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

(Heb. 13:8)

CIRCULAR LETTER. September 2009

“Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.” (1. Cor. 4:1).

Indeed, Paul chose his words well: “Let a man so account of us …” But what if almost everyone views us as self-appointed apostles and teachers? Even Paul had to experience it (2. Cor. 6:8); that, however, does not change a thing when it comes to a divine calling and commission. Regardless of what people thought or said, Paul continued by declaring, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.”

We have to look at the beginning of the time of grace in order to know what and how things must come to pass toward the end. The Word of God was directed unto John the Baptist (Lk. 3:2); he knew his calling and commission. He was the promised preparer of the way (Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1) sent by God, through whom all were to come to believe (Jn. 1:6-7). Peter also knew for what purpose the Lord had called (Mt. 4:18-20) and appointed him (Acts 15:7). The Lord even told him, “… I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven …” (Mt. 16:19). When he stood up on the day of Pentecost and preached repentance and the baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, he defined the only valid pattern for the entire New Testament Church.

Paul received an audible calling from the resurrected Lord and likewise knew what his ministry was (Acts 9:15; Acts 22:6-21). That already becomes evident by the way he introduced himself in each of his Epistles. It was his task to present the whole counsel of God to the New Testament Church. He testified that, at his calling, he had heard the Voice of the Lord in his Hebrew mother tongue, which told him, “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” (Acts 26:17-18). Like anyone who has received a divine calling, he also knew what the Lord had designated unto him according to His plan of Salvation and carried it out as instructed.

The following is written of Noah: “Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.” (Gen. 6:22). We can go through the entire Old Testament: Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, David, Solomon, and all the others did exactly what the Lord directed them to do. Likewise, it is written of Moses that he, too, did everything “… according to all that the Lord commanded him, so did he.” (Ex. 40:16). Then the particulars are listed, which he complied with “… as the Lord commanded …” Furthermore, we are told of the collaboration between him as the commissioned prophet and the ones who were appointed to stand by his side: “According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.” (Ex. 39:42-43). That is what real cooperation among true servants of God looks like even today!

On July 18, 1965, in the sermon “Doing God a service without it being His Will,” Brother Branham spoke about those who are under the impression that they are carrying out a ministry for the Lord, although they have not received a divine calling or commission. They are the actual obstacle in the Church and in the kingdom of God. Sadly, they do not adhere to the commands and requirements of God.

In Heb. 3:5-6 it states: “And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.”

In regard to Elijah, it is emphasized in particular: “And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.” (1. Ki. 18:36).

Brother Branham could refer to what he had been told by the heavenly messenger on May 7, 1946, and carried out the ministry as he had been commanded. Through his incomparable prophetic ministry, a chapter of the divine plan of Salvation designated for the end time came to fulfillment (Mal. 4:5-6; Mt. 17:11; Mk. 9:12). These were the words which rang out from heaven at the Ohio River on June 11, 1933: “As John the Baptist was sent to forerun the first coming of Christ, so the message given to you will forerun the second coming of Christ.”

The Lord expects every true servant of God to carry out His commandments according to His instructions. Therefore, I am still traveling regularly into all the world and preach the Word, just as He told me 47 years ago: “I will send you to other cities to preach My Word.” God rewards the faithfulness, the faithfulness to the Word, the faithfulness to the commission. Also part of the commission is the distribution of the spiritual food as the continuation of the ministry that was entrusted unto Brother Branham.

The Lord Himself said in Mt. 24:45 in connection with the time before His Return as Bridegroom, “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?” This Word had to come to fulfillment as well. The spiritual food, the revealed Word, has to be given out. Hence, He expects all of the brothers who are now distributing the spiritual food in this last church age and by that are partaking in the direct commission to conscientiously adhere to it, to be in accordance with the revealed Word, and to cooperate harmoniously with one another. Only then can the unity of the believers and the complete restoration be achieved, which is necessary before the Lord Jesus can return (Acts 3:20-21).

However, if all things within the Church have to become as they were in the beginning, then this also applies to the ministries in the local church. Brothers have traveled to other countries without any commission to do so and have proclaimed their own versions, thereby creating a great chaos. At Antioch there were even prophets and teachers back then, but while they were conducting worship services, fasting and praying, the Holy Spirit said, “Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.” (Acts 13:2). That was Thus saith the Lord and God was with them. All of the brothers in the local churches should remain where they are, unless the Lord Himself pronounces a calling and commission.

In Mt. 11:7-19 Jesus spoke at length about the ministry of John the Baptist and asked, “But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.” (v. 9). The Lord showed us the fulfillment of this ministry from Mal. 3:1 and said, “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.” (v. 11). So he was more than a prophet, but not more than any other believer. All prophets announced the coming of the Messiah; the forerunner introduced Him and through his ministry built the bridge between what the prophets predicted in the Old Testament and the events reported in the New Testament (Lk. 16:16). John the Baptist announced the kingdom of heaven (Mt. 3), and the first believers entered the kingdom of heaven on the day of Pentecost through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Just as John the Baptist, as Peter and Paul, so was Brother Branham a human being like us, despite his exceptional ministry. We read the following about Elijah: “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.” (Jas. 5:17-18). All men of God prayed, but not one of them was worshiped. Whoever makes more out of a man than he is – namely a human being – is beguiled by the spirit of deception. It was solely on account of the Word of God, which had come forth unto sanctified men, that they were called gods (Jn. 10:35-36), but they remained human and as men they shall die (Ps. 82:6-7). Until today it is only because the Word of God has been planted in us as the divine seed that we are born again and become the children of God; however, we remain ordinary, mortal human beings until we experience the transformation of our bodies (Phi. 3:21; Rom. 11; and others).

We Must Pay Attention

In Neh. 9 God’s way with Israel, beginning with the calling of Abraham, is shown to us: the Exodus from Egypt; the parting of the Red Sea; how the pillar of the cloud and the pillar of fire led them by day and by night; how God gave them commandments and instructions, food and drink, leading them all the way into the Promised Land. “Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them … Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.”

