The Parousia of I Thessalonians 4:16

(Based upon notes compiled by Brian Kocourek)

Parousia or Coming of Christ – Part I

You're revealing Yourself, Lord, the Mighty God unveiled to the believer; still veiled to the unbeliever, but unveiled to the believer. May they break through today, Lord, see His great splendor and Glory. May their hearts be changed before we even get back to this church tonight. May they all be filled with Your Spirit, Your Presence. (Unveiling of God - 64-0614.1M.)

See, signs and wonders are not for healing or salvation, but it's to let the people realize and understand that the Presence of God is here. (Elijah and the Meal Offering - 60-0310.2E.)

The greatest and highest form that there is for God to get His message to His people is for the people to believe His Word. (Visions and Prophecy - 56-0408.1A.)

And don't take just something ordinarily. Don't do that. Don't you rest day or night until you've talked to God. Keep yourself from fanaticism. Don't get worked up in emotion.

Don't do that. That's what brings so much radical stuff and makes people afraid of it (see?), is because of the radical fanaticism. Don't you accept that; not at all. You stay right there till you talk to God. After all it's your soul, and you're the one's going to spend eternity out yonder. And you be sure that you just don't shake hands and say a creed or accept something by faith. Don't you do that! You talk to God; let God talk to you; and watch what happens to you. Watch your desires and what happens; then you'll know whether you talked to God or not. (True Sign That's Overlooked - 61-1112.)

See the two opposing spirits at work in this evil age? Can you see it? Each very religious, Cain and Abel, spirits again coming to their heads, still same as they started: one worshipping by beauty, and by knowledge, and by education, and by science, and by ethics; and the other One by faith of the revelation of the Word of God. Both of them is standing right in this building this morning. That's right.

Revelation or faith in His Word makes no claims of knowledge. The real true Christian ... They say, "Have you got your doctor's degree?" ... Makes no claims. "I believe His Word." See? Doesn't make any claims, doesn't claim to be educated. Doesn't belong to any denomination, any party, any sect, It belongs to Christ. It's His Wife, not a church wife; she's a prostitute. The Bible said she was a whore and the mother of harlots, and they all come together and make the same whore. And that kind of a woman is a woman that's untrue to her husband, and claiming Christ as her husband and belonging to a denomination. Such nonsense! You belong to Christ! (God of This evil Age - 65-0801.1M.)

There's something about man and women that they long to be like one another. And there's only been one Man ever lived on earth that was our example, and that was the One that died for us all, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He was the perfect example of what we should be—always about the Father's business and doing that which is right. (The Rejected King - 60-0515.1M.)

That's the way it is today. How can a man bless these things that's taking people further from God all the time? There's only one thing to do. If you have to stand by yourself, curse the thing in the Name of the Lord and stay with it, when you're absolute...

And you say, "Well, Brother Branham, you make people hate you."

God will love me. That's my Absolute. Can't rest on an arm of flesh, you got to rest on the Word, what God said do.

And if your absolute is in some organization, or some sensation, or something else besides the Person of Jesus Christ, you'll come to the same portion of shame, only worse, see. If your absolute is not Christ, that's the only Center-post of the human life; and Christ is the Word, not your church, your word—the Word. See? "Upon this Absolute I'll build My Church"—upon Christ, the Word. (The Absolute - 62-1230.1M.)

Oh, church, oh, people, sinner friend, don't trust in nothing else but Jesus Christ. Don't trust in any preacher. Don't trust in anybody else to save you. Trust not in any church, any creed, any denomination; trust only in Jesus Christ, for He is the Light of the hour. (God's Chosen Place of Worship - 65-0220.)

And he's a good man. Oh, I'm not a scholar or teacher at all. This man is both teacher and scholar, but I disagree with him because I don't see it. But it doesn't pertain to salvation, it's pertaining to the coming of the Lord. He sees that the church has to go through the tribulation period. I say the Blood of Jesus Christ purifies the Church. I believe that the church goes through the tribulation period, the church organization, but the Bride does not. Would you choose a woman who you had to purify before you married her, ha, ha. Christ's Bride is chosen, and She is elected and She's God's Bride, the Bride of Jesus Christ. (Calling Jesus on the Scene - 63-0804E.)

Now, we're in another age, why won't they receive it? Why won't they see that the grain is matured? Here's the promised Word for this day. Why don't they see it? Because they're living in Lutheran glare, Wesleyan glare, Baptist glare, Pentecostal glare. They're living in the glare of another light. That's the reason they can't receive the Light of the total Word being a-vindicated as God promised of those Seven seals, where the whole mystery was revealed, would come back and tell these mysteries was done like that...And yet when that comes in, they walk farther away from it than ever. They're without excuse. (Man that Can Turn on the Light - 63-1229.1M.)

