1.    THE LORD JESUS ASCENDED TO HEAVEN TWICE

2.    THE FIRST RAPTURE OF THE LIVING SAINTS

3.    THE PROPHET'S EXPLANATION OF REVELATION 4:1

4.    MT.TRANSFIGURATION IS A PREVIEW OF MT.ZION

5.    RAPTURING FAITH IS FOR THE LIVING SAINTS ONLY

6.     THE PROPHET EXPLAINS 1 THESSALONIANS 4

7.    THE FIRST RAPTURE IS A GREAT MYSTERY

8.    THE FIRST RAPTURE IS THE "NEXT THING"

THE LORD JESUS ASCENDED TO HEAVEN TWICE

To many believers the word "Rapture" means one thing only, the going up of the universal church after the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the changing of the bodies of the living saints when they will be raptured to meet the Lord in the air, on the way to the three and a half years wedding supper in Heaven. But the word "Rapture" can be applied to other occasions as well, Webster's dictionary defines it like this:

rapture = 1a: a state or experience of being carried away by overwhelming emotion.
b: a mystical experience in which the spirit is exalted to a knowledge of divine things.
2: an expression or manifestation of ecstasy or passion.

These definitions of an experience of overwhelming emotion or a spiritual exaltation to a knowledge of divine things are very well expressed and illustrated by Brother Branham in the following quotes.

As I come tonight with this little church before me. By faith we move from this building in rapture, as we sit together in Heavenly places around the Throne of God. Our hearts have been warmed many times in the things that we have seen You do and unfold Your Mysteries to us.
52-6 IS THIS SIGN OF THE END SIR - JEFF - V-2 N-11 - 62-1230.2E

We are quickened then by the power of the living God. Tongues... quickened into a new heavenly language--to speak to them, a rapturing up, raising up into a different atmosphere than what they'd ever lived in.
19-2 THE EASTER SEAL -- PHX. AZ -- V-2 N-6 -- 65-0410

As described in Acts 8:39 and 40, in a different kind of Rapture, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, he disappeared from the presence of the eunuch in the desert and instantly reappeared somewhere else. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 12: 2 to 4 that he was caught up into the third Heaven to hear unspeakable Words which he could not repeat. Brother Branham left his body in May 1960 to be translated, or raptured, to the first Heaven to hear and see very wonderful and important things for us to know and understand.

It is essential for us to know that the Lord Jesus ascended up to Heaven twice. Every Christian knows about His second ascension from Bethany up to Heaven as explained in Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51 and Acts 1:9 at the end of His earthly ministry. But His first "Rapture" up to Heaven took place 40 days before that, on the day of His resurrection from the dead. To understand this properly, we must go back to the beginning of Jesus' ministry when He was baptized by John in the river Jordan.

And John said, "I bare record, seeing the Spirit of God like a Dove coming down, and abiding on Him." Hallelujah! There you are. The Dove and the Lamb united together. That's when God and Man became one. That's when Heaven and earth embraced each other. Hallelujah! That's when God was made flesh, brought it, that's when God came down from the Spirit form and was made a Man and dwelled among us.
33 THE CHURCH AND ITS CONDITION -- JEFF. IN -- CH 1-34 -- 56-0805

Jesus was a Man. He was just a Man, a virgin born Man. That's right. He was the Son of God. His Father was Jehovah, God Almighty. That's right. And then Jehovah built Him a House, which it was His Son, to represent Himself to the world. And God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. Is that right?
E-49 BLIND BARTIMAEUS -- SAN JOSE. CA -- 59-1127

He was Divine. He was more than a teacher, or a philosopher. He was Emmanuel. God created Himself a body, His Son, and came down and dwelt in that body--God in Christ.
"Not Me that doeth the works, it's My Father. He shows Me what to do, and I just act in His presence, in His place."
E-58 WE WOULD SEE JESUS -- VICTORIA. BC -- 62-0727

The man Jesus was the Temple, the house of God, the Tabernacle to which Jehovah God suddenly came as Malachi 3:1 tells us. The same Glory of the LORD that filled the Tabernacle in the wilderness (Exodus 40:34), and the Temple in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 7:1), the same LORD came down at the river Jordan to settle and dwell in His Temple not made with human hands, the virgin born Son of God. During the following three and a half years, Almighty God manifested Himself by and through that anointed vessel in Words and deeds, reconciling the world unto Himself as explained in 2 Corinthians 5:19. That incarnation of Jehovah, the "self-existing One", into the man Jesus made Him the Christ, the anointed One.

Many times during His ministry, the Lord's opponents tried to silence, catch and kill Him, but they could not lay their hands on Him because of the presence of God in Him. Therefore, in order to become the sacrificial Lamb at the end of His ministry, the Glory of the Lord had to leave Him, the Spirit baptism at the river Jordan had to be reversed, Jehovah God could not be nailed onto a Roman cross and go to hell with all the sins of the world upon Him. The fullness of the Spirit left Him in the Garden of Gethsemane when sweat as drops of blood dripped from His brow, later on the cross He cried, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken (left) Me?"

When God looked down upon the body... (The Spirit left Him in the Garden of Gethsemane; He had to die a man.) Remember friends, He didn't have to do that. That was God. God anointed that flesh, which was human flesh, and He didn't have... If He'd went up there as God, He'd have never died that kind of death; can't kill God.
34-6 THE RISING OF THE SUN -- JEFF. IN - V-3 N-12 - 65-0418.1M

He was a man when He died on Calvary for a sacrifice. Bleeding, the blood running out of Him like a mortal. Spit hanging all over His beard. And He was a man disgraced, standing there hanging in shame, taking our place. He was a man when the pains got so great till He cried, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"That was a man there, but when He rose up on Easter morning He proved He was more than a Man. Yes, sir. That was God that raised Him up on the Easter morning. Yes, sir.
E-40 THE MANIAC OF GADARA -- CHICAGO. IL -- 54-0720.1A

God raised the man Jesus from the dead in order to conquer the grave, after He had conquered and overcome death and hell already. That was His last necessary accomplishment to meet the qualification to be the Kinsman Redeemer and a High Priest Who was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. But there remained one more essential formality, He had to be "raptured" up before God to be confirmed and accepted as the perfect Overcomer. Therefore, as John 20:17 says, Jesus prevented Mary from touching Him at the sepulchre. He said to her,

17 ..Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go
to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and
your Father; and to my God, and your God.

He said, "Touch... Don't touch Me, for I've not yet ascended to the Father. But I ascend to My God and to your God, to My Father and your Father."
And then that night, after He had done went up before God, and had rose from the dead, went up before God. Coming back, He invited Thomas to come touch His side. See, He had ascended up in before God. That's right. Okay.
336 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - JEFF. IN - COD 511-596 - 61-0112

Jesus, after He had been glorified and received His glorified body, raised up from the dead, and had ascended on high to the Father, come back in a few seconds later. And with such terrific speed till He come right in before His disciples through a wall and never even moved the wall. And yet with a body that could stand there and eat fish and bread. That's speed. Coming through.
E-14 UNCERTAIN SOUND -- CHICAGO. IL -- 61-0429.2E

...that one of the greatest Scriptures that's more neglected than any Scripture I know of being preached on: is the ascension of the Lord Jesus, what He did after His resurrection. Now He did not sit down on the tomb, after His resurrection, because His work wasn't completed, it wasn't finished. And the ones at the grave, that morning, we forbidden to even touch Him. But that night, they were bidden to come feel His hands. He forbid His mother to touch Him, said, "I have not yet ascended unto My Father, My God and yours."
And He had not yet, He would only ready to do His great High Priest work at that time. He had just been anointed.
E-10 JESUS AROSE -- CHICAGO. IL -- 56-0405

He was the Logos that went out of God. And the Logos, in the beginning, was the Word. And He became the Word. Then when He ascended up on that glorious day of Easter, He become not only the Word, but He become the High Priest of His Own Word.
27 GREAT AND MIGHTY CONQUEROR - JEFF. IN - ER 73-88 - 57-0421.1M

Jesus said to Mary, "I must ascend first to my and your Father and God", that was the man speaking, the Glory of Jehovah God had not yet come back upon Him at that point in time. Being a man, His life is also registered in the Book of Life since before the foundation of the world, in the Lamb's Book of Life which is His Own section in that same Book. He had to ascend unto the Father that His earthly ministry could be compared with all that which is written of Him in the Book, to confirm and endorse that he had prevailed and fulfilled everything perfectly. He had, what we could call, His Own personal "Sealopening" before the Father when he was judged and accepted and approved by God as the following quotes confirm. Then the fullness of God, the same Spirit-baptism that He had received at the Jordan came upon Him again and he came down to earth among His disciples saying, "All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth". He, the man Jesus, and His Father and God were united as One and the same again, then Thomas could touch Him and recognize Him as his Lord and God (John 20:28). After 32 days, the Lord Jesus ascended the second time up to Heaven to take His place as the High Priest at the right hand of the Father.

How could you have to suffer for your sins, when Christ has already done it? God would be a two-timer and a awful person (That's right.), when it was thoroughly paid by Jesus Christ and you accepted it. And as long as God accepted Christ, He accepted you with Christ.
E-46 THE LAW HAVING A SHADOW -- CHICAGO. IL -- 56-0621

The price is already paid. God accepted it. Their sins are gone. God accepted it, justified us by raising Him up, and proving He accepted it--not only His death at the cross, but His resurrection; and now sends His Spirit forth, to witness His Word.
E-60 ALL THINGS -- SHREVEPORT. LA -- 62-1124.2E

THE FIRST RAPTURE OF THE LIVING SAINTS

The endtime Bride members, we which will be alive at the Coming of the Lord Jesus, we will also be "raptured" twice. At our first translation, our souls will leave our living, corporal bodies, enter our Theophany bodies and we will be raptured to join all the dead saints of all ages behind the Curtain of time to welcome the physical, corporal Lord Jesus coming from the Mercy Seat. At that other Sealopening, He will judge every individual saint in righteousness, confirm every one as an holy, blameless and faultless overcomer at the full adoption ceremony. He will give us our rewards when we are fully redeemed at that day of Redemption and He will invite each one of us to enter into the joys of the Lord. Just as the man Jesus was judged and accepted by God as the first overcomer of every sin and evil, after He had ascended up to Heaven the first time, we as His Bride will be gathered in the first Heaven for basically the same purpose, to be redeemed and glorified by and through Him and to receive the same Spirit baptism as He had when He, as the incarnated God, takes His Own Throne as the Son of David in our hearts.

The Apostles Peter and Paul explain in Acts 10:42, 2 Timothy 4:1 and 1 Peter 4:5 that we, the living quickened saints will join the dead saints at the Judgment Seat of the righteous.

42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to
testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the
Judge of quick and dead.

1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.

5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

It's the Holy Spirit coming down to quicken, make alive those people that's foreordained of God to be in the rapture. Notice that is, if he's a true eagle, he will understand the message of the hour. If he's a true eagle.
15-5 THE EASTER SEAL -- PHX. AZ -- V-2 N-6 -- 65-0410

Then when this new Eternal Life dwells in you, it is the potential or the earnest of you being quickened from mortal to immortality.
16-2 THE EASTER SEAL -- PHX. AZ -- V-2 N-6 -- 65-0410

And I pray God, that You'll give us of Your Holy Spirit to quicken the Word to give us the Quickening Power, that someday when life is over and You're finished with us, that we will be quickened and ascend up into Heaven where we was in the thoughts of God before the foundation of the world. God, grant it.
41-5 THREE KINDS OF BELIEVERS -- JEFF. -- V-3 N-6 -- 63-1124.2E

We were in the thoughts of God before the foundation of the world, when in His mind He looked through all the ages and saw us, the morning stars, singing and shouting for joy when we all will be gathered yonder on that future day to be fully redeemed by our Saviour and Kinsman Redeemer.

That was only about two hundred years ago, that organization. But this organization started when the morning stars sang together and the sons of God shouted for joy, "When they seen the coming of a Saviour to redeem mankind."
9-4 REJECTED KING -- JEFF.IN -- V-2 N-23 -- 60-0515M

The "quick" are the living saints, the true eagles who will be quickened by the Holy Spirit to ascend, be raptured to meet the dead in Christ, all those who's names and deeds are sealed in the Lamb's Book of Life. The quickening power will take us out of this mortal body, enter our souls into our immortal Theophany bodies and quicken us to ascend up into the first Heaven where the sealed up thoughts of God about every one of us will be opened and revealed.

