Watchman, What Of The Night?

Jeffersonville, Indiana, USA

58-1130

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[Brother Gene Goad reads Isaiah chapter 21. Brother Neville welcomes Brother Branham.]
Thank you, Brother Neville. You may be seated again. Good morning to our Bible class this morning, as we love to greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus.
And as I was driving down the road just a few moments ago with my family, I was thinking of people who come out to church on slick days like this when the snow is all over the country (hazardous on the road). They do not come just to be seen. They have some purpose in coming, and I am very happy to see this group here this morning. That still the faith of our fathers living still, burns in the hearts of men and women everywhere.
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The Word has just been read by our Brother Gene Goad of the 21st chapter of the book of Isaiah where we shall study from for a while, and then have prayer for the sick.
And now for a text this morning I would like to take out of there the 11th to the 12th verse: Watchman, What Of The Night? And before we undertake to speak, let us bow our heads just a moment in prayer.
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Lord God, Thou art the God of our fathers. You are the God who breathed forth the first breath of life that ever come onto the earth and has had control of every life until this present time and shall forevermore control. For Thou art the Creator of all mankind and all things that breathe. Thou art the Creator.
And we are happy this morning to believe in our hearts that Your promises are true—every one of them. And that in these promises You have said that wherever two or three were gathered in Your name, that You would be in the midst of Your people and that You would answer their call.
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And there is heavy hearts today as, since entering the church, I see those on stretchers or cots and some with their sleeves up from infections in their arms and others I have heard that has lost loved ones. And oh, it is a sinful and wicked world, but yet all these things has to be mastered in the Lord Jesus who has told us that all things are working together for the good to them that love God.
And we are consoled this morning to believe that many of these things are to bring us to our knees. And we like to think of the Scripture that They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as an eagle. They shall run and not be weary, they will walk and not faint. And as a poet has said, “Teach me, Lord, teach me, Lord, how to wait.”
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Let us today as we're waiting to hear from glory and from the mouth of our Saviour through the Holy Spirit, that we will wait patiently to hear His voice speak loving things to us through His Word. And speak pardon for our sins and healing for our sicknesses. And may we leave this tabernacle this morning rejoicing and say like those who came from Emmaus, “Did not our hearts burn within us as He talked to us along the way?” For we truly believe that He is the risen Lord, as they found Him that day.
And He's in the midst of the people. We shall not worry or our hearts will not grow faint. Just let us renew our faith each hour in Thee. Grant it, Father. We ask You to bless the written Word and to bless the ears that shall hear and the lips that shall speak, and get glory to Thyself, for in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
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There is none of us that is immune from troubles. God has not promised to excuse us from all sickness, but it is written that His strength is sufficient. And He will never put so much upon us but what He will give us grace to bear it. So we have that consolation of knowing.
To the thought of the text just now for a few moments on something that seemed to be placed on my heart the last few hours: Watchman, What Of The Night?
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It was perhaps about between sundown and dark, and it would've been an awful day in the city because there was an alarm give out, that they had.... The watchman at the tower had sent back word that he saw in a distance the dust rising from the wheels of chariots. And he heard the beat of horses' hoofs way in the distance.
But as two young ladies would be standing at the well, and in their young, youthful age, they had more to think on, they thought, than what this watchman's word was. Maybe it didn't mean so much to them because they were just in the blush of young womanhood. Maybe it was because that there was to be a party that night, and these young ladies wanted to attend this party.
And it seemed to be that the warning of the watchman would not take an affect upon what they had ... their worldly pleasure figured for that night. So as the conversation would go on, and one young lady would say to another, “Isn't it too bad that in our day that we have such killjoys, someone who would try to take us from the privileges that we have and from the pleasures that we could enjoy.”
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And I believe that would just about cope with the modern version of today. That people try to think that when you are trying to be alert and to warn them of approaching dangers, that they seem to think that you're just some old fogy, someone who's trying to take all the joy out of life.
And we would think again of young men as they were coming from the workshop and their faces dirty from the work that they had been employed in during the day. And one young fellow might say to the other, “As soon as we can get washed up and groomed up a bit, why, we will meet at the tavern as usual. For I'm sure that you, John, are not all disturbed about that message we heard today. That watchman on the tower, trying to take all the joy out of life, trying to tell us that there was an approaching danger. But you know, we have the best army that there is, and many of our soldiers meet each night at this same place that we do, and we enjoy a fellowship together, such as a little friendly gambling and some few drinks.”
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“And I, for myself,” he would say, “would just refuse to be alarmed about any of this stuff that this watchman would talk about. For we believe if it was any approaching dangers, that surely our rabbis would know about this, our pastors. And they would be telling us about such things. And we just don't care to hear these worried stories of these watchmen on the tower.”
And if that ain't a very outstanding picture of our nation today, that the youth of our land (and not only youth, but the aged of our land) has just gone wild, and they refuse to hear the warnings. And as soon as a true watchman gives a warning, he's classed as a heretic or some fanatic.
And as the day grows on into night, maybe a soldier at the gate, who's guarding the gates, becomes a little restless. And he goes over to his neighboring sentry and says, “Do you believe that there'd be a possible chance that that watchman was right?”
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You know, there's something about danger. There's something about death that seems to have a forewarning of it. Many times that loved ones, just before passing across to the other side, there seems to be a warning comes to them.
I can think of my father, before his going away, he'd been out of Kentucky for many years. But all of a sudden, something seemed to move over Dad to go down to the old home place and to talk to his loved ones and his friends. After he had returned back home, his brother that he did not get to see had been strangely warned to come to Jeffersonville to see him. And while they were sitting, talking, Dad passed out into the other world.
I'm thinking of my father-in-law. Just a few days before his going away he said, “Billy, let's you and I go up squirrel hunting, up above Utica. I just want to go to the old place.”
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Somehow in the providence of God, I was not able to go with him that day. And he went up that day and hunted; and when he came back down on the bus, he told me, he said, “I was sitting way up on the hill; and it's all changed now. But way down in a certain corner of the woods at Battle Creek, just above us,” he said, “it seemed like I could hear my mother calling, 'Oh, Frankie.'” That night he gave a testimony in the second row of this church, to my left, desiring the people's prayers for him. And a few days later we buried him.
It just seems that God always sends forth a messenger. It's His goodness and His grace to give the true in heart a warning of things that are approaching. And I'm so glad that in this day that we're now living, that when gloom and darkness on every hand, there seems to be a blessed hope gripping the heart of God's people, that some glorious hour, Jesus shall arrive.
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And in this great time of trouble in the city, the young folks ignoring it and many people who did not care about what the watchman had to say. Of course, they were in the tavern drinking and the party was going on, and the soldiers were all drinking and they were having a great time. Thought they were just as safe as they could be.
