CIRCULAR LETTER December 2002
We are very grateful for all the open doors and the unsurpassed possibilities to spread the last message, and we are expecting the full restoration. The best is yet to come, the greatest things are still to happen. Great things always happen when the faithful Lord actualises the counsel of His Will. Whether it was at the calling out of Israel under Moses or the leading into the Promised Land under Joshua, the supernatural always took place among God’s people on earth when God fulfilled promises. That is always the time of special visitations by God, as it also happened at the beginning of the New Testament. Whether it was through the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the extraordinary ministry of our Lord, or in the original church by the apostles — it was always God Who worked in supernatural ways to achieve what He set out to do.
The same happened since the beginning of the unique ministry of Brother Branham. I count it as a special privilege to have known him and his supernaturally confirmed ministry for 10 years, that is from 1955 to 1965. I am a true eye- and ear-witness of the supernatural working of God. He was the promised prophet, as we have already shown forth scripturally in our publications. What he was told from the supernatural cloud in 1933 is being fulfilled worldwide before our eyes, “As John the Baptist was sent to forerun the first coming of Christ, the message that is given you will be a forerunner of the second coming of Christ.”
The man of God revealed what he was told on June 11th, 1933, at about 2:00 PM in the presence of approximately 4,000 people, he repeated the words spoken to him as he was about to baptise the 17th person. The commission addressed to him, he referred to in a number of sermons, emphasising the following, so no misunderstandings would exist, “Not that I would be the forerunner but the message was the forerunner!” We do embrace and accept the divinely ordained ministry of William Branham. What we categorically reject is when he is being idolised and we also reject all the unscriptural teachings and misinterpretations of his statements. We for ever accept as valid only what is written in the Bible, for that alone is God’s Word, the original seed. We have been brought back to the same Word that was at the beginning. The claim that special revelations were given, which go beyond the written Word, we reject once and for all. The Holy Scriptures contain everything as a testament whereunto nothing can be added (Rev. 22).
“Newly conceived” interpretations have always led to the proclamation of a completely different Gospel. Both things repeat themselves every time: The Son of man is sowing the good seed, which is the Word of God (Lk. 8:11). As soon as people are not watchful and fall asleep, the enemy comes and sows the seed of his interpretations. Both seeds come up, both receive the same rain and the same sun. The same light shines on both of the seeds, as they are on the same field and they are blessed in the same way. The difference does not lie with the sunlight, not with the rain of blessing, but in the seed itself. Every seed brings forth after its own kind. The good seed is the Word of God that comes up in the children of the Kingdom of God. The seed of the enemy is very similar to the wheat, but is actually the tares. Both grow side by side, so close that, if were possible, even the elect would be deceived. All brethren who use Brother Branham as their label, but do not respect the Word alone to be the seed and hand on their interpretations and special doctrines instead, are beguiled by Satan and do deceive others. This also explains the existence of so much jealousy and hatred, leading right to the killing of a brother in every way, committed by those who take after Cain (1 Jn. 3:11-12). They sneak by the divine commission for this time, which in no way could have ended with the going home of the prophet. In that way they live in their own world of the past. They do not see that after the prophetic ministry ended, the message that was entrusted unto him would need to be proclaimed to all the nations on earth. Now is the time of calling out and the preparation of the Bride Church. One could also ask, who was used after the going home of Brother Branham, to take the end-time message according to a direct calling as the first one to Europe, Asia, Africa and then to all the world?
