Desperation no 43
Sign of Messiah
August 14, 2016
Brian Kocourek, Pastor
Good morning, it is so good
to be back home and to be back in the House of the Lord.
By the Grace of God we had
very successful meetings in both places that we went, first to Geneva
Switzerland where we spoke to the church of Pastor Bernard Labourier two services and the we traveled
across France to Nantes France, pronounced "naunt" for those reading.
This is on the West coast of France, and took us about 12 hours of driving to
get there and we spoke held 2 ministers meetings, where we mostly answered
questions, and then we held three
additional evening services where we spoke to the church of Pastor Charlie
Mbemba from Congo Republic who has actually been in France since 2000.
Let's remain standing and
open our Bibles to Hebrews 4:12 and we will read for our text this
morning. 12 For
the word of God is quick, and powerful, and
sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul
and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is
a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 Neither
is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him
with whom we have to do. 14 Seeing then that we have a great
high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold
fast our profession. 15 For
we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore
come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace
to help in time of need.
Let us bow our heads in a
word of prayer.
You may be seated.
The Scripture we just read
deals with the sign of God called the sign of Messiah, or sometimes brother
Branham called it the Messiahic sign or messianic sign. It really does not
matter what the term, but the term he used the most used is "the sign of
Messiah."
In his sermon It is I be not afraid 62-0726 P:93 brother
Branham speaks of this sign of Messiah as not for just anybody. And he makes
this clear as he says, "Now, when he showed
His Messiahic sign, that was for some.
And we know that the sign of Messiah is not for everyone, it is for not
even every prophet. But the sign of Messiah is to vindicate the actual Presence
of the Word of God, (God Himself) is on the scene in the ministry that the sign
of Messiah is being demonstrated through.
Therefore, this morning I
would as we continue in our study of Desperation we will read quite a few paragraphs
which demonstrate the sign of Messiah before we actually begin to dive into the
study of the sign of Messiah itself.
Therefore let's begin
reading from paragraph 106 of William Branham's sermon Desperation "Now, as soon as I start that, I see visions appearing
(Amen.), great visions of the Lord, speaking great things. Amen. If I start
that, we'd be here all night. Going to believe it? You believe? Amen. I believe
it with all my heart. The little lady setting out there from Brother Palmer,
she's a stranger to me. She is from Georgia, and she's suffering from a female
trouble. If she believe that God will make her well, He will do it. I never
seen the woman in my life, but that's what's the matter with her.
That little woman, I don't know whether she ever heard the message before or
not, but while I was preaching here, I saw her. You just believe it and see if
that's right. Amen. If you'll only believe. That's right.
107 A lady setting right back here with back trouble, suffering real
bad, her name's Mrs. Wisdom. If you'll believe with all your heart, Jesus
Christ will make you well. I never seen the woman in my life, but she's setting
there suffering. She's wearing a yellow dress. Is that right? All right. Are we
strangers to one another? Yes. All right, sir. You can go home, be well. Jesus
Christ makes you well. Amen. Another woman that's just caught that: back
trouble, setting over here. She's got back trouble. She's got a boy, and he's
got head trouble. That's right. Mrs. Parker is her name. If you believe with
all your heart, and Jesus Christ will heal you both. Amen. We're strangers to
one another. That's exactly right. Amen. Believe with all your heart.
108 Here's an elderly man setting back there from
Michigan. He's having trouble in his ears. Oh, he thinks voices, spiritual
trouble. Is that right? You're believing that--that... You don't know whether
it's God or what it is talking to you. You hear noises in your ears. I'm a
total stranger to you. If that's right, raise up your hands, and that's what's
taking place. It'll never bother you no more; Jesus Christ heals you. Do you
believe the Great Physician? I'd speak to you--but Norway--and you don't--you
understand Norwegian language. All right, tell him to go home believing,
sister, if you know how to speak it. Tell him his head trouble will leave him.
Now, you know I don't know him. He's come here from Norway to be prayed for. Go
back a well man. Oh, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. What
is it? It's that Pillar of Fire, the
Holy Ghost. It's that Token that Jesus Christ lives. And when people long
ago saw Him do those things, He perceived their thought,
because He is the Word, and the Word is sharper than a two-edged sword and a
Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Amen! I seen
water flashing and this young lad coming. He heard, read a book over there and
wrote in Norwegian. He got to understanding. Somebody spoke to him. He's having
trouble, but if he will believe with all of his heart, the Lord Jesus is going
to make him well. Come a long ways, a poor kid at that, trying to press in. And
we will lay hands on him in a minute.
