This tract is the product of a broken heart. A lifetime spent in the Message of William Branham, deeply loving its teachings, and trusting deeply the leaders who preached it. The writer of this article has been a message minister living his life in the Jeffersonville Indiana area. The sorrow with which these things are wrote cannot be overstated.
Why Are William Branham’s messages on the seven seals so important to message believers?
Messages believers are nearly unified in their belief that William Branham’s sermons on the seven seals are the most important messages of his entire ministry. He and his followers believe the revelation of the seals were hidden from the church prior to his ministry, and that the true understanding of the seals could only have been revealed through his ministry as God’s special endtime prophet.
William Branham and his followers say that he brought a brand new, unique, and never before revealed understanding of the seals. William Branham explained this in his introductory sermon on the seven seals.
And now we’re going to see what the Book says about how It become open. And is not made known until the Lamb takes the Book, and breaks the Seals, and opens the Book. See? The Lamb has got to take the Book. It’s hid. Now remember, “No man in Heaven, no man in earth,” pope, bishop, cardinal, state presbyter, or whoever he is, “can break them Seals, or reveal the Book, but the Lamb.” And we have probed, and presumed, and stumbled, and wondered, and—and that’s the reason we’re all in such a confusion. But with the Divine promise that this Book of Redemption will be perfectly opened by the Lamb, and the Seals thereof will be loosed by the Lamb, in the last days in which we’re living now. And is not made known until the Lamb takes the Book and breaks the Seals. Because, remember, the Book was being holded in the hands of Him that sat upon the Throne. “And the Lamb comes to Him that sits upon the Throne, and takes the Book out of His right hand.” Takes the Book! Oh, that’s deep. We’ll try to solve it out if we can, by the help of the Holy Spirit. Now we’re depending on Him. And we will see, later, it is at the end time, “When time has run out.” No denominations has a right for interpretation of the Book. No man has a right to interpret It. It is the Lamb Who interprets It. And the Lamb is the One Who speaks It, and the Lamb makes the Word to be known, by vindicating and bringing the Word to Life. See? Exactly! Notice. And is not revealed until… This Book is not revealed until the church ages and denominational ages has run out, “and there is time no more.” See it? It’s only revealed after church ages and denominational ages has run out.
63-0317E – The Breach Between The Seven Church Ages And The Seven Seals
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Many other times William Branham stated that the revelation and understanding of the seals on the book of redemption could only be opened and understood at the end of time, and not within any denominational system. Here is another example.
He spoke to me, and said, “The Seven Seals will be opened. 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.
65-0418M – It Is The Rising Of The Sun
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Followers of William Branham believe the revelation of the seals was never made known in any other age, and that William Branham’s ability to convey the true understanding of the seals formed the key part of his role as an end time prophet and Laodicean Church Age messenger.
How Did William Branham Say He Learned The Revelation of the Seals?
As William Branham preached his sermons on the seals he repeatedly explained that he received the revelation of the seals through visions or angelic visitations that occurred each day before he preached the seals while he studied and prayed in his room. Here are his statement about how he received the revelation of each of the seals.
If I could just stand here at the platform and reveal It to you, the way It’s revealed to me in the room, my, it would be marvelous.
63-0318 – The First Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
And now, tonight, we are studying this Second Seal. And for the first four Seals there is four horse riders. And I tell you, today something happened again. And, I—I, something that I…I go and get the old script that I had, that I talked on, long ago, and just set down there. And I thought, “Well, I—I did the very best I could.” And many writers and things, and I thought, “Well, I’ll read a little while, and look over and see this and that.” And the first thing you know, something just happens, and it’s altogether different. It just comes in different. Then I grab me a pencil right quick, and start writing down just as fast as I can, while He’s there.
63-0319 – The Second Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
And I want to say this. That, each time, even till this morning, about…Oh, I get up real, real early and go to prayer before things stir, and just keep on praying through the day. But this morning, early, the Holy Spirit came to where I was. And just as plain as anything, I—I seen this other Seal open up now, just exactly. Now—now—now, He hears me, I know. And I’m very grateful.
