Christ's Ministry Identifies Elijah Bro. Lee Vayle Date ?? 1973 'Christ's Ministry Identifies Elijah'. Christ's ministry identifies Elijah. And let's ask the Lord to bless the reading of His Word: Heavenly Father, we are going to read Your Word now and pray the comments thereon, shall not simply be comments, but It shall be teaching that very same Word correlating It, and bringing It into this very time in which we live, O God, that we might glorify Your Name for Your faithfulness, and our faith, Lord, may increase with such confidence as to put us in the Rapture. We ask this today, Lord, for Your honor, for glory, Lord, change Your people in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen. 1. Now, let's go back to the Book of Acts 3: and you're going to find that I use this an awful lot. And today I'm going to use It very strong, and I think we'll see some good things in here. Acts 3:19-23. (19) Repent (you) therefore, … Remember the word 'repent' is always 'change your mind'. Then people say, "Repent is godly sorrow." How can it be, when the Bible says, "Godly sorrow worketh repentance." [2 Cor 7:10] So, godly sorrow is not repentance. Repentance is a change of mind. (19) (Change your mind) therefore and be converted… That means: 'to turn again'. Turn again. That's the message of Elijah, turn again. Book of Malachi, the Book of Revelation, especially Revelation 3:14-22 go hand in hand. (19) …that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Now, It doesn't say your sins are blotted out upon Calvary. Notice, it doe not look back upon Calvary. No sir! It looks forward. You cannot put this back at Calvary. It's something that takes place in the future. (20) And he shall send Jesus Christ,…(who shall? God, Who shall send Jesus Who is the Christ) which before was preached unto you: (21) Whom the heaven must receive … Now remember, Jesus Himself never came back in His corporal body. Came back as the Holy Spirit. (21) …the heaven(s) must receive (that body) until the times of (restoration) of all things, …(until restoration is complete the corporal Christ cannot come down. The restoration) of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. Of course, that's the Word of God, because that's what God spoke by their mouths, the Word. (22) For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall (you) hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. (23) And it shall come to pass, that every soul, (that) will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Notice, he puts in the future tense, that never happened at Calvary. He would have said it has come to pass. Doesn't say that. Everybody said, if you reject Jesus, that's the unforgivable sin. See, how they mouth off, that unforgivable sin is blaspheming against the Holy Ghost. Yet, they always want to twist it. This here is the future tense, it shall come to pass. It didn't say It has come to pass. (23) …shall come to pass, that every soul, (that) will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. (See? Keep with your word.) 2. Revelation 10:1-7, another Scripture we read many, many times, let's look at It. (1) And I saw another mighty (messenger) come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: (2) And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, (3) And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. (4) And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, (see, notice a voice from heaven, that's where the Head is) Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. (5) And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, (6) And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: (7) But in the days of the voice of the seventh (messenger), when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be (perfected and consummated) as (God) hath declared (the good news His Gospel by, not to, but by) his servants the prophets. 3. Now, I know that in teaching here along this subject you're all aware of course Elijah has to come before the Rapture according to Malachi 4:5-6. Now, let's look at that. All right, He says: (5) Behold, I will send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: Now remember, that John saw the day of the Lord, he was in the spirit of the Lord's day, which was either the day of the Lord in Revelation (I believe) 1:10. Which opened the Sixth Seal which coincides with Malachi, "it's the great and dreadful day of the Lord," the day of refutable wrath, then judgment wherein the earth is purged, Israel is purged and the church is purged. (6) And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children,… Now, you can stroke that out in your minds, maybe lightly in your Bibles, because that will never be seen again, that is finished. (6) …he shall turn the heart…of the children to their fathers, (that's what's going to happen today) lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. Now, since the Sixth Seal is the smiting of the earth with a curse and Elijah the prophet as to come before this. 4. Now, turn to the Book of Matthew 17: and let's read first of all Matthew 16:28. (28) Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, (they won't die) till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. [Matthew 17:] (1) And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them (that means, bears them up in His arms like a rapture, they don't walk up, they rise) up into an high mountain apart, (2) And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, his raiment was white as light. (See?) Now, this is the same as Revelation 1, the first chapter, and also Revelation 10. (3) And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and (Elijah) talking with (Jesus.) (4) Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for (Elijah). (5) While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear (you) him. (6) And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. (7) And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. (8) And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save (only) Jesus. (9) And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision (it was a vision, see) to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. (10) And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes (and the Pharisees) that (Elijah) must first come? (11) And Jesus answered and said unto them, (Elijah) truly shall first come, and restore all things. (12) But I say unto you, That (Elijah) is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also (shall) the Son of man suffer of them. (13) Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist. 5. Now, you'll notice in here that Jesus said that they're going to see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom. And when they did see Him isna vision, He was transfigured, which is to say, that He came back in His glorified resurrection body. And with Him was Moses and Elijah and they came back in their resurrection body in the vision. Now then, here they were in the very kingdom that Jesus spoke of and It was in a glorified condition upon this earth here, which would be the Millennium. And so they said, "How come the scribes say, "Elijah must first come before this kingdom? And yet You show Him in the kingdom and You didn’t' show us Elijah coming before?" And He said, "Elijah shall truly first come, (now then) before that kingdom." Now, you'll notice that these people were in their resurrection body, so therefore Elijah has to come before the First Resurrection. Because, "Blessed and holy is he that has part in the First Resurrection on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests and kings unto God, and they shall reign with Him a thousand years." [Rev 20:6] So, we can see here that according to the Scripture Elijah will come back to the Gentiles into the Gentile Bride, and he will be here before the Rapture and before the First Resurrection according to the Word of God. 6. Now also, we know from Scripture that this man Elijah has a ministry of restoration that if he does not come and fulfill it there will not be a Resurrection or a Rapture. Because the Bible distinctly says, "Unless Elijah comes, then there cannot be the Coming of the Lord, except with smiting utterly the whole earth. Now, the Rapture is not a smiting, nor is the Resurrection a smiting. And yet, the Bible says that if Elijah doesn't come, then there will be this smiting. So therefore, if Elijah doesn't come there will not be a Rapture, and there will not be a resurrection. So therefore, he has to come and restore whatever it is that is that needs restoration in order to bring about the Resurrection and the Rapture. Now then, we see by Scripture which I read in the Book of Acts, the restoration ministry is, is to restore the Word of Almighty God. That's exactly what it's going to be, is the restoration to bring back the perfect Word of God spiritually revealed in order to prepare the Bride that she might be a virgin of the Word. (See?) 7. Now, let me just show you something here, (if you want to) let's go back to the Book of Joel for