WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC?
WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC?
"Let us bow our heads for prayer. Dear heavenly Father, we hear this song of "Only Believe"; it makes us to know that that's all we have to do to inherit any of God's promises, just believe them. For it is written, "All things are possible to them that believe." As we cry as the man who had the epileptic child, "Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief!"...
We thank Thee for Thy great power, Thy great revelation of Thyself to us in this last days. It makes our heart most happy and joyful to know that we have come in contact with the living God, Who vindicates it right back in physical, material evidences as He did in the days gone by and as He has promised for this day. We're so grateful to Thee our God. This dark day where no one seems to know which a-way to go, we're so glad that we found the safety zone, the retreat.
Now, bless us tonight, Lord, as we speak of Thy Word. And the promises that's given to us, may we nurture them in our heart, cherish them with reverence, and obey them with real godly discipline. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
4 Oh, they...?... A love offering? You shouldn't have done that. Who did that? You guilty? I was getting on the manager. Says he took a love offering for me. He shouldn't have done that. I appreciate it; God knows that; but I--I never come for that. Thank you. May the Lord bless you. I'll do everything I can... I'll put it right in foreign missions, so I'll know it'll go for the Kingdom of God. And if the Lord willing, I'll take it myself over to the lands to bring this same Gospel that you been setting, listening to this week. Then I know it'll be done in the way that you believed it. The Lord help me to do it.
I am very grateful for the great attendance this week, and for all you people that's hooked up tonight again with the--the wires of the telephone. And we're grateful to each and every one of you.
6 Billy said to me this morning; he said, "Daddy, if you would've come with me this morning, early, right after daylight, and stand out here around in these places and watch mothers feeding their babies in the car, them poor people setting in that rain, waiting for the doors to open..." You see what a hypocrite I'd be if I told you anything but the truth? I'd really be a foul person. Sometimes I have to hurt, but it's not because that I want to, it's because... It's--it's not me that's hurting; it's truth that hurts. And I--I... But I believe that's the reason you come, because I'm deadly sincere with you and do all that I can to help you. The Lord help each and every one of you.
7 And now, I want to thank the people for their fine cooperation, the people of the city here also, who gave us--let us have the--the renting of this schoolhouse, this auditorium, and the gym. And I want to thank the officials if you're here. And also I want to thank Thurston Colvin, which is the custodian here, for his fine cooperation in helping us to get this and being with us each night.
We thank the Jeffersonville Police force for coming up here and watching with a real cheap cost. I think about two dollars a hour that the police were put up here on special duty to park the cars, to see that there was no--nothing happened, and everything was all right. We're grateful to the people for that. And to the--the--also the engineer here on the--the board, I've noticed him. And all that's affiliated with this, we are certainly grateful to you.
9 I thank each and every one of you for the gifts. Billy just brought me this afternoon a--a gift, several of them in boxes, candy and so forth. And one of them was the--the Beatitudes with a picture of Christ worked in it. It was the sermon on the mount. And it certainly was beautiful. I certainly thank you. And so many things, I don't know how to thank you for. And then also for your--your sponsoring, financing the meeting, we certainly do appreciate it with all of our heart. The Lord bless each one of you richly.
Billy said there was many people had been asking for private interviews during the time. And many asked and had little babies to be dedicated. Oh, how I want to do that. But you see, when I come this time, it's so urgent I have to stay right all the time in study this Word and prayer on account of bringing these messages. See, they're not... They're--they're extra ordinary to us, because it's finding the will of God and then speaking the things. And all that has to meet together, and asking God just which one to open up.
11 Now, the Lord willing, we'll be back again soon, as soon as we can find a day. I made a--a motion or--or said something about Easter. I'd better check that, because I think I've got a schedule in California along about that time. So that may be wrong. However, when we return again to the Tabernacle, we'll send you a card and--the church, and--and give you the--the date and time.
Then I'll... Maybe at that time... Again I haven't put any time to praying for the sick. We haven't had one service that we brought the people up and prayed for them. We been sending them out. And our brethren here has been preaching, Brother Lee Vayle, and Brother... These other brothers has been preaching and praying for the sick, and doing the water baptism--baptizing rather, and letting me stay alone with the Word. We thank these men. They done a gallant job.
13 There's so many friends here I'd like to meet. I look down and see John and Earl. And--and there's Doctor Lee Vayle, one of the managers of the campaign--Brother Roy Borders. Them men, I haven't even got--I haven't even no more than shook their hand. I haven't had a chance to. I think of my friends from Kentucky, and around in here, and minister friends, how I would like to shake their hands. Brother Blair, I noticed him here the other day. And many of those men that I--I love; and they been to several meetings; I never even as much as shook their hand. I--I'm trying... It isn't because I don't want to do that; it's because I haven't the time to do it. And I'm just a-hurrying.
14 Dedicating the babies, sure, my own son, my little grandson was supposed to be dedicated at this meeting. I haven't had time to do it, little David. I'm grandpa twice now. So Mr. May, if he's here tonight, who give me that cane, look like I'm going to have to use it pretty soon, so...
And I told Billy; I said, "The Bible did say multiply and replenish the earth, but the whole burden wasn't given to you." And these grandsons are appearing fast. And so remember, my daughter-in-law was barren to begin with; she could not have no children. And one day leaving a meeting, the Lord spoke to me and said, "Loyce, you will bear a son; the Lord has blessed you. Your female trouble is gone." Little Paul was born nine months later.
16 Two months before this baby come on the scene, I was setting, eating breakfast one morning at the table, and Loyce and Billy was setting across the table from me. And I seen Loyce feeding a little baby with a pink--or blue blanket wrapped around it. And Billy was setting in the corner feeding little Paul. I said, "Billy, I just saw a vision. Loyce was feeding a baby wrapped in a blue blanket."
He said, "There goes my hunting trip. That's just nine months from now."
Eleven months later little David was born. And I haven't been able to dedicate him to the Lord yet, and will not until we return again. So you see what it is.
17 How I love people and their fellowship. But our brethren has been praying for the sick, and I know it's a success. Each night we prayed for the sick, one laying their hands on the other, all of us together, which that way it's catches the whole scope. But maybe, if God willing--I'll mark it on the card if we send it--coming back, I'd like to dedicate about two or three days again just to praying for the sick and doing what we can in that manner.
18 Now--now, I thank the people for their help again. Now, I just want to comment just a moment on the--on the morning's message. There's no doubt I didn't get completely through with it, but I think you understand. And I'm sure you didn't... You'll never know what that was for me to do.
Now, it seems very simple to you, but you see what you're doing? You're taking the place of God to pronounce something. And before I would do that, it had to come a answer from God. And He had to come down, and He visibly showed Himself, and gave the revelation. Therefore (See?), this is to the church. And remember, I said these--this what I said was to the church only.
And so that you might have confidence and know, that was the same God that said to me up there where they was no squirrel, "Speak, and say where they'll be." And three straight times it happened. Now, if He can by that same Word create something that isn't there, how much more will this hold fast at the day of judgment. See? People were there to see these things, and know as Paul said in the days gone by, there's men with him who--who felt the earth shake and didn't hear the voice, but they--they seen the--the Pillar of Fire.
21 It done me good though after it was over to see husbands and wives that I know is genuine Christians hugging one another and weeping. And listen, friends, God confirms His Word with signs and vindications to prove that It's right. The spoken Word...
Now, remember, that Light that was in that cloud that gave the revelation... I was... My little girl was telling me, Sarah here, that when they... That school there in Arizona was looking up there on a cloudless sky and seeing this cloud mysteriously, in that mountain, going up-and-down with a Amber Fire burning in it. The teacher dismissed the classes and the school and brought them out front and said, "Did you ever see anything like that? Look the way that--is." Remember, that's that same Amber Light that's on the rock. See? So it's the same God, same revelation. Said, "Tell them to do this." It's what I told you this morning, so there it is.
23 If it happens to be that my good friend Brother Roy Roberson is listening in at Tucson, Roy, you remember the other day the vision you seen when we were out standing upon the mountain? You come up to me, and that cloud was over the top? Come walking down, you know what He told you, I told you at the house the other day? That's it, Roy. Don't worry no more, son; it's over.
