. A musí sa vzdať všetkého, čo má. Nerobí okolo toho žiadny rozruch. Vezmeš toho malého chlapíka a hodíš ho tam hore, ako som povedal, baránok je tichý pred svojimi strihačmi. Je ostrihaný. Nerobí okolo toho žiadny rozruch. Jediné, čo má, to ochotne obetuje.
A to sa nazývame kresťanmi. Nedávno mi niekto napísal krátky list – takú malú poznámku, a nie je to smiešne? Mám to tam zapísané – v ktorej stálo, „Mám na to právo; som americký občan; nosím akékoľvek oblečenie, aké chcem.“ Len do toho, v poriadku. To len dokazuje, že si kozol. Presne tak. Len si ich pokojne nos, ak chceš. Ale pamätaj, ak si baránok, máš na to právo, ale svojich práv sa vzdávaš pre Krista. Aj ja mám právo sa dnes večer opiť; som americký občan. Mám právo fajčiť cigarety; som americký občan. Vy tiež, ale my sa svojich práv vzdávame. Zbavte sa tých vecí. Správajte sa ako páni, ako dámy, obliekajte sa tak, správajte sa tak a žite tak. Vzdajte sa svojich práv.
35 Pozrite sa na dym stúpajúci z oltára, stúpa priamo hore a usádza sa na Golgote. Tak, ako Kain zabil Ábela pri oltári, Judáš zabil Ježiša pri oltári. Správne.
Všimnite si znova, vidíte len tri kríže, však? Boli štyri, štyri kríže. V strede bol Ježiš, na jednej strane zlodej a na druhej strane zlodej, a Judáš sa obesil na platane. A Ježiš tiež visel na strome. „Prekliaty je ten, kto visí na strome.“ A On sa stal prekliatím za nás. Judáš bol na kríži rovnako ako On, lebo bol na strome. Ježiš bol na strome rovnako ako Judáš. „Prekliaty je ten, kto visí na strome.“
Pozrite sa sem. Bol tam Syn Boží: Boh sa zjavil, zostúpil z neba, vrátil sa späť do neba a vzal so sebou kajúcneho hriešnika. A bol tam Judáš, syn zatratenia, prišiel z pekla, vrátil sa späť do pekla, vzal so sebou nekajúcneho hriešnika a vrátil sa späť. Ó, je to krásne.
Tak, ako Boh otvoril bok Adama v raji a vybral časť, aby stvoril nevestu, tak Boh otvoril bok Ježiša na Golgote a vybral Nevestu z Jeho boku. Ó, to je krásne. Na kríži, ako to je, a ako tie dva duchy, ako vystupujú cez Kaina, Ábela: vrana, holubica.
A pozrite, zamyslime sa znova, Kain, keď odišiel do zeme Nod, našiel si ženu. A zistíme, že tá žena... Mám tam zapísané miesto Písma; teraz sa tým nebudem zaoberať.
36 Pozrite sa na Izrael. Izrael, keď odtiaľ odišiel, ako dva viniče, vidíme, ako sa to dvíha. Vždy to tak bolo. Pozrite, tu prichádza Izrael na svojej ceste do zasľúbenej zeme, tak, ako je to dnes s cirkvou. Koho stretol? Stretol Moába. A poslal k svojmu bratovi a povedal, „Môžeme prejsť cez tvoju zem? Ak náš dobytok zje nejakú trávu, zaplatíme za to. Ak vypije nejakú vodu, zaplatíme za to.“ A on to odmietol.
Teraz sa pozrite sem. Bol tu Izrael, malá skupina medzidenominačných ľudí, putujúcich po krajine, bez miesta, kde by sa mohli usadiť, ale boli na ceste domov. Moáb bol usadený s hodnostármi, zaradený medzi národy sveta.
37 Všimnite si, čo sa stalo. Izrael mal pravú krvnú líniu. Spomeňte si, ako sa Balám pokúsil takýmto spôsobom priviesť ich k sobášu, a musel vyslať tie ženy a všetko. Učenie Baláma, doktrína Baláma…
Všimnite si, bol tam Moáb, ktorý veril v toho istého Boha, v ktorého veril Izrael. Lebo čo to bolo? Ďalšia nelegitímna, nesprávna manželka, Lotovo dieťa s jeho dcérou. Presne tak, ako sú dnes nenarodené cirkvi, prirodzená cirkev je cirkev sveta, ktorá pácha duchovné smilstvo so svetom a nežije verne Bohu. Veľmi pekný typ...
38 Všimnite si, fundamentálne... Môj fundamentálny brat, ja nie som... Nechcem ťa príliš silno štipnúť, ale chcem, aby si to pocítil. Všimnite si, tu prichádza biskup, Balám. A on tam vystúpil a kráľ povedal, „Zostúp a prekľaj tento ľud.“ Povedal, „Nechcem ich tu; nemôžu tu mať žiadne zhromaždenia s uzdravovaním. Veď oni stále hovoria o uzdravovaní,“ a povedal, „Majú tam dolu medeného hada, na ktorého sa všetci pozerajú a uzdravujú sa. A hovoria, že jedia mannu z neba, ja som nič také nevidel. Ach, je to kopa nezmyslov.“ A povedal, „Chcem, aby si prišiel dolu a preklial ich. Nechceme, aby sa niečo také miešalo do našich denominácií tu. Tak ich drž mimo.“
Všimnite si, bol rovnako fundamentalistický ako Izrael. Postavil sedem oltárov, sedem obetí, sedem baranov, presne tak, ako to robili v tábore Izraela (vidíte?), presne tie isté obete. Ale to, čo Balám nedokázal vidieť, bola tá udretá skala, ten medený had, výkrik Kráľa v tábore. Nevidel ten Ohnivý Stĺp, ktorý išiel pred nimi.
39 Tak je to aj dnes. Povedzme, „Patríte k tým letničným. Je to banda svätuškárskych fanatikov.” Kedysi boli, ale už nie sú. Ale oni... oni k nim patria, ale nevideli ten Ohnivý Stĺp. Tak, aby si boli istí, že ho uvidia, máme jeho vedecky dokázanú fotografiu. Amen. Áno. Nepoznali Ohnivý Stĺp, výkrik v tábore, že medzi nami je Kráľ (Amen.), Kráľ Ježiš. Nepoznajú to. Nepoznali to krvné zmierenie. Hovoria, „Poznám jedného letničného, ktorý ušiel s cudzou ženou.” Poznám baptistov a presbyteriánov, ktorí urobili to isté, katolíkov a všetkých. To je pravda. Takže čo platí pre jedného, platí aj pre druhého. Hrniec nemôže volať kanvicu čiernou. Všetci sme ľudia a podliehame všetkým tým veciam medzi našimi ľuďmi. Ale Boh s nami zaobchádza ako s jednotlivcami, nech sme ktokoľvek. Takže letničné požehnanie je správne.
40 Všimnite si, Izrael a Moáb; teraz je to rovnaké. Zistili sme, že cirkev prijíma... ľudia idú a prijímajú denomináciu a vnášajú tam čokoľvek, čo chcú. Len povedia, „No, ak prídeš a dáš sa pokrstiť v našej cirkvi a postavíš sa a povieš, že veríš v Ježiša, Syna Božieho, potom ťa pokrstíme v cirkvi a zapíšeme tvoje meno do knihy.“
Viete, že aj diabol verí? Samozrejme, že verí. Vysvetlil som vám to minule večer, je to, ako keby ste sa pokúšali ponoriť starú korytnačku. Nič to s ňou neurobilo; vôbec jej to nepomohlo. Bol potrebný oheň, aby sa pohla. A tak to je aj s dnešnou cirkvou: je potrebné trochu Ducha Svätého a ohňa, aby sa pohla.
Ale pamätajte, Duch Svätý neprijme nečistého človeka do Svojho – Tela Kristovho. To ukazuje, že Telo Kristovo nie je denominácia. Lebo je to tajomné Telo Kristovo. A jedným Duchom sme všetci do Neho pokrstení. Myslím, že berieme ženy, mužov a vedieme ich do vody, aby sme ich pokrstili. A prichádzame k tomu, že ak nie sú vo svojom srdci naozaj Kresťanmi, nemali by sme ich krstiť.
Pred nejakým časom som išiel s jednou ženou k rieke, bola to skupina ľudí. Jedna žena vyšla von; vystúpila z auta a prešla cez cestu, upravovala si vlasy a povedala, „Ideš ma tam priviesť a namočiť, brat Branham?“
Povedal som, „Nie, nie si hodná toho, aby si tam išla.“ To je pravda. Chystali sa spievať v cirkvi a nejaká dievčina, ona... nemala dosť peňazí na to, aby si dala urobiť taký účes, aký chcela mať, aby mohla vystúpiť na pódium a spievať. A jej chudobná stará mama prala na valche, aby jej ten účes mohla zaplatiť. Keď som to zistil, nedovolil som jej spievať. Povedal som, „Nie si hodná spievať tam hore.” To by malo zostať čisté. To je dnes s cirkvami problém, porušenie a podobné veci, rovno od kazateľne až po suterén. To je pravda. Vydrhnite to. To je pravda. Potrebujeme v cirkvi znova staromódnu drôtenú kefu.
41 Ako keď raz ordinovali jedného černošského brata a starší, čo tam stáli, povedali, „Pane, zabaľ ho do vrecoviny, polej ho petrolejom a zapáľ ho pre Evanjelium.“ To je to, čo dnes potrebujeme: oheň. Potom ho pusťte a nech beží.
Používali sme to na značkovanie teliat. Vzali sme teľa, viem, že ste už mnohých chytili a zviazali, predpokladám. Značkovali sme ich. Niekto mi povedal, „Nie je ti hanba, že berieš to horúce železo a vtláčaš mu ho do boku?“
„Nie.“ Priložil som mu ho na bok. Mal záchvat kopania, to áno. Vrieskal a bučal; keď ho pustili, mal kŕče, naozaj utekal. Ale od tej chvíle sme vedeli, komu patrí (To je pravda.), pokiaľ len bude žiť. A poviem ti, brat, treba veľa milosti, aby si prišiel k oltáru a zostal tam, kým Duch Svätý do teba nevtlačí pečať. Môžeš kričať, plakať a správať sa divne, ale od tej chvíle vieš, kam patríš. To je pravda. Lebo si v Božom kráľovstve zapečatený Duchom Svätým. To je tá pečať.
42 Pamätajte, Duch Svätý prišiel zapečatiť tých, ktorých Boh vopred poznal. To je pravda. To je pravda. Ježiš jednoducho neprišiel a nepovedal, „Zomriem; možno sa niekto zľutuje, pozrie sa na Mňa a povie, 'No, asi áno.' Možno, ak si pomyslia, že som toľko trpel, zlomí im to srdce a prídu.“ Nie, nie. Tak či tak neprídete. Nemôžete povedať prasaťu, že robí zle, keď sa kŕmi na hnoji. Ak by vedelo hovoriť, rýchlo by vám povedalo, „Ja sa starám o svoje veci; ty sa staraj o svoje.” Rozumiete?
Je potrebné obrátenie. Boh to musí urobiť. Nikto nepríde k Ježišovi, ak ho najprv nepritiahne Boh. Je potrebné pôsobenie Ducha Svätého, aby sa tvoje srdce obrátilo. Je potrebný Boh. Niekto povedal, „Hľadal som Boha a hľadal som Boha.” Nie, nie, nie. Boh hľadal teba, nie ty si hľadal Boha. Boh ťa hľadá.
43 Dobre, Duch Svätý neprijme len tak hocijakú ženu za manželku, neprijme niekoho, kto fajčí, a niekoho, kto pije, a niekoho, kto žije nemorálne, a niekoho, kto sa zaoberá všetkými možnými svetskými vecami, lebo On povedal, „Ak milujete svet, veci sveta, láska Božia vo vás ani nie je.“ Ale Duch Svätý prišiel, aby vpečatil do toho Tela manželku Ježiša Krista, ktorú On poznal ešte pred založením sveta. Keď On... Keďže je Bohom v predzvedení, mohol vidieť, kto Ho prijme a kto nie. Takže Duch Svätý prišiel, aby si vzal takúto Nevestu. To je tá, ktorú prijíma. Ale cirkev hovorí, „Ó...“
44 Zvyčajne sme spievali takú malú pieseň, dúfam, že to neznie ako svätokrádež. Mali sme malú pieseň, ktorú sme spievali, „'Poďte a jedzte,' volá Pán.“ Mali sme malú pieseň a trochu sme ju pozmenili, odpustite mi, ak vás tým nejako pohorším. Hovorilo sa...
„Poďte a pripojte sa,“ volá pastor,
„Poďte a pripojte sa“;
Môžete mať kedykoľvek svoje zmrzlinové večere;
rozprávať nemravné vtipy,
žuvať a fajčiť,
Ó, pastor volá na zbor:
„Príďte a pridajte sa.“ (Namiesto „Príďte a navečerajte sa.“)
Aký to je rozdiel. Berú muža, pokiaľ má trochu peňazí a môže prispievať, dajú ho do rady diakonov, a hoci má dve alebo tri ženy, dajú ho tam tak či tak, lebo je to vplyvný muž v meste. Je mi jedno, či ho mesto nenávidí; chcem, aby bol vplyvný v nebi, kde je Duch Svätý, kde môže mať nejaký vplyv medzi ľuďmi. Ale je to len „príďte a pridajte sa“. Všetko...
Pred časom som sa spýtal jednej dievčiny, „Si kresťanka?“
A ona povedala, „Dávam ti na vedomie, že som Američanka.“ Akoby to s tým malo niečo spoločné. Bola vo Švajčiarsku. Akoby to s tým malo niečo spoločné.
Brat Bosworth povedal, že sa raz spýtal jednej ženy a ona odpovedala, „Dám ti na vedomie, že každý večer zapálim sviečku.“ Akoby to malo niečo spoločné s kresťanstvom: zapáliť každý večer sviečku. Musíš sa do toho narodiť, do Božieho kráľovstva.
45 Teraz nachádzame tie duchy. Pozrite. Práve v čase, keď sa na scéne objavil Ježiš, objavil sa na scéne Judáš. Práve v čase, keď Ježiš odišiel zo scény, v ten istý deň, Ježiš aj Judáš obaja odišli zo scény. Približne v čase, keď sa na scéne objavil Duch Svätý, čo sa stalo? Na scéne sa objavil antikrist. Ján to hovorí, povedal, „Deti, nenechajte sa tým oklamať,“ povedal, „antikrist už pôsobí vo svete.” Vidíte? Neprichádza to v týchto posledných dňoch; už vtedy to tam bolo. Vždy to tam bolo.
46 A teraz pozor: práve v čase, keď sa antikrist teraz vyvyšuje a vťahuje všetky cirkvi, dokonca aj naše letničné, do tej veľkej márnice tam, viete, do tých zjednotených cirkví... Rozumiete, čo mám na mysli. Počul som, že niektoré z našich letničných organizácií sa do toho zapájajú. Hmmm. Ako ďaleko sa len môžete dostať od Božieho Ducha, keď začnete blúdiť. Stačí, keď z tej úzkej cesty len odskočíte, a budete sa ďalej šmýkať preč. To je pravda. Musíte sa vrátiť tam, kde ste skončili. To je pravda.
Konfederácia cirkví, ktorá vytvorí obraz šelmy... A to všetci vieme. Vidíte? Všetko sa práve teraz deje tak, aby sa všetky cirkvi spojili, aby sme sa zjednotili v boji proti komunizmu. Nebojte sa komunizmu; to nebude tá vec, proti ktorej budeme bojovať.
Sú tri opony. Hovorím to v Mene Pánovom; nezabudnite na to. Existuje železná opona, bambusová opona a purpurová opona. Dávajte pozor na tú purpurovú oponu. Sledujte ju.
47 Ach, ako teraz vidíme, ako sa antikrist začína odhaľovať a uchopuje moc v národe. Dokonca si volia svojho vlastného človeka, ostatné cirkvi sa s ním spájajú a vytvárajú jednu veľkú cirkevnú hlavu. Všetci anglikánski biskupi... teraz idú do Ríma, aby sa poradili s pápežom, po prvýkrát za stovky rokov. Ach, všetko to naberá na obrátkach. A my, protestanti, ustupujeme, viete, a... No, tu to máte (vidíte?); len pokračujte. Lebo to už vychladlo. My to nezastavíme; to sa nezastaví; bude to ešte horšie. Je to... Biblia to hovorí, že... Vieme, že letničná cirkev v posledných dňoch je cirkevným vekom Laodicey, ktorá je vlažná a Boh ju vypľuje zo Svojich úst, je Mu z nej zle. On ju jednoducho nemôže zniesť, takú, aká je.
48 Teraz poďme ďalej a vezmime si niektoré z týchto pečatí a rozoberme si ich počas nasledujúcich pár minút. Prejdeme to teraz. Ak si zapisujete miesta Písma, poďme do 9. kapitoly Ezechiela. A zistíme, že prorok predpovedal prvý príchod cirkvi. Zistíme, že prorok videl, pozrel hore na vyššie brány a povedal, „Videli ste niekedy niečo takéto?“ A z vyšších brán vyšli štyria muži s vražednými zbraňami v rukách. [Prázdne miesto na páske – pozn.prekl.]... prečítajte si 9. kapitolu Ezechiela.
Pamätajte si, že to zabíjanie bolo určené len pre Jeruzalem. „Prejdite mestom.“
Ale skôr, než prešli mestom, zistili, že sa stala ďalšia vec. Prišiel nejaký Muž v bielom s kalamárom pri boku, kalamárom pisára. A povedal, „Zastavte týchto ostatných mužov, aby nevošli do mesta, kým najprv ten Muž oblečený v bielom s kalamárom pisára neprejde mestom Jeruzalem a neoznačí pečaťou tých, ktorí vzdychajú a plačú nad ohavnosťami, ktoré sa dejú v meste.“ Ten, čo mal pri boku kalamár, bol Duch Svätý. Všimnite si, že keď prešiel, potom týchto mužov s vražednými zbraňami pustil. Povedal, „Úplne zničte všetkých, mladých, starých, mladé dievčatá, malé deti; nič nešetrite; ale nepribližujte sa k nikomu z tých, ktorí majú na sebe tú pečať.“ Všimnite si to.
49 Kedy sa to stalo? Bolo to v ranej letničnej cirkvi, keď Duch Svätý prešiel a označil cirkev. Všimnite si, ako história – ak ste niekedy čítali spisy Jozefa Flavia, keď písal o veľkej bitke okolo roku 96. Keď všetci ľudia... Keď prišiel Ježiš, vykonal znamenia Mesiáša a dokázal, že je Mesiáš. Potom, čo odišiel, prešiel do slávy, poslal späť Ducha Svätého a pomazal apoštolov. Vyšli a robili tie isté znamenia, aké robil On. Mali moc Pána. Hovorili v jazykoch; kričali. Naplnil ich mocný víchor. A vyšli s takou horlivosťou, až zapálili mestá Duchom Svätým. A čo urobili? Vysmievali sa im. Smiali sa na nich. To je pravda. Ježiš povedal, „Ak hovoríte proti Mne, odpustím vám. Ale keď príde Duch Svätý, ani jedno slovo proti Nemu nebude nikdy odpustené.“ A spečatili si svoj večný osud, keď sa vysmievali ľuďom, ktorí boli naplnení Duchom Svätým.
50 Ježiš im povedal, „Teraz príde čas...“ Teraz si musíte všimnúť, že tam bolo toľko učiteľov, ktorí položili Ježišovi tri rôzne otázky v Matúšovi 24. On odpovedal na každú z nich. To je dôvod, prečo vidíte adventistov siedmeho dňa s tým, „Modlite sa, aby váš útek nebol v sobotu,“ v deň sabatu alebo v zime. Pýtal sa ich, „Kedy sa tieto veci stanú? Aké bude znamenie príchodu, konca sveta?“ A oni mu položili tri rôzne otázky. A on to vysvetlil presne tak, ako sa ho tam pýtali. A stalo sa to; história ukazuje, že je to pravda.
Čo by to znamenalo... Aký by to bol rozdiel, keby váš útek, útek z mesta, bol v deň sabatu? Vtedy boli brány mesta v deň sabatu zatvorené. Aký by to bol teraz rozdiel? Ukázalo sa, že to nebolo globálne, lebo na jednom mieste bolo leto a na inom zima. „Modlite sa, aby váš útek nebol v zime ani v sobotu.“ Lebo v ten deň... Boli varovaní, povedal, „Nech tí, čo sú v Jeruzaleme, utekajú do Judey.” Judea bola v zime zasnežená. „Modlite sa, aby váš útek nebol v zime ani v sobotu.“
51 Ale keď prišiel Titus a oni videli... Ježiš im povedal, „Keď uvidíte Jeruzalem obkľúčený vojskami, nech ten, kto je na poli, sa nevracia po svoj plášť. Ale bežte do judských vrchov tak rýchlo, ako len môžete. Rýchlo odtiaľ odíďte!“ Lebo sa budú rúhať Duchu Svätému. A ak sa budú rúhať Duchu Svätému, prijmú znamenie šelmy a nezostane nič iné ako skaza. Tí Židia, keď videli, že sa blíži nešťastie, povedali, „Teraz sa zhromaždíme v meste, v dome Pánovom, a budeme sa modliť.“ Neznie to ozaj nábožne, tak pokorne? Ó, Satan to vie spraviť, aby to tak skutočne vyzeralo. Iste.
Ale pamätajte, Josephus povedal, že tí ľudia, ktorí boli kanibali, povedali, „Je tu banda, ktorá nasleduje Ježiša z Nazaretu, ktorý chodil a uzdravoval chorých.” Povedali, „Pilát ho zabil a oni ukradli jeho telo, odniesli ho niekam, rozrezali ho a zjedli. Boli to kanibali.” To, čo robili, bola komúnia, telo Pánovo. Vidíte? A on povedal, „Nikto z nich nebol stratený, lebo vyrazili do Judey, presne tak, ako im to prikázalo Písmo, tak, ako im to prikázal Ježiš.“
52 Ale tí Židia, všetci išli do Jeruzalema a povedali, „Teraz sa zhromaždíme v dome Pánovom a veľký Jehova, ktorý bol vždy s nami, zostúpi a vyženie Títove vojská; urobí to.“ Ale čo urobili? Zhrešili proti Duchu Svätému. Vysmievali sa pôsobeniu moci Ducha Svätého. Ježiša Krista, ktorý konal a ukazoval im, že je ich Mesiášom, nazývali Belzebúbom, nazývali Ho diablom, hovorili Mu, že je to nejaká telepatia, hovorili, že je diabol, a že skutky, ktoré konal, boli skutkami diabla. Sami si to na seba priviedli.
Teraz, brat, len počkaj; dnes večer na to nebudeme mať čas, ale zajtra večer to chcem vziať a ukázať ti, že Spojené štáty urobili presne to isté. Dokážem ti to Písmom. Zajtra večer, ak Pán dá, vám ukážem, ako Spojené štáty urobili presne to isté v týchto posledných štyridsiatich rokoch. Vysmievali sa im a nazývali ich svätuškármi, fanatikmi z letničných cirkví a všetkým možným. A Boh s nimi pôsobil znameniami a zázrakmi, a veľké cirkvi vybehli na nich a vysmievali sa im. A teraz, v posledných dňoch, čo sa stalo? Dovoľte mi, aby som vám citoval Písmo. Ste pripravení?
53 Nesúhlasím s mojím drahým bratom Davidom du Plessisom, ktorý tam ide s Dr. McKeeom a všetkými tými veľkými cirkvami. A čo teraz budú...
[Prázdne miesto na páske – pozn.prekl.]
[Prázdne miesto na páske – pozn.prekl.]... teraz. Ó, presbyteriáni hovoria, „Potrebujeme hovoriacich v jazykoch. Potrebujeme, aby prijali krst Duchom Svätým. Potrebujeme božských uzdraviteľov“ a všetko také. Prečo to neprijali pred štyridsiatimi rokmi, keď to vyšlo, namiesto toho, aby si z toho robili žarty? Nikdy to neurobia. Sú mŕtvi. Sú to denominácie a každá denominácia je mŕtva. Presne tak. Nikdy viac už nepovstane. Žiadna denominácia už nikdy viac nepovstane. Zhromaždenia, mali ste svoj deň. Jednota, mali ste svoj deň. Foursquare, mali ste svoj deň, čas pani McPhersonovej. Zhromaždenia starej školy mali svoj deň. No, čo ste urobili? Vytvorili ste si denomináciu a oddelili ste sa. Nikdy neprijmete denomináciu, lebo to bol v prvom rade katolícky rád, ktorý Boh odsúdil na počiatku; to nikdy neprejde, ani baptisti, ani presbyteriáni, ani nič iné. Ale Boh vytiahne hladné srdce z každej denominácie, z ktorej môže, lebo to je Jeho Telo, ktoré prijme, a ktoré je zapečatené Duchom Svätým.
Prijali znamenie šelmy. Pozrite sa na to teraz, letničná cirkev ukázala svoju pravú tvár. Teraz je vyvrhnutá. Ježiš je vonku, klope [Brat Branham klope na kazateľnicu – pozn.prekl.], snaží sa vojsť. Čo to klope? Práve to mesiášske klopanie a všetko ostatné, a oni Ho stále odmietajú. Určite to robia.
54 Ale čo sa stalo? V akom dni žijeme? Ó, môj brat, v akom čase žijeme? Nemyslite si, že som blázon. Dúfam, že nie som. Ak som blázon, nechajte ma na pokoji; takto sa cítim lepšie, ako som sa cítil predtým. Ale počúvajte. Počúvajte. Hovorím vám, môj brat a sestra, čo je to znamenie? Je to znamenie, že sme v čase konca. Čo povedal Ježiš o spiacich pannách? Ó, nazývate tie cirkvi pannami? Presne tak, ako bol Kain, úplne to isté. Uctievajú. Ale spiaca panna nemala vo svojej lampe olej. Je to tak? Takže keď zistila, že je neskoršie, ako si myslela, komunizmus ju prekvapil, povedala, „Ó, dajte nám trochu oleja. Ako získate tohto Ducha Svätého?“
„Choď si ho kúpiť od toho, kto ho predáva.“
55 A pamätajte, práve v tom čase, keď spiaca panna išla kúpiť olej, vtedy prišiel Ženích. Sláva! Nevidíte to? Ak presbyteriáni a episkopáli a tí ostatní prichádzajú hľadať Ducha Svätého, radšej si nechajte upraviť svoju lampu. Upraviť, očistiť, áno, potrebuje to úpravu. Letniční, mali ste radšej upraviť niektoré lampy. Amen. Nechajte zo seba odstrániť to množstvo tohto sveta. Ste už celkom skorodovaní. Knoty sú v zlom stave. Viete, že knôt je skvelá vec. Vždy som to sledoval. Čo je skutočný Boží knôt – veriaci je knôt. Pozrite, na jednom konci má oheň, tu hore, a druhý koniec je ponorený do oleja, čerpá olej a vytvára oheň. Aká – aká cirkev, aká moc. Čo za miesto na prebývanie. Haleluja!
To isté svetlo Evanjelia, ktoré žiari na východe, žiari na západe. Bude Svetlo v čase večera. Vstaňte, upravte si lampy, Letniční. Odstráňte svet; odstráňte módu sveta; odstráňte veci sveta. Pripravte sa; hodina je blízko.
56 A práve, keď išli po to, čo sa stalo? Čo sa udialo? Vtedy vošiel Ženích. Pozrite, Amerika sa rúhala Duchu Svätému. Vysmievala sa Mu odvtedy, čo sa to objavilo na scéne pred štyridsiatimi alebo päťdesiatimi rokmi. Neustále sa vysmievala. Ostatné cirkvi sa vysmievali. Ukázali sa. Teraz začínajú vystrkovať hlavy a hovoria, „Radi by sme z toho trochu mali.“ Ale práve, keď to idú robiť, je to znamenie, že by sme mali ísť očistiť svoje lampy. Boh povzbudí niektorých kazateľov, ktorí pôjdu čistiť lampy. Hovorím vám, že to, čo dnes potrebujeme, je niečo, čo vyčistí naše lampy, ukáže pravý letničný oheň.
57 Máte starú malú lampu, kde sa uhlík usadzuje na knôte, a to vám lampu celú zadymí. To je to, čo sa s nami deje; máme na lampe príliš veľa uhlíka, príliš veľa uhlíka. Oheň nemôže správne ťahať. Nemôže získať dostatok vzduchu zdola. Potrebujeme dobrú dávku dychu, poriadne vdýchnutie, čerstvý vdych z neba, krst Duchom Svätým znova, a Ducha Svätého, ktorý pôsobí v cirkvi so znameniami a zázrakmi, ktoré ho sprevádzajú, skutočnú Pečať Božiu.
„Niečo ti poviem. Pôjdem do Zborov [Assemblies], a ak sa ku mne nebudú správať správne, pôjdem do Foursquare.“ Ach, máš to zanesené uhlíkom, tvoja sviečka dymí. Očisti si lampu. Priprav sa; sme v čase konca. Ale oni to urobia, niekto to bude kázať. Niekto to povie. Niekde budú takí, ktorí to porozumejú. To je pravda. Neviem, koľko ich bude, lebo je napísané, „Ako bolo za dní Noeho, tak bude aj pri príchode Syna človeka,“ kde bolo zachránených osem duší. Neviem, koľko ich to porozumie, ale budú medzi nimi takí, ktorí si upravia svoje lampy, to je všetko, lebo nastal čas na očistenie lámp.
58 A keď... keď vyšla spiaca panna, ktorá už prijala znamenie šelmy... Poviete, „Znak šelmy, to?“ Áno, naozaj. Tak aj Kain prijal znamenie a odišiel. Čo to bolo? Keď baptistická cirkev, keď letničná cirkev, keď presbyteriánska cirkev prijali znamenie šelmy namiesto toho, aby prijali Ducha Svätého, odišli od Boha a vytvorili si organizáciu. Čo urobili? Vzali si falošnú manželku, falošnú manželku sveta, priviedli namaľované Jezábele a všetko ostatné, s krátkymi vlasmi a v šortkách a sukniach a v hollywoodskom štýle. A kazatelia začali prijímať diakonov s dvomi alebo tromi manželkami a... A muž...
59 Hovoríte, „Vždy hovoríš o našich ženách, o našich ženách.“ Dobre, muži, tak teraz vás poriadne prečešem. Niečo vám poviem. Akýkoľvek muž, ktorý dovolí svojej žene fajčiť cigarety a nosiť šortky, toho si ako muža veľmi nevážim. Je taký zženštilý, že ani nevie, ku komu patrí. Nie je to muž. To je pravda. Ó, haleluja. To je pravda. Je to úbohá náhrada za muža. Ó, možno má 180 cm a váži 90 kg, ale pre mňa nevyzerá ako muž. To ukazuje, kto je šéfom v jeho domácnosti. Ona dupne nohou, „Hneď ti poviem,“ a ty sa skloníš, ako keby si bol nejaké choré mača. Čo sa deje? Potrebujeme...
To, čo dnes potrebujeme, sú muži. Potrebujeme kazateľov Evanjelia. A akýkoľvek kazateľ, ktorý bude stáť za kazateľňou a zdržiavať sa týchto vecí, nemám veľkú vieru v to, že je povolaný Bohom. Správne. Muž, ktorý sa hanbí stáť za kazateľňou a hovoriť Božiu pravdu, keď vie, že je nemorálne, aby si žena strihala vlasy... Biblia... Muž má právo opustiť svoju ženu a rozviesť sa s ňou, keď si strihá vlasy. Tak to hovorí Biblia. Kto je hlavou ženy? Jej manžel. A Biblia hovorí, „Ak si žena ostrihá vlasy, zneucťuje svoju hlavu.“ S nečestnou ženou by sa nemalo žiť. Amen. Ona si odrezáva svoju slávu. A to isté robí aj cirkev. Keď robí to isté, odrezáva si prúd svojej slávy.
Hmm. Ó, Bože, prečo hovorím tieto veci? Ale je to pravda. Nie, my nepotrebujeme... nepotrebujeme kompromisníkov. Potrebujeme mužov a ženy, ktorí budú stáť za spravodlivosťou a pravdou a hovoriť pravdu bez ohľadu na to, čo to je. Amen. Božia pečať...
Očisti svoje lampy, môj brat. Nech svetlo Ducha Svätého opäť svieti, sviežo. Stmieva sa. Ó, je to taký strašný čas. Stmieva sa.
60 Pred nejakým časom som išiel... Priletel som z Dallasu a letel som do Indiany, a prišla búrka a... a lietadlo muselo pristáť v Memphise. A ja… Ubytovali ma v jednom veľkom, krásnom hoteli a povedali mi... Po chvíli mi zavolali a povedali, „Zavoláme vám ráno o siedmej hodine. Príde auto, ktoré vás vyzdvihne.“ Lebo oni... ja som už mal zaplatené cestovné a oni mi na tú noc museli zaplatiť ubytovanie v hoteli. Tak som si sadol a napísal som pár listov svojim priateľom. Nasledujúce ráno som vstal a išiel som na poštu tie listy poslať a išiel som po ulici. Pomyslel som si, „Teraz sa poponáhľam, lebo tá limuzína nás príde vyzdvihnúť v určitom čase.“ A začal som kráčať po ulici, kráčal som naozaj rýchlo, viete. Duch Svätý povedal, „Stoj.“ Rozhliadol som sa a stál tam vysoký írsky policajt, pozrel sem a ja som si pomyslel, „Určite to nebol on, kto to povedal.“ A začal som znova kráčať, a ten Hlas povedal, „Poď nabok.“ A boli tam nejaké rybárske navijaky a veci. Popošiel som takto a pomyslel som si, že budem predstierať, že sa na to pozerám, aby som nebol pred ním podozrivý alebo niečo. Tak som tam prišiel a začal som sa pozerať na tie navijaky a povedal som, „Nebeský Otče, bol si to Ty, kto hovoril?“
On povedal, „Otoč sa, choď na sever a pokračuj v chôdzi.“
Povedal som, „Áno, Otče.“ Jednoducho som začal... Veríte, že deti Božie by mali byť vedené Duchom Božím? To je ten problém s nami, máme lampu tak zadymenú, že už nič nevieme rozoznať. Tu sme boli...
61 Išiel som ďalej. Išiel som a išiel som a išiel som a pomyslel som si, „Ó!” Pozrel som sa, že už je čas, aby išlo lietadlo. A On stále hovoril, „Choď.“ A ja som jednoducho pokračoval v chôdzi. Prešiel som na druhú stranu a dostal som sa do černošskej štvrte. A išiel som tam, no, slnko bolo veľmi vysoko na oblohe. A pomyslel som si, „Ach, lietadlo som už zmeškal. No, ak On povedal, aby som išiel, asi tým myslel, aby som išiel Domov. Tak budem jednoducho ďalej kráčať, nechám si kufor tam.“ Tak som šiel, kufor som mal stále v hoteli a mal som tie listy. Šiel som ďalej. Pomyslel som si, „No, Pane...“
Niečo mi stále hovorilo, „Pokračuj v chôdzi, pokračuj v chôdzi.“ Ja som jednoducho pokračoval v chôdzi; to je jediná vec, ktorú treba robiť. Bez ohľadu na to, ako to vyzerá, jednoducho pokračuj ďalej. Ak Boh povedal, aby si to urobil, jednoducho pokračuj ďalej. Tak sa to robí. Tak sa uzdravíš (vidíte?); jednoducho pokračuj v chôdzi. Povieš, „Včera som nemohol pohnúť prstom ani o toľko; dnes ho môžem pohnúť o toľkoto. Chvála Bohu. Zajtra ho pohnem o toľko a pozajtra o toľko. A potom zrazu zistíš… Len pokračuj v chôdzi. To je všetko, len pokračuj v chôdzi.
62 Potom som sa dostal na druhú stranu Memphisu. A keď som tam prišiel, prechádzal som cez nejakú... veľkú štvrť černošských ľudí, tam boli také drobné staré chatrče. A pomyslel som si, „Čo tu vlastne robím?“ Pomyslel som si, „No, On povedal, aby som pokračoval v chôdzi. Ak by chcel, aby som odbočil iným smerom, povedal by mi to.“ Tak som jednoducho pokračoval v chôdzi. A kráčal som a spieval som si takú malú pieseň, ktorú spievate vy, ľudia z letničnej cirkvi – uvidíme, či si spomeniem na melódiu.
Zišli sa v hornej miestnosti,
všetci sa modlili v Jeho Mene,
pokrstení Duchom Svätým,
a prišla moc do služby;
To, čo urobil pre nich v ten deň,
urobí aj pre teba.
Som tak rád, že môžem povedať, že som jedným z nich.
(Počuli ste to, však? Tak veru.)
Títo ľudia možno nebudú mať múdrosť sveta
ani chválu svetskej slávy,
Avšak oni dostali svoje Letnice,
skrze vieru v Ježišovo Meno;
A teraz rozprávajú široko-ďaleko,
že Jeho moc je stále rovnaká.
Som tak rád, že môžem povedať, že som jedným z nich.
63 Išiel som a spieval si to. Pozrel som sa; videl som nejakú staršiu farebnú ženu, ktorá sa nakláňala cez bránu, takto. A bolo to vysoko hore, a ach, bola krásna jar a voňal zimolez. Vy si myslíte, že kvetiny pomarančovníka voňajú dobre, len počkajte, kým neucítite zimolez tam v Indiane. Takže tam bola... a ona sa tam nakláňala a mala okolo hlavy uviazanú pánsku košeľu, mala veľkú tučnú tvár, viete. A ja som išiel ďalej a pomyslel som si... No, videl som ju tam stáť. Išiel som ďalej. A keď som sa priblížil, začala sa smiať, z očí jej tiekli veľké slzy. Povedal som, „Dobré ráno, teta.“ Tak sme zvyčajne oslovovali farebných ľudí na juhu.
Ona povedala, „Dobré ráno, pán farár.“
Povedal som, „Farár?“ To je kazateľ, viete. Povedal som, „Ako ste vedeli, že som kazateľ?“
Ona povedala, „Vedela som, že prídete.“
Povedal som... zastavil som sa a vrátil som sa; pomyslel som si, „Otče, je to tak? Poslal si ma k tejto čiernej žene?“
64 A ona tam stála a ja som povedal, „Ako ste vedeli, že som kazateľ?“
Ona povedala, „Čítali ste niekedy ten príbeh o sunamitskej žene?“
Povedal som, „Áno, čítal.“
Ona povedala, „Ja som taká žena.“ A povedala, „Nemala som žiadne deti a povedala som Pánovi, že ak mi dá dieťa, tak ho... tak ho vychovám, aby... aby Mu slúžilo.“ A povedala, „Ja... ja som to urobila. Pán mi dal dieťa,“ a povedala, „Prala som na valchách, aby som mu zarobila na živobytie.“ A povedala, „On... on bol taký skvelý chlapec,“ ale povedala, „vydal sa na zlé cesty. Dostal sa do zlej spoločnosti.“ A povedala, „On...“ A ona patrila do letničnej cirkvi. A tak povedala – ona... „Vydal sa na zlé cesty.“ A povedala, „Dostal strašnú pohlavnú chorobu.“ A povedala, „Nevedela som o tom.“ A povedala, „Teraz už pre neho nemôžu nič urobiť.“ Povedala, „Jeho srdce je úplne zničené.“ Povedala, „Leží tam a umiera.“
65 A povedala, „Včera v noci som sa celú noc modlila.“ Povedala, „Už dva dni je v bezvedomí, pán kazateľ.“ A povedala, „Včera v noci som sa celú noc modlila.“ A ja som povedala, „Pane, Ty si mi dal toto dieťa.“ Povedala, „Ja... ja som tvoja služobnica,“ povedala, „Kde je Eliáš?,“ povedala. A povedala, „Neprestávala som sa modliť.“ Povedala, „Dnes ráno som zaspala na kolenách,“ a povedala, „okolo druhej hodiny.“ A povedala, „Zdalo sa mi, že mi Pán povedal, aby som prišla sem a stála pri tejto bráne.“ A ona povedala, „Príde po ulici v béžovom obleku a s malým béžovým klobúkom.“ A povedala, „Čakala som tu ešte pred svitaním a videla som ťa prichádzať,“ povedala, „To... ja... ja som to vedela.“ Ó, to sú Letnice. To sú skutočné Letnice.
Povedal som jej, „Volám sa Branham, teta. Počuli ste už niekedy o mne?“
Ona povedala, „Nie, pane, kazateľ Branham, nikdy som o vás nepočula.“ A povedala, „Je mi ľúto, ale nikdy som o vás nepočula.“ Povedala, „Nechcete vojsť?“
A ja som povedal, „Áno, madam, ďakujem.“ Už som nepovedal ani slovo. Pomyslel som si, „To musí byť ono.“
66 Keď som vošiel dnu, na bráne visel starý pluhový hrot na reťazi, aby ju držal pohromade. Vošiel som do malej starej dvojizbovej – čo na východe nazývame shotgun house, malá dlhá izba. A bol som v kráľovských palácoch, išiel som sa modliť za kráľa Juraja z Anglicka. Bol som s Gustavom hore vo Švédsku. Bol som v mnohých kráľovských palácoch, u kráľa Farouka a na mnohých iných miestach, u veľkých panovníkov a monarchov. Mal som tú česť vstúpiť a rozprávať sa s niektorými z najväčších osobností, aké má dnes svet, robiť s nimi rozhovory. Bol som v krásnych domoch. Ale nikdy som nebol viac vítaný a necítil som sa viac doma, ako v tej malej chatrči tej čiernej ženy v to ráno.
Keď som tam vošiel, na podlahe nebol žiaden koberec, stála tam taká skromná posteľ a na dverách mali veľký nápis, „Boh žehnaj nášmu domu.“ Bol som v domoch ľudí, ktorí sa nazývajú kresťanmi, a na stenách viseli plagáty a vulgárne obrázky. Ale tu som sa cítil naozaj ako doma.
67 Pozrel som sa na posteľ a tam ležal veľký, statný, farebný chlapec, ktorý podľa mňa vážil asi sto sedemdesiat libier. A mal v ruke deku a robil takéto zvuky [Brat Branham vydáva stonajúci zvuk – pozn.prekl.]. Povedal som, „Čo sa deje, brat?“
A ona povedala, „Pán kazateľ, už dva dni neprehovoril.“ A on stále opakoval, „Je tu tma. Je tu tma. Neviem, kam idem.“ [Brat Branham vydáva stonajúci zvuk – pozn.prekl.] A tá stará teta prišla ku mne; povedala, „Pán kazateľ, on si myslí, že je niekde na rieke, na mori. A je tma a on vesluje na člne a nevidí, kam ide.“ A povedala, „To hovorí už dva dni.“
A ja som povedal, „Ó, to je nepríjemné.“ A povedal som, „No, teta,“ povedal som, „moja služba, práve som odišiel z Dallasu v Texase; modlím sa za chorých.“ To ju nezaujímalo.
68 Povedala, „Chcem povedať len jednu vec, pán kazateľ. Chcem, aby ste sa modlili, a ak mi Boh z neba dovolí počuť môjho chlapca povedať, 'Mama, je to v poriadku, som spasený,'“ povedala, „budem pripravená nechať ho odísť.“ Povedala, „Ale ja som tak tvrdo pracovala a tak tvrdo sa modlila za svojho chlapca,“ povedala, „jednoducho nedokážem zniesť vidieť ho tak zomrieť a vedieť, že odchádza stratený, ako odpadlík, akým je.“ Povedala, „Keby som ho len mohla počuť povedať, 'Je to v poriadku, mama; som pripravený odísť.' Pomodlíte sa?“
Povedal som, „Dobre, teta.“ A kľakli sme si na podlahu a videl som ju s tým, alebo myslím, že s košeľou jej syna previazanou okolo hlavy, s veľkými tučnými lícami, a ona – veľká žena; kľakla si. Pomyslel som si... Povedal som, „Teta, ty nás veď v modlitbe.“ Ó, brat, keby som dovtedy nevedel, že je letničná, vtedy by som to vedel. Keď hovorím o modlitbe, tá stará žena sa modlila tak, že... cítil si, ako sa ti naježia vlasy na krku. Modlila sa ako... Poviem vám, rozprávala sa s Ním tak, ako sa s Ním rozprávala predtým. Vedela, s kým sa rozpráva. Keď... Ach, taká modlitba, jednoducho mi zovrela srdce. A keď skončila, natiahla sa a pobozkala ho na čelo; povedala, „Boh žehnaj mamičkine dieťatko.“
69 Pomyslel som si, „To je ono, to je ono.“ Vidíte? „Boh žehnaj mamičkine dieťatko.“ Hoci priniesol rodine hanbu. Taký veľký, statný chlap ako on, bez ohľadu na to, čo urobil, je stále mamičkiným dieťatkom; lebo tá materinská láska k nemu stále pretrváva. Pomyslel som si, „Áno, to je pravda.“ Ale Biblia hovorí, „Môže matka zabudnúť na svoje nemluvňa?“ Hovorí, „Možno áno. Ale ja na vás nemôžem zabudnúť. Vaše mená sú vyryté na dlaniach Mojej ruky.“ Aká veľká láska, ako by nás Boh mohol niekedy zabudnúť. Hoci sú naše lampy zadymené, On nás stále miluje. Len si upravme naše slabé lampy, môj brat. Vzmužme sa. Pripravme sa na stretnutie s Pánom Ježišom. Očistime sa, napravme sa, modlime sa, napravme sa.