Nothing was going to harm them, because they were simply 'lit up,' as we'd call it, on the spirits of whiskey and mixed drinks. And all of a sudden, there came the chariots rolling right into the city. And the tavern doors were broken, in and the homes and the slaughtering weapons was at work. Just because they refused to hear the warning of the watchman.
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And the duties of a watchman in the old Bible, was a man that was selected. He must be a man that's alert of the heavenly bodies. He must know just exactly where the stars are hanging to tell the perfect time to the people.
Many of the wearied would go out, maybe, and couldn't sleep, restless, and would scream up at the watchman in the tower. And would scream out these words, “Watchman, what of the night?” And he would look at the stars and he would say it is such-and-such a time. Then they would go back to their bed or wherever they choose to dwell, waiting for the daylight to come when the tired, weary, restless night would be over. God have mercy.
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I wonder if it isn't time today that we didn't call out to our great Watchman, “What of the night?” There's an approaching danger coming on, and the whole world seems to be shaking under its influence.
The watchman also had to be on duty all times. And he was to warn the people of approaching dangers. That was his duty: to watch for the approaching danger.
And he was up on a tower that was built much higher than the walls. And this tower he had up there in it, the books of astronomy and so forth, so he could watch the stars and tell the time. Any approaching thing of time of day he could tell it. Then he also could see way further than anyone on the ground. He could see further than anyone on the wall, because he was up higher.
And the higher you go, the further you can see. And you can tell approaching dangers farther away than those who are earthbound.
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And as Isaiah in his day was speaking that God had made him a watchman. God likened His prophets like eagles. And as I have often preached of the subject of the eagles: The eagle is a bird who can go higher than any other bird, and he has to be built special for that altitude that he goes into.
Now, the hawk could never follow him. No other bird could follow him. He's God's designed bird, and he was made thus. If another bird tried to take his place, he would perish. He has to have strong feathers, strong wings. And what good would it do him to go high if he couldn't see—have good eyes to see. The hawk would be blind up there. He could not see.
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But higher the eagle climbs, the further off he can see. And God likened His prophets to the eagles. They are the watchmen that climb higher so that they can see further off. And their eyes were made spiritual so that they can see the approaching dangers.
And God had sent Isaiah up to warn the people that there was approaching danger, and they wouldn't listen to him.
And today God still has eagles. Our messengers are men on the tower, who climbs up in the Spirit far beyond all the mechanisms and all the atomic bombs and the scientific researches. He has men who is special designed for that purpose; who climbs up the ramparts of Calvary in the name of the Lord Jesus, and stands on the top of the cross and can send the message back, “Thus saith The Lord.”
Their spiritual sight is far greater than the priests in the temple. Far beyond the ordinary man in the walk of life. For they are specially designed for the duties that God has called them to. Therefore, it pays us to take heed when we hear of the things that are approaching.
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Then I would change now for just a moment, and would turn your attention to the King of these eagles or prophets or tower watchers: That's the Lord Jesus Himself. And this day that we are living in was so much greater than the day that He was here; until when He was right in the shadows of the cross, He spoke more of His second coming than He did of His going away.
If you will carefully search the Scriptures, you will find that just before His going away that He prophesied of the things that would take place in this day. He knew that He must be crucified. He knew that He must suffer—the innocent for the guilty. He knew that He would rise again from the grave on the third day. He knew that there wasn't no powers that could hold Him in the grave. Because, the Word of God had said, “I will not suffer my Holy One to see corruption; neither will I leave his soul in hell.” And there was no powers that could break that prophecy. His Word shall be true.
And they will be fulfilled in their seasons.
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And He had confidence that what the Father had said, the Father was able to keep His Word. Therefore, His great heart that was within Him, which was the throne of God.... In His heart He knew that these great, trying times would come to prove all nations and to prove all peoples.
So, therefore, He knew that the great question laid; not whether He would rise again, or whether He would be crucified according to the Scriptures, or not whether He would ascend on high and the Holy Spirit would come. But the question was: Would there be any faith left on earth at His coming? And where is faith come? By hearing the Word of God. That was His question. Will there be faith on earth when I come?
Will He find people who believes His Word?
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Now, when we, in the day that we live, can turn into the pages of His blessed Word and find the very things that He said would take place approaching on the earth today. The signs and the wonders are taking place.
Men's hearts are failing with fear. There is a perplexity of time, and distress between the nations. Fearful sights in the skies like flying saucers and the Pentagon all stirred up. And the sea a-roaring and earthquakes in diver's places. Men's heart failing in fear. Great atomic weapons sitting, waiting. A gloom hanging on the earth that the world has never witnessed before.
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Last week I had the privilege of speaking with one of my dear friends and brothers, Captain Julius Stadsklev, who wrote the book, Prophet Visits Africa. And Brother Julius was in California, which he's now taking his schooling for Major in the Army.
And the army personnel taken him for a great trial. And they searched his genealogy until they had to prove even who his great-grandmother was, and their history and what they were, before he could sit in in this meeting.
And as he come from the meeting and came up to the top of the hill where we were dwelling with some friends, he met me out there under a juniper tree and he said, “Brother Branham, it's the most weary thing that you ever heard.” He said, “I am under so much oath that I could not tell or could not let out any information,” said, “because they took us under solemn oath.” But said, “I can tell this: The Army is going to cease. They're not going to have any more Army, just a few guards around. They're not going to have any more aviation. They're not going to concentrate their time on building faster planes and so forth, unless it's just for commercial use.”
They are concentrating on just one pull of one trigger. There will come a total annihilation.
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He said, “Brother Branham, the public does not know what the secrets of the military things are.” He said, “When these great officers talked in the room,” he said, “there come such a horrible gloom over the room, until one of their main scientists stood up and said, 'I wish I could take an old wagon and a cow and drive back behind the mountains and plant me a patch of cabbage and beans, and forget all about it.'”
“Oh,” he said, “If this information would get out to the public, the whole world would go into a panic.” Danger's approaching. He said, “They have got.... pulling their personnel now from the islands. They're pulling their units out of England, and they've got great, big barges sitting out there with some sort of weapons. And they're just waiting for the first whirl of a missile, and every nation will turn loose at the same time.” Said, “There won't be one sprig of grass left on the earth or one mountain but what'll be shook to its level.” And it can happen at any time.
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Oh, what a gloomy hour! And all these things that you hear about flying saucers. And you heard the interview with that man, I suppose, yesterday, on the radio who claims that he's talked to people. I do not wish to disregard that man, but his whole system is contrary to the Word. It isn't right. And on Mars they don't have death, and they're come over here to teach us how not to have death.
But when it come to proof, he didn't have one speck of proof that He could prove it. Just some mythical idea that he had drawn up. And to my opinion, it's false, because the Bible said different from what he said.
