Christ Is Identified The Same In All Generations (64-0415) |
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E-1 You may be seated. I certainly deem this a grand privilege to be here tonight. Far as I know, this is our first time we ever been in–in Tampa for a meeting. I've always looked with great anticipation of coming here to visit with you, such a lovely place, and so nice people that we–as we meet them on the street. And we've… I've always thought there'd be a fine meeting here. And so we understood recently that we we're coming here, so we've been praying and waiting for this grand opportunity. It's finally arrived.
Now, we're not–won't be here very long, just the four nights and Sunday afternoon. And we're trying to put forth every effort we can to–to magnify Jesus Christ and to help further His Kingdom. And trusting that when we leave, that–that each one will receive benefit, every church that's taken a part. And not only that, but all the churches throughout the country will be benefited by our–our staying.
E-2 And I'm sure we'll be benefited by visiting you, and talking with you, and preaching to you, and praying with you. And we're here to see how many souls we can get saved into the Kingdom of God, and then also, to pray for the sick people that's sick and needy. We don't try to take a doctor's place now, because we're not a doctor. We–we just claim to pray for his patient that God will heal it. And so I'm sure he'd appreciate that.
And so now, our–our… What we try to do in these campaigns is exalt Jesus Christ. And that's–I'm sure will not offend any of you when we try to exalt Jesus Christ, for that's what we're here for.
Now, every Christian, every believer has longed to see Him, to have some way to contact Him, and to get more of Him, believe Him more. And that's what we're here to do: to gather to see if we can't pull together and believe the Scriptures for that purpose.
E-3 Now, my brethren here, the ministers… Shaking their hand. I–I certainly glad to see this bunch of ministers that's sponsoring in this campaign. And I'm not here to–to bring anything new, but just to lace my net with theirs. You know, Jesus said, "The Kingdom of heaven is like a man that took a net and went to the lake and cast it in." And when he drew the net in, he had all kinds in this net. Now, we're fishermen then. And there's just so many fish in that lake that God wants. And when the last fish is out, it's all over then. Now, we don't know when that last fish will be taken out of it.
And now, I'm here to… One net will, say, will reach so many feet, another net will reach so many feet. Then if we put all of our nets together, I lace mine with theirs, we can reach out a little further, and maybe in that can get a hold of some that we could not have got a hold of otherwise.
E-4 We all believe in the coming of the Lord, that His coming is soon at hand. We believe it's at hand now. We don't know just what time it'll be that He will arrive. And in view of this, we want to put forth every effort that we know how to further the Kingdom and get that last person saved into the Kingdom. And when the last one's saved… There will not be–there will not be one extra. It'll just be so many. And when that last one's brought in, the Body of Christ is completed; the rapture will come.
And so, we are longing for that day to get out of this place where we're at here now, for it's certainly a–a pest-house. We know that, full of sickness, disease, and disappointments, and troubles, and… My, who would want to stay here when there's such a better place to get to?
E-5 So we're–we're trying to get every soul saved so that Jesus can come. And He cannot come until that last one that has the name on the Book of Life, that was put there before the foundation of the world, when that name is called, that's the last one then. He came to redeem, to bring back. "Redeem" is "to bring back."
And when He brings the last one in… He's setting at the right hand of God tonight doing His mediatorial work. And when that last soul is saved that was redeemed and seen and knowed by God before the foundation of the world, when that last soul's saved, that closes the Book. Then the Lamb comes out and takes the Book out of the right hand of Him that sets upon the throne. Then it's–then He's coming then. He's coming to the earth.
E-6 I think that God is… Many times we get nervous and we begin to think, "Well, it ought to be this way, and we've got to make it this way or make it that way." We don't have nothing to do into it: just play our part that He leads us to play.
Remember, there's nothing out of cater. The great omnipotent God knows just exactly, before the foundation of the world, that we would set here tonight. If He's infinite, He has to. So He can't be infinite without knowing all things. And by His foreknowledge He knew that this meeting would be here and I… perhaps ordained of Him. I trust that it is, to bring some more into His Kingdom.
E-7 God, like in the beginning, He was just God. Well, He wasn't really God. He was just the eternal. God is a… Now, our English word "god" means "an object of worship." And there was nothing to worship Him. He was self-existing, Elohim. So there was nothing to worship Him, so He was just the great eternal. But in Him was attributes. And attributes is thoughts. Just like you have to think of anything before you speak it. And then when you speak it, it becomes a word.
And then, He is the eternal, and in Him was attributes, and He spoke it and it was a Word, and the Word's made manifest. And as the Word is made manifest, it's God becoming material.
And so everything's right on time. We don't have to worry about that. He–He will have everything… He never let His enemy override Him. He will let the enemy do certain things to lead people into temptation to try His–His child and so forth. "For every son that comes to God must be chastened of God and tried." Therefore, if we cannot stand chastisement, then we become illegitimate children and not what we profess to be.
E-8 So this week, the rest of this week let's put our faith up there like really Abraham's seed, like we're supposed to be. Let's believe God. And then we'll pray for the sick and do everything we can to help along. And when we leave, we trust that there'll be an old fashion revival through this country here that people will be swarming in from everywhere, jam up these churches and so forth for an old fashion revival.
We just passed through a great revival, last fifteen, sixteen years. We've had great meetings, just broke all history records, as far as I know history. Usually a revival lasts about three years, but this has gone on for many years. And now the revival fires are quietening down. The enthusiasm of the people is dying off. And you can see it.
In the–the old temple of Vesta in Rome when the fires went out, the people went home. But we're trying to rebuild these fires again on every hill that we can. I cannot do it; no minister can. It takes all of us together in prayer and believing and trusting God to see the Holy Spirit continue to bless His people as we wait on His coming.
E-9 Now, my purpose in praying for the sick… I'm going to talk about that now. Prayer for the sick is… And we don't try to say that that's what we're here for. We… One thing we're for, but praying for the sick is a minor. And you can never major with a minor. We know that. So… But Jesus used… I think they estimated about eighty-six percent of His ministry was prayer for the sick, healing the sick, because in that it catches the attention of the people.
And then, every sign has a voice behind it. And the voice must be a Scriptural voice the same as it must be a Scriptural sign. And then the sign is accompanied by a voice; like Moses, when he went down in Egypt, the voice of the first sign, the voice of the second sign. And every great thing that happens with God that gives a sign, there's a voice follows that sign.
Like Jonah when he was delivered from the belly of the whale, that was a sign. Then his voice was, "Repent or in forty days you'll perish." So there's always the voice going with the sign.
E-10 Now, what we try to do is–is try to get the people to believe the Lord Jesus, just accept Him without being hands laid on. Now, we know there is a Scripture that says, "Lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." And we don't try to belittle that Scripture, because that was a commission Jesus Christ gave to the church: to lay hands on the sick. But if you'll bear with me, that was more like a Jewish tradition.
Now, you remember the–the girl that was laying sick; she died, Jairus' daughter. And he said, "Come, lay Your hands upon my child and–and she'll get well."
But the Roman centurion, a Gentile, said, "I'm not worthy that You come under my roof. Just speak the Word and my servant will live."
And Jesus turned around and said, "I never seen faith like that in Israel." See? The Gentile way is to believe Him, just absolutely believe Him.
E-11 Now, we lay hands on the sick, of course we do. But we try to–to bring the–the reality by the Scriptures of Jesus Christ being present. Then when you, by faith, reach up and touch Him yourself… See, like the woman with the blood issue touched His garment… Well, you say, "If He was here, I would touch Him."
The Bible says in Hebrews 3, that, "He's now a High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities." He can be touched just as well tonight as He was then. So we want to touch Him.
Usually, somebody will say, "Well, you know, Brother So-and-so, some minister, evangelist, laid hands upon me, and, oh, the Lord healed me. They laid… Brother So-and-so laid hands…" See, that makes everybody want to see that brother to lay hands on somebody. After all, it wasn't the brother's hands that did it. It's your faith. That's what does it.
So then when the evangelist leaves town, the pastor's just a little bitty fellow in the sight of the congregation usually… some things happen, healings and so forth. They think they have to have that evangelist back in town before anybody can be healed. Listen. Don't you never believe that. It's your faith in God that does the healing. See? You must believe God.
And now, if you can touch Him, then nobody laid hands on you. It was your faith that touched Him, and your faith brought the reality. So then it wasn't no one touched you, but your faith touched Him. And so that brings real genuine testimony to Him then. And that's what we're here for to–to magnify Him.
E-12 Now, each day the… My son will be down and give out prayer cards. If he isn't here, one of the other of the campaigns will give them out. And they give out prayer cards, just a little card's got a number on it. Night by night we call those numbers and pray for the sick. And now, we… And each day they give out new ones because that newcomers come in, and if they give them all out the first day, they don't get a chance to get any prayer card.
And then in that, no one knows just exactly where the prayer line will be called, as we had plenty experience in dealing with these things. We got one fellow one time selling prayer cards to people to get them up on the platform. So we had to stop that, of course.
E-13 So then, we come down and the boy brings the prayer cards down before you every afternoon at six-thirty. And he mixes these prayer cards up right before you. And then takes… And you might get ten, and the other one get thirty-five, and the next ninety, and the next one sixty like that. And then again, he wouldn't know what cards you got.