Indeed, God has done all this for His people. He gave the Holy Spirit; He gave the manna; He gave water; their clothes waxed not old, they remained like new during the 40 years; their feet swelled not. “Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, … Their children also multipliedst thou … so they … delighted themselves in thy great goodness.” The personal presence of God in the pillar of fire did not appear to just be admired, but it showed the way – at that time to the people of Israel and today to the true Church.

Then, however, came the “nevertheless”: “Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.” Hearing, believing, and obeying – that is what God wants from His people. “For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” (Heb. 4:2).

In spite of everything good that He had done for them, God had to say, “Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways …” (Ps. 95:10).

Now comes the serious admonition: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1. Cor. 10:11). “Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice …” (Heb. 3:7).

More than forty years have passed since the mighty ministry of Brother Branham, and what is the result? The various directions and camps – and they all call themselves “message believers,” but many of them are going their own ways, thinking they are serving God, without actually being in the Will of God, and have not recognized God’s plan with the Church at all.

Be it with Israel or with the Church, true faith is connected with real obedience and the biblical blessing; unbelief is affiliated with disobedience and curse. And whoever spreads strange doctrines is under that curse because he preaches another gospel (Gal. 1; 2. Cor. 11). God is only in His Word; Satan is in every interpretation. We must go back to the beginning and walk on the illuminated way of God in faith and obedience.

The Apostle John, who already in his time had to deal with false prophets and false teachers, spoke exclusively to the children of God and, after he had exposed the antichrist spirit that was in the world even back then (v. 3), wrote the following in 1. Jn. 4:4-5: “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.”

“We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” (1. Jn. 4:6). John addressed the true children of God when he said, “Ye are of God …,” and in reference to the true servants of God he stated, “We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us …” With the statement “We are of God …,” he meant himself and all those whom the Lord called to the ministry. This is the apostolic authority connected to a commission: “… as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” (Jn. 20:21). These words apply to them as well: “He that heareth you heareth me.” (Lk. 10:16).

We see that from the very beginning there are two spirits, the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error, and two different groups. Each one is under a direct spiritual influence: one under the supernatural, divine influence and the other under the worldly, satanic influence. John explained, “In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.” (1. Jn. 3:10). The two are as fundamentally different as Cain and Abel were, both of whom came from the bosom of their mother, Eve. Both believed in the same God; both offered sacrifices; both worshiped. Yet, they were two entirely different seeds.

Then the term message is added unto it, which is now of great importance. John continued with these words: “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” (vv. 11-12). As Brother Branham said, from every revival the two different seeds come forth, always as twins. Our Lord compared the proclamation of the message of the Word in Mt. 13:24-30 to the sowing of the seed and explained that “… the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one …” (v. 38). Both seeds are sown on the same field. The Son of Man sows the good seed; the enemy sows the evil seed. And the sun shines on the evil and on the good; the same rain falls on the just and on the unjust (Mt. 5:45). By their fruits you shall know them, not by their gifts!

What the Lord had to say to the unbelieving Jews back then is still valid today for all men from every nation: “He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” (Jn. 8:47). Addressing his disciples, the Lord said then and even today, “But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.” (Mt. 13:16). It stays for ever true: He who is born of God hears the words of God! All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (2. Tim. 3:16), since men who have been sanctified by God proclaim, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, the things which the angels desire to look into (1. Pt. 1:12).

The fact remains: The last biblical message is reaching the ends of the earth, and all those who are truly of God will hear it.

Sanctification in the Truth

In our last Circular Letter, dated April/May 2009, we wrote about the calling-out and the preparation of the ones who belong to the Bride Church. The response was overwhelming. We have realized what the pivotal matter is today, namely the obedience of faith, the divine life of the Bridegroom in the Bride. As expressed by Brother Branham in his sermons, we have emphasized it correspondingly: “In the Old Testament innumerable lambs were slaughtered and their blood was shed for atonement, yet the life of the sacrificed animals could not come back into the ones who offered the sacrifice. However, through the sacrifice of the Son of God, whose blood was shed on Calvary for the atonement, the miracle of all miracles took place. The same divine, eternal life that was in the Redeemer is by the new birth in all of the redeemed. All sons and daughters of God have the same life that was in the Son of God, with all of the virtues, indeed, with the very nature of Jesus Christ.”

The following is for ever true: “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified [are] all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee … Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” (Heb. 2:11-12+17).

The flock that was bought with His blood is justified once and for all and sanctified in Him, “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” (Rom. 4:25).

They are called blessed already in this world: “… Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” (Rom. 4:7-8).

By the Holy Spirit they are led into all the truth of the Word and are sanctified therein: “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (Jn. 17:17).

Also part of it is the revelation of the Name Jesus, in which God as Father has given us all things in His Son: “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.” (Jn. 17:6).

Before the Lord said in the New Testament, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (Jn. 13:34), He said in the Old Testament that He would make a new covenant and give His people a new heart, a new spirit, even a new life (Jer. 31:31-34; Eze. 18:31-32; a. o.).

The redemption is as perfect as it can be: full justification, renewal, and new birth by the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, all the way to the filling, sealing, and guidance by the Holy Spirit.

Mysteries of God

In the Scripture quoted in the introduction, the ministers of Christ are called “stewards of the mysteries of God.”

In Mt. 13, Mk. 4, and Lk. 8 our Lord said to His disciples, “Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables …”

Then the apostle specified the various mysteries individually: “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Rom. 11:25). God has His way for Israel, and He has His way for the Church.

