Whereas he never mentioned or spoke about the “Pillar of Fire” in any of his recorded sermons in the three previous years (from 1947–1950), he made a total of 1,366 references to the “Pillar of Fire” after the photo was taken in 1950 until he died on December 24, 1965.

 

His very first mention of the “Pillar of Fire” after the aforesaid picture was taken on January 24, 1950 was in a recorded a sermon that he preached in March of 1950, as follows,

 

“Moses did nothing. It was the Angel of God. Is that right? What did It look like that led Israel? A Pillar of Fire by night, and a Cloud by day. I believe He’s still leading on. We know that was the Angel of the covenant. Is that right? It was the Logos or the Christ. He’s still the same, leading the people today as He was then.” “Gifts And Callings Are Without Repentance” (50-0300).

 

Then in July of that year, he preached two sermons in which he made it known that his audience would “feel” that it was the “Pillar of Fire” even though he said he did not know exactly what the light in the picture was, as is evident by his “whatever It is” statement below,

 

“It was the Angel of God that went before Moses. It was a Pillar of Fire at night and a cloud by day. And when you see the picture that we’re going to show you, shortly, if we haven’t. I believe you’ll feel that it’s the same Pillar of Fire that’s leading the people today, the Angel of God. Which we know the Angel that led Moses was the Angel of the covenant, which was Christ, the Son of God. And now… Or, the Logos that came out of God, was the Son of God.” “Obey The Voice Of The Angel” (50-0713).
 

“And I’m very thankful tonight, to know that that same Pillar of Fire and—and Cloud, and whatever It is… They’ll show you the picture pretty soon. And maybe, if… They may get some here for the service. And if they do, you’d be more than welcome to them.”

“At Thy Word” (50-0714).
 

Even though he stated he was unsure what the “light” in the picture was, he began leading people to believe that it was, in fact, the “Pillar of Fire” by claiming in August of 1950 that an Angel went up into “that little Light, Pillar of Fire” after giving him his commission to pray for the sick,

 

“He said, “As the prophet Moses was given two signs, so will you be given two signs.” Said, “First will be that you’ll be able to detect diseases by your hand, taking the patient by the right hand to—in—in your left. And if you’ll be sincere when you pray, get them to believe you and be sincere when you pray, nothing shall stand before your prayer, not even cancer.” See, He spoke cancer. That’s the only disease He said. And He said, “Then if you’ll be sincere with that, it will come to pass that you will tell them the secrets of their heart.” Said, “Them will be the two signs.” And He said, “I’ll…” And I said, “I will go.” He said, “I will be with you.”

And just then, the Light begin to gather up. And It gathered up to the Angel, and It got into the Angel. The Angel went up into that little Light, Pillar of Fire that you seen tonight. And It went out of the room. I didn’t know what to do.” “God Revealing Himself To His People” (50-0813E).

 

In August of 1950, he also began claiming that a “Pillar of Fire” appeared when he was baptizing hundreds at the Ohio River and said he “he thought” that It was the “same One that led the children of Israel in the days that went before Moses.

 

Mr. Lacy looked at that, he said, “Well, it’s been said by hypocrites that those lights that were around the saints and the Saviour, was just artist’s work.” Said, “They were there because it can’t be doubted no more. That is not psychology; a optical lens of the camera won’t take psychology. No, it—it’s there.” Here’s the paper of it. If we had time, we would write it. That’s the way It comes into the meeting.

That’s the way It’s been seen many, many times.

When I was baptizing hundreds down at the Ohio River at the foot of Spring Street in Jeffersonville, where thousands were blacked on the bank… At right at two o’clock in the afternoon, I was baptizing the seventeenth person. I started to pray, and thousands standing there looking. And down from the heavens came that green, whirling down like a big star in the distance. When It got close, It was that Light, a Pillar of Fire.

I think It’s the same One that led the children of Israel in the days that went before Moses. And It’s in the church today. It’s here tonight, the same Pillar of Fire. “Believe Ye That I Am Able To Do This?” (50-0820E).
 

