God Interprets His Own Word - THE END TIME MESSAGE

God Interprets His Own Word

November 2017

Introduction

God through the ministry of Malachi 4 has restored back to us “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3). It was in this age that Jesus left the Throne of Intercession to claim the Book of Redemption. We again have the Word as it was perfectly given and perfectly understood in the days of Paul:

328-3 LAODICEAN.CHURCH.AGE - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.9

That means we will have the Word once again as it was perfectly given, and perfectly understood in the days of Paul.

It is in this age that none of man’s religious works, nothing that has its origin from the flesh, is accepted or overlooked (“winked at”) by God, for the fullness of the Word has been restored back again. As the Apostle Paul said in his day (a day which had the fullness of the Word):

ACTS 17:30

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

In restoring back the faith that was once delivered unto the saints, God is calling forth a people that are so free of their own thinking, so free of their own judgments, so free of their own religious works, so free of their own interpreting of God’s Word, that it would be the Life of Christ expressing in His people unhindered by man’s religious works and thoughts. Note that it will not necessarily be what we think would or should be the Life of Christ expressing in His people, but it will be the Life of Christ expressing in His people. Repeating again for emphasis:

It will not necessarily be what we think would or should be the Life of Christ expressing in His people, but it will be the Life of Christ expressing in His people.

The Bride is to have “no thought coming”:

TOKEN.THE_ SHREVEPORT.LA V-17 N-6 THURSDAY_ 63-1128E

124 And you're not yourself no more. You are Christ's. You don't think your thoughts. You don't think your thoughts. You say, "I think." You have no thought coming. The Life that was in Christ is in you. The mind that was in Christ is in you. The works that was in Christ is in you, and Christ Himself is in you. You are dead; your life is hid in God through Christ, sealed in there by the Holy Ghost. You're not your own.

In past ages, God interceded for His Bride when their humanity got in the way because the full understanding of the Word had not yet been restored back. The past ages just had part Word, therefore God was on the Throne of Intercession interceding for their ignorance. For example, in John Wesley’s age, God interceded for them erring on the Arminian side:

293-3 PHILADELPHIAN.CHURCH.AGE - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.8

But what about that Philadelphian Age, and, yes, the other ages, too? Did they really accept this reality in Christ? No sir. Even though Luther brought the truth of justification, the Romish Church, and its eastern counterpart, the Orthodox Church, still clung to works. Now works are fine, but they don't save you. They don't make you perfect. It is Christ or perish. And it is not even Christ AND works. It is Christ alone. This age began the years of Arminianism that does not believe in Christ as the REALITY. It does not sing of "Nothing but the Blood," for it sings of "Nothing but the blood AND my own conduct". Now I believe in good conduct. If you are saved you will do righteously. We have already gone over that. But let me tell you now, salvation is NOT Jesus PLUS. It is Jesus ALONE. SALVATION IS OF THE LORD. From start to finish it is all GOD.

FIRST.SEAL.THE_ JEFF.IN MONDAY_ 63-0318

127-4 Then along come Wesley with sanctification, got some more of it, but still never finished it, left loose ends everywhere, such as sprinkling instead of baptism, and Luther took "Father, Son, Holy Ghost" instead of the "Lord Jesus Christ," all these different things.

127-6 Then along come the Pentecostal age with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and they cabbaged down on that.

FIRST.SEAL.THE_ JEFF.IN MONDAY_ 63-0318

145-5 Now, them reformers knowed there was something wrong. Luther knowed that--that--that the bread wasn't the body of Christ, and so he preached, "The just shall live by faith," and that was his message.

And when John Wesley come along, he saw that there was sanctification, so he preached sanctification. That was his message. See?

The Pentecostals brought in the message of the Holy Ghost and so forth. But in the last days in this last age the messenger is not to start any reformation, but is to take all the mysteries that those reformers left off, and gather them together, and solve them to the people.

In this age God is no longer on the Throne of Intercession interceding for the ignorance of the people (that ignorance being because in the past ages the full Word had not yet been restored):

BREACH.THE_ JEFF.IN SUNDAY_ 63-0317E

96-7 Raised there today as an Intercessor with His own Blood to make intercession upon the ignorance of the people.

He left the Throne of Intercession to take the Book of Redemption and to open to us the Seven Seals:

BREACH.THE_ JEFF.IN SUNDAY_ 63-0317E

97-5 Remember, He'd been on His mediatorial work back here. But remember, these Seals are ready to be opened, and the Lamb come from the sanctuary of God, advanced forward... Wait till we get over there at that one hour--take that one-half hour that is silent; the sanctuary's smoking; there's no more intercession; the Sacrifice has left; it's a judgment seat. There's no Blood on it no more, for the Blood covered Lamb has walked away. Don't you wait till that time.

BREACH.THE_ JEFF.IN SUNDAY_ 63-0317E

99-3 Now, watch real close. This is something you must get. Now, He had been doing His mediatorial work making intercessions for the believer. For two thousand years He'd been back there, a Lamb. Now, He is stepping forth from eternity to take the title deeded Book, and to break the Seals, and reveal the mysteries. When of it? At the end time. Do you get it? All right, we'll go on then.

Now, break the Seals and release all the mysteries to them--to the seventh angel whose message is to reveal all the mysteries of God. The mysteries of God lays in these Seven Seals. See? That's what He said here. All the mysteries lays in these Seven Seals.

CHRIST.IS.THE.MYSTERY_ JEFF.IN V-3 N-7 SUNDAY_ 63-0728

Now, to the Life in the Body is a vindication of the rapture is at hand. When you see the Headship and the Body becoming one and the Fullness of the measure of His manifestation, shows that the Body is about ready to be received to the Headship.

78-1 "Nations are breaking, Israel's awakening..." See what I mean? He has begin to give Life unto His Body (Why?) the one that He has redeemed. The mediatorial work is done. He's bringing His Life to Body in the vindication for the rapture.

In this time that we now live, anything that has its origin from the self (the flesh) is no longer overlooked (“winked at”) by God. All religious “Cain’s offering” acts, all offerings from self, are totally rejected. We have the perfect understanding of the Word restored back to us in this day. That Word is calling for a total separation from unbelief. That Word is calling for all self to be out of the way so that it will truly be the Life of Christ on display in His people, unmixed with man’s thoughts and actions.

