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Was William Branham a “true prophet of God” as he claimed? Or was he only one of the “many deceivers” that our Lord Jesus Christ warned his disciples about? This is a legitimate question that should be asked and must be answered because thousands of people are influenced to this day by Branham's teachings.

William Branham believed that an angel guided him throughout his life. William Branham's ministry was a result of this “angel's guidance”: this supposed “angel from heaven” would appear to him on more than one occasion (Gal. 1:8). A predominant characteristic of Branham's meetings was his near total fixation on the “presence” of this angel. Branham said, “I'm convinced that that very Spirit that you feel, the Holy Spirit that is moving in us, I'm convinced that that's Christ. Amen! I'm convinced that, right now, that This is what I'm looking at, this Circle of Light before me, I'm convinced that's the Holy Spirit! I'm convinced that vision is over my eyes! I know it is. Amen!” When asked if it was the Holy Spirit that did the supernatural signs and miracles in his meetings, Branham responded, “No, my angel does these things!” Branham said, “I believe that that same Angel anoints us, because It was God.” This is absolutely un-biblical. Jesus Christ's apostles were led by the Spirit of truth and the scriptures, not by an angel from heaven and a feeling. The apostle Paul warned, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” (Gal. 1:6-9). “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” (II Cor. 11:14,15).

Some people might point to William Branham's ability to “slay people in the Spirit” as proof that he was a true prophet of God. But the only people who were “slain in the Spirit” in the New Testament were God's enemies. If we “try the spirits” and test this phenomena by the scriptures (I John 4:1; II Tim. 3:16), we will see that the only people who were “slain in the Spirit” were the soldiers and men who came to arrest Jesus; and Saul and his companions who were enemies of the Christian church; and Ananias and Sapphira who tempted the Spirit of the Lord and lied to God. The band of men and officers “went backward, and fell to the ground” when Jesus said unto them, “I am he” (John 18:3-6); and Saul (Paul) and those with him “were all fallen to the earth” when Jesus spoke to him before his conversion (Acts 26:14); and Ananias and Sapphira died as a result of being “slain in the Spirit” (Acts 5:1-10). Nowhere in the scriptures will you find an apostle or disciple of Jesus Christ being “slain in the Spirit” and convulsing uncontrollably, as witnessed in these modern-day so called healing revivals. When the apostle John saw Jesus Christ he “fell at his feet as dead” (Rev. 1:17). But note that John fell “as dead”, he did not fall down convulsing at Jesus' feet (John 18:3). Note also that before Paul (Saul) was converted he and they who journeyed with him to persecute the church “were all fallen to the earth” when Jesus spoke to him, but after his conversion neither Paul nor any of those whom he ministered to fell to the ground in convulsions (Acts 26:14).

Some people might point to William Branham's ability to cast out devils and do many other wonderful works in Jesus' name. But consider what the Lord Jesus Christ himself said: “For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.” (Mark 13:22). Some people might point to William Branham's ability to prophesy in the name of the Lord Jesus and his apparent ability to read minds and tell some people certain personal things in their life, an ability shared by many psychics and mediums, as proof that he was a true prophet of God. But hear what Jesus Christ said:

Jesus said that a “wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign”, and “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.” “And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.” (Matt. 16:4; John 4:48; Mark 8:12). Jesus' apostles did not follow him because of the signs and wonders; they followed him because he faithfully preached the scriptuers: “Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.” (John 6:67,68). Paul said, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.” (Gal. 1:6,7). “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.... For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.” (II Cor 11:3-13). “For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.” (Mark 13:22).

