1.    MARRIAGE CUSTOMS AT BIBLE TIMES.

2.    THE BRIDE IS ESPOUSED TO CHRIST BY THE MESSENGERS.

3.    WE MAKE OURSELVES READY TO BE MARRIED TO THE LAMB.

4.    THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY.

5.    THE CONSUMMATION OF THE MARRIAGE.

6.    A VERY SAD CONCLUSION.

MARRIAGE CUSTOMS AT BIBLE TIMES.

Most of the recorded events in the Bible took place in the “middle east”, as that region is known all over the world. Therefore, the Bible is an eastern Book based on oriental and eastern customs.

Now that may seem strange to just the mind that has never studied the Oriental customs. We have so many customs, so many things, the Bible was written an eastern Book, for an eastern people. We are a western people trying to put east—western interpretation to an eastern Book.
E-76 JEHOVAH JIREH -- OAKLAND CA -- 57-0326

All the ancient marriage customs and ceremonies which are mentioned in the Bible are of eastern origin. But some of these customs differed from place to place and changed over many centuries, it is therefore not possible to establish a unique tradition. The marriage ceremony was always in two parts, the first was called kiddushin or erusin , the betrothal or espousal. The second part took place at a later date and was called nissu'in which means “Marriage proper.” It was also called huppah, or chuppah , after either the Groom's house to which the Bride was led or the canopy which represents that house. Sometimes it refers to the “nuptial cubicle” in which the marriage was consummated.

The Bride and the Bridegroom were not allowed to come together till they were led to the “nuptial cubicle.” The first and the second part of the marriage was celebrated with a feast which could last for days, Samson's kiddushin lasted for seven days according to Judges 14:12. For those families who could afford it, seven festive days were celebrated if the Bride was known to be a virgin. But if she was a widow or a divorcee, the celebration was shorter and less elaborate. Like in the case of Sampson, the betrothal was often held at the Bride's place and it was mostly arranged by one or more friends chosen by the Bridegroom or by other members of the family. In St. John 2:8+9, at the marriage of Cana, this chosen person was called the governor or the ruler of the feast.

Until the destruction of the Temple, both the Bride and the Groom wore distinctive headdresses, sometimes crowns of gold or decorative wreaths. For the marriage of a virgin, not for a divorcee or a widow, special rituals took place. The Bride wore a hinnumah , a special bridal veil or a special bridal dress which was used in the marriage procession and at the ceremony. At some places the custom was that the Bride changed her dress after the “marriage proper,” after the consummation of the marriage in the “nuptial cubicle,” to continue the celebration of the marriage feast no longer as the Bride, but as the wedded wife with her husband.

All things in the natural are types of things in Spiritual. We understand that. See? The natural only types the Spiritual.
E-13 THE COUNTDOWN -- SHREVEPORT LA -- 62-1125.2E

I just happened to look across to some young people that is going to get married, so I was thinking of bride and bridegroom. All right. What's that a type of? In the natural it's a type of the Spiritual Bride and Bridegroom.
E-19 THE COUNTDOWN

Some of the customs of these biblical marriage ceremonies and some from the western marriage traditions will be incorporated as types at the soon coming grand marriage of the Son of God to His virgin Bride. In many parts of the world, there used to be a custom were the Bridegroom appointed a special representative to go from place to place and personally invite the guests for the wedding. In some regions, it was a great honour for a man to be chosen to be that messenger.

Not for seven days, but for seven church ages seven chosen, honorable messengers have been sent and have been anointed from the Throne of the Bridegroom to proclaim a kiddushin , to invite, gather and espouse or betroth a section each of the virgin Bride for the Lord. All the children of the Lord, all the sons and daughters of God united as one Body is called the Bride. All those sons and daughters who have died already are waiting in Heaven for the last predestinated child of God to be sealed in, to complete the Body of Christ, before the Angel can proclaim that time shall be no more.

THE BRIDE IS ESPOUSED TO CHRIST BY THE MESSENGERS

The Apostle Paul, the messenger to the first church age wrote to one of his churches:

2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy:
for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as
a chaste virgin to Christ.

The Apostle Paul told his church that he has already espoused them to their future Husband, but at a later time, at the “Marriage proper,” he would finally present them as a chaste virgin to Christ. Brother Branham, the seventh and last messenger, has come and gone, his recorded Message will soon reach the final corners of the world to catch that last member of the Bride of Jesus Christ.

I'm your father in the Gospel as Paul said there. I have begotten you to Christ, and now, I-- I espouse you to Christ; that's engage you to Christ as a chaste virgin . Don't let me down! Don't let me down! You stay a chaste virgin.
253 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- JEFF. IN -- COD 1049 -- 64-0823.2E

Now I'd like to pass this on, before we go further. “ Espousing ,” in the East, was the same as marriage , is betrothal. As soon as they—as they were espoused, they were married . When that sacred vow between them was taken, read Deuteronomy 22:23, and you'll find out that when this woman and man agree to be married (yet they did not take the vows for month later), if they even broke that vow, they were guilty of adultery . That's right. When they was espoused, they were just the same as marriage. The law had not given them rights to live together as husband and wife yet, but before God, when they promised one another, their words were sealed in God's Kingdom. And, to break that, was just committing adultery. And now Joseph was “espoused” to Mary.
66 WE HAVE SEEN HIS STAR -- TUCSON AZ -- 63-1216

To be espoused is as good as married, even so the official marriage ceremony has not taken place yet. That is why we find quotes from the Prophet which say that we are married already, and others say that we will go to the marriage ceremony, the “Marriage proper,” after the last one has come in.

Think of it, Mister. We're not only engaged, but we are married . The Church is married to Christ. We are the Wife of Christ, bringing forth children.
87 THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD -- JEFF. IN -- 57-0417

He was misunderstood in His birth when He was born. And Mary was to be mother before she was married to Joseph. Misunderstood. They thought It was born out of holy wedlock, they did not know that the Holy Ghost had conceived this child in her. But it was misunderstood. It was an act of God and people misunderstood it.
189 GOD BEING MISUNDERSTOOD -- JEFF. IN -- COD 631 -- 61-0723.2E

When Adam come to his wife she was pregnant. She had done something. She was mixed. She was—hybrid the child, and it died. But when Joseph come to his bride, she was pregnated, but with Life . Adam's wife, or Adam's bride, when Adam— before they came together —just like Joseph and Mary, just like Christ and the Church now (don't you see it? See)--and before they came together (Adam and Eve), she was pregnated with the corrupt seed from the serpent; and when Adam come to his wife he found her pregnated to death. See? Death! How?--spiritually, physically dead; but when Joseph, the human, come to his wife (glory! Can't hardly hold her!), she was pregnated with Life , the Word of God flesh among you!
83-3 THE SPOKEN WORD IS THE ORIGINAL SEED -- JEFF. IN -- 62-0318.2E

My! Christ is now taking Himself a Bride to be pregnated with His Own Seed-Word in Her womb (spirit womb) and... in Her mind, and won't mix with any denominational trash with it. She is a virgin to Him.
98-1 THE SPOKEN WORD IS THE ORIGINAL SEED

The espoused Eve and Mary were pregnated before the “Marriage proper,” and the same is taking place with the Bride of the Lord Jesus. But the difference was that Eve lost her virginity during her defiant act, but Mary and the Bride conceived in obedience to God without disturbing the virgin veil.

And the only way that we can ever be borned again is first in the womb of the mind receive the Word, and then the Spirit comes on top of that and brings it. There you are.
91-2 THE SPOKEN WORD IS THE ORIGINAL SEED

Mary gave birth to the baby Jesus, Who grew up to be the manifestation of the Word of God made flesh on earth. The new birth also produces a literal “Baby,” which is called a Theophany Body. We must feed this Word-Body continuously with the Word of God to make it grow because it will be that Body which will reach the Stature of the perfect Man at the end of time. The strength or weakness of every individual saint is a reflection of his or her Theophany Body at the Spirit land yonder.

Then, after you recognize the very Word of God was Eagle Food, then you left the other thing. You've then been formed into the living image of the living God. You heard from your Theophany . “If this earthly body be dissolved, we have one waiting.”
88 WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC -- JEFF. IN -- 65-0221.2E

As I said in the beginning, what you are somewhere else is what you reflect here . What you are, what your celestial or terrestial body is up yonder , what your celestial body is somewhere else is what you're reflecting back here. In the Spirit land , what you are, is what you are here.
78 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- JEFF. IN -- COD 71 -- 54-0103.1M

The Archangel Gabriel appeared to the highly favoured virgin Mary with a Message from God.

