Parla alla Roccia
E-1 Numbers... And I'd just like to talk to you a few minutes, have your attention. We had a nice little service this morning at Brother Roger's place, such a warm little welcome. And--and when we left, wife said to me, she said, "Doesn't that kind of remind you of the Tabernacle when we started out?"
And I said, "Sure did."
That's just the way we started, just in a little group of people like that, a little--little old church, no floor in it. We didn't have even a floor, and the old windows. I remember first year come a freeze, and here come the women walking down through there. And the freeze on the floor, when we built a fire it got all warm and thawed out, mud about that deep on the ankles, and here they was walking right down through the mud, you know, pulling out, setting around a little old stove in the back and one down here, but we worshipped the Lord. We had a wonderful time.
E-2 Many of those have done crossed over the great sea, the divide. I watched them at the end of the road, buried them. As sure as there's a God in heaven I believe, if I'll live true to Him, someday in a better land, I'll be with them again.
So that's the main thing. After all what is life? We just don't know how long it's going to last, just might be gone this afternoon; this may be our last time together. Did you know that? But whether it is or whether it isn't, we can't lose. There's no way for Christianity to lose, is there? You just can't lose no matter what you do. There's no loss in Christianity. If I live, I gain; if I die, I gain. If... Well, I'd say die. I can't die. As long as I've any Eternal Life in me, I can't die. Did you know that? You can't die.
E-3 There's no such a thing as death to a Christian. There's not one Scripture in the Bible that tells you a Christian dies. Very much contrary, we're all alive. Jesus said, "He--he that believeth on Me has Everlasting Life." Is that right? How can it have an end if it's got everlasting. See? "He that heareth My Words and believeth on Him that sent Me has Everlasting Life and shall not come into condemnation, but passed from death to Life." That's true.
So we can't die, and we can't cease to exist. We'll always be. There was a time when you wasn't nothing or anything, but there never will be a time but what you'll be something and somewhere. You're going to be somewhere from this, all through ceaseless ages, all eternity you'll be somewhere.
E-4 So now, I just think about that sometime when trials get hard. And I hit snags in life like everybody, some hard trials we have to pull hard to get through it. But when I'm up against it, I just think of this: Well, what difference does it make? The Bible said, "All things work together for good to them that love Him." Is that right?
So maybe it's for my good. So I just go right ahead and take it anyhow. And if I--if it... There's nothing can bother you. Even death itself can't bother you. When death comes though, I'll... The old apostle when they was building a scaffold out there to cut his head off on, why, he said, "Death, where is thy sting? Grave, where is thy victory?" No sting to death no... "Why, where--where is your victory, grave?"
Grave said, "I'll have you after while. I'll get you."
He said, "What can you do to me?" That's it.
E-5 "I just point you over yonder, to the Fellow that I'm in, Jesus Christ, Who just broke all the bands off of you and rose up again. Now, how are you going to hold me?" That's it.
Death said, "I'll make you screech and holler," when he comes.
"Show me where you can do it." The only thing I know that death--that God did to death, He harnessed it to a buggy. The only thing he can do is pull a believer right in the Presence of God. So--so what's he going to do, he can't hurt us. So we haven't got nothing to worry about, have we?
If the meal barrel's empty, God promised He would supply it. Maybe He wanted it to get empty ever once in a while. See? And maybe if something else happen, or kids hasn't got enough shoes, why, to go around, why, you have to buy a pair this Saturday and wait two Saturdays to buy another pair... I know how that is. Well, God will supply everything.
E-6 Brother Bosworth talked about being in a meeting one time. He said, "Well," said, "I had a meeting," said, "I paid my way to California." Said, "I kept on having meetings," said, "the other brothers would come by, Smith Wigglesworth and them." They all taking up offering for him... went on. Said, "I didn't have any offering and going farther in debt." So then when it come time for me to go home, said they took up his offering, and that night he took up offering, said, "My," said, "it just rained to who wouldn't have it, nobody come out." So he had to borrow money to go home on. Said, well, he thanked the Lord and went home.
Went on over to another meeting, and there it was. See? That's it. Isn't He a lovely Father? We all love Him.
Now, in Exodus where we were, or Numbers, rather where we were reading in the--the 20th chapter, and beginning with the 7th verse.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak to the rock before their eyes; and it... (Now I want you to notice.)... it shall bring forth his... ("His" is a personal pronoun, now. See?)... it shall bring forth his water, and thou shall bring forth water before them and the--out of the rock: and shall give the congregation and their beasts drink.
E-7 Now, let's bow our heads a moment. Father, we thank Thee. We thank Thee from the depths of our heart that You're here. We thank Thee for these people. And above all things we thank Thee for sending Jesus to us. When we were poor Gentiles, carried away with dumb idols, two thousand years ago, just as primitive as we could be, out living without clothes, eating everything that we could find on the ground. Dead, contaminated, anything, we eat it anyhow, our fathers. And they set up idols and worshipped. And while we were sinners in that condition, God with His mercy, knowing that we were of His Own creation, sent Jesus to call the Gentiles to repentance.
O God, and now we're sons and daughters of God, and the highest respected people of the earth. How that we thank Thee for this, all because we can wear the name of Christian. Oh, we love you, Father.
E-8 And now, today as it falls my lot, and this is the people that You sent out to hear, I want to speak to them about Your love. And I pray that You'll circumcise my lips, my heart, my mind, that I'll just say and think the things that's right, and speak the things that's right. Then open up their hearts, Lord, that they might receive it. And may the Holy Spirit take the things of God now, and give it right to each individual, as they have need, for we ask it in Christ's Name. Amen.
I suppose some of the people never got their handkerchiefs, I think the same ones was here last evening, and probably they haven't picked them up. What say? Some new ones... Well, while--while we're here, 'fore I forget it, let's have prayer for them.
Lord, I pray that You'll heal them. Oh, we think of the Shunammite woman coming to Elijah, and we ask You now, as that staff was taken, and they taken from the body of Paul handkerchiefs and aprons, may that these people be healed in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
E-9 Such a marvelous day that we're living in friends, and I--I keep looking over here at Sister Beeler. If this lady isn't a perfect Sister Hoover, I--I thought her--she was Sister Hoover a dozen times. And I called her that this morning. I heard her in a meeting the other night, just a shouting. And I went home and I thought, "Well, Sister Hoover, you had a won..." Well, she wasn't down here. And I never seen the two people any more alike in all my life.
A--a lady that--that's in the... well, she stays at our house up there; she's a very lovely Christian woman, and she... We just she takes care of the children and things for us, very lovely person. And she wears her hair, looks like her, acts like her in every way. And so, I... Mrs. Beeler is with my wife there, I was just saying that there was a... how draw their attention to that. But every time I look over there I happen to think... Sometimes I look in the audience to see if there's anybody I know personally.
E-10 Somebody say, "Well, didn't you see me, Brother Branham. I was setting right before you." And I never seen them.
I--I go down the street, and wife say, "Well, didn't you see that--that person?"
I say, "No, I didn't see them."
Well, that... I don't know, I guess it's just 'cause I'm dumb, but I just don't look around and see people. I just don't know if I... Somebody pass by and if I don't raise my head, why, just forgive me, just allow it to my ignorance. But I try to then in the meeting, been trying to look around to see if I could see somebody that I knew.
E-11 Now, we're going to get to the Scripture and read just a little bit, and now, talk on this just for a few minutes. Now, I like to think of... And now, if we just gather ourselves... I'll promise you by God's help, I... We try to be out of here in the next forty-five minutes if we can.
If you just pray with me now, and let's fasten right down into the Word. And I like the Word, don't you? And you reach down and get those old nuggets and polish them up a little bit and look at them; they're just beautiful, and the things of the Scripture. I believe all the Old Testament was a perfect type of the New Testament. It was just the shadow.
Now, if I got in that sun there, and went walking towards that wall, and I--and looked at my shadow on there, I would have some conception of what I look like: whether I was a four footed beast, or whether I was had wings like a bird, or what I was.
Now, that's the shadow. And as the sun's are setting across the time now, we are living in the shadow of the coming of Jesus, don't you think so? And these things that we see happening is just a shadow of what's fixing to take place.
E-12 Oh, I guess I'm talking to a full audience of Holy Ghost filled people. And you know what, friends, I believe we're in the shadow of one of the greatest things the world has ever received or heard of, just... We're just at the break.
Now, when the Angel of the Lord met me... The first thing, you remember, many of you old timers here that's been in the meeting, when He first met me, He told me to take a hold of a person's hand. Last night, or sometime, or yesterday somewhere, I met a little child. I just took hold of their hand just to see if, yeah, still the same thing. See? And then you can watch it how it'll move, see it with your own eyes how it'll work.
