The Expectations

Let us remain standing just a moment, if you will, while we bow our heads for prayer.

Eternal and blessed God, we are thankful to Thee for what our eyes have seen and our ears have heard. And we could join in with the poet who wrote the song to that.... And we are so glad to know that the Christian religion is not just a book of rules, but it is an experience of a living, ever-present God.

We leave these children in Your hands, Lord. And we pray that they will grow in grace, and their churches from which they are from will be blessed; and may there be revival in the land. And those who have so gallantly stood and accepted Thee as their personal Saviour, we would ask that You would grant, Lord, Your rich blessings upon them. And to those who have accepted Thee as their healer, may You bless them, and may their testimony—when the doctor has given them release—may it be wonderful. And may it cause the doctors to pray for their patients and to realize that, God, You're the only One that can heal us. And we would ask You to continue with us tonight that Thy mercies may be upon us.

And we realize that we are fighting a strong enemy. And our warfares are not carnal, but is strong, bringing down the strongholds of the enemy.

And help us to unite our hearts together tonight, as we look to Thee now to fellowship with Thee around Thy written Word. And then, Lord, may sinners find their place at the altar of God in their heart, and repent, and become Your children. And then may the sick be healed, and may there be glory in the city because of Thy visit with us. We ask it in the name of Thy Son, Jesus. Amen. You may be seated.

I say this with sincerity from my heart: I am sorry tonight that I ... this is the closing night of our little meeting. I'm just getting acquainted with you, just to feel like that you are part of us—which you are in the beginning. But then that's the way it seems to be when I'm here in the homelands, and abroad too. It's just, “How do you do. I'm glad to meet you. The Lord bless you. See you again.” But there's one great thing that I have in mind as I travel, in meeting these wonderful children of God, that someday we will meet where we will never no more part. There will not be sections in heaven for some of God's children to live in one place and some another. I believe His children will all rally together. I'm looking forward for that time.

We do not know just what it is, but we are taught in the Scriptures that eye has not seen, nor ear has not heard, nor has it entered into the hearts of men, what God has for them in store that love Him. So above all things to you, love the Lord Jesus and do honor to God the Father. And believe His servants, the ministers, your pastors. And teach the Word, and be instant in season and out of season. And pray for God to save the lost and to heal the sick.

Remember, divine healing doesn't come just when an evangelist comes. God is in your churches. He's in your people. He's in you. He will heal you when you believe Him. You don't have to wait for a certain evangelist to come. God doesn't have to have the evangelists, though He uses them. But that's just to stir, the gifts are to stir. The healer is always there—God.

Tonight is the closing service, and I might announce that my good friend here, Brother Leo Mercer (which come from a Catholic, French Canadian Catholic home), he and Mr. Goad.... I don't know just what Mr. Goad's formal religion was. And when the meeting was in a certain city, they were there. And they felt like that these visions ... wonder if they happened at my house. So they formed themselves a little “FBI agent” and come down to find out whether it was true or not. You should hear the testimony. They have become friends of mine.

This here is just minor. They are with me now as my official tape boys for books and tapes. The tapes of the meeting, if you have recorders and you appreciate the messages that God has given us, they have them on tape. And I believe they could sell you the tape with the message on it cheaper than you can buy the tape, for they have a special way....

I bought a tape from a certain evangelist just recently and paid nine dollars for it. They sell theirs for not over three and a half or three dollars. (What?) Three dollars, one-third the price. I don't know how they do it, but they said they would go just merely to get the message to the people. It's not that the boys want money. It's in order to get the message scattered out somewhere else. “Faith cometh by hearing.”

So they're at the bookstand, and the books, and the picture. The picture really isn't of me. It's ... you don't buy that for me, because that even changes my expressions and all. Someone said, “Brother Branham, that don't even look like you.” Let it be that close to you and see what expression and difference it makes you. Certainly.

Now, if you notice, this is not just a picture that we want to just save to make money on. We buy this picture and sell it same way we get it; about three or four cents on a picture for handling is all we get. It's a copyrighted affair and is in Washington, DC, as the only supernatural being was ever proven to be photographed. Now the ... George J. Lacy, of the FBI, fingerprint and document, examined the case. And he said to me, “Mr. Branham, I've heard of your meetings, and I've been to one or two. And I said it was psychology, that that light wasn't there. But,” he said, “Mr. Branham, that mechanical eye of the camera won't take psychology. The light struck the lens.” He signed the document and turned it over to the Douglas Studios, a member of the American Photographers Association at Houston, Texas.

Now, I say this with humbleness and with reverence to Him Who is present, that is the light that I have seen. That was the light was over my cradle when I was born. That's the light that's ... from there has come a voice and talked to me down through my life, that's told things by the hundreds of things. And search out anyone you wish to, from Africa around the world, in my own city, doctors, attorneys, or whatever you wish, and see if ever one time it failed to be just exactly what He said it was. That's what speaks here at the platform, not your brother.

Now, I believe with all my heart.... How many knows that there was a pillar of fire that followed the children of Israel, that guided them in the wilderness? And how many knows that that was Jesus Christ, the Christ, the Angel of the covenant, you teachers? And when He was here on earth, He was—that was the same God.

There's no three Gods. There's only one God, three offices of the same God. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit don't mean three Gods. If we've got three Gods, we're heathens. See? Like the Jew says, “Which one of them is your God?” There's no three Gods. There's one God in three offices of the same God: the Fatherhood, and the Sonship, this is the Holy Spirit dispensation. See? It's one God. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself,” says the Scripture.

And when He was here on earth they said, “You say you saw Abraham, and You're not yet fifty years old?”

He said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” “I AM” was the One, the pillar of fire, that spoke to Moses in the burning bush. We're all aware of that.

He said, “I come from God and I go back to God.” Does any of you teachers know that of the Scripture, Jesus said that?

And then if He come from a pillar of fire, what did He return back to? Same thing He come from.

