In the previous article, I outlined the story of God the Father’s movements from February 2012 to January 2014. That was a time of preparation in heaven for God the Father’s trial in the heavenly Court. If we are going to participate as witnesses or jurors in the Father’s trial, then we need to prepare here on earth as well. You can be sure that the accusing party is diligently preparing. In this article, we’ll take a step back to the year 2010 to learn what we can about the preparations on both sides of the battle.

First of all, we must understand the nature of the conflict. The question at the center of the controversy is this: Is God really as loving as He presents Himself? Or is He the selfish tyrant that Satan makes him out to be? It is ultimately a question of whether God deserves to rule the universe.

Our perception of God is shaped by many factors, but they can all be summarized in terms of our belief system. If a person believes God is an angry tyrant, that person will find themselves on the side of Satan arguing that God is not worthy to rule. On the other hand, a person who believes that God is loving and just will want to defend Him.

For this reason, doctrines are at the heart of the controversy. The truth—or true doctrines—tend to give us a clearer conception of God’s true character. Lies and false doctrines, on the other hand, tend to distort our perception of God.

That is why there is a prevailing effort to downplay the importance of doctrine in the churches. Without true and firm doctrines founded on the Word of God, the mind is susceptible to all manner of deception, beginning with the very first assault on faith:

Yea, hath God said…? (Genesis 3:1)

The last battle is a spiritual battle—a battle for the mind. Our weapons are not bombs or bullets.

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

In the above verses, we learn that our weapons are for “casting down imaginations.” Imaginations are ideas which do not necessarily correspond to reality. They are thoughts that can prevent us from having a true concept of God’s character. Our weapons are aimed at throwing down these false ideas.

True sanctification comes through the working out of the principle of love. “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16. The life of him in whose heart Christ abides, will reveal practical godliness. The character will be purified, elevated, ennobled, and glorified. Pure doctrine will blend with works of righteousness; heavenly precepts will mingle with holy practices. {AA 560.1}

Ideas shape actions. The weapons of our warfare are not only intellectual, but practical. They first bring the thoughts into obedience, and thus the actions follow in obedience too.

If the actions do not reflect the profession, then there is something wrong. There is a disconnect somewhere. This is the situation we find ourselves in at the beginning of our story in 2010. We find ourselves in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and we find that its actions do not reflect its profession. Something is wrong, but what?

The Remedy for Laodicea

It disgusts me to have to say that many Adventists proudly consider themselves “Laodiceans” as if that is a badge of honor. Laodicea is the lukewarm church that Jesus spewed out of his mouth! But the fact is they are right. They are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked just like the True Witness says:

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. (Revelation 3:14-22)

Thus it was to Laodicea, to the Adventist Church, that the Lord gave the Orion message as a loving rebuke and chastisement. Be zealous therefore, and repent! The Lord didn’t want His church to be seen in shame, and that’s why He rebuked them in love.

Figure 1 – The stages of preparation on both sides of the controversy.

On the Sabbath of January 23, 2010, John Scotram published The Orion Message. Brother John was the human instrumentality that brought it out, but the message itself has its origin in the Word of God. Although nobody knew it at the time, that publication date turned out to be exactly according to God’s impeccable timing.

Sadly, the Church spurned the message. Many of the individuals who recognized the need for revival and reformation failed to see it as their own internal need, but instead they staked their hopes on Ted Wilson, elected later that year, as an external solution to the problems in the church. Having closed their ears to conspiracy “theories,” the vast majority still haven’t even figured out that he works for the enemy. Is it really hard to understand that he is made to look good on purpose to fool you?

The Lord had opened a door in heaven, but for nearly two years only a few souls entered it. I was one of those who contacted Brother John out of a thirst for more of the water of life. I was among those who were studying with him in his private forum when we completed another breakthrough exactly 4 × 168 days after the publication of the Orion message. Our readers should recognize 168 as the Orion number, but I will save my exploration of the deeper meaning of these numbers for the next article. The important thing to see now is that God orchestrates His will on Earth according to a schedule.

The Orion message was published publicly, but the Lord orchestrated that the new study would be completed in our private forum on His exact timing. Instead of pointing to a publication date, He pointed to an availability date: November 26, 2011. The study of the High Sabbath List (a.k.a. The Vessel of Time or The Gene of Life) was completed on that date and available to any who would enter through the “door” of the Orion message.

