The Seventh Seal

Thank you brother. While we remain standing, let us pray. Almighty God, author of life, and giver of all good spiritual gifts, we are indeed grateful, now, for this most marvelous, outstanding time of fellowship in your presence. It marks a great highlight in our lives, Lord—a time that we'll never forget, no matter how long we should stay.

And we pray, God, that on this closing night.... We notice in the Scripture on the closing day of the feast, Jesus stood among them and cried out, “If any man thirst, let him come unto me;” and I pray, heavenly Father, that that'll repeat again tonight, that we can hear the voice of our Lord calling us—and calling us into service for Him, closer walks. We feel that we've heard His voice already in the opening of these seals, speaking that it's the last day, and the time is at hand. Grant these blessings that we ask for, Father, in Jesus Christ's name and for His glory. Amen. You may be seated.

I'd like to add this: that of all the services I've ever had in my life, I believe this week has been the most glorious time of all my life in services. No matter what I have.... I've seen great miracles performed, of course, before in healing services. But this is beyond that. It's been one of the great times, highlights, of my life is to be here, and seeing the little Tabernacle take on this different look. Not only that, but the inside has taken on a different look.

And now, I was asking Billy.... He was so long about coming getting me. He said there'd been another group baptized—which, it runs over a hundred this week of people being baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. So we are thankful, and God bless you.

And now, if you do not have a church home, we invite you here to come and fellowship with us. Just remember that the church is open. We are no denomination, and I hope and trust that it'll never be a denomination—just a fellowship where men and women and boys and girls meet around the table of God, and fellowship around the Word and we have all things in common.

Now, we have a wonderful pastor, a real man of God, and I'm so thankful for that. And if you'll remember a vision a year ago, that food was stored up in the place, and that's exactly right. And we have the place now adequate for the Sunday school classes for all the ages, and we're just very grateful for this opportunity. Someone has said sometime, if they would just have Sunday school classes where they could send their children—they've got them now. So now, so you just come right on and be with us if you don't have a church home. Of course, if you have a good church where you're going to, and preaches the Gospel, and so forth, why, that's just another group of us, you see, somewhere else. But if you have no home and you're....

I understand that several has moved in from other parts of the country to make this their church home, and we certainly welcome you here to the Word of the Lord.

And I remember.... I guess when I left I told you that the services, as far as I was concerned, would be here at the Tabernacle. I don't know yet what all the Lord has for me in future. I trust that to His hand—not to some superstition or anything. I just wait day by day for Him to lead me into the place to where I could be of better service for Him. And when He's finished with me, then I trust that He'll receive me home in peace.

And now, I am very grateful for the cooperation of the Tabernacle people. As Billy was telling me this week, that ... I think every home that's represented here around this Tabernacle has somebody with them. They opened up your homes and places, and taken in people that wouldn't have had any place to go to. Now, that's real Christian acts. And some homes have just stuffed everybody in every little corner that they could, to get people a place to stay, because this has been a very hard time on account of this ... some kind of an affair that'd been going on about the sports world, some kind of basketball or something, and reservations had been made; plus the great group from.... I think represented here in this little church about ... around twenty-eight or thirty states represented right here in the church, besides two foreign nations, so ... in this little revival, so that takes up quite a bit of room itself.

And I was asking.... Today with some people, I said I understood there wasn't too many Jeffersonville people around in the meeting.

Someone spoke up and said, “We can't get in”. That was the reason. Some of the police, and so forth, wanted to come to the meeting, but said.... They'd been talking around and said ... but they come up and they couldn't get in. It was already filled up before even time that they could get in. So they had their time, maybe, later on and they didn't come, so the people are coming from other places. So we're very grateful.

Now, I don't know. The next thing would follow this would be “The Seven Trumpets” in another message. But in the seals practically everything is included. The church ages come down and we placed them first, which was most ... which was most important, but the ... of that time. Now the opening of the seals shows where the church goes, and how it ends up. And now, I think the heavenly Father has been certainly gracious to us for letting us see what we have.

I say this. Looking over old notes that I have preached on many years ago, I was just coming in and saying what I thought was right and going on. It was away off of the line. And, now, all four of them seals, I had it in about a twenty minute sermon. Oh! The four horse riders of Revelation—I throwed them all together. And said, “One horse went in white”. I said, “Perhaps that's the early age. And the next horse went in famine,” and then on like that.

But my, when the Word really was opened up, it was a hundred miles away from it. So it behooves us to watch and wait. Then maybe it had to be this time to do it. There may be many things that's been said that might be disagreeable with other people. But I believe when the great windup time comes and we meet our Lord, you'll find out that it was right. It really is.

Now, people who are from out of town, from around at different places, coming from different states and nations, how I appreciate your sincerity to travel all this distance; and to take your vacations, and some of them even without places to stay. I know, because I've been able to help some of them get places to stay, without even money to eat on, or anything else and so.... And even come anyhow, expecting something to happen to take care of it. And with such great faith in that, that no matter if they have to go without food, or even a place to stay, they want to come hear those ... them things happen anyhow. That's really gallant, you know. And everybody has just been so one hundred percent.

I met my brother-in-law back there which was the ... had the bricklaying of the church and so forth, and I was telling him about how I appreciated his job. I'm not a brick mason, or I know nothing about it, but I do know what a square corner is—whether it's fixed up kind of right.

And he said, “I'll tell you,” he said, “there never was such a time, hardly, that you ever seen such harmony amongst men when they all worked together.” Brother Wood, Brother Roberson, and everybody just placing their places—everything. The brother who put the acoustic of the ... I mean the public addressing outfit, and everything, in the church, they said, “Everything just worked right.” When they needed something, there'd be the man standing there to do it. So, God is in all the whole program. We're very thankful for this.

Many great donators in the church to help do it, such as our Brother Dauch and Sister Dauch sitting here, and many others that's donated heavy to this cause. And I think right at the time they don't lack but a little bit and it all being paid for. So we're very grateful for that.

Remember, it's your church, for you are a servant of Christ, and that's what it's built here for—an open door to make servants, and for servants who are already servants of Christ, to come in and enjoy themselves around the fellowship of Jesus Christ. We want you to know that everybody is welcome.

And now, when you hear me sometimes under the time of anointing kind of rake down the curtain on organization, I don't mean that against your pastor or against any brother or sister in church, because after all, God has people in every organization there is. But He don't accept the organization; He accepts the individual in the organization. And it doesn't take an organization. Therefore, when people get so bound around organization, then they can't see nothing else but just what that church says, you see. And that makes disfellowshipping with others, and it's a system that God is not pleased with, and it's a worldly affair never ordained of God.

So now, I don't mean any individual. Catholic, Jewish, whatever it might be, or Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, any organization, no organizations and undenominationals and all—God has His children sitting out in there, see. And many times I believe they're out there for a purpose—to give light—pulling out those predestinated ones from all around everywhere. And on that great day we'll see them. The church of the Lord Jesus Christ will be called to the great meeting time in the air, and we'll all go up to meet Him, and I'm looking for that hour.

Now, there's so much could be said. And tonight on the final closing night, as usually.... Everybody is, in a healing service, I find, under anticipations for great things to be done in the healing service, which makes them a tension, nervous. And then I find the same thing tonight, that everybody's under expectations of seeing how.... And each night it's been that way, for the opening of those seals.

Now, I want to make this real clear. Every time, every time that these seals has come to the place, everything that I ever believed on them and have read of other people, has been contrary to what come to me in the room. And my mind, at this time.... The reason I had that healing service this morning, because my human mind is becoming so away from my own way of thinking. I have tried to stay in a room with the shades pulled down and a light on (this is the eighth day), and not even got in my car to go anywhere.

I had to go with some brothers down to the bank to sign some notes, and things on money, and stuff that's been borrowed for this church, but I come right straight back and went right to study. And the strange thing, there hasn't been one person said anything or.... Usually they're knocking, and pulling, and around. There hasn't been one thing. It's been very phenomenal.

Where I've been eating at, at Brother Wood's, usually that place is packed around with cars, and they had eight or ten different people was going to come stay with them during this time, and not a one of them come.

Then this morning—I'll never forget this morning, the grace of our Saviour to His tired weary servant. When I'd answered a poor person's question, and the best of my mind, thinking that I'd done right, and all of a sudden as if I'd taken something away from a child, I was so condemned and didn't know what it was. And I thought, “Maybe being that I was pressing to get to that healing service, maybe somebody so desperately sick that had to be prayed for right then.” And I asked the audience. A few minutes, it was revealed. Somebody said, “Why don't you read ... read your text over?” or something. And that time I picked up the little piece of paper and read it again to see what it said, and looked down on the book—and it was altogether different, the question I was answering, see.

May I just pass this to you. When the supernatural comes in, that's the mind of Christ. You become so far away from your own thinking till in your own mind.... Don't let me try to explain that, because I can't. I couldn't do it. There's nobody could do it. How could that man that's the Elijah stand up there on the mountain under the presence of God, and pull down fire from heaven, then rain right behind the fire; and then close the heavens, and it didn't rain for three years and six months, and go right back and call the rain on that same day? And under that anointing, how ... and took four hundred priests out and killed them; and then run to the wilderness screaming for his life, on a threat of one woman, see. Jezebel. She swore that she'd take his life, when Ahab and all of them was there to see the presence of God and the great miracle done.

See, the Spirit had left him. In his natural way of thinking, he didn't know how to think, see. He couldn't think for himself. Remember, the angel put him to sleep and rested him, raised him up, give him some cakes and put him back to sleep, and rested him and raised him up, and give him some cakes again; and we don't know what happened to the man for forty days. Then he was pulled back in a cave somewhere, and God called him.

Don't try to explain that of supernatural; you can't do it. The only thing to do is just go right ahead. And I try to make myself clear as I can. But from henceforth, I think I'll never try it again. You just absolutely believe or not, and you'll see a little later why.

Now, I've tried to be honest. God knows that. And that question this morning, I was trying to answer it just as honestly as I knew how. I just read the first part of the verse, and it wouldn't have been right. But the Holy Spirit understanding that I ... my mind.... See, look the last two or three days, what's been happening. See, I called seven hundred ... seven thousand, seven hundred. This morning was trying.... And it was picked up by the people, and that showed that you was watching.

Now, another one where I was trying to say the dove, and I called it the lamb. But I caught that right away. And then, here one I didn't catch, on that the Holy Spirit turned right back around and called me to it. That's a double confirmation that these things are right. God's watching over to see that it's right. That's right. He wants to.... He wants you to know that it's the truth. He's the one that's sending it, because it sure wasn't.... It was just as much to me a learning as it has been to you.

And so I'm very grateful for the knowledge that I know now of the Lord what hour we are living in. We're living right in the end-time before the going away of the church. Now just ... we've been talking, so let's just ask His blessings on the Word again.

Our heavenly Father, here comes that great night, the great hour that ... when a great thing has happened. It's been all around the people. And, Father, I pray that tonight that it'll be made known beyond a shadow of doubt to the people's hearts and minds that they know that God is still on the throne, and that He still loves His people. And it's ... the hour that the world has longed to see, is now approaching—for it cries out for redemption.

We can see the elements ready to bring it back. We can see the elements ready to bring the church into the presence of Christ. We can see the bride taking on the form, putting the wedding garment on, making ready. We can see the lights flickering. We know that we're at the end.

