We ended our last issue talking about the man from Malawi, Africa; that could not agree with our teaching on serpent seed; so we will just leave that, and get back to those four beasts John was describing, as he viewed that heavenly scene.
VIEWING GOD’S THRONE
There is a point I want to get to; concerning how we are to see that throne. We are to see God in all the demonstration of His majesty and authority and deityship. We have to see that in all the characteristics of what is described here; the position of the throne, and such like. It is not just a little chair sitting somewhere in heaven. You never see a throne that a king sits on sitting flat on the floor somewhere. If he is traveling through town, it might be like that; but that is not the throne he reigns from. They are always on an elevated pedestal. We have been in Madrid, Spain; where we went into the huge capital palace. I do not remember how many rooms were in that place, and we only saw a small portion of it; but when they took us into the royal room, where the king’s throne was, it was on an elevated platform. In front of it, and to the sides of it, were all kinds of carved creatures, designed to portray beauty and architectural abilities. Some were gold plated; and others were of different substances. Right before the steps where you stepped up to that huge chair, was two lions on each side made out of black ebony. I thought, The man that carved those out of that hard, black ebony wood, must have been a perfectionist; because all the features about them were so unique. That, of course, was just an earthly setting, that I mention for the purpose of emphasis, as we look further at that throne John was looking at. Regardless of what else is pictured there, you cannot look at this throne without seeing God. Neither can you look at it without seeing the Immortal One; which of course is Jesus the Christ, the Son in whom the Father dwells. It is an inseparable picture; yet, there are two things projected; an immortal man, and a sovereign Spirit that always was. Let us notice how John described the entire setting. We are in Revelation 4:8, “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within; and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” Did it ever occur to you, that when Jesus Christ comes the second time, it is actually God coming? It is God coming, in the person of His Son; to do something in the earth; and what He does is done through the Son. In verse 9, we see a beautiful scene. I am a human being, and I do not have an educated vocabulary in which to describe the beauty John saw; but if we have the Holy Spirit, I believe He will help us see what he must have seen; that caused him to carry on like he did. Notice, “And when those beasts give glory and honor and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, (Notice who their expression is pointing to) who liveth for ever and ever.” That has to be the very Creator Himself; the One Jews referred to as Jehovah, the Eternal Spirit. Therefore, these four beasts, as they cry holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who liveth for ever and ever, are giving glory to the Creator, to the God of all creation. Verse 10, “The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Jesus, the One that visibly sat there, the immortal Son, did not create one thing. I know the Oneness Pentecostal people will howl; but I am going to take you to another verse of scripture that becomes the key to how we must see this scripture we just read. It is in chapter 10. This is why I have to say, Many of these men who are running this world over today, telling all who will listen, that God sent a prophet, will not dare to get into this chapter, and let God show them the truth. They love to talk about seals; but they do not have the story straight. There is yet one seal to be opened; and they are telling that all have already been revealed. They have Jesus already off of the mercy seat; yet we see evidence all around us, that He is still in that interceding position. While He is still there, He is High Priest; and Judge of everything that is to develop on earth through His mediational investment. This is all related to the Church; and how the Church is to progress in relationship to His position there. However, one of these days that last seal will be broken, and I want to remind you that this event can come this year, or next year. I do not know when. I am using this to get your attention. The six seals of chapter 6, have already been broken, but the seventh seal is still intact. When it is broken, that scroll can be unrolled; and when it is unrolled, there will never be another human soul saved and added to the bride of Christ. Why? Because intercessory work by Jesus will have been cut off by the Father; who is the sole authority for that being invested in Him. Jesus will no longer sit there on that throne. His priestly work will be completed. He will then be as He is pictured here in the 10th chapter of Revelation; still the same figure, and still with the characteristics of the Father attributed to Him. He will just be in a different role, and have a different purpose. Let us read it now. “And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon His head, and His face was as it were the sun, and His feet as pillars of fire: and He had in His hand a little book open.” That description identifies Him as the same figure John saw sitting on that throne in heaven; but He is now in a different position. He is now seen in a different relationship to what the Father is; because the purpose and time, brings about the change. You can study these scriptures, and you will find there are five different descriptions of this one immortal person called Jesus, given throughout the writings of the book of Revelation; and each one is a different position. In Revelation 1:13-14-15, John turned to see who it was that spoke; and he saw One like unto the Son of Man. He remembered Him. Then the next description John gave, He was like a jasper and a sardine stone; and there was a rainbow round about the throne where He was seated. That of course is in chapter 4; where John was taken up into heaven. Then the next time he saw the same figure is when he saw Him in the position he recorded in chapter 10:1. He was clothed with a cloud and a rainbow was upon His head. What does the rainbow signify? It is a sign that Jehovah is still invested in Him. However, being clothed with a cloud lets us know that He is no longer in that position of intercessorship. That work is finished. The Gentile bride is all in; and He is now projected by the Spirit, in angelic form, in the spirit world, and He is given authority to declare something related to time and conditions for the Bride. He is clothed with a cloud and a rainbow is upon His head, and His face shines as the sun. That is exactly what the three disciples saw when He took them up on the Mount of Transfiguration and His features were transformed right before them. “His feet as pillars of fire,” shows that He is still the One who was judged for our sins. In Revelation 10:2, it says, “And He had in His hand a little, (I am not going to say book, it was not a book at all, it was a scroll) open.” While in that intercessor position it remains rolled up; and has a seal holding it, not to be opened until somewhere in time, when the purpose of the Father is right. Then the seal is broken, and it can be opened. Once it is opened, then He can leave that position. This is why I can say today that there is still mercy in heaven; because Revelation 10:1 has not come about yet. There is still one seal holding Him on that throne.
OPEN SCROLL THUNDERS
When the seventh seal is loosed, and the little scroll is finally unrolled, what then? Let us go back to verse 2, and follow it right on through. “And He had in His hand a little book (scroll) open, and He set His right foot upon the sea, and His left foot on the earth.” Who is this figure? It is Jesus, in spirit form, with authority given Him by Jehovah, the Eternal Spirit, Elohim, the Father and Creator of all things, to speak specifically to the bride Church. He is on earth; not in physical flesh, but in spirit form; and I say to you, When that comes about, the Holy Ghost is definitely going to be witnessing this to a body of people that have been expecting it to take place. “And set His right foot upon the sea, and His left foot on the earth, and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth. (That could be none other than Jesus Christ; the Lion of the tribe of Judah.) And when He had cried, SEVEN THUNDERS uttered their voices.” That lets me know, there has got to be a little interval of time, for this setting to take place on earth; when the Holy Spirit, that sovereign Spirit which is God, is working with His people, drawing their attention to recognize Christ in His Word, in His purpose, and what He the Father, is using certain things for. That is when those thunders are sounded; and their message is not even written in the Bible. It is something that is going to be dealing with the Church in a prophetic way, giving her understanding related to time, and of the return of Jesus Christ; prior to the time when He will come to receive the Church (His bride) to Himself. The nominal church world will not even be looking for it; because they cannot see it in the scriptures. They have no idea that these seven thunders are yet for the Gentile bride Church. Verse 4, “And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.” There, is why I said the message of these seven thunders is not even written. John heard what was said; and he was about to write it down; but a voice from heaven told him not to write it, so, it is yet to be revealed by the Spirit, just like John heard it, but only after Jesus is off of the mercy seat. Naturally, he had to hear what was said, or he would not have prepared to write it. God gave us the chain of events that lead up to the end; but the final word to the bride is reserved until the time she has need to hear it. Let us read verses 5, & 6, and you will see that when this chapter is fulfilled, time will be no longer, for the grace age. “And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, (Watch this now) And swore by Him that liveth for ever and ever, (The eternal Spirit, He who rules the universe.) who created heaven, and the things that are therein, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, THAT THERE SHOULD BE TIME NO LONGER.” That is Jesus in spirit form; announcing the end of this age; by the authority of HIM THAT LIVETH FOR EVER AND EVER, WHO CREATED ALL THINGS. Brother, that is all still in front of us; but the world will not hear any of it; it is all for the little bride of Christ; just before she departs from this old earth on her heavenly journey. It is to be her final preparation. I may be dead by then; but some of you will still be alive. That is why I say, It is too late in time for anyone to be just simply playing church. Only those who have spiritual ears, will hear that which fulfills this 10th chapter, when Jesus comes to earth in this identity.
THE CROWNED KING
In the 14th chapter of Revelation, we see the same One in a different identity. Let’s look at a few verses over there, at this time. Revelation 14, verse 14. This projects time into the tribulation period. John wrote this, “And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud ONE sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.” This is still Jesus, in spirit form; but it lets us know, He has already taken His bride from the earth. The 10th chapter has already been applied. He is still in spirit form; because He is the one through whom God will delegate the authority to call Armageddon together; and Armageddon is reaching its final hour, when Jesus returns visibly to earth, with His armies from heaven. Verse 15, “And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” Praise God for truth! Hallelujah! Saints, I am so thankful to know what all of this pertains to. That sharp sickle is not a literal sickle; It is the authority Jesus will have in that hour, to turn loose certain things upon this earth. You talk about armies out of the east, and armies out of the west, brother, they Will all be there; ready to fulfill their role in prophecy. That other angel is heard saying, “Thrust in thy sharp sickle and reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” That lets us know where time has progressed to; just notice this next verse. ” And He that sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. (We will just read the rest of the chapter, and you will see for yourself, that it all pertains to Armageddon.) And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to Him that had the sharp sickle, saying, “Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.” And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the wine press, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.” Those verses allow us to see for sure, that this is an Armageddon setting. All of that whole ungodly mess will be dumped into the wine press of the wrath of God. It is not Jesus standing here in physical form, saying to the kings of the east, I am going to squash you. You have to see the symbolic picture, that the authority given to Jesus, puts into effect. He is the one that calls the shots. He is the one that sets the stage; and spirits will definitely be affected by what He has the authority to turn loose on earth in that hour of time. That picture of Jesus on the cloud is not going to last forever though. Revelation 19:11-13, gives us a look at the 5th picture Jesus must fulfill; and this brings the 70th week of Daniel to a close, and Jesus to earth in bodily form, to rule and reign upon HIS THRONE, in the newly constructed temple, in Jerusalem. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called THE WORD OF GOD.” The meaning of that new name is the Word of God; but we know this, That has to have a descriptive meaning. He was the word of God being lived in human flesh; Through which, God was going to redeem you and me back to Himself. That is redemption that we were helpless to achieve by our own merits; fully paid for, to all that will believe the gospel and receive it. Well, when He comes, fulfilling chapter 19, it will not be for redemption. It will be the WORD of God, executing wrath, and bringing destruction upon ungodly mankind. This is a picture of Jesus in His immortal body; clothed with a vesture dipped in blood. In other words, He comes looking like a king, the armies of heaven with Him, and out of His mouth a sharp sword, with which He will smite the nations. Think of it, there is an army following Him. They are there because something happened to them down here, to get them ready to be with Him. It says in verse 14, that these are clothed in fine linen, white and clean. When you read verses 8, 14, together, you learn that this great army following Jesus is His bride. The fine linen is the righteousness of saints. They have put on Jesus Christ, the revealed Word, Not theology, not a creed, or a ritual; but a true revelation of the WORD of God. Therefore, because they are overcomers, they are now invested with authority to come to earth with Jesus to execute the wrath of God, and to destroy ungodliness upon earth. That is why, when we see that description of Jesus there in Revelation 19, we will never see this scene any more. When He is the white horse rider, He is coming to earth to rule and reign. He is going to destroy His enemies; and set up a righteous rule on earth. Brother, when that day comes, there will never be any more child abuse, nor mothers and their children shot by some half crazed creature like we read of in the news almost every day. When Jesus gets through pouring out the wrath of God, this earth is going to look worse than any battlefield mortal man has ever seen. According to the scriptures, continents no doubt., will literally go into convulsions, Earthquakes and volcanoes, just begin to rip and tear the planet apart, so to speak. Is the planet to be destroyed? No. Yet, for a short period of time, as Jesus is descending to earth, it is going to seem like it. No wonder it says, “And mountains shall flee into the sea. Islands will disappear.” When I think how people will flock to the Hawaiian Islands and talk about how beautiful they are, yes sir, I have been there; they are, but they are polluted with evil; just like every other place upon the face of the earth today. If we could only see the evil that is harbored, and festering in such places, we would hardly believe our eyes. They are literal dens, like Sodom and Gomorrah. That is why God will sink them. Think of this, Cities will literally crumble. Think of New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and others completely disappearing. Who is going to do it? Jesus, when He comes riding on a white horse. Who is with Him? You and me, if we get lined up right with His word. I am not desiring to tear up anything, nor to destroy anything; but when that time comes, it will be the will of God for it to be done; and those coming with Jesus will just simply carry out the purpose of God. No one will be seeking personal revenge for anything. I hope this is clear to all of you; for it is all written for our learning.
AN EARTHLY SCENE
As I said earlier, There are five descriptions throughout the book of Revelation that describe Jesus the immortal ONE who died for our sins. They are the various settings in which He is related to the Father, and how the Father relates through Him certain authoritative objectives, to be carried out in the earth. This lets me know, when Jesus does come back, and sits in Jerusalem, on the throne of David for a thousand years, as King of all the earth, and the knowledge of the Lord, and the glory of the Lord covers the earth, mortal man’s wickedness will be a thing of the past. When it says, “the glory of the Lord,” what does that mean? That speaks of the Spirit of the Lord, that will come in that hour, as Jesus takes over the reign of things, and the Church begins to rule and reign with Him. What a knowledge is going to be taught in that hour! Is it not written, “And the knowledge of the Lord, and the glory of the Lord, shall cover the earth as the waters that cover the sea?” It is also written, in Micah 4:2, “And many nations shall come, and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for the law shall go forth from Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” That does not mean that every year they are all going at the same time. However, throughout the year, once each year, somebody will have to take their turn, and go to worship the King of kings, who took their place at Calvary. You can go to the 14th chapter of Zechariah, and read what it says there, about this. All of this pertains to the mortal element of mankind living on earth throughout the Millennial reign of Christ. The redeemed bride will be ruling with Him.
JESUS IS STILL KNOCKING
We have used these various descriptions, so that we can better relate to ourselves an understanding of how we ought to see the one who still sits upon that throne interceding for mercy for lost souls. I believe we should see by what we have covered so far, that there is still mercy available for whosoever will. There will not be any great multitudes getting saved; from here to the end; this is more like a gleaning period. However, as I stated earlier in the message, There is a door of understanding; where Jesus stands knocking in this Laodicean age. It is not a door of opportunity; like the Philadelphian age had; it is a door of understanding made available to us. If a man is concerned about his soul, he will start listening; because at that door Jesus will knock; and He knows exactly how to get your attention. It is His voice we must hear; just like Revelation 3:20, says; and that voice will not come thundering down out of the sky; it will come through some anointed servant of God.
MORE ABOUT THE SEALS
We have already touched on the revelation of the first six seals of Revelation 6:1-17. At least we touched on the first five; and the sixth belongs to the GREAT TRIBULATION period of time; which is yet ahead. The first four seals, the white, red, black, and the pale (gray) horse riders were all the same character; the spirit of antichrist. The fifth seal pertained to Jews slaughtered by Hitler and his henchmen; in the W.W.2 period. Denominational church people do not accept the revelation we have on these seals; but when Bro. Branahm was led to give the revelation of that 5th seal, that pointed you and me back to the years of 1939, and on up to the closing of the war in April, 1945. There had been six million Jews slaughtered, and some of their souls were there before the throne of God, crying out, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” Before anything was said, white robes were given to every one of them; and they were told, “Rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” When I heard Bro. William Branham say that, in my soul I said, Thank you Lord. We are further down the road than man thinks we are. We are closer to the end of time, than man thinks we are. Brother, the Spirit of God witnessed to my spirit, that this was a true revelation; and when he came to the sixth seal, that was witnessed to me also. It points to what is going to happen when the wrath of God is poured out, at the coming of Jesus, with His armies from heaven, that we just touched upon. That is the 6th; but where does the 7th come in? This is where I have to say, if you would take what you read in chapter 10, and if you would take the first verse out of chapter 8, and put that verse right over chapter 10, and then lay it right in here, and read it, between the revelation of the 5th seal and the 6th seal, you will have a picture in complete continuity. Do not be disturbed over the fact that the fulfillment of the 7th seal comes ahead of the fulfillment of the 6th. This is just God’s unique way of concealing truth from those who would misuse it. The Spirit of revelation teaches us how to read the written word. When that hour comes, (The fulfillment of the 6th seal) the Church is no longer dealt with. From the beginning of that 70th week of Daniel, which begins when Jesus leaves the mercy seat, the Spirit of God will be dealing with Israel; through the ministry of the two prophets (Two witnesses)of Revelation 11:1-7; sealing the 144,000 servants of God. Twelve thousand out of each of the twelve tribes. From the beginning of the week, to the closing of the week, God will be dealing with the nation of Israel. Some will be filled with the Spirit of God; and the rest will face the great tribulation; and the wrath of God. Do not be confused by this; but Jesus comes back, under the 6th seal, and under the 7th trumpet, and the 7th vial; and you have to stack all three of them, one on top of the other. No, He does not come three times; He comes only one time; to fulfill the 6th seal, and the 7th trumpet, and the 7th vial. The vial is the anointing of it. It all culminates at the coming of Jesus Christ in his physical, bodily return. If we can just put chapter 10, and that first verse of chapter 8, when that 7th seal is broken, both together, it will fit right in between the 5th seal, and 6th seal. Between the 5th and 6th seal, is where the little season occurs. That is why God did not give John the 7th seal, right in line with the other six; He has a unique way of arranging things; to keep carnal minds from being able to put it together. The Holy Spirit puts it together, for those who seek God with a pure heart; earnestly desiring to know the truth. When He reveals something, it fits so precisely, there is no reason for us to reject it. Somewhere just up ahead, as this little season (which we are still in) reaches its closing point, (and it will culminate in a terrible bloodbath) chapter 10, and that first verse of chapter 8, will be for the bride. It is somewhere in front of us; and I do not believe it is very far off; but we will set no dates. We will just live for God; and wait for His time.Â
THE SEALED SCROLL
We have already discussed chapter 4; so let us go back to chapter 5, and try to catch a true picture of what John endeavored to portray there. As we mentioned earlier, a lot of people have misapplied the words of Bro. Branham; concerning the Lion of the tribe of Judah, coming forth to open the sealed book held in the hand of the ONE sitting on the throne in heaven. Chapter 5, “And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.” In the original scriptures, the word book does not occur. It is literally a scroll; because in the days when John the apostle, was on the Isle of Patmos, and was taken up to see this, there was no such thing known to man as a book. It was always scrolls. The printing press was not even thought of back then. Scrolls were man’s means of recording and communicating messages and agreements, and so forth. It was always on a large sheet of something which could be rolled up. Notice what it says here, This book was written within, and on the backside sealed with seven seals; so picture in your mind, not a book like this, but a piece of parchment paper or something that is written on one side, and to keep it from being seen, it is rolled up, with the writing on the inside. Then in order to seal the document, so it is not exposed to public view, the outer edge is held in place, either by string, cord, ribbon, or something. In this case it says, sealed with seven seals; so it means that on this remaining edge there were definitely seven distinct seals fastened to the outer edge. Therefore, the picture here, is that the ONE John saw sitting on the throne, held such a scroll in His hand; with all seven seals still attached. Well, as we have already stated, There is only ONE person sitting on that throne; and that ONE person is the Lord Jesus Christ. You can confirm that by reading verse 21, of the 3rd chapter; where Jesus said, “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, (That is future tense, pertaining to the position Jesus will hold when He reigns for one thousand years as King of kings, and Lord of lords, in what is commonly referred to as the Millennial reign of Christ) even as I also, (past tense) overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne.” Naturally, we all understand by now, that the Father is not a person. He never was a person; and never will be a person in the sense that you look for Him in a bodily form. I know what the religious world, in the Trinitarian realm, teaches. The Catholics also teach it but true Judaism ‘Will never teach such a thing; and it was Jews that wrote the Bible. Not one word of the Bible was written by a Gentile. The Old Testament was written by Jewish prophets; and the New Testament was written by Jewish apostles; so do not try to convince me, that any of them ever believed God to be a person. Every true Jew knew that God is a Spirit; and does not need a literal chair to sit upon. Therefore, we must look at the Father’s throne from the standpoint of the sovereign authority it symbolizes; instead of a chair He vacated, so Jesus His Son could sit there. I know the terminology Jesus used, “And am set down with my Father,” sounds like there would have to be two persons there; but our revelation of the Godhead lets us know better than that. What we are reading is something we must understand; because we are the generation God is going to deal with; to get a lot of this religious nonsense, theology, and hand-me-down tradition, put in its place. Believing something pertaining to God, just because it was handed down from the generation before, is just plain religious nonsense. We are living in a time, after the true revelation of God’s word has been restored to the Church. Therefore, if what you are believing does not line up with the scriptures, it is time to lay it aside and find out from God what you should be believing. If you see three, there is something wrong with your spiritual vision. There is only one manifested person in the whole plan of God; that was ever taken up into heaven and seated in such a place of importance and majesty. That was the immortal Christ, who ascended into heaven 2000 years ago; from the Mount of Olives; while Jewish disciples stood and watched Him, as He was taken up. That is why when we look at the throne, we do not look for God in a form; we look for what is described there as the presence of God. That is why we see, in chapter 4, One like unto a sardine stone, and to jasper. These stone features point you strictly to the deity and majesty of the eternal Father; Spirit, which is Elohim; or Jehovah, in the Old Testament. He is a Spirit. He is invisible. Yet, He can manifest Himself in these characteristics that point earthly minded people to recognize His presence and royalty. If you are looking for the actual object of a person, you have to recognize the body of the one sitting there. The body of the one sitting there is Jesus, the Christ, the one who on earth lived as a prophet, preached as a prophet, died as the Lamb of God, and is now high priest pleading our case before the Judge of all ages. He overcame everything the devil threw at Him down here, for your sake and mine; and it so pleased the Father, that the Father took Him up and positioned Him in heaven, on His (The Father’s) own throne. That is a position of authority. Brothers and sisters, in that type of setting, I could just go on and on, because human beings do not have words to describe this heavenly picture John saw; and endeavored to describe here. He described what he saw; but it takes the Holy Ghost to put it together; so we can see the same thing; and recognize the deity and majestic authority of Jehovah. We would have to say, Jesus is veiled in that glow of the eternal God. That is the best way I can describe it. Verse 2, “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, (scroll) and to loose the seals thereof?” John was in the Spirit, he was in heaven, and he was looking right at that beautiful throne. Saints, I pray that God will help me put this in words that will cause you to understand what you are reading; and words that will put everything in its proper relationship. Imagine, even though this is the view John saw, it is all symbolic; portraying invested authority. The man sitting there is easily identified as the immortal Christ who previously walked upon earth among mankind; because we know the Father will not be seen sitting there in physical form. He is holding in His right hand a scroll which is sealed on the backside to conceal its contents; and its contents, is what Jesus, as a sacrificial Lamb, redeemed with His own blood. Yet the description of His face, and everything roundabout, is not a description of the man Jesus, that would have been recognized by John who had walked with Him. The description was of the majestic authority and deity of the Father, because the Son was robed with the presence of the Father. It is shown like that to express two things, what God is as a Spirit, and what Jesus is, as the crucified, immortal Son of God. It has to project a picture that fits the Bible in all its verses. The scroll held in the right hand of Him who sits upon the throne, is in the hand of Jesus; but remember this, Whatever it contains, was written inside and sealed: by the Creator, before the foundation of the world. Since it is sealed, we can say this, Even the immortal Son Himself, who sits there holding it, does not know what is written within. He is interceding to the Father for us, just like it says in Paul’s writings. He is High Priest. He is literally doing for us, in heaven, in this grace dispensation, what the Old Testament high priest, under the Jewish covenant, did, when he went into the tabernacle or temple; into the Holy of Holies, that little room where the Ark of the covenant was placed. Over that Ark of the covenant, the Shekinah glory hovered; just like John saw it there in heaven; around the throne where Jesus sat. There, in that little room, that high priest symbolically typed exactly what Jesus would be doing for lost mankind, after His work at Calvary was finished.
THE LION OF JUDAH
The question has been asked, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?” Notice what it says. “And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, (that means those that are dead) was able to open the book, (scroll) neither to look thereon.” No one was able to open the scroll and read its contents. No one in heaven or on earth or even under the earth. When the angel said, “Who is worthy?”, and not one person stepped forward, it had an effect on John; for he said in verse 4, “And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.” This was John’s personal testimony, concerning his experience there in that heavenly setting. He began to weep. That lets us know, it must have been an important part of God’s purpose in showing John these things; for it to have that kind of effect on him. That is why I said, Just as 96 A.D., stands out as a focal year in the affairs of the Church, so does 1963; because that is the year the revelation of the first six seals was given to the Church. Anyhow, here is John’s record of the opening of these seals. Verse 5, “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals there of.”
Keep in mind, this elder had been a mortal soul on earth. We are not going into all the description of who he might have been. That is not the important part. The important part is, he is definitely a personal representative of mankind on earth. He has lived on earth. He is dead now; but his spirit is there, representing a certain interest in this great circle, before the great High Priest, who is positioned in this setting of royalty. It is written in the 4th chapter, that about the throne was four beasts. One had the face of a man, one had the face of a lion, one like a calf, and another like an eagle. They were about the throne. Now, let us try to imagine how this throne is positioned in heaven, in order to watch the language structure as John has it written here. It says, “there was a rainbow about the throne”; so I am saying to you, This throne is not just a place stuck up against a backdrop. There was not a wall back there somewhere, that the throne was projected against, using it as a backdrop. If there had only been a backdrop there, such as a wall, in which the chair is projected against, then the four beasts could have only been related to it in a semi-circle; more in front of the throne; but it says the four were round about the throne. They were literally guards to the approach of the royalty and dignity of God Himself. Let me read verse 4, of chapter 4, to get the 24 elders in our thinking, and then we will go on with chapter 5. “And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.” These elders completely encircled the throne; and the four beasts were more like at what you would call, the four corners, guarding the approach into the presence of deity. Keep your eyes fastened on the throne; because we want to use an illustration of what throws people off course in their thinking, when they read these scriptures. Put yourself, with as much imagination as you can, in heaven; because John, in the Spirit, was in heaven. His eyes were attracted to that throne. What a scene he must have witnessed, when he saw the scroll in that hand. As for the physical arm and hand, it was the hand of Jesus, who was known as the Christ, holding the scroll; but you see also the dignity and majestic presence of the eternal God surrounding Him. Therefore, with that in mind, we will read verse 6, of chapter 5, now. “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” Well now, in verse 5, we see a Lion; and in verse 6, we see a Lamb; and all the time, our eyes are fastened upon that throne. When you go to the Old Testament, you learn from the writings of the prophets, that Jesus is spoken of, not only as being the Messiah the Jews longed to see, but also that their Messiah was to come from a definite tribe, the tribe of Judah; which was identified with a certain animal, because that tribe portrayed the characteristic nature of this animal; It was a war like tribe, a conquering tribe, first given that identity by Jacob; just before he died (Gen.49:9). Out of that tribe would come One, who would not only be their Messiah, but also Israel’s coming King. We are a Gentile people; of the New Testament covenant, but the time has come, that this heavenly scene is hanging right over us. The rest of it could take place just any time now. This heavenly scene that is transpiring, started in 1963; when Bro. Branham preached on the seven seals. Well, John was looking right at the throne; and he heard that elder say those words; so anyone who knows anything about the Bible, knows that the Lion of the tribe of Judah is Jesus. We also know that Jesus is not an animal. That is symbolic language. We know another thing about this whole thing; while Jesus is sitting there, He is not yet King of kings and Lord of lords. You may say, But why did the elder say that, then? It is because this present generation is the generation that must understand these things; and that is a part of the total revelation. The Church a hundred years ago, had no need to understand these chapters. These events were not for their day; and they are not for a hundred years from now. They are for now. John was standing there looking at a man he had walked with on earth; now in His immortal existence, sitting in the Father’s throne, shrouded with deity. Let me remind you of this, John being a Jew, knew from the Old Testament, what that elder was pointing to. He did not look for a lion; other than the lion guard mentioned in chapter 4. That guard is not the lion the elder was speaking of; and John did not expect to see another lion. What did he see then? We read verse 6, already; which says he saw a Lamb that looked like it had been slain. Remember, he never took his eyes off of that throne; so what he saw, appeared right in the midst of the whole setting. I will endeavor to explain what he saw. Keep your eyes fastened on the throne; and the One sitting there, as we read this verse again. “And, lo, in the midst of the throne, (right where the chair is) and of the four beasts, (positioned around the throne) and in the midst of the elders, (also around the throne) stood a Lamb as it had been slain.” The throne is still in the center; with the four beasts, and the elders encircling it. Right there, John saw something; that I will try to explain like this, If we had two video cameras in here, and we were producing a video tape in which we want to feed two different scenes into, at the same time, there would be a screen up here, where we could blend the two scenes together, using two different projectors, and picking it up with a camera focused upon it. Let us just say this, The number 1 video is projecting a background, and certain setting onto the screen; and you are looking at that. Then if we are developing a scene that must reach out and incorporate more things into it, to form the total picture, here is what will happen; The second video will have in it certain scenes; that they want to blend into this background. (I have seen it done like that; in things shown on TV. You are looking at a certain object or scene, and all of a sudden, you see in the same place, a dim profile of something right over that. It is like a double exposure picture. As you look at it, what once was the clear object you were looking at begins to fade into the background; and this dim, obscure profile, comes into clear focus; so that it is in the place where the other one disappeared from. I believe you know what I am talking about. That is exactly what John saw; because you and I know, Jesus is not an animal lion. He never will be that. Yet when He is on earth, He will be the King of Israel, He will be the King of kings and Lord of lords, but He will be King in the characteristics of what the lion represents in his animal kingdom; that causes him to be considered king of the beasts. In reality, Jesus is not a lion; but figuratively, He will be the Lion of the tribe of Judah. As John beheld the throne, a Lamb appeared. In other words, as he used the word lo, he saw the literal physical form of Jesus, fade into the background, as the Lamb became larger and larger, as a beast it was, having seven horns and seven eyes, which it says are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. The Lamb that stood there, did not exist in literal animal makeup; it is a picture that characterizes something about the man John had been looking at all along; the man Jesus. He had to fade out; in order for the Lamb to be predominate. Verse 7, “And He, (the Lamb) came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne.” We can say this, As the Lamb became larger, it turned and took the scroll. Once the Lamb took the scroll, it set off a chain reaction in heaven. Every one of those that stood round about the throne, fell down before Him, and began to sing a certain song. We will catch that in this next verse; but let me say first, The man, the Lion, and the Lamb are all the same being. The Lord Jesus is the only one that these creatures represent. Each one, portrays symbolically, something Jesus has been; or will be.
