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Question 4 - The Roosevelt prophecy

Another issue regarding William Branham's prophetic ministry relates to the Roosevelt prophecy.

On Nov. 13, 1960, William Branham stated:

(31) I’d like to read you a prophecy that was given.

...

(34) “The President which now is, President Franklin D. Roosevelt,” now remember, this is twenty-eight years ago, “will cause the whole world to go to war."

...

(41) In President Franklin D. Roosevelt, took America to England’s tea party. That’s right. Germany never picked on us; we picked on them. Throwed the whole world into a war, that caused the world war. (60-1113 - Condemnation By Representation) (emphasis added)

In the Church Age Book in the section on the Laodicean church, William Branham says, “Now let me say this. Can anyone prove any of those visions wrong? Were they not all fulfilled?” Over 80 years after 1933, we now have the benefit of hindsight in our ability to confirm the accuracy of these prophecies.

Here are the problems we have with this prophecy:

1. William Branham mentioned President Roosevelt at least ten times in his sermons prior to the first telling of this prophecy. Why did never mention his prophecy regarding Roosevelt prior to September 1958? There is no record of this prophecy prior to 1958.

2. The USA did not lead the world into WWII, as William Branham stated he had prophecied. In fact, the United States stayed out of the conflict until 1941 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. It is not clear how William Branham omitted this fact, as he preached about Pearl Harbour a number of times, condemning the soldiers for their revelry.

William Branham (or perhaps Lee Vayle) realized that this was in error because, when the Church Ages Book was published in 1965, it included the statement that "an Austrian by the name of Adolph Hitler would rise up as dictator over Germany, and that he would draw the world into war." There is no reference to the Roosevelt prophecy in the Church Age Book.

3. The prophecy was written down, so each retelling of it should have been consistent. However, William Branham never mentions Roosevelt in connection with the 1933 prophecies until September 1958. At first, FDR would run for four terms (that was "Thus Saith The Lord"). By 1960, William Branham says the vision showed FDR picking on the Germans and starting WWII. Then, in December 1960 this changes so that FDR only "helped" the world go to war (again "Thus Saith The Lord"). In 1961 this changes back to the original version so that FDR runs for four terms, and then the prophecy disappears. This is the only part in the series of 1933 visions that does not make it into the summary of the 1933 visions in the Church Ages Book.

A summary of the prophecy over time includes:

1958: FDR would run for four terms.

1960: In the Name of the Lord, FDR would pick on the Germans and cause the whole world to go to war.

1960: FDR would cause WWII.

1960: FDR would lead the world to war.

1960: Predicted FDR would lead the world to war.

1960: FDR helped cause the world to go to war.

1961: Written in a book that FDR would be president when the world went to war.

1961: FDR would help lead the world into war with Germany.

1961: Written on paper, FDR would help cause the world to go to war, "Thus Saith The Lord."

1961: FDR would be President in four terms, and the world would go to war.

William Branham stated in 1960 that he was "reading" the prophecy. Therefore, we must take it that the prophecy included President Roosevelt being the cause of World War 2. But, from a plain reading of history, we know this was not the case.

How is the original Roosevelt prophecy not a false prophecy?

Shalom,

BTS

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