Faith no 19

Rapturing Faith or

Pre-Tribulation Revelation

July 23, 2017

Brian Kocourek, Pastor

This morning I would like to approach a subject that the Holy spirit placed upon my heart the other day while in prayer when I heard him speak to my heart the words, "Pre-Tribulation Revelation". Yes, those words kept coming to me while in prayer, and I immediately thought, isn't that the title of a sermon that brother Vayle preached many years ago?

I was not sure so I checked out the search engine to see and I could not find it anywhere, and the closest was a sermon called "Pre-millennial Restoration." But I found no "Pre-Tribulation Revelation" sermon in his entire 40 years of recorded sermons.

I also checked out the search engine for brother Branham and could not find any place where he used the words "Pre-Tribulation Revelation" either. So I am sure it was the Holy Spirit speaking to me to speak on this subject this morning.

So that puzzled me and therefore I set forth to see what the Lord would have us to say concerning this thought of the "Pre-Tribulation Revelation."

We are taking this series on Faith and as brother Branham taught us in the following sermons that "Faith is a Revelation", something that is revealed from God. Therefore, I want you to notice the dates on these quotes as they lead up to the sermon on the Rapture.

From his sermon Anointed ones at end time 65-0725M P:38 brother Branham said, "What is faith? Faith is something that's revealed to you, that is not yet, but you believe it will be. Faith is a revelation of the will of God. So by revelation...And the churches today don't even believe in spiritual revelation. They believe in a dogmatic teaching of some system. "By revelation Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than that of Cain, which God testified he was righteous." Amen. I hope you see that. See where we're living, see the hour?"

And then the next day he said in his sermon, Invisible union of the bride 65-1125 P:68 "What is a revelation? Jesus said, "Upon this Rock I'll build My church, and the gates of hell can't prevail against it." Faith is a revelation, because faith has been revealed to you. Abel, by faith offered by revelation (faith) offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than that of Cain. Cain thought they eat apples. They still got that idea, but it wasn't. It was adultery: serpent's seed. And there, when the Seven Seals opened, it declared it and proved it. (My book's just out on it. I think we have got a thousand here now. See?) Notice, that's Scripturally from Genesis to Revelations. At the end-time both trees are coming to the seed and proving themselves.

From his sermon Works is faith expressed 65-1126 P:46 brother Branham said, "Now, "faith" is a "revelation from God." Now, "faith" is a "revelation." There's where I want to stay there just a moment. It's a revelation. He has revealed it to you by His grace. It's nothing you did. You didn't work yourself up into faith. You never had faith; it's give to you by the grace of God. And God reveals it to you; therefore, faith is a revelation. And the whole Church of God is built upon the revelation."

Then in the same sermon paragraph 49 he says, "Abel, by faith, revelation (no Bible written in those days)... But Abel, by faith, offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than that which Cain. Which God testified, "He was righteous." How? By faith. How? By revelation. By revelation, Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice, because it was revealed to him that it wasn't fruits of the field; it was the blood. That's why some people can believe it, and some can't believe it, some try to make-believe it. 50 In a audience of people, where a prayer line comes through, you'll find some... And they were all good people, we'll say. There's some that's trying hard to believe it, trying to work themselves into it. Some just can't do it at all. And others, it's just by grace; it's just given to them. Now, there is the difference. See? That does it. That's the real revelation, because faith is a revelation from God. It must be revealed first.

And finally he tells us in his sermon Rapture the 65-1204 P:40 "But to the church, the Bride, the rapture is a revelation to her. It's revealed to her, that the revelation, the true Bride of Christ will be waiting for that revelation of the rapture. Now, it is a revelation, for the revelation is faith. You cannot have a revelation without it being faith. Faith is a revelation, because it's something that's revealed to you. Faith is a revelation. Faith is something that has been revealed to you like it was to Abraham, that could call anything contrary to what had been revealed to him as though it wasn't so. Now, faith... That's what faith is, is the revelation of God. The church is built upon a revelation, the whole entire body.