a second, and the 2nd chapter, and we'll look at the 23rd verse, and It says here: (23) Be glad then, (you) children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first…(I don't believe that's in the first month, I believe that's 'as' in the first.) (24) And the floors shall be full of wheat, (now, when's the floor full of wheat? Harvest time and not before.) and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. (Now, that's the blessings of God on the wheat.) (25) And I will restore to you the years that the locust… Now, this word 'years' is translated 'famine' actually, or revolution, or span of years, or ages. (See?) "And I will restore to you the famine caused by the locust." And remember, there's going to be a famine in the Word at the end time for Word, not for water and for bread. (25) And I will restore to you the years (or that which the famine or) the locust (ate) the cankerworm, the caterpiller, the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. (26) And (you) shall eat in plenty,… 8. Now, you'll notice here, he said, "The former rain, and the latter rain would do it." And the former rain is the teaching rain which is the Word. It means 'teaching or teacher'. So therefore, there will be a teaching and a rain to fall upon it to bring forth an immediate harvest. Just like It said back over here, (keep your finger there) in Revelation, (I'll just read It for you) 10:6, where It says: "He raised his hand up toward heaven, and swore that time should be no longer." And according to Ezekiel that was in the days that God spoke It, to that generation the Word would be fulfilled. In other words, it would bring forth an immediate harvest. Now, notice in here, He said, "I am going to send you the former teaching. I'm going to send you the teaching and the Spirit of God to fall upon it. I'm going to do as I did in the beginning." Now, why was it that God had to send a teaching ministry? Because the Word is seen. And you tell me what man can ever get a crop out of anything that the palmer worm munched on, the cankerworm guzzled on, the caterpillar consumed? You couldn't do it. It's impossible to get a harvest out of a nub. So, what do you do? What's a farmer do? He plows it under, and he re-sows. So at the end time God has to re-sow in order to get a harvest. And the re-sowing would have to be the perfect Word of God. It's just that simple. Now, that's what he does here. 9. And then also, if you don't understand that let's go back to Book of James 5: where I taught you before on the former and latter rain. James 5, It says: (7) Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman (the harvester) waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. You cannot have a crop at the end time because there's nothing left to the Word of God. It's shot, it couldn't bring forth a harvest if it tried. So, it's got to be a complete re-sowing, and when it's a re-sowing, remember the Holy Ghost falls upon it right away, and in that generation it brings forth the harvest. Which will be what? Which will be the Resurrection and the Rapture. Do you follow me? 10. All right, now, we've established that point. We have also shown by Scripture, (and teaching here previously) that as Jesus was on earth with John the Baptist, (the Elijah of that day) so at this end time Elijah also stood with Jesus who comes back to earth as a Pillar of Fire designating Himself as the messenger of the Covenant. And as Jesus identified John, so did Jesus in the Pillar of Fire identify, authenticate and vindicate the Elijah of this day which was William Branham. Now, here we will study on this understanding of God vindicating the prophet to show who he was. Now, we'll treat the best we can where as the Lord enables us to show that what happened to Elijah as John the Baptist happened also to William Branham. Which was, they did to John what they wanted which was, disbelieving and repudiating him, and the same was done to this end time messenger. 11. Now, to get this picture we'll go back again to Revelation 10:1-7. (1) And I saw another mighty (messenger) come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, his face was as it were the sun, his feet as pillars of fire: (2) And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, Now, you know that Book of course Bro. Branham said was the Book of Redemption write. Well, there's only one Book of Redemption write, and that's the Word of God. So, the Book open in my understanding here would be that which is the Word of God. (2) … and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, (3) And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: (didn't say he was a lion, it says, as when a lion roareth) and when he had cried, (it didn't say he roared) seven thunders uttered their voices. (4) And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. (5) And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, Now, when you understand that this voice is opening, teaching the Word of God, this is the former rain repeated. Right there. The opening of the Book, the bringing forth of the Seals, the Thunders is the complete revelation of the Word of God for this day. Why? Because It's the Word that He Speaks in this day that's fulfilled. Do you follow? Showing that ever Age has a Message. You don't fool with anything else. (See?) Because He lifted His hands and swore time is no longer. What I say now will be fulfilled, the Holy Spirit will fall upon and bring forth a harvest and it's all over. (See?) 12. Now: (5) And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, (6) And sware by ( Elohim) that liveth for ever and ever, (and also that's Jehovah, a meaning of Jehovah and) who created heaven, and…earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: (7) But in the days of the voice of the seventh (messenger), when he shall begin to sound, (the whole body's call for comfort) the mystery of God...(which is Christ the Word, (see?) should be finished, (and consummated, perfected and consummated, see? that's the Word and brought to perfection, the Bride also) as he hath declared (as God declared the good news of the Gospel by) his servants the prophets. In other words, the Gospel for this age, which is the Gentile church age has got to run out. Now, you will notice that there are two messengers mentioned here on earth at the same time. Two of them, but they vastly differ from each other. One has descended from Heaven and has to do with the Seventh Seal mysterious Thunders. The other is a messenger born on earth and he reveals all [correction] the mysteries even the Seven Thunders. So, while one comes down from Heaven, which is a Voice from Heaven, (which is Christ) coming down to bring the Word of God, the messenger on earth will reveal the same Word of God. 13. Now, this one from Heaven of course is Jesus returned as the Pillar of Fire. Now, remember what you learned in Ephesians, Jesus returned to earth two thousand years ago as the Holy Ghost. He gave Paul his revelation as the Pillar of Fire two thousand years ago. And now this same One returned in a Pillar of Fire as the Word, which is the Logos. And remember, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God." [Jn 1:1] The Logos was God, and the Logos was made flesh." [Jn 1:14] But, It doesn't say the Logos is made flesh here, but It's the same Logos. So, what is the Logos? He this time He's the messenger in the Pillar of Fire. (Right?) Now, this other one in verse 7, is the Seventh Church Age messenger. (See?) He is, there's no other place you can find him. There's only seven messengers in the Bible that are here on earth. Each one is a Church Age messenger. And if he's the seventh one, then he's the messenger to the Laodicean Church Age. And if he's a messenger to the Laodicean Church Age, then he is the last messenger. And it is in his time that the Rapture has got to take place. Now, I'm not meaning the days of his life, I'm talking about the time of this message. Because remember, the messenger is nothing, the Message is everything. (See?) Because remember, these seven stars are mere mortals. They're just ordinary individuals, and you cannot put any grace upon them, except in the economy of God. To do that is to…is wrong, like Paul said, "I magnify my office." He didn't magnify himself. He was the weakest one among them with fear and with trembling, the most humble. (See?) But, it was his office. So you understand what I'm talking about now? 14. This other then is the Seventh Church Age messenger, and he must be Elijah for he reveals all the mysteries of which 1 Corinthians 15:51-57 is the last one pertaining to the Bride. Now, if he reveals all the mysteries, and he's got to reveal the mystery of the Rapture, which is 15:51-57. Now, watch It now: (51) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, Now remember, Paul says over here in verse 35, (35) But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? (36) Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: (You can't get your attention unless you die.) And over here It says, "I'm going to show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, "which is incumbent upon you to be in the Resurrection. How can a man get up if he doesn't fall down? How can a man pay his debts if he doesn't have debts? How can a man suffer if he hasn't got suffer? (See?) How can a man see if he hasn’t got eyeballs? Then how are you going to get a resurrection unless you die? (See?) Because that's simple, now he's done when it shows you a mystery. "I'm going to show you a man that eats supper without having supper to eat. That's right. Just that simple. He's going to eat anyway, but there's no supper there. Let the doctor open up, well that's strance, he said, "There wasn't a bit of food in the house, now his stomach is full of food." You say, "that's a miracle." 