Mystery of Iniquity # 2

Bro. Lee Vayle - February 2, 1972  (Tucson Az)

		 

a.	…we had a long service this morning.  I was just telling Bro.
Harold coming down, I said, "I'm getting to the place where one good
service on a Sunday pretty well takes care of me."

	He said, "What do you mean?"

	"Well, (I said) I could preach three of four times a week, but (I mean)
on a Sunday even, but it's got where I'm kind of a firm believer, that
if you have one service you're just about had it."

	You know, the Bible speaks of a day of rest in commemoration of the
Lord finishing His work and resting on that day, of course He never did
get it. You know man sort of came in and messed the thing up for Him.
For He will get the seventh day, we'll all get it in the Millennium
that's for sure. But, I believe there should be a time of rest, and I'm
not going to try to start a new fad here, but I really believe that if
you don't rest on Sunday, you ought to rest on Saturday. And yet, nobody
seems to rest on Saturday anymore, and by the time we get to church on
Sunday, we make it one of the hardest days of the week. You know, I
don't mean any turmoil, I mean it's no big chore, but yet it is
exhausting. Many times, to get out and to buck traffic, and of course
there's a mental strain too by the time you get to church after bucking
some traffic and all; you just wonder what kind of shape you're in.

b.	To worship, you almost got to sing and sing quite a while to get sort
of settled down. I know it makes a difficult day, especially with me
around and I try to get as much in as I can, and rather than take a
little point at a time. Try to take many points, but I trust the Lord
will help us to get our thinking lined up and understanding. And a least
if we don't get a lot of rest in our body, we could get quite a bit of
rest in our minds on the grounds that we could add to our knowledge.
Because revelation and knowledge is a base of all faith. And if by grace
we're saved through faith, and we have a perfect faith based upon a
perfect revelation of the Word, you can see that that's bound to carry
us over. So, the more we study the Word, the better off we're going to
be. This little prayer you just sort of get you used to the idea we may
do a bit of digging, and just see what lies in the Scripture here.

	Now, this morning brought you the thought that the mysteries was the
revealed…they were           the revealed Word of God send down from
Heaven. And of course, someone has to bring It to us, and that was
brought to us at the end time by Bro. Branham. And remember also, he
said in 'The Anointed Ones in the End Time', I'm not… it wasn't
either, I think 'The Spoken Word is the Original Seed' [62-03-18] I
guess it was. He said, "At the end time messenger must plant the Seed of
the entire Bible from the serpent seed to the prophet in the former
rain. And of course, we know that serpent seed started the whole
problem. 

c.	And then if we're going to get the restoration of the Word, it would
take a prophet, and then he's got to bring us right into this former
rain, which is a re-sowing of the Word, according to the Book of Malachi
where It says, [Malachi 4:4] "Remember you Moses and remembering of
Moses upon Mount Horeb," was that God gave Moses the Word twice. And
remember that Moses received It twice. But, in the end time He specified
that Elijah would be the one to restore that Word.

	So, we've had the Word restored, and remember the two very difficult
things for people to accept at this end time is: 'serpent seed', and 'a
prophet' in the former rain. Now, they don't like accepting serpent
seed, because they want to think that Eve ate an apple. Well, that's
perfectly alright if they want to think that, they're wrong just the
same.

d.	And also, they don't like to accept the prophet. This of course is a
type of rebellion as seen in the time of Moses, Korah, Dathan and
Abiram, two hundred and fifty princes rising up against the messenger
who was vindicated to bring the Word. And so, this prophet would start
with the serpent seed, showing exactly where it all started, and then
bring us up to where it all gets rectified. 

	Now, if you don't believe how it all started, and you don't believe how
it gets rectified, you don't believe for nothing. (See?) That's right.
Because the Scripture says, "your faith is vain." [1 Corinthians 15:17]
You believe that God raised Jesus, and God raised Him not, then you make
God a liar and your faith is vain. (See?) Corrupt men of corrupt minds
with reprobate faith. That's the Scripture.

e.	And I remember years ago, years and years back when the Baptist were
preaching salvation. And you could almost go to any Baptist church
around and they preached a strong message on salvation. It was…I sort
of believed that if you went to any Baptist church, you automatically
believed right. And I found later on that they had men with these
funeral parlor director coats on, you know, directing a funeral service.
Because they were burying the church, there was no life there. Because
if you don't preach Christ and Him crucified and stick with the Word of
God, you're preaching a funeral sermon. You're not preaching the
Resurrection.

	I found out there were people who regardless of what their name was,
they're dead. That's what the Bible said, "You got a name that you live,
but you're dead." [Revelation 3:1b] There was a time when that name
signified life, and you certainly wouldn't be a basket without looking a
real reality. Yet, you wouldn't be a Methodist without endorsing that
which was real. And then when Pentecost came along, that was putting the
cap on the climax. And you had to be a little out of your mind to be
Pentecostal, if you had something real. Believe me, because (you know)
they were the 'holy rollers' of the hour, and I don't know that maybe
the Methodist were. It's evenly treated, and I suppose they were
actually if we lived back in their day we'd have found out. But, who was
more evenly treated than the Pentecostals?  And yet, they've got a name
now. And the name that they're living is death. (See?) I know it's hard
to reconcile this to what we would call the tenderness of the human
heart.

f.	And then we say, well we think of Scripture, "You being evil know how
to give good gifts, how much would your heavenly Father give the Holy
Ghost?" [Matthew 7:11] And we bring up things like that. And then we
say, "Now if we know how to be charitable, how much more charitable is
God?"  Well, Bro. Branham said, "He isn't any dotey old grandfather."
And He 's not, we have to stay with this Word. And so, the prophet came
planting the seed of the entire Bible. And if we believe that he was
that prophet, we believe that we have the entire seed.

	Now remember, that any seed sown by any man can fall on the ground and
die and stay dead. But you can't do that with the Word of God, because
no Word of God is void of power. And the Word of God is Spirit and Life,
Spirit, which is life. So, if that Word is sown this Word cannot fail to
return. And this Word cannot fail to bring forth that for which it was
sown. Now see, my word can fail, but God's Word can't fail.

g.	Say, "I man hope to exceed something." But God doesn't hope, He does.
(See?) And He doesn't depend upon man either to bring It to pass. God
stands behind His Own Word and brings It to pass. He just wants us to
believe it.

	Now, if we have the Word of the hour and we believe It, It's going to
bring forth what It's sown for. What's It's sown for? It's sown to take
a Bride right into the Rapture. It's not sown for a resurrection, I mean
for death and resurrection, that's already been sown. Now, you worry
about that. That's been sown for Six Church Ages. They've been dying,
and that Holy Spirit anointing in their lives, we're going to quicken
that, those mortal bodies bring them out of the dust. But, we're in a
different Age, we're in an Age where they're not going to die. I don't
know who's not going to die, as things get so thick around here you wish
you were dead. Maybe God will answer that for the majority of us. But,
you better believe there's going be some standing here that shall not
taste death. (See?)  Now, there's the Word of the hour for that. And
It's going to bring us right back to restoration. It's got to, got to
bring us right back. So, we thank the Lord for it.

h.	Now, I want to continue this morning as I mention these mysteries
now, and last Sunday night   I brought the 'Mystery of Iniquity', I want
to bring it from a new view point now. The last time we took a more or
less a sketch of it. Tonight, I want to deal with some of the words and
the thoughts that lie in this very thing that Paul said that's going to
take place. So, we just read It with a little better insight, and come
to a little better understanding. Now, before we read 2 Thessalonians,
let's bow our heads in prayer.

	Heavenly Father, again we come to You at this time with joy and
anticipation that even if Your Word was only read to the people, It
would accomplish great things. But, Lord, we know that Your Word has
been brought to us in a vindicated matter. And we know, Lord, wherein we
speak concerning these things. And now how much more precious It is,
Lord, as we begin the study about It in the light of what we have
already learned. So, help us at this time, my God, that not one Word
should be vain, which means to us, Lord, that It won't be the word of
man, but in truth the Word of Almighty God. And then It's really going
do something for us. So, inspire us, Lord, tonight by Your Holy Spirit,
and may we all be one in the Holy Spirit tonight, and we'll be careful
to give You the praise in Jesus' Name. Amen.  

1.	Now, looking at the Scripture here, in 2 Thessalonians. Now remember,
that this mystery of iniquity has a very early origin, because it
started way back in the days of John and Paul that antichrist spirit,
the white horse rider going forth in the First Age. And it started out
as an imitation of Christ. Now, if it starts out as an imitation, then
it will end as an imitation.

	Now, actually, remember Bro. Branham mentioned this antichrist's spirit
in the church, and it started out as a rider on a white horse with a
bow, but no arrows. In other words, he's a bluff. He's running a bluff,
and he's taking the place of Jesus Christ. But after he is able to get
into a man, and incarnate himself and take authority, he changed to a
red horse going back and bringing death. And then he changed to a black
horse; (that's number three) and then he changed to a horse that Bro.
Branham said, was all poured into one.

2.	Now, again Bro. Branham not knowing the Greek made a fabulous
statement. Because really, it's a brindle horse. And a brindle horse is
a horse that's been bread to many colors. And he turns out an old
brindle. So, we find at the end time everything is poured into one. So,
that's why Bro. Branham said there'd be a repeat of all diabolical
cunning in this end time horse and rider. So, what- ever…now remember,
the horse is a beast, and the beast is symbolical of a power, so
therefore, you've got a poured into. My that's ecumenicity in the
highest order, that's what is going to bring forth this old monstrous
thing that we're looking at.

	Now, I said awhile ago that starts way back in the of Paul and John,
and as we look back in history we can interpret a lot of things by the
fact of history. But there finally comes a day when you can't go by
history, you've got to go by an up to date revelation of the minute in
which you live, or you'll miss it, because you won't be prepared to
what's going on. And if you're not aware to what's going on you can be
taken in. (See?) Now, that's why the prophet came. He came in order to
make us absolutely aware of the hour of which we live, and this is it.
Don't care what anybody says, this is it. So, we've got to know about
this revelation of the antichrist. 

3. Now, I pondered my mind one time thinking it over, and I thought now,
Bro. Branham came and revealed the mystery of godliness, which he did,
and brought out the thought, or the truth by revealing the Word to us,
then why not the mystery of iniquity? Why not lay it bare? And he did
it. (See?) And we want to study this which we've been talking about in 2
Thessalonians [2:] 

		(1) 	Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus 			
		Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

		(2) 	That (you) be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by
						spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of
Christ 					is at hand.

	Now, just imagine if somebody came along said, "You know, I'll tell you
what, I'm absolutely aware by the Spirit of Almighty God that this thing
is happening now." 

	Paul said, "Now, that man's got a bad spirit." He hasn't got the Spirit
of Christ, because Paul said right here. He said, "Don't let anybody
tell you that they got something from the Holy Ghost, nor they got a
word, they got it by the Word, or they got some letter from us." He
said, "Because that man telling you it's wrong, because that day can't
happen now." He told him right there. You don't let anybody tell you
this is the hour and the day, because it's not. He said:

		(3) 	Let no man deceive you by any means: …

4.	Now remember, if any man deceive you by any means, it's the same
thing at the end time now, because every single means that the
antichrist has used to those three horses previously, is right now at
this time to deceive the people. (See?) No, anyway at all.