And we know there must be a Rapturing Faith that we receive before the rapture can take place or we will not go in it.

And I found plenty of places where brother Branham speaks of that, and we know that we must have that before we can go in the rapture.

In His sermon, God's only provided place of worship  65-1128M  P:20 brother Branham in this sermon that is right before he preaches the Rapture sermon, he tells the people, Our faith isn't ripe. Intellectually we're hearing the Message that God has give us, and seeing the signs that He showed us, and proving it by the Bible as that; but, oh, how the church needs to lay in His Presence till it tenders up in the heart, gets sweet in the Spirit so that it can bathe down. Sometimes in speaking the Message, you get harsh, have to break it in like that, because you've got to clinch a nail to make it hold. But when the Church once gets It, the Elected is called out and separated, (then in the Presence of God), I know it'll be something like the people was there when it takes its Rapture.      

He's telling us our faith must be ripe and mature before we will be allowed to go in the rapture. So there must be a pre-tribulation revelation that will bring us to a perfect faith, a mature and ripe manifestation of the revelation of Jesus Christ in our beings. Being conformed to the image of the first born son, manifested sons, Adoption ready.

And remember we have shown you during this series on Faith that there is only One Faith and that One faith is The Faith of that one Lord. The same revelation he had.

Ephesians 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Therefore we are looking at this thought then that since Faith is a Revelation, and since there is only One Faith based upon One Lord for One body to receive by One Spirit, then we must live by the same revelation as the first born son did or we will never be ripe as brother Branham put it in our quote from God's Only Provided place of Worship.

Again let me read where he said, "But when the Church once gets It, the Elected is called out and separated, (then in the Presence of God), I know it'll be something like the people was there when it takes its Rapture.      

Now, let's turn to the book of 2 Thessalonians the 1st chapter and begin reading at verse 2 Grace unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

Notice here that the Apostle Paul saw in the people that the Faith they lived by had not only grown but was being expressed in an outward manifestation by their generous charity, their generous giving to each other.

Now, the apostle Paul said the same thing to the Ephesians in chapter 1 and verse 15-16. 15  Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16  Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17  That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

Paul had heard of their Faith in the Lord Jesus, their living by the faith of the son of God, and he saw how it affected their charitable giving to one another, and he said, I noticed your faith and how your love has abounded to all the saints, but there is one thing left. And that is a "Pre-Rapture Revelation", when God will send The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Himself.

And concerning this Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of God, brother Branham said in his sermon, Seventy weeks of Daniel 61-0806 P:36 God don't have things out of cater. He's just letting it run like that for a little time. And I truly believe that that thing was done, and at this last days is when God is going to reveal these secrets to the church. He hasn't done it before, and the reason He hasn't done it is to keep the church a-watching and praying all the time, not knowing when it was coming. But you remember in Daniel 12 He said, "The wise shall understand in the last, in this last days"? It's been given to him. The Spirit of wisdom comes into the church to make known to the church by the revelation of the Holy Ghost--bringing the church in and revealing what day that we're living in. Just the same as Gabriel come to--to Daniel, the Holy Spirit comes to the church in the last days to reveal these great, deep, secret things. Do you understand now?

Therefore in order for God to send forth the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of Him, the elect first had to come to the place where they were living by the faith of the son of God and then expressing that revelation by the way they treated each other in what Paul called their "love towards all the saints".

And after Paul tells us that God will send the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of Him, Paul says, 18 That the eyes of your understanding may being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory (Doxa, the opinions, values and Judgments of God concerning) his inheritance in the saints, 19  And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working (energy) of his mighty power, 20  Which he wrought (energized) in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Now, what we are looking at here is a "Pre-Rapture Revelation" and since the rapture must take place before the tribulation we thus have a pre-tribulation revelation that Paul is speaking of here to the Ephesian church as well as to the Thessalonians.

Let's go back to the 2 Thessalonians 1 and pick up at verse 4 because I want you to see how this pre-Rapturing Revelation is also called by the apostle Paul a Pre-Tribulation Revelation.