15. All right, that's just what we're talking about here. You're going to get a resurrection body and you won't die. (51) …We shall not (a double l) sleep, but we shall (a double l) be changed, Why? (52) In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound,… Now, when's the last trump? The Seventh Church Age messenger when he shall begin to sound in His Gospel Trumpet. (See?) Now: (52) …and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (Notice now:) (53) For this corruptible (which doesn't corrupt and go to the ground) must put on incorruption, (so it can't go to the ground) and this mortal (death do more to it than death do, shall put on eternality, which is life, the flesh will become eternal.) (54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying (and not before) Death is swallowed up in victory. (Not destroyed, but swallowed, rendered null.) (55) O death, where is thy sting? O (death,) where is thy victory? Now, where is it? Well, let's find out. (56) The sting of death is sin;… So therefore, sin must be dealt with in the flesh in such a way that the body can now return to a status of eternal life that Adam and Eve could not attain in their sin, because Jesus said, "Lest they reach forth their hand now and eat of the Tree of Life and live forever, I'm going to guard It with a flaming sword of the cherubim." So, remember now the cherubim step aside. Everything steps aside. There's an access to God that is absolutely fantastic. 16. Oh my, let me see if I just saw something here. Yes sir, Hebrews 10:16, I was reading the other night. (16) This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, (I'll) put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds (I'll) write them; (17) And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. (18) Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. (19) Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest (we'll walk right into the Holy of Holies.) You don't worry about the Blood anymore, the offering is completed it's all finished there's no more to come in under the sacrifice into the Bride. All the ages age consummated and you walk right in. There it is. I knew God would show me how that worked out. 17. Now, (see?) (56) The sting of death is sin (is gone) the strength of sin is the law. What does the law do? The law condemns. "There's therefore now no condemnation." [Rom 8:1] There cannot be, because there's nothing there to condemn. (See?) The Bride comes into the perfect likeness of Christ just like the resurrected dead will do. (See?) Now: (57) …thanks be to God, which giveth us (this)victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (For notice, it's a victory that is handed to us by grace. It's a victory but it's not ours, It's His.) Now, you'll notice in here that this mystery then is the last mystery pertaining to the Gentile Bride. Which is what? The mystery of the Rapture, the change on earth while she is still living. 18. And this Bride then will be according to Revelation 22:18-19 (18) For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: (19) And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written (therein.) Now you see, what is it? There will be a complete revelation that cannot be added to, nor taken from. And that's what Paul said. (See?) Paul said, "Don't you dare let even an angel from heaven come down and tell you anything but what I told you." [Gal 1:8] So therefore, as Bro. Branham said, "You cannot add to the Book, you cannot take from the Book, but It is a complete revelation of the end time, a restoration." That's why it's so simple, everybody is going to miss it, except the Bride. 19. And this of course will bring about also 2 Corinthians 11:2-3 (2) For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy:… See, godly jealously. The law of jealously is a man that believes his wife has been fornicating with another man, and he can't prove it. But the spirit hits him. (See?) (2) …I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. Paul had that same spirit hit him, because he knew that the woman that he had espoused to God was going to fall into sin, on chastity, which is in fornication. Now, what is the fornication? (3) But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds… (m-i-n-d-s, repent, change your mind, change your mind, change your mind, see?) The Bride has got to have a change of mind, see? Everybody screaming, "Change your heart." And if I had this done to me and that done to me, then I would have made the Rapture. Now, that is a lie. I like Bro. Branham, I sat on …?... been to the altar twenty times. You've danced, you've shouted, you screamed, you testified, gone down the street winning souls. Tried to serve God, spoke in tongues and performed miracles. I don't care if you have a creed and a dogma, and you're back under that old ministry, you're never going to make the Bride anymore than a dead horse is going to make it. See, because it's the mind. The mind is the womb. (See?) (3) … (he's) your (mind) to be corrupted form the simplicity that is in (Jesus) Christ. There's got to be back to the mind, as Paul said, "Every thought brought back into captivity, casting down reasonings and every hard thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing it into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." [2 Cor 10:5] What is it? It's every single thing is under dominion in the faith in the Word of Almighty God as delivered by the prophets of Paul, and now at the end time prophet Elijah. 20. Now, Let us just stop and think a moment here. We said that these two beings in Revelation 10:1-7 are messengers. Now, a messenger is one with the Message. (See?) He's one with the Message, that branded. So, here we see the Pillar of Fire descend as the Voice of God and He uses the prophet as His mouthpiece. And what a thrilling thing this is for Jesus is the Messenger from Heaven bringing us the end time Message, or the last Message before the Rapture. (See?) He has to be, because who sows the grain but the Husbandman? Who was that original sower out there in Matthew 13? God. Then who is going to sow the Word again? God's going to sow the Word. Not William Branham, he can't sow for nothing. Absolutely not. Where does the Bible say that the man went forth to sow? "Oh, (you say) I believe the Bible says one man sows and one man waters, God gives increase." That's your personal work. That hasn't got a thing to do with this. Where do you find it? Did any place where…were any prophet, and man ever God's message, he couldn't do it. Otherwise he wouldn't be God to the people, and it wouldn't be the Word of God. As Bro. Branham said, "If man came along and said, 'Thus saith Lee Vayle', (he said,) that's what Lee Vayle said." Now, If you say, "Thus saith the Lord'," that's what the Lord said, not what the prophet said. (See?) You'll find that on one of these tapes here almost verbatim. He used two or three by name. (See?) 31. Jesus is the Messenger from Heaven bringing us the end time Message, or the last Message before the Rapture which is what? Restoration, the re-sowing of the seed. (See?) You couldn't get across all the other stuff, it's only not even fit to plow under. You just get a piece of grain out there in Palestine there that all that the chopper chopped down. He started in the first age as a the palmerworm, (whatever it was) and then he begin growing out so he became the locust. What's left when the locust gets through? You couldn't have a crop if you tried. The whole thing died. Rot, the life has gone out of it, there's nothing left. There's nothing left for evidence, it's fit for destruction. Then what's he got to do? He's got to sow again. A complete re-sowing. Is that right? Absolutely, you couldn't miss that if you tried. I know it's the truth, because God revealed it to me. And the Message…what is the Message? It's Revelation 10:7, Christ the mystery of God. Christ the Word, the Logos is being revealed to us by the prophet's word. Which is what? God's Word in the prophet's mouth. As Bro. Branham said, "The Words of the prophet are God's thoughts." Exactly right. Otherwise, how could this Book be written here? What Paul did, Paul wrote the thoughts of God according to his day. (See?) 32. Now according to Luke 17:30, the Son of man is being revealed again in human flesh by the Spirit. Go back to Luke 17:30 (30) Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. The Son of man is being revealed again in human flesh by the Spirit. The prophet is revealing the Son of man. Now, let's just stop here a second. Turn with me to Matthew 16:13, how, this is a revelation the Peter had from God; (13) …Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? [omit] (14) And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, (Elijah); and others, (Jeremiah), or one of the prophets. Now, how did they get that get Jeremiah? Why if those kooks didn't believe in reincarnation? There's nothing that ever said the spirit of Jeremiah would ever come back in anybody. (14) …or one of the prophets. (15) (And) He (said) unto them,… (Notice how mixed up they were. Oh, they had their foot half way in spiritism. He's like the Roman Catholic's …?... And He said,) But whom (do you) say that I am? (16) And…Peter answered…Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Now, watch him get the full impact of it. Here is an ordinary man that eats and sleeps and drinks. Talk about ordinary subjects, was attracted to ordinary things in all points like tested as we are. Absolutely, and yet Peter says, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." 