70 Tam ho tak pobozkala. On povedal, „Ó, je tma, mami. Ó, je tma,“ a ťahal tú prikrývku sem a tam. A ja som ho chytil za nohy. Jeho nohy boli studené a lepkavé, a ja som povedal – akoby umieral. A povedal som, „Počuješ ma, brat?“
On povedal, „Ó, mama, je tu tma,“ povedal. A ja som sa s ním snažil hovoriť; on nevedel, krútil hlavou takýmto spôsobom a z úst mu vychádzali nejaké veci. A povedal, „Ó, mama, je tu tma, je tu tma; neviem, kam ide moja loď,“ takýmto spôsobom.
A ona začala plakať a utierala si tie veľké líca, tak nejako. A povedala, „Chápete, čo mám na mysli, pán kazateľ?“
Povedal som, „Áno, madam.“
Povedala, „Pomodlíte sa teraz, pán kazateľ?“
Povedal som, „Áno, madam.“ A pokľakol som a povedal, „Pokľaknite so mnou.“ A položil som ruky na jeho nohy; povedal som, „Nebeský Otče, je už po deviatej; moje lietadlo je už dávno preč.“ Povedal som, „Ja... prosím Ťa, maj milosť. Neviem, prečo si ma sem priviedol; určite je to toto miesto. Tu je to... lebo by som sem neprišiel, keby si ma sem nepriviedol, a táto žena tu stojí. Nikdy nás nevedieš nadarmo; vždy nám ukazuješ, čo... čo robíš. Tak sa modlím, Otče, ak... ak je to Tvoja vôľa, aby si tomu chlapcovi... splnil žiadosť tej ženy a nech ona... nech je on zachránený. A modlím sa, aby si uzdravil jeho telo.“ A kým som sa ešte modlil, povedal, „Mama, ach, mama, v izbe sa rozjasňuje.“ Ó, Bože. „V izbe sa rozjasňuje.“ Viete, o pár minút už sedel na okraji postele a rozprával sa s nami. Objal ma tým veľkým čiernym ramenom, takto...
Povedal som, „Musím ísť.“ Vyšiel som na ulicu, chytil som si taxík, rýchlo som zbehol dolu a vzal si kufor, povedal som, „No, pôjdem von a niekedy dnes večer chytím lietadlo. Po vojne tam bolo všetko v poriadku, a je to strašne zlé, keď... zmeškáte lietadlo. A práve, keď som prišiel, povedali, „Posledné volanie na let číslo 172.“ Ach, to lietadlo zostalo na zemi celú tú dobu. Dostal som sa na to isté lietadlo. Vidíte, Boh zariadi, aby všetko fungovalo správne, však? Asi o rok neskôr som išiel do...
71 [Hovorenie v jazykoch a výklad – pozn.prekl.] Bože, ó, Otče, ako Ti ďakujeme za toto varovanie pre nás. Pane, viem, že to nie je nadarmo. Ó, Bože, nech ľudia vidia, že sa len snažíme, aby si pripravili svoje lampy a boli pripravení. Blíži sa hodina, Pane, keď všetky tieto znamenia, spiace panny, ktoré teraz hľadajú olej, všetky tieto veci... Aby počuli, ako Tvoj Duch zostupuje a potvrdzuje posolstvo, že je pravdivé, Bože, modlím sa, aby si požehnal ľudí. Nech sú dnes večer varovaní Bohom a nech nemajú pokoja, kým si neupravia svoje lampy a nepripravia sa na stretnutie s Ženíchom. Udeľ to, Otče. Amen.
Aké krásne. Všimli ste si toho muža? Všimli ste si, ako oni... Vy – vy, ľudia z letničných cirkví, rozpoznávanie vás potom zaráža? Pozrite, o koľko je toto väčšie ako to. Vidíte? Ako to... Vidíte, ten samotný zvuk hlasu, ktorý ten muž vydával. Vidíte, že výklad prichádza rovnakým (vidíte?), rovnakým spôsobom, takmer rovnakou dĺžkou, rovnakým počtom odsekov a všetkým. Je to Duch Svätý. Hovorím vám pravdu. Je to pravda. Ó, priateľ hriešnik, hľadaj Pána teraz. Volaj na Neho, kým On... kým ťa môže počuť. Počuj Ho, počuj Ho, to je moja modlitba.
72 Chcem vám povedať, čo sa stalo. O rok neskôr som išiel vlakom do Phoenixu. Ak ste niekedy boli v Memphise a prichádzali z východu, zastavíte sa takto. Vystúpil som z vlaku a začal som tam prechádzať. Vo vlaku vám dajú... účtujú vám päťdesiat centov za malý sendvič a je naozaj tenký. A čakal som, kým som sa dostal na miesto, kde som mohol vystúpiť a kúpiť si nejaké hamburgery, a nakúpil som si ich celú tašku a vrátil som sa späť do vlaku (vidíte?), a ja... ja som mohol... mohol som z toho žiť. Tak som dostal... Nemohol som mať... Neverím v to, že by som bral peniaze svätých a míňal ich na také veci.
Tak som si... kúpil som si... kúpil som si nejaké hamburgery a išiel som tam... bežal som týmto smerom k stánku. Počul som, ako niekto povedal, „Dobrý deň, kazateľ Branham.“ Pozrel som sa okolo seba, mal červenú čiapku.
A ja som povedal, „Ahoj.“
On povedal, „Počkajte chvíľu.“ Prišiel tam a povedal, „Ako sa máte?“
A ja som povedal, „Ja... mám sa dobre.“ Povedal som, „Myslím, že ťa nepoznám.”
On povedal, „Ale áno, poznáte ma.“
A ja som povedal, „Ja... možno mi to len vypadlo z hlavy.“
Povedal, „Spomínate si, ako ste raz ráno išli po ulici a prišli ste k domu, kde ležal chlapec, ktorý umieral na pohlavnú chorobu?“
Povedal som, „Ty nie si…“
Povedal, „Áno, pane, som to ja.“ Povedal, „Nielenže som uzdravený, ale teraz som aj spasený, kazateľ Branham.“
73 Ach, ani z polovice to ešte nebolo povedané. Čo viac môže milý, milostivý, drahocenný, nebeský Otec urobiť, aby nás varoval a aby nás priviedol na správnu cestu? Čo viac môže urobiť? Milujete Ho? Milujete Ho celým svojím srdcom, celou svojou dušou a celou svojou mysľou? Koľko hriešnikov je tu teraz, keď na chvíľu skloníme hlavy. Zdvihnite ruku a povedzte, „Bože, zapáľ dnes večer oheň v mojej lampe, Pane. Zapáľ moju malú sviečku a nech horím pre Krista, kým nezomriem.” Povedzte, „Teraz sa pridávam k Pánovej opovrhovanej hŕstke.“ Zdvihnite svoje ruky. Priateľ hriešnik, zdvihol by si ruku a prijal Krista za svojho Spasiteľa? Zdvihol by si ruku, či už si na balkóne alebo v prízemí? Každú noc sme to dôkladne prechádzali. Možno tu dnes večer bol ešte jeden alebo dvaja, zdvihnite ruku, urobíte to? Kdekoľvek si, hriešnik? Povedzte, „Ja... ja chcem prijať Ducha Svätého.“ Teraz si zapamätajte, buď budete mať Ducha Svätého, alebo prijmete znamenie šelmy. Existujú len dve kategórie. Dôjdeme k tomu zajtra večer. Len som to tak nadhodil a položil veľký základ, aby som to zajtra večer zavŕšil.
74 Zdvihnite ruku a povedzte, „Chcem to, brat Branham.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná, mladý muž; Pán nech ťa žehná; to je veľmi dobré. Boh nech ti dá túžbu tvojho srdca, synu. Ešte niekto, prosím, zdvihnite ruku a povedzte, „Chcem prijať Krista.“ Boh nech ti žehná, pani. To je veľmi pekné, veľmi statočná vec. Niekto iný zdvihne ruku a povie, „Prijmem Krista; prijmem to.“ Na balkóne? Úplne vzadu v rohu, áno. Pane, vidím tam tvoju ruku, môj drahý priateľ. Teraz niekto iný povedzte, „Nechajte ma…” Pozrime sa, niekto iný povedzte, „Prijmem Krista ako svojho Spasiteľa. Zdvihnem k Nemu ruku a poviem, 'Ja…'“
Pamätajte si, keď zdvihnete ruku a myslíte to vážne, je to hotová vec. Je to navždy. Boh vás berie za slovo. Keď to myslíte vážne a zdvihnete ruku; uvidíte, čo sa stane. Dobre, ďalší tam hore na balkóne, nech ťa Boh žehná. Áno, to je dobré. Len zdvihni ruku; len uvidíš, aký pocit ťa zaplaví. Ak si hriešnik, zdvihni ruku. Áno, tá pani, mladá dáma, ktorá sedí tu vpredu, nech ťa Boh žehná, drahá sestra. Ešte niekto? Budem čakať. Kristus čaká. Nech ťa Boh žehná tam hore. Ešte niekto? Nech ťa Boh žehná tam vzadu, mladý muž. Boh s tebou, synku. Boh to určite urobí. „Chcem prijať Krista za svojho Spasiteľa.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná, tam vzadu. Ešte niekto? „Prijmem Krista za svojho Spasiteľa. Teraz, na tomto mieste, kde sedím, som presvedčený, že potrebujem Krista. Viem, že som vždy veril, že príde čas oddelenia, že Boh oddelí pravú cirkev.“ On to urobí; On to vezme Domov. Práve teraz to pripravuje. Pridáte sa k Ježišovi Kristovi tým, že Mu odovzdáte svoje srdce? Len pokračujte v cirkvi, kdekoľvek ste, len pokračujte, ale odovzdajte Mu svoje srdce. Zdvihnite...
75 Teraz, denominácie, sú... jedna je takmer rovnaká ako ostatné. Je to... kdekoľvek to je, kdekoľvek máte svoje spoločenstvo, skupinu ľudí, ktorých milujete, to je v poriadku. Ak patríte k Foursquare, neprejdite k Assemblies. Ak patríte k Assemblies, neprechádzajte k Foursquare, jednoducho zostaňte tam, kde ste, a milujte Pána, kdekoľvek ste. Ste pokrstení do Tela Kristovho. Takže akákoľvek organizácia, ku ktorej patríte, vás nezachráni, ani s tým nemá nič spoločné, je to len miesto, kam ľudia chodia. A skutoční bratia to vedia; všetci to vieme. Vieme to. Určite to vieme.
76 Zdvihne ešte niekto ruku, než sa pomodlíme? Nech ťa Boh žehná, zlatko. Ak je tu ešte niekto, zdvihni ruku a povedz, „Ja – ja na základe preliatej Krvi, toho, čo pre mňa urobil Ježiš... A brat Branham, to, čo som ťa dnes večer počul povedať, neverím, že by si nám povedal niečo zlé. Určite verím, že si Boží služobník. A na základe posolstva, že vaša viera prichádza z počutia, počutia Božieho Slova...“ Zajtra večer to dôkladne preberieme, keď dokončíme krst Duchom Svätým a znamenie šelmy. Zdvihnete ruku a poviete, „Na základe preliatej Krvi Krista dvíham k Nemu ruku a hovorím, „Chcem, aby si bol práve teraz mojím Spasiteľom'“ Je tu ešte niekto, než sa pomodlíme? Nech ťa Boh žehná, mladá dáma, tam vzadu. To je veľmi pekné. Boh buď s tebou, moja sestra. Je tu ešte niekto? Nech ťa Boh žehná, moja sestra, ktorá sedíš práve tu. To je veľmi pekné. Je tu ešte niekto? Úplne vzadu, nech ťa Boh žehná, môj brat. To robí rozdiel medzi životom a smrťou.
77 A teraz, čo keby... vy, ktorí ste zdvihli ruky, čo keby táto noc bola vašou poslednou na zemi? A keby sa niekedy medzi touto chvíľou a úsvitom stalo, že by ste sa prebudili zo spánku a vaše srdce by sa zastavilo. Vaše... vaše žily by vychladli, ruky by vám stuhli. Ako umierate, pritláčate si... vankúš. Lekár sa vzdiali od dverí a povie, „Nie, je to infarkt. Je po ňom.“ Vidíte? Nič... Počujete ho to povedať. Nebolo by to úžasné, keby ste vedeli, že ste zdvihli ruku? Ach, aké príjemné. Ako budete šťastní. Čo keby ste mali na ceste domov nehodu. A ležali by ste na okraji cesty a krvácali, počuli by ste prichádzať sanitku, ale vedeli by ste, že prichádza príliš neskoro. A viete, že ste zdvihli ruku ku Kristovi. Povieme, „Nech sa stane, tak či tak, raz musím odísť. Takže som teraz pripravený a teraz je čas odísť.“ Len zdvihnite ruku. Urobte to jedno rozhodnutie práve teraz, dobre, môj brat, moja sestra? Zdvihnite ruku.
78 Povedali ste, „Brat Branham, prečo takto prosíš ľudí? Toto nie je tvoja modlitebňa; toto nie je tvoja cirkev.“ Viem. Brat Buntane, môj brat je tu pastorom. Cirkev Božieho zhromaždenia, ku ktorej táto cirkev patrí, táto budova tu... A Zhromaždenia Božie sú jedným z mojich najväčších podporovateľov v letničných kruhoch po celom svete. To nie je... Ale aj tak... To všetko, aj keď ich mám veľmi rád, nie je to ten dôvod. Milujem vás. Milujem vás ako jednotlivcov. Nechcem, aby ste boli stratení.
Mal som videnie. Dúfam, že budem mať čas vám povedať, čo sa stalo pred pár dňami. Videl som Slávu a videl som tých ľudí a videl som tam Hore jednu ženu, ktorá pribehla a objala ma. Bol som k ženám trochu hrubý, a videl som tú ženu, najkrajšiu vec, akú som kedy videl. A nazvala ma svojím milovaným bratom. A ja som povedal, „Prečo to urobila?“
Povedal, „Mala vyše deväťdesiat, keď si ju priviedol ku Kristovi.“
Povedal som, „Ó, Bože, keby som sa len mohol vrátiť, presviedčal by som ľudí, prosil by som ich, žiadal, urobil by som všetko.“
79 Nezdvihnete ruku a nepoviete, „Prijímam Krista za svojho Spasiteľa.“ Určite, ak mi Boh dovolí robiť to, čo pre Neho robím, určite viem – mám nejakú predstavu o tom, ako Ho prijať. Je tu nejaký vlažný člen cirkvi? Teraz všetci skloňte hlavy. Vlažný člen cirkvi, ktorý si vyznal, že poznáš Krista, ale v skutočnosti vo svojom srdci Ho nepoznáš, ale chceš Ho poznať; zdvihni ruku, člen cirkvi. Boh nech ťa žehná, pane. Ešte niekto? Boh nech ťa žehná, brat. Boh vám žehnaj.
Ešte niekto, kto je len člen cirkvi, povedzte, „Chcem poznať Krista. Ja patrím do cirkvi a ja – nemôžem proti tomu povedať nič zlé.” Určite by som bol radšej, keby ste boli v cirkvi, ako keby ste boli vonku na ulici bez ničoho. Chodíte do cirkvi, ale chcem, aby ste, prosím, prišli a prijali Božiu pečať. Lebo ak ju nemáte, no, Biblia hovorí, že sú len dve triedy. Počkajte do zajtrajšieho večera a uvidíte. Dve triedy, jedna bude mať znamenie šelmy, druhá bude mať Božiu pečať. Presne ako Kain a Set v raji, tak to bude. Zdvihnete ruku? Ešte jeden, než sa pomodlíme. Boh ti žehnaj, pani.
80 Náš nebeský Otče, videl som dnes večer zdvihnúť veľa rúk. Väčšina z nich sú hriešnici a chcú odpustenie hriechov. Dvaja zdvihli ruky, že sú len členmi cirkvi, a predsa Ťa nepoznali a neboli zapečatení do Kráľovstva. Otče, prinášam tieto Písma a držím ich pred Tebou. V Tvojom Slove si povedal, „Kto počúva Moje Slovo (a, Pane, podľa môjho najlepšieho vedomia som ho kázal) a verí v Toho, ktorý ma poslal, má večný život.“ Teraz, to si povedal, Otče. To je presne to, čo si povedal. A ja Ti to len pripomínam. Títo ľudia počuli to Slovo a uverili v Toho, ktorý Ťa poslal. Povedal si, „Majú teraz (prítomný čas, majú, prítomný čas) večný život a neprídu na súd, ale prešli zo smrti do života.“ Kedy to urobili? Keď zdvihli ruky a povedali, že veria. Pane, Ty si to povedal a ja si nárokujem tieto duše.
Satan, už ich nemôžeš držať. Teraz sú Božími deťmi. Prinášam to pred teba. Musíš stiahnuť ruku z ich života; teraz patria Bohu. Vyhlasujem ich pre Neho. Vyhlasujem ich za trofeje... Kristovej lásky na Golgote. Vyzývam ťa na súboj; nemáš žiadnu zákonnú moc. Nemáš nad nimi žiadnu moc; nemal si ju ani na začiatku, len si ich blafoval. Len si podvádzal. Kristus ťa na Golgote zbavil všetkého, čo si mal; zbavil ťa každej moci, ktorú si kedy mal; a ty nie si nič iné ako podvodník; a my sme tvoj podvod odhalili. Títo sú teraz Božie deti.
81 A, Otče, Ty si povedal, „Kto príde ku Mne, toho v žiadnom prípade nevyženiem.” Sľúbil si to. A ja viem, že je to pravda. Povedal si, že im dáš večný život a vzkriesiš ich v posledný deň. Potom je rovnako isté, že prídu vo vzkriesení, ako je isté, že dnes večer sedia v tejto budove. Teraz, Otče, prosím Ťa len o jednu vec: Naplň ich Duchom Svätým. Udeľ im to, Pane. Ó, naplň ich Duchom Svätým. Nedovoľ... nedovoľ, aby si to ich duše zľahčili, Pane. Nech sú ich vankúše celú noc tvrdé. Nech sa im ich postele zdajú ako skaly, kým nebudú tam vonku na kolenách a nebudú hovoriť, „Bože, naplň ma Duchom Svätým.“ Nech si vezmú Bibliu a čítajú ju. A nech k nim prídeš a vysvetlíš im Slovo. A nech nemajú teraz žiadny pokoj. Sú to Tvoje deti a čas sa kráti. Modlím sa, aby našli ten pokoj, ktorý prevyšuje všetko chápanie, skrze Ježiša Krista.
82 Títo členovia cirkvi, ktorí zdvihli ruku, Otče, ďakujem Ti za nich. Oni urobili vyznanie a prišli do cirkvi, ale uvedomujú si, že len tým, že sú členmi cirkvi, budú označení za nesprávny druh ženy. Zajtra večer, ak budeš chcieť, Otče, im ukážeš, ako sú označení za falošnú nevestu. Pravá Nevesta má vo svojej lampe olej. Modlím sa, Otče, aby si im dnes večer dal do ich lampy olej. Nech sa títo členovia cirkvi dnes večer naplnia Duchom Svätým. Udeľ to, Pane. Modlím sa za to, nie aby som bol zlý, ale aby som bol ich bratom, aby vedeli, že premeškať nebo znamená premeškať všetko. Čo je tento krátky úsek života v porovnaní s večnosťou? Jednoducho sa rozpúšťa do nekonečna, lebo sa nikdy nezačal. A, Otče, modlím sa, aby si ich v posledných dňoch vytiahol do tých večných sfér slávy s Tebou. Udeľ to; sú Tvoji. Modlím sa a odovzdávam ich Tebe v Kristovom Mene.
83 Teraz, so sklonenými hlavami, poprosím všetkých, ktorí zdvihli ruku, aby vstali. Nebudem vás prosiť, aby ste prišli sem hore; nemáme tu miesto. Ale všetci, ktorí ste zdvihli ruky a ste úprimní voči Bohu, len na chvíľu vstaňte. Každý, kto zdvihol ruku, nech vstane. Všetci, na balkónoch, všade, jednoducho vstaňte. Ježiš povedal, „Kto Ma vyzná pred ľuďmi, toho Ja vyznám pred Svojím Otcom a svätými anjelmi.“
Chcem, aby ste sa vy, členovia cirkvi, a najmä vy, Kresťania, rozhliadli a pozreli, ktorí to sú. Chcem, aby ste ich vzali za ruku, potriasli im rukou, stáli tam a povedali, „Nech ťa Boh žehná. Vitaj v Božom kráľovstve, pútnik.“ To je ono; otočte sa k niekomu, potraste mu rukou a povedzte, „Vitaj v Božom kráľovstve.“ To je veľmi pekné. To je veľmi pekné. To je dobré. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Pán s tebou. To je tak pekné. Dobré. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Teraz sa môžete posadiť. To je veľmi, veľmi pekné.
84 Teraz vás poprosím, aby ste niečo urobili. Určite si nájdite nejakého pastora; ak ste nikdy neboli pokrstení kresťanským krstom, nájdite si nejakého pastora, cirkev podľa vášho výberu, a dajte sa pokrstiť vodou, do spoločenstva tej cirkvi. A keď to urobíte, potom hľadajte krst Duchom Svätým, kým nebudete naplnení Duchom Svätým, a...
Stretneme sa ráno,
pri brehu tej jasnej rieky,
keď všetky smútky odplávajú;
Budem stáť pri bráne,
keď sa brány široko otvoria,
na konci dlhého, únavného dňa života.
Stretnem sa s tebou ráno
s pozdravom, „Ako sa máš“,
a posadíme sa pri rieke
a s nadšením obnovíme staré známosti.
Ráno ma spoznáš
podľa úsmevu, ktorý nosím.
Stretnem sa s tebou ráno,
v meste, v tom štvoruhlastom meste.
85 Otče Bože, teraz sú Tvoji, zapečatení do Božieho kráľovstva, Duch Svätý sa o nich stará. Teraz sa modlím, aby som sa s nimi stretol v to ráno na tom jasnom, žiarivom brehu tam v diaľke, keď všetky smútky odplávajú. Nebude to úžasné, Otče? Zvonce radosti zazvonia, všetky srdcia s ľahkosťou zaspievajú, bude to slávny čas. Sú Tvoji. Teraz sa modlím, aby si ich zachoval Svojou milosťou, kým sa toho rána nestretneme pri tej rieke. Amen.
86 No, necítite sa dobre? Necítite sa naozaj dobre? Povedzte, „Brat Branham…” Mladí obrátenci práve vstúpili do Kráľovstva, opýtam sa Otca, či niečo urobí. Mám právo Ho o to teraz požiadať. Prišli hriešnici. Verím, že u Neho nachádzame milosť, nemyslíte?
Koľko je tu chorých, zdvihnite ruky, len chorí a v potrebách. V poriadku. Otočím sa chrbtom, aby som vám ukázal, že sme v posledných dňoch. Koľkí si pamätajú naše lekcie, ako Anjel Pánov... Boh zostúpil a prebýval v ľudskom tele, jedol mäso, bol obyčajným človekom a hovoril ako človek. A predsa to bol Boh v ľudskom tele tesne predtým, ako Sodoma zhorela. A Ježiš povedal, že rovnaké znamenie sa stane pri príchode Syna človeka. Veríme tomu? Ako sme prešli tými lekciami, aby sme ukázali, čo urobil.
87 Teraz tu nie je nikto, koho by som poznal. Myslím, že som pred pár týždňami lovil s týmto mladým mužom, ktorý sedí práve tu. Nie si náhodou príbuzný môjho dobrého priateľa... Nie si… Si švagor brata Normana; myslím, že je to tak, nie? V poriadku. To je jediná osoba, a brat a sestra Smithovci, ktorí tu sedia, brat Gene, a to sú všetci, ktorých poznám. Otočím sa a... áno, sestra Upshawová, nech vás Boh požehná, sestra Upshawová. Ach, ako mám rád brata Willyho Upshawa. Vaše stretnutie tej noci, brat Kopp, keď som sa tam pozrel a videl som, snažil som sa hovoriť a videl som ho, ako spadol z toho voza, poranil si chrbát a videl som, že pre neho nemohli nič urobiť. Nikdy v živote som o ňom nepočul. A tam bol, Willy D. Upshaw. Povedal som, „Ako...“ Prišiel k nemu. Povedal, „A čo ten muž?“
Povedal som, „Kedysi kandidoval na prezidenta a vyhral by voľby, keby nebol proti whisky a zlým veciam. Demokratická strana by ho zvolila. Ale on... on si stál za svojím.“ A povedal som, „Všetky tie roky, šesťdesiatšesť rokov, bol si na týchto barlách a na invalidnom vozíku. Ale Boh ho z toho teraz oslobodí.“ A aké to je krásne. Keď sa dostanem na druhú stranu, uvidím prichádzať mladého, pekného muža, ktorý povie, „Pamätáš si ma, brat Branham? Som brat Upshaw.“ Uvidím tam jeho milú, všetkých spolu. Spomínam si, ako si v tú noc plakala, sestra Upshawová, keď si videla, ako vstal, bežal na pódium a dotkol sa rukami svojich prstov na nohách vo veku asi osemdesiatich rokov. Bože, ako Boh dokáže robiť veľké veci.
88 Dobre. Anjel Pánov sedel chrbtom k nám. No tak, dúfam, že to všetci chápete. Ja nie som Anjel Pánov; ja som William Branham. Rozumiete? Som váš brat. Ale On vtedy prebýval v ľudskom tele, ktoré si sám stvoril, a potom jednoducho zmizol. Veríte tomu? Veríte, že to bol Boh? Biblia hovorí, že to bol Boh. Aj Abrahám to potvrdil. Čo to bolo? Znamenie, že v posledných dňoch... Pamätajte, keď prišiel v dňoch Pána Ježiša, On – Boh prebýval v Ježišovi, neveríte tomu? Bolo to telo narodené z panny, Semeno, ktoré pochádzalo od samotného Boha. A v tej krvnej bunke, keď bola zlomená na Golgote za naše hriechy, posvätila cirkev, aby v nej mohol prebývať Duch Svätý a pokračovať v Božom diele. „Vy ste moji svedkovia, keď prijmete moc.“ To je pravda.
89 Teraz, ak je to tak, ak som povedal pravdu, nech k vám dnes večer prehovorí Duch Svätý. Otočím sa chrbtom; vy sa modlite. Uvidíte, či je to ten istý Duch Svätý. Teraz musí s vami pracovať rovnako, ako pracuje so mnou. Niektorí z vás, bratia, tu vonku, modlite sa za tých tam v publiku, kazateľov, a tak ďalej. Budeme mať čas, kazatelia. Nebeský Otec vie, že to robím s jediným cieľom, aby sa slovo, ktoré kážem, zjavilo cirkvi v týchto dňoch, že letničná cirkev sa vzdialila od Boha. Musí sa vrátiť. Je to laodicejský vek.
A, Bože, ak som povedal niečo proti niekomu, aby som ublížil, potom si to nebol Ty, kto mi to hovoril, odpusť mi, Pane, ale urobil som to presne tak, ako si mi to dal. Tak sa modlím, Otče, aby si to potvrdil. Hovoril som o Tebe; teraz povedz, že som hovoril pravdu, Pane. Zverujem to Tebe v Mene Pána Ježiša.
Sedí tu niekoľko stoviek ľudí, mnohí z nich sú chorí. Ja nepoznám ani jedného z nich, Ty ich poznáš. Modlím sa, aby si naplnil Svoje Slovo. Keď si prišiel sem na zem, povedal si, že si to urobil, aby sa naplnilo to, čo povedal prorok Izaiáš o tom, čo urobí Mesiáš. Teraz, Otče, nech sa to opäť naplní, lebo si to sľúbil. To je dôvod, prečo to dovoľuješ, v Mene Krista. Amen.
90 Teraz sa modlí veľa ľudí. Ak by som mohol... Ak by sa niekto, ako tá malá žena, mohol dotknúť Jeho rúcha... Áno, práve teraz sa mi zjavuje videnie a je to žena; sedí – z miesta, kde teraz stojím, by to bolo po mojej pravej strane, týmto smerom. Trpí problémami so žlčníkom. Má tiež problémy so srdcom. Keď sa otočím chrbtom a zavolám jej meno, možno to pochopí. Pani Hansonová, vstaň a prijmi svoje uzdravenie.
Teraz som sa ešte nepozrel okolo seba. Veríte? Len majte vieru. Kde bola tá pani? Je niekde tam vzadu. Presne tam? Bolo to pravda, pani? Sme si cudzí? Ak áno, zamávaj rukou takto. Všetko to bola pravda, však? Potom ten istý Boží Anjel, ktorý sedel v Sodome a Gomore, aby dal Abrahámovi znamenie, že sa blíži hodina spálenia Sodomy, je tu dnes večer. Len dar, aby som sa uvoľnil...
91 Vidím Ho na niekom inom. Dúfam... Teraz ma nenechajte zostať príliš dlho. Len sledujem videnie, ženu, ktorá tu sedí a modlí sa. Má cukrovku. Slečna Finchová, veríš, že Boh ťa uzdraví? Ak áno, vstaňte a zdvihnite ruku. Nepoznám ťa, je to tak? Ak je to tak, zamávaj rukou. Je to to, čo ťa trápi? Čo? V poriadku. Dotkla si sa niečoho, však? Čo... Nedotkla si sa mňa, však? Dotkla si sa... dotkla si sa Boha, to je... Boh nech ťa žehná.
92 Čo si myslíš, mladý muž, ktorý si trieš nos? Aj ty potrebuješ Boha. Veríte? Boh mi opíše, aký máš problém. Nemáš modlitebnú kartu, predpokladám... Nie, nie je... To je pravda. Nie je tu žiadna modlitebná karta. Ty... veríš, že som Jeho prorok, alebo Jeho služobník, chcem povedať. Prepáč, že to hovorím; nie som prorok; som len Jeho služobník. Trápi ťa nervozita, si taký nervózny, že sa nedokážeš udržať v kľude. Nie je to tak? Ak je to tak, zdvihni ruku. Veríš, že to, čo poviem, sa stane? Veríš tomu? Budeš ma poslúchať ako Jeho proroka? Potom z teba tú nervozitu odstránim v Mene Ježiša Krista. Nikdy o tom už nehovor. Choď a buď uzdravený. Nehovoril náš Pán, „Ak povieš tejto hore, 'Presuň sa...'“ Ak môžete veriť...
93 Muž, ktorý sedí tam vzadu a pozerá sa na mňa. Rád by prišiel sem; chce, aby som na neho položil ruky. To je pravda. To stvrdnutie tepien by ťa opustilo, keby si tomu len uveril tam, kde sedíš. Urobíš to? Sedí tam vzadu, taký sivý, s okuliarmi, sedí tam vzadu a pozerá sa na mňa. Ak uveríš celým svojím srdcom, nepochybuj... Veríš tomu?
94 Pozrite, zakrúžilo to a odišlo od toho muža a on to stratil. Pretrel si oči, otočil sa a pozrel sa s tým malým... Presne tak. Pani, ktorá sedí práve tu, je to priamo nad tebou so srdcovým problémom, sedí tam. Veríš, že Boh ťa uzdraví rovno tam? Áno. V poriadku. Dostaneš uzdravenie; je tvoje. V poriadku. Boh nech ťa žehná.
95 Buďte ostražití; buďte pripravení prijať to každú chvíľu. Veľmi milá osoba, máš veľkú vieru, si v dobrom kontakte s Bohom. Nepoznám ťa, ale veríš, že Boh uzdraví aj tie tvoje srdcové problémy? Máš tiež problémy s nohou, s končatinou, že? Áno, máš dcéru, ktorá nie je spasená, za ktorú sa modlíš. To je pravda. Nie si odtiaľto; si zo Severného Hollywoodu. Vieš, o kom teraz hovorím? Chceš, aby som povedal tvoje meno? Pani Beardová, vstaň a prijmi to v Mene Ježiša Krista.
Veríte? Tak čo, priatelia? Je to pravda, pani? Ak áno, zamávajte rukou. Vidíte, je to tak. Vidíte? Veríte teraz? Tú ženu som v živote nevidel. Vidíte, celá budova... Oni sa ma dotkli (vidíte?); viem, že to teraz stačí. Sledujú ma, viete, keď mám dosť.
96 Teraz vám poviem, priatelia; povedal som vám pravdu. Boh potvrdil, že som vám povedal pravdu. Práve to Božie pomazanie, ktoré káže toto isté Slovo a hovorí tieto veci, je práve to pomazanie, ktoré vyhlasuje, že Boh je tu a robí to isté. Veríte z celého srdca? Koľkí z vás chcú prijať Ducha Svätého, zdvihnite ruku a povedzte, „Chcel by som prijať Ducha Svätého.“ Pastor mi hovorí, že tam dole je miestnosť, ktorá čaká na niekoho, kto príde, aby vošiel dnu a aby sa za neho modlili. Prečo to neprijmete? Choďte tam a prijmite Ducha Svätého. Všetci sa naraz postavme na nohy. Zdvihnime ruky a chváľme Boha, každý svojím vlastným spôsobom. Nerobte... Len tomu verte.
Nebeský Otče, vzdávam Ti chválu a slávu za všetky mocné skutky, za všetko, čo si urobil. Si neomylný Boh. Si Ten, ktorý je ten istý včera, dnes a naveky, nikdy nesklameš.
Teraz položte ruky jeden na druhého. Položte ruky jeden na druhého, aby ste boli uzdravení a prijali Ducha Svätého. Teraz sa modlite za tú osobu. Modlite sa jeden za druhého. Hore na balkóne, tam hore, položte ruky jeden na druhého; modlite sa jeden za druhého, aby ste prijali Ducha Svätého. Ak nebudete pochybovať, Boh dá každému z vás krst Duchom Svätým a uzdraví každého.
1 Let us remain standing, just a moment now, for prayer. Our heavenly Father, we are grateful, indeed, for the privilege of assembling together in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Now, before us lays Thy Word, and oh, we handle that quietly, Lord, and reverently because It is the Word of God. And it's to be that--be Your will that I am to try to explain a great subject tonight. And I pray, Father, that the Holy Spirit will give me words to say that would be beneficiary to the church and--and for the good of the Kingdom of God. Grant it, Lord. You are our Father, and we love You with all of our heart.
And we pray now that You'll bless us. And as I think what I would do if I had in my hands tonight in a--a glass, just one drop of the Blood of the Lord Jesus, how I would hold it to my heart. And just--oh, I'd be almost afraid to breathe. But then, Father, in Your sight, You've give into my hands a greater, the purchase of Your Blood, Your church, that You gave Your Blood for, to save it. Now, help us, Lord, that we might feed the flock of God to which the Holy Ghost has made her overseers. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen. May be seated.
2 We are trusting the Lord Jesus to send His blessings upon us. I was just in the room a few minutes ago, and something just shook me. How many knows Raymond Richey? He's setting back there in the room; I just prayed for him. And he's overworked hisself and caused hisself to have a break and a stroke, terrible condition, lovely brother. The time... Brother Raymond was standing right there on the platform that night when the Angel of the Lord came down before thousands of people when I said if--when Doctor Best was debating about with it Doctor Bosworth about my ministry, and I said, "I don't claim to be a healer." I said... He said, "Nothing but a bunch of holy-rollers would believe that."
I said, "How many Baptist here that's members of these Baptists churches, can say and can prove that they've been healed by the Lord, raise up your hand." And about, oh, I guess, three hundred or more stood up. And I said, "What about them?" See? And so then he... I said, "People believe in Divine healing." I said, "I'm not--I'm not a Divine healer; I never claim that." I said, "My literature is published in many different languages." I said, "I never did claim to be a healer." I said, "I--I only claim to be God's servant." And I said, "Now, if the gift of God, which He gave to me on the discernment," I said, "now, if that's in question, God will speak for Himself." And about that time here He come down, coming down like that. And that's when they took the picture of It.
3 And he said to me, he got down on his knees back there, after I prayed for him, put his arm around me, said, "I've got a message for you."
"What?"
Said, "Stop preaching too hard and too long." He said, "You're going to go right the same way I went." I almost did it one time anyhow. Said, "Brother Branham," said, "in them visions and things, I see the way it works on you." Said, "I just kept going on," said, "I had one break." Then he started overseas, had another one. And there he's... If God doesn't touch him, he's just finished for life. So he said, "You can't get no more done." Said, "There'll be some will say, 'This, that, or this or that, or so forth.'" But said, "That won't make it any better." Said, "As long you let the--do your ministry, show the people that God sent you," said, "then that settles it, just let it go at that." Said, "If--if they won't," said, "if they don't..." Said... He made me promise in there with my hands in his, said, "Don't do it no more Brother Branham. Remember, I'm warned of the Lord to tell you, you're going to shift the same row that I am (See?), if you do that any more, start doing it."
And I said, "Okay, brother." Don't tell my wife that. She--she's got Billy and them staged around everywhere, and Leo and Gene, and all of them, if they see me the least bit wearying, well, then they're supposed to take me from the platform whether I want to go or not. And she knowed I'd stagger around over the platform like that, why, she'd be crying, going on. So we... You just can do so much, you know, and you can't do no more; that's all.
4 I remember one time Paul Rader... How many ever knowed him? Sure, Paul Rader was a great man of God. Told a little story one time, said he was going on a train, and said he was with another man, and said this man tried to get back at him 'cause he slept in a pullman that night. Said at the breakfast next morning, a group of ministers was going somewhere for a convention. So this man set right next to Paul and said, "Well, praise God," he said. "I set in a chair car last night," and said, "I saved the Lord some money."
Paul said, "Praise God, I took a pullman and saved the Lord's man." So now, which one's He more--more interested in, His money or His man? His man, always. We're so glad for it.
5 And now, I had a glorious time last night, I thought, myself. And just as I was leaving, the--the pull of the people, of the Holy Spirit, He dropped right down among the people and begin to give discernment right in the meeting. How glorious that was. See, and to me, that makes everybody at the meeting prayed for. See, see? Now, I said, "How many here..." Now, God promised He would do that. Now, that's His Word, isn't it? Now, God keeps His Word, doesn't He? Then I said, "Now, how many here that's believers, put up your hands." Everybody put up their hands. I said, "Now, lay your hands on one another. Now, the Bible said, 'These signs shall follow them that believe.'" Then we prayed for everyone as a united hand together for the Kingdom of God. Oh, my, to me, that's just perfect. See?
6 I was at a filling station today getting some gasoline, over here somewhere, and a little fellow come out, looked at me, said, "You're Brother Branham."
I said, "Yes." It was about a mile over here, something.
And he said--said, "I'm Brother Roberts," and he said, "my mother was definitely healed with heart trouble since you've been down there at the Assemblies of God church." Said, "She's took a bad cold," and said, "she hasn't had one speck of heart trouble since she was called out, ever what it was (See?), not one." And said, "She's got a bad cold," and said, "if she knows that I met you down here and she knows you're praying for her," said, "she'll be on over at the meeting tonight."
Said, "She want to try to get down for Sunday night if she possibly could." She probably belongs to another church, but she was healed here. So we're glad of that.
7 And seeing testimonies coming in all the time of different ones. And I meet people that was healed back in 1946 and '47 when we were here, way back in there, still going on, haven't had a bit of trouble since. There was a lady somewhere; I just got her letter, I believe today. She's setting in here, the church I suppose, tonight. She come... She was healed here when I was here in '46 or '7, somewhere, with a cancer. And then later she took a great tumor. And the tumor was so big that they had to pack her everywhere she went, like this. And it was too big for a operation. So they brought her up to Jeffersonville. And I was in there at the little Tabernacle for one night, and some man had her setting over in a corner, and said that--that I... She just passed by a few weeks ago and showed me what had happened. And she was so big, till some of the deacons and trustees of the church... She wanted to be prayed for, and at the Tabernacle I sometimes don't pray for the people no more than just stand up on Sunday morning maybe, when I'm there. Not there very often. And they packed her around and set her on the ground, back out behind the place where I was going out. And passing by, the Holy Spirit happened to look sideways, caused me to look sideways, and see her. Told her about it, laid hands on her, and she's just as normal as any other person.
8 And I got her letter. I wonder if the lady's in here tonight, would raise up her hand. She was in church the other night. Her and her husband, they are here. I believe he--he come by in a trailer and stopped outside my house just recently and--and was talking to me. And I believe she said that she'd learned--be a friend of Brother Mercier's mother, or something like that; she was telling me in the letter. And I thought maybe she'd be here. The letter was wrote last week. But I... What? Over in the right wing, the people are, that Brother Mercier's, or Brother Goad said. The lady is in the right wing that had the big tumor, was at home, and was healed. If she's over in the right wing there somewhere, why don't you step out here and let the people see what God can do for someone that's really--really been healed when she was so big she had to be packed around. Is that... Not back there? Well per--they must just stepped out. Brother Goad said that they were setting there awhile ago. If you watch them, I'd like for her to give a testimony. Just as flat as I am. And she was just about like this, out with a tumor. And how the Lord... If we just...
Now, look, now what did I say about God? He will have... If somebody else with a tumor that big, will act in the same way she act, God's got to act way--same way to you as He act to her. If He didn't, He made--He done wrong when He healed her. See? God can't make a mistake. So what He does to one, He has to do to the other. Now, there's only one requirement. If you'll just appropriate the same simple faith, that's all.
9 A little woman up here somewhere at a place called Eureka; I believe that's Eureka, California. I came down years ago and I never seen anyone; they couldn't even move her from the bed. Well, her little head, to where she was swollen out... Excuse this my sisters, if you will. The breast of the woman was sticking right up like this (You see?), from where she was swollen out with this tumor. And her husband drove a cab. And I said, "Brother, I don't see how..." My faith even went down itself when I looked at that. And I said, "Have you had a doctor?"
Said, "We don't believe in having doctors." Well, all right. Said, "If she dies, she dies. But we trust God."
I said, "All right, that's really faith."
Said, "Only thing I want you do is go in there and put your hands on my wife and pray for her, Brother Branham, and she'll be healed." Oh, my. I'll--I'll have to admit he had a little more faith than I did. That's right. I'd just started out; I was about a year. I hadn't seen nothing like that done yet. And went and laid hands on that woman, and you know what? Now, this is her story on a letter. She may be right here now. Her side split, and gallons of water poured of her. It healed right back up again and she's bow--down about down to a hundred and something pounds, hundred five, ten pounds. She don't only do her own work, but she does all the neighbors work. So... Go right up and down the street, go up and take care of the children, wash for them and things like that. Just go...
10 Now, if the same person, another person, approaches on that same basis, He's got to do the same thing. Or, if it didn't, then He did wrong. He did wrong then when He healed that--that one woman, and healed her that way, then He did wrong when He--when He healed her, if He--if He did--if He didn't do the... If He--if He did--healed her, then if He doesn't heal you, He acted wrong then when He healed the first one, if you'll meet the same requirements of faith that she did. It's only based on one thing, "I can if ye believe." That's all. So, see, then it all lays back, no matter how much strain or what we put on it, it's not that; it's relax and believe. See, I'm... There I go again, Brother Roy. See?
11 Did you read the Scripture for me? I've been asked to speak on the subject, or I said myself that I would, rather, upon the subject of the "Mark of the Beast" and the "Seal of God." Now, it's a great subject. And I think that we may not get through it tonight, maybe have to carry it over until tomorrow night.
And those that's got interviews now, I believe Mr. Mercier said we was to begin at eight o'clock in the morning. Now, I have private interviews where the people wants to see for the visions and things. That's where you all don't get it (You see?), here. It's through the day also. See? And then on these private interviews... So now remember, I--ever who's first in the morning, it starts at eight. Now, he just told me a few minutes ago.
12 Now, on this great subject of the mark of the beast and the seal of God. We've heard so much about it. It's been... I've seen charts that'd reach across this platform here about mark of the beast and the seal of God. But to me, it's so simple, it's just such a--a simple thing to look in the Word and see it, till I don't think... Well, I've got about three or four pages of different Scriptures I want to--wrote out here, that I want to refer to for you tonight. While I was thinking on it this afternoon, I put down Scriptures here, and different pages, so I could find out and you could write it down if you want to.
Now, it's a great subject, and I think that it is a--and one of a--an essential subject that should be taught on. Now, we've had Gospel sermons; we've had Divine healing. And now, this ought to be the--on based like, the second coming of Christ, on His second coming.
13 Brother Smith, is that your wife? Well I... how do you do, Sister Smith? I--I... No wonder he's a--he's a fine man. You're such a fine looking, godly looking little lady as a wife. I--I may have met you before. They say behind every good man there's a good wife. That--that's very fine. I know my wife is... If there's any credit to go to Branham family, give it to her, because she's the one that... But she's ten years younger than I am and snow white headed, and she's just because that she's stood between me and the public, and I don't know what I would do without her. God certainly gave me a wonderful wife. They're a wonderful thing, Brother Smith. Just... Why, if He could give a man anything better, He would've done it. That's right. Right. That's right. That's the truth. "He who has found a wife, has found a good thing," says the wisest man we've ever had. I--I think that a wife is the best thing a man can have outside of salvation. That's right. That's right; she's lovely.
14 Now, I'm going to base the Scripture... First I'm going to tell you what I think the mark of the beast is and what the--I think the Scripture supports the mark of the beast to be. Then I'm going to tell you what I think the Scripture supports the seal of God. Now, we know that these two great things are ending up soon into two great, great grips; the world is gripped by these two things right now: the mark of the beast or the seal of God. Some of them places it way over in the future; some says its already been in the past. But I believe that there's just two answers to it. And that is that the seal of God is the baptism of the Holy Ghost; the mark of the beast is rejecting it. Now, that's the only two things. I going give you Scripture why now as we go through.