E-13 And then, He said, "Then if you'll be real reverent, it'll come to pass that you'll know the very secrets of their heart." He said, "If they won't believe the first, they will the second."
Well, for two, or three, or four years, that's all I knew about how... I lay my hands on the person.
Well, then--then it came to pass this way. Then now, there's something pushing up that tells me that we're just at the... that the time when something else is just ready to break through, that'll be greater than anything we've ever heard yet. And I just so thankful for that, and you pray for me that God will let me live to see it (See?), to see it coming through. And now, and I pray that God will let all of you live to see it.
E-14 I... we--we know when we pass over that... Just think all the things that's mysterious now, when our eyes close and we wake with Him, it'll not be mysterious then. All the great mysteries that we don't understand, will just be there when we--when we leave this earth. Won't it be wonderful?
My, how would there be any sting or fear of that? I've always wanted to know more about God, haven't you? That's why we're here for now, so that we'll know more about God. And just think as soon as He calls our life, we're going know--we're going to know Him face to face right then. Oh, my, that isn't wonderful?
I'm so glad I'm saved, I don't know what I'd do. I could even have a spell and start shouting right now. See? Because I just glad I'm saved. My, the thought of being saved, got Eternal Life, can't die. Can't... Nothing can happen to me to hurt me. I'm just going to live forever. Oh, my.
E-15 Just think one of these days these stooped shoulders... I was looking the other day, combing what hair I had left. So I--I looked, and I thought, "Say it's getting gray all around the sides." I looked over and I seen my wife, younger than me, and she was grayer than I was. And I thought, "Well, my shoulders are stooped. Look at my hands, getting to look like an old man's hands. Well, it hadn't been but few weeks ago that I was playing marbles out on the street."
And I thought, "What difference does that make. My, my, one of these days these shoulders are going to straighten up, and that hair black again." I'm going to be that way forever then. Yes, sir. I can prove that by God's Scripture.
E-16 If I ever get a chance again, maybe over in the next little city, you'll be over there anyhow. So you come over. I'm going to get a chance to talk on that over there: show you in the Bible, that's the truth.
Now, we're going to talk about a journey, how that God brought His people out of Egypt into the promised land, a perfect type of leaving sin, coming into the Spirit land. Now, there's three stages of this journey; First, Israel in Egypt, Israel in the journey, Israel in Palestine, which is a perfect type of justification by faith, coming out; sanctification as it passed through the Blood, the baptism of the Holy Ghost. It's perfect, the stages of the Church. That is where the Church is staged now.
E-17 Now, the thing I want you to notice. They come out under Martin Luther. They were sanctified under John Wesley, filled with the Holy Ghost under Pentecost. Now we're in the promised land here, just slaying Philistines and having a wonderful time, taking over. Here's a little place up here said, "That whatsoever things you ask in My Name it shall be done."
Just demons, just standing all around there, but we're going right in with the sword of God and cutting them out, taking over. It's ours. God gave it to us. Said, "There's the land; I give it to you; go on, possess it." So here we've been on our journey, now we've arrived.
E-18 Now, a lot of people apply Canaan, to being over in the promise land, to being the type of heaven. No, it couldn't type heaven. It's the stages of the journey of the Church. They had wars and everything over in Canaan. There's no wars in heaven, you know. So they had dying, and murders, and everything else. So they didn't have that in heaven. It's the type of the Holy Spirit.
If you notice how that Israel got down there, how that Joseph, a dreamer, a seer... Now, he couldn't help cause he was a seer. God just made him a seer. And he... They dreamed dreams and he'd interpret it, and God told him what was going to happen. And his--all of his brothers was jealous of him.
E-19 Now, watch. When he was born, he was a favorite son of all the others. That was Jesus. Jesus Christ has lived in everyone of the apostles, everyone of the prophets. Jesus Christ has been in the Church ever since the beginning. Do you believe that? Sure.
Look at David when he was dethroned and went up over the hill. He was the son of David, Christ was. And he went up over Jerusalem, with his own people run him off the throne. And as he went up over the hill, he went up there and wept, looked back over at Jerusalem and wept. Is that right? Because he was rejected king in the city. Is that right?
Look at Jesus, his Son, about five hundred years later, stood upon Jerusalem said, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem..." rejected He was, the Son of David, "how would I hovered you as the hen would her brood, but you would not." See? That same... And today we see the Holy Spirit, or feel It in us, weeping out the same thing, "How oft..." You see? It's Jesus Christ, all the way through, just exactly.
E-20 Jesus Christ was in Moses. Jesus Christ was in Joseph. Joseph was a perfect type of Christ. Look at him there as he foreshadowed, God did. And the only way I have... I know it's typologist, but how--how can I preach it without education, if I don't look back? And if I know just what the shadow looked like, I'll have some conception of what the real looks like.
I look back there, see Joseph, when he was born of his father by--and loved of him, rejected of his brethren. And his father give him a coat with many colors. Seven colors is a--only seven colors, original colors. And this coat went over his little body, just exactly like the rainbow was given over Jesus after His death, burial, and resurrection. When John saw Him He had a rainbow around Him to look upon as jasper and sardius stone, and that was the stones of Ephraim, and or the--of Benjamin and Reuben. And--and how that the--the first and the last... The rainbow around Him, which meant a covenant, the covenant of the Blood, Jesus got--Jesus gave to the Church as a covenant. And the rainbow is always the sign of the covenant.
E-21 And Joseph then, when he went to see his brothers he was rejected and supposingly to have been killed.
Now, that's what the Jews did when he came to own, his own received him not. They didn't like him, why? Because he was a seer, because he was a prophet, because he was more spiritual than the rest of them. And they was going to kill him, and one of them called out and said, "Don't kill him, he's our brother."
But they threw him in a ditch. And then they took him... He was taken up out of the ditch, and was taken to the greatest city in the world at that time in Egypt, and become the right hand man to Pharaoh. Just as Jesus was rejected of his brothers, killed and put into the ditch, raised up again, and now setting at the right hand of the greatest city in all eternity, heaven.
E-22 And no man could come to Pharaoh, only through Joseph. And no man could come to God, only through Jesus (See?), just perfect.
And another thing you notice I... we just got to hurry, but placing the background here.
But notice in his temptation when he was in the--when he was in prison, through the great gift that he had, there was two men. And one of them was a butler, and the other one the butcher, or the baker. And one of them was lost, and the other one was saved. Is that right?
And look at Jesus on the cross. There was two come to Him, and one was lost, and the other one saved, on the cross, just perfect. And then I noticed another thing that when Joseph was rejected of his own people, he was given a bride from the Gentiles. Is that right?
Pharaoh give him a bride. Well, it's just the same thing... that Jesus being rejected by the Jews comes to the Gentile church and picks out a Bride. And we are Mrs. Jesus this afternoon. That's right. Amen. I like that. Sure.
E-23 Now, there's a lot of young women here this afternoon, you--lot of nice girls. Now, I respect everyone of them, but there's one Mrs. Branham. See? That's my wife. All right. And that's the way it is. There's lots of church's; there's lot's of people that goes to church and so forth, but there's one Mrs. Jesus. That's right.
And those that... It's made up of every denomination that's borned again by the Spirit of God and come into the Body of Christ, they take... They are joint heirs with Him. They're with Him, and they're a part of Him, just a part of His body. And that's the way a wife is to a husband, is a part of him. Amen.
E-24 Oh, I think of that. I think of it in Genesis when the--when God made the sun and made the moon. Now, the moon is the wife of the sun. Now, when the sun goes away, the moon reflects the light of the sun (Is that right?) on the earth.
And now, when Jesus was taken away, we are the Bride which is the moon, to reflect the Light of the Gospel, and we can't reflect it until He shines on us. Amen.
Well, when we get... When the Gospel goes to shining on us, then we shine it out. So send the Light, Lord, is my prayer, that we can reflect the Light of the Son of God in His power, and His resurrection, and His fullness, how marvelous.
E-25 Now, and God did all that for a purpose in there. Finally, you know why Joseph prospered? Here's another little--little nugget I want to drop over to you. Did you notice when Joseph died, he give those people, as long as they were there, a memorial that someday they were going out of that place. He said... Now, I was suppose to put my hand on his casket here not long ago over in, oh, a big museum overseas, a big lead thing that it was suppose to lay in. It was supposed to be a casket in Egypt. And so then they were... had it in a British museum. And the chair--the chair that they inaugurate the kings on, you'd be surprised what it looked like. You got a better chair setting out in your back porch somewhere, made of a hickory bottom. That's right.
E-26 It was a little old thing, it had stone, that piece of stone that Joseph was suppose to put his head on. Why, it looked like a good old piece of Bedford stone out here to me, just not that big. But--but that's the Stone of Scone, you know that they stole here not long ago. And all those things are just...
