INTRODUCTION: OF ALL PROPHETS, JOHN ALONE REFERRED TO AN OBJECT IN CHRIST’S HAND CALLED THE FAN. WHAT IS IT AND TO WHAT PURPOSE IS IT USED? WHAT GENERATION SHALL FEEL ITS BLOWING EFFECTS? HOW DOES THIS FAN, FROM WHICH NONE SHALL ESCAPE, AFFECT THE ENDTIME PEOPLE? READ HOW AND BY WHAT MEANS CHRIST BOTH BAPTIZES AND APPLIES A FAN UPON HIS WHEAT FLOOR WITHOUT BEING BODILY PRESENT!
Let us familiarize ourselves with this particular subject called THE FAN by first studying the scriptures which serve as the key to unlock this great hidden truth. (St. Matt. 3:11-12; Luke 3:16-17). I am convinced too often we are guilty of overlooking what we would call these little insignificant words found in the scriptures and we treat them as though they were so unimportant when actually its just the opposite-THEY ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT! Take for instance this little 3 letter word John referred to which the Holy Ghost called the Fan. Few people have ever thought such a small word as it is applied to their life could be a matter of spiritual life or spiritual death and I have my doubts if very many people have taken into consideration the depth of the statement which John, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, made when speaking on this particular statement.
FOUR ASPECTS OF THE FAN
Together we are going to approach and analyze these verses which are not recorded any other place than through the ministry of John the Baptist. There are four important things in connection with this fan that we must be spiritual enough to catch or we shall miss its entire operation. (1) What is the Fan? (2) How does it operate? (3) When and where and upon whom will the operation of the fan be felt as he deals with his wheat? Also (4) we want to show how there could be only one period of time in which this fan could operate and that is only within this generation shall we begin to see the effects of this discovered fan as it is brought into its full effectiveness. May I say beloved, there is a fan now in operation which is truly blowing and separating the chaff from the wheat.
THE SETTING
Our setting is at the River Jordan where John the Baptist, clothed in the spirit of Elijah (Mal. 4:5-6; Luke 1:17), was steadily baptizing. Israelites who were coming unto him from all parts of the land of Judah and Jerusalem after having confessed their sins. (Mark 1:5) Paul speaking to the Ephesians said, John truly baptized with the baptism of repentance saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is on Christ Jesus who would baptize with the Holy Ghost. Acts 19:4. Naturally, as such a host of people came out to hear John, submitting themselves to baptism, this was causing a great spectacular stir up at Jerusalem, perhaps some 30 or more miles from the scene where John was publicly baptizing. Therefore, an investigating committee from the Judaistic hierarchy has been sent forth to question John as to who he is, about his strange doctrine and if he is not the Christ nor the actual Elijah for whom they had all been looking before the time of their Messiah to arrive, why was he baptizing; for they knew only too well this uncouth individual, dressed in camel hair, wearing a girdle strapped about his loins, whose diet was locust and honey and who made his home in the desert, certainly had not come from one of their schools of thought. Therefore, who is he, what is he up too? This is what the investigating committee from the hierarchy of Jewry had been sent to find out (John 1:19-27). This Judaistic hierarchy realized if they didn’t investigate this thing going on down at the river and do it quickly, they might well find themselves one day sitting in their local synagogue without a congregation. It is from this conversation of these spies who are asking John certain questions that we learn, as he speaks under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, all about verses 11-12 of Matt.3. Who are you? Why do you baptize and why do you preach in such fashion?
JOHN’S ANSWER
To this, John only answered what the prophet Isaiah had prophesied some five centuries before. I am just the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight (Isa. 40:3). And when it came to answering their question concerning baptism he merely stated, I indeed baptize you unto repentance but there is one coming after me whose shoelaces (or sandals) I am not worthy to unloose or to pick up and carry (depending on the translation you prefer). Note now as we approach verse 11 John begins to speak under the inspiration, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire.” Notice as John comes into verse 12 he is still speaking of the same one who is to do the Holy Ghost baptizing. John, being a prophet looking down through unto the very end of the grace age begins to speak in this manner from verse 12, “Whose FAN is in his hand and he will thoroughly purge his floor. (Every wheat farmer understands that term and they know what this floor is), and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire”. My, have you ever seen such events to transpire in only two verses of scripture! The church age of grace is actually placed in an overall setting from beginning to the end in those few power-packed statements and furthermore, note how especially verse 12 links up with Christ’s teaching in his seven parables in Matt. 13:37-43. Studying the similarity between these verses one will note Christ often likened his true seed word believer to that of precious grain of wheat and how the wheat must be first separated from the tares which are bound in bundles and burned, but the wheat shall be gathered unto the Almighty’s barn (Matt. 13:30). And note how beautifully the language of the Holy Ghost is portrayed once he begins speaking concerning the wheat which is none other than the true believer even as far back as when John the Baptist gives explanation for his ministry before these elected spies sent from the hierarchy of the Jewish religion. It is doubtful these spies had the slightest inkling about what John was speaking; nevertheless, they had an answer they could report to those who had sent them. Verse 11 deals exclusively with the First Advent of Christ where he would first be introduced unto the human race (namely the Jew), Rom. 1:16, and secondly unto all the followers or true believers who were to be the recipients of this baptism with the Holy Ghost, Acts 1:5. Notice, in verses 11-12 John is laying heavy emphasis upon the fact only one person will be doing all these things. John said it would be the one who comes after him.
UNDERSTANDING JOHN’S TERMINOLOGY
It is of necessity we would become acquainted with this very special Holy Ghost terminology used by John as he states, there is someone coming after me (who will do all these different things). It is important we note again what this someone is going to do. He who comes after John will indeed baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire. Now how do you suppose Jesus literally could baptize with the Holy Ghost baptism when the scripture states when the Holy Ghost was given in Acts 2, just ten days prior to that according to Acts 1, Jesus had been bodily taken up in a cloud and was not even present on earth in a corporeal body of flesh when the Holy Ghost was given and yet John stated he would be the very person to do the baptizing! How do you suppose Christ Jesus as a man is actually going to accomplish such a task when he will not even be present? Let us take a closer look at this setting to see how the one to follow John, a corporeal bodied man called Christ, was going to be instrumental in baptizing other corporeal bodied persons with the Holy Ghost and fire!
FREQUENTLY SPEAKS OF HOLY GHOST
We are fully aware as Jesus, the one who followed John, was introduced publicly to the Jewish race (especially John’s followers) throughout the course of his ministry quite frequently he made reference to this which he called the Holy Ghost. Especially during the latter half of his ministry, he began to instruct his disciples how they were to look for the Comforter. Other places they were told they would receive the promise of the Father; again they were instructed they were to receive power from on high. Shortly after his resurrection from the dead, we are reminded in John 20:19-23, on the first day of the week he appeared within a sealed up room where his disciples had assembled for fear of the Jews, showed them his hands and side and said, as my Father has sent me even so send I you and with this he breathed on them saying, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Luke 11:11-12 Father gives Holy Ghost.
LUKE 11:11-13 FATHER GIVES HOLY GHOST
Recall how earlier in his ministry through a certain parable he related how earthly fathers knew how to give good gifts unto their children saying, if a child were to ask his father for bread he would not give him a stone; if he asked for a fish he would not give him a serpent. What is Christ driving at here? What is the point he seeks to make? How is all this going to tie in together with John’s statement of verse 11 and come out with some kind of an understandable meaning? Continuing on in his parable he said, if we being evil know how to give good gifts unto our children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Ghost unto them who ask him? Do we have a contradiction here? Over and over Jesus said the Father would give the Holy Ghost. John under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost said the one coming after me will baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire! Is there a contradiction in the teaching of John and Christ concerning who is to give the Holy Ghost? There is if there are 3 separate persons in the Godhead. Because according to that teaching Jesus is saying the first person who is called God the Father is going to give the Third Person who is called Holy Ghost to the believer while John declares it isn’t that way at all. It is the Second Person who this religious church world calls the son Jesus is going to baptize the believer with the Third Person because in the eye of the religious world he is also a person separate and distinct from the Father and the Son. Now how is Jesus going to baptize with the Holy Ghost when he left the scene in Acts 1. Whether you believe in one or three Gods there is a sensible explanation; nevertheless, to fulfill John’s statements Jesus, the one who followed him, will have to baptize with the Holy Ghost and to fulfill Jesus’ statement the Father who is Spirit will have to send the Holy Ghost. How was this to be accomplished? John being a Jewish prophet probably never heard of the heretical Gentile’s explanation of the Trinity of the three separate persons in the Godhead which wasn’t developed for over 300 years after his death. He only said, the one coming after me will do the baptizing with the Holy Ghost. Actually, he had reference to the Mighty God robed in flesh (1 Tim. 3:16; Isa. 9:6; 2 Cor. 5:19, etc.) However, we poor gentiles who have been taught contrary to the truth would certainly need a revelation from God to grasp that. We realize within 72 hours after the crucifixion of Christ, before corruption would have had time to begin breaking down the cells of his body (Psalm 16:10). Christ was already bearing witness of his resurrection and continued to do so for the space of 40 days before ascending up on high to take his new and rightful position of High Priest (Heb. 7, 8 & 9). These informative chapters prove beyond any doubt Christ was no longer on this earth in corporeal bodied flesh, rather he had been taken to glory to begin serving in a new capacity of High Priest. On earth, he had been prophet and the Lamb sacrifice, in the glory world he is now Mediator and High priest (On earth again he will be King). Yet, John has stated he is going to baptize someone with the Holy Ghost and fire. Now if we were to examine this scripture (verse 11) from the natural carnal standpoint we might feel Christ in his fleshly bodily form must come along at some time in his ministry with some kind of container filled with whatever this Holy Ghost is because recall, at this hour no one knew nor had any idea how to receive whatever this Holy Ghost was, for Jesus had only publicly referred to the Spirit as that of water once when standing before the multitude on the lst day of the great feast saying if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Recall no explanation to such a statement was given at that time. No, perhaps no explanation was given until some 60 years later when John recording this incident, John 7:37-39, said-this spake he of the Spirit that they that believe on him should receive. Note, it was John and not Christ who said, this spake he of the Spirit for the Holy Ghost was not yet given for Christ was not yet glorified. That is true, no explanation concerning this Holy Ghost was ever given as to how anyone was going to receive of the Spirit. No, we are not to believe Christ would come along with a little container of some description, full of whatever this Holy Ghost was and say, Boys, open your mouths I am going to give you a drink and then start pouring it into them; nevertheless, no one knew how it would be done. No sir, the language in the final analysis of Matt. 3:11 simply means this-Christ who offered his life on Calvary for the sins of mankind, gave his own life by separating it from his own flesh using it as a ransom price for mankind. Recall, Christ had stated no man takes his life, he laid it down for the sheep (John 10:15) and as that holy sacred blood of God gushed from his open, wounded side it was this blood or life that was given for the remission of sins. Hebrews teaches without the shedding of blood there is no remission (Heb. 9:22). Note carefully, I have denoted for a reason which we shall explain later the word S-I-N from the word S-I-N because as we shall see this is by no means a catchy thing yet I have related it in this manner that you may know there is truly a difference between SIN and SINS and how grace covers it all. However, now we must continue on with the actual ministry of Christ after his ascension into glory to see how he shall fulfill Matt. 3:11.
