The Second Seal (Series)

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Preached on Tuesday, 19th March 1963 at the Branham Tabernacle in Jeffersonville, Indiana, U.S.A. (2 hours and 16 minutes)

177-1 / 1 Good evening, friends. Let’s all stand just a moment for prayer if you will.
Our heavenly Father, we have assembled again in this solemn assembly tonight in the service of the Lord. And Thou hast promised that wherever we would meet together, as many as two or three of us, that You would be in the midst of us. And we can be assured that You are here, for we have assembled in His Name.
Now, we pray, Father, that–that You will come tonight and will break this Second Seal for us. And as the–the poet has said, that he would like to look apast the curtain of time. And that’s our desire, Lord, is just to–just to look apast and see what lays ahead. And we pray that the Lamb that had been slain will come among us now and break the Seal and–and reveal it to us, the things we have need to see.

177-4 / 4 There be some here, Lord, who has not yet entered into this great fellowship around Christ, we pray that tonight that they’ll make that eternal decision, be filled with the Spirit of God.
If there be any sick, Father, we pray that You’ll heal them. Here are many handkerchiefs laying here that I’m holding my hands upon in commemoration of the–of the Bible of Saint Paul, where they taken from his body handkerchiefs and aprons. Unclean spirits left the people and they were healed.
We see the near coming of the Lord. We know that time is drawing nigh. These things has returned again to the Church after nineteen hundred years.
Now, we pray, Father, that You’ll grant these things we ask for. Strengthen Thy servant and help Thy servants everywhere, Lord, and especially we who are assembled here tonight, that we might be able to receive the Word. We ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

178-1 / 8 It’s certainly good to be back in the house of the Lord again tonight. And I know so many of you standing, I–I’m sorry about that, but there’s just hardly anything more we can do. We–we got the–the church, just as increased it to where we could get three, four, three hundred or four hundred more in, but in special meetings this way, it–it carries a little heavier crowd.

178-2 / 9 Now, oh, I’m just having a wonderful time praying and studying these–these Seals. I hope you all are too. I’m–I’m sure you are. If it’s meaning as much to you as it is to me, it’s certainly a–you’re having a wonderful time. And I got a…
I want to call a girl friend of mine after service, and this is her birthday. She’s twelve years old today: Sarah, my daughter. And next, then day after tomorrow I have to make another call ’cause it’s Becky’s birthday.

178-4 / 11 And now, tonight we are studying this Second Seal. And e… For the first four Seals there is four horse riders. And I tell you today something happened again, and I–I… Something that I… I go and get the old script that I had that I talked on long ago. And just set down there, and I thought, “Well, I–I did the very best I could.” And many writers and things… And I thought, “Well, I’ll read a little while, and look over and see this and that,” and the first thing you know, something just happens, and it’s altogether different. It just comes in different. Then I grab me a pencil right quick and start writing down just as fast as I can while He’s there.

178-5 / 12 Oh, it’s just something happened just about one-half hour ago. I was telling Brother Wood, coming down just a few minutes ago, just something that… Oh, you know there’s a lot of things happen that you just can’t talk about, you know, but just something just took place that just helped me so much.
I got a friend here somewhere in the building. ‘Course you are all my friends. This–this brother is Brother Lee Vayle. He’s a precious brother and–and a real student of the Scripture. Dr. Vayle is a Baptist with the Holy Ghost, and he’s a… I don’t say this complimentary; I just say it because I believe it. I think he is one of the best versed students that I know of among our ranks. And he just wrote me a little note here and was–sent it in there by Billy. And Billy couldn’t hardly make it out to me, and I think–I haven’t read it over–but I was just going to say what he said here. And I just read it, Brother Vayle, if you’re here–I just read this about six months ago.

179-1 / 14 “I’m not positive,” he said, “Brother Bill, I’m not positive, but I believe that Polycarp was a student of Saint John. (That’s correct; he was.) I think Irenaeus was a student of–of Polycarp. (That’s correct, exactly.) Irenaeus said, ‘Jesus will return–will return when the last elected member of the body of Christ comes in.'”
That was Irenaeus about four hundred years after the–after the death of Christ. He said, “When this last age comes in…” Now, that’s in the–the Pre-Nicaea Council. You fellows here that read the–the–study the Scripture, and study the, I mean study the history of the Bible, we find that in Pre–in the Pre-Nicaea Council. And I think it’s the first book or the second book, you–you’ll find it.

179-3 / 15 Now, he saw it years ago that he said at the last–last spot, last one elected–that elected… People thinks that election is something that’s just been–that’s just been something hatched up here lately. My, that’s one of the oldest teachings that we have: election and calling. And so Irenaeus certainly a–the real student of the Scripture always believed in election. And so Irenaeus was one of the–the angels of the church age, as we seen as we studied, we believe. ‘Course now they were all mysteries. They’re all healed right–hid right here in these Seals (You see?), and they are to be revealed in the last day. How they started off with Paul, and–and Irenaeus, and Martin, and so forth down, and has come on down to the last age.

179-4 / 18 And now… We’re trusting now that the Lord will bless us in our efforts tonight. Now, we been… The First Seal, I certainly enjoyed that. The First Seal, the blessings that went with it to me… And now, I–I don’t want to keep you too long, but you see, I–I’ll be going now just again in a few nights and after this is over, and we have to just kind of suffer a little while.

179-5 / 19 I appreciate… I see Brother Junior Jackson standing there, and I–and I thought I seen Brother Ruddell a few moments ago, here somewhere. And them brethren, that’s our sister churches that has let out and the others; we certainly appreciate it. And I see Brother Hooper, I believe, standing up along the wall there from Utica, the church there. And we certainly appreciate your all’s fine cooperation in this.

180-1 / 21 Now, last evening as we always like in teaching on the–on the Seals, we have–teach it the same way you do on the–on the–the church ages. And… When we got finished with teaching the church age, the last time when I drawed them out here on the–on the pulpit on a board, how many remembers what took place? He came right down, went right back there on the wall in a Light and drawed it off Himself, right there on the wall before us all. The Angel of the Lord stood right here before several hundred people. And now, He’s–He’s doing something real supernatural now too. And so we’re just expecting great things. We don’t know… Do you like to just wait for that–that great anticipation, just don’t know what’s going to happen next, you know, just–just waiting?