In August of 1950, his thoughts about the “light streak” above his head in the picture being the “Pillar of Fire” were further extended to the prophet Moses, who he claimed was also “followed” by the “Pillar of Fire”,

 

Those Israelites were perishing, and the Rock was smitten and brought forth life—water. “And God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son. Whosoever believeth on Him should not perish (A perishing generation of people)—should not perish, but have Everlasting Life,” by speaking to the Rock. See?

But Moses went down there and smote the Rock. He got anger. He forgot all of his… He lost control of himself. He got all worked up, and excited, because of the people… And he just smote the rock again, and it didn’t bring its water. But he smote it again. Is that right?

Now, he was a Divine prophet sent from the Presence of God, borned in this world to be a prophet, a vindicated prophet by signs and wonders, the Pillar of Fire followed him. And we know that he was a prophet sent from God.

And God had entrusted him with that power, and as far as I know, Bible readers… I’m not much of a scholar, because I never got but just a grammar school education, seventh grade at that.” “The Angel And The Commission” (50-0821).
 

William Branham continued talking about the “Pillar of Fire” in August of 1950 by telling his audience to be “satisfied and keep moving on” and not be like the Israelites who complained about it,

 

“Now notice, another thing they had done. They left the people back there that had no signs, to live under the Pillar of Fire and a Cloud, and was complaining about it. No wonder their water supply was cut off. That’s what’s the matter with the church today. There’s too much grumbling about things, complaining. Be satisfied and keep moving on, pressing on.” “Take The Rod And Gather The People” (50-0827E).
 

Then in April of 1951, he persuaded his audience that the “Pillar of Fire” was not only a “Light”, but that “Angels” most always appeared to the apostles and disciples “in the form of Light,”

 

“Now, Angels has always been ministering spirits that’s sent to the church. Is that right? All through the apostolic age, or apostolic age, they had ministering Angels that went with the apostles, the disciples. Is that right? And most always, they appeared to them in a form of Light. Is that right? A Light shined down upon Paul (Is that true?), blinded him. Peter was in the prison, and a Light shined in, the Angel of the Lord, and told him. Many different places in the Scriptures refers to Them as a Light through the Pillar of Fire that followed the children of Israel: a Pillar of Fire. And this… Any Bible teacher knows that the Angel that led Israel was the Angel of the Covenant (Is that right?), which was Christ. Amen.

Notice. Now, as Jesus, or the Christ… Moses suffered the loss of his—the throne that he would’ve had in Egypt, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. He chose to follow a Pillar of Fire (An Angel of God appeared to him in a burning bush), rather, than to be king of Egypt. Now, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Is that true? And if He appeared to Moses in a form of a Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel… As He led them in the natural, so could He lead His church in the spiritual today. They were on their road to the promised land. Is that right? We’re on our road to the promised land. Is that right? “In My Father’s house is many mansions. If it wasn’t so, I would’ve told you. I go up and prepare a place and come again to receive you unto Myself.” Notice. Now, God in the Pillar of Fire led them… And then when He was here on earth, Jesus, He said, “I AM the I AM. I AM THAT I AM.” Which that was the I AM that spoke to Moses in the bush…” “The Angel Of The Lord” (51-0414).
 

In May of 1951, he made his first claim that he saw the Pillar of Fire or something like it when he was boy,

 

“I heard His voice, oh, ever since I was a little boy, but I’d never seen nothing but a whirlwind and different—and a—a Pillar of Fire like. And now, when He got real close to me, the Man then when He spoke, He said, “Do not fear.”

I knew It was the same Man, that same Voice that talked to me since I was a little boy. And He said, 'I am sent from the Presence of Almighty God to tell you that your peculiar birth and life has been to indicate that you’re to pray for sick people to take this to all the world.' And said, 'If you’ll be sincere when you pray, and will get the people to believe you, nothing shall stand before your prayer. For this cause you was born.'” “Exhortation Of Divine Healing” (51-0501).

