“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to day, and for ever.”

(Hebrews 13:8)

Circular Letter May 1980

I greet you all cordially in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ with the scripture from1 Peter 4:7–11:

“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

If we carefully examine the wording, we see that God is not glorified through Paul, Peter, Brother Branham, you, or me, but solely through Jesus Christ. But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. How important this sentence is nowadays: “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.“ The words (oracles) of God are the inspired Word that He spoke through the mouths of His prophets and servants. God wants to speak through us. Jesus, our Lord, said in the Gospel of Matthew 12:36–37:

“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

This biblical text summarizes important thoughts. We know that this time has drawn near. May the Lord grant us the grace to be prudent and sober in our prayers. Our prayers are not meant to express our own desires and ideas, but should be inspired by the Spirit and be in accordance with the will of God. Everyone can delve into the Word and obtain a blessing from it. We feel the warmth and, at the same time, urgency with which the Spirit of God spoke through the called mouths of those He chose for that purpose. The Word of God does not become obsolete, on the contrary, it is more and more up-to-date and is new to us every day.

Before our eyes, at the widest level, what our Lord, His prophets and apostles spoke of and what was written as an eternal testimony is fulfilled. The Lord Jesus foretold the signs of the end-time, and Peter, John, and Paul described the individual signs of the end-time in writing. Whoever can properly arrange the various scriptures through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit can see the overall picture as a finished mosaic. Prophets and apostles were allowed to see the plan of salvation from God's perspective.

On the island of Patmos, John was taken up in the Spirit and saw from above, through God's revelation, what was to happen here on earth. He was taken to heaven so that he could later describe what he saw there. May the faithful Lord now open His people's understanding of Scripture more than ever. Let us not forget that it was those with whom He spoke personally, to whom He appeared after His resurrection, who were made capable of understanding the fulfilment of Scripture.

All denominations and free churches, scribes and Pharisees have the letter of the Word, but the true Church is based on the revelation of Jesus Christ. It receives the revelation of the Word and lives through it. Through divine revelation, the written Word becomes Spirit and life in the lives of individuals and the Church.

In the High Priestly Prayer for His Own (John 17:17–21), Jesus prayed:

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

Divine unity is only possible through the divine truth of the Word, revealed by the Spirit. God and Christ did not become united later, they had been one. God took on bodily form in Christ. The Church of the Lord is the place of the revelation of the living God, it is His body. Much of God's Word is realized in it and through it. The Lord Himself sanctified His own in His truth. His truth is not our ramblings and stubbornness, but the eternally valid Word of God. Every sin and everything that does not come from God is a lie. Who speaks the truth speaks the Word of God. But first, the Spirit of truth must take us under His influence. The Lord Jesus said to the Jews who believed (John 8:31-32):

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

God's Decision

It is true that God does nothing without first revealing His secret to His servants the prophets (Amos 3:7). We can all understand that there is nothing in the Old Testament Scriptures about evangelists, pastors and teachers. The question is only whether we can clearly see the New Testament Word, which also refers exclusively to the prophets. All of us who believe in the end-time message and have known the commission of Brother Branham are waiting for the restitution of all things.

In Acts 3, Peter begins his sermon from verse 12. In verses 20 and 21 we read:

“ … and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”

In this sermon, Peter is not talking about evangelists, pastors, and teachers, but about what God proclaimed from the beginning through the holy prophets. For the apostles and also for us, the history of salvation does not begin in the Gospel of Matthew 1, but in the first chapter of the Bible. The restitution of all things in connection with the return of Jesus Christ will be inspired through the Spirit. The restitution refers to what God has preached through the mouths of His servants and prophets since the beginning of time, so it is in no way limited to the New Testament proclamation.

Perhaps one might think or even say that Brother Branham went beyond the teachings of the apostles in his preaching. After all, we all still live in this world and we are exposed to various influences and can quickly let an idea arise or even carelessly say some words. It has never been so important to stand on the whole testimony of God's Word as now. We are in the prophetic time period of the history of salvation, and we must take seriously the admonition given by Peter regarding the Old Testament.

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place…”

It was emphasized often enough that the evangelizing part, like the teaching part, has its place in the New Testament Church. The true Church will persevere to the end in the teaching of the apostles. Knowledge, doctrine, and prophecy are distinct concepts, but when it comes to the prophetic history of salvation, we must respect God's assignment. By the time the final Revelation was given to John on the Isle of Patmos, all the apostles up to John had already been taken home. It is obvious that Paul, Peter, and James could not speak or write of the seven seals, and their opening. John himself did not say anything about it either, but he only wrote as he was commanded. A large portion of the Apocalypse was added to the prophetic Word of the Old Testament. When Peter in the Acts of the Apostles, guided by the Holy Spirit, speaks about the prophetic period in which we live now, before the return of Jesus Christ, he refers to the prophets through whom God himself spoke.

