List Židom 2.kap, 1.časť
Kázanie Slova, z toho sa radujeme. Ale to nie je to hlavné. To nie je ... My neoslavujeme Pána len potom, keď počujeme kázať Slovo, ako to obyčajne robíme. Proste Ho oslavujeme. To je pekné. Ale my Ho máme oslavovať v každej hodine nášho života. Máme Ho oslavovať, keď sme v práci. V každej chvíli, keď sa naskytne príležitosť, oslavujte Pána tým, že budete svedčiť o Ňom. Ak vidíte ... Vy niektoré dámy, vidíte nejakú ženu, že robí zle, oslavujte Pána, tým že ju vezmete a poviete jej: „Sestra, existuje lepší život než tento.“
Vy muži v práci, keď počujete nejakého človeka ako berie meno Pánovo nadarmo, využite z jednej strany príležitosť a pristúpte ku nemu a chyťte ho za ruku a povedzte: „Ty ... existuje lepší život ako tento. Nemal by si hovoriť také slová.“ A povedzte mu to pokorným a láskavým spôsobom. Všetko toto je oslavovanie. A keď vidíme niekoho chorého a doktor povedal: „Už sa viac nedá urobiť.“ Máme oslavovať Pána tým, že mu povieme: „Je Boh na nebesiach, ktorý odpovedá na modlitby.“
A potom keď vidíme diať sa tieto veci, keď vidíme, že sa to deje, že sa to stalo, nemáme si to nechať ujsť. Nechávame si to ujsť pomedzi prsty. To je to, čo sa dnes deje s letničnou cirkvou. Oni nechali, že práve to najlepšie z úrody im prekĺzlo pomedzi prsty, keď to mali v rukách. Ale pozrite sa, čo urobili. Urobili to isté čo ostatné cirkvi. „Odišli na cestu Kórachovu a zahynuli; na cestu Kainovu a protirečením Kóreho zahynuli.“
1A teraz prvá kniha Židom je ... zistili sme, že Pavel, alebo veríme ... Teológovia sú u konca, oni proste nevedia kto to napísal. Ale ja verím, že každý kto má trochu duchovného rozpoznania vidí, že to bol Pavel. Väčšina pisateľov verí, že to bol Pavel. A ako to, že on ...
2V prvej kapitole sme videli, že on vyvyšoval Pána Ježiša. Ó, ako to on predstavil, aby ukázal skrze to prežite, ktoré mal na ceste do Damašku ... No Pavel bol v podstate skutočným teológom. Bol vyučený pri Gamalielovi, pri jednom z najlepších učiteľov v tom čase. A on bol chytrý a inteligentný a bol skutočný, bystrý biblický učenec.
3A našiel som toto, že keď bol na ceste do Damašku a vo vrecku mal listy, aby uväznil všetkých tých, ktorí išli po tej požehnanej starej ceste Evanjelia ... A tento človek bol úprimný. Ale ja som stále veril, že odvtedy ako Pavel videl zomrieť Štefana, a ja si myslím, že hneď potom sa ho to muselo dotknúť. Keď dával súhlas na Štefanovu smrť a strážil rúcha tých, ktorí ho kameňovali, Pavel bol potom zodpovedný za Štefanovu krv. A on vyznal a povedal: „Nie som ani hodný, pretože som prelial krv jeho mučeníka, Štefana. Pretože to zastával.
4A ak niečo zastávaš, si za to zodpovedný tak, akoby si mal v tom účasť. Tak ak sa staviame a hovoríme: „Ó, áno, oni toto nemali urobiť, toto, to a to.“ Buď opatrný, čo hovoríš, pretože si zodpovedný za súd, ktorým to súdiš. Ak nevieš rozhodnúť, nehovor nič, nechaj to proste tak. Potom, keď svedčíš o tom, že si kresťan, potom si za to zodpovedný. Vidíš? Potom si povinný byť kresťanom a musíš tak žiť. A keď Boh dáva zasľúbenie v Biblii ... (Vidím tu človeka na invalidnom kresle) ... Keď Boh dáva zasľúbenie, On je zodpovedný za to zasľúbenie, až kým ho nevyplní. Boh je zodpovedný za svoje zasľúbenie. A Písma nesú zodpovednosť, až kým sa nevyplnia. Vidíte? Oni tam stoja, ako oznámenie toho, čo povedal Boh. A to sa musí vyplniť, inak by bol Boh vinný. Vidíte?
5A tak Pavel, on bol učiteľ a išiel toho dňa cestou dole do Damašku a myslím, že okolo poludnia zasvietilo z neba veľké Svetlo a oslepilo ho a on padol na zem. A povedal ...chcel vedieť, kto to je. Hlas prehovoril a povedal: „Saule, Saule, prečo Ma prenasleduješ?“ Myslím, že je to 8. kapitola Skutkov.
On povedal: „Kto To je, koho prenasledujem?“
6A ten Hlas sa znovu ozval a povedal: „Ja som Ježiš. (Ó.) Ja som Ježiš a ťažko sa ti bude proti ostňu vzpečovať.“ A čo potom bol Ježiš? Ježiš - On bol to Svetlo, proste veľké Svetlo, ktoré jasne svietilo.
7No, aby sme boli povzbudení a uvideli tu to hlavné ... Ako On mohol byť Svetlo, keď bol človek? No, nikto ... S Pavlom bola skupina vojakov, chrámová stráž, ktorí tam išli zatknúť ľudí. Pavel bol hlavný kapitán. A oni tam išli zatknúť tých ľudí za ich kampane a tak ďalej a za ich náboženskú nádej, ktorú v sebe nosili.
8Ale teraz tu bol Ježiš ako veľké Svetlo. Ak si teraz pamätáte, na začiatku, Ježiš bol Svetlo. Ježiš bol to Logos, ktoré vyšlo z Boha. A On bol to ... On bol ten Anjel Zmluvy, ktorý viedol deti Izraela po Púšti. A On bol ten Ohnivý Stĺp, na ktorý sa dívali. A on bol ... A keď bol tu na zemi, povedal: „Prišiel som od Boha a idem naspäť ku Bohu.“ Tak keď On prišiel z Ohnivého Stĺpa do formy človeka, potom keď odišiel naspäť tam kde bol, tak išiel znovu naspäť do Svetla.
9A On tam bol. Keď Ho videl Pavel, On bol Svetlo. No, nikto z tých vojakov, ktorí boli s Pavlom, nevidel to Svetlo. Tak či je to potom možné, že jeden to môže vidieť a druhí to nemohli vidieť? Samozrejme! Dobre. On, Pavel to videl, ale ostatní z nich nevideli to Svetlo.
10No, keď bol Peter vo väzení, vidíme, že toto Svetlo prišlo do väzenia, otvorilo dvere a on ... to Svetlo oslepilo tých ostatných strážcov, keď prechádzali okolo. Peter išiel a keď prišiel ku dverám, oni sa samé potichu otvorili a za ním sa zavreli. Z vnútorného väzenia vyšiel do vonkajšieho ... Ďalšie dvere, oni sa samé otvorili a potichu sa zavreli. A potom prešiel cez bránu, vyšiel von na ulicu mesta. A šuchal si oči akoby chcel povedať: „Či sa mi to snívalo?“ On nevedel čo sa stalo. Ale Anjel Pánov, ten istý Anjel, ktorý bol tým Ohnivým Stĺpom, ktorý viedol Mojžiša ku moru a previedol ich (Ó!) a Mŕtve more ... Červené more stálo ako múry po obidvoch stranách a Izrael prešiel na druhú stranu.
11A keď prišli ku rozvodnenému Jordánu, On sa tam nestal viditeľným. Ale On tam bol, pretože On ho otvoril. A oni prešli cezeň v apríli, keď sú pláne celé zaplavené vodou. A On zastavil ten prameň, a On zastavil rozpúšťanie snehu, pretože tá stena nestúpala vyššie a vyššie. To proste zastalo. To je náš Jehova. To je náš Pán Ježiš! Proste to zastavil a oni prešli po suchej zemi.
12No, Boh zasľúbil, že sa bude o nich starať, tak On bol zaviazaný svojmu sľubu. No, Pavel si bol vedomý týchto vecí a poznal ich, on mal privilégium, pretože Boh hovoril priamo ku Pavlovi. On nehovoril ku tým vojakom, ktorí boli s ním. On hovoril len ku Pavlovi.
13No, keď Anjel Pánov prišiel dole vo forme hviezdy ... A tí pozorovatelia hviezd, tí mudrci v Indii, keď videli tú hviezdu a nasledovali Ju stovky míľ ... A Ona prešla ponad každú hvezdáreň, pretože oni podľa hviezd počítali čas. A nikto nevidel tú Hviezdu len tí mudrci. Ó! Či vás to nevzrušuje?
14Potom vidíte, Boh nejedná s organizáciami. On nejedná so skupinami ľudí. On jedná s jednotlivcami. On sa zjavuje jednotlivcom. A teraz - teraz keď toto poviem, toto ne... Boh pozná moje srdce. A nehovorím to ohľadne mojej osoby, na svoju chválu, nič z toho. Ale či ste vedeli, že ten istý Boh, ten istý Ježiš je dnes ráno s nami? Či viete, že každý jeden z vás má práve teraz malé osobné svedectvo o tom, že On je tu? A je ... On v tomto dni urobil pre nás niečo, čo neurobil v žiadnom inom dni. On si v tomto dni nechal urobiť snímok. Máme ho, visí rovno tam. Vidíte? Ohnivý Stĺp, ten istý Pán Ježiš.
15Pozorujte Ho, ako teraz pracuje. Ak je On ten istý Pán Ježiš, On bude robiť tie isté veci. Pretože Biblia hovorí: „On je ten istý včera, dnes i naveky.“
16No, prv ako Pavel niečo oznámil, či toto bolo dobré alebo zlé, on prv odišiel dole do Egypta a strávil tam tri roky, aby zistil, či to súhlasí s Písmom alebo nie. Vedeli ste to? Keď sa Pavel obrátil, odišiel na tri roky do Egypta. Tam sa zdržoval a tam sa naučil túto veľkú múdrosť.
17No, vôbec to ku ničomu neprirovnávam, len vám ukazujem, ako Duch Svätý zostáva stále ten istý. No, môj zbor sa tu pamätá, ako pred rokmi, keď sa zjavoval tento Anjel a ukazoval veci, ja som bol ku tomu tak trochu skeptický. Všetci to viete, vy starší. Ak vy ... ak je to tak, zodvihnite ruky. Keď ste to počuli ... Pozrite - pozrite sa na zbor, na tých starších. Vidíte? Ja som bol skeptický, pretože kazatelia mi povedali, že to je od diabla. A ja som tomu tak trochu veril, ale som čakal. Nič som o tom nehovoril.
18Ale, ó, nech je požehnané meno Pánovo! Vtedy, jednej noci, On prišiel dole - Anjel a zjavil to v Písme, že On bol ... A keď som to uvidel v Písme, potom sa to roznieslo po celom svete, to posolstvo.
19Z toho vyšiel Oral Roberts, A. A. Allen, Tommy Osborn, Tommy Hicks a ďalší. Vidíte? To je posolstvo pre ľudí.
20A Ježiš je ten istý včera, dnes i naveky. To je podľa Písma, On je ten istý. On robí to isté. On je ten istý. A On pracuje tak isto. On sa tak isto manifestuje. A On je tu dnes ráno ten istý. No, my Ho môžeme vidieť a nemusíme. Akokoľvek to je, my máme práve teraz svedectvo, že On je tu.
21No, videli sme, že Pavel na základe tohoto prežitia ... A on píše tieto listy, väčšinu z nich z väzenia. On porovnával Starý a Nový Zákon. No pamätajte, ten posledný pisateľ tejto Biblie skrze inšpiráciu, Boh prišiel dole a povedal mu: „Ak niekto pridá niečo ku Tomuto alebo niečo z Toho odoberie, tak isto bude jemu odobraný jeho diel z Knihy Života.“ A tak si nesmieme dovoliť pridať niečo ku Tomu. Ó - To musí zostať také aké je, nič nesmie byť ku tomu pridané. A my musíme zápasiť za všetko, čo v Tom je. Ja nechcem nič viacej a nechcem nič menej. Chcem len to, čo Ono hovorí.
22No, táto Kniha Židom, dôvod prečo som ju vybral, to má jeden účel, jedno. Tento list: „Drahý brat Branham ...“ a tak ďalej. A ja - ja ... „My chceme stáť na Slove.“
23No, tá prvá kapitola to bolo vyvyšovanie Ježiša. Tak On je tou hlavnou osobou. A Pavel nám dal minulý večer poznať, že On bol na tom veľkom začiatku. A my sme zistili, že On nebol nič menej, ako ten Melchisedech, Kráľ Sálema, ten veľký — z tej 7. kapitoly.
24A teraz, dnes ráno pristupujeme ku Nemu z iného hľadiska, z druhej kapitoly. No, potom keď nám Pavel dal toto veľké a nádherné posolstvo o vyvýšení Ježiša ... A spravil ešte aj to, aby sa Mu anjeli klaňali. A myslím, že tu ako stará zem, ako je to staré a On ju zvinie ako plášť, ale - a oni zahynú, ale Ty zostávaš.
25A tu v druhej kapitole, druhý verš, myslím, že to je to. — V týchto dňoch On ku nám hovoril skrze svojho Syna. — A pozrite sa, za dávna mnoho ráz a mnohorakým spôsobom On hovorieval skrze prorokov. Prebrali sme to a videli sme, čím boli proroci a ako Boh prinášal svoje posolstvo skrze prorokov. Ale v tomto poslednom dni On hovoril cez svojho Syna Ježiša, skrze Ducha Svätého. Vtedy hovoril cez prorokov. Potom sme išli ku tomu a zistili sme, že všetci títo proroci mali v sebe Ducha Kristovho.
26Išli sme ku Jozefovi a videli sme, že on dokonale zobrazoval Krista. Išli sme ku Mojžišovi a videli sme, že on dokonale zobrazoval Krista. Potom sme išli ešte aj ku Dávidovi. A keď bol Dávid odmietnutý v Jeruzaleme, nevedel prečo, ale išiel hore na ten kopec a pozrel sa naspäť, na Olivovú horu a plakal nad Jeruzalemom, pretože bol odmietnutý. Potom po osemsto rokoch bol odmietnutý Syn Dávidov, bol odmietnutý ako Kráľ v Jeruzaleme a sedel na tom istom kopci a plakal. Ó, Duch Kristov zaoberajúci sa s jednotlivcami.
27No, Pavel začína a hovorí:
Preto musíme tým viacej pozorovať na to, čo sme počuli, ...
28Začíname teraz druhú kapitolu.
Preto musíme tým viacej pozorovať na to, čo sme počuli, aby sme nejako neprešli pomimo.
29Ó, nech dá Boh, aby to prišlo na pravé miesto dnes ráno v tomto zhromaždení. Modlím sa, aby to Duch Svätý ponoril hlboko do vašich sŕdc. „Máme tým viacej pozorovať na to, čo sme počuli.“ Akým druhom ľudí máme byť? — Keď vidíme ako zostupuje ten veľký Jehova a ako robí tie veci, ktoré robí a vidíme ich porovnané Písmo s Písmom, že je to pravda. A niekedy sedíme pri tom ako hrča v dreve a takí ľahostajní. Máme byť plne zapojení do práce v každej minúte, snažiť sa získavať ľudí pre Krista. Máme byť živými kameňmi. Nemáme byť takí leniví, akí sme. Pôjdeme do zboru a budeme vidieť Pána Ježiša robiť niečo alebo nás nejako požehná, a potom budeme - pôjdeme naspäť a povieme: „Veľmi pekné zhromaždenie.“
30No, kázanie Slova, z toho sa radujeme. Ale to nie je to hlavné. To nie je ... My neoslavujeme Pána len potom, keď počujeme kázať Slovo, ako to obyčajne robíme. Proste Ho oslavujeme. To je pekné. Ale my Ho máme oslavovať v každej hodine nášho života. Máme Ho oslavovať, keď sme v práci. V každej chvíli, keď sa naskytne príležitosť, oslavujte Pána tým, že budete svedčiť o Ňom. Ak vidíte ... Vy niektoré dámy, vidíte nejakú ženu, že robí zle, oslavujte Pána, tým že ju vezmete a poviete jej: „Sestra, existuje lepší život než tento.“
31Vy muži v práci, keď počujete nejakého človeka ako berie meno Pánovo nadarmo, využite z jednej strany príležitosť a pristúpte ku nemu a chyťte ho za ruku a povedzte: „Ty ... existuje lepší život ako tento. Nemal by si hovoriť také slová.“ A povedzte mu to pokorným a láskavým spôsobom. Všetko toto je oslavovanie. A keď vidíme niekoho chorého a doktor povedal: „Už sa viac nedá urobiť.“ Máme oslavovať Pána tým, že mu povieme: „Je Boh na nebesiach, ktorý odpovedá na modlitby.“
32A potom keď vidíme diať sa tieto veci, keď vidíme, že sa to deje, že sa to stalo, nemáme si to nechať ujsť. Nechávame si to ujsť pomedzi prsty. To je to, čo sa dnes deje s letničnou cirkvou. Oni nechali, že práve to najlepšie z úrody im prekĺzlo pomedzi prsty, keď to mali v rukách. Ale pozrite sa, čo urobili. Urobili to isté čo ostatné cirkvi. „Odišli na cestu Kórachovu a zahynuli; na cestu Kainovu a protirečením Kóreho zahynuli.“
33Zorganizovali sa. Miesto toho, aby mali bratstvo, v ktorom by sme všetci mohli byť jedno, oni sa zorganizovali. Urobili malé organizácie a malé izmi a pozdvihli sa na tom a polámali bratstvo. A ak nebudete dávať pozor, zoberú to baptisti a presbyteriáni, pretože Boh je schopný z týchto kameňov vzbudiť deti Abrahámovi. A my sme nechali, že sa nám to vykĺzlo z rúk, lebo sme boli rozbití.