4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

Notice the Apostle Paul tells us that he is noticing the elect are going through trials and tribulations but through it all the people through patience are enduring and overcoming which shows the Faith of the son of God, the same revelation that took him to the cross is also leading them through their trials and tribulations.

And he tells them 5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

So what he is saying here is that the fact that through these trials and tribulations that have been placed upon them they are building the character of Jesus Christ in themselves and this character will count them worthy of the kingdom of God. Bu then he adds that those who bring these trials and tribulations upon you, will themselves be paid back by God with great tribulation.

6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;

In other words, a righteous payback. They that place the trials and tribulations upon you will reap what they have sown, although they will receive a greater condemnation of tribulation for what they have done. it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them

7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

Notice we are told that when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty angels we are at that time to enter into a period of rest. "rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,"

Notice this rest is also a refreshing as we see in Acts chapter 3.

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, (this means "be filled with the Holy Ghost" Because remember, Jesus told peter when you are converted strengthen your brethren.) Repent ye therefore, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, (be converted from sinner to saint, from a son of man to a Son of God.) that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Notice during the time when the presence of the Lord comes there is to come a rest.

Brother Branham taught us there is relaxation under the seventh seal, and God relaxed or rested on the seventh day of creation, that is why we are to rest on the seventh day, and he will rest after the seven thousandth year when we enter the millennium together, for one day to God is a thousand year to man, so God will rest on his seventh day.

Notice in Acts 3:19 we have God's Presence which is the appearing before the coming, and then in verse 20 we have the second coming. Acts 3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21  Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

And then notice he says, this restitution of all things will come via a prophet ministry.

22  For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23  And it shall come to pass, (future tense here) that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. 24  Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

So this prophet is to bring with him rest to the people of God, and that rest comes because the prophet speaks "Thus saith the Lord". But judgment comes to those who oppose what God sends through this prophet.

Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (babies? I don't think so). 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 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. (Notice that He was speaking but they would not hear. Remember Paul warned us in Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh!)

Hebrews 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Isaiah 28:13 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.

I like the way the NIV translates Isaiah 28:8 All the tables are covered with vomit and there is not a spot without filth.

And what is vomit but the food from another day. So all the pulpits are covered with yesterdays food. That is why in the wilderness they were commanded to burn what was left after eating, because they were not to carry over any food to the next day.

9 Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his Message?

Oh, I like that because to explain His Message means he is giving the right understanding of the doctrine. And this Scripture tells us He has come in this hour to do just that but they do not want it.

To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast? 10 For it is (what is? His Message to them becomes) "Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there." 11 Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people,

Notice God will speak to this people using foreign lips, not Jewish lips, but gentile lips.

12 to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose"...

Notice the place of my repose, the place of my presence "but they would not listen. 13 So then, (so then what? So then because they would not listen) 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.

And so we see because they refused to understand the doctrine of the Message the word of the Lord becomes to them nothing but a bunch of legalism, conduct, order and doctrine, and the very life does not enter and produce sons and daughters of God living by the same revelation as the first born son.

So we see at the time when God has ordained for his elect enter into rest at His Presence, when he has come down with a Shout, with "Thus saith the Lord", there will be those who receive the Rapturing faith which is a Revelation of the Rapture and the others who receive not this pre-tribulation revelation that is to make us rapture ready, they refuse to take heed and are left for their reward which is separation from the presence of the Lord which instead of bringing them rest, brings them tribulation.

And so we go back to 2 Thessalonians 1 and pick up at verse 8 as we read, In flaming fire (the Pillar of Fire to them is judgment) taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines vengeance as "punishment inflicted in retaliation for an injury or offense." ... retribution.

Notice that this vengeance is a righteous retribution handed down from God. And this word re-tribu-tion is the root for the word tribu-lation. so we see that tribulation can never be given to those who are walking in the light because those who walk in the light are cleansed by the blood.

But notice what this vengeance or retribution or tribulation produces. 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from (or out from) the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Notice that the tribulation will begin when the Holy Spirit leaves the earth with his elect, Therefore those people who did not take heed to the Shout, are kicked out from His presence when His presence leaves the earth, and when that takes place that is when the tribulation sets in.