This ties in exactly with what Brother Branham taught about how the Life of Christ manifests in us. It is an unconsciously lived, automatically lived life:

THAT.DAY.ON.CALVARY_ JEFF.IN V-2 N-5 SUNDAY_ 60-0925

16-2 It was so surprising to these sheep that they said, "Lord, when were You hungry and we wouldn't feed You? When were You hungry, and we fed You? When were You naked, and we give You clothes? When were You thirsty, and we give You drink? When were You sick, and we ministered to You?" It was so automatically, out of love, it's just their life lived in them.

God, let the people see what Calvary did for us. So automatically, "When were You, Lord. We never knew that."

GOD.IN.SIMPLICITY_ JEFF.IN SUNDAY_ 63-0317M

38-3 You don't ask the sheep to bear wool or manufacture wool, I mean. The sheep don't have to manufacture wool. He'd say, "Now, my master wants me to have some wool this year. I got to get busy." No, the only thing he has to do is just remain a sheep. That's right. The wool will automatically--it will--it will--he will bear it because...

And we're not asked to manufacture fruits; we're supposed to produce fruit (See?), bear fruits.

When we are out of the way, then the Life of Christ can freely express through us – and it will be a manifestation that we will not even know about. It will just be the expression of what we really are (our New Soul).

Brother Branham expressed this thought in the following quote:

HUMBLE.THYSELF_ JEFF.IN V-21 N-1 SUNDAY_ 63-0714E

77 You know, people are--want power, and really they don't know what power is. See? They--they don't really know what--what--what goes with it. The--the way up is down always. If you want power, see how humble you can get. Just get away from all your worldly thinking, and humble yourself before God, and then you've got more power than the man that runs all over the building and makes a big lot of noise (See?); because you have been able to conquer yourself and commit yourself to Christ (You see?) to humble yourself before Him. That's really power.

In the above quote, Brother Branham says “then you've got more power than the man that runs all over the building and makes a big lot of noise”. We know that under true inspiration a Christian may make a lot of noise praising God. Brother Branham talked about that in other places. But what was Brother Branham correcting here? I believe Brother Branham was correcting the thought of a person out of his own human spirit being religious, trying to force being excited, working something up, or maybe a person that has an outgoing temperament expressing out of his own human spirit because it is natural and pleasurable to him, being in the limelight, getting attention. Brother Branham is correcting the concept of a person expressing something worked up out of himself.

God wants all of our self to be gone – religious looking acts and worked up actions are not the Life of Christ:

172-3 PERGAMEAN.CHURCH.AGE - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.5

[quote from when the Holy Spirit told Brother Branham to pick up his pen and write]

Those in the bride do only His will. No one can make them do otherwise. They have 'thus saith the Lord' or they keep still. They know that it has to be God in them doing the works, fulfilling His own Word. He did not complete all His work while in His earthly ministry so now He works in and through the bride.

One of the ways that man has always gotten in the way with his own thoughts is by interpreting God’s Word for Him, and then going about trying to fulfill his own interpretation of God’s Word. Brother Branham taught many times that God interprets His Own Word. What did he mean by this? That is what this article is about.

How God Fulfills His Word Is Its Interpretation

CHRIST.IS.IDENTIFIED.THE.SAME_ TAMPA.FL WEDNESDAY_ 64-0415

E-37 Each one of us interprets the Bible different. The Methodists says it should be read like this. The Catholic says like this, the Lutheran like this, the Pentecostals like this.

But the Bible says that the Word of God is of no private interpretation. God interprets His own Word. God don't need any interpreter. He don't need us to interpret. When God makes a promise, and manifests it, and makes it so, that's the interpretation thereof.

WHEN.THEIR.EYES.WERE.OPENED_ TAMPA.FL THURSDAY_ 64-0416

E-32 What was it? They knowed the Word as far as the letter was, but they didn't understand the Word when It was literally interpreted. That's what it is today. Every man's got his own interpretation, when God condemns the whole thing. God does His Own interpretating. If God said He'll do a thing, He does it. That's the interpretation thereof. God interprets His Own Word. There He was standing there, His Own Interpreter. Hallelujah. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does His Own interpretation. He doesn't need any seminary or any ministers, me, you, or no one else to interpret Him. He promised it, and then He turns around and does it. That settles it. That interprets Itself.

“and then He turns around and does it” – Note that He does it according to HIS interpretation, not ours

BROKEN.CISTERNS_ PHOENIX.AZ V-19 N-4 SATURDAY_ 65-0123

106 Each one has an interpretation of the Bible, what you think is right. God don't need your help. God don't need your interpretation.

God's His own Interpreter. God does the interpretation the way He--the way He says He would do it. The Lord said in the beginning, "let there be light," and there was light. That don't need any interpretation. That's what God did. He said, "A virgin shall conceive"; she did. That don't need any interpretation. He said He would pour out His Spirit upon all flesh; He did. It doesn't need any interpretation. God interprets His own Word by vindicating It, and manifesting It, and proving It.

INVESTMENTS.THE_ BEAUMONT.TX SATURDAY_ 64-0314

E-24 His Word is interpreted unusual to what we sometimes have it interpreted. But as I've said before, God needs nobody to interpret His Word. He does His own interpretation by--by bringing to pass the things that He said He would do. He interprets His own Word. He doesn't need our interpretation. It's... Our interpretation is our own manmade thoughts that we put with It.

“by bringing to pass the things that He said He would do” – note that He brings it to pass in the way that He was thinking of when He said It, not in the way that we interpret it

GOD.IDENTIFYING.HIMSELF_ DENHAM.SP.LA FRIDAY_ 64-0320

E-37 As I've said before, God don't need anybody to interpret this Word. He interprets His own Word. When He says anything, it happens. That's the interpretation. See? He don't need anyone to say, "Well, I believe it means this..." God identifies it by His own interpretation.

“When He says anything, it happens” – note that “it happens” – it is not that it MIGHT happen – God is God – He does what He says He will do in His way, not ours

LEAN.NOT.UNTO.THY.OWN.UNDERSTANDING_ PHOENIX.AZ 65-0120

72 The identification, that God's Own interpretation is the manifestation of the promise. Maybe I'll say it, make it a little plainer. When God speaks the Word, He doesn't need any man, or any woman, or no one else to say what That means. When He said... Well, you say, "God meant this." God means just what He says it means. See?

Now, how does He interpret His Own Word? By fulfilling It.

THINGS.THAT.ARE.TO.BE_ RIALTO.CA V-4 N-6 SUNDAY_ 65-1205

10 God, in the beginning, being the infinite God, He's finite and--or infinite, rather; we're the finite. His mind is so much greater, and we in our little finite mind cannot understand His great, infinite wisdom. But therefore, when He speaks anything, it may seem very strange to us to hear Him say a certain thing in the Scripture, but it's got to happen. I believe that His Words will never pass away; therefore, I believe that God that--knowing that we in our little finite mind could not interpret His--His great mind, He interprets His own Word. He doesn't need any interpreter. He interprets His own Word by vindicating that Word in Its season.

