An Exposition of the Seven Church Ages: Difference between revisions
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Some early dispensationalists (such as [[Plagiarism#Clarence Larkin|Clarence Larkin]]) interpreted the seven churches of Asia (Rev. 1:4) symbolically as seven “church ages,” or stages of church history, though few hold this view today outside of [[The Message|the message]]. For a number of reasons, this line of interpretation is no more feasible than allegorizing the churches addressed in Paul’s letters. Abundant evidence suggests that the Book of Revelation addresses seven literal church communities, including items of local color that fit each of the seven letters (see [[Seven Churches In Asia]]).<ref>Craig S. Keener, Revelation, The NIV Application Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999), 74–75.</ref> | Some early dispensationalists (such as [[Plagiarism#Clarence Larkin|Clarence Larkin]]) interpreted the seven churches of Asia (Rev. 1:4) symbolically as seven “church ages,” or stages of church history, though few hold this view today outside of [[The Message|the message]]. For a number of reasons, this line of interpretation is no more feasible than allegorizing the churches addressed in Paul’s letters. Abundant evidence suggests that the Book of Revelation addresses seven literal church communities, including items of local color that fit each of the seven letters (see [[Seven Churches In Asia]]).<ref>Craig S. Keener, Revelation, The NIV Application Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999), 74–75.</ref> | ||
The burden of proof is clearly upon William Branham to show that these local letters are successive "ages" or "eras". | |||
=Critique on specific comments in Branham's book= | =Critique on specific comments in Branham's book= | ||
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|"''...this volume will concern itself with various major doctrines (such as the Godhead, Water Baptism, etc.) found in Revelation, chapters One through Three...''"<ref>William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Introduction, para. 9-1</ref> | |"''...this volume will concern itself with various major doctrines (such as the Godhead, Water Baptism, etc.) found in Revelation, chapters One through Three...''"<ref>William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Introduction, para. 9-1</ref> | ||
|Outside of William Branham's statement, Revelation 1-3 says nothing about the doctrine of Baptism, or any direct reference to the Godhead. | |Outside of William Branham's statement, Revelation 1-3 says nothing about the doctrine of Baptism, or any direct reference to the Godhead. | ||
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|"''...for out of the Ages come the Seals, and out of the Seals come the Trumpets, and out of the Trumpets come the Vials.''"<ref>William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Introduction, para. 9-1</ref> | |||
|To say "out of the ages, out of the vials", is to imply that these passages in the Book of Revelation are sequential. Agfain, this is yet to be proven. The seals follow the letters to the churches, and the trumpets follow the seals sequentially in the Book of Revelation. But to say that a sequential event comes out of a prior sequential event instead of saying "follows" is concerning. | |||
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|"''But once the brilliance of the Seven Church Ages is given by Divine revelation...''"<ref>William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Introduction, para. 9-1</ref> | |||
|This is the entire key to the authority of the CAB in the message. Once William Branham states that his speculation is a Divine Revelation, there can be no further discussion at this point. This no longer becomes an exposition but a revelation and that of the seventh church age messenger, William Branham. | |||
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|"''...even our Lord and Saviour, the One True God, Jesus Christ.''"<ref>William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Introduction, para. 9-1</ref> | |||
|Notice how William Branham's phraseology doesn't sound the same as the phraseology of the New Testament's references to Christ? There is an uncomfortable feeling that Message believers have when saying, "''Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father...''"<ref>The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 2 John 3.</ref> This is common amongst [[Oneness]] believers who speak of Christ's deity, but are not able to flow with the text of scripture to prove it, or shy away from biblical phrases used to address the Godhead. | |||
|- | |||
|''This composition is set forth in the first person as it is a message from my heart to the hearts of the people.''<ref>William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Introduction, para. 9-1</ref> | |||
|This was written by Lee Vayle, yet approved by William Branham. This book will show a slightly amended version of the Message doctrines contained in William Branham recorded sermons. However, this book has evolved into the standard textbook for beginning Message believers. Regardless of who wrote the CAB, its doctrines and teachings appear to have been approved by William Branham and are taken as his teachings by many message believers. | |||
Revision as of 02:50, 3 January 2017
Click on headings to expand them, or links to go to specific articles.
William Branham's only book, "An Exposition of the Seven Church Ages", was released after his death at the end of 1965. The book is referred to in this article as the Church Age book or CAB.
The concept of "church ages"
Some early dispensationalists (such as Clarence Larkin) interpreted the seven churches of Asia (Rev. 1:4) symbolically as seven “church ages,” or stages of church history, though few hold this view today outside of the message. For a number of reasons, this line of interpretation is no more feasible than allegorizing the churches addressed in Paul’s letters. Abundant evidence suggests that the Book of Revelation addresses seven literal church communities, including items of local color that fit each of the seven letters (see Seven Churches In Asia).[1]
The burden of proof is clearly upon William Branham to show that these local letters are successive "ages" or "eras".
Critique on specific comments in Branham's book
| Quote from the CAB | Comments |
|---|---|
| "...this volume will concern itself with various major doctrines (such as the Godhead, Water Baptism, etc.) found in Revelation, chapters One through Three..."[2] | Outside of William Branham's statement, Revelation 1-3 says nothing about the doctrine of Baptism, or any direct reference to the Godhead. |
| "...for out of the Ages come the Seals, and out of the Seals come the Trumpets, and out of the Trumpets come the Vials."[3] | To say "out of the ages, out of the vials", is to imply that these passages in the Book of Revelation are sequential. Agfain, this is yet to be proven. The seals follow the letters to the churches, and the trumpets follow the seals sequentially in the Book of Revelation. But to say that a sequential event comes out of a prior sequential event instead of saying "follows" is concerning. |
| "But once the brilliance of the Seven Church Ages is given by Divine revelation..."[4] | This is the entire key to the authority of the CAB in the message. Once William Branham states that his speculation is a Divine Revelation, there can be no further discussion at this point. This no longer becomes an exposition but a revelation and that of the seventh church age messenger, William Branham. |
| "...even our Lord and Saviour, the One True God, Jesus Christ."[5] | Notice how William Branham's phraseology doesn't sound the same as the phraseology of the New Testament's references to Christ? There is an uncomfortable feeling that Message believers have when saying, "Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father..."[6] This is common amongst Oneness believers who speak of Christ's deity, but are not able to flow with the text of scripture to prove it, or shy away from biblical phrases used to address the Godhead. |
| This composition is set forth in the first person as it is a message from my heart to the hearts of the people.[7] | This was written by Lee Vayle, yet approved by William Branham. This book will show a slightly amended version of the Message doctrines contained in William Branham recorded sermons. However, this book has evolved into the standard textbook for beginning Message believers. Regardless of who wrote the CAB, its doctrines and teachings appear to have been approved by William Branham and are taken as his teachings by many message believers.
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- The basic information at the bottom of every page should be:
Footnotes
- ↑ Craig S. Keener, Revelation, The NIV Application Commentary, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999), 74–75.
- ↑ William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Introduction, para. 9-1
- ↑ William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Introduction, para. 9-1
- ↑ William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Introduction, para. 9-1
- ↑ William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Introduction, para. 9-1
- ↑ The Holy Bible: King James Version, Electronic Edition of the 1900 Authorized Version., (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009), 2 John 3.
- ↑ William Branham, An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages - Introduction, para. 9-1