Daily Bible Nugget #140, Revelation 22:18-19

The Nugget:

Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Revelation 22:19 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.

My Comment:

The title the Bible gives itself here is similar to that given in Psalm 40:7. Here the Bible calls itself this book. This passage contains a most solemn warning against adding to or taking away from what is written in the Bible. The Bible as we have it is complete. Nothing needs to be added to it by way of supposed later revelation from God. This immediately condemns one so-called “one true church” that makes a big issue about how we must hear “the rest of the story,” which is only preserved in their “unwritten tradition.” They claim that much of what Jesus said during His ministry on earth was not written down. That certainly is true, for the Bible directly tells us that in John 20:30, which members of this group frequently quote. They do not seem to be aware of or emphasize the very next verse, John 20:31. John makes the same point again in John 21:25, which they also love to quote. They seem unable to fathom that Jesus spoke of tradition on several occasions, and everything He said about tradition as it is recorded in the New Testament was negative. The warning about not adding anything to the Bible condemns another group, the Mormons, who suppose their Book of Mormon is an inspired addition to the Bible. The Seventh-day Adventists regard the prophecies of their founder, Mrs. Ellen G. White, to be divinely inspired revelation. Once again, they too fail to heed the warning not to add to the written Word of God found in the Bible. I have been surprised to learn that some Roman Catholics believe in prophecies given in our own time through special messengers (or are they mediums?), who report what Mary warns is coming soon. This again is an obvious violation of what is warned against in the Word of God. I have been surprised and chagrined that such devout individuals are, on the one hand, so excited about extra-Biblical supposed revelation, and, on the other hand, are so loud in their criticism of anyone who would go by the Bible alone. They have asked me, “Where in the Bible does the Bible say we must go by the Bible alone?” Shows they are not as acquainted with the Bible as they should be. The Bible clearly tells us in Isaiah 8:20, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” That ought to be clear enough. Isaiah used the terms “law” and “testimony” as names for the Bible. In context, some were consulting “familiar spirits” and “wizards” because in judgment, God refused to communicate to them. Any church or group or movement or organization that admits to receiving extra-Biblical supposed divine revelation is a false cult. Do not associate with them if you wish to be in obedience to the Scripture. These passages in today’s Bible Nugget pronounce a very severe penalty for those who disobey the command not to add to or take from God’s Word.

For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:

(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1521 for Revelation 22:18-19.

(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1538 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Revelation 22:18-19.

(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:

Revelation 22:18. testify. See on ver. 16. Re *3:14. Ep 4:17. 1 Th 4:6. heareth. See on Re 1:3. this book. ver. 7, 9. Dt 31:24. Ac +1:20. If. FS184C, Mt +4:9. add unto these. Dt >4:2. >12:32. Jsh 1:7. 1 S 12:19. 1 K 12:11. Pr 19:27. +*30:6. Is +**8:20. Je **23:28, 29. Mt 7:15-20. **15:6-9, 13. 24:11, 24. 28:20. 1 C 3:12, 13. God shall add. T#1108. Re 14:10, 11. 15:1. ch. 16. 19:20. 20:10, 15. Le 26:18, 24, 25, 28, 37. Pr %10:22. the plagues. Dt >29:20.

Revelation 22:19. And if. FS184C, Mt +4:9. take away from. See on Re 2:18. Je *26:2. Mt 19:9n. Lk 11:52. Jn 3:7n. Ga +*1:8, 9. 1 Th 4:2n. God. See on Re +*3:5. +13:8. Ex 32:33. Ps **69:28. shall take. Lk *8:18. his part. Dt %18:1. Jsh 22:25, 27. Ep +*1:11. out of the book of life. Re 13:8. Ps >69:28. or, from the tree of life. See on ver. 2, 14. Re +2:7. Ge >2:9. >3:22. and out. See on Re 21:2, 22-27. holy city. Re 21:2, 10. Is >52:1. Mt +4:5. He *12:22. and from. ver. 12. Re 1:3. 2:7, 11, 17, 26. 3:4, 5, 12, 21. 7:9-17. 14:13. 20:15.