A Quick Examination of William Marrion Branham`s Message Table

A Quick Examination of William Marrion Branham’s Message Table of Contents Did William Branham Make Mistakes? ............................................................................ 2 Did William Branham Lie? .................................................................................................... 2 Did William Branham Contradict Himself? .................................................................... 3 Did William Branham Teach Anything Unscriptural? ................................................. 4 Scare Tactics: Die From Questioning Branham ............................................................. 5 Visions of 1933: Franklin D. Roosevelt ............................................................................ 6 Visions of 1933: Mussolini .................................................................................................... 7 Visions of 1933: The Siegfried Line … or Maginot Line ............................................... 8 Visions of 1933: Egg-­‐Shaped Cars Driving Themselves .............................................. 9 Visions of 1933: Woman or the Catholic Church Will Rule U.S. ............................ 10 Visions of 1933: California will Sink Beneath the Ocean ........................................ 11 Vision of Marilyn Monroe’s Heart Attack ..................................................................... 12 Brown Bear Prophesies ...................................................................................................... 13 Vision of India Meetings ..................................................................................................... 14 Facts About the ‘Mysterious Cloud’ ................................................................................ 15 Human “Discernments” ...................................................................................................... 15 References: www.seekyethetruth.com www.wmbranham.net www.branham.org A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 1 Did William Branham Make Mistakes? •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Unborn children in the womb are not alive – FALSE
Day and night are caused by the Sun rotating around the earth – FALSE
Man has one less rib than a woman – FALSE
We’ll never make it to the moon - FALSE
Eve was the ‘tree of knowledge of good and evil’ - FALSE
Vision of Israel becoming a nation 1946 - FALSE
Lowest life form is a frog - FALSE
Earth is stationary - FALSE
Man is made up of light - FALSE
George J Lacy documented the halo as supernational- FALSE
Document is displayed in hall of science in DC- FALSE
Newspapers reported that it’s been discovered that the world is square (65-0822M)
Women perpetrate or participate in 98% of all US cities crimes (65-0221M)
The USA has more divorce cases than the rest of the world (54-0509)
US government statistics show that 80% of babies born to smoking mothers die before they’re 18
months old (50-0813E)
You can inject embryo cells from an unborn fetus into a human being, and the cells will grow into
the respective organs (CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.3)
Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) are angels (65-0815)
Five stars are going to fall together (62-0124)
FBI files prove that motion pictures started America’s decline (56-0426)
If you’re born out of wedlock, you’ll not make it for the rapture (64-0823E)
Woman was designed by Satan (65-0221M)
Epilepsy is the medical term for a devil (50-0820E)
Animals acquire the color of the soil they eat from (54-0103E)
People will be picked up by UFOs when going up for the rapture (65-0822M)
During the creation, plants grew from seeds from another civilization (63-0321)
Satan set up his headquarters in Paris (54-0509)
The Bible said that Roosevelt would impose a three or four term dictatorship (54-0509)
Did William Branham Lie? •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