What could people have profited if they would have made an idol of John the Baptist? All who received and believed his way-preparing message then followed the Lord Jesus in His ministry. And again those who followed Him until His ascension into heaven were present when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place and were endued with the power from on high, so the Scripture might be fulfilled. The same Lord through the Prophet Amos did not only say, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (3:7) but also, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” (8:11). The same Lord Who spoke to His prophet to store in food in Jeffersonville is the same Lord Who spoke to His servant at about the same time on April 2nd, 1962, “… store in food for a great famine is coming. Then thou shall stand amidst the people to give out the food.” The same Lord has confirmed the precise wording of the received commission through the mouth of His prophet on December 3rd, 1962, in the presence of Fred Sothmann and Banks Wood. He also stated, “The food you are to put in store is the promised Word the Lord revealed for this day.” And he even added, after just pausing for a moment, “Brother Frank, wait with the giving out of the food until you get the rest of the food.” God Himself has seen to it that the spiritual food, the revealed Word as it came through the mouth of the prophet, was kept on magnetic tapes. Every sermon Brother Branham preached in the USA was sent to me since 1958, right until December 1965 when he was taken home. Thus I could, parallel to his commission, store in the spiritual food, waiting until the rest would be given through his last sermon in December 1965. Immediately afterwards in 1966, the distribution of the message began, not 10, 20 or 30 years later! What man would dare to deny what God has done all over the earth? Up till now I have faithfully put forth the effort, with all strength and time, to serve the Lord according to His commission He gave me on April 2nd, 1962, just at the breaking of a new day. Not a single time did I strike out at any of the fellow servants or slander any brother, neither in a sermon nor in writing did I defame someone, nor did I in any way commit character assassination. Never once did I think, “My lord delayeth his coming!”
Right from the beginning I understandably could not tolerate any of the so-called special revelations, as I only respect God’s written Word to be valid. I cannot do otherwise. This is because of my calling, for the Lord Himself said, “… I will send you to other cities to preach My Word.” The words of my testimony are just as true as those of Paul in the Book of Acts. The spiritual food is the revealed Word of God, not the twisted interpretations. As the manna came directly from God out of heaven, so it is with the revelation of all the mysteries contained in the Word, which were harmoniously revealed from all the Scriptures. But for instance, if somebody dares to misconstrue the singular of Rev. 10:7, making it a plural, changing the “mystery of God” into the “mysteries”, then it is a reinterpretation, a falsification which needs to be indicted before God. If it is written, “the ‘mystery of God’ should be finished”, then it does not say, “the mysteries of God are finished”. Christ is the mystery of God revealed (Col. 2:2-3 a. o.). Not for one moment will I give my consent if the Word of God is being changed.
Every reinterpretation is a falsification originating with the lying spirit, even though it might be declared a special revelation. This applies to the many so-called “thunder-teachings”. The Bible does not know a “thunder-teaching” at all. The so-called “seven-thunder-revelations” do not exist, as there is no promise for it, it is vain talk. That I say again upon the authority of God’s Word. The seven thunders in Rev. 10 will only utter their voices at the moment when the Lord as the Angel of the covenant comes down, places one foot on land and the other on the sea and roars as a lion. Thus it is written and so will it be. Through the prophetic ministry of God’s servant and prophet all the mysteries hidden in the Word, right from what happened in the Garden of Eden all the way to the end, were revealed.
Brother Branham many a times refers to the extraordinary experience of February 28th, 1963, when the supernatural cloud appeared and the seven mighty thunderclaps occurred. At that time the concern was the opening of the seven seals, which took place in March 1963. With those seven thunders he connected great expectations for things to come, even for the rapturing faith and the final working of God in the Bride church. He longed to see the final ministry, wherein the spoken Word would be in force and things would happen instantly, “but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” — as he had experienced, if I remember correctly, five times. I myself have experienced it twice. This will all happen in the full restoration, when rapturing faith will also come forth.
The world knew Brother Branham only as an evangelist with a special gift of discernment and healing. After the opening of the seals in March 1963, he made only one trip to South Africa at the end of May 1965 and could not have meetings there, because in his visa was the clause, “no meetings, no prayer for the sick”. So he took a hunting trip with Brother Sidney Jackson and other brethren, staying in the Primrose Hotel in Johannesburg. The last meal before his departure he had in the house of Brother Lucas DeBeer in Kempton Park. The hide of the beautiful zebra he shot was given to me by Brother Jackson and is still hanging on the wall in my living room.