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I might express what I do think about flying saucers. I do not believe that they're shadows. I do not believe that they're mythical. I believe.... And this doesn't make it right, it's just only my idea. The Lord has not told me this is what they are. But by looking in the Scriptures, for there's where we find all things.
Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man.” And before the destruction of Sodom, and fire fell, and burned the city and the plains up; there was angels sent from heaven who looked in and searched out to find out if these things were true or not.
And would it not be just like God to send back His angels to investigate, and to find out just before the great destruction comes.
And did you notice, there was one Angel who came, who visited an old man who had made a decision for God; and was living (despised by the world) in a tent back on the desert, because somebody had chosen and took all his wealth. But he said, “That's all right. I will just stay here in the will of God.”
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I'd rather be in the will of God than have all the money in the world could dish out to you. And as soon as that final decision was made, then the Angel of the Lord came to Abraham and said, “Look east, west, north and south; it's all yours, Abraham.” The Scriptures tell us, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
What difference does it make? All things of the earth will perish with the earth; but God can never perish. And I believe (as I am led to believe), that is, if the picture of the Angel of the Lord who comes and does the discerning....
Did you notice the Angel who came to Abraham? He had His back turned to the tent when He was talking to Abraham and said, “I'm going to keep my promise to you.” Oh, what a message of the Angel of God in this day who will keep His promise! All of the unbelief of the world, the skeptics, agnostics and infidels and disbelievers, will never make the power of God of none effect. It'll happen just the same.
“I remember my promise and I'm going to make my promise good.” And Sarah laughed in the tent behind Him.
And with His back turned to the tent, He said, “Why did Sarah laugh?”
And Sarah run out and said, “I didn't laugh,” because she was scared.
What kind of a man was this? Wonder what kind of a watchman was on the tower then? “What type of personality is this with us? With His back turned to me and yet knowed that I laughed in the tent.” Remember, He was the watchman. And He turned and He said, “Yes, you did laugh.” And she was scared.
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Now, we notice again that in this day, just before the coming of the Lord, these same beings are to return again. And I wonder as we look around and see the nature of them. Watch what they are doing. And I wonder if a lot of these mysterious sights isn't exactly what Jesus said would take place. “There will be signs in the heavens above and in the earth; there'll be distress between the nations; perplexed of time; earthquakes in divers places; and men dying with heart failure.” Not women; men. Women don't die very often with heart trouble; it's men. It fulfills what Jesus said would be. It's exactly what He said would be.
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And then, as we could go on hour after hour on all the prophets how they have prophesied of this day, would not it make one cry out, “Watchman, what of the night?” The Pentagon doesn't have the answer. The United States doesn't have the answer. Germany, Russia, none of them have the answer. Science doesn't have the answer. Who has the answer? The watchman that's on the wall has the answer. “Watchman, what of the night?”
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And the Holy Spirit is that watchman who's making ready the people and giving warnings from God. He's been set as a Watchman. We see the sick being healed, blinded eyes coming open, deaf ears unstopped, cripples walking, the lame leaping like a hart: fulfilling the.... What is it? It's the coming of the Lord pressing on.
And all these things and these warnings, and people continually press right on through to their beer parties, until their times of folly. And they frolic, and they dance, and they eat, and they drink, and they marry, and they're given in marriage. Just as God said it would be. No way of stopping them.
Then if you notice, in this great church age according to Revelations 3, at this age now was the one who was given the morning star just before the coming.
Watch how Scriptural Isaiah was when he said, “Watchman, what of the night?” He said, “The morning cometh and the night also.” What? The morning comes but the night comes before the morning. What was it? Anyone knows that just before the break of day, just at the hours of the approaching of the day, it turns darker than it ever was.
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Oh, my friends, listen to “thus saith the Lord!” If you consider me to be His servant, it's just before the break of day. That's why this horrible gloom is over the earth. It's just before the coming of the Lord Jesus. There's no more hope left in nothing but His coming.
Nations are against nations, and they have fooled through God's laboratory till they've got the power to blow one another into atomic ashes. And they're wicked and they're unreligious and they're un-Christlike. And the only motive they have and objective is to destroy. And they are inspired by the destroying angel that was sent from heaven to inspire these men.
Let me say in the name of the Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit has sent us a watchman on the tower. And as the people cry, “What of the night?” Are you weary of this life? Are you weary of sin? Are you weary of funeral processions, and sickness, and ungodliness on every hand? Has the night been long and weary? “What of the night, watchman?” He said, “The morning cometh.” See the comfort. “And the night also's coming.” What is the night?
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Look how in perfect harmony with the Scripture Isaiah was. In the regular course of nature, always that the approaching of the sun congeals the darkness together and makes it dark. It's darker before day than any other time in the night. Why? It's the approaching light that's a making it dark.
And it's the approaching of the Lord Jesus now that's bringing this gloom upon the earth. Did not He say, “When these things begin to come to pass, lift up your head, for your redemption's drawing nigh.”
Palestine is a nation. The Jews have returned from all over the earth and are placed there to see Him come, as God said they would. “Learn a parable of the fig tree when it puts forth its buds.” He said, “So will it be that this generation shall not cease, shall not be done away with—it shall never end—until all these things will be done.”
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What generation? The generation that sees the fig tree putting forth its buds. Israel's always been the fig tree. “What the palmerworm left, the caterpillar eaten,” said Joel. “What the caterpillar left, the hookworm eaten. What the hookworm left, the locust eaten.” And if you'll take notice, that's the same beetle. Each of those insects that eat down the tree is the same insect, only in a different stage.
And the same sin and unbelief that started eating away the Jews, that Jesus wasn't the Christ, that eat that tree to a barren stump.... And the prophet saw it and he wept. But the Lord said, “I will restore, saith the Lord. All the years that the caterpillars and the locusts and palmerworms eaten.” And for the first time for twenty-five hundred years, the Jews are returning to their homeland. “That generation shall not be annulled—shall not pass away—until all these things be fulfilled. Then I will pour out My Spirit in the last days, saith God, upon my sons and daughters. And they shall prophecy, and I will show wonders.”
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The sick are being healed. Great powers are being done by the same Spirit that sat and could tell Abraham that Sarah laughed in the room behind Him. Then we cry out, “Watchman, what of the night?”
And he said, “The night cometh.” Watch the night first; the morning cometh first, then the night also. Just before the breaking of day there's always one great light that's always placed in the heavens, and that is the morning star. When you see the morning star getting bright, brighter and brighter, then the earth gets darker and darker. And the reason it is brighter is because the earth is darker.
And the church of this last days—the called-out, and the elected body of Christ—has been promised by the Bible that He'd give them the morning star.
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“Watchman, what of the night? What's going to happen?” Here it is: Total annihilation is coming to the whole world. But before that annihilation takes place, the church of Jesus Christ will go in the rapture to meet her Lord.