Many of William Branham's teachings revealed his delusional thinking. Branham taught that the Holy Bible (KJV) had errors and that God was giving him (Branham) the “correct” interpretation (the Bible calls this “private interpretation” II Peter 1:20). What better way to deceive people than to tell them that they don't really have the pure words of the Lord in our preserved English KJV Holy Bible (Psa. 12:6; Prov. 30:5). A common characteristic among all cults and deceivers and false religions is to explicitly or subtly move authority away from the Bible to another source (a man, a vision, a confirmation in the heart, a lexicon or some other book) in order to supersede the authority of the Holy Bible. From Genesis 3:1 in the garden of Eden where the serpent said, “Yea, hath God said . . ?”, to the present day cults whose leader's words overrule the written word of God, Satan's methods of deception – to cast doubt on the scriptures – have not changed. Notice that when the serpent first deceived man the temptation was not to be evil but to be good, to “be as gods” (Gen. 3:1-5). This is why almost all cult leaders and false prophets have a deity complex, to “be as gods”, to be “like the most High”, to be reverenced and feared by their followers (Isa. 14:14; III John 1:9).

William Branham also taught that the occult pyramids and the zodiac (Babylonian-Chaldean astrology which is condemned by God in the Bible Lev. 19:26; Deut. 18:10,11; II Kings 21:6; II Chron. 33:6; Isa. 47:13; Rom. 1:19-28) were reliable sources of God's word. (Incidentally, both Charles Taze Russell, founder of the Jehovah's Witness Organization, and William Branham's grave sites are adorned with occult pyramids.) The apostle Paul exhorted us to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (II Tim. 4:2-4). But “after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers”: the lusts referred to here are not only sexual lusts but also spiritual lusts — a lusting after power and control, to “exercise dominion” and “authority” over others — “Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?” (Matt. 20:25-27; James 4:5). Jesus talked about “the lusts of other things entering in” (Mark 4:19). So we know by the scriptures that not all lusts are sexual in nature. “So I gave them up unto their own hearts‘ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.” (Psa. 81:12; 78:18).

William Branham believed that he was God's “mouthpiece” and that God was using him in much the same way as the Old Testament prophets. However, the “mouthpiece of God” theology was not original to Branham. Joseph Smith, who founded the Mormon church in 1830, claimed repeated “revelations” from God. Smith's newly formed church was given a “revelation” from God to accept “his [Smith's] word . . . as if from mine own mouth, in patience and faith.” (Doctrine and Covenants, 21:5). But even Joseph Smith was not the originator of this myth, as other cult leaders, both before and after Smith, claimed this divine authority. In the latter part of the second century a self-appointed end time prophet named Montanus, founder of Montanism (who was a priest in a Phrygian mystery cult prior to his supposed conversion to Christianity), was subject to ecstatic trances and repeated revelations and viewed himself as the “mouthpiece” of God (Another Gospel, Tucker, pp.33,34). William Branham said, “Now, I'm just your brother, by the grace of God. But when the Angel of the Lord moves down, it becomes then a Voice of God to you... But I am God's Voice to you... Now, see, I can say nothing in myself. But what He shows me.” (William Branham, Footprints On The Sands Of Time, p. 214).

Donald Gee said that a “careful study of the New Testament will reveal that the Early Church NEVER placed utterances through their prophets on a level with the Scriptures. Note carefully the distinctive phrase used in 2 Peter 1:21 to describe the latter—‘prophecy of the Scripture.’ See again the decision of Acts xv.28, where the difficulty was NOT solved by reference to the accredited prophets present (Barnabas, Judas, Silas, etc.), but by reference to the Old Testament Scriptures. The infallibility of prophets in the Early Church is strictly denied (I Cor. xiv. 20). Does this emaciate our conception of the nature of Spiritual Gifts so as to make them of no more worth than ordinary natural endowments? Not in the least. They are still supernatural. They remain to this day the Divine-appointed manifestation of the Holy Spirit in and through the Church (see I Cor. xii. 7-11). They have their basis in a genuine inspiration, but that inspiration is not on a level with the inspiration of the Scriptures.” (Montanism, Donald Gee, 1928).

