Kto je Toto?
Duch Svätý predchádza príchod Pána Ježiša. A ako sa Duch Svätý začína vystierať naprieč zemou, prelamujú sa ohne prebudenia na každom mieste, dejú sa veľké znamenia a zázraky, uzdravenia, vychádzajú proroctvá. Všetko zhromažďovanie apoštolských požehnaní znovu prišlo naspäť do Cirkvi. Tak, ako to bolo vtedy, tak je to teraz, duch neveriaceho stále kričí, „Kto je toto?“
Niektorí ľudia uverili v Pána Ježiša tak, že verili, že On je dobrým človekom. Niektorí povedali, „Je to dobrý človek.“
To je to, čo hovoria dnes, snažia sa Ho umiestniť ako Napoleona, bojovníka. Snažia sa Ho umiestniť ako Georga Washingtona, verného človeka. Ale On bol viac ako to.
Všimli ste si to pri tom čítaní Písma? Oni povedali, „Toto je nejaký prorok, ktorý prichádza z Galiley.“
A oni sa snažia povedať to isté dnes, keď vidia toto veľké hnutie Pána, prinavrátenie zdravia, kde Ho chorí a postihnutí vidia, ako používa Svojho Ducha vo Svojej Cirkvi, ako rozpoznáva myšlienky ľudí, vidia Ho konať práve tie veci, ktoré On konal, keď bol tu na zemi, aby sa vyplnilo to, čo On povedal, že sa vyplní. Istotne. Cirkvi a ľudia sa toto pýtajú, „Kto je toto?“
Oni nerozumeli, kým Ježiš je, pretože niktorí z nich Ho nedokázali uznať pomocou svojich škôl. „Z akého vyšiel seminára? Z akej školy teológie vyšiel?“
A tak je to dnes. Väčšina ľudí, ktorí sú pomazaní Duchom Svätým, neprišli zo žiadneho semináru. Oni sú produktami Božieho vlastného výberu. Ale znamenia a zázraky a divy, ktoré boli zasľúbené v Biblii, sprevádzajú tohoto veľkého Ducha Svätého, ako sa pohybuje medzi ľudmi.
1 Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat. Je to tak milé, prísť do domu Pánovho. Myslím si, že…
2 Študoval som pred nejakým časom niektoré miesta Písma a bolo tam povedané, že keď sa Ježiš priblížil k Jeruzalemu, učeníci pozdvihli svoje oči a videli v diaľke to sväté mesto a začali sa radovať a hovoriť, „Či teraz bude prinavrátené Kráľovstvo?“
3A tento určitý muž, ktorý im hovoril alebo rozprával o tej nedávnej návšteve Palestíny, a povedal, že tí ľudia teraz v tom poslednom roku prichádzajú na miesto, až keď prichádzajú z údolia a dívajú sa za obzor, že to je tam tá istá cesta, po ktorej Ježiš a učeníci išli v tom čase, a keď oni uvideli to mesto, začali plakať.
4Viete, verím, že na tých učeníkoch tam v tých dňoch niečo bolo, oni cítili, že Kráľovstvo bude znovu prinavrátené.
5A teraz je takmer ten čas. A ja verím, že to je ten pocit, ktorý je na ľuďoch, že Kráľovstvo je takmer pripravené, aby bolo znovu prinavrátené.
6Brat Neville, náš šľachetný a požehnaný pastor, práve so mnou hovoril o snahe mať nadchádzajúce prebudenecké zhromaždenie, tu v modlitebni, na pár večerov, aby sme sa za to modlili. A ja som mu povedal, že si myslím, že by to bola veľmi požehnaná vec.
7Nedokážete mať príliš veľa prebudeneckých zhromaždení, a mnohokrát máme nesprávny názor na prebudenie. Prebudenie, nie je tak veľmi o tom priviesť nových členov, ale to je obživiť to, čo už máme. A ja som…
8Chcel by som povedať toto, pretože to hovorím z hĺbky svojho srdca. Začínam nachádzať taký odlišný pocit okolo modlitebne, oproti tomu, čo to bývalo za dlhý čas, taká atmosféra v hlbokom duchovnom zmysle, ako to zvyklo byť veľmi dávno, že je to niečo, čo stabilizuje a má to skutočný základ. A ja dôverujem, že Boh požehná tento malý zbor a… Znovu vo Svojej moci.
9A vidím, ako prebieha ten program budovania, a myslím si, že je to veľká vec. Pretože skôr či neskôr, my, starší ľudia, zložíme zbrane a podáme ich späť do rúk našich detí a vykročíme tými zlatými schodami hore.
10Nedávno som prešiel tú značku v polovici, to je päťdesiatka. A neviem si to vôbec uvedomiť. Nezdá sa to, že by to bol tak dlhý čas, odkedy som prepravoval potraviny pre Chrisa Misnera, keď som mal osemnásť, šestnásť, osemnásť rokov. Ale niekam to odišlo. To len ukazuje, že tu nemáme žiadneho zostávajúceho mesta, ale hľadáme to, ktoré má prísť. A to je to Mesto, kde Boh je Staviteľ, a tam už nebude žiadneho konca.
11 Dnes ráno, ako som hovoril na tému Dňa matky a snažil som sa umiestniť matku, nie, aká ona v skutočnosti je vo svojom starom veku s vráskami, a tak s barlami alebo na nejakom invalidnom kresle, alebo sedí vo veľkom kresle a vedľa nej je malý kvetináč s kvetmi, ale snažil som sa umiestniť matku do vzkriesenia, kde je jej prinavrátená jej mladosť a postavenie, kde svieti ako kráľovná. To je to, ako rád myslím na moju matku. Nerád na ňu myslím na takú, aká je dnes, aká je stará. Rád premýšľam o tom, čo prichádza. A ja viem, že vy to tak cítite ohľadne svojich mám. Mysli na ňu, aká ona je v skutočnosti vo svojom srdci. Hoci mnohé… Ako povedal básnik, „Život pre ňu nebol ľahký. Ale ona to znovu prežije, len aby mohla pre teba niečo urobiť.“ Tak Boh to urobí tak, aby mohla žiť navždy s tebou. Som z toho tak rád.
12Neviem, prečo som dnes ráno dal tento oznam, že budem dnes večer hovoriť, ak bude Pán chcieť, na tému Kto je toto? Istotne neviem, ako to dokážem. Ale bol som zaneprázdnený do času asi hodina a desať minút dozadu s rozhovormi po celé popoludnie, a mal som špeciálne a núdzové hovory. Nestihol som ich.
13 A chcem, aby ste sa ďalej modlili za doktora Sama. Je na tom celkom dobre a sme za to vďační. A doktor Baldin a pani Baldinová sa obaja zotavujú. Darí sa im dobre.
14 Chcem, aby ste si dali na svoj modlitebný zoznam dnes popoludní niekoho nového. A to je Harry Leese tu zdola, lekárnik. Harry je môj osobný priateľ. A pokiaľ ho poznám, myslel som si, že je Kresťanom až do tohoto popoludnia, keď jeho brat požiadal o spasenie jeho duše. Brat Mike Egan priniesol…, je naším dôverníkom, priniesol tie správy. A Harry je vo vážnom stave, je v nemocnici. Nevedel som, že si tak veľa o mne myslel, ale on dnes popoludní odmietol svojho vlastného pastora alebo pastora cirkvi, kam chodí, a chcel, aby som ho prišiel navštíviť. A tak ho chcem ísť navštíviť. Tak modlite sa za Harryho.
15Sme dnes večer radi, že tu spoznávame mojich priateľov, zdola z Georgie, brata Evansa a jeho rodinu. A vidím tiež iných návštevníkov, ktorých som nepoznal, pravdepodobne tu boli už ráno.
16Ak sa nemýlim, vidím brata a sestru Elmer Collinsových, tam vzadu z Phoenixu v Arizone. Ó, vy ste sa nezmenili. Vyzerá to, že si mal mať svoju železničnú uniformu a že prichádzaš zo železnice. Tak vitaj späť doma! Nemôžem ťa požiadať, aby si tu zostal, pretože ty si našiel lepšie miesto, vidíš, to je veľmi pekné vo Phoenixe. Sám by som tam rád niekedy býval.
17A potom, vidím tu brata Smitha z Cirkvi Božej. Brat Smith, minule alebo včera neskoro popoludní mi dali tvoju malú knižku. Ešte som ju nečítal, ale istotne ju podporím, pokiaľ viem, že si to ty napísal. Musí to byť skutočné, pravdivé podľa Písma. Nech ťa Boh žehná. A dúfam, že to bude úspešné.
18A mnohým ďalším by som mohol povedať, všetci ste tu v modlitebni vítaní. Páčila sa mi dnes ráno tá pieseň, ktorú spievala sestra Strickerová, „On sa na ňu díva cez mrežu.“ Sú to moji menonitskí bratia, sme radi, že sú tu. A, ó, vy všetci a myslím, že tu môj priateľ z Illinois, jeho syn robí tam vzadu nahrávanie, musím sa s nimi znovu stretnúť. A tak mnohých, mohol by som… Nemyslite si, že vás prehliadam, ak nepoviem vaše meno, ale ja vás jednoducho všetkých vítam.
19Prečítajme dnes večer pre lekciu Písmo z Matúša, dvadsiatej prvej kapitoly, počnúc prvým veršom a budeme čítať až dolu po jedenásty verš vrátane.
A keď sa priblížili k Jeruzalemu a prišli do Betfágy, k Olivovému vrchu, vtedy poslal Ježiš dvoch učeníkov
a povedal im: Iďte do mestečka, ktoré je tu pred vami, a hneď najdete oslicu, priviazanú, a osliatko s ňou; odviažte ich a priveďte ku mne.
A keby vám niekto niečo povedal, poviete, že ich Pán potrebuje, ale že ich hneď pošle.
A to všetko sa stalo, aby sa naplnilo to, čo bolo povedané skrze proroka, ktorý povedal:
Povedzte dcére Siona: Hľa, tvoj Kráľ ti ide, tichý, jazdiac na oslici a na osľati podrobenej jarmu.
A učeníci odišli a urobili, jako im rozkázal Ježiš,
a priviedli oslicu aj osľa, položili na ne svoje rúcha a na tie ho vysadili.
A väčšina zástupu prestierali svoje rúcha na cestu, a zase iní sekali letorasty so stromov a stlali na cestu,
a zástupy, ktoré išli pred ním, a ktoré išli za ním, kričali a hovorili: Hosanna v Synovi Dávidovom! Požehnaný, ktorý prichádza v mene Pánovom! Hosanna na výsostiach!
A keď vošiel do Jeruzalema, vzbúrilo sa celé mesto, a všetko hovorilo: Kto je toto?
A zástupy vraveli: Toto je Ježiš, ten prorok z Galilejského Nazareta.
Skloňme naše hlavy k modlitbe.
20Ó, Pane, my sme len zvedaví, čo by sme my povedali, ak by sme žili tam v tých dňoch. Ale my žijeme vo väčšom dni, keď vyhliadame Toho, ktorý má prísť, a tak, ako teraz robíme prípravu, Pane, pripravujeme svoje srdcia a prinášame všetky tie snopy, ktoré dokážeme zozbierať z polí žatvy, oboje doma aj v zahraničí. Rozmýšľame a očakávame na ten čas, kedy Ho uvidíme prichádzať, ako bude jazdiť na bielom koni prichádzajúc dolu z tých portálov slávy, aby zmenil ten poriadok týchto starých porušiteľných tiel, ktoré máme, na to slávne telo, ktoré bude ako to Jeho, kde už nebude môcť byť žiaden hriech alebo žiaden znak smrti, to tam nikdy nevstúpi. A my uvidíme Toho, ktorý je a je živý, a budeme Ho milovať počas všetkých tých vekov, ktoré majú prísť.
21Ďakujeme Ti za túto cirkev a za jej pastora a za dôverníkov a diakonov a za každú osobu, ktorá sem prichádza, a za návštevníkov, ktorí sú v našich bránach, ktorí sú ovcami z toho istého ovčinca, ale z inej časti. Chceme Ťa poprosiť, aby si ich dnes večer požehnal Svojou prítomnosťou.
22A kŕm nás Tvojím Slovom, aby sme dnes večer mohli odtiaľto odísť s rozhodnutím byť lepšími Kresťanmi, akými sme kedykoľvek boli. Nech pôjdeme s novou nádejou v našich srdciach a radosťou očakávajúc Jeho príchod.
23Ak by tu náhodou bol medzi nami niekto, kto je chorý alebo postihnutý, nechceme zabudnúť modliť sa za nich. Aby tak mohli… Ako dnes večer prichádzame do tejto budovy, kde sme sa spolu zhromaždili k uctievaniu, prichádzame a sú tu chorí, nech môžu odísť zdraví.
24 A chceli by sme poprosiť za tých, ktorí sa zotavujú v domoch a nemocniciach a sú na posteliach a trpia. Modlíme sa, ó, Bože, aby sa Tvoje milosrdenstvo vystrelo ku nim dolu.
25 Chceme sa modliť za tých, ktorí sú dnes večer ľahostajní, ktorí ešte neochutnali a neuvideli, že Pán je dobrý, ktorí ešte nevedia, čo to znamená byť milovaný Bohom. Oni jednoducho nerozumejú, čo im chýba. Ó, Bože, nech nejaké rádio vysielanie alebo nech sa nejakým spôsobom dotkne ich sŕdc, aby ich emócie boli obrátené ku Tebe, predtým, ako budú dvere milosrdenstva zatvorené a oni budú vymknutí vonku a budú stáť pred súdmi, bez milosti.
26 Pomôž nám, Pane. Modlíme sa o tieto veci v Mene Pána Ježiša a prosíme to na Jeho slávu. Amen.
27Ľudia boli okolo brán tak natlačení a ulice boli zaľudnené a nebolo pre ľudí žiadneho miesta na spanie. Ležali tam pred múrom všade po zemi, pretože toto bol čas Veľkej noci. A ľudia od všetkých častí toho známeho sveta prišli v tomto čase uctievať. Bol to čas, keď bol zabitý ten paschálny baránok. A to reprezentovalo ich vyslobodenie z Egypta, z otroctva. A oni to každý rok zachovávali. Každý rok, táto Veľká noc mala svoje miesto. A bol to jeden z najohromnejších časov… Alebo udalosti židovského náboženstva, pretože to znamenalo pre nich čas, kedy boli vyslobodení.
28 Všetci ľudia radi myslia na ten čas, kedy zostali vyslobodení. Ako sa každý jeden z nás dnes večer môže vrátiť späť do času, kedy sme boli vyslobodení! Čo to len pre nás znamená!
29 Pamätám si svoje vlastné prežitie, ako moje biedne chlapčenské srdce túžilo dotknúť sa Boha. Pomyslel som si, „Ó, ak by som len mohol ísť a zaklopať na Jeho dvere a trošku s Ním pohovoriť,“ a, samozrejme, poznáte môj príbeh. Zohnal som si papier a ceruzku a išiel som Mu napísať list, pretože som nedokázal k Nemu hovoriť. A vedel som, že On žije v lesoch, pretože ja som Ho počul a videl som Ho pohybovať sa v lesoch. A určitá stará známa cestička, ktorou som zvykol chodiť, keď som išiel poľovať alebo chytať ryby. Pomyslel som si, „Ja to len jednoducho pripnem na strom a budem to adresovať Pánovi Ježišovi.“ Len jednoducho nejaký spôsob, aby som mohol zložiť to bremeno zo svojho srdca.
30 Ó, aký večer to tam vtedy bol! Mohol by som zabudnúť na to, koľko mám rokov, mohol by som niekedy možno zabudnúť, ako sa volám, ale nikdy nedokážem zabudnúť na tú hodinu, kedy ma On vyslobodil z hriechu. Niečo sa vo mne vo vnútri stalo, niečo, čo mi pomohlo prejsť cez tie veľké hodiny temnosti. Tá hodina môjho vyslobodenia, tá ťarcha hriechu ma opustila, a ja som sa stal novou osobou. Odvtedy som novým stvorením v Kristu Ježišovi.
31A títo Židia prichádzali každý rok, a tam vnútri v tej cirkvi bol prameň. A oni vzali chlieb a horké zeliny a baránka a pili z tohoto prameňa cirkvi. A spolu sa radovali, pretože Boh im preukázal Svoju priazeň. Takže toto bol čas Paschy. A nielen, že toto bola pascha, ale to bola špeciálna Pascha.
32Viete, že niekedy sú chvíle, kedy prichádzame do zboru a… Vždy tam milujeme ísť, ale niekedy je niečo špeciálne, čo sa deje.
33A toto bol jeden z takých časov. Vzduch bol nabitý očakávaním práve tak, ako je dnes. Všetky oči tých, ktorí Ho milovali, Ho pozorovali, ako vstupuje do brány.
34 A ja verím, že to je veľmi podobne tak aj dnes, pre tých, ktorí Ho milujú a vyhliadajú Ho. Vzduch je nabitý očakávaním.
35Keď žijeme v tomto dni, kedy sa zem v skutočnosti stala jedným veľkým kotlom pušného prachu a veda nám hovorí, že je „Tri minúty pred polnocou“. A som si istý, že ste, tak ako ja, jedného dňa čítali príbeh o tomto generálovi v armáde, ktorý povedal, že „ak kedy ešte bude ďalšia vojna, ona bude trvať asi len dve alebo tri minúty.“ Tie dávne dni bojovania a strieľania z pušiek a kopania zákopov sú preč. Oni tvrdia, že ďalšia vojna bude trvať len dve alebo tri minúty. Jedného dňa nejaká šialená prevrátená osoba otvorí tú pokrývku a odpáli jednu z týchto bômb. A keď to urobia, my máme všade odpočúvacie zariadenia, všade, aby sme odpálili odvetu. Svet to jednoducho nedokáže prežiť.
36Každý v tej veľkej noci vedel, že niečo sa chystá stať, ale oni len nevedeli, čo to je.
37A tak isto je to dnes. Takmer každý vie, že niečo sa ide stať. Každý to vie. Môžete hovoriť s hriešnikom, môžete hovoriť s obchodníkom, môžete hovoriť s kýmkoľvek a, ó, je to taký čas nepokoja pre svet.
38Ale môžete hovoriť s mužom alebo ženou, ktorí vyhliadajú Jeho príchod, a na ich tvárach svieti sláva. Oni pozorujú na tú veľkú udalosť. Tak, povetrie je znovu nabité očakávaním na niečo, čo sa má stať. Svet nevie, čo sa chystá stať, ale Cirkev živého Boha to vie, čo sa ide stať. Oni vedia, že trúba čoskoro zatrúbi a my Ho uvidíme prichádzať jazdiaceho zo slávy na bielom koni, a ako Ho budú nasledovať armády neba. A tí, ktorí sú mŕtvi v Kristovi, budú vytrhnutí a vzatí, aby Ho stretli v povetrí. To je to, čo vyhliadame. Túžime po tom.
39A je nám povedané, že duše tých matiek, a tak ďalej, o ktorých sme dnes ráno hovorili, ktoré sú pod Božím oltárom a kričia, „Ako dlho, Pane? Ako dlho?“ Matka ťa chce vidieť toľko, ako ju chceš vidieť ty. A naší milovaní nás chcú stretnúť tak veľmi, ako chceme stretnúť my ich.
40Čo za zhromaždenie to bude, keď On príde! Stretnúť našich milovaných a vidieť ich vo vzkriesených telách a oslávených a ako budú kráčať s Dedičom vzkriesenia, pozorujúci ich charakter, ako je zmenený na miernosť a tichosť. A to nebude taký hurhaj a hluk a vyskakovanie a trhanie, pretože my budeme mať celú večnosť, aby sme žili spolu.
41Ó, tento veľký neurotický vek, v ktorom žijeme, nie je takmer na nič čas, on sa len šplhá, šklbe a uchvacuje, ó, je to hrozný deň.
42 Potom, ako oni čakali na niečo, čo sa malo stať, bolo to príliš zlé, že mnohí z tých, ktorí boli na Pasche, Ho nikdy neuvideli. Pritom vedeli, že niečo sa stane, ale nedostali sa tam, aby Ho uvideli.
43Tak isto to bude pri príchode Pánovom. Je dnes mnoho nepokojných ľudí, ktorí vedia, že niečo sa chystá stať, ale oni Ho nikdy neuvidia. Pretože On príde v tichosti polnoci, aby vychvátil Svoju malú Cirkev, ktorá túži a očakáva a čaká, aby Ho uvidela. To sú tí, ktorých On príde vychvátiť. Mnohí z tých ľudí vo svete, ktorí žijú v blahobyte a hostia svoje duše na veciach tohoto sveta, nikdy nespoznajú, čo sa stalo, až kým Cirkev neodíde do slávy, pretože On príde ako zlodej v noci a vychváti ich preč. Tak môžeme vidieť, že sme znovu späť na tom istom mieste. Teraz zisťujeme, že tieto očakávania, že Boh prichádza ku tým, ktorí... Cez celé Písmo to bolo stále rovnaké. Že oni sú… On sa vždy zjavuje tým, ktorí Ho očakávajú, vždy tým, ktorí Ho chcú vidieť. A som si istý, že to je tá nádej, ktorá je dnes večer na našich srdciach.
44Nazdávam sa, že to bolo pred asi šiestimi mesiacmi, svedčil som nejakým ľuďom. A povedal som, „Ó, len pomyslieť na to, že On môže prísť každú chvíľu!“
45 A to, čo ma doviedlo do toho, aby som to povedal, bolo, že som rozprával o bratovi Bosworthovi. Keď som išiel navštíviť tohoto starého svätého, keď sme sa dopočuli, že on zomiera, mal niečo cez osemdesiat rokov, išli sme tam spolu s manželkou, aby sme ho ešte videli predtým, ako zomrie. Len som mu musel niečo povedať. Rád vidím svätých, ako vstupujú do slávy, a ja som ho musel vidieť. A takmer som na aute zodral gumy.
46Ale keď som sa tam dostal, vbehol som do dverí a tam v rohu ležal tento starý patriarcha. Zdvihol hlavu, keď ma uvidel prichádzať. Jeho staré, chabé ruky viseli dolu, mäso mu na nich viselo. A vystrel ku mne ruky a ja som ho schytil za krk a zvolal som, „Môj Otče, môj Otče, vozy Izraelove a Jeho jazdcovia,“ lebo on bol posvätený, zbožný muž.
47A povedal som, „Brat Bosworth, chcem sa ťa niečo opýtať. Veríš, že zostaneš uzdravený?
On povedal, „Ó, ja vôbec nie som chorý.“
Povedal som, „No, čo sa potom deje?“
48„Odchádzam Domov.“ Povedal, „Som unavený, som opotrebovaný a jednoducho chcem ísť Domov.“
49 Povedal som, „Potom si uvedomuješ, že zomieraš?“ Povedal som, „Chcem sa ťa niečo opýtať. Dívajúc sa spätne na tých niečo viac ako sedemdesiat rokov tvojej služby, čo bol ten najslávnejší moment? Mohol by si mi, prosím, povedať, aké prežitie si mal počas celého toho obdobia, o ktorom by si mohol povedať, že to bola tá najveľkolepejšia hodina?“
50Budem žiť, až uvidím jeho vek a nikdy nezabudnem, ako na mňa zahľadeli tie jeho tmavé oči ponad vrchný okraj jeho okuliarov. Povedal, „Môj drahý brat, toto je ten najveľkolepejší moment môjho života. Neviem pomyslieť na žiaden iný čas, ktorý by bol slávnejší ako práve toto teraz.“
51Pozrel som sa mu rovno do tváre a povedal som mu, „Pane, či stále nevieš, že zomieraš?“
52 On povedal, „Brat Branham, ja tu ležím a čakám na Neho každú minútu, že otvorí dvere a príde a vezme ma so Sebou Domov,“ to je spôsob, ako zomrieť. To je spôsob, ako odísť.
