Many Endtime Message Preachers are preaching that the Spoken Word Messages of Brother William M. Branham is equal to the Bible. That just like the Bible, those recorded preachings of brother Branham printed into spoken word booklets are also “Thus saith the Lord” and therefore, equal with It. They even declared that the Bible alone is not enough for us, it should be the Bible and the spoken word messages, thus, they considered the spoken-word message also to be the Absolute the same with the Bible.

Is this really so?

While there are many Endtime message people who also claimed that the spoken word messages are greater than the Bible, this article is not about them as its too much hypocrisy. This article is for those who considered the spoken word as equal to the Bible and to those who considered them as their Absolute also aside from the Bible.

Here are the 8 reasons why its foolishness to consider that the spoken word messages are equal to the Bible and to use the quotes from bro. Branham as your Absolute to back up your preaching instead of the verses from the Bible.

1. THE BIBLE IS INFALLIBLE, THE SPOKEN WORD MESSAGES ARE NOT

This alone is actually enough reason. The word infallible means “incapable of error” or “free from error”. According to 2 Timothy 3:16–17, “All Scripture is in-breathed of God…” which simply means that all scriptures in the Bible came from God Himself. The fact that God does not err and cannot breathe error means that the Bible is infallible. Simply put, the Bible cannot fail. It is for this reason that we made the Bible as our Absolute.

On the other hand, Brother Branham is just a mere human being. He is not God. Therefore, unlike God, he makes mistakes, he does err. If he doesn’t make errors, then he is God. It is for this reason that we can found many errors in the spoken word messages of Brother Branham. In fact, a whole 500 pages article is not enough just to sight his statements contradicting the Scriptures in all of his preaching and messages. Bro. Branham has many statements that are completely unbiblical or contradictory to the Bible. Why? Because he is not God. He is only a human who also make mistakes.

Some may point out: “But bro. Bonbon, bro. Branham is a true minister of God. He is used by God to deliver His Word to us.” Yes indeed, he is a true man of God. And we thank our Lord for using him. But NOT all his statements during preaching are in-breathe of God or “Thus saith the Lord”. He even admitted this during one of his question and answer:

“And now I want each one of you, my dear brethren, to know that-that these answers are-are given to the very best of my knowledge, the very best that I would know how to understand. And these answers are not infallible, see, because the Scriptures is infallible, and as far as I know they’re lined with the scriptures. I hope that makes it plain”. (COD, Vol.II, Pg.513, para.15-16).

So since we know that not all his statements came from God, how can we know then which statement is “Thus saith the Lord”? We just need to go back to the Absolute – the Bible. Those that are in line with the Scriptures absolutely came from God for God cannot contradict His Word.

So why would you use the spoken word as the absolute and basis of your teaching when it has many errors and God has already given the Bible as our Absolute that has no errors? Remember: to consider the spoken word as equal to the bible means you are considering that the Bible is not enough as your Absolute and you are adding the spoken word messages to it as another absolute. If you do, then you are doing what the Bible is telling us not to do:

Deu. 12:34 “What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.”

The book of Revelation is the last book of the Bible. That means, it should be the last book that we should consider as infallible. If you add other books as your infallible, then you are violating its last few verses:

Rev. 22:18 “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:”

THE SPOKEN WORD MESSAGES OF BRO. BRANHAM IS NEVER AND WILL NEVER BE EQUAL TO THE BIBLE. The Bible stands on Its own. The Message points to It, and it cannot stand without the Bible. In order to be sure that everything you believe is true and correct, used the Bible as you’re Absolute. BACK TO THE ABSOLUTE!

2. BROTHER BRANHAM IS THE FORERUNNER, NOT THE GROOM HIMSELF

Just like what Bro. Branham always said, “He must increase, I must decrease,” therefore the Groom which is the Word Itself, is greater than the message of the forerunner. The message of the forerunner as recorded in Matthew 25:6b is: “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” THE MESSAGE IS NOT THE WORD. THE MESSAGE IS TO GO OUT AND MEET THE WORD. THE MESSAGE IS POINTING US TO THE WORD.

