William Branham's Prayer for Russia
In the early 1950s, William Branham began claiming to have had a series of prophecies in 1933 describing the destruction of the United States at the hand of Communist Russia. Included in this series of prophetic claims was the 1933 Prophecy of the Isms, a claim to have prophesied in 1933 that Communism would eventually achieve global domination.[1] His sermons were designed to target the current fear that Communist Russia would eradicate Christianity in the United States.
In the early 1950s, William Branham began claiming to have had a series of prophecies in 1933 describing the destruction of the United States at the hand of Communist Russia. Included in this series of prophetic claims was the 1933 Prophecy of the Isms, a claim to have prophesied in 1933 that Communism would eventually achieve global domination.[1] His sermons were designed to target the current fear that Communist Russia would eradicate Christianity in the United States.
After years of proclaiming the same, and several details of those predictions were obvious failures,[2] Branham announced that he and his campaign team were going to "revise the prophecies".[3] Over time, Branham eventually reversed the direction of his prophecy to claim that Communism would be consumed by the Roman Catholic Church and Russia was not to be feared.[4]
By 1962, William Branham realized that the original version of his prophetic claim had suffered a full and complete failure when he came in contact with statistics comparing the percentage of Russians that were Communist to those that were Christian. He announced that Russia was fertile ground for Christian missionaries and declared that Russia needed a revival. According to this new version of his stage persona, the fear of Communist Russia (which the previous version of his stage persona had spread) was nothing more than propaganda.
"Now, listen, when people tell you, not saying that about this precious brother here, you know what he is, he lives here with you, but everybody tells you, and we hear a lot of propaganda, that Russia is all Communist. And you go in there…Don’t you believe that nonsense, there’s millions of Christians in Russia. Why, you know what? Russia, there’s only one percent of Russia, in the whole, that’s Communist. That’s government statistics, one percent. What Russia needs is a revival, they need men of God to stand out with something real."[5]
According to Branham's new strategy, Russia was at one time part of the "Pentecostal Blessing", referring to the Pentecostal Revivals that broke out in the United States and Canada. Branham declared that God had previously sent his blessing to Russia before the United States and that Russia had rejected it. He went on to say that "any nation that will receive a blessing that God sends, that nation prospers." suggesting that as this new fertile ground for Christianity, Russia could be blessed by God and Communism could be eliminated.[6]
In November of 1963, after other American Missionaries were having successful revivals in Russia, Branham declared that he, too, would be getting in on the action. No longer was Communism the work of the "angel of destruction" as he formerly predicted,[7] Communism was a result of Christian ministers who did not agree with his theology. Branham claimed that Communism rose up in Russia "because [of] the let down of the Church. The Church is guilty of Communism because it was the one who let down". Branham declared that Russia needed a "real on Fire, with a prophet with THUS SAITH THE LORD", a term Branham often used when describing himself.
"But what it is, thing that professes Christianity and doesn't produce any results, they lay it aside. They want some reality. See, that's the reason Communism has raised up, because the let down of the Church. The Church is guilty of Communism, because it was the one who let down. And now just think, only one percent of Russia now is Communist, one percent. Ninety-nine percent of the people are still Christian. What they need is a real on Fire, with a prophet with THUS SAITH THE LORD. That, see, that would drive the communistic force into the sea."[8]
In the years that followed, William Branham juggled multiple versions of his stage persona as he slowly introduced this new theme of Russian revival. Depending on the audience and the subject matter, Branham referenced his original prophetic claim that Communism would consume all world systems, a new version in which Communism would be consumed by "Romanism", and this third version in which Pentecostal Revival would break out in Russia when the "prophet with THUS SAITH THE LORD" sparked a new Pentecostal flame in Russia.
By 1965, during the last months of his life, Branham declared that Russia was included in the nations that were "hungering and thirsting for God". As Christian ministers continued having successful revival meetings in Russia and testimonies were pouring into the United States, Branham realized that Russia could be part of his cult's overloaded language, "where the Carcase is the eagles will gather". Branham commonly referred to those recruited into his "Message" cult following as "eagles", while he and his sermons were the "Carcase".