53A ako viete, asi dve hodiny predtým, ako zomrel… On tam ležal v kóme asi dva dni. A keď prišiel k sebe, zdvihol sa v tej izbe a začal hovoriť so svojou ženou. Potom zrazu, zdalo sa, ako keby bol priesvitný. A on si potriasal ruky dobrú hodinu alebo viac s priateľmi, ktorí už boli mŕtvi štyridsať alebo päťdesiat rokov, ktorí boli jeho obrátení v zbore. Potriasol si svoje ruky so svojou matkou a svojím ockom. Až bol… Až život opustil jeho telo, ľahol si na vankúš a zaspal v náručí Pána Ježiša. Nie je nič také, ako slúžiť Jemu, očakávať Ho.
54A ako som s týmto mužom hovoril o tomto a povedal mu to prežitie, povedal som toto. Povedal som, „Ó, pane, či to nebude slávne, keď Ho uvidíme? Ó, keby len tak prišiel dnes!“
On povedal, „Brat Branham, nestraš takto ľudí.“
Povedal som, „Čo máš na mysli?“
55On povedal, „Ó, nesnaž sa povedať ľuďom, že svet prichádza, vlastne Kristus prichádza. To ich desí.“
56„Ó,“ povedal som, „Nie. Prepáč, pre tých, ktorí Ho vyhliadajú, sú to tie najslávnejšie správy, aké môžu počuť, že Ježiš je práve pripravený, aby sa prelomil sem a vzal Svoju Cirkev.“ Starý vek bude zmenený na mladosť. Radosť bude daná namiesto ponurej atmosféry. Život bude daný namiesto smrti. Smrteľnosť bude zamenená za nesmrteľnosť. Ó, čo za chvíľa, vedieť, že On príde!
57 Oni Ho vyhliadali. Oni Ho očakávali. A keď On prišiel, zistili sme, že tam boli dve skupiny. Jedna bola za Neho a jedna bola proti Nemu.
58A to je to, ako to nachádzame aj dnes. To je to, že Jeho príchod vždy rozdeľuje ľudí. Zakaždým, keď nachádzate Ježiša, nachádzate okolo Neho takých, ktorí s tým budú nesúhlasiť. To je satan. A dnes, keď na to myslíme, nevidíme, že by sa to veľmi menilo. Je to také isté. Ľudia sa menia, ale duchy ľudí sa nezmenili.
59 Tak, keď sa nakoniec pozreli cez bránu a videli Ho, ako prichádza, ako jazdil na tom malom, bielom oslovi, niet divu, že učeníci začali vykrikovať, „Kráľovstvo neba prišlo!“ Ľudia bežali, aby Ho stretli, a celý Jeruzalem bol rozrušený. Niečo na tom je, keď Ježiš prichádza, to vždy rozrušuje. A celé mesto bolo rozrušené. A oni to nedokážu ukryť.
60 A kazatelia toho dňa sa museli zodpovedať za toto rozrušenie, pretože to bol sviatok Veľkej noci. A oni vykrikovali, „Kto je toto?“ Keď bolo povetrie nabité. A príchod Pána Ježiša do Jeruzalema nabil vzduch očakávaniami. Vyzerá to, že tí učitelia mali vedieť, čo sa odohrá. Vyzeralo to, že ten najvyšší kňaz by o tom mal vedieť. Vyzeralo to, že všetci ostatní kňazi to mali vedieť.
61 A to sa vôbec nezmenilo ani dnes, pretože Duch Svätý predchádza príchod Pána Ježiša. A ako sa Duch Svätý začína vystierať naprieč zemou, prelamujú sa ohne prebudenia na každom mieste, dejú sa veľké znamenia a zázraky, uzdravenia, vychádzajú proroctvá. Všetko zhromažďovanie apoštolských požehnaní znovu prišlo naspäť do Cirkvi. Tak, ako to bolo vtedy, tak je to teraz, duch neveriaceho stále kričí, „Kto je toto?“
62Niektorí ľudia uverili v Pána Ježiša tak, že verili, že On je dobrým človekom. Niektorí povedali, „Je to dobrý človek.“
63 To je to, čo hovoria dnes, snažia sa Ho umiestniť ako Napoleona, bojovníka. Snažia sa Ho umiestniť ako Georga Washingtona, verného človeka. Ale On bol viac ako to.
64 Všimli ste si to pri tom čítaní Písma? Oni povedali, „Toto je nejaký prorok, ktorý prichádza z Galiley.“
65A oni sa snažia povedať to isté dnes, keď vidia toto veľké hnutie Pána, prinavrátenie zdravia, kde Ho chorí a postihnutí vidia, ako používa Svojho Ducha vo Svojej Cirkvi, ako rozpoznáva myšlienky ľudí, vidia Ho konať práve tie veci, ktoré On konal, keď bol tu na zemi, aby sa vyplnilo to, čo On povedal, že sa vyplní. Istotne. Cirkvi a ľudia sa toto pýtajú, „Kto je toto?“
66Oni nerozumeli, kým Ježiš je, pretože niktorí z nich Ho nedokázali uznať pomocou svojich škôl. „Z akého vyšiel seminára? Z akej školy teológie vyšiel?“
67A tak je to dnes. Väčšina ľudí, ktorí sú pomazaní Duchom Svätým, neprišli zo žiadneho semináru. Oni sú produktami Božieho vlastného výberu. Ale znamenia a zázraky a divy, ktoré boli zasľúbené v Biblii, sprevádzajú tohoto veľkého Ducha Svätého, ako sa pohybuje medzi ľudmi.
68 A oni dnes hovoria, „Z akej sú školy?“ Akonáhle vstupujete do nejakého mesta, aby ste usporiadali prebudenecké zhromaždenie, „Do akej denominácie patríš?“
69 V piatok popoludní som mal jeden rozhovor s rímskokatolíckym kňazom z Írskej cirkvi v Louisville. A len čo som sa mu predstavil, je to dobrý učený človek, povedal, „Pán Branham, s akou denomináciou ste?“
Povedal som, „Nie som so žiadnou.“
A on povedal, „Boli ste ordinovaný?“
Povedal som, „Áno, pane.“
On povedal, „Kto vás ordinoval?“
70 Povedal som, „Pán Ježiš mi dal Ducha Svätého, aby som kázal Evanjelium, a dal mi poverenie,“ no, to je to poverenie, ktoré potrebujeme.
71Ježiš nikdy nepovedal Svojim učeníkom, „Choďte von do…“ Ja tie veci nekritizujem, ale oni si už svoj deň odžili. On nepovedal, „Choďte, študujte za kazateľa toľko a toľko rokov.“
72On povedal, „Zostávajte v meste Jeruzaleme, kým nebudete odiati do moci z výsosti.“ On to povedal ľuďom, ktorí sa nedokázali ani podpísať. „A po tomto príde Svätý Duch na vás, potom mi budete svedkami, aj v Jeruzaleme, aj v Júdei, v Samárii až do najďaľších končím zeme.“ To je to ordinovanie.
73Nemáme žiaden záznam, že by Ježiš chodil do nejakej školy, alebo že by sa vyučil v nejakých seminároch. A pritom bolo v Jeho Mene vybudovaných tak veľa seminárov pre náboženské účely, viac ako na akúkoľvek inú vec, ktorá je na svete. Nemáme žiaden záznam, že by On kedy chodil do školy. A pritom v Jeho Mene bolo vztýčených viac škôl, ako je pre akýkoľvek iný druh mena, ktoré je pod nebesiami, tie školy. Nevieme o Ňom, že by kedy napísal nejakú knihu. Pritom bolo o Ňom napísaných viac kníh ako všetka ostatná literatúra, ktorá bola kedy napísaná. A dnes, Jeho Biblia je tou najpopulárnejšou knihou, ktorá je na svete, medzi všetkou literatúrou.
74 Ale vidíte, v ten deň navštívenia ľudia kričali, „Kto je toto?“
75Vidíte, Boh berie niečo, čo sa zdá, že je ničím, aby z toho niečo učinil. To je to, čo Ho činí Bohom.
76A keď Ho videli prichádzať, ako jazdiac vstupoval do brány, niektorí ľudia povedali, „On je veľkým človekom.“
77Aj dnes to hovoria. Existujú školy teológie, ktoré dnes vyučujú, že Ježiš bol veľkým človekom, že bol dobrým človekom. Niektorí z nich dokonca hovoria, že bol Prorokom. Tak, ak bol On len Prorokom alebo dobrým človekom, tak sme stále v našich hriechom. On bol viac ako Prorok, On bol viac ako dobrý človek. Pritom bol dobrým človekom. Pritom bol Bohom Prorokom. Ale On bol viac ako to. On bol Bohom zamanifestovaným v tele, aby odstránil hriech.
78 Ako prichádzal, jazdil, mnoho ľudí povedalo, „On je uzdravovateľ. Ó, videli sme Ho, ako otvoril oči slepého. Videli sme Ho, ako spôsobil, že chromý človek začal chodiť. Videli sme Ho, ako sa pomodlil, a horúčka opustila dieťa.“ Ale potom, takýto typ Ho nasledoval len kvôli chlebom a rybám.
79A tak je to dnes s tými mnohými zástupmi. Ak je nejaký uzdravovateľ, no, tak oni ho nasledujú a on je… On je jednoducho oázou. Ak ochorejú, tak k nemu pribehnú, povedia, „Ó, pomodlil by si sa, prosím, za mňa, aby ma Pán Ježiš uzdravil?“ A akonáhle sa dostanú z nemocnice alebo z postele, kde boli chorí, tak sú rovno naspäť vo svete, vracajú sa tam tak ako pes k svojmu vývratku a sviňa ku svojmu blatu, tak, ako povedalo Písmo. Oni Ho len nasledujú kvôli niečomu dobrému, čo z Neho môžu dostať. Oni Ho používajú len ako nejaký talizman alebo niečo, z čoho môžu niečo dostať, a vôbec neočakávajú, že by Mu slúžili. Taký zástup stále dnes ide.
80Bolo tam deväť malomocných uzdravených a jeden sa vrátil, aby Mu vzdal chválu. Alebo to bolo desať? Oni, jeden z nich sa vrátil, aby Mu vzdal chválu, a tí ostatní len išli ďalej preč bez vďaky. A ak by ľudia v Amerike, ktorí boli uzdravení skrze moc Božiu, obrátili svoje srdcia ku Bohu, tento národ by zasiahlo také prebudenie, až by museli zavrieť každú krčmu. To by sa stalo. Trafiky a obchody s alkoholom by boli úplne mimo obraz. Cirkvi by boli plné. Divadlá by boli v nedeľu večer prázdne. A cez celý národ by bolo prelomené prebudenie. Ale keď to vidia, ako sa to deje, tie veci, ktoré Boh robí, oni stále kričia, „Kto je toto? Kto je tento, kto prichádza? Odkiaľ prišiel? Kto je toto? Skrze akú autoritu to činí?“
82Nikdy nezabudnem na to, keď som bol Johannesburgu v Južnej Afrike. Práve som vtedy prišiel, bolo to asi tridsať minút predtým, ako malo letieť lietadlo. Bol som pred tým tri dni a noci vo vzduchu, bol som tak unavený, že som sotva vedel stáť. Vzali ma na tú veľkú plochu, kde bolo zhromaždených asi päťdesiat alebo šesťdesiat tisíc ľudí. A len čo som sa dostal na pódium, až Duch Svätý… Videl som, ako tam cez to miesto prechádza autobus. A malo to na sebe znak, „Durban.“ Uvidel som nejakého mladého muža, ktorý sa tam vyšmykol od svojho otca a matky, mal jednu nohu šesť alebo osem palcov kratšiu ako tú druhú. Mal na sebe bielu košeľu s trakmi, ktoré mu držali nohavice. A všimol som si toho mladého muža. Znovu som sa pozrel. Videnie bolo preč. A potom v jednej chvíli som uvidel to svetlo, ako visí nad nejakým mladým mužom, vzadu v publiku. A pozrel som sa a pomyslel som si, „Niekde som ho už videl.“ Pozoroval som ho a to svetlo ďalej nad ním viselo ešte pár minút. A čakal som na prekladateľa, kým uchytí tie ďalšie slová. A potom som videl znovu toho istého mladého muža, ako sa postavil, odhodil barle a tá o šesť palcov kratšia noha sa narovnala do normálu s tou druhou.
83 Povedal som pánovi A. J. Schoemanovi, ktorý je dnes večer už v sláve. Povedal som, „Pán Schoeman, cituj len moje slová. Je to videnie.“
On povedal, „V poriadku.“
84A povedal som, „Ten mladý muž, ktorý tam vzadu sedí s tou bielou košeľou a s trakmi, prišiel z mesta, ktoré sa nazýva Durban, nejakých tisíc päťsto kilometrov cez krajinu autobusom. A musel sa vyšmyknúť otcovi a matke, aby prišiel. Ale On uveril v Pána Ježiša a on má jednu nohu kratšiu od tej druhej o šesť palcov.“
85A ten mladý muž vyskočil. A tam bol a stál, snažil sa pocítiť svoje barle. A povedal som, „Mladý muž, Pán Ježiš ťa uzdravil.“ A okamžite sa jeho noha narovnala o šesť palcov do normálu spolu s tou druhou. A oni toho mladého muža priviedli na pódium a lekári ho tam vyšetrili. Vidíte jeho fotografiu v mojej knižke.
86Stál som tam už vtedy nejakú chvíľu a videl som malé zelené auto, ako sa valí ulicou a dostalo šmyk. Otočilo sa smerom dozadu a narazilo do stromu. Bolo tam mladé blonďavé dievča, ktoré si zlomilo chrbticu. A povedal som, „Vidím malé zelené auto, ako sa šmyklo a narazilo do stromu, a mladé blonďavé dievča, okolo osemnásťročné, si zlomilo chrbát. Je vo vážnom stave.“ Nikto neodpovedal. A nikde som ju v tom obrovskom veľkom publiku ľudí nedokázal vidieť. Stál som tam ešte nejakých pár minút. Povedal som, „Rozumejte. To je… Nebuďte podozrievaví. To je Pán Ježiš v moci vzkriesenia. On poslal Ducha Svätého, aby pokračoval vo Svojej práci.“ A potom som uvidel, ako sa znovu odohralo to videnie. A nedokázal som vidieť tú mladú ženu.
87A rovno potom, stálo to rovno predo mnou, tu bolo to Svetlo, ako Ho vidíte na obrázku. A stálo tu. Vykročil som tam a ona tam ležala dolu pod pódiom. Povedal som, „Mladá dáma, Pán Ježiš ťa uzdravil.“ A ona sa rozplakala.
88 Jej matka povedala, „Ó, nie, nehovorte jej, aby vstala!“ Povedala, „Ak sa pohne, zomrie!“
89A tá mladá dáma vyskočila na nohy, kričala a chválila Boha. A jej matka odpadla a spadla do toho lehátka, v ktorom ležalo to dievča.
Čo je to?
90 Asi v tom čase, nejaký kritický človek povstal tam niekde vzadu, a postavil sa jednou nohou na sedadlo a jednou na druhé a povedal, „Ty Američan! Vyzývam ťa, v akom Mene toto robíš? Do akej denominačnej cirkvi patríš?“ Vidíte?
91To je stále to isté. Oni nerozumejú. Oni nevyhliadajú tieto veci, cirkvi nevyhliadajú príchod Pánov. A Duch Svätý je tu, aby potvrdil Jeho príchod, aby sa stal. A tak každý chce ísť svoju vlastnou cestou.
To je to, ako to bolo vtedy. Každá skupina mala svoju vlastnú ideu.
92Ale to nie je dnes večer tá otázka. To nie je to, o čom hovorím. To, čo sa vás teraz pýtam, je, čo si vy myslíte, že je Toto, to sa týka vás. Kto je Tento, ktorý sa prechádza hore-dolu národami? Nie ľudia. Ľudia nedokážu robiť tieto veci. Kto je To, kto to hovorí a prehovára k ľuďom v obecenstve, ako sedí tu, tam a tam, a na rozličných miestach v zhromaždení. Keď sú sem privedení muži a ženy, ktorí zomierajú, Kto je Toto?
93 Tá mladá žena, ktorá dnes ráno prišla do krstiteľnice, ktorá zomierala pred tromi týždňami na sarkóm? Žije rovno tu na ulici Maple, pani Baete. A ja som sa opýtal troch lekárov, ktorí boli s ňou. Ona nemala žiadnu šancu na prežitie so svojimi štyrmi alebo piatimi malými deťmi, a moja matka sa snažila o nich starať. Mama povedala, „Bill, ona sa už nikdy nevráti domov.“
94 A ja som išiel tam, kde bola, a Pán Ježiš prehovoril, „TAK HOVORÍ PÁN, ak pôjde do cirkvi a sľúbi, že sa dá pokrstiť na Meno Pána Ježiša a bude slúžiť Bohu, príde domov zdravá.“
A ja som sa jej opýtal, „Urobíš to, pani?“
95A ona povedala, „Všetko, čo hovoríš, urobím.“ Tie bolesti okamžite zmizli. O tri dni neskôr bola doma a lekári nedokážu nájsť po tej rakovine žiadnu stopu.
96Kto je toto, ktorý prichádza v Mene Pánovom? Kto je To? To je Svätý Duch Boží. Aký je tvoj názor na to? Aký je tvoj názor, poznajúc svojho pastora? A keď tu sedíte na týchto stoličkách, sú tu ľudia z pomimo mesta, sedia tu s epilepsiou, sedia… Tu sedí jeden muž, niekde tu, je to menonitský brat, rovno tu a trpí na epilepsiu. Nikdy som ho nepoznal ani nevidel, neviem o ňom nič. A tu zrazu, asi pred dvomi rokmi hádam, alebo tak nejako, áno, pred dvomi rokmi, Duch Svätý to vyzval a povedal, „Tak hovorí Pán.“ Odvtedy nikdy nemal záchvat. Kto je Toto? Kto je Toto?
97Táto žena tu sedela minulú nedeľu, bolo to ostatný raz, kedy som tu bol, musel som prísť odniekadiaľ z Iliinois. A na ďalší deň mala v tele veľký nádor, ktorý bol zhubný. A niektorí najlepší z lekárskej vedy z Illinois ju brali do jednej veľkej kliniky, aby bola v pondelok operovaná. A ona si pretlačila svoju cestu dovnútra. Nikdy v celom svojom živote som ju nevidel, ani o nej nepočul. A tu zrazu ju zatienil Duch Svätý, a povedal jej, kým je, odkiaľ pochádza a že bude na ďalší deň operovaná. Koľkí ste tu boli a videli to? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, „Amen.“ - pozn.prekl.] A videli ste, ako sa tie správy rýchlo rozšírili. Na ďalší deň, keď išla k lekárovi, oni ju brali z kliniky do kliniky a nedokázali nájsť po tom žiadnu stopu.
98Kto je Toto? Ó, Bože, buď milostivý! Kto je Toto, kto to robí? Opovážili by ste sa povedať, že to bol váš pastor? Nikdy. Opovážili by ste sa povedať, že ľudia s tým majú niečo dočinenia? Nikdy. Je to Duch Svätý. To je Duch, ktorý bol na Pánovi Ježišovi, a Jeho príchod je na to, aby zjednotil Samého Seba so Svojou Cirkvou, a to je tak blízko, že On rozširuje Svoje veľké sväté Svetlo, aby vykúpil a priviedol do obecenstva Cirkev Živého Boha na vytrhnutie, ktoré je na blízku. Amen!
99Kto je Toto? Ja nedokážem odpovedať za vás. Ja nemôžem odpovedať za vás. Ale ja môžem odpovedať sám za seba. A za touto svätou kazatelňou dnes večer, pred ušami tohto, tejto spoločnosti, tejto kúpnej ceny Krvi nášho Pána Ježiša, hovorím to z hĺbky svojho srdca. Nie pretože som jeden z vás, nie preto, že by som bol niekým odlišným, ale som jeden z tých vykúpených, ktorí sú umytí Krvou. A ja verím, že to isté Svetlo, ktoré visí dnes večer nad touto Cirkvou, Ten istý ukazuje skrze Svoju prirodzenosť, že to je Ježiš Kristus vo forme Ducha Svätého.
100Ktokoľvek, kto pozná Písma, vie, že Ježiš povedal, „Ja prichádzam od Boha a idem k Bohu.“ Predtým, ako bol učinený telom, keď bol s Mojžišom na púšti, On bol Ohnivý Stĺp. A keď Ho Mojžiš túžil vidieť, On mu nechal vidieť Svoj chrbát. A Mojžiš povedal, „Vyzerá to ako muž.“ Keď bol tu na zemi, On bol človek. On robil práve tie isté veci, ktoré robí dnes skrze ľudí, ktorých vykúpil. On prichádza a nechal si urobiť fotografiu. Čo je to? Po Jeho smrti, pohrebe a zmŕtvychvstaní.
101Pavol bol jedného dňa na svojej ceste do Damašku a zasiahlo a zhodilo ho veľké Svetlo. Tí ľudia okolo neho to Svetlo nevideli. Ale Ono zhodilo Pavla, až ho oslepilo. Po celý zbytok svojho života mal ťažkosti s očami. Raz povedal, „Aby som sa príliš nepovyšoval kvôli tej veľkej miere a hojnosti zjavenia, bol mi daný osteň do tela,“ posol satana, aby ho pohlavkoval. To bolo kvôli veľkosti zjavenia.
102A keď bol Pavol zasiahnutý na svojej ceste, kde prenasledoval ľudí, ktorí robili príliš mnoho hluku, znovuzrodená skupina, ľudia, ktorí boli nazvaní heretikmi. Pavol bol na ceste, aby ich prenasledoval, mal vo vrecku dokumenty, aby ich mohol zatknúť a priviesť do Jeruzalema. A asi uprostred dňa, prišlo tam dolu Svetlo, ktoré ho tak zasiahlo a zhodilo z nôh na zem a on padol do prachu zeme. Potom tam prišiel z toho Svetla Hlas, ktorý hovoril, „Saule, Saule, prečo ma prenasleduješ?“
103A Saul sa obrátil vo svojom slepom stave a pozrel sa hore. A mohol vidieť to veľké slávne Svetlo. A povedal, „Pane, kto si?“
104On povedal, „Ja som Ježiš. Prišiel som od Boha, išiel som k Bohu. Prichádzam od Boha a vraciam sa k Bohu.“ On povedal, „Bude ti ťažko priečiť sa proti ostňom.“
105 Jedno zjavenie na tom svätom piesku, jedenkrát na tom mieste a človek nemôže zostať taký istý. Človek predtým, ako by mohol samého seba nazvať kresťanom, predtým, ako sa môže identifikovať, mal by mať najprv prežitie na zadnej strane púšte, kde stretol Boha tvárou v tvár.
106Pretože dnes dokážete mať akýkoľvek druh odpovedi. Môžete vidieť Pána vykonať presne to, čo On povedal, že bude robiť, a chytrí teológovia vám to vysvetľovaním vyvrátia. Povedia, „To bolo na iný deň. To bolo kvôli tomuto. Alebo to je pre iný vek. Alebo to je nesprávne.“ Tak, ako povedali Ježišovi, „On je Belzebúb, diabol. On číta myšlienky.“ A všetky tie veci, oni na to mali nejakú odpoveď.
107 Ale keď raz človek prišiel do kontaktu s Kristom a uvidel Ho, ako Ho uvidel Pavol, alebo ako Ho prežil, neexistuje na svete dostatok teológov, ktorí by to prežitie toho človeka vysvetľovaním vyvrátili.
108To je dnes ten dôvod. Oni nemajú prežitie. To je dôvod, že nedokážu povedať. Oni všetci hovoria, „Kto je Toto? Čo je Toto? Odkiaľ To pochádza?“ Oni nemajú odpoveď. Prečo? Pretože všetko, čo poznajú, je len teológia, ktorú vytvorila nejaká cirkev. Nie, „poznať teológiu,“ je Život. Nie, „Poznať Bibliu,“ je Život.