Now, one of them is remember, all the peoples on earth in the last days is either going to be sealed by the seal of God or marked by the mark of the beast. And he caused all, both poor, great, bond, free, all upon the earth to receive this mark who did not have the seal, and whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life since the foundation of the world, from the foundation of the world when the Lamb was slain and when their names were put on the Lamb's Book of Life.
15 Now, those two great things. Now, we're going to start first upon "The Seal Of God." Now, what is a seal? The first place, a seal in the Bible, back in days before people had--educated like they are now, they usually--their seal was their signature just like we use today as our name. Sometimes the Romans, and on back in Jewish, and way back in the early eastern countries, they'd have a ring, that had their seal, and stamp it on something. If they couldn't sign their name, that seal. A seal was a bona fide statement, that it was sealed by this seal. And to--to try to copy this, was a capital fine, just like it would be now to try to forge a check, somebody's name on a check. It was a--a great fine to try to copy this seal. And usually the man wore it, had his seal, wore it on his back of his wrist, or--or either on his ring. And he would seal it instead of signing his name. That was to show that--that it was--he had sealed it.
16 Now. Now, Jesus said that in the last days, according to Saint Matthew the 24th chapter and the 24th verse, that these two spirits, this--the ones that was sealed with God, and the ones that would be marked by the beast, the antichrist, would be so close together till it would as deceive the very elected if it was possible. See? Now, they're going to be so much alike. Now, some people says, "Well, communism is the mark of the beast." You're wrong. Communism is not the mark of the beast, yet it is, but it isn't heading up. The--the mark of the beast is of--is a religious nature, very religious, so cunning and sly, until it'll deceive the very elected if it was possible, just so close till it would deceive the elected if it was possible. Of course, they...
Billy Graham said not long ago; I was hearing him a few Sundays ago on my radio coming down here. And he was preaching; he said, "You hear so much about cigarettes and Viceroy," or ever what it was, and "ta--tips at this end and fire at this end, and everything like that." Said, "A man would smoke them at all was a fool." And I think he's about right. Said that even they got so much publicity on things like that until the devil had deceived the elected. Now, I--I don't believe Brother Graham meant it just like that, because the elected will not be deceived. No, sir, they will not be deceived. They were foreordained of God, and they will not be deceived.
So but Jesus said it would be very close together. So close alike. Now, remember, that it'd be so close that the very elected could be deceived if it would be possible.
17 Now, we want to find out where they come from. Where did this all start? As I've told you that every cult and every religion began in Genesis, everything we have. The Assemblies of God began in Genesis. The Baptist began in Genesis. I can prove it. Yes, sir. Every cult, even we have, I can prove it, it begin in Genesis. That's right. Just search Genesis, and then you got the rest of it you see what kind of seed it is, you see where it's going to. See? And just watch it, and it'll just vine it's way right through the Bible. Just exactly.
Both of them begin in Genesis. And we find out that Genesis is the seed chapter.
18 Now, we find out that the first marking of a human being started in Genesis, Genesis 4:15. God marked Cain. That's where the first mark of the beast was ever put on, was put on Cain; he is the beginning of it. Now, you say, "Cain having the mark of the beast?" All right, let's notice.
Now, he said, "Thy seed shall bruise the serpent's head, and his head shall bruise thy heel." Watch the lineage of Cain. As Cain come down, become scientist, smart men, great men, on down like that. But the seed of Seth as it come down, become peasants, sheepherders, farmers. So you see, there is... Now, watch, the Bible said, "I'll put enmity (God did) between your seed and the serpent's seed." Now, so... Now, ministering brethren, just hold your peace just a minute. I--I know they always climb down my neck on this. But the Bible said that the serpent had a seed. That settles it. The serpent's seed, let it be any way you want to take it, we'll restrain from that; I got my idea too. But they--but le... Be whatever it will, the Bible said in Genesis 1, the--the first of Genesis, that the serpent had a seed.
And now remember, the serpent was not a snake to begin with, a reptile. He was the next thing to a human being. Science has tried for thousands of years to find that missing link between man and beast. The closest they can come is to a chimpanzee. But they cannot get from the chimpanzee to the human being. Why? It was a serpent. Now, if you notice in Genesis 3:1, "The beast--the serpent was the most subtle of all the beast of the field." A beast, not a reptile. He was more like a man. He looked like a man. He was that missing link in between there, because that's the only way. The seed of a human will not coincide with the seed of a animal. But this fellow was the only one the devil could use because it was just between man and beast. And the genealogies...
19 I believe in evolution. The first thing maybe, when there was nothing but just plain chaos, volcanic eruption. You know, God's a great Contractor. You believe that? A great contractor always lays out all of his stuff when he builds his subdivision. God, when He was moving the earth around, creating calcium, potash, and petroleum, and so forth, He was laying our bodies on the earth right then, the material that we're made out of. And the great Holy Spirit went out from God to brood over the earth, or coo, make love like a hen her brood. And His... Let's think He had wings. He did not, but let's think He had wings like--like a hen over a brood. He begin to brood over the earth. And I can see some calcium coming, running down a little place, mixing up with some moisture and potash. And a little Easter flower come out. And I can hear Him say, "Come here, Father, and look at this."
"Very good, keep on brooding."
After while brood a little more. What come out next was probably the--the flowers and the vegetations, and the birds flew out of the dust of the earth. And then come the animal life, and kept getting higher life, higher life, higher life, higher life, until finally a man come up in the very image of God. Strange something didn't come up higher than that, wasn't it? Can't get no higher; it was the image of God. So as it... Evolution brings it up like that. But they can't cross and make themselves higher, God said every seed brings of its kind. Now, in that come up then, the man.
20 Now, sin did not start in earth. It begin in heaven, and he was kicked out of heaven and came to the earth. There was nothing else he could get into. The animal would be too far from him, seed wouldn't mix, so he had to get into the serpent which was a being more like a man. And when God cursed him and put him on his belly, He changed every bone in him. Science trying to dig up bones and that... Why, it's hid in the mysteries of God, and will reveal it to anybody that wants to know about it, sure. There is...
Now, watch, he was the most subtle, most shrewd, cunning, wisdom, smarter than the animal. He was right next to the man (See?), the most subtle of all the beasts of the field.
And now, remember, that Cain was given a mark. And now, you say, "Satan could not've been that serpent." If you'll go with me now over to II Corinthians 11:14, the Bible said he transformed himself into an angel of light. You just underestimate Satan; that's all. See? Yes, sir. He made himself into an angel of light. If he could come into that kind of a substance, then why could he not come into a beast, next thing to a man?
21 Now, we find out that because that Cain listened to the enemy, then what happened? He become the first murderer. He become the first one that had jealousy on earth. Tell me where that pure line from God to Adam... That's the only connection. Adam was the son of God. Bible said so. Then where did that jealousy come from? Where did that murderer come from? Where did all that kind of a spirit come from? Out of Adam? Couldn't have. Come from Satan. It's exactly where it come from.
Now, we find out he was the first murderer. And he was the first one to have jealousy. And Lucifer got jealous of Michael, brought it right down to the earth and transferred it into man. And Satan... Cain by taking on this evil, took the first mark. God marked him. No one was to kill him. Let him alone. But you remember, he--as soon as He marked him, he went out from the Presence of God. Hold onto that now.
Oh, we don't have time to give it a real thorough study because, oh, brother, we could dig this here for six months (See?), and never touch the outsides of it. See?
22 Notice, he went out from the Presence of God when he was marked, went to the land of Nod and got him a wife. Very type of the church: goes out from God, gets a wife of the world. See? Watch it. Glorious. Now, we have to change quickly now, that we don't take too much time.
Now, we find out that then Abel, Cain's brother, Cain slew Abel. And God gave Adam another son instead of Abel, whose name was Seth. And it was a sign, and a sign from God of death and resurrection. So Seth never went to the land of Nod to get his wife; God gave him a wife. But Cain, with the mark of the beast on him, went out and got him a wife from the land of Nod, and Seth took God's choice. Perfect type of the denominational church today, going out, taking in anything. But the true church of the living God, Christ's body, only takes what the Holy Ghost seals: perfect. God has set in the church.
23 What did the sign come by? What did the churches mark by? What was the sign? We know Cain had the mark. Then what was the sign of the resurrection? That's what the church is signed by today, the sign of the Holy Spirit that Christ is not dead but He raised from the dead and taken in the church. See, sealing His church, there it begins right them two--two boys right there in the garden of Eden, right outside the garden.
The mark of the beast... A wanderer, a fugitive, don't know where he's going, don't know where he's--where he--what he knows, don't know what he does want. He's a fugitive.
24 But Seth stayed at home. And he was with his father. And God gave him a wife. There starts in the lineage. And if you'd want to chase that down one time... I better leave it alone. I just like to prove it to you over and over and over and over. Yes, sir. That's right, there's where it began. Some people thinks that they taken apples in the garden of Eden, eat some apples. And the first thing you know, that was the first sin. Oh, brother. Let me tell you; I don't say this for a joke; it's no place to joke: But if eating apples will cause women to realize they're naked, we better pass the apples again. I think so. I think we ought to do it.
It wasn't apples; we all know that. No, we realize, in a mixed audience, what it was. And we see what it did. Now, we find out then that this was...
25 A mark is a distinction. It makes a difference; it separates something. But like... You say, you got one mark against you, a mark. But you never said you had one seal against you; you got one mark against you. And a seal is a sign of ownership. A mark is a distinction. And the church is sealed by the Holy Spirit, showing as ownership; God owns the church. But the mark of the beast is the wayward, the outcast that refused to take and come God's provided way.
Cain, as soon as he was marked was sent away. We get that. Abel died, and Seth raised to take his place, was a sign of resurrection. All right.
26 We find out that these two mark, mark and seal begin in Genesis, and it comes down through the Bible and ends up in Revelation. We also have a Scripture here about that where it started in Genesis, ends up in Revelations; it's always been in one form or the other, coming up.
Like I was preaching the other night on the blood offering, blood sacrifice. Babylon is spoke of in Genesis, the first of the Bible. Babylon spoke of in the middle of the Bible, Babylon spoke of in the last of the Bible. Starts in Genesis, comes over to Revelations. Everything begins--them two spirits...
27 Look here, we... let's just take it a minute. Even in the ark, there was the dove and the crow in the ark. One--both of them birds, both of them could fly, both of them... You know the crow is a hypocrite. He is, he's just a dirty hypocrite. Now, a crow can set down over there on a old dead horse, and just eat, and caw, and flop his wings, and have a big time. That poor little dove can't get near it. Why? It hasn't got any gall. See? It couldn't digest it. If it'd eat that it would die. But the crow can set there and eat dead horse a half a day, go out in the field and come home and eat dinner with wheat, with the crow--with the dove. He's an old hypocrite, is all. Did you ever notice, a dove has no gall of bitterness. Neither does anyone that's baptized with the Holy Ghost. All the bitterness is gone away. They were both in the same ark, like the hypocrite and the real believer in the same church, same denomination setting together, seat--same pew, setting together.
28 I want you to notice another thing. Oh, I like to talk about nature. The dove, did you know you don't catch the dove taking a bath. Why? He don't have to. He's got a oil inside of him that goes out through his feathers and keeps himself clean all the time. That's the way a real church; it don't have to be bathing up and going back about this, that, or the other. But they got an oil, holy oil on the inside, every believer, that keeps him clean from the things of the world. Oh, if we could just preach on the--the Lamb and Dove sometime. The Holy Ghost inside the believer keeps him clean. Not from the outside what he washes off, but it comes from the inside out. Amen.
A lot of people say, "I have to go up and make confession today, I have to say so and so, and I have to go make a confession. I have to do this." But you know, the Holy Spirit inside just works the oil out all the time, the atonement, keeping the believer clean. "For there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit."
29 How do we get into it? By one handshake? No. By one paper? By one denomination? No. But by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, free from judgment. God's done judged that body. God judged it at Calvary; it won't have to be judged any more. "He that heareth My Word, believeth on Him that sent Me, hath Eternal Life." There's not two forms of Eternal Life, only one. "Has Eternal Life and shall not come into the judgment; but has passed from death unto Life." "When I see the blood I'll pass, will pass over you." Oh, my, that makes me feel religious.
Why? Free from sin. That's right. He that's borned of God doth not commit sin, cannot sin. Seed of God remains in him; he can't sin. It can't be me under a sin offering all the time, and then be a sinner, you cannot. You never seen a sinner saint. You never seen a black white bird, or drunk sober man. No, sir. You are either a sinner or a saint; that's all. And if you're in Christ, there is a Blood atonement offering all day long, crying, "Father forgive them; they don't know what they're doing." Oh, then you can rest assure. Amen, I like that. So beautiful there, the Holy Spirit, how It seals us.
30 Notice, the crow, the dove. Let's notice from Cain and Abel. That was nothing in the world but Judas and Jesus. Certainly. Let's watch the smoke. As Cain killed Abel at the altar now, Cain... If righteousness is all that God re--requires, or being fundamental... That's what I've always said about the two classes of people. I meet the Fundamental and the Pentecost. The Fundamentalists seen positionally from their schooling; they know where they stand, but they haven't got no faith. The Pentecostals got the faith, but don't know who they are. See? Like I said, somebody's got money in the bank, can't write a check. Another one write a check, got no money in the bank. Get them together.
Now, we see that the Pentecostals is the one that's got the faith. They believe, but... They're full of fire. They're full of the Holy Ghost, but they don't know how to settle down on that Word and says, "It's THUS SAITH THE LORD." They blow it all out the whistle with screams and shouts and runs. If they could ever bottle it down you'd see a church stand on her feet in power and glory. There'd be a book of acts wrote behind it.
Now, notice... Yeah, I didn't mean that they... They take it out in joy instead of power, faith. Hold that there and believe it. It's God's Word, stay right with it.
31 Look at Cain, come up and offered an offering, built an altar, belonged to a church, belonged to a denomination, knelt at the altar and prayed, worshipped God, gave in his tithing. If that's all God requires, Cain was just as justified as Abel was. But you see, the whole secret was--was the revelation. There's where the trouble is; people don't understand that the whole church of the living God is built upon a spiritual revelation of Christ. Jesus said so in Saint Matthew 16. "Blessed art thou, Simon son of Jonas: flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father which is in heaven. And up--thou art Simon, upon this rock I will build My church." When the spiritual revelation of Jesus Christ... And He is the Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us." And when that Word comes into you, It's sharper than a two-edged sword, even discerning the thoughts and the intents of the heart. There's the Word coming in. The revelation of every Word of God is true. Hang your soul on any phase of It: revelation.
Oh, I like these things. My, I think it sets the church to where you--you could have a healing service. See? God said so; that settles it; that's--that's all of it. God said so; just stay right with it.
32 Now... But how--there was no Bible in that day, so it must've been revealed to Abel. Hebrews 11 said, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain," testifying of him that he was righteous.
Now, Cain said, "I guess my mother eat some apples and she had to put on clothes." But Abel knew that it was blood, life. There'd been something happen wrong. And he offered the blood of a lamb.
I can see him coming with this little lamb... Oh, Satan's altar was much more beautiful than Abel's. He had fruits and flowers, and all pretty.
But that--that's--that's what I'm trying to tell the church. Sister, you don't have to wear manicure, and all prettied up, and wear a dress like the next lady to be right with God. You don't have to have a church that's got thousand dollar pews in it, and a pipe organ that cost several million dollars, and all this here fancy stuff. That come from hell. That's right. I can prove it by the Bible. That's right.
33 Cain thought these things, "I'll offer these things." But I imagine Abel's offering wasn't so good. Probably didn't have any hemp in that day, so must've had a grape vine wrapped around that little old lamb's neck, led it up there and laid it upon the rock. He didn't have a lance or a knife in then, so he must've took a--a piece of rock, pulled its little head back, and begin to chop its little neck. And as it begin to bleat and kick, and the blood going all over him, bleeding, bleating, dying on the rock...
What did it represent? Four thousand years later, the Lamb of God hacked to death on the rock of ages, bleeding, bleating, speaking in tongues as He was dying on Calvary. "Oh, dear dying Lamb, Thy precious Blood shall never lose its power till all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more." Our educational programs, denominational programs will mean not that [Brother Branham snaps his fingers--Ed.]; it'll take the of Blood of Jesus Christ and nothing else to do it. Yes.
34 Watch the smoke come up from there. And remember, here it is, believer. Abel died on the same rock with his lamb. Every believer has to do the same thing: die on the rock with your lamb. A lamb don't have but one thing, and that's wool. And he has to forfeit all he's got. He don't kick up a fuss about it. You take the little fellow and throw him up there, like I said, the lamb dumb before its shearers. He gets sheared off. He don't fuss about it. Only thing he's got, he forfeits it willing.
And we say we're Christians. Somebody wrote me a little letter the other day and--little note, and funny isn't it, I got it down there, said, "I got a right; I'm a American citizen; I wear any kind of clothes I want to." Go right ahead, it's all right. That shows you're a goat. That's right. You just go ahead and wear them if you wish. But remember, if you're a lamb, you have got a right to it, but you forfeit your rights for Christ. I got a right to get drunk tonight to; I'm American citizen. I got a right to smoke cigarettes; I'm American citizen. You have too, but we forfeit our rights. Be shaved off of those things. Act like gentlemen, like ladies, dress like it, and act like it and live like it. Forfeit your rights.
35 Look at the smoke coming up from the altar, come right on up and settle down on Calvary. As Cain killed Abel at the altar, Judas killed Jesus at the altar. Right.
Notice again, you only see three crosses, don't you? There were four, four crosses. There was Jesus in the middle, a thief on one side and a thief on the other, and Judas hung hisself on a sycamore tree. And Jesus was hanging on a tree too. "Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree." And He was made a curse for us. Judas was on just as much cross as He was, 'cause he was on a tree. Jesus on much a tree as Judas was. "Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree."
Watch here. There was the Son of God: God made manifest, came down from heaven, returning back to heaven, taking with Him the repentant sinner. And there was Judas, the son of perdition, come from hell, returning back to hell, taking back with him the unrepentant sinner, going back again. Oh, it's beautiful.
As God opened up the side of Adam in the garden and took out a part to make a bride, God opened up the side of Jesus at Calvary and took out the Bride, out of His side. Oh, it's beautiful. At the cross, how it is, and how them two spirits, how they come up through Cain, Abel: the crow, the dove.
And look we think again, Cain, when he went over into the land of Nod, he got hisself a wife. And we find out that that wife... I got the Scripture wrote down there; I won't go into that at this time.
36 Look at Israel. Israel when it left out of there, like two vines, we see it coming on up. It's always been that way. Look, here come Israel on its road to the promised land, like the church is today. What did it meet? It met Moab. And he sent up to his brother and said, "Can we cross your land? If our cattle lick up any grass, we'll pay for it. If they drink any water, we'll pay for it." And he refused to do it.
Now, looky here. There was Israel, a little bunch of interdenominationals, riding around through the country, no place to settle down, but on their road home. Moab was settled down with the dignitaries, numbered amongst the nations of the world.
37 Notice what happened. Israel had the true blood stream. Remember how Balaam tried to marry in like that, and he had to oust off them women and all. Teaching of Balaam, doctrine of Balaam...
Notice, there was Moab, believed in the same God that Israel believed in. For it was what? Another illegitimate wrong wife, Lot's child by his daughter. Just exactly like the unborn churches today, the church natural is a church of the world committing spiritual fornication with the world and not living true to God. Very beautiful type...
38 Notice, fundamentally speaking... Now, fundamental brother, I'm not... I don't want to pinch you too hard, but I want you to feel it. Notice, here come the--the bishop down, Balaam. And he got up there, and the king said, "Come down and curse this people." Said, "I don't want them over here; they can't one of them healing services over here. Why, they're always carrying on about healing," and said, "they got a brass serpent down there that they all look at and get well. And say they're eating manna out of heaven, I didn't see any of it. And oh, it's a bunch of nonsense." And said, "I want you to come down and curse them. We don't want none of that stuff mixed up in our denominations over here. So keep them out of here."
Notice, he was just as fundamental as Israel was. He built seven altars, seven sacrifices, seven rams, just exactly like they were doing down in the camp of Israel (See?), just the same sacrifices. But what Balaam failed to see was that smitten rock, that brass serpent, the shout of the camp, of the King. He failed to see that Pillar of Fire going before them.
39 That's what it is today. You say, "You belong to them Pentecostals. They're a bunch of holy-rollers." They used to be, but they're not no more. But so they--they belong to them, but they failed to see that Pillar of Fire. Now, so they can be sure to see it, we got a picture of it scientifically proved. Amen. Yes. They failed to see the Pillar of Fire, the shout of the camp, that there's a King among us (Amen.), King Jesus. They fail to see it. He failed to see that blood atonement. They say, "I know a Pentecostal man run off with another man's wife." I know Baptists and Presbyterian done the same, Catholics and all. That's right. So sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Pot can't call kettle black. We're all human beings, and we're subject to all those things among our--our people. But God deals with us as individuals, whoever we are. So the Pentecostal blessing is right.
40 Notice, Israel and Moab; now it's the same. We find out that the--the church takes on...?... they go out and take on a denominational, bring in anything they want to. They just say, "Well now, if you'll come and be baptized in our church and stand up and say you believe Jesus the Son of God, then we'll--we'll baptize you in the church and put your name on the book."
Now, do you know the devil believes too? Sure, he does. I explained to you the other night, you--like trying to immerse this old turtle. It didn't do anything to him; it didn't help him any. It took fire to make him move. And so, that's what it takes for the church today: is a little Holy Ghost and fire to make it move.
But remo--remember, the Holy Spirit will not take that unclean person into His--the body of Christ. That shows that the body of Christ is not a denomination. For it's a mystical body of Christ. And by one Spirit we're all baptized into it. I think we take women, men, and take them to the waters to baptize them. And we find out if they're really not Christians in their heart, we should never baptize them.
I was going some time ago with a woman to the river, group of them. One woman walked out there; she got out of her car and come across, fixing her hair up, she said, "Going to take me down and dunk me, Brother Branham?"
I said, "Not you, you're not fit to go in." That's right. They was going to have a singing at the church, and some girl, she--she didn't have enough money to--to--to get her some kind of a hairdo like that she wanted to do to get up on the platform to sing. And her poor old mother washed over a washboard to get that hairdo for her. When I found it out, I wouldn't let her sing. I said, "You're not fit to sing up there." That should be kept clean. That's what's the matter today with the churches, the corruption and stuff, right from the pulpit plumb to the basement. That's right. Clean it out. That's right. We need the old fashion scouring pad again in the church.
41 Like the little darkie was being ordained one day, and the elders standing around said, "Lord, wrap him up in burlap sacks and pour kerosene on him and set him afire for the Gospel." That's what we need today: on fire. Turn him loose then and let him run.
Used to brand calves. We'd take a calf, I know what you've roped and hogtied a many one, I guess. We used to brand them down. Someone said to me, "Aren't you ashamed to pack that hot iron and stick it on his side?"
"No." I stuck it on his side. He had a kicking fit, all right. He squalled and bellowed; when he turned him loose he had a spasm, he really run. But we knowed who he belonged to from then on (That's right.), as long as he lives. And I tell you, brother; it takes a lot of grace to come up to the altar and stay there till the Holy Ghost burns a seal down in you. You may scream, and cry, and act funny, but you know where you belong from then on. That's right. For you're sealed in the Kingdom of God by the Holy Spirit. It is the seal.
42 Remember, the Holy Spirit come to seal those who God foreknew. That's right. That's right. He just didn't come down, Jesus, and say, "I'll die; maybe somebody will have pity and look at Me and say, 'Well, I suppose.' Maybe if they'll think I suffered so much it'll break their hearts and they'll come." No, no. You won't come anyhow. You can't tell a pig he's wrong by eating on a manure pile. He just tell you right quick, if he could talk, "I tend to my business; you tend to yours." See?
It takes a conversion. God has to do it. No man comes to Jesus except God draws him first. It takes the work of the Holy Spirit to even turn your heart. Takes God. Someone said, "I sought God and sought God." No, no, no. God sought you, not you seeking God. God seeks you.
43 All right, the Holy Spirit doesn't take in just any kind of a wife, doesn't take in somebody that smokes, and somebody that drinks, and somebody that lives immoral, and somebody that carries along with all kinds of worldly things, 'cause He said, "If you love the world, the things of the world, the love of God is not even in you." But the Holy Spirit come to seal into the body the wife of Jesus Christ, that He foreknew before the foundation of the world. When He... By being God in foreknowledge, He could see who would receive Him and who would not. So the Holy Spirit come to get that Bride. That's the one He takes in. But the church says, "Oh..."
44 Used to sing a little song, I hope I don't sound sacrilegious. We had a little song we used to sing, "'Come and dine,' the Master calleth." We had a little song and made it a little different, forgive me if I stumble you anyway. Said...
"Come and join," the pastor calleth,
"Come and join";
You can have your ice cream suppers all the time;
Tell the dirty jokes,
Chew a cud and puff a smoke,
Oh, the pastor calls to the congregation,
"Come and join." (Instead of come and dine.)
What a difference. Take a man, as long as he got a little money and can pay in, put him on the deacon board and got two or three wives, put him on there anyhow because they're influential men in the city. I don't care if the city hates them; I want them influential in heaven where the Holy Spirit, where they can have some influence among the people. But it's just come and join. Everything...
I asked a girl some time ago, "Are you a Christian?"
And she said, "I give you to understand; I'm an American." Like that had anything to do with it. She was in Switzerland. Like that had anything to do with it.
Brother Bosworth said he asked a woman one time, she said, "I'll give you to understand I burn a candle every night." Now, like that's got anything to do with Christianity: burn a candle every night. Got to be borned into this, the Kingdom of God.
45 Now, we find those spirits. Watch. Just about the time that Jesus came on the scene, Judas came on the scene. Just about time Jesus went off the scene, the same day, Jesus and Judas both went off the scene. Just about the time the Holy Ghost came on the scene, what happened? The antichrist come on the scene. John says so, said, "Little children be not deceived by it," said, "the antichrist is already at work in the world." See? It ain't coming in these last days; it's already there then. It's always been.
46 And now, you watch: just about the time the antichrist is holding itself up now and taking all the churches, even our Pentecostal, into the big morgue up here, you know, the union churches... You understand where I mean. I understand some of our Pentecostal organizations is getting into that. Um-ump. What--how far away from the Spirit of God can you get when you start wandering. Just slip off that narrow road, and you'll just keep sliding. That's right. You got to come back to where you left off. That's right.
Confederation of churches, which will form the image of the beast... And we all know that. See, there? It's all working right around now to bring all the churches together, unite ourselves together to fight communism. Don't you worry about communism; it ain't going to be the thing to fight.
There's three curtains. I say this in the Name of the Lord; don't you forget it. There's a iron curtain, a bamboo curtain, and a purple curtain. Watch that purple curtain. Keep your eye on that.
47 Oh, my, how we see now the antichrist beginning to unfold itself, taking a hold in the nation. It even elect their own man, the other churches forming in with it, making one great big ecclesiastical head. All the Anglican bishop the--they're going over now into Po--into Rome to consult with the Pope, the first time for hundreds of years. Oh, it's all taking head. And we Protestants set back, you know, and... Well, there you are (See?); just go ahead. Because it's cooled off. We ain't going to stop it; it ain't going to stop; it's going to get worse. It's... The Bible said so, that... The Pentecostal church in the last days, we know is the Laodicean church age that gets lukewarm and God spits it out of His mouth, makes Him sick at His stomach. He just can't stand it, the way it is.
48 Now, let's go on now and get some of these seals and work them out for the next few minutes. We go over now, if you're putting your Scriptures down, let's go to Ezekiel the 9th chapter. And we find out the prophet foreseen the first coming of the church. Now, we find that he seen, called the prophet, and he looked up at the higher gates and said, "Have you ever seen anything like this?" And there come from the high gates four men with slaughtering weapons in their hand. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... you read Ezekiel the 9th chapter.
Now, remember, that slaughtering was designated only to Jerusalem. "Go through the city."
But before they went through the city, they found another thing happen. There came a Man with a--a--in white with a inkhorn at His side, a writer's inkhorn. And He said, "Stop these other men, that they should not go into the city until first the Man dressed in white with the writer's inkhorn, would go through the city of Jerusalem and set a seal upon, or mark, of those that sigh and cry for the abominations that's done in the city." Now, this One with the inkhorn at His side, was the Holy Spirit. Now, notice, after He went through, then He turned these men loose with slaughtering weapons. He said, "Utterly destroy all, both young, old, young maids, little children; spare nothing; but don't come near any of those who have that seal upon them." Notice it.
49 Now, when did that take place? That was the early Pentecostal church, when the Holy Spirit went through and marked out the church. Now, notice how history--if you ever taken the writing of Josephus when he wrote of the great battle about 96. When all the people... When the Holy Ghost when Jesus came, performed the signs of the Messiah, proved that He was Messiah. After He left He transferred Hisself into glory, sent back the Holy Ghost and anointed the apostles. They went forth doing the same signs that He did. They had the power of the Lord. They spoke in tongues; they shouted. There was a mighty rushing wind filled them. And they went forth with such a zeal until they burnt the cities with the Holy Spirit. And what did they do? They made fun of them. They laughed at them. That's right. Jesus said, "You speak against me, I'll forgive you. But when the Holy Ghost is come, one word against It will never be forgiven." And they sealed their eternal destination when they made fun of the people that was filled with the Holy Ghost.
50 Jesus told them, said, "Now, the time will come..." Now, you have to notice so many teachers there they--they asked Jesus three different questions in Matthew 24. He answered each one. That's the reason you get up to the Seventh Day Adventist with that, "Pray that your flight be not in the Sabbath," on the Sabbath day or wintertime. He was asking them, "When will these things be? What will be the sign of the coming, end of the world?" And three different questions they asked Him. And He explained it just as they asked Him there. And it taken place; history shows it's right.
What would do... What difference would it make if your flight now, running from the city would be on the Sabbath day? Then the--the gates of the city was closed on the Sabbath day. What difference would it make? Showed it wasn't universal, 'cause be summertime in one place and winter another. "Pray that your flight not be in the wintertime, or on the Sabbath day." Because, in that day,... He... They were warned, said, "Let them that's in Jerusalem, flee unto Judaea." Judaea was snowbound in the wintertime. "Pray that your flight be not in the wintertime, neither on the Sabbath day."
51 But when Titus came up, and they seen... Jesus told them, "When you see Jerusalem compassed about with armies, let him that's in the field, don't return to get his coat. But hit for the hills of Judaea just as hard as you can go. Get out of there." 'Cause they're going to blaspheme the Holy Ghost. And if they blaspheme the Holy Ghost, they take the mark of the beast, and there's nothing but destruction left. Those Jews, when they seen trouble coming, they said, "Now, we will gather into the city, into the house of the Lord and pray." Doesn't that sound very religious, very sweet. Oh, Satan can make it look just so real. Sure.
But remember, Josephus said that those people that were cannibals, said, "there's a bunch that follow Jesus of Nazareth who went around healing the sick." Said, "Pilate killed Him, and they stole His body away, and set it out somewhere, and cut it up and eat it." They were cannibals. What they were doing, were taking communion, the body of the Lord. See? And he said, "None of them is lost, because they hit out for Judaea just as the Scripture told them to do, like Jesus had told them to do it."
52 But those Jews, they all went into Jerusalem, and they said, "Now, we'll gather to the house of the Lord, and great Jehovah Who's always been with us, will come down, and He will drive away the armies of Titus; that's what He will do." But what did they do? They had sinned against the Holy Ghost. They'd make fun of the power of the Holy Ghost in operation. They called Jesus Christ, Who was performing and showing them that He was their Messiah, they called Him Beelzebub, called Him a devil, told Him it was some kind of a telepathy, said He was a devil, the works that He was doing was the works of the devil. They had it coming to them.
Now, brother, you just wait; we won't get time tonight, but tomorrow night I want to take you over and show you that the United States has done the same thing exactly. I'll prove it to you by the Scriptures. Tomorrow night, the Lord willing, that how the United States has done the same thing exactly in these last forty years. They've made fun and called them holy-rollers, Pentecostal fanatics, and everything in the world. And God working with them in signs and wonders, and the big churches just set off like this and made fun. And now in the last days, what's happened? Let me bring the Scriptures to you. Are you ready?
53 I differ with my precious Brother David duPlessis, going up there with Dr. McKee and all these big churches. And now what are they going to...
[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... now. Oh, the Presbyterians are saying, "We need speakers in tongues. We need them to get the baptism of the Holy Ghost. We need Divine healers," and all like that. Why didn't they accept it forty years ago when it come out, instead of making fun of it? They'll never do it. They are dead. They're denominations, and every denomination's dead. Exactly right. It'll never rise again. No denomination will never rise. Assemblies, you've had your day. Oneness, you had your day. Foursquare, you had your day, time of Mrs. McPherson. The old school assemblies had their day. Well, what have you done? You've denominated yourself and separated yourself. You'll never take a denomination in, because it was a Catholic order in the first place that God condemned in the beginning; it'll never go in, no Baptist, Presbyterian, or nothing else. But God will pull a hungry heart from every denomination that He can, for that's His body that He will take in, and that are sealed by the Holy Spirit.
They've done took the mark of the beast. Look at it now, the Pentecostal church has done showed its colors. Now, it's spued out. Jesus on the outside, knocking [Brother Branham knocks on the pulpit--Ed.], trying to come in. What's He knocking? The very Messiahic knock, and everything else, and they still turn Him out. Certainly, they do.
54 But what is happened? What day are we living in? Oh, my brother, what day we living in? Don't think I'm crazy. I hope I'm not. If I'm crazy, just let me alone; I feel better this way than I did the other way. But listen. Listen. I tell you, my brother and sister, what's it the sign of it? It's the sign we're at the end time. What did Jesus say about the sleeping virgins? Oh, you call them churches virgin? Just like Cain was, exactly the same thing. They worship. But the sleeping virgin had no oil in her lamp. Is that right? So when she found out she was later than what she thought, communism slipping up on her, she said, "Oh, give us some of the oil. How do you get this Holy Ghost?"
"You go buy it from one that sells it."
55 And remember, the very time that the sleeping virgin went to buy the oil, that's when the Bridegroom came. Glory. Don't you see it? If the Presbyterians and the Episcopalians and those others, are come seeking for the Holy Ghost, you'd better get your lamp trimmed. Trimmed, trimmed, yes, it needs trimming. Pentecost, better be trimming some lamps. Amen. Get a lot of this world cut away from you. You done got corroded over. The wicks got in bad shape. You know that wick is a great thing. I used to watch. What a real wick of God is a--a believer, is a wick. Look, he's got a fire on one end, up here, and the other end's dipped into oil, drawing oil and making fire. What a--what a church, what a power. What a place to be. Hallelujah.
Shining that same Gospel light that shines in the east, is shining in the west. It shall be light in the evening time. Rise, trim your lamp, Pentecost. Trim off the world; trim off the fashions of the world; trim off the things of the world. Get ready; the hour is at hand.
56 And right when they went to get this, what happened? What taken place? Then the Bridegroom went in. See, America has blasphemed the Holy Ghost. She's made fun of it ever since she come on the scene of existence forty or fifty years ago. She's constantly made fun. The other churches has made fun. They've showed themself. Now, they begin to stick their head out and saying, "We'd like to have a little of this." But just as when they go to doing that it's a sign that we should go to trimming our lamp. God raise up some preachers that'll go to trimming lamps. I'm telling you what we need today is something that'll trim our lamp, show the true Pentecostal fire.
57 You get an old little lamp all--where the--the carbon gets on the lamp wick, it'll smoke your lamp all up. That's what's the matter with us; we got too much carbon on the lamp, too much carbon. The fire can't draw right. It at--can't get enough air from the bottom. What we need is a good breathing spell, a good breath, fresh breath from heaven of the baptism of the Holy Ghost over again, and the Holy Spirit working in the church with signs and wonders following, the true Seal of God.
"I tell you what. I'll go to the Assemblies, if they don't treat me right I'll go to the Foursquare." Oh, you carboned up, you're smoking your light. Trim your lamp. Get ready; we're at the end time. But they will, somebody will preach it. Somebody will tell it. Somewhere there'll be some of them that'll get it. That's right. I don't know how many, 'cause it says, "As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the coming of the Son of man," wherein eight souls was saved. But I don't know how many will get it, but there'll be some of them will trim their lamps, that's all there is to it, for lamp trimming time is on.
58 And when the--when the sleeping virgin went out, which already received the mark of the beast... You say, "Mark of the beast, that?" Yes, indeedy. So did Cain receive the mark and went out. What was it? When the Baptist church, when the Pentecostal church, when the Presbyterian church, took on the mark of the beast instead of receiving the Holy Ghost, they went out from God and made them an organization. What'd they do? Took them a false wife, a false wife of the world, brought in painted up Jezebels and everything else, with short hair and wearing shorts and skirts and of a hollywood fashion. And preachers got out to taking them in with--deacons with two or three wives and... And a man...
59 You say, "You're always talking on our women, about our women." All right, men, I will comb you down once then. Let me tell you something. Any man that will let his wife smoke cigarettes and wear shorts, I got little respect of him even being a man. He's so sissified he don't even know what he belongs to. He ain't a man. That's right. Oh, hallelujah. That's right. He's a poor excuse for a man. Oh, he may be six foot tall, weigh two hundred pound, but that don't look like a man to me. That shows who's boss around your house. She will stomp her foot, "I will tell you right now," and you'd bow down like you was a sick kitten. What's the matter? We need...
What we need today is men. We need Gospel preachers. And any preacher that will stand in the pulpit and hold back on those things, I got little respect of him being called of God. Right. A man that's ashamed to stand in the pulpit and tell the God's truth, when he knows it's an immoral thing for a woman to cut her hair... The Bible... A man's got a right to leave his wife and give her a divorce when she cuts her hair. The Bible said so. Who's the head of the woman? Her husband. And the Bible said, "If a woman cuts her hair she dishonors her head." No dishonorable woman should be lived with. Amen. She cuts off her glory. And so does the church. When she does the same thing she cuts her glory stream off.
Um. Oh God, why do I say these things? But it's truth. No, we don't--we don't need compromisers. We need men and women who will stand for justice and right and tell the truth, regardless of what it is. Amen. The seal of God...
Trim your lamps, my brother. Let the light of the Holy Spirit burn out again, fresh. It's getting dark. Oh, it's such a horrible time. It's getting dark.
60 Here some time ago I went down... I was coming from Dallas and was flying over and going to Indiana, and a storm come up and--and the airplane had to go down at Memphis. And I--I... They put me up in that great big fine hotel down there and told me... They called me after while and said, "We'll call you in the morning at seven o'clock. We'll have the--some lines to pick you up." 'Cause they'd--I'd already paid my way, and they--they had to pay my way in the hotel that night. So I set up and wrote some letters to my friends. The next morning I got up and was going down to mail the letters, and I was going down the street. I thought, "I'll hurry up now because that limousine's going to pick us up at a certain time." And I started down the street, walking real fast, you know. The Holy Spirit said, "Stand still." I looked around, and a big Irish cop standing there, looked over here, and I thought, "Surely, that wasn't him said that." And I started to walk again, said, "Come aside." And there was some fishing reels and things there. I walked up like this, and I thought I'd just act like I'm looking at that so he won't think suspicious of something. So I walked up there and begin looking at these reels, and I said, "Heavenly Father, was that You spoke?"
He said, "Turn, and go north and keep walking."
I said, "Yes, Father." I just started... You believe children of God should be led by the Spirit of God...?... That's what's the matter with us, got our lamp so smoked up we can't tell nothing no more. Here we was...
61 I went walking. I walked, and I walked, and I walked, and I thought, "Well, my." I looked, time for the airplane to come. And He just kept saying, "Walk." And I just kept on walking. I went over and got over on the other side, and I got in that--the colored district over there. And I was going down, well, the--it was way high; the sun was way up high. And I thought, "Oh, I missed my plane. Well, if He said walk, I guess maybe He means walk home. So I'll just keep on walking, leave my suitcase back there." So then I went--I went--I had my suitcase still at the hotel, and I had these letters. I kept walking along. Thought, "Well, Lord..."
Just Something kept saying, "Keep walking, keep walking." I just kept on walking; that's the only thing to do. No matter how it looks, just keep on anyhow. If God said do it, just keep on anyhow. That's the way you do it. That's the way you get well (See?); just keep on walking. Say, "To--Yesterday I couldn't wiggle my finger but that much; today I can wiggle it that much. Praise God. Tomorrow I'll wiggle it that much and the next day that much. And then the first thing, I'm...?..." Just keep on walking. That's all, just keep walking.
62 Then I got over there on the other side of Memphis. And when I did, why, I was walking down through some--a big colored district there, little old shanties like, out there. And I thought, "What am I doing over here?" I thought, "Well, He said keep walking. If He wanted me to turn some other way, He'd tell me." So I just kept on walking. And I walked, and I was singing that little song that you Pentecostal people sing about--let's see if I can get the tune.
They were gathered in the upper room,
All praying in His name,
Baptized with the Holy Ghost,
And power for service came;
Now what He did for you--them that day
He'll do for you the same,
I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them. (You've heard it, haven't you? Yes, sir.)
These people may not learn--learned to be,
Or boast of worldly fame,
They have all received their Pentecost,
Through faith in Jesus' Name;
And are telling now, both far and wide,
His power is yet the same,
I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.
63 I was going along humming that to myself. I looked; I seen an old colored woman leaning out over a--a--a gate, there like this. And it was way up, and oh, it's beautiful springtime and the honeysuckle. You--you--you think orange blossoms smells good, just wait till you smell honeysuckles in Indiana back there. So and there was--and she was leaning out there, and she had a man's shirt tied around her head, great big fat face, you know. And I was coming along, I thought... Well I seen her standing there. I kept walking on like that. And when I got up close, she started laughing, great big tears started coming down her eyes. I said, "Good morning, auntie." That's usually the way we would address colored people in the south.
She said, "Good morning, parson."
I said, "Parson?" That's a preacher, you know. I said, "How'd you know I was a parson?"
She said, "I knowed you was coming."
I said--stopped and come back; I thought, "Father, is this it? You send me down to this Negro woman?"
64 And she was standing there, and I said, "How'd you know I was a parson?"
She said, "Did--did you ever read that story about the Shunammite woman?"
I said, "Oh, yes."
She said, "I's is that kind of woman." And she said, "I didn't have any children, and I told the Lord if He'd give me a baby that I would--that I would--I would raise it to--to serve Him." And said, "I--I did that. The Lord give me a baby," and said, "I washed over washboards to make a living for him." And said, "He--he'd been such a fine boy," but said, "he took a road that's wrong. He got out with the wrong company." And said, "He..." And she was an old Pentecostal saint. And so she said--she... "He took the road was wrong." And said, "He got a horrible social disease." And said, "I didn't know it." And said, "Now, they can't do anything for him." Said, "His heart's done eat out." Said, "He's laying in there dying."
65 And said, "Last night I prayed all night." Said, "He's been unconscious two days, parson." And said, "I prayed all night last night." And I said, "Lord, You give me this baby." Said, "I--I is your servant," said, "where is that Elisha," he said. And said, "I kept on praying." Said, "This morning I went to sleep on my knees," and said, "about two o'clock." And said, "I dreamed that the Lord told me to come here and stand on this gate." And she said, and said, "He will be coming down the street with a tan suit on and a little tan hat." And said, "I been waiting here since before daylight, and I seen you coming," said, "That--I--I knowed." Oh, that's Pentecost. That's real Pentecost.
I said to her; I said, "My name is Branham, auntie. Did you ever hear of me?"
She said, "No sir, Parson Branham, I never heard of you." And she said, "I'm sorry, but I never heard of you." She said, "Won't you come in?"
And I said, "Yes, ma'am, thank you." I never said another word. I thought, "This must be it."
66 So when I walked in, they had an old plowpoint hanging on a chain on the gate to pull it back together. Went in a little old two room--what we call shotgun house in the east, little long room. And I been in king's palaces, went to prayed for King George of England. I was with the Gustavus up in Swi--Sweden. And I been in many king's palaces, and King Farouk, and--and many other places, and great potentates and monarchs. Some of the greatest the world has today, I've had the privilege of going in and talk with them, interview. I've been in lovely homes. But I never was more welcome and felt any more at home, than I did in that little Negro hut that morning.
When I went in there, wasn't a rug on the floor, a little old poster bed set kinda that way, and they had a big sign up on the door there, said, "God bless our home." I been in people's houses who call themselves Christians, and pinups and dirty vulgar pictures was hanging on the wall. I felt really at home.
67 Looked there on the bed, and there laid a great big sturdy looking colored boy, I guess would weigh a hundred and seventy pound. And he had the blanket in his hand going, [Brother Branham makes groaning sound--Ed.] I said, "What's the matter, brother?"
And she said, "Parson, he hasn't spoke for two days." And he kept saying, "It's dark in here. It's dark. I don't know where I'm going. [Brother Branham makes groaning sound--Ed.]" And the old auntie come over to me; she said, "Parson, he thinks he's out in the river somewhere, asea. And it's dark, and he's rowing a boat and he can't see where he's going." And said, "He's been saying that for two days."
And I said, "Oh, that's too bad." And I said, "Well, auntie," I said, "my ministry, I've just left Dallas Texas; I pray for the sick." She wasn't interested in that.