CHRIST OUR MEDIATOR
Christ died and rose from the dead in a state of immortality never to die again and ascended up on high where he received a position in the Father’s glory to now act as Mediator between the Great Eternal Spirit who is none other than the Great God and you as an individual human being who had fallen from his grace. Paul declares in 1 Tim. 2:5 there is only one Mediator between God and men and that is the man Christ Jesus. Note what this Mediator between God and man is, it is another man. Note what that man is doing. Hebrews fully declares he entered into the Holy of Holies to make certain intercessions for you and I. Now, I ask you a question, if he is there in glory in another office (as a man) busily interceding for you and I in the Holy of Holies acting as High Priest, how does the language apply to him in verse 11 where John declared under such an anointing, that it was he who would baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire? It is most important that we understand how Christ could be in glory officiating in another office and yet baptize believers with the Holy Ghost to fulfill Matt. 3:11 and never be present here in his corporeal flesh because when we come to the next verse, verse 12, we are going to find out this same one who has been baptizing with the Holy Ghost is also standing at the end of the age, now with a FAN in his hand thoroughly purging his (threshing) floor and gathering his wheat into the garner. Note, the man Christ Jesus won’t be here on earth in his fleshly body either in verse 12 yet he and he alone is the one who will be doing all this work according to John the Baptist.
THE MEANING IS THIS
The meaning is this: The man Christ is in the Holy of Holies in his new office as High priest interceding to the Great Eternal Spirit, the Father-interceding in an office as High Priest just as any of the natural fleshly Jewish high priests would do once each year when they would enter into the Holy of Holies within the temple on the Day of Atonement and pray to the Great Shakinah Glory that the sins of the people standing outside in the outer court would be forgiven. Likewise, has this man Christ, who after the order of Melchisedek now gone into the Holy of Holies as our High Priest to make intercession for that true believer who has fully believed upon him and accepted his crucifixion along with his shed blood as the only atonement for their sins. Therefore, what is Christ our High Priest doing in the Heavenly Holy of Holies? Making intercession and pleading to the Great Eternal Spirit who is none other than the Father that he may give of himself, and note I said GIVE OF HIMSELF not another person-himself whose substance is Spirit-to each believer the gift of life or the Holy Ghost which is none other than the gift of God or Spirit of God to that of our fleshly vessels fulfilling Paul’s statement-we carry this treasure in earthen vessels (II Cor. 4:7). It is important we realize the Great Eternal Spirit, the Father of Glory, is giving a measure of himself to each believer (eliminating some mysterious 3rd person separate from himself). No, beloved, giving of the Spirit is not sending some Third Person who is another separate Spirit from God the Father, who himself is Spirit. That would make Paul’s statement incorrect when he taught the Ephesian Church there was only One Spirit to begin with, Eph. 4:4. See how carnal religious people have been guilty of confusing and twisting the Godhead in an attempt to fit their carnal understanding. Therefore, we see John’s language, though it was spoken in the Holy Ghost, is not to imply there should be one coming after him who at the time of the baptizing of the Holy Ghost and fire would even need be present in any corporeal-bodied flesh with some container pouring someone this drink of the spirit as it might appear to those present in John 7. No sir, it simply means this Christ as High Priest is interceding for every true believer before that Great Eternal Spirit (the Father) to give of himself and not someone else a little portion of himself to each true believer. May I ask, do you have your portion? That portion is God.
HOW GRACE CANCELS BOTH SIN AND SINS
Time has come that we should examine a previous statement made in this article dealing with sin and sins and see, scripturally, how grace cancels both. Entering the room where his frightened disciples were assembled after his resurrection, Christ breathed on them saying, Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whose soever sins you remit they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained, (John 20:23). Before, when I spelled out the word S-I-N it was not to trick anyone, only to show the true application in the scripture concerning both sin and sins. Scripture declares without the shedding of blood there is no remission (of sins) Heb. 9:22; Matt. 26:28.
REMISSION ACCOMPANIES SINS (NOT SIN)
Note whenever remission enters into the picture, it is always accompanied by the word “sins” such as in Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38 and Acts 22:16. Furthermore, we note on every occasion in scripture wherever the gospel of Christ was preached bringing in the blood of Christ along with water baptism we always find the apostles differentiating between the two words, SIN and SINS, showing how the grace of God through the blood atonement is applied to the scriptural believer and in what respect. Listen a moment and think me not a heretic, but if the blood of Christ is to atone for the S-I-N-S (note I said sins) of mankind then tell me what was the baptism in water given for which was always spoken of as a baptism for the remission of sins? Here is the answer and yet how often do we hear someone say, there is, nothing to baptism.
CARNAL NATURE NEVER REMOVED BY WATER BAPTISM
Water baptism in no way touches the carnal nature which one carries in his bosom. No sir! Get that straight in your mind! According to the prophet David, the day you were born you were born into this world in sin and shapened in iniquity, which simply means we inherited a fallen, sinful nature and water baptism can in no way touch that sinful nature, only the sinless blood atonement can deal with that sinful nature! Nevertheless, it is true, although we had nothing to do with it, we were born into this world with a very sinful nature and once we reached the hour in life where we could begin to exercise our own choice and will because we were sinners through our natural physical birth we found ourselves beginning to do things in this flesh that are expressed in the teachings of the gospel as being the works or the lusts of the flesh-drinking, smoking, gambling, committing adultery, fornication, lusts, cheating, stealing, lying and all of these other things which could be mentioned are only the fruits of wickedness of unrighteousness. Scripture calls these deeds acts or works of the flesh or lusts of the flesh. They are those sinful fruits or attributes contributed from the operation of a fallen nature; however, until we reach the age or the time in life that the grace of God comes to us and makes us aware of our lost pitiful condition as a sinner, there is not anything within ourself that we can do about this.
CHRIST’S BLOOD ATONES FOR SIN(FUL) NATURE
However, note Christ has made a provision for us whereby we might be rescued out of this terrible situation. How is this to be accomplished seeing we have done all of these things in the flesh. Why did we do them? Because we were born with a sinful nature compelling us to do so. Therefore, when Christ gave his life for us, to redeem us, his life was separated from his flesh whereby the price of redemption might be paid-that innocent one died for the ungodly. As Paul said, when we were yet without strength, Christ died for the ungodly and (then later) God shed his love abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us (Rom. 5:5-6). Christ purchased us with his own life or blood through his death. Now in purchasing us he is not willing that we should remain under bondage to that kind of nature which completely controlled and dominated our lives. Paul further stated if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things have passed away and behold all things have become new (2 Cor. 5:17). Therefore, as his holy sinless life was given as that purchase price or by the same token you could say it was his holy sinless blood given because Leviticus teaches the life of the flesh is in the blood and without that Spirit which is none other than life itself, the blood of man alone could be no good, for the blood and spirit of life absolutely goes together. Therefore, when his blood was separated from that body of clay, the blood which had been his clay, the blood which had been his very source of life in his flesh is now poured out as an atonement for my sinful nature. In order for me to be able to scripturally accept that and make it applicable to myself, watch what must happen. Recall when Christ entered that Upper Room and said to those disciples, whosoever sins ye remit to him they are remitted and whosoever sins ye retain unto him they are retained, look what the Catholic Church did roughly some 300-500 years later with that very statement. They completely turned it around to make it indicate the pope had power to forgive sins!
REMITTING SINS IS NOT FORGIVING SINS
Jesus never instructed anyone they had power to forgive sins, only that they could remit sins. NOBODY HAS THE POWER TO FORGIVE SINS! Not even one of God’s great prophets could forgive sins. That is not what Christ told his disciples at all, he said WHOSOEVER SINS YOU REMIT THEY ARE REMITTED….
REMISSION OF SINS — HOW?
Let us find out what it means to remit sins, not S-I-N! Remit means to remove, to blot out, to do away, to cancel and in every case throughout the book of Acts wherever water baptism was used, it was always used with the authority to remit something-was it not? What was it? No, it can never be used to remit S-I-N, sin or unbelief which is inherited by nature-only the blood of Christ could do that!! But it was always to remit S-I-N-S, those things done in the flesh which came from that evil sinful nature. That is why the body is to be washed. Recall again Paul speaking of the time Ananias came to him after his conversion on the Damascus Road and after telling him certain things concerning his ministry said, now why tarriest thou, arise be baptized and wash away thy S-I-N-S, calling on the name of the Lord. BAPTISM WASHES AWAY OR REMITS SINS! Note not wash away sin, but sins, Acts 22:16. Did not Christ teach in the gospel of Luke repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:44-47) and what name did Christ say remission of sins was to be preach in, IN HIS NAME! In his one singular name, the name of the one who stood before them giving the commission; the name of Jesus who is both Lord and Christ. Now turn to Acts 2:38, after the Holy Ghost has been given in Jerusalem (where this preaching of repentance and remission on SINS was to begin) and a sermon is delivered by the Apostle Peter which brought in 3,000 precious souls to answer their question, men and brethren what shall we do (note the question was not directed to Peter alone but unto all the apostles), it was merely Peter who spoke the words of instruction to fulfill Luke 24:44-47, Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ. Why Peter? Why baptize them in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins? How can anyone honestly say after examining the scriptures that Peter made a mistake? Is this not perfectly in line with Christ’s commission to his disciples in Luke 24 given at the same time as when Matthew recorded and said baptize them in the name (singular) of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. Therefore, we note remission of sins spoken of here in Luke 24:47 is to be applied through what means – WATER BAPTISM.
AUTHORIZED PERSONS TO REMIT SINS
And who is that authorized person with authority to baptize converts and what happens when that authorized party baptizes a believer in water for the remission of sins, fulfilling John 20:23; Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38, etc.