St. Luke 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb,
and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

Mary had to overcome fear and doubt and accept that Angel's Message in the womb of her mind.

St. Luke 1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord;
be it unto me according to thy word ...

When Mary opened her mind to receive the Message, the Holy Spirit came upon her and the power of the Highest overshadowed her while the spoken Word of the Angel created in her natural womb the fertilized egg which developed into that “Holy Thing” which was born of her, the Son of God.

Like all the saints of the previous six church ages, we have overcome all fear and doubt and have recognized and accepted the Message from God for our day and age. We opened our wombs of our minds and experienced the power of the Highest upon us in justification, sanctification and felt the Holy Spirit coming upon us to help us to understand the spoken Words of the last messenger and Prophet William Branham. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit to deliver his Message, the end time seed sign, to the end time Bride which was accompanied with great signs and wonders.

St. Luke 8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God .

The womb of the mind which willingly receives the spoken Word of the angel's Message is actually receiving the seed for the new birth which is the birth of the Theophany body. Through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we receive the earnest of our full salvation, until the day of Redemption. In other words, with the Holy Spirit baptism we are espoused to our Bridegroom till the “Marriage proper” on the day of our full Redemption. The Bible tells us what the Bridegroom said to His future Bride:

St. John 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except
ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood , ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh , and drinketh my blood , hath eternal life;
and I will raise him up at the last day.

The Serpent told Eve something similar in a perverted, carnal way (the blood is in the male sperm), and the result was the birth of Cain. We, the earthly Bride of Jesus Christ have an invisible union with our heavenly Bridegroom Who is serving us spiritual communion. We eat His flesh and drink His Blood symbolically, which has no effect on our natural stature, but is like a “navel-cord” to feed our spiritual Theophany Word Body into which we will enter at the end of time. We are not talking about the monthly ritual at the communion table, but our individual communion with our Lord.

Our love for the Word of God draws the spiritual substance from Christ to feed the “Christchild,” our Theophany bodies which bear our features. At the coming of the Lord, we will enter that body and go to meet Him. The Theophany Word Body will actually be our wedding dress.

I hope He'll crown my ministry with this, of letting me take the clothes of the Word , and dress His Bride in the cloth of the Word , and for His righteousness. I hope He'll crown me and let me stand there on that day, and say, “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”
And I've not shunned to declare to you the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ. And my heart's desire is to meet the Church which He has died for, clothed in the righteousness of His Own Blood, dressed in His Word and the righteousness of His Word, for His Word can never fail. And therefore, I know if I'll stand by the Word and be true to the Word, and if the Word abides in me and I in Him, at that day I'll be happy that I stayed true.
121+123 PRESENT STAGE OF MY MINISTRY -- JEFF. IN -- 62-0908

...and we commit ourselves with our offering of the church this morning to You for service, for the latter day Light for the evening time—the Light that we might bring consolation and faith to the waiting people that's waiting for the coming of the Bridegroom to dress a Bride in the Gospel of Christ for the Lord Jesus to receive.
17-1 GOD IN SIMPLICITY -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0317.1M

WE MAKE OURSELVES READY TO BE MARRIED TO THE LAMB

The spoken Word of the Messenger is calling the believers into the mystical Body of Christ, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit will prepare each individual to be a member of His Bride and to be ready without spot or wrinkle at that future day of the coming of the Lord, to be married to the Lamb.

And then when a man or a woman is called to the mystical Body of Christ, by the Holy Spirit, they become a full member of His Body when they're filled with the Holy Ghost, 'cause God took the Spirit out of Christ, raised up His body and placed it on His Throne, and sent back the Holy Spirit, to make up the mystical Body of Christ , which will be united at the Marriage Supper at the Coming of the Lord .
36 FIVE DEFINITE IDENTIFICATIONS -- JEFF. IN -- 60-0911.2E

And we know that those that are going to make up that Bride is going to be His Church, and they're going to appear before Him without spot or wrinkle . And they have the material on earth now to make themselves ready.
E-31 MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB -- PHOENIX AZ -- 62-0121.2E

Let the Holy Spirit, Lord, bring this people to a full surrender to God tonight. May the great Father of our Lord Jesus Christ sanctify them, soul, body, and spirit. Place them into the body of the Lord Jesus Christ; for the marriage of the Lamb is at hand, and His Bride has made herself ready . Oh, Lord may this be the night of preparation, for tomorrow may be the day we meet Him . We don't know what hour we will be called on to meet Him .
E-132 MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB

Did you notice here in the 19 th chapter, “ After these things”? Watch what? After what? After the Message of: Come out of her! “After these things” (watch) “Is the shout of the Bride saints, with the Bridegroom , going to the Marriage of the Lamb .” How close are we then, brother? What's the last call? Come out of Babylon!
220 WHY I AM AGAINST ORGANIZED RELIGION -- JEFF. IN -- 62-1111.2E

The capping of the pentecostal message is what we're speaking of today. This ministry of the Christ Himself impersonated among His people, with the very same things that He did when He was here on earth; in His Body, the Bride , which is part of Him, doing the same things, as Husband and Wife, or King and Queen, just before the Marriage ceremony.
10 ONE IN A MILLION -- LOS ANGELES CA -- 65-0425.1M

But He's calling not a church group, but a people for His Name, that receives His Name, engaged in His Name , going to a wedding to be married to Him, to become part of Him (see?), by predestination.
32 GOD OF THIS EVIL AGE -- JEFF. IN -- 65-0801.1M

Brother Branham conducted many wedding ceremonies, and he always explained that a natural wedding is a type of the great Marriage ceremony in Glory when Christ and His Bride become One.

My first duty, as I came into the new church, I married a young man and woman standing in the office. May it be a type that I'll be a loyal minister to Christ to get a Bride ready for the ceremonies of that day.
3-5 GOD IN SIMPLICITY -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0317.1M

Now, I like to think of weddings. I've had the privilege of marrying quite a few people. And I think when I bring a young man and a young woman down to the alter, and see them come down through the church—and she, pretty with her wedding garment on , and the veil over her face and hanging down; and the bridegroom straight, dressed beautiful, and young, and full of vigor—as they walk down there in their very best of life, and take that marriage vow, I think there's something sweet about it. There's something sacred, because that it reminds me that there will be another great wedding some day , when Christ's Bride will come walking down the corridors of glory . The Bridegroom will have everything ready. There'll be a wedding, and a supper.
E-35 MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB -- PHOENIX AZ -- 62-0121.2E

As I see two walking out like that, coming to be joined, I always get a picture of the Coming of Christ for His Bride . I'm trusting that we will all be a part of that Bride, that day. He shall come, too. That's the happiest moment of this young people's life. That will be the happiest moment of a Christian life, when we're joined to Christ as One. The Lord bless you. Let's stand.
Heavenly Father, as our eyes has been turned to a wedding this morning. We're thinking of some glorious morning when Jesus shall come , and there will be another Wedding ; when the redeemed of all ages , that's been redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb, shall be partakers of His Life also , the Eternal Life, and we will have a body like His glorious body in which He lived now. We long for that hour. As we leave this room this morning, may it be afresh upon our hearts and out lives, dedicated, at that great Wedding that we're going some day . In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen.
E-6 WEDDING CEREMONY -- SHREVEPORT LA -- 63-1201.WED

We are minded, O God, of another great Procession there will be someday, when Jesus comes to receive His Bride . And as we witnessed the little lady standing spotless, in her bridal gown, O God, may we keep our souls unspotted from the things of the world, that we might be loved by Him Who is our Lover, when we come to that hour . Grant it, Lord. And we pray that Your blessings will be with each of us, and may we live for that time when we will take part in that great event that this symbolizes. In Jesus' Name... Amen.
E-6 WEDDING CEREMONY -- TUCSON AZ -- 65-0116.WED

That Great Wedding we are eagerly waiting for includes the whole Bride, all the saints of all ages whose names are recorded in the Marriage register, the Lamb's Book of Life. The living saints must join the dead in Christ for this greatest event in human history which is the day of our Redemption.

