8. For what God will reveal in our lives at that glorious future time. In the Book of Enoch the writer demands that no one should "change or minish ought of my words" (Enoch 104:10). But for the eternal judgment heaven and earth are fled away; and then we see the new and eternal universe. "They shall see His face". I am not aware of any MS. in its favour, though some versions represent it. Christians in relation to their salvation? There will be no time for seeking mercy, as it were: whatever the state in which the Lord at His coming will find us, all is closed up and fixed. Then and thus is aggravated guilt in the case of this wicked son. (and the Unhallowed love will end in hatred. There is a rabbinic saying: "Whoever eats with an idolator is the same as he who would eat with a dog. Is Eyewitness Testimony Reliable Evidence? Closely allied with this is the picture so common in Scripture of the fountain of life; we have it in Revelation 7:17; Revelation 21:6 in the Revelation. The bride is in view. 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." I will give to him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. They lived, and were put therefore into a place and condition suitable for reigning with Christ, no less than the Old Testament saints and the church itself. "And the nations shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour unto it. So, we have observed that calling down curses is a common way of stressing the importance of obedience and that this warning is issued to unbelievers rather than believers. It is not therefore a question of virtual idols suitable to ensnare the children of God, but of that which is adapted to the earth itself, thorough-going palpable idolatry. tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book." It is going to be a neat tree. Once learnt they would return. When it said here that "God would take away his part out of the book of life," the meaning is not that his name had been written in that book, but that he would take away the part which he might have had, or which he professed to have in that book. It is Christ Himself about to be displayed in His rights as King of kings, and Lord of lords; and this in the face of the world. It is due to the exigency of a notion which fears and is irreconcilable with the truth in this place. A mysterious lawlessness inherits the well-known name of Babylon when Rome is brought forward; and it does not merely embrace Christian times, but the end of the age after the church has gone, when the course of divine judgment comes. He who is not circumcised." Sharp and terrible words are spoken to any who add to or take away from its words. 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. Some evade the difficulty by referring the desolation to the Gothic powers; and these Protestants, as if they were mere Praeterists! 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. There is both pathos and glory in the way in which the Revelation ends. This cannot come too soon. Again John making the mistake that man so often makes worshipping the instrument of God. Bible verses about Lose Salvation. But it is what each saint has, though the blessed thought here is that the church has it not merely in the way of each person possessing his own; the bride has the whole of it (that is, the church in glory). "for God so loved the world" ). The consequence of perverting the gospel was excommunication and being put out of the congregation, until they had learnt the lesson. The Pre-Tribulation Rapture, The Tribulation Period To Come, Judgment On The World & Noah. This brings in idolatry, real shameless idolatry too, not merely that subtle working of the idolatrous spirit that every Christian has to guard against. First, "I saw thrones, and they sat upon them." Learn more We have here a note of time of signal value. The story of redemption in the Bible stretches from the creation of the world to the making of a new heaven and a new earth. Now, the speaker to the seven Churches is the Risen Christ; and, therefore, quite clearly there the Spirit and the Christ are identified. "Hey, Lord, I know you are an austere man. Sow a character and reap a destiny." Attach an asterisk (*) to the end of a word as a wildcard. And from the things which are written in this book - The promises that are made; the glories that are described. Scripture records no name whatever among those judged written there. Mt 6:15) as well as several others you mention It is very evident, therefore, that the saints in a glorified state are here represented as following the Lord out of heaven. Thus (without speaking of the resurrection of the wicked at the close) there were certainly more acts than one, not to speak of the two witnesses put to death and caused to rise after three days and a half, when the spirit of life entered them, and they not only arose, but went up to heaven, as we know. There is nothing in Jesus to harm him; there is every thing to bless there is Himself to be enjoyed, even if they have failed in the full knowledge of it here below. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit is the highest form of denying God (Mark 3:29). If he or she is a believer, the part (share) lost must be some special privilege in the eternal state. The whole epilogue is very similar to the first chapter in many ways. Well, that was almost nineteen hundred years ago that He said, "Behold, I come quickly." And God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, nor sorrow, nor crying nor shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And a warning is giving against tampering with anything in this book. There is an added warning not to get over-excited because of the visions, but to respond by offering fitting worship to God (8-9).A special word of advice is then given for persecuted believers. He comes to guide, strengthen, encourage and help us. What Does The Bible Say About Jesus Being Created? Did Jesus Teach To Add The Law To Salvation? Second, Jesus will return imminently (Revelation 22:6-7; Revelation 22:10; Revelation 22:12; Revelation 22:20). The invitation is therefore directed at people who are not yet believers, and have to make a choice. Babylon was the spurious church as long as it was a question of the church, and the final corrupter when it could be no question of this longer, and there went forth the closing testimony of God. Patience or endurance of hope is what becomes us. 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). That is, the tabernacle of God is regarded as a separate object, no doubt associated with men, but not confounded with them. But now there is but one throne: Christ judges the dead. born of God. We have already considered a very similar list in Revelation 21:8 of those who were cast into the lake of fire. we are unaware of. This is a repetition of titles used in Revelation 1:17; Revelation 2:8; Revelation 21:6. carpet company violated its word. 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. I am the root and offspring of David, and the bright and the morning star. It is most convenient for them, as it is most agreeable to their feelings, to reject the Bible altogether. To take from the words of the book is more than rubbing out some words. I have always believed in God and Jesus. 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. gain access to 50+ premium resources to enhance your study of Scripture. "Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book." And how shall they hear without a preacher? "Every word of God proves true. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar" ( Proverbs 30:5-6). With God, says the Psalmist, is the fountain of life ( Psalms 36:9). When we come to the full application of the prophecy, we must look onward to the latter day. It does not say they have it and lose it. But there is a time coming when power will cease to be ordained of God; and this is the point to which the last condition of the beast refers. It is altogether foreign to history. Ultimately, the book of Revelation points to the holiness of God. Also, to "take away" for the book would mean to ignore or dismiss the They were judged every man according to their works. and from the thingsso Vulgate. It is similar to receiving an offer to a banquetthere is a place for you if you want it. 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. Unfortunately, today we see that this is happening with most modern Bible translations, especially the new NIV Bible that so many church leaders are now using! A man can so long refuse the way of Christ that in the end he cannot take it. That is the sin against the Holy Spirit. The book must not be ignored because we find its language unfamiliar. "Don't do that." And out of the holy city - Described in Revelation 21. I am concerned lest Christians today should be so caught up in prophecies about Christs final coming that they become blind to the reality of His present coming to Christians in daily life NOW. The Jews did not obey this law, and in fact they supplanted the law with their own traditions (see Matthew 15:3, Mark 7:8 & John 9 etc.). But there never was the thought of giving Christ the only place He could take. salvation. It is not a syllogism that is wanted or that can satisfy here: only require, only believe, the word of God. One of the most approved axioms is, that kingdoms are just like men in this respect, that they begin, rise, and fall. That kind of stuff is junky and there is no reward for that. The words of this book are to be given to men and are not to be sealed. This would awaken other realms of thought. commandments." So we'll go back now and retrace the rebellion of man from the beginning; its effect upon man, mankind and God's patient dealing in love, longsuffering as He draws forth His plan and draws man to His plan that ultimately we might share with Him that eternity in His kingdom of love and grace.So may the Lord be with you and may the Lord bless you and may He prepare your heart as we prepare to start through once more. Can names be blotted out of the book of life (Psalm 69:28)? At the same time they urge unbelievers to accept eternal life from him. Therefore the messages John received came from the same God as inspired the great prophets of the Old Testament, and must be treated with equal seriousness. 