You just don't know what that means. It's grace. He loves you. You love Him. Humbly serve Him and worship Him the rest of your days. Be happy; go ahead and live as you are. If you're happy, continue that way. Don't never do anything wrong again like that. Just go ahead; it's God's grace.
25 Now, I want to pray again before we enter into the Word. How many will pray for me? I'm just going from meeting to meeting, will you pray? You know, I'd like to sing you a little song, all of us together before we go to the Word. Just to--so that we'd know, God... Just a little dedication. Did you ever hear this little song, "He Careth for You?" Through sunshine and sorrow, He careth for you.
A little lady's coming up to the piano. Say, I want to thank this little lady too; I didn't even know who she was. It's one of the deacon's daughters here. I certainly... Brother Wheeler's little girl, she's growed up now. She was little bitty thing that set on my knee not long ago, and now she's a young woman. So I certainly thank her that she's used her talent in music, and now she plays very sweetly. Would you give us a chord, sister? All of us together now.
He careth for you;
He careth for you;
Through sunshine or shadow
He careth for you."
You love that? Let's sing it again all together.
He careth for you;He careth for you;Through sunshine or shadow
He careth for you. (Brother Dauch, He does for you too, brother.)
27 Don't you love Him? Let us bow our heads now. Dear gracious God, with this little note here of a few things to say to the people and back again to refer back to this morning, for that's what the people come to hear. I pray, God, that You'll let the people see that God loves and cares. And it was not me that give that, Lord; it was vindicated that it was the Truth. So I pray, dear God, that Your love will always remain among the people. Tonight to have to separate after this meeting and go to our different homes, it--it kinda pulls us, some, deep, Lord. I pray that You'll bless these people.
Now, as we approach the Word in prayer, and approach the written Word, we ask that You will take this written Word and make It alive to us tonight. And when we leave this building tonight to separate to go to our different homes, may we say like those who came from Emmaus, that had walked with Him all day and still didn't know Him... But when He got them inside the room that night, and the doors all shut, He did something just like He did before His crucifixion. By that they knowed He had risen again. Do it again tonight, Lord. Grant it, while the doors are shut and Your little group here is setting, waiting. And, Father, when we go to our homes we'll say like they did, "Did not our hearts burn within us as He talked to us along the way?" We commit ourselves and all in Your hands, Lord; do with us as You see fit. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
29 Now, let's get right into the service now quickly, turning now with me if you will to the Book of Hebrews. And another revelation on the Message, we'll speak for just a few moments tonight, the Lord willing. And then while reading the first three verses of Hebrews 7:1-3, and then commenting on this... And we don't know what the Lord will do. We do not know; the only thing we do is just believe, watch, pray (That right?), and believe that He'll make everything work together for good to them that loves Him, because He promised to.
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; (Let's read a little farther).
Without father, without mother, without descent,... neither beginning of days, or end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
30 Think of this great Person, of how great this Man must be. And now, the question is: "Who is this Man?" Theologians has had different ideas, but since the opening of the Seven Seals, the mysterious Book that's been mysterious to us... According to Revelations 10:1-7, all the mysteries that's wrote in this Book that's been hid down through the age of the reformers is supposed to be brought out into view by the angel of the last church age. How many knows that's right? That's right. Supposed to be brought... All the mysteries of the mysterious Book is to be revealed to the Laodicea messenger of that age.
Seeing there is much dispute about this Person, and this subject, I think it behooves us to break into it to find out Who this is. Now, there's several schools of thought on Him. One of the schools are--claims He's just a myth; He wasn't actually a person. And the others says that it was a priesthood, that was the Melchisedec priesthood. That's the most likely one that hold better to that side than they do to the other, is because they say it was a priesthood. It can't be that, for in the 4th verse it says He was a Person, a Man. So in order to be a person He has to be a personality, a Man, not a order, but a Person.
32 So He was not just a priesthood order, neither was He a myth; He was a Person. And the Person is eternal. If you notice, He had no father, He had no mother, He had no time He ever began, and He had no time He ever ended. And ever Who it was is still alive tonight, because the Bible said here that He had neither father, nor mother, beginning of days or ending of life. So it would have to be an eternal Person (Is that right?), an eternal Person. So it could only be one Person; that's God, 'cause He's the only One that's eternal--God.
Now, in I Timothy 6:15 and 16, if you'd like to read that sometime, I'd like for you to read it. Now, the thing that I contend is, that He was God, because He's the only Person that can be immortal. And now, God changing Himself into Person; that's what He was: no father, no mother, no beginning of life, no ending of days.
34 Now, we find in the Scripture that many people teaches that three personalities in the Godhead. So you cannot have a personality without being a person. It takes a person to make a personality.
A Baptist minister a few weeks ago come up and--to my house--and said, "I'd like to straighten you out on the Godhead sometime when you got time," called me up rather.
I said, "I got time right now, 'cause I want to be straight, and we lay aside everything else to do it."
And he come up; he said, "Brother Branham, you teach that there is just one God."
I said, "Yes, sir."
He said, "Well," he said, "I believe there's one God, but one God in three persons."
I said, "Sir, repeat that again."
He said, "One God in three persons."
I said, "Where did you go to school at?" See? And he told me a--a Bible college. I said, "I could believe that. You cannot be a person without being a personality, and if you're a personality, you are one personality to yourself. You're a separate individual being."
And he said, "Well, the theologians can't even explain that."
I said, "It's by revelation."
And he said, "I can't accept revelation."
I said, "Then there's no way for God to ever get to you, because it's hid from the eyes of the wise and prudent and revealed to babes (revealed, revelation) revealed to babes such as will accept it, learn." And I said, "There'd be no way for God to get to you; you close yourself off from Him. The whole Bible is the revelation of God. The whole church is built upon the revelation of God. There's no other way to know God only by revelation: 'To whom the Son will reveal Him,' revelation. Everything is revelation. So to--not to accept the revelation, then you're just a cold theologian, and there's no hope for you."
38 Now, now, we find out that this Person had no father, no mother, no beginning of days or ending of life. It was God "En morphe". Now, the world--the word comes--the Greek word means "change," was used, changing Himself, "En morphe", from one person to... One person... The Greek word there, "En morphe," means... It was taken from the stage act, "that one person is changing his mask to make him some other character."
Like in--in school just recently--I believe, Rebekah, just before she graduated, they had one of Shakespeare's plays. And one young man had to change his clothes several times, because he played two or three different parts, but the same person. He'd come out; one time he was the villain. And when he come out next time, he was another character.
40 And now the Greek word "En morphe" mean that he changed His mask. And that's what God did. It's the same God all the time. God in the form of the Father, the--the Spirit, the Pillar of Fire, the same God was made flesh and dwelt among us: "En morphe," brought out so He could be seen. And now, that same God is the Holy Ghost. Father, Son, Holy--not three Gods, three offices, three acts of the one God.
The Bible said there's one God, not three. But that's how that they couldn't... You can't get this straightened out and have three gods. You'd never sell a Jew that; I tell you that, one who knows better; he knows there's only one God.
42 Notice, like the sculptor, he hides with a--a mask over it. That's what God's done to this age. It's been hid. All these things has been hid, and is supposed to be revealed in this age. Now, the Bible says they would be revealed in the latter times. It's like a sculptor keeping his--his piece of work all covered over until the time he takes the mask off of it and there it is. And that's what the Bible has been. It has been a work of God that's been covered up. And it's been hid since the foundation of the world, and its sevenfold mystery, and God promised in this day, at the age of this Laodicea church, He would take the mask off the whole thing and we could see it.
What a glorious thing, God, "En morphe", masked in a Pillar of Fire, God, "En morphe" in a Man called Jesus, God, "En morphe" in His church: God above us, God with us, God in us, the condescending of God. Up there holy, no one could touch Him; He settled upon the mountain, and even if a animal touched the mountain, had to die. And then God come down and changed His tent, and He come down and lived with us, become one of us, and we held Him. The Bible said, I Timothy 3:16, "Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, for God was manifested in the flesh," handled with hands. God eat meat. God drank water. God slept. God cried. He was one of us: beautiful, typed in the Bible. That was God above us, God with us; now it's God in us, the Holy Spirit, not the third person, the same Person.