You say, “Brother Branham, is that authentic?” Yes. Acts, about the 8th or 9th chapter, you'll find where Paul, after Jesus' resurrection, he was on his road to Damascus to put the people in jail for making too much noise and for causing disturbance. And he ... they were against their orthodox teaching; and he was a great teacher who sat under Gamaliel, the great orthodox teacher.

And on his road down, there was a light that struck him and put him on the ground, blind. All teachers know that. All peoples know that, that reads the Bible. He was blinded, and he ... when he raised up he said ... there was a voice came and said, “Saul [That's found in Acts the 8th chapter.], Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.”

And he said, “Who are You, Lord, that I persecute?”

The voice came back and said, “I'm Jesus, that you persecute.”

Then we see in the Scriptures that God, after dwelling in Christ, had returned back again, by the name of Jesus, in the same light that He was in the beginning.

When the ... Saint Peter, the apostle, was in the prison—and at Saint Mark's house they were praying for God to deliver him—we hear by the Scriptures that there was a light came into the prison where the apostle was. And as the light led him, the doors came open before him—inner and outer doors, out into the street. And he thought he had dreamed a dream, because the light was so real that opened the doors before him.

If God dwells in immortality, then He cannot die, He is immortal. And it's He who we worship tonight. It was He who made the promise, “The works that I do shall you do also.” He promised His church that He would work in His church, among His members (His mystic body, spiritually speaking), until He came again, that the same things that He did would be confirmed in His church by the believers.

The last words that our Lord said as He left the earth: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow those that believe.” We could not add to that or take from that. We must believe that which God has said.

The picture, you may obtain. And the tapes are at the bookstand, and the books.

It's been a pleasure to be with you these few nights. I do appreciate, if there happens to be the reporters here, of all of their goodness and kindness to try to further the cause. They have been gentlemen who has come and give an honest eye report of the meeting. And I do appreciate that. And I'm sure that the people appreciates it.

Sometimes people are critical. It's because they don't know. If they don't know any better, then we feel sorry for those people, that they do not know any better. And it would be a horrible thing to think, friend.... What if you were one of those people who were critical of Christ and did not believe? If you would've followed the meeting and noticed what would happen—of the people that's gone insane, died with cancer, set paralyzed, after the meetings were over. That is not just my word; that's authentic, on record, signed statements and documents.

I've seen people in the meeting be paralyzed and have to be packed from the meeting, who come in laughing, cutting up. I've seen people who lost their mind, and two days later found on the streets, officials of the city at Phoenix, Arizona, entirely insane. Died the same way, calling for mercy and asking for someone to come pray for them. We do not play church. That day is over. We live in the church of the living God. So let us be reverent and have respects for God who we worship.

And now, I want to thank the people who let us have the auditorium. We're grateful for that privilege. And may the Lord bless you. And for the policemen who's been here each night and has been very reverent and nice, I appreciate (and I'm sure a city ought to appreciate) officers of that type, and officials.

And the radio program and television, you've been so nice. And I'm sure this little city will be blessed for its efforts. Though many of you may disagree with me in theology.... There's many Catholic, many different denominations. I speak evil of no denomination. I am just trying to help people to know Christ and to help them that's sick. I do not come for money. I come for nothing but to help you. And I've tried my best, and I'm thankful for your prayers that you prayed for me. God ever bless you. I hope someday that it's the will of God that I can see you again back here, where I can stay longer, and meet your ministers and the clergy and so forth.

I want to also thank these ministers for bringing us in, giving us this opportunity. And as I said to a reporter this afternoon for the telecast tonight, we're just all trying to do all we can to help each other.

You know, you can often hear.... In the early days, in the Bible days, when a miracle was done, there was nothing said about it but just, “Thank the Lord, it is over.” Today it must be scientifically proven. I wonder if there isn't something wrong today in that manner.

I'm thinking of, like in professions, like the medical doctor. If you'll notice, the medical doctor many times will disagree with the surgeon: “You shouldn't have operation. You need medicine.”

And the surgeon will say, “You need surgery and not medicine.” And they'll most ... both will disagree with chiropractic or osteopathic, and many times all of them disagree with the minister.

When you find things like that, friend, to my opinion—just like in church people—it's a selfish motive. If we were interested in each other—the doctor, the chiropractic, the osteopathic, which we know they all do good—let us put our shoulders and arms together and press on, to try to make life a little better for the people we're sojourning with. If there's not selfish motive, that's the attitude I'm sure we would take.

Now I shall read some scripture from God's eternal Word. And then just shortly, we will minister to the sick, the Lord being willing.

Now, tomorrow night we're to begin at.... What's the name? Pittsfield, Massachusetts. From there on till Boston, I believe. Everett, and then on into Maine, back to the ... Texas again, and across the sea.

Now, I wish to read tonight from Saint Luke, the 2nd chapter, 25th verse.

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; the same ... was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parent brought ... the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God and said,

Lord, now lettest ... thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

For my eyes have seen thy salvation,

May He add His blessings to the reading of His Word.

In all ages, God has never been without a witness somewhere, in all times. Sometimes it's gotten down till it would be, maybe, one witness, like in the days of Elijah or in the days of Noah. But He's always had a witness somewhere, someone out of all the millions of people that He could say, “This is My servant,” and He could use that such a person.

And during the time of this reading of the Scripture the Jewish orthodox church, Israel, was in captivity in Rome, because they had failed to believe their prophets that had warned them that their sins would finally bring them to destruction. And they ignored their prophets. They wanted their own way. They just wanted to live as they pleased to live and believe just what they wanted to believe, and the prophets warned them on such a condition that they must receive punishment.

Now, God does not change. God cannot grow in wisdom. The first words that He says must be the last words also. You and I, and in our human race, each generation gets just a little wiser than the previous generation, because it's taught in the Word of God that we should be weaker and wiser. Men do not live as long as they once lived in their span of life.

First it was 120 years. Then three score and ten, seventy, was allotted time. We in the ... our generation has come down quite a bit to that. The average life is somewhere—thirty-five or forty years old, according to the insurance. I think that that's about right.

