What Shall We Do With This Jesus Called Christ?

I have ... want to hurry up because I know that you're all tired from being in the church ... (Thank you, sir.) being in the church today. I want to take just this moment of time, though, to express my gratefulness to Brother Demos Shakarian. [Blank spot on tape.] ... ever need is Pentecost under the groups. There's too many differences. But there's one place where we have things in common, under the blood of Jesus Christ. That's where we have things in common. That's God's way for us to meet, anyhow. And there's no other place that God promised to meet man, only under the shed blood.

I was thinking last night about Brother Oral Roberts, when he made that wonderful statement here, about out of his innermost being shall flow rivers of water. The great ... how he brought that in about out of his belly, I believe he said, flow these rivers of water. Did you ever notice? It's rivers of one water: rivers plural; water one. Not rivers of waters, but rivers of water—one Spirit. By the same Spirit we're all baptized into the same body. Out of Him flows the goodness and grace of God.

And now, you California people, we'll be in your state beginning next week, I believe, over there. And then on down through Georgia, Louisiana, Florida, on down until we start overseas.

The Lord bless you greatly. I appreciate the little lady who played the music, and these fine men that I've met, this new brother here, Brother Solomon King. I may say that wrong. I can think of King Solomon, and then turn it around. That was that day, and this is another King, too. That's right, a son of a king, anyhow. That's right—a son of a king, although not a king, the King.

When I look at this, it reminds me of down in Mexico here, a few years ago, Mexico City. We were there one night. There'd been a blind man, the night before, come on the platform, totally blind for many years. I looked at his feet. I was standing there with a good suit on, a pair of shoes. And I looked at his.... He's blind, no shoes on, ragged trousers, standing out there in that rain for.... Maybe thirty thousand, or more, standing there in that rain, leaning against one another, no seats. Been there since early that morning, just waiting to get there that night. And there'd been a.... This blind man had received his sight.

And the next night, much ... about twice the size of this bench here, whatever we'd call it, was just—on the platform was just ricks, almost as high as what that curtain hangs, of just old shawls, and coats, that the people had worn and thrown up there, just that we might touch it. Most all were Catholic, of course, there in Mexico City. And I got in, being the first Protestant ever come in under military invitation. That's from General Valdez, our good friend here, at Full Gospel Businessmen.

I remember that night. There was a scream come from the outside. My son came to me, said, “I've got at least 150 ushers or more standing there, and they can't keep a little Spanish woman. She's got a dead baby, died this morning.” Said, “They can't keep that woman out.” Said, “She'll climb over their backs and everything.”

And I said, “Well, just reinforce it.”

Said, “I haven't got nothing else to reinforce it with.”

I said, “Give her a prayer card.”

Said, “I haven't got one. They're all give out.”

I said, “Brother Moore, you go pray for her,” I said, “'cause she don't know me.” And I said, “You go pray for her, and I'm going to try to pray for this big rick of clothes, just in a few moments.”

While I was standing there, I looked out over the audience like this, and before me was a little Mexican baby—no teeth, just smiling—right out in front of me. I said, “Wait a minute, Brother Moore.” And they brought the little fellow, and the little lady come in, falling down with a crucifix in her hand. I told, through a brother interpreter, to have her stand up.

And I said, “Brother Moore, I don't know whether this is it or not, but I seen a little baby standing out in front of me, in a vision just now, smiling.”

She had it under a little blue-and-white-striped blanket, just soaking wet. It was just raining. It was about ten o'clock at night. The baby had died that morning, around eight or nine, in the doctor's office, with pneumonia. And so, she'd been standing in the rain, her hair was all down in her face, and she was a very lovely child. She looked to be—probably her first baby—in her early twenties. And the little fellow had died.

Now, I just laid my hands over on it, and I said, “Lord Jesus, I don't understand this. But according to that vision I seen....” I no more than said that, and he kicked and screamed, and the little fellow was alive! I asked Brother Espinoza.... How many knows Espinoza, Brother Espinoza? He was the one who chased it down to the doctor's office, found that it's true, see. That's right. The baby died that morning, just signed the statement. And so now, He's the same God today, if we can just have this same kind of faith in Him. That's right.

Our heavenly Father, send us that faith of that little Mexican woman today. She seen that little blind man healed the night before, standing out there with her baby in that cold, blowing wind. Took pneumonia, and the next morning early it died in the doctor's office. Her first thought come, if God can heal a blinded eye, can reveal the secrets of the heart, it's still the Word of God, for the Word of God discerns the thoughts that's in the heart. And she knew that He could discern the thoughts that was in her heart. She believed Him. And if He could raise up Lazarus from the grave, and He was the same yesterday, today, and forever.... She come, and You rewarded her, Lord, by giving her back her baby. It lives today, so far as we know. We thank Thee for this.

Bless us today, Father. Bless these people with these handkerchiefs and coats laying here also. And may your Holy Spirit come now and impart the Word of God to us. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

I know you have a meeting just in a few moments, or five o'clock, I believe. And usually that wouldn't give me time to get started, but I've been converted from that, I think, now. I've tried hard this week. And this sore throat—maybe that's working together for good.

I told the people the other day I had me a hair piece, but I was ashamed to wear it, because I've hollered at the women so much about their hair. And I had my hair taken out by carbolic acid. And the other night they opened that door, and a little air circulated through here. And I didn't think I was going to get back today. And I said, “If Oral Roberts is here, he can stand by, if he will.” He hasn't showed yet, so I'll read the scripture, and you pray for me.

St. Matthew the 27th chapter, beginning with the 11th verse, I wish to read. Now, listen real close to the reading of the Word, 'cause my word is a man's word. It'll fail. His Word can't fail. So now, listen close, as we read.

