Now, to be fair, this verse is hotly debated by various scholars as to whether it implies identifier or distinguishing trait of those that are truly saved. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. As for the earthly land and city, the moon will have her light increased to that of the sun, and the sun shall be sevenfold. If some few have joined on one side, some are sure to help the other, because they are jealous of any one acquiring such a preponderant authority: and power as to govern the rest. Here is the symbol that Jesus Christ has everything within himself and needs nothing from any other source. That an openly heathen metropolis, devoted to the worship of Mars, and Jupiter, and Venus, and other wicked monstrosities of pagan mythology should be irritated with the gospel which exposes it all, and should consequently seek to injure the faithful, was to be expected, and a necessary result, directly that the uncompromising spirit of Christ was known. Such was her influence stretching out far beyond the beast. The bride breathes out this word to the bridegroom; and the Holy Ghost it is that gives strength to her desire that He should come. Jesus taught us in John 14: 15 "If you love me, keep my The right to the Tree of Life is given to those that obey the commands of God and by doing so may enter into the New Jerusalem. "And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. Justly does she gather her title from the old fountain of idols and of combined power without God: confusion being here the characteristic element, the designation is taken from the renowned city of the Chaldeans, the first spot notorious in both respects. Approximately one-third of heaven's angels fell with . "And fire came down out of heaven from God, and devoured them. I take it literally and I teach it literally, because I don't want to be guilty of adding to or taking away. For it is clear that, though principles might reign, to be priests is quite inconsistent with a mere figure. This verse declares it, and there is no other interpretation that can stand even a moment's fair discussion. The book of Revelation references and expands prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled, but its main purpose is to reveal Jesus (Who was, and Who is, and Who is to come). All the energy to mislead men in the presence of the first beast was long in his hands, and now nothing more is spoken of. I do not suppose that many words are required by the present audience to show that we are not to understand the scene as a mere figure of Christianity. ". These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, nor light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever ( Revelation 22:3-5 ). Peter said, "In the last days there will be scoffers that will come along and saying where is the promise of His coming? It reminds us that whether we are readers or interpreters of this book of Revelation, or whether we are trying to carry out its teaching in practical ways in our daily life, our power and wisdom must come from Him. He came to the world, and avenged His people on the beast and the false prophet with the kings and their armies; and after that the risen saints reign with Him over it a thousand years. to be replaced with one that will never wear out. All rights reserved. The point is this. The Ethiopic version connects the words with the holy city, only reading them, "which is written", &c. The Jews say of their Talmud, that nothing is to be added to it, or diminished from it (o). I do not deserve it. 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. True Christianity does not postpone the presence of Christ to the future, nor recall His presence from the past, but lives in the conscious sense that Christ IS. And also they themselves have difficulty in understanding it all. to be giving a contradictory teaching on some particular of theology. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus. Who does not see that this is precisely analogous to the verse which opened the description of Babylon? However, in careful reading one finds this is not the case Jesus had not lost one of his own, but the "son of perdition". Hebrews 6:4-6 - For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, (Read More.) This stands in direct contrast to the command the prophet Daniel received concerning his vision of the end times. there's nothing I can do to make up for my sins) to that of the Law or works (i.e. May I . The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. What it does warn against is distorting the teaching which the book contains. Every passage dealing with unbelievers states that their names were not found in the Book Edited 16 December 2022 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His . Then the prophet falls down to pay homage to the angel; and this gives rise to a weighty admonition. For those of you who saw me coming in here with the cane. Judgment and salvation are both alike present and future. That is the sin against the Holy Spirit. When any wrong is done, it will be dealt with. What does it mean to not add or take away from the Bible (Deuteronomy 4:2)? It will then be not the river which is in the midst of the street but the tree of life. Maybe they assume John (or some sadist using John as a pseudonym) made it all up. They reject Gods judgment on humanity that permeates Revelation, so they attempt to soften it up a bit. The living creatures are, from Revelation 5:1-14 coupled with the elders, as we find them in the beginning of Revelation 19:1-21. The new thing here is these new seedless flame grapes. Church believers will not be present during the Tribulation, having been raptured out of this world and therefore cannot have the plagues added to him the Christian will be in heaven! 