 

Even though he led people to believe that the “Light” was, in fact, the “same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel”, William Branham was unsure how to recognize it in May of 1951,

 

“And grant, Lord, that You’ll send tonight, Your great Divine Angel, Your healing Spirit; maybe it’s the same Angel that was on the pool of Bethesda; we do not know. I do not know Him, Father in that way, His Name. Maybe it’s the same Angel that followed the children of Israel, that led them, rather, in a sign of a Pillar of Fire. Maybe that’s the same Pillar of Fire that we’re looking at. Maybe He’s here tonight. I trust that He will be and will show great signs and wonders. And may there come a stirring among the people quickly, for we realize Lord that we just have a few days to be here.” “Exhortation Of Divine Healing” (51-0501).
 

In May of 1951, he also claimed that the “fire” that Moses saw in the burning bush was actually the “Pillar of Fire” even though Exodus 13:21–22 makes it clear that the purpose of the “Pillar of Fire” was to lead all of the children of Israel at night and Exodus 3 states that Moses saw “a flame of fire” in a bush,

 

“And notice. Then Moses taken unto himself Zipporah, a wife… [Blank spot on tape—Ed.]… So one morning there, the Pillar of Fire came out of the heavens and dropped down into a bush. And Moses looked, and the bush was on fire, but the bush would not burn up. God was doing all of this to attract the attention of Moses. And when God saw that Moses turned aside…

. . .

All right. Notice now, that… Then when God spoke to him, attracted his attention by a Pillar of Fire that fell into a bush and begin to burn and pop, and burn. Now, looks like if it was fire, it would’ve scorched the bush or burned it. But it was a supernatural Fire Who could burn the bush, and yet it would still be there. Amen.” “The Angel Of The Lord” (51-0502).

 

(The full account in Exodus 3 about the angel of the Lord appearing to Moses in a “flame of fire” can be read here.)

 

So convinced had William Branham become that the “light streak” in the picture was the “Pillar of Fire” that he even stated in May of 1951 that it meant that It was “leading the Church” and “delivering them”,

 

“Oh, my. I hope you pardon this personal expression, but about a few years ago…

I believe with all my heart, the same Pillar of Fire that came down in the burning bush, swept to this earth again. I believe It’s in our midst tonight. If God could do that, and bring deliverance in the days gone by in the church natural, so will He in Church spiritual. And I believe tonight, that the same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel is here tonight leading the Church spiritual now, delivering them. You can only be di—delivered by faith.” “The Angel Of The Lord” (51-0502).
 

“And do—could you imagine, that how a man that rejects Light… When God went down there with Moses, it wasn’t Moses; It was God. And God said, “I will send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee to the place that I have prepared.” Is that right? And when the children of Israel seen this Angel, He was a Pillar of Fire. Is that right? Amen.” “The Angel Of The Lord” (51-0502).
 

In May of 1951, William Branham also made his first prayer to God while referring to “great Pillar of Fire that's showed there in the picture”,

 

Now, there’s sick in here tonight, Lord. They’re needy. Help. May that great Pillar of Fire that’s showed there in the picture… Lord… That that I feel moving in my soul now, quietening these nerves from… I—I believe, Lord, that You’re here to make manifest that what I’ve said. Grant tonight that Your people will be caught away on the wings of faith, flying beyond this faltery sense bound world, bound to their senses. Grant tonight that they’ll break out into that realm of faith beyond the senses, and accept You, and believe, and walk from this building, and be made well. Grant it, Lord. For we ask it in the Name of Thy Son Jesus. Amen. “The Angel Of The Lord” (51-0502).

 

In May of 1951, he also stated the Spirit of God was actually the “Pillar of Fire” even though it is evident in Exodus 13:21–22 that the Lord God was not synonymous with “Pillar of Fire”, but only used It to lead the Israelites at night,

 

“You don’t even have to have your prayer card. You know that. My, hardly any of them last evening had prayer cards. The prayer card just keeps everybody from rushing up at once, so we can be in order and have some kind of a system to it.