68 She said, "Just one thing I want to say, parson. I want you to pray, and if God of heaven will just let me hear my boy say, 'Mama, it's all right, I'm saved,' said, "I'll be ready to let him go." Said, "But I've worked so hard and prayed so hard for my boy," said, "I just hate to see him die like that and know he's going out lost, backslidden the way he is." Said, "If I can just hear him say, 'It's all right, mama; I'm ready to go.' Will you pray?"
I said, "All right, auntie." And we knelt down on the floor, and I seen her with that, or I guess her son's shirt tied around her head, great big old fat cheeks like that, and she--great big woman; she knelt down. I thought... I said, "Auntie, you lead us in prayer." Oh, brother, if I'd never knowed she was Pentecostal then, I'd have knowed it then. Talk about praying, that old woman prayed a prayer that would just--you could just feel your hair on the back of your neck stand up. She prayed like... I tell you; she talked to Him like she talked to Him before. She knowed Who she was talking to. When... Oh, such a prayer, she just wrang my heart. And when she got done she reached over kissed him on the head; she said, "God bless mama's baby."
69 I thought, "There it is, there it is." See? "God bless mama's baby," though he's brought disgrace upon the home. Great big burly looking fellow like that, no matter what he's done, he's still mama's baby; 'cause that mother love still moves on to him. I thought, "Yes, that's right." But the Bible said, "Can a mother forget her suckling babe?" Said, "She might do it. But I can't forget you. Your names are engraved on the palms of My hand." What a dif--what a great love, how God would ever forget us. Though our lamps are smoked up, He still loves us. Let's just trim our feeble lamp, my brother. Let's stand out. Let's--let's get ready to meet the Lord Jesus. Let's get cleaned up; let's get fixed up; let's get prayed up; let's get right.
70 There, she kissed him like that. He said, "Oh, it's dark, mama. Oh, it's dark," pulling that cover back and forth. And I took a hold of his feet. His feet was cold and sticky, and I said--just like if he was dying. And I said, "Can you hear me, brother?"
He said, "Oh, mama, it's dark," he said. And I tried to talk to him; he didn't know, shaking his head like that, and stuff coming out of his mouth. And he said, "Oh, mama, it's dark, it's dark; I don't know where my boat's a going," like that.
And she started crying, wiping them big old cheeks, like that. And--and she said, "You see what I mean, parson?"
I said, "Yes, ma'am."
She said, "Will you pray next, parson?"
I said, "Yes, ma'am." And I knelt down, I said, "You kneel with me." And I put my hands up on his feet; I said, "Heavenly Father, it's after nine o'clock now; my plane's been gone a long time." I said, "I--I pray You to be merciful. I don't know why You led me over here; surely this is the place. This is where--'cause I wouldn't have come this way if You hadn't have led me, and this woman standing here. You never lead us in vain; You always show us what You--what You're doing. So I pray, Father, if--if this is Your will, that You'll let the boy--grant the woman the request and may she--may he be saved. And I pray that You'll heal his body." And while I was yet praying, he said, "Mama, oh, mama, it's getting light in the room." O God. "It's getting light in the room." You know, in a few minutes he was setting up on the side of the bed talking to us. Put that big black arm around me, like that...
I said, "I must go." I started down the street, and I caught a cab, run down real quick and got my suitcase, I said, "Well, I'll go out and catch the plane sometime tonight. It was all right after the war there, and it's awful bad when--to get a plane out. And just as I drove in, they said, "Last call for flight number 172." Oh, that plane stayed on the ground all that time. I got the same plane. See, God makes everything work right, doesn't He? About a year later I was going to...
71 [Speaking in tongues and interpretation--Ed.] God, O Father, how we thank You for this warning to us. Lord, I know it's not in vain. O God, let the people see we're only trying to get them to trim their lamps to get ready. The hour's approaching, Lord, when all these signs, the sleeping virgin now hunting for oil, all these things... To hear Your Spirit come down and vindicate the message that it's true, God, I pray that You'll bless the people. Let them be warned of God tonight, and have no rest until they have trimmed their lamps and--and got ready to meet the Bridegroom. Grant it, Father. Amen.
How beautiful. Did you notice that man? Did you notice how them... You--you Pentecostal people, letting discernment puzzle you? Look how much greater this is than that. See? How that--that... See, the very sound of the voice that man was giving. See the interpretation come in the same (See?), same way, just about the same length, same amount of paragraphs and everything. It's the Holy Spirit. I'm telling you the truth. It's true. Oh, sinner friend, seek the Lord now. Call upon Him while He--while He may be heard. Hear Him, hear Him is my prayer.
72 I want to tell you what happened. A year later I was going through on the train, coming to Phoenix. If you was ever in Memphis, coming from the east, you pull up like this. I got off of the train and started walking down through there. The train, they give you about--they charge you fifty cents for a little bitty sandwich and it real thin. And I waited till I got to a place where I could get off and get me some hamburgers, and I get a sack of them and get back on the train (See?), and I--I could--could exist on that. So then, I got... I couldn't have... Don't believe in taking the saints money and spending it stuff like that.
So then, I--I got the--got me some hamburgers, and I was going down there--running down this way towards where the stand was. I heard somebody say, "Hello there, Parson Branham." I looked around, a little red cap.
And I said, "Hello there."
He said, "Wait a minute." He come over there, said, How's you?"
And I said, "I--I'm all right." I said, "I don't believe I know you."
He said, "Oh, yes, you do."
And I said, "I--maybe you just skipped my mind."
Said, "You remember coming down the street one morning and come to a house where a boy was laying dying with a venereal disease?"
I said, "You're not..."
Said, "Yes, sir, I's him. He said, "I'm not only healed, but I's saved now, Parson Branham."
73 Oh, the half has never yet been told. What more can the kind, gracious, precious, heavenly Father do to--to warn us, and to get us right? What more can He do? Do you love Him? Do you love Him with all your heart, all your soul, and with all your mind? How many sinners is in here now as we bow our heads just a moment. Raise up your hand and say, "God, put fire in my lamp tonight, Lord. Light my little candle and let me burn for Christ till I die." Say, "I now take my way with the Lord's despised few." Let me see your hand. Sinner friend, would you raise your hand and accept Christ as your Saviour? Would you just raise your hand, balcony or bottom floor? We've combed through and through each night. There perhaps was another one or two in here tonight, raise up your hand, will you do it? Anywhere, sinner? Say, "I--I want to receive the Holy Ghost." Now, remember, you'll either have the Holy Ghost or take the mark of the beast. There's just two classes. We'll get to it tomorrow night. I just kinda throwed it out and made a big foundation to cap it off on tomorrow night.
74 You raise your hand, say, "I want it, Brother Branham." God bless you, young man; the Lord bless you; that's very good. God give you the desire of your heart, son. Someone else, would just raise up, say, "I want to accept Christ." God bless you, lady. That's very fine, a very gallant thing. Someone else raise up, say, "I'll accept Christ; I'll receive it." In the balcony? Way back in the corner, yes. I, sir, see your hand up there, my dear friend. Now, someone else say, "Let me..." Let's see now, someone else say, I'll accept Christ as my Saviour. I'll raise my hand to Him and say, I..."
Now, remember, when you raise up your hand, and you mean it, that settles it. It's done forever. God takes you right at your word. You just mean it and raise up your hand; see what happens. All right, another one up in the balcony, God bless you. Yes, that's good. Just raise up your hand; just see what a feeling comes over you. If you're a sinner raise up your hand. Yes, the lady, young lady setting here in front, God bless you, sister dear. Another one? I'll be waiting. Christ is. God bless you up there. Another one? God bless you back there, young fellow. God be with you, sonny boy. So God will certainly do that. "I want to accept Christ as my Saviour." God bless you, back in the back. Another one? "I will accept Christ as my Saviour. I now, upon this spot, where I'm setting, I'm convinced that I need Christ. I know that I've always believed that there come a time of separation, that God would separate the true church." He will; He will take it home. He's getting it ready right now. Will you come join up with Jesus Christ by giving your heart to Him? Just continue on in the church wherever you are, just continue on, but give your heart to Him. Raise...
75 Now, the denominations, they're--one is just about like the others. It's--wherever it is, wherever you got your fellowship, a group of people that you love, that's all right. If you belong to Foursquare, don't change to the Assemblies. If you belong to the Assemblies, don't change to Foursquare, just stay where you are and love the Lord anywhere you're at. You're--you're baptized into the body of Christ. So whatever organization you belong to, it don't save you, or have nothing to do with it, just a place where people come. And real true brothers know that; we all know that. We know that. Certainly, we do.
76 Will another one raise their hand before we have prayer? God bless you, honey. Would be another one, raise your hand, say, "I--I upon the basis of the shed Blood, what Jesus did for me... And Brother Branham, what I've heard you say tonight, I don't believe that you'd tell us anything wrong. I certainly believe that you're God's servant. And upon the message that your faith cometh by hearing, hearing the Word of God..." We get into that so sweetly tomorrow night, on finishing up the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the mark of the beast. Will you raise your hand, say, "Upon the basis of the shed Blood of Christ, I raise my hand to Him saying, 'I want you to be my Saviour right now.'" Is there any more before we pray? God bless you, young lady, back there. That's very fine. God be with you, my sister. Would there be another? God bless you, my sister, setting right here. That's very fine. Would there be another? Way back in the back, God bless you, my brother. That just makes the difference between death and life.
77 Now, what--you that raised your hands, what if tonight was your last night on earth? And if sometime between now and daylight, you'd happen to wake up in your sleep and your heart stopping. Your--your veins are cooling off, your hand's getting cold. You're pressing a--a pillow as you're dying. The doctor walks away from the door and says, "No, it's a heart attack. They're gone." See? Nothing... You hear him say that. Won't it be wonderful when you know that you raised your hand. Oh, how sweet. How glad you'll be. What if you have a wreck going home. And you're laying on the side of the road bleeding, hearing the ambulance coming, but know it's coming too late. And you know that you raised your hand to Christ. You say, "Let it be, I have to go sometime anyhow. So I'm ready now, and now's the time to go." Just raise your hand. Make that all one decision right now, will you, my brother, my sister? Raise up your hand.
78 You say, "Brother Branham, why do you plead with people like that? This is not your tabernacle; this is not your church." I know. Brother Buntane, my brother's the pastor here. The Assemblies of God, this church belongs to, which, this building here... And the Assemblies of God is one of my greatest supporters in Pentecostal realms around the world. That's not... But still... All that, as much as I love them, that's not the reason. I love you. I love you as an individual. I don't want you to be lost.
I had a vision. I hope I have time to tell it to you, what happened a few nights ago. I seen Glory, and seen people, and seen a woman run up and put her arm around me up there. I've been a little rough on women anyhow, and I seen that woman, the most beautiful thing I ever seen. And she called me her darling brother. And I said, "Why'd she do that?"
Said, "She was passing ninety when you led her to Christ."
I said, "Oh, God, if I can only go back, I'll persuade, I'll beg, I'll plead, I'll do everything."
79 Won't you raise your hand and say, "I accept Christ as my Saviour." Surely, if God lets me do what I do do for Him, I surely know--have some conception of how--how to receive Him. Would there be a lukewarm church member here? Now, everybody with your head bowed. A lukewarm church member, just, you've professed you knowed Christ, but really down in your heart you haven't, but you want to know Him; raise your hand, a church member. God bless you, sir. Some other? God bless you, brother. God bless you.
Someone else, just a church member, say, "I want to know Christ. I--I belong to church, and I--I can say nothing evil against that. I'd sure rather you be on--belong to the church than out on the street without anything." You go on to church, but I want you please come and receive the Seal of God. 'Cause, if you haven't got it, well the Bible says there's only two classes. Wait till tomorrow night and you'll see. Two classes, one will have the mark of the beast, the other one have the Seal of God. Just like Cain and Seth in the garden of Eden, comes to that thing. Will you--will you raise your hand? One more now, 'fore we pray. God bless you, lady.
80 Our heavenly Father, I have seen many hands go up tonight. Most of them are sinners and they want forgiveness of sin. Two raised their hands, that they were just church members, and yet didn't know You, and wasn't sealed into the Kingdom. Father, I--I bring these Scriptures and hold them before You. You said in Your Word, "He that heareth My Word (And Lord, with the best of my knowledge, I've preached it.) and believeth on Him that sent Me has Eternal Life." Now, You said that, Father. That's exactly what You said. And I'm bringing it right back to Your memory. These people has heard that Word, and has believed on Him that sent You. Now, You said, "They have now (present tense, hath, present tense) Eternal Life, and shall not come into the judgment; but has passed from death unto Life." When did they do it? When they raised their hands, said they believed. Now, Lord, You said it and I'm claiming those souls.
Satan, you can't hold them no more. They're God's children right now. I'm bringing that before you. You have to take your hand off their life; they belong to God now. I claim them for Him. I claim them as trophies of--of Christ's love at Calvary. I--I challenge you in a debate; you don't have any legal power. You have no power over them; you didn't have it in the first place, you was only bluffing them. You was only bluffing. Christ stripped you of everything you had at Calvary; He stripped every power that you ever had; and you're nothing but a bluff; and we've called your bluff. These are children of God now.
81 And Father, You said, "He that will come to Me, I will in no wise cast out." You promised it. And I know it's true. You said You'd give them Eternal Life and raise them up at the last day. Then they're just as sure to come in the resurrection as they're setting in this building tonight. Now, Father, I ask just one more thing: Will You fill them with the Holy Ghost. Grant that, Lord. Oh, fill them with the Holy Ghost. Don't let--don't let their soul ease, Lord. May all night long their pillows be hard. May they feel like rocks, their bed, until they're out there on their knees, saying, "God, fill me with the Holy Ghost." May they get the Bible, read it. And may You come to them and interpret the Word to them. And may they have no ease now. They're Your children and the hour is getting late. I pray that they will find that peace that passes all understanding by Jesus Christ.
82 These church members that raised their hand, Father, I thank You for them. They--they--they have professed and went into a church, but they realize just being a church member, they would be marked in the wrong kind of a woman. We'll get that tomorrow night, if You're willing, Father, show them that how they're marked off on a false bride. The true Bride has the oil in their lamp. I pray Father, that You'll give them oil in their lamp tonight. May those church members become filled with the Holy Ghost tonight. Grant it, Lord. I pray this, not to be evil, but to be their brother, to know that to miss heaven is miss all. What's this little span of life be to what eternity is? It just melts out into a--a never ending, because it never did begin. And Father, I pray that You'll pull them up at the last days into that eternal realms of glory with You. Grant it; they are Yours. I pray and give them to You in Christ's Name.
83 Now, with our heads bowed, I'm going to ask everyone that raised their hand, just to stand on their feet. I'm not going to ask you to come up here; we don't have any room. But all that raised your hands, you're sincere with God, just stand up to your feet, just a moment. Every person that raised their hand, stand to your feet. Everywhere, in the balconies, everywhere, just stand up. Jesus said, "He that will confess Me before men, him I will confess before My Father and the holy Angels."
I want you church members, and you Christians, especially, to look around, see who they are. I want you take hold of their hand, and shake their hand, stand there, say, "God bless you. Welcome into the Kingdom of God, pilgrim." That's it; turn right around to somebody, shake hands with them, saying, "Welcome into the Kingdom of God." That's very fine. That's very fine. That's good. God bless you. The Lord be with you. That's so fine. Good. God bless you. Now, you may be seated. That's very, very fine.
84 Now, I'm going to ask you to do something now. Be sure to find some pastor; if you've never been baptized in Christian baptism, find some pastor, the church of your choice, and be baptized into water, into the fellowship of that church. And then when you do that, then you seek the baptism of the Holy Ghost until you're filled with the Holy Ghost, and...
I will meet you in the morning,
By the bright river side,
When all sorrows have drifted away;
I'll be standing at the portal,
When the gates open wide,
At the close of life's long, weary day.
I will meet you in the morning
With a "How do you do,"
And we will set down by the river
And with rapture old acquaintance renew,
You will know me in the morning,
By the smile that I wear,
I will meet you in the morning,
In the city, city built foursquare.
85 Father God, they are Yours now, sealed into the Kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit dealing with them. Now, I pray that they'll--I'll meet them in the morning on that bright shiny shore yonder, when all sorrows have drifted away. Won't it be wonderful, Father? Joy bells ringing, all the hearts light singing, it'll be a glorious time. They're Yours. Now, I pray that You'll keep them by Thy grace until we meet at that river that morning. Amen.
86 Now, don't you feel good? Don't it just make you feel real good? Say, "Brother Branham..." The young converts now just come into the Kingdom, I'm going to ask the Father if He will do something. I have a right to ask Him now. Sinners came. I believe we find favor with Him, don't you?
How many sick out there, raise up your hands, just sick and needy. All right. I'm going to turn my back to show you that we're in the last days. How many remembers our lessons, how the Angel of the Lord... God came down and dwelt in human flesh, and eat meat, just an ordinary human being, talking like it. And yet God was in human flesh just before Sodom burnt. And Jesus said it would be the same kind of a sign would take place at the coming of the Son of man. We believe that? How we've went through the lessons to show what He did.
87 Now, there's not a person here that I know. I believe I was hunting a few weeks ago with this young man setting right here. Aren't you some relation to my good friend... Aren't... You're Brother Norman's brother-in-law; I believe that's right, isn't it? All right. That's the only person, and Brother and Sister Smith setting here, Brother Gene, and that's all I know of. I'm going to turn and--yes, Sister Upshaw, bless your heart, Sister Upshaw. Oh, how I love Brother Willy Upshaw. Your meeting that night, Brother Kopp, when I looked there and seen, I was trying to talk, and seen him where he fell off of that wagon, hurt his back, and seen they couldn't do nothing for him. Never heard of him in my life. And there he was, Willy D. Upshaw. I said, "How..." Ern come to him. Said, "What about that man?"
I said, "He's run for president one time and would've had the election, if it hadn't been his stand against whiskey and the wrong things. The Democratic party would elected him. But he--he took his stand." And I said, "All these years, sixty-six years, you been on these crutches and wheelchair. But God takes him off of it now." And how sweet. When I get upon the other side I'll see a young handsome looking man coming down and say, "You remember me, Brother Branham? I'm Brother Upshaw." See his little sweetheart there, all of them together. I remember how you cried that night, Sister Upshaw, when you seen him rise up, run to the platform and touched his toes with his hands at about eighty years old. My, how God can do great things.
88 All right. The Angel of the Lord set with His back turned. Now, now, I hope you all get this. I am not the Angel of the Lord; I'm William Branham. See? I'm your brother. But He was dwelling in human flesh then that He created Himself and just disappeared. Do you believe that? Now, do you believe that was God? The Bible said it was God. Abraham said it was. What was it? A sign that in the last days... Now, remember, when He come in the days of the Lord Jesus, He--God dwelt in Jesus, don't you believe that? That was a virgin born body, a Seed that come from God Himself. And in that Blood cell, when it was broke at Calvary for our sins, then it sanctified the church, that the Holy Spirit could dwell in the church and continue the works of God on down. "Ye are My witnesses, after you've received power." That's right.
89 Now, if this, if I've told the truth, then let the Holy Spirit speak to you tonight. I'll turn my back; you pray. See if it's the same Holy Spirit. Now, He has to work with you the same as He works with me. Some of you brethren out here pray for those out there in the audience, ministers and so forth. We'll have the time, ministers. The heavenly Father knows that I do this for no other purpose, but that the--the word that I preach might be made manifest to the church in this day, that the Pentecostal church has gotten away from God. It must come back. It's the Laodicean age.
And, God, if I've said anything against anyone to harm, that wasn't You telling me, You forgive me, Lord, but I did it just the way You gave it to me. So I pray, Father, that You'll vindicate. I spoke of You; now speak that I told truth, Lord. I commit it to You in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
There's several hundred people setting there, many of them sick. I don't know a one of them, You do. I pray that You'll make Your Word fulfilled. When You came here on earth, You said that You did it that it might be fulfilled, which was spoke of the prophet Isaiah, what the Messiah would do. Now, Father, may it be fulfilled again, for You promised it. That's the reason You permit it, in Christ's Name. Amen.
90 Now, there's many praying. If I can... If somebody, like the little woman, can touch His garment... Yes, right before me now is coming a vision, and it happens to be it is a woman; she's setting--way I'm standing now it would be to my right, this way. She's suffering with a gallbladder trouble. She has heart trouble also. With my back turned, if I call her name, maybe she'd understand. Mrs. Hanson, stand up and receive your healing.
Now, I've never looked around yet. Now, do you believe? Just have faith. Where was the lady at? She's back this way somewhere. Right there? Was those things true, lady? Are we strange to one another? If it is, wave your hand like this. Was all true, was it? Then the same Angel of God that was setting there at Sodom and Gomorrah to give a sign to Abraham that the hour was drawing close for the burning of Sodom, is here tonight. Just a gift to let myself relax...
91 I see Him on someone else. I hope... Now, don't let me stay too long. Just watching a vision, a woman setting here praying. She's got diabetes. Miss Finch, do you believe that God will make you well? If you do, stand up, raise up your hand. I do not know you, is that right? If that's right, wave your hand. Is that what's wrong with you? What? All right. You touched Something, didn't you? What... You didn't touch me, did you? You touched--you touched God that's... God bless you.
92 What do you think young man, rubbing your nose? You're in need of God too. You believe? God will describe to me what's your trouble. You don't have a prayer card, I guess... No, there's no... That's right. There's no prayer card. You--you believe me to be His prophet, or His servant, I mean to say. Excuse me for saying that; I'm not a prophet; I'm just His servant. Bothered with nervousness, just so nervous you can't hold yourself still. Isn't that right? If that's right raise up your hand. Do you believe what I'd say would come to pass? You believe it? Will you obey me as His prophet? Then I take that nervousness off of you in the Name of Jesus Christ. Don't never speak of it no more. Go and be made well. Did not our Lord say, "If you say to this mountain, 'Be moved...'" If thou canst believe...
93 Man setting right back there looking at me. He'd like to come up here; he wants me to lay hands on him. That's right. That hardening of the arteries would leave you if you'd just believe it right where you're setting. Will you do it? Setting right back there, kinda gray, with glasses on, setting right back there looking at me. If you'll believe with all your heart, don't doubt... You believe it?
94 Now, look, circled right from that man and he lost it. Rubbing your eyes and turned around and looked with the little... That's it. The lady setting right here, It's right over you with the heart trouble, setting there. Do you believe that God will make you well, right there? Yes. All right. You get the healing; it's yours. All right. God bless you.
95 Be alert; be ready to catch it at any minute. Mighty sweet person, got a lot of faith, you're in a good contact with God. I don't know you, but do you believe that God will heal that heart trouble you got too? You got trouble with your leg too, don't you have, your limb? Yes, you got a daughter that's unsaved, you're praying for. That's right. You're not from here; you're from North Hollywood. You know who I'm talking about now? You want me to call your name? Miss Beard, stand up on your feet and accept it in the Name of Jesus Christ.
You believe? Now, what is it, friends? Is those things true, lady? If it is, wave your hand. See, it's right. See? Now, do you believe? I never seen the woman in my life. Now, see, the whole building... Now, they--they touched me (See?); I know it's just enough now. They watch me, you know, when I have enough.
96 Now, let me tell you, my friend; I've told you the truth. God's vindicated that I've told you the truth. The very anointing of God that's preaching this same Word and saying these things, is the very anointing Who declares that God is here doing the same thing. Do you believe with all your heart? How many of you want to receive the Holy Ghost, raise up your hand, say, "I'd like to receive the Holy Ghost." The pastor tells me there's a room right down there just waiting for somebody to come down to be--go in to be prayed for. Why don't you receive it? Go down there and--and receive the Holy Ghost. Let's all stand on our feet at one time. Let's raise up our hands and give God praise, everybody in your own way. Don't... Just believe it.
Heavenly Father, I give praise and glory unto You for all the mighty works, all the things that You have done. You're the infallible God. You're the One that's the same yesterday, today, and forever, You never fail.
Now, put your hands over on one another. Lay your hands on one another to be healed and receive the Holy Ghost. Now, pray for that person. Pray for one another. Up in the balcony, up there, put your hands on one another; pray for one another, that you might receive the Holy Ghost. If you'll not doubt, God will give every one of you the baptism of the Holy Ghost and will heal everyone.
1 Zostaňme ešte chvíľu stáť a modlime sa. Náš nebeský Otče, sme naozaj vďační za privilégium, že sa môžeme zhromaždiť v Mene Pána Ježiša. Teraz leží pred nami Tvoje Slovo a, ó, narábame s ním v tichosti, Pane, a s úctou, lebo je to Slovo Božie. A je Tvojou vôľou, aby som sa dnes večer pokúsil vysvetliť veľkú tému. A modlím sa, Otče, aby mi Duch Svätý dal slová, ktoré budú prospešné pre cirkev a – a pre dobro Božieho kráľovstva. Udeľ to, Pane. Si náš Otec a milujeme Ťa celým svojím srdcom.
A teraz sa modlíme, aby si nás požehnal. A keď premýšľam, čo by som urobil, keby som mal dnes večer v rukách v pohári len jednu kvapku Krvi Pána Ježiša, ako by som si ju pritisol k srdcu. A len by som... ach, takmer by som sa bál dýchať. Ale potom, Otče, v Tvojich očiach si mi dal do rúk niečo väčšie, výkupnú cenu Tvojej Krvi, Tvoju Cirkev, za ktorú si dal Svoju Krv, aby si ju zachránil. Teraz nám pomôž, Pane, aby sme mohli pásť Božie stádo, nad ktorým nás Duch Svätý ustanovil za dozorcov. Lebo o to prosíme v Ježišovom Mene. Amen. Môžete sa posadiť.
2 Dôverujeme Pánu Ježišovi, že na nás zošle svoje požehnania. Pred pár minútami som bol v miestnosti a niečo ma práve otriaslo. Koľkí z vás poznajú Raymonda Richeyho? Sedí tam vzadu v miestnosti; práve som sa za neho modlil. Prepracoval sa a spôsobil si kolaps a mŕtvicu, je v hroznom stave, je to milý brat. Vtedy... Brat Raymond stál práve tam na pódiu v tú noc, keď Anjel Pánov zostúpil pred tisíckami ľudí, keď som povedal, ak... keď doktor Best diskutoval s doktorom Bosworthom o mojom službe, a ja som povedal, „Netvrdím, že som uzdraviteľ.” Povedal som... On povedal, „Nikto okrem bandy svätuškárskych fanatikov by tomu neveril.“
Povedal som, „Koľkí baptisti, ktorí sú členmi týchto baptistických cirkví, môžu povedať a dokázať, že boli uzdravení Pánom, zdvihnite ruku.“ A asi, no, myslím, že tristo alebo viac ľudí sa postavilo. A ja som povedal, „A čo oni?“ Vidíte? A tak potom on... Povedal som, „Ľudia veria v Božie uzdravenie.“ Povedal som, „Ja nie som... ja nie som božský uzdraviteľ; to som nikdy netvrdil.“ Povedal som, „Moja literatúra je publikovaná v mnohých rôznych jazykoch.“ Povedal som, „Nikdy som netvrdil, že som uzdraviteľ.“ Povedal som, „Ja... ja tvrdím len to, že som Boží služobník.“ A povedal som, „Teraz, ak je dar Boží, ktorý mi dal na rozpoznávanie,“ povedal som, „Teraz, ak to je to, čo je tu pretriasané, Boh bude hovoriť Sám za Seba.“ A asi v tom čase tu On zostúpil, takto tu zostúpil. A vtedy to vyfotili.
3 A on mi povedal, kľakol si tam vzadu, potom, čo som sa za neho modlil, objal ma a povedal, „Mám pre teba odkaz.“
„Čo?“
Povedal, „Prestaň kázať príliš tvrdo a príliš dlho.“ Povedal, „Pôjdeš presne tou istou cestou, akou som išiel ja.“ Raz som to takmer urobil. Povedal, „Brat Branham,“ povedal, „ako máš tie videnia a podobne, vidím, ako to na teba pôsobí.” Povedal, „Jednoducho som pokračoval,“ povedal, „mal som jedno zrútenie.“ Potom odišiel do zahraničia a mal ďalšie. A tam je... Ak sa ho Boh nedotkne, je s ním na celý život koniec. Tak povedal, „Viac toho už nedokážeš.“ Povedal, „Niektorí budú hovoriť, 'Toto, tamto, alebo toto, alebo tamto, a tak ďalej.'“ Ale povedal, „To to nijako nezlepší.“ Povedal, „Pokiaľ necháš... Ak len budeš vykonávať tvoju službu, ukážeš ľuďom, že ťa poslal Boh,“ povedal, „potom je to vybavené, nechaj to tak.“ Povedal, „Ak... ak nebudú,“ povedal, „ak nebudú…” Povedal... Donútil ma sľúbiť tam s rukami v jeho rukách, povedal, „Už to nerob, brat Branham. Pamätaj, Pán ma varoval, aby som ti povedal, že sa dostaneš do rovnakého stavu ako ja (vidíš?), ak to budeš robiť ďalej, ak s tým začneš.“
A ja som povedal, „Dobre, brat.“ Nehovor to mojej žene. Ona... ona má Billyho a ostatných rozmiestnených všade okolo, a ak ma Leo a Gene a ostatní uvidia len trochu unaveného, no, potom ma majú odviesť z pódia, či chcem ísť alebo nie. A ona vedela, že ak by som sa tak potácal po pódiu, no, plakala by a tak. Takže sme... Vieš, môžeš urobiť len určité množstvo a viac nemôžeš; to je všetko.
4 Spomínam si, ako raz Paul Rader... Koľkí z vás ho poznali? Iste, Paul Rader bol veľký Boží muž. Raz rozprával taký malý príbeh, povedal, že išiel vlakom, a povedal, že bol s jedným človekom, a povedal, že tento muž sa ho snažil pokarhať, lebo tej noci spal v pullmane [“pullman” - lôžkový salónny vagón, luxusnejšia alternatíva ako bežný vagón s radmi sedadiel - pozn.prekl.]. Povedal, že na raňajkách nasledujúce ráno išla skupina kazateľov niekam na zjazd. Tak sa tento muž posadil hneď vedľa Paula a povedal, „No, chvála Bohu,“ povedal. „Včera večer som sedel v sedadlovom vozni,“ a povedal, „Ušetril som Pánovi nejaké peniaze.“
Paul povedal, „Chvála Bohu, ja som si vzal pullman a ušetril som Pánovi človeka.” Tak teraz, o čo má väčší záujem – o svoje peniaze alebo o svojho človeka? Vždy o svojho človeka. Sme za to veľmi vďační.
5 A teraz, pomyslel som si, že ja sám som mal včera večer nádherný čas. A práve, keď som odchádzal, ten – to tiahnutie ľudí, Ducha Svätého, On zostúpil priamo medzi ľudí a začal dávať rozpoznávanie priamo na zhromaždení. Bolo to ohromné. Vidíte, a pre mňa to znamená, že sme sa na tom zhromaždení modlili za každého. Vidíte, vidíte? Teraz som povedal, „Koľkí tu...“ Teraz, Boh zasľúbil, že to urobí. To je Jeho Slovo, nie je to tak? Tak Boh dodržiava Svoje Slovo, že? Potom som povedal, „Koľko tu je veriacich, zdvihnite ruky.“ Všetci zdvihli ruky. Povedal som, „Teraz si položte ruky jeden na druhého. Biblia hovorí, 'Tieto znamenia budú sprevádzať tých, ktorí uverili.'“ Potom sme sa modlili za každého ako zjednotená ruka za Božie Kráľovstvo. Ach, pre mňa je to jednoducho dokonalé. Vidíte?
6 Dnes som bol na čerpacej stanici tankovať benzín, niekde tu v okolí, a vyšiel nejaký chlapec, pozrel sa na mňa a povedal, „Vy ste brat Branham.“
Povedal som, „Áno.“ Bolo to asi míľu odtiaľto, niečo také.
A on povedal... povedal, „Som brat Roberts,“ a povedal, „Moja matka bola celkom uzdravená zo srdcových ťažkostí, odkedy ste boli tam dole v cirkvi Assemblies of God.“ Povedal, „Chytila silnú chrípku,“ a povedal, „nemala ani najmenší náznak srdcových ťažkostí, odkedy bola vyvolaná (v modlitebnom rade), čokoľvek to bolo, ani jednu.“ A povedal, „Mala silnú chrípku,“ a povedal, „Ak sa dozvie, že som ťa tu stretol a ona vie, že sa za ňu pomodlíš,“ povedal, „tak príde dnes večer na zhromaždenie.“
Povedal, „Chce sa pokúsiť prísť v nedeľu večer, ak to bude možné.” Pravdepodobne patrí do inej cirkvi, ale bola uzdravená tu. Takže sme za to radi.
7 A vidíme, ako neustále prichádzajú svedectvá od rôznych ľudí. A stretávam ľudí, ktorí boli uzdravení v rokoch 1946 a 1947, keď sme tu boli, už dávno, a stále sú v poriadku, odvtedy nemali žiadne problémy. Niekde bola jedna pani; práve som dostal jej list, myslím, že dnes. Dnes večer je tu, asi v cirkvi. Prišla... Bola tu uzdravená, keď som tu bol v roku 1946 alebo 1947, tak nejako, z rakoviny. A potom neskôr mala veľký nádor. A ten nádor bol taký veľký, že ju museli všade nosiť, kamkoľvek išla, takto. A bol príliš veľký na operáciu. Tak ju priviezli do Jeffersonville. A ja som tam bol v tej malej modlitebni na jeden večer a nejaký muž ju posadil do kúta a povedal, že... že ja... Pred pár týždňami sa tu zastavila a ukázala mi, čo sa stalo. A bola taká veľká, až niektorí diakoni a správcovia zboru… Chcela, aby sa za ňu modlili, a v Modlitebni sa niekedy za ľudí nemodlím viac, ako len v nedeľu ráno, keď tam som. Nie som tam veľmi často. A oni ju odniesli a posadili na zem, vzadu za miestom, kde som vychádzal. A keď som prechádzal okolo, Duch Svätý sa náhodou pozrel nabok, prinútil ma pozrieť sa nabok a vidieť ju. Povedal som jej o tom, položil som na ňu ruky a ona je teraz úplne normálna ako každý iný človek.
8 A dostal som jej list. Zaujímalo by ma, či je tá pani dnes večer tu, nech zdvihne ruku. Bola v cirkvi predvčerom. Ona a jej manžel, sú tu. Verím, že on... prišiel v karavane a nedávno zastavil pred mojím domom a rozprával sa so mnou. A verím, že povedala, že sa dozvedela... že je priateľkou matky brata Merciera, alebo niečo také; písala mi to v liste. A myslel som si, že tu možno bude. Ten list bol napísaný minulý týždeň. Ale ja... Čože? V pravom krídle sú ľudia, o ktorých hovoril brat Mercier alebo brat Goad. V pravom krídle je tá pani, ktorá mala veľký nádor, bola doma a bola uzdravená. Ak je niekde tam v pravom krídle, prečo nevyjdeš sem a nedovolíš ľuďom vidieť, čo Boh môže urobiť pre niekoho, kto bol naozaj... naozaj uzdravený, keď bol ten nádor taký veľký, že ju museli niesť. Je to... Nie je tam vzadu? No, asi... museli práve vyjsť. Brat Goad povedal, že tam pred chvíľou sedeli. Ak ich uvidíte, bol by som rád, keby vydala svedectvo. Je štíhla ako ja. A s tým nádorom bola takmer takáto. A ako Pán... Ak by sme len…
Teraz, pozrite, čo som povedal o Bohu? On bude mať... Ak niekto iný s takým veľkým nádorom bude konať rovnako ako ona, Boh musí konať rovnako voči vám, ako konal voči nej. Ak by to neurobil, urobil by chybu, keď ju uzdravil. Vidíte? Boh nemôže urobiť chybu. Takže to, čo urobí jednému, musí urobiť aj druhému. Teraz je tu len jedna požiadavka. Ak si len osvojíte tú istú jednoduchú vieru, to je všetko.
9 Jedna drobná žena niekde tu hore na mieste zvanom Eureka; verím, že je to Eureka v Kalifornii. Prišiel som sem pred rokmi a nikoho som nepoznal; nemohli ju ani presunúť z postele. No, jej malá hlava, kde bola opuchnutá... Ospravedlňte ma, sestry, ak vám to nevadí. Prsia tej ženy trčali hore až takto, ako tam mala opuch z toho nádoru. A jej manžel šoféroval taxík. A ja som povedal, „Brat, neviem, ako...“ Moja viera sama od seba poklesla, keď som sa na to pozrel. A povedal som, „Boli ste u lekára?“
Povedal, „My neveríme v lekárov.“ No, dobre. Povedal, „Ak zomrie, tak zomrie. Ale my veríme v Boha.“
Povedal som, „Dobre, to je skutočná viera.“
Povedal, „Jediná vec, ktorú od teba chcem, je, aby si vošiel dnu, položil ruky na moju ženu a modlil sa za ňu, brat Branham, a ona bude uzdravená.“ Ó! Musím... musím priznať, že mal o niečo viac viery ako ja. To je pravda. Ja som práve začínal; bol som v tom asi rok. Ešte som nevidel, aby sa niečo také stalo. Tak som šiel a položil ruky na tú ženu, a viete čo? Toto je jej príbeh z listu. Možno je práve teraz tu. Otvoril sa jej bok a vyliali sa z nej galóny vody. Hneď sa to znova zahojilo, schudla na asi sto a niečo libier, stopäť, stodesať libier. Nielenže robí svoju vlastnú prácu, ale robí aj prácu všetkých susedov. Takže... Chodí hore-dole po ulici, stará sa o deti, perie im a podobne. Jednoducho chodí...
10 Teraz, ak tá istá osoba, iná osoba, pristúpi na tom istom základe, On musí urobiť to isté. Alebo, ak to neurobil, potom urobil chybu. Urobil chybu vtedy, keď uzdravil tú... tú jednu ženu a uzdravil ju tým spôsobom, potom urobil chybu, keď ju uzdravil, ak to urobil... ak neurobil... Ak ju uzdravil, potom ak vás neuzdraví, konal nesprávne, keď uzdravil tú prvú, ak splníte tie isté požiadavky viery, aké splnila ona. Je to založené len na jednej veci, „Ja môžem, ak vy veríte.“ To je všetko. Takže, vidíte, potom to všetko ustúpi, bez ohľadu na to, aký tlak alebo čo na to kladieme, nie je to tak; je to uvoľniť sa a veriť. Vidíte, ja som... Zase to robím, brat Roy. Vidíte?
11 Prečítali ste mi ten úryvok z Písma? Bol som požiadaný, aby som hovoril na túto tému, alebo som sám povedal, že by som radšej hovoril o „znamení šelmy“ a „Pečati Božej“. Je to skvelá téma. A myslím si, že ju dnes večer možno nestihneme prebrať celú, možno to budeme musieť odložiť na zajtrajší večer.
A tí, ktorí majú teraz osobné rozhovory, myslím, že pán Mercier povedal, že máme začať o ôsmej hodine ráno. Mám súkromné rozhovory, kde sa ľudia chcú stretnúť kvôli videniam a podobným veciam. To je to, čo sa vám tu všetkým nedostáva (rozumiete?). Je to aj počas dňa. Chápete? A potom na týchto súkromných rozhovoroch... Takže si zapamätajte, ja... kto je prvý ráno, začína sa o ôsmej. Práve mi to pred pár minútami povedal.
12 Teraz k tejto veľkej téme o znamení šelmy a pečati Božej. Počuli sme o tom toľko. Bolo to... Videl som grafy, ktoré by sa tiahli cez toto pódium, o znamení šelmy a pečati Božej. Ale podľa mňa je to také jednoduché, je to len taká... jednoduchá vec pozrieť sa do Slova a vidieť to, až si nemyslím..... No, mám tu asi tri alebo štyri strany rôznych miest Písma, ktoré som si tu napísal a na ktoré sa chcem dnes večer s vami pozrieť. Keď som nad tým dnes popoludní premýšľal, zapísal som si sem verše a rôzne strany, aby som to mohol nájsť a vy ste si to mohli zapísať, ak chcete.
Je to skvelá téma a myslím si, že je to jedna z tých podstatných tém, o ktorých by sa malo učiť. Mali sme kázne o Evanjeliu, mali sme kázne o Božskom uzdravení. A teraz by to malo byť založené na druhom príchode Krista, na Jeho druhom príchode.
13 Brat Smith, to je tvoja manželka? No ja... ako sa máš, sestra Smithová? Ja... ja... Niet divu, že je to... je to skvelý muž. Ako manželka tohto brata, si taká pekná, zbožne vyzerajúca dáma. Ja... možno som ťa už stretol. Hovorí sa, že za každým dobrým mužom stojí dobrá manželka. To... to je veľmi pekné. Viem, že moja manželka je... Ak patrí nejaká zásluha rodine Branhamovcov, pripíšte ju jej, lebo ona je tá, ktorá... Ale je o desať rokov mladšia ako ja a má snehobiele vlasy, a to len preto, že stála medzi mnou a verejnosťou, a neviem, čo by som bez nej robil. Boh mi určite dal úžasnú manželku. Sú úžasné, brat Smith. Len... Veď keby mohol dať mužovi niečo lepšie, urobil by to. To je pravda. Správne. To je pravda. To je pravda. „Kto našiel ženu, našiel dobrú vec,“ hovorí najmúdrejší človek, akého sme kedy mali. Ja... ja si myslím, že manželka je to najlepšie, čo môže muž mať okrem spasenia. To je pravda. To je pravda; je úžasná.
14 Teraz sa budem opierať o Písmo... Najprv vám poviem, čo si myslím, že je znamenie šelmy, a čo si myslím, že Písmo hovorí o znamení šelmy. Potom vám poviem, čo si myslím, že Písmo hovorí o Božej pečati. Vieme, že tieto dve veľké veci čoskoro vyústia do dvoch veľkých, veľkých zovretí; svet je práve teraz zovretý týmito dvoma vecami: znamením šelmy alebo Božou pečaťou. Niektorí to kladú ďaleko do budúcnosti; niektorí hovoria, že to už bolo v minulosti. Verím však, že existujú len dve odpovede. A to je, že Božia pečať je krst Duchom Svätým; znamenie šelmy je jeho odmietnutie. To sú jediné dve veci. Uvediem vám Písmo, prečo to tak je, keď budeme pokračovať.
Pamätajte si, že všetci ľudia na zemi v posledných dňoch budú buď označení pečaťou Božou, alebo znamením šelmy. A prinútil všetkých, chudobných, veľkých, otrokov, slobodných, všetkých na zemi, aby prijali toto znamenie, ktorí nemali pečať a ktorých mená nie sú zapísané v Baránkovej knihe života od založenia sveta, od založenia sveta, keď bol Baránok zabitý a keď boli ich mená zapísané do Baránkovej knihy života.
15 Teraz, tie dve veľké veci. Teraz začneme najprv s „Božou pečaťou“. Čo je to pečať? Po prvé, pečať v Biblii, v časoch, keď ľudia neboli takí vzdelaní ako dnes, zvyčajne – ich pečať bola ich podpisom, rovnako, ako my dnes používame naše meno. Niekedy Rimania, a ešte skôr Židia, a dávno v raných východných krajinách, mali prsteň, na ktorom mali svoju pečať, a odtlačili ju na niečo. Ak nemohli podpísať svoje meno, tak mali tú pečať. Pečať bola dôveryhodným vyhlásením, že to bolo zapečatené touto pečaťou. A pokúsiť sa to kopírovať znamenalo vysokú pokutu, rovnako, ako by to bolo dnes, keby sa niekto pokúsil sfalšovať šek, meno niekoho na šeku. Bola to vysoká pokuta za pokus o kopírovanie tejto pečate. A človek tú svoju pečať nosil obyčajne na zadnej strane zápästia alebo na prsteni. A namiesto podpisu to zapečatil. To malo ukázať, že to zapečatil.
16 Teraz, Ježiš povedal, že v posledných dňoch, podľa svätého Matúša, 24. kapitoly a 24. verša, že tieto dva duchy, tieto – tie, ktoré boli zapečatené Bohom, a tie, ktoré budú označené šelmou, antikristom, budú tak blízko pri sebe, až by to zviedlo aj tých vyvolených, keby to bolo možné. Rozumiete? Teraz, budú si tak veľmi podobné. Niektorí ľudia hovoria, „No, komunizmus je znamenie šelmy.” Mýlite sa. Komunizmus nie je znamením šelmy, a predsa je, ale nie je to to hlavné. Znamenie šelmy je náboženskej povahy, je to veľmi náboženské, a tak rafinované a prefíkané, až by oklamalo aj samotných vyvolených, keby to bolo možné, tak veľmi podobné, až by to zviedlo aj vyvolených, keby to bolo možné. Samozrejme, oni...
Billy Graham to nedávno povedal; počul som ho pred pár týždňami v rádiu, keď som sem išiel. A kázal; povedal, „Toľko sa hovorí o cigaretách a Viceroy,“ alebo čokoľvek to bolo, a „špička na tomto konci a oheň na tomto konci a všetko také.” Povedal, „Človek, ktorý by to fajčil, by musel byť blázon.“ A myslím si, že má pravdu. Povedal, že dokonca získali toľko publicity na rôznych veciach, až diabol zviedol vyvolených. Ja neverím, že brat Graham to myslel práve tak, lebo vyvolení nebudú zvedení. Nie, veru, nebudú oklamaní. Boli predurčení Bohom a nebudú zvedení.
Ale Ježiš povedal, že to bude veľmi podobné. Takmer rovnaké. Pamätajte si, že to bude tak podobné, že aj vyvolení by mohli byť zvedení, keby to bolo možné.
