MASTERPIECE No. 24
Gross Darkness upon the People
Saturday evening, September
24, 2005
Rev. Brian Kocourek
This evening we will continue in our Study of Br.
Branham’s sermon called THE MASTERPIECE 64-0705 and this will be number 24 in our series.
Last Sunday we spoke from paragraph 25 Where Brother Branham said,…
THE
MASTERPIECE 64-0705 25 Father God, Thy Word is a Lamp, the
Light that lights the path of every believer into the Presence of God, as
It carries us like a lantern in our hand. You've not provided enough that we
should see the end from the beginning, and I walk with faith. But as a man
would travel through a dark forest at night (And that's where we are.), the light that he holds only provides step
by step. But the path, though leading upward, just walk with the Light. And may The Light shine today upon the Word to lead us one step farther to
the
IN
our study of this paragraph we focused on the first part where brother Branham
said, Father God, Thy
Word is a Lamp, the Light that
lights the path of every believer into the Presence of God
We then looked at the parable of the ten
virgins showing how necessary it is for the lamp to be lit. We showed how David
said in the Book of Psalms that “the Word of God is a
lamp unto our feet, and a Light unto our Path.” We saw in this
parable that both the wise and foolish virgins were the same in every detail
except the wise had oil in their vessels, which represents the Holy Spirit within
them, and the foolish did not. Thus when both heard the midnight cry which is
the shout of 1 Thessalonians 4:16 they went out to see who it was on the
outside giving the Shout, and they both went out to investigate this Shout.
They both trimmed their lamps which means they both searched the Word, but only
the wise could see who was there making that Midnight Cry or Shout, but the foolish remained in darkness and
could not understand who was there. And so the wise went into the Presence of
God but those who did not have the oil in their vessel, even though they had trimmed their lamp the same way as the
wise virgins, but because they had no oil or Holy Ghost, therefore they were
not able to see or understand the Midnight Shout and thus could not see who had
come down with a shout and thus they remained in darkness. Now this then tell
us that without this Light to light the path into the Presence of God we will
not have that which is necessary to ensure our journey into that presence of
God and without the light of that lamp we will not know when we have arrived
into the Presence of Him Who is here or not.
Now, this week
I would like to continue with the paragraph f Brother Branham’s and speak on
the next thought that he said, so let’s read this paragraph again from THE MASTERPIECE
64-0705 25 Father God,
Thy Word is a Lamp, the Light that lights the path of every
believer into the Presence of God, as It carries us like a lantern in our
hand. (Now, this first part we spoke on last week,
now let’s continue.) You've not
provided enough that we should see the end from the beginning, and I walk with
faith. But as a man would travel through a dark forest at night (And that's
where we are.), the light that he holds
only provides step by step. But the path, though leading upward, just walk with the Light. And may The Light shine today upon the Word to
lead us one step farther to the
Now, this evening I would like to break this last
part down into three main points.
Number 1) he said, You've not provided enough that we should see the end from
the beginning, and I walk with faith.
Number 2) He continued But as a man would
travel through a dark forest at night (And that's where we are.),
Number 3) He added the light that he holds only provides step by step. But the path,
though leading upward, just walk with
the Light. And may The Light
shine today upon the Word to lead us one step farther to the
Now, let’s begin this evening with point Number 1) where said in His prayer to
God, “You've not provided enough that we should see
the end from the beginning, and I walk with faith.”
Notice that brother Branham here in his prayer is saying
that God has not provided us enough light that we could see the end from the
beginning. So he is letting us know then that the Light that is given to us is
a progressive light. It is a progressive illumination of our path. And
therefore this light comes to us Word upon Word upon Word. Therefore as we walk
along the path to the Kingdom, there is only enough light given out by our
lamps to guide us along that path one step at a time as we walk through the
valley of the shadow of death and darkness, knowing that the entire world is
completely engrossed in darkness.
