Painted-Face Jezebel

Thank you, brother. Shall we pray while we're standing.

Our Heavenly Father, we thank thee tonight for this privilege of being here again, and for this great gathering, the assembling of your people together. You promised that if we would do this and pray, then You'd hear from heaven. And we know that Thou will do this because it's Your promise. And we pray that You'll move on us afresh tonight. Baptize us freshly with the Holy Spirit. Get glory out of the service. For we ask it in Christ's name. Amen. You be seated.

The meetings are almost too short. We just.... I first thought when Joseph mentioned this to me, that according to my schedule, I could only stay two days. And then we set it up a little farther by the courtesy of the other place that I was going, and we got to make it five days.

And so, I told Joseph that I was going to have to kind of make this kind of my trip to kind of stay away from Chicago a little while because I'm here too much. I'll wear my welcome out, I'm afraid. And someone said, many times, said, “If you want to call Brother Branham, if he ain't home, call Chicago. And if he ain't there, call Shreveport, Louisiana. He'll be one of those places.” That's Brother Joseph, or Brother Moore at Shreveport.

And, this last fall, this ... early this fall or late summer, I was at Shreveport in a tent revival, and I told Brother Moore, I said, “Now, Brother Moore, there's a lot of the brethren in the eastern country and different places I've never visited, and they look at that. And I'm afraid it's going to offend them a little.” And I said, “Now, I'll kind of let up a little around Shreveport and Chicago after I finish these meetings that I got until.... Unless the Lord would call me to do something different, and then ... until I visit some of the other brethren around.”

And now, someone was telling me, I believe Billy last night, the night before, said there was some brethren wanted to meet me in order to find out about some times to have some meetings.

Well now, I don't make any of the meetings, any of the itinerary. The itinerary is all made up at Shreveport, Louisiana. See, there's several of us in this group, and if one makes it up and the other one makes it up, and the other, then we have to ... well, this fellow made it wrong, so we have to cancel that. And, oh my, that hurts, after they done had the promise. And the official last word is Brother Moore at Shreveport, Louisiana.

And we got open dates. If we don't go overseas right away after Christmas, we got some open dates then. Now, plumb on until the last date that I have now is in Lima, Ohio, with the Baptist people at an auditorium beginning on January the 10th through the 15th at Lima, Ohio. That's my last date that I know of at this time.

Now, I think, from there they got some in California, that they're going to make some dates in California up around San Francisco. And then down in the San Fernando valley with the Spanish people—Phoenix—for just a few nights, then they're coming east again. Now, in the month of ... last of October and the first of December, after I return from Idaho, they are going to have some in, I think, it's Virginia and Maryland, or somewhere up in that way, there's some meetings.... I don't know yet. Mr. Moore's never told me. He will let me know after I get home from this time.

And now if you.... I'd love to come to your place, each one of you. And we're making up some short fast meetings, three to five nights, just around, to get to visit the brethren, before making a worldwide tour, all to every major city in the world, leaving on the east coast, coming back to the west. And after the meeting is over, in many parts of the country....

Something on my heart, that here a few weeks ago, I was in a certain city and having a meeting which many of you are acquainted with. And there had been a Lutheran College there. And in a former meeting the man had told me I was a polished-up soothsayer because of the visions. And he wrote to me after, and he said I made such a horrible way of a Bible teacher. Well, I guess that's right, but not on what he said.

He said, “I was surprised to hear a man that faces the people you do, and make a statement that Satan can't heal. Why,” he said, “we know that Satan can heal.” Said, “In the city I come from,” he said, “we have a woman there that ... she has ... she's a witch like. And she takes the people that comes to her for sick and she pulls hair out of her head and plucks their veins and gets blood in it. And walks down to the river, throws it over her back. And as she walks up the bank, if something makes her turn around and look, the disease comes back to the people. If she doesn't, the people get well.”

He said, “Mr. Branham, I checked and at least twenty or thirty percent of those people get healed.”

And he said, “Now, you're just a boy,” (with all my forty-seven years.) He said, “I was preaching before you was born.”

And I said, “Well....” Wrote him back, and he said I was a Beelzebub. I said, “Now, first thing, I want to forgive you for that, brother. For what if I was right, then what have you done? (See.) What if I was right? (See.) Then what have you done? You've blasphemed the Holy Ghost which is unpardonable.”

“Whosoever speaks a word against them works,” Jesus said, “will never be forgiven in this world or the world to come.”

And I said, “I forgive you for that because I believe that you didn't understand.” And I said, “I love you because that you're interested enough in our Lord Jesus to try to correct me, thinking I'm wrong.” I said, “I appreciate that.” Anybody that'd try to correct me when I'm wrong, I want to be corrected.

But I said, “Now, as far as you saying that Satan could heal, I want to just give you the Scripture, Jesus said He could not heal. So that settles it to me. Jesus said, when they told Him that He was healing by Satan, He said, 'If Satan can cast out Satan, then his kingdom's divided.' See?” So I said, “That settles it as far as I'm concerned,” that he could not heal.

But I said, “Now, to straighten you out about the witch.” I said, “Certainly those people got healed.” I said, “There's a lot of people in the land today calling themselves divine healers. And people go to them, they say, 'Oh, I got power, I do this.'” But I said, “Certainly. The people get healed.” And I said, “Just the same as it does by the witch. But it's not the witch that does it, neither is it the divine healer. It's the people's faith thinking they're approaching God through that witch. And God has got to recognize faith regardless of where it's at.” You know that's right.

So in this.... Oh, how the great scruple come on, and then this Dean wrote me a letter and said, “I want a interview with you.” And the manager granted it. They take me out to a great Lutheran college and home there. And sitting at the table, I thought, “Well, I'll sure get it now.” So, he said, “Brother Branham, we've been in your meetings and we're fully persuaded that it's the Holy Ghost.”

And I said, “Yes, sir.” I thought, “Oh, my!”

And he said, “We ourselves, as Lutherans, are seeking God.” He said, “If it'll come from your lips that there's something different besides what we have—receive Christ by faith—we want to know.”

I said, “Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?”

He said, “Well, I never thought of that.”

I said, “Neither did those Baptists that time in Acts 19. They, believing, shouting, screaming, and having a great joy but they hadn't received the Holy Ghost yet. So Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost.”

He said, “What must we do?”

I said, “How many of you is hungry?”

Said, “The whole group of us.”

I said, “Well, move back the table and go over to the wall and kneel down.”

They made a big row around ... great arena there where we had the dinner. I went around and laid hands on them, and seventy-two received the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Amen. So, they're having a great time over there!

Now, if God will do that in America for Lutherans, He will do it in Africa, Asia, wherever it is, for Lutherans, Baptists, Presbyterians, Catholics, or whoever hungers and thirsts for God. What a great thing.

Now, tonight was kind of an evangelistic night, but we want to hurry right through if we can. And tomorrow night, if I'm just a little lingering tonight, I wanted to ask about the testimonies. Did they come in, many come in, Brother Joseph? [Brother Joseph says, “I have not taken the time to ask for them.”] Oh, you haven't had time.

How many's here tonight that was prayed for last night that feels that God touched your body? Let's see your hands. Now, those that was prayed for last night. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve. About twelve that I see now. Yeah, I got that one over there, that lady there. All right, sir. Just about twelve then I see. Well, I think I had about nearly sixty or seventy up here. Maybe I'd better continue on then as I used to do, 'cause I think I get better than that in the beginning, see.

And so.... I can't take Oral Roberts' ministry and neither can Oral Roberts take mine. The Lord has given us both something to do, and Tommy Hicks and them. I must minister the way the Lord has provided. So, don't holler 'cause you're not in the line now, because God wants to heal you out there where you're sitting. That's right.

I think that's the best. I think it's the best. God is a good God. He's really good. And He'll give you your desire. Like in the Bible, how Thomas said, “Oh, I won't believe it.” Now, look, all the rest of the disciples said, “Sure, we believe it. Yes, sir. He's risen from the dead. We believe it.” Thomas said, “Nope, nope, I don't believe it. I got to have some more than that. I got to have some evidence. I got to put my hands in His side and so forth, before I believe it. Yes, sir.” He's a good God. He said, “Come here, Thomas, now touch me.”

Thomas said, “Oh, You're the Lord. I know You are now.”

Said, “Now, you've seen and you believe, how much greater is their reward who's never seen and yet believe.” See? That's it. You must believe.

You notice what a time Paul had with the Corinthian church? Everyone had a tongue, had a psalm, had some kind of a something they had to do before they'd believe they had the Holy Ghost, see. And Paul had trouble with them. He never had that with the Ephesians, Galatians, any of those. He never had to speak about it. Why they were people who had faith and just believed God, and accepted it, and everything was all right, see. So they.... But God's a good God. If you want it that way, He'll give it to you that way. I just like to believe Him, don't you? Just take Him at His Word. I just like to believe it that way.

Now, may the Lord add His blessings now as we fellowship together. And tomorrow night, after tomorrow night, I guess Joseph has made the announcement that there's some ... Brother Osborn, and Brother Tommy Hicks, and Brother Ogilvie is going to be here to continue this meeting through the week. Now, they are real good brethren.