But Joseph, he was the--the--the type that Jesus was to be, and when he died he said, "Now, don't you bury my bones, but leave them lay here."
And every Hebrew, passing through, looking upon those bones... No matter his back be beat by the taskmasters, he'd look on those bones and he knowed one thing, that the prophet had said, "That someday those bones, take them with you, and God has promised that we're going out, and take my bones with you."
And they knowed that that was a perfect sign, that someday they was coming out from under that Egyptian bondage, because Joseph's bones was to be taken out and buried. And he was a prophet that had the Word of God, and they knowed it could not fail.
E-27 What a consolation to every Hebrew, who has a beaten back, and bleeding, walk by there, and taskmasters... look over there and see that old stone, that old place laying, and bones laying there knowed, "Someday--someday we're going out." Same thing Jesus did, He left an empty tomb.
And one of these days when we pass by and say to mother there, the dear old sweet woman that's rocked us on her lap, and hugged us, and loved us... And maybe our little baby that we've had up in our arms, and rocked, and babied, there you hear the preacher say, "Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust..." You see them throwing them old yellow clods in on top of it, but what do we, we close our eyes and look across Jerusalem down there. There's an empty tomb. Someday we're going out of here. That's right. We're on our way to the promised land. Yes, sir. And Mos--or... Joseph left the same sign like Jesus did.
E-28 Now, I want you to notice another thing. And when... Before they went out, the calling out now, the children of Israel was given a sign. Moses went out and begin to preach to them, and we know the story. And when Moses preach to them, done his sign one time... God met him, he didn't want to go, but He give him a sign to do, healing--healing was one of the signs. Next was to perform a miracle with the stick. And when that was done, they believed Moses and started on the march. All right.
They didn't go very far until they got into some trouble. Every time when you start to make a march for God, look out you're headed for trouble. The Devil's going to lay right along the path there to get every foot in he can get in. He will trip you, upset you, do everything mean. He's a devil. Oh, I just love to pour the Scripture on him, don't you? Yes, sir. Say, "It's written in the Word of the Lord." That's right. God said so.
E-29 The Devil hates me, and I know he hates you too. And he--he's my enemy. But as long as God's my friend I don't have no fear of him. I just drive him right on back, take the Word of God and move him right on back out of his... out of the place that he thinks he's a holding. He hasn't got no strongholds. He's absolutely legally defeated in every place.
The Devil hasn't got one legal right at all nowhere. He's just a devil, and a password that's all. He hasn't got no legal right to any man that'll accept the promise of Jesus Christ. He's whipped. Yes, sir. He's whipped in sickness; he's whipped in disappointments; he's whipped in everything. He's whipped in death. He can't scare me; he can't scare you. That's all he is a big old shadow.
E-30 So he just might as well get on down the street. I just seen his red light go over the hill awhile ago, didn't you? He's gone. Yes, sir. All right. Praise the Lord. I begin to feel pretty good now. You know you kinda get a little stiff and tried. I guess I'm getting old. But when I go to feeling His Presence coming, now I forget about being old...?...
First time I ever heard a Pentecostal preacher preach he started preaching; he was about eighty something years old, had to lead the old fellow out. And when that fellow got to preaching, got warmed up preaching, he let out about three hoops, and leaped up in the air and kicked his heels together, walked off the platform and said, "Why, you ain't got room here for me to preach."
I thought, "Oh, brother that's what I need." That's right. If it'll make him act like that, what would it do to... Why, it'll make you that... He will feel that way, he was eighty years old, I guess. Real old fellow, they had to lead him out to the platform. they didn't lead him away. So that's the difference, the power of God.
E-31 You've seen a Devil get a hold of a person, a maniac, that'll take five or six men to hold him. That's devil power. Well, if a Devil could do that, what will God do when He takes a hold? Amen.
That's why long here at nighttime I see the people in cots here, just set there. No matter what God does, they still set there, "Well, if you'll come down and open up my mouth, and pour something down in there that'll charge me up a little bit..." Open up your heart, and God will charge you up a little bit. You just...
I seen a little women where her limbs up here... Little old Georgie Carter from Milltown, Indiana, she--her limbs wasn't that big around, laid there nine years, and eight months and couldn't move. Couldn't even raise a sputamin cup, And that girl, you can call her up now on the phone at my expense if you want to, she's been my pianist in the Milltown Baptist Church for the last eight years. Laying and how could she rise up, God gave me a vision said, "Go call her."
E-32 I never was in Milltown in my life till that... Went over there and told her just exactly what God said and said, "Rise up, Christ has made you whole." She didn't pay attention, she wrote said, "How can she rise, she hasn't been up for eight year, or nine years and eight months? How..." And five minutes from then she was out in the yard walking around blessing the leaves. Look like a skeleton, people would faint to look at her. How was she standing? I don't know; God's power lifted her up. There she was standing. She was standing under the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Any other person that'll dare to take God at His Word, will stand. How can they? It's a supernatural power that stands you, lifts you up there. Take that power off of her, she'd crumble like a pile of bones. No, the only time she's ever been in bed since then is been to go to bed at night and go to sleep. She's a piano player down there now at the Milltown Baptist church, where I was pastor. All right. That's what it is when God speaks all hell moves, that's everything, can't stand in His Presence.
E-33 All right. God has spoke to Moses said, "Bring my... I've heard the groans of my people and go down to deliver them."
When he brought them out, what a beautiful type there of the sacrifice of the lamb that night, to keep up a lamb fourteen days.
Now, it must be a male lamb without blemish, perfect type of Christ, the first one from the old mother ewe. Now, Christ was in that lamb too.
Everything in the Bible points to Christ. You can't pick a thing in the Bible but what goes to Christ. And the first mother, the first lamb from the old mother ewe. And so then, he's to be... kept him up fourteen days. He was to be examined, wasn't a blemish on him. And he was to be killed in the evening. Did you notice it?
Christ wasn't killed in the morning. They took Him in the morning, and hung Him on the cross at nine o'clock; but it was in the evening before He died. Is that right? And watch, this lamb must be killed by all of Israel, and the elders must come around and witness to this sacrificial lamb. Perfect type of Christ how that they all said, "Away with Him, we'll take Barabbas. But we'll let loose Barabbas and take Jesus."
E-34 All of Israel laid their hands to Jesus. He was a perfect lamb. He was tried. Was He tried? Yes, He was tried; everything tried Him. Look at His... Even His enemies had to testify to Him. Is that right?
Well, of course His--His friends would testify Mary, John, James, all of them, they'd testify to Him. But look what His enemies done, look at old Judas Iscariot, his arch-enemy. When he took that money back and throwed it down before the high priest, he said, "I've betrayed innocent Blood." Is that right?
The Roman that--that speared His side said, "Truly that's the Son of God."
The heavens said it's the Son of God. Everything witnessed to be the Son of God.
E-35 Look at old Pilate standing there, great emperor, that thing around his head, standing there he was a judge. They got him out, and he was all stewed up, in a bad humor anyhow to get up that time of morning to set on the judgment seat. Why sure, somebody said... And I hear people today trying to make Pilate innocent. He was guilty. Sure he was guilty.
Read the history of his life how he plunged hisself to death up there. And there's a--there's a superstition now that you go there. Thousands of people gather in the hole of water where he committed suicide. Said, "That blue water comes up about the same time a day, once a year where he plunged hisself to death." Yes, sir. He was guilty.
E-36 And every man, He--He was on his hands. He's on your hands this afternoon. Why, said... Pilate said, "I won't nothing to do with this just Man."
So they said, "Give me water." and he washed his hands.
Water wouldn't cleanse his hands. No, sir. And you saying, "Well, I belong to a certain church, and this is that." That don't cleanse your hands.
If you've once seen the power of God and know the power of His resurrection, you'll never cleanse your hands with any water. There's only one thing that'll clean your hands; that's accept the Blood of Jesus Christ, and It'll cleanse you. That's right.
You ever seen Him in His resurrection power, and you're hanging around with some creed, or something another like that, get out of it (That's right.), and come to Jesus Christ.
E-37 And I can see Pilate when he stood and said, "Bring me some water, I'll wash my hands."
But first he was standing there. Why, he said, "Give us a sign, let me see you do a miracle. I... you're that miracle worker, that Divine healer. Let me see You do a miracle. I've always wanted to see that." Something like that...Let's to give a little drama here for a minute.
I hear somebody running. What is it? Here comes a horse, just a hard gallop. Where's it coming, from the palace? We look, a young fellow, a palace guard, jumps off of there. He runs up. He's got a letter in his hand; he falls down before the emperor, presents the letter to him. He opens up the letter, and he begins to read it with his great angered fit, reading that letter like that. Look at him, begins to get white. His lips turns white; his knees begin to knock together. What's the matter? All of his strength's gone from him.
