--- title: 'February 5, 2023 Activity' date: 2023-02-05 activity: 1 place: city: Cayey state: country: PR duration: 00:00:00 public: false thumb: https://directus.carpa.com/assets/5c8ed871-34a4-431d-a2c2-691847eb39ce.png youtube: translations: - "[pt](por-2023-02-05-1-actividade_a_5_de_fevereiro_de_2023-CAYPR)" - "[es](spa-2023-02-05-1-actividad_del_domingo_5_de_febrero_de_2023-CAYPR)" - "[fr](fra-2023-02-05-1-activite_du_dimanche_5_fevrier_2023-CAYPR)" files: - "[audio](https://directus.carpa.com/assets/3872ff1c-eebc-4af7-a3f5-dfbc7ceb51b6)" - "[booklet](https://directus.carpa.com/assets/8f759f33-c6dd-480e-b62a-7b40971d7729)" - "[simple](https://directus.carpa.com/assets/35053453-6978-47c4-b1a9-3668d294fe93)" --- BIBLE STUDY #279 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2023 **THE MYSTERY OF THE WATCHES** *Dr. William Soto Santiago Thursday, November 13, 1997 São Paulo, Brazil* **Scripture: Luke 12:35-44**\[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] We read this portion here, of **Mark**, **chapter 13**, **verse 34**: ^*34* *For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.* ^*35* *Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:* ^*36* *Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.* ^*37* *And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.* **THE FOURTH WATCH** *Dr. William Soto Santiago* *Sunday, August 26, 2007* *Buenos Aires, Argentina* And now, the Church entered that stage. From the Day of Pentecost onwards, the Church entered the **first watch**: • from 6:00 to 9:00 at night, according to the Roman watches; • or from 6:00 to 10:00 at night, according to the Jewish or Hebrew watches. \[JBP\] Because there are… according to the Jewish watches, they are… Look, in a writing he writes: *\[WSS\] «The Jewish watch(es) have 4 hours; and they start at 6:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.…»*, \[JBP\] of the other day.He says: *\[WSS\] «The Jewish watch(es) have 4 hours; and they start at 6:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m., which are 12 hours in 3 watches of 4 hours ea.»*. \[JBP\] Those are the Jewish watches. *\[WSS\] «The Roman watch has 3 hours ea. *\[each one\]*, from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., and has 4 watches of 3 hours ea.**»*. \[JBP\] In other words, the Jewish ones have 3 watches of 4 hours, and the Roman ones have 4 watches of 3 hours. That is why we need to see (when it is spoken in the Scripture of a watch or another watch), see which one is being referred to.\[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] Our brother William goes on to say \[**“THE FOURTH WATCH”**\]: \[WSS\] Then, notice, He says: *“For ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight* (that is, whether in the first watch)*…”* The apostles and all the people of those past times were waiting for the Coming of the Lord, why? Because He didn’t tell them if it would be at the first watch or at the second watch, or at the third watch (which is the watch of the rooster crowing) or in the morning, which corresponds to the watch from 3:00 to 6:00 in the morning, which is the only watch that ends with dawn, it ends bringing a new day of light for the human beings. Now, He says: *“At even, or at midnight.”* The midnight watch is the **second watch**: • In the Jewish watches that is from 10:00 to 2:00 in the morning, • but in the Roman watches it is different, in the Roman watches it is from 9:00 to 12:00 midnight. *“Or at the cockcrowing.”* The watch of the rooster crowing is the **third watch**, and it is: • from 12:00 to 3:00 in the morning; and those who have been there at those times, have heard when the rooster crows. Do you remember when Christ said to Peter: “The rooster shall not crow three times, without you having denied me”? Now, Christ doesn’t want… He still didn’t know when it would be either, until He was resurrected glorified. That is why He said that no one knew when the day and the hour would be, neither the angels nor even the Son. *“Or in the morning.”* In the morning; the morning watch is from: • 3:00 to 6:00 in the morning, which is the **fourth watch**; in which Christ appeared to His disciples on one occasion walking on the waters, when they were in grave danger, under a storm; their ship was about to sink under that storm; evil spirits had provoked that storm to destroy the disciples of the Lord. Which typifies, also, that evil spiritual hosts have tried to destroy the believers in Christ throughout the different times. And in the fourth watch, which is the last of the watches, the evil one will also try to destroy the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. But in the fourth watch He appears walking on the waters; and they thought He was a ghost. Remember that, Christ speaking of the Coming of the Son of Man, He tells that it will be as a thief in the night. Also in Revelation, chapter 3 and also in chapter 22, verse 12, it tells us that it will be as a thief in the night. \[JBP\] Like when we read that he wrote that many were waiting for His glorified body, and He appeared to them – and sent them His Spirit.^{[¹](#sdfootnote1sym)} And it doesn’t come to their minds… Because Jesus said: “I will come to you”; and he wrote there that many thought that He was going to come in His glorified body there; and rather He fulfilled the Scripture of the Gospel according to John, chapter 14, chapter 15 and chapter 16, where it says that He would send the Comforter, in other words, the Holy Spirit that was in Him.If He didn’t leave, He couldn’t send His Spirit. And notice, they were waiting for Jesus in His glorified body and He sent them His Spirit, the Holy Spirit.Now, doesn’t it also come to mind when He says?: \[WSS\] “You will see me there again.”