The Great Communicator

December 24, 1989

	Heavenly Father, we realize that, when Jesus was born, there were so
very few who did believe the report given by those who were privy to it,
who understood—they not even understanding very much, as it were, but
knowing by visitation that this one was born, who was promised to
Israel. Then, Lord, as very few were unaware of it, did not know how
this would be, so at the end time we also know now that the appearing
was veiled from everybody, and the announcement was made, Lord. But
thank God, there was vindication at this particular time, to know that
One, Who came here in flesh, has returned in the form of the Holy Spirit
and has done the same works that He did when He was back here in flesh,
vindicating that very Presence—that Presence now here to raise the
dead and to bring forth a people immortal unto You, oh God, to reign and
to rule for a thousand years and enter into a glory, which again we know
not of, except we have read It and understand by the truth revealed that
it is so.

	So, we thank you for the privilege of being here this morning in Your
Presence, knowing that we can celebrate a true Christmas in the sense,
Lord, of an understanding what this is all about. Help us to that end.
We’ll give you the praise in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

	You may be seated.

1.	Now I want to bring you a little Christmas message that has to do
with Christmas as being a time of communicating or communication. And I
would believe that if Christmas means anything at all, it is without
doubt a time of meaningful—and at times, not so meaningful, but, it is
a time of—communication.

2. 	Now I doubt if there is any one occasion celebrated or known in
Christendom, where people communicate to the degree that they do at this
particular time of year, December 25th, of which we call Christmas and,
of course, celebrate about a week or so ahead of it. Now you’ll
notice:

	a. First of all, people write cards and letters. And they remember each
other. They’re communicating.

	b. Secondly, they make phone calls. Sometimes the lines are so busy you
can’t even get through.

	c. Thirdly, they pay visits. Such visits as they perhaps never paid any
other time.

	d. They give presents, and that builds up communication and
friendliness.

	e. They have parties. Many people are invited. You have all kinds of
office parties that we know are not the best things, but people have
them.

	f. Number 6: They reach out, even to strangers and charities as well as
their families and friends.

	g. Number 7: They make up differences. People get reconciled this time
of year. They don’t like to have problems going on. You know, the
angels sang, “Peace on earth, good will toward men.” And so, people
like to think in terms of peace and happiness.

	h. Number 8: They make sacrifices; even go into debt, which, of course,
is foolish. But I know most people do actually go into debt at Christmas
time, because they make sacrifices to be good to people.

 	i. Number 9: They all go out in some way (They all go out of their
ways—just about everybody does.) to do something nice for somebody.
And that’s the way the spirit is of Christmas. And then, again, for

	j. Number 10: Families come together as of no other time. You say,
“What about Thanksgiving?” Well, that’s true, but I don’t think
it’s like Christmas. I think that’s a time of coming together even
more so.

	k. Number 11: They celebrate religiously the birth of the Son of God,
and 

	l. Number 12: All denominations in Christendom put aside all doctrinal
differences and meet and communicate on the common ground of God
manifest in flesh, even though some few have chosen December 25th apart.

3. 	Now the only date that rivals that, where they come together
forgetting differences, is in the understanding of Easter that Christ
rose from the dead, although there is a tremendous difference of how
people actually believe that and what comes out of it. Though Christmas
is very, very simple, it has to do, of course, with the understanding of
what we mentioned here, they commune on the grounds of the common
understanding of God made manifest in flesh.

4. 	Now, there is something most interesting about all of the
interrelationships of this day that we call Christmas; and that is that
this proposition is interesting, because the people are not quite aware
of what they’re doing. In fact, they are not really aware of what they
are doing, can not help but be done, when you celebrate the birth of
Jesus Christ. It’s something people are doing: this community spirit,
this fellowship, this coming together, this interfacing, this doing
deeds of kindness. This communication is all something that people are
doing unaware that this is really what Christmas is all about. And
they’re doing it because of the birth of Jesus Christ; that birth was
the start of a new and different way in which God began communicating
with His children—and not just His children, but the whole world,
because Christmas actually is celebrating Christ, who is the Great
Communicator.

5.	Now man might not know what he is essentially doing at this time of
year, because, I’m sure, man doesn’t. But he can’t help being a
part of it, being a communicant in it, because God is sovereign in all
His ways, and He has ordained whether people believe it or not, that
Christmas types this very thing we’re talking about. 

6.	Now, let me go to Scripture, because I haven’t read any Scripture
yet. I want to show you exactly what I’ve got in mind. It’s in
Hebrews 1, where Paul, the apostle, is speaking of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now, listen. 

(1)	God, (in many parts) and in (many ways), spake in times past unto
the fathers (in the prophets). (Now, notice:) 

(2)	Hath in these last days spoken unto us in Son. (Not ‘by the
Son’; not ‘by the prophets’, but ‘in the prophets’. And now
God in the Son,) whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also
he made the (ages); 

(3)	Who being the (effulgence, or outraying) of his glory, the
(expression of his substance), and upholding all things by the word of
his power, (this One came unto the earth, worshipped by angels and
manifested unto men.)

	So, you’re noticing here now that, when Christ was born, he was born
with the understanding that God would begin to communicate in and
through him. Right? That’s exactly what the Bible says. All right. 

7. 	Let’s go here to the Book of John, and in Jn 1:1-2: 

(1)	In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. 

(2)	The same was in the beginning with God. (Then, notice verse 14:) 

(14)	And the Word (became) flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace
and truth. (That’s just what Paul said. Now, watch verse 18.)	 

(18)	No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in
the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him (or led him forth by
words.) 

	In other words, we see, once more, communication—the great
Communicator.