To avoid any misunderstanding, it should be emphasized and strongly highlighted that the Lord has placed five extraordinary ministries in the Church to equip the saints for the work of ministry. Today, it is more than just a formal oral recognition of New Testament teachings. Today, it is about the Church of the Firstborn being called out and prepared for the return of Jesus Christ. Together with the firmly established New Testament church order, an extraordinary prophetic ministry takes place, which occupies, so to speak, a superior role. There are enough churches that emphasize the fivefold ministry, that commend the gifts of the Spirit, that represent the greater part of the biblical teachings, but reject Brother Branham as a man sent by God. They have a link missing in the chain. Like John the Baptist, Branham had a special role. It is a transition to a new era.

God hasn't forgotten anything. Each Scripture is absolutely correct, but must be seen and understood from above in the right context. It is striking to everyone that Brother Branham talks about the first, second and third pull in connection with his ministry. On July 25, 1965, he said:

“Notice, the very day when this messenger… Not when he starts on, but when he begins to declare his Message. See? The First Pull, healing; Second Pull, prophesying; Third Pull, the opening of the Word, the mysteries revealed. No more, there is no more higher order to reveal the Word, than prophets. But the only way the prophet can be vindicated is by the Word. And, remember, the Third Pull was the opening of them Seven Seals, to reveal the hidden Truth that’s been sealed in the Word. Do you see it? It is then, in that day when this thing is to take place, that Jannes and Jambres, the impersonators, will appear again.”

The final part of Brother Branham’s ministry began with the opening of the seals. In the sermon Standing in the Gap, Brother Branham takes as a foundation Numbers 16:1. Jannes and Jambres were outside the Church. But Korah, Dathan, and all their adherents stood at the centre of the Church. They were even in very high esteem. From the outside, only little damage can be done to the Church. Almost irreparable damage is done by people who are within the Church, namely those who, as in the time of Moses, wanted to perform a ministry to which they were neither called nor entitled. Whether one wants to acknowledge it or not, in any case, the same thing is repeated with the Church as it was with Israel at that time. We can only advise that everyone should read Numbers 16, in prayer and examining themselves. It is very important that the Church holds and stands together especially at the time of trials, because it is your “stress test”. This is the practical part of our examination that we have to pass.

Serious Admonition

Right now, so close to the return of Jesus Christ, the following Scripture takes on special significance:

“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins…” (Heb. 10:24-26)

Here sin is connected with the congregation, worship and, how we read here, with “forsaking the assembling of ourselves together”. No one from the Church has the right to forsake the Church's services and thus despise the Church of the living God. The point is that at this time we must discern the body of the Lord and not transgress against the Church of the living God. The Lord Himself paid the highest and greatest price and redeemed us to be His own property. Through the Holy Spirit, the Church is united into a living organism, the body of Jesus Christ. Jesus then said to His disciples:

“You will all be scattered and offended at me.”

But then they gathered again and had fellowship with each other until they received the promise of the Father. As children of God, we must pay attention to our reactions especially in critical situations. In Luke 9:51-55, a unique event is described. Our Lord was on the way to Jerusalem. He sent His messengers before Him who came to a village of the Samaritans to take care of the overnight stay of their Master, and as we all know, the Jews and the Samaritans did not have any dealings with each other, as we read in the Gospel of John 4:9 Because the Lord wanted to go to Jerusalem, but the people there were not ready to receive Him. Then, astonished, we read the words of the two apostles who said:

“And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?”

They were upset and didn't know what they were saying. Although outwardly they acted for their Master. Despite how upset and stricken they were, they first asked the Lord. “Lord, wilt thou…?” Isn't this a lesson for all of us to ask in every situation, “Lord, what do you want us to do?” Therefore, it must be said that although they asked for the Lord's will in their words, they did not have the salvation of those people in mind, but their destruction. They even referred to Elijah. As believers, we can find ourselves in the same situation every day: having good intentions, being zealous for our Lord, yet still under a false influence. The good spirit seeks salvation, the bad spirit seeks destruction. The Lord corrected them with these words:

“Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.”