GOD’S CRUCIFIED LAMB
Brothers and sisters, even though it says, “The Lion of the tribe of Judah, hath prevailed to open the book, it is a LAMB that takes the little scroll out of the hand of the ONE who sat upon the throne. As we have already stated, This Lamb is figurative, pointing to the man called Jesus; who was the sacrificial Lamb of God on earth. His authority to break those seals, and reveal what is written in that scroll, is based solely upon the fact that He merited that privilege, because of what He accomplished upon earth as that sacrificial Lamb. Therefore, The One sitting upon the throne, did not need to move one inch; for He is the same One that breaks those seven seals and reveals their concealed revelation to the little bride Church. I defy any doctor of divinity, or anyone else, to say that Jesus ever left the throne. He did not. He did not have to. The picture we see here, is to portray transition of authority given to Jesus the man, by the Eternal Spirit. The eternal Spirit, is the One that took John up there. Jesus, the man sitting on the throne, did not take him up in the Spirit. It was the Spirit which is God, that took him up in the Spirit. It was this Spirit that set the stage with the panoramic view John wrote about. The point we should not miss though, is that all attention was focused upon the figure that sat upon that throne. The figure was Jesus; but do not forget, the Spirit of God radiates everywhere. As we see the Lamb, in the forefront, take the scroll, we need to realize, that this is when Jesus receives authority, (based on the merits that when on earth, He had been God’s sacrificial Lamb) to break those seals, one after the other. It was that meritship that enabled Jesus, after sitting there through the centuries of time, to finally be given, by the Father, the right to break those seals. I can understand why Bro. Branham, the night that he started preaching on these seals, and read that one, would say, “Could it be, that the Lamb has left the mercy seat?” Since God had sent him back here from Arizona, to begin to deal with this, there is no doubt, being the man that he was, that he felt within himself, assured that if God would break one, and if He would break two, then surely all seven would be completely broken. Naturally once the 7th, is broken, the scroll will be completely opened; and once it is opened, there would no longer be a need for Jesus, the High Priest, to be sitting in that intercessory position. Just remember, Jesus will not always be a High Priest. That is only for a period of time; until all those whom God has foreknown, come to realize and claim their inheritance as children of His. When Jesus leaves that intercessory position, God will draw the curtain on the age of grace, and deal with the nation of Israel once again. These three chapters, (4,5,& 6) are definitely related to the Church on earth; but do not forget who the Church is. It is not the Catholic Church. They are not the least bit concerned about what the book of Revelation says. They get just as much revelation out of a Sears catalogue, as they do the book of Revelation in the Bible. I do not say that to belittle any Roman Catholic. I would not speak against them any more than I would a Methodist, Baptist, or any of the rest. I was a Methodist; before God led me into this revelation of truth. The first time I was ever baptized though, was in the Church of Christ Church. When I look back at those systems now, I realize they are little more than prison houses; that hold people captive, and actually make slaves out of them. They write their creeds. They build their seminaries, and they educate their preachers, just to see and say what their system says. I will never touch anyone’s soul; with anything I say. If you say, I was a Catholic; and God saved me out there, then praise the Lord for His mercy and grace; but do not tell me God saved you, to make you a good Catholic. If you do; I will say, Brother, you sure did get your signals crossed somewhere. God never did save anyone, just to make a good Catholic; or a good Baptist. God saved you to be His child. What do you want to stay in that system for? The first Church was not a Catholic Church; ruled from Rome. The first Church was not a Baptist Church; ruled from Jerusalem. The first Church was a body of people that started at Jerusalem, then spread to Antioch, Corinth, and all the regions roundabout. They were all Christians. They all believed the same. They all taught the same spiritual thought; even though they spoke different languages, as far as their race was concerned. Thanks be to God, that regardless of whether they were black, red, brown, or what, in their mind was a picture of what this word of God meant. That is the beauty of the whole plan of God. They all knew Jesus the Christ, that had walked on earth among them, had been God’s crucified Lamb, that suffered that shame to pay their sin debt. John the Baptist introduced Him; there in the Jordan River that day; when he cried out, “Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.” Therefore, as this Lamb stands there in the midst of this heavenly scene, having seven horns and seven eyes, it says here, that these horns and eyes, (which if they were on a literal animal, would make it a freak) represent the seven Spirits, or spiritual attributes of Jehovah God that are invested in Him. Jesus, as a man, did not have seven eyes. Neither did He have seven horns sticking out of His head. However, that Lamb beast was portrayed like that, because the portrayal is to characterize certain merits that you must recognize as being in the person of Jesus. The year 1963, was God’s appointed time for the revelation of those seals to be given to us; just as 96 A.D. was God’s appointed time to give to the Church, this letter, to keep until the end time. I call the book of Revelation, God’s love letter to the Church. It was given to the Gentile church 1900 years ago, and she has been carrying it right on through the centuries of time. Catholic priests have studied it in their seminaries. Protestantism has studied it in their seminaries; but the more they studied it, the more puzzled they became. Like one Church of Christ preacher that used to be up in Borden, said, (Borden In.) years ago, (I was just a child; but his remark was made boldly; so that older folks remembered what he had said.) The book of Revelation should never have been written. It is like a mud hole: the more you stir around in it, the muddier it gets. Saints, God ordained it to be that way. The book of Revelation is a prophecy containing many pictorial settings; which in process of time must be related to conditions, to people, and to things on earth, as the Church moves toward its culminating hour. The Lamb, John saw, came forth out of the midst of the throne. That is why he said, “Lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain.” Now let us watch what happened; as the Lamb took the little scroll out of the hand of Him that sat upon the throne. “And when He had taken the book, (the scroll) the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying, “Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and halt made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” They are all crying this out to the Lamb; but we must understand, it is actually to Jesus they are saying this, based on the fact that He had been God’s sacrificial Lamb on earth. It was Jesus that was sitting there. He was the one that was slain on earth. Can you see that? That is the way you have to look at it; for the picture to make any sense. They are adoring Jesus, the one who has been sitting there for centuries; even though in this setting, it is the Lamb they all fell down before; for they know who it was that had offered Himself upon the sacrificial altar, as a sacrifice to the eternal God, for the sins of all mankind. He now holds the scroll, and has the authority invested in Him to start breaking the seals to reveal the contents thereof. Because they understand the whole picture, they know it was through what He did as the sacrificial Lamb, that merits Him the privilege to do this. Therefore, they can say, “Thou hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall rule and reign on the earth.” They will rule and reign on earth, with the very One who now sits upon that throne; after He has finished His intercessor function as high priest, and comes to earth as King of kings and Lord of lords. We are all looking forward to that time. Hallelujah! Perversion and corruption will be out of the picture forever.