The Elect Live the Fulfillment of Prophecy Without Knowing It

We know that all the Scriptures could be interpreted thousands of different ways. That is why there are thousands of denominations – each has centered over one of the thousands of ways that the Scriptures could be interpreted.

But God needs no person to interpret His Word. God interprets His Own Word by how He fulfills it. This implies that no one can know the real interpretation of prophecy until after it has been fulfilled, for how God fulfilled it is the interpretation. Therefore God’s prophecy is only something that we can look back on to know its interpretation. This shows that the Elect, those that are the literal present fulfilling of prophecy (God is the I AM) do not know that they are fulfilling it - they are living the unconsciously lived, automatically lived Life of Christ.

The Elect are the living present fulfillment of prophecy (the Word for the present time):

REVELATION 19:10b

10b … for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

II CORINTHIANS 3:2

2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:

The Elect have “no thought coming”. The Elect do not know the Life of Christ that they are living because they have not interpreted God’s Word for Him and hence are not trying to in themselves fulfill their own interpretation in order to give themselves an evidence. The Elect live the Life that cannot be impersonated (the automatic Life - the Third Pull).

But when things start to become history, then the Elect can start to see that they have been fulfilling God’s Word:

ACTS 2:14-17

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all [ye] that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is [but] the third hour of the day.

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

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

Peter and the other believers were all waiting in the upper room, not knowing how God was going to fulfill His Word (though they all were probably discussing and conjecturing about it), but right as God began to fulfill the Scriptures, Peter, as it was right then becoming history, could say “this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel”. All that the believers had to do to fulfill this prophecy was to be in the upper room believing and waiting. God then fulfilled His Own Word and in so doing showed what the interpretation of the prophecy in Joel was. The believers fulfilled that prophecy automatically (it was not something that they worked up or knew beforehand what was going to happen).

Consider the following Scripture:

JOHN 12:12-16

12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed [is] the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.

16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and [that] they had done these things unto him.

In this Scripture we can see that the disciples were fulfilling the Word without even knowing it. It was afterwards that they could look back and see that they had fulfilled the Scriptures. The Life was automatic.

Being the Fulfillment of What God Is Presently Doing

Whenever man puts his own interpretation on God’s Word and consequently then goes about trying to manufacture that interpretation, he is getting in the way of Christ living His Life in him:

EVENTS.MADE.CLEAR.BY.PROPHECY_ JEFF.IN V-12 N-3 SUNDAY_ 65-0801E

38 We know that the day that we're living in, but as it has been in every age, people let men put their own interpretation to this Word, and causes them to be blinded to the event that's happened.

It is when we can get ourselves out of the way to have “no thought coming” that Christ can then fulfill His Word in us – it will be the automatic, unconsciously lived Life:

PERFECT.STRENGTH_ JEFF.IN V-8 N-1 SUNDAY_ 61-1119

99 I've often said, "The greatest enemy I got is William Branham." He's the one that gets in God's way. He's the one that gets lazy. He's the one that gets to a place sometimes where he thinks he can do something about it, and when he does, that shoves God right out of the picture. But when I can get rid of that guy, when I can get to a place that he's out of the way, then God can come over and do things that William Branham knows nothing about.

That's when God can use you. That's when He can use any of you. He can use anybody when we get out of the way. But as long as we got ourselves in the way, then we cannot.

ONCE.MORE_ NY.NY V-18 N-13 SUNDAY_ 63-1117

198 Now, I'm going to tell you a secret, as I leave. You've been sweet and kind. I've never exactly expressed this I know of, public, before. "Brother Branham, what is that gift?" It's a gift of knowing how to get William Branham out of the way so Jesus Christ can live through a vessel: just getting yourself out of the way.

GO.WAKE.JESUS_ TUCSON.AZ SUNDAY_ 63-1103

A apple tree is an apple tree because it's an apple tree. See? A peach tree is a peach tree because it's a peach tree. And a Christian is a Christian because Christ lives in that person, and makes... Christian means Christlike, not a membership, but a vindication, God producing through you just what a Christian is. It's you getting out of the way and letting God come in, you taking no thoughts. Let the mind that was in Christ be in you. There you are. That's the real Christian.

When a person is interpreting God’s Word then trying to fulfill his own interpretation, that person’s expression will always be some form of self, for a person’s interpreting of God’s Word is him getting in the way. That is what Cain did. He had his own interpretation about what God wanted, then he went about trying to manufacture that interpretation and got mad when his works were rejected. All Cain’s offerings are rejected.

The following quote shows how that God hides Himself in simplicity. The Elect that have “no thought coming” (that have not interpreted God’s Word for Him) will be the ones that are not “ignoring what He’s doing”:

GOD.IN.SIMPLICITY_ JEFF.IN SUNDAY_ 63-0317M

20-3 It is strange to think how that God does such a thing as that. God will hide Himself in something so simple that'll cause the wise to miss it a million miles and then turn right back around in that, some simple thing in the simplicity of His way of working and reveal Hisself right out again.

I thought it made a--a text that we might study this before we go into the--the--the great teachings of the Seven Seals. Many miss Him by the way He reveals Himself. Now, man has their own ideas of what God ought to be and what God is going to do; and as I have made the old statement many times that man still remains man. Man is always giving God praise for what He did do, and always looking forward to what He will do, and ignoring what He's doing.

The Elect are the ones that fulfill the present I AM ministry of Christ without even knowing it. It is the automatic Life.

In the following sections we will go through some examples related to God interpreting His Own Word. God’s interpretation can be so contrary to what man’s interpretation is.

John the Baptist’s Ministry

God’s prophecies can be literal or figurative or some combination of both. Their interpretation can only be known when God interprets His Own Word by bringing it to pass. How He brings it to pass is that prophecy’s interpretation.

The Elect recognize the I AM ministry of Christ because they have a Seed of God (an “ear to hear”) within them by election that can catch it. The non-Elect miss the I AM ministry of Christ because they can only live by their intellectual interpretations of God’s Word and thus they miss the actual present fulfilling of God’s Word (which is Its interpretation).

The prophecies concerning John the Baptist sounded like big outward things would take place:

ISAIAH 40:3-5

3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see [it] together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken [it].