And another thing, then I come down at night never knowing just where we're going to start at. We might start in one place, another place, anywhere, back and forth. Sometimes I count how many people's in this row and multiply it by this row and divide it by this row.
Used to be, I'd have a little child to stand up and count, and where he stopped there I'd start. Believe it or not, mother had Junior stop right on her number. We're still–we're still dealing with human beings. You see? And so you have to–you to do it some other way.
So this is then worked out now fine for many, many years. And we'll be praying for the sick each night, the Lord willing. And now, I want you to pray for me.
E-14 And now, we believe that Jesus Christ is still alive. We believe that all religions might be all right, but there's none of them that–and not of–any of them true and right but Christianity.
I'm a missionary, and I've been several times around the world. And I've been in all kind of foreign fields and so forth, and heard the heathens, Buddha, and–and Mohammedan and different ones, around and around the world. But there's only one true religion that there really is, one true that's got salvation in it, and that's Christianity. We have so many different forms of it that we call Christianity, but there's one Christianity. Christianity is not a denomination; it's not a group of people. Christianity is a Person; that's Christ. And–and you are His–His subject.
And now, we believe that He is alive. He raised from the dead. We believe that with all of our heart. And we believe that He's right here now, believe that He's just as alive tonight as He ever was. And He come into our midst to prove Himself to be here just as same as He was.
E-15 We've been–had great schools and seminaries. And, of course, when we get that, we begin to get men with ideas and they inject it. If two man started out, agree to make–make an organization, and as good as it is, yet within a year's time there'd be all kinds of things injected in that organization, 'cause you get different ideas and dif… So it's all right. It keeps a brotherhood, and nothing against it.
But the thing of it is, you're not saved by your organization, by your denomination. You're saved by your own personal faith in Jesus Christ. That's all. So it's between you and Christ alone. So you seek out the Scripture and believe Him with all your heart and–and He will save you or heal you.
If He doesn't keep His Word, then He isn't God. And if He does keep His Word, it proves He's God. See? So He… We believe Him with all of our heart.
E-16 And now, you pray with me and we'll do the very best we can. And each night we're going to try to let out early. Usually, we're out of the tabernacle or the buildings before about nine thirty.
Now, tonight may be just be little, tiny bit longer. I don't know for sure. We yet have forty five minutes, so it maybe that we get out on time tonight. We speak awhile, but tonight I want to lay the basis of what we're trying to achieve. And in there it takes a little more time to lay down to you just what we are purposing to do in the order of a gift from God to His church, to His people.
E-17 And 'course, we certainly cannot justify… There's no way that a human being could do it. And how about in just three or four nights to do it in? Just about the time you get acquainted and all the funny feeling gets away, being strangers, well then, you begin to see other people that's gotten well and things that's happened. You've searched the Scripture and say, "Well, that's bound to be. I never seen it like that, but here it is."
And it has to run from Genesis to Revelation. Now, I believe that God can do things that's not written in this Bible. I believe He can, because He's God. But just as long as He does what He promised here, is good enough for me. I–I–I don't believe that anything should be added to this Book or taken from It. I believe that It is the complete revelation of Jesus Christ. I believe that that's what It is, and all doctrine, anyhow, must come from this Bible.
And if you catch me saying things and doing things that's not Scripturally, and promised Scripture for this hour, then the thing to do, you owe it to me to see the manager and–and see that I'm straightened up for it, because I'm a human being too. I want to go to heaven just the same as the rest of you does.
E-18 Now, tonight we're going to read some out of God's eternal Word. And first, we're going to read the–about three verses out of the 1st chapter of the book of Hebrews, and then we're going to read about three verses out of the last chapter, the 13th chapter, of the book of Hebrews. Now, we always stand when we pledge allegiance, or salute the flag, or sing the "Star Spangled Banner." What about the Word of God? Let's stand while we read It. Now, listen closely as we read this precious Word: Hebrews 1 and then Hebrews 13, and begin with the 5th verse, and read the 8th inclusive.
Now, Hebrews 13:5:
E-19 Let us bow our heads for prayer. And while we have our heads bowed and our hearts also, is there a request in here would like to be remembered, that you would like to say insomuch to God while this meeting is going on, "God, I have a great need. Remember me, Lord." Would you let it be known as you lift your hand, say, "Remember me. I'm here for a need, Lord."
E-20 Our heavenly Father, we are approaching Thee in that all-sufficient Name of the Lord Jesus, knowing this, that He said, "If ye ask the Father anything in My Name, it'll be granted." And we're so happy to know that, Lord, that we have this assurance, that when we ask anything in His Name it's–it's being heard of God.
And we pray, Father, tonight, and my request with both my hands up, I–I ask you, heavenly Father, to answer each one of these requests. There's no doubt there's people there that their loved ones are unsaved, and–and they have sickness, and–and maybe domestic troubles, financial troubles. And, O God, the–the old world is certainly sick all over.
And we–we're looking for Your coming, Lord, where there'll be a great–a thousand years millennium, and where–where the righteous will rule and reign with Christ. We're looking for that hour, Lord, and we're–try to live like that, that this is the time that we're seeing the last generation upon the earth, and we're waiting for His coming.
E-21 We pray, Father, that You'll save every soul that's saveable in this country while this meeting's going on. Grant it, Father. Then when the meeting's over, if we miss them, may there come a revival throughout all the churches. And–and hurry, Lord, come. We see the earthquakes again breaking up the earth in divers places, and men's hearts failing, fear and perplex of nations, distress of nations. And we–we're just at the end-time.
We think of the great earthquake the other day, and never was one like it. Only nineteen hundred years ago on another Good Friday, when Jesus had been rejected by the world, the earth shook all over. And God, He's rejected again. The earth shook the other day, and hills and mountains fell in, cities collapsed, and–and water dashed in the air, and the whole world felt it. What will it be when You return, Lord? No wonder they cry to the rocks and the mountains. Let us be ready for that great going home time, Father. Grant every request, for we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen. Can be seated.
E-22 Now, especially I want you to listen. If the time in… And be just as reverent as possible, especially while we're speaking, because if you don't get the words, what we have to place in each night, then you come to the platform not knowing what you're coming for. See, you must understand? You must come with an understanding, and that's the way Christ wants us to come. And if… You have to have faith in what you're doing. If you don't–you just going kind of haphazard, "I hope so," it'll never happen. it can't happen. See, you can't have faith if you're going like that. You must thoroughly know what you're going, and know it's going to happen. Then–then you–you're positive then, that it's going to happen.
E-23 Now, remember, don't forget; our theme is and our text, that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Now, my text subject for tonight is "Christ is Identified the Same in All Generations." Now, the Bible said, "He's the same yesterday, today, and forever," and we want to know how He could be, how we'd recognize Him. If He's here just as He was any other time, then we'd like to know how He is recognized among us.
There's so many people has so many different ideas about Him. See, each one as an individual try to draw up our idea about Christ, what He was, what He looks like, and–and how the psychologist's have painted the picture, like Hofmann's "Head of Christ at Thirty-three," and Salman and different ones. But see, we don't know He looked like that. So we could never understand, or what He looked like and by just a painting of some picture.
E-24 Therefore if somebody would come on the platform, or among us, and have scars in his hands, and nail prints, and thorn prints on his forehead, and bleeding… Now, see, that–that wouldn't be Christ, 'cause when He comes, every eye shall see Him, and every knee shall bow when that body returns to the earth again. See?
But what… How could He be the same yesterday, today, and forever then? See? We'd have to learn now, what–what He is. Now, if I ask, say, maybe the Lutheran people here, "What's your conception of Him?"
Why, they'd say, "We–we have Him in our church." Well, I don't doubt that. "But He's visited…"
E-25 And then maybe turn over to the Baptist people, and they'd–they'd have a little different idea. And I'd turn to different kinds of the full Gospel people, like the Assemblies of God, the Foursquare, the–the Pentecostal United, and–and the–the different branches of it, each one might have a different idea about it. Each individual in there might different.
But they–we've got to have something that we can come to some conclusion, or we won't know to where–where we're going. I think the thing that would settle that would be the Word of God. And regardless of our creeds and our thoughts, the Word of God ought–ought to settle it.
E-26 So therefore, some of them claim that He–He was a… To some people He was just simply a great organizer: He organized a body of twelve apostles. He was a great organizer. As far as we know, He never organized nothing. He never did a thing like that. He was just a… He was the manifestation of God. He was God in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself. He was expressing what the Father was in Himself.
He said, "I do always that which pleases the Father. And I and the Father are One. The Father dwells in Me. When you see Me, you've seen the Father." In other words, He expressed God, the Spirit so much in Him, that He and the Father, it wasn't robbery for Him to be the same Person.
E-27 Now, we find in here, some thinks He was a philosopher. He was a philosopher; there's no doubt about that. He was… But He was more than a philosopher. Some of them thought Him to be a prophet. He–He was a prophet, true. The Bible said He was. But He was more than a prophet. Some of them said He was a teacher, "Never a man taught like this." He was a teacher, but He was still more than a teacher. See? Some of them say He was a good man. But He was more than a good man. He was a good man, but He was more than a good man.