17 Teraz chceme zistiť, odkiaľ pochádzajú. Kde to všetko začalo? Ako som vám povedal, že každá sekta a každé náboženstvo začalo v Genesis, všetko, čo máme. Zbory Božie začali v Genesis. Baptisti začali v Genesis. Môžem to dokázať. Áno. Každý kult, aj ten, čo máme, môžem to dokázať, začal v knihe Genesis. To je pravda. Vyhľadajte to v knihe Genesis a potom máte to ostatné, uvidíte, aké je to semeno, uvidíte, kam smeruje. Vidíte? A stačí to sledovať a uvidíte, ako sa to vinie priamo cez Bibliu. Presne tak.
Obe začínajú v knihe Genesis. A zistíme, že Genesis je kapitolou o semene.
18 Zistili sme, že prvé označenie človeka začalo v knihe Genesis, v Genesis 4:15. Boh označil Kaina. Tam bolo prvýkrát umiestnené znamenie šelmy, bolo umiestnené na Kaina; on je jeho počiatok. Teraz poviete, „Kain má znamenie šelmy?“ Dobre, všimnime si to.
Teraz povedal, „Tvoje potomstvo rozdrví hlavu hada a jeho hlava rozdrví tvoju pätu.“ Pozrite sa na rodokmeň Kaina. Ako sa Kain rozširoval, v jeho línii sa ľudia stali vedcami, múdrymi, veľkými ľuďmi, a tak ďalej. Ale potomstvo Seta, ako sa rozširovalo, z neho sa ľudia stali roľníci, pastieri oviec, farmári. Takže vidíte, je tu... Teraz si všimnite, Biblia hovorí, „Položím nepriateľstvo (Boh to urobil) medzi tvoje semeno a semeno hada.“ Takže... Teraz, slúžiaci bratia, buďte len chvíľu potichu. Ja... ja viem, že ma za to vždy kritizujú. Ale Biblia hovorí, že had mal semeno. Tým je to vybavené. Semeno hada, nech si to vykladáte akokoľvek chcete, nechám to tak; ja mám na to tiež svoj názor. Ale oni... ale nech... Nech je to akokoľvek, Biblia v Genesis 1, na začiatku Genesis hovorí, že had mal semeno.
A teraz si pamätajte, had nebol spočiatku hadom, plazom. Bol niečím, čo sa blížilo k ľudskej bytosti. Veda sa už tisíce rokov snaží nájsť ten chýbajúci článok medzi človekom a zvieraťom. Najbližšie sa dostali k šimpanzovi. Ale nedokážu prejsť od šimpanza k ľudskej bytosti. Prečo? Bol to had. Ak si všimnete v 1. Mojžišovej 3:1, „Zviera – had bol najprefíkanejší zo všetkých zvierat poľa.“ Zviera, nie plaz. Bol skôr ako človek. Vyzeral ako človek. Bol tým chýbajúcim článkom medzi nimi, lebo to je jediná možnosť. Semeno človeka sa nemôže spojiť so semenom zvieraťa. Ale tento tvor bol jediný, ktorého mohol diabol použiť, lebo bol práve medzi človekom a zvieraťom. A rodokmene...
19 Verím v evolúciu. Možno na začiatku, keď nebolo nič, len číry chaos, sopečné výbuchy. Viete, Boh je skvelý staviteľ. Veríte tomu? Dobrý staviteľ si vždy rozloží všetky svoje veci, keď stavia nejakú štvrť. Keď Boh hýbal zemou, vytváral vápnik, draslík, ropu, a tak ďalej, práve vtedy kládol na zem naše telá, materiál, z ktorého sme stvorení. A ten veľký Duch Svätý vyšiel od Boha, aby sa vznášal nad zemou, alebo šepkal, s láskou opatroval ako sliepka svoje mláďatá. A Jeho... Predstavme si, že mal krídla. Nemal, ale predstavme si, že mal krídla ako... ako sliepka nad mláďatami. Začal sa vznášať nad zemou. A vidím, ako prichádza vápnik, steká po nejakom mieste, mieša sa s vlhkosťou a draslíkom. A vyrastie tam malý veľkonočný kvietok. A počujem, ako On hovorí, „Poď sem, Otče, a pozri sa na to.“
„Veľmi dobre, ďalej sa vznášaj a opatruj.“
Po chvíli sa ešte trochu viac staral a opatroval. To, čo vyšlo potom, boli pravdepodobne... kvety a rastliny, a vtáky vyleteli z prachu zeme. A potom prišiel živočíšny život a stále sa dostával k vyššiemu životu, vyššiemu životu, vyššiemu životu, vyššiemu životu, až kým sa nakoniec neobjavil človek na samotný obraz Boží. Je zvláštne, že sa neobjavilo nič vyššieho ako to, že? Vyššie sa už dostať nedá; bol to obraz Boží. Tak, ako to... Evolúcia to tak vysvetľuje. Ale druhy sa nemôžu krížiť a stať sa vyššími, Boh povedal, že každé semeno prináša svoj druh. A v tom sa potom objavil človek.
20 Hriech nezačal na zemi. Začal v nebi a on bol vyhodený z neba a prišiel na zem. Nemal kam inam ísť. Zviera by bolo od neho príliš vzdialené, to semeno by sa nezmiešalo, takže musel vojsť do hada, ktorý bol bytosťou viac podobnou človeku. A keď ho Boh preklial a položil ho na brucho, zmenil v ňom každú kosť. Veda sa snaží vykopávať kosti a tak... No, je to skryté v Božích tajomstvách a On to zjaví každému, kto o tom chce vedieť, určite. Je tu...
Teraz sledujte, on bol najrafinovanejší, najprešibanejší, najmazanejší, najmúdrejší, múdrejší ako nejaké iné zviera. Bol hneď vedľa človeka (vidíte?), najrafinovanejší zo všetkých poľných zvierat.
A tak si spomeňte, že Kain dostal znamenie. A teraz poviete, „Satan nemohol byť tým hadom.“ Ak sa so mnou teraz pozriete do 2. Korinťanom 11:14, Biblia hovorí, že on sa premenil na anjela svetla. Vy len podceňujete satana; to je všetko. Veru. Premenil sa na anjela svetla. Ak sa mohol premeniť do takejto formy, prečo by sa nemohol premeniť na zviera, ktoré je najbližšie k človeku?
21 Zisťujeme, že keďže Kain počúval nepriateľa, čo sa stalo? Stal sa prvým vrahom. Stal sa prvým, kto mal na zemi žiarlivosť. Povedzte mi, kde je tá čistá línia od Boha k Adamovi... To je jediné spojenie. Adam bol synom Božím. Biblia to hovorí. Tak odkiaľ sa vzala tá žiarlivosť? Odkiaľ sa vzal ten vrah? Odkiaľ sa vzal celý ten druh ducha? Z Adama? To nemohlo byť. Pochádza zo Satana. Presne odtiaľ pochádza.
Teraz zisťujeme, že bol prvým vrahom. A bol prvým, kto pocítil žiarlivosť. A Lucifer žiarlil na Michaela, priniesol to priamo na zem a preniesol to do človeka. A Satan... Kain tým, že na seba vzal toto zlo, dostal prvé označenie. Boh ho označil. Nikto ho nemal zabiť. Mali ho nechať na pokoji. Ale pamätáte si, že hneď, ako ho Boh označil, on odišiel z Božej prítomnosti. Zapamätajte si to.
Ó, nemáme čas na to, aby sme to skutočne dôkladne preštudovali, lebo, ó, brat, mohli by sme to tu rozoberať šesť mesiacov (vidíte?) a nikdy by sme sa nedotkli ani okrajov tejto témy. Vidíte?
22 Všimnite si, že keď bol označený, odišiel z Božej prítomnosti, odišiel do zeme Nod a vzal si ženu. Je to typický obraz cirkvi: odíde od Boha a vezme si ženu zo sveta. Chápete? Dávajte pozor. Je to úžasné. Teraz musíme rýchlo prejsť ďalej, aby sme to príliš nepreťahovali.
Zistíme, že potom Kain zabil svojho brata Ábela. A Boh dal Adamovi namiesto Ábela ďalšieho syna, ktorého meno bolo Set. A to bolo znamenie, znamenie od Boha o smrti a vzkriesení. Takže Set nikdy nešiel do krajiny Nod, aby si našiel ženu; Boh mu dal ženu. Ale Kain, so znamením šelmy na sebe, vyšiel a našiel si ženu v krajine Nod, a Set prijal Božiu voľbu. Dokonalý typ dnešnej denominačnej cirkvi, ktorá vychádza von a prijíma čokoľvek. Ale pravá cirkev živého Boha, Kristovo telo, prijíma len to, čo zapečatí Duch Svätý: je to dokonalé. Boh to v cirkvi ustanovil.
23 Čím prišlo znamenie? Čím boli cirkvi označené? Čo bolo znamením? Vieme, že Kain mal znamenie. Tak čo bolo znamením vzkriesenia? To je to, čím je dnes Cirkev označená, znamením Ducha Svätého, že Kristus nie je mŕtvy, ale vstal z mŕtvych a bol prijatý do cirkvi. Vidíte, zapečatenie Jeho cirkvi, tam to začína práve tými dvoma chlapcami práve tam v záhrade Eden, hneď za hranicami záhrady.
Znak šelmy... Tulák, utečenec, nevie, kam ide, nevie, kde je – čo vie, nevie, čo vlastne chce. Je to utečenec.
24 Ale Set zostal doma. A on bol so svojím otcom. A Boh mu dal ženu. Tam sa začína ten rodokmeň. A ak by ste to chceli raz vysledovať... Radšej to nechám tak. Len vám to chcem dokázať znova a znova a znova a znova. Tak, veru. To je pravda, tam to začalo. Niektorí ľudia si myslia, že v raji vzali jablká a zjedli ich. A zrazu to bol prvý hriech. Ach, brat môj. Poviem vám niečo; nehovorím to zo žartu; nie je to miesto na žarty: Ale ak jedenie jabĺk spôsobí, že si ženy uvedomia, že sú nahé, radšej by sme im mali znova tie jablká podávať. Myslím si to. Myslím si, že by sme to mali robiť.
Neboli to jablká; to všetci vieme. Nie, sme v zmiešanom publiku a uvedomujeme si, čo to bolo. A vidíme, čo to spôsobilo. Teraz zistíme, že to bolo...
25 Znamenie je rozlíšenie. Robí rozdiel; oddeľuje niečo. Ale ako... Poviete, že proti tebe svedčí jedna vec [v angl. “a mark against you”, rovnaké slovo, ako použité pri znamení, značke - pozn.prekl.], jedno znamenie. Ale nikdy ste nepovedali, že máte proti sebe jednu pečať; máte proti sebe jednu vec [“značku”]. A pečať je znakom vlastníctva. Značka, znamenie je rozlíšením. A cirkev je zapečatená Duchom Svätým, čo ukazuje vlastníctvo; Boh vlastní cirkev. Ale znamenie šelmy je neposlušná osoba, vyvrheľ, ktorý odmietol prijať Bohom poskytnutú cestu a ísť ňou.
Kain, hneď ako bol označený, bol poslaný preč. To chápeme. Ábel zomrel a Set, ktorý vstal, aby zaujal jeho miesto, bol znamením vzkriesenia. V poriadku.
26 Zistili sme, že tieto dve veci, znamenie a pečať, začínajú v Genesis, prechádzajú celou Bibliou a končia v Zjavení. Máme tu aj verš, ktorý hovorí o tom, že to, čo začalo v Genesis, končí v Zjavení; vždy to bolo v tej či onej forme prítomné.
Ako som kázal minule večer o krvnej obeti, obeti Krvi. O Babylone sa hovorí v Genesis, na začiatku Biblie. O Babylone sa hovorí uprostred Biblie, o Babylone sa hovorí na konci Biblie. Začína to v Genesis a prechádza to až do Zjavenia. Všetko začína – tie dva duchy...
27 Pozrite, my... venujme tomu chvíľku. Aj v arche bola holubica a vrana. Jedna – obidve sú vtáky, obidve vedeli lietať, obidve... Viete, že vrana je pokrytec. Je, je to len špinavý pokrytec. Takže vrana sa môže posadiť tam na starého mŕtveho koňa a len žrať, krákať, mávať krídlami a užívať si to. Tá chudinka holubica sa k tomu nemôže ani len priblížiť. Prečo? Nemá žiadnu žlč. Vidíte? Nemohla by to stráviť. Keby to zjedla, zomrela by. Ale vrana si tam môže sadnúť a pol dňa žrať mŕtveho koňa, vyjsť na pole a vrátiť sa domov a zjesť večeru s pšenicou, s vranou – s holubicou. Je to len starý pokrytec, to je všetko. Všimli ste si niekedy, že holubica nemá žlč horkosti? Ani nikto, kto je pokrstený Duchom Svätým. Všetka horkosť je preč. Obaja boli v tej istej arche, ako pokrytec a skutočný veriaci v tej istej cirkvi, tej istej denominácii, sedeli spolu, na tej istej lavici, sedeli spolu.
28 Chcem, aby ste si všimli ešte jednu vec. Ó, rád hovorím o prírode. Holubica, vedeli ste, že holubicu nikdy neuvidíte, ako sa kúpe? Prečo? Nemusí. Má vo vnútri olej, ktorý vyteká cez jej perie a udržuje ju stále čistú. Taká je skutočná cirkev; nemusí sa kúpať a vrátiť sa k tomu či onomu. Ale oni majú olej, svätý Olej vo vnútri, každý veriaci, ktorý ho udržuje čistého od vecí tohto sveta. Ach, keby sme mohli niekedy kázať o Baránkovi a Holubici. Duch Svätý vo vnútri veriaceho ho udržuje čistého. Nie zvonku, čo si umyje, ale prichádza to zvnútra von. Amen.
Mnoho ľudí hovorí, „Dnes musím ísť a vyznať sa, musím povedať to a to a musím ísť vyznať sa. Musím to urobiť.“ Ale viete, Duch Svätý vo vnútri neustále pôsobí tým olejom, zmierením, a udržuje veriaceho čistého. „Lebo teraz už nieto odsúdenia tým, ktorí sú v Kristu Ježišovi, ktorí nechodia podľa tela, ale podľa Ducha.“
29 Ako sa do toho dostaneme? Jedným potrasením ruky? Nie. Jedným papierom? Jednou denomináciou? Nie. Ale jedným Duchom sme všetci pokrstení do jedného tela, oslobodení od súdu. Boh už to telo odsúdil. Boh ho odsúdil na Kalvárii; už viac nebude musieť byť súdené. „Kto počúva Moje Slovo a verí v Toho, ktorý ma poslal, má večný život.“ Neexistujú dve formy večného života, je len jedna. „Má večný život a neprijde na súd, ale prešiel zo smrti do života.“ „Keď uvidím krv, prejdem, preskočím vás.“ Ó, to mi spôsobuje, že by som chcel kričať.
Prečo? Oslobodený od hriechu. To je pravda. Kto sa narodil z Boha, nehreší, nemôže hrešiť. Božie semeno zostáva v ňom; nemôže hrešiť. Nemôžem byť stále pod Obeťou za hriech a potom byť hriešnikom, to nemôžete. Nikdy ste nevideli hriešneho svätého. Nikdy ste nevideli čierneho bieleho vtáka alebo opitého triezveho muža. Nie, veru. Si buď hriešnik, alebo svätý; to je všetko. A ak si v Kristovi, je tu krvná Obeť zmierenia po celý deň, volajúca, „Otče, odpusť im; oni nevedia, čo robia.“ Ó, potom si môžete byť istí. Amen, to sa mi páči. Je to tam tak krásne, ako nás Duch Svätý pečatí.
30 Všimnite si, vrana, holubica. Pozrime sa na Kaina a Ábela. To nebolo nič iné ako Judáš a Ježiš. Určite. Pozrime sa na dym. Keď Kain zabil Ábela pri oltári, Kain... Ak je spravodlivosť všetko, čo Boh vyžaduje, alebo byť fundamentalistom... To som vždy hovoril o tých dvoch triedach ľudí. Stretávam sa s fundamentalistami a letničnými. Fundamentalisti sa pozerajú na veci z pozície svojho vzdelania; vedia, kde stoja, ale nemajú vieru. Letniční majú vieru, ale nevedia, kým sú. Vidíte? Ako som povedal, niekto má peniaze v banke, ale nevie vypisovať šeky. Iný vie vypísať šek, ale nemá v banke žiadne peniaze. Dajte ich dokopy.
Teraz vidíme, že letniční sú tí, ktorí majú vieru. Veria, ale... Sú plní ohňa. Sú plní Ducha Svätého, ale nevedia, ako sa usadiť na tom Slove a povedať, „Tak hovorí Pán.” Všetko to vyfúkajú cez píšťalku s výkrikmi, krikom a behaním. Keby to niekedy dokázali zachytiť, videli by ste cirkev stáť na nohách v moci a sláve. Za tým by bola napísaná kniha Skutkov.
Teraz si všimnite... Áno, nemyslel som tým, že oni... Prejavujú to radosťou namiesto moci, viery. Držte sa toho a verte tomu. Je to Božie Slovo, zostaňte pri ňom.
31 Pozrite sa na Kaina, prišiel a priniesol obeť, postavil oltár, patril do cirkvi, patril do denominácie, kľakol pri oltári a modlil sa, uctieval Boha, dal desiatok. Ak je to všetko, čo Boh vyžaduje, Kain bol rovnako ospravedlnený ako Ábel. Ale vidíte, celé tajomstvo bolo to zjavenie. V tom je problém; ľudia nechápu, že celá cirkev živého Boha je postavená na duchovnom zjavení Krista. Ježiš to povedal v Matúšovi 16. „Blahoslavený si, Šimon, syn Jonášov: telo a krv ti to nezjavili, ale Môj Otec, ktorý je v nebesiach. A ty si Šimon, na tejto skale postavím Svoju cirkev.“ Keď duchovné zjavenie Ježiša Krista... A On je Slovo. „Na počiatku bolo Slovo, a to Slovo bolo u Boha, a to Slovo bolo Boh. A to Slovo sa stalo Telom a prebývalo medzi nami.“ A keď to Slovo vstúpi do vás, Ono je ostrejšie ako dvojsečný meč, dokonca rozoznáva myšlienky a úmysly srdca. Tu prichádza Slovo. Zjavenie každého Božieho Slova je pravdivé. Zaves svoju dušu na akúkoľvek jeho fázu: zjavenie.
Ó, mám rád tieto veci. Myslím si, že to nastavuje cirkev do polohy, kde by ste mohli mať uzdravujúce zhromaždenie. Vidíte? Boh to povedal; tým je to vybavené; to je... to je všetko. Boh to povedal; len pri tom zostaňte.
32 V tých dňoch nebola Biblia, takže to muselo byť zjavované Ábelovi. Hebrejom 11 hovorí, „Vierou Ábel priniesol Bohu lepšiu obeť ako Kain,” svedčiac o ňom, že bol spravodlivý.
Tak Kain povedal, „Myslím, že moja matka zjedla nejaké jablká a musela si obliecť šaty.“ Ale Ábel vedel, že to bola krv, život. Stalo sa niečo zlé. A on obetoval krv baránka.
Vidím ho, ako prichádza s týmto malým baránkom... Ach, Satanov oltár bol oveľa krajší ako Ábelov. Mal ovocie a kvety, všetko bolo pekné.
Ale to je to, čo sa snažím povedať cirkvi. Sestra, nemusíš mať manikúru a byť celá vyparádená a nosiť šaty ako tá pani vedľa, aby si bola v poriadku s Bohom. Nemusíte mať cirkev, v ktorej sú lavice za tisíc dolárov a píšťalové organy, ktoré stoja niekoľko miliónov dolárov, a všetky tieto honosné veci. To pochádza z pekla. To je pravda. Môžem to dokázať Bibliou. To je pravda.
33 Kain si myslel tieto veci, „Ponúknem tieto veci.“ Ale predstavujem si, že Ábelova obeť nebola až taká dobrá. V tých dňoch pravdepodobne nemali konope, takže musel mať okolo krku toho malého starého baránka omotanú ratolesť z viniča, priviedol ho tam a položil ho na skalu. Vtedy nemal kopiju ani nôž, takže musel vziať... kúsok skaly, odtiahnuť mu tú malú hlavičku dozadu a začať mu sekať ten malý krk. A keď začal bečať a kopať a krv sa mu rozlievala po celom tele, krvácal, bečal, umieral na skale...
Čo to symbolizovalo? O štyritisíc rokov neskôr, Baránok Boží, zabitý na skale vekov, krvácajúci, bečiaci, hovoriaci v jazykoch, keď umieral na Golgote. „Ó, drahý umierajúci Baránok, Tvoja drahocenná Krv nikdy nestratí Svoju moc, kým nebude celá vykúpená Božia cirkev spasená, aby už viac nehrešila.“ Naše vzdelávacie programy, denominačné programy nebudú znamenať to [brat Branham luskne prstami – pozn.prekl.]; na to bude potrebná Krv Ježiša Krista a nič iné. Áno.
34 Pozrite, ako sa odtiaľ dymí. A pamätajte, veriaci, tu to je. Ábel zomrel na tej istej skale so svojím baránkom. Každý veriaci musí urobiť to isté: zomrieť na skale so svojím baránkom. Baránok nemá nič iné, len vlnu. A musí sa vzdať všetkého, čo má. Nerobí okolo toho žiadny rozruch. Vezmeš toho malého chlapíka a hodíš ho tam hore, ako som povedal, baránok je tichý pred svojimi strihačmi. Je ostrihaný. Nerobí okolo toho žiadny rozruch. Jediné, čo má, to ochotne obetuje.
A to sa nazývame kresťanmi. Nedávno mi niekto napísal krátky list – takú malú poznámku, a nie je to smiešne? Mám to tam zapísané – v ktorej stálo, „Mám na to právo; som americký občan; nosím akékoľvek oblečenie, aké chcem.“ Len do toho, v poriadku. To len dokazuje, že si kozol. Presne tak. Len si ich pokojne nos, ak chceš. Ale pamätaj, ak si baránok, máš na to právo, ale svojich práv sa vzdávaš pre Krista. Aj ja mám právo sa dnes večer opiť; som americký občan. Mám právo fajčiť cigarety; som americký občan. Vy tiež, ale my sa svojich práv vzdávame. Zbavte sa tých vecí. Správajte sa ako páni, ako dámy, obliekajte sa tak, správajte sa tak a žite tak. Vzdajte sa svojich práv.
35 Pozrite sa na dym stúpajúci z oltára, stúpa priamo hore a usádza sa na Golgote. Tak, ako Kain zabil Ábela pri oltári, Judáš zabil Ježiša pri oltári. Správne.
Všimnite si znova, vidíte len tri kríže, však? Boli štyri, štyri kríže. V strede bol Ježiš, na jednej strane zlodej a na druhej strane zlodej, a Judáš sa obesil na platane. A Ježiš tiež visel na strome. „Prekliaty je ten, kto visí na strome.“ A On sa stal prekliatím za nás. Judáš bol na kríži rovnako ako On, lebo bol na strome. Ježiš bol na strome rovnako ako Judáš. „Prekliaty je ten, kto visí na strome.“
Pozrite sa sem. Bol tam Syn Boží: Boh sa zjavil, zostúpil z neba, vrátil sa späť do neba a vzal so sebou kajúcneho hriešnika. A bol tam Judáš, syn zatratenia, prišiel z pekla, vrátil sa späť do pekla, vzal so sebou nekajúcneho hriešnika a vrátil sa späť. Ó, je to krásne.
Tak, ako Boh otvoril bok Adama v raji a vybral časť, aby stvoril nevestu, tak Boh otvoril bok Ježiša na Golgote a vybral Nevestu z Jeho boku. Ó, to je krásne. Na kríži, ako to je, a ako tie dva duchy, ako vystupujú cez Kaina, Ábela: vrana, holubica.
A pozrite, zamyslime sa znova, Kain, keď odišiel do zeme Nod, našiel si ženu. A zistíme, že tá žena... Mám tam zapísané miesto Písma; teraz sa tým nebudem zaoberať.
36 Pozrite sa na Izrael. Izrael, keď odtiaľ odišiel, ako dva viniče, vidíme, ako sa to dvíha. Vždy to tak bolo. Pozrite, tu prichádza Izrael na svojej ceste do zasľúbenej zeme, tak, ako je to dnes s cirkvou. Koho stretol? Stretol Moába. A poslal k svojmu bratovi a povedal, „Môžeme prejsť cez tvoju zem? Ak náš dobytok zje nejakú trávu, zaplatíme za to. Ak vypije nejakú vodu, zaplatíme za to.“ A on to odmietol.
Teraz sa pozrite sem. Bol tu Izrael, malá skupina medzidenominačných ľudí, putujúcich po krajine, bez miesta, kde by sa mohli usadiť, ale boli na ceste domov. Moáb bol usadený s hodnostármi, zaradený medzi národy sveta.
37 Všimnite si, čo sa stalo. Izrael mal pravú krvnú líniu. Spomeňte si, ako sa Balám pokúsil takýmto spôsobom priviesť ich k sobášu, a musel vyslať tie ženy a všetko. Učenie Baláma, doktrína Baláma…
Všimnite si, bol tam Moáb, ktorý veril v toho istého Boha, v ktorého veril Izrael. Lebo čo to bolo? Ďalšia nelegitímna, nesprávna manželka, Lotovo dieťa s jeho dcérou. Presne tak, ako sú dnes nenarodené cirkvi, prirodzená cirkev je cirkev sveta, ktorá pácha duchovné smilstvo so svetom a nežije verne Bohu. Veľmi pekný typ...
38 Všimnite si, fundamentálne... Môj fundamentálny brat, ja nie som... Nechcem ťa príliš silno štipnúť, ale chcem, aby si to pocítil. Všimnite si, tu prichádza biskup, Balám. A on tam vystúpil a kráľ povedal, „Zostúp a prekľaj tento ľud.“ Povedal, „Nechcem ich tu; nemôžu tu mať žiadne zhromaždenia s uzdravovaním. Veď oni stále hovoria o uzdravovaní,“ a povedal, „Majú tam dolu medeného hada, na ktorého sa všetci pozerajú a uzdravujú sa. A hovoria, že jedia mannu z neba, ja som nič také nevidel. Ach, je to kopa nezmyslov.“ A povedal, „Chcem, aby si prišiel dolu a preklial ich. Nechceme, aby sa niečo také miešalo do našich denominácií tu. Tak ich drž mimo.“
Všimnite si, bol rovnako fundamentalistický ako Izrael. Postavil sedem oltárov, sedem obetí, sedem baranov, presne tak, ako to robili v tábore Izraela (vidíte?), presne tie isté obete. Ale to, čo Balám nedokázal vidieť, bola tá udretá skala, ten medený had, výkrik Kráľa v tábore. Nevidel ten Ohnivý Stĺp, ktorý išiel pred nimi.
39 Tak je to aj dnes. Povedzme, „Patríte k tým letničným. Je to banda svätuškárskych fanatikov.” Kedysi boli, ale už nie sú. Ale oni... oni k nim patria, ale nevideli ten Ohnivý Stĺp. Tak, aby si boli istí, že ho uvidia, máme jeho vedecky dokázanú fotografiu. Amen. Áno. Nepoznali Ohnivý Stĺp, výkrik v tábore, že medzi nami je Kráľ (Amen.), Kráľ Ježiš. Nepoznajú to. Nepoznali to krvné zmierenie. Hovoria, „Poznám jedného letničného, ktorý ušiel s cudzou ženou.” Poznám baptistov a presbyteriánov, ktorí urobili to isté, katolíkov a všetkých. To je pravda. Takže čo platí pre jedného, platí aj pre druhého. Hrniec nemôže volať kanvicu čiernou. Všetci sme ľudia a podliehame všetkým tým veciam medzi našimi ľuďmi. Ale Boh s nami zaobchádza ako s jednotlivcami, nech sme ktokoľvek. Takže letničné požehnanie je správne.
40 Všimnite si, Izrael a Moáb; teraz je to rovnaké. Zistili sme, že cirkev prijíma... ľudia idú a prijímajú denomináciu a vnášajú tam čokoľvek, čo chcú. Len povedia, „No, ak prídeš a dáš sa pokrstiť v našej cirkvi a postavíš sa a povieš, že veríš v Ježiša, Syna Božieho, potom ťa pokrstíme v cirkvi a zapíšeme tvoje meno do knihy.“
Viete, že aj diabol verí? Samozrejme, že verí. Vysvetlil som vám to minule večer, je to, ako keby ste sa pokúšali ponoriť starú korytnačku. Nič to s ňou neurobilo; vôbec jej to nepomohlo. Bol potrebný oheň, aby sa pohla. A tak to je aj s dnešnou cirkvou: je potrebné trochu Ducha Svätého a ohňa, aby sa pohla.
Ale pamätajte, Duch Svätý neprijme nečistého človeka do Svojho – Tela Kristovho. To ukazuje, že Telo Kristovo nie je denominácia. Lebo je to tajomné Telo Kristovo. A jedným Duchom sme všetci do Neho pokrstení. Myslím, že berieme ženy, mužov a vedieme ich do vody, aby sme ich pokrstili. A prichádzame k tomu, že ak nie sú vo svojom srdci naozaj Kresťanmi, nemali by sme ich krstiť.
Pred nejakým časom som išiel s jednou ženou k rieke, bola to skupina ľudí. Jedna žena vyšla von; vystúpila z auta a prešla cez cestu, upravovala si vlasy a povedala, „Ideš ma tam priviesť a namočiť, brat Branham?“
Povedal som, „Nie, nie si hodná toho, aby si tam išla.“ To je pravda. Chystali sa spievať v cirkvi a nejaká dievčina, ona... nemala dosť peňazí na to, aby si dala urobiť taký účes, aký chcela mať, aby mohla vystúpiť na pódium a spievať. A jej chudobná stará mama prala na valche, aby jej ten účes mohla zaplatiť. Keď som to zistil, nedovolil som jej spievať. Povedal som, „Nie si hodná spievať tam hore.” To by malo zostať čisté. To je dnes s cirkvami problém, porušenie a podobné veci, rovno od kazateľne až po suterén. To je pravda. Vydrhnite to. To je pravda. Potrebujeme v cirkvi znova staromódnu drôtenú kefu.
41 Ako keď raz ordinovali jedného černošského brata a starší, čo tam stáli, povedali, „Pane, zabaľ ho do vrecoviny, polej ho petrolejom a zapáľ ho pre Evanjelium.“ To je to, čo dnes potrebujeme: oheň. Potom ho pusťte a nech beží.
Používali sme to na značkovanie teliat. Vzali sme teľa, viem, že ste už mnohých chytili a zviazali, predpokladám. Značkovali sme ich. Niekto mi povedal, „Nie je ti hanba, že berieš to horúce železo a vtláčaš mu ho do boku?“
„Nie.“ Priložil som mu ho na bok. Mal záchvat kopania, to áno. Vrieskal a bučal; keď ho pustili, mal kŕče, naozaj utekal. Ale od tej chvíle sme vedeli, komu patrí (To je pravda.), pokiaľ len bude žiť. A poviem ti, brat, treba veľa milosti, aby si prišiel k oltáru a zostal tam, kým Duch Svätý do teba nevtlačí pečať. Môžeš kričať, plakať a správať sa divne, ale od tej chvíle vieš, kam patríš. To je pravda. Lebo si v Božom kráľovstve zapečatený Duchom Svätým. To je tá pečať.
42 Pamätajte, Duch Svätý prišiel zapečatiť tých, ktorých Boh vopred poznal. To je pravda. To je pravda. Ježiš jednoducho neprišiel a nepovedal, „Zomriem; možno sa niekto zľutuje, pozrie sa na Mňa a povie, 'No, asi áno.' Možno, ak si pomyslia, že som toľko trpel, zlomí im to srdce a prídu.“ Nie, nie. Tak či tak neprídete. Nemôžete povedať prasaťu, že robí zle, keď sa kŕmi na hnoji. Ak by vedelo hovoriť, rýchlo by vám povedalo, „Ja sa starám o svoje veci; ty sa staraj o svoje.” Rozumiete?
Je potrebné obrátenie. Boh to musí urobiť. Nikto nepríde k Ježišovi, ak ho najprv nepritiahne Boh. Je potrebné pôsobenie Ducha Svätého, aby sa tvoje srdce obrátilo. Je potrebný Boh. Niekto povedal, „Hľadal som Boha a hľadal som Boha.” Nie, nie, nie. Boh hľadal teba, nie ty si hľadal Boha. Boh ťa hľadá.
43 Dobre, Duch Svätý neprijme len tak hocijakú ženu za manželku, neprijme niekoho, kto fajčí, a niekoho, kto pije, a niekoho, kto žije nemorálne, a niekoho, kto sa zaoberá všetkými možnými svetskými vecami, lebo On povedal, „Ak milujete svet, veci sveta, láska Božia vo vás ani nie je.“ Ale Duch Svätý prišiel, aby vpečatil do toho Tela manželku Ježiša Krista, ktorú On poznal ešte pred založením sveta. Keď On... Keďže je Bohom v predzvedení, mohol vidieť, kto Ho prijme a kto nie. Takže Duch Svätý prišiel, aby si vzal takúto Nevestu. To je tá, ktorú prijíma. Ale cirkev hovorí, „Ó...“
44 Zvyčajne sme spievali takú malú pieseň, dúfam, že to neznie ako svätokrádež. Mali sme malú pieseň, ktorú sme spievali, „'Poďte a jedzte,' volá Pán.“ Mali sme malú pieseň a trochu sme ju pozmenili, odpustite mi, ak vás tým nejako pohorším. Hovorilo sa...
„Poďte a pripojte sa,“ volá pastor,
„Poďte a pripojte sa“;
Môžete mať kedykoľvek svoje zmrzlinové večere;
rozprávať nemravné vtipy,
žuvať a fajčiť,
Ó, pastor volá na zbor:
„Príďte a pridajte sa.“ (Namiesto „Príďte a navečerajte sa.“)
Aký to je rozdiel. Berú muža, pokiaľ má trochu peňazí a môže prispievať, dajú ho do rady diakonov, a hoci má dve alebo tri ženy, dajú ho tam tak či tak, lebo je to vplyvný muž v meste. Je mi jedno, či ho mesto nenávidí; chcem, aby bol vplyvný v nebi, kde je Duch Svätý, kde môže mať nejaký vplyv medzi ľuďmi. Ale je to len „príďte a pridajte sa“. Všetko...
Pred časom som sa spýtal jednej dievčiny, „Si kresťanka?“
A ona povedala, „Dávam ti na vedomie, že som Američanka.“ Akoby to s tým malo niečo spoločné. Bola vo Švajčiarsku. Akoby to s tým malo niečo spoločné.
Brat Bosworth povedal, že sa raz spýtal jednej ženy a ona odpovedala, „Dám ti na vedomie, že každý večer zapálim sviečku.“ Akoby to malo niečo spoločné s kresťanstvom: zapáliť každý večer sviečku. Musíš sa do toho narodiť, do Božieho kráľovstva.
45 Teraz nachádzame tie duchy. Pozrite. Práve v čase, keď sa na scéne objavil Ježiš, objavil sa na scéne Judáš. Práve v čase, keď Ježiš odišiel zo scény, v ten istý deň, Ježiš aj Judáš obaja odišli zo scény. Približne v čase, keď sa na scéne objavil Duch Svätý, čo sa stalo? Na scéne sa objavil antikrist. Ján to hovorí, povedal, „Deti, nenechajte sa tým oklamať,“ povedal, „antikrist už pôsobí vo svete.” Vidíte? Neprichádza to v týchto posledných dňoch; už vtedy to tam bolo. Vždy to tam bolo.
46 A teraz pozor: práve v čase, keď sa antikrist teraz vyvyšuje a vťahuje všetky cirkvi, dokonca aj naše letničné, do tej veľkej márnice tam, viete, do tých zjednotených cirkví... Rozumiete, čo mám na mysli. Počul som, že niektoré z našich letničných organizácií sa do toho zapájajú. Hmmm. Ako ďaleko sa len môžete dostať od Božieho Ducha, keď začnete blúdiť. Stačí, keď z tej úzkej cesty len odskočíte, a budete sa ďalej šmýkať preč. To je pravda. Musíte sa vrátiť tam, kde ste skončili. To je pravda.
Konfederácia cirkví, ktorá vytvorí obraz šelmy... A to všetci vieme. Vidíte? Všetko sa práve teraz deje tak, aby sa všetky cirkvi spojili, aby sme sa zjednotili v boji proti komunizmu. Nebojte sa komunizmu; to nebude tá vec, proti ktorej budeme bojovať.
Sú tri opony. Hovorím to v Mene Pánovom; nezabudnite na to. Existuje železná opona, bambusová opona a purpurová opona. Dávajte pozor na tú purpurovú oponu. Sledujte ju.
47 Ach, ako teraz vidíme, ako sa antikrist začína odhaľovať a uchopuje moc v národe. Dokonca si volia svojho vlastného človeka, ostatné cirkvi sa s ním spájajú a vytvárajú jednu veľkú cirkevnú hlavu. Všetci anglikánski biskupi... teraz idú do Ríma, aby sa poradili s pápežom, po prvýkrát za stovky rokov. Ach, všetko to naberá na obrátkach. A my, protestanti, ustupujeme, viete, a... No, tu to máte (vidíte?); len pokračujte. Lebo to už vychladlo. My to nezastavíme; to sa nezastaví; bude to ešte horšie. Je to... Biblia to hovorí, že... Vieme, že letničná cirkev v posledných dňoch je cirkevným vekom Laodicey, ktorá je vlažná a Boh ju vypľuje zo Svojich úst, je Mu z nej zle. On ju jednoducho nemôže zniesť, takú, aká je.
48 Teraz poďme ďalej a vezmime si niektoré z týchto pečatí a rozoberme si ich počas nasledujúcich pár minút. Prejdeme to teraz. Ak si zapisujete miesta Písma, poďme do 9. kapitoly Ezechiela. A zistíme, že prorok predpovedal prvý príchod cirkvi. Zistíme, že prorok videl, pozrel hore na vyššie brány a povedal, „Videli ste niekedy niečo takéto?“ A z vyšších brán vyšli štyria muži s vražednými zbraňami v rukách. [Prázdne miesto na páske – pozn.prekl.]... prečítajte si 9. kapitolu Ezechiela.
Pamätajte si, že to zabíjanie bolo určené len pre Jeruzalem. „Prejdite mestom.“
Ale skôr, než prešli mestom, zistili, že sa stala ďalšia vec. Prišiel nejaký Muž v bielom s kalamárom pri boku, kalamárom pisára. A povedal, „Zastavte týchto ostatných mužov, aby nevošli do mesta, kým najprv ten Muž oblečený v bielom s kalamárom pisára neprejde mestom Jeruzalem a neoznačí pečaťou tých, ktorí vzdychajú a plačú nad ohavnosťami, ktoré sa dejú v meste.“ Ten, čo mal pri boku kalamár, bol Duch Svätý. Všimnite si, že keď prešiel, potom týchto mužov s vražednými zbraňami pustil. Povedal, „Úplne zničte všetkých, mladých, starých, mladé dievčatá, malé deti; nič nešetrite; ale nepribližujte sa k nikomu z tých, ktorí majú na sebe tú pečať.“ Všimnite si to.
49 Kedy sa to stalo? Bolo to v ranej letničnej cirkvi, keď Duch Svätý prešiel a označil cirkev. Všimnite si, ako história – ak ste niekedy čítali spisy Jozefa Flavia, keď písal o veľkej bitke okolo roku 96. Keď všetci ľudia... Keď prišiel Ježiš, vykonal znamenia Mesiáša a dokázal, že je Mesiáš. Potom, čo odišiel, prešiel do slávy, poslal späť Ducha Svätého a pomazal apoštolov. Vyšli a robili tie isté znamenia, aké robil On. Mali moc Pána. Hovorili v jazykoch; kričali. Naplnil ich mocný víchor. A vyšli s takou horlivosťou, až zapálili mestá Duchom Svätým. A čo urobili? Vysmievali sa im. Smiali sa na nich. To je pravda. Ježiš povedal, „Ak hovoríte proti Mne, odpustím vám. Ale keď príde Duch Svätý, ani jedno slovo proti Nemu nebude nikdy odpustené.“ A spečatili si svoj večný osud, keď sa vysmievali ľuďom, ktorí boli naplnení Duchom Svätým.
50 Ježiš im povedal, „Teraz príde čas...“ Teraz si musíte všimnúť, že tam bolo toľko učiteľov, ktorí položili Ježišovi tri rôzne otázky v Matúšovi 24. On odpovedal na každú z nich. To je dôvod, prečo vidíte adventistov siedmeho dňa s tým, „Modlite sa, aby váš útek nebol v sobotu,“ v deň sabatu alebo v zime. Pýtal sa ich, „Kedy sa tieto veci stanú? Aké bude znamenie príchodu, konca sveta?“ A oni mu položili tri rôzne otázky. A on to vysvetlil presne tak, ako sa ho tam pýtali. A stalo sa to; história ukazuje, že je to pravda.
Čo by to znamenalo... Aký by to bol rozdiel, keby váš útek, útek z mesta, bol v deň sabatu? Vtedy boli brány mesta v deň sabatu zatvorené. Aký by to bol teraz rozdiel? Ukázalo sa, že to nebolo globálne, lebo na jednom mieste bolo leto a na inom zima. „Modlite sa, aby váš útek nebol v zime ani v sobotu.“ Lebo v ten deň... Boli varovaní, povedal, „Nech tí, čo sú v Jeruzaleme, utekajú do Judey.” Judea bola v zime zasnežená. „Modlite sa, aby váš útek nebol v zime ani v sobotu.“
51 Ale keď prišiel Titus a oni videli... Ježiš im povedal, „Keď uvidíte Jeruzalem obkľúčený vojskami, nech ten, kto je na poli, sa nevracia po svoj plášť. Ale bežte do judských vrchov tak rýchlo, ako len môžete. Rýchlo odtiaľ odíďte!“ Lebo sa budú rúhať Duchu Svätému. A ak sa budú rúhať Duchu Svätému, prijmú znamenie šelmy a nezostane nič iné ako skaza. Tí Židia, keď videli, že sa blíži nešťastie, povedali, „Teraz sa zhromaždíme v meste, v dome Pánovom, a budeme sa modliť.“ Neznie to ozaj nábožne, tak pokorne? Ó, Satan to vie spraviť, aby to tak skutočne vyzeralo. Iste.
Ale pamätajte, Josephus povedal, že tí ľudia, ktorí boli kanibali, povedali, „Je tu banda, ktorá nasleduje Ježiša z Nazaretu, ktorý chodil a uzdravoval chorých.” Povedali, „Pilát ho zabil a oni ukradli jeho telo, odniesli ho niekam, rozrezali ho a zjedli. Boli to kanibali.” To, čo robili, bola komúnia, telo Pánovo. Vidíte? A on povedal, „Nikto z nich nebol stratený, lebo vyrazili do Judey, presne tak, ako im to prikázalo Písmo, tak, ako im to prikázal Ježiš.“
52 Ale tí Židia, všetci išli do Jeruzalema a povedali, „Teraz sa zhromaždíme v dome Pánovom a veľký Jehova, ktorý bol vždy s nami, zostúpi a vyženie Títove vojská; urobí to.“ Ale čo urobili? Zhrešili proti Duchu Svätému. Vysmievali sa pôsobeniu moci Ducha Svätého. Ježiša Krista, ktorý konal a ukazoval im, že je ich Mesiášom, nazývali Belzebúbom, nazývali Ho diablom, hovorili Mu, že je to nejaká telepatia, hovorili, že je diabol, a že skutky, ktoré konal, boli skutkami diabla. Sami si to na seba priviedli.
Teraz, brat, len počkaj; dnes večer na to nebudeme mať čas, ale zajtra večer to chcem vziať a ukázať ti, že Spojené štáty urobili presne to isté. Dokážem ti to Písmom. Zajtra večer, ak Pán dá, vám ukážem, ako Spojené štáty urobili presne to isté v týchto posledných štyridsiatich rokoch. Vysmievali sa im a nazývali ich svätuškármi, fanatikmi z letničných cirkví a všetkým možným. A Boh s nimi pôsobil znameniami a zázrakmi, a veľké cirkvi vybehli na nich a vysmievali sa im. A teraz, v posledných dňoch, čo sa stalo? Dovoľte mi, aby som vám citoval Písmo. Ste pripravení?
53 Nesúhlasím s mojím drahým bratom Davidom du Plessisom, ktorý tam ide s Dr. McKeeom a všetkými tými veľkými cirkvami. A čo teraz budú...
[Prázdne miesto na páske – pozn.prekl.]
[Prázdne miesto na páske – pozn.prekl.]... teraz. Ó, presbyteriáni hovoria, „Potrebujeme hovoriacich v jazykoch. Potrebujeme, aby prijali krst Duchom Svätým. Potrebujeme božských uzdraviteľov“ a všetko také. Prečo to neprijali pred štyridsiatimi rokmi, keď to vyšlo, namiesto toho, aby si z toho robili žarty? Nikdy to neurobia. Sú mŕtvi. Sú to denominácie a každá denominácia je mŕtva. Presne tak. Nikdy viac už nepovstane. Žiadna denominácia už nikdy viac nepovstane. Zhromaždenia, mali ste svoj deň. Jednota, mali ste svoj deň. Foursquare, mali ste svoj deň, čas pani McPhersonovej. Zhromaždenia starej školy mali svoj deň. No, čo ste urobili? Vytvorili ste si denomináciu a oddelili ste sa. Nikdy neprijmete denomináciu, lebo to bol v prvom rade katolícky rád, ktorý Boh odsúdil na počiatku; to nikdy neprejde, ani baptisti, ani presbyteriáni, ani nič iné. Ale Boh vytiahne hladné srdce z každej denominácie, z ktorej môže, lebo to je Jeho Telo, ktoré prijme, a ktoré je zapečatené Duchom Svätým.