REPENTANCE COMES FIRST
No. 1 -When that authorized person who is none other than that true minister of the Lord Jesus Christ who he has sent to fulfill his commission (Rom. 10:13-15); when that God sent minister (sent- not just went, as so many have) preaches the true revelated gospel and sinners are convicted and convinced that God’s provided way for him to come or to be reconciled back to God through repentance and remission of sins, he first repents. Repentance is saying sorrowfully, Lord, I am a sinner, I can’t help it but I do acknowledge I am a terrible sinner and I have a godly sorrow over that fact; I have done so many evil things, I repent (or I change my mind about all of this). I know I can’t save myself; therefore, I ask you to forgive me of my SINS and change my life. I see now only the grace of God can cover my wrong doings provided I repent. In Jonah 4:2 it referred to God repenting of a certain thing he had intended to do. In other words God changed his mind and did not do to Ninevah what he said he would, seeing all the people there repented; they changed their minds causing God to repent or change his mind therefore he did not destroy their city. Their repentance caused God to repent or change his mind. Thus, we see from scripture that a godly sorrow worketh repentance (II Cor. 7:9-19). By no means is godly sorrow repentance, no, repentance is changing one’s mind and attitude toward something and once that sinner says yes to the Lord Jesus, I truly repent and accept you as my only saviour, then brother, according to the scripture that honest hearted individual who has truly accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as the only substitute or provision for sin (unbelief) then that scripture can now be applied by the God sent minister wherein Jesus said, as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them. Remember, remitting sins in that sense is not forgiving sins, by no means, but it is applied by taking the convert into water saying, I now baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission or the removal or the washing away) of your sins, Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16. That and that alone remits sins. SINS, those evil things are put away and that Great Eternal Spirit is watching over this which the Mediator Christ our High Priest is busy making intercession for in behalf of the atonement at Calvary as that old sinner goes under the water in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins, scripture teaches us our sins are absolutely washed away from God’s sight.
SINNERS OLD NATURE ATONED FOR BY BLOOD
Watch what happens to the sinner’s old nature-the Great Eternal Spirit is now applying the blood. Yes, the blood is now applied to the nature of the person in Christ for whom Christ our High Priest is interceding. It was from a fallen nature the fruits of this nature had produced all these sins or works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-21). Therefore, when the effects of the blood begins to take place or as the effects of the blood begins to be applied to that inner nature which has been so far from God, that Great Eternal Spirit who has been watching over that heart now sees the sinner has truly repented and has been baptized for the remission of his sins according to the scriptures, washing away the filth of the flesh etc., it is now the Great Spirit who was in Christ (2 Cor. 5:19) reconciling us back to himself while Christ walked on earth who now permits the effects of the blood of Christ to be applied to that human nature which was inherited from the fall in the garden and because the blood is applied by faith (or revelation) the Great Eternal Spirit now gives to that believer a measure or portion of himself which is none other than the gift of the Holy Ghost, (Act 2:38) fulfilling John’s statement in Matt. 3:11. The Holy Ghost comes in which we must possess to have eternal life and fulfill Rom. 8:11 which says without the Spirit of Christ we are none of his. Furthermore, he is the promise of the Father, John 14:16-17 and Luke 24:49. He is the comforter, John 14:26; he is that Spirit of Truth of whom Christ spoke which would guide us into all truth, John 16:7-13. Yes, this is the Holy Ghost of Matt. 3:11 of whom John spoke, who is to be given to the true believer by the person who should follow his (John’s) ministry. Therefore, we can see how God as Eternal Spirit was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself and although Christ not being here in corporeal flesh ministered this gift of the Spirit while at the same time was in that Mediatorial office in glory interceding for the believer. Not a work of three Gods nor three separate persons but THE WORK OF ONE GREAT GOD IN THREE OFFICES OR MANIFESTATIONS.
CHRIST OUR HIGH PRIEST
We are aware Christ (in person) was not here as the Holy Ghost was given on the Day of Pentecost, some 50 days after his resurrection and 10 days after his ascension to take up his new office of High Priest. Just think of the multitude of thousands down through the centuries of time who accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal saviour and received his benefits from above. Not receiving because someone was standing on the earth with a container doing this work. NO! But because someone far above in glory serving as High Priest after the order of Melchisedek interceding for the believer in behalf of the atonement to be applied to the sinner who walked in obedience to the light of the gospel (II Cor. 4:3-6) whereby that person would receive from above that portion of the Holy Spirit which is none other than the Spirit of God in the believer’s life. Bro. Jackson, just what are you driving at someone may ask. The purpose in showing you this in this manner is to let you see for over 1900 years we Gentiles have received the benefits of God according to this one promise of Matt. 3:11 and have by no means been privileged to know Christ after the flesh. On the contrary, we have only been privileged to know him in his office work as Mediator and High Priest as he has honored the gospel which has been preached and as we, by faith, have accepted it, then as Mediator and High Priest interceded to the Eternal Spirit who in turn applies the benefits of the gospel of Christ to the true believer.
READY TO RECEIVE A NEW OPERATION
It was during his first advent all this was set in motion, that man could receive the Spirit and after some 1900 years we are still continuing to receive of those benefits and blessings promised in Matt. 3:11. However, now we are ready to witness another operation, a new operation of this same Spirit found in Verse 12. Christ won’t be here in his corporeal flesh to minister this new operation either. Nevertheless, it shall truly be administered through the same agency as was verse 11. The office work of the Holy Ghost still remains to be that Spirit of God called Father revealed to have been in Christ reconciling the world back unto himself, 2 Cor. 5:19. Therefore, when John said, he who cometh after me, he had no second person in mind, did he? No, it is wrong to think of God as one Spirit, the Son as still another separate and distinct Spirit and then to suppose the blessed Holy Ghost makes up the third separate Spirit, not at all! It has been all the work of the one and selfsame Spirit called God of whom Paul stated in Eph. 4:4 was only one Spirit.
SPIRITUAL MINDED KNOWS GOD’S PROGRAM
If we can see how Christ was not here as man in corporeal flesh at the time of the fulfillment to each believer of Matt. 3:11, then beloved we will be better able to understand how he will be the same one who shall minister the operation of THE FAN on his threshing floor and still not leave the mercy seat or his office as Mediator and High Priest. For when Christ ministers THE FAN on the threshing floor, he will no more be here in his corporeal flesh than he was when he administered the Holy Ghost to the believers. Therefore, we must be spiritual minded enough to be able to identify the operation of this FAN in verse 12 used on his floor when he thoroughly purges it and gathers the wheat into his garner and burns the chaff with unquenchable fire or we shall miss this operation looking for something else.
EXAMINING VERSE 11 FROM CARNAL STANDPOINT
Imagine these first disciples (Acts 2) who were first to receive of these benefits of verse 11 also Luke 3:16-17 and Mark 1:8 had been told to go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Father, without any instruction whatsoever or even know what to look for. Suppose they had gone looking at everything strictly from a natural standpoint like so many poor denominational people would have done. All they knew was that they would be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. And suppose they would have been sitting around in that Upper room, not having been told what to look for, when suddenly they heard the sound as a rushing, mighty wind blowing in a completely sealed room and licks of fire began to appear all over the room when they had not been told to expect anything in this fashion. Oh, I am so glad they had enough common sense or spiritually to recognize what was taking place when it began to happen or perhaps they would have gotten up and ran out the door saying, I think I will wait for this Holy Ghost somewhere else in Jerusalem, this place is getting spookier by the minute! Imagine what would have happened had they had no more spiritual understanding than a group of carnal minded denominational believers who had met in a prayer meeting and something like that happened, no doubt they would have run over each other to get out and go home. That is, providing they had no more instruction about the Holy Ghost than did these disciples. I am so glad there was something that registered in their soul when they heard a man preach the gospel and thank God they had received the correct interpretation because the scripture says they were all in one accord in the upper room. No, they weren’t sitting around arguing and fussing with one saying he didn’t say it that way, while another said no, you are wrong, he said it this way. No beloved, the message they had heard, they all heard it the same way. Isn’t it such a pity we can’t all hear our message in the same way.
HOLY GHOST UNDERSTANDING NEEDED
I will show you from the Bible why we can’t all hear it the same way. It is really very simple. We haven’t all received the Spirit of Truth or the Holy Ghost. That is correct. I said we have not all received the Holy Ghost. Beloved, that is the one thing we don’t want to leave the world without and it is for certain we don’t want to try to be in the Bride of Christ without the Holy Ghost. Read Matt. 25:1-13 and there you will quickly see only they who were ready (or who had the oil) went into the marriage with the Lord while the foolish virgins who had no oil were left outside. Oil is represented by the Holy Ghost who will give you spiritual understanding. Without spiritual understanding, we will never know what God is doing.
HOLY GHOST GUIDES INTO ALL TRUTH
If we all had the Holy Ghost, we would have the correct understanding and be able to all see it alike. We would have to because the Holy Ghost is the spirit of Truth and never tells one person one thing and another just the opposite. To do that he would not be the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, BUT THE SPIRIT OF ERROR and John said we as believers recognize the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of error. When you begin to see people going six different ways with a hundred separate ideas you can be sure of one thing, somewhere that person does not have the Holy Ghost or if by chance he would possibly have the Holy Ghost, he most certainly is not allowing the Spirit to operate in his life. Again I say, the Holy Ghost cannot operate that way, THE HOLY GHOST IS THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH AND WAS GIVEN TO GUIDE YOU INTO ALL TRUTH. (John 16:13). Oh, isn’t it marvelous how this prophet of God, John, clothed in the spirit of Elijah, although the world could only see him clothed in camel hair and girdle about his loins, could look down through the scope of time through the Spirit, down through over 1900 years of church history and see how God’s plan of salvation would operate and consummate. For note in verse 12 as he approaches near the time for the Second Advent of Christ, he shows how the one who would do the Holy Ghost baptizing through the ages would be standing somewhere at a much later hour with a fan in his hand, did he not? According to John’s Holy Ghost language, the fan is in his hand then are we to expect this one who came after him to be standing on this earth in his corporeal flesh, going around the countryside fanning every believer? NOT AT ALL. We must look upon verse 12 in this light as it points to that rapid soon appearing of Christ as he closes out the Grace Age, wrapping it up in its full effects, bringing it to its consummation and moreover to truly see the operation of the fan we can only do so now as we see his aim and purpose of Grace reaching forth to that true believer of this hour as he is ready to receive unto himself his finished harvest of wheat taken from his Grace Age. Therefore, as we recognize how Christ was nowhere in corporeal flesh upon this earth at any time during his baptizing with the Holy Ghost, we can better understand how that FAN can be in operation in his hand to be administered to the wheat or true believer, Matt. 13:30 and him not be present. John says, whose FAN is in his hand and did you note what he is going to do with that FAN? He is going to thoroughly purge his (wheat or threshing) floor of everything that should be removed. Those things not referred to as wheat but chaff, those little particles and bits which appear only in the final period of threshing and separation of wheat from the grain itself, how can this possibly apply to the endtime Grace Age? Where in the end of Grace does it fit in God’s program? Farmers have no trouble understanding this kind of language. It, as so many other places, deals in the life of a farmer with his planting and gathering of crops. Because I am a farmer at heart, I am going to use this as an illustration to show you in God’s program where this fan is placed, how it is administered and how and where to look for it in its operation. Since Christ is in glory as Mediator and High Priest interceding for each believer to be given a portion of the Spirit, let us look and see how Christ with a FAN in his hand is going to administer this different operation of the Spirit and what is going to happen once the operation is completed. How will it affect a people living in that hour of church history?
