Vision of Pyramid Birds

In December of 1962, William Branham introduced a vision into his stage persona describing five birds that looked like doves flying eastward.  Two sets of birds were apparently signaling Branham to look westward, where he witnessed five angels in the shape of a pyramid.  Branham was certain that there were five, because "the death Angel would be one. Five would be grace.”  The "vision" was built upon Junior Jackson's Dream,[1] which Jackson later testified to have been fictitious.[2]

This vision, according to Branham, was given by God to inform him that he was to head west to receive his new commission[3] from five angels.  It was introduced into the stage persona as a "spiritual" reason for William Branham to take a hunting excursion in Tucson, which would later become known in "Message" cult history as the "cloud event" during the 1963 Mystery Cloud.

Now, I have had many things to happen in my life, but I never had anything like that. I went into a trance. I don’t know the interpretation. I’ve never had anything like it in my life. But, before me, it seemingly that I realized that it was a vision, and I was in the vision. But I was talking to my son, Joseph. Which, he was not in the room at the time. But somehow, just as it struck me, I was talking to Joseph. 

And I—I looked up. And kind of in the shape of a pyramid, standing before me, was little, small birds, something like a half-inch long. And they were, up at the top, on the limbs, there was a…may say, three or four. Then, next, next limb had maybe eight or ten. And down at the bottom, had fifteen or twenty.

And they were little warriors, because their feathers was beaten, and looked like they were trying to talk to me, saying something. And I was in the West, seemingly around Tucson, Arizona. And the birds were looking East. And I was listening close. Was trying to say, looked like they were trying to tell me something. And they had little feathers, was all been beat up, and things. They were pretty well battle-scarred. Then, all of a sudden, one bird begin to take the other one’s place, jumping like that. And they, the little birds swiftly left, flying eastward.

And when they did, from that came a larger bird, more like doves, with a pointed wings. And—and—and they come in a swarm, and swiftly, more swift than what the little birds was, flew eastward.

And I still in my…the two consciences together, I knowed I was standing here, and I knowed I was somewhere else. See? And I thought, “Now, this is vision, and I must learn what this means.”

And no more than the second group of birds come by, I looked to the West. And looked like in the form of a pyramid, like two on each side, with one in the top, came five of the mightiest Angels I ever seen in my life. Such a terrific speed, I never seen. Their heads back, and Their pointed wings, just sailing quickly! And the power of Almighty God struck me, in such a way, till It lifted me plumb from the ground, all the way from the ground, up. I could hear Joseph still speaking.

And sound like the sound barrier breaking, that—that a great roar went off, way in the distance, to the South. And when I was lifted up…And there was such a terrific speed of the Angels! And I—I can just see Them right now, see, as—as They were coming, in that shape like that, just sweeping right into me.

Now, not dreaming, now. No. I was right there, wide awake as I am now. See?

But here It come. And They were so terrifically fast, till I thought, when It lifted up…I heard that explosion, like, or like a blast that went out, like a sound barrier. And when it did, I thought, “Well, this must mean that I’m fixing to be killed, see, in a blast of some sort.” And—and I just…While I thought on those things, I thought, “No, it wouldn’t be that. Because, if it was a blast, it would have got Joseph, too. Cause, there he is, still talking, thinking I’m there. I can hear him. It wasn’t that.”

Now, this is all still in the vision. It wasn’t…See? It was in the vision.

And then, all at once, as I realized that I had been…They were around me. I couldn’t see Them, but I had been brought into this constellation of a pyramid of Them, inside this constellation of—of Angels, of five. And I thought, “Now, death Angel would be one. Five would be grace.” I was thinking that. I thought, “Oh! It’s—It’s coming with my Message. That’s my second climax. They’re coming to bring me the Message from the Lord.” And I screamed out with all my might, as loud as I could, “O Jesus, what would You have me do?” And when I did, It just—just went away from me.[4]

The five angels, however, introduced a problem.  Branham's "new commission" strategy was to include allegedly being informed of the mystery sealed by the Biblical Seven Seals of the Book of Revelation, and the stage persona was going to introduce "seven angels" into the event — not five.  The vision was to transition into a version of the stage persona claiming to be the "seventh messenger", which Branham claimed to be the "seventh angel" to the "seventh church age" with the "seven thunders".  Five angels would not work with that strategy!  William Branham recognized this mistake and corrected it the following Sunday.  