^{[²](#sdfootnote2sym)} And many are waiting for him to come to fulfill certain prophecies…; because of course he is going to come! He is going to come in his eternal and glorified body; but already by that time it is to be 30 to 40 days and go from here to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.Before, He has to be carrying out a Work; because the Work, the one that does it is the Holy Spirit, it is the Spirit of God. Therefore, He has been fulfilling that Word, He has been materializing it in the midst of the Church.Now, that doesn’t mean that everyone will receive it in the way that God has already predestined for it to be fulfilled. That is why it will seem like a ghost to them; to many it will seem like something that is outside the human mind. But that is how God has already programmed it since before the foundation of the world.In other words, everything He spoke of is being fulfilled!; and what remains to be fulfilled will be fulfilled. **THE COMING OF THE LORD TO HIS CHURCH AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT** *Dr. William Soto Santiago* *Sunday, November 15, 2009* *Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia* And now, for Israel, the Coming of the Lord, the Coming of the Messiah, will be like the dawn; therefore, it will be dawn, dawn breaking: a new dawn for Israel and a new dawn for the believers in Christ. Christ said: “Watch ye, for ye know not: for ye know not what hour he shall come, whether in the second watch, or in the third watch.” The Roman watches are different from the Hebrew watches. (\[JBP\] Which is what we saw there). (...) Therefore, watching… He said to watch. Watching, He said: “For you do not know at what hour (which of the hours of the watches?), at what hour the Son of Man is coming.” Remember that the different ages correspond to different times of the watches, but He will come at the glorious hour of the Coming of the Lord, which corresponds to the Age of the Cornerstone; and there it will already be a time that corresponds to daytime, to the Light, where we are all going to see face to face all these prophecies relevant to the Last Day. And what we saw “as in a mirror in darkness”^{[³](#sdfootnote3sym)}: we saw in the Bible (that it is the Divine Mirror) but in darkness, in night time, in time of the different stages or ages of the Church. Where mankind, the kingdom of the gentiles, is at night, it is in darkness, well we saw here —in the Bible— what it said, but being at night, with no light, then it is being seen as in a mirror in darkness. Look at yourself in the mirror in your house at night, when the light is off, you will not see well, you will see everything dark; but now, when the Light of day comes out for the Last Day, we will see face to face what we saw before as in a mirror in darkness; and then we will see what those prophecies of the Coming of the Messiah, the Coming of the Lord, the Coming of the Angels of the Son of Man, the Coming of the Two Olive Trees, the Coming of the Morning Star… of which I am one of them. And who else? Each one of you, see? \[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] In the book of ***Quotations***,^{[⁴](#sdfootnote4sym)} on page 68, paragraph 592, it says: *592 - “*^*\[510\]* *‘Prophesy. Can these bones live?’ What’s the four stages of that coming forth of that Church? What’s the four stages of Ezekiel’s dry bones coming forth? But the Life only come, not when the sinew skin was on them, but when the wind blowed upon them. That’s when come back that fourth Message of Life.* ^*511* *‘I will restore, saith the Lord.’ Hallelujah! Glory! Praise be to God. The fourth Light is to come, that will bring forth the same signs.”* \[JBP\] There he draws a Cornerstone and the ages; and lists the last three: *\[WSS\] «1, 2, 3»*. And in the Cornerstone he writes: *\[WSS\] «4»*, and he writes: *\[WSS\] «Light»*; and he draws flashes on the Cornerstone.\[JBP\] And on the other side he makes the same drawing, and he writes: *\[WSS\] «4th Light»*. *592 - “*^*\[511\]**Watch. Justification brought back the pulp.* *Sanctification brought back the bark, doctrine of holiness.* ^*512**What brought back the leaf? Pentecostals. What is it? Pentecostals, leaves, clap their hand, joy, rejoicing, Pentecostal.* ^*513**What? The fourth was the Word, Itself. The Word made flesh, fruits of the proof of the resurrection sign that Christ has finally, after justification been planted, sanctification been planted, baptism of the Holy Ghost. Organizations died out. And Christ has again centered Himself like that cap of the pyramid. First line, justification; sanctification; baptism of the Holy Ghost; then coming of the Cap* (\[JBP\] and he draws a little Cornerstone. He lists all the different stages there). ^*514**What is it? That Holy Ghost bunch being honed out so that it can fit with the same kind of ministry He had when He went away, that, when He comes back* (\[JBP\] and he writes): *\[WSS\] «in His Coming»**, it’ll catch the whole thing in the Rapture…”* \[JBP\] And there he draws a Star of David, and he writes lengthwise: *\[WSS\] «the Cornerstone»*. \[JBP\] And on the other side he also draws the ages and the Cornerstone, and lists them up to number four. *592 - “*^*\[514\]**…the whole thing in the Rapture, where the justified, sanctified, and baptism of the Holy Ghost. That pyramid will stand again.”