Now, heavenly Father, as this goes forward now to preach, or to teach on this great mighty event that taken place in glory some two thousand years ago, and was given to the great beloved apostle, John.... Tonight we're to speak upon it. Let the Holy Spirit come forward now, in His mighty power of revelation, that He might reveal to us that thing which He wants us to know, as He has in the last few nights. We commit ourselves to You with the Word, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Now, as you want to turn maybe in your Bibles, and this is just a short verse, one verse of scripture, but it's the last verse, found ... last seal rather. Last night we were speaking on the sixth seal. First seal, being the antichrist introduced, his time went through, and we seen how he went out; how the beast that was introduced on God's power went forth with the antichrist power to combat it. I don't believe there could be a question in anybody's mind about it.

Then we find out immediately after that, that church age, them beasts, went ... got through. We find out we changed the whole picture there. No more beasts come out, see? But it was introducing ... coming forward over into the tribulation period after the church had went out. How perfectly it fit right in with the church ages. I don't see one iota, one thing that didn't fit perfectly, even to the ages and everything, and the time. Think of it. That shows it had to be God to do it. The human mind could not fathom that.

Now, we find out that that ... also we.... The Lord let us take the Scripture, the Holy Scripture, what Jesus said would take place. And how would we have ever found that? Here it comes over and reveals, and bringing it just exactly ... His sermon there, answering that, brings out exactly to the point, six of the seals; but He omitted the seventh.

Then when the seals were open, God (notice here), He omitted revealing even any symbol of the seventh. It's a perfect secret with God. Notice, now we are going to read in the Bible in the ... the seventh seal. That's found in Revelation, the 8th chapter.

And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. [And that's all we have on it.]

Now, we're going to notice, and try to not hold too long, because many of you will be on the road yet tonight going home. And I thought again of having a healing service this morning, which would let you go in the morning—wouldn't have to wait over. And now, we.... And I, too. I've got to journey on to Tucson, Arizona, where I live, and ... my home now. And then I want to be back here, the Lord willing, around.... The family wants to come back for a few days in June. And now, maybe I'll get to meet you all down here at a meeting in that time.

My next appointed service is Albuquerque, New Mexico. I think it's the 9th, 10th, and 11th. I'll be there Thursday and Good Friday. So, I was to have the whole thing, and I had other appointments where I couldn't make it till that time, so I'll have Thursday night and Friday night at Albuquerque, New Mexico.

And then the next known, close, is potentially.... We don't know for sure. That's to be with my good friends, the group of the “Midnight Cry,” up at Southern Pines, North Carolina. And they're on the phone in there now, which they've sent telegram messages and everything, coming this close, for another group at Little Rock, of the Jesus' name people that I had the meetings with over at the Cow Palace last summer. They're having their convention at Little Rock, Arkansas. And they've been, since last year, wanting at least one night. Or wants the whole of it, but they would even be ready for one night.

And so I told them, not knowing just what to do, I said they could advertise it potentially, then they'll let it know a little later, as they just called. All right. What say? Hot Springs, is it? I was mistaken. 24th of May? The 24th to 28th of June. Now, it's announced potentially. That is, if it's the will of the Lord.

See, here's the reason I like to do those things. You'll learn a little later now, see. When I go to a place, I like to set my feet down there knowing that God said, “Go there.” Then if the enemy rises up anywhere, I say, “I am here in the name of the Lord Jesus; just move back.” And you're sure of your ground, see.

When He's sent you anywhere, He'll take care of you. But if you go presumingly, then I don't know. He might not be there. So, I want to be sure as I can be. I've took many ones that He didn't tell me to take, but I like to be as sure as possible. The Lord bless you all now.

Now, we notice, this being just one verse here, we'd like to do something just a little bit before here. If you noticed, we skipped the 7th chapter. The 6th chapter ends up the sixth seal, but between the sixth seal and the seventh seal, there's something takes place. See? And how lovely that's placed just at its right place—between 6th and 7th chapter.

Now, you notice in the 7th chapter, we notice between the 6th and 7th there is an interval, an interval between the 6th and 7th chapter of the book of Revelation; and it's between the sixth and seventh seal that this interval is given. Now, we want to notice this. It's very important that we notice this little time.

Now remember, after the 4th chapter of Revelation, the church is gone. After the four horse riders has went out, the church is gone, see? Everything that happened to the church happened up to the 4th chapter of the book of Revelation; everything that happened in the antichrist move, went up to the 4th chapter; and the fourth seal of Revelation (both for antichrist and Christ) ended up; and antichrist comes to his doom with his army, and Christ comes with His army.

It's an old battle that started way back beyond time. And then they was.... Satan and his angels was kicked out. And then they come to the earth and the battle set in again, because Eve broke down the barrier from where she was isolated behind the Word of God. And from that very hour, Satan won the battle over God's Word because one of His subjects, the weaker, let down the bar.

And that's exactly how he's won the battle every time—has been because one of His subjects let down the bar from the Word. And it was done in this last church age through an organizational system which the real, genuine, holy church of the living God with a lying rider would not accept the Word and turned the church from the Word to dogma.

Now, how many know that it's dogma that the Roman Catholic church is built on? Do they admit it? Absolutely. Sure. Certainly they admit it. The Catholic church—wouldn't hurt their feelings a bit, because they know that. They just added a new one here not long ago, that Mary was resurrected. You remember it here a few years ago—about ten years? How many remembers that? The paper and.... Sure, everything. The new dogma. See, it's all dogma—not Word.

A priest, on an interview recently, he said, “Mr. Branham,” he said, “God is in His church.”

I said, “God is in His Word.”

He said, “We're not supposed to argue.”

I said, “I'm not arguing. I'm just making statements.” God is in His Word. That's right. “Anybody that will take anything away from it or add anything to it ...” said the Word.

He said, “Well, God gave ... Christ gave His church power, and told them whatever they bound on earth would be bound in heaven.”

I said, “That is exactly truth.”

He said, “We have ... upon these principles, that we have power to loose sin.”

I said, “If you'll do it the way that it was give to the church, and the way they did it, I'll accept it. If you do, there's water here to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins—not with somebody telling you your sins are remitted.” That's exactly.

Watch Peter with the keys on the day of Pentecost. Remember, he has the keys that they are talking about. And the man said, “Men and brethren, what can we do to be saved?”

Peter said, “Repent, every one of you. Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”

What for? “For the remission of sins. And then you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for the promise is unto you and to your children, them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” That's right. So that settles it forever. It's all over. That did it.

Now, but you see, antichrist come in, as we've pictured it and showed it. What a revelation! My, my! And to think all these years we've seen it moving up, and here it's absolutely directly “thus saith the Lord.”

Now, and we notice this interval now between the 6th and the 7th chapter. Now, the 7th chapter of Revelation here is a ... reveals a happening. It's not in here just for nothing. It's not put in between this for nothing, see. It is here for a purpose and it's a revelation that reveals something.

Notice, how mysterious and how mathematically it fits right into the Scripture, exactly. Do you believe in God's mathematics? If you don't, you're sure lost in ... you'll sure get lost in the Word. If you start putting a four, or six, or something besides just the mathematical words, running in order, you'll sure have in your scene a cow picking grass on top of a tree somewhere. You'll certainly run out, because God does not.... His whole Word does run completely in mathematics. Yes, sir! Perfect. The most perfect.... There's no other literature written like it—so perfect in mathematics.

Now, the 8th chapter only reveals the scene of ... the scene of the seventh seal, where nothing else is revealed. Now, nothing is not revealed in the seventh seal. Now, it has nothing to do with the 7th chapter of Revelation. It's ... the revealing of the seventh seal is perfectly mute. And if I only had time (I'll try a few places) to show you all the way back from Genesis, this 7th chapter ... this seventh seal is spoke of. From the very beginning in Genesis, this seventh ... these seals moved right up.

Couldn't you remember this morning bringing these things up? And watch tonight bringing them up, and you will find out when it gets to that seventh seal, she cuts off. Jesus Christ is speaking Himself. Told of the end-time and when he got ... told all six seals. When He got to the seventh, He stopped. There it is, see. It's a great thing.

Now, we're going to speak here now on this 7th chapter just a minute, to kind of bridge it in between the sixth and seventh seal, because that's the only material that we have to go on right now, is the sixth. Between the sixth and seventh seal is the calling out of Israel.

Now, I have many fine Jehovah Witness friends sitting here. It's all a has-been. Maybe some of them are still a Jehovah Witness. But they've always applied (Mr. Russell did) this 144,000 to be in the supernatural bride of Christ, see. They are not. It has nothing to do in the church age at all. It's absolutely Israel. (Now, we're going to read in a few minutes.) Now, this interval between the sixth ... the seals is the calling and sealing of the 144,000 Jews called in the tribulation period after the church is gone, see. It has nothing to do with the church age at all. Oh, called in perfectly harmony with the Scripture—Daniel's last three and a half weeks allotted to Daniel's people, see. Not the Gentiles —to Daniel's people, and Daniel was a Jew.

Now notice, Israel believes only her prophets, and after they are a-vindicated. And nowhere through the church age, since in the early apostolic church, has the Protestant church ever had a prophet. Tell me who it was, and show it to me. Never. They had in the early apostolic age one called Agabus, which was a vindicated prophet. But when the Gentiles came in, into the inheritance of God, and Paul turned to the Gentiles after Peter (as we read last night) had received from the Lord that He was taking a people from the Gentiles for His name, His bride, then there never has been on the pages of history, a Gentile prophet.

Now, you just go back through the history and find out. Why? Exactly, it would be contrary to the Word. Exactly. When the first went forth, it was a lion. That was prophet, Word. The next went forth was the work, sacrifice. The next come forth was the cunningness of man. But we are promised in the last day that to return to the church again, for the benefit of straightening up all that has been misled, misundone, left undone. For it's predicted here that the seventh angel's message would finish the mysteries of God. And then we've went through it all. We see that it's perfectly in harmony with the Scriptures. That's the reason.

Now, could you imagine when this person comes on the scene? When he does, remember, it'll be so humble, and things, till the churches will miss it a long ways. And could you imagine the churches, still under the tradition of the reformers, would ever receive a prophet from God who would be firmly against their teachings and organizations?

Now, there is only one person could fulfill that, only one spirit that's ever been on the earth that I know, would either be.... It would have to be Elijah in his time. And it was predicted that it would be, which is nothing but the Spirit of Christ. When Christ come, He was the fullness, He was a prophet, He was the God of the prophets, see.

Christ—look how they hated Him. But He come exactly the way the Word said He would come. But being that He was a prophet, they blasphemed themselves away from the kingdom of God by calling the Spirit of God, which was discerning and so forth, an unclean spirit. Said He was a fortune-teller or a devil. That is ... a fortune-teller is a devil, see, a devil spirit. Certainly. Do you know that? Absolutely! Fortune-telling is an impersonation of a prophet, which is absolutely blasphemy before God.

Now notice, called in perfect harmony with the scriptures of Daniel's last three and a half years. Notice, Israel's believers only are told in the Old Testament to believe their prophets after the prophet has been vindicated. “If there be one among you who is spiritual or a prophet, I, the Lord thy God, will make myself known unto him and speak to him in visions and through dreams” —interpret dreams.

Somebody have a dream, the prophet will be able to interpret it. And if he has a vision, he speaks it. “I will make myself known to him through visions and dreams ... make myself known. And if what he says comes to pass, then hear that prophet, because I'm with him. If it doesn't, then don't fear him at all.” That's right. Get away, just let him alone, see.