63-0320 – The Third Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Ever since last Sunday, I just sit right in a room, just praying, that’s all, and under the anointing. And I know This is right. If you believe God, I know you do, you just watch at the end of the week. Uh-huh. See? See? All right. See?
63-0321 – The Fourth Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
We have…I have always thought that these souls under the altar were the—the—the martyrs of the early Church. And I’m sure that, well, Dr. Uriah Smith, and every one of them, says it is. See? But, I thought so, myself. But when the Holy Spirit showed the vision to it, it wasn’t;
63-0322 – The Fifth Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Something happened today, and I seen something come up. I—I just…I couldn’t get my breath anymore, see. There He was, standing there, that little Light standing right there. And here It was. I know it’s the Truth. I thought, “O God, I couldn’t say that. I—I can’t say that. I can’t.” I just walked out of the room, went out, walked up-and-down. Brother, I thought, “My! What can I do? Oh!”
63-0323 – The Sixth Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
That much, we have an understanding of It, today, because the rest of It is all unfolded; but this is not unfolded. But sitting in my room, and I heard this…or, not heard it, rather, but seen It unfold to this Seven Thunders.
63-0324E – The Seventh Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
We can clearly understand that William Branham said that the seals were revealed to him through supernatural experiences.
The Problem
William Branham claimed the revelation of the seals had never been known by anyone before he preached them and that he received the revelation supernaturally during March 1963.
Now I want to make this real clear. Every time, every time that these Seals has come to the place; everything that I ever believed on Them, 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 set the bar for his sermons on the seven seals. Repeatedly and explicitly, William Branham claimed every aspect of the seals was given to him supernaturally and was contrary to everything that he had ever heard or read before. He said his 1963 revelation of the seals was “altogether different” from what had been preached before. It logically follows that, if that is true, we should not be able to find anyone who had a the same essential interpretation of the seals as William Branham before 1963. Nothing similar to what William Branham preached on this subject should exist. If someone else had a correct understanding of even one of the seals before 1963, then William Branham’s claim is false and he misled us.
Here lays the problem. William Branham borrowed most of the interpretation of the seals from the teachings of other ministers, and not a single key element of his teachings on the seals was new or unique. In truth, there is very little that is new or unique about William Branham’s revelation of the seven seals.
William Branham owned copies of the books and teachings which he based his seven seal sermons on. His sermons on the seals are a remix of the teachings found in those books. During his sermons on the seals he even explained that he had been studying their books.
Brian Smalls authored a book entitled Investigating William Branham in which he made a detailed comparison of Branham’s sermons on the seals and the writing of ministers who came before him. If you would like to get that detailed comparison, we encourage you to purchase that book or access some of the other resource you can find online.
For the sake of brevity, in this tract, we will show you how the essentials elements of William Branham’s sermons on the seals have been copied from The Book of Revelation by Clarence Larkin and The Finished Mystery by Charles Taze Russel.
However, if you take the time to look into this matter in detail, I can assure you with total confidence and with direct access to all the evidence: you will find William Branham’s interpretation of the seals was not new or unique. His “Revelation of the Seven Seals” was entirely an adaptation and a remix of the teachings of earlier preachers, and he purposefully misled his audiences to think he was preaching something new.
An Examination of the Fifth Seal
William Branham’s essential interpretation of the fifth seal is that the souls under the altar represented past Jewish martyrs. He explained that their fellow servants and brethren were future Jewish martyrs who would die during the tribulation. His reasoning for how he knew they were Jewish martyrs was the fact that the fifth seal was in the sixth chapter of revelation, but he believed the rapture of the church had happened in the fourth chapter.