33. Then over in Matthew 17: he says here, "Lord, it is good for us to be here," said Peter in verse 4, continuing his revelation. Now, what did it feel like for Peter trained in his religion to look at a man, it was absolutely pure human being from the view point of the outsider, and said, "Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God, Thou art Messiah, You're my God manifest in flesh." For him to give Jesus Christ all that credit was absolutely a fantastic thing. Now, then at the end time, how can anybody look at verse 30 and believe that this is William Branham, without a revelation? Where you don't take it any further than it ought to go, or take it any less than it ought to go. And you know something? I don't believe that anyone of us in this room here had ever taken this verse as far as it ought to go. That's right. Because when they saw Jesus they never saw a man, they saw a God, but He was absolutely veiled by the human flesh which He had to be. And so at this end time there is no doubt then when we saw William Branham in his ministry under the anointing we absolutely saw Jesus Christ. Not a man, but God. But you know, how do you recognize that to be the truth? Now, we can't see a Pillar of Fire, we can't hear the Voice. We've only one way to get there and that's by the prophet, you never make it any other way. I'm talking not about salvation, I'm talking about revelation, and about this. Yet, we have never comprehended the truth of this. 34. Now, I've got a little bit of prophesying, and I'm going to tell you something. When I've heard myself talk, it's something funny for your mind to be absolutely dead and to hear your mouth talk in the Word of God. And I had the most strangest experience happen one day to me in a service, when I heard myself say, "You never saw…you weren't looking at a man when you saw William Branham, you were looking at God." I heard myself say that, and I didn't say it. And then as my mind functioned once more I said, "What is it?" (See?) What is it? It's God in the man. (See?) We are not prepared, the most of us never take what we have gotten far enough. I talked to Bro. Branham one day and I said, "Bro. Branham, it is my opinion, (correct me if I'm wrong) that there will be less said against those who made you God in the day of judgment, to be less against them in the day of judgment having made you God, then for those who turned you down." He said, "Bro. Vayle, that is exactly right." And yet he said, "I'm not Jesus Christ." And he wasn't Jesus Christ, because he was William Branham telling about himself. (See?) When they said to Jesus, "Deny you're the Son of God." He said, "Deny the Son of God, I'd be lying like you bunch of bums, snakes in the grass, vipers, hypocrites, killers, murders, fornicators." (See?) 35. Now, William Branham would have said as he stood there, "I'm Jesus Christ," he'd have been an antichrist lying blasphemer. (See?) But under that anointing speaking the Word of God there was absolute the truth of an identification with Jesus Christ here, where as Bro. Branham said, "Even …?... when the Son of man is revealed and He tells you how it is revealed in human flesh." It took a human being to do it just like it did back there. But the human flesh was not the created body that God had. The human flesh was a sex born individual that God chose as a Seventh Day church messenger putting His Spirit on him in a ministry office wherein this is the complete manifestation of revelation of the Son of man Himself. (See?) Just like now we're all Nicodemus', "we know that no man can do the works You do, except if was given Him from God." [Jn 3:2] And that's exactly right, no man could do it. William Branham couldn't discern people's hearts, It was the Word discerning it. William Branham couldn't say, "Thus Saith the Lord', It was the Holy Ghost doing it. William Branham could not heal anybody, It was the Holy Ghost doing it. (See?) But William Branham was revealing the Son of man which was doing everything that the Spirit of God did in human flesh in the perfect body back there, that that body cannot come on earth, if It could come on earth It would have done it to do these things. But the body cannot come back to earth. So, what's He going to do? He's going to take somebody else's body. And who is that? It's Elijah. Do you follow me? 36. The Son of man being revealed in human flesh by the Spirit of God. Do you follow me? I hope you're getting this now, because we're into pretty deep stuff here when he said, "And I don't want you to go in deity cult now, and I'm not saying anything to make you go in deity cult. I took this according to the Word of God. The Word of God is descending again by the prophet's spirit. The Word of God descended through the virgin Mary who accepted the Word, turned It into flesh in a womb, then the Spirit of God fell upon It making Him Emmanuel there at the River Jordan. (See?) Now, the same word 'Logos' does not descend that way this time. It descends by the prophet's spirit. Now, if we're all this morning a Holy Ghost filled people and I trust we are, because we've got to make our claims, we believe we are and our testimonies that we're born of the Spirit of God, we're baptized with the Holy Ghost in union with the body of Jesus Christ. If that's so, then William Branham is no different from you and me. Because it's by one Spirit we're all baptized into one body. And there's no difference in that Spirit, absolutely no difference. Nothing at all different, no siree. No sir, no difference whatsoever. Just like even John the Baptist full of the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb as it looked to Calvary. If it hadn't been for Jesus, John would still be in the grave. (See?) Remember, the law was until John. I believe John came up in the Resurrection with Jesus. (See?) Now, that's my understanding of Scripture. I don't think he's a part of the New Testament Bride, if he is, he's still in the ground. But I don't… I know I just doubt it, I believe that he was raised. And I say I can't prove it, but I think he was. 37. Now, the thing is here, that every one of us even William Branham had the same spirit. (See?) But remember, just like Moses, …?... Israel, and they had the spirit the same as Moses did, yet the Word only came by one man's spirit. (See?) One man that had the Holy Ghost. So, William Branham being a prophet, the Word never came by your spirit and mine spirit, both the same spirit, It came by His Spirit. You follow me? The Word descended by the prophet's spirit. Not yours and mine, both the same spirit. And we know that this is so, because of the vindication of the prophet. We never had the vindication, which was the actual ministry of Christ returned to earth, but revealed by the prophet. As It was said in John 15:24, "No man could do these things, except God be with him, the Father Himself doeth the work." Bro. Branham used those very verses with Luke 17:30 and Revelation 10:7. Remember them? All right, put them in you notes then, don't forget it's on tape. 38. Now watch, Jesus vindicated John, but Jesus Himself was vindicated by works. (See?) He just vindicated John, but Jesus was vindicated by His works. John 10:37-38. (37) If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. (38) But if I do, though (you) believe not me, believe the works: that (you) may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. The actual oneness with God, the complete identification, the swallowing up of the man into God. Or as Bro. Branham absolutely said, "He became me, that I might become Him." Now, he said, "Believe it by the works." Here again, John 15:24 (24) If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. He never said by looking at Him they saw the Father. No sir, no sir. What did they see? The works. (See?) That showed them the Father. The ministry gave Him the right to vindicate John. Now if, "He is Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today and forever," [Heb 13:8] then He will have to come forth in the same ministry that gave Him the right to vindicate John, will vindicate this Elijah. He's got to have the very same ministry. 