So it goes to show, "Where the Carcase is, the eagles will gather." And may I say to you tonight, in this little group of people, it's a international gathering. Practically over two thirds of the states of the union is represented here, besides five foreign nations, even to Russia, and all over the different parts of the country. Way down into Venezuela, out into Jamaica, all over the different parts of the nation, people are here, hungering and thirsting for God. What a marvelous time![9]
Shortly before he died, William Branham fully reversed his position towards Russia. LeRoy Kopp, one of Branham's close associates, was having great success in Russia, as were other ministers in the Voice of Healing and Herald of Faith camps. Branham declared that Kopp was "doing the business of the King",[10] suggesting that a Russian conversion to what he considered "true Christianity" was part of God's plan, and that both the Roman Catholic version of his 1933 Prophecy of the Isms and the Communist version would soon be abandoned. When Branham mentioned Kopp in a revival in Rialto, CA before the opening prayer, and prayed for those working "to try to cause men to see this great thing that God has done",[11] it was by association a prayer for Russia.
Had William Branham lived past December of that same year, it is very likely that he would have held revival meetings on Russian soil.
References
[1] Branham, William. Israel And The Church #2. 1953, Mar, 26. Israel And The Church #2 (53-0326). "1953/26/03 Israel And The Church #2 William Branham 'If Mussolini ever goes towards Ethiopia, mark this down, there will never be peace till Jesus Christ comes.' And I said, 'There'll be three great isms, Communism, Fascism, and Nazism." And I said, "They'll wind up in one ism, and that one ism will dominate the world and will burn the Vatican City.'"
[2] ex: Branham claimed that Nazism would become Communist, yet Germany became a democratic republic. (See The rise and fall of German communism, https://isreview.org/issue/111/rise-and-fall-german-communism/index.html. ). "ex: Branham claimed that Nazism would become Communist, yet Germany became a democratic republic. (See The rise and fall of German communism, https://isreview.org/issue/111/rise-and-fall-german-communism/index.html. )"
[3] Branham, William. The Greatest Battle Ever Fought. 1962, Mar, 11. The Greatest Battle Ever Fought. "1962/11/03 The Greatest Battle Ever Fought It isn't Russia. It's Rome. THUS SAITH THE LORD. Yeah. Show me a Scripture where Communism, or anything else besides Rome, will rule William Branham It isn't Russia. It's Rome. THUS SAITH THE LORD. Yeah. Show me a Scripture where Communism, or anything else besides Rome, will rule."
[4] Branham, William. Condemnation By Representation. 1960, Nov, 13. Condemnation By Representation (60-1113). "1960/13/11 Condemnation By Representation I'd like to read you a prophecy that was given. I got on…And may…By the way, Mr. Mercier and many of them are going to take some of these old prophecies, and dig them out, and revise them a little, or bring them up to date, and put them in papers. I'd like to read some things that I'd like for you to—to…This one, first. I'd like to read something to you William Branham I'd like to read you a prophecy that was given. I got on…And may…By the way, Mr. Mercier and many of them are going to take some of these old prophecies, and dig them out, and revise them a little, or bring them up to date, and put them in papers. I'd like to read some things that I'd like for you to—to…This one, first. I'd like to read something to you."
[5] Branham, William. Show Us The Father And It Will Suffice Us. 1962, Jul, 22. Show Us The Father And It Will Suffice Us (62-0722). "1962/22/07 Show Us The Father And It Will Suffice Us Show Us The Father And It Will Suffice Us (62-0722) William Branham Show Us The Father And It Will Suffice Us (62-0722)."
[6] Branham, William. Greater Than Solomon Is Here. 1963, Jun, 5. Greater Than Solomon Is Here (63-0605). "1963/05/06 Greater Than Solomon Is Here But, any age, when God sends a gift to a nation, and that nation turns that gift down, that nation goes into chaos. Did you know, about fifty years ago, that, Russia, the Pentecostal Blessing broke out in Russia, about fifty or seventy-five years ago, before it ever come here? That's right. And they turned it down, and you see what they got. Any nation! Look at England today; when the great Wesley revival, those great reform. Look at the nations that where the great revival struck, and when they turned it down, what happened to them. And any nation that will receive a blessing that God sends, that nation prospers William Branham But, any age, when God sends a gift to a nation, and that nation turns that gift down, that nation goes into chaos. Did you know, about fifty years ago, that, Russia, the Pentecostal Blessing broke out in Russia, about fifty or seventy-five years ago, before it ever come here? That's right. And they turned it down, and you see what they got. Any nation! Look at England today; when the great Wesley revival, those great reform. Look at the nations that where the great revival struck, and when they turned it down, what happened to them. And any nation that will receive a blessing that God sends, that nation prospers."