What is the morning star to do? What makes the stars so bright at that time? It's the approaching of the sun. The morning star is reflecting the light of the sun. Other stars seems to dim at that hour.
All the man-made theologies, all the cold, formal indifferences will dry up. But that watchman sitting yonder on the tower, with the morning star, will reflect the true message of the Lord Jesus soon to approach, because He's brighter and brighter all the time, as the sun begins to rise.
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Oh, I would say, “Morning stars, rise and shine to the glory of God. For the approach of midnight.... Darkness is upon the earth and gross darkness upon the people.'”
But the morning cometh and the stars should be giving their lights. Think of that horrible hour that's a-facing the whole world. Think of that horrible gloom that's a-facing every person unsaved today. All nations, and all the mountains, and all the farms, and all the houses that they've gloried in shall be made powder to volcanic ashes again, in a moment in a twinkling of an eye.
But those who love the Lord, those who have the morning star's light, that they're getting their eyes on Him and off the things of the world.
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And as Paul wrote in his closing epistle before he left the earth, he was weary and nervous and tired. Oh, how I feel for that little Jew, when he said, “Let no one trouble me. I've fought a good fight and I've finished my course. I've kept the faith. And henceforth there's a crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me at that day.” Then he thought of the morning stars coming. He said, “Not only to me, but to all them that love His appearing.”
Oh, lift up your heads; your redemption's drawing nigh. “Watchman, what makes the papers say this? What makes science afraid to move? What makes the Pentagon scared to put the information out? because people would commit suicide, and throw their money in the streets and things. What's the matter? What is it? What of the light?” The morning cometh. That's right. What is it all about? It's the making of the morning coming. And it's pressing forward (the light), and it's making gross darkness come just before the light goes to shining.
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I'm so glad to be a Christian. I'm so glad that I am His watchman, one of them; to stand on the wall crying out, “Prepare to meet God, for the hour of His coming is drawing nigh.”
You here in this church this morning, if there be one who isn't positive that the Morning Star is reflecting its light into your heart, the great Holy Spirit, may you prepare for that. For there's one greatest event that's ever taken place is at hand right now. We're standing on a brim watching a drama being set.
I've many times watched movies. How, in Hollywood and different places setting their dramas. And how they take their stars and their so forth, and fix them around. And how they train them and everything before the great drama takes place. Always amazed at watching it and knowed it had to be a counterfeit.
All counterfeit things are made off of real ones. There cannot be a bogus dollar until there's a real one. There cannot be a hypocrite unless there's a real Christian. There cannot be a false message unless there's a true one. There cannot be a night unless there's a day. Certainly.
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And as I watched them set their dramas, and I thought, “Oh, we are standing way yonder on the tower, far above anything in this world. And we're watching two of the greatest things: the running out of time and the coming of the Lord.” Soon time shall be no more. There will be time no more. And the coming of the Lord.
And the antichrist, he has his subjects sitting there. He has communism, he has the different “isms”. He has churchism, he has Catholicism, he has Protestantism. He has everything set to make a great show.
But I'm so glad that there's a Father in heaven who has His characters set too for this great drama. When the antichrist takes them into this decease of everything, even to time; God is ready in His drama to lift His church into eternity into the blissful realms of the eternal with God Himself. When these old vile bodies will be changed and made like unto His own glorious body, and this corruption shall take on immortality, and in His likeness we will stand forever.
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Look, you who watch television, you who listen to radio, you who read your newspapers, you who like to hear the news and you wonder what this is; listen to my voice! The morning cometh and the night's coming, also. The morning is coming for those who are ready for the morning, and night is coming for those who are not prepared for the morning. May God prepare our hearts today, for the morning shall break eternal bright and fair. And as the poet said, “His chosen ones shall gather to their homes beyond the sky. When the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there.” Let us pray.
In this hour of gloom over the earth and destruction on every hand, Lord God, we just cannot express how we feel, and the thankfulness and gratefulness in our heart that Jesus Christ came down from glory and was made a man like we, dwelt among us. And then when He died for our sins—come through the way of paradise and taken the waiting souls; broke through every spiritual power that the devil had bound the earth with; and made a streak so the sunlight of God's eternal grace could shine upon those who are willing to receive it.
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God, grant today that men everywhere will hurry, hurry, get into the kingdom, for the message has always been urgent. “Hurry, hurry. Come out!” The angel said in Sodom, “I can do nothing till you come hither.”
Lord, grant that though the message be full of grace and power and love, yet it's urgency. Grant, Lord, that men may quickly come and receive Christ and be filled with the Holy Spirit. For Jesus has said, “They that are of God hear the words of God.” May they come and repent of their sins; be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of their sins and be filled with the Holy Ghost; to fix their soul in the condition that the first church was. So shall it be when You come.
We're thankful for the message and pray that You'll bless it, Lord, to the good of our hearts as we wait on Thee. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
One by one we'll gain the portal,
There to dwell with the immortal,
When they ring those golden bells,
for you and me.
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Don't you just love Him? Now, the message over; let's just worship Him, in the Spirit, just.... He's here. Great, stern words, but they are true. I speak them in Christ's name. The approaching of the day! If you regard me.... I want this.... [Blank spot on tape.]
... you and me. (Let's just raise
our hand.)
Don't you hear the bells now ringing
Don't you hear the angels singing,
'Tis a glory, hallelujah, jubilee.
In that far off sweet forever,
Just beyond the shining river,
When they ring those golden bells,
for you and me.
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While she plays that through again, let's just shake hands with somebody by you.
... the sweet forever, Just beyond....
We can only reach that shore by faith....
(Just say to one another, “Pilgrim,
I'm so glad to be with....)
... one we gain the portal,
There to dwell with the immortal,
When they ring those golden bells,
for you and me.
Don't you hear the bells now ringing,
Don't you hear the angels singing,
(What is it?)
'Tis a glory, hallelujah, jubilee.
In that far off, sweet forever,
Just beyond the shining river,
When they ring those golden bells
for you and me.
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That just brought something to my mind. My wife back there remembers it well. I had the privilege of visiting the old Pisgah Church, Bible Institute in California. I had one night's service with them. That's the old original power house. What a wonderful place. I met the pastor, Brother Smith. You know, they print a paper. They have help. They take up no offerings. Everything's free. And they've existed for fifty-some odd years.
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It was started by a doctor who was crippled, come to California for help. The doctor said, “There's nothing can be done for you.” I believe it was the late Dr. Price, or someone, who prayed for him up in a room one morning. He didn't get any results seemingly right then. That doesn't mean anything. So, he started out. He said, “Somehow another I believe, though.” And when he started to step his foot off of the curb, his crippled leg come straight. He established the Pisgah Home.