RAIN ON THE WORD SEED UNTIL HARVEST
We realize down through the centuries of time the church which was set in motion or planted as a seed (of wheat) on the Day of Pentecost once the Holy Ghost was being poured out has traveled into our hour and brought with it a prophet and a restoring message.
BELIEVER LIKENED TO GRAIN OF WHEAT
From that early period until now, as the Holy Ghost was given in each of the seven church ages (Rev. 2 & 3) he was allowed to work and operate in respect to whatever portion of truth was present (restored) within that hour, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit or the moving of the Holy Spirit throughout these respective periods of church history is likened unto rain upon the Word (seed) which was planted in the believer’s heart as he would accept the present Truth. The Holy Ghost watered that Truth in the believer’s heart and life and he would receive that portion of the Spirit which went (along) with that portion of revelation given during that hour. Yet, we are fully aware as I have stated in their messages using Mark 4:26-39 along with James 4:7-8 how the Holy Ghost does not spend all of his time just watering the seed. No, there comes a time according to the scripture when there must be a harvest. Therefore, one of these days the crop must be completed. The last grain of wheat is going to be brought to maturity; the last sinner will hear his gospel call and the Father is going to have given of himself or of his Spirit (Holy Ghost) to that last person for whom the Mediator has been interceding. Whenever that last soul has heard his gospel call and received his portion of the Spirit to which he is entitled before the intercessory work of the High Priest is completed and Christ leaves the mercy seat, then beloved just like a wheat farmer who would look over his wheat field and see those beautiful golden, ripened grains of wheat humbly hanging on a dried up dead stalk rustling in the wind, would touch the head and be able to determine from the feel of those little husks, now hard, dry and brittle (note it is the hardness or solidness of the grain) says within himself it is time to thresh it out. Likewise, the Almighty also says it is time his crop which has been brought to maturity should also be threshed out of the field (or world) Matt. 13:38.
HARVESTING IN CHRIST’S DAY
In the day of Jesus and John the Baptist, people knew nothing about the modern day combine, yet both John and Christ refers to the end of the age as to the harvesting time of the wheat, did they not? However, their reference to gathering grain, especially the wheat, was by no means with modern day instruments. Instead scripture refers to the use of the sickle in the gathering of any kind of harvest. See Rev. 14. The sickle was the instrument used in the days of the scripture. Therefore, as we examine the end of this age, it must be examined in the light of what has happened which has affected gentile religion, the coming of a messenger of the age, etc. We realize in comparison with the wheat stalk which on the church stalk is represented by 20th Century Pentecost while the blades upon the stalk represented the various Protestant denominations. However, as every farmer knows it is in the head of the wheat shortly before harvest season all the little husks are formed and you recall the husk does so much resemble the real wheat, although it is not the real wheat. It only bears a resemblance to the real wheat. That is what 20th Century Pentecost represented on the church stalk, for neither did 20th Century Pentecost fully resemble the early Christian of apostolic days who was that original wheat planted in the ground to produce that crop after passing through various stages as shown by Christ in illustrating a stalk of what showing the route of the natural wheat grain from seed sowing time until harvest time. It goes through many stages. (For a more thorough explanation of this, see our message THE LATTER RAIN, as here we only use this to show where the FAN operation is placed at the end of the age in that which affects the wheat). Our primary interest in the wheat stalk and the church stalk in this message is only with the head, that stage of the process shortly before harvest. The husk in their initial setting does resemble the true wheat, however, as any farmer knows that stalk will not produce one single grain of wheat until first the thing has bloomed.
MALE LIFE EXPRESSES ITSELF
Recall from previous messages how plant life such as a stalk of wheat carries both male and female life within it. The operation of the male life within that stalk when it expresses itself in the head is called pollination and once that bloom expresses itself by coming forth to the outside, that means within the stalk itself something is taking place. It is the law of life and reproduction within plant life itself. As the male and female life are brought together, the bloom appears and those little fibers within the husk begin to take on the effects of those inner nodules which at first are so tiny they can hardly be seen with the naked eye. Directly after the germination process begins to feed into that head, there is a message sent up and down that stalk. The male life within the stalk has spoken. After this process, comes the final step of the wheat before harvest. Beloved, how does such an operation line up with that of the church stalk? That is why within the church stalk which had already passed through many processes in its growth going toward the harvesting of wheat crop that there had to come at the end of this Grace Age a church age messenger, who unlike the other messengers before him connected with the other ages, would absolutely manifest Jesus Christ of the Bible (the male life of the church stalk) in such a way that in behalf of the gentile church the operation of Mal. 4:5-6 (B-part) would be fulfilled wherein that spirit of Elijah (not the mortal Elijah) as John the Baptist illustrates, this spirit would bring a people back to the Word of original Truth once that message of life would be expressed or had spoken to the church age at large or the church stalk as Christ pictured in a number of places. This message at the endtime brought and received by a living generation throughout the world was that pollination or germination period within the church stalk which would carry the same effect upon denomination Christianity as did that bloom carry upon the natural stalk of wheat. As the results of that bloom begins to vibrate and portray its message up and down that stalk something drastic happens. Death sets in and it is important we note death does not first strike the top of the stalk. It begins at the bottom and works up through the blades leaving the husk for the very last thing on the stalk to die.
DEATH STRIKES CHURCH STALK
Likewise, is it true on the church stalk of which Christ spoke? Looking at the church in its progress and growth through the eyes of Christ, one must go to the wheat field and learn a lesson through the various stages of the wheat as it is on its route to reproduce itself. While the husk is now in a process of dying which is represented by the works of modern day Pentecost, the little kernels of wheat are getting larger and fatter. WHY? Because they are growing and taking up all the stored up plant food which has been in the blades, stalk, etc. As the stalk and blade begins to loose their green chlorophyll lifelike color which is being transferred to the wheat, it leaves everything behind on the stalk dead. I know we don’t want to think along these lines that spiritual death has struck the church stalk after the pollination message or blooming process of the messenger has gone forth within the head of the church stalk, but we must, else why would Christ liken his church to that of the life and growth and harvest of wheat. Death hits that stalk after its pollination season. It is the only time in the history of the stalk the male life speaks in such a manner. Beloved, that is why this endtime message is a calling out message for the people to come out according to Rev. 18:4 whereby they be not a partaker of her sins nor of her plagues when death hits (reference to that old denominational church stalk which has now experienced death). Think of it, at harvest everything on the stalk is dead except the wheat. Therefore beloved, if we are able to see how Christ through the office work of the Holy Ghost was working in this messengers life, working through this little vessel of clay during the endtime in taking every bit of God’s truth that had been restored during the Reformation and watch what he is doing with it, placing it right back in the Bible pattern where it belongs, where it was in the first place. In order that we as an endtime people could be a people who once again after so long a time could live on the revelation of what this Bible is talking about and it could have the effect on our lives as it did during the early church when the wheat was being planted in the ground to later bring forth a harvest of the same identical kind of substance planted in the planting season, why can’t we end up with this? Such a faith of revelation started it all. It was men in the early church who wrote it, why can’t we preach it especially after seeing it was the office of Mal. 4:5-6 which restored it to us and called us back to that same revelation of this book. Certainly by no means was his office to take us out of this book. If that has happened to you, then all I can say is the coming of that office to the gentile church spoken of in Mal. 4:5-6 B-Part did not return you to the faith of the fathers, yet I declare unto you that is just what this office was suppose to do-return us back to something allowing our hearts to receive what this Bible has to say and receive it with the correct understanding. Henceforth, we can see wherever this endtime message has been presented as it has been expressed unto the age, the Holy Ghost takes its revelated truth and applies it to hearts throughout the earth and the effects of it reaches out to mankind who is bound in every rank of organized religion, that is provided the individual bound in such is one of those blessed individuals counted worthy to receive the benefits from this glorious truth. This we know, according to scripture everyone ordained to this glory shall come to it (Acts 13:48) makes no difference whether they be in the farthest dark corner of Africa somehow they will come to it and as this church stalk of religion which at one time was the carrier of the real life of truth completely gives itself over to this ecumenical spirit, the denominational structure will be seen more and more to be full of death. It is not I who said this, it is the Almighty God himself who declares the stalk is now dead. It is not man, but God himself who is the husbandman of the field the one who does the watering, it is he who controls the law of life and death who makes this statement.
SPIRIT RAIN ON WHEAT
Therefore, we can see how the Lord through the various stages has been making intercession and the Holy Ghost rain has been poured out upon his wheat crop to keep it growing and becoming more vigorous and greener as that Holy Ghost rain traveled up through these various stages of the church stalk, until it now reached the place where the Spirit causes it to bloom or pollinate by a message being sent forth in these last days, and death immediately hits the church stalk sending itself up and down the stalk as the ecumenical spirit moves in to bind in bundles the tares. Nevertheless, the message continues to fall until maturity and final fruition of the grain is reached.
THE THRESHING FLOOR
What is the next step? As every farmer knows, it is now time to bring the wheat crop to the threshing floor. As the presentation would be, it is still shown as in ancient times, once a crop had become ripened, men are sent forth with sickles into the field to reap the grain and as it is dropped to the ground, the women follow and tie that which has been cut into little bundles. Next, the process is to load the bundles upon donkeys, ox carts, etc., and carry it to a nice cleared area not far away which is chosen to serve as the threshing floor where the great process of the separation of the wheat from everything must now begin. Yes, somewhere near by the field of harvest a place was always chosen. A fairly level area of ground, free from rocks etc., whereby the wheat might be brought in and stacked upon the floor of this area. The place in that day was called the threshing floor, for it was here the threshing and beating to separate the grain from everything would take place. Once all the grain had been harvested from the fields, the next step was to stack it here by placing so much on the floor and as it was placed on the floor some individuals would get up on the bundles and begin jumping up and down, pressing heavily with their feet while others would ride around on horseback or some other animal. The object was to place all this under such pressure it would cause the loosening and separation of the grain from the husk, etc. As they continued adding pressure, up and down upon the grain, finally the farmer would see the grain was all trampled out and next he would bring in a process of pitchforking.
MOVING THE STRAW
However, in those days they did not have pitchforks, they used forked sticks. Those same laborers who had been instrumental in reaping the wheat from the field, now take the forked sticks and begin tossing all the straw and larger objects off the floor where the grain lay and you know even with forked sticks, though they might be crude instruments, you could surely move a lot of straw. They would pitch straw until all the straw had been taken off the threshing floor. Religiously speaking, pitching the straw from the threshing floor as you note was by the same reapers who brought the wheat in upon the floor in mass quantity. According to the church age messenger of Laodicea who stated a number of years ago and it certainly seems to be proving out to be very true, that men with such ministries and various programs are being used today for this operation as Graham, Roberts and men of this caliber.