He lied about his birthdate (April 8, 1908) He told the A.P. that his name was Henry Branham He claimed Donnie Morton was healed, yet evidence shows he died of the same disease a few months later He claimed George J. Lacy was head of the FBI He claimed that the “halo picture” was proven supernatural by George J. Lacy He claimed Al Farrar was an FBI agent investigating him He claimed a man was paralyzed, ran screaming, died six weeks, six months, a few years later, was still paralyzed to this day, and still suffering He claimed Israel became a nation June 30, 1947 – the day his ministry began He claimed his studies of Clarence Larkin’s revelation were his own He claimed thousands were healed in Canada, when none were found healed He claimed to be under the cloud in Arizona while he was in Houston, TX He claimed that the Trinitarian baptism started in the Nicene counsel He claimed the dates of the church ages copied from Larkin were divine revelation He claimed that 16 men died during the construction of the 2nd street bridge He claimed that newspapers all the way to Canada printed the story of his baptizing in the Ohio river He claimed he was a Bantam Weight boxer A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 2 A Quick Examination of William Marrion Branham’s Message Did William Branham Contradict Himself? •
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
His birthdate was 1908 according to what he wrote on his marriage license and confirmed by the US census, but 1909 according to his story about the fortuneteller, and 1907 according to a story about his mother. He claimed to be a professional boxer in the IN/KY area while he was in AZ working as a ranch hand He was raised in an unreligious family yet attended his grandfather’s church in KY Claimed to be dirt poor while his father worked in one of the most well-­‐paying jobs in KY Claimed to be dirt poor while his father was a chauffer for a millionaire in IN Claimed to be dirt poor while buying a brand new Ford [or Chevy in other stories]. In the angel visitation, the angel was described as: o Man with long white beard and white hair o Clean shaven with black hair o Neatly trimmed beard o Wearing a turban The visitation happened: o In a cave with a dirt floor o In a cabin with a wood floor, wood stove, and a window o In a camp ranger’s home The white horse rider of Revelation was God and it was the anti-­‐Christ He said that Jesus was not eternal, and Jesus was eternal He said that “I am not a prophet” and “Do you believe me to be God’s prophet” He said he did not want people to worship him and said that “Jesus will come as Elijah [pointing to himself] in the last days” He said that he enjoyed Billy Graham’s sermon on “Thinking man’s filter”, and later said that God revealed that sermon to him in the woods. He claimed he had a great healing campaign before 1945 and said that his healing ministry did not start until 1947 He was converted in a shed, garage, or saloon He claimed to have a Nazarite vow, yet shaved, drank wine, and cut his hair He claimed shorts were for “sissies” yet had his picture taken wearing them He gave five different names of the nurse that helped Hope in the hospital He said the “Mark of the Beast” was o Denominationalism o Being without the Holy Ghost o Romanism20, the Roman hierarchy o The World Council of Churches o To do the will of the world church. He said there was one book of life, but later said there were two books of life He contradicted himself on EVERY vision [read later] A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 3 Did William Branham Teach Anything Unscriptural? •
Eight times he said that Noah watched Enoch, and the year Enoch was translated, Noah started building the ark. According to the Bible, Enoch was translated 69 years before Noah was born (see Genesis 5:21-­‐29). From the birth of Enoch to the birth of Noah was 424 years, but Enoch was translated at the age of 365. Unfortunately, Brother Branham declared "Thus Saith the Lord" on this mistake in 1962. This mistake came from the Gnostic “Book of Enoch” •
He claimed that during Jesus' earthly ministry, "He never said He was the Son of God; He said He was the Son of man. In reality, Jesus did say He was the Son of God. He said directly, "I am the Son of God" (John 10:36). The most famous verse in history, John 3:16 ("God... gave His only-­‐begotten Son"), was spoken by Jesus. The Lord Jesus told the blind man He was the Son of God (John 9:37), told His disciples Lazarus had died "that the Son of God might be glorified" (John 11:4), and answered yes when the Sanhedrin asked Him point blank, "Art thou then the Son of God?" (Luke 22:70). •
He said that Mary was not Jesus' mother. " However, the Bible teaches the truth: "When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph..." (Matt 1:18). The wise men "saw the young child with Mary his mother" (Matt 2:11). The angel of the Lord told Joseph, "Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt" (Matt 2:13). Aged Simeon met Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus, "And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel" (Luke 2:34). Mary was not God, but according to Scripture, she was Jesus' mother. •