The other night I was over there preaching. They were jammed in that big auditorium. And hundreds times hundreds standing all over the streets and everything, so we got in the back. And after the message was over, something happened: two things that I never witnessed before in my life. They wasn't just a bunch of people who liked to make a lot of noise. They wasn't a bunch of people who sat dried up. They were Spirit-filled people.
And I enjoyed that marvelous fellowship.
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And when we were.... Just before I was going to pray for the sick, they started singing something sweet like that. I stood and I was amazed. I said, “There's something going on here, I don't understand.” I listened again and I heard two choirs. I said, “There must be something wrong.” And I shook my head to my ears again. I said, “Oh, Lord, maybe it's a rebound, from this choir here; I hear another one up here, way up, great high gables.” I said, “It must be up there.”
So, I walked out of the minister's pit up here to the choir loft. It was up there. And I said to my wife, I said, “Do you hear that, honey?” She said, “What is that?” “Sister Arganbright,” I said, “Do you hear that? She said, ”Yes. I've heard it once before in my life.“ I went over to Brother Arganbright, ”Do you hear that?“ ”Yes.“ Every one of their heads bowed, singing.
Oh, I said, “Maybe.... I want to be sure. I don't want to be skeptic. But, Lord, if I'm Your witness, if I'm to be a watchman, I've got to know what I'm talking about. I've got to be sure of this.” Like divine healing, if I'm not sure, I'm not going say nothing about it. If I'm not sure this was the coming of the Lord, I wouldn't say nothing about it. I've got to be sure.
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I got back down in the pit again; everyone with their heads bowed. And the altar call, many people had laid their hands against the window were coming to Christ. And they were singing. When I got down here, I said, “Lord, it can't be.” These people singing down here were just ordinary people. But this up here was ... sounded like it was a few, maybe two or three thousand singing here. But looked like there'd be maybe a hundred thousand up there. And it was one of the sweetest voices; real high soprano, like women's voices.
I listened and it just, shivers run all over me. I stepped back again just a minute. I listened. I walked up, high, come back, cause they just kept singing in the Spirit. I listened again. It wasn't this voice. I could hear them down here one kind of voice and this up here another kind of voice.
So when the service was over, I said to the pastor, “Pastor, I heard something strange.”
He said, “What was it, Brother Branham?”
And I said, “I heard soprano voices of women and high trained voices. The most lovely I ever heard in my life up in there.”
He said, “It's been heard many times here, Brother Branham.”
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I had read of old mother.... Oh, I forget her name now, that used to pray for the sick. And one night after the pastor had closed his sermon, the little mother went down to pray for the sick. She had five or six little kiddies around with her. And she stopped and she listened up. And it's Mrs. Woodsworth Edder, if you all ever read her book? And she heard, she said, “A choir singing above the singing in the church.” After the voices quit down here, it still sings on, see.
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And I stood there and just then way back at the back of the building.... See how orderly, perfect.... Now, I do believe in speaking in tongues. I believe it's a gift of God that's in the church. I believe it's been misused like other Scriptures has been misused. But there is a real one, yes.
And this man raised up in the back of the building (way back) and said about four or five words in another language. Not just a.... It was a dialect; you could hear it. Everyone was quiet. And something moved upon me. I never had an interpretation in my life, and I didn't use it then because I was scared. Those things are of God. You better not fool with them.
And something said to me, “The pastor shall pray the prayer of faith.” I had to hold my mouth shut. And I waited and here it come again, a wave coming over, and said, “The pastor shall pray the prayer of faith.” I thought, “Lord, I haven't got no gifts of interpretation. Mine is to pray for the sick. So I have no gifts of interpretation.” And I closed my mouth again and stood still. And just then the pastor raised up and begin to pray for the sick.
Oh, He is God! Sickness was healed all over the building everywhere. What is it? The breaking of the day. There's a little branch still left. Don't worry. God's never been without a witness. Trusting now that some great, mystic somewhere, maybe not in an angelic voice, but something will let every sinner—if there be such in this building—know that the night is drawing darker and darker over the earth, and gross darkness. But the coming of the Lord is at hand, what's a-doing it.
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And as your watchman, I'd say, “The morning cometh. Be ready morning stars; shine.” How many would like to be remembered in a closing prayer before we go? Just raise your hands.
Dear God, You see the people as they raise their hands. And they are sincere in this. Many of those who search newspapers, they've searched philosophers, books and articles of different things, but yet they cannot find no answer. But here it comes this morning in the Bible, “The morning cometh, and the night cometh also.”
And we pray, God, that You'll bless every person here that raised their hands. And You know what's behind that hand raised. And, Lord, I believe that right where they are sitting now that the omnipresent God is able to divide to them their inheritance of the Spirit that they are seeking at this hour.
Give to each, Lord, for the sake of Thy Word and their desire. And of Thy divine promise which cannot fail. May they receive that which they raised their hands for, as I offer this prayer in their behalf. In the name of the Lord Jesus, may they receive it. Amen. God be with you.
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Now, we have just a little time for the.... Now, we're going to pray for the sick. I am so happy to know that there is hope for the sick. “I'm the Lord who forgiveth all of thine iniquity, who healeth all of thy diseases.” And I just.... Strangely as it is, I was moved a while ago to a young mother laying on this stretcher. And she is a victim of Hodgkin's disease. And I believe it's her mother sitting here with her, I'm pretty sure. Yes, that's right.
But this mother was telling me of her child. And I was trying to encourage her. And it just a call after this message, I feel that salvation is the first thing; healing is second. A healing might last to the end of your life, many years. It might give you happiness and joy while you're here on earth, but it will cease at your death.
But a soul that's saved has eternal life. It cannot perish, or nothing can ever take it from you. It's gone, into the books of God to be raised up in the last days. The great thing is the first thing. First the kingdom of God and His righteousness; other things shall be added.
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I would just like to give one testimony of a healing of this horrible disease that this young woman suffers with. And there was some time ago ... (They may be present this morning, I'm not here too often to know who's who; many of you I do not know.) But there was a young girl here in our high school, and she was suffering with this Hodgkin's disease, and was taken to a doctor of these big lumps breaking out on her.
And they taken a piece of the lump and sent it away to find out what it was, and it returned back “incurable Hodgkin's disease.” And the mother did not want the child to know what was her trouble. And the doctors advised the mother to just let her go on to school, because she had just so many days to live. It finally breaks on the heart. And Hodgkin's disease is cancer (we know that), in a form.
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So, they sent the young girl back to school to let her die. The mother was frantic. And she called me up on the phone and said, “I want to bring her. But I understand, Brother Branham, that in your prayer lines, many time, you call out the diseases when you have the inspiration of the Spirit.” She said, “Would you be so kind, if the Holy Spirit reveals anything about the child, not to say it.”