34Ako stratili Indiáni túto krajinu, že pripadla bielym ľuďom? To preto, že neboli jednotní. Keby boli urobili jednu veľkú prvú líniu ... Ale oni bojovali medzi sebou. Keby sa všetci dali dokopy boli by si udržali svoje územia.
35Ako to my stratíme? Pretože nie sme jednotní. Ako strácame svoje prežitie s Bohom? Tak že sa rozdeľujeme. Založili sme jedno a nazvali sme to metodisti a toto baptisti a toto zbory, a toto jednotáry a toto nejako inak a cirkev Božia a nazaréni, pútnici svätosti. Rozbíjame jednotu Tela Kristovho. Nemali sme byť rozdelení. Môžeme sa líšiť v spôsobe myslenia, ale v srdci buďme bratia. Boh chce, aby sme boli. On zomrel za celú cirkev Božiu. A my nechceme byť rozbití.
Tak musíme tým viacej pozorovať ... aby sme nejako neprešli pomimo.
Lebo ak slovo, hovorené skrze anjelov, bolo pevné, ...
36Počujete to? Ak slovo hovorené skrze anjelov. No, anjel je posol. Slovo anjel znamená „posol“. A on to práve prebral tu v tej prvej knihe, „Boh za dávna, mnohoráz a mnohorakým spôsobom hovorieval ku otcom skrze prorokov.“ To boli Boží poslovia. A oni boli - oni boli Boží poslovia. Oni boli Boží anjeli. A posol je anjel. Či vlastne anjel je posol.
37Posol! Vy ste poslom dnes ráno. Vy ste ... vy ste poslom dobrej noviny, alebo poslom zlej noviny. Ó, či to nie je nádherné, keď môžeme vedieť, že sme veľvyslancami, že sme anjelmi, poslami vzkriesenia. A my sme Božími poslami pre ten hriešny svet, že Kristus žije. On žije v našich srdciach, on žije v našom duchu. A On nás vyvádza z toho nízkeho skazeného života hriechu a dvíha nás hore a dáva nám do duše „Haleluja“ a robí z nás nové stvorenia. My sme poslami. Anjelmi Zmluvy! Aké nádherné!
38A teraz, v Starom Zákone: „Ak slová hovorené skrze anjelov boli pevné.“ Takým spôsobom to muselo byť v poriadku. V Starom Zákone, prv ako mohlo byť prednesené slovo proroka, muselo byť overené a dokázané. Oni to nebrali na ľahko ako my dnes.
39Len ísť a mať všetky rôzne senzácie a všetko možné: „Ó, sláva Bohu, to je to.“ Mýlite sa. Biblia hovorí, že v posledných dňoch bude diabol napodobňovať kresťanstvo tak blízko, že by to zviedlo aj vyvolených, keby to bolo možné. Je to tak.
40Tak my to musíme skúšať! A ako to oni skúšali v ich čase? Na základe Urím a Thumím! Áronovho náprsníka, ktorý mal v sebe tie kamene: karbunkulom, jaspis, diamant, rubín, zafír. Všetky tie kamene, ktoré reprezentovali narodenie tých dvanástich patriarchov, boli v tom Áronovom náprsníku. A keď prorok prorokoval a zasvietilo na tom to nadprirodzené Svetlo, Boh povedal: „To je pravda.“
41 Ale to .. Nezáležalo na tom ako skutočne to vyzerá, ak to tam nezasvietilo, nebola to pravda. Tak to Urím a Thumím išlo s tým kňazstvom. Ale dnes je táto Biblia Božím Urím a Thumím. A keď prorok prorokuje, to musí svietiť presne podľa tejto Biblie. Potom hovorí Boh ... potom On prichádza dole a potvrdzuje to.
42Ó, ako môžem dnes oslavovať Boha. Spomínam si na jednu nedeľu ráno, takú ako táto, keď som odchádzal z tejto modlitebni. A vy ľudia ste plakali a chceli ste aby som neodchádzal. Ale keď som kázal o Dávidovi a Goliášovi ... a ako sa postavíte tomu chladnému, ľahostajnému svetu, ktorý hovorí, že dni zázrakov pominuli.
43Povedal som: „Je jeden veľký obor a akonáhle ho budeme môcť zabiť, tí ostatní nadobudnú odvahu.“ A Pán to dal. A potom tam bol Oral Roberts a Jaggers a ďalší, vytiahli meč a vyhnali sme nepriateľa zo zeme. Zapchali sme im ústa. Nemôžu povedať, že sa nedejú zázraky, pretože sú tu. Skutočne, Božie Slovo je večné. To zablysklo na to Urím. Zablysklo na Slovo, to je jeho Urím Thumím. A keď to naň zablysklo, bol to pozitív. A pre každého, kto je v potrebe ... Ak si hriešnik, chceš vedieť ako môžeš byť spasený. — Ver v Pána Ježiša Krista.
44Dnes máme toľko vecí, ktoré musíte robiť, musíte obrátiť nové strany, musíte robiť toto alebo tamto, aby ste boli spasení. Myslím na žalárnika z Filíp, keď sa tento strážny žalára opýtal Pavla: „Čo mám činiť aby som bol spasený?“ Keby ste to boli vy alebo ja, my by sme mu povedali to, čo nemá robiť: mal by si prestať piť, mal by si prestať s hazardnými hrami - so špekulovaním, mal by si prestať s týmto, mal by si prestať s tamtým. Pavel mu nepovedal niečo také. On mu povedal to, čo má robiť. „Uver v Pána Ježiša Krista a budeš spasený.“
45No. „Ten, kto čuje moje slová a verí tomu, ktorý ma poslal, má večný život.“ To je blýskanie Urím a Thumím, Ev. Jána 5:24. „Ja som Pán, ktorý uzdravujem všetky tvoje nemoci.“ Jakoba 5:14 „ Zavolať si starších zboru, pomazať olejom a modlitba viery uzdraví chorého.“ Urím vydáva svetlo. To je Božie večné Slovo!
46Nestarám sa o to koľko povstane ateistov, neveriacich, agnostikov, skeptikov. Boh bude stáť za svojím Slovom! On zasľúbil, že to bude robiť.
47A my musíme tým viacej pozorovať na toto, čo sme počuli, aby nám to nikdy neuniklo. Lebo ak slová hovorené skrze anjelov (prorokov) boli pevné, ... Či boli? Týždeň by sme mohli o tomto hovoriť.
48Bolo to pevné, keď Mojžiš hovoril? Samozrejme, že bolo. A čo Eliáš, ktorý sedel hore na vrchu? Pán mu povedal: „Choď tam hore Eliáš. Ja tam budem s tebou. Chcem mať nejaké obecenstvo.“ Boh má rád obecenstvo so svojím ľudom. Ale my kvôli Nemu nebudeme stáť dosť dlho potichu, aby mal s nami obecenstvo. My sme takí zaneprázdnení s behaním z miesta na miesto a tak veľmi ... „Seď potichu, Eliáš!“ On chcel mať obecenstvo tri roky a šesť mesiacov. My Mu sotva dokážeme venovať tri minúty. Tri roky a šesť mesiacov nepretržitého obecenstva. Ó, to sa mi páči. Povedal: „Nestaraj sa o varenie, už sme to zaistili. Vrany ťa budú kŕmiť a všetko bude v poriadku. Chcem mať proste nejaké obecenstvo.“ Tento starý prorok Eliáš, sedel tam ... „Musíš zostať na vrchu toho kopca.“
Kým mal s Bohom obecenstvo, ten kapitán si povedal: „Verím, že tam vyjdem a dostanem ho.“ No, nikdy sa nesnažte prerušiť to obecenstvo!
49Tak ten kapitán vyšiel hore s tou veľkou armádou, päťdesiat mužov. A povedal: „Prišiel som ťa zobrať, Eliáš.“
50A Eliáš bol tam hore. (Dávajte pozor! Tu je prorok Pánov.) On povedal: „Ak som je sluha Pánov, nech oheň zostúpi z neba a strávi vás.“ A zostúpil oheň.
51Ten kapitán povedal: „Ó, vieš čo, ...“ Či vlastne ten kráľ, povedal: „To bol možno blesk, len sa tam niečo zablysklo a to ich zasiahlo. Pošlem ďalších päťdesiat.“
52Eliáš bol tam hore. (Jeden z Jeho anjelov. Jeho Slovo je pevné. On musel byť spravodlivou odplatou každému, kto robil zle.) On povedal: „Ak som ja sluha Pánov, nech zostúpi oheň.“ A zhorelo ďalších päťdesiat. Je to tak. Každý dostal spravodlivú odplatu.
Lebo ak slovo, hovorené skrze anjelov, bolo pevné, a každé prestúpenie a každý neposluch dostali spravodlivú odplatu ...
53No, tu je tá veľká vec, ten ďalší verš.
akože my utečieme, ...
54Akože my utečieme? Keď Eliášov hlas priniesol zničenie, pretože on bol anjel Pánov, akože my utečieme, keď tu ešte hovorí Kristov Hlas. Alebo ako môžeme zlyhať, keď sa modlíte, keď je to Hlas Kristov? Keď Kristus ustanovil svoju cirkev, aby sa modlili za chorých, a keď cirkev robí to, čo On povedal, On ... aby to robili, akoby to potom mohlo niekedy zlyhať? Nemôže! Vy môžete zlyhať, ale to nemôže zlyhať. A pokiaľ sa toho držíte, to vás prevedie.
55Ak zlyháte, zlyháte na sebe. Odstúpili ste proste od Slova. Ale pokiaľ stojíte na Slove, tak to nemôže zlyhať. Lebo slovo prorokov fungovalo tak a tak, o čo viacej bude fungovať Slovo Kristovo?
Akože my utečieme, ak zanecháme také veľké spasenie?! Ktoré, keď o ňom začal najdriev hovoriť Pán, nám stvrdili tí, ktorí ho počuli,
56Zamyslite sa nad tým — hovoril nám o ňom Pán! Koľko krát by sme sa mohli vracať ku tomu? Kde by sme sa mohli zastaviť? — Hneď tu, na hodinu. Keď Ježiš prišiel ... On je ten istý včera i naveky.
57No pamätajte, najprv nám o ňom hovoril Ježiš, On sám, a potom to potvrdili tí, ktorí Ho počuli. No, ktorí Ho počúvali.
58Keď On prišiel na zem, On netvrdil o sebe, že je uzdravovateľ. On povedal: „To nie ja konám tie skutky, ale môj Otec, ktorý prebýva vo mne. On koná tie skutky. Syn nemôže robiť nič sám od seba, ale čo vidí robiť Otca.“ Ev. Jána 5:19.
59Pozrite sa, keď prišiel ku nemu Filip. Natanael ... Keď sa Filip obrátil, odišiel a našiel Natanaela, povedal: „Poď, pozri sa koho sme našli; Ježiša z Nazareta, Syna Jozefovho.“
60A on povedal: „Či z Nazareta môže byť niečo dobrého?“
61Povedal: „Poď a vidz.“ To je spôsob, ako sa máme presvedčiť - overiť si to. Poď a vidz! Ó, to je to najlepšie, čo som počul. Poď a sám sa presvedč! Nestoj vonku a nekritizuj na základe toho, čo si niekde počul, ale všetko skúšajte, dobré podržte. Poď a vidz!
62Keď išli po ceste tak sa rozprávali. A keď prišiel do prítomnosti pána Ježiša, On povedal: „Hľa Izraelita, v ktorom nieto lesti.“
63To mu skoro stiahlo kožu. Pozrel sa dookola a povedal: „Rabbi, kedy si ma mohlo vidieť? Ty si ma nikdy nevidel. Ako ma poznáš?“ Filip povedal ...
64Keď on zvolal ... On povedal: „Prv ako ťa Filip včera zavolal, keď si bol pod tým fíkom, videl som ťa.“ Amen.
65On povedal: „Ty si Syn Boží. Ty si Kráľ Izraelov.“
66Tá žena prišla do Jeho prítomnosti a On povedal: „Choď a priveď svojho muža.“
Ona povedala: „Ja nemám muža.“
67Povedal: „To je pravda. Mala si piatich, a ten s ktorým teraz žiješ, nie je tvoj muž. To si povedala pravdu.“ Predstavte si to!
68Ona povedala: „Pane, vidím, že ty si prorok. My vieme, že keď Mesiáš príde, On nám povie všetko.“
69On povedal: „Ja som to, ktorý hovorím s tebou.“
70A ona bežala do mesta a povedala ľuďom: „Poďte, vidzte človeka, ktorý mi povedal všetko, čo som porobila. Či to nie je Mesiáš?“ To bolo hovorené cez Pána.
71Čo sa stalo? Ježiš, prv ako odišiel, povedal: „Skutky, ktoré Ja činím, budete tiež činiť.“ Je to tak? Skutky, ktoré Ja činím, budete tiež činiť, ešte aj väčšie ako tie, pretože Ja idem ku Otcovi.“ Ó, môžem ich vidieť, ako oni išli všade (Marek 16), vyšli všade a kázali a Pán spoluúčinkoval s nimi a potvrdzoval Slovo. A tu, Pavel podáva to isté. On povedal, že evanjelium začal najprv kázať Ježiš a bolo nám potvrdené od tých, ktorí Ho počuli. To je Základný Kameň. Ó, nech je požehnané meno Pánovo! To je Základný kameň.
72A keď si pomyslíme, prešlo už dvetisíc rokov. Povstali ateisti a neveriaci a skeptici a agnostici. Ale dnes ten istý Ježiš potvrdzuje svoje Slovo tým istým spôsobom, skrze tých, ktorí Ho počujú. Počuť Jeho, to neznamená len počuť nejakú kázeň. To znamená počuť „Jeho.“
73Áno, akože my utečieme? Kde sa utečieme? Ó, vy hovoríte: „Chvála Bohu, ja patrím do metodistickej cirkvi. Ja som presbyterián. Ja som letničný.“ To s tým nemá nič spoločného. A vy staviate na niečom, čo ste len niekde počuli a toto chcete nazývať špiritizmom, alebo nejakou mentálnou telepatiou, alebo nejakým diablom? Či niečím takým. Hanbite sa!
74Ak každé slovo, hovorené skrze anjelov, bolo pevné ... Ježiš povedal: „Ešte chvíľu a svet Ma viacej neuvidí. Ale vy Ma uvidíte, lebo Ja budem s vami, aj vo vás, až do konca veku.“ A keď Ho vidíme ako prichádza dole a pokračuje, potvrdzuje svoje Slovo ... Akože my utečieme, ak sme prisatí ku nejakej cirkvi, alebo ku nejakej organizácii, alebo denominácii, alebo ku svojej vlastnej obľúbenej teórii. Radšej sa uvoľnite. Pretože za každý hriech bola spravodlivá odplata v čase anjelov, o čo viacej, keď hovorí z neba Syn Boží a manifestuje svoje Slovo. Akože my utečieme, ak zanedbáme také veľké spasenie? Ó!
pri čom ...
(4. verš)pri čom spolu svedčil Boh ...
75Všimnite si toto. Pán svedčil. Ó, tak sa z toho radujem. Pán vydával svedectvo.
76Pozrite! Keď Eliáš sedel na tom vrchu a povedal: „Ak som ja muž Boží, nech oheň zostúpi z neba a strávi vás.“ Boh priniesol svedectvo, že on je muž Boží. Boh stále svedčí. Váš život bude niesť svedectvo. Ja nepoznám vaše svedectvo, ale váš život hovorí tak hlasno, že nepočuť váš hlas. To čo žijete, váš každodenný život, bude svedčiť o tom, čo ste. Boh svedčí. Áno, Duch Svätý je pečať a pečať drží obe strany papiera. Ľudia vás vidia, keď tu stojíte a vidia vás, keď odchádzate. Nie len v zbore, ale pri každodennej práci. Ste zapečatení na oboch stranách, vo vnútri a vonku. Skrze radosť, ktorú máte a skrze život, ktorý žijete. Ste zapečatený vo vnútri a vonku. Ale vy viete, že ste spasení a svet vie, že ste spasení podľa života, ktorý žijete, pretože Boh vydáva svedectvo. Nech je požehnané jeho sväté meno! Ó, cítim sa vzrušený!
77Predstavte si to, bratia. Ó. „Moje ovce počujú môj hlas a za cudzím nepôjdu.“ Ó, ako to — naše mená sú na Jeho dlaniach, ktoré sú pred ním vo dne i v noci. Jeho Slovo je stále pred Ním, Jeho zasľúbenie. On nemôže na to zabudnúť. A On vás miluje. No, On bude vydávať svedectvo o svojich vlastných. Ak neotvorite svoje ústa a nepoviete ani slovo, svet bude vedieť, že sa s vami niečo stalo.