See, Christ had left earth then, He had gone up into Glory. The Church age was through , showed that His Spirit was finished here. And He had gone into Glory and was calling for John to come up, and He showed him what else was going to take place. “Come up hither.
115 REVELATION CHAPTER FOUR PART 1 -- JEFF. IN -- 60-1231

To everyone who hears this Word, John represented him ... he represented the entire Church ; that, every man or woman, boy or girl that ever believed in Christ and accepted Him on the same grounds, he'll be summmonsed someday, “Come up hither!” be caught up before the Tribulation. Remember, the Tribulation time hasn't set in yet.
176 REVELATION CHAPTER FOUR PAET 1

Oh, I want you to notice what will take place. There was Moses , first; that's all the six ages that they slept , six church ages. Not only that, but Elijah was there; the messenger of the last day, with his group , or it was transfigured the Raptured . Amen! Now, in the future, waiting the Coming .
139 REVELATION CHAPTER FOUR PART 1

The living saints, represented by Elijah on Mt. Transfiguration and by John in Revelation 4:1, will be translated, or Raptured, to be united with all the betrothed saints who had died during the previous ages. After the last sheep has come into the fold, and we will be called to “Come up hither,” we will drop this robe of flesh and enter into the waiting Theophany Word body to be “dressed” like all the dead saints who are in Heaven, waiting for us to arrive and be joined together for the great event.

There they was, standing on mount transfiguration, in their theophany , for they were prophets to whom the Word came to.
89 WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC? -- JEFF. IN -- 65-0221.2E

Our innermost beings today, our hearts are overrun with joy, when we think that someday, this old earthly tabernacle that we're now dwelling in, like the cage that holds the bird, this lump of clay, our souls will take it's flight like the bird from the cage someday, to the arms of its Lover . When we see You coming , this robe of flesh will drop and rise.
63 FELLOWSHIP BY REDEMPTION -- JEFF. IN -- 55-0403

And then when this robe of flesh is dropped , there is a natural body, theophany —a body not made with hands, neither born of a woman— that we go to . Then that body returns back and picks up the glorified body .
78 WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC -- JEFF. IN -- 65-0221.2E

And from out of this chaos of this modern scientific Eden that we're living in, of culture and—and science and education, all this modern stuff, we'll rise ! “This robe of flesh we'll drop , and rise and seize the everlasting prize ,” someday.
324 THE POWER OF TRANSFORMATION -- PRESCOTT AZ -- 65-1031.1M

“We which are alive and remain” ( that's the bodies left on earth ) “will not prevent or hinder them which are asleep.”
176 THE RAPTURE -- YUMA AZ -- 65-1204

Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess, as She propels Her way in yonder , into the glorious realms of—of Heaven, to be married to Her Bridegroom. God help us to live for that day !
90 COUNTDOWN -- BAKERSFIELD CA -- 64-0209

Revelation 5:13a And every creature which is in heaven , and on the earth ,
and under the earth , and such as are in the sea , and all that are in them ,
heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him...

All the saints will be gathered in Heaven, while the “dropped” physical bodies of the living saints will remain on the earth , and the physical bodies of the dead saints will still be in the grave under the earth or in the sea when we all together will enter in to seize the everlasting prize. Our souls will be dressed in our Theophany bodies, and we will be arrayed in fine linen, spotless and white.

Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for
the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen , clean
and white : for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

And I heard as it was the voice of a great multitude ,... (Listen! Here you are, church. After She went up in the 3 rd chapter , here She comes. See?) And I ... (The 6 th verse.)... And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a mighty thundering, saying, Hallelujah: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (Hallelujah! Watch! The marriage of the Lamb comes now. Here She comes!)
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife has made herself ready. (Here She comes, both Bride and Bridegroom.)
133 SIXFOLD PURPOSE OF GABRIEL'S VISIT -- JEFF. IN -- 61-0730.2E

THE MARRIAGE CEREMONY

A natural Wedding ceremony starts when the Bride arrives at the church. The final adjustments are made before her father leads the veiled Bride up the steps into the church, and up the aisle to the front of the church where the bridegroom is waiting to receive her.

The millions of saints who make up the Bride of the Lord Jesus, the living and the dead, will gather at the east side of the gate behind the Curtain of time, before we will be called to “Come up hither.” Then we, the Bride, will be led up to appear before the Throne of God as Revelation 4 explains.

... after the church ages was over, we find then that John was a type of every true believer that will be summonsed by Christ on High . That right? Summoned, “ Come up hither .”
41 REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR... PART 2 -- JEFF. IN -- 61-0108

The first thing, we get together . Not until we get together will we go together to meet Him . Mothers and fathers will meet one another. Children and loved ones will meet one another, and then be caught up in the air to meet the Lord . And when we stand there, singing redemption songs . And Angels, with a circle around the earth will stand with bowed heads, not knowing what they're talking about. They never was lost.
E-90 BE NOT AFRAID -- RICHMOND VA -- 61-0311

On that morning, I want you to go to the East side of the gate ,” and I said, “I want you to stand there. And when... It'll be terrible down here.” I said, “If—if I die before He comes, I will be sleeping out there.” I said, “We will get together. But if I'm somewhere on the field and be taken up, ” I said, “you go there and wait for the children, and stand there by the side of the gate . And then when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob coming in, start screaming, 'Bill, Bill, just as loud as you can.” I said, “ I will answer you there .”
E-63 LIFE STORY -- LITTLE ROCK AR -- 50-0200

This last conversation Brother Branham had with his dying wife is verified in Luke13:24-30.

I believe we're all going up now, one of these days. And if we happen to fall asleep before that time, I'm taken from you, remember, I will meet you over there . I know it's there . The very visions that's told you everything, being perfect has come to pass just as He said.
295 IS YOUR LIFE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0630.2E

And there that morning the Quickening Power come. And He let me look over the curtain , and I seen all of you over there . See, see? He said, “All that you ever loved and all loves you, He'll give to you .” See? I seen them all over there like that.
44-5 THE RISING OF THE SUN -- JEFF. IN -- 65-0418.1M

According to Revelation 5, we will be standing before Almighty God and we will see this Book in His right hand, the title deed of the whole earth which Adam lost in Eden. After the Angel's call for some one to claim this Book, we will witness the appearing of the bloody Lamb, our Kinsman Redeemer, our Saviour and Bridegroom Who will be the only One worthy to take that Book. Then we will praise and worship Him, and sing those redemption songs knowing that redemption has been paid for.

Here it is, every way could be proven He's here. The next thing you'll see of Him, will be His corporal body coming in glory . Then he that's filthy is filthy still; he that's righteous is righteous still; and he that's holy is holy still. The time will be over .
E-84 LOVE -- SASKATOON SK -- 57-0519.2E

He changed His stream from the Almighty to be a man to take on the form of man, so He could die to redeem man. Wait 'til we see Him, when there is nobody worthy .
89-3 THE BREACH -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0317.2E

And it came from Adam , all the way down through all the Apostles, and Prophets, and everything else, and nobody was found. Now, what about that? Nobody in Heaven , nobody on earth , nobody that ever lived. Elijah was standing there. Moses was standing there. All the Apostles were standing there. All the ones that had died —all the holy man and Job and the sages. Everyone was standing there , and nobody was worthy even to look at the Book, let alone take it and break the Seals!
93-2 THE BREACH

He took the Book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the Throne. Who was it?--the Owner, the original Owner that had the Book of Redemption in His right hand, and no Angel, no angelic Being— nothing else could take the place. And this bloody Lamb walked out and took the Book out of His hand. What was it? Brother, this is the most sublime thing in the Scriptures ... Now it belongs to the Lamb. Amen.
102-4 THE BREACH

Talk about redeeming grace , you'll hear my voice , I know you will. Not only mine, but every one , you will hear their voice when they sing the story, “Redeeming grace,” how He redeemed us . And now we only have the attributes of it. We're only got the down payment, the earnest of it. Someday we'll have it in full payment.
54 GOD HATH A PROVIDED WAY -- JEFF. IN -- 56-0108

...before the world ever begin, when the morning stars were singing together and the sons of God shouted for joy . Run Him down the horizontal rainbow, in the second coming.
E-12 THE EAGEL STIRRING HER NEST -- NEW ENGLAND AREA -- 58-0500

Oh! Hallelujah! Talk about this shouting and praising and glorifying, magnifying the Lamb! One day when the Angels stand around the earth, the curvature of the earth, with bowed heads, and hear the little Blood-washed group sing them redemptive songs of the Blood of Jesus Christ, O God, I want to be joined with them.
131 FALLING APART OF THE WORLD -- JEFF. IN -- 62-1216

At the regular wedding, the father of the bride is handing his daughter over to the bridegroom, he is “giving her away” and is handing over the responsibility for her wellbeing to her future husband.