Enoch, Elijah, Philip and others were raptured and translated in different ways by the quickening power of the Holy Spirit, our first Rapture will be much the same as what Brother Branham experienced when he was translated behind the Curtain of time, quickening power will catch us away to the same place to meet the coming Lord there.

Notice, we find out that this great quickening power struck Enoch, it quickened him and he went Home without dying. It struck Elijah, quickened him till he went Home without dying.
151 GOD'S PROVIDED PLACE WRSHP - LA.CA - V-18 N-2 - 65-0425.2E

It quickened Philip till he wasn't seen for a maybe a 150 miles over somewhere else, over in another country. It quickened his mortal body. How did he do it? He was so full of the Quickening Power.
...we've got to be full and prayed up with Quickening Power until the quickening of the Holy Ghost... We got to be caught away someday in that rapture yonder. Yes, sir! Amen!
38-3 THE RISING OF THE SUN -- JEFF. IN - V-3 N-12 - 65-0418.1M

Most Bibles say that the Lord will judge the “living and the dead,” but the King James Version says the “quick and the dead.” Only Message believers will know the difference, because in 1960 Br. Branham was “quickened” to leave his body and be translated behind the curtain of time. Now we know that the “quick” means living saints who have been taken out of the body to be translated yonder.

I seen tens of thousands times thousands coming, young man and women running, throwing their arms around me, screaming. I looked right back and seen myself laying on the bed. Oh, Lord let me look a-past the curtain of time.
What is it? It's quickening power that'll catch us away--that great quickening power.
35-3 THE EASTER SEAL -- PHX. AZ -- V-2 N-6 -- 65-0410

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 will give to you." See? I seen them all over there like that. What was it? Quickening Power.
44-5 THE RISING OF THE SUN -- JEFF. IN - V-3 N-12 - 65-0418.1M

And I think that vision that morning--of seeing them over there, and the blessed and glory of the young statues of man and womanhood still look like they did, you know, when they was here on earth. I think they're waiting our coming. Someday we will join them, God being willing.
23 WHT SHL I DO W JESUS CLD CHRIST - JEFF - V-6 N-6 - 63-1124.1M

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 vision's that's told you everything, being perfect, has come to pass just as He said.
295 IS YOUR LIFE WORTHY -- JEFF. IN -- V-5 N-5 -- 63-0630.2E

The same quickening power that translated the Prophet behind the Curtain of time will also rapture us in the same manner to the same place on the Lord's day. Those dead saints over there are waiting for us to join them, Brother Branham assured us of that promise very clearly, we will meet him and all the saints of all ages there and be ready to meet the coming Kinsman Redeemer.

The contents and meaning of the last quote above, preached in June 1963, and the following quotations is the same, saying that the living saints will all go up one of these days, but if someone died and went there before, we would meet over there anyhow. Brother Branham told his first wife, Hope, on her deathbed, that if he would still be alive at the Coming of the Lord, she should wait and watch for him at the gate where everyone will enter in. She will be among the dead, and he, if still alive, would be among the living who will meet there, the living saints being "taken up" from "down here" as the Prophet puts it.

"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

I said, "If I'm sleeping, I will be by your side there at the grave." I said, "But, if I'm not, I will be somewhere in the world preaching the Gospel. And -- and--I--and I will get the kids together, or you get them, and you stand on the east side of the gate. When you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the rest of them coming up, I will be there."
E-87 LIFE STORY -- OWENSBORO. KY -- 53-1108.1A

The directions which the Prophet gave to his dying wife are according to Luke 13:24 to 30. Verse 24 tells us that we must enter through the strait gate, verse 25 explains that after the Master is risen up, when the Lord has left the Mercy Seat, the door will be closed after the last sheep has come into the fold. The Old Testament saints will enter in first according to verse 28, and all the New Testament saints from the east, west, north and south of all the world will follow, the quick and the dead, to be redeemed. Then the last ones who died in the last age will be resurrected first, and the first ones, Adam and his righteous family members, will be the last ones to be called out of the dust of the earth.

24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you,
will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
25a When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut
to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door...

28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom
of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and
from the north, and from the south,, and shall sit down in
the kingdom of God.
30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there
are first which shall be last.

The Prophet tells us that our loved ones who have died will meet and greet us at the gate first, before we go in to meet our Kinsman Redeemer. The dead saints in Heaven are together already, at least those from the same age who have believed the same messenger as the Prophet tells us after he met all his converts yonder. But we, the living quickened saints, we would want to know who of our fellow believers and family members will be there.

For we say this to you in the commandment of the Lord. That we will not be as hindered. It won't hinder us when we are sleeping. And we watch the order of the resurrection.
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. They don't know what it means to be lost and to be found.
E-90 BE NOT AFRAID -- RICHMOND. VA -- 61-0311

And He knows if we were there, be looking out of the corner of your eye, see if the other one is there, but, and then it wouldn't be the complete way of free worship. When we stand there, and--and we know we've met each other first, and greeted each other, and then to stand by Him Who caused it all, and sing the songs of redemption! As Brother Jack has many times made this statement, "When Angels will circle the earth, with bowed heads, not knowing what we're talking about." See, because they never been redeemed. But we had to be redeemed, and how we will crown Him the King of kings and Lord of lords.
8 TESTIMONY -- SHP. LA -- V-17 N-5 -- 63-1128.1M

Psalm 50:4 to 6 and Ephesians 1:10 confirm that those in the Heavens, and the living saints on the earth will be called by our God to be gathered together for this Judgment of righteousness behind the Curtain of time.

4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth,
that he may judge his people.
5 Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a
covenant with me by sacrifice.
6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is
judge himself. Selah.

10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather
together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven,
and which are on earth; even in him.

The Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:10 that after Jesus had descended, He also ascended far above the Heavens. Brother Branham said that He went so high that He has to look down to see Heaven. As these Scriptures above explain, on that great day of our full Redemption, at the fullness of times (the completion of the 7 church ages), He will call from up there to the dead in Christ in the Heavens, and to the living saints on the earth to be gathered together to be judged in righteousness as it was explained to the Prophet when he was translated behind the Curtain of time.

The Prophet explains the Lord's call from above the Heavens down to the earth, to gather His living saints together in one with the dead saints in Heaven for this Judgment of the righteous saints.

THE PROPHET'S EXPLANATION OF REVELATION 4:1

1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first
voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said,
Come up hither , and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.

109 Now, he... After the church ages was over, and everything was come ready, made ready the setting of the 4 th chapter here, the church ages was done. He had done left the earth , you see. Remember, the Voice that spoke to him, behind him, in the seven golden candlesticks, the work was finished. And now that same Voice was speaking up in Heaven . What was it? He had done redeemed His people. His earthly work was finished, and He was in Glory, calling to John, “ Come up here !” Amen! That makes me feel like shouting on the eve of New Year. Oh, my! There you are. See, ready, “Come up here!”
REVELATION CHAPTER FOUR... PART 1 -- JEFF. IN -- 60-1231

115 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.”

120 See, John left the earth now. Christ had left the earth (...in the form of the Holy Spirit ) and had returned back into the Body again . Today the Body sits there as a memorial, as a sacrifice. We get into that right on down through the chapter here. But the Spirit of Christ come back to live in the Church, to live in us.

121 Now, immediately after He showed the end of the age of His work here, He went on up into Heaven, He said, “I'll show you what's going to be after this, after the church ages.” He said, “John, I can't talk to you down there no more, 'cause I have left down there, I've come up higher. Come up here with Me!” Amen!

168 Note, “the Throne,” He sat on the Throne. He wasn't no more back down in the candlesticks now, on earth . The Rapture had done come . He was in Glory, sitting on His Throne. I want you to notice on down, we'll find even in the 5 th chapter, it was not the Throne of mercy. It wasn't a Throne of mercy anymore, it was the Throne of judgment. It wasn't a Throne of grace, it's a Throne of judgment because fire and lightning and thunders issued forth from It; no more mercy (it was over), the Church age was finished. “He that's filthy is filthy still; he that's righteous is righteous still; he that's holy is holy still ...”

178 Now notice again in the 3 rd verse, or 2 nd , “A Throne set in Heaven, and One sat on the Throne.” Now, the same Spirit that was in the earth , had left and had gone to Glory, and was sitting (the same Jesus that's with us tonight) in mercy was gone to Glory and sitting on the Throne.

In the Revelation series, the Prophet explained that after the Church ages are over, and the Lord has redeemed His people, His work on earth will be finish. Then Christ, in the form of the Holy Spirit, will leave the earth and go back to Heaven, back into His Body at the right hand of the Father, from which He had left before the day of Pentecost. Then, the Lord will call John up to Heaven. We have already seen this same call in Psalm 50:4, and 2 Thessalonians 2:7 explains the same translation up to the first Heaven.

7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who
now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

Here comes the most important part of the entire Message, which is for us to know and to believe and understand . John is a type of the raptured Church, he represents the end time Bride, the living saints who will be called up in this translation at that time, up to Heaven to meet the dead in Christ for the other Sealsopening.

125 Oh, and notice, John, being taken up immediately after the church age, was a type of the raptured Church . Immediately after the church age is over, this Laodicean Church Age, then comes the Rapture . The Church goes up like John did , into the Presence of God. Oh, that just winds my soul around. Caught up, at the Rapture of the Church !

151 The same Voice that summoned John to come up, the same Voice that said to John, “Come up,” is the same Voice that'll summons the Church someday; amen, summons the Church.

176 To everyone that hears THIS Word , John represented him . Amen! John was the representative of the Blood of Jesus Christ, testimony of the Word. He was a witness of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, was a personal fellowship with Christ, and he represented the entire Church ; that, every man or woman, boy or girl that ever believed in Christ and accept Him on the same grounds, he'll be summonsed someday , “Come up hither!” be caught up before the Tribulation. Remember, the Tribulation time hasn't set in yet.

189 How many tonight, in this church, that knows, my brother, that sister, that you're going to be summonsed someday, whether you're ready or not? Whether you are prepared or not, you're going to be summonsed to meet God. That trumpet's going to sound; and when it does, it'll sound to condemnation to you, and where you'll never live again and you'll be tormented in a devil's pits of hell for maybe millions of years, or they'll summons you on High to meet the glorious Saints.

192 And you haven't received Him as yet, and on this new year's eve night would you like to raise up your hands to God and say, “God, let me receive the Power that was on John the revelator, that when I'm summoned I'll appear before You in peace like he did”? Raise your hand. God bless you. God bless you. Just all over the church. God bless you. “ Let me be ready to answer my summons. ”
REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR... PART 1 -- JEFF. IN -- 60-1231

40 “After these things.” After meant that “After the church ages had ceased.”
41 Then John was summonsed to come up higher , “come up hither,” which means “come up here.” He showed him all that was going to happen in the world of the – the Church age. Then 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.”
42 ...He was in the candlesticks, speaking from them to His Church. Then when the church ages ceased, He left the earth and moved up into the Heaven and called His Redeemed up with Him . Oh, isn't that beautiful? I—I ... Oh, it just makes my heart jump.
REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR... PART 2 -- JEFF. IN -- 61-0101

67 Oh, every Christian! The very Voice, Charlie, that summonsed you one day down there in Kentucky, to “Turn around,” is the same Voice that'll summons you , “Come up!” Aren't you glad of that, Brother Evans? The Voice that said, “Turn around,” same Voice said, “Come up !” Oh, my! There, what a summons! What a reality! Clear, distinct like a trumpet, "Turn around; serve Me. Come up to where I am."
68 There we seen them representing those who died, Moses to represent the dead saints, rose. Elijah, with his group at the last day, with his raptured group standing there all before the Lord Jesus.
REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR... PART 2 

The Prophet tells us clearly that this group at the first Rapture is summonsed to come up hither to join the dead in Christ who will be represented by Moses at that day.

72 Revelation 4:1, after the Church is gone, then a – a Door was opened . And we've went through all of that and found that that was Christ, was the Door. And the same Voice that was walking in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks also was the same Voice he heard in Heaven, saying, “Come up hither.” John went up. It represented the Church going in the Rapture .
REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR... PART 3 -- JEFF. IN -- 61-0108

Brother Branham said that John was a type of the raptured Church, he represents every man, woman, boy or girl who believed in Christ and will be ready to answer their summons to come up to Heaven when the church ages have ceased, when they are done and over. This translation of the living saints is necessary to join the dead saints who are already behind the Curtain of time in Heaven, to witness and participate together at the day of redemption of our souls. His Voice, like a clear Trumpet, will call us to “Come up hither,” it will test us if we do have that necessary “rapturing faith” at that point in time. In the following quotations, Brother Branham gives us a clear indication how this will be done.