And when it's all summed down, He was God. He wasn't nothing less or nothing more. He couldn't be nothing more, of course, but He was–He was God manifested in the flesh, and believed on in the world, and received up into glory, and set at the right hand of the Father.
E-28 Now, we find out to get the real expression of Him, we… John, in the 1st chapter of John, he said, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us." Now, in the beginning; that's when time started, when eternity broke down into time. Now, after while, time comes back into eternity.
'Course time is eternity too. But time is its 'lotted space. And that's the way… Only thing we know is inches, and yards, and miles, and–and figures, and so forth. But that's nothing to God. He don't have no time. He–He's always. He's eternal. And He's the only source of Eternal Life there is, is in God, our Father. He's eternal Himself.
E-29 Now, therefore, if we have Eternal Life, we have part of God in us. And God in us… If He isn't, then… That's the only way you could have Eternal Life. It isn't something that was manufactured and then given to you by some creed, or you lived into it, you grew into a better man or a better woman. It's God Himself in you. Just like you're a part of your father here on earth, you're part of your heavenly Father. And what you are, you're the attribute of His thoughts of you before the foundation of the world. You're expressed. He had to breed it in and everything to get what you are–to make you what you are.
Then when we get completed, then this here… So many people ride life's road looking through a rear-view mirror, especially… I don't mean to say this to hurt feelings, but many of our women, they're always, when they pass about thirty years old, they want to go back and–and be a young girl again. And get fifty, they still want the same thing. Not only that, but the men too.
E-30 But anybody who looks through a rear-view mirror is going to wreck up somewhere. You can't drive the road through–looking through the rear-view mirror. But I believe… Like Paul said, "Forgetting those things that are in the past, I press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ." See, don't look what you were, look what you are going to be.
E-31 Now, I–I was remarrying an old couple one time. They was taking their vows over. They was eighty-three and eighty-four years old apiece. I had given a full vow. And I–I felt crazy, just a young fellow as I was then, trying to… The old man had been married about sixty years, him and his wife. And they was taking the vow. And they was just as much in love as they ever was.
And he had a long beard, and I said to him; I said to her, I said, "what do you think about?" I asked him first, I said, "What do you think about… Why do you wear a long beard?"
He said, "I think an old man my age should have a long–long beard."
I said to her, "What do you think about it?"
She said, "Well," she said, "anything John does is just fine."
So, and–and I said, "Well, it's quite a difference in you since you married her."
He said, "You know, the Lord's been good." Said, "She's just as pretty as she ever was." Said, "You know, as she gets older, my sight gets dimmer."
So I–I thought that was–that was really sweet. And I hope my wife thinks the same thing. And I'm sure we all feel that way about it. So… But they'd–they'd found life. They'd found how to live it. You see?
E-32 They… It isn't what… We say we'd all like to go back, us older people, go back to sixteen or eighteen or twenty years old, something like that. But remember that we growed and lived to that age. And then why, taking the same food, we're dying now, when it all makes blood cells just the same? Science can't prove it. It's an appointment with God. When you got that age, God said, "That's what I want now." Death set in on it.
But, see, in the resurrection, there'll be no memory at all of the old age. We go back to that for eternity, for all the time. So why would you look back to that, to have to live this miserable thing over when look right there, ahead of you lays the new creature in Christ, the new body, the–the immortal one that'll never pass away, never get old, never have a sickness or heartache, that look… Keep looking ahead of you like that, for His coming.
E-33 Now, in the beginning the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us. That was Jesus Christ. He was the Word of God. Now, God's going to judge the world someday. We know that. And now, many people think, they have their ideas of what He will judge the world by.
Now, to our good Catholic friends, if there's any here, they believe that the–God will judge the world by the Catholic church. If He does, which Catholic church? See? 'Cause there's many different phases of Catholicism. There's a Roman Catholic, and Greek Orthodox, and so forth. See? But if He judges it by the Roman, then the Greek's wrong. If He judges it by the Greek, then the Roman's wrong. See? So then, if He judges it by the Lutheran, the Baptists is wrong. If He judges it by the Baptists, the Lutheran's wrong. If He judges it by the Pentecostal, then they're both wrong. And see, then there you are.
He isn't going to judge the world by any church. He isn't going to judge the word by any code or any creed. He's going to judge the world by Jesus Christ, and He is the Word. Jesus is the Word. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word's still God, the same yesterday, today, and forever, same yesterday, today, and forever.
E-34 Now, how could it be? God In the beginning 'lotted his Word so much for each age. That's the reason He knew the end from the beginning. In each age there was a prophecy allotted for that age. Usually the churches, and so forth, and the groups of people all had it so twisted up, until He would send a prophet on the scene. Now, we know the Bible said that God in sundry times and divers manners spake to the fathers through the prophets; in this last days through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Never… The unchanging God never changes His way of doing things. God has one way of doing things, and He doesn't change at all. When man sinned and fell in the garden of Eden, and God made a way for that man to be–to be saved, He's never changed His way. He accepted that man upon the basis of the shed blood of an innocent one, and He's never changed it since. No matter what we tried to build, towers, Nimrod… And we tried to–we tried to build cities, like Nebuchadnezzar. We've tried to have organization, to make all people in one group. We've tried to educate them into it. We've tried everything in the world to do it, and it's every bit failed.
E-35 God meets man on one basis; that's under the shed Blood. And that's the only place you'll ever meet Him. Outside of that, you're just fighting the air. He met Israel; He met Job; He met all of the prophets everywhere, under the shed blood. And that's the only way He will meet us tonight, not as Pentecostals, not as Methodists, not as Lutheran, not as Catholic. But He will meet us under the shed Blood of his Son Jesus Christ, and that alone. That's the only place that He will meet us. The unchanging God, He never changes his way of doing anything. See?
His characteristics prove that He doesn't change Himself. He never deals with groups. Some great… They say, "Our great organization…" God will ignore it. He deals with an individual, one person (See?), 'cause you're just an individual yourself. There are no two noses alike, no two thumb prints. You're an individual, and God deals with you as an individual.
E-36 So in each age, when God 'lots His Word for each age, then when that Word is ready to be manifested… Now, search the Scriptures. Don't just take my word. When that Word is ready to be manifested, then God sends down a prophet and reveals the Word to His prophet. The Bible said the Word of the Lord came to the prophets. And He does nothing till He reveals it to His prophet. A prophet is who the–where the Word of the Lord came. Like in the days of Noah, in the days of–of Elijah, and the days of–of Moses, and so forth, Jeremiah and Isaiah, and who more could I say, that He came to that, and they manifested or fulfilled that Word.
E-37 Now, watch, so you'll see whether we're right or not in these thoughts we're thinking… Now, see, each one of us that have things… Each one of us interprets the Bible different. The Methodists says it should be read like this. The Catholic says like this, the Lutheran like this, the Pentecostals like this.
But the Bible says that the Word of God is of no private interpretation. God interprets His own Word. God don't need any interpreter. He don't need us to interpret. When God makes a promise, and manifests it, and makes it so, that's the interpretation thereof. God said in the beginning, "Let there be light," and there was light. That don't need any interpretation. When God said there'll be light, and light sprung in, that interprets His own Word. He said, "A virgin shall conceive," and she did. He said He'd pour out His Spirit in the last days upon all flesh, and He did. It don't need any interpretation; when God makes His Word plain to you, that's giving the interpretation.
E-38 Now, when Moses come, he could not have took Noah's message. Neither could Moses have took, or–or Noah took Moses' message. Neither could Joshua have took any of their message. See? Each one… Isaiah could've not have took another message. Each message is for that age. And with the age that we're living in, when that Word is interpreted, God's speaking that Word out and making the Word for that age live, giving the interpretation of It. That is God in Christ manifesting (See?), because Christ is the Word. And when the Word's made manifest, that is Christ in every age then.
E-39 It was God that was in Joseph. Joseph's character just exactly typed Christ. He was born in the time of all the great church there with his father. His brothers hated him because he was spiritual. He saw visions and could interpret dreams, and his brothers hated him without a cause. If that wasn't just exactly the reason they hated Jesus…
And notice he was loved of his father. So was Jesus. Sold for almost thirty pieces of silver, like Jesus, throwed into a ditch and supposedly be dead, just like Jesus. Taken up and put into a prison, just like Jesus to the cross. Then was sent over to Pharaoh's house, and become the right hand of Pharaoh, and… Just like Jesus ascended up on the right hand of God. And when Joseph left the palace, trumpets sounded, and every knee had to bow. Joseph was coming. And so when Jesus leaves the throne to return, the trumpet will sound and every knee shall bow.
E-40 He was in–He was in David, when David was rejected from his own people of being king, and went up on the hill, looked back over the Mount of Olives as he was being excommunicated from his own people: went up the hill, looked back over the city and wept. Eight hundred years from there the Son of David set on the same hill weeping, because He was rejected in His own city. And said, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft would I have hovered you as a hen does her brood. But you would not." See, it's Christ in every generation. That was Christ in David.
