William Branham – False Prophet

William Branham  Fire Halo

William Branham

William Branham – False Prophet

I have decided to write this article on William Branham for 2 reasons and that is this: William Branham’s influence on the church today is nothing but a vile attack on the True Body of Christ. This article will also serve as a reference to some articles that I will be writing soon on some supposed ‘men of God’ aka ‘Prophets’ in South Africa – who claim that they have William Branham’s Mantle. Any ‘pastor’ who says that William Branham was truly a man of God or says they have anything from William Branham (mantle, angel, follows his teachings, etc) should be avoided like the plague.

Who was William Branham:

William Branham was born in 6th April 1909 in Kentucky and died on 24 December 1965. His ministry was founded in May 1946. But this legacy lives on in his followers and the hundreds of sermons that were recorded or transcribed. Most people read his sermons more than they do they bible. Most people believe William Branham’s words more than the bible. This is obviously concerning, but what is more concerning is what William Branham preached and the strange signs and wonders that accompanied him.

The young William Branham:

William Branham’s mother was 15 years of age, and his father was 18 years of age. When William Branham was born something rather unusual happened on that day – a few rays of light shone into the room and a huge halo, one foot in diameter appeared above William’s mother and baby. Because of this his mother took him to a Baptist church in the local community. That was the first and the last time he went to church in years. –Carl Dyck, William Branham: The Man and His Message (Saskatoon: Western Tract Mission, 1984), page 3.

It should be noted (and keep this in your mind at all times) that Branham’s parents both believed in fortunetelling (so they were not Christian) and this of course means that William Branham was raised in an occult environment. –Kurt Koch, Between Christ and Satan (Grand Rapids: Kregal Publications, 1962), page 150

Branham’s life was influenced by numerous visions and angelic visitations. He recalled that he heard a voice at the age of seven, “Well, I started up the lane again. And I turned to look at this again. And when it did, a human Voice just as audible as mine is, said, `Don’t you never drink, smoke, or defile your body in any way. There’llbeaworkfor you to do when you get older.’ Why, it liked to scared me to death!” –Brother Branham, taped sermon transcript, p. 24

This would not be the last time Branham heard this voice, later this voice would identify itself as an angel and later he ends up receiving extra-biblical revelation concerning future events.

William’s family and Ministry:

William Branham was influenced by a few obscure people/religions before he fully established his ministry in 1948, one of these was the ‘Jesus Only’ Pentecostals. –Brother Branham, p.39

At this time William Branham was married and had a baby daughter. Many family members and other ministers warned him not to associate with the ‘Jesus Only’ cult for this group did not believe in the Trinity amongst other thing. Branham must have broken away from then for later when his Wife and baby daughter died in 1937 from Tubercular Meningitis he attributed their deaths to the fact that it was because he had not continued in fellowship with the Pentecostals and had missed God’s will. –Brother Branham, p.47

Never the less, the ‘Jesus Only’ cult was a great influence on Branham as he adopted many of their heretical doctrines into his own.

Another influential person in Branham’s ‘doctrine to be’ was Franklin Hall who wrote on the ‘Atomic Power with God through Fasting and Prayer’. Hall had a great influence on almost all the healing revival preachers of that time, of which Branham was his best disciple, in so much that Branham’s followers believed him to be the apostle of the final Church age.

In 1946 while Branham was baptising followers in the Ohio river he heard a small voice say ‘Look up!” Looking up he saw it descending toward him – it looked like a blazing Star, a Pillar of Fire. The Supernatural Pillar of Fire hovered just above his head and that voice he had been hearing since he was little spoke out of the Pillar of Fire saying, “As John the Baptist was sent to forerun the First Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, so you are sent to forerun His Second Coming.” –Brother Branham, p.71

That was that, Branham called this his ‘charge’ – that he was called by God and soon many believed him to be Elijah. In fact when Branham passed away in 1965 due to a head injury from a car accident many of his followers (and still today, believe it or not) truly believe he came in the spirit of Elijah, some believed him to be born of a virgin, some believed him to be God and most expected him to actually rise from the dead in three days. –All Things Are Possible, p.164

Not long after Branham was told by the Pillar of Fire that he was the forerunner for the Second Coming of Christ he was visited by the voice manifested in the form of an angel. This angel told him that he had been given two gifts; the gift of healing and the gift of words of knowledge / restore biblical truth. As time went by Branham also came to believe that this angel was the source of all his visions and extra-biblical revelations as well. But of course Branham was very discerning (as he claims it was also one of his gifts) and he asked the angel why he should believe the angel to be from God and the angel told him that the people in Jesus’ day called Jesus a devil, so he (Branham) should not worry about others in his family or ministry saying the same thing about the message/angel. The angel mentioned that Branham had been told by fortunetellers in impromptu meetings that he had a special gift from God and was born under a sign. The angel assured Branham that demons had confirmed that Jesus was the Christ and he should not be concerned by testimony of fortunetellers. –Brother Branham, pp. 74, 75, 79

Well I suppose that settles it then – the angel must be from God, phewww and all this time I thought otherwise. You see in 1 John it explains very clearly what Branham was supposed to ask the angel, ‘”has Jesus Christ come in the Flesh”. I guarantee this angel would have come up with every excuse in the book to say otherwise. But then, what’s the bible anyway? eh? Just useless info…not to be adhered to.

So Branham decided to test out his new ‘powers’ and found himself confronted with a women who had cancer. Just as a matter of interest the angel told Branham about this woman in a vision. So he prayed for her and she was ‘healed’. He shot to Superstardom overnight and from then on claimed his angel was with him day and night.