Prijali znamenie šelmy. Pozrite sa na to teraz, letničná cirkev ukázala svoju pravú tvár. Teraz je vyvrhnutá. Ježiš je vonku, klope [Brat Branham klope na kazateľnicu – pozn.prekl.], snaží sa vojsť. Čo to klope? Práve to mesiášske klopanie a všetko ostatné, a oni Ho stále odmietajú. Určite to robia.
54 Ale čo sa stalo? V akom dni žijeme? Ó, môj brat, v akom čase žijeme? Nemyslite si, že som blázon. Dúfam, že nie som. Ak som blázon, nechajte ma na pokoji; takto sa cítim lepšie, ako som sa cítil predtým. Ale počúvajte. Počúvajte. Hovorím vám, môj brat a sestra, čo je to znamenie? Je to znamenie, že sme v čase konca. Čo povedal Ježiš o spiacich pannách? Ó, nazývate tie cirkvi pannami? Presne tak, ako bol Kain, úplne to isté. Uctievajú. Ale spiaca panna nemala vo svojej lampe olej. Je to tak? Takže keď zistila, že je neskoršie, ako si myslela, komunizmus ju prekvapil, povedala, „Ó, dajte nám trochu oleja. Ako získate tohto Ducha Svätého?“
„Choď si ho kúpiť od toho, kto ho predáva.“
55 A pamätajte, práve v tom čase, keď spiaca panna išla kúpiť olej, vtedy prišiel Ženích. Sláva! Nevidíte to? Ak presbyteriáni a episkopáli a tí ostatní prichádzajú hľadať Ducha Svätého, radšej si nechajte upraviť svoju lampu. Upraviť, očistiť, áno, potrebuje to úpravu. Letniční, mali ste radšej upraviť niektoré lampy. Amen. Nechajte zo seba odstrániť to množstvo tohto sveta. Ste už celkom skorodovaní. Knoty sú v zlom stave. Viete, že knôt je skvelá vec. Vždy som to sledoval. Čo je skutočný Boží knôt – veriaci je knôt. Pozrite, na jednom konci má oheň, tu hore, a druhý koniec je ponorený do oleja, čerpá olej a vytvára oheň. Aká – aká cirkev, aká moc. Čo za miesto na prebývanie. Haleluja!
To isté svetlo Evanjelia, ktoré žiari na východe, žiari na západe. Bude Svetlo v čase večera. Vstaňte, upravte si lampy, Letniční. Odstráňte svet; odstráňte módu sveta; odstráňte veci sveta. Pripravte sa; hodina je blízko.
56 A práve, keď išli po to, čo sa stalo? Čo sa udialo? Vtedy vošiel Ženích. Pozrite, Amerika sa rúhala Duchu Svätému. Vysmievala sa Mu odvtedy, čo sa to objavilo na scéne pred štyridsiatimi alebo päťdesiatimi rokmi. Neustále sa vysmievala. Ostatné cirkvi sa vysmievali. Ukázali sa. Teraz začínajú vystrkovať hlavy a hovoria, „Radi by sme z toho trochu mali.“ Ale práve, keď to idú robiť, je to znamenie, že by sme mali ísť očistiť svoje lampy. Boh povzbudí niektorých kazateľov, ktorí pôjdu čistiť lampy. Hovorím vám, že to, čo dnes potrebujeme, je niečo, čo vyčistí naše lampy, ukáže pravý letničný oheň.
57 Máte starú malú lampu, kde sa uhlík usadzuje na knôte, a to vám lampu celú zadymí. To je to, čo sa s nami deje; máme na lampe príliš veľa uhlíka, príliš veľa uhlíka. Oheň nemôže správne ťahať. Nemôže získať dostatok vzduchu zdola. Potrebujeme dobrú dávku dychu, poriadne vdýchnutie, čerstvý vdych z neba, krst Duchom Svätým znova, a Ducha Svätého, ktorý pôsobí v cirkvi so znameniami a zázrakmi, ktoré ho sprevádzajú, skutočnú Pečať Božiu.
„Niečo ti poviem. Pôjdem do Zborov [Assemblies], a ak sa ku mne nebudú správať správne, pôjdem do Foursquare.“ Ach, máš to zanesené uhlíkom, tvoja sviečka dymí. Očisti si lampu. Priprav sa; sme v čase konca. Ale oni to urobia, niekto to bude kázať. Niekto to povie. Niekde budú takí, ktorí to porozumejú. To je pravda. Neviem, koľko ich bude, lebo je napísané, „Ako bolo za dní Noeho, tak bude aj pri príchode Syna človeka,“ kde bolo zachránených osem duší. Neviem, koľko ich to porozumie, ale budú medzi nimi takí, ktorí si upravia svoje lampy, to je všetko, lebo nastal čas na očistenie lámp.
58 A keď... keď vyšla spiaca panna, ktorá už prijala znamenie šelmy... Poviete, „Znak šelmy, to?“ Áno, naozaj. Tak aj Kain prijal znamenie a odišiel. Čo to bolo? Keď baptistická cirkev, keď letničná cirkev, keď presbyteriánska cirkev prijali znamenie šelmy namiesto toho, aby prijali Ducha Svätého, odišli od Boha a vytvorili si organizáciu. Čo urobili? Vzali si falošnú manželku, falošnú manželku sveta, priviedli namaľované Jezábele a všetko ostatné, s krátkymi vlasmi a v šortkách a sukniach a v hollywoodskom štýle. A kazatelia začali prijímať diakonov s dvomi alebo tromi manželkami a... A muž...
59 Hovoríte, „Vždy hovoríš o našich ženách, o našich ženách.“ Dobre, muži, tak teraz vás poriadne prečešem. Niečo vám poviem. Akýkoľvek muž, ktorý dovolí svojej žene fajčiť cigarety a nosiť šortky, toho si ako muža veľmi nevážim. Je taký zženštilý, že ani nevie, ku komu patrí. Nie je to muž. To je pravda. Ó, haleluja. To je pravda. Je to úbohá náhrada za muža. Ó, možno má 180 cm a váži 90 kg, ale pre mňa nevyzerá ako muž. To ukazuje, kto je šéfom v jeho domácnosti. Ona dupne nohou, „Hneď ti poviem,“ a ty sa skloníš, ako keby si bol nejaké choré mača. Čo sa deje? Potrebujeme...
To, čo dnes potrebujeme, sú muži. Potrebujeme kazateľov Evanjelia. A akýkoľvek kazateľ, ktorý bude stáť za kazateľňou a zdržiavať sa týchto vecí, nemám veľkú vieru v to, že je povolaný Bohom. Správne. Muž, ktorý sa hanbí stáť za kazateľňou a hovoriť Božiu pravdu, keď vie, že je nemorálne, aby si žena strihala vlasy... Biblia... Muž má právo opustiť svoju ženu a rozviesť sa s ňou, keď si strihá vlasy. Tak to hovorí Biblia. Kto je hlavou ženy? Jej manžel. A Biblia hovorí, „Ak si žena ostrihá vlasy, zneucťuje svoju hlavu.“ S nečestnou ženou by sa nemalo žiť. Amen. Ona si odrezáva svoju slávu. A to isté robí aj cirkev. Keď robí to isté, odrezáva si prúd svojej slávy.
Hmm. Ó, Bože, prečo hovorím tieto veci? Ale je to pravda. Nie, my nepotrebujeme... nepotrebujeme kompromisníkov. Potrebujeme mužov a ženy, ktorí budú stáť za spravodlivosťou a pravdou a hovoriť pravdu bez ohľadu na to, čo to je. Amen. Božia pečať...
Očisti svoje lampy, môj brat. Nech svetlo Ducha Svätého opäť svieti, sviežo. Stmieva sa. Ó, je to taký strašný čas. Stmieva sa.
60 Pred nejakým časom som išiel... Priletel som z Dallasu a letel som do Indiany, a prišla búrka a... a lietadlo muselo pristáť v Memphise. A ja… Ubytovali ma v jednom veľkom, krásnom hoteli a povedali mi... Po chvíli mi zavolali a povedali, „Zavoláme vám ráno o siedmej hodine. Príde auto, ktoré vás vyzdvihne.“ Lebo oni... ja som už mal zaplatené cestovné a oni mi na tú noc museli zaplatiť ubytovanie v hoteli. Tak som si sadol a napísal som pár listov svojim priateľom. Nasledujúce ráno som vstal a išiel som na poštu tie listy poslať a išiel som po ulici. Pomyslel som si, „Teraz sa poponáhľam, lebo tá limuzína nás príde vyzdvihnúť v určitom čase.“ A začal som kráčať po ulici, kráčal som naozaj rýchlo, viete. Duch Svätý povedal, „Stoj.“ Rozhliadol som sa a stál tam vysoký írsky policajt, pozrel sem a ja som si pomyslel, „Určite to nebol on, kto to povedal.“ A začal som znova kráčať, a ten Hlas povedal, „Poď nabok.“ A boli tam nejaké rybárske navijaky a veci. Popošiel som takto a pomyslel som si, že budem predstierať, že sa na to pozerám, aby som nebol pred ním podozrivý alebo niečo. Tak som tam prišiel a začal som sa pozerať na tie navijaky a povedal som, „Nebeský Otče, bol si to Ty, kto hovoril?“
On povedal, „Otoč sa, choď na sever a pokračuj v chôdzi.“
Povedal som, „Áno, Otče.“ Jednoducho som začal... Veríte, že deti Božie by mali byť vedené Duchom Božím? To je ten problém s nami, máme lampu tak zadymenú, že už nič nevieme rozoznať. Tu sme boli...
61 Išiel som ďalej. Išiel som a išiel som a išiel som a pomyslel som si, „Ó!” Pozrel som sa, že už je čas, aby išlo lietadlo. A On stále hovoril, „Choď.“ A ja som jednoducho pokračoval v chôdzi. Prešiel som na druhú stranu a dostal som sa do černošskej štvrte. A išiel som tam, no, slnko bolo veľmi vysoko na oblohe. A pomyslel som si, „Ach, lietadlo som už zmeškal. No, ak On povedal, aby som išiel, asi tým myslel, aby som išiel Domov. Tak budem jednoducho ďalej kráčať, nechám si kufor tam.“ Tak som šiel, kufor som mal stále v hoteli a mal som tie listy. Šiel som ďalej. Pomyslel som si, „No, Pane...“
Niečo mi stále hovorilo, „Pokračuj v chôdzi, pokračuj v chôdzi.“ Ja som jednoducho pokračoval v chôdzi; to je jediná vec, ktorú treba robiť. Bez ohľadu na to, ako to vyzerá, jednoducho pokračuj ďalej. Ak Boh povedal, aby si to urobil, jednoducho pokračuj ďalej. Tak sa to robí. Tak sa uzdravíš (vidíte?); jednoducho pokračuj v chôdzi. Povieš, „Včera som nemohol pohnúť prstom ani o toľko; dnes ho môžem pohnúť o toľkoto. Chvála Bohu. Zajtra ho pohnem o toľko a pozajtra o toľko. A potom zrazu zistíš… Len pokračuj v chôdzi. To je všetko, len pokračuj v chôdzi.
62 Potom som sa dostal na druhú stranu Memphisu. A keď som tam prišiel, prechádzal som cez nejakú... veľkú štvrť černošských ľudí, tam boli také drobné staré chatrče. A pomyslel som si, „Čo tu vlastne robím?“ Pomyslel som si, „No, On povedal, aby som pokračoval v chôdzi. Ak by chcel, aby som odbočil iným smerom, povedal by mi to.“ Tak som jednoducho pokračoval v chôdzi. A kráčal som a spieval som si takú malú pieseň, ktorú spievate vy, ľudia z letničnej cirkvi – uvidíme, či si spomeniem na melódiu.
Zišli sa v hornej miestnosti,
všetci sa modlili v Jeho Mene,
pokrstení Duchom Svätým,
a prišla moc do služby;
To, čo urobil pre nich v ten deň,
urobí aj pre teba.
Som tak rád, že môžem povedať, že som jedným z nich.
(Počuli ste to, však? Tak veru.)
Títo ľudia možno nebudú mať múdrosť sveta
ani chválu svetskej slávy,
Avšak oni dostali svoje Letnice,
skrze vieru v Ježišovo Meno;
A teraz rozprávajú široko-ďaleko,
že Jeho moc je stále rovnaká.
Som tak rád, že môžem povedať, že som jedným z nich.
63 Išiel som a spieval si to. Pozrel som sa; videl som nejakú staršiu farebnú ženu, ktorá sa nakláňala cez bránu, takto. A bolo to vysoko hore, a ach, bola krásna jar a voňal zimolez. Vy si myslíte, že kvetiny pomarančovníka voňajú dobre, len počkajte, kým neucítite zimolez tam v Indiane. Takže tam bola... a ona sa tam nakláňala a mala okolo hlavy uviazanú pánsku košeľu, mala veľkú tučnú tvár, viete. A ja som išiel ďalej a pomyslel som si... No, videl som ju tam stáť. Išiel som ďalej. A keď som sa priblížil, začala sa smiať, z očí jej tiekli veľké slzy. Povedal som, „Dobré ráno, teta.“ Tak sme zvyčajne oslovovali farebných ľudí na juhu.
Ona povedala, „Dobré ráno, pán farár.“
Povedal som, „Farár?“ To je kazateľ, viete. Povedal som, „Ako ste vedeli, že som kazateľ?“
Ona povedala, „Vedela som, že prídete.“
Povedal som... zastavil som sa a vrátil som sa; pomyslel som si, „Otče, je to tak? Poslal si ma k tejto čiernej žene?“
64 A ona tam stála a ja som povedal, „Ako ste vedeli, že som kazateľ?“
Ona povedala, „Čítali ste niekedy ten príbeh o sunamitskej žene?“
Povedal som, „Áno, čítal.“
Ona povedala, „Ja som taká žena.“ A povedala, „Nemala som žiadne deti a povedala som Pánovi, že ak mi dá dieťa, tak ho... tak ho vychovám, aby... aby Mu slúžilo.“ A povedala, „Ja... ja som to urobila. Pán mi dal dieťa,“ a povedala, „Prala som na valchách, aby som mu zarobila na živobytie.“ A povedala, „On... on bol taký skvelý chlapec,“ ale povedala, „vydal sa na zlé cesty. Dostal sa do zlej spoločnosti.“ A povedala, „On...“ A ona patrila do letničnej cirkvi. A tak povedala – ona... „Vydal sa na zlé cesty.“ A povedala, „Dostal strašnú pohlavnú chorobu.“ A povedala, „Nevedela som o tom.“ A povedala, „Teraz už pre neho nemôžu nič urobiť.“ Povedala, „Jeho srdce je úplne zničené.“ Povedala, „Leží tam a umiera.“
65 A povedala, „Včera v noci som sa celú noc modlila.“ Povedala, „Už dva dni je v bezvedomí, pán kazateľ.“ A povedala, „Včera v noci som sa celú noc modlila.“ A ja som povedala, „Pane, Ty si mi dal toto dieťa.“ Povedala, „Ja... ja som tvoja služobnica,“ povedala, „Kde je Eliáš?,“ povedala. A povedala, „Neprestávala som sa modliť.“ Povedala, „Dnes ráno som zaspala na kolenách,“ a povedala, „okolo druhej hodiny.“ A povedala, „Zdalo sa mi, že mi Pán povedal, aby som prišla sem a stála pri tejto bráne.“ A ona povedala, „Príde po ulici v béžovom obleku a s malým béžovým klobúkom.“ A povedala, „Čakala som tu ešte pred svitaním a videla som ťa prichádzať,“ povedala, „To... ja... ja som to vedela.“ Ó, to sú Letnice. To sú skutočné Letnice.
Povedal som jej, „Volám sa Branham, teta. Počuli ste už niekedy o mne?“
Ona povedala, „Nie, pane, kazateľ Branham, nikdy som o vás nepočula.“ A povedala, „Je mi ľúto, ale nikdy som o vás nepočula.“ Povedala, „Nechcete vojsť?“
A ja som povedal, „Áno, madam, ďakujem.“ Už som nepovedal ani slovo. Pomyslel som si, „To musí byť ono.“
66 Keď som vošiel dnu, na bráne visel starý pluhový hrot na reťazi, aby ju držal pohromade. Vošiel som do malej starej dvojizbovej – čo na východe nazývame shotgun house, malá dlhá izba. A bol som v kráľovských palácoch, išiel som sa modliť za kráľa Juraja z Anglicka. Bol som s Gustavom hore vo Švédsku. Bol som v mnohých kráľovských palácoch, u kráľa Farouka a na mnohých iných miestach, u veľkých panovníkov a monarchov. Mal som tú česť vstúpiť a rozprávať sa s niektorými z najväčších osobností, aké má dnes svet, robiť s nimi rozhovory. Bol som v krásnych domoch. Ale nikdy som nebol viac vítaný a necítil som sa viac doma, ako v tej malej chatrči tej čiernej ženy v to ráno.
Keď som tam vošiel, na podlahe nebol žiaden koberec, stála tam taká skromná posteľ a na dverách mali veľký nápis, „Boh žehnaj nášmu domu.“ Bol som v domoch ľudí, ktorí sa nazývajú kresťanmi, a na stenách viseli plagáty a vulgárne obrázky. Ale tu som sa cítil naozaj ako doma.
67 Pozrel som sa na posteľ a tam ležal veľký, statný, farebný chlapec, ktorý podľa mňa vážil asi sto sedemdesiat libier. A mal v ruke deku a robil takéto zvuky [Brat Branham vydáva stonajúci zvuk – pozn.prekl.]. Povedal som, „Čo sa deje, brat?“
A ona povedala, „Pán kazateľ, už dva dni neprehovoril.“ A on stále opakoval, „Je tu tma. Je tu tma. Neviem, kam idem.“ [Brat Branham vydáva stonajúci zvuk – pozn.prekl.] A tá stará teta prišla ku mne; povedala, „Pán kazateľ, on si myslí, že je niekde na rieke, na mori. A je tma a on vesluje na člne a nevidí, kam ide.“ A povedala, „To hovorí už dva dni.“
A ja som povedal, „Ó, to je nepríjemné.“ A povedal som, „No, teta,“ povedal som, „moja služba, práve som odišiel z Dallasu v Texase; modlím sa za chorých.“ To ju nezaujímalo.
68 Povedala, „Chcem povedať len jednu vec, pán kazateľ. Chcem, aby ste sa modlili, a ak mi Boh z neba dovolí počuť môjho chlapca povedať, 'Mama, je to v poriadku, som spasený,'“ povedala, „budem pripravená nechať ho odísť.“ Povedala, „Ale ja som tak tvrdo pracovala a tak tvrdo sa modlila za svojho chlapca,“ povedala, „jednoducho nedokážem zniesť vidieť ho tak zomrieť a vedieť, že odchádza stratený, ako odpadlík, akým je.“ Povedala, „Keby som ho len mohla počuť povedať, 'Je to v poriadku, mama; som pripravený odísť.' Pomodlíte sa?“
Povedal som, „Dobre, teta.“ A kľakli sme si na podlahu a videl som ju s tým, alebo myslím, že s košeľou jej syna previazanou okolo hlavy, s veľkými tučnými lícami, a ona – veľká žena; kľakla si. Pomyslel som si... Povedal som, „Teta, ty nás veď v modlitbe.“ Ó, brat, keby som dovtedy nevedel, že je letničná, vtedy by som to vedel. Keď hovorím o modlitbe, tá stará žena sa modlila tak, že... cítil si, ako sa ti naježia vlasy na krku. Modlila sa ako... Poviem vám, rozprávala sa s Ním tak, ako sa s Ním rozprávala predtým. Vedela, s kým sa rozpráva. Keď... Ach, taká modlitba, jednoducho mi zovrela srdce. A keď skončila, natiahla sa a pobozkala ho na čelo; povedala, „Boh žehnaj mamičkine dieťatko.“
69 Pomyslel som si, „To je ono, to je ono.“ Vidíte? „Boh žehnaj mamičkine dieťatko.“ Hoci priniesol rodine hanbu. Taký veľký, statný chlap ako on, bez ohľadu na to, čo urobil, je stále mamičkiným dieťatkom; lebo tá materinská láska k nemu stále pretrváva. Pomyslel som si, „Áno, to je pravda.“ Ale Biblia hovorí, „Môže matka zabudnúť na svoje nemluvňa?“ Hovorí, „Možno áno. Ale ja na vás nemôžem zabudnúť. Vaše mená sú vyryté na dlaniach Mojej ruky.“ Aká veľká láska, ako by nás Boh mohol niekedy zabudnúť. Hoci sú naše lampy zadymené, On nás stále miluje. Len si upravme naše slabé lampy, môj brat. Vzmužme sa. Pripravme sa na stretnutie s Pánom Ježišom. Očistime sa, napravme sa, modlime sa, napravme sa.
70 Tam ho tak pobozkala. On povedal, „Ó, je tma, mami. Ó, je tma,“ a ťahal tú prikrývku sem a tam. A ja som ho chytil za nohy. Jeho nohy boli studené a lepkavé, a ja som povedal – akoby umieral. A povedal som, „Počuješ ma, brat?“
On povedal, „Ó, mama, je tu tma,“ povedal. A ja som sa s ním snažil hovoriť; on nevedel, krútil hlavou takýmto spôsobom a z úst mu vychádzali nejaké veci. A povedal, „Ó, mama, je tu tma, je tu tma; neviem, kam ide moja loď,“ takýmto spôsobom.
A ona začala plakať a utierala si tie veľké líca, tak nejako. A povedala, „Chápete, čo mám na mysli, pán kazateľ?“
Povedal som, „Áno, madam.“
Povedala, „Pomodlíte sa teraz, pán kazateľ?“
Povedal som, „Áno, madam.“ A pokľakol som a povedal, „Pokľaknite so mnou.“ A položil som ruky na jeho nohy; povedal som, „Nebeský Otče, je už po deviatej; moje lietadlo je už dávno preč.“ Povedal som, „Ja... prosím Ťa, maj milosť. Neviem, prečo si ma sem priviedol; určite je to toto miesto. Tu je to... lebo by som sem neprišiel, keby si ma sem nepriviedol, a táto žena tu stojí. Nikdy nás nevedieš nadarmo; vždy nám ukazuješ, čo... čo robíš. Tak sa modlím, Otče, ak... ak je to Tvoja vôľa, aby si tomu chlapcovi... splnil žiadosť tej ženy a nech ona... nech je on zachránený. A modlím sa, aby si uzdravil jeho telo.“ A kým som sa ešte modlil, povedal, „Mama, ach, mama, v izbe sa rozjasňuje.“ Ó, Bože. „V izbe sa rozjasňuje.“ Viete, o pár minút už sedel na okraji postele a rozprával sa s nami. Objal ma tým veľkým čiernym ramenom, takto...
Povedal som, „Musím ísť.“ Vyšiel som na ulicu, chytil som si taxík, rýchlo som zbehol dolu a vzal si kufor, povedal som, „No, pôjdem von a niekedy dnes večer chytím lietadlo. Po vojne tam bolo všetko v poriadku, a je to strašne zlé, keď... zmeškáte lietadlo. A práve, keď som prišiel, povedali, „Posledné volanie na let číslo 172.“ Ach, to lietadlo zostalo na zemi celú tú dobu. Dostal som sa na to isté lietadlo. Vidíte, Boh zariadi, aby všetko fungovalo správne, však? Asi o rok neskôr som išiel do...
71 [Hovorenie v jazykoch a výklad – pozn.prekl.] Bože, ó, Otče, ako Ti ďakujeme za toto varovanie pre nás. Pane, viem, že to nie je nadarmo. Ó, Bože, nech ľudia vidia, že sa len snažíme, aby si pripravili svoje lampy a boli pripravení. Blíži sa hodina, Pane, keď všetky tieto znamenia, spiace panny, ktoré teraz hľadajú olej, všetky tieto veci... Aby počuli, ako Tvoj Duch zostupuje a potvrdzuje posolstvo, že je pravdivé, Bože, modlím sa, aby si požehnal ľudí. Nech sú dnes večer varovaní Bohom a nech nemajú pokoja, kým si neupravia svoje lampy a nepripravia sa na stretnutie s Ženíchom. Udeľ to, Otče. Amen.
Aké krásne. Všimli ste si toho muža? Všimli ste si, ako oni... Vy – vy, ľudia z letničných cirkví, rozpoznávanie vás potom zaráža? Pozrite, o koľko je toto väčšie ako to. Vidíte? Ako to... Vidíte, ten samotný zvuk hlasu, ktorý ten muž vydával. Vidíte, že výklad prichádza rovnakým (vidíte?), rovnakým spôsobom, takmer rovnakou dĺžkou, rovnakým počtom odsekov a všetkým. Je to Duch Svätý. Hovorím vám pravdu. Je to pravda. Ó, priateľ hriešnik, hľadaj Pána teraz. Volaj na Neho, kým On... kým ťa môže počuť. Počuj Ho, počuj Ho, to je moja modlitba.
72 Chcem vám povedať, čo sa stalo. O rok neskôr som išiel vlakom do Phoenixu. Ak ste niekedy boli v Memphise a prichádzali z východu, zastavíte sa takto. Vystúpil som z vlaku a začal som tam prechádzať. Vo vlaku vám dajú... účtujú vám päťdesiat centov za malý sendvič a je naozaj tenký. A čakal som, kým som sa dostal na miesto, kde som mohol vystúpiť a kúpiť si nejaké hamburgery, a nakúpil som si ich celú tašku a vrátil som sa späť do vlaku (vidíte?), a ja... ja som mohol... mohol som z toho žiť. Tak som dostal... Nemohol som mať... Neverím v to, že by som bral peniaze svätých a míňal ich na také veci.
Tak som si... kúpil som si... kúpil som si nejaké hamburgery a išiel som tam... bežal som týmto smerom k stánku. Počul som, ako niekto povedal, „Dobrý deň, kazateľ Branham.“ Pozrel som sa okolo seba, mal červenú čiapku.
A ja som povedal, „Ahoj.“
On povedal, „Počkajte chvíľu.“ Prišiel tam a povedal, „Ako sa máte?“
A ja som povedal, „Ja... mám sa dobre.“ Povedal som, „Myslím, že ťa nepoznám.”
On povedal, „Ale áno, poznáte ma.“
A ja som povedal, „Ja... možno mi to len vypadlo z hlavy.“
Povedal, „Spomínate si, ako ste raz ráno išli po ulici a prišli ste k domu, kde ležal chlapec, ktorý umieral na pohlavnú chorobu?“
Povedal som, „Ty nie si…“
Povedal, „Áno, pane, som to ja.“ Povedal, „Nielenže som uzdravený, ale teraz som aj spasený, kazateľ Branham.“
73 Ach, ani z polovice to ešte nebolo povedané. Čo viac môže milý, milostivý, drahocenný, nebeský Otec urobiť, aby nás varoval a aby nás priviedol na správnu cestu? Čo viac môže urobiť? Milujete Ho? Milujete Ho celým svojím srdcom, celou svojou dušou a celou svojou mysľou? Koľko hriešnikov je tu teraz, keď na chvíľu skloníme hlavy. Zdvihnite ruku a povedzte, „Bože, zapáľ dnes večer oheň v mojej lampe, Pane. Zapáľ moju malú sviečku a nech horím pre Krista, kým nezomriem.” Povedzte, „Teraz sa pridávam k Pánovej opovrhovanej hŕstke.“ Zdvihnite svoje ruky. Priateľ hriešnik, zdvihol by si ruku a prijal Krista za svojho Spasiteľa? Zdvihol by si ruku, či už si na balkóne alebo v prízemí? Každú noc sme to dôkladne prechádzali. Možno tu dnes večer bol ešte jeden alebo dvaja, zdvihnite ruku, urobíte to? Kdekoľvek si, hriešnik? Povedzte, „Ja... ja chcem prijať Ducha Svätého.“ Teraz si zapamätajte, buď budete mať Ducha Svätého, alebo prijmete znamenie šelmy. Existujú len dve kategórie. Dôjdeme k tomu zajtra večer. Len som to tak nadhodil a položil veľký základ, aby som to zajtra večer zavŕšil.
74 Zdvihnite ruku a povedzte, „Chcem to, brat Branham.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná, mladý muž; Pán nech ťa žehná; to je veľmi dobré. Boh nech ti dá túžbu tvojho srdca, synu. Ešte niekto, prosím, zdvihnite ruku a povedzte, „Chcem prijať Krista.“ Boh nech ti žehná, pani. To je veľmi pekné, veľmi statočná vec. Niekto iný zdvihne ruku a povie, „Prijmem Krista; prijmem to.“ Na balkóne? Úplne vzadu v rohu, áno. Pane, vidím tam tvoju ruku, môj drahý priateľ. Teraz niekto iný povedzte, „Nechajte ma…” Pozrime sa, niekto iný povedzte, „Prijmem Krista ako svojho Spasiteľa. Zdvihnem k Nemu ruku a poviem, 'Ja…'“
Pamätajte si, keď zdvihnete ruku a myslíte to vážne, je to hotová vec. Je to navždy. Boh vás berie za slovo. Keď to myslíte vážne a zdvihnete ruku; uvidíte, čo sa stane. Dobre, ďalší tam hore na balkóne, nech ťa Boh žehná. Áno, to je dobré. Len zdvihni ruku; len uvidíš, aký pocit ťa zaplaví. Ak si hriešnik, zdvihni ruku. Áno, tá pani, mladá dáma, ktorá sedí tu vpredu, nech ťa Boh žehná, drahá sestra. Ešte niekto? Budem čakať. Kristus čaká. Nech ťa Boh žehná tam hore. Ešte niekto? Nech ťa Boh žehná tam vzadu, mladý muž. Boh s tebou, synku. Boh to určite urobí. „Chcem prijať Krista za svojho Spasiteľa.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná, tam vzadu. Ešte niekto? „Prijmem Krista za svojho Spasiteľa. Teraz, na tomto mieste, kde sedím, som presvedčený, že potrebujem Krista. Viem, že som vždy veril, že príde čas oddelenia, že Boh oddelí pravú cirkev.“ On to urobí; On to vezme Domov. Práve teraz to pripravuje. Pridáte sa k Ježišovi Kristovi tým, že Mu odovzdáte svoje srdce? Len pokračujte v cirkvi, kdekoľvek ste, len pokračujte, ale odovzdajte Mu svoje srdce. Zdvihnite...
75 Teraz, denominácie, sú... jedna je takmer rovnaká ako ostatné. Je to... kdekoľvek to je, kdekoľvek máte svoje spoločenstvo, skupinu ľudí, ktorých milujete, to je v poriadku. Ak patríte k Foursquare, neprejdite k Assemblies. Ak patríte k Assemblies, neprechádzajte k Foursquare, jednoducho zostaňte tam, kde ste, a milujte Pána, kdekoľvek ste. Ste pokrstení do Tela Kristovho. Takže akákoľvek organizácia, ku ktorej patríte, vás nezachráni, ani s tým nemá nič spoločné, je to len miesto, kam ľudia chodia. A skutoční bratia to vedia; všetci to vieme. Vieme to. Určite to vieme.
76 Zdvihne ešte niekto ruku, než sa pomodlíme? Nech ťa Boh žehná, zlatko. Ak je tu ešte niekto, zdvihni ruku a povedz, „Ja – ja na základe preliatej Krvi, toho, čo pre mňa urobil Ježiš... A brat Branham, to, čo som ťa dnes večer počul povedať, neverím, že by si nám povedal niečo zlé. Určite verím, že si Boží služobník. A na základe posolstva, že vaša viera prichádza z počutia, počutia Božieho Slova...“ Zajtra večer to dôkladne preberieme, keď dokončíme krst Duchom Svätým a znamenie šelmy. Zdvihnete ruku a poviete, „Na základe preliatej Krvi Krista dvíham k Nemu ruku a hovorím, „Chcem, aby si bol práve teraz mojím Spasiteľom'“ Je tu ešte niekto, než sa pomodlíme? Nech ťa Boh žehná, mladá dáma, tam vzadu. To je veľmi pekné. Boh buď s tebou, moja sestra. Je tu ešte niekto? Nech ťa Boh žehná, moja sestra, ktorá sedíš práve tu. To je veľmi pekné. Je tu ešte niekto? Úplne vzadu, nech ťa Boh žehná, môj brat. To robí rozdiel medzi životom a smrťou.
77 A teraz, čo keby... vy, ktorí ste zdvihli ruky, čo keby táto noc bola vašou poslednou na zemi? A keby sa niekedy medzi touto chvíľou a úsvitom stalo, že by ste sa prebudili zo spánku a vaše srdce by sa zastavilo. Vaše... vaše žily by vychladli, ruky by vám stuhli. Ako umierate, pritláčate si... vankúš. Lekár sa vzdiali od dverí a povie, „Nie, je to infarkt. Je po ňom.“ Vidíte? Nič... Počujete ho to povedať. Nebolo by to úžasné, keby ste vedeli, že ste zdvihli ruku? Ach, aké príjemné. Ako budete šťastní. Čo keby ste mali na ceste domov nehodu. A ležali by ste na okraji cesty a krvácali, počuli by ste prichádzať sanitku, ale vedeli by ste, že prichádza príliš neskoro. A viete, že ste zdvihli ruku ku Kristovi. Povieme, „Nech sa stane, tak či tak, raz musím odísť. Takže som teraz pripravený a teraz je čas odísť.“ Len zdvihnite ruku. Urobte to jedno rozhodnutie práve teraz, dobre, môj brat, moja sestra? Zdvihnite ruku.
78 Povedali ste, „Brat Branham, prečo takto prosíš ľudí? Toto nie je tvoja modlitebňa; toto nie je tvoja cirkev.“ Viem. Brat Buntane, môj brat je tu pastorom. Cirkev Božieho zhromaždenia, ku ktorej táto cirkev patrí, táto budova tu... A Zhromaždenia Božie sú jedným z mojich najväčších podporovateľov v letničných kruhoch po celom svete. To nie je... Ale aj tak... To všetko, aj keď ich mám veľmi rád, nie je to ten dôvod. Milujem vás. Milujem vás ako jednotlivcov. Nechcem, aby ste boli stratení.
Mal som videnie. Dúfam, že budem mať čas vám povedať, čo sa stalo pred pár dňami. Videl som Slávu a videl som tých ľudí a videl som tam Hore jednu ženu, ktorá pribehla a objala ma. Bol som k ženám trochu hrubý, a videl som tú ženu, najkrajšiu vec, akú som kedy videl. A nazvala ma svojím milovaným bratom. A ja som povedal, „Prečo to urobila?“
Povedal, „Mala vyše deväťdesiat, keď si ju priviedol ku Kristovi.“
Povedal som, „Ó, Bože, keby som sa len mohol vrátiť, presviedčal by som ľudí, prosil by som ich, žiadal, urobil by som všetko.“
79 Nezdvihnete ruku a nepoviete, „Prijímam Krista za svojho Spasiteľa.“ Určite, ak mi Boh dovolí robiť to, čo pre Neho robím, určite viem – mám nejakú predstavu o tom, ako Ho prijať. Je tu nejaký vlažný člen cirkvi? Teraz všetci skloňte hlavy. Vlažný člen cirkvi, ktorý si vyznal, že poznáš Krista, ale v skutočnosti vo svojom srdci Ho nepoznáš, ale chceš Ho poznať; zdvihni ruku, člen cirkvi. Boh nech ťa žehná, pane. Ešte niekto? Boh nech ťa žehná, brat. Boh vám žehnaj.
Ešte niekto, kto je len člen cirkvi, povedzte, „Chcem poznať Krista. Ja patrím do cirkvi a ja – nemôžem proti tomu povedať nič zlé.” Určite by som bol radšej, keby ste boli v cirkvi, ako keby ste boli vonku na ulici bez ničoho. Chodíte do cirkvi, ale chcem, aby ste, prosím, prišli a prijali Božiu pečať. Lebo ak ju nemáte, no, Biblia hovorí, že sú len dve triedy. Počkajte do zajtrajšieho večera a uvidíte. Dve triedy, jedna bude mať znamenie šelmy, druhá bude mať Božiu pečať. Presne ako Kain a Set v raji, tak to bude. Zdvihnete ruku? Ešte jeden, než sa pomodlíme. Boh ti žehnaj, pani.
80 Náš nebeský Otče, videl som dnes večer zdvihnúť veľa rúk. Väčšina z nich sú hriešnici a chcú odpustenie hriechov. Dvaja zdvihli ruky, že sú len členmi cirkvi, a predsa Ťa nepoznali a neboli zapečatení do Kráľovstva. Otče, prinášam tieto Písma a držím ich pred Tebou. V Tvojom Slove si povedal, „Kto počúva Moje Slovo (a, Pane, podľa môjho najlepšieho vedomia som ho kázal) a verí v Toho, ktorý ma poslal, má večný život.“ Teraz, to si povedal, Otče. To je presne to, čo si povedal. A ja Ti to len pripomínam. Títo ľudia počuli to Slovo a uverili v Toho, ktorý Ťa poslal. Povedal si, „Majú teraz (prítomný čas, majú, prítomný čas) večný život a neprídu na súd, ale prešli zo smrti do života.“ Kedy to urobili? Keď zdvihli ruky a povedali, že veria. Pane, Ty si to povedal a ja si nárokujem tieto duše.
Satan, už ich nemôžeš držať. Teraz sú Božími deťmi. Prinášam to pred teba. Musíš stiahnuť ruku z ich života; teraz patria Bohu. Vyhlasujem ich pre Neho. Vyhlasujem ich za trofeje... Kristovej lásky na Golgote. Vyzývam ťa na súboj; nemáš žiadnu zákonnú moc. Nemáš nad nimi žiadnu moc; nemal si ju ani na začiatku, len si ich blafoval. Len si podvádzal. Kristus ťa na Golgote zbavil všetkého, čo si mal; zbavil ťa každej moci, ktorú si kedy mal; a ty nie si nič iné ako podvodník; a my sme tvoj podvod odhalili. Títo sú teraz Božie deti.
81 A, Otče, Ty si povedal, „Kto príde ku Mne, toho v žiadnom prípade nevyženiem.” Sľúbil si to. A ja viem, že je to pravda. Povedal si, že im dáš večný život a vzkriesiš ich v posledný deň. Potom je rovnako isté, že prídu vo vzkriesení, ako je isté, že dnes večer sedia v tejto budove. Teraz, Otče, prosím Ťa len o jednu vec: Naplň ich Duchom Svätým. Udeľ im to, Pane. Ó, naplň ich Duchom Svätým. Nedovoľ... nedovoľ, aby si to ich duše zľahčili, Pane. Nech sú ich vankúše celú noc tvrdé. Nech sa im ich postele zdajú ako skaly, kým nebudú tam vonku na kolenách a nebudú hovoriť, „Bože, naplň ma Duchom Svätým.“ Nech si vezmú Bibliu a čítajú ju. A nech k nim prídeš a vysvetlíš im Slovo. A nech nemajú teraz žiadny pokoj. Sú to Tvoje deti a čas sa kráti. Modlím sa, aby našli ten pokoj, ktorý prevyšuje všetko chápanie, skrze Ježiša Krista.
82 Títo členovia cirkvi, ktorí zdvihli ruku, Otče, ďakujem Ti za nich. Oni urobili vyznanie a prišli do cirkvi, ale uvedomujú si, že len tým, že sú členmi cirkvi, budú označení za nesprávny druh ženy. Zajtra večer, ak budeš chcieť, Otče, im ukážeš, ako sú označení za falošnú nevestu. Pravá Nevesta má vo svojej lampe olej. Modlím sa, Otče, aby si im dnes večer dal do ich lampy olej. Nech sa títo členovia cirkvi dnes večer naplnia Duchom Svätým. Udeľ to, Pane. Modlím sa za to, nie aby som bol zlý, ale aby som bol ich bratom, aby vedeli, že premeškať nebo znamená premeškať všetko. Čo je tento krátky úsek života v porovnaní s večnosťou? Jednoducho sa rozpúšťa do nekonečna, lebo sa nikdy nezačal. A, Otče, modlím sa, aby si ich v posledných dňoch vytiahol do tých večných sfér slávy s Tebou. Udeľ to; sú Tvoji. Modlím sa a odovzdávam ich Tebe v Kristovom Mene.
83 Teraz, so sklonenými hlavami, poprosím všetkých, ktorí zdvihli ruku, aby vstali. Nebudem vás prosiť, aby ste prišli sem hore; nemáme tu miesto. Ale všetci, ktorí ste zdvihli ruky a ste úprimní voči Bohu, len na chvíľu vstaňte. Každý, kto zdvihol ruku, nech vstane. Všetci, na balkónoch, všade, jednoducho vstaňte. Ježiš povedal, „Kto Ma vyzná pred ľuďmi, toho Ja vyznám pred Svojím Otcom a svätými anjelmi.“
Chcem, aby ste sa vy, členovia cirkvi, a najmä vy, Kresťania, rozhliadli a pozreli, ktorí to sú. Chcem, aby ste ich vzali za ruku, potriasli im rukou, stáli tam a povedali, „Nech ťa Boh žehná. Vitaj v Božom kráľovstve, pútnik.“ To je ono; otočte sa k niekomu, potraste mu rukou a povedzte, „Vitaj v Božom kráľovstve.“ To je veľmi pekné. To je veľmi pekné. To je dobré. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Pán s tebou. To je tak pekné. Dobré. Nech ťa Boh žehná. Teraz sa môžete posadiť. To je veľmi, veľmi pekné.
84 Teraz vás poprosím, aby ste niečo urobili. Určite si nájdite nejakého pastora; ak ste nikdy neboli pokrstení kresťanským krstom, nájdite si nejakého pastora, cirkev podľa vášho výberu, a dajte sa pokrstiť vodou, do spoločenstva tej cirkvi. A keď to urobíte, potom hľadajte krst Duchom Svätým, kým nebudete naplnení Duchom Svätým, a...
Stretneme sa ráno,
pri brehu tej jasnej rieky,
keď všetky smútky odplávajú;
Budem stáť pri bráne,
keď sa brány široko otvoria,
na konci dlhého, únavného dňa života.
Stretnem sa s tebou ráno
s pozdravom, „Ako sa máš“,
a posadíme sa pri rieke
a s nadšením obnovíme staré známosti.
Ráno ma spoznáš
podľa úsmevu, ktorý nosím.
Stretnem sa s tebou ráno,
v meste, v tom štvoruhlastom meste.
85 Otče Bože, teraz sú Tvoji, zapečatení do Božieho kráľovstva, Duch Svätý sa o nich stará. Teraz sa modlím, aby som sa s nimi stretol v to ráno na tom jasnom, žiarivom brehu tam v diaľke, keď všetky smútky odplávajú. Nebude to úžasné, Otče? Zvonce radosti zazvonia, všetky srdcia s ľahkosťou zaspievajú, bude to slávny čas. Sú Tvoji. Teraz sa modlím, aby si ich zachoval Svojou milosťou, kým sa toho rána nestretneme pri tej rieke. Amen.
86 No, necítite sa dobre? Necítite sa naozaj dobre? Povedzte, „Brat Branham…” Mladí obrátenci práve vstúpili do Kráľovstva, opýtam sa Otca, či niečo urobí. Mám právo Ho o to teraz požiadať. Prišli hriešnici. Verím, že u Neho nachádzame milosť, nemyslíte?
Koľko je tu chorých, zdvihnite ruky, len chorí a v potrebách. V poriadku. Otočím sa chrbtom, aby som vám ukázal, že sme v posledných dňoch. Koľkí si pamätajú naše lekcie, ako Anjel Pánov... Boh zostúpil a prebýval v ľudskom tele, jedol mäso, bol obyčajným človekom a hovoril ako človek. A predsa to bol Boh v ľudskom tele tesne predtým, ako Sodoma zhorela. A Ježiš povedal, že rovnaké znamenie sa stane pri príchode Syna človeka. Veríme tomu? Ako sme prešli tými lekciami, aby sme ukázali, čo urobil.
87 Teraz tu nie je nikto, koho by som poznal. Myslím, že som pred pár týždňami lovil s týmto mladým mužom, ktorý sedí práve tu. Nie si náhodou príbuzný môjho dobrého priateľa... Nie si… Si švagor brata Normana; myslím, že je to tak, nie? V poriadku. To je jediná osoba, a brat a sestra Smithovci, ktorí tu sedia, brat Gene, a to sú všetci, ktorých poznám. Otočím sa a... áno, sestra Upshawová, nech vás Boh požehná, sestra Upshawová. Ach, ako mám rád brata Willyho Upshawa. Vaše stretnutie tej noci, brat Kopp, keď som sa tam pozrel a videl som, snažil som sa hovoriť a videl som ho, ako spadol z toho voza, poranil si chrbát a videl som, že pre neho nemohli nič urobiť. Nikdy v živote som o ňom nepočul. A tam bol, Willy D. Upshaw. Povedal som, „Ako...“ Prišiel k nemu. Povedal, „A čo ten muž?“
Povedal som, „Kedysi kandidoval na prezidenta a vyhral by voľby, keby nebol proti whisky a zlým veciam. Demokratická strana by ho zvolila. Ale on... on si stál za svojím.“ A povedal som, „Všetky tie roky, šesťdesiatšesť rokov, bol si na týchto barlách a na invalidnom vozíku. Ale Boh ho z toho teraz oslobodí.“ A aké to je krásne. Keď sa dostanem na druhú stranu, uvidím prichádzať mladého, pekného muža, ktorý povie, „Pamätáš si ma, brat Branham? Som brat Upshaw.“ Uvidím tam jeho milú, všetkých spolu. Spomínam si, ako si v tú noc plakala, sestra Upshawová, keď si videla, ako vstal, bežal na pódium a dotkol sa rukami svojich prstov na nohách vo veku asi osemdesiatich rokov. Bože, ako Boh dokáže robiť veľké veci.