Even today some misguided modern-day “prophets” erroneously believe that they are God's “mouthpiece”. Though sincere in their beliefs, teaching that God speaks to us as “in time past... by the prophets” is both un-biblical and anti-biblical and leads to errors, delusions and false doctrines. “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son” (Heb. 1:1-3). In the Old Testament, “in time past”, God spoke to his people “by the prophets” and by the scriptures written by the prophets. But in the New Testament, “in these last days”, God speaks to each and every one of his people “by his Son” “through the Holy Ghost” in each and every one of his people with the scriptures written by the apostles (Heb. 1:1-3; John 14:26; Acts 1:2; 10:44; 11:15; 15:8; II Tim. 3:15). “These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.” exclaimed the apostle John, “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” (I John 2:26,27; John 14:26; Rom. 10:8; Psa. 119:99,100; Prov. 30:5,6; Deut. 4:2; Rev. 22:18,19). Second Timothy chapter 3 verse 16 tells us that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” God gave us his written words to keep us from deceiving ourselves and to keep us from being deceived by others.

“Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?” (Proverbs 22:20,21)
“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” (Proverbs 30:5,6)

William Branham's teachings directly contradicted much of “that which is written” in the “holy scriptures” (I Cor. 4:6; II Tim. 3:15). Branham said, “I saw seven angels in the form of a pyramid that swept down, picked me up and was brought east to open the seven seals of God” (Commissioned by Seven Mighty Angels). But in contrast to Branham's teachings the apostle John said, “And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.” (Rev. 5:1-4). Verses five and nine tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who is “worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof.” William Branham, the Branch Davidians and the Heaven's Gate cult all believed that they were chosen by God to “open the seven seals”. Thier teachings, which contradict the Holy Bible, were all from the same source – the father of lies (John 8:44). And other false doctrines being propagated by modern-day ‘seers’ and ‘prophets’ are the “secret rapture” and “the close of the Gentile Times”. To dispell the “secret rapture” theory the Bible assured us that when Christ returns (and there is only one return) “every eye shall see him” (Rev. 1:7). And as far as God “closing the door of grace” to the world, the Bible assured us “that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”, and Jesus himself assured us saying “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” (Acts 2:21; Matt. 28:20). The “close of the Gentile Times” is not a new idea or new “revelation”; it is a false doctrine that various cults like the Jehovah's Witness organization and others have been teaching for over a hundred years (God's Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1973, p. 330).

Jesus Christ and the apostles are our pattern and our example of the true New Testament church, for “us not to think of men above that which is written” (I Cor. 4:6). And the New Testament, “that which is written”, is the revelation of Jesus Christ. English physicist Michael Faraday (1791-1867) said, “The Christian who is taught by God (by His Word and Holy Spirit) finds his guide in the Word of God, and commits the keeping of his soul in the hands of God. He looks for no assurance beyond what the Word of God can give him.... The Christian religion is a revelation, and that revelation is the Word of God.” (America's God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations, p. 232). But this simple truth of scripture is hidden from “them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight” (Isa. 5:21). Jesus said, “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.”, babes in Christ (Matt. 11:25): “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (II Tim. 3:15). The apostle Paul said “to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think”, and “that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written” (Rom. 12:3; I Cor. 4:6). But instead of “understanding what the will of the Lord is” by trusting the Holy Bible and searching the “holy scriptures”, many are turning to man and leaning unto their “own understanding” (II Tim. 3:15; Eph. 5:17; Prov. 3:5). Instead of hearing, “what saith the scripture?” (Rom. 4:3) and “Search the scriptures” (John 5:39), we are hearing “What saith the man of God?” and “Search his latest book.” The phrase, “it is written”, referring to the scriptures, occurs sixty-three times in the New Testament. But instead of hearing, “It is written”, “It is written again” (Matt. 4:4,7; Acts 1:20; 7:42), we are hearing “Thus saith the LORD, etc., etc.” Many people are apparently unaware of the fact that the phrase, “Thus saith the LORD”, does not even exist in the New Testament.