But notice what this Pre-Tribulation Revelation produces in the elect.

10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

This word glorified was translated from the Greek word "endoxazo" which is made up of three words, the prefix "en" meaning "in", the main word "doxa" which speaks of the opinions, values and judgments of God, and the suffix "zo" or "zoe" which speaks of the life. Together it speaks of when the opinions, values, and judgments of God will be magnified in the life of his saints, and then Paul adds, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: 12  That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore as we read this 2 Thessalonians 1 I hope you will see that there are those who cause trials and tribulation for the elect and that God will repay those who cause these trials and tribulation for the elect with a Great tribulation. And God will reward the elect for their endurance under those trials, because such endurance produces in them the very character of Christ, and thus the very doxa of God, the very opinions, values, and judgments of God will be in them readying them for the rapture.

Now, concerning the tribulation brother Branham said in his sermon Sixth seal the 63-0323 P:70 This Sixth Seal is the tribulation period. That's what takes place. The Bride has gone. See? There's no living creature, nothing there to say it. It's just... Now, God is not dealing with the Church no more. It's been gone. He's dealing with Israel. See, see? This is the other side. This is when Israel receives the message of the Kingdom by the two prophets of Revelations 11.Remember, Israel is a nation, God's servant nation. And when Israel is brought in, it'll be a national affair. Israel, the Kingdom age, is where David, the Son of David sets on the throne.

First seal the 63-0318 P:9 Now, those first three books is the first seven church ages, and then we find out in the 4th chapter of Revelations John is caught up. See? We see the churches... There's not too much said about the church ages. There's where I think that people are going to be so surprised. They're applying the church way over into the tribulation to those things that's a-happened. And as I said Sunday (yesterday), "The first thing you know those tribulations will break in, and you'll wonder why was not the--the first coming was the rapture. And it'll be as it has been; it's passed and you didn't know it." See? Now, there's not too much promised to that Church, that Gentile Church, the Bride.

Breach the 63-0317E P:13 Now, now, we're going to turn to the 5th chapter. Now, this is not the Seven Seals. It is the "Breach Between the Church Ages and the Seven Seals." Now, there is also a 4th chapter of Revelation, and in that it kind of revealed something that would take place after the Church going up: that the Church goes up on the 3rd chapter of Revelations and does not return until the 19th chapter of Revelations. See? Therefore, the Church misses the tribulation.

Taking sides with Jesus COD 62-0601 P:32 If that One that spoke to me down there on the river... If this is all that was left for the Gentile church, which we realize in Revelations it says one, two, three chapters to the church. The church goes up in the 4th chapter. It does not return anymore till the 19th chapter; that's after the tribulation period when God calls out the Jews. That's right. And like Enoch, he went up before one drop of rain ever hit the earth. He was gone, then the tribulation set in. See? Noah was in the ark before any tribulation set in. Lot was out of Sodom before any tribulation set in. See? And the church will be gone before any tribulation period. Now, during the tribulation that will be, the sleeping virgin will be hunted down by the dragon (spurts "water from his mouth," which means "multitudes and peoples, armies") that'll search down and take this woman, remnant of her seed, and will kill her. Now, that will be in the tribulation period, but the church will go home.

Questions and answers COD 62-0527 P:65 Now, someone wrote me here not long ago, and asked me, said, "If you do not believe that the church goes through the tribulation period, how about Revelations 13, how they overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and their testimony?" The person asked that question. I wonder. Do you realize that the first three chapters of Revelation deals with the church in the church age? That's the tribulation period, not the church age; the church raptures and goes up at the 4th chapter of Revelation, never comes again till the 19th chapter when it comes with Jesus. That's right. That's in the tribulation period, not nothing to do with the church at all.