We are called Endtime “Message” believers and not Endtime “Messages” believers because there is only one message in this Endtime Age. All those two thousand plus preachings of bro. Banham has only one message. If we will summarize them, it only contains one message. And what is that message? That is “Come and meet the Word, back to the Word, back to the Absolute!”

If we will follow the message and have come to the Word, the message is no longer applicable to us. We don’t need the message inviting us to come to the Word anymore because we are already in the Word. This is the reason why the Message must decrease and the Word must increase.

It is just like driving a car going to Jerusalem. You don’t know where Jerusalem is and along the way, you saw a road sign saying “Jerusalem 1 Kilometer ahead”. You follow that sign and go 1 Kilometer straight ahead until you reach Jerusalem. When you have already arrived in Jerusalem, do you think you still need that road sign? No sir! That sign is no longer needed because you have already arrived. You are thankful for that road sign which instructs you what to do but its foolishness to actually bring that road sign to Jerusalem because you don’t need it there! It became useless after arriving in Jerusalem.

Same with the Endtime Message and the Bible. The Message is that road sign and the Bible is Jerusalem. Brother Branham is the road sign that pointed us to the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Jerusalem. When you are already in the Word, you don’t need the message anymore. When you are already in Jesus Christ, you don’t need brother Branham anymore. The forerunner is no longer in the scene for your attention should only be to the Groom.

That’s why those preachers who always quote the spoken word messages of Bro. Branham rather than the verses of the Bible every time they preach are much in love with the forerunner rather than the Groom. Bro. Branham still occupies a big space in their heart rather than the Lord Jesus Christ Who is knocking in their hearts. They are still enjoying the road sign rather than Jerusalem itself.

3. BROTHER BRANHAM AS JOHN THE BAPTIST, NOT THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Just like John the Baptist who is sent to forerun the first coming of our Lord, Bro. Branham was sent to forerun His second coming. And when the Lord Jesus Christ started His ministry, John the Baptist was no longer in the scene. His message to prepare to meet the Bridegroom is no longer applicable because the Groom is already before his eyes.

This is the reason why some of his disciples, Andrew for example, after hearing from John the Baptist that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, they left John and follow Jesus instead (John 1:35-41). We as believers of the Word should follow this example of the disciples of John the Baptist. After they heard the Spoken Word of the forerunner, they leave John to follow the Lord. After meeting our Groom, we should leave bro. Branham and follow our Lord. We should leave the quotes and focus on the Bible. That’s the only way that we can be Raptured. That’s the only way also that Bro. Branham can say that he had fulfilled his task of being the forerunner when the Bride followed Christ instead of following him.

Take note of this also: John the Baptist have dual statements about our Lord Jesus Christ when he was still alive. In John 1:26-36, John said that Jesus is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world “whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.” But later on in the remaining days of his life in prison, he contradicted this and doubted his statements and sent two of his disciples to ask the Lord Jesus if He is indeed the Lamb of God that they have been waiting for (Matt. 11:1-6). And this is also the reason why Bro. Branham has dual and contradicting statements. He first said that there are still 7 years remaining in the 70th week of Daniel but later on, he contradicted this and said that there are only 3 and a half years remaining. He said that the Spirit is the center of the soul and body, but then later on in one of his sermons, he contradicted this and said it is the soul which is the center of the spirit and the body.

This is also the very reason why there are many different kinds of Endtime Message groups today whose beliefs are in contradiction to each other. This is because they only depend on their faith on what they have read and heard on the spoken word messages instead of the Bible. And when these groups come to each other and discuss their differences, there is no agreement between them because their absolute which is the spoken word messages are in itself have many contradicting statements.

But why did Bro. Branham and John the Baptist have contradicting statements? Remember that they are forerunners and one of their role as forerunners is to separate the foolish from the wise with their message. In Matthew 25:6-8, when the Midnight Cry was heard, it’s the message that wakes the virgins and made the foolish ones to realize that their oil is not enough which is the reason why they go to buy oil. Therefore, the midnight cry of the forerunner is the separation message of the foolish to the wise. Those who have to meet the Groom are only the wise.