And now, I know Brother Osborn real well. I know him real well. And I know he's a very fine brother. I know Tommy Hicks real well. And I know he's a fine brother. And I don't know Brother Ogilvie too well. I met him about twice. But he sure seems to be a fine brother. And I want you to continue to come and bring out your neighbors and everything, to hear these brethren. They're good man or God wouldn't be using them the way they are.

And now, I've left my home town when Billy Graham was over there. And I've always wanted to meet Billy Graham. And he's in Louisville now, preaching. My family and them's attending. Our churches are closed and everything—cooperating in the meeting to do everything we can to put the effort.

I live about where eighty-five percent of the alcoholic beverages is that swindles these drunken people on the streets, comes from Louisville, Kentucky. And the tobacco factories.... It's the seat of Satan. And you people in Chicago pray that God will anoint that evangelist Billy Graham till there'll be a revival break out in Louisville that'll just start something. And now pray for him. And I pray for him all the time, each day and every night and everything. 'Cause God is using the man in a great way. A very fine brother, so I am told.

Now, over in II Kings, in the 9th chapter and the 30th verse, I want to take just a little scripture here, a few words to go back in the Old Testament again to read.

And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, tired her head, and looked out at the window.

And may the Lord add His blessing to the reading of His Word. Now, we go back again in the Old Testament because the Old Testament is always a foreshadow of the New Testament. And the Bible says that they were examples (in Hebrews 11), that they were examples. And on over in 12 it says, in Hebrews,

... seeing that we're compassed about with such a great cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, that we might run with patience the race that is set before us,

Looking to ... the author and finisher of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, if we see what God did back there to those people, upon certain attitudes that they taken towards God, and then if we find out if we'll take the same attitude that they did, we will receive the same reward that they did. You can just expect, 'cause God never changes. He's just the same. His blessings is the same, and His penalties is the same. And “Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.”

And then I'm going to see.... I forgot, and they brought me over to ask Billy if he give out prayer cards tonight. If he didn't, we'll have to get some, maybe.... Don't throw your card down. They'll be.... How many here's got prayer cards? Raise your hands. Well, that's fine. There's enough then anyhow to pray for, have a prayer line if we don't.... And we'll go, continue right on. So, I will let up just a little on the evangelistic side tonight in order to pray for the sick.

Now, Jezebel. That's a name makes everybody shiver, just to say “Jezebel.” That was just a common name, just a name like Martha, Ruth, or Mary, or some other name. But when they just hear the name “Jezebel,” it was all because of one woman that took the wrong road.

Now, I'd imagine Jezebel, just because she had the name of Jezebel didn't make her what she was. It wasn't her name that did that; it was her attitude. That's what made it. And the name shouldn't make us shiver like the attitude that she took ought to make you shiver. But you mention Jezebel, oh my. But mention some of her sin, “Oh well, that's all right.” And it wasn't the.... It wasn't the name that made her, it was her sin that made her what she was. Your name don't make what you are. It's your character that makes you. Your character molds you and makes you what you are.

I've always said, “Let me go into a man's house. And let him stand out on the street and testify, sing, shout, speak with tongues, dance in the Spirit, anything he wants to do. Let me go into his house and look at these old pin-up girls all around the wall. Let me look at these magazines that he's reading here on his desk, and listen at him turn the radio on to some of that African nonsense of rock-and-roll and boogie-woogie. I can tell you right now what kind of a spirit he's got.” See what it feeds on? I don't care how much he carries on out there on the street, here's what he's really feeding on. That's his diet. That's right.

Let me.... No matter how well he claims, and how good society and what his standing and what his social status is, that doesn't make a bit of difference. Watch what his spirit feeds on, what music he listens to, what he reads, what he looks at. You can tell what he's made out of then. And his character will always tell.

Now, Jezebel was perhaps just a lovely little girl at one time. She bounced around on her mother's knee and probably with her dad, and just like any other little girl. And never did that papa and mama ever think that her name would go down in history as one of the outstanding examples of cruelty and sin. One of the greatest among women names that's in the Bible, or in history of anywhere. Lady Maccabee wouldn't compare with her. And Lady McAdoo was arrested in Oklahoma smoking a cigar, for speeding, driving a carriage through the street.

When Dr. Iben at a great meeting was asked when he told the story of her, when all the religions of the world had met here about fifty or sixty years ago, and he told this story of how horrible she was. And when they caught her and tarred and feathered her, she was so filthy that they didn't even want to put their hands on her. He told the story with such a way till everyone sitting on the end of their seat, listening. And then when he got through he stepped back from the microphone, a little fellow he was. He said, “Gentleman of the religions of this world, has your religion got anything that'll clean the hands of Lady Maccabee?”

Everybody sat still. He jumped in the air and clicked his heels together and clapped his hands, said, “The blood of Jesus Christ won't only clean her hands, but it'll clean her heart.” That's right. That's what the religion of Christianity means. It'll clean them no matter how vile they are. And so that's it.

Little Jezebel, when she was a little girl hopping along around home, skipping, playing, jumping the rope or whatever the little girls did. Little did they ever know that she'd turn out that way.

But then what made her what she was was the kind of teaching she got at home. And she was a pagan. And what teachings that you get at home, that's what usually you are, is what kind of a teachings you listen to. She was taught to hate God, Jehovah, because her god was Baal. And she was taught to hate God and hate God's people. And that hatred for that in her heart, it made her what she was.

But, oh, my! Another thing, no wonder Ahab.... His father was a backslider to begin with. And Ahab was a borderline, lukewarm believer: just a indebtment to society of Christianity would be today, an indebtment to the kingdom of God in that day. He was just a man who was wishy-washy and not stabled at all.

But I imagine he was a handsome young man with his hair slicked down, you know, and kind of a little ... one of these boys that's going out with these here, (what is it you call them), dragging hot rods? Something on that order, you see. One of these little fellows that runs around like today.

And you know, it goes to show that he was that type of person or he wouldn't have fell for that type of woman. That's right. Israel was supposed to marry Israelites. They wasn't supposed to mix marriage. You know that's right. And you're not supposed to do it today either—yoke unbelievers with believers. That's against the law of God, against the Bible.

And so, you know, little Jezebel had learned one thing in her home, and that was to use paint. That's a heathen trait. Any paint ... never in the world ... but all painting of faces originated with heathens, is always condemned by believers. I hope this goes real far down home, just to make you real good and sick for a few minutes. But now, don't get angry with me, I love you. But I just want to tell you what's truth.

Remember, I've just returned from the African jungles. Everyone—the tribal, the heathen, on every kind of an occasion—they paint their face and wear great big earrings. The Indian savage heathen paints his face and puts on war paint when he goes in, and His war is worship around his idols. He paints.

It's a shame, see. It's a heathen sign. It's too bad it ever got in the Christian church, wasn't it? Sure was. That was a weak pulpit what brought that in. The preacher ought to be ashamed of himself.

So, she was used to painting, she made herself a little butterfly. And brother, that's the kind that can jilt a many a good man. That's right. See them on the street with little lips look like a rosebud and a whole lot of Max Factor on that. But that'll never burn out the sin wrinkles. Don't you never think that. God looks right through it.

And so, Jezebel knowed how to put it on to make it look nice. And so, when Ahab, this young Jewish boy, become King, she put the manicure on her eyes, or whatever you call it, you know. And she flapped them back and forth and Ahab's heart went tumbling, because he didn't have God in there to teach him better. That's right. So, my! What a thing that was!

Now, when she begin to flirt with Ahab, Ahab married her. He thought, “That's just the one for me.”

And a many man's made a mistake like that. A many man has done it. You ought to see her on wash day, or when she gets cleaned up. Really. Might change your mind altogether. Women shouldn't be married by looks anyhow, but by character.

Let me tell you, boy, if you marry her and she's all painted up, one of these days she'll fade. Even if she's pretty, that'll fail one of these days. Wait till her first baby's born and the teeth will go to coming out. Little later on, wrinkles will come over her eyes, and the hair'll get gray. You'll wake up one morning and wonder what you married. That's right. I mean that. Not for a joke. No, sir. That's truth. I'm just laying a background here for something I want to say, see. That's right.

But if you love her because there's something about her that you've prayed over, and God has joined you together; she can get old and wrinkled and be ugly, that won't make a bit of difference, you'll love her through eternity. “What God has joined together, no man can put asunder.” That's right. So, ask God first.

But Ahab, he goes down there and falls for this girl. So, he comes up and marries her and brings her into Israel. And when she come up, being a pagan, and did you notice, Ahab went down there and showed that he was a borderline believer. He just went to dilly-dallying with the world to get this girl. And that's where a many person's made a mistake, stepping across the line. God has a boundary line.

An old Methodist preacher friend of mine, Brother Kelly, him and Sister Kelly used to sing a song, “We let down the bars, we let down the bars, we compromised with sin. We let down the bars, the sheep got out, but how did the goats get in?” You let down the bars. That's what was the matter. You compromised with sin. That's how the goats got in, 'cause you let down the standard.

Why, old John Smith years ago, who was packed to the pulpit, could only preach two hours, he was so old. He'd only preach two hours; that's without a microphone. He said, “The very thought,”—that's Methodism (early)—he said, “The very idea that our Methodist daughters are wearing jewelry on their hands.”

