22-0711A_THE KINSMAN REDEEMER
THE KINSMAN REEDEEMER
33 I want to title this little
talk this morning, as I teach it, trying to bring a faith to you, of
redemption, and what it is, and how to receive it. I want to title
it: The Kinsman Redeemer.
34 Now,
to redeem anything, is to “bring it back.” Something that’s
been lost, like put in a pawn shop. And you go down and redeem that, it’s
redeemed by a price. Then it’s your personal property, after you have redeemed
it. But the law of redemption, in Israel, had to be a kinsman, to redeem a
property or something that had been lost.
35 Our story starts out in the
time of the rulers of Israel, which was the judges, after the death of
Joshua. And to find a very beautiful picture of this, read about the first
five or six chapters of First Samuel, and you will—you will get the real
story of it.
36 But we’re going to jump
along now to get the main context out of this. Which, some time ago, I
started on this Book of Ruth, and was for three or four weeks, getting through
it. Started on the Book of Revelation, once, and took all year, about, to
go through It. Just every little Scripture ties one with the other,
entirely, through the Bible. It’s beautiful. Therefore, we know the Bible
is inspired. For, mathematically and every way, there is no other
literature written that what will not contradict itself somewhere.
37 This Book was written almost
four thousand years apart, the Books of the Bible. And they were wrote by
some…I forget just how many men wrote them. I did remember. But, I’m
sorry. I want to say sixty-something, but I—I’m—I’m…I may be wrong
there. [A brother says, “Forty.”—Ed.] Forty. Forty men wrote the
Bible, within the space of thousands of years apart, never knowing one
another, or seeing one another, or reading after one another, many times.
And not one word contradicts the other. It’s inspired!
38 Now,
many people look at this Book of Ruth, as they say, “It’s a love story of the
Bible.” The Bible is a love story. The whole Bible is a love story.
39 Not
only is It a love story, but It’s a prophet. Not only is It a prophet, but It’s
also a history. Not only is It a—a love story, a history, a prophet, It’s
God Himself. Because, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God.” So, the Word is God on print. That ought
to settle it, brother; God on print. Jehovah, printed on a Book. And
there’s none of it just some kind of a fiction tale, but it’s all absolutely
the Truth. Every phase of It, hang your soul. It’s There. It’s the Truth,
and God will back His Word up.
40 And this story was written,
and all the old manuscripts. When they were segregating the Bible, the
holy men, when they were trying to put it together in the Old
Testament, this Book of Ruth was one of the outstanding Books that they
accepted. Why? If it’s just a love story, why would the writers and
ancient sages accept this Book as inspired? Because, there’s a hidden
revelation in It. And in this hidden revelation, you catch the real
meaning. It’ll bring you real close to God.
41 And
I pray, my whole soul, this morning, that God will catch every heart, so
spellbound, till He’ll reveal Hisself, just what He is, in this story;
what He is to you; how to accept Him. And when you once see it, it’s so
simple, you wonder how you ever went over the top of it. But it can only
be revealed by the Holy Spirit.
42 Now, many, reading the
Bible, read It, just stand up and read a page, and read a page. You’ll
never get It. Because, It’s in riddles. And Jesus thanked God for making It
like that. Said, “You’ve hid It from the eyes of the wise and prudent, and
will reveal It to babes such as will learn.”
43 As I’ve often said. Mrs.
Branham setting back there, this morning. But when I’m overseas, she’ll
write me a letter. She’ll say, “Dear Bill, I’m setting here, tonight, with
the children. I’m thinking of you.” And she go ahead and write what she’s
going to. But I—I love her, and I know her so well, I can read between the
lines. I know exactly what she’s saying, see, whether she writes it on
here or not. See? Cause, I know what she’s saying. Why is that? That’s a
close contact. We’re one. See? And she knows my nature, I know hers. She don’t…
44 She can just set and look at
me. I can tell you what she’s going to say, see, because I—I know her that
well. And she can do me the same way. Now, what does that, is confidence
in one another. Love!
45 Yesterday
morning, we were lying in bed a little late, and the children didn’t have to go
to school, and we got to speaking about different things. And how…“What was
hatred?”