And now, that’s near. Now, in a few minutes… Now, if It would… If It does, I don’t know It will. If It does, you’ll see It. It’ll move down over me. Now, It’s—It’s here now, real close. Now, the One that does that speaking is ma… just a… Is right here near. I don’t see It. I have seen It. Hundreds and thousands have seen It. But now, It knows just what’s wrong with her. It’s the Spirit of God. The same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel is right in our midst now. See?” “At Thy Word” (51-0506E).

 

In July of 1951, he also claimed that the Angel of the Lord was the “Pillar of Fire” even though Exodus 3 clearly makes it known that the angel was not the “Pillar of Fire”, but appeared to Moses in a flame of fire,

 

“Now, when the Angel of the Lord appeared to Moses… It wasn’t Moses, It was the Angel of God. What was He when He appeared? A Pillar of Fire. Is that right? And He led the children of Israel. And any scholar knows that that was the Angel of the Covenant, which was Christ. Is that right? And He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. And as He read the—led the Church back there in the natural body, He’s leading us today in the spiritual body.

And this supernatural Being (which has been a vindicated by pictures and through the American Photographers Association, through the examiners and everything, and hangs tonight in… It’s the only time that a supernatural Being was ever taken. We’ll introduce that later.) is here with us tonight.” “The Manifestation Of The Spirit” (51-0717).

 

In July of 1951, William Branham also made his first claims that “thousands times thousands” of people “has seen” the “big Pillar of Fire” in his meetings,

 

Now, many times in the meeting, the Angel of the Lord which appeared, and many of you know about, it appears like a… that night, and all down through the time, it looks like a big Pillar of Fire, about that thick, and about that big. And It comes in a licking, whirling, going, “Whew-whew! Whew!” Thousands times thousands has seen It. It’s appeared visibly…

Here not long ago, I was standing near Fort Wayne, Indiana, in a meeting, and I was speaking, and the audience was very haughty like. It was in a theater building. And I was trying to… I said, “Now, it’s the Angel of the Lord…” I just being started, and I could see the people looking one to another, and you could feel that cold feeling. And some of them, especially the sick, they wasn’t thinking of that. They… The others that was acting that, they—they wasn’t sick. The sick man is looking for help; you can talk to him. A hungry man that’s real hungry, you can talk to him about food. But if he’s eat, you… he’s not so interested about dinner any more. See? Well, that’s it, it’s the ones that’s in need. And maybe sometime, you’ll be in need, too. So it’ll be different. If it was your mother laying here dying, or it’s your son, or someone, it would be different, and the doctors said there was no hope for them, it would be different.

But they were acting like that. And I said, “I can’t make you believe it.” And I started to—to pray for the—the people that night, was going to pray, and I said… took a little boy, and the first one in the prayer line was a little boy who had crippled feet. And it was polio had drug his—pulled his little feet down, like that. There was a baby grand piano, something like this, setting down like that, and there was a Nazarene girl playing it. And so, she was playing: “The Great Physician Now Is Near,” the sympathizing Jesus. And the mother of the child was setting right down here. The usher had brought the child in the line.

And I was praying for the little boy, and I said, “Heavenly Father, I ask Thee to be merciful.” And I thought the custodian turned the light in my face, and I seen it getting brighter, and brighter. And I said, “Lord…” And I thought, “Oh, my, that man, that’s… If he doesn’t like me, he ought to be gentleman enough not to do that.” And it kept getting brighter and brighter, and I thought, “Oh, my.” And I raised my eyes to motion to him to… opened my eyes, rather, to motion to him to quit doing that, and when I did, it wasn’t him, it was the Angel of the Lord come whirling, like that. It was coming right to me. “The Angel Of The Lord” (51-0718).