And before.... While you're turning, I'd like to announce that our brother, Oral Roberts, is going to be down in Jerusalem also, next Friday night. So you all want to come.

You say, “Where?”

Somebody said Florida was a promised land. I guess I can call Tucson, Jerusalem. Phoenix is in the valley, see, and Jericho is just down the valley from Jerusalem. I'll never get out of here like that, will I? Brother Oral Roberts speaks next Friday night. I'm sure you'd all be glad to hear him. We'd be glad to have you down.

Twenty-seventh chapter, the 11th verse:

And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the Christ of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.

And when he was [the chief] accused of the chief priests and elders [and of the, and] ... answered nothing.

Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?

And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marveled....

Now at the feast the governor ... wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would.

And they had then a noble prisoner, called Barabbas.

Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?

For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have ... nothing to do with this just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? And they said, Barabbas.

Pilate said unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

And the governor said ... what evil has he done? But they cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

...Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but ... rather the tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.

Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

My subject today, if I should call it that, for the next thirty minutes, is: what shall we do with this Jesus called Christ? And then, I would like to say this also, “Jesus On Our Hands.”

Now, I believe that the hour where our scene starts is along about daylight, in Pilate's judgment hall. And it's one of the saddest times, and one of the most crucial times of all history. Is ... the saddest mistake the church ever made in its history, they had just made it. And now it's been throwed into the laps of the governor, the state. Both church and state, because they were a people chosen of God, called to be His servants; and the nation was supposed to be controlled by God's laws.

And the church had turned down their Messiah. Although He'd been so well identified to them, they had chosen rather to stay with the tradition of the elders of that day, than to believe the anointed, vindicated Word that God had promised them for hundreds of years to come.

Did you notice it also prophesied that they'd be blinded? They couldn't understand this and how they'd be blinded; but they were. And they had made their great mistake. And this day they had made their final show of it. And now it's in the hands of the government. And now the government has to make its choice. The churches had already rejected Him, though God had thoroughly proved that He was their Messiah.

Now, I want to take just a few moments before we get down into this ... into the text, and so forth, that I have, and notes I got written here about 'em. How could those people have failed to see that? One thing, the Scripture clearly says they were blind. But it's hard to make them understand they're blind, just as hard as it is today when the Bible tells us that this generation is naked, miserable, poor, and blind, and don't know it. Now that's the Scripture.

Now you tell we American people that we're blind, we'll tell you right quick you don't know what you're talking about. But I'm going to bring you to trial this afternoon, find out whether we are blind or not. And we got Jesus on trial this afternoon, and His blood on our hands. And now, we want to see what we're going to do about it. Will we make the same rashal mistake that they made then?

Notice what happened. He'd been clearly identified, and fulfilled the office that God said He would fulfill as Messiah. There was no question about it—for He was born the way God said He'd be born, He was rejected the way God said He'd be rejected, He had proven Himself to be the Messiah, because the Messiah was God. Messiah means “anointed One.” And He was anointed with the fullness of the Godhead bodily, dwelt in Him.

He wasn't just a prophet, yet He was a prophet. But He was more than a prophet. He was the Godhead bodily, dwelling in a human being known as the Son of God. God the Father had overshadowed a virgin and created in her blood, in her womb, a blood cell that brought forth the Son of God, which God tabernacled in.

And He was identified to them, as who He said He was. But He never did come right out and tell them, “I am the Son of God.” No, no. They had to believe that. He said, “My works testify who I am.”

He commanded them to look in the Scriptures and see what day they were living in. Then they would know what He was. I think it would behoove us to do this, as we see another Exodus at hand. I think we should look, to search the Scriptures, when we see things arise.

We notice then, that the church had made their decision that they wanted nothing to do with Him. Why—when the Word correctly identified Him, and His works vindicated that He was the Messiah? Such a horrible, crucial thing, mistake, as that church made. And I wonder if it could be possible if we could make that same mistake?

They had been given their last chance to see what He was, and to accept it. Now, you won't always have the opportunity to accept what God sends. See, His patience finally runs out, and then you cross that line between grace and judgment. There's nothing left but judgment when God's patience finally runs out.

But they had been given this opportunity, and had seen Him identify Himself, seen Him at the well with the woman and told her that she had five husbands; seen Nathanael come up to Him after Philip had went and brought Nathanael into His presence, and He spoke and told exactly who he was and where he come from; told Simon Peter who his father was, and what his name was. And they hadn't had a prophet for hundreds of years.

And even that little prostitute woman recognized the Word of God. She wasn't all mixed up in something. She ... her mind wasn't all what we would call (if you excuse the expression) from this, muddled up, running here and running there. It was a virgin mind, as far as that's concerned. She said, “We know the Messiah is coming, and this is what He'll do.”

And He said, I'm He.“

And quickly she run and told the men in the city, “Come see Him. This is the very Messiah.”

Why those educators and people of that day couldn't see that? It'd be hard to see, if you wouldn't know the scriptures. But the scriptures said they were blinded, they were actually blinded. But they chose rather, instead of that lovely Jesus that the.... We hear the cry come out, “Crucify him!”

Pilate said, “What will I do with this Jesus, which is called the Christ?”

They said, “Away with Him, crucify Him!”

“Who shall I release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus?”

And they made the rashal mistake by choosing a murderer instead of life-giver, one that was identified as life-giver. They chose a murderer, who was identified as life-taker. What a contrast!

And I wonder if....