MOVING DENOMINATION STRAW
What is this operation? It is handling dead straw, dead straw to be bound by the spirit of ecumenicalism and sent to the furnace of judgment. Yes, it is men of this caliber who have programs large enough to handle and influence and pull away from the true revelation of the Word all of this dead denominational ecumenical straw. Imagine you trying to go out there with some little fork (or program) trying to get rid of all that straw. Nevertheless, in olden days, they used these crude instruments for moving the straw, but it was sufficient to handle the job because you must remember the straw is to be moved off the floor along with every object which would not be too small to be touched by the pitchfork operation.
THE FAN
Now we are ready for the operation of the fan which was in his hand wherein John said, he will thoroughly purge his wheat floor; purge it now of everything the other operations had failed to effect and move. What naturally will be done with the straw, it will be burned of course. After having cleared away the straw from off the threshing floor, what does that now leave? It leaves the wheat along with the husk, along with the little particles and giblets of crushed, mangled straw and particles of dust and whatever else you might have which could by no means be affected with the pitchfork operation or ministry. Yes, only that is left on the floor which was too small or shall we say, that could not be affected by those men or reapers as the straw was being tossed from the floor. Recall, all the husbandman or (the Lord) is interested in is bringing in the wheat crop, that wheat which now lies upon the threshing floor. What is the threshing floor in the spiritual sense in relation to the wheat? It is none other than the WORD OF GOD! Was it not the Word of God the wheat along with the husk and other things had been brought to by this endtime messenger? This messenger brought us out of the field or out of the world (Matt. 13:38) onto the threshing floor, THE WORD OF GOD! The Word of God was the revelation which was brought to the age by the messenger which was the very thing to bring all of us out of the field or world onto the threshing floor relationship with God the husbandman. It was with the interpretation and the revelation of this message brought through this prophet’s ministry which went out and brought you and I back to the revealed word in the Bible whereby my salvation experience which I had personally received in Methodism would no longer be the testimony of a Methodist, on the contrary it would have to become now the testimony of a truly born again Christian, baptized with the Holy Ghost according to the Word of God and not according to some manmade tradition or creed or some church denominational teaching. That is what this message is responsible for. The moment that true revelated message began to be lifted up, that message in which these great denominational evangelists could have embraced but only strayed further from seeing their idea of the gospel is to take some little verse of scripture and turn it into a big religious program which spiritually is nothing more than the process of the reapers pitching dead denominational straw from off the threshing floor or off the Word of God.
BLOWING WINDS
In ancient times to fulfill the next process which takes place still upon the threshing floor as much as possible, men would always try to pick a favorable time whereby the natural winds might assist them for their next process or final step which is none other than the final separation of all particles or foreign matter from the pure wheat. Usually, they made quite an event of this having a feast etc. The young ladies with flat pans or thin hollowed out bowls similar to those of old pioneer mother’s dough bowls would begin a process now with the actual wheat itself which is referred to as winnowing. Here they would enter in upon the threshing floor, usually accompanied by musicians while the older women prepared the meal in the background. These young ladies would get into the threshing floor and scoop up portions of wheat in their bowls and dance around the outer circle to the tune of the music played, flipping the wheat into the air. They were well experienced in this operation and as the wheat was flipped into the air they continued to keep their bowls underneath the wheat, which always fell down into the containers. Yet, the lighter objects such as the husk, bits of crushed wheat stalk and the foreign matter too small to be affected for the pitchfork operation were taken away by the blowing wind, far from the threshing floor. Continuing to dance around the outer circle the girls would sing, flipping the wheat into the air until they saw the winds had blown away everything but the wheat. They would usually proceed to a special place, dump their tray of pure wheat which had stood the test upon the threshing floor, back upon the floor they would come and scoop up another bowl full of wheat, husk, giblets of straw, etc., and around through the same flipping process they would go again as the winds separated the wheat from all foreign matter. However, if there were no favorable winds blowing at this particular time of winnowing the wheat, the farmer would usually make a fan out of any type of crude material such as straw or whatever was available which could be woven together into a large enough object to create an artificial wind to serve the same purpose in blowing the lighter material away from the wheat.
NOT BLOWN BY EVERY WIND – EPH. 4:14
After the fans had been made from whatever available material almost anything could be used to create a wind, certain ones would get in upon the threshing floor and take up their position with bowls of wheat and other substance while others with the fans would move in behind them. The purpose as already stated with the fan is to create an artificial wind to blow away the lighter material such as the chaff out of the wheat. Oh, how that reminds us of Paul’s statement to the Ephesians where he stated the purpose of the fivefold ministry which is in the Lord’s hands, was given for the perfecting of the saints and the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ until we had all come into 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 (the stature of a perfect man is found in 2 Peter 1:5-10). Verse 14 of Ephesians says we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried away with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness wherein they lie in wait to deceive. The point I want you to note here is Paul says the fivefold ministry causes us to grow up to a full stature of the perfect man, Christ, that is we become heavy enough spiritually speaking in God’s profound truth that we won’t be blown about by every wind of doctrine. Note please these winds of doctrines are not scriptural and are by no means founded upon the Word. Nevertheless, they serve perfectly to blow us away from the threshing floor to which we have been brought by this endtime revelation designed to restore man back to the Word (Mal. 4:5-6, B-part). The operation of the artificial winds are designed to carry away every particle light enough to be affected. The husbandman has no concern of which way the husk, chaff, bits of straw or the lighter material goes as they are picked up and taken away by these artificial winds. His concern is only with one thing; to get all these dead particles off the floor and separated from his wheat. Wheat will be the final thing on the floor, because after all it was wheat he planted in the beginning and that is all he is interested in harvesting. As the scripture says (Matt. 3:12) he will thoroughly purge his floor with the FAN in his hand which means he will leave nothing undone or unturned but shall separate everything from the pure wheat. Beloved, this endtime message is the only thing which has life in it today. Everything else carries death and besides that is taking souls back to the world and finally into the ecumenical move.
DENOMINATIONAL STRAW
Another word about the straw. Note in the old process used for thousands of years, the straw was brought out of the field onto the threshing floor, trampled on and thrown back into the field to be burned, think of it. In the spiritual sense, it was the denominational straw taken from the field along with the pure grain, brought to God’s threshing floor, his precious revelated Word, trampled upon and because they could not agree with the Word itself, was thrown back into the world to be burned as the ecumenical spirit engulfs them, takes over and binds them together. What has this operation been all about? Just as on the natural wheat stalk to which Christ so often referred in illustrating his church, the purpose is for no other reason than to get the wheat. Look at it from the spiritual standpoint. This message has called multitudes out of denominations. As people, they are as good as anyone else; nevertheless, goodness alone will never measure up unless that goodness is coupled with the proper motive, proper attitude and revelation which places one’s heart in tune with God’s Word in such a manner it is fully accepted unto our God. Beloved, goodness alone is not enough, or goodness without these other qualities will certainly present a problem once we are placed on that threshing floor of his Word to have all of our ideas threshed out whereby we may be pure wheat for his garner. We will only find ourselves arguing, disputing and fighting God and as Peter said, the unlearned and unstable wrestle with those scriptures (especially of the Apostle Paul) to their own destruction. Beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own steadfastness (2 Pet. 3:16-17). Goodness is only an attribute of one’s human nature and cannot measure up unless the heart is in tune with God’s Word with the proper motive of attitude and outlook whereby we may truly walk in fellowship with the Spirit of God which is suppose to be in our lives.
MOCKERY OR REALITY
If I don’t have the true Spirit of God in my life, I am only going through an act; I’m only imitating something which is suppose to be real and in the final analysis I am the only one which will be mocked. Gal. 6:7 tells us God is not mocked. You can’t imitate a Christian life, either you are a Christian or you aren’t. God is not mocked for whatsoever a man sows that he shall also reap. If you imitate a christian’s life you are imitating a person who is suppose to be in this message and recall, it was this message that brought us (the wheat) to the threshing floor. However, if we aren’t in the true revelated message but only have the letter of words and statements it will show up in our nature once we are placed on that threshing floor of His Word. Only by a spiritual birth, combined with an absolute true revelation of the message could you possibly hope to be placed in this message. Other than that, you are only going through an act of mockery. It is only imitation and in the end it will only lead you to death and not spiritual life, because as you lay on that threshing floor and the Holy Spirit is tossing you about on that Word if you can’t fully agree with God’s Word, somewhere along the way while being tossed about on the revelation, a strong wind of false doctrine from a seducing spirit will come your way and blow you completely off the foundation of the threshing floor. Sure, in one’s carnal understanding, they will be positive they are right as they chase after one of these unscriptural teachings, however, it will probably be too late once we find out that we were led astray from the Word by some seducing spirit who seized the opportunity through your unwillingness to fall in line with the Word of God.
NO BELIEVER ESCAPES FAN
We are now dealing with the portion of John’s inspirational statement where he stated “the FAN was in his hand”. Beloved, no believer in this hour escapes the operation of the FAN. Therefore, I want you to know where God placed that FAN, what it is going to do and how it will greatly affect your life before this day is over. As wheat (chaff or whatever you may be, spiritually speaking) there is no escape of the FAN which will blow against the wheat already placed on the threshing floor of the Word. True, a message was brought and it brought a people who were looked upon as wheat to the threshing floor. Listen to me carefully, that revelated message was the revelation of God’s written Word. That revelated message was to point man back into the Word (that threshing floor) in order that our lives might measure up to it and perhaps if called upon, to die by it.
