William M.
Branham
Seventh Church Age Messenger Or False
Prophet
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There are many who believe that William Branham was a Prophet of God. Some actually believe he was God manifest again as a second type of Christ. Some believe that he is the messenger of Malachi 4 to precede the second coming of the Lord. Our questions are:
- 1.) Was he a prophet of God or a false prophet?
- 2.) Did he preach the true Apostolic Message?
- 3.) Does his doctrine match what Jesus or the Apostles taught?
- 4.) Did he believe what other Apostolics believe?
- 5.) Is the serpent seed doctrine Apostolic, Jewish, Gnostic, or Wiccian mysticism?
The answers to these questions will determine what and who William Branham was. He will be judged by the Word of God and the words spoken by himself. We will not have space to deal with his use of the satanic halo, his seances with his deceased first wife and daughter, or his two attempts at suicide. What William Branham was is contained in his answers to questions asked of him by those who followed him:Question: "Is it not true that you are not saved unless you have received the Holy Ghost?"
Answer: "There could take about a good five hour discussion on that" (Vol. 1, Conduct, Order, and Doctrine, p 368 Question #77 to William Branham).
Why would it take five hours, when Jesus plainly said in John 3:3-5 that no man can see or enter the Kingdom of God, Christian Judaism, the Church, without being born of the Spirit? This is the new birth.
Branham's answer to this question comes later and is found under question #49 of the same book: "Therefore the question is, that a man is saved I BELIEVE , if he's looking to towards Calvary and dies in that estate, CERTAINLY, I BELIEVE HE'LL BE SAVED "
This "look doctrine" is no where taught by Christ or the Apostles.
Question: "Will only those who have the baptism of the Holy Ghost be in the rapture of the Church, or will all believers be indicated?"
Answer: "We ain't ...we haven't got time to justify that, but brother, only the Holy Ghost bride will be in the rapture, see? The Bible ...the others won't be lost ." (Ibid Q. p 192 # 40, A. p 271).
Because Branham was a friend to trinitarians like Demos Shakarian, Ray Hookster [Chaplin Ray], and helped found the Full Gospel Christian Businessman's Fellowship, he would not say these "believers" would be lost without obedience to Acts 2:38.
Question: "Please explain Apostolic Faith."
Answer: "Now here is my thoughts, it may be wrong. ...My thoughts is, that if a Roman Catholic, or whatever he might be, Methodist, Presbyterian, Church of Christ, Lutheran, wherever he is, if he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ and solemnly trusting him for salvation, I believe he is saved" (Ibid, pp 672).
Is this the Apostolic Faith of the New Testament?
Why is it that few if any Branham followers preach this same doctrine today, while they believe a person will go to hell if they don't believe Branham was a prophet?
What motivated Branham to this doctrinal position? The answer is he wanted some comfort for his own lack of spiritual leadership concerning his deceased wife Hope. Hope, his first wife, died while a Trinitarian, had not been baptized according to Acts 2:38. This was Branham's fault. He knew and had been exposed on his way home from his trip to Benton Harbor, Michigan to the House of David church. At this time Branham was a staunch Primitive Baptist and believed in hyper Calvinism on predestination (born saved or born damned). Branham chose to reject the truth about salvation while his wife was alive. He rejected that he and his wife must be baptized in the name of Jesus Messiah for the remission of sins and receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. His error here caused him to fabricate his own doctrine of salvation wherein he could feel comfort his wife had not died lost in unbelief because of his own spiritual stubbornness.
Branham's whole doctrine of salvation was founded upon him being able to save and justify his first wife. We will not here be her judge. But Branham cannot use her and her spiritual condition because of his own failure, to push upon the New Testament Church a new doctrine of salvation which Jesus and the Apostles did not teach all nations. His dear wife Hope was looking with faith toward Jesus and we will not deny that. We question whether unfulfilled faith is valid when Acts 2:38 is so clear and to the point on salvation. Supposedly, his wife Hope told Branham Jesus name baptism and Acts 2:38 salvation was correct, but she died without it he remaining steadfast and resolute in his spiritual stubbornness.
This is the foundation of his "look doctrine" and his interpretation of the Bride [Apostolics], and the Trinitarians as friends of the Bride. He has the friends of the Bride being saved by solemnly trusting Christ for salvation although denying Acts 2:38 and the name Jesus being essential in water baptism. In further explanation of his doctrine of salvation and we believe influenced by the condition of Hope as saved or lost, he said this: "I do believe that any person upon their faith and sincerity and walk in all the light they have will be saved" (Ibid Q. 56, p 656).
Based upon this, an Apostolic Minister in the congregation asked Branham:
Question: "Do you believe that Saul was saved.?"