Gabriel's instruct to Daniel 61-0730M P:27 Now, in the 4th chapter John was caught up immediately after the Church. John, going up, he saw the complete church age. There's where I'd like to stop just a second to say that many peoples who are expecting some great, tremendous, powerful something to happen in the Gentile age are certainly wrong. The church age and all that will happen during the Gentile reign is recorded from Revelation 1 to Revelation 3, inclusive. Then the Church was raptured and taken up, and the rest of this unto the 19th chapter is what happens to the Jewish race, after the Church is gone up, and it is the time of the great tribulation, nothing to happen amongst the Gentiles, only the slaughtering and so forth, as we'll get to that and see. But the Church itself has gone on the last verse of the 3rd chapter of Revelation when the Laodicean church age end, which was the last.

Revelation chapter 4 pt 3 throne mercy 61-0108 P:85 Now, these tribulation period saints that come up, had went through great tribulation... The church will not go through the tribulation. Do you see they was already in glory? And here's the tribulation saints, the sanctified ones that had... Being it's mine and your fault they had never heard the Word. If they heard It and rejected It, they went on to hell; they was cast out into outer darkness because they rejected the Word. But if they would never heard It, God's just; tribulation period comes to them. Now, notice just a minute, think: washed by the same Word, 'cause it's the same altar; it's the same sea of glass and the same Word. Revelations 15 2 to 5. Now, notice, just a minute. Now, we never took the Word to them; that's the reason they was like that. We never took the Word to them; we're going to be held responsible. So we'll not be able to catch all the people, the church won't in this age, that's got the truth. Because they'll go through the tribulation; they're not the saints that died way back yonder in them church ages, because he said, "They come up out of the great tribulation," and the great tribulation's yet future, after the church goes home.

A recent poll was taken among protestant pastors and 36% believed in a pre-tribulation rapture of the church. That means 64% of protestant pastors believe they must go through the tribulation for purification. And that means they do not count the blood of Jesus Christ strong enough for their perfection.

From his sermon Jehovah Jireh 3 64-0404 P:32 brother Branham said, "Not the church, the bride. The church goes through the tribulation period, but not the bride. No, sir. She's redeemed. She has nothing to be purified by; she's already pure. The Holy Spirit's come into her and purified her, and took away all the filth and gaum of the world. And she believes that Word and becomes part of It. Right. Without the Holy Spirit, nothing doing. It's the bride comes out of the church. And there... She... That's called the remnant of the woman's seed is left to go through the tribulation period.

When their eyes were opened 64-0416 P:62 So could it be in the coming and catching away. One of these days they'll get into the tribulation. They'll say, "I thought the Bride was going..." The church going into tribulation? Sure. The church's going into tribulation, but not the Bride. Why is this supposed to be first? And then the Word, might be, "She's already gone and you didn't know it." They'll be going on having church just the same.

Scriptural signs of the time 64-0410 P:5 Now, we know that Jesus turned and said to him, "Elias has already come and you didn't know it." Now, wouldn't it be very sad, one of these days, if we find the church over in the tribulation period? Now, I'm not here to preach doctrine. I don't do that. I respect my brothers. But if you'll forgive me, let me just inject this just a moment. for myself personally, certainly I'll believe the church goes through the tribulation period, but not the Bride. The Bride goes home. See, God brings a Bride out of a church, like He brought a nation out of a nation in Egypt. See?

Jesus Christ the same 63-0627 P:98 But this is the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of the Holy Spirit, moving among His people, doing the same thing that He did when He's here on earth, identifying Himself with His Bride, not the church. There's a difference between the church and the Bride. Not preaching doctrine, 'cause I don't do that; but, to my humble belief, the church goes through the tribulation, the sixth seal, to purify it. That's right. But the Bride don't; she goes in the rapture before that.

Fourth seal the 63-0321 P:44 How anyone can get the Church going through the tribulation, I don't know. But... What's it got to go through the tribulation for, when it hasn't got a sin? I mean the... I don't mean the church; the church will go through the tribulation. But I'm talking about the Bride.The Bride won't, no, it hasn't got a sin against it at all. It's done been bleached out, and there's not even a there's not even smell of it; there's nothing left. They're perfect before God. So what's any tribulation to purify them, but the others do. The church does go through the tribulation, but not the Bride. Now, now, we're just taking it in all kinds of symbols now like the--the church, Noah, the carried over type, went on out into sin. See? Now, they did go over, but Enoch went first. That was the type of the saints that would go in before the tribulation period.