		(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 (exalts) himself above all that is called God, 	
				or that is worshipped; so that he as God (sits) in the temple of
God, 					shewing himself that he is God.

	Now, if you read that there, (I'll explain it later) that's one of the
best contradictions I've ever heard unless you know what we've talking
about.

		(5) 	Remember not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these 			
		things? (See?)

	 Don't run off, just…see, Paul said, "While I was with you I told you
these things, now I'm not with you, (he said) you're running deceived."

5.	Remember, when Bro. Branham was here we could go and ask our
questions, but what's happened since? People who run deceived. And they
are run deceived. Not judging anybody, just…let's look the thing in
the face. Not living in any fool's paradise. 

		(6) 	…now (you) know … that he might be revealed in 	his time.

      Not before his time.

		(7) 	For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: …

	Just like the spirit of adoption. The spirit of adoption was it
working? But, it couldn't happen until a certain time. Now, you've got
the Spirit and the antichrist that's working, working all the time. But,
you couldn't have this particular thing that's coming until now. (See?)
Working all through the Ages. That's proven over there in revelation.

		(8) 	… then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall
consume 					with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the
brightness of 					his coming:

		(9) 	Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all
power 					and signs and lying wonders,

		(10) 	And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that
perish; 					because they received not the love of the truth, that they
might be 						saved.

		(11) 	And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that
they 						should believe (the) lie:

		(12) 	That they all might be damned who believed not the truth,…in 	
				other words, brought into judgment, see?) but had pleasure in 					
unrighteousness.

6.	Now, this examines the truth for we can, and look at verses 7-8. 

		(7) 	For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he (that) now
						letteth (or hindereth will hinder to) be taken out of the way.

		(8) 	And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall
consume 					with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the
brightness of 					his coming.

	Now, you notice in here that this mystery of iniquity is manifested
finally in a man. As Bro. Branham said, "It's there in spirit form, then
it gets into a man, and then it's crowned. Then it takes a sword
shedding blood and it damns man's souls by doctrine, and it keeps on
riding until it pours the whole thing into one, and then rides out into
eternal destruction." It will be an embodiment of Satan for he works
exactly in Satan's way.

	Now, how did Satan work in the day of Jesus? Jesus said concerning
Judas, "One of you is diablos," or, one of you is the devil.  I know the
King James Version translates it wrong, by saying one of you is a devil.
But Jesus did not say that. He said, "One of you is the devil." [Jn
6:70] Now, how did Judas become the devil? Because he was born. It was
an incarnation.

7.	The Scripture says that, "After Jesus gave him the sop and he took
it. (then It says) the devil entered into him." And it was, the devil
entering into him and in a religious form, (see?) with politics and
force, destroyed Jesus Christ. Now remember, the Bride is His Body. And
the same thing will be attempted to be perpetrated upon the Bride. Now,
he's going to be literally embodied in a human being.

	Now, notice also, (secondly) that this mystery is related to the Coming
of the Lord. Now, let's look at that. Paul says here, [ 2 Thessalonians
2:] 

		(1) 	Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus 			
		Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

		(2) 	That (you) be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by
						spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of
Christ 					is at hand.

	Now, if you're wise, you'll just take your pencil and you'll stroke out
that word 'Christ', and you put the word 'Jehovah' in there, because
that's what It is. Now, who's coming? 	

	They say, "Jesus is Coming."

	I say, "He is not Coming, Jehovah is Coming." They're both right, but
they don't want to admit it’s, Jehovah and I will. It's the day of
'Jehovah'. And the day of the antichrist, and the day of Jehovah are
related. Now, the day of Jehovah, (and we get this from the Septuagint,
that's our best source) is the day of battle when God defeats Israel's
enemy. 

8.	Now, let's go back and just take a look at the day of Jehovah. Okay,
Jeremiah 46:10, would be a good place to start, and we'll just run a few
references. 

		(10) 	For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of
vengeance, 						that he may avenge … his adversaries: … 

	Now, you know the original adversary was the devil. Now, you've got
adversaries that have been equated, or identified with the enemy.

		(10)	…and the sword shall devour, and it shall … satiate and made
drunk 					with their blood: (and) the Lord GOD of hosts hath a
sacrifice in 						the north country by the river Euphrates.

	Now, of course what happened is they turned down the only way of escape
at the end time, and crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh. 
Now, why was Christ crucified? In order to be a sacrifice, or a
propitiation. Now, turn that right around in Hebrews 6: and you've got
your hope built upon Hebrews 6: the end time Message. (See?) They turned
It down, to crucified the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open
shame. [Heb  6:6b] 

9.	Now, this is the day of the Lord God of host, a day of vengeance that
He may avenge Himself of His adversary. God bringing swift retribution
for all that do, those who have turned Him down. And remember, the Bible
says in Acts, that if you turn Him down, and all that do will not listen
to Him, will be utterly destroyed from amongst the people.

	All right, and just remember now people are looking for the day of
Christ. But, you're looking for the day of Jehovah. Now, how do you get
the day of Jehovah? That's when He brings vengeance, but remember, He
starts to bring vengeance by his descent to the Marriage Supper of the
Lamb. So, the day of Christ, the day of Jehovah, the day of Jesus is all
one and the same thing. But, what becomes the day of vengeance in the
great tribulation, brother/sister, the Bride will have been gone.
Because the starting of that day of His decent will see our Rapture to
be caught up to be with the Lord Jesus Christ.

10.	Now, let's go to Isaiah 2:12

		(12) 	For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is
						proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he
shall 						be brought low:

		(13) 	And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, (and all the) high and
lifted up,					 and upon all the oaks of Bashan,

	Now look, you read that through and you're going to find just one
thing. You're going to find that this Age is comparable to the Age of
John the Baptist. When God made all the high things low, and the low
things high, equaling and leveling. But when you go to Revelation
3:14-22, you are in the Gentile period, where they say, "We're rich, and
we don't need a thing." And He said, "Not only is that not true, but (He
said) you're wretched and miserable, and naked and blind. (See?)  You've
got the same thing here. The day of God coming in the Laodicean Church
Age period.

	Now remember, there never was an Age when people said, "We're rich and
increased in goods, and lack nothing."  It's only this Age. And you've
got it right in the church. Because the churches are fomenting
[inciting] insurrection against the government. Because they say, "Look,
you got the ability to produce for the masses, now produce or we'll
annihilate you." There never was an Age that could say that, because
there never was an Age that had the technology. You got it right now.
(See?) There's a picture again.

11.	Also notice in the Book of Acts 2:20 about this day. So, let's get
the earmarks, see what it is and get the earmarks on it. 

		(20) 	The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, 
					before the great and notable day of the Lord come:

	Now, you know that's the great tribulation. And what's it going to
bring? It's going to bring about the day of the Lord. In other words,
the vengeance of our God. (See?) At which culminates in the battle of
Armageddon when God fights for and liberates Israel. Remember in
Zachariah, "this is our God and He will save us," which He does. And
then when He saves them, He shows them His hand. And I believe this is
when the period…the atonement of mourning comes in, reveals Himself as
Who He was. And He says, "These are the wounds that I received in the
house of my friends." [Zech 13:6]

	Now remember, at this time the Bride is already Raptured. We're showing
you pictures of what's going on, what's got to take place. What's going
on, is this Laodicean period of proud loftiness, where men were
increased goods, and we don't lack a thing. All we need to do is get the
government to distribute the goods. But the government doesn't have a
heart, because the government has always been run by the rich. Now,
let's face it. 

12. Now, I'm a 'laissez-faire' capitalist, but I'm going to put the
blame where it is. Because when you get a fellow that got his hands on a
buck, he won't let loose of it. But the church is different. The church
has got its hands out for a buck. (See?) And now the church is even now
in competition with business men. But what are they doing? They're
supposing to be using their gains, which are supposed to be none
taxable, in order to promote the welfare of the people. They're rising
up, and they're going to keep rising up. Because anarchy is what the
word "Laodicea' means. 

	And everybody admits during the depression, when they allowed the
people to burn their coffee. And they said to the government under
Roosevelt said, "Stop raising two chickens, so you only have one to
eat."   How stupid can you get? Stop making two shirts, you only have
one to wear. I'd sooner have two shirts. You think people will stand for
that again? They'll not stand for it. This Age won't do it. You're
heading into a…you’re heading into a system. (See?) Just what the
Bible teaches here.

 	Now, this picture here is: before the great and notable day, before
God comes in destruction, you've got the period of the great
tribulation, and you've got the period of the antichrist right in there
where man is going to do his very best to show that he is in the
driver's seat. That there is a church system that will work. And of
course, they lay it all onto God. Now, of course the Bride has been
Raptured by this time.

13.	Now, notice about this mystery and the day of the Lord in Acts 1:6-7
 

		(6) 	When they therefore were come together, they asked of him,
saying, 					Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to
Israel?

		(7) 	And he said…It is not for you to know the times or the seasons,
						which the Father (has) put in his own power.

	Now, there's a time and a season for this thing.

14.	Now, with this in 2 Thessalonians 2:6, (because it's in the same
period now, very same age, it just blurs into the other.)  He said:

		(6) 	And (you) know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in 				
	his time.

	There's a time for the Kingdom of God to come back to earth. There's a
time for the antichrist to be revealed. And they're right in the same
area. Now, they're not instantaneous. I'm not trying to say that the
antichrist comes in the time that the kingdom is here, but it's in the
same period. In other words, the Day of the Lord, the revelation of
antichrist, the Kingdom of God, the winding up, Millennium is all in one
generation. (See?) 

	Now, you couldn't have it at any other time, and there's only one way
that you can be aware of it, and that's by a revelation. Because you
have to have the season revealed to you. Both comings, that's the Coming
of Christ, and antichrist are both veiled in secret, and the secret
things belong to the Lord our God. And it'll take a prophet to reveal
them to us.

15.	Now, notice also in verse 3 of 2 Thessalonians [2:] what he says
about the antichrist. He said,  

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

	All right, there cannot be a Coming of the Lord of Jesus, it won't be
this great day of destruction, simply will not be the revelation of the
man of sin. There's got to come a falling away first, and that falling
away is an apostasy. (See?) None of this could come until there comes an
absolute falling away. Now, this is what we're going to look at. What is
the falling away? The falling away is an apostasy. 

16.	Now, what's an apostasy?  Let's check it out. Let's go to Joshua
22:22,

		(22) 	The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and 				
	Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression 			
		against the LORD, (save us not this day,)

	Now, the word 'rebellion' in the Hebrew is translated in the Greek as
'apostasy'. So therefore, this day cannot come until people rebel
against the Lord. There has got to be a rebellion against the Word of
Almighty God against God. Now, that's what falling away is, it's a
rebellion against God.