109 Ale, „Poznať Jeho,“ je Život. „Poznať Jeho,“ ako svojho osobného Spasiteľa, ako Toho, ktorý ťa naplnil Svojou prítomnosťou. Ty si tam bol, keď sa to stalo. Nikto to od teba nedokáže zobrať preč. Neexistuje nikto, kto ti to dokáže vysvetlením vyvrátiť. Keď sa ti deje to prežitie, ty vieš, kým On je. Pre mňa, On je Ježiš Kristus, Ten istý včera, dnes a naveky.
110Kto je Tento, kto vykonáva tieto zázraky? Kto je To, kto robí tieto veľké skutky? Je to kazateľ? Je to Oral Roberts? Je to Billy Graham? Je to Jack Schuller, William Branham? Ktokoľvek to môže byť, oni s tým nemajú nič do činenia. Oni sú len nástrojmi.
111To je Duch Svätý, ktorý prichádza s Evanjeliom, so znameniami a divmi a zázrakmi, aby pripravil ľudí. Vzduch je nabitý očakávaniami veriacich, ktorí Ho očakávajú, že príde.
112A ostatní hovoria, „Načo tieto prebudenia? Načo to máme? Založme nejakú cirkev.“ No, bolo to povedané, rovno tu v tomto zbore, keď sme začali stavať novú zborovú budovu, niekto povedal, „Nepotrebujeme zázraky. Nepotrebujeme už viac tieto veci. Ak ich chcete, choďte niekam na pole, kde sa to deje. My ich tu nepotrebujeme.“ Keď Branhamova modlitebňa klesne na tak nízke miesto, tak je potopená.
113Tento zbor je založený na princípoch a moci Evanjelia Ježiša Krista. A tak dlho, ako táto modlitebňa stojí, nech by ten slávny Duch Svätý našiel prístup k dušiam, aby zachránil a naplnil ich Svätým Duchom a uzdravil chorých. Pre mňa to je Ježiš Kristus, Ten istý včera, dnes a naveky.
Modlime sa.
114 Ak nevieš, kým On je, nevieš, o čom všetkom toto je, a chcel by si to vedieť, urobil by si aspoň toľko, že by si zodvihol svoju ruku? A povedz, keď dvíhaš svoju ruku, „Modli sa za mňa, brat Branham, aby som Ho mohol poznať.“ A nech vás Pán žehná. Všade naokolo vidím vaše ruky.
115Teraz, Nebeský Otče, prinášame toto Posolstvo a to ovocie ľudí, ktorí zodvihli svoje ruky na znak toho, že oni by radi vedeli, Kto Toto je. Oni by chceli byť oboznámení s týmto veľkým Ježišom. Tým, že Jeho príchod, vzkriesenie je tak blízko, až chorí začínajú byť uzdravení. A potom, ako sa toto deje, potom prišlo do Cirkvi proroctvo, potom dary a zázraky až teraz do toho posledného znamenia. To ďalšie, čo príde, bude vytrhnutie a Cirkev bude vzatá preč. A my, Pane, ktorí tvrdíme, že Ťa poznáme v moci Tvojho vzkriesenia, očakávame a túžime a plačeme a naliehame, „Príď, Pane Ježišu!“
116 Vytrhni Svoju Cirkev a vezmi ju rýchlo preč, Pane. Pretože čoskoro ľudia vyhodia túto zem do vzduchu, zem, ktorú si Ty pre nich stvoril, aby na nej žili, pretože oni Ťa neposlúchli. Oni nehľadali pokoj, ale vojnu. Nehľadali spravodlivosť, ale zlobu. Ako by potom neboli všetci hladní po moci! Pane, to malé miestečko v ich srdci, ktoré spôsobuje, že sú hladní po moci, oni sa to snažia uspokojiť s niečím v laboratóriu, aby vyhodili do vzduchu svojho blížneho.
117Bože, ak by si len mohli uvedomiť, že tá moc, po ktorej túžia, to je moc vzkriesenia Syna Božieho, moc Svätého Ducha, ktorá vie zmeniť ich životy, nie vyhodiť národy do vzduchu, ale zmeniť ich životy a urobiť ich Tvojimi sluhami.
118Mnohí ľudia sú zasiahnutí bláznovstvom. Oni nás označujú ako banda „Nič-nevedov“ a „heretikov,“ tak, ako to robili v tamtom ranom dni. Ale ako sa vracajú a radujú a ďakujú Ti, že môžu niesť pohanenie Tvojho Mena. To je cítenie Tvojich detí, dnes večer, Pane, všade na okolo. My sme len šťastní.
119 Niektorí v Tvojom dni sa Ťa snažili zidentifikovať. Povedali, „On je priateľ toho divocha Jána, ktorý prišiel z púšte, ledva mal nejaké oblečenie, len starú ovčiu kožu, ktorú mal okolo seba omotanú. Taký divý človek, ktorý len hádzal slovami na východ a západ a povedal, 'Sekera je priložená ku koreňu stromu,' povedal. On je Jeho nasledovník. On je divý človek. Je šialený. Pomiatol sa.“ Tá nadprirodzená služba, ktorá bola pri Tebe, ó, Pane, oslepila ich oči.
120A tak isto sa to stalo znovu dnes. Tento veľký Svätý Duch predchádzajúci príchod Pánov, tak, ako Ján vo svojom dni zaslepoval ľudí, pre tých, ktorí nechceli vidieť. Ale tí, ktorí sú ochotní vidieť, Ty si si ich vybral. „A všetci, ktorých Mi dal Otec, ku Mne prídu,“ Ty si povedal, „A žiaden z nich sa nestratí. A Ja ich vzkriesim v ten posledný deň.“ Ďakujeme Ti za to.
121 A tí, ktorí dnes večer zodvihli svoje ruky, modlíme sa, ó, Pane Bože, aby si sa im dal poznať v prežití, v moci vzkriesenia. Udeľ to, Pane.
122 A možno sú tu ďalší, ktorí nezodvihli ruku, ale pritom vo svojom srdci vedia, že by to potrebovali. Modlím sa, aby si ich požehnal a dal im túžbu ich srdca.
123Keď dnes večer opustíme túto budovu, nech by sme mohli ísť ako odlišní ľudia. Nech by sme mohli ísť s odlišným účelom, aký sme mali, keď sme sem prichádzali, ak to bolo v protiklade k Tvojej Božskej vôli. Nech by sme mohli vyjsť s rozhodnutím držať sa rohov oltára, až kým naša duša nie je uspokojená prežitím s Tebou. A poznáme Toho, o ktorom hovoríme, pretože sme Ho stretli a poznali a máme s Ním obecenstvo. Udeľ tieto veci, Otče. Uzdrav chorých a postihnutých.
124Požehnaj nášho milovaného a vzácneho pastora. Bože, modlíme sa, aby si bol s ním a s jeho milými sestrami, ako spievajú Evanjelium a kážu to cez ich rádio vysielanie.
125Požehnaj cudzích v našich bránach. Pane, nech dnes večer vyjdú s takým odhodlaním vo svojom srdci a s účelom, ktorý bude od tejto hodiny slúžiť Ti, ak Ťa nepoznali a neslúžili Ti predtým, nech Ti slúžia. Vediac toto, že, „Všetky ostatné veci vyjdú navnivoč, ale Slovo Pánovo zostane naveky.“ Udeľ to, Otče.
126Odpusť nám všetky naše hriechy. A nech by sme sa stretli pri tom veľkom … [Prázdne miesto na páske - pozn.prekl.]
Pretože On prv miloval mňa
a vykúpil mi spasenie na Golgote.
127Teraz po Posolstve, skloňme len naše hlavy a uctievajme Ho, ako Mu spievame.
Milujem Ho (Z celého svojho srdca),
milujem Ho,
pretože On prv miloval mňa
a vykúpil mi spasenie na Golgote.
128Koľkí Ho skutočne milujete? Zodvihnite svoju ruku, povedzte ako svedok, „Milujem Ho.“ Ó, či nie je On nádherný? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, „Amen.“ - pozn.prekl.] Viete, ja to len tak milujem sedieť takto a len tak nejako nasávať v Jeho prítomnosti. Jeho Slovo vyšlo, ono padlo do sŕdc. Ono nás napráva. Privádza nás k poddaniu sa Jeho Duchu. Aké milé to je, len Ho potom uctievať! Sme tak vďační. Ako teraz pôjdete dnes večer zo zboru, choďte a uctievajte Ho.
129A pamätajte, tento týždeň v stredu večer je modlitebné zhromaždenie. Nezabudnite na vysielanie brata Nevilla v nedeľu alebo v sobotu o deviatej hodine cez WLRP. Ja to jednoducho rád počúvam, vy nie? To kvarteto alebo trio, znie to tak pekne. Moja manželka a ja a deti, všetci sme okolo toho rádia a počúvame brata Nevilla a jeho vysielanie a jeho ohromné slová, ako on vyvyšuje Boha, ktorého miluje a verí Mu. Nehovorím to preto, že…
130Vy, ktorí ste tu cudzí, ak nemáte domovský zbor, príďte a pripojte sa k nám. Poviem vám, nehovorím toto a potom iné tu. Nie veru. Toto som povedal už mnohokrát. Mám rád brata Nevilla. Po prvé, on je teológ. Najprv, on je dieťa Božie. Tá ďalšia vec, on je každý deň ten istý. Poznám ho už roky. On sa vôbec nezmenil, ani trochu. On je stále Orman Neville, sluha Pána Ježiša. A myslím, že má…
131Raz večer som mu zavolal, aby som sa ho opýtal, či by nemal vo svojom programe trochu priestoru pre nás, aby sme prišli a modlili sa za chorých. Niektorí takí prichádzali, bolo to toto ráno, viete. A jeho manželka odpovedala v telefóne a ja som hovoril so svojou ženou o tom tam vzadu.
132A ako Bohu ďakujeme za jeho drobnú, milú manželku a jeho rodinu. To je veľmi pekné. Keď vidíte kazateľa a jeho manželku, ako takto spolu vychádzajú v milote a v pokore, to spôsobuje, že Cirkev napreduje omnoho lepšie. Je to len krajšie, ako dni idú ďalej.
133Milujete Ho z celého svojho srdca? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, „Amen.“ - pozn.prekl.] V poriadku. Máme takú pieseň na rozpustenie, Ber so sebou Meno Ježiš. Zahraj nám, sestra, akord, ak to tam máš v knižke. A zaspievame našu pieseň na rozídenie. A keď zaspievame prvý verš, chceme sa otočiť a potriasť jeden druhému ruky. V poriadku. Daj nám akord.
Ber so sebou Meno Ježiš,
Dieťa smútku, bolesti.
Dá ti radosť, potešenie,
Vezmi Ho, kde len vykročíš.
Vzácne Meno,
ó, aké sladké,
nádej zeme a radosť neba.
Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat.
Vzácne Meno, aké sladké
nádej zeme, radosť neba.
Teraz zaspievame tento verš.
Vezmime si teraz tento verš.
V Mene Ježiša sa skláňame,
padáme k Jeho nohám,
Kráľa kráľov v nebi korunujeme,
Keď sa naša cesta skončí.
(Nebude to úžasné?)
Drahé Meno, (Drahé Meno)... (Ó, aké sladké!)
Nádej zeme a radosť neba;
Vzácne Meno, (Vzácne Meno) Ó, aké sladké!
Nádej zeme a radosť neba.
134Koľkí si pamätáte našu malú pieseň, ktorú sme zvykli spievať „Nezabudni na rodinnú modlitbu“, pamätáte si ju? Viem, Thelma, neviem, či ju vieš, máš akord alebo nie? Skúsme to raz. Nepamätáš si to? Skúsme… Možno by som to raz mohol s vami skúsiť.
Nezabudni na rodinnú modlitbu,
Ježiš sa tam s tebou chce stretnúť,
On prevezme každú tvoju starosť,
ó, nezabudni na rodinnú modlitbu.
135 Koľkí majú rodinnú modlitbu? To je dobré. Skúsme to znovu. Vrátim sa sem. Páči sa mi to. Teraz všetci spolu.
Nezabudni na rodinnú modlitbu,
Ježiš sa tam s tebou chce stretnúť,
On prevezme každú tvoju starosť,
ó, nezabudni na rodinnú modlitbu.
136Ó, Pane, v Písme je napísané, že oni brali z tela Pavla vreckovky a zástery a nečistí duchovia odchádzali od ľudí a nemoci boli uzdravené. Modlíme sa, ó, Pane, aby to bolo podobne ukázané pri týchto ľuďoch dnes večer, ako ich posielam ku tým, ktorí sú v potrebe a nemocní. Niekde tam vonku na rôznych miestach, je tam niekto, kto očakáva a čaká, že toto sa stane. Modlíme sa, Otče, aby si to udelil v Ježišovom Mene, v Mene Tvojho Syna. Amen.
137 Chcem teraz požiadať, ako skloníme svoje hlavy, či by náš veľmi vzácny brat Smith, ktorý je tam z Cirkvi Božej, o ktorom sme zistili, že je práve tak, ako náš brat Neville tu, verným sluhom Božím. Požiadam ho, aby poprosil o požehnania pre vás, aby to pokračovalo tento nadchádzajúci týždeň. Nech vás Boh žehná, kým sa znovu nestretneme.
138 Brat Smith [Brat Smith sa modlí - pozn.prekl.] Áno, Pane. Áno. Áno. Amen.
139Potraste si navzájom ruky. Vitaj znovu späť v modlitebni. Nech vás Boh žehná.
1 God bless you, brother. It's so nice to get to come to the house of the Lord. I think that I was studying some Scripture some time ago, and It said that when Jesus drew near unto Jerusalem, that the disciples lifted up their eyes and they saw the holy city in the distance. And they begin to rejoice, and to say that... "Now will the kingdom be restored?"
And this certain man that was telling, or talking about a recent visit to Palestine... And he said that people now, in the last year has been coming to a place, that when they come up from the valley and look around the bend, the same road that Jesus and the disciples were on at that time, that when they see the city, they start to weep.
You know, I believe there was something those disciples in those days felt that--that the Kingdom would be restored again. And now it's almost time.
I believe that's the feeling that's on the people that the Kingdom is almost ready to be restored again.
2 Brother Neville, our gracious and blessed pastor, has just spoke to me about an oncoming revival effort here at the Tabernacle in a few nights, to be praying about it. And I told him, I thought it would be a blessed thing. You just can't have too many revivals. And many times, we get the wrong opinion of a revival. A revival isn't so much as to bring in new members, but it's to revive that which we already have.
And I'm... I like to say this, because I say it from the depths of my heart. That I begin to find a different feeling around the Tabernacle, than what has been for a long time, a feeling of--of a deep spiritual sense, like that it used to be long time ago. That something that settles, and it's got a real foundation. And I trust that God will bless this little church. And [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] again in His power. And I see the building program going on, and I think that's a great thing. For sooner or later, we older people are going to take off the armor, and hand it back into the hands of our children, and walk up that golden stairway.
The other day, I passed that halfway mark now of fifty years old. I just can't realize that. It don't seem like it's been no time since I was hauling groceries for Chris Misner, about eighteen--sixteen, eighteen years old. It just went somewhere. It just goes to show, that here we have no continuing city, but we're seeking one to come. And that's the City where God is Builder, and there will never be no end there.
3 This morning as I was speaking on the subject of Mother's Day, and trying to place mother, not as she really is in the old age with the wrinkles, and on as her crutches or an old wheelchair, or arm chair, and a little pot of flowers setting by her, but mother in the resurrection, restored back to her youth, and standing shining as a queen.
That's the way I like to think of my mother. I don't like to think of her as she is today--old. I like to think of what's coming. And I know you feel that way about your mothers. Think of her as she really is in her heart. Though many... As this poet says, "Life has not been easy for her, but she'd live it all over again, just to do something for you." So God's going to make it a way so she can live forever with you. So, I'm glad of that.
4 I don't know why I made this announcement this morning that I would speak tonight, if the Lord willing, on Who Is This? Certainly don't know how I'm going to do it. But I been busy up to about hour and ten minutes ago on interviews all afternoon, and had specials, and--and emergency calls. I couldn't make them.
And I want you to continue to pray for Dr. Sam. He--he's coming along fine, and we're thankful. And Dr. Baldin and Mrs. Baldin are both recovering. They're getting along fine.
And I want you to put a new one on your prayer list this afternoon, that's Harry Leese down here, the druggist. Harry's a personal friend of mine. And as long as I've knowed him, I thought he was a Christian, till this afternoon when his brother made a request for the salvation of his soul. Brother Mike Egan brought the... our trustee here, brought the news. And Harry is in a serious condition out at the hospital. I didn't know he thought that much of me, but he turned his own pastor down this afternoon, the pastor of the church where he goes, and wanted me to come see him. And I want to go see him. So, pray for Harry.
5 We're glad here tonight to recognize as my friends here from down in Georgia, Brother Welch Evans and his family. I see also other visitors that I didn't know them, probably was here this morning.
If I'm not mistaken, I see Brother, Sister Elmer Collins back there from Phoenix, Arizona. Oh, you haven't changed. Look like you ought to have on your railroad clothes and--and coming in from the track. And welcome back home, and I can't ask you to stay here, 'cause you found a place better. See? That's very fine, Phoenix. Like to live there someday myself.
And then I see Brother Smith here from the Church of God out there. Brother Smith, it was given me, your little book the other day, yesterday afternoon late. I haven't read it yet, but I certainly will endorse it. As long as I know you wrote it, it's got to be real true Scripture. God bless you, and I hope it's a success.
And many others, I could say you're all welcome here at the Tabernacle. And I enjoyed that song this morning of Sister Stricker, that sang, "He's Looking Through The Lattice At Her."
My Mennonite brethren here, glad to have them in. And oh, all of you.
A friend here, I believe, from over in Illinois. His son's taking recordings in the back. Get to meet them again...
And it's so many I might... Don't think I'm slighting you, if I don't call your name. But I just welcome you all.
6 Now let us read tonight for a Scripture lesson out of Matthew the 21st chapter beginning at the 1st verse, and reading down in 11th inclusive.
And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, there came... and came to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them to me.
And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord has need of them; and straightway he will send them.
All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
Tell the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh in meekness... setting upon the ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes and they set him thereon.
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; and... cut down branches from the trees, and strowed them in the way.
And the multitude that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth...
7 Let us bow our heads for prayer. O Lord, we wonder just what we would have said if we'd a lived in those days. But we are living in a greater day, when we are looking for Him to come. And as we are making preparation, Lord, getting our hearts prepared, and bringing in all the sheaves that we can gather from the harvest fields, both at home and abroad, we are thinking and in anticipating on the time that we shall see Him coming, riding on a white horse, coming down from the portals of glory to change and fashion this old corruptible bodies of ours into a glorious body like unto His own; where there can be no sin or no sign of death ever enter. And we shall see Him as He is, and live and love Him throughout all ages that is to come.
8 We thank Thee for this church, and for its pastor, and for the trustees, and the deacons, and for every person that comes here, and for the visitors that's in our gates, that's sheep of the same fold, but from another corral. We would ask that You would bless them tonight with Your Presence; and feed us on Thy Word, that we might go from here tonight with a determination to be better Christians than we have ever been. May we go with a new hope in our heart, and with joy, waiting for His coming.
If by chance, there would be some among us who are sick and afflicted, we would not forget to pray for them, that they, coming into the building tonight, where we have gathered for the worship, coming in sick, may they go out well. And we would ask for those that are convalescing in the homes and the hospitals, and are on the beds of affliction, we pray, O God, that Your mercy will reach down to them.
9 We would pray for those that are indifferent tonight, that has not yet tasted and seen the Lord is good, that doesn't know what it means to be loved by God. They just don't understand what they are missing. O God, may some radio broadcaster, some way touch their hearts, and their emotions may be turned to Thee before the door of mercy be closed and they be shut out to stand the judgments without mercy. Help us, Lord.
These things we pray in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and for His glory we ask it. Amen.
10 The people was so crowded around the gates, and the streets were jammed, and there was not even room for people to sleep. They were laying outside the wall, all over the grounds; because this was the Passover. And people come from all over the known world to worship at this time.
It was a time when the paschal lamb was slain, and the... It represented their deliverance out of Egypt, the bondage. And they kept this annually; every year this great Passover took place. And it was one of the most outstanding times of the--or events of the Jewish religion, because it meant the time they were delivered. All people love to think of that, the time they were delivered.
11 How that each of us tonight can go back to the time when we were delivered, what it meant to us... I can remember in my own experience, of how my poor boy's heart craved to touch God. I thought, "If I could only go up and knock on His door and talk to Him a little while."
And of course, you know my story. I got me a paper and pencil, and was going to write Him a letter, 'cause I couldn't talk to Him. And I knowed that He lived in the woods, because I'd heard Him, and I'd seen His moving in the woods. And I... A certain old familiar path that I used to go down when I would be hunting or going fishing, I thought I'll--I'll just tack it on the tree and address it to Mr. Jesus. Just some way so that that burden could be from my heart...
On that night down yonder... I might forget my age. I might even forget my name sometimes. But I can never forget that hour when He delivered me from sin. Something took place down inside me, that it's helped me through the great hours and darkness, the hour of my deliverance. The weights of sin left me, and I was a new person. I'd been a new creature in Christ Jesus ever since.
12 And these Jews, they come up each year. And there was a--a fountain inside the church. And they taken the--the bread, and the bitter herbs, and the lamb, and they drank from this fountain in the church. And they rejoiced together, because that God had showed them favor.
So, this being the Passover time... And not only was it the Passover, but it was a special Passover.
You know there's sometimes that we go to church... And we always love to go. But there's sometimes that something special happens. And this was one of those times. The air was charged with expectancy, just as it is today. All the eyes of those who loved Him was watching for Him to come into the gate.
13 And I believe it's a great deal that way today, for those who love Him are looking for Him. The air is charged with expectancy. When we're living in this day, when the earth is--actually has become one great powder keg, and science is telling us it's just three minutes until midnight...
And I'm sure you was reading it, as I, the other day, that story of this general in the army. Said that if there was another war, it would only last just two or three minutes. The old days of battling, and shooting rifles, and digging foxholes, that's all over. They claim the next war will be just two or three minutes. Someday, some topsy-turvy person's going to blow his lid off and fire one of those bombs. And when they do, we've got listening posts everywhere to fire it right back again. The world just can't survive that.
14 Everyone at the Passover knew something was going to happen, but they didn't know just what it was. And that's the way it is today. Most everyone knows that something's fixing to happen. Everyone knows that. You can talk to the sinner. You can talk to the merchants. You can talk to anyone that... Oh, it's such an unresting time for the world.
But you can talk to a man or a woman that's looking for Him coming, and the glory is on their face, shining out. They're watching for that great event.
So, the whole air is charged again expecting something to happen. The world doesn't know what's fixing to happen. But the Church of the living God knows what's going to happen. They know that soon the trumpet will sound, and we'll see Him come, riding out of Glory on a white horse, and the armies of Heaven following Him, and those that are dead in Christ will be raptured and took up to meet Him in the air. That's what we are looking for. We're longing for it.
15 And we're told that the souls of those mothers and so forth we spoke of this morning, just under the altar of God, are screaming, "How long, Lord, how long." Mother wants to see you as much as you want to see her. And our loved ones wants to meet us as well as we want to meet them. What a reunion that'll be when He comes--to meet our loved ones and see them in their resurrection body, and glorified, and walking around with the air of the resurrection. Watching their character, how it's changed, the meekness and quietness, and it won't be a hustle and bustle, and jump and jerk, but we'll have all eternity to live together.
Oh, this great neurotic age that we're living, just not no time for nothing, just climbing and jerking and grabbing, why, it's a terrible day.
16 Then as they waited for something to happen, it was too bad that many of those at the Passover never got to see Him. Yet, they knowed something was going to happen, but yet, they didn't get to see Him. So will it be at the coming of the Lord.