180-2 / 22 Now, how great God is to us. And how wonderful, we so appreciate Him. Now, the 1st and 2nd verse, I’ll read it to kind of give a little background, then we’ll take the 3rd and 4th verse for the Second Seal, and then the 5th and 6th verse is the Third Seal. And the 7th and 8th is the–the two verses to each horse rider.

180-3 / 23 And now, I want you to watch how these fellows on this pale horse, maybe here it comes, just keeps changing as it goes down, and then that great last Seal to be opened, if God willing, next Sunday night, that when it happened there was just, the only thing that taken place was silence in heaven for a half hour. God help us. Now, I’ll read the third verse now.
And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
And there went out another horse… (4th verse)… that was red: and power was given to him that set thereon to take peace from the earth, that they should kill one another–they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

180-4 / 26 Now, a mysterious thing now when the–the beast told John, “Just come and see.” And he didn’t see what it was; he just saw a symbol. And that symbol, the reason it was… He said, “Come, see.” But he saw a symbol that he was to symbolize it to the church in a way that they would watch until it come to the last age, and then the Seal would be open. Now, and everyone understands that now? See, the Seals would be opened.

181-1 / 27 And aren’t you happy to be living in this day? That… See? Not only that, friends, but always remember now; last Sunday morning where the whole thing was based on, simplicity (See?), simple, humble. Happens in such a way that people just go right on by and don’t even know it happened. And remember, we are looking for the coming of the Lord anytime. And when we…
I made a statement that I perhaps the rapture would be the same way. It’ll be gone, over, and no one will know nothing about it, and just come like that. See? And usually… Just go on back to the Bible and look how it happens like that (See?), even as great a thing as the Lord Jesus coming. Nobody knew nothing about it. They thought, “That crank, somebody…” The churches said, “Just a fanatic. We… He’s really crazy.” Said, “He’s a mad man. We know thou art mad.” “Mad” means “crazy.” “We know you got a devil, and it’s run you crazy. And you try to teach us when you were borned out there illegitimately. Why, you was born in fornication, try to teach men like us, the priests and so forth, the temple.” Why, my, that was a–an insult to them.

181-3 / 30 When John came, been talked about down through the ages from Isaiah to Malachi–that’s twelve hundred–or seven hundred and twelve years he’d been seen of the prophets coming. Everybody was looking for him to come, expecting it at anytime. But the way he come, he preached, and done his service, and went on into glory, and even the apostles didn’t know it. For they asked Him; they said, “Now, the Son of man is going to Jerusalem, all these things to be offered,” and said, “why is it the Scripture says the–that Elias is going to come first?”
Jesus said, “He’s already come; you didn’t know it. And he did just exactly what the Scripture said he would do, and they did to him just what was listed.” See, see? And they couldn’t understand it. He said, “It was John.”

181-4 / 33 And then, “Oh.” See, they–they woke up to it. They… And when… Even at last, after all the things He–He had done and the signs that He’d had show them, and had even called them, said, “Which one of you can condemn Me of sin (unbelief)? If I haven’t done just what the Scripture said that My office would do when I come to the earth, then show Me where I’ve sin. (See?) Then I’ll–I’ll show you what you’re supposed to be, and let’s see whether you believe it or not.” See? He’d have come right back and said, “You supposed to believe on Me when I come.” They didn’t do it. See? So they knowed better than to tie in on Him on that.
But He said, “Which one of you can accuse Me of unbelief? (See?) Haven’t I done just what it was?”

182-2 / 34 And even the apostles going along, stumbled. (We know how the Scriptures go.) Then finally, at last they said, “Now, we believe. We believe that no man has to tell You, for You know all things.”
And I’d had just liked to have seen His face. He must’ve looked at them and said, “Well, do you now believe?” Finally it dawned on them. Well, it wasn’t supposed to be maybe till that time. You see? And God works everything just right, you know. I love Him for that.

182-4 / 36 But now, we’re thinking of our age now, ’cause I get to talking on that, we won’t get into these Seals at all. And… Now, remember, I–I’m getting much requests for prayer for the sick, and I’m praying for the–you all the time for every request I get and for the handkerchiefs and things. And if we can get these Seals finished up to the last Seal Sunday morning, we–if it be the will of the Lord, we’d like to have just a good old fashion healing service here, you know, where you just take the entire morning for praying for the sick. And I–I’m pretty sure it’ll be a strange healing meeting. Yeah, I just have a feelings like that. And so… Not strange, but it may be a little strange to some. See, what…

182-5 / 38 Now, how great is God’s grace to reveal His secrets to us in this day. Now, we all will believe that we’re living in the last day. We believe that. And remember, the secrets was to be revealed in the last day. And how does He reveal His Word, His secret, the Bible? Would you like to read where He says it? Let’s just turn over and see how He reveals His secrets.
Now, I want you to read Amos; turn over to the Book of Amos, and I want you to read in the 3rd chapter of Amos and the 7th verse. All right. I’ll read the 6th verse too.
Shall a trumpet… blow in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD has not done it?
Surely the LORD… will do nothing, but he revealeth his secrets unto his servants the prophets.

183-1 / 40 Now, in the last days we are–it’s predicted to us that there will rise a–a prophet. Now, we know that we’ve had all kinds… Now, I realize after looking around tonight, I–I’m speaking here where students are setting, and I–I’d like for you to understand me. And you realize these tapes cover the world (See?), just about all the world. And I’d want you to, not by no mean, think that I am trying to inject some kind of a–a cult of Elijah’s blankets or robes and oh, all those things we’ve had plenty of them. But you know all those things are only a forerunning of the real thing that is to come to throw the people off.

183-2 / 42 Did you know we had false–false leaders raised up, false messiahs before Christ come? Didn’t–did–did not the–the teacher of that day, that mighty teacher, Gamaliel, when the–the question come up about beating these men and so forth; he said, “Let them alone. If it’s of God, why, you’ll be found fighting against God, but if it isn’t of God…” Said, “Didn’t a man raise up not long ago and take four hundred into the wilderness and so forth? We have those things.” What was it? All forerunning the real thing when it come.