46 I
said, “Hatred had a beginning, so it has to have an end. Love had no beginning,
so it has no end. Hatred is forever. Love is Eternal. Hatred begins and
hatred will end. Love never did begin and It never will end.” See? It was
Eternal.
47 And
when a man loves a woman and marries her because she’s just pretty, there’ll be
an end to that. But when a man finds a woman that he loves, he don’t know
why, but he loves her. And she finds a man that she loves, no matter what
he looks like. He loves her. She loves him. That’s an Eternal mate in
Glory. They’ll s-…Death nor nothing else can ever separate them, because
they are from Eternity. And they stepped out, in the space of time, and
will return back to Eternity. Eternity has dropped down in a body, called
time, then goes right back up into Eternity again. It cannot perish.
48 A
woman that’s beautiful, that beauty will fade, just as sure. You give it a few
years. Maybe, today, she’s twisting down the street, some little
half-dressed woman, sending more souls to hell than all the barrooms in
the country. But she’ll twist herself down the street, thinking she’s
something. As the Bible said, “They’d have stretched out necks,
wanton, mincing,” (that means twisting) “as they go,” in the
last day. Fulfilling the Scriptures, and doesn’t know it. They stand in
the yard, with immoral clothes on, men looking at her, and don’t know. She
may be as virtuous, to her husband or boyfriend, as she can be; but, at
the Day of the Judgment, she’ll answer for committing adultery with hundreds of
men. A spirit on them, and they don’t know it. The Bible said, “Naked,
blind, and don’t know it.” The miserable part is, “Don’t know it.”
49 But
did you know, that well-formed little figure, that God has given that
girl, may be rotten by this time next Sunday? That tall, dark and
handsome man may be nothing but just a pile of rubbish, by next Sunday. That
all perishes.
But that on the inside, God, love, lives for Eternal. So, watch the inside. Keep your eyes on the goal.
60-1002 - The Kinsman Redeemer Rev. William Marrion Branham
50 Now, this story starts out something on that manner, as a
lovable, sweet woman. Her name was Naomi. Naomi means
“pleasant.” Elimelech was her husband, means “worship.”
“Pleasant worship” was her family. They had a son, Mahlon, one
that means “sickness.” And Chilion, the other, meant
“weary, gloomy, sadness.” There was the family.
51 And there come a famine in the land of Israel. And the first
mistake a Jew ever makes, is, leave that land. God gave them that land.
When Abraham was given that land, God told him not to leave that land. And
he made a mistake when he went down into Gerar, got in trouble. A Jew is
never to leave Palestine. That’s his lotted place.
52 And they have been drove
out, all over the world. And now they are returning back again. Oh, it’s
such a beautiful story we have here, this morning. They are returning back.
53 Naomi was driven out because
of a famine, Naomi and Elimelech, and they went over into Moab.
54 Now to get the back of the
story, so, as you listen, you’ll be able to grasp what it is.
Now,
the Moab-…the Moabites, originated from a illegitimate child, which was Lot’s
daughters. After they had escaped the fires of Sodom, by the grace of
God, then the daughters got the father drunk and lived with him, as a
wife. They brought forth a child. And one of them was originated, and
brought in the—the nation of Moab, supposingly to been Christians, but
were mixed in paganism. And,
see, leaving the promised land, no matter how bad it was, to sojourn over in
another land, brought trouble.
55 And
any time that a believer gets off of his God-given ground! Many times, in
politics, this election coming up and so forth, a good man can be a good
man, and he’ll wander off of those grounds. Like a certain minister I
know, run to be mayor of the city. And when he did, got off of his
ministerial ground, and Satan overtook him.
56 If
any Christian gets off of those grounds. “Well, I’ll just go down,
tonight, set with the boys in the pool room, awhile. I’ll do no harm. I’ll
just take one little drink.” You’re off your grounds. Come back. You’re
only setting your course for trouble.
57 “Oh,
all the rest the girls smoke. I’ll just try one.” You’re off your
grounds. Don’t do that. Stay in the homelands. Don’t, “Well,
everybody over here, they call me, ‘Old fogy.’ They call me, ‘Old-fashion.’”
Stay there, anyhow. That’s your place. Stay in Christ.