121 Now, immediately after He showed the end of the age of His work here, He went on up into Heaven, He said, “I'll show you what's going to be after this, after the church ages.” He said, “John, I can't talk to you down there no more, 'cause I've left down there , I've come up higher. Come up here with Me!” Amen! “And I'll show you what's going to take place hereafter.” Oh, my! Oh! Caught up in the vision, caught up into Glory.
122 His experience must have been something like that of Paul's . 2 Corinthians 12:2 and 4, if you're putting it down. 2 Corinthians... 2 to 4. Paul was caught up one day , in a—in a vision, too. Did you know that?...
123 What Paul saw, he was forbidden to speak of it or to tell it out to the public. Oh, my! I don't believe he could do it. ( For, a little trip I took one day, I've never got over it and never will .) See, he—he saw things that he couldn't talk about. I guess he didn't have words to, he was caught up in the third heavens, though. See, up in the third Heaven.
REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR... PART 1 -- JEFF. IN -- 60-1231

The Apostle Paul was taken out of his body and translated up into the third Heaven. In 1960, Brother Branham was also taken out of his body and he was translated up into the first Heaven, he indicates that our translation will be like that.

The next rapture takes place is II Thessalonians for the church, the Bride, to be resurrected to be raptured into glory. "We which are alive and remain (That's the body that's left on earth .) will not prevent or hinder them which are asleep...
172  RAPTURE THE  --  YUMA.AZ   --  V-5 N-14  --  65-1204

On Mt. Transfiguration, the man Elijah represented all the living saints at the end time who will be translated to meet the dead saints. In Revelation 4, the Apostle John also represented each one of the same group when he was translated from Patmos into the Lord's day, which is still in the future. And we can be sure that Brother Branham represented all of us when he was also called "up hither" behind the Curtain of time to be told what will be hereafter. Behind the Curtain of time, the Prophet was told that all the saints of all ages will be judged at the coming of the Lord.

111 How that it's going to be a terrible thing for those when the last trumpet sounds, and when the last battle is fought, when the last sermon is preached, when the last song is sung, and we stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR... PART 1

168 It wasn't a Throne of grace, it's a Throne of judgment because fire and lightning and thunders issued forth from it; no more mercy (it was over), the Church age was finished . “He that's filthy is filthy still; he that's righteous is righteous still; he that's holy is holy still,” no more a Throne of mercy.
169 Tonight, the Blood lays on that Throne and it's a mercy seat for every sinner that's seeking mercy. But in that day , it won't be a mercy seat then, it'll be a judgment seat with an angry God sitting there. “Where... If the righteous is scarcely saved, where will the sinner and ungodly appear? Even when He comes in the clouds of His glory, the mountains will try to find a place to hide. Where are we going to stay, then?

177 This is being the time of setting of the judgment . John is being showed now what's going to take place after the Church age. See?
REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR... PART 1

According to Malachi 4:5, the coming of the Lord will be the great and the dreadful day of the Lord. It will be the greatest day in human history for those few who will be ready to be summons to come up to Heaven for the Judgment of the righteous saints, but it will be the most dreadful day for all those who will miss that trumpet call. This righteous Judgment of all the saints of all ages and the opening of the other Seals on the backside of the Book is one and the same event, we will be judged according to our deeds, words and thoughts which are all recorded and sealed in the Lamb's Book of Life.

Cause, the day is far spent and the evening shadows are falling, the evening Light is here, and we are soon listening for the summons to “ come on High ,” and we are wanting to be ready at that hour. So, help us, Father.
And there is no man worthy to open the Book, or to loose the Seals thereof; but the Lamb, that was slain from the foundation of the world, come took the Book and loosed the Seals .
50 THE HARVEST TIME -- PHOENIX AZ -- 64-1212

And John, in the Spirit, standing up here in Heaven—he'd just been lifted up now from the Church Ages—saw the Church Ages, and then he was taken up in the 4 th chapter . He said, “Come up higher; I'm going to show you things that will come.”
And he saw One sitting upon the Throne with this Book in His hand , in His right hand. Think of it. Now, and then in this Book was a title deed to redemption. And It was sealed with seven Seals. And then a Angel came forth, a strong Angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who was worthy to open the Book, to take the Book; who was able to open the Seals; who was able to open this Book?” See? The Angel asked it...
Here is the Book of Redemption. Here is the plan of redemption. Here is the only way you'll ever be redeemed , for there is the title deed to redemption of the whole heavens and earth. “Let him come forward, if he will.” Oh my!...
...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 ( where the bodies of the living saints will be -Ed. ) , 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 dead in Christ, with their bodies still under the earth in the grave or in the sea-Ed.) — 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 !
92-3 TO 93-2 THE BREACH -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0317.2E

Revelation 5:13 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 that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

The following 4 stages is a summary of Brother Branham's explanation of Psalm 50:4 to 6, Ephesians 1:10, 2 Thessalonians 2:7, Revelation 4:1 and many more Scriptures.

1. At the end of the squeeze, when the last saint has been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise and the church age is finish, Christ in the form of the Holy Spirit will leave the earth and return back into His corporal body again at the right hand of the Father above the Heavens.

2. The Lord will then summons the living saints from the earth up into Heaven. With great “rapturing faith” and anticipation we will leave our bodies and be translated to be joined with the dead saints behind the curtain of time, every one from Adam to the last one will be there.

3. Then we will all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ, we will see God on the Throne, looking like a jasper and a sardine stone. We will see in His right hand the great Book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven Seals. Round about the Throne, we will see the seven lamps, and the four beasts and the twenty four elders as it is explained in Revelation 4.

4. After the Angel's call, the bloody Lamb will appear from the Father's Throne and take the Book of Redemption, the Lamb's Book of Life. Then we will praise the Lamb, our Kinsman Redeemer, and we will sing redemption songs while the Angels will be all around us with bowed heads.

These vital facts are almost unknown among the worldwide Message believers, but they are the truth because God's Prophet explained it exactly like that. After the Prophet had preached the Revelation series, he referred to this most important subject again in the sermon “Gabriel's instructions to Daniel.”

31 We have been now for months in the study of the Book of Revelations, the Revelation of Jesus Christ. We have come through the church ages. The first three chapters of Revelations was the church ages. Then John was caught up in the 4 th and 5 th chapter, and was showed things that—that was to be hereafter. Now, on the 6 th chapter, he drops down into the earth again, to see things taking place that will go from the 6 th chapter, the 1 st verse, until the 19 th chapter and the 21 st verse. In here comes in the Seals , the Plagues, the Woes, the locusts, the—the woman in the sun, and the casting out of the red dragon, the sealing away of the 144,000, and all these things.
GABRIEL'S INSTRUCTIONS TO DANIEL -- JEFF. IN -- 61-0730.1M

37 Now, in order to back this up, go back, I want to rehearse a little bit of the back. So, therefore, some notes that I jotted down, that we had in the 5 th, the 4 th and 5 th chapter , so that the people will understand. First, before we do this, I want to lap it over so that you will get from the 4 th ... Now remember, the 3 rd chapter was the Laodicean Church Age, and the Church was taken up at the end of Laodicea.

41 Now, in the 4th chapter John was caught up immediately after the Church. John, going up , he saw the complete church age. There's where I'd like to stop, just a second, to say that many peoples who are expecting some great, tremendous, powerful something to happen in the Gentile age are certainly wrong. The church age, and all that will happen during the Gentile reign is recorded from Revelation 1 to Revelation 3, inclusive. Then the Church was raptured and taken up, and the rest of this unto the 19th chapter is what happens to the Jewish race, after the Church is gone up. And it is the time of the great tribulation, nothing to happen amongst the Gentiles, only the slaughtering and so forth, as we'll get to that and see.

42 But the Church Itself has gone on the 13th —on the last verse of the 3rd chapter of Revelations when the Laodicean Church Age end, which was the last.

45 ...It's later than we are thinking. See? So if we are so near till even man of this earth are predicting this tremendous thing to happen, we better be on the alert, everything right up to date , all confessions made, everything ready, 'cause we don't know just what time our Lord's going to summon us . And when He gives the summons, “ Come up higher !” better be ready . It's going to come in the hour that you think not.

47 Waiting for that hour! Now, in the 5th chapter and the 5th verses, we find in our previous lesson that we talked of that Kinsman Redeemer , which we found out was Christ. Typed it up with Ruth: Ruth deciding, Ruth serving, Ruth resting. Deciding was justification; serving, making herself ready, sanctification. Resting was with the Holy Spirit until the Wedding Supper came. How beautiful!

49 Our Kinsman Redeemer, the elders was right when they called Him a Lamb, about to become a Lion, as Judge . He was a Lamb, you know, with the seven-sealed Book . When the Book was taken, the mediatorial work was finished.

50 Now, in the 3rd chapter, the Church was gone up , but now redemption is to be revealed , how the Church was redeemed, the revelation of what taken place during the church age. See, the Church is gone . So He is now showing in the 5th chapter how He did it , what taken place, how He sealed the Church off. The revelation of His Name, water baptism using His Name, Eternal Life, no Eternal hell, serpent's seed, Eternal security; all the great doctrines, predestination of the Church, that was revealed to the Church. He's showing how He done it .

51 Now, our Kinsman is handed a seven-sealed Book of Redemption from the original Owner. Amen! Who was—we find was the original Owner? God Himself. “And the Lamb came and took the Book out of the right hand of Him that set upon the Throne.” Who was the Lamb? The Redeemer, our Kinsman Redeemer, the Kinsman to the Church Who come and redeemed Israel.

52 Now, we're going to get into that this morning. Israel was redeemed, but it was not applied to them, 'cause they rejected Him . But the Church received their redemption. And He is our Kinsman Redeemer. As Boaz had to redeem Naomi in order to get Ruth the Moabite, an alien, a Gentile, so Christ redeemed Israel, applied the redemption, and was rejected .

55 And Jesus redeemed Israel at Calvary , but it was not a pardon to them, because they did not receive it as a pardon . But in our lesson now on these seventy weeks, we find they come back and receive their pardon . But he redeemed the Church. Then we are pardoned, because we have received the Blood of Jesus Christ as our pardon .

63 Like each Seal broken in the Word of God reveals to the man of the age what age we're living in, the spirit of the age, the church of the age. Revelation 10, at the end we find when the last Seal was broke , we find the Angel standing with one foot on the land and one on the sea, with His hands up to Heaven, and a rainbow over His head, swearing by Him that lives forever and ever, that time has run out on the last Seal . And you wait till we get in them Seals and see where that Seal is at. After you find the seventy of weeks, then see where the Seals are. Time has run out. Redemption is over. He is now the Lion and the Judge . He's your Saviour this morning, but one day He'll be your Judge .

64 The 8th to the 1st ...14th verse of the 5th chapter reveals the time for the Lamb to be worshipped both in Heaven and in earth, the seven Sealed Book , the worthy Lamb, the Kinsman Redeemer. And from the 8th verse through the 14th , Angels worship Him, Elders worship Him, living creatures worship Him, and John worshipped Him so much till he said, “Every creature in Heaven, in the earth, underneath the earth heard me saying, 'Blessing, glory, power, wisdom, might be to the Lamb.' ” The worship time for the King Lamb . Now the Church is gone, remember.

70 Now, the seventy of weeks begins (now get this) after the Church is taken out. Now, everybody understands that, say, “Amen!” Now, after the Church is taken out .

There are a few places in "The revelation of the seven Seals," and in the COD book on page 1125 - 1126 where the Prophet made it very clear that there are only 3 ½ years left for Israel. The first 3 ½ years were fulfilled during the ministry of the Lord Jesus.

71 Revelation 6:1 to Revelation 19:21 is connected with the seventy of weeks, therefore we must stop and explain before we go further. We must stop and explain why these seventy of weeks, 'cause if you don't, you'll miss those Seals , you'll miss those Trumpets, you'll miss those Viles, those Plagues, those three unclean spirits like frogs, those three Woes, the casting out of the red dragon, the woman in the sun. You'll miss it all if you don't, 'cause it takes place right here in this seventieth week. That's where it takes place.

