Ewald Frank

preached on 28. 7. 1991, 14:00, Zürich,

Topic: 2 Timothy 3:1–5: "The great difference between a believer and a worldly person!"

broadcast on 2. 9. 2026

Praise the Lord, what a wonderful Word, and the beauty of God’s Word is, that everything is true, that everything is right, that we can rely on God and God’s Word. As human beings, we sometimes give our word, are unable to keep it, and have to correct ourselves. God has no need of that. He keeps His promises. He stands by His Word forever.

After all, it is written, in Isaiah chapter 40, “the Word of the Lord endures forever.” [Isa 40:8] And Peter elaborates on the same Word in the New Testament, saying, “the Gospel we proclaim is this Word of God, which remains forever. The flower falls off, the grass withers, but the Word of the Lord remains forever.” [Isa 40:7-8; 1Pet 1:24-25]

When one hears this and takes it in by faith, what certainty, what confidence, what an absolute.

Brother Branham did after all deliver a sermon entitled “The Absolute”. I have been criticized, or it is objected to, that I do not give titles to my sermons as Brother Brenham did. I shall also tell you why. I cannot stick to any one topic as it comes, so I pass it on. According to the Scripture, “what I have received from the Lord, that I give to you.” [1Cor 11:23] If I were to give a sermon a title, I wouldn’t know what the sermon would end up being.

You see, men of God aren’t here to copy one another. They are here so that each one carries out the commission just as it was bestowed and given by the Lord, and not otherwise. I once heard Brother Brenham say, when Billy Graham was in Louisville for a breakfast with all the preachers, that Brother Branham said, “I cannot take Billy Graham’s place.”

And afterwards he said, “I doubt whether he could take my place.”

And as you know, Brother Branham always had a bit of a sense of humor.

And so, in a very broad sense, this also applies to me. I do not know whether Brother Branham would have found his way around and been as familiar with all the countries of the world as I have. He had his commission and I have mine.

The Word that was read to us is so precious, I would at least like to read the first verse of Psalm 125, or perhaps both verses again. [Pas 125:1-2]

[1] They that trust in the LORD…

That is the condition.

[1] They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever.

When we, as believers, have placed our trust in the Lord, we remain steadfast through every storm. No one has ever heard of Mount Zion being shaken by any storm. It stands firm forever. A person who has received the revelation of Jesus Christ, who has been founded upon the Word of God, and who places their trust in the Lord, not in themselves, not in a doctrine, not in a church, not in a prophet or a man of God, but in the Lord, is like Mount Zion, which does not waver, which stands firm forever.

You may say, it is a great thing that we, as believers, can stand so rock solid, remain unshakable in the Lord, and stand firm. Oh yes, this is what God’s Word says, and this is indeed true. We are not tossed to and fro by various doctrines, because we have been firmly established in the Word of God. [Eph 4:14] And that is why this steadfastness or firmness is not in you or in me, it is in the Lord. And when he is in us, we remain firmly with him, with a rock that does not waver, but stands firm.

And then verse 2:

[2] As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.

Not just for a few days, but from now on for ever and ever. And anyone who has ever been to Israel knows that Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains. In the same way the Lord will protect his people from now on for ever and ever.

The third verse also touches my heart:

[3] For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous.

What does the rod of the wicked have to do with the inheritance of the righteous at all? And yet, Brother Branham says in a sermon, “We are living below our God-given standard.”

The church is not yet where it ought to be, where it belongs.

May the Lord wield his scepter and shatter everything that is a wicked rod, so that circumstances do not rule over us, but rather the Lord upon whose shoulder the rule rests, the Lord who holds the scepter in his hand. Whoever holds the scepter holds the reins of government. He is king, he is in charge. Our Lord is our king, he holds the scepter. And it is written, “the scepter shall not depart from you until he comes to whom it belongs.” [Gen 49:10] And indeed he has come, it is his by right, and the scepter rests upon his shoulder.