78 Vydáva svedectvo:
... znameniami a zázrakmi a rôznymi mocami a udeľovaním Svätého Ducha
[V anglickom preklade KJV: „darmi Svätého Ducha. – pozn.prekl.]podľa svojej vôle.
79Vezmime teraz ešte jedno miesto Písma, prv ako zakončíme. Na deň Letníc, keď oni prijali Ducha Svätého ... asi po štyroch dňoch, Peter prechádzal cez bránu zvanú Krásna. On a Ján. Oni povedali tomu človeku: „Pozri na nás!“ A on povedal: „Zlata a striebra nemám, ale čo mám to ti dám. V mene Ježiša Krista Nazaretského, vstaň a choď.“ A ten človek sa pozrel a vôbec o tom nepochyboval. On proste vstal a začal chodiť. Oni boli prostí a neučení ľudia. Ale Biblia povedala, že oni to na nich spozorovali a poznali, že bývali s Ježišom.
80Brat, keď svet spozná, že ty si býval s Ježišom, keď môžeš žiť takým nepoškvrneným životom v tomto terajšom svete a v tejto temnosti, potom svet pozná a bude môcť vidieť, že ty si býval s Ježišom. Keď sa nejaká drsná, vulgárna prostitútka z ulice, môže stať dámou, zostane umytá v krvi Baránka, Boh svedčí, že On žije.
81Zoberte opilca. On tak nízko upadol, že sa bude svojej žene niekde túlať, že bude zle zachádzať s deťmi a vezme jedlo zo stola a utratí to na prostitútku. Nech sa raz stretne s Ježišom. Budete vidieť, že sa vracia ku svojim deťom a ku svojej žene a ku svojím drahým, ako ten Légion, ktorý bol pri zdravých zmysloch a oblečený. Skutočne!
82Pred nejakým časom, asi pred štyridsiatimi rokmi, keď sa stretli svetové náboženstvá, a povstali tí rôzni a hovorili ... A ten mohamedán hovoril za mohamedánske náboženstvo. Jains hovoril za jainsov. Budhista za budhistov. A ten malý doktor ... Zabudol som práve ako sa volal. Vedel som ako sa volá, ale som to zabudol. On tam hovoril, aby reprezentoval kresťanstvo. A on porozprával príbeh o pani Maccabee z Oklahomi v Amerike. Ona bola taká mizerná a taká upadnutá, že ešte aj keď ju išli zabiť ani sa jej nedotkli rukami, taká bola vulgárna a odporná. Zatkli ju na obvinenie: fajčenie, jazdenie na dostavníku, porušovanie oklahomských zákonov, keď jazdila po ulici so štvorkoňovým záprahom. A bola taká odporná a taká špinavá, že ľudia by ani neprišli tam, kde bola ona. Bola až taká, že keď ju išli popraviť, oni ju neobesili. Aby ju zabili, vyliali na ňu len smolu a perie. A keď tento malý kazateľ povedal jej príbeh takým spôsobom, že ľudia až sedeli na konci stoličky a počúvali, čo bude ďalej. Keď sa dostal ku tomu skutočnému hnusu, špine, takému úpadku, že až zákony sa s ňou nechceli zaoberať, ona bola tak nízko ... Že ešte aj sám diabol v pekle by odmietol takú osobu, takto on rozprával ten príbeh. Potom povedal: „Páni svetových náboženstiev, má vaše náboženstvo niečo, čo by umylo ruky pani Maccabee?“
83Každý sedel potichu. On potom tleskol rukami, vyskočil do vzduchu a povedal: „Sláva Bohu! Krv Ježiša Krista neočistí len ruky, ale ona očistí jej srdce a urobí ju novým stvorením.“ Hovorím vám:
Úžasná milosť! Ako sladko to znie.
Spasila ma, takého chudáka!
Bol stratený, ale teraz ma našla.
Bol som slepý, ale teraz vidím.
To je milosť, ktorá učí moje srdce bázni.
Bola to milosť, ktorá ma zbavila strachu.
Ako nádherne sa zjavila tá milosť,
v tej hodine, keď som uveril.
84Skutočne! Akože my utečieme ak zanedbáme niečo také? Keď zanedbáte jesť, zomriete. Keď zanedbáte vybrať zákrutu, havarujete. Keď zanedbáte podojiť kravu, zasuší sa. Keď zanedbáte svoje zuby, budete si ich musieť dať vytrhať. Skutočne! Zaplatíte za svoju nedbanlivosť.
85Ó, Branhamova modlitebňa a vy návštevníci, dovoľte, že vám teraz niečo poviem. Zanedbávate svedčiť o sláve Božej. Zanedbávate oddať Bohu chválu a slávu. V jednom z týchto dní spoznáte, že ste chladní, formálni a že ste odpadli. Dajte Bohu chválu! „Akože my utečieme, ak zanedbáme takéto veľké spasenie?“
86Je neskoro a práve som si všimol brata Tomsa, ako tam vzadu vošiel. Zakončíme a večer budeme v tomto pokračovať, ak Pán dá.
Pomodlime sa za chvíľu.
87Náš nebeský Otče, Tebe patria požehnania a chvála a česť a sláva a múdrosť a sila a moc na veky vekov. Ó, tomu Baránkovi, ktorý sedí na tróne, panstvá a kráľovstvá a všetko bolo dané do Jeho rúk. Keď On vstal z mŕtvych na naše ospravedlnenie, On skríkol na svet: „Všetka moc na nebi i na zemi je daná do mojich rúk. A tak choďte do celého sveta a kážte evanjelium.“
Ó drahý, zomierajúci Baránok,
Tvoja predrahá Krv nikdy nestratí svoju moc,
až kým nebude vykúpená celá cirkev Božia
a hriechu viacej nebude.
88Pomôž nám, ako kazateľom, aby sme videli, že tak veľa požadujeme. Ako musíme mať zbor, musíme mať toto, musíme mať všetko možné.
89Naše ženy, prv ako idú na zhromaždenie (a to sa ešte nazývajú kresťania), musia mať určitý druh šiat, alebo sa musia tak mizerne obliecť. A kazatelia musia mať toľko peňazí, prv ako prídu a všetko musí byť také a také.
90Ó, Kriste, keď som to tam čítal, ako oni chodili v ovčích a kozích kožiach, žili v dierach a v jaskyniach. Oni chodili sem a tam počas strašného prenasledovania a jednako zachovali vieru. Za čias služby anjelov. Akože my utečieme, keď nám Pán Ježiš dáva pekné domy a autá a šaty a jedlo? A my šomreme, sedíme, sme leniví. Vôbec sa nesnažíme vyjsť a urobiť niečo pre to. Akože my utečieme, Bože?
91Ó Pane, prosím, aby si dnes ráno zapálil to starodávne presvedčenie v každom srdci, aby mohli ľudia povstať a byť pri tom. Nech by sme pracovali, kým je svetlo dňa a pretože slnko rýchlo zapadá. A civilizácia odchádza a času viacej nebude. A splynie to s večnosťou.
92Ó Bože, daj nám dnes, aby sme išli s čerstvým videním, s múdrosťou, s porozumením, aby sme vedeli, ako pristúpiť ku hriešnikom a priviesť ich ku Kristovi. Vypočuj modlitbu tvojho sluhu, Pane.
93Pýtam sa, či je tu niekto, kto nepozná Krista ako svojho Spasiteľa, zodvihli by ste ruky a povedali: „Pamätaj na mňa, brat Branham.“ Či zodvihnete svoje ruky a poviete: „Pamätaj na mňa. Ja chcem byť kresťan. Nechcem to už viacej zanedbávať.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná tam vzadu, pane. Či povie ešte niekto: „Ja chcem zodvihnúť svoju ruku, brat Branham. A ja chcem prijať Krista ako svojho Spasiteľa, zanedbával som to celý čas. Ó, chodím do zboru, patrím do zboru ...“
1 Was here in the class and enjoyed the... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] And now the first Book of Hebrews, is Paul, we found, or we believe. The theologians are at end; they don't know just which, or who wrote It. But, I believe, anyone with a little spiritual discernment would see it was Paul. It's--it's believed, by the most of the writers, to be Paul. And how that he...
2 In the 1st chapter, we found that it was exalting the Lord Jesus. Oh, how he brought down, to show by the--by the experience that he had had on his road to Damascus. Now, Paul was, to begin with, a real theologian. Paul was taught under Gamaliel, one of the best teachers of that day. And he was smart and intelligent, and was a real shrewd Bible scholar.
3And I found this, when he was on his road down to Damascus, with letters in his pocket, to arrest all those that were in the blessed old Gospel way, and the man was sincere. But, I've always believed that since Paul seen Stephen die, I think that must have got right next to him. When he consented to Stephen's death, and held the coats of those who stoned him, then Paul was guilty of the blood of Stephen. And he confessed, and said, "I'm not even worthy," said, "because I shed the blood of His--of His, the martyr, Stephen. Cause, he witnessed to it.
4 And if you witness to anything, you're just as guilty as being a partaker of it. So if we witness, say, "Oh, yes, they oughtn't to have done this, this so-and-so." Be careful what you say, because you're guilty the way your judgment goes. If you can't decide, don't say nothing, just leave it alone. Then when you testify that you are a Christian, then you're guilty. See? You're guilty of being a Christian, and you must live to that. And when God makes a--a promise in the Bible... I see a man here in a wheel chair. When God makes a Promise, He's guilty of that Promise unless He brings It to pass. God is guilty when He makes a Promise. And the Scriptures are guilty until they are fulfilled. See? They're--they're right there as a--as a statement that God has made. And It's got to be fulfilled or God is guilty. See?
5 And so Paul, being a teacher, and coming on his road down to Damascus that day, about, long about noontime, I suppose. There was a great Light shined out of the Heavens, and It blinded him, and he--he fell to the earth. And he said he wanted to know Who it was. He said a voice spoke, and said, "Saul, Saul, why persecuteth thou Me?" I believe the 8th chapter of Acts.
He said, "Who is It that I persecute?"
6And the Voice came back, and said, "I'm Jesus." Oh! "I am Jesus, and it's hard for you to kick against the pricks." And what was Jesus then? Jesus, He was the Light, just a big Light shining bright.
7 Now to encourage us and get a basis here. How was He a Light, when He was a Man? Now, no one...
There was a bunch of soldiers with Paul, temple guards, going down to put under arrest. Paul was the chief captain. And they were going down to arrest those people, for their campaigns and so forth, and for their religious hope that laid within them.
8 But, now, here was Jesus as a big Light. Now, if you remember, in the beginning, Jesus was a Light. Jesus was the Logos that went out of God. And He was the... He was the Angel of the Covenant that led the children of Israel through the wilderness. And He was the Pillar of Fire that they looked at. And He was... And when He was here on earth, He said, "I came from God, and I go back to God." So if He came from a Pillar of Fire, into a Man, then if He went back to where He was, He went back to a Light again. And there He was when Paul saw Him, He was a Light.
9Now, all those soldiers that was with Paul did not see the Light. Then is it possible that one can see It and the others won't see It? Certainly. All right. He, Paul, saw It, but the rest of them did not see the Light.
10 Now, when Peter was in prison, we find out this Light came in the jail, opened up the doors. And he was... That Light blinded the rest of the guards, as they walked out, Peter going. And when he got to the door, it just opened itself, quietly, closed behind him. From the inner jail, he went to the outer door. It opened by its own self, closed quietly. And then he went to the gap, went out into the city street. And he rubbed his eyes, as if to say, "Was I dreaming?" He didn't know what had happened. But, the Angel of the Lord, the same Angel that was the Pillar of Fire that walked Moses to the sea and spread her forth, oh, and the Dead Sea... the Red Sea walled up on both sides, and Israel passed over.
11And when they come to the swelling Jordan, He did not make Hisself visible there. But He was there, 'cause He just opened it up. And they went across in April, when the plains are all full of the water. And He stayed the spring, and He stayed the snow from melting, 'cause it didn't wall higher and higher; it just stopped. That's our Jehovah. That's our Lord Jesus. Just stopped; and they walked across on dry land.
12 Now, God promised that He would take care of them, so He was obligated to His Promise. Now, Paul, aware of these things, and knowing them, he was privileged, because God was speaking directly to Paul. He wasn't speaking to the soldiers that was with him. He was only speaking to Paul.
13Now, when the--when the Angel of the Lord came down, in the form of a star; and the stargazers, the wise men of India, when, they saw that Star and followed It for hundreds of miles. And It went over every observatory, 'cause they kept the time by the stars. And no one saw that Star but the wise men. Oh, my! Doesn't that thrill you? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.]
14 Then, you see, God doesn't deal with organizations. He doesn't deal with groups of people. He deals with individuals. He reveals Himself to individuals. And now--now to say this, not this... God knows my heart. And not to say this for own person, personal praise, now; just to be there. But, did you know, that same God, that same Jesus, is with us this morning? Do you know, each one of you has a little, individual witness of it right now, that He's here? And is... He's done something for us in this day that He didn't do in the other days; He had His Picture taken in this day. We got It hanging right there. See? The Pillar of Fire, the same Lord Jesus.
15Watch how He works now. If He's the same Lord Jesus, He will do the same things, for the Bible said, "He is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
16 Now, before Paul would announce anything, whether this was right or wrong, he first went down into Egypt and spent three years, to find out if it was Scriptural or not. Did you ever know that? After Paul's conversion, he went to Egypt for three years. There he abode, and there is where he learned this great wisdom.
17Now, not in any comparison at all, I'm just giving you how the Holy Spirit still remains the same. Now, my church here remembers, years ago, when this Angel would appear and would show things. I was a little skeptic of It. All of you know that, you old-timers. If you... If that's right, raise up your hand, when you've heard. Yeah. Look, look at the church, yet, from the old-timers. See? I was skeptic, because preachers told me It was of the Devil. And I kind of believed it, but I waited. I wouldn't say nothing about It.
18 But, oh, blessed be the Name of the Lord! One night, yonder, He come down, an Angel, and revealed It in the Scriptures, that He was. And when I seen It in the Scriptures, then to blast across the world with It, the Message.
19From there has went Oral Roberts, A. A. Allen, Tommy Osborne, Tommy Hicks, and what more. See? It's a Message to the people.
20And Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Is Scripturally, He's the same. He does the same. He is the Same. And He works the same. He manifests Hisself the same. And He's here, this morning, the same. Now we may see Him; we may not. Whatever it is, we got a witness right now that He's here.
21 Now, we find now that, Paul, upon this experience, and writing these letters, most of them, from jail, he had compared the Old and New Testament. Now remember, the last writer of this Bible, by inspiration, God came down and told him, "If any man shall add anything to It or take anything away from It, the same will be taken out of the part of the Book of Life, for him." So we'd be daresn't to add one thing to It. Oh, It must stay as It is, mustn't be anything added to It. And we must contend for everything that's in It. I don't want any more, and I don't want any less. I want just what It says.
22 Now, this Book of Hebrews, the reason I've chose It; one purpose, one thing; this letter, "Dear Brother Branham," and so forth. And, I--I, we want to stay with the Word.
23 Now, the 1st chapter, was exalting of Jesus, so He's the main One. And Paul let us know, the other night, that He was in the great beginning. And we found out that He was nothing less than "Melchisedec, the King of Salem," the Great of the 7th chapter.
24And now, this morning, we approach Him from another, another standpoint, from the 2nd chapter. Now, after Paul giving us this great, marvelous Message, of exalting Jesus, "And even made the Angels to worship Him." And I think, over here, like the order types old, "And He will fold it as a vesture, but they shall perish, but Thou remaineth."
25 And over in the 2nd chapter, the 2nd verse, I believe it is, "Has He these days spoken to us by His Son." And, look, "Sundry times and divers manner He spoke by the prophets." We went through and found out what the prophets was, and how God brought His Message by the prophets. "But in this last day He's spoken through His Son, Jesus, by the Holy Spirit. He spoke through the prophets, then." Then we got back and found out, all those prophets had the Spirit of Christ in them.
26We went back to Joseph and found out he perfectly typed Christ. Went back to Moses and found he perfectly typed Christ. Then we come down then to even David. And when David was rejected in Jerusalem, not knowing why, but went up over the hill and looked back on the Mount of Olives, and wept over Jerusalem because he was rejected. Eight hundred years from then, the Son of David was rejected as King, in Jerusalem, and set on the same hill and wept. Oh, the Spirit of Christ, dealing with individuals!
27 Now, Paul starts off, to say:
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard,...
282nd chapter, now, we're starting.
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest... any time we should let them slip.
29Oh, may God drive that home in this tabernacle this morning. I pray the Holy Spirit will sink that so deep into your hearts. "We ought to give the most earnest heed to the things which we've heard." What type of people ought we to be, when we see the great Jehovah come down and do the things that He does, and see them compared, Scripture by Scripture, that they're the Truth? And we sit around sometimes like a warts on a log, and just so unconcerned. We ought to be busy, every minute, trying to get people to Christ. We ought to be lively stones. We should never be slothful like we are. We'll go up to church, and we'll see the Lord Jesus do something, or--or bless us in such a way, and then we'll--we'll go back out and say, "Very nice meeting."