44 God came down and become flesh and died the death in Christ so that He could clean the church in order to get into it for fellowship. God loves fellowship. That's what He made the man at the first time for, was for fellowship. God dwells alone with Cherubims.
And notice now, He made man, and man fell. So He came down and redeemed man, because God loves to be worshipped. The very word "god" means "object of worship." And this that comes among us as a Pillar of Fire, as something that changes our hearts, that is the same God that said, "Let there be light," and there was light. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.
46 Now, in the beginning God dwelled alone with His attributes as I spoke of this morning. That's His thoughts. There was nothing, just God alone. But He had thoughts. Just like a great architect can set down in his mind, and draw out what he thinks it's--he's going to--to build, create. Now, he cannot create; he can take something that's been created and make it in a different form, 'cause God's the only way--only One can create. But he gets in his mind what he's going to do, and that's his thoughts; that's his desires.
Now, it's a thought, and then he speaks it, and it's a word then. And a--a word is... A thought when it's expressed, it's a word. A thought expressed is a word. But it has to be a thought first. So it's God's attributes; then it becomes a thought, then a word.
48 Notice, those who have tonight Eternal Life, was with Him and in Him, in His thinking, before there ever was an Angel, star, Cherubim, or anything else. That's eternal. And if you have Eternal Life, you always was, not your being here, but the shape and form that the infinite God... And if He isn't infinite, He isn't God.
God has to be infinite. We're finite; He's infinite. And He was omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. If He isn't, then He can't be God: knows all things, all places because of His omnipresence. Omniscient makes Him omnipresent. He is a being; He's not like the wind. He is a being; He dwells in a house, but being omniscient, knowing all things, makes Him omnipresent, because He knows everything that's going on. There can't be a flea bat its eyes but what He knowed it. And He knowed it before there was a world, how many time it'd bat it's eyes and how much tallow it had in it, before there ever was a world. That is infinite. We can't comprehend it in our minds, but that's God--God, infinite.
50 And remember, you, your eyes, your statue, whatever you was, you were in His thinking at the beginning. And the only thing that you are is the expression word. After He thought it, He spoke it, and here you are. If it isn't, if you wasn't in His thinking, there's no way at all for you ever to be there, for He's the One that gives Eternal Life.
You remember how we read the Scriptures, "Not him that willeth, or him that runneth, but God..." And that His predestination might stand true, He could choose before anytime who... God's sovereign in His choosing, did you know that? God's sovereign. Who was back yonder to tell Him a better way to make the world? Who would dare to tell Him He was running His business wrong? Even the very--the very Word Itself, very sovereign... Even the revelation is sovereign. He reveals to whom He will reveal. The very revelation itself is sovereign in God. That's how people pound at things, and jump at things, and hit at things, and not knowing what they're doing. God is sovereign in His works.
52 Now, we find Him at the beginning, His attributes. And now, you were with Him then. Then is when the Book of Life comes into view. Now, we read over here in Revelations the 13th chapter, the 8th verse, that the beast that comes upon the earth in these last days will deceive all those people on the earth whose names were not written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world.
Think of it. Before Jesus was ever born, four thousand years before He came on earth, and several thousand years before you come on earth, Jesus in God's mind died for the sins of the world, and the Book of Life was made; and your name was put on that Book of Life before the foundation of the world. That's the Bible truth. See? Your name was ordained of God and placed on the Book of Life before the foundation of the world.
You were there in His attributes. You don't remember it, no, because you're just a part of His life. You are a part of God when you become a son or a daughter of God, just as you are a part of your earthly father. That's right. You are... The male carries the hemoglobin, the blood. And when that has gone in--in the egg, then you become a part of your father, and your mother is a part of your father also. So you're all a part of your father. Glory. That lets the denomination out altogether. Certainly does. God in all, the only place...
55 Notice now His attribute. Then the attribute was first God, the thought, the attribute itself all in one, without being expressed. Then when He expressed, secondarily, He became then the Word. And then the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us, St. John the 1st chapter and the 1st verse.
Notice, this is in the beginning, but before the eternal. Notice, in the beginning was the Word. When the time begin it was Word, but before it was Word, it was attribute, a thought. Then it was expressed. In the beginning was the expression, the Word. Now, we're getting where Melchisedec is. That's this mysterious Person. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And then the Word became flesh and dwelled among us. Hold that there now.
Notice. His--His first being was Spirit, God, supernatural (All right?), the great Eternal. Second, He begin to form Himself towards flesh in a theophany, it's called, "the word, a body." This then is the state He was in when He met Abraham, was called Melchisedec. He was in the form of theophany. Now, we'll get to that and prove it in a few minutes, the Lord willing.
58 He was the Word. A theophany is something that you could not see. It could be right here now, yet you cannot see it. It's just like, well like television, that's in another dimension. Television... People are moving right through this room now singing; there's colors also, but the eye is only subject to the five senses. Your whole being is only subject to five senses, rather. And you are only subject to what the sight has been limited to see. But there is another dimension that can be seen by a transformation by television.
Now, television does not manufacture a picture. A television only channels it into a circuit, and then the television screen picks it up. But the picture's there to begin with. Television was here when Adam was here. Television was here when Elijah set on Mount Carmel. Television was here when Jesus of Nazareth walked the shores of Galilee. But you're just now discovering it. They wouldn't have believed it back there. You'd have been crazy to have said something like it. But now it's become a reality.
And so is it that Christ is here. The Angels of God are here. And someday in the great millennium to come it'll be just more real than television or anything else, because they are here.
He reveals Himself in His great form of what He claim as He "En morphe's" Himself into His servants and proves Himself.
Now, here He is in the form of Spirit. And then He comes in the form of a--of--"En morphe." Now, He appeared to Abraham "En morphe." When Abraham was returning from the slaughter of the king, here come Melchisedec, talked to Him.
62 The other day in the Tucson paper I was reading an article that where there was a--a woman driving down the road, at I believe about forty, fifty miles an hour, and she hit an old man with an overcoat on. She screamed and stopped her car. It threw him up in the air: right out of the plain desert. And she run back to find him, and he wasn't there. So what did she do? Some people behind her saw it happen, saw the old man fly up in the air, his overcoat turning. So they run back to find out. They couldn't find the man anywhere. They called the police force. The police come out to examine the place; there was nobody there.
Well, each one of them testified the car chugged, hit the man. He went up in the air, and everybody saw it. Witnesses and two or three carloads of them, they seen it happen. Come to find out, five years ago there was an old man with an overcoat on hit and killed on the same spot. When you leave here, you're not dead. You've got to come back even if you're a sinner and be judged according to the deeds done in the body. "If this earthly tabernacle is dissolved, we have one waiting." "En morphe," that's the word.
64 Now, God in this stage of--at this stage of His creation later formed into flesh Jesus. From what? From the great beginning Spirit, then came down to be the Word, bringing Itself out. The Word doesn't yet make Itself; it's just spoke out, "En morphe," later He becomes flesh, Jesus, mortal to taste death for all of us sinners.
When Abraham met Him, He was Melchisedec. He unfolds here what all the attributes will do in the final end, every son of Abraham. Every son of the faith will absolutely do the same thing. But I want to watch how we have to come.
Also we see Him revealed here in Ruth and--and Boaz as a Kinsman Redeemer, how He had to come to be flesh.
67 Now, we see the attribute sons of His Spirit have not yet entered into the Word form body, but--a theophany. This body is subject to the Word and earnest--waiting for the earnest change of the body.
Now, the different between Him and you as a son... See, He was at the beginning the Word, an "En morphe" body. He came in and lived in that in the Person of Melchisedec. Then later... We never heard no more of Melchisedec, because He became Jesus Christ. Melchisedec was the Priest, but He became Jesus Christ. Now, you bypassed that, because in that form He knowed all things. And you have never been able to know that yet. You come like Adam, like me. You became from the attribute to the flesh to be tempted. But when this life is finished here... "If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one already waiting." That's where we go; that is the Word. Then we can look back and see what we done. Now, we don't understand it. We have never become the Word; we've just become the flesh-man, not the Word. But...
And look clearly, makes it clear you will never be the Word unless you was a thought at the beginning. That proves the predestination of God. See? You can't be the Word 'less you're a thought. You had to be in the thinking first. But you see, in order to stand temptation you had to bypass the theophany; you had to come down here in flesh to be tempted by sin. And then if you sin... "All the Father hath given Me will come to Me, and I'll raise him up at the last days." See, you had to be first. And then you see, He come right down the regular line, from attribute to...
