Sunday 24 March 2019

The Sabbath

The Seventh Day
Genesis 2:1-3
1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Respect the Lord's Day
The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17)
1 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
2 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
3 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
4 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
5 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
6 Thou shalt not kill.
7 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8 Thou shalt not steal.
9 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
10 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Punishment
Numbers 15:32-35
32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death : all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
[No grace in the Old Testament.]
The True Sabbath
Isaiah 28:7-12
7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.
8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
[Prophecy of the true Sabbath]
Hebrews 4:1-13
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest , as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Why They Crucified Jesus
Matthew 12:1-14 (Mark 2:23-3:6)
1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.
2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;
4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?
5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.
14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
Jesus Was Crucified on Friday
Mark 14:58
We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.
Mark 15:42-45
42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath ,
43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.
44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.
45 And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
First Day/Sunday/Resurrection

Psalm 16:10
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to seecorruption .
[Corruption sets into the human body within three days of death.]
Matthew 12:40
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
[Prophesies of His death and resurrection. It is within three days because three days is when corruption sets into the human body.]
Matthew 28:1
In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week , came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
Mark 16:2
And very early in the morning the first day of the week , they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
Mark 16:9
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week , he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
Luke 24:1
Now upon the first day of the week , very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
John 2:19
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
[Friday is the first day, Saturday is the second day, Sunday is the third day.]
John 20:1
The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
What The Bible Says About Condemning Because of Sabbath
John 9:16
Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.
[Pharisees are speaking of Jesus]
Galatians 4:9-10
9But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Colossians 2:16
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday , or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days :
What is the Sabbath now? Sabbath is rest.

Here it is prophesied right here in Isaiah. And it came to pass about 700 years later at Pentecost when they were all filled with the Holy Ghost exactly as it was said they would be. This is the true Sabbath that was promised. Thus when they were filled with the Holy Ghost they ceased from their worldly works, their worldly doings, their evil ways. The Holy Ghost took charge of their lives. They entered into rest. There is your rest. That is your Sabbath. It is not a day, nor a year, but the eternity of being filled and blessed in the Holy Spirit. It is you ceasing, and God doing. It is God in you willing and doing of His good pleasure.
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages, page 46
Isaiah 28:10-13
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken
[Prophecy of the Sabbath to come]
Matthew 11:28
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest .
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls .
[Not keeping a day, but receiving the Holy Ghost]
Hebrews 4:1-13
1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.
2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
3 For we which have believed do enter into rest , as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.
5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.
6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.
9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
[Sabbath is rest]
Why Sunday?
Acts 20:7
And upon the first day of the week , when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
I Corinthians 16:1-2
1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Friday 31 August 2018

Get away from the things of the world

135 Me, as an old man, a minister, I preached around the world, got millions of friends, *but I know I’ve got to stand with you yonder. Get away from the things of the world. And if there is something in you, that you still want to act the way you act, if you do have the things of the world in you, remember, you’re none of God’s. You’re just a church member, until that call; that deep, calling to the Deep.* See?
    65-1205 -  Things That Are To Be
    Rev. William Marrion Branham

Tuesday 21 August 2018

I'd still love Him

And I—I love Him tonight with all my heart. And I believe if—if He would cast me away, He's still just. And if I'd have to go to hell, and if there'd be such a thing as love in hell, I'd still love Him. For what He's been to me, even now, besides what I know that He will be to me…

9  And if I—I believe His Gospel. If—if tonight, a hundred people would raise up or a thousand people that died when… When Billy Sunday preached in this tabernacle and his converts, and would come back from Eternity and say, "Brother Branham, you're dying now. Don't you trust that Jesus Christ, because it's not so." And if I was dying, I'd still trust Jesus Christ.

If I prayed for the sick tonight, a thousand people, all of them sick, and I prayed for the thousand people, and all—the whole thousand died in the morning, tomorrow night, I'd still stand just as I am now, and pray for the sick, believing Divine healing, 'cause God has said so in His Word, and I believe it.