183-3 / 43 Now, see, Satan raises those up. Watch the shrewdness of this fellow that we’re talking about here, Satan, where we’re unfolding him right here, just stripping him down by the Scriptures and letting you see who he is. That’s what the–what’s supposed to be done, and you remember, he has not tried to go in to be a Communist; Satan hasn’t. He’s an antichrist, “So close that” Jesus said, “would deceive the very elected.” And that’s the one that’s hid down in these Seals, whose names are on the Book since the foundation of the world.

183-4 / 45 He is a shrewd fellow, and when he sees this thing coming, coming up, then he throws everything he can out there to upset it ‘fore it gets there. Did you know there will be false christs arise in the last day? It should follow immediately after this–after this great message that this brother will speak, that will actually come, be anointed in the spirit of Elijah, immediately. And they’ll mistake him; some of them will think he’s the Messiah. But he will strictly say, “No,” because it’s got to be coming like John.
In the time of John the Baptist, when he came out there to preach, they said to him, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Aren’t you He?”
He said, “I am not. I’m not worthy to loose His shoe. But I–I baptize you with water, but He will baptize with the Holy Ghost.” And John was so sure that He’s on earth he said, “He is among you somewhere now.” But he didn’t know Him till he saw that sign come down upon Him. Then when he seen that Light coming down, spread out like a dove and lit upon Him, he said, “There He is. That’s Him.” But John was the only one that saw It, you know. John was the only one heard the Voice. All the rest of them there, no one heard It.

184-2 / 50 But then when the real true servant comes on, with all the impersonation to it, it’s to upset the peoples’ mind. Satan does that. And those who can’t discern right from wrong, they just tumble over; but the elected won’t do it. The Bible said he wouldn’t be able to deceive the elected.
And now, just before the coming of Christ, the Bible said there would be false christs arise and would claim to be Christ, and would say, “Lo,” the people say, “He’s in the desert.” Don’t believe it. “Lo, He’s in the secret chamber.” Don’t believe it. “For as the sun shineth from the east unto the west, so shall the coming of the Son of man be.” See? Yes, He’ll–He’ll–He’ll appear, and it’ll be a universal thing. And now, that will…

184-4 / 51 Now, of course, when they find out that something has taken place (You see?), then they’ll… Now, remember, that will take place immediately after the going home of the Church (after the rapture). Now, there’ll be false impersonations all the time, and we do not mean to be connected in anything like that. No, sir.
And I believe when the person comes, this one that is predicted to come (I’m showing you only by the Scriptures.), that the man will have to be a prophet. He certainly will. And the revelation of God, because God… The Word of the Lord comes to His prophet. That’s exactly right, that’s… And God cannot change. You see? If He had a better system, He would–He would’ve used it, but the–He–He’s got–He chose the best system at the beginning.

184-6 / 54 Just like, He could’ve chose the sun to preach the Gospel. He could’ve put–chose the moon. He could chose the–the wind, but He chose man. And He never did choose groups; individuals. See, the… And never two major prophets on the earth at the same time.
See, every man is different. He’s got a different makeup. If God can get one person (That’s all He has to have.) right in His hand, He can do what He wants to. He just has to have one.
In the days of Noah, days of Elijah, days of Moses… Many rose up in the time of Moses. You know how they did and wanted to say, “Well, you’re not the only holy one in the bunch,” and–and Dathan and–and Korah… And God said, “Just separate yourself; I’ll just open up the earth and swallow them away.” You see? And–and so… And then the people got to complaining. He said, “I’ll–I’ll just take the whole thing away.”
And there Moses took the place of Christ then to throw hisself in the breach and say, “Don’t do it, Lord.” See? And ‘course, He… After He’d ordained Moses to do this, He didn’t come over Moses, ’cause he was acting like Christ in that time. It was Christ in Moses. Absolutely.

185-4 / 60 Now, we’re so glad today that God is revealing Hisself to us. And I believe the great day is just begin dawning, breaking; the lights are begin to flash; the birds of paradise is begin to sing in the saints’ heart, they know that–isn’t long now. Something’s going to happen. It’s just got to.
So if He does not do anything… Now, all Scripture is inspired. The Scriptures must absolutely be the Truth, no way around it. There’s where I different with our friends the Catholic church. I believe that It was not written by just mere man; I believe It was moved by the Holy Spirit. And all these little things that’s been added, try to add to It, did you notice in the solving up they was everyone kicked out. And these real true Scriptures dovetail one with the other one till there–there’s no contradiction in them nowhere at all.

185-6 / 62 Show me one piece of literature that can–that can write a verse hardly without contradicting itself, or write a verse or two. And the Bible does not contradict Itself anywhere. I’ve heard the old critics say that, but I have had an offer for him for a long time to show me where it’s at. It isn’t in here. It’s just because the human mind is confused. God’s not confused. He knowed what He’s doing. He knows…
And look, if God’s going to judge the world by a church (as the Catholic church says it is), all right, then what church is that? Just look at the churches we got. We got nine hundred and something different organization of churches. Now, how… One teaches this way and one that way. What a confusion. Then anybody just do anything they want to; you go on in anyhow. God’s got to have some standard, and that’s His Word.

186-2 / 64 Speaking… Not throwing off to the Catholic now, ’cause the–the Protestant’s just as bad. But speaking with a priest, he said, “Mr. Branham,” he said, “God is in His church.”
I said, “Sir, God is in His Word, and He is the Word.” Yes, sir.
He said, “Well, He’s in… The church is infallible.”
I said, “He don’t say that, but He said the Word’s infallible.”
He said, “Well, we used to teach that baptism that way and so forth.”
I said, “When?”
Said, “Back in the early days.”
I said, “Do you allow that to be the Catholic church?”
He said, “Yes.”
I said, “Then I’m Catholic, old fashion Catholic. I believe the old fashion way. You guys today has got it all messed up. There’s hardly anything in the Scripture you teach: intercession with women, and dead people, and all these other things, and, oh, my, non-meat-eating, and I don’t know what all.” See? I said, “You find that in the Scripture for me.”
He said, “It don’t have to be there. As long as the church says so, that’s it. Don’t make any difference what that says, it’s the church.”
I said, “The Bible said that whosoever shall add one word to it or take one away, his part will be taken from the Book of Life.” So it’s the Word; I believe the Word.