70 Before the foundation of the world his Name's put on the Lamb's Book of Life. Then from that He become the Word, the theophany, that could appear, disappear; and then He become flesh and returned back again, resurrected that same body in a glorified condition. But you bypassed the theophany and become flesh-man to be tempted by sin. And then "if this earthly tabernacle is dissolved, we have one already waiting." We have not yet the bodies. But look, when this body receives the Spirit of God, the Immortal Life inside of you, it throws this body in subjection to God. Hallelujah.
"He that's born of God doth not commit sin; he cannot sin." Romans 8:1. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus; they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." There you are. See, that throws your body subject. You don't have to say, "Oh, if I could just quit drinking, if I could just..." Just get in Christ; it's all gone. See, see? Because your body is subject to the Spirit, it's no more subject to the things of the world; they're dead. They are dead; your sins are buried in baptism; and you are a new creation in Christ. And your body becoming subject to the Spirit, try to live a right kind of life...
72 Like you women claiming you got Holy Ghost and going out here and wearing shorts and things, how could you do it? How could the Spirit of God in you ever let you do such a thing as that? It just can't be so. Certainly it can't be. He's not a filthy spirit; He's a holy Spirit.
And then when you become subject to that Spirit, it throws your whole being subject to that Spirit. And that Spirit is nothing in the world but this Seed Word made manifest, or quickened (Hallelujah.), made alive. And when the Bible said, "Don't do this," that body quickly turns to it; there's no question. And what is it? It's the earnest of the resurrection. This body will be raised up again, because it's already started. It was once subject to sin, and mire, and corruption, but now it's got the earnest; it's turned heavenly. Now, that's the earnest that you're going in the rapture. It's the earnest.
A sick person laying dying, nothing left but death, that's all can happen. I've seen the shadows of people done eat up with cancer and tuberculosis, and see them persons a little while after that perfectly normal and strong. If there is no Divine healing then there's no resurrection, 'cause Divine healing is the earnest of the resurrection. Amen.
You know what the earnest money is don't you? It's the down payment. "He was wounded for our transgressions; with His stripes we're healed."
76 Notice, how wonderful, we love Him. Now, this body is subject to the Spirit. Have not yet entered into the Word form, but we are still in the flesh form, but subject to the Word. Death in the flesh will take us there.
Just the same thing. Think of a little baby. You can take a woman, no matter how evil she is, when she is pregnant and fixing to be mother, watch before that baby's born; I don't care how cruel the woman is, she gets real kind. There's something about her sound--seems godly, to see a little mother fixing to become mother by the baby. Why is it? That little body... Now, it's not alive yet. See the only thing it is, is just flesh and muscles. That little jumping, that's just muscles jerking. But when it comes forth from the womb, God breathes the breath of life into it, and then he screams out. See, just as--as sure as there is a natural body being formed, there is a spiritual body to receive it as soon as it gets here.
78 Then when a man is borned again from heaven, he becomes a spirit babe in Christ. And then when this robe of flesh is dropped, there is a natural body, theophany, a body not made with hands, neither born of a woman, that we go to. Then that body returns back and picks up the glorified body. That's the reason Jesus went to hell when he died and preached to the souls that were in prison. Turned back into that theophany... Oh, marvelous. Thank God.
II Corinthians 5:1 "If this earthly body be dis--dissolved (this earthly tabernacle), we have another one." See, we have bypassed that to come straight from God, the attribute, to be flesh to be tempted and tested by sin like Adam did. But when testing of His Word is over, then we are taken up to this body that was prepared for us before the foundation of the world. It is the Word there that we skipped to come right around down here to be tempted and tested. If we'd have come through that, there'd have been no temptation; we'd knowed all things. That's the reason Jesus knowed all things, 'cause He was Word before He was flesh.
Then we become the Word. Here we are formed to the Word image to be a partaker of the Word, feed on the Word, by being predestinated since the beginning. You see, that little spark of life that you had in you from the beginning when you started your journey... Many of you can remember it. You joined this church and joined that church, and try this and that; nothing satisfied. That's right. But one day you just recognized it. Right.
81 The other night I was teaching somewhere; I believe it was out in California, or Arizona, about... I believe I've told the little story here about the man setting a hen and had a eagle egg under it. And when that eagle hatched out, he was the funniest looking bird that them chickens ever seen. But he walked around; he was the--he was the ugly one among them, because he just couldn't understand how that hen will cluck and scratch on that manure pile and eat, and he couldn't get the idea. She'd say, "Come on over and feast, honey." Why, he--he was a eagle; he just didn't eat like that. It wasn't his food.
So she'd catch grasshoppers and whatmore, you know, and call the little chickens. And all them little chickens would go along, cluck along, and eat. But the little eagle just couldn't do it. It didn't--didn't look right to him.
83 So one day his mammy come hunting him. And he'd hear that hen cluck. He'd tried his best to cluck, but he couldn't do it. He tried to cheep like a chicken, but he couldn't do it. See, he was a eagle. He's... To start with he was a eagle. He was just hatched under a hen. That's like some church members. Every... That's about the way it is; about one out of a setting is right.
But one day his mammy flew over and she screamed. He recognized it. "That sounded right." Why? He was a eagle to begin with. That's the way it is with the Gospel of the Word, the power of Jesus Christ; when a man has been predestinated to Eternal Life, he hears that true ring, scream of God, nothing can keep him from it. The church might say, "Days of miracles is past, cluck, cluck, cluck. Stand here and eat this, and stand here and eat that."
That barnyard stuff won't do for him any more. He's gone. "All things are possible." He gets off the ground. That's what's the matter with so many Christians today; they can't get their feet off the ground. The old mammy said, "Son, jump; you're an eagle. Come up here where I am."
He said, "Mom, I never jumped in my life."
She said, "Well, you jump; you're eagle to begin with; your not a chicken." So he made his first jump and flopped his wings; didn't do too good, but he got off the ground. That's the way we do; we accept God by faith by the written Word. There's something in there (See?), that Eternal Life, you were predestinated to it.
His grandpa and grandma were eagles; he was a eagle all the way back. Eagle don't mix with other things. He's not a hybrid at all; he's a eagle.
"Let us bow our heads for prayer. Dear heavenly Father, we hear this song of "Only Believe"; it makes us to know that that's all we have to do to inherit any of God's promises, just believe them. For it is written, "All things are possible to them that believe." As we cry as the man who had the epileptic child, "Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief!"...
We thank Thee for Thy great power, Thy great revelation of Thyself to us in this last days. It makes our heart most happy and joyful to know that we have come in contact with the living God, Who vindicates it right back in physical, material evidences as He did in the days gone by and as He has promised for this day. We're so grateful to Thee our God. This dark day where no one seems to know which a-way to go, we're so glad that we found the safety zone, the retreat.
Now, bless us tonight, Lord, as we speak of Thy Word. And the promises that's given to us, may we nurture them in our heart, cherish them with reverence, and obey them with real godly discipline. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
4 Oh, they...?... A love offering? You shouldn't have done that. Who did that? You guilty? I was getting on the manager. Says he took a love offering for me. He shouldn't have done that. I appreciate it; God knows that; but I--I never come for that. Thank you. May the Lord bless you. I'll do everything I can... I'll put it right in foreign missions, so I'll know it'll go for the Kingdom of God. And if the Lord willing, I'll take it myself over to the lands to bring this same Gospel that you been setting, listening to this week. Then I know it'll be done in the way that you believed it. The Lord help me to do it.
I am very grateful for the great attendance this week, and for all you people that's hooked up tonight again with the--the wires of the telephone. And we're grateful to each and every one of you.
6 Billy said to me this morning; he said, "Daddy, if you would've come with me this morning, early, right after daylight, and stand out here around in these places and watch mothers feeding their babies in the car, them poor people setting in that rain, waiting for the doors to open..." You see what a hypocrite I'd be if I told you anything but the truth? I'd really be a foul person. Sometimes I have to hurt, but it's not because that I want to, it's because... It's--it's not me that's hurting; it's truth that hurts. And I--I... But I believe that's the reason you come, because I'm deadly sincere with you and do all that I can to help you. The Lord help each and every one of you.
