It is obvious that God’s unchangeable order remains in continuity in the Old and the New Testament. In the 20th century, God says the same thing He did six, four or two thousand years ago. If someone dislikes it he places himself on the same level as the modern thinking humanity of today, who do not have any orientation whatsoever, but walk in their own ways right into destruction. We also need to ask ourselves, what would it be if God would once say this, and then say something different again. He would not be God, Who in eternity made a plan for all, with humanity and also the things happening in the course of the salvation period right into the completion. How could He judge with the same rules if they are not found unchanged in His Word?

Quote: “So now, we see the whole picture of it unfolding to us. There she is. That’s why God won’t let her teach, won’t let her do anything in the church but to set still with a veiled face.“ (pg. 29) Areal harsh statement without love? Who can hear it? Who can bear it? Who will be offended by it and go back? Who will receive it with a thankful heart and go forward? In the New Testament we do not find women ministries of apostlesses, prophetesses, evangelistesses, teachers and pastors. In the 4th church age the angel is being reprimanded because he did not stop that woman Jezebel who pretended to be a prophetess and also was teaching (Rev. 2:20). God had to speak very sternly to the angel of the church because he let this woman have her way. The Lord of heaven does the same today.

The prophet Ezekiel had already taken a stand against the prophetesses after he had really reprimanded the false prophets and their deeds (Ezek. 13). The Lord commanded him, “… set thy face against the daughters of thy people, who prophesy out of their own heart…“ Those women were very clever, they knew how to do things, but they were addressed woefully. “Woe to the women that sew amulets upon all wrists, and make kerchiefs for the head …“ They are the ones who can fit anything into every situation. Prophesying they are taking souls captive, and through false inspiration they kill them because of the poison therein. In such cases it is not prophesying but soothsaying, and sorcery. Whatever a soothsayer might announce can be true, but prophecy comes from God and soothsaying comes from satan (compare Acts 16:16-18, Acts 21:7- 14 a. o.). In a prophecy brought by the Spirit of God and addressed to the Church there are always three main points: Edification, and exhortation, and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3). Whatever comes from God leads to Him and connects with Him, and not the one using the gift, who is just a vessel. False prophets and prophetesses, especially, are known by this fact. They speak as though God is the one Who is speaking. They present themselves as very spiritual, and those they minister to believe them in childlike faith. Through their »gift« they bind the people to themselves and make them dependant on their prophecies. These, as they say, are personal revelations, which spiritually bind the people to them. At the same time the poor souls loose their personal liberty, for they are afraid that God might reveal something against them.

They trust them because of the gifts, and believe them without comprehending that they are drawn under the same ban of Satan that these people are under. The Scripture says, “Therefore, ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations; for I will deliver my people out of your hand; and ye shall know that I am the Lord“ (Ezek. 13:23). It is horrible that such people who do not respect the Word see visions which are caused by a lying spirit. Those who handle what they claim are the gifts are not aware of it that their prophesying, connected with lying visions, is soothsaying; and therefore, those believers in good faith, are brought under a situation of being bewitched, and are not aware of it. Nobody would suspect that such “spiritually gifted“ persons are directly presented and used by the enemy to mislead and destroy the church. All this goes back to Eve who was beguiled by the enemy and became his tool to destroy the original plan of God for His children.

There is also false inspiration which can come upon anyone like it happened to Peter who had a very good suggestion; he meant well, and gave counsel to the Lord that He should not suffer. He took Him aside and said, “Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee. But he turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan. Thou art an of-fence unto me; for thou savorest not the things that are of God, but those that are of men“ Peter, though, did not speak to the Lord referring to a vision or by prophecy to influence Him, as it has been done by Jezebels, false anointed ones and false prophets right up to our time. The fact is that Peter did not watch at that moment and came under well-meant but wrong devilish inspiration.

