The Coming Of The Lord
Spiritual Building-Stone No. 159

St. Matthew 24:32-51, “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

Let us read what God’s Prophet has said about it:

The Bible said that everything will be so great in that day (of John the Baptist) even to all the high places will be made low, and all the low places will be brought up; and all the rough places will be made plain (Isaiah 40:3-5). Why, I can imagine seeing them out there think--John would come out, or this great forerunner of Christ, and just take all the desert and smooth it out and put it in grass again (St.John 1:15-23).

Oh, then I imagine they had it all fixed up about like they have today. But it was so humble, even the apostles missed it. They said, "Well, why does the Scripture say... You're going up there to be offered up now; why does the Scripture say that Elias must come first?" (Matt. 17:10-13).

He said, "He's already come, and you didn't know it." And the Son of man, they'll do the same thing; but, "John," He said, "did just what was listed for him to do, and they done to him just what they were supposed to do"; and said, "so must the Son of man be suffered."

Why, there wasn't, I guess, one-third of the whole Jewish race ever knowed that Jesus Christ was on earth. They might've heard of some fanatic down along there somewhere, but they didn't pay any attention to it, just going on. "He came to His own, and His own received Him not." (John 1:11).

Now, there's where I believe even... Now, it didn't say He'd secretly come, but the rapture will be a secret. So if that was so secret when He come, how much more will the rapture be unknown. Directly they'll say, "Well, I thought we were supposed to have a rapture and all this judgment upon the earth."

He said, "It's already taken place, and you didn't know it." See?
It'll be just like a thief at the night (I Thess. 5:1-11; II Peter 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16:15).

Now, that's the way that it'll take place, and it'll be gone... Not that they'll have--send down a bunch of Angels down with some spades and dig up the graves. The Bible said we'll be changed before even you could bat your eye, just a twinkle (I Cor. 15:51-52). It'll all be over that quick. Just say, "Somebody disappeared."

Well, I'd imagine if we could search the world over today, there's been five hundred people disappear off the earth each day they don't know nothing about. They just come up disappearing. Well, there ain't going to be too many go in that rapture.

Now, I don't want to scare you, and I don't think it's that way; but I just want to tell you what He said, and you know it yourself. "As it was in the days of Noah wherein eight souls were saved by water..." Eight souls out of the world be saved by water (I Peter 3:18-21).

Well, you say, "Oh, my, there is no need of me trying." That shows you haven't got the kind of faith you need. "If there's just going to go, be one, that'll be me (Amen.), 'cause I believe." See? That's the way you want to believe it. "Be me." Sure. I want to live so close to Him that I know He's going to take me when He comes; I believe it. So if everybody else misses it, I'm going to be there by His grace, 'cause He promised me that, and I know that I'll be there, 'cause He can't lie, and I know my soul and life bears record, and I try to live daily just like He was coming, so I'm going to be that one. That's the way you want to feel. If there's going to be eight, I'll be one of that eight; going to be five hundred, I'm going to be one of that five hundred. Don't know about the other fellow, but I want to be one of that five hundred.

That is the way you want to remember it. And if you don't remember it like that, there's something wrong with your faith. See, you're not sure you are saved yet then. You're just guessing at it. Don't do that. [1]

How many knows there's a difference between the appearing of Christ and the coming of Christ? It's two different words. Now's the appearing, the coming will soon be. He's appearing in the midst of us, doing the works that He once did, in His church. Now, you're a part of that church, and by grace you believe. I am a member of that church.

Now, I'm not a preacher. You know I'm not. I have not the education to do it. Sometimes I feel reluctant standing here by men of God, who's called to that office. There are apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, and evangelists. Not all are apostles, not all are prophets, not all are teachers, not all evangelists. I'm standing here...

But my ministry is a different ministry from a pastor or teacher. I'm not. And if I say things wrong, brethren, forgive me. I don't mean it. But this is my ministry to declare Him, that He's here. [2]

My mission, that I believe that God has called me for... I have to say some personal things today, because that's what I told you I'd do, and tell the world. My mission, I believe, to the earth is what? Is to forerun the coming Word the coming Word which is Christ. And Christ in Him has the millennium and has everything right there because He is the Word. [3]

The Prophet said: I want to say this; I have never said it before, but according to Scripture, according to what He said in the year 1933 on the river down there, what He said, everything has happened just exactly. I may not do it, but this message will introduce Jesus Christ to the world. “For as John the Baptist was sent to forerun the first coming, so is the message to forerun the second coming.” The message will go on. [4]

And once more: Listen, brethren, I adjure you before Christ that you hold this part of your peace, but if you were spiritual you'd understand. See? Don't you know what the very first thing He said down there on the river? Don't you remember what He said? "As John the Baptist was sent forth to forerun the first coming of Christ, your message..." It's the message that will forerun the second coming of Christ. That's what the Angel of the Lord said.