There is much to be said on this subject. Let us read a few scriptures for a brief reflection on the Word. We are after all living in the days when everything is coming to an end, will come to an end, must come to an end, because God has said so in his Word. Even if we are sometimes assailed by the thought that everything is dragging on, we can nevertheless be certain that God watches over his Word to bring it to pass at the right time. [Jer 1:12] And so it is not haste, but patience that we need to allow the Lord to work.

In the opening word we read, “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord.” [Jon 2:7] To whom should we turn? To whom should we go? He alone has the Words of eternal life, and not only that, he also has the right words at the right time. [Joh 6:68] He has comfort for whatever may cause us anxiety. We cannot expect this from people, we can receive it from him.

“I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.” [Jon 2:7]

How wonderful it is to know that God lives, that he answers prayers, though perhaps not always as quickly as we would like. I too carry a prayer request with me, and know that the Lord answers prayer, and if we wait, we shall see it fulfilled. In verse 8 we read:

[8] They that cleave unto vain idols forsake him with whom their salvation lieth.

No one knows better than believers that our salvation lies solely with God, who has granted us salvation in Christ. And then verse 10:

[9] But I will sacrifice unto thee with a voice of thanksgiving. I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.

No one in the entire Old Testament has experienced being lost and being saved in body, spirit and soul quite as deeply as Jonah. Have we understood that? When we speak of salvation here, we must also take note of the context. Jonah was thrown overboard, and off he went. The fish carried him down into the depths, to the very bottom. Without hope, without anything, he went down, it could not have gone any deeper. And there he cried out to the Lord, and God heard him. He was lost, he was forsaken. And then came salvation, then came God’s mercy, then came deliverance.

So it is with every human being. They are separated from God, lost, born into this world. Their path does not lead straight upwards, the path leads downwards, for it is the broad path that leads to destruction. [Mat 7:13] But then, as we can testify, salvation came, salvation came from the Lord.

And as I said somewhere quite recently, anyone who has not experienced the utter pain in their soul, the pain of being separated from God, the pain of being lost, the pain of divine condemnation, and who cannot truly bear witness to this as an experience, saying: “I was lost, yet God had mercy on me and accepted me.” If someone merely accepts a doctrine without having gone through this process of truly being lost, of being separated from God, of the judgment of condemnation, as it is written: “The wages of sin is death, and thus death has come upon all people.” [Rom 5:12; Rom 6:23] The point is, at least for me, the point is that I have not merely set out the proclamation correctly before God in a doctrinal sense. It must also be emphasized that everyone must have a personal experience of salvation with God. And that is what I wish for all of us with all my heart. And then comes the connection to God and the connection to the Word of God.

As far as current events are concerned, we know of course that the focus will remain on Israel until the very end. You can look at it any way you like. Many things may happen across the whole earth. Volcanoes may erupt, there may be earthquakes, floods, wars, famines, just as Holy Scripture foretells. All this will happen and indeed is happening. But the one thing that always remains on the agenda is Israel. If a volcano erupts here or there, it happens at some point and somewhere. With Israel it always remains in the same place and it always concerns the people of God.

I would actually like for the relief of us all to read two or three scriptures which show that the Lord himself will take matters concerning Israel into his own hands and turn the situation around. In the end it will not be Sharon and Shamir and whoever else there may be, or Yitzhak. But right at the very end it will be the Lord, the Almighty God, who will take the cause of his people into his own hands. And then it will not be a conference in Cairo or Damascus or anywhere else. Then God himself will act and everyone else will have to submit to it.

From Amos chapter 9. Amos chapter 9. I would like to read verse 11 here. Amos chapter 9, verse 11:

[11] In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof, and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old.

And then straight on from Amos 9, verses 13 and 14:

[13] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed, and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.

[14] And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel.

We note here what is said, “Then I will”, thus saith the Lord in his Word, “Then I will also restore the fortunes of my people Israel.”

[14] And they shall build their waste cities, and inhabit them…

And so forth.

