Revealed to Babes Such
as Will Learn
March 4, 2001
Brian Kocourek
This morning we will
continue with our study of brother Branham's sermon "Who is this
Melchisedec:. And let’s pick up again at paragraph 35 where we left off last
week.
35 I said,
"It's by revelation." And he said, "I can't accept
revelation." I said, "Then there's no way for God to ever get to
you, because it's hid from the eyes of the wise and prudent and revealed to
babes (revealed, revelation) revealed to babes such as will accept it, learn."
And I said, "There'd be no way for God to get to you; you close yourself
off from Him. The whole Bible is the revelation of God. The whole
church is built upon the revelation of God. There's no other way to know God
only by revelation: 'To whom the Son will reveal Him,' revelation. Everything
is revelation. So to--not to accept the revelation, then you're just a cold
theologian, and there's no hope for you."
Now, last week we examined this paragraph in light of the literalist, which are those people who take the Bible literally in everything it says, unless of course it is the True revelation of it, and then they for some reason can not accept the literal translation of the Scriptures.
We showed last week that will say they believe the entire Bible is the Inspired Word of God, but when you show them how certain portions have been manifested in this day they for some reason can not accept that portion of scripture is for this hour. Actually, most literalists are nothing more than legalists and they have laid aside the Manifested Word for traditions and creeds, and I will prove this by the Word this morning.
Paul said in I CORINTHIANS
2:6 ¶ Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are
perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world,
that come to nought: 7 But we speak the
wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained
before the world unto our glory:
He called it the hidden wisdom. That means it has always been there but was written in such a way that it would go completely over the head of those who read it until the appointed time for it to be revealed, and then it would be revealed only to those who were ordained to receive it.
ACTS 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and
glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life
believed. 49 And the word of the
Lord was published throughout all the region.
Now, Paul let’s us know that Word is revealed only to those who are in the election. This is exactly what Jesus taught as well.
ROM 16:25 ¶ Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my
gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the
mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made
manifest,
It is only given for
a certain group to know and all others will not know, no matter how much of it
they hear. That is why I believe we have a mixed multitude following this
message and the majority of them are not ordained to know, nor to understand
the message.
MARK 4:10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve
asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to
know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all
[these] things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not
perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they
should be converted, and [their] sins should be forgiven them.
Here we have Jesus telling us that he purposely spoke to the people in parables, for the sole purpose of saying the things ordained to be received by those on the inside but also that those on the outside might not understand the hidden meaning. These things pertain to our glory, they are given for our Glory and not for others. And the word glory is the Word Doxa meaning the assessment, opinion and judgment. Therefore it was God’s intent for us to receive His Mindset and not for everyone.
Brother Branham used the same illustration when he told the story about the man who said he didn’t know his Bible, and he answered the man, and said, but I sure know the author real well. Then brother Branham said it was like a love letter, and when his wife writes to him when he is overseas she might mention something to him that others who do not know their personal relationship might read it and miss completely the entire meaning.
HEAR YE HIM 57-0125 E-33 And men today is
constrained by the Holy Spirit to come and love Him and serve Him, for He's
seeking such to do that. God is looking for somebody who'll stand out on the
front line with love, not with no education. I'm not trying to support my
ignorance, but I am trying to say that it doesn't take scholarships. It takes a
surrendered heart that God can make love. You don't know the Bible half as good
as the devil does. So what good would it do you to..? Someone said not long
ago, said, "Brother Branham, you are mixed up. You ought to teach it this
way." I said, "Sir, I may not know the Word very well, but I know the
Author real well." Not to know His Word is Life, but to know Him is Life.
To know Christ is Life, know Him in a personal experience. The Word opens up to
a new look to you.
E-34 My wife... The Bible is a love letter. My wife writes me. And I love my wife. And she writes me a love letter, and she says, "Billy, I was setting down the children tonight and so forth..." And I can see what's on the paper. But I love her and she love me. And it's such a connection I can read between the lines. I know what she's saying, for it's a love affair. In--in her word she is projecting to me, and if the word knowing...?... we have, we love each other so we can read between the lines. Oh, I am so happy that Christ said, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast hid this from the seminary (I--I mean,) the wise and prudent (excuse me)...?... and has revealed to babes such as would learn, that nurse from the mother, from the Word." It's a love letter. You read between the lines. There's where you find it. It's not a law, not a sound of...?... It's a love of a kind heavenly Father Who loves.
Now, last week we established that the Word of God has many hidden secrets, which God purposely kept hidden until a certain time he had ordained for it to become manifested and fully known. Therefore, we know that just to read it will not teach you what is in there. It takes revelation.