109 Do you believe? Amen! How wonderful!
Oh, my. The Great Physician now is here. Sister... Where is that Sister Ungren
at and that other sister at the piano? I want you to come right quickly if you
will and give us a song, "That Great Physician now is near, the
sympathizing Jesus."I want the people that's on this aisle here that wants
to be prayed for, kinda come down on this side here, just one aisle at a time.
Brother Neville, you do that if you will. Where's Brother Capps or one of those
song leaders. How about Brother Ungren, or Brother Capps, or somebody come
here, will sing... Lead this song for us if you will. Is Brother... Where is
one of those brothers at? All right, sir; that's good. All right. Everybody in
prayer.
110 Remember, desperation.
See what desperation will do? Desperation
will drive you across the sea. Desperation will drive you from another state. Desperation will drive you
anywhere. Some precious old father and his daughter with desperation
tried to get in, come in, everything else, and set down anyhow. A few moments
ago the Holy Spirit delivered the thing here in the meeting, just 'fore I got
in here. Oh. The sweetest carol ever sung, Jesus, blessed Jesus. ... great
Physician now is near, The sympathizing Jesus; (Lord Jesus, grant here the
prayer of Your servant, Lord. I pray that You'll...?...) O hear the voice of
Jesus. Sweetest note in seraph song, Sweetest name on mortal tongue; Oh,
sweetest carol ever sung, (Let those who are desperate now, that really knows
you're going to be healed... Just think, as far as I know, one hundred percent
were from last Sunday night, got well this week.) The sympathizing...
111 Watch, He comes. See? He's already healed you. He brings His Word; He confirms It; He shows His
presence. Nobody can do those
things outside of God; you know that. It's the sign of the Messiah, and you know I'm no Messiah. So it's Him.
Now, here He's proved everything to you. Now, it ought to throw you into
desperation. It ought to electrify this
place and touch till it'd be like a match to a barrel of powder. Certainly.
And it ought to explode the faith; and love and desperation drive them people
right into the Kingdom of God to believe with all their heart. Do you believe
now, every one of you? All right now, Billy, you ought to get the...
In understanding John 14:12 some have confused Hebrews 4:12 (which is the Sign of Messiah) with John 14:12 (which is the works or labor of
Christ), and they assign John 14:12 which is works to Hebrews 4:12 which is
a sign, the sign of Messiah.
Although the sign of
Messiah may be a part of the works, as Jesus himself did them, yet John 14:12 speaks of "the nature of the Spirit expressing Itself in the vessel
in its actions and deeds", while Hebrews 4:12 speaks specifically of the "Word" God Himself being a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart
which brother Branham specifically calls "the
sign of Messiah".
Now the sign of
Messiah is not the works of Jesus that every Christian who is filled with the
same Spirit will do. This is specific to only certain people which are prophets
of God. And not every prophet has this sign of Messiah.
John
14:12 is for everyone who is filled
with the Spirit of God but Hebrews 4:12
is for that Word prophet who comes in the Son of Man ministry.
So what
is the Sign of Messiah, or the Messianic Sign? Brother Branham uses the
terms "Sign of
Messiah", "Messianic sign" or "Messiac sign". All in all he mentions these terms
directly seventy-four times.
In all the various sermons where he
mentions these terms, he is very clear on what it is, and most all of them he
brings us to John 4, which speaks of "the woman at the well" or he brings us to when "Jesus saw
Nathaniel under the fig tree praying."
However some ministers confuse the "The
sign of Messianic"
with John 14:12, But what did a vindicated prophet of God
say the sign of Messiah was? He said it was knowing the very thought and intents of the heart which is Hebrews 4:12.
From his sermon, Show us the Father 61-0521 P:90 brother Branham said, How many knows that He perceived their thoughts and
knowed all about them? That's right. Now, that was the sign of Messiah."
So we should say what is on the tapes and
only what is on the tapes.
Notice he specifically tells us that
"knowing the thoughts
and intents of the heart" is the Sign of Messiah which is Hebrews 4:12 and not John 14:12 as some would teach.
