Central to the beliefs of The Message is that William Branham was a prophet who restored true revelation and understanding of the bible to the church. However, upon close examination, it becomes apparent that William Branham did not actually preach anything that had not already been preached before. All of his teachings, all of his doctrines, all of his sermons, are repeating concepts and ideas formulated by men who came before him.
This is problematic because William Branham claimed, and we have believed and been taught, that many of these revelations came to William Branham supernaturally. It undermines his credibility and authority to the utmost when we discover that we have been misled about the origin of our beliefs.
The seals, the church ages, his other interpretations of the book of Revelation, the serpent seed, his interpretations of Matthew 24, his latter rain teachings – all of it was copied from other people. Many of his sermons which we thought were divine revelation, which he even said were told to him by angels or the Holy Spirit, were in fact him reading verbatim from the books of other men.
In this article I will demonstrate some examples of this the reader to they can begin to grasp the depth and extent to which William Branham did this.
We know exactly what books William Branham had in his library and read, because we have pictures of his library. William Branham also shared copies of these books with Raymond Jackson personally to show him where some of his ideas came from. The editor of this article has seen and held these books and obtained copies of the same editions of most of them.
Future Home of the Heavenly Bridegroom and the Earthly Bride
One well-know sermon that William Branham preached was on the heavenly home of the bride. In the sermon he said repeatedly he had been given this revelation by supernatural means.
But in truth, William Branham was reading most of this sermon out of the Book of Revelation, by Clarence Larkin. You can compare the entire sermon for yourself to see. Here we will give you a snippet to compare.
Now, the divine architect has designed a new city where He will live with his bride, just to her touch. No wonder the apostle said, “Eye has not seen; ear has not heard or neither has it ever entered the heart of man…” Let’s see if we can probe into it just for a moment; see what it’s going to look like. The divine architect has designed this for his beloved. See? Oh, what a place it must be when divine nature, a divine architect has designed it for a divine attribute that’s been divinely predestinated by a divine God, who is the author of divine life.
What will that city look like? Think of it.
…
Notice, now the earth is … wait turn over into the book of Revelations, you can see how he measured it by the cubits and by the furlongs—2,300. So now, we find out that the city is measured, fifteen hundred miles square. You know how far that would reach? (I measured it off this week.) It would reach from Maine to Florida, and from the Eastern Seaboard to six hundred miles past—west of the Mississippi. In other words, half of the United States, just for the city.
William Branham, Future Home, August 2, 1964
Compare this to what Clareance Larkin wrote.
Why was William Branham pretending to preach some newly revealed revelation, when he was clearly reading from this book?
Now, this morning, I have a very important subject. To me it’s a very blessful one, I hope it strikes you the same way. If I could only give it in the inspiration I received it in—be wonderful, but that’ll be up to God to do that.
William Branham, Future Home, August 2, 1964
Why did he say that? He read this sermon, beginning to end out of a book. Why did he pretend to get it by special inspiration?
The Church Ages
The church ages is another sermon he copied from Clarence Larkin. We will just compare some of the opening explanation to give you a glimpse. Read first what William Branham said.
The Smyrna Age come in at 170 and goes to 312. This church is a persecuted church; the one that wears the martyr’s crown, is a church of tribulation. And God’s promise to it, to the Elected Church in it, was to give it a crown of Life.
60-1206 – The Smyrnaean Church Age
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Now compare this to what Clarence Larkin wrote, and you can see he is directly reading these things from his book.
This pattern continues through William Branham’s sermons on the church ages. William Branham copied his descriptions of the ages, the starting and ending dates, the interpretation of symbolism, and more! And if we included the church history book by R. Hazeltine, which was also in William Branham’s library, you could also see that William Branham copied his church age messengers from that book. For the sake of brevity, we are just sharing this small sample. But let me assure you, William Branham fully copied the church ages from other people. He just changed the last messenger to himself.
The issue here is William Branham’s credibility. He told us he got these things supernaturally from God. He misled us about where these things came from. And worse, he misled people to think he had a special direct channel of communication with God. If he was dishonest about getting these things from God directly – how can you trust that he was not also being dishonest other times he said he received supernatural revelations.
And no, the light never appeared at the back of the Tabernacle and drew the picture of the church ages chart on the wall. I have known multiple people who were there when it happened. The light was caused by a car that turned the corner, on Eighth and Penn street. Its headlights came through the church window and went across the back wall. A woman screamed when it happened. Several months later, William Branham made up the rest of the story.
