Here I want to show you a short summary of the classical interpretation of the seven seals that is almost untouched by my studies. I take this from an official Bible course of the Seventh-day Adventist church (Viene un Nuevo Tiempo, Lesson 9, The Seven Seals of Revelation). I would like to emphasize how the classical interpretation of the seals harmonizes with the additional interpretation of the repetition of the first six seals beginning in 1846 based on the model of Jericho. The italics are the original text of the lesson and normal font are my comparisons.

The course reads:

We often hear others talking about the seven seals, the four horses and the four riders of Revelation. All of these are a part of the same prophecy. The four riders and their corresponding horses appear in the first four seals. What do the seven seals of Revelation represent? They evidently prophesy of the basic characteristics of seven periods through which the church goes from its foundation until the second coming of Jesus, which is described in the last part of the sixth seal.

First Seal: The Pure Doctrine

Period	Seal	Jericho	Interpretation
31-99	1st Seal, Rev. 6:1,2	Day 1 March	The era of the holy apostles (1st century) coinciding with the church of Ephesus. They received the pure doctrine by the Holy Bible to preach it (Mark 16:15, 16). They had to face many quarrels (Acts 4:1-3, 18-20, 24-30; 5:17-20, 26-29; 6:8; 7:60) but they did not allow the doctrines to be stained. There were also great victories for Christ: 3,000 conversions at Pentecost; 5,000 more a few days later; the conversion of Saul, and the spreading of the gospel to the whole then-known world (Col. 1:6,23). If we want to know the pure doctrine of Christ, we must study the Holy Bible because it was written there by the holy apostles in the period of the white horse.
1846-1914	1st Seal repeated	Day 7 March 1	The era of the Adventist pioneers coincides with the repetition of the church of Ephesus. They received the pure doctrine by the Holy Bible to preach it (Mark 16:15, 16). They had to face many quarrels, but they did not allow the doctrines to be stained. There were also great victories for Christ: many converted at that time. Ellen G. White was called by God and the gospel went to the whole known world. If we want to know the pure doctrine of Christ, we have to study the Holy Bible and the testimonies of the Spirit of Prophecy, because it was written there by the holy apostles and the messenger of God in the period of the white horse.

 Second Seal: Shedding of Blood

Period	Seal	Jericho	Interpretation
100-313	2nd Seal, Rev. 6:3,4	Day 2 March	The color red and the symbols of this seal are undoubtedly talking about the shedding of blood. It is the period of the ten general persecutions that the Roman Empire undertook against the Christians who preferred to die before renouncing their faithful obedience to biblical principles. This seal started with the death of the last apostle (John, at the end of the first century) and lasts until the year 313, when Constantine signed the Edict of Milan. It coincides with the period of the church of Smyrna.
1914-1945	2nd Seal repeated	Day 7 March 2	The color red and the symbols of this seal are undoubtedly talking about the shedding of blood. It is the period of the general persecutions of those who profess to be Jews (Adventists) but are the synagogue of Satan against their fellow brethren who preferred to die before renouncing their faithful obedience to biblical principles starting in WWI. This seal started almost exactly with the death of the last messenger of God (Ellen G. White in 1915) and lasts until the year 1945 and the last ten years of persecution were especially terrible. It coincides with the period of the church of Smyrna.

 Third Seal: The Truth is Cast to the Ground

Period	Seal	Jericho	Interpretation
313-538	3rd Seal, Rev. 6:5,6	Day 3 March	The church, which was facing quarrels to maintain the pureness of its doctrines and which saw the shedding of the blood of its members who did not renounce the truth, is now represented by the color black, antithesis to white. Blackness often represents the comparison of the Holy Bible to moral obscurity, sin, apostasy or error. It corresponds to the period from 313 to 538. Paul prophesied of a time when the doctrines would change through a paganizing process (Acts 20:27-31, 2 Thess. 2:3-6, 2 Tim. 4:1-4). Peter, too, prophesied that the church would spoil itself one day (2 Pet. 2:1-3). The pair of balances represents the spirit of commercialization and materialism that was going to penetrate the church. One penny was the salary for one day of work, which was only enough to buy 1.44 lbs. of wheat or less than 3 lbs. (2.34 lbs.) of barley. This symbolizes extreme scarcity of the Word of God, which was forbidden in that time (Amos 8:11,12) and produced a famine for hearing the Word. Many doctrines began to die and pagan creeds entered (e.g. on March 7, 321, Constantine enacted the oldest known Sunday law.) The majority go along with the process of doctrinal deterioration. Just a few faithful (remnant) continue to respect the biblical truth. The oil represents the Holy Spirit (Zech. 4:2-6). The wine represents the blood of Christ shed for sinners (Mat. 26:27-29).
1936-1986	3rd Seal repeated	Day 7 March 3	The church, which was facing quarrels to maintain the pureness of its doctrines and which saw the shedding of the blood of its members who did not renounce the truth, is now represented by the color black, antithesis to white. Blackness often represents the comparison of the Holy Bible to moral obscurity, sin, apostasy or error. It corresponds to the period from 1936 to 1986. Ellen G. White prophesied of a time when the doctrines would change through a paganizing process (Acts 20:27-31 [see Appendix A], 2 Thess. 2:3-6 [see Appendix B], 2 Tim. 4:1-4 [see Appendix C]). Ellen G. White, too, prophesied that the church would spoil itself one day (2 Pet. 2:1-3 [see Appendix D]). The pair of balances represents the spirit of commercialization and materialism that was going to penetrate the church. One penny was the salary for one day of work, which was only enough to buy 1.44 lbs. of wheat or less than 3 lbs. (2.34 lbs.) of barley. This symbolizes extreme scarcity of the Word of God, which was changed in that time (Amos 8:11,12) and produced a famine for hearing the Word. Many doctrines began to die and pagan creeds entered (e.g. there is a complete article series regarding the Omega apostasy of the SDA church: The Throne Lines). The majority go along with the process of doctrinal deterioration. Just a few faithful (remnant) continue to respect the biblical truth. The oil represents the Holy Spirit (Zech. 4:2-6). The wine represents the blood of Christ shed for sinners (Mat. 26:27-29).

 Fourth Seal: Paganizing the Truth

Period	Seal	Jericho	Interpretation
538-1517 (1798, see remarks)	4th Seal, Rev. 6:7,8	Day 4 March	The symbolism expresses the horrible distress of the era of inquisition foretold by Jesus (Mat. 24:21) and Daniel (Dan. 7:21,25; 12:7) and what we can study in Rev. 13:5. It corresponds to the years from 538, when the Justinian Decree was implemented, until 1517, the start of the Reformation. The pure doctrines are trampled down more and more, and the paganized Christians relentlessly persecute the little remnant who are faithful to the biblical doctrine.
1986-2016	4th Seal repeated	Day 7 March 4	The symbolism expresses the horrible distress of the era of inquisition foretold by Jesus (Mat. 24:21) and Daniel (Dan. 12:7) and what we can study in Rev. 13:5. It corresponds to the years from 1986, when the Seventh-day Adventist church started to participate openly with ecumenism, until 2016, the destruction of the great whore shortly before the second coming of Jesus. The pure doctrines are trampled down more and more, and the paganized Christians relentlessly persecute the little remnant who are faithful to the biblical doctrine.

Remarks:

1. Actually, the fourth seal did not end in 1517 because the prophecy of Revelation 13:5 did not end there. It ended in 1798 when the first beast of Revelation 13 received its “mortal” wound. Also, the Reformation did not start exactly in 1517, but with Wycliffe a long time before that. We can see here that beginning with the fourth seal, the commentators have problems adjusting the time flow of the seals, because the eras start to overlap. The only key for the real understanding is the Clock of God in Orion. The fifth, sixth, and seventh seals are also part of the fourth! In the repetition of the fourth seal, the papal power succeeded in infiltrating the Adventist church with Jesuits and false doctrines, as it was foretold by Ellen G. White. But when they see that there is still a remnant obeying the original faith of the fathers, they change their tactics—as Satan always does—from the persecution of the second seal, to the infiltration and false doctrines of the third and fourth seals, and back to persecution again in the fifth seal.

2. The era of the Inquisition will also be repeated in the fourth seal. This time it will not be 1260 prophetic years as in Daniel 7:21,25 but 1260 literal days as in Daniel 12:7. This era will start in spring 2013 and end shortly before the coming of Jesus, in autumn 2016. The Shadow series, with its detailed study of the Jewish feasts, gives us the exact day of Jesus’ second coming and therefore also indirectly the date of the beginning of the Sunday laws in 2014/15. [In the first edition of this article we did not have the exact calculation. It still contained the “Millerite” error of one year, which was improved in January 2013. But to not confuse the reader, we have now put in the current data.]

Fifth Seal: A Time of Persecution

Period	Seal	Jericho	Interpretation
1571-1755	5th Seal, Rev. 6:9-11	Day 5 March	The animals were sacrificed on the altar of bronze in the sanctuary of the Old Testament. The sacrifice was burned, and its blood was shed at the base of the altar (Lev. 4:7). The life or soul is in the blood (Lev. 17:11, Deut. 12:23). The symbol is clear: The blood of the martyrs of the few faithful remnant who did not accept the doctrinal paganization is shed like a sacrifice at the base of the altar. This blood symbolically cries to God like the blood of Abel who was killed by his brother (Gen. 4:10). The white robes symbolize the dignity which was conferred to them by the righteousness of Christ (Rev. 19:8, 3:5, 7:14). But even having gained the victory in Christ, they would have to rest in their graves a little while until Jesus will come and give them and all the faithful their rewards at the same time (Heb. 11:39-40). The fifth seal covers the period from 1571 to 1755.
2010-2015	5th Seal repeated	Day 7 March 5	The animals were sacrificed on the altar of bronze in the sanctuary of the Old Testament. The sacrifice was burned, and its blood was shed at the base of the altar (Lev. 4:7). The life or soul is in the blood (Lev. 17:11, Deut. 12:23). The symbol is clear: The blood of the martyrs of the few faithful remnant who did not accept the doctrinal paganization is shed like a sacrifice at the base of the altar. This blood symbolically cries to God like the blood of Abel who was killed by his brother (Gen. 4:10). The white robes symbolize the dignity which was conferred to them by the righteousness of Christ (Rev. 19:8, 3:5, 7:14). But even having gained the victory in Christ, they would have to rest in their graves a little while until Jesus will come and give them and all faithful their rewards at the same time (Heb. 11:39-40). The fifth seal covers the period from the beginning of the Orion message reformation to the close of probation, when no martyrs will die anymore (the little time of trouble).