58 Naomi, because of the
famine, wandered out from the lands and went into Moab, finding bread. She
didn’t have to do that, because the rest of them stayed in Judaea,
Bethlehem. Bethlehem
means, the Bethel, “house of God,” house of praises. And they
stayed there.
59 And she wandered away with
her husband. And her two sons married Moabite girls. But if God has ordained something to be
done, it’ll happen anyhow. That’s the reason I certainly believe in
predestination, God’s foreknowledge of things.
60 Then we find, over there, death struck the family, and they started back. Kill…The boy died, both boys died, and the father died. And Ruth started back, Orpah, and Naomi.
60 Then we find, over there,
death struck the family, and they started back. Kill…The boy died, both
boys died, and the father died. And Ruth started back, Orpah, and Naomi.
61 Now, I want to liken, this
morning, Naomi, the elder lady, to the Orthodox church, the Jewish Orthodox
church. Ruth, the Moabite, a Gentile, being the Christian Church, the New
Church.
62 And I want to approach it, from four different phases,
Ruth. I got it wrote here. Ruth, deciding, making her decision; Ruth,
serving; Ruth, resting; Ruth, rewarded. As we come back: Ruth, making the
decision; Ruth, after she made her decision, then Ruth is serving; then
Ruth is resting; then Ruth is rewarded.
63 Now, on the road back, there come a time, as her being a type
of the Church, or the Christian. As, each individual represents the entire
Christian nation. Did you know that? You, in your behavior, in the way you
act and what you do, you represent the entire Body of Christ. You say,
“But I’m just a lay member.” That doesn’t matter. When you take on that
name of Christian, you represent Christ and His Church. You should live like
that. You should live like gentlemen, like ladies. Don’t never do
things of the world, because the whole eyes of Heaven and earth is cast on
you, to represent that one thing. No matter how weak you are, how
little you are, hold your head right, ’cause you are a Christian.
64 Now, Ruth was a pagan,
served idol, and so was Orpah. And they was on their road, coming back
with the mother-in-law. Because, she heard, that, down in
Bethlehem-Judaea, that God had lifted the plague, and the people was having
bread. She had been up there about ten years, so Edersheim says, “about
ten years,” the historian.
65 And coming back, sad (and
her husband dead, her children dead), with her two daughter-in-laws. Then
she turned, must, and looked upon them, and said, “Why would you go with
me? Now, you can’t do nothing but have trouble.” Said, “I’m sorry that the
hand of God has stretched out against me.”
67 Naomi
wondered, “Why has the hand of the Lord been so cruel to me, my
daughter-in-laws? God has cast me out. I’m an outcast. I don’t know what I
ever done, but I’m an outcast.” See?
68 God
was working His program. Because, “All things work together for good to
them that love God,” no matter what it is.
69 She said, “You return to
your mother, and find rest in your mothers’ house. Your husbands is
dead. And you’re young, beautiful women. Go back. Go back to where you’ve
come from. There find rest. God be merciful to you, because you was kind
to the dead. And you’ve lived virtuous since your husbands has died. And
you been kind to me, an old widow woman with no husband, and you stuck by
me. Return back, and God give you rest in your house.” They wept.
70 She said, “If…I’m old. I
could have no more children. But if I would have a husband and have a
child, what good would it do? You’d never wait for that baby.” That was
actually the law in them days. That if a brother died, or…and, his, the
other brother being single, he had to take his wife to raise up a name to
his dead brother. “But, he,” said, “you wouldn’t wait on him, these
babies. So, return back and find yourself rest in your husbands’ houses.
Go back to your mother.”
71 And,
Orpah, a type of the lukewarm church that once started, a type of the church
that won’t go all the way. She said, “That sounds pretty good.” So, she
kissed her mother-in-law and returned back again. That’s a type of the
lukewarm believer, who will believe Jesus to be the Christ, then turn
around and go back into the thing she come out of. To the man that’ll
stake the way with the Lord’s despised fews, and then turn around, go
back. “Like a dog to its vomit, and a hog to its wallow,” as the Bible
said.
