According to Mat 25:1-13, the kingdom of heaven is likened unto ten virgins who go out to meet the Bridegroom. All of them hear the message and take their lamps with them. But then they all fall asleep. We must compare Mat 25:5 with Mat 13:25: There the good seed was sown by the Son of Man; then the people fell asleep and that was the time the enemy used to sow his evil seed. Brother Branham called it “the seed of discrepancy.” In the parable of Mat 25, likewise, all virgins fall asleep and now the enemy also makes use of the opportunity to sow his seed. After all, every interpretation is a strange seed, which the wicked one sows. At evening time it has become light, as the prophet said many times; at midnight it will be manifested who has walked in the light and reaches the goal – who is foolish and who is wise. This does not take place at evening time when the messenger is on the scene, this happens at midnight when the Bridegroom comes. For then the foolish lack the oil of the Spirit. Indeed, and then they are sent to them that sell – not to Him who baptizes with the Holy Ghost and with fire! Those who sell do talk a lot about the revelation of the Spirit, but do not have it themselves.

One almost does not dare to repeat what the Lord says to the foolish virgins: “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” (Mat 25:11-12). This “afterward” or “later” will then be “too late.” This is not addressed to unbelievers, but to believers. Virgins who have heard the midnight cry, who went out to meet the Bridegroom must then hear: “I know you not.” What has happened with them? Have they at some point crossed the line and missed the connection? Did they let themselves get beguiled, misled?

In the last message to the Church, the Lord stands before the door (Rev 3:20): If anyone hears His voice and opens the door, He will come in to him and sup with him. Have the foolish virgins not heard the last knocking and did they not open the door for Him? At the end, they themselves stand before the closed door. After all, Jesus is the door through which we must enter. He is the good Shepherd and His sheep hear only His voice (Jn 10). Which voice did the foolish hear? Did they follow a stranger with strange doctrines? The “I know you not” to the foolish is beyond comprehension for us.

All of those in the Church who accept any strange seed are defiled and do not belong to the wise virgins any longer; they are beguiled, as Eve was. Paul said with all clarity that in the case of seduction, another Jesus, another gospel under the influence of another spirit is then preached. The foolish let themselves get tossed around by every wind of doctrine, whereupon their thoughts are shifted toward the evil one (2 Cor 11:1-6). The wise remain faithful and receive solely the seed of the Word. They remain under the divine influence by only believing what the Scripture says and how the Scripture says it. The faith, which has overcome the world, is triumphant with them.

Note the similarity between the statements addressed to the miracle workers, who in fact are deceivers, and to the foolish virgins: “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Mat 7:23) and:

“Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” (Mat 25:11-12).

As certain as the Scripture about the faithful servant has been fulfilled, so will the one of the evil servant in Mat 24:48-51 also come true, as well as what the Apostle Paul foresaw in a prophetic view: “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, … whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.” (Tit 1:1-11). Also in our time, the good seed was sown first; then the enemy sowed his seed on the same field. But a true prophet never became a false prophet, and a wise servant sent by the Lord Himself never became an evil servant – and vice versa. The Son of Man only ever sows the good seed through His messengers, while the enemy sows the evil seed. What our Lord said remains true forever: “The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one …” (Mat 13:38-52).

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” (Jn 13:20).

Through His teaching, God provides His justice for our guideline (Isa 28:17; 1 Tim 4:6; Tit 2:7). The table of the Lord is set with only the pure food. Now it becomes manifest who has found the connection and lives in the presence of Jesus Christ, and it is also obvious who has stayed behind in the experiences of the past and only talks about the prophet and about what happened in his ministry. Everything that was part of the ministry of the messenger has come to pass, and the whole counsel of God has been declared unto us. Brother Branham spoke about every biblical subject. Like Paul, he showed the women, the men, everyone their rightful place; he spoke about the Church order, about the ministries, and upon the command of the Lord he even addressed the difficult subject of “Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage.” By the grace of God, everything that Brother Branham taught can be biblically placed. In the days of the Bible, the concern was not about the life story of Moses or Elijah, or about the one of John the Baptist, of Peter or of Paul, about whom we know practically nothing. Likewise, today it is not about the life story of Brother Branham, but rather about Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation, which God is now bringing to its completion.

We resolutely reject cults centered on any person and any type of idolatry. Only a believer who does not recognize that God shall not give His glory to anyone else will idolize personal belongings of the prophet, and even his grave. However, we do not preach the prophet, but the things that were revealed to him by the Spirit – we preach Jesus Christ as the Same, yesterday, today, and forever. Whoever is truly chosen lives in the presence of God. All of the elect partake in the ministry of the prophet by recognizing what God has done and is still doing even after his departure. Now the concern is about what the Lord Himself has foreordained for this time. In full agreement, we can gratefully say, “Amen!”