E-38 Let's look over his shoulder and see what it was. His pagan wife, "Have nothing to do with this just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him." Yes, sir. The heathen testifying, "Don't you have nothing to do with him."
Then he called the water, and try to wash his hands. But that lamb had to be killed, and all of Israel had to give a witness to it, as a perfect type of the... or the Antetype of the type.
When Israel went out of Egypt under the sacrifice lamb, when they killed the lamb, they was supposed to put it on the top of the door, on the post, and on the lintel. Now, not none down here, up here.
E-39 Here some time ago, standing in this, Chicago, where they shot this famous gangster... There his blood was laying on the street. You'd watch the people when they'd bled out on the street, the people walking by and walking... Be sure they didn't step in their comrade's blood. No, no, they wouldn't step in human blood. But every day they drink and carry on, and cuss, and everything else, walking over the Blood of Jesus Christ. That's right. Yes, sir.
It's a shame; it's a disgrace the way this world treats Jesus Christ. And yet not... It's a religious world that's a doing it. That's what hurts. It's the people that's supposed to be. And that's what Christ said, "The antichrist would be so close it would deceive the very elect if possible."
Notice, then when the lamb was killed, and the blood put on that... Look, a perfect sign of the cross. See? And every one that come under that blood was supposed to stay under it, until the orders were given to march on.
E-40 I'm not much for a backsliding condition, are you? No, sir. Stay under the blood. And everyone went under the blood, and they stayed there until orders to come.
I can hear some of the young girls down there, they--they say... The girls, of Israelite girls, they were getting ready. The other girls come by and say, "Say, come on out; we're going to the--the certain thing tonight."
"No, no, can't go out."
"Why?"
"We're under the blood. We can't go out. We got to stay here; this is orders."
"Oh, that old fogy religion that your mother and dad belongs to. What's blood got to do with it?" It's got a whole lot to do with it. It made the difference between life and death. That's true.
"That old religion your mother and dad's got, get away from it." You've heard that young folks.
Let me tell you if your mother and dad's got the Holy Ghost, and a good old fashion saint of God, you listen to them. That's right.
E-41 They was under the blood. And the first thing you know along about midnight, there become a very strange feeling, unrest.
Did you ever notice amongst the people today? Oh, they can't sit still a minute. No, people just can't. See? They're at too much unrest. What is it? Why, it's perfect, the coming of the Lord.
You go out here on the street and talk to any bootlegger, or whatever he might be on the streets of the city, and wherever he might be where--wherever, everybody tells you there's something wrong. If we had a... They know. And you listen to my word's, it isn't going to be long till there won't hardly be one smooth place left in a city in this nation. That's right. We're headed for it, brother.
E-42 Let me tell you. I passed right by on--on the iron curtain line here recently, till they pulled the curtains down on that little old train, there's a big old Russian guard standing there with a gun on me like that, while we passed by, and let us not look out of a hundred miles of man-made tunnel. I went up to a little Finnish officer, he--he said, "Isn't that awful?" He could speak English.
I said, "What is it?"
He said, "You Americans will learn pretty soon."
Underground jet planes, planes go out from under the ground like that. Under there was atomic bombs, everything just ready, can fly the whole world around, in just a little bit, with atomic bombs. And they can send these saucers out across the nation, drop a bomb, and twenty minute's time explode the whole earth. If they wasn't afraid of that chain of relay, could stop that hydrogen bomb, they'd be doing it right now. Brother, while it's time to repent, get right with God.
America... I talk to a fellow today; he said, "You mean to tell me that God would ever let America be overrun?"
"Yes, sir."
"Why," said, "as a respect of our forefathers."
E-43 I said, "God never did say to America what He said to the Jews down there, the Israelites. But when they got out of harmony with God, God let them go." That's right. And I tell you, brother, when you sow you reap.
And here not long ago we had prohibition, and everything, tried... And now look what we've done now. We couldn't walk the strait narrow path. As a hog goes to it's wallow, and a dog to it's vomit, so does the people return back.
And look at it today, and we're in for it, and we're going to receive it. And I warn you in the Name of Jesus Christ; get in the Kingdom of God now. That's right. Don't you fool about it. You press in, because there's coming a time when you'll scream and cry to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost; It'll be shut off from you.
E-44 For I believe the meeting is at hand right now, and that's going to bring the Gospel back to the Jews again in Palestine, and then the Gentiles is finished. When the Jews receive the Holy Ghost again in Palestine, you Gentiles are finished. You'll scream, cry, do what you want to, but mercy has returned to Israel again. That's right. And the Gentiles, they'll trod down the walls until the Gentile dispensation will be finished, and then it's over for you.
So you get right now with God. Be sure that you're right. And don't pay any attention to this little old weak dishwater stuff. You get into the strong powers of the Holy Spirit, that's changed your innermost being and made you what you wasn't yourself.
Now, how the Blood of Jesus Christ is the only thing could do that. Moses gave the command then for them to stay under there, and here come the midnight hour. I can hear the unrest, and the little boy, I can see him run up to his daddy, and say, "Daddy, daddy."
"What?"
"What is that great noise? What is that... The people all seem to be stirring."
He'd say, "Son, God is going to send judgment upon this nation."
"Oh, daddy, are we all going to be killed?"
E-45 "No, God has promised us if we were under the Blood that we would not die." That's the promise today: "When I see the Blood I will pass over you, under the Blood."
Now, I want you to notice. Then the little boy, I imagine it's getting a little later. He'd say, "Daddy, are you..." The elder son that's going to be taken you know. "Daddy, are you sure that the blood's on the post?"
You know I think it's time for us Christian homes to check upon that, don't you think so? Go out and look at the door and say, "Yes, son, yeah, it's all there."
"Well, daddy can I rest at ease?"
"Yeah, yeah. God told us, as long as we was under the blood, we was all right. So there's nothing to worry about."
Directly, I hear something starting a great roar. The little boy goes to the window and looks. He said, "Oh, daddy, look coming yonder." And coming across the nation was two big black wings a moving.
I can see it move down over a house, no blood, goes in. Directly, screaming and crying, and running into the streets, the son is dead. And out in the streets, they go to screaming and crying all of them. Directly, these big black wings comes to another house. I can see her sweep down. When it leaves the house, death's, what it was, screaming and crying in the house. All right, death in the house. But then I can see it moving towards their house, our party. And we notice he said, "Daddy, here it comes."
E-46 "Don't worry, son, don't have one worry, because the blood there is what He required." That's what God required. And God requires the Holy Ghost, and power, and blood today. You got that? Okay, that's all that's necessary.
That big black wings begin to come, I can see the little fellow say, "Daddy, here it comes, here it comes."
I can hear the aged old father say, "Just don't worry, son. (Hallelujah.) Everything's all right now. Yes, sir. It's all right."
"Daddy, are you worried?"
"Certainly not, son. I believe God. Yes, sir. I believe God."
Those big black wings sweep right down, said, "Oh, daddy look at them, they're going up."
"Sure." Amen.
E-47 Here it just sweep towards that house, and take death, there it takes death. Then the first thing you know, up over the house they go. "When I see the blood I'll pass--I will pass over you."
Yes, sir. The death angel is on today. And let me tell you something; it's sweeping the lands this day.
Listen, these churches and things that's having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, You find out they go in there; it's not a natural death; it's a spiritual death. A natural death is not very bad, but a spiritual death, being separated, cut off from God, sinned away their day of grace. Went over and looked out said, "Bunch of holy-rollers, don't pay any attention to that." Devil's in the pulpit, as sure as the world. Certainly.
E-48 Brother, a man's got to be borned of the Spirit of God, regenerated, washed in the Blood of the Lamb, with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as God's Divine witness in your soul. That's true. Yes, sir.
Said, "Don't worry, son. Everything's all right. The death angel turned away."
The droughts may come; the hard times may come. You may be persecuted, made fun of and everything, but Eternal Life stay's right there just the same. Hallelujah.
Let the neighbors say what they want to. Let the minister say what he wants to. Let the doctor say what he wants to. That don't take away Eternal Life. It's the gift of God that was given by the Holy Spirit. It can't go away. It's the Holy Spirit Itself living in the individual.
E-49 My, on their journey, I find out, just as soon as they got to the Red Sea, then God opened up the Red Sea and led them across. And when they did, you talk about an old fashion meeting, Moses turned back around and stretched his hand out like that, and the Red Sea closed in on the Egyptians, because God said He would do it. And those Egyptians that'd tormented them and beat them, and beat their back, and made it bleed, and everything, kicked them around, and bruised them around, was lying in the Dead Sea, gone forever. Hallelujah.