Now the important question arises: Of what spiritual value are publications about hunting trips and of the many personal experiences someone had with the prophet? Where is it written that someone should be a witness of such things? The only thing that really counts are experiences one has had with God and a calling that is of no repentance (Rom. 11). The apostle John, who witnessed the ministry of John the Baptist and also experienced the ministry of our Lord, was a witness of that, “which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life.” And of such a witness, having a Word of life ministry and a calling, not one of the brethren who refer to the prophet can report. God is always His Own interpreter. The words of the Old Testament and the things the Apostle Paul taught were already misunderstood at the beginning of the New Testament (2 Pet. 3). In the same way the statements of Brother Branham are now being misinterpreted.
Onecannot even think about the fact, that men who supposedly represent the prophet since the going home of Brother Branham assert up till now, that he would return before Jesus Christ comes and have a special ministry in a tent for thirty to forty days. Since 1966 I have asked the man who was the first to proclaim it, and who still believes and preaches it, to show me where Brother Branham ever made such an utterance. Up till now no answer has reached me. The same man and others with him, who 1966 expected and believed in the resurrection of the prophet, now are not waiting on the Return of Jesus Christ, but rather the resurrection of the prophet. That is not only a false teaching, it is a deceitful lie! People put their hopes into it, because it is laid into Brother Branham’s mouth, but he never said it. Whatever Brother Branham saw in the “tent vision” will be fulfilled. Of that I am absolutely sure. However, it will not be done through a man, only through the Lord Himself Who will complete His Work with great might among His people. I saw the tent and the multitude that was filling it on January 19th, 1966, in a vision. The North side of it was like a cathedral, it was a building with a balcony. The other sides were a round tent. I saw Brother Branham in front of the congregation turning away from the people who had gathered because of him and looking into the opposite direction. As I was sitting on the balcony, watching what was going on, a mighty voice calling my name said, “Your time has come … Turn towards the people and say, ‘The return of Jesus Christ is very near!’ …” What if now is fulfilled what the tent vision indicated, as the word is being proclaimed worldwide? At the end, when the dragon will stand before the woman and the pressure will be applied, the greatest visitation of God that mankind has ever experienced on this earth will take place, a mighty demonstration of the Spoken-Word-ministry throughout the entire world — not just in a small tent somewhere in the USA. During that short period of time before Christ comes we shall experience the complete restoration, which merges into completion and the rapture.
What happens over the course of the New Testament in the spiritual with the church was already foreshadowed in the natural with Israel. Knowing of the famine that was to come, Joseph had to store in food, so that it could be distributed later (Gen. 39-49). Joshua commanded, “Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to posses the land …” (Josh. 1 + 3). The revealed Word was in the Arc of the Covenant, which was with God’s people and therefore God was with them, because of the promised Word given to them. In the example of Job we are shown the restoration, which he experienced in a double portion (chapter 42). The Apostle James mentions Job in chapter 5 in connection with the Return of Jesus Christ.
The nicely told stories during the sermons and the well-meant and wonderfully edited publications of the “Acts of the Prophet” and the various periods of Brother Branham’s life have only entertainment value. However, we need to ask if through such things people are getting distracted and are led to bypass what God presently does and are waiting for something to happen which was not promised in God’s Word. Up till today we do not know if John the Baptist had an aunt or an uncle. We know almost nothing about the private lives of Peter, James and John, and also very little about the Apostle Paul. All we needed to know we were told, namely that they had received a divine commission and were placed into the service of the church. Nothing is even reported about the brethren of our Lord, James and Judas. We do not know their life stories or anything about their families. We only know that they were apostles. Wherever Brother Branham as the Prophet is made the subject and as a man is made the focal point, another Gospel is being preached, one after the kind of man (Gal. 1). For us the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ is valid. We do not preach Peter or Paul, nor Brother Branham, we preach Jesus Christ as the resurrected One Who shall soon return, the way Peter, Paul and Brother Branham proclaimed Him. In fact, it is the enemy who has split the believers in the end-time message into various camps, where Scripture and statements of Brother Branham are being misinterpreted, whereby they are getting distracted from the true proclamation of the Word.
