Christ is the Mystery no. 81

Attributes of a Son of God no 13

This is the Rest

April 17, 2013

Brian Kocourek

  191   "Well," you say, "now wait a minute, Brother Branham, you're talking about the Old Testament." He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. It's the full revelation of God. If God ever says anything, He can never change it. He always magnifies it, not change it. The law was magnified, not changed: magnified. "Whosoever commits adultery shall be guilty of death, but whosoever now (magnified) looks upon a woman to lust after her..." He never changed the commandment; He magnified it. "Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy," one day in the week. Now He magnified it. The rest comes from keeping the Spirit of God. "Precept upon precept, and line upon line, here a little and there a little; hold fast to that what's good, for with stammering lips and other tongues will I speak to this people." And that is the rest. That's the refreshing from the Presence of the Lord. And yet they would not hear it, and wagged their heads, and walked away to their denominations. Uh-huh. This is the refreshing (See?), magnifying the Sabbath day, to you Sabbatarians and so forth. Oh, my. He don't change; He magnifies it. Hell has spread her gates to receive them.

Before we go any further, let's look at this Scripture that brother Branham is referring to here. We find it in Isaiah chapter 28.

Isaiah 28 : 9-13 9  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine?

Now, listen, these words are very applicable for this day. You know how difficult it has been to get people to understand the doctrine of Christ, and God says here who can he get to understand doctrine? so there is a question mark. them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts?

Notice the question here. He says who can he teach the Doctrine to, and then he answers by saying, certainly not those who are still on milk? Well, then what does that tell us about the day we are living in. he says they've got to be out of the milk state.

In fact the Apostle Paul told us it was not his age, because he said in Hebrews 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that uses milk is un-skilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

So the doctrine could only come into full use in the hour of maturity which we spoke on that subject a few weeks ago, where the Five Fold ministry was given to the church for the maturing of the saints.

Now, in getting back to Isaiah 28 we will pick up at verse 10  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

Now a precept is: a command or principle intended especially as a general rule of action. So we are talking about the principles of the doctrine of Christ, and notice that the sole purpose for these principles are for the general rule of action or conduct. But what if our doctrine brings forth no action?

Then if you have doctrine that brings forth no action, either one of two things exist.

1) Your doctrine has no life

2) You do not understand the doctrine itself, because the precepts of the doctrine or principles of the doctrine are supposed to produce an action, for that is their sole purpose.

Then we are told in verse 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. Now, what is another tongue except it is another language. So we have a promise here that at the time of adulthood, when the children of God are grown up and ready to receive thee doctrine, there will come one speaking another language than what the people of God knew at that time. A language that is not common to man, but a language that will bring with it the rest that comes from the presence of the Lord.

12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

So even though this one who will come from the very Presence of the Lord will come with words or basically a Message, and that in another language, a language they are not used to, those Words are supposed to bring rest, because they are the rest, yet the people will not hear them. Well, if the people will not hear the words that bring rest, then they are not at rest and can not be.

13  But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Now, notice that they will fall backward, become broken, snared and then taken because they have not entered into the rest that the Message is supposed to bring them. And that is because they do not trust the purpose of those words or that Message. And we know the purpose is to bring rest, we just read that.

Now, let me read this to you from the New International Version because the words are very clear as to what this Scripture is all about.

NIV: Isaiah 28:9 Who is He trying to teach? to whom is He explaining His Message? To children weaned from Milk, to those just taken from the breast? For it is to them " do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there." 10 Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, to whom He said," This is the resting place, let the weary rest." and "this is the place of repose" (repose means to lay down, so this is the place where we are to lay in the presence to ripen.) - 11 but they would not listen, so then, the Word of the Lord to them will become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there - so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured.

Again, let me read this also from the New American Standard To whom would He teach knowledge? And to whom would He interpret the Message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast? For He says, "Order on order, order on order, line on line, line on line, a little here, a little there." Indeed He speaks to this people through stammering lips and a foreign tongue, He Who said to them, Here is rest, give rest to the weary," and " Here is repose," but they would not listen. So the Word of the Lord to them will become, "Order on order, order on �order, line on line, line on line, a little here, a little here," That they may go and stumble backward, be broken, snare, and taken captive.

In other words God comes down with a Shout, which is a Message, and the people will not stop to listen, and so the Message to them becomes just a bunch of conduct order and doctrine. And the very purpose of the Shout is to bring rest and relaxation under the Seventh Seal. And rest comes from total trust, and thus there is such a lack of trust in this Vindicated Word that came forth from the presence of the Lord, that the people miss it altogether, and thus they go into captivity.