“Well,” I said, “I don't think He would reveal it if He didn't want it to be known.” I said, “I hardly think so and at my own tabernacle here, I seldom have those kind of meetings.” I said, “I just pray for the sick.”
And the young lady come into the line, and I asked the mother, “Are you a Christian?”
She said, “No.”
I said, “Is the girl a Christian?”
“No.”
I said, “That's a terrible way to go out of the world.” And I said, “You'll never see her again if she goes in that condition.”
So, when the young lady came up into the room that morning, and passed right by this same place where the young girl was prayed for, so will this girl be in a few minutes. I asked her (I knew her), and I said, “Are you the young lady from the high school here?”
She said, “I am.”
I said, “Are you aware of your sickness?
She said, “The doctors tell me that they think I will be all right.”
“Well,” I said, “What if you don't get all right? Are you a Christian?”
She said, “No sir, I'm not.”
I said, “Would you like to be a Christian?”
She said, “I would.”
And I said, “Would you give your heart to Christ?”
And she said she would. And her mother run up and said she would too. Which I baptized them both right here in the pool. Prayed for the young girl. And time went on, and finally the girl begin to get better after a few days. She not knowing what was wrong. And after a bit, they took her back for examination, and they could find no trace of it at all.
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There is an.... I don't like to speak swelling things about people, but I like to be honest about people. There is a man in this city that's well known, and a fine Christian brother or he wouldn't be a deacon of this church.... I mean, a trustee of the church. And he's present now. And he just took it upon himself to keep account of that girl.
It was years later (two or three years later), the young lady had finished her school and was going with a boy. And I met her on the street one day and she was so happy, and testified to the glory of the power of Jesus Christ after they had told her what it was.
The girl's married. She's got children and she's living happy. And her father comes to this man's business place to get his hair cut. And Mr. Egan here who has kept up with the case all along.... And the girl is sound and well and that's been (how long Brother Egan?), several years ago, hasn't it? [Brother Eagan says, “Four or five years ago.”] And she's living today to a testimony that God heals Hodgkin's disease.
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Oh, it's so good to know that in the hours of distress that we have a refuge. That refuge is Christ. I want to report just to the rest of you a little something in the meeting that just happened.
The Lord was so good in answer to you all's prayers as I went west for the meeting just now—few weeks ago ... two weeks. And while we were at Tulsa at the convention, I wasn't going to speak because I was to have a meeting there, but the ministers had other revivals going on, so I could not have the meeting at that time.
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But I passed by to pick up Brother Arganbright to take him on to California—wife and I, and little Joseph. And that night when we come in late, I understood that Oral Roberts and Tommy Osborn was to preach that night. So, Brother Arganbright called into the hotels till he found where we was at, and said, “Come on down to the meeting.” So he came over, he and Brother Sonnmore, of the Christian Businessmen, head of the chapter at Minneapolis. They come over for me and I went in, and they were having dinner already in the Mayo Ballroom; great place, multimillionaires sitting in there.
And so, you know how I'd feel to go into a place like that. I didn't even know how to use the knives and forks they had on the table. But I went in and while I went in, Oral Roberts was preaching. And he was preaching on The Abundance Of Life—The Abundance, and telling the Christian Businessmen that Jesus caught the fishes, put them in the nets, and had more than they could use.
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And Brother Roberts is a forceful speaker as you know. And he said, “There's plenty for everybody.” And he said, “Now, I'm building a temple over here.” (Probably cost millions of dollars.) Says, “It's built out of white marble.” And he said, “I got it about half way up and I run out of money.” And said, “Then I went across the street one day to look at it, and the devil said, 'You know what? People have passed by and say that's what Oral Roberts did.'”
He said, “Then I said to the devil, 'But they'll have to say Oral Roberts tried.'” That's good. And he said, “Then it was laid upon a banker's heart, here in the city, that loaned me way over nearly two million dollars—from a bank—to finish the building.”
Banks don't do that. You know that. And he said, “That certain businessman, banker, is sitting present now.” He said, “I don't want to call his name, because he doesn't exactly belong to the Full Gospel people.” But said, “He's here.” And said, “I don't think he even claims to be a Christian.” But said, “Something moved his heart and he let me have the money.” Said, “If he wants to stand up,” said, “he could but I'm not going to embarrass the man.” And the man stood up and said, “I'm not embarrassed, Mr. Roberts,” and sat down.
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Then I got in and was sitting down. Then Brother Roberts, as soon as he got through, come over and shook hands with me and pulled me up in his arms. And just a few minutes then.... 'course a lot of people come around, you know talking, while we were still eating, and wanting for meetings and so forth—ministers.
And then Demas Shakarian got up. He's the president of the Full Gospels Businessmen's Chapter. And he got up, and he said, “You know, I just feel led that Brother Branham should preach for us tonight the final message. Well, I didn't know what to say. And he begin to tell about a man sitting in here. Said, ”Here's So-and-so, I met him today. They were telling me that they own this complete three or four city blocks of Miracle Miles.“ Multi-millionaires and cattlemen and so forth. And what could I say in a meeting like that.
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But you know, it's always best to obey. So I got up to speak the best that I could and at the end of the service.... It's all out of order to give a altar call in a place like that. But you know, I made altar calls at funeral services. So, I thought, here's a good chance, and I made an altar call. And all those rich men and women came to the Lord Jesus and gave their hearts to the Lord.
I was amazed at one millionaire ... multimillionaire's wife with a little hat with fancy feathers down around the side, probably cost her a hundred dollars. And the tears running down her cheeks, she caught me by the hand and she said, “Brother Branham, my heart is moved.” She said, “I thought I was a Christian till now.” She said, “I want to serve the Lord.” And I said, “Thank you.”
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And then in a few minutes something said to me, “Pray for the sick now.” I thought, “Oh, no. I can't do that. I've already interrupted this big ballroom. So, if I pray for the sick, they'll think I really am a fanatic.”
So, I thought, “Surely the Lord wouldn't be telling me that; maybe I'm just all worked up because of these conversions. So I'll slip over and sit down.” And I went down along the speaker's table, on down to the very end and sat down with Brother Jack Moore. Was sitting there talking and I turned the service back to the president, Mr. Shakarian. Then he got up, and he said, “You know what?” Oh, God must have touched him on the shoulder. He said, “I feel led to have Brother Branham to come back and pray for the sick.” I thought, “Oh,” just exactly right.
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And I got up and told them, and I said, “I felt that and I pray God forgive me, but it's better when somebody gets touched, too, you know, make us altogether knowing that it's the working of the Spirit.”