The one who carries the true Word must be made untrustworthy by the imitators, so they can present their interpretations as trustworthy. It is being done with the intention to undermine the influence of the Word through the character assassination of the one who was commissioned to preach it. Men of God are set for some to rise up and for others to stumble, as it already was said of our Lord (Lk. 2). With them it is as the Apostle Paul wrote, “To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life.” (2. Cor. 2: 16). The Apostle Judas spoke of those brethren who did partake in the feasts of charity but later separated themselves, “Woe unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.” (v. 11). However, all true believers are grateful for the Word; for the others neither the Master nor His servants could do things right. A true servant of God esteems the reproach of Christ for sake of the Word very highly. He renounces the high regard that is given to those who on one hand refer to the prophet, but on the other hand have their own interpretations they are spreading. He only preaches God’s Word which remains for ever. Only by the Word one can test himself and others, to see whether someone is in the way of Cain, or in the error of Balaam, or even in the gainsaying of Core. Therefore only those who are born again and have come forth from the Word Seed are the children of promise. “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now” (Gal. 4:28-29) These two verses speak volumes. First it is the “Word of promise” and then it is the “Spirit of promise” Who manifests the Word in the children of promise.
The year that seems to have just started has already reached its end. No day, no hour, no missed opportunity will ever return. We look back upon the year 2002 that was outstandingly and richly blessed. New countries and cities were included into the worldwide proclamation of the divine message. Especially in Southeast-Asian and Far East countries also Brother Branham’s sermons and our publications are now printed in the local languages. Should we continue at this pace, and may the Lord grant it, then we shall soon reach the entire world through personal missionary trips, through the many TV stations and by way of literature. So far we have weekly programs in the English language broadcasted from the TV station in Kazakhstan, reaching 74 countries, and the one in Island transmits the program to 32 countries. Entire continents will soon be included into the glorious proclamation of the end-time message.
Finally, I wish to thank my ministering brethren in the local church wholeheartedly, as they have from the beginning stood firm with me behind the true proclamation of the Word. Many thanks also go to all those who work in the Mission Center to serve the entire world. To the ministering brethren in all of the countries on earth I would like to express my appreciation for the good co-operation. Also to those who do translation work and share in the distribution of the spiritual food, we wish for God’s hand to rest upon them, to give them wisdom and understanding to do the work of the Lord well. All who support this great work of God in their daily prayers and also through their tithes they give into the storehouse, so the food can be shared with others, they surely will receive their reward for their faithfulness. For your offerings we sincerely thank you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You participate in the sowing of the true seed and will also partake with joy in the great harvest of souls. All who do not give what was entrusted to them, but actually belongs to the Lord, into the storehouse, as the Scripture teaches, but act according to their own opinions, should read Mal. 3:8-10 prayerfully once again and come to know before God, if it is right to give tithes to self-appointed preachers who started their ministries through uprising against the divine commission for this time, forming and leading special groups. In view of the imminent return of Christ, can anyone justify using God’s money for anything other thansolely the spreading of God’s everlasting Word? All things that need to be corrected must be put right, so the divine order in every respect is biblically restored. All who belong to the Bride Church will not dare to live wilfully against God’s explicit words, they will no longer have their own ways. This is the hour of truth and all who are of the truth will live out every Word of God. Whoever is right in his heart will understand all things the right way.
For the year 2003 we sincerely desire for the will of God to be done in our personal lives and also in and through the Church of Jesus Christ.
To Him, the only true God, be praise, honour and all the glory through Jesus Christ, our Lord, now and for ever. HE has graciously visited His people and will soon return and take us home. Amen.
By His commission
Bro Frank
BILDUNTERSCHRIFT
Since the political change in Russia this Russian-orthodox sanctuary with the two statues of the Slavic apostles Cyrillos and Metodios stands at the entrance to the Red Square in Moscow. The cupola shows the stars as they can be seen on the European flag.