My point is, that we must wait for the time when God acts, both in the church and in Israel. Like the leaders and rulers in Israel, we can do what needs to be done in the meantime. But then we recognize our limitations. God will do the final work in the church and in Israel. Here it says:

[11] In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen.

In this regard, I would like to read the scripture from Acts 15, where it is quoted in the New Testament. Even back then there were men of God who were already able to say what would happen. Acts chapter 15, particularly verse 18. But for the sake of context, let me read from verse 13. Acts 15 from verse 13:

[13] And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me.

[14] Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

[15] And to this agree the words of the prophets…

Amen.

[15] And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,

[16] After this I will return and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down, and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up.

[17] That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

[18] Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

What a marvellous word. Almost 2000 years ago, James spoke these words on the Lord’s behalf and affirmed them, as has been proclaimed from of old. I also like the phrase “Thus saith the Lord” in verse 17, “that the residue of men might seek after the Lord.”

When will they seek him? When he builds again the tabernacle of David. I could immediately cite a number of scriptures on this.

[17] That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things.

It is not merely “Thus saith the Lord”, but the Lord has after all committed himself to his Word. He has spoken it, he has promised it. It is he who brings all this to pass, as has been made known from eternity.

How often have we said it before, God does not plan today. Before time began, from all eternity, he incorporated the entire course of time into his plan, and everything proceeds according to his eternal decree, until time flows back into eternity.

Other scriptures, particularly in the Prophet Haggai, confirm the manner in which God himself will not only speak, but also act at that time. [Hag 2] I shall read these scriptures very briefly, Haggai chapter 2, verse 6, Haggai 2, verse 6:

[6] For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

[7] And I will shake all nations…

I am delighted. It is not earthly leaders and rulers, the Lord himself will do it.

From Haggai chapter 2, verse 21:

[21] Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;

[22] And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen…

And so on.

This brings me joy, and I believe it brings joy to us all. We are glad that God is in charge, that he is on the throne, even though it is sometimes said that he neither makes himself heard nor seen. Jesus said at that time: “A little while, and the world will no longer see me, but you will see me.” [Joh 14:19] The world does not see him. After the resurrection, no unbeliever saw the Lord. Before that, people could say: “Doesn’t he live here, along with his sisters and brothers?” [Mark 6:3] and so on. But after the resurrection, no unbeliever saw the Lord. Only the believers. And if you think Thomas was an unbeliever, I believe he merely wanted to be certain. [Joh 20:25] He must not be counted amongst the unbelievers, but at most amongst those believers who find it difficult to believe in the supernatural at the very moment it happened.

And so it remains to this very day. The world does not see the Lord, nor does it hear him. It has no sense of the spiritual. Not only did some see him immediately after his resurrection, such as Mary, Peter, John, and those on the road to Emmaus, but 1 Corinthians 15 also states that more than 500 brothers saw him at once, but he revealed himself only to his own after his resurrection. [1Cor 15:6] Beloved, this still holds true today. The unbelieving world can testify, “We have seen nothing of God and heard nothing from him.” Believers, on the other hand, can say: “We have seen the Lord walking amongst the seven golden lampstands, we have heard him, we can testify that he has revealed himself to us.”

“The world sees me no more, but ye see me.” [Joh 14:19]

And for this to happen, it is necessary that we belong to the people of the covenant, that we have become children of the New Testament, of the new covenant, in whose hearts God has been able to place his Word. I shall read the promise from Jeremiah 31.

Jeremiah 31, and then from Hebrews chapter 8.

Jeremiah 31:

[31] Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.

You know that I asked Brother Goldner whether this word of the prophet Jeremiah had been fulfilled or not, whether God had established this new covenant which he promised in the Old Testament or not. We believe what our Lord said in Matthew 26 verse 26: “This is the new covenant in my blood.” He established the first covenant and also bestowed the second, the new covenant, by his grace.

In Hebrews chapter 8 we read in verse 10:

[10] For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.