Satan, the accuser of the brethren, uses spiteful people who are under his influence to destroy the influence of the servant of Christ which he has through the proclamation of the Word. The accuser will finally be cast out when the male child is raptured, who after the marriage supper will rule over all nations with a rod of iron (Rev 12:1-12). This is one of the promises that have been given to the overcomers (Rev 2:26-29). Then the ministry of Jesus Christ as the Advocate will come to its end (1 Jn 2:1-2). God has given us perfect atonement and perfect justification through the blood of the Lamb of God. There is never any enmity among the elect. The elect will never persecute or accuse others. It was the seed of the serpent, namely Cain, who feigned love, let jealousy arise because God did not receive his sacrifice, and became the first murderer (1 Jn 3:9-12; Gen 4:8).

As certain as the Redeemer entered the heavenly sanctuary as the High Priest (Heb 9:11-14) with His Own blood and offered up the blood of the New Covenant (Mk 14:24) upon the golden cover plate of the Ark of the Covenant (Heb 9:15-22; Ex 25:17), He surely is the Mediator of the New Covenant (1 Tim 2:5). The judgment seat from which the verdict was pronounced in the Old Testament became the mercy seat. Only when the completion of the entire Plan of Salvation is accomplished will the mercy seat again turn into the judgment seat. This takes place according to the sixth seal (Rev 6:12-17), when the sun turns into darkness and the moon into blood, when the terrible “day of the Lord” dawns (Isa 13:9-16; Joel 3:4; Mal 3:19; Acts 2:20; 2 Pt 3:10).

Paul went on to say: “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” (Rom 8:33). Who wants to condemn them? And then he listed a number of things which can come upon the elect, even tribulation and persecution, and ended with the remark: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:37-39).

The entire Plan of Redemption is embedded in the love of God. He has loved us and we as His redeemed and loved ones may continue to love Him and one another in His love (Jn 13:34-35).

The elect and the ones predestinated before the foundation of the world will experience the last and final work of God. First, the seed of the Word had to be sown into their hearts, upon which the latter rain shall then fall (Hos 6:3; Joel 2:23-24; Zec 10:1; Jas 5:7). God took care of everything. And as certain as He finished His Work of Creation, so will He also finish His Work of Redemption. Amen. Amen.

According to Mat 25:1-13, the kingdom of heaven is likened unto ten virgins who go out to meet the Bridegroom. All of them hear the message and take their lamps with them. But then they all fall asleep. We must compare Mat 25:5 with Mat 13:25: There the good seed was sown by the Son of Man; then the people fell asleep and that was the time the enemy used to sow his evil seed. Brother Branham called it “the seed of discrepancy.” In the parable of Mat 25, likewise, all virgins fall asleep and now the enemy also makes use of the opportunity to sow his seed. After all, every interpretation is a strange seed, which the wicked one sows. At evening time it has become light, as the prophet said many times; at midnight it will be manifested who has walked in the light and reaches the goal – who is foolish and who is wise. This does not take place at evening time when the messenger is on the scene, this happens at midnight when the Bridegroom comes. For then the foolish lack the oil of the Spirit. Indeed, and then they are sent to them that sell – not to Him who baptizes with the Holy Ghost and with fire! Those who sell do talk a lot about the revelation of the Spirit, but do not have it themselves.

One almost does not dare to repeat what the Lord says to the foolish virgins: “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” (Mat 25:11-12). This “afterward” or “later” will then be “too late.” This is not addressed to unbelievers, but to believers. Virgins who have heard the midnight cry, who went out to meet the Bridegroom must then hear: “I know you not.” What has happened with them? Have they at some point crossed the line and missed the connection? Did they let themselves get beguiled, misled?

In the last message to the Church, the Lord stands before the door (Rev 3:20): If anyone hears His voice and opens the door, He will come in to him and sup with him. Have the foolish virgins not heard the last knocking and did they not open the door for Him? At the end, they themselves stand before the closed door. After all, Jesus is the door through which we must enter. He is the good Shepherd and His sheep hear only His voice (Jn 10). Which voice did the foolish hear? Did they follow a stranger with strange doctrines? The “I know you not” to the foolish is beyond comprehension for us.

All of those in the Church who accept any strange seed are defiled and do not belong to the wise virgins any longer; they are beguiled, as Eve was. Paul said with all clarity that in the case of seduction, another Jesus, another gospel under the influence of another spirit is then preached. The foolish let themselves get tossed around by every wind of doctrine, whereupon their thoughts are shifted toward the evil one (2 Cor 11:1-6). The wise remain faithful and receive solely the seed of the Word. They remain under the divine influence by only believing what the Scripture says and how the Scripture says it. The faith, which has overcome the world, is triumphant with them.