7 And now, I want to thank the people for their fine cooperation, the people of the city here also, who gave us--let us have the--the renting of this schoolhouse, this auditorium, and the gym. And I want to thank the officials if you're here. And also I want to thank Thurston Colvin, which is the custodian here, for his fine cooperation in helping us to get this and being with us each night.
We thank the Jeffersonville Police force for coming up here and watching with a real cheap cost. I think about two dollars a hour that the police were put up here on special duty to park the cars, to see that there was no--nothing happened, and everything was all right. We're grateful to the people for that. And to the--the--also the engineer here on the--the board, I've noticed him. And all that's affiliated with this, we are certainly grateful to you.
9 I thank each and every one of you for the gifts. Billy just brought me this afternoon a--a gift, several of them in boxes, candy and so forth. And one of them was the--the Beatitudes with a picture of Christ worked in it. It was the sermon on the mount. And it certainly was beautiful. I certainly thank you. And so many things, I don't know how to thank you for. And then also for your--your sponsoring, financing the meeting, we certainly do appreciate it with all of our heart. The Lord bless each one of you richly.
Billy said there was many people had been asking for private interviews during the time. And many asked and had little babies to be dedicated. Oh, how I want to do that. But you see, when I come this time, it's so urgent I have to stay right all the time in study this Word and prayer on account of bringing these messages. See, they're not... They're--they're extra ordinary to us, because it's finding the will of God and then speaking the things. And all that has to meet together, and asking God just which one to open up.
11 Now, the Lord willing, we'll be back again soon, as soon as we can find a day. I made a--a motion or--or said something about Easter. I'd better check that, because I think I've got a schedule in California along about that time. So that may be wrong. However, when we return again to the Tabernacle, we'll send you a card and--the church, and--and give you the--the date and time.
Then I'll... Maybe at that time... Again I haven't put any time to praying for the sick. We haven't had one service that we brought the people up and prayed for them. We been sending them out. And our brethren here has been preaching, Brother Lee Vayle, and Brother... These other brothers has been preaching and praying for the sick, and doing the water baptism--baptizing rather, and letting me stay alone with the Word. We thank these men. They done a gallant job.
13 There's so many friends here I'd like to meet. I look down and see John and Earl. And--and there's Doctor Lee Vayle, one of the managers of the campaign--Brother Roy Borders. Them men, I haven't even got--I haven't even no more than shook their hand. I haven't had a chance to. I think of my friends from Kentucky, and around in here, and minister friends, how I would like to shake their hands. Brother Blair, I noticed him here the other day. And many of those men that I--I love; and they been to several meetings; I never even as much as shook their hand. I--I'm trying... It isn't because I don't want to do that; it's because I haven't the time to do it. And I'm just a-hurrying.
14 Dedicating the babies, sure, my own son, my little grandson was supposed to be dedicated at this meeting. I haven't had time to do it, little David. I'm grandpa twice now. So Mr. May, if he's here tonight, who give me that cane, look like I'm going to have to use it pretty soon, so...
And I told Billy; I said, "The Bible did say multiply and replenish the earth, but the whole burden wasn't given to you." And these grandsons are appearing fast. And so remember, my daughter-in-law was barren to begin with; she could not have no children. And one day leaving a meeting, the Lord spoke to me and said, "Loyce, you will bear a son; the Lord has blessed you. Your female trouble is gone." Little Paul was born nine months later.
16 Two months before this baby come on the scene, I was setting, eating breakfast one morning at the table, and Loyce and Billy was setting across the table from me. And I seen Loyce feeding a little baby with a pink--or blue blanket wrapped around it. And Billy was setting in the corner feeding little Paul. I said, "Billy, I just saw a vision. Loyce was feeding a baby wrapped in a blue blanket."
He said, "There goes my hunting trip. That's just nine months from now."
Eleven months later little David was born. And I haven't been able to dedicate him to the Lord yet, and will not until we return again. So you see what it is.
17 How I love people and their fellowship. But our brethren has been praying for the sick, and I know it's a success. Each night we prayed for the sick, one laying their hands on the other, all of us together, which that way it's catches the whole scope. But maybe, if God willing--I'll mark it on the card if we send it--coming back, I'd like to dedicate about two or three days again just to praying for the sick and doing what we can in that manner.
18 Now--now, I thank the people for their help again. Now, I just want to comment just a moment on the--on the morning's message. There's no doubt I didn't get completely through with it, but I think you understand. And I'm sure you didn't... You'll never know what that was for me to do.
Now, it seems very simple to you, but you see what you're doing? You're taking the place of God to pronounce something. And before I would do that, it had to come a answer from God. And He had to come down, and He visibly showed Himself, and gave the revelation. Therefore (See?), this is to the church. And remember, I said these--this what I said was to the church only.
And so that you might have confidence and know, that was the same God that said to me up there where they was no squirrel, "Speak, and say where they'll be." And three straight times it happened. Now, if He can by that same Word create something that isn't there, how much more will this hold fast at the day of judgment. See? People were there to see these things, and know as Paul said in the days gone by, there's men with him who--who felt the earth shake and didn't hear the voice, but they--they seen the--the Pillar of Fire.
21 It done me good though after it was over to see husbands and wives that I know is genuine Christians hugging one another and weeping. And listen, friends, God confirms His Word with signs and vindications to prove that It's right. The spoken Word...
Now, remember, that Light that was in that cloud that gave the revelation... I was... My little girl was telling me, Sarah here, that when they... That school there in Arizona was looking up there on a cloudless sky and seeing this cloud mysteriously, in that mountain, going up-and-down with a Amber Fire burning in it. The teacher dismissed the classes and the school and brought them out front and said, "Did you ever see anything like that? Look the way that--is." Remember, that's that same Amber Light that's on the rock. See? So it's the same God, same revelation. Said, "Tell them to do this." It's what I told you this morning, so there it is.
23 If it happens to be that my good friend Brother Roy Roberson is listening in at Tucson, Roy, you remember the other day the vision you seen when we were out standing upon the mountain? You come up to me, and that cloud was over the top? Come walking down, you know what He told you, I told you at the house the other day? That's it, Roy. Don't worry no more, son; it's over.
You just don't know what that means. It's grace. He loves you. You love Him. Humbly serve Him and worship Him the rest of your days. Be happy; go ahead and live as you are. If you're happy, continue that way. Don't never do anything wrong again like that. Just go ahead; it's God's grace.
25 Now, I want to pray again before we enter into the Word. How many will pray for me? I'm just going from meeting to meeting, will you pray? You know, I'd like to sing you a little song, all of us together before we go to the Word. Just to--so that we'd know, God... Just a little dedication. Did you ever hear this little song, "He Careth for You?" Through sunshine and sorrow, He careth for you.
A little lady's coming up to the piano. Say, I want to thank this little lady too; I didn't even know who she was. It's one of the deacon's daughters here. I certainly... Brother Wheeler's little girl, she's growed up now. She was little bitty thing that set on my knee not long ago, and now she's a young woman. So I certainly thank her that she's used her talent in music, and now she plays very sweetly. Would you give us a chord, sister? All of us together now.
He careth for you;
He careth for you;
Through sunshine or shadow
He careth for you."
You love that? Let's sing it again all together.
He careth for you;He careth for you;Through sunshine or shadow
He careth for you. (Brother Dauch, He does for you too, brother.)
27 Don't you love Him? Let us bow our heads now. Dear gracious God, with this little note here of a few things to say to the people and back again to refer back to this morning, for that's what the people come to hear. I pray, God, that You'll let the people see that God loves and cares. And it was not me that give that, Lord; it was vindicated that it was the Truth. So I pray, dear God, that Your love will always remain among the people. Tonight to have to separate after this meeting and go to our different homes, it--it kinda pulls us, some, deep, Lord. I pray that You'll bless these people.