I think, that any man or woman that challenges the Spirit of God, that has got an old dirty habit of something another, a walking around in these old hell dives, and drinking, and smoking, and gambling around, and your name on a church book, shame on you, come up to the red Blood of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah. Pass through there, there's a type of the lamb and a life.
E-50 And I tell you; all them old taskmasters that made you do things you didn't want to do, made you lie, and take things, and cheat, and steal, and do everything you oughtn't to do, drink and carry on, and go to places you shouldn't go; you pass through the Blood of Jesus Christ and you'll see everyone of them dead, and back there floating in the Blood. Amen. It'll separate you. Yes, it will.
Notice, I can see Moses as soon as he sees that, he begin to shout, raised up his hands, and begin to sing in the Spirit. And Miriam, the prophetess, got so happy, till she grabbed a tambourine, and went on the bank beating a tambourine, and dancing. Brother, it's the same thing.
E-51 Down the bank she went beating this tambourine, a dancing, and a singing in the Spirit. Watch and all the daughters of Israel followed her dancing and shouting. If that ain't an old fashion meeting, I never told it. Yes, sir. Why? All the old--old torments and things that'd bothered them was dead in the blood, gone. Glory. Yes, sir, they had a real old time meeting.
God promised He'd supply every need they had need of. They left everything they had. Hallelujah. I like that: Sell out lock, stock, and barrel. That's right. There all go, burn the bridge behind you. Yes, sir. If it takes mama, papa, takes the wife, child, whatever it is, sell out. That's right, sell out.
E-52 Let's get going. First thing when you know when they crossed over the Red Sea and all those things gone, God said, "I'll supply your needs." They had done eat that little bunch of bread they had on top their head, now what was they going to do? Left alone, separated on the other side, that's what God wants you to do.
God, when He called Abraham would separated him from his people, and walked him in a strange country (Is that right?), where the people are speaking a strange language. Amen. It's still God's program to separate the people. That's right. Put them out to theirselves alone with Him so they can walk alone.
E-53 Yes, sir. I can hear Moses say... Now, the children run up and say, "What are we going to do for bread, now? We ain't got any bread."
"God will take care of that." As long as you come out, step out on the promise, God will take care of the rest of it.
"Well, how are we going to eat?"
"God will take care of that."
"Well, we're just a little bit hungry."
"You need a little fasting." Laid down that night and went to sleep, and when he got up the next morning there was manna all over the ground, bread laying everywhere. That's the way God does it, isn't it?
So they went out picked it up they tasted it and said, "My, you know what that--that tastes like--tastes like honey."
E-54 Oh, my. That bread never ceased to fall as long as they was in the journey. Every night there was a new supply. You could just gather enough there to last one day; the next day you had to gather new. What a type of the Holy Ghost in our journey. Them in the natural... When we come out and separate from the world, God supplies our good times. He supplies our bread. He supplies everything that we have need of. Amen.
He told them in the natural, He would do it; He will do it for us in the spiritual. And walked around that... Remember they couldn't keep the bread over now. If they kept it over it got wiggletails in it, you know, contaminated. That's what's the matter with Pentecost today. You're trying to... Got wiggletails in the experience, trying to do something they had a long time ago. What we need today is an old time Holy Ghost shaking, and a new mouthful of manna. That's right. It's got contaminated.
E-55 Your experience are getting old, something you had twenty years ago. What are you right now? What does it mean now? I'm not yelling at you, but I feel good. Look. That's right.
You've got to get a new baptism everyday, everyday, everyday, just keep going. No, any limit to it.
You try to say, "Well, now look a month ago I had a wonderful experience." That--that testimony don't work. What about it now, right now, a new one right now? God rained it every night.
And I want you to notice, there was some of it in there... Now, God told Moses to have Aaron to go out and gather up some of it. Now, he said, "This is going to last plumb through your journey, till you get into the Millennium over yonder," just exactly a type of the Holy Ghost now.
E-56 When the Holy Ghost come on the day of Pentecost, they had to wait ten days, that's right, for It to come, but never had to wait from then on. When the heart was ready, the Holy Ghost was there. That's right. And how long was it to be? All right, we'll find out.
Now, Moses said to Aaron, "You go out and get several big omer's full of this, and you bring it in and put it behind the holiest of holies. Now, it won't spoil back there."
And then all down through the generation... And every time that a man when he was--was in the priesthood, and he had a right when he come into the priesthood, to come in behind... by the holiest place and get a mouthful of that manna. He'd taste it. "Now, what is this?"
"This is just like our fathers received when they started a journey."
"Oh. Uh-huh. That's good. Taste it."
E-57 Every priest coming in, could get--go back there in these omers and get a handful of it, and get him a big mouthful. And he'd chew it. Oh, how good it was. What a privileged character he was, to eat of some the original manna.
Well, that's exactly the type of the Holy Ghost. When the Church started its journey, two thousand years ago, on our journey to the Millennium (Hallelujah.), God promised He'd supply our needs.
And the first time when they come over and received the Holy Ghost, the power of God begin to fall upon them, they lost all their bashfulness, all their shamefulness. They run out into the streets and begin to dance in the Spirit and carry on. Is that right?
E-58 Everyone of them, the women, men, and all act like a bunch of maniacs. Hallelujah. Tell me that's not the Scripture; it sure is God's Word. And they got out there and staggered like a drunk man. Did you ever see a drunk man, he'd probably say, "Hello, buddy. Well, everything's all right, yeah sure. That's all right. Sure."
Well, that's the way a man is when he's drunk on the Spirit. Hallelujah. God... What God says is truth to him. He don't care how far away it looks; it's the truth to him. Yes, sir.
Then on the day of Pentecost, when they was all staggering around, the Manna was falling down out of heaven, our Manna. All right, they said, "How long is this going to last, brother?"
Peter said, "It's for you, and for your children, and to them that's far off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call shall have...?..." Glory to God.
E-59 Brother, every man or woman that comes into this Divine Holy Ghost priesthood, has a right to get a genuine heart full of the original baptism of the Holy Ghost that fell on the day of Pentecost, the same signs, the same power, the same demonstration, same feeling, same action (Glory.), not something that looks like it, the original.
The Lord said, "I'm going to store up a whole lot of this 'cause there's going to be many generations. So every time one comes in, I'm going to give him a great big heart full of it." Amen.
I'm so glad I can say I'm one of them. Yes, sir. Look, Peter just lost all his dignity and everything, jumped upon a soapbox, and begin to preach. My, a soapbox preacher. Yes, sir. What was it? He had the Holy Ghost. He was eating of that godly manna. Is that right?
E-60 And today we have the same thing. We're in the journey, in--in the spiritual, like they was journey in the natural. And it--it fell for them. Every time they wanted it, it fell. It falls for us the same way. God's got a whole big heaven full of it. That's right. It's for you and to your children, them at Owensboro, Kentucky, and as many as the Lord the God, our God shall call. It's for every one of them. Many as wants it, God's got it for you.
Here they are on their journey... I want you to see another thing. He said, "It tastes like honey." Is that right?
Honey, the poet said it... I believe David said, "It tastes like honey in the rock." You ever him say, "Taste and see the Lord is good. It tastes like honey in the rock." Did you ever taste it?
Oh, I seen old baptized Holy Ghost things, just setting so paralyzed by the power of God, they couldn't move, they go, "Mmmm, mmmm," just God blessing their souls, that they couldn't do nothing else, licking their lips, say, "Amen."
E-61 Taste like honey in the rock. You think that's silly, but that's the God's truth out of His Bible. That's right. Tastes like honey in the rock.
David being a shepherd, he had a experience. You know, the old shepherd's they used to carry a scrip bag on their side. And every time they'd carry it in there, they was herding their sheep, and one of their sheep would get sick, they had some honey in that scrip bag. So they take this honey, and they'd go out to a great big limestone rock, and they'd take this honey and they'd smear it all over the limestone rock, and then call the sick sheep up. And that sick sheep would smell that honey, he'd go licking the honey. And what he done it wasn't the honey that was helping him so much; he liked the honey. But while licking the honey, he was licking the lime off of this rock and it healed the sick sheep.
E-62 Now, look I got a whole scrip bag full of it, and I'm going to put it on Christ Jesus, and you sick sheep start licking right now. And you'll find out that you'll get well, as sure as the world. That's right. Hallelujah. That's right, you'll get... Yes, sir. I ain't going to put it on the Methodist church; I ain't going to put it on the Baptist church; I ain't going to put it on the Pentecostal church; I'm putting it on where it belongs, Jesus Christ. Don't say, "I'm a Baptist." you're licking on the Baptist church. Don't say, "I'm Pentecost." You're licking on that church. But lick on Christ. He is the Rock of Ages. There's where the honey belongs, on Christ. Amen.