187-1 / 71 Now, and then if Amos says, and the other Scriptures that go with it, that if… And you remember on this we’re just striking the highlights of it. Just… My, if–when I get in that room there and–and that anointing comes in, if I could write down what He–what all goes on, I’d be here for three months on one of the Seals. So I just strike the places and let it out just what it would seem to be that wouldn’t choke the people, but yet not enough to hurt them, but just so that believing it would–it’d season the thing. You know what I mean.

187-2 / 73 Now, watch this now. “If God does not do nothing,” said Amos, “until first He reveals it to His servants the prophets,” and then we see what He’s doing, it must be that He’s fixing to do something, what He’s revealing now. God is fixing to move on the scene in judgment; I believe. He’s fixing to do something. And one thing again that testifies: surely we are in the last day; we’re at the end of the age, the Laodicea Church Age. Now, for these things were to be revealed only at the last day.

187-3 / 74 Now, just think of that now. Let’s just–just try to soak in what we believe that the Holy Spirit would have us know. Now, remember, nothing could be revealed, God will do nothing at all until first He reveals it to His servants the prophets. And before He does anything, He reveals it, and when He reveals it, you can remember this: something’s on its road. See? It’s being revealed.

187-4 / 76 And these things that we’re talking about was to be revealed at the last day, just before the last trumpet, at the end of the message of the last church age. That’s right. If you want to read that now, you can turn to… You… I just referred to you last night two or three times, Revelations 10:1-7 (See?): “And in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel’s message, the mystery of God would be revealed and finished.” And there’s only one thing left when this Seven-sealed Book is open, then the entire mystery of God, why, we probed at through years, and according to the Scripture then when there was no way to understand it until this day, because it’s been hid. We’ve seen the symbol, what it was symbolized by, but it could not be correctly revealed until the last day. See? Now, then we must be there at the–at the end time.

187-5 / 78 Now, remember, don’t–and don’t forget now that He does nothing until He reveals it; and don’t forget also, that He does it in such a simple way that the wise and the prudent miss it. Now, if you want to mark that down, that’s Matthew 11:25, 26. And…
Remember, He does nothing till He reveals it, and He reveals it in such a way that the smart, educated people miss it. Remember, it was wisdom that the world desired instead of the Word when the first sin did what it did. Don’t forget that now. Oh, how grateful we should be to think that… Now, just look at the things that happened; look at the things that He’s told us; look at here in this Tabernacle, you people that we been raised up here with.

188-2 / 79 Now, I’m going to ask the tapes to… Well, go ahead and take it. But look, I’m just going to say this to the Tabernacle people, you that’s been here: I charge any of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus to ever–to put your finger on one thing of the hundreds of things that’s been told before they come to pass and say they did not come to pass. Tell me one time that on the platform, out there wherever it was, that He ever spoke anything that wasn’t perfectly just exactly that way. How… Could a human mind be that way? Certainly not.

188-3 / 80 When He appeared down there on the river thirty-three years ago this coming June in the form of a Light, you old-timers remember that I told you since a little boy that voice and that Light, and people thought you was kind of a little bit off at the head; of course, I would’ve probably thought the same thing somebody said it. But now, you don’t have to wonder about it now, and the church hasn’t wondered since 1933.
Down on the river that day where I was baptizing hundreds of people, I remember that Mayer boy told me, said, “You’re going down to duck those people, Billy.” Little Jim Mayer down here, I think he’s dead now. I think he got killed out there; some woman shot him. But he–he asked me, “Are you going down to duck those people?”
I said, “No, sir, I’m going to baptize them in the Name of our Lord Jesus.”

188-5 / 83 And there was a woman going along in the group. She said to another woman; she said–made a remark, something about it. She said, “Well, I wouldn’t mind to be ducked”; said, “that’s all right; I don’t care…”
I said, “Go back and repent. You’re not fit to be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ.”
This is not nothing to play with. It’s the Gospel of Christ, revealed by a commission, the Word. Just, now… You saying, “Nonsense,” and “Foolishness,” you could’ve placed it somewhere else; but remember, it’s promised in the Word that this would happen, and just exactly what it would be, and here it is. See?

189-2 / 86 Then down there that day, when they were standing at the river, and the Angel of the Lord that I had told you that It looked like a–a star or something in the distant, and then It got close, and told you how the emerald Light looked, and there It come right down on the river where I was baptizing, when businessmen down here in the city said, “What does that mean?”
I said, “That wasn’t for me; that was for you; I believe. That was for your sake that God did that to let you know that I’m telling you the Truth.” By being a kid, a boy like, and about 21 years old, they–they wouldn’t believe that (You see?), because it’s too much for a kid.

189-4 / 88 And then, I was thinking; Brother Roberson here, one of our trustees, I seen here a few minutes ago, he was telling me the other day about being in Houston when the picture there was taken that you See? And I was on that debate. I was started to say something about it the other night. Brother Roy was the only–with one more man, was the only person in the group that had a recorder. It was one of them old fashion wire recorders (I see Brother Roberson now, and his wife) so, and–and this–Mrs. Roberson was sick.
Brother Roy was a veteran, his legs blowed, and they laid him out for dead. He was an officer in the–in the Army. The German eighty-eight hit this tank that he was with and just killed the men, and blowed him to pieces; they laid him out for dead for a long time, and they said he never would walk because both legs was severed, the nerves in them and things. My, he can almost outwalk me.
But what was it? There was something that he seen, and he went to Houston. And he was telling me about his wife. He’s got–he’s got the wire; he’s going to fix it on a tape, and after the services is over here, why, he’s going to play it for you all, I hope. And on the old wire–tape there, he’s got my services held in Houston. And then his wife, he said he got her on there, and he never noticed it till the other day. She was, oh, she was so sad; she was sick, and she wanted to get in to the prayer line. (They never knew me, and I never seen them in my life.) So she was setting at a–a window that day, looking out and so dreary, you know, and upset, and wishing she could get a prayer card to get in the line; and happened to be that night she got in the line or the night after or something; I believe the same night.
And she got in the line, and when she got up on the platform, the Holy Spirit told her, said, “Now, you’re not from here. You’re from a city called New Albany.” And said, “You were setting at a window today looking out and all worried about getting a prayer card.” And there it is on the tape, years ago.