Then from his sermon, Convinced then Concerned 62-0118 P:98 brother Branham said, "How did they know that that was
Messiah? How did the woman at the well know that was Messiah?
When He told her that
she had five husbands. How did Nathanael say, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God"? Because
He said, "I saw you when you were under
the tree."
See? That's
how they know it. That's
what is the sign of the Messiah. That is true. Just ask anybody. Look through
the Bible. That is
what it is: the sign of Messiah."
So it is very evident that the sign of
Messiah is demonstrated by Jesus Christ Himself to Nathaniel, and to the woman
at the well.
Again God's vindicated prophet tells us
the Sign of Messiah is the discerning
of the thoughts and intents of the heart. He called it one time the "Messiac Sign", ten times he called it the "Messianic sign" but sixty-three times he called it the "Sign
of Messiah".
If you check all of these Seventy-Four quotes,
you will find he mentions "the
woman at the well",
"Nathaniel under the tree
praying". or even "Elohim talking to Abraham concerning what Sarah was thinking back in
the tent". And
in all seventy-four quotes brother Branham focus is on the "discerning of the thoughts and intents of
the heart". He does
not talk about the works of John
14:12 for whosoever believes.
So The sign of Messiah is very specific to Christ the Word,
revealing His presence among men.
Again we see in brother Branham's sermon, The Unchangeable God 62-0120 P:55 "Now, Jesus when He grew up, He proved He
was that Messiah that they'd prayed for. He showed them His sign of Messiah. He proved that He was Messiah by the
signs that He done. Look at the woman at the well when He told her, her sins,
that she had five husbands. "Why," she said, "Sir,
we know when
Messiah cometh, He will tell us all things." But she didn't know Who He was. He said,
"I'm He." Look at Nathanael, when he came back with Philip, and he
walked up in the Presence of Jesus. And Jesus told him who he was, where he come from, what he'd
been doing. Oh, my. It proved... He said, "Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God. Thou art the
King of Israel."
My, sure. Because what? He's proven."
These are not examples of John 14:12, these are examples of Hebrews 4:12 which says, "The word of God is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart." That is a sign, it is not a work. "The works that I do" are actual works, the Greek word is
"ergon", and it simply means "labor",
but Hebrews 4:12 is The Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart which is the Word Itself, which is a sign
of God on the scene.
Now, the sign of Messiah is not the same
as 1 Corinthians 12 which speaks of the gift of discerning of spirits. Any Christian may have the gift to
discern between a Godly Spirit and an evil spirit. And this is not Malachi 3:16 discerning between the
righteous and wicked. Any
Christian filled with the Spirit of God should be able to discern between who
is righteous and wicked. But only God
Himself the "Anointer", the "Christ", the "Messiah"
is able to discern the heart, or the thoughts and the intentions of the
heart.
Does God change His mind 65-0427 P:62 Now, she wasn't like them priests, they
said, "He's got a devil. He's a fortuneteller or something." She
turned, and she said, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Now, we haven't had one for four hundred
years. The church hasn't been used to such as this. But I perceive that You are a prophet. Now, I know that we're looking for the Messiah. And when
the Messiah comes, that's the thing that He'll do. "Now, the Bible said He's the same
yesterday, today, and forever. If that was the anointed sign of Messiah back there to the
Samaritan and to the Jew... Now, it never was done before Gentiles. Nowhere
in the Bible did Jesus ever do it before Gentiles. They had four thousand years
of looking for a Messiah; we've had two thousand years with their training
also, to look for a Messiah. Now, if that was His identification just before their day was finished, it's
got to be our identification; because He promised the Son of man would reveal Himself
again in the day that the world become like Sodom again. And anybody knows
we're there.
Notice that brother Branham
is identifying the sign of messiah with the ministry of the Son of Man.
Notice again in his sermon, When their eyes were opened 64-0212 P:65 Now, this lady here is a stranger to me.