* **THE SERVANT KING** *Dr. William Soto Santiago* *Sunday, December 24, 1995* *(Second activity)* *Cayey, Puerto Rico* Now, we saw, on Friday night also (\[JBP\] that is, he is referring to that past Friday), that the departure of our beloved brother Branham was on December 24, 1965. In some places, writings, in the comments or in the reports that they gave about the departure of our brother Branham, Billy Paul says an hour and brother Green says another hour, but they are more or less around there; it was in the early morning of December 24. Like saying, this morning from 4:00 to 5 something in the morning. In a place it is said that it was at 4:37, if I remember correctly, where Billy Paul tells us; and brother Green says it was at 5:49 around there. But that is not a problem. It was rather in the early morning; and I will tell you at what biblical hour it was: It was in the third watch; and there is no room for mistakes there. It was in the third watch, to then move on to the fourth watch. Since he was a messenger not for the fourth watch, he left before the fourth watch began; which begins at 6 in the morning. And the fourth watch is at daytime: it is the watch that has light, that has sun; it is the watch from 6 to 9 in the morning, which is type and figure of the Age of the Cornerstone and the Dispensation of the Kingdom, which is at the dawn of a new dispensational day. And the ministry that was seen in the third watch, then it is seen in the fourth watch, that resurrected ministry; not the veil of flesh, but the ministry: it appears again in the fourth watch… \[JBP\] That is why when he said: \[WMB\] “We will ride this trail again,”^{[⁵](#sdfootnote5sym)} many are still waiting for brother Branham, to make or fulfill that promise. But it is not the veil of flesh that comes back to fulfill that which was spoken by himself, but it is the ministry that was in him. God changing His mask, God *in morphe* (as we spoke yesterday). \[WSS\] …but the ministry: appears again in the fourth watch, walking on the waters, as it says in Revelation, chapter 10, verse 1 and on, and as it is in Mark, chapter 6: Christ walking upon the waters in the fourth watch (Matthew also shows it so), at the time when there was a great tempest, which almost destroyed the disciples, to His Church represented there. And that great tempest is the one that comes on this Last Day. It is the storm that has been all night long, where the children of God have been persecuted and many have been killed, millions of children of God, but on the Last Day the tempest will try to completely destroy the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. But Christ, walking on the sea, will stop that storm that will come against His Church; and there will be a transformation for the elect of God, and a rapture, and a departure in the rapture to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb for all the children of God who are kings, servants of our beloved Lord Jesus Christ. \[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] Look, in the message **“THE KINSMAN REDEEMER,”**^{**[⁶](#sdfootnote6sym)**} he says on page 12 of this book in Spanish (in English it is 13): ^*59* *And she wandered away with her husband.* \[JBP\] Let’s read a little after… or let’s continue there: ^*59* *And she wandered away with her husband. And her two sons married Moabite girls. But if God has ordained something to be done, it’ll happen anyhow. That’s the reason I certainly believe in predestination, God’s foreknowledge of things.* ^*60* *Then we find, over there, death struck the family, and they started back. Kill… The boy died, both boys died, and the father died. And Ruth started back, Orpah, and Naomi.* ^*61* *Now, I want to liken, this morning, Naomi, the elder lady, to the Orthodox church, the Jewish Orthodox church. Ruth, the Moabite, a Gentile, being the Christian Church, the New Church.* ^*62* *And I want to approach it, from four different phases, Ruth. I got it wrote here. Ruth, deciding, making her decision…* \[JBP\] He lists them there (remember that all this is in the midst of the Church, which is the spiritual Temple of Christ): ^*\[62\]* *\[WSS\] «1»* *Ruth, **deciding**, making her decision,* *«2»* *Ruth, **serving**,* *«3»* *Ruth, **resting**,* *«4»* *Ruth, **rewarded**.* ^*\[62\]* *\[WSS\] «1»* *Ruth—**Deciding** (making her decision),* *«2»* *Ruth—**Serving**,* *«3»* *Ruth—**Resting**,* *«4»* *Ruth—**Rewarded**.* *\[WSS\] «1»* *«Deciding — »*. *«2»* *«Serving — In the 7 Ages»*. *«3»* *«Resting — 1963-1974»*. *«4»* *«Rewarded — 1974-1977»*. \[JBP\] Now, the Dispensation of the Kingdom is the dispensation where seven stages run and the eighth stage consecutively. • And there was a **time of decision** where it was intertwined there (as dispensations are intertwined), where it was interlaced there with reward; • then a **time of service**; then the time of rest.Now, start placing those times in our time.• Then the **time of rest**, where it was spoken there, that time from 63 to 74; and now place that time here.• And then, the **time of the reward**.And there you will have that complete picture of that time relevant to the Dispensation of the Kingdom. That is why in “THE SEVENTIETH WEEK OF DANIEL” he tells us that \[WMB\] “shall not fail for a minute.”^{[⁷](#sdfootnote7sym)}And everything is exact: the time of decision, the time of service, the time of rest and the time of reward.Those four stages that were spoken there by brother Branham (referring to the case of Ruth), that then brother William places it in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in the stage of the ages; then in the stage of service, then the stage of rest, and then in the stage of reward, where we will be transformed and raptured.All of that corresponds to a fulfillment of time in this Dispensation of the Kingdom.That is why he said there: \[WMB\] “If we can find the place where this is, we will not miss”^{[⁸](#sdfootnote8sym)}; and we are not going to miss.We are going, at that time, to do as we are doing to this day: we are hitting the target; therefore, we are going to hit the target! We are going to hit the target of that stage of the reward. **THE COMING OF THE LORD TO HIS HOUSE** *Dr. William Soto Santiago* *Thursday, March 28, 1996* *São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil* And now, in the morning, when the seven ages of the gentile Church have passed, which correspond to the night and the watches of the night, now we are at the fourth watch; and in the fourth watch is that Jesus Christ appears walking upon the sea; and the sea was enraged because the wind was contrary. The sea, or the waters, represent nations, peoples and tongues. And you can see how the nations currently are: with wars and many problems of all kinds; so the waters are enraged because the wind is contrary. The wind is contrary and that is why the sea, the nations, are enraged, each nation is in a great storm. \[JBP\] We see it there, how the situation is in the Middle East, and that conflict that there is there with Russia (for which, that is the kingdom of the North), that from there everything that was already spoken and prophesied in the book of the prophet Isaiah, and through the messages of brother Branham will be unleashed; where (we have already read it on different occasions)^{[⁹](#sdfootnote9sym)}: that Russia has an atomic bomb with the name of “United States” on it. And also Russia will completely destroy Rome, the seat of Satan there.