When these Seven Seals was opened, that opened up the entire Bible. The Seven Seals, it was sealed with Seven Mysteries. And in these Seven Seals, held the entire mystery of it, and it was the Book of Redemption—New Testament. Not the Old, it only proclaimed for the New Testament. "They cannot be made perfect without us." (Hebrews 11). See? (Souls In Prison Now - 63-1110.1M.)

If those priests ... They had it fixed up just exactly the way the Messiah was going to come, they knowed what was going to take place. The Pharisees had their idea, the Sadducees, Herodians, and, oh, they had their ideas. But He come not ... He come contrary to every one of them, but exactly with the Word. (Modern Events Made Clear - 65-1206.)

But, see, when God was confirming exactly what He promised, they had it in some kind of a dignified way that Jesus was supposed to come, and the ... I mean the Messiah. The Messiah had to come right to their group or he wasn't Messiah. Well, it's that way, almost, today, "If you don't see through my glasses, you're not looking at all." See, and so that's just the way it is. That's the truth. We hate to think that, but it's absolutely the Truth. (Modern Events Made Clear - 65-1206.)

Don't put your own ... Any man or woman that puts anything to what I say, don't believe what I say. They don't ... They ... Also about these families that have sold out and moved to Sierra Vista, Arizona, where they have interpreted from one of your tapes titled "Little Bethlehem," the rapture will take place in Arizona. Did you advise them to go there?

I certainly did not. When they wrote a letter about that, somebody up here in Connecticut or something, I answered the letter back and said, "You're making the worst move you ever made in your life. Don't you do a thing like that." See, you can't ... Well, you just remember, you people ... Now, you all know that I'm not telling them people to do that; I'm telling them not to do it. But you see, that's got to follow the meeting. Why do people call me Messiah? Why does people ...? They got carry ... Well, one fellow out there showed me the other day, he had a little thing and he was go—carrying on, wanted all the people to be baptized in my name. That'd make me an Antichrist! But I'm not for those things, and all you people know that. But you see, this has got... That only identifies the Message true. Did not they come and try to tell John, that forerun the first coming of Christ, "Aren't you the Messiah?" He said, "I am not! I'm not even worthy to loose His shoes. I'm not even worthy to look at Him." See? But he said, "He that cometh after me ..." Now, Brother Branham, are we missing out on something? These people claim to believe every word that you say to be true. But they don't! They don't believe it. Their own actions prove that they don't. And it makes me misunderstood among the people—see when they're interpreting their own way and saying what I'm saying, see? (Questions & Answers - 64-0823.1M.)

So listen to every word. Catch it. And if you're talking it on tapes or anything, then you stay right with that tape teaching! Don't say nothing but what that tape says! Just say just exactly what the tape says, see, because some of those things ... We're going to understand a whole lot about this now—why it's misunderstood! See. And you be sure to say just what the tape says! Don't say nothing else, see, because ... I don't say that of my own! It's Him that says it! So many times confusion—people will raise up and say, "Well, so-and-so said it meant so-and- so!" Just leave it the way it is! (God In Simplicity - 63-0317.1M.)

Don't add to what I've said, don't take away what I've said. Because, I speak the Truth as far as I know It, as the Father has given to me. See? Don't add to It, just say what I said. (God's Provided Place of Worship - 65-1128.1M.)

That's the reason that all these great mysteries could not be given to Luther, could not be given to Wesley, could not be given to the age that has just passed by us, the Pentecostal age. Why? It wasn't time. They were begotten. Now, the Person of Christ, Himself, the Son of man (you understand?) revealing Himself in human flesh, it could not have come till now. (Questions & Answers - 64-0830.2E.)

Now watch and see where the gates of hell is against. It ain't against the denominations. The government recognizes that. It ain't. The world recognizes our denominations, all of them. We have the right, each one of us as American citizens, we have the rights of denomination, which is fine, we appreciate that. But that's not what the gates of hell's against. It's against the spiritual revelation of Christ being here now, the same yesterday, today, and forever. That's what it's against. "The gates of hell shall be against It, but it shall never prevail." (Discernment of Spirit - 60-0308.)

The Spirit of wisdom comes into the Church to make known to the Church by the revelation of the Holy Ghost—bringing the Church in and revealing what day that we're living in. Just the same as Gabriel come to Daniel, the Holy Spirit comes to the Church in the last days to reveal these great, deep, secret things. Do you understand now? (Seventy Weeks of Daniel - 61-0806.)