What a marvelous word! Not the outsiders, the unbelievers, who do not receive the Word and reject the Lord as Saviour, but those who believe. I am glad that this is still true today: “The world sees me no more, but ye see me.” [Joh 14:19]

Now just be honest, there is a hymn writer who sings: “When I contemplate you in your Word,” what is it?

We see God, we hear Him, we are united with Him through His Spirit, have received life from God and have received His Spirit. As Paul writes to the Corinthians, so that through this we may recognize what has been given to us by God, by His grace. [1Cor 2:12] I rejoice that it is God who works all things in all, that it is God who keeps and fulfills His Word with the church and with Israel, that it is God who will arise and bring His own work to completion.

For certain reasons and circumstances I have been reflecting over the last few days on what we, as Bible believers, have personally gained from the divine message of the Word, the revealed Word, and to what extent we have allowed ourselves to be integrated into God’s work of redemption through faith and obedience. We all know the scripture, Acts 3, verse 21 by heart, that “the Lord Jesus remains in heaven until the days of the restoration of all that God has proclaimed through the mouth of His holy prophets.” And this brings us quite clearly to the question, have we merely taken note of this divine message, in a doctrinal sense heard it and let it pass us by on both sides, thinking what will become of others? Or have we allowed ourselves to be personally integrated into the divine order?

And I am thinking in particular of specific scriptures in the epistle to Timothy, which Paul wrote with reference to the end times, describing what would be happening amongst the people. Pride, you can read the whole list, the relationship between parents and children and so on. [2Tim 3:2-4]

And I came to the conclusion, no matter what may happen in this world amongst the unbelievers, amongst the believers, the divine order will have to be restored. In the home, in the family, in marriage, amongst parents, amongst children, amongst women, amongst men, amongst everyone, in everything, for the glory of God. Have we understood that? Outwardly, we can very quickly say: “God will restore all things, put everything in its rightful place, restore it to its proper order.” Yet, we do not think of ourselves at all, that we too must find our place, so that the divine order may also be in order amongst us. Have we understood that?

It is not merely that we think, “God is doing all this now”, and then, in the end, comes the great event we are all waiting for. But, this divine order must begin with us. After all, it is about the completion of the bride, when it is said, that Jesus remains in heaven until the time when all things are restored [Act 3:21], this can only refer to the day of the rapture and nothing else. And since we are all waiting for the rapture, we must realize, that this divine order is indeed taking hold everywhere in our hearts and homes.

And if, beloved sisters, it sometimes seems, as it may appear at first glance, that a little more is demanded of you than of the brothers, then there is a good reason for it. Anyone familiar with Holy Scripture knows exactly where the shortcoming lies, and there is no excuse for us either. But remember what Brother Branham saw in 1933. It was not the men, but the women who would leave their places. It was the women who would not listen to reason. And who does not recall Brother Branham’s sermon, in which he mentioned the example of a certain Pentecostal sister, who was so filled with the Spirit, that she could wear shoes with such high heels, doing whatever she pleased.

And Brother Branham said: “Sister, you cannot walk the narrow path like that.” And her reply was: “I’ll prove to you that I can walk it like this.” And what happened? She slipped and fell into the abyss with a great cry.

What is it? Let me put it very clearly. Even in the homes of believers, there are plenty of families where there is no longer any divine order. And if I sound old-fashioned now, then please forgive me. But as recently as 15, 20, 30 years ago, all daughters stayed at home until they were married. They felt at home and comfortable within the family.

Just think of it. What has been going on in recent years? Everyone wants to be independent. Everyone wants to. And where has the divine order gone? Where has gone that which held true for 6,000 years, was the norm and applied equally to unbelievers and believers alike?

The zeitgeist has swept up not only the unbelievers, but the believers as well. Have we understood that? It has swept the believers along too, and everywhere there is lamentation and sighing in people’s hearts. Outwardly, one may read the Bible, one may pray, one may think one is right with God. One is only right with God once one has submitted to the divine order, not before and not after, but only then. And blessed are all those who have truly tasted the cup of salvation and found that the Lord is gracious [1Pt 2:3], that they will cast off this worldly spirit, for it is incompatible with the Holy Spirit.