\[**“THE COMING OF THE LORD TO HIS HOUSE”**\] \[WSS\] And in the midst of the waters, in the midst of the nations, is the boat of the disciples, is the boat of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ; it is in that difficult situation, whipped by that storm. But Christ appeared walking on the sea in the fourth watch, which corresponds to the morning of a new day, to the morning of a new dispensational day, to the morning of the Dispensation of the Kingdom, Christ appears walking on the sea with His face like the sun. (...) Christ in the Last Day walking on the sea with His face like the sun, in the Last Day, in the fourth watch, in other words, at the beginning of the Last Day, He will be coming to His Church, which is His House, which is His ship, where His disciples are, where the believers in Jesus Christ are in the Last Day. Some will think He is a ghost, but He will be identifying Himself as He did there telling the disciples: “Fear not, I Am!” He will be identifying Himself in the Scriptures according to all the promises He made for the Last Day. \[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] In the message **“THE RAPTURE,”**^{**[¹⁰](#sdfootnote10sym)**} look at page 31, it says: ^*\[166\]* *Three is always a witness. Is that right? \[Congregation says, “Amen.”—Ed.\] It’s a verification, something that’s right. Three witnesses bear. “In the mouth of two or three witness, let every word be established.”* \[JBP\] We read that Scripture in one of the Studies (I think it was a Friday)^{[¹¹](#sdfootnote11sym)}, there of Matthew 18:16, which he quotes here a little earlier. ^*167* *Now notice. We’ve had three witnesses. Three is a witness. Now, we have already had three raptures in the Old Testament. Did you know that? As a witness. Now watch. Enoch was one; Elijah was the other one; and Jesus was the other one.* *Jesus, being the Keystone, now, He bare record. See? He was the Keystone between the Old and New Testament, ’cause He had to first die and then rapture.* \[JBP\] And he writes there: *\[WSS\] «Enoch — the Bride O.T. *\_».\_ (\[JBP\] that is, Old Testament). *«Elijah — the Bride N.T.».* (\[JBP\] that is, New Testament). *«Jesus — Moses and Elijah».* \[JBP\] “Great rain sounds” when he said there in the time of Elijah \[1 Kings 18:41\]. That is how it must have sounded (to those on the transmission: it is that a downpour has just fallen; which would be “*aguamucho*,”^{[¹²](#sdfootnote12sym)} because it is a lot of water). Look, let’s read it again: *\[WSS\] «Enoch — the Bride O.T.* (\[JBP\] that is, Old Testament) *Elijah — the Bride N.T.* (\[JBP\] New Testament) *Jesus — Moses and Elijah»*. \[**“THE RAPTURE”**\] ^*\[167\]* *He was the Keystone between the Old and New Testament, ’cause He had to first die and then rapture. He died; come to life and walked around here with us; and then was raptured up. Because, He was the Keystone that tied the two together.* \[JBP\] Now, look how he represents Jesus there, which is the same as Moses and Elijah, who in this end time will be the key, the union. ^*\[167\]* *After He did that, and proved that, the Old Testament there. We all know Enoch was translated. We know Elijah was taken up by a whirlwind* (\[JBP\] and he writes): *\[WSS\] «whirlwind in a chariot of fire»**, that right, in a chariot of Fire. And Jesus died, buried, rose up and lived here on earth, and then was raptured up, the Keystone. There is three, to bear record.* \[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] And there we would have to go to the book of ***Quotations***, where he tells us about Moses and Elijah, where he tells us about the dream of the sister: what she saw and what it represents. There are two places: one we have already read.^{[¹³](#sdfootnote13sym)} Notice, just to show you something, quickly. Page 114, paragraph 1004:^{[¹⁴](#sdfootnote14sym)} *1004 - “*^*231* *I know someday that’s going to cost me my life. That’s right. It’s going to, but here the Truth is being knowed. Just keeps dripping with blood.* ^*232* *Yes, it’ll do it someday, but I’m waiting that hour when it’s finished.* ^*233* *Some sister just had a dream. She sent it to me, said, ‘I seen them, that church fixed a way,’ is going to kill me, secretly, sometime, I’m getting out of my car, ‘going in, be fired from…* *\[WSS\] «explosion»**’ but said, ‘then the Spirit said, ‘Not at this time* *\[WSS\] «4th Elijah»**, but it’ll come later* *\[WSS\] «5th Elijah. Rev. 11:3-7»**.’* ^*234* *God forbid that I compromise on anything. I know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. We’re living in a horrible day. Sin has did this. Yep. They—they stoned Stephen. They had John’s head cut off, she did. I don’t know how we’ll give ours, but it’ll be someday.”* \[JBP\] And he writes there: *\[WSS\] «Rev. 11:3-14. They will kill Elijah and Moses»*. \[JBP\] Now see how he tells us there that Jesus was the key.There is another place: in 1015 he also tells us something, on page 115…; but all that will already be fulfilled according to how God already has it in His Program. Let’s leave that there.