This illustrates an important principle of how God works. Those who sit on the fence and don’t believe the messages that He sends them cannot benefit from further light. Don’t linger when the Holy Spirit is pleading with you! Move forward in faith before He ceases his pleading and leaves you to yourself!

It also shows that following the light involves positive action. Those who first benefited from the High Sabbath List were those who actually contacted their brethren and participated in the study. We will see another example of this principle in the next article.

Like clockwork, the Lord then allowed 3 × 168 days to pass, with the pinnacle of the great chiasm of time positioned precisely at the 2 × 168 day mark: October 27, 2012 (see The Time of Trouble, Figure 6). That date should be very familiar to our readers by now (from The End of the SDA Church and Christmas 2.0), but its full significance cannot be appreciated without an understanding of the High Sabbath List. Thus once again we see the principle that those who do not accept the present light that shines on their pathway are unable to receive further light. First, one has to enter the “door” of the Orion message. Then, they can receive the High Sabbath List. Having both, they can begin to understand the times.

Why did the Lord give this twofold warning? Why the Orion message and the High Sabbath List?

These messages are rich with the gold, white raiment, and eyesalve that are needed to heal the Laodicean condition. They highlight the distinctive truths that are needed to guide our thinking into the right channels so that we will have a correct understanding of God’s character to be able to testify for Him.

The Weapons of our Warfare

Think for a moment about how doctrines affect our thinking, and in turn our actions. The principle works in the reverse direction too: our cherished actions (habits) lock us into a way of thinking, which in turn causes us to espouse doctrines that ultimately support our behavior.

Let’s study a little bit and see if we can see this principle as it applies in the HSL.

1. In the first triplet of the HSL, a specific character defect proved to be the stumbling block for those who gave up their faith in the Second Advent after the Great Disappointment of October 22, 1844.

   The majority of people had joined the movement for selfish motives. They were worried about saving their own self. Some even sold their homes, lands, and goods, but when “nothing happened” they denied that God had been leading the movement. They went back to their fields, to their cities, to their lives. They didn’t examine themselves to see if perhaps the error was in them.

   A few did, like Hiram Edson. But the majority blamed God.

   How often do we do that today? How often do things not go as we expect, and instead of searching for our own mistakes we deny that God has been leading?

   The majority in 1844 were converted by fear. Fear is a most primitive motivator, and is completely egotistical. It is a survival mechanism. It is about saving one’s self.

   Can you see the character failure that led people to reject the movements of the 1840’s and the sanctuary doctrine, and all time prophecy along with it? Do you see the principle at work? How do you stand in comparison when you examine your own self?

2. The church organized during the second triplet of the HSL. Organization can be good or bad. The church organized for the good reason that they could accomplish more by organizing than they could have otherwise.

   The danger was that the organization that was initially structured from the bottom up could be perverted. Over time, it could become a “kingly power” ruling from the top down. This principle can be clearly seen in United States politics as well as the church.

   What character defect facilitates this general problem?

   When the people are not careful, they begin to feel comfortable letting others rule over them. They tolerate it at first, but over time they begin to enjoy criticizing their leaders. Over time they elect more and more leaders who will tell them what to do, because it relieves them of personal responsibility and gives them someone to blame when things don’t go well.

   Eventually, you end up with a state of affairs much like the present, all because people don’t take care of their organization, but instead let the organization take care of them. It is a laxness that tolerates wrongs until the wrongs are overpowering.

   The little guy at the bottom has to do the enforcing, and that is how the bottom-up structure can be maintained. But when the little guy keeps quiet while reading one thing in the Bible and seeing the leaders do something else, it is his own character defect.

   Do you see how the character defect leads to the wrong kind of organization?

   This triplet has the same code as the 2010-2012 triplet, indicating that the organization that began in 1861-1863 has reached its end. Lo, and behold! The kingly power has in fact broken under the pressure of the WO [Woman's Ordination] and LGBT issues.

I hope you’re starting to see how the principle works. Our natural tendency is to accept or reject doctrines based on whether they support our character, and on the other hand our character is shaped by the doctrines we accept or reject. Do you want the principle to work for you in the first way, or the second way? Let’s go on with the other triplets:

3. What was the character defect that caused the message of righteousness by faith to be rejected in 1888? Surely there were more than one, but we could say that the crux of the matter was that they didn’t like the corollary of obedience by faith.