Jesus said, MATTHEW 11:25 ¶ At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and [he] to whomsoever the Son will reveal [him].
And in our opening statement
that we read from brother Branham's sermon, he said, 35 I said, "It's
by revelation." And he said, "I can't accept revelation." I
said, "Then there's no way for God to ever get to you, because it's hid
from the eyes of the wise and prudent and revealed to babes (revealed, revelation)
revealed to babes such as will accept it, learn.
Now Jesus said it would be
that way. He said unless you were willing to learn you would not be able to
come. JOHN 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath
sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in
the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that
hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
WHY ARE WE NOT A
DENOMINATION? SATURDAY_ 58-0927
Now, you stop, find that all through
these church ages here, pulling out. The Holy Spirit speaking out how those
gifts would be working in the last days. Now, we've got gifts of healing
working. Oh, it's--it's going good. Well, brother, there's other gifts. That's
just one of them. That's just a little minor thing. Why, here's a far greater
gift right here. Which would be the best, the gift of the Holy Ghost of wisdom
to put the Word of God together and to show the church where we're standing,
than just to get somebody healed? We all want to be well; but I'd rather have
my soul well, than my body well anytime. Oh, my. Hear the Holy Spirit speaking
through John on Patmos, said, "Here's to the wisdom, let him listen to
This." Now, we're getting a picture drawed out here.
QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS_ JEFF.IN
COD WEDNESDAY_ 59-1223
491-99 Now, in there that subconscious (See?), that's where your mind...
Now, Jesus said, "Except a man be borned again..." (Now, that's not
what I wanted.) "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a man be borned
again he cannot see the Kingdom of God." Now, you couldn't see the Kingdom
of God, because the Kingdom of God is the Holy Spirit. "Some standing here
will not taste of death till they see the Kingdom coming in power," He
said. Then, "The Kingdom of God," the Bible said, "is within
you." It's within you, the Holy Spirit, and you can't see that with your
eyes. So "see" means "to understand."
Have you ever looked at anything,
looking right at it, say, "Well, I just don't see it." See? "I
just don't see it." You mean you don't understand it. See, see? You don't
understand it. To see is "to understand." But with your eyes you
look at anything. But with what's inside of you, you understand with, you see
with that. See? With the eyes of God you look...
197-2 PERGAMEAN CHURCH
AGE -
CHURCH AGE BOOK CPT. God has never placed His church in the hands of an
elected leadership which moves with political mindedness. He has placed His
church in the care of God-ordained, Spirit-filled, Word-living men who lead the
people through feeding them the Word. He has not separated the people into
classes so that the masses are led by a holy priesthood. It is true that the
leadership must be holy, but then so must be the whole congregation.
156-2 SMYRNAEAN CHURCH
AGE -
CHURCH AGE BOOK CPT.4 In every age we have exactly the same pattern. That
is why the light comes through some God-given messenger in a certain area, and
then from that messenger there spreads the light through the ministry of others
who have been faithfully taught. But of course all those who go out don't
always learn how necessary it is to speak ONLY what the messenger has spoken.
(Remember, Paul warned the people to say only what he said, I Corinthians
14:37, "If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him
acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the COMMANDMENTS OF THE
LORD. What? came the Word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?")
They add here, or take away there, and soon the message is no longer pure, and
the revival dies down. How careful we must be to hear ONE voice, for the Spirit
has but one voice which is the voice of God. Paul warned them to say what he
said, even as Peter did likewise. He warned them that EVEN HE (PAUL) could not
change one word of what he had given by revelation. Oh, how important it is to
hear the voice of God by way of His messengers, and then say what has been
given them to say to the churches.
Now
we were talking about the literalist. That’s
the guy who claims to believe all the word literally, but as I said last week,
they don’t really believe it literally, but literarily. To them it is just literature only. The
written Word, so long as it stays a historical. So long as it stays the written
Word only, and so long as it stays hidden and not manifested, then they believe
it literally. Therefore, they do not truly take the Bible literally, but as
literature, they believe it literarily only, for as soon as it is interpreted
by God and manifested to man to show the correct interpretation, that is when
they reject it.
And
these people are really legalists. They will have to turn to the law, for that
is what they did in the first church age and so that is what they will do in
the last church age.. They have to go that way, for Isaiah said,
Isaiah 28:8 NIV All the tables are covered with
vomit and there is not a spot without filth. 9 "Who
is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his message? To
children weaned from their milk, to those just taken from the breast?