The divine order is to be found here in the Word of God, and there is much to be said about it. As I just remarked, until just a few years ago everything went on as it had since the days of Adam, but in recent years everything has changed so much. I still think back today to the day when I — forgive me, you can laugh now during a serious sermon — when I saw the first woman with red lips. It came as such a shock to me. I actually came home and didn’t know what to make of it. That was of course many years ago, it was in the late 40s, perhaps 1949.

But what has all happened since then? Women and fashion designers no longer know what else to invent to please the devil. And depending on whatever trend comes along, it also reminds me of a dear sister… Brother Branham, in a sermon, as he always did… I do it very rarely, but he did it often, because the Spirit of God urged him to. He couldn’t let women get away with that sort of thing, because God wouldn’t let him get away with it. And as a prophet of God, he had no choice, he had to speak the truth without any compromise.

In any case, in that particular sermon, he had mentioned that it is a disgrace when women sunbathe in shorts outside, not in the back garden, but in the front garden, and men then walk past and see them like that. And after this powerful sermon, a dear sister came up and said: “Brother Branham, I am so glad that what you said doesn’t apply to me. I don’t wear shorts, I wear tight-fitting long trousers.” And then Brother Branham said: “That’s even worse.”

And then of course, this lady was utterly disappointed. She thought she’d got off scot-free, and lo and behold, that’s not how it works.

Why do I have to say these things today? Probably so that all of us, men and women, brothers and sisters, children, fathers and mothers, may understand what the Bible says. “In the last days, perilous times will come. People will be boastful, arrogant and greedy.” [2Tim 3:1-2]

You can read the whole list, in 1 Timothy 3, in 2 Timothy 4, you can find it throughout the epistles of Peter. But here’s the question, to whom does this

But here’s the question, to whom does this list apply? Such as the true believers, redeemed by the blood, who have identified themselves with the Word of God? Or is it a record of the character in which the world will find itself in the end times?

And we simply have to say, that God makes a distinction between the believer and the unbeliever, between those who serve Him and those who do not. [Mal 3:18] So if a complete register is listed here, surely that cannot be the state of the church, can it? I beg you, I’ll just read it to you, just so that you know that this is what is written. And then you simply have to agree with God and not think that this is the state in which the church finds itself.

It says here, in 1 Timothy chapter 4:

[1] Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

And then it goes on and on.

But the direct account is set out here, in 2 Timothy chapter 3 from verse 1:

[1] This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…

Is this the state of the church? No, and no again. This is the state of people now in the end times. The state of the church, I pray to God, that it must surely be quite different.

If all these characteristics were to apply to the church of God, well, what would the church of God be then? Then it would no longer be the church of God at all. No, it is stated very clearly here. Then people will, not the believers, not those who are holy and beloved in Christ, but the people of this world, will have and display this character, but not the believers.

The believers will allow themselves to be torn away from this world. And the Lord said: “Ye are not of this world, just as I am not of this world.” [Joh 17:14, 16] And He said: “If they hated Me, they will also hate you.” [Joh 15:18] Believers do not belong to this world. Let alone does the world belong in them.

And here is the point. Many have come out of the world, but they have not allowed the world to be removed from within them. Instead, they continue to be controlled by the zeitgeist.

In Colossians 3, the Apostle actually got straight to the point and listed the things one by one. Colossians 3, verse 18:

[18] Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

Do you see what this is about? And then:

[19] Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

Everyone is addressed here, everyone. And then:

[20] Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing unto the Lord.

Huh, if someone today says something to a so-called adult child, well, what happens then? Then they say: “You are old-fashioned, you haven’t kept up with the times.” Once again the question, are we keeping up with the times or are we allowing ourselves to be brought into line with the Word of God?