The Bible said Moses forsook the treasures of Egypt, the pleasures and riches of Egypt, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater treasures. And he followed Christ in the wilderness, which was the Pillar of Fire that the… Well, He was the Logos that went out of God, which was Christ, the Anointed.
E-41 And now, we find that in each one of those ages, usually people don't want to believe it, because they are already set in their way. You're turning a corner. You're building a building, and then get to the corner, everybody's running this way; they don't want to turn that corner. But the building goes that way, if the Word says it goes that way. See? There's where we get those junctions of time. That's where it's hard. That's where men has sweated it out.
Now, remember, God never changes His way of doing things, always through the Scripture just the same.
Now, in the days of Noah, that was Christ that was in Noah. That was Noe–was Christ that was in Moses. Look, he was born at a time of–born to be a prophet. And he was put in a bulrush. And just as Christ had to be taken out of the country, 'cause of slaughtering all the children. And when he come out in the wilderness, the law-giver and–and priest, a prophet, and so forth. Everything foreshadowed Christ exactly on down through the prophets, as they prophesied.
E-42 Now, we see, He… God, then, identifying Himself in all ages, how? How did He identify Himself now? What characteristic did He use? His same characteristic from the beginning: manifesting His Word, making His Word to live. That's the identification: the promised Word of that age.
See now, when Moses come, he couldn't said, "Now, we're going to build an ark and float out of here." That was Noah's message. That's the trouble. When Jesus came on the scene, He found those Hebrews living in the glare of another light. And that's what it is today; that's what it is in every age. They live in the glare of another light. That's the reason that you Methodists, when you come on the scene… Luther was–He was living in the glare of a Lutheran age. They couldn't accept John Wesley. When Pentecostal come on, the Methodists couldn't accept Pentecost, because it was living in the glare of Methodist. And now, I wonder what kind of glare the Pentecostals are living in. See? What you want to do is search the Scriptures and find out the hour that we're living in, and then what's supposed to be here at that time, and see if God makes that live and manifests it. Then that's the thing we're–we're–we got the right interpretation to the age.
E-43 Now, Jesus, when He come they said, "We have Moses."
He said, "If you would've knowed Moses, you'd knowed Me. He wrote of Me." He said, "Search the Scriptures, for in Them you think you have Eternal Life. They are they that testify of Me." In other words, look in the Scriptures. See? Oh, they had their traditions so down. He said, "Yes, by your traditions you've made the Word of God of no effect to the people."
You so tradition them, till the Word don't have any effect upon them because you say the same thing now. "I am this; I belong to this."
I asked a girl one time, "Are you a Christian?"
She said, "I burn a candle every night." Now, like that had anything to do with it.
I went to pray in a hospital once for a lady. She said, "Wait, pull them curtains; pull them curtains."
I said, "What's the matter?"
She said, "We're Methodists."
I said, "Aren't you a Christian?"
She said, "I'm a Methodist."
I said, "Well…" So that settles it then. You're not a Christian, you're just a Methodist. So that–that's it.
E-44 See, they just don't get that in… See, they're living in the glare of another light. And the glare is a thing… What is it? It's a false light. It's a reflection, like. I… My home's in Tucson, Arizona, and I live in the desert. You have a mirage. You know what that is. That's a reflection of the sun on the hot desert, and it reflects a false light, makes it look like water. When you get there, there's no water there. That's what a glare is. And it's something it's promising; you never get to it.
And now, the biggest robbery that was ever had in the world, was them seven million dollar robbery just done in England. It was done by false lights. They put lights out there, and slowed that train down, and even Scotland Yards couldn't find it. It was the greatest robbery that they ever had in the world's history, was done by a false light.
And the greatest robbery that the church of Jesus Christ ever had is a false light, a glare of some other age, when God is trying to inject, or project to the people the Light of the hour.
E-45 When Jesus come, He was the Word. So was Moses the Word. Moses, the rest of the prophets was the Word. But they were the Word in portion; He was the Word in full. He was the Fullness of the Word. He was the Word. And then they was living in the–the flickering glare of Moses' age. He said, "If you'd have knowed Moses, you'd knowed Me, for Moses wrote of Me."
They said, "Well, you're not yet fifty years old, and say you've seen Abraham? Now, we know you're mad."
He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM."
The I AM was in the burning bush. That was the Pillar of Fire. See, He's I AM. "He's the same yesterday, today, and forever," the Bible said. Jesus Christ, His character doesn't change at all. His Words are the same.
It's a portion of Word for each age, and how does He make it known? He makes it known by His servants the prophets. He all… How does, how is the prophet understood? When he prophesies anything and it comes to pass. Now, prophets…
E-46 Now, in these days we got gifts of prophets–gifts of prophecy, rather. You lay hands on, and pray, and the gifts comes… And there's nine spiritual gifts of the church. That's… Before the prophecy can be received by the church it has to be judged by five spiritual judge–or three spiritual judges.
But not a prophet. A prophet's borned a prophet. Gifts and callings are without repentance. It's something that's in you. It's something was borned in you. God ordained it in you.
Why, Moses was borned a prophet. Jeremiah, the Bible said, why… said… God said to Jeremiah, said, "Before you was even formed in your mother's womb, I sanctified you and ordained you a prophet to the nations."
E-47 John the Baptist, seven hundred and twelve years before he was born, Isaiah saw him, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness." His father was a priest. He… It's… Ordinarily they go back and take the job of their father, but his job was too important. He had to announce the Messiah. So he went into the wilderness, no education. He didn't need the education. He had to have a direct revelation of Who this Messiah was. And he knew Him; he said, "I bare record I saw the Spirit of God like a dove descending upon Him, and a voice from heaven saying 'This is My beloved Son.' This is Him."
If he'd been in some seminary or something, they said, "Now, you know, Brother Jones over here, he just looks like the Messiah." See, be persuaded. But his job was too important. He had to get into the wilderness and stay alone with God. When he come out he had no education. He spoke like man…
E-48 He said, "Oh, you generation of vipers," or snakes in the grass. Now, if they'd been some educated men, he could've said some other word. You know, "You little piece of inconvenience," or some… But he'd…?… something or other. But he would've… He'd brought some other high ethical word, or something, his education… But John said they was sneaky and slimy, like a snake. That's what he'd seen out in the wilderness. He said, "You generation of snakes. Who's warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Don't think that 'We belong to this, and we belong to that,' you got anything."
Wonder if he wouldn't say the same thing today. "God's able of these stones to rise children unto Abraham," these rocks, what he'd seen. Also, "The axe is laid to the root of the tree," what he'd seen in the wilderness. "Every tree that bringeth forth not good fruit, the unbearing fruit trees is hewed down and cast into the fire." See? His sermons was in types. But he–he was exactly what God ordained him to be. See? He was that prophet. They hadn't had a prophet for hundreds of years. Notice, but God molded him and made him.
E-49 We find out Jeremiah coming on the scene. We find out the different prophets coming on the scene. We hardly know where they come from. They just rose up and went away. God used them, and sealed them, sent them away, and that was all. The message went on; the Word was confirmed and off it went to another generation. Then they built upon what these prophets did. And they…
Then when He come along, Jesus said, "You whiten the walls, and the–of the tombs of the prophets, and you're the one that put them in there." See? A man'll raise up with a message, and preach this message, and give it, the message of the hour. And then after while he's put to death, and put in a tomb, and years on they build an organization on top of this. And on top of that comes something else. What you doing? The man's message has done gone on. It's in history. We press on, looking forward.
E-50 Science don't look back and say what some science says. I read where science proved by rolling a ball in–in–over in France about three hundred years ago, if a man ever went the terrific speed of thirty-five miles an hour he'd leave the earth. And I come down here about sixty miles an hour. See? So science don't refer back to that; they keep pressing on. They got him now going hundreds of miles an hour. And just they don't stop at that; they just keep on pressing. But we, we're looking back to see what, what did Finney say, what did Sankey say, what did Moody say. They were fine men. So was Moses and Joseph. And that was another age.
Let's see what the Word says today Jesus Christ is. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And the only way that we'll ever know what He is today is to find out what He was yesterday, then you'll see what He is.
E-51 Now, we don't have time to lay too much of it on tonight, because we just got a few minutes left. Notice, the Word that's ordained for each age, when that Word is made manifest, that is Christ of that day, just like it was in each one of the days.
Now, when we find Jesus coming on–on the scene, He was rejected, yet He was the promised Word. Now, Deuteronomy 18:15, Moses said, "The Lord your God shall raise up a prophet like me. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not hear this Prophet shall be cut off from among the people." Now, there He was, exactly the Prophet for that age, and the teachers of that day didn't see it. They finally put Him to death. See? And He done just exactly. He was born of a virgin. They didn't believe that. That was a bunch of fanaticism. But we believe it now, after it's been proven.
E-52 Joan of Arc, when she rose on the scene back there in France, the French revolutionary, what'd you Catholic people do? You put her to death for a witch, because she seen visions, interpret dreams. Two hundred years later you done penance, dug up those priests' body that killed them, and had her burned to a stake, and throwed them in the river. That's your penance. See?
You never knowed Saint Patrick when he was on the earth, which was… Suscat? You never knew him. Claimed to be one of the saints, look how many thousands of his children you killed there in Ireland. See, it's… After it's all over, it's vindicated and gone, then they build a tomb to it, when the message done past and gone into something else.