I say this with all godly respects for my brethren and my sisters, and for the men and women of this day who I preach to, with love in my heart for all people, I wonder if we are not about ready to see the same thing as they seen then. The government had become involved in this and the issue was on. The question must be settled. It was at a showdown. So has it been today. So is it in this hour. The showdown is on. Something's got to be done. You've got to say “yes,” or “no.”

But remember, it won't be when you're forced to do it. You have to do it on your free moral will now. Now! Not when that time takes place; when it does, it's over. Now! This may be the last day you'll have time to make choice. You can't do it then. You've already took it, it's too far at that time. You must do it now!

Don't wait till the last minute, because the boat will pull out and leave you. The doors will be closed. Many people would have come into the ark, if they could have gotten in there, when the rain started falling. But the issue was made, the gospel was preached, the signs was showed, and the time was over. The rain was then falling. Judgment was on.

Now, the whole nation had to reject Him, because that it was called (if we would say today a Christian nation, like this is called a Christian nation), therefore, if it was called Jehovah's nation, His selected people, then the whole nation had to turn Him down. The church had already turned Him down. The church had kicked Him out. They wanted nothing to do with Him. But now the government's involved in it.

So is it back again. It's right back in the lap again, with the scriptures laying here, identifying just exactly what Jesus said would happen. Why do we stagger on in this hour of darkness? Why do we let this come upon us, when we've been thoroughly warned? Just as it was in the days of Lot, we see the very same thing. Jehovah has set the scene, and told us, “as it was in the days of Lot.” You see the messengers out yonder into Babylon, trying to get Lot out. And you see the message to the elect Abraham, that was already out. And everything's exactly to name, place, and time. It's been thoroughly identified.

But now it's in the hands of the government. The government's got to condemn it now, and they're going to do it. Don't you worry about that. It's a Christian nation. It's got to take its Christian stand if it is.... The showdown is on.

The whole nation had to be brought into judgment because.... It happened about A.D. 70, when the great Roman general, Titus, besieged Jerusalem, about A.D. 70, with his army from Rome. And there they paid the price for rejecting Him.

Today as we look upon that trial there, and we go out here and impersonate it in different ways in the trials on Good Friday, and talk about it and things, and the very same thing that we are talking about happening on that Good Friday is right under our noses today. And our elders are doing the same thing they did, taking it right in on a similar trial, after a similar promised word of this day has been a-vindicated, just the same as it was vindicated there. As Jesus the common carpenter's boy (so thought) ... He was the Word of God made manifest. And He was thoroughly identified, because the works of God had manifested themselves through Him, and proved that He was the Messiah.

And today that similar case has come again, when the Holy Spirit that's come upon us in the last days, and identified Himself right in our church, and has proven the same works that He did when He was here in the fullness, upon Jesus Christ.... He did the same thing upon the bride, doing the same thing. And still we want to get rid of it. Remember these are tapes that's made, now, that goes over the world, not only to Phoenix here. I'm speaking to half of the world at this time, 'cause we got a tape business that goes around the world.

Notice, today we have a similar trial after the same identified Word: Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today, and forever.”

St. John 14:12: “He that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also.”

Matthew 28: “...all the world, preach the gospel to every creature.”

“Lo, a little while, and the world seeth Me no more. Yet ye shall see Me, for I will be with you, even in you to the end of the age.”

“Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today, and forever.”

They have chosen today not only a murderer, but a murderer of the Word, a satellite to the very first murder.

When the apostles was preaching the gospel, and it come down through Irenaeus and many of the great reformers, and founders back in the early age, it come to Nicaea one time for a showdown. And they decided to make a universal church, to force people to come under their jurisdiction. Many who's read the history there, knows many old prophets come there with animal skins wrapped around them, eating only herbs and things. And they tried to hold out for that Word, hold for the Word of God. But what did they do? That fifteen days of bloody politics, they finally decided to make a universal church, and ransom paganism with Christianity, and set it out as a universal church.

And today the Protestants are throwing themselves together in the Ecumenical Council. Doing the same thing—grafting in traditions of man, instead of taking the Word of God which is thoroughly identified by the Holy Ghost, that He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. The church stands in the balance today, and is found wanting. You're back in Pilate's judgment hall. Yes, sir!

What does it do? It's making an image unto the beast. It's a satellite unto Rome, when the Ecumenical Council is forcing, and will force, every Protestant denomination into it. They're practically all there now, full Gospel and all. The hour's going to come when they'll have to come, or stay out. And at that time, when that force come, you've already identified yourself with the mark of the beast. That's exactly.

What is it? A Protestant harlot, with the old mother Rome, the whore. Revelation 17 said she was a mother of harlots (exactly—Protestant denominations) holding out in her hand the cup of the wrath of God for her toast—her testimony—“This is what we believe.”; and each one, “This is what we believe.”

Here's what the church is to believe: the Word of God! And let every man's word be a lie. That's what it's supposed to be.

But we bring Christ again to that great crucial hour, that He stood in Pilate's judgment hall. Pathetically, a little bunch pushed off to one side with a bowed head. Other denominations rejected, and refused Him, and turned Him away, and said, “Have nothing to do with it.” You better check up on the Word!

Now, we find out this Ecumenical Council is ... what's it doing? It's.... The Bible ... you said, “Does the Bible say about they was...?” Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof! Blind, naked, church-goers having a form of godliness, but denying the power of the Holy Ghost which identifies Jesus Christ to His Word. How can a man claim to have the Holy Spirit and deny the very Word which is the Holy Spirit?

How can a man do that? His own testimony gives witness that he's not what he's supposed to be: committing spiritual fornication, denying the power of God. Paul said in 2nd Timothy, 3rd chapter, that that's what it would be. Said it would be heady, high-minded.