 Sixth Seal: We Are Nearing the End

Period	Seal	Jericho	Interpretation
1755-Second Coming	6th Seal, Rev. 6:3,4	Day 6 March	The sixth seal culminates with the Second Coming of Christ. Therefore, we can call it appropriately: The time of the end. The great earthquake has been identified by many theologians as the Great Earthquake of Lisbon, on November 1, 1755. The darkening of the sun occurred on May 19, 1780. The darkening of the moon occurred the night of the same day (May 19, 1780). The falling stars happened on November 13, 1833. These four events marked the beginning of the time of the end, which will end with the Second Coming of Christ. Facing the Second Coming of Christ, those who have taken shelter in the saving mercy will receive eternal life; and those who will have refused salvation in Christ have to suffer the consequences. Jesus already said: “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:17,18)
2011-Close of Probation	6th Seal repeated	Day 7 March 6	The sixth seal culminates with the close of probation before Christ’s second coming. Therefore, we can call it appropriately: The time of the end. We have identified the great earthquake as that of east Japan on March 11, 2011. The darkening of the sun took place on July 13, 2013. The darkening of the moon began with the blood moon tetrad (April 15, 2014). The falling of the stars will be the fireball event, which was seen by Ellen G. White in two visions. These are four events which will mark the beginning of the time of the end, which will culminate in the Second Coming of Christ. Facing the Second Coming of Christ, those who have taken shelter in the saving mercy will receive eternal life; and those who will have refused salvation in Christ have to suffer the consequences. Jesus already said: “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:17,18)

Remarks:

1. When probation closes, the time of the plagues will begin. The sixth seal was made like a countdown. The signs happen in the exact sequence given, repeating as of March 11, 2011 as we have been predicting for a long time. The first three signs—the earthquake, the darkening of the sun and the moon turning to blood—already happened in the repetition of the seal.

2. The falling stars, or fireballs, which Ellen G. White saw will literally fall, because the previous signs also happened literally. At the end of the repeated sixth seal is an event that shows the unfaithful people that the heavens opened and will ultimately make clear that now the time of plagues begins, without them having prepared themselves and therefore they are lost. That’s why they want to hide from the presence of the Lamb. We write about it in detail in the Wrath of God series. Jesus’ intercessory service in the heavenly sanctuary will have ended at the end of the sixth repeat seal, when nobody can be saved anymore. Only the 144,000 will go through the great tribulation of the plagues to the Second Coming of Jesus without an intercessor and without seeing death.

3. The classical interpretation of the sixth seal still corresponds to the Millerites and was never really re-thought by the Adventist Church. The followers of Miller and Snow believed at that time that the Second Coming would take place on the same day as “the great day of his wrath,” on October 22/23, 1844. When it did not happen—although many people back then felt the fear that is described in the biblical text of the sixth seal, and Hiram Edson saw the heavens departing like a scroll on the same day—the Adventist interpreters extended the sixth seal into our time and to the real return of Jesus. According to this interpretation, we have been stuck in the middle of the sixth seal since the night of the Leonid meteor storm of November 12/13, 1833 and stand rooted, waiting for a fulfillment of the very few missing prophecies of this seal. [See the addendum to this article for an in-depth analysis of the issue.]

4. Nevertheless, this is against God’s principle of prophetic revelation, which is always progressive. The closer we get to a prophetic event, the more detail God reveals to us. You can study that in the Power of the Father article. The Jericho model perfectly reflects God’s principle of progressive revelation. The first six days were long marches from the year 31 till the year 1844. It was 1812 years for six marches. That’s an average of 302 years per march. On the last day, the seventh day, the Israelites had to march around the city seven times in one day. If we calculate the average as follows: 2014 - 1846 (168 years) / 7 marches, we get only 24 years. The comparison shows us that we have a much more detailed revelation shortly before the coming of Christ, and this is in line with God’s progressive revelation, which is one of the most important biblical principles in the interpretation of prophecy. [To see how the sixth seal fulfilled in the repetition, read Signs of the End and its addendum, and also slides 101 to 114 of the Orion presentation.]

Seventh Seal: Lo, He is coming in the clouds!

Period	Seal	Jericho	Interpretation
???	7th Seal, Rev. 8:1	Day 7, March 7	This silence will occur at the occasion of the Second Coming of Christ, when Heaven will be empty. The angels will come with Jesus (Mat. 25:31). Some have applied the prophetic principle of a day for a year to this half an hour and say that it could represent one literal week.
Spring 2012 - Autumn 2015	7th Seal, Rev. 8:1	Day 7 March 7	This silence will occur at the occasion of the Second Coming of Christ, when Heaven will hold its breath till the judgment of the living is over. The angels wait, eager to come with Jesus (Mat. 25:31). Some have applied the prophetic principle of a day for a year to this half an hour and say that it could represent one literal week, but that is unfortunately wrong.

Remarks:

1. At the end of the comparison, we unfortunately do not coincide. The seventh seal with the half-hour silence in heaven is not the coming of Christ, but the judgment of the living. There are many different interpretations of the first six seals in Adventism, which differ only slightly, but not a single interpretation of the seventh seal takes into account the fact that heavenly time does not correspond to earthly time. None of them take the Orion clock into consideration. We, however, know that half an hour in heaven is 3½ years on earth, and this corresponds to the duration of the judgment of the living according to the oath of Jesus in Daniel 12, and the name “Daniel” means “God is my judge”. It is about the last phase of the judgment—of the living—which will decide the fate of the entire universe and God Himself.

2. This last day of Jericho follows the principle of progressive prophetic revelation, and the Orion clock includes the further details that God wants to give us. The exact years of the repeated seals and the new understanding of the seventh seal are key to understanding what happened to His people during this last heavenly day of history, the investigative judgment of the dead and the living. Thus, God also shows where His chosen judgment people are located, so that they can be found by others in the loud cry! Many say that I attack old interpretations, but I hope I have shown now that this is clearly not the case. New light must be in harmony with old light, and the Orion message does not break this rule. On the contrary, it confirms the old and true light and dissolves misunderstandings.

As we have seen in the PowerPoint presentation of the Orion study, the first four churches of Revelation chapter 2 run parallel to the first four seals. The last three should be interpreted as spiritual conditions, but also contain very important prophetic messages that apply specifically to our time.

In light of the Jericho type for the repetition of the seals, we cannot leave out an interpretation of the last three churches. I would like to stress again how the pioneers interpreted the last three churches:

In the early years after the 1844 experience, Sabbatarian Adventists identified themselves as the church of Philadelphia, other Adventists as Laodiceans, and non-Adventists as Sardis. However, by 1854 Ellen G. White was led to point out that “the remnant were not prepared for what is coming upon the earth. Stupidity, like lethargy, seemed to hang upon the minds of most of those who profess to believe that we are having the last message. . . . Ye suffer your minds to be diverted too readily from the work of preparation and the all-important truths for these last days.” By 1856 James White, Uriah Smith, and J. H. Waggoner were clearly telling the young Adventist groups that the Laodicean message applied to Sabbatarian Adventists as well as others who were “lukewarm” in their Christian experience. They, too, needed thorough repentance. Further, they combined in their conclusion that the third angel’s message was the final message to the “rebellious world,” and the Laodicean message was the final message to a “lukewarm church.” {www.whiteestate.org}

Please note that Ellen G. White recognized that something already went wrong with the Advent people in 1854 and that the Laodicean message would even apply to the Sabbatarian Adventists. This confirms our view of the repetition of the seals and churches, because the people had to restart the marches around Jericho for a whole new cycle of seven marches. The question is, where are we right now, having almost finished the seventh day around Jericho?

Let’s just look at the Orion clock! The last day of Jericho started in 1846 and we are now [at the first publishing of this article] in the year 2010. We are exactly two years before 2012 which corresponds to 1844. We are in the time corresponding to the preaching of Christ’s soon coming by the Millerite movement in the first cycle. As history tells us, Miller confused 1844 with the Second Coming when indeed it was the proclamation of the beginning of the investigative judgment. In the repetition of the seals and churches, we are also at a crucial point in history: the proclamation of the end of the investigative judgment, or the proclamation of the beginning of the judgment of the living. “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7)

Which one of the seven churches applied to the Millerite movement, namely the movement of the first angel of Revelation 14:7? It was one of only two churches that were without blame: Philadelphia! And what was the message of Philadelphia?

Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. (Revelation 14:7)

“The HOUR of his judgment” is a time message. It was the message of Miller that began in 1833, and especially since 1841, as we read in “Early Writings”. And this corresponds to the Orion message that began in 2010. The judgment of the dead will end in 2012, and the judgment of the living will begin! Prepare yourself and give glory to God by keeping the Sabbath during tribulation!

What are the reactions of our contemporary brethren in other denominations? According to the beliefs of the Advent people in the corresponding time of the pioneers, they were “Sardis”. So, do we find in the prophecy of Sardis any hints that have to do with heeding the warning of a “time message”?

Yes, indeed:

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. (Revelation 3:1-3)

We even find a hint as to where the time message will come from and what the key for understanding it is: The seven stars! Anyone who doesn’t watch will not know what hour Jesus will come. The message of the seven stars of Orion reveals the year of the close of probation and the year of Jesus’ coming. Anyone who doesn’t watch will not receive the blessing of the few in Sardis that are mentioned in the other verses of the prophecy to Sardis:

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:4-6)

When is the blotting of the name out of the book of life done? Precisely at the end of the investigative judgment! Another hint that we are talking about the same time period for Sardis and Philadelphia.

And who is Sardis today? Which denominations does it refer to? Surely all faithful Christians from any of the denominations who profess to believe in Jesus Christ. He is the name mentioned in the verse: “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.” We are talking about spiritual conditions more than denominations. Anyone who accepts the last message from the mouth of Jesus is saved, and anyone who rejects it is not.

What about Laodicea? The Pioneers identified Laodicea as the other Adventists who had not accepted the Sabbath truth! They did not accept new light! They professed to study the Bible but thought they were already rich and in need of nothing. Jesus counsels them to buy eyesalve from Him so they might see. This is definitely God’s professed people, who again reject all new light that God wants to give them through the message of Philadelphia:

“These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth” (Rev. 3:7).

I was shown in vision, and I still believe, that there was a shut door in 1844. All who saw the light of the first and second angels' messages and rejected that light, were left in darkness. And those who accepted it and received the Holy Spirit which attended the proclamation of the message from heaven, and who afterward renounced their faith and pronounced their experience a delusion, thereby rejected the Spirit of God, and it no longer pleaded with them.

Those who did not see the light, had not the guilt of its rejection. It was only the class who had despised the light from heaven that the Spirit of God could not reach. And this class included, as I have stated, both those who refused to accept the message when it was presented to them, and also those who, having received it, afterward renounced their faith. These might have a form of godliness, and profess to be followers of Christ; but having no living connection with God, they would be taken captive by the delusions of Satan. These two classes are brought to view in the vision--those who declared the light which they had followed a delusion, and the wicked of the world who, having rejected the light, had been rejected of God. No reference is made to those who had not seen the light, and therefore were not guilty of its rejection. {1SM 63.8–10}

We should be very careful not to reject light from the throne of God. Either the message to Sardis or to Laodicea applies to those who do not accept the rays of light that emanate from Heaven.

In Seventh-day Adventist churches, it is easy to reject new light as coming from Satan. Ellen G. White had orders from God to write a lot against false doctrines that would enter church. But as we will see in The Throne Lines, these doctrines are also marked in Orion. Is there anyone who is able to distinguish a warning message to get prepared and confess and turn away from all hidden sins, from a false message that sings lullabies to our consciences and keeps us calm, believing that we can be saved in our sins? Is there anyone who is able to see the difference between a message that marks all the sins of His people and a message of false glorification of a sinful, merely professing, people? What is the context of the Sardis and Laodicean messages? Is it reproach and counsel for change or “Well done, faithful servant”? What is the context of the Orion message? Where does it lead you?

At this point, I want to share a letter that I received a few days ago from brethren in a faraway country:

Dear Brother Scotram,

The Blessing of the Almighty be upon you and your wife. How have you been since last we spoke. I must apologize though for the delay in responding to your last email. Please forgive our tardiness. But you must know that you and your wife have not escaped of thoughts and our prayers. I was very thrilled to know that God has been able to use me to bless you with encouragement. I printed out your email and took it home to share with my husband, we were just so elated that God has made us all to be recipients of His wonderful blessings.

Sadly, though the problems you have noted in some of your writings concerning the Church is also manifested here in ... which proves that it is indeed a worldwide infestation drowsiness in our church. The thing that we have been trying to do is, to help our brethren become aware of the times in which we live.

Because we are nestled in ... and a lot of the world news and issues seldom reach us ... we apparently for some ungodly reason seem to think that we have time. My brother, our churches here are filled with those whom I call the “put to right” folks. Everyone claims the Holy Spirit has guided them to go talk to someone to correct or to convict them about their wrongs or faults. Unfortunately, many of our members have been pushed out of the church by the approaches of such. The gossiping is at an all-time high and genuine affection is at an all-time low. Hypocrisy is rampant in the church frankly it is a heart rending situation.

We have been desperately seeking from our God ways/opportunities in which we can share with our fellow brethren the things we have learnt from what has been revealed to you via the workings of the Holy Spirit. Things that we have learnt and that have brought my husband and I to our knees in prayer and re-consecration. The experience we have had as a result of studying the things you have shared, has revived us and caused us to consciously work upon living Holy Lives. Nonetheless, we will continue to fight the good fight of faith, we will stay on the course, we will weary but will not faint. We will endure to the end. We will continue to lift our brethren in prayer.

Peace be upon you dear brother; peace be upon your household. Be steadfast till the end. Until we write again.

Love & prayer to you and your wife.

Testimonies like this clearly show where the Orion message leads: to repentance and change, to a better spiritual life and a more intimate relationship with our Savior. Is this a message to put under a bushel?

Many—especially members of the SDA Reform Movement churches—confuse the message with astrology. This comes from a poor understanding of three facts:

1. Orion is not part of the zodiac and has nothing to do with astrology.
2. Satan is the great imitator of God. He wants to have everything that Jesus has.
   

   Jesus has His sacred form of adoration	Satan has a spurious form of adoration, Sun worship
   Jesus has His sacred holy day of rest, the Sabbath	Satan has a spurious day of rest, Sunday
   Jesus has 10 sacred commandments	Satan has 10 spurious commandments, human rights

   Jesus has His sacred form of adoration

   Satan has a spurious form of adoration, Sun worship

   Jesus has His sacred holy day of rest, the Sabbath

   Satan has a spurious day of rest, Sunday

   Jesus has 10 sacred commandments

   Satan has 10 spurious commandments, human rights

   The list could go on and on...but to get to the point:

   Jesus has a sacred formula based on biblical numbers, which announces the duration of the judgment of the dead (7 × 24), that leads to 2012 as the beginning of the judgment of the living and further to the year of Jesus’ eternal reign.	Satan has a spurious formula based on numerology, which announces the union of the two beasts of Revelation 13 to start His reign: 18 × 13, that leads to 2010 as the announcement of the reign of “Neptune” (see The Year of Saul).
   Jesus has one last sacred message for His people based on Genesis 1:14 “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.” that announces His Second Coming: The Orion Message and Shadows Message.	Satan has one last spurious message for his people based on astrology, the alignment of the zodiac in 2012, announcing the false second coming: The Age of Aquarius

   Jesus has a sacred formula based on biblical numbers, which announces the duration of the judgment of the dead (7 * 24), that leads to 2012 as the beginning of the judgment of the living and further to the year of Jesus eternal reign.

   Satan has a spurious formula based on numerology, which announces the union of the two beasts of Revelation 13 to start His reign: 18 * 13, that leads to 2010 as the announcement of the reign of “Neptune” (see The Year of Saul).

   Jesus has one last sacred message for His people based on Gen. 1:14 “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.” that announces His Second Coming: The Orion Message and Shadows Message.

   Satan has one last spurious message for his people based on astrology, the alignment of the zodiac in 2012, announcing the false second coming: The Age of Aquarius

3. Ellen G. White spoke about Orion, the Bible speaks about Orion, and the ancient Jews carefully watched the star constellations. Is this astrology or astronomy? Is Ellen G. White an astrologer now? And... what about the wise men of the Orient who saw the star of Jesus? Were they also astrologers, an abomination to God? Or is this rather a type for the Second Coming? Yes, we know from Ellen G. White that the star of Bethlehem was a cloud of angels. However, this is still a type for the Second Coming, when Jesus with all the angels of heaven will come in the cloud which is made up of the angels. And what is Orion according to the study? The seven stars of Orion are all messengers: the three Persons of the Godhead, and four living creatures, again angels or seraphim. Anyone who confuses this with astrology has no idea what astrology really is.

Criticism like this comes mostly from people who really don’t have much knowledge about occult practices and who lack a deeper understanding of the creation of God. The Bible explicitly mentions the “book of nature,” including the firmament and the stars of heaven, as bearing important lessons for God’s people, and so does the Spirit of Prophecy:

In his isolated home John was able to study more closely than ever before the manifestations of divine power as recorded in the book of nature and in the pages of inspiration. To him it was a delight to meditate on the work of creation and to adore the divine Architect. In former years his eyes had been greeted by the sight of forest-covered hills, green valleys, and fruitful plains; and in the beauties of nature it had ever been his delight to trace the wisdom and skill of the Creator. He was now surrounded by scenes that to many would appear gloomy and uninteresting; but to John it was otherwise. While his surroundings might be desolate and barren, the blue heavens that bent above him were as bright and beautiful as the skies above his loved Jerusalem. In the wild, rugged rocks, in the mysteries of the deep, in the glories of the firmament, he read important lessons. All bore the message of God's power and glory. {AA 571.2}

God's Voice in His Handiwork.--Wherever we turn, we hear the voice of God and behold His handiwork. From the solemn roll of the deep-toned thunder and old ocean's ceaseless roar, to the glad songs that make the forests vocal with melody, nature's ten thousand voices speak His praise. In earth and sea and sky, with their marvelous tint and color, varying in gorgeous contrast or blended in harmony, we behold His glory. The everlasting hills tell of His power. The trees that wave their green banners in the sunlight, and the flowers in their delicate beauty, point to their Creator. The living green that carpets the brown earth tells of God's care for the humblest of His creatures. The caves of the sea and the depths of the earth reveal His treasures. He who placed the pearls in the ocean and the amethyst and chrysolite among the rocks is a lover of the beautiful. The sun rising in the heavens is a representative of Him who is the life and light of all that He has made. All the brightness and beauty that adorn the earth and light up the heavens speak of God. {CG 53.1}

If we will but listen, God's created works will teach us precious lessons of obedience and trust. From the stars that in their trackless course through space, follow from age to age their appointed path, down to the minutest atom, the things of nature obey the Creator's will. And God cares for everything and sustains everything that he has created. He who upholds the unnumbered worlds throughout immensity, at the same time cares for the wants of the little brown sparrow that sings its humble song without a fear. {CE 54.4}

But like the stars in the vast circuit of their appointed path, God's purposes know no haste and no delay. Through the symbols of the great darkness and the smoking furnace, God had revealed to Abraham the bondage of Israel in Egypt, and had declared that the time of their sojourning should be four hundred years. “Afterward,” He said, “shall they come out with great substance.” Gen. 15:14. Against that word, all the power of Pharaoh's proud empire battled in vain. On “the self-same day” appointed in the divine promise, “it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.” Ex. 12:41. So in heaven's council the hour for the coming of Christ had been determined. When the great clock of time pointed to that hour, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. {DA 32.1}

Our pioneer Uriah Smith, who was held in high esteem in the books of Ellen G. White, also writes about watching the stars and where John saw the processes of end-time events:

“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun; and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:" (Revelation 12:1)

“In heaven” refers to the space where the Apostle [John] saw this phenomenon. We must not assume that the scene that was shown here John took place in the heavens where God dwells, as this is happening on Earth. This vision, which the eyes of the prophet saw, took place in the region occupied by the sun, the moon and the stars, which we call the firmament. {Daniel and Revelation - Uriah Smith (1944), p. 220}

Summary:

We have learned that Ellen G. White waited for the coming of Jesus in her time, but in 1888, a process of degradation began in the Seventh-day Adventist church because they refused the second part of the message of Jones and Waggoner, about obedience to the precepts of God which is the indispensable consequence of accepting the gift of “Justification by Faith”. “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:20)

Therefore, the Seventh-day Adventist church failed in its goal to enter heaven directly. Ellen G. White told us in clear words that the church had to wander in the wilderness again like the Israelites for “40” years. We are now at the end of this long wandering that has already taken 166 years. Like the Israelites under Joshua, we have to circumcise ourselves again and ready ourselves for the ultimate conquest of our Jericho, that is “Babylon the Great”. We have to fight all worldliness in the church and in our lives to obtain a Christlike character which is our only ticket to heaven.

We understand that false doctrines have been put in place in the church, but we still need another study of the Clock of God in Orion to expose what these false doctrines are in particular, and where the root of all evil lies in the church. This will be revealed in the next article series entitled The Throne Lines.

And now, we also understand why Jesus is holding a sword in His hand when He presents Himself to Joshua. The sword always represents God’s Word, the Bible. Jesus wanted to give all future generations that would come after His sacrifice and after He had started His heavenly ministry the special key to the understanding of the seven-series (churches, seals, trumpets) in His Revelation. This key is the conquest of Jericho that tells us that the seven-series are repeated in the Investigative Judgment Day in Heaven (the seventh day).

The other key held by Jesus in His right hand in Revelation chapter 1, are the “Seven Stars of Orion”. These stars tell us that time is running out. All of Revelation was given so we can get ready for the greatest event in all history: the Second Coming of Christ. Therefore, I want to close this article with the words at the end of the lesson of the Revelation course that we used to compare the classical and the new interpretation of the seven seals in the light of the model of Jericho and the Orion clock:

My Decision: I believe that Jesus will soon come again to bring me home and give me eternal life.
Therefore, I decide by the grace of God, to study the Bible daily, respect all of its doctrines and prepare myself to receive Jesus in peace. As...

* The End is Near *

 

Addendum to History Repeats, Part II

Written by Ray Dickinson
Published: Wednesday, August 24, 2016

As discussed above, the repetition of the seals is based on the model of Jericho, where on the first six days, they made only one lap around the city, but on the seventh day, they made seven laps around the city. The important point is that the first six seals are represented by marches that were each on a separate day, with a rest in between. The repeated seals, however, are represented by seven marches all in one day, with no rest in between. In other words, while we may legitimately understand certain of the repeated seals to overlap, this would not make sense for the classical seals. Each classical seal must conclude before the next one can begin!

Thus, it is not possible that the repeated seals (i.e. the marches on the seventh day) could begin before the sixth classical seal was completely fulfilled! The seals repeated in the time of the investigative judgment, which began on October 22, 1844. The sixth classical seal must therefore have been completely fulfilled before that date! (For more information regarding the repeated sixth seal, please see the addendum to Signs of the End and slides 101-114 of the Orion Presentation.)

On the other hand, the Adventist Church teaches that the sixth seal is prolonged until the Second Coming. Thus, they deny that there was ever any decline in its spiritual condition in the manner that the sequence of the horsemen of the first four seals portrays.

But isn’t it a little bit strange to have a court trial carry on for 170 years? Normally in a crime case, while the criminal activity may take place over many years, once the investigation begins, it is usually relatively short—only some weeks or months for complicated cases! The Judgment of sin should be no different. It was not necessary that the judgment should require 170 years! It begs the question, what went wrong?

And that is an important question! If you asked your typical Adventist, they would tell you that nothing is wrong. The sixth seal began in 1755 with the Lisbon earthquake, and will conclude with the wicked crying out to the inanimate “mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,” as they see Him returning on the cloud, and the seven last plagues commence and progress throughout the seven last days or so.

This view may have made sense to the early Adventists, but the time factor raises a red flag. One brother grew up in the Adventist church, and always pondered in his heart why the big signs had to fulfill long before he or his parents or grandparents were ever born! Think about it:

The great earthquake: 1755
The sun becomes dark: 1780
The moon becomes as blood: 1780
The stars fell to the earth: 1833

Then after more than 180 years of silence (well more than twice the already-lengthy span of time during which the first signs fulfilled), the next verse will fulfill as the heaven will finally get around to departing and the mountains and islands move in the last seven days or so. Not to mention the rest of the signs and all the plagues that must then fulfill in lightning-fast procession! While pondering over this discrepancy, he thought, “Wouldn’t it make more sense for these grand signs of the sixth seal to ALL be fulfilled together AT THE END?!” It just didn’t make sense that the climax and pinnacle event of all of history—the Second Coming—would be preceded by signs in a far-removed generation rather than “immediately” before as Jesus said in Matthew 24:29! If you have wondered the same in your heart, consider that there must be a repetition of those events in a time that could legitimately be considered “immediately” prior to the sign of the Son of Man! (Incidentally, this is a criticism that many who have left Adventism hold against it!)

Two Models

If we want to find harmony in these things, we first have to answer the question of what went wrong! The answer is clear, of course, but we haven’t understood its full ramifications until now. In 1888, the fourth angel as described in Revelation 18 visited the Adventist Church, giving them a taste of the latter rain. But before more than a few drops could fall, they pulled out their proud umbrellas and would have nothing of it! THAT is what went wrong! They rejected the Holy Spirit! Could the Spirit continue to give light to a people who didn’t want it? Note that it was largely the leadership who rejected the light. Just as with Ancient Israel, it was the leadership who rejected the Savior, and this led to the Lord disowning the nation as His chosen people. We’re talking about the body to whom the Lord entrusts His treasures of light.

But let’s think about this logically for a moment. What if they had accepted the light in 1888? Then the latter rain would have grown in intensity until the full light of the fourth angel would have been given them, and the Lord would indeed have come by 1890 as we saw in the HSL. No need for any time message after 1844, nor a whole year of plagues. There would be no apostate organization to come out of, and a lot of Ellen G. White’s visions would have literally fulfilled. That would cut the Judgment time down to just over one quarter the length! This is what would have been the case IF the leaders had maintained their love of Christ that the early pioneers cherished. Instead, there was a decline like the four horsemen of the seals represent.

So you see, the seals didn’t have to repeat! We use the model of Jericho, but who led the people in that conquest? It was Joshua, not Moses! If the people had not provoked God with their unbelief when He sought to bring them to the Promised Land, Moses and not Joshua, would have led them in. And what was the model that God gave to Moses for how He would bring them in?

I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee. (Exodus 23:27-28)

This was God’s first plan! No need for repetition. Just follow the hornets and go in! Nevertheless, because of their unbelief, God gave Joshua a revised plan for Jericho that included a repetition. The application is clear: The model of Jericho would apply only if the people followed in the same unbelief as did ancient Israel, but if they learned from the past, and cooperated with the Lord, following His leading, the simplistic “hornet model” would apply: follow the seven seals and go up! Consider what Ellen G. White wrote about this:

It was not the will of God that Israel should wander forty years in the wilderness; He desired to lead them directly to the land of Canaan and establish them there, a holy, happy people. But “they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Hebrews 3:19. Because of their backsliding and apostasy they perished in the desert, and others were raised up to enter the Promised Land. In like manner, it was not the will of God that the coming of Christ should be so long delayed and His people should remain so many years in this world of sin and sorrow. But unbelief separated them from God. As they refused to do the work which He had appointed them [in 1888], others were raised up [in 2010] to proclaim the message [of the fourth angel]. In mercy to the world, Jesus delays His coming, that sinners may have an opportunity to hear the warning and find in Him a shelter before the wrath of God shall be poured out. {GC 458.1}

Now that we understand the two models, we need to understand how the sixth seal fulfilled, because as stated above, it must have fulfilled completely before October 22, 1844!

Time: A Test of Love

For more than 120 years, the Adventist Church has remained stuck in the mud regarding the sixth seal. Ellen G. White confirmed what the pioneers recognized as fulfilled signs, but she never applied the rest of the signs. Does that mean that they didn’t apply to events in her day? Or could it be that they did, in fact, have a clear fulfillment that just went undetected due to their understanding that they would take place in conjunction with the expectedly dramatic events of the plagues?

So, let’s go back and see what is missing. We wrote about the well-understood signs in the article, Signs of the End, concluding with the “falling stars” of the meteor shower of November 13, 1833. However, the sign of the meteor shower has not been fully understood. Here is the full text:

And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs [Strong’s G3653: “an unripe (because out of season) fig”], when she is shaken of a mighty wind. (Revelation 6:13)

We have often referred to the fig tree as the Adventist people, because in the Bible it stood as a representation of Israel, God’s chosen people. This was too early, though, to represent Adventists of any kind, but instead represented God’s chosen people at that time: Christians of all kinds! Regardless of which of the seven churches of Revelation would best represent them, they were His children—even apparently-living-but-dead Sardis and lukewarm Laodicea--and He gave them His word of rebuke to bring them to repentance. Since the Jews had rejected Christ, it was His disciples who were represented by the fig tree through the following ages.

Thus, the sign of the meteor shower represented the “stars” that would fall away from God’s people. But notice that they are “untimely” figs. It refers to figs that are unripe, because they are out of season. Fig trees have two crops of figs, one of which grows early, and if the conditions aren’t just right for them to ripen, they remain small and green and will easily fall off the tree with a strong wind. The key point here is that they are out of the normal fig season, as though they failed to realize when figs are supposed to be ripe. They don’t know their time! Thus, the shaking of the fig tree represents a test on time. Only the figs that are “untimely” or out of season are the ones that fall. Those that “know their time” are well-anchored to the tree and remain firm.

Jesus was looking for the waiting, watching ones, who were ready to receive all that He would show them. Sadly, as He looked upon His fig tree, He found many who had a reputation that they were alive, but who were really dead in their heart. His counsel to the church of Sardis applied to the Protestant churches of the day:

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. (Revelation 3:2-4)

There were just a few good figs on His tree, and the rest in that generation would be shaken out. They did not remember how they had received light before, and they were caught unprepared when He came with the Millerite time message. The few names in the Sardis of Miller’s day who were watching, received the hour with gladness, and they came through that open door to the church of Philadelphia, which received no rebuke:

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. (Revelation 3:8)

However, those who were not watching did not recognize Jesus in the time message, so they didn’t realize that it was Him who came upon them, thus as a thief. Their refusal to know the hour had closed the door to Philadelphia for them, and their names were blotted out of the book of life. They did not overcome.

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Revelation 3:5)

The meteor shower of 1833 was an outward sign to point people to what was happening among God’s people. Miller had recently begun to preach publicly about the Second Coming in 1843. Thus, the time message was beginning to be shared with the world, and soon the strong wind of the Holy Spirit (even though not the latter rain, which wouldn’t begin until 1888), would shake His fig tree and cause those to fall who didn’t love His appearing. The effect of a convincing time message is such as to separate people into three camps: those who love God and are happy to learn of the nearness of His return; those who think they know God, but they don’t, as Jesus told in the parable of the talents:

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. (Matthew 25:24-25)

The third group are those who don’t care and just have more reason to mock. They are the unbelievers who aren’t pretending to be Christians, while those who buried their talent in the earth are those who think they’re Christians; they think they know God, but they don’t know His true character, and they have no love for Him. You can see that they just do the minimum that they suppose is required, but they do not do it out of love, but because they have to—because they are afraid of the consequences if they don’t! These are the unripe figs that fall in a time test. They don’t want to believe that He is coming, because they are happier without Him. They’d rather spend their effort making themselves comfortable on this earth, and the thought of Jesus coming is just a disruption of their plans.

Make no mistake about it, these are well-respected church-goers of every flavor. They may be conservative, Ellen-White-believing people who seem to be sincere, but when they are presented with the concreteness of the Blessed Hope, they are deeply disturbed and want nothing to do with it, choosing rather to stay in their ignorance of the time, than to seek Him who made the seven stars and Orion (Amos 5:8), repenting of everything that would separate them from Him.