34. Couldn't God Just Judge Satan Before Man Fell? That religious system has an incomparably nearer connection with this mysterious harlot than anything we have yet spoken of. That, of course, begins with context. Thus the verses points to unbelievers. In short, it would seem that God has hedged round His own draft of Babylon so as to make it quite plain that Rome, city and system, figures in the scene; and this too necessarily involving a medieval description, though the full result will not be till the end of the age; for she rides the beast or empire characterized so as naturally to involve the past barbarian irruption and the resulting ten-kingdomed state. Here Jesus is talking to John and He is declaring the same thing. Yet religion, be it ever so corrupt, acts as a restraint on human will, as a government does, however evil. Note that the warning in Revelation is essentially to those that hear, that is, those that understand or should understand the words in exactly the same way the Pharisees should have known. 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. Scripture is positive in Isaiah 65:1-25 that death during the millennium only comes as a specific judgment because of open rebellion. The number which falls short of the perfect 7. 2. 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. That a corrupt religion is better than none I will not say: at any rate it troubles men; it is a thorn in the side of those who want no religion at all. Those who enter into the city of God are those who have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. H. B. Swete identifies the river of life with the Spirit. The consequence was one of physical discipline, and most likely loneliness, sickness or physical ailment; it was not a loss of salvation. We may best understand the greatness of that promise by remembering that the Christian is promised a privilege which was denied even to Moses to whom God's word was: "You cannot see my face; for man shall not see me and live" ( Exodus 33:20; Exodus 33:23). What does it mean to not add or take away from the Bible (Deuteronomy 4:2)? Nothing more is to be done. Revelation 22:2 Those that are unsaved cannot enter the new city - their taking and adding to the prophecy will be evidence of their unsaved state. The question is, does this apply to believers? In other words, a believer who perverts the teaching of this book may lose part of his or her eternal reward. It is God's gift to me by faith in Jesus Christ, faith alone. Ultimately, the book of Revelation points to the holiness of God. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus. God is sovereign. If we set down these two phrases in English capital letters, we see how closely they resemble each other. The Gothic hordes were not yet incorporated with the empire, still less were they horns of the beast, nor did they give their power to it, but destroyed it rather. Then again the character of it, as derived from Christianity having already taken its place, is asserted. "I will raise him up at the last day." "I am coming soon." But you will be surprised what you see when you go deeper into sc. Thank you again for taking the time for this discussion and I appreciate your on the other, she had, when she could, gone on increasing in both, until at last the blow of divine judgment came. The unrenewed of the nations are now compassing them with their countless hosts, as if to eat them up like grasshoppers. Paul demonstrates here that he is talking about the way we relate to God. This is the first resurrection.". Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I teach you to observe, that you may live, and go in and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you. The reference is to this book, Revelation, the letter written to the seven churches of Asia. This is termed a revelation, but it is a revelation of symbols; an exhibition of enigmas, to which no particular solution is given, and to which God alone can give the solution. ", Three times in this last chapter of the Bible Jesus makes the promise "I am coming soon.". (i) It is not to be interpreted with absolute literalness. Here were thrones, and people sat upon them, changed 'before this into the image of Christ's glory. When you give don't make a big to-do over it; don't play the Halleluia chorus and do cartwheels. And in these visions the book describes the struggle in every individual, in every generation between good and evil, and in every case the Lord comes in judgment on evil and brings victory to the good. Doesn't it seem The Ten Commandments? 493.] The words and visions which came to John came from the same God who inspired the great prophets of the Old Testament. I am still learning a lot about the bible and I am very fascinated.. Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. "Oh, he's a spiritual man." It is all plain and simple "the beast that was, and is not, and shall be present.". The very reverse is the undeniable fact. It does not hinder, of course, that in the judgment of the dead each man is judged for his own sin. 