Death and Life Chapter 8

Congregation sings "Only Believe."

Let's bow our heads.

Precious Father, we come again this morning in prayer before You. Thanking You Lord for what has happened already this morning, for the prayers that's gone up, the songs, and the children's program, Lord, we appreciate all of it and the good things that's been said. Now, Lord, we've come down to the time where the breaking of the Bread for the children. We ask Lord, that You'd prepare the table this morning and let all of us be fed until our hearts are content. We know Lord, that all along the way we receive little warnings and little flashing red lights, Lord, of things that possibly could happen in our lives as it has in so many others. Down through the ages of time we have the records of those, Lord, that have started and begun a good work and then some how another they didn't go all the way. We pray Lord, that you'd help us not to be in that class of people, but we know that You have said in Your Word that, "He that has begun a good work in us is able to continue that." And I believe that's our desire this morning as this little assembly has come together. We thank you for them, Lord. And I pray Lord this morning that you'd be with our Brother Don and Brother Victor and those there. Bless their hearts Lord, and give them strength and courage to press on for the other few services that are left and protect them by the mighty hand of God, we pray, and bring them back home safe. We ask these favors humbly in Jesus' Name, the Son of Man. Amen.

You may be seated. It's good to see you this morning. We got a lot of empty spots out there this morning, but God knows where the people are, and I'm sure that some of them are off. Like Sister Edith, she's down in Florida visiting with sick. I guess now that they're moving on in, we don't have as many as we thought we did. Now, Brother Caleb and Brother Josh we miss them. I'd just like to say that I do appreciate the young boys that have dedicated their life to the work of God and they're using their talents for the benefit of God, for the Kingdom of God, and I appreciate it. I was just listening to these boys when they come up here, you know, with their instruments, they could be out there in the world, you know. And I'm telling you, some of them are good enough to where they could make a go of it in the musical world out there. But that's not their choice. Their choice is to stay and be in the presence of God and with His people and we appreciate that so much. And I trust that everyone will pray for these young people that they will go all the way. And the ones that have not yet been filled with the Holy Ghost that they will come through, you know. And all of this comes by obedience to the Word, and just sitting and listening and receiving the Word, and then the quickening Spirit will come to that Word.

Of course, Brother Branham said one of the great mysteries of receiving the Holy Ghost today is, what? Without sensation, without sensation. See? As Mary received the Seed without sensation, so today you sit and receive the Seed Word and the Son begins to manifest through you the living Christ, amen, in our lives. That's right. So, that's what it's all about. It brings us out of the world into the presence of God.

I want to get right into the message this morning and I appreciate every thing that has been said. I've got three places that I'd like to read, two places from this Bible, and I want to read one place from our Prophet, which we believe is the Word for our day.

Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation...

Now, if you'd like to read with me, I'm in the 40th Chapter of Exodus. Chapter 40, and I'm beginning with Verse 34, and I'm reading four  verses there, 34 through 38.

Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:

What he's saying here is that as long as the cloud settled over the tabernacle, then of course, they were settled in there and that's where they had settled down, but then, when the cloud started to make a circle to move then they folded the tabernacle. They folded up everything and they followed the cloud. See, you can't stay in one church age, you had to come through the other church age when He picked up and moved from one to another; that's the type of it, see. Alright.

And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of  Israel went onward in all their journeys:

But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.

When the cloud was not moving, they was settled right there. See? Then when the cloud moved, they went with it.

For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all (of) the house of Israel, throughout all (of) their journeys.

Now, I want to read about another cloud in Matthew 17, beginning at Verse 1.

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias

While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

Now, that's two places we find where the voice come out of a cloud speaking. Now, I want to look at a quote from "Standing In The Gap" and, I'd like for each one of you to take that message sometime maybe this week, (it's not a long message, it's relatively a short message), and take that message, and study that message. This is the message where the Lord opened my eyes to the turning of the corner, you know, the difference in the ministry of the Seventh Angel Messenger and the Son of Man ministry. This is the message that opened my eyes and, so, my ministry changed at that time. Everything changed and then everything started pouring in and that's where all of the unfolding of the Word came right here, after the Lord opened my eyes and I saw these things. Alright, so now, it's all in the Message. It's not something new, it's all in the Message. But there's a time that we have to wait until that time opens up, before we can see it. Amen. Alright. Now, "Standing In The Gap" in Jeffersonville in 1963. This is Paragraph 95, and I'm reading Paragraph 95 and 97. Alright.

"That was just before I come back for the Seven Seals. When I come back for the Seven Seals then I...One morning he...(talking about Brother Roy Roberson.) ...got a hold of Billy, and he wanted to talk to me. And I was busy, under prayer for the Seven Seals, and then he told me (that) It happened again, and repeated it again..."

Because Brother Roy had seen, Brother Branham called it a vision in one place and Brother Roy called it a dream. You know a dream, when it's interpreted, of course, is a vision. If it's interpreted, that's exactly what it is.

"...And Brother Roy, (he said now) if I get this wrong, you-you call my attention (to it) And he said, he got up early in the morning, and...looked in the room and he saw this big Light, or a Cloud upon a mountain. He asked me, not long ago, 'Was there something about a cloud being on a mountain, in the Bible?'"

"And I said, 'Yes, when Peter, James, and John was took up, and the cloud overshadowed the Lord Jesus. And God spoke, (and) said, 'This is my beloved Son.' I preached on that here, not long ago, (he said) A little message on..."Hear Ye Him"..."

"And he said that he went up the mountain..."

Brother Roy went up the mountain in this vision.

"...And when he did,..."

He said that Brother Branham was standing there.

"And a Voice came from the Cloud... (see) ...a voice came from the cloud and said something on this order: 'This is my servant. I've called him to be a prophet to the age, to lead the people just as Moses did. And he's been given the authority...He can speak into existence'. Something like that like Moses did; like speaking in the flies. And we know about the squirrels and so forth, and things that has already taken place. Little Hattie Wright back there, I suppose you know what's taken place at her house. And He told him that I had done what Moses had done."

So what did Moses do? He called an Exodus, didn't he? Is that right? He said, "I had done what Moses had done." See? Alright.

Now, the thought that we want to project this morning is not so much that exodus coming out of Egypt. That's already passed. See, that had...The lesson that we have this morning, if you'll notice, the cloud did not appear to the children of Israel until they were coming out of Egypt. They were coming out before they saw the cloud. Alright. We'll read that. It's in the 13th Chapter of Exodus. And then, we find it appearing again in the 14th Chapter and the 16th Chapter and different places if you study the Bible. But my concern is this morning, and has been for a long time, about the condition of the people that claim to be following the leadership of the Message of the Prophet. I am also concerned about the political world today, because it seems like that everything is working just exactly in the plan of God to close everything out. It seems like that we are in those moments where it could happen anytime. I want to call your attention to some things this morning from the types and bring them over into our day and let you see where I feel like; and I told you when I started this series that I want you to see this is no play thing. It's no time to play around with God. Either... Children, either get in or out. I mean, don't be like Judas. It's time to do whatever we're going to do. See, it's time to do it now, because there will be another culling. There was in the wilderness. And there will be another culling among the people that claim to be following the Message, and we know that. We realize the only ones that will make it in will be the ones that follow Him all the way, all the way. Alright.

So now we want to go into some, (I think), some very outstanding Scriptures that we want to read. Now I told you that we would find out where the first appearance of the cloud was. And this is after they had left Egypt and a very strange thing happened. Now, listen. This is in Exodus 13, Verses 20 through 22.