A time test is a love test. As one college historian wrote, “The susceptible were said to be on the verge of emotional collapse with fearful—or joyful—anticipation,” identifying the Millerite Adventists as the “susceptible.” But notice that both classes believed in the message, so how was it a test? Allow Ellen G. White to explain:

I saw that if professed Christians had loved their Saviour’s appearing, if they had placed their affections on Him, and had felt that there was none upon the earth to be compared with Him, they would have hailed with joy the first intimation of His coming. But the dislike which they manifested, as they heard of their Lord’s coming, was a decided proof that they did not love Him. Satan and his angels triumphed, and cast it in the face of Christ and His holy angels, that His professed people had so little love for Jesus that they did not desire His second appearing. {EW 235.2}

I saw the people of God joyful in expectation, looking for their Lord. But God designed to prove them. His hand covered a mistake in the reckoning of the prophetic periods. Those who were looking for their Lord did not discover this mistake, and the most learned men who opposed the time also failed to see it. God designed that His people should meet with a disappointment. The time passed, and those who had looked with joyful expectation for their Saviour were sad and disheartened, while those who had not loved the appearing of Jesus, but embraced the message through fear, were pleased that He did not come at the time of expectation. Their profession had not affected the heart and purified the life. The passing of the time was well calculated to reveal such hearts. They were the first to turn and ridicule the sorrowful, disappointed ones who really loved the appearing of their Saviour. I saw the wisdom of God in proving His people and giving them a searching test to discover those who would shrink and turn back in the hour of trial. {EW 235.3}

The test of time revealed the hearts as the time passed without the expected event. Note when this test happened! It was not 1844, but 1843, when the obvious, but covered “year 0” date calculation error was discovered. This error was publicly preached for a full decade and not one person ever noticed it! Many thousands of people, including those seeking to disprove it, all overlooked it until the prophetic second angel began to fly with the revised date. Compare that to today, where innumerable websites viciously attack the Adventist understanding because of this very discrepancy!

Once the 1843 date had passed, the test had run its course, and had sifted out those who were fearful and buried the talent instead of allowing it to purify their lives. Although some of them would continue to profess faith in the revised date, they had lost their former zeal, and the test proved that they had not the love that was required.

...In their love for Christ’s immediate coming, they had overlooked the tarrying of the vision, which was calculated to manifest the true waiting ones. Again they had a point of time. Yet I saw that many of them could not rise above their severe disappointment to possess that degree of zeal and energy which had marked their faith in 1843. {EW 236.1}

Satan and his angels triumphed over them, and those who would not receive the message congratulated themselves upon their farseeing judgment and wisdom in not receiving the delusion, as they called it. They did not realize that they were rejecting the counsel of God against themselves, and were working in union with Satan and his angels to perplex God’s people, who were living out the heaven-sent message. {EW 236.2}

Those who still hung on, but lost their zeal, had in fact lost their faith, just as those who rejected the entire movement as soon as the date in 1843 passed. The only difference was that the former had less of the “wisdom” of the latter, but their heart was equally devoid of the love of the truth, and they were hanging on “just in case” they were in danger. Fear was the motivation in both cases.

The bitter disappointment of 1844 was prophesied in Revelation 10 from the perspective of those who passed the test in 1843, for whom the little book (Daniel 8) was truly sweet (they loved the truth and longed to see Jesus at the end of the 2300 days of Daniel 8:14). Those who feared did not suffer disappointment in 1844, but relief.

And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open [i.e. the part of Daniel that they understood—especially 8:14] in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. (Revelation 10:8-10)

The test on time in 1843 was the climax of the Great Awakening of the preceding decades. The Lord had been stirring up His professed people in preparation to give them great light. Through Miller, the fig tree was shaken, and in 1843 many bright lights in the church fell to the earth, having rejected the Holy Spirit who was behind the Millerite movement. For those who had fallen, “heaven had departed as a scroll when it is rolled together.” The understanding of the scroll of Daniel 8 would forever be closed to them, and with it, heaven departed from them. A decided rejection of the movement of the Holy Spirit always leads to a closed door that cannot be reopened.

Mountains and Islands on the Move

While William Miller viewed the sixth seal in a very symbolic way, tying every element to some aspect of the French Revolution of the late 1700s, he offered nothing by way of the visible signs that the Bible indicates would attend the movements of the Holy Spirit in the last days:

And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: (Acts 2:17-20)

Understandably, Miller could not discern the true fulfillment of the sixth seal before the time had passed, but a better understanding was given the small group of Advent believers who remained after 1844. Nevertheless, they never discerned all the signs that led up to and attended the Millerite movement, due to their expectation that these signs would yet fulfill in very close proximity to the Second Coming. Again, however, as we come to grips with the reality that there was a divine change of plans, it behooves us to explain what the signs of the sixth seal represented in that time. Otherwise, the mainstream Adventist scholars would have a case against us, since it would not be right to say the seal concluded if we can’t explain what its symbols mean!

One great sign that occurred during that period not only fits the sixth seal description, but also carries links to the modern climate agenda and migration crisis. On April 10, 1815, two hundred years before the year of plagues began, Mount Tambora, a volcano on one of the Indonesian islands reaching as high as the Rocky Mountains that had recently begun showing signs of activity, suddenly burst its top. Forcing three columns of red-hot lava high in the air in a dramatic show that lasted three hours, it ejected some 50 cubic kilometers—billions of tons—of rock, ash, and sulfur dioxide gas more than 20 kilometers above the earth in the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history. It was by far the deadliest eruption on record, killing over 11,000 people directly and at least another 60,000 in the following weeks through starvation and disease, since the falling ash devastated crops over a wide area.

Some 55 million tons of sulfur dioxide was propelled so high that it escaped the troposphere where the weather happens and floated gracefully in the stable stratosphere with which it reacted to transform into 100 million tons of sulfuric acid nanoparticles. Gravity could only very slowly draw these almost weightless droplets out of the stratosphere, and they reflected away sunlight, causing a significant cooling effect during the following years sufficient to dub 1816 the “year without a summer.” Much of the northern hemisphere suffered cold, stormy, and even freezing temperatures throughout the growing season of May through September, which decimated crops and caused food shortages and famine in various parts of the world that persisted for two more years. This led hundreds of thousands to migrate to more hospitable areas over the ensuing years and created turbulence in the world economy as well.

The deafening sound of this eruption was heard more than 2000 kilometers away, and the shock wave shattered windows 400 km away. Many officials hundreds of kilometers away searched in vain for what they presumed was nearby canon fire. As the magma was ejected, the surface of the earth sank, burying one village in six meters of water at the same time that the shaking of the eruption produced a four-meter tsunami wave that flooded the Indonesian islands.

Thus, in a quite literal fashion, “every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” It begs the question, however, “What good is a sign that no one sees?” In 1815, news could only travel as fast as a sail boat could bring it, and it wasn’t until the mid-twentieth century that scientists began to connect this eruption to the abnormally cold summers of the following years! The answer is clear: It is a sign for those of us today, who can see it, pointing to the momentous events that were beginning to take shape at that time! William Miller’s conversion would take place in that Year Without a Summer of 1816, which led to his detailed studies that culminated in the test of 1843. It foretells of a time in the repeated sixth seal, when climate change and migrations would again become a weighty influence on societal concerns regarding the sustainability of mankind. This wouldn’t have carried meaning for those in the nineteenth century, but the eruption of Mount Sinabung and the potential extinction-level supervolcano of Yellowstone on February 1, 2014 that raised concerns at the beginning of the trumpet cycle—during the repeated sixth seal—also hearken back to Tambora and associate its significance to our day.

Fear of the Lord

The primary attribute of the remaining part of the text is a spirit of widespread fear:

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Revelation 6:15-17)

This widespread fear of the people in 1843 is well-captured by one disbelieving Mormon:

By early 1843, Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo already knew about Miller’s predictions and anticipated their failure. For example, in one article John Taylor wrote: “January 1843. We have now entered upon the year so anxiously looked for by many, as the year for the commencement of the Millennium. Mr. Miller’s numbers are now complete; and men’s hearts are failing them for fear, (in many places) looking for those things they expect to come on the earth. The 2nd of April will soon arrive.”

The fearful people didn’t want to see the Lord. They wanted to hide from Him as a natural reaction of fear, just as Adam and Eve demonstrated at the Fall.

And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. (Genesis 3:9-10)

Fear was a dominant attitude from all classes in 1843. They were afraid because they knew that they were naked, and like Adam, they sought cover by hiding. These fearful ones were convicted by Miller’s message, and in an instinctive effort to preserve their lives from the coming wrath, they “hid” among the “rocks” and in the shadows of the Millerite “mountain,” welcoming its message and professing belief as a cover to hide their guilty conscience from God’s searching eyes, but lacking the true, reverential fear of the Lord and the effective covering of His righteousness.

Although 1844 was the year of the Great Disappointment for the small band of Advent believers who remained, that year did not concern the world in general. The world’s fear was felt in 1843, not 1844, and thus the last verses of the sixth classical seal were indeed fulfilled well before the seals began to repeat in the judgment time.

In summary, let’s tabulate the comparison between the sixth classical seal and the sixth repeated seal:

The Sixth Classical Seal (For further detail regarding the fulfillments of the four traditional signs, see Signs of the End.)	The Sixth Repeated Seal (For detail regarding the repeated fulfillments, see Signs of the End, including its addendum.)
opened with world-impacting Lisbon earthquake of 1755	opened with world-impacting Japan earthquake of 2011 (see also slide 102 of the Orion Presentation)
sun darkened without an eclipse, May 19, 1780	a huge coronal hole darkens sun without an eclipse, July 2013 (see also slide 103 of the Orion Presentation)
the moon appears red without an eclipse, May 19, 1780	the moon goes through a rare blood moon tetrad, Spring 2014 - Autumn 2015 (see also slide 104 of the Orion Presentation)
the dramatic meteor shower of 1833 grabs widespread attention	the Chelyabinsk meteor grabs widespread attention and does damage (see also slides 105-107 of the Orion Presentation)
the Christian churches needed to be shaken with a time message	the Adventist church needed to be shaken with a time message
William Miller preaches the time	John Scotram preaches the time
the test on the time for Jesus’ return = a test of love for God	the test on the time for Jesus’ return = a test of love for God
culminated in the time-sensitive test of 1843: “Who can stand?”	culminated in the time-sensitive test of Sept. 25, 2015 (the UN “sustainable” climate policy): “Who can stand?” (See slides 110-113 of the Orion Presentation)
the scroll of Daniel 8 was rolled together and the door of the Holy Place soon shut	the scroll of Orion and the 3 Angels’ messages was rolled together and the door of mercy soon shut (see also slide 108 of the Orion Presentation)
the first angel’s message was a time message	the fourth angel’s message is a time message
those who didn’t truly love Jesus were pleased that He did not come	those who didn’t truly love Jesus were pleased when the message appeared to fail
about one additional year to the accurate date of the presumed Second Coming	about one additional year to the accurate date of the true Second Coming