Now, now notice. Now, "As John the Baptist..." Now, all of you has heard that. You've read it in books, and heard people that standing there hearing It, and everything else, when that Angel Itself spoke that message, "As John the Baptist was sent forth to forerun the first coming of Christ, you're sent with this message, will forerun the second coming of Christ." Now, "the message." [5]

This church is going through a birth pain. Won't you make your choice now in His Presence? I've showed you exactly the Word, what He said He would do. But what is it? The Son of man. "The Word of God is sharper than a two-edged sword, discerning of the spirit, the secrets of the heart." (Heb. 4:12-13). Just exactly like It was when It was made flesh here on earth in the Son of God, now it's being revealed by the Son of God as He's come to call a Bride out of that system.

"Come out of it. Be separated." saith God. Touch not their unclean things, and God will receive you (II Cor. 6:17-18). Are you ready to surrender your whole life to God? If you are, stand up to your feet and say, "I will by God's grace accept it right now for everything that's in me."

Hallelujah. Praise be to God. You believe Him? Then just raise your hands and pray with me. Confess your wrong. Birth pains, it's hard to die. But die right now (John 12:24-25). Die. Come out of your own unbelief. Come out of it. This is the Word of God made manifest, just as It was when Jesus come on the earth; it's Jesus Christ again among you, proven.

Abraham received a son immediately (the promised son) after that taken place [when Jehovah appeared to Abraham] (Gen. 18). And Jesus is coming again. That's His Spirit. He's so close to the earth, so close to coming that He's ready to receive you if you're ready to receive Him. Now, raise up your hands and pray with me.

Lord God, let all the priests hold onto the altars. Let the people cry out. May the Pillar of Fire and the Pillar of Cloud move into the people today and sober them, Lord, to the realization of the Presence of the living and mighty God. Grant it, Lord. Receive them. I pray this prayer for each one of them in the Name of Jesus Christ. Fill each one with the Holy Ghost who doesn't have the Holy Ghost. Lord, may the revival of this campaign, this meeting, break right now into a great powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit. May the sick be healed, the blind see, the cripples walk. May the manifestation of the living God be brought into the presence of the people, as it has been this afternoon, and may the people receive it. In the Name of Jesus Christ I ask it. [6]

Listen real close now, don’t miss this now! Look. There were four, four death messengers killed that Bride Tree. Is that right? What was it? Palmerworm, locust, cankerworm, caterpillar (Joel 1:1-4). Is that right? Four messengers of Roman devils, dogmas, killed that Tree. One took Its fruit; one took Its leaves; one took Its bark; one took the Life. Is that right? Four messengers of dogmas killed the Tree, all but the roots. And if four messengers of death killed the Tree, four messengers of Life restores the Tree.

Do you get it? Amen. For God said, "I will restore It." (Joel 1:25-27). He's going to restore It how? By four death messengers killed It; then four Life messengers will restore It. What was the first? Martin Luther, justification. What was the second? John Wesley--by sanctification. What was the third? Pentecost with the restoration of the gifts, the Holy Ghost, baptism of the Holy Ghost. What was the fourth? The Word. What? The Word.

There were four great prophets. One of them, Martin Luther, he begin to shine a Light. It was a little Light, just a very small strength of justification. Along came Wesley, stronger: sanctification. After Wesley come a stronger than him, Pentecostal, the baptism of the Holy Ghost in another great prophet. See? But in the last days of Malachi 4:5-6, Elijah is to come with the very Word.

The Word of the Lord came to the prophet. In the evening Lights is to come forth to restore and bring back (Zech. 14:7). What? Turn the hearts of the children back to the faith of the fathers: fourth Light.
Four killers took It, four messengers destroyed It. Four messengers of death took It away in dogmas; four messengers of righteousness restore It back again.

"Prophesy Son of man, Can these bones live?" (Ezek. 37:1-14). "Prophesy. Can these bones live?" Watch the four stages of Ezekiel's dry bones coming forth? But the Life only come, not when the sinew skin was on them, but when the wind blowed upon them. That's when come back, that fourth Message of Life was brought back. "I will restore, saith the Lord." Hallelujah. Glory. Praise be to God.

