Can names be blotted out of the book of life (Psalm 69:28)? Consequently, here we must most unquestionably go back to be shown an important object in the prophecy which could not, without interrupting its course, have been described before. At the same time we are not at liberty to eliminate such a feature out of the description. What remains of the last chapter of the Revelation is curiously disjointed. I hope that you will again look at these issues. It is one of those cases which every now and then appear where God checks and reproves our foolish curiosity, as He alone knows how to do perfectly. When at His final coming Christ will be seen by every eye--When He will bring human history to its end and climax--When Christ will triumph and "the kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdom of God and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever.". 3:5, 1 Cor 15:2, Col. 1:23, Heb. Because ye have forsaken the fountain of life (Enoch 96:6). And while the whole of Scripture is God's Word which can never be broken, this final book of the Bible is special, for it not only promises its readers a blessing in chapter 1, but in this final section it also gives some serious warnings:"I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.". You would say that the carpet is defective and it needs Here are a couple of additional passages that pretty much spell out the fact that one "Blessed are they that read, hear and practice the words of this prophecy, putting them into practice in their lives." Then, as we have seen, comes the final test of the nations of the earth after that kingdom has run its course, and the devil let loose once more deceives flesh and blood after the analogy of all other dispensations. "I Jesus sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. . He is coming, and coming soon for us. We can have our names removed from the Book of Life? In Daniel's time it was not at hand. Sometimes, again, they have sought to turn it aside toward Jerusalem in her corrupt state. The last word left with us is the grace (the free unmerited pardon and help of the Lord Jesus). But far from that he has, on the contrary, persevered in the same evil course, as badly or worse than his father. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life ( Proverbs 14:27). (1 Cor. Much more likely, John uses the Spirit for the voice of Jesus himself. Your email address will not be published. Tzemach David, par. .The "I" is emphatic; it introduces the final warning; the revelation must not be tampered with. A man can so long refuse the way of Christ that in the end he cannot take it. ", All things are thus made new; and, further, "these words are faithful." It is forbidden to offer to God money that has been made by prostitution. It has been remarked by another, and justly, that the expression "they shall be priests of God and of Christ" summarily puts out of court the interpretation that supposes a figurative resurrection. He comes lo the believer at his death to fulfil His promise of John 14:3 "I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself." And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me those things ( Revelation 22:7-8 ). understood as a cultural comparison, not on an individual basis (verse 13 says, "But Copyright 2011-2023, Third Millennium Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. If you cannot Now, to be fair, this verse is hotly debated by various scholars as to whether it implies So, thats the first observation: This is a common way to stress the importance of obedience. The church cannot hear of Him as the bright morning star without at once desiring that He should come. The Spirit of God implies that it is decidedly not the righteousness here which is by another, and we thereby imputed righteous, but righteousnesses personal and actual. For what God will reveal in our lives at that glorious future time. It is for every person, whatever race or religion or economic or social standing, believer or unbeliever. And what shall we say of the wonderful wisdom of the Lord? And let him that is athirst come. A believer in Christ bases His whole faith on the Word of God. The angel least him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal over him, that he should no more deceive the nations, till the thousand years should be completed: after these things he must be loosed a little time.". (see former notes on 13:18--the number "666" of the beast). They have pictured principles in conflict and the results of those conflicts). Approximately one-third of heaven's angels fell with . * Let us be glad and exult, and give the glory to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." We briefly referred to this promise in the Study notes on this chapter under "5"--"WORDS OF HIS COMING. He thought proper to guard against this by this solemn declaration of the consequence which would follow such an act. If they have only heard His voice, this after all is the incalculable boon; yea, it is the turning-point of all blessing. 5:19, Rev. (Luke 11:52). "These have one mind, and give their own power and authority to the beast," or their imperial leader. It is not the gospel, nor the Holy Spirit, but the lawless revived Latin empire with its vassal kingdoms of the west, that combine and destroy Babylon. "And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood." It is only God and man now. I am not raising any question about the ten. The temple would suppose a medium. And let him that heareth say, Come. * It is to Him that God has given all judgment not necessarily to us. Take notice of this (which confirms the application just now contended for), that when John saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, he wondered with great wonder. Come what may, John was sure of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and equally sure that it was sufficient for all things. 