The Sixth Classical Seal (6th C.S.) (For further detail regarding the fulfillments of the four traditional signs, see Signs of the End.)
The Sixth Repeated Seal (6th R.S.) (For detail regarding the repeated fulfillments, see Signs of the End, including its addendum.)
(6th C.S.): opened with world-impacting Lisbon earthquake of 1755
(6th R.S.): opened with world-impacting Japan earthquake of 2011 (see also slide 102 of the Orion Presentation)
(6th C.S.): sun darkened without an eclipse, May 19, 1780
(6th R.S.): a huge coronal hole darkens sun without an eclipse, July 2013 (see also slide 103 of the Orion Presentation)
(6th C.S.): the moon appears red without an eclipse, May 19, 1780
(6th R.S.): the moon goes through a rare blood moon tetrad, Spring 2014 - Autumn 2015 (see also slide 104 of the Orion Presentation)
(6th C.S.): the dramatic meteor shower of 1833 grabs widespread attention
(6th R.S.): the Chelyabinsk meteor grabs widespread attention and does damage (see also slides 105-107 of the Orion Presentation)
(6th C.S.): the Christian churches needed to be shaken with a time message
(6th R.S.): the Adventist church needed to be shaken with a time message
(6th C.S.): William Miller preaches the time
(6th R.S.): John Scotram preaches the time
(6th C.S.): the test on the time for Jesus’ return = a test of love for God
(6th R.S.): the test on the time for Jesus’ return = a test of love for God
(6th C.S.): culminated in the time-sensitive test of 1843: “Who can stand?”
(6th R.S.): culminated in the time-sensitive test of Sept. 25, 2015 (the UN “sustainable” climate policy): “Who can stand?” (See slides 110-113 of the Orion Presentation)
(6th C.S.): the scroll of Daniel 8 was rolled together and the door of the Holy Place soon shut
(6th R.S.): the scroll of Orion and the 3 Angels’ messages was rolled together and the door of mercy soon shut (see also slide 108 of the Orion Presentation)
(6th C.S.): the first angel’s message was a time message
(6th R.S.): the fourth angel’s message is a time message
(6th C.S.): those who didn’t truly love Jesus were pleased that He did not come
(6th R.S.): those who didn’t truly love Jesus were pleased when the message appeared to fail
(6th C.S.): about one additional year to the accurate date of the presumed Second Coming
(6th R.S.): about one additional year to the accurate date of the true Second Coming

Yes, the purpose of the Orion message was also to shake the world with the announcement of the time, just as it was God’s purpose for the Millerite message. The sixth seal repeated, and therefore the time test repeated. Ellen G. White’s statements regarding no time test after 1844 (and many other statements) applied to those under Moses’ follow-the-hornets model, not to those of us after 1890 who are under Joshua’s Jericho model. The decisions of God’s chosen people matter! Stand strong in the faith and may God bless all of His children with the knowledge of the time!

Appendix:

A) Signs of the Times, April 22, 1889 – Preparation for the Testing-Time.

By Mrs. E. G. White.

It is of the greatest importance to us that we obtain a knowledge of the Bible. Christ has said, “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein; for the time is at hand.” He has said again, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” He has also warned us to be on our guard against false doctrines. He said, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

Many false doctrines will be presented to us as the teaching of the Bible; but as we compare them with the law and the testimony we shall find that they are dangerous heresies. Our only safety is in becoming personally acquainted with the reasons of our faith. In the book of Revelation, we find warnings, injunctions, and promises given to John for the churches, and we need to understand these instructions more fully, that we may not be found in delusion. We should keep the condition of these churches as described in the Revelation before us, and discern our own spiritual deficiencies by the description of the deficiencies. We should heed the reproofs that are given to us in the counsel of the True Witness.

Christ has declared that “if any man do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God.” The Lord of Heaven has not left his people in darkness. He has revealed to them his truth for this time. While many of the professed followers of Christ have lapsed away into error and apostasy, those who have walked in the light, not only hear, but read and understand, the prophecies of his word. The law of God will be made void in the world; its authority will be despised just as it was in Heaven in the first great rebellion; and God would have us intelligent to note the movement of the nations, so that we may see the signal of danger, and recognize the warnings that he has given us, that we may not be found on the side of the great deceiver in the crisis that is just before us.

God has made full provision in the Scriptures for our equipment against deception, and we shall be without excuse, if, through neglect of God's word, we are unable to resist the errors of the evil one. We need to watch unto prayer. We need daily to search the Scriptures diligently, that we may not be ensnared by some delusive error that seems like truth.

I found in traveling through Europe, that I was not acquainted with some of the minor laws of the country, and I was under the necessity of being informed as to the customs of the people lest I should be found a transgressor. But how particular we should be to understand the law of God, so that we may not be under condemnation as law-breakers. It is the willing and obedient that God will bless. If we are desirous of understanding the law of earthly Governments, how much more should we desire to know what God requires of us. If we are anxious to understand our duty, he will not leave us to be enshrouded in darkness, but will enlighten our understanding so that we shall know for ourselves what is truth.

We do not want to be found receiving dangerous error as truth. We do not wish to imperil our souls by rejection of God's messages of warning and counsel. Our greatest danger lies in our tendency to refuse increased light, and our only safety is to see and understand for ourselves “what saith the Lord.” Says the prophet, “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” The word of God alone is to be the rule of our faith and doctrine. A great contest is coming in regard to the law of Jehovah in our own day; but we read in Isaiah these words of instruction: “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, which dwelleth in Mount Zion.” The controversy in regard to the law of God has begun, and we must be prepared to give a reason of the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear. We must know where our feet are standing.

Although the law of God will be almost universally made void in the world, there will be a remnant of the righteous that will be obedient to God's requirements. The wrath of the dragon will be directed against the loyal servants of Heaven. Says the prophet, “The dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” We can see from this scripture that it is not the true church of God that makes war with those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. It is the people who make void the law, who place themselves on the side of the dragon, and persecute those who vindicate God's precepts.

There are many who will tell you that if you keep the law of God you have fallen from grace. They make strong assertions for which they have no foundation, to lead people astray, for they do not know whereof they speak. The prophet says, “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Those who are seeking to destroy the law are not of the class who are sealing the law among the disciples of Christ, but they are of the class who “shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken.” The dragon is represented as persecuting those who keep God's commandments. Evil angels conspire with evil men against God and his people. Persons of influence are stirred with a power from beneath; the energies of apostasy are united to deceive or to destroy the champions of truth.

John writes concerning scenes that have to do with our own time. He says, “The temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” That ark contains the tables whereon is engraven the law of God. On the Isle of Patmos, John beheld in prophetic vision the people of God, and saw that at this time the attention of the loyal and true followers of Christ would be attracted to the open door of the most holy place in the heavenly sanctuary. He saw that by faith they would follow Jesus within the veil where he ministers above the ark of God containing his immutable law. The prophet described the faithful ones, saying, “Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” This is the class that excite the wrath of the dragon because they obey God, and are loyal to his commandments.

The winds of doctrine will blow fiercely about us, but we should not be moved by them. God has given us a correct standard of righteousness and truth,--the law and the testimony. There are many who profess to love God, but when the Scriptures are opened before them, and evidences are presented showing the binding claims of God's law, they manifest the spirit of the dragon. They hate the light, and will not come to it, lest their deeds should be reproved. They will not compare their faith and doctrine with the law and the testimony. They turn away their ears from hearing the truth, and impatiently declare that all they want to hear about is faith in Christ. They claim to be guided by the Spirit, and yet their spirit leads them contrary to the law of Heaven. They refuse to acknowledge the fourth commandment, which requires men to keep holy the Sabbath-day. They declare that the Lord has instructed them that they need not keep the Sabbath of his law.

The word of God declares, “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.” It is not enough to nominally assent to the truth, we must have its principles interwoven with the life, and wrought into the very character. We may well be afraid of any class who refuse to compare their faith and doctrine with the Scriptures. There is safety alone in taking the Scriptures as our rule of life, and as the test of our doctrines. Martin Luther exclaimed, “The Bible, and the Bible alone, is the foundation of our faith!” Our work is to hold up the law of God; for Christ has said that “it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than for one tittle of the law to fail.” He has said, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” - {ST April 22, 1889}

B) Maranatha, Chap. 157 - Apostasy Prepares the Way

By Mrs. E. G. White.

Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. 2 Thess. 2:3.

When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of “heresy.”...

Whenever the church has obtained secular power, she has employed it to punish dissent from her doctrines. Protestant churches that have followed in the steps of Rome by forming alliance with worldly powers have manifested a similar desire to restrict liberty of conscience. An example of this is given in the long-continued persecution of dissenters by the Church of England. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, thousands of nonconformist ministers were forced to flee from their churches, and many, both of pastors and people, were subjected to fine, imprisonment, torture, and martyrdom.

It was apostasy that led the early church to seek the aid of the civil government, and this prepared the way for the development of the papacy--the beast. Said Paul: “There” shall “come a falling away..., and that man of sin be revealed.” 2 Thessalonians 2:3. So apostasy in the church will prepare the way for the image to the beast.

Satan will work with all power and “with all deceivableness of unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10. His working is plainly revealed by the rapidly increasing darkness, the multitudinous errors, heresies, and delusions of these last days. Not only is Satan leading the world captive, but his deceptions are leavening the professed churches of our Lord Jesus Christ. The great apostasy will develop into darkness deep as midnight. To God's people it will be a night of trial, a night of weeping, a night of persecution for the truth's sake. But out of that night of darkness God's light will shine. {Mar 165.1–4}

C) Review and Herald, January 10, 1888 – The Faith That Will Stand the Test.

By Mrs. E. G. White.

The time has fully come when darkness is called light, and light is called darkness. We are living in an age when sham liberality is extolled; when those who scatter falsehood, false doctrines, and soul-destroying heresies are received and exalted by society, and the most terrible deeds of iniquity are glossed over and excused on the plea of charity. Even the voices from the pulpits of our land are saying, “It shall be well with the transgressor.” Sin is not dealt with as a thing of fearful consequence, destined to bring inevitable ruin upon those who persist in its indulgence. It is not pictured in its abhorrent character before the people of the world. Smooth things are prophesied by false teachers, and the multitudes are resting in their sin, unmindful of the solemn warnings and examples of the word of God. The time has come when we should “sigh and . . cry for all the abominations” that are done in the land.

While the law of God is being made void in our world, there is a decided testimony to be borne. The truth is to be presented in its native force and clearness, whether men will hear or whether they will forbear. This cannot be done without exciting opposition. Those who refuse to receive the love of the truth will not rest without attempting to retard its progress. They have been turned unto fables, and will unite with the great adversary of souls to bring the message of heaven into contempt.

