On a Sunday evening, August 27, 1995, I entered the sanctuary from my office to join the others in pre-service prayer. The front pew was already full with several brothers kneeling in intercession. I squeezed in between two of my spiritual sons and was blessed to hear the desperation in their voices as they cried out for God to wreck their lives.
I quickly found myself moving into a spiritual realm that I had previously experienced only in private prayer. For several months, while in intercession at home, I could see and feel myself moving through opened doors in the Spirit. I would move from room to room at will, praying a different themed prayer in each place. As I would leave one room the door would close behind me and another would open before me.
I found myself kneeling in a certain room, travailing in focused prayer. However, when I finished, I realized that it must be well past the time for our service to begin. I knew there was a problem as I could not seem to pass back through the door. I could also see myself kneeling between the brothers but was unable to get the door opened that would free me to step back into my body.
I was suddenly flooded with a refilling of the Holy Ghost and fire and could see myself lying on my back. I had received the Holy Spirit twenty years prior but it was as though I was experiencing Him for the first time.
I saw myself standing up and staggering around, trying to get oriented enough to lead the service. Frustrated, I could not get to a place where I was able to function in a normal way … I was still locked into another realm and could not find a way to open the door. I struggled to find a knob to turn or something that would aid me in returning to myself, but it seemed futile.
Suddenly, the vision began to open up and I was filled with peace knowing that God was preparing to show me something special. I began to see sequences of pictures flashing all around me, and I knew there was something I needed to see and hear.
I was still aware that the Lord was moving mightily in and through those who had lingered in prayer. There was strong intercession in various spiritual languages coming forth from the young ladies. In an instant I saw the pillar of fire streak across the front of the church and then it stopped and hovered over a young brother who began to give a prophetic message. Another brother followed, giving the interpretation.
At some point, I communicated to the brothers around me that I needed to be moved, and they physically carried me to a more comfortable place. I was having a difficult time communicating in English what I was seeing; some of it only flowed out in Heavenly language.
The Man in Linen
The first full scene in front of me was a man in linen, the Angel of the Lord with a shofar raised to his lips. I listened as he sent out the shrill blasts, seven in all. Those who were closest to me could see me acting out the motions with my own hands and lips as the shofar was sounded. As a congregation, we had studied the teachings of Brother William Branham on the Seven Trumpets and the Seven Seal of the Book of Revelation.
The Angel of the Lord was quick to communicate some of the differences between the trumpet and the shofar. He explained that a trumpet is made by the hands of man, using his skill and craftsmanship for metal work to fully fashion it. However, the shofar was made from additional hollowing out of a ram’s horn. Very little finishing was required, not even the crafting of a mouthpiece, just the smoothing of the natural end of the horn.
The shofar is believed to represent the Voice of the Living God to the people.
The shofar is the only temple instrument still being used today in the synagogue. It was chiefly used as an instrument in religious and secular ceremonies. The ram’s horn was used to hold the holy anointing oil for the consecration of priests and the coronation of kings.
Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. 1 Samuel 16:13
Zadok the priest then took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 1 Kings 1:39
The shofar was the chosen instrument believed to physically represent the voice of the living God to the people. The Jewish people believe that God’s voice thundered with the sound of the shofar from Mount Sinai.
So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder. Exodus 19:16-19
Adonai will appear over them, and his arrow will flash like lightning. Adonai Elohim will blow the shofar and go out in the whirlwinds of the south. Zechariah 9:14 (CJB)
It was also used as an instrument of warning and warfare.
It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down. Joshua 6:5
Today, this bridal generation is also serving in a dual capacity. We have been called as carriers of the anointing, the oil and glory, pouring out the consecrated oil of kings and priests. We are also the Bridegroom’s voice to sound the alarm to assemble the people and to make preparations for war. This can only be accomplished through us as we offer ourselves fully to be hollowed out of all that is unlike Him in our lives.
Because of God’s Spirit in us, we become His Voice, sounding forth the call to repentance and purity.
He must be able to blow His Ruach Spirit wind through us to produce the clear and distinctive tones that are needed to rally the troops for the last battle preceding the final harvest. Because of God’s Spirit in us, we become His voice, sounding forth the call to repentance and purity.
But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. Matthew 10:19-20
Sunset Mountain
Suddenly, I was taken to the base of Sunset Mountain in Southern Arizona. I recognized this scene from an earlier visit and the many significant supernatural events that transpired in the Life of William Branham in this desert landscape.
