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    =Where did William Branham say he got his revelation from?=


    =Where did William Branham say he got his revelation from?=
    William Branham said this about his "revelation" of the third seal:


    William Branham said this about his "revelation" of the second seal:
    :''And I want to say this. That, each time, even till this morning, about… Oh, I get up real, real early and go to prayer before things stir, and just keep on praying through the day. '''But this morning, early, the Holy Spirit came to where I was. And just as plain as anything, I—I seen this other Seal open up now, just exactly.''' Now—now—now, He hears me, I know. And I’m very grateful.<ref>William Branham, 63-0320 - The Third Seal, para. 20</ref>


    ==William Branham's Revelation of the Second Seal==
    ==William Branham's Revelation of the Third Seal==


    For the third horse rider, the red horse, William Branham said the following:
    For the third horse rider, the red horse, William Branham said the following:


    273 Same rider, now. This first stage, he was innocent. And second, now, if you went a little bit higher, a little more than that; the second stage, the Bible said he’d be “given a crown.” And they crowned a man, a superman. See, crowned him! And, then, the Bible didn’t call him a pope. The Bible called him a “false prophet.” Why? Yeah. Of course, he must be a false prophet, by his antichrist spirit, that taught antichrist against the original Word. Cause, if he taught against the original Word, it was antichrist. It was. And the Word is God, see, Christ. All right. Now, after that, we find him then crowned. And when he got crowned, now, he’s very innocent and helpless. He’s just a little fellow. 274 But then in the Nicaea Council, he was made it, and Constantine give him all the property. And then what did he do? Then he, see, Satan, give him his throne and authority. The Bible said so, as we’ve went through it. 275 Now, the next thing we find out, that the devil controls all politics that ever has been or ever will be. We find that in Matthew 4:11. And now we find out, then, that Satan already had politics.<ref>William Branham,  63-0320 - The Third Seal, para. 273-275</ref>
    :'''''Same rider, now.''' This first stage, he was innocent. And second, now, if you went a little bit higher, a little more than that; the second stage, the Bible said he’d be “given a crown.” And they crowned a man, a superman. See, crowned him! And, then, the Bible didn’t call him a pope. The Bible called him a “false prophet.” Why? Yeah. Of course, he must be a false prophet, by his antichrist spirit, that taught antichrist against the original Word. Cause, if he taught against the original Word, it was antichrist. It was. And the Word is God, see, Christ. All right. Now, after that, we find him then crowned. And when he got crowned, now, he’s very innocent and helpless. He’s just a little fellow.  
     
    :''But then in the Nicaea Council, he was made it, and Constantine give him all the property. And then what did he do? Then he, see, Satan, give him his throne and authority. The Bible said so, as we’ve went through it. 275 Now, the next thing we find out, that the devil controls all politics that ever has been or ever will be. We find that in Matthew 4:11. And now we find out, then, that Satan already had politics.
     
    :''And '''wine symbolizes stimulation of revelation'''. Oh, I—I like to a run all over the place. Wonder I didn’t wake up the neighborhood, when the Lord showed me that, see, “stimulation of revelation.” See?<ref>William Branham,  63-0320 - The Third Seal, para. 273-275, 306</ref>


    ==Comparison to the teachings of Charles Taze Russell==
    ==Comparison to the teachings of Charles Taze Russell==


    As with the first two Seals, we again compare William Branham's teaching above to what Charles Taze Russel said in the 1918 book, The Finished Mystery:
    As with the first two Seals, we want to look at Charles Taze Russel’s explanation of the third horse rider (from his 1918 book, The Finished Mystery).  You will again see that William Branham is again copying Russel:  


    :''6:8. And I looked, and behold a pale horse.—The ghastly and horrible teachings that God's true people must be “exterminated.” “The ghastly green of terror and of death. The word is used of grass in Rev. 8:7; 9:4; Mark 6:39.”—Cook.
    :''And I beheld, and lo, a black horse.—Complete disregard of the Scriptures by clergy and people alike, and in their place the ugly creeds and bulls of popes and councils.
    :''And his name that sat on him was Death.—'''Still the same rider, the Papacy;''' and an apt description of its chief claim to recognition during the pre-Reformation period.
    :''And he that sat on him.—'''The same rider, the Antichrist.'''
    :''And the wine.—'''Wine is a symbol of doctrine''', true or false, '''and its accompanying joys'''.<ref>Russell, C. T. (Charles Taze), The Finished Mystery, Brooklyn : International Bible Students Association, 1918</ref>


    ==Avoid other Christians==
    During this sermon William Branham also encourages his congregation to [[Amos 3:3|dis-fellowship from other Christians]], saying ''“The Message going out right here is to “Stay away from that poison thing!” See?  See? 'How can two walk together lest they be agreed’”''?