And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

Now, the little topic for this lesson this morning (sub-topic) under "Life or Death...", is "The Cloud". Now, just simply, "The Cloud". Because we find out now that they had already escaped death. Right? Under the sacrificial lamb, death of the firstborn, they had already been redeemed out of Egypt. You understand? They had already been redeemed out of Egypt and now there appears before them a cloud. And this cloud, the most, (I guess) astonishing thing that we see about the cloud, instead of the cloud taking them immediately, and quickly, and swiftly across the Red Sea over into the wilderness to escape the hand of Pharoah. We would have thought that the sensible thing to do would have been that, but that was not God's plan. God's plan was to show Pharoah... How many of you know that Pharoah was not; his name was not even listed in the Book of Life? That's exactly what the Prophet said. And he said there was many like that. That their names are not even listed. See, if your name is listed in the Book of Life, that don't mean that your name is in the Lamb's Book of Life. But it simply means that you, most likely will make an attempt. See? You will make an attempt to serve God, you know, nominal christian religous lives. All of that's in the Book. See? But there's another section of the Book where is the Lamb's Book of Life. Now, those names were put on there before the foundation of the world, in that section. And there is no removing of those names. See? But these in the Book of Life, according to what Brother Branham said in the Church Ages book. If you want to read it, you turn to Page 280 and read 280, 81, 82, 83, 84, and you'll find the wheat plant all the way through and what God used of it and what He didn't need of it, see, all the way through. Very strange thing, but it's a mystery. But, we do not find where God at any time is compiling a name, a list of names. That had already been done. We know that the Psalmist David speaks of some names being added as they come through Zion. Brother Branham explained that. He said now what that was that's these names that are in the Book of Life, but not in the Lamb's Book of Life. And somehow their names are not taken out of the Book of Life and transferred over into the Lamb's Book of Life. That's what he said in the Church Ages book. Alright.

So now we know that... Like I told Sister Darlene last night; I took a little time with her on the... She had just finished "The Breach Between". Been studying it about two or three weeks and she just got through with that. And the question was, "It seems like that Brother Branham is saying that it's over." That's the question. It seems like that Brother Branham was saying it's all over, no more mercy. Well under that particular age there is no more mercy. See, it's judgement now. The altar there has turned to brass. It's no more. God is not there anymore, in the Pentecostal age. He's not in the church age anymore. He's been put out. And of course, the exodus has come.

I'm taking my time this morning, because this is a very serious subject. And I want to try to point out some things to you that, I feel like, is happening today among the spiritual promised people, just like it did among the natural exodus. Those things are taking place today and people don't know it. You heard me scream years age, it's not the PTL Club. It's not the 700 Club. It's the Judas that you have to deal with. See, it's the Judas. Where was Judas? Right with Jesus. Right? Where is Jesus? He's not in the denominations, see. So Judas was right along with the Word, but he could not go all the way. I hope you can understand what we're saying.

Alright, so now the Lord decides that He's going to manifest Himself, His presence, and become the leader of the children of Israel by a pillar of cloud by day, and fire by night. And, like I said, it seemed like there was a slip up there to start with; we would have thought, because, instead of taking them the short cut, He took the west bank, and He went down the sea, and He carried them down and put them in a pocket where there was no way out. The Egyptians was behind them, the army. Mountains on both sides and the sea in front of them. He put them in a place to where there was no way that man could get them out. There was absolutely no escape for them. Amen. It would have to be the hand of God, if they got out of there. Alright.

So we want you to notice these things. Even Pharoah made the statement that they had become entangled in the land. In other words, what he meant was, that they're in a pocket now. We got them. They can't go nowhere, they have no where to go. Alright, so now the cloud, now at this point, changes its position when He gets them in a pocket. When He gets them in a pocket where there is no where for them to go, the cloud no longer stays in front. It goes back to the back and becomes a shield for them. See? In other words, instead of being the leader now, it's on the defense, back on the back side. And the thing that is light and protection to the children of Israel, just like it was in Goshen, now it becomes darkness and a plague to the army of Israel. See? We have that in writing here now, so we can go ahead and see what He said. Alright. So the cloud, at this time, we know that it went to the back and this is in Exodus 14. In Exodus 14, Verses 19 and 20. The cloud became their defense and was a protection to them as the enemy was approaching them. We don't have to rely upon our own intellect to be protected by God. We have to rely upon the leadership of the Holy Spirit. And I think that that's where it's so much missing today, is the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Instead of that, mostly it is lead by the flesh, which is the carnal mind. And we don't need to be that. We need to get more in the Spirit, more in the Spirit, walking in the Spirit, as the young girls sung this morning. See? Alright.

So now we find that God has caused Pharoah's army to have a terrible setback. And all of these fast chariots and everything that they had all of a sudden, Brother David, the wheels starts running off. They began to get in trouble. And so, even through all of this now, Pharoah was driven by the devil to follow them right on in. Put his armies right on in, knowing... And the Egyptians calling out, the army calling out and saying, "We can't fight against them, God is fighting for them. Let's stop." Pharoah give orders, "Go right on. Go right on into the sea. Go right on." See? So we find out in reading the Scripture:

And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the Lord looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the Lord fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

Now, that's Verses 24 and 25 of Chapter 14, if you want to read it. Alright. Now, how many times has God used evil force to, in other words, people, Satan has been defeated by his own craftiness. Time and time again he's been defeated by his own craftiness. Walking, just like a muskrat or somethig walking right into a trap. And he walked right into the trap of God many times. On the other hand the children of God have walked into the trap of Satan many times, but now lead by the Spirit of God. God does not lead you in that way. He said, "Shun every appearance of evil." Amen. Shun every appearance of evil. That is what we're supposed to do. Amen. So we're not suppose to get ourself entangled in these things. So, now, in this thing that we have going here, we want to read some more Scriptures.

There remained not so much as one of them... The next morning now, the next morning after the Lord had opened up the Red Sea... Now remember what I'm after this morning is impressing upon you, emphatically, that coming out of the denominations is not going to save you. I want you to understand that knowing how to read the Message is not going to save you. Quoting the Message is not going to save you. That is not going to do it. But being under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, having Him in your life, which is the Life of God in you, is the only thing that will save you, that will give you assurance of Eternal Life. It's the only thing. And when we do that we obey the Scripture. You say, "Oh well, I can't do this because"..., you know, some people say... Some people lay it on their bills and some people lay it on one thing and some another. Some people say, "Oh I can't serve God because I got so many bills. You know, I can't pay my tithes." Well no wonder you can't pay your tithes, see. Hey, I mean when you get to the place to where you got more bills than you can afford to pay your tithes, you know what's wrong? You have got yourself in such mess and then you take God's money to try to pay yourself out of it and you're going to get deeper and deeper and deeper. You'll never get out! You'll never get out! You've got to give God His first! See, God don't want what's left. He wants His first. Amen. So, I mean, I'm telling you these things will bog you down. Some people say, "I just don't have time to pray." Well, then you're going to give God what's left. He don't want what's left. God wants that up front. He wants His first! Amen. He deserves it!

It should be in such a place until we would get so humble before God until even to mention and to talk about the Name of Jesus ought to tear our hearts up so. And with love that we have for Him, until it would put us in a place that tears would burn our eyes, amen, because of what He done for us. Because of what He did for us! Amen. We have no excuse. There is no excuse! Amen. We live in a land of plenty. As Lee Vayle said one time, "If you don't have money, it's your own fault." And that's the truth. If you don't have money, it's your own fault, see, because this is the land of plenty.