39. And that is exactly what He does in Luke 17:26-30 which we read. (26) And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. The days of the prophet returned to earth but not the prophet in the flesh. Why? Because the Prophet's the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is returning in the Holy Ghost ministry. The Token amongst the people, brought into full manifestation. What they'll only known about in the Word to get filled with the Holy Ghost, and what He'd do was brought into full view and revealed it. So, Bro. Branham preached …?... he said what you saw demonstrated …?... And some people ran off and said, "Well, ain't nobody got nothing." I'm going to challenge you right now, that man's a liar in my books and now every man that says you haven't got anything is a liar. Because the Holy Ghost has been here for two thousand years, but not brought into full view. Just like this Word's been here for all these thousand years, but not brought into full view. For the time it took the revealed Word to loose the Holy Ghost. (See?) To make him and the Word one, but we've already had the Holy Ghost. (See?) 40. Now, this is I say exactly Luke 17:26-30. (26) …as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. Not coming now, but days of the Son of man. Noah's days repeat, but not Noah, everything about Noah's days. The days of Jesus repeat. Now remember, that Noah was a prophet, and Jesus was a Prophet. Remember, Noah built an ark, and now we've got to have something for what? The saving of the world for the next world, (that is the saving of God for the righteous) so there will be something done that will save us. (27) They (ate), they drank, they married wives, given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them… (28) Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they (ate), they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted,… And Bro. Branham said for the Christian to do the same thing. Not go ahead and marry other women, but you've got your wife, stay with her. If you're a young man and want to get married, go out and get married. If you're planning of sowing, do it. He said, "If I knew Jesus was coming tomorrow and I'm planting corn, I'll plant corn tonight." Yet people got crazy ideas about this. They want to do something else. They never listen to the prophet. If they were listening to the prophet they wouldn't be doing the silly things. 41. Like one fellow in Africa, he said, "The Rapture has to take place the 10th of February, (or something, I forget what it was now, and he said, ) if that doesn't take place I'll come back to America and put a sign on my back false prophet." He hasn't come back. Ain't been no Rapture. If he'd had kept on planting corn, (see?) instead of being so silly he wouldn't have this trouble. (28) Likewise as it was in the days of Lot; (they did the same thing) they (ate), they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded. Do the same thing. (See?) If you plan to go to college, go to college, but go to the right college. If you wonder about education, I can tell you right now from my experience, I don't know if I'd waste my time putting kids through college. I'd see they got good jobs and things. Or if you got him in some type of training that it'll work out maybe. Or sure pick the college you're going to send them to. Most colleges right now are hell holes. Devils, getting away from home and amongst the professors out there to the godless bunch of Christ haters. Naw, there's a whole lot more than making a good living in this world and join a …?... Now, you may not like what I'm saying, but I'm going to nail it right down from experience in the Word of God. I'm not against education for education. No sir, you've got to have a certain amount of education. But make sure he gets the right college. And make sure your home life is there. If he's going to be in college you better ride herd on him. I got a little away from my subject that way, but I guess it's good for us. Have to learn these things. 42. [Now,] (29) …the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, destroyed them all. (30) Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed (in human flesh.) We put the word 'human flesh' in everything, because Bro. Branham explained what the revelation was. It's by human flesh. In the day of that man revealing Christ, (see?) to the people, Christ revealed amongst the people, it's going to be that time of a day. So, don't try to change the Word of God. (See?) 43. Now, just look at William Branham the end time prophet in consideration of this, because he revealed Him. That when he was born, a Light hung over his cradle for forty eight hours. His life was super phenomenal, because even like Jeremiah he was fashioned in the womb to be a prophet, and he had visions of supernatural happenings even as a child. His ministry had three pulls…there is no doubt that He was the one who should come and restore, because he was vindicated for no man did the works that he did and he surely revealed the Son of man. But remember, no prophet of himself can do that. It is the Spirit of God in the man. So, listen carefully as Bro. Branham said in 'Doing God a Service', in Shreveport [Louisiana] the Business Men's breakfast: "Therefore the Elijah for this day is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, by His Spirit." (See?) "Appearing amongst the Bride doing the same things He did on earth and restoring the Word." It is God, not a man. (See?) Only God can do this, not a man. William Branham could not do it, but It, all of this will come by a prophet or a human being. 44. In other words, everything that God said He would do, He is doing it by the prophet. In other words, the sounding board. As Bro. Branham said, "There's a pitcure formed to this room." Your television doesn't make the picture, your television set picks up the picture. Then what is it? It's William Branham picking up the picture. William Branham is nothing, (see?) and yet we don't mean to say he's nothing as though he's nothing. We're talking relatively, where we're talking the relationship to God he is nothing. When we talk about our relationship to get this from God He is everything, and nobody else's got it. Do you follow me? We make a distinction here, and let's make it scriptural. (See?) It is the Son of man prophetic ministry on earth once more. And listen now, this is what the Spirit of God gave Bro. Branham in 'Spoken Word is the Original Seed'. He is finishing the ministry which He could not finish in His flesh while He was on earth, because it was not time. Now, right there, everybody doesn't like that, because they say the Cross finished it. Now, come on now, if we're talking about that, that's something different. When He said, "It is finished," you're talking about that was finished. A lot of things weren't finished. For one thing, the Bride wasn't finished. (See?) For another thing, iniquity wasn't finished. A lot of things weren't finished. What He was to do in the days of His flesh were finished. But what He was yet to do what He couldn't do in the days of His flesh, is yet to be done. Now, there were certain things there wasn't time for, so therefore He couldn't do it. So, now He's got to do it through the Bride, (see?) and particularly through the prophet who was in the Bride, and we are identified with him, because if one member is glorified all members are glorified. If one member is weak, all members are weaken. So therefore, whatever one member, is it Bride? (See?) 45. Now, let's go to Acts 3: 19-22, which I pointed out to you. (19) Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord, (or that part of anything that is presented to the eye.) Now, what was presented to the eye from God? The ministry was presented to the eye. All right, there is going to be a time of refreshing to the ministry of God on this earth. Then when that's over: (20) …he shall send Jesus Christ, which (was) before was preached unto you: (21) Whom the heaven must receive until the (restoration) of all things, … Now listen, times of refreshing and restoration are not the same thing, but they're absolutely identified together. That's right, you don't get one without the other, but they're not the same. No sir, but they're not the same, because restoration is the Word by the prophet, and refreshing is for the Bride. (See?) 46. All right, let's prove it, let's go back to Isaiah 28: because Bro. Branham categorically said, "That refreshing was Isaiah 28." Now, he talks of: (3) The crown of pride in Ephraim… be trodden (down.) (4) …the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, (that's