\[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] Now, look how here in the message **“THE RAPTURE”**^{**[¹⁵](#sdfootnote15sym)**} there is another place on the same page 32 (at the bottom), it says \[P. 32\]: ^*169* *One rapture is passed.* *Three has happened in the Old Testament, of them prepared, who the Word of the Lord came to. See? The Word of the Lord came to Enoch. The Word of the Lord came to Elijah, His prophet. See? The Word of the Lord was Jesus. See?* ^*170* *Watch in the Old Testament, them Old Testament saints now, when this rapture first taken place. Notice verse 50. His loud voice awakened the Old Testament saints just exactly like the loud voice wakened Jesus… or wakened Lazarus. See? The loud voice awakened.* *And the second is fulfilled in Second Thessalonians, the 4th chapter. Let’s just take a read, read it. We just read, a few minutes ago. See?* *…I would not have you…ignorant, brethren, concerning those… asleep, that you sorrow not, even…* *That’s First Thessalonians 4:12 to 18. That, that will be the second Rapture. The second Rapture will be the catching away of the Bride.* ^*171* *The Old Testament saints has gone into His Presence, paradise done away. And the Old Testament saints ascended up, at His loud voice, when He screamed and give up the ghost; because (why?) the Sacrifice, the propitiation of their sins, that they had waited on, believing that perfect Lamb was coming. They had offered the Sacrifice, the Lamb. And when He died and yielded up the ghost, He screamed with a loud voice, and the Old Testament saints awoke.* *Watch the shout and the voice over here, the same thing at His Coming. See?* *“Yielded up the ghost.” And when He did, the Sacrifice was perfect, and paradise emptied out.* \[JBP\] And it had to do with that Sacrifice, and it had to do with that Mercy Seat; that is why he says: \[WMB\] “There is the key.” It says in the book of **“THE AGES”** **unedited**^{**[¹⁶](#sdfootnote16sym)**} that the Heavens were emptied; it is in a place here, where it says that \[WMB\] “the Heavens were emptied for half an hour.” ^*\[171\]* *…and paradise emptied out. And the Old Testament saints came to the earth again, walked around on earth, and entered in with Him, at His rapture.* **THE LORD JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED ON CALVARY’S CROSS** *Dr. William Soto Santiago* *Friday, March 28, 1997* *Cayey, Puerto Rico* We find that the death of Christ has been the fulfillment of the Divine Program for our salvation, for our restoration to eternal life; which was typified in the Hebrew people coming out of Egypt. But before their coming out of bondage they had the passover lamb, which was slain on the eve of the Passover. And the passover lamb there, in the midst of the Hebrew people, we find that while they were in Egypt, it was killed on the eve of the Passover; and that lamb was eaten roasted with fire, it was eaten during the night of the Passover; and the next day, already in the morning, the Hebrew people were coming out in the fourth watch. See the importance the fourth watch has, because it is the watch of deliverance. Now, we can see that all this is type and figure of the deliverance of the sons and daughters of God for the Last Day. \[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] We saw that there in **Genesis**, around chapter 12 and on. But already when it says that in the fourth watch they would be delivered, that is already in **chapter 15**, in verse 12; but let’s read only **verse 16**; it says: ^*16* *But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again…* \[JBP\] There He was already, notice, God making the promise to Abraham and his descendants, who would be delivered in the fourth generation. ^*16* *But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.* \[JBP\] And there he draws a Star of David, right there to the side. \[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] It tells us in **“REVELATION, CHAPTER FOUR #3,”**^{**[¹⁷](#sdfootnote17sym)**} on page 55, says: ^*266* *Now, remember God’s guards of the ark, or the mercy seat. Now, remember. To how many, John saw, how many? Four. How many did—did he see? He seen four, too, four living Creatures. Now, watch, they both seen the same vision.* ^*267* *And four is the number of earth. Did you know that? How many knows now before we have to go into it, four is an earthly number? Sure! Like the four Hebrew…I t’s an earth-…I t’s a number of earth, of “deliverance, deliverance.” Now, keep that in your mind, “deliverance,” ’cause I’m going to strike it, just a minute, real hard. See, “Deliverance!” Now, there was three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace, but the fourth One come, it was deliverance. Lazarus was in the grave three days, but when the fourth one come* (\[JBP\] that is, the fourth day) *he was delivered. Four is God’s number of “deliverance,” so it showed that these Beings must have been something about the earth.* \[JBP\] And he writes: *\[WSS\] «4 is the number of deliverance»*. \[JBP\] And remember that the Scriptures —as this message also tells us— have multiple fulfillments, and multiple meanings.^{[¹⁸](#sdfootnote18sym)}\[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] Notice on page 10 of the message **“SCRIPTURAL SIGNS OF THE TIME,”**^{**[¹⁹](#sdfootnote19sym)**} its says…, page 11: ^*72* *What did He turn to them? He said, “A wicked and an adulterous generation seeks after signs.” Now watch, “A wicked and an adulterous generation.” He was prophesying. He said, “And they will receive it, the wicked and adulterous generation.” And if that ain’t the generation we’re living in, I don’t know why. Remember, all prophecy has a compound meaning.* \[JBP\] And he writes on the back: *\[WSS\] «All prophecy has a compound meaning»*. \[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] Now, in this same message, on page 4, he tells us something very important here. It says \[P. 9\]: ^*27* *You can’t figure God out. You’ve got to sit down by the side of Him and talk it over. Take off your shoes, as it were, lay down your education. Look straight into His Word, and say, “I don’t care what anyone else says. You has promised it here for this day, and it’s the Truth.” Moses took off his shoes* (\[JBP\] that is, as it says there: \[WMB\] “He took off all his education”)*.