But remember, years ago I told you that the thing was going to change one day with Duke Power. How of you remember me saying that? And we had... Half of our congregation was working for Duke Power. I said it'll go the other way one day. And it's started now. We got people right here in our midst that was working with Duke Power. They are not with Duke Power anymore. The thing that God said and warned you of, "Get your ducks in a row", He brought it to pass. But He warned us first.

I got a call from a man the other night, from down in Florida, Wayne Cuthrel. He said, "Brother Holmes, I made the biggest mistake in my life." He said, "I am now a vagabond." He said, "I live in the woods. I carry a pack on my back. I've got no house to live in. I've got no family." He said, "I'm just living one day at a time." I said, "Wayne, why don't you come back?" I said "Brother Branham said come back where you got off." He said, "Do you think that there's a chance for me?" I said, "You're still breathing, aren't you?" I said, "I carried you down to the river and baptized you, didn't I?" I said, "He's still God." I said, "Come back home." He said, "I'm trying to make my way now back to Virginia." It's been twelve years since he saw his children. They sat right here in this church. It's on tape, right here. And I told them, "If you don't change, you're gone." That's right. And it happened. One went one way. One the other. The children were raised in foster homes. The children did good for theirselves. Chris. I use to listen to him up here, quote a chapter at a time from the Bible. So smart. You know what he is now. You know what he's doing now? He has finished college and he's an English teacher. He's just been overseas, somewhere, teaching some English over there and now he's back. He said, "Brother Holmes I haven't saw my children in twelve years." I said, "You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You ought to go..." He said, "I still got a feeling for Debbie." I said, "Well, why don't you go back?" I said, "She use to call me about once a month and tell me how she wanted to get back with you. I haven't heard from her in a good while."

But what I'm saying is, we get ourselves in that mess. God don't get us in there. We get ourselves in that mess. We do it by not following the leadership of God. Amen. We need to follow that leadership. Alright. Now, so how many times, how many times have we heard across this pulpit, "Get things in a row, because sooner or later something's going to happen." Alright.

So now then, after this we find a cloud appearing again in the congregation. Now, this was after they had crossed the Red Sea and they had come to a place called Elim and the waters had become bitter, and then their bread supply which they had saved up and brought out of Egypt began to diminish. And now they forgot that the pillar of fire and the cloud brought them through the Red Sea! They forgot that it protected them from the hand of the enemy! And now, a little thing like the bread basket has done got down, so now they're going to complain and they're going to grumble and they're going to murmer about the prophet. "Now, you brought us out here. See, you brought us out here, now here we are and we're going to die out here in the wilderness." Amen. "There's no hope for us. Oh, if we could just get back over there and get some more leeks and garlic." Huh? That pillar of cloud appeared and Moses was told, Moses and Aaron was told, "Go tell them people, even though they're grumbling and complaining, I brought them out. I'm responsible. Go tell them to go out in the evening and they'll find quail meat, and in the morning they'll find the whole ground covered with bread."

What was it? He was showing them that He was the sustainer of life. bread is a sustainer of life. Amen. And Jesus said, "I am that Bread that cometh down out of heaven. All of your fathers ate that bread in the wilderness and everyone of them is dead." They started. You hear me? They started out of Egypt under the hand and the leadership of God and they started murmuring and complaining. They could have went right on over with just about a three days journey across there. They could have went right on over and got right on into the promised land, but you see, they started complaining, they started grumbling, they started finding fault. Usually, where the fault begins, they usually start finding fault  with the leader. See? That's usually what happens. And little remarks begin to be made about the leader, see. And then the first thing you know influence is killed. And then, what happens? You're gone. That's right. You're gone then, see? Amen. So you see, regardless of whether Moses killed an Egytian, Brother John, and buried him in the sand or not, God still called him. He wasn't going to call somebody else, He called Moses! Amen. He's the One that straightens His servants out, not you! He's the One that puts them in line! He's the One that brings them. He's the One that called them! Amen. I hope you get it. Let God do the work. Amen. Alright.

So now, then, it's not changed very much today from what it was back in the wilderness there when the people... Listen, I'm just taking my time this morning. I've been threatening to preach a long message. This may be it. Alright. Now watch. Brother Glenn, when we first come together, the Message was the top subject. Right? The Message was the top subject. Is that right, Brother T.B.? Alright. We didn't have nothing else to talk about but the Message. We didn't have all these homes, all of these horses, all of these four-wheelers, all of these big... great big business deals. We didn't have all of that. Right? We didn't have it. We had one thing. We had the Message. Brother, we talked about the Message. Now we talk about, "Well, where we going jump the gutters today? Where are we going to ride today? What are we going to do tomorrow? What are we going do?" What about God?!

Oh! I'll be gone one of these days, but I'm going to tell you while I'm here. Amen. It become a formality to them people! They saw the pillar of fire so much, until it just become a common thing and they forgot that He was still there! They forgot it, Brother Lanny. They forgot that God was still there, and they began to complain and murmur. Amen.

Oh, they didn't have no bread. They went over to their neighbor's house. They was out of bread. And then, they laid it on the prophet. Is that right? They laid it on him, Brother Gerald. Amen. You're always going to lay your failure on somebody. Amen. You never want to accept the responsibility yourself. It's human nature to lay it on somebody else. If you fail, it wasn't your fault. Amen. You see what I'm saying? Alright. I hope you understand what we're talking about this morning. Alright. Now, we're going to move on. Now, I want you to picture... I'm not talking about... Listen, like I said, I believe with all my heart I got the best people in the Message. Amen. But, what I'm saying is don't let this thing become common! Don't let the leadership be just a common thing. It's more than a man that is capable of opening up the Scripture. He's not a man. Amen. Alright.

And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out the land of Egypt:

Now listen.

And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord;...

That's Verses 6 and 7 of Chapter 16.

The quails were to cover the camp in the evening, and the manna in the morning. Now, watch close. Moses, then, coming out with confirmation that God had heard their grumblings, even though He gave them quail meat. Even though He gave them manna, He knew that they were complaining. Amen.

...Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the Lord: for he hath heard your murmurings.

And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.

Amen. They caught vision of it again. But it still didn't last long. They started complaining again and again and again. See, we catch visions. Sometimes a strong message will come along. A strong anointing will come along. You'll catch vision and the first thing you know you'll pick up and here you go. Then the first thing you know, boop, again. See? Some kind of fleshly act or something got your attention and you looked at the arm of the flesh, and you saw all the weakness of the flesh.There ain't no man's flesh fit to stand in the presence of God and you know it and I know it. And it never will be. It never will be fit to stand in the presence of God. Do you hear me? And now, when you start sizing a man up by the weakness of his flesh, then look out. Amen. Something wrong then. Amen? Alright. So that's what they done. That's what they done. They began to size them up and they said, "Well, you're just like every other man. You take all of the business on yourself." Moses didn't want it to start with. He run from it. Amen. Brother Branham didn't want it. He wanted to be a trapper. Read that message, "Standing in the Gap". Amen. Alright. Now, watch.

...And they looked away and they saw. God wanted them to know that He had heard their murmuring, that He knew all about it. And then He shined the glory over in front of them in the wilderness again and there they saw it. Alright. Looking now at two outstanding types. And one of them is the bread that's come down, which I said is the sustainer of life and of course without the bread you can't live, you know. You've got to have bread. And all in the wilderness it was displayed all over the ground that God is the God of Life. Amen. Alright. So then, that was the first gift. The first gift to them after their murmuring was bread, to show them that He is the God of Eternal Life. Alright. Then, Jesus, the true Bread from heaven, is our bread in the wilderness journey that we have here. He is our Sustainer. He's our Life.

