I am
not a prophet
According
to William Marrion Branham
When
William Branham started his ministry after the visitation of the Angel who told
him: “If you can get the people to believe you, nothing can stand against your
prayers, not even cancer.” It was not enough for the supernatural signs to be
in operation during his ministry to convince the people to believe him, they
needed to believe that he was a prophet of God, so he allowed them to believe
just that in order to strengthen their faith.
He
first began to address himself as God’s servant only, then proceeded to let the
people believe that he was a prophet to insure the belief of the people for
their healing. Some of what he said is as follows:
Quoting William Branham
“Sir,
you standing there. You believe with all your heart now. Do you believe me? Do
you accept me as God's servant? Do you
believe I'm His prophet that was sent here for your purpose, that you might
be healed? Then will you obey what I tell you to do?”
“Now,
look this way, sister. Will you obey me
as God's prophet”
“Do you
believe me? Will you obey me as God's
prophet and servant, and believe that God sent me here for your healing?”
“Have
you believed me, sir? Do you believe that I am God's servant, that I am His prophet, that He sent me
here for you?”
So for
years he allowed the people to believe him to be a prophet and that belief
contributed to the success of his healing ministry.
Then
nearing the end of his ministry as he observed the people elevating him above
what God wanted to occur in his ministry, He attempted to make it clear that he
was sent to be an Evangelist and not a prophet. During one of his services in
Jeffersonville Indiana on June 1, 1962, he made the following statements.
Quoting William Branham
Now, here
we are then, right up here to the end of the time when... If God did call me
(Now listen, this is not to be repeated.), if He did call me to be His prophet,
then I'm certainly not holding the office of one. Prophets don't evangelize. A
prophet hides himself in the wilderness alone with God, until he gets exactly
directly what God wants him do, and he stomps right out and gives his Message,
and back into the wilderness he goes again. He's not an evangelist, holding
meetings and getting cooperations and all these things like evangelists do. He
don't teach like evangelists. He has THUS SAITH THE LORD, and that's it, and
that's all. He gives it, throws it out, and lets the chips fall where it will,
and then away he goes again. Nobody knows where he's at, and he's in isolation
somewhere.”
“Now, I
cannot... or... If He's called me to be that, I cannot be an evangelist. And if
He's called me to be evangelist, I cannot be a prophet. Now, you get what I
mean? I don't know what to do. I've done reverently when He told me first,
about me holding the people's hand and praying for them, and then know the
secret of their heart, and all these different things. And brethren, that's
infallible. You know that's to be the truth. Every one of you knows that. See?
And how He told me it would blast across the world. And it's done it, just
exactly. Every nation under the heavens has heard it. Everywhere, newspapers,
tape recordings, everywhere. I don't know how it's ever done it, but throughout
all the world letters coming in and people from way down in Thailand and the
Hottentots back in there, how those missionaries has crowded back in there with
those tapes and given that interpretation of the Word. And now, we hear from
all over the world (See?), around the world”
“Now, as I
have done the work of an evangelist (And here's my plea.), if that is pleasing
to God, and I've done the work all right, trusting that I've pleased Him,
asking forgiveness for all my mistakes, then He may be calling me from the
field of evangelism to be His prophet. Then if it is, I'll leave evangelism.
But if He calls me to be a prophet, I cannot be an evangelist. If I'm to be
evangelist, I cannot be a prophet. I'm mixing the two offices; that's where
I've always fussed about. Standing on the platform... It's never been good,
successful. God has used it, but
I've never thought it was His direct will; it's
been His permissive will. Stand on the platform, a vision or two will knock
you out almost. See? And then if you tell this person how to straighten hisself
up and what to do, and then the next person stands there, he's expecting the
same thing, and you can't tell him 'less Something tells you to tell him. And
then the other people feel like you're a traitor or a backslider or--or a--a
demon or something because you don't tell them what they want to know. See, that's not the office, the way a
prophet operates.”
“A prophet
stays back here till he stomps right into the hospital, or wherever he's going,
with THUS SAITH THE LORD and say it and stomp back out again. He's no
evangelist at all. He don't hold meetings and discuss things, he's got the Word
of the Lord for whoever he's sent to.
If he's
sent to the White House, he stomps right up in front of the White House and
it's THUS SAITH THE LORD. If it's to the Governor of the state, whoever it is,
it's THUS SAITH THE LORD. He don't fool around with a group of churches, trying
to get them to come in and take the Word, and preach these things like
evangelists, he's not an evangelist.
So you
see, brethren, that's the reason I don't
call myself a prophet. I'm not even
in the office of one. See? Now, you understand what I mean? “
So, can
you see and understand what William Branham said. He was not a prophet, God didn’t send him to be a prophet and he didn’t
minister as a prophet.