And in this lifetime, if we have a chance to choose right and wrong, it's back to the same thing like it was in Eden: a man and a woman given a choice to do right or do wrong. They had two trees before them, we are taught in the Scripture. One of them was the tree of life, the other was a tree of knowledge. Man chose to eat off the tree of knowledge. And the first time he ate from that tree, he severed his friendship with God, and he was made a mortal being.

Since then, man has desired to live from that tree of knowledge. And he's done great things, but knowledge only can reach so far. Knowledge is all right, but when you've reached the end of your knowledge, then believe from there on.

And when they left the tree of faith, they lost God. Man does not know God by knowledge. Man knows God by faith, is the only way that man can meet God is on the grounds of faith. “If thou believest,” said our Lord Jesus. Not if you say a decree or you're baptized such-and-such a way, but “If thou dost believe.”

There's only one sin, and that's the sin of unbelief. Each person in here tonight is possessed either with faith or unbelief. Your life proves what you are, by the life you live and the things you do.

You could not expect a dove to eat lunch with a scavenger. A scavenger is the one who eats the old carrion of the earth. They are satisfied with anything. But the dove has no gall; it cannot digest those things in which the scavenger, the vulture, would eat. Therefore, you can watch a man or a woman's life, and see what they do and the way they act and the desires they have, and tell what the nature of the person is. A Christian cannot intolerate the things of the world. Jesus said, “If a man loves the world or the things that's in the world, the love of God is not even in him.” And that's solemnly said by our Lord. And we must believe it.

So if God had to bring punishment upon Sodom and Gomorrah for their sins; had to take his chosen people, Israel, and punish them for years in captivity under cruel task masters because they would not believe the Word of the Lord coming by inspiration through their writers and prophets, and continued to live on like the rest of the world; if God made them pay for their sin, we will not escape it. We must pay for our sins, our unbelief.

Unbelief is a miserable thing. It's terrible. It's death! Shadows of death is unbelief.

And then Israel, in that time, had many men of distinction. And Simeon was one of these men. He was a man who was well thought of among the people. He was a teacher and a master in Israel. And God chose to use this certain man. And one day while he was in prayer, the Holy Spirit came to him and said, “Simeon, you shall not see death until you see the Christ.”

Could you imagine the attitude of the people when this man of eighty some years, an old sage teacher, priest of Israel, who came forth saying, “I have saw a vision. And the Holy Spirit has said to me I shall not see death before I see the Christ.”

If there ever was a time that they did not look for the Christ, it was in that day. They had looked for the Christ since the day of Eden, since the promise was given, “The woman's seed shall bruise the serpent's head.”

David, Samuel, all of the prophets, had looked and prophesied and waited for the Messiah. And here a man eighty years old, right at the time of the least expectancy, had made that statement that “I have seen the Angel of the Lord. And He said to me that I'll not die until I see the Christ.”

Oh, I can imagine his fellow priests said, “The old man has gone off at the deep end, or perhaps he has lost his mind”; and would say to the rest of the priests, “Do not hear this certain fellow, because He is mad. Just let him alone, so he will declare himself to all men that he's mad. We know that angels do not appear to people in these days. We know that those things do not happen. They haven't for years, since the days of the prophets and of Moses.”

But the old priest knew what he was speaking about. It was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, and he held on to his testimony. And he was not ashamed to tell the rest, “I shall not see death until I see the Christ.” He had a good reason, because it was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.

Now, there is not two Holy Spirits. There's only one Holy Spirit. And if the Holy Spirit is in churches, leading people, He will lead them all the same. And then you would know whether your church was right or not: it'll compare with the leading of the Holy Spirit in the beginning, the way He did at the first place.

Now, we notice this man with this statement, and the people all laughing at him. And there has never been an age (search the histories, search the scriptures), there's never been an age or a person that God ever called but what was made fun of by the world. Find the Scripture. Take the Lord Jesus, take the prophets, take the saints, and find out if ever there was such. Never in all the world's history.

The world showed what it was when they said, “Give us Barabbas, and away with Jesus.” And what was that that said that? The church. Not the outside world, the church said that. “We do not want Jesus; we would rather have a murderer.” It well expressed itself then. And it does still yet.

But the true believer says, “I want Jesus. We wish to have Him.”

Now, we find out that.... Let's give it a drama; they've got some little children. And let's make this just simple so that the little ones could understand. They'll be the generation of tomorrow if there is one.

ISA9:6

Let's notice.... We would say that Simeon ... it was on a Monday morning. There had been a great day on the Sabbath, and now it's on Monday morning, and Simeon is in his study studying the Word of God. Let's say he was looking at the scroll of Isaiah. And he comes to the 9th chapter and the 6th verse, and it says this: “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulders: and His name shall be called Counselor, Prince of Peace, The mighty God, and The everlasting Father.”

And as he read the Scriptures, at that same time, Mary and Joseph stepped into the temple, packing the Christ child—for it was a law that every eight days after a child was born that a mother had to come to the temple and offer an offering for her purification, and the circumcision of the child if it be a male. And Mary steps in with the child.

Israel was some three million in those days in Palestine. How many children would be born in the space of twenty-four hours with that many people? Hundreds of little children were born. And the mothers would line up to have their children circumcised and offer for purification of the mother. And the offering was either a little lamb (the rich people could afford that), and the poor peasant offering was two turtle doves.

And here stands the Christ then. Here is the Christ in the temple for the first time in all history, in a form of flesh as a little baby on Mary's arm. And as the mothers had their line, waiting their turn as they went into the priest, they were waiting.

Now, if God told Simeon that he was not going to die until he saw the Christ, then it's up to God to let Simeon know that Christ is at the temple. For the Holy Spirit gives the promise, it's up to the Holy Spirit to keep that promise true. And here He was for the first time.

Now (in an imaginary mind) as Simeon is reading the Scripture, all of a sudden the Holy Spirit spoke to him and said, “Simeon, rise up to your feet.” He lays the scroll down. He did not know just which way to go, but the Bible said that sons of God are led by the Spirit of God. It isn't necessary to know where you're going, just as long as you're being led by His Spirit.