Beloved, judgment begins with the house of God. [1Pet 4:17] The correction, the restoration, the divine order and the revelation of God’s power are indeed meant to and will take effect in the church and through the church. And that is why it is simply essential that we all, by grace, observe this order established for believers in the Word of God, so that we give God the opportunity to shape our lives as husband, as wife, as fathers, as mothers, as children, whatever we may be, and allow ourselves to be fitted into this divine order. And only then, when we have grasped this ABC, as Brother Branham sometimes called it, will it be possible to see the further things as well and to experience them with God.

Have we understood this correctly? God does indeed mean well by us. He does not wish to let us go on like this. And I say it once more, in the name of the Lord, in accordance with the Word of God, the description of the end times, which indeed describes mankind’s falling away from God, is one thing, and the Church, the called-out, set-apart, cleansed and sanctified Church, is a multitude made up of many members, integrated into the will of God, which is not only promised to us in the Word of God, but is clearly and distinctly set before our eyes. Can we say Amen to that?

And so we do indeed distinguish between what belongs to this world and what belongs to the Kingdom of God. In the world, worldly things take their course. In the Kingdom of God, what God has ordained for the Kingdom of God prevails.

Since we are already on this subject, there are another two or three scriptures worth reading. I shall read them now. And everyone can take them home and reflect on them. From 1 Peter chapter 1, I would like to read a few more verses:

1 Peter chapter 1, verse 2:

[2] Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

Here we are told of the people, chosen before the foundation of the world, to share in what God has prepared for His own. Through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience, and that is what it is all about. As Paul wrote to the church in Rome: “to work obedience of faith among all nations.” [Rom 1:5] Faith, that comes by hearing [Rom 10:17], goes hand in hand with obedience, and obedience with faith, in that one becomes a doer of the word, and not merely a hearer. For whoever merely hears, and does not act, is like a man who takes a mirror, looks into it, sees what he is like, and then goes on his way. [Jak 1:22-24]

It must not be like this. It must not remain like this. Things must change. Today we look together, I for my part, you for yours. And let each of us look into our own mirror and not see the other. Let the husband not see the wife, the wife not the husband, the fathers not the children, the children not the fathers.

Let everyone look into the mirror. Let everyone see themselves and let them bring this before God and say: “Lord, I wish to take my place before You, just as You have ordained in Your Word. Grant me the strength to do so, to become a doer of Thy Word.” [Jam 1:22] If we all do this, God’s blessing will soon flow in great measure and we shall behold the glory of God.

Let us not forget that the divine order which must be established before the return of Jesus Christ is most urgently needed in the church, in the church. And if, by grace, we count ourselves as a small part of the whole church, then let us agree with God and His Word, simply submitting ourselves to everything that Holy Scripture says.

I read the Scripture again today, where it is written: “Older women are to exhort the younger ones to love their husbands” and so on. [Tit 2:4] And I thought to myself, if today an older sister were to approach a younger one and wanted to say something, now just be honest, what would actually happen? But that’s what it says in the Bible. We must make the effort to read the Word of God as it applies to us personally, not just read it whilst thinking of others, but read it in relation to ourselves so that we are addressed by the Word and so that we can be set right, corrected and truly united with God through the Word.

There is Brother Branham’s sermon “The Uniting Time and Sign”. It really is a time of union on every level. Politically, economically, religiously, everything is coming together. The whole earth is being shaken back and forth. The nations are no longer what they were ten years ago. Everything is being shaken up.

Why? There is a meaning and a purpose to it. Let’s take Europe here. If it is written that everyone will bow down to this one man who holds religious and political power, even though people do not see it, and if it is written in Revelation 13, verse 8, that all the inhabitants of the earth will worship him, then that is true. And if it is written that he will be given power over all nations and tongues, then that is also true. [Rev 13:7] Is it or isn’t it?

I shall read it out to you. I have the impression that I am seeing some sceptical faces, and I do not like that. For God’s Word is after all God’s Word.

And here it is written, in Revelation 13, verses 7 and 8:

[7] And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

[8] And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

I could now read out to you the passages from the Holy Scripture, stating that our Lord will be King over the whole earth, that the reign…, just two scriptures, Revelation chapter 11, verse 15:

[15] And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.