William Branham explained as follows:
Now, for they, at this time, if you notice, this Fifth Seal being opened, see, the Church is gone. It just can’t be, the souls under the—the early Church. Now, now, please, if you ever did give this attention now, ’cause this is a great controver-…controversy, so I want you to listen real close now. And you got your papers, and things to write with. Now, I want you to notice. Now, these cannot be them souls. Because, the—the souls of the—of the righteous, martyred, and the righteous people, the Church, the Bride, has done been took up, so they wouldn’t be under the altar. They would be in Glory, with the Bride. Now watch. For, they are gone in the Rapture, in the 4th chapter of Revelation. They was taken up. Now, who are these souls, then? That’s the next thing. Who are they, then, if they’re not the early Church? This is Israel that’s to be saved as a nation, all them that are predestinated. That’s Israel. That’s Israel, itself
63-0322 – The Fifth Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Compare William Branham’s revelation of the fifth seal to the writing of Clarence Larkin in the The Book of Revelation, published in 1919. You will find both William Branham and Clarence Larkin give the exact same essential interpretation of the seal.
Larkin taught the rapture occurred in the fourth chapter of Revelation as you will see on the next page.
Larkin also taught the souls under the altar where Jewish martyers.
William Branham and Clarence Larkin have the same essential interpretation of who the souls under the altar are and who their fellow servants and brethren are. William Branham and Larkin both use the exact same reasoning to explain how they know they are Jewish martyrs and not Christian martyrs. They both explain the rapture has already happened before the fifth seal, in the fourth chapter, so these souls could not be Christians who were part of the rapture. It is identical.
How did Clarence Larkin get the same essential revelation of the fifth seal in 1919 when it was hidden until 1963?
William Branham stated repeatedly that he spent significant time studying Larkin’s books. Here is an example of William Branham explaining the amount of time he spent studying these books when he preached the 70 Weeks of Daniel.
This has been a week of tremendous study. Yesterday, all day, I hardly moved from the room, trying to study. And it’s something in the last time, a many of the old-timers here, that I taught, I just said, “In here belongs the seventy weeks of Daniel,” but I did not try to attack it, to explain it. But this time, by the grace of God, I have taken upon myself to try to ask grace before God, that I might bring it to the people. And in here I’m finding things that I do not know one thing about. And, then, I—I’ve been reading Dr. Larkin’s book, Dr. Smith’s book, Dr. Scofield’s notes, different commentaries from men everywhere…
Next you will see a picture of William Branham’s personal library which includes a clear picture of Larkin’s books: The Book of Revelation and Dispensational Truth. This photo is from Only Believe magazine published by Rebecca Branham Smith when the library was being turned into a memorial after William Branham’s death.
We have overwhelming evidence that William Branham read and studied the books of Larkin and other men from whom he copied his sermons on the seals. Yet, William Branham goes on to make statements like the following when he preached the seals:
Now notice, now, in the 9th verse, “Souls under the altar.” Now, here is where I’m going to get some real disagreeings. But you just watch just a minute. And just…See? I thought that, too, but it didn’t come that way. We have…I have always thought that these souls under the altar were the—the—the martyrs of the early Church. And I’m sure that, well, Dr. Uriah Smith, and every one of them, says it is. See? But, I thought so, myself. But when the Holy Spirit showed the vision to it, it wasn’t.
63-0322 – The Fifth Seal, Rev. William Marrion Branham
Conclusion on the Fifth Seal
William Branham misled his audience. Did “every one of them” say the souls under the altar were martyrs of the Christian church? No, and he knew they did not all say that. Why did he mislead people? William Branham was dishonest during the sermon on the fifth seal. He knew that other men were teaching the souls under the altar were Jewish martyrs before he preached on the topic. Why was he pretending he was teaching the people something never known before? Why was he pretending that he received this knowledge from Holy Spirit when he was clearly repeating what he read in one of his library books?
Are these unreasonable questions to ask of man who claims to be speaking for God?
Examination of the Four Horse Riders
William Branham’s essential explanation of the first four seals are that the four horse riders represented four different stages of the spirit of Antichrist throughout church history and continuing until the tribulation.
It is true that most teachers of bible prophecy believe the four horse riders represent events that will occur in the future. However, the early Jehovah’s Witnesses who followed the teachings of Charles Taze Russel taught essentially the same thing as William Branham.
William Branham’s next-door neighbor, Banks Woods and his wife, were former Jehovah’s Witnesses. They shared many Jehovah’s Witness ideas and material with William Branham. (The author of this article is a former message minister from the Jeffersonville, Indiana area, and spent a lifetime in the message. The author knows of what he speaks.) William Branham is recorded on tape explaining that he had read the books of Charles Taze Russell. He even compared his sermons on the seals to Russel’s teachings on the same subject. here is an example.