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. Once again he stresses the truth of all that John has seen and heard. Conclusion: Revelation 22:18-19 is a warning: If you reject God's offer of life, you will experience God's wrath. Instead, let's just accept them at face value, as the holy word of God. Who are the persons thus invested with judicial authority of so glorious a nature and to reign, as we see later, with Christ? I come quickly: blessed is he that keeps the sayings of the prophecy of this book. Verse Revelation 22:6. It is only God and man now. 1. fol. For it is clear that, though principles might reign, to be priests is quite inconsistent with a mere figure. the holy city Jerusalem. It is the fault, however, of the bad Greek text of Erasmus, Stephens, etc. "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. and now) to struggle with and try to figure out how this Greek word or that Greek phrase The ten horns with the beast are all to receive authority the beast of course wielding the imperial power, they as kings, all during one and the same time before the end comes. "I am coming soon" is a promise with wider and immediate application. The Risen Christ once again announces his speedy coming; and he makes two great claims. Christ is the Alpha and Omega--Lifes alphabet, the One who is the beginning and the end. There the apostle * 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." Verse 18 notes that anyone who adds to His words would receive the "plagues described in this book." Verse 19 notes "God will take away his share in . Copyright 2011-2023, Third Millennium Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. for the security of the believer in God's calling. In fact, later in the chapter Paul argues to ponder some of these matters. And he shewed me a pure river ( Revelation 22:1 ). . Just as the city of man's confusion was seen in her vile, degraded, and degrading relations with the beast, this city is seen in her pure and glorious relations with the Lamb. They had had the bitter experience of having all their highest hopes shattered. If any man shall take away If any man shall lessen this meaning, curtail the sense, explain away the spirit and design, of these prophecies, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, c. Thus Jesus Christ warns all those who consider this book to beware of indulging their own conjectures concerning it. well, we can better understand that he is encouraging us toward a strong Christian last! There will be degrees of rewards in heaven. How Could Jesus be Punished as a Sinner When He's Pure? Here it would seem we have just what answers to that: this name none knew but He Himself. While is is said and referred to here to Revelation, the principle of course applies to all of Gods Word. "The Spirit and the Bride say: Come!" Scholz's note ("rec. Acts 4:2, Colossians 1:19-22, Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 1:5-6, Ephesians 2:1-5, Ephesians 2:19, . (Revelation 22:19), Waitwhat? It cannot be done till the moment comes. Holding fast, then, becomes an as the Complut. For you have taken away the key of knowledge. Here were joined good and evil in godless union, for the worse, not for the better, this alliance, unholy in principle, irremediable therefore in practice, between God and the natural man, who substitutes rites for the grace and word of God, for the blood of Christ, and the power of the Spirit, and employs the name of the Lord as a cover for grosser covetousness and ambition, yet more aspiring than the vulgar world. I must leave these things to time and event, the surest interpreters. 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. I have found His presence when I have forgotten self in service to others. 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. 22:12,13 Behold, I am coming soon, and I have my reward with me, to render to each man, as his work is. 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. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. "Faithful" is what belongs to a man. "And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords.". And we thank you Lord for that hope that You have given to us of the New World, the new age where righteousness shall reign and Jesus shall reign where here the sun doth her successive journeys run. It is Jesus Christ who in his Cross has provided that grace by which alone man can be forgiven; but man has to appropriate that sacrifice. (ii) "Let him that hears say: Come!" riches become a hindrance to seeking salvation at all, not losing salvation. Ephesian church, not their salvation. By the messengers he chose, to reveal these things to the world; the holy angels showed them to holy men of God; and God would not employ his saints and angels in deceiving the world. And then comes the gathering and the battle. Jesus said, "Take heed that you do not your righteousness before men to be seen of men, because then you have your reward"( Matthew 6:1 ). However, Revelation is the last and final book no other inspired word was written after the Apostles died and since Revelation forms part of the Canon, the warning belongs to the whole Bible. Verse 21: "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. His blows on this world come more nationally as on Israel; incomparably more severe, as in possession of greater privileges, is the judgment of corrupt Christendom, or Babylon as it is called here. She followed and had inherited the spirit of all, from the days of Cain, who had lifted up their hands against their righteous brethren. From Rome saints had suffered; and it was easy to see that the revealed persecutress is called Babylon, and identified with the governing city of Rome. * Idolatry is the awful stamp that she bears, and this too both in what she gives to man, and in what is written on her forehead before God. And he said to me, Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. (Revelation 22:10). whosoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his It was ruled in general that the worldly powers were ordained of God. The principle is very clear. Afterwards we come to the description of itself, of its wall, its building, its foundations, and its gates. It is only when you try to spiritualize everything in it, and give everything some kind of a weird meaning, that it becomes a difficult book to understand. 