What would he do now to see them in shorts, see? What would he think now? That's Methodists, Baptists, and Pentecostal—just the same, all the same. I was going to show you where it comes from, where the background of it is. Then you see why I'm so angry with it. Not with you, with the things of the devil that's making you do that.

Now, don't think it's because I say this. If you go out and clean up just because that I said that, then you're wrong yet. Get down and pray and let God come into your heart, and you'll clean up anyhow. I'm sure. 'Cause long as that spirit's got you in control, you'll fuss at me and fight back and say, “It's not so,” and all like this. And you'll shake your head—like a sheep with blindsiders. But it won't do any good, because if the Holy Spirit is in me, you'd better get right with that stuff before you meet the judgment. Right. But don't let your pastor tell you anything different, because it's “thus saith the Lord” in God's Word. That's right.

And so we find Jezebel tiring her head, which was cutting her hair, rolling it up. Tiring her head, which is a disgrace. A woman that cuts her hair dishonors her husband. The Bible said so. A dishonorable woman should be divorced and put away. So, that's a sign that she loves somebody else, according to the Bible, 'cause she dishonors her husband when she does it.

You know that's the Bible? How many knows that's so? Raise up your hand all that knows the Bible says that. Then what do you do it for? That's what I wonder. I wonder why you do it? Because your pastor probably never said any different. But we need some strict old-fashioned evangelistic teaching that'll tear that thing to pieces. That's right.

No wonder we can't have a revival. God can send gifts and everything else to a city, and do miracles, and perform things, and the people sit. No wonder, there's sin in the camp. We got to clean that thing out and operate. That's exactly right. And have the church straightened up and running right, and then God will come in and go to doing signs and wonders among us. You know that's right.

I don't say that to hurt you. I say that 'cause I love you. And at the judgment bar, then I've got to stand before every individual here and give an account. That's off of my chest, now it's on yours.

So you pray, and see what God'll tell you. I believe if the Holy Spirit comes into you and you keep that same spirit, you'll keep on doing the same thing. But you just change that spirit to the Holy Spirit, watch how quick you change things. You sure will.

Now, and so then Jezebel, when she got in there, she stomped that little high heel shoe she was wearing, and she said, “Now, Ahab, I'll run this business.” That's wrong to begin with. The man's the head of the house—all but in the United States. The woman's the head of the house here. This is a woman's country. The woman is the god of America. I predict that before the coming of the Lord that a woman will be a great ruler in the United States, because it's a woman's country. Started in Hollywood. That's how it ... run right on out.

And now you see a little old man coming down the street and the little Jezebel with a cigarette in her mouth, puffing along like that. She say, “Well.” She hollers, “Scat!” and he jumps through the door. That's right. And at nighttime she's sitting out there with them pretty red fingernails, you know, that looks like eagles claws and been eating raw beef steak with it. Standing out there. She won't wash the dishes, 'cause she's afraid the paint will come off. While her poor husband is scrubbing the dishes after washing like that, and her sitting in there sucking a cigarette, and he's taking care of the baby. That's right. That's rank, isn't it? Sounds ridiculous, but it's the Bible and the truth. Just exactly right.

How could you ever eat a pan of biscuits with a woman that made them with that big long fingernails? I couldn't; I tell you, it would turn my stomach. I just couldn't do it.

So anyhow, but, oh my, it's all right. But you little weakling men, I'm ashamed of you as Christian brothers, will let your wife do such a thing as that; it shows what you are made out of. That's right.

Now, women, you ought to say, “Amen” after fussing at you like that 'cause he's the ruler. That's right. And the way he lets you do; it's his fault. God's going to hold him responsible for it. That's right. If you ain't man enough to take up and put your own house in order, God be merciful to you. That's right. 'Cause the Bible said in the very beginning that he shall rule over thee.

Now, she's not a door mat now, she's your sweetheart, see. But you should sit down and talk to her, and reason it with her and tell her, and read the Bible, and pray together. These things wouldn't be in the church then, if you done that. That's right.

So Jezebel, when she comes over, her little husband one day got kind of upset because that a man wouldn't break the tradition of God, and the laws of God, to let him have his place, because the law said that he should keep his heritage, and it be handed down—Naboth.

But then, when we find out that he wouldn't do it, Ahab began to pine and running and fell across the bed. And little Jezebel, the little butterfly, come and got him up in her lap and said, “Now, dear, what's wrong with you?”

Said, “Oh, Naboth wouldn't let me have his vineyard.”

She said, “Don't worry, I'll get it for you. Who's the ruler of this kingdom anyhow?”

See, that puts me like in the mind of denominational barriers, see. “I'll get it for you. You just let me have my way, I'll get it.” And she stomped her little foot, and run out there and got some more guys that was kind of backsliders, and went over and set up a false accusation against Naboth, and had him stoned and killed.

But remember, when such sin as that goes on among the people, God's always got somebody that'll stand out and tell them about it. Amen. Yes, sir. He had a Tishbite by the name of Elijah. Walked right out there and told them people that was wrong. He said, “God will make you answer for that kind of stuff.” Right. No matter how vile it gets, somewhere God's going to have a witness to speak against it. That's all. Somewhere, He's able of these stones to rise children to Abraham. He'll do it in some way, somewhere, by somebody.

And there, all the prophets.... Oh my! Jezebel might turn on them. And they just took water and went on. But old Elijah stood out there and he told them right, exactly. Said, “God will make you pay for it, and you're against God.” And really told them what was right and wrong.

And she hated him. My, did she hate him. Sure. And you go to telling the truth to people, many times they'll hate you instead of repenting. Right. You ought to be repenting and thanking God to know what's truth. That's right. But, oh, she hated that prophet. My!

So, he goes up there, and she has a false accusation set up against Naboth and had him stoned to death. And the man died out there in the street. And then he.... She thought, “Oh, nobody would ever know nothing about that, that's all right. I sent two of my ambassadors up there.” And stood on the stand and accused him of being a traitor to God and to the king, when the man was perfectly innocent. And they stoned him. She thought, “That'll be all right.”

But just as sure as you know that sin and wickedness lies at your door, there's a God of heaven who knows all things. Remember that. He does. He knows all things.

And then when he did that, He spoke to Elijah and said, “Go down there and meet Ahab and tell him 'thus saith the Lord.'” Amen! I love that. Oh my! “When sin doth abound, grace doth much more abound.” That's right.

Said He had somebody down there who'd go skin him down for Him. So he met Ahab coming on the road. And Ahab was going up there to take possession, and he had the ... they had the man killed because that he was absolutely doing exactly what God told him to. That inheritance was to fall from generation to generation. And if he'd lost it any way, it had to be redeemed by a kinsman. Read the book of Ruth and the kinsman laws and see if that isn't right.

So, she had him killed for his voice. And Ahab come supposingly to have knowed better; the Word was before him, and the prophet was before him. And instead of that, so land crazy—to have a beautiful garden next to his place—so he goes up there and takes it over by force.

And Elijah met him on the road and told him, said, “Because that you've did this, you murderer,” said, “the dogs that licked Naboth's blood is going to lick your blood in the same place.” Brother, I mean, when God gets enough of anything, He gets enough of it.

He said, “Besides that, that Jezebel that you married....” Oh my! He didn't care to talk about his wife, and said, “That Jezebel that you married, the dogs will even eat her in the streets in Jezreel. And the dung will be over the ground that they can't even say, 'Here lies Jezebel.'”

Oh my! Woman, you wouldn't want to be like that, would you? Not even remembrance left of her anywhere. Said, that's.... And you can remember when you see all that going on like that, the only woman in the Bible that did that, God fed her to the dogs. That's right. When you see a woman doing that, you say, “That's some dog meat then,” you see. 'Cause that's what God did: He fed it to the dogs. He fed them kind of women to the dogs. So you keep away from that. Clean up. Amen. Get right with God.

What we need is an old-fashioned scouring out, digging out. Get those weeds out of the patch so the corn can grow. Jesus is coming. All right, that's what we need. Back to the old hewing line again. Back to the way. God will come among us; but as long as you got the world mixed in, God won't move. You wonder sometimes why that things are going the way they are. You just look around a little while. Pray a little bit, and God will condemn sin.

Notice. And then the first thing you know, the things got worse. And Elijah sat up in the mountains, up there alone. God told him, said, “Go down there.” Showed him a vision, said, “I just got enough of this.” Said, “Go down there and tell Ahab that I will not let rain or even dew come, until you call for it.” Now, a man of God will always follow the true Word of God.

Now, Jezebel had threatened him, and everything else. Well, you say, “Now, Brother Branham, wait a minute before you leave Jezebel. That little woman may not have had a chance. She was born a pagan. She didn't have a chance.”

Oh, yes, she did too. She had a pastor, Pastor Elijah. And Elijah wasn't afraid to tell her about it. Don't think.... God always puts the light there. She just refused to walk in the light, that was all. Right. Oh, she didn't want to call Elijah her pastor, certainly not. She had other formal, dignified men for her pastor. But God sent Elijah to be her pastor, no matter how much she hated him. She hated him because the Jewish religion was too straight for her.