Two things here; Who said she had cancer? Was there any medical proof of this and secondly who could prove she was healed? Or did Branham proclaim she was healed and everyone just accepted it? So either this was one big lie or worse we have a demon (posing as an angel of light) telling Branham about a women who has cancer, i.e., this woman’s cancer was demonically inflicted. Talk about being set up, William Branham that is, and again so much for his discernment. So Branham prays for her and she is ‘healed’. What actually happened was the demonic affliction was lifted and who knows what else this woman received in its place.

From then on William Branham’s ministry was built on supernatural manifestations and was empowered by a spirit being / angel. The angel accompanied him throughout his lifetime and even directed him in every aspect of his personal life. It was the angel Branham said gave him his power – not the Holy Spirit. In fact Branham knew that if he didn’t do what the Voice told him to do he would suffer greatly.

But if that has not convinced you even slightly that there was something horribly wrong with Brenham, lets go look at his teachings and see just how much they contradict the Word of God.

He believed he was the Last Days Prophet:

This I find rather funny because since starting my blog I have come across at least 20 others who think they are too. Who’s right? Fortunately, non of them, Branham included. Anyhow let’s stick to the story shall we – so Branham said, “Now, I’m just your brother, by the grace of God. But when the Angel of the Lord moves down, it becomes then a Voice of God to you…But I am God’s Voice to you… Now, see, I can say nothing in myself. But what He shows me.” –Footprints On The Sands Of Time, p. 214

His followers believed him to be the spirit of Elijah based on Malachi 4 and the seventh angel in Revelations 10.

Unfortunately for him and his followers, William Branham has to under no uncertain terms be labelled a False Prophet for a lot of things he prophesied did not come to pass for example: He prophesied that Jesus would return in 1977 along with the destruction of America . Branham said, “Jesus did not say no man could know the year, month or week in which his coming would be completed. I sincerely believe and maintain as a private student of the Word along with divine inspiration that 1977 ought to terminate the world systems and usher in the millennium.” –7 Church Ages, p. 322.

As we can see, Jesus Christ has not come back, America is still standing and it’s the year 2008. So you the reader have 2 choices here; 1) William Branham received this information from a lying demonic source aka his angel who’s father is Satan or, 2) God lied.

The bible says, in Deuteronomy 18 v 20-22

“20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. 21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? 22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”

Branham preached the ‘Serpent Seed’ teaching:

The Serpent Seed teaching is a belief that Cain was produced through sexual intercourse between Eve and the serpent in the garden. The curse of the Serpent’s Seed he believed is the cause of all mankind’s problems and women are to blame and it is evident in their temptation of men. –William M. Branham, My Life Story, p. 19.

Branham also believe that the Serpent Seed was the missing link between man and monkey.

Hitler also believed in the Serpent Seed teaching and this was the main reason why Jews needed to be eliminated, for the Jewish nation was of Satan. Now if Hitler believed in this and Branham believed in this, and Hitler was of Satan and Branham is of God then….we have a HUGE problem here.

It is also noted that Branham despised women and on one occasion stated, “But I remember when my father’s still up there running, I had to be out there with water and stuff, see young ladies that wasn’t over seventeen, eighteen years, up there with a man my age now, drunk. And they’d have to sober them up and give them black coffee, to get them home to cook their husband’s supper. Oh, something like that, I said, ‘I…This was my remarked [sic] then, THEY’RE NOT WORTH A GOOD CLEAN BULLET TO KILL THEM WITH IT.’ That’s right. And I hated women. That’s right. And I just have to watch every move now, to keep from still thinking the same thing.” –M. Branham, ‘My Life Story’ (Spoken Word Publications, undated), p.27.

So now we can see why he was so adamant to preach this Serpent Seed teaching for he had an immense animosity towards women. This would also explain why he preached a rigid ‘moral code’ for women with regards to dressing, hair etc, etc. Branham also had a ‘revelation’ that allowed for divorce. –All Things Are Possible, p.162.

The bible says in Genesis 4 v 11;

1 “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.” …. not from the Serpent/Satan.

Branham believed the Zodiac and the Egyptian Pyramids are EQUAL to scripture:

So as far as Branham is concerned the Zodiac and Egyptian pyramids are equal to Scripture in the revelation of God’s Word. This might I add is also one of Franklin Halls strange beliefs that was passed onto Branham. –‘Adoption’, pp.31,104.

Now we know that the Zodiac and the Pyramids play a huge part in the occult. So how on earth can the occult be equal to Scripture? Witchcraft, Astrology and New Age all use the pyramids and the zodiac for divination i.e., predicting the future. The pyramids are an essential holiday spot for occultists, witches, magicians, necromancers and many a demon/spirit. The narrow passages through-out the pyramids allowed for occult soul travel were mummified Kings and other notable people were buried with gold, food and other worldly possessions in the belief that their soul would need these things in the after-life. Pyramids also have an occult alignment with the stars i.e., the Zodiac.

Let’s see what the bible says about this: Deuteronomy 18 v 9-12

“9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.”

William Branham a Freemason

After Branham’s death a tombstone in the shape of a pyramid was placed on his grave.  On top of the tombstone is what appears to be an eagle, but it is in fact a Pheonix.

 Branham Grave - Freemason

Branham believed that ALL denominations were the Mark of the Beast:

Except for his ‘denomination’ of course which was pure. Hence if you follow anyone eles teachings and not his you are doomed. Branham believed that some humans are descended from the serpent’s seed and are destined for hell, which is not eternal, however. The seed of God, i.e., those who receive Branham’s teaching, are predestined to become the Bride of Christ. There are still others who possess free will and who may be saved out of the denominational churches, but they must suffer through the Great Tribulation. He considered denominationalism a mark of the Beast (Rev. 13:17). –Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements, pp. 95,96.

Branham believed he was commissioned by God to OPEN the SEVEN SEALS in Revelations:

Branham said, “I saw seven angels in the form of a pyramid that swept down, picked me up and was brought east to open the seven seals of God” –William Branham, Standing In the Gap – 63-0623.1M.