Notice it is Children. Whose Children? God Seed.
SHALOM 64-0112
213 The Elected Seed knows it. Always through
every age, that they know it.
But the majority of the people won't receive the Word.
JOHN 1:10 He was in the world, and the world
was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as
many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even]
to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the
will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
JOHN 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to
condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that
believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God. 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. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the
light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Isaiah 28: 10 For it is: 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, 12 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 13 So then, the word of the LORD to them will
become: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a
little there-- so that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared
and captured..
One
brother I was talking to this week from out west told me the pastor where he
attends church has a list of 65 things you must do to be in the bride. Now, I
know that pastor, and I like him very much, but as long as I have known him,
and that is since 1976, he has been a literalist, and thus a legalist. I only
pray that God would open his eyes to see what we see, and to know what we know
that he might have the rest that we have received.
Isaiah 28:12 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 13 So then, the word of the LORD to them will become: Do and
do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there-- so
that they will go and fall backward, be injured and snared and captured..
Notice, He said, come unto me, you’ve got to enter His presence to get
this rest. Come unto me and then learn of me and that will bring rest. There
you are. Presence and then teaching.
Isaiah 29:6 the
LORD Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with
windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire.
7 Then
the hordes of all the nations that fight against Ariel, that attack her and her
fortress and besiege her, will be as it is with a dream, with a vision in the
night--
8 as
when a hungry man dreams that he is eating, but he awakens, and his hunger
remains; as when a thirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but he awakens
faint, with his thirst unquenched. So will it be with the hordes of all the
nations that fight against Mount Zion.
9 Be
stunned and amazed, blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not from
wine, stagger, but not from beer.
10 The
LORD has brought over you a deep sleep: He has sealed your eyes (the prophets);
he has covered your heads (the seers).
11 For
you this whole vision is nothing but words sealed in a scroll. And if you give
the scroll to someone who can read, and say to him, "Read this,
please," he will answer, "I can't; it is sealed."
12 Or
if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read, and say, "Read this,
please," he will answer, "I don't know how to read."
13 The
Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me
with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made
up only of rules taught by men.
14 Therefore
once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of
the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."
15 Woe
to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their
work in darkness and think, "Who sees us? Who will know?"
16 You
turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay!
Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me"?
Can the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing"?
17 In
a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field and the
fertile field seem like a forest?
18 In
that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and
darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
19 Once
more the humble will rejoice in the LORD; the needy will rejoice in the Holy
One of Israel.
20 The
ruthless will vanish, the mockers will disappear, and all who have an eye for
evil will be cut down--
21 those
who with a word make a man out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court
and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice.
22 Therefore
this is what the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, says to the house of Jacob:
"No longer will Jacob be ashamed; no longer will their faces grow pale.
23 When
they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my
name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and
will stand in awe of the God of Israel.
24 Those
who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding; those who complain will
accept instruction."
Isaiah 29:1-24 (NIV)
They are shown what that rest is and even told where to get it,
but they refuse it. Jesus said, MATTHEW 11:28 Come unto me, all [ye]
that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Brother Branham quoted what Jesus said about entering into rest.
From 46-2 PATMOS VISION - CHURCH.AGE.BOOK CPT.2 How we receive
this rest, or continuing Sabbath, is at the invitation of Jesus. He said in
Matthew 11:28,29, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me;... and ye
shall find rest (or keeping of the Sabbath, not a day, but eternal life,
Sabbath) unto your souls." No matter how long you have been laboring under
your load of sin, whether it is ten years, thirty years or fifty years, or
longer, come with your tired weary life and you will find His rest (the true
Sabbath). Jesus will give you rest.
46-3 Now exactly what is that
rest that Jesus will give? Isaiah 28:8-12, "For all tables are full of
vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. 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. For precept must be upon precept,
precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there
a little: For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this
people. To whom He said, This is the rest (Sabbath) wherewith ye may cause the
weary to rest (or keeping of His Sabbath); and this is the refreshing: yet they
would not hear." Here it is prophesied right here in Isaiah. And it came
to pass about 700 years later at Pentecost when they were all filled with the
Holy Ghost exactly as it was said they would be. This is the true Sabbath that
was promised. Thus when they were filled with the Holy Ghost they ceased from
their worldly works, their worldly doings, their evil ways. The Holy Ghost took
charge of their lives. They entered into rest. There is your rest. That is your
Sabbath. It is not a day, nor a year, but the eternity of being filled and
blessed in the Holy Spirit. It is you ceasing, and God doing. It is God in you
willing and doing of His good pleasure