8.	Then, notice the voice of God speaking from the ineffable glory on
Mt. Transfiguration in Mt 17:1-5: 

(1)	And after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother,
and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart. (That means he
literally carried them up, in the face of gravity he arose from the
earth, and he bore them up in his arms, which must have been a
tremendous thing.)

(2)	 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the
sun, and his raiment was as white as the light. 

(3)	And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with
him. 

(4)	Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us
to be here: If thou will, let us make here three tabernacles; one for
you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ 

(5)	And while he yet spoke, 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.’

	Now, that establishes the fact of the Great Communicator, that God was
communicating by Jesus Christ, and man is doing this communicating
unaware of this major premise that is set forth by God in Christ.

9.	Now, number 4: we go to Revelation 10. And, notice, again, the
process of communication. 

(1)	I saw another mighty messenger come from heaven, clothed with a
cloud: and a rainbow was on his head, and his face as it were the sun,
and his feet as pillars of fire. 

	Now, this is not an angel as we know angels. This is a messenger. And
this is the same One as in Rev 5:1, which is God, Himself; God as His
Own messenger; as we have said, God in Christ communicating.

	And this One comes down. 

(2)	And he (has) in his hand a little book open; (sets) his right foot
on sea, and left on earth, 

(3)	Cries with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth.” Now It doesn’t
say it is. It says, “as when.” “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, Seal up those things
which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. 

	Now you will notice that the voices have been sealed up. But, if you go
to I Th 4:16, you’ll find: “for the lord himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout.”

10. 	Now, over in Revelation, It doesn’t say it was the voice of the
lion. It says “as the voice of a lion.” And we know it’s a lion of
the tribe of Judah that comes back and sets up the kingdom. Now you’ll
notice in here again, it does not even say that this is the voice of the
Lord. It is not said to be. It says the Lord descends, and there is a
voice. And you’ll notice, “as the voice of a lion” will signify
that whoever is speaking has to be speaking for this One; he is standing
in his stead. Then, It says there will be the voice of the archangel.
There will be the trump of God, the dead in Christ shall rise, and this
will absolutely bring about a rapture.

11.	But, notice now again, in Hebrews 12, and watch in verse 25,
speaking at the time of a great exodus and egress into a promised land,
just before which preludes the literal coming to the New Jerusalem,
which prelude is the Millennium: one thousand short years, like a 24
hour day. It says in verse 25, “at that particular time when time
mingles with eternity,” when Rev 10:1-7 comes to pass, which is 1 Th
4:16:

(25)	See that ye refuse not him that speaketh (communicator) for if they
escaped not who refused him (who) spoke on earth much more shall not we
escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven.

	Now, they’ve got the word ‘speaking’ in there. It’s in italics.
You can see it’s not in the original; the one from heaven is speaking,


(26)	Whose voice then shook the earth: (That’s way back in the days of
Moses.) but now, he hath promised, saying, yet once more shake I not the
earth only, but also heaven. 

	And, notice how he is putting it right in there at that time, the
shaking down of heaven and earth according to Peter; where they get
dissolved and are recreated by Almighty God. 

12.	So, the voice that is speaking at this time is a voice that
understands what Bro. Branham told us, “The Millennium is simply a
place of further sanctification.” We are like Abraham looking for the
City, and, if you miss this voice, you miss the City. Now you can say
what you want. But, let’s understand this: God told Abraham where to
go, and Abraham was looking for a city; and there’s only one way that
Abraham could possibly know he’d arrived, and that is because God
would have told him. Understand what I’m saying. We’re not babies.
We know the way Scripture works and where the laws of God are.

13.	All right now, It says:

(27)	And this word, Yet once more (it) signifieth the removing of those
things that are shaken, as of things which are made, that those things
that cannot be shaken may remain.

(28)	Wherefore we (receiving) a kingdom which cannot be moved.

	And, you’ll notice, starting with the Millennium, there is no moving.
There is a time of sanctification; or further setting apart, because, at
the end of the Millennium comes the White Throne Judgment, comes all of
those in the Second Resurrection that are serpent seed, whose names
never were on the Book or taken off of the Book; but taken off and
judged out of the books. Those ones will rise up with the body
commensurate with their part in the Resurrection, which will not be
destroyed, until God wants them destroyed in the Lake of Fire. Those
will rise up against God and His people. They’ll be shaken down.

14.	Now I know people don’t like what I am saying. They say this is
muddly-puddly stuff. That’s fine by me. It’s just as clear as
crystal, God Himself. You know why? Because it’s by faith. I don’t
have a bit of trouble with it. 

(28)	We receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, (Notice the
progression.) let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably
with reverence and godly fear: 

(29)	For our God is a consuming fire. 

	And that takes place in Malachi 4, immediately after the visitation of
Elijah, which people reject. The Tribulation sets in, three and a half
years, and the Bride goes to a millennium. Now, that’s what you’re
looking at. 

15.	Now, all of these scriptures which we have read, all of this in
communication, all of this, where God is making Himself absolutely known
to the people, is told exactly how it comes to pass in Dt 18:15-22. And
I don’t know why people don’t believe it.

	That’s why I have no use for organization. I don’t care who the
person is: He could be the archbishop of Canterbury; he could be the
pope; he could be the metropolitan of the Greek orthodox; he could be
the president of any denominational protestant church. I don’t care
two bits for him, because he is lying in his teeth, when he tries to
give you a revelation in this hour, because the book in this hour is
“all tables are full of vomit.” And from the time of Paul, darkness
came in, until there’s utter darkness at the end time, and the church
is so taken up with its fantasy of being what it is not, It says
“We’re rich increased in goods; we don’t lack a thing.” 