FAN PLACED IN MESSAGE
Now I desire to say something I sincerely pray you will try to catch my thought. This revealed message, this pollination message (to the church stalk), delivered to us in this hour is not the word of man, it is the revelation of God’s Word unto his church; therefore, the age will be judged by it and furthermore it could not have been delivered until God so willed it to be anymore than you could demand a stalk of wheat to bloom or pollinate before its ordained hour. Try it sometime. Walk into a wheat field and demand the stalk turn yellow (with death). It can’t be done. Why? Because the law of life is within the wheat stalk itself and can no more act until the Creator has established its season whereby it can act and that operation is built into the stalk. I hope you can see how this applied with in the spiritual stalk also. Because, likewise, is it so with this revelated pollinating message which reached out to pull through the church stalk those in much the same token. Nevertheless, as certain world religious conditions along with pressures which are laced upon individuals lives later developed, they who were affected by this message too often are caught up in the teachings of other men which causes these unsettled people to be found arguing with the Word of true revelation. Then look what happens; they wind up tossed back off the Word by some strong wind of manmade doctrine. Yes, while these unsettled people are continually tossed up and down (in their minds) concerning the revelation of the Word of God (that spiritual threshing floor) a fierce wind which creates a blowing or fanning effect comes along and finally blows them completely off-a wind of some wild revelation without any biblical support which was suppose to have stemmed from this message. After following this kind of spirit, these poor souls are no longer following a true Biblical revelation. Instead, they are either following some human personality, some relative’s influence or merely the crowd of people. Nevertheless, it all combined has served as the necessary wind to blow you completely off the Word of God. Beloved, when will we learn we can’t walk with God in such a manner. Now this endtime message of revelated truth delivered to us by a prophet, church age messenger has brought us onto the threshing floor of God’s Word. Countless numbers of people of every walk of religious life have in some way been influenced as God has mercifully dealt with mankind and furthermore has dealt spiritually in applying the effects of the threshing floor relationship to each individual affected by this message whereby in the end you may know and recognize God has truly FANNED it with a FAN. I am now going to show you what this fan is in its true relation to this endtime church program of God where the final work is being done on the wheat (believer). It is very important we note the FAN does not in any way affect the denominational straw. By no means could you take a fan and pile up or throw away the denominational straw that came through the pitchfork operation; therefore, this proves there had to be some other type ministry to handle all this (dead denominational) straw. Certainly it was not the ministry of the FAN. The FAN is not constructed to disturb the religious denominational structure at large represented by the dead straw. Yet within the floor where the true seed Word believer is God intends to keep his true seed believer represented as wheat right on his Word regardless to how they may be tossed by winds. The true developed wheat each time will fall right back on the floor and not be carried away by the artificial winds created by the FAN and remember THE FAN IS PLACED WITHIN THIS MESSAGE. Note the FAN operation did not move while the wheat remained in the field, nor was it used in moving the straw. The FAN operation moves strictly against that which remains on the threshing floor after all the straw has been removed. Now the FAN was in his hand and he will thoroughly purge his floor (with that FAN and yet Christ is no more here in a corporeal body of flesh during the FAN operation than was he here throughout the ages ministering Holy Ghost baptism to the believer. Neither was Christ here bodily as the message was delivered through the prophet office of Mal. 4:5-6; Rev. 10:7, however, it is true he was here mightily in Spirit form as the Holy Ghost worked through that little redeemed human vessel of clay who was none other than a sinner saved by the grace of God. Despite his many warnings against people who tried to make something of his flesh there are still those who would persist in promoting this prophet was God himself. That is as far from the truth as you can get. The messenger himself taught he was only a redeemed sinner fulfilling a prophet’s office. To make him anything above a man who was the prophet messenger to this age to whom the Word of the Lord came on behalf of a people at the end of this age, is to make yourself a first class idolater from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet and not I but the Apostle Paul places you (if you fall under that kind of spirit) in the same category as that of fornicators, extortioners, covetous, railer, drunkards and furthermore declares for no one to even eat or fellowship with you. Now that is Strong. Therefore, to be in line with the Word of God, I cannot consciously fellowship with an idolater, I. Cor. 5:7-11. Oh, but someone will say, did not the scripture call them gods to whom the word of the Lord came? It most certainly did and notice how the word god is spelled. It is with a small g and don’t ever forget it. Be sure to keep it in the minor.
PROPHETS CALLED (g)ods
However, I want you to know that the God (capital G) of heaven I am referring to is always spelled with a capital G. This God is Spirit and fills all the universe. His Spirit is everywhere and can never die, so large and yet can become so small. Yet, regardless to how small he may become he is still to be capital G-O-D in the major. He who fills the universe and slung the stars in space and placed the world out of nothing, yet was small enough to get inside that little vessel of clay who was his prophet to this age and could conceal himself and show himself to be God as he used this little humble vessel of clay. Therefore, does that make the vessel of clay God because it was used of God? It absolutely does not. There has never been but one man who ever walked the path of this earth who was God in the flesh and he was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, born of a virgin and not through any natural conception as was this human race including this gentile prophet. Col. declares that he who was born of the virgin birth, the Lord of glory was the fulness of the Godhead in bodily form. He was the Messiah, the anointed one of whom John the Baptist declared he was not even worthy to loosen his sandals. The prophet to this age felt the same. Throughout the ages since that time, all men have been declared sinners and saved by the grace of God and filled with a portion of that great eternal Spirit in order to manifest the Jesus Christ to the scripture who rose from the dead, ascended on high and interceded as a High Priest that the Holy Ghost might be given to you in order that you might have the Spirit of Christ (the revealed Word in you which was your hope of Glory) (Col. 1:27).
BACK TO THE FAN
Recall, we are looking at this fan in his hand. God sent this message to the age to call out a people and bring them to the word or the threshing floor in order to purify, perfect and bind together an endtime believing people, who could once again be in that same kind of agreement and accord and have that same kind of understanding as did the early church, based of course on what the apostles taught. Furthermore, God knew in this hour as a people was restored back to that same Word of revelation it would be an hour of time the fan in his hand would go into operation and God realized in the same generation of time the fan was to operate there would be a people who at the end of the grace age would want to take that vessel of clay of the prophet’s in which God had magnificently used to work through in order to accomplish this work some of those people would fall into an idolatrous spirit as they would desire to take and exalt the flesh of this man to be very God. Beloved, it is right here in this very message of life that we first begin to see the fan go into operation because if Christ was not here in his flesh to baptize with the Holy Ghost nor was he here to haul the wheat from the field (world), he is not here personally or fleshly to apply the fan upon the threshing floor. Therefore, we must treat the fan in the same manner as we have his other operations seeing he has not been bodily present. You are the people this fan will work on; therefore, it is time to show you how to identify the fan in his hand.
SOMETIME ARTIFICIAL FAN REQUIRED
Recall a fan was made when the winds were not favorable to serve in winnowing or fanning the wheat. They simply took any old thing and wove it together to create an artificial wind. Any old thing such as palm leaves or banana leaves. Sure they grow bananas in the Holy land; they have palm trees too. Palm leaves could make a good size fan. We, therefore, note not only can the fan be made out of anything, when it has served its purpose, it can be thrown away because it is no good, only some manmade object nevertheless it beautifully serves its purpose. Therefore, I must say and if you will study it out you will agree with me, placed within this very message which was designed to bring you onto the threshing floor or upon the Word, yes placed within the confines of this message are the very ingredients God will use to make himself a fan. Hear me, there is a fan woven into this message designed to blow you right off the threshing floor if you refuse to be brought onto the floor by a true revelation. Sooner or later we are all going to discover of what kind of spirit we are and it will be determined upon this floor. We are going to find out if we truly have the Holy Ghost and recall the Holy Ghost in this message which brought you to the Word of God (God’s threshing floor) will cause you to hear this message correctly. Correctly that is according to the thinking of the Holy Ghost. You will be able to see the true revelation as it fits perfectly within the Word of God, that is provided you have the Holy Ghost. If you do not have the Holy Ghost, the true Spirit of Christ, then you are only a carrier of the letter of this message, you will have served your purpose. It will be seen as you have only been the husk which attached itself to the wheat as you too had to be brought onto the threshing floor whereby the fan might be applied against you to see if it was possible to fan you off the Word or off the threshing floor.
CERTAIN STATEMENTS WOVEN INTO THE FAN
Beloved, built into this message are certain statements uttered by the same man who spoke under the inspiration and it is these statements the Holy Ghost will use to weave himself a fan to create a wind of enough pressure if possible to blow you off the threshing floor. All will be subject to these winds. These certain statements will never take you to the scripture, they were not designed to, instead they were designed to serve as a fan to see if you can stand the pressure which they will create. These are the very statements people will take and compile and knit together to create themselves a separate revelation (from the Word) which, again I repeat, will never line up with the Word. Then beloved, it is plain to see why so many walking around today will not even preach from the Bible any more. Nevertheless, I have said time and again, if that man were here on earth and could stand behind a sacred desk do you know what he would have in his hand? Are you aware what he would preach from? It would be nothing other than this old book called the Bible. Beloved, I do hope you will try to understand what that prophet meant when he would declare, stick with the tapes and say it as I have said it. Now, there has to be a meaning behind that statement which must be properly understood because it so happens in practically every major point of this message which deals with a biblical subject whether it be Serpent Seed, 70 weeks of Daniel or whatever there will be found in the overall message dual statements which run parallel. ONE HELPS SERVE AS A FAN. Beloved, perhaps this will explain why we were faced with the only message which carried dual statements and this was the only messenger who has ever come upon the face of this earth who was permitted to speak in such a way. Nevertheless, I say because of what God will use these statements for it was ordained to be exactly this way because God needed a fan and the fan had to be built within this message. Therefore, in order for certain statements to be woven into a FAN it has to be something not scriptural because how could the true revelation take you off a true revelation and you with the true Holy Ghost to lead you into all Truth. Luther never spoke in such a manner. His message carried only one line of thought, that of FAITH. Everything he wrote dealt strictly around his revelation of Faith. Everything he talked about was around this revelation. He had no other revelation on anything other than faith. Calvin’s message was Eternal Security of the Believer. Naturally, certain Calvinistic teachers went to the far extreme yet that does not change the Word of God. There is an Eternal Security for the true revelated believer who is the elect of God. All the winds could not blow the elect off the word of God once they had seen, by revelation, the truth of their hour. Knox’s message was centered around Predestination and Wesley’s around Sanctification, yet all these men spoke and wrote respectively according to the revelation which was given within their hour yet not one of them spoke in a dual language. Again I repeat, this is the only messenger who has ever spoken in dual statements. Furthermore, this is the message where the fan is placed.