William Branham claimed that a wife cutting her hair is biblical grounds for divorce. "... you Pentecostal women are getting just as rotten as the rest of them (That's right), chopping off your hair. And the Bible said, 'Any woman that cuts her hair, her husband has the right to give her divorce and leave her.' First Corinthians, the 11th chapter, see if that's not right. She even dishonors her husband." This is a grave misreading of the chapter. In 1 Cor. 11:5 Paul says that if a married woman "prays or prophesies with her head uncovered, she dishonors her head" (i.e., her husband). Paul is supporting the Greek custom of husbands praying bareheaded, while wives pray while wearing hats or head coverings. And if she is willing to pray without a head covering (causing shame to him), then she ought to cut off her own hair as well (thus causing shame to herself). Conversely, if she is unwilling to embarrass herself by shaving her head, then she should also be unwilling to embarrass her husband by praying without a head covering, acting as if she were a single woman. Nothing is mentioned about divorce in this chapter! •
There never was two major prophets on the earth prophesying at the same time. Ezekiel and Daniel both prophesied between 593 and 570 BC. Hosea, Amos, and Jonah all prophesied between 755 and 750 BC. Haggai and Zechariah prophesied to the people of Judah at the same time (see Ezra 5:1). In the New Testament, God will send "My two witnesses" to prophesy at the same time (Rev. 11:1-­‐14). So Mr. Branham's claim is contradicted in both the Old Testament and the New. A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 4 A Quick Examination of William Marrion Branham’s Message Scare Tactics: Die From Questioning Branham Branham would often tell a story of God striking a man down for questioning Branham in the prayer lines. Sadly, WMB frequently remembered clearly the man's gray suit and red tie, but mis-­‐remembered the man's fate. 1. The man fell down on the floor and began screaming (1950) 50-­‐0110 MOSES_ HOUSTON.TX TUESDAY_ E-­‐41 2. The man received the diseases that he wrote on his card and was still suffering from them (1953). 53-­‐0508 GOD.COMMISSIONING.MOSES_ JONESBORO.AR FRIDAY_ E-­‐67 through E-­‐69 3. The man had died from his diseases (1954). 54-­‐0902 SOUTH.AFRICA.TESTIMONY_ NEW.YORK.NY THURSDAY_ E-­‐12 through E-­‐15 In the interest of "intellectual honesty", WMB states here "Far as I know, the man's in eternity today, dead." 4. The man was bedfast "to this day" (1956). 56-­‐0407 BLIND.BARTIMAEUS_ CHICAGO.IL SATURDAY_ E-­‐66 5. The man ran screaming from the auditorium when WMB publicly exposed his plan (1956). 56-­‐1209E SOUTH.AFRICA.TESTIMONY_ NEW.YORK.NY THURSDAY_ E-­‐88 through E-­‐90 6. The man died a year after the incident (January 1957). 57-­‐0127E BLIND.BARTIMAEUS_ LIMA.OH SUNDAY_ E-­‐66 through E-­‐67 7. The man was still in "serious condition" (June 1957). 57-­‐0630 THIRSTING.FOR.LIFE_ CHICAGO.IL SUNDAY_ E-­‐4 through E-­‐5 8. The man died 6 months after the incident from cancer (1958). 58-­‐0208 THE.QUEEN.OF.THE.SOUTH_ SOUTH.BEND.IN SATURDAY_ E-­‐85 through E-­‐86 9. The man was carried from the auditorium paralyzed and is still paralyzed (1958). 58-­‐0330E CHRIST.KNOCKING.AT.THE.DOOR_ MIDDLETOWN.OH SUNDAY_ E-­‐61 10. The man died six weeks after WMB exposed him (1961). 61-­‐0212M JEHOVAH.JIREH_ LONG.BEACH.CA SUNDAY_ E-­‐24 through E-­‐26 11. The man died six weeks after the meeting (1961). (Actually, 1962) 62-­‐0124 HAVE.NOT.I.SENT.THEE_ PHOENIX.AZ WEDNESDAY_ E-­‐142-­‐143 12. The man received the diseases that he wrote on his card (1963). 63-­‐1124E THREE.KINDS.OF.BELIEVERS_ JEFFERSONVILLE.IN V-­‐3 N-­‐6 SUNDAY_ 203-­‐218 A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 5 Visions of 1933: Franklin D. Roosevelt The president which now is, President Franklin D. Roosevelt... (Now remember, this is twenty-­‐eight years ago.) will cause the whole world to go to war BRANHAM, 60-­‐1113 CONDEMNATION.BY.REPRESENTATION_ History tells us that WWII began in March 1939. The United States finally joined into the war after over 2 years of fighting in 1941, after several other major world powers had entered into the war. Below is a list of the countries, and the date they entered into WWII. Australia 3/3/39 Japan 9/22/40 Costa Rica 12/8/41 Germany 9/1/39 Bulgaria 4/24/41 Dom Rep 12/8/41 France 9/3/39 Romania 6/22/41 El Salvador 12/8/41 Great Britain 9/3/39 Hungary 6/27/41 Haiti 12/8/41 New Zealand 9/3/39 India 12/7/41 Honduras 12/8/41 S. Africa 9/6/39 Panama 12/7/41 Nicaragua 12/8/41 Canada 9/10/39 Yugoslavia 12/7/41 Manchukuo 12/8/41 USSR 9/17/39 