Then
because his followers believed him to be a prophet and when he began to teach,
everything he taught was accepted as the correct interpretation of scripture.
Not only was William Branham not sent as a prophet, he was not sent to be a
teacher of scripture and consequently entered into error in his teaching. But
his followers accepted everything he said and made a little god out of him.
That’s just the reason that God removed him off the scene at such an early age.
A prophet of God
would never contradict the written word of God which our Bible contains. No
prophet of God, who serves as the mouthpiece of God would ever give his own
interpretation of the written word of God, he would just state it the way it is
written.. No prophet of God would ever state that you cannot accept just what
is written in scripture, instead you have to read between the lines of
scripture in order to get the true meaning, but William Branham did just that.
See the following quotes from his sermons.
Quoting William Branham:
“You
know, do you believe the Bible's written so you have to read between the lines,
as I've said? You read between the lines. Not... The lines is right, but
there's a between the line.”
“This
Bible is hid from the wise and prudent. I don't care how great your school is,
your seminary, you will never know nothing about God, until you get in love
with God. You have to read between the lines. It's hid.”
“The
Bible, you must read between the lines, because God has hid It from those who
just read the word alone. I am quoting Scripture that He has hid It from the
eyes of the wise and prudent, and will reveal It to babes such as will learn”
“Do you
like to read between the lines? Why, the best part of the Bible is wrote
between the lines. Sure it is.”
“Now, you're
going to have to read between the lines. Now, you know, the Bible is written,
the message is not altogether right on the letter, but it's between the lines.
Did you know that?”
This
teaching is in error in God’s eyes and must be rejected because
it was not in God’s perfect will for it to take place. The truth of God’s Word
as it is contained in the Bible is clear as it is written and does not appear
between the lines. If you declare that you are reading between the lines of
scripture, you are doing nothing but adding your own interpretation to it. The
Bible says that the scripture is of no private interpretation.
Just as
a footnote:
William
Branham admitted that there was just one thing that had not happened that the
Lord showed him. His interpretation of the tent vision that he received as
being the start of a new ministry for him and declared it as “thus saith the
Lord” never did occur during his life and ministry.
A true
prophet of God is always one hundred percent accurate in all his prophecies or he
is not a true prophet of God.
AMEN
6 comments:
Benjamin wrote: "I have a hard time believing the Lord would show him so many visions and allow a picture of the pillar of fire over his head to be taken all to deceive people into thinking he was a prophet just so they could get their healing. I believe it is quite possible for a person to hold multiple offices. When he said he wasn’t a prophet, but an evangelist, he was working in the office of such. Because of the importance of the coming of Malachi 4:5, this “reincarnation” of Elijah was a special one. Modern times called for a multi-office man of God. William Branham wasn’t just an evangelist, he was also a teacher and missionary. When he taught people about the importance of faith in getting healed, he was fulfilling the roll of teacher. When he preached to a sold out Madison Square Gardens, he was an Evangelist. When he traveled the world 7 times, he was in the roll of missionary. When the Sword struck his hand on the side of a mountain in the wilderness and he came back proclaiming “THUS SAITH THE LORD”, he was fulfilling the roll as God’s prophet, exactly as did Elijah and John the Baptist."
Brother Branham did not say it was the Lord's doing to deceive people, nor did he intend to deceive people either. If you remember, the angel told him, when he received his commission, that it was necessary for the people to believe him in order to receive their healing when he prayed for them. He said that allowing the people to think he was a prophet would make a big impact on the people and said that it was the Lord's permissive will. That only means that the Lord didn't prevent him from doing it.
Anyway, the Lord gave him two signs to vindicate his ministry and that should have been enough to help the faith of the people. Why he thought he needed something else, like being thought of as a prophet, is anybody's guess.
I'm with you, I also believe that a person can hold multiple offices in the church, Paul the apostle did.
Anyway, it really doesn't matter what he said about not being called to be a prophet, the proof is in the pudding as they say. A God sent prophet would not contradict the scripture by reading between the lines and putting his own interpretation to it. And a God sent prophet would demonstrate a one hundred percent accuracy in their prophecies, which he didn't.
But I can understand why his followers had to believe that he was a prophet, to give them justification to accept his interpretation of scripture over what scripture actually says.
The only other thing I want to comment on is what you said about the sword striking his hand incident. If he had of been a prophet he would have understood the meaning of it. He thought it was a signal from God to return and preach the seven seals message, but it wasn't. He realized it when he got to the seventh seal message and had what he actually preached under inspiration to be replaced by something else.
Brother Branham had a tremendous ministry, which resulted in thousands of souls being saved and glorified God by his devotion to it.
But if anyone says that he was a prophet of God when he knows and proclaimed that he wasn't, they are just calling him a liar.
