1 …all the holy days, this is the day, the day of the resurrection. Come together with gladness of heart, because that He lives. And He said, “Because that I live, ye live also.” And what a hope that is, that we can rest upon, this morning. 2 Now just before we have the morning Message, let us bow our heads, just a little further, for prayer.

23 Dear God, we are grateful this morning, to be the people that is called by Thy Name. We are so glad that we do not have to just imagine, anymore, of a great resurrection that is to come; because it’s become a reality to us, as we read it in Thy Word, and see that Thou has promised this, and feeled it within our souls, that Jesus live-… [Blank spot on tape—Ed.] 4 Oh, we are thinking, this morning, of the many heartaches that’s been through life, and the many sadnesses that we’ve went through, and the experiences that has torn us, and thrown us to the winds of the earth. How we have buried our loved ones, and we have mourned at the grave. And our—our souls seem to almost perish within us. But, then, we can think of today, oh, what it means that Jesus raised from the dead! He spoiled every power of the enemy, when He rose up, triumph. He took all the shadows away. Now we walk in the precious light of His resurrection.

35 Oh, we can imagine, some nineteen hundred years, or better, this morning, when two little women on their road up to the tomb, wondering who would take away the stone. But God had already moved it. And the One that had been holden, had raised from the dead and spoke with them. And said, “Go, tell My disciples, and Peter, that I’ll meet them over in Galilee.” 6 Oh, how we thank Thee for this great experience, that we can still witness that resurrection, and becomes just as real to us as it was to them that morning, because He has risen from the dead.

47 Forgive us of our sins and our shortcomings, all that we have done or said, or even thought, that was wrong, Lord. We pray that You will forgive us for these things. And seal us, deeply. Draw close, this morning. Oh, many times You are standing in the shadows, when our troubles are so deep. 8 When Mary turned from the tomb that morning, and was weeping, and she heard a Voice behind her, said, “Why weepest thou?” He was just behind her, just watching what was taking place. And when He spoke her name, how her heart must have jumped for joy, because her Lord had risen from the dead.

59 Oh, speak to us this morning, Lord. Give unto us Thy Word and Thy Spirit. And insure us, newly, this morning, as we speak of the prophets and the different ones who waited for this great time. 10 And we wait for the general resurrection in the last days, when our Lord shall come again. Until then, Lord, keep us healthy, happy, full of joy, rejoicing. And not living by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God, may we make our living. Grant it to us, Father, for we ask it in His Name, Who raised from the dead and gave the assurance of our resurrection. Amen.

611 As I was coming down the road just a few moments ago, and I was thinking, as the birds were singing, what a springtime it is today! After…How appropriate Easter is! After the great dark and cold winter is passed, and all of its blizzards and so forth, then break forth the sunshine. And the coming of the sun brings new life, new hope, new seasons, new crops, new flowers. Everything comes to life. How that a man, even that did not have the Bible to read, could yet know that there is a God. When he could just watch nature, how it goes and comes; the fall of the year is the crucifixion; spring of the year is the resurrection; and it just see God in everything. 12 And I was thinking, as I was hearing my little birds sing, out in the yard this morning, my little robins, as I just love them. I call them my little radios. And I get out and turn my radio on, of a morning, listen to it.

713 And, now, you know the little legend of the robin. He was a little brown bird, according to the legend, until Good Friday. And there was One dying, alone, and there was no one to help Him. And He stood alone. And He was nailed, and to a cross. And a little brown bird was trying to free Him from the cross. And in diving back and forth, to the nails, and to the thorns on His head, he got his little breast all red with blood, and since then it’s been red. And I thought, “O God, that’s the kind of shield I want.” 14 And if you’ll notice the little robin when he’s picking himself. Just beneath that little red layer of feathers, is blackness, it’s the rest of his feathers. But the—the red shield protects him. 15 That’s what I want. No matter how good we would try to be, we’re still sinners. But just that little red shield is all it takes to make him different from other birds. That’s all it takes to make us different from the world, is just that little, red shield of His grace.

816 We come this morning on Easter, like each Easter morning we look forward to, to gather at this early sun rising. And it’s been my privilege, for the past many years, to come here to the tabernacle and to baptize the people, and to preach to them the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. 17 And as I was studying, last evening, during the storm, and was thinking, “What would be appropriate words to say, in the morning, at this resurrection service?” And my thoughts fell upon this subject that our brother has just read, of Job the 19th chapter, and the—the 23rd to the 27th verses. “I Know My Redeemer Liveth,” said Job. And I chose that for the subject.

918 And as we come, why are we coming? Is for this purpose, only, that we could find new hopes. 19 We are on this earth here, and we know we’re living in darkness. We just don’t have to kind of imagine these things, or kid ourself, as it was, because we know that we’re living in the shadows of death. Each time we hear an ambulance scream, when we pass the cemetery, when we see a hospital, every gray hair, marks it on our memories that we are a doomed people, to both young and old.