Now that.... Now Israel always is going to believe that. And don't you see...? Because why? I want you to catch this lesson good tonight now. Why? Because that's an order from God to them. I don't care how many tracts that the Gentiles can get over there and spread out. I don't care how much you go through Israel with a Bible under your arm proving this, that, or the other. They'll never receive nothing but a prophet. That's exactly right. For a prophet is the only one who could take the divine Word and put it in its place, and be a vindicated prophet. They'll believe it. That's right.

As I was talking to a Jew up here at Benton Harbor, when that John Ryan, being blind all of his life nearly, received his sight. They taken me over there to that House of David, and this rabbi came out with his long beard. He said, “By what authority did you give John Ryan his sight?”

I said, “In the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

He said, “Far be it from God having a son!” And he said, “You people can't cut God in three pieces and give Him to a Jew, make three gods out of Him. You are a bunch of heathens.”

I said, “I don't cut Him in three pieces.” I said, “Rabbi, would it be a strange thing for you to believe one of your prophets told something wrong?”

He said, “Our prophets don't tell nothing wrong.”

I said, “Who was Isaiah 9:6 speaking of?”

He said, “The Messiah.”

I said, “Then Messiah will be a man-prophet. Is that right?”

He said, “Yes, sir. That's right.”

I said, “Show me where Jesus missed it.” I said, “What relation will Messiah-prophet be to God?”

He said, “He will be God.”

I said, “That's right. Now, you got it on the Word.” So help me, that Jew standing there, and the tears rolling off his cheeks, said, “I'll hear you sometime later.”

I said, “Rabbi, do you believe that?”

And he said, “Look,” he said, “God is able of these stones to rise children to Abraham.”

I knowed he was in the New Testament. I said, “Right, Rabbi. Now what about it?”

He said, “If I preached that, I'd be down there [you know where the place sits on the hill there], down there in the street begging my bread.”

I said, “I would rather be down there begging my bread. [The Jew's still got his hands on money, you know, see.] I'd rather [and his name in gold on the...],” I said, “I'd rather be down there eating salted crackers and drinking branch water, and know that I was in harmony with God and proved, than I would be here with my name on that building in gold letters like that, and knowing I was away from God. I know that.” He wouldn't listen to me no more. So, he went in.

That's it. You can't cut God in no two or three pieces, called Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and make three gods and hand it to a Jew. His very commandment is: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. I am the Lord thy God.” What did Jesus say? Jesus said, “Hear ye, O Israel. I'm the Lord your God.” One God; not three. You'll never give that to them. No prophet will ever talk about three gods. You'll never hear that. No. That's pagan and heathen as where it come from. Yes, sir.

Notice, but these prophets will come. Not only that.... The prophets now is Revelation 11. We've read some of it, and I want you to read it as you study on the tapes and so forth. They are absolutely vindicated prophets by the sign of prophets. Then Israel is going to hear that.

Now, to you, my Jehovah Witness friends, understand now, that these 144,000 has nothing to do with the bride. There's not one bit of scripture to support that. No, sir, they are not. They are Jews!—the elect that's called out during the time of the last three and a half years of Daniel's seventy weeks. Now that's.... I keep quoting this over, not so much to you all here, but you see, people ... these tapes go everywhere. See, you understand that. You hear me quoting back, it's for that purpose.

Notice, now, see, how they had to blind.... Do you see how they had ... Jesus ... or God had to blind the Jews to keep them from recognizing Jesus? If they knew ... if they only knew that that was.... Seeing the sign that He did, if they had been in their right stage—like they was back under the law where God commanded them about a prophet—and they had seen Jesus did that, they'd have said, “This is the Messiah.” Why was it?

Those in that age who had their names written on the Lamb's book of life, His apostles and so forth, they seen it and recognized it. Why didn't the rest of them? See? They were blinded. They couldn't see it; they don't see it yet. And they won't see it until she is born as a nation at one time. The Word can't fail. Remember, the Word can't fail. I don't care how many sensations you have, and what all takes place, yet that Word cannot fail! It'll going to be exactly the way God said it was, see.

Now, we realize that these things must happen. And that's the reason they didn't recognize Jesus when He perfectly identified Himself to be the prophet. Even the little old Samaritan woman standing out there at the well.... He'd never been in Samaria. He just went up, and said He had need to go that way. And He went up there, and there was that little woman. And her in her state, she was in better shape to receive the gospel than those religious priests and things of that day. She done it. Certainly. Now see, but in the face of all their rejection, yet one of their most noble men admitted that they knew He was a teacher sent from God.

I was talking to one of the finest doctors there is in the southern states, in his office not long ago. A very fine specialist in Louisville, a real gallant man. And I said to him, I said, “Doctor, I want to ask you a question.”

He said, “All right.”

I said, “I noticed your medical sign, the staff. You got a serpent wrapped around a pole. What does that stand for?”

He said, “I don't know.”

I said, “It stands for this: it was a symbol of divine healing where Moses lifted up the brass serpent in the wilderness, see, which was only a symbol, only a symbol of the true Christ.” Now, today, medicine is a symbol of divine healing. And though many of them don't believe it, real good doctors do believe it. But, some of them don't believe it but the very emblem that they hold up testifies to the power of Almighty God, whether they want to believe it or not. That's right. There's a brass serpent hanging on a pole on a medical emblem.

Now, notice these Jews. Now, the scales of blindness was on these people's eyes. They couldn't help it. It was there, and God put it there. And they are on there until the age that they are promised this coming prophet. You can send missionaries. You can do whatever you want to. Israel will never be converted until these prophets come on the scene, and that will be after the rapture of the Gentile church. No more than the ox age could receive a lion's call, for God has said in His Word that an ox spirit went out. And in the reformer's age, a man went out. See? You just.... That's the only thing they could receive. And in there now, they are blinded. That's just all there is to it.

Now notice, but the age is coming when the Gentiles will be done with. There was a tree, and the root was Jewish. And it was cut off, and the Gentile was grafted in, the wild olive tree, and it's bringing forth its fruit. Now, when that Gentile bride is cut off (that bride tree I talked about), and is taken up in the presence of God, God will wipe off them unbelieving Gentiles over here to the side (the sleeping virgin), and graft again. He promised to do it. And until that time, you just have to know where.... If you know where you're going, well, all right. If you don't know, why, you're stumbling in darkness.

Now, that's when the Jews will be converted, during that age. Now ... like the church age, under the power of the anointed promise, they will receive Christ; but, now, not while the Gentiles are in.

Now, we can see what kind of a message that these two prophets of Revelation, the 11th chapter, will preach. Now you clearly can see exactly what they're going to do. For the remnant, or the 144,000 predestinated, receives the seal of God.

Let's just read. Now, listen real close now. Now, I want you to read with me if you can, because I'm going to refer back to this just in a little bit. The 7th chapter—now this is between the sixth and the seventh seal.

...after these things....

After these things—these seals, this sixth seal was let loose, and that's the tribulation period. Everybody understand that now? The sixth seal was let loose, and the tribulation's on. After this, watch.

...after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that it should not blow upon the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree [four angels].

And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the servants....

Not the bride; servants. Not the sons; servants. Israel has always been God's servants. The church is sons, see, by birth. Israel is His servants. Watch, every place it's always.... Abraham was His servant. We're not servants; we're children, sons and daughters.)

...of our God in their foreheads. [Now watch, our God in their forehead.]

And I heard the number of them that were sealed [now, I want you to listen close to the reading of it]: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

He perfectly names them. Now, if there happens to be a British Israel discerner sitting here, listen how this takes the wind out of it, see.

Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand [called the tribe]. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad ... twelve thousand. [Watch your tribes now.]

Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand ... the tribe of Manasses ... twelve thousand.

Of the tribe of Simeon ... sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar ... twelve thousand. [Issachar, I guess, you pronounce that] ... twelve thousand.

Of the tribe of Zabulon ... twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

Now, there's twelve tribes, twelve thousand out of a tribe. Twelve times twelve is what? 144,000. Now watch, them were all of the tribes of Israel. Now watch. After this, now here comes another group. Now the bride's gone. We know that, but watch this group come up.

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, ... kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palms in their hands;

And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb.

And all the nations stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

Saying, Amen: Blessing, ... glory, ... wisdom, ... thanksgiving, ... honor, ... power, ... might, be to our God for ever and ever. Amen.

And one of the elders ... [Now, he's before the elders here, as we've seen him all through the seals.] And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these...?

Now John, being a Jew, recognized his own people. He seen them in tribal form. Is that right? He recognized and called each one of the tribes. But now, when he sees these, he's kind of puzzled. And the elder knows it, so he said: “Who are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence cometh they?” [John answering now]:

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. [John didn't know them, see. All kindreds, tongues, and nations.] And he said unto me, These are they which came out of great tribulation [in other words, the great tribulation], and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

They shall hunger no more, neither shall they thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe ... all tears from their eyes.

Now, we open ... get to the seal. Did you notice, they were.... First we start now, Israel; and then we see the purged church. Not the bride; the purged church by tribulation coming up here—great number of real sincere hearts that come up out of the great tribulation. Not the church. It's gone on, the bride. There's the church.

Now, we find out over a little later, Jesus said that the throne would sit and how they'd stand in the judgment—each one. Now, we find now that these people were sealed with the seal of the living God (is that right?), these Jews.

What is the seal of the living God? Now, I'm not calling any ... hurting any feelings. I'm just saying it, see? Do you know that reading after many of scholars who write on this, claim that this group here, blood-washed, are actually the bride? Did you know that many scholars also claim that the 144,000 is the bride? What a.... Something has got to fit out here wrong ... in here right, because there's something wrong now.

Notice, our Adventist brethren say that the seal of God is keeping the Sabbath day. You know that. But I want one speck of scripture on it, to show that keeping the Sabbath day is the seal of God. See, it's just ... somebody drawed that idea. But if you'll read Ephesians 4:30, it says, “Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed until the day of your redemption.” Yes, sir.

When the mediatorial work is done, and you are come ... Christ comes to redeem His own. You are sealed, not until the next revival. When you are once sealed with the Holy Ghost it's a finished work that God has received you, and there's no getting away from it. You say, “Well, I had it and I went away.” No, you didn't have it. God says it goes on to the day of redemption. Now, you just argue with Him. “Till the day of your redemption.”

Notice, as there were ... as they were a remnant according to election—these Jews are, now. The remnant according to election in the days of Elijah's first ministry to the Jews, where seven thousand believers were kept away by the hand of God.... Now, there is in this remnant-time coming, to the time to be 144,000 according to the election, that the message at that time ... to believe the message, will be 144,000.

Now, you say, “Oh, now just a minute, brother. I don't know about this election stuff. Well, I never read it there.” All right, let's just see if it's right or not. Let's turn back to Matthew, and get down here and find out if we can't find a little something on this somewhere. I believe, now, that I'm right. (I haven't got it wrote down here, but it just come to my mind.) Let's take at the ending ... the 30th verse, where we went last night—the ending of the sixth seal on the 30th verse.

Now, let's read that and see now where we get to. The 31st verse, see, they'll see the Son of man coming in glory. Now, the 31st verse:

And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

The elected will come out. What is it?—then the tribulation period. The ... God will call His elected, and that is the Jews during that time—the elected. The Bible speaks of it. Paul speaks of it. According to the election, there will be 144,000 (according to the election) that will believe the message, out of literally millions that will be there.

