Russia

In the early 1950s, William Branham began claiming to have prophesied that in the last days, there would be three "isms", referring to Communism, Fascism, and Nazism and that Communism would continue to battle until it consumed the three.  At the time, Russia was "Communist Russia" and part of the Soviet Union.  Over the years, as William Branham continued to introduce details to his alleged vision, Branham made it very clear that he was certain that Communist Russia would be the country leading the others into communism.  Russia was a fundamental part of William Branham's failed "1933 Prophecy of the Isms".  In the original versions of the prophecy, Branham claimed that Communism, Fascism, and Nazism would be consumed by Communism.

'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.'"[1]

And how that “Then the three ism: Nazism, Fascism, and Communism, would all wind up in communism.[2]

Both William Branham and his mentor, Roy E. Davis, used the fear of the Cold War to drive their agenda. In the versions of his stage persona that were used during the height of the First Cold War, Branham frequently used themes of Russian invasion and world domination in his sermons. According to Branham, Russia would eventually conquer Rome by an atomic bomb and rule the world.  Branham introduced a prophecy concerning Russia in his 1933 Prophecy of the Isms and claimed that the Communist Russian Empire would destroy Catholicism.  

Still claiming to have prophesied that Communist Russia would win the alleged battle of the isms, Branham said as "God's prophet" that he knew the details of the Russian war stage.  According to Branham, Russia would destroy the Vatican when it converted Italy from Fascism, decapitating the head of the Catholic Church as it conquered Italy.

I'll prove to you that communism is working straight in the hands of Almighty God to destroy the Roman... And remember, I say this as God's prophet: The Russian empire will drop an atomic bomb of some sort on the Vatican City and destroy it in one hour. THUS SAITH THE LORD. And the Bible said that God took them cruel-hearted men and put them in His hands, and they were instruments in His hands to fulfill His will, and to bring back to her exactly what she had coming to her. That's exactly. That's the Word.[3]

At the time of the alleged prophecy, Russia was indeed Communist.   This version of the prophecy failed when former Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev removed the constitutional role of the Communist Party, leading to the dissolution of the Soviet Union on 26 December 1991.[4] Versions of Branham's stage persona that were used after the First Cold War began to fade reversed this prophecy and instead focused upon Rome and the Roman Catholic Church. In these versions, Branham claimed that Rome would destroy communism — the exact opposite of the original prophecy.

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.[5]

Any prophecy don't stay with that Word... That's exactly. That's the reason I say today; no matter how good it looks, how many preachers are saying this, that, or the other, "Communism is going to take the world and throw it down." Don't you never try to fight communism. Fight Romanism. For, that's THUS SAITH THE LORD. The Lord said Romanism is going to rule, not communism. It's just a puppet.[6]

Throughout his ministry, William Branham claimed to have had visions concerning Russia, and claimed that God was speaking through him as "Thus Saith The Lord" to describe Russia's part in world destruction.  Over time, these alleged prophecies transition from Communist Russia being "Raised Up By God" to convert the world to Communism before destroying all nations through the leading of the "angel of destruction" to the exact opposite.  In later versions of his stage persona, William Branham claimed that Russia was originally part of the Pentecostal blessing while transitioning his 1933 Prophecy to instead be concerning Italy and the Roman Catholic Church.

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![7]

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",[8] 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",[9]  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.

People who are unaware that William Branham and his campaign team revised his prophecies, given both versions of the same prophecy, would assume that William Branham declared himself to be the anti-Christ.  The original version of the prophecy was that Communism would bring the return of Christ, while the latter versions of the prophecy declared that William Branham would prevent Communism from rising — resulting in his prevention of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. 

This is a timeline of the transition.

1951, May 1.  William Branham warns his listeners that if Communist Russia ever "goes down there to get that oil", it would "rapidly get worse and worse".[10]  Prior to the mid-1950s, Soviet oil was consumed inside of the Soviet bloc. But by 1955, the USSR had resumed commercial oil exports to the West.[11]

1953, Mar 26.  William Branham claims to have prophesied in 1933 that the world would be converted to Communism through Russia's military power.[12]  This claim would be reversed later this year, and eventually transition to a claim that Communism would be defeated by "Romanism."