But when John the Baptist came, he did not even do a miracle:

JOHN 10:41

41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

Yet in God’s eyes there had never been a greater prophet than John the Baptist:

MATTHEW 11:9-11

9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.

10 For this is [he], of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Think of John the Baptist as compared to Moses. Yet to God there was no greater up to that time than John. What man calls great, God calls foolish, and vice versa. How foolish it is for man to try to interpret God’s Word:

DESPERATION_ JEFF.IN V-4 N-1 SUNDAY_ 63-0901E

33 Who would ever thought that the mountains was skipping like little rams and the leaves were clapping their hands, when a prophet came forth from the wilderness, that was spoken by Isaiah 1,200 or 712 years before, with whiskers all over his face, and a piece of sheepskin, not even a pulpit to preach in, excommunicated from all the churches, and standing on the bank of the Jordan screaming, "Repent!" And called the people a bunch of vipers, snakes. But that's what God said, that when He come the mountains would skip like little rams. See? The humble saw it and was glad.

John’s ministry came in such a different way than what would be expected from the prophecies that even Jesus’s elect disciples missed it:

PRESENCE.OF.GOD.UNRECOGNIZED_ TOPEKA.KS V-20 N-2 THURSDAY_ 64-0618

38 One day the disciples asked Him, said, "Why did the Scribes say that Elias must first come?" Jesus said, "He's already come and you didn't know it," and they understood that it was John the Baptist. Those elected apostles still couldn't see who he was. That was the Elijah.

Though God could have fulfilled the prophecies concerning John the Baptist in a literal sense, in this case God’s interpretation was in a spiritual or figurative sense. Those that had their own interpretation of God’s Word missed seeing John the Baptist for who he was. The Pharisees and Sadducees rejected him because he did not fit their interpretation.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book Ethics brings out some of the ways that the prophecies concerning John the Baptist were fulfilled. They were fulfilled as a work of preparation in a spiritual sense:

Ethics, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, pages 135-136

‘The valleys shall be exalted’ (Isa. 40.4). That which has been cast down into the depths of human wretchedness, that which has been abased and humbled, is now to be raised up. There is a depth of human bondage, of human poverty, of human ignorance, which impedes the merciful coming of Christ.

‘The mountains and hills shall be made low’ (Isa. 40.4). If Christ is to come, then all that is proud and haughty must bow down. There is a measure of power, of wealth, of knowledge, which is an impediment to Christ and to His mercy.

‘The crooked shall be made straight’ (Luke 3.5). The way of Christ is a straight way. There is a measure of entanglement in the lie, in guilt, in one’s own labour, in one’s own work (Ps. 9.16) and in self-love, which makes the coming of grace particularly difficult. That is why the way had to be made straight on which Christ is to come to man.

‘The rough ways shall be made smooth’ (Luke 3.5). Defiance, stubbornness and unreceptiveness may have hardened a man so much that Christ can now only destroy him in anger as one who resists Him, and so that Christ can no longer enter into him in mercy, because the door is bolted against Christ’s merciful coming and is not opened to Him when He knocks.

The great things prophesied of John the Baptist were fulfilled in such a humble way that people did not recognize who he was. People had their own interpretation of God’s Word:

FOURTH.SEAL.THE_ JEFF.IN THURSDAY_ 63-0321

297-1 But it just be the same way like it come by John, the forerunner of the first time of Christ.

Why, they didn't recognize him, because there's such great things prophesied of him. Why, he was to make all the high places come low, all the low places go high, all the rough places go smooth; and, oh, he, well, oh, the prophets... Isaiah, seven hundred and twelve years before his birth, and Malachi, four hundred years before he come on the scene, all those prophesied of him. And they was expecting some corridor of heaven to be let down and this prophet walk right out with his staff in his hand from God.

297-4 And what happened? A man that couldn't even show a fellowship card, he couldn't show a credential, stayed out in the wilderness, not even a common school education.

We can see by this example that God may fulfill His Word in a whole different way than what man would think of.

John the Baptist Doubting

MATTHEW 11:2-6

2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

6 And blessed is [he], whosoever shall not be offended in me.

This situation is very interesting to think about. John had seen the Spirit of God descending and remaining on Jesus. He had seen the sign. He had announced Him saying “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Yet at the end of his ministry he had doubts that Jesus was the One that should come:

PARADOX_ BAKERSFIELD.CA V-22 N-5 THURSDAY_ 64-0206B

112 In Matthew 11, we find out that when John sent disciples down to there where... John paid Jesus the--the least respect that he could, after he'd already seen the sign over Him and said, "That's Him. He that told me in the wilderness to go baptize in water, said, 'On Whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining, He baptize with the Holy Ghost.'" He said he was sure of that. He saw the sign. Then after his eagle eye got filmed over down in the prison, he said, "Go ask Him if He really is the One, or another." That was disregarding the Word.

But Jesus knew that. He paid John a great respect. He said, "Who did you go out to see? a man dressed in soft raiment? They don't handle the sword. They're kiss the babies and bury the dead; they're in kings' palaces."

Why did John do this? It was because Jesus was not fulfilling what he (John) thought was supposed to be happening. The Word (even the Word that he (John) had spoken!) was not coming to pass in the way that he (John) thought it should be coming to pass. John was having his own interpretation of the Word (even the Word of God that was spoken through him!):

MODERN.EVENTS.MADE.CLEAR.BY.PROPHECY_ SBD.CA V-7 N-6 MONDAY_ 65-1206

When the disciples of John came over and they seen Jesus, they said, "John is in prison," said, "we come to ask You of whether he..."

John's eagle eye had been filmed over. And he was in the prison; he was fixing to die; said, "Go ask Him."

See? John said, "Oh, His fan's in His hand; He'll thoroughly purge His floor." He thought the millennium would start right then; he thought the grain was ready. But it had to die and go into the stalk, come up again to make the true Bride. So he said, "He'll gather His wheat into the garner, and He'll burn with fire." Watch that--that forerunner of Christ in that age, what he said would happen. "The grain..."

206 And I hope you're not asleep. The grain is here. It'll be gathered into the garner. It was that Bride, that part of it. But what did He say will happen to the stalk? It'll be burned with unquenchable fire. Seek salvation now while you can. Be a grain, not a stalk. See? Go into the Life, not the old dead form; go into the Life of Christ, the Word made manifest, the--made manifest and vindicated so. This is the--this is the gathering time; the combine is coming. You'd better get into the grain, 'cause the shuck's going to be left behind.