E-63 Nothing against Pentecost, Baptist, Methodist, not a thing, but I'm talking about Christ. That's what I'm talking... There's where the honey belongs. And a real preacher will lay it right on Christ, and let the sick sheep go to licking. "Don't you see I've got a gift of healing, glory to God, I put hocus-pocus on you?" That's nonsense.
But when you go to telling them that Christ died for you, Christ healed you back yonder, you're laying the honey where it belongs. And I'll guarantee the sheep will get well, that'll lick too. Amen.
You go to rejoicing and being happy in the blessing, you're just licking honey then. But while you're doing that you're going to get some of the limestone too, just as sure as the world. Yes, sir. And it'll heal you. Yes, indeed. Oh, they say "They're excited." They're getting well anyhow. Amen.
Say, I feel good, fifty miles of elbow room right now.
E-64 Notice. Yes, sir. There's another thing about, you know, that licking the honey in the rock. A rock's got something to do with it; a rock has healing power somehow. They even make medicine out of it. Yes, sir.
Long time ago when a man used to get mad dog bit, back when we were boys, you know what they'd do, they'd send them away. They had a--a stone, a mad stone. And they'd take the person and stick them to this stone, and if they stuck to the stone they got well, and if they didn't stick, they died.
Well, brother I'm telling you the worst mad dog I know of is the Devil. He has bit everybody he can bite. But I know where there's a stone. Hallelujah. That stone is Christ Jesus; hold on to Him, grab Him with both arms, the Rock of Ages, and say, "Cleft for me. Let me hide myself in Thee."
Hold to God's unchanging hand, when everything else is failing. it'll stand there and hold. If you'll stick to it, it'll bring you out. Just hold on to it.
E-65 Here not long ago I was up in the mountains. I just love hunting. You know that. That's my second nature, I'm a real Kentuckian; I got a squirrel rifle. See? And I just like to go hunting. I was way up in the mountains and I was watching up there, looking through the binoculars. Right at the time, I wasn't hunting at the time, I was herding cattle. And I've worked cattle since I was a boy, so I go up there in the roundups and things, and I was watching down through a--a sight.
I seen an old mother eagle. And she had a big nest up in the rock. It was along in the months, you know, after the little fellows had hatched out. And they were all walking around on this nest, and I spied that nest. The old mother was go take them out of the nest, and they were walking around there, you know, poor little old fellows. And she throwed her wings down like that and she [Brother Branham makes a squawk noise--Ed.] made a squawk, and all them little eagles reached over, and took their little mouth, and set hold of them wings, got their little feet and held onto her wings.
E-66 She lifted them up, up out of the nest, down through the crevice she went, down into the valley. And they'd never been out of that old pukey nest before (excuse the expression), and got down there. The nest is the stinkiest place you ever seen around an eagle's nest. And then she let them down. And them poor little fellows got out, and they got on this green grass; how good that felt to them little feet. They were just a prancing around, and getting a mouthful of grass, and chirping.
And the old mother flew back up, way back up to the top of the highest peak she could, she ruffled her big feathers, and me setting up there, my horse hitched, watching this take place. I seen this old mother up there watching them little eagles.
I stood there; I started crying; I said, "Glory to God." I thought. "What's the matter with me?"
I looked down, and I thought, "Yes, one time the little church was in an old pukey nest, and she had to do this, that, and the other: join the church and do this and the other thing. But one day the great Master of Life, Who with His lifting power of the Holy Ghost had lifted Her up, brought her out of that thing, set her down, like an old..."
E-67 If them little eagles wasn't having an old holy-roller meeting, I don't know what. They were just as chirping as they could be, just a jumping around, just like an old fashion Holy Ghost meeting. They were grabbing on a bunch here, run one over to one another, "Chirp, chirp, chirp," and run around like that, just like a Holy Ghost meeting, just as carefree as you can be. Amen. Yes, sir.
I like to watch God like that. And why was they so carefree? I wond... Watch them little fellows, that's the first time they was ever in this place. What makes them so carefree? But you once watch one, he'd cock his little head up, look setting up yonder there set mammy. Yes, sir.
E-68 Brother, she was watching over them. And I thought, "Yes, our great Master, after bring us out of the pukey nest of the world, has climbed the ramparts of glory, sitting at the right-hand of the Majesty, watching down on us." Hallelujah.
You let a coyote start towards one of them little eagles, and watch what a flogging he will ever get. Yes, sir.
I thought, "Let the Devil come, if he wants to get a flogging. Let's be free." Amen. Just have a glorious time. All right.
She watched there for a little while. After while, there came a storm, started back in there, I heard of roar of a thunder. That old mother, I was watching her through my glasses, she turned her head and kept looking. And she smelled that storm coming. And the little fellows heard that storm, they never heard anything like that. Just like the church today, we wonder what all this racket's about. But the first thing they done, they huddled together. Amen.
E-69 That's what we need today: huddle together. I don't care if you're this, that, or the other, let's get together as Christian believers. Don't separate yourselves; let's get together.
And the first thing you know, that old mother looked, when she knowed she's about timed right, she let out a scream. And when she did those little eagles turned towards her. She flew down into that valley like that, throwed out her great big wings. Those little fellows jumped upon that same wing. (Hallelujah. I thought, "Yes, sir. That's right."), jumped upon the same wing, took their bill, and caught hold of a feather, tucked their little paws, and hooked into the other feather. Up she lifted them, up, up, up, up a piercing that storm, run right into the cleft of the rock down yonder, and hid those little fellows.
E-70 I thought, "Glory to God, the same Holy Ghost that lifted me out of the world and the things of the world, someday I'll catch a hold of that yonder. And the hour of my death in Christ will lift me up, up, up, up, up high above this mortal life into them realms yonder in safety. Let the storms rage, what do I care as long as He's watching over me." Just be as carefree as I can be, no condemnation.
One time I was fishing up in Connecticut, or New Hampshire, had a little old tent build out there, Burt Caul and I. He'd gone back to town; I was in this little old tent. We was fishing. And I... You know I'm... I--I like pancakes and molasses. You like that? I just love it for breakfast, and I take some with me. I can't make them very good, not like my wife and them, but I do the best I can. Some of the stuff already mixed up, so I just love to get it. So I took me a great big bucket of molasses, and I'm truly a Baptist; I don't sprinkle them, I baptize them. I really put them under. So I like to pour it all over them.
E-71 One morning when I was gone, out down along the creek, I come back, and a lot of black bear in that country, and one of those little old bears had got into my tent, an old mother and two cubs it was, and she'd tore that tent all to pieces. It's not what they eat, it's just what they destroy. And all, everything was gone just mashed up and laying around. I thought, "Well, what do you know."
And an old mother saw me coming up, and she'll scratch, you know. So I--I looked at her, and I had an axe in my hand. Rifle was laying in the tent, or a little old gun was laying in the tent they'd tore to pieces. So the old mother she cooed to her cubs, and she run off. One of them followed her, and the other wouldn't follow her; he just sat there. He had his little back...?... like that. And I thought, "Well, what's he so game about, none of the rest of them would follow him." So she cooed again, he didn't come.
So I started walking up a little closer, and I wondered what made the little fellow so brave. He was doing something. He was setting there, you know. I thought, "Well, what's the matter with him?"
E-72 You know, I was afraid to get too close, afraid that old mother would come after me. So I didn't want to have to kill her, 'cause it'd leave them orphans in the woods. So I slipped around like this to look at that little fellow. And I said, "Get out of there."
And he looked around at me, and when he did, he'd got my bucket of molasses, and had the lid off of it. He had that bucket setting in his arms like this, his little old paw in there, and he'd just get a paw full of it, he just lick... He was molasses from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Boy, his little old eyes was all stuck up full molasses, he couldn't even open them look like that. He just looked around at me like that, reached down and started stock it again like that. And I looked at him, and I laughed till my sides hurt. And after while when he got enough of it, he set it down and went walking off.
E-73 I thought, "If that ain't an old fashion Holy Ghost meeting, when we get the bucket open, our hands in, plumb to our elbows, just lick molasses, till who wouldn't have it, let it go. Don't make any difference what the world says. It's what we're tasting. Amen. 'Taste and see the Lord is good.'" That's right.
And you know, the funny thing about it, after he got through with all these molasses and that... The other one was scared to come to him. Then when he got over there the whole bunch... The other two went to licking him. Amen. That's the way it goes, isn't it? They went to licking the other fellow, the one who got the molasses; they went to licking him. "Just taste and see the Lord is good," said David.