Now, as we approach the Word in prayer, and approach the written Word, we ask that You will take this written Word and make It alive to us tonight. And when we leave this building tonight to separate to go to our different homes, may we say like those who came from Emmaus, that had walked with Him all day and still didn't know Him... But when He got them inside the room that night, and the doors all shut, He did something just like He did before His crucifixion. By that they knowed He had risen again. Do it again tonight, Lord. Grant it, while the doors are shut and Your little group here is setting, waiting. And, Father, when we go to our homes we'll say like they did, "Did not our hearts burn within us as He talked to us along the way?" We commit ourselves and all in Your hands, Lord; do with us as You see fit. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
29 Now, let's get right into the service now quickly, turning now with me if you will to the Book of Hebrews. And another revelation on the Message, we'll speak for just a few moments tonight, the Lord willing. And then while reading the first three verses of Hebrews 7:1-3, and then commenting on this... And we don't know what the Lord will do. We do not know; the only thing we do is just believe, watch, pray (That right?), and believe that He'll make everything work together for good to them that loves Him, because He promised to.
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; (Let's read a little farther).
Without father, without mother, without descent,... neither beginning of days, or end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
30 Think of this great Person, of how great this Man must be. And now, the question is: "Who is this Man?" Theologians has had different ideas, but since the opening of the Seven Seals, the mysterious Book that's been mysterious to us... According to Revelations 10:1-7, all the mysteries that's wrote in this Book that's been hid down through the age of the reformers is supposed to be brought out into view by the angel of the last church age. How many knows that's right? That's right. Supposed to be brought... All the mysteries of the mysterious Book is to be revealed to the Laodicea messenger of that age.
Seeing there is much dispute about this Person, and this subject, I think it behooves us to break into it to find out Who this is. Now, there's several schools of thought on Him. One of the schools are--claims He's just a myth; He wasn't actually a person. And the others says that it was a priesthood, that was the Melchisedec priesthood. That's the most likely one that hold better to that side than they do to the other, is because they say it was a priesthood. It can't be that, for in the 4th verse it says He was a Person, a Man. So in order to be a person He has to be a personality, a Man, not a order, but a Person.
32 So He was not just a priesthood order, neither was He a myth; He was a Person. And the Person is eternal. If you notice, He had no father, He had no mother, He had no time He ever began, and He had no time He ever ended. And ever Who it was is still alive tonight, because the Bible said here that He had neither father, nor mother, beginning of days or ending of life. So it would have to be an eternal Person (Is that right?), an eternal Person. So it could only be one Person; that's God, 'cause He's the only One that's eternal--God.
Now, in I Timothy 6:15 and 16, if you'd like to read that sometime, I'd like for you to read it. Now, the thing that I contend is, that He was God, because He's the only Person that can be immortal. And now, God changing Himself into Person; that's what He was: no father, no mother, no beginning of life, no ending of days.
34 Now, we find in the Scripture that many people teaches that three personalities in the Godhead. So you cannot have a personality without being a person. It takes a person to make a personality.
A Baptist minister a few weeks ago come up and--to my house--and said, "I'd like to straighten you out on the Godhead sometime when you got time," called me up rather.
I said, "I got time right now, 'cause I want to be straight, and we lay aside everything else to do it."
And he come up; he said, "Brother Branham, you teach that there is just one God."
I said, "Yes, sir."
He said, "Well," he said, "I believe there's one God, but one God in three persons."
I said, "Sir, repeat that again."
He said, "One God in three persons."
I said, "Where did you go to school at?" See? And he told me a--a Bible college. I said, "I could believe that. You cannot be a person without being a personality, and if you're a personality, you are one personality to yourself. You're a separate individual being."
And he said, "Well, the theologians can't even explain that."
I said, "It's by revelation."
And he said, "I can't accept revelation."
I said, "Then there's no way for God to ever get to you, because it's hid from the eyes of the wise and prudent and revealed to babes (revealed, revelation) revealed to babes such as will accept it, learn." And I said, "There'd be no way for God to get to you; you close yourself off from Him. The whole Bible is the revelation of God. The whole church is built upon the revelation of God. There's no other way to know God only by revelation: 'To whom the Son will reveal Him,' revelation. Everything is revelation. So to--not to accept the revelation, then you're just a cold theologian, and there's no hope for you."
38 Now, now, we find out that this Person had no father, no mother, no beginning of days or ending of life. It was God "En morphe". Now, the world--the word comes--the Greek word means "change," was used, changing Himself, "En morphe", from one person to... One person... The Greek word there, "En morphe," means... It was taken from the stage act, "that one person is changing his mask to make him some other character."
Like in--in school just recently--I believe, Rebekah, just before she graduated, they had one of Shakespeare's plays. And one young man had to change his clothes several times, because he played two or three different parts, but the same person. He'd come out; one time he was the villain. And when he come out next time, he was another character.
40 And now the Greek word "En morphe" mean that he changed His mask. And that's what God did. It's the same God all the time. God in the form of the Father, the--the Spirit, the Pillar of Fire, the same God was made flesh and dwelt among us: "En morphe," brought out so He could be seen. And now, that same God is the Holy Ghost. Father, Son, Holy--not three Gods, three offices, three acts of the one God.
The Bible said there's one God, not three. But that's how that they couldn't... You can't get this straightened out and have three gods. You'd never sell a Jew that; I tell you that, one who knows better; he knows there's only one God.
42 Notice, like the sculptor, he hides with a--a mask over it. That's what God's done to this age. It's been hid. All these things has been hid, and is supposed to be revealed in this age. Now, the Bible says they would be revealed in the latter times. It's like a sculptor keeping his--his piece of work all covered over until the time he takes the mask off of it and there it is. And that's what the Bible has been. It has been a work of God that's been covered up. And it's been hid since the foundation of the world, and its sevenfold mystery, and God promised in this day, at the age of this Laodicea church, He would take the mask off the whole thing and we could see it.
What a glorious thing, God, "En morphe", masked in a Pillar of Fire, God, "En morphe" in a Man called Jesus, God, "En morphe" in His church: God above us, God with us, God in us, the condescending of God. Up there holy, no one could touch Him; He settled upon the mountain, and even if a animal touched the mountain, had to die. And then God come down and changed His tent, and He come down and lived with us, become one of us, and we held Him. The Bible said, I Timothy 3:16, "Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness, for God was manifested in the flesh," handled with hands. God eat meat. God drank water. God slept. God cried. He was one of us: beautiful, typed in the Bible. That was God above us, God with us; now it's God in us, the Holy Spirit, not the third person, the same Person.
44 God came down and become flesh and died the death in Christ so that He could clean the church in order to get into it for fellowship. God loves fellowship. That's what He made the man at the first time for, was for fellowship. God dwells alone with Cherubims.
And notice now, He made man, and man fell. So He came down and redeemed man, because God loves to be worshipped. The very word "god" means "object of worship." And this that comes among us as a Pillar of Fire, as something that changes our hearts, that is the same God that said, "Let there be light," and there was light. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.
46 Now, in the beginning God dwelled alone with His attributes as I spoke of this morning. That's His thoughts. There was nothing, just God alone. But He had thoughts. Just like a great architect can set down in his mind, and draw out what he thinks it's--he's going to--to build, create. Now, he cannot create; he can take something that's been created and make it in a different form, 'cause God's the only way--only One can create. But he gets in his mind what he's going to do, and that's his thoughts; that's his desires.
Now, it's a thought, and then he speaks it, and it's a word then. And a--a word is... A thought when it's expressed, it's a word. A thought expressed is a word. But it has to be a thought first. So it's God's attributes; then it becomes a thought, then a word.
48 Notice, those who have tonight Eternal Life, was with Him and in Him, in His thinking, before there ever was an Angel, star, Cherubim, or anything else. That's eternal. And if you have Eternal Life, you always was, not your being here, but the shape and form that the infinite God... And if He isn't infinite, He isn't God.
God has to be infinite. We're finite; He's infinite. And He was omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent. If He isn't, then He can't be God: knows all things, all places because of His omnipresence. Omniscient makes Him omnipresent. He is a being; He's not like the wind. He is a being; He dwells in a house, but being omniscient, knowing all things, makes Him omnipresent, because He knows everything that's going on. There can't be a flea bat its eyes but what He knowed it. And He knowed it before there was a world, how many time it'd bat it's eyes and how much tallow it had in it, before there ever was a world. That is infinite. We can't comprehend it in our minds, but that's God--God, infinite.