I saw Brother Branham standing there as a company of seven angels descended toward him. I was in awe that I was witness to an event that had happened in 1963, five years before I was born.
I remembered that when this had transpired in Brother Branham’s life he had remarked that the seventh angel in the company had been the most significant to him. Let me say that I believe Brother Branham had been chosen by God to cooperate with that angel in releasing significant truth for our generation. He was often a mouthpiece for this angel as he ministered prophetically in helping prepare the Bride for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Brother Branham was physically lifted into their presence from the desert sand. I then heard the voice of the Lord call out to him. He was told that he would not be living in his earthly body when many of the things he had preached about and prophesied would come to pass. Specifically, he was told that he would not be present in his earthly body during the coming Bride’s revival.
Brother Branham fell to his knees as though bearing the brunt of the words, but he quickly raised both of his hands Heavenward and cried out, “Oh Lord Jesus, let me live to see that day. I so want to see YOU in Your fullness in the Bride.” He was weeping gently, and I must confess that even as a spiritual bystander, my heart ached and I wept also.
It must have been very disappointing for him to learn that he would be going by the way of the grave before the manifestation of the sons of God would be known in the earth. He had preached so hard and given so much. I also believe he accepted it with grace and continued to do all he could to equip the generation that was to follow.
If what I was seeing in the Spirit was an event that actually occurred in his lifetime, he never mentioned it publicly. However, after years of listening carefully to his recorded sermons, it’s apparent that he spoke with a knowing confidence that he would not be on this earth a great deal longer.
On April 10, 1965, in a message entitled “The Easter Seal,” he said, “What a hope for an old man like me, knowing that I see my end time right yonder soon, at fifty-six years old.”
On December 5, 1965, in a message entitled, “Things That Are to Be,” he said, “I’m beginning to get old now and know that my days are numbered.”
On December 7, 1965, in the message “Leadership,” he said, “I’m an old man; I haven’t got much longer to stay.”
William Branham died seventeen days later on December 24th. He was fifty six years old.
Bedroom
Immediately the scene changed, and I was standing in Brother Branham’s humble little apartment bedroom in Tucson, Arizona. I was filled with the knowledge that this was his last night there before leaving on a trip back to Jeffersonville, Indiana. I saw a small old-fashioned alarm clock on the bed table, the soft glow of the dial, and even the time — 2:30 AM.
I heard movement and turned, recognizing the same Angel of the Lord that I had seen blowing the shofar. He walked in with purpose and stopped at the foot of the bed. Brother Branham quickly became aware of the angel’s familiar presence and rose up in the bed.
The angel then spoke to Brother Branham, “The time has come for the beginning of your crossing.”
I heard Brother Branham courageously reply, “I am not afraid.” He slipped to a kneeling position beside the bed near the Angel. He lifted his hands to pray. He began with the words of John the Baptist, the forerunner of the first coming of Jesus. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” I knew that Brother Branham, like John of old, had been anointed with the spirit and power of Elijah, but he was also the most humble example of a surrendered man of God that anyone could ever be.
As the angel was leaving, suddenly a booming voice came into the room exclaiming, “The All in All is coming in.”
As I narrated this scene to those who were with me as the trance unfolded, The Holy Ghost spoke through me and said, “This is that hour. He must decrease so that the All in All can come in.”
Jesus Christ, First and Last, He is the All in All. He wants to do more than make Himself known to us, He wants to have union with us, to step into us and live the God life through us. This is our plea, and I believe this is the generation that will experience these things.
Mt. Zion
There was one final scene in the vision. I was once again standing at the foot of the pyramid-shaped mountain of Zion that I had seen in the last trance, but this time I was standing much closer. I could reach out and touch it; I could even lay my cheek against it.
I asked the meaning of this scene, and I was told that it was a marker to remind me of the nearness of these events, and that the season of slackness and backsliding of the people of God had to end.
We have come to the brink, in fact, to the point of no return. All choices must be made now, and our lines of loyalty must be drawn. To be completely transparent, I have many times felt disappointed that the fullness of these things has not yet come to pass. I now believe that once they truly begin to unfold, they will come with such rapid fire succession that there will be no time to prepare. We must use these last days wisely. We are drawing so near to what God wants to do in Zion, and that plan includes you.