There were millions in Palestine at the days of the prophecy of Elijah, and seven thousand was saved out of millions. Now, according to the election, where millions of Jews are gathering into the homeland.... It's become a nation. There will be millions in there, but only 144,000 elected ones will be taken. They will hear the message.

Same thing it is in the Gentile church. There is a bride, and she is elected, and she will be called according to the election. Notice, this all types the church perfectly, the elected believers. Others do not believe. You can just tell it. You tell a man a truth and let it be proven by the Word and then vindicate it: “I don't believe it.”

You can just.... Don't fool with it no more. Jesus said not to. Said, “It's just like casting pearls before swine.” Said, “Just leave them alone. They'll turn and tramp you under their feet. They'll make fun of you. Just walk away and leave them. If the blind leads the blind....”

I went to a man not long ago. He come to me, rather. He had been arguing all around everywhere against divine healing. And he come up, and he said, “I don't believe your divine healing!”

I said, “My, I guess it wouldn't be any good because I ain't got any.” I said, “But God's is perfect.”

He said, “There is no such a thing.”

I said, “You're too late to say that, Buddy. You've done waited too long for that. You might have argued a few years ago. But there's another age on now—millions to testify of it.” I said, “You're too late now, fellow, to say that.”

He said, “Well, I don't believe it, I don't care what you do.”

I said, “Certainly not. You can't.”

He said, “Smite me blind.” Said, “If you've got the Holy Ghost like Paul,” said, “smite me blind.”

I said, “How can I do it when you are already blind?” I said, “Your father has blinded you to the truth.” I said, “You are already blind.”

And he said, “I wouldn't believe, I don't care what you could do. How much evidence you could prove or anything like that, I still don't believe it.”

I said, “Certainly. It wasn't for unbelievers; it was only for believers.”

What was it? See, you know right then, the election's off. Just don't fool with it at all. Jesus did the same thing. He said, “Let them alone. If the blind leads the blind, won't they all fall in the ditch?” But when He come to a little prostitute, it struck fire. What was it? It was an elected seed laying there, see. She seen it right now.

When He come to Peter, there was elected seed laying there, see, and they saw it. “And all the Father hath give [hath, past tense] given me, they'll come. They'll come to me.” Oh, my, I love that! Yes, sir. Notice, the believers does believe it. The unbelievers can't believe it. So now, if anybody wants to argue about serpent's seed and things and you try to show them, they won't listen to it, just walk away. Leave them alone. See, God don't argue, neither does His children.

Notice, God's 144,000 elected Jews don't bow to the beast's denominationalism—statues, or anything. Though their nation is in a covenant with it at the time—Israel is in a covenant—but here's 144,000 that's not going to do it. That's the elected.

The same thing it is right here in the Gentile church now. It's an elected group. You can't pull them in that kind of stuff. They won't believe it. No, sir. When the light once struck them, that settles it right then. They see the ... see it happen, then see it vindicated and proved like that, and they look down here in the Bible and see that Word just going.... You might as well just quit fooling with them because they believe it. That's all. That's all. Though they can't explain it, but they know they've got it. As I say, “There's a lot of things I can't explain, but I know it's real anyhow.”

All right. This time was between the sixth and seventh seal that He calls these people, spoken of by Jesus in Matthew the 24th chapter and the 31st verse, that we've just read, see. The trumpets here ... the two witnesses.... When the trumpet sounds ... is the trumpet of the two witnesses of the age of grace for the Jews. One trumpet sounds—you notice, one trumpet sounds. He says, “Sound the trumpet.” Now, notice over here—31st.

“And he shall send forth his angels (not one, see, two of them) with a great sound of a trumpet.” What is it? When God gets ready to speak, there is a sound of a trumpet. That's always His voice, calling to battle, see? God speaks. These angels will come forth with the sounding of the trumpet. And did you notice, at the last angel's message, the trumpet sounds; the first angel's message, a trumpet sounds; the second angel, a trumpet sounded, when he sent it out.

Notice. But when the seals were announced, they were all in one great divine thing to call out a group of people. There was one trumpet sound and seven seals were broke.

Notice, gathering His elected Jews from the four parts of the heavens.... He mentioned the six seals as we have seen, but not the seventh seal. He has never said nothing in here about the seventh seal nowhere. See, right away, the 32nd verse turns to a parable of the time of the calling of the elected Jews.

Now watch here, see. “And He will send the angels with a trumpet and gather in the elect from the four corners of heaven.” Now He starts.... See, He don't say nothing about the seventh seal here, see. He spoke of the sixth seal—first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth—but notice:

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh:

So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door.

That last ... that question they asked Him: “And what will be the sign of the end of the world?” When you see these Jews.... When you see these other things taking place, you know what takes place. Now when you see these Jews ... talking to the Jews.

Now watch. What company is He talking to? Gentiles? Jews! Jews, see? Now, He said, “You would be hated by all nations for my name,” and so forth. Now, when He said.... You see these Jews begin to put forth their buds over yonder, when that.... Israel begins to turn back, getting into her country. When she gets there, the church is ready to rapture, and there is only three and a half years left unto the end of the old world. And she goes out into chaos and in comes the millennium to the new earth. Said, “Even at the door.”

Now, one thousand years on earth is only one day with God. And three and a half years, what would it go to? So many seconds in God's time. That's the reason He said, “It is at the door.” “Verily I say unto you that this generation shall not be consumed [done away with, this people] until all these things are...” what? What won't be done away with? They've tried to kill the Jew off the earth all the time. They will never be able to do it.

But notice, the very generation of Jews that seen the return back into Palestine, that generation would see these things happen. And just the last two years she was ... fully become a nation with her own money and whatever. There she is.

Now, where are we at, friends? The seals and everything opening up—we're getting just in between here. There it is. See where we are sitting? I hope you get it. I haven't got no education. I know what I'm talking about, but maybe I can't explain it to make sense to you. But I hope that God takes the words that's mixed up and divides them out right, see, and lets you know what it is, because we're at the door. We're here at the time.

Now notice. See, right away now, He turns to these Jews, and at the end-time He says what is going to take place. We know even that now (we know, we are well aware), that the tribes are scattered. They have been for 2,500 years. They were prophesied to be scattered to the four winds. Did you know that? We know that. Of course we won't have to go back and get that because I've got something here real important I want you to see, before you get too tired and I get wore out.

Notice, we know even every tribe (that is, tribal chronology, or whatever you want to call it, or geology or...), the tribal positions are not no more together. They are scattered everywhere. The Jews that are gathered into Jerusalem is not.... They don't even know their tribes. They haven't got any more tribal banners or anything. All they know is that they are Jews. They were prophesied to be that way the world over.

Now, their books has been destroyed. They don't know.... You say, “What tribe are you from?”

“I don't know.”

“What tribe...?”

“I don't know.” One from Benjamin, one from this, and one from that. They don't know where they're from. Their books has been destroyed through the wars, and for 2,500 years.... The only thing they know, they're Jews. That's all. So they know they are back in their homeland. They yet....

Notice, though they don't know their tribes, but God does. I just love that. You know, He even said, “Every hair on your head is numbered.” Notice, He loses nothing. “I'll raise it up again at the last day.”

Though they have lost their tribal banners and their ... who which one is, and whether they're this or that.... They don't know whether they're from Benjamin, or whether they're from Reuben or Issachar or where they're from. But anyhow, God calls them here.

Now notice, in Revelation 7 we read this: twelve thousand of each tribe. Of the elected out of all of it, there is twelve thousand out of each tribe that's elected, and they're set right here in order. Oh my! What are they? They are in tribal order. Yet they are not now, but they will be. They are in tribal order. What will be in tribal order? Not the regular Jew. No, but the ones that's elected —the 144,000 will be set in tribal order. Oh, my! How I'd like to show you. We won't go into it, but that's exactly what the church has to be—right in order!

Now, I want you to watch real close and read with me for a minute. Now, here is something that maybe you never noticed in the tribal calling. I told you awhile ago to read Revelation 7. Read with me, and watch those tribes. In Revelation 7, Dan and Ephraim is missing and not numbered with them. Did you notice that? Joseph and Levi were substituted in their place. Did you notice that? Dan and Ephraim is not there. No, sir. But Joseph and Levi was substituted in the place of Dan and Ephraim. Why? The ever-remembering God remembers every promise of His Word. (Oh, I'd like to preach on that!) God don't forget nothing, though it looks like it.

Like He told Moses.... Israel had been down there four hundred years. They had to go up at that time. He told Abraham that his seed would be sojourning in a strange land for four hundred years, then He would bring them out with a mighty hand. But then He said to Moses, “I have remembered my promise, and I've come down to make good what I've said.” God doesn't forget. He doesn't forget His curses; neither does He forget His blessings. But every promise that He made, He stays with it!

Here's why they were missing,

now, if you watch. Now read ... I want you to read with me now. Go over to Deuteronomy the 29th verse ... the 29th chapter, rather. There is a reason for these tribes not being there. Everything has got a reason for it. Deuteronomy—we want to take the 29th chapter of Deuteronomy. Now, the Lord so help us that we can understand now. Now we want to start in Deuteronomy, the 29th chapter at the 16th verse. Now listen—Moses speaking:

(For you know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which we passed by;

And ye have seen the abominations, and their idols, wood ... stone, silver ... gold, which were among them:) [Everyone carried a little something or other—a little statue of St. Cecilia. You know, something like that, see.]

Lest there ... [listen]

Lest there should be among you a man, ... woman, or family, or a tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;

And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I ... have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine own heart,...

See, people say, “Ah, he blesses himself.” You know, make a little cross, or something like they do now—same thing, you see. You see, it's a heathen trait like the heathens. He blesses himself in his own heart, in his own imagination, in his own mind....

...to add drunkenness to thirst [just drink, say, “That don't make any difference; as long as you go to church, it's all right.” Then]: The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and of all the curses that are written in this book [don't take one word from it or add one to it, see] shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under the heavens. [That's while he's here on earth—under the heavens.]

And the LORD shall separate unto him evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law:

Therefore, if any man will serve an idol, or keep an idol on him, or bless himself in his own imagination of his mind and serve idols, God said, “Man, woman, family, or tribe, his name will be completely blotted out from amongst the people.” Now, is that right? How true! Idolatry did the same thing in the church years ago and does today.

And now notice. Watch how the antichrist tried to make an anti-move. How many knows that the devil types and patterns after God's saints? What is sin? Is the right thing perverted. What is a lie? Is the truth misrepresented. What is adultery? It's a right act, legal act, done wrong, see.

Now, in trying to do this—blot out a name—did you notice in the church age? The same beast that serves the images of dead people, and so forth, tried to blot out the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and give titles as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Same thing with that curse behind it like that. Dan and Ephraim did just that under a hypocrite of a king in Israel, an impostor—Jeroboam.

Now notice, in I Kings the 12th chapter. I know we're.... This, to me, it lays a background on what we can depend on, what we see. I Kings, I want to go to the 12th chapter, the 25th to the 30th verse.

Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

And Jeroboam said in his heart [see, the imagine of his heart], Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David [He was getting scared, you see, because the people might go out]:

If this people go up to ... sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people be turned again to the lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold your gods, O Israel, which brought thee ... out of the land of Egypt.

And he set up the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.