So the Word of the Lord to them will become, "Order on order, order on �order, line on line, line on line, a little here, a little here," That they may go and stumble backward, be broken, snare, and taken captive.

Did you ever stop to think what takes them captive here? It's because they did not receive the life of the doctrine, so the doctrine becomes to them just more rules on top of rules, and more church order on top of church order, until the people completely fall away from the Doctrine that was sent to bring them rest, assurance and trust. And they are not set free by the Life of the Doctrine, but rather they are ensnared and taken captive by the rules of me instead.

So the same Word, the same Message that was sent to free a people, to bring them rest is the same Message that ensnares them and makes them captives.

That is what we read in 1 Timothy 4.

1 Timothy 4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, (that means the Spirit speaks for the expressed  purpose) that in the latter times some shall depart from The faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;  

Now, the other day we read to you where brother Branham emphasizes that the Faith is not just departing from faith in general, but from THE faith, and he said there is only one Faith, and that is the faith of that One Lord. In other words, the revelation of Jesus Christ.

From his sermon, Earnestly contending for the faith 55-0123E P:2 The faith, not "a" faith, but "The" faith, .. .Now, many people say, "Well, I would go down to that meeting, but it's against my faith." There's only one faith: one faith, one hope, one Lord, one baptism. You believe it? One faith, and that faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

So we are warned that at the end time some shall depart from The Faith. Now, listen they had to be in The Faith, or as brother Branham put it, they had to have "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, in order to fall away from it. So the question is, what will take them away from the Faith of Christ, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, The Doctrine of Christ. What will take them away from the Doctrine?

We are told in verse 2. they will Speak lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;  

Now, what does that mean? It means they know better but they say it anyway. They will say it one way, but when they are pressured by whatever, people, usually, they will say it a different way than what they said it the first time. So they are liars but they actually know better. And a hypocrite is a stage actor, one who plays with different masks on.

So when he talks to you he's your friend, and when he talks to your enemy he's not your friend, and with these kind you never know where they stand. And the political world is full of them, and so are the churches.

And so Paul now tells us what it will be that they will turn to when they turn away from the Doctrine. He says, 3. Forbidding to marry, (splitting up people who were joined by God where the vow says, What God put together let no man put asunder.)

Ok, that's one thing, but Paul isn't finished yet. He goes on to say,

and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 

Now I really don't wish to get into this, so I will keep it short.

Notice Paul says this will take place at the end time. They will fall away from The Faith, The Revelation, The Doctrine of Christ, and when they do they will turn to things like abstaining from eating meats.

Now, I know some teach that this doesn't apply to this age, it applies to the Catholic church who don't eat meat on Friday. Good grief, it says at the end time, not centuries ago, that wasn't the end-time?

From the website Askacatholic.com we read, "The Church did bind Catholics not to eat meat on Friday under pain of serious sin. The Church would never say someone would go to hell for eating meat on Friday. What the Church taught was that, if a Catholic knowingly, purposely and without good reason, broke a Church law that he knew bound him under pain of mortal sin, then that person would not be in God's grace. If the person did not turn to God's mercy before or at the moment of death, his salvation would be at risk.

So what does that remind you of?

Now, the fact is if we read all what Paul wrote here we have to ask the question, in which age has there been a people who really know the Truth, or who have been given more knowledge of The Truth than in this age.

The Scripture says, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 

So this is expressly or specifically given to us as a special command for this age which God wants us to sanctify our food through the Word of God and Prayer, because in what other age did the people have to sanctify their organic natural foods outside of a little washing with water. But this is the age of hybrid food, this is the age where they spray the cattle with poisons to kill the bugs in their skin. This is the age where they feed cattle cow bones and cannibalize the food.

So cleaning our food with water won't work in this hour, so we have a special dispensation of Grace wherein we are to pray over our food and we have a promise from God that He will sanctify the food of them who believe and know the Truth.)

That promise is not for unbelievers. That promise is only for those right in this Message who are believers and know the Truth.

4. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:  5. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.  6. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

Now, don't get upset I brought this up, because if I do it I am told by God's very word that I will be a good minister of Jesus Christ.

And notice in the reading of 1 Timothy 4 he tells us they will preach these false doctrines because they will depart from THE FAITH. So they have to be in The AFAITH to depart from it.

He said they will depart from "THE FAITH" and brother Branham taught us that this is not just from "Faith" in general but from THE FAITH which is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. So what do they depart too?  Well he said. " they give heed to seducing spirits and false doctrines like forbidding to marry, and abstaining from meats." So it is these false doctrines that will take the people away from focusing on "THE FAITH" (which is the Revelation of Jesus Christ), and they will begin to focus themselves on other natural things, like diet.