Then the second thing we notice is that there was a constant leadership of God among those people. Always the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud was there. It was always there. Alright. So the thing that a lot of people don't understand today - we have had the same thing. We've had the same thing. See. Amen? But it you'll notice real close and real careful and I'm saying this... You will not find, after the death of Moses, you will not find where the cloud ever appeared again. No sir, you won't find it. Not to the children of Israel. Amen. No sir. They had another leader, and that leader was under the oath of the Message that had already been brought. Amen. He had to say what Moses said. Amen?

Regardless of what it did to the people. Look at Achan. Don't you know that Joshua didn't want to call that judgement, but they lost the battle. It wasn't God's fault. And then, Joshua went down and said, "Lord, we have lost the battle." He said, "Get up! Don't come crying to me, because you've lost the battle. I told you that everywhere you put your foot, it's yours. But I gave you a reason that it could be yours." Now, something's wrong, it's not God. Amen. Huh? Is that right, Brother John? He told Joshua, "Don't pray to me. I'm not at fault. Look in the camp! Find out what's happened! Something's took place that's not right!" You might not think it affects an assembly for somebody that's professing to be a believer of  the Message and go out and commiting fornication and everything else. It affects the whole assembly! It causes people not to be healed; people not to be receiving the Word and the Holy Ghost like they ought to be! Amen. We've got to be careful. We've got to be careful where our eyes look. Amen.

You wait. Another message or two down the road somewhere you'll see where that that blood of that offering had to be put upon the ear of the high priest, of the ear of the priest. Upon the thumb. You can't do nothing with your hand without the thumb. You try it. Upon the great toe. Amen. These things is what I see that's got to be done according to "Thus saith the Lord, the Word of God," to have a flourishing church, full of the Spirit of God with people rejoicing and praising Him, and ready for the change. Brother Branham said the atoms in your body are already changing. Did he say it? When the Holy Ghost comes into you, it starts changing. God have mercy, help us! You think it's just an old man up here. You think that, but you wait one day, you wait one day when you look around and you say. "That was a Message to us." That's right. The atoms are already changing, already. Amen.

We got so much. I mean, we know. Listen. We know everything that happens in everybody else's life and the Scripture tells us that we should not be busybodies in other peoples matters. To ones' own master he stands or falls. Amen. If we're not careful, we'll be set up as judges, judging other people. If I judge you, Brother Lanny, I'm going to come under the same judgement. Amen. Anytime I judge you, Brother T.B., I'm under the same judgement. I'd better keep myself clean of every bit of it that I'm judging you of. If I don't I'm guilty of the same thing. Amen. Whether I ever done it or not, because I put you in that position. That's right. Amen. This is the Word of God. This is not play stuff. This is deep. This is the Word. This is what Christians have got to do. Amen. This is something that is a responsibility to the house of God. Amen. And when people walk in that door they're suppose to feel the presence of the Almighty God. They're suppose to know that God has come in our midst. Amen. It's real. It's not just a put on. It's real. So they're constant... They understood that even though their murmuring, their unbelieving hearts somehow another looked across and saw the Glory of God. Amen.

Something happened! Did you ever read where Moses took his tent outside of the camp? Huh? Why did he do it? Now, remember, they weren't in Egypt. They had already been delivered out of Egypt, right? They had already come out of Egypt, Brother Richard. They were way over there going toward the Canaan land, going toward the promise, see. They were going toward the promise. Something happened in that camp that defiled that camp. And Moses would not worship in that camp no more. He pitched his tent outside the camp, after the golden calf come along. Idolatry. Amen. Alright. Watch close now.

I don't get around to much for thanking you for this water. I don't drink water much, but I thank you for putting this water here everytime and God will bless you for it. Amen. It's always here if I want it. The blessings of God are always there if you want them. Amen. All you got to do is just ask for them, just go out and receive them. They're there. Alright.

I love the Lord. Amen. You know, for me to love Him is one thing, but the most important thing is for Him to love me. See? That is the important thing. Alright. Now, after the sin of the golden calf Moses took his tent outside of the camp.

And it came to pass, when Moses went (into the tent), that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone (into the tent).

He took his tent outside. No more worshipping in that camp. It was filthy! They already had got out of Egypt! And the camp of the people that had been delivered out of Egypt, had become filthy. You understand what I'm saying? This people... The number of people that is so-called following this Message are growing with leaps and bounds. That's right. But there's a kernel. Amen. Alright. I want to move on if I can. So, when Moses went into the tent something happened. It came to pass as Moses entered into the tent... this is outside the camp, outside all these big gatherings and all that they have now under the name of the Message. And don't believe the Message and never have believed the Message and never will believe the Message.

And it came to pass as Moses entered into the (tent), the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the (tent door), and... ...talked with Moses.

And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the (tent) door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.

All of them stood up and began to worship God, worship again. But you see, they had done a terrible wrong. Alright. Aaron himself. That's right. If  you want to read that, that's Exodus 33 Verses 7 through 10. Verses 7 through 10. Alright.

So now the camp had actually become as a leper colony to Moses. He could not worship in the camp anymore, because it was defiled with idolatry. That's right. With idolatry. What is idolatry? It's something that you put ahead of God. I don't care what it is. It could be your child. It could be your husband. It could be your wife. It could be your home. It could be your car. Amen. It can be your bank account. Whatever you put before God and put more emphasis on that than you do God, that's your God. Alright. It become an unclean thing, because of the worship of the golden calf. See? And now, there  could be no more worship in the camp. Moses would not worship. Moses had gone up into the mount and while he was up there getting the Word of the Lord, the people down there turned to an idol god. I hope you understand this. I hope you get it.

They saw no leader who could go before them. They forgot who was leading them. They thought it was Moses. And so when Moses went away, they forgot that it was not Moses, that it was the Angel of the Lord that was leading them all the time, see. Sometimes we forget it's not the arm of flesh that's leading us, it's the Angel of the Lord that's leading. Amen. It's the Word of God. Amen. The Word made flesh again. Oh, my! Amen. Alright. Hang on, children. Just hang on. Watch, now.

"These be thy gods O Isreal." Who said that? Aaron, the high priest. Huh? The high priest Aaron that was the mouthpiece of Moses. Right? And now here he is saying, "Look here. You see this beautiful thing? Oh, we've dressed it up now. Oh it's so beautiful; it's gold. These be our gods, not God. These be our gods that brought us out of Israel. Huh? You don't think that could happen among the Message people, do you? Whew! Everybody goes to their own interpretation of that Word and that is wrong. That's the worse thing that could have ever happened to the Message people, is when everybody put a computer in their house and put the Message on it. They go and dig for their ownselves and get their own understanding of it and they won't listen to God's leadership. Amen. They won't listen to it. I'm telling you the truth. You know I'm telling you the truth. Everybody says, "Well, he said this."

And I just told the brethren back there a while ago, when God opened my eyes and I saw that there was a change and it was not a contradiction. It was another messenger and another message over there and over here it's another messenger, and another message! Amen. And he said, "That's it." Amen. I said, "Thank God." And ever since then, I haven't got caught up. It's still opening up. Amen. It still opens up. Alright.