	And God says, “You’re wretched; you’re miserable; you’re blind;
you’re naked.” 

	Now, what are you going to do? Come on, look it over. Who are you going
to chose: the metropolitan, the pope, the archbishop, or some president?
Well, if you want to burn, you burn. That’s you’re business. Every
one of these people says they believe the Bible, but they’re liars.
They believe It to con you. They use the Bible to con you. Now, let’s
find out what God said. He’s not a conning artist.

16.	Moses says here in Dt 18:15:

(15)	The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst
of thee…

(16)	According to all that thou desirest of the Lord thy God in Horeb in
the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the
Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die
not.

	Now, they said that in Ex 20:18-22, when Moses came back from the
mountain, where they had seen God in a pillar of fire on mount Sinai,
had heard the thunderings and the rumblings, had felt the earth tremble,
and knew that they were in imminent danger of destruction; they said,
“Moses, we don’t want to see, we don’t want to hear, we want
nothing to do with God, except by a mediator. You go up there and tell
Him, and see if He will accept it.” 

	And God said, “They have well-spoken what they have spoken. That’s
the way it’s going to be from now on.” 

17.	Now, let me tell you one thing. Why do you believe this Bible, if
you don’t believe that? Now, let’s find out if you’re liars this
morning. I don’t think that anyone’s a liar here in this building,
but I’ve got to preach this way. It’s my job to cast it out and see
what you’re going to do with it; to check your faith, to check what
you really believe. Can you really take this?

	“Oh,” they say, “Well, the point is that this refers to Jesus.”


	I’ve got news for you: it doesn’t just refer to Jesus. It refers to
everybody that’s called a prophet.

18.	(17)	The Lord said unto me, They have well spoken what they have
spoken.

(18)	I’ll raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto
thee, and I’ll put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them
all that I command him.

	Now, that has nothing to do with a man’s mind; nothing to do with the
man’s mind. In other words this is going to be devious and tricky;
open your mouth at your own expense. Let’s find out if the
metropolitan, the pope, and the archbishop can do it (or anybody else).

(20)	But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name,
(And that’s what these people are. They’re prophets to the people.)
which I have not commanded him to speak, or shall speak in the name of
other gods, even that prophet shall die.

(21)	And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which
the Lord hath not spoken? (Now, listen; here’s the little catch:)

(22)	When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing
follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not
spoken, but the prophet spoke it presumptuously: thou shall not be
afraid of him. (You don’t listen.)

	In other words the man comes with “THUS SAITH THE LORD,” and
that’s the key for you to sit up and listen.

19.	All right, tell me who’s got it. Do you know that no prophet was
without it? And Paul the apostle himself had it. And he said, you know,
from Jerusalem to Illiricum everybody knew my ministry, vindicated of
God. He never came and said “Listen, you people, I’m going to tell
you something, some philosophy.” 

	You know, I get lots of magazines, because I’m a bit of a nut. You
know that I like Bro. Branham because he was a bit of a nut, too. He
didn’t mind looking into anything, because he was afraid of nothing.
People are so scared. You read a book called East-West, which is a
health magazine, full of Hindu baloney, theosophy; nothing but eastern
baloney sliced western style. That’s all. And, if it’s over in
Greece, you put in pita bread. It’s the same junk. But, you know, I
look at all that stuff. I read all that stuff, and I am amazed at the
people that are constantly suckered. I mean s-u-c-k-e-r-e-d; not
‘helped’, as in s-u-c-c-o-r-e-d, perhaps. That’s helping somebody.
It’s a word nobody uses. We use the vernacular, ‘sucker’: you’re
suckered. 

	And, you know, somebody comes and says, “Well, you know, I heard
something last night. I was wakened up, a tap on my shoulder, and I’m
telling you, this person appeared to me.” 

	And you believe the thousands that follow that stupid idiot? 

	You say, “You shouldn’t talk like that.” 

	I was born to talk this way. Don’t tell me how to talk. That I should
be so sweet, as to just say, ‘stupid idiot’; you should marvel at,
[Congregation laughs.] because God’s going to throw them in the Lake
of Fire. Don’t think for one minute He’s not.

20.	Listen. They will write books, and thousands, if not millions, will
follow them. And some slight-of-hand artist, for years, has been down in
Trinidad and these places, and he’ll stop his car while you’re
driving with him. Oh, he’s such a wonderful guy; he’ll stop at a
little sand pile. And, while you’re looking, he’ll muddle his hands
in a bit of sand, and pretty soon, bring out a little image of Buddha. A
little slight of hand. And they’ll be suckered and say, “Well, he
created it.” 

	I want you to understand what I’m saying this morning. People will
believe anything but the Word of God. And those who claim they believe
the Word of God and stand in a preeminent position are the biggest liars
of all, because they’ll stand and tell you things in the face of a man
that is vindicated: “Oh, no, he’s got to be wrong.” 

	Now, I’m telling you how God communicates. 

	And the same God that communicated in these prophets and said,
“I’ll put my Words in his mouth.” Not in his head; “in his
mouth.” So the prophet prophesying could actually be hearing himself
at the same time you are hearing Him, and he would only be aware of it,
many times, no sooner than you are. Now, that’s not the way it
happened all the time, but that’s an example of how it could actually
happen. All right.

21.	This is why the elders of Israel came to John. They understood
prophets, and they understood what Moses said, that ‘Messiah would be
a prophet Messiah,’ and they said to John the Baptist, “Hey, are you
the Messiah?”

	And he said, “No, I am not the Messiah.”