88 Dobre. Anjel Pánov sedel chrbtom k nám. No tak, dúfam, že to všetci chápete. Ja nie som Anjel Pánov; ja som William Branham. Rozumiete? Som váš brat. Ale On vtedy prebýval v ľudskom tele, ktoré si sám stvoril, a potom jednoducho zmizol. Veríte tomu? Veríte, že to bol Boh? Biblia hovorí, že to bol Boh. Aj Abrahám to potvrdil. Čo to bolo? Znamenie, že v posledných dňoch... Pamätajte, keď prišiel v dňoch Pána Ježiša, On – Boh prebýval v Ježišovi, neveríte tomu? Bolo to telo narodené z panny, Semeno, ktoré pochádzalo od samotného Boha. A v tej krvnej bunke, keď bola zlomená na Golgote za naše hriechy, posvätila cirkev, aby v nej mohol prebývať Duch Svätý a pokračovať v Božom diele. „Vy ste moji svedkovia, keď prijmete moc.“ To je pravda.
89 Teraz, ak je to tak, ak som povedal pravdu, nech k vám dnes večer prehovorí Duch Svätý. Otočím sa chrbtom; vy sa modlite. Uvidíte, či je to ten istý Duch Svätý. Teraz musí s vami pracovať rovnako, ako pracuje so mnou. Niektorí z vás, bratia, tu vonku, modlite sa za tých tam v publiku, kazateľov, a tak ďalej. Budeme mať čas, kazatelia. Nebeský Otec vie, že to robím s jediným cieľom, aby sa slovo, ktoré kážem, zjavilo cirkvi v týchto dňoch, že letničná cirkev sa vzdialila od Boha. Musí sa vrátiť. Je to laodicejský vek.
A, Bože, ak som povedal niečo proti niekomu, aby som ublížil, potom si to nebol Ty, kto mi to hovoril, odpusť mi, Pane, ale urobil som to presne tak, ako si mi to dal. Tak sa modlím, Otče, aby si to potvrdil. Hovoril som o Tebe; teraz povedz, že som hovoril pravdu, Pane. Zverujem to Tebe v Mene Pána Ježiša.
Sedí tu niekoľko stoviek ľudí, mnohí z nich sú chorí. Ja nepoznám ani jedného z nich, Ty ich poznáš. Modlím sa, aby si naplnil Svoje Slovo. Keď si prišiel sem na zem, povedal si, že si to urobil, aby sa naplnilo to, čo povedal prorok Izaiáš o tom, čo urobí Mesiáš. Teraz, Otče, nech sa to opäť naplní, lebo si to sľúbil. To je dôvod, prečo to dovoľuješ, v Mene Krista. Amen.
90 Teraz sa modlí veľa ľudí. Ak by som mohol... Ak by sa niekto, ako tá malá žena, mohol dotknúť Jeho rúcha... Áno, práve teraz sa mi zjavuje videnie a je to žena; sedí – z miesta, kde teraz stojím, by to bolo po mojej pravej strane, týmto smerom. Trpí problémami so žlčníkom. Má tiež problémy so srdcom. Keď sa otočím chrbtom a zavolám jej meno, možno to pochopí. Pani Hansonová, vstaň a prijmi svoje uzdravenie.
Teraz som sa ešte nepozrel okolo seba. Veríte? Len majte vieru. Kde bola tá pani? Je niekde tam vzadu. Presne tam? Bolo to pravda, pani? Sme si cudzí? Ak áno, zamávaj rukou takto. Všetko to bola pravda, však? Potom ten istý Boží Anjel, ktorý sedel v Sodome a Gomore, aby dal Abrahámovi znamenie, že sa blíži hodina spálenia Sodomy, je tu dnes večer. Len dar, aby som sa uvoľnil...
91 Vidím Ho na niekom inom. Dúfam... Teraz ma nenechajte zostať príliš dlho. Len sledujem videnie, ženu, ktorá tu sedí a modlí sa. Má cukrovku. Slečna Finchová, veríš, že Boh ťa uzdraví? Ak áno, vstaňte a zdvihnite ruku. Nepoznám ťa, je to tak? Ak je to tak, zamávaj rukou. Je to to, čo ťa trápi? Čo? V poriadku. Dotkla si sa niečoho, však? Čo... Nedotkla si sa mňa, však? Dotkla si sa... dotkla si sa Boha, to je... Boh nech ťa žehná.
92 Čo si myslíš, mladý muž, ktorý si trieš nos? Aj ty potrebuješ Boha. Veríte? Boh mi opíše, aký máš problém. Nemáš modlitebnú kartu, predpokladám... Nie, nie je... To je pravda. Nie je tu žiadna modlitebná karta. Ty... veríš, že som Jeho prorok, alebo Jeho služobník, chcem povedať. Prepáč, že to hovorím; nie som prorok; som len Jeho služobník. Trápi ťa nervozita, si taký nervózny, že sa nedokážeš udržať v kľude. Nie je to tak? Ak je to tak, zdvihni ruku. Veríš, že to, čo poviem, sa stane? Veríš tomu? Budeš ma poslúchať ako Jeho proroka? Potom z teba tú nervozitu odstránim v Mene Ježiša Krista. Nikdy o tom už nehovor. Choď a buď uzdravený. Nehovoril náš Pán, „Ak povieš tejto hore, 'Presuň sa...'“ Ak môžete veriť...
93 Muž, ktorý sedí tam vzadu a pozerá sa na mňa. Rád by prišiel sem; chce, aby som na neho položil ruky. To je pravda. To stvrdnutie tepien by ťa opustilo, keby si tomu len uveril tam, kde sedíš. Urobíš to? Sedí tam vzadu, taký sivý, s okuliarmi, sedí tam vzadu a pozerá sa na mňa. Ak uveríš celým svojím srdcom, nepochybuj... Veríš tomu?
94 Pozrite, zakrúžilo to a odišlo od toho muža a on to stratil. Pretrel si oči, otočil sa a pozrel sa s tým malým... Presne tak. Pani, ktorá sedí práve tu, je to priamo nad tebou so srdcovým problémom, sedí tam. Veríš, že Boh ťa uzdraví rovno tam? Áno. V poriadku. Dostaneš uzdravenie; je tvoje. V poriadku. Boh nech ťa žehná.
95 Buďte ostražití; buďte pripravení prijať to každú chvíľu. Veľmi milá osoba, máš veľkú vieru, si v dobrom kontakte s Bohom. Nepoznám ťa, ale veríš, že Boh uzdraví aj tie tvoje srdcové problémy? Máš tiež problémy s nohou, s končatinou, že? Áno, máš dcéru, ktorá nie je spasená, za ktorú sa modlíš. To je pravda. Nie si odtiaľto; si zo Severného Hollywoodu. Vieš, o kom teraz hovorím? Chceš, aby som povedal tvoje meno? Pani Beardová, vstaň a prijmi to v Mene Ježiša Krista.
Veríte? Tak čo, priatelia? Je to pravda, pani? Ak áno, zamávajte rukou. Vidíte, je to tak. Vidíte? Veríte teraz? Tú ženu som v živote nevidel. Vidíte, celá budova... Oni sa ma dotkli (vidíte?); viem, že to teraz stačí. Sledujú ma, viete, keď mám dosť.
96 Teraz vám poviem, priatelia; povedal som vám pravdu. Boh potvrdil, že som vám povedal pravdu. Práve to Božie pomazanie, ktoré káže toto isté Slovo a hovorí tieto veci, je práve to pomazanie, ktoré vyhlasuje, že Boh je tu a robí to isté. Veríte z celého srdca? Koľkí z vás chcú prijať Ducha Svätého, zdvihnite ruku a povedzte, „Chcel by som prijať Ducha Svätého.“ Pastor mi hovorí, že tam dole je miestnosť, ktorá čaká na niekoho, kto príde, aby vošiel dnu a aby sa za neho modlili. Prečo to neprijmete? Choďte tam a prijmite Ducha Svätého. Všetci sa naraz postavme na nohy. Zdvihnime ruky a chváľme Boha, každý svojím vlastným spôsobom. Nerobte... Len tomu verte.
Nebeský Otče, vzdávam Ti chválu a slávu za všetky mocné skutky, za všetko, čo si urobil. Si neomylný Boh. Si Ten, ktorý je ten istý včera, dnes a naveky, nikdy nesklameš.
Teraz položte ruky jeden na druhého. Položte ruky jeden na druhého, aby ste boli uzdravení a prijali Ducha Svätého. Teraz sa modlite za tú osobu. Modlite sa jeden za druhého. Hore na balkóne, tam hore, položte ruky jeden na druhého; modlite sa jeden za druhého, aby ste prijali Ducha Svätého. Ak nebudete pochybovať, Boh dá každému z vás krst Duchom Svätým a uzdraví každého.
1 Let us remain standing, just a moment now, for prayer. Our heavenly Father, we are grateful, indeed, for the privilege of assembling together in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Now, before us lays Thy Word, and oh, we handle that quietly, Lord, and reverently because It is the Word of God. And it's to be that--be Your will that I am to try to explain a great subject tonight. And I pray, Father, that the Holy Spirit will give me words to say that would be beneficiary to the church and--and for the good of the Kingdom of God. Grant it, Lord. You are our Father, and we love You with all of our heart.
And we pray now that You'll bless us. And as I think what I would do if I had in my hands tonight in a--a glass, just one drop of the Blood of the Lord Jesus, how I would hold it to my heart. And just--oh, I'd be almost afraid to breathe. But then, Father, in Your sight, You've give into my hands a greater, the purchase of Your Blood, Your church, that You gave Your Blood for, to save it. Now, help us, Lord, that we might feed the flock of God to which the Holy Ghost has made her overseers. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen. May be seated.
2 We are trusting the Lord Jesus to send His blessings upon us. I was just in the room a few minutes ago, and something just shook me. How many knows Raymond Richey? He's setting back there in the room; I just prayed for him. And he's overworked hisself and caused hisself to have a break and a stroke, terrible condition, lovely brother. The time... Brother Raymond was standing right there on the platform that night when the Angel of the Lord came down before thousands of people when I said if--when Doctor Best was debating about with it Doctor Bosworth about my ministry, and I said, "I don't claim to be a healer." I said... He said, "Nothing but a bunch of holy-rollers would believe that."
I said, "How many Baptist here that's members of these Baptists churches, can say and can prove that they've been healed by the Lord, raise up your hand." And about, oh, I guess, three hundred or more stood up. And I said, "What about them?" See? And so then he... I said, "People believe in Divine healing." I said, "I'm not--I'm not a Divine healer; I never claim that." I said, "My literature is published in many different languages." I said, "I never did claim to be a healer." I said, "I--I only claim to be God's servant." And I said, "Now, if the gift of God, which He gave to me on the discernment," I said, "now, if that's in question, God will speak for Himself." And about that time here He come down, coming down like that. And that's when they took the picture of It.
3 And he said to me, he got down on his knees back there, after I prayed for him, put his arm around me, said, "I've got a message for you."
"What?"
Said, "Stop preaching too hard and too long." He said, "You're going to go right the same way I went." I almost did it one time anyhow. Said, "Brother Branham," said, "in them visions and things, I see the way it works on you." Said, "I just kept going on," said, "I had one break." Then he started overseas, had another one. And there he's... If God doesn't touch him, he's just finished for life. So he said, "You can't get no more done." Said, "There'll be some will say, 'This, that, or this or that, or so forth.'" But said, "That won't make it any better." Said, "As long you let the--do your ministry, show the people that God sent you," said, "then that settles it, just let it go at that." Said, "If--if they won't," said, "if they don't..." Said... He made me promise in there with my hands in his, said, "Don't do it no more Brother Branham. Remember, I'm warned of the Lord to tell you, you're going to shift the same row that I am (See?), if you do that any more, start doing it."
And I said, "Okay, brother." Don't tell my wife that. She--she's got Billy and them staged around everywhere, and Leo and Gene, and all of them, if they see me the least bit wearying, well, then they're supposed to take me from the platform whether I want to go or not. And she knowed I'd stagger around over the platform like that, why, she'd be crying, going on. So we... You just can do so much, you know, and you can't do no more; that's all.
4 I remember one time Paul Rader... How many ever knowed him? Sure, Paul Rader was a great man of God. Told a little story one time, said he was going on a train, and said he was with another man, and said this man tried to get back at him 'cause he slept in a pullman that night. Said at the breakfast next morning, a group of ministers was going somewhere for a convention. So this man set right next to Paul and said, "Well, praise God," he said. "I set in a chair car last night," and said, "I saved the Lord some money."
Paul said, "Praise God, I took a pullman and saved the Lord's man." So now, which one's He more--more interested in, His money or His man? His man, always. We're so glad for it.
5 And now, I had a glorious time last night, I thought, myself. And just as I was leaving, the--the pull of the people, of the Holy Spirit, He dropped right down among the people and begin to give discernment right in the meeting. How glorious that was. See, and to me, that makes everybody at the meeting prayed for. See, see? Now, I said, "How many here..." Now, God promised He would do that. Now, that's His Word, isn't it? Now, God keeps His Word, doesn't He? Then I said, "Now, how many here that's believers, put up your hands." Everybody put up their hands. I said, "Now, lay your hands on one another. Now, the Bible said, 'These signs shall follow them that believe.'" Then we prayed for everyone as a united hand together for the Kingdom of God. Oh, my, to me, that's just perfect. See?
6 I was at a filling station today getting some gasoline, over here somewhere, and a little fellow come out, looked at me, said, "You're Brother Branham."
I said, "Yes." It was about a mile over here, something.
And he said--said, "I'm Brother Roberts," and he said, "my mother was definitely healed with heart trouble since you've been down there at the Assemblies of God church." Said, "She's took a bad cold," and said, "she hasn't had one speck of heart trouble since she was called out, ever what it was (See?), not one." And said, "She's got a bad cold," and said, "if she knows that I met you down here and she knows you're praying for her," said, "she'll be on over at the meeting tonight."
Said, "She want to try to get down for Sunday night if she possibly could." She probably belongs to another church, but she was healed here. So we're glad of that.
7 And seeing testimonies coming in all the time of different ones. And I meet people that was healed back in 1946 and '47 when we were here, way back in there, still going on, haven't had a bit of trouble since. There was a lady somewhere; I just got her letter, I believe today. She's setting in here, the church I suppose, tonight. She come... She was healed here when I was here in '46 or '7, somewhere, with a cancer. And then later she took a great tumor. And the tumor was so big that they had to pack her everywhere she went, like this. And it was too big for a operation. So they brought her up to Jeffersonville. And I was in there at the little Tabernacle for one night, and some man had her setting over in a corner, and said that--that I... She just passed by a few weeks ago and showed me what had happened. And she was so big, till some of the deacons and trustees of the church... She wanted to be prayed for, and at the Tabernacle I sometimes don't pray for the people no more than just stand up on Sunday morning maybe, when I'm there. Not there very often. And they packed her around and set her on the ground, back out behind the place where I was going out. And passing by, the Holy Spirit happened to look sideways, caused me to look sideways, and see her. Told her about it, laid hands on her, and she's just as normal as any other person.
8 And I got her letter. I wonder if the lady's in here tonight, would raise up her hand. She was in church the other night. Her and her husband, they are here. I believe he--he come by in a trailer and stopped outside my house just recently and--and was talking to me. And I believe she said that she'd learned--be a friend of Brother Mercier's mother, or something like that; she was telling me in the letter. And I thought maybe she'd be here. The letter was wrote last week. But I... What? Over in the right wing, the people are, that Brother Mercier's, or Brother Goad said. The lady is in the right wing that had the big tumor, was at home, and was healed. If she's over in the right wing there somewhere, why don't you step out here and let the people see what God can do for someone that's really--really been healed when she was so big she had to be packed around. Is that... Not back there? Well per--they must just stepped out. Brother Goad said that they were setting there awhile ago. If you watch them, I'd like for her to give a testimony. Just as flat as I am. And she was just about like this, out with a tumor. And how the Lord... If we just...
Now, look, now what did I say about God? He will have... If somebody else with a tumor that big, will act in the same way she act, God's got to act way--same way to you as He act to her. If He didn't, He made--He done wrong when He healed her. See? God can't make a mistake. So what He does to one, He has to do to the other. Now, there's only one requirement. If you'll just appropriate the same simple faith, that's all.
9 A little woman up here somewhere at a place called Eureka; I believe that's Eureka, California. I came down years ago and I never seen anyone; they couldn't even move her from the bed. Well, her little head, to where she was swollen out... Excuse this my sisters, if you will. The breast of the woman was sticking right up like this (You see?), from where she was swollen out with this tumor. And her husband drove a cab. And I said, "Brother, I don't see how..." My faith even went down itself when I looked at that. And I said, "Have you had a doctor?"
Said, "We don't believe in having doctors." Well, all right. Said, "If she dies, she dies. But we trust God."
I said, "All right, that's really faith."
Said, "Only thing I want you do is go in there and put your hands on my wife and pray for her, Brother Branham, and she'll be healed." Oh, my. I'll--I'll have to admit he had a little more faith than I did. That's right. I'd just started out; I was about a year. I hadn't seen nothing like that done yet. And went and laid hands on that woman, and you know what? Now, this is her story on a letter. She may be right here now. Her side split, and gallons of water poured of her. It healed right back up again and she's bow--down about down to a hundred and something pounds, hundred five, ten pounds. She don't only do her own work, but she does all the neighbors work. So... Go right up and down the street, go up and take care of the children, wash for them and things like that. Just go...
10 Now, if the same person, another person, approaches on that same basis, He's got to do the same thing. Or, if it didn't, then He did wrong. He did wrong then when He healed that--that one woman, and healed her that way, then He did wrong when He--when He healed her, if He--if He did--if He didn't do the... If He--if He did--healed her, then if He doesn't heal you, He acted wrong then when He healed the first one, if you'll meet the same requirements of faith that she did. It's only based on one thing, "I can if ye believe." That's all. So, see, then it all lays back, no matter how much strain or what we put on it, it's not that; it's relax and believe. See, I'm... There I go again, Brother Roy. See?
11 Did you read the Scripture for me? I've been asked to speak on the subject, or I said myself that I would, rather, upon the subject of the "Mark of the Beast" and the "Seal of God." Now, it's a great subject. And I think that we may not get through it tonight, maybe have to carry it over until tomorrow night.
And those that's got interviews now, I believe Mr. Mercier said we was to begin at eight o'clock in the morning. Now, I have private interviews where the people wants to see for the visions and things. That's where you all don't get it (You see?), here. It's through the day also. See? And then on these private interviews... So now remember, I--ever who's first in the morning, it starts at eight. Now, he just told me a few minutes ago.
12 Now, on this great subject of the mark of the beast and the seal of God. We've heard so much about it. It's been... I've seen charts that'd reach across this platform here about mark of the beast and the seal of God. But to me, it's so simple, it's just such a--a simple thing to look in the Word and see it, till I don't think... Well, I've got about three or four pages of different Scriptures I want to--wrote out here, that I want to refer to for you tonight. While I was thinking on it this afternoon, I put down Scriptures here, and different pages, so I could find out and you could write it down if you want to.
Now, it's a great subject, and I think that it is a--and one of a--an essential subject that should be taught on. Now, we've had Gospel sermons; we've had Divine healing. And now, this ought to be the--on based like, the second coming of Christ, on His second coming.
13 Brother Smith, is that your wife? Well I... how do you do, Sister Smith? I--I... No wonder he's a--he's a fine man. You're such a fine looking, godly looking little lady as a wife. I--I may have met you before. They say behind every good man there's a good wife. That--that's very fine. I know my wife is... If there's any credit to go to Branham family, give it to her, because she's the one that... But she's ten years younger than I am and snow white headed, and she's just because that she's stood between me and the public, and I don't know what I would do without her. God certainly gave me a wonderful wife. They're a wonderful thing, Brother Smith. Just... Why, if He could give a man anything better, He would've done it. That's right. Right. That's right. That's the truth. "He who has found a wife, has found a good thing," says the wisest man we've ever had. I--I think that a wife is the best thing a man can have outside of salvation. That's right. That's right; she's lovely.
14 Now, I'm going to base the Scripture... First I'm going to tell you what I think the mark of the beast is and what the--I think the Scripture supports the mark of the beast to be. Then I'm going to tell you what I think the Scripture supports the seal of God. Now, we know that these two great things are ending up soon into two great, great grips; the world is gripped by these two things right now: the mark of the beast or the seal of God. Some of them places it way over in the future; some says its already been in the past. But I believe that there's just two answers to it. And that is that the seal of God is the baptism of the Holy Ghost; the mark of the beast is rejecting it. Now, that's the only two things. I going give you Scripture why now as we go through.
Now, one of them is remember, all the peoples on earth in the last days is either going to be sealed by the seal of God or marked by the mark of the beast. And he caused all, both poor, great, bond, free, all upon the earth to receive this mark who did not have the seal, and whose names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life since the foundation of the world, from the foundation of the world when the Lamb was slain and when their names were put on the Lamb's Book of Life.
15 Now, those two great things. Now, we're going to start first upon "The Seal Of God." Now, what is a seal? The first place, a seal in the Bible, back in days before people had--educated like they are now, they usually--their seal was their signature just like we use today as our name. Sometimes the Romans, and on back in Jewish, and way back in the early eastern countries, they'd have a ring, that had their seal, and stamp it on something. If they couldn't sign their name, that seal. A seal was a bona fide statement, that it was sealed by this seal. And to--to try to copy this, was a capital fine, just like it would be now to try to forge a check, somebody's name on a check. It was a--a great fine to try to copy this seal. And usually the man wore it, had his seal, wore it on his back of his wrist, or--or either on his ring. And he would seal it instead of signing his name. That was to show that--that it was--he had sealed it.
16 Now. Now, Jesus said that in the last days, according to Saint Matthew the 24th chapter and the 24th verse, that these two spirits, this--the ones that was sealed with God, and the ones that would be marked by the beast, the antichrist, would be so close together till it would as deceive the very elected if it was possible. See? Now, they're going to be so much alike. Now, some people says, "Well, communism is the mark of the beast." You're wrong. Communism is not the mark of the beast, yet it is, but it isn't heading up. The--the mark of the beast is of--is a religious nature, very religious, so cunning and sly, until it'll deceive the very elected if it was possible, just so close till it would deceive the elected if it was possible. Of course, they...
Billy Graham said not long ago; I was hearing him a few Sundays ago on my radio coming down here. And he was preaching; he said, "You hear so much about cigarettes and Viceroy," or ever what it was, and "ta--tips at this end and fire at this end, and everything like that." Said, "A man would smoke them at all was a fool." And I think he's about right. Said that even they got so much publicity on things like that until the devil had deceived the elected. Now, I--I don't believe Brother Graham meant it just like that, because the elected will not be deceived. No, sir, they will not be deceived. They were foreordained of God, and they will not be deceived.
So but Jesus said it would be very close together. So close alike. Now, remember, that it'd be so close that the very elected could be deceived if it would be possible.
17 Now, we want to find out where they come from. Where did this all start? As I've told you that every cult and every religion began in Genesis, everything we have. The Assemblies of God began in Genesis. The Baptist began in Genesis. I can prove it. Yes, sir. Every cult, even we have, I can prove it, it begin in Genesis. That's right. Just search Genesis, and then you got the rest of it you see what kind of seed it is, you see where it's going to. See? And just watch it, and it'll just vine it's way right through the Bible. Just exactly.
Both of them begin in Genesis. And we find out that Genesis is the seed chapter.
18 Now, we find out that the first marking of a human being started in Genesis, Genesis 4:15. God marked Cain. That's where the first mark of the beast was ever put on, was put on Cain; he is the beginning of it. Now, you say, "Cain having the mark of the beast?" All right, let's notice.
Now, he said, "Thy seed shall bruise the serpent's head, and his head shall bruise thy heel." Watch the lineage of Cain. As Cain come down, become scientist, smart men, great men, on down like that. But the seed of Seth as it come down, become peasants, sheepherders, farmers. So you see, there is... Now, watch, the Bible said, "I'll put enmity (God did) between your seed and the serpent's seed." Now, so... Now, ministering brethren, just hold your peace just a minute. I--I know they always climb down my neck on this. But the Bible said that the serpent had a seed. That settles it. The serpent's seed, let it be any way you want to take it, we'll restrain from that; I got my idea too. But they--but le... Be whatever it will, the Bible said in Genesis 1, the--the first of Genesis, that the serpent had a seed.
And now remember, the serpent was not a snake to begin with, a reptile. He was the next thing to a human being. Science has tried for thousands of years to find that missing link between man and beast. The closest they can come is to a chimpanzee. But they cannot get from the chimpanzee to the human being. Why? It was a serpent. Now, if you notice in Genesis 3:1, "The beast--the serpent was the most subtle of all the beast of the field." A beast, not a reptile. He was more like a man. He looked like a man. He was that missing link in between there, because that's the only way. The seed of a human will not coincide with the seed of a animal. But this fellow was the only one the devil could use because it was just between man and beast. And the genealogies...
19 I believe in evolution. The first thing maybe, when there was nothing but just plain chaos, volcanic eruption. You know, God's a great Contractor. You believe that? A great contractor always lays out all of his stuff when he builds his subdivision. God, when He was moving the earth around, creating calcium, potash, and petroleum, and so forth, He was laying our bodies on the earth right then, the material that we're made out of. And the great Holy Spirit went out from God to brood over the earth, or coo, make love like a hen her brood. And His... Let's think He had wings. He did not, but let's think He had wings like--like a hen over a brood. He begin to brood over the earth. And I can see some calcium coming, running down a little place, mixing up with some moisture and potash. And a little Easter flower come out. And I can hear Him say, "Come here, Father, and look at this."
"Very good, keep on brooding."
After while brood a little more. What come out next was probably the--the flowers and the vegetations, and the birds flew out of the dust of the earth. And then come the animal life, and kept getting higher life, higher life, higher life, higher life, until finally a man come up in the very image of God. Strange something didn't come up higher than that, wasn't it? Can't get no higher; it was the image of God. So as it... Evolution brings it up like that. But they can't cross and make themselves higher, God said every seed brings of its kind. Now, in that come up then, the man.
20 Now, sin did not start in earth. It begin in heaven, and he was kicked out of heaven and came to the earth. There was nothing else he could get into. The animal would be too far from him, seed wouldn't mix, so he had to get into the serpent which was a being more like a man. And when God cursed him and put him on his belly, He changed every bone in him. Science trying to dig up bones and that... Why, it's hid in the mysteries of God, and will reveal it to anybody that wants to know about it, sure. There is...
Now, watch, he was the most subtle, most shrewd, cunning, wisdom, smarter than the animal. He was right next to the man (See?), the most subtle of all the beasts of the field.
And now, remember, that Cain was given a mark. And now, you say, "Satan could not've been that serpent." If you'll go with me now over to II Corinthians 11:14, the Bible said he transformed himself into an angel of light. You just underestimate Satan; that's all. See? Yes, sir. He made himself into an angel of light. If he could come into that kind of a substance, then why could he not come into a beast, next thing to a man?
21 Now, we find out that because that Cain listened to the enemy, then what happened? He become the first murderer. He become the first one that had jealousy on earth. Tell me where that pure line from God to Adam... That's the only connection. Adam was the son of God. Bible said so. Then where did that jealousy come from? Where did that murderer come from? Where did all that kind of a spirit come from? Out of Adam? Couldn't have. Come from Satan. It's exactly where it come from.
Now, we find out he was the first murderer. And he was the first one to have jealousy. And Lucifer got jealous of Michael, brought it right down to the earth and transferred it into man. And Satan... Cain by taking on this evil, took the first mark. God marked him. No one was to kill him. Let him alone. But you remember, he--as soon as He marked him, he went out from the Presence of God. Hold onto that now.
Oh, we don't have time to give it a real thorough study because, oh, brother, we could dig this here for six months (See?), and never touch the outsides of it. See?
22 Notice, he went out from the Presence of God when he was marked, went to the land of Nod and got him a wife. Very type of the church: goes out from God, gets a wife of the world. See? Watch it. Glorious. Now, we have to change quickly now, that we don't take too much time.
Now, we find out that then Abel, Cain's brother, Cain slew Abel. And God gave Adam another son instead of Abel, whose name was Seth. And it was a sign, and a sign from God of death and resurrection. So Seth never went to the land of Nod to get his wife; God gave him a wife. But Cain, with the mark of the beast on him, went out and got him a wife from the land of Nod, and Seth took God's choice. Perfect type of the denominational church today, going out, taking in anything. But the true church of the living God, Christ's body, only takes what the Holy Ghost seals: perfect. God has set in the church.
23 What did the sign come by? What did the churches mark by? What was the sign? We know Cain had the mark. Then what was the sign of the resurrection? That's what the church is signed by today, the sign of the Holy Spirit that Christ is not dead but He raised from the dead and taken in the church. See, sealing His church, there it begins right them two--two boys right there in the garden of Eden, right outside the garden.
The mark of the beast... A wanderer, a fugitive, don't know where he's going, don't know where he's--where he--what he knows, don't know what he does want. He's a fugitive.
24 But Seth stayed at home. And he was with his father. And God gave him a wife. There starts in the lineage. And if you'd want to chase that down one time... I better leave it alone. I just like to prove it to you over and over and over and over. Yes, sir. That's right, there's where it began. Some people thinks that they taken apples in the garden of Eden, eat some apples. And the first thing you know, that was the first sin. Oh, brother. Let me tell you; I don't say this for a joke; it's no place to joke: But if eating apples will cause women to realize they're naked, we better pass the apples again. I think so. I think we ought to do it.
It wasn't apples; we all know that. No, we realize, in a mixed audience, what it was. And we see what it did. Now, we find out then that this was...
25 A mark is a distinction. It makes a difference; it separates something. But like... You say, you got one mark against you, a mark. But you never said you had one seal against you; you got one mark against you. And a seal is a sign of ownership. A mark is a distinction. And the church is sealed by the Holy Spirit, showing as ownership; God owns the church. But the mark of the beast is the wayward, the outcast that refused to take and come God's provided way.
Cain, as soon as he was marked was sent away. We get that. Abel died, and Seth raised to take his place, was a sign of resurrection. All right.
26 We find out that these two mark, mark and seal begin in Genesis, and it comes down through the Bible and ends up in Revelation. We also have a Scripture here about that where it started in Genesis, ends up in Revelations; it's always been in one form or the other, coming up.
Like I was preaching the other night on the blood offering, blood sacrifice. Babylon is spoke of in Genesis, the first of the Bible. Babylon spoke of in the middle of the Bible, Babylon spoke of in the last of the Bible. Starts in Genesis, comes over to Revelations. Everything begins--them two spirits...
27 Look here, we... let's just take it a minute. Even in the ark, there was the dove and the crow in the ark. One--both of them birds, both of them could fly, both of them... You know the crow is a hypocrite. He is, he's just a dirty hypocrite. Now, a crow can set down over there on a old dead horse, and just eat, and caw, and flop his wings, and have a big time. That poor little dove can't get near it. Why? It hasn't got any gall. See? It couldn't digest it. If it'd eat that it would die. But the crow can set there and eat dead horse a half a day, go out in the field and come home and eat dinner with wheat, with the crow--with the dove. He's an old hypocrite, is all. Did you ever notice, a dove has no gall of bitterness. Neither does anyone that's baptized with the Holy Ghost. All the bitterness is gone away. They were both in the same ark, like the hypocrite and the real believer in the same church, same denomination setting together, seat--same pew, setting together.
28 I want you to notice another thing. Oh, I like to talk about nature. The dove, did you know you don't catch the dove taking a bath. Why? He don't have to. He's got a oil inside of him that goes out through his feathers and keeps himself clean all the time. That's the way a real church; it don't have to be bathing up and going back about this, that, or the other. But they got an oil, holy oil on the inside, every believer, that keeps him clean from the things of the world. Oh, if we could just preach on the--the Lamb and Dove sometime. The Holy Ghost inside the believer keeps him clean. Not from the outside what he washes off, but it comes from the inside out. Amen.
A lot of people say, "I have to go up and make confession today, I have to say so and so, and I have to go make a confession. I have to do this." But you know, the Holy Spirit inside just works the oil out all the time, the atonement, keeping the believer clean. "For there is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit."
29 How do we get into it? By one handshake? No. By one paper? By one denomination? No. But by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, free from judgment. God's done judged that body. God judged it at Calvary; it won't have to be judged any more. "He that heareth My Word, believeth on Him that sent Me, hath Eternal Life." There's not two forms of Eternal Life, only one. "Has Eternal Life and shall not come into the judgment; but has passed from death unto Life." "When I see the blood I'll pass, will pass over you." Oh, my, that makes me feel religious.
Why? Free from sin. That's right. He that's borned of God doth not commit sin, cannot sin. Seed of God remains in him; he can't sin. It can't be me under a sin offering all the time, and then be a sinner, you cannot. You never seen a sinner saint. You never seen a black white bird, or drunk sober man. No, sir. You are either a sinner or a saint; that's all. And if you're in Christ, there is a Blood atonement offering all day long, crying, "Father forgive them; they don't know what they're doing." Oh, then you can rest assure. Amen, I like that. So beautiful there, the Holy Spirit, how It seals us.
30 Notice, the crow, the dove. Let's notice from Cain and Abel. That was nothing in the world but Judas and Jesus. Certainly. Let's watch the smoke. As Cain killed Abel at the altar now, Cain... If righteousness is all that God re--requires, or being fundamental... That's what I've always said about the two classes of people. I meet the Fundamental and the Pentecost. The Fundamentalists seen positionally from their schooling; they know where they stand, but they haven't got no faith. The Pentecostals got the faith, but don't know who they are. See? Like I said, somebody's got money in the bank, can't write a check. Another one write a check, got no money in the bank. Get them together.
Now, we see that the Pentecostals is the one that's got the faith. They believe, but... They're full of fire. They're full of the Holy Ghost, but they don't know how to settle down on that Word and says, "It's THUS SAITH THE LORD." They blow it all out the whistle with screams and shouts and runs. If they could ever bottle it down you'd see a church stand on her feet in power and glory. There'd be a book of acts wrote behind it.
Now, notice... Yeah, I didn't mean that they... They take it out in joy instead of power, faith. Hold that there and believe it. It's God's Word, stay right with it.
31 Look at Cain, come up and offered an offering, built an altar, belonged to a church, belonged to a denomination, knelt at the altar and prayed, worshipped God, gave in his tithing. If that's all God requires, Cain was just as justified as Abel was. But you see, the whole secret was--was the revelation. There's where the trouble is; people don't understand that the whole church of the living God is built upon a spiritual revelation of Christ. Jesus said so in Saint Matthew 16. "Blessed art thou, Simon son of Jonas: flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father which is in heaven. And up--thou art Simon, upon this rock I will build My church." When the spiritual revelation of Jesus Christ... And He is the Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us." And when that Word comes into you, It's sharper than a two-edged sword, even discerning the thoughts and the intents of the heart. There's the Word coming in. The revelation of every Word of God is true. Hang your soul on any phase of It: revelation.
Oh, I like these things. My, I think it sets the church to where you--you could have a healing service. See? God said so; that settles it; that's--that's all of it. God said so; just stay right with it.
32 Now... But how--there was no Bible in that day, so it must've been revealed to Abel. Hebrews 11 said, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain," testifying of him that he was righteous.
Now, Cain said, "I guess my mother eat some apples and she had to put on clothes." But Abel knew that it was blood, life. There'd been something happen wrong. And he offered the blood of a lamb.
I can see him coming with this little lamb... Oh, Satan's altar was much more beautiful than Abel's. He had fruits and flowers, and all pretty.
But that--that's--that's what I'm trying to tell the church. Sister, you don't have to wear manicure, and all prettied up, and wear a dress like the next lady to be right with God. You don't have to have a church that's got thousand dollar pews in it, and a pipe organ that cost several million dollars, and all this here fancy stuff. That come from hell. That's right. I can prove it by the Bible. That's right.
33 Cain thought these things, "I'll offer these things." But I imagine Abel's offering wasn't so good. Probably didn't have any hemp in that day, so must've had a grape vine wrapped around that little old lamb's neck, led it up there and laid it upon the rock. He didn't have a lance or a knife in then, so he must've took a--a piece of rock, pulled its little head back, and begin to chop its little neck. And as it begin to bleat and kick, and the blood going all over him, bleeding, bleating, dying on the rock...
What did it represent? Four thousand years later, the Lamb of God hacked to death on the rock of ages, bleeding, bleating, speaking in tongues as He was dying on Calvary. "Oh, dear dying Lamb, Thy precious Blood shall never lose its power till all the ransomed church of God be saved to sin no more." Our educational programs, denominational programs will mean not that [Brother Branham snaps his fingers--Ed.]; it'll take the of Blood of Jesus Christ and nothing else to do it. Yes.
34 Watch the smoke come up from there. And remember, here it is, believer. Abel died on the same rock with his lamb. Every believer has to do the same thing: die on the rock with your lamb. A lamb don't have but one thing, and that's wool. And he has to forfeit all he's got. He don't kick up a fuss about it. You take the little fellow and throw him up there, like I said, the lamb dumb before its shearers. He gets sheared off. He don't fuss about it. Only thing he's got, he forfeits it willing.
And we say we're Christians. Somebody wrote me a little letter the other day and--little note, and funny isn't it, I got it down there, said, "I got a right; I'm a American citizen; I wear any kind of clothes I want to." Go right ahead, it's all right. That shows you're a goat. That's right. You just go ahead and wear them if you wish. But remember, if you're a lamb, you have got a right to it, but you forfeit your rights for Christ. I got a right to get drunk tonight to; I'm American citizen. I got a right to smoke cigarettes; I'm American citizen. You have too, but we forfeit our rights. Be shaved off of those things. Act like gentlemen, like ladies, dress like it, and act like it and live like it. Forfeit your rights.
35 Look at the smoke coming up from the altar, come right on up and settle down on Calvary. As Cain killed Abel at the altar, Judas killed Jesus at the altar. Right.
Notice again, you only see three crosses, don't you? There were four, four crosses. There was Jesus in the middle, a thief on one side and a thief on the other, and Judas hung hisself on a sycamore tree. And Jesus was hanging on a tree too. "Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree." And He was made a curse for us. Judas was on just as much cross as He was, 'cause he was on a tree. Jesus on much a tree as Judas was. "Cursed is he that hangeth on a tree."
Watch here. There was the Son of God: God made manifest, came down from heaven, returning back to heaven, taking with Him the repentant sinner. And there was Judas, the son of perdition, come from hell, returning back to hell, taking back with him the unrepentant sinner, going back again. Oh, it's beautiful.
As God opened up the side of Adam in the garden and took out a part to make a bride, God opened up the side of Jesus at Calvary and took out the Bride, out of His side. Oh, it's beautiful. At the cross, how it is, and how them two spirits, how they come up through Cain, Abel: the crow, the dove.
And look we think again, Cain, when he went over into the land of Nod, he got hisself a wife. And we find out that that wife... I got the Scripture wrote down there; I won't go into that at this time.
36 Look at Israel. Israel when it left out of there, like two vines, we see it coming on up. It's always been that way. Look, here come Israel on its road to the promised land, like the church is today. What did it meet? It met Moab. And he sent up to his brother and said, "Can we cross your land? If our cattle lick up any grass, we'll pay for it. If they drink any water, we'll pay for it." And he refused to do it.
Now, looky here. There was Israel, a little bunch of interdenominationals, riding around through the country, no place to settle down, but on their road home. Moab was settled down with the dignitaries, numbered amongst the nations of the world.
37 Notice what happened. Israel had the true blood stream. Remember how Balaam tried to marry in like that, and he had to oust off them women and all. Teaching of Balaam, doctrine of Balaam...
Notice, there was Moab, believed in the same God that Israel believed in. For it was what? Another illegitimate wrong wife, Lot's child by his daughter. Just exactly like the unborn churches today, the church natural is a church of the world committing spiritual fornication with the world and not living true to God. Very beautiful type...
38 Notice, fundamentally speaking... Now, fundamental brother, I'm not... I don't want to pinch you too hard, but I want you to feel it. Notice, here come the--the bishop down, Balaam. And he got up there, and the king said, "Come down and curse this people." Said, "I don't want them over here; they can't one of them healing services over here. Why, they're always carrying on about healing," and said, "they got a brass serpent down there that they all look at and get well. And say they're eating manna out of heaven, I didn't see any of it. And oh, it's a bunch of nonsense." And said, "I want you to come down and curse them. We don't want none of that stuff mixed up in our denominations over here. So keep them out of here."
Notice, he was just as fundamental as Israel was. He built seven altars, seven sacrifices, seven rams, just exactly like they were doing down in the camp of Israel (See?), just the same sacrifices. But what Balaam failed to see was that smitten rock, that brass serpent, the shout of the camp, of the King. He failed to see that Pillar of Fire going before them.
39 That's what it is today. You say, "You belong to them Pentecostals. They're a bunch of holy-rollers." They used to be, but they're not no more. But so they--they belong to them, but they failed to see that Pillar of Fire. Now, so they can be sure to see it, we got a picture of it scientifically proved. Amen. Yes. They failed to see the Pillar of Fire, the shout of the camp, that there's a King among us (Amen.), King Jesus. They fail to see it. He failed to see that blood atonement. They say, "I know a Pentecostal man run off with another man's wife." I know Baptists and Presbyterian done the same, Catholics and all. That's right. So sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Pot can't call kettle black. We're all human beings, and we're subject to all those things among our--our people. But God deals with us as individuals, whoever we are. So the Pentecostal blessing is right.
40 Notice, Israel and Moab; now it's the same. We find out that the--the church takes on...?... they go out and take on a denominational, bring in anything they want to. They just say, "Well now, if you'll come and be baptized in our church and stand up and say you believe Jesus the Son of God, then we'll--we'll baptize you in the church and put your name on the book."
Now, do you know the devil believes too? Sure, he does. I explained to you the other night, you--like trying to immerse this old turtle. It didn't do anything to him; it didn't help him any. It took fire to make him move. And so, that's what it takes for the church today: is a little Holy Ghost and fire to make it move.
But remo--remember, the Holy Spirit will not take that unclean person into His--the body of Christ. That shows that the body of Christ is not a denomination. For it's a mystical body of Christ. And by one Spirit we're all baptized into it. I think we take women, men, and take them to the waters to baptize them. And we find out if they're really not Christians in their heart, we should never baptize them.
I was going some time ago with a woman to the river, group of them. One woman walked out there; she got out of her car and come across, fixing her hair up, she said, "Going to take me down and dunk me, Brother Branham?"
I said, "Not you, you're not fit to go in." That's right. They was going to have a singing at the church, and some girl, she--she didn't have enough money to--to--to get her some kind of a hairdo like that she wanted to do to get up on the platform to sing. And her poor old mother washed over a washboard to get that hairdo for her. When I found it out, I wouldn't let her sing. I said, "You're not fit to sing up there." That should be kept clean. That's what's the matter today with the churches, the corruption and stuff, right from the pulpit plumb to the basement. That's right. Clean it out. That's right. We need the old fashion scouring pad again in the church.
41 Like the little darkie was being ordained one day, and the elders standing around said, "Lord, wrap him up in burlap sacks and pour kerosene on him and set him afire for the Gospel." That's what we need today: on fire. Turn him loose then and let him run.
Used to brand calves. We'd take a calf, I know what you've roped and hogtied a many one, I guess. We used to brand them down. Someone said to me, "Aren't you ashamed to pack that hot iron and stick it on his side?"
"No." I stuck it on his side. He had a kicking fit, all right. He squalled and bellowed; when he turned him loose he had a spasm, he really run. But we knowed who he belonged to from then on (That's right.), as long as he lives. And I tell you, brother; it takes a lot of grace to come up to the altar and stay there till the Holy Ghost burns a seal down in you. You may scream, and cry, and act funny, but you know where you belong from then on. That's right. For you're sealed in the Kingdom of God by the Holy Spirit. It is the seal.
42 Remember, the Holy Spirit come to seal those who God foreknew. That's right. That's right. He just didn't come down, Jesus, and say, "I'll die; maybe somebody will have pity and look at Me and say, 'Well, I suppose.' Maybe if they'll think I suffered so much it'll break their hearts and they'll come." No, no. You won't come anyhow. You can't tell a pig he's wrong by eating on a manure pile. He just tell you right quick, if he could talk, "I tend to my business; you tend to yours." See?
It takes a conversion. God has to do it. No man comes to Jesus except God draws him first. It takes the work of the Holy Spirit to even turn your heart. Takes God. Someone said, "I sought God and sought God." No, no, no. God sought you, not you seeking God. God seeks you.