Numerous prophecies and predictions made by Branham did not come to pass. It is significant that Branham falsely predicted that America would be destroyed in 1977, given the fact that he was believed by many to be God's end-time prophet (The Seven Church Ages, p. 322). Mediums' and soothsayers' prophecies often fail, as did many of Branham's prophecies. The Holy Bible tells us that the hit and miss prophecies of Branham and other modern-day prophets are proof that “they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart” (Jer. 23:26). It is absolutely un-scriptural for anyone calling himself a prophet today to make even one false prophecy. There is not a single example in the entire New Testament of a prophet or apostle making a prophecy that failed to come to pass. Those who follow Branham's teachings today can take one or two New Testament scriptures out of context and twist them to fit their own beliefs, but they are only deceiving themselves and those who accept their private interpretations.

The gnostic teachings of Branham (serpent seed doctrine, etc.) and his acceptance of Freemasonry (a satanic occult organization) should have been a dead giveaway from the very beginning. “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Eph. 5:11). Another occult aspect of Branham's meetings was his total dependence upon an angel when ministering to the people. Branham would always ask the people if they believed he was God's prophet. People had to first acknowledge that Branham was God's prophet before the angel would begin to perform supernatural manifestations. No true New Testament prophet or apostle ever did such a thing. The apostles of our Lord asked the people if they believed that Jesus Christ is the son of God and the savior of the world. Philip said to the Ethiopian eunuch, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (Acts 8:37). The fact that Branham's angel guide granted certain supernatural signs, and the fact that some of Branham's prophecies did come to pass does not mean that he was a true prophet of God:

There is little doubt that William Branham was truly sincere in what he believed. But he made a deadly mistake in believing that his sincere heart would prevent him from being deceived: “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool”, and “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man,” (Prov. 28:26; Jer. 17:5). Instead of trusting the scriptures, William Branham made the fateful decision to trust his own feelings. “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” (Matt. 22:29). “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they [the scriptures] are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” (John 5:39,40). The following links are to web sites and articles exposing the un-biblical fallacies and the anti-biblical dangers of Branham's teachings:

Click Here To See William Branham's Occult Pyramid Grave Marker!

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!

For years many people have put their faith in radio “Evangelist” Ralph Stair and followed his guidance. Many of his former followers, people who knew him, people who were very close to him and knew the inner workings of his ministry have now come forward with extremely disturbing information regarding both his personal life and public ministry, The Overcomer Ministry. The Bible tells us that “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” (Matt. 18:16; II Cor. 13:1). According to court documents and a number of independent credible witnesses, Ralph Stair has in the past practiced murder in the form of abortion and continues to this day to practice lewd and lascivious behavior and deception for his own personal gain (filthy lucre - I Tim. 3:3,8; Titus 1:7,11; I Peter 5:2). Aside from his many false prophecies, in May 2002, Stair was arrested and charged with two counts of breach of trust, two counts of criminal sexual conduct, unlawful burying of a body without notice or inquiry and failure to get authorization for the removal of a dead body. The criminal sexual conduct charges included complaints of at least 70 incidents. Stair recently pled guilty to assault and battery for unlawfully touching former female members of his cult. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matt. 7:15); and, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” (Matt. 24:4,5; Mark 13:5,6). (Photo-copy of Stair's YouTube page. Notice the blonde stripper on his "Recent Activity" and "Favorites". Stair's blonde stripper friend's video remained on his YouTube page "Favorites" for 4 weeks until he realized it was visible to the public and promptly deleted it.)

The Lord said, “Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.” (Luke 12:1,2,3). The Bible says that “the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God” (II Kings 17:9). Many people have had their eyes opened to the truth about this man, “Brother” Stair. Unfortunately, many people are still following him, not knowing what this man is all about. The following links are to web sites and articles exposing the deception of a modern day “Prophet” of God, Ralph G. Stair:



Remnants Of Hope Ministry
http://www.remnantshope.com/rgstair.html  

False Prophet, Brother Stair Exposed
http://messiahsbranch.org/art_brother_stair.htm  

The Arresting Behavior Of Brother Stair
http://www.christianmediaresearch.com/stair-01.html  

False Prophet Brother R. G. Stair
http://www.webspawner.com/users/stairfalse/  

False Prophecies of Brother R.G. Stair
http://www.thenetteam.net/failed.html  

Stair Ordered To Pay Former Members $731,679
http://www.thenetteam.net/index.html  