30 Now, the preaching of the Word, we enjoy it, but that's not the main thing. That's not. We should not worship the Lord just after we get through preaching the Word, as we usually do, just worship Him. That's wonderful. But we should worship Him every hour of our life. When we're at work, we should worship Him. Every time the opportunity presents itself, worship the Lord by testifying of Him.
If you see, some of you ladies, see a woman in the wrong, worship the Lord by taking her and saying, "Sister, there's a better life than this."
31You men at your work, when you hear a man using the Name of the Lord in vain, get a chance to one side and slip over, and take him by the hand, and say, "You, there's a better life than this. You shouldn't use those words." And tell him in a meek, gentle way. All those things is a worship.
And when we see someone sick, and the doctor says there's no more can be done, we ought to worship the Lord by telling them, "There's a God of Heaven that answers prayer."
32 And then when we see those things take place, that we do see take place enough, we should never let these things slip. We just let it go through our fingers. That's what's the matter with the great Pentecostal church today. They've let the very cream of the crop slip through their fingers, when they had it in their hands. But, look what they done, they done like the rest the churches. "They've run in the gain, in the way of Korah, and perished; and the way of Cain, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah."
33They've organized. Instead of having a brotherhood where we could all be one, they've organized themselves. Made little organizations and little isms, and sprung up from there and just broke up brotherhood. And if you don't watch, the Baptist and Presbyterians going to pick it up, 'cause, "God is able of these stones to rise children to Abraham." And we've--we've let it slip away from the hands by being disunified.
34 How did the Indians lose this country to the white man? Is because they were disunified. If they had made one big forefront... But they were fighting one among each other. They would have held their grounds if they'd have all come together.
35How are we going to lose it? Because we're disunified. How we lose our experience with God, is because we disunify. We set up one, and call this the--the Methodist, and this the Baptist, and this the Assemblies, and this the Oneness, and this the something-else, and the church of God, and the Nazarene, the Pilgrim Holiness. We disunify the Body of Christ. We should never be divided. We might differ in ideas, but let's be heart-in-heart brothers. God wants us to be. He died for the entire Church of God. And we do not want to be disunified.
Now we ought to give the most earnest heed... lest any time we should let them slip.
For if the word spoken by angels were stedfast,...
36 You hear It? "If the word spoken by the angels..." Now, angel is the "messenger." The word angel means the "messenger." And just got through, in the 1st book here, "God, in sundry times and divers manner, spoke to the fathers by the prophets." That was God's messengers. And they were--they were God's messengers. They were God's angels. A messenger is an angel; or an angel is the messenger, rather.
37 A messenger! You are a messenger, this morning. You're... You are a messenger of good news or a messenger of bad news. Oh, isn't it beautiful, to know that we are ambassadors, that we are angels, the messengers of the resurrection? And we are God's messengers to the sinful world, that Christ lives. In our hearts, He lives. In our spirits, He lives. And He brings us from the low debauched life of sin, and exalts us up, and gives us a "hallelujah" in our soul, and makes us new creatures. We are messengers, angels of the Covenant. How wonderful!
38 And now, in the Old Testament, "If--if the word spoken by angels were steadfast," that way it had to be right. In the Old Testament, before a prophet's word could be made manifest, it had to be examined and proved. They wasn't loose with it, like we are today.
39Just go out and have any kind of a sensation, or anything else, "Oh, glory to God, that's it!" You're mistaken.
The Bible said, that, "In the last days, the Devil will impersonate Christianity, so close, till it'll deceive the very Elected if possible." That's right. So, we must test it.
40And how did they test it in their day? To the Urim Thummim. The breastplate of Aaron, that had those stones in it: carbuncle, jasper, diamond, ruby, sapphire. All those stones, that represent the birth of these twelve patriarchs, was in the breastplate of Aaron. And when a prophet prophesied, and that sacred Light flashed over it, God said, "That is the Truth." But, no matter how real it seemed, if it didn't flash on that, it wasn't the Truth. So, that Urim Thummim went with that priesthood.
41But this Bible is God's Urim Thummim today. And when a prophet prophesies, it must absolutely flash with the Bible. Then, God says, then He comes down and proves It.
42 Oh, how I can glorify God today! I'm thinking back of another Sunday morning, about like this, when I was leaving the tabernacle. And you people were weeping and asking me not to go. But, when, I preached on David and Goliath, and how you going to face that cold, indifferent world that says the days of miracles is past.
43I said, "There's one big giant, and as soon as we can slay him, the rest of them will take courage." And the Lord granted that. And then there was an Oral Roberts and a Jaggers, and so forth, pulled the Sword, and we fought the enemy out of the land, shut their mouths. They can't say that miracles don't happen, 'cause here they are. Sure. God's Word is Eternal. It flashed on the Urim. Flashed on the Word, that's His Urim Thummim. And when it flashed on That, it was positive.
And to anybody that's needy, if you're a sinner, you want to know how to get saved, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."
44 Today, we got so many things you have to do. "Have to turn new pages. You have to do this and do that, in order to get saved."
I think of the Philippian jailer, when this jailer asked Paul, "What must I do to be saved?"
It'd been you or I, we'd have told him the things he ought not to do. "You ought to quit drinking. You ought to quit your gambling, your gambling. "You ought to quit this. You ought to quit that."
Paul never told him that. He just told him the things he ought to do. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved."
45Now, "He that heareth My Words and believeth on Him that sent Me has everlasting Life." That's the Urim Thummim flashing, Saint John 5:24. "I'm the Lord that heals all thy diseases." James 5:14, "Call the elders, anoint in oil, prayer of faith shall save the sick." The Urim flashing. See? That's God's Eternal Word.
46I don't care how many atheotic, infidelic, agnostics, skeptics rise up. God will stand by His Word. He promised He would do it.
47 "And we ought to give the more earnest heed to these things which we've heard, lest any time we let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels (the prophets) were steadfast..." Were they? We could spend a week on this.
48Was it steadfast when Moses spoke? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] It sure was.
How about Elijah, setting up on top of the mountain? The Lord told him, "Get up there, Elijah. I'll stay there with you; want some fellowship." God likes to fellowship with His people. But we won't stand still long enough for Him to fellowship with us. We're so busy skipping about, from place to place, and so much. "Set still, Elijah." He wanted three years and six months of fellowship. We can't give Him three minutes, hardly. Three years and six months of constant fellowship. Oh, I love that! Said, "Don't worry about the cooking; we'll have that already fixed up. The crows is going to feed you. And everything is going to be all right. I just want some fellowship." This old prophet, Elijah, setting up there on top the mountain.
While he was fellowshipping with God, why, the captain said, "I believe I'll go up and get him." Now, don't you never try to break that fellowship.
49 So, the captain come up, with his great army of men, of fifty. And he said, "I--I--I come to take you, Elijah."
50And Elijah stood up. Watch out, here's the prophet of the Lord! He said, "If I be a servant of the Lord, let fire come from heaven and devour you." And down come the fire. The captain said...
51"Oh, you know what?" The king, rather, said, "That was probably a--a thunderbolt, just some lightning just passing over, and it struck them. I'll send another fifty."
52Elijah stood up, one of the angels. His word is steadfast. He had to be a just recompense for everything that was done wrong. He said, "If I be a servant of the Lord, let fire come." And the second fifty burned. All right. Every recompense!
For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedient received a just recompense...
53 Now, here is the great thing, the next verse.
How shall we escape,...
54"How shall we escape?" If Elijah's voice brought destruction, because he was an angel of the Lord, how will we escape when the Voice of Christ speaking through? Or, how can we fail when you're prayed for, if It's the Voice of Christ? If Christ ordained His Church to pray for the sick, and the Church does what He says He... for them to do, then how can It ever fail? It can't. You can fail, but It can't fail. And as long as you keep It, It'll take you through.
55 If you fail, you failed by yourself. You just get away from the Word. But as long as you stay with the Word, It can't fail. For the word of the prophets did so-and-so, how much more will the Word of Christ be?
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which is at the first begin to be spoken unto us by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
56Think of It, spoken by the Lord. How many times could we go back? Where could we stop, right here for a hour? When Jesus came, He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.
57Now, remember, first begin to be spoken by Jesus, Himself, and then was confirmed by the ones that heard Him. Now listen at Him.
58 When He came to the earth, He didn't claim to be a healer. He said, "It's not Me that doeth the works; It's My Father that dwelleth in Me. He doeth the works. The Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing," Saint John 5:19.
59Watch when Philip came to Him. Nathaniel... After Philip's conversion, he went over and got Nathaniel. Said, "Come, see Who we found: Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph."
60And he said, "Could there be any good thing come from Nazareth?"
61Said, "Come, see." That's the way to be convinced: prove It. Come and see. Oh, that's the best I ever heard. Come and find out for yourself. Don't stand out and criticize on the side line, But, "Prove all things, and hold fast to that what's good. Come and see.
62Along the road they went, talking. When he walked up in the presence of the Lord Jesus, He said, "Behold an Israelite in whom there's no guile."
63It took all the skin off of him, nearly. He looked around, said, "Well, Rabbi, when did You ever know me? You never did see me. How do You know me?" Philip said...
64"Before, when he call..." Said, "Before Philip called you, yesterday, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Amen.
65He said, "Thou art the Son of God. You're the King of Israel."
66 A woman walked into His Presence, and He said, "Go, get your husband."
She said, "I have none."
67Said, "That's right. You got five, and the one you're now living with is not yours. You told the truth." Think of it.
68She said, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. That, we know that when the Messiah cometh He will tell us all things."
69He said, "I am He, that speaks to you."
70And she run and told the men of the city, "Come, see a Man Who told me all that I did. Isn't this the Messiah?" It was spoken by the Lord.
71 What happened? Jesus said, before He left, "The things that I do, shall you also." That right? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] "The things that I do shall you do also, even more than this, for I go to the Father." Oh, I can see them as they went forth, everywhere. Mark 16, "Went forth everywhere, preaching; the Lord working with them, confirming the Word."
And here, Paul, giving the same thing. He said that the--the Gospel begin to be preached by Jesus, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. That's the Foundation Stone. Oh, blessed be the Name of the Lord! That's the Foundation Stone.
72And to think, two thousand years has passed. Athiests has raised, and infidels, and skeptics, and agnostics. But, today, that same Jesus confirms His Word in the same manner by those who hear Him. "Hear Him," don't mean just to hear a sermon. That mean, hear Him. Yes.
73 How shall we escape? Where is our escape? Oh, you say, "Bless God, I belong to the Methodist church. I'm a Presbyterian. I'm a Pentecostal." That doesn't have one thing to do with It. And you get on a side-line and want to call It "spiritualism, or some mental telepathy, or some devil," or something. Shame on them!
74 "If every word was steadfast by the angels..." Jesus said, "It's not... Little while, and the world won't see Me no more. Yet, ye shall see Me, for I'll be with you, even in you, to the end of the age." And when we see Him come down, to continue to confirm His Word, how shall we escape if we sucker to some church, or some organization, or denomination, or some little pet theory of our own? You better turn loose. "For every sin received a just recompense under the angels, how much more when the Son of God is speaking from the Heavens, to make manifest His Word! How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation?" Oh, my! "God also..."
4th verse:
God also bearing them witness,...
75 Watch this. The Lord bore witnesses. Oh, I am so happy for that! The Lord bore the witness.
76Look. When Elijah set on the hill, and he said, "If I be a man of God, let the fire fall from Heaven and consume you." God bore witness that he was a man of God.
God always bears witness. Your life will bear witness. I don't know what your testimony is, but your life speaks so loud, your voice can't be heard. But, your--your living, your every-day life will testify what you are. God bears witness. Yes. The Holy Spirit is a seal, and a seal takes both sides of the paper. They see you standing here and see you when you go away. Not only in church but at every-day work. You're sealed on both sides, inside and outside. By the joy that you have, and by the life that you live, you're sealed, in and outside, that you know you're saved and the world knows you're saved, by the life that you live, for God bears witness. Blessed be His Holy Name! My, I feel religious!
77 Think of it, brethren, there. Oh! "My sheep hear My Voice, and a stranger they won't follow." Oh, how that our names are on the palms of His hands! It's before Him, day and night. His Word is always before Him, His Promise. He can't forget it. And He loves you.
78Now, He will bear witness of His own. You don't open your mouth and say a word, the world will know something has happened to you.
... bear witness, both by signs and wonders, and by divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
79 Let us take just one Scripture now before closing; on the Day of Pentecost, when they received the Holy Spirit. About four days later, Peter had passed through the gate called Beautiful; he and John. They said, "Look on us," to a man. And he said, "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I'll give you. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And the man looked up and never questioned nothing about it. He just stood up and went walking. They were ignorant and unlearned men. But the Bible said, "They had to take heed to them, for they knew they had been with Jesus."
80Brother, when the world knows that you've been with Jesus, when you can live such an unadulterated life in this present world and in this darkness, that the world knows and can see that you've been with Jesus; when a rugged, old vulgar prostitute of the street can become a lady, washed in the Blood of the Lamb; God is bearing witness that He lives.
81Take a drunkard, who is so low-down that he would run around on his wife, that he would mistreat his children, and take the food from the table, to spend on a prostitute. Let him get with Jesus once. You'll see him returning, like Legion, who was in his right mind and clothed, to his babies and to his wife and to his loved ones. Certainly.
82 Some time ago, about forty years ago, when the religions of the world met, and the different ones got up and spoke. And the Mohammedan spoke for the Mohammedan religion. The Jains spoke for the Jains; the Buddhist for the Buddha. And the little doctor, I forget what his last name was, just at this time. I did know his name, but I have forgotten it. He spoke to represent Christianity. And he told the story of Lady Maccabee of Oklahoma, in America.
She was so ornery and so low-down, till even when they went to kill her, they wouldn't even put their hands on her, she was so vulgar and vile. They had her arrested on a charge: smoking a cigar; driving a stagecoach; and broke the--the--the laws, the records in Oklahoma, when she passed through the street, driving four head of horses. And she was so vile and so dirty until society wouldn't even get around where she was at; so much, till when the executors was going to execute her, they wouldn't hang her. They just poured tar and feathers on her, to kill her.
And when this little preacher give her story, in such a way, till he had the people setting on the end of their seats, listening what would be next. When he got down to that: very vile, dirty, low-down, till the laws wouldn't even want to fool with her, she was so low. The very Devil in hell would reject such a person, nearly, the way he told the story. Then he said, "Gentlemen, of the religions of the world, has your religion got anything that would clean the hands of Lady Maccabee?"
83Everybody set still. Then he clapped his hands together, and jumped up in the air. He said, "Glory be to God! The Blood of Jesus Christ won't only clean her hands, but It'll clean her heart and make her His Bride." Tell you:
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now I'm found,
I was blind, but now I see.
It's grace that taught my heart to fear,
It was grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
84 Certainly. "How shall we escape, if we neglect such?" You neglect to eat, you'll die. You neglect to turn a corner, you'll wreck. You neglect to milk the cow, she'll go dry. You neglect your teeth, you'll have to have them all pulled out. Certainly. You pay for your neglection.
85O Branham Tabernacle and you visitors, let me tell you something now. You neglect to testify of the glory of God, you neglect to give God the praise and glory, you'll find yourself cold, formal, and backslidden, one of these days. You give God praise. "How shall we escape, if we neglect such a great salvation?"
86 Getting late. I just happened to notice, Brother Toms had walked in back there. We'll close and continue this tonight, the Lord willing.
Let us pray just a moment.
87Our Heavenly Father, to Thee be blessings, and praises, and honor, and glory, and wisdom, and might, and power, for ever and ever. Oh, to that Lamb that set on the Throne, dominions and kingdoms and everything was given over to His hand. When He raised from the dead, for our justification, He screamed to the world, "All power in the Heaven and earth is give into My hand. Go ye, therefore, into all the world and preach the Gospel."
O dear dying Lamb, Thy precious Blood
Shall never lose Its power,
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved, to sin no more.
88 Help us, as ministers, to seeing that we are requiring so much; how we must have a church, we must have this, we must have everything.
89Our women, before going to church, is yet calling themselves Christians, will have to have a certain kind of a dress, or have to be dressed so daubly.
And preachers will have to have so much money before they'll come, and everything has to be so-and-so.
90O Christ, when I read here, "How they wandered about, in sheepskins and goatskins, lived in the dens of the earth, and caves." They wandered about, under vile persecution, and, yet, obtained the Faith, under the ministry of angels. How will we escape, when the Lord Jesus has give us fine homes, and cars, and clothes, and food? And we murmur. We set around. We're lazy. We never try to get out and do something about it. How will we escape, God?
91Oh, I pray that You'll burn old-fashioned conviction into every heart, this morning, Lord, that the people might be up and at it. Let us work while the daylight is shining, because the sun is swiftly sinking. And civilization is going, and there'll be no more time. It'll blend into Eternity.
92O God, grant today that we go with fresh vision, with wisdom, with understanding, to know how to approach sinners and bring them to Christ. Hear the prayer of Your servant, Lord.