In fact that is what Brother Branham tells us in
point Number 2) But as a man would travel through a dark
forest at night (And that's where we are.)
So we see that he is letting us know the condition
of the world and yet how the light is to be used as we walk through this dark
and dangerous time that we live. And we are warned in the Scriptures that the
world will be engrossed in darkness. And we see the same scene that we saw in
Matthew 25 where there was complete darkness and then the midnight cry went
forth to trim the lamps and to come out into the night to see who had come
down. We find the same scene spoken of also in ...
Isaiah 60: 1 Arise, shine;
for thy light is come, and the glory of
the LORD is risen upon thee. In other words, when he says arise he is saying to the sleeping virgins
to get up and trim their lamps and get them lit, and he tells us this is
because the Glory of the Lord has come down and has risen upon them. Now, if
The Glory of the Lord is risen upon them, then His Presence has to be there to
do so. That’s Matthew
4: 16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which
sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
2 For, behold, ( He’s saying “look and
see”) “the
darkness shall cover the earth”, (and
the word “shall” speaks of the future tense or a future time) and gross darkness
shall cover the people (And so we see that the peoples of the earth
at this time shall be in total darkness, but at this same time the Lord shall come down.) but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. (Now,
here we see this same scene all over again, a time of Gross darkness upon the
entire world and yet the Glorious Presence of God will come down upon a certain
people and not only will His Glory come down upon these people but it will also
be seen upon them as well.)
Now, the
Apostle Paul tells us this same thing in 2
Thessalonians 1:10 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.
And just as
Moses came down from the Mountain having been in the presence of the Lord for
40 days, His face was glowing with the shekinah presence, so too in this hour
we have a promise that the Glory of God shall be revealed in us. Now,
this word glorified that Paul used here in speaking of this condition of the
Elect at the end-time was translated from the Greek word edoxazo taken from the root
word doxa, which means the opinion, estimation, and judgment. So we see that
the very mind that was in Christ will be in the people at this time. Now, this is the same condition that the Son
of God came into before He was taken from the earth. 2 Corinthians
4: 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,
hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of
God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Now, we see the
same scene with Jesus in John 13:31 just
before he finished his ministry and God took Him from the earth. Therefore, when he (Judas) was gone out, Jesus
said, Now is the Son of man glorified (Doxazo), and God
is glorified (doxazo) in him. 32 If God be glorified (Doxazo) in him, God shall
also glorify (doxazo) him in himself,
and shall straightway glorify (doxazo)him.
So we see that this Glory first came from
God into Jesus. The very mind of God in His Only Begotten Son, But according to
Isaiah and then Apostle Paul, this same Glory or Mind that was first in God,
and then in His Son, will come into sons.
Isaiah 60: 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings
to the brightness of thy rising. 4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and
see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
So we see in
Isaiah the time of the end when there shall be darkness over the earth and
gross darkness upon the people, and yet at this time God Himself will come down
and His presence will bring great light to those ordained to receive that
light, and they will walk in that Light. And notice that this speaks of the
Gentiles, and more specifically about the Sons and daughters of God and how
they will begin to gather together by this light, to this light. Notice he
says, And
the Gentiles shall come to thy
light, and kings to the brightness of thy
rising. So we see that this great Light is the
very presence of God, for he says they come to Thy Light and the Kings to Thy
Brightness of Thy rising.
And then we see the identity of who these
gentiles are. They are sons and daughters of God. And they are gathering from
all over the World to this great and Glorious Light of his Appearing. 4 Lift up thine eyes round
about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: (notice he says they come to Thee. What is the Attraction on the
Mountain? Not a man, but God Himself has come down, and we are told here that
they are gathering together unto Him. And who are these gentiles that are
coming from all over the world?) thy sons (God’s Sons) shall
come from far, and thy daughters
(God’s daughters) shall be nursed at
thy (God’s) side.