We could read a whole host of scriptures, namely those stating that the Lord will be King over the whole earth. The best passage in the Old Testament on this subject is Zechariah chapter 9, Zechariah chapter 9, where it is written that the Lord, did I say that correctly? Zechariah 9, I mean Zechariah 14, verse 9, excuse me, Zechariah 14, verse 9:

[9] And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.

But before Christ, our Lord, reigns over all peoples, tongues and nations, the Antichrist will take his place here on earth and is being celebrated as the supreme authority on this earth. I have read it myself. It is written in the books and historians have reported it. The man in the Vatican, it is there in black and white. The Vatican is the court of jurisdiction for all peoples, for all presidents and for all governments. He is the supreme authority, the supreme judge over all peoples, over all kingdoms, over all presidents. That is the claim he is now making.

Christ is the rightful ruler over the whole earth. When he sets his foot upon the land and the sea and roars like a lion, then all things will be subject to him and he will reign as king. But this man must now play this role, so that all those whose names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life, slain from before the foundation of the world, may fall for him, worship him and endorse the cause. [Rev 13:8] Do you realize why we are so grateful for brother Branham and his ministry? We are particularly grateful to God that in our generation there was a prophet, to whom by grace the revelation, which had remained a secret and was enigmatic, was revealed.

I heard somewhere that Billy Graham is preparing to pay his fourth visit to the Pope. Beloved, we can see where all these paths are leading. There is a God in heaven, who has a people on earth, who hear and respect his Word, who allow themselves to be guided and ordered by him, and who hear and heed the call of the hour, rather than dismissing it lightly, and perhaps saying: “Huh, God has given us a wonderful message.” Who is us? What message has he given you personally to take with you on your journey? What must you, what must I, what must we pay attention to? What concerns you, me, all of us, each in our own sphere? And then, “What concerns the whole church?” Do you understand that?

Not just a general message, that rushes past each of us personally, on either side, but a message that encompasses the whole people of God, in life, in faith, in doctrine, in everything. No area, as the hymn writer sings, so that no area may any longer escape your influence, that God might become all in all.

In closing, what good would it do me, you or us, if we clearly see the overall development, yet do not allow God to set everything right within us, and for each of us in the task entrusted to us by God, to find our place and find inner peace before God, to not gloss over the Word. Look into it, let it speak to you, see yourself in the mirror of the Word, and then say: “Lord, grant me grace and strength to be what you wish to make of me.”

Children will have their relationship with their parents and parents with their children. As far as it is up to us, we cannot speak on behalf of others. If a wife wishes to remain an unbeliever, as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7, then the husband is not to blame. If the husband wishes to remain an unbeliever, what can the wife do about it? Here each person must take their place before God for themselves. What others do is their own affair. Take your stand and your place before God, and then we shall all have taken a good step forward, and God’s blessing will surely rest upon us all.

And as we said right at the start, as far as Israel is concerned and developments in general, everything is happening just as was foretold in the Word. Perhaps just one comment on the events in Yugoslavia, although we have nothing to do with politics, but it is the two Roman Catholic, I shall call them provinces, that are rising up. And anyone who knows their history well will realize that in April 1941 2 million Serbs were living in Croatia. And you know what happened? Officially 600,000 were murdered in April 1941, but not by the German military, by the Croats, who are Roman Catholic, by the Ustasi. You can read about this in the Spiegel magazine, you can find it in documents everywhere.

Even on my last visit, the elderly father of our brother Momo Petrovic told me in Yugoslavia: “Mr. Frank, it wasn’t 600,000, it was 800,000 Serbs who were murdered by the Croats.” Some were Greek Orthodox, they were put to the sword, and the others were sheltered under the same roof as Bishop Stepinac. Haven’t you seen the pictures? When the German troops marched in, the bishop at the front with a cross, dressed in white, flanked on the right and left, the entire clergy marched ahead with a cross held high. The military came only afterwards.