114 It has nothing to do with the Gentiles. These seven Seals , seven Plagues, seven Woes, seven Trumpets has not one thing to do. The Gentile Church will be in glory at that time . Don't have nothing to do with us, the Gentile Church; it only deals with Israel. “Daniel, thy people and Jerusalem.”

All this now that we see will help us by His grace as we endeavor to approach these LAST Seven Seals. See where we'd have missed it? From Revelation 6:1 to Revelation 19:21, we would've missed it, 'cause (See?) we'd have been trying to apply it back there in this Gentile age, where you see it's over in this age. See? Now, we have proved it by the Word of God, and by the history, and by everything...
193 SEVENTY WEEKS OF DANIEL -- JEFF.IN -- DA 89-141 -- 61-0806

Let's turn to Revelations 10 just a moment, so you'll get a understanding before we get into it. Now, this is at the end time, for listen.
... I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud:
and a rainbow... upon his head,... If you notice that's Christ (See?), 'cause He in the Old Testament was called the Angel of the Covenant, and He's directly coming to the Jews now, for the Church is finished. See? All right.
... and his face... as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: You remember that Angel in Revelations 1? Same thing. Angel is a messenger, and He's a Messenger to Israel. See? The Church has been raptured. See? Now, or fixing to be raptured. He comes for His Church.
72-1 {29} BREACH.THE -- JEFF.IN -- 63-0317E

The Bride is made up of the antediluvian saints from Adam to Noah, and of all the other Old Testament saints such as Job, Abraham, the Sages, the Prophets and the holy men plus the Apostles and all the New Testament saints from the seven church ages. Every one who's name and deeds are recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life is a member of the Bride and will be summonsed and translated up to Glory to be judged and found to be blameless, faultless and without spot or wrinkle at that other Sealsopening yonder. At that time, time for redemption for the Gentiles will be over, the New Testament will be finish and God will be dealing with Israel again to redeem the 144,000 Jews during the last three and a half years of Daniel's seventieth weeks. Just as Boaz had to officially redeem Naomi in order to get Ruth to be His Bride, the Lord Jesus has to come officially to the Jews, but He will first fully redeem His Bride and take her home in the second Rapture before He will continue His covenant with Israel.

MT. TRANSFIGURATION IS A PREVIEW OF MT. ZION

The Lord Jesus told His disciples that some of them would live to see the Son of man coming in His Kingdom (Matthew 16:28). After 6 days, Jesus took Peter, James and John up into an high mountain apart where they saw Jesus transfigured, and Moses and Elijah appeared at His side. The Prophet explained that this striking event was a preview of the Coming of the Lord which is confirmed in 2 Peter 1:16 to 18. In this preview, Moses represented the dead saints and Elijah represented the translated or raptured saints who presently live on earth. Common sense will tell us that this event has to happen before the resurrection of the dead in Christ, they are still asleep or dead when this takes place.

There was Moses, first; that's all these 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 REV. CPT. FOUR PT.1 -- JEFF. IN -- ROJC 551-584 -- 60-1231

What a reality! Clear, distinct like a trumpet, “Turn around, serve Me! Come up to where I am .” There we seen him representing those who died, Moses to represent the dead saints ; rose. Elijah, with his group at the last day, with his raptured group standing there. All before the Lord Jesus! John revealed that.
67 REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR... PART 2 -- JEFF. IN -- 61-0101

My, that's the way He is coming, coming in a cloud of glory.
Now, notice, when they seen Him standing there. And before that, there appeared to Him, Moses and Elijah. Watch that.
What did Moses meant? Moses was...represented the ones that had died and was sleeping in the grave, cause Moses died and was buried, nobody know where he was buried at. But he represented the ones that were asleep, when He come.
And Elijah represented the translated ones, who didn't have to die.
386 THE UNCERTAIN SOUND -- JEFF. IN -- V-16 N-3 -- 60-1218

We're all represented there in transfiguration. Look what we are seeing today. Notice just what we're seeing today, the quickening power of God. We were all there.
There was the dead saints represented in Moses. There was the resurrection and Jesus Christ glorified... Moses, Elijah, and Jesus all standing on the mountain--the dead saints, the raptured saints and Jesus glorified.
37-4 THE EASTER SEAL -- PHX. AZ -- V-2 N-6 -- 65-0410

Now, look at the transfiguration. We was every one represented there. There was the living saints that had raptured, there was Elijah standing there; and there stood Moses, the dead saints...?.... Also, both of them had Quickening Power. Whether the one died and the other didn't die, they're all there.
46-2 THE RISING OF THE SUN -- JEFF. IN - V-3 N-12 - 65-0418.1M

When He comes, the showdown--the Rapture of His Bride! The first was Mt. Carmel; the second was Mt. Transfiguration; the third will be Mt. Zion! Glory!
123-5 SPOKEN WORD ORIGINAL SEED - JEFF. IN - V-3 N-2 - 62-0318.2E

Once again, we are plainly and clearly informed by God's Prophet that those who are dead, and the living saints that had been raptured, they will all be gathered together at Mt. Zion. Mt. Transfiguration was a preview of the actual coming of the Lord at Mt. Zion. This is another strong link in this long chain of undeniable evidence, to give us understanding of what we must expect and prepare for, what the Bride will experience on that soon coming day of Redemption. Another enlightening link we find in Philippians 2:10 and Revelation 5:3 and 13.

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things
in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.

3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth,
was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

13 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 that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for
ever and ever.

How could all the born again and re-created sons and daughters of God praise and worship God and the Lamb in Heaven, and be at the same time on the earth, and under the earth and also in the sea? We will all be gathered in the first Heaven, every one from Adam to the last one whose new names and righteous deeds are sealed on the backside of the Book. Every soul will be clothed in his or her immortal Theophany body at that Sealopening while these earthly houses of the living saints, from which we will have been raptured at that time, these bodies will remain somewhere on the earth. The bodies of the dead in Christ will still be under the earth in the grave, and the bodies of those who drowned in the sea will still be in their watery grave while this greatest of all events takes place behind the Curtain of time.

But the righteous will not have to be punished with the unrighteous. God will come, and Jesus will redeem His Church, and we'll go up in the air to meet Him, and it'll be far beyond any bombs or any troubles. And we'll be protected during that time.
E-19 GOD.KEEPS.HIS.WORD -- JEFF.IN -- 57-0407M

There will be no need of protection when we are fully redeemed "up there" in the presence of God by the Kinsman Redeemer, but the Prophet gives us the assurance that our living bodies down here on the earth will be protected at that time, till we enter them again when we come back.

What's the next thing? Jesus Christ shall come again the second time in glory to receive all those who are dead in Christ and alive in God. God will bring every one with Him.
E-52 THE JUNCTION OF TIME -- JEFF. IN -- 56-0115

We may be buried under stones and bogs and in the bottom of the sea, wherever it may be, but when the Son of God comes, and the warm breezes of eternity begins to bathe the earth, His Blood washed children will raise their head and give praise to God.
E-39 TESTED FAITH PRODUCES GOODS -- BANGOR. ME -- 58-0518

Our heads are bowed to the dust, where You took us from; and if You tarry, we will return to that dust. These spirits and souls that's in us, must return to You for the Judgment.
256 GREATER THAN SOLOMON - HOT SPG. AR - V-20 N-11 - 63-0628.2E

Whether I'm a spoonful of ashes or where I'm living when He comes, it matters me no difference. Amen! Doesn't matter, because I've caught the vision. The veil rolled back, and I see Him, One that could stand and put His hand upon me, a sinful man, and upon a holy God; and He's my Propitiation.
171 HOW CAN I OVERCOME -- JEFF. IN -- V-4 N-12 -- 63-0825.1M

Easter means more than just a tradition. It is also now, for our bodies are quickened with Him and we're sitting in Heavenly places. And this body may rot in the sea; it may rot in the ground; there may not be a spoonful of ashes, but she's coming forth.
40-5 THE RISING OF THE SUN -- JEFF. IN - V-3 N-12 - 65-0418.1M

These few quotations explain those Scriptures clearly, this meeting will certainly take place before the resurrection, we have to meet the Kinsman Redeemer first, He will redeem our souls and bodies before we can receive our glorified bodies. 2 Corinthians 5:6 and 8 tells us that we can not come into the presence of the Lord Jesus in these earthly bodies, we have to leave them behind, either through death or the translation to be able to stand in His presence when we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to be accepted of Him as expressed in verses 9 and 10.

6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we
are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
8 We are CONFIDENT, I say, and WILLING rather to be absent from
the body, and to be present with the Lord.

The Prophet said that the very saintest of us fear and draw back at the point of death, when the soul leaves the deceased body before it enters the Theophany body to be translated behind the curtain of time. That is why we have to be very sure about this translation, we must want it with all our hearts and have that “rapturing faith” that when that call comes from Heaven to ”come up hither,” we must not hesitate. We must be confident and willing to be absent from the body, and understand that we cannot meet our Saviour and Kinsman Redeemer any other way to be fully redeemed.

9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may
be accepted of him.
10a For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ...

Just like the man Jesus was accepted by God, so will our lives be accepted by Christ. The most wonderful description of the same event we find in Hebrews 12:22 to 24, the Mt. Zion gathering of all the saints of all ages, the general assembly, all the Bride members which are written in Heaven and sealed on the backside of the Book till that time when God will judge and accept all, every one individually from Adam to the last one. The Amplified Bible adds, "...the righteous, the redeemed in Heaven, who have been made perfect".

22 But ye are come unto Mt. Sion, and unto the city of the
living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable
company of angels,
23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which
are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to
the spirits of just men made perfect,
24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the
blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel

The Spirits of the perfect just men will be gathered "up there", clothed in the immortal Theophany bodies, while the natural bodies of the living saints will be somewhere on the earth, and the disintegrated bodies of the dead under the earth and in the sea while this Sealopening will take place "up there" in the first Heaven.

And do you realize what little words that I have to say here, God's going to make me answer for it up there at the day of judgment, see? And I have souls here no matter if it's a small group--but yet I have...the words that I say, I will have to answer for them up there.
E-19 HE WAS TO PASS THIS WAY -- DENHAM SP. LA -- 64-0321.1M

Angel is a messenger, and He's a Messenger to Israel. See? The Church has been raptured. See? Now... or fixing to be raptured. He comes for His Church. Now watch.
And he had in his hand a little book open:...
72-3 THE BREACH -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0317.2E

Here are man standing on their feet that feels that they haven't been where they should be-- ready for this Rapture; for it may take place before the First Seal be opened to us.
115-1 THE BREACH

We want to receive rapturing grace. We want to be able when that mysterious thunder thunders out yonder and the Church is taken up, we want to be ready to receive it, Lord. Grant it.
225-6 THE SECOND SEAL

Now, for they, at this time, if you notice, this Fifth Seal being opened, see, the Church is gone...
Now, these cannot be them souls because the souls of the righteous martyred and the righteous people, the Church, the Bride, has done been took up; so they wouldn't be under the altar. They would be in Glory with the Bride. Now watch. For they are gone in the Rapture in the 4th chapter of Revelation; they were taken up.
361-4 THE FIFTH SEAL

But during this time, why, see what happens is the Gentile Bride is selected in the seven church ages and goes up, and when it does that way, all these Jews that's martyred along there, because of blindness, (laying under the altar) God comes over and says, "You see what it was? Now, I will give each one of you a robe."
They said, "How long, Lord? Are we going in now?"
Said, "No, no, no, no. Your fellow-man, the Jews, have got to suffer a little bit, yet."
370-5 THE FIFTH SEAL

...the next, coming on down: "has redeemed us." Sure it was the Bride--the raptured saints. Could you... And here... Certainly, the Lamb had the Book in His hand. He had done left the Throne of mediatorial grace. See?
502-2 Q. AND A. ON THE SEALS

See, everything will be finished for the Gentile church when the Bride is taken from the earth. The Spirit of God leaves the earth: "He that's filthy is filthy still; he that's righteous is righteous still; he that's holy is holy still." In other words the sanctuary becomes smokey, where the--the Attorney stands to plead the case. Christ leaves the sanctuary; His day of mediatorial is over. The rapture comes; he leaves from the sanctuary, goes forth and takes the Book of Redemption, and claims everything He redeemed. There's no more mediatorial work.
173 - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- JEFF. IN -- COD 993-1060 - 64-0823.2E

These few quotes confirm once again that the Judgement of the righteous and the opening of the seven Seals on the backside of the Book is one and the same event, it will take place after the Church ages have ended. These few quotations do also show us again that this other Sealopening will definitely take place "up there", the living saints will be summonsed to "come up hither" to meet the "glorious saints" on High. We must be individually ready for "this Rapture" when the Bride "is taken from the earth" to meet Christ to be personally redeemed and claimed by Him, to be literally claimed as His Own at that time and place. Every claim will be certified, sanctioned and approved by the "Judge of all" according to our personal reports, our own "life story" foreseen by God since before the foundation of the world which will be "unsealed" on that great day of the Lord when "the Attorney" will plead each one's case when grace and mercy has ceased.