So now, if you'll notice here and I want to read this. Aaron built an altar before that golden calf. Aaron, the high priest, built an altar before that golden calf and made proclamation. He proclaimed that not only is this a god, but what did he call it? And he said, "Tomorrow is a feast to Jehovah." You say, "Brother Holmes, are you reading the Scripture"? Sure am, yeah. And that's what's happening today. You don't have to go to the trinitarians. Let me... Can I tell you something? There's little fleshly creatures walking around upon the face of this earth. Now we talk about Catholisism, don't we? We put down Popery, don't we? We put down Catholiscism. Why? Because they make that their God, see. But did you know that among this Message today that there is actually flesh that is looked to so strong until it's just as strong as worship. And they won't believe nothing that nobody else says. They won't believe nothing that comes out, because that is their arm of flesh that is leading them.

I told you it would get hard before we got done, didn't I? We just started. We just got a couple of weeks into something that's going to be about six or eight months. You say, "Brother Holmes?" That's exactly right. We want to cover the Bible. We want to look at it. Some people don't read the Bible. Amen. Let's look and see. Alright. Watch, now. They brought in the Name of Jehovah. And so is it today with all kinds of worship. All kinds of worship of golden calves and everything else. They bring in the Name of Jehovah. They bring in the Name of Jesus Christ, you know, in with the trinity. You say, "Well, Message people is out of that." That's right, they're out of that, but look what they're doing now. I mean... I'm not picking on them. I'm just saying... And I love them, but something's got to happen! Something's got to take place! Amen. Oh, my! They take an arm of flesh today, for a substitute for faith. What is faith? What is faith? What is faith? (Congregation says, "A revelation.") Everybody say it. A revelation! They take the arm of flesh, a man's idea for the revelation that's suppose to come to you through the Holy Spirit, not through a man. Amen. And when that Word is brought like it's suppose to be, it'll anchor into your heart. The Holy Spirit will quicken it to you. Amen. That's the revelation. Amen. It's not the arm of flesh. It's the revelation. Oh my! Watch.

And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and... drink, and rose up to play.

And that's exactly what's taking place after we have come out of the denominational systems, out of Babylon. We've got caught up now, over here, and hung our hearts, if we're not careful, on a weeping willow somewhere, and put ourself back into captivity again. Sometimes because of the laws of the land. Huh? We would rather listen to the laws of the land sometimes than God's law. Amen. That's right. Amen. And when we get to the place to where we are fully out of Egypt, and Egypt is fully out of us, (amen), it won't make no difference what God does with a man. The little sister won't be standing there with her toes curled up, wondering what's going to happen next. When they're surrendered to God, they're going to stay in the will of God. And if  they're not surrendered to God, you're not going to change them no way. And the same way about a woman. Like I've said all of my life, you get a bad woman and she's going to be a bad woman if you put a fence fifty foot high and put a padlock on every door, every gate, she'll find a way to do what she wants to do. If she wants to come against her husband, she's going to find a way to do it. You say, "You didn't have to say that, Brother Holmes." Well, I sure didn't. But you know what? That little woman, just like that little Bride before Jesus Christ, she'd better be humble before her husband. Amen. You don't pop no whip to him. God sees every bit of it. He sees every bit of it. Amen. Alright.

Paul quoted that Scripture, a portion of it, in I Corinthians 10:7. I believe, actually it was given to exhort us, to warn us of these things.

Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them;...

Not all of them, some of them.

...as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

Look around at the false worship today, everywhere you look. Why you ask somebody, "Are you a Christian"? "Well I belong to this church. I go to this church". "Are you a Message..."? "Well sure I go over here to Message so and so. I go over here to this Message." Or some of them say, "Now we don't need to go to a church, we need to stay at home. But, you know, that wasn't what Brother Branham said. That wasn't what the Message said. Okay?

Now, when the people of Israel mixed the Name of the true God with an idol, that's when they got in trouble. I mean they got in trouble. They settled down then in the wilderness to die, right there. Never to go to the promised land, because they had brought Egypt and Sodom among them. That's right. Amen. Making it a place of revelry and amusement. Why, you know the church today, most of the churches today, they are churches of amusement instead of churches of spirituality. We don't need amusement. We need the leadership of God, the Holy Spirit. Alright. The church of God today, has ceased to walk under the leadership of the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, and they have turned into idolatry worship as a whole. Satan has accomplished what he wanted to accomplish and he's got people worhipping him, thinking they are worshipping God. Thinking they're worshipping God. Alright.

We must trust in the unseen presence of the Almighty God at all times. Amen. We must trust Him at all times. Those who are looking, those who do not believe, those who do not believe in their heart, (Are you listening?), that the Seventh Seal was opened, most of them are looking for a return ministry. That's what they're looking for. They missed the pillar of fire. They missed the cloud. They missed the visitation that come. Brother Branham said if you're not careful, it'll go right over your head. They missed it. They're looking for a return ministry that will take them in the rapture. Brother Branham said the Seven Thunders will do it. He said that Messenger, that Seventh Angel Messenger is to do two things. Huh? One of them is to turn the hearts of the children back to the Pentecostal fathers, and the other one is to reveal the mysteries that are hid under the Seventh Seal, which will give the Bride rapturing faith. Amen. And there's nothing else going to do it. And how in the world can you deny the mysteries under there and expect to get rapturing faith? You've got to believe all of that Message from '63 on. Well, you've got to believe all of it, in It's rightful, respective place. But, from '63 on, brother, you've got to see the progressiveness of the Son of Man ministry as it continued to unfold. Amen. We've got to look at it. Oh, my. You see where we're at. You see where we're at. Alright.

So now listen. We are pilgrims and strangers on this earth. We are not finding a permanent dwelling place here. I don't care how much money you have, I don't care how many houses you have, I don't care how beautiful a mansion you've got, you're going to leave it. You're going to leave it. If we put our treasure in a bag with a hole in it, you know, it won't hold. Set your affections on things above. What is affection? To be affectionate to somebody means to be close. Isn't that right? To be close to them. Amen. Want to be with them. Set your affection on things above. Hear this message this morning. Do you hear it? Amen. Don't set your affections on things of this earth, it's going to fall apart. It's going to blow up.

We got a man just sworn in yesterday that won't take no foolishness from none of them. And when he stands up they're going to show him that they got something, too. He want to put a missile range in Europe. Russia is not going to stand for that. China is not going to stand for it. You watch and see what I tell you. They're not going to stand for it. Amen. This could be the man, amen, that will call the shots. We'll see. Amen. I like his character. I like what he stands for. And he's bold enough to say what he stands for. He don't believe in nobody pushing him around. He believes in standing his ground and saying what he believes and standing up to it. I like that. He's a man. He's not a worm, like just going out. Amen. And had to make some kind of reconciliation with the lawyers outside to keep him from being indicted as soon as he come out of the office. He bargained with them, and give up his law license for five years, so that they would move that indictment and clear him of that filthy thing that took place. You see what we're in? You see what we're in don't you? I mean, in Ahab's day it was a credit. It was a credit in Ahab's day. Why, all the woman has got to do to become a celebrity, is to get involved with some man now, and get her name plastered all over the place that she had sex with him. This is plain, isn't it? And then the first thing she knows, she will be a celebrity. Look at Lewinsky. Why the magazines has plastered her name everywhere. She's got more money than she's ever had in her life. Think about it. All you got to do is just get involved out there in the things of the world and you can become a celebrity. But, that won't save you, children. That won't do it. Alright.