Now, what a great hope we have, in this great Faith that we serve tonight. The living God, the Jehovah, the Pillar of Fire is with us! Shows Himself in power, and action, and magnify ... let them take the Picture of Him, the same Jehovah! The Son of God that came from God, went back to God, and dwells in His Church forevermore! There He is! (Hebrews Ch 1 - 57-0821.)

Now in this 13th verse. "Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come, He will guide you unto all Truth. What's going to do that? The Holy Spirit Who will come in the Name of the Lord Jesus.

And when the churches today reject That, how can we ever expect to go to Heaven? When the Holy Spirit was sent to us for a Guide, we'll take some cardinal, some bishop, some general overseer, or somebody like that to guide us, when the Holy Spirit was give to us to guide us.

He said, "How can I understand when there's no man to guide me?" Oh, my! But Philip had the Guide. Amen. And he started from the same Scripture, and preached to him Christ. Amen. Guide! Not tell him some creed, he told him about the Guide, Christ! (A Guide - 62-1014.2E.)

Now, but in this last days there's to come a Spirit of Elijah amongst the people, and he's to do the same thing that they did back there. His nature would be the same thing, the nature of the Church; the nature of the person would be exactly the same thing. And that Message going out trying ... He'd be hated by the people. He'd hate women—ornery ones anyhow, bad ones; love the wilderness; moody, upset guy all the time like Elijah was and like John was. And we've seen all this thing come to pass. (Seventy Weeks of Daniel - 61-0806.)

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (I Corinthians 3:11.)

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:13-20.)

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. Revelation 1:8.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2.)

Wherefore it is also contained in the Scripture, behold I lay in Sion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe He is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner. And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the Word, being disobedient: where unto also they were appointed. (I Peter 2:6-8.)

Now but in this last days, there's to come a Spirit of Elijah amongst the people and he's to do the same thing that they did back there. His nature would be the same thing, the nature of the church; the nature of the person would be the same thing. And the Message going out trying ... he'd be hated by the people. He'd hate women—ornery ones anyhow, bad ones; love the wilderness; moody, upset guy all the time like Elijah was and like John was. And we've seen all this thing come to pass. (Seventy Weeks of Daniel - 61-0806.)

Malachi 4 has come! That's right. It shall be Light about the evening time. (Thinking Man's Filter - 65-0822E.)

Friends, this is the fulfillment of Malachi 4, St. Luke 17, St. John 15, oh so many—Revelation 10—so many prophecies that can be pinned exactly to this day. (Events Made Clear By Prophecy - 65-0801E.)

Notice the very day when this messenger, not when he starts on the ... but when he begins to declare his Message. See? The First Pull, healing; Second Pull, prophesying; Third Pull, the opening of the Word, the mysteries revealed. No more—there's no more higher order to reveal the Word than prophets. But the only way the prophet can be a-vindicated is by the Word. (Anointed Ones - 65-0725.1M.)

And many people praying for a revival, I wonder if there sometimes (if those who are praying,) if their own prayers don't stop up the wells of blessings. When they're cowardly and afraid to trust God, afraid to take Him at His Word, afraid to believe that He still lives today, when His Bible plainly says that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (God Called Man - 58-1005E.)

But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. (II Timothy 2:23.)

See, he knew to wait on the Lord. There is where so many people today bring a reproach upon the Word. They go out with ambition. How many revivals have been left flat because of a thing like that? (Paul A Prisoner 63-0717.)

That's the way we want the Bible—just the way the Bible says it, that's the way we want it—just like that! Don't put your own interpretation to it! It's already interpreted! (God in Simplicity 63-0317.)

Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do (I Timothy 1:4.)

If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. (I Timothy 6:3-5.)

But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies; and contentions, and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition, reject! (Titus 3:9.)

Lord, most any person in here that can move their hands could turn the pages of this Bible. But there's but One among us this morning that can open It; that's the great Holy Ghost, Which is in our midst. Open to us the Word, Lord, as we read, as You did to the disciples, as they went on the road to Emmaus, and begin to explain to them the Scriptures. (Feast of Trumpets - 64-0719.1M.)

In the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of man. What'd the Angel do? He had the Spirit of discernment, and He said as it was then, so will it be when the Son of man is being revealed from heaven. Do you see it? Just think, that in our midst now stands that same Angel of God, which is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ in the form of the Holy Ghost. It's in our midst. In that day and He was God and that was His message just before the destruction come.

