This diagram was drawn by Bro. Branham in 1962. He used it as a reference throughout his message entitled “Stature Of A Perfect Man”
The following are points taken from this message:
* God dwells in the statue of a man
* God has always reflected Himself in a man.
– God in Moses, God in David, God in Joseph
* 2 Peter 1:5-8
– Faith(foundation) + Virtue(Luke “Virtue went out of Him”) + Knowledge + Temperance + Patience + Godliness + Brotherly Kindness
* Virtue must be in us – how we act (like real christians) – Virtue is strenght – power (like lillies)
* Knowledge – not worldy knowledge but knowledge to judge right and wrong.
* Temperance – Holy Spirit temperence – how to control your tongue, temper. How to act in love when someone do bad unto you.
* Patience
1. Patience with God
2. Faith worketh Patience – Wait on God.
* Godliness – To be like God.
– Matthew 5:48 – Be perfect as God is perfect
– Ephesians 4:11-13 – For the perfection of the saints.
* Brotherly Kindness – Be kind to brethren
* Charity – Love – Capping Stone
The Seven Church Ages was a mystery found in Revelation chapter 2 and 3.
The church ages is a period of approximately 2000 years. Each of the Seven Church Ages had one messenger who would come at the beginning of every age to deliver a particular message of truth to the people.
THE SEVEN CHURCH AGES, DATES AND MESSENGERS.
Ephesus 53-170 A.D * Paul 177 years
Smyrna 170-312 A.D * Irenaeus 142 years
Pergamos 312-606 A.D * Martin 294 years
Thyatira 606-1520 A.D * Columba 914 years
Sardis 1520-1750 A.D * Luther 230 years
Philadelphia 1750-1906 A.D * Wesley 156 years
Laodicea 1906- A.D * Branham
The following points was taken from “An Exposition of the Seven Church Ages” -which was written by Brother Branham.
Messenger – Paul – A.D 53 – 170
Scripture: Revelation 2:1-7
* This was the first church or the original church that was not organized by men, but led by the Holy Spirit.
* Rev 2:6.. Who are these Nicolaitanes that God is talking about?
It was somebody doing something to conquer the laity of the early church. It was some “authority” doing it. Greek: Nikao means to conquer and Laos mean the laity (church).
What was is that God hated that was happening in that church? – What was going on then, and is going on today, its exactly what the word Nicolaitanes means. The people were being subjected somehow in a way that was absolutely contrary to the WORD OF GOD.
* The church is made up of good and bad. Just like the 2 trees (Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil) had roots in the same Eden and had branches intertwined so the church had that same paradox happening. Two vines make up the church. The true wheat and the tares growing side by side.
* Rev. 2:7
HE THAT HATH AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH UNTO THE CHURCHES
It says that the Spirit is speaking to the churches. That is plural, not singular. Being led by the Spirit John wrote this not only for the local Ephesian church or only the first church age but for all the church ages.
Messenger – Irenaeus – A.D 170 – 312
Scripture: Revelation 2:8-11
* The word Smyrna means “bitter, being derived from the word, myrrh. Myrrh is used to embalm the dead. Thus the 2 fold significance found in the name of the age. It was a bitter age filled with death.
* Rev 2:8 – The First and the Last – This is not a man speaking, but Deity speaking. Man (Adam) took life and turned it into death. This MAN (Jesus) took death and turned it into life. Adam took innocence and turned it into guilt. Jesus Christ took guilt and turned it into righteousness.
* Rev 2:9 – I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. – The word JEWS, does not describe the religion of Jewish people. It refers only to the people of Judah. They were not Jews by birth or by religion although they claimed they were.