Now, I have many fine Jehovah Witness friends sitting here, that’s all…or have been. Maybe some of them is still Jehovah Witness. But they’ve always applied, Mr. Russell did, this hundred and forty-four thousand, to being the supernatural Bride of Christ. See?
63-0324E – The Seventh Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
William Branham used Clarence Larkin’s interpretation of the fifth and sixth seals. But he primarily used the essential elements of Charles Taze Russell’s interpretation for the other five seals. Why did William Branham fail to explain to his listeners that he was heavily relying on Russell’s teachings for the seals? Why did he omit that fact? When you compare Branham’s sermons to Russel’s teachings you discover William Branham is using the same essential interpretation of the horse riders as Russel.
“A white-horse rider went out.” See? Who is he? He is mighty in his conquering power. He is a great fellow in his conquering power. You want me to tell you who he is? He is the antichrist. Exactly what he is. Now, because, you see, if an antichrist; Jesus said, that, “The two would be so close together until it would deceive the very Elected (the Bride) if it was possible.” Antichrist, it’s the antichrist spirit. Remember, in the church ages, when we opened the first church age back there, we found out that the Holy Spirit was against a certain thing they got started in that church age, and that was called “the deeds of the Nicolaitanes.” You remember it? Nikao means “to conquer.” Laity means “the church,” the laity. Nico-laitane, “to conquer the laity.” “Take the Holy Spirit out of the church and give It all to one holy man. Let him be the boss of all of it.” You’ve went through it, see, Nicolaitane. Notice, Nicolaitane was “a—a saying,” in one church. It become “a doctrine,” in the next church age. And in the third church age, it was “a forcement,” and they had the Nicaea Council. And it was then made a—a doctrine in a church. And what was the first thing happened? An organization from it! Now, is that right?
63-0318 – The First Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Compare this to what Charles Taze Russel said in the 1918 book The Finished Mystery.
William Branham followed Russell’s pattern with the other horse riders. He described each horse rider as spirit of antichrist, personified in the papacy, changing its characteristics over time. For the second horse rider, the red horse, William Branham said the following.
The council was held, and they elected a head bishop. And then, by doing this, they united church and state together. Then, he dropped his bow. He got off his white horse. He got on his red horse, for he can kill anybody that don’t agree with him. There is your Seal. Same fellow! Watch him ride on into Eternity yonder, with it, see, unites both his powers together.
63-0319 – The Second Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Compare this again to what Charles Taze Russel taught concerning the second horse rider.
William Branham continued his pattern with the third horse rider, explaining that it was the evolving characteristics of the antichrist during the dark ages.
Same rider, now. This first stage, he was innocent. And second, now, if you went a little bit higher, a little more than that; the second stage, the Bible said he’d be “given a crown.” And they crowned a man, a superman. See, crowned him! And, then, the Bible didn’t call him a pope. The Bible called him a “false prophet.” Why? Yeah. Of course, he must be a false prophet, by his antichrist spirit, that taught antichrist against the original Word.
63-0320 – The Third Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Compare again to Charles Taze
Look at Russel’s explanation of the third horse rider, and we see William Branham is again copying Russel.
William Branham continued his explanation with the fourth horse rider, again explaining it is the spirit of Antichrist working through the Roman Catholic Church and personified by the pope.
Now, this fellow, we find out that he is riding on a pale horse. Pale! Oh, my! After, notice after… “Sixty-eight million Protestants,” as we took from—from Schmucker’s Glorious Reform, of the—of the martyrology of Rome, last night. We find that, up to the 1500 mark, I believe it was, or eighteen-…I don’t remember exactly now. But it was sixty-eight million put to death, to protest the first Roman church, Rome. No wonder, he could impersonate himself in the personified name of…and called Death. He sure was. Now, God only knows how many he caused to spiritually die, by his anti-Bible, -Word teaching! This is the one he put sixty-eight million to the sword, and killed them. And probably, literally, billions died spiritually, on his false teaching. No wonder he could take the name of Death!