Netherlands 12/8/41 Italy 6/10/40 Five world powers were already at war as either Axis or Allied forces. Though it was necessary for the United States to get involved to stop Germany as their forces grew, Roosevelt was hesitant to join the fighting. Instead, Roosevelt insisted on preventing Japan from becoming a part of the war or a supplier of military supplies. It was Japan’s bombing of Pearl Harbor that ultimately led to the United States joining the war, and only as retaliation from a first strike. Let’s compare the original vision with what it became: Original: Roosevelt would cause the whole world to go to war What the vision became: Hitler would cause the whole world to go to war Clearly, Roosevelt did not lead the world into war, and we did not “pick on them [Germany] first” as Rev. Branham claimed. A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 6 A Quick Examination of William Marrion Branham’s Message Visions of 1933: Mussolini He first said that he did not know which of the world powers would take control, but said that it was to be one of the three: Mussolini, Hitler, or Stalin. and how that Fascism of Mussolini, and Hitler, and Stalin. I said, "One of them will take the place of it. I don't know which one it'll be, but I believe it'll be the king of the north. BRANHAM, 54-­‐0103M QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS.1_ JEFFERSONVILLE.IN After Mussolini died, Rev. Branham changed this opinion to claim that he had previously prophesied that he knew one of them would never take control. He also said that this would be his last, and he would end in disgrace. Said, "This new dictator, Mussolini, will take his first step toward Ethiopia, and Ethiopia will fall at his feet." It did. It said, "That'll be his last. He will end in disgrace." BRANHAM, 60-­‐1125 CONFERENCE_ SHREVEPORT.LA FRIDAY_ Once he found out that Ethiopia was not his last invasion, he took out the “That’ll be his last” portion in his account of the vision. But the Lord showed me a vision of the great powerful woman, in '33, 1933, it's on paper. Of how that "Roosevelt would cause... he would help cause the world to go to war." How that "Mussolini would make his first invasion to Ethiopia and he would take it, but he would come to a disgraceful end." BRANHAM, 60-­‐1211E THE.LAODICEAN.CHURCH.AGE_ JEFFERSONVILLE.IN Once it had became news of the mystery surrounding Hitler’s death, Hitler was added to the vision. How Mussolini, how he'd come to his end. How Hitler would come to a mysterious end. BRANHAM, 64-­‐0726M RECOGNIZING.YOUR.DAY.AND.ITS.MESSAGE_ JEFFERSONVILLE. Now, let’s compare the original vision to the vision that it became: Original: If Mussolini takes Ethiopia, then either Mussolini, Hitler, or Stalin would come to power. Later: Mussolini would die with his mistress after Ethiopia was invaded, and Hitler would die mysteriously A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 7 Visions of 1933: The Siegfried Line … or Maginot Line Around 1961, Branham started claiming that the defensive line he was describing was built 11 years after his initial vision of 1933. "Our war will be with Germany, and they will build a great big concrete place and fortify themselves in there, and the Americans will take a horrible beating." Almighty God knows that Who I stand before now; I seen those independent Nazis kicking the Americans like that and things at that wall. And there's many boys standing here now that was at that Siegfried Line that knows what it was. And remember, that was eleven years before the Siegfried Line was built. Is God true? Does He still foretell things to happen? Watch. That's-­‐-­‐that was the fourth. BRANHAM, 61-­‐0806 THE.SEVENTIETH.WEEK.OF.DANIEL_ JEFFERSONVILLE. The Siegfried line was a line of defensive forts and tanks built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg line. Adolph Hitler planned the line in 1936, and had it built between 1938 and 1940. The Maginot line was built in France in several phases starting in 1930 and was largely completed by 1939. In 1944, the Siegfried line had taken so much damage that Hitler commissioned forced labor of 14-­‐16 year old boys to build anti-­‐tank ditches to refortify the badly battered line of concrete defenses. The defensive line had already been built, but it was essentially being refortified by Hitler’s labor commission. 