* ^*28* *Watch the voice that come from it. If it hadn’t been a Scriptural voice, Moses wouldn’t have believed it. The sign attracted the attention, and the sign was to attract the attention of the prophet.* ^*29* *A prophet, hisself, is a sign. When God sends a prophet, look out, judgment follows it; it always has, it always will. There is no way around it. And it—it goes right over the top of the people, and they never know it until it’s too far. No wonder Jesus said, “You build the tombs of the prophets, and whitened, but, and you’re the one that put them in there. And as your fathers did, so will you.” And they did it.* ^*30* *Now we see coming on the scene now, we see Moses rising up here. And he seen that bush, and he drew near it. And a voice come from it, said, “Take off your shoes…”* \[JBP\] And he writes: *\[WSS\] «shoes»*. \[JBP\] And here too, at the beginning, where I started reading, he writes: *\[WSS\] «take off the shoes»*. *\[WSS\] «taking off the shoes = taking off your education»*. ^*\[30\]* *“Take off your shoes for the ground on where you’re standing is holy.” He took off his shoes and knelt down. And He said, “I’m* (\[JBP\] that is, God) *the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” There come a Scriptural voice. “And I remember My promise, and I see the afflictions of My people. I remember My promise, and I’m sending you down there to do it. And I’m making you as My voice.* \[JBP\] And the promise that he… was the one we read just now, of Genesis. ^*31* *“And I’ll give you two signs.”* \[JBP\] See how the Voice of God is in the midst of the human race: always through a prophet, through a veil of flesh. This is how human beings listen to the Voice of God. ^*31* *“And I’ll give you two signs. And one of them will be in your hand, and you’ll take and turn a serpent into… or a pole into a serpent.” And—and the next thing, is put his hand in his bosom, and Divine healing. Said, “If they won’t believe the voice of the first sign, then they will believe the voice of the second sign. And if they don’t, take water out of the river…* \[JBP\] Now see, remember the First Pull and Second Pull of brother Branham’s time, keep that in mind there; because now look at the Third. ^*\[31\]* *And if they don’t* (\[JBP\] that is, if they neither believe in the First nor in the Second)*, take water out of the river; pour it upon the ground, and it’ll become blood. That’s, their blood is already drenched in it then. Egypt is finished.”* ^*32* *We’ve had the first, and got the second. I wonder if the next isn’t a drenching of the blood. Wonder where we’re standing, tonight? Voices and signs, God giving them signs. No, just—just think of how that the things that we’ve seen done, Scriptural Voices, interpretation.* ^*33* *Now in this great glare that the people is laying under, their eyes glared out, “I belong to this. I belong to that.” That has no more to do with God than nothing else, not at all.* ^*34* *God, in every generation has sent His signs. Jesus said, before His Coming He would show signs, before His Coming. People are always, remember, to believe Scriptural signs. They must be identified Scripture signs. God always…* ^*35** As I said last night, the church gets things mixed up and gone out, then He anoints one person. Every man differents from the other. He anoints one. God is one, and so He anoints a person. He never did use a group. He always uses one; always has. He never changes His course. He uses one. And He sends that forth, preaches a Message. It’s rejected, flatly; but all that will come, will come, from that generation. First watch, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, then seventh, and then the Bridegroom come. And we’re in the seventh* (\[JBP\] brother Branham says there). \[JBP\] And brother William draws the ages there, and numbers them from 1 to 7. In the Cornerstone he writes *\[WSS\] «8»*, and he writes: *\[WSS\] «6 – 9 a.m.»*. **THE BOOK OPENED IN HEAVEN** *Dr. William Soto Santiago* *Thursday, April 30, 1998* *(Third activity)* *San Luis Potosi, Mexico* *“Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning.”* *“At even”* we have the first age or first ages of the Church, then *“at midnight”* we have the dark stages, then *“at the cockcrowing”* we have the stages of Luther, Wesley and William Branham, mainly the last phase. But notice, each watch is 3 hours long, and there, at the time of the cockcrowing, we have: Luther, Wesley and William Branham; there we have the 3 hours of the third watch. \[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] In the study we had on the watches, there…, now what we are doing is a small review, because in that **Study**^{**[²⁰](#sdfootnote20sym)**} we talked about all this, about the mystery of the watches. Today the topic is: **“THE MYSTERY OF THE WATCHES,”** and I believe that in that study it also had to do with the watches.Now look at page 24 of the message **“THE RAPTURE,”**^{**[²¹](#sdfootnote21sym)**} he details there…; he says: ^*127* *The night was not divided in hours, in the Bible time. It was divided in watches. There was three watches.* \[JBP\] Now look, where I read to you, what he had written there… of \[WMB\] “deciding, service, resting and rewarded”; and in it he placed the different stages; and up to 77 he placed all the stages where they were fulfilled; and see how here he writes and places them all together; that is, where he says: ^*127* *The night was not divided in hours, in the Bible time. It was divided* *\[WSS\] «53 — 1977»* *in watches* (\[JBP\] and he writes from the year 53, that is, after Christ, until 1977)*.