DANIEL’S VISION OF JESUS
Let us go back to the 7th chapter of Daniel; where we find another prophecy, that carries almost the same picture as what we have just seen in John’s record of the vision he had. It is how Christians through time have interpreted these things of the scriptures, that causes so much confusion in the ranks of what is called Christianity. They have just simply interpreted things to fit the picture of their own mind. That is why today, the Church of Christ will read it and get one picture. Jehovah Witnesses will read it and get another picture. The Catholics will read the same thing, and get still another picture. Likewise, the Lutherans, the Baptists, the Methodists, they all have their interpretation of what these visions point to; but there is no way they could ever get a true picture; because they all see three persons in the Godhead. When you start off with a distorted picture in your mind, and never give any place for the Spirit of God to correct you, your picture will never clear up. I have said it before, and I am going to say it again, When you find people who have different opinions of what a certain scripture means, they can all be wrong, but they certainly cannot all be right. God’s word does not have plural interpretations; only plural applications, in certain places. God is not the author of confusion. Whenever God projects a picture in the Bible, it has one thought in mind; and that one thought He wants understood by His children, He will give in due time, by the Spirit of revelation, that abides within us. As we look at this vision Daniel had, let us remember, Daniel was a Jewish prophet in the Old Testament period. At the time of this vision, he was in Babylonian captivity. God had been dealing with him, to write these things that he saw; so let us go to verse 13; and notice the similarity of the two visions. “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought Him near before Him.” That is pointing to the man called Jesus, who was yet unborn when Daniel had this vision. This is a prophecy giving a preview of something that is yet in the future. That is the way we must read it. Keep in mind, Jesus, the man was only in the mind of the eternal Spirit; when Daniel was shown this vision. The vision was given, more than 2500 years ago; and Jesus the Christ, that it points to, was not even born until 2000 years ago. The Trinitarians say He always was; but that is only true from the standpoint that He was in the mind of the Father from before the foundation of the earth, just like all the rest of us were. The man called Jesus had a beginning; and that beginning was the immaculate birth, or the virgin birth, however you want to say it. That is when Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of man, actually began His physical and spiritual existence, as the being we read about in the New Testament. A trinity minded person, that believes if he were to go to heaven he would see three thrones, the Father sitting on one, the Son sitting on another, and the Holy Spirit, the third person, sitting on another, could never get a true revelation of the prophecies we have been looking at. Let me say to such a person, You never have seen three; and you never will; because it never has been that way. God, the great being that the Trinitarians say He is, is not manifested in three persons. He is a God manifested as Father in creation; but you will not find any place in the Bible, that the Father is known as a person. Every true Jew knew the God of their father’s was a Spirit; and not a person, in the Old Testament times. I do not know what this modern day breed of what is called Jews, may believe about God. He is Father, because He is the Creator of everything you see about you. It is He, that set this law of reproduction in motion; that brought us into the world. As we have already said, Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, is the only PERSON in the Godhead. The Father, is that sovereign SPIRIT that incarnated the Son; there at the Jordan River, after John the Baptist had baptized Him; and the HOLY SPIRIT is that same sovereign Spirit, combined with the spirit of His Son Jesus. When the Father entered into His only begotten Son: they became ONE SPIRIT, never to be separated again. That is why Jesus could use terminology like, “The Father is in me, and I in Him” (John 10:38). They are inseparable; but Jesus is the only person anyone has ever seen, of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. God came down and manifested Himself in Him, in the fullness of all His divine attributes, making Jesus to be both God and man. That is why at times Jesus would speak in terminology we recognize as the Son speaking; and at other times He would speak in terminology that could be recognized as coming only from the Father; that sovereign Creator. What we are dealing with, if I may use that terminology, is ONE God, manifested in three offices. He is Father in creation, Son in redemption and Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) in regeneration; but never three persons. As we get back to this vision Daniel had, it is a prophecy portraying something that is yet future. “And they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, (Who? Jesus. When? In the Millennium.) that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” One day, Jesus is coming to earth to be King of kings; but not before He receives that Kingly authority from the great eternal Spirit, while He is still in heaven, in relationship to this heavenly setting we are reading about here. He will look the same in His Kingly role, as He does here, but from this same source of majesty, He will get this Kingly authority. That is why Daniel sees one like unto the Son of man, come before the Ancient of days; Jesus receives this authority while still in His high priest office work. When He comes to earth, (In Revelation 19) He is seen sitting on a white horse, and on His head are many crowns, and out of His mouth goes a sharp two edged sword. That is because He has already been anointed in heaven; to be the King. The Bride of Jesus Christ will be in heaven, married to Him, when He is anointed by the Father, to be King of kings, and Lord of lords. That is why they are all seen on white horses, coming back with Him, all clothed in fine linen, because the fine linen is the garment of saints, it is righteousness. They are wearing garments of righteousness, because they have put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Just remember, when you read this prophecy, that it is a vision, given in 500 and something B.C., before the birth of Christ; So do not read it as though it already existed in Daniel’s day. No. It is a picture of something yet to be. Two thousand years ago, in a little town of Bethlehem, a Jewish man and his espoused wife were there to pay their taxes; according to the decree of Caesar Augustus, when the days were accomplished that she should be delivered of her first born child. When she gave birth to that child, out in the Judaean hills, it was not Rudolph the red nosed reindeer that those Shepherds heard. There were no kids singing, All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth. None of this junk was in the picture. There in the Judaean hills, as sheep herders watched over their flocks by night, there was no St. Nicholas going through the air on a sleigh with reindeer. No, but there was an angel of the Lord sent to announce the birth of a savior; and a heavenly host of angels, praising and giving glory to God. The baby was named Jesus; according to the instructions given to Joseph, by the angel that had appeared to him. I am just rehearsing these events, in order to say once again, This is where the Son of God had His literal beginning. He was not with the Father in creation; as a person, like some of you believe. Later, He was God’s Lamb. Then He became our intercessor, or mediator; and very soon now He will be that King of kings, that Revelation 19, portrays Him to be; but there has never been a time, when He was the second person of a trinity. He is the first and only person; when you are talking about the Godhead. In that little baby, was perfect humanity. Through Him, God was going to fulfill every type He had set forth in the writings of the Old Testament scriptures. Well we are 1900 and some years beyond the event of His birth; and I am saying this to you, Time is running out for the Gentiles. Did not Jesus say, “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of man?” All of this perversion and ungodliness in the world today, lets us know that the coming of the Lord is close upon us. God would not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah for this sort of thing; and then let this generation do the same thing and get by with it. No. Judgment is coming; and it is not far away. In Daniel 12:10, it says this, “Many shall be purified and made white, and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Brothers and sisters, let us be wise. The hour is late.
RE EMPHASIZING SPIRITUAL TRUTHS
I feel that I still need to go back into chapters 5 and 6, of the book of Revelation, for a few more points, at this time. I want to express a few things, because of many things that have been projected by various men throughout the earth in this hour of time; concerning the teaching of Bro. William Branham, God’s prophet to this age. God did not send him as a messenger and prophet to this age, and then cause him to say something that would put you outside of the sacred, written scriptures of the Bible. Here, in the Bible, is the basis for everything you and I, as Christians, are to believe. We know the Jewish people observe the beginning of the day, somewhere around sundown, or approximately 6 o’clock in the evening; picking up the night season as the first part of their twenty four hour day. That twenty four hour thy closes out with the daylight part of it. They take this back to Genesis, where it states that, In the beginning God created the heavens and earth and so forth, and darkness was upon the face of the deep, and so forth, and as it closes the first creative day it says, “And the evening and the morning were the first day.” The evening corresponds to the night season, and the morning corresponds to the daylight hours. They do not keep track of time like we do; but you cannot say they do not know why they do it their way. Brothers and sisters, we carry two books: in this one book we refer to as, the Bible. The first book, or set of books of the Bible is the history of man. earth, society, and the beginning. It shows that man is a sinner, standing in need of a redeemer. In it is the call of Abraham, a man chosen of God to demonstrate what true faith and trust in God really is. Through the call of Abraham, literally just a man and his wife, God began a type of what redemption would be in its consummation, in this age of grace. Just as Abraham was a man who walked by faith, so must all in this grace age, who would be partakers of God’s gift of salvation; because we only partake of it, through faith in Jesus Christ. Every type given by the manifestations of God, to Abraham, and to the other patriarchs that followed, all typed something that pointed to this Christ, who was the fulfillment of all of those prophecies that spoke of redemption and restoration. Everything God dots for mankind, is done through Him. For your understanding, let me say this, The Old Testament period from the call of Abraham, coming right on through to the giving of the Law, which was an enlarging, or the giving of greater light upon the types and such like, all corresponds to the night season. Whatever all those types and shadows portrayed within that dispensation of night season, the coming of Christ was the dawning of a new day, and a continuation of God’s dealing with lost mankind; but changed from types and shadows to that which they pointed to. We are not living under mere types; we are living under the reality of what those types pointed to. That is why I am doing my best as a mortal man, to express what this scene has been, in heaven, through the centuries of time since the resurrection of Christ. Whatever those prophecies which were given in the night season, by the prophets, characterized in types, they are now fulfilled in the dispensation those things pointed to. For the space of 2000 years, Jesus has been in this heavenly position; as the scriptures bear out; but let us look at Jesus, the mere man. We are all human; and we can all ask human questions, like, Bro. Jackson: Has Jesus been sitting on that throne for 2000 years? Not necessarily. When you look at it in that way, I would not say that an immortal creature that has been born on earth, lived on earth, been crucified on earth, raised, immortalized, and then taken into heaven, would just sit in one physical position for 2000 years. Heaven has far more to be enjoyed, than just to sit like that for two thousand years. However, you must keep in mind, that whenever it is necessary that there be a transaction, God fulfilling something on earth pertaining to man’s redemption, which was made available to him through the crucifixion of Christ, then between the Son and the Father, the Eternal Spirit, there must be some kind of action taking place, to keep the proportions of the picture in proper perspective. Think about this, If John had been taken up in the Spirit, in 96 A.D., and all he saw was a light, how would you like to read, I John was taken up into heaven and I saw a light? If that light does not change to reveal some pictorial setting, If that light does not change to reveal some pictorial setting, what good is it for us to know John saw a light? If he just stood there looking at a light, a scene like that would not have been beneficial to anyone who read of it; because it would not describe anything that you could identify with. I will not ask you to imagine; for there is too much of that going on already; but try to visualize this pictorial setting for what it pertains to; and remember, In the book of Acts, when Stephen was stoned, heaven was opened to him, and the spirit