We must all watch at all times. Every time when something is said that does not coincide with the whole testimony of Scripture, wrong inspiration is being exercised, regardless of whom the enemy speaks through at that moment. The Word alone is for ever the only valid measuring rod. Whatever originates from the Spirit of God will always agree with the Holy Scripture. Anything else can be religious, but at the same time deceptive and a false inspiration. Never before was the gift of discerning spirits as necessary as in this deceiving age, where right and wrong are so close together that if it were possible even the elect would be deceived.

Concerning the ministries, God placed them on the brothers for the upbuilding of the church (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11 a. o.). Paul had to tell women who were ready to use gifts, to pray and to prophesy, where inspiration comes in, therefore, it must first be tested and proven, because the enemy slips in there as they are about to receive inspiration. Therefore, they had to veil their heads and not lift up their noses because spiritual pride comes before the fall of any believer. The long hair, in such prayer meetings, where gifts are in operation, is given to women as a covering (1 Cor. 11:5 + 15), and also serves as a sign of practical submission as required by the Scripture, because of the angels who are responsible in the church. These angels are the servants of God (v. 10). The Word »angel« and »messenger« are the same in the original text. When we read that some have entertained angels without knowing (Heb. 13:2), it was neither Gabriel nor Michael, but rather Paul and Peter, and any other servant of the Lord as a guest. Seven times we read in Revelation 2 and 3: “… and unto the angel of the church … write …“ — that is the messenger who was placed by God. True servants of the Lord are messengers of Christ, and His ambassadors (2 Cor. 5).

Brother Branham is in full agreement with the exposition Paul gave and repeats what the apostle said, “For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have authority on her head because of the angels” (1 Cor. 11:8-10). It is hoped that all will have the needed fear of God, respect for His Word and also for His messengers and His message. Every Word of God also, which speaks about the sign of authority, as was left to us, is as holy and compulsory as any other Word of God. Man lives by every Word that comes from the mouth of God. We must be ready to walk all the way in obedience and in the same footsteps as our brothers and sisters did at the beginning of the early Church under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides and works always in the same manner.

It is obvious that God’s unchangeable order remains in continuity in the Old and the New Testament. In the 20th century, God says the same thing He did six, four or two thousand years ago. If someone dislikes it he places himself on the same level as the modern thinking humanity of today, who do not have any orientation whatsoever, but walk in their own ways right into destruction. We also need to ask ourselves, what would it be if God would once say this, and then say something different again. He would not be God, Who in eternity made a plan for all, with humanity and also the things happening in the course of the salvation period right into the completion. How could He judge with the same rules if they are not found unchanged in His Word?

Quote: “So now, we see the whole picture of it unfolding to us. There she is. That’s why God won’t let her teach, won’t let her do anything in the church but to set still with a veiled face.“ (pg. 29) Areal harsh statement without love? Who can hear it? Who can bear it? Who will be offended by it and go back? Who will receive it with a thankful heart and go forward? In the New Testament we do not find women ministries of apostlesses, prophetesses, evangelistesses, teachers and pastors. In the 4th church age the angel is being reprimanded because he did not stop that woman Jezebel who pretended to be a prophetess and also was teaching (Rev. 2:20). God had to speak very sternly to the angel of the church because he let this woman have her way. The Lord of heaven does the same today.

The prophet Ezekiel had already taken a stand against the prophetesses after he had really reprimanded the false prophets and their deeds (Ezek. 13). The Lord commanded him, “… set thy face against the daughters of thy people, who prophesy out of their own heart…“ Those women were very clever, they knew how to do things, but they were addressed woefully. “Woe to the women that sew amulets upon all wrists, and make kerchiefs for the head …“ They are the ones who can fit anything into every situation. Prophesying they are taking souls captive, and through false inspiration they kill them because of the poison therein. In such cases it is not prophesying but soothsaying, and sorcery. Whatever a soothsayer might announce can be true, but prophecy comes from God and soothsaying comes from satan (compare Acts 16:16-18, Acts 21:7- 14 a. o.). In a prophecy brought by the Spirit of God and addressed to the Church there are always three main points: Edification, and exhortation, and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3). Whatever comes from God leads to *Him* and connects with Him, and not the one using the gift, who is just a vessel. False prophets and prophetesses, especially, are known by this fact. They speak as though God is the one Who is speaking. They present themselves as very spiritual, and those they minister to believe them in childlike faith. Through their »gift« they bind the people to themselves and make them dependant on their prophecies. These, as they say, are personal revelations, which spiritually bind the people to them. At the same time the poor souls loose their personal liberty, for they are afraid that God might reveal something against them.