1933, the Holy Spirit came one morning and told me seven things that would take place before this nation was destroyed. ... How Germany would fortify and build a Maginot Line, or the Siegfried Line, I believe it was, eleven years before it was ever thought of. BRANHAM, 63-­‐1117 ONCE.MORE_ NEW.YORK.NY V-­‐18 N-­‐13 SUNDAY_ Rev. Branham still did not realize that the defensive line had already been built. He would continue to describe how this visions had shown him a full account of how the line was going to be built before the first concrete foundation had ever been poured. And I seen that, eleven years before the line was ever-­‐-­‐ever a foundation was ever poured for it, or anything, the Siegfried Line. BRANHAM, 64-­‐0112 SHALOM_ SIERRA.VISTA.AZ V-­‐13 N-­‐5 SUNDAY_ A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 8 A Quick Examination of William Marrion Branham’s Message Visions of 1933: Egg-­‐Shaped Cars Driving Themselves In 1956, around the time of the Heinkel Cabin Cruiser, Rev. Branham claimed to have a vision of cars that would become shaped like an egg. At the time, they were considered the latest designs that would take the world by storm, but fortunately for anyone with long legs, did not. In 1958, after an article released by a few magazines showed cars that did not require attention while driving. These cars, according to the magazines, would be self controlled, self propelled, and the way of the future. Rev. Branham would incorporate this into his accounts of the vision, saying that the egg shaped cars would even control your speed; you wouldn’t be able to hit another car because they controlled the steering and the speed according to the speed limit. The articles began to speak of electronic-­‐powered vehicles that were self-­‐directed. About that time, the visions changed to electronic powered cars that the driver could not steer. The vision started to include families that were playing games once they were commonplace on the road. They'll control it with some kind of a steering outfit that they don't have to touch it theirself." I seen an American family, going down a great big broad way playing cards with a glass-­‐top car, looked like an egg BRANHAM, 61-­‐0312 JEHOVAH.JIREH_ _ In a book, Branham would write that the vision was exactly like the photograph in Popular Science. The egg shape would be removed from this version of the vision altogether and replaced with a bubble top. The truth of the matter is, these cars already existed by science, and he definitely saw them, they were in the popular science magazines of that day. But we must remember that science progresses quickly over time, and that the vision is another moving target. …and families today would be watching movies or playing Xbox. A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 9 Visions of 1933: Woman or the Catholic Church Will Rule U.S. In 1956, Rev. Branham added women to the retelling of the 1933 vision, letting the people know that a woman will be President of the United States, and this would be a disgrace. I predict this: that a woman will be president before we're annihilated. That's right. I said that in 1933 by a vision. BRANHAM, 56-­‐0428 GOD'S.COVENANT.WITH.ABRAHAM_ In 1958, the vision changed a bit to include the fact that the US political structure could be affected, and the woman could be a dictator. In 1960, it changed a bit more to open up the options. She could be the President, Vice President, or the Catholic Church A few months later, it changed from a woman or the Catholic Church, to a man “that would be wrongly elected by a woman”. In 1961, Rev. Branham was convinced that the election of Kennedy was the fulfillment of his vision. As with the others, this vision is a moving target. We all know that women may some day be president; during Branham’s day when women were starting to take public office, they knew it then. Let’s compare the original vision to the vision that it became: Original: Woman will be president before we’re annihilated. Later: Woman will become president or vice president or dictator or elect the wrong man or it was the Catholic Church and it was President Kennedy. This vision clearly is a moving target, and America was not annihilated when Kennedy became president. A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 10 A Quick Examination of William Marrion Branham’s Message Visions of 1933: California will Sink Beneath the Ocean The last year of his ministry, Rev. Branham would condemn Los Angeles for allegedly rejecting Christ, and condemn the city into destruction. His vision would compare to Capernaum, which Branham thought was beneath the sea during the time of his ministry. That is solemn warning. We don't know what time, and you don't know what time, that this city one day is going to be laying out here in the bottom of this ocean. "Oh, Capernaum," said