190-2 / 93 And then at the beginning of the meeting, when the Holy Spirit was there… That was the first of the meeting; we was only having about three thousand people, then we went to eight thousand, then to about thirty thousand.
So then in the… While I was speaking at the–one of the very first meetings, I said, “I don’t know why that I’m saying this (Now, it’s on the tape.), but it’s–we are–This is going to be one of the highlights of my time. Something is going to happen during this meeting that’s going to be greater than anybody’s seen yet.” And it was just about eight or nine, ten nights after that when the Angel of the Lord appeared before around thirty thousand people, and come down, and the picture was taken; there it is right now, which is copyrighted in Washington, D. C. as the only supernatural Being that was ever photographed in the world.

190-4 / 96 Then I talked about, you know, saying that sometime under the discernment say, “A person is shadowed to death. There’s a dark hood of a shadow. They’re fixing to die.”
And then up here at East Pines–or Southern Pines, I believe it is, just when I was there in the last meeting, a little lady setting there; and something told her, “Take that picture right quick,” when I was speaking to a lady, and there it was. I think it’ll be on the bulletin board, has been for quite awhile. There’s that dark hood hanging right over the lady.
She shot another picture as soon as the Holy Spirit announced it; it was gone. Said, “You’re going to be healed. The Lord’s healed you. The cancer’s gone.” There it was, and she was healed. See? There you are. See, it just goes to show that God knows what’s the time of day it is. We don’t. We just have to obey Him.
Now, we can just keep on talking, but let’s get down here now just a minute and touch this back Seal so we can blend this one in with it. Now, just to review for a few moments the–the other–the First Seal.

191-2 / 101 We notice in the breaking of the First Seal, Satan had a–a super religious man. Did you notice that white horse rider, which they–it was thought to be that that was a–the early church going forth. But, oh, my, that’s been taught through the years, but it couldn’t be. Just watch when the rest of them, when we get them all tied together, then look where it’s at. See? Now… And I don’t know what the rest of them’s going to be as yet, but I know it’s got to come just perfectly in there, because it’s the Truth. It’s the Truth. That was the hierarchy church of Rome. Exactly.

191-3 / 102 These people who think that the Jews are the antichrist, they are certainly a million miles off the line. Don’t you never think the Jews are an antichrist. Their eyes were blinded purposely that we might have a way to get in, giving us a time of repentance. But the antichrist is a Gentile. Certainly it is, an impersonator of the truth: “Anti,” “against.”
Now, this great superman… Oh, how he become a great man, and–and then finally was throned. Then after throned, he was crowned. And now, he… After that he was worshipped in the stead of God. Now, look, before that ever come… I want to ask you something: Who was that? What was that on Paul in II Thessalonians 2:3, that said that man would come? Why did that man look down through the age and see it? He was God’s prophet. Certainly.

191-5 / 105 Why was it He said the Spirit speaks expressingly that in the latter time that they’d depart from the faith and would give heed to seducing (You know what “seduce” is.)–a seducing spirit in the church? That is clergy, seducing clergy spirit, workings of devils, hypocrisies in the church, heady, high-minded (wisdom. You see? smart, intelligent), having a form of godliness (just go say, “Well, we’re Christians, we should go to church.”), having a form of godliness but denying the revelations, the power and the working of the Spirit, from such turn away. See?

192-1 / 106 Now, notice he said, “For this is the sort that’ll go from house to house and will lead silly women (Now, that don’t mean Holy Ghost women.)–silly women that’s led away with divers lusts.” Divers lusts, they just like to get in every little thing that they can get into, and all kinds of societies, and live anyway that they want to, and still, “We go to church. We’re just as good as anybody,” dances, parties, cut their hair, paint, dress anything they want to, say, “We’re–we’re Pentecostals; we’re–we’re–we’re just as good as anybody.” Oh, your own works identify you.

192-2 / 107 Notice, but he said, “Man of reprobate minds concerning Truth.” What is the Truth? The Word, which is Christ “… concerning the Truth.”
“Oh, you… You make… You–you’re a woman driver; you’re a woman hater; you do this and that.”
No, sir. That’s not right. That’s a falsehood. I do not hate women. No, sir. I… They’re my sisters–if they are sisters. But the thing I… Love is corrective. If it isn’t corrective, it isn’t love. If it is, then–if it’s love, it’s–it’s phileo love and not agapao, I’ll tell you that. You might have a little phileo love for some nice looking lady, but agapao love is a different thing. That’s a love that straightens the thing out and meet God yonder somewhere where we can live eternally. See? I didn’t mean that, maybe, in the way it sounded, but I… You know, what… I–I hope you understand. All right. Now…

192-3 / 112 But remember he said, “As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so will they. But their folly was soon made manifest.” Why? When Moses was commissioned to do something that seemed radical, but he went down there just as honest as he could be, and God told him to take this stick and to throw it down, and it would turn to a serpent. Then He did it to show him what it would take place. And before Pharaoh he stood out there just as God had commissioned him and throwed down his stick, and it turned to a serpent.

192-4 / 114 And no doubt Pharaoh said, “A cheap magician trick.” So he goes and gets his Jannes and Jambres, said, “We can do those things, too.” And they threw down their stick, and they become serpents. Now, what could Moses do? What was it? It was to show him that every genuine thing of God, the devil’s got an impersonator for it. He impersonates to throw the people off the track.
What did Moses do? He said, “Well, I guess I made a mistake; I better go back.” He just stood still for he’d carried out his commission to the letter. Then the first thing you know Moses’ serpent eat up the other one. See?
Did you ever think what become of that other serpent? Where did he go to? Moses picked up the stick and went on out with it. He worked miracles with it. And that serpent was on the inside of the other stick. That’s wonderful, isn’t it? Yes, sir.