So I said, “Now, divine healing isn't touching a totem pole. It isn't just something that's imaginary. It's the same God that saved all these people here a while ago. He's the same God that heals all the people that's here, just by simple faith believing Him. I said, ”Do you believe it?“
And now to the secret to my church. As you know, my ministry's changing. And, oh, what a glorious change. All of you remembers the words that's been ringing; and every time it happens, something happens. When I'm going to speak on that, come to me, “Say To This Mountain.” Why has it been? It's been faith. Anything is by faith. Faith is not something that you work up. Faith is something that you have.
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And I thought, if.... I've always been ashamed of my faith, but people, as good as the Lord has been, He has showed things, told visions, everything has been perfect. You people know that. It's not a individual. It's not a man. It's God that does it. And this picture here, how it's went over the world. The ones in Germany. And here a few weeks ago (maybe a stranger is here never seen it), they caught another one. I got it at home. It's the profile of the Lord Jesus standing right behind where I was standing. And His hands are out and tongues of fire are flying off from His hands, while I was speaking on the subject: Say To This Mountain Be Moved And Don't Doubt In Your Heart, But Believe.“
And we've got it. It's in Techni-Koda-Chrome colors. And we've got it at home now. And they're making.... It's been examined now by science and so forth in laboratories. It'll be out pretty soon. Another one, which makes about six of them now in different places that's been took. This is the most outstanding of all of them.
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Never seen ... there's His beard, His face, His profile, His arms hanging out. And I was standing right in like this and where He's got His arms, you can't even see a place of me like that. My head, then my feet down at the floor. Just head and feet, that's all there was left, see.
And He's standing with His arms right like this, and I got my hands out like this, preaching, saying, “Say to this mountain.” And about that time something took place, and they snapped the picture of it like that. And there it was behind. All in colors. And a big....
So as God does arrange, a big basket of calla lilies sitting close. He's the lily of the valley. And where do you get opium? Out of lilies. That's right. What is the opium God has? Peace. Opium just makes you forget all about your troubles. Opium smokers: That's how they kill themselves with that opium. God has an opium. Amen. He eases every pain, heals all sickness, takes every worry away.
As long as we're breathing into His opium, we're at peace. And the big basket of lilies are sitting right in front where I'm a-speaking on the platform.
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And I prayed for the sick there at Tulsa and I just walked on down and went out. And about ten minutes later (I would not want to call the evangelist's name), but a woman that had arthritis of the spine that worked for this evangelist, (she was a stenographer), and she had to type like this because her arms and shoulders were bound. She typed like that, and this great and noted evangelist, there at Tulsa, had her employed in his employment to give her work. And she started walking down the hall, and all of a sudden her arms come loose and she begin jumping and screaming until she attracted the attention of everybody up there.
And that dear woman, falling on her knees and raising her hands and clapping them like that—the glory of God—because God had set her free just a few moments after the prayer. And I slipped in to listen and see what she was saying. She said, “I was just walking down the hall.”
And I said, “Well, thanks be to God.” And I turned around and started walking the other way and I heard way down there, seen all the sinners running together to see what was the matter.
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And here was a man taken the floor, Brother Gardner, (the very man who gave me this suit). Many of you know Brother Gardner—Brother Gardner in Binghamton, New York, the outstanding Oldsmobile dealer; of the three last years sold more Oldsmobile cars than any other man in the United States.
And he flies in a private plane. And a little over a year ago, (his name's George Gardner), his aviator, by himself, was soloing and fell (the plane) and bursted his knees, his ankles. And his legs and feet were stiff and he walked like this—his aviator.
And he was present when the prayer was made. And he had moved himself out of the hall where the banquet was. And they'd got him a room close so he wouldn't have trouble walking back and forth.
And here was his testimony: He went to his room and sat down, not even being a Christian. And he said, “Somehow or another I believe that little baldheaded guy that preached up there tonight.” And said he begin to notice his toes begin to shake, and he jumped to his feet, every whit whole, standing out there glorifying God. Standing, raising his legs up and down like that, and on his sides of his feet and everything, just testifying to the glory of God.
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Once again before we pray for the sick: I was staying with Brother Arganbright and my good friend. (Leo and Gene knows what phone calls are.) Buzzing the phone, and Brother Arganbright would answer and, you know, you can't be everywhere. But it happened to be that I picked up the phone. I believe everything works in God's providential way, don't you believe? I believe that's why the young lady's here. I believe that's why you're all here. I believe that's why I'm here. And we're met together for the glory of God for some reason. Why did we come over the icy grounds to be here this morning?
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So, I picked up the phone because Brother Arganbright wasn't in the room. And he said, “I'd like to speak to Brother Branham.”
I said, “I am Brother Branham.”
He was a Spanish man. He said, “Sir, I know it's unreasonable almost for me to ask the question I'm going to ask.” He said, “I can imagine how people pull and so forth.” But said, “I'm a missionary in Mexico.” And said, “Back up here, I live here in La Crossenta and I just learned a few hours ago that you were in the city.” And said, “I brought my baby back to try to get it to you, or Brother Roberts, or some of the brethren who pray for the sick.” And he said, “Being it's my baby, my faith, I guess, has just been a little weak.” He said, “My baby is yet not four months old and is dying with cancer.”
And something said to me, “Go to that baby.”
I said, “Sir, I will get Brother Arganbright, and you tell him where the baby's at. I will meet you.”
So I get Brother Arganbright and he tells him. So, we got in the car and went down. And I met his little wife. And him being Mexican, though he didn't look it, he was white-skinned, fair. But he was a Mexican, which Mexicans many times are blondes because they come between the Spanish and the Indians. And there are some of those Indians with just blond, snow white.
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And then.... His wife was Finnish, strictly blond, very sweet little woman. And I went to the hospital with him to see his baby. When I walked into the room, they had it right next to the nurses' headquarters. For the little baby, yet just four months old, and it was born with malignant tumors in the jaws, which swole it out approximately that far from its face, like that, just out like that.
And the doctors had tried to operate and great big, deep scars that cut all around his little throat all the way around. It didn't stop it. Only it run it up into its tongue. And the little jaws hanging like that, the big, deep scars. And its little tongue, little mouth, not over that big. And its tongue probably that big swollen, had pushed out about that far and turned black, and had shut off the breathing from the nostrils coming down when it swelled up in the roof of its mouth. And of course, it cut its breath off from here. They had to cut a hole in its throat and had a little whistle of a little, like a little round tin in his throat.
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And his little arms were in splints, like this, so that it couldn't reach to pull that whistle out. It would choke. And the cancer draining. And the nurse had to stand there with something to pull the drainage of the cancer out of the whistle, or it would choke to death.
And the father walked around to the bedside and he said, “Ricky, Daddy's little boy.” He said, “Daddy brought Brother Branham to pray for you, Ricky.” When he said, “Daddy's little boy,” my spirit just left me. I just couldn't stand it any longer. I just had to hold to the side of the bed. “Daddy's little boy.”