Paul furthermore stated, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.” (1. Cor. 15:51). In this chapter we are initially shown the resurrection of Jesus Christ as the firstfruit of the ones who are asleep, then the first resurrection of those who died in Christ and the transformation into immortality of the ones who are alive in Christ at the Rapture, and finally the second resurrection for the last judgment at the end of time. In verse 52 the Apostle Paul said very clearly that the resurrection and transformation shall happen in an instant. “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal [must] put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1. Cor. 15:53-54).

The subject matter in Eph. 1 is the completion of the divine plan of Salvation with all those who were chosen before the foundation of the world and who are found to be in the Will of God and are ready at the Return of Christ. “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself …” (v. 9).

Paul further wrote: “… that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ …” (Eph. 3:3-4). Indeed, the mystery, which had not yet been revealed in previous ages and in the Old Testament, was unveiled by God for His holy apostles and prophets:

“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory …” (Col. 1:26-27).

In 1. Tim. 3 the apostle came back to the mystery of God once again and wrote: “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” (v. 16). Here we have the greatest mystery of God: God manifested in the flesh as Emmanuel – God with us. This is the testimony of Jesus in the Church of God, which is the pillar and the foundation of the truth (v. 15).

So there are the mysteries of God, the mysteries of the kingdom of God, and there is The mystery of God. And we may say: God has revealed all things to us through the Holy Spirit. We give the glory unto the Lord for the ministry of Brother Branham, who truthfully taught everything that had been unveiled for the apostles and prophets, right to the very last chapter of the Bible.

However, we have to examine ourselves to see whether Christ has been manifested in our lives, whether we bear the nature of Jesus with all His virtues, on the outside and on the inside (2. Pt. 1). Only then can we appear with Him in glory (Col. 3:1-4). Paul, who wrote about the mysteries, strongly emphasized the following: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” (1. Cor. 13). Only perfect love can enter there; that is what Brother Branham was also told in his experience “behind the curtain of time.”

The love of God is God’s nature in us, for God is love, and as certain as the love of God was manifested in the Redeemer on the cross of Calvary, so is the divine love manifested among all the redeemed. Amen.

What Takes Place at the Return of Christ?

In reference to 1. Ths. 4:13-17, once again a few clarifying words have to be said and written. Individual statements made by Brother Branham in his sermon “The Rapture” have been interpreted to that effect that the shout of 1. Ths. 4, which is actually a “commanding shout,” is supposedly “the message” and that the Lord has been in the process of descending since 1963.

Let us all take a good look at the text from 1. Ths. 4:13-17 in order to determine unto whom this shout is directed.

Verse 13: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” So it is about the ones who died in Christ.

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” (v. 14). Again, it is about those who are asleep.

“For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.” (v. 15). Once again, the ones who are asleep are mentioned.

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” (v. 16). Everything that is mentioned here in 1. Ths. 4 does not happen over a period of years, but directly at the Return of Jesus Christ, when the dead in Christ rise and those who are alive in Christ are changed.

These four verses are not about a message that is preached to all nations, but very clearly about the shout, the command which the Lord Himself directs to the ones who died in Christ, as He did with Lazarus.

Only in verse 17 those who are alive in Christ are addressed: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Amen!

Brother Branham taught scripturally that there are three comings of Christ in connection with the New Testament Church:

“He came once to redeem His Bride.

He comes the next in the Rapture to catch away His Bride.

He comes again in the Millennium with His Bride.” (Only believe, April 27, 1961).

That is exactly how it will take place. Amen. Like the numerous other wrong teachings, so are the theories about the Return of Christ also the work of the enemy. Indeed, they are literally misleading fantasies caused by the lying spirit of deception. The supposedly “hard-to-understand” statements of Brother Branham are, if one reads on in the sermon, explained and made entirely clear by subsequent statements that are easy to understand.

The term “message” was so important to Brother Branham that he used it more than four thousand times. And since the biblical end-time message shall forerun the coming of Christ, it goes forth as a cry that is reaching the ends of the earth (Mt. 25:6). The same thing that was said regarding the ministry of John the Baptist, namely, “The voice of him that crieth …,” (Isa. 40:3; Mt. 3:3) now applies once again: The voice cries, “The bridegroom cometh!” In his sermon “The Rapture,” Brother Branham therefore went straight to Mt. 25 and said, “Now, lamp-trimming time. Rise and trim your lamps.”

At the Return of Jesus Christ, the shout will go forth as a command to the ones who are asleep in Christ, and they will rise instantly at that time. Then those who are alive in Christ will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (v. 17). Everything in the Holy Scripture is in the divine order and finds its fulfillment at the right time, according to the promise. Amen.

Due to the fact that the mighty experience that took place on February 28, 1963, is mistaken for the Return of the Lord, it is necessary that something is said one more time about the appearance in the cloud. Brother Branham presented the photograph and said in seven different sermons, “Here we see the Lord as Judge, Who appeared in the amber-colored cloud.” It is generally known that Brother Branham was shown in a vision where this great event would take place.

Being obedient to the instruction of the Lord, he moved to Tucson in January 1963, as had he told me in December 1962. At the end of February, he went up the mountain about 40 miles northeast of Tucson, which the Lord had shown him. There it actually happened that the Lord appeared in the supernatural cloud, and specifically as Judge, as Brother Branham repeatedly emphasized.

This event has the same significance for the Church as the appearance of the Lord in the pillar of fire in the time of Moses and as the appearance of the Glory of God in the cloud in Mt. 17:5. We have to understand that it was not Moses or John or Brother Branham who presented their programs, but that it was and still is God Himself, Who at various times reveals Himself according to His plan of Salvation. Whoever does not come to recognize that cannot correctly place the supernatural working of God.

When Brother Branham repeatedly emphasizes, “Here we see the Lord as Judge,” then it is of special significance. After all, that appearance took place at the time of the opening of the seven seals. Through the opening of the seven seals, the last biblical message went forth and the attention of the children of God was once again drawn to the thus saith the Lord of the Word.