93 I ask, if there be any here, that doesn't know Christ as their Saviour, would you raise your hand and say, "Remember me, Brother Branham"? Would you just raise your hand, say, "Remember me. I want to be a Christian. I don't want to neglect it any longer"? God bless you, back there, sir. Someone else? Say, "I want to raise my hand, Brother Branham. And I want to accept Christ, as my Saviour, I've neglected, all the time. Oh, I go to church, sure, I belong to church."
1A teraz prvá kniha Židom je ... zistili sme, že Pavel, alebo veríme ... Teológovia sú u konca, oni proste nevedia kto to napísal. Ale ja verím, že každý kto má trochu duchovného rozpoznania vidí, že to bol Pavel. Väčšina pisateľov verí, že to bol Pavel. A ako to, že on ...
2V prvej kapitole sme videli, že on vyvyšoval Pána Ježiša. Ó, ako to on predstavil, aby ukázal skrze to prežite, ktoré mal na ceste do Damašku ... No Pavel bol v podstate skutočným teológom. Bol vyučený pri Gamalielovi, pri jednom z najlepších učiteľov v tom čase. A on bol chytrý a inteligentný a bol skutočný, bystrý biblický učenec.
3A našiel som toto, že keď bol na ceste do Damašku a vo vrecku mal listy, aby uväznil všetkých tých, ktorí išli po tej požehnanej starej ceste Evanjelia ... A tento človek bol úprimný. Ale ja som stále veril, že odvtedy ako Pavel videl zomrieť Štefana, a ja si myslím, že hneď potom sa ho to muselo dotknúť. Keď dával súhlas na Štefanovu smrť a strážil rúcha tých, ktorí ho kameňovali, Pavel bol potom zodpovedný za Štefanovu krv. A on vyznal a povedal: „Nie som ani hodný, pretože som prelial krv jeho mučeníka, Štefana. Pretože to zastával.
4A ak niečo zastávaš, si za to zodpovedný tak, akoby si mal v tom účasť. Tak ak sa staviame a hovoríme: „Ó, áno, oni toto nemali urobiť, toto, to a to.“ Buď opatrný, čo hovoríš, pretože si zodpovedný za súd, ktorým to súdiš. Ak nevieš rozhodnúť, nehovor nič, nechaj to proste tak. Potom, keď svedčíš o tom, že si kresťan, potom si za to zodpovedný. Vidíš? Potom si povinný byť kresťanom a musíš tak žiť. A keď Boh dáva zasľúbenie v Biblii ... (Vidím tu človeka na invalidnom kresle) ... Keď Boh dáva zasľúbenie, On je zodpovedný za to zasľúbenie, až kým ho nevyplní. Boh je zodpovedný za svoje zasľúbenie. A Písma nesú zodpovednosť, až kým sa nevyplnia. Vidíte? Oni tam stoja, ako oznámenie toho, čo povedal Boh. A to sa musí vyplniť, inak by bol Boh vinný. Vidíte?
5A tak Pavel, on bol učiteľ a išiel toho dňa cestou dole do Damašku a myslím, že okolo poludnia zasvietilo z neba veľké Svetlo a oslepilo ho a on padol na zem. A povedal ...chcel vedieť, kto to je. Hlas prehovoril a povedal: „Saule, Saule, prečo Ma prenasleduješ?“ Myslím, že je to 8. kapitola Skutkov.
On povedal: „Kto To je, koho prenasledujem?“
6A ten Hlas sa znovu ozval a povedal: „Ja som Ježiš. (Ó.) Ja som Ježiš a ťažko sa ti bude proti ostňu vzpečovať.“ A čo potom bol Ježiš? Ježiš - On bol to Svetlo, proste veľké Svetlo, ktoré jasne svietilo.
7No, aby sme boli povzbudení a uvideli tu to hlavné ... Ako On mohol byť Svetlo, keď bol človek? No, nikto ... S Pavlom bola skupina vojakov, chrámová stráž, ktorí tam išli zatknúť ľudí. Pavel bol hlavný kapitán. A oni tam išli zatknúť tých ľudí za ich kampane a tak ďalej a za ich náboženskú nádej, ktorú v sebe nosili.
8Ale teraz tu bol Ježiš ako veľké Svetlo. Ak si teraz pamätáte, na začiatku, Ježiš bol Svetlo. Ježiš bol to Logos, ktoré vyšlo z Boha. A On bol to ... On bol ten Anjel Zmluvy, ktorý viedol deti Izraela po Púšti. A On bol ten Ohnivý Stĺp, na ktorý sa dívali. A on bol ... A keď bol tu na zemi, povedal: „Prišiel som od Boha a idem naspäť ku Bohu.“ Tak keď On prišiel z Ohnivého Stĺpa do formy človeka, potom keď odišiel naspäť tam kde bol, tak išiel znovu naspäť do Svetla.
9A On tam bol. Keď Ho videl Pavel, On bol Svetlo. No, nikto z tých vojakov, ktorí boli s Pavlom, nevidel to Svetlo. Tak či je to potom možné, že jeden to môže vidieť a druhí to nemohli vidieť? Samozrejme! Dobre. On, Pavel to videl, ale ostatní z nich nevideli to Svetlo.
10No, keď bol Peter vo väzení, vidíme, že toto Svetlo prišlo do väzenia, otvorilo dvere a on ... to Svetlo oslepilo tých ostatných strážcov, keď prechádzali okolo. Peter išiel a keď prišiel ku dverám, oni sa samé potichu otvorili a za ním sa zavreli. Z vnútorného väzenia vyšiel do vonkajšieho ... Ďalšie dvere, oni sa samé otvorili a potichu sa zavreli. A potom prešiel cez bránu, vyšiel von na ulicu mesta. A šuchal si oči akoby chcel povedať: „Či sa mi to snívalo?“ On nevedel čo sa stalo. Ale Anjel Pánov, ten istý Anjel, ktorý bol tým Ohnivým Stĺpom, ktorý viedol Mojžiša ku moru a previedol ich (Ó!) a Mŕtve more ... Červené more stálo ako múry po obidvoch stranách a Izrael prešiel na druhú stranu.
11A keď prišli ku rozvodnenému Jordánu, On sa tam nestal viditeľným. Ale On tam bol, pretože On ho otvoril. A oni prešli cezeň v apríli, keď sú pláne celé zaplavené vodou. A On zastavil ten prameň, a On zastavil rozpúšťanie snehu, pretože tá stena nestúpala vyššie a vyššie. To proste zastalo. To je náš Jehova. To je náš Pán Ježiš! Proste to zastavil a oni prešli po suchej zemi.
12No, Boh zasľúbil, že sa bude o nich starať, tak On bol zaviazaný svojmu sľubu. No, Pavel si bol vedomý týchto vecí a poznal ich, on mal privilégium, pretože Boh hovoril priamo ku Pavlovi. On nehovoril ku tým vojakom, ktorí boli s ním. On hovoril len ku Pavlovi.
13No, keď Anjel Pánov prišiel dole vo forme hviezdy ... A tí pozorovatelia hviezd, tí mudrci v Indii, keď videli tú hviezdu a nasledovali Ju stovky míľ ... A Ona prešla ponad každú hvezdáreň, pretože oni podľa hviezd počítali čas. A nikto nevidel tú Hviezdu len tí mudrci. Ó! Či vás to nevzrušuje?
14Potom vidíte, Boh nejedná s organizáciami. On nejedná so skupinami ľudí. On jedná s jednotlivcami. On sa zjavuje jednotlivcom. A teraz - teraz keď toto poviem, toto ne... Boh pozná moje srdce. A nehovorím to ohľadne mojej osoby, na svoju chválu, nič z toho. Ale či ste vedeli, že ten istý Boh, ten istý Ježiš je dnes ráno s nami? Či viete, že každý jeden z vás má práve teraz malé osobné svedectvo o tom, že On je tu? A je ... On v tomto dni urobil pre nás niečo, čo neurobil v žiadnom inom dni. On si v tomto dni nechal urobiť snímok. Máme ho, visí rovno tam. Vidíte? Ohnivý Stĺp, ten istý Pán Ježiš.
15Pozorujte Ho, ako teraz pracuje. Ak je On ten istý Pán Ježiš, On bude robiť tie isté veci. Pretože Biblia hovorí: „On je ten istý včera, dnes i naveky.“
16No, prv ako Pavel niečo oznámil, či toto bolo dobré alebo zlé, on prv odišiel dole do Egypta a strávil tam tri roky, aby zistil, či to súhlasí s Písmom alebo nie. Vedeli ste to? Keď sa Pavel obrátil, odišiel na tri roky do Egypta. Tam sa zdržoval a tam sa naučil túto veľkú múdrosť.
17No, vôbec to ku ničomu neprirovnávam, len vám ukazujem, ako Duch Svätý zostáva stále ten istý. No, môj zbor sa tu pamätá, ako pred rokmi, keď sa zjavoval tento Anjel a ukazoval veci, ja som bol ku tomu tak trochu skeptický. Všetci to viete, vy starší. Ak vy ... ak je to tak, zodvihnite ruky. Keď ste to počuli ... Pozrite - pozrite sa na zbor, na tých starších. Vidíte? Ja som bol skeptický, pretože kazatelia mi povedali, že to je od diabla. A ja som tomu tak trochu veril, ale som čakal. Nič som o tom nehovoril.
18Ale, ó, nech je požehnané meno Pánovo! Vtedy, jednej noci, On prišiel dole - Anjel a zjavil to v Písme, že On bol ... A keď som to uvidel v Písme, potom sa to roznieslo po celom svete, to posolstvo.
19Z toho vyšiel Oral Roberts, A. A. Allen, Tommy Osborn, Tommy Hicks a ďalší. Vidíte? To je posolstvo pre ľudí.
20A Ježiš je ten istý včera, dnes i naveky. To je podľa Písma, On je ten istý. On robí to isté. On je ten istý. A On pracuje tak isto. On sa tak isto manifestuje. A On je tu dnes ráno ten istý. No, my Ho môžeme vidieť a nemusíme. Akokoľvek to je, my máme práve teraz svedectvo, že On je tu.
21No, videli sme, že Pavel na základe tohoto prežitia ... A on píše tieto listy, väčšinu z nich z väzenia. On porovnával Starý a Nový Zákon. No pamätajte, ten posledný pisateľ tejto Biblie skrze inšpiráciu, Boh prišiel dole a povedal mu: „Ak niekto pridá niečo ku Tomuto alebo niečo z Toho odoberie, tak isto bude jemu odobraný jeho diel z Knihy Života.“ A tak si nesmieme dovoliť pridať niečo ku Tomu. Ó - To musí zostať také aké je, nič nesmie byť ku tomu pridané. A my musíme zápasiť za všetko, čo v Tom je. Ja nechcem nič viacej a nechcem nič menej. Chcem len to, čo Ono hovorí.
22No, táto Kniha Židom, dôvod prečo som ju vybral, to má jeden účel, jedno. Tento list: „Drahý brat Branham ...“ a tak ďalej. A ja - ja ... „My chceme stáť na Slove.“
23No, tá prvá kapitola to bolo vyvyšovanie Ježiša. Tak On je tou hlavnou osobou. A Pavel nám dal minulý večer poznať, že On bol na tom veľkom začiatku. A my sme zistili, že On nebol nič menej, ako ten Melchisedech, Kráľ Sálema, ten veľký — z tej 7. kapitoly.
24A teraz, dnes ráno pristupujeme ku Nemu z iného hľadiska, z druhej kapitoly. No, potom keď nám Pavel dal toto veľké a nádherné posolstvo o vyvýšení Ježiša ... A spravil ešte aj to, aby sa Mu anjeli klaňali. A myslím, že tu ako stará zem, ako je to staré a On ju zvinie ako plášť, ale - a oni zahynú, ale Ty zostávaš.
25A tu v druhej kapitole, druhý verš, myslím, že to je to. — V týchto dňoch On ku nám hovoril skrze svojho Syna. — A pozrite sa, za dávna mnoho ráz a mnohorakým spôsobom On hovorieval skrze prorokov. Prebrali sme to a videli sme, čím boli proroci a ako Boh prinášal svoje posolstvo skrze prorokov. Ale v tomto poslednom dni On hovoril cez svojho Syna Ježiša, skrze Ducha Svätého. Vtedy hovoril cez prorokov. Potom sme išli ku tomu a zistili sme, že všetci títo proroci mali v sebe Ducha Kristovho.
26Išli sme ku Jozefovi a videli sme, že on dokonale zobrazoval Krista. Išli sme ku Mojžišovi a videli sme, že on dokonale zobrazoval Krista. Potom sme išli ešte aj ku Dávidovi. A keď bol Dávid odmietnutý v Jeruzaleme, nevedel prečo, ale išiel hore na ten kopec a pozrel sa naspäť, na Olivovú horu a plakal nad Jeruzalemom, pretože bol odmietnutý. Potom po osemsto rokoch bol odmietnutý Syn Dávidov, bol odmietnutý ako Kráľ v Jeruzaleme a sedel na tom istom kopci a plakal. Ó, Duch Kristov zaoberajúci sa s jednotlivcami.
27No, Pavel začína a hovorí:
Preto musíme tým viacej pozorovať na to, čo sme počuli, ...
28Začíname teraz druhú kapitolu.
Preto musíme tým viacej pozorovať na to, čo sme počuli, aby sme nejako neprešli pomimo.
29Ó, nech dá Boh, aby to prišlo na pravé miesto dnes ráno v tomto zhromaždení. Modlím sa, aby to Duch Svätý ponoril hlboko do vašich sŕdc. „Máme tým viacej pozorovať na to, čo sme počuli.“ Akým druhom ľudí máme byť? — Keď vidíme ako zostupuje ten veľký Jehova a ako robí tie veci, ktoré robí a vidíme ich porovnané Písmo s Písmom, že je to pravda. A niekedy sedíme pri tom ako hrča v dreve a takí ľahostajní. Máme byť plne zapojení do práce v každej minúte, snažiť sa získavať ľudí pre Krista. Máme byť živými kameňmi. Nemáme byť takí leniví, akí sme. Pôjdeme do zboru a budeme vidieť Pána Ježiša robiť niečo alebo nás nejako požehná, a potom budeme - pôjdeme naspäť a povieme: „Veľmi pekné zhromaždenie.“
30No, kázanie Slova, z toho sa radujeme. Ale to nie je to hlavné. To nie je ... My neoslavujeme Pána len potom, keď počujeme kázať Slovo, ako to obyčajne robíme. Proste Ho oslavujeme. To je pekné. Ale my Ho máme oslavovať v každej hodine nášho života. Máme Ho oslavovať, keď sme v práci. V každej chvíli, keď sa naskytne príležitosť, oslavujte Pána tým, že budete svedčiť o Ňom. Ak vidíte ... Vy niektoré dámy, vidíte nejakú ženu, že robí zle, oslavujte Pána, tým že ju vezmete a poviete jej: „Sestra, existuje lepší život než tento.“
31Vy muži v práci, keď počujete nejakého človeka ako berie meno Pánovo nadarmo, využite z jednej strany príležitosť a pristúpte ku nemu a chyťte ho za ruku a povedzte: „Ty ... existuje lepší život ako tento. Nemal by si hovoriť také slová.“ A povedzte mu to pokorným a láskavým spôsobom. Všetko toto je oslavovanie. A keď vidíme niekoho chorého a doktor povedal: „Už sa viac nedá urobiť.“ Máme oslavovať Pána tým, že mu povieme: „Je Boh na nebesiach, ktorý odpovedá na modlitby.“
32A potom keď vidíme diať sa tieto veci, keď vidíme, že sa to deje, že sa to stalo, nemáme si to nechať ujsť. Nechávame si to ujsť pomedzi prsty. To je to, čo sa dnes deje s letničnou cirkvou. Oni nechali, že práve to najlepšie z úrody im prekĺzlo pomedzi prsty, keď to mali v rukách. Ale pozrite sa, čo urobili. Urobili to isté čo ostatné cirkvi. „Odišli na cestu Kórachovu a zahynuli; na cestu Kainovu a protirečením Kóreho zahynuli.“
33Zorganizovali sa. Miesto toho, aby mali bratstvo, v ktorom by sme všetci mohli byť jedno, oni sa zorganizovali. Urobili malé organizácie a malé izmi a pozdvihli sa na tom a polámali bratstvo. A ak nebudete dávať pozor, zoberú to baptisti a presbyteriáni, pretože Boh je schopný z týchto kameňov vzbudiť deti Abrahámovi. A my sme nechali, že sa nám to vykĺzlo z rúk, lebo sme boli rozbití.
34Ako stratili Indiáni túto krajinu, že pripadla bielym ľuďom? To preto, že neboli jednotní. Keby boli urobili jednu veľkú prvú líniu ... Ale oni bojovali medzi sebou. Keby sa všetci dali dokopy boli by si udržali svoje územia.
35Ako to my stratíme? Pretože nie sme jednotní. Ako strácame svoje prežitie s Bohom? Tak že sa rozdeľujeme. Založili sme jedno a nazvali sme to metodisti a toto baptisti a toto zbory, a toto jednotáry a toto nejako inak a cirkev Božia a nazaréni, pútnici svätosti. Rozbíjame jednotu Tela Kristovho. Nemali sme byť rozdelení. Môžeme sa líšiť v spôsobe myslenia, ale v srdci buďme bratia. Boh chce, aby sme boli. On zomrel za celú cirkev Božiu. A my nechceme byť rozbití.