   It is said that many are glad to have a Savior, but few want to have a Lord. Human nature does not like to obey. It is much more pleasing to believe one of the myriad counterfeits like “all done at the cross,” “the law was done away with,” or “once saved always saved.”

   How do you stand now in the corresponding triplet of 2013 to 2015? Do you sense your need to be sanctified (set apart) from sin as well as justified? Or do you feel pretty good already, and in need of nothing?

4. The 1915 triplet is especially about Ellen G. White and her advice not to participate in the ecumenical movement. What character defect led to ecumenism in the church after her death?

   There were allurements from the outside—the desire to have what the world has, but that isn’t the real issue. The issue is simply: Do I accept the Spirit of Prophecy? If I do, then compromise with the ecumenical movement is not even a subject for discussion!

   “I accept the Spirit of Prophecy,” you might be thinking.

   But beware that you do not reject the Holy Spirit’s work today! Many are too willing to tolerate trends in their local church, not realizing that they are being swept into ecumenism right along with the General Conference that controls them. At the same time, such ones reject the Living Spirit’s work today through the Orion message.

   This triplet has its counterpart in the 1986 triplet, which shows how a little “Creeping Compromise” over time eventually results in the complete loss of our distinctiveness as a people.

5. In the 1935 triplet, we find the new light of Andreasen’s Last Generation Theology. Why do you think this truth was rejected by and large?

   A person comes to Christ to find forgiveness. That’s the first step of justification, and even that is hard for some people. The second step is to realize that Jesus wants to cleanse you from sin so that you can live in heaven without defiling it. For many, that is already too much.

   Then the Last Generation Theology comes along, teaching that a time is coming when intercession will end, and that the 144,000 must stand without an intercessor amidst a world steeped in sin!

   Those characters who are not willing to strive for perfection won’t find this teaching palatable. They do not want to take the responsibility for ensuring that the work of character correction in their lives is brought to completion.

   Everyone wants to be saved, but few want the dirty job of having to stand against sin without an intercessor to be a witness for God.

   At that time, the Holy Spirit will be withdrawn from the earth. Only those who have obtained the special 372 rations of the Holy Spirit ahead of time will have enough to carry them through.

   There is a difference between believing now while the Holy Spirit is still present versus living then when the rations obtained ahead of time will be the only means of sustenance. The saints have to be sealed before the plagues begin, but those who truly are sealed might not be apparent until it is seen which ones actually endure to the very end.

   But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (Matthew 24:13)

   Being among the 144,000 involves risk. Study that verse carefully. Understand the implications for those who do not endure. Contemplate the magnitude of the risk involved! The carnal mind would be tempted to think that perhaps it would be better to die as a martyr before the plagues than to run the risk of losing your salvation if you do not endure to the end of the race as one of the 144,000.

   But the 144,000 will not be thinking carnally; they will understand that there is something more important than their personal salvation. Infinitely more important!

   If you understand the implications of the Father’s trial, you will realize that even if you are to succeed as one of the 144,000 that does not guarantee the overall success of the mission. Look how hard it is for you, and you are just one; God needs 144,000!

   Are you beginning to understand our concerns, and how truly God the Father’s trial is a Gethsemane experience for Him? It might just be that He cannot see beyond the trial any more than Christ could see beyond the tomb, because the outcome depends on you.

   This is no smooth gospel, and it will test your character.

6. The big topic in the 1959 triplet was the publication of the infamous book Questions on Doctrine. It was later replaced by a more subtle work, but never denounced. One of the key errors taught was that Jesus had an advantage over sin that we do not have. The book denies the Bible verse that affirms:

   For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15)

   What character flaw leads people to believe that Jesus had an advantage? A person who likes to make excuses for their mistakes will not want to believe that Jesus had no advantage above the rest of us (or else they will make Him a sinner too, like Hollywood does). The actual truth sweeps away their excuses.

   In fact, Jesus calls us to an even greater work than He did. One would almost cry “Blasphemy!” when hearing that sinners can do a greater work than Christ, if it weren’t that Jesus Himself said it:

   Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. (John 14:12)

   In one sweeping breath this verse calls the Christian not only to overcome sin as did Christ, but to go on to do even greater works than the Savior Himself did! And this is said in no uncertain terms, but with “verily, verily.” It takes faith to believe that, as it borders on being incredulous—especially when you stop to really think about how great of works our Savior did.

