Tent Prophecy

Many in William Branham's "Message" cult are familiar with Branham's "rapture tent" prophecy, his claim that immediately prior to the End of Days, Branham would stage one last "tent revival." During this time, according to "Message" mythology, William Branham himself would lead those who attended his revival into a small room inside the tent, and issue them their "glorified bodies." Some of this mythology was created long after the death of William Branham, mostly due to the varying details of the "prophecy." Like many of Branham's prophecies, there were multiple versions of his "tent vision." Since William Branham died before this "prophecy" came to pass, several questions are raised. Was this alleged "prophecy" a result of divine inspiration? Or was it a result of wishful thinking?

As the Post WWII Healing Revival grew in popularity, the hundreds of evangelists on the field began to draw large crowds. For the popular evangelists who held meetings in cities with large auditoriums, this was no problem. As thousands of people placed their donations into offering plates, campaign managers were able to meet expenses while still turning a profit. But for those less popular, and those who frequently held revival meetings in rural areas, this presented a problem: the weather. Providing comfortable space for thousands of people during harsh weather was a challenge.

The solution had already been found by others in the entertainment industry. The traveling circus and other road shows made use of large tents to shield visitors from the weather. Though the revival meetings were religious, during the 1940's and 1950's, it was a form of entertainment, and the same solution was a viable option. Before long, evangelists started traveling with tents, mimicking others in the entertainment industry. As their crowds grew, however, this presented another problem: size mattered.

If the tent was not large enough, visitors were turned away. Those turned away were less likely to return when the evangelist returned. And evangelists with larger tents seemed more popular than those with smaller tents -- even if this was not the case. Before long, the evangelists began a "battle of the tents."

By William Branham's own testimony, his desire to enter this competion began with a goal of obtaining a tent that could accomdate ten or fifteen thousand people. Initially, his goal was to rent or borrow a tent from some of the more popular evangelists of the early 1950's.

We are really expecting someday for God to give us a tent or something that we can have services in.
Branham, 53-0219

One of these days I would like to come back to Jonesboro, go rent some big tent to seat about ten thousand people...
Branham, 53-0512

I'd like to put up Jack Coe's big tent out here, seats about fifteen thousand...
Branham, 54-0321

Renting a tent was not very satisfying, however. In the 1950's, an evangelist without a tent was an admission to decreased popularity. Towards the mid-1950's, Branham began reminding his cult following that he really needed one.

I been thinking recently about maybe having a--starting buying me a tent , a good size tent...
Branham, 55-1120

We're getting a tent , a nice, big tent , seat about twelve thousand people or better.
Branham, 56-0120

We got some a new tent coming, seating several thousand people and some vans, and so forth,
Branham, 56-0200

In February of 1956, William Branham thought he had his tent. According to his testimony, he was about to borrow a hundred thousand dollars to purchase it, and it was "from the Lord." He was so excited that he claimed to feel like a small child at Christmas.

And then back to begin in the big new tent seating sixteen thousand people, the new vans and things...E-10 And thinking of terms of the tent , and all this great expense...I'm borrowing a hundred thousand dollars to go with this tent...Yes, sir. It's from the Lord; it's from the Lord."
Branham, 56-0213

And in these kind of healing services that I'm having now, until I get into the tent , I'm just like a child with Christmas anticipations; I can hardly wait till I get in there.
Branham, 56-0311E

After it was announced that William Branham would be holding a joint healing revival with Reverend Jim Jones, however, wishful thinking turned into "prophecy." In a "Latter Rain" meeting with Joseph Mattsson-Boze, Branham began claiming that his tent would be purchased as a result of divine inspiration -- not from the donations of his large crowds. This, Branham claimed, was from the mouth of God: "Thus Saith The Lord."

One of these days I want to pitch that tent the Lord's going to give me, right outside of this side of Chicago... those things are not mythical. In contact with the Holy Spirit...when I come under His anointing, and He takes me away and shows me things, I just got perfect confidence that it's just exactly right, 'cause it's never failed. And He will never say one thing outside what's written in this Bible. That's right. You watch it. Through the years, He's never said one thing at any time, unless it was absolutely Scripturally based on the Bible, THUS SAITH THE LORD.
Branham, 56-0403

Apparently, "Thus Saith The Lord" came because a tent had been identified. According to William Branham, God had shown him his "tent" through vision, and his campaign manager, Jack Moore, was traveling to California to set it up.

And by a vision He told me about a tent that Brother Moore and them is going to California now to see to set in order the first time.
Branham, 56-0801

As it turns out, however, the tent in Branham's "vision" did not pan out. "Thus Saith The Lord" turned back into "wishful thinking." Branham decreased his ambitions from sixteeen thousand people to about half that size.

I'm ordering a tent to seat somewhere around eight to ten thousand people...
Branham, 57-0811A

I'm going to try to get me a tent or something...
Branham, 58-0503

In 1958, according to Branham's testimony about being audited for alleged tax evasion (eg: 58-0720M p21), his income was far greater than his expenses. He needed to start spending money, quickly. This financial situation apparently influenced divine inspiration once more. A small tent to seat 8,000 people suddenly became a "mammonth, big affair."

And then some time ago I was in a vision, and I saw a large tent. Oh, it was a mammoth, big affair.
Branham, 58-1001

But now, I don't say that He told me it would take place. Where I've seen in the vision, was in a tent .
Branham, 58-1001

In the early 1960's, however, "vision" gradually changed back into "maybe." When the first few tent purchases failed, Branham's confidence began to falter. Branham changed "Thus Saith The Lord" (God told me) to "Lord willing" (God might). Rather than "I know" God would provide the tent, Branham began to make statements such as "I hope."

And some of these days, the Lord willing, I'm going to get a big tent...
Branham, 60-0729

I'll come back someday, the Lord willing. I'd like to bring a tent and set it up out here somewhere...
Branham, 61-0125

Someday I hope to get a tent that I've been wanting to get for so long.
Branham, 62-0713 E-4

I would like to have a time if God permits before the end time, when I could set up a tent...
Branham, 62-0720

I've asked the Lord, if it be His will, let me get a tent, set it up, and we don't have to rent anything.
Branham, 64-0214

Though William Branham waffled back and forth from "maybe" to "Thus Saith The Lord" until his tragic death in 1965, this "rapture tent" vision was never fulfilled. Few are aware that the vision shifted so drastically throughout the years, and fewer still are aware that Branham claimed its fulfillment with tents his campaign managers sought to purchase with donations from his cult following. His death brings closure to this "prophecy" as a failure.