We can see that it was not the bodily Return of the Lord, which we are still waiting for, but the supernatural appearance as the highest Judge in the cloud in order to show forth that “… judgment must begin at the house of God …” (1. Pt. 4:17) and that from then on everything in the Church of Jesus Christ must be correctly placed in its rightful order according to the Word of God. The highest Judge says, “The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” In regard to this appearing, Brother Branham said, “He is the Supreme Judge of the universe, Supreme Judge of heaven and earth. He is God, and nothing else but God. He is God expressed in human form called the Son of God …” (Trying to do God a service, November 27, 1965).

The photograph with the supernatural cloud is of the same significance as the photograph with the pillar of fire above Brother Branham. Here we are not dealing with the workmanship of men, but with the supernatural working of God. The pillar of fire was photographed by the press photographers Ayers and Kippermann on January 20, 1950, in Houston, Texas, and its authenticity was certified by Dr. George J. Lacy in Washington on January 29, 1950. Brother Branham could have said a thousand times, “The Lord is with us in the same way that He was with Moses and Israel in the pillar of fire.” However, if it had never been confirmed and not become visible, they all could have thought to themselves, “That may be what he says, but where is the proof? Is that really the case?” Yes, it is really the case!

Brother Branham could have also said a thousand times, “The Lord appeared to me in the supernatural cloud.” If there had been no evidence, then the people would have had an excuse. On February 28, 1963, the supernatural cloud was seen by many people in a cloudless sky. Dr. James McDonald of the Tucson University confirmed its actual presence after he had evaluated 82 photographs and even wrote an article about it, which was published in the “Science Magazine” issue of April 19, 1963. “Life Magazine” likewise reported on the phenomenon on May 17, 1963, and called it “A High Cloud Ring of Mystery.”

Those events were certainly no coincidence. God Himself wanted it that way and let it happen. The entire Christian world is informed about what God has done in our time, but only the true believers can properly place it within the plan of Salvation and recognize the message which since that time has been a forerunner to the second coming of Christ and is the last call: “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!”

No resurrection, no transformation, and no rapture took place on February 28, 1963. It was not the bodily Return of Christ, at which time the dead in Christ shall rise first and then those who are alive in Him will be changed and caught up togother in the clouds to meet Him in the air. Nevertheless, it was the most important event before the Return of Jesus Christ in order to direct our attention to the things that God is doing in our time according to His eternal counsel. We realize that the Lord Alone is the ultimate Judge and that He shall judge all things according to His Word and pronounce the final verdict, now and at the last judgment.

Law and Grace

In the New Testament there are 162 Scriptures that mention the law in completely different contexts, and a superficial examination might lead to the conclusion that there are contradictions. However, that is not the case: Everything is written where it belongs. The same applies to grace as well.

“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (Jn. 1:17).

Our Lord said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Mt. 5:17-18).

Paul wrote: “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Rom. 10:4). In the Greek language, the word telos is found here, which translates to goal: Christ has set a goal for the law, an ultimate goal, namely grace and truth.

In Rom. 3:20 it is written: “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

We would not know at all what transgression, what sin – such as a lie, adultery, or murder – means if God would not have told us with the law.

Therefore, there is the following explanation: “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” (Rom. 7:7).

Without the law, there would not have been any transgressions and hence no judgment. Without the law, the Holy Spirit could not have convicted of sin. Without the conviction by the law, grace and the divine forgiveness could not have taken place at all.

At our conversion, we receive forgiveness for absolutely all sins and all transgressions of the law. Through faith in the completed work of redemption, we are granted full justification. “… Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” (Rom. 4:7-8). At the same time, we are given the strength to live according to the Word and Will of God.

We are not only redeemed from sins and transgressions, but also from the curse: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree …” (Gal. 3:13).

Although Christ has fully redeemed us, He never gave us permission to do things during the time of grace that are considered to be transgressions or even are under the curse; on the contrary, one of the Ten Commandments states: “Thou shalt not kill.” The Lord Jesus, however, said in this regard, “… whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment … but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Mt. 5:21-22).

When the Lord said in the law, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” and “… thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife,” then He did not annul that for the time of grace; instead, he tightened it even more by saying, “… whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Mt. 5:28). We can likewise refer to Dt. 24, where the husband was permitted to give his wife a writ of divorcement: “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.” (Mt. 5:32).

Paul let us know the ultimate goal of his apostleship: “… we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name …” (Rom. 1:5). He showed how the life of the true believers should be: “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Gal. 2:19-21).

Nevertheless, he also referred to the Ten Commandments, for instance, when He urged the children to be obedient to their parents: “Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise …” (Eph. 6:1-2). As a Jew who had been instructed in the Scriptures, he further knew about the twelve curses recorded in Dt. 27, where it states, among other things, “Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother.” Therefore, whoever dishonors even just one of his parents is under the curse – no matter how piously that individual speaks of grace.

In regard to the case reported in 1. Cor. 5, Paul, who was living in grace, had to say, “To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” (v. 5). He undoubtedly had Dt. 27:20 in mind: “Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he uncovereth his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen. So be it.”

What God said in the law is equally valid for the time of grace: “For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.” (Jas. 2:11).

Paul earnestly admonished the Church: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” (1. Cor. 6:9-10).

Grace means to actually live the Word, the commandments. By our everyday lives we testify whether we are under the blessing or under the curse. When someone truly lives in grace, that person really lives the entire Word of God. Every country on earth has its own laws, but under normal circumstances, we do not come into conflict with the law in our lifetime. That is how it is with the real believers, the true children of God: They live in grace and never come into conflict with the law of God, let alone any judgment. And should it yet happen once, then we have Jesus Christ as an advocate Who intercedes for us (1. Jn. 2:1).

He Himself told us how we can fulfill His law in its entirety: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Mt. 22:37‑40). Amen! The pardoned ones live it without any effort of their own because the love toward God and toward their brothers and sisters is poured out into their hearts.