Questions and answers COD 64-0830E P:46 392. The Bride, when she's taken from the church, then the church age will cease. Laodicea goes into chaos; the Bride goes to glory; and the tribulation period sets in upon the sleeping virgin for three and a half years while Israel is getting its prophecy; then tribulation sets in upon Israel; and then comes the battle of Armageddon which destroys all things. And then, the Bride returns back with the Groom for a thousand years, the millennium reign; after that comes the white throne judgment; after that comes the new heavens and new earth and the new city coming down from God out of heaven. Eternity and time blends together.

Questions and answers COD 64-0823M P:78 247. Now, the first place, the confusion is, is what I have said about the Gentile's days be done when the tribulation--in the tribulation. Now, I do not see the Gentiles in the Bible... The Gentile Bride, Bride, not the Gentile church now, the Gentile church will go through the tribulation period (See?), but not for their... See, the Bride is the elected; they go through nothing but the rapture. They're just changed and taken out of the world. See? Now, I'll explain that in a further question here, bringing it from Luther up, and you'll see then what it means; it's the maturing of the body. See? Now notice. Now, the Jews that's left is the one who will be preached to by the two prophets, Elijah and Moses.

Future home 64-0802 P:63 Yet, Noah was a type of the remnant that's carried over, not the translated bunch. Enoch, one man, went in the rapture before the flood came, showing that the Church does not go into the tribulation or anything around it. Enoch was translated: one man. Oh, the church may be a number but the Bride is going to be a very small group, that'll make up the Bride. Now, the church may be a great number, but the Bride... You see, compare eight with one. Eight times less will be the Bride than the church. "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where will the sinner and the ungodly appear?" Those who know better to do it and go ahead and do it anyhow, those who follow the rules of denomination instead of the Word, where will they appear at, yet called Christians, taking the Name of Christ?

How can I overcome 63-0825M P:36 He sees that the Church has to go through the tribulation period for purification. I say the Blood of Jesus Christ purifies the Church. See? It needs no... I believe that the church goes through the tribulation period, church organization, but the Bride does not. Would you chose a woman you had to purify before you married her? Christ's Bride is chosen, and She is elected, and She's God's Bride, the Bride of Jesus Christ.

Token the 63-1128E P:46 Someone discussing that with me not long ago, said, "The church will have to go through for--for a purification."I said, "That is true, because she rejected the Blood."But if the tribulation period catches the Bride, His Own Wife, in the tribulation? No, sir. The Blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed us from all sin, and there's no more purifying. And the Blood of Jesus Christ, and that Token, as identification that it has been purified (Amen.), that's the Token of the Bride wearing the ring.

Sixth seal the 63-0323 P:21 And we're living in a terrific time, the time that... You see, these things that we're in now, that we're studying right now, is after the Church is done gone. See? These things are the tribulation period. And I think it ought to be truly settled in every believer's heart that this Church never takes the tribulation period. You cannot put nowhere the Church in tribulation. I... You put the church there, but not the Bride. See, see? The Bride's gone on, 'cause (See?) She has not one sin, not a thing against Her. The grace of God has covered her over, and the Bleach has took every sin so far away, there's not even a, ever a remembrance of it, not a thing but purity, perfect in the Presence of God. Oh, it ought to make the Bride get down on her knees and cry out to God.