Our Judge is our Attorney. The case is settled. It's all over. The same One is Judge is the Attorney, is our Attorney. The case is settled; we have the Token. Both Judge and Attorney is the same Person. When God was made flesh and dwelled among us, our Judge become our Attorney, and the case is settled.
67 TOKEN.THE -- SHREVEPORT.LA -- 63-1128E

...and they'll realize that they don't know what minute that we may be called or summoned to answer for our lives on high. And if our name is still on that stalk book, doomed we'll be; but if it's in the Lamb's Book of Life, the real Life, then we are saved.
99 TRYING.TO.DO.GOD.A.SERVICE -- SHP.LA -- V-7 N-2 -- 65-1127B

This last short quote is loaded with spiritual “goodies.” We don't know when this will happen tells us indirectly that it will be the next greater event, and to be summoned “on high” refers to Revel. 4:1. It shows once again that the Lamb's Book of life will be opened when the last 7 Seals will be loosed, and the Judgment of the righteous is the same occasion. The great and dreadful day of Malachi 4 is also mentioned there, the doomed stalk book people, and those saints recorded in the Lamb's Book who will be confirmed as the saved ones by the Kinsman Redeemer on that great day of the Lord.

RAPTURING FAITH IS FOR THE LIVING SAINTS ONLY

In Luke 18: 1 to 8 we read that we must always pray and not faint, like the widow woman in this parable who persistently and continuously begged the unjust judge to avenge her of her adversary, till he did so, just to get rid of her. The Lord Jesus explained that God (the righteous Judge) will avenge His Own elect, those who cry day and night unto Him. In verse 8, Jesus asked a important question.

8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless
when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

That's the faith the saints must have who live on the earth at His Coming, we must have a rapturing faith, that is more faith than any other age had as Brother Branham explains. This rapturing faith lays in the Message which only the end-time Bride will receive, because it is only for us.

The end-time Message is to get the Bride ready and prepare for the Rapture . What can it do? According to Malachi 4, is bring them back to the faith that was once delivered to the saints.
222 THE END-TIME EVANGELISM -- JEFF. IN -- 62-0603

I believe she's ready to strike that final climax yonder, to bring forth a faith that will rapture the Church into Glory; and she's laying in the Message ! We're really at the end time.
35-6 THE ABSOLUTE -- JEFF. IN -- 62-1230m

This Message is for the end-time Bride only, therefore this faith for this Rapture is only for the living saints. Let us carefully study the next quote. After the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the changing of the bodies of the living saints, all the saints of all ages will be waiting in their glorified bodies for the second Rapture. We will all together go up in that Rapture to the wedding supper. Why should this little group of the end-time Bride among all the other saints of all ages need more faith than all the others when we all go in the same Rapture? It would make no sense whatsoever! It is obvious that the Prophet spoke of the first Rapture.

And I want you to get built up now in the... the Holy Oracles of God, in the faith, the faith of this hour . The faith! It's going to take more faith than ever was in any age , for this has to be rapturing faith, be taken up .
4 SPIRITUAL FOOD IN DUE SEASON -- JEFF. IN -- 65-0718e

With this faith, the few true believers on the earth will wait eagerly and wholeheartedly to be called up on High to be judged in righteousness and be avenged of our adversaries who dwell on earth and who will want to kill us at the time of the "squeeze" by trying to force the mark of the Beast upon us. At that time, we will lose all earthly possessions and we will be at the mercy of the elements, but we will survive with the power of the third Pull upon us, we will speak food into existence and control sickness and even the weather by the power and manifestation of the spoken Word.

Then, if you don't belong to the world organisation of churches, you won't be able to buy or to sell. You will lose all. Those who stay true to God and keep their garments clean from the defilement of this 'world-system' of church orders will be physically bereft.
265-1 -- CHURCH AGE BOOK CPT.7

Little groups will lose charters, privileges, etc., until they lose all property and spiritual rights with the people.
313-2 -- CHURCH AGE BOOK CPT.8

Thus all the people have to belong to the world church system or be at the mercy of the elements for they cannot buy or sell without the mark of the beast in the hand or head.
376-1 -- CHURCH AGE BOOK CPT.10

...the third pull has now been vindicated, and I am sure you all know what it is...
But it will not be used in a great way, until this council begins to tighten up. And when it does, when that does... The Pentecostals and so forth can almost impersonate anything that can be done, but when that time comes (when the squeeze comes down), then you will see what you have seen temporarily, be manifested in the fullness of its power.
6-1 LOOK AWAY TO JESUS -- JEFF. IN -- V-2 N-17 -- 63-1229.2E

It is tightening; and then when that time comes, and the press comes to a place to where you're pressed out, then watch, (what I am fixing to tell you in a few minutes) WATCH THE THIRD PULL THEN! It will be absolutely to the total lost, but it will be for the Bride and the Church.
7-4 LOOK AWAY TO JESUS

Now, that great gift! Others I've tried to explain and say how it was done. This can't be explained. Just wait. It will not be in operation so perfectly now. Wait till that Council of Churches brings on that persecution, that's when it will happen.
138 UNFAILING WORDS OF PROMISE -- PHX. AZ - V-15 N-3 -- 64-0120

Many will join the Antichrist system and become the "total lost" at that time. Other Christians, such as the foolish virgins, will have to pay with their own blood and give their lives because they lack the faith to believe and follow the true doctrine of God's Word. The genuine believers will be led by the "eighth Messenger", the Angel of the Lord, and be kept alive by the operation of the third Pull. Only those who have great faith will be able to withstand the adversaries, and that great faith is built on true doctrine and teaching of the Word of God, as Hebrews 11:1 and the Prophet explain:

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen.

Now, preaching usually catches the sinner, brings him under condemnation by the Word. But teaching places a man positionally what he is. And we can never rightly be able to have faith until positionally we know what we are.
6 EPHESIANS PARALLELS JOSHUA - JEFF. IN - AD.1 - 60-0515.2E

And you'll either have to belong to some of those denominations or be ousted. And that's the time where we have to show our colors and be sure that we know, not a guess work, but know THUS SAITH THE LORD where you're standing.
57 THE PATMOS VISION -- JEFF. IN -- ROJC 69-130 -- 60-1204.2E

That's just a little minor thing. Well, here's a far greater gift right here. Which would be the best, the gift of the Holy Ghost of wisdom to put the Word of God together and to show the church where we're standing, than just to get somebody healed?
59 WHY ARE WE NOT A DENOMINATION? - JEFF. IN - V-11 N-7 - 58-0927

He was a great man as long as He healed the sick, but when it come down to the doctrine and the prophesy, that's what separated the chaff from the wheat. See?
8-1 THREE KINDS OF BELIEVERS -- JEFF. -- V-3 N-6 -- 63-1124.2E

These very few genuine saints, scattered all over the world, will be under the protection and guidance of the Angel of the Lord like the children of Israel were during their journey through the wilderness, we will be completely separated and out of reach of anyone else. That will be the time to receive rapturing faith because we will know what the next step will be, we will be aware that at any moment we will receive the summons to "come up hither" and meet our Saviour personally.

But God's just now loosening up the church everywhere, getting in order now so He can get into the Rapture, got to give it rapturing faith before it can go in the Rapture.
43 ISRAEL AT THE RED SEA 1 -- JEFF. IN -- IC 35-64 -- 53-0326

...before the Church can have the Rapture, it's got to have rapturing faith. We can't even have faith for Divine healing, let alone rapturing faith. Got to have a faith that'll change and quicken this body, and be taken away. I believe there's a Church on its road tonight, a Power of the living God, that men will speak the Word here and there, and it'll flash like lightening.
79 ISRAEL AT KADESH BARNEA - JEFF. IN - IC 97-128 - 53-0328

And see all those nine spiritual gifts moving through the Church, operating the whole Church Body. Then we will have the Rapture. Then it will be called out, and we will have the Rapture. If we can't have faith for Divine healing, how we going to have faith for rapturing faith? The Church has got a ways to go yet.
E-15 I PERCEIVE YOU ARE A PROPHET -- CONNERSVILLE. IN -- 53-0614.2E

God is moving right on, bringing in the rapturing faith for His Church. That's right. So tonight, I represent that Faith, "The Faith that was once delivered to the saints," in the way of a Divine gift.
27 GOD HAS A PROVIDED WAY -- LVL. KY -- V-25 N-9 -- 54-0404

What if it is something to let us know how to enter in to the rapturing faith! Is it? (Will we run and leap over walls?). Is there something fixing to happen, and these old marred, vile bodies are going to be changed?
46-3 IS THIS SIGN OF THE END SIR - JEFF - V-2 N-11 - 62-1230.2E

There are many more quotes about "rapturing faith", but these few are enough to show us that this rapturing faith is only for the endtime Church to go up in the first Rapture. The following quote confirms again what we said already, we will be raptured to meet those who are asleep, the dead in Christ, and then meet the Lord in the air when He comes from the Mercy Seat. We have already quoted the Prophet in the previous chapters where he explained that all Scriptures have a compound meaning, that applies also to the phrase "meet Him in the air".

Is that really them Seven Thunders fixing to utter out something that the little group that has gathered together will receive a rapturing faith to go in the Rapture when He comes; for we will be changed as quick as those Angels come: in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and shall be caught up together with those that are asleep to meet the Lord in the air.
51-6 IS THIS SIGN OF THE END SIR

When we see a God who can take a cancer that's eat a man to a shadow, and raise him up to a strong healthy man, that ought to give "rapturing faith" to the people. That when that Light flashes from the sky, and the trumpet sounds, the Body of Christ will be quickly gathered together and changed in a moment and taken into the Heavens.
11-1 WHY CRY? SPEAK -- JEFF. IN -- V-2 N-26 -- 63-0714.1M

This will be the thing that, to my opinion, (I don't say the Lord tells me this) this will be thing that will start the "rapturing faith" to the going away, see. And I must lay quiet for just a little while.
6-5 LOOK AWAY TO JESUS -- JEFF. IN -- V-2 N-17 -- 63-1229.2E

The Faith! It's going to take more faith than ever was in any age, for this has to be rapturing faith, be taken up.
4 SPIRITUAL FOOD DUE SEASON -- JEFF. IN -- V-8 N-7 -- 65-0718.2E

He is doing it as stated in verse 23 (Joel 2), by the teaching, or "former" rain. Next will come the harvest rain or rapturing faith.
379-2 A RESUME OF THE AGES -- CHURCH AGE BOOK CPT. 10

The latter and harvest rain or rapturing faith pertains to the living saints only. It is going to take more faith in this age than any other age, only this age will need rapturing faith because at the second Rapture, all the saints of all ages will be raptured together in their glorified bodies, we will know all things in that state, we will not need rapturing faith for that Rapture. The living saints will be quickened to meet the dead in Christ "up there" before their resurrection, and the Kinsman Redeemer will come to redeem and save our souls. That event will be the end of our faith according to 1 Peter 1:9, we will have arrived, we will have made it, we will be home at that time.

9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Since the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the souls of the Bride members who have died left their earthly tabernacle after the last breath and entered into their waiting Theophany bodies to be translated to a place of rest somewhere in the Heavens. This "journey" was and still is brought upon every saint at their death, they have no control over this flight, it is a certain happening which is arranged by God. Brother Branham calls this transfer from the deceased natural body up to Heaven "that Rapture".

Now with your heads bowed and this in mind, knowing that we're bowing our heads to the dust from which we were brought, someday will return; knowing that you got a soul in there that has to answer to God... And if you feel that you're not just ready for that rapture, that if it would come tonight, and you'd want to be remembered in prayer, just raise your hand.
211 THE RAPTURE -- YUMA. AZ -- V-5 N-14 -- 65-1204

"That Rapture" at death does not need rapturing faith because it will take place anyway, but the living saints will need more faith than any other age, a rapturing faith to voluntarily and spontaneously react and yield to the call of God to leave the body and be raptured yonder.