Revelations 5 v 1-10 says;

“1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

So, is William Branham saying he is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David – Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the One and Only Living God? It must be, because William Branham said it, and if William Branham said that God commissioned him to open the book and loose the seals then who are we to argue, I mean really, the bible must be wrong, completely wrong!

Branham believes he was the ONLY Prophet:

Branham said, “There never was in the age, any two major prophets on the earth at one time. There were many minor prophets, but there were one major prophet. And Elijah was the prophet until Elisha came. Then when Elijah was taking off, a portion, double portion, of Elijah’s Spirit, Elijah’s Spirit came upon Elisha.” —Our Hope is in God, 1951 (tape #51-0929)

Now, God always uses a–a prophet, a man. If you use a bunch of men, you get different ideas (See?); each man, two men. Never did He have two major prophets on the earth at one time. He takes one, so the other one can take its place for another day, another message. He never has two; He has one at a time.” —The Evening Messenger, 1963 (tape #63-0116)

“God always deals with one individual. Two men’s got two ideas. There never was two major prophets on the earth prophesying the same time. Look back and see if there was. No, sir. Too much scrupled up. He’s got to get one man completely surrendered and use that person. He searches for that person, but there will be one sometime, somebody who’ll listen to Him word by word.” –The Fourth Seal, Revelation of the Seven Seals, 1963 (tape #63-0321)

Many historical prophets did indeed prophesy at the same time as others. Several minor prophets did as well (e.g., Hosea & Micah; Haggai & Zechariah. Ezra 5:1,2 actually says, “Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadakset to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them.” See also, Numbers 11:25-29). In fact, some Minor prophets prophesied at the same time as Major prophets (e.g., Hosea & Micah were contemporary with Isaiah; Habakkuk was contemporary with Jeremiah). But Mr. Branham’s most obvious error was in saying that God never sent two Major prophets at the same time. Of the four Major prophets, Daniel, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were all contemporaries during the years 595-587 BC. –http://people.delphiforums.com/johnk63/1prophet.htm

The difference between Branham and the TRUE prophets of the bible were that the TRUE prophets of the bible were not confused, never presented two different ideas, never got their message ‘scrupled up’ and most importantly their words were God’s words hence they appear in the Word of God. Unlike Branham who preaches a DIFFERENT gospel.

Branham taught that God is NOT omnipresent:

Branham said, “Now, you cannot be omnipresent without being omniscient. God’s not even omnipresent; God’s omniscient. Omniscient which means – makes Him omnipresent (He knows all things). But in order to be a being He has to be in one being.” –The Masterpiece, 1964 (tape #64-0705)

“He’s [God]–He’s infinite, and He’s–He’s omnipresent, omniscient, therefore He knows all things. He can’t be present everywhere. By being omniscient, knowing all things, then He can be present everywhere.” –The Harvest Time, 1964 (tape #64-1212)

So because Branham believes that God is a ‘being’ and not ‘spirit’ he can’t be in more than one place at a time. He does however believe that God knows ‘all things’ hence He is omniscient, so it seems like God is everywhere, but He is not.

The bible says: Jeremiah 23:23-24

“Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.”

Branham DENIED the Deity of Jesus Christ:

Branham said; “The man, the body was not Deity, but Deity was in the body.” –God’s Gifts Always Find Their Places, December 22, 1963 (tape #63-1222)

“Jesus was not God, but He was God. He was a Man, yet He was God. He could cry, and yet He could raise the dead. He could cry for a man being dead and raise him back up again. He was Jehovah-jireh, Jehovah-rapha, Jehovah Manasses; He was Jehovah, all completely. He was Jehovah, and yet He was a Man.” –Questions and Answers #3, August 30, 1964 (tape #64-0830M)

“He was–He was Jesus when He was born. But when the Holy Ghost came upon Him after His baptism, He was anointed with God. God was in Him, ’cause He come to fulfill the Word.” –The Messiah, January 17, 1961 (tape #61-0117)

“And this little Boy, twelve-year-old Child, no wisdom at all, why, but just a twelve-year-old Boy… The Father didn’t dwell in Him at that time, because He come on the day when He baptized Him; he saw the Spirit of God coming down (See?), and went in Him.” –Paradox, February 6, 1964 (tape #64-0206B

“The Spirit left Jesus in Gethsemane and He became just a man– When God looked down upon the body… (The Spirit left Him in the Garden of Gethsemane; He had to die a man.)” –It Is the Rising of the Sun, April 18, 1965 (tape #65-0418M

Unbelievable! William Branham DENIES Jesus Christ. Anyone who says that William Branham is a man of God is deluded, deceived and follows the teachings on an anti-Christ.

The bible says, John 1 v 1-14 – The Deity of Jesus Christ:

“1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

William Branham’s unsolved mysteries:

The Seventh Seal:

Branham believed that his interpretation of the 7 seals (Revelation, chapters 5-8) was essential in preparing his followers for Christ’s soon return. He spent the week of March 18 thru the 23, 1963, “revealing” the meaning of the first 6 seals from Revelation 6. However, on the evening he was to reveal the 7th seal, he did not explain its meaning. It remains a mystery to his followers to this day.

The Seven Thunders (Revelation 10:3,4):

Likewise, Branham spoke of the 7 Thunders, but never revealed what the voices spoke.