    ==Questions you should ask yourself==


    In his sermon on the third seal, William Branham stated:


    :''I always wondered, all my life, why I was so against organizational systems. Not the people, no. The people are just like me or you, or anybody else. But that system, that denominational system, now I see it right here. I never knowed it till now. And that’s right.<ref>William Branham, 63-0320 - The Third Seal, para. 154</ref>


    ==Paying for Heaven==
    If William Branham discovered the errors of Denominations during the Third Seal, why did he preach “Why are we not a denomination” (also titled “The Great Harlot”) on September 27, 1958 and identify “the mark of the beast, which is Romanism; and the image of the beast, which is Protestantism” in a sermon on March 18, 1962?
    The third seal is rider on a black horse, with balances in his hand.  A voice speaks telling the rider not to hurt the oil and the wine. William Branham said the beast in this seal is the man-angel and represents intelligence. 


    During this sermon, William Branham identifies the Black horse rider as vicar over the trinity of earth, purgatory, and heaven.  He says that this rider makes other people pay to enter heaven, pay for prayers, pray for “novenas” and “hail Mary’s”.
    =Moving to the Next Seal=


    ==No Forced Conversions==
    Click [[Fourth Seal|here to go to the next article - The Fourth Seal]]
    William Branham calls the oil and wine the Holy Spirit, and the stimulation of Revelation.  The rider is instructed not to touch these things.  In other words, there will be no forced conversions or attempted conversions of true believers during this time. 


    :''"Like this: "If you catch some of My little flock that's filled with My oil and wine (See?) wine and oil of the pure Word (See?) and you're going to kill them, 'cause you--you're doing that, that's what you're doing, don't you force them to say any "hail Marys," or do anything like that or some of your creeds. You keep your hands off them, they know where they're going."''
    =Video Transcript=


    But does this explanation match history, which is full of inquisitions and forced conversions by most religions?  Even the 20th Century has seen significant persecution of Christians, especially those who convert from a Muslim background.  But why does William Branham's explanation of the Third Seal ignore this?
    We have seen where William Branham received his revelation of the first 2 seals.  Is the third seal any different?


    ==Avoid other Christians==
    In his sermon on the third seal, William Branham tells us:
    During this sermon William Branham also encourages his congregation to [[Amos 3:3|dis-fellowship from other Christians]], saying ''“The Message going out right here is to “Stay away from that poison thing!” See?  See? 'How can two walk together lest they be agreed’”''?


    :''But this morning, early, the Holy Spirit came to where I was. And just as plain as anything, I—I seen this other Seal open up now, just exactly. Now—now—now, He hears me, I know. And I’m very grateful.<ref>63-0320 - The Third Seal, para. 20</ref>


    ==Plagiarism==
    So William Branham is again clear that he got his revelation directly from God.  He didn’t get it from anyone else. 


    {| class="wikitable"
    Here is his revelation which he discloses towards the end of his sermon:
    !What William Branham Said <ref>William Branham, March 23 1963, The Sixth Seal</ref>
    !What Clarence Larkin Said <ref> Clarence Larkin, The Book of Revelation: A Study of the Last Prophetic Book of Holy Scripture, 56 (Philadelphia, PA: Rev. Clarence Larkin Estate, 1919)</ref>
    |-
    | style="width: 50%; background-color: white;"|
    | style="width: 50%; background-color: white;"|
    |-
    |Now, we're going to open the Third Seal. It's found in Revelations 6:5 and 6.
    And when he had opened the third seal, I--I beheld the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that set on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
    And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts saying, A measure of... penny--a measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and... wine.
    Famine, see? Exactly the same Seal, same thing Jesus said. All right. 


    |
    :''Same rider, now.<ref>63-0320 - The Third Seal, para. 273</ref>
    When the “THIRD SEAL” was broken John heard the third or “Man-like Living Creature” say—“Come,” and a “BLACK HORSE” appeared... The “BLACK HORSE” signifies famine...  
    |-
    |}


    Not surprisingly, we find Russel saying the same thing in his book, The Finished Mystery:


    ==Questions you should ask yourself==
    :''And when He had opened the third seal. — Disclosing the third epoch in the history of Antichrist.
    '''If William Branham discovered the errors of Denominations during the Third Seal, why did he preach “Why are we not a denomination” (also titled “The Great Harlot”) on September 27, 1958 and identify “the mark of the beast, which is Romanism; and the image of the beast, which is Protestantism” in a sermon on March 18, 1962?'''
    :''And he that sat on him. — The same rider, the Antichrist.<ref>Charles Taze Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, Volume VII, The Finished Mystery: The Winepress of God's Wrath and the Fall of Babylon (published posthumously), edited by C. J. Woodworth and George H. Fisher, copyright 1917, Peoples Pulpit Association, Brooklyn, N. Y., USA, International Bible Students Association, published 1918, p. 149</ref>
    :''“That denominational System, now I see it right here. I never knowed it till now.”''


    =Moving to the Next Seal=
    Why did William Branham take the words of Charles Russell and proclaim them as God’s message?


    Click [[Third Seal|here to go to the next article - The Third Seal]]
    :''So I, the LORD, affirm that I am opposed to those prophets who steal messages from one another that they claim are from me.<ref>Jeremiah 23:30, NET</ref>
        
        
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    Latest revision as of 15:58, 18 May 2022

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    Seven Seals: Introduction • First • Second • Third • Fourth • Fifth • Sixth • Seventh • Videos

    Where did William Branham say he got his revelation from?