We are very grateful for all the open doors and the unsurpassed possibilities to spread the last message, and we are expecting the full restoration. The best is yet to come, the greatest things are still to happen. Great things always happen when the faithful Lord actualises the counsel of His Will. Whether it was at the calling out of Israel under Moses or the leading into the Promised Land under Joshua, the supernatural always took place among God’s people on earth when God fulfilled promises. That is always the time of special visitations by God, as it also happened at the beginning of the New Testament. Whether it was through the ministry of John the Baptist, or through the extraordinary ministry of our Lord, or in the original church by the apostles — it was always God Who worked in supernatural ways to achieve what He set out to do.
The same happened since the beginning of the unique ministry of Brother Branham. I count it as a special privilege to have known him and his supernaturally confirmed ministry for 10 years, that is from 1955 to 1965. I am a true eye- and ear-witness of the supernatural working of God. He was the promised prophet, as we have already shown forth scripturally in our publications. What he was told from the supernatural cloud in 1933 is being fulfilled worldwide before our eyes, “As John the Baptist was sent to forerun the first coming of Christ, the message that is given you will be a forerunner of the second coming of Christ.”
The man of God revealed what he was told on June 11th, 1933, at about 2:00 PM in the presence of approximately 4,000 people, he repeated the words spoken to him as he was about to baptise the 17th person. The commission addressed to him, he referred to in a number of sermons, emphasising the following, so no misunderstandings would exist, “Not that I would be the forerunner but the message was the forerunner!” We do embrace and accept the divinely ordained ministry of William Branham. What we categorically reject is when he is being idolised and we also reject all the unscriptural teachings and misinterpretations of his statements. We for ever accept as valid only what is written in the Bible, for that alone is God’s Word, the original seed. We have been brought back to the same Word that was at the beginning. The claim that special revelations were given, which go beyond the written Word, we reject once and for all. The Holy Scriptures contain everything as a testament whereunto nothing can be added (Rev. 22).
“Newly conceived” interpretations have always led to the proclamation of a completely different Gospel. Both things repeat themselves every time: The Son of man is sowing the good seed, which is the Word of God (Lk. 8:11). As soon as people are not watchful and fall asleep, the enemy comes and sows the seed of his interpretations. Both seeds come up, both receive the same rain and the same sun. The same light shines on both of the seeds, as they are on the same field and they are blessed in the same way. The difference does not lie with the sunlight, not with the rain of blessing, but in the seed itself. Every seed brings forth after its own kind. The good seed is the Word of God that comes up in the children of the Kingdom of God. The seed of the enemy is very similar to the wheat, but is actually the tares. Both grow side by side, so close that, if were possible, even the elect would be deceived. All brethren who use Brother Branham as their label, but do not respect the Word alone to be the seed and hand on their interpretations and special doctrines instead, are beguiled by Satan and do deceive others. This also explains the existence of so much jealousy and hatred, leading right to the killing of a brother in every way, committed by those who take after Cain (1 Jn. 3:11-12). They sneak by the divine commission for this time, which in no way could have ended with the going home of the prophet. In that way they live in their own world of the past. They do not see that after the prophetic ministry ended, the message that was entrusted unto him would need to be proclaimed to all the nations on earth. Now is the time of calling out and the preparation of the Bride Church. One could also ask, who was used after the going home of Brother Branham, to take the end-time message according to a direct calling as the first one to Europe, Asia, Africa and then to all the world?