The same is true with Endtime Message believers. Those who have come to the Word (Bible, Groom) are the Wise virgins. While those who remain in the spoken word messages of bro. Branham as their absolute and have never come to the Bible as their Absolute, are the foolish ones. And one day, they will eventually realize that they need to meet the Groom (Bible), but the door will be already closed when that time comes.

4. BROTHER BRANHAM AS ELIEZER, HE IS NOT ISAAC

Genesis 24 records the love story of Isaac and Rebekah. Abraham sent his servant, Eliezer, to his homeland to get a wife for his son. Eliezer did as his master commanded. He set out with his camels and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. And it was at the evening time that the bride for Isaac was found.

Isaac here is our Lord Jesus Christ. Rebekah is us – the Bride, and Eliezer is bro. Branham, the messenger of Groom. Now, notice in Gen.24:67a we read:

“And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. ”

After Rebekah was brought by Isaac into his mother’s tent for a honeymoon and to consummate their love for each other, did Eliezer also went inside the tent? Is Eliezer still on the story or is he no longer found in the scene after they went into the tent? We can’t find Eliezer anymore in the story because his job is already finished. He is no longer on the scene for the story inside the tent is only for the Groom and the Bride. The Messenger has no business on it.

This is the reason why when the Bride meets her Groom, bro. Branham is no longer on the scene. He passed away. He died. And this is where we are now, we are now inside the tent with our Groom where we know Him intimately by His Word. The messenger is not on the scene already because he must decrease and the Groom must increase.

Now, it would be awkward if you are on a honeymoon with your Groom while the name that you are mentioning during the honeymoon is the name of His messenger rather than His Name. The Groom will feel that you don’t actually love Him but His messenger. He will get jealous. The same is what is happening to most of the Endtime Believers today. They say that they love the Lord Jesus Christ more than bro. Branham, but during preaching, if you will only count the number of times that they have mentioned the name of Bro. Branham compared to the number of times that they have mentioned our Lord Jesus Christ, you will notice that out of 100 times, only 10 times they have mentioned the name of the Lord while 90 times they have mentioned the name of Bro. Branham! And they are saying that they love our Lord more than bro. Branham! What a shame! Their actions speak louder than their claim!

They say that the Bible is their absolute and that they love the Word of God. But if you have noticed during their preaching, they will only quote one to two verses from the Bible and 60 quotes from the spoken word messages of brother Branham! What a shame! Quoting the spoken word more than the Bible is only showing that your Absolute is the spoken word and not the Bible. These ministers have no shame to the Lord!

5. THE SPOKEN WORD MESSAGES IS THE MESSAGE IN THE WILDERNESS, THE BIBLE IS THE PROMISE LAND

Moses was a great leader of Israel. He was the messenger of God to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage. But when they are about to enter the Promised Land, Moses sends out 12 spies from every tribe of Israel to spy the land. Surely, the land is flowing with milk and honey just like what the Lord had promised to them (Numbers 13:27). But they are overwhelmed not by the joy of seeing the milk and honey but by their fear to its inhabitants whom they think are much stronger than them (Num. 13:28-31). So instead of reporting the good news to Moses, they reported the bad news. The people would rather return to Egypt or they would rather die in the wilderness (Num. 14:2) than to come to the promised land.

It was only Caleb and Joshua who were not bothered by the enemy. In fact, these are their words in Numbers 14:9 concerning the Promised Land:

“Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.”

Take note of their words. Those are the very words which are the reason why the people would like to stone them. And because of this, the Lord was very angry with the people that He had promised to Moses that they will not see the promised land and all of them will die in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb and those younger than 20 years old (Num. 14:22-29). And so in the span of forty years, the people of Israel died just wandering the wilderness and never entered the Promised Land.

Now, Moses is a type of Bro. Branham. Israel is the Church of the Lord who are composed of foolish and wise virgins. Joshua and Caleb is the type of the Bride who are wise virgins. Egypt is the denominations of which we are called to come out. The wilderness is the process of going out of the denomination where our food is the Manna (message given to Bro. Branham) and our final destination is the Promised Land which is the Bible to where we should all go back.