Laodicea) shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer;… (what's hasty fruit, it isn't worth a plug nickel, see, it all means nothing, destroyed.) (5) In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, (see, that's in the Bride) and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, (6) …for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. (7) But they also have erred through wine, (see, they got the wrong revelation, inspiration) and through strong drink are (taken) out of the way; (creeds and (dogmas was a fountain like chains of iron) the priest and (the) prophet have erred through strong drink, they (have) swallowed up of wine, (that's right, their creeds and dogmas, they have never get out of this, they swallowed them up) they are swallowed up through strong drink; they err in vision, (what vision? Revealed Word,) they stumble in judgment. (8) For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, (and) there is no place clean. (Nothing that is not full of vomit.) (9) Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to under- stand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (10) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: (11) For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 47. God never, ever does lay it all out all in one place, just clean and pretty, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, here it is. That's what we got against Bro. Branham. Why doesn't he just up and tell us in one place? Because he couldn't. Yet God never did do that. The closest He came to was in the Ten Commandments and the law and ordinances He gave to Israel, and it didn't do them a bit of good. It brought them condemnation. (11) For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. (12) To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith (you) may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. (13) But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. Why? This was to…this was to in order to enmesh those who wouldn't receive the revelation, because of one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, anybody could get it. Say, "Well, I got that," ready to go in the Rapture. Never can get it. Got to be spiritually revealed, "here a little, there a little, line upon line, little bit here, little bit there," see? Now, this is the refreshing. See, go back here, It says, "When the times of refreshing shall come from the Presence of the Lord." [Act 3:19] God's ministry will bring forth this refreshing which comes by the restoration of the Word. The ministry indicates it, the Word of God is this: which is indicated, and the people receiving It come into the refreshing. And what's refreshing? It's a call brings reviving, which is Ezekiel 37, the valley of dry bones, see? God brings them by the Word, bringing a life to the dead, brings about a Resurrection and brings about a Rapture. (See?) 48. Now notice, in verse 22. [Acts 3:] (22) For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall (you) hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. (Future tense) (23) And it shall come to pass, (this is after Pentecost, see?) that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. That did not happen when Christ was upon earth, they destroyed Him. He didn't destroy them. Israel went into captivity, that is to say, Jerusalem was taken and so on and Israel was scattered. Now notice: (24) Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Now, I don't remember Samuel saying much about it. Why is Samuel's name there? Because the Bible said, "The Lord revealed Himself to Samuel. There's the Lord appeared to Samuel in Shiloh, for the Lord revealed Himself by the Word of the Lord." [1Sam 3:21] God Appearing by revealed Word. (See?) And after Moses wherein God Appeared by the Pillar of Fire and spoke lip to ear. Not in similitude's, but even apparently, from that time on no prophet got anywhere, except by the Word, God revealing Himself by His Word. There is no other way. (See?) 49. Then when Paul came on the scene, what happened? God once more lip to ear, Pillar of Fire, (see?) from that time on nobody saw God except by revealed Word. Now, you come again, the end time prophet, the Pillar of Fire returns to them in order to bring back lip to ear. And what is this, the people now received God into full manifestation in view, by the Word of the Lord. Because Bro. Branham never ever did see God, he saw vision of Christ, but It was the Pillar of Fire that God dealt with Him. And God came into full view by the Pillar of Fire. (See?) Now remember, this ministry here of Jesus, that It says, "This prophet, if you don't hear this prophet, then everybody that doesn't hear him will be destroyed. Isn't that what Malachi says? "Except I send Elijah, I'll destroy literally the whole world with a curse." [Mal 4:6] All right. 50. Now, let's turn back to Isaiah 61: showing you that God did things that the spirit, that Christ must do in this end time, the same prophet's got to do things that he didn't do before. All right, Isaiah 61:1-3 (1) The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because (He) hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; (he has anointed me and) sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (2) To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God;… Now, what's the day of vengeance of our God? The great and dreadful day of the Lord. Right? Surely it is. What else? Revelation 1:10, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day." And he saw the Sixth Seal opened, right? Now days, He's got to do this Himself, He has got to proclaim the very day, and then He tells you how. "I'm going to send Elijah which is My Spirit on a man, which is Me being here in human flesh, I'm going to come back in myself, I'm going to proclaim that day and nobody else is going do it." And He does it. He raised His hand and that's where time has run out. What is the time for? Judgment! Notice, and also: (2) …to comfort all that mourn; When did that happen? It hasn't happened yet, but He's going to do it. How will He do it? When all that mourn, every single one of the Bride, He'll be with them. His ministry was not finished. It's in three parts: (a) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. He did it, in His flesh. (b) He does it the next time, the vengeance of our God, Elijah. The same Spirit does it. (His ministry which He couldn't change in His flesh then. The third thing: (c) To comfort all that mourn. He's going to be right there in His Own human form back with the Bride. "And He'll wipe away every tear, there'll be no more sorrow, no more crying, former things are passed away." [Rev 21:4] He's going to do it all. (See?) And remember, at the same time, remember, that Jesus also said in Revelation 11: two witnesses. His two witnesses there, what do they come to? They seal the 144,000. What is that? That's Elijah. (See?) That's appearing again in order to seal the 144,000 so they don't get destroyed. You've got Elijah five times: Elijah, Elisha, John the Baptist, William Branham, the two witnesses. Every Word of God is then fulfilled. 51. Now, 2 Peter 2:4-7. (4) For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; (5) And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; Notice there's two worlds, the ungodly world, and God's world. Two governments, cosmos, and the Kingdom of God. Two separate, one is absolutely, and what are they? Both are here in a dimension. That's why heaven is here in a dimension too, everything here's in a dimension. (6) And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; (7) And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. (8) (And) For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds; Now, what's he saying here? "Why, he said as It was in the days of Noah." Now, what was Noah? Noah was a preacher of righteousness in whom was the Spirit of Christ. And that same Spirit after Jesus died went down to those in Hades where Noah's corrupt generation was, and said, "I am the One that Noah preached, because I was in Noah." (See?) The same One returned that was in Noah. That was in His Own body of flesh coming back at the end time and condemns the world. And if condemns the world, then it's an overflow, overthrow, so who gets saved? The Bride and the 144,000, and they go into the Millennium. (See?) 52. Now listen, how will this ministry of the Word bring about restoration which must been brought in order to bring Him back in the flesh as the Bridegroom? What will this ministry of restoration do? All right, let's go back to 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, now not the other one. (35) But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? (36) Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: (37) And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: (38) But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. Now look, if you don't have in this body here, the true Seed of Almighty God, how can you get a resurrection body? Because the body that's going to be produced must have the