Tak musíme tým viacej pozorovať ... aby sme nejako neprešli pomimo.
Lebo ak slovo, hovorené skrze anjelov, bolo pevné, ...
36Počujete to? Ak slovo hovorené skrze anjelov. No, anjel je posol. Slovo anjel znamená „posol“. A on to práve prebral tu v tej prvej knihe, „Boh za dávna, mnohoráz a mnohorakým spôsobom hovorieval ku otcom skrze prorokov.“ To boli Boží poslovia. A oni boli - oni boli Boží poslovia. Oni boli Boží anjeli. A posol je anjel. Či vlastne anjel je posol.
37Posol! Vy ste poslom dnes ráno. Vy ste ... vy ste poslom dobrej noviny, alebo poslom zlej noviny. Ó, či to nie je nádherné, keď môžeme vedieť, že sme veľvyslancami, že sme anjelmi, poslami vzkriesenia. A my sme Božími poslami pre ten hriešny svet, že Kristus žije. On žije v našich srdciach, on žije v našom duchu. A On nás vyvádza z toho nízkeho skazeného života hriechu a dvíha nás hore a dáva nám do duše „Haleluja“ a robí z nás nové stvorenia. My sme poslami. Anjelmi Zmluvy! Aké nádherné!
38A teraz, v Starom Zákone: „Ak slová hovorené skrze anjelov boli pevné.“ Takým spôsobom to muselo byť v poriadku. V Starom Zákone, prv ako mohlo byť prednesené slovo proroka, muselo byť overené a dokázané. Oni to nebrali na ľahko ako my dnes.
39Len ísť a mať všetky rôzne senzácie a všetko možné: „Ó, sláva Bohu, to je to.“ Mýlite sa. Biblia hovorí, že v posledných dňoch bude diabol napodobňovať kresťanstvo tak blízko, že by to zviedlo aj vyvolených, keby to bolo možné. Je to tak.
40Tak my to musíme skúšať! A ako to oni skúšali v ich čase? Na základe Urím a Thumím! Áronovho náprsníka, ktorý mal v sebe tie kamene: karbunkulom, jaspis, diamant, rubín, zafír. Všetky tie kamene, ktoré reprezentovali narodenie tých dvanástich patriarchov, boli v tom Áronovom náprsníku. A keď prorok prorokoval a zasvietilo na tom to nadprirodzené Svetlo, Boh povedal: „To je pravda.“
41 Ale to .. Nezáležalo na tom ako skutočne to vyzerá, ak to tam nezasvietilo, nebola to pravda. Tak to Urím a Thumím išlo s tým kňazstvom. Ale dnes je táto Biblia Božím Urím a Thumím. A keď prorok prorokuje, to musí svietiť presne podľa tejto Biblie. Potom hovorí Boh ... potom On prichádza dole a potvrdzuje to.
42Ó, ako môžem dnes oslavovať Boha. Spomínam si na jednu nedeľu ráno, takú ako táto, keď som odchádzal z tejto modlitebni. A vy ľudia ste plakali a chceli ste aby som neodchádzal. Ale keď som kázal o Dávidovi a Goliášovi ... a ako sa postavíte tomu chladnému, ľahostajnému svetu, ktorý hovorí, že dni zázrakov pominuli.
43Povedal som: „Je jeden veľký obor a akonáhle ho budeme môcť zabiť, tí ostatní nadobudnú odvahu.“ A Pán to dal. A potom tam bol Oral Roberts a Jaggers a ďalší, vytiahli meč a vyhnali sme nepriateľa zo zeme. Zapchali sme im ústa. Nemôžu povedať, že sa nedejú zázraky, pretože sú tu. Skutočne, Božie Slovo je večné. To zablysklo na to Urím. Zablysklo na Slovo, to je jeho Urím Thumím. A keď to naň zablysklo, bol to pozitív. A pre každého, kto je v potrebe ... Ak si hriešnik, chceš vedieť ako môžeš byť spasený. — Ver v Pána Ježiša Krista.
44Dnes máme toľko vecí, ktoré musíte robiť, musíte obrátiť nové strany, musíte robiť toto alebo tamto, aby ste boli spasení. Myslím na žalárnika z Filíp, keď sa tento strážny žalára opýtal Pavla: „Čo mám činiť aby som bol spasený?“ Keby ste to boli vy alebo ja, my by sme mu povedali to, čo nemá robiť: mal by si prestať piť, mal by si prestať s hazardnými hrami - so špekulovaním, mal by si prestať s týmto, mal by si prestať s tamtým. Pavel mu nepovedal niečo také. On mu povedal to, čo má robiť. „Uver v Pána Ježiša Krista a budeš spasený.“
45No. „Ten, kto čuje moje slová a verí tomu, ktorý ma poslal, má večný život.“ To je blýskanie Urím a Thumím, Ev. Jána 5:24. „Ja som Pán, ktorý uzdravujem všetky tvoje nemoci.“ Jakoba 5:14 „ Zavolať si starších zboru, pomazať olejom a modlitba viery uzdraví chorého.“ Urím vydáva svetlo. To je Božie večné Slovo!
46Nestarám sa o to koľko povstane ateistov, neveriacich, agnostikov, skeptikov. Boh bude stáť za svojím Slovom! On zasľúbil, že to bude robiť.
47A my musíme tým viacej pozorovať na toto, čo sme počuli, aby nám to nikdy neuniklo. Lebo ak slová hovorené skrze anjelov (prorokov) boli pevné, ... Či boli? Týždeň by sme mohli o tomto hovoriť.
48Bolo to pevné, keď Mojžiš hovoril? Samozrejme, že bolo. A čo Eliáš, ktorý sedel hore na vrchu? Pán mu povedal: „Choď tam hore Eliáš. Ja tam budem s tebou. Chcem mať nejaké obecenstvo.“ Boh má rád obecenstvo so svojím ľudom. Ale my kvôli Nemu nebudeme stáť dosť dlho potichu, aby mal s nami obecenstvo. My sme takí zaneprázdnení s behaním z miesta na miesto a tak veľmi ... „Seď potichu, Eliáš!“ On chcel mať obecenstvo tri roky a šesť mesiacov. My Mu sotva dokážeme venovať tri minúty. Tri roky a šesť mesiacov nepretržitého obecenstva. Ó, to sa mi páči. Povedal: „Nestaraj sa o varenie, už sme to zaistili. Vrany ťa budú kŕmiť a všetko bude v poriadku. Chcem mať proste nejaké obecenstvo.“ Tento starý prorok Eliáš, sedel tam ... „Musíš zostať na vrchu toho kopca.“
Kým mal s Bohom obecenstvo, ten kapitán si povedal: „Verím, že tam vyjdem a dostanem ho.“ No, nikdy sa nesnažte prerušiť to obecenstvo!
49Tak ten kapitán vyšiel hore s tou veľkou armádou, päťdesiat mužov. A povedal: „Prišiel som ťa zobrať, Eliáš.“
50A Eliáš bol tam hore. (Dávajte pozor! Tu je prorok Pánov.) On povedal: „Ak som je sluha Pánov, nech oheň zostúpi z neba a strávi vás.“ A zostúpil oheň.
51Ten kapitán povedal: „Ó, vieš čo, ...“ Či vlastne ten kráľ, povedal: „To bol možno blesk, len sa tam niečo zablysklo a to ich zasiahlo. Pošlem ďalších päťdesiat.“
52Eliáš bol tam hore. (Jeden z Jeho anjelov. Jeho Slovo je pevné. On musel byť spravodlivou odplatou každému, kto robil zle.) On povedal: „Ak som ja sluha Pánov, nech zostúpi oheň.“ A zhorelo ďalších päťdesiat. Je to tak. Každý dostal spravodlivú odplatu.
Lebo ak slovo, hovorené skrze anjelov, bolo pevné, a každé prestúpenie a každý neposluch dostali spravodlivú odplatu ...
53No, tu je tá veľká vec, ten ďalší verš.
akože my utečieme, ...
54Akože my utečieme? Keď Eliášov hlas priniesol zničenie, pretože on bol anjel Pánov, akože my utečieme, keď tu ešte hovorí Kristov Hlas. Alebo ako môžeme zlyhať, keď sa modlíte, keď je to Hlas Kristov? Keď Kristus ustanovil svoju cirkev, aby sa modlili za chorých, a keď cirkev robí to, čo On povedal, On ... aby to robili, akoby to potom mohlo niekedy zlyhať? Nemôže! Vy môžete zlyhať, ale to nemôže zlyhať. A pokiaľ sa toho držíte, to vás prevedie.
55Ak zlyháte, zlyháte na sebe. Odstúpili ste proste od Slova. Ale pokiaľ stojíte na Slove, tak to nemôže zlyhať. Lebo slovo prorokov fungovalo tak a tak, o čo viacej bude fungovať Slovo Kristovo?
Akože my utečieme, ak zanecháme také veľké spasenie?! Ktoré, keď o ňom začal najdriev hovoriť Pán, nám stvrdili tí, ktorí ho počuli,
56Zamyslite sa nad tým — hovoril nám o ňom Pán! Koľko krát by sme sa mohli vracať ku tomu? Kde by sme sa mohli zastaviť? — Hneď tu, na hodinu. Keď Ježiš prišiel ... On je ten istý včera i naveky.
57No pamätajte, najprv nám o ňom hovoril Ježiš, On sám, a potom to potvrdili tí, ktorí Ho počuli. No, ktorí Ho počúvali.
58Keď On prišiel na zem, On netvrdil o sebe, že je uzdravovateľ. On povedal: „To nie ja konám tie skutky, ale môj Otec, ktorý prebýva vo mne. On koná tie skutky. Syn nemôže robiť nič sám od seba, ale čo vidí robiť Otca.“ Ev. Jána 5:19.
59Pozrite sa, keď prišiel ku nemu Filip. Natanael ... Keď sa Filip obrátil, odišiel a našiel Natanaela, povedal: „Poď, pozri sa koho sme našli; Ježiša z Nazareta, Syna Jozefovho.“
60A on povedal: „Či z Nazareta môže byť niečo dobrého?“
61Povedal: „Poď a vidz.“ To je spôsob, ako sa máme presvedčiť - overiť si to. Poď a vidz! Ó, to je to najlepšie, čo som počul. Poď a sám sa presvedč! Nestoj vonku a nekritizuj na základe toho, čo si niekde počul, ale všetko skúšajte, dobré podržte. Poď a vidz!
62Keď išli po ceste tak sa rozprávali. A keď prišiel do prítomnosti pána Ježiša, On povedal: „Hľa Izraelita, v ktorom nieto lesti.“
63To mu skoro stiahlo kožu. Pozrel sa dookola a povedal: „Rabbi, kedy si ma mohlo vidieť? Ty si ma nikdy nevidel. Ako ma poznáš?“ Filip povedal ...
64Keď on zvolal ... On povedal: „Prv ako ťa Filip včera zavolal, keď si bol pod tým fíkom, videl som ťa.“ Amen.
65On povedal: „Ty si Syn Boží. Ty si Kráľ Izraelov.“
66Tá žena prišla do Jeho prítomnosti a On povedal: „Choď a priveď svojho muža.“
Ona povedala: „Ja nemám muža.“
67Povedal: „To je pravda. Mala si piatich, a ten s ktorým teraz žiješ, nie je tvoj muž. To si povedala pravdu.“ Predstavte si to!
68Ona povedala: „Pane, vidím, že ty si prorok. My vieme, že keď Mesiáš príde, On nám povie všetko.“
69On povedal: „Ja som to, ktorý hovorím s tebou.“
70A ona bežala do mesta a povedala ľuďom: „Poďte, vidzte človeka, ktorý mi povedal všetko, čo som porobila. Či to nie je Mesiáš?“ To bolo hovorené cez Pána.
71Čo sa stalo? Ježiš, prv ako odišiel, povedal: „Skutky, ktoré Ja činím, budete tiež činiť.“ Je to tak? Skutky, ktoré Ja činím, budete tiež činiť, ešte aj väčšie ako tie, pretože Ja idem ku Otcovi.“ Ó, môžem ich vidieť, ako oni išli všade (Marek 16), vyšli všade a kázali a Pán spoluúčinkoval s nimi a potvrdzoval Slovo. A tu, Pavel podáva to isté. On povedal, že evanjelium začal najprv kázať Ježiš a bolo nám potvrdené od tých, ktorí Ho počuli. To je Základný Kameň. Ó, nech je požehnané meno Pánovo! To je Základný kameň.
72A keď si pomyslíme, prešlo už dvetisíc rokov. Povstali ateisti a neveriaci a skeptici a agnostici. Ale dnes ten istý Ježiš potvrdzuje svoje Slovo tým istým spôsobom, skrze tých, ktorí Ho počujú. Počuť Jeho, to neznamená len počuť nejakú kázeň. To znamená počuť „Jeho.“
73Áno, akože my utečieme? Kde sa utečieme? Ó, vy hovoríte: „Chvála Bohu, ja patrím do metodistickej cirkvi. Ja som presbyterián. Ja som letničný.“ To s tým nemá nič spoločného. A vy staviate na niečom, čo ste len niekde počuli a toto chcete nazývať špiritizmom, alebo nejakou mentálnou telepatiou, alebo nejakým diablom? Či niečím takým. Hanbite sa!
74Ak každé slovo, hovorené skrze anjelov, bolo pevné ... Ježiš povedal: „Ešte chvíľu a svet Ma viacej neuvidí. Ale vy Ma uvidíte, lebo Ja budem s vami, aj vo vás, až do konca veku.“ A keď Ho vidíme ako prichádza dole a pokračuje, potvrdzuje svoje Slovo ... Akože my utečieme, ak sme prisatí ku nejakej cirkvi, alebo ku nejakej organizácii, alebo denominácii, alebo ku svojej vlastnej obľúbenej teórii. Radšej sa uvoľnite. Pretože za každý hriech bola spravodlivá odplata v čase anjelov, o čo viacej, keď hovorí z neba Syn Boží a manifestuje svoje Slovo. Akože my utečieme, ak zanedbáme také veľké spasenie? Ó!
pri čom ...
(4. verš)pri čom spolu svedčil Boh ...
75Všimnite si toto. Pán svedčil. Ó, tak sa z toho radujem. Pán vydával svedectvo.
76Pozrite! Keď Eliáš sedel na tom vrchu a povedal: „Ak som ja muž Boží, nech oheň zostúpi z neba a strávi vás.“ Boh priniesol svedectvo, že on je muž Boží. Boh stále svedčí. Váš život bude niesť svedectvo. Ja nepoznám vaše svedectvo, ale váš život hovorí tak hlasno, že nepočuť váš hlas. To čo žijete, váš každodenný život, bude svedčiť o tom, čo ste. Boh svedčí. Áno, Duch Svätý je pečať a pečať drží obe strany papiera. Ľudia vás vidia, keď tu stojíte a vidia vás, keď odchádzate. Nie len v zbore, ale pri každodennej práci. Ste zapečatení na oboch stranách, vo vnútri a vonku. Skrze radosť, ktorú máte a skrze život, ktorý žijete. Ste zapečatený vo vnútri a vonku. Ale vy viete, že ste spasení a svet vie, že ste spasení podľa života, ktorý žijete, pretože Boh vydáva svedectvo. Nech je požehnané jeho sväté meno! Ó, cítim sa vzrušený!
77Predstavte si to, bratia. Ó. „Moje ovce počujú môj hlas a za cudzím nepôjdu.“ Ó, ako to — naše mená sú na Jeho dlaniach, ktoré sú pred ním vo dne i v noci. Jeho Slovo je stále pred Ním, Jeho zasľúbenie. On nemôže na to zabudnúť. A On vás miluje. No, On bude vydávať svedectvo o svojich vlastných. Ak neotvorite svoje ústa a nepoviete ani slovo, svet bude vedieť, že sa s vami niečo stalo.
78 Vydáva svedectvo:
... znameniami a zázrakmi a rôznymi mocami a udeľovaním Svätého Ducha
[V anglickom preklade KJV: „darmi Svätého Ducha. – pozn.prekl.]podľa svojej vôle.
79Vezmime teraz ešte jedno miesto Písma, prv ako zakončíme. Na deň Letníc, keď oni prijali Ducha Svätého ... asi po štyroch dňoch, Peter prechádzal cez bránu zvanú Krásna. On a Ján. Oni povedali tomu človeku: „Pozri na nás!“ A on povedal: „Zlata a striebra nemám, ale čo mám to ti dám. V mene Ježiša Krista Nazaretského, vstaň a choď.“ A ten človek sa pozrel a vôbec o tom nepochyboval. On proste vstal a začal chodiť. Oni boli prostí a neučení ľudia. Ale Biblia povedala, že oni to na nich spozorovali a poznali, že bývali s Ježišom.
80Brat, keď svet spozná, že ty si býval s Ježišom, keď môžeš žiť takým nepoškvrneným životom v tomto terajšom svete a v tejto temnosti, potom svet pozná a bude môcť vidieť, že ty si býval s Ježišom. Keď sa nejaká drsná, vulgárna prostitútka z ulice, môže stať dámou, zostane umytá v krvi Baránka, Boh svedčí, že On žije.