And here is the Christ in the temple. Simeon walks out the door. He doesn't know just which way to go, but there's something in him leading him, which is the Holy Spirit that gave him the promise. “When the deep is calling to the deep....” Simeon believed the Holy Spirit. No matter what the people said, he believed it.

And if there is a hunger in here for something, there's got to be something first to respond to that hunger or you would not have the hunger. May I say this: Before there was a fin on a fish's back, there was water first for him to swim in, or he would have no fin. Everything's for a purpose. Before there was a tree to grow in the earth, there must be an earth first for it to grow in, or there would've been no tree. In other words, I'm saying this: Before there can be a creation, there has to be a Creator.

Now, sometime ago I read in a paper, where a little boy at school was eating erasers off of his pencils. And his mother was alarmed about it. And then one afternoon, to her surprise, she finds the little lad sitting on the back porch eating the pedal off of a bicycle. She was strangely alarmed.

She got the little fellow ready quickly and taken him to the clinic. While the doctors examined his blood and gave him a thorough physical examination, they found out that his little blood needed sulfur. Now, the sulfur is found in rubber. You see, before he could crave for sulfur, there had to be a sulfur first to respond to that crave, or he'd have never had the crave.

And as long as men and women (Protestant and Catholic, Jew, or whatever they may be), as long as there is something in their heart calling for healing from God, there's got to be some place they can go and find that healing. Or, there has to be a Creator to create that desire before there could be a desire.

Many Catholic peoples goes to the shrine (I forget the name of it; I was there) at Paris. I was at Notre Dame where that ... the sister that's buried where they rubbed the stone at her head for healing, praying to her to give them healings. And the peoples of all religions seems to have something within them that calls for Someone who has created them to help them in a time of trouble.

When we come to America when ... at Plymouth Rock, our forefathers found the Indians worshipping the sun, or something. There's something within a man that tells him that there is a God somewhere.

Way back in the jungles in Africa in the Hottentots, you find them with idols sprinkled with blood, hideous-looking beasts. They know there is something somewhere. And as long as there is something in a man's heart calling for God, there's got to be a God to respond to that call. If there is a hunger for divine healing.... The very reason you're setting here tonight.... Maybe the doctors has given you up. If I had never read the Scripture, something would tell me that there's a fountain open somewhere.

And if you've come just to be coming, and you expected when you got here that you would find something to criticize, Satan will show it to you. You always get what you expect. God has promised that. If you've come to find good, if you've come to know Christ, and to see Him, and to speak with Him about your sickness or your soul, God will see that you find Him. You get what you expect, always. And it depends on what you're expecting to find.

Now, Simeon was expecting to find the Christ child, because the promise had been made. And the first little tug that come to his heart, that felt like the same One that spoke to him first, “He raised,” said the Scripture, “and was led by the Spirit.”—the same Spirit that gave the promise.

Now, if the Holy Spirit changes not, and He has give the promise of divine healing for all ages in His Word, what was it that brought you to this place tonight? God is obligated to His Word. And if He's obligated to His Word, and you believe that He is a healer, He's obligated to bring you to that fountain where there is healing. If you're thirsty for water, there's got to be water to drink somewhere, or you'd never thirst. That's why you're here tonight.

Let's watch what Simeon did. Now, you wouldn't have to be here. You could be at your altar in your own church, in your own home. You could be at your altar or somewhere you'd make your altar. God will meet you where you want to meet Him. But you've heard that others are being healed, so therefore you've come to see. I trust that you did. If you didn't, God have mercy on your sinful soul, for you're only taking the seat of someone who would've come sincere.

Notice, then if you've been led by the Holy Spirit, it's the same Holy Spirit that made the promise in the Bible has brought you here. Watch the way He did. When the Holy Spirit spoke to his heart, he raised up, not knowing what he was going to do. It's by faith. He walked to the temple, out into the outer court, and he noticed the women lined up. Then the Spirit begin to lead him. He goes over to the women, starts down along the women....

Watch, there's a little girl not over eighteen years old, and she's standing with a baby in her arms. And the rest of the women are keeping their distance from her, because she had a bad name: the child was born out of holy wedlock—so the world said, so the church said. Mary was to be mother before Joseph married her.

And the child.... The women along, the rich women, they had their little babies in fancy needlework of pink and blue, with little lambs to offer for their purification; but this little lady, poorly dressed, of a peasant home, standing with a little baby in her arm, wrapped in swaddling cloth.

If I understand swaddling cloth—so they told me there, it was the ... where they'd got it was off of the yoke of an ox that had been plowing, that was hanging in the stable where Christ was born. And they took this swaddling cloth and wrapped Him in it, says the Scripture.

And the women, all keeping their distance because they said, “This certain person ... this baby is born out of wedlock, and we will have nothing to do with it. We'll not keep our ... we'll keep our distance from such.”

O God, have mercy on our sinful, ungodly spirits and souls, when we will try to keep the distance between us and God—and truth and love and power. What a sinful, ungodly thing it is. And they kept their distance.

And then here comes this old priest that had been considered a fanatic because he said he'd saw an angel, and he'd told him he wasn't going to die till he found the Christ.

What do you think that orthodox church, standing there by the tens of thousands, the greatest church in the world...? All their scholars and priests and so forth standing there, and here comes this old fanatic (as they wanted to call him) coming out, not knowing where he was going, led by the Spirit right down that line, and come right straight to that little virgin and stopped. And took that ragged-dressed little child that they thought was illegitimate, picked it up in his arms, with the tears running down his cheeks, and said, “Lord, let thy servant depart in peace, according to thy words: for my eyes have seen thy salvation.”

Do you think the church believed that? No, sir. First thing, it was a fanatic, a priest that said he saw an angel. The next thing, look what it was out of: the poorest of poor. Why, they could not believe that.

And they don't believe it today! Humans doesn't change, and God doesn't change. God takes His man, never His Spirit. The devil takes his man, never his spirit.