 

In July of 1951, he also specifically claimed that the “light” that was captured in the picture over his head “was the big Pillar of Fire a whirling around, and around, and around,”

 

So then they asked me if I’d draw up a plan with them. The lawyers was there, and everything. The studio had the lawyers. And I said, “I will sign no papers. But Mr. Kipperman and you, if you wish to sell it, make it enough so every person (poor people) can get it.” But I said, “look, another thing I will require for the sacredness of the picture, that Mr. Lacy, that you’ll sign a document, so that the critics will be shut up when they look at it.” I said, “and sign a document. And I will ask you, Mr. Kipperman, and you (in the agreement), that you’re privileged to sell it. I will sign no papers, but you’re privileged to sell it, low priced so the people can get a hold of it, and that no picture can go without a writing signed statement from Mr. Lacy, here, who’s our best in America.” So I’d think it was the best in the world.

And he said, “I will do that.”

And he wrote up a—a thing, what he’d done, and went to the auditorium, he searched to see if it was a double exposure, and there just above the head, where it was settling down, was the big Pillar of Fire a whirling around, and around, and around. “The Angel Of The Lord” (51-0718).
 

In the same sermon, William Branham also contradicted all of his assertions that the “light” was, in fact, the “same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel” by making it known that it was just his “belief” that it was,

 

“And in here also, if you'd like to read Mr. Lacy's write up, there it is. You can have a photostatic copy.... A photostatic copy's in my book there, but they won't let us (the studios), won't let me print the picture in my book. They let me have the ... this, for this is copyrighted. See on the back, and on here? And you couldn't touch it (See?), because it's copyrighted, and they've got it in Washington, DC. And one of them hangs in the Religious Hall of Art, in Washington, DC, as the first photograph that was ever taken of a supernatural Being.

 

You know what I think, friends? I think that here’s where this is, in Exodus 13:21:

 

And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud (a pillar of a cloud), to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by night and day: He took not away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.

 

And with a reverent, sincere heart, I believe that that’s the same Angel of God that led Israel out of Egypt to the promised land in the natural, is leading us to the promised land today, in the spiritual. For “In My Father’s house are many mansions: I will go and prepare a place for you.” And I believe the Angel of the Lord is leading the Church today, and It’s the same Holy Spirit. And anyone knows the—the Angel of the Covenant was Christ. And not… It isn’t just to me, friend. I might be counted in with you, but that Angel of the Lord just doesn’t… to me, it’s to all of you. And He’s here right now. He’s right in the building. I feeled it right now, and know that the Angel… This same Angel that I’m speaking of here, isn’t five feet from me right now. And when I meet you at the judgment bar, and this night is called into—to order, see if I haven’t told you the truth. He’s right in here now.” “The Angel Of The Lord” (51-0718).
 

In July of 1951, he also made another prayer to God while referring to the “Pillar of Fire”,

 

And it’s written one time, that when You brought Israel out of Egypt and they come right up against a mountain, the Red Sea had them bound, they could not go over. It’s said by one of the writers that God looked down through that Pillar of Fire, looked at that Red Sea that had His people penned off from the promised land. And He looked down with anger, and the Red Sea got scared, moved back, and let Israel cross over into the land. And Father, Satan, like the Red Sea, has cornered off many of Your people; they’re laying bound, and afflicted, and sick. And when these handkerchiefs reach them, this token of God’s grace, may the same God look through that same Pillar of Fire, and may that sickness become scared, move back, and may they cross over into that promise of good health and the three score and ten. Grant it, Father, for I go now to lay my hands and body over these handkerchiefs in commemoration of Your Word. Grant it, Lord, that each will be healed. In the Name of Thy Son, Jesus. Amen. “The Second Miracle” (51-0729E).