Seed in it that brings out that body. Now, if all I've got in here is corrupt seed, I've got to have a corrupt body. (See?) The plant depends upon the seed. 53. Now then, that's why God sows at the end time the brand new seed. That's why every thought, change your mind, get every Word out of here. That's why you get people coming here and they fall away. They're not going to stick with this Message. I can almost look a man in the eye and tell you whether he's going to stick with this Message or not, what he's going to do. He never was in this Message, or he wouldn't fall away in the first place. He never did bring his mind into captivity unto Christ. I got him back …?... Never did believe serpent seed. Never did believe predestination. Never did believe that a character lies in the Word, and not what you're producing. (See?) Never did believe, that you can't have a friend …?... over here and not have everybody in it, let's go you and me pray. Never did believe what the prophet said. Never could bring his mind under captivity. Change your mind, get every thought out of there, everything that you ever thought about the Word of God. Throw it out! This rottenness has killed this thing, never …?... corrupted, dogmatized, creedilized, bastardized. I fear there's no more God as there is a dead horse. Get out, (see?) get it out, so that new seed can fall in. Now, what will the new seed do? The new seed now will bring forth with the Holy Ghost falling on it, this body here standing here to put you in the Rapture. You follow me? Why? because as Bro. Branham said, "Every seed has within itself power of transformation." Put a little remnant seed here in the ground, it'll bring forth lemon tree, lemons. Why? Because it's got the power of transformation in it. Put a little orange tree, the orange seed here, put it in the ground. It'll come forth an orange tree. (See?) 54. Get a hen and a rooster together, bring forth a chicken. The bull and the cow, bring forth a calf. And how are you going to bring forth the Bride of Jesus Christ in a church so full of creeds and dogmas? It never will work. You couldn’t get a Resurrection and a Rapture if you tried, because the Bride of Christ is one whole entity. And you cannot have those in the ground that already paid their price of sin. You'll never get them out of the ground until you get the Bride standing here till she's absolutely without one creed or dogma. She hasn't got one Word added, or one Word taken from, she's absolute genuine Word. She says, "Amen," to everything the prophet of God said, because the Bible distinctly says, "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit." [Mt 17:18] Then how can anybody say Bro. Branham could make a mistake? You can't do it. He's never ever made a mistake on a major doctrine. Yet, some of his ideas weren't right, so God showed him. But when he came to the church with 'Thus Saith the Lord', which was the Word for this day the revealed Word, there could not possibly be an error in It, because God said, "A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit, and a good tree cannot bring forth corrupt fruit." It's just that simple. (See?) 55. Now, you have to have the Seed in you in order to come up into the Resurrection. That's why when Peter, James and John saw the Resurrected Kingdom, and they said, "Well, Elijah's in it, I thought he was supposed to come before us?" And now he sees the Kingdom and he's in It. He said, "Absolutely he's going to come before it." Just like John did. But He said, "They won't pay no ever mind." He said, "They're Pharisees." He said, "The Kingdom of God is amongst you." [Lk 17:21] But He said, "It comes without observation. [Lk 17:20] He said, "It'll come and you won't even see it. It'll be there and you'll miss It." The Rapture will be here and they'll miss It. Why? Because the Rapture is a revelation. Not that it's a revelation they'll say, "O glory to God, I've got the Rapture revealed, so therefore, hallelujah that's all there is to it." Oh hogwash. The revelation will put you in the Rapture. That's that stupid doctrine, the Baptist say, "I've received the Holy Ghost." I say, "Where is He?" I receive a pair of shoes by faith, let those shoes come on my feet, then I'll know that I have the faith. Like James said, "Show me your faith by your works, by the results." [Jas 2:18] Why, that's the whole thing, you've got the Rapture as a revelation, you'll be in the Rapture. Not talk about Rapture is a revelation, so we're sitting around here glory to God, and we're raptured. I say they're ruptured, they're not raptured. Why the whole thing stinks. (See?) Certainly. 56. Now, why do I say this? Because over here in 1 John 3:2 (2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God, (sure we are already, already you got the Holy Ghost. Well, here we've got the Holy Ghost.) …it (never hath happened) not yet what we shall be: (it never yet come into existence) but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. Now, when is He going to Appear? Up in the Rapture? No sir. He's got to Appear before the Rapture in order for you to get your change to make the Rapture. Then how are these people talking about they're going to make the Rapture without Him Appearing first? Because if he does't appear in human flesh by the Word, you'll never be raptured, because it takes a glorified body to be raptured. So, there you are, He's got to Appear in the Bride. 57. Then 1 Peter 1:23-25 (23) Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (24) For all flesh is as grass, and the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: (25) But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. The unadulterated Word of God, to be born of It. Now, Peter says here, "To be born again, not of creeds and dogmas, but by the Word of God." Now, remember brother/sister, you've got to be born out of the ground. That's the redemptive body. Jesus was the first begotten from amongst the dead. He was the first born from amongst the dead. Now, to be in a resurrection you got to be reborn out of the ground which is your body. (See?) That's right, there's a rebirth there, and that's the part that's not been reborn. It's your body, it has to be reborn out of the very same gases that went down, God rebirths, recreates that body. "Well now, how in the world can we have a resurrected body here unless we've got perfect Word?" Can't do it, you got to be recreated. It's by the Word of God that we're born into a resurrection body, and you've got to be born by the Word which is…even as Peter said, "The Gospel which we preach," just like Paul. Because he said, "When we checked, (he said) we were not one bit different.We were the same. (See?) 58. So, there you see it, and we must recognize it. Remember in the Book of Acts 2, when Stephen preached the Word they closed their ears and they gnashed on him with their teeth and they were found guilty. And we must not be guilty of turning aside Jesus the revealed Word. See, because remember, He is outside the church at the end time, knocking on the door wanting to come in. But what is it? We will open our hearts by way of our minds through repentance in order to be converted, (see?) turned unto God. Now, if you turn unto God this way then let's face it, we were not turned to God the other way. And if we were not turned to God, then God was turned away from us. God cannot turn to anybody who does not turn to Him. And He brings about that turn, because repentance is granted by God, which is a change of the mind, God granted and has granted by the end time ministry of Elijah. (See?) 59. So, what is the secret today? Whether the church believes it or not, is to repent, change your mind for why will you die? They say, "We're not going to die." You think we're not going to die? Let's go back to Isaiah 28 and find out, go back to 14. (14) …hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. (See, that's your hierarchy, that's your Nicolaitaine system.) (15) Because (you) have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell (the grave) we (are in) agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: (16) Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. (What's that? That's the revealed Word of God.) (17) Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. (There's your creeds and dogmas going down, through the judgment of God.) (18) And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then (you) shall be trodden down by it. (19) From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. Now, what's he saying here? He's telling you they've made an agreement with death. They said, When the Rapture is going to come, millions now living shall never die. We're going to make it, we don't need this prophet of God. We …?... what's all this talk about a prophet? Well, we've got Jesus, hallelujah, we've talked in tongues, we're born again. Why, look it here, millions now living will never die. Airplanes are going to plunge, because the pilot is going to be gone. Cars will pile up, because the driver's gone. Trains will wreck, because the driver's gone." [blank spot] …stupidity I've ever heard in my life, and the same bunch of what? Spiritually stupid, idiotic, people say, "A secret Rapture." Well, where in the name of common sense is a secret Rapture if trains pile up and airplanes fall and cars pile up on the road and then millions are now living will never die?" 60. He said, "I'm going to cancel your agreement." What agreement? I'm cancelling your covenant through Calvary. Just like in Exodus time He cancelled the circumcision covenant. You could be… the most circumcised man in whole building. The whole town, millions, three million Jews. …?... can prove, the fact of a circumcised twice the man said.