And that's what's the matter today. The people want to act like the world, and talk like the world, and dress like the world, and make the church and the world all the same. The Christian, Holy Ghost religion is too straight for them. That's the only thing. Amen. The reason you want to call them holy-rollers and say they haven't got their right mind and things, it's too straight for you to live it. That's what's the matter. And some of you people that used to be that way is turned aside. What am I saying? My! Maybe that's good.

But.... It's a little like Mama used to give me castor oil. And she said.... I just gag to think of it. She said, “If it don't make you sick, it don't do you any good.” Maybe that's the same thing here, to get you right sick of yourself. Maybe it'll fix your spiritual gastronomics so you can really take the Word.

They'll wonder. Elijah went down, stomped up into the palace and right up past all the guards and things, and he told Ahab, with his finger in his face, said, “There'll not even be dew come from the heavens till I call for it.” Oh my! Why? God had spoke to him. He was with the Word of God, so he wasn't scared.

Don't never be afraid. Micah wasn't afraid with the Word of God. No man's afraid when you got the Word of God and the vision of God moving with the Word. The reason Micah could condemn against them prophets and tell them they were wrong, and they had the devil's spirit in them, because there was fashions and everything that they were doing, and 'cause they were not lined up with the Word. And God give the true vision to the true prophet. And he was trying to line them up.

And now, and today the true vision is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The true prophet is the baptism ... is the Holy Spirit Himself. He is the one that comes and lines us with the Word. And notice. Not some bishop or archbishop, but the Holy Spirit leads the church. Amen.

Now, watch. Now, we find out that.... Could you imagine Ahab standing there and looking at him, the king, and this old fellow, maybe looked like a fuzzy worm, with all of his beard and hair sticking out like that, and a piece of sheepskin around him. The Bible said he was hairy all over anyhow. I'd imagine he was a pretty looking sight, standing there in a king's court. But shaking his finger in his face and said, “The dew will not even fall from heaven till I call for it.” Amen. He had “thus saith the Lord.” Stomped right back out into the wilderness.

After he got by, I can hear Ahab holler, “Ha-ha-ha. And that old quack come in here and say a thing like that. Did you ever hear such? Ha-ha. Why, we got the clergymen sit here who know all these things. Why, there's nothing wrong here. He's just old-fashioned, an old fogy.” But he had “thus saith the Lord.” Yes, sir. And he stomped right back out in the wilderness. Some of them said, “Watch the way he goes.”

“Aw, don't pay any attention to it.”

And he went up by the brook Cherith and sat down up there. The Lord told him, said, “Go up there, for I'm going to take care of you while you're up there.” I like that. You mind the Lord and the Lord will take care of you. You just do what “thus saith the Lord” is and He'll take care of you.

And Elijah goes up there and sits down. Just as confident that the rain wasn't going to fall as he could be. And the first thing you know, there come a drought. All the springs dried up. And they thought he was crazy. And here they was.... He was an old fogy. He was old-fashioned, everything like that, and an old crank in his preaching. But he was God's pastor to the nation in them days—Pastor Elijah, the Tishbite.

And so they wouldn't listen to him. But they said he was a little off. But he goes up and sits down by the spring by the will of God. And here was people down here in the valley where all the hydrogens was, and all the springs boiling up, starving to death for a drink of water; and there sat Elijah up there drinking any time he wanted to. 'Cause he had “thus saith the Lord.”

And I wonder today, if you think because you got a great big denomination you belong to, or some great big church with a cross on top of it, and a million dollar church organ, that you can drink any time you want to. I tell you, the spring's only open at “thus saith the Lord.”

There he stood, up there getting a good old spiritual drink anytime he wanted to. The waters dried up down there in the land. I think today, a whole lot of the trouble that the waters is dried up in our lands too, our Christian lands. What was the matter?

A long time ago, we used to have old-fashioned meetings where the people would cry and walk up and down the aisle and lay on their face all night and pray and bring their children in to the kingdom of God. And today they got baby-sitters and they.... Used to, it was a shame for a woman to smoke a cigarette. Today the whole company of people smoke cigarettes. And it used to be a shame for a woman to paint and use all these things. And today it's just all just one.... You can't tell the Christian from the other. It's all the same.

You know what's the matter? Your waterline's been cut off. That's what's the matter. You're in a desert. And that's the reason you got church fusses all the time. You know the....

You take any kind of a plant and put it on the desert where there's no water, it gets stickers on it. And you take that same plant and put it where there's a lot of water, it gets soft. And why is it? It's because it's dry.

And that's what's the matter with the churches today. They're fussing, “Glory to God, I'm a Baptist! Hallelujah!”

“I'm a Presbyterian. I tell you, we have the best selection of pastors. Yes sir, we don't have to take your old Pentecostal theology.”

“I tell you, I belong to the Assemblies, that's who I am. We're as great as the rest of them.”

“I belong to the United....” “I belong to this, that, or the other.” Oh, see your stickers. Your water supply is gone. That's what's the matter. That's just what's the matter. The water's been cut off. You don't have the things like you used to have years ago. The miracles and things are not in the church. The feeling, the fellowship's not in the church like it used to be. What's the matter? The glory spring that led to your hallelujah garden was cut off.

What did it? Sin. Sin getting in the church and getting in you is what did it, because the weakness of the pulpit get to keep the lines unstopped. That's right. Amen. That's the truth. It might seem awful crude, but it's the truth.

And if you don't stop and call an old-fashioned prayer meeting, and get back to God, what will you be in ten years from now? Somebody better raise up and go to preaching this thing and getting this thing out of the church. It's a cancer, and it's eating to the bone. Get it out. God send evangelists who will stand on the Word and preach the Word when you see that thing going on. And then let it go like that?

Why here the other day I met a bunch of women who was having a prayer meeting—shouting and speaking in tongues—with shorts on, smoking cigarettes. Pentecostal. God have mercy. It's backslidden sinners, is exactly what it is. I'm not judge, but, “By their fruits you shall know them.”

Do you realize it's insanity? Do you realize there's only one time in the Bible that anyone ever stripped their clothes off, and that was a devil-possessed person?

Do you realize that all this stuff that's going on today: these rock-and-roll parties that you all are attending? Up in them places, when they go so frantic and get in such a maneuver, to Presley and them, the young ladies take their underneath clothes off and throw them up on the platform for him to autograph, and call that civilization? When they send dozens of them to the insane asylum afterwards? And our radio programs and everything nearly, you hear, is full of that chaos? It's the devil, that old roaring lion. And they're bringing that same thing, with boogie-woogie and everything into the church.

Way in the Hottentots of Africa, that same mournful sound. When I seen them stand there, and the witch doctors, and they'd go, and them sounds. Heathens with paint over their face, and the young women would dance out there till they'd rig sex parties and everything else. And America and it has reached the top of civilization and swinging backwards and going into heathens again, painting, and rocking-and-rolling, just.... And even calling themselves church members. Amen.

Many a time.... They had one here in Canada not long ago. And I think they sent ten kids in two days after that, to the insane institution. Sure. You better settle down to the old-fashioned Gospel and come back to Christ. Certainly they had. Draw the lines between right and wrong.

Elijah, sitting up there on the hill. And they said he was a crank. They said he didn't know what he was talking about. And here they was down here with nothing to eat, the wheat crops didn't produce, didn't have no water. They didn't have nothing but gnawing of the tongue. And they said that he was a crank. And there he was sitting up there a whole lot better off than many of you people are here in Chicago tonight. That's right.

He was sitting up there, first, in the will of God, sitting by a spring of water with crows bringing him something to eat. He had porters that brought him something to eat. Every time he got hungry, here come a crow with a sandwich and give it to him. He'd eat, sit down and drink, got up, and praise the Lord. Now, if that isn't fine, I never told it. That's living in luxury to me. Wouldn't it be to you? Sure it was, and knowing that he was in the will of God.

Someone said to me one time, said, “Brother Branham, do you actually believe those crows brought him meat and bread?”

I said, “Yes, sir.”

Said, “How do you know they did?”

I said, “The Bible said so. That's all.”

He said, “Well listen, I want to ask you a question then. Where did they get it?”

I said, “I'm going tell you, I don't know.” But I said, “The only thing I know: They brought it, he eat it.” And I said, “Just like the question you asked me a while ago, what makes me shout and carry on the way I do? It's the Holy Ghost. I can't tell you where it comes from, but I know it gets here and I just take it.” That's the only thing I can say, “God sent it and I love it.” Amen.

As long as you're in the will of the Lord, what difference does it make? I don't care where it comes from, as long as the Lord sent it to me, it's good. Amen. I just receive it. I don't care what the world thinks about it. Go ahead and gnaw your tongues, and all your water dried up, and no “hallelujah” in the church, and all condemnation, sitting around picking and painting fingernails while the preacher's bringing his little sissified ten-cent store message; try to pat you on the back and everything then. That's right. Now, that's not Presbyterian, that's Pentecostal. Right. Oh, that's rough, isn't it? But it's the truth. Yes, sir.