Man is always praising God for what He has done, looking forward for what He will do, and ignoring what He's doing. That's as good as the devil wants him to be: very religious. Scholars and educators prove what He has done, and prove just what He's going to do, and ignoring what He's doing. See? That's where it's always been the same.
E-53 On and on we could go through that. But let's go back just for a few minutes now and identify what Jesus was when He was on earth. And we find out what He was then, and what He's been in the other ages. Then it'd have to be the same thing in this age to make it right.
Now, we find, when He come on the scene, we have no… We knowed He was the Word. He was the Word, and the Word always corrects the error. Do you believe that? Just for a little thought here, look at the… You people who worship Mary (See?), she said the Holy Ghost overshadowed and brought forth this Son, and It was of the Holy Ghost.
Then when He was about twelve years old, they was up at Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. And when they… Or Pentecost, and when they come back down, it was three day's journey they had–they'd missed Him. So they went back to find Him. And there he was in that auditorium there, the church, just debating with those priests and things.
E-54 And so his mother walked up, her and Joseph, and she said, "Thy father and I have sought Thee with tears." See, before those priests she denied her own testimony, calling Joseph His father. See? She said that God was His Father. And here she said, "Your father and I have sought with tears."
Watch that Word. And that twelve year old Boy… Of course, probably not a day's schooling in His life… Watch that Word though. He was the Word. He said, "Know ye not that I must be about My Father's business?" If Joseph was His father, He'd been with him down there in the carpenter shop. But His Father was God, and He was straightening those priests out. That's… And that is "being about My Father's business." See the Word correct the error? It always does every time. She didn't probably never see it, and went on groping right along. People do the same thing today.
E-55 But may God quicken us now for these next few minutes to see what He was. Now, we find from His baptism, into the wilderness, and He comes out of the wilderness. And there was a fellow by the name of Andrew had been attending John's meeting. And he couldn't get his brother Simon to–to go to the meeting. But finally one day, when they was washing their nets, he–he came to the place where he–he met Jesus.
And Simon knowed in his heart. I read a little story on it here not long ago, that Simon… His father, Jonas, was a great believer, was a Pharisee, and he said that many times, "Son, I'm getting old and gray." He said, "I prayed so many times for God to–to let me see the Messiah." And said, "We trusted God for fish for a living. And–and your mother's gone on now. And look like I won't be able to see Him. I'm–I'm getting too old."
E-56 And said, "Now, son, I want you to set here by me. I want to tell you. Now, just before that Messiah rises, there'll be all kind of false things go on. That's the Satan." He said, "But remember, you'll only know the Messiah… Always stay with the Word. Moses said, 'The Lord our God shall raise up a prophet.' Now, we haven't had one for hundreds of years. But there'll be a prophet, identified prophet rise up amongst the people. That'll be the Messiah. He will be the next one."
Then, when Andrew took him down to see Jesus, and told him about John preaching and saying the Messiah was coming, to him, it was, well, just another fellow passing through. So one day, Simon come right into the Presence of the Lord Jesus Himself. And Jesus looked at him and said–looked at him and said, "Your name is Simon, and you are the son of Jonas." That did it. See?
E-57 Now, how many knows that that is the attribute of the Word of God? Now, Hebrews the 4th chapter, the 12th verse, said, "The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, and a Discerner of the thoughts that's in the heart." That's what them prophets were. They… That's where they foresaw things. You see? And it was exactly right, because it was the Word for that age. If you understand that? Just raise your hand…?… See? It was the Word for that age. That's what identified them, the prophets.
Now, a prophet, all… Our English Word "prophet" means "a preacher." But in the Old Testament, it wasn't exactly a prophet; it was a seer. And a seer foretold things that would come to pass. And also that was his credentials as a Divine interpreter of the written Word, because his own ministry was manifesting that Word. See? So that made him the prophet.
So when Jesus came He did exactly that. He looked right down, and said… Not only did He know him by name being Simon, He knew his father, Jonas, also. And he knew then what his father told him, that that Messiah would be a prophet. Now, it wasn't by healing. They had healings: the pool of Bethesda and all. God's made a way of healing for His people all along. But here was the identified Messiah. Quickly Jesus (or pardon me), Simon recognized that. Jesus told him upon his confession his name would be called, you know, Peter.
E-58 Then we find there was one standing there by the name of–another young fellow that–by the name of Philip. And he had a friend. They'd been studying the Scriptures together. If you ever been in Palestine, look where they were preaching. And he ran around the hill about fifteen miles, and he found Nathanael under a tree, 'cause Nathanael owned a olive orchard. And so going out there, he found him under a tree, praying. He said, "Come, see Who we found. Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph." Said, "Come, come see. We found Him."
And then you know, of course, this guy being a real fine fellow, he said, "Now, could there be anything good come out of Nazareth?"
He give him the best answer that a man could give another, "Come, see." Don't stay home and criticize. "Come, bring the Bible, and let's search It."
Now, no doubt around the hillside, they went to talking, said, "Now, you know, we know that when the Messiah comes, He's going to be a prophet."
"Oh, yes. Moses told us that. We're looking for a prophet."
And of course, the people thought then if the Messiah come, that God would let the corridors down and He'd come right down on the temple grounds, and say, "Caiaphas, I've arrived." But God don't do things that way. He makes it so simple, He just gets His church. That's what He's after: His church.
E-59 So we find that he said, "You know that old fisherman you sold some fish, or sold you some fish one time, didn't have enough education to sign his name for that receipt?"
"Yeah. Simon."
"He told him his name was Simon, and told him who–who his father was. Why, it wouldn't surprise me He wouldn't tell you who you are, when you come up."
"Well, we'll go see."
He come before Jesus, wherever it was at, maybe the prayer line or whatever it was. And he come up… Jesus praying for the sick, and He looked at him and said, "Behold, an Israelite in whom there's no guile."
My, that deflated him. He said, "Rabbi (which means teacher), when did You ever see me? How'd You know me?"
He said, "Before Philip called you, when you were up under the tree, I saw you."
That done it. He said, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God. You are the King of Israel."
See, that man was really trained. He knowed that the Messiah… That would be the identification, 'cause He had to be a prophet (See?), 'cause He had to be the Word. And they hadn't had one in four hundred years. So here was a Man that identified Himself exactly. That was Jesus yesterday. Now, we could go through many more characters, but just bypass them for the time being.
E-60 There was three classes of people on the earth. That's Noah's three sons: Ham, Shem, and Japheth. And that was Jew, Samaritan, and Gentile. Now, we Gentiles, the Anglo-Saxon, we didn't look for no Messiah. We had a club on our back, and worshipping idols, Romans, and whatmore as we was. But the Samaritans was looking for a Messiah. And He only comes to those who are looking for Him. God always does that. He comes to His own.
Now, notice, He was going down to Jericho, but He had reason… He had to go back up around by Samaria, and He came to a city called Sychar. And while He sent the disciples away to get food, He was setting there. And a woman, maybe a lovely little person looked at, she come out to the well about eleven o'clock, 'cause she couldn't come in the morning with the other virgins that came. And so she came out. She was–she was ill-famed. We know what that is. And so, she, probably her hair hanging down in her face and she come out to put the water jug down. It's kind of a jug, like with handles on it, put the windle over it to let it down. She heard somebody say, "Bring Me a drink."
And she looked over and she seen a middle-aged Man setting there, setting there against the wall, a panoramic something on the order of this here. And He was setting over there against the vines. The city well still stands the same today. And said, "Bring Me a drink."
E-61 And He was a Jew. So they had segregation there too, so said, "It's not… We can't… It's not neces… you can't… you supposed to do that. You're–you're–you're a Jew, and I'm a woman of Samaria. We–we don't have any dealings with one another."
He said, "But if you knew Who you were talking to, you'd ask Me for a drink. I'd give you water you don't come here to draw." See, what was He trying to do? Contact her spirit now. See?
So she said, "Why, we worship in this mountain, and You say in Jerusalem." And they went ahead, talked for a little bit. Finally, He found where her trouble was. She had too many husbands.
He said, "Go, get your husband, come here."
She said, "I have no husband."
He said, "That's right. You've got five, and the one you're living with is not yours." He said…
E-62 So look at the difference between her and those priests. When those priests seen that done, they had to answer their congregations. It'd been done. See, they–they had to say something. So they said, "This man's Beelzebub, a fortuneteller, or some kind of a devil." Said, "He does that through the power of Beelzebub." That's what the priest said.
What'd this little woman say? "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. We know when the Messiah cometh, that's going to be His sign. That's what He will do. He will be the prophet."
Jesus said, "I'm He that speaks to you." Oh, my. That did it. See?
E-63 That was Jesus Christ yesterday; that would be Jesus Christ today; and it'd be forever. Is that right? That's what He is. He's the Word made manifest, and the Word of that day comes down and identifies Itself. Now, He said He was going to do that again, return. The prophet… He can't go beyond His prophets, 'cause it is the Word. Now, He died for our sanctification, sent back the Holy Spirit upon us (Now, notice.) to do the work.