Paul wrote to the Romans: “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. … Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Rom. 13:8-10). Whoever loves his neighbour does not take anything away from him, does no harm to him, only does good unto him and thereby automatically meets all of God’s demands. Therefore, it also states in Gal. 5:14: “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Blessed are all those in whom God is well pleased and to whom this truly applies: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:1-4).

Two Special Ordinances for Israel

Unto His covenant people Israel, God decreed the “covenant of circumcision” as well as the Sabbath as an “eternal sign of the covenant.” The circumcision already goes back to Abraham: “He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.” (Gen. 17:13).

“And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.” (Rom. 4:11-12). Amen.

The circumcision of any newborn boy on the eighth day was a sacred obligation in Israel. It was supposed to be a reminder of the first act of begetting in paradise through which all of mankind was pulled into the fall. At the time of the Exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt, the Lord even wanted to kill the Prophet Moses because he had neglected to circumcise his son. That was then rectified by the mother (Ex. 4). The Son of God was also circumcised on the eighth day, for He had to bear the consequences of the fall in His earthly body from His birth until His death on the cross. Everything that God has ordained is in connection with the reparation of the tragic history of mankind through the divine plan of Salvation. Although He was without sin, begotten by the Spirit, He had to bear all things in His body of flesh on our behalf. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1. Pt. 2:24).

Paul was circumcised on the eighth day as well (Phi. 3:5) and circumcised his coworker Timothy out of consideration for the Jews (Acts 16). However, the apostle wrote the following unto the Corinthians: “Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised.” (1. Cor. 7:18).

Then he disclosed the decisive point at issue: “… circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter …” (Rom. 2:29).

After Paul had repeatedly spoken and written about circumcision, he provided a summary with the following words:

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” (Gal. 6:15-16).

On the subject of keeping the Sabbath, I receive frequent inquiries, particularly since it is part of the Ten Commandments (Dt. 5). In Gen. 2:3 it is written: “And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”

God not only sanctified the seventh day, but ordained it unto His people Israel as a day of complete rest; they were not even allowed to kindle a fire on that day (Ex. 35:3).

“Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.” (Ex. 31:15-17).

In reference to Israel, the Lord said, “Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.” (Eze. 20:12).

“And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the Lord your God.” (Eze. 20:20).

“Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant …” (Neh. 9:12-14).

He did not give this commandment to the Church of the New Covenant, for now it is not about the completed work of creation, but about the completed work of redemption; not about the holy rest on the Sabbath, but about the “eternal rest” in God. “For if Joshua had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.” (Heb. 4:8-10).

Paul wrote to the New Testament Church: “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days …” (Col. 2:16).

Already in the Old Testament, God pointed out the first day of the week, which follows the Sabbath, with regard to the plan of Salvation, in particular in connection with the waving of the sheaves of the firstfruits: “And he shall wave the sheaf before the Lord, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.” (Lev. 23:11).

“And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat-offering unto the Lord.” (Lev. 23:15-16). That was the day of Pentecost – the fiftieth day. When the outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), the sheaf of the firstfruit of the wheat harvest was weaved and baptized into one body by the Holy Spirit.

According to the corresponding reports of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, our Lord rose on the first day of the week (Mt. 28; Mk. 16; Lk. 24; Jn. 20).

It is reported of Paul that he celebrated the Lord’s Supper with the believers on the first day of the week: “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread …” (Acts 20:7).

Even the special offering was to be presented on the first day of the week: “Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.” (1. Cor. 16:2). A direct commandment to celebrate the Sunday, however, is not found in the Holy Scripture.

True is that God decreed the Sabbath unto the people of Israel as a day of rest.

True is that God announced the first day of the week as well.

True is that the Lord rose on the first day of the week.

True is that He spoke with the disciples at Emmaus on the same day.

True is that He revealed Himself to the eleven disciples in the evening of the same day.

True is that He had another meeting with them one week later.

True is that the believers gathered on the first day of the week.

True is that Paul celebrated the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week.

True is that the faithful Jews continued to keep the Sabbath as always.

True is that Constantine forbade the Jews to keep the Sabbath.

True is that Constantine mandated the Sunday unto all of the Christians as a day of rest.

Not true is that all those who do not keep the Sabbath have the mark of the beast.

Not true is that all those who keep the Sunday have the mark of the beast.

Not true is that the keeping of the Sabbath is the Seal of God.

There is not one single Scripture in that regard. The day of the Lord is neither the Sabbath nor the Sunday; instead, it is the terrible day of judgment that was announced in the Old and the New Testaments. And the Seal of God is the Holy Spirit, not a day (Eph. 1:13; 4:30; a. o.). The mark of the beast is connected to the number of a man (not of a day), which adds up to 666 (Rev. 13:18). We have already addressed this subject in other publications.

During the Millennium, the Sabbath is in force once again. “And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.” (Isa. 66:23).

It is well-known that our Lord and also Paul seized every opportunity to preach to the Jews on a Sabbath. I would have done the same. Likewise, I would have attended every meeting held by our Lord after His resurrection on the first day of the week (Mt. 16:2-9; Lk. 24:1; Jn. 20:19-26).

All my life, I have preached on every Sabbath and on every Sunday on which I had the opportunity to do so. Whoever insists on keeping a certain day should ask himself whether he might be under the influence of some denomination that, for instance, makes the Sabbath the main subject rather than Christ, instead of accepting all of the Word of God.

God’s Ordinances Are Addressed to His

People

When God commanded something in the Old Testament, it was meant only for His covenant people Israel. What God said in the New Testament is only valid for the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. God has set into His Church apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists (Eph. 4:11; a. o.). For the local churches, the Lord ordained elders and overseers, which were also called bishops, as well as deacons. The elders and deacons were obligated to be married. According to the order of creation, God has placed the woman by the man’s side: “I will make him an help meet for him.” The women were not given any direct ministries or offices (1. Tim. 3; Tit. 1; a. o.).