1020 And we come on such a morning, to gather hopes, some new hopes of what we are here for, and what is the purpose. And I think that this is a wonderful time to think on the hopes that God has given us. Now we want to draw this, first, into our mind, that there is not one thing that can destroy us until the purpose of He Who created us has been fulfilled. There could be nothing. We are made for a purpose. 21 This church was built here for a purpose. This foundation was not dug, and the cornerstone laid, and the blocks laid into the—the building, and the roof and the interior, was not put here just to see if it could be done. It was put here by a purpose, or for a purpose. 22 Your home that you live in, was not just accidentally put there, or somebody just wasting some time. Your home was made for a purpose, to serve a purpose.

1123 If you did drive, this morning, here, in your automobile, that automobile was not made just to see if it could be made. The materials was not wasted by man. It was put here for a purpose, and to serve a purpose. 24 The clothing that you wear, was not just to see if somebody could fashion something. It was for a purpose. 25 The food that you eat, was not grown on the earth just to see it grow. It was made to serve a purpose. 26 And God did not have to just make a tree just to be a tree. He made a tree for a purpose. 27 And God did not make you and I, just to see if He could do it. He made us for a purpose. Therefore, there is a purpose of us all being here. You’re not here just to be another human being. You are here because that God made you for some purpose. You’re not here just to eat the food that God growed. You’re not here just to live in the house that—that man made, or to wear the clothing that someone fashioned. You are here for a specific purpose. No matter how little you are, how big you are, how important you are, or how unimportant you are, you are here to serve a purpose.

1228 Just as, my finger is here for a purpose. My nail on my finger is for a purpose. My eye, and every part of our bodies, is to serve a purpose. And it was not put here just to see what it would look like when it was put here, but it was put here to serve its purpose. It was God’s Divine plan to do so. 29 And if we were put here for a purpose, then there is nothing can destroy us until God’s purpose is fulfilled. Nothing can harm us until that purpose, that God has put us here for, has been made manifest. No matter how much trouble we have, how much heartaches or sorrows that we go through, all of these are reasons, and there’s a reason for it.

1330 We will take, for instance, Noah, in the Bible. There was a flood that came on, and all the earth was destroyed. The vegetation and everything was destroyed but Noah and the seed that he had taken into the ark. 31 God’s purpose can never be defeated. There is nothing can defeat it. So how happy ought we to be today, resting upon that beautiful revelation of the Word of the living God, that there is neither things present, nor things that can come. There’s no sickness, no sorrow, no death, no perils, nor nothing can separate us from the purpose of the living God. What God has imagined in His mind, what God has purposed in His heart, to bring to pass; there is no demon, there’s no power, there is nothing can ever separate God’s great immortal, Eternal plan. It must be as God has said.

1432 Then we find, that in the days that all of the world was going to be destroyed by a flood, that God made a preparation. A preparation for what cause? To preserve His purpose. He did it in the days of Noah. 33 And He’s doing it today. He has made a preparation, to conserve to His own purpose. He will conserve a Church. He will conserve a people. He will conserve subjects for His great domain, that death cannot destroy. And we realize that it is by faith that we believe this, but the resurrection produces a solid foundation on which our faith rests. Nothing can destroy it. As the poet once wrote: Oh, what a foretaste of glory Divine! Heir of salvation, purchased of God, Born of His Spirit, washed in His Blood.

1534 What an assurance, upon this solid Rock, the resurrection of our blessed Lover, the Lord Jesus. Nothing can destroy it. It has been planted. It is the Seed of God. It is a purpose of God to give us the blessed Holy Spirit. It is the purpose of God to show us signs and wonders and miracles. It’s the purpose of God, and nothing can destroy it. All powers of hell might wager against it, but it will prevail. We have God’s Eternal promise. There may be teachers, there may be isms rise, there may be great programs rise, there may be things that look like that it would be destroyed, but it can never be destroyed. It is the purpose of God to see that it will prevail. Then, it’s not up to me, and it’s not up to you, whether it will be destroyed or not. It’s up to God. And we can rest assured on it, that God will never let our heritage be destroyed, for it’s His purpose to give it to us.

1635 Now we would think, also, today, upon destructions, trying to destroy. We have Christ’s own promise. 36 We think of the Hebrew children, when God had a purpose for them. When they were down in Babylon, and the furnace was het seven times hotter than it ever was heated, to destroy the purpose of God. And all Babylon was on a rage. They were determined, Satan was, to destroy the purpose of God, for he knew those children was going into the furnace. So he made the furnace, when they heated it, seven times hotter, to be sure that the program of God would be destroyed. But God wanted to display His power, and all Babylon and all hell could not defeat that purpose. No, sir. No matter if they could have heated that furnace a million times hotter, it would have never destroyed the purpose of God. God wanted to show that He was a God of deliverance, and He’d bring deliverance to whomever He desired to bring it, and nothing would interfere with His program.

1737 So when they heated the furnace, little did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego know that they were coming from that furnace. For they said, themselves, “Our God is able to deliver us. But, nevertheless, we will not bow to the image.” God had someone who would serve Him, and His purpose would not be defeated. Fire cannot—cannot defeat the purpose of God’s plan. 38 And, oh, how I love to say this, this morning. All the hydrogen bombs in the world can never defeat the resurrection of His Church. All the explaining away, and all of the mathematics, and—and so forth, that this intelligent world has disguised, through her purpose to do something about, to destroy the faith of God’s children, it will never do it. That faith will live on forever.

1839 It was the purpose of God to show that He had power over the wild beasts of the fields. And they put some lions in a cave one time. And they had starved them until they were so hungry, that they could have tore a—a person to pieces, just at one great grab. And the devil thought, “Surely, I’ll be able to destroy this prophet, Daniel.” 40 But Daniel had purposed in his heart to do the purpose of God. And God had placed that in his heart. Before Daniel could have had this desire, there had to be something to create that desire. Before he could have that faith, there had to be something to tell him that there was a God that could deliver.

1941 And, oh, how that coincides this morning, with the faith, the living faith of the living God, in His Church. There is something in our heart that speaks that there is a Land beyond the river. I cannot put my finger on that Land, and neither can any man, but there’s something within us that tells us that: The grave is not its goal; And dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul. 42 There’s something within us, a fire that’s burning, a light that’s been lit by God, and no breezes can blow it out. There’s no cold spells in the church, there’s no indifference amongst the people, no persecution of the world, that can blow out a flame that God has lit. For it’s God’s purpose that His torched light of freedom will burn until the Coming of the Lord, and no powers can blow it out. They will only make it burn brighter as they blow. It’s been proven through the ages that persecution strengthens the Church.

2043 And Daniel, not knowing how God was going to do it, and not knowing whether God was going to do it, but knowing that He was able, too, to do it, and knowing that something down in him told him so. See, God had a purpose. He had everything working to that purpose. 44 And all, today, no matter how indifferent we seem to be at times, and how strange things goes, and how the Church gets in this condition and that condition, it’s all Divine purpose of God to mold us and make us in His Own way. Who knows how to fashion the material more than the Creator?

2145 And the lions could not eat the prophet, because God sent an Angel. He had an Angel standing present to protect this prophet, because God had a purpose. He wanted to show that self-styled king His mighty hand and His purpose. 46 I think that’s what’s going on today, that God is getting a people ready, that He can show His mighty hand, to fulfill His mighty purpose. Oh, I’m so glad, this morning, that He lives in my heart, that He is not a dead God. He is a living God. And way down in me… 47 Yesterday morning, I was sitting in a barber chair, to get a hair cut. A young fellow was cutting my hair, down at Brother Egan’s shop. And I was just sitting there, with my head down. And, oh, I’ve been so tired. My meetings has been so long, and I’m trying to get away, in the morning, for a little rest before this next services begin. And I was so tired, just seemed like my heart would just quit beating. And while I was setting there, all of a sudden, I could hear everyone talking, but seemed like I was out in space.

2248 I thought, “Have I had a heart attack, and I’m just leaving from this barber chair?” I thought, “Wonder if that’s what’s taking place?” I felt my hands; they was numbed. And my heart seemed like it was quit beating. And I thought, “Oh, but there is the Gospel has got to be preached. And there is no power that can take me until God’s purpose is fulfilled.” 49 There is nothing that can hurt me, not a thing, until God’s purpose is fulfilled. And when that is fulfilled, I want to go with His purpose. When He’s finished, then I am, also. When He’s finished with me, I’m finished with life.

2350 When He’s finished with you, you are finished, also. So what difference does it make? God holds it all in His hand. Whether we are young or old, we do not know when God’s purpose will be fulfilled and finished. God takes little babies, sometime, to show that He can guide their little soul. Everything He does is for a purpose. He said, not even a sparrow can fall from the heaven, without Him knowing it. Everything goes for His purpose, just at the hour and at the time. It’s all in His Divine plan. Nothing can destroy.

2451 How it was an assurance to Abraham, after he had found God, and knowed that God had a purpose. That, in this purpose, He was going to bring, through Abraham and Sarah, a son. And through this son, Isaac, was going to come the Lord Jesus. And in this purpose, He was bringing forth Sarah and Abraham, and was going to make them a great people and bring this son; taking the very worse persons that could be, to do it with.

2552 How strange, that God moves in mysterious ways! Well, looked like, if He had wanted to bring a child through, to the world like that, He would have got some woman that was fertile. It looked like He would have got some man that wasn’t sterile. Like Abraham and Sarah, had been married for many, many years, and she was unfertile. She couldn’t raise a child. Well, it looked like, then, He would have got some young woman that was fertile, that could have brought this child. But God likes to display His grace. God likes to take something that isn’t nothing and make something out of it, for He’s Creator. 53 That’s why He took you and I. We were nothing, that He might make children of His Own, out of us who were wretched, and miserable, and lost, and blind, and unlovely, to make us His lovely children. It’s God’s purpose to do so.

2654 And then, again, it looked like God would have took a young woman and a young man, to have done this, a young woman and a young man who had just been married. He would have said, “Now, you’ve had no children. And I’m going to have you, your first son to be born, and I’m going to…He’s going to be My Isaac.” 55 But God chose a man seventy-five years old, and a woman sixty-five, to do His purpose, to show that you can be both young or old, God can still, and will, work out His purpose. Certainly. And when Abraham was seventy-five, he got the promise of God. He told it to Sarah.

2756 And now the devil said, “You know what? I’m just going to delay that for a while. I believe if I’ll get them so old, they’ll lose faith, and they’ll know it can’t happen. If they’re already shaking at seventy-five; if I can just keep that away for a while!” And he kept it away until Abraham and Sarah was stooped in age, gray hairs and stooped shoulders.

2857 It just goes to show that nothing can defeat His purpose. Not even death can defeat His purpose. “Abraham was as good as dead.” And Sarah’s womb had been dead for forty or fifty years, but nothing can defeat God’s purpose. Her body was old; it was wrinkled; the milk veins was dried up. Her heart was so weak it could not have went through labor. But God let us know there, that His purpose will not be defeated. He changed Sarah, and made her a young woman again. And took a man, a hundred years old, and turned him back to his youth. 58 No matter how unreasonable it may seem, God gave the promise. “And Abraham staggered not at the promise of God, through unbelief; but was strong, giving God praise, for he judged He, that He was able to perform what He had promised.”

2959 Then what should we be this morning? “We are the children of His promise. We being dead in Christ, we are Abraham’s Seed, and are heirs with Him, with the promise.” Then, no matter how much sickness comes, how kind of a death we die, how much poverty we go through, God’s purpose cannot be defeated. He’ll raise us up again. “Because I live, ye shall live also.” That’s our hope.

3060 When I know, today, being my birthday, and I’m getting to be an old man. I look at myself in the glass and I see that that little boy, that built this tabernacle, is not that little boy anymore. He’s becoming an aged man, stooping shoulders, a beard turning gray, the hair going out, but nothing can defeat the purpose of God. Nothing can! Therefore I rest assured upon the promise, “Because I live, ye shall live also.” I join with Job of old, “I know my redeemer liveth, and at the last day He’ll stand on the earth.” It’s a purpose that God has. I must serve this purpose. My whole life must be brought into His purpose, and to His program. Each of us is that way. God has a purpose to where… 61 Old Abraham could—could endure, as seeing Him Who is invisible, because it was the purpose of God, that he know that God gave him the promise. It, no matter how contrary everything seemed, God gave Abraham that promise. So, God fulfilled His promise. He did, to Abraham. He did, to all of His children. And He will keep His promise.

3162 It was Moses, when he was taught in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, when he knew that God had a purpose in his life. 63 It was Jochebed, his mother, who took her darling baby, the prettiest baby in all the world, at the time, a sweet little fellow; and put him in an ark and shoved him out into the Nile, where the crocodiles was fat on little Hebrew children, ’cause they had been feeding them to the crocodiles. And she took her baby and shoved it right out in the jaws of death, knowing this, that God’s purpose could not be defeated. “God of Abraham, take care of my child, and bring him to the purpose that You have brought him for.” There wasn’t enough water in the Nile to drown him. There wasn’t enough crocodiles in all the world could have swallowed him. He was God’s chosen.

3264 And as he was God’s chosen, for that purpose, we are God’s chosen today, who believe in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And there is no bombs, there is no hell, there is no nothing else can destroy God’s purpose. We’ve got to go in the resurrection. It’s a promise we have of God. God’s purpose.

3365 And, Moses, when he become full forty years old, a middle-aged man, and he had been trained in school. But God has such a rigged way, sometimes, of bringing His things to pass, that He has promised. How that He took Moses back at the backside of the desert, and let him hear the screams and the haunts, as he staggered in the wilderness. And as back there, alone in the deserts, and the howling winds, the scorpions and the cobras, and, alone, out in the wilderness, till he almost perished. There is nothing can defeat the purpose of God. God had brought Moses forth, and Moses had to do what God told him to do, ’cause God’s purpose cannot be defeated.

3466 It was our character, this morning, Job, that when he was in the deepest of his distress, when all of his riches had gone from him. His children was dead. His body was broke out in boils. And he was in the greatest distress that he was ever in. Setting on an ash heap, with a crock, scraping the boils. And his wife in the door, “Why don’t you curse God and die?” 67 When the members of his church had their backs turned to him, for seven days, and accusing him. When, they ought to have been comforting him. But they were accusing him of being a secret sinner, accusing him of being a backslider.

3568 It was in that great hour, it was in that great moment, it was time that when God took Job to the sacred sands; where He takes every believer, to an experience, unto the backside of the desert, like He did Moses; unto the little secret closet, where He took you; unto the coal shed, where I received It. God has a place, and a purpose, and a time. And when He had Job in this condition, He had him on the sacred sands, for He was going to reveal something to him, that would never go away.

3669 Oh, for those sacred sands! He has to take every real child there. He gets you on those places, where there is no devil can ever come. There is no teacher can ever explain It away. He gives you something on those sands back there, that of experience, that you’ll never forget as long as ages roll on; no matter how atheotic your mother, your daddy, your husband, wife, your associates, may become. Every true believer has that spot where God has met him. There isn’t one left out. Every believer has it. Every person that’s born of the Kingdom of God knows that spot, that minute, that hour that where God took him. And on those sacred sands, in the Presence of the burning bush, He did something to that believer, that all the mentality of the world could not destroy. “Upon this rock, I’ll build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not destroy It.” Upon this Rock, the spiritual revelation of the resurrected Jesus! Upon this Rock!

3770 Job, in his distress, everything gone. His wife had turned against him, and was accusing him. And all his believer friends had turned against him because they only had theology. And all the rest had turned against him. 71 But God said, “Come here, Job. I’m going to give you something, boy. I’m going to place within you something that all the devils of hell can’t shake out.” And in…Every teacher in the world might accuse you, one way or the other, but it’ll never move. You know what He did? He just raised up the curtain a little bit, and said, “Job, look yonder!” And what did Job see? What do you think he saw? He saw Easter for its first time. He saw the first Easter, and he screamed, “I know my Redeemer liveth!”

3872 Oh, what a blessed place to be! Every man that’s chosen of God, and every woman and child, comes to that spot on those sacred sands, to where God lifts the curtain and you see Him in His resurrected power. You know that He lives. And we, as Job, can cry, “I know my Redeemer liveth, and at the last days He shall stand on the earth. Though the skin worms destroys this body, yet in this flesh shall I see God.”

3973 That first view of Easter made a prophet scream. And the thunders roared, and the lightnings flashed. He saw Easter, its first time. When did he see it? Not when he had his well-groomed clothes on; not when he had his hair combed, perhaps, to the dot; not when he was enjoying the very best of health. But when he was in trouble, when he was laying in trouble, at the hour, and almost of his death, that’s when he saw Easter. That’s where he saw the first resurrection. 74 Oh, it’s been similar to you and I. It’s been when we laid at an altar, somewhere, until we were ready to die, and said, “Lord God, do something for me!” It was then that God raised the curtain and we seen Easter. 75 We see Easter, not in a way of theology, so much. We never seen Easter, as wearing new clothes. We never seen Easter, as little rabbits and colored eggs. We see Easter in the power of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. That was the real Easter. And when he screamed, God answered back with Fire.

4076 It was David when he was rejected and exiled. It was David, after he had sinned and committed that horrible crime. It was David when he was perplexed and his son had been taken, the joy of his heart. It was David, the prophet and the king, who cried when he seen that he was getting old, and he must go back to the dust of the earth. It was David that said, “Moreover, my flesh shall rest in hope, because He’ll not suffer His holy One to see corruption, neither will He leave His soul in hell.” 77 It was when David was having his worst of time. It was when David was perplexed and distressed, and at the very hour of death, almost, that when God raised up the curtain, said, “Look yonder, David!” 78 David said, “My flesh shall rest in hope, because He’ll not leave His holy One to see corruption. Neither will He leave His soul in hell, so my flesh shall rest in hope.”

4179 Oh, it’s at that hour, friend. It’s at that time. It’s in those crucial, crucifying hours that we see the resurrection. It’s in that time, that when God loves to display His grace. It’s in that time when God likes to comfort His children. 80 The darkest hour this world ever seen was Good Friday; when all hopes, all was written, all the hopes they had was what was written on paper. All the hopes they had was what some philosopher had said, and there was the Prince of Life dying at Calvary. It was the darkest hour the world ever seen. 81 But Easter produced the brightest hour that the world ever seen, because all superstitions and all doubts, and all fears, were taken away when God raised Him up.

42Why was it dark? What makes it dark? 82 Let’s follow, as I said a while ago, about the birds, about the flowers. About, why do little Easter lilies bloom on Easter? Why does the birds sing in the spring of the year? Why does blossoms come forth? Is because it’s coming summer. What makes it? In February, just about the worse month we had, winter has been coming on, on, on, on, till it takes its last strike, then she moves back, to give way for life. Death has took her last strike. It must move back and let life have its place. 83 What makes it dark before day? It’s the darkest before day. We are told, by scientists, that it’s the light pressing, coming on, moving down. The sun is coming up around the world. Its light is pressing the darkness. She is making her last strike. She can’t stand no more. Darkness can never stand in the presence of light. It cannot do it. Light is ten million times stronger than darkness, so light and dark cannot dwell together. And when light begins to rise, darkness settles and gets dense. It’s pressing it together.

4384 Just like dropping ink in a—a washtub full of bleach. It just isn’t no more. There is no more blackness of ink when it’s dropped into bleach. It becomes bleach, itself. 85 Oh, that’s the way sin is. When it’s dropped into the Blood of the Saviour, it just isn’t anymore. It’s gone. No wonder He said, “It’s in the sea of forgetfulness.” The tub of God’s bleach that can never be found no more. It just disintegrates. It’s no more. That’s the way sin is, when you once see the real resurrection and the price that was paid for that resurrection.

4486 Darkness, condensing together, because soon it’s to vanish. And then as soon as light comes, darkness is no more. Where does it go to? What happened to that black night, a few hours ago, hung around this tabernacle? It just can’t be now. The sun is shining. Where did it go to? What part did it lift up, or where did it go down to? It just wasn’t no more. And the reason it was dark, is because there was no light. 87 And the reason that man had no hope, there had been no resurrection. But Easter produced resurrection. Now darkness is no more. It’s Light. We’ll walk in this Light, this beautiful Light, That comes where the dewdrops of mercy are bright; Shine all around us by day and by night, Jesus, the Light of the world.

4588 Night presses on, and let’s put that now to nationally. This is the darkest hour, the darkest hour this world has ever seen. Even nature trembles. At one moment, this whole earth could go to powder. What would happen with the reaction to…with the reaction of hydrogen or—or—or oxygen, or some of these great bombs, the atomic reaction? Every tree, every grass, everything, every limb, every purpose, every person, everything, would just break to pieces and turn back to acids. See what it is? The whole world is trembling. There is bombs ready.

4689 Everything seems to be set right at time. And if darkness has its time set, how much more does Light have its set! 90 What’s making it so dark now? What’s making these things? The churches all disfellowship. We’re fussing. “Oh, is there? I’m a Methodist. I am a Presbyterian. I’m a Pentecostal. I’m Church of God. I’m Assemblies.” Oh, can’t you see, children? If that’s all we had to stand on, we’d be most miserable people in the world.

4791 I’m so glad for a little, sacred place, a little place down here on Ohio Avenue, in a coal shed, one night, where God lift up the curtain. Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostals, all flew away then, for I seen Easter. I seen Jesus as my Saviour. I saw Him as the resurrection and Life. “He that believeth in Me—Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. Whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.” I see Him as the only King and Potentate, the only thing that could help me, the only Giver of Eternal Life, the only One that could heal my sickness, could take away my diseases, Who could raise me up in the last days. He just let me look a past the curtain, and I seen Him, the resurrection. Then I joined with Job, “I know my Redeemer liveth!” And after there is no more Methodist, or Baptist, or Presbyterian, or Pentecostals, my Redeemer will still live on just the same.

4892 You might say, “Well, this is this way, and that’s that way; except you do this , except you do that .” 93 I know better, because I’ve looked a past the curtain of time. I’ve been on the sacred sands; with every believer in here. There’s no devil can touch that sand. There’s no doctor of theology can explain it away. He healed me when I was sick. He saved me when I was lost. He lives for evermore. “Ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.” He is not dead, but He’s raised from the dead.

4994 And this great darkness is swinging over the earth now, is nothing but to declare that Light is pressing Its way down. 95 When death is hanging so close, that it could be in an hour. In one hour from now, the world could meet its death. If death is hanging that close, what is it doing it? It’s Life, Life a coming; the resurrection, the Easter for all God’s children. It’s hanging low. It’s pressing. The Angels are coming down. The great Holy Spirit is moving in. Darkness is taking its last toll, for Light will soon be here. Christ will come, the joy and the hope of the ages, a real resurrection for all the believers. For we will share with Him in His resurrection, as we have shared with Him in His suffering. “He that suffers with Me shall reign with Me.” Oh, then, must I be carried Home to Heaven On a flowery bed of ease, While others fought to win the prize, And sail through bloody seas? No, I must fight if I must reign. Increase my courage, Lord.

5096 That’s my prayer. Oh, I must not go as a coward. I must not go around, daily, with my head hanging down, as if something was terrible. When I look at the world and all their darkness, and all their carrying on; I must raise my head, walk with my head among the eagles, knowing this, that, “I know Him in the power of His resurrection.” Because He lives, we live also. Because He raised from the dead, I shall rise also. You shall rise also. That’s what Easter means to the believer.

5197 Some time ago, over in…The First World War was going on. They had great gases that they throwed, such as mustard and chlorine gas, and it was dangerous. It would poison everything. The leaves would die, the trees would die, and the grass would die, everything, where that gas (that mustard gas) would burn it up when they’d throw it.

5298 A chaplain, one Easter morning, he was going down through the—the tents where the wounded and the dying was laying. 99 A Red Cross nurse come along. The boys had been on the front for so long, out there, they just so weary. And so she had a—a bunch of roses in her hand, and as she passed by each little cot where the boys was laying, crying. It was Easter. What an Easter for them; planes were going over, and bombs a dropping! She would take a rose and give to each boy, say, “God bless you. God bless you, brother.” Those soldiers would grip that rose and scream, for they knowed that rose was growed in a land where they belonged.

53100 Brother, this morning, we’re in a world of dangerous poison gases. We’re in the world where all kinds of doctrine and stuff, that says, “There’s no resurrection. And there’s no Divine healing. There’s no this , or that , or the other .” But, not a Red Cross nurse; but the Holy Spirit comes along, once in a while, and brings us over on those sacred sands of God’s grace, and pours into our heart a little token from the Land beyond the river.

54101 He said, “Preacher, friend,” he said, “I stood there and wept, till I was weeping so, till I said… One of the boys was going in the motorcycle, out to the front lines, out past La Salle, Lorraine, and he said he was going out there to do some kind of a—a reconnaissant. And said…I said to him, ‘Sergeant, can I ride with you?’ He said, ‘Certainly, chaplain, jump right in.’ He said, ‘You’re taking your own…’ Said, ‘That’s all right. I’d just like to ride with you.’ Said, ‘Certainly, jump right in.’” 102 Said, “We rode till we got down to that bleached desert, where not even a speck of grass or nothing was.” And said, “While he was planning down his material, that he was to send message back, or whatever he was to do,” he said, “I walked around there a little bit. I thought, ‘Oh, isn’t this some Easter! Out in this land, where the bombs has knocked all the buildings to the ground, where the trees are rung down, with machine gun bullets, there’s not even a speck of grass left.’” He said, “O God, this is a picture of this world, some of these days, when sin has took her toll. This will be the picture.” 103 And said, “My—my mind and my eyes was attracted to a certain rock.” And said, “I went over there, and thought, ‘Lord, why do You want me to stand by this rock for?’” He said, “I just raised the rock up, and, when I did, a little Easter lily had its head sticking up. It had been protected all through the storm. All through the poison gases, had never bothered it, for it was hid in the rock.”

55104 “I know my Redeemer liveth.” O God, regardless of what the world says, hide me in the Rock of Ages, Lord. When the storms are passed, let me raise my head to life again. Because He lives, we live also. What can the believer say, that’s been on the sands, who has witnessed these things? “I know my Redeemer liveth.”

56105 The church, the world, the…is going to church this morning; a lot of them, to show a new coat; some of them, to show a new hat. They won’t see them no more till next Easter again. It’s going out for a display of world and vanity. Many of them are going to church, just to hide behind their sins and belong to certain great organizations, and say, “I am a So-and-so. I belong to So-and-so. ” That’s all they know. That’s all they believed.

57106 But, oh, to we, this morning, by the grace of God, we’ve stood on a spot where Moses stood; we stood in the spot where Job stood; we stood in the spot where David stood; and we scream with all of our voice, “I know my Redeemer liveth, and at the last days He’ll stand on this earth; though if the skin worms destroys this body, yet, in my flesh shall I see God, Who I shall see for myself; my eyes shall behold, and not another. We brought nothing into this world; it’s vanity and pride. It’s certain we take nothing out. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the Name of the Lord.” One thing he knew, “My Redeemer liveth!” Not, “He will live.” “He liveth,” that’s continuation forever. “He liveth!” And because…Jesus said, “Because I live, ye live also.” 107 Let us bow our heads, just a moment now, for closing prayer.

58108 Oh, today, my poor decrepit, friend, if you have never come to this spot! Oh, you say, “I’ve been here at the tabernacle, many times, Brother Branham.” That’s wonderful. I appreciate that. “Oh, I’ve been to other churches. I’ve heard fine ministers speak.” That’s wonderful. “I read my Bible.” That’s still fine. 109 But have you ever come to that spot where He’s lifted up the curtain, that sacred place where an experience struck your heart; that you know Easter wasn’t some fairy tale; that you know Easter wasn’t a Santa Claus, some little fiction something; that you know it for yourself, that He lives; and because that He lives, you live also? If you’ve never experienced that, this is the best time, in the world, to let God raise up the curtain, this morning. Jesus is alive. He is loose, in the earth, this morning. He’s your Saviour today; may be your Judge tomorrow. 110 But have you never met that experience? If not, would you just raise up your hand, and say, “God, be merciful to me. I now will believe”? [Blank spot on tape—Ed.] …person back there, with her hand. God bless you, sir, over there. Someone else raise your hands.

59111 All in here now, that has not had that experience, would you raise your hand, say, “God, this morning, in Your own Divine way…I’m not ask You or tell You how you must give it to me, Lord. But, in Your own Divine way, Lord, will You take me to that spot where something will happen in my heart? I’ve had my up’s and my down’s, my in’s and my out’s, and I just simply can’t stay steady, somehow. But let this be a real Easter to me. Take me to that spot, Lord, at the backside of the desert. There mold my heart, just now. And give me those sacred sands to stand on, where that no demon, or nothing else, or anyone would ever say anything to me, I know it’s real. Let me look past the curtain of time, for tomorrow. That’s why I come here, this morning, Lord, to find that. I’ve heard the preacher try to explain it. I want You to reveal it to me.” 112 Would you raise your hand? God bless you, lady. God bless you, and you back there, the young man. And God be with you. To my left here, over in the left aisle. To my left, would anyone say, “God, be merciful to me, just now.” God bless you, over here in the other aisle. Yes. Raise your hand, say, “God, be merciful to me.” God bless you, young lady.

60I’m homesick and tired, and I want to see Jesus, I want to hear the sweet harbor bells chime; It would brighten my path and would vanish all fears; Lord, let me look past the curtain of time. 113 “Let me just look just a little, see Jesus in His resurrection.” Would there be another before closing in prayer now? Just be sincere. Raise your hand. “I’ve never witnessed the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Brother Branham.” That’s what I’m speaking of. That’s the only way you can become heirs of promise, is through—is through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. You know that. That’s your birth. That’s your sacred sand. God bless you, lady. God bless you back there, son. God bless you, sir. God bless you, lady. God bless you in the back. That’s right. God bless you, mister. God bless you, young fellow. Lord, let me look past the curtain of time. Let me look past the curtain of sorrow and fear, Let me hear the sweet harbor bell chime; It would brighten my path and would vanish all fear; Lord, let me look past the curtain of time.