193-3 / 118 Now, antichrist comes into light gradually. I want you to notice. Now, when you here… Now, to my Catholic friends, just set still just a minute… And now… And then we’re going to see where the Protestants, where we all are. See? Notice, the first church… When the Catholic church said that they were the first original church, they’re exactly right; they were. They begin at Pentecost. That’s where the Catholic church began. Now, I once didn’t hardly believe that till I read history, and I found out it is right.
They begin at Pentecost, but they begin to drift. And you see where they are at? And if Pentecost drifts with the speed it’s drifting now, they won’t have to go two thousand years. In a hundred years from now they’ll be farther away than the Catholic church is. That’s right.

193-5 / 122 But notice how this white horse rider… (Now, we just backgrounding it a little till we hit this Seal.) Now, notice the white horse rider. When he went out he–he serves in three stages. The devil, as I proved to you the other night is in a trinity just like God, but it’s the same devil all the time in three stages.
Notice his stages: In the first stage he come in, the Holy Ghost fell, and people had everything in common. And the Spirit of God was upon them, and the apostles went from house to house breaking bread with the people, and there was great signs and wonders wrought. And–and then the first thing you know, Satan began to cause a murmur to come up. Then after while these slaves and the poor of the land what received the Holy Ghost, they went out into different places testifying. They testified to their masters.

194-1 / 126 And after while there begin to come all like army captains and… And the different people the celebrity begin to see the gallantry and the miracles and signs that these men done, so they accepted Christianity. Well then (You see?), when he embraced Christianity and go down there to a place where they’re meeting in a little old dark, dingy hall, and clap their hands and shout and speaking in tongues and getting messages, why, he could never take that to his–his competitor or whatever it is in his business. He’d never believe it like that (Certainly not.), so he’s got to dress it up.

194-2 / 127 So they begin to get together and begin to think, “Now, we’ll form something a little different.” And Jesus, right immediately at the first church age, He told them in the 2nd chapter of Revelations here, “I have somewhat against you, because these deeds of the Nicolaitanes.” “Nico,” “conquer the laity.” In other words, they want to make… Instead of everybody be one, they want to make some holy fellow. They wanted to make some kind of… They wanted to pattern it in paganism from where they had come out from, and they finally done it.
Now, watch. First Nicolaitane. The Nicolaitane was called in the Bible, antichrist, because it was against the original doctrine of Christ and the apostles.

194-3 / 131 I don’t want to call this man’s name. He is a great man. But I was at his meeting here a few years ago, and he knew I was there, ’cause I’d shook his hand. And he said, “You know, we have such today that they call Pentecostals.” And he said, “They–they rely upon the Book of Acts.” And he said, “You see, the Acts was only scaffold work for the church.”
Would you imagine a man that’s studied the Bible, a gallant old man, and had studied the Bible the way that fellow has, and then would make a remark like that? It sounds–it–it don’t–It even doesn’t sound like the Holy Spirit is around, it’s got not to be nowhere; because anybody with common understanding would know that the Acts of the Apostles was not acts of the apostles; it was the acts of the Holy Spirit in the apostles.

195-1 / 132 Don’t you know how we patterned it out in the church ages, the–them beasts setting there watching that ark there: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John standing there watching that. And in there is what happened as a results of the writing of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. That’s what the tree putteth forth its first branch, and that is what happened. And if that tree ever puts forth another branch, they’ll write another book of Acts behind it. ‘Cause you see, the same Life’s got to be in the same thing.

195-2 / 135 So now, today when we look over our denominational churches: Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Church of Christ (so-called), and Pentecostals and things, where do we find that? You don’t find it. I will admit that the Pentecostals has the closest thing to it there is, because they are up here in the Laodicean Church Age. They had Truth and rejected it. They got lukewarm with it, and God spewed them from His mouth. That’s exactly according to the Scriptures. You can’t make them Scriptures lie. See? They’re going to be truthful always. Don’t try to… The only thing, don’t try to line your thought up to the–or the Scriptures up to your thought, but reline yourself up with the Scriptures. That’s… Then you’re running with God. No matter how much you have to cut away or lay aside, line up with that. See?

195-3 / 138 Look what it did the first time it fell. Well, if God acted like that the first time, He’s got to act like that the second time. He’s got to act like that every time, or He acted wrong the first time. See, we as mortals, we can make mistakes. God can’t. God’s first decision is perfect. And the way He chose to do things, there can’t be no other better way. He can’t improve on it, because it’s perfect to begin with. If it isn’t, then He isn’t infinite.
And if He’s infinite, then He is omniscient. And if He is omniscient, then He’s omnipotent. Amen. He’s got to be that to be God. See? So He… You can’t say, “He learned more.” He didn’t learn more; He’s the–He’s the very fountain of all wisdom. See? Our wisdom here come from Satan. We inherited it from Eden where we swapped off faith for wisdom. Eve did it.

195-5 / 141 Now, he was first called antichrist. The second stage, he was called the false prophet, because that spirit among the people become incarnate. You remember the white horse rider now had no crown when he started, but then he was–was given a crown. Why? He was the Nicolaitane spirit to begin with. And then he become incarnate in a man, and then he was crowned, and received a throne, and was crowned.
And then he served that for a long time, as we’ll see as the Seals break, and then we find out after that a long time Satan was kicked out of heaven. And he come down, according to the Scriptures and enthroned himself. Just think, enthroned himself in that man and become a beast. And he had power, supreme power like, that he done all the miracles and everything that there–the killings and bloody fights and everything that–that Rome could produce.