[blank spot] Where's the Blood? I don't need any Blood, I've got a covenant with circumcision. (See?) What's circumcision? The sign in the flesh of the Holy Ghost. "Bless God, I talked in tongues, I healed the sick, I've raised the dead, don't tell me that I'm not right with God. William Branham, why that lying dog." Now where's your covenant gone? You haven't got one. Millions now living will die. You said you've made a refuge a Bride. Is that right? There's your Word of God. So why would you die? You don't if you take the Word of God. What Word? The vindicated Word that's brought by the prophet. 61. "Well, Bro. Vayle, don't you think that God will show me a few things? No, don't believe it for a minute, God shows you nothing. Except God shows you the prophet was right, shows you what the prophet taught. I don't believe that God shows you anything You say, "Why?" Because I don't believe God shows me anything either. God told me years ago He was considering Second Coming. How's He do it? By the prophet. I found ninety-nine percent of what I believed was wrong. There's only one thing I can cling to from the original truth, and that was you've got to have the Holy Ghost. That's all I know. That's all that I could ever teach from what I was taught all of my years, I only kept one thing, and that's the only thing I had truth to, because that's the only truth I had. The only real truth, It's the Holy Ghost, or you ain't got It. And then, even then I was taught the wrong things about the Holy Ghost, like tongues, evidence and all. So, that went down the drain. Every thought into captivity. Every thought, turn your whole mind out, don't keep one single thing. Be as glad to get rid of your…be glad to purge your mind is when you get a terrible attack of indigestion and vomiting is the only way to get rid of it. So, you say, "Pour down the mustard, give us the hot water, poke your finger…do anything, but bring it up. That's right, if you want to empty your stomach, empty your mind. Purge it. Right. Repent, because that's the only way to turn back to God, there's no other way. 62. Well, the Lord bless you. I hope you've got some things out of this, this morning to help you, because Bro. Branham preached so many, many, many sermons just on this very, very thing. That I felt that we've been sort of neglecting this subject, not going into all the facets that God would show us in order to encourage the people, stay with the Word. Stay with the Word, never mind anything else, stay with the Word. Because in the final analysis Abraham had to go up to glory, but not before God. And many men will come saying, "Lord, I've lived the life, I've cast out devils, I did all these things, I was sincere." "Depart from me, I never knew you." There's only one tree brother/sister, that's the Bride Tree. There's only one tree that's going to make it and that's the Bride Tree. Every other tree will be cut down, they'll be nothing else that's going to stand. Remember, those trees in the Garden were good for food, God planted every one of them. There were two in the spiritual realm that God placed there. And you could eat spiritually. (See?) So, there we go back to that Word, 'eternal life', lies in the Word. Everything else is good out here, depending on how you use it. There's nothing evil in itself, there's not one thing evil. There's not a television set that's evil, it's how you use it, what comes on that lousy set. There's not a piano that's evil, unless you play boogie-woogie, the acts for the devil. There's not a radio that's anything wrong with it. There's not a newspaper, there's nothing in itself that's evil, it's what you do with it. (See?) That's the whole thing. 63. There's this Word of God perfect, what did they do? They used it wrong. (Right?) The Spirit of God, perfect, they used Him wrong. (See?) See, we don't condemn people, we get a little carried away at times, and it involves personal, Bro. Branham never did. Even though using names, he never involved personalities, he was going against the perversion, but not the man. Never against the people, the system, see? I hope we get that way, that before we go in the Rapture, I'm believing, even before we're changed into the place I know we're going to be, to make that Rapture. I trust by the grace of God we're going to come to the place where we don't have any personality conflict, no sir. We don't look at anybody to judge him, we took where the prophet stood just walk in that Word. May God help us to deal with it. The Lord bless you. Let's rise and be dismissed. Gracious Eternal Father, it's been so good to be with Your people here always inspiring, always wonderful, Lord, to know that therefore underneath there is an empathy, a report in Jesus Christ amongst the brethren here. And I pray, Lord God, that whatever may be superficial that You by Your herald which is the Word of God will level every place. Bring up the low places, bring down the high places make everyone to be truly one in Jesus Christ, Lord God, coming to the place where they love each other to such an extent that they'll never be seeing anything in each other but Jesus Christ. Bless, the children, O God, to know that though they're deprived in many things, and they're sort of …?... like the narrow way, and maybe even …?... against the dictates of the parents, may they know, Lord, that the parents have only one concern, and that is that could be within this very year, there's going to be a missing people who go up to be with the Lord. And if this year doesn't do it, it can't be long. What's two or three years to go? Oh, it seems so long, but everything goes so fast. It can't be long, Lord, I don't believe for one minute, it's going to last beyond nineteen seventy-three and a half. I don't believe it for one minute. What's there to go? Already it's just about April 1st. And in a little while it's going to be a hot summer. And then without knowing it, it's going to be cool Fall. And right off the bat, they won't know that a year has gone by, they're right back to March again. The time was not hot, not cold, kind of funny Springs weather. Lord, time's going to go so fast. Help them to know that these things are not to put them in check, but it's to keep them under the covenant. God, grant it that it maybe something to come into their minds and into their hearts, and to realize this, though they may seem neglected and put under, and put out, it's not that at all. It's a higher vision, and a higher life, and a higher realm. O God, may there be such a thing as putting old heads upon young shoulders in this end time, because that's what it takes. Even as we claim for ourselves, our heads are no good, Oh, may it be that set of Christ come down upon us who are already older now, and wanting so desperately to see the Kingdom come upon this earth. Fearing one way, are we worthy of it? No, could never be. Are we ready, oh trusting that it will be through preparation of the Word and not by ourselves. Because, Lord, with great fear and trembling, we look at that day that's coming upon the earth, and we see nothing in ourselves that would merit it. Oh may we see It in Christ, "and nothing in our hands we bring, simply to the Cross we cling." Bless us now, as we go, Lord, our ways, guide us, protect us, be with us in everything, and be according to Your mercy and will and grace come together again to worship and respect and love You. Thank You Lord for their gifts, O God, may they be multiplied …?... in a precious way to their families, Lord, in abundance they had not before, because, Lord, as soon as they see really that they have their own gifts for themselves and not for others. But we do appreciate it, knowing it's the will of the Lord. Bless them I pray, O God, manifestly not by many, many hours more of work. No sir, not that, that's just more away from the family. But, Lord God, somehow multiplying only You can do. I never did understand it, but I sure thought, words, Lord, grant It I pray, I believe You'll do It, Lord, I believe You've heard my prayer and done it. And I'm expecting, Lord, to see Your goodness now sweetly manifested. And under the King eternal, immortal, invisible the only wise God, be all power and honor and glory through Jesus Christ. Amen. 'The Lord bless you'. Christ's Ministry Identifies Elijah (0473) Page PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 25