72 Now,
she returned back to her gods. Many time we return back to the gods of our—of
our beginning. Maybe we got eyes of lust after the wrong thing. We’ll turn
back to lusting again. Maybe we got idols of drinking, idols of smoking,
idols of lying, idols of stealing, all kinds of idols; and then profess
and be baptized, and then turn again. What a sad thing! Remember, it never
spoke her name no more. She was excommunicated because of her decision.
73 The lukewarm church, the
lukewarm believer, as each believer represents the church. Every American represents
America. Every German represents Germany. Every Christian represents Christ.
74 Here she turned her back, to
go back into the thing she come out of. How that men, even preachers,
sometime, will take the way of the Lord, and when you speak to them about
the baptism of the Holy Spirit: “Nonsense,” turn away from It. That’s Orpah.
75 Tell them about the Name of
Jesus Christ, that, “There’s not another Name under Heaven given among men
whereby you must be saved. Whatever you do in word and deed, do it all in
the Name of Jesus Christ, if there’s not another Name under Heaven whereby
you must be saved.” Then Peter said, on the day, Day of Pentecost, “If you
want to be saved, repent and be baptized, in the Name of Jesus Christ, for
the remission of your sins.” That’s how they’re remitted. And a man,
because of popularity, he can’t hold the Bible on it. But because of
popularity, will kiss the Church, kiss the Message, kiss Christ,
“good-bye,” and go back to where he had hollowed out of. Orpah, lukewarm,
excommunicated.
76 But,
oh, how I like that little Ruth! She had to make a decision. I had to make a
decision. You’ve got to make a decision. You’ll never walk out of these
doors, this morning, without some kind of a decision. You’ll not leave
this room, today, either being a better man or woman, or a worse man or
woman. To reject It, you’ll be worse. It’ll be harder the next time, for
you to get to It. Or, you’ll go out better.
77 It
come a showdown in her life. It comes a showdown in everybody’s life. And Ruth
had to make a decision. So, the Bible said that her mother-in-law told
her, “Go back to your gods like your sister did. Go back like the lukewarm
did. Why don’t you go on back.”
78 The
Gospel preacher, “If you want to go, go on.” The real truthful preacher
that’ll put it before a class of people, “You make your decision. You stand on
your feet.” Lukewarm, wishy-washy, in-and-out, won’t say that. But a
real servant of God will lay it on your lap, “Make your decision.”
79 Ruth said, “I’ll go where
you go. Your people will be my people. Your God will be my God. Where you
live, I’ll live. Where you die, I’ll die. And where you’re buried, I’ll be
buried.” There’s the real decision.
80 “Lord, I’ll take You as my
Saviour. If the Bible says, ‘Repent and be baptized, the Name of Jesus
Christ,’ that I’ll do. If the Bible said I ‘must receive the Holy Ghost,’
that I’ll do. If the Bible tells me, ‘Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today, and forever,’ that I’ll believe. I’ll take the Bible and God, for
what He’s wrote and what He is, no matter what anybody else said.” There’s
the real Ruth.
81 She
made her decision. She had to either go back or go forward. We stand on
that same grounds, this morning, go back or go forward. Don’t never go back.
Let’s go forward.
82 On
into the promised land they went, into the land of strange people. Ruth, a type
of the believer now. What? What is the believer? When she or he comes
out, the person from the world, he comes in amongst Christian
believers. Women that used to smoke, drink, and play cards at societies,
and so forth, and have all kinds of fancy stuff, and like some kind of a
“frizzed-up bird,” but now she’s changed. She’s made a decision to go with
God. Now she comes into a people that doesn’t believe that kind of
stuff. She’s a stranger. She’s got to walk as a pilgrim. She doesn’t know
their customs. They’re all strange, to her. She don’t know what to do.
That’s what Ruth had to do. That’s what you have to do. That’s what I have to
do.
84 That’s what Ruth had to do.
She had to come from her own, over to another people. She was converted.
She made a decision.
And
you make a decision. You got to take your choice. You want to go back to
the things of the world, or you want to go on with God?
85 Do you want to act like the
world and the rest of them? Then kiss Christ “good-bye” and go back.
But
if you want to take your way with the Lord’s despised few, hold on to God’s
unchanging hand. Regardless
of what the rest the world says, you hold right there. “God said so. It’s
true. I believe It, though I can’t make it manifest in my life. God said
so. I believe It. I hold right here.”