81Zoberte opilca. On tak nízko upadol, že sa bude svojej žene niekde túlať, že bude zle zachádzať s deťmi a vezme jedlo zo stola a utratí to na prostitútku. Nech sa raz stretne s Ježišom. Budete vidieť, že sa vracia ku svojim deťom a ku svojej žene a ku svojím drahým, ako ten Légion, ktorý bol pri zdravých zmysloch a oblečený. Skutočne!
82Pred nejakým časom, asi pred štyridsiatimi rokmi, keď sa stretli svetové náboženstvá, a povstali tí rôzni a hovorili ... A ten mohamedán hovoril za mohamedánske náboženstvo. Jains hovoril za jainsov. Budhista za budhistov. A ten malý doktor ... Zabudol som práve ako sa volal. Vedel som ako sa volá, ale som to zabudol. On tam hovoril, aby reprezentoval kresťanstvo. A on porozprával príbeh o pani Maccabee z Oklahomi v Amerike. Ona bola taká mizerná a taká upadnutá, že ešte aj keď ju išli zabiť ani sa jej nedotkli rukami, taká bola vulgárna a odporná. Zatkli ju na obvinenie: fajčenie, jazdenie na dostavníku, porušovanie oklahomských zákonov, keď jazdila po ulici so štvorkoňovým záprahom. A bola taká odporná a taká špinavá, že ľudia by ani neprišli tam, kde bola ona. Bola až taká, že keď ju išli popraviť, oni ju neobesili. Aby ju zabili, vyliali na ňu len smolu a perie. A keď tento malý kazateľ povedal jej príbeh takým spôsobom, že ľudia až sedeli na konci stoličky a počúvali, čo bude ďalej. Keď sa dostal ku tomu skutočnému hnusu, špine, takému úpadku, že až zákony sa s ňou nechceli zaoberať, ona bola tak nízko ... Že ešte aj sám diabol v pekle by odmietol takú osobu, takto on rozprával ten príbeh. Potom povedal: „Páni svetových náboženstiev, má vaše náboženstvo niečo, čo by umylo ruky pani Maccabee?“
83Každý sedel potichu. On potom tleskol rukami, vyskočil do vzduchu a povedal: „Sláva Bohu! Krv Ježiša Krista neočistí len ruky, ale ona očistí jej srdce a urobí ju novým stvorením.“ Hovorím vám:
Úžasná milosť! Ako sladko to znie.
Spasila ma, takého chudáka!
Bol stratený, ale teraz ma našla.
Bol som slepý, ale teraz vidím.
To je milosť, ktorá učí moje srdce bázni.
Bola to milosť, ktorá ma zbavila strachu.
Ako nádherne sa zjavila tá milosť,
v tej hodine, keď som uveril.
84Skutočne! Akože my utečieme ak zanedbáme niečo také? Keď zanedbáte jesť, zomriete. Keď zanedbáte vybrať zákrutu, havarujete. Keď zanedbáte podojiť kravu, zasuší sa. Keď zanedbáte svoje zuby, budete si ich musieť dať vytrhať. Skutočne! Zaplatíte za svoju nedbanlivosť.
85Ó, Branhamova modlitebňa a vy návštevníci, dovoľte, že vám teraz niečo poviem. Zanedbávate svedčiť o sláve Božej. Zanedbávate oddať Bohu chválu a slávu. V jednom z týchto dní spoznáte, že ste chladní, formálni a že ste odpadli. Dajte Bohu chválu! „Akože my utečieme, ak zanedbáme takéto veľké spasenie?“
86Je neskoro a práve som si všimol brata Tomsa, ako tam vzadu vošiel. Zakončíme a večer budeme v tomto pokračovať, ak Pán dá.
Pomodlime sa za chvíľu.
87Náš nebeský Otče, Tebe patria požehnania a chvála a česť a sláva a múdrosť a sila a moc na veky vekov. Ó, tomu Baránkovi, ktorý sedí na tróne, panstvá a kráľovstvá a všetko bolo dané do Jeho rúk. Keď On vstal z mŕtvych na naše ospravedlnenie, On skríkol na svet: „Všetka moc na nebi i na zemi je daná do mojich rúk. A tak choďte do celého sveta a kážte evanjelium.“
Ó drahý, zomierajúci Baránok,
Tvoja predrahá Krv nikdy nestratí svoju moc,
až kým nebude vykúpená celá cirkev Božia
a hriechu viacej nebude.
88Pomôž nám, ako kazateľom, aby sme videli, že tak veľa požadujeme. Ako musíme mať zbor, musíme mať toto, musíme mať všetko možné.
89Naše ženy, prv ako idú na zhromaždenie (a to sa ešte nazývajú kresťania), musia mať určitý druh šiat, alebo sa musia tak mizerne obliecť. A kazatelia musia mať toľko peňazí, prv ako prídu a všetko musí byť také a také.
90Ó, Kriste, keď som to tam čítal, ako oni chodili v ovčích a kozích kožiach, žili v dierach a v jaskyniach. Oni chodili sem a tam počas strašného prenasledovania a jednako zachovali vieru. Za čias služby anjelov. Akože my utečieme, keď nám Pán Ježiš dáva pekné domy a autá a šaty a jedlo? A my šomreme, sedíme, sme leniví. Vôbec sa nesnažíme vyjsť a urobiť niečo pre to. Akože my utečieme, Bože?
91Ó Pane, prosím, aby si dnes ráno zapálil to starodávne presvedčenie v každom srdci, aby mohli ľudia povstať a byť pri tom. Nech by sme pracovali, kým je svetlo dňa a pretože slnko rýchlo zapadá. A civilizácia odchádza a času viacej nebude. A splynie to s večnosťou.
92Ó Bože, daj nám dnes, aby sme išli s čerstvým videním, s múdrosťou, s porozumením, aby sme vedeli, ako pristúpiť ku hriešnikom a priviesť ich ku Kristovi. Vypočuj modlitbu tvojho sluhu, Pane.
93Pýtam sa, či je tu niekto, kto nepozná Krista ako svojho Spasiteľa, zodvihli by ste ruky a povedali: „Pamätaj na mňa, brat Branham.“ Či zodvihnete svoje ruky a poviete: „Pamätaj na mňa. Ja chcem byť kresťan. Nechcem to už viacej zanedbávať.“ Nech ťa Boh žehná tam vzadu, pane. Či povie ešte niekto: „Ja chcem zodvihnúť svoju ruku, brat Branham. A ja chcem prijať Krista ako svojho Spasiteľa, zanedbával som to celý čas. Ó, chodím do zboru, patrím do zboru ...“
1 Was here in the class and enjoyed the... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] And now the first Book of Hebrews, is Paul, we found, or we believe. The theologians are at end; they don't know just which, or who wrote It. But, I believe, anyone with a little spiritual discernment would see it was Paul. It's--it's believed, by the most of the writers, to be Paul. And how that he...
2 In the 1st chapter, we found that it was exalting the Lord Jesus. Oh, how he brought down, to show by the--by the experience that he had had on his road to Damascus. Now, Paul was, to begin with, a real theologian. Paul was taught under Gamaliel, one of the best teachers of that day. And he was smart and intelligent, and was a real shrewd Bible scholar.
3And I found this, when he was on his road down to Damascus, with letters in his pocket, to arrest all those that were in the blessed old Gospel way, and the man was sincere. But, I've always believed that since Paul seen Stephen die, I think that must have got right next to him. When he consented to Stephen's death, and held the coats of those who stoned him, then Paul was guilty of the blood of Stephen. And he confessed, and said, "I'm not even worthy," said, "because I shed the blood of His--of His, the martyr, Stephen. Cause, he witnessed to it.
4 And if you witness to anything, you're just as guilty as being a partaker of it. So if we witness, say, "Oh, yes, they oughtn't to have done this, this so-and-so." Be careful what you say, because you're guilty the way your judgment goes. If you can't decide, don't say nothing, just leave it alone. Then when you testify that you are a Christian, then you're guilty. See? You're guilty of being a Christian, and you must live to that. And when God makes a--a promise in the Bible... I see a man here in a wheel chair. When God makes a Promise, He's guilty of that Promise unless He brings It to pass. God is guilty when He makes a Promise. And the Scriptures are guilty until they are fulfilled. See? They're--they're right there as a--as a statement that God has made. And It's got to be fulfilled or God is guilty. See?
5 And so Paul, being a teacher, and coming on his road down to Damascus that day, about, long about noontime, I suppose. There was a great Light shined out of the Heavens, and It blinded him, and he--he fell to the earth. And he said he wanted to know Who it was. He said a voice spoke, and said, "Saul, Saul, why persecuteth thou Me?" I believe the 8th chapter of Acts.
He said, "Who is It that I persecute?"
6And the Voice came back, and said, "I'm Jesus." Oh! "I am Jesus, and it's hard for you to kick against the pricks." And what was Jesus then? Jesus, He was the Light, just a big Light shining bright.
7 Now to encourage us and get a basis here. How was He a Light, when He was a Man? Now, no one...
There was a bunch of soldiers with Paul, temple guards, going down to put under arrest. Paul was the chief captain. And they were going down to arrest those people, for their campaigns and so forth, and for their religious hope that laid within them.
8 But, now, here was Jesus as a big Light. Now, if you remember, in the beginning, Jesus was a Light. Jesus was the Logos that went out of God. And He was the... He was the Angel of the Covenant that led the children of Israel through the wilderness. And He was the Pillar of Fire that they looked at. And He was... And when He was here on earth, He said, "I came from God, and I go back to God." So if He came from a Pillar of Fire, into a Man, then if He went back to where He was, He went back to a Light again. And there He was when Paul saw Him, He was a Light.
9Now, all those soldiers that was with Paul did not see the Light. Then is it possible that one can see It and the others won't see It? Certainly. All right. He, Paul, saw It, but the rest of them did not see the Light.
10 Now, when Peter was in prison, we find out this Light came in the jail, opened up the doors. And he was... That Light blinded the rest of the guards, as they walked out, Peter going. And when he got to the door, it just opened itself, quietly, closed behind him. From the inner jail, he went to the outer door. It opened by its own self, closed quietly. And then he went to the gap, went out into the city street. And he rubbed his eyes, as if to say, "Was I dreaming?" He didn't know what had happened. But, the Angel of the Lord, the same Angel that was the Pillar of Fire that walked Moses to the sea and spread her forth, oh, and the Dead Sea... the Red Sea walled up on both sides, and Israel passed over.
11And when they come to the swelling Jordan, He did not make Hisself visible there. But He was there, 'cause He just opened it up. And they went across in April, when the plains are all full of the water. And He stayed the spring, and He stayed the snow from melting, 'cause it didn't wall higher and higher; it just stopped. That's our Jehovah. That's our Lord Jesus. Just stopped; and they walked across on dry land.
12 Now, God promised that He would take care of them, so He was obligated to His Promise. Now, Paul, aware of these things, and knowing them, he was privileged, because God was speaking directly to Paul. He wasn't speaking to the soldiers that was with him. He was only speaking to Paul.
13Now, when the--when the Angel of the Lord came down, in the form of a star; and the stargazers, the wise men of India, when, they saw that Star and followed It for hundreds of miles. And It went over every observatory, 'cause they kept the time by the stars. And no one saw that Star but the wise men. Oh, my! Doesn't that thrill you? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.]
14 Then, you see, God doesn't deal with organizations. He doesn't deal with groups of people. He deals with individuals. He reveals Himself to individuals. And now--now to say this, not this... God knows my heart. And not to say this for own person, personal praise, now; just to be there. But, did you know, that same God, that same Jesus, is with us this morning? Do you know, each one of you has a little, individual witness of it right now, that He's here? And is... He's done something for us in this day that He didn't do in the other days; He had His Picture taken in this day. We got It hanging right there. See? The Pillar of Fire, the same Lord Jesus.
15Watch how He works now. If He's the same Lord Jesus, He will do the same things, for the Bible said, "He is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
16 Now, before Paul would announce anything, whether this was right or wrong, he first went down into Egypt and spent three years, to find out if it was Scriptural or not. Did you ever know that? After Paul's conversion, he went to Egypt for three years. There he abode, and there is where he learned this great wisdom.
17Now, not in any comparison at all, I'm just giving you how the Holy Spirit still remains the same. Now, my church here remembers, years ago, when this Angel would appear and would show things. I was a little skeptic of It. All of you know that, you old-timers. If you... If that's right, raise up your hand, when you've heard. Yeah. Look, look at the church, yet, from the old-timers. See? I was skeptic, because preachers told me It was of the Devil. And I kind of believed it, but I waited. I wouldn't say nothing about It.
18 But, oh, blessed be the Name of the Lord! One night, yonder, He come down, an Angel, and revealed It in the Scriptures, that He was. And when I seen It in the Scriptures, then to blast across the world with It, the Message.
19From there has went Oral Roberts, A. A. Allen, Tommy Osborne, Tommy Hicks, and what more. See? It's a Message to the people.
20And Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Is Scripturally, He's the same. He does the same. He is the Same. And He works the same. He manifests Hisself the same. And He's here, this morning, the same. Now we may see Him; we may not. Whatever it is, we got a witness right now that He's here.
21 Now, we find now that, Paul, upon this experience, and writing these letters, most of them, from jail, he had compared the Old and New Testament. Now remember, the last writer of this Bible, by inspiration, God came down and told him, "If any man shall add anything to It or take anything away from It, the same will be taken out of the part of the Book of Life, for him." So we'd be daresn't to add one thing to It. Oh, It must stay as It is, mustn't be anything added to It. And we must contend for everything that's in It. I don't want any more, and I don't want any less. I want just what It says.
22 Now, this Book of Hebrews, the reason I've chose It; one purpose, one thing; this letter, "Dear Brother Branham," and so forth. And, I--I, we want to stay with the Word.
23 Now, the 1st chapter, was exalting of Jesus, so He's the main One. And Paul let us know, the other night, that He was in the great beginning. And we found out that He was nothing less than "Melchisedec, the King of Salem," the Great of the 7th chapter.
24And now, this morning, we approach Him from another, another standpoint, from the 2nd chapter. Now, after Paul giving us this great, marvelous Message, of exalting Jesus, "And even made the Angels to worship Him." And I think, over here, like the order types old, "And He will fold it as a vesture, but they shall perish, but Thou remaineth."
25 And over in the 2nd chapter, the 2nd verse, I believe it is, "Has He these days spoken to us by His Son." And, look, "Sundry times and divers manner He spoke by the prophets." We went through and found out what the prophets was, and how God brought His Message by the prophets. "But in this last day He's spoken through His Son, Jesus, by the Holy Spirit. He spoke through the prophets, then." Then we got back and found out, all those prophets had the Spirit of Christ in them.
26We went back to Joseph and found out he perfectly typed Christ. Went back to Moses and found he perfectly typed Christ. Then we come down then to even David. And when David was rejected in Jerusalem, not knowing why, but went up over the hill and looked back on the Mount of Olives, and wept over Jerusalem because he was rejected. Eight hundred years from then, the Son of David was rejected as King, in Jerusalem, and set on the same hill and wept. Oh, the Spirit of Christ, dealing with individuals!
27 Now, Paul starts off, to say:
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard,...
282nd chapter, now, we're starting.
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest... any time we should let them slip.
29Oh, may God drive that home in this tabernacle this morning. I pray the Holy Spirit will sink that so deep into your hearts. "We ought to give the most earnest heed to the things which we've heard." What type of people ought we to be, when we see the great Jehovah come down and do the things that He does, and see them compared, Scripture by Scripture, that they're the Truth? And we sit around sometimes like a warts on a log, and just so unconcerned. We ought to be busy, every minute, trying to get people to Christ. We ought to be lively stones. We should never be slothful like we are. We'll go up to church, and we'll see the Lord Jesus do something, or--or bless us in such a way, and then we'll--we'll go back out and say, "Very nice meeting."
30 Now, the preaching of the Word, we enjoy it, but that's not the main thing. That's not. We should not worship the Lord just after we get through preaching the Word, as we usually do, just worship Him. That's wonderful. But we should worship Him every hour of our life. When we're at work, we should worship Him. Every time the opportunity presents itself, worship the Lord by testifying of Him.
If you see, some of you ladies, see a woman in the wrong, worship the Lord by taking her and saying, "Sister, there's a better life than this."
31You men at your work, when you hear a man using the Name of the Lord in vain, get a chance to one side and slip over, and take him by the hand, and say, "You, there's a better life than this. You shouldn't use those words." And tell him in a meek, gentle way. All those things is a worship.
And when we see someone sick, and the doctor says there's no more can be done, we ought to worship the Lord by telling them, "There's a God of Heaven that answers prayer."
32 And then when we see those things take place, that we do see take place enough, we should never let these things slip. We just let it go through our fingers. That's what's the matter with the great Pentecostal church today. They've let the very cream of the crop slip through their fingers, when they had it in their hands. But, look what they done, they done like the rest the churches. "They've run in the gain, in the way of Korah, and perished; and the way of Cain, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah."
33They've organized. Instead of having a brotherhood where we could all be one, they've organized themselves. Made little organizations and little isms, and sprung up from there and just broke up brotherhood. And if you don't watch, the Baptist and Presbyterians going to pick it up, 'cause, "God is able of these stones to rise children to Abraham." And we've--we've let it slip away from the hands by being disunified.