Notice in the above quote that the prophecies spoken by John are coming to pass in God’s time and in God’s way. John was doubting because he was having his own interpretation of God’s Word (instead of letting God interpret His Own Word).

And notice what Jesus ended His statements to John with: “And blessed is [he], whosoever shall not be offended in me.” (Matthew 11:6). Jesus was giving a correction to John. John, because of having his own interpretation of what the Messiah was supposed to do, was being offended in the way that God was fulfilling His Own Word. Any time man gets his own interpretation of God’s Word it leads to being offended in God, offended in the way that God is choosing to fulfill His Word.

The Four Gentile Kingdoms

We know that the prophecy in the Book of Daniel states that there were to be four historical divisions from the time of Daniel until Jesus would come and reign as the Son of David. Each of the four divisions were known by the dominating empire in each division:

1. Babylonian

2. Medo-Persian

3. Grecian

4. Roman

This Roman Empire of iron was to be made of two main divisions. And it was for the empire literally split into two--East and West. Both were very powerful, crushing all before them.

But around 476 A.D. the western half of the Roman Empire fell, and about a thousand years later the eastern division came to its end. But how then was God going to fulfill His prophecy about the Roman kingdom lasting until the end? God was going to fulfill it in a different way:

194-2 PERGAMEAN.CHURCH.AGE - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.5

But as the glory and power of all empires fail, so this empire began to fall also. Thus Rome fell. Pagan Imperial Rome was no longer iron. She crumbled. She was wounded to death. Rome could not now rule. It was all over. So thought the world. But how wrong the world was, for that head (Rome) though wounded was not wounded unto death. (Wuest, translation of Revelation 13:3, "And one of his heads appeared to have been mortally wounded, the throat having been slashed. And his death stroke was healed. And the whole earth followed after the Wild Beast in amazement.")

People look at Rome. They look at the nation of Italy. And as they look they do not realize that Rome with her strict confines where the pope has an actual area as his domain is literally a nation within a nation, and she has ambassadors and receives ambassadors. PAPAL FALSE CHRISTIAN ROME (she is even called the eternal city--how blasphemous) NOW CONTROLS BY RELIGION EVEN MORE ABLY THAN WHEN PAGAN IMPERIAL ROME CONTROLLED BY THE PURE IRON OF FORCE. Rome took on a new lease of life when Constantine joined church and state and backed the union by force. The spirit that motivated pagan Rome is the same spirit that now motivates false Christian Rome. You can see that is so because you now know that the fourth empire never went out of existence; it just changed in its outer texture.

This is an example of how it may seem at times that God’s prophecies are not coming to pass. But they are. God does not fail. They may be coming to pass in a different way.

A Time of Ripening

As God has been fulfilling His Word since Brother Branham left the scene, as things are starting to become history, we are starting to see the great work that God has been doing. It has been the fulfilling of “the Voice” phase of the coming of the Lord. It has been that long phase of the Bride ripening in the presence of the Son.

In the following quote, it seems that Brother Branham is making the following statements because he is looking at the church and not seeing the maturity, the harmony, the character that he felt should be there in the end-time Bride:

POWER.OF.TRANSFORMATION_ PRESCOTT.AZ 65-1031M

71 And everything had come to pass, and He had spoke it. Now, the only thing He had to do, after spoken it, He--speaking it, rather. He could go to rest, because He had spoke it, and it was all has to come to pass, because He had spoke it. I don't know how much it had to go through before it come to pass, how many rejects and whatever more. But it had to come to pass, because He said it would come to pass. He had spoke it.

The same thing it is about having a church here in the last days. He's going to have a Bride. He's able of these stones to rise children to Abraham. If we don't follow Him, He'll get somebody else that will follow Him. See? He's going to have it, because He's already spoke it. Whatever He says, it has to be that way. It cannot change. It must come forth that way, because He said it would.

But there was a long phase of ripening that was to take place after Brother Branham left the scene that I believe even Brother Branham did not see the depth of (it was not his ministry – it was the ministry of the Christ to follow). This time of ripening has been glorious in God’s eyes.

In the following quotes that refer to ripening, notice the dates of the quotes. Brother Branham is seeing that the Bride must ripen. He said these things right at the end of his ministry just before God took him Home:

CHRIST.REVEALED.IN.HIS.OWN.WORD_ JEFF.IN V-4 N-10 SUNDAY_ 65-0822M

89 Now, we see where every age, and it was directly designed it out that we're in the last age. The shuck has pulled away, and we've had fifteen years, nearly twenty now, years of the message sweeping across from nation to nation, and this morning hooked up across this nation (See?), and no organization. It can't organize. There's nothing ever been like it or will be hereafter. See? The--the thing that's the matter with the message today is, those who obtain it in their hearts must lay in the presence of the Son to get ripened. See? You can pick up the message, and then let the Son bake all the greenness out of you (See?), make you matured Christians. You see what I mean? God's coming soon to receive His church, and we must have that type of Christians for Him to receive. The--the wheat's got to get ripe.

“make you matured Christians” – this implies character development

INVISIBLE.UNION.OF.THE.BRIDE_ SHP.LA V-2 N-15 THURSDAY_ 65-1125

28-1 "Why ain't we got a denomination out of this?" They never will be. It's the grain. It can't go no farther. We're at the end-time.

What does it have to do now? Lay in the presence of the sun to be ripened. That's exactly. The Word to be ripened into your heart to bring forth and live what we're talking about. Yes, sir. Then you'll have no more doubts, if you let the Holy Spirit reveal it to you like the queen said about Daniel.

“to bring forth and live what we're talking about” – the character of Christ formed in us

TRYING.TO.DO.GOD.A.SERVICE_ SHP.LA V-7 N-2 SATURDAY_ 65-1127B

343 God, at this little altar of every heart present here and around the nation, may the waters from under the altar of God gush out this morning upon Your church; and water it, Lord, for the season's just about finished. Give it Life, the Waters of Life, that it might be able to lay in the Presence of the Son to be ripened for Your great garner.

GOD'S.ONLY.PROVIDED.PLACE.OF.WORSHIP_ SHP.LA V-7 N-4 SUNDAY_ 65-1128M

40 I believe the church is begin to hear the message, and beginning to understand. But, friends, listen, we've got to lay in the Presence of the Son; we've got to be ripened. Our--our faith isn't ripe. Intellectually we're hearing the message that God has give us, and seeing the signs that He showed us, and proving it by the Bible as that; but, oh, how the church needs to lay in His Presence till it tenders up, you know, and gets sweet in the Spirit so that it can bathe down. Sometimes in speaking the message, you get harsh, have to break it in like that, because you've got to clinch a nail to make it hold. But when the church once gets it, the Elected is called out and separated then in the Presence of God, I know it'll be something like the people was there when it takes its rapture.