The apostle Paul warns us that “some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” This is what we may expect. Our greatest trials will come because of that class who have once advocated the truth, but who turn from it to the world, and trample it under their feet in hate and derision. God has a work for his faithful servants to do. The attacks of the enemy must be met with the truth of his word. Falsehood must be unmasked, its true character must be revealed, and the light of the law of Jehovah must shine forth into the moral darkness of the world. We are to present the claims of his word. We shall not be held guiltless if we neglect this solemn duty. But while we stand in defense of the truth, let us not stand in defense of self, and make a great ado because we are called to bear reproach and misrepresentation. Let us not pity ourselves, but be very jealous for the law of the Most High.

Says the apostle, “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” On every side we see men easily led captive by the delusive imaginations of those who make void the word of God; but when the truth is brought before them, they are filled with impatience and anger. But the exhortation of the apostle to the servant of God is, “Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” In his day some left the cause of the Lord. He writes, “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world;” and again, he says, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.”

Prophets and apostles experienced similar trials of opposition and reproach, and even the spotless Lamb of God was tempted in all points like as we are. He bore the contradiction of sinners against himself.

Every warning for this time must be faithfully delivered; but “the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves.” We must cherish carefully the words of our God lest we be contaminated by the deceptive workings of those who have left the faith. We are to resist their spirit and influence with the same weapon our Master used when assailed by the prince of darkness,--“It is written.” We should learn to use the word of God skillfully. The exhortation is, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” There must be diligent work and earnest prayer and faith to meet the winding error of false teachers and seducers; for “in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” These words portray the character of the men the servants of God will have to meet. “False accusers,” “despisers of those that are good,” will attack those who are faithful to their God in this degenerate age. But the embassador of Heaven must manifest the spirit that was displayed in the Master. In humility and love he must labor for the salvation of men.

Paul continues concerning those who oppose the work of God, comparing them to the men who made war against the faithful in the time of ancient Israel. He says: “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth; men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.” We know that the time is coming when the folly of warring against God will be revealed. We can afford to wait in calm patience and trust, no matter how much maligned and despised; for “nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest,” and those who honor God shall be honored by him in the presence of men and angels. We are to share in the sufferings of the reformers. It is written, “The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.” Christ understands our grief. Not one of us is called to bear the cross alone. The suffering Man of Calvary is touched with the feeling of our woes, and as he has suffered being tempted, he is able also to succor them that are in sorrow and trial for his sake. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned.”

God has provided abundant means for successful warfare with principalities and powers and spiritual wickedness in high places; for “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” The Bible is the armory where we may equip for the struggle. Our loins must be girt about with truth. Our breastplate must be righteousness. The shield of faith must be in our hands, the helmet of salvation shine on our brows, and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, be wielded to cut our way through the ranks of our bitter foes. We must be ready, at the command of our Captain to follow where he may lead. We must be doers of his word, not deceiving our own selves.

If we look to self, and trust in self, we shall surely fall from our steadfastness. The terrible tempest that is gathering will sweep away our sandy foundation, and leave our house a wreck on the shores of time; but the house that is built upon the rock shall stand forever. We must be “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.” The apostle spoke some plain words to his Hebrew brethren, that meet the condition of many of those who profess the truth for this time. “We have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. [They were not quick to discern the things of the Spirit of God.] For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” It is positively necessary for those who believe the truth, to be making continual advancement, growing up unto the full stature of men and women in Christ Jesus. There is no time for backsliding and indifference. Each one must have a living experience in the things of God. Have root in yourselves. Become grounded in the faith, so that having done all you may stand, with unwavering confidence in God, through the time that will try every man's work and character. Exercise your powers in spiritual things, till you can appreciate the deep things of God's word, and go on from strength to strength.

There are thousands who claim to have the light of truth who take no steps in advance. They have no living experience, notwithstanding they have had every advantage. They do not know what consecration means. Their devotions are formal and hollow, and there is no depth to their piety. The word of God offers spiritual liberty and enlightenment to those who seek for it earnestly. Those who accept the promises of God, and act on them with living faith, will have the light of heaven in their lives. They will drink of the fountain of life, and lead others to the waters that have refreshed their own souls. We must have that faith in God that takes him at his word. We can have no victory without cloudless confidence; for “without faith it is impossible to please” God. It is faith that connects us with the power of Heaven, and that brings us the strength for coping with the powers of darkness. “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” In order to exercise intelligent faith we should study the word of God. The Bible, and the Bible alone, communicates a correct knowledge of the character of God and his will concerning us. The duty and the destiny of man are defined in its pages. The conditions on which we may hope for eternal life are explicitly stated, and the doom of those who neglect so great a salvation is foretold in the most forcible language.

Had the Bible been received as the voice of God to man, as the book of books, as the one infallible rule of faith and practice, we would not have seen the law of Heaven made void, and the swelling tide of iniquity devouring our land.

As men wander away from the truth into skepticism, everything becomes uncertain and unreal, No thorough conviction takes hold of the soul. No faith is exercised in the Scripture as the revelation of God to men. There is nothing authoritative in its commands, nothing terrifying in its warnings, nothing inspiring in its promises. To the skeptic it is meaningless and contradictory.

There are many among us who are not cultivating faith. They have a vacillating experience. They are “like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” Sometimes they seem strong in faith, then a blast of unbelief sweeps over them, and they are filled with gloom and doubt. They make no decided efforts to recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil, but are taken captive by him at his will. There are others who, when assailed by temptations of unbelief, flee to the word of God and to earnest prayer, and they are not left to the power of the enemy. The day is coming that will reveal whether we are building on the solid rock or the sliding sand.

If men could realize the blighting influence of doubt upon their minds, if they could but see into the future, they would realize the imperative need of cultivating firm trust in God and implicit confidence in his promises. They would not sow one grain of unbelief; for every single grain blossoms into fruit. Satan is a living, active agent. It is his business to encourage skepticism, and every word of doubt is carefully nourished by the adversary of souls. While men sleep in indifference, suggestions that weaken faith are insinuated into the heart. Influences that confuse the perception of truth are brought to bear upon the life. In every way possible, Satan strives to turn souls from the narrow path that leads to heaven; and because men love darkness they follow the voice of strangers, and reject the call of the Good Shepherd who gave his life for the sheep. The plain, authoritative “Thus saith the Lord,” is refused for some winding sophistry of error. Infidelity has increased in proportion as men have questioned the word and requirements of their Maker. They have taken up the work of cheapening character, and lessening faith in the inspiration of the Bible. Men claiming great wisdom have presumed to criticise and cut and cull the words of the living God, and have started questions to make shipwreck of the happiness of their fellow-men and to ruin their hopes of heaven. This is a work that is pleasing to the enemy of all righteousness. The arguments that men bring against the Bible are the result of the counsels of the evil one. The door of their minds was opened to his suggestions, and the more they drifted into error, the greater grew their desire to draw other souls into the same channel of darkness.

Many claim to believe the Bible, and their names are enrolled on the church records, who are among the most influential agents of Satan. The work they are doing they will not consider an honor to them in the day of Judgment. It will then be seen that every effort that weakened faith was made at a terrible loss. The tremendous price that must be paid will sink them into everlasting shame and ruin. The only safety is in rejecting instantly every suggestion of unbelief. Do not open your mind to entertain doubts, for even an instant; bid them a decided refusal as they come to you for admission. Fasten the mind upon the promises of God. Talk of them, rejoice in them; and the peace of God will rule in your hearts.

The fruits of doubt are not desirable. Oh! look around you and see what havoc has been wrought by the machinations of the evil one. Error and falsehood and heresy have held high carnival in the deceived hearts of men. From century to century the adversary has repeated his experiments with growing success; for in spite of the sad records of lives that have gone out in darkness, as moths fly to the fire, so men rush on into the ruinous deceptions that he has prepared to entrap them. If you desire salvation, I entreat you to shun his insinuations concerning the truth of God's word. Come to the “sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place.” If that is not authoritative, what is? If the word of the Lord of heaven and earth is not solid rock upon which to build, then it is in vain to look for a sure foundation. “Heaven and earth shall pass away,” but “the word of the Lord endureth forever;” and unwavering faith in his word is the only faith that will endure through the perils of the last days. - {RH January 10, 1888}

D) Signs of the Times, February 11, 1897 – The Obedient and the Disobedient. The Contrast.

By Mrs. E. G. White.

God's law is his great standard of righteousness. This law is perfect in all its requirements; and God calls upon us to obey it; for by it our cases will be decided in that day when the books of heaven are opened, and the deeds of all come up in review before the Judge of the universe.

But there are, and ever have been, two classes in this world; and the question, What constitutes the difference between these two classes? is grave and important. One class love and fear God; the other do not wish to retain him in their knowledge. One class render obedience to his law; the other disregard and disobey his requirements.

Those who are unwilling to obey God's law declare that it is done away, that God has abolished it. But if this law is perfect, why should God abolish or change it? That which is perfect can not be improved by any change. An attempt to remodel a perfect enactment only causes imperfection. God has neither abolished nor changed his law. It is the foundation of his government; and it will stand forever, the immutable, unalterable standard which all must reach would they be saved. “Till heaven and earth pass,” declared Christ, “one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

“The law of the Lord is perfect,” writes the psalmist, “converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. . . . Moreover by them is thy servant warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward.” How then does the God of heaven look upon those who pour contempt upon his law? Let not the words spoken against the law of God by those who refuse to obey it, be regarded as wise; for God has said, “The wise in heart will receive commandments; but a prating fool shall fall.”

After Adam lost Eden by disobedience, and sin entered the world, men became more and more disobedient. The entire world, with a few exceptions, were given up to depravity and corruption. “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.' And by a flood the Lord swept the earth of its moral corruption.

But even in that age the Lord had his representatives. These men loved God; they obeyed him; and he gave them light and truth. Christ walked with them, giving them moral power to obey him, and opening before them the future of this earth's history, and the scene of his second coming. “Enoch walked with God; and he was not; for God took him.” Of him Jude writes, “Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

Noah, too, witnessed for God in that age of wickedness. “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.” When God was about to destroy the inhabitants of the earth with a flood, he said to Noah, “Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.”

What constituted the difference between Enoch and Noah, and those who were destroyed by the flood? Enoch and Noah were obedient to the law of God; the others walked in the imagination of their own hearts, and corrupted their ways before the Lord, disregarding all his requirements. By their disobedience they separated themselves from him, and provoked him to destroy them. Enoch and Noah were found righteous when tested by the law of God. Had the antediluvians kept the way of God, had they obeyed his commandments, they too would have been found righteous, and would have received the Lord's commendation.

In his letter to the Romans Paul writes of the obedient and the disobedient. “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,” he says; “for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” These are the obedient. As faith in God increases, the more distinctly we endure the seeing of him who is invisible, and we are strengthened to obey him.

The apostle then presents the great army of the disobedient, those who do not love to retain God in their knowledge, but choose their own disloyal ways, and follow the imagination of their own hearts: “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse; because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.”