196-2 / 143 All right. He killed by cruel Roman punishment. Just… Oh, how we could break in some Scriptures here. Remember, Jesus Christ died under the punishment of Rome: capital punishment. The message that I’ve got in my heart to preach up here at this next meeting on Good Friday afternoon meets three, four things. See? “There They Crucified Him.” There, the holiest, religious place in the world was Jerusalem. They, the most holy (supposed to be) people in the world, the Jews. There they crucified, the most cruel punishment that Rome could produce. Crucified Him. What? The greatest person that ever lived: There they crucified Him. Oh, my.
God help me to swing it into that bunch of businessmen to let them see where they’re standing. All right. Now, not to be different, not to be nasty, but to shake that till them brothers can see that their dignitaries and holy fathers and things they’re writing up in this Business Man’s Journal is nonsense. Christians are not supposed to call any man, “Father.” They start that… I’ve tried to help them in everything I can (you see where this tape goes, so) I’m finished. I will certainly won’t have anything else to do with it. All right.

196-4 / 146 First, remember Christ. First as Nic–Nicolaitane. And what did the Nicolaitane age ask for? It asked to get away from them bunch of people that shouts, and clapped their hands and looks like disgracefully–like they did on Pentecost, act like drunk men, staggering in the Spirit and things. They didn’t want none of that stuff. They said they were drunk.
And when the celebrity… (Listen, don’t miss this. It may sound crazy to you, but it’s the Truth.) When the–the dignitaries begin to come in, they couldn’t stoop to that.
What makes God big is because He’s big enough to stoop down. That’s what makes Him big. There’s nothing bigger, and He stooped the lowest that anybody could stoop or any human being ever stooped. He was the King of heaven, and He come to the–to the lowest city on the earth, Jericho. And He got so low to even the shortest man in the town had to look down on Him to see Him. Is that right? Zacchaeus. That’s right. He was called the worst name that any human being could be called: a sorcerer, a devil, Beelzebub. That’s what the world thought of Him.

197-3 / 148 Died the cruelest death. Didn’t have a place to lay His head, kicked out by every organization. But when God exalted Him so high, till He has to look down to see heaven…?… God in humility. See? And He give Him a Name so great that the whole family of heaven is named after Him, and every family of the earth. All the family on earth is named “Jesus.” All the families in heaven is named “Jesus.” And such a Name that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He’s the Lord, either here or in hell. Hell will bow to it. Everything else will bow to it. See, but first it was humility, then it become great. See? Let God exalt. He that humbles himself, God will exalt. See?

197-4 / 150 Now, we notice this “Nico” spirit wanted wisdom, smarter. It had to reason it out like it was in Eden, reason against the Word of God by the wisdom; and the church fell for it. What was it? Now, let’s say–take this church here and take a bunch of people like we are, if you wasn’t real Spirit-filled. And let us take, say… Now, nothing against the mayor of our city, I don’t think I know him, Mr. Bottorff. Is he still mayor? See, I don’t… See? Mr. Bottorff is a fine friend of mine. See? But say the mayor of the city and all the police force and–and all the marshals and they–they all come here. The first thing you know, if they got just a little thing in their head and begin to talk to the Board and the people around here, and say, “Now, you know what? This ought to be different…” If you’re not Spirit-filled and got a real Spirit-filled man behind the pulpit, the first thing you know you’d be catering to them. Maybe not this generation; maybe the next generation.

198-1 / 152 And that’s the way it started in. See? Why? They were saying, “Looky here, it’s reasonable.” You–you’d listen to it. Say a man come in here that could say, “This church is too little. Let us build a big church. I’ll build you one out here; it’ll be worth so much money–half a million dollars will be put in there. I’ll put the thing on the broadcast.” When they do that, then they got an axe to grind–nine times out of ten. You know one of them kind.
The first thing you know, then if he does, he runs things to suit himself. You can’t say nothing because Brother John Doe back there, he’s the finance of this church. See? And then you get a little Ricky out of some seminary who knows about as much about God as a Hottentot does about Egyptian knight, and he will come along there, and he will cater to that guy, because he buys him a new car all the time, lets him ride around, and buys him this, that, and the other. And that’s exactly how it started out. Right.

198-3 / 154 Notice, wisdom and smartness… They said, “Now, looky here. Isn’t it only sensible that… Now, the–our–our women, what difference does it make how they wear their hair?” But the Bible says it does make a difference. Just take that one thing, besides the hundreds of others. See? It does make a difference. God said it made a difference, so it is a difference. But you see, if they get that started (and the Trustee Board and deacons and everything), the first thing you know the pastor either gets in or gets out. That’s all. See, it’s the people that voted it in.

198-4 / 156 All right, now notice, that spirit begin to move and the church that–that–that got so much dignitary in it, so much big things, and so much money started till after while they listened to it and fell for it, the crudeness of the devil. And that’s the very thing that Eve done in the garden of Eden. Now, you hear that; that’s right.
Look, the natural woman, Adam’s bride, before he come to her as a wife, fell for the Satan’s scheme against the Word of God by reasoning it. Before Adam lived with Eve as a wife, Satan beat him there. That’s right. You heard “The Bride Tree” I preached on, that talks of it. (See?) All right.
Now, notice, there Eve fell for reasoning. Now, he, Satan tried to reason it. And she said, “But the Lord said…”
He said, “Oh, you know, but surely the Lord won’t. See? You–you ought to be wise, you want to know something. Why, you’re nothing but a dumb child. See? You ought to know something.” If that isn’t Satan… Oh, my. If that isn’t some of these modern… See? “Oh, they’re just a bunch of holy-rollers; don’t pay no attention to them.” See? Don’t go…”

199-2 / 160 Now, the natural first bride of the human race, before her husband come to her, she fell from grace by listening to Satan’s lie after God had her fortified behind His Word. If she’d have stayed behind the Word, she’d have never fell. Now, that’s in the natural. Notice, the natural woman. And what was the curse? The actual curse of coming out from behind God’s Word…
Now, remember, she believed about ninety-eight percent of It, but you just have to let one thing go. See? She believed a whole lot of It. Oh, certainly. She said this, and Satan admit that’s right. If he can just get you on one corner, that’s all he wants. See? Only thing you have to do is give the bullet a little twist this way, and it’ll miss the target. See? That’s all. Now, she believed so much of it, but yet missed it.