Notice in the above quote the contrast that Brother Branham is making:

“but, oh, how the church needs to lay in His Presence till it tenders up, you know, and gets sweet in the Spirit so that it can bathe down. Sometimes in speaking the message, you get harsh, have to break it in like that, because you've got to clinch a nail to make it hold.”

Brother Branham had to preach a Message that at times got “harsh” in order to break through the strong spirit of deception of the Laodicean age which he was the messenger to. He had to initially break through that spirit of deception “to clinch a nail to make it hold”. But then after that initial harsh “breaking through” the Bride is to “lay in His Presence till it tenders up, you know, and gets sweet in the Spirit so that it can bathe down”. Immature believers can continue on in that harsh spirit, becoming self-righteous Pharisees that condemn others and put people “in” or “out”, using the Message as a new definition of “dos and don’ts”. That is not the Spirit of Christ. We have moved into a different time period than when Brother Branham was here. We are now to ripen in the Presence of the Son, with the end result being: “I know it'll be something like the people was there when it takes its rapture” (referring to when Brother Branham saw the Bride beyond the curtain of time – it was perfect Love):

REJECTED.KING_ JEFF.IN V-2 N-23 SUNDAY_ 60-0515M

21-4 And I heard a voice then that spoke to me that was in the room, said, "This is what you preached was the Holy Ghost. This is perfect love. And nothing can enter here without it."

The following quote about ripening was made less than a month before God took Brother Branham Home:

RAPTURE.THE_ YUMA.AZ V-5 N-14 SATURDAY_ 65-1204

59 This is the end. The wheat's come back to the wheat again. The wheat's come back to its grain. The shuck has pulled away from it. And the wheat must lay in the presence of the sun to be ripened.

Character is a victory, not a gift. It is the Bride who are the overcomers:

117-1 SMYRNAEAN.CHURCH.AGE - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.4

Why does He stand by? The reason is in Romans 8:17-18, "And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Unless we suffer with Him we cannot reign with Him. You have to suffer to reign. The reason for this is that character simply is never made without suffering. Character is a VICTORY, not a gift. A man without character can't reign because power apart from character is Satanic. But power with character is fit to rule. And since He wants us to share even His throne on the same basis that He overcame and is set down in His Father's throne, then we have to overcome to sit with Him. And the little temporary suffering we go through now is not worthy to be compared to the tremendous glory that will be revealed in us when He comes. Oh, what treasures are laid up for those who are willing to enter into His kingdom through much tribulation.

Our character is what we will take with us:

351-3 LAODICEAN.CHURCH.AGE - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.9

"You had better come before it is too late," saith the Lord, "and buy of Me gold tried in the fire and then you will be truly rich." Are we getting it? Listen to me, "Naked (physically) we came into the world, but naked (spiritually) we will NOT leave it." Oh no, we are going to take something with us. What that something is, is ALL we can take with us, nothing less and nothing more. So we had better be real careful now to see that we take something that will make us right before God. So, then, what will we take with us? We will take our CHARACTER, brother, that is what we will take with us. Now what kind of character will you take with you? Will it be like HIS Whose character was molded by suffering in the fiery furnace of affliction, or will it be the softness of this character-less Laodicean people? It is up to each one of us, for in that day every man will bear his own burden.

This time of ripening, the “bitterness in the belly” time of “the Voice” phase of the coming of the Lord, has been a time of character development.

Think of the character of the Syrophenician woman, how she reacted when Jesus called her a dog – “Truth, Lord”.

Think of the character of King David to react the way that he did when the man cursed him: “let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.” (2 Samuel 16:11).

The beauty of the Church is the character of the people:

GOD.IN.SIMPLICITY_ JEFF.IN SUNDAY_ 63-0317M

3-2 May it be a consecrated place to our Lord, a consecrated people, for no matter how beautiful the structure is (that we certainly do appreciate), the beauty of the church is the character of the people.

Brother Branham Paralleling John the Baptist

Just as John the Baptist, the Elijah and forerunner of the first coming of Christ, did not fully understand how God was going to fulfill the ministry of Jesus after him, so I believe that Brother Branham up here did not fully see how God was going to fulfill the ministry of Christ after him. At the end of his ministry, Brother Branham started to think that maybe another wave of his ministry was about to start:

ON.THE.WINGS.OF.A.DOVE_ SHP.LA V-7 N-5 SUNDAY_ 65-1128E

225 Why, me an old man, suffered all my life, why did He heal me now? I believe I'll ride this trail again; I got to bring a Message. And I say to my Father tonight (as Junior seen in a--a dream the other night of the wings of this Dove moving in these windows here), Lord, Your servant's reporting for service. Amen, I'm ready.

According to testimonies contained in the book Generation compiled by Sister Angela Smith, Brother Branham in 1965 had begun making plans for having a traveling tent revival. But no, his ministry had come to its end (just like John the Baptist’s had). It was time for him to leave the scene so that the Christ could take over full preeminence (“He must increase, but I [must] decrease” John 3:30). Brother Branham died less than a month later after making the above statements.

But God is fulfilling His plan exactly on time and in the exact way that He has it planned. The cogs of God’s wheel turn slowly but surely:

ISRAEL.IN.EGYPT_ JEFF.IN IC 1-34 WEDNESDAY_ 53-0325

29 Now, therefore, let's go back now and get the beginning and find out how sure this Word is. Now, bear this in mind. And as we glean through this Bible, you'll see that the cogs of God's wheel turns slow but sure. It may look like it's a million miles away, but she's grinding right up there all the time, and one of these days it'll be here.

Prophecies Spoken by Brother Branham

All that Brother Branham prophesied of will (or has been) coming to pass. It may come to pass in a different way than what we would expect, but it is coming to pass in God’s way and in God’s time.

God may bring to pass His Word in such a different way than what one would expect that only the Elect are the ones that will catch it. This seems to be the pattern that has happened throughout history:

GOD.IN.SIMPLICITY_ JEFF.IN SUNDAY_ 63-0317M

20-3 Many miss Him by the way He reveals Himself. Now, man has their own ideas of what God ought to be and what God is going to do; and as I have made the old statement many times that man still remains man. Man is always giving God praise for what He did do, and always looking forward to what He will do, and ignoring what He's doing.