Now I'm going to talk to her. Here comes back St. John 4, where Jesus talked to a woman and told her what her trouble
was. And she believed
that was the sign of the Messiah. If that was the sign of Messiah then, it's still the sign
of Messiah, 'cause He's the same yesterday, today, and forever
And from his sermon, Sir we would see Jesus 63-1112 P:79 brother Branham said, "Watch that little woman. You know, she
could teach ninety percent of the clergy today the Gospel. See? Why, why
did those priests stand there and call Him Beelzebub, when their very Bible
said that's what He would do? Is that right? And here stands a prostitute, a
woman of ill fame, and as soon as He said that to that woman, she never said,
"Why, you're Beelzebub." She said, "Sir, I perceive that You are
a prophet." Uh-huh. Now, watch her quotation. "We perceive. I
perceive that You are a prophet. We know that when the Messiah cometh, which is called the
Christ; we're looking for Him to come, and when He comes, He's going to tell us these
things. This is what He's going to do." That was the sign of Messiah yesterday. That's the
sign of Messiah today, the same. See?
So brother Branham is
identifying the sign of Messiah by showing us
the woman at the well who seemed to have a better understanding of the
Scriptures than 99.9% of the priests in her day. And most of them in our day as
well.
It is I be not afraid 62-0726 P:46 Matthew
said, "Yes, I
remember. (He's the one
that wrote it, you know.) Oh, yes. I remember it. My heart failed. I thought,
'My, my. Uh-huh. There's our Master one time wrong,' (See?), because He told her she had a husband, go get her
husband, and she said, 'I have no husband.' And then He turns around and said, 'You've told the truth.' Then we all were puzzled. Here He says, 'Go, get your husband,' she said, 'I have no husband,' He said, 'That's right.' "Look. "Go get your husband." "I have no husband." "You're right." Now. "Oh, we were all
astonished, and our hearts beat, and we raised up over the bushes behind Him to
see what He was going to say next. Oh, He was wrong. She said, 'I have no husband,' and yet we believed Him to be the
Messiah. How could that
great Messiahic sign be wrong? And we knowed He was Messiah, because He did the sign of Messiah.
Therefore we... (Messiah
is God, the anointed. And the anointed is the Word. And the Word was manifested. See?) We
knowed that He was Messiah. And here He was. Every time it hit but this
time. But now it had missed, for He said to the young woman, 'Go, get your husband,' she said, 'I have none.' He said, 'Thou hast said the truth. You said well,
for you've had five, and the one you're now living with is not yours.' Oh." "And we noticed what that
woman said. She turned with startled eyes, and she said, 'Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.'" Now, that... Really, in the King
James is mistranslated. It's all right. It's okay like that. But if you'll take
your margin reading on that, and run it back in the original Greek (and many of
the scholars here read it), it said, "Thou art That prophet." See? That's the margin reading.
"Thou
art That prophet. I perceive that Thou art That prophet." "Now, we know that when Messiah cometh, is called
the Christ (That prophet,
Messiah, Christ, all the same Person), when He comes He will tell
us all these things."
"And Jesus said, 'I'm He that speaks with you.'" "And that woman run into the city and begin to tell all the men,
'Come see a Man that told me the things that I've done (Now, watch.), told me the things that I have done. Isn't
that the very Messiah?' And you know, we all went into the city to find out what
happened. And all the men in that city believed the woman's testimony. Oh, it
was a great time."
Again from his sermon, We would
see Jesus 62-0704 P:55 brother Branham said, "Notice. Now, I got to nail this down, 'cause I got to quit. Look
the difference between that woman in that shape that she was in to those
high-cultured ministers. That woman said, "Sir, I perceive that You are a Prophet." The priests and the educated said,
"You are Beelzebub, a devil, fortuneteller." This woman said, "Sir, I perceive that You are a Prophet. We
know when Messiah cometh, He'll tell us these things." If that was the sign of Messiah yesterday, and
He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, it's got to be the same. She said,
"We know Messiah, which is called the Christ, the
anointed One; when He comes, He'll tell us these things. But Who are You?" He said, "I'm He that speaks with you." That was enough. She saw it.
And from his sermon, Perseverance 62-0218 P:145 brother Branham said, "Well, if
that was the sign of the Messiah to the Jews, to the Samaritans, wouldn't it be
the sign of Messiah to the Gentiles? Wouldn't the Messiah then,
if He's raised from the dead and living in His Church, manifest Himself
through, wouldn't He do the same works when He promised He would do it?
Now, me standing here talking to you, I don't know you, never seen you in my
life. See? But if the Lord God will tell me something that you're here for, you
know whether it's true or not. See, telling me something you have done,
something you ought not have done. And if He can tell you what you have done in
the past, surely He'd know what the future was. Is that right, if He could tell
you that? Sure. And if He'll tell me what you're here for, would you believe
Him to be the Son of God? You believe it? How many in the audience will believe
that?.