If you are one of those foolish virgins just like the people of Israel in the time of Moses, you will be afraid to enter the Bible (Promised Land) because you think that you cannot conquer it. You think that the land is unconquerable because, for you, the verses in the Bible are difficult to comprehend because they are “of great stature” (Num. 13:32). Because of this, you would rather choose to stay on the wilderness and be contented to eat the Manna (spoken word quotes) from bro. Branham. You will choose the Manna which is only a temporary food (which rots on the next day) over those “milk and honey” in the Promised Land. And so, just like the people of Israel, you will also die in the message of bro. Branham (wilderness) without entering the Word (Promise Land).

This is also the reason why until now, for already about 50 years since bro. Branham died, those quotationers of the spoken word messages of bro. Branham are still wondering in the wilderness of tapes and spoken word booklets without even entering the Bible. They love the Manna instead of the milk and honey. And because of this, they will also die in this wilderness.

I remember one time, I asked one minister as to why he is always quoting the spoken word booklets of bro. Branham every time he preached instead of quoting the Bible. He answered that the spoken word messages are easy to preach compared to the Bible because they are already explained by brother Branham, you just need to copy those explanations from him when you preach them. While if you used the Bible, you still need a lot of study and research to explain it, unlike the spoken word messages.

I just can’t believe this kind of reasoning from today’s ministers.

However, if you are Wise virgin just like Joshua and Caleb which are the types of the Bride of Christ, you will think that you can conquer the Bible. And just like Joshua, you will say “neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us.” You will think that the Bible is your bread and you will not fear. Then surely, you will conquer it for the land was reserved for you. You will claim all the “milk and honey” that are written on It. You will not just be contended for the Manna of the wilderness which are the spoken-word messages of Bro. Branham. You will aim for the milk and honey and all the fruits of the land.

Don’t be foolish and don’t be just contented with the Manna which is only “the food for a day” and get spoiled on the next day. Aim for the milk and honey of the Promise Land which never gets spoiled!

6. THE WORD OF GOD TOLD US TO USE THE SCRIPTURES TO TEACH AND TO PREACH, NOT THE SPOKEN WORD QUOTES

2 Tim. 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ expounded the written Scriptures during His earthly Ministry. He always quotes the Scriptures when He is preaching (Luke 24:27). There is not a time that he quoted the words of John the Baptist on His preachings. He did not expound the words of John. Instead, “He go according to what was written in the Scripture” (Matt. 26:24, Psalm 40:7).

When Bro. Branham was alive, he did not also quote his former preachings or his messages. He did not say “Okay church, according to my preaching dated __________ entitled _________, in page ________ paragraph _______ it say…” He did not quote his spoken words. In fact, he never commanded anyone to quote him or his messages during preaching. He is always using the Bible if he wants to explain something. But the opposite is what is happening in most of the Endtime ministers today who are propagating that preachers should always quote the spoken word of Bro. Branham when bro. Branham himself never done it.

According to 2 Timothy 3:15, it is the Scriptures that made us wise and not the Spoken Word Messages. And that we are always in error because we don’t know the Scriptures (Matt. 22:29). So if we wanted to be wise, we must use the Bible as our absolute in preaching and teaching, not the spoken word messages.

These quotationers of the spoken word messages are also propagating that you are not a message believer when you are not quoting brother Branham when you preach. I think they forgot that bro. Branham himself told us to “Go back to the Word. Go back to the Bible.” And so, the true unbelievers and the one who is not following the message of the prophet is actually them.

These quotationers are without any difference to the Mormon Believers. Just like the Mormons, they will just present to you one to two verses from the Bible and the rest they will take it out to the spoken word message (for Mormons, they will take the rest from the book of Mormon). And they will still tell you that their absolute is the Bible. Who is like the denominations then?

7. ALL THE MYSTERIES WERE NOT REVEALED TO BROTHER BRANHAM

One of the most favorite statement of the quotationers of the spoken word booklets of Bro. Branham especially the Branhamites (sad to say but yes, there are Branham fanatics) during their preaching is their claim that: “The Message is the same as the Bible because all the mysteries of God were revealed to Bro. Branham already. There is no mystery that is not revealed to him.” Then they will give Revelation 10:7 to support this claim.

