If not us, Who? If not now, When?
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And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes:
And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.
Introduction.
Introduction.
The ancient Jewish teacher Hillel wrote this just before the coming of Christ:
The ancient Jewish teacher Hillel wrote this just before the coming of Christ:
If I am not for myself, who is for me? When I am for myself, what am I? If not now, when?
If I am not for myself, who is for me? When I am for myself, what am I? If not now, when?
This has been summarized over the years as: If not us, Who? If not now, When?
This has been summarized over the years as: If not us, Who? If not now, When?
1. If not us, Who?
1. If not us, Who?
Many times the reason we do not move into the promises of God is that we feel insufficient to do the work. there is such a gap between us and the promise that we feel it can’t be crossed.
Many times the reason we do not move into the promises of God is that we feel insufficient to do the work. there is such a gap between us and the promise that we feel it can’t be crossed.
There is always something for us to do. God is raising children, not robots.
There is always something for us to do. God is raising children, not robots.
The voice told Bro. Branham don’t drink, smoke or defile your body, because there’s something for you to do when you get older.
The voice told Bro. Branham don’t drink, smoke or defile your body, because there’s something for you to do when you get older.
5 I couldn’t help because that I was born with blue eyes, or small in figure, but it’s the way that God brought me here.
If I had wanted to be…I tell you; I want to be a great big man. But God didn’t intend for me be a large man.
He knew me just the way I am, so I could…I’m satisfied with the way God made me, and I move the best that I know how to glorify Him with this body while I’m here on earth.
If He had made me a large man, I’d been a large man ...And when He sends something for us to do, well, let us do it with all of our heart, giving Him glory for whatever He done for you. 50-0300 - Gifts And Callings Are Without Repentance
Joshua needed encouragement to do the thing he had to do.
Joshua needed encouragement to do the thing he had to do.
Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
Joshua, you are the man, now is the time.
Joshua, you are the man, now is the time.
It matters that we know that we are the Jewels of God, and respond to the Word from that viewpoint.
It matters that we know that we are the Jewels of God, and respond to the Word from that viewpoint.
And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, In that day when I make up my jewels; And I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
In a day when the walls are broken down and there is no revival, the people of God are not seen for what they are. People value the wrong things.
In a day when the walls are broken down and there is no revival, the people of God are not seen for what they are. People value the wrong things.
How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
We are sons of the king.
We are sons of the king.
Tell slave story.
Tell slave story.
58 What ought Christians to do? We’re aliens. But our Father is the King, and we are sons and daughters of God. We ought to conduct ourselves like sons and daughters of God.
59 When I see the church becoming so loose, and the women is in their immoral dressing, and the men doing, it just grieves me, because we are sons and daughters of God, and we ought to act, and walk, and talk, and conduct ourselves like that.
When we get away from that, I’m afraid there’s something wrong in us, we’ve lost the vision, who we are. Because the life that’s in us is what guides us and directs us. 59-0613 - Thirsting For Life
In the Song of Solomon, the king has to build up the Shulammite’s self esteem by expressing his love to her.
In the Song of Solomon, the king has to build up the Shulammite’s self esteem by expressing his love to her.
I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, As the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
Look not upon me, because I am black, Because the sun hath looked upon me: My mother’s children were angry with me; They made me the keeper of the vineyards; But mine own vineyard have I not kept.
He expresses to her how beautiful she is until she begins to repeat it.
He expresses to her how beautiful she is until she begins to repeat it.
I am the rose of Sharon, And the lily of the valleys.
He responds.
He responds.
As the lily among thorns, So is my love among the daughters.
108 There has been churches, churches, brides, brides, churches, brides, brides.
109 But there has got to come One! Hallelujah! There has to come a real Bride! There must come One that’s not only got the Mechanics, but the Dynamics of It, makes that Church live, move in the Power of His resurrection. 65-0418M - It Is The Rising Of The Sun
If not us, Who?
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.
He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love.
He made her realize who she was.
And there came an angel of the Lord, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abi-ezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.
And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.
If God is with us, where are all the miracles?
God said, I’m going to make you the miracle.
He finally gets the courage to destroy the idols in his father’s house, but after that he still needs a fleece.
God, knowing that Gideon needed some courage, sent him down into the enemy camp so he could see that they had more confidence in Gideon, than Gideon did.
Timothy was like this in the New Testament.
Timothy was like this in the New Testament.
When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.
Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Fear
δειλία, cowardice.
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
If not us, Who?
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
Jeremiah, fire shut in my bones. The fields are white, but the laborers are few. If not us, Who?
We were born for this.
2. If not now, When?
2. If not now, When?
Procrastination.
Procrastination.
A farm boy accidentally overturned his wagonload of corn in the road. The farmer who lived nearby came to investigate. "Hey, Willis," he called out, "forget your troubles for a spell and come on in and have dinner with us. Then I'll help you get the wagon up."
"That's mighty nice of you," Willis answered, "But I don't think Pa would like me to."
"Aw, come on, son!" the farmer insisted.
"Well, okay," the boy finally agreed. "But Pa won't like it."
After a hearty dinner, Willis thanked his host. "I feel a lot better now, but I just know Pa is going to be real upset."
"Don't be foolish!" exclaimed the neighbor. "By the way, where is he?"