86 That’s the way she did to
Naomi. “I’ll not leave you. I’ll go where you go. Your people will be
mine. The way they act, that’s the way I’ll act. The way they do, that’s
what I’ll do. What they eat, that’s what I’ll eat. Where you die, I’ll die. Where you’re buried, I’ll be buried. And the
Lord do more to me if I fail anywhere.” That’s the real clean-cut
decision. God wants clean-cut decisions out of His Church.
87 “Well, Lord, if You’ll just
bless me and do this for me, I’ll do so-and-so.”
That’s not a decision.
88 “God, I don’t care what you
do with me, I’ll go anyhow. If I die, all right. Live or die, whatever! If
they laugh at me, make fun of me, don’t make any difference, I’ll go
anyhow.” That’s clean-cut decision, like Rebekah made ’fore she even seen
Isaac.
60-1002 - The Kinsman Redeemer Rev. William Marrion Branham
91 They
journeyed on. Ruth, in her heart, not knowing where she was going, but a type
of the Church. We sojourn, like Abraham. Pilgrims in a strange land, among
strange people.
And
on she went, and finally she came into the room and the place where Naomi was
bringing her. And what did she find? Everybody patting her on the back and
saying, “Ruth, we’re glad to have you down here”? She found discord. She
found something evil. She found trouble.
92 And
preachers that’ll tell you that, “The—the Christian life is a flowery bed of
ease,” he either is deceiving you or he’s never accepted that experience
himself. The world hates you. And the people will hate you. You’ve
got to take the way of the Lord’s despised few, and be laughed at, made fun of,
or anything else. You’ve got to be different. You’re born of another
Nation.
60-1002 - The Kinsman Redeemer Rev. William Marrion Branham
122 Naomi and Ruth come in just
at barley season. Barley season was bread season, the season when fresh
bread was being served. And the Church, in this last days, through two
thousand years of pagan teachings and thing, has come in at barley season,
and freshness of Life, new Bread, honey out of Heaven. (Russell, talk about
honey-crust bread!) This is It, Bread from Heaven. “I am the Bread of
Life. Your fathers did eat manna, and are dead. But I am the Bread of Life
that comes from God, out of Heaven. If a man eats this Bread he’ll never
die.” And the Church in this last days here, is brought in, right now, at
barley season.
123 Ruth, a Gentile,
excommunicated, run off, has been brought in, as to be accepted as
Bride. Christ come in, just at barley season.
124 He
said, “Now put thy garments upon thee.” (Not, “Take thy garments off of
thee.”) How contrary to today! “Gird thy garments upon thee, when you go
to meet him. He’s going to winnow barley, tonight. Go down and put your
garments on you. Cover yourself up, to meet him.”
125 Today,
they want to uncover themselves. Cover yourself. “Go down, because he
winnows barley. And then mark the place where he lieth down.” Did you do it? On Golgotha. Many years ago, I marked
in my heart where He laid down His life, that He might take me. Mark the
place that he lieth down. Watch where He laid. That’s what every believer
should do. Mark what He done for you. Last Sunday’s Message, on The
Visit To Calvary, mark what He did for you.
126 She said, “Mark where he
lies down. Then when he lies down to sleep, to rest, you go lie down by his feet.” Not
his head; his feet, unworthy. “And take the blanket” [Brother Branham
pats his Bible—Ed.] “that he was covered with, and pull it over
you.” Oh! You see it? [Congregation says, “Amen.”] Oh, my! I
know you may think I’m a fanatic. But that just suits me just right, that
Spirit of God. Mark where He lay, Calvary; where He laid down in the tomb;
in Gethsemane. Mark, and crawl up to His feet. Lie down there and die,
yourself, to your…There you are. Cover yourself, over, with His skirt. She
said, “The skirt,” she called it.
127 And Ruth said, “What you
say, that I’ll do.”
128 Oh, what a clear-cut
decision for a believer! “What the Bible says, that I’ll do. Says, ‘Repent
and be baptized, Name of Jesus Christ,’ I’ll do it. If It says, ‘Go ye
into all the world and preach the Gospel,’ I’ll do it. If It says,
whatever It said, ‘Jesus Christ the same yesterday, forever.’ What It says for
me to do, I’ll do it.” See, the Church taking Its orders from the Word.