There's many restless people today that knows that something's fixing to happen, but they--they'll never see Him, for He will come in the stillness of the midnight to catch away that little Church that's longing, and waiting, and expecting to see Him. That's the ones He will come and catch away. Many of the world who is living on the glamours, and the--feasting their souls upon the things of the world will never know what happened until the Church is gone into Glory. For He will come as a thief in the night and catch them away. So we can see we're back again to the same place.
17 Now, we find out that this expectations, that God comes to those who... All through the Scriptures, it's been the same thing, that they are... He always appears to those who are expecting Him, always to those who are wanting to see Him. And I'm sure that that's the hope that's on our hearts tonight.
It's been about six months ago I suppose. I was testifying to some people. And I said, "Oh, to think of it: that just most any time He will come."
18 And what caused me to say that, I was speaking of Brother Bosworth. When I went to see that old saint, when we heard he was dying, eighty-something years old... The wife and I going down to--there to see him before he died, I just had to say something to him. I like to watch saints when they're entering Glory. And I had to see him. And we burnt the tires off of the car.
But when I got there and rushed into the door, in the little corner laid that old patriarch. He raised his head up when he seen me coming, his old feeble arms hung out with the flesh hanging down, and he reached his arms for me. And I grabbed him around the neck and screamed, "My Father, my Father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof." For he was a sainted godly man.
And I said, "Brother Bosworth, I want to ask you something. Do you believe that you'll get well?"
He said, "Why, I'm not even sick."
I said, "Well, what's the matter?"
He said, "I'm going home." He said, "I'm tired, and I'm wore out; and I just want to go home."
I said, "Then you realize you're dying?" I said, "I want to ask you something. Back down through the seventy-some-odd years of ministry, what has been your most glorious minute? Could you speak to me, sir, and tell me what experience you had down along the line that you could count your greatest hour?"
19 If I shall live to see his age, I'd never forget, as those dark eyes caught me over the top of those glasses. He said, "My dear brother, this is the greatest moment of my life. I can't think of any time that was any more glorious than right now."
I looked him in the face, and I said, "Sir, do you still know that you're dying?"
He said, "Brother Branham, I'm laying here waiting every minute for Him to open that door and come take me Home with Him."
That's the way to die. That's the way to go. And as you know, that about two hours before he died, he was--been laying in a coma for over two days. And when he come to himself, he raised up in the room, and begin to speak to his wife. Then all of a sudden, he seemed to be transparent. And he was--shook hands for a solid hour or more, with friends who's been dead for forty or fifty years, who was his converts in his church, shook hands with his mother and with his daddy until he was--life was left his body. Laid down on the pillow and went to sleep in the arms of the Lord Jesus. There's nothing like serving Him, expecting Him.
20 And as I talked to this man about this, and told that experience, I said this; I said, "Sir, oh, won't it be glorious when we see Him? Oh, if He would come today."
He said, "Brother Branham, don't scare the people like that."
I said, "What do you mean?"
He said, "Oh, don't try to tell people that the world's coming, or Christ is coming. It worries them."
"Oh," I said, "no, I beg your pardon. To those who are looking for Him, it's the most glorious news that they could hear, that Jesus is just about to break through and to take His Church."
Old age will be changed for youth. Joy will be given in the stead of gloom. Life will be given in the stead of death. Immortality for morality will be exchanged. Oh, what a moment to know that He shall come.
21 They were looking for Him. They were expecting Him. And when He come, we found that there was two factions. One group was for Him, and one was against Him.
And that's the way we find it today. That's what... His coming always has divided the peoples. Every time, when you find Jesus, you find those around who would be contrary with it. That's Satan. And today, when we think of it, we don't see much change: just the same. The peoples has changed, but the spirit of people hasn't changed.
So, when they finally looked out the gate and saw Him come riding on that little white donkey, no wonder the disciples begin to just scream, "The Kingdom of Heaven is come." The people run to meet Him, and all Jerusalem was stirred. There's something about it; when Jesus comes, it's always a stirring. And the whole city was stirred. And they--they can't hide it.
22 And the preachers of that day had to give an account for this stir, because it was at the feast of the Passover. And they screamed out, "Who is This?" When the air charged, and the coming of the Lord Jesus to Jerusalem had charged the air with expectations, it looks like that the teachers ought to know what was going to take place. It looked like that the high priest would've knowed it. It looked like that all of the other priests would've known it.
And it isn't changed any today, because the Holy Spirit is forerunning the coming of the Lord Jesus. And as the Holy Spirit begins to stretch out across the earth, revival fires are broken out everywhere, great signs and wonders has been done, healings has took place, prophesies has went forth. All the gathering of the apostolic blessings has come back to the church again. So as it was then, so is it now. The spirit of the unbeliever still cries out, "Who is this?"
23 Some of them believed on the Lord Jesus, to say He was a good man. Some of them said, "He's a good man." That's what they say today. They try to place Him as a Napoleon, a warrior. They try to place Him as a--a George Washington, a truthful man. But He was more than that.
Did you notice the reading of the Scripture? They said, "This is a prophet that comes from Galilee." And they try to say the same thing today. When they see this great move of the Lord to restore back to health the sick and the afflicted, to see Him use His Spirit in His Church to discern the thoughts of the people, to see Him do just as He did when He was here on earth to fulfill what He said would take place... Certainly. The churches and the people has asking this: "Who is this?"
They didn't understand Who Jesus was, because none of them could recognize Him by their schools. What seminary did He come out of? What school of theology did He come from?
24 And so is it today. Most of the people who are anointed with the Holy Ghost, didn't come from any seminary. They are products of God's Own choosing. But the signs, and the miracles, and the wonders that was promised in the Bible, accompany this great Holy Spirit as It moves among the people. And they say today, "What school are they from?" Just as soon as you enter a city to hold a revival, "What denomination do you belong to?"
25 I had an interview Friday afternoon with a--the Roman Catholic priest from the Irish church in Louisville. And no more than I'd been introduced to him, a fine scholarly man, he said, "Mr. Branham, what denomination are you with?"
I said, "I'm not with any."
And he said, "Then, were you ordained?"
I said, "Yes, sir."
He said, "Who ordained you?"
I said, "The Lord Jesus gave me the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel, and gave me a commission."
Well, that's the ordination that we need. Jesus never said to His disciples, "Go out to the..." I'm not criticizing those things, but they've lived their day. He didn't say, "Go, study to be a minister for so many years." He said, "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high." He said that to men who couldn't sign their own name. "And after this, the Holy Ghost is come upon you, then you shall be My witnesses, both in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and to the utmost parts of the earth." That's the ordination.
26 We have no record of Jesus ever going to any school or graduating from any seminaries. Yet there's been more seminaries erected in His Name for religious causes than been for any other--any other thing that's ever been in the world. We never had any--any record of Him ever going to school. But yet there's been more schools erected in His Name than there is of any other kind of a name there is under the heavens--the schools. We never had note of Him writing a book, yet there's been more books wrote about Him than all the rest of the literature that's been written. And today, His Bible is the most popular Book that there is in all the world amongst all the literature.
But, you see, in the day of the visitation, they cried, "Who is He?"
27 See, God takes something that seems like it's nothing to make something out of it. That's what makes Him God.
And when they seen Him come riding into that gate, some of them said, "He's a great Man."
They say that today. Their schools of theology that teaches today that Jesus was a great Man, that He was a good Man. Some of them even say that He was a Prophet. Now, if He was only a Prophet or a good man, we're in our sins. He was more than a prophet. He was more than a good man. Yet He was a good Man. Yet He was a God-prophet. But He was more than that. He was God manifested in the flesh to take away sin.
28 And as He come riding in, lots of the people said, "He's a Healer. Oh, we seen Him open the eyes of the blind. We seen Him make the crippled man to walk. We seen Him offer prayer and the fever left a child." But then those type were only following Him for the loaves and the fishes.
And that's the way the crowds are today, many. If there's a healer, why they--they follow him, and he's just a--he's just a oasis. If they get sick, they run to say, "Oh, will you please pray for me that the Lord Jesus will make me well?" And as soon as they come out of the hospital or the sickbed, right back out into the world they go, like a dog to its vomit or a hog to its wallow, as the Scripture says. Just follow Him for what good they can get out of Him. They use Him just for a--a totem pole, or--or something that--that they can get from Him and don't expect to serve Him. That crowd still goes on today.
29 There were nine lepers healed, and one returned to give Him praise, or was it ten. They... One of them returned to give Him praise, and the rest of them went ahead ungrateful.
And if the people in America that's been healed by the power of God would turn their hearts to God, there'd be a revival strike this nation that would close every bootleg joint, that would... Package stores and whiskey stores would be plumb out of the picture. The churches would be full; the theaters would be empty on Sunday night. And there'd be a revival break out through this nation.
But when they see it happen, the things that God does, they still scream, "Who is He? Who is This that comes? Where do they come from? Who is This? By what authority is this done?"
30 Never forget, at Johannesburg, South Africa. I just arrived about thirty minutes before on a plane. And I'd been three days and nights in the air, so tired, I could hardly stand it. It... They take me out to the fairgrounds where some fifty or sixty thousand people were gathered.
And no sooner than got on the platform till the Holy Spirit... I seen coming across the place a--a bus. And it was... had a sign on it, "Durban." I saw a young man, had to fuss and slip away from his father and mother, with one leg six or eight inches shorter than the other. He was wearing a white shirt with suspenders holding up his trousers. And I noticed the young man. I looked back again; the vision was gone.
31 And then, just in a moment, I saw that Light hanging over a young man way back in the audience. I looked, and I thought I'd seen him somewhere. And I watched him, and that Light kept holding over him a few minutes. And I was waiting for the interpreter to catch the next words. Then I seen that same young man stand up, throw down his crutches, and his six inches short leg came down normal with the rest. And I said to Mr. A. J. Schoeman, who is in Glory tonight; I said, "Mr. Schoeman, just quote my words, it's a vision."
He said, "Very well."
And I said, "The young man's setting back there with a white shirt on and suspenders. He came from a city called Durban, some fifteen hundred miles across the country in a bus. And he had to slip away from his father and mother to come. But he's believed on the Lord Jesus, and he's got one leg six inches shorter than the other." And the young man jumped up. And there he was standing, trying to feel for his crutches. And I said, "Young man, the Lord Jesus has healed you." And immediately his leg come out six inches to the normal with the rest of him. And they brought the young man to the platform, and doctors examined him there. You see his picture in my book.
32 I'd been standing there just a few moments; I seen a little green car running down the road, and it slipped. It turned around backward and struck a tree. A young blond-headed girl was--had a broken back. And I said, "I see a little green car that slid into a tree, and a young blond-headed girl of about eighteen years old has a broken back. She's in a serious condition."
No one responded, and I couldn't see her anywhere in that vast big audience of people. And I stood there just for a few minutes; I said, "Understand, it's a... Don't be suspicious. It's the Lord Jesus. In the power of the resurrection He sent the Holy Ghost to continue His work."
And there, I seen the vision happen over again; and I couldn't see the young woman. Just then, standing right in front of me here, stood that Light, as you see on the picture. And It stood there. And I walked up there and there she laid, down below the platform. I said, "Young lady, the Lord Jesus has made you well."
And she started to cry. And her mother said, "Oh, no. Don't tell her to get up." Says, "If she moves, she'll die." And the young lady jumped to her feet, screaming and praising God, and the mother fainted and fell in the cot that the girl was laying in.
33 What is it? Just about that time, some critical man raised up back there, and stood with one foot on one seat and one on the other, and said, "You American, I challenge you to tell me, what Name you do this in, and what denominational church do you belong to?"
See, it's just the same. They don't understand. They're not looking for these things. The churches are not looking for the coming of the Lord. And the Holy Spirit is here to confirm His coming, to bring it to pass. So much, each one wants to take his own way. That's the way it was there, each group had their own idea.
34 But that's not the question tonight. That's not what I'm talking about. But the question I'm asking you, is what do you think It is? It concerns you.
Who is This that's going up-and-down the nations? Not man, man cannot do those things. Who is It that's speaking and saying to the people in the audience that's setting right here, and over here, and different places in the meeting? When women and men are brought in here dying, Who is It?
35 That young woman that walked into the baptistery this morning, that three weeks ago, dying with sarcomas cancer. Lives right here on Maple Street, Mrs. Baete. And I asked three doctors that was with her; she didn't have one chance to live, with four or five little children, and my mother trying to take care of them.
Mama said, "Bill, she'll never come home again."
And I went out to where she was, and the Lord Jesus spoke, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, if she will go to the church and promise to be baptized into the Name of the Lord Jesus, and will serve God, she'll go home well."
And I asked her, "Will you do this, lady?"
And she said, "All that you say, I'll do it." Immediately the pains left. Three days later, she was home, and the doctors can't find one trace of that cancer.
36 Who is This that cometh in the Name of the Lord? Who is It? It's the Holy Spirit of God. What's your opinion of it? What's your opinion, knowing your pastor. And would setting in these seats here, people from out of town, setting with epilepsy, setting with... Here sets a man, somewhere in here, a Mennonite Brother, right here, a sufferer of epilepsy. Never knew him, seen him, nothing about him. And all of a sudden... About two years ago I guess, or something there, two years, the Holy Spirit called it, and said, "THUS SAITH THE LORD." He's never had a spell since.
Who is It? Who is It? This woman was setting here last Sunday, the last time I was here, and come down from somewhere in Illinois, the next day with a great tumor in her body that was malignant... And some of the best medical science of Illinois was taking her to the great clinic to be operated on Monday, and she squeezed her way in. Never seen her or heard of her in all my life. And all of a sudden, the Holy Spirit shadowed her, and He told her who she was, where she come from, and she was going to be operated the next day. How many was here then to see that?
Seen the news flow back, the next day when she went to the doctor, they taken her from clinic to clinic, and can't find a trace of it. Who is This? Oh, God, be merciful.
37 Who is This that's doing this? Could you dare to say it was your pastor? Never. Could you dare to say man had anything to do into it? Never. It's the Holy Spirit. The Spirit that was on our Lord Jesus, and is coming to unite Himself with His Church is so close that He's spreading forth His great Holy Light to redeem and to bring into fellowship a Church of the living God for the rapture that's near at hand. Amen.
Who is It? I can't answer your question. I can't answer for you, but I can answer for myself. And over this sacred desk tonight, in the ears of this, the company, and the--the purchase of the Blood of our Lord Jesus, I say this from the bottom of my heart, not because that I'm one of you, not because that I'm just somebody different, but one of the redeemed that's washed by the Blood: I believe that that same Light that hangs in this church tonight, that same One shows by Its nature that It's Jesus Christ in the form of the Holy Ghost.
38 Anyone who knows the Scripture knows that Jesus said, "I come from God and I go to God." Before He was made flesh when He was with Moses in the wilderness, He was a Pillar of Fire. And when Moses desired to see Him, He passed His back parts to him, and Moses said, "It looks like a Man." When He was here on earth, He was a Man. He done the very same things that He's doing today through men that He has redeemed. There He comes and have His picture taken.
What is It? After His death, burial, and resurrection, Paul was on his road to Damascus one day, and a great Light struck him down. Those men around him didn't see the Light. But It struck Paul down to--made him blind. He had trouble with his eyes the rest of his life. And he said one time, "Except I should be exalted above the abundance of the revelation, there was given to me a thorn in his flesh," a messenger of Satan to buffet him, because it was the abundance of the revelation.
39 And when Paul was stricken down on his road to persecute the people, that were making too much noise, the borned again group, the people that were called "heretics," Paul was on his road to persecute those, with papers in his pocket to arrest them and bring them to Jerusalem. And about middle of the day, there come a Light down that struck him off of his feet to the ground, and he fell into the dust of the earth. There come a Voice from that Light, saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"
And Saul turned over in his blinded condition, looked up, and he could see that great glorious Light, and he said, "Lord, Who are You?"
He said, "I'm Jesus. I came from God; I went to God. I come from God; I return to God." He said, "It's hard for you to kick against the pricks."
40 One revelation on that sacred sand, one time upon that place, man can never be the same. A man, before he should call himself a Christian, before he can identify himself, he should first have that backside of the desert experience where he met God face to face.
For today, you can have any kind of an answer. You can see the Lord perform just exactly what He said do, and smart theologians will explain It away. They'll say, "That was for another day. It was for this, or It's for another age, or It's wrong." Like they said of Jesus, "He's Beelzebub, the devil. He's a fortuneteller," and all those things. They have an answer.
41 But when a man has ever come in contact with Christ, and seen Him as Paul did, or experienced Him, there's not enough theologians in the world to ever be able to explain that experience away from a man. That's the reason today they don't have the experience. That's the reason they can't say... They all say, "Who is This? What is This? Where does It come from?" They don't have the answer. Why? Because all they know is their theology that some church has made.
Not to know theology is Life. Not to know the Bible is Life. But to know Him is Life, to know Him as your personal Saviour, as the One Who has filled you with His Presence; you were there when it happened. There's nobody can take It away from you. There's no one can explain it away from you. When that experience happens to you, you know Who He is. To me, He's Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.
42 Who is This that's performing these miracles? Who is It that's doing these great works? Is--is the preacher? Is it Oral Roberts? Is it Billy Graham? Is it Jack Shuler? William Branham? Whoever it may be, they have nothing to do into it. They're instruments. It's the Holy Spirit coming forth with the Gospel and signs, and wonders, and miracles to make ready a people, and the air's charged with expectation, with believers expecting Him to come. And others are saying, "Why these revivals? Why do we have it? Let's settle down to a church."
Why, it's been said in the church, right here, that when we started to build a new church, said, "We don't need miracles. We don't need these things any more. You want them, go on out on the field where they happen. We don't need them here." When the Branham Tabernacle stoops to that low place, it's sunk. This church is founded upon the principles, and the power, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And as long as this Tabernacle stands, may the glorious Holy Spirit find access to souls to save and fill with the Holy Ghost and heal the sick. To me, It's Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.
43 Let us pray. If you do not know who He is, you do not know what all this is about, and you would like to know, would you just do so much as raise your hand? And say, by raising your hand, "Pray for me, Brother Branham that I'll know Him." And the Lord bless you. See, all around, I see your hands.
Now, heavenly Father, we bring this message, and the fruits of the people raising their hands, that they would like to know Who This is. They would like to be acquainted with this great Jesus, that His coming of the resurrection is so close, till the sick's beginning to be healed. And after that taken place, then prophecy came into the church, then gifts and miracles. Now, down to that last sign. The next will come the rapture; the church will be taken away. And we, Lord, who have claimed to know You in the power of Your resurrection, we are waiting and longing, and crying, and begging, "Come, Lord Jesus and rapture Your Church, and get It away quickly, Lord."
For soon men are going to blow up the earth that You created for them to live on, because they have disobeyed You. They have not studied peace, but war. They have not studied righteousness, but they've studied mischief. How that they would not all be power hungry... Lord, that little spot in their heart that makes them hunger for power, they're trying to satisfy it in a laboratory somewhere to blow up their fellow man. God, if they could only realize that that power that they long for is the power of the resurrection of the Son of God, the power of the Holy Ghost to change their lives, not blow up nations, but change their lives and make them Your servants.
44 Many people stricken with wild craze, they identify us as a bunch of not-knowing-nothing, and--and as heretics, as they did in the early day. But as they returned rejoicing, thanking You that they could bear the reproach of Your Name, that's the feeling of Your children tonight, Lord, everywhere. We're only happy.
Some in Your day tried to identify You. They said, "He is a friend of that wild man, John, who came out of the wilderness with hardly clothes on, just an old sheepskin wrapped around him, A wild man that flung the Word east and west, and said, 'The axe is laid to the root of the tree.'" Said, "He is a--a follower of him. He's a wild man. He's mad. He's out of His mind." The supernatural ministry that was with You, O Lord, blinded the eyes of those, and so has it again today.
This great Holy Spirit, forerunning the coming of the Lord, as John did in his day, blinding the people, to those who do not want to see, but to those who are willing to see, Thou hast chosen them. "And all that the Father has given Me, will come to Me, You said, "and none of them will be lost, and I'll raise him up at the last day." We thank Thee for this.
45 And those who have raised their hands tonight, we pray, O Lord God, that You'll make Yourself known to them in an experience, in the power of the resurrection. Grant it, Lord. And others may be here who did not raise their hand, but yet, in their heart they knew that they needed It. I pray, that You'll bless them and give to them the desire of their heart.
When we leave the building tonight, may we go as different people. May we go with a different purpose than we had coming in, if it was contrary to Your Divine will. May we go out with a determination to hold to the horns of the altar, until our soul is satisfied that we have had an experience with You. And we know of Whom we speak, because we have met Him, and know Him, and have fellowship with Him. Grant these things, Father.
Heal the sick and the afflicted. Bless our lovely and precious pastor. God, we pray that You'll be with him and his lovely sisters, as they sing the Gospel and preach it in their radio. Bless the strangers that's in our gate. Lord, may they go out tonight with a charge in their heart, and a purpose that they, from this hour on, if they do not know You and have not served You before, may they serve You, knowing this, that all other things will come to naught, but the Word of the Lord shall remain forever. Grant it, Father.
Forgive us of all of our sins, and may we meet at that great golden... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
46 Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Now, after the message, let's just bow our heads and worship Him as we sing to Him.
I love Him, (With all of your heart) I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
How many really love Him, raise your hand, say just by witness, "I really love Him"
Oh, isn't He wonderful? You know, I just love to set like this, and just drink in, somehow, His Presence. His Word gone forth, it's fallen into the hearts; It corrects us; It brings us into subjection to His Spirit. How lovely it is just to worship Him then.
47 Now, as you go from the church tonight, go worshipping Him. And remember this week; there's a prayer meeting here on Wednesday night. Don't forget Brother Neville's broadcast on Sunday, or on Saturday at nine o'clock over WLRP. I just love to hear them, don't you? The quartet--or the trio sounds so pretty. Wife and I and the kiddies, we all get the little radio out and--and hover around it to listen to Brother Neville and his broadcast, and his wonderful words, of how he exalts the God that he loves and believes.
48 Don't say this. To you strangers here, if you haven't a church home, come join with us. I'll tell you... Not saying this and him setting here. No, sir. I said this many times. I love Brother Neville. This first, he's a theologian. First thing, he's a child of God. The next thing, he's the same every day. I've knowed him for years; he's never changed one bit, he's still Orman Neville, a servant of the Lord Jesus.
And I think he's got... The other night, I called up to ask him if he didn't in his program, to make room for us to come down pray for the sick. There's some coming in, was this morning, you know. And his little wife answered the phone, and I was talking to my wife back there about it. And how we thank God for his lovely little wife and his family. That's very fine. When you see a minister and his wife getting along like that, in sweetness and humbleness, that just makes the church go that much better. That's just... Sweeter as the days goes by.
49 You love Him with all your heart? All right. We got a dismissing song that we sing: "Take The Name Of Jesus With You." And give us a little chord, sister, if you got it there in the book. And we're going to sing our dismissing song. And when we sing the first verse, we want to turn around, shake one another's hands. All right. Give us a chord.
The name of Jesus with you,
Child of sorrow and of woe;
It will joy and comfort give you,
Take it, everywhere you go.
Precious name, O how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heaven;
(God bless you, Brother Neville)
.. name O how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heaven.
Let's take this verse now
At the name of Jesus bowing,
Falling prostrate at His feet,
King of kings in Heaven we'll crown Him,
When our journey is complete.
(Won't that be wonderful?)
Precious name, (Precious name)... (O how sweet!)
Hope of earth and joy of Heaven;
Precious name, (Precious name) O how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heaven.
50 How many remembers our little song we used to sing, "Don't Forget The Family Prayer"? You remember it? I don't think you know it for the chord or not. Let's try it once. How... Don't you remember it? Let's... Maybe I could try it once with you.
Don't forget the family prayer,
Jesus wants to meet you there;
He will take your every care,
Oh, don't forget the family prayer.
How many has family prayer? That's good. Let's try it again. I... Get that back in here, I like that. All together now. Look.