22:17 The Spirit and the Bride say: Come! Thus, whether the books or the book be examined, all conspire to declare the justice, the solemn but most affecting righteousness, of God's final irrevocable sentence. No doubt all this may seem to some a little difficult, but it is no use evading what is hard. (18-19) I testify unto every man that heareth.--Omit "For," and read, I testify to every one that hears. The Alexandrian copy, with some others, and the Syriac version, leave out the copulative "and", and read "which are written", &c. connecting them with the book of life, and holy city, which are written, and spoken of, in this book. 1. fol. Verse 6. The prophecy of Hosea is fulfilled. (Revelation 22:14). Does Hebrews 6 contradict eternal security? The Book of Revelation has very specific language and imagery that can only be understood by comparing other Scriptures in the Bible to it. She followed and had inherited the spirit of all, from the days of Cain, who had lifted up their hands against their righteous brethren. Foolishness. Revelation 22:19. "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come." Answering the Skeptic: Is the Bible a Myth? That is Christians will be taken to heaven to be with Him. Instead, let's just accept them at face value, as the holy word of God. "The tabernacle of God [is] with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, their God. Speaking in Tongues and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Such a fence as this God set about the law (Deuteronomy 4:2), and the whole Old Testament (Malachi 4:4), and now in the most solemn manner about the whole Bible, assuring us that it is a book of the most sacred nature, divine authority, and of the last importance, and therefore the peculiar care of the great God. But a voice issues from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. Required fields are marked *. She does not, it is true, say, "Come quickly." Thus there is no question that some of the actors in the final scenes of the great drama were already there, as the reigning city, and the Roman empire. But no; it was an absolute decree that went forth, and this indisputably, from a single head of the undivided empire. First, "I saw thrones, and they sat upon them." It is thus that God is wont to deal as a rule in His judgments, not necessarily on the one that first introduces an evil, but on those that inherit the guilt, and perhaps aggravate it, instead of taking warning by it. Skeptics would be found in this category. But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Verse 18 gives a clue for whom the warning is for because the consequence are the plagues of the prophecies which are poor out on the world during the Tribulation of the End Times. The Jewish rabbis took over this idea and applied it to God, with their own interpretation. gymnastics to try and come up with the meaning of these "difficult" verses? But it really is. And so it is with this very Babylon that comes before us here. Thank you for writing and expressing your views. They will soon be confirmed by their accomplishment: they are things that must shortly be done; Christ will make haste, he will come quickly, and put all things out of doubt; and then those will prove the wise and happy men who have believed and kept his words. The passage you cite in Matthew, ("If you do not forgive men, then your Father Those who insult Gods holiness by changing the message will experience the full wrath of God. That age of visible glory is inefficacious to change the heart of man, though in the absence of the enemy and the controlling presence of the great King, they render feigned obedience for a long while. (We prefer to use the term The final coming of Christ). To use this passage as an argument for verbal inspiration is an error. (i) There comes a time when it is too late to change. - FSB. It gives a retrogressive account of Babylon's character, and shows how it morally compelled the divine judgment. As the perfect character of the all-powerful and omniscient Lordis unveiledto humanity, we discover that the Good Shepherd of the sheep is the holy Son of God - the second Person of the Trinity Who took on mortal flesh so that He could become our Kinsman-Redeemer and sacrifice His sinless life to save the sheep of His pasture. When Christ came personally to judge and govern the quick (Revelation 20:4), there were thrones; for the risen saints reign with Him. that those who were meant under the figures of the elders and of the living creatures assume the name and figure of the bride? And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and. Jesus taught us in John 14: 15 "If you love me, keep my And night will be no more, for they have no need of the light of a lamp, or the light of a sun, for the Lord God will be a light to them, and they will reign for ever and ever. As already indicated above, the Pharisees are the archetypical example and to whom Jesus gave the strongest condemnation, because they should have understood: Woe to you lawyers! 