QA on Genesis COD 53-0729 P:93 Now, look back in the Old Testament. When you see the plagues falling, they were in Egypt, wasn't they? And God was bringing His people out to the promised land. Is that right? And Israel never received one plague. Just as the plagues... Before it went, they went into Goshen. Is that right? And the sun never did dim out; no mosquitoes come; no frogs was there; no lice was there; no storms was there; no lightning was there; no killing of the cattle was there; and everything they had was preserved in Goshen. Is that right? It's a type of the church going just before the tribulation period. Jesus said, "When these things begin to come to pass, lift up your head, your redemption is nigh." See? I believe that the moon and sun and stars... And they said that... I'll go ahead and read It, said, "And man run and hid themselves in the--and fell upon their--sought to kill theirselves, and couldn't do it, and everything." I believe that takes place just before the tribulation. Now, watch, the tribulation comes. When the tribulation strikes, the church goes up. Now, remember, just an ordinary church without the Holy Ghost goes through the tribulation period. It's only the elect that goes through. Oh, I could rub something hard here, just for a minute. Would you give me three more minutes? What is the raptured people called, it's the Bride. Now, the remnant was left.

What shall we do with Jesus 64-0126 P:36 All's written in the Book will escape it. Now, we find out the little flock is ready for the Dynamics to move It up into the skies to escape all this tribulation. Someone said the other day when I was talking, said, "Brother Branham, you don't believe then the church will go through the tribulation?"I said, "I believe the church will, but not the Bride." The church will go through the tribulation (Yes, sir.), but the Bride's free from it. She'll go in the rapture, in a moment in a twinkling of an eye she'll be caught up to meet her Lord in the air for the Wedding Supper. She has nothing to go through any tribulation about; her Lord has paid her price. We're so thankful for that. Yes, sir.

Perseverant 63-0802 P:15 The very elected, the scribes and the apostles, called of the Lord, were looking for the Messiah to come, but Elias to come and forerun His coming. And He come it, and did it in such humility, and till they even didn't recognize him. And may I say this, as my own thought. One of these days... You're looking for a lot to happen, that's happening and you don't know it. You're going to say before the rapture of the Church...Now, I'm not here preaching doctrine. There's ministers on the platform here, that would disagree probably with this. Most all ministers believe that the Church goes through the tribulation period, for purification; I can't see it. The Blood of Jesus Christ is our purification, nothing...?... See, see? I believe that the church, the denominational church and the sleeping virgin, does go through the tribulation, but not the Bride. There's a difference between the church and the Bride. The Bride goes in the rapture.

Breach the 63-0317E P:130 But you see, that sleeping virgin ain't receiving nothing anyhow. That's right. And remember, while they went to try to buy oil... You remember the Scriptures doesn't say they got it. But while they were out trying to buy it, there come a sound. What happened? All those virgins that slept rose, and trimmed their lamps, and went in to the supper (Is that right?), and the rest was left for the tribulation period (Right.), weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth. That's the church, not the Bride, the church. The Bride went in. There's a whole difference between the church and the Bride. Yes, sir. Went in to the wedding supper... Oh, notice, boys.

Questions and answers COD 64-0823E P:117 The church, the lukewarm, the anything outside of the elected Bride will go through the tribulation period. They will not raise in the first resurrection: "The rest of the dead lived not for a thousand years," just the foreordained, predestinated, elected Bride, God's own elections. "Who is it, Brother Branham?" I don't know? I can't tell you who it is, but I know it's going to be there, 'cause the Lord said they would. See? They are the ones that'll go up from the tribulation, but the rest of them will go through the tribulation, go down, and everything will be killed before the millennium. Then the righteous shall come out in the millennium and live a thousand years. And after the thousand years, then the great white throne judgment comes, and then the dead, both right and wrong is raised. And the books are opened, and the Book of Life was open; and the saints, the Wife and the Husband, set and judge the world. And there it comes to pass the saying: "And He'll judge all nations with a rod of iron." All nations shall stand before Him there, and He'll judge them with the rod of iron. He'll separate the sheep from the goats and say to the goats, "Depart," and the sheeps, "Come, ye blessed of My Father."

Now, let's look at some things brother Branham tells us about the rapture. I read these Wednesday night but they bear repeating.

E-52 The Faith of Abraham 55-1118 How's He going to Rapture the Church? That's up to Him, I just believe He will do it, that's all. And He will do it, because He said so.