And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

See? Ephraim at Beth-el, and Dan; and he set up idols and these went out to worship this. And here we are plumb down into the millennium age, almost, and God still remembers that sin. They're not even counted in there. Amen! Glory! Just as sure as He remembers every good promise, He remembers every one evil too. Just remember.... That's the reason I believe, friends.... I've always tried to stay with that Word no matter how strange it seems.

See, now they wouldn't think about that there then. They didn't think about it then. They thought, “Well, they got by with it.” All right, but here they are over here in this millennium age setting in, when their names and tribes are blotted out from them, because they served idolatry that God cursed.

Didn't He say He hated the Nicolaitans and that Jezebel? Stay away from it. Didn't He say He'd kill Jezebel's daughters with the killing of death, which is eternal separation from His presence? Don't trust in it at all. Get away from it. So God remembers.

Notice.

But did you notice there, it was to be blotted out? Why? Under heaven there was no immediate sacrifice that could give him the Holy Spirit to let him see these things, but he did it anyhow in his own selfish mind. But Ezekiel, in his vision, in the millennium he sees them again in perfect order—Ezekiel, if you want to read it. Just put it down and you can read it to save time—Ezekiel 48:1-7, also read 23 to 29. Ezekiel seen every tribe just exactly in order.

All right. And also, in Revelation 14, John seen them again in tribal order. That's right. Every tribe to his place. What happened? You remember, He said, “under the heavens” that his name would be blotted out of the tribal affair. As long as he was under the heavens, there would be no more. And this 144,000 is down here in the tribal part yet. Right! But you see, they had been blinded, they had only the sacrifice of bulls and goats, see.

Now notice, He blotted them out under the heavens. But, the Gentile in the days of the Holy Spirit, against that, your name was taken completely off the book of life, and could never have forgiveness in this world or the world to come. Is that right? There's where we stand. Israel under goats, sheep—they did have a place. As long as they were on earth here, their tribes was missing. They could never be included.

Now, when He called them over there, the 144,000, they were missing. That's right. They're not even numbered in there. And Joseph and Levi is put in the place of Dan and Ephraim. Now, you can look at that. Right there it is before you, see. And here's God's promise way back there, hundreds and hundreds of years before that.

Now, what happened? They were purged during the time of the awful tribulation period. Now, if God's going to purge that virgin that was a good woman but she just failed to get oil in her lamp, and He's going to purge her through persecution in there, He puts them tribes right in there for the same thing, and purges them during the time of the tribulation period, because it is a purging. It's judgment. But you see they, after....

Look here. Here comes up the 144,000 after the purging of Israel, and here comes up also.... The sleeping virgin comes up purged and has white robes on, see? How perfect, how beautiful that is!

Just like Jacob in the time of trouble, see. Jacob in the time of trouble.... He had done wrong. But he went through the purging time because he had wronged his brother, Esau, see. He deceived to get his birthright. But he went through a purging before he could have his name changed from Jacob to Israel, which was a type of the order of God's type today.

Now, we'll turn now to the 8th verse of the ... or the 1st verse, I mean, of the 8th chapter—Revelation 8:1. I know you're tired, and I just.... Try to listen just for a few minutes now. God of heaven, help us, is my prayer.

We must remember that this seventh seal is the end of time of all things. That's right. The things written in the seven sealed book (sealed up of the plan of redemption from before the foundation of the world), it every bit ends. It is the end. It is the end of the struggling world, it's the end of struggling nature, it's the end of everything. In there it's the end of the trumpets, it's the end of the vials, it's the end of the earth. It's even the end of time. Time runs out. The Bible said so.

Matthew the 7th chapter.... I mean Revelation the 10th chapter, the ... and 1 to the 7th verse, time runs out. The angel said, “Time will be no more,” when that ... in the days of this great thing to happen. Everything runs out in this time—the end of the ... at the end of this seventh seal.

Notice. It's the end of the church age, it's the end of the seventh seal, it's the end of the trumpets, it's the end of the vials, and even ends the ushering-in of the millennium. That's on the seventh seal.

It's just like firing a rocket into the air. And that rocket explodes here and it goes up, and then it explodes again. It puts out five stars. One of those stars explodes and blows out five stars from it. And then one of them stars explodes and blows out five stars from it, see. It fades on out. That's what this seventh seal ... it just ends the time for the world. It ends the time for this, it ends the time for that, it ends the time for this, it ends the time ... everything just ended up on that seventh seal.

Now, how is He going to do it? That's what we don't know, isn't it? We don't know. It's even time for all these things, and the ushering-in of the millennium. Notice, the breaking of this seal was so great that heaven was hushed by it in silence for the space of a half hour. Now, is it great? What is it? It was hushed—heavens. There wasn't a thing moved for a half hour.

Now, a half hour might not be long if you're having a good time. But in the suspense between death and life, it seemed like a millennium. It was so great, Jesus never mentioned it—none of the rest of them. John couldn't even write of it. No, he was forbidden to write here. See, there was just.... He just ... he didn't write, but just it was silence.

And the four and twenty elders that stood before God there harping with their harps, they quit playing their harps. The angels hushed their singing in heaven. Think, the holy cherubims and seraphims, that.... Isaiah saw it in the temple with six sets ... or three sets of wings—two over his face and two over his feet, and flying; and day and night there before God, singing “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty.” And even when they walked in, or come into the temple, the posts of the temple moved with their presence. And these holy seraphims hushed up! Angels quit singing! (Whew!) Flying in the presence of God, singing, “Holy, holy, holy,”—they shut up.

No angels singing, no praises, no altar service, no nothing! There was silence—hushed, deadly silence in heaven for a half hour. All the host of heaven was silent for this half hour, when this seventh seal mystery in the book of redemption was broke open. Think of it. But it's broke. The Lamb breaks it. You know what? They were awed by it, I believe. They didn't know it. There it was. They just stopped. Why? What is it?

Now, none of us know. But I'm going to tell you my revelation of it. And now, I am not prone to be a fanatic. If I am, I'm ignorant of it, see. I'm not given away to such as delirious carry-ons and imaginary things. I have said some things that might have been kind of strange to some people. But when God comes around behind it and vindicates it and says it's the truth, then that's God's Word. It may seem strange that way, see.

And now, as certain as I stand in the platform tonight, I had the revelation that revealed ... it's in a threefold manner. That, I will speak to you by God's help, of a fold of it. And then you.... Let's go to there first. Here's the revelation to begin what ... I want to tell you what it is. What happens is that those seven thunders, that he heard thunder and was forbidden to write.... That's what the mystery is laying behind those seven consecutive thunders rolling out.

Now, why? Let us prove it. Why? It is the secret that no one knows about. John was forbidden to write about it—even write a symbol about it. Why? This is why. There was no activity in heaven. It might give away the secret. Do you see it now? If it is so great it must be included, because it's got to happen, but when the seven thunders....

Now notice, when the seven angels come forth to sound their trumpets, there was one thunder. When Israel was gathered, there was a trumpet. When time shall be no more, the last trumpet, one thunder. But here is seven straight thunders right in a row: one, two, three, four, five, six, seven—that perfect number. Seven thunders in a row uttered, not making it ... just one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, straight. Then, heavens couldn't write that. Heavens can't know about it, nothing else, because there's nothing to go on. It was [unclear word] time. It was so great till it was kept secret from the angels.

Now, why? If Satan should get ahold of it, he might do great damage. There's one thing he don't know. Now he can interpret anything he wants to, and impersonate any kind of a gift (I hope you are learning). But he can't know this. It's not even written in the Word! It's a total secret! The angels, everything shut up! If they made one move it might give something away, so they just shut up—quit harping. Everything stopped.

Seven—God's perfect number. Seven just right down the row. Seven thunders uttered straight together like they're spelling out something. Notice, at that time, John started to write, and he said, “Don't write it.” Jesus never spoke of it. John couldn't write it. Angels know nothing about it.

What is it? It's the thing that Jesus said even the angels of heaven didn't know nothing about it, see. He didn't know it Himself. He said only God would know it. But He told us when we begin to see these signs coming up.... (Now, are you getting somewhere? All right.) Notice, we begin to see these signs coming up, see. If Satan could get ahold of it....

If you want something to happen.... Now you'll have to take my word for this. If I'm planning on doing something, I know better than to tell anybody about it. Not that that person'd tell it, but Satan will hear it, see? He can't get in my heart there, as long as God's got it closed up with the Holy Spirit. So it's between me and God, see. He don't know nothing about it until you speak it, then he hears it.

And I've tried.... I tell people I'll do a certain-certain thing, and watch the devil cut off every wheel he can to get there, see, to beat me to it. But if I get the revelation from God and just don't say nothing about it, then it's different.

Remember, Satan will try to impersonate! He'll try to impersonate everything that the church will do. He's tried to do it. We've noticed it through the antichrist. But this is one thing he cannot impersonate. There'll be no mimics to this, see, because he don't know it! There's no way for him to know it. It's the third pull. He just knows nothing about it, see. He doesn't understand it....

But there's a secret lays beneath that. Glory to God in the highest! I can never think the same the rest of my life. When I seen....

Now, I don't know what.... I know the next step there, but I don't know how to interpret that. It won't be long. I've got it wrote down here when it happened, if you can see here, “Stop! Go no further than this right here.”

I'm not prone to be a fanatic. I'm just telling the truth. But you remember, the little shoe that I always tried to explain? how that the soul laid next to so-and-so and the inner-conscience, and all that kind of stuff? which it only made a big bunch of impersonations start after it. How they have to take up the hand, and hold the people and have vibration—and everybody had a vibration in their hand. But do you remember when He took me up there and said, “This is that third pull, and no one will know it!”? Do you remember that? Visions never fail! They're perfectly the truth.

Now notice, remember the vision of the constellation? (Charlie, here you are.) Something going on, I've told you, this week that you ... it's been all around you, but I wanted you to notice it. Remember the constellation of the vision of the angels when I left here to go to Arizona? Do you remember, “What Time Is It, Sirs?” Do you remember that?

Notice, there was only one great burst of thunder, and seven angels appeared. Is that right? One burst of thunder, seven angels appeared. “And I saw the Lamb when he had opened the first seal, and I heard as it was a voice of a thunder, and one of the four beasts said, 'Come and see.'” Notice, one thunder—seven messages that's been sealed up and cannot be revealed until the last day, at this age. See what I mean?

Now, have you noticed the mysterious part of this week? That's what it is. That's what it's been. It's been, not a human being, a man; it has been the angels of the Lord. Notice, there's witnesses of three sitting in here, that a week ago (a little over a week ago) I was up way back into the mountains, nearly to Mexico, with two brethren that's sitting here, picking cocklebur ... or sandburs off of my trouser leg; and a blast went off that almost, looked like, shook the mountains down. Now that's right. I never told my brethren, but they noticed a difference. And He said to me, “Now, be ready. Go east.”

Here's the interpretation of that vision. See? Now, to let you know, Brother Sothmann has not got the game that he went after. We was trying to get it for him. And He said, “Now tonight, for a sign to you, he isn't going to do it. You must consecrate yourself at this time for the visitation of these angels.” And I felt beside myself, you remember. And I was in the west; the angels was coming east. And as they come by, I was picked up with them. Do you remember that?—coming east.