63-0321 – The Fourth Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Compare again this final horse rider to the writing of Charles Taze Russel.
Conclusion on the Horse Riders
We can clearly see Russel’s essential interpretation for explaining the four horse riders: it is the spirit of antichrist, personified in the papacy, slowly changing through the ages. William Branham used the same concept as Russell, but change a few details. It is not “altogether different” and nor is it “contrary” to “everything” he “read of other people”. It is actually quite similar. Why did William Branham mislead us to think he was the first person to ever preach anything like this?
William Branham liked to mix and match his ideas from multiple sources. He incorporated significant parts of Clarence Larkin’s and Uriah Smith’s writings when he explained the symbolism and the attributes of the horse riders, and he repeated a longstanding and often used explanation of the four beasts that was first recorded by Irenaeus. The difference between what William Branham said, and what Russel said, can be found in Larkin and Smith’s books. None of it new or unique.
In this brief tract we are limiting ourselves to just looking at the horse riders themselves as an example of William Branham’s method of copying from other ministers. But we can assure you that every essential aspect of William’s Branham’s sermons on the first four seals can be found within the books in his library. For a detailed line by line analyses of his sermons on the seals you can access the book Investigating William Branham by Bryan Smalls.
Examination of the Sixth Seal
During his sermon on the sixth seal he made a detailed comparison of Revelation 6 to Matthew 24 to explain the meaning of the sixth seal. Here are the highlights of his comparisons. As you read his statements, compare what he is saying to excepts from The Book of Revelation by Clarence Larkin.
Now, now let’s look at the 24th chapter of Saint Matthew, and Revelation 6, and compare the 24th chapter of Matthew. We all know that that was the chapter that every scholar, every person goes to, to—to talk about the Tribulation period. It comes out of the 24th chapter of Matthew. And now let’s…If that is so, now we…For, we know that this Sixth Seal is the judgment Seal. It’s the judgment Seal, exactly what It is.
63-0323 – The Sixth Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Now watch. The First Seal is Revelation 6:1 and 2. Now we read 6:1 and 2. And—and I saw…the Lamb when he had opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it was the noise of a thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. Who did we find this fellow was? [Congregation says, “Antichrist.”—Ed.] Antichrist. Matthew 24, now, 4 and 5. And Jesus answered and said unto them—unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. See it? Antichrist. There is your Seal. See? See? He spoke it here; and here they open a Seal, and here he was, just perfect. Now the Second Seal, Matthew 24:6, Revelation 6:3 and 4.
63-0323 – The Sixth Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Now watch, Matthew 24:6. Now let me see what it says. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that you be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. All right, let’s take the Second Seal, Revelation 6:3 and… Two. Watch what He says now. And when he had opened the second seal, and I heard the second beast say, Come…see. And there went forth another horse that was red: and power was given unto him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given to him a great sword. Perfectly, just exactly! Oh, I like to make the Scripture answer Itself. Don’t you? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] The Holy Spirit wrote It all, but He is able to reveal It.
Now let’s notice the Third Seal. Now, this is famine. Now, Matthew 24:7 and 8. Let’s get 7 and 8, in Matthew. And nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines,… pestilences, … earthquakes, in divers places. All these things are the beginning of sorrow. See, you’re coming right on up now. Now, Revelation, in the 6th, now we’re going to open the Third Seal. It’s found in Revelation 6:5 and 6. And when he had opened the third seal, I—I beheld the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts saying, A measure…a penny…A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and…wine. Famine! See, exactly the same Seal, same thing Jesus said. All right. Fourth Seal, “pestilences” and “death.” Notice, Matthew 24. We’ll read the—the 8th verse, 7th and 8th, I believe it is, on this Fourth Seal, I got here. All right.