Going back to the Word from the introduction, prudence and sobriety in connection with praying and acting must be emphasized again. The end is near ahead of us, and only he who endures to the end will be crowned. Satan knows that he has little time and is furious and wants to destroy everything. But the Lord will build His Church. He is not only the beginning, but also the finisher, He lays claim to the blood-bought multitude of the firstborn who are transformed into His image. Only that character, formed in us, we will take with us, said Brother Branham.

God’s Command

All of Brother Branham’s sermons, without exception, are previous to us, whether they are evangelistic or teaching, whether they are with or without a healing service, as we are presented with a diverse and all-encompassing sovereign working of God in them. In his ministry, it also went from clarity to clarity, from knowledge to knowledge. He passed things on just as he received them from God. As already mentioned, the opening of the seals was the beginning of an extraordinary period of his ministry. On April 1, 1962, Brother Branham spoke of an extraordinary dream and its interpretation, which was revealed to him by the Lord Himself. He was told not to go on a planned trip to Switzerland and other countries, but to store food in Jeffersonville. At that time, the storing of food was still in the future. Individual events of 1962 are known to us from various sermons. On December 30, 1962, Brother Branham spoke of the appearance of the seven angels, as shown to him in the vision on December 22, 1962. On February 28, 1963, this extraordinary event happened. The Lord appeared in a cloud of light surrounded by seven angels and commissioned him to return to Jeffersonville because the time came to open the seven seals.

Right in the first seal, he stated that it had a completely different meaning than he had previously accepted and preached. What matters here is that we understand what is meant by food from God's point of view: not only preaching, but the revelation of the mysteries of the Word, the hidden manna is food for God's people at this time. Therefore, in the future, we will focus on publishing Brother Branham’s sermons that were preached in Jeffersonville after the opening of the seals.

Surely it is no coincidence that Brother Branham spoke of God's commission to store food on April 1, 1962. On April 2, 1962, at dawn, I was given the same commission, as Brother Branham confirmed in front of witnesses in December 1962. He literally told me, "The food you are to store is the Word revealed by God for this time." I can only point out with all seriousness that God's revealed Word is binding on each of us. In the power of God's food, we want to boldly move forward. Whoever exalts himself in his heart and places himself above Brother Branham in his sayings does not speak out of the Spirit in which he spoke, and it does not matter how many Scriptures are used to adorn it.

As already mentioned in this circular letter, what matters is the summary of the entire Word of God, the revelation of all mysteries. On various occasions, Brother Branham referred to certain things and emphasized that they could only have been revealed through or after the opening of the seals. There is no man to whom God has given authority to judge it. Instead, we would like to ask the Lord to give us the grace to set aside our education in the Scriptures and receive the revelation from God with all our heart. On the basis of the Word of God, the Lord will complete His Church and present it without spot or wrinkle before the presence of His glory. Let no one intentionally transgress and elevate themselves above God and worship, but let them be included and united. May the blessing of God be with all of you. Amen.

Journey to Israel

It was said that both trips to Israel were appreciated by the participants and were a great blessing. There are many countries, but only one country of the Bible. God willing, we will take another trip in March 1981. To help us plan, it would be good for everyone who would like to participate to register in writing. Registration may be non-binding at first. In March and April, the country is still green, but during the other months there is more or less drought.

Please note: along with the non-binding registration, we would like to hear from all participants whether they prefer one or two weeks. It could be scheduled for one week as a tour or for two weeks as a vacation. Alternatively, the group may be split if at least 12 people fly together on the same trip. If you would like to come back after one week, you could do so. The second group would then stay in Israel for the remaining week. We put everything in the Lord's hands and say, "If God wills it and circumstances allow it." The fellowship of believers unites them. We would like to see it all as a good biblical free time! We bless the people of Israel and especially love and remember the chosen people in our prayers!

Wonderful Experience

We visited Jericho and saw the healed spring (2 Kings 19–22). When we wanted to travel further, suddenly a cloud appeared in the north. First, this rainbow appeared, which had an unusual light glow under it. While we were taking pictures, another one appeared under this rainbow. Unfortunately

, I do not have any photo with both rainbows. Our God is also the God of Israel. He made the first covenant and the second covenant. In order to understand the overwhelming effect, we have to experience something like this personally. Thus says the Lord our Savior to every child of God (Isaiah 54:10):

“For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.”

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Publisher: Missionary Ewald Frank, Postfach 100707, 47707 Krefeld, Germany
www.freie-volksmission.de