“I've got a doctors degree, a Ph.D., a LL.D.”

To me that's further from God than you was when you started. Yes, sir. That only takes you away from God, don't bring you to God. Only one thing can draw you to God, and that's the Holy Spirit by His Word.

The Holy Spirit is a compass, the North Star is the Word, and the compass will only point to the North Star. And the Holy Ghost will only point you to the Word—not some ecumenical move, not some denomination, but to the Word of God. You remember, all the other stars shift with the world, but the North Star stays exactly, because it's in the center. And every other man's word will fail, but God's Word can't fail. It's the North Star centered. It won't shift with the world. No matter where the world is, it remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. And He is the Word.

Brother and sister, I plead you in Jesus' name, to consider this. You've believed me in what I've said these years. If God has proved what I've said has been the truth (Not me. It's been His Word that's done it.), then I plead you in Jesus' name, to check on this. Don't be blind to these things. It's right upon you. And remember the Bible said, in Matthew 24:24, that all whose names were not written in the Lamb's book of life, from the foundation of the earth, would take this mark. Only the elected, who's ordained to see it, will see it. The rest of them will miss it a million miles.

We see its big moves set up now, Satan's big machinery set in order. The only thing it needs is.... It's got the mechanics; it's only waiting for its dynamics to put it in force. The moves, all congregations, the big council and things, the big machines sitting there, but they're waiting for that hour, when the lead goes down. And then they can make it, and force it—make it a law. Look at the broadcasts, and things we hear today over this radio, and the newspapers—why, it's right on you now. You haven't time to do nothing else but receive Jesus Christ. He's been thoroughly identified.

Listen. We say about Satan's big machine up there, ready to move, that's right, to crush down. But remember, God's little flock that believes the Word, its mechanics is ready, too. It's ready for the dynamics to set it afire with the Holy Ghost. “Fear not, little flock. It's your Father's good will to give you the kingdom.”

The Holy Ghost will strike a little church that's come out from the world—women that wears long hair, Nazarites that's proved they separated themselves from the....

A Nazarite is one who what? A one that separates themselves for the Word of God. Not shorts-wearing, painted-faced Jezebels calling themselves Christians! No, sir. Men so wishy-washy that'll stand for a denominational hold onto their coattails of some Caesar, or Herod, instead of standing for the Word of God. But God's got loyal people, genuine flock of God, who don't care what the world says. They believe that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

This is not popular. It makes you unpopular, but it's the truth. It's God's command for it to be done, and God'll do it. God bless you. Don't mean to scold you, but to warn you. Better be scorched than burned at any time. So take warning! The Holy Spirit speaks in these last days.

All that's written in the book will escape it.

Now, we find out the little flock is ready for the dynamics to move it up into the skies, to escape all this tribulation. Someone said the other day, when I was talking, said, “Brother Branham, you don't believe, then, the church will go through the tribulation?”

I said, “I believe the church will, but not the bride.”

The church will go through the tribulation. Yes, sir. But the bride's free from it. She'll go in the rapture, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, she'll be caught up to meet her Lord in the air, for the wedding supper. She has nothing to go through any tribulation about. Her Lord has paid her price. We're so thankful for that. Yes, sir.

After the rejection of both church and nation, there was only one cry come. The next move was get rid of it. That's the next cry we have. The church has firmly turned down the Holy Spirit. We know it has. Oh, members has come out of everything. That's the great call. Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran—but the church itself, the denomination, it cannot move. No, sir. It's already denominated. What's the thing of it is now? Crucify it! Crucify it what? Crucifying afresh. What? The a-vindicated Word to be the truth. God's Word crucified afresh. Just as Eve corrupted the whole physical world by rejecting one little bit of God's Word so has the church did the same thing.

You may say to me, “Brother Branham, you got the wrong interpretation of it.”

Well, that's to your opinion. God don't need any interpreter. God's His own interpreter. That's what the trouble of it is today. We've got too many man-made interpreters. God can interpret Himself. His own vindication of His Word is the interpretation.

The Pharisees might have cried out, too, “We got the interpretation.”

The Sadducee says, “We got it.”

But Jesus was the interpretation. Amen.

The manifestation of God's revealed power, promise, is the vindication. Read the scriptures and see what the church is supposed to be today. Yes, sir. God don't need any interpreter.

That's what they done to Jesus. They found out back there that they thought He didn't have the interpretation. He was the interpretation! God didn't have to interpret it. Jesus' life interpreted it.

He said, “Search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life. They are they that testify of me. And if I do not the works of my Father, then believe Me not. If the works that was spoke of this day don't manifest itself in Me,” He said, “then don't believe it.”

Did they do it?

God said “A virgin shall conceive,” and she did. You believe it? Certainly. But they didn't. “A virgin shall conceive,” and she did. It said, “The lame shall walk, the blind shall see,” and what would take place. It proved they would do it. And Jesus was the manifestation.

Moses said, “The Lord your God shall raise up a prophet like unto me.” The Word comes to the prophet, and the prophet.... The Word is a discerner of the thoughts of the heart. When they seen Him doing that discernment, they said, “This is Beelzebub, a fortuneteller.” That's no more than the name they pin on Him, the same thing today, and call it a holy roller or something like that. That's right.

No, He needs no interpretation; He was the interpretation. God proved it by Himself. Who is that sinful man today, or who was that sinful man then, that would deny that the Word wasn't interpreted. Jesus answered and said, “Search the scriptures. They testify of who I am. They are the interpretation. If my life doesn't interpretate what I'm talking about, then don't believe Me.”