Note the similarity between the statements addressed to the miracle workers, who in fact are deceivers, and to the foolish virgins: “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Mat 7:23) and:

“Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” (Mat 25:11-12).

As certain as the Scripture about the faithful servant has been fulfilled, so will the one of the evil servant in Mat 24:48-51 also come true, as well as what the Apostle Paul foresaw in a prophetic view: “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, … whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.” (Tit 1:1-11). Also in our time, the good seed was sown first; then the enemy sowed his seed on the same field. But a true prophet never became a false prophet, and a wise servant sent by the Lord Himself never became an evil servant – and vice versa. The Son of Man only ever sows the good seed through His messengers, while the enemy sows the evil seed. What our Lord said remains true forever: “The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one …” (Mat 13:38-52).

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” (Jn 13:20).

Through His teaching, God provides His justice for our guideline (Isa 28:17; 1 Tim 4:6; Tit 2:7). The table of the Lord is set with only the pure food. Now it becomes manifest who has found the connection and lives in the presence of Jesus Christ, and it is also obvious who has stayed behind in the experiences of the past and only talks about the prophet and about what happened in his ministry. Everything that was part of the ministry of the messenger has come to pass, and the whole counsel of God has been declared unto us. Brother Branham spoke about every biblical subject. Like Paul, he showed the women, the men, everyone their rightful place; he spoke about the Church order, about the ministries, and upon the command of the Lord he even addressed the difficult subject of “Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage.” By the grace of God, everything that Brother Branham taught can be biblically placed. In the days of the Bible, the concern was not about the life story of Moses or Elijah, or about the one of John the Baptist, of Peter or of Paul, about whom we know practically nothing. Likewise, today it is not about the life story of Brother Branham, but rather about Jesus Christ and the Plan of Salvation, which God is now bringing to its completion.

We resolutely reject cults centered on any person and any type of idolatry. Only a believer who does not recognize that God shall not give His glory to anyone else will idolize personal belongings of the prophet, and even his grave. However, we do not preach the prophet, but the things that were revealed to him by the Spirit – we preach Jesus Christ as the Same, yesterday, today, and forever. Whoever is truly chosen lives in the presence of God. All of the elect partake in the ministry of the prophet by recognizing what God has done and is still doing even after his departure. Now the concern is about what the Lord Himself has foreordained for this time. In full agreement, we can gratefully say, “Amen!”

Satan, the accuser of the brethren, uses spiteful people who are under his influence to destroy the influence of the servant of Christ which he has through the proclamation of the Word. The accuser will finally be cast out when the male child is raptured, who after the marriage supper will rule over all nations with a rod of iron (Rev 12:1-12). This is one of the promises that have been given to the overcomers (Rev 2:26-29). Then the ministry of Jesus Christ as the Advocate will come to its end (1 Jn 2:1-2). God has given us perfect atonement and perfect justification through the blood of the Lamb of God. There is never any enmity among the elect. The elect will never persecute or accuse others. It was the seed of the serpent, namely Cain, who feigned love, let jealousy arise because God did not receive his sacrifice, and became the first murderer (1 Jn 3:9-12; Gen 4:8).

As certain as the Redeemer entered the heavenly sanctuary as the High Priest (Heb 9:11-14) with His Own blood and offered up the blood of the New Covenant (Mk 14:24) upon the golden cover plate of the Ark of the Covenant (Heb 9:15-22; Ex 25:17), He surely is the Mediator of the New Covenant (1 Tim 2:5). The judgment seat from which the verdict was pronounced in the Old Testament became the mercy seat. Only when the completion of the entire Plan of Salvation is accomplished will the mercy seat again turn into the judgment seat. This takes place according to the sixth seal (Rev 6:12-17), when the sun turns into darkness and the moon into blood, when the terrible “day of the Lord” dawns (Isa 13:9-16; Joel 3:4; Mal 3:19; Acts 2:20; 2 Pt 3:10).

Paul went on to say: “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.” (Rom 8:33). Who wants to condemn them? And then he listed a number of things which can come upon the elect, even tribulation and persecution, and ended with the remark: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom 8:37-39).

The entire Plan of Redemption is embedded in the love of God. He has loved us and we as His redeemed and loved ones may continue to love Him and one another in His love (Jn 13:34-35).

The elect and the ones predestinated before the foundation of the world will experience the last and final work of God. First, the seed of the Word had to be sown into their hearts, upon which the latter rain shall then fall (Hos 6:3; Joel 2:23-24; Zec 10:1; Jas 5:7). God took care of everything. And as certain as He finished His Work of Creation, so will He also finish His Work of Redemption. Amen. Amen.