2 Thessalonians 1:6 , Does This Mean It Is Okay To Wish Bad On Our Enemies? simply writing a sermon to the Jews and trying to get his point across. Three emphases mark this epilogue. Deuteronomy 4:2; Deuteronomy 12:32; Proverbs 30:6; Jeremiah 26:2. (see comments also on Revelation 22:18), God shall take away . But we as properly say, "Come." Acts 4:2, Colossians 1:19-22, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 1:5-6, Ephesians 2:1-5, Ephesians 2:19, . no longer Christians. correct. Q: Does Revelation 22:19 show us that a person can lose their Salvation as some are teaching? This passage pertains primarily to Revelation, but its warnings of adding to or subtracting from the Bible and is generally applied to the whole of Scripture, since the book this text refers to forms part of the Bible which is one book. The Letter of Aristeas tells how the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Hebrew Bible, was made by seventy Jewish scholars at the request of the King of Egypt. is a word to him that hears. There is, however, a great deal more than this on the subject, and given with great precision in scripture, because this is merely the principle of sin in one or other form from the beginning. The consequence of perverting the gospel was excommunication and being put out of the congregation, until they had learnt the lesson. So, there will be a medicinal value in the leaves of the tree. Paul then admonishes the Gentiles to "stand by your faith." I am going to make you ruler over ten cities. That is, the tabernacle of God is regarded as a separate object, no doubt associated with men, but not confounded with them. Does it mean if you add something to the book or take something away, that you lose your salvation? THE ACCEPTED AND THE REJECTED ( Revelation 22:14-15 ). would just as readily cut them off from the promises of salvation. I admit that afterwards no doubt the new heaven and the new earth are seen; but who contends that this is the sphere to which the Lord comes? At the beginning there will have been carnage, as we know, among both the western powers and the eastern powers. The warning therefore relates to those that hear and understand the prophecy then deliberately pervert and corrupt it: it is applicable to the Last or End Days, therefore, to the people who are in the tribulation, but has a broader application, to the whole of Scripture and therefore to unbelievers. Again, we have a warning about someone who receives a command but rejects it. But what I particularly call your attention to is the exceeding importance of heeding the retrospect at the bride, or new Jerusalem here, and the consequent removal of the difficulty caused by taking the last vision of this book as part of the prophetic series which begins in Revelation 19:1-21. but it does not follow that various bodies are not raised at different times. This last word reminds us that whatever are the dangers or difficulties, afflictions and persecutions which are pictured in this book, there is strength and love and help in the Lord. At its back is the river which watered the Garden of Eden and made it fruitful ( Genesis 2:8-16). These passages just beg the question, though. It is very much what Paul meant, when he said: "If any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed" ( Galatians 1:8-9). they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made Is There More Than One Genesis Account of Creation? For a short time (what a mercy that it must be only for a short time!) I see no profit in date fixing or sign watching for the future event of Christs final coming. Revelation 12: 7-12 speaks of a coming holy conflict that takes place on three fronts. I am never alone." *Most copies, it would seem, read , "of the earth;" the Alex. A stranger CAME to them, and talked with them, lifted up their hopes and faith, "but their eyes were holden and they did not know Him. He will try to deceive and what greater way is there to deceive but to create modern Bible versions that changes words so drastically, even about the very foundations of the faith in Christ, and to cause division and misunderstanding. Answering a Jehovah's Witness: Can Jesus be God if He's Seen? Even so, come, Lord Jesus." For without are dogs, drug abusers, whoremongers, murderers, idolaters, and whosoever loves and makes a lie. The warnings and consequences of these verses do belong to Christendom and thus the apostate church; where Christendom comprises both saved and unsaved persons. It produces the perfect worship; where God is always seen, all life becomes an act of worship. However, to be a careful thinker on issues such as these we must realize that That truth is that, if the devil wants to deceive people and stop them from believing the knowledge of truth of Salvation in Christ by faith alone and not by works, what will he try to do? The chief difference is that in man's case it is God who raises him, whereas in the empire's not God but the devil will raise it again. . Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. God shall take away his part out of the book of life - Perhaps there is here an intimation that this would be most likely to be done by those who professed to be Christians, and who supposed that their names were in the book of life. Then the prophet falls down to pay homage to the angel; and this gives rise to a weighty admonition. When the hour comes that is spoken of here, it is not for us, but for those who will be found after we are gone. Infidels have but little interest in attempting such changes, and but little influence to make them received by the church. But the prophecy shows us the beast revived and the separate kings reigning for the same time, before divine judgment destroys them at the coming of Christ and His saints. Behold ( Revelation 22:6-7 ). believe that one cannot lose his salvation does not mean I think we should approach our He is the first and the last, and the same from first to last, and so is his word too; and he will by this word give to his people, who conform themselves to it, a right to the tree of life, and an entrance into heaven; and this will be a full confirmation of the truth and authority of his word, since it contains the title and evidence of that confirmed state of holiness and happiness that remains for his people in heaven. see that it is in connection with the foregoing not merely His coming for us who will keep the sayings of it, but for those whom He will find here below "to give to each as his work is.". tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book." Hitherto the reverse of this has been true in history. Anyway, you asked for thoughts, so these are mine. Did Jesus Die For Our Sins So That Us Bad People Could Become Good People? As explained above, I do not believe these verses pertain to Christians, although it is a clear warning to them: the actual consequences occur in the Tribulation Christians are saved, and therefore do not pass through the Tribulation. When the thousand years expire, Satan reappears on the scene to the sorrow and ruin of the Gentiles who were not born of God. And on either side of the river was the tree of life, which produced twelve kinds of fruit, rendering its fruit according to each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. We probably dont like some of what we see in Revelation, either. I never hear a voice. And yet this warning would seem to imply the expectation of a long time of reading and copying the book, a time which John himself clearly did not expect. I feel because I talked about the bible before and a way I perceived it ( I didnt say it was a fact i said it was my perception at the time ) that I will lose my part in the book of life. That, of course, begins with context. According to the general scope of scripture, then, we may be quite sure that these saints, kept during this universal dissolution of the atmospheric heaven and the earth, will be translated to "the new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness," in a condition new and meet for the eternal state into which they are ushered. The regular ending of the letters to the seven Churches is an invitation to hear what the Spirit is saying ( Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:17; Revelation 2:29; Revelation 3:6; Revelation 3:13; Revelation 3:22). Surely in our experience we have all known the fulfilment of His promise "Lo, I am with you always": Christs promise "I am coming soon" takes my thoughts back to the experience of two disciples on the road to Emmaus that first Easter Sunday, as recorded in Luke 24:1-53. . Indeed the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of the hope we have: "who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." The Cross and Salvation: The Doctrine of Salvation by Bruce Demarest. "Let him that heareth say, Come." elemental things of the world. Rather, it states that God will take away his part from the Book of Life. But the most ordinary knowledge suffices; for who does not know from the Bible that there was a Roman empire when Christ was born, one emperor, and no such state as that empire divided into ten kingdoms? That is the sin against the Holy Spirit. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ rest or be upon or be with all of you. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! But, further, we find that the saints who had suffered for Christ, during the time that the others were in heaven, are now reunited to their bodies and live, the Lord waiting for the last martyr that He might not leave out one of those who had died for His name. Even so, come, Lord Jesus ( Revelation 22:20 ). It is confirmed by a most solemn sanction, condemning and cursing all who should dare to corrupt or change the word of God, either by adding to it or taking from it, Revelation 22:18; Revelation 22:19. In the coming of the Lord all include His coming to the habitable earth. (Revelation 22:17), Its as if God is saying, Youve heard about all that will happen in this world. So this applies to ANYONE, not just believers. This, then, would be another warning that every man is writing his own destiny. fallen from the more perfect way of seeking God's will in his life to the more base And it is pretty well ascertained that there was a discussion among them, even to the suggestion by one of the most wicked of their emperors, whether Christ should not be owned and worshipped in the Pantheon, hundreds of years before Constantine, indeed from the earliest epoch of the gospel. It does not say that their names are blotted out from the Book. The friendships of the evil are not lasting. [Come Lord Jesus and establish Your kingdom.] There never has been a like experience. Hundreds more are waiting to be brought to completion with the Rapture of the Church, the Great Tribulation, the return of Christ Jesus to set up His Millennial Kingdom on earth reigning as King of kings and Lord of lords, and the making of a new heaven and a new earth where sin and death are gone forever. It is all plain and simple "the beast that was, and is not, and shall be present.". We know that the change of all those caught up takes place in the twinkling of an eye. Maybe