Now, watch this, now. I'm trying. Look, Brother Branham called us from that wicked, beggarly, ungodly system to a true and living God. He said that Seventh Angel Messenger has got to be standing on this earth at the same time that that mighty Angel comes down from heaven. If that's true, and if what Brother Branham said about Revelation 10 is true, then that was the Seventh Seal. Brother Branham said, "And that is the Seventh Seal." Right? 10:1-4, Him coming down. Amen. With the Book in His hand. His redemptive work was over, Brother T.B. He's done redeemed all through the Seven Church Ages. The redemptive work is finished now. So all of the names are complete, amen, that was suppose to come through that system, that was suppose to come through the wheat stalk. Now it's come back to Seed. You understand? It's come back to Seed now. So what do you do with the Seed? You come to claim it. It's already matured. You come to claim it. When Brother Branham said in explaining what Paul said there. "And when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part is to be done away." Brother Branham said, "And that which is perfect has (past tense) has come." That which is perfect has come. And I'm afraid, if we're not careful, it will become a formality to us instead of a reality. It's got to become a reality that He's with us. That He's the same yesterday, today and forever. He's here in the form of the resurrected Word of the Almighty God. Amen.

He's here. It started in Luther, raising. It come back a portion of it in Wesley. Then in Pentecost there was a rumor went around: Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. And then all of a sudden a Mighty Angel come down. Amen. In the 10th Chapter, He stood with one foot on earth and one foot on sea and stretched his hand toward heaven and said "Time shall be no more." Redemption is over. I come to claim. I got the Book. I come to claim what I redeemed. Amen. Everyone of them is in that Book. Amen. You say, "Well, what if they weren't born, yet? They're in the Book. Don't make no difference. They were in there, all the time, they were in there. And as they come on the scene He claims them. He claims them with the Word. It's that simple. They don't have to go through that process of, you know,  like coming through the church age system. They don't have to come through that. There's no carrier no more. See, they don't have to go through the carrier. They come and accept God. They come and accept the Message. They say, "That's it." There's something there that says, "That's it. That's what I've been looking for."

Like old Brother... that sat right here, right there. He's gone on to glory now. Thank God I got to witness to him. Amen. Somebody would have done it anyway if it hadn't been me. Old Brother Clyde. He said what I've been looking for for eighty-six years, he told his wife right there every time I went in with him to visit her. He said, "I found what I've been looking for  for eighty-six years." He said, "This thing is real." He said, "That man was a prophet." Amen. He didn't live long after that. God got him ready for his new home. Amen. Alright. See, he didn't accept it back there, see? But he already, in the mind of God, had accepted it before the world was.

I remember the thing that struck me so hard. And you notice I ain't in no hurry. Alright. Just pray for me if you want  to get out of here. Alright, now listen. When I read in the book where Brother Branham said you never was saved at any day, you didn't come down to the altar and get saved, I thought, "Well, what in the world is he talking about? He said, "You always was. Always was. You just recognized. You just recognized it." Amen. Alright, and when you recognize then you don't have to come through all of that system out there. When you recognize it you might be like the woman at the well. You might be the dirtiest and low-downdest person in the world, but when you come face to face with the Son of Man, the Body Word of the Son of Man, something melts all of your decisions up until that time. Everything crumbles. Amen. You don't lean no more to your own understanding. And you hear that Voice from the cloud. "This is Him, hear Him. This is Him, hear Him." Amen. And when you hear that, it's the Shepherd. You're the sheep. You'll follow. Amen. You'll follow, wherever He leads. Amen.

Are you still with me? Alright. Now, when we look to Him, and hide ourself in Him, then we are no longer our own. We have no jurisdiction of our own life. I can prove it to you. You are controlled, a prisoner of the Word, a prisoner of Jesus Christ. Amen. When you surrender all to God, you become a prisoner to the Word of the age. As I read to the sister last night, I said, "Listen to this. The question that I asked Brother Branham, 'Brother Branham, what is the evidence of the Holy Ghost?'" And right over there in that Church Ages book, he said, "And this is the evidence, that you receive the Word of God for your age." He said it three or four times after the interview that I had with him. Amen. One place he said, "As I was talking to a brother the other day...," or something like that. Alright. So, I mean, it's important to know what the evidence of the Holy Ghost is. Amen. Can you receive all of the Word?

Is there a little bit of it you kick, you know? Like an old horse, you know. I mean... See, I got a lot of experiences with them; I was raised on the farm. And I use to have one that he would do everything he could, Brother John, to get out of the trace. I mean he'd get his foot out of the trace when I turned around. When I turned around at the end he'd get his foot out of the trace, and I'd stand there and I'd beg him and plead and fuss at him and beat him with the line and, you know, with the plowline and everthing else, trying to get him to put his foot back in the trace. He's not going nowhere pulling against that; pulling a plow and that thing rubbing up and down his leg. If he gets his foot in the trace, it's easy. Amen. If you get in the trace, if you get in the harness. Amen.

Like Jesus said, "Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you! Take my yoke upon you! Yoke up with me." Don't kick out of the trace and get one foot out, you know. Anybody ever plow a horse here? Did you ever plow? Did you ever see one get out of the trace and he try to walk like this you know? You say, "Get that foot back in there." Because he ain't going to do no good. And that's exactly the way some Christians are. They're trying to walk one foot out of the trace, you know. And they can't walk straight. I mean, hey, you can't do your job. What we need to do is surrender all. Just surrender all. Amen. And then it all comes so easy, and so good when we do that. Alright.

"And now, I didn't know at the time, that they were taking pictures of that. Scientists was, as the Angels lowered themselves from heaven..."

Now, if anybody's got this message and you want to read with me... Brother Billy, I think you got it. Alright. This is Paragraph 82 of "Standing in the Gap." Alright.

"...to bring(Watch now, what he said.)And now, I didn't know at the time, that they were taking the pictures of that. Scientists was, as the Angels lowered themselves from heaven..."

Are you listening?

"...to bring the Message. as the Angels lowered themselves from heaven to bring the Message. And you remember, I said the one on the right side of the constellation had... kindA his chest back, and His wings... You remember me saying that, all of you? And how (that) I watched Him? He was very distinctive from the others. And I didn't know they were taking a picture of It, 'cause immediately I hurried east. But going back home to Tuscon, there It was all through the papers that had been seen almost nationwide or plumb into Mexico, and all the Western States. And I think, the Courier over here... It was on the Associated Press. How many saw (it) a mysterious cloud in the sky?"...

A mysterious... We had a visititation, brother. Amen. We've had a visitation. That's right.

"(You) see the hands. And now, the Life Magazine picked it up. And I have the article in here, this morning. In the Life Magazine there (it's a) show . . . Now, here it is, the same time (that) I was there..."

Are you listening? The same time that that prophet was there.

"...See the pyramid of the Cloud? I was standing just below this. And there... See the distinctive Angel on the right hand side? See the pointed wing of it? Just exactly what was said. And here it's (in the view) of Mexico and different places from where they took the picture. Now, this scientist here is trying to get all the information about the picture that he can, about the people who has the picture. He is studying it."

"Now, he says here that it would be impossible for it to be a cloud because moisture doesn't go over about... I'd say about six or eight miles high, something like that. When we go over (Of course, he said when we go)OVERSEAS we go about 19,000 feet, (Of course, they go way above that now, you know, but)we're above the storms then. But this cloud, according to this article here of this scientist,  is twenty-six miles high..."