Jesus, "thou who exalted into heaven, will be brought down into hell. For, if the mighty works had been done in Sodom and Gomorrah, it'd have been standing to this day." And Sodom, Gomorrah lays in the bottom of the Dead Sea. And Capernaum is in the bottom of the sea. Thou city, who claims to be the city of the Angels, who has exalted yourself into heaven, and sent all the dirty, filthy things of fashions and things, till even the foreign countries come here to pick up our filth and send it away, to your fine churches and steeples, and so forth, the way you do. Remember, one day you'll be laying in the bottom of the sea, your great honeycomb under you right now. The wrath of God is belching right beneath you. How much longer He will hold this sandbar hanging out over that? When, that ocean out yonder, a mile deep, will slide in there, plumb back to the Salton Sea. It'll be worse than the last day of Pompeii. Repent, Los Angeles. BRANHAM, 65-­‐0429E THE.CHOOSING.OF.A.BRIDE_ LOS.ANGELES. Capernaum has NEVER been under the sea, and is a tourist attraction to this day. It is common knowledge that California sits on a fault line that produces major earthquakes of this day, just as the Bible predicted. It was common knowledge before Branham made the prediction that Los Angeles particularly was very brittle under the foundation, and Branham discussed this in his sermons. Previous visions by others have predicted earthquakes sinking Los Angeles since 1937. While in a hospital, a 17-­‐year-­‐old Joe Brandt had an out-­‐of-­‐body experience that was so clear to him that it was written down and formed into a book in 1965. According to a book by Pearry Green, Branham saw Los Angeles under the ocean before Billy Paul was an old man. "Billy, I may not be here but you won't be an old man until sharks will swim right where we are standing" BRANHAM, See The Acts of the Prophet, by Pearry Green, page 119 Billy Paul Branham was born on September 13, 1935, putting him at age 76 in 2011. Branham claimed to be an old man at age 56, and 76 years old is considered to be old age by practically everyone in every nation. A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 11 Vision of Marilyn Monroe’s Heart Attack Many of Rev. Branham’s followers do not know that Marilyn Monroe did not die of a heart attack. Many have never heard that she died naked on her bed, not running and clutching her heart. They have never researched the facts that surrounded her death, and the actual cause of death of the famous actress. Worse, they do not realize that her death has no actual bearing on their eternal salvation, and that it is highly unlikely that God would use this type of prophecy in His mighty works. Now, it don't make any difference how much I'd say it, they're still going to say she committed suicide. But the child did not. She died in a heart attack. And if you'd watch, she had her hand, trying to get to the phone, the phone in her hand. She had a heart attack. They said sleeping pills was there. She had been taking them for a month, see, or more, out of that bottle. She died in a heart attack. And she died about four or five seconds before four o'clock, exactly. Branham, 62-­‐1013 THE.INFLUENCE.OF.ANOTHER_ JEFFERSONVILLE.IN Her housekeeper found Marilyn Monroe dead in her bed on August 5, 1962. There are several theories about who was responsible: deliberate suicide, accidental overdose by herself or by her live-­‐in housekeeper, murder by U.S. government agents, or murder by organized crime. However, there is no doubt about the cause of her death: Monroe died of "acute barbiturate poisoning" caused by an overdose of Nembutal (38-­‐66 capsules) and chloral hydrate (14-­‐23 capsules), which should never be combined in normal doses. The drug overdose was enough to kill ten people. Marilyn Monroe did not die of a heart attack at the age of 36. A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 12 A Quick Examination of William Marrion Branham’s Message Brown Bear Prophesies Most Message followers are also familiar with a vision Rev. Branham had concerning his shooting of a grizzly bear during one of his many hunting trips. The bear rug now lies in his Tucson home, and many are familiar with the event Again, the question would arise of what spiritual significance this vision serves other than to instruct eager followers to help fund other hunting trips, but what many of his followers don't know is that Rev. Branham also prophesied at least 3 times that he would shoot a large brown bear as well. In one of the retellings of this vision, he claimed that it would happen during his hunting trip “when I come back next year”. He said: Coming home the other night, or the other day, or just 'fore I come home, I was-­‐