What you ought to have is some more John the Baptists. An old message like that: a man filled with the Holy Ghost who walked right up in the face of sin and said, “It's not lawful for you to have her.” That's right. Amen. That's what the Bible says to do. “Spare not. The axe is laid to the root of the tree.” That's right. Cut her down. That's what we need, is a circumcision. Circumcision means “to cut off surplus flesh.” That's what we need in the Pentecostal church tonight, is some surplus flesh and nonsense cut out of it. That's exactly right. Back to the old hewing line.

Elijah sitting up there for three years just having a good time under the anointing of the Lord, every day and every night. Every time a crow would come by, dip right down, give him a sandwich, and he would eat it. Get up and praise the Lord. Get him a drink of water and shout a little while and sit back down again. If that isn't wonderful!

And then they begin to find out. “Wonder what become of that holy-roller? Wonder, why, he might have been right after all.” So then they started on a hunt for him. So they hunted every nation trying to find him. But they couldn't find him. Certainly not.

So, the Lord said, “Ahab ... or, Elijah, I want you to go down and meet Ahab.” So down the mountain he come and walked up. And when Ahab met him, he said, “Oh, here you are. So, this is you, huh? You're the one that troubles Israel.” Oh my! You know what he said? He said, “It isn't me, it's you and your little Jezebel that's done it.” That's exactly right. “You've brought this witchcraft into Israel and done these things that you've done. You're the one that's done this.” And he said....

That's what the people are today. They try to say, “Oh, they make too much noise, and they do this and that. That's the trouble of it.” Listen, it's not the doctor, it's the disease that causes the trouble. That's right. It's the disease, it's the sin that cut off their blessings. That's the sin that's in.... Not because you haven't got good pastors, not because you haven't got fine churches, not because you haven't got this, that or the other. Sure, you have. But it's the sin that's cutting you away from these things that you ought to have. It's sin that's keeping the church from that raptured condition all the time. It's sin. Not the building, not the church, but the sin that's in the church.

So then, he said, “Call them upon Mount Carmel here and we'll find out who's God. Let the God that answers by fire be God. Let's prove and see who's God.”

Oh, I'm so happy to know that we still have the same God; that the God that is God still answers like God, talks like God, walks like God, heals like God, saves like God, and cleans up like God. Amen. Still the same God.

It's proved, God is visiting the people today. God is in His church trying to purge the thing, take out the leaven out of it. He's sending messengers, signs and wonders, and miracles and everything, trying to prove that He loves them and He wants them to clean up. Get rid of this here, all this carrying on, staying home on Wednesday night from prayer meeting to look at this old silly stuff of an old woman from Hollywood that's married four or five different times, and some guy that's run with half the women on the west coast, and “Who Loves Lucys”, and all these things like that. And you Christian people stay home to see that and stay away from the house of God, it shows what kind of a spirit that's in you. Amen.

I've got it at home from the FBI files; any minister can get them that want to. If you only knowed the filth and things of them people that you make your example. Dress like them, act like them, talk like them. Brother, read the Bible. Talk like a Christian, act like a Christian, be like a Christian, live like a Christian is what we need today. Amen.

Now, it ain't paint, and scissors that cuts your hair that bothers you. It's that spirit in you that makes you go get it. That's what it is. Max Factor could make all of it he wanted to and lay it over there, and if you was a Christian, you'd never touch it. I mean, if you was baptized with the Holy Ghost and living where you ought to live. Right. And your pastor preach the truth and let you know about it, you wouldn't even care a bit.

How could you sell old button shoes down on the street today, them high laced up shoes which have got more leather in them than a dozen pair of these little things that you pay twenty-five dollars for. A little strap across the toe and a big old red painted toenail sticking out like that, and the heels flopping around through the rain, and you go down the street like that. That's right. That's right.

But you couldn't sell that old-fashioned shoe, because you don't want it, you done seen Martha, Suzy, Anna out there wear some other kind, see. You want to dress like her. You don't want that dress that hangs loose. You want that, just like you're poured into it, because that you seen Suzy on the television and the radio and in the magazine.

The devil putting all that stuff around. Young kids drinking beer, Ortel's Ninety-Two and Schlitz and this kind of stuff. That's a lie. And nothing but.... That turns young men and women to batty-eyed wretches to drink that stuff. It's the devil. It fills the insane institution. It fills the prostitute houses. It does everything else. It breaks up homes. It causes rape and murder and everything else.

And cigarettes poisons the mind, causes cancer. And the Medical Association even decent enough to place it out, and you continually smoke that devil's weed. I don't know why I'm saying this for, that don't sound like me, but I'm going to say it anyhow as long as it's coming out like that. Right. It's wrong, get away from it. Christians, get filled with God. Yes, sir.

One day, when the final time come for God's Word to be answered, Elijah's prophecy to be fulfilled, the dogs licked the blood of Ahab right in the same place, before they could wash the chariot in the pool at Samaria. When they went down to wash the chariot where he was shot and killed, the dogs licked his blood.

And when Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat: the righteous man with the right daddy behind him, it made a right man and a real king. Jehoshaphat was a man of God. See what he produced, see? And Jehu, when he come riding through there fiercely on this chariot, he cleaned up everything that was called sin. I mean, he cleaned house. We need some more Jehu's today. That's right. Ride fiercely through the ranks and scatter the thing. Call black, black and white, white. That's right. Right, right and wrong, wrong.

And when he come down through there, little Miss Jezebel, she thought, “Well, I'm a vamp anyhow, you know.” Said, “I'm all pretty.” And she goes over there and gets her make-up kit, you know, and she begins to fix her face all up with all that make-up and stuff, you know.

And I seen women do that in a restaurant, and then take a piece of paper, a napkin, and bite on it like that. Put me in the mind of a mad dog trying to bite a stick or something. And on like that, and look back again, and make it around like that.

And then she fixed herself all up, and she fixed her hair all manicured up, just the way it was supposed to be, you know. And she thought she looked all pretty. She come strutting out, you know, with that new type of dress on. She looked out the window, she said, “Did Zimri have rest?”

Jehu was a man of God. That didn't go with him. He was the right kind of a pastor. He was a real evangelist. He said, “Who's for me and God up there?”

And two of her eunuchs had enough gall about them enough, said, “We are.”

Said, “Throw her out the window.” Amen. Say, he got rough, didn't he? And when she hit the street, the blood splashed on the horses and up on the chariot. Said, “Let her lay there,” and drove on over her. He didn't know even what.... He was still in the will of God. For the Word of God will work with the will of God always.

Goes over, and sits down, eats his dinner, said, “Well, that's pretty good clean up today.” Said, “You ought to go get her, 'cause she was a king's daughter.” And when she got there (He forgot that the Word of God must be fulfilled.), what was left? The palms of her hand and her skull. The dogs had eat her up.

If you only know what. That has to be a strange thing, 'cause dogs won't touch human blood. That's right. It was God pushing them to do it. That's right. I know that. I know that for truth. Yes, sir, they won't touch human blood. And so then these dogs had eat her up because God had commanded them to do it. And there she was in that disgrace.

The Word of God prevailed. It'll always prevail, friends. I'm not angry with you. I love you. I want you.... I better keep away from evangelistic services, 'cause maybe I get too rough. I don't mean to be. I love you. But, brother, sister, that's the truth. That's the truth, so help me. And I could say this, it's “thus saith the Lord,” for it's His Word. That's right.

Now, get that old cancered condition away from the church. Get out of it, women. Get out of it, men. Not only women, but men too, and preacher also. You've let down the bar, pastor. There's something wrong with you. You haven't prayed through, or you'd absolutely ... see your congregation getting in that condition, you'd stand and resist the thing if you preached to four walls. That's just exactly. That's the truth. You would do it.

And what we need is a old-fashioned scouring out, cleaning up. And you Pentecostal people don't watch, the Baptist and Presbyterian's going take your blessing and go on to glory with it. Famous Baptist ministers and Presbyterian, and Lutherans, are receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost saying, “We're hungry for it, Brother Branham. We're hungry for it.” And they're going on and on. Some of the outstanding men in the nation hungering for God. Oh, let's clean up. Let's all of us, the Lutheran, the Baptist, the Presbyterian, the Pentecostal.

We're not divided, we're all one big church of the living God. Let's join our hands with one another, our hearts together, look over towards Calvary and march on through the ranks. Let's go on to victory to victory.

Jesus is coming soon, friends. And remember, you people here, try to be that called out group. Remember, the Bible said in the last church age will be that Laodicean church age, lukewarm. And that's just where the Pentecostal church has got to. That's where they're all getting. If you don't watch, God's going to come down and pull a little remnant out here, and here, and here. Make up the bride and be gone, see. So, let's be up now and believe God and have faith in God, and believe that God is here.

And the God that was in Elijah is the same God that's right here tonight. He's the same God that was.... You might not want to receive it, but it's God just the same. He is. And He does miracles, He shows visions, He sends powers, He heals the sick, He has revelations. Just everything, just exactly what God has always done. How can we then, friends, in the light of this Bible, ever sit still and still live the same way?

Here's the only thing you do. Now, when you leave the church tonight, you say, “You know, I kind of believe Brother Branham was right. Yeah, that is truth.” But tomorrow you go right back into the office when you oughtn't to go. If your husband is sick, you need to do it. But if it isn't, listen, sister dear, God made you for one place: the kitchen. When you get out of there, you're out of His will. Remember that. Women was made to be a helpmate at the house. She never was made for office work. And it's caused more disgrace and divorces and things.