Matthew 24:7 and 8. I’m sorry. Now, that opens up the rain, or, the famine, opens up the famine. All right. Now, the “pestilences” and “death.” Yes, sir. Now we’re going to it, 7 and 8. Now, that would be the Fourth Seal. Let’s see where we get the Fourth Seal. “And when he had opened the Fourth—Fourth Seal…” Yeah, it’s the pale-horse rider, “Death,” see. And—and I looked, and behold a pale horse: and he… pale horse: and his name that sat on him was called Death, and Hell followed…him. And power was given unto him over the four-…parts of the earth, to kill with the sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Now, see, that was “Death.”
Now, the Fifth Seal, Matthew 24:9-13. Let’s see if I got this right, now, again. See? And then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you (there you are): and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And when… And then many shall betray…many shall be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and…deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that…endure to the end, the same shall be saved. Now, we’re on the Fifth Seal now. And that was last night, see. “They will deliver you up, betray one another,” and so forth. Now watch here on the 6th, Seal, 6:9 to 11. Now let’s get that one, Revelation 6:9 to 11. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long,… Lord, holy…true, dost thou…judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? Now, and white robes were given to every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren,…should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. Now, you see, under the Fifth Seal, we find—we find here martyrdom. And under the 24:9 over here, we…to 13, we find also that it was martyr. “They shall deliver you up, and kill you,” and so forth. See, the same Seal being opened.
Now, in the Sixth Seal, is the one we’re coming to now, Matthew 24:29 and 30. 24, and let’s get 29 and—and 30. Here we are. Now, now we’re going to get, also, Revelation 6:12 to 17. That’s exactly what we just read. Now listen at this, now, what Jesus said in Matthew…:29, 24:29 and 30. Immediately after the tribulation of those days… What? When the…this tribulation, this amateur tribulation they’ve went through here, see. …the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of…heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall be all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Now, read over here in Revelation now, the—the Sixth Seal, the one we’re on right now. And…behold when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth (see?) of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casts her untimely figs, when she…shaken of a mighty wind. And the heavens departed as a scroll as it is rolled together; and every mountain and every island…moved out of their place. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondsman,…every free man, hid themselves in the dens…in the rocks of the mountain; And said unto the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sits upon the throne, and from the wrath—wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come;…who shall be able to stand?
Just perfectly, turn right back over, see what Jesus said here now in Matthew 24:29. Listen. “After,” this Eichmann case, and so forth. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened,…the moon shall not—shall not give her light,…stars shall fall from heaven,…the powers of…heaven shall be shaken: Now watch. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and they shall see, and they…and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power and glory. And…send forth his angels, and so forth, and with a…sound of a trumpet, and…shall gather them together…the four winds,…strove together.
See, just exactly, comparing what Jesus said in Matthew 24, and what the revelator here opened up in the Sixth Seal, is just exactly.
63-0323 – The Sixth Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Conclusion on the Sixth Seal
William Branham gave the same essential interpretation of the sixth seal as Clarence Larkin. He was literally reading the sixth seal out of Larkin’s book. There is no difference whatsoever. They both explained it to be the judgement of God carried out at the end of the world immediately preceding the return of Christ. They both used a comparison of Revelation 6 to Matthew 24 to arrive at their conclusion.
Why did William Branham claim that this revelation was given to him through a supernatural experience? Is it just a coincidence that what God supernaturally revealed to him identically matches a book in his library that he made regular references to in other sermons?
Why did William Branham say that “every” revelation that came to him about the seals was “contrary” to “everything” he “read of other people”. Why did William Branham mislead us?
Examination of the Seventh Seal
There is debate by followers of William Branham on whether he actually received the revelation of the seventh seal. He did preach a sermon on the subject, but at the time he claimed the interpretation of the seal was not divinely revealed to him. For the sake of this tract, we will assume he did not actually have the revelation of the seventh seal at the time he preached on the topic.
Interestingly, what he did say on his sermon on the seventh seal was also copied from the writing of Charles Taze Russel.
Branham’s essential explanation of the seventh seal was that it was a mystery, and that the revelation of the mystery was contained in the seven thunders. He said the mystery of the seven thunders would be revealed through the angel is Revelation 10:7.
I’m only telling you what I seen and what has been told to me. And now you—you do whatever you want to. I don’t know who is going to…what’s going to take place. I do not know. I just know that those Seven Thunders holds that mystery. The Heavens was quiet. Everybody understand?