She laid down.
129 Now, remember, that was a
disgrace for that young widow woman to be laying by the side of this man, at
his feet. A disgrace, to the outside world.
130 Oh, can you stand
it? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] Here it is. Look.
Look. This is it. The Church, the young woman, the young man, the old or
young, is asked to separate themselves from the world, and come into a
place, a Kingdom of the Holy Ghost, that’s disgraceful to the world. In
their own heart they know what it’s all about. But, to the world, they
become a fanatic. They become a holy-roller or something on that idea, some
disgraceful name. But the Church is asked to do it. Are you willing to
mark the place, and lie down? [“Amen.”] Let the world call you
anything they want to.
60-1002 - The Kinsman Redeemer Rev. William Marrion Branham
132 That’s it. No matter, I’ll
pay the price whatever others do. If it means disgrace, if it means to
lose home, to lose—lose family, all your associates, girl friends, boy
friends, whatever it means, I’ll go alone. I’ll take the way. If my neighbor
says I’m “a holy-roller, a pentecostal, or a fanatic,” I don’t care what they
say. Don’t make one bit of difference to me. I’ve started in. I’ve made my
decision clear, and I’m going through.
133 Now, he was the only one
could give her rest, from them weary fields of gleaning. Oh, it was so
sweet when, Boaz, when he found her out in the field. I can’t miss this. Boaz
found her out in the field. He said, “Look.” He said, “Who are you?”
Said,
“My name is Ruth.”
“Oh,
the Moabite that come to sojourn with us.”
“Yes.”
134 “I’ve heard of you. You
don’t go to another fields.” Ah! I like that. “Don’t start
mission-trotting. Stay right here in my field. Stay with mine.” He loved
her. “Stay here. Stay with me. Don’t go to running around from place to place. Stay
here.”
135 If you believe the Message,
hang on to It. See? Matter what the price is, stay right with It. Go right
on. “If it means, sacrifice this, that, or the other.
And I have to quit my drinking, have to quit my stealing, lying. I’m going
to stay right with It.” See?
136 And it said again, he said,
“Now, they’re not going to bother you, because I’ve commanded the young
men not to insult you.” Amen. I like that, his protection. Who said that?
The lord of the harvest.
137 Be careful. “Don’t touch My
anointed. Do My prophets no harm.” Is that right? [Congregation says,
“Amen.”—Ed.] “For verily, I say unto you, be far better for you that a
millstone would hang at your neck, and drown in the sea, even to offend
the least of these, My little ones.” That right? [“Amen.”] “Don’t
even bring offense to them.”
“I’ve
commanded them not to touch you.” Oh, watch that world! It’s a persecutor. They
got their hour coming.
138 Then he went to the young
men, the others. He said, “Now, she’s gleaning for life. Now, I want you
reapers…you angels,” in other words. That’s what they are. Said, “I want
you angels, you reapers, every once in a while, to drop a handful, on purpose.”
Oh! “Don’t let it all be so tiresome for her. But every once in a while,
let her hear a good Message. Let a good power of the Holy Spirit cover Her
over, once in a while, to let Her know that I’m still there. Do some kind
of a healing amongst Her. Show some kind of a sign or a wonder, that
She’ll know that I’m in Her midst.” That’s it.
139 Don’t you like to find them
handfuls? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] I hope we find some this
morning, don’t you? [“Amen.”] A handful of fresh barley. The
Lord do something that He used to do. Something that we know He does. He’s Lord
of the Harvest. He’s the only One can drop the handful. “I command the
Angels to go down to that meeting this morning. I want them to do a
certain, certain thing. I’ve commanded Them, and They’ll do it.” Oh, my.
140 Now, here, she had to take
on the disgraceful part, to lay down, be called anything she wanted
to. She could be called a prostitute, you know. She could be called an
ill-famed woman, yet she wasn’t. And she was following exactly the rules
that was laid down to her. So she goes down and covers herself over, with
the cover that he had on. Where’d she go? To the tomb. Where’d she go?
Where he was resting.
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