EXPLANATION OF DUAL STATEMENTS
Listen carefully as I give you some illustrations of what I mean by dual statements and then you will see the purpose and operation of the fan and where it lies whereby you may be able to recognize its operation. Much is heard today concerning a prehistoric world. It is much a proven fact life existed on this planet in some form before our origin or beginning in the Garden of Eden. In the Seal Book, pg. 292, Bro. William Branham makes reference to someone criticizing him because of his belief pertaining to the story of Genesis. That person said, you don’t mean to tell me you believe such and such…I most certainly do, declared Bro. William Branham. I believe before the story of Genesis of man in the Garden of Eden there had to be life here, etc. Bro. William Branham says on Pg. 292, Seal Book he believes there was a creation here prior to this present one though he never at any time followed it with a message which would explain the subject more in detail. Later we preached and published an article on the subject entitled THE RISE AND FALL OF SATAN. Surely, no one could believe the devil took his original beginning in our Garden of Eden where already he was a fallen angel. Isaiah 14 tells us he was a mighty angel while Ezekial 28 tells us he was the most anointed cherubim who walked up and down amidst the stones of fire in the garden of God. Although this garden is also called Eden, it is not our Eden because our Eden was an Eden of plant life and not of stones of fire. Scripture teaches Lucifer was perfect in all of his ways until iniquity was found in him. Beloved, God found iniquity in Lucifer long before our Garden of Eden began. Eden means Paradise or Beginning of God. John 8, Jesus accused certain Pharisees of their being or their father the devil saying, the lust of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning who abode not in the truth but was a liar and the father of it. Naturally, carnal minded people try to start that fulfilment where Cain slew Abel. Beloved, when Cain slew Abel, Satan was only back up to his same old game again. Before the devil ever became a murderer and a liar, he was a righteous archangel yet somewhere Lucifer’s fall had to be in a prehistoric age because when our story of man begins in Eden, Lucifer is already the devil and is standing in the background waiting for his opportunity to move in. Remember, now I am showing you the operation of the fan, where it is that you may be able to recognize this operation because John the Baptist said it must come and with this fan he will thoroughly purge his wheat floor. Now brace yourself and note another statement by this same prophet who had just declared in the Seal Book, Pg. 292, he believed there was some kind of life here, sometime prior to our origin. However, in preaching a message entitled SATAN’S EDEN, here it appears he is saying all these prehistoric dinosaurs etc., were in our Garden of Eden. Naturally, someone is going to say, you are doing nothing but criticizing. No, I am not! I am trying to show you the operation of the fan and I am trying to show you a man who was permitted by the Holy Ghost to make such statements which could be weaved into a fan to blow away all of that which is not true wheat from the thrashing floor and since we are on the threshing floor of God’s Word we are going to have to be subject to this fan; therefore, it behooves us to know what the fan is and how it operated at the endtime. Do you know if there had been dinosaurs in our Garden of Eden they would have also been in Noah’s Ark and had they been in Noah’s Ark you would be running from them today. Every animal on the face of this earth today had an ancestor in Noah’s Ark; the horse, cow, etc, however, not one of these giant lizards, dinosaurs, etc. was found in that ark. Yet, beloved, God has allowed their bones to be buried and preserved through time to be infallible testimony that the Creator himself was the one who kept the history of all of that age prior to our own. When you take that and link it with scripture such as John 8, Ezek. 28, Isa. 14 and examine that statement where Jesus told his excited disciples who had returned finding the devils were subject to them through his name, said, I saw Satan fall like a (streak of lightning) (Lk. 10:18) Where did he fall? In our Eden? No, Satan had fallen long before that; therefore, there had to be another age and recall when Lucifer fell, quite a number fell with him. Now, I will say no more about this only we have an article entitled TESTING AND FALL OF SATAN if you are further interested. Surely, any true Holy Ghost filled Christian can take that statement and lay it right along beside Genesis, Isa. 14, Ezek. 28 and John 8 and determine Satan had a rise and fall in some prehistoric age where undoubtedly God had made this planet to be such a beautiful place for Lucifer to rule over before he fell, back when he was called son of the Morning, most anointed cherubim, placed to rule over this planet accompanied by a great host of angels. Centuries rocked on and the planet became heavily populated with these huge gigantic beasts then Lucifer was faced with a choice just as Adam and Eve were faced and pride took Lucifer. Pride led to murder and murder led to being questioned by the Almighty and the devil told a lie. That prehistoric man of which they are still finding his bones, who absolutely had no connection with you and I yet lived in some prehistoric world, was in no way like man as we know him because when God created man in our Garden he made him a little lower than the angels and crowned him with glory and honor that he should have dominion over the same planet. From scripture we learn Satan was standing in the background of our Eden waiting for his opportunity to seize control again of this planet. To me, it goes to prove one thing, he once had control of it and he isn’t going to give it up without a fight to any new rulership. God gave Adam and Eve an animal kingdom more their size because God knew once man had fallen into sin and enmity had appeared in these huge creatures, they would rip and tear everything to pieces and I seriously have my doubts if we would have any world population as we have today. This planet would no doubt be bleached with human bones lying everywhere. Therefore, God gave man an animal kingdom more his size, one which he could handle because he knew enmity would come between him and the creature once man sinned. Now, why can’t people get their face back in this Bible? Why can’t they allow the Holy Ghost to guide them? Recall we are looking at the thing which in this case (is statements from this message) which create and serve as a fan to fan people right off the foundation of this World.
A FEW MORE ILLUSTRATIONS
I have a few more illustrations on major thoughts found in this message, only to show you the working of the fan in the spiritual sense and recall we said the fan was built into the message itself, the message designed to bring you and I to the threshing floor. It will be this fan operation which will prove if we are pure developed wheat. Step inside our Eden for a moment, where our fall originated. Recall how God had stated to Adam and Eve they were to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. Naturally, the key to all this lies in the word “re” which means to fill up again. A drinking glass which has been full of water can be refilled, even a brand new glass which has only been filled once can still be refilled. Yet, if nothing has ever been in the glass, all I could say would be fill it up. Never could I say refill it because it had never been full of anything before. Adam and Eve were commissioned to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth. (So was Noah, Gen.9) How will they carry out this commission? Gen. 3 tells us there were two trees planted in the midst of the Garden. Naturally, in the Garden was every fruit bearing tree which bore fruit after its kind. In the midst of the Garden, he placed the Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and instructed the young couple they might eat of all the trees freely, but under no circumstances were they to touch the tree which stood in the midst of the Garden. For the day thou eatest thereof they shalt surely die. Beloved, if the tree of knowledge was a natural tree which bore some kind of plant life, man ate it and sinned and death followed, then we must realize if eating fruit of some natural plant life caused death then redemption from that death and sin must also come from eating some kind of plant life. Not desiring to get involved in this subject other than to show you the operation of a fan created by certain statements all we will say we have three lengthy articles dealing with this subject which are yours for the asking. The prophet explained what eating of the tree of knowledge was and how the fall came through the fact Eve had a relationship with the serpent. Carnal understanding thinks this serpent to have been some creeping reptile. That is not the serpent’s original form; he walked upright and talked. God gave to Adam and Eve who were created in his image, a creature which was at the head of the animal kingdom, who had a measure of intelligence that could be a servant to Adam and Eve. As the horse was given for man to ride and different beast of burdens were given to assist man in his earthly labors so was the serpent given to serve man also. Furthermore, my belief is this serpent was made in no other image than that of the prehistoric man and no doubt there was certain other animals in the Garden which also carried the same image and likeness as that of prehistoric animals. Perhaps the only difference being the size, ours considerably smaller. The serpent being the intellectual creature he was, afforded Satan an opportunity to use him for the purpose he did and once that was said it was left in the minds of certain people if the eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge which happened between the serpent and Eve was actually a sex act, in their minds that makes them believe sex is wrong and could never have been in God’s original plan to fulfill his commission to multiply (Gen. 2) which naturally cause people to wonder, originally just how was Adam and Eve suppose to carry out their commission of multiplying and replenishing the earth. Then a statement would be made by this messenger which would make it appear the original plan had not been sex at all, instead it was to be by the spoken word. Naturally, I was criticized for publishing our three articles TWO LAWS OF EDEN, FROM EDEN TO THE FLOOD and our last article BE FRUITFUL AND MULTIPLY of which you may have a copy if you desire.
MULTIPLY HOW?
However, when we take all these dual statements into the Bible and try and find which one lines up with the Word and which one serves as a fan to fan people of the Word, it must be remembered even according to Bro. William Branham‘s own teaching that the Bible is the final test of any man’s revelation. Recall, in Bro. William Branham‘s messages, there are two separate statements along this line. One place he would show how before Adam and Eve could fulfill the divine commission of Be Fruitful Multiply, she was already found pregnant by the work of the devil. Many such statements are made along this line yet there are other indications where children would suppose to have been by the spoken word. Since both statements can’t fall in line with the Word, one serves as the fan, the other falls in line with the revelation of the Word. Let us turn to the Word before that fall ever took place.
ADAM’S PROPHECY
Isn’t it strange how Adam, after having been put to sleep in the first surgical operation which never even left a scar when God opened his side and removed a rib and formed a woman, seeing this beautiful creature, looked at her and prophesied; truly, this is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, therefore, she shall be called woman, therefore, shall a man leave father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they two shall be one flesh. Recall, Adam and Eve had not had an earthly father and mother then why would he be talking like this, because God is speaking to him by revelation. God knew Adam was going to be a father as well as Eve a mother. The two trees in the midst of the garden were two laws by which the young couple would govern their marital life and birth of their children. Both trees involved sex, one being the divine route had there never been a fall, while the other was God’s provided or permissible way by which man chose to disobey God and accept the sex act strictly on a pleasure basis rather than fulfilling the divine plan of God to only use it to bring forth another son or daughter who would have been full of eternal life. Neither tree was plant life, both were spiritual trees or laws of God which first of all regulated their sexual pattern in fulfilling the commission. They were two laws whereby the family tree would reproduce itself. However, remember the serpent beguiled Eve and she committed the act of fornication under the wrong tree. God’s divine law of reproduction before that hour of sin worked in the woman’s body on the same principle as that of the other females of the animal kingdom. Satan, knowing that law in her body was getting ready to operate, approached the serpent who approached Eve through fornication. Knowing the act could now be used for pleasure as well as a divine purpose of God in bringing forth another son or daughter Eve approaches Adam with her newfound knowledge. Eve approached Adam strictly on the basis for pleasure not for the intended divine purpose to bring forth life into the world. Naturally, when the act was introduced to Adam strictly on the pleasure basis, God would not permit them to use it under the guidance of the tree of life and reap the benefits of Eternal Life, nevertheless, the working of the law inside her body is going to cause her to conceive by both relationships which had been introduced solely on the basis of pleasure. For using this act for pleasure only they were cast out of the Garden never being allowed to eat of the tree of life. Look back for a moment at what that act under the tree of life would have produced. Naturally, under either tree the law would have operated in her body. Man is only the carrier of the life germ. The law could only work in the woman’s body when the law had reached its full mature season. Then and then alone was the intimate relationship to be done which would have absolutely been holy and pure in the eyes of God and would have solely gathered the benefits of the tree of life. Recall, it is only when the law of reproduction is in operation in the animal kingdom that causes the female at that time only to search out the male to father her young. At any other time than when this law is in operation if a male approached the female she would not receive him and he would probably have scars all over his body. Had Eve put scars on the serpent as the female would do the male animal today we wouldn’t be in the shape we are, instead every baby would be born with Eternal Life. Motherhood would not be filled with sorrow. Childbearing would be as simple and painless as a peach tree bearing a peach. Certain statements along with his other line of thought would be uttered by this prophet that the original plan of God for reproduction was by the spoken Word leaving it in the mind of some that the original plan of reproduction was never intended to be a sex act, instead Adam would have spoken the word and children would have simply come forth from the ground. However, if that would have happened in the original, how would man ever have known a father or mother as Adam prophesied? How could man have referred to man as father and woman as mother yet again on Pg. 452 in the Seal Book, this same prophet used such statements as this, the sex glands were placed in the human body for reproduction of life upon this earth. This kind of statement lines up perfectly with the Word while the others to the contrary serve as the fan to blow you off the threshing floor of God’s Word.