22:6-9 And he said to me: "These words are trustworthy and true, for the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show to his servants the things which must speedily happen. 5: 3-5; 1Cor. And Scripture tells us that Jesus is the last Adam, and the only way to salvation. "Flesh and blood," we know, "cannot inherit the kingdom of God." So adding to Revelation logically includes adding to the whole Bible, since Revelation forms the last and final book of the Canon. How this precisely fits in, let me say, with the state of feeling in these modern times; for "constitutionalism," as men call it, is the fruit of the Teutonic system supervening on that of the broken up Roman empire. It is a precisely similar case here. Christ LIVES in the present tense, and truly blessed is the reader who has grasped this truth. It is due to the exigency of a notion which fears and is irreconcilable with the truth in this place. H. B. Swete says: "No one who has watched the dogs that prowl in the quarters of an eastern city will wonder at the contempt and disgust which the word suggests to the oriental mind." SeekKnockFind Christian Resource | Free Grace, Christian Learning Resource On The Gospel Of Jesus Christ, 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). And if any man shall take away from the prophecy of this book,. As he may be said to do, who denies the authority of this book, which has been done by some, and which the Holy Ghost foresaw; or takes it away from, or denies the reading of it to the people, as the Papists do with respect to the whole Scripture; and who wilfully pervert the sense of it, and will not have the things in it, relating to antichrist, to belong to him. Now manifestly, if the Lord does not come before this, there is no world to come to; for the earth and heavens are fled. Therefore, you can be confident your salvation is secure. Revelation 22:18-19 contains a warning to anyone who tampers with the biblical text: "For I testify together to everyone who hears the Words of the prophecy of this Book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add on him the plagues that have been written in this Book. If your work is just for a big show to just be known among people, and they say, "Oh, man he's just a holy Joe." Then he pronounces his blessing on the man who reads and obeys the words of John's book. It never was there. could be translated to support what we THINK the passage means. They "lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.". The promise will come true that the pure in heart will see God ( Matthew 5:8). When God is so gracious, His word rich, full, and deep, it does seem sad to see His children content with just enough to save their souls, or keep them from positive starvation. 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. Here were thrones, and people sat upon them, changed 'before this into the image of Christ's glory. However, God is going to reward me according to the works that I do. (iii) The third section is an invitation to all thirsty souls to come to Jesus Christ that their need may be satisfied. . Jesus Christ confirms what has been affirmed, and pledges himself for the fulfilment of all the prophecies . Does the Vastness of the Universe Argue Against Creation? Cursed be man, by the sweat of his brow shall he earn his bread" Genesis 3:18-19 ), and so forth. and from the thingsso Vulgate. Thus the name of Christ, not merely as the root and the offspring of David, but as the bright morning star, calls out responsively the heart of the church, and this too under the guiding activity of the Holy Ghost. The warnings and consequences of these verses do belong to Christendom and thus the apostate church; where Christendom comprises both saved and unsaved persons. must keep some rules in order to still be considered for heaven.) 7. 1999 2023 Come Reason Ministries. We can have our names removed from the Book of Life? Change the words, and the meaning can be said to be anything a person wants. To use this passage as an argument for verbal inspiration is an error. "Sow a thought and reap an act. The number which falls short of the perfect 7. Here it is the positive worship of the creature besides the Creator, yea, and notoriously more than He. You like to reap where you didn't sow and so forth. Bible Question 89 The Door 140K subscribers Subscribe 441 16K views 3 years ago Michael Pearl answers a question from a viewer: Does. Also, the warning in Revelation 22:19 is aimed toward unbelievers who would seek to tamper with God's message. Those who live in a civilization in which the turn of a tap will bring cold, clear water in any quantity can scarcely understand how precious water was in the East. "And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood." to a particular people from a familiar teacher dealing with real difficulties with which having preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." It is similar to receiving an offer to a banquetthere is a place for you if you want it. I really believe this will be the last time. Christ comes to His church in its witness and need. Something Christians miss - it is not our doing that 'keeps us', but the power of the Holy Spirit. THE TREE OF LIFE ( Revelation 22:1-2 continued). The church is heavenly; and in heaven there are no times nor seasons. elemental things of the world. salvation. David L Simon (6 September 2015) A believer is