	Now, what is this rebellion that the people are afraid of in chapter
22? It's because some of the tribes of Israel did not want to cross over
Jordan and remain in Canaan land. They wanted to stay on the other side
of Jordan. And remember now, when they stayed there they decided to
build an altar, erect a monument of stone as a memorial that they had
made a covenant. Which covenant was, we'll go in and fight your battles,
but we don't want to go in the land. (See?) And also, we'll reciprocate
and be a help to you.  Now, what Israel was afraid of the tribes that
went in, was that these people were raising up an altar in order to
worship in the place which was not sanctified by God. (See?) 

17.	Now, remember what Bro. Branham said about putting the place to
worship was only in one gate. (See?) Now, there's only one place to me,
and that's to worship God, which is Christ the Word. And they were
contrary to It. In other words, they were worshipping, or would have
worshipped in the mind of Israel. Now, the other little group didn't
want to do this. (See?) They said, "No, we're not trying to raise up an
altar, we recognize that the altar is over there where God ordained it
to be. But you see, the people were aware of what this really could have
meant. You follow the picture? And so, they said, "Now, if you're going
to raise up an altar, we are bound to exterminate you." 

	Now, what do you think then of the people worshipping God apart from
the revealed Word?           I tell you, I don't think that really is
bad, because you see they're worshipping God anyway. Israel didn't take
that stand. They said, "That's rebellion against God." Which later on is
as the sin of witchcraft, which is sheer death. (See?) How can you
worship God and be in witchcraft? You couldn't do it. No matter how you
think you're worshipping God, you can't do it.

18.	Now, the same picture obtains here, how can any man be in submission
to God, and outside the laws that God laid down wherein you worship Him?
 See, I know that rough on people that don't believe this Message. They
say, "Well, you just believe you're the only guys that's going to make
it."  Well, I'm going to tell you something, if this is to way to get to
it, I'm going to make it. If this cuts you out I'm sorry, I want to make
it. If you want to go to hell believing your doctrine go right ahead. I
won't rejoice in it, but I will not be held back either.

	Israel was willing to take up a sword and kill and shed blood and
destroy to get that thing out of their midst. Because you can't worship
any place other than God ordained. And how can you worship God outside
of His Word?  Because He is the Word, and the Word has been revealed to
us. (See?) 

	Now, that's what apostasy is. It's rebellion the sin of witchcraft. Oh
my, how these people write their little tract, the Spirit of truth and
the spirit of error. Oh, we talked about that the other night. The
Spirit of truth is when men line up with that Word by the Church Age
messengers. And the spirit of error no matter how much good you've got,
and how you think you're going, is the spirit of hell, because you're
off that Word. (See?) And the tribes are going to cross over Jordan and
wipe them out, less that sin into the camp of attempting to worship God
apart from His revealed Word. (See?) 

19.	Now, how many people have a revealed Word? Where's your vindication.
You say, "I believe in the Blood of Jesus Christ." What if those folk
were taken that altar and they went through every single movement the
others went through? They took the lamb, they had a priest. Now
remember, there was only one high priest. And without the shedding of
blood they couldn’t get behind that veil, where you got forgiveness of
sin. All right, let's get a high priest to that altar over here then
outside the place where God ordained it. What was going to happen? They
didn’t have the tabernacle, they didn't have the Word of God. Let them
try, what happened?

	You say, "Would God have come down and destroyed them?" Listen, Israel
wasn't going to even consider God coming down and destroying them, they
were going to destroy themselves. "Put out that wicked thing from
amongst you." Now, I'm not saying I'll get rid on anybody that believes
different from you, I'm just trying to show you what this business of
rebellion is and apostasy is. Because rebellion in the Hebrew is
identical to apostasy in the Greek, and therefore if you are apostate
then you're in rebellion against God. 

20.	Now, how can you rebel against God? How can I rebel against the king
of Sweden? I'm not a Swede and I'm not in Sweden. How can I rebel
against the dictator in Cuba? I'm not a Cuban, and I'm not in Cuba. And
who is going to rebel against God? Those that take His Name. 

	Your Christians are going to be the rebellious ones. Because why? Only
a subject can be in rebellion to the head of that subject. (See?) Now,
the rebellion was refusing what they thought was the refusal to worship
according to the Word that God has sent in their midst. In other words,
there could be no worship but death to the man that worshipped outside
of the place that God sanctified. And what do you think about the Word
today, the end time Message? How is It going to be worshipped? There's
going to be rebellion against Almighty God. Do you see it? It's exactly
what the Bible teaches.

21.	Now, we got a little further here. Let's go to 2 Chronicles 29:19 

		(19) 	Moreover, all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast
away 					in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and,
behold, 						they are before the altar of (God.)

	Hallelujah, exactly what the prophet did. Restored the worship to God
by the revealed Word, because Ahaz has thrown the whole thing away. How
many today, are throwing away Foot-Washing, and Communion and going to
church and this and that and the other thing? You're in rebellion
against God as far as I can read the prophet. Now, that may sound pretty
tough, the can do what they want I'll not join them. Not condemning. But
the point is, It said right here, he said, 

		(19)	Moreover, all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast
away 					in his transgression, … (which was his apostasy.)

 	How could you take away that which the prophet of God endorsed? How
can you add, when the prophet of God didn't endorse it? (See?) Can't do
it.

22.	Now, It says, we brought them back. What was the end time prophet
going to do? "He was going to turn the hearts of the children back to
the fathers." [Malachi 4:6b] Then when this was done what happened? Now,
they can approach and worship, because the approach and the worship was
not received by God on the grounds that they weren't there according to
His Word. Anybody can worship God. But what about the fact that we're
not doing according to His Word? You see, there's where your apostasy
comes in.

	What about those who reject the five-fold ministry? We reject this, and
reject that, how can they do it? Where did Bro. Branham say it? Then
remember in Jeremiah the same thing happened, they turned to idols, they
went down to Egypt, (see?) which shows when people turn away from the
end time Message there's only one place to go, and that's down to Egypt,
organization, ecumenicity, and those things that go with it.   

	And this is what the church is doing as it ends up in Revelation 3:20
with Christ outside the church. It is the church in its apostasy that
brings in this man of sin. You know, many people are looking and they're
crying…they're condemning this man of sin. Now sure, I condemn him
too. Because I wouldn't want to stand with him. But the point is this
what I'm trying to get across, the church is responsible for this fellow
when it's not the fellow that's responsible for the church. See, he
doesn't build the image, the church builds the image and he takes over.
That's organization.

23.	Like one fellow one time many years ago said, "If somebody builds a
cart, you got to have somebody to drive it." Now, he's gone right back
to organization.  I loudly acclaim his saying the thought for that
saying, he'd be out of organization, but he'd be right back in it.

	It is the church in its apostasy that brings out this man of sin. The
mystery of iniquity in the church brings out the man of iniquity. (See?)
Not atheism does it, that's not right. (See?) It's the church that does
it.

24.	Now, notice how verse 10 tells us about it, back in 2 Thessalonians
2: 

		(10) 	And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that
perish; 					because they received not the love of the truth, …

	Now, that's the thing in a nutshell. They simply would not go for the
truth. Just like Israel thought those building the altar weren't
accepting the Word of God. "One place, I put my name in one gate, I got
my worship in one altar." 

	Remember, that Christ the body, was the altar. A little altar of God.
Absolutely sanctified unto Almighty God. (See?) Now, they turned it
down. They received not love of the truth, which was their apostasy in a
nutshell.

25.	Now notice, what they called this fellow who is the antichrist.
Let's get a picture of him.             [2 Thessalonians 2:]

		(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;

	Now watch it, what is he called? He's called the man of sin, he's
called the son of perdition. And in verse 8, he's called the wicked one,
that's what he's called. (See?) In those two places: man of sin, son of
perdition the wicked one.

	Now, two of those titles are identical, because man of sin and wicked
one they mean the same thing, and they actually are the lawless ones.
Because that's what the word 'wicked' means. It means the 'lawless one'.

	Now let's just take a look a lawlessness in order to find out what
lawlessness is. Because, if we can find out this, remember as Bro.
Branham said, "Every name means something." He said, "Those women
bringing forth would name a child something, and you watch some are a
spirit of prophecy came upon them, and you watch that fellow go down the
road." He was what his name was.

26.	All right, then what is this fellow that's the wicked one, and the
lawless one? (Rather…the verse 3 he said, "He's the man of sin, and
the son of perdition who is the lawless one. Now, what is he? Let's go
to 1 John 3: and look at lawlessness, because that's what  we've got to
look into. And then if we can find out what that is, we'll know a little
bit about this fellow. Now, verse 4.

		(4) 	Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is 	
				the transgression of the law.

	Now, that's not right. The literal translation is: 'for sin is
lawlessness'. Now, watch this.

	Now, there is no such thing as anything without a law. Don't ever think
there is, because there isn't. Say, "Well, sin is lawlessness." What
does that mean? Well sit awhile and think. There's no such thing as
lawlessness, because there's nothing without a law. (See?) Everything
has got a law behind it. Law of gravity. Law of this, law of that.
Osmotic processes and heaven knows what. If         I were a chemist or
scientist I could name you a dozen laws. (See?) Maybe a hundred laws.
There is no such thing that doesn't have a law behind it. (See?) 

	Furthermore, you can't break a law. And people said, "Well, I'm going
to break one of those laws." Well, how could you break a law? If you
could break a law the thing would die. If I could break the law of
gravity, boom, everything would go up in the air, fly off the earth. 
You can't break any laws, and there is nothing without a law. Then what
in the world does it mean to be the lawless one? It's to operate outside
the way that God wants things operated. (See?) It's to use what you've
got here not according to the way that God wants it used. That's where
your lawlessness comes in, it's the refusal to operate within the
framework of the Word of Almighty God. (See?) 

27.	Now, in other words, you take the very laws that God laid down for
an intended purpose, and you use them for something else, or you try to
attain to some purpose God wants, by using some other law, then God
never ordained to that end. That's why you got a mess today. (See?)
People said that tongues, is evidence of the Holy Ghost. Now, you get
them talking in tongues they got the Holy Ghost. Hogwash! You know
that's not true. 

	And there isn't one theologian amongst them that's worth his salt will
deny that. Tongues is a gift. (See?) Have it by an anointing. But the
minute you begin to say it's evidence, then what happened? You have
stuck your neck out. And anybody talks in tongues no matter what he's
like, or what he's done, then he passes carte blanche. You can't do it.
(See?) 

	Now, this lawless one here, sin is lawlessness, (see?) it's the working
outside of God's ordained way. Let's prove it, isn't that what happened
in the Garden of Eden? He said, "Don't you touch that tree." And they
did it, they operated outside of God's ordained method in order to
achieve an end,  and they died for it. You have the same thing as man
erecting an altar. (See?) It's not that he wouldn't be worshipping, it's
not the he wouldn't be trying, it's not that he wouldn't be
compensating, but he'd be doing it contrary to what God said. There's
your lawlessness. The only thing that could be common sense would tell
you that. Like the original sin, perverting the truth.