Every church age messenger is the “Gospel-father” to the believers of the age he was sent to. His spoken Word message, anointed by the heavenly Angel, brought forth a section of Christ's Bride. Every messenger will have the privilege to present his part of the Bride to Christ, our Bridegroom.

1 Corinthians 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors
in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I
have begotten you through the gospel.

You're my children that I have begotten to Christ. I claim every one of you. I claim you tonight; I claim you all time; I always claim you and that—as my brother and sister. You're my children; I—I'm your father in the Gospel, not father as it would be a priest, I'm—I'm your father in the Gospel as Paul said there.
253 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- JEFF. IN -- COD 1049 -- 64-0823.2E

You are my children; I have begotten you to Christ through this Gospel that I preach . See? And I—I—I want you to raise up fully matured kids, or—or children. And I want to present you to Christ that day, as Paul said, “A chaste virgin.”
76 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- JEFF. IN -- COD 1078 -- 64-0830.1M

Then, remember Paul was given a special promise: that of presenting the people of the Bride in his day to Jesus , 2 Corinthians 11:2 “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy; for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” So it will be with every messenger who has been faithful to the Word of his hour and his age . It will be so in the last day.
209-2 THE CHURCH AGE BOOK

The following quote is tremendous, it confirms without any doubt that the Coming of the Lord, and the Marriage ceremony, and the Judgment of the righteous Bride is one and the same event.

You—you are my honey's. You know what? Let... Here's a Scripture come. Paul said, “I am jealous over you (his Church) with godly jealous, for I espouse you.” There you are, that's got it. That's it. “For I espouse you, engage you to Christ, as a chaste virgin .”
Now, if that was true then on that day, he said (them, the people said to me ), said, “Jesus will come to you , and you will present us to Him ,” a chased virgin. Judged by the Word that you preached to them. And, look, if I preach to you just what Paul preached to his church, if his group gets in ours will too , 'cause we got the same thing. Amen.
233 + 234 ADOPTION... PART 2 -- JEFF. IN -- 60-0518

And that Voice said, “This is perfect love, and everything that you ever loved and everything that ever loved you is here with you now. And you'll present us to the Lord Jesus when He comes , as trophies of your ministry.”
91 ADOPTION... PART 4 -- JEFF. IN -- 60-0522.2E

There's coming a real church , I believe... trying to do my part to present it , have it ready the best I know how, to present my part in my age to Christ when He comes .
E-197 THE SIGN OF HIS COMING -- CLEVELAND TN -- 62-0407

As a general practice, the father leads the bride up to the altar and presents her to the bridegroom with a veil over her face. The veil represents her innocence and virginity. It is the responsibility of the father that his daughter remains pure and undefiled till he hands her over to the bridegroom.

The church age messengers will present the Bride to the Lord Jesus as a veiled Virgin. She will not be “man-handled” by false doctrines and creeds and dogmas contrary to the Message of their day and age. With the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon us, we understand where Eve failed, and we do “know “ the difference between right and wrong and good and evil. According to the dictionary, the word “know” has different definitions, it means: To perceive directly, or to have understanding, to be aware of the truth ect. It also means: To have sexual intercourse with.

When Christ comes to His Bride, She will be a Virgin like Mary was, for God will not bring Christ through the womb of a whore, and neither will He bring the Bride. He can't bring His Word through a whore of His Word . Them's horrible words, but that's what the Bible said. I'm saying what It said because this has got to be understood.
The true Bride , like Mary, will have a virgin womb for the Bride of the Word , which is Christ. When Christ, the Word, comes to the Bride, She will be the same as He is — a virgin by the Word. I hope—I hope it's going over...
82-6 SPOKEN WORD IS THE ORIGINAL SEED -- JEFF.IN -- 62-0318.2E

It'll not be touched . There'll be no denominational man-handling in the virgin birth of the Bride. No, sir! She's—she's commanded by God to come out of such . “Touch not their unclean things... become vultures.”
111 SEED IS NOT HEIR WITH THE SHUCK -- JEFF. IN -- 65-0218

So that shows the virgincy of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bride will have to be unadulterated the Word , not one Word missing nowhere. Certainly.
40-5 MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE -- JEFF. IN -- 65-0221.1M

From a little group of the true seed of the Word, God will present Christ with a beloved Bride. She is a virgin of His Word . She is a virgin because she knows no man-made creeds or dogmas. By and through the members of the Bride will be fulfilled all that was promised of God to be made manifest in the virgin .
171-4 THE CHURCH AGE BOOK

... someday we'll be presented before Christ, blameless, as a chaste virgin, a part of that great Church that's to come before Him .
152 THE FALLING APART OF THE WORLD -- JEFF. IN -- 62-1216

After the bridegroom has received the veiled bride from her father, he folds the veil back over her head, he “unveils” his future wife with this ceremonial gesture.

When the Lord Jesus receives His Bride, He will lift the veil She has over Her face. Then we will clearly see our exact place in Christ, every member's literal position in the full Word. The complete redemption story will be fully known, this great mystery which is hidden in the mind of God since the foundation of the world. Then we will know the Revelation of Jesus Christ in it's entirety, when we will hear the seven Thunders utter Their Voices. Over there, dressed in our Theophany bodies, in that other dimension yonder, we will understand all that which we cannot comprehend over here.

And, oh, just remember us, Lord, that we're human flesh in a dark world , a world of darkness and sin and chaos. And we're looking through a veil , as it was, over our face , and we only see and know as we do humanly here. But someday when that veil's lifted , we'll see You face to face and know as we're known. That's the day that we long for.
358 Q. & A. ON HEBREWS PART 2 -- JEFF. IN -- COD 268 -- 57-1002

He knew before the foundation of the world who's names were written on the Book , and redeemed them back to Hisself. There you are, the story of redemption cannot be fully known until we see Him and we stand in His likeness.
81 BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT -- JEFF. IN -- 58-0928.1M

Now, notice “Redemption.” After, immediately after His intercession was done for the Church, then He reveals Hisself as the Kinsman Redeemer. You follow that now? And now He's going to reveal to the Church how He did it . And then if this revelation has already started, then that proves we're at the end of the road. Amen!
138 REVELATION CHAPTER 5 PART 2 -- JEFF. IN -- 61-0618

The seven Thunders in Heaven will unfold this mystery . It'll be right at the coming of Christ, because Christ said no one knew when He would return.
575-5 THE SEVENTH SEAL -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0324.2E

...it is a complete mystery, therefore, the hour is not yet for this mystery to be known , therefore, we're this far and the rest of it will be known right around about the time that Jesus appears on earth again for His Bride, or whatever takes place at that time.
576-7 THE SEVENTH SEAL

Thanks be to God, that finishes the Message to the Church. That finishes it, when they look back and see what has been , and see where it's all brought up to, that finishes it, the age of the church.
20-3 FEAST OF THE TRUMPETS -- JEFF. IN -- 64-0719.1M

And so was all the mysteries of God waiting for this last day. After it's already been completed, then He reveals ; He shows what He's done... Never gave the mystery in full .
33-1 CHRIST IS THE MYSTERY -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0728

Now you see the Seals? When He was in His meditorial work back there redeeming. But some day He comes forth to get this Book that He's redeemed, and all that's in this Book will be Him, for that's the believer, the Word's in the Book , and the Word is Him, and all that's in It. He come forth for this Book of Redemption, who's names are written...
75-3 CHRIST IS THE MYSTERY

And there, Father, we'll know when You come and the great Book is opened , we will understand then .
191 IDENTIFICATION -- TULARE CA -- 64-0216

We haven't seen Him, but we have felt Him. We know Him now as much as our limiting senses can let us . But one day it will be face to face. That is for this age. He is coming at the end of this age. Partial realization will be made PERFECT REALIZATION , COMPLETE REALIZATION. Hallelujah! We have been looking through a glass darkly , but soon it will be face to face. We have been going from glory to glory, but soon it will be right in the glory ; and in HIS GLORY WE'LL SHINE. WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM, WONDROUSLY LIKE HIM, JESUS OUR SAVIOUR DIVINE!
334-1 THE CHURCH AGE BOOK

Partial realization will certainly be replaced with perfect and complete realization at that time and place yonder when the veil is lifted by the Bridegroom Himself. This full Revelation of Jesus Christ can only come at the end of the church ages, at the conclusion of the New Testament. According to the Prophet, the story of Redemption can only be fully revealed and understood in the presence of the Kinsman Redeemer, when we look back and see how it was lived out by the saints of each age.