Now, some mistake this to mean that the
sign of the Messiah is the Works of John 14:12
because they hear brother Branham refer to Him as being the same Yesterday, today and forever, which is Hebrews 13:8, but because he uses the words "same works that he did then he will do the
same now" and
because he uses the words, "same works"
they immediately associate that with John 14:12.
The sign of Messiah is just one of many signs Jesus did, but
this one sign was not promised to just any believer, but only to the Son of Man
who would come to restore the Word. It is a sign, The sign of Messiah, and it is Hebrews 4:12.
John 14:12 concerns those who are born again, filled with the spirit
and thus have the very same nature that was in Christ in them. And if the very
same nature is in them that was in Christ then it will produce the very same
actions and life that Christ did, in the believer. It is about fulfilling Genesis 1:11 every seed after its kind.
So we are looking at the
Sign of Messiah, and I want you to notice what brother Branham says paragraph 111 of his sermon Desperation,
111 Watch, He comes. See? He's already healed you. He brings His Word; He confirms It; He shows His
presence. Nobody can do those
things outside of God; you know that. It's the sign of the Messiah, and you know I'm no Messiah. So it's Him. Now, here He's proved everything
to you. Now, it ought to throw you into desperation.
It ought to electrify this place and touch till
it'd be like a match to a barrel of powder. Certainly. And it ought to explode the faith; and love and desperation drive them people right into the Kingdom of God to
believe with all their heart. Do you believe now, every one of you? All
right now, Billy, you ought to get the...
Now listen. Notice the words brother Branham says
here. Why should it electrify the church? Because the Sign of Messiah is the proof of God's Presence, because only
God can do that sign. And in Genesis 18 it is the last sign God gave to Abraham
before he and Sara received their body change back to youth again, and that had
to happen before they could receive the promised son.
And that ought to tell
us it is our last sign as well before we get our body change, and before we go
to meet the promised son in the air. In the four Gospels we see the people seeking
a sign from Jesus that he was Messiah, and they all missed it but the woman at
the well and the Apostles. Let's just examine a few of these Scriptural
references.
In Matthew 12:38 we
read, Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees
answered, saying, Master, we would see a
sign from thee.
And again in Matthew 16:1
The Pharisees also with the Sadducees
came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
Again we see in the
book of Mark the same searching for a sign of Messiah, and they didn't even
know what to look for.
Mark
8:11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began
to question with him, seeking of him a
sign from heaven, tempting him. 12 And he sighed deeply in his
spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say
unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation. (The Greek says, "This
genea", in other words, your gene seed will be given no
sign, because the sign
of Messiah is for believers, and not for you.) 13 And
he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.
And again in the Book of Luke we read Luke 11:16 And
others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.
And finally in the book of John 10:37 we hear Jesus say, "If
I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38 But
if I do, though ye believe not me, believe
the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. (Notice Jesus
identified the sign of Messiah with God being with Him. God's presence with
man, and yet look at the response of the men in his day.) 39 Therefore
they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
And when they kept
coming to Jesus and asking for another sign, Jesus said, John 14:8 "Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth
us. 9 Jesus
saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet
hast thou not known me, Philip? he that
hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest
thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I
speak unto you I speak not of myself: (not the miracles, but the words
I speak only the Father can speak what is in the hearts of men and it shows
that the Father is in me doing these things) but the
Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe
me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or
else believe me for the very works' sake.
So we as a people of God should know we have seen
our last sign which is the Appearing of God in this hour, and it is to get us
ready for the promised son.
In the following Quotes and Scripture references we see
the declaration of the Doctrine of Christ's glorious Appearing in this end-time
as stated by God's Prophet Messenger William Branham and as set forth and
declared by Paul in his Epistles.
The End Time Evangelism 6-3-62 "Now, we have already seen and are witnessing the Appearing of
the Lord. Now, remember, Appearing and Coming are two different words, to Appear and then to Come. Now is the Appearing, He's already Appeared in these last days. Right here
with us in the last few years. Now, it's a sign of His
Coming. He's Appearing His church, in the form of the Holy Spirit, showing that it's Him, 'cause people cannot do these
things that you see the Holy Spirit doing, so that's the Appearing
of the lord. Now remember, it spoke both places, "Appearing"
and "Coming"."