28.	And notice how we talked the other day on Cain and Abel. God
demanding worship. Why? Because God was now God, He had people and He
wanted people worship relating to that. So, He said, "All right." He
laid down the Word, He gave the Word, and they would have to follow. 
And Cain and Abel knew, they got to talk by Adam no doubt. But what did
Abel do? Abel took the little lamb and he offered it. And Cain took the
fruit of the soil. Now remember, both of those men had a correct
offering. Because God said, "Thou hast offered right, yet you have
wrongly divided." And the Bible said Cain offered and excellent
sacrifice, but able offered a more excellent sacrifice.

	Then It said, "The blood of Abel speaketh better things." [Heb 12:24]
(See?) God accepted Abel. Now, the both worshipped. They both had the
Word, but one had a wrong revelation, and he attempted to worship God by
a mis-divided and outside of the rules that God laid down, and God cut
him off, and cursed him. And the man ended up in murder. Now, this is a
serious thing, but you see people don't believe that. They say, "Oh,
lets worship, lets worship, lets worship. Brother/sister, listen, that's
wrong. (See?) And here's where we're getting our picture. 

29.	Now, this man, this antichrist is the lawless one. Now listen, let's
go back to the devil in the serpent. Wasn't that exactly what he got Eve
to do? Now, if Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, so
is the devil. Why? Because intrinsically you can't change. He's a fallen
angel. Sure, he is. He's a cherub that covers. He's the one that rose up
against God in the realm of spiritual worship in order to detract from
God. Because God won't deal with the polluted. How in the world can you
offer to God that which polluted? 

	Can you give Him an animal with a broken leg? He said, "Give it to the
dogs." Can you give Him animal with one eye out? He said, "Feed it to
the beast." You can't do it. Every instance in the Word of God demands a
perfection, or the worship is turned down. (See?) That's why you and I
worship through Jesus Christ, but we worship by the Word. (See?) It was
wrong. 

30.	Now, notice what Jesus called, how Jesus called Israel the same seed
over here in John 8:44-47.

		(44)	 (You) are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father
(you) 					will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not
in truth, 					because there is no truth in him…

	Now, you know that's speaking of the man Cain. It doesn't have a thing
to do with the devil, because the devil never killed anybody. How could
the devil kill anybody? He's got to get into somebody to kill somebody.
Not talking about disease now, because disease in not a murderer. Now,
you can strangle with your tongue going back in your throat from some
disease, epilepsy, or something like that. Look it, that's not murder,
that's not murder, you died of some disease. When you murder somebody,
that's you going against somebody, killing somebody. Man against man so
to speak. Now, who is it that did the first killing? Cain did. Who is
Cain? "Of that wicked one."             [1 Jn 3:12]  

	Now listen: how was the fatherhood identified? The fatherhood was
identified through the Word. Abel stuck with the Word, was the son of
Adam, who was the Son of God. And Cain was with the perverted word, so
Cain was of the serpent, because he was that wicked one. (See?) So,
there's your identification. Your identification as to your father is by
your relationship to the pure Word.  Outside the pure Word you can claim
all you want, you haven't got It. Now, I can't help, but preach this
way, because as far as I know that's what the prophet said. So, you've
to blame him if you don't like it. He said if he taught wrong he'd
answer for it. (See?) 

31.	Now listen:

		(44)	When he (speaks) a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar,
						and the father of it.

	Now, who is the first one that told a lie? The serpent. Who told the
second lie? Cain. The devil told the first lie through the serpent. See,
he got to the serpent, the closest to man he could get. Then he got
through Cain and he said, "Am I my brother's keeper? I don't know where
he is?" [Genesis 4:9b] (See?)  A murderer and a liar. He murdered and he
lied about it. (See?) On what grounds?  On the grounds of worship and
God rejecting the worshiper. On what grounds? The mis-dividing  of the
Word. (See?) Wouldn't do it.

	Now, He said here:

		(45) 	And because I tell you the truth, (you) believe me not.

	Now, isn't that something?  Just look at that verse there. That's a
funny verse. "Because I tell you the truth, you believe me not." Now, He
said…let's put it the other way. "And because I tell  you a lie, you
will believe me." And if He'd told a lie they would have believe Him.
Sure.

		(46) 	Which of you convinceth me of sin?... (Which of you can confute
me, 					or find me off in one Word?) And if I say the truth, why do
(you) not 					believe me?

		(47) 	He that is of God heareth God's words: …

32.	There you are, there is where your paternity is found. You say,
"What is the Word of God?" It's the revealed Word of the hour, anybody
ought to know that, the vindicated Word for this day. Because everybody
says he's got the Word. Cain said he had the Word.

	"Look it here, I want to tell you right now He said this offering is
perfectly good."

	That's right Cain, it is perfectly good, but the blood comes first. You
can't identify with the Resurrection, until first of all you identify
with that whole Word, Christ the bleeding sacrifice. Christ the bleeding
Word. Not the resurrection Word, but Christ the bleeding Word. (See?)
They don't want that.

		(47)	… (you don't hear me,) because (you're) not of God.

	You know what the Jews said? They said, 

		(48)	… (didn't we say you're) a Samaritan, and (got) a devil? 

		You know, looking down their nose. That's cures it all, just tell them
off, that will do it. Tell them off. Walk away. "Boy, we sure told that
guy off." How many times have been told about you? "We sure shut that
guys mouth up."  Ha, ha, ha, little do they know there are times when
you just keep silent. Yeah.

33.	Matthew 15: beginning at verse 3.

		(3) 	But he answered and said unto them, Why do (you) also transgress 
					the commandment of God by your tradition?

	There is another picture of lawlessness. You go about serving God
regardless of what the Word says, you got your own ideas.

		(4) 	For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: He 					
that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

		(5) 	But (you) say, Whosoever shall say to his father or mother, It is
a 						gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

		(6) 	And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus
have 					(you) made the commandments of God of none effect by your
tradition.

	And there you are right now. (See?) In other words, getting around the
Word of God. What greater way to get around the Word of God today then
to have a miracle ministry in life? Even a little woman can be told
across the platform dressed exactly like a Hollywood girl. And there she
is, tippy, tippy toe Hollywood style and preaching to men. And say,
"Well, glory to God hallelujah, I want to tell you we're getting
miracles, signs and wonders and there's a lot of folk being saved glory
to God, hallelujah." Shut up and sit down! Go home and take care of your
husband if you've got one. (See?) They make the commandment of God to no
effect. 

34.	In other words, they don't care two-bits [twenty-five cents] for the
Word of God, yet they're dwelling with the Word just like Cain was.
Don't tell me Cain wasn't in that Word. He was right in the Bible
snorting through pages thumbing back and forth as fast as he could, to
show you he was right.  Even to the place where he looked God in the eye
and cussed Him. Said, "Don't talk to me."

	And God said, "Alright, I'll put a… (He said) you're cursed."

	"What right have You got to do that to me?"

	"Many shall come to me in that day and say, 'Lord, Lord, haven't we
done this, and this, and 	this, what right have you got to condemn me?"

	Spirit of Cain all the way through it, religious to the Nth degree.
We're not talking about the communists. Somebody that doesn't know God.
Something raise up to cut your head off like they did in Korea. That's
just part of the end time old horse of many colors. Over in Korea they
just cut their heads off, that ended that. But over in America that
builds the image, it's going to be subtle death through word pollution.
There you are, right back to ecology. Pollution.

35. [Matthew 15:7-20]

		(7) 	(You) hypocrites, well did (Isaiah) prophesy of you, saying,

		(8) 	This people draweth unto me with their mouth, and (honor) me 				
	with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

	With the heart, man believeth, there's no revelation. (See?) 

		(9) 	But in vain do (you) worship me, teaching for doctrines the 					
	commandments of men. (Won't do you a bit of good if you're 						off
mystery.)

		(10) 	And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and 					
	understand: (He said, let's get this straight;)

		(11) 	Not that which (goes) into the mouth (defiles) a man; but that
which 					cometh out of the mouth, this (defiles) a man.

	What were the doing? They were perverting the Word of God in their
religious ceremony. They were saying this, they were saying that, and
they weren’t saying what God said. And when you don't say what God
said, you have defiled and polluted yourself. (See?) Why? Because it
comes out of the heart.

		(12) 	Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that
the 						Pharisees were offended, after they heard (you preaching?)

		(13)	…he said, Every plant, which my Father (hasn't) planted, (will)
					be rooted up.

		(14) 	Let them alone: …blind leaders (lead) the blind. (They'll)
fall (in) the 					ditch.   

		(15) 	…Peter said…Declare unto us this parable.

		(16) 	…(He) said, Are (you) also without understanding? 

		He said, "Have you been around Me so long and you haven't caught on
yet?"   

		(17) 	Do (you) not yet understand, that whatsoever (goeth) in at the 	
				mouth (goes) into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

		(18) 	But those things which proceed out of the mouth (cometh) forth 	
				from the heart; and they defile the man. (Now, what are you 					
supposed to hide in your heart? The Word of Almighty God.)

36.	Now listen, now remember, Jesus put this on the Pharisees: 

		(19) 	…out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, 
					fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

		(20) 	These are the things which defile a man: … (See?)

	Now listen, what did Bro. Branham say?  "Why, (he said) you take those
rabbi's, (he said) the finest men living. Why, (he said) they showed
more love than Jesus Christ, you couldn't put your finger on them." Then
what is this? All spiritual implication on how vile a man is. That's how
God brands this man that looked so good. (See?) Now the fellow down the
street that's really (you know) cutting up a wide swath. But these
fellows right here are pinned down, God reading their hearts.

 	Now, I said awhile ago that this lawless one could only come at a
certain time. He could only come at a very certain time, which is right.
Why? Because it has to do with lawlessness, and remember the word in the
New Testament here, therefore iniquity is lawlessness. Now, keep that in
your mind, so your Bible lines up. Iniquity is lawlessness which we
showed you by the Word what lawlessness really is. (See?) Don't take of
that tree, take of this one, operating outside the Word.

37.	 Now, let's go to Matthew 7:21, and take a look at It.

		(21) 	Not everyone that saith…Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of
						heaven; …

	Not everyone that’s got a religion based upon Me. Not everyone that
calls My Name. Not everyone that's in a church system and reading and
their worshipping…

		(21)	… shall enter the kingdom of 	heaven, but he that doeth the
will 						of my Father which is in heaven.

		(22) 	Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied 					in thy name?...

	Remember the earmark of the end time, is prophecy, and there's two
kinds. Those that have the Spirit of Christ, (the testimony of Christ,
had the true spirit of prophecy) and those that don't have a wrong
spirit on them. They can't take the Word.

		(22)	… have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name cast out 
					devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

		(23)	… then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from 
					me, (you) that work… (hand and hand with the antichrist.)