199-4 / 163 Now, and the–and the results, because she left the Word for one little speck of a reason… What say now, “What about the women? or, Why do you want to talk about something like that? But any of those little things… What’s the difference whether it’s initial evidence…” It’s something to it. You got… It’s got to be straightened out. We presumed at it through seven church ages almost, but the hour has come when God speaks it. And He don’t only speak it, but He shows it, and vindicates it, and proves it. That’s right. If He doesn’t do it, then it isn’t God; that’s all. God stands behind His Word.
Notice now. Now, the natural woman caused natural death, because she listened to reason to make herself wise–make herself wise instead of staying behind the Word and doing what God told her to. She wanted wisdom and be wise, and she listened to reason, and–and she lost the whole human race. See?

199-6 / 167 Now, this time the spiritual woman, the Bride of Christ that started on the day of Pentecost with the early apostolic church, lost the same thing at the Nicaea Council. Lee, you know that’s right. At it’s at the Nicaea Council when she swapped her spiritual birthrights to take Constantine’s big churches and things that he offered them there; and she sold out her Scriptural birthrights for a bunch of Roman dogma. Now, that’s hard on the Catholic, but the Protestant has done the same thing. They’re represented in the Bible here as a daughter of the–a harlot of the whore. That’s exactly right. Every one of them… No excuses, but out of there has always been a little remnant right along that goes to make the Bride. Notice, she lost her birthright (See?), before her husband got to her (See?); before the wedding she lost her virtue.

200-1 / 170 And now, you remember over there, she said, “I sit as a queen; I have no need of nothing,” in that Laodicean Age there. “I’m rich and increased in goods,” and so forth, “and oh, the whole world looks up to me. I’m the great holy church,” and so forth. “We’re this a way.” The whole age…
And He said, “You don’t know that you’re naked, blind, miserable, wretched, poor, and don’t know it.” That’s the condition.
Now, if the Holy Spirit said the condition would be that way in the last days, it’s that way. There’s no way of getting around it. That’s the way it is.
Now, watch. Now, when she sold her birthrights back there, her virtuous right of the Word, what does she do? When Eve did it, she lost the creation; whole creation fell under her. Now, notice, and when the church did it, accepted dogmas instead of the Spirit and the Word, it cursed the whole system. Every denominational system that ever was or ever will be was cursed with it and fell, ’cause there’s no other way.

200-3 / 174 When you get a bunch of men together to figure out anything, one’s got a head this way, and one’s got a head that way, and one’s got a head this way. They put the things together, and shake it up, and when it comes out that’s what you have got us.
That’s exactly what they did at the Nicene Council. That’s exactly what they do at the Methodists, Presbyterian, Church of Christ and the rest of them. And no man, no matter what God reveals to him, you got to teach it the way their credentials–their creed–creeds said or they’ll kick you out. And don’t tell me; I been there (See?), and I know it; and that’s just exactly what’s happened, so the whole thing’s cursed.

201-1 / 176 No wonder the angel said, “Come out of her, my people, and be not partakers of her plagues.” Because she’s going to–she’s cursed, and she’s got to suffer the curse of God’s wrath upon her, because she sold her virtue and right. But oh, my. But remember, seeing all that condition, but yet God promised in Joel 2:25 (if you want to put it down), in the last days when He said, “What the palmerworm left, the caterpillar had eaten; what the caterpillar left, the–the locusts has eaten; what the locust eaten…” just on down, bug after bug have come and eat on that church until finally it wasn’t nothing but a stump.

201-2 / 178 Watch. What the Romans left, the Lutherans eaten; what the Lutherans left, the Methodists eaten; and what the Methodists left, the Pentecostals eaten (See?), until she’s down to a stump. And do you know what? You take those worms in there, that locust and caterpillar and so forth, and you chase them down through the–a–the Book, and find out it’s the same worm in just different stages.
Hold your point: So is these Seals. It’s the same worm. You’re going to see it when we bring it out, so I’ll tell you now: It’s the same worm all the time. Four of those worms, four here. And there they are the same thing; it’s the same spirit. What one left, the other eat. What this one left, the other one eat, like that, till they brought it to a stump. But Joel said, “I will restore, saith the Lord, all the years the caterpillar has eaten.”

201-4 / 182 What is it? How’s He going to do it? If it started out antichrist by being against the teaching of Christ that accepted dogma instead of Word, and through the years the reformers have plunged at it as the Bible said, “But in the last days at the sounding (Revelations 10:1-7 He said,) the mysteries of God would be finished in the last days at the sounding of the seventh angel.”
Malachi 4 said that He would send Elijah before that evil day come upon the earth, when He’d burn it like a furnace, and He would restore and to bring back the–the children to the faith of the fathers–the original apostolic Pentecostal faith which He promised to be restored. Now, that’s just as plain as Scripture can say it. Now, it’s promised. And if we’re in the last days, something’s got to happen; and it is happening, and we’re seeing it.

202-1 / 184 Notice Satan’s trinity: same person coming, just incarnate from one to the other. That’s the way them bugs did, them worms, one to the other (Exactly.), Nicolaitane, spiritual antichrist, Pope, false prophet; beast, the devil himself incarnate. He can’t do it… Now, you keep that on your mind now. When you follow this, you’re going to see these riders come right straight up to that. See, I’m laying you a picture here. If I had it on a blackboard you could understand it better. See, I’m watching.

202-2 / 186 First, now you remember this: the first thing he is, he’s an antichrist spirit. John said so. “Little children, the spirit of antichrist already working in the children of disobedience.” See, that thing had begin to start. And then it become kind of a saying in the next church age. And the next church age it was a doctrine. And the next church age she was crowned. Now, isn’t that just as plain as reading, anywhere you could read it? See?
See, there he come. Now, first he was called what? Antichrist spirit, because he was against the Word. That’s what started it. That’s exactly what done the whole thing, was turning from God’s Word. Not because Eve might’ve give Cain a spanking one day. See? That wasn’t what done it. The first thing that’s done the whole thing was that she turned from the Word. She turned from the Word. And the first thing started the prostitution in the church of the living God, Christ’s Bride, she turned from the Word and accepted Roman dogma in the stead of God’s Word. What’s happened to every organization’s did the very same thing.