The fourth Light is to come that will bring forth the same signs. Watch. Justification brought back the pulp. Sanctification brought back the bark: doctrine of holiness. What brought back the leaf? Pentecostals. What is it? Pentecostals, leaves, clap their hands, joy, rejoicing: Pentecostal. What? The fourth was the Word Itself. The Word made flesh, fruits of the proof of the resurrection sign that Christ has finally, after justification being planted, sanctification being planted, baptism of the Holy Ghost. Organizations died out, and Christ has again centered Himself like that cap of the pyramid.
First line, justification, sanctification, baptism of the Holy Ghost, then coming of the Cap. What is it? That Holy Ghost bunch being honed out, so that it can fit with the same kind of ministry He had when He went away; that when He comes back it'll catch the whole thing in the rapture, where they're justified, sanctified, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. That pyramid will stand again. The house of God will live again. The Tree of Life is growing again. [7]

If anyone tells you that they know when He's coming, you know they're wrong to begin with, because no one knows that. But we want to live today like it was right now.

I want to be doing every day just what I would be doing if He comes. And I don't know no other better place than to be caught right at the post of duty, at the post of duty. So we just keep carrying on till He comes. [8]

I'm thankful for a Church universal, triumph, already predestinated, and called, and sealed, and ordained to that body. I find them in Asia, Africa, Rome, everywhere, Indiana, through the states, Africa. Everywhere around the world I find that Church triumphant, who knows that You have come in the flesh. In Your Bible You said, "Every spirit that does not confess this, is the wrong spirit, the antichrist. Every spirit that doesn't witness this same thing, that Christ has come in our flesh, is the antichrist spirit." (I John 4:1-3; II John 7). [9]

Now, I been kind of speaking to you on the Message very straight, and I... Some people might be under the impression that I think that Jesus is going to come in the morning or tonight. I do. Now, I don't say that He will. And again, He may not come for next week. And it might be next year. It might be ten years. I don't know when He's coming, but there's one thing I want to always you bear in mind: you be ready every minute or hour (Matt. 24:44). See? Then if He doesn't come today, He might be here tomorrow. So just keep that in your mind, that He's coming.

And I don't know what time is going to be my last hour on this earth; neither does any of us. And there's none of us know when He's coming. He doesn't even know Himself by His own Word (Matt. 24:36). He said the Father only knows when He will come; not even the Son knows when He will come. It's when God sends Him to us again. But we're looking for His coming. And if He doesn't come in my generation, He might come in the next. If He doesn't come in that one, He'll come in the next. But for myself, I can't see hardly any time left. I just... To me, it could happen at any minute. But now, that doesn't mean now, that you'll see the heavens change and every... That's not the coming I'm speaking of. I'm talking of the rapture.

See, He makes three comings. He come in three Son's Names. He come in a trinity, Father, Son, Holy Ghost. See? All of it the same Christ, the same God all the time.

Now, we know He come to bring three works of grace: Justification, Sanctification, Baptism of the Holy Ghost. Every thing in God is completed in threes. And so He come first to redeem His Bride; He come second as a rapture to take away His Bride; He comes third with His Bride, King and Queen. That's when many people are expecting the coming. But when He comes this time, hardly none but those who are ready will know when He comes. There'll just be an absence of people. They won't know what happened to them. They'll just be caught away in a moment. They'll just come up missing, changed in a moment in a twinkling of an eye. So just be ready for that. It'd be horrible some morning to miss a loved one, no one can find them. Wouldn't it be too bad to know it's done past and you missed it? So just keep before God. [10]

Once again: Christ’s first coming, immortal. He comes three times. Christ is in three. First coming, He come a mortal to bleed and die. Is that right? That’s His first coming. The second coming is the Rapture. We meet Him in the skies – immortal. His third coming – He’s the incarnate God. Amen! God Emmanuel to reign on earth. That’s right. Only three. [11]

These are they, Lord, that You have given to the ministry besides all those who sleep across the nation, around the world. The cemeteries here holds many of those waiting, blessed saints. But it's as it said, we which are alive and remain shall not hinder those that are asleep. The trumpet will sound, the dead shall rise first; then we be caught up with them (I Thess. 4:13-17). When the glory of God will be upon the earth, it'll hide the church away from the world. It won't even see It when It goes.

Father God, keep these in Your hands. They're Yours. I pray, God, that we'll always walk humble before You. We don't know how long. We don't desire to know how long; it's not our business. That's Your business. It's not our wills to know when You will come; it's our will, Lord, to keep humble till You do come (I Peter 5:5-7), and walk with You. It's our desire for You to just let Yourself be known once in a while, Father, among us, that we can see that we're still walking with You.