What if you had to take those priests' place in hell tonight? There wouldn't be enough prayers in all eternity to save you. You'd be gone eternally, because you had refused!

You say, “I wish I'd have lived in that day.” You'd take the same attitude.

Now notice him. While he was standing there blessing God for the child and for letting him be considered a fanatic ... and no doubt that scornful people said, “Now that goes to show—look at that woman. There she is with this baby out of holy wedlock. And here she comes in, and there stands that old crank that all the priests has told us not to listen to, and here that old crank comes around and.... Now, wonder what they'll do about that?”

Oh, but Mary, in her heart she knew who that child belonged to. And so does the true believer tonight that's been born of the Spirit of God. You might be called fanatic or whatever it may, but in your heart you know who your Father is, if you're born of the Spirit of God. You remember when that birth taken place, and you know that sacred sands at the backside of the desert. Every believer must. And there they were.

And now, there was one in the temple by the name of Anna. She was a prophetess. She had been blind for many years, the Bible tells us. She'd lived with a husband seven years from her virgincy, but she was about eighty-four years old, the Scripture says. About fourscore and four, I believe, which would be eighty-four. And she's setting over in a corner. She did not leave the temple day or night, but she stayed in the temple, serving God with fasting and praying.

And she looked for the coming of Christ too. And the Holy Spirit was upon her. Now, if she's waited for it, here it is in the temple. And she got up, blind. And here comes this prophetess Anna, in the temple, blind, making her way through the people. Touching one, “Pardon me, pardon me,” (they seen she was blind) led by the Spirit—blind! Until she stood in the presence of this critical sight (as the church called it): to a woman that had a child —as they thought, out of holy wedlock—and a fanatic priest who said he saw angels and visions. And this old blind woman, led by the Spirit, moves her way through those thousands of people and stood by the side of the child and blessed God and prophesied over Him.

If God can lead a blind woman.... It's a lot worse to be spiritual blind than it is physical blind. If I have to lose either sight, let it be my physical sight; let me keep in touch with God, spiritually.

And the God that led them that day has not changed. He is the same God tonight. But the trouble of it is, that people are looking to what someone else is going to say, what John is going to say.

What if King George, when I prayed for him, with those multiple sclerosis, what if he would've a went down and asked one of the Anglican ministers, what would've taken place? He wouldn't have believed it.

What if Florence Nightingale, with ... a shadow of a woman. The granddaughter of the great Florence Nightingale the founder of the Red Cross, there's her picture in the book. Weighed about sixty-four pounds, dying with cancer. And when I flew to England to make prayer for her, and while I was praying, a little dove come and set on the window and cooed while we were praying, and then flew away.

And the woman is perfectly healthy, weighing about 170 pound. What if she would considered what the people said? But she was led of the Spirit. Don't look to what any one says, look to what God says—and be led by His Spirit.

Once there was a young musician who had trained in all of the music that he knowed how to be trained in, for he wanted to master in it. And there was a great concert, and this young fellow was to play. And after he got through with his master playing.... Oh, he was grand, and all the people begin to stand to their feet and applaud the young man with clapping their hands, and screaming, and whistling.

But they noticed the young man did not even notice any of that. He kept his eyes looking up. And the more they tried to attract his attention by their screams and applauding, he looked steadfast towards the top of the balcony. And the audience was amazed to see him not accepting or bowing to their applauding. And they turned to see, and up in the balcony was the old master teacher. He was looking up to see what the old master said, and not paying any attention to what the people was around him saying. If we would only do the same: if we would look up and see what the Master is saying and not notice what people are saying.

John Sproule, who was healed with a throat that could not speak (which alarmed the nation, through the magazines), I was talking to him some time ago. And he said, “I was in Paris, and I was taking the tour around, seeing the religious sights and so forth, and I come into a certain garden.” And he said, “There was as statue of Christ.” And said, “I was ... um ... looking at it.” And said, “My wife was looking at it. And we were criticizing it in our heart, because it didn't have any, really, look to it that would look like the sufferings of Christ.”

And said, “The guide came to me, and he said, 'Sir, you're probably doing just like all the rest of the tourists that come here, you're wondering why the sculptor ever made that statue like that.'”

He said, “Yes, sir, I was.”

He said, “Come here just a moment.” He said, “You see there is a kneeling rail beneath the statue.”

Said, “Yes, sir.”

Said, “That's an altar.” Said, “Now, you come here and get down on your knees.” And he did. Said, “Now, look up.”

And when he looked up, he said, his heart almost failed him, for the sufferings of Christ was seen in the sculptor's work.

And he said, “Sir, do you see? The sculptor had in mind that Christ is to be knelt and looked up to. That's the way he made it. Not to stand off; you'll criticize. But if you'll get down and look up to it, then you'll see the full purpose.”

And before you criticize the Holy Spirit and God's Word.... It wasn't made to be criticized; neither was the Holy Spirit. Kneel on your knees and look up to it, and you'll think different. And God will bless you. Shall we pray.

Divine Lord, who brought again the Lord Jesus Thy Son from the dead, and has given Him to us as a memorial of Your love and grace to us and we share mutually tonight this fellowship around His blessing, we would ask that You would come to us tonight in the way that You did when You were here on earth in a physical body, and work tonight in Your mystic body, the church, and do the things which You did when You were here on earth, so that when the great judgment come.... And every man and woman, boy and girl in here must stand at that judgment, and maybe before morning. We do not know, Lord. There may be an accident tonight somewhere on the road, and the blood be pouring out, and people screaming for mercy—it would be too late. God, may we now kneel, and look up to Thee and say, “Lord God, be merciful to us.”

And forgive us of our unbelief and our doubtings, and let us receive Thy Son as our Saviour and our healer. And grant tonight, Lord, as Thy church submits itself to Thy Spirit, and Thy servant, grant, Lord, that there will be the appearing of the great signs of the resurrected Christ, as our dear brother has explained to the audience in the previous part of the meeting, for we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.