    53-0831 - God Talked To Moses
    Rev. William Marrion Branham

Monday 20 August 2018

Go early if you want to pray; rise up early

Nighttime, when all demon powers shut down towards morning. When they're not roaming, that's the time the Holy Spirit moves in and talks to me. Go early if you want to pray; rise up early. Most all the…?… workers is gone…?… demons… demons… And places are closing up. That causes strange things… You know what I mean by that.

    50-0821 - "The Angel And The Commission"
    Rev. William Marrion Branham

Thursday 28 June 2018

Take your choice, but then don’t never disfellowship the other man because he don’t belong...

Not one time was we ever commissioned to discern the—the man’s group. But we was constrained and commanded by God to discern the spirit in the man, what he’s trying to do, what the spirit in his life is trying to lead him to. And then if we can find out that he’s trying to lead the people (not to break them up, but to bring them together) and to bring the Church of the living God, not all to one denomination, but to an understanding, a fellowship, a unity of spirit. Then if he is former rain or latter rain, or whatever it is, his spirit and his purpose is right. And the spirit that’s in him, no matter what move he belongs to, the Spirit that’s in him is trying to point the people to Calvary, away from himself or away from anything else, but his only achievement he has is to point them to Calvary. He doesn’t care whether he’s even knowed or not. He doesn’t care whether even his own movement…which is fine, see, it’s good, if he is a Methodist, or a Presbyterian, or a Roman Catholic, or whatever he wants to be by denomination.

17 But what is he trying to do, the purpose of his heart that he’s trying to get? Then you can see what’s in the man’s life, whether his motives is for his—his denomination, whether it’s for hisself, whether it’s for worldly fame, whether it’s for big names, to say, “I predicted that, come just exactly to pass.” Now, you see that’s wrong right there, to begin with. But if he’s trying to use what God’s give him, as a teacher, as a prophet, as a seer…

18 A New Testament prophet is a preacher. We all know that. Just any minister that’s a preacher is a prophet, a New Testament prophet, if he’s prophesying, preaching, not to try to edify himself to make a big name, or to edify his organization. Which, he should be in an organization. Here I am without one, but yet preaching you should be. That’s right. Every man ought to have a church home. You ought to have a place, not just to float about from pillar to post, but have somewhere that you go to church and you call it your church, somewhere you pay your tithes, and somewhere that you help support the Cause. Take your choice, but then don’t never disfellowship the other man because he don’t belong with your group. See? Discern his spirit and see if he’s got the same purpose in heart, then you got fellowship one with another. You’re working for one great Cause. That’s the cause of Christ. I think that that is absolutely true.

    60-0308 - Discernment Of Spirit
    Rev. William Marrion Branham

Thursday 21 June 2018

Every day, fresh, a new blessing,

82 Be a shepherd, a true shepherd. “Feed My sheep.” Lamb’s is the little ones, of course, and sheep is the adult. So both young and old, feed the flock of God! See? And feed them with the Word! The Word (you see?) is the Truth! Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Is that right? So then, if man is to live and they are the flock of God, this—the church, then they are to thrive upon the Word and Manna of God. This is His Manna!

83 In the—the Bible, we just come through it over there in the—in the—in the Church Ages. Jesus is the hidden Manna; Christ is the church’s Manna. What is manna? Manna in the Old Testament was that what come down from Heaven fresh every night to sustain the church in its journey. Is that right? Now, in the New Testament what is the hidden Manna? “A little while and the world seeth Me no more (hidden); yet ye shall see Me, for I’ll be with you, even in you to the end of the world.” And Christ is that hidden Manna that comes from God out of Heaven afresh every day—every day.

84 We can’t say, “Well, two weeks ago I had a great experience of God.” What about right now? See? Every day, fresh, a new blessing, a new something coming from God, the hidden Manna coming down from God out of Heaven, Christ. And we feast upon this Manna which is Christ, and He sustains us through the journey till we reach the—the land on the other side.

    61-1015M - Questions And Answers
    Rev. William Marrion Branham

Wednesday 20 June 2018

You better destroy your enemy before your enemy destroys you...

141 Let me say this, my friend. You better destroy your enemy before your enemy destroys you. Bring back the old-fashioned prayer meetings. Old fashioned repentance, when they stayed to the altar until they was dead and finished with sin.

    63-0120E - Just One More Time, Lord
    Rev. William Marrion Burnham