The Third Pull:

Although not a biblical mystery, Branham created a new mystery, speaking of a future phase of his ministry which he called the Third Pull. Not only did he fail to say what this phase of his ministry would accomplish, but he never fulfilled it before his death.  –http://people.delphiforums.com/johnk63/teachings.htm#unrevealed

William Branham’s terrible inconsistencies about a man who tried to prove him to be false:

William Branham sometimes warned his listeners against testing the authenticity of his gifts. Which is odd because the bible tells us to test the spirits. Never the less Branham indeed had an active imagination and most definitely liked to instill the fear of God into his follows too NOT test him. Branham would frequently tell his congregation about a man who tried to prove him to be false by writing fictitious illnesses on his prayer card, and then would stand in the prayer line expecting Branham to correctly identify his illnesses as mentioned on the prayer card. Every time Branham told this story, the outcome of what happened to his man would change:

  1. The man received the diseases that he wrote on his card and was still suffering from them (1953).
  2. The man had died from his diseases (1954).
  3. The man was bedfast “to this day” (1956).
  4. The man ran screaming from the auditorium when Mr. Branham publicly exposed his plan (1956).
  5. The man died a year after the incident (January 1957).
  6. The man was still in “serious condition” (June 1957)
  7. The man died 6 months after the incident from cancer (1958).
  8. The man was carried from the auditorium paralyzed and is still paralyzed (1958–note that in 1956 Mr. Branham said he ran screaming from the building).
  9. The man died on the platform sixty seconds after Mr. Branham exposed him (1961).
  10. The man died six weeks after the meeting (1962).

— http://people.delphiforums.com/johnk63/teachings.htm#unrevealed

So much for being man of God. This is called manipulation people, manipulation and lies belong in the same basket of rotten apples.

William Branham’s vision and the Cloud:

Once again it would seem that William Branham has a very over active imagination, or he just lied as went along to ‘prove’ himself to be a man of God. I have received a few emails over the last couple of months from people sending me images of this famous cloud as proof that Branham is a prophet. So I went and did some research and found out that this cloud appeared over Flagstaff which was 352 km / 219 miles from where Branham was having his vision on a mountain in Tucson. Now from what I have read it says this cloud was huge and could be seen from very very far away. However…

Branham says he was standing below it: “And now, the “Life” Magazine picked it up. And I have the–the article here this morning in the “Life” Magazine there, of the show… Now, here it is, the same time I was there. See the pyramid or the Cloud? I was standing just below this.” —William Branham, “Standing in the Gap,” TSW (sermon preached 6-23-63), 6:7, pp. 20-21

Hmmmm…. How could he be 219 miles from this cloud but yet at the same time be standing just below it…now that is a miracle!

Also Branham’s account or ‘count’ of how many angels he saw appear changed from 5 to 7 over a period of time. It changed from 5 to 7 angels so he could say these angels represented the ‘The Revelation of the Seven Seals’.

5 angels in vision on the mountain:   “And I, still in my … the two consciences together, I knew I was standing here, and I knew I was somewhere else. And I thought, “Now, this is a vision, and I must learn what this means.” And no more than the second group of birds came by, I looked to the west; and it looked like in the form of a pyramid—like two on each side with one in the top, came five of the mightiest angels I ever seen in my life. Such a terrific speed I never seen…. Their heads back and their pointed wings just sailing quickly.” –William Branham, “Reproach for the Word,” The Spoken Word (TSW), Spoken Word Publications (Jeffersonville, IN, sermon preached 12-23-62), 2:16, pp. 4-7

7 angels in the vision on the mountain:   “In December 1962 God gave William Branham a vision of an angelic visitation which he foretold in a message “Sirs is this the Time?” On February 28, 1963, the vision and prophecy was fulfilled when a constellation of seven angels, formed as the head of Christ, met him with a commission to speak the opening of the Seven Seals of Revelation. Life Magazine (May 17th 1963) carried the photograph (left figure) of this supernatural event, describing it as a “Mystery Cloud over Arizona.” –http://www.bibleway.org/wmb

I seem to be hmmmm’ing a lot while writing this article. It’s amazing, people will believe all sorts of lies and even when presented with the truth continue to hold fast to these lies for dear life. What for? Do you like to be lied too? Do you like to be deceived? Do you like to be made a fool of by non other than William Branham? But then I suppose that’s what deception does, it blinds one to the truth.

Conclusion:  1)  This cloud has absolutely nothing to do with William Branham’s vision,   2)  Satan can perform wonderous signs to capture the imagination of people who pretty much believe anything, except the Word of God.

The famous CloudWilliamBranhamCloud1 If you turn the cloud sideways you can apparently see an image of Jesus.WilliamBranhamCloud2

*  I am sure if one is on some hallucinatory drug you will be able to see a face of some kind.

William Brenham denies the Trinity:

Like the ‘Jesus-Only’ Pentecostals, Branham denied the Trinity doctrine teaching a form of Modalism. Instead of three Persons in the Godhead, Branham taught that there was only one Person (Jesus) going under different titles or modes at various times in history. Branham’s teaching is a variation of a second century heresy taught by Sabellius know as Modalistic Monarchianism or Patripassianism. –Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, pp. 727-28) and www.watchman.org/prOfile/branpro.htm.

Monarchianism: View found primarily in the third century that denied the Trinity, arguing that because God’s nature is one He cannot exist eternally in three Persons. The two most popular forms of monarchianism were dynamic monarchianism and modalism. –www.watchman.org/cat95.htm#Monarchianismm

The Trinity doctrine cannot be fully comprehended by finite man. However, any other view of the Godhead will not satisfy God’s self revelation in Scripture. Modalism teaches that there is only one Person in the Godhead functioning through relational “modes.” When He is in the Father mode, the Son and Spirit modes are not functional. In Matthew 3:13-17, however, the Son is baptized, the Spirit descends and the Father speaks. Also, “in the name of” (Matthew 28:19) or in the authority of does not limit the nature of God’s unity to one Person but connotes equality of essence within the Godhead (2 Corinthians 13:14).  –www.watchman.org/prOfile/branpro.htm

William Branham view on baptism:

Branham claimed that proper baptism was needed to avoid the “Mark of the Beast” of denominational churches and escape the danger of missing the rapture and entering the Tribulation. Proper baptism must be in the name of Jesus only. Baptism with the Trinitarian formula of Matthew 28:18 (“in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost”) is unacceptable to God.

