People ask questions, God answers by His Word

Answer: Some people might get the impression that I teach differently, but, as I said before, in the final analysis the truth is that I always have to be in agreement with all of God’s Word. I am in possession of his sermons and I have heard them, therefore I know the varying statements that were made in reference to the same subjects.

For instance, Brother Branham spoke about a seven-year period, especially in the three sermons on the “Seventy Weeks of Daniel”. He had the whole congregation repeat out loud, “One week equals seven years.” (pg. 108), and then again he emphatically spoke about three and a half years. In a case like that, I am forced to verify it with the Word of God directly. When he was referring to the entire time period between the rapture and the millennial reign, then he spoke of seven years, and when referring to the ministry of the two prophets, which is promised unto the Jews, he spoke about three and a half years.

When we are teaching, just quoting the statements does not suffice, we must also place them into the correct context shown forth in the prophetic Scriptures. Please, regard this quote: “The moment He starts that seventieth week or seven years, the Church is gone. Can you see it, friends? Raise up your hand if you can see it. … The moment He starts the seventieth week, or seven years, the Church is gone. Now, listen, I’m quoting again — re-quoting, so you won’t forget. This is what the Holy Spirit put upon my pen while I was writing …” (pg. 140, pars. 189-192).

Now, consider question 18 in the English edition of the Seals Book, pg. 492, “When was the covenant of Daniel 9:27 confirmed for a week?” Answer: “One half of it was confirmed, to covenant, when Jesus Christ was on earth preaching to the Jews.” Here he just repeated what others had said before him. Let us take a clarify-ing look into Daniel 9:24-27, where we are actually told about the seventy weeks, which are divided into three phases: 7 + 62 + 1. The Thus saith the Lord in the Scriptures about Christ, the Messiah, is as follows, “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for Himself …” Of course, it was done for us on the cross of Calvary. Right after this statement we read in the second part of verse 26, “… and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary …” That refers to Titus, who came with his Roman army and destroyed the city and the temple in the year AD 70. In verse 27 the following is said about the antichrist, not about Christ, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease …”

Our Lord made an eternal covenant with us by the blood of the covenant shed on the cross of Calvary (Mt. 26:28; Mk. 14:24; a. o.). Anyone who, for example, reads the 431 “Questions and Answers” in the COD Books will find that Brother Branham made varying statements in different sermons. The Scripture states that the Messiah would be cut off after the 62 weeks, which were preceded by the first 7 weeks (Dan. 9:26). The first part of this verse, as we have shown forth, applies to Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and the second part to the Roman prince. Daniel 9:27 refers exclusively to the antichrist, and the seven-year covenant spoken of here will be a “Roman treaty” over Jerusalem. In the first half of the seventieth week, the two prophets will have their ministry (Rev. 11), and in the second half, after the covenant is broken, the antichrist will reign for forty-two months in all his brutality and wage war with the saints (Rev. 13:1-10). During that time of persecution the Jewish martyrs will have to give their lives in fulfilment of the second part of the fifth seal (Rev. 6:9-11). This is according to the Thus saith the Lord in His Holy Word.