THE PROPHET EXPLAINS 1 THESSALONIANS 4

According to Brother Branham, the greatest mystery in the entire Message is the fact that the living saints will partake in two Raptures. Many believers insist that 1 Thessalonians 4:13 to 18 speaks of one Rapture only. Let us look carefully at verse 16, before we study the other verses of chapter 4.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend ... (Now, listen close.) ... the Lord himself
shall descend from the heavens with a shout, and with a voice of the archangel,
and... the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Now, I want you to notice a great thing taken place here now. Don't miss this. See? Now, notice, the Word says here in II Thessalonians that there's three things... Notice, from the 13th to the 16th verse there's three things that has to happen before the Lord Himself appears. (Quickly now so we can close. See?) The first thing happened, notice: a shout, a voice, a trumpet. Let's read it now and see if that's right. See?

16 For the Lord himself... (16th verse)... shall descend from heaven with a shout,
and with a voice of the archangel, and... the trump of God:...

Three things happen, a voice--a shout, a voice, a trumpet, has to happen before Jesus appears. Now, a shout. Jesus does all three of them when He's--He's--He's descending. A "shout," what is a "shout"? It's the Message going forth first, the living Bread of Life bringing forth the Bride.
128-130 RAPTURE.THE -- YUMA.AZ -- 65-1204

We see that the Shout, the Voice, and the Trump will happen BEFORE the Lord Himself appears, and BEFORE the dead in Christ will receive their glorified bodies in the resurrection. We must be sure about that reality in order to correctly place the two Raptures. We also understand that the Lord Himself does all three, the first two in the form of the Holy Spirit, and the last one when He comes in His physical, corporal body to take the Book on the day of Redemption.

The first thing come when He starts descending from the heaven, there's a shout. What is it? It's a Message to get the people together. A Message comes forth first. Now, "Lamp trimming time."
141 RAPTURE.THE -- YUMA.AZ -- 65-1204

Little Willie out there put my name under that star out there, and that's the reason I passed it over (You see?), 'cause I--I don't think... Now, I'm going to be honest as I can be. I don't think I'd have anything to do with that messenger. See? That's right.
572-386 QUESTIONS.AND.ANSWERS -- JEFF.IN -- COD -- 61-0112

There are many quotes like this one above, Brother Branham did not want to be referred to as the Messenger for this age. He said that the Elijah is the Lord Jesus Christ, He is the Messenger of this day. The Lord Himself descended to "shout" the Message through His Prophet. The Message is also called the former rain, and the Son of Man ministry, it will continue till the last sheep has come into the fold and has received the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

The second is a voice of the resurrection. The same voice that, a loud voice in St. John 11:38 and 44 that called Lazarus from the grave. Getting the Bride together, and then the resurrection of the dead (See?), to be caught up with it. Now, watch the three things take place.
152 RAPTURE.THE -- YUMA.AZ -- 65-1204

How can the second of the three things, the Voice of the resurrection, be before the Trump and before the dead in Christ shall rise? This resurrection is not to be resurrected from physical death, but from a powerless spiritual death in sin and trespasses at that latter rain outpouring by that Voice of the Archangel, to "resurrect" us from this present state, and to bring us back to the power of Pentecost and to the the full stature of the perfect man, into His image and likeness.

God's taking you now to reveal Himself again through His Church, the resurrected Body of the Lord Jesus Christ: resurrected out of church-anity; resurrected out of cold formal churches; resurrected out of fanaticism. God's bringing forth a bunch of bones and putting skin on it in the power of the Holy Ghost that'll bring the Gospel in this last days with signs and wonders to the end of the world. They'll teach the Bible. They'll stand by It. They'll live by It.
196 UNPARDONABLE.SIN -- JEFF.IN -- 54-1024

Brother Branham refers here to Ezekiel 37 where the Prophet prophesied, and the dry bones came together and flesh came upon them and they were covered with skin, but there was no breath in them yet. That is what the Shout is doing, calling the body together out of every nation, kindred and tongue. Then the Prophet prophesied again, and that Voice brought the breath of life into them, the latter rain, and they came alive and stood up, and became an exceeding great army.

"...all the years that the caterpillars destroyed, and the palmerworms, and so forth." How they would be restored again, and that tree would live again. We pray, Father, that You'll send down grace, and the resurrection power of Christ, that You might restore,resurrect us to a living faith in the living Word of this day. We ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen.
23 PARADOX -- BAKERSFIELD.CA -- 64-0206B

When It fell upon Jesus, It manifests the promise of that hour. See? It's the Holy Spirit coming down to quicken, make alive those people that's foreordained of God to be in the rapture. Oh, that is, if he's a true eagle, he will understand the message of the hour: if he's a true eagle.
15-4 EASTER.SEAL -- PHOENIX.AZ -- 65-0410

Then when a man is borned again from heaven, he becomes a spirit babe in Christ. 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 -- 65-0221E

The Holy Spirit will come down, He is the Voice of the Archangel. He will "resurrect" us from all unbelief at that time and make us ready for the first Rapture. Then the Trump of Revelation 4:1 will sound, and we which are alive at that time will drop these robes of flesh, our souls will leave these bodies and enter the Theophany body and we will be translated to first meet the dead in Christ yonder behind the curtain before we all appear before God on His Throne, to be fully redeemed. Let us look at the Scriptures, we see that this will take place BEFORE the dead in Christ shall rise.

1.THESSALONIANS.4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant,
brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even
as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also
which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which
are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent
them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
BEFORE
-------and the dead in Christ shall rise first:----------
AFTER
17 Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we
ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

I know Him in the power of His resurrection; that someday when He calls, I'll come out from among the dead, when He summonses me to appear on high, when the trumpet of God shall sound and the dead in Christ shall rise. If I'm alive, I'll be changed in a moment, in a twinkle of an eye, and shall go with the rest of them, up to meet the Lord in the air. That trumpet voice, sound, clear, loud. Hm. Oh, it will be the same, the same at His coming.
156 REVELATION.CHAP.FOUR.PT.1 -- JEFF.IN -- ROJC 551-584 -- 60-1231

The Prophet explains here the compound meaning of 1 Thessalonians 4, It will be the same in the first Rapture at His coming BEFORE the dead rise, as it will be AFTER that at the second Rapture when we all will meet Him above the clouds. In verse 15 the living saints will be changed, "we which are alive and remain," for the translation to meet the dead in Christ, and together meet the coming Lord yonder. But in verse 17, "we which are alive and remain" shall receive the glorified body after the dead have received theirs in the resurrection, and we all will go together in the second Rapture.

In the first translation, we meet the dead first before we meet the Redeemer at His second coming.

Even so, those that sleep in Christ will God bring with Him. For we say this to you in the commandment of the Lord." That we will not be as hindered. It won't hinder us when we are sleeping. And we watch the order of the resurrection. 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 redemptions songs, and Angels, with a circle around the earth will stand with bowed heads, not knowing what they're talking about.
E-90 BE.NOT.AFRAID -- RICHMOND.VA -- 61-0311

What's the next thing? Jesus Christ shall come again the second time in glory to receive all those who are dead in Christ and alive in God. God will bring every one with Him.
E-52 JUNCTION.OF.TIME -- JEFF.IN -- 56-0115

Revelation 5:9 tells us that we will sing the redemption songs when we see the Kinsman Redeemer come the second time in glory to take the Book out of the right hand of Him on the Throne before He will judge each one of us in righteousness, and certify that we are faultless and blameless.

Dear God, in this solemn moment, it's going to be a time like this when there really will be a clap of thunder someday, and the Son of God shall descend from the heavens with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and the trump of God; the dead in Christ shall rise. And each one of us knows, and are aware tonight, Father, that we're going to have to answer for every word we give, and every word we say. Even the thoughts that's in our hearts, we're going to answer for it.
206 I.HAVE.HEARD.BUT.NOW.I.SEE -- SHREVEPORT.LA -- 65-1127E

Our heavenly Father, knowing that--that the sun is swiftly going down, time shall be no more, one day the great Archangel will step out on the scene of time, from out of eternity. And the trumpet of God shall sound and every man and woman will answer to what we know to be the Truth, the Word of God. There's got to be some standard that God has to have here on earth that we're to be judged by.
E-81 PARDONED -- TUCSON.AZ -- 63-1028

REVELATION 5:13 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 that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

Behind the curtain of time, the Prophet was told that all the saints of all ages will be judged there while the bodies of the living saints will remain on the earth, and the bodies of the dead under the earth in the grave or in the sea, as explained in Revelation 5:3+13 and Philippians 2:10. The next quote obviously pertains to verse 15 of 1 Thessalonians 4, and not to verse 17.

The next rapture takes place is II Thessalonians for the church, the Bride, to be resurrected to be raptured into glory. "We which are alive and remain (That's the body that's left on earth.) will not prevent or hinder them which are asleep; for the trumpet of God shall sound first, and the dead in Christ shall rise. (See?) And we which are alive and remain shall caught up together with them."
172 RAPTURE.THE -- YUMA.AZ -- 65-1204

I said, "I've preached the same message he did." And them millions raised their hands and said, "We are resting on that." There you are (See?), right there. Yes. Said, "Then together we'll 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 TEN.VIRGINS -- JEFF.IN -- ROJC 425-492 -- 60-1211M

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--I thought about it then; that's exactly the Scripture.) Said, "Then we go back to earth and take up bodies; then we eat. We don't eat here, neither do we sleep." Said, "We eat down there. But we go back to the earth."
382-4 {407} FIFTH.SEAL.THE -- JEFF.IN -- 63-0322

It is obvious that we could not come back to earth and take up our bodies unless we have first left our bodies (left on earth) and been raptured behind the curtain of time. Then, after this Judgment of the righteous saints, then we come back to earth for the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the changing of the bodies of the living saints. Then we shall be caught up together with them in the second Rapture. The next quote tells us that the dead saints behind the curtain of time are waiting for the summons to this Judgment.

I'm thinking of old Brother Seward, Brother Sparks, Brother George DeArk, many other precious souls that once set with their feet against that stove, has gone on to meet their Lord tonight, 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.
799-279 TAKING.SIDES.WITH.JESUS JEFF.IN COD 62-0601

MATTHEW.25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh;
go ye out to meet him.

7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

The midnight cry and the Trump of God is one and the same, it will call the souls of the living saints out of our bodies and up to glory to be joined with the dead in Christ, and it will also summon us together on high to the Judgment Seat of Christ. In this place, the rising of the dead means that they arise from their slumber and sleep to enter in. This is not the resurrection from the grave. Let us look at the dictionary to see that “resurrect” and “sleep” and “slumber” has also another meaning. Without this understanding, many quotes cannot be correctly understood and placed.

WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY: resurrect 1: to raise from the dead. 2: to bring to view, attention, or use again.
CHAMBERS DICTIONARY: resurrect: to revive: to disinter = to take out from the grave, or from obscurity.
WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY: resurrection: 1c: the state of one rising from the dead. 2: REVIVAL, RESURGENCE = a raising again into life, activity, or prominence.
OXFORD DICTIONARY: resurrection: from Latin resurgere, see resurgent = reviving of little activity, popularity, or occurrence.

WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY: sleep: 2a: a state resembling sleep: as a: state of torpid (dormant) inactivity.
WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY: slumber: 1a: to sleep lightly. 2a: to be in a torpid, slothful, or negligent state. b: to lie dormant or latent = to lie hidden... not now manifest or showing signs of existence or activity.
CHAMBERS DICTIONARY: latent: hid: concealed: not visible or apparent: dormant: undeveloped, but capable of development.

The dead in Christ are resting in a dormant state yonder, hidden in obscurity. But when they receive that call that the Bridegroom is coming, then they will revive and rise and be brought from obscurity into view and activity again when the changed and translated living saints will join them to enter in before the Throne as described in Revelation 4.

Didn't Jesus said the virgins went out to meet Christ? Some of them fell asleep the first watch, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, to the seventh watch. But in the seventh watch, then came forth the sound, "Behold the Bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him." And the ones that was sleeping, awakened; all the age back to Pentecost woke up. See, from the seventh age, the seventh church age, all the way back through woke up; and these that were in this church age a-living, they were changed, and they went in.
65 IS.YOUR.LIFE.WORTHY -- JEFF.IN -- 63-0630E

Only the living souls will be changed by leaving the natural bodies and enter into the Theophany bodies for the first Rapture. But the souls of the dead saints are already in their Theophany bodies, they will go up before the Throne just as they are now. There are also other interesting verses in Thessalonians which explain the coming of the Lord.