	Till you're reading something in Scripture? I'm not reading a thing in
the Scripture. It said, "Depart from Me you that work iniquity; you that
work lawlessness; you that work with Cain; you that work with the
antichrist, you that are in the church system and will not come by My
Word. You're mis-dividing It, you're misinterpreting It, you're
mis-handling, you're misplacing." (See?)          In other words, it's
not the revelation.

38.	Now, when did this take place?  The one time it takes place is at
the end time according to Matthew 24:24   All right, now when is that
time? Let's take a look at It. 

		(24) 	…there shall arise false Christs, (even lying) prophets, and
shall 						shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were
possible, 						they shall deceive the very elect.

		(25) 	Behold, I have told you before.

		(26) 	Wherefore if they shall say…Behold, he is in the desert; go
not 						forth: …in the secret chambers; believe it not. (See?) 

	Now, notice here, this is the end time ministry of the false anointed
one. This is where your lawlessness is. And what is it? It's a Korah,
Dathan and Abiram operating in the realm of the Holy Ghost with genuine
signs and wonders fighting against the Word while they're doing it.
Amen. That's exactly what it is. (See?) No difference whatsoever.

39.	Now, notice with this in Acts 2: to get the perfect picture, Peter
speaking, verse 16,

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

		(17)	 …it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, …

	Now the last days, the last two days, last two thousand years.
Remember, also at the end time there's last days which is the very tail
end.

		(17)	… (and God said,) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:
and 						your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men 		
			shall see visions, your old men dream dreams:

		(18) 	And on my servants and on my handmaidens (I'll) pour out in 				
	those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

	Then It says:

		(19) 	…I will shew (signs and) wonders in heaven above, …

	After God pours His Spirit upon all flesh. It doesn't matter who it is,
anybody can receive anointing.  And remember, the children of God are
anointed, but they're anointed correctly. They're anointed not only to
the power, but they're anointed to the Word. But the others are anointed
to the power and not to the Word, and they all have anointing. And it's
right after that that the signs and the moon turns to blood and so on.
And then It says, the great and notable Day of the Lord takes place. So
therefore, we see the perfect end time picture.

40.	When was there ever a time in this in the world, when all of the
churches were entering into the charismatic gift moment? Not until now.
Not until now. When were the churches going back to the harlot? Not
until now. When did the churches cease to raise their voice against sin?
Not until now. When was the church in rebellion? Not until now. When is
the antichrist coming? Not until now. But you've got your earmarks.
(See?) Just exactly all through Scripture in rebellion. The spirit of
worship yet in rebellion towards God when worship indicates not
rebellion, but submission. Then these people are worshipping, they are
then they are not worshipping, they are in rebellion. Then how can you
worship when you're not in submission? There is no such thing as
adoration outside of submission. God knows it and you know it. Then it's
a phony as a three-dollar bill. (See?) 

41.	So, here we are at the end time. There is iniquity abounding as the
Scripture says in the Book of Matthew 24:11-12, let's take a look at it.
It says here:

		(11) 	And many false prophets shall rise, and deceive many.

		(12) 	And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax
cold.

	Now, It tells you right here that iniquity is going to abound. What is
that? There is going to be a form of worship, but it's not going to be
the real thing. Now, It says, "The love of many is going to wax cold."
And right today, we’ve got the lukewarm condition of Laodicea which
brings about the absolute coldness toward Almighty God. And yet they're
going to be worshipping. Why? Because they're off the Word, they're
absolutely cold to the Word.

	Now, you look around, how many are cold to the Word? You know even the
Roman Catholic church are doing things that Catholic's can't stand? They
even hate that authority. Sure, they got a mass, they take communion.
And what do they do? They take communion and they have a rock-and roll.
And even the priests are in rebellion. And they say, "Well, if
the…pope doesn't like it, we'll go and get out own church. So, they go
to basements, so they rent a place. And here the people smoke
cigarettes, they smoke on their pipes, and the kids run around and they
eat and they drink while the poor old preacher up…he brought it on
himself. So, I'm going to say, "poor, shame on him." I can't pity a guy
that brought it on himself. You stick your hand in a meat grinder, you
asked for it.

42.	All right, there he is up there preaching will all this going
around. And the next thing you hear is the Lutheran church a couple of
naked people come in, and they see what the church will do. And so they
go up and have the Lord's Supper, and the people stand by and they say,
"It think they were…" The people in the nude were more  saintly then
we were, we took it in stride. Oh may…what would you think Jesus would
do just about that time?

	If he took a whip to the money changers, I don’t believe he'd
tolerate one minute that filthy rotten immoral crud coming up there to
take the table of the Lord, even if it was taken in hideous place, which
would almost compare to devil worship, not the worship of God. (See?)
There's your church today. The whole thing has gone to worship. You know
why? Because it's psychological.

 	Now, Pentecostal shuck foreruns the antichrist, because all the poison
of all Ages has to point to the shuck. The Bible said so. He's going to
visit all the sin that fill up the cup of iniquity. It's going to be
filled up from the first to the last. (See?) Every righteous thing that
they turned down, God is going to demand thereof.

43.	Let's go to Matthew 23:35-36, …this is on end time message to see
the exact chapter in Matthew. 

		(35) 	That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the 			
		earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias 		
		son of Barachias, whom (you) slew between the temple and the altar.

		(36) 	Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this
generation.

	What generation? This generation we're living in. In other words, the
full poison of the Ages is going to pour into the antichrist worship
system. So that God may bring forth His retributive justice upon them.

44.	Let's got to Revelation 18:24,

		(24) 	And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and

			 (of saints) that were slain upon the earth. (Right in the church. 

                         God holding the church accountable.)

 	You say, "What about those communists?" I want to ask you a question:
who brought on those communists? The Roman Catholic church. And who's
going to answer? Not the communists, don't worry they'll be judged, the
Roman Catholic church will pay for it. They brought it on.

	You know for years the Catholic's were spouting off how they were the
great haters of communism. So, a little Baptist preacher up in Canada
said, "let's find out." So, he took a map where all the Roman churches
was in the Greek Orthodox, and painted it purple. And then he placed it
upon the countries that were red, and they fitted exactly. Who brought
communism? Why was it raised up? Like Babylon to strike back at a
spurious [counterfeit] system of worship claiming they know God and are
known of God. Remember, the Roman Catholic church said it's the wife of
Christ. The prostitute has prostituted herself through the Ages, and the
Protestants with her claim to be the bride of Jesus Christ. They are
false to the Word, (see?) their prophets bring the Word, but they are
true to the power. Oh, how they love the power, but they hate the Word.
"Many shall come in that day." What day, end time, because they partook
of an anointing and went by the Word.

45.	Pentecostal shuck, (now listen) Pentecostal shuck foreruns the
antichrist. (See?) The last plague is spiritual death. We're in the
harvest. So, there is your mystery of iniquity what we've been looking
at. And Mr. Pentecost [David du Plessis] the Pentecostal said he went to
Rome and there he smelled the breath of fresh Spring air, because he
said the charismatic movement was going to restore the Roman Catholic
church which would in turn bring the great revival to God. How in the
world can you reconcile the Scripture with such a treatise as that? 
When you say the church will have revival, when the Scripture said the
church will go to its death. 

	Now notice, it is a man finally, because you can't crown a spirit. The
spirit is to become a          man, as Bro. Branham said in the Seals.
Notice, Bro. Branham said, "You could not teach the Pentecostal's church
order." They're lawless. They'll speak in tongues anytime they want to.
That's right, they get up, jump up and down anytime they want to.
They'll call it a great time if you have a hallelujah march, but they
left the Word. Lawlessness. (See?) Once more attempting to operate
outside the church.

46.	Now, let's take some time on this word 'iniquity', because this is
the thought, which is lawlessness.  Over here in Matthew 23: beginning
at verse 27. 

		(27) 	Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for (you) are
like 						unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful
outward, 						but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all
uncleanness.

	See, that terrible cup of fornication.

		(28)	Even so also outwardly appear righteous (you appear righteous) 		
			unto men, but within (you're) full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

		(29) 	Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because (you) 	
				build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the 	
				righteous,

	What did the Catholic say recently? They said, "If we'd have had pope
John XXIII, we think Luther would still be in our ranks."  Haw, haw, I
got news for them. Don't you think Luther would have smelled that? Well,
perhaps,  Mr. Pentecost he wouldn't know the difference.

		(30) 	And (they) say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, (now 
					notice, if we had been in the days of our fathers…see that's what
						they're saying about John) we would not have been partakers with 	
				them in the blood of the prophets.

	But then, why are they in the same system? (See?) Who did it? Leo did
it with Tetzel. Then why haven't they de-canonized that fellow and say,
"He was no pope at all." They still admit to him, therefore they're
still full of the same filth that Leo was. Granting absolution of sin
before he even did it. So, if you paid enough, you could kill anybody
and get away with it. Let's not bandy words, that's the truth. (See?)
Now, "We would not have been partakers."  

		(31) 	Wherefore be (you) witnesses unto yourselves, that (you) are the
						children of them which killed the prophets.

47.	So now: 

		(32) 	Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

		(33) 	(You) serpents, …(serpent seed.) 

	Only so many serpent seeds can bring forth serpents. You don't have a
cow having snakes. Serpent seed?

		(33)	…(you) generation of vipers, (an absolute generation of them)
how 					can (you) escape the damnation of hell?

		(34) 	Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, wise men, and
scribes: 					(now notice, what He said what I'm going to do) some of
them (you'll) 					kill and crucify; and some (you'll) scourge in your
synagogues, and 					persecute them from city to city:

	Then He said… what is He going to do? 

		(35) 	That upon you may come all the righteous blood…

	Now, what's the righteous blood? There's only one righteous blood, and
that's the man that does righteously, which is the correct worship
before God. And who is he? He's a man full of the Holy Ghost. Let's face
it, he's a man full of the Holy Ghost in whom is the living Word of
Almighty God.

48.	Now notice, in verse 28, He said, "You hypocrite." Now, what's a
hypocrite? The hypocrite is a man that wears a mask and is playing a
part upon the stage. And that's right, he is. He's a make believer like
over here in 2 Thessalonians 2:4,

		(4) 	Who opposeth and (exalts) himself above all that is called God…
					so that he as God (sits) in the temple of God, shewing himself that
						he is God.

	What a hypocrite. The biggest hypocrite of the whole works. (See?) The
great make believer of 2 Thessalonians.  This hypocritical spirit that's
within the church is going to bring forth the great hypocrite, because
you got to have the spirit, before you have the man. And the minute
you've got the spirit, don't worry, he'll get a man somewhere. You'll
have one. Look at the hypocrites that are in the church today. Sure,
they're in there. Many of them smoke and drink, and live like the devil,
but as long as they say, "I'm this, I'm that." they get away with it.
They're in the church. (See?) So therefore, they'll bring forth the
great hypocrite the antichrist. Now notice, Jesus how He avoided
iniquity. Now, let's watch how Jesus avoid iniquity. He said, "What I
see My Father do, that I do." [Jn 5:19b] What He heard Him say, that He
said.