The next step at the wedding, after the Bridegroom has “unveiling” his Bride, is the “Judgment part” of the ceremony, to make it legal and lawful. At a wedding, Brother Branham said it like this:

Into this holy state these two persons present come to be joined. If there is anyone here that can show a just cause why they should not be lawfully joined together in this holy matrimony, do you now speak, or, from hereafter, forever hold your peace.
I will require and will charge you both , as you will surely answer at the day of the Judgment when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed , if there is either of you that know any impediment why you should not be lawful joined together in this holy matrimony, do you now confess it , for be it assured unto you that any couples that are joined otherwise than God's Word doth allow, their marriage is not lawful .
E-2 WEDDING CEREMONY -- SHREVEPORT LA -- 63-1201.WED

The Prophet said that they would have to answer at the day of Judgment when the secrets of all hearts will be disclosed, which will be at the grand Wedding in Heaven. Up there, the Bridegroom will be the only One Who is worthy to take the Book out of the hand of Almighty God because He was accepted already on that Easter morning, after His resurrection from the dead, as the perfect Overcomer of death, hell and the grave. That is why He will come as the bloody Lamb.

But the secrets of the heart of every individual member of the Bride have to be disclosed to see that there are no impediments on the records of our lives which would prevent us to be lawfully joined together in holy matrimony with our heavenly Bridegroom. This “Judgment of the righteous” is only a formality, because God has foreseen our thoughts, words and deeds before the foundation of the world and has predestinated us to be there blameless and without spot and wrinkle. But the justice of our righteous God requires that this must be confirmed openly to make it legal and lawful.

Every one of us here has got to meet God and face God someday . And we're going to give an account for the deeds that's done in our lives.
E-12 MINISTRY EXPLAINED -- MINNEAPOLIS MN -- 50-0711

We will may never meet again until we meet up there to face all of the deeds that's done in our lives . Then, Father, what will be there? Help us to meet each other there , won't You, Lord?
E-51 THE RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS -- CLEVELAND OH -- 50-0813

He starts saying things and doing things he has to answer fo r. And then when that life ends , that record or tape is took off and laid in the—in the great big library of God. Now, how you going to get around it at the Judgment bar ? It's played right back in front of you: Every move you made, every thought that went through your mind. Can you see that?
64 CHRIST REVEALED IN HIS OWN WORD -- JEFF. IN -- 65-0822.1M

The message now goes into history, and it's recorded on the Book . We all have to answer now for this, every move that we made, every word that we said, every thought went through our mind, the record is still playing. And it'll play on till life is over , and then we'll answer at the day of the Judgment .
189 A THINKING MAN'S FILTER -- JEFF. IN -- 65-0822.2E

But let us have all of our deeds done right , because they're in a Book , a record that is to be played at the day of the Judgment.
22 WORKS IS FAITH EXPRESSED -- SHREVEPORT LA -- 65-1126

This Book which the bloody Lamb, the Bridegroom and Kinsman Redeemer will take from the right hand of God is the Lamb's Book of Life, it belongs to Him. The recorded life of each Bride member will be openly displayed in order that every one, including the heavenly Host, can see our deeds of love for our Lord Jesus. All our confessed sins and failures will be in the sea of God's forgetfulness.

In God's Book of the sea of forgetfulness, your old book and marriage is divorced and dead and is not even in the memories of God . Amen. You are justified. Therefore being justified... you were accused; you never done it in the first place ! The old union is in the sea of God's forgetfulness. You weren't married to it to begin with. He, the Bridegroom bore your shame Himself , for you in your place. He took your place , for you were predestinated for Him to be in His Bride before the foundation of the world. The Bible said so. You are the predestinated Seed.
32-5 INVISIBLE UNION OF THE BRIDE -- SHREVEPORT LA -- 65-1125

1 Corinthians 1:8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end ,
that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts
unblameable in holiness before God , even our Father, at the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints .

Jude 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present
you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

...and there serve You until death liberates them from this old body of rot, pains, and aches. And present them before Him, faultless , blameless , in the age to come, with Eternal Life.
504 HEBREWS CHAPTER 6 PART 2 -- JEFF. IN -- 57-0908.2E

Take the world out of them, Lord, that they might be presented to God that day by Jesus Christ faultless and blameless , standing in His righteousness alone. Grant it, Lord.
E-78 THY LOVING KINDNESS -- CHATTANNOGA TN -- 58-0228

We could add pages and pages of quotes like these two, but that is not necessary, we can see how this important part of the Judgment of each one of the righteous members of the Bride fits into the Marriage ceremony. At the earthly wedding, the next step would be to pronounce the vows.

Will you have this man to be your lawful wedded husband, to live together in this holy state of matrimony; do you promise to love, honor and cherish , and support in sickness or health, riches or poverty, and cleave thee only unto him as long as you both live?
E-3 WEDDING CEREMONY -- SHREVEPORT LA -- 63-1201.WED

There will be no need for a marriage vow like this, because every saint has been tested and tried already by that time. The believers in the early church withstood and overcame the Nicolaitanes, they cherished and supported the true doctrine of the church and suffered for their testimonies, remaining faithful even unto death. During the dark ages, millions times millions were tortured, fed to the wild animals, burnt at the stakes by the red horse rider of the Jezebel church. During those dark hours of trials and afflictions, the members of the Bride honoured their vow to love and cherish the Lord under all circumstances, despite the sickness, poverty and death they were subjected to.

Revelation 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis
which have not defiled their garments; and they shall
walk with me in white : for they are worthy.

At the time of the Reformation, a few of the Sardis saints got the promise that they would be part of the Bride and walk with the Bridegroom at the “Marriage proper” in their fine linen robes, clean and white, reflecting His righteousness. The missionaries, who defied sickness, extreme hardship and poverty while they brought the Gospel to the heathen of the world, will receive their reward on that glorious day of the Lord. The devil is the god of this evil age, we live in “Satan's Eden” which is the hour of great temptations. This modernistic, scientific and luxurious soft way of life is the most dangerous one, and many believers find it difficult to draw a clear line between right and wrong.

Nazareth was the most wicked city in Israel, but God chose a virgin from that city to bring forth His Son. Laodicea is the worst of the seven church ages, but out of this wretched, poor and blind age will come a part of the Bride which will be in the full stature of Jesus Christ, and will manifest all the signs and wonders as her Master did when He was here on earth. This powerful demonstration of the Holy Spirit has been already displayed by the messenger of the age, but it will be repeated all over the world by and through the living saints at the end of the age, when time shall be no more.

After the last predestinated child of God has come to the knowledge of the truth and is sealed with the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ, the persecution will start. The pale horse rider, a combination of the previous three satanic powers, will enforce the mark of the Beast upon the whole face of the earth to drive every single person into his dictatorship. But there will be a small group of saints who he will not be able to touch, just a very few believers out of every nation, kindred and tongue.

Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship
him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world.

That's exactly what it is, and the antichrist takes it all. And the Bible said that he deceived all —A-L-L—all upon the face of the earth whose names were not written under those Seals from the foundation of the world! Now if the Bible said he did it, he did it.
172-1 THE FIRST SEAL -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0318

We will lose every earthly possession and be at the mercy of the elements, but with the help of the third pull we will survive. This test will prove that we love, honour and cherish our Lord Jesus above everything else under any conditions and circumstances and cleave unto Him till we be taken out of the body to join the dead saints yonder for the nissu'in ceremony, the “Marriage proper.”

Every Bride member has been or will be tested and tried somehow between the espousal and the coming Marriage ceremony, there is no need for a “vow” of promise for the future because all will have passed their individual examination already by that time. On that glorious day, each saint will receive a personal reward from the Bridegroom for his or her faithfulness in His Word of promise.

St. Luke 6:23a Rejoice ye in that day , and leap for joy : for,
behold, your reward is great in heaven ...

Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward
is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

...there's a great reward waiting there for those faithful pastors when they gather yonder on the other side with all the redeemed.
176 JOSEPH MEETING HIS BRETHREN -- JEFF. IN -- 56-1230

And we don't look at things that go on so much temporarily now, but we look to the end of the road, where the rewards are given.
E-11 THE WORLD'S FALLING APART -- ALBQ. NM -- 63-0412.1M

Then we come down to the end of the road, then we wait for our reward at the big Day.
15 LEADERSHIP FOLLOW ME -- PRESCOTT AZ -- 65-1031.2A

Then what? Ruth was rewarded. That's when we'll be rewarded . That's what this seven- sealed Book is going to open up to us . What is these things? They're mysteries.
118 REVELATION, CHAPTER FIVE... PART 2 -- JEFF. IN -- 61-0618

All our deeds, our new names and our rewards are all sealed up in the Book of Redemption, which is the Lamb's Book of Life, till the great day of the Lord when those Seals will be loosed to reveal a perfect Bride for the perfect Bridegroom Jesus Christ. There is no need for a “Marriage register” to be signed, our names have already been registered in that Book and secured for all Eternity before the foundation of the world by Almighty God Who knows the end from the beginning.