We see this Appearing spoken
of in scripture in Titus 2:13 "Looking for that blessed hope, and glorious Appearing of the great God and Saviour Jesus Christ;"
For almost two thousand years men have looked upon
this scripture and have presumed that this glorious Appearing and His Second
coming were one and the same event. But in this last hour God promised to
"restore" and reveal all the mysteries, and to reveal the thoughts of men's hearts. This sign of Messiah
we are looking at today is the what Brother Branham rightly divided as the Appearing as distinguished from the Second
Coming and showed it had to take place before the promised son could come. In
doing so he established it as doctrinal truth and allowed us to see that The
Appearing of the Lord as identified with the sign of Messiah and it must come
before the actual 2nd Coming of the Lord.
We Would See Jesus 62-0627 E-106 O
God of heaven, forgive our unbelief. We know that's the only sin there is, the
sin of unbelief. And may the Holy Spirit come so upon each person just now that
they'll no more disbelieve because of the
Presence of Christ tonight, showing Himself alive after two thousand years,
the Word Himself standing here among us, in
us, making His Word manifest.
Voice Of The Sign 64-0313 E-68 And now, look up. And in
the Presence of the Messiah, the Christ, the resurrected One still alive after
two thousand years, how can we be so numb in the spirit? That ought to set this
nation on fire.
Queen of the South 60-1127E E-46 The sign of the resurrection.
Hallelujah. We have it. Amen. It's here now. Jesus Christ has raised from the
dead, and is alive after two thousand years, showing Himself among us.
Now in Titus 2:13 who is it that Paul tells us will Appear? Let's read
it together again. Titus
2:13 "Looking
for that blessed hope, and glorious Appearing of the great God
and Savior Jesus Christ;"
It is the great God who is savior that Paul is
speaking of.
From That Time pp. 225 7-13-62 "How many knows there's a difference between the Appearing of
Christ and the Coming of Christ? It's two different words.
Now's the Appearing; the Coming will soon be. He's
Appearing in the midst of us, doing
the works that He once did, in His church.
Then. In the next breath he goes on to say
"This is my ministry, see, to declare Him, that He's here."
Now the question then remains, Who is here. God, or the Son of God?
Which Jesus is here.
In Closing, let me read from
paragraph 111
of brother Branham's sermon, Desperation again, and I want you to see how The sign of Messiah is the identifiable characteristic
letting us know God is present, His Appearing, which is His Epiphanaea which means
His revealing.
The Greek word Epiphanaea
is used in the Scripture as the Words: Appearing, Brightness and Shining Forth.
It means to "come into view",
or "to become visible" and
"to show". It
infers a coming before the public and in the case of law it has to do with a presenting
oneself formally before a court as defendant, plaintiff or as counsel.
When it is used in reference to Shining Forth it literally refers to an emanation
of light in order to distinguish oneself to become clearly apparent as
to one's nature. When it is used as Brightness it implies an illumination that
causes the object to stand out in comparison to all others.
And remember this, we are talking about The Invisible God
who is the Great eternal Spirit. So what is there that can make this great Invisible
Spirit visible?
Well, we read in John 1:18 No
man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father, he
hath declared him.
"he hath exageomai him." That means "to declare or to tell." So
it was by words, that this unveiling took place. And that Word declaration or unveiling
of the mighty God was through the sign of Messiah. Again it wasn't the miracles,
or the healings, but the Word manifested in discerning
the thoughts and intents of the heart, which is the sign of Messiah,
or the Sign of messiah's Presence.
Now in closing, see how this ties into brother
Branham's statement in paragraph 111 from his sermon Desperation.
111 Watch, He comes. See? He's already healed you. He brings His Word; He confirms It; He shows His
presence. Nobody can do those
things outside of God; you know that. It's the sign of the Messiah, and you know I'm no Messiah. So it's Him. Now, here He's proved
everything to you. Now, it ought to throw you into desperation. It ought to electrify this place and touch till it'd be like a match to
a barrel of powder. Certainly. And it ought to
explode the faith; and love and desperation drive them people right into the
Kingdom of God to believe with all their heart. Do you believe now,
every one of you? All right now, Billy, you ought to get the...
Let us pray...