50 And remember, you, your eyes, your statue, whatever you was, you were in His thinking at the beginning. And the only thing that you are is the expression word. After He thought it, He spoke it, and here you are. If it isn't, if you wasn't in His thinking, there's no way at all for you ever to be there, for He's the One that gives Eternal Life.
You remember how we read the Scriptures, "Not him that willeth, or him that runneth, but God..." And that His predestination might stand true, He could choose before anytime who... God's sovereign in His choosing, did you know that? God's sovereign. Who was back yonder to tell Him a better way to make the world? Who would dare to tell Him He was running His business wrong? Even the very--the very Word Itself, very sovereign... Even the revelation is sovereign. He reveals to whom He will reveal. The very revelation itself is sovereign in God. That's how people pound at things, and jump at things, and hit at things, and not knowing what they're doing. God is sovereign in His works.
52 Now, we find Him at the beginning, His attributes. And now, you were with Him then. Then is when the Book of Life comes into view. Now, we read over here in Revelations the 13th chapter, the 8th verse, that the beast that comes upon the earth in these last days will deceive all those people on the earth whose names were not written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the world.
Think of it. Before Jesus was ever born, four thousand years before He came on earth, and several thousand years before you come on earth, Jesus in God's mind died for the sins of the world, and the Book of Life was made; and your name was put on that Book of Life before the foundation of the world. That's the Bible truth. See? Your name was ordained of God and placed on the Book of Life before the foundation of the world.
You were there in His attributes. You don't remember it, no, because you're just a part of His life. You are a part of God when you become a son or a daughter of God, just as you are a part of your earthly father. That's right. You are... The male carries the hemoglobin, the blood. And when that has gone in--in the egg, then you become a part of your father, and your mother is a part of your father also. So you're all a part of your father. Glory. That lets the denomination out altogether. Certainly does. God in all, the only place...
55 Notice now His attribute. Then the attribute was first God, the thought, the attribute itself all in one, without being expressed. Then when He expressed, secondarily, He became then the Word. And then the Word was made flesh and dwelled among us, St. John the 1st chapter and the 1st verse.
Notice, this is in the beginning, but before the eternal. Notice, in the beginning was the Word. When the time begin it was Word, but before it was Word, it was attribute, a thought. Then it was expressed. In the beginning was the expression, the Word. Now, we're getting where Melchisedec is. That's this mysterious Person. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And then the Word became flesh and dwelled among us. Hold that there now.
Notice. His--His first being was Spirit, God, supernatural (All right?), the great Eternal. Second, He begin to form Himself towards flesh in a theophany, it's called, "the word, a body." This then is the state He was in when He met Abraham, was called Melchisedec. He was in the form of theophany. Now, we'll get to that and prove it in a few minutes, the Lord willing.
58 He was the Word. A theophany is something that you could not see. It could be right here now, yet you cannot see it. It's just like, well like television, that's in another dimension. Television... People are moving right through this room now singing; there's colors also, but the eye is only subject to the five senses. Your whole being is only subject to five senses, rather. And you are only subject to what the sight has been limited to see. But there is another dimension that can be seen by a transformation by television.
Now, television does not manufacture a picture. A television only channels it into a circuit, and then the television screen picks it up. But the picture's there to begin with. Television was here when Adam was here. Television was here when Elijah set on Mount Carmel. Television was here when Jesus of Nazareth walked the shores of Galilee. But you're just now discovering it. They wouldn't have believed it back there. You'd have been crazy to have said something like it. But now it's become a reality.
And so is it that Christ is here. The Angels of God are here. And someday in the great millennium to come it'll be just more real than television or anything else, because they are here.
He reveals Himself in His great form of what He claim as He "En morphe's" Himself into His servants and proves Himself.
Now, here He is in the form of Spirit. And then He comes in the form of a--of--"En morphe." Now, He appeared to Abraham "En morphe." When Abraham was returning from the slaughter of the king, here come Melchisedec, talked to Him.
62 The other day in the Tucson paper I was reading an article that where there was a--a woman driving down the road, at I believe about forty, fifty miles an hour, and she hit an old man with an overcoat on. She screamed and stopped her car. It threw him up in the air: right out of the plain desert. And she run back to find him, and he wasn't there. So what did she do? Some people behind her saw it happen, saw the old man fly up in the air, his overcoat turning. So they run back to find out. They couldn't find the man anywhere. They called the police force. The police come out to examine the place; there was nobody there.
Well, each one of them testified the car chugged, hit the man. He went up in the air, and everybody saw it. Witnesses and two or three carloads of them, they seen it happen. Come to find out, five years ago there was an old man with an overcoat on hit and killed on the same spot. When you leave here, you're not dead. You've got to come back even if you're a sinner and be judged according to the deeds done in the body. "If this earthly tabernacle is dissolved, we have one waiting." "En morphe," that's the word.
64 Now, God in this stage of--at this stage of His creation later formed into flesh Jesus. From what? From the great beginning Spirit, then came down to be the Word, bringing Itself out. The Word doesn't yet make Itself; it's just spoke out, "En morphe," later He becomes flesh, Jesus, mortal to taste death for all of us sinners.
When Abraham met Him, He was Melchisedec. He unfolds here what all the attributes will do in the final end, every son of Abraham. Every son of the faith will absolutely do the same thing. But I want to watch how we have to come.
Also we see Him revealed here in Ruth and--and Boaz as a Kinsman Redeemer, how He had to come to be flesh.
67 Now, we see the attribute sons of His Spirit have not yet entered into the Word form body, but--a theophany. This body is subject to the Word and earnest--waiting for the earnest change of the body.
Now, the different between Him and you as a son... See, He was at the beginning the Word, an "En morphe" body. He came in and lived in that in the Person of Melchisedec. Then later... We never heard no more of Melchisedec, because He became Jesus Christ. Melchisedec was the Priest, but He became Jesus Christ. Now, you bypassed that, because in that form He knowed all things. And you have never been able to know that yet. You come like Adam, like me. You became from the attribute to the flesh to be tempted. But when this life is finished here... "If this earthly tabernacle be dissolved, we have one already waiting." That's where we go; that is the Word. Then we can look back and see what we done. Now, we don't understand it. We have never become the Word; we've just become the flesh-man, not the Word. But...
And look clearly, makes it clear you will never be the Word unless you was a thought at the beginning. That proves the predestination of God. See? You can't be the Word 'less you're a thought. You had to be in the thinking first. But you see, in order to stand temptation you had to bypass the theophany; you had to come down here in flesh to be tempted by sin. And then if you sin... "All the Father hath given Me will come to Me, and I'll raise him up at the last days." See, you had to be first. And then you see, He come right down the regular line, from attribute to...
70 Before the foundation of the world his Name's put on the Lamb's Book of Life. Then from that He become the Word, the theophany, that could appear, disappear; and then He become flesh and returned back again, resurrected that same body in a glorified condition. But you bypassed the theophany and become flesh-man to be tempted by sin. And then "if this earthly tabernacle is dissolved, we have one already waiting." We have not yet the bodies. But look, when this body receives the Spirit of God, the Immortal Life inside of you, it throws this body in subjection to God. Hallelujah.
"He that's born of God doth not commit sin; he cannot sin." Romans 8:1. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus; they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." There you are. See, that throws your body subject. You don't have to say, "Oh, if I could just quit drinking, if I could just..." Just get in Christ; it's all gone. See, see? Because your body is subject to the Spirit, it's no more subject to the things of the world; they're dead. They are dead; your sins are buried in baptism; and you are a new creation in Christ. And your body becoming subject to the Spirit, try to live a right kind of life...
72 Like you women claiming you got Holy Ghost and going out here and wearing shorts and things, how could you do it? How could the Spirit of God in you ever let you do such a thing as that? It just can't be so. Certainly it can't be. He's not a filthy spirit; He's a holy Spirit.
And then when you become subject to that Spirit, it throws your whole being subject to that Spirit. And that Spirit is nothing in the world but this Seed Word made manifest, or quickened (Hallelujah.), made alive. And when the Bible said, "Don't do this," that body quickly turns to it; there's no question. And what is it? It's the earnest of the resurrection. This body will be raised up again, because it's already started. It was once subject to sin, and mire, and corruption, but now it's got the earnest; it's turned heavenly. Now, that's the earnest that you're going in the rapture. It's the earnest.