* *There was three watches* *\[WSS\] «the 7 ages of the Church»**. Now, the first watch started at from nine until twelve. The second watch started from twelve to three. And the third watch of the night was counted from three to six. Now we got three, three three’s, which is a nine, imperfect number. Then we come back to the seven for the Rapture, which will take place, I believe, between six and seven o’clock… or six and nine o’clock, some morning.* \[JBP\] Now look, he writes that in the first watch it was the Age of Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamum; the second watch, it was the Age of Thyatira, which are the last three stages of the Church (Luther, Wesley and brother Branham), he writes there Sardis, Philadelphia; and \[the 3rd watch\]: Laodicea. *\[WSS\] «1st watch — Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamum».* *«2nd watch — Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia».* *«3rd watch — Laodicea».* **\[JBP\] And all that we have already read of all those writings, which are also in those Studies.**^{**[²²](#sdfootnote22sym)**}Now look at Mark, he writes there (to have it there also): Mark 13, which is what we read at the beginning of the Scripture of **Mark**, **chapter 13**, from **34 to 37**. Above there he writes: ^*35* *…at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning…* *\[WSS\] «At nightfall —* *».* *«At midnight — ages of Obscurantism».* *«Cockcrowing — age of the 7th angel».* *«In the morning — Age of the Cornerstone, the 4th watch».* \[JBP\] And that Scripture goes with Luke, chapter 12, verse 35 to 40; and what he wrote above there of that watch (which is in those Studies that we did before).^{[²³](#sdfootnote23sym)}\[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] Now, he goes on to say here \[**“THE BOOK OPENED IN HEAVEN”**\]: \[WSS\] And our brother Branham got the last hour of the third watch, which was from 5 to 6 in the morning. That is why he was looking at the Light of the East, which is the Light that Christ brings in His Second Coming, which is the Light of the Sun of Righteousness rising and giving us… illuminating us, giving us Light at this end time; the same Light which the Hebrew people will receive. (...) Do you also remember when Jesus told him: “The cock shall not crow three times before you have denied Me, Peter”? So, Peter must know a lot about what the cockcrowing is, what Christ is speaking about here. \[JBP\] Someday we are going to know what that means, to those who will be in that time denying the Lord. \[WSS\] Now notice, the cockcrowing pertains to this third watch, and our brother Branham lived in that stage of the cockcrowing; but if it was not in the first, second or third watch, then by process of elimination we must know that the Second Coming of Christ is in the fourth watch; because that is how it is prophesied as well when Malachi says in chapter 4, verse 2: *“But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings…”* When does the sun rise? Well, it rises in the fourth watch. This is in countries where the day begins at 6 in the morning, the daylight (in other words, when the sun rises at 6 in the morning); there are countries that set their clocks ahead or behind, depending on whether it is summer or winter. But as far as God’s Program, 6 in the morning is set as the beginning of the fourth watch; and the fourth watch is three hours long, just as the other previous watches are also three hours long; and the fourth watch is from 6 to 9 in the morning. \[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] What brother Branham said that the rapture would occur or where the rapture will occur; that is in the message “THE RAPTURE.”But let’s read for a moment here in the book of **“THE AGES” unedited**,^{[²⁴](#sdfootnote24sym)} on page 430, it says: ^*334* *O God, may someday… the Church, which is a type of Enoch. Five hundred years he walked before God* (\[JBP\] and he draws a Cornerstone and the ages, and he writes): *\[WSS\] «500»**. Walking! Walking in the Light with a testimony that “Everything God said, he did it.” He didn’t displease Him. What the Lord said do, Enoch done it. Now, he was a type, remember. The ark is a type of the Jews, the hundred and forty-four thousand that’s carried over, which is Noah and his bunch; but Enoch went Home just a little bit before the flood* (\[JBP\] he writes): *\[WSS\] «Enoch»* (\[JBP\] and he also writes): *\[WSS\] «Noah and the 144.000»**.* ^*\[334\]* *You know that. So Enoch just kept walking in the Light. So one day he felt his feet getting off the ground, he just kept walking, and he walked on into Glory without even dying* (\[JBP\] what will happen to us!)*. That’s right. God took him away because he was walking in the Light, with a testimony that “he walked in the Light of God.”* \[JBP\] Therefore, all those who are walking in this Last Day in the Light of God: will be entering into the Glory; there will be those theophanies coming to us, and we will thus be transformed.\[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] And in the message “THE RAPTURE,” in that part there that we read, he writes: *\[WSS\] «6:00 — to 9:00 a.m. will be the rapture».* \[*Rev. Jose B. Perez*\] And if you look in the book of *Quotations*, in 168, paragraph 1500, there (we had already read this)^{[²⁵](#sdfootnote25sym)}, where he wrote in that portion of that page 24 of the message “THE RAPTURE,” that he writes there: *\[WSS\] «In the 4th watch».* *«In a new dispensational day».* *\[WSS\] «The rapture = from 6:00 am to 9:00 am».* \[JBP\] And below are also the drawings and all the writings, that are already in those other Studies that we have had of the watches.Well, today we join this with the one we have talked about the watches, and there we will be seeing many things more clearly of —exactly— the time in which we are currently living, where we are today.Let us stand up to leave in this topic we have for today: **“THE MYSTERY OF THE WATCHES,”** our dear brother and friend, Dr. William Soto Santiago.\* \* \*