43 All right, the Holy Spirit doesn't take in just any kind of a wife, doesn't take in somebody that smokes, and somebody that drinks, and somebody that lives immoral, and somebody that carries along with all kinds of worldly things, 'cause He said, "If you love the world, the things of the world, the love of God is not even in you." But the Holy Spirit come to seal into the body the wife of Jesus Christ, that He foreknew before the foundation of the world. When He... By being God in foreknowledge, He could see who would receive Him and who would not. So the Holy Spirit come to get that Bride. That's the one He takes in. But the church says, "Oh..."
44 Used to sing a little song, I hope I don't sound sacrilegious. We had a little song we used to sing, "'Come and dine,' the Master calleth." We had a little song and made it a little different, forgive me if I stumble you anyway. Said...
"Come and join," the pastor calleth,
"Come and join";
You can have your ice cream suppers all the time;
Tell the dirty jokes,
Chew a cud and puff a smoke,
Oh, the pastor calls to the congregation,
"Come and join." (Instead of come and dine.)
What a difference. Take a man, as long as he got a little money and can pay in, put him on the deacon board and got two or three wives, put him on there anyhow because they're influential men in the city. I don't care if the city hates them; I want them influential in heaven where the Holy Spirit, where they can have some influence among the people. But it's just come and join. Everything...
I asked a girl some time ago, "Are you a Christian?"
And she said, "I give you to understand; I'm an American." Like that had anything to do with it. She was in Switzerland. Like that had anything to do with it.
Brother Bosworth said he asked a woman one time, she said, "I'll give you to understand I burn a candle every night." Now, like that's got anything to do with Christianity: burn a candle every night. Got to be borned into this, the Kingdom of God.
45 Now, we find those spirits. Watch. Just about the time that Jesus came on the scene, Judas came on the scene. Just about time Jesus went off the scene, the same day, Jesus and Judas both went off the scene. Just about the time the Holy Ghost came on the scene, what happened? The antichrist come on the scene. John says so, said, "Little children be not deceived by it," said, "the antichrist is already at work in the world." See? It ain't coming in these last days; it's already there then. It's always been.
46 And now, you watch: just about the time the antichrist is holding itself up now and taking all the churches, even our Pentecostal, into the big morgue up here, you know, the union churches... You understand where I mean. I understand some of our Pentecostal organizations is getting into that. Um-ump. What--how far away from the Spirit of God can you get when you start wandering. Just slip off that narrow road, and you'll just keep sliding. That's right. You got to come back to where you left off. That's right.
Confederation of churches, which will form the image of the beast... And we all know that. See, there? It's all working right around now to bring all the churches together, unite ourselves together to fight communism. Don't you worry about communism; it ain't going to be the thing to fight.
There's three curtains. I say this in the Name of the Lord; don't you forget it. There's a iron curtain, a bamboo curtain, and a purple curtain. Watch that purple curtain. Keep your eye on that.
47 Oh, my, how we see now the antichrist beginning to unfold itself, taking a hold in the nation. It even elect their own man, the other churches forming in with it, making one great big ecclesiastical head. All the Anglican bishop the--they're going over now into Po--into Rome to consult with the Pope, the first time for hundreds of years. Oh, it's all taking head. And we Protestants set back, you know, and... Well, there you are (See?); just go ahead. Because it's cooled off. We ain't going to stop it; it ain't going to stop; it's going to get worse. It's... The Bible said so, that... The Pentecostal church in the last days, we know is the Laodicean church age that gets lukewarm and God spits it out of His mouth, makes Him sick at His stomach. He just can't stand it, the way it is.
48 Now, let's go on now and get some of these seals and work them out for the next few minutes. We go over now, if you're putting your Scriptures down, let's go to Ezekiel the 9th chapter. And we find out the prophet foreseen the first coming of the church. Now, we find that he seen, called the prophet, and he looked up at the higher gates and said, "Have you ever seen anything like this?" And there come from the high gates four men with slaughtering weapons in their hand. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... you read Ezekiel the 9th chapter.
Now, remember, that slaughtering was designated only to Jerusalem. "Go through the city."
But before they went through the city, they found another thing happen. There came a Man with a--a--in white with a inkhorn at His side, a writer's inkhorn. And He said, "Stop these other men, that they should not go into the city until first the Man dressed in white with the writer's inkhorn, would go through the city of Jerusalem and set a seal upon, or mark, of those that sigh and cry for the abominations that's done in the city." Now, this One with the inkhorn at His side, was the Holy Spirit. Now, notice, after He went through, then He turned these men loose with slaughtering weapons. He said, "Utterly destroy all, both young, old, young maids, little children; spare nothing; but don't come near any of those who have that seal upon them." Notice it.
49 Now, when did that take place? That was the early Pentecostal church, when the Holy Spirit went through and marked out the church. Now, notice how history--if you ever taken the writing of Josephus when he wrote of the great battle about 96. When all the people... When the Holy Ghost when Jesus came, performed the signs of the Messiah, proved that He was Messiah. After He left He transferred Hisself into glory, sent back the Holy Ghost and anointed the apostles. They went forth doing the same signs that He did. They had the power of the Lord. They spoke in tongues; they shouted. There was a mighty rushing wind filled them. And they went forth with such a zeal until they burnt the cities with the Holy Spirit. And what did they do? They made fun of them. They laughed at them. That's right. Jesus said, "You speak against me, I'll forgive you. But when the Holy Ghost is come, one word against It will never be forgiven." And they sealed their eternal destination when they made fun of the people that was filled with the Holy Ghost.
50 Jesus told them, said, "Now, the time will come..." Now, you have to notice so many teachers there they--they asked Jesus three different questions in Matthew 24. He answered each one. That's the reason you get up to the Seventh Day Adventist with that, "Pray that your flight be not in the Sabbath," on the Sabbath day or wintertime. He was asking them, "When will these things be? What will be the sign of the coming, end of the world?" And three different questions they asked Him. And He explained it just as they asked Him there. And it taken place; history shows it's right.
What would do... What difference would it make if your flight now, running from the city would be on the Sabbath day? Then the--the gates of the city was closed on the Sabbath day. What difference would it make? Showed it wasn't universal, 'cause be summertime in one place and winter another. "Pray that your flight not be in the wintertime, or on the Sabbath day." Because, in that day,... He... They were warned, said, "Let them that's in Jerusalem, flee unto Judaea." Judaea was snowbound in the wintertime. "Pray that your flight be not in the wintertime, neither on the Sabbath day."
51 But when Titus came up, and they seen... Jesus told them, "When you see Jerusalem compassed about with armies, let him that's in the field, don't return to get his coat. But hit for the hills of Judaea just as hard as you can go. Get out of there." 'Cause they're going to blaspheme the Holy Ghost. And if they blaspheme the Holy Ghost, they take the mark of the beast, and there's nothing but destruction left. Those Jews, when they seen trouble coming, they said, "Now, we will gather into the city, into the house of the Lord and pray." Doesn't that sound very religious, very sweet. Oh, Satan can make it look just so real. Sure.
But remember, Josephus said that those people that were cannibals, said, "there's a bunch that follow Jesus of Nazareth who went around healing the sick." Said, "Pilate killed Him, and they stole His body away, and set it out somewhere, and cut it up and eat it." They were cannibals. What they were doing, were taking communion, the body of the Lord. See? And he said, "None of them is lost, because they hit out for Judaea just as the Scripture told them to do, like Jesus had told them to do it."
52 But those Jews, they all went into Jerusalem, and they said, "Now, we'll gather to the house of the Lord, and great Jehovah Who's always been with us, will come down, and He will drive away the armies of Titus; that's what He will do." But what did they do? They had sinned against the Holy Ghost. They'd make fun of the power of the Holy Ghost in operation. They called Jesus Christ, Who was performing and showing them that He was their Messiah, they called Him Beelzebub, called Him a devil, told Him it was some kind of a telepathy, said He was a devil, the works that He was doing was the works of the devil. They had it coming to them.
Now, brother, you just wait; we won't get time tonight, but tomorrow night I want to take you over and show you that the United States has done the same thing exactly. I'll prove it to you by the Scriptures. Tomorrow night, the Lord willing, that how the United States has done the same thing exactly in these last forty years. They've made fun and called them holy-rollers, Pentecostal fanatics, and everything in the world. And God working with them in signs and wonders, and the big churches just set off like this and made fun. And now in the last days, what's happened? Let me bring the Scriptures to you. Are you ready?
53 I differ with my precious Brother David duPlessis, going up there with Dr. McKee and all these big churches. And now what are they going to...
[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
[Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]... now. Oh, the Presbyterians are saying, "We need speakers in tongues. We need them to get the baptism of the Holy Ghost. We need Divine healers," and all like that. Why didn't they accept it forty years ago when it come out, instead of making fun of it? They'll never do it. They are dead. They're denominations, and every denomination's dead. Exactly right. It'll never rise again. No denomination will never rise. Assemblies, you've had your day. Oneness, you had your day. Foursquare, you had your day, time of Mrs. McPherson. The old school assemblies had their day. Well, what have you done? You've denominated yourself and separated yourself. You'll never take a denomination in, because it was a Catholic order in the first place that God condemned in the beginning; it'll never go in, no Baptist, Presbyterian, or nothing else. But God will pull a hungry heart from every denomination that He can, for that's His body that He will take in, and that are sealed by the Holy Spirit.
They've done took the mark of the beast. Look at it now, the Pentecostal church has done showed its colors. Now, it's spued out. Jesus on the outside, knocking [Brother Branham knocks on the pulpit--Ed.], trying to come in. What's He knocking? The very Messiahic knock, and everything else, and they still turn Him out. Certainly, they do.
54 But what is happened? What day are we living in? Oh, my brother, what day we living in? Don't think I'm crazy. I hope I'm not. If I'm crazy, just let me alone; I feel better this way than I did the other way. But listen. Listen. I tell you, my brother and sister, what's it the sign of it? It's the sign we're at the end time. What did Jesus say about the sleeping virgins? Oh, you call them churches virgin? Just like Cain was, exactly the same thing. They worship. But the sleeping virgin had no oil in her lamp. Is that right? So when she found out she was later than what she thought, communism slipping up on her, she said, "Oh, give us some of the oil. How do you get this Holy Ghost?"
"You go buy it from one that sells it."
55 And remember, the very time that the sleeping virgin went to buy the oil, that's when the Bridegroom came. Glory. Don't you see it? If the Presbyterians and the Episcopalians and those others, are come seeking for the Holy Ghost, you'd better get your lamp trimmed. Trimmed, trimmed, yes, it needs trimming. Pentecost, better be trimming some lamps. Amen. Get a lot of this world cut away from you. You done got corroded over. The wicks got in bad shape. You know that wick is a great thing. I used to watch. What a real wick of God is a--a believer, is a wick. Look, he's got a fire on one end, up here, and the other end's dipped into oil, drawing oil and making fire. What a--what a church, what a power. What a place to be. Hallelujah.
Shining that same Gospel light that shines in the east, is shining in the west. It shall be light in the evening time. Rise, trim your lamp, Pentecost. Trim off the world; trim off the fashions of the world; trim off the things of the world. Get ready; the hour is at hand.
56 And right when they went to get this, what happened? What taken place? Then the Bridegroom went in. See, America has blasphemed the Holy Ghost. She's made fun of it ever since she come on the scene of existence forty or fifty years ago. She's constantly made fun. The other churches has made fun. They've showed themself. Now, they begin to stick their head out and saying, "We'd like to have a little of this." But just as when they go to doing that it's a sign that we should go to trimming our lamp. God raise up some preachers that'll go to trimming lamps. I'm telling you what we need today is something that'll trim our lamp, show the true Pentecostal fire.
57 You get an old little lamp all--where the--the carbon gets on the lamp wick, it'll smoke your lamp all up. That's what's the matter with us; we got too much carbon on the lamp, too much carbon. The fire can't draw right. It at--can't get enough air from the bottom. What we need is a good breathing spell, a good breath, fresh breath from heaven of the baptism of the Holy Ghost over again, and the Holy Spirit working in the church with signs and wonders following, the true Seal of God.
"I tell you what. I'll go to the Assemblies, if they don't treat me right I'll go to the Foursquare." Oh, you carboned up, you're smoking your light. Trim your lamp. Get ready; we're at the end time. But they will, somebody will preach it. Somebody will tell it. Somewhere there'll be some of them that'll get it. That's right. I don't know how many, 'cause it says, "As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the coming of the Son of man," wherein eight souls was saved. But I don't know how many will get it, but there'll be some of them will trim their lamps, that's all there is to it, for lamp trimming time is on.
58 And when the--when the sleeping virgin went out, which already received the mark of the beast... You say, "Mark of the beast, that?" Yes, indeedy. So did Cain receive the mark and went out. What was it? When the Baptist church, when the Pentecostal church, when the Presbyterian church, took on the mark of the beast instead of receiving the Holy Ghost, they went out from God and made them an organization. What'd they do? Took them a false wife, a false wife of the world, brought in painted up Jezebels and everything else, with short hair and wearing shorts and skirts and of a hollywood fashion. And preachers got out to taking them in with--deacons with two or three wives and... And a man...
59 You say, "You're always talking on our women, about our women." All right, men, I will comb you down once then. Let me tell you something. Any man that will let his wife smoke cigarettes and wear shorts, I got little respect of him even being a man. He's so sissified he don't even know what he belongs to. He ain't a man. That's right. Oh, hallelujah. That's right. He's a poor excuse for a man. Oh, he may be six foot tall, weigh two hundred pound, but that don't look like a man to me. That shows who's boss around your house. She will stomp her foot, "I will tell you right now," and you'd bow down like you was a sick kitten. What's the matter? We need...
What we need today is men. We need Gospel preachers. And any preacher that will stand in the pulpit and hold back on those things, I got little respect of him being called of God. Right. A man that's ashamed to stand in the pulpit and tell the God's truth, when he knows it's an immoral thing for a woman to cut her hair... The Bible... A man's got a right to leave his wife and give her a divorce when she cuts her hair. The Bible said so. Who's the head of the woman? Her husband. And the Bible said, "If a woman cuts her hair she dishonors her head." No dishonorable woman should be lived with. Amen. She cuts off her glory. And so does the church. When she does the same thing she cuts her glory stream off.
Um. Oh God, why do I say these things? But it's truth. No, we don't--we don't need compromisers. We need men and women who will stand for justice and right and tell the truth, regardless of what it is. Amen. The seal of God...
Trim your lamps, my brother. Let the light of the Holy Spirit burn out again, fresh. It's getting dark. Oh, it's such a horrible time. It's getting dark.
60 Here some time ago I went down... I was coming from Dallas and was flying over and going to Indiana, and a storm come up and--and the airplane had to go down at Memphis. And I--I... They put me up in that great big fine hotel down there and told me... They called me after while and said, "We'll call you in the morning at seven o'clock. We'll have the--some lines to pick you up." 'Cause they'd--I'd already paid my way, and they--they had to pay my way in the hotel that night. So I set up and wrote some letters to my friends. The next morning I got up and was going down to mail the letters, and I was going down the street. I thought, "I'll hurry up now because that limousine's going to pick us up at a certain time." And I started down the street, walking real fast, you know. The Holy Spirit said, "Stand still." I looked around, and a big Irish cop standing there, looked over here, and I thought, "Surely, that wasn't him said that." And I started to walk again, said, "Come aside." And there was some fishing reels and things there. I walked up like this, and I thought I'd just act like I'm looking at that so he won't think suspicious of something. So I walked up there and begin looking at these reels, and I said, "Heavenly Father, was that You spoke?"
He said, "Turn, and go north and keep walking."
I said, "Yes, Father." I just started... You believe children of God should be led by the Spirit of God...?... That's what's the matter with us, got our lamp so smoked up we can't tell nothing no more. Here we was...
61 I went walking. I walked, and I walked, and I walked, and I thought, "Well, my." I looked, time for the airplane to come. And He just kept saying, "Walk." And I just kept on walking. I went over and got over on the other side, and I got in that--the colored district over there. And I was going down, well, the--it was way high; the sun was way up high. And I thought, "Oh, I missed my plane. Well, if He said walk, I guess maybe He means walk home. So I'll just keep on walking, leave my suitcase back there." So then I went--I went--I had my suitcase still at the hotel, and I had these letters. I kept walking along. Thought, "Well, Lord..."
Just Something kept saying, "Keep walking, keep walking." I just kept on walking; that's the only thing to do. No matter how it looks, just keep on anyhow. If God said do it, just keep on anyhow. That's the way you do it. That's the way you get well (See?); just keep on walking. Say, "To--Yesterday I couldn't wiggle my finger but that much; today I can wiggle it that much. Praise God. Tomorrow I'll wiggle it that much and the next day that much. And then the first thing, I'm...?..." Just keep on walking. That's all, just keep walking.
62 Then I got over there on the other side of Memphis. And when I did, why, I was walking down through some--a big colored district there, little old shanties like, out there. And I thought, "What am I doing over here?" I thought, "Well, He said keep walking. If He wanted me to turn some other way, He'd tell me." So I just kept on walking. And I walked, and I was singing that little song that you Pentecostal people sing about--let's see if I can get the tune.
They were gathered in the upper room,
All praying in His name,
Baptized with the Holy Ghost,
And power for service came;
Now what He did for you--them that day
He'll do for you the same,
I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them. (You've heard it, haven't you? Yes, sir.)
These people may not learn--learned to be,
Or boast of worldly fame,
They have all received their Pentecost,
Through faith in Jesus' Name;
And are telling now, both far and wide,
His power is yet the same,
I'm so glad that I can say I'm one of them.
63 I was going along humming that to myself. I looked; I seen an old colored woman leaning out over a--a--a gate, there like this. And it was way up, and oh, it's beautiful springtime and the honeysuckle. You--you--you think orange blossoms smells good, just wait till you smell honeysuckles in Indiana back there. So and there was--and she was leaning out there, and she had a man's shirt tied around her head, great big fat face, you know. And I was coming along, I thought... Well I seen her standing there. I kept walking on like that. And when I got up close, she started laughing, great big tears started coming down her eyes. I said, "Good morning, auntie." That's usually the way we would address colored people in the south.
She said, "Good morning, parson."
I said, "Parson?" That's a preacher, you know. I said, "How'd you know I was a parson?"
She said, "I knowed you was coming."
I said--stopped and come back; I thought, "Father, is this it? You send me down to this Negro woman?"
64 And she was standing there, and I said, "How'd you know I was a parson?"
She said, "Did--did you ever read that story about the Shunammite woman?"
I said, "Oh, yes."
She said, "I's is that kind of woman." And she said, "I didn't have any children, and I told the Lord if He'd give me a baby that I would--that I would--I would raise it to--to serve Him." And said, "I--I did that. The Lord give me a baby," and said, "I washed over washboards to make a living for him." And said, "He--he'd been such a fine boy," but said, "he took a road that's wrong. He got out with the wrong company." And said, "He..." And she was an old Pentecostal saint. And so she said--she... "He took the road was wrong." And said, "He got a horrible social disease." And said, "I didn't know it." And said, "Now, they can't do anything for him." Said, "His heart's done eat out." Said, "He's laying in there dying."
65 And said, "Last night I prayed all night." Said, "He's been unconscious two days, parson." And said, "I prayed all night last night." And I said, "Lord, You give me this baby." Said, "I--I is your servant," said, "where is that Elisha," he said. And said, "I kept on praying." Said, "This morning I went to sleep on my knees," and said, "about two o'clock." And said, "I dreamed that the Lord told me to come here and stand on this gate." And she said, and said, "He will be coming down the street with a tan suit on and a little tan hat." And said, "I been waiting here since before daylight, and I seen you coming," said, "That--I--I knowed." Oh, that's Pentecost. That's real Pentecost.
I said to her; I said, "My name is Branham, auntie. Did you ever hear of me?"
She said, "No sir, Parson Branham, I never heard of you." And she said, "I'm sorry, but I never heard of you." She said, "Won't you come in?"
And I said, "Yes, ma'am, thank you." I never said another word. I thought, "This must be it."
66 So when I walked in, they had an old plowpoint hanging on a chain on the gate to pull it back together. Went in a little old two room--what we call shotgun house in the east, little long room. And I been in king's palaces, went to prayed for King George of England. I was with the Gustavus up in Swi--Sweden. And I been in many king's palaces, and King Farouk, and--and many other places, and great potentates and monarchs. Some of the greatest the world has today, I've had the privilege of going in and talk with them, interview. I've been in lovely homes. But I never was more welcome and felt any more at home, than I did in that little Negro hut that morning.
When I went in there, wasn't a rug on the floor, a little old poster bed set kinda that way, and they had a big sign up on the door there, said, "God bless our home." I been in people's houses who call themselves Christians, and pinups and dirty vulgar pictures was hanging on the wall. I felt really at home.
67 Looked there on the bed, and there laid a great big sturdy looking colored boy, I guess would weigh a hundred and seventy pound. And he had the blanket in his hand going, [Brother Branham makes groaning sound--Ed.] I said, "What's the matter, brother?"
And she said, "Parson, he hasn't spoke for two days." And he kept saying, "It's dark in here. It's dark. I don't know where I'm going. [Brother Branham makes groaning sound--Ed.]" And the old auntie come over to me; she said, "Parson, he thinks he's out in the river somewhere, asea. And it's dark, and he's rowing a boat and he can't see where he's going." And said, "He's been saying that for two days."
And I said, "Oh, that's too bad." And I said, "Well, auntie," I said, "my ministry, I've just left Dallas Texas; I pray for the sick." She wasn't interested in that.
68 She said, "Just one thing I want to say, parson. I want you to pray, and if God of heaven will just let me hear my boy say, 'Mama, it's all right, I'm saved,' said, "I'll be ready to let him go." Said, "But I've worked so hard and prayed so hard for my boy," said, "I just hate to see him die like that and know he's going out lost, backslidden the way he is." Said, "If I can just hear him say, 'It's all right, mama; I'm ready to go.' Will you pray?"
I said, "All right, auntie." And we knelt down on the floor, and I seen her with that, or I guess her son's shirt tied around her head, great big old fat cheeks like that, and she--great big woman; she knelt down. I thought... I said, "Auntie, you lead us in prayer." Oh, brother, if I'd never knowed she was Pentecostal then, I'd have knowed it then. Talk about praying, that old woman prayed a prayer that would just--you could just feel your hair on the back of your neck stand up. She prayed like... I tell you; she talked to Him like she talked to Him before. She knowed Who she was talking to. When... Oh, such a prayer, she just wrang my heart. And when she got done she reached over kissed him on the head; she said, "God bless mama's baby."
69 I thought, "There it is, there it is." See? "God bless mama's baby," though he's brought disgrace upon the home. Great big burly looking fellow like that, no matter what he's done, he's still mama's baby; 'cause that mother love still moves on to him. I thought, "Yes, that's right." But the Bible said, "Can a mother forget her suckling babe?" Said, "She might do it. But I can't forget you. Your names are engraved on the palms of My hand." What a dif--what a great love, how God would ever forget us. Though our lamps are smoked up, He still loves us. Let's just trim our feeble lamp, my brother. Let's stand out. Let's--let's get ready to meet the Lord Jesus. Let's get cleaned up; let's get fixed up; let's get prayed up; let's get right.
70 There, she kissed him like that. He said, "Oh, it's dark, mama. Oh, it's dark," pulling that cover back and forth. And I took a hold of his feet. His feet was cold and sticky, and I said--just like if he was dying. And I said, "Can you hear me, brother?"
He said, "Oh, mama, it's dark," he said. And I tried to talk to him; he didn't know, shaking his head like that, and stuff coming out of his mouth. And he said, "Oh, mama, it's dark, it's dark; I don't know where my boat's a going," like that.
And she started crying, wiping them big old cheeks, like that. And--and she said, "You see what I mean, parson?"
I said, "Yes, ma'am."
She said, "Will you pray next, parson?"
I said, "Yes, ma'am." And I knelt down, I said, "You kneel with me." And I put my hands up on his feet; I said, "Heavenly Father, it's after nine o'clock now; my plane's been gone a long time." I said, "I--I pray You to be merciful. I don't know why You led me over here; surely this is the place. This is where--'cause I wouldn't have come this way if You hadn't have led me, and this woman standing here. You never lead us in vain; You always show us what You--what You're doing. So I pray, Father, if--if this is Your will, that You'll let the boy--grant the woman the request and may she--may he be saved. And I pray that You'll heal his body." And while I was yet praying, he said, "Mama, oh, mama, it's getting light in the room." O God. "It's getting light in the room." You know, in a few minutes he was setting up on the side of the bed talking to us. Put that big black arm around me, like that...
I said, "I must go." I started down the street, and I caught a cab, run down real quick and got my suitcase, I said, "Well, I'll go out and catch the plane sometime tonight. It was all right after the war there, and it's awful bad when--to get a plane out. And just as I drove in, they said, "Last call for flight number 172." Oh, that plane stayed on the ground all that time. I got the same plane. See, God makes everything work right, doesn't He? About a year later I was going to...
71 [Speaking in tongues and interpretation--Ed.] God, O Father, how we thank You for this warning to us. Lord, I know it's not in vain. O God, let the people see we're only trying to get them to trim their lamps to get ready. The hour's approaching, Lord, when all these signs, the sleeping virgin now hunting for oil, all these things... To hear Your Spirit come down and vindicate the message that it's true, God, I pray that You'll bless the people. Let them be warned of God tonight, and have no rest until they have trimmed their lamps and--and got ready to meet the Bridegroom. Grant it, Father. Amen.
How beautiful. Did you notice that man? Did you notice how them... You--you Pentecostal people, letting discernment puzzle you? Look how much greater this is than that. See? How that--that... See, the very sound of the voice that man was giving. See the interpretation come in the same (See?), same way, just about the same length, same amount of paragraphs and everything. It's the Holy Spirit. I'm telling you the truth. It's true. Oh, sinner friend, seek the Lord now. Call upon Him while He--while He may be heard. Hear Him, hear Him is my prayer.
72 I want to tell you what happened. A year later I was going through on the train, coming to Phoenix. If you was ever in Memphis, coming from the east, you pull up like this. I got off of the train and started walking down through there. The train, they give you about--they charge you fifty cents for a little bitty sandwich and it real thin. And I waited till I got to a place where I could get off and get me some hamburgers, and I get a sack of them and get back on the train (See?), and I--I could--could exist on that. So then, I got... I couldn't have... Don't believe in taking the saints money and spending it stuff like that.
So then, I--I got the--got me some hamburgers, and I was going down there--running down this way towards where the stand was. I heard somebody say, "Hello there, Parson Branham." I looked around, a little red cap.
And I said, "Hello there."
He said, "Wait a minute." He come over there, said, How's you?"
And I said, "I--I'm all right." I said, "I don't believe I know you."
He said, "Oh, yes, you do."
And I said, "I--maybe you just skipped my mind."
Said, "You remember coming down the street one morning and come to a house where a boy was laying dying with a venereal disease?"
I said, "You're not..."
Said, "Yes, sir, I's him. He said, "I'm not only healed, but I's saved now, Parson Branham."
73 Oh, the half has never yet been told. What more can the kind, gracious, precious, heavenly Father do to--to warn us, and to get us right? What more can He do? Do you love Him? Do you love Him with all your heart, all your soul, and with all your mind? How many sinners is in here now as we bow our heads just a moment. Raise up your hand and say, "God, put fire in my lamp tonight, Lord. Light my little candle and let me burn for Christ till I die." Say, "I now take my way with the Lord's despised few." Let me see your hand. Sinner friend, would you raise your hand and accept Christ as your Saviour? Would you just raise your hand, balcony or bottom floor? We've combed through and through each night. There perhaps was another one or two in here tonight, raise up your hand, will you do it? Anywhere, sinner? Say, "I--I want to receive the Holy Ghost." Now, remember, you'll either have the Holy Ghost or take the mark of the beast. There's just two classes. We'll get to it tomorrow night. I just kinda throwed it out and made a big foundation to cap it off on tomorrow night.
74 You raise your hand, say, "I want it, Brother Branham." God bless you, young man; the Lord bless you; that's very good. God give you the desire of your heart, son. Someone else, would just raise up, say, "I want to accept Christ." God bless you, lady. That's very fine, a very gallant thing. Someone else raise up, say, "I'll accept Christ; I'll receive it." In the balcony? Way back in the corner, yes. I, sir, see your hand up there, my dear friend. Now, someone else say, "Let me..." Let's see now, someone else say, I'll accept Christ as my Saviour. I'll raise my hand to Him and say, I..."
Now, remember, when you raise up your hand, and you mean it, that settles it. It's done forever. God takes you right at your word. You just mean it and raise up your hand; see what happens. All right, another one up in the balcony, God bless you. Yes, that's good. Just raise up your hand; just see what a feeling comes over you. If you're a sinner raise up your hand. Yes, the lady, young lady setting here in front, God bless you, sister dear. Another one? I'll be waiting. Christ is. God bless you up there. Another one? God bless you back there, young fellow. God be with you, sonny boy. So God will certainly do that. "I want to accept Christ as my Saviour." God bless you, back in the back. Another one? "I will accept Christ as my Saviour. I now, upon this spot, where I'm setting, I'm convinced that I need Christ. I know that I've always believed that there come a time of separation, that God would separate the true church." He will; He will take it home. He's getting it ready right now. Will you come join up with Jesus Christ by giving your heart to Him? Just continue on in the church wherever you are, just continue on, but give your heart to Him. Raise...
75 Now, the denominations, they're--one is just about like the others. It's--wherever it is, wherever you got your fellowship, a group of people that you love, that's all right. If you belong to Foursquare, don't change to the Assemblies. If you belong to the Assemblies, don't change to Foursquare, just stay where you are and love the Lord anywhere you're at. You're--you're baptized into the body of Christ. So whatever organization you belong to, it don't save you, or have nothing to do with it, just a place where people come. And real true brothers know that; we all know that. We know that. Certainly, we do.
76 Will another one raise their hand before we have prayer? God bless you, honey. Would be another one, raise your hand, say, "I--I upon the basis of the shed Blood, what Jesus did for me... And Brother Branham, what I've heard you say tonight, I don't believe that you'd tell us anything wrong. I certainly believe that you're God's servant. And upon the message that your faith cometh by hearing, hearing the Word of God..." We get into that so sweetly tomorrow night, on finishing up the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the mark of the beast. Will you raise your hand, say, "Upon the basis of the shed Blood of Christ, I raise my hand to Him saying, 'I want you to be my Saviour right now.'" Is there any more before we pray? God bless you, young lady, back there. That's very fine. God be with you, my sister. Would there be another? God bless you, my sister, setting right here. That's very fine. Would there be another? Way back in the back, God bless you, my brother. That just makes the difference between death and life.
77 Now, what--you that raised your hands, what if tonight was your last night on earth? And if sometime between now and daylight, you'd happen to wake up in your sleep and your heart stopping. Your--your veins are cooling off, your hand's getting cold. You're pressing a--a pillow as you're dying. The doctor walks away from the door and says, "No, it's a heart attack. They're gone." See? Nothing... You hear him say that. Won't it be wonderful when you know that you raised your hand. Oh, how sweet. How glad you'll be. What if you have a wreck going home. And you're laying on the side of the road bleeding, hearing the ambulance coming, but know it's coming too late. And you know that you raised your hand to Christ. You say, "Let it be, I have to go sometime anyhow. So I'm ready now, and now's the time to go." Just raise your hand. Make that all one decision right now, will you, my brother, my sister? Raise up your hand.
78 You say, "Brother Branham, why do you plead with people like that? This is not your tabernacle; this is not your church." I know. Brother Buntane, my brother's the pastor here. The Assemblies of God, this church belongs to, which, this building here... And the Assemblies of God is one of my greatest supporters in Pentecostal realms around the world. That's not... But still... All that, as much as I love them, that's not the reason. I love you. I love you as an individual. I don't want you to be lost.
I had a vision. I hope I have time to tell it to you, what happened a few nights ago. I seen Glory, and seen people, and seen a woman run up and put her arm around me up there. I've been a little rough on women anyhow, and I seen that woman, the most beautiful thing I ever seen. And she called me her darling brother. And I said, "Why'd she do that?"
Said, "She was passing ninety when you led her to Christ."
I said, "Oh, God, if I can only go back, I'll persuade, I'll beg, I'll plead, I'll do everything."
79 Won't you raise your hand and say, "I accept Christ as my Saviour." Surely, if God lets me do what I do do for Him, I surely know--have some conception of how--how to receive Him. Would there be a lukewarm church member here? Now, everybody with your head bowed. A lukewarm church member, just, you've professed you knowed Christ, but really down in your heart you haven't, but you want to know Him; raise your hand, a church member. God bless you, sir. Some other? God bless you, brother. God bless you.
Someone else, just a church member, say, "I want to know Christ. I--I belong to church, and I--I can say nothing evil against that. I'd sure rather you be on--belong to the church than out on the street without anything." You go on to church, but I want you please come and receive the Seal of God. 'Cause, if you haven't got it, well the Bible says there's only two classes. Wait till tomorrow night and you'll see. Two classes, one will have the mark of the beast, the other one have the Seal of God. Just like Cain and Seth in the garden of Eden, comes to that thing. Will you--will you raise your hand? One more now, 'fore we pray. God bless you, lady.
80 Our heavenly Father, I have seen many hands go up tonight. Most of them are sinners and they want forgiveness of sin. Two raised their hands, that they were just church members, and yet didn't know You, and wasn't sealed into the Kingdom. Father, I--I bring these Scriptures and hold them before You. You said in Your Word, "He that heareth My Word (And Lord, with the best of my knowledge, I've preached it.) and believeth on Him that sent Me has Eternal Life." Now, You said that, Father. That's exactly what You said. And I'm bringing it right back to Your memory. These people has heard that Word, and has believed on Him that sent You. Now, You said, "They have now (present tense, hath, present tense) Eternal Life, and shall not come into the judgment; but has passed from death unto Life." When did they do it? When they raised their hands, said they believed. Now, Lord, You said it and I'm claiming those souls.
Satan, you can't hold them no more. They're God's children right now. I'm bringing that before you. You have to take your hand off their life; they belong to God now. I claim them for Him. I claim them as trophies of--of Christ's love at Calvary. I--I challenge you in a debate; you don't have any legal power. You have no power over them; you didn't have it in the first place, you was only bluffing them. You was only bluffing. Christ stripped you of everything you had at Calvary; He stripped every power that you ever had; and you're nothing but a bluff; and we've called your bluff. These are children of God now.
81 And Father, You said, "He that will come to Me, I will in no wise cast out." You promised it. And I know it's true. You said You'd give them Eternal Life and raise them up at the last day. Then they're just as sure to come in the resurrection as they're setting in this building tonight. Now, Father, I ask just one more thing: Will You fill them with the Holy Ghost. Grant that, Lord. Oh, fill them with the Holy Ghost. Don't let--don't let their soul ease, Lord. May all night long their pillows be hard. May they feel like rocks, their bed, until they're out there on their knees, saying, "God, fill me with the Holy Ghost." May they get the Bible, read it. And may You come to them and interpret the Word to them. And may they have no ease now. They're Your children and the hour is getting late. I pray that they will find that peace that passes all understanding by Jesus Christ.
82 These church members that raised their hand, Father, I thank You for them. They--they--they have professed and went into a church, but they realize just being a church member, they would be marked in the wrong kind of a woman. We'll get that tomorrow night, if You're willing, Father, show them that how they're marked off on a false bride. The true Bride has the oil in their lamp. I pray Father, that You'll give them oil in their lamp tonight. May those church members become filled with the Holy Ghost tonight. Grant it, Lord. I pray this, not to be evil, but to be their brother, to know that to miss heaven is miss all. What's this little span of life be to what eternity is? It just melts out into a--a never ending, because it never did begin. And Father, I pray that You'll pull them up at the last days into that eternal realms of glory with You. Grant it; they are Yours. I pray and give them to You in Christ's Name.
83 Now, with our heads bowed, I'm going to ask everyone that raised their hand, just to stand on their feet. I'm not going to ask you to come up here; we don't have any room. But all that raised your hands, you're sincere with God, just stand up to your feet, just a moment. Every person that raised their hand, stand to your feet. Everywhere, in the balconies, everywhere, just stand up. Jesus said, "He that will confess Me before men, him I will confess before My Father and the holy Angels."
I want you church members, and you Christians, especially, to look around, see who they are. I want you take hold of their hand, and shake their hand, stand there, say, "God bless you. Welcome into the Kingdom of God, pilgrim." That's it; turn right around to somebody, shake hands with them, saying, "Welcome into the Kingdom of God." That's very fine. That's very fine. That's good. God bless you. The Lord be with you. That's so fine. Good. God bless you. Now, you may be seated. That's very, very fine.
84 Now, I'm going to ask you to do something now. Be sure to find some pastor; if you've never been baptized in Christian baptism, find some pastor, the church of your choice, and be baptized into water, into the fellowship of that church. And then when you do that, then you seek the baptism of the Holy Ghost until you're filled with the Holy Ghost, and...
I will meet you in the morning,
By the bright river side,
When all sorrows have drifted away;
I'll be standing at the portal,
When the gates open wide,
At the close of life's long, weary day.
I will meet you in the morning
With a "How do you do,"
And we will set down by the river
And with rapture old acquaintance renew,
You will know me in the morning,
By the smile that I wear,
I will meet you in the morning,
In the city, city built foursquare.
85 Father God, they are Yours now, sealed into the Kingdom of God, the Holy Spirit dealing with them. Now, I pray that they'll--I'll meet them in the morning on that bright shiny shore yonder, when all sorrows have drifted away. Won't it be wonderful, Father? Joy bells ringing, all the hearts light singing, it'll be a glorious time. They're Yours. Now, I pray that You'll keep them by Thy grace until we meet at that river that morning. Amen.
86 Now, don't you feel good? Don't it just make you feel real good? Say, "Brother Branham..." The young converts now just come into the Kingdom, I'm going to ask the Father if He will do something. I have a right to ask Him now. Sinners came. I believe we find favor with Him, don't you?
How many sick out there, raise up your hands, just sick and needy. All right. I'm going to turn my back to show you that we're in the last days. How many remembers our lessons, how the Angel of the Lord... God came down and dwelt in human flesh, and eat meat, just an ordinary human being, talking like it. And yet God was in human flesh just before Sodom burnt. And Jesus said it would be the same kind of a sign would take place at the coming of the Son of man. We believe that? How we've went through the lessons to show what He did.
87 Now, there's not a person here that I know. I believe I was hunting a few weeks ago with this young man setting right here. Aren't you some relation to my good friend... Aren't... You're Brother Norman's brother-in-law; I believe that's right, isn't it? All right. That's the only person, and Brother and Sister Smith setting here, Brother Gene, and that's all I know of. I'm going to turn and--yes, Sister Upshaw, bless your heart, Sister Upshaw. Oh, how I love Brother Willy Upshaw. Your meeting that night, Brother Kopp, when I looked there and seen, I was trying to talk, and seen him where he fell off of that wagon, hurt his back, and seen they couldn't do nothing for him. Never heard of him in my life. And there he was, Willy D. Upshaw. I said, "How..." Ern come to him. Said, "What about that man?"
I said, "He's run for president one time and would've had the election, if it hadn't been his stand against whiskey and the wrong things. The Democratic party would elected him. But he--he took his stand." And I said, "All these years, sixty-six years, you been on these crutches and wheelchair. But God takes him off of it now." And how sweet. When I get upon the other side I'll see a young handsome looking man coming down and say, "You remember me, Brother Branham? I'm Brother Upshaw." See his little sweetheart there, all of them together. I remember how you cried that night, Sister Upshaw, when you seen him rise up, run to the platform and touched his toes with his hands at about eighty years old. My, how God can do great things.
88 All right. The Angel of the Lord set with His back turned. Now, now, I hope you all get this. I am not the Angel of the Lord; I'm William Branham. See? I'm your brother. But He was dwelling in human flesh then that He created Himself and just disappeared. Do you believe that? Now, do you believe that was God? The Bible said it was God. Abraham said it was. What was it? A sign that in the last days... Now, remember, when He come in the days of the Lord Jesus, He--God dwelt in Jesus, don't you believe that? That was a virgin born body, a Seed that come from God Himself. And in that Blood cell, when it was broke at Calvary for our sins, then it sanctified the church, that the Holy Spirit could dwell in the church and continue the works of God on down. "Ye are My witnesses, after you've received power." That's right.
89 Now, if this, if I've told the truth, then let the Holy Spirit speak to you tonight. I'll turn my back; you pray. See if it's the same Holy Spirit. Now, He has to work with you the same as He works with me. Some of you brethren out here pray for those out there in the audience, ministers and so forth. We'll have the time, ministers. The heavenly Father knows that I do this for no other purpose, but that the--the word that I preach might be made manifest to the church in this day, that the Pentecostal church has gotten away from God. It must come back. It's the Laodicean age.
And, God, if I've said anything against anyone to harm, that wasn't You telling me, You forgive me, Lord, but I did it just the way You gave it to me. So I pray, Father, that You'll vindicate. I spoke of You; now speak that I told truth, Lord. I commit it to You in the Name of the Lord Jesus.
There's several hundred people setting there, many of them sick. I don't know a one of them, You do. I pray that You'll make Your Word fulfilled. When You came here on earth, You said that You did it that it might be fulfilled, which was spoke of the prophet Isaiah, what the Messiah would do. Now, Father, may it be fulfilled again, for You promised it. That's the reason You permit it, in Christ's Name. Amen.
90 Now, there's many praying. If I can... If somebody, like the little woman, can touch His garment... Yes, right before me now is coming a vision, and it happens to be it is a woman; she's setting--way I'm standing now it would be to my right, this way. She's suffering with a gallbladder trouble. She has heart trouble also. With my back turned, if I call her name, maybe she'd understand. Mrs. Hanson, stand up and receive your healing.
Now, I've never looked around yet. Now, do you believe? Just have faith. Where was the lady at? She's back this way somewhere. Right there? Was those things true, lady? Are we strange to one another? If it is, wave your hand like this. Was all true, was it? Then the same Angel of God that was setting there at Sodom and Gomorrah to give a sign to Abraham that the hour was drawing close for the burning of Sodom, is here tonight. Just a gift to let myself relax...
91 I see Him on someone else. I hope... Now, don't let me stay too long. Just watching a vision, a woman setting here praying. She's got diabetes. Miss Finch, do you believe that God will make you well? If you do, stand up, raise up your hand. I do not know you, is that right? If that's right, wave your hand. Is that what's wrong with you? What? All right. You touched Something, didn't you? What... You didn't touch me, did you? You touched--you touched God that's... God bless you.
92 What do you think young man, rubbing your nose? You're in need of God too. You believe? God will describe to me what's your trouble. You don't have a prayer card, I guess... No, there's no... That's right. There's no prayer card. You--you believe me to be His prophet, or His servant, I mean to say. Excuse me for saying that; I'm not a prophet; I'm just His servant. Bothered with nervousness, just so nervous you can't hold yourself still. Isn't that right? If that's right raise up your hand. Do you believe what I'd say would come to pass? You believe it? Will you obey me as His prophet? Then I take that nervousness off of you in the Name of Jesus Christ. Don't never speak of it no more. Go and be made well. Did not our Lord say, "If you say to this mountain, 'Be moved...'" If thou canst believe...
93 Man setting right back there looking at me. He'd like to come up here; he wants me to lay hands on him. That's right. That hardening of the arteries would leave you if you'd just believe it right where you're setting. Will you do it? Setting right back there, kinda gray, with glasses on, setting right back there looking at me. If you'll believe with all your heart, don't doubt... You believe it?
94 Now, look, circled right from that man and he lost it. Rubbing your eyes and turned around and looked with the little... That's it. The lady setting right here, It's right over you with the heart trouble, setting there. Do you believe that God will make you well, right there? Yes. All right. You get the healing; it's yours. All right. God bless you.
95 Be alert; be ready to catch it at any minute. Mighty sweet person, got a lot of faith, you're in a good contact with God. I don't know you, but do you believe that God will heal that heart trouble you got too? You got trouble with your leg too, don't you have, your limb? Yes, you got a daughter that's unsaved, you're praying for. That's right. You're not from here; you're from North Hollywood. You know who I'm talking about now? You want me to call your name? Miss Beard, stand up on your feet and accept it in the Name of Jesus Christ.
You believe? Now, what is it, friends? Is those things true, lady? If it is, wave your hand. See, it's right. See? Now, do you believe? I never seen the woman in my life. Now, see, the whole building... Now, they--they touched me (See?); I know it's just enough now. They watch me, you know, when I have enough.
96 Now, let me tell you, my friend; I've told you the truth. God's vindicated that I've told you the truth. The very anointing of God that's preaching this same Word and saying these things, is the very anointing Who declares that God is here doing the same thing. Do you believe with all your heart? How many of you want to receive the Holy Ghost, raise up your hand, say, "I'd like to receive the Holy Ghost." The pastor tells me there's a room right down there just waiting for somebody to come down to be--go in to be prayed for. Why don't you receive it? Go down there and--and receive the Holy Ghost. Let's all stand on our feet at one time. Let's raise up our hands and give God praise, everybody in your own way. Don't... Just believe it.
Heavenly Father, I give praise and glory unto You for all the mighty works, all the things that You have done. You're the infallible God. You're the One that's the same yesterday, today, and forever, You never fail.
Now, put your hands over on one another. Lay your hands on one another to be healed and receive the Holy Ghost. Now, pray for that person. Pray for one another. Up in the balcony, up there, put your hands on one another; pray for one another, that you might receive the Holy Ghost. If you'll not doubt, God will give every one of you the baptism of the Holy Ghost and will heal everyone.