E-6 Balm in Gilead 59-1124  The one thing we have to move up to now is a supreme faith to what we have had, something that... You cannot have that faith until you know perfectly what you're doing. When you understand... Like you... You walk. You just say, "Well, I'm going home. I'm going out and start the car." That's all a act of faith. "Tomorrow I will meet you at a certain place." That's all a act of faith, because you've just done it so much, because it's a regular routine with you.  Well, that's the way the things of God are. After you have trusted Him, and watched Him do so many things till it becomes just like a regular routine. And that's the condition I think the Church will be in just before the coming of the Lord. So the rapture will just go right on that

21 Q and A On The Holy Ghost 59-1219  Jesus said, "Say to this mountain." And you've heard about what's been taken place; that's the ministry that we're entering into. We're way up the road now. Soon the coming of the Lord Jesus. And we've got to have rapturing faith in a Church that can he changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye to go out, or we will not go. But don't worry, it'll be there. It'll be there. And when the power of this church rises, it'll bring its brethren; the power of that church rises, will bring its brethren; the power of that church will bring the other brethren; then there'll be a general resurrection. And we're looking forward to it.

way. It'll just be a regular routine upon the Scriptures and the plans of God.

27 God Has A Provided Way 54-0404   And now we're moving right on into another great age, coming for the rapture of the Church. And in this, we're living in the time of the restoration of the gifts. It stumbled many of the big fine churches; it sent Nazarene backwards; it made fanatics out of a lot of Pentecost. But, just the same, God is moving right on, bringing in the rapturing faith for His Church. That's right. So, tonight, I represent that Faith, "The Faith that was once delivered to the saints," in the way of a Divine gift.

114 Perfect Faith 63-0825.2E And so when a man lives by faith and walks by faith, I mean substance faith, he is isolated from the entire world and becomes a new creature in Christ. There, now you're getting into Bride material. See? You're getting into rapturing condition, now.

People think they need to somehow do something or work themselves up into some great sort of faith to have rapturing Faith, but listen folks, there is nothing you can do about it, either you are elected to it or you are not.

What did Enoch do that merited him his rapture? He walked with God and was a friend of God. And that is all we are required to do is to walk in the light as He is in the light, so we are walking together with God as He is in that Light. And the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from ALL sin. So what would we need purging for in a tribulation, we are already cleansed by the washing of water by the Word. We are already the sinless Bride of Jesus Christ.

Invisible union of the bride 65-1125 P:107 ...the anointed Bridegroom, which foreordained you, has washed you by the washing of the water by the church? That don't sound right, does it? You might find that in the almanac, but not in God's Bible. By the washing of the Water by the Word, and the Word. See? You are standing completely justified as though you never did it at the beginning. This is my message to the church now as we go off the air just in a minute. You are standing, if you're standing on God's Word and with God's Word, every amen, every jot, every tittle. Where you standing? I'm trying to tell you: Pull away from them shucks and get out here in the wheat where you can get ripe before the sun. I hear the coming of the combine. You're standing complete, justified like you never did it in the first place. Hallelujah. Talk about a Thanksgiving. I feel real good. I'm more thankful for that than anything I know of. You are the pure, virtuous, sinless Bride of the Son of the living God. Every man and woman that's born of the Spirit of God, and washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ, and believes every Word of God, stands as though you never sinned at the first place. You're perfect. The Blood of Jesus Christ...

222 The end Time Evangelism 62-0603  Now we're going to end right here, by saying this. The end-time Message is to get the Bride ready and prepared for the Rapture. What can it do? According to Malachi 4, is bring them back to the Faith that was once delivered to the saints. Bring them back to the Faith of the fathers, the Pentecostal part, in the restoration time. "I will restore, saith the Lord." That's real event, end-time evangelism.

E-45 Thy House 61-0808  [Brother reads a question: "When the rapture takes place, will all believer's families, wife and children go? They are in faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord?"--Ed.] Yes, yes. Will all the family go in the rapture? See, yes. See? Now, if you notice, the rapture is going to be a universal thing. Let us pray.