   But if you aren’t sure, just re-study the previous point to digest how great our work really is.

   And finally, so there is no room for self-exaltation, we should be careful to note that it is only possible because Jesus went to the Father—to give us the Holy Spirit. It is only with the help of the Holy Spirit that we can do these things.

7. Then there’s the 1986 triplet. It represents total compromise with the world, and total rejection of the Holy Spirit. Worldliness is the character failure. The mistake is living by consensus instead of by conscience. Those who want to be like the world and have the things the world has cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. The silent prompting of the Holy Spirit is drowned out by the noise and clamor of another (un-holy) spirit.

What is the ideal Christian character?

It must include self-responsibility. It must put God first. It must be selfless. It must not move away from the truth for attractions inside or outside the church. It must keep Jesus in sight, looking to heaven as He often did.

When God speaks to a man with such a character, he will obey.

A true Christian wants to know God. He wants to be sealed, and pleads for a change in character. He wants to live a holy life. The way many people live, they would not be happy in heaven. A true Christian will be guided by the Holy Spirit to understand the deeper meaning of spiritual things.

These lessons of character are the deeper meaning in the Orion message that God wants to teach His people to prepare them for the great trial. We need to progress beyond the milk of the gospel. We need to digest the spiritual meat.

The Preparations of the Enemy

The first period of time after the Orion message was published was relatively calm. The message was going out, but the warning level increased a big notch once the HSL was finished. That is when we began to warn about the great calamity—the fireballs. The warning increased yet again toward October 27, 2012.

After “our” warnings, the enemy began to move visibly. Pope Benedict resigned, Pope Francis was elected, and all the rest of it. Now the warnings we had given were backed by visible signs that the last rapid movements of earth’s history were in progress.

God had given the Orion and HSL messages to clean up the church’s doctrines and character. At the end of that timeline, the enemy began his own “cleaning” program.

Pope Francis elected his world council on April 13, 2013. One of the main purposes of the council was to reform the Roman curia. Like the Orion message was sent by God to cleanse His church, the enemy began his own house-cleaning work.

That is the appearance, at least.

Jesuits are known for being capable of stooping to any level to accomplish their designs. His appearance of humility is a fraud most obvious. Can’t you see it? In the language of Jesus, he is a “whited sepulcher” and a “white-washed wall.” It is the same fraud being practiced by Ted Wilson. In fact, he even began the Mission to the Cities effort in perfect lockstep with the papal movements! Some are wising up to this.

Pope Francis signed a decree on September 28, 2013, to make his council of cardinals permanent. Like clockwork, this was exactly 168 days after the council was elected (Figure 1). By this decree, the pope made it clear how important his council is, similarly to how the HSL was given to doubly-confirm the Orion Message.

Half that many days again brings us to the council’s first address to the Roman curia via Pope Francis. The council had met for the first time in October, and in December Francis addressed the curia with their first inputs. The subject of his address was basically to get holy and quit the gossip—in other words, more whitewashing. The fact that his address was on December 21, 2013 once again parallels God’s preparations, which were punctuated by the High Sabbath of Christ’s true birthday [October 27, 2012]. By comparison, the address to the curia was delivered with “Christmas greetings” on the day of the winter solstice: the true birthday—not of Jesus, but of the sun!

The last halving and adding of days brings the whole timeline to a close on January 31, 2014. Both sides of the final contest had prepared their armaments, delivered their initial briefings, and were set to engage in battle. The Last Race was ready to begin.

As in the previous article, these timelines exhibit the formula of the plan of salvation multiplied by a factor. For God’s preparations, the plan is 4 + 3 = 7 multiplied by 168, the number of the judgment. It is a plan worked out to completion, which will bear the examination of the heavenly Court.

For the enemy, the factor is ¼ of 168, or 42, which is 7 × 6. The number 6 is the number of man. Multiplied by 7, it could represent man’s effort to make himself perfect (or at least look it) as we see in the pope of the Catholic Church and the president of the Adventist Church. We should not settle for appearances only, but should seek the complete change of character symbolized by the full Orion number 168, which hints to an endurance that will last to the end.

I will take a couple more steps back in the next article, where I will bring all of these timelines together to show you how they fit into God’s one great, grand and glorious plan for all time.

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