It is a possibility that some in the Message have interpreted God’s Word for Him, have interpreted the prophecies that Brother Branham spoke, and are going about in their own strength and works to try to manufacture their interpretation. This is a way of error. The end of this will always result in some kind of self-exaltation.

Let us look at some examples of statements that Brother Branham has made and show how God may have already been fulfilling His Word. This is not saying that these thoughts are the interpretation (for the point of this article is that God interprets His Own Word), but the point is to show the possibilities that God may be interpreting His Word in a whole different way than what one might expect.

“The Super Church”

171-1 PERGAMEAN.CHURCH.AGE - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.5

[quote from when the Holy Spirit told Brother Branham to pick up his pen and write]

Whatever life was in the seed came forth into a plant and thence into fruit. The very same law applies to the church today. Whatever seed started the church will come forth and be like the original seed because it is the same seed. In these last days the true Bride Church (Christ's seed) will come to the Headstone, and she will be the super church, a super race, as she nears Him.

Most would probably think of the manifestation of “the super church” as some big outward expression. And it may be. God will interpret His Own Word. But what if God’s interpretation ends up being in terms of what He calls real power, and it has already been happening?:

HUMBLE.THYSELF_ JEFF.IN V-21 N-1 SUNDAY_ 63-0714E

77 You know, people are--want power, and really they don't know what power is. See? They--they don't really know what--what--what goes with it. The--the way up is down always. If you want power, see how humble you can get. Just get away from all your worldly thinking, and humble yourself before God, and then you've got more power than the man that runs all over the building and makes a big lot of noise (See?); because you have been able to conquer yourself and commit yourself to Christ (You see?) to humble yourself before Him. That's really power.

If a person has his own idea of what “the super church” manifestation should be, the tendency is that he will be full of himself, judging and trying to produce something that may never happen. We need to stay out of the way and let God interpret His Own Word in us. Afterward we will be able to look back and see how God fulfilled His that Word in us. And because it was all Him (because we had “no thought coming”, because we fulfilled His Word without even knowing it), He will receive all the glory.

Consider the following quote:

BELIEVING.GOD_ JEFF.IN V-19 N-7 SUNDAY_ 52-0224

185 If somebody comes up and puts it on you, if somebody around here done some kind of a something to you, and lets you get well, it doesn't inspire you. But here's what it is; he that believeth, "I am healed now."

If God come down and healed me positive, right out with a miracle, it wouldn't be as great as it would if I can see the promise of God and take it into my heart, stand there, I can say, "Jesus is now healing me, for I have accepted His Word. It's in my heart. He is now interceding for me before the Father. I shall be well." There's what God loves. Stand there on His Word and say It's right. He's healing me now, every day."

The great thing to God is not a miracle but it is to have a people that take God at His Word and stand there, believing Him no matter what. “There's what God loves.”

Consider the following quote:

LOVE_ SHREVEPORT.LA THURSDAY_ 56-0726

E-20 I think love is the greatest force there is in the world. There's nothing more powerful than love. If I had the choice tonight, and was a sinner, and was standing here before God, and He have said, "Now, boy, I'm going to give you all nine spiritual gifts. I'm going to let you prophesy, give you the spirit of prophecy. I'm going to make you a mighty preacher, give you the word of wisdom and understanding. I'm going to give you the gift to speak in tongues and to interpret. I'm going to give you a gift of healing that you'll have great faith for the sick. And I'm going to do all these things for you. I'll give you all that, or I won't let you have any of those things, but let you have real love in your heart."

I'd say, "God give me love." That's right.

"For where there is tongues, they shall cease. Where there's prophecy it will fail. Where there's knowledge, it'll vanish. But where there is love, it will endure forever. That's what drove the heart of God to send Christ to the earth.

For the Bride to have Christ’s character formed into Her such that true Love (Christ) is expressing freely from their hearts, that is the great thing to God (and note that it is not our thoughts of what that expression would be, but the great thing is for it just to be – we would know nothing about it (the Life is automatic)).

Notice in the following quote what Brother Branham said about being on “the verge of one of the most mightiest things that ever struck the earth since the days...”:

DESPERATION_ JEFF.IN V-4 N-1 SUNDAY_ 63-0901E

32 Now, God, the Creator, can make a set of lungs. I--I truly believe that we're on the--the verge of one of the most mightiest things that ever struck the earth since the days...?... See? But now, we can only be known as... It'll be so humble. See? See, what man calls mighty, God calls abomination. But what man calls foolish, God calls mighty. See? But now watch it (See?); it'll be so humble that you'll never miss--that you'll miss it if you've not got the Token there to examine it. You see? See?

Could it be that the time of ripening, the time of character development, the time of overcoming self since Brother Branham left the scene has been fulfilling in God’s eyes the above quote? God will interpret His Own Word.

“The Squeeze”

Brother Branham mentioned about a coming “squeeze”:

LOOK.AWAY.TO.JESUS_ JEFF.IN V-2 N-17 SUNDAY_ 63-1229E

6-1 So now, I am going to say something to you now, that I haven't said all along. And that is, the thing that we have looked forward to for so long, or at least many years, four or five years or maybe longer, the third pull has now been vindicated, and I'm sure you all know what it is.

Now, remember, there'll never be any impersonation of that, 'cause it can't be. It cannot be. Now, it's in existence, and I have--I am warned of this, that soon, right at this time now, it's just happened, so it could identify its presence among you. See? But it will not be used in a great way, until this council begins to tighten up. And when it does, when that does... The Pentecostals and so forth can almost impersonate anything could be done, but when that time comes, when the squeeze comes down, then you'll see what you have seen temporarily, be manifested in the fullness of its power.

Man could put his own interpretation on this and miss what God is presently doing. For example, what if God’s interpretation of this would have something to do with Brother Branham’s thoughts on “the squeeze” expressed in the following quote?:

I.KNOW_ JEFF.IN EASTER.MESSAGE.BOOK SUNDAY_ 60-0417S

I think of my wife of twenty-two years old, taken, just merely a girl, a little mother there. When the papers give a headline here, "Young mother of reverend just died," oh, how my heart bled. I didn't know what to do. But today I know it was all working for my good. I know the life had to be ground, and twisted, and squeezed to get what in it was, out. There was too much Branham in there had to be squeezed out before God could make Hisself known.

94 There was too much of you in you, till God had to squeeze it out through trials. And while that squeezing was coming on, it's hard. But after while the skies clear back and you see the purpose of God. Then you cry, "I know my Redeemer liveth, and at the last days He'll stand on the earth. Though the skin worms destroys this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." These little trials and things are just for a moment, and they fade and pass away. But they're only done for your good; let us remember that, that God would get glory.