63-0324E – The Seventh Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
But we are promised, in the last day, that to return to the Church again, for the benefit of straightening up all that has been misled, missed, undone, left undone. For, it’s predicted here that the seventh angel’s Message would finish the mysteries of God.
63-0324E – The Seventh Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
It appears that William Branham was setting up the future revelation of the seven thunders following the exact same pattern used by Charles Taze Russel.
Compare William Branham’s statements to Charles Taze Russel to see for yourself.
Charles Russel claimed to be the angel of Revelation 10:7 and the Laodicean Church age messenger. He died in 1916.
Charles Taze Russel went on to explain that a series of seven subjects he published between 1880 and 1910 were the seven thunders that fully revealed the mystery of God, which completed the unrolling of the seventh seal.
William Branham also integrated material from Larkin’s book into his explanation of the seventh seal as well. Here is another small excerpt for you to compare for yourself to see.
Everything runs out, in this time, the end of the—of the…at the end of this Seventh Seal. Notice. It’s the end of the church age. It’s the—the end of the Seventh Seal. It’s the end of the Trumpets. It’s the end of the Vials, and even end the ushering in of the Millennium. That’s on the Seventh Seal. It’s just like firing a rocket into the air. And that rocket explodes here, and it goes up and then explodes again. It puts out five stars. One of those stars explode and blows out five stars from it; and then one of them stars explodes and blows out five stars from it. See, it fades on out.
63-0324E – The Seventh Seal
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Now compare what William Branham said to what Clarence Larkin wrote before Branhan was born.
How can you read these things and deny that William Branham was not reading his sermons on the seals out of these books?
After reviewing the evidence, only a deceived and delusional person could continue to claim William Branham did not read the revelation of the seven seals out of the books of other men.
Conclusion of the Seventh Seal
It seems that William Branham was following Russell’s pattern with some of the messages he was preaching in the last two years of his life, pointing to them as fulfillment of the mystery of the seven thunders.
I believe, that the full revelation through the age of Luther, Wesley, and John Smith, Alexander Campbell, and different ones that’s preached on the Bible, and then we got over in the Bible and showed that there would be a—a seventh angel’s Message. And at the sounding of the seventh angel’s Message, all the mysteries of God would be made known. Then come seven mysterious thunders.
63-0623M – Standing In The Gap
Rev. William Marrion Branham
Question: Have the Seven Thunders which equals seven mysteries already been revealed? Were they revealed in the Seven Seals, but are yet not known to us as the Thunders yet?
Answer: They were revealed in the Seven Seals; that’s what the Thunders was about. They was to reveal…The Seven Thunders that had uttered their voices and no one could make out what it was…John knew what it was, but he was forbidden to write it. He said, “But the seventh angel, in the days of his sounding, the seven mysteries of the Seven Thunders would be revealed.” And the seventh angel is a messenger of the Seventh Church Age. See?
64-0830E – Questions And Answers #4
Rev. William Marrion Branham
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. Marriage, divorce, 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
Final Conclusion
Now I want to make this real clear. Every time, every time that these Seals has come to the place; everything that I ever believed on Them, 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
The preceding statement has deceived millions. It is demonstrably false. We can verbatim read the very things he preached in those sermons on the seals out of books wrote before he was born.
William Branham preached the same essential revelation of the seals as men who preceded him. He read it out of their writings. And he knew it. Did the Holy Spirit cause William Branham to mislead his audience? Why did he pretend he received these things through supernatural experiences? If he would mislead his audience concerning the most important sermons of his ministry, how can we trust he was not misleading his audiences in other sermons?
If other ministers had an essentially correct interpretation of the seals before William Branham was even born, how can we say the revelation of the seals were opened through his ministry?
If William Branham was only making minor corrections to what earlier preachers had taught, why did he tell us he was preaching something brand new?
Very sadly, for the writer of this article who loved the message, although these issues concerning the seals are the most serious issues, I must admit they are only the tip of the iceberg. These tracts are the product of a broken heart. We were deceived and betrayed by the men we trusted most.