I wonder tonight, while we're just looking straight to each other, would there be someone here who was not a Christian would like to just raise up your hand and say, “Minister, pray for me. I am not a Christian. I would like to be.” Would you do that? The Lord bless you. The Lord bless you, all over the audience. God be merciful to you.

Now, I have finished my speaking on the subject of “The Expectation.” What have you expected tonight? The Scripture says Christ has raised from the dead. And if He is risen, He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.

How many has been here at the previous meetings and seen the working of the Holy Spirit? Would you just raise your hands? Thank you. How many are here for your first time? Would you raise your hands, and say, “I am here for my first time”. I am very happy to have you tonight in here.

Now, I'm saying this before I start to pray for the sick: If there would, by chance, be someone, some person, who is critical (I have to say this according to the law), I am not responsible for what happens to them from this point on. See? Now, if you're here and you would not be reverent, I am asking you now, when we're singing this hymn and calling the prayer line, you may be dismissed. If you can stay and be reverent and respectable, then we will be responsible for it in the further part of the meeting. The Lord bless you.

Now, we call prayer cards. I believe the first night we called people that had cards.... They number them, so everyone will not be running at the platform at one time. It's not an arena now, it's a meeting place of Christians, which is called “the church,” His mystical body that meets together. Now if ... I believe the first night we taken the first part.... My son gave a hundred cards out here. And last night, we just prayed for the people without the cards, just from the audience. I think that's right. So then tonight, let's call from the last part of the cards. Would say.... I believe it's “T,” like a cross. Turn your card over. And let's, say, take the last group of them, say from eighty-five to one hundred; and just let them, if they can, stand. If they can't, we will pack them to the platform.

And then, we're going to sing now, if the pianist will give us quietly,

My faith looks up to Thee,

Thou Lamb of Calvary,

Saviour divine;

Now hear me while I pray,

Take all my sin away,

And let me from this day

Be wholly Thine!

I want to ask first: Who has prayer card 85? Would you raise your hand? The lady? 86? Would you come right over here, lady, if you can walk. 86? The gentleman? Right here, sir. 87? Right over here, sir. 88? Now, if you can't walk, move your hands like this and the ushers will get you. 85, 86, 87, 88. [Blank spot on tape.] These things are not done in a corner. I have....

Last night, how many in here witnessed me saying that I'd been in prayer on the mountain practically all day, for the enemy had set a trap? But God will deal with that enemy. See, it's foretold before it comes to pass, then you know it. It was true.

I suppose, lady, that you and I are strangers to each other? We are. Now, this is a scene before your eyes as Scripture, Saint John 4. The lady, I have never seen. Someone give her a prayer card, had a number on it. Her number was just called at random, and here she stands. And to both of us before the God of heaven, we have never met before as far as I know. I do not know the lady; she does not know me. And then, this is the way it was in Saint John, the 4th chapter of the Gospel, that there was a man and woman met for their first time. And Jesus told the woman where her trouble was, and she believed Him to be the Messiah, and told other people, “Isn't that the sign of the Messiah?”

If He remains the same tonight as He was then, that will continue to be the sign of the Messiah. And He promised He would do it just before the world's destruction. We're living in that hour. We're marked.

In the picture which was laying here a moment ago.... [Someone asks, “Want it?”] No. You saw on there a light. And that light I claim to be the Spirit of God—one of the Spirits of God, an Angel that's went from Him.

And before Him who we stand, you're aware that ... that standing in the presence of a man wouldn't make you feel the way you are now. There's something going on. That is right.

Now I want to ask you before the audience, you be the judge, if.... If I would guess and say you're sick and something's wrong with you (which I do not know), but you might say, “The brother guessed that.” But if He tells you something that you know, something that ... like He did in the Bible, and like He did the woman at the well, or something that you know that I know nothing of, and He will do that, then you know that there's something here present that knows you. I do not. Would you believe it to be the Spirit of God? You would? Would the audience believe the same? May He grant it.

Now, if the audience still can hear my voice, the lady is suffering from an extreme nervous condition. That is right. If that is right, raise up your hand.

Do you believe that that was the Spirit of God that said that? Would you think that I just guessed that? If you would, just so that you would know different, let the Holy Spirit speak now. And let's.... If God is God, He remains God.

I don't know what was told you, lady. It wasn't me that spoke. It was my voice, but I wasn't using it. Just like this here. It's a mute unless something speaks through it. I be mute in this state, because I don't know you; but maybe He will tell us something else. But ever what He said was the truth. I'm speaking to you as man and woman like our Lord spoke to the woman at the well—merely to see what Father will say, because He said, “I do nothing till the Father shows Me.”

Yes, I see the lady in her house. She's real nervous, upset about something; she drops things so often. And it's ... what's caused this is the time of life that she's now living, the time of the menopause coming to her. Another thing, I see she's got sugar diabetes. That is true.

You're not from this city; you've come from another city. That city's called Richford, Vermont, and your name is Mrs. John Jones. That's “Thus saith the Lord.” Return home, for God has healed you by your faith. Go and be well. The Lord bless you, sister.

Do you believe? Do you realize that you're in the presence of the Almighty God, friend? With this Bible, which is His Word, don't doubt no more; have faith.

Sir, we are strangers to each other. The God of heaven will ... we will meet, and God will judge us someday. I have no way of knowing you, sir. You're a stranger to me. But if the God of heaven will tell me what you're here for, sir (I believe you've come in sincerity. Yes.), will you accept it as being the Son of God, who has promised this?

Jesus remains the same, who met Nathanael, anoth.... Two men met. I'm trying to quote the Scriptures of each case, so that the people can see it's parallel, and know that it's not me, a man. I have nothing to do with it, sir.