All religions, all churches may believe, teach, and do what they themselves decide. Before me are two pictures: One shows 18 women clothed in the robes of the Protestant-Lutheran clergy and the other the female bishop who divorced her husband. The Protestant church approves of it, even consents to the homosexual partnership of a bishop or the lesbian partnership of a female bishop, although it is against God’s order of creation and still more against His order in the plan of Salvation.

A very serious question was posed: Can the marriage of a servant of God be divorced? Fundamentally not, since God hates divorce. Only when the wife is enticed by Satan and goes to the solicitor because she believes that she has to cause destruction.

Even the greatest man of God cannot possibly avert something that God Himself does not prevent. However, it was Satan who beguiled Eve; it is always Satan who seduces, who destroys marriages and families, who destroyed the family of Job, a man of God. Although the Lord God Himself walked in the Garden of Eden and had fellowship with the first human beings in the evening time, even though Adam was also nearby, because after her seduction, Eve gave him of the forbidden fruit, the fall took place anyway. The consequence was final: Death came over both seeds. Through the seduction everybody is also pulled into the spiritual death. Consequently, some people offer their own fruits, like Cain did, and the others are offering praise and honor unto the Lamb of God that gave Himself as an offering for us. Both seeds worship, both sacrifice, both sing the same songs, both listen to the same sermons, read the same Bible, but one remains in enmity, the other in the reconciliation of the completed redemption.

In His redeemed Church, the Redeemer is the Head: There He has the sole authority. He has set the various ministries and gifts into the Church, “For the perfecting of the saints … Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ …” (Eph. 4:12-13). Therefore, the believers are urged to respect the overseers, “… for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account …” (Heb. 13:17).

The Apostle Paul wrote this in reference to a biblical worship service: “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.” (1. Cor. 14:34). In view of the beguiling of Eve, he further explained, “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” (1. Tim. 2:12-14). That is a hard speech. Who can hear it? Who can bear it?

It was a holy duty assigned unto the apostle to say these words to all those who are part of the Church of the Lord: “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” (1. Cor. 11:3). Then he wrote: “Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.” (v. 9).

All this, of course, does not fit into the world of today, nor into any church, but it is not meant for them. For 60 years now, the law in Germany guarantees equal rights to women and men. It is anchored in the constitution, and that is good and right. Still, we have to make the distinction: The one regulates the earthly, natural life, and the other defines what is valid for the Church. Whoever does not distinguish between the two will cause hardship for himself and others.

With this subject we also see confirmed that whoever is of God hears the words of God. Our Lord as well as Paul referred back to the Old Testament and showed men and women their rightful place, as it had been ordained by God.

Brother Branham particularly criticized the bad habit displayed by some of the believing women of painting their faces beyond recognition and wearing shorts in public. In regard to proper attire, he frequently quoted Dt. 22:5: “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.”

Paul referred back to the Old Testament many times, and in Rom. 7:2, for instance, he gave the following instruction: “For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.”

Brother Branham especially emphasized the marriage as instituted by God and said, “If God could have given something better to the man than a woman, then He would have done it.” He dealt with that subject in particular in the sermon “Marriage and Divorce.”

The plan of Salvation, however, could only come into force after the tragedy had taken place in the Garden of Eden. Right after Satan, the old serpent, had enticed and beguiled Eve, the Lord God then and there gave the promise that the divine seed would come through the woman and would bruise the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15).

God also allowed the destruction caused here by the enemy to happen in order that the full Salvation and the divine order for marriage and church could be restored. As He Himself commanded it, the Word is carried into all the world and the stored-in spiritual food is still being given out.

The Distribution of the Spiritual Food

“The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” (Heb. 13:6).

Whoever wishes to understand what is now happening with the spiritual seed of Abraham must carefully read the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob right up to Joseph, especially the chapters Gen. 37 to 50. In Gen. 12:10 we read: “And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.” In Gen. 26:1 it states: “And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines, unto Gerar.”

Joseph’s brothers hated him because he had the vision of the harvest and of the sheaves. They made an unsuccessful attempt on his life and later sold him for twenty pieces of silver. But then came the famine and Joseph opened the granary, and his brothers and all of the human population on earth came to him (Gen. 41:56-57).

Please, read for yourselves how many times the word “victuals” (food) and the word “famine” are mentioned in these chapters. The same God who said through the Prophet Amos, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7) also said, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord …” (Amos 8:11). The same God repeatedly commanded His servant and prophet William Branham to store in the food, namely the revealed Word for this time. The same Lord God told me, “My servant, there is a great famine coming; store in food and groceries.”

As sure as God lives, the Lord further said, “Then you shall stand in the midst of the people and give out the food.” The same God spoke to me on December 3, 1962, through Brother Branham and said, “Wait with the giving out of the food until you have received the rest of it.”

I am only doing what the Lord commanded me to do and leave it to everyone personally whether he will hear and receive the revealed Word or, instead, choose to believe the slander that is also taking its course. Once again, it was one word that Satan twisted. Brother Branham repeatedly spoke of the ripe wheat field, of the harvest, and also of the combine. One single statement was misinterpreted because of misplaced punctuation.

Brother Branham said the following in the sermon “Harvest time” on December 12, 1964:

“I hear the coming of the combine. The World Council – she’ll separate it.”

It was transcribed as: “I hear the coming of the combine, the World Council; she’ll separate it.” On account of the incorrect punctuation, the damned doctrine came into existence that the combine simultaneously represents the antichrist and the World Council.

The brothers in the message would not have sinned in this way, had I not been shown in a vision the overripe wheat field and the combine, and had I not been given the command by the Lord Himself to bring in the harvest. During every revival brought about by the Holy Spirit, Satan has tried to wreak havoc through false inspiration. He will continue to do so until the very end, until the rapture of all those who have recognized him in his disguised works and have overcome him along with his tactics. Then this Scripture will be fulfilled: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” (Rev. 12:11).