Now, the prophet said, "There'll be a day that won't be day nor night. But in the evening time it shall be Light." Now, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Geographically, that's the way it runs. Civilization has traveled with the sun. So has the Gospel. Remember, the Gospel started back in Europe, crossed over the seas into–into Germany, from Germany into England, from England across the channel to the United States on the east coast and done went to the west. Now, if it goes any farther, it comes back east again. We're at the end.
E-64 Now, there's been a day… When that sun rose back there in the beginning, the S-o-n of God came on the earth. Now, He's promised again in the evening time.
Now, we've had a dismal day. We've had great meetings; we've healed the sick; we've had great times. And we have made organizations, and schools, and hospitals, and seminaries, which is all right, just a dismal day. But He promised just before the night comes, it shall be Light.
Now, Jesus said in Saint Luke the 17th chapter, He said, "As it was in the days of Sodom…" Now, listen close. I'm closing. "As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be at the coming of the Son of man." Now, we all know that. Now, He read the same Bible, in Genesis, that we read.
E-65 And watch the setting in Sodom. Now, at Sodom there was three classes of people. There's always three classes of people; that's believers, make-believers, and unbelievers. Now, here was Abraham. His name had been changed from Abram to Abraham, which meant "father of nations." And he couldn't have the baby as long as his name was Abram. It had to be changed to Abraham, for "Ham" does mean "father of nations." Now, notice. "Father to the nations…"
Now, notice, the scene has never been set in all the world like it is right now. Now, we see everything exactly in the line of Sodom. If you don't believe it, take off the shades in your eyes, and walk out, and look on the street each day. Look at the newspapers, wherever you wish to. It's a Sodom exactly. See? And there was Lot down in Sodom. But here was… Abraham was the elected, the one with the promise. He–he wasn't in Sodom. He didn't go down there. He was called out.
E-66 Now, there's three groups of people. There was a genuine believer, and there was the–the lukewarm, which any teacher will tell you that Lot represented the nominal church which was in Sodom, and there was the Sodomite men. Now, notice, just before that they were… Abraham and Lot was looking for a promised miraculous son. Is that right? Is that what the church is looking for today? A return of this Son, Jesus Christ, the Son of God; we're looking for Him to come. Now, look at the position. Everybody will admit she's in a Sodom condition.
I passed over California here the other day, and got a hold of a magazine, or a paper, and read where homosexuals had increased sixty percent in the last year. Oh, my. It's pitiful. See, it's just because women has throwed themselves away. That's right. And just on the street naked, and it's just–it's just a shame. But the Bible said they'd be that way. And even to men, it's just they're–they–they're changed. See? And it's going to get worse. In another–another… If the world would stand another fifty years, the whole world would be totally insane. Look at the sanity from forty–from twenty years ago to this time. See?
E-67 Now, look at the setting. Here's Abraham, the elected, called out here now. And there's Lot down in Sodom, and three Angels came up. Two Angels went down in to talk to Lot, and they preached the Word, and tried to get Lot out of there. Is that right? But this One that stayed behind with Abraham, He didn't try to get Abraham out of anything, 'cause he was already out. See? He was out.
But watch what kind of a sign He done. Now, look, He was setting with His back turned to the tent, and Sarah was in the tent behind Him. He'd never seen her yet. And remember, just a day or two before that, his name was Abram, and her, she was Sarai. Now, she's Sarah, S-a-r-a-h. He's A-b-r-a-h-a-m. He said, "Abraham, where is your wife, Sarah?" S-a-r-a-h.
Said, "She's in the tent behind You."
And He said, "I'm going to visit you according to the time of life."
E-68 Now, he'd looked for that child for twenty-five years. She's nearly a hundred now. He is a hundred, and she's ninety.
Said–said, "I'm going to visit you according to the time of life, and you're going to have that son."
And Sarah, she kinda laughed, you know, to herself. She said, "Me, an old woman?"
See, at… We're a mixed audience, but you know what I mean, as man and wife. Family relation had been years, and years, and years past (See?), 'cause he was a hundred, and she was ninety, well-stricken.
Said, "Me have pleasure with my lord, Abraham, and him being old too?" See?
And then, this Man with His back turned to the tent said, "Why did Abraham… Or why did Sarah laugh in the tent saying these things couldn't be?"
E-69 Abraham called Him Elohim; that was God. Elohim is the–is the self-existing One, see all-sufficient, self-existing. "In the beginning God…" Take that Word "God," and look at it back there, the same, translated the same thing, Elohim. Just… That was Elohim manifested in flesh, that had eat the flesh of a calf, drink the milk from a cow, and eat bread, and set talking to Abraham. And Abraham knew that He could discern what was in Sarah's thoughts back there. And that's the reason he knowed that was Elohim.
Jesus said, notice, "In the days when the Son of man shall be revealed," being revealed in the last days, "it'll be like it was in the days of Sodom," God manifested in His church, the human being, revealing Himself (See?), in human flesh like He was then.
E-70 Now, look, I want to ask you something. In all of the ages since the church first began, they have never had a messenger to them that his name ended with h-a-m till now: G-r-a-h-a-m, right, down there calling them out. A Oral Roberts and Billy Graham (See?), H-a-m. There's been Moody, Sankey, Finney, Wesley, Billy Sunday, all them (See?), international church like that, world church preaching… There's… never been one ending to H-a-m till right now, and that's Billy Graham. See? And that's six letters, G-r-a-h-a-m, six, meaning man was born–or created on the sixth day. Six is man's number. There he is to the church natural. Abraham was A-b-r-a-h-a-m, seven letters. See?
Look at the setting of today, and look what's taking place. Abraham had seen many signs and wonders, and everything that God had done. So has the church. You've received the Holy Ghost, spoke in tongues, done all these signs and wonders. But you're promised as it was then, so shall it be again. It shall be Light in the evening time. Jesus Christ the same–same Son will appear again on the scene in His church, and will do the same thing that He did then, showing that He is the Word made manifest (See?), knowing the secret that's in the heart, revealing, and doing the things that He's supposed to do. That's exactly the Word of God.
We're getting late, so let's bow our heads just a moment, as we look to Him and ask Him to confirm His Word.
E-71 Heavenly Father, time would not permit. Hours after hours could we sit, telling, just from Genesis to Revelations, this is the hour. O Lord, our first visit here with these fine bunch of people, here on the coast, which we know that someday it'll go beneath the ocean, and there won't be a stone left upon another, and there'll be a… Oh, what a time is laying ahead.
May, Lord, in this hour when we're giving witness, may the great Holy Spirit come now in these words that I've said. May He back them up by confirming them. He's proving to this audience that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, that–and fulfill that Scripture.
We know You don't… You wouldn't have to do it, Lord, to prove that You were God. But as we read in the book of Saint Matthew about 12th chapter, He didn't have to heal to show He was God but He did that it might be fulfilled. He has to keep His Word, and He loves to do it, and He will do it, because He is God.
And I pray tonight, now, that He'll keep this Word also, that's promised for this hour. And may all my brethren, and all myself, and all the people that's here, and our sisters, this lovely bunch of people, see Your Presence among us now. We ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
E-72 Now, we're running a little bit late, so we'll just call a… Yes, we're really late. We're going to be about ten more minutes or fifteen. Just let's call a few of the prayer line. Prayer cards, did you get that… Yeah, A's. A-number-1, let's get 1 to… Who has got prayer card A-number-1, raise up your hand if you can walk. It's a little card, got a number on it. A-number-1, raise up your hand. You mean it's not in the audience? …? you must've been mistaken. Prayer card A-1? Well, oh, it is? All right. A-2, come right over here if you will, lady, make your way right over here. Well, let's see, can she gets through there. I doubt it. Oh, yeah, it goes through the pit here.
All right, A-2, who has that? 3, raise up your hand. If you can't come, now, that's the reason they call them one by one. We have to pack them if their… 3, 4? Who has 4, 5? Down here, lady, come right up. 6, prayer card number 6. Is this the lady raising up here with the little white jacket on it. Do you have 6? 7? Sometimes they're deaf, can't hear. Sometimes they can't walk. 7, 8. I didn't see 8 raise up. Would you raise your hand, lady. All right, 9. 10. All right. Let's just wait there just a minute, 'cause we're running late. Now, let's–let's see these just a minute. Just hold your cards; we'll call you one by one. See? But just stay in line.
E-73 Now, how many in here doesn't have a prayer card, raise up your hand, say, "I'm sick; I don't have a prayer card." Raise up your hand, just way up high so I can see it. Well, I guess it's all around. Now, look. I want to talk to you just a moment while they're lining them up.
There was a woman we say in the Bible, she didn't have a prayer card…?… here, and–but she had faith. And so she–she said, "If I can touch His garment, I'll be made well." How many knows the story? Why, sure. And when she touched His garment, He turned around, said, "Who touched Me?"
Well, Peter thought that sounded kind of a like a mental case. He said, "Why, everybody's touching You. You say, 'Who touched Me?' Why, they won't think so well of You if You…"
He said, "But I perceive that I got weak; virtue went from Me." And He turned and looked over in the audience until He found that woman. And He said to her that her blood issue–her faith had healed her. How many knows that to be true?