Answer: "The Saul, ..the King Saul?"
The Apostolic replied: "Yes."
Branham: "Why I am sure."
I have yet to meet any true Apostolic Minister who believes that Saul died saved. Yet according to Branham he died saved (his doctrine of unconditional eternal security or predestination).
Did William Branham believe Acts 2:38 was the only plan of salvation? We will let him answer for himself:
"I [William Branham] believe if a man was baptized wrong ignorantly [remember this addresses Hope], not knowing that he was baptized wrong, ...Now, I can't say this scripturally, but I believe it with my heart that if a man did not know what to do right, and he did something to the best of his knowledge, I believe that God would overlook that and save him anyhow" (Ibid Q. #54, p 655).
On the issue of speaking in tongues, did William Branham believe a person would speak in tongues as the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost? We will let him answer:
Question: "Can one have the Holy Ghost and not the signs?"
Answer: "I disagree with you that they must speak in tongues. ...I would be judge if I said they did not have the Holy Ghost, if they did not speak with tongues." (Questions and Answers, 1969, Aug 30th, Jeffersonville, Ind).
In the same service William Branham said that speaking in tongues was BABYHOOD. He indicated plainly: Tongues is not the evidence.
What did Branham teach concerning women cutting their hair:
"I [William Branham] say one thing I wished, ...Now, I know my kids has done that too, Rebekah and Sarah, I seen when they cut their hair off in front, like this, ...I don't, I ...but when they got all long, hanging down like this, and just cut the front of it out of their eyes, little kids maybe, I, I wouldn't know whether that'd be wrong. (Conduct, Order, And Doctrine, Q #187. p 1102).
So a sister then speaks up and ask him:
Question: "Is it wrong for me to run a beauty shop. I don't believe in Christians [women] cutting [their own] hair, but I cut others and color also."
Answer: "Sister dear, I would not know what to tell you" (Ibid Q #250, p 957).
On the subject of jewelry what did Branham teach?
Branham: "Now I don't mean by that Sister, if you had a pin, ...now this is me, not the Lord, if you had a pin that you wanted to wear, or little necklace your husband gave you or maybe your ...something like that you wore, I don't think that's bad." "Now I know you Nazarene people, it used to be that you wouldn't even baptize a woman with a wedding ring on. See? I, I don't believe that as necessary. In the Bible they wore wedding rings, only it was a tablet they called it, around their head" (Ibid Q #65 & 66, p 1008).
What did Branham teach about belong to secret cults with blood oaths and satanic doctrines?
Question: "Brother Branham, is there anything wrong with belonging to a secret lodge, after we have become a Christian, such as the Masons?"
Answer: "No Sir! You can be a Christian wherever you are. I don't care where you are, you can still be a Christian." (Ibid Q 162, p 680).
It has been alleged by many that Branham had been a Mason. Some believe he was mixed up possibly in Wicca or influenced somehow by it. He bragged about the Masons helping him when he was a boy and needed medical help. He never once spoke against this cult although he was quick to denounce the UPC and other Jesus name groups and independent churches as cults. His trips into the woods at night for spiritual encounters makes us wonder if he was into some neo-wiccian experience like Joseph Smith and his woods experiences with supposed angels that turned out to be wiccian visits. The visit of the spirit in his private shack in the woods at night gives us suspicions especially after he started using mystic methods in his meetings. Many high ranking world Masons in government and business and involved in wicca and satanism received him by a mysterious hand grip. How could he have known these secret signs and grips without being a member himself?
Branham believed in a Pre-Tribulation rapture and predicted 1977. He believed the writings of the Jewish Kabbalah and the Talmud were sacred. He taught the doctrine of Lilith and the serpent seed. He claimed to be a Protestant. He taught that Martin Luther was God's servant and messenger. In his book The Seven Church Ages, Branham said: "Now Martin Luther, himself, was a sensitive Spirit-filled Christian. He was definitely a man of the Word." What did Martin Luther say about himself? "While I slept and drank my beer with dear Melanchthon at Arnsdorf, I gave the papacy such a shock." We Apostolics are shocked also, more so by Branham's claim that this beer-swilling Protestant was "Spirit-filled and a man of the Word.
The serpent seed doctrine came out of the perverted Jewish Kabbalah and the Babylonian Talmud. Was Branham a god, a junior elohim, a malaki, a spirit being manifested, an avatar, a magician using the name of Jesus for his miracles? Did Branham claim to be God or an angel manifested? Many believe he was a god. Some believe he was an angel manifest on par with Michael and Gabriel. They use the word "angel" to mean more than a man, a spirit being incarnated.