born again, becoming a son of God; Judas was a son of Satan and was never a believer, but an imposter; Judas was a traitor, and by his transgression (Act 1:25) blasphemed the Holy Spirit and died (Not to say that God had given him no chance to repent, but he chose not to). More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! Does the Roman Census Prove Luke is Wrong About Jesus' Birth? "And to the bride was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of saints." John closes with a solemn warning to take heed to what he has written in the book and not to alter its contents or avoid its teachings. It "shall go into perdition," it is therefore added, "and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and shall be present." All the sufferers, either in the early persecutions of Revelation 6:1-17, or in the later persecutions (see Revelation 15:1-8) up to Babylon's extinction, were now raised from the dead. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! These visions and threatenings are too delicate and awful a subject to trifle with, or even to treat in the most solemn manner, where the meaning is obscure. ", In contrast, the passages in Ephesians 5, 1 Corinthians 6, Galatians 5 and Revelation Some MSS read "from the tree of life". "Those who have washed their robes" is the reading of the best manuscripts, but it is easy to see how a scribe could make a mistake in copying and substitute the more usual phrase. It will be understood when one says "spiritual" that none is meant save of a wicked kind. And from the things which are written in this book - The promises that are made; the glories that are described. Revelation 22:18, 19 (JND NT). Paul then admonishes the Gentiles to "stand by your faith." Three emphases mark this epilogue. "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it; that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you" ( Deuteronomy 4:2). When we come to the full application of the prophecy, we must look onward to the latter day. "Let him that heareth say, Come." (Deuteronomy 29:19-20). This, however, is not necessarily an argument for losing Then the word is, "Award her even as she awarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she mixed, mix to her double. There was judicial discernment with the distinct possession of all titles to sovereignty. We see a similar warning given by Moses as he addressed the people of Israel before they entered the Promised Land. We know that if He tarries, it is not that He is "slack concerning His promise," but that "His long-suffering brings salvation to many." With Paul even in a prison of cramping circumstances they can say "The Lord is at hand"--He is near. They had had the bitter experience of having all their highest hopes shattered. What is the meaning of Christian redemption. The tricky part in this particular verse is that it talks about us losing our "share" or "part" in the blessings of salvation. The bride represents those that are spoken of in the normal possession and enjoyment of their privileges. As Ezekiel had it: "He that will hear, let him hear; and he that will refuse to hear, let him refuse" ( Ezekiel 3:27). *It is the aorist in Greek, which in such a case as this it is difficult correctly to represent in English; for neither "reigned" nor "hath reigned" could convey that God had entered on His kingdom, but rather that it was past. We can easily understand that the overthrow of the ecclesiastical power is necessary to leave a full field unimpeded for the imperial power to develop itself in its final form of violence and rebellion and apostacy against the Lord. 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. Read full chapter Revelation 22:19 in all English translations Revelation 21 King James Version (KJV) As believers we may have issues of wrongly interpreting a passage but that is not the same as actually changing the words themselves! 12:1). Therefore the passage does not indicate a believer can lose his or her inheritance (. H. B. Swete identifies the river of life with the Spirit. question about Hebrews 6 being difficult to reconcile with a "once saved, always At least, not without inviting the curses on yourself. It was the destruction of the imperial unity of Rome that gave occasion for the well-known ten kingdoms which the barbarians set up afterwards. So this applies to ANYONE, not just believers. This it is precisely which will bring out the indignant judgment of God upon the last phase of Babylon, so that the guilt of all the blood shed on the earth shall be imputed to her, and she may be judged accordingly. 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. If it looks like the interpretation of passage is in conflict with another, it is always the person at fault not Scripture. Thus nothing can be simpler or more beautiful than the way in which this verse sums up the Revelation as a whole. This is the meaning of "one hour with the beast.". In fact, most of the corruptions of the sacred Scriptures have been attempted by those who have professed some form of Christianity. The analogy of being shipwrecked is very apt a shipwrecked sailor is useless he cannot possibly be working the good works of God (Ephesians 2:10), but he is still a sailor this is not taken away from him. So who might this be? He which testifies these things saith, Surely I come quickly. 34. It should not be "and which had not," but rather, "and those who had not worshipped the beast, nor his image, neither had received his mark upon their forehead, and on their hand; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years."