E-74 Now, have I just got through saying He's the same yesterday, today, and forever? Does the Bible say that He's a High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of our infirmities? Is that right? Then how would He act today? He'd act the same as He did yesterday. Is that right? Now, remember, you can still touch Him. See the Scriptures can't lie. See?
Now, the only thing that's not here is His visible body, but you… He's the Vine and you are the branch. See? That's… You're the branch. It's you're the one in action; you and I act together. Now, no matter how much He would anoint me; He's got to anoint you too (See), 'cause it's got to be–it's got to be both negative and positive to make the light. So now, you–you got to believe it also.
Now, you that don't have a prayer card, you just look up this way and say, "Lord Jesus, that man don't know me. There's one sure thing; he doesn't know me. But I'm suffering with something and–and let him turn around and tell me about, like what Jesus did there. And I know he don't know me, so it has to be You. So then I–I–I'll believe it." Can you do that? Will you believe that? All right, all right, you just pray now. I take this, looks like this phone's more… It's all right? It's kind a little more live than ever.
E-75 Now brethren, this is the Gospel you preach. See? And you pray for me. Now, a–now, everybody just as reverent as you can and look this way, and you believe with all your heart. Just believe every… Just–just everything that's in you, you believe and then don't doubt. Don't doubt a bit.
Now, now, here's a lady standing here. I suppose we–her and I are strangers to each other. I don't know her. And… You saw me once… Where abouts? Clearwater. How long was that? Yeah, well, at St. Petersburg. See, I been to Clear–in–in St. Petersburg. It's been several years ago. Well now, probably setting out in the audience or something like that. That's a… I wouldn't know you, you know, know nothing about you.
So now, here talking to you, it'd be just like our Lord and that woman met at the well that time. See? And He talked to her just a moment to find out where her trouble was, and He found it because (See?) she–she was human, and she had a life, a spirit, and He was God. And He had… The Spirit of God was in it, and there was something wrong with that woman, and the Father showed Him what that was.
E-76 You know He said He didn't do nothing till the Father showed Him first. You know that's Saint John 5:19. Is that right, brethren? He said, "I…" Not–not what He see… He had to see it first. Jesus never done one thing until He saw a vision first. How many know that's true? Saint John 5:19: "I do nothing till the Father–I see the Father doing it first." You see? Now, if He…
Now, 'course I'm not Him and you're not her, but it's still the same God (See?), and we're here meeting for a purpose. Now, this woman here, as you might understand, we know not each other. And several years ago she was setting out in the audience like you are tonight, when I was in St. Petersburg, she said, in a meeting. I would have no way… She's total stranger to me, know nothing about her, and the heavenly Father know that. But now, she's here for some cause. She might be for somebody else, financial trouble, domestic trouble; she might be sick herself. I–I–might be standing for somebody else. I don't know what she's here for. See? She's just a woman…
E-77 Now, what if she was sick, and I'd be like our noble brother, Brother Oral Roberts, and lay hands upon her, and say, "The Lord heal you and make you well." And you go believe that, that's all right. That's just a… That's Scripture, and if you believed it you'd get well. See? But see, that's Brother Robert's ministry. That isn't mine. See?
Now, this is another angle. One up here at the end time… Now, what was Jesus? The same yesterday, today, and forever. Now if He stood here wearing this suit that I got on that He gave me… Now, if the woman's sick, could He heal her? Be careful now; be careful. No, He couldn't do it. He's already done it. See, see? He was wounded for our transgressions; by His stripes we were healed. He's already done it. The only thing He could do would just identify Himself to her (Is that right?), and make it known that He's raised from the dead and alive. And now, that… He'd identify Himself. And the only way He could do it, would be like it was then. He'd be the prophet. Is that right? Now, I… It wouldn't be me, 'cause I–I don't know nothing about it so that would let me out. But it'd have to be Him.
E-78 So if we are the branch, and He's the Vine, He sends His Spirit into me to let me know something of you or something what you want, what you have been, what you are, what you will be, or–or something another. You'll know whether it's the truth or not if it's already happened, so that ought to make you really see that He's alive and with us today. See?
Would that make you believe if she–He'd do it? Now, raise your hands, I want to know. So you promise God, "It would make me believe (See?) that He's the–He is…" See?
I've been talking about Him being the same yesterday, and forever. Now, is He? Is He alive? That's next thing. Is He here? We've shouted, felt something. Just like if a man never had sight and he walked out and felt the sun, he wouldn't know what it was, just something warm. But if he could see, he'd see what it was. He'd say, "That's the sun." What is the sun to another man never seen? Maybe this–no one ever had the sense of sight before. Now, this is an insight in the thing that you've been praising and rejoicing about. Here it manifests itself and you see what it is. See?
E-79 Now here it is with this Bible laying here and a fine bunch of brothers here and all around, both of us strangers. Now, may the Lord Jesus reveal. Now, to heal, or to give her what she wants, if it was money it'd have to be pretty low, 'cause I haven't got very much, but I'd do it. I'd do the best I could, but–but now to heal, I couldn't do it. See, it'd have to come from Him.
But now, if He will tell me something about you, and you know I know nothing, and if He'd tell me something about you, it would–it'd increase your faith, wouldn't it, make you believe that He is here? Now, may He do it.
In the Name of Jesus Christ, I take every spirit in here under my control now, to give witness to this Word of God. I just… Be praying now. Be…?…
You say, "What was you waiting for, Brother Branham?" How many ever seen the picture of that Light. That's what It… Here It is right here now. It's right here now. Now, she couldn't hide herself if she could–tried to: couldn't do it now.
E-80 She's a nice person: she has nothing to worry about. She's conscious something's going on too. But… What the woman wants, she's got a crippling condition that's coming upon her, arthritis. It's coming upon the woman. That's right. That's… Raise your hand if that's true, if it's arthritis. Now, you believe me now, He tell you where the arthritis hurts you worst at? It's in your bones. That's right. And you got something else wrong with you. You believe God can tell me what that is? You got a tumor. Yes, sir. If that's right raise up your hand. You believe God could tell me where that's at? It's on the breast. If that's right, wave your hand like this. Now, see, He the same yesterday, today, and forever. Now, you believe with all your heart? Go ahead and it won't bother you no more then. Just go believe with all your heart. That's a…?…
E-81 Now that… See, I don't know the woman. Now, you know long I spoke to you, better than forty-five minutes; I'm weaker right now from that than I was all the speaking. See?
Now here's a lady. We're strangers to one another, I suppose. We don't know each other, but God knows us both. Now if Jesus will tell me something about you, which you know I don't know, would that help you to have faith in what you're going to ask for? Would it help the audience now? See? Now, you remember, He promises the scene set exactly at Sodom. You see Sodom, see Billy Graham, everything this way… Now, watch the Abraham group up here (See?), the–the royal seed of Abraham. Being dead in Christ we're Abraham's seed. That is right, brethren, we're…?… It's a tumor. That's right. Operation don't do no good, and you're wanting a… You're having trouble with it all the time. You believe it's going to leave you now? All right, God bless you. As you have believed it, so will it be to you. Just have faith. Now, don't doubt. See? Have faith, please?
E-82 All right, next… Or, are you coming? You're the next patient? Now, we are strangers one another. We are strange. I've never seen you before. You're just a… Just never saw me in your life. Now, I've never seen you in my life; we're just two people that met.
Now, what is this? It's a gift. See? A gift isn't something like a stick or a sword you cut with and thing. A gift is–it's a way to get yourself out of the way. See? You just… I have to get myself out of the way, then the Holy Spirit takes over. See? It isn't what you take and do something with; it's a gift to get yourself out of the way, and then God uses you (See?) after you get yourself… Just like a little…
You can't explain it, 'cause you can't explain God. We believe God; we don't explain Him, we can't. You know God by faith and not by science or any other way. You don't scientifically prove Him; you just believe Him. You can't prove what love is; you can't prove what joy is; the whole armor of God: love, joy, peace, long suffering, meekness, gentleness, patience; that's all supernatural. See? You can't prove it, but you know you got it. See? That's it, so you know it yourself.
E-83 The lady is very much wearied. She's a–she's got something wrong with her mouth, inside her mouth. That's right. If that's right raise up your hand…?… And cancer, you're afraid it is. That's right.
Now, you say, "You guessed that." I didn't guess it either. You don't guess those things. Look, look here again. You're a very fine person. Something happened to you then, but I just…
Here, you've had a car accident too, haven't you? If that's right, raise up your hand. That's… You see now. I–I wouldn't know that. All right, now go on your road rejoicing, just believe God…?… believe it will come now.
E-84 You–you believe? Now, you out there, just start believing with all your heart. Don't doubt, but believe every word to be the truth. See, that's Him; that's your Lord. He's right among us. You believe it out there?
Now, we're strangers one to the other, I suppose. I don't know you, and you don't know me. Well, that's good. Now, that makes it so that… I never was here before, you know. We're just here in the city, and–and your need, or whatever it is, you believe God can tell me your–your need or whatever it is, you'll believe me? It's not for yourself; it's for somebody else. That's right. That's a grandchild. And that grandchild is kinda of a retarded. That's exactly. It's in another place; it isn't here, something like New Mexico or some… It's in New Mexico; that's where it's at. Go believe, now, with all your heart.
