WILLIAM BRANHAM

Does the Bible promise that there will be another prophet to reveal the "hidden mysteries of the Bible" as William Branham taught? The only prophet that has been foretold to come to the Gentiles is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ.

"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he has made the universe."

Hebrews 1:1-2 (NIV)

Peter speaking "Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. but this is how God fulfilled what he has foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that at times of the refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send Christ, who has been appointed for you- even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his own people'. Indeed, all prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold of these days. And you are the heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on the earth will be blessed.' When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

Acts 3: 17-26 (NIV)

The Bible promises that everyone who turns from their sin and confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are Saved and Sealed by the Holy Spirit until we are both changed in body and spirit!

“The word is nigh thee, even in my mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if though shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, Though shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made onto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (KJV) (Romans 10:8-13. Also Ephesians 1:13 and 4:30)

What about Malachi 4:5-6?

"See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers: or else I will come and strike the land with a curse."(NIV)

Read the first verse in Malachi. "An oracle: The word of the Lord to Israel through Malachi."(NIV) or another translation reads "The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi."(KVJ) This book of the Bible wasn't even written for the Gentiles. It was a letter to Israel. The only mention of the Gentiles is in chapter 1 verse 11 and he isn't talking to the Gentiles he is talking about them. "For the rising of the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles;..." The coming of Elijah in Malachi 4:5-6 is to Israel and John the Baptist fulfilled that prophesy.  

"But the Angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear your son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he is to be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

Luke 1:13-17(NIV)

As a follower of the Message you believe that Mal. 4:6 should be divided up into two parts: a) And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children; and b) the heart of the children to their fathers.  You believe that #a prophecies of John the Baptist while #b applies to William Branham.  The first problem with that is that Malachi was written to Israel who was still under the Mosaic Law (see Malachi 1:1 and 4:4).   William Branham, who was ostensibly a gentile Christian prophet not under the Law, could not have been referred to in any way by this verse.  Secondly, it appears that Malachi 4:6 corresponds nicely to the verse we read that describes John the Baptist's ministry in Luke 1:17.  In this verse we see the angel describing the future ministry of John as pertaining to the prophet Elias in Malachi:

a) Malachi:  "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children..."

a) Luke: "...to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children..."

b) Malachi: "and the heart of the children to their fathers..."

b) Luke: "and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just" 

But if one were still to believe that there will be another Elijah, he would also be to Israel because the Bible never prophesied that Elijah would come to the Gentiles.

God probably did work through William Branham in his revivals like he has with other evangelists throughout the centuries. Even Oral Roberts could detect certain diseases by the swelling of their hands and color changes. But he went off somewhere and was getting to big for his britches so to speak. So it is possible that God took his life early with that drunk driver.

If one were still to believe that William Branham was the prophet of the "end time" what about the ‘discrepancies’ in his teachings?