Now we notice, it was a message of deliverance. He went down and tried to deliver the people. And they refused to hear Him. And today, it's the same thing in our nation, among the people. I've had the privilege of seeing our Lord Jesus in the meetings do signs and wonders, and great things; and people will actually stand at the platform and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Great immortal infinite God is present and performing the same kind of a miracle and they'll stand there and chew gum and walk off the platform, unconcerned, they don't care, it looks to me like if a man had any kind of a spirituality about him, or the Spirit of God in him, and when he seen the Lord Jesus do just what He said He would do, it would fill his heart in such a way that he couldn't hold his peace any longer. He would set the nation afire with the message. As it was in them days, He said, "So will it be. That Message went forth and they merely laughed at it and mocked at it as someone who was telling some kind of an idle tale. But it was grace and it was deliverance, oh my (Will the Church Go Through the Tribulation - 58-0309E.)

Here He is tonight, proven by His Church, scientifically and all! Oh, friends, why are we so dull. (Jehovah-Jireh #II - 62-0706.)

All those hands up, you mean to tell me, to know that you're standing here in the Presence of God, to know that you're in this condition, and still refuse to come to an altar? What in the world's ahold of you?

The Holy Spirit dropped right in the meeting there. And that Angel of God is standing at the platform. You've been in the meetings, you know what this means. Don't you? (Israel at Kadesh Barnea - 53-0328.)

Do you believe that in this day that we're living, and all this chaos and scientific age like it was in the days of Noah, in the days of Moses, the days of Christ, that God, the great Father of all of us who are born into Him, stands among us today?

This visible Pillar of Fire that's scientifically proven, many years ago as a little boy spoke to me out there, and told me I'd live right here, what would take place. Telling you about it, and then one day down on the river, before the ministry started, first revival, He appeared in the skies, identified Himself and give the commission. All these years I've hid it in my heart, veiling Christ, same Pillar of Fire interpreting the Word, as promised. We're in the last days, just the Coming of the Lord. And if you find yourself outside that veil (which is death to stay out), will you by faith, this morning, say, "By God's help I want to break through that veil. (Unveiling of God - 64-0614.1M.)

Here lays handkerchiefs, laying here. Sick people are everywhere. I pray that the great Holy Spirit that's present, that shows these things, that tells these things, and never fails but what "It's right"; not one time can It fail, because It's God. Let Him anoint these handkerchiefs with His Presence, and heal every sick person that they're laid upon. (He That Is In You - 63-1110.2E.)

He's here, the appearing of Christ. Did you ever try to divide ... There's a place in the Bible, you know, I ain't got time to go into it, says "the appearing of Christ," and then "the Coming of Christ." That's two different things, altogether, the "appearing" and the "Coming." He's appearing now, working with us in the form of the Holy Spirit, making it just perfect, the Church, It has to. (Jehovah Jireh #II - 62-0706.)

Irreverence, you know what it is? They are not conscious of the Presence of God. The world has become so common, and religion has become such a low ebb, until there is no respects, just as it's always been. (Influence - 63-0803.2E.)

Look at them soldiers. We could think, tonight, what a rash and a horrible thing it was for those soldiers to put a rag over the face of our Lord Jesus, to make fun of Him being a Prophet and could know the secrets of the heart. They put a rag over His face, and set Him out there in a courtyard, and took a stick and struck Him on the head with it, and then passed it one to another, and said, "If You be a prophet, prophesy now, tell us the one of us that hit You." See, no respects at all. They couldn't feel no virtue.

But that little woman, with enough faith that could touch His garment, she got her desires. You see, we've got to be, we've got to be conscious of God's Presence.

This little five senses that we live in, that's just a little world of our own. See? But God... That's, we was only given these so we could contact our earthly home. But there is senses beyond that, another dimension.

And God is always present. If we could only remember that. "The Angels of the Lord are encamped about those who fear Him." In this building, tonight, stands Jesus Christ. In this building tonight is hosts of Angels, thousands of them gathered around. You don't see them, but you can feel the influence of them, telling you that they are here. He cannot leave us. He promised not to.

That's the very objective of these meetings, and that's the objective, my brethren, of holding my ministry out from the denominations, is to try to let the people see that Jesus Christ is still alive, that He's here. (Influence - 63-0803.2E.)

And it's the same Holy Spirit, God's General, the Chief Captain that stood at the gates of Jericho when Joshua come up. The same Chief Captain, or General, wants to lead us into the promise land, and He's the only one can do it. Our organizations will not do it. "Thus Saith the Lord." Mark that down. Put that in your book and see if that was right or not. (Church Choosing Law for Grace - 61-0316.)