If an incorrect formula was spoken during baptism, Branham felt the convert would go into darkness. “But a tritheist, triune baptism was never recognized in the Church, the New Testament… Now you know what to do, that’s right; and if you refuse to walk in Light when Light’s brought forth, you turn to darkness. Right! Amen!” –Conduct, Order, Doctrine Q and A, pp. 178, 181, 182, 184, 190).

Baptism in the name of Jesus only may have been the early practice in the Jerusalem church. However, all manuscripts of Matthew 28:19 have the Trinitarian formula as being commissioned by Jesus. One document, dating from A.D. 60, the Didache, prescribes the Matthew formula (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) for baptism within the church. Regardless of the formula, baptism is not a requirement for being raptured or avoiding the Tribulation. Full salvation is by grace though faith and not of works such as baptism (Ephesians 2:8-9).  –www.watchman.org/prOfile/branpro.htm

Something interesting William Branham once said:

“167 I was talking on the Name of Jesus Christ baptism. That’s right, a revelation of that come. That’s the Truth. But what did a bunch of people do? Gathered it right out here and put a denomination out of it, made another tower of Babel, same thing, throw edit right into it. Certainly. Luther done the same thing. Wesley done the same thing; John Smith done the same thing, Alexander Campbell done the same thing. Pentecost done the same thing. God deals with individuals keeping His Word. God’s only plan to bring believers to Himself in a true oneness is receiving the Holy Ghost. Then here’s how…You say, “Well, Brother Branham, I spoke in tongues. I shouted. I did this.” If you still got that kind of a spirit and deny the Word of God, you haven’t got the Word of God in you; you haven’t got the Spirit. If you’ll set and hear the Truth preached, and look It up in the Bible, and see It’s the Truth, and then refuse to do it, that’s not the Spirit of God. I don’t care how much you spoke in tongues, how much you shouted, how much churches you belonged to, or how many times you was baptized, or anything else. The Word is truth. That’s what vindicates the truth. If you got all these other truths and then with the Word (Amen.), then you know you’re coming home.” –Oneness (62-0211)

So if we reversed this and said, “Well, William Branham, you spoke in tongues, you shouted, you did this and that, and you healed, and you prophesied, and you had visions, and you saw angels, and you had revelations and you spoke words that God supposedly told you to speak. Then surely if you’ve got that kind of a spirit but at the SAME TIME deny the Word of God / deny Jesus Christ, then you William Branham haven’t got the Word of God in you; you haven’t got the Spirit.


William Branham - A man and his Angel - by Mike Oppenheimer

Discerning the World had this to say:  “Mike Oppenheimer from Let us Reason Ministries has released an extraordinarily well researched book exposing the incredible practices and false teachings of William Branham. Branham is the father of the satanically inspired Latter Rain Movement that has completely engulfed the church with it’s ‘unholy spirit of fire’.  I urge all to get this book and read it, you will not be disappointed if you are seeking the Truth – your eyes will surely be opened.”

PDF book on William Branham (over 900 pages)

A Man and His angel- A Biblical examination of William Branham’s Practices and Teachings

Click here to get book:  http://www.letusreason.org/bookw.branham.htm


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Deborah (Discerning the World)

Deborah Ellish is the author of the above article. Discerning the World is an internet Christian Ministry based in Johannesburg South Africa. Tom Lessing and Deborah Ellish both own Discerning the World. For more information see the About this Website page below the comments section.

420 Responses

  1. Mark says:

    Tom (Discerning the World) wrote:

    Mark,

    Touché

    Thanks Tom! William Marrion Branham is a Calvinist also.

  2. Elijah Cole Alexander says:

    Before I start I would like to apologize for my spelling.
    Brother branham was nothing but a man, a sinner saved by grace many times he said that I would like to do my best to correct some thing. Brother branham never said he was the prophet or elijah to come actually he said he wasnt him he said that we said he was and the reason being is because his ministry lined up with the Word of God (THE KJV). He never said that it was just an angel that spoke he said these things referring to his visions and dreams it was either the angel of the Lord, voice of the Lord, the Holy ghost, the Holy spirit, A voice, or The Lord Jesus. He never raised himself to any level of greatness he always sayed it was the Holy spirit doing the works and visions and healing etc. not him he was just a man how could he. Now the reason we believe he is the spirit of elijah the messenger to the ladiocia church is because of Milchea 4 and revalation 10:7 and many other scriptures. In malachi 4:5-6 says “Behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers less I come and smite the earth with a curse”. Now we know that John the Babtist came to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children because the bible clearly states that in the book of Luke but what will not find is him turning the hearts of the children to the fathers. That’s because that answer is in in revelation 10:7 “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” Now to figure out WHO the seventh angel is you haft to go to revalations 1-3 to the church ages we all know that Paul was the messenger to the first church age which is ephasis but this seventh angel which is the messenger of the 7th church which is ladiocia would reveal these mysteries who the messengers were of the rest of the ages and would preach the seals and would reveal the things that has been misinterpreted or corrupt (turn the hearts of the children back to the original faith of the fathers) the ones that was there on the day of pentacost no man can deny that there has been man made dogmas and doctrines through out history and this seventh messenger would reveal those things by the Holy Ghost. Now as far as Brother branham being a woman hater brother branham many many times as told story’s about how he would have to go an apologize to a woman for thinking against her, but on the pulpit when he was preaching he had to speck against those things it’s no different than your preacher speaking against adultery or things of that nature and it’s not really them speaking against it it’s the bible speaking against it and the preacher preaching it, in brother branhams life story he spoke on his dad being there with woman and things and he did say that but he also said hes got watch his self from thinking that because when he does he gets chastised as we all do from the word of God when we think certain things or do certain things. Yes there are many that take brother branhams words and twist them there’s even some that babtize in the name of William marion branham but they will answer for that on the day of judgement. Brother branham never said he would raise from the dead he said what the bible says which is the dead in christ shall rise some people believed him to be the messiah but so did the followers of John the babtist but he said I’m not worthy to loose his shoes and brother branham said the same thing he even quit preaching for a period of time because of the people that said that. At my church we preach from the Word of God which is the king James bible and we take quotes from brother branham and other preachers from history also and we do believe that his is the 7th angel messenger to the ladiocia church I could write for days on this and never even come to the surface of this but because of those that have twisted the words that brother branham preached from the word I am not surprised of this article. There are many many things I dont understand but I believe just the same and the Good Lord will reveal them to me in his time. May God bless you brother.