What sinful men could there be today, that could look in the face of the Bible, and see if the Holy Spirit isn't the interpreter of the Word today, making Himself known by manifestations of promises of the gifts, and the things that He promised to do in this day; Malachi 4 being fulfilled, all the rest of the scriptures being fulfilled, and see it right here at the end of the time. You don't need any man to interpret it. No, sir! It interprets itself. It proves it's the message of the hour. Repent, and turn to God, all the world! You churches, repent, and turn to God! Don't try to wash Him from your hands, 'cause you can't do it. The issue's right on now, as it was then. Said, “Search the scriptures. They testify of Me.” Jesus said, “My works are my interpreter.”

He told Moses when He met him up there at the burning bush, He said, “I AM. I remember my promise. I remember that I'd take them people out by a mighty hand. I made the promise, and I'm going with you. I'm sending you. You just be my mouth-piece, and the signs will interpret whether I sent you or not.” Amen.

That's what men and women ought to look for today: a promise of another exodus, and an interpretation of God's Word being made manifest.

Trouble with that today, they say, “Well, my church don't believe this.”

What's the matter? You're living in a shadow of another age. Them churches was fine in their ages, but what about this age? This is another age. You'd never make Wesley believe on Luther, that it wasn't sanctification. No, sir! You're not going to make the Pentecostal believe on the Baptist, or like that, go back to that. They've found something better. They lived in the light of their day,

and today Pentecost has organized, and sat right down like they did. Exactly the same thing.

And the Word's moving on, and it's moving right away from them. That's exactly right, 'cause we get so stiff and so starchy. We let our churches get in any kind of condition, go right on. As long as we got members, that's all that's necessary, 'cause we got more than we ever had. We blow about that. Let me tell you something, an old proverb: that the devil counts his crowd; but God weighs His. That's true, too, yet today. God weighs you by His Word, see if you're found wanting or not.

I don't care about crowds, how many, how unpopular it is. It's God's Word being made manifest for this hour. Exactly right. Don't care about crowds, and who comes, and who doesn't. It's God's Word's at stake, like it was there in Pilate's judgment hall. Weigh it, and see what we have found, where we're found wanting. Yes, sir. We believe that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

We find out that He told Moses that, “I'll be with you, and I'll just use your mouth. You go speak the words as I tell you, and the signs will interpret themselves.” See, God don't need no interpreter. Oh, no. He mustn't be interpreted. God's interpret proves Himself. He said He was the interpreter of His own Word, and He is. He did it by Moses, and He does it today.

We know Him in the Bible as Elohim. Elohim is the all-sufficient One. He needs nobody's advice. He stands alone. He's God, and He is the Word. And when the Word promises something, and makes it identified before you, what kind of an interpretation do you want outside of that?

Oh, sinful man and woman, who are you that can rise up and say that it's wrong, when God with His Holy Spirit and promised Word interprets it in the face of every one of us. Who are we to say that it's wrong? Oh, sinful person, how could you do that?

“Sinful? What do you mean by that, Brother Branham?”

Unbelief.

There's only one sin, that's unbelief. Need not man's silly interpretation; he interprets His own. “I am the Lord,” He said. “I planted it. I'll water it day and night, lest some should pluck it from my hand.”

He also said in another scripture that He watched over His Word to perform it—perform it, reveal it. To what? His elected, to those (that it's sent to see it) that's sent to see it, rather. He performs it to those who are sent to see it. He watches over it, keeps it away from all these foolish carnal interpretations, these things: “This is right,” and “That's right,” and “That's right.” God's right! God's identified person!

Now, them Pharisees could sit up there and say, “We have God. We have the laws, we have this....” And there stood the Word itself. Said, “Away with it, crucify it! It don't identify itself with what we believe.” But it identified itself with the Word. Amen. Those who had eyes to see, saw it. Those who were blind did not see it. Neither will they do it today. That's all. They're going ... done sealed themselves off, many of them, from away from it. Oh, yes.

By fulfilling it, showing it to be true....

Some say, “I believe so much of it. Brother Branham, I can believe the Bible. I sympathize with the Bible. I'm a Bible sympathizer. I believe so-and-so. I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God. But I just can't believe all of it, because my denomination says it's not so.”

Then what kind of an interpreter you got? The same kind that Eve had—the devil. He tried to interpret the Word to Eve. And he said, “Oh, this is right, and that's right. But surely....” Surely's right! What God said, that's right. I don't care how much it seems to others. When God said it's going to happen, it's going to be that way.

Would you use Eve's interpreter? Oh, sinful person, how could you do that? Yes, sir! They had got Eve's interpreter.

The evidence.... As I said the other day, we try to place evidence. Luther said, “Believe, and walk out.” The devil believes, too.

Wesley said, “Shout, and you got it.” But he found out he didn't.

Pentecost said, “Speak in tongues, and you got it.” They didn't.

Christian Science said, “Love, you got the fruit of the Spirit.” But they haven't. They denied the divinity of Jesus Christ.

What is the evidence of it? When that Spirit that's in you can punctuate every promise with a “Amen,” and God'll confirm it. That's exactly the way it was with Jesus Christ. Oh, yes, they had ... they had more fruits of the Spirit. They had all kinds of evidences. You can't pin any evidence down to anything but God, Himself, manifesting His Word. That's the only true evidence that there is that you're a Christian. How can you be a Christian when....

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, the same yesterday, today, and forever. He was the same God that was in David, He was the same one that was in Moses, He was the same one that was in all the apostles. And He was the same one that was in Jesus Christ to manifest Himself there, for that promised Word. And He's the same God today, the same Word throwing light upon the Word of the hour. God be merciful to us. Yes, sir, believing God to interpret Himself, every word to be vindicated. Yes, He is His own interpreter.