At the natural wedding, after the groom and the bride have been officially declared to be husband and wife, the bridegroom slips the wedding ring onto the bride's finger, and the bride likewise slides his ring onto his finger as a token of their union. At the coming Marriage in Heaven, the tokens will not be rings, but crowns. The Bridegroom will crown us as His Queen, and we will crown Him King of kings and Lord of lords. According to the Prophet, the crown will be the new glorified body.

Why, you're sick and tired of this old life. And you'll love the appearing of the Lord Jesus better than you love your food at the table, or your wife, or your children, then there's a crown laid up for you. Not a crown, a gold crown to put upon your head, But a body, free from pain, the... crowned in the Glory of God, crowned in the immortality of Jesus Christ. That's what's laid up for you, that the Lord, the righteous Judge will give you at that day.
102 MAKING A WAY -- JEFF. IN -- 56-0304

2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge , shall give me at that day : and not to
me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing .

1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear , ye shall
receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

I'm thinking of old Brother Seward, Brother Sparks, Brother George DeArk... resting yonder in the grave, waiting for that great summons for on high . They fought a fight; they kept the faith; they've finished the course; and now they're waiting for the crown of righteousness the Lord, the Righteous Judge, will give them that day.
279 TAKING SIDES WITH JESUS -- JEFF. IN -- COD 800 -- 62-0601

“ You're the stars in my crown .” When I cross over the land over on the other side yonder, and meet you in that glorified condition , I want you to stand there to shine like the stars. See? And I— I want you to be there , I want to be there.
12 REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR... PART 3 -- JEFF. IN -- 61-0108

And that day when we stand on the earth ... His blessed feet has never touched the earth yet. And there He stands there in the air , and the saints and redeemed from all ages through every watch (first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh) all stand there robed in His righteousness , and we crown Him King of king and Lord of lords, and sing those redemption stories, our poor hearts will quiver as we look upon Him Who loved us and gave Himself for us.
660 HEBREWS CHAPTER SIX PART 3 -- JEFF. IN -- 57-0915.1M

Now, watch. Then it is He, the Lamb, that takes His kingly position when His saints come to crown Him Lord of Lords and King of King. See? See, time has run out . Revelation 10:6; there's no more time.
100-3 THE BREACH -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0317.2E

In a dream, Brother Branham was there at this Judgment of the righteous when those other seven Seals were opened and the crowns were given out, to witness a part of this greatest of all events in human history. The following quote is the start of his explanation of this amazing story.

I mean the Bride goes to the judgment . But I was there when the crowns were being given out. And the great big Throne set up there, and Jesus and the recording Angel and all was standing there. And there was a stairstep—like coming down this way of white ivory...
453-2 THE SIXTH SEAL -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0323

After this dream, the Prophet said that when he woke up, he got up and he sat in a chair and cried. This dream must have reminded him of that experience he had when he was taken out of his body and was translated behind the Curtain of time. In this dream, Brother Branham did actually see the fulfillment of the coming of the Lord as he was told behind the Curtain. No wonder he urges us:

Why, it's going to be a wonderful thing . Don't miss it; don't miss it ! By the grace of God, do all you can do , and then it will be up to God to take care of the rest of it.
455-3 THE SIXTH SEAL -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0323

THE CONSUMMATION OF THE MARRIAGE

After the exchange of the crowns by the Bridegroom and the Bride has taken place, the next stage of the Marriage ceremony will be the consummation. In the Bible times, the couple was led to the “nuptial chamber” for that purpose. According to Deuteronomy 22:17, the parents of the Bride kept the bloodstained bed sheet as an evidence that their daughter was truly as a virgin.

As we have seen already, the Wedding dress of the heavenly Bride is the Theophany body, arrayed in fine linen, clean and white, which is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Justification, sanctification, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit is only possible through the shed Blood of the Lord Jesus.

Think, your garments washed by the Water of the bleeding Word . The Word becomes Blood. The Word bled for you , and you are washed in bleeding Word . The Word bleeding—the Life of God in the Word , and the Word was bled for you, that you might be washed from the filth of these prostitutes and be cleaned and sanctified ...
38-5 INVISIBLE UNION OF THE BRIDE -- SHREVEPORT LA -- 65-1125

The heavenly Bride has no bloodstained sheet as a token of her virginity. Her garment is spotless white, washed by the Blood of her Bridegroom, her Kinsman Redeemer. The token is displayed in the form of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is the Life which she received from His Blood. But that Holy Spirit baptism is only the earnest until our full inheritance on the day of Redemption.

Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God,
whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Because that your body is not yet redeemed . Your body is not redeemed. No matter how much, how good you are, and how saintly and how holy, how much Holy Spirit, that's only your soul. And your soul is not completed yet . It's just got the Blessing, the promise of God, which is the earnest of our salvation.
40 DEMONOLOGY—PHYSICAL REALM -- CONNERSVILLE IN -- 53-0606

And now we have the attributes or the earnest of our eternal salvation as we accept Christ as our Saviour, or Christ as our Healer. We have those earnest money of our entire redemption when He comes.
E-6 CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH -- GEORGETOWN IN -- 56-0200

The baptism with the fullness of God will be the consummation of the Marriage when He will come into His Bride as He takes His Own Throne in the heart of each and every member of the Bride. At that moment, He will become the incarnated God as the Son of David on His Own Throne.

St. Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all
the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.

Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house ; whose house are we ,
if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

Now, the first Throne was in Heaven, judgment seat. The second Throne was in Christ. The third Throne is in man.
...and in the center of the heart is where God comes for the Throne.
237+240 REVELATION CHAPTER 4 PART 2 -- JEFF. IN -- 61-0101

The Throne of God , of Christ, is erected into your heart ; and He's setting on God's Throne, but in the Millennium He sets on His Own Throne ; which, He swore that He'd raise up this man, His Son, David's Son to set on His Throne.
134 TRYING TO DO GOD A SERVICE -- SHREVEPORT LA -- 65-1127.1M

Left the Father's Throne to go to take His Own Throne . Glory! Now, don't miss it , friend.
139-6 THE FIRST SEAL -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0318

He left the Father's Throne to take His Own Throne . He now has come forth from His intercessory work to claim His Own Throne and His redeemed subjects. That is what He came forth from the Throne to do.
141-1 THE FIRST SEAL

He has been doing the work of the Kinsman Redeemer, but there will come a time that when the redeeming work will be over , and when the redeeming work is over, then He leaves the Throne of God , where he is seated now , but that is not His Throne . “He that overcometh shall sit with Me in My Throne as I have overcome and have sat down on My Father's Throne.” That is not His Throne. That belongs to Spirit, God—Christ, the Lamb. It doesn't belong to Him. He is the incarnate God , which is the same God made incarnate.
233-1 THE THIRD SEAL -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0320

When we were baptized with the Holy Spirit, the earnest of our salvation, that Spirit came upon our life in our blood because it is the very same Spirit that left the Blood of Jesus when He died on the cross. But the incarnation of the fullness of God into His Bride will be the same Spirit baptism that came upon the man Jesus at the river Jordan. He will take His Own Throne in our hearts, and not in the blood. Then we will be the same as the Lord Jesus was when He was here on earth, then we can also say that “We and the Father are One,” or “When you see us, you see the Father.”

Ephesians 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth
knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

“And they ruled and reigned with Christ,” and Christ ruled with a rod of iron, the nations. Then the Gospel... Then the manifested sons of God , with the authority just like He had when He was here, see, there will come the Millennium in that Reign, see, upon the ashes.
178 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- JEFF. IN -- COD 724 -- 62-0527

Satan incarnates himself! Now, watch. Satan... When Jesus incarnates Himself in His people, the very Life that was in Christ is in this person.
204-5 THE SECOND SEAL -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0319

The fullness of God's Spirit and the redeemed soul of every Bride member will be welded into One at the consummation of the Marriage of the Lamb on that glorious day of the Lord. From that time on, every thought that we have will be a divine revelation, every Word spoken will be infallible truth and every action will be an act of God because we will be directed by the incarnated Lord Jesus as the Son of David on His Own Throne in our hearts. Then we can never ever make a mistake again.