They trust them because of the gifts, and believe them without comprehending that they are drawn under the same ban of Satan that these people are under. The Scripture says, “Therefore, ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations; for I will deliver my people out of your hand; and ye shall know that I am the Lord“ (Ezek. 13:23). It is horrible that such people who do not respect the Word see visions which are caused by a lying spirit. Those who handle what they claim are the gifts are not aware of it that their prophesying, connected with lying visions, is soothsaying; and therefore, those believers in good faith, are brought under a situation of being bewitched, and are not aware of it. Nobody would suspect that such “spiritually gifted“ persons are directly presented and used by the enemy to mislead and destroy the church. All this goes back to Eve who was beguiled by the enemy and became his tool to destroy the original plan of God for His children.

There is also false inspiration which can come upon anyone like it happened to Peter who had a very good suggestion; he meant well, and gave counsel to the Lord that He should not suffer. He took Him aside and said, “Be it far from thee, Lord; this shall not be unto thee. But he turned and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan. Thou art an of-fence unto me; for thou savorest not the things that are of God, but those that are of men“ Peter, though, did not speak to the Lord referring to a vision or by prophecy to influence Him, as it has been done by Jezebels, false anointed ones and false prophets right up to our time. The fact is that Peter did not watch at that moment and came under well-meant but wrong devilish inspiration.

We must all watch at all times. Every time when something is said that does not coincide with the whole testimony of Scripture, wrong inspiration is being exercised, regardless of whom the enemy speaks through at that moment. The Word alone is for ever the only valid measuring rod. Whatever originates from the Spirit of God will always agree with the Holy Scripture. Anything else can be religious, but at the same time deceptive and a false inspiration. Never before was the gift of discerning spirits as necessary as in this deceiving age, where right and wrong are so close together that if it were possible even the elect would be deceived.

Concerning the ministries, God placed them on the brothers for the upbuilding of the church (1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11 a. o.). Paul had to tell women who were ready to use gifts, to pray and to prophesy, where inspiration comes in, therefore, it must first be tested and proven, because the enemy slips in there as they are about to receive inspiration. Therefore, they had to veil their heads and not lift up their noses because spiritual pride comes before the fall of any believer. The long hair, in such prayer meetings, where gifts are in operation, is given to women as a covering (1 Cor. 11:5 + 15), and also serves as a sign of practical submission as required by the Scripture, because of the angels who are responsible in the church. These angels are the servants of God (v. 10). The Word »angel« and »messenger« are the same in the original text. When we read that some have entertained angels without knowing (Heb. 13:2), it was neither Gabriel nor Michael, but rather Paul and Peter, and any other servant of the Lord as a guest. Seven times we read in Revelation 2 and 3: “… and unto the angel of the church … write …“ — that is the messenger who was placed by God. True servants of the Lord are messengers of Christ, and His ambassadors (2 Cor. 5).

Brother Branham is in full agreement with the exposition Paul gave and repeats what the apostle said, “For the man is not of the woman, but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman, but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have authority on her head because of the angels” (1 Cor. 11:8-10). It is hoped that all will have the needed fear of God, respect for His Word and also for His messengers and His message. Every Word of God also, which speaks about the sign of authority, as was left to us, is as holy and compulsory as any other Word of God. Man lives by every Word that comes from the mouth of God. We must be ready to walk all the way in obedience and in the same footsteps as our brothers and sisters did at the beginning of the early Church under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides and works always in the same manner.