	And you can find it in John 1. And I’ll try to read as fast as I can,
because I got a lot of notes here. John 1:19-23: 

(19)	And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and
Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you?

(20)	And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the
Christ.

(21)	And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? He said I am not.
Are you that prophet? (See now, notice how they were cross-examining.
See. They said, “Are you Messiah. Are you that prophet?” coming
right back, because Messiah and that prophet are one and the same
thing.) He (said) No.

(22)	(They) said, “Who are you? (We’ve got to) give an answer to
(those) that (have) sent us.) 

(23)	(And) he said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make
straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Elijah. (I’m just a
little part of the word that’s being manifested. But the whole word is
going to be manifested shortly one of these days.) 

22.	Over here now, in Jn 5:46, notice what Jesus said: “For if you
would’ve believed Moses, you would have believed me, for he wrote of
me.” Now, there you are. In other words, back in the first five books
is the seed of the entire Bible for all ages. It’s all in there; types
and shadows. You can’t find one thing… 

	You say, “What about these things in the New Testament?”

	They are merely the elaboration of what lay in there. In fact, Genesis
is your seed book, and from that point on, it is elaboration. And
Revelation tells you what happened to it. 

	Now, Jesus, the great communicator, had to be a prophet. Notice in Jn
5:19:

(19)	Then Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto
you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do:
for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the son likewise.

(20)	For the Father loves the son, and shows him all things that himself
doeth: and he will show him even greater works than these, that you may
marvel.

	Now you notice what Jesus is saying in here. Now, what is he saying?
He’s telling the people this: ‘Positively, that exactly everything I
do and say, I have no knowledge of it of myself, but it is actually God
moving and working in me.’ In other words, God communicating in this
particular manner. Then, notice also over here in Jn 14:10, and we read
this so many, many times; but, look at It:

(10)	Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?
the words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself: but the Father,
that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

	Now, he says here there’s somebody doing in me and through me. What
you are looking at, you are seeing and hearing, which positively is not
of myself. Believe me, that I am in the father and the father in me, or
else believe me for the very works’ sake.

23.	Now, listen. That’s exactly what the Bible through Moses
concerning the prophets. You would not be led astray, if you watch what
the prophet was doing. And, when you saw what he was doing was exactly
according to what God Himself was saying, “THUS SAITH THE LORD”,
(And God is a God of integrity, see.) then, you would understand and
know.

24.	Now, since we read Jn 14:10-11, we must note carefully that these
two scriptures fulfill absolutely Dt 18:20-23 to perfection. He said,
“The prophet’s going to come, that man is going to talk, and you
challenge him. And the challenge will be answered. Can this man produce
a manifestation in the name of the Lord? Then, if he can and does,
that’s the man you listen to. That’s the man you fear.” Why?
Because God’s Word is in His mouth.

	What has the church ever produced, but murder? Come on, it’s a
perfect example right over in Ireland. Catholics and the Protestants
engaged in killing each other. Isn’t it stupid? Because neither one
has anything. You ever see two people kill each other for a meal they
don’t have? 

	“Well, I thought he had a meal.” 

	“Well, I thought he had a meal.” 

	“Why did you hold that guy?” 

	“Cause I thought he had a dollar.” 

	“Why did you knife him?” 

	“Cause I thought he had a dollar?” 

	Let the Protestants and the Catholics meet. Let’s see if they have
the things of God. Find the man amongst them who can say “THUS SAITH
THE LORD.” Well, of course, they can’t find him. And you’ll never
find a man like that, unless God appoints him and raises him up. So,
what happens? They haven’t got enough brains to stop the arguing,
because the argument’s in vain. It’s religiosity. It’s not
spiritual whatsoever. If you don’t believe it, what’s happened to
America since the Irish came over here. 

	You say, “Well, wasn’t Brother Branham Irish? 

	Part. Part Indian. But, look at what’s happened. I’m not fussing
against the Irish as though they haven’t got anything. Saint Patrick
was an Irishman, whatever he was. Well, he wasn’t an Irishman. He came
from Europe. The point is this: what I’m looking at is to show you how
people, positively, have no thoughts whatsoever as to how a dispute is
settled, as to what is the true worship of God. Now, God said right
here: He said in His Book.

25.	Now, let’s look at this thing here. God is the Great Communicator
through Jesus Christ, the Lord, And you notice, He had a two-fold
communication, according to Scripture. One was works, and one was
speech. And, in Acts 1, It speaks about Jesus, who went about doing
good. It tells you that He did the works of God, and he spoke. That’s
exactly what Jesus Himself had said. He said, “See, I do the works;
therefore, you listen to me.” 

	Now, when God has a prophet, it is always the same thing. When He
doesn’t need a prophet, it just keeps moving, until there’s that
juncture. But, when He has to bring him back, He brings him back by a
prophet. And then, He starts the wheels moving over again in the proper
direction. And that’s what we read in Jn 14:10-11. He said, “Listen
to me. I have done the works. Then, why don’t you believe what I am
saying?” And he said, “If you believe what Moses wrote about me, God
is going to raise up a prophet that does the works; therefore, has the
Word, You would understand that I am that one.” 

26.	Isn’t it wonderful how we look back, and we say, “Well, he’s
the one. How come Israel missed him?” 

	I want to ask you a question: If William Branham was indeed the
prophet, we believe him to be, and he had “THUS SAITH THE LORD”
hundreds and hundreds of times, never one time a failure; if time goes
on, (And it’s not going to.) but at the White Throne the question will
come up. That’s a thousand years from now; two thousand years of
questions from Jesus’ day. Why were they so foolish? They couldn’t
listen. It was right in the Word. And the same will arise at the White
Throne. Why did not these people listen? 