Regardless of what has happened, be it the murder of the male children at the birth of Moses or at the birth of Christ; be it the millionfold murder of the people of Israel, the covenant people of God; or the attempt to destroy the true Church – Satan rages against all those who are God’s inheritance. The elect will not be held up by what the murderer of men, the character assassin, the murderer of souls is doing, but instead will hold on to what God is doing among His Own, until the following Scripture comes to fulfillment: “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” (Rev. 12:7-10).

Pope Visits Israel

The international press and media have reported in great detail about the visit of Pope Benedict XVI in Israel. It is remarkable that this visit is only the third visitation of a pope in the Holy Land. During his eleven-hour stay in Jerusalem in 1964, Pope Paul VI could not even bring himself to utter the words “Israel” or “Jews.” It was not until 1965 that the accusation made against the Jews that they were the murderers of God, which for 2000 years had served as a justification for the persecutions of the Jews, mass murder, pogroms, expulsions, forced baptisms, and finally the Holocaust, was revoked by the Catholic Church. Pope John Paul II, who was a priest just 50 km away from Auschwitz, at least left behind an “Open Letter” addressed to the Jewish people at his visit of the Wailing Wall in the year 2000. Therein he asked for forgiveness in the name of his church for the crimes committed against the Jews.

The program for the German pope was, of course, prearranged, from his day of arrival on May 11 until his departure on May 15, 2009, just as the content of the 28 speeches that he delivered at various locations. The Israeli government and the Vatican reached an agreement that the pope would refrain from visiting the “Hall of Shame” where the picture of Pius XII is displayed. Instead, he gave a speech in the “Hall of Remembrance” during which six survivors of the Holocaust were also present. However, he neither mentioned the role of his predecessor Pius XII during the Nazi time nor the position of the church on the Holocaust. He further did not say a single word about the Anti-Semitism that litters the history of the church or the countless crimes that were committed against the Jews in the “Name of God,” let alone offer an apology.

In its edition of May 18, 2009, the renowned weekly magazine “Der Spiegel” evaluates the pope’s visit against this background, which has now become a renewed topic of interest thanks in large part to Williamson, who denies the Holocaust and is a member of the “Pius brotherhood.” In this article it states that the pope’s dialog with the Islam was probably easier for him than the one with Judaism.

Already in 1947 the Vatican established a diplomatic relationship with Egypt as the first Islamic state, and in 1953 with Turkey. Israel had to first acknowledge the PLO and promise the Palestinians the possibility of autonomy before the Vatican even considered a diplomatic relationship in 1993.

As a result of the recent papal journey, the King of Jordan declared the solution for the peace in the Middle East on the last day of said journey:

“The alternative for war, killing, and destruction is the two-state solution. Precondition is that Israel withdraws to the borders of 1967. In this case the state of Israel would have the full diplomatic recognition of all 57 Arabic Muslim states.”

It is a fact that until 1967 there was no Palestinian state, only Transjordan, which belonged to the kingdom of Jordan. In 1967 it became a part of Israel. Jerusalem was divided until then: East Jerusalem belonged to Jordan, West Jerusalem to Israel.

On May 22, 2009, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proclaimed, “The united Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. It will never again be divided or cut in half.”

Ever since God chose the people of Israel as His covenant people through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, all the nations have been filled with envy and jealousy. This attitude has persisted since the days of Constantine in Christendom and since the days of Mohammed in Islam until our time. Israel has always been denied the right to be in existence as a state. There is no other country on earth, no capital in the entire world about which they argue as much as Israel and Jerusalem, in the political as well as the religious realm. That is, in fact, connected to end-time prophecy. In the end, all nations will jointly rise up against Jerusalem, but then the God of Israel will intervene from heaven.

The newspaper “Westdeutsche Zeitung” chose the following headline to describe the visit of US President Barack Hussein Obama in Cairo: “Salaam alaikum – Obama embraces the Islamic world.” Indeed, all the talks are about peace these days and that in direct connection with Jerusalem. Obama, who until the age of 11 grew up as a Sunni Muslim in Jakarta where he attended the local mosque, turned to Christendom – not Christ, mind you – by following his wife, Michelle. Already months beforehand, he planned a meeting with the pope on July 10 on the occasion of the G8 Summit in Italy. He is the right man to mediate between Christians and Muslims and together with Pope Benedict will lay down the law for the two-state solution.

In this present time, biblical prophecies are coming to fulfillment with the people of Israel, and all God-fearing individuals must and will respect that. “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.” (Eze. 36:24). That promise is fulfilled before our very eyes. The following words will shortly become a reality: “I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.” (Joel 3:2). God calls the land that He allotted to the twelve tribes His Own land. As certain as it is written, so will He judge all those who divide His land and who demand a two-state solution, regardless whether it is the President of the USA or the pope or anyone else.

The United Europe

The Last World Empire

One day before the G8 Summit of the G8 nations in Italy, Pope Benedict XVI published his encyclical “Caritas in Veritate” – “Love in truth.” The G8 Summit is, of course, dominated by the financial and economic crisis. For the management of this crisis, the pope endorses a “World Political Authority” in his encyclical. Everything has failed, even the United Nations; therefore, it is no longer just about a New World Order, but about the World Political Authority. All are invited along for the ride, even Russia, the country upon which the United Europe relies for up to 75 percent of its energy supply.

When the Lisbon Treaty comes into force on January 1, 2010, it will be the first time that a President of the European Council will be elected. His term in office is to be two and a half years. Every nation, whether great or small, provides a commissioner. The commissioners elect a “High Representative for Foreign Affairs” who will attend to the duties of an EU Secretary of State. However, the demands of Benedict XVI go far beyond that. The “World Political Authority” will execute its power on all levels, the religious, the political, and the economic level. Therein we also recognize how end-time prophecy is being fulfilled and is taking shape ever more clearly.