Oh, my. I think on their journey there as they went through the wilderness, how God said He'd supply every need.
Here I am done over passed due. Look just a minute, and we'll close.
E-74 But watch, on their journey they was going down through there. Why, God said, "I'll supply your needs."
Isn't it strange though, I want you to notice this: That the first place they went was right to the wilderness of sin. Isn't it strange that God's path leads that way? Right down to the Red Sea where they was cut off, right out through the wilderness of sin, right down into temptation, just right around everywhere, is that right?
But you know that's the way God leads us, isn't it? Some through the water, some through the floods, some through deep trials, but all through the Blood. Is that right? Through every briar patch, and temptation His grace has brought me safe thus far; grace shall take me on. That's right.
Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come. His grace has brought me safe this far, it's grace that'll take me on. I just believe Him; I don't know why. What tomorrow holds, I don't know. But I know Who holds tomorrow. That's the main thing.
E-75 So on the road we were--they were going and the first thing you know they got down there. Now, after they had seen all the miracles of God, then they begin to murmur.
Isn't that just like the church today? After they done seen the Red Sea open, done had a great big Holy Ghost meeting and everything, then the people begin to complain saying, "Well, where we going to get some water to drink? Our souls are thirsty for water," not knowing that the very God that brought them through the Red Sea could supply them water. But they murmured. That's just the way the church is today. Isn't that right, brother?
They murmur about this, and murmur about that. "Well, Miss Jones said if I kept going to that old holy-roller church that I was going to..." Oh, my. "Well, the--the Doctor Jones was over to see me too. And he told me it was just mental telepathy and them people was only excited."
There you go, and seeing the miracles of God, then do like that, you deserve to journey around in the wilderness awhile.
E-76 First thing you know, look, they'd left the great boasting physicians of Egypt, to be with the Great Physician (Is that right?) and were still complaining. They left people that said, "The signs of miracles is past years ago. There was no such a thing as miracles," to be with people who believed all things, and believed signs... They had a Pillar of Fire above them. Is that right?
They left the Egyptians. They didn't have nothing like that. They didn't have any miracles and signs among them, though they were a great aristocratic nation. But they'd left then the journey here, and had seen these signs and taken the place with the people, and yet complaining. If that isn't Christianity today, I don't know what, always complaining, "Well, if I could do this." There you are. [Blank.spot.on.tape--Ed.]
E-77 And the next thing you know, look at all these things that they had done. They left their muddy waters of Egypt to drink water here from the rock, that was so pure and clean. They had left the garlic pots down there of Egypt to eat Angel's food, and was still complaining. Ain't that just like the church today? So their carnal condition drove them out into the desert.
And I'm just afraid that's where our Pentecostal church has gone, out into the desert, because murmuring and complaining, and won't accept the real true living God, and go on. I mean the church in whole; I'm not talking about you people. If you're here, why, this is good for you. This is better vitamins than you get at the drugstore. All right. Look. Yes, sir. Straighten up, come on, let's go; the Church is moving on.
E-78 Then the first thing you know, they got down into the desert. And what taken place then. There they was out there murmuring around, and God cut off the water supply. That's the reason today the church is getting so dry and everything: murmuring, complaining, and fussing, and stewing, and one saying, "Oh, bless God, I belong to the Assemblies; that's the biggest."
And the other one say, "Well, I'm I oneness, and I'll tell you; I've got it." And that's just the reason your supply is cut off. That's it exactly. Sure it is.
If you get together, and I don't care whether he belongs here, or where he belongs to that; if he's a Christian he's my brother. Hallelujah. That's all there is to it. And I'll just shout, and shake his hands, and move on. What do I care? What... If he says he's a Christian, and he's acting like a Christian, and he--his fruits proves he's a Christian, I'm associating with him and going on. If this fellow isn't, I'll take him by the arm and say, "Come on, brother, straighten up your life and let's go anyhow."
Say, "Well, I'm a Baptist." I don't care what you are; let's go anyhow. Let's keep on moving. We're on the road. Hallelujah. Yes, sir.
E-79 Now, I want you to watch again just a minute. Then when the water supply got cut off, God told Moses to go out and smite the rock, and he smote the rock. Now, I want you to notice, that that cane that he had in his hand, that stick, that wasn't Moses' stick, that was God's judgment rod.
Look, when he took that rod, he pushed that rod over Egypt and flies come up. He pushed it over the water; it turned into blood. He hung it over the water; frogs come up; over the land lice come. It was God's judgment rod. It was in Moses' hand, it was... The stick was in his hand, but it was God's judgment. See what I mean? It was just given to Moses. Gifts and things are given to man for God's glory.
E-80 And now, watch just a minute. And now watch this, here's a beautiful story just comes in my mind. When Moses took that rock, or that rod and smote the rock... And that Rock was Christ Jesus. Is that right? The Rock was Christ. And he put a cleft in the side of the rock. When Israel got hungry, they went there one day, and a bees had build a hive in there; they had a whole big bunch of honey hanging in the rock. Is that right?
That's where we go today; when we want something to eat, we go to the Rock. Is that right? And want something to drink, when they wanted water, they went to the rock. God told Moses then, when the water supply... Said, "Go out and speak to the rock, and the rock shall bring forth His water. The rock shall bring forth His water, and thou shall water the congregation." A perfect type, a dying people perishing out in the desert, no hope at all, and the smitten rock was God's judgments upon the rock, smote the rock and brought forth water...
E-81 John 3:16 is a perfect type of this Church today, for us. That's the smitten Rock, Christ, God's judgments. We being worthy of death, worthy of all this condemnation, and the judgments of God smote the Rock, Christ; and out of Him poured out everlasting water, that a perishing people might not perish, but would have Everlasting Life, coming from the inexhaustible Fountain of Life, which is Jesus Christ, Who's God's judgment, smote the innocent one, that we guilty people might drink, and be living. Hallelujah. Oh, how beautiful.
"Speak to the rock," He said, "it'll bring forth its water." And they--they went everywhere; they couldn't find water nowhere. And God told them, "Go, speak to the rock."
Ridiculous, the carnal mind would've said, "Why, that's the driest place in the desert."
E-82 The rock was the old driest looking place. And yet, where they seined through every old, little old place, where there ought to be water, no water. Went to this oasis, no water. Went down here where the spring was, no water. And then God tells them to do the ridiculous, "Go, speak to the driest thing there is, an old rock setting up there on the hill. Go speak to that, it'll bring forth water."
"Well, where's the water at? Well, if any water, it'd be down here in the valley, not up there on the hill, not in that dry rock."
But that's where it is today. When the doctor has done everything he can do for you, you seine through every doctor's office, every hospital. Yet, God said, "Speak to the rock."
E-83 They say, "What am I to do, go out where a bunch of holy- rollers is? Well, that's the worst church in the world." But that's where God said. Amen. Isn't it strange how God takes the ridiculous things and makes them real? Hallelujah.
Why, he said, "If God would've give a gift, it would come through some great dignified church."
That's what they thought in the beginning. But look where He brought it, through a manger. Is that right? He always brings it down to the humble and lowly people. God's a God of mercy. Yes, sir. The driest place in the desert, that's where they had to go get a drink.
You say, "If the doctor can't do nothing for me, how in the world is anything else going to do?" Well, just speak to the Rock and find out.
E-84 Moses went out there and spoke to the Rock. And when he spoke to the Rock, the waters begin to flow and the people begin to drink. Now, are you on speaking terms of the Rock today? Listen, brother, I believe it's time that we spoke to the Rock. Don't you believe so?
I seen a woman, one time in the Bible had a blood issue. The doctors had done everything. She'd mortgaged her home, sold everything she had. And none of the doctors could do her any good. And she spoke to the Rock. And the Rock brought forth water (Is that right?), healing waters.
E-85 There was an old man down there in the Bible, by the name of blind Bartimaeus. He had been blind for years, I can see him stand at the gate. Oh, my, the time is here now to speak. I believe the time is here for us to speak too. Don't you think so? I believe the time that the church should move up or is going back. I believe the time, that the signs of Mark 16, ought to be following the believer. Don't you believe so?
The Bible said in the last days, that the times would come when man would be high-minded, lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God. We got it. The football stadiums are packed this afternoon, and church of God sets empty; fulfill Scriptures, exactly. Yes, sir. We're in the wilderness.
E-86 Now notice. I want you to notice Moses told them to go out there and speak and they would have water. I noticed the man by the name of blind Bartimaeus, I was speaking of a moment ago, I see him come to the Rock. The people said, "Now, looky here, what's all this trouble here? What's this noise?"
You know usually where Jesus is there's a lot of noise. Isn't that strange? They come into the city one day, and they was all making much noise, and them great big old mournful looking priest said, "Why, they give me chills and fevers." Said, "Make them hold their peace."