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). The passage you cite in Matthew, ("If you do not forgive men, then your Father In the hot lands water was, and is, literally life. The tree of life is no longer forbidden; it is there in the midst of the city for all to take. Thus the difference is complete between past history (if we look at the extinction of the empire and the rise of the ten kingdoms) and the certain fulfilment of the prophecy in the future, when we look at what God has really told us. Again, death and hades are said to come to their end, personified as enemies. writes, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, no longer Christians. The Alexandrian copy, one of Stephens's, and the Complutensian edition, read, "the tree of life"; and so do the Syriac and Ethiopic versions; the sense is the same; see John 15:2 and out of the holy city; the new Jerusalem, before described, a part in which is a right to enter into it through the gates, and possess the glories of it: what is mentioned here is only a seeming one, which wicked men may flatter themselves with; and the meaning is, that such shall never enter into it, and enjoy the happiness of it, but shall ever be without, Revelation 21:27. and from the things which are written in this book; the blessings promised to the overcomers in Revelation 2:7 which such as detract from this book shall have no share in. Conclusion: Revelation 22:18-19 is a warning: If you reject Gods offer of life, you will experience Gods wrath. Denying the authority of the Book, denies God, because He is the author and denying God has only one consequence death (2 Timothy 2:12). New Jerusalem is principally for Jews - the remnant that turn to God (Romans 9:27, which quotes Old Testament), and gentiles saved during tribulation (as a result of the converted Jews evangelizing the world Revelation 14). "So he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness" a thorough waste as to the knowledge or enjoyment of God. Nobody can dispute that this remarkable cluster of kingdoms in Europe was the fruit providentially of the destroyed unity of the Roman empire when the barbarians invaded it. The new thing here is these new seedless flame grapes. Revelation 18:1-24 need not delay us long. I say "righteousnesses," not "righteousness." If it looks like the interpretation of passage is in conflict with another, it is always the person at fault not Scripture. The horns and the beast join in hating the whore. "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. I Jesus have sent my angel to testify unto you these things in the churches ( Revelation 22:15-16 ). Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. 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. Website Designed & Managed By Webnetave.com. It does not mean persons merely, but the souls of beheaded persons. Observe another very important fact. So, when you pray don't go out on the street corner and do a big thing so that everyone goes by and says, "What is happening? some texts aren't so clear cut. How and when was the canon of the Bible put together? Jews because God had chosen them for salvation. It is the word of him who is the author, finisher, and rewarder of the faith and holiness of his people, Revelation 22:13; Revelation 22:14. It furnishes material for a contrast between the earthly Jerusalem and the heavenly city, because if there be one thing more remarkable than another in Ezekiel's description, it is the temple. Jesus Christ confirms what has been affirmed, and pledges himself for the fulfilment of all the prophecies . There is a strange phrase in Deuteronomy 23:18. Let him who is thirsty come and let him who wishes take the water of life without price. And this is entirely confirmed byRevelation 17:1-18; Revelation 17:1-18, where it was told us that they are with Him when He comes. We know that the change of all those caught up takes place in the twinkling of an eye. Again, we have a warning about someone who receives a command but rejects it. It isquick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetratingas far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, andis able tojudge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.". It is an amazing future God has in store for all who accept Salvation through the only atonement for our sins; belief in Christ Jesus for our Salvation (John 3:18). Answering a Jehovah's Witness: Can Jesus be God if He's Seen? 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.