A sick person laying dying, nothing left but death, that's all can happen. I've seen the shadows of people done eat up with cancer and tuberculosis, and see them persons a little while after that perfectly normal and strong. If there is no Divine healing then there's no resurrection, 'cause Divine healing is the earnest of the resurrection. Amen.
You know what the earnest money is don't you? It's the down payment. "He was wounded for our transgressions; with His stripes we're healed."
76 Notice, how wonderful, we love Him. Now, this body is subject to the Spirit. Have not yet entered into the Word form, but we are still in the flesh form, but subject to the Word. Death in the flesh will take us there.
Just the same thing. Think of a little baby. You can take a woman, no matter how evil she is, when she is pregnant and fixing to be mother, watch before that baby's born; I don't care how cruel the woman is, she gets real kind. There's something about her sound--seems godly, to see a little mother fixing to become mother by the baby. Why is it? That little body... Now, it's not alive yet. See the only thing it is, is just flesh and muscles. That little jumping, that's just muscles jerking. But when it comes forth from the womb, God breathes the breath of life into it, and then he screams out. See, just as--as sure as there is a natural body being formed, there is a spiritual body to receive it as soon as it gets here.
78 Then when a man is borned again from heaven, he becomes a spirit babe in Christ. And then when this robe of flesh is dropped, there is a natural body, theophany, a body not made with hands, neither born of a woman, that we go to. Then that body returns back and picks up the glorified body. That's the reason Jesus went to hell when he died and preached to the souls that were in prison. Turned back into that theophany... Oh, marvelous. Thank God.
II Corinthians 5:1 "If this earthly body be dis--dissolved (this earthly tabernacle), we have another one." See, we have bypassed that to come straight from God, the attribute, to be flesh to be tempted and tested by sin like Adam did. But when testing of His Word is over, then we are taken up to this body that was prepared for us before the foundation of the world. It is the Word there that we skipped to come right around down here to be tempted and tested. If we'd have come through that, there'd have been no temptation; we'd knowed all things. That's the reason Jesus knowed all things, 'cause He was Word before He was flesh.
Then we become the Word. Here we are formed to the Word image to be a partaker of the Word, feed on the Word, by being predestinated since the beginning. You see, that little spark of life that you had in you from the beginning when you started your journey... Many of you can remember it. You joined this church and joined that church, and try this and that; nothing satisfied. That's right. But one day you just recognized it. Right.
81 The other night I was teaching somewhere; I believe it was out in California, or Arizona, about... I believe I've told the little story here about the man setting a hen and had a eagle egg under it. And when that eagle hatched out, he was the funniest looking bird that them chickens ever seen. But he walked around; he was the--he was the ugly one among them, because he just couldn't understand how that hen will cluck and scratch on that manure pile and eat, and he couldn't get the idea. She'd say, "Come on over and feast, honey." Why, he--he was a eagle; he just didn't eat like that. It wasn't his food.
So she'd catch grasshoppers and whatmore, you know, and call the little chickens. And all them little chickens would go along, cluck along, and eat. But the little eagle just couldn't do it. It didn't--didn't look right to him.
83 So one day his mammy come hunting him. And he'd hear that hen cluck. He'd tried his best to cluck, but he couldn't do it. He tried to cheep like a chicken, but he couldn't do it. See, he was a eagle. He's... To start with he was a eagle. He was just hatched under a hen. That's like some church members. Every... That's about the way it is; about one out of a setting is right.
But one day his mammy flew over and she screamed. He recognized it. "That sounded right." Why? He was a eagle to begin with. That's the way it is with the Gospel of the Word, the power of Jesus Christ; when a man has been predestinated to Eternal Life, he hears that true ring, scream of God, nothing can keep him from it. The church might say, "Days of miracles is past, cluck, cluck, cluck. Stand here and eat this, and stand here and eat that."
That barnyard stuff won't do for him any more. He's gone. "All things are possible." He gets off the ground. That's what's the matter with so many Christians today; they can't get their feet off the ground. The old mammy said, "Son, jump; you're an eagle. Come up here where I am."
He said, "Mom, I never jumped in my life."
She said, "Well, you jump; you're eagle to begin with; your not a chicken." So he made his first jump and flopped his wings; didn't do too good, but he got off the ground. That's the way we do; we accept God by faith by the written Word. There's something in there (See?), that Eternal Life, you were predestinated to it.
His grandpa and grandma were eagles; he was a eagle all the way back. Eagle don't mix with other things. He's not a hybrid at all; he's a eagle.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by James Pierce on
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Minister,
Are you saying that Jesus is Melchizedek?
If so, where is hard evidence?
I am of the opinion that it does not matter whether you read the AKJV, NASB, ESV, etc. Hebrews 7 read from a Jewish perspective will do wonders in understanding.
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Permalink Reply by Minister QGAgnew on
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No,I;m saying he was chosen to be King by the Lord,Just as the Bible says,and all the actions he took,were ordained by God,like establishing the tenth part and so forth.Brother James you might be right alot of us have our preferred bible,and many scholars debate that subject to the point of ridicule.But doing all my studing i use a paralell,then go to the 1611.Sometimes you know as i do,over thinking,adding and taking from the verses causes confusion,this should be a simple one no matter what version you read.
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Permalink Reply by N'ZI Amani Germain on
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Dear brother Russell Kelly,
You said:
"Hebrews 7:12 and 7:18 says that the tithing law of Hebrews 7:5 was ANULLED. Why don't you believe God's New Covenant Word?"
I know that the tithing law prescribed in the Old Testament and the Aaronic priesthood have been abolished.
I know it!
I do not live according to the Law of Moses (Acts 15:1-29).
The born again believers live under the grace. They are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8).
I know it!
Yes, I know that the tithing law prescribed in the Old Testament and the Aaronic priesthood have been abolished.
However, I wish you would explain me the following biblical passage:
“Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise”.
Galatians 3:15-17
Moreover, you said:
“The HISTORICAL Melchisedec was only such "by interpretation." Jesus' priesthood is based on eternal principles per Hebrews 7:11-19”.
According to you, “Abraham gave the tithe of the spoils of war from outside the Holy Land, to the priest-king in obedience to common Canaanite tradition”.
Who was Melchisedec to whom Abraham gave the tithe?
Who was Melchisedec to whom Levi himself gave the tithe through Abraham (Hebrews 7: 9-10)?
Can you explain me the following verse?
“And without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater. In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die; but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living”.
Hebrews 7:7-8
1- "THE TENTH IS COLLECTED BY MEN WHO DIE"
2- "BUT IN THE OTHER CASE, BY HIM WHO IS DECLARED TO BE LIVING"
Now, tell me, who were the deadly men who collect the tenth?
And, who is the One who is declared to be living who also collects the tenth?
“This man, however, did not trace his descent from Levi, yet he collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises”.
Hebrews 7:6
Who is the one who is declared to be living to whom Levi himself gave the tenth through Abraham?
“Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder!”
Hebrews 7:4
Who was Melchisedec?
Was He a gentile priest-king?
Can a gentile priest-king be the King of righteousness?
Can a gentile priest-king be the King of peace?
Who was that KING without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever (Hebrews 7:1-3)?
Please, explain me Hebrews 7:7- 8!
You assert that Abraham gave the tithe of the spoils of war from outside the Holy Land, to the priest-king in obedience to common Canaanite tradition.
Did Abraham obey Canaanite tradition?
Brother, please read the following biblical passages so that you can acknowledge better who was Abraham.
Romans 4:9-18; Galatians 3:28-29; Hebrews 11:8-10...
Indeed, the Bible declares:
“Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way. He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh. I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac." The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?"
Genesis 24:1-5
Indeed, Abraham said: “you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living, but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac”
Abraham could never obey common Canaanite tradition and at the same time prevent his servant from getting a wife for his son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom he was living?
Who was Melchisedec(Psalm 110:4, Heb 5:10, 6:20, 7:1-28)?
Who was Melchisedec WHO BLESSED ABRAHAM?
Who was Melchisedec to whom Abraham gave the tithe?
I’m waiting for your BIBLICAL ANSWER(not your opinion).
Blessings,
Bro. Germain
www.tagworld.com/srobouay
www.myspace.com/wawesan
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