world became just as close to him as this present world was. He was not looking 40 million light years into space; when he saw the spirit world right there before him. He saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God. In other words, he saw a manifestation of God’s glory. Since he was a Jew, you have to realize, he knew what he was looking at, when he saw the immortal Christ as High Priest, standing there. He was not confused. Yet, in all of Paul’s writings, he relates how it pleased the Father, because the Son on earth, had fulfilled all He was delegated to do, to highly exalt Him, and give Him a position whereby He was seated on His (The Father’s) right hand. Brothers and sisters: Try to keep in mind, that the standing, and the seating, is to bring out two particular functions about His high priestly work there in heaven. One is related to intercession. (That would be the standing position.) The other, the seated position, is in relation to His judgeship; in connection with the things that must be judged. The outcome of His judgment in heaven, is sooner or later, applied on earth. Did He not say, “Whatsoever you bind on earth, will be bound in heaven? Only a judge has the authority to do that. He also said, “And whatsoever you loose on earth, will be loosed in heaven.” Again, only a judge has that capacity; pertaining to what Jesus was talking about. Keep in mind, we are mortal creatures, trying to view the spirit world; but too many times we try to bring it strictly into a human setting. If we take it into a complete human setting, we distort the picture God has presented; and we would have Jesus off the mercy seat before the time. Furthermore, when the time does come, for Jesus to sit in that literal temple in Jerusalem, we still do not want to think of Him sitting there twenty four hours a day. Let us just be sensible about these things. He only sits there to carry out His kingly duties, wherein his Kingly person must function from that chair. Naturally, we are not able to be specific in every detail about a thing like this; I have only said this, to try to keep people from asking a lot of foolish questions. Since this great plan of salvation was set in motion under the dispensation of the law, with the call of Abraham, that is where we must pick up; when we want to see how beautifully God portrays things in these types, and how there is not one trinity in all the types. God never set forth the certain offices, until the seed of Abraham became a nation. During their time down in Egypt, they became a nation; and when God called them out of Egypt, that is when He began to deal with them as a nation; instead of just a clan of people. That is why He gave them a law to govern them. Within the structure and application of this law, He first chose two offices through which He (God, the One sovereign Spirit) would represent Himself to His people. The first one was a prophet. He spoke to the people only through that prophet, or through those prophets. Then he chose another office in which a man would function; and through which, He (the same sovereign Spirit) would minister to His chosen people. He minister to His chosen people. He gave them priests, through which He would represent Himself to them; and through which the people would be represented to Him. He wanted to always be their King; but knowing that, because of what they saw in other nations around them, they would also require a king, He appointed them one. However, He let that first king fail them, which was a lesson for them. In plain words, You have asked for something just because you have seen other nations ruled by them; and now you have got to put up with the failures and trials that you will be subjected to, as a result of having an earthly man as your ruler. Saul was that one first chosen to be their king; and when he failed, God chose a man after His own heart, David, a young shepherd lad, and set him up, to be their king. Now they have three offices of authority, to look to. The prophet was the mouthpiece God would always speak to the people through, to bring His correct word. Through the priests He would meet the people, when they were to approach Him in sacrifice and worship. It was the duty of the priest to take care of all spiritual functions. Then when they wanted a king, this was an office God would anoint and use, when they would be in conflict with their enemies. Therefore, it was God through a prophet, bringing His word. God through a priest, requiring them to worship and approach Him in a certain manner. Then in their conflicts, it was a man who would be their king, and God would anoint the king to lead them in all their warfare and conflicts and turmoils. It was One God, in three earthly offices, dealing with His people; but there was no trinity involved in any way, as pertaining to their God. These were all types under the first covenant, which set forth what could be expected under the next covenant. We call that first covenant period, the night season. The when the time came, that all those types and shadows, or what they pointed to, was to come into fulfillment, then here is how we have to see it in the light of the New Testament, the daylight dispensation, when salvation is a reality. It is God’s second covenant. There will not be another covenant following this one. This is it. In this daylight dispensation, which is the fulfillment of the types and shadows, God again appoints a man; but this time it is His own Son. It was His own Son; yet He is also the Son of man; and He sent Him to be a prophet first. He brought forth God’s word, to set the covenant of grace in motion. He was also the sacrifice, and the priest that made the offering to God, for the sins of the whole world; which was what all those types pointed to. Think of how many prophecies the prophets of old, under the dark dispensation of the night season, wrote, concerning His first advent, and think how many were fulfilled at His birth, and at His crucifixion. Every prophecy pertaining to what Jesus was to be in His first advent, fell right in line. First, He was a prophet. That is why He was referred to as the prophet of Nazareth. He brought God’s perfect word. Then, when He was offered on Calvary’s cross as God’s Lamb, that fulfilled all these type sacrifices, the blood of bulls and goats, and so forth. Then the crucifixion of Christ, and His resurrection, brought to completion, all that those types pointed to; pertaining to righteousness. When He was raised from the dead, by the power of God, then the Eternal Spirit, the Father, the one God we are talking about, that anointed Him as prophet here, took Him up into heaven, positioned Him, and anointed Him; and for almost 2000 years, He has been our High Priest. He is the only man born of woman, in this sinful world, that overcame sin, overcame death and hell and the grave, and ascended on high. He is seated right in the Holy of Holies; which is what that little room in the Tabernacle of Moses, was the type of. This ONE GOD, anointed Him here on earth, as prophet. The same ONE GOD, anointed Him to fulfill that position as our high priest in heaven. That is two of the three offices that were typed, in the Law dispensation. That leaves one office yet to be fulfilled; and I believe you all, know what that third office is. He is yet to be KING. In Him, will be God’s Kingship; represented in man on earth. His reign as King, will last for a period of a thousand years. When it is over, God has fulfilled all; if His redemptive plan; which was typed in the Old Testament period. Two offices have been fulfilled, in the daylight season of this dispensation of grace; and the Millennium will fulfill the last office, when Jesus is King of kings, and Lord of lords. That redeems the earth, removes the curse, rids the planet of every abominable thing mans’ sin had brought upon it, and God’s perfect, divine law is re-established; never to be interrupted again. God’s plan of redemption is then complete; and the eternal day of time without end, can begin. Then, is when Paul’s revelation, recorded in 1st Corinthians 15, will be fulfilled. Then shall the kingdom, the redeemed kingdom, not only the people, but the earth and all that pertains to it, in His plan, is delivered back up to the great Eternal Spirit, that God may fill it with His divine presence, in all the fullness of His great being. We can say this, From one end of this planet to the other, if I may say it like this, all of humanity, as well as the animal kingdom, will for endless ages of time, live and walk in the beautiful presence of the glory of God. Therefore, no one should stumble over what I am about to say. Do not minimize Jesus, who you and I are to worship now. It is not that you are worshipping the person of Jesus; you are worshipping God your Father, that dwells in the person of Jesus, who is called, the Christ. That is the way God ordained it to be. When man became a sinner by birth, he had lost his spiritual concept of how to approach God in worship, and of how to look at God. In other words, That is why a natural man has always wanted to reach out and build something tangible, that he can see and touch, in his own endeavors of trying to recognize and worship his Creator.
GOD’S ONLY BEGOTTEN SON
When God sent forth His only begotten Son into this world, He never demanded any human being to really worship Him. God sent His angel to those shepherds; which said to them, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is CHRIST the LORD. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” This is what the angel of the Lord said to them; (We are in Luke, chapter 2) and verse 13 says this, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The shepherds went to see for themselves; and when they found exactly what they had been told was true, verse 17 tells of their reaction. “And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning the child.” That was God’s way of vindicating to certain ones who were looking for certain things of the scriptures to be fulfilled, that this was He whom they had waited to see. They came and worshipped that child; because they knew He was the Christ to be. They knew He was the one determined by God, to be the Savior of the world and Deliverer of Israel. The ones we read about, that came in the early days of His childhood, were nowhere around, when He did come and offer Himself to Israel. We read nothing more about them. When He came to the age of about 30 years, Jesus came to the river of Jordan; and was baptized by John the Baptist. That is when the great eternal Spirit descended from heaven in the form of a dove and entered into Him. The great office He was sent by God to fulfill, was then introduced to the people of Israel; and from that time on, God required people to approach Him, and see Him, in a different respect. Well, some worshipped Him; and others wanted to kill Him; and some others observed the manner of His speech, and said among themselves, Never have we heard a man speak like that. Those that wanted to kill Him said, “He surely has a devil,” or he would not talk like that. That was because He was speaking contrary to their man made traditions. Think of the contrast. Think of the warfare that went on in the minds of that Jewish, religious society; who could boast, We are Abraham’s seed; we do not have to pay any attention to your ideas. Naturally I am paraphrasing; not quoting exact words from the Bible; but you know how they were. We have a bunch of Gentiles just exactly like that, in the world today. These things were not written for man to build great Seminaries, Bible schools, and such like, where others could go in and sit down, and pay a tuition, to learn what some doctor of divinity has to say about God and His plan for mankind. If a doctor of divinity ever sees anything, he will lay his diploma down, and on his knees he will go to God in prayer, and get the picture straightened out in his mind, like all other mortals have had to get it. When God presents His word to mankind, He does not put a monetary price on it. However, He does put a price on it, in the sense that you will have to forsake your pride, your earthly riches, and your earthly dignity, at times; in order to hold true to what He reveals to you. What did the apostle Paul say about that? Look at Philippians 3:7-8, and you will see how he felt about this great treasure possessed only by the spirit of man. “But what things were gained to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my LORD: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.” I can guarantee you, the apostle Paul never saw the day, when he believed God to be three persons; (a trinity) so where did a carnal minded man ever get such an idea from? The devil, of course, is the originator of that perverted picture of the Godhead. When you look at all the types in the Old Testament, and at the offices God worked through in the dark season, (the law age) you will not find anything that ought to cause you to believe God to be a trinity; portrayed in those throe offices. The one eternal being was the same Spirit that anointed all three offices. They only served to point the way, or type what was to be a manifested reality; in the daylight season, which is the grace age. The apostle Paul called us children of light. Why? Because we are children of God, that walk with Him in a pure revelation of all of His great attributes. We are not children of the night; that have to look and long for something better to come. We already have it; if we have truly experienced that new birth by the Spirit which is God. We are not looking at this thine …
…looking only for that perfecting work of the grace of God to make us more and more like unto His only BEGOTTEN Son. It is God’s will to let us see the true picture clearly; in the time that it is ordained to produce a spotless bride for His Son in whom He is well pleased; or in whom He is pleased to dwell. We are privileged to see God clearly, through His word. Praise His great name. Hallelujah! Brothers and sisters, we have something to shout about. We did not earn it; we received it as a free gift.