Don't forget the family prayer,
Jesus wants to meet you there;
He will take your every care,
Oh, don't forget the family prayer.
51 O Lord, it is written in the Scriptures that they taken from the body of Paul, handkerchiefs or aprons, and unclean spirits went away from the people and diseases were healed. We pray, O Lord, that like manner, it shall be shown upon these tonight. As I send them to the needy and the sick out somewhere in the lands, there's someone expecting and waiting this to happen. I pray, Father, that You'll grant it in the Name of Jesus, Thy Son. Amen.
I'm going to ask, as we bow our heads, if our most precious Brother Smith over there, from the Church of God, who we have found to be like our Brother Neville here, to be a loyal, faithful servant of God. I'm going to ask him to ask the blessings upon you, to continue through this coming week. God bless you till we meet you again.
Brother Smith. [Brother Smith prays--Ed.] Amen. Yes. Yes. Yes, yes. Amen.
Shake each other's hands. Welcome back again to the Tabernacle. God bless you.
1 Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat. Je to tak milé, prísť do domu Pánovho. Myslím si, že…
2 Študoval som pred nejakým časom niektoré miesta Písma a bolo tam povedané, že keď sa Ježiš priblížil k Jeruzalemu, učeníci pozdvihli svoje oči a videli v diaľke to sväté mesto a začali sa radovať a hovoriť, „Či teraz bude prinavrátené Kráľovstvo?“
3A tento určitý muž, ktorý im hovoril alebo rozprával o tej nedávnej návšteve Palestíny, a povedal, že tí ľudia teraz v tom poslednom roku prichádzajú na miesto, až keď prichádzajú z údolia a dívajú sa za obzor, že to je tam tá istá cesta, po ktorej Ježiš a učeníci išli v tom čase, a keď oni uvideli to mesto, začali plakať.
4Viete, verím, že na tých učeníkoch tam v tých dňoch niečo bolo, oni cítili, že Kráľovstvo bude znovu prinavrátené.
5A teraz je takmer ten čas. A ja verím, že to je ten pocit, ktorý je na ľuďoch, že Kráľovstvo je takmer pripravené, aby bolo znovu prinavrátené.
6Brat Neville, náš šľachetný a požehnaný pastor, práve so mnou hovoril o snahe mať nadchádzajúce prebudenecké zhromaždenie, tu v modlitebni, na pár večerov, aby sme sa za to modlili. A ja som mu povedal, že si myslím, že by to bola veľmi požehnaná vec.
7Nedokážete mať príliš veľa prebudeneckých zhromaždení, a mnohokrát máme nesprávny názor na prebudenie. Prebudenie, nie je tak veľmi o tom priviesť nových členov, ale to je obživiť to, čo už máme. A ja som…
8Chcel by som povedať toto, pretože to hovorím z hĺbky svojho srdca. Začínam nachádzať taký odlišný pocit okolo modlitebne, oproti tomu, čo to bývalo za dlhý čas, taká atmosféra v hlbokom duchovnom zmysle, ako to zvyklo byť veľmi dávno, že je to niečo, čo stabilizuje a má to skutočný základ. A ja dôverujem, že Boh požehná tento malý zbor a… Znovu vo Svojej moci.
9A vidím, ako prebieha ten program budovania, a myslím si, že je to veľká vec. Pretože skôr či neskôr, my, starší ľudia, zložíme zbrane a podáme ich späť do rúk našich detí a vykročíme tými zlatými schodami hore.
10Nedávno som prešiel tú značku v polovici, to je päťdesiatka. A neviem si to vôbec uvedomiť. Nezdá sa to, že by to bol tak dlhý čas, odkedy som prepravoval potraviny pre Chrisa Misnera, keď som mal osemnásť, šestnásť, osemnásť rokov. Ale niekam to odišlo. To len ukazuje, že tu nemáme žiadneho zostávajúceho mesta, ale hľadáme to, ktoré má prísť. A to je to Mesto, kde Boh je Staviteľ, a tam už nebude žiadneho konca.
11 Dnes ráno, ako som hovoril na tému Dňa matky a snažil som sa umiestniť matku, nie, aká ona v skutočnosti je vo svojom starom veku s vráskami, a tak s barlami alebo na nejakom invalidnom kresle, alebo sedí vo veľkom kresle a vedľa nej je malý kvetináč s kvetmi, ale snažil som sa umiestniť matku do vzkriesenia, kde je jej prinavrátená jej mladosť a postavenie, kde svieti ako kráľovná. To je to, ako rád myslím na moju matku. Nerád na ňu myslím na takú, aká je dnes, aká je stará. Rád premýšľam o tom, čo prichádza. A ja viem, že vy to tak cítite ohľadne svojich mám. Mysli na ňu, aká ona je v skutočnosti vo svojom srdci. Hoci mnohé… Ako povedal básnik, „Život pre ňu nebol ľahký. Ale ona to znovu prežije, len aby mohla pre teba niečo urobiť.“ Tak Boh to urobí tak, aby mohla žiť navždy s tebou. Som z toho tak rád.
12Neviem, prečo som dnes ráno dal tento oznam, že budem dnes večer hovoriť, ak bude Pán chcieť, na tému Kto je toto? Istotne neviem, ako to dokážem. Ale bol som zaneprázdnený do času asi hodina a desať minút dozadu s rozhovormi po celé popoludnie, a mal som špeciálne a núdzové hovory. Nestihol som ich.
13 A chcem, aby ste sa ďalej modlili za doktora Sama. Je na tom celkom dobre a sme za to vďační. A doktor Baldin a pani Baldinová sa obaja zotavujú. Darí sa im dobre.
14 Chcem, aby ste si dali na svoj modlitebný zoznam dnes popoludní niekoho nového. A to je Harry Leese tu zdola, lekárnik. Harry je môj osobný priateľ. A pokiaľ ho poznám, myslel som si, že je Kresťanom až do tohoto popoludnia, keď jeho brat požiadal o spasenie jeho duše. Brat Mike Egan priniesol…, je naším dôverníkom, priniesol tie správy. A Harry je vo vážnom stave, je v nemocnici. Nevedel som, že si tak veľa o mne myslel, ale on dnes popoludní odmietol svojho vlastného pastora alebo pastora cirkvi, kam chodí, a chcel, aby som ho prišiel navštíviť. A tak ho chcem ísť navštíviť. Tak modlite sa za Harryho.
15Sme dnes večer radi, že tu spoznávame mojich priateľov, zdola z Georgie, brata Evansa a jeho rodinu. A vidím tiež iných návštevníkov, ktorých som nepoznal, pravdepodobne tu boli už ráno.
16Ak sa nemýlim, vidím brata a sestru Elmer Collinsových, tam vzadu z Phoenixu v Arizone. Ó, vy ste sa nezmenili. Vyzerá to, že si mal mať svoju železničnú uniformu a že prichádzaš zo železnice. Tak vitaj späť doma! Nemôžem ťa požiadať, aby si tu zostal, pretože ty si našiel lepšie miesto, vidíš, to je veľmi pekné vo Phoenixe. Sám by som tam rád niekedy býval.
17A potom, vidím tu brata Smitha z Cirkvi Božej. Brat Smith, minule alebo včera neskoro popoludní mi dali tvoju malú knižku. Ešte som ju nečítal, ale istotne ju podporím, pokiaľ viem, že si to ty napísal. Musí to byť skutočné, pravdivé podľa Písma. Nech ťa Boh žehná. A dúfam, že to bude úspešné.
18A mnohým ďalším by som mohol povedať, všetci ste tu v modlitebni vítaní. Páčila sa mi dnes ráno tá pieseň, ktorú spievala sestra Strickerová, „On sa na ňu díva cez mrežu.“ Sú to moji menonitskí bratia, sme radi, že sú tu. A, ó, vy všetci a myslím, že tu môj priateľ z Illinois, jeho syn robí tam vzadu nahrávanie, musím sa s nimi znovu stretnúť. A tak mnohých, mohol by som… Nemyslite si, že vás prehliadam, ak nepoviem vaše meno, ale ja vás jednoducho všetkých vítam.
19Prečítajme dnes večer pre lekciu Písmo z Matúša, dvadsiatej prvej kapitoly, počnúc prvým veršom a budeme čítať až dolu po jedenásty verš vrátane.
A keď sa priblížili k Jeruzalemu a prišli do Betfágy, k Olivovému vrchu, vtedy poslal Ježiš dvoch učeníkov
a povedal im: Iďte do mestečka, ktoré je tu pred vami, a hneď najdete oslicu, priviazanú, a osliatko s ňou; odviažte ich a priveďte ku mne.
A keby vám niekto niečo povedal, poviete, že ich Pán potrebuje, ale že ich hneď pošle.
A to všetko sa stalo, aby sa naplnilo to, čo bolo povedané skrze proroka, ktorý povedal:
Povedzte dcére Siona: Hľa, tvoj Kráľ ti ide, tichý, jazdiac na oslici a na osľati podrobenej jarmu.
A učeníci odišli a urobili, jako im rozkázal Ježiš,
a priviedli oslicu aj osľa, položili na ne svoje rúcha a na tie ho vysadili.
A väčšina zástupu prestierali svoje rúcha na cestu, a zase iní sekali letorasty so stromov a stlali na cestu,
a zástupy, ktoré išli pred ním, a ktoré išli za ním, kričali a hovorili: Hosanna v Synovi Dávidovom! Požehnaný, ktorý prichádza v mene Pánovom! Hosanna na výsostiach!
A keď vošiel do Jeruzalema, vzbúrilo sa celé mesto, a všetko hovorilo: Kto je toto?
A zástupy vraveli: Toto je Ježiš, ten prorok z Galilejského Nazareta.
Skloňme naše hlavy k modlitbe.
20Ó, Pane, my sme len zvedaví, čo by sme my povedali, ak by sme žili tam v tých dňoch. Ale my žijeme vo väčšom dni, keď vyhliadame Toho, ktorý má prísť, a tak, ako teraz robíme prípravu, Pane, pripravujeme svoje srdcia a prinášame všetky tie snopy, ktoré dokážeme zozbierať z polí žatvy, oboje doma aj v zahraničí. Rozmýšľame a očakávame na ten čas, kedy Ho uvidíme prichádzať, ako bude jazdiť na bielom koni prichádzajúc dolu z tých portálov slávy, aby zmenil ten poriadok týchto starých porušiteľných tiel, ktoré máme, na to slávne telo, ktoré bude ako to Jeho, kde už nebude môcť byť žiaden hriech alebo žiaden znak smrti, to tam nikdy nevstúpi. A my uvidíme Toho, ktorý je a je živý, a budeme Ho milovať počas všetkých tých vekov, ktoré majú prísť.
21Ďakujeme Ti za túto cirkev a za jej pastora a za dôverníkov a diakonov a za každú osobu, ktorá sem prichádza, a za návštevníkov, ktorí sú v našich bránach, ktorí sú ovcami z toho istého ovčinca, ale z inej časti. Chceme Ťa poprosiť, aby si ich dnes večer požehnal Svojou prítomnosťou.
22A kŕm nás Tvojím Slovom, aby sme dnes večer mohli odtiaľto odísť s rozhodnutím byť lepšími Kresťanmi, akými sme kedykoľvek boli. Nech pôjdeme s novou nádejou v našich srdciach a radosťou očakávajúc Jeho príchod.
23Ak by tu náhodou bol medzi nami niekto, kto je chorý alebo postihnutý, nechceme zabudnúť modliť sa za nich. Aby tak mohli… Ako dnes večer prichádzame do tejto budovy, kde sme sa spolu zhromaždili k uctievaniu, prichádzame a sú tu chorí, nech môžu odísť zdraví.
24 A chceli by sme poprosiť za tých, ktorí sa zotavujú v domoch a nemocniciach a sú na posteliach a trpia. Modlíme sa, ó, Bože, aby sa Tvoje milosrdenstvo vystrelo ku nim dolu.
25 Chceme sa modliť za tých, ktorí sú dnes večer ľahostajní, ktorí ešte neochutnali a neuvideli, že Pán je dobrý, ktorí ešte nevedia, čo to znamená byť milovaný Bohom. Oni jednoducho nerozumejú, čo im chýba. Ó, Bože, nech nejaké rádio vysielanie alebo nech sa nejakým spôsobom dotkne ich sŕdc, aby ich emócie boli obrátené ku Tebe, predtým, ako budú dvere milosrdenstva zatvorené a oni budú vymknutí vonku a budú stáť pred súdmi, bez milosti.
26 Pomôž nám, Pane. Modlíme sa o tieto veci v Mene Pána Ježiša a prosíme to na Jeho slávu. Amen.
27Ľudia boli okolo brán tak natlačení a ulice boli zaľudnené a nebolo pre ľudí žiadneho miesta na spanie. Ležali tam pred múrom všade po zemi, pretože toto bol čas Veľkej noci. A ľudia od všetkých častí toho známeho sveta prišli v tomto čase uctievať. Bol to čas, keď bol zabitý ten paschálny baránok. A to reprezentovalo ich vyslobodenie z Egypta, z otroctva. A oni to každý rok zachovávali. Každý rok, táto Veľká noc mala svoje miesto. A bol to jeden z najohromnejších časov… Alebo udalosti židovského náboženstva, pretože to znamenalo pre nich čas, kedy boli vyslobodení.
28 Všetci ľudia radi myslia na ten čas, kedy zostali vyslobodení. Ako sa každý jeden z nás dnes večer môže vrátiť späť do času, kedy sme boli vyslobodení! Čo to len pre nás znamená!
29 Pamätám si svoje vlastné prežitie, ako moje biedne chlapčenské srdce túžilo dotknúť sa Boha. Pomyslel som si, „Ó, ak by som len mohol ísť a zaklopať na Jeho dvere a trošku s Ním pohovoriť,“ a, samozrejme, poznáte môj príbeh. Zohnal som si papier a ceruzku a išiel som Mu napísať list, pretože som nedokázal k Nemu hovoriť. A vedel som, že On žije v lesoch, pretože ja som Ho počul a videl som Ho pohybovať sa v lesoch. A určitá stará známa cestička, ktorou som zvykol chodiť, keď som išiel poľovať alebo chytať ryby. Pomyslel som si, „Ja to len jednoducho pripnem na strom a budem to adresovať Pánovi Ježišovi.“ Len jednoducho nejaký spôsob, aby som mohol zložiť to bremeno zo svojho srdca.
30 Ó, aký večer to tam vtedy bol! Mohol by som zabudnúť na to, koľko mám rokov, mohol by som niekedy možno zabudnúť, ako sa volám, ale nikdy nedokážem zabudnúť na tú hodinu, kedy ma On vyslobodil z hriechu. Niečo sa vo mne vo vnútri stalo, niečo, čo mi pomohlo prejsť cez tie veľké hodiny temnosti. Tá hodina môjho vyslobodenia, tá ťarcha hriechu ma opustila, a ja som sa stal novou osobou. Odvtedy som novým stvorením v Kristu Ježišovi.
31A títo Židia prichádzali každý rok, a tam vnútri v tej cirkvi bol prameň. A oni vzali chlieb a horké zeliny a baránka a pili z tohoto prameňa cirkvi. A spolu sa radovali, pretože Boh im preukázal Svoju priazeň. Takže toto bol čas Paschy. A nielen, že toto bola pascha, ale to bola špeciálna Pascha.
32Viete, že niekedy sú chvíle, kedy prichádzame do zboru a… Vždy tam milujeme ísť, ale niekedy je niečo špeciálne, čo sa deje.
33A toto bol jeden z takých časov. Vzduch bol nabitý očakávaním práve tak, ako je dnes. Všetky oči tých, ktorí Ho milovali, Ho pozorovali, ako vstupuje do brány.
34 A ja verím, že to je veľmi podobne tak aj dnes, pre tých, ktorí Ho milujú a vyhliadajú Ho. Vzduch je nabitý očakávaním.
35Keď žijeme v tomto dni, kedy sa zem v skutočnosti stala jedným veľkým kotlom pušného prachu a veda nám hovorí, že je „Tri minúty pred polnocou“. A som si istý, že ste, tak ako ja, jedného dňa čítali príbeh o tomto generálovi v armáde, ktorý povedal, že „ak kedy ešte bude ďalšia vojna, ona bude trvať asi len dve alebo tri minúty.“ Tie dávne dni bojovania a strieľania z pušiek a kopania zákopov sú preč. Oni tvrdia, že ďalšia vojna bude trvať len dve alebo tri minúty. Jedného dňa nejaká šialená prevrátená osoba otvorí tú pokrývku a odpáli jednu z týchto bômb. A keď to urobia, my máme všade odpočúvacie zariadenia, všade, aby sme odpálili odvetu. Svet to jednoducho nedokáže prežiť.
36Každý v tej veľkej noci vedel, že niečo sa chystá stať, ale oni len nevedeli, čo to je.
37A tak isto je to dnes. Takmer každý vie, že niečo sa ide stať. Každý to vie. Môžete hovoriť s hriešnikom, môžete hovoriť s obchodníkom, môžete hovoriť s kýmkoľvek a, ó, je to taký čas nepokoja pre svet.
38Ale môžete hovoriť s mužom alebo ženou, ktorí vyhliadajú Jeho príchod, a na ich tvárach svieti sláva. Oni pozorujú na tú veľkú udalosť. Tak, povetrie je znovu nabité očakávaním na niečo, čo sa má stať. Svet nevie, čo sa chystá stať, ale Cirkev živého Boha to vie, čo sa ide stať. Oni vedia, že trúba čoskoro zatrúbi a my Ho uvidíme prichádzať jazdiaceho zo slávy na bielom koni, a ako Ho budú nasledovať armády neba. A tí, ktorí sú mŕtvi v Kristovi, budú vytrhnutí a vzatí, aby Ho stretli v povetrí. To je to, čo vyhliadame. Túžime po tom.
39A je nám povedané, že duše tých matiek, a tak ďalej, o ktorých sme dnes ráno hovorili, ktoré sú pod Božím oltárom a kričia, „Ako dlho, Pane? Ako dlho?“ Matka ťa chce vidieť toľko, ako ju chceš vidieť ty. A naší milovaní nás chcú stretnúť tak veľmi, ako chceme stretnúť my ich.
40Čo za zhromaždenie to bude, keď On príde! Stretnúť našich milovaných a vidieť ich vo vzkriesených telách a oslávených a ako budú kráčať s Dedičom vzkriesenia, pozorujúci ich charakter, ako je zmenený na miernosť a tichosť. A to nebude taký hurhaj a hluk a vyskakovanie a trhanie, pretože my budeme mať celú večnosť, aby sme žili spolu.
41Ó, tento veľký neurotický vek, v ktorom žijeme, nie je takmer na nič čas, on sa len šplhá, šklbe a uchvacuje, ó, je to hrozný deň.
42 Potom, ako oni čakali na niečo, čo sa malo stať, bolo to príliš zlé, že mnohí z tých, ktorí boli na Pasche, Ho nikdy neuvideli. Pritom vedeli, že niečo sa stane, ale nedostali sa tam, aby Ho uvideli.
43Tak isto to bude pri príchode Pánovom. Je dnes mnoho nepokojných ľudí, ktorí vedia, že niečo sa chystá stať, ale oni Ho nikdy neuvidia. Pretože On príde v tichosti polnoci, aby vychvátil Svoju malú Cirkev, ktorá túži a očakáva a čaká, aby Ho uvidela. To sú tí, ktorých On príde vychvátiť. Mnohí z tých ľudí vo svete, ktorí žijú v blahobyte a hostia svoje duše na veciach tohoto sveta, nikdy nespoznajú, čo sa stalo, až kým Cirkev neodíde do slávy, pretože On príde ako zlodej v noci a vychváti ich preč. Tak môžeme vidieť, že sme znovu späť na tom istom mieste. Teraz zisťujeme, že tieto očakávania, že Boh prichádza ku tým, ktorí... Cez celé Písmo to bolo stále rovnaké. Že oni sú… On sa vždy zjavuje tým, ktorí Ho očakávajú, vždy tým, ktorí Ho chcú vidieť. A som si istý, že to je tá nádej, ktorá je dnes večer na našich srdciach.
44Nazdávam sa, že to bolo pred asi šiestimi mesiacmi, svedčil som nejakým ľuďom. A povedal som, „Ó, len pomyslieť na to, že On môže prísť každú chvíľu!“
45 A to, čo ma doviedlo do toho, aby som to povedal, bolo, že som rozprával o bratovi Bosworthovi. Keď som išiel navštíviť tohoto starého svätého, keď sme sa dopočuli, že on zomiera, mal niečo cez osemdesiat rokov, išli sme tam spolu s manželkou, aby sme ho ešte videli predtým, ako zomrie. Len som mu musel niečo povedať. Rád vidím svätých, ako vstupujú do slávy, a ja som ho musel vidieť. A takmer som na aute zodral gumy.
46Ale keď som sa tam dostal, vbehol som do dverí a tam v rohu ležal tento starý patriarcha. Zdvihol hlavu, keď ma uvidel prichádzať. Jeho staré, chabé ruky viseli dolu, mäso mu na nich viselo. A vystrel ku mne ruky a ja som ho schytil za krk a zvolal som, „Môj Otče, môj Otče, vozy Izraelove a Jeho jazdcovia,“ lebo on bol posvätený, zbožný muž.
47A povedal som, „Brat Bosworth, chcem sa ťa niečo opýtať. Veríš, že zostaneš uzdravený?
On povedal, „Ó, ja vôbec nie som chorý.“
Povedal som, „No, čo sa potom deje?“
48„Odchádzam Domov.“ Povedal, „Som unavený, som opotrebovaný a jednoducho chcem ísť Domov.“
49 Povedal som, „Potom si uvedomuješ, že zomieraš?“ Povedal som, „Chcem sa ťa niečo opýtať. Dívajúc sa spätne na tých niečo viac ako sedemdesiat rokov tvojej služby, čo bol ten najslávnejší moment? Mohol by si mi, prosím, povedať, aké prežitie si mal počas celého toho obdobia, o ktorom by si mohol povedať, že to bola tá najveľkolepejšia hodina?“
50Budem žiť, až uvidím jeho vek a nikdy nezabudnem, ako na mňa zahľadeli tie jeho tmavé oči ponad vrchný okraj jeho okuliarov. Povedal, „Môj drahý brat, toto je ten najveľkolepejší moment môjho života. Neviem pomyslieť na žiaden iný čas, ktorý by bol slávnejší ako práve toto teraz.“
51Pozrel som sa mu rovno do tváre a povedal som mu, „Pane, či stále nevieš, že zomieraš?“
52 On povedal, „Brat Branham, ja tu ležím a čakám na Neho každú minútu, že otvorí dvere a príde a vezme ma so Sebou Domov,“ to je spôsob, ako zomrieť. To je spôsob, ako odísť.
53A ako viete, asi dve hodiny predtým, ako zomrel… On tam ležal v kóme asi dva dni. A keď prišiel k sebe, zdvihol sa v tej izbe a začal hovoriť so svojou ženou. Potom zrazu, zdalo sa, ako keby bol priesvitný. A on si potriasal ruky dobrú hodinu alebo viac s priateľmi, ktorí už boli mŕtvi štyridsať alebo päťdesiat rokov, ktorí boli jeho obrátení v zbore. Potriasol si svoje ruky so svojou matkou a svojím ockom. Až bol… Až život opustil jeho telo, ľahol si na vankúš a zaspal v náručí Pána Ježiša. Nie je nič také, ako slúžiť Jemu, očakávať Ho.
54A ako som s týmto mužom hovoril o tomto a povedal mu to prežitie, povedal som toto. Povedal som, „Ó, pane, či to nebude slávne, keď Ho uvidíme? Ó, keby len tak prišiel dnes!“
On povedal, „Brat Branham, nestraš takto ľudí.“
Povedal som, „Čo máš na mysli?“
55On povedal, „Ó, nesnaž sa povedať ľuďom, že svet prichádza, vlastne Kristus prichádza. To ich desí.“
56„Ó,“ povedal som, „Nie. Prepáč, pre tých, ktorí Ho vyhliadajú, sú to tie najslávnejšie správy, aké môžu počuť, že Ježiš je práve pripravený, aby sa prelomil sem a vzal Svoju Cirkev.“ Starý vek bude zmenený na mladosť. Radosť bude daná namiesto ponurej atmosféry. Život bude daný namiesto smrti. Smrteľnosť bude zamenená za nesmrteľnosť. Ó, čo za chvíľa, vedieť, že On príde!