34 How did the Indians lose this country to the white man? Is because they were disunified. If they had made one big forefront... But they were fighting one among each other. They would have held their grounds if they'd have all come together.
35How are we going to lose it? Because we're disunified. How we lose our experience with God, is because we disunify. We set up one, and call this the--the Methodist, and this the Baptist, and this the Assemblies, and this the Oneness, and this the something-else, and the church of God, and the Nazarene, the Pilgrim Holiness. We disunify the Body of Christ. We should never be divided. We might differ in ideas, but let's be heart-in-heart brothers. God wants us to be. He died for the entire Church of God. And we do not want to be disunified.
Now we ought to give the most earnest heed... lest any time we should let them slip.
For if the word spoken by angels were stedfast,...
36 You hear It? "If the word spoken by the angels..." Now, angel is the "messenger." The word angel means the "messenger." And just got through, in the 1st book here, "God, in sundry times and divers manner, spoke to the fathers by the prophets." That was God's messengers. And they were--they were God's messengers. They were God's angels. A messenger is an angel; or an angel is the messenger, rather.
37 A messenger! You are a messenger, this morning. You're... You are a messenger of good news or a messenger of bad news. Oh, isn't it beautiful, to know that we are ambassadors, that we are angels, the messengers of the resurrection? And we are God's messengers to the sinful world, that Christ lives. In our hearts, He lives. In our spirits, He lives. And He brings us from the low debauched life of sin, and exalts us up, and gives us a "hallelujah" in our soul, and makes us new creatures. We are messengers, angels of the Covenant. How wonderful!
38 And now, in the Old Testament, "If--if the word spoken by angels were steadfast," that way it had to be right. In the Old Testament, before a prophet's word could be made manifest, it had to be examined and proved. They wasn't loose with it, like we are today.
39Just go out and have any kind of a sensation, or anything else, "Oh, glory to God, that's it!" You're mistaken.
The Bible said, that, "In the last days, the Devil will impersonate Christianity, so close, till it'll deceive the very Elected if possible." That's right. So, we must test it.
40And how did they test it in their day? To the Urim Thummim. The breastplate of Aaron, that had those stones in it: carbuncle, jasper, diamond, ruby, sapphire. All those stones, that represent the birth of these twelve patriarchs, was in the breastplate of Aaron. And when a prophet prophesied, and that sacred Light flashed over it, God said, "That is the Truth." But, no matter how real it seemed, if it didn't flash on that, it wasn't the Truth. So, that Urim Thummim went with that priesthood.
41But this Bible is God's Urim Thummim today. And when a prophet prophesies, it must absolutely flash with the Bible. Then, God says, then He comes down and proves It.
42 Oh, how I can glorify God today! I'm thinking back of another Sunday morning, about like this, when I was leaving the tabernacle. And you people were weeping and asking me not to go. But, when, I preached on David and Goliath, and how you going to face that cold, indifferent world that says the days of miracles is past.
43I said, "There's one big giant, and as soon as we can slay him, the rest of them will take courage." And the Lord granted that. And then there was an Oral Roberts and a Jaggers, and so forth, pulled the Sword, and we fought the enemy out of the land, shut their mouths. They can't say that miracles don't happen, 'cause here they are. Sure. God's Word is Eternal. It flashed on the Urim. Flashed on the Word, that's His Urim Thummim. And when it flashed on That, it was positive.
And to anybody that's needy, if you're a sinner, you want to know how to get saved, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ."
44 Today, we got so many things you have to do. "Have to turn new pages. You have to do this and do that, in order to get saved."
I think of the Philippian jailer, when this jailer asked Paul, "What must I do to be saved?"
It'd been you or I, we'd have told him the things he ought not to do. "You ought to quit drinking. You ought to quit your gambling, your gambling. "You ought to quit this. You ought to quit that."
Paul never told him that. He just told him the things he ought to do. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved."
45Now, "He that heareth My Words and believeth on Him that sent Me has everlasting Life." That's the Urim Thummim flashing, Saint John 5:24. "I'm the Lord that heals all thy diseases." James 5:14, "Call the elders, anoint in oil, prayer of faith shall save the sick." The Urim flashing. See? That's God's Eternal Word.
46I don't care how many atheotic, infidelic, agnostics, skeptics rise up. God will stand by His Word. He promised He would do it.
47 "And we ought to give the more earnest heed to these things which we've heard, lest any time we let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels (the prophets) were steadfast..." Were they? We could spend a week on this.
48Was it steadfast when Moses spoke? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] It sure was.
How about Elijah, setting up on top of the mountain? The Lord told him, "Get up there, Elijah. I'll stay there with you; want some fellowship." God likes to fellowship with His people. But we won't stand still long enough for Him to fellowship with us. We're so busy skipping about, from place to place, and so much. "Set still, Elijah." He wanted three years and six months of fellowship. We can't give Him three minutes, hardly. Three years and six months of constant fellowship. Oh, I love that! Said, "Don't worry about the cooking; we'll have that already fixed up. The crows is going to feed you. And everything is going to be all right. I just want some fellowship." This old prophet, Elijah, setting up there on top the mountain.
While he was fellowshipping with God, why, the captain said, "I believe I'll go up and get him." Now, don't you never try to break that fellowship.
49 So, the captain come up, with his great army of men, of fifty. And he said, "I--I--I come to take you, Elijah."
50And Elijah stood up. Watch out, here's the prophet of the Lord! He said, "If I be a servant of the Lord, let fire come from heaven and devour you." And down come the fire. The captain said...
51"Oh, you know what?" The king, rather, said, "That was probably a--a thunderbolt, just some lightning just passing over, and it struck them. I'll send another fifty."
52Elijah stood up, one of the angels. His word is steadfast. He had to be a just recompense for everything that was done wrong. He said, "If I be a servant of the Lord, let fire come." And the second fifty burned. All right. Every recompense!
For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedient received a just recompense...
53 Now, here is the great thing, the next verse.
How shall we escape,...
54"How shall we escape?" If Elijah's voice brought destruction, because he was an angel of the Lord, how will we escape when the Voice of Christ speaking through? Or, how can we fail when you're prayed for, if It's the Voice of Christ? If Christ ordained His Church to pray for the sick, and the Church does what He says He... for them to do, then how can It ever fail? It can't. You can fail, but It can't fail. And as long as you keep It, It'll take you through.
55 If you fail, you failed by yourself. You just get away from the Word. But as long as you stay with the Word, It can't fail. For the word of the prophets did so-and-so, how much more will the Word of Christ be?
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which is at the first begin to be spoken unto us by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
56Think of It, spoken by the Lord. How many times could we go back? Where could we stop, right here for a hour? When Jesus came, He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.
57Now, remember, first begin to be spoken by Jesus, Himself, and then was confirmed by the ones that heard Him. Now listen at Him.
58 When He came to the earth, He didn't claim to be a healer. He said, "It's not Me that doeth the works; It's My Father that dwelleth in Me. He doeth the works. The Son can do nothing in Himself, but what He sees the Father doing," Saint John 5:19.
59Watch when Philip came to Him. Nathaniel... After Philip's conversion, he went over and got Nathaniel. Said, "Come, see Who we found: Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph."
60And he said, "Could there be any good thing come from Nazareth?"
61Said, "Come, see." That's the way to be convinced: prove It. Come and see. Oh, that's the best I ever heard. Come and find out for yourself. Don't stand out and criticize on the side line, But, "Prove all things, and hold fast to that what's good. Come and see.
62Along the road they went, talking. When he walked up in the presence of the Lord Jesus, He said, "Behold an Israelite in whom there's no guile."
63It took all the skin off of him, nearly. He looked around, said, "Well, Rabbi, when did You ever know me? You never did see me. How do You know me?" Philip said...
64"Before, when he call..." Said, "Before Philip called you, yesterday, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Amen.
65He said, "Thou art the Son of God. You're the King of Israel."
66 A woman walked into His Presence, and He said, "Go, get your husband."
She said, "I have none."
67Said, "That's right. You got five, and the one you're now living with is not yours. You told the truth." Think of it.
68She said, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. That, we know that when the Messiah cometh He will tell us all things."
69He said, "I am He, that speaks to you."
70And she run and told the men of the city, "Come, see a Man Who told me all that I did. Isn't this the Messiah?" It was spoken by the Lord.
71 What happened? Jesus said, before He left, "The things that I do, shall you also." That right? [Congregation says, "Amen."--Ed.] "The things that I do shall you do also, even more than this, for I go to the Father." Oh, I can see them as they went forth, everywhere. Mark 16, "Went forth everywhere, preaching; the Lord working with them, confirming the Word."
And here, Paul, giving the same thing. He said that the--the Gospel begin to be preached by Jesus, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him. That's the Foundation Stone. Oh, blessed be the Name of the Lord! That's the Foundation Stone.
72And to think, two thousand years has passed. Athiests has raised, and infidels, and skeptics, and agnostics. But, today, that same Jesus confirms His Word in the same manner by those who hear Him. "Hear Him," don't mean just to hear a sermon. That mean, hear Him. Yes.
73 How shall we escape? Where is our escape? Oh, you say, "Bless God, I belong to the Methodist church. I'm a Presbyterian. I'm a Pentecostal." That doesn't have one thing to do with It. And you get on a side-line and want to call It "spiritualism, or some mental telepathy, or some devil," or something. Shame on them!
74 "If every word was steadfast by the angels..." Jesus said, "It's not... Little while, and the world won't see Me no more. Yet, ye shall see Me, for I'll be with you, even in you, to the end of the age." And when we see Him come down, to continue to confirm His Word, how shall we escape if we sucker to some church, or some organization, or denomination, or some little pet theory of our own? You better turn loose. "For every sin received a just recompense under the angels, how much more when the Son of God is speaking from the Heavens, to make manifest His Word! How shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation?" Oh, my! "God also..."
4th verse:
God also bearing them witness,...
75 Watch this. The Lord bore witnesses. Oh, I am so happy for that! The Lord bore the witness.
76Look. When Elijah set on the hill, and he said, "If I be a man of God, let the fire fall from Heaven and consume you." God bore witness that he was a man of God.
God always bears witness. Your life will bear witness. I don't know what your testimony is, but your life speaks so loud, your voice can't be heard. But, your--your living, your every-day life will testify what you are. God bears witness. Yes. The Holy Spirit is a seal, and a seal takes both sides of the paper. They see you standing here and see you when you go away. Not only in church but at every-day work. You're sealed on both sides, inside and outside. By the joy that you have, and by the life that you live, you're sealed, in and outside, that you know you're saved and the world knows you're saved, by the life that you live, for God bears witness. Blessed be His Holy Name! My, I feel religious!
77 Think of it, brethren, there. Oh! "My sheep hear My Voice, and a stranger they won't follow." Oh, how that our names are on the palms of His hands! It's before Him, day and night. His Word is always before Him, His Promise. He can't forget it. And He loves you.
78Now, He will bear witness of His own. You don't open your mouth and say a word, the world will know something has happened to you.
... bear witness, both by signs and wonders, and by divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
79 Let us take just one Scripture now before closing; on the Day of Pentecost, when they received the Holy Spirit. About four days later, Peter had passed through the gate called Beautiful; he and John. They said, "Look on us," to a man. And he said, "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I'll give you. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And the man looked up and never questioned nothing about it. He just stood up and went walking. They were ignorant and unlearned men. But the Bible said, "They had to take heed to them, for they knew they had been with Jesus."
80Brother, when the world knows that you've been with Jesus, when you can live such an unadulterated life in this present world and in this darkness, that the world knows and can see that you've been with Jesus; when a rugged, old vulgar prostitute of the street can become a lady, washed in the Blood of the Lamb; God is bearing witness that He lives.
81Take a drunkard, who is so low-down that he would run around on his wife, that he would mistreat his children, and take the food from the table, to spend on a prostitute. Let him get with Jesus once. You'll see him returning, like Legion, who was in his right mind and clothed, to his babies and to his wife and to his loved ones. Certainly.
82 Some time ago, about forty years ago, when the religions of the world met, and the different ones got up and spoke. And the Mohammedan spoke for the Mohammedan religion. The Jains spoke for the Jains; the Buddhist for the Buddha. And the little doctor, I forget what his last name was, just at this time. I did know his name, but I have forgotten it. He spoke to represent Christianity. And he told the story of Lady Maccabee of Oklahoma, in America.
She was so ornery and so low-down, till even when they went to kill her, they wouldn't even put their hands on her, she was so vulgar and vile. They had her arrested on a charge: smoking a cigar; driving a stagecoach; and broke the--the--the laws, the records in Oklahoma, when she passed through the street, driving four head of horses. And she was so vile and so dirty until society wouldn't even get around where she was at; so much, till when the executors was going to execute her, they wouldn't hang her. They just poured tar and feathers on her, to kill her.
And when this little preacher give her story, in such a way, till he had the people setting on the end of their seats, listening what would be next. When he got down to that: very vile, dirty, low-down, till the laws wouldn't even want to fool with her, she was so low. The very Devil in hell would reject such a person, nearly, the way he told the story. Then he said, "Gentlemen, of the religions of the world, has your religion got anything that would clean the hands of Lady Maccabee?"
83Everybody set still. Then he clapped his hands together, and jumped up in the air. He said, "Glory be to God! The Blood of Jesus Christ won't only clean her hands, but It'll clean her heart and make her His Bride." Tell you:
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now I'm found,
I was blind, but now I see.
It's grace that taught my heart to fear,
It was grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!
84 Certainly. "How shall we escape, if we neglect such?" You neglect to eat, you'll die. You neglect to turn a corner, you'll wreck. You neglect to milk the cow, she'll go dry. You neglect your teeth, you'll have to have them all pulled out. Certainly. You pay for your neglection.
85O Branham Tabernacle and you visitors, let me tell you something now. You neglect to testify of the glory of God, you neglect to give God the praise and glory, you'll find yourself cold, formal, and backslidden, one of these days. You give God praise. "How shall we escape, if we neglect such a great salvation?"
86 Getting late. I just happened to notice, Brother Toms had walked in back there. We'll close and continue this tonight, the Lord willing.
Let us pray just a moment.
87Our Heavenly Father, to Thee be blessings, and praises, and honor, and glory, and wisdom, and might, and power, for ever and ever. Oh, to that Lamb that set on the Throne, dominions and kingdoms and everything was given over to His hand. When He raised from the dead, for our justification, He screamed to the world, "All power in the Heaven and earth is give into My hand. Go ye, therefore, into all the world and preach the Gospel."
O dear dying Lamb, Thy precious Blood
Shall never lose Its power,
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved, to sin no more.
88 Help us, as ministers, to seeing that we are requiring so much; how we must have a church, we must have this, we must have everything.
89Our women, before going to church, is yet calling themselves Christians, will have to have a certain kind of a dress, or have to be dressed so daubly.
And preachers will have to have so much money before they'll come, and everything has to be so-and-so.
90O Christ, when I read here, "How they wandered about, in sheepskins and goatskins, lived in the dens of the earth, and caves." They wandered about, under vile persecution, and, yet, obtained the Faith, under the ministry of angels. How will we escape, when the Lord Jesus has give us fine homes, and cars, and clothes, and food? And we murmur. We set around. We're lazy. We never try to get out and do something about it. How will we escape, God?
91Oh, I pray that You'll burn old-fashioned conviction into every heart, this morning, Lord, that the people might be up and at it. Let us work while the daylight is shining, because the sun is swiftly sinking. And civilization is going, and there'll be no more time. It'll blend into Eternity.
92O God, grant today that we go with fresh vision, with wisdom, with understanding, to know how to approach sinners and bring them to Christ. Hear the prayer of Your servant, Lord.
93 I ask, if there be any here, that doesn't know Christ as their Saviour, would you raise your hand and say, "Remember me, Brother Branham"? Would you just raise your hand, say, "Remember me. I want to be a Christian. I don't want to neglect it any longer"? God bless you, back there, sir. Someone else? Say, "I want to raise my hand, Brother Branham. And I want to accept Christ, as my Saviour, I've neglected, all the time. Oh, I go to church, sure, I belong to church."
- 60-1231 Revelation, Chapter Four #1
- 57-0922E List Židom 7. kap, 2.časť (Hebrews, Chapter Seven #2) | list židom,zidom
- 57-0915M List Židom 6. kap, 3.časť (Hebrews, Chapter Six #3) | list židom,zidom
- 57-0915E List Židom 7. kap, 1.časť (Hebrews, Chapter Seven #1) | list židom,zidom
- 57-0908M List Židom 5. a 6. kap, 1.časť (Hebrews, Chapter Five And Six #1) | list židom,zidom
- 57-0908E List Židom 6. kap, 2.časť (Hebrews, Chapter Six #2) | list židom,zidom
- 57-0901M List Židom 3.kap (Hebrews, Chapter Three) | list židom,zidom
- 57-0901E List Židom 4.kap (Hebrews, Chapter Four) | list židom,zidom
- 57-0828 List Židom 2.kap, 3.časť (Hebrews, Chapter Two #3) | list židom,zidom
- 57-0825E List Židom 2.kap, 2.časť (Hebrews, Chapter Two #2) | list židom,zidom
- 57-0821 List Židom 1.kap (Hebrews, Chapter One) | list židom,zidom