What could people have profited if they would have made an idol of John the Baptist? All who received and believed his way-preparing message then followed the Lord Jesus in His ministry. And again those who followed Him until His ascension into heaven were present when the outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place and were endued with the power from on high, so the Scripture might be fulfilled. The same Lord through the Prophet Amos did not only say, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (3:7) but also, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.” (8:11). The same Lord Who spoke to His prophet to store in food in Jeffersonville is the same Lord Who spoke to His servant at about the same time on April 2nd, 1962, “… store in food for a great famine is coming. Then thou shall stand amidst the people to give out the food.” The same Lord has confirmed the precise wording of the received commission through the mouth of His prophet on December 3rd, 1962, in the presence of Fred Sothmann and Banks Wood. He also stated, “The food you are to put in store is the promised Word the Lord revealed for this day.” And he even added, after just pausing for a moment, “Brother Frank, wait with the giving out of the food until you get the rest of the food.” God Himself has seen to it that the spiritual food, the revealed Word as it came through the mouth of the prophet, was kept on magnetic tapes. Every sermon Brother Branham preached in the USA was sent to me since 1958, right until December 1965 when he was taken home. Thus I could, parallel to his commission, store in the spiritual food, waiting until the rest would be given through his last sermon in December 1965. Immediately afterwards in 1966, the distribution of the message began, not 10, 20 or 30 years later! What man would dare to deny what God has done all over the earth? Up till now I have faithfully put forth the effort, with all strength and time, to serve the Lord according to His commission He gave me on April 2nd, 1962, just at the breaking of a new day. Not a single time did I strike out at any of the fellow servants or slander any brother, neither in a sermon nor in writing did I defame someone, nor did I in any way commit character assassination. Never once did I think, “My lord delayeth his coming!”
Right from the beginning I understandably could not tolerate any of the so-called special revelations, as I only respect God’s written Word to be valid. I cannot do otherwise. This is because of my calling, for the Lord Himself said, “… I will send you to other cities to preach My Word.” The words of my testimony are just as true as those of Paul in the Book of Acts. The spiritual food is the revealed Word of God, not the twisted interpretations. As the manna came directly from God out of heaven, so it is with the revelation of all the mysteries contained in the Word, which were harmoniously revealed from all the Scriptures. But for instance, if somebody dares to misconstrue the singular of Rev. 10:7, making it a plural, changing the “mystery of God” into the “mysteries”, then it is a reinterpretation, a falsification which needs to be indicted before God. If it is written, “the ‘mystery of God’ should be finished”, then it does not say, “the mysteries of God are finished”. Christ is the mystery of God revealed (Col. 2:2-3 a. o.). Not for one moment will I give my consent if the Word of God is being changed.
Every reinterpretation is a falsification originating with the lying spirit, even though it might be declared a special revelation. This applies to the many so-called “thunder-teachings”. The Bible does not know a “thunder-teaching” at all. The so-called “seven-thunder-revelations” do not exist, as there is no promise for it, it is vain talk. That I say again upon the authority of God’s Word. The seven thunders in Rev. 10 will only utter their voices at the moment when the Lord as the Angel of the covenant comes down, places one foot on land and the other on the sea and roars as a lion. Thus it is written and so will it be. Through the prophetic ministry of God’s servant and prophet all the mysteries hidden in the Word, right from what happened in the Garden of Eden all the way to the end, were revealed.
Brother Branham many a times refers to the extraordinary experience of February 28th, 1963, when the supernatural cloud appeared and the seven mighty thunderclaps occurred. At that time the concern was the opening of the seven seals, which took place in March 1963. With those seven thunders he connected great expectations for things to come, even for the rapturing faith and the final working of God in the Bride church. He longed to see the final ministry, wherein the spoken Word would be in force and things would happen instantly, “but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.” — as he had experienced, if I remember correctly, five times. I myself have experienced it twice. This will all happen in the full restoration, when rapturing faith will also come forth.
The world knew Brother Branham only as an evangelist with a special gift of discernment and healing. After the opening of the seals in March 1963, he made only one trip to South Africa at the end of May 1965 and could not have meetings there, because in his visa was the clause, “no meetings, no prayer for the sick”. So he took a hunting trip with Brother Sidney Jackson and other brethren, staying in the Primrose Hotel in Johannesburg. The last meal before his departure he had in the house of Brother Lucas DeBeer in Kempton Park. The hide of the beautiful zebra he shot was given to me by Brother Jackson and is still hanging on the wall in my living room.