The Lamb Beast
William Branham copied everything from other people. Compare some excerpts here from his sermon the Restoration of the Bride Tree.
And don’t the Bible say, in Revelation 13? This nation is number thirteen. It’s got thirteen stripes and thirteen stars in the flag. Thirteen stripes in the flag. Thirteen, everything in it is thirteen; thirteen colonies, thirteen everything. And it’s found in the 13th chapter of Revelation. And the Bible said, that, “She come up like a little lamb,” freedom of religion; “two little horns,” civil and ecclesiastical. And after while, they united…
62-0422 – The Restoration Of The Bride Tree
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Compare this to Uriah Smith’s book, Daniel and Revelation from 1897.
Why did William Branham pretend he received this revelation supernaturally?
The Mysteries to Be Revealed
In the later years of his ministry, William Branham began to claim his ministry was to finish up and reveal the mysteries of God. Here is an example.
The mysteries, here is “the mystery.” A mystery is Scripture, is a previously hidden Truth now Divinely revealed, but (which is) a supernatural element still remains despite the revelation. The greater mysteries and the great mysteries are: Number one, the mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven. That’s the one we’re talking on now. 13, Matthew 13:3 to 50. Now, second mystery is the mystery of Israel’s blindness during this age. Romans 11:25, with the context. Third, third mystery is the mystery of the translation of the living saints at the end time of this age. First Corinthians 15, and also Thessalonians 4:14 to 17. The fourth, mystery of the New Testament Church as one Body composed of both, Jews and Gentiles. Ephesians 3:1 to 11, Romans 16:25, and also Ephesians 6:19, Colossians 4:3. The fifth mystery is of the Church as the Bride of Christ. Ephesians 5:28 to 32. Sixth mystery is of the living Christ, same yesterday, today, and forever. Galatians 2:20, and Hebrews 13:8, and many places like that. The seventh mystery is of God, even Christ as the incarnate fulness of the Godhead embodied, in Whom all Divine wisdom… and godliness is restored to man. Ninth mystery is the mystery of iniquity, found in Second Thessalonians, and so forth. The tenth mystery is of the seven stars of Revelation 1:20. We just been through that, “The seven stars of the seven churches, the seven messengers,” and so forth. And the eleventh mystery is mystery Babylon, the prostitute. Revelation 17:5 to 7.
62-1230E – Is This The Sign Of The End, Sir?
How did William Branham know these were the myteries to be revealed?
Obviously, William Branham was reading that out of his Scofield study bible. And, obviously, the explanation of the mystery of all those subjects was recorded in the bible. and Scofield and other men from the days of the early church already knew answer to those mysteries before William Branham was born. So what does that even have to do with William Branham? Nothing.
Did William Branham preach anything that was original? The answer: Not really. I am able to provide you with countless of these examples. But I hope you are getting a picture. His “revelations” came from his library books, not visions and experiences. He was misleading us when he told us otherwise.
How can you trust a man to teach you about God, when he is making up things that God supposedly did, but didn’t actually do? God did not tell him these things. He read them out of books.
It is not my intention to say any specific teachings of William Branham is wrong with these statements. (Although most assuredly some of them are.) I am simply pointing out to you that William Branham did not get these revelations supernaturally like he told us that he did. He was blatantly dishonest with us about how he learned these things.
Satan’s Trinity
There are even some really obscure things William Branham talked quite a bit about, like Satan’s trinity. I wonder where that came from?
Now, as Satan’s trinity lays like that; Satan, all the time. Satan, “antichrist spirit.” Antichrist spirit, incarnate, “false prophet.” Then, becomes “the beast.” See? When…Not a demon, that was in that antichrist; but when Satan himself is kicked out, he comes down and takes over the place where the demon was. The devil, then, then the devil is incarnate in a man. It’s just repeating itself.
63-0319 – The Second Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
I wonder where William Branham learned that?
You see, everything, even the obscure things like “Satan’s Trinity” are things he copied from other people.
Satan’s Superman
Or what about Satan’s Superman? That is a really specific phrase.
When, here is the Bible, says who the antichrist is. It’s not a…It’s a man. Notice, this rider is nothing but Satan’s superman, the incarnate devil.
63-0318 – The First Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
I wonder where that came from?
Woman of Revelation 12
Even his dual statements are not original. The Woman of Revelation 12 is one of many dual statements made by William Branham. In one sermon the Woman was the bride church. In another sermon the Woman was Israel. That might be enough to make us think he stumbled onto something original. But that would be mistaken. Compare for yourself.