[7] Branham, William. Will The Church Go Before The Tribulation. 1958, Mar, 9. Will The Church Go Before The Tribulation? (58-0309E). "1958/09/03 Will The Church Go Before The Tribulation And I think that's exactly. The Angel of destruction is holding the hand of Russia, with the atomic bombs; until the Church comes together, and one great Body of Christ. "I can't do nothing till you come hither." Oh, if that isn't a blessed assurance William Branham And I think that's exactly. The Angel of destruction is holding the hand of Russia, with the atomic bombs; until the Church comes together, and one great Body of Christ. "I can't do nothing till you come hither." Oh, if that isn't a blessed assurance!"
[8] Branham, William. Perseverence. 1963, Nov, 16. Perseverence. "1963/16/11 Perseverence Perseverence William Branham Perseverence."
[9] Branham, William. Events Made Clear By Prophecy e). 1965, Aug, 1. Events Made Clear By Prophecy (65-0801e). "1965/01/08 Events Made Clear By Prophecy e) Events Made Clear By Prophecy (65-0801e) William Branham Events Made Clear By Prophecy (65-0801e)."
[10] 1965, Dec 5. Things That Are To Be. (65-1205). Just looking around, seeing brother Leroy Kopp setting here. It's the first time I seen him for a long time. [A brother says, "He's Paul Kopp here."—Ed.] Paul. That's right. Leroy is your father. That's right. ["And he—he's in Russia, tonight, so pray for him."] Oh, my! Russia. Well, that's, I know, this gallant soldier there, he's there on the business of the King. ["Right."] So, I'm certainly happy to be here and to hear this young minister saying he was inspired by the ministry that we had while we were here. Such a great thrill that is! And I am trusting now, that, knowing we got...People are standing, and we won't keep too long. We remember those great healing services. "1965, Dec 5. Things That Are To Be. (65-1205). Just looking around, seeing brother Leroy Kopp setting here. It's the first time I seen him for a long time. [A brother says, "He's Paul Kopp here."—Ed.] Paul. That's right. Leroy is your father. That's right. ["And he—he's in Russia, tonight, so pray for him."] Oh, my! Russia. Well, that's, I know, this gallant soldier there, he's there on the business of the King. ["Right."] So, I'm certainly happy to be here and to hear this young minister saying he was inspired by the ministry that we had while we were here. Such a great thrill that is! And I am trusting now, that, knowing we got...People are standing, and we won't keep too long. We remember those great healing services."
[11] Branham, William. Things That Are To Be. 1965, Dec, 5. Things That Are To Be (65-1205). "1965/05/12 Things That Are To Be Heavenly Father, we are grateful to Thee, to be alive tonight, to return back to this great city. Setting here in this panoramic here of the mountains, looking up and seeing the snow, and the orange blossoms blooming, at the same time, what a magnificent world You've give us to live in! And how that we see that man has disturbed and—and acted in this world, it makes us ashamed of ourself, Father. We are here, tonight, to try to put forth our efforts, to try to cause men to see this great thing that God has done, and know that there's something greater just beyond. May we look to that, tonight, Father, as we turn in to Your Word and read. We can read It, Father, but let the Holy Spirit reveal It to us through the revelation. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen William Branham Heavenly Father, we are grateful to Thee, to be alive tonight, to return back to this great city. Setting here in this panoramic here of the mountains, looking up and seeing the snow, and the orange blossoms blooming, at the same time, what a magnificent world You've give us to live in! And how that we see that man has disturbed and—and acted in this world, it makes us ashamed of ourself, Father. We are here, tonight, to try to put forth our efforts, to try to cause men to see this great thing that God has done, and know that there's something greater just beyond. May we look to that, tonight, Father, as we turn in to Your Word and read. We can read It, Father, but let the Holy Spirit reveal It to us through the revelation. For we ask it in Jesus' Name. Amen."