Peter also outlines two classes, one approved of God, because obedient to all his commandments; the other disloyal to him, sinning against him because transgressing his law; for “sin is the transgression of the law.” “There were false prophets also among the people,” he writes, “even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you.” But he says, “the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.

“As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.” Now, as then, the servers of mammon, careless, indifferent, and disobedient, go on and on, neglecting the great salvation so freely offered to them, failing to recognize God, or to offer him thanksgiving and praise. The Lord has manifested himself in his works, which the eye can see and the senses discern; in terms too plain to be misunderstood, he has declared his will in his word. But the disobedient do not see God in the manifold works of creation; they do not hear his voice speaking to them out of his word. The light of truth is offered to them, but they choose sin. They follow their own imaginations, as did the inhabitants of the Noetic world, placing their desires and ambitions above all else.

It is a marvel to the heavenly host that God bears so long with the transgressors of his law. But God is long-suffering, and abundant in mercy. His sun shines upon the evil and upon the good, upon those who are so blinded by the deceiving power of Satan that they deny the existence of Omnipotence, and upon those who strive earnestly to do his will. He gives men richly “all things to enjoy,” and tho all do not acknowledge him as worthy of their praise or service, yet he bears patiently with them, and his voice of entreaty is still heard: “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” He would have “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

God ever commends obedience. For their obedience Enoch was translated to heaven, and Noah was saved from the flood that deluged the earth. “Behold,” writes the psalmist. “the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.” “I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not; yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together; the end of the wicked shall be cut off.”

Weakened through sin, we can not of ourselves keep the law of God. But Christ came to our world to restore the moral image of God in men, and to bring them back from the path of disobedience to a path of obedience. His mission to the world was to reveal the character of God by living the law, which is the foundation of his government; and those who will accept him as their personal Saviour will grow in grace, and in his strength will be enabled to obey the law of God. {ST, February 11, 1897 par. 15} When Christ comes in the clouds of heaven only two classes, the obedient and the disobedient, will meet him. And only those who, having had the light upon God's requirements, have been obedient to him, can meet him with joy. Those who have persisted in a course of disobedience, will flee in terror, hiding in the dens of the mountains, and saying to the rocks and the mountains, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” But those who have honored God by their obedience, will look up, and say, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him; we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Mrs. E. G. White. - {ST February 11, 1897}

E) “History Repeats” in the Writings of Ellen G. White

As I thoroughly researched all available writings of Ellen G. White from the White Estate CD, I found 222 texts with the following search string: “history AND (repeated OR repeats OR repeating OR repeat OR repetition)”...

• If anybody uses history to show the actual sins to the professed people of God, he will be silenced:

When Stephen was questioned as to the truth of the charges against him, he began his defense in a clear, thrilling voice, which rang through the council hall. In words that held the assembly spellbound, he proceeded to rehearse the history of the chosen people of God. He showed a thorough knowledge of the Jewish economy and the spiritual interpretation of it now made manifest through Christ. He repeated the words of Moses that foretold of the Messiah: “A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear.” He made plain his own loyalty to God and to the Jewish faith, while he showed that the law in which the Jews trusted for salvation had not been able to save Israel from idolatry. He connected Jesus Christ with all the Jewish history. He referred to the building of the temple by Solomon, and to the words of both Solomon and Isaiah: “Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool: what house will ye build Me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of My rest? Hath not My hand made all these things?”

When Stephen reached this point, there was a tumult among the people. When he connected Christ with the prophecies and spoke as he did of the temple, the priest, pretending to be horror-stricken, rent his robe. To Stephen this act was a signal that his voice would soon be silenced forever. He saw the resistance that met his words and knew that he was giving his last testimony. Although in the midst of his sermon, he abruptly concluded it. {AA 99.2–100.1}

• The history of the suffering and persecution of Jesus will repeat:

“Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey.” Isa. 59:14, 15. This was fulfilled in the life of Christ on earth. He was loyal to God's commandments, setting aside the human traditions and requirements which had been exalted in their place. Because of this He was hated and persecuted. This history is repeated. The laws and traditions of men are exalted above the law of God, and those who are true to God's commandments suffer reproach and persecution. Christ, because of His faithfulness to God, was accused as a Sabbathbreaker and blasphemer. He was declared to be possessed of a devil, and was denounced as Beelzebub. In like manner His followers are accused and misrepresented. Thus Satan hopes to lead them to sin, and cast dishonor upon God. {COL 170.3}

• Fraud against God will be repeated in the church today:

In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, the sin of fraud against God was speedily punished. The same sin was often repeated in the after history of the church and is committed by many in our time. {AA 76.1}

Covetousness was first cherished; then, ashamed to have their brethren know that their selfish souls grudged that which they had solemnly dedicated and pledged to God, deception was practiced. . . . When convicted of their falsehood, their punishment was instant death.

Not to the early church only, but to all future generations, this example of God's hatred of covetousness, fraud, and hypocrisy, was given as a danger-signal. . . . When the heart is stirred by the influence of the Holy Spirit, and a vow is made to give a certain amount, the one who vows has no longer any right to the consecrated portion. Promises of this kind made to men would be looked upon as binding; are those not more binding that are made to God? . . .

Many spend money lavishly in self-gratification. Men and women consult their pleasure and gratify their taste, while they bring to God, almost unwillingly, a stinted offering. They forget that God will one day demand a strict account of how His goods have been used, and that He will no more accept the pittance they hand into the treasury than He accepted the offering of Ananias and Sapphira. {CC 330.3–5}

• Scoffing, hatred, and ridicule will be repeated against those who have been called by God to the work:

Same Obstacles Confront Leaders Today.--The experience of Nehemiah is repeated in the history of God's people in this time. Those who labor in the cause of truth will find that they cannot do this without exciting the anger of its enemies. Though they have been called of God to the work in which they are engaged, and their course is approved of Him, they cannot escape reproach and derision. They will be denounced as visionary, unreliable, scheming hypocritical,--anything, in short, that will suit the purpose of their enemies. The most sacred things will be represented in a ridiculous light to amuse the ungodly. A very small amount of sarcasm and low wit, united with envy, jealousy, impiety, and hatred, in sufficient to excite the mirth of the profane scoffer. And these presumptuous jesters sharpen one another's ingenuity, and embolden each other in their blasphemous work. Contempt and derision are indeed painful to human nature; but they must be endured by all who are true to God. It is the policy of Satan thus to turn souls from doing the work which the Lord has laid upon them.--Southern Watchman, April 12, 1904. {ChS 173.3}

• God Himself speaks to Ellen G. White and tells her that all that she writes in the Great Controversy is history that will be repeated. This is exactly the history since the fall of Jerusalem to the time of the end. The first six seals:

Experience of Ellen G. White While Writing The Great Controversy.--I was moved by the Spirit of the Lord to write that book, and while working upon it, I felt a great burden upon my soul. I knew that time was short, that the scenes which are soon to crowd upon us would at the last come very suddenly and swiftly, as represented in the words of Scripture: “The day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2)

The Lord has set before me matters which are of urgent importance for the present time, and which reach into the future. The words have been spoken in a charge to me, “Write in a book the things which thou hast seen and heard, and let it go to all people; for the time is at hand when past history will be repeated.” I have been aroused at one, two, or three o'clock in the morning, with some point forcibly impressed upon my mind, as if spoken by the voice of God. I was shown that many of our own people were asleep in their sins, and although they claimed to be Christians, they would perish unless they were converted.

The solemn impressions made upon my mind as the truth was laid out in clear lines before me, I tried to bring before others, that each might feel the necessity of having a religious experience for himself, of having a knowledge of the Saviour for himself, of seeking repentance, faith, love, hope, and holiness for himself.

I was assured that there was no time to lose. The appeals and warnings must be given; our churches must be aroused, must be instructed, that they may give the warning to all whom they can possibly reach, declaring that the sword is coming, that the Lord's anger upon a profligate world will not long be deferred. I was shown that many would listen to the warning. Their minds would be prepared to discern the very things that it pointed out to them.

I was shown that much of my time had been occupied in speaking to the people, when it was more essential that I should devote myself to writing out the important matters for Volume IV, [TO ELLEN WHITE THE 1888 EDITION OF THE GREAT CONTROVERSY WAS STILL VOLUME IV IN THE PRESENTATION OF THE GREAT CONTROVERSY STORY, AND WAS OFTEN REFERRED TO BY HER AS SUCH. --COMPILERS.] that the warning must go where the living messenger could not go, and that it would call the attention of many to the important events to occur in the closing scenes of this world's history.

As the condition of the church and the world was opened before me, and I beheld the fearful scenes that lie just before us, I was alarmed at the outlook; and night after night, while all in the house were sleeping, I wrote out the things given me of God. I was shown the heresies which are to arise, the delusions that will prevail, the miracle-working power of Satan--the false Christs that will appear--that will deceive the greater part even of the religious world, and that would, if it were possible, draw away even the elect.

Is this work of the Lord? I know that it is, and our people also profess to believe it. The warning and instruction of this book are needed by all who profess to believe the present truth.--Letter 1, 1890. {3SM 113.4–114.4}

• If we do not learn from history, history must be repeated:

The dealings of God with His people should be often repeated. How frequently were the waymarks set up by the Lord in His dealings with ancient Israel! Lest they should forget the history of the past, He commanded Moses to frame these events into song, that parents might teach them to their children. They were to gather up memorials and to lay them up in sight. Special pains were taken to preserve them, that when the children should inquire concerning these things, the whole story might be repeated. Thus the providential dealings and the marked goodness and mercy of God in His care and deliverance of His people were kept in mind. We are exhorted to “call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions” (Heb. 10:32). For His people in this generation the Lord has wrought as a wonder-working God. . . . We need often to recount God's goodness and to praise Him for His wonderful works. {CC 364.2}

• Separation from the false leaders will happen because the history of Jesus’ withdrawal from Judea will be repeated:

The Sanhedrin had rejected Christ's message and was bent upon His death; therefore Jesus departed from Jerusalem, from the priests, the temple, the religious leaders, the people who had been instructed in the law, and turned to another class to proclaim His message, and to gather out those who should carry the gospel to all nations.

As the light and life of men was rejected by the ecclesiastical authorities in the days of Christ, so it has been rejected in every succeeding generation. Again and again the history of Christ's withdrawal from Judea has been repeated. When the Reformers preached the word of God, they had no thought of separating themselves from the established church; but the religious leaders would not tolerate the light, and those that bore it were forced to seek another class, who were longing for the truth. In our day few of the professed followers of the Reformers are actuated by their spirit. Few are listening for the voice of God, and ready to accept truth in whatever guise it may be presented. Often those who follow in the steps of the Reformers are forced to turn away from the churches they love, in order to declare the plain teaching of the word of God. And many times those who are seeking for light are by the same teaching obliged to leave the church of their fathers, that they may render obedience. {DA 232.1–2}

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