You're suffering also with an extreme nervous condition. And you've gotten so nervous, until it's ... bothers your heart, you're having heart trouble. That's right. Yes, sir. Fluttering and jumping, you can't sleep; I see you get up at nights, and trying to get your breath. That's the truth, sir. Not only that, but.... You believe in me to be the servant of Christ? Let me tell you, so you will believe me more. You've got someone with you in your heart that you want prayer for. That's your mother. She has complications, doesn't she? You have very good faith. That's right. You're a Catholic to begin with. You are a Catholic. I see you with a rosary, so that can't be hid. You're a Catholic. That's perfectly all right. Your faith makes you whole, sir. Do you believe it? Return and give praise to the God of heaven for your healing. God bless you. God bless you. God of heaven bless you, my brother. [Someone speaks to Brother Branham.] Any way you care to, sir.

Will someone come over here, please? Over here, and watch from the other side.

Do you believe? Just have faith now. Don't doubt; have faith.

Young couple, stop that or go out of the building. Suit yourself. The God of heaven will curse you.

I do not know you. Someday we'll stand in the judgment. It happened to be that a blessing came to the lady with glasses on there with the brown coat on, who's suffering there with heart trouble, sitting right here, looks around.... Do you believe the Lord God will make you well, my sister? You can have what you've asked for if you believe it. Don't doubt. Just have faith now. Pray, believe.

You are trying to believe, sitting there on the end of the seat. You walk with a cane. It's because part of your foot's been taken off. That is true. I don't know you. I've never see you, but that's the truth. Raise up your hand if that's true. If you'll believe God with all your heart, you can go out without your cane in support. What did she touch, sitting there? What happened? What was it rebuked a young couple and blessed the aged woman?

Now, young man, are you going to mind me? Young lady, you're interfering with the Holy Spirit. I'm warning you before it takes place. Either behave, or the usher will come and see that you can go out, or the police, one, back there. Now, you're in a religious service, which is two years for disturbing it. You behave. Not at this time, officers.

You believe God would heal that stomach trouble for you? You believe He would? What do you think about the son? You think he'd come out of that paralyzed condition? He's in a hospital. That's true, sir. You've got a wife with you that you're praying for. If God will tell me what's the trouble with your wife, will you accept healing for her? She has trouble with her head and high blood pressure. That is true, sir. Is that all true? Now, go and find it just as you have believed, and God be with you.

You're not here for yourself. You're here for a friend, lady friend, that has multiple sclerosis. That is true. I cannot heal her, but do you believe that God will heal her? Then go believe it with all your heart, and receive what you've asked for.

How do you do. (I hate to do this.)

Do you believe that God would heal your ear and make you well? Do you believe He knows the thoughts of your heart? You're praying for someone else. It's your mother and father. One has arthritis. The other one has heart trouble and something wrong with her foot. That is true. You believe? Go, find it the way you've believed it. It'll be just the way you've believed it. The God of heaven bless you.

A nervous heart.... God can heal heart trouble. There's many out there suffering with the same thing. There is the Angel of light, the Spirit of God. The man sitting here on the end of the row right back here, you have sinus trouble. The elderly man, sitting by the large man. Sinus trouble. You have stomach trouble. That is right, sir. Raise up your hand, sir. I tell you what's causing that. You're trying to quit a habit. Tobacco is a hard thing on sinus. It'd be a hard thing on stomach trouble. You accept God to take it away, do you, and believe that He will heal you? The Lord God bless you, then. Go and receive it the way you have believed. Have faith.

The man just back behind you there looking at me with the glasses, got arthritis? Also have trouble with the head. If you'll believe with all your heart, you can be healed of that. Being that you have it also, there's a lady sitting there, looking down at a child. She has trouble with her head, too. That is right. Them's your grandchildren on each side of you. Correctly. Hold your hand up if that's true. I do not know you, do I? You're aware that something's going on? One of your grandchildren wants prayer for being nervous. The other one has an infection. That's right, raise your hand. Both of them are healed.

All of you that have heart trouble, stand to your feet just a moment. Every person with heart trouble. There's too many to call, you just can't catch them. Stand here just a moment, sister.

Come. Our sister suffers with a stomach trouble caused from nervousness. All with nervousness or stomach trouble, stand to your feet just a minute, and just remain standing. Every person with nervousness or stomach trouble. Stand right here. You had a stomach trouble, too, so stand right here, just also the same way. Are you believing? No matter what's wrong with you.

Come, sister. Your trouble's in your back. All right. Stand right here. Everyone with back trouble, stand to your feet just a minute—that's kidney and so forth. Can't God heal out there? See, there's so many of them I just can't call them. They've got out of my reach. You're believing; that's the reason you stood. You're believing.

Now, the reason that I told you last night, before it come to pass.... How many was here last night, that heard me say, “Satan has done some evil, has set a trap for me, and I don't know how to handle it”? How many remembers that?

It was a young man and young woman sitting there. To curse them, they'd go blind or be paralyzed. If I hold my peace, they live. Now, before it come to pass, I'm sparing

you. You people, believe that God is here.

Now, to you that's sick, bow your heads just a moment for prayer. Believe, you here, with all your heart, the Holy Spirit who is near.

Eternal and blessed God, who roared from Mt. Sinai, You who spoke through the apostle Peter and told Ananias and Sapphira, “Why did you do this to the Holy Spirit?” Just because his voice spoke, one fell dead, and the other one was packed out in a little bit. You're still God, but You're full of mercy. And it was foretold to these people before it come to pass, that they might know that Your servant tells the truth.

Now, eternal God, be merciful and grant tonight, that as the enemy sent this young couple in, that You'll forgive their sins, that they will not be harmed, but You will forgive them. You've come to spare the life of men. But the Holy Spirit has sent His blessings to heal the people just the same. Your grace has overrode it.

But now the people will know, and the young couple knows that I had nothing to do with them coming here, but told the night before of their being here.

Now, Lord God, I pray Thee to be merciful to those who are standing, who are sick and afflicted. May the great Holy Spirit come into their hearts just now, into their bodies, and let them know that the God who lived in the New Testament is alive tonight. That it is foretold, then comes to pass; and all things are done perfect and true through the Holy Spirit. We found it so, and we love You, Lord Jesus, because that You have loved us and has washed us in Your blood, and has made us Your children. Thank You, Father, for these things.