	You say, “Well, my church never even heard of it.” 

	You know why? Because your preachers wouldn’t allow it. Bro. Branham
talked to a Methodist one day. That man said, “Well, why do you go to
the Pentecostals?” 

	“Well,” he said, “They’re the only ones who will have me.” 

	“Well,” the guy said, “You shouldn’t be going there”. 

	“Well,” he said “Will your church have me?” 

	He said, “No. I’d like it, but,” he said, “my church wouldn’t
allow it.” 

	Do you think for one minute the Catholic Church would allow a prophet
to stand up and say “THUS SAITH THE LORD”? You think any Protestant
church would allow it? Brother Branham ended up preaching in non-church
services. No church wanted him. That alone is a good sign of what it’s
all about.

27.	Listen. This is identical to Ex 4:1-9.

(1)	And Moses answered and said, But behold they will not believe me nor
hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared to
you.

	Now Moses knew that right away when God said, “You go on down and
lead them out. Tell them I appeared to you in a burning bush. Tell them
I am Jehovah and the time is at hand.” And the Lord said Moses knew
they wouldn’t listen. He intuitively, spiritually, knew that he had to
have something more than just talk about what had happened to him. So,
God said, “What’s in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” 

(3)	Cast it (down) on the ground. He (threw) it on the ground, and it
became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. (It attacked him. It’s a
good thought.) 

(4)	And the Lord said to Moses, Put forth your hand, and take it by the
tail. (Not by the head.) He put forth his hand, and caught it, and it
became a rod in his hand: 

(5)	That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, had appeared unto thee.


(6)	And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy
bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out,
behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 

(7)	He said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand
into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it
was turned again as his other flesh. 

(8)	And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither
hearken to the voice of the first sign, they will believe the voice of
the latter sign.

	In other words, there is no end to the signs that will come forth, if
they have to come forth. In the case of Israel, two signs will do it. In
the case of Egypt, no sign will do it. Do you hear what I said? No sign
will do it. They will die.

(9)	And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two
signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shall take of the water
of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou
takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

	And right on down the line. But they would not listen. 

28.	All right now. The sad part of this is Ex 7:10-13. Let’s take a
look at It.

(10)	And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the
Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and
before his servants, and it became a serpent. 

(11)	Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the
magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their
enchantments. 

(12)	For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but
Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. 

(13)	And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them;
as the Lord had said.

	Now, what is so sad about this? Egypt was controlled by a false
religious system, wherein the clergy allied themselves with government
power and could actually perform feats of power that God Himself
allowed. The devil did not do by those magicians. God did it. He allowed
it. If you doubt it, let’s find out from the New Testament how this is
exactly true. Let’s go to Acts 2. On the day of Pentecost they were up
there being full of the Holy Ghost. They were prophesying, and it was a
marvelous time. 

	And the people said, “What is this going on anyway? [Acts 2:15] 

(15)	These are not drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is the third hour
of the day. 

(16)	But this is that spoken by the prophet Joel;

(17)	And it shall come to pass in the last days, said God, I will pour
my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall
dream dreams.

29.	Now, I want to tell you something: He is prophesying concerning the
last day, not concerning that day. They said, “What is this going on? 

	He said, “I’m going to tell you. You are seeing at Pentecost what
is going to happen at the end of 2000 years; just before the
Millennium.”

	Now, notice; God said, “I’ll pour my spirit upon
a-double-l—all—flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.
Your young men shall see visions. Your old men shall dream dreams. And
on my servants and handmaids, I will pour out in those days, and they
shall prophesy”.

	In other words, you have two groups of people with the same
anointing—the same Holy Ghost upon them—and one of God and one not
of God.

	You say, “How in the world can that be?” 

	It’s easy as A-B-C, because all power is of God. There is no power
that is not of God. Any power that is not of God is only the power of
God prostituted. That’s exactly all that there is to it. Because there
is no power that is not of God. It’s just a matter of what you do with
it. In other words, perversion.

30.	Now, let’s find out if I’m still speaking the truth or not. We
go to 2 Timothy 3, and It tells you this categorically:

(1)	Know this, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 

(2)	For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 

(3)	Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 

(4)	Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers
of God;

(5a)	Having a form of godliness…

	There you are. You mean that bunch of filth right there can actually
have a form of godliness? Homosexuals ordained in churches; women
preachers. Isn’t it strange that the Catholic Church is the only one
that is holding true outside of a few of us? Even Jews are ordaining
women rabbis. What a mess! I wish that the Catholic Church had more than
that in its favor. But, at least it’s got that. And they’ve got some
other things too; because they started out right. There’s nothing that
they don’t have that they didn’t start out right with. But after
2000 years...come on, after 2000 years, it’s all over. Every table’s
full of vomit. Now:

(5b)	But denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (In other words
they deny the true authority and power, even though themselves have
power and authority which has been allowed of God and is perverted.
Absolutely.)

(6)	For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive
silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts; 

(7)	Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

32.	Now, “As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses.” There’s your
church under the corrupt government alliance. And, remember; the Church
of Rome was the one that allied itself with the government, and every
Protestant church that has come out of her has done the same thing. And,
if the time comes, which I don’t believe it will, those that believe
this message will have allied themselves with the government also. And
when you do, you’re finished, because then the government talks
instead of God. How could you have a prophet raised up from amongst you?
He’d have to come from the outside, because the churches are
absolutely bound. And the minute anybody tries to fight them, they can
go right to the courts and get a decision. The courts are getting more
and more involved in everything. 