Notice how  Paul assures us to go ahead and eat meat because it is sanctified with the Word of God and prayer. But they have said, "God's prophet warned us about what they are putting in the meat and if you eat it knowingly, you are not taking the warning of a vindicated prophet of God and God will not hear your prayer if you pray over it. But Paul warned us they would do this, and He said we have a Word from The Holy Spirit specifically for this hour. Sanctify it with the Word of God and prayer and then eat it with thanksgiving.

In Isaiah 29: 7-14 we read 7 And the multitude ... that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision. 8  It shall even be as when an hungry man dreams, and, behold, he eats in his dream; but when he awaken, his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreams, and in his dream he drinks; but when he awakens behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

And remember, brother Branham taught us that when we see the Scripture speak of Mount Zion, it is speaking of the bride.

From The Future Home he said, Wherein the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughter of Zion,... (Remember that's always the Bride.

Now, let's continue to read in Isaiah 29:9 Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. 10 For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. 11  And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: 12  And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. 13  Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

NIV verse 13 ..."Their worship of Me is made up only of rules taught by men."

New American Standard Their reverence for me consists of tradition learned by rote,"

Amplified " Their fear and reverence for Me are a commandment of men that is learned by repetition (without any thought of the meaning);"

And so no matter how well they were taught it will all become as though they had never been instructed in the first place.

14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. 15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? 16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? 17 Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest? 18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness. 19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

2 Thessalonians 2 : 1 - 3 1  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the parousia of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, So Paul is speaking of the time of the Parousia and great gathering together by the Shout.

Rapture the 65-1204 P:89 A shout, a voice, a trumpet. Now, the third thing is a trumpet, which always at the Feast of Trumpets is calling the people to the feast; and that'll be the Bride's supper, the Lamb's supper with the Bride in the sky. See, the first things comes forth is His Message calling the Bride together. The next thing is a resurrection of the sleeping Bride, the one that's died back in the other ages. They're caught together, and the trumpet, the feast in the heavens--in the sky. Why, that's the thing that takes place, friends. We're right there ready now. The only thing, the church coming out has got to lay before the sun to ripen. The great combine will come by after while. The wheat will be burned, the stalks, but the grain will be gathered into it's garner. See?

So he says the Shout is to gather the elect from the four corners of the earth, and no other Messengers Message has done this like this age.

So Paul says, 2 Thessalonians 2 : 1-3 "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the parousia of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, (as brother Branham said, that's now.) 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; So we see this is also the day for the great Apostasia, which is the great divorcement , the great forsaking

Now, I know these are not pleasant words to speak but they are God's Words and we must reverence them. And I say them not to lift up any but to warn al of us that no matter how far down the line we think we have come, until you get your change of the body, you had better die daily and humble yourself in the presence of the Judge.

And in the book of James 1:14 we read "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." So don't add to or take away from what the prophet taught us brothers and sisters, because the minute you do that is the minute you die right there. And the word James used for being drawn away is the Greek word exelko which means exelko meaning to be lured out from.

Acts 20: 26 - 28 26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Galatians 1 : 6-9 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

2 : 11 "But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14  But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 15  We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16  Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain."

Hebrews 10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

sneaky like

In closing let's read from paragraph 192 of Christ is the Mystery of God Revealed   "Now, you can see now the end time Message, why It's rejected. Can you? Now, no denomination, but the revelation of His mystery. See? No denomination, the revelation. God's not known by denomination. He's known by revelation. Look, God in His Body, Christ, and Christ in His Body, the Bride (Oh, my.) God made manifest in Christ; Christ made manifest in the Bride. And as God took from the body of Adam the woman and she fell, then God has took from the Body of Christ, His flesh, His Body, which is His Word, and is bringing a Bride out that won't fall by denomination or creed. No, sir. But She's coming back to the pure unadulterated Word of God being manifested. I hope every man that hears this tape and every woman will understand that. See? She's the second Eve, but She's not breaking and spoiling Her skirts of purity and holiness to Her Husband. She'll stay with this Word regardless of what anybody says. You can have all the ecumenical moves you want to and all the affiliations.

  193   And they're going to bring a persecution on pretty soon and shut up all the churches. You see that. And churches like this who's not in denominations, they'll use them for storehouses then. And if any man goes and offer a prayer for anybody else that don't belong to the economical movement will be shot on the spot. It's already. That Lutheran minister, the head of it, said so. It's right here. You can read it right here in your magazines. It's right. Don't make any difference what they say; that Church will stand true in this Light. She's already proved it back yonder, and She'll do it again in the face of everything. It's the Word of God. And let all ecumenical movements and everything else will be gone. She's going to be there without spot or wrinkle. Right. She'll stand there."

let us pray...