And today, even your lovely city is degraded as far as ours is, with women cops on the street. If that ain't a disgrace to Chicago or anything else. When thousands of men walking the street wanting a job. Exactly the truth. And big? Oh my! “Hey, get over there.” You ought to be in the kitchen cooking your husband a pie for supper, or something. Exactly right.

I know that's hard, friends. But that's said not with scorn, it's said with love, that I love you and I want you to understand it in that way. But you can't see sin and sit still. That's all. I don't like it. And I see it in people. And the people here, and the people I preach to, are people who love me; and my living comes from them people. God puts it upon their heart and they give me living.

But would I stand in the judgment bar and God look down to me in the presence of that great light of God and say, “William Branham, you knowed better than that, and you let them headlong plunge into it. I'll require their blood at your hand.” God forbid. No, no, no. I say it, my dear brother, sister, preach it, if God gives breath as long as I live. Then when that day, it'll.... I want Him to say, “It was well done, My good and faithful servant.” That's what I want Him to say. I want Him to say, “Oh, you happy people, now aren't you glad that you circumcised from them things of the world?”

It was like I was preaching the other night on the shorn sheep. You're a sheep, and the reason the Spirit has left the church is because the Spirit only stays on sheep. And you say, “Now, Brother Branham, now you talk about us women and us men doing these things. If I want to take a little drink, Brother Branham, after I come home from work, that's my American privilege.” That's right. “If I want to smoke a good cigar, that's none of your business. That's my privilege.”

That's right. But if you're a sheep, you're willing to give up and be shorn of your own rights, your own privileges. A sheep is willing to lay down, just let them take off of him what come on him, his.... Is that right?

You say, “If I want to wear a dress and a skirt, and I want to do this the way I want to do it, that's my business. That's my American privilege. The American public puts it out, and it's legal. They won't run me off the street with it. And if I want to do it, I'll do it. That's my privilege.”

That's right madam, that's exactly right. But if you're a lamb, you're ready to forfeit your rights to be a lamb of God. That's right. If you are a lamb, you'll forfeit your rights. That's true. So you ought to do that. And if you just go out and don't try, just say, “Well, I'm going to quit it.” Pray till God just makes it so real to you, you'll quit yourself. If you'll just do that.

And now, we're here to help you, not to hurt you, but to be a blessing to you. And I pray that you'll take this little old cut up evangelistic message tonight to your heart and go home and pray over it, and say, “God be merciful to me.” How many believes that it's the truth and say, “I accept it as the truth.” Raise your hand. God bless you. Fine. Let us pray.

Our Dear Heavenly Father, in the light of Thy blessed holy Word, yet with this pouring into my heart, but holding back for this prayer line that's coming up. I pray, God, that You'll help now. And may that which I was going to say press on into their hearts anyhow. Grant it, Lord. And let it be received in the spirit of love, not in rebuke, but in the spirit of love, seeing this great cancer of sin moving in on these blessed children of Yours. And how the pastors sit silent and don't say nothing about it. O God, raise up men that'll stand out. Grant it, Lord.

Send some more Tishbites, Elijah, along, that'll really stand regardless (Grant it, Father), and preach that they can see the light. Oh, yes, Jezebel had the light, plenty of it. She had Mount Carmel light to see that God answered prayer and performed miracles. She knew it, but she wasn't willing to sacrifice and to walk in the light.

And I pray, Father, that You'll bless each one here tonight, and get glory, and heal the sick now. And let it be known that the God of Elijah still lives tonight, that He's still the same God. And I'll ask this in Jesus' name.

And while we have our heads bowed, I wonder tonight.... I want everyone praying. I wonder tonight in the little talk that we just had as a little family talk together, here. My part of the service closing tomorrow night, I wonder if you would say, “Brother Branham, by this....” Not: “Brother Branham,” “Lord God, I'm guilty of these things but I'm ashamed of myself. I have been going to church and calling myself a Christian. I've been taking a little drink, I've been smoking a little, I tell some foul jokes, with the crowd. And I take a drink to be sociable, but I'm ashamed of myself, Brother Branham. Professing to be a servant of Christ. I realize it's the wrong spirit making me do that.”

And the woman say, “I'm ashamed of myself, Brother Branham, I did have my hair all cut off, and I know the Bible says for me not to do that. I know I spend a big part of my time in a beauty shop.” You should look your best, sister. That's right. Be clean and neat and lovely and sweet. I know your husband will appreciate you like that. That you'll look a lot better if you let your hair grow out. Women are supposed to have that. They ain't supposed to look like men. Men's not supposed to have long hair. The Bible says for him not.

You say, “I've used paint and make-up, Brother Branham. I've used the wrong kind of clothes, I know. I've throwed myself before men.”

Listen, I said this, I want to say it again, with your heads bowed. Sister dear, you may be as pure as a lily to your husband, you may be just as pure and undefiled from those things. But did you know at the judgment you may be called on as committing adultery? You know Jesus said, “Whosoever looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”?

Well, what if you dress yourself that way and you go out on the street and a sinner man looks at you and lusts after you, then he's going to have to answer for adultery at the day of judgment. And you're going to be the one that's guilty. And you'll have to answer for adultery in the presence of God. And no adulteress will ever enter heaven. You presented yourself before him to look that way. You see what I mean?

Bless your heart, I don't want you to be all disappointed at judgment. I want you to go. You might be pure and clean as you can be. You may be just the loveliest type of a woman, but if you dress yourself like that and men lust for you, and you've presented yourself to man like that, and they do, you'll answer at the day of judgment as an adulterer. That's exactly right. The Bible said so. See, this Word's deep.

For years I've passed through this country of America, my homeland. I told you all a few years ago, I've went through this land praying for the sick, with signs and wonders. I said, “One of these days I'm coming back. I'm coming with the Gospel truth.” That's right. If I can win the love of the people then I want to tell them what's truth. That's what I'm doing.

Are you guilty? No one raising their head now. Everybody in prayer. Would you raise your hand to Christ and say, “By Your help, God, cleanse my heart tonight, and let me be a different person.” Both man or woman, would you just raise your hands to Christ right now? God bless you. That's fine. Everywhere. “By Your help, Christ, from this night on, I want to pray till You give me a different Spirit that'll make me look different and act different. I don't want to act like the world.”

Be separate from the world, come out from among the unclean, the uncircumcised. Touch not their unclean things, their old sexy clothes, and their smoking, and their drinking, and their gambling, and their dirty jokes. Don't associate yourself with it. God.... You think that gentle dove of God could ever stay in a place like that where all them old dirty things are going on? No friend, no, no. It will depart in a minute. So if you've got that in you, get rid of it tonight, will you? Now, there's been at least thirty, forty hands up. Now, I want to pray for you.

Now, dear God, if I should go home to glory tonight, as I trust that I will someday, I hope that You keep me here a long time till You're finished with me, believing that You will. But I feel that I have told the truth in the light of the Gospel. And I pray, God, that it received right now. And these hands that went up, they were convinced that they've been wrong, they're sincere, Lord. We don't want them to feel hurt; we want them to feel blessed.

And we want them now, if it be Your Divine will, which I know it is, to put a new Spirit in them. They don't want to act like that. Men don't want to drink and carry on like that and tell those smutty jokes. And women don't want to paint their faces and act like heathens, and be marked by a trait of heathenism. God, we pray that You'll help them tonight. And bless them all.

And now that the.... And save all the sinners, Lord. Call the backsliders back to the place again of the blessings of God. Take out all the old clogs and the stuff that's clogging up the line from the irrigation that runs into the Garden of Hallelujah, where the flowers eternal grow and the blessed perfume of God's holy presence is with them all the day. God grant. The water supply is cut off because sin has done it. God, remove all sin tonight and water that garden again with Your blessings and Your blood, Lord, that the sin will be taken away.

And now, Lord, that the people would know that You're still the Lord Jesus and that I be Your servant, I pray now, after this hard, crude talking, I pray that You'll anoint me just now, Lord, with the Holy Spirit that'll speak things and heal the sick to let the people know that You love them and it's Your message and You want them to be well and prosper and do good things. Grant it, Father. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Oh, how I love Jesus,

Oh, how I love Jesus,

Oh, how I love Jesus,

Because He first loved me.

I'll never forsake Him,

I'll never forsake Him,

I'll never forsake Him,

Because He first loved me.

You mean it? Does the Word make you feel like you're scoured out? It does to me. Just hearing the Word just cleanses me out, just makes me a new person. Does it you that way?

Billy? Did you give out prayer cards? N's, 1 to 100. All right. N's, 1 to 100. Let's call some of them then.

[Blank spot on tape.]

“Don't you tell it, don't you tell it.”

I said, “There's your trouble.”

“I've confessed that to God.”

I said, “It wasn't God you sinned against, it was your husband. Go make it right with him.” And when finally she did it, she got healed. Then she come back, I said, “Now, Satan will have to leave,” see. 'Cause as long as there's sin in your life, Satan can hold a stick over you. That's exactly right. Whether it's something that you've done, or something you ought to have done, be just the same, see.