BELIEVER WALK ON ASHES
Now concerning the next point which has also brought confusion, it deals with whether people walked out upon the ashes of the wicked before or after the millennium. First, you should read Mal. 4:1-3 then in the Seal Book, Pg. 100 and also 148 speaking of the office of Mal. 4:5-6 B Part, Bro. William Branham shows how this office restores the faith of the children back to the fathers and then the world judgment would strike and the earth would be burned and then the righteous would walk out upon the ashes of the wicked in the millennium. However, over on Pg. 150, he states the bride goes in with the groom. Then after the millennium walks out upon the ashes of the wicked and as you might know these odd statements are always out of continuity with his regular revelation of thought, nevertheless, they do take their toll leading people away from the Word of God.
MESSAGE BROUGHT US TO WORD (WHEAT FLOOR)
Now, I will not at this time go into any more of these statements. Our only purpose in showing you these is to prove within this message are certain statements of revelation made to bring the Bride completely in line with the Word, while other statements were made to feed the carnal mind in such a proportion it would serve as a fan and believe me beloved, there is quite a fanning process going on. Again, I say these certain statements were given in this way because God willed it to be uttered, due to the fact that carnal mind will never catch any revelation of the Holy Ghost that will put them back in line with the scriptures anyway. Therefore, that carnal mind will take certain statements and without even stopping to see if they will fit into the scriptures will begin to run as the old saying is, hog wild and pig crazy, and search for other statements to tie in with what they already have; whether it links with the Bible or not, they could care less and then run off and say what they have is the message and that Bro. William Branham said this or that. While it is true, perhaps he did say it, but for what purpose? How is it to serve in God’s program? Remember many of these statements created a fan and right now it is fanning at everything left on the floor. If you cannot see the Lord Jesus working in this man’s life and ministry to reveal himself to an endtime people to put them into the revelation of this book then you missed the reason he was sent.
STATEMENTS CREATE WINDS
Again I repeat, there is a fan in the Lord’s hand which is his authority whereby he willed these same lips utter certain words which would be merely human expressions which would serve as a fan which is manmade to be used upon the threshing floor. The fan is strictly artificial and these statements do create certain winds of manmade doctrines while these individuals hide behind the prophet declaring he taught this as a revelation when he did no such thing. He brought out certain things man could use to make a fan to begin a fanning process and take people away from the bible truth while the true message puts the bride back in the Word whereby she may be on the same equal footing as the early church and believing in the same revelation of the Eternal God in which they believed. But what a shame it is today, nowhere beloved, did that early church look to a man in their ranks and call him a god. Certainly not! When Peter went to Cornelius’ house who fell on his face before Peter, Peter commanded for him to get up saying we are men just as you and yet he knew the will of the Lord. When Paul, over in Asia Minor, saw what those religious gentiles (though not Gentiles of the church) did, Acts 14, once they began to worship the apostles, the apostles rent their clothes in anguish. Not anywhere did the early Christian who walked in a true revelation according to God’s plan of salvation ever worship a man in their ranks, why because the preaching of the gospel enlightened those who perhaps in the past had fallen down many times and worshipped man identifying him with God. Nevertheless, those converted gentiles respected each one of the Lord’s servants as to the office they held and no more.
REFORMATION GIVEN TO BRING US AWAY FROM SUCH THINGS
It was only within the Roman Catholic church which built their structure on the virtue of the Apostle Peter did the Pope in time build themselves into a chair of authority whereby they could demand their very church subjects to bow and kiss his feet or ring on his hand. Can’t you see how the Reformation was designed to get us away from all that whereby the time God would come on the scene down at the end of the age and manifest himself through a little vessel of clay to show us his grace in calling us back to the revelation of scripture and then for people to be so ignorant as to idolize the flesh of man as God, a flesh which God had greatly used there wanting to make it God simply because you can’t see God, truly it reveals that old attribute of an unconverted gentile who knows not the reality of a true God. This message was to make of you a Bible believing, apostolic Christian otherwise you haven’t seen Mal. 4:5-6. Turn back and read it. It says, he is to turn you back, NOT AWAY FROM or to another source, to some other spirit or some other gospel, NO SIR! That office was to turn you back to what those apostolic fathers taught whereby you could once again see God and recognize him in the ruth of revelation through a true spirit, through a true revelation that in such an hour as Satan would move in to bring death to everything around us closing in on every hand, then God by the same token knowing there would be a people at the end of the age with these carnal ideas who would attach themselves to this movement permitted the man to utter statements which are blended right into this message to serve as that fan-the same message pulling you into this Bible like a magnet is taking others, through certain statements which create a fan and absolutely fans them completely off the precious Word of Life, serving as God’s threshing floor! It is God’s doings, not man’s. See when I say that some critics will say you are saying the prophet made a mistake. No, beloved, I am not saying that at all. I am saying God willed him to say certain things because God was going to take those things and use them to create a great fan. God willed it to be so. Beloved, these statements are woven by people into their own private revelations. And why should these people teach from the Bible seeing they have no revelation on the Word because their revelation is contrary to the Word. Sometime ago a person approached me saying he wanted to discuss this message. However, said the man, if you want to know anything about what the prophet said in the books I will talk with you, but if you want to discuss it on the basis of the Bible, I won’t do it. Then beloved, all I can say is anyone who would refuse to discuss this message in the light of the bible, if their reality of being in this message has gone no deeper than that I doubt such a person has ever been called to preach, Rom. 10:15. It is the revelation of this Word the office of Mal. 4:5-6 was to restore us back unto. Therefore, I urge you when you read a Spoken Word book, study it as we do, study or read for the thought which will place you back in line with the Bible, however, if in reading you can’t seem to catch the thought or mind of God through the revelation of the Holy Ghost who is placing you back in this Bible, you should simply place that statement upon the shelf of your mind and leave it there until God shows you where it fits in the Word, otherwise, you will no doubt take the statement and go off in a different route completely away from the Word. In other words you would be fanned completely off the Truth. Why? Because Matt. 3:12 tells us there is a fan to be in his hand and that FAN is built right into this endtime message. It was the Lord who spoke the Word of revelation through the prophet to restore the Bride to the Word and it was also the Lord who placed the FAN within this very message. That is why denominations look at this movement and seeing only those adverse ideas springing up from the teaching of Bro. William Branham and they, realizing they fit nowhere in the Word automatically say within themselves this thing is from the pit of hell! Don’t we realize it had to be so in the endtime.
FRONT SIGHT, FIXED SIGHT
This Bible is God’s written Word and I would for a moment like for you to think of it as the fixed front sight of a rifle and the books which we love so much that contains within them God’s revelation along with man’s statements of thought. I would like for you to look at the Spoken Word books as the rear sight on a rifle. If you ever get the two sights in line, you will hit the target. In this case, the target is right on the Word. The front sight, being a fixed sight, synchronized with the bore of the barrel from the factory, is the sight you do not tamper with, however, in judging your distance to fire at a target, taking into consideration the wind which will affect the flight of travel of the bullet, it is up to the individual to set the rear sight accordingly because it is the rear sight which determines the angle you place the bore of the gun in respect to the target. Therefore, it all boils down to this, you must have a spiritual eye to align these two sights together to hit the target, which is the WORD, ere you shoot wild. This very prophet of whom certain individuals want to declare is God warned this movement (Pg. 328, in Church Age Book) making reference to the messenger to the age being a prophet messenger said he would have such power with God he would be mistaken by some of his brethren as being none other than the Lord Jesus Christ but his warning answer to this was HE IS NOT THE LORD JESUS, he is just one of the brethren.
THEY SAID
Don’t we realize beloved in Matt. 24 Christ spoke in two different places showing how all this would wind up, they will say he is here or there, believe it not. Note who is bringing this false report according to Christ, some group in the endtime he refers to as they. He said they spoke this and watch what he says about why not to believe what they said. For there shall arise false christs (meaning false anointed ones) and false prophets going all over the world teaching such things. However, watch the Lord Jesus come right back and say, Lo, they will say he is in the desert. Now I don’t want you to miss this. But, Bro. William Branham took up this very same statement in this same paragraph on page 328 knowing it would apply to the endtime messenger who at that time many would be calling the Lord makes the following remark: Lo, when they say he is in the desert, believe it not or he is in a secret chamber, pay no attention to it. See beloved, there is a FAN in operation and it is in this message. Believe me, it is blowing like everything. Yes, out of that same message which called you to the Word of God, which is the spiritual threshing floor to thresh out all of your ideas that you would fall completely in line with this Word it is none other than this same message which has the FAN placed within it and is it ever blowing as certain men have taken certain statements which are woven into a FAN that shall blow against people. And if we don’t lay close to the Word of God it will blow us right off the Word back into darkness. I am closing with this illustration, these statements which are now woven into a FAN are in use and creating a larger, stronger and more forcible wind daily because they must sweep away everything or thoroughly purge the floor carrying away everything from the revelation of this Book which can be affected by the fanning wind and if you and I don’t have the Holy Ghost we will bounce right off with one of these strong winds. Some people say, oh but now I am so confused I don’t know what to believe. May I ask you one question? Do you have the Holy Ghost? If so, Jesus said this is the Spirit of Truth and will guide you into all truth showing you things to come and bring to your remembrance all things whatsoever I have told you. Beloved, the Holy Ghost will walk , lead and establish and assist you through these storms created by these winds of conflict which are blowing to take you off the Word. THERE IS A FAN IN THIS EARTH, IT IS NOT IN CATHOLICISM NOR IN PROTESTANTISM. It is in this message, THIS MESSAGE ORDAINED TO BRING THE TRUE WORD BRIDE BACK TO THE FAITH OF THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS, therefore, where else would you expect the FAN to appear except in the same place where God is doing his work with his wheat. This Word of revelation is the threshing floor, we had better get on it and I don’t mean put the book on the floor and stand on it either, IT IS THE REVELATION OF WHAT THIS BOOK IS TALKING ABOUT THAT YOU MUST STAND UPON. IT IS THIS MESSAGE WHICH WAS ORDAINED TO BRING YOU BACK IN LINE WITH THE WORD WHICH THE EARLY CHURCH LAUNCHED AND MEN STRAYED FROM, GOING OFF INTO THE DARK AGES. God desired to bring you back to it, not take you from it. Had he never wanted you to get back to the Word, he no doubt would have left the church in the Dark Ages. She couldn’t have been further from the Truth than she was in that hour but I am glad after all is said and done, this Bible and this one alone will be God’s final test for every mortal soul walking the face of this earth