57 Oni Ho vyhliadali. Oni Ho očakávali. A keď On prišiel, zistili sme, že tam boli dve skupiny. Jedna bola za Neho a jedna bola proti Nemu.
58A to je to, ako to nachádzame aj dnes. To je to, že Jeho príchod vždy rozdeľuje ľudí. Zakaždým, keď nachádzate Ježiša, nachádzate okolo Neho takých, ktorí s tým budú nesúhlasiť. To je satan. A dnes, keď na to myslíme, nevidíme, že by sa to veľmi menilo. Je to také isté. Ľudia sa menia, ale duchy ľudí sa nezmenili.
59 Tak, keď sa nakoniec pozreli cez bránu a videli Ho, ako prichádza, ako jazdil na tom malom, bielom oslovi, niet divu, že učeníci začali vykrikovať, „Kráľovstvo neba prišlo!“ Ľudia bežali, aby Ho stretli, a celý Jeruzalem bol rozrušený. Niečo na tom je, keď Ježiš prichádza, to vždy rozrušuje. A celé mesto bolo rozrušené. A oni to nedokážu ukryť.
60 A kazatelia toho dňa sa museli zodpovedať za toto rozrušenie, pretože to bol sviatok Veľkej noci. A oni vykrikovali, „Kto je toto?“ Keď bolo povetrie nabité. A príchod Pána Ježiša do Jeruzalema nabil vzduch očakávaniami. Vyzerá to, že tí učitelia mali vedieť, čo sa odohrá. Vyzeralo to, že ten najvyšší kňaz by o tom mal vedieť. Vyzeralo to, že všetci ostatní kňazi to mali vedieť.
61 A to sa vôbec nezmenilo ani dnes, pretože Duch Svätý predchádza príchod Pána Ježiša. A ako sa Duch Svätý začína vystierať naprieč zemou, prelamujú sa ohne prebudenia na každom mieste, dejú sa veľké znamenia a zázraky, uzdravenia, vychádzajú proroctvá. Všetko zhromažďovanie apoštolských požehnaní znovu prišlo naspäť do Cirkvi. Tak, ako to bolo vtedy, tak je to teraz, duch neveriaceho stále kričí, „Kto je toto?“
62Niektorí ľudia uverili v Pána Ježiša tak, že verili, že On je dobrým človekom. Niektorí povedali, „Je to dobrý človek.“
63 To je to, čo hovoria dnes, snažia sa Ho umiestniť ako Napoleona, bojovníka. Snažia sa Ho umiestniť ako Georga Washingtona, verného človeka. Ale On bol viac ako to.
64 Všimli ste si to pri tom čítaní Písma? Oni povedali, „Toto je nejaký prorok, ktorý prichádza z Galiley.“
65A oni sa snažia povedať to isté dnes, keď vidia toto veľké hnutie Pána, prinavrátenie zdravia, kde Ho chorí a postihnutí vidia, ako používa Svojho Ducha vo Svojej Cirkvi, ako rozpoznáva myšlienky ľudí, vidia Ho konať práve tie veci, ktoré On konal, keď bol tu na zemi, aby sa vyplnilo to, čo On povedal, že sa vyplní. Istotne. Cirkvi a ľudia sa toto pýtajú, „Kto je toto?“
66Oni nerozumeli, kým Ježiš je, pretože niktorí z nich Ho nedokázali uznať pomocou svojich škôl. „Z akého vyšiel seminára? Z akej školy teológie vyšiel?“
67A tak je to dnes. Väčšina ľudí, ktorí sú pomazaní Duchom Svätým, neprišli zo žiadneho semináru. Oni sú produktami Božieho vlastného výberu. Ale znamenia a zázraky a divy, ktoré boli zasľúbené v Biblii, sprevádzajú tohoto veľkého Ducha Svätého, ako sa pohybuje medzi ľudmi.
68 A oni dnes hovoria, „Z akej sú školy?“ Akonáhle vstupujete do nejakého mesta, aby ste usporiadali prebudenecké zhromaždenie, „Do akej denominácie patríš?“
69 V piatok popoludní som mal jeden rozhovor s rímskokatolíckym kňazom z Írskej cirkvi v Louisville. A len čo som sa mu predstavil, je to dobrý učený človek, povedal, „Pán Branham, s akou denomináciou ste?“
Povedal som, „Nie som so žiadnou.“
A on povedal, „Boli ste ordinovaný?“
Povedal som, „Áno, pane.“
On povedal, „Kto vás ordinoval?“
70 Povedal som, „Pán Ježiš mi dal Ducha Svätého, aby som kázal Evanjelium, a dal mi poverenie,“ no, to je to poverenie, ktoré potrebujeme.
71Ježiš nikdy nepovedal Svojim učeníkom, „Choďte von do…“ Ja tie veci nekritizujem, ale oni si už svoj deň odžili. On nepovedal, „Choďte, študujte za kazateľa toľko a toľko rokov.“
72On povedal, „Zostávajte v meste Jeruzaleme, kým nebudete odiati do moci z výsosti.“ On to povedal ľuďom, ktorí sa nedokázali ani podpísať. „A po tomto príde Svätý Duch na vás, potom mi budete svedkami, aj v Jeruzaleme, aj v Júdei, v Samárii až do najďaľších končím zeme.“ To je to ordinovanie.
73Nemáme žiaden záznam, že by Ježiš chodil do nejakej školy, alebo že by sa vyučil v nejakých seminároch. A pritom bolo v Jeho Mene vybudovaných tak veľa seminárov pre náboženské účely, viac ako na akúkoľvek inú vec, ktorá je na svete. Nemáme žiaden záznam, že by On kedy chodil do školy. A pritom v Jeho Mene bolo vztýčených viac škôl, ako je pre akýkoľvek iný druh mena, ktoré je pod nebesiami, tie školy. Nevieme o Ňom, že by kedy napísal nejakú knihu. Pritom bolo o Ňom napísaných viac kníh ako všetka ostatná literatúra, ktorá bola kedy napísaná. A dnes, Jeho Biblia je tou najpopulárnejšou knihou, ktorá je na svete, medzi všetkou literatúrou.
74 Ale vidíte, v ten deň navštívenia ľudia kričali, „Kto je toto?“
75Vidíte, Boh berie niečo, čo sa zdá, že je ničím, aby z toho niečo učinil. To je to, čo Ho činí Bohom.
76A keď Ho videli prichádzať, ako jazdiac vstupoval do brány, niektorí ľudia povedali, „On je veľkým človekom.“
77Aj dnes to hovoria. Existujú školy teológie, ktoré dnes vyučujú, že Ježiš bol veľkým človekom, že bol dobrým človekom. Niektorí z nich dokonca hovoria, že bol Prorokom. Tak, ak bol On len Prorokom alebo dobrým človekom, tak sme stále v našich hriechom. On bol viac ako Prorok, On bol viac ako dobrý človek. Pritom bol dobrým človekom. Pritom bol Bohom Prorokom. Ale On bol viac ako to. On bol Bohom zamanifestovaným v tele, aby odstránil hriech.
78 Ako prichádzal, jazdil, mnoho ľudí povedalo, „On je uzdravovateľ. Ó, videli sme Ho, ako otvoril oči slepého. Videli sme Ho, ako spôsobil, že chromý človek začal chodiť. Videli sme Ho, ako sa pomodlil, a horúčka opustila dieťa.“ Ale potom, takýto typ Ho nasledoval len kvôli chlebom a rybám.
79A tak je to dnes s tými mnohými zástupmi. Ak je nejaký uzdravovateľ, no, tak oni ho nasledujú a on je… On je jednoducho oázou. Ak ochorejú, tak k nemu pribehnú, povedia, „Ó, pomodlil by si sa, prosím, za mňa, aby ma Pán Ježiš uzdravil?“ A akonáhle sa dostanú z nemocnice alebo z postele, kde boli chorí, tak sú rovno naspäť vo svete, vracajú sa tam tak ako pes k svojmu vývratku a sviňa ku svojmu blatu, tak, ako povedalo Písmo. Oni Ho len nasledujú kvôli niečomu dobrému, čo z Neho môžu dostať. Oni Ho používajú len ako nejaký talizman alebo niečo, z čoho môžu niečo dostať, a vôbec neočakávajú, že by Mu slúžili. Taký zástup stále dnes ide.
80Bolo tam deväť malomocných uzdravených a jeden sa vrátil, aby Mu vzdal chválu. Alebo to bolo desať? Oni, jeden z nich sa vrátil, aby Mu vzdal chválu, a tí ostatní len išli ďalej preč bez vďaky. A ak by ľudia v Amerike, ktorí boli uzdravení skrze moc Božiu, obrátili svoje srdcia ku Bohu, tento národ by zasiahlo také prebudenie, až by museli zavrieť každú krčmu. To by sa stalo. Trafiky a obchody s alkoholom by boli úplne mimo obraz. Cirkvi by boli plné. Divadlá by boli v nedeľu večer prázdne. A cez celý národ by bolo prelomené prebudenie. Ale keď to vidia, ako sa to deje, tie veci, ktoré Boh robí, oni stále kričia, „Kto je toto? Kto je tento, kto prichádza? Odkiaľ prišiel? Kto je toto? Skrze akú autoritu to činí?“
82Nikdy nezabudnem na to, keď som bol Johannesburgu v Južnej Afrike. Práve som vtedy prišiel, bolo to asi tridsať minút predtým, ako malo letieť lietadlo. Bol som pred tým tri dni a noci vo vzduchu, bol som tak unavený, že som sotva vedel stáť. Vzali ma na tú veľkú plochu, kde bolo zhromaždených asi päťdesiat alebo šesťdesiat tisíc ľudí. A len čo som sa dostal na pódium, až Duch Svätý… Videl som, ako tam cez to miesto prechádza autobus. A malo to na sebe znak, „Durban.“ Uvidel som nejakého mladého muža, ktorý sa tam vyšmykol od svojho otca a matky, mal jednu nohu šesť alebo osem palcov kratšiu ako tú druhú. Mal na sebe bielu košeľu s trakmi, ktoré mu držali nohavice. A všimol som si toho mladého muža. Znovu som sa pozrel. Videnie bolo preč. A potom v jednej chvíli som uvidel to svetlo, ako visí nad nejakým mladým mužom, vzadu v publiku. A pozrel som sa a pomyslel som si, „Niekde som ho už videl.“ Pozoroval som ho a to svetlo ďalej nad ním viselo ešte pár minút. A čakal som na prekladateľa, kým uchytí tie ďalšie slová. A potom som videl znovu toho istého mladého muža, ako sa postavil, odhodil barle a tá o šesť palcov kratšia noha sa narovnala do normálu s tou druhou.
83 Povedal som pánovi A. J. Schoemanovi, ktorý je dnes večer už v sláve. Povedal som, „Pán Schoeman, cituj len moje slová. Je to videnie.“
On povedal, „V poriadku.“
84A povedal som, „Ten mladý muž, ktorý tam vzadu sedí s tou bielou košeľou a s trakmi, prišiel z mesta, ktoré sa nazýva Durban, nejakých tisíc päťsto kilometrov cez krajinu autobusom. A musel sa vyšmyknúť otcovi a matke, aby prišiel. Ale On uveril v Pána Ježiša a on má jednu nohu kratšiu od tej druhej o šesť palcov.“
85A ten mladý muž vyskočil. A tam bol a stál, snažil sa pocítiť svoje barle. A povedal som, „Mladý muž, Pán Ježiš ťa uzdravil.“ A okamžite sa jeho noha narovnala o šesť palcov do normálu spolu s tou druhou. A oni toho mladého muža priviedli na pódium a lekári ho tam vyšetrili. Vidíte jeho fotografiu v mojej knižke.
86Stál som tam už vtedy nejakú chvíľu a videl som malé zelené auto, ako sa valí ulicou a dostalo šmyk. Otočilo sa smerom dozadu a narazilo do stromu. Bolo tam mladé blonďavé dievča, ktoré si zlomilo chrbticu. A povedal som, „Vidím malé zelené auto, ako sa šmyklo a narazilo do stromu, a mladé blonďavé dievča, okolo osemnásťročné, si zlomilo chrbát. Je vo vážnom stave.“ Nikto neodpovedal. A nikde som ju v tom obrovskom veľkom publiku ľudí nedokázal vidieť. Stál som tam ešte nejakých pár minút. Povedal som, „Rozumejte. To je… Nebuďte podozrievaví. To je Pán Ježiš v moci vzkriesenia. On poslal Ducha Svätého, aby pokračoval vo Svojej práci.“ A potom som uvidel, ako sa znovu odohralo to videnie. A nedokázal som vidieť tú mladú ženu.
87A rovno potom, stálo to rovno predo mnou, tu bolo to Svetlo, ako Ho vidíte na obrázku. A stálo tu. Vykročil som tam a ona tam ležala dolu pod pódiom. Povedal som, „Mladá dáma, Pán Ježiš ťa uzdravil.“ A ona sa rozplakala.
88 Jej matka povedala, „Ó, nie, nehovorte jej, aby vstala!“ Povedala, „Ak sa pohne, zomrie!“
89A tá mladá dáma vyskočila na nohy, kričala a chválila Boha. A jej matka odpadla a spadla do toho lehátka, v ktorom ležalo to dievča.
Čo je to?
90 Asi v tom čase, nejaký kritický človek povstal tam niekde vzadu, a postavil sa jednou nohou na sedadlo a jednou na druhé a povedal, „Ty Američan! Vyzývam ťa, v akom Mene toto robíš? Do akej denominačnej cirkvi patríš?“ Vidíte?
91To je stále to isté. Oni nerozumejú. Oni nevyhliadajú tieto veci, cirkvi nevyhliadajú príchod Pánov. A Duch Svätý je tu, aby potvrdil Jeho príchod, aby sa stal. A tak každý chce ísť svoju vlastnou cestou.
To je to, ako to bolo vtedy. Každá skupina mala svoju vlastnú ideu.
92Ale to nie je dnes večer tá otázka. To nie je to, o čom hovorím. To, čo sa vás teraz pýtam, je, čo si vy myslíte, že je Toto, to sa týka vás. Kto je Tento, ktorý sa prechádza hore-dolu národami? Nie ľudia. Ľudia nedokážu robiť tieto veci. Kto je To, kto to hovorí a prehovára k ľuďom v obecenstve, ako sedí tu, tam a tam, a na rozličných miestach v zhromaždení. Keď sú sem privedení muži a ženy, ktorí zomierajú, Kto je Toto?
93 Tá mladá žena, ktorá dnes ráno prišla do krstiteľnice, ktorá zomierala pred tromi týždňami na sarkóm? Žije rovno tu na ulici Maple, pani Baete. A ja som sa opýtal troch lekárov, ktorí boli s ňou. Ona nemala žiadnu šancu na prežitie so svojimi štyrmi alebo piatimi malými deťmi, a moja matka sa snažila o nich starať. Mama povedala, „Bill, ona sa už nikdy nevráti domov.“
94 A ja som išiel tam, kde bola, a Pán Ježiš prehovoril, „TAK HOVORÍ PÁN, ak pôjde do cirkvi a sľúbi, že sa dá pokrstiť na Meno Pána Ježiša a bude slúžiť Bohu, príde domov zdravá.“
A ja som sa jej opýtal, „Urobíš to, pani?“
95A ona povedala, „Všetko, čo hovoríš, urobím.“ Tie bolesti okamžite zmizli. O tri dni neskôr bola doma a lekári nedokážu nájsť po tej rakovine žiadnu stopu.
96Kto je toto, ktorý prichádza v Mene Pánovom? Kto je To? To je Svätý Duch Boží. Aký je tvoj názor na to? Aký je tvoj názor, poznajúc svojho pastora? A keď tu sedíte na týchto stoličkách, sú tu ľudia z pomimo mesta, sedia tu s epilepsiou, sedia… Tu sedí jeden muž, niekde tu, je to menonitský brat, rovno tu a trpí na epilepsiu. Nikdy som ho nepoznal ani nevidel, neviem o ňom nič. A tu zrazu, asi pred dvomi rokmi hádam, alebo tak nejako, áno, pred dvomi rokmi, Duch Svätý to vyzval a povedal, „Tak hovorí Pán.“ Odvtedy nikdy nemal záchvat. Kto je Toto? Kto je Toto?
97Táto žena tu sedela minulú nedeľu, bolo to ostatný raz, kedy som tu bol, musel som prísť odniekadiaľ z Iliinois. A na ďalší deň mala v tele veľký nádor, ktorý bol zhubný. A niektorí najlepší z lekárskej vedy z Illinois ju brali do jednej veľkej kliniky, aby bola v pondelok operovaná. A ona si pretlačila svoju cestu dovnútra. Nikdy v celom svojom živote som ju nevidel, ani o nej nepočul. A tu zrazu ju zatienil Duch Svätý, a povedal jej, kým je, odkiaľ pochádza a že bude na ďalší deň operovaná. Koľkí ste tu boli a videli to? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, „Amen.“ - pozn.prekl.] A videli ste, ako sa tie správy rýchlo rozšírili. Na ďalší deň, keď išla k lekárovi, oni ju brali z kliniky do kliniky a nedokázali nájsť po tom žiadnu stopu.
98Kto je Toto? Ó, Bože, buď milostivý! Kto je Toto, kto to robí? Opovážili by ste sa povedať, že to bol váš pastor? Nikdy. Opovážili by ste sa povedať, že ľudia s tým majú niečo dočinenia? Nikdy. Je to Duch Svätý. To je Duch, ktorý bol na Pánovi Ježišovi, a Jeho príchod je na to, aby zjednotil Samého Seba so Svojou Cirkvou, a to je tak blízko, že On rozširuje Svoje veľké sväté Svetlo, aby vykúpil a priviedol do obecenstva Cirkev Živého Boha na vytrhnutie, ktoré je na blízku. Amen!
99Kto je Toto? Ja nedokážem odpovedať za vás. Ja nemôžem odpovedať za vás. Ale ja môžem odpovedať sám za seba. A za touto svätou kazatelňou dnes večer, pred ušami tohto, tejto spoločnosti, tejto kúpnej ceny Krvi nášho Pána Ježiša, hovorím to z hĺbky svojho srdca. Nie pretože som jeden z vás, nie preto, že by som bol niekým odlišným, ale som jeden z tých vykúpených, ktorí sú umytí Krvou. A ja verím, že to isté Svetlo, ktoré visí dnes večer nad touto Cirkvou, Ten istý ukazuje skrze Svoju prirodzenosť, že to je Ježiš Kristus vo forme Ducha Svätého.
100Ktokoľvek, kto pozná Písma, vie, že Ježiš povedal, „Ja prichádzam od Boha a idem k Bohu.“ Predtým, ako bol učinený telom, keď bol s Mojžišom na púšti, On bol Ohnivý Stĺp. A keď Ho Mojžiš túžil vidieť, On mu nechal vidieť Svoj chrbát. A Mojžiš povedal, „Vyzerá to ako muž.“ Keď bol tu na zemi, On bol človek. On robil práve tie isté veci, ktoré robí dnes skrze ľudí, ktorých vykúpil. On prichádza a nechal si urobiť fotografiu. Čo je to? Po Jeho smrti, pohrebe a zmŕtvychvstaní.
101Pavol bol jedného dňa na svojej ceste do Damašku a zasiahlo a zhodilo ho veľké Svetlo. Tí ľudia okolo neho to Svetlo nevideli. Ale Ono zhodilo Pavla, až ho oslepilo. Po celý zbytok svojho života mal ťažkosti s očami. Raz povedal, „Aby som sa príliš nepovyšoval kvôli tej veľkej miere a hojnosti zjavenia, bol mi daný osteň do tela,“ posol satana, aby ho pohlavkoval. To bolo kvôli veľkosti zjavenia.
102A keď bol Pavol zasiahnutý na svojej ceste, kde prenasledoval ľudí, ktorí robili príliš mnoho hluku, znovuzrodená skupina, ľudia, ktorí boli nazvaní heretikmi. Pavol bol na ceste, aby ich prenasledoval, mal vo vrecku dokumenty, aby ich mohol zatknúť a priviesť do Jeruzalema. A asi uprostred dňa, prišlo tam dolu Svetlo, ktoré ho tak zasiahlo a zhodilo z nôh na zem a on padol do prachu zeme. Potom tam prišiel z toho Svetla Hlas, ktorý hovoril, „Saule, Saule, prečo ma prenasleduješ?“
103A Saul sa obrátil vo svojom slepom stave a pozrel sa hore. A mohol vidieť to veľké slávne Svetlo. A povedal, „Pane, kto si?“
104On povedal, „Ja som Ježiš. Prišiel som od Boha, išiel som k Bohu. Prichádzam od Boha a vraciam sa k Bohu.“ On povedal, „Bude ti ťažko priečiť sa proti ostňom.“
105 Jedno zjavenie na tom svätom piesku, jedenkrát na tom mieste a človek nemôže zostať taký istý. Človek predtým, ako by mohol samého seba nazvať kresťanom, predtým, ako sa môže identifikovať, mal by mať najprv prežitie na zadnej strane púšte, kde stretol Boha tvárou v tvár.
106Pretože dnes dokážete mať akýkoľvek druh odpovedi. Môžete vidieť Pána vykonať presne to, čo On povedal, že bude robiť, a chytrí teológovia vám to vysvetľovaním vyvrátia. Povedia, „To bolo na iný deň. To bolo kvôli tomuto. Alebo to je pre iný vek. Alebo to je nesprávne.“ Tak, ako povedali Ježišovi, „On je Belzebúb, diabol. On číta myšlienky.“ A všetky tie veci, oni na to mali nejakú odpoveď.
107 Ale keď raz človek prišiel do kontaktu s Kristom a uvidel Ho, ako Ho uvidel Pavol, alebo ako Ho prežil, neexistuje na svete dostatok teológov, ktorí by to prežitie toho človeka vysvetľovaním vyvrátili.
108To je dnes ten dôvod. Oni nemajú prežitie. To je dôvod, že nedokážu povedať. Oni všetci hovoria, „Kto je Toto? Čo je Toto? Odkiaľ To pochádza?“ Oni nemajú odpoveď. Prečo? Pretože všetko, čo poznajú, je len teológia, ktorú vytvorila nejaká cirkev. Nie, „poznať teológiu,“ je Život. Nie, „Poznať Bibliu,“ je Život.
109 Ale, „Poznať Jeho,“ je Život. „Poznať Jeho,“ ako svojho osobného Spasiteľa, ako Toho, ktorý ťa naplnil Svojou prítomnosťou. Ty si tam bol, keď sa to stalo. Nikto to od teba nedokáže zobrať preč. Neexistuje nikto, kto ti to dokáže vysvetlením vyvrátiť. Keď sa ti deje to prežitie, ty vieš, kým On je. Pre mňa, On je Ježiš Kristus, Ten istý včera, dnes a naveky.
110Kto je Tento, kto vykonáva tieto zázraky? Kto je To, kto robí tieto veľké skutky? Je to kazateľ? Je to Oral Roberts? Je to Billy Graham? Je to Jack Schuller, William Branham? Ktokoľvek to môže byť, oni s tým nemajú nič do činenia. Oni sú len nástrojmi.
111To je Duch Svätý, ktorý prichádza s Evanjeliom, so znameniami a divmi a zázrakmi, aby pripravil ľudí. Vzduch je nabitý očakávaniami veriacich, ktorí Ho očakávajú, že príde.