What the message believer followers can't do, or won't do, is taking Brother Branham at his word when he states facts that God has shown him.
Isn't it enough to believe in God, and His Son Jesus Christ and to believe that the Bible contains the Word of God. Isn't that all we need?
Why do all of these followers of him have to make him a prophet, when God didn't?
Why would God prove a man so thoroughly, just to let him be wrong on a few minor doctrines?
They said the same things about Jesus. He attracted the multitudes with His miracles, but when He began to preach, all but a few left Him. History has repeated itself in the time of the second coming of Christ.
In 1933, a light appeared on the Ohio river as you know, and proclaimed to William Branham that HIS message would forerun the second coming of Christ. The light never said, “In case your message fails, I will raise up someone else.” In 1950, his picture was taken, and the only one that developed on the roll was a picture of the Pillar of Fire hanging over his head. Who else in recent history has had such things happen?
Why would God allow so many miraculous and supernatural events to follow his ministry only to realize He made a mistake, kill off the current messenger, and then bring someone new to correct the old one? Where is the Scriptural foundation for this? This would break Biblical pattern. There was one John the Baptist, followed by one Messiah.
After seeing a lifetime of the supernatural displayed in William Branham’s life, how are we to believe a new message that has displayed no supernatural? Many things followed Branham’s ministry including the sick healed, the dead raised, millions of souls converted, prophecy after prophecy come true, supernatural discernment, hundreds of angelic visitations, and many instances of the pillar of fire photographed with him. Is God trying to trick us? Did God really fail us here? If He knew Branham would be off on his teachings one day, why would He have the Angel of the Lord follow him his entire life?
A fundamental teaching of Jesus was that a wise man builds his house on a rock and a foolish man, the sand. As you stated, William Branham claimed that if he wasn’t the messenger, then he was laying the foundation for him. Anyone knows that you can’t build a skyscraper on a house foundation. It has to be the right foundation and will agree perfectly with structure in size and load-bearing capacity. If William Branham’s message was the foundation, how can the message to follow be so contradictory? It must line up exactly with the foundation. If you were to build a tall building on such a foundation, it would crumble. Since he died in 1966, many men have claimed to be the Elijah to follow, but every time their message has crumbled from a God-less foundation.
Another thing, if he was so wrong in so many of his teachings and doctrines, why then should we believe him when he makes a vague statement about another message coming? If he was wrong about one thing, then he is a false prophet, no question about it. We can then discredit everything he said. How can we disbelieve everything he says except this vague statement?
When in history has God sent a messenger, realized He made a mistake, took him off the scene and sent a new one to correct the old one? This would indicate that God makes mistakes. Can God not sent one messenger and get it right the first time? I’m sure you will agree, God doesn’t make mistakes.
As I said before, all of the theologians and great minds of the day said Jesus contradicted Scripture. He told them many things they didn’t understand, and they called him a blasphemer. But Jesus wasn’t contradicting Scripture, He was fulfilling it. The religious minds of the day claimed they knew the Scripture better than anyone, yet they couldn’t understand why Jesus said to eat His flesh, and drink His blood. It was a mystery, which needed revelation. Just because he said things they didn’t understand, doesn’t mean he contradicted the Torah. So if the first coming of Christ featured a great healing ministry with many signs, wonders, and miracles followed by teaching that many intelligent minds failed to grasp, I’m inclined to believe the second would be the same way. God does not change his patterns. Hebrews 13:8.
One last thing. If we are going to believe his terrible death was a punishment, the so must we believe the same of all the great apostles and martyrs, and even the Christ Himself. Death is Satan’s territory. When a Christian’s time is finished, their body is handed over to Satan for his final claim. As I said, many great Christians died terrible deaths, so to claim Branham’s death was because of his disobedience, the same must be said of Peter, James, and even Christ Himself.
My response to BenC’s comments follow his quotes.
“Why would God prove a man so thoroughly, just to let him be wrong on a few minor doctrines?”
God doesn’t micromanage anyone’s life, what they do, or what they say. Being wrong on a few minor doctrines clearly proves that he was not ordained to be a God sent Teacher.
“In 1933, a light appeared on the Ohio river as you know, and proclaimed to William Branham that HIS message would forerun the second coming of Christ. “
That’s true; his message will forerun the return of Christ. The message, just as William Branham stated, was for the people to return to the true meaning of scripture, just as it was before it was misconstrued over the years by preachers who were not God sent.
“In 1950, his picture was taken, and the only one that developed on the roll was a picture of the Pillar of Fire hanging over his head. Who else in recent history has had such things happen?”
No one as I know of, but what does this prove? It certainly doesn’t prove that he was a prophet. A prophet is not proven to be a prophet by a light appearing over his head in a picture.