He said, "If they hold their peace, the rocks will immediately cry out."
E-87 Life was coming in. Yes, and there they was standing out there in all this great mournful condition. And little old Bartimaeus, he was standing out there, he was--he was blind and he didn't know what to do. And directly, he heard said, "Who is that?"
Some of them said, "Jesus of Nazareth passes by."
Oh, some of them said... He said, "Oh, Jesus, thou Son of David have mercy on me, have mercy on me." He was speaking at the Rock.
The Rock rolling right on down the street, and people screaming and hollering, and everything. They said, "Now, don't trouble the Master, I guess He has enough to do. So there's no need of you trying to trouble Him, just keep your peace."
E-88 But that didn't stop him. He wanted to speak with the Rock. And he screamed that much louder, "Oh, Jesus, thou Son of David have mercy on me, have mercy on me." And he's blind. "Have mercy on me."
The first thing you know, His little ears caught the sound. He turned around; the Rock had heard. Said, "Bring him here."
Watch. He had his garments on now; it was cold sitting there, shivering in the cold. He didn't watch where he laid his garments down; he just throwed it to one side. What? He has got contact with the Rock. That was it. He got contact with the Rock. Oh, my. He knowed that was the Rock that was in the wilderness. Do you believe it?
I believe He's here today, don't you? The Holy Spirit promised to come back, the same Rock that was in the wilderness. It wasn't that stone; it was the Spirit in that stone. That's the same thing that's here with us today. And he spoke to the Rock, and Jesus come over and healed him.
E-89 I know a little story on Bartimaeus. He'd been blind for years, and he'd had a little girl, they said about ten, twelve years old; and she'd--she'd never see... He'd never seen her. And one night, she took sick. So Bartimaeus... In them days instead of a dog leading them, like the blind man have today, they had a lamb to lead them.
Now, listen closely. And the lamb would lead him up to the gate. He's sitting there with a little cup. And he had two little turtledoves, and those little turtledoves would turn over and do enchantments, like that, and it would interest the tourists. They'd stop and watch these little doves, while they'd be tumbling. He had a stick he would make them tumble with. And then when he did it, why, they'd throw him nickels and things in his cup, or little pieces of money. And he would... That's how he made his living for his wife and little girl.
One night his little girl took sick, and so he went out and he prayed. The doctor had said he could do nothing for her. And so he went out and he prayed. He said, "God, I don't want to lose her. I've never seen her in my life. I don't want to lose her, and I ain't got nothing to give you. I'm a poor blind--blind beggar. But if You'll just--if You'll--if You'll heal my baby, I'll promise You tomorrow I'll take my two little turtledoves up and--and I'll offer them up for a sacrifice to You. That's all I got."
E-90 Next morning the little girl was well. He took the turtledoves up and offered them up. A week later his wife took sick. There was nothing could be done for her. Isn't it strange how tragedies hits families of believers? And so it's all for good. So they--they went up, and he went out to pray that night.
He said, "Lord, I haven't even got my doves now. My begging is getting poorly, because there's nothing to attract attention. I haven't got nothing in the world to offer You but my lamb. But if You'll just let my poor dear wife get well, I'll give You my lamb."
And he went back in the house, feeling his way around. The next morning his wife was well. So it was a beautiful morning; he started up the street, the lamb leading him. And the high priest stood up on the top--on the banister of the balcony of the temple.
He said, "Where goest thou, blind Bartimaeus?"
He said, "Oh, high priest, I am going into the sacrifice room. I promised God if He would heal my--my wife last night, I'd give Him my lamb."
E-91 "Oh," he said, "blind Bartimaeus, you can't give that lamb." Said, "I'll give you a sacrifice, or money to buy you a lamb up at the stalls," where Jesus beat them out later. He said, "I'll give you money to buy a lamb."
He said, "Oh, high priest," he said, "God's blessings be upon you." But he said, "I never promised God a lamb, I promised Him this lamb." That's right. That's where it is.
What about you? You want the world to be Christianized, but you're afraid of the Holy Spirit. See? What about you? All right.
He said, "Blind Bartimaeus, you cannot give that lamb. That lamb is your eyes. You ain't got no eyes, but that lamb, blind Bartimaeus. And you've trained that lamb to lead you." Said, "That lion... That lamb is your eyes, it pulls you around. You ain't got no eyes but that."
E-92 He raised his old feeble hands and said, "Oh, high priest, God will provide a lamb for blind Bartimaeus' eyes." He offered the sacrifice.
One cold November day, he's sitting there and chilling in the wind. He heard a noise. What was it? God had provided a Lamb for blind Bartimaeus' eyes. That's right. God's got that same Lamb provided this afternoon for every person setting here. Do you believe that?
He's got a Lamb provided for every one of you. And He's here to give it to you; He will give you the power of His blessing. I know He's here. I know His Spirit is here. And He will do--He will do just exactly what we've ask Him to do. Do you believe it?
When in our journey, God has His lamb provided... The rock's already smitten; the waters are flowing freely. Let's drink from it now, will you? all that has a need of Christ Jesus. Let's bow our heads just a minute.
E-93 Strange as it seems, with your head bowed, the Angel of the Lord is here at the platform. I know that He's wanting to bless you. Strange how He jerked me out of that, wasn't it? I never had anything like this to happen. Right here is that Light, standing right in the room, right now. God of heaven, be merciful.
See It hanging over a little girl just now back here, over on my left-hand side, she's got--she's got a kidney trouble. Mother's sitting next to her with a liver trouble. The little boy sitting there, he's got low blood pressure.
Here He comes up here to this row right here in front of me, hanging right over here, it's got... There's something wrong with that lady setting there, has got something wrong with her head, she's having head trouble.
The one sitting next to you has the same thing, and the lady right next to you here. And the man setting there also has the same thing, three of you. And that's the truth, isn't it? There you are, all three of you with your hands up, you can go home and get well now. It leaves you, and I see it light all around you.
E-94 Oh, how glorious and marvelous the Holy Spirit... Lay your hand on that little girl back there, mother, with that kidney trouble. And the little lad there with that low blood pressure, lay your hand on him, pop. Mother, you're going to get well too.
I want to see what takes place. Be reverent if you will just a minute. Yes, sir. It's turning light around... Oh, isn't it wonderful.
The Angel of God that led the children of Israel, that same Pillar of Fire, is moving right around over this bunch of people. How... Oh, friends, what a wonderful time. The lamb that led blind Bartimaeus, and here we are setting here, not even in a healing meeting. And here He is, dropped right down on me. How He loved you, He wants you to know that He's here. He loves you every one. Won't you receive Him?
E-95 Our heavenly Father, we thank You for Your mercy. O God, may the people just realize they're in the... The same Angel that lead them in the natural is leading us today in the spiritual. Here's the Pillar of Fire, we... Even the scientific world has took His picture. It's with us. We love Him, and we know He's here. We see Him with infallible moves go out over the audience and perform miracles and signs, while the people setting right here in the audience, and being healed right now.
O Master of Life, touch everyone. Give them of Thy blessings. Grant it, Lord. May every one be healed and blessed. May the sinners be saved, the backsliders come back, quit journeying out there in a path to theirself, may they come on over here and get out of Egypt, cross through the Red Sea today, and burn every path behind them. Grant it, Lord. Have mercy now, and heal these people that's setting here, in the Name of Thy Son, Jesus, we ask it.
And while you have your heads bowed, I want each one of you just to stay shut in with God just a little bit. And just believe now that God is here to make you well.
There it looks like again. Here He stands over here to my right up towards the side of the balcony, standing over a little mother with back trouble. God bless you, mother.
E-96 It comes and stands over a little lady, that's kind of heavy set. She's got something in her side. I see her always holding her side. She's got trouble in her side. God bless you, lady. Just believe, you'll be made well.
Oh, I tell you, friends, it looks like that you could just believe anything right now, this holy hush and quietness. May the Lord bless you.
Brother Bosworth, you come and lead us in a word of prayer too, if you will. I want to stand here with you, while you're praying. Lead the audience here in prayer again.
Here's a good godly man, I want you to stand here near, Brother Bosworth. I can see something again.
Brother Bosworth, the very God that's led us and been with us, and blessed us, here He is moving around over this little handful of people.
E-97 When thousands of people out in the world, and here He is this great Being, moving right here in this audience right now, healing the people, making them well. Now, His blessings is here. His Spirit is on us. We know that He's here.
And I know you, Brother Bosworth, being a good godly man. You're God's servant. You were preaching this message before I was born, brother. I want you, if you'll lead the congregation in prayer to while I dismiss myself, if you will. And you--you pray if you will for the congregation.