  3. Elijah Cole Alexander

    I’m not so concerned about your spelling than what I am about your false teachings. Incorrect spelling cannot take you to hell. The sooner you run from the Branham cult, repent of your evil and believe the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, the better it would be for you. I urge you to do so before it is too late.

    Read this article: https://www.discerningtheworld.com/2015/10/22/william-branham-and-his-false-christ/

  4. Elijah Cole Alexander says:

    If we are a cult then were the only one that worships Jesus christ and believes in signs and wonders and believes in Mark 16:16-18 and John1:1and14 and John14:12 and acts 2:38-39, we believe on blind receiving sight and limbs being grown back the dead raised all the other things that Jesus promised and were the only “cult” I know of that says were saved by the blood the last Jesus shed on calvary the only one that believes in Isaiah 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”. We are saved by the blood of Jesus nothing can save us but the blood of Jesus not brother branham not the message not a school not a church or a denomination only the the blood of Christ. Brother branham wasnt nothing but a tool in the hand of God the message of the hour that brother branham preached was from the word of God it had nothing to do with Brother branham it was God vindicating himself to the gentiles. The message t gr at brother branham preached is the wedding garment for the bride The Holy Ghost is the message of the hour only by the Holy ghost will these things be revealed Brother Branham had nothing to do with it it was God using brother branham to bring the word but brother branham himself was just a man he made mistakes like the rest of us he made a mistake in one of the church ages that God told elijah there were 700 that was to be saved and he come back and apologized that he ment to say 7000. He was a man and made mistakes but the Holy spirit corrected him on those things. If it wasnt for God he would have been a drunk a smoker and a murderer. But God had plans and felt with him. Brother branham was a Holy ghost filled Christian a gallant man saved by the blood of Jesus christ, a sinner saved by grace. And I can’t wait to meet him one day but he himself was not the purpose for the message it was from God and ment for all the gentiles but only the bride would receive it only the chosen predestined by God could receive it. People hear mistakes that brother branham made words he misplaced but he had a grammar school education and it was only by the Holy Ghost he was able to know what he knew. If people would sent down with there bibles and pray and fast before the Lord Jesus and listen to those tapes. God would show them that brother branham had THUS SAITH THE LORD by the word but people here one thing and instead of just listening and giving him time to correct himself they just jump off the train and call him a false prophet. Brother branham said it’s like eating a cherry pie if you find a seed you dont throw the whole pie away you throw out the seed and keep eating. The message is vindicated by God thru and thru brother branhams visions never failed not once. People just dont listen to the sermans enough to know that. Be it’s the word of God none the less

  5. paul sammy says:

    AriseMyLove wrote:

    Branham and Bill Hamon need to be exposed, unveiled shown up for the liars of Christ they are.

    Branham, like all prophets of Baal, sees women through hatefilled eyes. He was an illiterate misogynist. He did not know the Word well either; I remain astonished at his poor understanding of the Bible and his tendency to “add” words and phrases that were not in the Scripture text.

    This is due to the fact that Branham was demonized by that weird “angel” he spoke to when he asked people to shut their eyes so he could “pray” for them.

    He certainly is the forefather of other brute and women haters like Todd Bentley and Bob Jones and Paul Cain.

    Women in the charismatic church need to take note that Jesus was no misogynist; He actually elevated the position of women in the culture.

    I’ve noticed that Branham’s NAR brand of female hatred breeds the whorishness and simony of Cindy Jacobs and other women in the movement.

    This alone shows the real spirit behind Branhamism.

    And thanks DTW, I haven’t been here for months and I think this is the first time I’ve posted. I really want to help show up WMBranham for the liar he was. I remain astonished at what a boring ignoramus he was.

    brother Branham was not hating women but ihe hated the sin in people thus why he prayed and warned them for the change according to the word of God,a true seed of Abraham will accept the word,he or she has no room for doubting,Amen

  6. paul sammy wrote:

    “brother Branham was not hating women but ihe hated the sin in people thus why he prayed and warned them for the change according to the word of God,a true seed of Abraham will accept the word,he or she has no room for doubting,Amen”

    Are you also guilty of the sin of misogyny? William Branham believed that he was married to a creature designed by Satan. Therefore, she was of the seed of Satan and not of Abraham. Branham was far from being obedient (which is a gross sin) to Jesus Christ who commanded husbands to love their wives in the same way He loves his church. Here, in his own words, he said that he was married to a woman designed by Satan.

    “You may question me about Satan being her designer, but that’s the Truth. Satan designed her. He still does it.”

    In fact, he was more at ease with homosexuals than with his wife. Instead of spending his wedding anniversaries with his wife, he often spent it hunting with Gene Goad and Leo Mercier who were later found to be homosexual.

    I suggest that you renounce Willam Branham and his teachings and STOP treating him like a god.

  7. test 123

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  8. Ok, quotes not working…that’s not good.