49.	Now, let's go over here to Hebrews 1:9

		(9) 	Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; …

	Now, what did Jesus do? He loved righteousness. Now then, when He had
the opportunity He refused to sell out to anything but the Word. "It is
written, It is written, It is written." (See?) He was one with that
Word, and He hated anything else that was contrary to the revealed will
of God. Now, what did he do in the temple that day? Men were selling the
merchandize that was necessary for worship, …that’s what they're
doing. 

	The Bible said, "You live too far from the center of worship, then you
sell what you've got, you bring the money to the temple, they will turn
it back [sell the animal sacrifices], and then you'll do it." Now He
said, "A certain amount of money you got to pay, if you don't have the
right amount of money, you say make me my change." And these men were in
the temple and they were doing the best they could. But, Jesus called
them a thief and a robber?  Why? Because they were attempting to use
their own revelation of the Word in order to get to heaven bypassing the
revealed Word made flesh which was Christ. He hated it. (See?) 

	"Thou hast loved righteousness." Now, if He's going to love
righteousness you got to take him right back to Eden. Almost to Eden.
Two people worshipping, one was righteous, one was unrighteous. Who did
He love. He loved Abel. And He's got him in the Book of the record. The
first martyr on record. "And the blood of Abel speaketh better things."
[Heb 12:24] The blood of Abel is crying. And there you see God's record
concerning Abel, how He loved him. Why? Because it was true faith based
upon a true revelation, which brought him to a true worship of Almighty
God. The other man worshipped too.  And his work was absolutely
unrighteous, and God hated him and cursed him. (See?) 

50.	Now notice: "And thy scepter is a scepter of righteousness." [Heb
1:8] (See?) God's scepter. Now, how are you going to get a hold of that
scepter?  How are you going to be a part? There's only one way that you
can do it. And that's to love righteousness, which is to love the Word
which this system does not love, it turns down the love of the truth.
Now, how are you going to grab something that you don't love? You're
going to hate it. Jesus said, "You hate Me, because I tell you the
truth." Now, Jesus loved righteousness.

	And notice, "Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the
oil of gladness above they fellows." [Hebrews 1:9b] Now, who are the
fellows? The fellows are they who keep their confidence in Him. Now, the
confidence is based on that Word. Now who are the fellows? "In the midst
of the church will I sing praise." [Heb 2:12b] (See?) Raised up amongst
the brethren. Who is He with? Christ is with those of the Word. And He's
anointed with the oil of gladness above them. Why? On the grounds of the
fact that He remains absolutely one with that Word, and therefore was
accepted by God in our state.

	Now, we'll never make it with Christ; that is to come up to Him. That's
why we've got a sacrifice. But, here is where we stand. We stand one
with the revealed Word which indicates we're one with Him, because
that's where He stood, and that's where the sacrifice is. Now, if we go
off the Word, how do you establish a sacrifice? You don't do it. I hope
you caught that. Israel tried it, it didn't work. They identified with
the sacrifice, they went out through a miracle, Egypt got killed, (not
all Egypt, but part of Egypt got killed) in the Red Sea. Why? God gave
them a great miracle, shoes didn't wear out, clothes never wore out. Now
I don't suppose you even had to take a bath, maybe. Bodies smelled sweet
and all. They had food from heaven. Wonderful. Never entered in. Why?
They turned down the Word. (See?)

51.	Now listen, it they'd have stayed with the Word like Caleb and
Joshua, they'd have gone in as giant killers. Absolutely identified with
God till a ninety-two year old man, could say, "Listen, I'm vigorous,
I'm strong, I'm not weak, (he said) this is too puny this thing you've
got here, let me take that mountain where the giants are."

	No wonder we haven't got the spiritual atmosphere we ought to have,
because the people aren't yet one with that Word. They're still playing
around. That's what Bro. Branham said, "Get ten people together let them
really get on that Word, you watch what will happen, even the Rapture
could take place." Who knows, he could be a hundred percent correct.
Maybe just take ten men in one place, the other six hundred and ninety
be up here in other places, somewhere else. (See?) 

52.	Now, notice what He's done for us. Let's go to Titus over here,
chapter 2:14

		(14) 	Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all
iniquity, 					and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of
good works.

	Notice, "Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all
lawlessness." Redeem you from your wrong worship. Redeem you from trying
to get to God in some other way. Redeem you. In other words, to so
deliver you that you could get where you wanted to go. Christ made that
way. (See?) Now listen, let's get it straight, I'm not telling you a
line, why did God make man? In order that man would worship Him. Then
man is going to worship Him. Even the devil does it. He led in the
worship, Cain did it. It has to do with worship.

	And He said, "Now, look here I'm going to tell you, I'm making a way."
And God gave Himself in the body of Jesus. God becoming flesh in order
to be a sacrifice. And He did it to redeem us, to purchase us out of
that system. (See?) The Word. Now, and want to purify unto Himself a
peculiar people zealous of good works. Now, what works are you going to
present? You're going to present a righteous work. (See?) 

53.	Now, what's your ministry? "Oh, I'm going to do this thing and
that." No, your ministry is unto Almighty God that you worship. God's
first. God's first, I don't care what anybody says. Now, how are you
going to please Him, from outside of that Word? No sir, just in that
Word. You can't do it, you can't do it otherwise, that sees the Word
becoming flesh. This is what He's done for us.

	Now, let's drop back to those other titles. You see, he's the lawless
one. But It also says here, he's the son of perdition. Now, the word
'perdition' means destruction, it's spiritual eternal disaster. Now
listen, the absolute ruin as far as the purpose of existence is
concerned. "In vain do you worship Me, you wanted to, you tried to, and
you've spent your life, but you lost it." Where do you stand tonight?
Son of perdition. Wasn't Judas the son of perdition? Sure, he was.

54.  You know what the Bible said? "Better that man wasn't even born."
[Mt 25:24] Useless, cursed, was he a worshipper?  He sure was. What did
he do? He went out and hanged himself. The Bible said, "The rope broke,
and he fell upon a rock, burst his bowels and gushed out." [Acts 1:18b]
(See?) Perdition, destruction, absolute ruin as far as the purpose of
existence is concerned. In other words, why were you even brought to
birth? That's right. Why even brought to birth? (See?) This is serious
when we begin go consider our relationship to God. Most people think,
well, it's alright, you can have some kind of experience that's good and
that's alright. And sure, I'm fine, there is an experience of God, there
is a reality. 

 	But brother/sister, there's only one reality and that is that which
abides with the Word. (See?) It is tragic for those of that spirit. They
are living for God in their own way and are utterly lost just like this
man. (See?) Why, because listen, don't you see the church brings this
man up? It's not the man bringing the church up, it's the church
bringing the man up. Certainly, absolutely. He doesn't come on the scene
and say, think, "I've got a little system here, it's been going on all
the time, it's that spirit in the church. If they could ever get back to
that Word it wouldn't happen. But they're away from the Word, and they
go on anyway, just like Cain.

55.	Notice also here in 2 Thessalonians 2:4

		(4) 	Who opposeth and (exalts) himself above all that is called God,
…

	Now listen, let's just change those verbs to nouns. "If I oppose, then
I am an opposer." (See?) So, there are two names for this man further.
The opponent and the exalter. The opponent of God, and the exalter.
(See?) 

	Now remember, that when Eve was deceived, (now listen) when Eve was
deceived she became a part of the whole plot against God. Right? Now,
antichrist got a plot against God. Right? Then if we're a part of it,
we're part of that plot. Let's face it. You see, you can't have your
cake and eat it. We've got to cut this right down to where it's the
truth.

56.	Now, let's just take a look at this fellow that's the opponent of
God. We go to Zechariah 3:1,     (and we read verse 1, I believe It is.)
 All right.

		(1) 	And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the 					
(messenger) of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand 						to
(oppose) him. (Same word.)

 	Where is Satan? He's right in worship. He's right in the church. And
he's right there in order to oppose God through the people that are
supposed to be worshiping. (See?) Right in the worship.

57.	Now, he opposes the Lord through worship. Now, let's take a look on
how this same Word is used in the New Testament, very same Word, no
different. Let's go to the Book of Luke 13:17

		(17) 	And when he had said these things, all his adversaries (his
opposers) 					were ashamed: …

	Now, how did he have an adversary? All right let's find out, let's just
take a look here, (hold your finger there now) 2 Timothy 2:15

		(15) 	Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth 
					not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

	Where were these people doing? They were wrongly dividing the Word.
They were using their creeds and their dogmas. And the Bible said they
are His adversary. Now, they would have to be if they're hypocrites,
because they're pretending to be something they're not. They say they're
for Christ, but they're against Christ. Like these Israelites said, "We
are for Jehovah, we are with Jehovah, we are with that Word." And they
were hypocrites according to Jesus. 

	You say, "Bro. Vayle, they didn't know they were hypocrites." I'll
grant you they didn't, but they still work as Jesus said. (See?) They
were wearing a mask. They weren't what they were supposed to be. His
adversaries, they who opposed Him were those who were ashamed, because
they could not divide the Word. And notice, the people rejoiced for all
the glorious things that were done by Him. There you are, the little
people rejoiced see, but what happened? Their minds were turned too.
Notice, Christ, adversary with the devil.

58.	Let's go to Luke 21:15, now watch: 

		(15) 	…I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your
adversaries 						shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

	I will give you wisdom, which your opponents, (see?) those hypocrites,
those that handle the Word wrong will not be able to gainsay nor resist.
They'll do it anyway though, don't worry. Now, who is going to get
resisted? Jesus got resisted, the Bride is resisted. 

59.	Now, let's find out why, 1 Timothy 1:10

		(10) 	For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, 
					for men stealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be
any 						other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

	See, against the Word, against Christ, against the Elect, against the
Word. See, where your system is? Absolutely antichrist. Now, what are we
doing? We're right in that mess today. Now notice, that's the opponent,
that's the oppose, he's a hypocrite. He's in there saying he's one with
God. He's in there leading a system of worship. He's in there training
men's minds on God. But notice, at the same time he's literally against
God, he's against the Elect, he's against the Word. He's a hypocrite.
And who put him there? The church put him there. Why? Because that's the
spirit of the church. Now, that's not the spirit of Christ in the
church, that's spirit of antichrist. There is only one place the Spirit
really is, that's in the Bride.

60.	Now, let's look at that word 'oppose'. He's an opposer. Now, the
word 'opposed' means, 'one who sets over against'. One who sets over,
but against. (See?) This is the antichrist, posing as reality, but is a
fraud. (See?) The pope pretends he's for God. "Bless you children." Puts
up his little sign, makes his funny little marks. Have you ever seen
such nonsense as that all those trappings he wears? What has that got to
do for you?  Oh, you've got people right today who wear funny clothes
and they call it God. Little funny hats, and little doilies on their
head, and long funny garments and things. Well, that didn't happen only
a few years ago, so to speak. Where was God before those funny hats came
in? 