What does a woman represent? The “church.” This is the—this is the bride here. This is the church, the real church. …a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet,… Look, the moon under her…“The sun at her head, the moon under her feet.” The sun was the “dispensation of grace.” And the moon was the “dispensation of law.” The woman was the “Orthodox church,” and she was standing over the law. The law was passing away, ’cause the law was a shadow of the good things to come. Is that right? The moon is only a shadow, of the sun reflecting on the moon (is that right?), making the moon. And the law was under her feet; she had done lived through that day. And notice how she was dressed here now.
54-0513 – The Mark Of The Beast
Rev. William Marrion Branham
I wonder where William Branham learned that? Did the Holy Ghost tell it to him supernaturally like he claimed?
But in later years William Branham changed his mind. He began saying the Woman of Revelation 12 was not the church, but Israel.
Revelation chapter 12 does not pertain to the Bride. Revelation chapter 12 (I haven’t looked it up but I know it), it’s the woman standing in the sun with the moon under her feet. The moon represented the law; the woman represented Israel, the church; and the twelve stars in her forehead was those twelve apostles, twelve church ages, and so forth, which just passed. See? And the sun was at her head. Which you see, the moon is a shadow of the sun, which the law was a shadow of good things to come. And that woman is Israel, not the Bride.
64-0830E – Questions And Answers #4
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Maybe this new version was divine supernatural revelation? Or did he get that out of a book too? Lets read and see.
This is just one example of both of William Branham’s dual statements coming from his books. I assure you – all of his dual statements can be found in the books too.
Uriah Smith said the week of Daniel had 3 and half years left. Larkin said 7 years were left. When he preached the 70 Weeks of Daniel, William Branham used Larkin’s math and dates. In later year she switched to using Smith’s math and dates. Whatever dual statement you can name, they are both from the books in William Branham’s library.
William Branham’s dual statements are not progressive revelation. They are the result of a mixup he made from the books he studied before he preached. His dual statements were not the will of God to separate wheat and chaff. His dual statements were the sloppiness of a preacher who was relying on his library books for a message, rather than the Holy Spirit, and who had no personal understanding of the subjects he spoke on.
Serpent Seed
Serpent Seed is one of William Branham’s most iconic sermons and revelations. He claimed over and over that it was a unique revelation revealed to him, and made known only to the church in the last days. Here is an example of his claim.
The seven mysteries, sevenfold mystery of the Bible, that’s been closed up since the foundation of the world, will be revealed. And we, yet a humble little group, compared with all the world, we’ve enjoyed these blessings, a hearing those mysteries. Serpent’s seed, all these different questions, has been completely revealed to us, not by man, but by God, Himself, that’s opened those seven mysteries.
65-0418M – It Is The Rising Of The Sun
Rev. William Marrion Branham
But is that true? Was William Branham the first person to teach serpent seed? William Branham had connections to other people who were preaching serpent seed before he was even born. Here is an excerpt from the writings of one such man.
The temptation was gradual, and disguised under the promise of benefit of “deep knowledge of mysteries.” How much like his mode of approach today! Very likely unnatural excitation was use to urge the organism unaccustomed to the spirit of unbalanced conditions, to the desirable state. In this, the will of the tempted woman took part, and thus the surrender was complete. The serpent cohabitated with Eve, teaching her to to secured pleasure when the natural time had not fully come. And this knowledge, and this practice, she communicated to her husband…
Through the tremendous pull of the sexual appetite, aroused by the excited state of the woman, he felt the power of a solicitation addressed to a strong natural desire, and yielded, just as she had done.
Russell Kelso Carter, The Tree of Knowledge, page 303-304, 1898
Why did William Branham mislead his audiences into thinking serpent seed was a new revelation, kept hidden, and only revealed through his ministry in the last days? Why did William Branham mislead us?
Of course, some Message preachers will say “William Branham never said Eve had relations with Satan.” But of course he did. They are lying to you.
What did he do? He begin making love to Eve, and he lived with her, as a husband. And she saw it was pleasant, so she went and told her husband, but she was already pregnant, by Satan. And she brought forth her first son, whose name was Cain, the son of Satan. “Now,” you say, “that’s wrong.” All right, we’ll just find out whether it’s wrong or not.
58-0928E – The Serpent’s Seed
Rev. William Marrion Branham
They were smart, educated, intelligent people. Is that right? They were builders, inventors, scientists; not through the seed of the righteous, but through the seed of Satan, the serpent.