  9. Myfanwy says:

    Where have you been? Why do I have to sign in again?? Message me please! :unhappy:

  10. Hi Myfanwy. Please read my comment addressed to RJ. Deborah will have to help you with your question on signing in again. She’s the IT expert.

  11. Amara Charity says:

    hey let me tell you, the scripture said that blasphemy against Jesus Christ can be forgiven but against the holy spirit cannot be forgiven. am telling you now everything u said here is lie from the pit of God, William Branham is a True prophet of God. You know what you need a revelation of who God is, you need eyeslave

  12. Dear Amara Charity

    You said “am telling you now everything u said here is lie from the pit of God” [Emphasis added]

    A lie from God? really? Who is this ‘God’ that lies Amara?

    Well seeing that I’ve blasphemed against your god (William Branham and his false holy spirit) and I can’t be forgiven according to you, there is no amount of your ‘gods’ eye salve that is going to save me (thank goodness) so… I may as well go all out and tell you that you are deceived, lied too, following a cult and Branham was a Freemason (satanist).
    In fact Branham believed Christ had already returned and his name was “Paulaseer Lawrie Mathukrishna.” See article here: https://www.discerningtheworld.com/2015/10/22/william-branham-and-his-false-christ/

    Please see this book that’s been written about Branham exposing him for the lying, demon possessed, charlatan that he was: http://www.letusreason.org/bookw.branham.htm

    Wake up from your cult like sleep, repent of your sin to Jesus Christ the Son of God and be born again Amara!

    John 3:3-7 “3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

  13. Chance says:

    I have a co worker at work who worships Branham like a god.. I told him there is bibilical scripture ( two of them ) you can be baptize in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit or through Jesus’s name. and he kept on bringing up the sermon of William Branham saying there was just only one way.. I am guessing Im going to leave it just as it is and dont argue anymore. Hes really into that guy. What should I do?

  14. Hi Chance. What you could do is to ask him whether any kind of baptism can get him to heaven. Remind him of the one man who died next to Jesus Christ on the cross who was not baptized but is now in heaven. Remind him that Paul said God did not send him to baptize but to preach the Gospel. These things point to the fact that faith and faith alone (apart from water baptism) saves lost sinners because Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, NO ONE comes to the Father but by Me.”

  15. Apisai Vosa says:

    Brother, thank you for your deep concerned in trying to prove that William Branham is a false prophets. What you’re looking at is totally different from what the people who follows Brother Branham saw. You know in one of his sermons about Moses and Pharaoh looking at the children of Israels suffering in slavery from the same window with different perspective..Pharaoh saw the children of Israel to be a threat to his nation, but Moses saw them as his own flesh & blood..In this same manner we saw differently even though we both looked into the same Bible and yet what we saw is different from yours. Don’t bother about us just make sure you teach your congregation the right path to chose. God Bless you Sir.

  16. Apisai Vosa

    We will bother about your cult because you and your members are on the broad path straight to hell. Matthew 7:13

    We warn people about false teachers just as Jesus Christ WARNED in the bible about false teachers. Jesus WARNED because He LOVED.

    Acts 20:29-31 (KJV)
    29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

    You clearly don’t love people, nor do you love to know the Gospel Truth.

  17. Andrew says:

    Bro William Branham preached nothing but the truth. I repeat truth! I believe it because it is confirmed by the word of God. If you didn’t understand it, leave it alone my brother.

  18. Andrew.

    If you think Branham preached the truth then you are obviously not saved.

    Read this. WILLIAM BRANHAM AND HIS FALSE CHRIST

    I urge you to repent before it is too late.

  19. Rita says:

    Thank you for this write up. It’s helping me greatly in my research. The heretical doctrines and cult movements that have stemmed from this man’s teachings are astonishing. It’s sad to see how many are being led astray, chasing glory clouds and gold dust. I just listened to an entire message from Branham and didn’t hear one single Bible verse. Just stories and healing demonstrations. Reminded me of Jim Jones.

  20. Hi Rita :hi:

    Yip they are a cult. Except they haven’t gone as far as to all commit suicide – but their souls are lost, and that is even worse.

    Even if Branham did included bible verses in his ‘messages’ it would still be totally false. Quoting a bible verse (like 99% of all ministers do today) and then making up their own story around that bible verse is just as bad as quoting no scripture at all.

    I have looked at your website, thank you. I have saved it into my bookmarks. :like:

  21. Karen says:

    You suck, true some people follow William branham like a god, but he didn’t want that way. Your believes are not all right either. Yours is not facts just your opinion. You shouldn’t force your opinion on others 😠

  22. Dear Karen

    These are facts, if you don’t like them, don’t listen to them. We are not forcing our facts on anyone. Including you.

    If we tied you down and threatened your life to accept these truths through torture or death, that would be forcing people.

    But we are not, you have free choice to believe the truth or not. And it seems you have made your free choice to continue to follow after a false teacher.

    2Tim 4:3-4 (KJV)
    3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

    That’s you right now. :pointup:

    But you can always change your mind you know and you can follow the Gospel Truth, isn’t God’s grace wonderful. 🙂

  23. sarah says:

    Thank the Lord Jesus, he brought me out of the Branham cult when I was a teen as I was born into it. When I finally came back to believing in Jesus again, I thought that the cult is a “Jesus plus” type of religion. Now, after further study, I think it is simply blasphemous.
    For example, concerning Melchisedek, he states: “Jesus had father and mother. But this man had no father, or had no mother. He started; this Man didn’t. Jesus gave His life; this man couldn’t, because he was Life. And it’s the self-same Man all the time. I hope God reveals it to you.”
    JESUS WAS NOT LIFE?
    John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life”

  24. Hi sarah, We are elated to hear that God has redeemed you from the lies of Branhamism. Indeed is extremely blasphemous.