Now, The
Apostle Paul told us this will take place at the Parousia of Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:1 Now we beseech
you, brethren, by the Parousia of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering
together unto him 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 that the reason that gross darkness has come upon the people is
because there is a great falling away from The Faith at this time. Man has
chosen organization over the Word of God, and has become so steeped in
organization that when the great glorious presence of God comes down to bring
light, only the Elect Sons and daughters of God will accept it and come into
that Light.
Isaiah 49: 18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather
themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou shalt
surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth.
So we see here
that God is likening those that are gathering together unto Him, as ornaments
for a Bride. And in fact we also see this in the Book of Malachi.
Malachi 3:16 Then they that
feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard
it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the
LORD, and that thought upon his name. Malachi 3: 17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels;
and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
Now, the Lamsa translation says, “And they shall be
mine says the Lord of Hosts, on that day when I will assemble the people, So
we see the gathering together of the jewels in the King James translation is a
metaphor for the gathering together of His sons and daughters. and I will have pity
on them as a man pities his own son that serves him. Now, why would
God have pity on them as sons that serve him? Because this is the time that God
comes in judgment as the Great and supreme Judge. Then shall you return and see the difference
between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who
served Him not. “ So we se here that the Presence of the Judge
brings with it a discernment into His Sons that they might know the difference
between them that are actually serving God and them that are not.
Now, if we look back a few verses in the
Book of Malachi we see why the world has become engrossed in darkness.
Malachi 3: 13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye say,
What have we spoken so much against thee? 14 Ye have said, It is vain (useless) to serve God: and
what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance,(in other words,
they say, what have we gained by keeping his Word) and that we have walked mournfully before the
LORD of hosts? 15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work
wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.
So you see this is the day in which they
call that which is wicked, righteous, and that which is righteous, they call
wicked. Isaiah spoke of this time when he said, Isaiah
5: 20 Woe unto them that call evil
good, and good evil; that put darkness
for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for
bitter! And yet that is where
this nation and all nations have come to in this day when abortion is legalized
in almost every nation and the preferred means of population control by the
United Nations. Throughout History almost every nation whether professing to be
Christian or not, they all abided by the ten commandments, and yet in this day
those laws of God that guided and guarded the liberties of men for thousands of
years are now outlawed by our own courts. For all generations, homosexuality
was looked down upon as a filthy sodomite condition but is not safe guarded by
the laws in almost every nation, and now those who would have been criminals in
years past are now judges, and those who would have been stoned for their
offenses to God are not considered right. And those who serve God and believe
His Word are looked upon as the scum of the earth and those who are righteous
in Gods eyes are looked down upon the nations as wrong. Now wonder He has come down to bring judgment
with Him. They have spurned his mercy and so the only thing left is judgment.
Ephesians 4: 17 This I say
therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other
Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their
mind, 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated
from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the
blindness of their heart:
We see the same
thing spoken of in John 1: 5 And the light
shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Because their
focus is not on God, or the things of God, what light they did have thus
becomes darkened. Luke 11: 34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when
thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye
is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. 35 Take heed therefore that
the light which is in thee be not darkness. 36 If thy whole body
therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of
light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light. In
other words if your focus is single focused upon Christ then the whole Body is
full of Light, but if the focus is not on Christ then the body becomes full of
darkness.
They just don’t
get it. Just like the foolish virgins, they could not see who was there because
they had no light upon the Word. Now, lest you think that it is ok to be
without light, let me warn you that the foolish virgin go into tribulation
period and darkness is one of the plagues that is to come upon the earth. Revelation 16: 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the
seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their
tongues for pain,
And if you
remember when we spoke on the parable of The Ten Talents, there was a
man who just buried the talents he had been given, and when the Lord returned expecting
some increase from what had been given to each servant, He saw that this man
had done nothing with what had been given him, and the Lord said to that man, Matthew 25: 24Then he which had received the one talent came and
said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not
sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid,
and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. 26
His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou
knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at
my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore
the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For
unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from
him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30 And
cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.