58-0928E – The Serpent’s Seed
Rev. William Marrion Branham
They carried the seed of Satan, through the ark, just as Eve packed the seed of Satan, to give birth to Cain, through the woman.
58-0928E – The Serpent’s Seed
Rev. William Marrion Branham
How can you trust people who lie to you? If they will lie about what William Branham said, what else are they lying to you about him?
One Last Comparison
When you start to discover all these things, it is very difficult to know what to do with them. Does it mean William Branham was teaching something wrong? Not necessarily. But it does prove, beyond a doubt, that he misled us about getting these revelations supernaturally. It destroys his credibility.
And it destroys the credibility of people who still insist he had a special calling with authority to interpret scripture or open mysteries. They are themselves the victims of a deception, the truth of which is too painful for them to admit. God did not use William Branham to bring the revelation of the serpent seed. God did not use him to bring the revelation of the church ages. God did not use him to bring the revelation of the seals. All those things were already preached by other men in a manner that was essentially the same, before William Branham was ever born.
We might be justified in saying that William Branham did make some minor alterations to their teachings. And that is exactly what some people are saying today to explain away the existence of these books. But people who make that argument have already conceded that they do not believe William Branham’s claims. Because William Branham didn’t claim that he made minor alterations to the teachings of other men, he claimed to be have received these revelations directly from God.
If you admit he was just adapting these other men’s teachings you are not refuting me, you are admitting I am correct. You just need to take that admission to its logical ultimate conclusion. William Branham was deceiving us. You also need to admit that all those years you told us he got these things from God… that you were also a deceiving people.
William Branham did not reveal new revelations. He never did that. He just tricked some people into thinking that is what he was doing. They did not realize he was just copying other people.
Here is one last parting example.
Now, many of you that want to put down this word, the Greek word, “pass away.” It comes from the word…I had to find it. I thought, “How is this world going to pass away, and yet we’re going to live on it?” But if you’ll notice, some of you people that wants to put it down, I’ll spell it for you. I couldn’t pronounce it, p-a-r-e-r-e-c-h-o-m-i-a. I don’t know how to pronounce it. Now, that way, as I said, when I get…The inspiration strikes me for something, then I go back to find out the word. Now, here, I can’t spell the word, or I can’t—I can’t pronounce it. But, in that, the Lord has still give it. I go and find out what that word means, then I got it. See? Then I got it. See?
William Branham, 64-0802
The Holy Spirit inspired William Branham and gave him the word, but it didn’t tell him how to pronounce it. That is interesting! Is it possible he read that word out his book too?
Did William Branham believe the books in his library were the Holy Spirit?
The level of deception William Branham employs is quite chilling. Especially because, after quoting and reading from these mens books, he goes on to make statements like the following, misleading us to think that what he had read from their books was given to him supernaturally.
Conclusion
Everything that I ever believed on [the topic of the seals], and has read of other people, has been contrary to what come to me in the room.
63-0324E – The Seventh Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
William Branham is not here to explain why he did these things and made these false statement, pretending that the Holy Spirit gave him these revelations supernaturally. But there are plenty of brainwashed people who will try to tell you this is not a big deal. But it is a big deal.
It is hard to guess his motives. But we are left to decide what to do with these facts. The preceding quote is a totally untrue. He misled us. And he misled us on purpose. There is, in fact, nothing William Branham preached concerning biblical prophecy that cannot be found in the writings of other men. The people who tell you otherwise are either lying to you or have not bothered to study these things out for themselves.
And the way William Branham went about mixing and matching the teachings of other men is nothing special. What he really did was introduce confusion by bringing in dozens of dual statements and inconsistencies which men after him have spent two generations trying to clean up.
William Branham’s method of copying his sermons from other men goes beyond his teachings on bible prophecy. Even his famous evangelical sermons like “The Eagle Stirreth Her Nest” was copied from Reverend C.L. Franklin. Or his sermon “A Thinking Man’s Filter” was copied from Billy Graham. Go look for yourself, I am telling you the truth. And he misleads people in those sermons too, saying God gave him those thoughts by supernatural experiences.
I am not suggesting it is wrong to learn from other men and share useful things you have learned, but it is wrong to pretend you got those things in a supernatural vision or from angels. When you pretend something like that, you make yourself a liar and a deceiver.
This tract is the product of a broken heart. It is not with joy I share these things. I spent years in deep grief over the truth. It is heartbreaking to be the victim of deception of this sort.