WHEN JESUS LEAVES THE FATHER’S THRONE
Right now, we can say, Jesus is still sitting on the Father’s throne; and a lost soul can still be saved; but conditions of the world make it obvious, that He will not stay there very much longer. I know it is hard for a lot of people to really get a good picture in their mind; concerning this vision given John, and that which God did through the ministry of Bro. Branham, in 1963; and that causes some to say, Bro. Jackson: Did not the breaking of those seals actually take place in 96 A.D.? No. You are reading the scripture wrong; when you read it like that. If those seals had been broken back then, we would not be where we are today. Well, Bro. Jackson, John lived in 96 A.D. That is absolutely true; but do not forget, when we come to chapter 4 where John was introduced to this heavenly setting, actually 4, 5, & 6, and you put it right over this period of earthly time which we have described here, he heard the voice that spoke to him in the beginning of this letter, saying,”Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.” It spoke of future tense. Therefore, you must try to understand how God always projects things in his word, long before their actual time of fulfillment. Remember, God IS, He always WAS, and He always WILL BE. There does not live in time; we do. When He took John up in the Spirit, try to keep in mind, he (John) was taken up by the Spirit into this heavenly setting, and the heavenly setting portrayed what it would be like in the future tense, when there would come a revelation of it on earth. Yes, Jesus was already in that position, in 96 AD., but remember, the dispensation to which He is related to as High Priest, had just started a short time before that. It was in its very beginning. Time Wise, He was in no way, ready to break those seals; except in John’s vision. That is why John was transported into the future tense. Also, that is why I repeatedly state, That many of the followers of Bro. Branham will take everything literally; just the way he spoke it, never taking any thought that there is anything else in these three chapters, 4, 5, & 6, that needs to be touched on. Because of that, many have gone so far as to make a bold statement, If I had to give up either one, I would give up the Bible, before I would give up the seven seals book. Brothers and sisters, I am not going to take a lot of time rebutting such a foolish statement as that. Only unlearned and ignorant people will talk like that. First of all, God did not give the revelation of the six seals, just to cause us to get rid of our Bible’s. Neither did He send His messenger to the age to stand there night after night, anointed, and so inspired, to deliver His word in such simple language, for you and I to just discard his sermons; and treat them like trash. I appreciate everything God spoke through that man; as he stood there bringing the revelation of those seals. When we go to chapter 5, and see how this Lamb, stood there, absorbing all the attention that was given Him, and how the four beasts and those angels adored Him, and said, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing,” we surely ought to realize how serious this matter is. Brother, when they fell down before Him in worship, and began to sing praises unto Him, I believe that the aged apostle John surely must have had him a shouting spell also. Do you know why I say that? Look at verse 13; and you will see why. He said, “And every creature which is in heaven, and on earth, an under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard saying, “Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.” I believe John started shouting when he heard what was said right before that: Thou art worthy, for thou was slain, and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. He knew who they were singing praises to; the very one he walked with on earth, and believed then, that He was the anointed of God. What is recorded here, is John’s spiritual, Holy Ghost, emotional way of reacting to what he saw transpire there in heaven. I do not hesitate to tell you, he had been projected into the 20th century; when God had a prophet on earth. John stood there acknowledging the Father in all His deity makeup. That is the first thing he expressed his honor to; and then unto the Lamb for ever and ever. Since he was a Jew, you must keep in mind, he was not worshipping the Father as a person. It was His majesty, His presence, and His deity, that is expressed there in that throne, through the person of His Son. Now that the Lamb has come forth in this manifestation, he (John) absolutely knows, that it was God’s Lamb, the physical immortal person sitting there, who was God’s Lamb. He is worshipping God. Revelation gives five different descriptions of the same person: but you cannot help but see that they are all related to different settings within the overall plan of God’s representation to His human race. Time, earthly conditions, and God’s purpose, all must fit together, as He fulfills each phase of the overall plan of God. Notice verse 14, “And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.” In other words, the final worship and glory must always go back to God the Father that manifested His many attributes, and His saving grace, in and through the person of His Son. God made Jesus to become Lord, and Savior, and to be worshipped and adored as the Christ those Jews had lived to see. That sovereign Spirit, is what caused various ones to recognize that He was the anointed one.
THE LION THUNDERED
As we look at chapter 6, and the seals, I am not going into each seal. I do not want to say anything that would distract from how Bro. Branham brought out these truths. However, as he described that white horse rider, the first one to go forth, just notice the wording of verse 1, in chapter 6. The last night of Bro. Branham’s sermons, when he was explaining what he did about the seventh seal, he referred to this, “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, (which would be the first one) and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, (singular, just one thunder) one of the four beasts saying, “Come and see.” Well, the first beast that spoke was the lion. When you read what he characterized, you cannot help but realize, that this was how the Spirit of God, in that first age, manifested Himself in the Church, to counteract the opposing spirit of Satan; which was being manifested in various ways, to get the Church off her true course. I will never forget, back about 1954, in the summer months, Bro. Branham was going to start a meeting. He started the meeting; and I believe it was on the second night of this meeting, as he read here in the book of Revelation, he mentioned about Jesus in the first chapter, clothed about the paps with a golden girdle. Then he said, “See there, that is the Church; because she is clothed about the breasts.” Well, about that time, a preacher in Chicago, called him for a meeting. After the second night, Bro. Branham said to Bro. Neville, “I am going to go and hold this meeting. You just continue on here; while I am gone.” Brothers and Sisters, when he did preach those messages on the seals, he in no way characterized the one with the golden girdle, as being the Church. It was none other than the Lord Jesus Christ; in His priestly role. When he touched this white horse rider, he said. It looks like the power of the Holy Ghost; being white, because we know that in the 19th chapter, Jesus is seen coming to earth riding a white horse. It looks like that is the truth; but the fact that he only had a bow, and no arrows to shoot, it was a bluff. From that description, he interpreted that white horse rider, to be the spirit of antichrist; riding as a counterfeit, parallel to the going forth of the Holy Ghost. He showed you right through the scriptures; even in the closing days of that first age, that this antichrist, white horse rider was going forth; to do his best to thwart the purpose of God. Then the second one was the red horse; and as he brought out all four of these, he gave enough description, using secular history that vindicated what went on, to let you know it was the truth; if you had a spiritual ear to hear what the Spirit was saying in this 20th century, to the Church. These truths were brought out, and vindicated; but there are millions today that couldn’t care less about what the Bible says, nor what it means. I am so thankful; that there is a people on earth today that are very interested in what it says; and what it means. It is important to me; because it is going to help me know how to get myself ready to get out of this miserable place. When we are made to look back, and see that white horse rider riding way back there, rather than out here in the seventieth week of Daniel, it enables us to recognize Satan’s tactics. When you look at that pale (gray) horse of seal number 4, and realize that Protestantism which is supposed to be white and pure, and Catholicism, which scripturally is portrayed as black, became blended together in ecumenism, that is the result; antichrist spirit riding a gray horse. From a distance, at a certain time of day, the way the sun strikes the coat of a gray horse, it can look white. That is where the deception is. You have to get up close to really see that it is not a white horse it has black hair mixed with it. That is all portrayed like this in the scripture, to show how, that here in the end time, the ecumenical spirit which comes from Rome, and the Charismatic spirit, along with the spirit of the World Council of Churches, all blend together, to bring about what looks like a true Christian unity; and brother, it has deceived the world. You can watch the world today, following that gray horse. That gray horse, in the hour of that dark tribulation, will have power to kill people. Oh yes, it will. It will be so forceful, it will affect one fourth part of the earth. Do not ask me where that fourth part is. Time will tell. However, if you and I are walking in the light of God’s word, we do not have to be here when that time comes. That is why I am not worried about where it is. I am more concerned about walking with God in truth; so I will not be left here to face that dark hour of time. It will not be a universal picture; because it plainly describes right here, that it will affect only one fourth part of the earth. I will never forget how sitting in those meetings, and listening to Bro. Branham made me feel. We were hearing something from the book of Revelation; that gave us an understanding, that these horse riders, and these seals were not something that you look forward to with expectation, or anticipation as to what they mean, when they are fulfilled. Rather, it lets you look back in time; and you cannot help but see that the real Church remnant of people have had to survive all of this onslaught of satanic power and demonstration, as she came down through the ages. It is all described, in these various forms of his riding forth. Knowing then, time wise, we are seeing the gray horse as he goes forth throughout the earth. Just think of it, there is not one denomination; that even cares to pick up Bro. Branham’s sermons on those seals, and read them. Denominational church members will never believe the revelation of them; because the book of Revelation is not written to them. It is God’s love letter written to the Gentile Bride Church; and the Bride will not be found in those systems. The Bride will be made up of people, with spiritual eyes and ears, that lets them know it is time to get out of those systems of religion; and get back in a position with God, where He can speak to them, and reveal His word to them. That is why Jesus is standing at the door; knocking. He will communicate with those who will hear His voice; and He r will come in and sup with them.