they transform it into a soft allegory, eviscerating its vicious sting. "The Lord God is the temple of it, and the Lamb as far as we can speak of any. THE GREAT INVITATION ( Revelation 22:17 ). But "out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron." We desire that He should come quickly, but we leave this to Him, because we know His love, and can trust Him. This being so, it adds immense clearness in the understanding of the book. Not so good. Then comes not the destruction only of these rebels by divine judgment, but the dissolution of heaven and earth. "They have one mind, and give their own power and authority to the beast." believe this interpretation in these verses because of 1 John 1:19. Calling is the, fruit of active grace on God's part towards man, and only towards him when fallen. In general this has been either passed over in the chapter, or some unsatisfactory inference has been flung out, which can only embroil the prophecy. Just think how Hitler duped the German people. He certainly leaves us in no doubt that worship of angels is wrong and that worship must be given to God alone. Amen. That is, there was first the literal Babylon, of course; but here it is symbolical. Some MSS read "from the tree of life". I see little need to stress the clear teaching of the New Testament to the promise of the final coming of Christ. Yet grace despised necessarily ends in judgment. The Lord would not spare him; for then the anger of the Lord and His jealousy would burn against that man, and every curse that is written in this book would settle on him, and the Lord would blot out his name from under heaven. He comes to bless us. 1. come to repentance." They themselves were to judge. All the dispensational names of God disappear. From the shallow, it may look like it. In fact, most of the corruptions of the sacred Scriptures have been attempted by those who have professed some form of Christianity. G. B. Caird, The Revelation of Saint John the Divine (ACB; E), H. B. Swete, The Apocalypse of St John (MmC; G), ACB: A. and C. Black New Testament Commentary. What does it mean to not add or take away from the Bible (Deuteronomy 4:2)? We need to remember that the whole book of Revelation is dealing with principles in constant conflict now.--That the visions record this conflict from many different view-points. "By grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourself it is a gift of God; not of works lest any man should boast"( Ephesians 2:8-9 ). 11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. Sow a character and reap a destiny." The point is this. 13. So we find the Lord has room for all that is the fruit of His own grace only, for the appeal of grace, even when there is not the answer to it. A mighty angel takes a stone and says, when he cast it into the sea, "Thus with violence shall be thrown down Babylon the great city, and shall be found no more at all." This disposes of many a web of comments; for we find at once what is perfectly simple, what any child of God who believes this to be the word of God must own. It cannot be done till the moment comes. To whom else could they say it? This chapter explains how it was that Babylon was so offensive to God, and wherefore He judged her thus sternly. It is a heavenly warfare which is to the finish. Now we find the symbol of the bride brought before us, and the elders and the living creatures disappear. However, now that I believe I want to serve God and I offer myself to God to serve Him, and the works that I do for God, I will be rewarded for them, those works that are done out of a pure motivation.Now, there are a lot of works that people do that there will be no reward. "And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords.". Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. (Revelation 22:1-7 KJV). This is a warning about changing the words in the Book of Revelation in specific. * Even the Complutensian editors give the right text here; and it would seem that Erasmus failed to use his MS. aright. It is very evident, therefore, that the saints in a glorified state are here represented as following the Lord out of heaven. Accordingly the rapture of the church with the Old Testament saints must have already taken place, all (as I have no doubt) being caught up at the self-same time to be with the Lord above. It so happens that the text is, in fact, in bad condition and we do not know for certain what the actual wording is. Is it more reasonable to believe in Creationism vs Evolution? In the Greek text it is a strong double negative meaning "I will not, no never blot out". If only an imperial city, what has this to do with mystery? Hence we have to own the divine source of government even when its holders abandon all such thoughts themselves, and maintain their rule in the world as a thing flowing from the people irrespective of God. Then there is the reigning power, but not the execution of judgment in this awful fashion which is attributed to the Lord Himself. Amen." For those of you who saw me coming in here with the cane. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:19 KJV). He includes in himself all time, for he is the first and the last. I would be interested in arguments showing how everlasting life doesn't Many believe that you cannot lose your salvation, no matter how many bad things you may end up doing in this life. Thus the attempt to apply it during the pagan period is altogether futile on the face of the matter.
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