    William Branham said this about his "revelation" of the third seal:

    And I want to say this. That, each time, even till this morning, about… Oh, I get up real, real early and go to prayer before things stir, and just keep on praying through the day. But this morning, early, the Holy Spirit came to where I was. And just as plain as anything, I—I seen this other Seal open up now, just exactly. Now—now—now, He hears me, I know. And I’m very grateful.[1]

    William Branham's Revelation of the Third Seal

    For the third horse rider, the red horse, William Branham said the following:

    Same rider, now. This first stage, he was innocent. And second, now, if you went a little bit higher, a little more than that; the second stage, the Bible said he’d be “given a crown.” And they crowned a man, a superman. See, crowned him! And, then, the Bible didn’t call him a pope. The Bible called him a “false prophet.” Why? Yeah. Of course, he must be a false prophet, by his antichrist spirit, that taught antichrist against the original Word. Cause, if he taught against the original Word, it was antichrist. It was. And the Word is God, see, Christ. All right. Now, after that, we find him then crowned. And when he got crowned, now, he’s very innocent and helpless. He’s just a little fellow.
    But then in the Nicaea Council, he was made it, and Constantine give him all the property. And then what did he do? Then he, see, Satan, give him his throne and authority. The Bible said so, as we’ve went through it. 275 Now, the next thing we find out, that the devil controls all politics that ever has been or ever will be. We find that in Matthew 4:11. And now we find out, then, that Satan already had politics.
    And wine symbolizes stimulation of revelation. Oh, I—I like to a run all over the place. Wonder I didn’t wake up the neighborhood, when the Lord showed me that, see, “stimulation of revelation.” See?[2]

    Comparison to the teachings of Charles Taze Russell

    As with the first two Seals, we want to look at Charles Taze Russel’s explanation of the third horse rider (from his 1918 book, The Finished Mystery). You will again see that William Branham is again copying Russel:

    And I beheld, and lo, a black horse.—Complete disregard of the Scriptures by clergy and people alike, and in their place the ugly creeds and bulls of popes and councils.
    And he that sat on him.—The same rider, the Antichrist.
    And the wine.—Wine is a symbol of doctrine, true or false, and its accompanying joys.[3]

    Avoid other Christians

    During this sermon William Branham also encourages his congregation to dis-fellowship from other Christians, saying “The Message going out right here is to “Stay away from that poison thing!” See? See? 'How can two walk together lest they be agreed’”?

    Questions you should ask yourself

    In his sermon on the third seal, William Branham stated:

    I always wondered, all my life, why I was so against organizational systems. Not the people, no. The people are just like me or you, or anybody else. But that system, that denominational system, now I see it right here. I never knowed it till now. And that’s right.[4]

    If William Branham discovered the errors of Denominations during the Third Seal, why did he preach “Why are we not a denomination” (also titled “The Great Harlot”) on September 27, 1958 and identify “the mark of the beast, which is Romanism; and the image of the beast, which is Protestantism” in a sermon on March 18, 1962?

    Moving to the Next Seal

    Click here to go to the next article - The Fourth Seal

    Video Transcript

    We have seen where William Branham received his revelation of the first 2 seals. Is the third seal any different?

    In his sermon on the third seal, William Branham tells us:

    But this morning, early, the Holy Spirit came to where I was. And just as plain as anything, I—I seen this other Seal open up now, just exactly. Now—now—now, He hears me, I know. And I’m very grateful.[5]

    So William Branham is again clear that he got his revelation directly from God. He didn’t get it from anyone else.

    Here is his revelation which he discloses towards the end of his sermon:

    Same rider, now.[6]

    Not surprisingly, we find Russel saying the same thing in his book, The Finished Mystery:

    And when He had opened the third seal. — Disclosing the third epoch in the history of Antichrist.
    And he that sat on him. — The same rider, the Antichrist.[7]

    Why did William Branham take the words of Charles Russell and proclaim them as God’s message?

    So I, the LORD, affirm that I am opposed to those prophets who steal messages from one another that they claim are from me.[8]


    Footnotes

    1. ↑ William Branham, 63-0320 - The Third Seal, para. 20
    2. ↑ William Branham, 63-0320 - The Third Seal, para. 273-275, 306
    3. ↑ Russell, C. T. (Charles Taze), The Finished Mystery, Brooklyn : International Bible Students Association, 1918
    4. ↑ William Branham, 63-0320 - The Third Seal, para. 154
    5. ↑ 63-0320 - The Third Seal, para. 20
    6. ↑ 63-0320 - The Third Seal, para. 273
    7. ↑ Charles Taze Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, Volume VII, The Finished Mystery: The Winepress of God's Wrath and the Fall of Babylon (published posthumously), edited by C. J. Woodworth and George H. Fisher, copyright 1917, Peoples Pulpit Association, Brooklyn, N. Y., USA, International Bible Students Association, published 1918, p. 149
    8. ↑ Jeremiah 23:30, NET


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