E-85 We are strangers one to another. We are first time meeting but… All right.
A man setting right there with his like this, looking, You suffer with stomach trouble, sir. That's right. You were sitting there wondering how…?… ever know (Wasn't that right?) and thinking about your own stomach. If that's right raise up your hand. I don't know the man, never seen him in my life. All right. You got a habit. You want to quit smoking? You want to quit that smoking? That's what's causing your stomach. When you smoke cigarettes, nicotine goes down and throws your stomach into spasms. I never seen the man in my life and there he is. Let… Stand up if that's the truth, sir. I renounce the cigarettes from you in the Name of Jesus Christ. Go and be made well…?…
Now, I never seen him in my life. What did he touch? He touched the Master.
E-86 By the way, the lady setting next to you there, loved one, she has stomach trouble also. That's right? You want to get over your stomach trouble, lady? See, the Spirit's…?… Don't you see that Light hanging right there by her? That's right. All right. That's right. Now, you go believe; your nervousness will leave you, and that's what's caused your stomach trouble. That's right. You believe with all your heart now. All right.
By the way, there's another lady setting there next to you. She has an allergy. If that's right, you stand up, lady. That's right, stand up to your feet and then commit it to… All right, you believe that God will take it away from you? Then you can have what you ask for.
Now, I never seen them in my life, and that's exactly what it is. What did they touch? They touched the–the High Priest that can be touched by the feeling of your infirmity. Any of you out there, you believe the same thing. Just believe.
E-87 Setting there, a man wants the baptism of the Holy Ghost. He's hunting for a job too. You believe that God will give you the Holy Ghost and give you the job? Now, raise your hand up, right here, setting under the lights here at home. All right. I never seen him in my life. That was exactly what he was thinking. If that's right, wave your hand like this. Now, don't you see, the Word of God discerns the thoughts and the intents of the heart. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever, that's Him out there. You know it couldn't be me. I'm not out there. I'm twenty yards from him, but he touched the High Priest. Oh, the thought of Christ being present, friend, can you comprehend it?
Excuse me, lady. I just have to follow, you know, such a draw of faith. It's started out there now and it'd be hard to keep away from it. You see? All right. You are a believer. Uh-huh. And you believe that that operation that you're about to have… Do you believe that God can take that away from you before having the operation? You believe that He will… He–He… And you believe now that–that you got that daughter that has got some kind of a hay fever or something like that, believe that God will heal her of that hay fever? Do you believe that? All right. Now go put your hands on her and believe with all your heart, and God will–may heal her. She's…?… Have faith.
E-88 You want to get your supper? Believe the stomach will be all right? All right, then, go eat then…?… All right, come. Bring the lady now. Have faith. Don't doubt. Come, lady. You believe God can heal that diabetes and make you well? With all your heart you believe it? All right, then go on your road and rejoice and say, "Thank You, Lord Jesus," with all your heart.
God can heal your back trouble, make you well. Do you believe that? All right, just go on your road and say, "Thank You, Lord Jesus, with all my heart." You got to believe.
Come, lady. You're young but you'd die easy with heart trouble, but if you believe God can heal your heart, then go on your road rejoicing…?… "…?… You, Lord Jesus," and believe with all your heart.
All right, come, sir. Got nervous, give you a peptic ulcer in your stomach… Go eat your supper; Jesus Christ make you well. Believe with all your heart and mind. Do you believe it?
E-89 Do you believe God could heal that asthma, setting out there, looking at me with the glasses on, little checked dress, the lady? You believe, setting on the end there? You believe God will take care of the asthma? Raise up your hand if you believe it. All right, He will heal you.
What do you think about that, setting right behind her, mister. And you believe you can avoid that tumor operation, believe God will take tumor and heal you–heal you of the tumor? You believe that? All right, you can have yours also. All right. If you can just have faith and don't doubt, God will sure do it. Amen.
How many believes out there with all your heart now, that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever? Do you believe that that's the resurrected Jesus? Now, any of you know that I couldn't do that. I know nothing about you all, but He does.
E-90 Now, the Bible also says this. How many of you is believers, raise your hand. Now, Jesus said His last words to the church as He left, "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned. These signs shall follow them that believe: If they lay their hands on the sick, they shall recover." Do you believe that? Now, will you do something for me, then? Now, you lay your hands over on each other. Just don't do no… Just put your hand over on…?… setting next to you, just around like that. That's it, just touch one another's hand.
I want to ask you a question. I want you to look at me. Remember, as firmly as the Scripture says… this… Abraham never saw one more sign until the son came into existence. That's the last sign Abraham saw of all of his signs. Let me tell you, church, here's your last one. The appearing of the Son will be pretty soon, in the hour when you think not, it'll be caught away: people go right on preaching, thinking they're getting saved and everything. He will be… Just like it was in coming of John and all, they go right on, done passed the time. It's later than we think.
E-91 Now, you've got your hands on one another. And you've seen something that Jesus promised in this last days He would do it. And here He's turned right around and done exactly what He said. Now, you say you're a believer. I believe that. Now, you got your hands laying on somebody, and His Presence is here now. Now that's Him. I just seen a man get healed just then, just right there with his hands laying on somebody else. See? It's a–it's just…
What–what ought it to do… But you see it comes into the time when the Laodicea church age is on. If it during time of revival, it'd light and go like that. But see, it come when He was kicked out of the church. Remember the other day when that earthquake? You remember the Laodicea church age? He's on the outside of the church, knocking, trying to get back in. See? That's where it's come (See?); He's trying to get back. He's willing go identify Himself to you for your–and your prayer.
Now, don't you pray for yourself. You pray for the one that you got your hands on, 'cause they're praying for you. See? And then you believe with all your heart. Just pray the way you do in your church. If you pray loud, pray loud. If you pray to yourself, pray to yourself. Whatever way you do in your church, you pray and saying, "Lord Jesus, I am sure that I'm in Your Presence now, the great Lord Jesus, that's raised up from the dead and has identified Himself right here in this auditorium way down here in Mia–and close to or–at Tampa–Tem–Florida."
"I'm way down here, and here You are in this auditorium tonight. And with the Spirit that You had on You when You were here, You sent it back among us, and we've seen our own faith, our Brother Branham with faith to a gift, ministered to him that he was born with. And here he had faith to stand there and–and throw himself away from everything, knowing none of us. And You come in and used a gift, because he just relaxed himself, and You–he–You used it. Here's people up there on the platform, out here in the audience, total strangers, and manifested the Word, the Word of God is manifested to know that He is the Word: the same yesterday, today, and forever. And here You are…"
"And I'm a believer in You. And I have my hands on somebody. And they have their hands on me. Now, great Presence of Christ, heal this person."
E-92 And I'm going to pray for all of you. Now, you pray for one another as I pray for you all that you'll be healed, everyone of you, right now, everyone that will believe.
Heavenly Father, as this group of people here tonight… And we are… We thank You for Your Presence, Lord. That proves to us that our Christian religion is right. Mohammedan religion, Bhuddas, and all of them, they're dead and in the grave, but we got an empty tomb and a living Christ Who is here with us tonight, identifying Himself in the Person of the Holy Ghost, moving through us and showing that He is the Word for this hour. He's the Word to make these promises of this hour live. And if He can make the identified promise to identify Himself with, how much more will He keep His promise to healing that we've seen done through the year.
E-93 Look at them hands of the believers, Lord, laying on each other. I offer this prayer in–in their behalf, Lord, that each one of them will be healed. Grant it. May the power of Jesus Christ surge into everyone of them. And may faith come that they can, no man may not even know who that person is got their hands laid upon them, but we know that You're here and we're touching You with our faith.
Satan, in the Name of Jesus Christ leave this audience. Come out of this people that they might go and be free, in the Name of Jesus Christ.
E-94 All right brethren. How many of you now believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ makes you well? Stand up on your feet, say, "I believe." All right, now the prayer of faith is prayed. Wonderful, fine. God bless you. That settles it. Amen.
Now, how many with your hands hanging down like this, that did not believe on Christ, and hasn't ever accepted Him as your Saviour, and you'd like just raise your hands to Him and say, "In Your Presence, Lord, the same God that I believe will judge me at the day of judgment, He's here in the form of the Holy Ghost… I now will accept You as my Saviour." Raise up your hand and say, "I will do it." God bless you. God bless you. God bless you, you, you. Another? You, God bless you. Wonderful. There, God bless you.
Another? "I'll raise up my hands. I now want to accept Him while He's here, I'm in His Presence." You'll never be any closer till you see Him face to face, because here, all of His characteristics is identified right here now: healing the sick, and knowing the secret of the heart. He is the Word of this hour. You believe that, raise your hands now. Anyone else? Anyone else now that wants to accept Him as Saviour, raise your hands way up high now, so we can see it. All right. God bless you. That's fine.
Some, I guess, eight or ten, fifteen did. Now, you bow your heads right now while we pray for them. Each one, if you're standing near those that raised your hands, some Christian lay their hands on them. One of the pastors come here, if you will, right quick. I'm going to have one of the pastors offer prayer for you now, for them souls that…?…