Now the important question arises: Of what spiritual value are publications about hunting trips and of the many personal experiences someone had with the prophet? Where is it written that someone should be a witness of such things? The only thing that really counts are experiences one has had with God and a calling that is of no repentance (Rom. 11). The apostle John, who witnessed the ministry of John the Baptist and also experienced the ministry of our Lord, was a witness of that, “which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life.” And of such a witness, having a Word of life ministry and a calling, not one of the brethren who refer to the prophet can report. God is always His Own interpreter. The words of the Old Testament and the things the Apostle Paul taught were already misunderstood at the beginning of the New Testament (2 Pet. 3). In the same way the statements of Brother Branham are now being misinterpreted.
One cannot even think about the fact, that men who supposedly represent the prophet since the going home of Brother Branham assert up till now, that he would return before Jesus Christ comes and have a special ministry in a tent for thirty to forty days. Since 1966 I have asked the man who was the first to proclaim it, and who still believes and preaches it, to show me where Brother Branham ever made such an utterance. Up till now no answer has reached me. The same man and others with him, who 1966 expected and believed in the resurrection of the prophet, now are not waiting on the Return of Jesus Christ, but rather the resurrection of the prophet. That is not only a false teaching, it is a deceitful lie! People put their hopes into it, because it is laid into Brother Branham’s mouth, but he never said it. Whatever Brother Branham saw in the “tent vision” will be fulfilled. Of that I am absolutely sure. However, it will not be done through a man, only through the Lord Himself Who will complete His Work with great might among His people. I saw the tent and the multitude that was filling it on January 19th, 1966, in a vision. The North side of it was like a cathedral, it was a building with a balcony. The other sides were a round tent. I saw Brother Branham in front of the congregation turning away from the people who had gathered because of him and looking into the opposite direction. As I was sitting on the balcony, watching what was going on, a mighty voice calling my name said, “Your time has come … Turn towards the people and say, ‘The return of Jesus Christ is very near!’ …” What if now is fulfilled what the tent vision indicated, as the word is being proclaimed worldwide? At the end, when the dragon will stand before the woman and the pressure will be applied, the greatest visitation of God that mankind has ever experienced on this earth will take place, a mighty demonstration of the Spoken-Word-ministry throughout the entire world — not just in a small tent somewhere in the USA. During that short period of time before Christ comes we shall experience the complete restoration, which merges into completion and the rapture.
What happens over the course of the New Testament in the spiritual with the church was already foreshadowed in the natural with Israel. Knowing of the famine that was to come, Joseph had to store in food, so that it could be distributed later (Gen. 39-49). Joshua commanded, “Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to posses the land …” (Josh. 1 + 3). The revealed Word was in the Arc of the Covenant, which was with God’s people and therefore God was with them, because of the promised Word given to them. In the example of Job we are shown the restoration, which he experienced in a double portion (chapter 42). The Apostle James mentions Job in chapter 5 in connection with the Return of Jesus Christ.
The nicely told stories during the sermons and the well-meant and wonderfully edited publications of the “Acts of the Prophet” and the various periods of Brother Branham’s life have only entertainment value. However, we need to ask if through such things people are getting distracted and are led to bypass what God presently does and are waiting for something to happen which was not promised in God’s Word. Up till today we do not know if John the Baptist had an aunt or an uncle. We know almost nothing about the private lives of Peter, James and John, and also very little about the Apostle Paul. All we needed to know we were told, namely that they had received a divine commission and were placed into the service of the church. Nothing is even reported about the brethren of our Lord, James and Judas. We do not know their life stories or anything about their families. We only know that they were apostles. Wherever Brother Branham as the Prophet is made the subject and as a man is made the focal point, another Gospel is being preached, one after the kind of man (Gal. 1). For us the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ is valid. We do not preach Peter or Paul, nor Brother Branham, we preach Jesus Christ as the resurrected One Who shall soon return, the way Peter, Paul and Brother Branham proclaimed Him. In fact, it is the enemy who has split the believers in the end-time message into various camps, where Scripture and statements of Brother Branham are being misinterpreted, whereby they are getting distracted from the true proclamation of the Word.