Brother, I think of the hour. I could stay on this a long time, but you got a meeting coming. I believe, and I'm going to say today: if we don't watch, He's on the hands of we Americans. Think of it! I say this not through anger; I say this for light. I say that the blood of Jesus Christ is on the hand of the American church today. The blood of Jesus Christ is on America, whole. The blood of Jesus Christ is against the Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and Pentecostals. It's on the hands of all of us. Let's see if it is now. Think of it, the blood of Jesus Christ! Oh, my!

And as Pilate that day.... It reminds me of three ways that Pilate tried to get it off his hands. He tried all three ways to get it off his hands, but he failed. There's only one way you take it off your hands. Let's see what he did. Pilate tried these three ways, and they all failed.

We must face the issue. We know it's here, for his word has been identified by the Scripture evidence. The Word promised for the day is made flesh, even to the evil part of refusing Jesus Christ, and Him in this Laodicean age on the outside of the church. We know that's the truth. Think of it—the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son on our hands. You.... That scares me to think of it. To run through you, it sends chills to think ... the blood of Jesus Christ.

When a man will watch his own fellow man's blood.... One time in Chicago, not long ago, a friend of mine was standing there when one of the Dillinger outfit, or whatever it was, shot down on the street. People were gathered up by the hundreds, and they stood all around. But they ... what did they do? Where that blood was spread out on the street from that bullet hole, everybody walked around that blood. They wouldn't step in their fellow man's blood. Oh, no, sir. They are very suspicious of that. But they'll walk right through the blood of Jesus Christ!

This old saying is still true: “Fools will walk with hobnailed shoes, where angels fear to trod.” Right. They'll walk right over it, and say, “The days of miracles is past. That was all right for the apostles, but not for us.” Oh, my! How can you say it? You're tramping under the foot the blood of Jesus Christ, wherewith you were sanctified with. Oh, my! Think of the blood on our hands!

What a man's fellow's blood....

I think about ... long ago, a few weeks ago, when we thought it couldn't happen in our nation. What about this fellow Oswald, sitting there in that cell, sweating it out, if he's in his right mind. And I think of a man that would listen to this tape, or sitting present here, anywhere, and listen to the message of proving it; sweating it out, knowing that you got to come to judgment, and answer to the Word of God; answer to the blood of Jesus Christ which you've been introduced to—on your hands, on our hands.

Notice, Oswald sitting there. What an awful thing it ought to've been to him, or would have been, or I guess it was, when he thought that he would face an angry Supreme Court, with the anger of murdering their President. There would be no mercy. Any evidence they could get against him would be crammed against him. Finger prints, gun, place he was at, all would be brought before him.

That's a mild thing to what it's going to be to people who sit in these meetings, and watch Jesus Christ rise in the form of His being and identify Himself; and you walk out without accepting Him, holding to some little creed or something that you call sacred. That will be a mild thing when you sit in the presence of an angry God, who's tramped the.... You have tramped the blood of His own Son, and crucified Him afresh in your mind, swapped your birthrights for a popularity. It's going to be a terrible thing on that day. It will be a horrible thought! How can you sit in that sweat cell!

You natives in Africa, you in Australia, Sweden, Switzerland, you that listen to this tape: how are you going to answer in the day of judgment, when I've been in your nations, and you've seen the identification of Jesus Christ rising among the people, and proving Himself? Sweat? My, you must have sweated it out.

Oh, how could he do it, if he was in his right mind? What kind of an angry God do you think it'll be, to those who have trod under foot the Son of God, and crucified Him afresh again?

Notice. A pilot, when he gets ready to take a plane up, a pilot will take a plane out, he'll check everything before he leaves—every instrument. He'll go out on the runway and stand out there, and check those wings, flaps, check his gas caps, everything—every instrument he's got. He checks it over and over. Many of you has flown in planes, and you know that's the truth. He checks every instrument. Why? He's got the blood of his fellow man upon his hands. He wants to be sure that everything possible is running right.

How about a doctor in an operation? When he knows that he's going to operate, take a tumor, or heart, or something another, and operate on it? When he's going to operate on your body, he'll check your heart, he'll check your blood pressure, he'll check whether you got any cold, he'll check the anesthetic. He checks everything over, and over, and over again. Why? He don't want the blood of his fellow man upon his hands.

If a doctor and a pilot, and so forth would check, how ought the church of Jesus Christ to do? When we see the things that we're living in today, we'd better check. The blood of Jesus Christ might be left upon our hands.

Now, let's take one thing. Pilate's first scheme was, “I find no fault in Him.”

How that is amongst many of the fine groups today. “I find no fault in the Word. It's all right, but that was for the apostles.”

The Bible said, “He's the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

You say, “That Bible, it's all right. I believe they spoke in tongues. I believe they cast out devils. I believe they discerned the thoughts. I believe they were prophets. But not this day.”

Oh, Mister! Sinful man! What's the matter with you? What happens when Matthew 24:24 lays right back, and Hebrews 13:8 flies right back in your lap again.

Pilate, he couldn't wash it from his hands like that. No, sir, it come right back in his lap again. So will it to every man, when he stood and seen God keep His promise.

Peter said, on the day of Pentecost, “Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to them that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” How far? To all the world, to every nation.

Said it to every nation. “Go ye into all the world. [It hasn't reached there yet.] Preach the gospel to every creature. These signs shall follow them that believe.”

How you going to wash that from your hands? You cannot do it. It's a-vindicated, and throwed right back in your lap. It backfires, just like it did on Pilate. Oh, yes, sir! It comes right back to you again, when you see the Scripture identified right before you.