Now, “His voice,” or this Being that was standing there looking like this, Christ in His Church , as Bride and Christ being One , like husband and wife is one; the Church and Christ being molded together with One Person , the same Holy Spirit.
Now, Christ, molded into One, “And the Voice of many waters, many people .” Not just the One; it was the whole Church, the seven Churches molded together in One great ransomed Body of the Lord.
211+213 THE SEVEN CHURCH AGES -- JEFF. IN -- 54-0512

And Jesus will not be on His Father's Throne, He'll be on His Throne . And the Father will hover over the Son, which the Father and Son will be One. “And while they are yet speaking, I'll answer. Before they can think, I'm thinking for them .” That's right.
237 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- JEFF. IN -- COD 1046 -- 64-0823.2E

Isaiah 65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call,
I will answer ; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear .

David and Christ. David sitting on the Throne, the King over the whole human race. “And while they're yet thinking, I will know what they're thinking about; before they speak , I will answer. ” The wolf and the lamb shall feed together.
67-1 CHRIST IS THE MYSTERY OF GOD REVEALED -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0728

When our souls will be united as One with the Eternal Spirit of God, Who has no beginning and no end, then we will be just as Eternal as He is, there can never be such a thing as a divorce.

According to some eastern traditions, after the consummation in the “nuptial chamber,” the bride is changing her wedding dress before the couple proceed to the groom's home for the grand wedding feast. After the consummation at the Lamb's Marriage, we will also have a “dress change” when we come back to earth to pick up the glorified body, before the Rapture to the grand wedding supper.

And then, when this robe of flesh is dropped, there is a natural body, theophany —a body not made with hands, neither born of a woman—that we go to. Then that body returns back and picks up the glorified body.
78 WHO IS THIS MELCHISEDEC -- JEFF. IN -- 65-0221.2E

I said, “Then if Paul makes it, I will too, because I preached the same thing he did, without compromising on one word.” And all them people screamed out, “We are resting assure on that.” Said, “ Then we will go back to earth and receive a glorified body , and live together through forever in this condition.”
E-38 JEHOVAH JIREH -- YAKIMA WA -- 60-0803

Said, “Then together we will go back to the earth for a body that can eat, and we drink, and live together through all the ceaseless ages there.” That's the coming of the Lord.
213 THE TEN VIRGINS -- JEFF. IN -- 60-1211.1M

He said, “Then when Jesus comes, then we're... and He judges you for your ministry, then we go back to earth and take up bodies .” (Well, I never thought about it then, but that's exactly the Scripture.) Said, “Then we go back to earth and take up bodies ; then we eat.”
382-4 THE FIFTH SEAL -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0322

We are the flesh and bone (the Bride will be ), the flesh and bones of Christ —exactly.
They are... That is His Bride.
494-2 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ON THE SEALS -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0324.1M

Back on earth, at the resurrection of the dead in Christ, with the fullness of God's Spirit in us, we will be His flesh and bones through which God will speak to call the dead from the graves. Just like Jesus, the anointed Word, was God's flesh and bones when He called Lazarus from the tomb.

Adoption time , when God can pour into us His Fullness , His Power, His Resurrection , that when the church and Christ become so close together till Christ becomes visible among us, and raises the dead , and we go into the rapture.
51 WHAT THE HOLY GHOST WAS GIVEN FOR -- JEFF. IN -- 59-1217

...the cap's coming on the pyramid, and it's the end time, when the Christ and His church is so much alike till it's going to call the dead from the Methodist, Lutheran, and all those back there, and there'll be a resurrection.
128 ELIJAH AND THE MEAL OFFERING -- PHOENIX AZ -- 60-0310

But when that Head and Body unites together the full power of the Holy Ghost would raise Her up just exactly like... Even the dead , that's dead in Christ for hundreds of years ago, will rise in the beauty of His Holiness and take a flight through the skies.
116 WHAT SHALL I DO WITH JESUS -- JEFF. IN -- 63-1124.1M

After the Lord Jesus had risen from the dead, He appeared repeatedly among His disciples, and after forty days, He ascended up to Heaven. The following statement says that after the dead in Christ have risen, we will remain on earth for at least thirty days before we will be raptured.

Brother Branham told me that the dead in Christ would rise first and spend a minimum of thirty days on this earth with us.
159-3 THE ACTS OF THE PROPHET BY BRO. PEARRY GREEN

...there will come a time like that when the Spirit of God will be withtaken from the earth, there will be no more. The Church will remain a while , that's right, preaching , 'cause it has to preach to the Eternal lost , just as every ministry did, coming down through the age. The last part of every ministry preached to the Eternal lost. And there will be a ministry now that will preach to the Eternal lost after they have refused to receive It.
190 WORLD IS AGAIN FALLING APART -- SHREVEPORT LA -- 63-1127

That is what those few weeks before the Rapture will most likely be appointed for, the preaching to the lost who made fun of the true revelation of the coming of the Lord, and ridiculed the day of our Redemption. Then the great tribulation will set in, and we will be raptured to the Wedding supper in Heaven while Moses and Elijah will preach the same Message as we have received to Israel to call out the 144000. After 3 ½ years, according to Revelation 19:11-21, we will follow the King of kings, and Lord of lords back to earth to partake victoriously in the battle of Armageddon. After the atomic chain reaction has cleansed the face of the earth, the wicked shall be ashes under the soles of our feet when we walk over into the Millennium where we will reign with Christ a thousand years.

Then return again in the Millennium on our honeymoon , and then, He's going to bring the City into view , like the Bridegroom taking the Bride to Her surprise. How the little Bride stands there in awe as She looks at Her future Home.
68-4 THE FUTURE HOME... -- JEFF. IN -- 64-0802

In Genesis 2:17, God told Adam not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that he eat thereof he would surely die. When Adam transgressed that commandment, he brought death upon himself and all mankind that came after him. The Bible says that a thousand years is with God like one day, therefore nobody ever lived a full day or a thousand years on earth.

"...day you eat thereof, the day you die." Adam--or Methuselah was the oldest man that ever lived in the Bible, and he was 969 years old; and he never lived that thousand years. But the man that's going to live through the millennium, one thousand years, to show that the--that the penalty has been paid... Man lives forever; the day is finished; the time is finished; they're in eternity.
962-189 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- JEFF.IN -- COD -- 64-0823M

But in the Millennium, the King and His redeemed Queen will have a thousand year honeymoon, a full day to show that that curse does not apply to Her anymore. After that comes the White Throne Judgment, and when all evil and wrongs are dealt with and done away, then the King will take His Queen to our future Home, the new Jerusalem, where we will live together throughout Eternity.

A VERY SAD CONCLUSION

I would love to end this chapter on a cheerful note, but unfortunately that is not possible. There are many Christians all over the world, maybe more than two billion, who believe that they are part of the Bride of Jesus Christ. There are a few million Message believers worldwide who are followers of Brother Branham's Message and believe that they are members of the Lord's end time Bride, but from ample experience I know that the Bridegroom's Marriage arrangements are almost unknown.

Like Abraham sent Eliezer to find a Bride for Isaac at Mesopotamia, Brother Branham was sent to call the Bride of this age for the Lord Jesus out of every nation, kindred and tongue. In these days of the Voice of the seventh angel, all these mysteries of the written Word have been revealed to get the Bride ready for the coming of the Lord. The following quotes tell us how we should feel about it.