People are looking forward to a great something to come, and you're at the end of what has already come. The last signs has been given to the Gentile church. (Discerning the Body of the Lord - 59-0812.)

Show us Your presence, for we believe that You have raised from the dead, and our Spirit discerns that You are here the same Jesus, yesterday, today and forever. You're here in the form of the Holy Ghost to work through Your Church; to heal and to save. Hear us, Lord, as I commit to You these people and myself in the Name of Jesus, God's Son. Amen.

... the God of heaven... that controls all things will say, "William Branham, come forth," and I'll come in His likeness! Hallelujah! That same God by the Holy Ghost is dwelling among us tonight. In the Shekinah glory, proving Himself by the same natural signs that He did!

I'm not a healer. I'm a man. I'm your brother. Christ is your Healer if you can just recognize Him to be here. The only thing that you have to recognize—that He is not a myth; He is not some historical god; He is a God present—Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever—right now! Do you believe He is here? Would you discern It?

That is the same Jesus! It is the same Angel! Have you got discernment to discern the Lord's Body? (Discerning the Body of the Lord - 59-0812.)

Come now to the Lord Jesus all who want to lose their guilty stains ... Christ is here! Come forward now while He is here. (Eleventh Commandment.)

Oh, if they could forget the illiterate messengers, and remember: It's not the messenger, It's the Message! He's come down again with us in a form of a Pillar of Light. And He moves with His same miracles and signs: nothing out of the Bible, staying right with the Bible...(Hebrews Ch 2 #II - 57-0825.2E.)

Do you believe now that you're in His presence? All right. Go believing, and you'll be well. Amen. (Jehovah Jireh - 62-0706.)

That's the way a genuine healing comes, when it's revealed to you that "He was wounded for your transgressions, bruised for your iniquity, and with His stripes you were healed." When it's inspired to you to see His Presence here, of St. Mark 11... or St. Luke 17:30, that He's going to reveal Hisself in the last days (among His people, in human flesh) like He did before Sodom. When you see that, and something strikes you! (I Have Heard But Now I See - 65-1127.2E.)

Now why did you come? Because you believe. You're convinced that God is in our midst. He is here tonight. He's here working in great signs and wonders.

Our heavenly father, we bring to You tonight thus audience, with the Holy Ghost in our midst, present now, making His Word live new again. (Jehovah Jireh #II - 62-0707.)

In the Name of Jesus Christ, in His presence, if you can believe what you've seen to be the truth and coming from God, I ask you in Jesus Christ's Name, stand up and accept it then, say, "I will accept it." (The Super Sign - 63-1129.)

And to think that you can come apart and gather like this, where as the Psalmist said, "Behold how sweet and pleasant for brethren to dwell together in unity." It's like the anointing oil that was on Aaron's beard, that ran to the hems of his garments. Which, that anointing oil ... Which, you know what the anointing oil done, it preserved him to go in the Presence of God. See, he had to be anointed with that oil before he went in the Presence of God. And when brethren can dwell together in unity, it's likened unto that oil. We then enter into the Presence of the Lord, with that anointing of brethren together in unity. Oil represents the "Holy Spirit." (Power of Transformation 65-1031.1M.)

In Revelation 3, said, "I counsel of thee to buy from Me salve, that your eyes might be opened, that you might see your nakedness." The salve is God's Word, the healing of the eyes that brings you from natural things of the world, and transforms you, by the power of God, into His Presence.

Father God, in the Presence of You, as we assemble here this morning in this, taking a lengthy, long, drawed-out Message, and, O Lord, I pray that You will place them Seeds out in the hearts of these people. (Power of Transformation - 65-1031.1M.)

If there is anything that I can do to make myself perfect in the Presence of God, then Christ did not have to die for me. If there is one thing that you can do, that would merit anything in the Presence of God, then Christ died in vain. No law-keeping, no legalistic ideas of yours, none of your own holiness, no things that you could quit doing, quit lying, quit stealing, quit smoking tobacco, quit going to the picture shows, still you are lost.

He absolutely with His Own Blood purchased our sins, and perfected forever, His believers. Therefore, in Christ we stand blameless, perfected in the Presence of God Almighty. We are underprivileged people, with our own doctrines; we all been taught that we have to get up to a certain place, we have to do a certain thing. No, my brother, it's nothing you've done; it's what God did for you! We are now, if we are justified by faith, we are perfected forever in the Presence of God. (Perfection - 57-0419.)

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