If we will carefully examine Revelation 10:7, you will find that it does not even support their claim. Let’s take a look at Revelation 10:7:

“But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.”

The verse says “the mystery of God” it does not say “the mysteries of God.” This only means that there is only ONE mystery that will be finished when the seventh angel begins to sound. It does not say “all the mysteries.” And the verse also said that “God hath declared (reveal) it to His servants the Prophets” which means to many prophets, and not only to bro. Branham. These foolish ministers claimed that it was only revealed to bro. Branham.

And what is this “mystery of God” that will be finished when bro. Branham began to sound?

Many followers of the Endtime Message believe that it refers to all the (prophetic and spiritual) mysteries contained in the Bible. Others believe that it is the doctrine of how God became a man. In the New Testament, Paul revealed that God had made known to him this mystery (take note, it was also revealed to Paul), which was hidden before the foundation of the world, “that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the Gospel” (Eph.3:6). Hence, the “Mystery of God” is the period of time which God had allocated for the grafting of the Gentiles into His Promised Word just “as He had declared to His servants, the prophets”. Read Romans 9:6-8; 16:25-26; Ephesians 2:11-3:11; Genesis 12,15,17; Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 60:3; Galatians 3:16-18.

Simply put, the Mystery of God in Revelation 10:7 is the Grace period or the Gentile period. When the 7th messenger begins to sound, the Gentile period will be finished and the Gospel goes back to Israel.

So don’t be fooled by the statements of those quotationers.

8. THE SPOKEN WORD MESSAGES IS ONLY A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE WORD OF GOD, THE BIBLE IS THE WHOLE WORD OF GOD

According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17:

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

As Christ (the Anointed Word) descended from Heaven, He gave a commanding Shout. We all know that the Midnight Cry is the Shout of the Forerunner that waked up the 10 Virgins from their slumber as written in Matthew 25. Which means also that the Shout is the Message of the forerunner.

Then as Christ descended further, He said with the Voice of an Archangel which is the message given after the Shout of the Forerunner. This message is no other than the Voice of the Lord Jesus Himself – the Archangel gave through today’s five-fold ministry after bro. Branham (the Forerunner) was gone.

The Shout Message did not perfect the believers. It was just a Shout calling your attention to the Voice. But the Lord Himself will perfect His Bride through His Voice ministry under Joshua’s Gifts of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers. Amen! It’s the Ministry of the hour!

Then the final phase of preparation for the Bride’s home-going shall come. The Capstone of Divine Love shall usher in the last Trump to fully reveal the “silence” of the 7th Seal (in which the things uttered by the voices of the 7 Thunders of Revelation 10:1-4 were sealed until that precise moment) just before the coming of Christ for the Rapture of His saints.

Therefore, if you will only remain in the spoken word messages of bro. Branham (Shout), you can never be Raptured. Those messages alone can’t wrap you up with the complete wedding garments (Word) required for us to be Raptured. You need to know the Voice and the Trump to be prepared for the Wedding. So be back to the Word!

SUMMARY

Here’s the summary table of the above:

CONCLUSION

There’s no problem in quoting Brother Branham, as long as you don’t make his spoken word messages as your Absolute – that is, you don’t quote it more frequent than the Bible. And make sure that every time you quote it, it should always be backed up by the Bible.

One time, a sister asked me as to why I don’t quote brother Branham whenever I preached and doesn’t flash his quotes on the screen for everyone to see. I said: “Well I only quote him when it’s necessary to the preaching and I don’t flash those quotes on a screen because that will be a waste of time searching for those and on the first place, I don’t consider those as my absolute that’s why I never flash them. I only flash the Bible, my Absolute.”

She replied, “But brother, those quotes are the Manna for us.”

I answered, “Yes. But the Bible is our Milk and Honey.”

She added, “But those spoken word messages has the Word.”

I replied, “Yes. But the Bible is the Word. And the Lord commanded us to preach the Word not those who have the Word.”

And she became quite.

Beloved of our Lord Jesus Christ, if there’s a book that we should lift up, it is no other than the Bible. We should love It with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our mind. It is only through It that we can be Raptured.

May the Lord will continue to guide us into all His truth is my prayer.

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