112A ostatní hovoria, „Načo tieto prebudenia? Načo to máme? Založme nejakú cirkev.“ No, bolo to povedané, rovno tu v tomto zbore, keď sme začali stavať novú zborovú budovu, niekto povedal, „Nepotrebujeme zázraky. Nepotrebujeme už viac tieto veci. Ak ich chcete, choďte niekam na pole, kde sa to deje. My ich tu nepotrebujeme.“ Keď Branhamova modlitebňa klesne na tak nízke miesto, tak je potopená.
113Tento zbor je založený na princípoch a moci Evanjelia Ježiša Krista. A tak dlho, ako táto modlitebňa stojí, nech by ten slávny Duch Svätý našiel prístup k dušiam, aby zachránil a naplnil ich Svätým Duchom a uzdravil chorých. Pre mňa to je Ježiš Kristus, Ten istý včera, dnes a naveky.
Modlime sa.
114 Ak nevieš, kým On je, nevieš, o čom všetkom toto je, a chcel by si to vedieť, urobil by si aspoň toľko, že by si zodvihol svoju ruku? A povedz, keď dvíhaš svoju ruku, „Modli sa za mňa, brat Branham, aby som Ho mohol poznať.“ A nech vás Pán žehná. Všade naokolo vidím vaše ruky.
115Teraz, Nebeský Otče, prinášame toto Posolstvo a to ovocie ľudí, ktorí zodvihli svoje ruky na znak toho, že oni by radi vedeli, Kto Toto je. Oni by chceli byť oboznámení s týmto veľkým Ježišom. Tým, že Jeho príchod, vzkriesenie je tak blízko, až chorí začínajú byť uzdravení. A potom, ako sa toto deje, potom prišlo do Cirkvi proroctvo, potom dary a zázraky až teraz do toho posledného znamenia. To ďalšie, čo príde, bude vytrhnutie a Cirkev bude vzatá preč. A my, Pane, ktorí tvrdíme, že Ťa poznáme v moci Tvojho vzkriesenia, očakávame a túžime a plačeme a naliehame, „Príď, Pane Ježišu!“
116 Vytrhni Svoju Cirkev a vezmi ju rýchlo preč, Pane. Pretože čoskoro ľudia vyhodia túto zem do vzduchu, zem, ktorú si Ty pre nich stvoril, aby na nej žili, pretože oni Ťa neposlúchli. Oni nehľadali pokoj, ale vojnu. Nehľadali spravodlivosť, ale zlobu. Ako by potom neboli všetci hladní po moci! Pane, to malé miestečko v ich srdci, ktoré spôsobuje, že sú hladní po moci, oni sa to snažia uspokojiť s niečím v laboratóriu, aby vyhodili do vzduchu svojho blížneho.
117Bože, ak by si len mohli uvedomiť, že tá moc, po ktorej túžia, to je moc vzkriesenia Syna Božieho, moc Svätého Ducha, ktorá vie zmeniť ich životy, nie vyhodiť národy do vzduchu, ale zmeniť ich životy a urobiť ich Tvojimi sluhami.
118Mnohí ľudia sú zasiahnutí bláznovstvom. Oni nás označujú ako banda „Nič-nevedov“ a „heretikov,“ tak, ako to robili v tamtom ranom dni. Ale ako sa vracajú a radujú a ďakujú Ti, že môžu niesť pohanenie Tvojho Mena. To je cítenie Tvojich detí, dnes večer, Pane, všade na okolo. My sme len šťastní.
119 Niektorí v Tvojom dni sa Ťa snažili zidentifikovať. Povedali, „On je priateľ toho divocha Jána, ktorý prišiel z púšte, ledva mal nejaké oblečenie, len starú ovčiu kožu, ktorú mal okolo seba omotanú. Taký divý človek, ktorý len hádzal slovami na východ a západ a povedal, 'Sekera je priložená ku koreňu stromu,' povedal. On je Jeho nasledovník. On je divý človek. Je šialený. Pomiatol sa.“ Tá nadprirodzená služba, ktorá bola pri Tebe, ó, Pane, oslepila ich oči.
120A tak isto sa to stalo znovu dnes. Tento veľký Svätý Duch predchádzajúci príchod Pánov, tak, ako Ján vo svojom dni zaslepoval ľudí, pre tých, ktorí nechceli vidieť. Ale tí, ktorí sú ochotní vidieť, Ty si si ich vybral. „A všetci, ktorých Mi dal Otec, ku Mne prídu,“ Ty si povedal, „A žiaden z nich sa nestratí. A Ja ich vzkriesim v ten posledný deň.“ Ďakujeme Ti za to.
121 A tí, ktorí dnes večer zodvihli svoje ruky, modlíme sa, ó, Pane Bože, aby si sa im dal poznať v prežití, v moci vzkriesenia. Udeľ to, Pane.
122 A možno sú tu ďalší, ktorí nezodvihli ruku, ale pritom vo svojom srdci vedia, že by to potrebovali. Modlím sa, aby si ich požehnal a dal im túžbu ich srdca.
123Keď dnes večer opustíme túto budovu, nech by sme mohli ísť ako odlišní ľudia. Nech by sme mohli ísť s odlišným účelom, aký sme mali, keď sme sem prichádzali, ak to bolo v protiklade k Tvojej Božskej vôli. Nech by sme mohli vyjsť s rozhodnutím držať sa rohov oltára, až kým naša duša nie je uspokojená prežitím s Tebou. A poznáme Toho, o ktorom hovoríme, pretože sme Ho stretli a poznali a máme s Ním obecenstvo. Udeľ tieto veci, Otče. Uzdrav chorých a postihnutých.
124Požehnaj nášho milovaného a vzácneho pastora. Bože, modlíme sa, aby si bol s ním a s jeho milými sestrami, ako spievajú Evanjelium a kážu to cez ich rádio vysielanie.
125Požehnaj cudzích v našich bránach. Pane, nech dnes večer vyjdú s takým odhodlaním vo svojom srdci a s účelom, ktorý bude od tejto hodiny slúžiť Ti, ak Ťa nepoznali a neslúžili Ti predtým, nech Ti slúžia. Vediac toto, že, „Všetky ostatné veci vyjdú navnivoč, ale Slovo Pánovo zostane naveky.“ Udeľ to, Otče.
126Odpusť nám všetky naše hriechy. A nech by sme sa stretli pri tom veľkom … [Prázdne miesto na páske - pozn.prekl.]
Pretože On prv miloval mňa
a vykúpil mi spasenie na Golgote.
127Teraz po Posolstve, skloňme len naše hlavy a uctievajme Ho, ako Mu spievame.
Milujem Ho (Z celého svojho srdca),
milujem Ho,
pretože On prv miloval mňa
a vykúpil mi spasenie na Golgote.
128Koľkí Ho skutočne milujete? Zodvihnite svoju ruku, povedzte ako svedok, „Milujem Ho.“ Ó, či nie je On nádherný? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, „Amen.“ - pozn.prekl.] Viete, ja to len tak milujem sedieť takto a len tak nejako nasávať v Jeho prítomnosti. Jeho Slovo vyšlo, ono padlo do sŕdc. Ono nás napráva. Privádza nás k poddaniu sa Jeho Duchu. Aké milé to je, len Ho potom uctievať! Sme tak vďační. Ako teraz pôjdete dnes večer zo zboru, choďte a uctievajte Ho.
129A pamätajte, tento týždeň v stredu večer je modlitebné zhromaždenie. Nezabudnite na vysielanie brata Nevilla v nedeľu alebo v sobotu o deviatej hodine cez WLRP. Ja to jednoducho rád počúvam, vy nie? To kvarteto alebo trio, znie to tak pekne. Moja manželka a ja a deti, všetci sme okolo toho rádia a počúvame brata Nevilla a jeho vysielanie a jeho ohromné slová, ako on vyvyšuje Boha, ktorého miluje a verí Mu. Nehovorím to preto, že…
130Vy, ktorí ste tu cudzí, ak nemáte domovský zbor, príďte a pripojte sa k nám. Poviem vám, nehovorím toto a potom iné tu. Nie veru. Toto som povedal už mnohokrát. Mám rád brata Nevilla. Po prvé, on je teológ. Najprv, on je dieťa Božie. Tá ďalšia vec, on je každý deň ten istý. Poznám ho už roky. On sa vôbec nezmenil, ani trochu. On je stále Orman Neville, sluha Pána Ježiša. A myslím, že má…
131Raz večer som mu zavolal, aby som sa ho opýtal, či by nemal vo svojom programe trochu priestoru pre nás, aby sme prišli a modlili sa za chorých. Niektorí takí prichádzali, bolo to toto ráno, viete. A jeho manželka odpovedala v telefóne a ja som hovoril so svojou ženou o tom tam vzadu.
132A ako Bohu ďakujeme za jeho drobnú, milú manželku a jeho rodinu. To je veľmi pekné. Keď vidíte kazateľa a jeho manželku, ako takto spolu vychádzajú v milote a v pokore, to spôsobuje, že Cirkev napreduje omnoho lepšie. Je to len krajšie, ako dni idú ďalej.
133Milujete Ho z celého svojho srdca? [Zhromaždenie hovorí, „Amen.“ - pozn.prekl.] V poriadku. Máme takú pieseň na rozpustenie, Ber so sebou Meno Ježiš. Zahraj nám, sestra, akord, ak to tam máš v knižke. A zaspievame našu pieseň na rozídenie. A keď zaspievame prvý verš, chceme sa otočiť a potriasť jeden druhému ruky. V poriadku. Daj nám akord.
Ber so sebou Meno Ježiš,
Dieťa smútku, bolesti.
Dá ti radosť, potešenie,
Vezmi Ho, kde len vykročíš.
Vzácne Meno,
ó, aké sladké,
nádej zeme a radosť neba.
Nech ťa Boh žehná, brat.
Vzácne Meno, aké sladké
nádej zeme, radosť neba.
Teraz zaspievame tento verš.
Vezmime si teraz tento verš.
V Mene Ježiša sa skláňame,
padáme k Jeho nohám,
Kráľa kráľov v nebi korunujeme,
Keď sa naša cesta skončí.
(Nebude to úžasné?)
Drahé Meno, (Drahé Meno)... (Ó, aké sladké!)
Nádej zeme a radosť neba;
Vzácne Meno, (Vzácne Meno) Ó, aké sladké!
Nádej zeme a radosť neba.
134Koľkí si pamätáte našu malú pieseň, ktorú sme zvykli spievať „Nezabudni na rodinnú modlitbu“, pamätáte si ju? Viem, Thelma, neviem, či ju vieš, máš akord alebo nie? Skúsme to raz. Nepamätáš si to? Skúsme… Možno by som to raz mohol s vami skúsiť.
Nezabudni na rodinnú modlitbu,
Ježiš sa tam s tebou chce stretnúť,
On prevezme každú tvoju starosť,
ó, nezabudni na rodinnú modlitbu.
135 Koľkí majú rodinnú modlitbu? To je dobré. Skúsme to znovu. Vrátim sa sem. Páči sa mi to. Teraz všetci spolu.
Nezabudni na rodinnú modlitbu,
Ježiš sa tam s tebou chce stretnúť,
On prevezme každú tvoju starosť,
ó, nezabudni na rodinnú modlitbu.
136Ó, Pane, v Písme je napísané, že oni brali z tela Pavla vreckovky a zástery a nečistí duchovia odchádzali od ľudí a nemoci boli uzdravené. Modlíme sa, ó, Pane, aby to bolo podobne ukázané pri týchto ľuďoch dnes večer, ako ich posielam ku tým, ktorí sú v potrebe a nemocní. Niekde tam vonku na rôznych miestach, je tam niekto, kto očakáva a čaká, že toto sa stane. Modlíme sa, Otče, aby si to udelil v Ježišovom Mene, v Mene Tvojho Syna. Amen.
137 Chcem teraz požiadať, ako skloníme svoje hlavy, či by náš veľmi vzácny brat Smith, ktorý je tam z Cirkvi Božej, o ktorom sme zistili, že je práve tak, ako náš brat Neville tu, verným sluhom Božím. Požiadam ho, aby poprosil o požehnania pre vás, aby to pokračovalo tento nadchádzajúci týždeň. Nech vás Boh žehná, kým sa znovu nestretneme.
138 Brat Smith [Brat Smith sa modlí - pozn.prekl.] Áno, Pane. Áno. Áno. Amen.
139Potraste si navzájom ruky. Vitaj znovu späť v modlitebni. Nech vás Boh žehná.
1 God bless you, brother. It's so nice to get to come to the house of the Lord. I think that I was studying some Scripture some time ago, and It said that when Jesus drew near unto Jerusalem, that the disciples lifted up their eyes and they saw the holy city in the distance. And they begin to rejoice, and to say that... "Now will the kingdom be restored?"
And this certain man that was telling, or talking about a recent visit to Palestine... And he said that people now, in the last year has been coming to a place, that when they come up from the valley and look around the bend, the same road that Jesus and the disciples were on at that time, that when they see the city, they start to weep.
You know, I believe there was something those disciples in those days felt that--that the Kingdom would be restored again. And now it's almost time.
I believe that's the feeling that's on the people that the Kingdom is almost ready to be restored again.
2 Brother Neville, our gracious and blessed pastor, has just spoke to me about an oncoming revival effort here at the Tabernacle in a few nights, to be praying about it. And I told him, I thought it would be a blessed thing. You just can't have too many revivals. And many times, we get the wrong opinion of a revival. A revival isn't so much as to bring in new members, but it's to revive that which we already have.
And I'm... I like to say this, because I say it from the depths of my heart. That I begin to find a different feeling around the Tabernacle, than what has been for a long time, a feeling of--of a deep spiritual sense, like that it used to be long time ago. That something that settles, and it's got a real foundation. And I trust that God will bless this little church. And [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.] again in His power. And I see the building program going on, and I think that's a great thing. For sooner or later, we older people are going to take off the armor, and hand it back into the hands of our children, and walk up that golden stairway.
The other day, I passed that halfway mark now of fifty years old. I just can't realize that. It don't seem like it's been no time since I was hauling groceries for Chris Misner, about eighteen--sixteen, eighteen years old. It just went somewhere. It just goes to show, that here we have no continuing city, but we're seeking one to come. And that's the City where God is Builder, and there will never be no end there.
3 This morning as I was speaking on the subject of Mother's Day, and trying to place mother, not as she really is in the old age with the wrinkles, and on as her crutches or an old wheelchair, or arm chair, and a little pot of flowers setting by her, but mother in the resurrection, restored back to her youth, and standing shining as a queen.
That's the way I like to think of my mother. I don't like to think of her as she is today--old. I like to think of what's coming. And I know you feel that way about your mothers. Think of her as she really is in her heart. Though many... As this poet says, "Life has not been easy for her, but she'd live it all over again, just to do something for you." So God's going to make it a way so she can live forever with you. So, I'm glad of that.
4 I don't know why I made this announcement this morning that I would speak tonight, if the Lord willing, on Who Is This? Certainly don't know how I'm going to do it. But I been busy up to about hour and ten minutes ago on interviews all afternoon, and had specials, and--and emergency calls. I couldn't make them.
And I want you to continue to pray for Dr. Sam. He--he's coming along fine, and we're thankful. And Dr. Baldin and Mrs. Baldin are both recovering. They're getting along fine.
And I want you to put a new one on your prayer list this afternoon, that's Harry Leese down here, the druggist. Harry's a personal friend of mine. And as long as I've knowed him, I thought he was a Christian, till this afternoon when his brother made a request for the salvation of his soul. Brother Mike Egan brought the... our trustee here, brought the news. And Harry is in a serious condition out at the hospital. I didn't know he thought that much of me, but he turned his own pastor down this afternoon, the pastor of the church where he goes, and wanted me to come see him. And I want to go see him. So, pray for Harry.
5 We're glad here tonight to recognize as my friends here from down in Georgia, Brother Welch Evans and his family. I see also other visitors that I didn't know them, probably was here this morning.
If I'm not mistaken, I see Brother, Sister Elmer Collins back there from Phoenix, Arizona. Oh, you haven't changed. Look like you ought to have on your railroad clothes and--and coming in from the track. And welcome back home, and I can't ask you to stay here, 'cause you found a place better. See? That's very fine, Phoenix. Like to live there someday myself.
And then I see Brother Smith here from the Church of God out there. Brother Smith, it was given me, your little book the other day, yesterday afternoon late. I haven't read it yet, but I certainly will endorse it. As long as I know you wrote it, it's got to be real true Scripture. God bless you, and I hope it's a success.
And many others, I could say you're all welcome here at the Tabernacle. And I enjoyed that song this morning of Sister Stricker, that sang, "He's Looking Through The Lattice At Her."
My Mennonite brethren here, glad to have them in. And oh, all of you.
A friend here, I believe, from over in Illinois. His son's taking recordings in the back. Get to meet them again...
And it's so many I might... Don't think I'm slighting you, if I don't call your name. But I just welcome you all.
6 Now let us read tonight for a Scripture lesson out of Matthew the 21st chapter beginning at the 1st verse, and reading down in 11th inclusive.
And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, there came... and came to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them to me.
And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord has need of them; and straightway he will send them.
All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
Tell the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh in meekness... setting upon the ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes and they set him thereon.
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; and... cut down branches from the trees, and strowed them in the way.
And the multitude that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth...
7 Let us bow our heads for prayer. O Lord, we wonder just what we would have said if we'd a lived in those days. But we are living in a greater day, when we are looking for Him to come. And as we are making preparation, Lord, getting our hearts prepared, and bringing in all the sheaves that we can gather from the harvest fields, both at home and abroad, we are thinking and in anticipating on the time that we shall see Him coming, riding on a white horse, coming down from the portals of glory to change and fashion this old corruptible bodies of ours into a glorious body like unto His own; where there can be no sin or no sign of death ever enter. And we shall see Him as He is, and live and love Him throughout all ages that is to come.
8 We thank Thee for this church, and for its pastor, and for the trustees, and the deacons, and for every person that comes here, and for the visitors that's in our gates, that's sheep of the same fold, but from another corral. We would ask that You would bless them tonight with Your Presence; and feed us on Thy Word, that we might go from here tonight with a determination to be better Christians than we have ever been. May we go with a new hope in our heart, and with joy, waiting for His coming.
If by chance, there would be some among us who are sick and afflicted, we would not forget to pray for them, that they, coming into the building tonight, where we have gathered for the worship, coming in sick, may they go out well. And we would ask for those that are convalescing in the homes and the hospitals, and are on the beds of affliction, we pray, O God, that Your mercy will reach down to them.
9 We would pray for those that are indifferent tonight, that has not yet tasted and seen the Lord is good, that doesn't know what it means to be loved by God. They just don't understand what they are missing. O God, may some radio broadcaster, some way touch their hearts, and their emotions may be turned to Thee before the door of mercy be closed and they be shut out to stand the judgments without mercy. Help us, Lord.
These things we pray in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and for His glory we ask it. Amen.
10 The people was so crowded around the gates, and the streets were jammed, and there was not even room for people to sleep. They were laying outside the wall, all over the grounds; because this was the Passover. And people come from all over the known world to worship at this time.
It was a time when the paschal lamb was slain, and the... It represented their deliverance out of Egypt, the bondage. And they kept this annually; every year this great Passover took place. And it was one of the most outstanding times of the--or events of the Jewish religion, because it meant the time they were delivered. All people love to think of that, the time they were delivered.
11 How that each of us tonight can go back to the time when we were delivered, what it meant to us... I can remember in my own experience, of how my poor boy's heart craved to touch God. I thought, "If I could only go up and knock on His door and talk to Him a little while."
And of course, you know my story. I got me a paper and pencil, and was going to write Him a letter, 'cause I couldn't talk to Him. And I knowed that He lived in the woods, because I'd heard Him, and I'd seen His moving in the woods. And I... A certain old familiar path that I used to go down when I would be hunting or going fishing, I thought I'll--I'll just tack it on the tree and address it to Mr. Jesus. Just some way so that that burden could be from my heart...
On that night down yonder... I might forget my age. I might even forget my name sometimes. But I can never forget that hour when He delivered me from sin. Something took place down inside me, that it's helped me through the great hours and darkness, the hour of my deliverance. The weights of sin left me, and I was a new person. I'd been a new creature in Christ Jesus ever since.
12 And these Jews, they come up each year. And there was a--a fountain inside the church. And they taken the--the bread, and the bitter herbs, and the lamb, and they drank from this fountain in the church. And they rejoiced together, because that God had showed them favor.
So, this being the Passover time... And not only was it the Passover, but it was a special Passover.
You know there's sometimes that we go to church... And we always love to go. But there's sometimes that something special happens. And this was one of those times. The air was charged with expectancy, just as it is today. All the eyes of those who loved Him was watching for Him to come into the gate.
13 And I believe it's a great deal that way today, for those who love Him are looking for Him. The air is charged with expectancy. When we're living in this day, when the earth is--actually has become one great powder keg, and science is telling us it's just three minutes until midnight...
And I'm sure you was reading it, as I, the other day, that story of this general in the army. Said that if there was another war, it would only last just two or three minutes. The old days of battling, and shooting rifles, and digging foxholes, that's all over. They claim the next war will be just two or three minutes. Someday, some topsy-turvy person's going to blow his lid off and fire one of those bombs. And when they do, we've got listening posts everywhere to fire it right back again. The world just can't survive that.
14 Everyone at the Passover knew something was going to happen, but they didn't know just what it was. And that's the way it is today. Most everyone knows that something's fixing to happen. Everyone knows that. You can talk to the sinner. You can talk to the merchants. You can talk to anyone that... Oh, it's such an unresting time for the world.
But you can talk to a man or a woman that's looking for Him coming, and the glory is on their face, shining out. They're watching for that great event.
So, the whole air is charged again expecting something to happen. The world doesn't know what's fixing to happen. But the Church of the living God knows what's going to happen. They know that soon the trumpet will sound, and we'll see Him come, riding out of Glory on a white horse, and the armies of Heaven following Him, and those that are dead in Christ will be raptured and took up to meet Him in the air. That's what we are looking for. We're longing for it.
15 And we're told that the souls of those mothers and so forth we spoke of this morning, just under the altar of God, are screaming, "How long, Lord, how long." Mother wants to see you as much as you want to see her. And our loved ones wants to meet us as well as we want to meet them. What a reunion that'll be when He comes--to meet our loved ones and see them in their resurrection body, and glorified, and walking around with the air of the resurrection. Watching their character, how it's changed, the meekness and quietness, and it won't be a hustle and bustle, and jump and jerk, but we'll have all eternity to live together.
Oh, this great neurotic age that we're living, just not no time for nothing, just climbing and jerking and grabbing, why, it's a terrible day.
16 Then as they waited for something to happen, it was too bad that many of those at the Passover never got to see Him. Yet, they knowed something was going to happen, but yet, they didn't get to see Him. So will it be at the coming of the Lord.
There's many restless people today that knows that something's fixing to happen, but they--they'll never see Him, for He will come in the stillness of the midnight to catch away that little Church that's longing, and waiting, and expecting to see Him. That's the ones He will come and catch away. Many of the world who is living on the glamours, and the--feasting their souls upon the things of the world will never know what happened until the Church is gone into Glory. For He will come as a thief in the night and catch them away. So we can see we're back again to the same place.
17 Now, we find out that this expectations, that God comes to those who... All through the Scriptures, it's been the same thing, that they are... He always appears to those who are expecting Him, always to those who are wanting to see Him. And I'm sure that that's the hope that's on our hearts tonight.
It's been about six months ago I suppose. I was testifying to some people. And I said, "Oh, to think of it: that just most any time He will come."
18 And what caused me to say that, I was speaking of Brother Bosworth. When I went to see that old saint, when we heard he was dying, eighty-something years old... The wife and I going down to--there to see him before he died, I just had to say something to him. I like to watch saints when they're entering Glory. And I had to see him. And we burnt the tires off of the car.
But when I got there and rushed into the door, in the little corner laid that old patriarch. He raised his head up when he seen me coming, his old feeble arms hung out with the flesh hanging down, and he reached his arms for me. And I grabbed him around the neck and screamed, "My Father, my Father, the chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof." For he was a sainted godly man.