The one who carries the true Word must be made untrustworthy by the imitators, so they can present their interpretations as trustworthy. It is being done with the intention to undermine the influence of the Word through the character assassination of the one who was commissioned to preach it. Men of God are set for some to rise up and for others to stumble, as it already was said of our Lord (Lk. 2). With them it is as the Apostle Paul wrote, “To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life.” (2. Cor. 2: 16). The Apostle Judas spoke of those brethren who did partake in the feasts of charity but later separated themselves, “Woe unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.” (v. 11). However, all true believers are grateful for the Word; for the others neither the Master nor His servants could do things right. A true servant of God esteems the reproach of Christ for sake of the Word very highly. He renounces the high regard that is given to those who on one hand refer to the prophet, but on the other hand have their own interpretations they are spreading. He only preaches God’s Word which remains for ever. Only by the Word one can test himself and others, to see whether someone is in the way of Cain, or in the error of Balaam, or even in the gainsaying of Core. Therefore only those who are born again and have come forth from the Word Seed are the children of promise. “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now” (Gal. 4:28-29) These two verses speak volumes. First it is the “Word of promise” and then it is the “Spirit of promise” Who manifests the Word in the children of promise.
The year that seems to have just started has already reached its end. No day, no hour, no missed opportunity will ever return. We look back upon the year 2002 that was outstandingly and richly blessed. New countries and cities were included into the worldwide proclamation of the divine message. Especially in Southeast-Asian and Far East countries also Brother Branham’s sermons and our publications are now printed in the local languages. Should we continue at this pace, and may the Lord grant it, then we shall soon reach the entire world through personal missionary trips, through the many TV stations and by way of literature. So far we have weekly programs in the English language broadcasted from the TV station in Kazakhstan, reaching 74 countries, and the one in Island transmits the program to 32 countries. Entire continents will soon be included into the glorious proclamation of the end-time message.
Finally, I wish to thank my ministering brethren in the local church wholeheartedly, as they have from the beginning stood firm with me behind the true proclamation of the Word. Many thanks also go to all those who work in the Mission Center to serve the entire world. To the ministering brethren in all of the countries on earth I would like to express my appreciation for the good co-operation. Also to those who do translation work and share in the distribution of the spiritual food, we wish for God’s hand to rest upon them, to give them wisdom and understanding to do the work of the Lord well. All who support this great work of God in their daily prayers and also through their tithes they give into the storehouse, so the food can be shared with others, they surely will receive their reward for their faithfulness. For your offerings we sincerely thank you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. You participate in the sowing of the true seed and will also partake with joy in the great harvest of souls. All who do not give what was entrusted to them, but actually belongs to the Lord, into the storehouse, as the Scripture teaches, but act according to their own opinions, should read Mal. 3:8-10 prayerfully once again and come to know before God, if it is right to give tithes to self-appointed preachers who started their ministries through uprising against the divine commission for this time, forming and leading special groups. In view of the imminent return of Christ, can anyone justify using God’s money for anything other than solely the spreading of God’s everlasting Word? All things that need to be corrected must be put right, so the divine order in every respect is biblically restored. All who belong to the Bride Church will not dare to live wilfully against God’s explicit words, they will no longer have their own ways. This is the hour of truth and all who are of the truth will live out every Word of God. Whoever is right in his heart will understand all things the right way.
For the year 2003 we sincerely desire for the will of God to be done in our personal lives and also in and through the Church of Jesus Christ.
To Him, the only true God, be praise, honour and all the glory through Jesus Christ, our Lord, now and for ever. HE has graciously visited His people and will soon return and take us home. Amen.
By His commission
Bro Frank
BILDUNTERSCHRIFT
Since the political change in Russia this Russian-orthodox sanctuary with the two statues of the Slavic apostles Cyrillos and Metodios stands at the entrance to the Red Square in Moscow. The cupola shows the stars as they can be seen on the European flag.