I was recently following a thread on a social media platform and was amazed how people could misquote the prophet, William Marrion Branham. It is very sad. Hearing they hear but cannot understand.
We can listen to the prophet’s tapes. We can read “THE SPOKEN WORD” books. But we must tune our spiritual ears to hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying (that is, to hear the Logos or expressed thought) behind those Spoken or Written words (Rhema). Therefore, unless you have got the Logos of what the prophet was saying you cannot possibly “say what he said”. Truly, “he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches”.( Rev 2:29)
It is not wrong to quote the words of William Branham. However, to try and prove a doctrine or a teaching based on his statements alone shows that one is ignorant or has no understanding of the truth of God’s Word.
Let’s take a closer look at the Scriptures which the Prophet brought out to show the “two covenants “about Marriage and Divorce.
The FIRST COVENANT is (Genesis 2:24) “Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.”
Jesus added, “Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined, let not man put asunder” (Mathew 19:6). One man and his wife joined in one flesh was God’s original covenant, In the beginning.
The SECOND COVENANT is found in (Genesis 3:16) “Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. This was after the fall when they sinned. ”There was nothing mentioned about God making a “Polygamy” Covenant .
If a man in the Old Testament lived under the Jewish Law, he could have many wives. But then he had to live sinless under the Law, a School Master. No man succeeded in doing that. Under grace it is one man and one wife, Grace is a better covenant as Grace provides us with a Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Many also point to the fact that say King David in the Old Testament married many wives, a man after God’s own heart. David, the King represented Christ sitting of his father’s throne He married five hundred wives. David with his five hundred wives. Solomon is the son of David in the natural, which represents Jesus Christ, the Son of David in the spiritual.
The fact the Law allowed men to marry many wives, women could not even have one more husband. He’s the original creation, not her. Not one of those women could have one more husband, but that one husband could have a thousand wives. Types and shadows of Christ as the husband married to many members of his body, Bride
Contrary to popular opinion, the truth on Marriage and Divorce is quite straight forward in the Bible. The will of God is for one man to marry one woman and be faithful to one another until death (Mathew 19:6, Rom. 7:2). Jesus and St. Paul taught that remarriage is only allowed in two cases.
1. That a widow or widower may remarry another believer who does not have a living spouse (Rom. 7:1-3). This is because a widower is no longer bound to their previous spouse because that spouse has died, and they are free to marry again, only in the Lord.
2. A man may put away his wife and marry another if she did not confess any fornications she committed before they were married (Matt. 5:32, Matt. 1:18-21), because their vow would then be void due to dishonesty.
There are no New Testament Bible examples of any believer being remarried while having a different living spouse, since that would be adultery. There are no New Testament Bible examples of any believer being allowed to remarry because their spouse committed adultery on them. Adultery does not loose someone from the law of their marriage vow. If adultery takes place in a marriage, the couple must seek forgiveness and remain together, for if they separate and marry other believers, they have committed adultery.
A couple can separate or divorce for sound reasons other than fornication, but their only options are to remain separated or reunite (1Cor. 7:11). A couple who separates and remarries for any other reason than the two reasons listed above are living in adultery and must repent or they cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1Cor. 6:9-11, Gal. 5:19-21).
At select times in Bible history, God has given grace and forgiveness to His own people who have not followed His Marriage and Divorce requirements, either due to their ignorance or willful sin. In Moses day, God suffered His people to give a writing of divorcement (Mathew. 19:7-8) and God still accepted them (Deut. 24:1-4). In the days of St. Paul, God allowed Paul to give his judgments about Marriage and Divorce due to the present distress of those times (1 Cor. 7:6,12,25-26). We believe the same grace and forgiveness extends to believers today who were either ignorant or disobedient to the marriage requirements of God. If they confess their marriage-related sins, God is faithful and just to forgive them (1 John 1:8-10) and then they are instructed to “walk” the rest of their days in the marriage relationship wherein they were “called” and enlightened to the truth of God’s Word regarding Marriage and Divorce (1 Cor.7:17-24).
Shalom!
AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST 