The “First Prophetic Vision” – Mussolini Would Invade Ethiopia

 

As stated, William Branham claimed in his “Church Age Book” of 1965 that his “first prophetic vision” foretold the following,

 

“The first vision was that Mussolini would invade Ethiopia and that nation would “fall at his steps.” That vision surely did cause some repercussions, and some were very angry when I said it and would not believe it. But it happened that way. He just walked in there with his modern arms and took over. The natives didn’t have a chance. But the vision also said that Mussolini would come to a horrible end with his own people turning on him. That came to pass just exactly as it was said.”

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That version from 1965, however; is entirely inconsistent with and different from his earlier versions.

 

In the first known account of the first prophecy from March 26, 1953, William Branham made no mention of seeing Mussolini invading Ethiopia or the country coming to a “horrible end” as he did in his Church Age book in 1965, but only represented the first prophecy as follows,

 

“How many of you people has heard years ago down here when they was going to have me arrested down here for preaching on that mark of the beast? When I said that Mussolini, when he first come in power twenty-some-odd years ago, I said, "If Mussolini ever goes towards Ethiopia, mark this down, there'll never be peace till Jesus Christ comes."” “Israel and the Church #2” (53-0326).

 

In 1960, William Branham also represented the “first prophetic vision” differently by claiming that it foretold that Mussolini's invasion of Ethiopia would be his first and last invasion, as follows,

 

“And it came to pass that while I was in this vision I seen some dreadful things take place. I speak this in the Name of the Lord.
The president which now is, President Franklin D. Roosevelt... (Now remember, this is twenty-eight years ago.) will cause the whole world to go to war; and the new dictator of Italy, Mussolini, shall make his first invasion towards Ethiopia, and he will take Ethiopia; but that'll be his last. He shall come to his end.” “Condemnation By Representation” (60-1113).

 

Said, "This new dictator, Mussolini, will take his first step toward Ethiopia, and Ethiopia will fall at his feet." It did. It said, "That'll be his last. He will end in disgrace." “Conference” (60-1125).

 

“How that Mussolini would go towards Ethiopia, his first invasion, and would take it; that'd be the end; he'd die off after that.” “The Ephesian Church Age” (60-1205).

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All of those 1960 versions of the “prophecy” are obviously false because Ethiopia was not the first or the last country that Mussolini invaded. The first country he invaded was Greece, more particularly the Greek island of Corfu, which he invaded in 1923. He also invaded other countries after invading Ethiopia in 1935, as is evident from this list,

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1. Greek island of Corfu (1923),

2. Ethiopia (1935),

3. Albania (1939),

4. France (1940),

5. British Somaliliand, Sudan and Kenya (1940),

6. Egypt (1940),

7. Belgium (1940),

8. Greece (1940),

9. Yugoslavia (1941),

10. Soviet Union (1941).[7]

 

After making those clearly false claims about Mussolini and his alleged “first prophecy” in 1960, William Branham apparently decided to omit them from all of his later versions, including the one above that he provided in his “Church Age Book” in 1965.

 

All of William Branham's claims that he saw Mussolini in the “first prophetic vision” successfully taking Ethiopia are also contradicted by his claim that he saw Mussolini in the “vision” going to Ethiopia, but failing, as follows,

 

“I said, "Ethiopia, Mussolini will go to Ethiopia, but he'll fail."” “The Thyatirean Church Age” (60-1208).

 

That contradictory version of the “first prophecy” is even more remarkable because just three days prior he asserted in another sermon that the first prophecy foretold Mussolini taking Ethiopia, but dying off after that, as follows,

 

“How many remembers that vision here in the church? . . . How that Mussolini would go towards Ethiopia, his first invasion, and would take it; that'd be the end; he'd die off after that.” “The Ephesian Church Age” (60-1205).

 

 

Conclusions about the “first prophetic vision.”

 

By virtue of the fact that the “first prophetic vision” contains false and contradictory aspects, as well as discrepant aspects that changed over time, William Branham's claims about it are not credible, including these claims of his from 1963,

 

“Five of those things has perfectly been fulfilled exactly. How Mussolini would rise and go to Ethiopia, and fall at his steps; and he would be turned to the people, in shame, with a woman. Many, many years before it happened perfectly on the dot. And it's never failed, and it won't fail, because it's THUS SAITH THE LORD. And it's not contrary to these Bible. It's got to be.” “Once More” (63-1117).

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Footnotes:

[7]  Sources:  “10 Countries Invaded by Fascist Italy and Why They Invaded Each One” at https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/10-countries-invaded-fascist-italy-invaded-one.html and “Military history of Italy during World War II” at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Italy_during_World_War_II.

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The “Second Prophetic Vision” – WWII and the Siegfried/Maginot line

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William Branham also claimed in his “Church Age Book” that his “second prophetic vision” foretold the following about Adolph Hitler and the Siegfried Line,

 

“The next vision foretold that an Austrian by the name of Adolph Hitler would rise up as dictator over Germany, and that he would draw the world into war. It showed the Siegfried line and how our troops would have a terrible time to overcome it. Then it showed that Hitler would come to a mysterious end.”

 

In addition to being an “after-the-fact” prophecy that was made after the alleged events already occurred, the “second prophecy” was also told differently by William Branham over time and in an inconsistent, contradictory fashion.

 

His claims that the “second prophecy” foretold Adolph Hitler leading the world into war are contradicted by his claims that the “prophecy” foretold President Roosevelt leading the world into war,

 

“And now, and as I started the Sunday school I fell into a trance. We was having it over here at the old Masonic home, Charlie Kern's place, little group of us. And I seen this President Roosevelt leading the world to a world war. Predicted!” “The Thyatirean Church Age” (60-1208).

 

“1933, one morning going to the Baptist tabernacle, I went into a trance, saw a vision.

I saw President Roosevelt was going to help lead the world to a world war, told it that morning. They was going to lock me up for it.” “Jehovah Jireh” (61-0312).

 

As is clear from the two pictures below, Adolph Hitler and Franklin Delano Roosevelt bore no resemblance in appearance to each other. From Hitler's distinctively short mustache, which is recognized the world over, it is not possible to confuse him with Roosevelt.

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Thus, it is clear that had William Branham ever seen Hitler in his “second prophetic vision” leading the world to war, he certainly could not have mistaken him for Roosevelt.

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What's more, William Branham's claims above that his “second prophecy” foretold President Roosevelt leading the “world to a world war” are clearly false because the only world war during Roosevelt's presidency (WWII) was not caused by or the result his actions. It was caused by Nazi Germany invading Poland on September 1, 1939 and France, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and India declaring war on Nazi Germany on September 3, 1939. In the two years that followed, several other countries entered the world war, but Roosevelt stayed clear of it until the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941. (The dates when the countries of the world entered the conflict before the United States can be viewed here.)

 

William Branham's claims that he saw the Germans in the “second prophetic vision” building the “Siegfried Line” are also contradicted by his other claims that he saw them in the “vision” building the “Maginot Line”, as is evident below,

 

“And the Siegfried Line was the German line. And the Lord let me see that, eleven years before it was built. And they never would admit getting a beating on it, the Americans wouldn't, till they almost sunk the complete army. When they went in there, the Germans had their guns just trained right out on that fleet, and let it get right in there, and almost sunk it. And I seen that, eleven years before the line was ever—ever a foundation was ever poured for it, or anything, the Siegfried Line.” “Shalom” (64-0112).

 

“In my book in there, that I keep wrote down. In 1933, one morning, fixing to go to Sunday school, a Baptist Sunday school where I was pastor, the Holy Spirit come and showed me down to the end time, and showed me seven things that would happen. I marked them down. It’s on old yellow paper.

Told me exactly how Germany would build that Siegfried Line, and how the Americans would take a great beating at it, eleven years before the—the line was ever built.” “The Voice of the Sign” (64-0321E).

“Write it in your bibles, see if it's right. 1933, one morning going to the Baptist tabernacle, I went into a trance, saw a vision. I saw President Roosevelt was going to help lead the world to a world war, told it that morning. They was going to lock me up for it. And I said, "They'll go to war with Germany." Eleven years before the Maginot Line was built, I said, "There..." in that same vision I saw Germany fortified in concrete.” “Jehovah-Jireh” (61-0312).

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“And eleven years beforehand, it said that "We'd go to war with Germany, and Germany would be fortified behind concrete," the Maginot Line. It happened just that way.” “The Ephesian Church Age” (60-1205).

 

“Then I seen also that—that was eleven years before the Maginot line was built, I seen Germany fortify themselves in this big concrete place.” “Why?” (61-0128).

 

“And in 1933 when the Lord, when we was having meetings over here where that Church of Christ is standing now, the old Masonic home, the vision of the Lord came to me up here and predicted that, Germany would rise up and have put that Maginot Line there. Many of you remember. And how they'd be all fortified in there, and the Americans would take a great beating right there at that line. It also said what would take place, and about Roosevelt and them things, how he would run and make that fourth term. Perfectly, just exactly the way it come to pass.” “Why Are We Not A Denomination?” (58-0927).

 

William Branham's claims above cannot be true because the Maginot Line was never built or fortified by the Germans, but was a French Line, as its name implies. The Maginot Line also was not built in 1942, 1943 or 1944, eleven years after he allegedly saw the “prophetic vision” in 1931, 1932 or 1933, as he claimed because it was built by the French in the 1930s.[8]

 

In addition, his claims above cannot be true because the Siegfried Line was built between 1916 and 1917 and later again between 1938 and 1940 and therefore was not built eleven years after he saw the “vision” in 1931, 1932 or 1933, as he also claimed.[9][10]

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William Branham apparently did not even understand or know the difference between the “Siegfried Line” and “Maginot Line” as is evident in this erroneous statement of his,

 

“France tried to build the Siegfried line, Germany, the Maginot line. And after the first World War, then France still wanted their women, wine, and big times. And they built the line, and faced all their guns towards Germany.” “Super Sign” (61-0430).

 

 

Conclusions about the “second prophetic vision.”

 

Based on the historical facts and when the events of WWII actually occurred, William Branham's “second prophetic vision” could not have been real or true. Had he seen Hilter or Roosevelt in a “vision” leading the world into a world war, as he claimed, he also certainly would have recognized which world leader it was from their starkly different appearances and not confused the two leaders. In addition, had God shown him that either the Siegfried or Maginot Line would be built eleven years later, one of those two battle lines would have been built then, but neither was. Consequently, William Branham's related testimony and claims about the “second prophecy” are false and unbelievable.

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Footnotes:

[8]  “Maginot Line, elaborate defensive barrier in northeast France constructed in the 1930s and named after its principal creator, André Maginot, who was France’s minister of war in 1929–31.” Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Maginot-Line

“Built between 1929 and 1938, the Maginot Line is remembered as one of the most spectacular follies in military history.” Source: https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/the-massive-fortifications-of-world-war-two.html

[9]  “The original Siegfried Line (German language: Siegfriedstellung) was a line of defensive forts and tank defenses built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I. In English, Siegfried line more commonly refers to the similar World War II defensive line, built during the 1930s, opposite the French Maginot Line, which served a corresponding purpose. The Germans themselves called this the Westwall, but the Allies renamed it after the World War I line. This article deals with this second Siegfried line. The Siegfried Line was a defence system stretching more than 630 km (390 mi) with more than 18,000 bunkers, tunnels and tank traps. It went from Kleve on the border with the Netherlands, along the western border of the old German Empire as far as the town of Weil am Rhein on the border to Switzerland. More with Nazi propaganda in mind than for any strategic reason, Adolf Hitler planned the line from 1936 and had it built between 1938 and 1940.”

Source: https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Siegfried_Line

[10]  “The plans for it’s construction were laid down in 1936. Work on the various elements began in 1938 and lasted until 1940. Along the Siegfried Line there were around 18,000 structures, such as bunkers, traps for tanks, and tunnels.”

Source: https://www.abandonedspaces.com/conflict/siegfried-line-an-abandoned-defence-wall-that-saw-both-peace-and-war.html

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The “Third Prophetic Vision” – Three “Isms”

 

As stated, William Branham claimed in his “Church Age Book” that his “third prophetic vision” foretold the following about Fascism, Nazism and Communism,

 

“The third vision was in the realm of world politics for it showed me that there would be three great ISMS, Fascism, Nazism, Communism, but that the first two would be swallowed up into the third. The voice admonished, “WATCH RUSSIA, WATCH RUSSIA. Keep your eye on the King of the North.”

 

He also claimed in his sermons that “communism will burn the Vatican city” and “The Russian empire will drop an atomic bomb of some sort on the Vatican City and destroy it in one hour”, as follows,

 

“Now, it's written on old paper, laying at the house today, dated way back in 1933—'32 or '33. Going to Sunday school one morning, I was caught away in a vision. And I said, “Now....” Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, I said, “Now, there's going to be three great isms,” which is now in existence. One of them is in Rome, which is Fascism; and one of them is in Germany, which is Nazi—Nazism; and the other one is in Russia, which is communism. I said, “Those three great isms is the unclean spirits that went out of the mouth of the false prophet, and the dragons, and so forth, that will unite themselves together, speaking things that they should not; and they'll all beat at one another, until they'll finally wind up in one ism. And I predict that that will be communism. And communism will burn the Vatican City.” “The Faith That Was Once Delivered To The Saints” (55-0501E).

 

“How many of you people heard years ago down here when they was going to have me arrested down here for preaching on that “mark of the beast”? When I said that Mussolini, when he first come in power twenty-some-odd years ago, I said, “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.” You remember me saying that years and years and years ago. And just exactly that way!” “Israel And The Church #2” (53-0326).

 

“Now, if you'll give me one more night, if God does, 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.” “The Mark of the Beast” (54-0513).

 

There are significant problems with the “third prophecy” and his related claims above. Firstly, the “prophecy” is an “after-the-fact” prophecy that was first told on March 26, 1953, twenty years after the “prophetic vision” was allegedly seen.

 

Secondly, Communist Russia ended in 1991 and the Soviet Union dissolved into fifteen independent nations.[11] Therefore, it is unlikely that it would ever play any role in “swallowing up” the other “ISMS” and burning the Vatican City, unless it by some remote chance it became a communist state again. (From the Russian constitution of 1993, it is apparent that Russia is no longer a communist state, but a democratic one. Therein, it specifically identifies Russia as “a democratic, federative, law-based state with a republican form of government.”[12]) 

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Thirdly, the Russian Empire ceased to exist in 1917 and therefore cannot drop an atomic bomb on the Vatican in accordance with William Branham's “Thus saith the Lord” prophetic

declaration.[13]

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Footnotes:

[11]  “The 1993 constitution declares Russia a democratic, federative, law-based state with a republican form of government.” Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Russia

[12]  “Collapse of the Soviet Union, sequence of events that led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union on December 31, 1991. The former superpower was replaced by 15 independent countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.” Source:

https://www.britannica.com/event/the-collapse-of-the-Soviet-Union

[13]  “The empire collapsed during the February Revolution of 1917, largely as a result of massive failures in its participation in the First World War.” Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_Empire

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The “Fourth Prophetic Vision” – Great Advances in Science

 

As stated, William Branham claimed in his “Church Age Book” that his “fourth prophetic vision” foretold the following,

 

“The fourth vision showed the great advances in science that would come after the second world war. It was headed up in the vision of a plastic bubble-topped car that was running down beautiful highways under remote control so that people appeared seated in this car without a steering wheel and they were playing some sort of a game to amuse themselves.”

 

The prophecy is problematic for the following reasons:

 

Not only is it an “after-the-fact” prophecy with no evidence to verify that it was ever made before any of the alleged events would occur, but the prophecy was changed and told very differently by William Branham over time.

 

When William Branham began claiming to have seen the “prophetic visions” in 1953 (twenty years after the fact), he did not claim to have seen a “plastic bubble-topped” driverless car in the vision that was “without a steering wheel” and “under remote control” with people playing a “game to amuse themselves”, as he later did.

 

In his first four recorded accounts of the prophecy in March 1953, May 1956, January 1957 and March 1957 that follow, it is evident that he only claimed to have seen in the vision that the cars would be “egg-shaped” or would “look like an egg”,

 

“I said, “Just before that time comes, that automobiles…” Which was built that old straight back, twenty years ago or twenty-five years ago. You can remember twenty years anyhow. And I said, “They’ll look like an egg. They’ll be shaped. That’s a vision.” “Israel And The Church #2” (53-0326).

 

“Before the Coming of the Lord, that cars would look like an egg.” How many remembers that prediction? Is there anybody left in here? Brother Seward is gone. And I guess…It was 1933 when we were having services over here. I guess just about all of them is gone now, since then.” “Teaching On Moses” (56-0513).

 

“And I predict that a woman will be a great woman. You younger people here tonight, remember Brother Branham has said this. And I said it in ’33, when I saw the Coming of the Lord. And how that automobiles would continually shape up like an egg, until finally they would come into a perfect egg shape. Maybe part of you here know it; it’s written on old papers and things.” “God Keeps His Word” (57-0120E).

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“I seen in ’33 how cars would look before the coming of the Lord. They’re pretty near in that shape. You remember, I prophesied this… You mark it in your books… I’ve told you many times—every time here.” “Jehovah-Jireh” (57-0309E).

 

In June of 1957, William Branham changed the vision by claiming that the cars he saw in it were “semi-driverless” and without the need for a “steering wheel, at times”, as follows,

 

“And remember, thir-…1933, I saw that come in a vision, a great powerful woman will take over the whole nation, some day, that’s exactly right, before the end time, ’fore total annihilation.

The cars, in that day, will be shaped like an egg, running back like, in this form there. And it’ll be controlled by some kind of a power, that they won’t even have to use the steering wheel, at times. [Brother Branham snaps his finger once—Ed.] Just set her, and go on like that. See, before the annihilation! Now, you remember, that’s, now, that’s on record. See? And women will take over. Women will take over.” “Life” (57-0602).

 

Then in June of 1958, William Branham changed the vision further by claiming that the cars would be “completely driverless” and control themselves, as follows,

 

“Picking up, the other day, an old book up there, reading some of the things that the Lord had told, foretold; already come to pass. About this juvenile stuff, and about how the war would come out, and all those things has hit.

Just the two things left, in one of those great prophecies. That is, for cars to be on the road with remote control, looking like an egg, only you don’t drive it. It controls itself. And then there will be a great woman rise up, ’cause America is a woman’s nation. And it’ll…A great woman will rise up, and be President or something like that, in the nation. And then there will come a total annihilation. The entire nation will be wiped out.

And, that, I predict…Now this is not the Lord saying this. (The other, about the woman, it is, is the Lord.) But I predicted, in 1933, that the world would meet total annihilation before ’77.” “By Faith, Moses” (58-0720M).

 

Then in September 1958, William Branham claimed the “prophetic vision” was fulfilled, as follows,

 

“And in 1933 when the Lord, when we was having meetings over here where that Church of Christ is standing now, the old Masonic home, the vision of the Lord came to me up here and predicted that, Germany would rise up and have put that Maginot Line there. Many of you remember. And how they'd be all fortified in there, and the Americans would take a great beating right there at that line. It also said what would take place, and about Roosevelt and them things, how he would run and make that fourth term. Perfectly, just exactly the way it come to pass. And also said that cars would keep getting more like an egg, until the last days they'd be just in the shape of an egg.
Now, I said, "It'll come to pass that those cars will not be run by a steering wheel; it'll be something another run." It's them cars they're bringing out right now, remote control, for safety. Correct. You won't be able to enter into a city then, a twenty-mile zone, you can just go twenty mile. You can't hit another car, because it's remote control. See, it's going like that right now.” “Why Are We Not A Denomination?” (58-0927).

 

Then in August of 1961, William Branham changed the vision further and began claiming that in it he saw a family in the car playing checkers or cards, as follows,

 

“Now the fifth thing. “Science will progress in such a way until they will make a car that will not have to be guided by a steering wheel. And the cars will continue to be shaped like an egg, until the consummation, the end time. I seen American family going down the road, in a broad way, riding in a car with their backs turned towards where the wheel should be, looked like they were playing checkers or cards.” And we got it. It’s on television. Popular Science, Mechanics, rather, all have it. We got the car. It’s controlled by a remote control, by—by radar. They won’t even have to have any steering wheel in it. Just set your dial like this, like you dial your phone, and your car takes you right on to it; can’t wreck, nor nothing, no other cars. The magnet keeps the rest of them away from you. See? They got it. Oh, my! Think of it. Predicted thirty years before it happened!” “The Seventieth Week Of Daniel” (61-0806).

I said, "Such progress will take place!" I said, "I see automobiles looking like an egg, going down the street. There is cars go down the highways, with some kind of a control, they don't have to guide it. I seen an American family playing checker in the back of a car." They've got the car right now, if they just had the highways to put it on. The little Volkswagen is a perfect egg, just exactly, and it's all the other cars. Could you imagine, in 1933, what the cars looked like, to now? “The Voice of the Sign” (64-0321E).

 

“And now, it also said, “And it shall come to pass, that before the end time shall come, that automobiles will take on the shape of an egg, become more like an egg.” And I saw an American family driving down a highway in a car that…They were setting facing one another, and had a table, and were, look like, playing checkers or cards. And they didn’t have any steering wheel in the car. And it was controlled by some power without a steering wheel. How many remembers me prophesying that (see?), that’s been here?” “Questions And Answers #1” (64-0823M).
 

Based on the many starkly different versions and significant changes that William Branham made to his “after-the-fact” prophecy about cars over time, his claims about the alleged “prophecy” are not credible.

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His claims about the “fourth prophetic vision” are also not credible because a mid-1950s advertisement for America's Independent Electric Light and Power Companies contained an illustration of a family in the back seat of a driverless car playing dominoes or similar game, which was highly similar to what he claimed he saw in the “vision.”
 

In that regard, former believer of William Branham, John Kennah, discovered and wrote the following,