61114 If you’re standing in that spot, that you don’t know just where you’re at! Been ten or fifteen hands up. I feel that there’s more. On this Easter morning, why don’t you raise your hand and say, “Lord, here I am. And when that pool opens at eleven o’clock, I’m going to be right in that water, too. I’m going down for baptism, so I can be raised in newness of Life, to walk with You, Lord. I want to look past the curtain of time. I want to have an experience right now, on this Easter morning, that I can say, any time through life, ‘Yes, I was sitting in a little old block tabernacle, one beautiful Easter morning. God raised up the curtain. I looked a past. I seen my church didn’t mean very much. I seen there was nothing on earth that meant very much to me anymore. There I sold out everything I had. I bought the Pearl of great price. I accepted Jesus as my Saviour.’ I now raise my hand, Lord God. Be merciful to me. God, I want to look past the curtain of time.” Would there be another before closing just now?

62115 Dear God, this is a solemn moment. We are enjoying the blessings. We have enjoyed the Word. We’ve enjoyed, more than we can explain, the Presence of the Holy Spirit, Who has given us this great assurance, that we have passed, and we have passed from—from death unto Life. And there are those who are present now, Lord, many of them, have raised their hands. This is a solemn moment. 116 Maybe they might have been trained in some religious school. They might have burnt candles. They might have repeated prayers, over beads. They might have joined some denomination; been immersed in some certain way, had water poured on their head, or sprinkled. They might have repeated the Apostles’ Creed and went through a ritual routine. But have never come to that sacred sand, have never come to that spot like Job did, like Moses, like Abraham, like all Thy children did. They never come to that spot like those disciples who went to the tomb, that morning, and found He was gone.

63117 Grant, Lord, just now, those who raised their hands, that the great Holy Spirit will come into their hearts and perform this great work that we now ask for. Hear us, Lord. They are Yours. They’re the fruits of the Message. I pray that You’ll bless them, wonderfully. Give unto them the baptism of the Holy Spirit, today. 118 And we don’t know, we may never see another Easter. No doubt there is some in here that won’t; not a Easter like this, an Easter as a memorial. But, Lord, may they see that real Easter, that one, Lord, that where their body shall shape in the form of a young man or woman, again, come forth from the grave, to live forever. 119 Bless them, Lord. They’re Yours. You was the One Who drawed them. For it is written, “No man can come to Me, except My Father draws him first.” Now they’re Yours, if You drawed them. If You’re close enough to them, to draw their hands up in the air, You’re close enough to do the rest of the work. They’re Yours, Father. Grant that this will be the peace time for them.

64120 Thank You for all these who have made their decision long ago, and have experienced the new life, stood on the sacred sands. We’re here to rejoice this morning with them, in the hopes of the Coming of the Lord Jesus, when we too will—will fellowship with Him, in His resurrection, as we fellowshipped in His suffering. Grant it, Lord. May His Spirit lead us and guide us, as we journey on. 121 Give us a great service, now, at nine-thirty, Lord. And immediately heal the sick and the afflicted. 122 May those who have never been immersed yet, come to the grave this morning, go down, and rise again in the water grave here, Lord, has been commissioned by our Lord. After His resurrection He appeared and said, “Go into all the world, preach the Gospel. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” Grant, Lord, and it will be so. 123 Give us a great night, tonight. Do, Father, give us a great day. May we long enjoy the Presence of God. For we ask it in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

65124 Just something about that old song, just does something to me! When darkness is gone, what happened? Light. Let’s sing it now, to the glory of God. Everyone, together now. Oh, we’ll walk in the Light, a beautiful Light, Come where the dewdrops of mercy are bright; Shine all around us by day and by night, Jesus, the Light of the world.

66125 When He come forth on Easter morning, He broke all the darkness; just fled away. Now He stands as the Light. “I am the resurrection and the Light, the resurrection and the Life, the resurrection and the hereafter.” All in all is in Him. 126 Don’t you love Him? How many loves Him? Raise up your hands, real high. That’s good. 127 Shake hands now with somebody setting next to you, while we sing again. We’ll… To the right, to the left, to the back, to the front. …beautiful Light. Jesus…

67128 The services will be next, now, at nine-thirty, and then there will be a preaching service, a prayer for the sick. Baptismal service will start at eleven o’clock. All you who wants to be baptized, by immersing; the pool is filled. I’ll bring my clothes. We’ll be back in a little while. 129 Then, tonight, is another service tonight, coming up, healing line, a Message, and the healing line. And we’ll see, what, uh, tonight is communion night at the tabernacle, again. We’ll see; we got a very busy program, so we’ll have to hurry on now. Go to your provided places, have breakfast, and return, rejoicing.

68130 While we stand now and sing, “He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today.” All right, Brother Neville, would you come over. He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. 131 Now, everybody, a great “Hallelujah!” “Hallelujah!” He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. 132 Let’s sing it again. When we get to that, “He lives, He lives,” let’s raise our hands to Him, like that . “He lives, He lives. Ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.” Everybody now. He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me, He talks with me along life’s narrow way. ( …?… ) You ask me how I know He lives? (All right, now.) He lives within my heart. 133 Isn’t He wonderful? This sacred, solemn moment now, where we’re dismissed, to go to our homes for our breakfast. Return back, rejoicing. 134 I’m going to ask, as we bow our heads, if our beloved Brother Foulst here, from Canada, if he will dismiss us in a word of prayer. Brother Foulst, if you will. 