	“As Jannes and Jambres, so these men resist the truth.” What were
Jannes and Jambres doing? By the legitimate signs and wonders, by the
prostituted power of God, they came against the truth. What are the
Pentecostals doing today? What are the Lutherans doing? The same people
that fought the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues, have accepted it.
Romanism accepts it. There isn’t anybody who hasn’t accepted it
today. And it’s right in the churches: ‘resisting the truth’.
These men can not speak in the name of the Lord. They merely come with
gifts and signs and wonders, which are allowed of God. They have corrupt
minds; reprobate concerning the faith, and they will proceed no further,
for their folly shall be made manifest unto all, as theirs was back
there. In other words it will end in death. As the true church of God
leaves this land, they will all end back there in death.

33.	Now, let’s go back to Exodus 7.

(1)	And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to
Pharaoh: (Now, watch:) And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made
thee a god unto Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. 

(2)	Thou shall speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother
shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children out of the land.

	Now, notice what’s going on there. Now, with that you’re going to
go to verse 10.

(10)	And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the
Lord had commanded.

	And Aaron cast down the rod that Moses gave him, that God originally
used through Moses. And He said, “Look you are no longer a prophet;
you have become god.” Well, not many people want that. They think
I’m deity, because I press that. All right. It was Aaron’s rod now,
though it was Moses’. Now, Aaron becomes the mouthpiece, and you’ll
notice that Moses becomes god. Now, on the other side of the fence sits
Pharaoh, and he is god. Right? And the priesthood is the prophet. 

34.	So, what are you seeing? You’re seeing here where God and the
devil come to grips at the time of the Exodus, which we’re looking at.
You are seeing 2 Thessalonians; so, you might as well go to It. 2
Thessalonians 2:3-4:

(3)	Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come,
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,
the son of perdition;

(4)	Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or
that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing
himself that he is God.

	There’s your Pharaoh. So, you’re going to have another man just
like him in Babylon. Okay. Let’s go to Revelation 13. I’m not going
to read the whole thing, because it’s just too much. Let’s look at
verse 4.

(4)	And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and
they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? and able
to make war with him? 

(5)	And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and
blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty two months.

	Now, where did he get that power?

	You say, “Well, he got it from the devil.”

	Where did the devil get it? He’s only a created being. All power is
of God. All things are pure to the pure in heart. There is nothing evil
of itself. That is all Scripture.

(6)	And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His
name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

	Who today calls upon saints to pray for them? 

	You say, “Catholics.” 

	I think the Anglicans do, too. There’s Protestants involved in this
too. In fact, I’m going to tell you: people even pray to a rabbit’s
foot or a horseshoe if they thought it would work. And they call it
Christianity. And they celebrate Christmas, and deny the Communicator. 

35.	Look what happens further to this church. Revelation 18:1-4:

(1)	After these things I saw another mighty messenger come down from
heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 

(2)	And He cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great
is fallen and become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every
foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 

(3)	For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with
her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance
of her delicacies. 

(4)	And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my
people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of
her plagues.

	Now, listen. That voice comes from heaven. I got news for you: God
doesn’t send angels down to talk to men. They don’t come down and
bring the Gospel. God’s got to have a prophet on earth at that time.
Why? Because that’s what He ordained. The people wanted it. The people
got it.

	When the people wanted Reagan, they got Reaganomics. I don’t think
it’s all too bad, except he really boo-booed when he called himself a
born-again man, and then he let them join house to house, and land to
land, which is the criminal sin at the end time, where men lose their
jobs. You know that. And the Bible’s on the side of the men who lose
their jobs. 

	So, don’t think capitalism is going to work. Capitalism is a lie from
hell, the same as Communism is. Gorbachev will be forced, as he’s
forced now—and the rest—to come into a capitalistic system which is
nothing but God-knows-what. I can’t describe it. It can’t be Nazism
because that’s gone under communism. But it’s going to be a world
church social order that is built on a lie. There’s no way out of it.

36.	Listen. Jesus had like problems as Moses, because of a false worship
allied to the Roman government, which was in Jerusalem. Just like Moses,
he wanted to bring the people out. He wanted to start his church, and he
did. But, look at the opposition. Now, come on. Let’s go back and see
what Jesus thought of these people. But before we do, let me read you
out of Romans 9, where Paul says what Israel had, according to their
heritage in Abraham, which they forsook.

(1)	I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me
witness in the Holy Ghost, 

(2)	That I have great sorrow and heaviness of heart. 

(3)	I could wish myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my
kinsmen according to the flesh: 

(4)	Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, the glory, the
covenants, the giving of law, the service of God, and the promises; 

(5)	Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ
came.

	All right. What did Jesus talk about these fellows over here? Matthew
23: I’m not going to read the whole thing. I can’t do it. But he
called them hypocrites. “Woe unto you Scribes, Pharisees,
hypocrites.” Listen; the Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Herodians, and
I suppose, the Essenees, for all I know, formed a council under the
Sanhedrin that allied itself to Rome that you wouldn’t stand for
anything; you stood in their way. So, when Jesus came on the scene, he
called them Pharisees and hypocrites, white sepulchers that appear to
men beautiful on the outside, full of dead men’s bones, full of
uncleanness—outwardly appear righteous; inwardly are hypocrites. They
build the tombs of the prophets, garnish the sepulchers of the
righteous, and turn down and destroy at that moment what God sent to
them.

37.	Now the Catholic Church venerates Saint Joan of Arc. They called her
a witch and burned her. Now, they take the bones of the priests that did
it, and dig them up and scatter them, and say, “Look, we’re jolly
good fellows. We wouldn’t have done it. Now they say, “Let me tell
you, if Pope John XXIII…” (The one they loved so much, the little
shepherd guy.) They said, “If he’d have been the pope instead of
Leo, Luther would still be in our church.” 