Some of his followers made him Jesus Christ manifest again, they baptized in his name for the remission of sins. In the autobiography, "Footsteps In The Sand Of Time," Branham claims Moses and Elijah were manifestations of God. He challenges his followers to look at him and see if they do not see the same God manifested again and he was not refering to a move of the Spirit u pon his life, but a real incarnation. After his untimely and sad death, many went to his grave and held vigils expecting him to self-resurrect himself and prove to the world he was God.
What about the serpent seed doctrine (a rebuttal soon to be published at this site)? This doctrine comes to us via Jewish mysticism and a reinterpretation of the fall of Adam and Eve embodied in Babylonian, Jewish, and other branches of gnosticsm. The sexual orgies of the mystery cults reenacted the serpent seed interpretation ad part of their rites and rituals that were started by Nimrod and his sister/wife Semiramas. The serpent seed doctrine is not a revelation of God. It is an old corruption and reinterpretation that was used in the Baal religion in the Old Testament.
A tape recording of the serpent seed doctrine that was made prior or subsequent to Branham coming out with it, and possibly the message that converted him to the doctrine, is in my possession. In it, the white races are the good seed and the negro and mingled races are the serpent's seed.
Many Jews interpreted the serpent seed to be the Gentiles in their Talmud. The doctrine comes from Babylonian gnosticism and the Jewish adoption of the sexual reinterpretation of the fall they wrote afterward into the Kabbalah and their Talmud. This doctrine is the basis of Jewish gnosticism and is incorporated into all branches of Judaism today that rejects Jesus as the Messiah. It is a false doctrine through and through.
Clearly, William Branham was a mystic and not an Apostolic. He did not preach the Apostles' Doctrine. He did not believe in the Acts 2:38 plan of salvation. He did not believe in the essentially of the new birth of water and Spirit baptisms to be saved. He accepted trinitarianism and trinity groups as being saved. He believed membership in blood oath secret societies was acceptable. Do not judge Branham by his miracles for devils working through men and women can do miracles, read palm vibrations, and read their fortunes by divination. Rather, judge Branham by the Word of God, not his claims nor the claims of his followers. Judge him by his word and his testimony for by it, he like all others shall be judged or condemned by their words.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (MAT 7:22-23).
If ever there was a man who fits this description, William Branham was that man.
True Apostolics rejected Branham very early in his ministry because he was heady and high-minded and would not heed their counsel. He refused to have fellowship with them except where they compromised with him and condoned his false doctrines. Rejecting us, he choose the pulpits of trinitarians and others. His rejection of us and accepting our baptism in Acts 2:38, although not as essential, will never make him an Apostolic.
We conclude then that William Branham was not a prophet of God. And if he ever was a true prophet, which this writer has found no evidence, he surrendered it up when he began to dabble in the occult and other mystic practices and tried to incorporate these into his ministry with spiritualist tricks, as the works of God.
Those of you who are Branhamites, if you do not believe it is Godly and holy to be a member of the Masonic Lodge cult, then you also believe Branham was a false prophet on this. If you believe it is a sin and it is unGodly for a woman to cut, trim, or dye her hair, then you also believe Branham was a false prophet on this. If you believe the Holy Ghost baptism is essential to salvation with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, then you MUST also believe Branham was a false prophet when he taught a person did not need to receive this Baptism, all they had to do was believe in their heart and look toward calvary. If you believe that a person MUST be baptized according to Acts 2:38 by faith to be saved, then you also must believe Branham was a false prophet for teaching a person could be saved without baptism in the Name Of Jesus Messiah, and just believe for full salvation.
In the months I have had this posted on the internet I have had many hate letters from Branhamites. Most admit he was wrong on these important issues but they refuse to call him a false prophet . These same individuals when asked admitted that if the Mormons, Baptist, Catholics, Methodist, Church of Christ, Charismatics, et al, taught what Branham taught on these issues they would be false prophets. Why then, refuse they to admit against Branham what they easily and without alarm charge against other groups who allow membership in the Masonic lodge and these other sins? They will not admit Branham was a false prophet because to do so would force them to seek other fellowships where these things are preached against and that is exactly what they do NOT WANT. They do not want a man to Pastor them in the Apostolic Truth. They want their Pastor to be a dead man who cannot exercise authority over them. They can be free-wheelers, Church hoppers, and home destroyers and be under subjection to no man. They do not want to attend a Church that stands against Branham and against his heresies. So they remain Branhamites and do not tell their converts what Branham believed that they believe is false. Branham made mistakes you say! No, not mistakes, these are grave and serious doctrinal issues that will cause many to be lost and end up in a devil's hell. I want to save these innocent and unsuspecting souls from this horror. That is why I have posted this study on the internet.
With love toward all and malice toward none.