And I said, "Brother Bosworth, I want to ask you something. Do you believe that you'll get well?"
He said, "Why, I'm not even sick."
I said, "Well, what's the matter?"
He said, "I'm going home." He said, "I'm tired, and I'm wore out; and I just want to go home."
I said, "Then you realize you're dying?" I said, "I want to ask you something. Back down through the seventy-some-odd years of ministry, what has been your most glorious minute? Could you speak to me, sir, and tell me what experience you had down along the line that you could count your greatest hour?"
19 If I shall live to see his age, I'd never forget, as those dark eyes caught me over the top of those glasses. He said, "My dear brother, this is the greatest moment of my life. I can't think of any time that was any more glorious than right now."
I looked him in the face, and I said, "Sir, do you still know that you're dying?"
He said, "Brother Branham, I'm laying here waiting every minute for Him to open that door and come take me Home with Him."
That's the way to die. That's the way to go. And as you know, that about two hours before he died, he was--been laying in a coma for over two days. And when he come to himself, he raised up in the room, and begin to speak to his wife. Then all of a sudden, he seemed to be transparent. And he was--shook hands for a solid hour or more, with friends who's been dead for forty or fifty years, who was his converts in his church, shook hands with his mother and with his daddy until he was--life was left his body. Laid down on the pillow and went to sleep in the arms of the Lord Jesus. There's nothing like serving Him, expecting Him.
20 And as I talked to this man about this, and told that experience, I said this; I said, "Sir, oh, won't it be glorious when we see Him? Oh, if He would come today."
He said, "Brother Branham, don't scare the people like that."
I said, "What do you mean?"
He said, "Oh, don't try to tell people that the world's coming, or Christ is coming. It worries them."
"Oh," I said, "no, I beg your pardon. To those who are looking for Him, it's the most glorious news that they could hear, that Jesus is just about to break through and to take His Church."
Old age will be changed for youth. Joy will be given in the stead of gloom. Life will be given in the stead of death. Immortality for morality will be exchanged. Oh, what a moment to know that He shall come.
21 They were looking for Him. They were expecting Him. And when He come, we found that there was two factions. One group was for Him, and one was against Him.
And that's the way we find it today. That's what... His coming always has divided the peoples. Every time, when you find Jesus, you find those around who would be contrary with it. That's Satan. And today, when we think of it, we don't see much change: just the same. The peoples has changed, but the spirit of people hasn't changed.
So, when they finally looked out the gate and saw Him come riding on that little white donkey, no wonder the disciples begin to just scream, "The Kingdom of Heaven is come." The people run to meet Him, and all Jerusalem was stirred. There's something about it; when Jesus comes, it's always a stirring. And the whole city was stirred. And they--they can't hide it.
22 And the preachers of that day had to give an account for this stir, because it was at the feast of the Passover. And they screamed out, "Who is This?" When the air charged, and the coming of the Lord Jesus to Jerusalem had charged the air with expectations, it looks like that the teachers ought to know what was going to take place. It looked like that the high priest would've knowed it. It looked like that all of the other priests would've known it.
And it isn't changed any today, because the Holy Spirit is forerunning the coming of the Lord Jesus. And as the Holy Spirit begins to stretch out across the earth, revival fires are broken out everywhere, great signs and wonders has been done, healings has took place, prophesies has went forth. All the gathering of the apostolic blessings has come back to the church again. So as it was then, so is it now. The spirit of the unbeliever still cries out, "Who is this?"
23 Some of them believed on the Lord Jesus, to say He was a good man. Some of them said, "He's a good man." That's what they say today. They try to place Him as a Napoleon, a warrior. They try to place Him as a--a George Washington, a truthful man. But He was more than that.
Did you notice the reading of the Scripture? They said, "This is a prophet that comes from Galilee." And they try to say the same thing today. When they see this great move of the Lord to restore back to health the sick and the afflicted, to see Him use His Spirit in His Church to discern the thoughts of the people, to see Him do just as He did when He was here on earth to fulfill what He said would take place... Certainly. The churches and the people has asking this: "Who is this?"
They didn't understand Who Jesus was, because none of them could recognize Him by their schools. What seminary did He come out of? What school of theology did He come from?
24 And so is it today. Most of the people who are anointed with the Holy Ghost, didn't come from any seminary. They are products of God's Own choosing. But the signs, and the miracles, and the wonders that was promised in the Bible, accompany this great Holy Spirit as It moves among the people. And they say today, "What school are they from?" Just as soon as you enter a city to hold a revival, "What denomination do you belong to?"
25 I had an interview Friday afternoon with a--the Roman Catholic priest from the Irish church in Louisville. And no more than I'd been introduced to him, a fine scholarly man, he said, "Mr. Branham, what denomination are you with?"
I said, "I'm not with any."
And he said, "Then, were you ordained?"
I said, "Yes, sir."
He said, "Who ordained you?"
I said, "The Lord Jesus gave me the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel, and gave me a commission."
Well, that's the ordination that we need. Jesus never said to His disciples, "Go out to the..." I'm not criticizing those things, but they've lived their day. He didn't say, "Go, study to be a minister for so many years." He said, "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high." He said that to men who couldn't sign their own name. "And after this, the Holy Ghost is come upon you, then you shall be My witnesses, both in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and to the utmost parts of the earth." That's the ordination.
26 We have no record of Jesus ever going to any school or graduating from any seminaries. Yet there's been more seminaries erected in His Name for religious causes than been for any other--any other thing that's ever been in the world. We never had any--any record of Him ever going to school. But yet there's been more schools erected in His Name than there is of any other kind of a name there is under the heavens--the schools. We never had note of Him writing a book, yet there's been more books wrote about Him than all the rest of the literature that's been written. And today, His Bible is the most popular Book that there is in all the world amongst all the literature.
But, you see, in the day of the visitation, they cried, "Who is He?"
27 See, God takes something that seems like it's nothing to make something out of it. That's what makes Him God.
And when they seen Him come riding into that gate, some of them said, "He's a great Man."
They say that today. Their schools of theology that teaches today that Jesus was a great Man, that He was a good Man. Some of them even say that He was a Prophet. Now, if He was only a Prophet or a good man, we're in our sins. He was more than a prophet. He was more than a good man. Yet He was a good Man. Yet He was a God-prophet. But He was more than that. He was God manifested in the flesh to take away sin.
28 And as He come riding in, lots of the people said, "He's a Healer. Oh, we seen Him open the eyes of the blind. We seen Him make the crippled man to walk. We seen Him offer prayer and the fever left a child." But then those type were only following Him for the loaves and the fishes.
And that's the way the crowds are today, many. If there's a healer, why they--they follow him, and he's just a--he's just a oasis. If they get sick, they run to say, "Oh, will you please pray for me that the Lord Jesus will make me well?" And as soon as they come out of the hospital or the sickbed, right back out into the world they go, like a dog to its vomit or a hog to its wallow, as the Scripture says. Just follow Him for what good they can get out of Him. They use Him just for a--a totem pole, or--or something that--that they can get from Him and don't expect to serve Him. That crowd still goes on today.
29 There were nine lepers healed, and one returned to give Him praise, or was it ten. They... One of them returned to give Him praise, and the rest of them went ahead ungrateful.
And if the people in America that's been healed by the power of God would turn their hearts to God, there'd be a revival strike this nation that would close every bootleg joint, that would... Package stores and whiskey stores would be plumb out of the picture. The churches would be full; the theaters would be empty on Sunday night. And there'd be a revival break out through this nation.
But when they see it happen, the things that God does, they still scream, "Who is He? Who is This that comes? Where do they come from? Who is This? By what authority is this done?"
30 Never forget, at Johannesburg, South Africa. I just arrived about thirty minutes before on a plane. And I'd been three days and nights in the air, so tired, I could hardly stand it. It... They take me out to the fairgrounds where some fifty or sixty thousand people were gathered.
And no sooner than got on the platform till the Holy Spirit... I seen coming across the place a--a bus. And it was... had a sign on it, "Durban." I saw a young man, had to fuss and slip away from his father and mother, with one leg six or eight inches shorter than the other. He was wearing a white shirt with suspenders holding up his trousers. And I noticed the young man. I looked back again; the vision was gone.
31 And then, just in a moment, I saw that Light hanging over a young man way back in the audience. I looked, and I thought I'd seen him somewhere. And I watched him, and that Light kept holding over him a few minutes. And I was waiting for the interpreter to catch the next words. Then I seen that same young man stand up, throw down his crutches, and his six inches short leg came down normal with the rest. And I said to Mr. A. J. Schoeman, who is in Glory tonight; I said, "Mr. Schoeman, just quote my words, it's a vision."
He said, "Very well."
And I said, "The young man's setting back there with a white shirt on and suspenders. He came from a city called Durban, some fifteen hundred miles across the country in a bus. And he had to slip away from his father and mother to come. But he's believed on the Lord Jesus, and he's got one leg six inches shorter than the other." And the young man jumped up. And there he was standing, trying to feel for his crutches. And I said, "Young man, the Lord Jesus has healed you." And immediately his leg come out six inches to the normal with the rest of him. And they brought the young man to the platform, and doctors examined him there. You see his picture in my book.
32 I'd been standing there just a few moments; I seen a little green car running down the road, and it slipped. It turned around backward and struck a tree. A young blond-headed girl was--had a broken back. And I said, "I see a little green car that slid into a tree, and a young blond-headed girl of about eighteen years old has a broken back. She's in a serious condition."
No one responded, and I couldn't see her anywhere in that vast big audience of people. And I stood there just for a few minutes; I said, "Understand, it's a... Don't be suspicious. It's the Lord Jesus. In the power of the resurrection He sent the Holy Ghost to continue His work."
And there, I seen the vision happen over again; and I couldn't see the young woman. Just then, standing right in front of me here, stood that Light, as you see on the picture. And It stood there. And I walked up there and there she laid, down below the platform. I said, "Young lady, the Lord Jesus has made you well."
And she started to cry. And her mother said, "Oh, no. Don't tell her to get up." Says, "If she moves, she'll die." And the young lady jumped to her feet, screaming and praising God, and the mother fainted and fell in the cot that the girl was laying in.
33 What is it? Just about that time, some critical man raised up back there, and stood with one foot on one seat and one on the other, and said, "You American, I challenge you to tell me, what Name you do this in, and what denominational church do you belong to?"
See, it's just the same. They don't understand. They're not looking for these things. The churches are not looking for the coming of the Lord. And the Holy Spirit is here to confirm His coming, to bring it to pass. So much, each one wants to take his own way. That's the way it was there, each group had their own idea.
34 But that's not the question tonight. That's not what I'm talking about. But the question I'm asking you, is what do you think It is? It concerns you.
Who is This that's going up-and-down the nations? Not man, man cannot do those things. Who is It that's speaking and saying to the people in the audience that's setting right here, and over here, and different places in the meeting? When women and men are brought in here dying, Who is It?
35 That young woman that walked into the baptistery this morning, that three weeks ago, dying with sarcomas cancer. Lives right here on Maple Street, Mrs. Baete. And I asked three doctors that was with her; she didn't have one chance to live, with four or five little children, and my mother trying to take care of them.
Mama said, "Bill, she'll never come home again."
And I went out to where she was, and the Lord Jesus spoke, "THUS SAITH THE LORD, if she will go to the church and promise to be baptized into the Name of the Lord Jesus, and will serve God, she'll go home well."
And I asked her, "Will you do this, lady?"
And she said, "All that you say, I'll do it." Immediately the pains left. Three days later, she was home, and the doctors can't find one trace of that cancer.
36 Who is This that cometh in the Name of the Lord? Who is It? It's the Holy Spirit of God. What's your opinion of it? What's your opinion, knowing your pastor. And would setting in these seats here, people from out of town, setting with epilepsy, setting with... Here sets a man, somewhere in here, a Mennonite Brother, right here, a sufferer of epilepsy. Never knew him, seen him, nothing about him. And all of a sudden... About two years ago I guess, or something there, two years, the Holy Spirit called it, and said, "THUS SAITH THE LORD." He's never had a spell since.
Who is It? Who is It? This woman was setting here last Sunday, the last time I was here, and come down from somewhere in Illinois, the next day with a great tumor in her body that was malignant... And some of the best medical science of Illinois was taking her to the great clinic to be operated on Monday, and she squeezed her way in. Never seen her or heard of her in all my life. And all of a sudden, the Holy Spirit shadowed her, and He told her who she was, where she come from, and she was going to be operated the next day. How many was here then to see that?
Seen the news flow back, the next day when she went to the doctor, they taken her from clinic to clinic, and can't find a trace of it. Who is This? Oh, God, be merciful.
37 Who is This that's doing this? Could you dare to say it was your pastor? Never. Could you dare to say man had anything to do into it? Never. It's the Holy Spirit. The Spirit that was on our Lord Jesus, and is coming to unite Himself with His Church is so close that He's spreading forth His great Holy Light to redeem and to bring into fellowship a Church of the living God for the rapture that's near at hand. Amen.
Who is It? I can't answer your question. I can't answer for you, but I can answer for myself. And over this sacred desk tonight, in the ears of this, the company, and the--the purchase of the Blood of our Lord Jesus, I say this from the bottom of my heart, not because that I'm one of you, not because that I'm just somebody different, but one of the redeemed that's washed by the Blood: I believe that that same Light that hangs in this church tonight, that same One shows by Its nature that It's Jesus Christ in the form of the Holy Ghost.
38 Anyone who knows the Scripture knows that Jesus said, "I come from God and I go to God." Before He was made flesh when He was with Moses in the wilderness, He was a Pillar of Fire. And when Moses desired to see Him, He passed His back parts to him, and Moses said, "It looks like a Man." When He was here on earth, He was a Man. He done the very same things that He's doing today through men that He has redeemed. There He comes and have His picture taken.
What is It? After His death, burial, and resurrection, Paul was on his road to Damascus one day, and a great Light struck him down. Those men around him didn't see the Light. But It struck Paul down to--made him blind. He had trouble with his eyes the rest of his life. And he said one time, "Except I should be exalted above the abundance of the revelation, there was given to me a thorn in his flesh," a messenger of Satan to buffet him, because it was the abundance of the revelation.
39 And when Paul was stricken down on his road to persecute the people, that were making too much noise, the borned again group, the people that were called "heretics," Paul was on his road to persecute those, with papers in his pocket to arrest them and bring them to Jerusalem. And about middle of the day, there come a Light down that struck him off of his feet to the ground, and he fell into the dust of the earth. There come a Voice from that Light, saying, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me?"
And Saul turned over in his blinded condition, looked up, and he could see that great glorious Light, and he said, "Lord, Who are You?"
He said, "I'm Jesus. I came from God; I went to God. I come from God; I return to God." He said, "It's hard for you to kick against the pricks."
40 One revelation on that sacred sand, one time upon that place, man can never be the same. A man, before he should call himself a Christian, before he can identify himself, he should first have that backside of the desert experience where he met God face to face.
For today, you can have any kind of an answer. You can see the Lord perform just exactly what He said do, and smart theologians will explain It away. They'll say, "That was for another day. It was for this, or It's for another age, or It's wrong." Like they said of Jesus, "He's Beelzebub, the devil. He's a fortuneteller," and all those things. They have an answer.
41 But when a man has ever come in contact with Christ, and seen Him as Paul did, or experienced Him, there's not enough theologians in the world to ever be able to explain that experience away from a man. That's the reason today they don't have the experience. That's the reason they can't say... They all say, "Who is This? What is This? Where does It come from?" They don't have the answer. Why? Because all they know is their theology that some church has made.
Not to know theology is Life. Not to know the Bible is Life. But to know Him is Life, to know Him as your personal Saviour, as the One Who has filled you with His Presence; you were there when it happened. There's nobody can take It away from you. There's no one can explain it away from you. When that experience happens to you, you know Who He is. To me, He's Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.
42 Who is This that's performing these miracles? Who is It that's doing these great works? Is--is the preacher? Is it Oral Roberts? Is it Billy Graham? Is it Jack Shuler? William Branham? Whoever it may be, they have nothing to do into it. They're instruments. It's the Holy Spirit coming forth with the Gospel and signs, and wonders, and miracles to make ready a people, and the air's charged with expectation, with believers expecting Him to come. And others are saying, "Why these revivals? Why do we have it? Let's settle down to a church."
Why, it's been said in the church, right here, that when we started to build a new church, said, "We don't need miracles. We don't need these things any more. You want them, go on out on the field where they happen. We don't need them here." When the Branham Tabernacle stoops to that low place, it's sunk. This church is founded upon the principles, and the power, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And as long as this Tabernacle stands, may the glorious Holy Spirit find access to souls to save and fill with the Holy Ghost and heal the sick. To me, It's Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever.
43 Let us pray. If you do not know who He is, you do not know what all this is about, and you would like to know, would you just do so much as raise your hand? And say, by raising your hand, "Pray for me, Brother Branham that I'll know Him." And the Lord bless you. See, all around, I see your hands.
Now, heavenly Father, we bring this message, and the fruits of the people raising their hands, that they would like to know Who This is. They would like to be acquainted with this great Jesus, that His coming of the resurrection is so close, till the sick's beginning to be healed. And after that taken place, then prophecy came into the church, then gifts and miracles. Now, down to that last sign. The next will come the rapture; the church will be taken away. And we, Lord, who have claimed to know You in the power of Your resurrection, we are waiting and longing, and crying, and begging, "Come, Lord Jesus and rapture Your Church, and get It away quickly, Lord."
For soon men are going to blow up the earth that You created for them to live on, because they have disobeyed You. They have not studied peace, but war. They have not studied righteousness, but they've studied mischief. How that they would not all be power hungry... Lord, that little spot in their heart that makes them hunger for power, they're trying to satisfy it in a laboratory somewhere to blow up their fellow man. God, if they could only realize that that power that they long for is the power of the resurrection of the Son of God, the power of the Holy Ghost to change their lives, not blow up nations, but change their lives and make them Your servants.
44 Many people stricken with wild craze, they identify us as a bunch of not-knowing-nothing, and--and as heretics, as they did in the early day. But as they returned rejoicing, thanking You that they could bear the reproach of Your Name, that's the feeling of Your children tonight, Lord, everywhere. We're only happy.
Some in Your day tried to identify You. They said, "He is a friend of that wild man, John, who came out of the wilderness with hardly clothes on, just an old sheepskin wrapped around him, A wild man that flung the Word east and west, and said, 'The axe is laid to the root of the tree.'" Said, "He is a--a follower of him. He's a wild man. He's mad. He's out of His mind." The supernatural ministry that was with You, O Lord, blinded the eyes of those, and so has it again today.
This great Holy Spirit, forerunning the coming of the Lord, as John did in his day, blinding the people, to those who do not want to see, but to those who are willing to see, Thou hast chosen them. "And all that the Father has given Me, will come to Me, You said, "and none of them will be lost, and I'll raise him up at the last day." We thank Thee for this.
45 And those who have raised their hands tonight, we pray, O Lord God, that You'll make Yourself known to them in an experience, in the power of the resurrection. Grant it, Lord. And others may be here who did not raise their hand, but yet, in their heart they knew that they needed It. I pray, that You'll bless them and give to them the desire of their heart.
When we leave the building tonight, may we go as different people. May we go with a different purpose than we had coming in, if it was contrary to Your Divine will. May we go out with a determination to hold to the horns of the altar, until our soul is satisfied that we have had an experience with You. And we know of Whom we speak, because we have met Him, and know Him, and have fellowship with Him. Grant these things, Father.
Heal the sick and the afflicted. Bless our lovely and precious pastor. God, we pray that You'll be with him and his lovely sisters, as they sing the Gospel and preach it in their radio. Bless the strangers that's in our gate. Lord, may they go out tonight with a charge in their heart, and a purpose that they, from this hour on, if they do not know You and have not served You before, may they serve You, knowing this, that all other things will come to naught, but the Word of the Lord shall remain forever. Grant it, Father.
Forgive us of all of our sins, and may we meet at that great golden... [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
46 Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
Now, after the message, let's just bow our heads and worship Him as we sing to Him.
I love Him, (With all of your heart) I love Him
Because He first loved me
And purchased my salvation
On Calvary's tree.
How many really love Him, raise your hand, say just by witness, "I really love Him"
Oh, isn't He wonderful? You know, I just love to set like this, and just drink in, somehow, His Presence. His Word gone forth, it's fallen into the hearts; It corrects us; It brings us into subjection to His Spirit. How lovely it is just to worship Him then.
47 Now, as you go from the church tonight, go worshipping Him. And remember this week; there's a prayer meeting here on Wednesday night. Don't forget Brother Neville's broadcast on Sunday, or on Saturday at nine o'clock over WLRP. I just love to hear them, don't you? The quartet--or the trio sounds so pretty. Wife and I and the kiddies, we all get the little radio out and--and hover around it to listen to Brother Neville and his broadcast, and his wonderful words, of how he exalts the God that he loves and believes.
48 Don't say this. To you strangers here, if you haven't a church home, come join with us. I'll tell you... Not saying this and him setting here. No, sir. I said this many times. I love Brother Neville. This first, he's a theologian. First thing, he's a child of God. The next thing, he's the same every day. I've knowed him for years; he's never changed one bit, he's still Orman Neville, a servant of the Lord Jesus.
And I think he's got... The other night, I called up to ask him if he didn't in his program, to make room for us to come down pray for the sick. There's some coming in, was this morning, you know. And his little wife answered the phone, and I was talking to my wife back there about it. And how we thank God for his lovely little wife and his family. That's very fine. When you see a minister and his wife getting along like that, in sweetness and humbleness, that just makes the church go that much better. That's just... Sweeter as the days goes by.
49 You love Him with all your heart? All right. We got a dismissing song that we sing: "Take The Name Of Jesus With You." And give us a little chord, sister, if you got it there in the book. And we're going to sing our dismissing song. And when we sing the first verse, we want to turn around, shake one another's hands. All right. Give us a chord.
The name of Jesus with you,
Child of sorrow and of woe;
It will joy and comfort give you,
Take it, everywhere you go.
Precious name, O how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heaven;
(God bless you, Brother Neville)
.. name O how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heaven.
Let's take this verse now
At the name of Jesus bowing,
Falling prostrate at His feet,
King of kings in Heaven we'll crown Him,
When our journey is complete.
(Won't that be wonderful?)
Precious name, (Precious name)... (O how sweet!)
Hope of earth and joy of Heaven;
Precious name, (Precious name) O how sweet!
Hope of earth and joy of Heaven.
50 How many remembers our little song we used to sing, "Don't Forget The Family Prayer"? You remember it? I don't think you know it for the chord or not. Let's try it once. How... Don't you remember it? Let's... Maybe I could try it once with you.
Don't forget the family prayer,
Jesus wants to meet you there;
He will take your every care,
Oh, don't forget the family prayer.
How many has family prayer? That's good. Let's try it again. I... Get that back in here, I like that. All together now. Look.
Don't forget the family prayer,
Jesus wants to meet you there;
He will take your every care,
Oh, don't forget the family prayer.
51 O Lord, it is written in the Scriptures that they taken from the body of Paul, handkerchiefs or aprons, and unclean spirits went away from the people and diseases were healed. We pray, O Lord, that like manner, it shall be shown upon these tonight. As I send them to the needy and the sick out somewhere in the lands, there's someone expecting and waiting this to happen. I pray, Father, that You'll grant it in the Name of Jesus, Thy Son. Amen.
I'm going to ask, as we bow our heads, if our most precious Brother Smith over there, from the Church of God, who we have found to be like our Brother Neville here, to be a loyal, faithful servant of God. I'm going to ask him to ask the blessings upon you, to continue through this coming week. God bless you till we meet you again.
Brother Smith. [Brother Smith prays--Ed.] Amen. Yes. Yes. Yes, yes. Amen.
Shake each other's hands. Welcome back again to the Tabernacle. God bless you.