[1](#sdfootnote1anc) Chat “Things being fulfilled in the half hour of silence in Heaven,” 1/9/2023 (Monday), p. 3 of booklet

[2](#sdfootnote2anc) Lines of text direct from the pen of Dr. William Soto Santiago. Sunday, August 13, 2017. Cayey, Puerto Rico / Compilation of messages “For the sake of the elect,” p. 5

[3](#sdfootnote3anc) 1 Corinthians 3:12

[4](#sdfootnote4anc) 62-0422 – “The Restoration of the Bride Tree,” p. 65, paras. 510-514

[5](#sdfootnote5anc) 65-1128M – “God’s Only Provided Place of Worship,” p. 1, para. 6

[6](#sdfootnote6anc) 60-1002 – “The Kinsman Redeemer,” p. 11, paras. 59

[7](#sdfootnote7anc) 61-0730M – “Gabriel’s Instructions to Daniel,” p. 22, para. 105

[8](#sdfootnote8anc) 61-0730M – “Gabriel’s Instructions to Daniel,” p. 22, para. 105

[9](#sdfootnote9anc) Bible Study #269, 1/1/2023 (Sunday), pp. 28-29 of booklet

[10](#sdfootnote10anc) 65-1204 – “The Rapture,” p. 30, paras. 166-167; p. 32, paras. 169-171

[11](#sdfootnote11anc) Bible Study #274, 1/20/2023 (Friday), p. 31 of booklet

[12](#sdfootnote12anc) \[‘A lot of water,’ torrential rain. Since ‘*aguacero*’ literally translated is “zero water” –Ed.\]

[13](#sdfootnote13anc) Bible study #245, 10/09/2022 (Sunday), p. 21-22 of booklet

[14](#sdfootnote14anc) 63-1110M – “Souls That Are In Prison Now,” p. 34, paras. 231-234

[15](#sdfootnote15anc) 65-1204 – “The Rapture,” p. 32, paras. 169-171

[16](#sdfootnote16anc) 60-1209 “The Sardisean Church Age,” p. 18, para. 95

[17](#sdfootnote17anc) 61-0108 – “Revelation, Chapter Four #3,” p. 44, paras. 266-267

[18](#sdfootnote18anc) Bible Study #212, 6/17/2022 (Friday), pp. 18-19 of booklet: *\[WSS\] «Prophecy has multiple fulfillments, short time, \[intermediate\], and far time; double and triple».* / Bible Study #233, 8/28-1/2022 (Sunday), p. 29-30 of booklet / Study “In the 3rd Pull: They had to recognize Him,” 11/17/2022 (Thursday), p. 7 of booklet

[19](#sdfootnote19anc) 64-0410 – “Scriptural Signs of the Time,” p. 14, para. 72

[20](#sdfootnote20anc) Bible Study #236, 9/9/2022 (Friday) (Volume 2)

[21](#sdfootnote21anc) 65-1204 – “The Rapture,” p. 21, para. 127

[22](#sdfootnote22anc) Bible Study #236, 9/9/2022 (Friday), p. 15 of the booklet

[23](#sdfootnote23anc) Bible Study #236, 9/9/2022 (Friday), p. 5 of the booklet

[24](#sdfootnote24anc) 60-1211M – “The Ten Virgins, and the Hundred and Forty-Four Thousand Jews,” p. 59

[25](#sdfootnote25anc) Bible Study #236, 9/9/2022 (Friday), pp. 13-14 of the booklet