I.THESSALONIANS.2:19 For what [is] our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?
[Are] not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

20 For ye are our glory and joy.

I.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.

II.THESSALONIANS.2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and [by] our gathering together unto him,

Just as the Thessalonians and all the other believers of the first age will be Paul's glory and joy at the Lord's coming, so will we be Brother Branham's glory and joy at that day when he will "present us as a chased virgin to Christ." We will be presented to God unblameable in holiness, rejoicing exceedingly at that Judgment of all the righteous saints of all ages, before we will receive the full baptism of God (Eph.3:19), and then come back to earth to pick up our glorified bodies.

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

THE FIRST RAPTURE IS A GREAT MYSTERY

The 3rd mystery is the mystery of the translation of the LIVING SAINTS at the end-time of this age. 1 Corinthians 15, and also Thessalonians 4:14-17.
31-1 IS THIS SIGN OF THE END SIR - JEFF - V-2 N-11 - 62-1230.2E

There will be very few saved--translated in that time. One of the mysteries of that Church being taken up, like Lot was taken...
35-3 IS THIS SIGN OF THE END SIR - JEFF - V-2 N-11 - 62-1230.2E

It'll be, maybe one leave Jeffersonville, just somebody come up missing. They'll say, "Well, you never..." The rest of them won't know. There'll be one leave Georgia. See? There'll be one leave in Africa. And let's say there'd be five hundred people a-living will go in the translation. Now, that ain't--that ain't the church body; this is the Bride.
57-5 {373} GOD IN SIMPLICITY -- JEFF.IN -- 63-0317M

There are millions times millions of Christians who are waiting for the second Rapture to take place, that Rapture can certainly not be regarded as a mystery. But the first Rapture is a great mystery, we have not yet met a single Message believer who knew and believed this most important fact of God's Word. The following quotes tell us that this change for this Rapture is not a change to be a young man and woman again, but we will be changed to a different kind of body. The soul will be transferred to the Theophany body for this Rapture to meet the coming Son, the Lord Jesus in the air, behind the Curtain of time.

Their body had to be changed in another way that we see the son and we...?... go back to be young men and women, we still can't meet the Son because we're going to meet Him in the air. We got to have a changed body to meet in the air the rapture.
That's the next thing for the children of Abraham. The trumpet shall sound, the next thing. The real children of Abraham shall be changed. This body made light and will go right up. But we go back to be young men and women we'd still be earth bound.
E-94 ABRAHAM AND HIS SEED -- BLOOMINGTON. IL -- 61-0416

We're waiting for the Rapture , the change that we can see the Son of God coming in Glory one of these days. He will never touch His feet on the earth, but we will be changed and caught on to Him in the air. As you changed Sarah and Abraham and made them in condition so they could see, and receive the promised son that they've waited on. God, I pray that You'll change our mortal bodies one of these days. Like a vision, or a translation, or whatever it was the other night. Who will be caught up one of these days changed just ... Lord, I believe it with all that's in my heart.
E-99 ABRAHAM AND HIS SEED

Once again, Brother Branham explains that the change will be the same as he experienced in May 1960 when he was taken out of his body to be translated behind the curtain of time to view that blessed region yonder, and meet the dead in Christ.

Now when we all know that when Jesus comes we will be caught up in a Rapture. And we know our bodies will have to be changed first. And it'll... It won't have to be just go back to young man and women, but it'll have to be changed, because Abraham and Sarah's body had to be changed in a way that they could receive the promised son.
E-79 ABRAHAM AND HIS SEED AFTER HIM -- CHICAGO. IL -- 61-0423

Our bodies will have to be changed. We just can't turn back to young men and women, we've got to have a different kind of a body, so you can be caught in the air to receive the promised Son. That's what the Church is waiting for now; the true Church.
E-81 ABRAHAM AND HIS SEED AFTER HIM

And now, we find the next thing in order for the Church now, is a changed body, not us old people go back and be young so much. But we will, and we will be there young, just as certain. But we got to have a changed body in order to receive the Son, because we're going to meet Him in the air. Rapture will come, a changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye.
E-15 GETTING IN THE SPIRIT -- CHICAGO. IL -- 61-0428

We cannot meet Him in these bodies. If we are changed back to young men and women, still we can't meet Him, because we have to meet Him in the air. There has to be something done besides change us back to young men and women, we've got to be changed and caught up in the air to meet Him.
143 THE TRUE EASTER SEAL -- JEFF. IN -- V-14 N-3 -- 61-0402

This Rapture is the next thing as the Prophet explains, not the resurrection of the dead and the changing of the bodies of the living saints to young men and women, not a change of the earthly bodies as the greater majority believes. The manifestation of this change will be the soul being pulled from this body, we will drop this robe of flesh and our soul will fly from it like a bird from a opened cage to rise and seize the everlasting prize before we come back again to be young men and women in the glorified bodies.

...one of these middays, your soul is going to pull from your body like a tooth being extracted. You're walking on brittle threads that might break through at any time. But what do I care? What do you care? For He will lift him up with His everlasting wings. He will catch him, when that soul breaks out of here.
122 ACTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - JEFF. IN - V-26 N-9 - 54-1219.2E

And some of these mornings He will sweep down through from the Heavens, hallelujah, like a great magnet He will pick up that little Church that's been persecuted, hang her in the Hall of Fame, when She goes to the sky. Shouting, "This robe of flesh I will drop, and rise and seize the everlasting prize."
179 ISRAEL AT THE RED SEA 1 -- JEFF. IN -- IC 35-64 -- 53-0326

The only thing you have to drop is this old robe of flesh, and just go right on to Glory. See?
167 DIVINE HEALING -- JEFF. IN -- V-26 N-10 -- 54-1219.1M

But we will drop this old robe of flesh, we will drop and rise and seize the everlasting prize and shout while passing through the air, "Farewell, farewell, sweet hour of prayer." It'll all be over and we will go home, lay this old body down and exchange it for a crown and a robe yonder that'll not fade away.
E-49 BEGINNING ENDING GENTILE DISPENSATION - JEFF. IN - 55-0109.2E

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 its 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 -- V-26 N-17 -- 55-0403

It's the little bird called the soul. And the only way it can free itself, one morning the clay will break away, and we will drop and rise, and ever seize the everlasting prize, when the soul goes to meet its Lover, yonder, with both arms out. The only thing that's keeping you here is this little old ratchety bunch of clay.
239 FELLOWSHIP BY REDEMPTION -- JEFF. IN -- V-26 N-17 -- 55-0403

My, that's the most glorious thing could happen, the Coming of the Lord, the end time. I wish it was right now. Sure. Well, it's the most glorious thing I ever thought of, to meet my Lord. This old robe of flesh I will drop, and rise and seize the everlasting prize, go back to a young man again, and live forever with my Lord, with all my people.
186 THE END TIME EVANGELISM -- JEFF. IN -- V-10 N-5 -- 62-0603

The Prophet explains the sequence of events perfectly. First we drop this old robe of flesh, enter the Theophany body, and rise up in this translation to meet the dead in Christ. Then together we seize the everlasting prize which is the redemption of our souls at the Judgment of the righteous. Then we “go back” to be young again at the resurrection and the changing of our bodies.

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 -- 65-0221e

The next rapture takes place is 2 Thessalonians for the Church, the Bride, to be resurrected to be raptured into glory. "We which are alive and remain (that's the body that's left on earth) will not prevent or hinder them which are asleep...
176 THE RAPTURE -- YUMA. AZ -- V-5 N-14 -- 65-1204

At the second Rapture, all the saints of all ages will be raptured together, every one in his or her glorified body which contains the Spirit-Theophany body and the soul. But at the first Rapture, as the last quote above indicates, "we which are alive and remain" will leave our bodies behind "on the earth" as we have already seen in Revelation 5:3 and 13. We have a perfect example of this translation when, in May 1960, the Prophet was taken out of his body and "raptured" behind the Curtain of time to meet all those believers who were converted through his ministry, all of those saints who had died till that point in time.

We read in Numbers 13 about the 12 men who Moses sent to spy out the promised land, our messenger and Prophet was taken to a much greater place of promise, to view that region and come back and give us a most detailed and elaborate explanation of how and what the Coming of the Lord will be. This precise report from that other side "up yonder" has not been given, generally speaking, even a fraction of the attention and serious consideration which it deserves. It is one of the most enlightening informations of the Message, and neglecting to fully believe that wonderfully exposed insight into the plan of God will have the same result which the evil report of the ten disbelieving spies had for Israel, death in the wilderness of confusion, doubts and false doctrines. No wonder the Prophet said it will only be one or two here and there who will make it at the end of time, just one or two "Joshuas and Calebs" who have another spirit and believe fully as Numbers 14: 24 and 30 tell us.

Those saints over there in the first Heaven told Brother Branham that they are waiting there for the Coming of the Lord Who will judge him and them and all the saints of all the other ages who ever lived on earth. They did not say that they are waiting for their resurrection from the dead as most Message followers wrongly believe, they will be judged and accepted first as the Apostle Paul confirms in Hebrews 9:27 and 28.

27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but
after this the judgment:
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.

Verse 27 refers to the dead in Christ just as they told Brother Branham yonder, they know that they will be judged before they can come back to earth for the resurrection. Verse 28 pertains to the living saints, those few who understand and look for Him and have rapturing faith to be quickened to leave the earthly tabernacle and be translated to join the dead in Christ behind the Curtain of time to be declared sinless, blameless, faultless, holy, unreproveable and without blemish unto salvation at that Judgment of the righteous by the Kinsman Redeemer. That will be the "everlasting prize", the full redemption of our souls and bodies, then we will all come back together to earth to receive our glorified bodies.

Said, "That woman that you're admiring," said, "you know how old she was when you led her to Christ?"
I said, "I have no idea."
Said, "Past ninety." Said, "See, she's young forever:"
And she looked up at me. She said, "Brother Branham, Jesus will come someday, and then we will go back to earth." And said, "Then we will receive our glorified body; then we will live together forever."
E-69 HAVING CONFERENCES -- CHATAUQUA. OH -- 60-0608

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 assured 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

I said, "I've preached the same Message he did." And them millions raised their hands and said, "We are resting on that!" There you are, see, right there! Yes. 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 TEN VIRGINS -- JEFF. IN -- ROJC 425-492 -- 60-1211.1M

This confirms the first Rapture more than anything else. We understand that the living saints and the dead in Christ will partake in this Judgment. In order to come back to earth to take up the body again, we have to leave the body first and go up. It is plain and clear that we cannot come back to earth and enter our bodies unless we have left it in the first place, that is an indisputable fact.

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, that's exactly the Scripture.) Said, "Then we go back to earth and take up bodies; then we eat. We don't eat here, neither do we sleep." Said, "We eat down there. But we go back to the earth."
382-4 THE FIFTH SEAL -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0322

These four quotations are sufficient to confirm this subject convincingly, it is exactly according to the Scriptures as the Prophet said, but the astounding fact is that almost nobody seems to care about it and take it seriously as we have experienced time and again. Brother Branham only repeated what he saw and what he was told by the Angel and by those who are in the first Heaven, those souls in their Theophany bodies in which they know all things. We wonder why so many ministers and believers ignore and overlook this all-important meeting, we do not accept that those precious saints over there are confused and are telling lies!

THE FIRST RAPTURE IS THE "NEXT THING"

As we have seen already, the "next thing" can not be the second Rapture, the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the changing of our bodies must take place before that crucial event. The following quotations are a further confirmation that Brother Branham is talking about the first Rapture of the living saints to be the "next thing", we will be translated to join the dead saints to meet the coming Lord Jesus together.