"Under the wagon.".
If not now, When?
If not now, When?
Why not now? Every time you put it off it gets more difficult.
Why not now? Every time you put it off it gets more difficult.
Don’t wait to gain strength, the enemy is gaining strength too.
Don’t wait to gain strength, the enemy is gaining strength too.
Someday I’m going to worship. Why not now?
Someday I’m going to worship. Why not now?
It’s dangerous to put off what God tells you to do.
It’s dangerous to put off what God tells you to do.
British Colonel playing cards.
The Word is for today, not tomorrow.
An unnamed prophet came to Jereboam in 1 Kings 13 and showed a supernatural sign to the king.
An unnamed prophet came to Jereboam in 1 Kings 13 and showed a supernatural sign to the king.
And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.
And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor drink water in this place:
For so was it charged me by the word of the Lord, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by the same way that thou camest.
This is what the Word says. Do it today.
An old prophet heard what the young prophet had done and went looking for him.
And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.
Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.
And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
For it was said to me by the word of the Lord, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest.
A prophet can not change the Word, he only repeats it.
He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.
So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water.
He wouldn’t do it for a king, but he did for a prophet.
And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back:
And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee,
But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.
This is a big deal. No resurrection.
And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase.
And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the Lord: therefore the Lord hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake unto him.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
If not now, when will you obey the Word?
Micaiah and Zedekiah.
Micaiah and Zedekiah.
76 What if it had been said, “Can you find any fault in Zedekiah, Micaiah?”
“No.”
“Did you ever catch him in sin?”
“Nope.”
“Did you ever hear him cuss anybody?”
“Nope.”
“Did you ever catch him drunk?”
“Nope.”
“Can you dispute his education?”
“Nope.”
“Do you believe his doctor’s degree is false?”
“Nope.”
“You believe his Ph.D. is all right?”
“Sure. By the Sanhedrin council, I guess it’s all…council, I guess it’s all right.”
“Well, then, why don’t you join with him?”
“Because he’s off of the Word!”
77 Well, we’ll have a showdown of it, then, like Elijah the prophet before this. And if you’re a child of God, you’ll stay with the prophet of this Bible. It’s the Word. Notice the hour, the season.
78 Well, what if Zedekiah say, “Oh, I know the prophet said that, but that’s for a future generation. That’s for a long time from now”? He said, “Wait till I see a vision from God, and then I’ll tell you.”
Said, “Then you say the same thing?” He said, “I’ll say just what God says; nothing else, nothing more. I can’t add one word to It, or take one Word from It.”
83 Micaiah said, “Let me ask God.” So he come down the next morning with THUS SAITH THE LORD. He checked his vision with the Word.
Here come Micaiah down. Said, “Now you give your prophecy.”
87 “Go on up! But I seen Israel like sheep, scattered, having no shepherd.” Whew! Exactly vice versa.
88 Now, you’re the congregation. Now which one is right? Both of them, prophets. The only way you can tell the difference in them, is, check it by the Word. 65-0725M - The Anointed Ones At The End Time
Would the Bride of Christ have a ministry before the Rapture?
233 Sure. That’s what’s going on right now, see, the Bride of Christ. Certainly. It is the Message of the hour, see, the Bride of Christ. Sure. She is consist of apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists, and pastors. Is that right? [Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.] That’s the Bride of Christ. Sure. She’s got a ministry, great ministry, the ministry of the hour. It’ll be so humble.
Bro. Branham goes into a long explanation of John’s ministry and how simple it was. Keep planting your potatoes.
252 And finally, one day, he said, “Behold, there He is! There is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!” Said, “And my time is up now. I’ve introduced you to Him. I must decrease now. I must go off the scene. He’ll take over from here.” 63-0324M - Questions And Answers On The Seals
If not us, Who? If not now, When?
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
The true church of Jesus Christ, the bride, is likened to PURE gold. Her righteousness is HIS righteousness. Her attributes are HIS own glorious attributes. Her identity is found in Him. What He is, she is to reflect. What He has, she is to manifest.
There is no fault in her. She is all glorious within and without. From beginning to ending she is the work of her Lord, and all His works are perfect. In fact in her is summed up and manifested the eternal wisdom and purpose of God.
How can one fathom it? How can one understand it? Though we cannot do that, we can accept it by faith, for God hath spoken it. CAB 03 - Ephesian
Mama, that’s me.
Conclusion.
Conclusion.
It’s about time we got desperate. If not us, who will be ready for the rapture? If not now, When?
But not only is the candlestick of gold, it is of BEATEN gold. Hand-crafted of beaten gold, according to her blue prints which were Spirit-given. Outside of her Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, was ever a people so beaten and purged as the bride of Jesus Christ? Surely she is filling up the sufferings that Christ has left behind.
Her goods are despoiled. Her life is in jeopardy. She is accounted as sheep for the slaughter. She is killed all the day long. She suffers much, but in it all retaliates not, neither does she cause others to suffer. Worthy of the Gospel is this lovely bride of Christ.
And as gold is malleable, whereas brass will break with the beating, this gold of God will bear her suffering for the Lord, not bowed, not broken, not destroyed, but formed as a thing of beauty and a joy forever by the trials and testings of this life. CAB 03 - Ephesian