	It's all antichrist. It's as antichrist as the devil is long. I don't
care if they're got a sweet spirit. That's fine, I'm all for sweet
spirits, but not if it's going to get you to hell. Not if it's going to
make you a hypocrite. (See?) Why? Because it sets over against Him, it's
setting there posing, and it's against Him. They said, "I'm for God,
hallelujah, they're against God, because the Bible says so. Listen,
either I've misjudged what Bro. Branham said, or I'm sure telling you
the truth. Now can even make up your mind brother/sister.

 	I've analyzed this thing, I've talked to some of my buddies on the
phone for over an hour about it, and I get puzzled myself and say, "Is
that how simple it is? Is that how simple a man came to restore the Word
and that's it?" When there's all these other things out here if you want
to sort of grab for them like Eve did. Say, "Keep your hands off, stick
with the simplicity of the Word that the prophet preached." He came to
restore the Word. Then if it's restored Word, that's what make the
difference. Because the un-restored Word, condemned to hell. Now, if the
un-restored Word condemns you, there's only one thing, the restored Word
could do and that's un-condemn you. Now, he opposes. (See?) Antichrist
system. He is the exalter. 

61.	Let's look at this fellow exalting. We go back to Daniel 11:36. I
want to bring some things out of the Old Testament you see, because this
kind of helps you, give you a picture. See, this thing runs…Bro.
Branham said, "The trail of the serpent goes right from Genesis to
Revelation, chapter 1, to the end chapter." All right, [Daniel]11:36 

		(36) 	And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt
himself,					 and magnify himself above every god, and speak marvellous
things 					against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the
indignation be 						accomplished: for that, that is determined shall be
done.

	Now notice, "the king shall do according to his will, and he shall
exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god." Isn't that exactly
the antichrist? Sure, same thing if you've got the antichrist there.
Now, he's the exalter. 

62.	Now, let's see this spirit of exaltation It's back in Ezekiel
28:14-19

		(14) 	Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee
so: … 

	Where was he? He was one of the cherubim over the Mercy Seat guarding
the Word and leading in the worship of God. He was:

		(14)	…upon the holy mountain of God; 

	Now, you know what mountain signifies? Men of pre-eminence, and if it's
a mountain of God, it's those worshippers that are leading in the
worship of God. This is the household, (so to speak) I'm just giving you
a picture now, that which pertains to the kingdom where God's exalted.
Now:

		(14)	…thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of
fire.

		(15) 	Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast
created, 						till iniquity (lawlessness) was found in thee. 

	Until you begin to go outside of My Word. That's right. And the day
that you decided that you'd take things in your own hand, and you would
not abide by the Word.

		(16) 	By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst
of 						thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast
thee 						as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy
thee, O 						covering (cherubim), from the midst of the stones of fire.

63.	In other words, he was right in there in the worship of God, leading
the worship of God. I believe you could call maybe, "the stones of
fire." those lively stones. You could liken, like we're called lively
stones. Here they were on fire worshipping God, take right into the
midst of that worship, and he saw his ability to take away the worship
of God. Now, there's only one way that he could do it, and that's to
step outside of that framework that God laid down.

		(17) 	Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, …

	People love beauty, they love nice things, they don't want to shout,
(you know) it's all right…    a man said to Bro. Branham, he said, "My
(he said) when I went to your church and I heard those people scream,
(he said) I got chilled." And Bro. Branham said, "If I didn't hear them
scream, I'd get chilled. What is it?

		(17)	…thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness:
…

	See, in other words, I gave you the ability to shine. What have you got
today? Men with shining programs. Men with healing ministries. Men that
stand out like sore thumbs. And what do they do? They corrupted every
single time, because they based their hope upon a gift ministry instead
of the Word of God. There you are, Matthew 7:21-23, you can't fight it
brother/sister. It's absolutely the Bible.

64.	Now listen:

		(18) 	Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine
iniquities, 					(thy lawlessness) by the (lawlessness) of thy traffick;
therefore will 					I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it
shall devour thee, and 						(I'll) bring thee to ashes upon the
earth…

	What is He saying? He's saying the very thing that you're doing is
going to destroy us. That's exactly what the church has done today. The
very thing they're doing, is destroying it. And they don't know why?
Because they think they can do outside of the framework of the Word of
Almighty God. Too simple. Why hear a prophet? Why this why that? (See?)
Leading the worship   of God, but finally to himself. That's when they
turned, (see?) they can't take it.

65.	Isaiah 14:12-17, same picture again. Now:

		(12) 	How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! 
					(Went right into darkness) how art thou cut down to the ground, 			
		which didst weaken the (people.)

		(13) 	For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I
will 						exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon
the 						mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

	He said, "I'm going to take over the people of God."

		(14) 	I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like
the most 					High.

		(15) 	Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

	You can see right here that this antichrist system of course in verse
18 is linked up with Babylon which is linked up with chapter 18 of the
Book of Revelation. The whole thing is in there, you read It for
yourselves. We have a picture here of the worship of Almighty God, which
has degenerated away from God, and is so corrupted, it's unacceptable
and the antichrist brings worship right around to himself. In other
words, the mystery of iniquity is the actual worship through a church
system. A church system.

 	Now, I trust you notice this spirit of opposition, notice, he's called
the opposer.  Now, what is an opposer? He is an anarchist. He's a man
who takes into his hand and uses a power according to how he wants to
use it. Now remember, there is no such thing as innate power. There is
no such thing as a power by itself. All power the Bible says is of God,
and there isn't anything else. If I lift my hand, that's of God. If I
get mad at you, throwing bottles at you and bust you wide open, that's
still of God, the power is, not the dirty act. That's what is going on
right here. (See?) 

66.	Now listen: Laodicea means 'people's rights'. People taking into
their hands power. What about women preachers? Not fussing at women now,
just a little…I like that example, because that's a pretty one, that's
the neatest one there is. Then what about men who listen to them? That's
another neat one. That's not God. But listen, there's power there. You
bet there is. And you can't deny that it's of God, because all power is
of God, and there in nothing impure of itself. There isn't one thing
that God made on this earth that's impure. Nothing! But you can dirty it
up. How? By using it wrong.

	Now, how are you going to justify then any worship of God outside of
the entrance by the Word of God and the obedience of faith to the
revelation?  Brother/sister you can't do it. I don't care what anybody
said, you are automatically a part of that thing which is going to bring
an incarnation. The spirit of exaltation is in the Laodicean church. "We
are rich and we lack nothing, when we're wretched, miserable, and naked
and blind." [Revelation 3:17] We don't have the Holy Ghost when we claim
we have Him. We don't have clothing we claim to have, we don't have the
faith we claim to have, because faith is a revelation and the revelation
is missing. I speak now in general terms of Laodicea, not the Bride. 
What the Bride got. God still going to have true worship. And He makes
it absolutely propitious to the outworking of the people, by sending a
lie to the prophet to restore and they turn him down.

67.	Now, see where this leads him in verse 4, It says so that he acts as
though he's God sitting on the throne of God and showing himself that he
is God. [2 Thessalonians 2:] Which is the over spreading of abomination,
the pope in Jerusalem taking over all world and forgiving sins. Because
he says he's the vicar of Christ. In other words, he says he's Jesus
Christ.

	Now, watch this, how does this terrible spirit fit in today? It's very
simple, men operating in the spirit, (they're operating spiritual gifts)
apart from the Word, anointed cherub. Who is anointed? Satan was. What
was he anointed with? Now don't shudder, there's only one anointing I
know, and that's Holy Ghost. I didn’t say he was full of the Holy
Ghost, I said he's anointed. What does the Bible say about you and me
and the whole world? "In Him we live and move and have our very being." 
[Acts 17:28a] Our very breath is in the hand of God. Don't be stumbled
with the devil's anointed by the Holy Ghost. I can't figure it, I just
believe it. God's Word says It, that takes care     of it.

68.	Notice, the people are also anointed, and it is this very thing,
(this anointing) according to Acts 2:16-18 that brings not the
Millennium, but the tribulation. Is that, right? Sure, it's right. Okay,
that's in Acts 2:16-18, and Acts 2:19-20. And then only after the
tribulation does the Millennium come.

	Now, they do…do not the people with the anointing today act as Satan?
Sure, they do. They act just like him. We can see the church bypass the
Word until you can come to God and worship God through the church. It
won't work. I wonder, does this add up to what the Scripture says, that
he makes himself God? You can only come to God through Jesus Christ.
There's only one way to come to God, and that's through God, you got to
be in Him. But the pope says, the church says you come into the church.

	Now, you got to come into the Church if you're born again, which is the
true Church. But, this is simply a false thing. The church makes an
image and gives him the power. Without the church's help, he couldn't do
it. But once he does it, he takes over.

69.	Now, also notice in verse 8, It says here that God will destroy him
with the brightness of His Coming. [2 Thessalonians 2:] He's going to
destroy the lawless one. Here is where he becomes the son of perdition,
because everything he built to, goes into ashes. Not annihilation, that
takes place later on. But all the wealth and all the accumulation of the
church through all these Ages falls in dust according to Hebrews
12:27-29. That when God speaks the last time, through the end time
messenger everything which can be shaken, is shaken out of the way. It's
also, Revelation 18:4-10 when Babylon is destroyed.  

	Not then brother/sister, let's get it, at this time only treasures in
heaven will matter. What did Bro. Branham sing, "Covet not this earth's
vain riches." This is the day of materiality. This is the day when you
watch money. Not in order to make it, but watch that it doesn't become a
trap. The affluent of this age will destroy many. Many people right
today feel they have the blessing of God because they have prospered. 
That is not the blessing of God. Prosperity is the prosperity of the
soul, where man and women are anointed to receive the Word of Truth
where they might identify with Almighty God.

70.	Now, watch verse 9, actually belongs with verse 4. [2 Thessalonians
2:] Verse 9 says:

		(9) 	…whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and 
					signs and lying wonders,

	And verse 4, says that he:

		(4) 	…(sits) in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

	Now, this is what we've been saying all along. The mystery of iniquity
embodies a great power ministry that deceives the people. 

	Now listen: I used to say that the miracles in Matthew 24:24 were
different from the miracles in 2 Thessalonians 2:9, but that's not the
truth according to the Greek. All of these miracles are real, but the
purpose is to destroy by lies, making them believe the lies, because of
the great ministry. 

	Now, if Satan was anointed in the heavenlies, and Judas was anointed on
earth to do genuine signs and wonders and miracles, then why not the
antichrist? True. What if some great man should rise today that's loved
by everybody? (See?) Somebody that's a real liberal that speaks out
against such things that we don't really enjoy in the Roman Catholic
church, and other churches. What if he should come forth and the people
begin to accept him? He could be in Rome, any place else, we don't care.


 	What about the fact that Rome is appointing more and more liberals?
(See?) What if one of these days to show a great appreciation a pope
could come out of America? Well, why not? American is the one that's
making the image to the beast. Without us there wouldn't be a Rome
today. Let's face it, it would be taken over by atheism. You know that
as well as I do, there's absolutely more actual reds in Italy, then
there are per capita then there are in Russia. Sure. France and the
whole bunch of them. They even got the ten-toed setup, with the ten
already to ...they're sparking a little mansion there to make things go
now. (See?) 