* In the Smyrnaean Age, Diocletian the cruelest of all emperors launched a terror campaign againsts all the saints of God. That if it wasn’t for the mercy of God all the believers would have been wiped out. The bloodiest in history and lasted 10 years. 302-312 AD
Messenger – Martin – A.D 312 – 606
Scripture: Revelation 2:12-17
* In the words ‘He Which hath the sharp sword with two edges’ lies another revelation of the Godhead. ~ In the Ephesian Age, He has set forth as the Unchanging God. In the Smyranean Age we saw Him as the ONE TRUE God and beside Him there was no other. Now in this Pergamean Age there is a further revelation of His Godhead, set by His association with the sharp two edged sword, which is the Word of God.
* The emperor Constantine called for the Nicene Council in 325 AD to unite the churches, that is the same World Council of Churches today.
* The name Pergamous means “thoroughly married”. God knew before hand that the church and state would come together. Politics and religion was married together, and the offspring of that union have been consistently the most horrible hybrid the world has ever seen. All the evil ways of Cain is in them (the first hybrid)
Messenger – Columba – A.D 606 – 1520
Scripture: Revelation 2:18-29
* Thyatira means “Dominating Female.” It was the longest age…about 900 years.
* This age was also known as the Drak Ages – 68 millon christians was martyred during this time for their belief in God.
* The revelation of the Godhead to the Thyatirean Age is that Jesus is the Son of God. In the days of His flesh, He was known as the Son of Man. He is no longer the Son of Man, the Great Prophet, Who in Himself gathered together all prophecies.
* “These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like a flame of fire” – His eyes blaze with the fire of wrath and judgement as He sees Apollo (Greek god) revered as the Son of God.
Messenger – Martin Luther – A.D 1520 – 1750
Scripture: Revelation 3:1-6
* Luther did not only believe and only preached justification, but that was his major theme as indeed it had to be for that is the basic doctrine of the Word.
* Luther’s message was “THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
* God used Luther to bring to the people God’s standard against works – “The just shall live by faith”
* Martin Luther was a reformer, not a prophet. Though the history books call him a prophet of God there is not record qualifying him as such in the grand Scriptural sense of the word.
* The seven Spirits of God mean it is the one and same Spirit coming forth in a seven fold way. Similar to 1 Corintians 12:8-11
* The seven Spirits refer to Holy Ghost filled men. The seven messengers (seven stars and seven spirits.)
* THE SEVEN SPIRITS ACTUALLY REFER TO THE ONE SPIRIT OF GOD WORKING OUT THE WILL AND WORD OF GOD IN DIFFERENT GENERATIONS.
* This era -gave rise to denominations. And this era did not have the signs and wonders among them. They gave up the power of God for the power of the state.
* The breaking away of the denominations was more a political move than it was a spiritual move. It was like the children of Israel wondering in the wilderness 40 years, and not making it to Canaan Land. However it stuck a blow to the Roman church.
* The Sardisean Age was a reformation instead of a restoration. Had it been a restoration age, it would of been another Pentecostal Age, but it was not.
* This age had justification, but it had missed sanctification and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.
* The Sardisean Age had the written Word but not the revealed Word. This Age was unfaithful..and God said “For I have not found thy works perfect before God” (not perfect-unfaithful) – That is why the Bible called it Reformation and not restoration. This age was setting the stage (justification)
* It started out in the doctrine of justification which meant salvation was all of God.
Messenger – John Wesley – A.D 1750 – 1906
Scripture: Revelation 3:7-13
* Philadelphia means ‘love thy brethren’
* The ‘open door’ signifies the tremendous missionary effort of that age. Paul refered to a new missionary endevour for the Lord an open door – 2 Corintians 2:12
* The people of the sixth age had great patience and quietness compared to the seventh church age where there is great over-impatience and haste.
* God kept the people of the sixth age from “the hour of temptation which shall come upon the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”
Messenger – William Marrion Branham – A.D 1906 – 1963
Scripture: Revelation 3:14-22
* Laodicea means “people’s rights.” The Laodiceans worshipped Zeus.
* The messenger to the Laodicean Church Age – William Marrion Branham. This age will only have ONE Prophet-Messenger…Rev 10-7 “When he (singular) shall begin to sound.”