-­‐fell into a vision; and I seen some little fellows, thin, looked like young boys or something, had on caps. And we were standing hunting. And I'd shot a mammoth, big, brown-­‐looking bear. And then, they turned around and said to me, said, "But there's some confusion about the meeting." And I said, "No matter what the confusion is, if I was supposed to go, wherever it was, I'll go anyhow. (See?) It doesn't matter." And the vision stopped. I don't know where that's at, but this is on tape. It's going to happen. See? Just remember; it's going to happen; it's a vision. . . BRANHAM, WISDOM.VERSUS.FAITH_ JEFF.IN V-­‐3 N-­‐17 SUNDAY_ 62-­‐0401 Many of you remember the vision that I had, where I had shot the grizzly bear, nine-­‐foot grizzly bear (And the church remembers me telling it here.) and the caribou. I had another. Remember it's on tape here, I seen a great huge brown bear. That might be a Kodiak and it wouldn't have worked down there in Canada, 'cause they're not there. You see? But wherever it will be, it'll be. It will be; that's THUS SAITH THE LORD. It will be. BRANHAM, POSSESSING.ALL.THINGS_ JEFF.IN V-­‐10 N-­‐4 SUNDAY_ 62-­‐0506 Now, I'm going back into the country, that you might know, when I come back next year. I'm going to get a brown bear that's almost twice that size. You see if it's right or not. I seen it. When we was standing, put my hands on his haunches laying on the ground, like that. And I could put my hands on his hips like that, and him laying down. Now, you find out if that's right or not. BRANHAM, PRESUMING_ S.PINES.NC SUNDAY_ 62-­‐0610M This prophecy was never fulfilled in 1963, or until Branham's death in 1965. The interesting part about this vision, however, is the fact that it is only one of two visions that Branham prophesied before the event on recording, and is the only one that describes an event that did not come to pass completely. A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 13 Vision of India Meetings Rev. Branham prophesied of a great campaign in India, wherein “ten thousands times thousands” would be saved. In the vision, there were three hundred thousand of the believers in the meeting, and the spirit would fill the place: Rev. Branham did go to India in September 1954, which in of itself can be considered self-­‐fulfilling prophecy. He quickly learned that the Hindi and Muslim people were not entirely receptive to missionaries pushing Christianity, and Rev. Branham had to leave India after having been rescued by the militia from an angry mob. He placed the blame for his lack of success in India on himself for not following the leading of the Holy Spirit, saying that Africa was to be his first destination. And when... I had been very much constrained to go to-­‐-­‐to India. And yet, as many of you might know, the Indian trip wasn't the success that it should've been, because I failed to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, and never recognized it after He give me a vision to go to Africa first and then to India. BRANHAM, India Trip Report, January 26, 1957 (tape #57-­‐0126B) As with many of his other visions, the story changed over time. Rather than including the portions of the actual event that described his being kicked out of the meeting, it became a story of vindication of the original vision. And yet, in the midst of five hundred thousand people that I was speaking to at Bombay, the Lord Jesus Christ and Christianity triumphed over everyone of them and put every witch doctor and holy man and everything else to shame. And there's no way of telling how many came to the Lord Jesus. We had no cooperation amongst the churches and just dropped in for three days, and there was no way of telling how many was saved. BRANHAM, Be not Afraid, It is I, July 20, 1960 (tape #60-­‐0720) There are small followings in India today, but for the most part are very few and far between. Christianity is very much frowned upon by the culture, and Christians are killed in the streets in parts of India. There definitely are not “of tens of thousands times thousands being saved.” Descendants of the followers describe the sin that now surrounds the pastors of the teachings of Rev. Branham. Some living in adultery, false teachings contrary to the Bible, and worse. A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 14 A Quick Examination of William Marrion Branham’s Message Facts About the ‘Mysterious Cloud’ Human “Discernments” A QUICK EXAMINATION OF WILLIAM BRANHAM’S MESSAGE 15