R. G. Stair Arrested
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/19102/rg-stair  

R. G. Stair Arrested: The Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZFU06BGnPg  

Overcomers Ministry, R.G. Stair
http://www.rickross.com/groups/rgstair.html  

Overcomer Ministries Misled Its Flock
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/19101/overcomer-ministries-misled-its-flock-says-collection-county-jury"  

R. G. "Brother" Stair Overcomer Ministry Exposed
http://www.isitso.org/guide/stair.html  

Religious Commune Leader Pleads Guilty in Fondling Case
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/9570/religious-commune-leader-pleads-guilty-in-fondling-case  

Ralph G. "Brother" Stair
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Brother-Stair  

R.G. Stair, the False Prophet
http://home.bellsouth.net/p/s/community.dll?ep=16&groupid=26396&ck=  

The Truth about False Prophet Ralph Stair
http://prophecy.sinfree.net/stair/stair.htm  

The Book R.G. Stair Does Not Want The World To See
http://prophecy.sinfree.net/stair/cult_diary/diaryindex.htm  

"Brother" R.G. Stair - False Prophecies of a False Prophet
http://www.watchman.org/cults/endtime.htm  

Prophet Stair, What has become of you?
http://www.radionewjerusalem.com/archive2/stair.htm  

From Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brother_Stair

Answer:
They all teach (taught) that they are (were) God's “anointed”, or “representative”, or “mouthpiece”, and that you cannot fully trust nor believe the Holy Bible; and that you must put your faith in their words, theologies, traditions, customs and rituals in order to please God and have everlasting life.  

      My experience with David Terrell was typical of what many of my family and friends experienced with “the man of God”. I had gone through many difficult times in my life, and had felt betrayed by some of the closest people around me. I had felt, at times, that even God had let me down. I was raised as a Christian by many peoples' standards. But I soon turned to the world after going through so many hardships and let-downs. This is when I was told by friends that I needed to go see “the preacher” who was supposed to be different from all the rest. I was reassured by friends that the Lord “visited” him and gave him the “revelation” of Jesus Christ. I soon had an opportunity to attend one of his tent revivals. I went and was persuaded to go through his “prayer line” (James 5:14), where the atmosphere was quite emotional. I remember that an emotional feeling came over me that caused me to feel that this must be of God (Prov. 16:25; 28:26). I felt “love”. I felt like I was on “cloud nine”.

      Only a few weeks prior to my first experience at Terrell's tent revival, I had repented of my sins and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and started reading the Holy Bible every day. When I repented and forsook my sins and placed my total trust in the finished sacrifice of Jesus Christ's death on the cross for my sins, the Lord saved me by grace through faith, not by works of righteousness which I have done, but according to his mercy he saved me, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever (Eph. 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:23).

      Certain family and friends, however, told me that I needed more to “be saved”, that I needed a “personal experience” with God, and that I really needed to go see this “true prophet.” So off I went. Although I had only a limited knowledge of the scriptures, and some of the things that I witnessed under the tent that night seemed to agree with what I was reading in the Bible, other things that I witnessed under the tent that night absolutely did not agree with what I was reading in the Bible. Nevertheless, being reassured by close friends and family, who were there with me that night, that this was “God's work”, I thought, “OK, surely something that feels this good must be of God.” (2 Cor. 11:14,15; Jer. 17:9; Prov. 16:25; 28:26)

      As I continued to follow the Lord and read the Bible daily with a humble and contrite heart, desiring the sincere milk of the word, the Lord fed me with the pure words of his mouth straight from the scriptures. The Spirit of truth began to guide me into all truth, and God increased my knowledge of the scriptures and showed me that the New Testament is the completed revelation of Jesus Christ (Isa. 57:15; Luke 4:4; John 16:13; Rom. 16:25; 1 Pet. 2:2; 5:6). And as I continued to follow David Terrell, I began to see more of the things that he was teaching being contradictory to the Bible. He began to teach that God had more words to reveal to his people than what was recorded in the Bible. He began to teach that the Bible had numerous mistakes in it.