And Brother Fred in here tonight is a witness, and Brother Norman. As we went down, I almost persuaded that man to stay and get his game. Is that right, Brother Sothmann? Yes, he stands right there. I persuaded ... but yet, He said, “He won't do it.” I never said nothing—went on. Something sitting by the side of the tent the day that.... You remember, Brother Sothmann, as soon as some things were being told, I put you and Brother Norman (Where's Brother Norman? Back there.), put them under oath that they wouldn't mention what was taking place. Is that right? Did I turn around and walk away from that tent, like that? Is that right? Because this is what it was—exactly what it was—and knowing that I couldn't say it till it happened, to see if the people would understand it.

And did you notice that one angel, I said in there, was a strange angel? He looked more to me than any of the rest of them. Do you remember that? They were in a constellation—three on a side and one on top. And the one right next to me here, counting from the left to the right, would have been the seventh angel. He was brighter, meant more to me than the rest of them. You remember, I said he had his chest out like that, and was flying eastward. Do you remember like that? I said, “It picked me up, lifted me up.” Do you remember that?

Here it is! The one with the seventh seal—the thing that I've wondered all my life. Amen! Them other seals meant a lot to me, of course. But, oh, you don't know what this has meant! For one time in life ... I've prayed, I cried out to God. After that Phoenix meeting, any of the people there with me know, I laid in the mountains. One morning I got up and went up in Sabino Canyon—great, rugged, high mountains. And I went up in there, and there's a little foot trail after you lead off—go on up into Lemmon Mountain which is a thirty-mile walk, and there was about thirty foot of snow up there.

So, up in the mountain real early before day, going up through this little foot trail, rolling rocks along, I felt led to turn this way. And I turned and went up into some great jagged rocks—oh, my, hundreds of feet high. And I knelt down between those rocks. I laid down this Bible and laid down this book—this little tablet. I said, “Lord God, what does this vision mean?” I said, “Lord, does it mean my dying?” (You remember I told you I thought it might mean my death, because something exploded till it just shook me to pieces. You remember. How many knows ... have heard it? Sure, all of you.) And I thought it could mean my death.

And then in the room, I said, “What was it, Lord? What does it mean? Does it mean I'm going to die? If it is, all right. I won't tell my family. Just let me go on, see, if my work is finished.” And I said.... Now, what was it? But He sent a witness back—you remember me telling you—but it wasn't that, it was a furtherment of my work.

Oh! Do you get it, see? Sitting up in Sabino Canyon—the heavenly Father knows this—just as true as you see that come to pass, those angels come right down and vindicated every message to be the same. Then you know whether it come from God or not. It was foretold you by a vision. I couldn't tell you until the service was over, because I was forbidden to.

In Sabino Canyon, sitting up there that morning, I had my hands up, and the wind had blowed my old black hat down. I was standing there with my hands up praying. I said, “Lord God, what does this mean? I can't understand it, Lord. What am I to do? If it's my going-home time, let me go up here where they'll never find me. I don't want nobody to be mourning around if I'm going. I want just the family to think I just took a walk, and they won't find me. Hide me away somewhere! If I'm going to go away, why, just let me go. Maybe Joseph will find my Bible laying here someday, and let him use it. [See?] If I'm going away, let me go, Lord.”

And I had my hands out, and all at once something hit my hand. I don't know. I can't say. Did I go to sleep? I don't know. Did I go into a trance? I don't know. Was it a vision? I can't tell you. The only thing I can say is from what I.... Just the same thing like them angels was. And it struck my hand, and I looked and it was a sword. And it had pearl handles—real pretty. And had a guard over it with gold, and the blade looked like, something like a chrome, like silver only it was real shiny. And it was so feather-edged sharp, oh, my! And I thought, “isn't that the prettiest thing?”—just fit my hand. I thought, “That's awful pretty.” But I said, “Hey, I'm always afraid of them things,” a sword. And I thought, “What will I do with that?”

And just then a voice shook down through there that rocked the rocks! Said, “It's the sword of the King!”, and then I come out of it. The sword of the King! Now, if it'd said, “the sword of a king....” But it said, “the sword of the King,” and there's only one “the King,” and that's God! And He has one sword. That's His Word—what I live by! So help me, God ... standing over His holy desk here with this holy Word laying here. It's the Word. Amen!

Oh, what a day we're living in! What a great thing! See the mystery and secret? The third.... Standing there, when this left me, something just come to me and said, “Don't fear.” Now, I didn't hear no voice—like on the inside of me spoke. I just tell you the truth, just exactly what happened. Something hit, and said, “Don't fear. This is that third pull.”

Third pull. Do you remember it? He said, “You've had so many impersonators on this, what you tried to explain.” Said, “Don't even try this.” Do you remember it? How many remembers that vision? Why, it's all over. It's taped and everywhere. That's been about six years ago. Seven years ago—it's been seven years ago. Said, “Don't try to explain that.” Said, “This is the third pull, but I'll meet you in there.” Is that right? He said, “Don't try....”

I was standing with a little baby's shoe when He told me, said, “Now, make your first pull. And when you do, the fish will run after the lure.” Said, “Then watch your second pull,” said, “because there will only be small fish.” He said, “Then the third pull will get it.”

And all them ministers got around and said, “Brother Branham, we know you can do it. Hallelujah, Brother Branham.” (That's where I always get tied up—with a bunch of preachers. I love people, and they want you to explain everything—this, that.)

And I said, “Well,” I said, “I don't know.” I said, “I understand fishing.” I said, “Now, the first thing you do.... Here's the way it's done. You see all the fish around. You've got to jerk the lure.” (Well, that's exactly the tactics of fishing.) So I said, “Jerk the lure.” Now, you see when I jerked the lure the first time, now the fish takes out after it, but they were little ones. That's just like they were catching. So then I said, “Then you're set ...” and I jerked it out on the bank and I had a fish. But it looked like a skin over the lure, it just ... it was so little. And then I was standing there and something said, “I told you not to do that!” and I started crying.

All the line was tangled around me like this, and I had ... was standing there crying with my head down like that. I said, “God, oh, forgive me. I'm a stupid person, Lord. Forgive me.” And I had this line and that, what I had in my hand, was a little baby's shoe, about that long. And I had ... that string was about as big around as my finger—about a half inch, like. And the eyelet in this shoe was just about the size of a ... littler than one-sixteenth, probably, of an inch, was the eyelet. And I was trying to lace this little shoe up with this great big inch cord.

And a voice come and said, “You can't teach Pentecostal babies supernatural things.” Said, “Now, let them alone!”

And just then He picked me up. He took me up and sat me way up high, to where a meeting was going on—looked like a tent or a cathedral of some sort. And I looked and there was a little box-like, little place over there on the side. And I seen that light was talking to somebody above me—that light that you see there on the picture. It whirled away from me, like that, and went over to that tent, and said, “I'll meet you there.” And said, “This will be the third pull, and you won't tell it to nobody!”

And in Sabino Canyon, He said, “This is the third pull.” And there's three great things that goes with it, and one unfolded today ... or yesterday, the other one unfolded today, and there's one thing that I cannot interpret because it's in an unknown language. But I stand right there and looked right straight at it, and this is the third pull coming up. And the Holy Spirit of God.... Oh, my! That's the reason all heaven was silent!

Now, I'd better stop right here, see. I just feel checked not to say no more about it. See? So just remember, the seventh seal, the reason it was not opened, the reason He did not reveal it: no one should know about it. And I want you to know, before I even knowed any word about that, that vision come years ago. You remember that? And here it is just as this other has—slides right straight into the Word exactly where it was. And God knows my heart, I never one time thought of such a thing as that, and here it was. It's later than we think. Oh, my! Just shows it's from God, for see, it fits exactly in the promises of God from the end of the message.

You notice. Notice now, for the end of time message, this seal.... After all ... He's revealed all the six seals, but it don't say nothing about the seventh. And the end-time seal, when it starts, will be absolutely a total secret according to the Bible. Before knowing that.... And remember, Revelation 10:1-7 (1 to 7, chapter 10:1 to 7), at the end of the seventh angel's message, all the mysteries of God would be known. We're at the end-time—the opening of the seventh seal.

Now, how did I know the other day—last Sunday, a week ago today, when I was preaching on “Be humble, be humble. Remember God deals in little things.”? I didn't realize what it really was talking about, and now I see it. It is in such a humble way. You would think that something like that would be revealed to the Vatican; but it comes just like John the Baptist. It comes like the birth of our Lord—in a stable! Glory to God! So help me, the hour is at hand! We're here. Oh, my! Now do you see it?—the truth of God's vision, the seven angels, bringing me from the west. They were coming from the west, coming back east, bringing here for this message tonight. Oh, my!

Now, the voice of that great thunder and the mission that was brought here has been revealed and proven that it was of God. Just think now. I knew not these seals, and they've been revealed this week. Did anybody think of that? of those seven angels, being ... this being the message that was coming forth, them angels bringing me back here for that?

Remember, the seventh messenger was ... the seven messengers was.... The noted one to me—the seventh angel—it seemed more to me than any. Now see, they were standing like this (now, we just want you to notice), and I was standing here, and I was watching those other ... see, one ... first bunch of little birds, feathers all beat down. Do you remember them? And they all flew eastward. And the second bunch were brighter, bigger birds—looked like doves, pointed wings. They flew eastwards. First pull, second pull. Then the next was angels!

And I was standing right there, and this explosion left, and I was looking this way, towards the west, and they come and just picked me up in there, and I went plumb out of my knowing. And the one of them coming (was the one that looked so strange to me) was the one on my, be to the left, where I entered the constellation at; but counting from the left to the right, it would have been the seventh angel, see, coming across.

Now, remember the seven messengers. Do you remember the pyramid of white rock of Junior Jackson's dream that I interpreted to you? Notice, the night that I left ... and there were six dreams came, and every one of them directly to the same thing. Then the vision started and sent me west. Junior, he was watching.... Now notice. Look how perfect. Now, I'm hoping and trusting that you people realize that I'm trying to put this grace on Jesus Christ, who is the author of all of it, and the only reason.... You never heard me talk like this before in your life, but this hour is approaching.

Notice. Now to make it sure to you, so it could be driven down, I'm fixing to leave you again. I don't know where I'll go. I must preach the Gospel other places. But now, that.... You might say, “I've heard all that kind of fanaticism.” I don't know what.... I can't judge any other man. I only have to answer to God for what I ... for myself. But has there ever been one time I ever told you anything in the name of the Lord it wasn't right, in all these years? Nobody else can say so, because I always told it just the way He told it.

Now, let me just show you that this is exactly true and confirm it. Now remember, “If there be a spiritual ... or a prophet, I, the Lord, will speak to him in visions and make known to him by dreams”—interpreting dreams. Is that...? Joseph, he could interpret dreams and speak and see visions. Is that true?

Now notice this—that now, when this taken place, Junior was standing in a field that had a big pyramid to it, like that; and there was something wrote on the rocks, and I was revealing that to the people. Is that right, Junior? About a year before it happened.

And notice the next thing now. I took some kind of a bar and cut it off, and on the inside was white rock that had nothing wrote on it. And at that time I started to the west. And I told them all. I said, “Don't go out west. Stay here and look on this till I return.” Went west for the blast, returned back to the east with the Holy Spirit interpreting this unwritten Word. Now, if that isn't perfectly with God Almighty, I want to know what is. What am I trying to say this for, friends? It's to show you that we're at the end-time.

Now, if them others is perfectly on the dot with the Word, so is this perfectly on the dot with the Word! We are here. We're at the end, friends. Soon it shall be time run out. Millions will lose their lives. Millions will be—that now believe that they are saved—will be counted fodder for the atomic age.

We are living at the last hour. By the grace of Almighty God, by His help to His people that they might look forward to the soon appearing of Christ.... “How long, Brother Branham?” Maybe twenty years, maybe in fifty years, maybe in a hundred years—I don't know. And maybe in the morning, maybe yet tonight—I don't know. And anybody that says they do know, they're wrong. They don't know. God only knows.

Now, notice. So help me, by God I tell the truth, that these are spiritually discerned to me—discerned by the Holy Spirit, and by every one of them, has identified his place in the Bible. Now, what this great secret is that lays beneath this seal, I do not know. I don't know it. I couldn't make it out. I couldn't tell it, just what it said. But I know that it was them seven thunders uttering themselves right close together, just banging seven different times, and it unfolded into something else that I seen.

Then when I seen that, I looked for the interpretation that flew across there, and I couldn't make it out. That's exactly right. See. The hour isn't quite yet for it, but it's moving into that cycle, see. It's coming up close. So the thing for you to do is to remember that I speak to you in the name of the Lord. Be prepared, for you don't know what time something can happen.

Now, when that gets on tape, which it is, that'll probably send ten thousand of my friends away from me; because they're going to say that Brother Branham is trying to put himself, and make himself a servant, or a prophet or something, before God. Let me tell you, my brethren, that is an error! I'm only telling you what I seen and what has been told to me. And you do whatever you want to. I don't know who's going to ... what is going to take place. I do not know. I just know that those seven thunders holds that mystery, that heavens was quiet. (Everybody understand?)

It may be time. It may be the hour now, that this great person that we're expecting to rise on the scene may rise on the scene. Maybe this ministry that I have tried to take people back to the Word has laid a foundation. And if it has, I'll be leaving you for good. There won't be two of us here the same time. If it is, he'll increase, I'll decrease. I don't know. But I have been privileged by God to look and see what it was, see—unfold to that much. Now that is the truth.

And I'm sure that you've noticed the things that's been happening this week. I'm sure you noticed that little Collins' boy laying there dying the other night, that little leukemia girl. The kingdom of God is coming. And it's becoming more from the negative to the positive, as it has been. Now, that oughtn't to choke people. From justification to sanctification to the baptism of the Holy Ghost and then hear it here. We're just drawing closer to God all the time.

Can't you see, Methodist ministers, how that your message of sanctification was above that which Luther preached? You Pentecostals, can't you see your message of the baptism is beyond that which Methodists preached? Do you know what I mean? Oh, we've had a lot of things go forth, and that's right. And if there's anybody that despises wrong, and people saying something that's actually lies and not the truth, I hate that; but I do love the solid truth. No matter how much it interrupts this way or that way, if it's truth, God will finally show that it's truth. And if He doesn't do that one of these days soon, then my vision wasn't right. Now you see where I've played myself.

“When will it be, Brother Branham?” I cannot tell you. I do not know. But one of these days, if we never meet again on this earth, we're going to meet yonder at the judgment seat of Christ. And you'll find out that in that room, the revelation coming from God (just like all the rest of them has), that them.... One of the mysteries of that seal, the reason it wasn't revealed, it was seven thunders that uttered their voices; and there it is perfectly because nothing knows anything about it. It wasn't even written. So we're at the end-time. We're here.

I thank God for His Word. I thank Him for Jesus Christ. For without sending Him for the propitiation of our sins, we'd all be in a big muck of sin with no hope. But by His grace, His blood cleanses all sin. Just like the drop of ink in a bucket of Clorox, you'd never find the ink again. When our sins are confessed, it's put in the blood of Jesus Christ. They'll never be known again. God forgets them. They never was even done. And as long as that sacrifice is laying there in an atonement for us, then that's all.... That's it, see. We're not sinners no more; we're Christians by the grace of God.

And remember, in our ownselves we'd probably be just as bad as we ever was. But see, the grace of God has appeared to us, and that's what's made us what we are today—Christian brothers and sisters.

This has been a tremendous week for me. I'm tired. My mind is tired, because I have ... it was the best that I could do. And something strange going on every day. I would be amazed to walk in the room and be there for a few minutes and see something just turn me completely around. And here, I go in there and pick up the notes. I pick up books of Dr. Smith, Uriah Smith, and all the writers and everything, and read down in their books. I say, “Now, here's the sixth seal; here's the fourth seal. Now, what does this man say?”

He'd say, “Well, it was this, that or the other.” I'd look over here and get another man. He said it was such-and-such. And it looked like I just.... It just didn't work right.

And then I thought, “Well, what is it, Lord?” I walked up and down the floor awhile. I'd kneel down and pray, go back and pick up the Bible, sit down, read—walk back and forth. And then all of a sudden when I got quiet, here it just unfolded like that. Then I'd grab a pen right quick, and go to writing it down like that, whatever I was seeing or doing—watching it like that till I got it wrote down. Then I'd take the rest of the day to go down and trace this out and see if it tied all the way down through the scriptures. Then it ... prove all things.

And I got this here, and I think, “Now, there's many people had visions. There's many been in revelations.” If it's contrary to the Word, leave it alone. That's right; leave it alone.

Now, now I run this ... ease it down like this. Run it down like ... I'd jot down little things here. I thought, “Well, now the class will be glad to hear this because it ties here and ties here. Now, let's see, what does it say here? Yes, it's ... yeah, here it is right here,” see, and bring it back through the Bible and ties the thing down through the week. There it is on tapes. You're welcome to them. And I have did it to the best of my knowledge under Christian fellowship—grace of God to all men by Jesus Christ. I've done the very best that I know how this week.

You've been one of the finest classes. There's been nobody could have sat any nicer. You all have come in here at one o'clock in the day, up till five o'clock to whenever they opened the church and brought the ... let the people come in. You've stood in the cold; you've stood in the snow; you've done everything—stood around the walls till your legs ached. I'd see the men sit down and let the women sit, and different ones, and standing, like that, sitting around.

I thought, “Lord....” Oh, hasn't it been a mysterious week? The whole thing has been kind of strange—how the people come. See them standing around the outside, in the windows, in the doors, back around the back, everywhere—listening. And as far as a speaker, I'm far from a speaker. I've got that much intelligence to know that I'm not—that I'm not a speaker. But why would people sit and listen like that? Why would they do it? They don't come to hear a person like me. But they're coming because there's something in it drawing the people. There's something in it that's drawing them. As my wife stood here at the platform and sang, when I started:

They come from the east and west,

They come from the land afar,

To feast with the King, to dine

as His guests;

How blessed these pilgrims are!

Beholding His hallowed face,

Aglow with light divine;

Blest partakers of His grace,

As gems in His crown do shine.

May you always bear that in mind: to be a gem in the crown of Jesus Christ. Paul said to the church, “You are the jewels, gems, of His crown.” We want to be the gems of the crown of Jesus Christ. We don't want never to put a man in it. You forget anything about me. I am your brother, a sinner saved by grace, not fit to live. That's exactly the truth, and I ain't saying that to be humble—that's facts. There is nothing in me, not one sound thing at all. But the grace of God has let my poor dimming eyes look beyond the curtain of time and see those things yonder, and I come back....

When I was a little boy I loved people, I always wanted somebody to love me and talk to me. Nobody would do it because of the name of the family. Nobody would talk to me. But when I made my surrender to God, then our people's background being Irish, I thought maybe (they was all Catholic), maybe that would be it. I went there, He was some way; and I went down to the First Baptist Church, and He was another way. I said, “Lord, there's got to be some way that's true.” And something said, “It's the Word.”

I've held that Word. Look at every vision everywhere. The day I laid that cornerstone yonder, and I put that in there.... I wrote on there what He showed me that morning in a vision: “Be instant in season, out of season, rebuke, ... with all long-suffering ... doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall heap for themselves together teachers having itching ears; and be turned away from the truth unto fables.” And I've seen those two trees that I stood by do that very same thing. That's right. And there we are. And that is true.

Now, you won't ... remember, let me exhort you again. Don't say, “Thank you,” to anybody at all. Don't say ... thinking some minister or something, some mortal man, there's anything good about him, because there's not. I don't care who he is, there's nothing good to any man. That's right. If there was a whole bunch of trumpets laying here and one of them had to sound out a certain music, it's the man. Them trumpets are perfectly mute. It's the fellow that can sound the trumpet and knows what he's going to do, that picks up the trumpet. The trumpet has nothing to do with it. The sound comes from the intelligence behind it. That's right. So all trumpets are the same, all men are the same, all Christians are the same.

There's no great men among us. We're not great men, not great women. We're all brothers and sisters, all the same in the same bracket. We're no great. One don't make one greater than the other one—not a thing at all to do.... No, sir! But we're just all human beings. Don't try to interpret the things. Don't try to do anything more than just live a close life, giving praise and honor to Jesus Christ. Everybody understand that now? Amen. Love Him with all your heart. Do you do it?

I love Him, I love Him

Because He first loved me,

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

Does everybody thoroughly understand? Does everybody believe? Remember when I first started? “Who has believed our report? to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?” Has He revealed to you His mercy, His goodness? Amen.

Just remember, love Him with all your heart. I'm going back home now. I'll be back here again, the Lord willing, around the first of June. Maybe if the Lord puts it upon my heart, maybe sometime this early summer, like June or somewhere, maybe early fall, if the Lord tarries, I would like to come back and set another seven nights for the “Seven Last Trumpets.” Would you like that? Will you pray for me that God will help me? All right. Until I meet you again, remember this good old song:

I love Him, I love Him

Because He first loved me,

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

Now, I want you to bow your heads. I want to pray for you. Before the pastor dismisses, I want to pray for you.

Our heavenly Father, may the people, Lord, understand—which I'm sure that there's some that doesn't. But Father, may they know the objective, and may they understand, Father, that it's your grace to them that these things are revealed. And I want to thank You, Lord, for the knowledge of knowing these things that Thou has revealed to us. And I pray for everyone that's here, everyone that's attended the meetings.

If there be some who does not believe, may, Lord, they become believers. I pray for all that will hear the messages by tape. And if it falls, which it will no doubt, in the homes and places of many unbelievers that will differ.... But Father, I pray for each one that before they say any blasphemous words, that they might, first, sit down and search the Scriptures by what's been said, and then say to You that they truly are sincere and want to know whether this is truth or not. And I pray for them, Father.

And I pray for these who've stood along these walls, who've stood on the outside, who sat in their cars, for little children, and for all that's been in—just all of them, Lord, I pray for them. And I pray that my prayers will be answered, that You'll bless them.

First, Lord, give every one eternal life. I pray that there'll not be one of them lost—not one. And now, Father, we don't know when this great event will be, but when we see these signs appearing and scriptural happenings, it warms our heart above measure. And I pray, Father God, that You'll help us.

I pray that You'll help our dear pastor, Brother Neville. Make him, Lord, full of grace and full of power, and with understanding, that he might take this stored food and feed the lambs of God.

Lord, I pray that You will keep sickness away from us. May it come to pass that when people become sick that they'll remember the present and all-sufficient blood of the Lord Jesus lays on the altar to make an atonement. And I pray that they'll be healed immediately. And I pray that You'll keep the power of Satan away from them, to discourage them, or to try to make them make cults or.... Just keep all the powers of the enemy away, Lord. Sanctify us to thy Word. Grant it, Lord.