    It is evident from Scripture that in the last days many charlatans would arrive on the scene claiming to be the fulfillment of the Second Coming of Christ. One such extremist was Paulaseer Lawrie Mathukrishna. He made this preposterous statement on 21st July 1969 when Apollo 11 landed on the moon. What most Branhamites don’t seem to know or deliberately close their eyes to, is that William Branham recognized Lawrie Mathakrishna as the fulfillment of Christ’s Second Advent and even said so openly in some of his sermons, according to his followers. In the 1980s, Paulaseer changed his message somewhat, teaching Aadhi Bali or “Supreme Sacrifice” – an idea from the Purusasukta. He began to draw much more on Hindu and even Muslim ideas and attracted more native Indian followers. (Bergunder, Michael (2003). “From Pentecostal Healing Evangelist to Kalki Avatar: The Remarkable Life of Paulaseer Lawrie…,” in Christians and Missionaries in India: Cross-Cultural Communication since 1500, edited by Robert Eric Frykenberg and Alaine M. Low. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 357-375).

    The following excerpt from Kurt Koch’s book “Occult ABC” confirms this.

    The most remarkable messiah at the present time is to be found at camp Manujothi Ashram in the desert in South India. It is the extreme American evangelist, William Branham whom Christians have to thank for this false messiah. His name is Paulaseer Lawrie Mathukrishna. When Branham was on tour of India, Brother Lawrie became a disciple of his, and Branham described him as the Son of God and Christ returned.

    Brother Lawrie has established a kind of commune with his followers in South India. Those who join give up all their possessions to the group. I know a woman from Germany who sold all she had inherited from her father and went to India with DM. 60,000. After a few years, she came back to her husband in Germany without a penny.

    It is strange how this latter-day sect attracts people from all over the world. Germans and Americans are especially welcome, since they usually bring with them large sums of money.

    One of Lawrie’s main teachings is that the world will be destroyed in 1977. Before that, however, his followers will be taken up from the earth. The brides of Christ are already preparing themselves for this rapture by a process of spiritualization of the body.

    At the time of writing, this community numbers seven hundred. No more are being accepted, although there are nine hundred applicants. Brother Lawrie says that the spiritual development of the seven hundred is now so far advanced that the new members would not get there. Only the seven hundred “first fruits” will be taken up.

    The activity of Lawrie’s representative in Germany, Herr Mengel, is also of interest. At first he lived with his wife and four children in Lawrie’s commune, but then he returned to Germany in order to make Lawrie’s ideas known in Europe. Herr Mengel claims to be one of the two witnesses who are mentioned in Revelation 11. After three and one-half years, he says, he will be murdered, but then he will be raised.

    It is strange how people can be filled with such a spirit of error, that they really believe these things. Let us wait and see what lies they will tell us, because the prophesied destruction of the world in 1977 did not happen. (Kurt Koch, Occult ABC, 1978, p.55-56). (Emphasis added).

    https://www.discerningtheworld.com/2015/10/22/william-branham-and-his-false-christ/

  25. Dennis Gannon says:

    The trinity doctrine is heresy. The Reformation was only a small START. Most protestants today are still neo-Catholics. Jesus was and is not God, but the son of God, big difference. Jesus prayed to God, not to himself. Jesus is at the right hand of God, notice the different location. Trinitarians would have him seated in the same place as God as part of their “Trinity”. Branham had horrible eschatology. You could question if Pre-mills have been born again, They can’t see the Kingdom of God, John 3:3, they think it is in the future. And they support satanic Israel.

  26. Dennis Gannon

    Jesus Christ said,

    Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake. (Joh 14:8-11)

    So, what’s your problem? I’ll tell you what your problem is. You are not saved and need to repent before it is too late.

  27. Esther says:

    An ignorant person who preyed on other ignorant persons to support his lifestyle of homosexuality and ruined so many lives of ignorant men, and unfortunately their long suffering children, especially the daughters. This so called Prophet destroyed my life and those of my brothers and sisters in his often babbling rants to which he knew nothing about. You cannot even follow his babblings, he cannot speak a complete paragraph that makes sense. I know God has him in that special warm place. He took so many minds, lives and souls. 

  28. Shalom says:

    Hi
    My Name Is shalom Zoe I’m From India (17 yr Old)
    My Parents are Brainwashed By His teachings my mom has Cataracts She denied to checkup (now she can’t see anything) I’m So depressed Coz Of My Parents They Thinks Only god Will heal Us We aren’t going To doctor!!
    when I found something Wrong with Branham message They told To not say anything Bad About Him Otherwise God Will Punish You and Now they said To debate With A pastor
    his channel is (Royal Rodrigues Revival church)
    zoeshalom70@gmail.com

  29. John says:

    My precious brother, as the scholar Gamaliel in the Bible said, “If this which we believe be not of God, let it alone, for it will not stand, but…… If it’s otherwise, why do you tempt God for you may found fighting against God. I also advise you brother to check your sources of information for their authentication, for it’s self evident you’re guilty of relying solely upon false and half-baked hearsay. And as for others that that may come across these write ups, do not be deceived…… If you can’t receive, God sent a one true and faithful messenger and that’s WILLIAM MARRION BRANHAM

  30. Hi John First of all, I am not your precious brother. I cannot be your brother in Christ because you are IN William Branham and not Christ. Read this to see what I mean. He flatly denied and rejected the God of the Bible.

    https://www.thebereancall.org/content/william-branham-his-own-words?sapurl=Lys5MjZkL2xiL2xpLyt3dm44dWs4P2JyYW5kaW5nPXRydWUmZW1iZWQ9dHJ1ZSZyZWNlbnRSb3V0ZT1hcHAud2ViLWFwcC5saWJyYXJ5Lmxpc3QmcmVjZW50Um91dGVTbHVnPSUyQnd2bjh1azg=

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