 

Then in September of 1951, he further contradicted all of his assertions that the “light” was, in fact, the “same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel” by stating, “I claim that it is”,

 

“Now, remember this: I do not claim to be a Divine healer. I only claim a prophetic gift, that I was born in this world with, that detects, and knows, sees, just as the Father shows me. And I claim that it’s the same Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel through the land of the wilderness to the promise. Was it a Pillar of Fire? Well, when the Holy Ghost, this Angel of God, permitted His picture to be taken, that’s exactly what It was, a Pillar of Fire, the same thing.

And I know, and any scholar knows that that Angel was the Angel of the Covenant (Was that right?), which was Christ. That’s true. It met Moses, in the burning bush; it was the Pillar of Fire. Not Moses done the works, but it was that Pillar of Fire that led him; That done the works. And I believe it’s the same Spirit that was upon Christ, is here today. He can’t heal, only He’s already done the healing, already done the healing.” “Expectation” (51-0930E).
 

Whereas all of the claims he made before 1950 about his “commission” to pray for the sick contained no mention of the “Pillar of Fire” or “halo”, he added claims about them both in his

July, 1952 story about his alleged “commission”, as follows,

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“And I raised up and I was crying. I set down, looked around. I seen a Light flash in the room, like that young fellow that flashed that bulb. And I thought, “Somebody must be coming.” And here on the floor was a big Light, coming around. Right above it stood this halo, Pillar of Fire, moving along, and come walking through there came an Angel of God. Not imagination, He was there. I looked at Him, talked to Him.

Walked up, with His arms folded, a big Man, very fine looking. Looked like if… Looked like if He would have spoke, the world would’ve bursted. Said, 'I’ve been sent from the Presence of Almighty God to tell you that you were born for this purpose to pray for sick people, to go into parts of the world, and you’ll be praying for monarchs and great men; and healings and so forth will take place. And these things will be. And great congregations will gather, and it’ll cause a revival that’s going to sweep the land.'”
“Early Spiritual Experiences” (52-0713A).
 

In the same sermon, he also claimed that “the Pillar of Fire” was “the sign of the Old Testament, Jehovah God” and “is with us” despite the fact that there is no Biblical evidence or basis of God ever using or intending to use the “Pillar of Fire” with the Gentiles,

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You love Him? What am I trying to say now? Jesus is here with us. I’ve kept you longer than I should, yes, way longer. I’m so sorry. Forgive me, just enthused. But that you might understand that the same God… How many believes that the Pillar of Fire, the Pillar of Fire that led the children of Israel was the Angel of the Covenant? Let’s see your hand. That was our Lord Jesus. Is that right? It was Christ, the Anointed.

Well, look. He appeared to Moses, but it wasn’t because He was with Moses. He’s with the whole church. Is that right? Could it be possible that this same Pillar of Fire that we see taken here now, could that be the Angel of the Covenant? Could it be our Lord Jesus Christ? Could the Angel of the Lord Who appeared to Paul out there, Who told Peter on the housetop, all these things, like He did in the days of Agabus, and so forth? Isn’t that the very analysis, the very symptoms, the very same thing that He did in the days, in the New Testament? Then look, Christians, Holy Ghost filled people look this way. Then the sign of the Old Testament, Jehovah God, the Pillar of Fire, is with us. And the same God that was with the apostles, our Lord Jesus Christ, is with us undisputably through science, through the world, through the Christians, through the church, through everything is perfectly a vindicated. It’s the same today. “Early Spiritual Experiences” (52-0713A).

 

In the same sermon, he also claimed that “Jehovah” was “standing here now in the form of that Pillar of Fire” (something that he did not ever claim before the “light streak” was captured in the picture over his head on January 24, 1950),

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Oh, how I feel now. Our heavenly Father, I love You with all my heart. Your Spirit’s moving through the building. My soul seems to be catching away. O Jehovah, You Who come and is standing here now in the form of that Pillar of Fire. As the world can’t say it isn’t so, they see it. There it is, scientifically proven. The Church believes it. God, You speak each night, and vindicate it’s the truth. “Early Spiritual Experiences” (52-0713A).

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