      David Terrell may have been genuinely sincere, but there is a difference between sincerity and humility. If we are to assume that David Terrell started out with a true humble heart, then it is only fair to conclude that little by little true humility and faith in God's written revealed words in the Bible gave way to false confidence and trust in his own personal experiences and beliefs, forgetting that while God can use a man to speak truth one moment, Satan can use the same man to speak falsehood a moment later (Matt. 16:16,17,22,23). His repeated claims of visitations and revelations gave both he and his followers an exalted view of himself, and he began to lord over God’s heritage, demanding more and more obedience and honor and fear from his followers. He would make dozens, sometimes hundreds, of prophecies a week - most of which would fail to come to pass (Deut. 18:21,22; Prov. 30:5,6; I Cor. 14:37; Heb. 1:1,2; I John 2:26,27; Rev. 22:18,19). While David Terrell told his followers to judge him according to the scriptures, what he actually meant was that his followers were to judge him according to his interpretation of the scriptures. This, of course, meant that David Terrell's followers were using Terrell's words to judge the scriptures instead of using the scriptures to judge David Terrell.

      The more I read the scriptures, the more I began to cry out to God; for something was seriously amiss. I prayed, “Lord, something is terribly wrong with either the Bible or the prophet.” As I continued to faithfully read my Bible and to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Lord opened my understanding that I might understand the scriptures. I began to see more and more scriptures testifying to the preservation of God's words, where God himself promised to preserve every one of his pure words (Psa. 12:6,7; Prov. 30:5,6). I began to see more and more contradictions, not in the Bible, but in “the prophet”. I had to humble my heart and come to the sobering realization that the emotional feelings that I had experienced under the tent that night were no different than the emotional feelings experienced by the Muslim or Hare Krishna convert. The Lord's love and mercy is not just about emotions and good feelings, it is about understanding and reasoning: “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” (Psa. 119:130); “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 1:18). I had to humble my heart and admit that I was just as vulnerable as anyone else when it comes to being deceived.

      My only reason for writing these comments is to warn people to know the scriptures and to beware and take heed that no man deceive you, because as our Lord said, “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.... For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matt. 24:5,24)

      When Jesus said, “It is written,” “it is written,” and “It is written again,” (Matt. 4:4,6,7), these are the words that Jesus said shall not pass away. “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matt. 24:35). It is the written word that will judge every person who rejects it or who places man's word above it. God's “engrafted word” (engrafted means written) (James 1:21), “the same shall judge him in the last day.” (John 12:48).

      When Terrell says that you owe him “fear to whom fear is due” because his mouth is the “mouthpiece of God”, Terrell is putting his own words equal to or above the scriptures. Terrell does not believe that God's words are pure and that God preserved them forever, so he teaches people that they must put their trust in his own words, Terrell's words, in order to “know God's will”. But be assured and forewarned that Jesus' spoken words, the scriptures written in the Holy Bible, will judge Terrell and all who place it second to any man's word - “the same shall judge him in the last day.” (John 12:48).

      The scriptures plainly show that “when a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass,” that he is not entitled to honor and we are not to fear that prophet any longer - “that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken... thou shalt not be afraid of him.”(Deut. 18:21,22)

Terrell prophesied back in the 1970's that Richard Nixon would commit suicide over the Watergate scandal. It didn't come to pass.  

Terrell prophesied right after Pope John Paul I died in 1978 that Pope John Paul II would die in less than a year from taking office. It didn't come to pass.  

Terrell prophesied back in 1990 after Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait that the United States of America would not be involved in a war with Iraq in 1991. This prophecy also failed to come to pass, as Operation Desert Storm began on 16 January 1991.

      I pray that you will not take offense at anything I said today, and that you will humble your heart, as I did, and allow God to deliver you from “every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Eph. 4:14); and repent and place your total faith and confidence in God's revealed written word in the Holy Bible and in the finished sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.

      Most sincerely, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour!  

"A FALLING AWAY" II Thess. 2:3

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