REDEEMED JEWS
Looking at those souls under the altar, in the fifth seal, it says they were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which e they held. Jesus was sitting on a throne lifted up. There those souls were, crying, begging, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost it thou not judge and avenge our It blood on them that dwell on the s earth.” Just before Bro. Branham preached that 5th seal, a sister and her family from Chicago, came to our house to visit; and a she asked me a personal question, “Bro. Jackson, was it possible for a Jew to be saved in the dispensation of time back before Christ, before there was any such thing a known to man as the new birth?” I said, very staunchly, “No.” Well, that very night, Bro. Branham preached on the revelation of that fifth seal and said, See there, “And when he had opened the Fifth seal, I saw under the altar, (or at the foot of the altar) the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held.” Bro. Branham, when he interpreted that, said, Now that was not the testimony of Jesus Christ. Their testimony was in Jehovah: because the word of God was the law. The Old Testament law was their word of God. That is how they were judged by their critics, their agnostics, and the ones that crucified them. He said, There is Hitler’s mass that he slaughtered. He brought in Hitler and all the rest of the Gestapo chiefs; to do the job. When he said that, and went ahead and read, “And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth,” it made sense. Just imagine, from the year 1939 to April 1945, that war had literally caused six million Jews from Poland, France, Austria, and all over Europe, to be rounded up just like cattle, and exterminated. We are not telling you there are six million under that altar. No. However, out of that six million Jews, there were innocent ones being slain, that did love the word of God. Think of the little children, also, that were killed right along with the rest. I read a tract, how that in the final days of the war, after the Normandy invasion, and the Allied forces were moving across Europe for the final assault: that the German soldiers being wounded, and their medical supplies low: the German doctors brought in little Jewish boys and girls; and took the life’s blood right out of them, while they sat there trembling and turning pale, and would fatally pass out. Their life’s blood was taken out of their veins to give wounded German soldiers blood transfusions. What a barbaric thing! What a devil! What an ordeal! Modern day mankind, may hear of these things and not be affected in any way; but rest assured, God’s word is going to be fulfilled. When John heard those voices crying, before there was ever an answer given, white robes I was given unto every one of them. In other words, they were saved; (To use our terminology) and they were given white robes (which do testify of their salvation) based on their testimony and faith in Jehovah God, which was the word they knew for their hour of time. Notice, it says “white robes.” Then when you read about the Bride of Christ, in the 19th chapter, it is not only white robes, it even describes the material the white robes are made of. It is fine linen, clean and white, and it says, “For the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. I am so glad and thankful, that we are being given an opportunity to get ourselves clothed; not only in white, but in fine linen, the most valuable material there is, in God’s category of clothing. That lets me know, the Bride will be clothed in the greatest scriptural revelation that has ever been given to mankind; on the face of this earth. These Jews had white robes; and when you read about that great multitude in the 7th chapter, which came through great tribulation and have washed their robes: and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, it was just white robes, again; not fine linen robes. Yes, that great multitude will have to seal their testimony by shedding their blood in martyrdom; during that dark tribulation hour: and this IMAGE OF THE OLD 10 HORNED BEAST WILL HELP SPILL THEIR BLOOD. Looking back to this fifth seal though, white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also, (Jews) and their brethren, (more Jews) that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. Brothers and sisters, since that revelation came in the year 1963, time wise, we were only about 18 and a half years away from the closing days of WWII; where this great slaughter took place. Therefore, since 1963 when the revelation came: you and I have been traveling time wise, through a continuation of that little season; that those souls under the altar were told to wait for. We are living in that little season, but we are 25 years further on down the road. In 1963, when the revelation of the first six seals was given, something happened in heaven. That is what we have been describing. However, because the revelation of the 7th seal was not touched at that time, that let me know, that this little season must still go on for a little longer yet, Of course we realize, 25 years have passed; since 1963, when we were made to know these things; but the sad picture is this, a lot of those who sat there and heard those seals preached, are just as mixed up on how to look at time, and the future, now, as they were before 1963. Yet, they are the ones that look at you and I; and think we are off course. I just have to say, We are right on course. I have said this before; and I will say it again, We could all be wrong; them and us, but there is one thing sure, As long as we disagree on what has been revealed to the Church in these last days, we cannot all be right. I hope everyone knows what I mean by that. Someone is going to be right; one of these days, and those who have resisted the truth, will just have to face the ONE that gave the revelation, in judgment Not Bro. Branham, the Lord Himself. Because the 7th seal, which is read in verse 1, of chapter 8, and the picture we see in chapter 10, are not placed in chronological order in the record, many people have difficulty getting the picture together. This is why the Lord had it written like that; He did not want it to be clearly understood by every person that might pick up a Bible, and read a few lines. When He told John to write these things, He told him exactly what to write; and how to write it. He showed John exactly what He wanted him to see; and He just shuffled a few of the settings, just like someone who gives you a box with a jigsaw puzzle in it, that they had already worked. They mix it up; before they give it to you to put together. You might look at some of those pieces and see exactly where they go; but after awhile, you are looking at two or three pieces and saying, Where do these go? They go in the puzzle; you know that; but it seems for a while, that they will not fit anywhere. You cannot make jigsaw pieces fit just anywhere you might want to put them, they have only one place they will fit properly; and if you are ever going to see the picture put together, you have to get each one in its rightful position. Only then, will the picture really stand out in its true beauty. Saints: That is exactly how revelation of the word of God is; if you misplace any portion of it, no matter how small it may seem, you have distorted the picture. It is not a contest to see who is right, and who is wrong; it is a matter of getting our lives in line with what we know already; and allowing the Spirit of God to reveal to us whatever else we have need to know. Leaving the fifth seal, it jumps immediately to the sixth. That of course, is the revelation of the wrath of God; that is going to be poured out upon ungodly mankind, at the coming of Christ, when all these scriptures are to be fulfilled. Jesus will be coming, as the 70th week of Daniel, is finishing its full course. Remember, Jesus comes to earth under the application of the sixth seal. He comes under the application of the seventh trumpet, and He comes under the final outpouring of the seventh vial. These are not three comings of Jesus in bodily form. He comes only once; but the sixth seal, we could say, contains the authority for His coming; the trumpet announces it; and the vial anoints it. When that is poured into the earth, nothing can hold Jesus any longer in heaven; He must come. The wrath of God is poured out upon earth; under the sixth seal, the seventh trumpet, and all these vials. They are all definitely God’s wrath; but that seventh one is the worst. That seventh one is when the earth quakes and mountains and the earth just literally go into convulsions. That is when God uses nature to express His anger. Saints, I pray that what has been said, has made the picture a hale clearer for you. Jesus Stands at the Door knocking, and I can say this, The revelation Bro. Branham delivered in 1963, was not even made known yet, to the world, at that time. That is when the Lord ordained a precise time within the Laodicean age; that He would establish a door of accessibility, by which, and through which the Lord and His we people, could come face to face, (So to speak) in fellowship. It is not a door of opportunity. That was given to the Philadelphian Church Age, going forth. In order for Jesus to come through this door, you are going to have to hear His voice; and His voice is coming forth through His true, called servants in the earth today. He is knocking, to get attention; wanting to come in, and sup with you. He is not coming in to talk to you about John 3:16. John 3:16, has its place. John 5:24, has its place, but this is a door of revelation He will come in through, to those who hear His voice, and open to Him. Jesus will project Himself through an understanding of the scriptures; and you will know He is here. Not in a bodily form; but in a revelation of the word of God. Time is swiftly passing away. Jesus will soon be standing on earth; as described in chapter 10. Not in bodily form, in angelic form. He will cry out with a loud voice; as when a lion roars. That lets us know, He is the same one who sat on the throne; because of the identity associated with this scene. At that time, He is no longer to be looked upon like unto jasper and sardine stones. He is coming to make Himself known to His people; but also to set in motion the conditions in world affairs, that will bring time to a close. However, before Jesus can be in that position, there in chapter 10, that seventh seal must be broken in heaven. I believe with all my heart, that some of you are going to be alive; and in a position to hear what those thunders utter, just like I was, in 1963, to hear what I heard, when the first six seals were broken and revealed. That is going to have a meaning to a people on earth. When it has that meaning, it is going to bring about an effect. Not a fanatical affect; with people jumping to conclusions; for only the stable ones will even hear what the thunders utter. It is going to be as simple, as when Bro. Branham said, The white horse rider was the spirit of antichrist. By the time those thunders uttered THEIR voices, the gospel as we know it, in its restored form, and the knowledge of these seals, as we have them now, will have gone around this world, and they will have been heard by the people who are supposed to hear it. God will have brought together a people under the restored truth of the gospel; so that when Revelation 10 comes, it is going to bring about those thunders, for the benefit of those who are still alive, waiting for the rapture. It will not be another 25 years before those thunders will sound. Otherwise, we are looking at a little season that goes beyond a little season; and the generation Jesus said would not pass away, until all these things (that we have been talking about) be fulfilled, will be gone. On earth today, is a living element of people that were very young when WW2, hit; and shook this world, and killed that great number of Jews. They heard a prophet. They knew God took him; and time has moved on, and I believe with all my heart, that some of this generation will live to hear those thunders sound their voices. When they do sound, it will not be men setting dates; and making predictions; it will be men anointed by the Spirit of God, to speak what God tells them to speak Let me say this now, for my critics to hear, They will not be star messengers to the age; to undo what Bro. Branham was anointed to bring. Neither will they be quote preachers; that run all over the world quoting quotes that take people out of the Bible. No matter what God did back then, and no matter what He does now, or what He does in the future, it has got to put true children of His right in the pages of this book, the book that every God called preacher gets the word of God out of. This book (The Bible) must come alive to you and me. That is the way Jesus stands at the door and knocks. I may sound like a fanatic to a lot of people; but I am a happy one, if that is what I am, because I know I am standing on that solid Rock. Hallelujah!
PRAYER OF JESUS
I want to go back to the 17th, chapter of John, for a few moments; before we end this message. Here, is the last public prayer Jesus ever prayed; because the one in the garden was a prayer of agony. Here, in this 17th chapter, He is beginning to pray a prayer, that should be meaningful to every true believer on the face of this earth. “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given Him, (the Son) power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given Him.” This lets us know, it is not the Son that does the choosing. It is the Father in Him that does the choosing. Also, it is the Father that makes known to the recipient, who the Son is; and what the Son is invested with authority to accomplish on earth. Notice verse 3, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” Those were not idle words, Jesus was speaking in that prayer. Therefore, I want to call your attention to the reality of the verse we just read; in case it passed you by. “THIS IS LIFE ETERNAL, THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THEE THE ONLY TRUE GOD, AND JESUS CHRIST, WHOM THOU HAST SENT.” That lets me know that it is essential to our soul’s salvation, to have a revelation of the Godhead; in this hour of restored truth. Just knowing about God, will not put that SPIRIT of eternal life in you; you have to know HIM. I was reading another scripture the other thy; which said, “He that honoureth the Son, honoreth the Father.” You cannot honor Jesus without honoring the Father in Him; because it took the glory of the Father in Him, the way the Father was manifested in Him, and through Him, in order to even draw any attention to this man called Jesus. Otherwise, Jesus would have been seen just as another normal Jew; walking about, even though in reality, He was not a Jew at all; for He was begotten of God, bypassing the natural process of conception. We do not deny that the natural elements of His human body came from that young Jewish girl Mary; which did give Him a Jewish lineage; but the cell of life was placed in her supernaturally; and that is where the revelation of the Godhead begins. I will just read one more verse, and end this message. Jesus had been praying for His immediate disciples; and then in verse 20, we find that He included all of us in that same prayer. “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word.” Brothers and sisters, there are still many things that could be said; in a message like this; but I feel that this is enough for now. Amen.
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