1953, Nov 29.  William Branham declared that he did not feel Communist Russia would be a threat to the United States or any other nation.[13] Branham would later reverse this when he introduced his failed "1933 Prophecy of the Isms", and that Russia would drop an atomic bomb on the Vatican.[14] 

1954, May 9.  William Branham maintains that Communist Russia would not invade the United States.[15]

1954, May 15.  William Branham introduces his prophecy that Communist Russia would drop an atomic bomb on the Vatican, reversing his 1953 claim that Russia would not invade any other nation.  Branham claimed God was speaking through him as "Thus Saith the Lord".[16]

1954, Aug 29.  William Branham maintains that Communist Russia would not invade the United States.[17]

1955, Jan 9.  William Branham claims that Communist Russia would invade Jerusalem, reversing his 1953 claim that Russia would not be a threat to any other nation.[18]

1955, Mar 11.  William Branham warns his listeners that Communist Russia has an "atomic bomb with your name on it", reversing his claim that Russia would not invade the United States.[19]

1955, Jun 6.  William Branham claims that Russia would not defeat the United States.[20]

1955, Oct 6.  William Branham thanks God publicly for peace in Russia.[21]

1956, Jan 21.  William Branham maintains that Russia would not invade the United States.[22]

1956, Sep 2.  William Branham warns his listeners that Russia poses a threat to the United States.[23]

1956, Nov 25.  William Branham warns his listeners that Russia posed a threat to all nations, reversing his claim that Russia did not pose a threat to any nation.[24]

1957, Feb 28.  William Branham warns his listeners that Russia posed the final threat to the United States.[25]

1957, Apr 21.  William Branham declares that Russia would drop a bomb on Lousiville and Southern Indiana to destroy the powder ammunition plants.[26]  These plants do not exist today.

1957, May 19.  William Branham warns Saskatoon that Russia also had an atomic bomb with their "names on it".[27]

1957, Aug 4.  William Branham warns Edmonton that Russia would be sending a bomb to them as well.[28]

1958, Jan 28.  William Branham declares that Russia would not be able to convert the world to Communism, the opposite of his failed "1933 Prophecy of the Isms".[29]

1958, Jan 30.  William Branham declares that Russia did not pose a threat to the United States.[30]

1958, Mar 9.  William Branham warns his listeners that Russian boots would be on the ground, ravishing women.[31]  He declared that Russia was guided by the "angel of destruction".[32]

1958, Sep 28.  William Branham declares that God "raised Russia up" for the sole purpose of destroying the United States.[33]

1960, Apr 14.  Willaim Branham warns his listeners that the atomic bomb isn't the biggest fear due to a radio program that he listened to.[34]

1960, Sep 25.  William Branham predicts that the United States would be converted to Communism.[35]

1960, Nov 13.  William Branham announces that he and his campaign team would be revising his prophecy.[36]

1960, Dec 11.  William Branham begins claiming that he had warned of a Russian invasion all along.[37]

1961, Apr 23.  William Branham warns his listeners that it isn't Russia that should be feared; Germany secretly stockpiled atomic bombs.[38]

1961, May 15.  William Branham declares that a Russian invasion was not inevitable as described in his alleged 1933 prediction; the situation could be reversed.[39]

1962, Mar 11.  William Branham reverses his 1933 Prophecy of the Isms, claiming that he predicted Communism would not reign and that Communism was not to be feared.  He rebukes people who think otherwise.[40]  Later in the sermon, William Branham claims that this reversal was given to him as "Thus Saith the Lord".[41]

1962, Jul 22.  William Branham discusses statistics proving that his alleged 1933 prophecy of Communism reigning was failing in Russia.  According to the statistics, Communism was failing.[42]

1963, Jan 20.  William Branham declares that only 1% of Russia is Communist and that one single person could reverse that 1%.[43]

1963, Jun 5.  William Branham includes Russia as a country that "God had blessed" as part of the Pentecostal Revival reversing his claim that Russia was "Raised up by God as a curse".[44]

1963, Nov 16.  William Branham declares that Communism could be eliminated from Russia if a "prophet with THUS SAITH THE LORD" (implying himself) were to visit.[45]  

1964, Mar 21.  William Branham mistakenly tells the original version of his Communist Russia prophecy to the audience, stuttering when he realized it.[46]

1965, Aug 1.  William Branham included Russia in the countries that were "hungering and thirsting for God".[47]

1965, Dec 5.  William Branham describes the Leroy Kopp revivals in Russia as doing the "business of the King".[48]