Summary

In direct responsibility before God, some additional things need to be said. I just finished re-reading the two sermons “Doing God a service without it being His Will,” from July 18 and November 27, 1965, and have come to the conclusion that the matter at hand is not the examples mentioned by Brother Branham, namely not what Balaam, Korah, Jannes and Jambres, and others did, but instead it is about the profound lesson that we must learn from it. When David wanted to bring the Arc of the Covenant to Jerusalem without being commissioned to do so by the Lord, the oxen stumbled and Uzza tried to protect the Arc of the Covenant from falling down and had to die.

We probably would have thanked him for being in the right place at that critical moment, doing the right thing. God, however, did not commend him for it, but rather brought judgment by death. Why? Because He Himself had given the order that the Arc of the Covenant was to be carried only by the priests from the tribe of Levi (Dt. 10). What an important lesson!

Not a new program, not a new wagon, not a new revelation, but men of God who were called by Him to carry the words of His covenant. We see this especially with Joshua in chapter 3, as they crossed the River Jordan, and in chapter 6, when the walls of Jericho fell. Only when all things are done strictly according to the Word and commission of God can we be certain of the victory of God as we enter to take possession of the Promised Land.

What are the lessons we learn from the testimonies in the Holy Scripture and from the examples mentioned by Brother Branham? Moses and all the prophets had a direct commission. In view of the New Testament, John the Baptist had a direct commission. The Apostle Peter also had a special commission, and the Apostle Paul had an extraordinary commission that served to bring the Gospel unto the nations (2. Tim. 4:17). It was part of his commission. Let us take a look at the keyword “send,” which goes along with a true calling.

“And how shall they preach, except they be sent?” (Rom. 10:15).

“Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh …”
(Ex. 3:10).

“Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto you.” (Ex. 3:14b).

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” (Isa. 6:8).

“But the Lord said unto me, Say not I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.” (Jer. 1:7).

“Behold, I will send my Messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me …” (Mal. 3:1).

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord …” (Mal. 4:5).

Brother Branham strongly emphasised this; the absolute is sensed in his words: “God never changes His mind. His first decision is perfect and right.” (Sermon from November 27, 1965).

The denial of a commission pronounced by the Almighty Himself with an audible and clear voice can be compared to spitting in His face and accusing Him of fallibility. It is possible that someone who has been called for a specific ministry has to endure trials unlike anyone else. However, the assertion that, even though the calling is genuine and true, he can no longer continue his ministry is also a blasphemous statement.

God’s original decision remains for all eternity. Not once did He change His decisions. David is the best example for that. There was his son Absalom, who had three sons and one daughter, and he was responsible for David having to leave Jerusalem. He managed to bring the most important people under his influence and had proclaimed himself to be the king. Parallel to this, David was slandered, and Shimei even cursed him und threw stones at him, but David pressed on, weeping, amidst all the disdain. The agony that his son had caused him was very severe. But then came the moment when David took his rightful place, as ordained for him by God. All the other things were merely trials. He could even say, “Let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him.” (2. Sam. 16:11). Christ, the son of David, even prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

The slander – “… don’t you know what my father did?” – no longer had any effect. Whatever God decides is perfect and remains for ever, and Christ, our Lord, is called the son of David even in the very last chapter of the Bible. The claim that God would ever take back a calling or a commission is intentional blasphemy.

If God did not have a direct plan in our day, which is the most important time in this 6,000-year period, and all people could do whatever they wanted, then it would take us back into the time of Judges, when everybody did as they pleased. That can never be.

God promised a prophet and did send him. God promised that the message given to him would forerun the second coming of Christ. God Himself saw to it that I would personally come to know that man of God from 1955 until 1965. I have kept the 21 letters from our years of correspondence. God Himself led in such a way that I was granted the privilege of being a true eyewitness of that extraordinary ministry in his meetings.

In 1958, by God’s grace, I came to recognize his calling and commission in the plan of Salvation. In 1962 he saw a vision and told me about the divine calling and that I should preach the Word and eventually give out the spiritual food. In April 1966, in the evening of the sad day of his burial, the dear Lord reminded me of the words to go from city to city: “Now the time has come to take the message to all the world.” With God’s help, I have done that ever since, with all possible effort.

He Who said, “I will send you to other cities,” knew what He was doing and millions of people have heard His Word from my lips.

Now we come to the serious question, which is repeatedly being asked: Was there another evangelist in Brother Branham’s time who had the same calling and commission? NO! There were, however, many imitators. The next question is: Is there someone else on earth today who heard the all-penetrating Voice of the Lord in his mother tongue and thus received a direct commission according to God’s plan of Salvation? That I cannot answer. It should be presented to every brother who travels to different countries and cities in order to preach. When there is no direct calling, the following question is warranted:

Who did commission these brothers? Is it enough that they have the dollars – be they Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, or US dollars? How can they be placed according to the Word and what Brother Branham said if they have not actually received a divine calling and commission? Is there someone who can name the day and place of when and where he received a direct calling? Or does what Brother Branham said apply here: Doing God a service without it being His Will?

The time has come for the scriptural end-time message to be preached in the direct Will of God so that God’s people can be led into the perfect Will of God. Everyone has to decide where he stands; we have to be on God’s side to be able to participate in what is now happening with the Bride Church. Only where God’s Word is the final authority will all the wrong teachings, misguidance, and interpretations cease for ever. The Church of Jesus Christ must now be brought back into step and that is only possible when we are in agreement with God’s Word. There is a divine commission in our time, and the Word entrusted unto us will accomplish what God has sent it for.

“For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.” (Isa. 28:21).

“For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.” (Rom. 9:28).

“Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.” (Heb. 12:26).

May the Lord richly bless all of you.

By His commission

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