Supernatural Cloud. Twenty-six miles high and you could still see it with your eyes. You put a plane twenty-six miles high and see if you can look at it. It's getting like it dot when it gets 40,000 feet up there. When it gets 40,000 feet you can't see nothing but a dot. Amen. Well, he said:

"...How many remembers that?... (Alright) ...But there was no plane in the district. The book says so, here. They checked it. There were (no one), no planes up there. And besides,...That fog behind a plane is nothing but broken up air, moisture. Cause it sucks through this unit,..."

So there wouldn't be no moisture up there for the jet to make a vapor. It couldn't make a vapor if it was up there. Of course, it couldn't fly up there anyway, see. Alright.

"...as a jet. As it's pulling itself, it breaks the moisture in the air. It can never get rid of it as long as there is a jet, because it's got (it)... That's what it propels on. And it's the moisture scooting out from it."

"But here it is, miles above where there could be moisture, and no planes in the disrict. And it couldn't be moisture up there, and hung up there that day. It's thirty miles across it, twenty-six miles high..."

Brother Holmes, why are you reading that? I'll tell you why I'm reading it. You want me to tell you why. It's going to be a testimony against the people that would believe what happened back in the days of Moses, and won't believe what happened today. Amen. "Oh, we believe that that was a cloud back there, yes sir.". And all you've got is written Word on it. But, we've got absolute eye witnesses of the fact that it happened. It's a testimony against them. Amen. It's a judgement seat. Did you hear me? It's a judgement; it's judgement to turn this down. Amen.

"...Just as the same, it was that picture there, when I told you, the angel of the Lord, looked like a pillar of fire (See, alright.) years ago,  before it was ever took. God (makes) science recognize that it's truth. And here of the prophecy that was given. God made science testify that it's the truth..."

The first time I visited Indiana, Jeffersonville, was the time that Brother Branham preached "The Absolute" on Sunday morning, and "Sirs, Is This the Time?" on Sunday night. I got to hear that prophecy. I got to hear it straight across the pulpit. I ain't never saw a man like that before. I had a little camera, Polaroid. Years before that, God had showed me a place in my early ministry, he showed me a place that I saw people that I didn't know. And I saw posts all out through there. Like... I didn't know who the minister was. I was not the minister, but I was there. And there was no room for me, there was no seats. All the seats were filled. And so, somebody said (I forget who it was) said, "Now, we've got a few seats up here on the roster. If there's some preachers here, you might come up here and sit." And I went up there and I sit. And, Brother David, I took that little camera. I said, "I believe I'll take a picture of this congregation. It was getting crowded out there. And when I looked through the eye of that camera, when I looked through that, I saw those posts. I saw those people that I didn't know. I didn't know Brother Branham. I said, "I've saw this before. I've saw this before." I snapped the picture, and the Lord brought it back to me, "This is what I showed you." Amen. Do you think I could doubt it? No, there ain't no way. I could tell you a lot of things, but you see, if I did, somebody would say, "Oh, he's trying to be like Brother Branham." No, sir, I couldn't even loose his latches of his shoes. No, I'm not like Brother Branham. No, sir. But, let me tell you something, we're serving the same God, see. Brother Branham was cut out for a specific job. Amen. And any servant of God is cut out for a special service to God and to the people. And whatever it is God knows what it is, see. Alright. So now, I just want you to know that I heard this prophecy. I heard this prophecy come forth. Amen. Alright. Now, here it is miles away. Alright. Now.

"...Now, where do we stand? (Now where do we stand?) I want to keep this, for I may speak to a friend of mine that's present this morning to write those Seven Seals. He might want to use this for it..."

Brother Lee Vayle, that's who is talking about.

"...And so, you have a copy of it..."

No, it wasn't. Lee Vayle didn't write the Seven Seals. I forget that. He didn't write the Seven Seal book. Tifton, Georgia, down in Tifton, Georgia. T. L. Sumner. T.L. Sumner. I knew all of the boys down there. I've been down there and ministered down there to them. They've traveled all the way... Brother Welch Evans and all of them live right there in Tifton, Georgia. And so, I've been down there and ministered to them back years ago. Now it was his wife that actually compiled the Seven Seals book, T.L. Sumner's wife was the one that compiled the Seven Seals book, I believe. And then somebody else took it and finished it up and whatever. But, they worked on that book, that Seven Seals book. Alright. Now, I had... Her sister was in my assembly and her brother-in-law was the one that brought the Message to me, Brother E.J. Gunter. It was his wife and T.L. Sumner's wife were sisters. And also, Gene that use to make the tapes, he married one of the sisters. There was a bunch of them. And old Brother Coggins was the father of them and he was in my church there, he was under my ministry there in Anderson.

"Now he's wanting to find out..."

What it's all about see?

"And then... (he said) ...while I was praying on this subject, of wondering what would happen to me, and you know where I was at? North of Tuscon, east of Flagstaff; just exactly, positionally, where I told you months before it happened I'd be standing. And exactly, according to this paper here and the papers... (and) this magazine, and our own testimony; (I like that.) exactly where it taken place. God is perfect and cannot lie. And it will come to pass..."

"You remember on the tape, 'Sirs, What Time Is It?'..."

Go back and look at it and that's the very thing that he said would happen, happened right there, exactly where he saw it and it's "Thus Saith the Lord." It was. And now it is what? History. It's fulfilled and it's now history. Do people believe it? Not likely. Very few. Do you love Him?

Come on, Sister. Now do you appreciate Him? I'm going to look at my watch now. Amen. Alright. It's not too bad. We've covered a lot of time this morning. We've covered a lot of Scripture. We've covered a lot of places. But I want to tell you something. Now, look. You people, you are my ministry. See? And like I said, to me you're the best people in the Message, see. Now, I believe that. And these little things come like this to let us see what actually could happen if we slack off. These things come to sharpen our appetite, you know, for the Word. And these little corrections drop in here, Brother David. It's not to scold a person or to make them think that they don't have anything. But, it's to let them know. Look where you are. You've got it. Act on it. Don't let it become just a formality to you, but let it be real. It's yours. It's ours. He's come. He's here. He's not going to come. He's here. Amen. Oh, my. Next time it'll be in the Millenium. We're having a wonderful time right here in the claiming, amen, of the election, a wonderful time of the unfolding of the Word. Let us stand. Amen.

Well, I just read last night where Brother Branham said, "And a man, when he hears his name, there's something about it. It does something to him, when he can hear his own name before the public." Well, Jesus is the sweetest name I know. And you know what? Everyone that's married to Him takes on that Name. Is that right? They take on that Name. Let's sing it.

Congregation sing "Jesus Is the Sweetest Name I Know."

Let me tell you something. Did you know, that the little woman that's married to a man, has everything that he has. Huh? Everything that that man has now... unless he's a renegade, you know. I mean, he's suppose to admit that all that is mine, honey, is yours. Every bit that's mine belongs to you. That's right. See? And you know she can write check on anything he's got, see? So now, if we have taken on this Name of Jesus through marriage, then what can we do in His Name? "In the Name of Jesus."

Congregation sings "In the Name of Jesus."