With the understanding of what God has been doing since Brother Branham left the scene, the time of ripening, the quiet time, the Life that cannot be impersonated, the Third Pull not being a public show, the “bitterness in the belly” phase of eating the Book, God interpreting “the squeeze” in this way seems very possible. But it does not matter what we think. God will interpret His Own Word by how He fulfills It.

The Ecumenical Council

Brother Branham talked many times about a coming pressure from the ecumenical move of the denominational churches:

313-2 PHILADELPHIAN.CHURCH.AGE - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.8

"I will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." This verse is not a declaration that the true church will go into and through the tribulation. If it meant that it would have said that. But it said, "I will keep thee from the hour of temptation." This temptation is exactly like the temptation in Eden. It will be a very inviting proposition held up in direct opposition to God's commanded Word, and yet from the standpoint of human reasoning it will be so very right, so enlightening and life-giving as to fool the world. Only the very elect will not be fooled. The temptation will come as follows. The ecumenical move that has started on what seems such a beautiful and blessed principle (fulfilling Christ's prayer that we all might be one) becomes so strong politically that she bears pressure upon the government to cause all to join with her either directly or through adherence to principles enacted into law so that no people will be recognized as actual churches unless under direct or indirect domination of this council. Little groups will lose charters, privileges, etc., until they lose all property and spiritual rights with the people. For example, right now unless the local ministerial association approves in many, if not most cities, one cannot rent a building for religious services. To become chaplains in the armed services, hospitals, etc., it is now almost mandatory to be recognized as acceptable to the trinitarian ecumenical groups. As this pressure increases, and it will, it will be harder to resist, for to resist is to lose privilege. And so many will be tempted to go along, for they will feel it is better to serve God publicly in the framework of this organization than not to serve God at all publicly. But they err. To believe the devil's lie is to serve Satan, even though you may want to call him Jehovah. But the elect will not be deceived.

Furthermore, the elect will not only be kept, but as this move becomes the "IMAGE ERECTED TO THE BEAST," the saints will be gone in the rapture.

God will interpret His Own Word regarding this and all quotes. But what if God fulfills this quote in such a different way than what one would expect that even some that claim this Message would miss it and fall right into the lie? It seems entirely possible.

Sadly it seems that the spirit of this quote has already been fulfilled by some in this Message. Let us say there is a Message “denomination”, a group in the Message that fellowships around shared beliefs wherein a minister that is in that “group” can travel and preach freely within that group. Then when that minister comes to see and believe in a doctrine that “the group” has rejected, that minister is tempted to compromise, either by changing his doctrine or hiding his believing in that doctrine. That minister is guilty of what Brother Branham warned about: “for they will feel it is better to serve God publicly in the framework of this organization [the Message “group”] than not to serve God at all publicly.” This is very sad, for they are guilty of the rest of what Brother Branham said: “But they err. To believe the devil's lie is to serve Satan, even though you may want to call him Jehovah. But the elect will not be deceived.”

True believers are not to be tied to any group or Message “denomination”. If something is true it is true, no matter who else has preached it or who was the first one to see it in the Message. Being part of a denomination (even if it is a Message “denomination”) is a way of death.

Ministers of God are to follow the example of the Apostle Paul:

75-1 EPHESIAN.CHURCH.AGE - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.3

Notice that Paul was unorganized, but Spirit-led, as when God moved upon Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt. Jerusalem's council never sent Paul out, nor did it have any power or jurisdiction over him. God, and God alone, did the sending and the leading. Paul was not of men, but of God.

Surely by now we should be able to fellowship with one another with the maturity and the love that the prophet taught if any differences in understanding arise.

The above examples are meant to show that God can interpret His Word in any way that He wants to. We must always be on guard to keep ourselves out of the way. The Bride of Christ will be the fulfillment of the Word by the automatic Life.

In Summary

How important it is that we not interpret God’s Word for Him. When man interprets God’s Word, he will consequently do works to try to manufacture that interpretation. This produces a Cain’s offering that is rejected by God.

When man does works to try to manufacture his own interpretation, this ultimately leads to that man judging both himself and others. He has become a judge and not a doer of the Word. He feels good about himself if he is fulfilling his own interpretation (it gives him an evidence) and he judges others based on whether they are fulfilling his interpretation. All of this is an expression of self – it is not the Life of Christ. It is a way of death.

Man interpreting God’s Word for Him ultimately leads to self-exaltation.

Man always misses God when he gets in the way with his own thoughts and interpretations. That is how they missed Jesus being the Messiah:

LOOK.AWAY.TO.JESUS_ JEFF.IN V-2 N-17 SUNDAY_ 63-1229E

26-3 And another time--another thing, they form their own opinions of what He ought to be (See?), their own idea, instead of taking what the Word said. That's the way, when they look and even see Jesus Himself, they fail to recognize Him.

We have shown that how God fulfills His Word is that Word’s interpretation. This implies that we cannot know the interpretation of prophecy until God fulfills it since how God fulfills it is its interpretation. Therefore it is only after something has started to become history that the Bride can then see how that She has been the fulfilling of prophecy. Because the Bride did not even know that they were fulfilling the Word, this shows that it truly was the automatic Life living in them with the end result being that She (the Bride) will give ALL the praise and glory back to God, for GOD did it all:

REVELATION 4:10-11

10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

God has been and will continue to be fulfilling all of His prophecies in His time and in His way. May the Lord help each of us to get ourselves, our own thoughts and interpretations, out of the way. The Rapture is at hand:

PRESENCE.OF.GOD.UNRECOGNIZED_ TOPEKA.KS V-20 N-2 THURSDAY_ 64-0618

Now, look. You know, the--the coming of the Lord's going to be a secret coming. He said, "There'll be two in the bed, and I'll take one and leave one (That's where the--the night is.), two in the field, I'll take one and leave one."

You know, there's so many people disappear every day off the face of the earth that nobody can account for. One of these days it might be that people might say, "Well, you mean the tribulation, the thing's on us now? I thought the Church was to go before the tribulation." They don't realize and understand that the rapture could take place and they'd know nothing about it; it's the secret going of the Church.

41 And, think, people will go right on preaching, saying they believe they're getting saved, and adding in the church, and building churches, and going on just like they did in the days of Noah, and so forth, and not know it; and the rapture done past, "It's already happened and you didn't know it." There's hundreds of people disappear from the earth and people know nothing about where they went to; they can't account for it; somebody was going somewhere, they never hear from them no more. And that could be the rapture.

Back to Home…