So let's see, how many did I call down there? I don't think I got very many. Where was I calling from, from 1 to what? Oh, from 7 to 15. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Get so.... We'll pray for these here while we're.... Now, the rest of us bow our heads.

Heavenly Father, now we pray that Your holy hands will be laid upon these handkerchiefs and parcels here, and may they be healed everyone that they represent. Grant it, Lord. May when they get there to that poor old mother laying in the hospital, that her baby, maybe with convulsions or whatever it may be, Thou knowest, Lord. And I pray that the evil spirits will go from them. Grant it. And they be made well, through Jesus' name. Amen.

All right, are you still ... all of them lined up? Is that.... All right, then we'll start the prayer line, if they're not lined up. Now, I want everyone to please, for the next few moments if you can (This is going to be a change over.) to stand like that and then start praying for the sick. I will, if you'll just keep your seats just for a few moments and just believe.

And then if you are sick and you have need of God, if you'll just look this way and pray and say in your heart, say this, say, “Lord God, I'm in need of You. Maybe I'm just a little skeptic. Brother Branham doesn't know me, I'm sure. You just have him to turn around and say to me what this is that's causing me to be this way, or something that's ... something that I know that's the truth. And all doubts will fade from me and I'll never disbelieve no more.”

Now that's quite a thing to say. But, brother and sister, in Christ's name, you do that and see if He doesn't call you, see. Now, sometimes it's such a conglomeration I can't get it all. But I've explained that, what that is.

Now here's a lady here, I suppose that she is a stranger to me. Are you, lady? We do not know each other, and never met, I guess, in life. Ma'am? [A sister speaks.] You saw me one time. Whereabouts? In Vandalia, Illinois, you saw me. All right. But of course, that's been about ten years ago, when I first got started. And you just among that big crowd there in that tent. Oh my! That was quite a crowd, wasn't it?

Was you there the night that blind boy that had no eyes got healed? He come over and picked up my tie and said, “What color is that?” Right along towards the last of the meetings. And it's been about ten years ago. There was a shoe cobbler there also, in Vandalia, I believe had blind eyes that got healed in the meeting.

One night the Lord broke through and just flooded the place, and they picked up cots and stretchers, and the papers packed it. Chicago paper called me “Brother Henry Branham.” I never will forget that. The Tribune here in Chicago had two or three pages of it in the meeting. Been a long time since then. Lot of water's went down the river. But God still remains the same.

Now, this lady is.... She doesn't know me. She said she's seen me in a meeting one time, but ten years ago. Then if there's anything you're here for, I don't know it, you know that. I have no way of knowing that. Only God'll have to reveal it. Is that right?

Well now, if Jesus, talking to the woman at the well, stood and talked like we're talking now, and then finally found where her trouble was and told her, she believed that it was the Messiah. She believed. She said, “We Samaritans know that the Messiah will do this when he comes.” But she couldn't understand who He was, and He told her that He was the Messiah. That marvelous? How wonderful. Well, He's still Messiah tonight.

Now, to the audience, Moses, when He went down and turned his hand to leprosy and healed it, and showed the people that God had sent him, that settled it with all Israel. They just went on, followed him. Is that right?

But if God tonight.... If you desire to question the woman, okay. God tonight knows that this woman, I know nothing of her, never have seen her in my life to know of. 'Course, me standing up before the people she could see me, but I know her not. Here she is. She's probably one of your friends here and you know all about it. But now if God can tell to me what the woman is here for or what her trouble is.... It might be domestic trouble, it might be sickness, it might be for somebody else. I don't know. I can't tell you. But if He will reveal that, we'll have to know that it's some kind of a spiritual, unseen power doing it. Is that right?

Well now, the Bible said that when Jesus was here on earth, that's the very thing He did, and didn't do nothing till first the Father showed Him. Is that the Scripture? And He said, “These things that I do, shall you also. I will be with you to the end of the world.”

Now, if He can reproduce His life in our bodies tonight by cleansing us with His own blood, which we're unworthy, but make us worthy through His blood, then it ought to satisfy everyone that Jesus Christ is raised from the dead and He's right here with you. Is that right? Now, may He grant it. He might not. I couldn't tell you. He may. But may He grant it.

I want to talk to you. Been preaching and waiting; of course, I'm waiting on a changing, for the Holy Spirit, for the anointing of the Holy Spirit for the healing service. But now just to speak with you for a moment. And if God reveals this now, you're going to accept it, whatever it is, you're going to accept it?

Now, to the audience. I'm just looking at a young woman standing here. A lot younger than I, and she's looking at me and looks to me like a Christian to look at her. And I couldn't say, only just ... I look at her and think she looks like a Christian. But God knows all things, right.

But now if God can ... or, will (don't say “He can”) if He will reveal to me what's your trouble, then that settles the whole question. It's all over. That's right. Isn't that wonderful to know that the God of Elijah still lives? See, He does. That's right.

You are a Christian all right, because that real welcoming begins to come since the Angel of the Lord, and you're conscious that something's going on now. Now, just as a Christian, a Christian sister and a Christian brother.... Now, just since just a second ago something taken place, wasn't there? You could feel something.

If that's right, raise up your hand. That's right, see. 'Cause right between me and you now the anointing begins to start, and there's a light standing between me and you. Did you ever see the picture of it? You never seen it. I think they have it here. It's right between you and I now.

Your trouble is in your leg. That's true, isn't it? And it's in the bone, and it's a tumor, and it's malignant. You're in a serious condition and a black shadow hangs near you, which is death. That's true. You are from Illinois, but not Vandalia. Place like a hill, over hills, something like that, Illinois. [Sister says, “Power Hill.”] That's right. Your name is Warr. Lydia M. Warr. Is that right? [That's right.] You believe me now to be His servant? [I sure do.] Then come here.

Our Heavenly Father, in the Bible when Thou was here on earth, You walked among men and yielded Yourself to the Father of heaven. And He was in You and showed You things to do and to speak. And You said You didn't do nothing unless He showed You first. And then as the Father sent You, You said You would send us and go with us and be with us. And the things that You done would be continued—Your ministry—by Your church until You come again.

And we're looking for You to come the second time in glory. And tonight the very evidence, the initial evidence of the living God is here on the platform tonight among the people in Chicago. And the signs that He said would be done to the end of the world is now being done. And this devil that's been on our sister to take her life, may he be cursed in Christ's name, and come from the woman and may she live. Amen.

God bless you, lady. Now go happy, and rejoicing. Amen.

Do you now believe? Now, look, I've been preaching for about two hours. All right, that one vision, and look at the beads of sweat, see. It just weakens you. Something goes from you. The thing left the lady, see. The woman touched His garment and said, “Something went from me.” Not to be....

All right, bring the man. Now, please be reverent if you will. Remember, evil spirits come out of one and go into others. How many know that to be true? So, be reverent.

Sir, God must help you, 'cause you're aware it's cancer and your condition, in the bowels there. And when you sit down you have to use a cushion to sit on. But only God can help you. Do you believe if I ask Him that He will help you, and all this host of people here tonight, Christian believer? You believe it. Will you praise Him and give Him all the glory? You love Him with all your heart and will serve Him, will you do it? You will. May the Lord grant your blessing.

Heavenly Father, as looking into the face of this man, knowing that he sits tonight like the lepers who sat at the gate of Samaria, when the Syrians had it besieged. They was lepers, they said, “Why do we sit here till we die? If we sit here, we're sure to die. If we go in the city, there's nothing can be done for us.” And they took a chance by going to the host of the enemy. And You rewarded their faith and saved their lives.

God, this man, the doctor can do no more, and there's nothing left for him to do but to come to You. And You're not a enemy, You're a loving Father who's expecting him tonight, to come. And now he's come and I lay hands upon him as Your servant, and ask that in Jesus Christ's name that You'll heal the man and let him live. And maybe in the return to Chicago sometime he'll come and give praise and glory to You for his healing. Amen.

God bless you, brother. Now, go, don't doubt nothing. Just go on like it was nothing ever happened to you.

Now, just be reverent, just reverent as you can be. Have faith in God. Only the Lord Jesus can make the sick well. “I'm the Lord who heals all of thy diseases.” Is that true? The Bible says that it is the truth. And we know if the Bible says so, it is true.

Now, here's a lady sitting ... standing here, rather, before me. A stranger to me. That is true, isn't it, lady? I don't know you. But Jesus does know you. Now, if I had some way of helping you, and I wouldn't do it, wouldn't I be a terrible man? Well, at the judgment bar what would God say to me? If He say, “I told you to go help that woman, and you didn't do it,” I'd have to answer for it. But I have no way of helping you, only that something might raise your faith in God. Is that right? And your healing has already been completed when Jesus died for you. You just got to have faith to receive it. Isn't that right?

Now, if God will reveal to me what you're here for, will you accept it and believe it? You will. Will the audience will do the same? All right, sister, just look this way, just a moment. I just want to talk to you.

The first thing I see blood dripping before me. It's got sugar in it, which is diabetes. You got sugar diabetes. That's right. Insulin's a wonderful thing, but the blood of Jesus is better. Isn't that right?