	And, what about the Protestants? They burned a man at the stake:
Servitus, under Calvin. Protestants. They think nothing of gutting you
and burning you at the stake. They think nothing of it. They think
nothing of joining and causing wars. Nope, no problem at all. Scribes,
Pharisees, hypocrites, whole bunch. He said:

(33)	You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the
damnation of hell?

	Rich, increased with goods, don’t lack a thing. We’re wonderful.
Now, what He says in here is based upon John 10, where Jesus defended
himself and talked of his ministry, and said this: “I am indeed of
God, the true shepherd, the one that God sent. I want to communicate to
the sheep. Why do you want to kill me and stop the communication?” 

38.	Now, here’s what I’m coming to in our lesson. I want to close
quickly as I can; which I never know when I’m going to close. God, as
a communicating God, has had to have a spokesman between Himself and
man. That man is a mediator. God used Jesus just as He used all the
other prophets. He gave them to the people to plead with the people to
turn back to God, as It says in Hos 2:1, where God pleads with Israel,
as His wife, to return. 

	Now, Jesus knows positively, these people will not return to him. So,
in chapter 21, he gives them a parable in verses 34-36, and he talks of
a man who had a lot of servants, and he had this great vineyard, and
everything else. So, when it’s time to receive the fruit, he sent a
person there to gather the fruit; and the people just beat him up and
killed him. So, he sent another one, and they did the same thing.
Finally, he sent his son, (speaking of Jesus Christ himself) and he
said, “This is my son. They’ll reverence my son when I send him.” 

	And, what did the people say? They said, “Well, this is the heir.
Let’s kill him, and we’ll own the vineyard. We’ll take it over.”


	That’s what Jesus said Israel was doing to him. But they didn’t
take it over. Titus came and destroyed them. The very one they were
allied with, Rome, turned on them and destroyed them.

39.	So, you’ll find antichrist will turn on everybody who does not
take his diabolical religion. And there’ll be unknown numbers of
foolish virgin massacred. Now, that’s what’s coming on the earth.
You can say what you want, but that’s the Bible. This is by vindicated
prophesy, not by something Lee Vayle is talking. Now, for 2000 years we
have celebrated Isa 9:6-7.

(6)	Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: the government be
upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, (so on,) The Prince of Peace.

	We have envisioned perfect peace and perfect unity under Christ, as in
Isa 65:17-25, when the lamb lies down with the wolf; when we are all in
the presence of God. But men forget only too well, the steely and
critical truth of Gal 5:19-31, where It is spoken: there are two types
of religion, two Jerusalems. One is from below, which is the wisdom of
Satan, which is the Word and Life perverted; and the one which is from
above. And many more are the children of the desolate, which is Haggar.
She doesn’t have a husband; she’s simply a girl friend, so to
speak—a little mistress. She plays fast and loose with men, with the
preachers.

	I wouldn’t let some people in this pulpit if you paid me money.
You’d have to cut my head off. The church has played fast and loose.
They care not who comes amongst them and breathes the spirit...and
torture children unto damnation, instead of by the truth of the living
God. And he said, “Many more are the churches full of the illegitimate
than the churches which have anything of truth and reality and are born
unto Almighty God. Read It for yourselves. It’s Gal 5:19-31. And the
reason from that comes Revelation 13, where America literally builds an
image to the antichrist.

40.	Yes, Christmas has always typed communication. I hope you’re
reading between the lines because you know how I preached this over the
years...people getting together because of the name and the historicity
of Jesus, but not because of the truth. Over here in Mt 24:28, It says
here:

(28)	For wheresoever the carcass is, the eagles will be gathered
together.

	That word, in the Greek, is ‘toma’, which means ‘ptomaine’.
Over there in the book of Lk 17:37, the gathering together over the
carcass, that word is ‘soma’, which means ‘healthy’. So,
therefore, there are two gatherings together. The Bible speaks of it:
the gathering of the illegitimate, the big church, and the gathering of
the Bride. And, remember; the Bride, the true church, will be
infinitesimal in size, as compared to the big one; whereas millions will
miss it—billions. Only a few will go in.

41.	The whole world and the church are coming together. It says so in
Isa 54:15, (“They will gather, but the gathering will be not of
me.”) and Rev 19:17, Rev 20:7-9, speaks of God gathering the nations
together. And they’ll be gathered together for Armageddon; then, for
destruction. They’re coming together. That’s exactly right. The
ecumenical system’s bringing everybody together. There are no
Catholics. There are no Greek Orthodox. There are no Protestants
anymore. It’s all one great big hodge-podge. And I can find so much
good, and see so much good, in the Roman Catholic Church; and see so
much rottenness in the Protestant. And, turn around, and see opposite.

	You say, “What about the people you belong to?”

	I see nothing but Christ. I don’t make them Christ. I see nothing but
His Word, and I’m depending on It. I’m not depending upon works or
what some man made a promise. I’m depending on a prophet who had
“THUS SAITH THE LORD.”

42.	Listen. I lived with him; I ate at the same dinner table; I slept in
the same motel; I talked for hours to that man. I saw him many years.
There wasn’t one mistake at any time. All was “THUS SAITH THE
LORD”; it came to pass. Why did they not listen? Because they did not
have ears to hear. Just like at the time of Israel. They hadn’t it
then. They don’t have it even now. It has been, and it always will be,
the Spirit of Christ, and the spirit of antichrist. There were twins in
the Garden of Eden. There were two trees, as twins, in the Garden of
Eden. And there always will be the true vine and the false vine. And, as
the end comes, at the very end, the two spirits will be so close
together. Why? Because originally it was the same Spirit. It will be so
close. There’ll be the false and the true.