And the little fellow, yet youthful as he was, knowed it was his daddy. And he started wheezing like that and his little arms like that, and him trying to pat the little fellow on the head. A poor, little baby born in that condition.
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I just couldn't speak. I just ... you know, you just get so full, you just can't say nothing. I looked down and seen them little, bitty hands out from under those big splints and making a wheezing noise and I thought, “Isn't that pitiful?”
And after I kind of got around to myself enough to think something, I thought, “Jesus, do You mean that You get pleasure out of seeing that? I can't believe it. I just can't believe that You get glory out of that little baby's suffering like that. It just can't be. If it makes me, a sinner, feel like I do to that baby, what would it do to You?—the resource of all mercy. What must it do to You?” And I'd said no word yet; he was trying to play with it, get it quietened. And its little body, with a little diaper on, just about ... the little body and all not over that big and its head was the biggest part. His jaws swollen out so big.
And they had something around its head to keep its little head from bursting open, you know, a rag. His jaws was swollen so big out like that, to keep it from bursting.
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And the nurse was standing there. And I looked down to the little fellow and I thought, “Lord, what would You do if You were standing here?” Now, I realize that I'm in the pulpit, and I realize that God is present. But it seemed to me that something spoke down in my soul and said, “I'm waiting to see what you're going to do about it. I gave My authority to the church. There you come back again to 'Say to this mountain.' I gave My authority to the church and I'm waiting to see what you're going to do.”
I wonder if that's His attitude towards us all the time, that He's waiting to see what we're going to do. What about the signs of the time we've just been preaching about? What would He do? He's waiting to see what we will do.
Well, I got its little baby hand in mine, just in my fingers like that, it was so little. And I said, “Lord, hear the prayer of Your servant. And by faith that I believe that You are, I place between this demon of cancer and the baby's life the blood of Jesus Christ: between the killer and the baby, the blood. By faith I place that.” And I couldn't say nothing else. I just turned around and started walking out. The father followed me.
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He said, “Brother Branham, the Lord places upon my heart to give you some tithings.”
“Oh,” I said, “Brother, don't think of that. No,” I said, “I don't need money, Brother.”
He said, “But I've saved up some tithings.” (Oh, a little money, I forget now just exactly; I believe about fifty dollars.) He said, “The Lord placed it on my heart to give it to you.”
I said, “I tell you what. I receive it and then you turn it back and give it to little Ricky over there on his hospital bill, because you're a preacher. I know what it is, what money means. And you're a missionary; and I know that it takes money, and you got a family and all this doctor bills. Place it right back on little Ricky's bill.
He said, “I don't want to do that, Brother Branham. It ain't to pay doctors; it's to pay ministers.”
And I said, “Yes, but I'm turning it back for you.” And I refused it. And I went on up to the house, and in the matter of a few hours, them jaws went down and its tongue went back into its normal place. God healed the little fellow. They were removing the whistle the morning that I left, out of its throat. It alarmed the whole west coast.
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Famous doctor sent his son with his grandchild, and they cut off the road way over, forty or fifty miles over in Pasadena, and cut off the road where I was to pass to pray for that baby who had spasm on the brain. They'd give it a penicillin shot, and it caused a cancer to come from the effects of the penicillin shot in its hip. And I'm sure the Lord healed it.
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Just before leaving the house, the phone rang, kept ringing. Brother Arganbright (I heard him arguing with someone) said, “No, I wouldn't do that.” Just as I was getting in the car, there was a little station wagon drove up. Who was it, but my little Mexican brother and his wife. Both of them just crying and praising God.
Said, “Brother Branham, I brought these tithes to you.
“Oh,” I said, “Brother, I can't receive that.” I said, “I just couldn't do it.”
He said, “But I brought them to you.”
I said, “I told you to put them on Ricky's bill.”
He said, “This morning when I went to give the doctor these tithings to go on Ricky's bill, the doctor said, You don't owe me nothing.' He said, 'I had nothing to do with that.' He said, 'That's a great phenomena.' He said, 'You don't owe me one penny.'”
So he said, “Take this, Brother Branham. The Lord told me you was to take it.”
I thought, “Oh, I can't.” I said, “Lord, I don't feel like doing it.” Then something come to me. Jesus standing one day, watching the rich man pitch in their great abundance of money. Oh, they had plenty, so they were giving plenty. And a little widow come by with three pennies and it was all she had. That's all the living she had. And she threw it in. Now, what would we have done? “Oh, sister, don't do that, Huh-uh, you know, we don't need that. Don't throw that in. That's all your living.” But Jesus just let her go ahead and do it. For it is more blessed to give than to receive.
I got the little tithings. I don't know what to do with them. I place them somewhere in some work for the glory of God, somewhere the best that I can. What is it? It's the glory of God. It's the power of God.
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The shadows are falling. Christ is appearing. That's why signs and wonders are appearing. It's that great satellite reflecting off of the morning stars, with healing in His wings. And if He will bring healing from the reflection of His presence, what will He do when He comes in Person.
These corruptible bodies of ours will be changed and made like unto His own glorious body. What will it be when He comes? Until He comes, we're thankful for the sunlight of His presence. As the morning stars do, that climb the ramparts of glory and sitting there to hail His coming in this dark hour. Let us pray.
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O, Lord, we just love You so much Lord, till there is no telling how long.... We never get tired of testifying of Your praises. But the hour is here now. There's sick people waiting. Thou knowest these testimonies. They are, as far as I know, Lord, the exact truth of the aviator standing out there showing how he could stand on his feet and all the conditions that his body was. And pulled up his trouser legs and showed his knees and legs all bursted and scarred where the doctors had tried to put back the bones together.
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You seen the woman standing there with the paint on her face and it washing down with the tears of rejoicing as she told of her arthritis condition had been healed by Your power. And of that darling little baby and the testimony of the father and them who were present.
Now, Lord, You're just as great here this morning in the tabernacle as You are anywhere in the world. And You've promised that where we would meet together, that You would be in our midst. Now, we shall call the sick that You've sent to us this morning, and we shall pray for them and shall pray with all our hearts the prayer of faith. And may You save the sick and raise them up. And if they have did sins, forgive them, Father. As we confess our faults one to another, and pray one for the other. And You have said, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
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We know of one laying here with us this morning, just a young mother with these little children. Lord, according to the doctors, she's near the end of her journey. But we pray, God, that You will stand between her and that enemy. And when we anoint her and pray for her, may Your power touch that soul of hers, that'll bring faith and deliverance. And may she go home and get well. And give praise and be a reflection of the morning star, to the glory of God. Amen.
Brother Mercer, now, as we take these people by an appointment. As people coming will.... Just call this number and they are put on the list of those to be prayed for....