“Why would God allow so many miraculous and supernatural events to follow his ministry only to realize He made a mistake, kill off the current messenger, and then bring someone new to correct the old one? “
God provided the supernatural signs and wonders to vindicate William Branham being sent by Him to preach the Gospel. God did not make a mistake here and God is not an Indian giver. When God gives a person something, He doesn’t take it back when someone gets out of his calling. That’s not a mistake on God’s part; it’s because of error a man makes.
‘After seeing a lifetime of the supernatural displayed in William Branham’s life, how are we to believe a new message that has displayed no supernatural? “
Jesus said Himself “Except you see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” He also said: For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders;”
Signs and wonders do not prove that a person is a God sent prophet.
“Many things followed Branham’s ministry including the sick healed, the dead raised, millions of souls converted,”
That’s true, evidence of someone being a God sent preacher or Evangelist.
“ prophecy after prophecy come true, “
A God sent prophet will be 100% accurate in all his prophecies, this was not the case in William Branham’s case.
“Is God trying to trick us? Did God really fail us here? If He knew Branham would be off on his teachings one day, why would He have the Angel of the Lord follow him his entire life?”
God did not, nor would He trick us into believing anything. God certainly did not look into the future and foresee that William Branham would enter into error with his teaching. Please don’t quote Isaiah 46:10 and tell me that it means God knows everything that every man will say and do.
“A fundamental teaching of Jesus was that a wise man builds his house on a rock and a foolish man, the sand. As you stated, William Branham claimed that if he wasn’t the messenger, then he was laying the foundation for him. Anyone knows that you can’t build a skyscraper on a house foundation. It has to be the right foundation and will agree perfectly with structure in size and load-bearing capacity. If William Branham’s message was the foundation, how can the message to follow be so contradictory? It must line up exactly with the foundation. If you were to build a tall building on such a foundation, it would crumble. Since he died in 1966, many men have claimed to be the Elijah to follow, but every time their message has crumbled from a God-less foundation. “
Here again the Message is misunderstood. The Message was not everything that came out of William Branham’s mouth when he preached. The message was to return to the true interpretation of scripture. To do this, we must allow scripture to interpret scripture and not man.
My response to BenC’s comments follow his quotes.
“Another thing, if he was so wrong in so many of his teachings and doctrines, why then should we believe him when he makes a vague statement about another message coming? If he was wrong about one thing, then he is a false prophet, no question about it. We can then discredit everything he said. How can we disbelieve everything he says except this vague statement?”
I guess that is a judgment thing you have to make on your own. Maybe the first thing a person should do is to decide whether you are going to believe the words of scripture literally or some man’s interpretation of it.
“When in history has God sent a messenger, realized He made a mistake, took him off the scene and sent a new one to correct the old one? This would indicate that God makes mistakes. Can God not sent one messenger and get it right the first time? I’m sure you will agree, God doesn’t make mistakes.”
I believe I answered this before by saying that God doesn’t make mistakes, but because He does not micromanage every person’s life, man is free to make mistakes on his own.
"As I said before, all of the theologians and great minds of the day said Jesus contradicted Scripture. He told them many things they didn’t understand, and they called him a blasphemer. “But Jesus wasn’t contradicting Scripture, He was fulfilling it. The religious minds of the day claimed they knew the Scripture better than anyone, yet they couldn’t understand why Jesus said to eat His flesh, and drink His blood. It was a mystery, which needed revelation. Just because he said things they didn’t understand, doesn’t mean he contradicted the Torah. So if the first coming of Christ featured a great healing ministry with many signs, wonders, and miracles followed by teaching that many intelligent minds failed to grasp, I’m inclined to believe the second would be the same way. God does not change his patterns. Hebrews 13:8. “
In my opinion there is a difference while comparing Jesus with Branham in this respect. When Jesus came on the scene, He was introducing a new covenant which wasn’t spelled out in the Old Testament for the religious minds of that day to understand. Branham did not introduce a New Covenant, nor fulfilling scripture, nor writing scripture.
“One last thing. If we are going to believe his terrible death was a punishment, the so must we believe the same of all the great apostles and martyrs, and even the Christ Himself. Death is Satan’s territory. When a Christian’s time is finished, their body is handed over to Satan for his final claim. As I said, many great Christians died terrible deaths, so to claim Branham’s death was because of his disobedience, the same must be said of Peter, James, and even Christ Himself. “
I’m not in any position to answer how a person dies and the reason for the way they die. I don’t see William Branham’s method of death as a punishment, only as a method of getting him off the scene before any additional teaching errors could be made which were misleading the Body of Christ. Maybe God should have just raptured him off, but would that have been in accordance with New Testament scripture? Only God has all the answers, I certainly don’t.
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