Why, you're sick and tired of this old life. And you'll love the appearing of the Lord Jesus better than you love your food at the table, or your wife , or your children, then there's a crown laid up for you. Not a crown, a gold crown to put upon your head. But a body free from pain, the... crowned in the glory of God, crowned in the immortality of Jesus Christ.
102 MAKING A WAY -- JEFF. IN -- 56-0304

What if one of your loved one... been away for so many years, and you knowed that they might appear at any time? Why, you'd have the house all cleaned up. You would just be ready and watching down the road, for, every car light that turned in, you'd think it would be them. Now, that's the way the Church ought to be watching for the coming of the Lord . All in order, all ready, all packed up and ready to go as soon as He comes...
24 THE SUDDEN, SECRET GOING AWAY... -- JEFF. IN -- 58-1012

...the coming of the Lord. That's the greatest thing that I can think of. That's why I'm here how now, is because I believe He's a coming. The most... That's the coronation of my days.
E-49 LIVING DYING BURIED RISING COMING -- LOS ANGELES -- 59-0403

When Jesus came, there were tens of thousands, yes, millions looking for Him to come, and he just revealed Hisself to a little handful . See, it's those who are looking for something, those who have a—a pulsation in their heart—beating, waiting , longing for something to happen . It's those who believe it'll happen, and is waiting for the event, that's who Jesus will come for , for those who love His appearing.
E-17 WATCHING HIS STAR -- LOS ANGELES CA -- 59-0411

Or a girl, her boyfriend's been gone. They're fixing to get married . Just as soon as he arrives they're going to be married. Oh, my! How—she's got everything ready. My, that... why, there's nothing in the world means anything to her but just that boy appearing—that's all. Well, that's the way the church should be . Yes. We should just love His appearing .
E-20 UNBELIEF DOES NOT HINDER GOD -- PHOENIX AZ -- 62-0128.1M

Where is this great excitement in the Bride today? Where is that love for His appearing? How many know what to prepare for? That waiting, longing and pulsation in the heart can only be real for those who have a clear understanding of the Message which explains the coming of the Lord in detail.

Hebrews 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the
sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he
appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Now, Jesus will appear to those who are looking for Him ; only those, that's all. He is not obligated to the unbeliever. But to the believer He is obligated. He is obligated to raise the believer up , see, in the last day, only the believer.
133 SIRS, WE WOULD SEE JESUS -- NEW YORK NY -- 63-1112

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death ; but the gift
of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

A believer is a person who is baptized with the Holy Spirit and has a clear understanding, one who can correctly divide the false doctrines from the true Word of God. We must come to the stature of the perfect man, to have that rapturing faith at the end of time. Until the time of the coming of the Lord, death will pay for the shortcomings of those saints who die without reaching that full stature of the perfect man. But there will be a deadline one of these days, then there will be no death to pay for what is missing. The wise virgins will receive the call to “Come up hither” to join the dead saints of all the other ages on the day of Redemption, when we meet the HEADSTONE and receive the HEAD'S PART from Him, the Eternal Life of God at the “Marriage proper.” But all the foolish and confused virgins will be cast into the outer darkness, the Tribulation, to suffer for their rejection.

But now, in this rapturing time like this (see?), there will have to come a time now that this bride will—that rejects the Head's part of the Bride— will have to suffer for her rejection, because the Gospel wasn't made plain to them back there, like it's made plain to you today . See? You see it so plain . You done had all of those years and examples, the Seals opened , the Church's age laid out, and everything like that. It's just so plain you can't miss it . See? And then, if you fully reject it , there's only one thing do, suffer for it .
303 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- JEFF. IN -- COD 1128 -- 64-0830.1M

For those precious saints who find these facts difficult to understand, I would recommend to study first the sermon “Is this the sign of the end, Sir?” to clearly grasp the truth that there are two times seven Seals opened at different times. That is the very “key” which will lead you out of confusion, and don't let anybody beguile you when they say that the Prophet canceled that sermon later, he did not, but he said it is “THUS SAITH THE LORD.” He referred back to that teaching 31 times.

Then, with that “key” of two times seven Seals in mind, you should carefully study the Breach and the first Seal. Those two sermons is enough to settle this question of the HEAD'S PART once and for all. The Prophet explains time and again that the Lamb has to intercede on the Mercy Seat until His Blood has atoned for every person. The meditorial work has to continue till every one who is recorded in the Book has been redeemed and is finished, then and only then will He walk out and claim the Book. Brother Branham said that is the most sublime thing in the Scriptures, and it is truly so plain that one cannot miss it. Some statements of the Prophet can be a bit confusing because he does sometimes talk about the two Sealsopenings at the same time, but on the whole it is very clear and so well explained that there will be no excuse for anybody who rejects it.

And it's always, friends, the leaders , each time through the change of these dispensations, has got the people all messed up . It hasn't been so much the people. If the Gospel would have stayed in the pulpit where It belonged!
143 THE END TIME EVANGELISM -- JEFF. IN -- 62-0603

By lack of this revelation is why we have so many different divisions among us and so much mockery . So much division among us, is because the people lack that revelation . See, they lack that revelation— the teachers.
45-3 CHRIST THE MYSTERY OF GOD REVEALED -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0728

What is the revelation which the people lack? It is the third fold of the three fold coming of the Lord which the teachers have missed. Every Message believer knows about the first fold, the Prophet's son of man ministry. The second fold, the Holy Spirit manifestation or latter rain at the time of the squeeze is also widely expected. But the third and most crucial fold of the coming of the physical, corporal Lord Jesus to fully redeem and marry all the saints of all ages is almost unknown. This will have terrible consequences, Brother Branham knew it would come to this tragedy at the end.

And right in our own little services, just that I know, has been way and around two million or better converts to Christ . And now doubt, a few of those are going to make it anyhow. And so, just to sit down, maybe... Say there'd be a hundred of them.
E-9 HAVE NOT I SENT THEE -- PHOENIX AZ -- 62-0124

In my heart, the joy bells are ringing, knowing that the coming of the Lord is so close at hand. But what frightens me , is to know that so many is unprepared for the hour that we are facing. That's the bad part.
23 TESTIMONY -- SHREVEPORT LA -- 63-1128.1M

In the following quotations, Brother Branham is talking about the U.S.A. There are surely well over a 100 000 Message believers in that country, but only a very few are chosen to be ready at the end.

I'll be surprised if a dozen comes out of this generation . “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, and but few there will be that find it .”
85 STRAIT IS THE GATE -- JEFF. IN -- 59-0301.1M

That's what God's a-doing, is gathering one from Los Angeles, and one from Philadelphia, and one from Georgia, and so forth. Gathering them together, His people that's willing to believe the Word of the living God. “As it was in the days of Noah...”
179 ONENESS -- JEFF. IN -- 62-0211

He may take two out of Jeffersonville, two out of Indiana, two out of Kentucky, two out of Mississippi. That's exactly what He said...
140 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- JEFF. IN -- COD 716 -- 62-0527

And a young man who was riding with me in a car, said, “ How many would you say would be saved in this generation?” I said, “ Eight or ten .” “Oh,” he said, “Don't say that Brother.” I will say, “I will lengthen it to fifty, and that's as many as I can go. ”
E-14 LIVING DYING BURIED RISING... -- LOS ANGELES CA -- 59-0413

...when Pentecost first started out in this latter day, when the Word begin to be preached, if it had stayed like that, she probably wouldn't had over fifty members today. That's right. But they would be blood washed! They'd had the power of God in them! The world would be shaken under her tremendous impact of the Word flesh being spoke word by word.
78-2 THE SPOKEN WORD IS THE ORIGINAL SEED -- JEFF. IN -- 62-0318.2E

After the Rapture, the same Message that we have received will be preached to the Jews by Elijah and Moses. There are almost 6 million Jews in Israel, and more than 6 million in America, and at least 8 million in other parts of the world. We know and understand that out of those 20 million Jews, only 144000 will believe and receive the Message of Salvation. Those 144000 will only be 0.72% of the Jewish population.

We can assume that there are about five to six million Message believers worldwide (¾ million in the Congo alone). According to the numbers mentioned by Brother Branham, there will be less than a tenth of one per cent who will make it at the end. I hope with all my heart that it will be more than that, but I know it will be a very, very few and I believe I also know why. No believer can be pushed by a Pastor or anybody else to the stature of the perfect man, it needs a completely dedicated life and a constant personal hunger for more of the Word of God.

Since I came to the message in 1977, I have never heard any minister from any part of the world preach the Marriage ceremony as seen above in these quotes preached by God's Prophet, and in the Bible. Not one of my fellow believers in other parts of the world have heard it preached either. Most of the Brothers and Sisters in this worldwide multi-million body of Message believers would insist that they are the very elect, the true and genuine Bride of Jesus Christ. But how can they be if they have no idea about the Bridegroom's arrangement made for the Marriage ceremony? They are deceived into a false “security” as the first Bride was at Eden. What a shame, what a calamity!

This age is different to any other one, to bypass death and the grave, we must have a solid personal understanding of how and where we are going, it will be severely tested at the soon coming squeeze. All spiritual food which is needed to face that test and to be ready for the Lord's Day lays in the Message, and this chapter and all the others on this website are according to the Message. My prayer is that this chapter will make many precious saints search more and dig deeper and prepare to be ready for the coming of the Lord, no matter how big the opposition might be.