Secondly, as we're closing. Secondly, we find out there was another way that Pilate tried to do. So does people today—pass it on to his Herods and Caesars. Many fine ministers today, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Pentecostals, and so forth, will pass it on. “My headquarters is the one won't let me do it.” It backfired.

It's backfiring again today. I'm not asking the Assemblies of God, the Oneness, the Church of God, the Methodists, the Baptist, the Presbyterian. I'm asking you as an individual. What'll you do with the blood of Jesus Christ? What will we do with this anointed Word of God that's right before us today, that we know is to be, is the Christ, the promise of the hour?

What will you do with it? Not what your church does with it. Your Caesar, and your Herod, has nothing to do with it. That didn't excuse Pilate. No, sir. No, sir. Them Pharisees in that day said, “Let his blood be upon us, and on our children.” It is. That's exactly.

What did He, Jesus, tell them? “You can discern the face of the skies, but you can't discern the signs of the time.”

No, I won't say this for Phoenix, but I say it for anywhere it wants to go to—“You blind Pharisees.” How can you spend in the millions of dollars? You can discern Communism; but the Word of God a-vindicated for the hour you cannot discern. You're crucifying it again!

You know all about Communism. If you knowed your Bible, you'd know the thing's got to happen. That's not interesting to me. I hate Communism! I hate anything against God! But what my interest is, is this—the church being ready for this hour, for the going away of the bride. Discern the face of the skies; but the signs of the time you cannot discern.

And on His trial today, as in the federal courts, to make these council of churches, and everything.... You can discern the Communism, and all these things that preachers are preaching about, and walking right over the signs of the time, and calling it fanaticism. Call it mental telepathy, or something like that, and walk away; and forbidding your people to come even hear it! If history hasn't repeated itself, I ... my name's not William Branham. Exactly right!

What's going to happen? It throws the blood of Jesus Christ right back on your hands, and you're calling it an unclean spirit like they did then.

All around the world—I guess you know what I meant then. Everywhere.

Why'd you turn me down in Switzerland? Why did you do it, Finland? The blood's going to be upon your own hands. That's upon you, not me. You never turned me down, you turned Him down, not me, because you said, “I don't believe in such.” The Word says such. There you are. Blind Pharisees. They can discern Communism, discern all these things, but the hour they're living in, they can't discern it. That's exactly right.

Now, it's about to reach its.... My final goal again, the crucial hour is here again. What is it? Crucify Him!

“We'll make.... We can't all make them all Methodist, we can't make them all Baptist, we can't make them all Oneness, we can't make them all Trinity, we can't make them all this, that, or the other. But we can have a council,”—where you disagree as far the east is from the west. And the whole thing's wrong. It's a satellite to Rome. that's exactly right.

Now, as an individual, I'm going to ask you. What will you do with this anointed Word which is the Christ? The Word that was promised for this day? You, as an individual?

Pilate never got it off his hands. You know that. He screamed, cried, and every scheme he could do. He failed to do it. There's a legend up in Switzerland there, where green, or blue, water washes up where he committed suicide. You know the history of it. He finally run him crazy, and he committed suicide.

Why didn't he repent? He couldn't repent, no more than Esau could repent. He'd done it. Don't you let that happen to you.

He's on your hands. The works is done, the Bible's preached, the Holy Ghost has identified it. Any sinful man, dare you to say it isn't so. The Holy Ghost in this last day, and the words that's been spoke, said it would come to pass. And here it is, right before us. Don't try to do it. Don't let your end be like Pilate. No. He should have accepted Him in his heart. That's the only way you can get Him off your hands, is take Him in your heart. Oh, don't make that same mistake.

Listen. Hebrews 10 says this, “If we sin willfully [disbelieve willfully] after we receive the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin.” If you sin willfully after it's been identified to you and then you turn it down, you are absolutely ... no chance of ever repenting.

(Just a minute. I got a note here I want to bring to you before closing.)

Like the spies.... On the road to the promised land, they was in an exodus coming out of Egypt, come out by a promised word of God. God made His Word known by a prophet, Moses—sent him down there. He was identified, and he was a god to bring them out under the conditions that he was promised to—the I AM. When they come to the borderland, Kadesh-barnea, the great mistake they made.... When they got to the land and looked over into the promised land, they said, “We can't take it.” What was the other ten? They looked at the circumstances, the prestige they would lose. “We're grasshoppers to the side of them.”

But Joshua and Caleb checked up. They went back to the Word of the Lord that said, “I give you this land. It's a good land flowing with milk and honey.” They didn't count what they looked like, what this was, and what this evidence was. God's Word said, “I give it to you. Go get it.” And they were the only ones that went in.

Oh, let us check the promises of God for today. That's right. Remember, we're in another exodus. A time ... a exodus this time, not into a promised land of the earth, but into the promised land of glory, where there's no return no more. Glory to God, we're going to be there! [Blank spot on tape.] Will you do it while we bow our heads?

I'm going to ask this question while every man and woman is still. What will you do with this Jesus called Christ? Will you accept Him, will you take Him as your Saviour? Will you be a ... or will you wash Him off your hands? Will you try to pass off, “Well, my creed doesn't say this, or my denomination doesn't believe it just like that.” It's right on your hands. You can't get away from it. What will you do with Jesus called Christ? His blood is on your hands, since this week in the meeting.

Let us pray.