71.	Now, this fellow has a ministry that makes the people really believe
that he has something tremendous from God. The Bible says, "Showing
himself that he is God," [2 Thessalonians 2:4] which means to prove by
demonstrating it. Supposing Judas came along, do you think he'd say,
"I'm not one of those guys, I'm not one of those guys." He said, "I'm
one of those guys, I'm one of those guys." Now, what happened, where did
he get his authority? Went back to the Pharisees.

	Here's this great preacher, this great priest in Notre Dame; my, speaks
in tongues, wonderful things are going on amongst the students. Where
did they get their authority? Right from Rome. (See?) Where did they get
their authority?  (See?) "I’m going to go back to father, going to go
back to mother." Back to the system.

72.	Let's just find something out here in the Book of Deuteronomy 13: I
think Deuteronomy is a very interesting chapter, 13: At least I find It
so. Many people don't even want to believe It exists. Well, of course, I
know why they don't want It to exist, because It sure throws a (you
know) a wrench into their spokes, you know. 

		(1) 	If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and 	
				giveth 	thee a sign or a wonder,

		(2) 	And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he (spoke) unto 
					thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not
known, 					and let us serve them;

		(3) 	(And) Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or 	
				that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD God proveth you, to know 					
whether (you) love the LORD your God with all your heart and 						all
your soul.

	Now listen: 

		(4) 	Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, (how? by 			
		keeping) his commandments, (obeying) his voice, and (you) shall 					
serve him, and cleave unto him.

	See, the line of demarcation is the Word.  And this fellow comes along
with genuine signs and wonders to see if he can bump you off that Word.
Well, I'm going to tell you something: by the number of people at the
end time that are non-elect, the majority then will be bumped away from
God by these genuine things.

73.	And remember, a whole lot of others have already hurt themselves by
crying that the genuine things are the devil, and not God.  Where are
some of these churches today that said everything about Pentecost is of
the devil? Now, if I understand my Bible right, they've blasphemed the
Holy Ghost. That's taken…than that you see shows you where they stand.

	Then what about those who accept the genuine gifts then go off that
Word, where do they stand? Same place others stand. Why? Because they
were off their Word. The Bible said the devil can't heal, they say he
can heal. They're wrong, God's right. They say, "All tongues are of the
devil."  They're wrong, tongues are of God, even though the devil does
have tongues. You can't brand it all. If they then say this is the devil
when It's the Holy Ghost, where does that put them? See, I'm not trying
to make a case for ourselves, just trying to show you what the Word
says. You got to believe the Word. If the Word of God condemn that you
got to believe the Word.

74.	Remember, the time that they had the trouble up at Ai, when the man
of sin got the Babylonian wedge, (you know) garment and for the wedge of
sliver? You know, Achan? What did Joshua say? He said, "Give God the
glory, son, confess it." And when the guy confessed it, he went on and
killed him. [Josh 7:25]

	All right, we're in the same boat, that failed the Word of God. That's
all. You say, "What if it kills?" Then stay with it anyway. See, God
expects you to confess that, He's true and every man's a liar. If I
wasn't going to make the Rapture, I wasn't going to make anything, I
still have got to stand up and say, "That God be true." I got to say
this the way it is. (See?) You've got no choice in this thing.

	Remember, God is absolutely a sovereign, and a dictator. How are you
going to deal with God? You can't deal with God, except on His terms.
This is where people don't understand, and this is where the church us
always gone wrong, they want God on their terms, and you can't have it!
(See?) Once He performs what He said what He was going to perform, you
are duty bound to believe Him. That's it! The minute that you make one
more step, and what Him to do one more thing, you're a carcass of dung
in the wilderness. Hebrews the 3rd and 4th chapter. Not, because I say
so brother/sister, I don't have a thing to say. Do you think I'd preach
this way on my own? Oh, I've got some of the finest friends that anybody
could ever have, I've grown up with. They've shrugged their shoulders
and then say, "What does it really matter." What are you going to do
about it? (See?) These are genuine miracles. 

75.	Let's go to 2 Chronicles 18:20-23 

		(20) 	Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and
said, 					I will entice him. And the LORD said…Wherewith?

		(21) 	And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth
of all 						his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him…,
(Why? 						because it's one with the Word.)

	You think God would consent to anything outside of His Word? How could
He? This was His Word, Deuteronomy 13 told you. Is that, right?
Certainly, that's right. He said that prophet fellow is going to come.

		(22) 	Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the 	
				mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil 					
against thee. ((See?) 

		(23) 	Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah 
				upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD 				
	from me to speak unto thee?

	You think they can't rise up? Who do you think you are anyway? What
makes you think you're right? That's why I listen to a vindicated
prophet. "Ha, (they said) that's phony." When men that claim to have the
Holy Ghost will say when Bro. Branham was killed, (literally he was
killed in a car wreck, even though he died later of injuries) he was
going to die, he was killed in a car. "Well, thank God that false
prophet finally got killed." 

 	What about that letter that got circulated with this great Mr.
Pentecostal man says, first of all he said, "Don't listen to a puffed-up
prophet." That was in 1959, and then he said, "See, he got judged for
judging others." You don't get kindly taken to brother/sister if you
just believe what the prophet said.  

		(24) 	… Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see on that day when thou
shalt 					go into (thy) …chamber to hide thyself.

	He said, "There'll be coming a day, (he said) when you're clawing to
try to preserve yourself." But he said, "I'll be too late." Now, there
you are.

76.	Now, for further proof, notice the word whose coming is after the
working of Satan, this man works on Satan's plan just what Satan did. To
get a contrast on how Satan works, and how the Holy Spirit works, let's
go to 2 Thessalonians 2:  I'm building a case here, now let's see if I
can prove it. If I can't prove it then you say, "Bro. Vayle preached a
lie, even he thought he was preaching what Bro. Branham said." Okay,
verse 13.

		(13) 	But we are bound to give thanks always(s) to God for you,
brethren 					beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning
chosen 						you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and
belief of						the truth:

		(14) 	Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the
glory 					of (Christ Jesus our Lord.)

		(15) 	Therefore, brethren, (not this bunch over here, therefore
brethren), 						members of Christ) stand fast, and hold the (doctrine)
traditions 						(that's actually doctrine) which (you) have been
taught, whether by 					word, or epistle.

	Now, watch that verse again: (See?)  

		"Brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning
chosen 				you to salvation through the separating out of the Holy
Ghost, and belief of the 				truth."

	Not two, but one. Say, "The Holy Ghost dwelt with me." Deals with
millions, as he dealt with you by the truth. The Holy Ghost dealt with
Israel. Isn't He the One that Appeared in the Pillar of Fire and told
Moses what to do? Sure, He did. And didn't He deal with Israel? He took
them right out. But when it came to the truth what happened? They would
not believe.

	Now, that was the cardinal thing, not to come out, but to believe and
go in. Now, what if I come out and don't go in?  (See?) Now listen,
let's face the thing. Let's get this honest. Who was it that started
this last great revival that has ended in such shemozzle? William
Branham, prophet sent from God. Wasn't anybody else. It wasn't Amy, it
wasn't Charles Price. It wasn't Wigglesworth, it wasn't Bosworth. It
wasn't Mordecai Ham, Billy Graham, was William Branham. How do I know,
he admitted it. Great healing revival swept the world, still going on.
Raised up the prophet anointed. When he died, brought on a bumper
harvest. Sure.

77.	All right, you think people didn't get separated? What about the
multitude the testimony? What about the fact he said three quarter
million went to the Assemblies of God? According to their estimate, not
his, their estimate. What about the men that followed these great, great
ministries that came on the world? They tell you the thousands and
thousands and multiplied thousands and thousands, and thousands and
multiplied thousands, may come in.

	All right, where are they today in the Word? You not condemn them,
don't ever think for one minute, I'm not building a case against
anybody. I'm building a case showing you where we stand on this Word.
That this is what counts, no matter what anybody says. Say, "Well, glory
to God, I've got a miracle, I heard from God."	

	What about the Unity man? I said before and told you, I've got books by
I think her name is Margaret Lee Brombeck, (something like that) who
wrote "Answers Without Ceasing'. And wrote a second book, and she can
give you names and place of people who heard from God. And they no more
believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ then Mao Tse-tung does, or his
buddy Chou En-lai. Or his departed saints. Stalin, sure, no more of
these.  (See?) 

78.	Your miracles, the miracles started this thing see. Caught the
attention which was to bring them to the Word, but they separated, what?
Unto a sanctification, by the Holy Ghost in manifestation, then turned
down the Word. Now, it's both of them. You can't have one without the
other. Can you? No, you can't do it, see?  Now, verse 10,

	Now, by the Word. See how Satan wants beauty and great power came. He
wants a kingdom like Nimrod, but God in simplicity come by the
revelation. (See?) Now, verse 10 [2 Thessalonians 2:]

		(10) 	And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness… (we taught you
that 					already.)

	We don't get deceived by men that murder. You don't get deceived by men
that rob and steal, that break your windows in, bat you on the head,
pull a gun on you. No, that's not deception. The deception is a church
worship in form and beauty. Fine, sweet people like Eve that are
absolutely deceived. And she said, "the devil beguiled me," remember
that was morally and mentally, and  physically, a trinity. (See?) How
tragic.

	The antichrist church system and ministry takes hold of the people with
all deceivableness of unrighteousness. And we explained that. All that
take the mark and worship will perish. Where is the mark? It's in the
forehead believing that which is contrary to the Word, and the mark of
the hand is advocating and following up through obedience, the worship
system that they devised. And why must this occur? Because they receive
not the love of the truth.

79.	Exodus 28:30. This is one of Bro. Branham's favorite quotes, I do
believe. Let's find out about It if I'm right.

		(30) 	And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and
the 						Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth
in 						before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the
children 					of Israel upon his heart before the LORD (God)
continually.

	Now, this thing here, is what we need in order to escape judgment. 

	Now listen, what is Urim and Thummim? You know what it is?
Manifestation and truth. Exactly what Christ did what William Branham
did. Was to manifest the right to bring the Word, and the people took
the manifestation and turned down the truth. And what did Bro. Branham
say? He said, "When you got a manifestation bring it to the Urim and
Thummim to see if it is the truth." And they depart from the Word of
God. Ministry apart from the Word of God.

	Now notice, and we must not cringe, because this is the truth. "And for
this cause, …(because they don't check with the Word, they won't go to
the Word they're going to have a strong delusion sent by God Himself)
…that they should believe the lie. What lie." [2 Th 2:11] "You shall
not surely die." [Gen 3:4] "You are alright, you are born again, you're
going to make the Resurrection." Bro. Branham said, "They'd believe the
lie, but they're going to die." Why? Because the Book of Isaiah says so
whether we like It or not. Now, a couple of more minutes, listen, (or
two or three, whatever it's going to take, I'm going to try to skip some
here.) Let's look at this word here…

	[Tape ends]

 

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