And we now rebuke the devil of sickness from the people, that he'll depart from them and they may all be made well, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

All that believe and accept your healing from God, stand to your feet just now, as you accept without one shadow of doubt, feeling in your heart that God has healed you. How you ought to give thanks to God!

The Bible said, when something like this taken place in the Bible time, there was fear fell on all the people throughout all the regions. What do you think tonight? If you are a sinner, if you're an unbeliever, I invite you here to this platform, to the pulpit, to surrender your life to Christ. Come now. Let every man.... If you believe that God hears my prayer and heals the sick and afflicted, which everyone to their feet has accepted it....

Lady, what about you? There's something wrong with a cripple or something there. You believe God has made you well and you won't have to go along on your sticks no more? You do? You can have what you've asked for then. All right, God bless you. You're on your feet now to stay, if you'll believe it.

Now, to you people that wants to ... Jesus Christ to be merciful to you now, now and the hour of your death, would you come here to the platform while we sing the hymn “Almost Persuaded”? All right. God bless you. All right, sing it.

“Almost persuaded,” now to believe;

“Almost persuaded,” Christ to receive;

Seems now some soul to say,

“Go, Spirit, go Thy way,

Some more convenient day

On Thee I'll call.“

“Almost persuaded,” ...........

Just make your places right around here to stand, as penitent people who comes to receive Christ, “Whosoever will just come.” Catholic, Protestant. Here stands Catholic and Protestant. Makes no difference. We're not asking you to change your churches. We're asking you, in the presence of God, as His servant, and you bear record of these things....

Seems now some soul to say,

(Don't sin away your day of grace.)

“............go Thy way,

Some more convenient day

On Thee I'll call.“

Let us bow our heads now reverently in prayer. He who created the earth, He who brought Jesus from the dead and made the promise that His ... the Spirit of His being would live in His church until He come again.... There should not be left one bit of doubt in your hearts. If there is, you're certainly cursed of God. If you could stand under this and still disbelieve, God be merciful.

You who are standing here at the altar, no matter what church you belong to, Protestant or Catholic, it has nothing to do with it. Look at the people that's healed. I don't believe there's one that I know of but what stood to their feet, that what did not accept their healing. You seen what happened at the platform, and just as sure as you could be told days before, weeks before, months before, it's told now of a healing. If He knows what was, He knows what will be. He knows the future and can tell it. He's God. You're in His presence. God be merciful to you now. You pray and repent. Ask God to forgive you and to give you of His mercy. I'm sure He will.

And if there's anyone else who desires to come at this time, we're not telling you to go to certain churches. We want you to go to any church you want to, but we want you to come now. If you feel condemned in your heart, that you come in and was wrong, that you have sinned and done that which is wrong, the altar is open for your confession to God. Not to me or to any other man, but to God. Come and ask forgiveness. He's here in great mercy, to heal the sick and to forgive the sinner.

If there's another while we sing softly, once more, a hymn, this verse: “'Almost persuaded,' now to believe; 'Almost persuaded,' Christ to receive.” Will you sing it? And if you desire to come, pray and just ask the Holy Spirit.... There's no need of me telling you He's ... Him here; you know He is. Let us sing now, with your heads bowed, prayerfully, as we sing the hymn.

“Almost persuaded,” come, come today;

“Almost persuaded,” Christ to receive;

“Almost” cannot avail;

“Almost” is but to fail!

Sad, sad, that bitter wail:

“Almost,” but lost!

[Brother Branham begins humming.] May we hum it now. O Lord God, we are standing in awe. Even myself, I'm wondering. I'm amazed at Your grace: how good and holy Thou art, how long-suffering and tender mercies can last. It's amazing to me. As the poet said, “amazing grace.” We love You, dear God. Forgive us of our trespasses, as we forgive those who has trespassed against us. And freely from our heart, we forgive everyone who has trespassed against us, that our sins may be blotted out. Take our iniquity and bury it in the sea of forgetfulness of Thy blood. Grant it, Lord. Bless this people who are waiting. God, grant it.

Those who are standing here doing penance to Thee, asking for mercy 'cause they know that they are in Your presence, O eternal God, give to them peace of heart. Speak to them. Give them experiences as You did in the Bible days, for it is truly Bible days are here again, at the end of this Gentile age.

Soon we are looking for Jesus to come. Don't know just when it will be, till when the whole world will go into powder from an atomic bomb or some attack that has been prophesied by the prophets thousands of years ago, that the world would rock and burn with fervent heat.

And we ask, God, that You'll be merciful to us; and grant, Lord, that each one standing penitent at this altar, that their sins may be gone. I ask this as Your servant, standing between the living and dead. I ask their sins and iniquity to be done away with.

I may never be able to shake their hand in this earth, but I'm looking forward to that time if I shall live faithful. They are the trophies of Your presence tonight. You said, “No man can come to Me except My Father draws him. And all that comes, I will give them eternal life and will not cast them away, but will raise them up at the last day.” And we believe that, and we are calling that for these children of Yours that's penitent at the altar. Maybe there was some in here who should have come and did not. Be merciful to them, dear God. And grant the same to them, I pray.

Now, if there be one left, anywhere, that's not accepted healing, that doesn't feel that Christ has made them whole, may they at this time receive such. And may this meeting be long remembered in the memories, even of the little children, if Christ shall tarry.

Trusting, Lord, that You'll bless this people for their efforts and all they have done. We commit them unto Thee, in the name of Thy Son, the Lord Jesus.

And with our heads bowed, I'm going to ask that one of the pastors here, Brother Sweet, walk forward now, as you remain with your heads bowed for the closing prayer and whatever he has chose to do. I appreciate all your sincerity.

How many at the altar, standing here with your heads bowed, believes that your sins are forgiven and they're under the blood of the Lord Jesus? Would you raise your hand to Him and say, “Lord, this I believe.” The Lord bless you, each and every one along the altar. He never fails. He always answers prayer. I'm so grateful to you. God bless you now, while we bow our heads, turning the service to Mr. Sweet.