Lord Jesus, help us just now in this hour. Let thy grace and mercy be with us. Let this congregation see, Lord, that Thou art God, and there's none except Thee. Let the power of God, now, the Word, identify itself in this people, that it might be known that You're God, and I've told the truth, Lord. I've done it, this, at your command. As Elijah said long ago, “I've did this all at your command.” Grant, Lord, that it'll be so. In Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

Now, with your heads bowed, every one of you,

the Holy Spirit just stopped me a few minutes ago when I started praying. He said, “There's some here that don't know that yet.” May God of heaven leave you without anything.... May He throw it right back in your lap today, then.

You sick people here (I've never done this at a Businessmen's meeting.), you sick people here that believe God, and believe you have faith to touch His garment.... And you remember the Bible said in Hebrews 4, “The word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, a discerner of the thoughts that's in the heart.” We all know that. You believe it? Will you pray?

Let not one person move from now on. Let everyone be real reverent, real quiet, real quiet, pray. May the Holy Ghost, now, lead us to what to do and what to say, for this crucial hour is here now again.

Lord Jesus, it's in your hands, I'm in your hands. I commit myself to You. Throw it back in their laps, Lord. Put it right back. Sure, your great Holy Spirit tells me, here, what's right and wrong. And I know this tape's going to meet many out there. And I pray that you'll let it be known today, that I told them the truth. And I've been sent for this, like You said on the river that time, when that angel of the Lord stood there in that pillar of fire. Let it be known today, that I've told the truth, through Jesus Christ's name. Amen.

Raise your heads now. Look this a-way and don't you doubt. God Almighty be the judge of us. When Jesus Christ stood here on earth ... when He died He healed the sick, He saved the lost. You believe that? But when He was here, how'd they know He was? Because He was the Word. How many knows that to be true? He was the Word, and the Word discerns the thoughts that's in the heart. Is that right?

I can't see a person in this building, this time, I know except these pastors, and so forth back here. Or maybe Brother Roberts is here. I'll just have him start a prayer line. Is Brother Roberts back in there? Not here. All right, my ministry will do for this time.

I challenge you in the name of Jesus Christ to believe me, that I've told the truth about the words, and believe that what I've said to be the truth. Will you do that? Let it be, Lord, let it be.

There's a man sitting right here. I want you to turn your eyes. Can't you see that light hanging there? There's a man sitting there looking at me, praying. He's suffering with a lung trouble, and weakness. Don't miss it, sir. Mr. Carr, raise up and accept your healing. Jesus Christ makes you well. I never seen the man in my life.

There's a man behind there, very fine, who's praying, too. But what's the matter with that man? That man there has eye trouble. He's got a growth in his left side. His name is Mr. Bartlett. You believe it? Is that right, sir? Am I a stranger to you? Wave your hand. We're all strangers. That's right. God bless you. Believe—you'll be healed.

Do you believe?

(What'd you tell him that for?) You believe me to be His prophet, sir? Yes, sir. You're suffering with a spiritual upset, a little upset in business, and things. That's right, that's right. Mr. Clawson, you believe with all your heart that Jesus will straighten it out for you? Is that your name, that your place? All right, you can have what you ask for. Amen.

Somebody over here believe it. Amen. Somebody with genuine Holy Ghost faith.

Miss Waldroff. I see that ... I know you. No, it isn't for you. It's for that baby, and that baby is your great-grandson. I've never seen him in my life. That's the truth. The baby's suffering with a eye trouble, caused from an allergy he had. That's thus saith the Lord. You believe.

Lady, you're very sick, you're nervous, got a stomach trouble, almost in a nervous breakdown. You believe that God'll heal you? Mary, believe with all your heart and Jesus Christ will give you your desire.

He's on your lap! Here's a little lady sitting here praying, looking right at me. Head's down, raise up and look at me. Good person. You're not from here. You come from away from here. New York. But if you'll believe that Jesus Christ makes you well, He'll give you the baptism of the Holy Ghost. You believe that? Mrs. Bryan from New York, believe with all your heart, and you can receive the Holy Ghost right now.

It's in your lap, friends. Do you believe it? The Word making itself manifest. You believe Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever? I don't know these people. God's my judge, I don't know these people. Jesus Christ knows them.

What will you do with this anointed Word? As He said, “As it was in the days of Sodom, so shall it be in the coming of the Son of man.” If this part's true, the message that I preach is true. It's the Holy Ghost, Himself, doing its own interpretating that it's right. Amen! Believe it with all your heart. Will you do it? Stand up on your feet, then, and accept it, in the name of Jesus Christ.

While the Holy Ghost is here, I want to lay hands upon these handkerchiefs here. Let's raise our hands to Christ.

Lord Jesus, we believe you. We know You're the truth, and the light, the Word. I put my hands upon these handkerchiefs. I pray, Lord Jesus, that your power will circle in this building, through these handkerchiefs, over these little coats, and clothes, and may the Holy Ghost come upon them, Lord. Grant it. And may they be healed, every one of them. For thy Word is truth. Grant it, Lord.

Now, to everyone in the congregation: what will you do with this Jesus called Christ? It's on your hands. Don't you let the people tell you.... I mean the people on this tape, the people out here in the audience, what will you do with it today? Why don't you accept Him? Every sick man in here, every doubting man in here, every doubting woman, why don't you accept Him as your Saviour? You'll never wash Him off your hands. Your creed will never take Him off. There's not enough fuller soap in the country to move it. Only one thing you can do—get Him in your heart. Any man—will you accept it? Raise your hands then and say, “Give Him praise and glory.”

Heavenly Father, they are yours. Your Word is identified. The people are yours. I commit them to You in Jesus Christ's name. Amen. Raise up your hands now, and praise Him. And I commit him to You in Jesus Christ's name.