Forgive us of our past sins. Guide us and protect us from every snare of the devil for the future. Lead us and guide us, O God our Father. Forgive our sins and help us to be Your children. We're a poor class of people. We're an outcast by the societies of this world, by the denominations of the churches. We see the end, and we thank Thee for spiritual eyesight into Thy Word to see the end time. For all these things must come to that great stoning from heaven (Rev. 16:17-21). Help us, Lord, not to be here at that day, but to be gone into Your Presence, fly away into Your bosom. [12]

Now, the rest of Israel don't come forth until the general resurrection (Rev. 20:11-15; John 5:28-29). And now, at the coming of the Lord Jesus, those who are really loving His a-coming, that's living for it, when He appears in the sky, the Church that's dead in Christ shall rise and those will be changed in a moment. The rest of them know nothing about it. Remember, appeared to those in the city (Matt. 27:51-53). See, the rapture will be like that. We'll see each other, and we'll see them. The rest of the world won't see them. It'll be caught away as a secret going, waiting for that time, then returning back to the earth for that glorious millennium, then the thousand years. The rest of the dead live not for a thousand years, and then come forth the general resurrection where all Israel... (Rev. 20:4-6). [13]

Love Jesus with all your heart. Just be simple. Don't never try to figure out anything; just be simple before God, 'cause the more you try to figure it out, the farther you get away from Him. See? Just simply believe Him.
Say, "Now, well, when will He come? If He comes today, all right. If He comes twenty years from now, it's still all right. I'm going to go just the way I'm going now--following Him. Lord, if You can use me anywhere, here I am, Lord. If it's a hundred years from today, if my great, great, great, great grandchildren still live to see Him coming, Lord, I don't know when it's going to be, but let me just walk right today, just with You. 'Cause I'll rise at that day just the same as I took a little nap somewhere." [14]

I believe that we are living in the end time. I think most anyone that... The Scripture reader or even a believer knows that we are now at the end of the history of the world. There will be no use of writing it, because there won't be anybody to read it. It's at the end of the time. Just when, I do not know. Just how long it will be, not even the Angels of heaven knows that minute or hour. But we been told by the Lord Jesus that when these things that we see now begin to come to pass, then to lift up our heads for our redemption is drawing nigh (Luke 21:25-28). [15]

I am thankful to God to be living in this time of the closing scenes of this world's history. I don't know, if I would've had a say so before the foundation of the world, and God would have laid out the whole program to me and said to me, "I want you to preach. And now, what age do you desire to go to the earth to preach?" I would've chose this age, for I think this is the golden age.

I certainly would have loved to have been here during the time of His visit to the earth, but still I think this right now, is a greater time, because it's a time that He's coming to take the people that He's redeemed, nearing the resurrection when all the redeemed will come forth. What a glorious opportunity we have to speak to a dying people: great time.

But we are enthused about it. And we know that history is closing out. The world's history will soon be over. Then we're going to step into a new day, to the great Millennium. That as one believer, I believe in a Millennium, a Millennium reign with Christ, a thousand years upon the earth; the physical return of the Lord Jesus to take a physical people, glorified by His cleansing Blood. [16]

Reference:
[1] “The Third Seal”, Seal’s-Book pg. 238-239
[2] “From That Time” (62-0713), par. 102
[3] “The Spoken Word Is The Original Seed” (62-0318M), pg. 20
[4] “Look Away To Jesus” (63-1229E), pg. 7
[5] “Questions & Answers” (61-0112), COD-book pg. 571, par. 384-385
[6] “Birth Pains” (65-0124), pg. 40-41
[7] “Restoration Of The Bride Tree”, pg. 75-76
[8] “The Third Seal”, Seal’s-Book pg. 230-231
[9] “Super Sign” (59-1227M), par. 144
[10] “Broken Cisterns” (64-0726), par. 12-15
[11] “The Fourth Seal”, Seal’s-Book pg. 308
[12] “Trying To Do God A Service” (65-0718M), par. 193-195
[13] “How Can I Overcome”, par. 61
[14] “The Sixth Seal”, Seal’s-Book pg. 450
[15] “The Anointed Ones At The End Time”, par. 17
[16] “Invisible Union”, pg. 6-7

Spiritual Building-Stone No. 159 from the Revealed Word of this hour, compiled by: Gerd Rodewald, Friedenstr. 69, D-75328 Schömberg, Germany
Phone: (+49) 72 35 76 13, Fax: (+49) 72 35 33 06

There´s coming one with a Message that´s straight on the Bible, and quick work will circle the earth. The seeds will go in newspapers, reading material, until every predestinated Seed of God has heard It. [ Bro. Branham in "Conduct-Order-Doctrine“, page 724]