Say, I see you're upset about something too, something in your heart that you're praying about. It's your husband. And say, he's a patient in a hospital. That's right. State Hospital. And you're wanting.... You're praying about.... It's his soul. That's right. It's his soul that you don't believe is saved, and you want prayer for him. I'm not reading your mind, but that's true, isn't it? Now, there's not a shadow of doubt in your mind, is there?

O Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus, the Son of God, I pray that You'll grant this and give her her deliverance and her husband, in Christ's name. Amen.

Looking down at the hospital at the chart, Miss Hill, you can go ahead then. Amen. That struggled you, didn't it? I seen the chart with the name, that's the reason I said that, you see.

All right, would you come? Have faith in God. Don't doubt, but believe. Do you believe the Lord Jesus lives and reigns? Do you believe that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever?

Are you a minister's wife? It's not on your ticket, but I thought I seen some platform and someone preaching or something. It was your husband, 'cause I don't think you as the lady that you would let someone else put their arm around you as he did, that's right, 'cause you're a real lady. I admire you. You believe the Lord Jesus can heal you, can make you well?

You got someone else you want prayed for too, haven't you? Child. It's got sinus trouble hasn't it, hay fever like. That's true, a little girl. I'd say about ten, or twelve years old. That is right, isn't it? It's your daughter. You're not from Illinois; you're from a state that's kind of plane, long plane, from a place called Parker, Kansas, is where you come from. That's right. Do you believe me as His prophet? And you put the handkerchief that you wiped the tears from your eyes on your child, everything will be all right. Amen.

Heavenly Father, I bless this woman in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you heal her and make her well, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

Now, Mrs. Maulk, you go home to Kansas and be well.

Oh, Jesus Christ is raised from the dead, He's real and He's wonderful. How do you do, sister? I want to ask you something. You were sitting right down here just a few moments ago. That's right. You were looking up here at me and all of a sudden while I was speaking, just seemed you was just all thrilled about something all at once, wasn't it? I could tell you, it was the vision over you then.

That little cyst won't hurt you, you know that, don't you? You know that won't hurt you. And your worries that you got on your heart, it won't hurt you, but you must remember that God heals. Do you believe your dad will be all right? You do? God can heal that cancer if you believe it, if you'll believe it. Do you believe it? Say, your mother's had some trouble too. She had a stroke recently, isn't that right? Now, do you believe that you're standing in His presence? Do you accept everything that Jesus died for could be yours tonight? Would you come here?

Heavenly Father, I bless this dear woman as she stands here in need, and I pray that in Christ's name that You'll heal her and heal the loved ones that she asks for. In Jesus Christ's name. Amen. Now, you take those and lay them on both. Amen. God bless you.

Let's say, “Praise the Lord.”

Oh, stomach trouble's awful bad and cause.... You know. But God's a healer of it, you believe that? You want to go eat? Would you think that God will make you well? You do? All right, just keep going on by praising God, and going doing the will of the Lord. Amen.

Back trouble too, sister, but God can make that well, don't you believe that? Sure. Just keep going by then. I believe He's done it. Amen.

I want to ask you something: When I said stomach trouble to that lady, a real funny feeling swept over you. Now, you go eat too; that ulcer left you. Amen.

Glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. All praise, all powers in heavens and earth is given to His hand. What do you think about it in the audience? God is real, isn't He? Don't you believe that He can heal? Don't you believe He can make well? He can do anything that He so desires to do. Don't you believe that? Amen. Oh, I just love Him. There's something in my heart just bubbling over. How I love the Lord Jesus.

I want to ask you, if you'll believe with all your heart, right now, and you'll see the glory of God. How many out there now that raised your hand awhile ago, without your cards ... I want you to go to praying. I want you to pray that God will just send down the Holy Ghost and....

What if I didn't say nothing to you and just prayed for you and told you you was going to get well, would you believe it? Then just go right ahead and the Lord bless you.

What about that throat? You believe that God will heal it? You want to sing for the glory of God. You used to be a singer, didn't you? And you want to sing for the glory of God. All right, you're going to. All right. Just have faith in God.

That young man sitting next to you there, he just thrilled all over when I said that. He's got something wrong with his face. That's right, isn't it, young fellow? And you believe that Jesus Christ make you well? And that gland trouble too. God can make that well. You believe it? The reason I said that, is so you'd understand it's something else and see that you'd get well. Amen. All right. You believe that God will do it? Amen.

What do you think about it? You nodded your head, the little colored lady sitting there, sitting here in the front row looking at me. Looked up this way and nodded, “That's right,” she said, “uh-huh.” Got something wrong with your head, haven't you? That's right.

You believe me to be God's prophet ... His servant, I mean to say? That stumbles people when you say “prophet,” see. You believe it? There's something else that I can't see just exactly. There's something on, but I can't tell just what it is. I see two people. It's someone else, it's another lady. Yes, you're praying for another lady. It's your friend, she has a cancer, doesn't she? That's right. Amen. Hallelujah! Blessed be the name of the Lord. He's from everlasting to everlasting. He is God.

Little lady that's sitting in front of that man that's praying so hard there. Kind of heavyset, got swollen glands, sitting right back there. Yes, ma'am. You're praying awful hard to be healed, aren't you? I want the man right behind you to lay his hand over on you if he will. Will you do that for me, brother? All right.

Heavenly Father, bless that woman. She's trying to break through; and seeing that mist of that light hanging over her, I pray that You'll grant her healing, through Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

You was healed while you was standing here, honey, so just move on, give God praise and glory. Amen.

Let's say “Thank the Lord.” Oh, He's wonderful.

What do you think, lady, sitting right back there? You got stomach trouble, haven't you? Got a little girl's got stomach trouble too. Oh, that surprised you, didn't it? But you got healed then. Amen. You're nervous sort of a family. That's a peptic condition of the stomach that causes that. The little girl inherited it from you from your nervousness. That's right. Food sours and belches and so forth. That is right. That's “thus saith the Lord.”

There sits a lady next to you; she has dizzy spells, kind of. And she.... Isn't that right, lady? Raise up your hand. That's right. You want to be healed? Well, the lady was sitting there that just was healed of stomach trouble, lay your hand over on her, sister.

Father, in Christ's name I pray that You'd confirm this, and by Jesus Christ's name through the power of the risen Christ I cast away them spirits from them people. In Jesus' name. Amen.

He's wonderful. Do you need more evidence that He is risen from the dead? Do you believe He's here right now? What more would you want? To disbelieve would be sin. What is sin? Unbelief. Is that right? I want to do something right now, while I got strength left to do it. I'm going to trust this to you. I'm going to trust that you'll confess every sin that you know of, right now. Confess it to God, that it's wrong. And I'm going to try with all my heart, with all my strength, with all that is within me.

If I've found favor with You, God, please hear my prayer tonight, I pray sincerely. These people, Lord, I truly believe are sincere in their heart. They've been tossed about from pillar to post and taught this, that and all kinds of churches and creeds, till, Father, I feel sorry for them, and they're trying to be well. I pray Thee, Lord Jesus, hear tonight, will You please, and answer prayer.

And, Father, I pray that You'll let the Spirit of God go forth now and do the exceeding abundantly. Hear from heaven, God. The people's hearts has been pulled through everything. What makes it so gross and dark that they can't just realize and raise up at this time, and know that You're here in the room. Not I, Lord; You are here. It's You that's doing this. And I pray that You'll give blessings to each one. In Christ's name.

Now, put your hands over on each other. Every person that's sick, raise your hand. Now, someone lay your hand on somebody that's sick. And you come here to me, sir. Now, put your hands over on someone. Oh, love of God, how rich and pure! How fathomless and strong! It shall forevermore endure, the saints and angels song.

My beloved friends, while you're in prayer, while your heads are bowed, while you're praying one for the other, have I found grace in your sight enough that you could believe me to be the servant of the Lord? Has the Lord confirmed His Word back that I am with you one hundred percent to help you in the kingdom of God? Has God revealed that after all these seven or eight years that I've went back and forth through Chicago? If that be so, then hear me as God's servant.

The Bible said, “Lay hands on each other ... that they shall lay their hands on one another, and the prayer of faith shall save the sick.”

I believe in you, I believe you to be sincere, and God's children. And I believe with all my heart that God has called me to this work. And I believe if I'll ask with all sincerity, and you'll believe with all sincerity, in this one great union of prayer, as our hands and hearts are joined together in the fellowship of the resurrected Christ, who's here in the building right now, without any doubt at all, infallible signs showing that He's here....

Can you realize how gross our hearts are to sit in a meeting like this and hold our peace? Can you imagine how far away we have drifted, and how little we have called the things of God, to sit in a meeting like this and see these things go on, and say nothing about it, and just sit there like we were ... just has growed there. Do you realize how far away from God we are by these things?

Now, let us open our hearts right now. Let's come open with our hearts, from place to place, and say, “Lord Jesus, beyond one shadow of doubt, I'm accepting You right now.”

Now, Satan, I rebuke you, and in the name of Jesus Christ, come out of the people. You are just an old doubter, and you're causing the people to doubt, but you've lost your hold; and the Holy Ghost is present right now to heal the sick, the power of God is here. And, Satan, we cast you away from this people. In Jesus Christ's name, come out from the people.

Now, stand and give Him praise everybody, as I turn the service to Bro....