Jesus said, John 8: 12 Then spake Jesus
again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. So we see that this light like any light brings
life. For you need light to live in the natural, and thus we need light
spiritually to live spiritually as well. John 12: 35
Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you.
Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh
in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
And again He
said, John 12: 46 I am come a
light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in
darkness. The Apostle Paul also tells us this in Colossians 1: 13 In speaking of the Son of God, Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath
translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
And even the
Apostle Paul said the same thing concerning His ministry under the Pillar of
Fire. He was commanded by God to go forth and tell the people about this great
light that had knocked him off of his horse and he was sent to the gentiles…
Acts 26: 18 To open their eyes, and to
turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God,
that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
And even Peter
told us the purpose of the coming of the Son of God was to bring us from Darkness
in Light. 1
Peter 2: 9 But ye are a
chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that
ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness
into his marvellous light:
And since they
are in darkness this is why they can not discern any longer what is good and
what is evil. Malachi 2: 17 You have wearied
the LORD with your words. Yet you say, Wherein have we wearied him? When you
say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth
in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?
Now,
we are warned by Peter that we should take heed to the light when it
comes. 2 Peter 1: 19 We have also a
more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place,
until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
They
are in gross darkness because they have no oil. They are lost in their sin, and
will not come to the Light lest their deeds should be made manifest. But John
tells us, in John 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and
men loved darkness rather than
light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one
that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds
should be reproved (which means exposed). 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to
the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God (or
that they had their source in God).
But we must
remember as the Apostle Paul told us, 1 Thessalonians 5: 4 But ye,
brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and
the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Now, we also see in the
other epistles references to those who are in darkness.
Jude 1: 13 Raging waves of
the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the
blackness of darkness for ever.
2 Peter 2: 17 These are wells
without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of
darkness is reserved for ever.
Romans 11: 10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see,
and bow down their back alway.
Romans 1: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him
not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and
their foolish heart was darkened.
Jude 1: 6 And the angels
which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved
in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Now, in getting back to our
study of the ten virgins, we find that in Matthew 25:
But the wise
took oil in their vessels with their lamps. In other words,
the Word was anointed to them which makes all the difference in the world,
because to those whom the Word is anointed, it becomes a living Word, whereas
to the others it is not a living Word, but a set of rules and regulations in
which they must follow. In Isaiah 28: 9-13 NIV we see what happens to them who
hear this Message but understand it not. Who is He trying to teach? To whom is He explaining His
Message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the
breast? For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little
here, a little there. 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"- 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; as little here, and a little there- so
then they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured."
And because the word to all others has become just
a set of does and don’t, a set of rules and regulations, it has no life in it.
And because it has no life in it to them, after a while it becomes just a chore
and a burden, and therefore they feel justified in turning away from the Word.
And thus the gross darkness upon the people.
And brother Branham told us that is the condition of the world today.
Remember our point Number 2) But as a man would travel through a dark forest at night
(And that's where we are.),
Now, the Apostle Paul told us that he people would
be looking in the mirror of the Word and would only see darkness. But He also
told us that there was coming a time when God Himself who is our Light would
appear and then we would see Him face to Face and be known even as we are
know.
1 Corinthians 13: 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then
face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am
known.
So we see that
our knowing Him is only in part until that time when the Great Light of His glorious
Presence shall appear.
Now, we have
found that without the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in our vessel we will have no
light upon the Word of God and thus will remain in darkness. Therefore as the
apostle Paul also tells us in Romans 13: 12 The night is far
spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and
let us put on the armour of light. So
we see just as a person uses the lamp for protection while walking in the dark
lest they should stumble and fall and hurt themselves, so has God given us the
Light to wear it in our vessel to protect us from the wrath to come. Tomorrow morning we will continue with our
study of the third point brother Branham is making concerning this light. Now, Let us pray.