Things happen in this assembly a lot of times and people don't even know about it. There's a sister standing right here now and some time ago, a couple of months ago or something like that, she was having all kind of trouble with a roaring in her head and all of that. And it got to the place to where she couldn't live with it. So she went to the doctor and the doctor told her that she would have to live with it the rest of her life. But she called me one morning and told me, she said, "Brother Holmes, do you feel like that you could get under my feelings and pray a prayer in my behalf?" I said, "I do. I feel like that." So we began to pray. The people of the church here prayed. And she told me the other day, she said, "The roaring is gone. There's no more there." Amen. So you see, there's a lot of things that happen right here that people never know about. Amen. Healings, advancement in the Spiritual Life, all these things take place. I love Him. I just like to be with you. I like to be with you, you know. I don't get to be with you much. Every Sunday morning I thank God. I say, "Lord, I thank you for this day and what it means to me. I get to come together with my people. Amen. I get to look at you. I get to read your faces. I get to talk to you. I get to tell you how I love you. I appreciate you so much. Amen. You mean so much to me. Amen. Brother T. B., come dismiss us in a word of prayer. Alright.

Wednesday night we got another good subject coming. I hope you enjoyed this one this morning. Alright. We got another one coming Wednesday night. Don't forget Brother Don. Remember to pray for him, the Lord will bless him in his last few services now. I got a letter this morning from him and from Brother Victor, and they said they had only, I believe it was, three more services in that area where they're at and then they'll go somewhere else and have a couple more. They already had two of those service now, so they'll only have three more services and then he'll be on his way home. He'll be back next Saturday, by the grace of God. So, I believe it's next Saturday he'll be coming in. Amen. Lord bless you.

Brother T. B. closes in prayer.

Listed below are the Scripture and Quotes that were taken from the Message of our Prophet for the basis of this sermon.

EXODUS 40:34 - Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

EXODUS 40:35 - And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

EXODUS 40:36 - And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys:

EXODUS 40:37 - But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.

EXODUS 40:38 - For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.

MATTHEW 17:1 - And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,

MATTHEW 17:2 - And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

MATTHEW 17:3 - And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

MATTHEW 17:4 - Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

MATTHEW 17:5 - While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

STANDING IN THE GAP  JEFF.IN  V-6 N-7  SUNDAY  63-0623M"95 - That was just before I come back for the Seven Seals. When I come back for the Seven Seals, then I... One morning he got ahold of Billy, and he wanted to talk to me. And I was busy, under prayer for the Seven Seals, and then he told me of... It happened again and repeated again. Brother Roy, if I get this wrong, you--you call my attention. And he said he--he got up again in--in the morning, I guess early again in--in the morning, and there he looked in the room, and he saw this big Light, or a Cloud upon a mountain. He asked me not long ago, "Was there something about a cloud being on a mountain?" And I said... "In the Bible."

And I said, "Yes, when Peter, James, and John was took up, and the cloud overshadowed the Lord Jesus. And--and God spoke, said, 'This is My beloved Son.'" I preached on that here, not long ago, a little message, the tape brethren might understand, "Hear Ye Him." I suppose, maybe you have it on tape. I'm sure.

97 - And he said that he went up the mountain. And when he did, I was standing there. And a Voice came from the Cloud (Wasn't it, Brother Roy?) and said something on this order: "This is My servant. I've called him to be a prophet to the age, to lead the people just as Moses did. And he's been given the authority. He can speak into existence." Something like that like Moses did, like speaking in the flies. And we know about the squirrels and so forth, and things that's already took place. Little Hattie Wright back there, I suppose would know what taken place at her house. And He told him that I had done what Moses had done.

EXODUS 16:6 - And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt:

EXODUS 16:7 - And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what [are] we, that ye murmur against us?

EXODUS 16:8 - And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.

EXODUS 16: - And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings.

EXODUS 16:10 - And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.

EXODUS 13:20 - And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.

EXODUS 13:21 - And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

EXODUS 13:22 - He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people

EXODUS 14:19 - And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

EXODUS 14:20 - And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

EXODUS 14:24 - And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

EXODUS 14:25 - And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

EXODUS 33:8 - And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.

EXODUS 33:9 - And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.

EXODUS 33:10 - And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.

EXODUS 32:6 - And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

I CORINTHIANS 10:7 - Neither be ye idolaters, as [were] some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

STANDING IN THE GAP  JEFF.IN  V-6 N-7  SUNDAY  63-0623M"82 - And now, I didn't know at the time, that they were taking pictures of that, scientists was, as the Angels lowered themselves from heaven to bring the message. And you remember, I said the one on the right side of the constellation had His--kinda chest back, and His wings... You remember me saying that, all of you? And how that I watched him? He was very distinctive from the others. And I didn't know they were taking a picture of It, 'cause immediately I hurried east. But going back home to Tucson, there it was all through the papers that had been seen almost nationwide or--or plumb into Mexico, all the western States. And I think the "Courier" over here... It was on the Associated Press. How many saw a mysterious cloud in the sky? Lets see the hands. And now, the "Life" Magazine picked it up. And I have the--the article here this morning in the "Life" Magazine there, of the show... Now, here it is, the same time I was there. See the pyramid or the Cloud? I was standing just below this. And there... See the distinctive Angel on the right hand side? See the pointed wing of It? Just exactly what was said. And here's interview of Mexico and different places from where they took the picture. Now, this scientist here is trying to--to get all the information about the picture that he can, about the people who has the picture. He's studying it.

83 - Now, he says here that it would be impossible for it to be a cloud, because moisture doesn't go over about--I'd say about six or eight miles high, something like that. When we go overseas we usually fly nineteen thousand feet; we're above the storms then. But this cloud, according to this article here of this scientist, is twenty-six miles high. It would be miles and miles beyond moisture. And he said, checking the area... And now, you know I... How many remembers that I told you, "It sounded like the sound breaker on a plane"? Remember? But there was no plane in the district. The book says so here. They checked it. There wasn't no--wasn't no planes up there. And besides, it couldn't... That fog behind a plane is nothing but broken up air, moisture. 'Cause it sucks through this unit, as a jet. As it's pulling itself, it breaks the moisture in the air. They can never get rid of it as long as there's a jet, because it's got to... That's what it propels on. And it's the moisture scooting out from it.

84 - But here it is, miles above where there could be moisture, and no planes in the district. And it couldn't be moisture up there, and hung up there that day. It's thirty miles across it, twenty-six miles high. You see? Just as the same, it was that picture there, when I told you, "the Angel of the Lord looked like a Pillar of Fire years ago," before it was ever took. God made science recognize that it's truth. And here of the prophecy that was given, God made science testify that it's the truth. Now, where do we stand? I want to keep this, for I--I may speak to a friend of mine that's present this morning to--to write those Seven Seals. He might want to use this for it. And so, you have a copy of it... Why, if you get one, hold it for reference. See?

85 - Now, he's wanting to find out, but what good would it do to go to tell him that? He'd laugh at it. He would just merely laugh. So don't cast our pearls like that. But we know, the church knows, and God knows that it's the truth.

And then while I was praying on this subject, a wondering what would happen to me, and you know where I was at? North of Tucson, east of Flagstaff, just exactly, positionally, where I told you months before it happened I'd be standing. And exactly, according to this paper here and the papers--or this magazine, and our own testimony, exactly where it taken place. God is perfect and cannot lie. And it will come to pass. See?

87 - You remember on the tape, "Sirs, What Time Is It?" I quoted over it, "Remember, something's fixing to take place major." And now it's made the whole nation testify to it. Every newspaper on the Associated Press, and one of our leading magazines, and everything else testifying about it, it ain't all over yet. But what a privileged people, a--a privileged people that's Christian, to know that in this dark hour when there's no hopes according to science there's an atomic bomb waiting for us. And no hopes in our organizations ever getting together; they're consolidating with the mark of the beast... And when all of our hopes that way is gone in our economy, of our Christian fellowship amongst the organizations... It's heading up into Catholicism, which will be a mark of the beast in the confederation of church.