And when it is, there'll be the Rapture of the Church will go up, and then the return of Christ. And remember now, when... What's the next thing we're looking for? The Rapture of the Church.
34 TEN VIRGINS -- JEFF. IN -- ROJC 425-492 -- 60-1211.1M

See Him getting His Church ready? What's He doing? He's showing them His last sign. The next thing is what? The Rapture. The Rapture. The Son appears and we're changed. We can't go to get Him in the air. He's too high for us.
E-73 JEHOVAH JIREH -- TULARE. CA -- 61-0226

What's the next thing we're looking for? The Rapture. Go to meet Him, the coming Son. We will have to be changed and caught up. You can't be caught up the way you are now. You're too heavy.
E-75 JEHOVAH JIREH -- TULARE. CA -- 61-0226

And the next thing coming is the Rapture of the Church, and the change of the body of the sleeping saints, to meet the Lord Jesus in the air.
143 THE TRUE EASTER SEAL -- JEFF. IN -- V-14 N-3 -- 61-0402

What's the next thing? The transformation of this body, to meet the Son that's coming. We will be changed in a moment, in a twinkle of an eye.
228 THE TRUE EASTER SEAL -- JEFF. IN -- V-14 N-3 -- 61-0402

...everything down through Abraham's Seed and here we all are today waiting for the Rapture...?... Immediately after that come the change and the son.
E-94 ABRAHAM AND HIS SEED -- BLOOMINGTON. IL -- 61-0416

First we must see Jesus. And when He comes, then we will have a body like His body and we will be made like Him. All right.
121 REV CP.5 PT.1 BRUISED SERPENT - JEFF - ROJC 717-746 - 61-0611

Do you love Him? Could you afford to miss Heaven? We're at the end time! What's He coming to do? First thing will take place? Before Jesus ever comes to the earth, what will be the first thing? The Church will be what? Raptured! Will Jesus come to the earth and walk around at the grave and shake hands with papa and mama, talk to us all here, and go up? No! How will it be? The... We say this to you by the--by the Word of the Lord, "That we which are alive and remain (2 Thessalonians the 5th Chapter) --we which are alive and remain to the coming of the Lord, shall not hinder or prevent those that are asleep."
138 6 FOLD PURPOSE GABRL VST DAN - JEFF - DA 45-88 - 61-0730.2E

But there's one glorious thing that we are looking forward to: the day that we will see our Lord Jesus and then we will all be changed then.
E-1 AN ENSIGN -- PHOENIX . AZ -- 62-0119

And wherever it is, is the gathering will be unto the Shepherd. See? And then together we will be caught up with the resurrection to meet the Lord in the air. People will be coming from all parts of the earth, that's living. People that's dead, and so forth, will rise. And together the Church will be caught up (together) to meet the Lord in the air. See?
143 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- JEFF. IN -- COD 693-742 -- 62-0527

He's already redeemed us, but He hasn't took the possession yet. He cannot until the time appointed, and then will come the resurrection, and then the earth will be renewed again...
90-1 THE BREACH -- JEFF. IN -- 63-0317.2E

It's to be manifested when we see the Lord Jesus coming in glory, and feel that transforming power, and see the dead rising out of the grave, and know that in a second longer we will be changed and have a body like His. It'll be made manifest.
64 IS YOUR LIFE WORTHY -- JEFF. IN -- V-5 N-5 -- 63-0630.2E

...is just in condition for the coming of the Lord--the rapture, the next thing. And all that lacks could happen within an hour.
E-5 IDENTIFICATION -- PHOENIX. AZ -- 63-0123

Under no circumstances could the second Rapture take place "within an hour", that would not be possible, neither could it happen "before morning" as we see in the next two quotes, it would certainly disrupt the Scriptures. But the first Rapture, as we know it now, could take place anytime without disrupting the right sequence of the Bible.

...waiting only now for them seven mysteries right at last, on the Coming of the Lord and the Rapture of the Church that might happen before morning. Oh, my!
193 WARNING THEN JUDGMENT -- JEFF. IN -- V-8 N-3 -- 63-0724

The next thing left is for the Rapture of the Church. It could come at any time, and not disrupt any Scripture in the Bible, as far as I know it. God knows that's true.
151 JUST ONCE MORE LORD -- SHP. LA -- V-17 N-11 -- 63-1201.2E

God said, "We will be caught up in the air, to meet our loved ones." "Amen," said the Word down in my heart, for the Word is in there.
128 AN ABSOLUTE -- SHP. LA -- V-17 N-10 -- 63-1201.1M

How many out here now is Christians, and believe that you're anchored in Christ, and you're ready for the coming Judgment ? And you'll be able, that, when the Trumpet sounds, there won't be one thing to do but be caught away ? It'll be done so quick, you won't have time to do nothing else , “In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye.” What will it be, one of these days? What if you missed it there, forever, for Eternity, forever, ever, ever?
269 JESUS KEEPS ALL HIS APPOINTMENTS -- TAMPA FL -- 64-0418.2E

At that appointed time, there will be no time for anything else to take place, but to leave this body and be caught away to meet the dead in Christ at the Judgment Seat of Christ behind the curtain of time. That is the very center of the Message, that is the most important event which we must not miss, or else all is lost. In the following quote, Brother Branham said that this Rapture could have started already, it could be in progress by now.

The time is at hand. Don't, don't, don't wait any longer. See? How do you know the Rapture is not going on all the time ? First thing you know, it'll be past, one disappearing here and there. It'll be gone, the first thing you know, and you'll... Judgment will strike the world.
302 GOD HIDING HIMSELF IN SIMPLICITY -- ALBUQUERQUE NM -- 63-0412.2E

Now the next thing is to happen is the Jewish--or the Gentile elected Bride to be caught up with the rest of the Gentile elected Bride that's been down through the ages--be caught up in the presence of Christ in the Heavens. The dead raises; the ones that's alive and remain is changed; and they're caught up together in the air to meet the Lord.
148 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS -- JEFF. IN -- COD 919-992 -- 64-0823.1M

God will vindicate what he preaches to be the Truth as he did Elijah; for it is Elijah coming, making ready for the Mount Zion-Rapture.
125-2 SPOKEN WORD ORIGINAL SEED - JEFF. IN - V-3 N-2 - 62-0318.2E

The endtime Messenger's Message will make the living saints ready to have "rapturing faith" for the Mt. Zion-Rapture. That is clearly the first Rapture, it does not include the dead saints. They are at Mt. Zion already, in the first Heaven, waiting for the Coming of the Lord. The last two quotes verify the two Raptures once more, we must understand that the Prophet uses the phrase "meet the Lord in the air" in his preaching for both Raptures, it does not only apply to the second one.

And in that great day when the Rapture comes, if I never get to shake their hand here on earth, may I see them there in that Rapture as we meet to each other, just before going up to meet the Lord in the air.
E-50 CHRIST OUTSIDE THE DOOR -- MIDDLETOWN. OH -- 58-0330.2E

By His grace and by His help, the Angel of the Lord Whose picture you see back there, when I meet you again at the river or just beyond before we go up, remember, He's not standing two feet from where I am right now.
193 A SUPER SIGN -- GRASS VALLEY. CA -- JJ 141 -- 62-0708

A Brother tells us that Brother Branham told him that there will be a time of at least 30 days between the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the second Rapture. We know that the resurrection and the Rapture is two different events altogether. The next quotes pertain to the first Rapture and the change of our bodies. The Prophet refers to it as the Rapture-change or change-Rapture as to one and the same event. He seems to indicate that when the soul leaves the body like the bird out of the cage, when this robe of flesh is dropped, he is actually saying that it is the same thing.

The next thing was the change of the body in order to receive the promised son. And that's the next thing in line now is the rapture of the Church, the changing. We which were alive and remain shall not prevent them which are asleep; for the trumpet of God shall sound; the dead in Christ shall rise first, and we which are alive will be changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye."
E-94 ABRAHAM AND HIS SEED -- BLOOMINGTON.IL -- 61-0416

We're waiting till the rapture, the change that we can see the Son of God coming in glory one of these days. He will never touch His feet on the earth, but we'll be changed and caught up to meet Him in the air. As You changed Sarah and Abraham, and made them in condition so they could see, and receive the promised son that they'd waited on, God, I pray that You'll change our mortal bodies one of these days. Like the vision, or a translation, or whatever it was the other night... We'll be caught up one of these days, changed, just... Lord, I believe it with all that's in my heart.
E-100 ABRAHAM AND HIS SEED

But He changed their body in such a way, that they could receive the son. And now, we find the next thing in order for the Church now, is a changed body, not us old people go back and be young so much. But we will, and we will be there young, just as certain. But we got to have a changed body in order to receive the Son, because we're going to meet Him in the air. Rapture will come, a changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye.
E-15 GETTING IN THE SPIRIT -- CHICAGO.IL -- 61-0428

There are several quotations where we are not sure what the Prophet means, where we cannot distinguish if he was talking about the first or the second Rapture or both of them, and there are also many quotes where he mentions the second Rapture without referring to the first one. We understand that the Bible is also written like that, Isaiah 28:10 explains it like this:

10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept;
line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.

Verse 13 says that those who do not believe the Word of the Lord like that, they will fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. We can not take a little here or a little there and major only on one or two particular precepts and leave the rest out, that is precisely how false doctrines are born and established. It is like putting a jigsaw puzzle together, the picture is not complete till the last piece is placed in its correct position. We are convinced that this vital subject of two Raptures designated by God for the endtime Bride, for those saints who will be alive at the physical return of the Lord Jesus, has been proven beyond doubt in this chapter by enough Scriptures and quotes from the Prophet's sermons to be according to the Word of God.

But before we close this chapter, I must mention one more solid evidence why we cannot meet our Saviour in our earthly, physical bodies at His second coming, and why His feet cannot touch this earth at this point in time. After the fall, God came down to judge Eve and Adam for their unrighteous deeds which they had committed. After He sentenced the Serpent and Eve, God told Adam that the ground of the earth is now cursed for his sake. This curse is still in effect, and our bodies are made from 16 elements which are taken from this cursed dust of the earth, we are born in this condition.

GENESIS.3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened
unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded
thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed [is] the ground for thy sake;
in sorrow shalt thou eat [of] it all the days of thy life;

That is the reason we cannot meet God in this body, and we must be translated to meet Him yonder because He will not come to this sin-cursed earth before it is purified again. The very reason, and the very purpose of the coming of the Lord and our gathering unto him is to be judged as blameless and faultless overcomers of unbelief, in order for that curse to be lifted off every individual saint by the same Judge who sentenced Eve and Adam. The second Adam, our Attorney, will present us as His spotless Bride, He suffered death and hell for that purpose that we can be reconciled to God again. Then the dead in Christ will rise, the dust can hold those bodies no longer when the curse is lifted.

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground;
for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou [art], and unto dust shalt thou return.

We understand now why we cannot meet God in this earthly body, in this “lump of clay.” Therefore, we are willing to leave this body to meet God for the purpose of having this curse lifted off ourselves. Only then can verse 19 be reversed, but only for the members of the Bride, then we can come back to pick up the glorified bodies as Brother Branham was told behind the curtain of time. Without this Judgment of the righteous saints by the Kinsman Redeemer on the day of Redemption, the dead would remain perished in the grave, and the living saints could not escape the great Tribulation.

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--I thought about it then; that's exactly the Scripture.) Said, "Then we go back to earth and take up bodies; then we eat. We don't eat here, neither do we sleep." Said, "We eat down there. But we go back to the earth."
382-4 {407} FIFTH.SEAL THE -- JEFF.IN -- 63-0322

And this great subject that we have here before us now is one of the most vital subjects in the entire holy Writ. There's nothing so important as the coming of the Lord Jesus. For if He does not come, we have been found false witnesses, our dead that's in the grave are perished, and there is no hope left for us if Jesus doesn't come visibly the second time.
18 SECOND COMING OF THE LORD -- JEFF.IN -- V-9 N-2 -- 57-0417

This chapter entitled "The first of the two Raptures" is another very important part of the required understanding we need to enable us to have a clear picture of the Coming of the Lord. The combination of these chapters on this web-site is a condensed, summarized teaching which will be a solid anchor for the discerning believers in the coming persecution when the Message and the Bible will be taken away. At that time, only the solid truth will prevail and the essential "rapturing faith" will only be found in those overcomers who will be led by the Angel of the Lord upon the true doctrine of the Word of God.

Once more, we want to strongly emphasize that the key to understand the endtime Message is the indisputable fact that there are two times seven Seals, opened at different times. We predict that anyone who resists that vital revelation will never be able to rightly divide what has been, what is now, and what is to come, and will end up in total confusion. For instance, as we mentioned a few times already, the greater number of Message believers have no idea when, how and where the day of Redemption will be, it is a unknown mystery to them. We pray that God will bless every Brother and Sister who will study the contents of this web-site, may the Holy Spirit reveal this simple truth to you and we will meet each other on that great day of the Lord and be together throughout Eternity.