I read a great deal on all my flights, I’ve seen all the photographs, I kept most of them. I’ve brought one with me today. Hitler on this page in the Spiegel magazine from last week’s edition. When you read about it, you realize what’s going on. It’s not just about a united Europe, it’s about a united Roman Catholic Europe and anyone who hasn’t grasped that is blind.

Three sentences from what is written here in last week’s Spiegel magazine article on page 120. “In the recent past, Slovenian and Croatian intellectuals have loudly asserted their affiliation with the central European cultural sphere. In Serbia, this was immediately interpreted as a desire to erect a Catholic bulwark against orthodox Serbia.” Everyone knows that the entire Serbian population is Greek Orthodox, Slovenia and Croatia are Roman Catholic, and back then 250,000 converted to Catholicism whilst the rest were put to the sword, and today the minority is under pressure. But listen to what else is written. Three years ago, in a lecture on a Catholic Central Europe, the Slovenian intellectual had already warned against this.

Politicians too, and even those people here who write from a secular perspective, they know what is brewing, and they also know who is behind it. You know, if I hadn’t had to preach, I would have gone into politics too. It’s simply been on my mind, and these events do move me. You can see them very clearly, and that is why the call “Ye, my people, come out from among them, be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing.” [2Cor 6:17]

Now we see the great unity under the Vatican, through the World Council of Churches, through the various institutions, but only one remains the head, and we know full well who that is. The Church of Jesus Christ has no head that is anywhere on earth. The Church of Jesus Christ knows only one head, and that is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Politics today is so interwoven with religion that the Jesuits and Opus Dei, the two main pillars of the Roman Church, are now to be found everywhere in all key positions.

Why am I saying this? I am saying it quite simply to make one thing clear to us. What is happening now is the re-emergence of the Roman Empire as Daniel saw it. The final world empire is taking shape before our very eyes, and all nations must be tossed to and fro, seeking support from this very empire, to which all will ultimately have to submit.

We belong to the Kingdom of God. Like the three men of old and like Daniel, we are still in this world, but we do not belong to this world. Back then, they were in the Babylonian captivity. We are still here, but not for much longer. Thank God, not for much longer.

When all the world cheers this man, and when the whole world cries out, “Peace, peace!” and when people rejoice, and even Israel is drawn in, then we, as the Church, it will coincide roughly at the same time. The recognition of Israel and the rapture of the Church will coincide roughly at the same time, because then, according to the prophet Daniel, and also according to Revelation 11, the ministry of the two witnesses must still take place, but we won’t go into those matters any further today. [Dan 9:27; Rev 11:3]

For my part, I am glad that God has opened our eyes to the fact that we are living in a time when the Lord has spoken to us and revealed His Word, so that we do not merely join in the cheering, where there is cheering, or dance along where there is dancing. Even if it were cheering and dancing around a golden calf, we come before God to hear His Word and to live by it. But by His grace, we are also able to assess all these matters and the overall development as it is now taking shape before our very eyes.

Just think of it, the Soviet Union that had been excluded, an eighth has recently been added to the seventh, is allowed to be part of it right at the very end, so that even the great Russian Empire, all of it, is incorporated into this final empire and whoever has the money calls the shots. And the seven greatest powers will still speak out loudly and they will say whatever the false prophet dictates to them. For right at the very end, no politician will know what is really going on. They will be at the mercy of whatever comes from there. This will culminate in Revelation 16 where the three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the beast and the false prophet and so on. And they are demonic spirits. [Rev 16:13-14]

The Spirit of God is warning us today to take seriously the time and hour and developments that are now well advanced and let each one put on their own shoes and not take them off because they pinch, but rather remedy the problem and walk with God. Let us each ask ourselves personally today: “Lord, what did you have to say to me today?” And let us also promise the Lord that with his help we will do what he requires of us and take our rightful place. He will help us in this. He will bless us.

For look, if the overall course of events has already progressed this far, how near might the Lord’s return be. May this day, too, help us to draw nearer to the Lord. And may his blessing and his peace rest upon us all by his grace.