William Branham introduced two additional angels into his "vision". 

There was also a geographical problem with the first version of the "vision".  His pleasure trip was out west, but he was to receive this "commission" back home in Jeffersonville, IN.  In the first version of the vision, Branham was "brought into this constellation of a pyramid" of five angels.  Along with revising the "vision" to include two additional angels, Branham changed the "vision" such that the "seven angels in this constellation that came to [him]". 

Then, if that be so, He’s got seven church ages, that He’s had seven mysteries that’s been sounded away, and they fought for, to bring back. And now the Headstone comes, to cap off the Church. Does the Thunders mean that, my brethren? Sirs, is that where we’re at?

Junie, I want to take your dream. Look. Junior, before the pyramid was ever preached, months before it, seen this dream. You say, “What about a dream?”

Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a dream that Daniel interpret, told the beginning of the Gentile age and when it would leave. And it’s done just exactly that way. Not one bit has failed.

You notice? The writing that the…was on the rocks, I was interpret It for them. They were elated. That’s “the mystery of God” that’s been not understood, for years. Could that be that?

And then notice. In some mysterious way, we picked up, out of the air, a sharp tool that opened up the top. And in there was white granite, but It wasn’t interpreted. There was no letters. I didn’t interpret That, Junior. I just looked at It, and said to the brethren, “Look on This.” And that’s fulfilled, tonight.

And while they were studying That, I slipped towards the west. What for? Maybe to understand the interpretation of what’s written in the top of This. Could it be?

And Those, blasting, the other morning, that shook me plumb till I raised up in the air, as high as this building, that constellation of Angels, seven Angels in the form of a pyramid. Is that them Thunders that’s coming forth? Could it be?

This is all interpreted. According to his dream, it was all finished. According to God’s Word, the seventh messenger will finish, seventh Message will be finished, and then the Seven Thunders. And he saw the capstone rolled over.

Which, many people don’t even know there is Seven Seals to be revealed. I’ve read many men’s books on Revelation, never did hear It talked on. They skip That. But it’s been told you that It’s there.

I don’t know what it is. Could that be that? God be merciful to us! If that is, we’re in a serious hour. Now, just a minute, look. If that be so, and the mystery is finished, that was wrote in these rocks.

I’m glad to be sitting in a church with godly people who God can give a dream to. I’m glad to introduce to these men and women that goes to Junior’s church, and to this church, to Brother Neville’s, and them, that there’s people sitting in this congregation, and the Bible said, “They would dream dreams in the last days.” And here it is. And look at it, it’s comparing with the Word.

Knowing nothing about it, a blast come forth, and here come seven Angels from Eternity. I said, “Lord, what would You have me do?” It wasn’t told. I may have to go, first, to find out. I don’t know. Might not even be that. I don’t know. I’m just saying, “What if it is?” If it’s Scriptural, that sounds very close to it. Don’t you think so? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.]

Look. Then, look, the capstone was not interpreted. See? “Get west, and come back.” Or, is it this, it’s these seven Angels in this constellation that came to me?[5]

Before becoming aware of the 1963 Mystery Cloud event, William Branham referenced the second version of this "vision" in relation to his Seven Seals doctrine.  The vision was a fundamental part of the transition of stage persona.  

And so while I was praying; strange thing happened. I—I—I want to be honest. Now, I could have fallen asleep. It could have been like a trance, or it could have been a—a—a vision. I’m more or less inclined to believe that it was a vision. That, I had my hands out, saying, “Lord, what does this blast mean? And what does these seven Angels in a constellation of—of the pyramid, picking me up from off the ground and turning eastward, what does it mean?[6]

After the 1963 Mystery Cloud event, however, the stage persona changed the details even further from a constellation of five (or seven) angels in the form of a pyramid to seven angels in the form of a cloud.