Divorce Your Wives

Many in the following of William Branham hold all statements spoken by Branham and ending with the words "Thus Saith The Lord" in great esteem. To some, those statements take greater importance than scripture, and if any conflict is found between Branham's words and the words of Jesus Christ, the words of Branham stand.

One such example is that of Branham's claim that God spoke through his mouth to tell his followers to divorce their wives if they cut their hair. According to Branham, the Lord used his voice to tell the world that a husband should put his wife away should scissors touch their long, flowing hair.

I was speaking this morning of this woman--immoral woman, washing Jesus' dirty feet, wiping them with her hair. Some of our pentecostal sisters have to stand on their head to get enough hair to wash the feet. Cut it all off. See? That's right. It used to be wrong for you to do it. It's still wrong for you to do it. The Bible plainly teaches, if a woman cuts her hair, her husband has a right to divorce her, put her away. Said if she cuts her hair, she dishonors her head, her husband. And a dishonorable woman should not be lived with. I better shut up now. I'll get you preachers right here... I'm only telling you the truth. You're going to face me with it at the day of judgment. That's THUS SAITH THE LORD, in His Word. A lady said, "They don't... All they make is these Hollywood, sexy-looking dresses." I said, "They still have sewing machines and goods." Don't--don't try to get around that. No, sir.
61-0520 FROM.THAT.TIME

There is just one problem. This does not match the words of Christ, the Son of the Living God. If Branham were truthful, and God were speaking through his lips, then we would be serving a God that gives conflicting statements.

In Matthew 19, Jesus tells us that there is only one sin worthy of putting away your spouse, and that sin has nothing to do with the hair on their head. Jesus tells us that fornication was the only reason to put away your wife, and should one do so without reasons of fornication, they were commmitting adultery:

And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
Matthew 19:9

Some of the followers discredit this statement, though Branham claimed to have been speaking the direct Word from God. Those familiar with the events surrounding the second marriage of Branham's son, Billy Paul Branham, claim that until Branham preached the sermon entitled "Marriage and Divorce" in 1965, neither Branham nor the people had any knowledge of the scriptural teachings involving divorce and remarriage.

Ironically, William Branham's siblings also did seem to have this knowledge; William Branham performed the wedding ceremonies for the many marriages of his brothers to their many wives.

For more information on the many weddings performed by Branham for his brothers, see the timeline on searchingforvindication.com