Then, Lord, I pray that You'll help me. I'm beginning to fade away, Lord. I know my days can't be too many more, and I pray that You'll help me. Let me be true, Lord, and honest and sincere that I might be able to bear the message, as far as it's ordained for me to bear. And when it comes to the time that I must lay down, when I get down to the river and the waves begin to come in, O God, may I be able to hand this old sword over to somebody else that'll be honest with it, Lord, and will pack the truth. Grant it, Lord. Until then, help me to be strong and healthy and courageous. Help my church. Bless us together, Lord. We are yours. We feel now that your Spirit is among us. We believe that You will answer our prayers, for we commit ourselves to You with thy Word for service for the rest of our days upon this earth. In the name of God's Son, Jesus Christ, our beloved Saviour, for His glory. Amen.

I (God bless you) love Him,

I love Him (with all my heart)

Because He first loved me,

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.

[You have just finished hearing the original “Seventh Seal” as it was preached in its entirety on Sunday evening, March 24th, 1963 at the Branham Tabernacle in Jeffersonville Indiana. Brother Branham did not want this original recording released. The next day, Monday, March 25th, 1963, Brother Branham went to the motel room of Brother Fred Sothmann and Brother James Maguire who were at that time in charge of making the tapes. Brother Branham told these brothers, “I don't want this message sent out the way it is.” After listening to the tape himself, he instructed the brothers to stop the tape at a certain point, and at that point—(beginning of paragraph number 261)—recorded a new portion of approximately twenty minutes in length—(paragraph 377-414). This new portion was then used in place of the original ending—(paragraph 261-373). This recording was the only released version of the “Seventh Seal” until 1966. After Brother Branham left the scene, the board of the William Branham Evangelistic Association unanimously agreed to release the tape originally recorded at the Tabernacle. Since that time, both versions have been available. We have now placed this additional message of Brother Branham on one tape, with the original “Seventh Seal.” The next voice you hear will be Brother Branham in the motel room on Monday, March 25th, 1963]

[Comments by Brother Branham] ... it'll be a good thing that he doesn't know anything about it, because if he did, then he would impersonate that. That's his tricks in doing things. So, therefore, God has made it so hid to the whole world, even to heaven, that there is no way of understanding it, only as God will reveal it Himself.

Now, I want you to notice tonight that in the sixth seal there was a threefold purpose of the sixth seal. There was a threefold purpose of the horse riders. There's been a threefold purpose in all these things. That brings us back to a three and a seven again, see —seven seals, seven vials, and so forth.

Now, in threes and sevens is God's number in His mathematics of revealing His Word. Now, you notice, like in the riders, now there was three horses went out. One of them was a white one, one was a red one, one was a black one. And then in the fourth horse, why, all of them was mixed together. See, a threefold purpose.

Now, God did the same thing. God did the same when He sent out His lion, which was His Word, to combat the antichrist. Then we find out that He sent out the ox during the time of the tribulation period, the sacrificial animal. And in this tribulation period, that's all the people could do was just work, slave, and offer themselves for a sacrifice.

Then we find out in the next age, which was the reformer's age, God sent out the wisdom of a man—a man-like head on the beast, which was the power that went forth in the reformers.

Now, did you notice, every.... No wonder that the people of these days ... still living the hangover, like it was, from the reformer's age, because they just see it in the ecclesiastical way of looking at it, and they see it in the way that their seminaries has taught it. That was God's way at one time, but we've lived a-past that.

Now, we're into the age of the eagle—the revelation to be revealed, the whole thing. Now, compare this with Revelation the 10th chapter, verse 1 to 7. And we'll see here in this Revelation ... the Revelation here, 10:1-7, that in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel's message ... was to finish up all the mysteries of God.

Now, we find out also in this that the sixth seal now being opened, it was for a threefold purpose. Now, here was the purposes: The first thing was that the sleeping virgin had to go through the tribulation period for purification. She had to be purged of her sins of unbelief and rejecting the message. This she was ... done in the tribulation period. We see they wind up over here in Revelation 7, between the 6th and 7th chapter here, that she had been purged, and she'd been given her robes.

Now she's not the bride; but it's the church—the pure people that didn't have the opportunity, maybe, to receive the message, or in some way that they were blinded by these false prophets, and they didn't get a chance, and yet they're really sincere in heart. And God knows their heart, and here they're purged during this time.

You notice another purging time—that's for Israel when she gathers. That's the secondfold. God purges Israel in the tribulation period. Out of the millions that'll gather there, there'll be a selected 144,000, and they will be purged also. God's purging Israel.

Notice, there is ... the whole earth is to be purged. There will be such a thing that the moon, stars, and all nature will be purged. You see what it is? The earth is renewing herself, being purged, getting ready for the millennium. The millennium's coming up. And see, everything that's got any filth in it is to be purged during the sixth seal.

Now, do you notice on the opening of this seventh seal, it's also in a threefold mystery. This one I have ... will speak and have spoke, that it is the mystery of the seven thunders. The seven thunders in heaven will unfold this mystery. It'll be right at the coming of Christ, because Christ said no one knew when He would return.

Did you notice when the Jews asked Him that? You know when we compared the scripture here with Matthew 24 with the six seals, the seventh seal was left out, because, you see, Christ said only God Himself knowed—not even the angels. No wonder, it wasn't even written. You see, they hushed. Nothing taken place then. Angels don't know it. Nobody knows when He's coming. But there'll be a.... There'll be seven voices of these thunders that will reveal the great revelation at that time.

So, I believe, to us who ... if we don't know it, and it won't be knowed till that time.... But it will be revealed in that day, in the hour that it's supposed to be revealed in. So, the thing for us to do is to be reverent before God and serve Him, and do all that we know how to do, and live good Christian lives.

Here now, we find that the sixth seal has been opened to us. We see it. And we know that this seventh seal cannot be broke to the public until that hour arrives.

Now, there was some reason that God let this seven voices be thundered, because it must come, see, for the.... We find that Christ, the Lamb, took the book in His hand, and He opened that seventh seal. But you see, it's a hidden mystery. No one knows it. But it ... right along with what He said: no one would know His coming. They also would not know about this seven-thunder mystery. So you see, it's connected together.

That much we have an understanding of it today, because the rest of it is all unfolded, but this is not unfolded. But sitting in my room, and I heard this ... not heard it, rather, but seen it unfold to this seven thunders. Now, that's as far as we can go, right there.

And now I trust that each and every one of you will serve God, and do that which is right, and love Him all your life and serve Him, and God will take care of the rest.

Now, we have in the completion here now, by the grace of God, all the mysteries of the six seals that's been sealed up, and we understand and know here that the seventh seal is not to be known to the public.

Now, His coming, at the hour of His coming, when the destruction of the earth.... You know, he said there, “What will be the sign of the coming of the end of the world?” In Matthew 24, there where they asked Him that question, He went down to that. He told about Israel being gathered as a nation in the 31st verse, of Matthew 24:31. But then He started off on parables, see? Then, you see there, “Learn a parable of the fig tree. When you see it putting forth its buds, why, you know spring is nigh.” And then, “When you see this coming to pass, then know the time is nigh.”

You see Israel gathering in its own homeland. But you notice, He omitted the revelation of this seventh seal. And here when the seventh seal ... when He opened it, He also omitted it again, see. So we see that it is a complete mystery. Therefore, the hour is not yet for this mystery to be known. Therefore, we're this far, and the rest of it will be known right around about the time that Jesus appears on earth again for His bride, or whatever takes place at that time.

Now, until that time, let's just all pray and live good straight Christian lives, looking forward for His coming.

And now, if this tape would happen to fall into the hands of some persons somewhere, don't try to make any kind of an “ism” out of it. The only thing you do, you just continue serving God, because this great secret is so great that God wouldn't even let John write it. It thundered out, but He ... knowing that ... promised us that it would be opened. But to this time, it isn't opened.

And now, we are grateful to God for what he has showed us. I've been sitting in the room up there for eight days, and the message that I have just got through explaining to you, many of you here will understand. And I promise that there was something going on spiritual, all the time, that I was sure you were missing it. And here's what it is. It's the absolute a-vindication of this interpretation of the scriptures being sent of God, because before we even went into it, and I left to go west, the Lord showed me a vision one day about ten o'clock one morning. And I come and explained it here that I'd seen it, didn't know what it was. It was a constellation of seven angels. We remember that. You'll get it on the tape, called, “What Time is It, Sir?” Well now, that is exactly what you're seeing now.

The seven angels.... I was in the west. You remember the little bitty messengers—they went east. The second messengers, the doves (little bit larger bird), they went east. And then I looked.... They was with me all the time. That was that first and second pull. Now, the third came from the west, sweeping forward with great terrific speed, and they picked me up. That was coming back east with the mystery of these seven seals, just like it said in Junior Jackson's dream that the Lord let me interpret for him there.

On the inside of that pyramid, there was white stone that wasn't written on. That's the reason I had to go west to connect with these angels' message to come back here to reveal it to the church. You remember, I said, “The next things that happen will be here at the church.” That's just exactly.

Another thing, I want you to notice what taken place. And if you're listening to the tape of the “What Time is It, Sir?” you will notice that one angel was very notable to me. The rest of them just seemed ordinarily, but this angel was a noted angel. He was to my left in the constellation in the form of a pyramid. And you remember, it was in the pyramid where the mysterious white rock was not written on. And the angels took me into that pyramid of themselves—the mysteries of God known only to them. And now, they was the messengers had come to interpret that pyramid, or that message of the secret of these seven seals which lays with ... inside the pyramid.

Now, the angel ... was to my left, would really be the last or seventh angel, if we would count them from left to right—because he was on my left, me looking to him towards the west, him coming towards the east would be on the left side. So that would be the last angel's message—very notable. You remember how I said he had his ... kind of his head back, and his great sharp wings and how he flew right to me. Now, that is this seventh seal. It still is a notable thing. And we are.... We don't know what it is as yet, because it's not permitted to be broken.

But now, each one of you in the meeting has noticed that.... What a meeting it's been! Everybody just seemed to be right on the end of their seat—everybody standing around here at one and two o'clock in the afternoon waiting for the doors to open to get up here in the front, standing around the walls, cramped limbs, and everything. What is it? It's been the Holy Spirit sending down these messengers, and they have been revealing it to us. And then notice how it's dovetailed with the Word, exactly.

And then to let you all know that this is truth, He foretold it about two months now, or more, before it ever happened—that when I went west, not knowing it, come back here with the interpretation as He has given it. Now remember, in the vision, He never told me one thing in the vision when He took up me. I was scared, afraid I was going to die—be killed in an explosion. You see, they could not do it. The interpretation come just as I had need of it—that was in the room. And I gave it out just as He give it.

Now, you see, friends, visions doesn't fail. They're always perfect. They're just exactly true.

Now, the vision plus the Word, plus the history, plus the church ages—and all blend together. So, I could truly say that to the best of my understanding and according to the Word of God and the vision and the revelation, the interpretation thereof is “thus saith the Lord!”

Now, may the Lord bless you all, each one, real richly as we stand now and sing this good old song of the church. God bless you each one. Amen.

I (God bless you) love Him,

I love Him (with all my heart)

Because He first loved me,

And purchased my salvation

On Calvary's tree.