	But, listen; the spirit of antichrist: twins, opposing forces, and the
world will take the false, as it took Barabbas, the thief, over Christ,
the Good Shepherd. Now, remember; Jesus said, “The thief cometh but to
steal and to destroy,” and they took a thief. 

43.	Christendom celebrates the birth of the Great Communicator, Who was
the Word made manifest. But, do they know what they are doing? And, do
they believe the truth, or welcome and receive the lie? Just before the
Resurrection and the Rapture, the Bible said, “The Lord Himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, the voice of the archangel, the trump
of God. And that will be fully fulfilled in Rev 10:1-7, where a prophet
will be standing on the earth because the Bible, in Rev 10:7, says “He
is a prophet.” But I want to ask you a question. Who is going to
listen?

44.	Now, what am I trying to tell you? Get right down to the
nitty-gritty. Get right down to the truth, brother/sister. Get this
flat. The people of the world today have already judged themselves, by
celebrating Christmas, the birth of the Great Communicator, and
nobody’s listening. Nobody’s listening. By the grace of God, no more
Christmas sermons. [Bro. Vayle rips up his notes.] Not trying to be
dramatic; trying to show you something. It’s not in my notes. They
won’t listen. 

	Are you celebrating Christmas today and not listening? That’s the
question I ask of this church. Am I talking of his birth or refusing to
listen? They wouldn’t take the shepherd’s voice. They wouldn’t
take the wise men’s witness. They wouldn’t take the man himself.
And, are you going to tell me now that people are different? when my
Bible says the only difference is this: the degree and intensity of sin.
They believe ‘the lie’. To believe ‘the lie’, you’ve got to
turn down ‘the truth’. And there’s only one way to get the truth.
And that’s for God to send, at that juncture, a man like that, [Bro.
Vayle points at the picture of Bro. Branham.] with “THUS SAITH THE
LORD”. 

	You say “Well, Bro. Vayle, what if he fails?” 

	What have you got to offer me? People sit without a loaf of bread,
without a slice of bread, and they say to Lee Vayle with a slice of
bread, “Son, I’d be careful if I were you; because that bread could
contain arsenic.” 

	And, I say, “Watch me eat it. Starve, if you want, but I don’t
scare too easy.” 

	You think I’m bluffing? I’m not bluffing. Nnn, nnn. I’m not
bluffing at all.

45.	Christmas. The Great Communicator has communicated for the last time
to the Gentiles. The One Who said, “Behold, I stand at the door and
knock, and if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in
and communicate with him, sup with him, and he with me.” That’s
already happened. How long to the Resurrection? I don’t know; I
don’t know. It really doesn’t matter much. It doesn’t matter when
any more. It only matters one thing: will. It will! 

	Let’s rise and be dismissed.

	Heavenly Father, we want to thank you again for the privilege of being
in your house together with your people; people who believe of
like-mindness, who sit in the fear of your Word, which has been
vindicated. I know I haven’t been vindicated. What I say hasn’t been
vindicated. But I know one thing, Lord, when I speak those things which
a prophet said; I know it’s a vindicated Message. I know the Word
which has already come to pass and the Word which is in process of
coming to pass, and therefore, the Word which will also, now, thereby,
come to pass. And having received it, Lord, I wouldn’t know what else
to do.

	All I can say is: We stand here like Abraham of old, who in the face of
everything that was detrimental within himself and others, and the
entire universe, and all the laws of the universe, detrimental to him
receiving that promise, he stood right there and said, “God said
so.” And, Lord, I know it was by vindication. And I know you are a
God, Who is a vindicator. I know You’re a communicator. And I know
here, Lord, is where all of us standing here this morning in prayer, are
missing it; though we’re not missing it like everybody, the majority,
is missing it. We know it is true in the realm of that which has taken
place. We know it is true. But the truth has not struck home to our
hearts until everything else has been removed that must be shaken down
and moved, and the truth become victorious and all powerful—pervading,
animate, virile, progressive—until there’s not one atom in our
bodies that haven’t been turned into immortality by the grace and
truth through the Holy Ghost extended to us in this hour.

	And, we want to thank you for it, Lord, and we pray that there won’t
be one person in this building miss it. We know we don’t have to
understand it all, because we know so much is beyond understanding. But
we do know one thing, that your Word is vindicated. See what happens,
and listen to the communication. And, Father, we are trying to do that.
And, by your grace, Lord, we are doing it. It may not be too
satisfactory in many respects (the doing of it), but we know that the
Word of faith, that doesn’t fail. And, by Your grace, we’re all
going to make it.

	Heal the sick amongst us, Lord. Again, we pray for those who are very
ill, Lord. We know that some are. We think of Beth [Sleutz], especially,
there, and pray for her again, Lord. We’re believing that tide turns,
the power of God moving, constantly energizing, along with the life
within her, because we know that’s got to be there too, again, to
transform and turn that around, Lord, to be perfectly healthy again.

	So, bless Your people, Lord. Give them strength. And from this message,
Father, I pray, that whether we are serious or not, as we should be, we
will become very serious concerning the fact of this day, which we also
commemorate with all other Christians: the birth of Great Communicator
and the One, Who, in this last day, has communicated again and even now,
by His Own Spirit, amongst and within us, is bringing to life, this
Word.

	Now, unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be
all honor and power and glory through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

	The Lord bless you. 

	“Take the Name of Jesus with You.”