“THE SCRIPTURE CANNOT BE BROKEN!” (John 10:35).
Two of the most sobering and grave warnings ever found in Scripture are those written in the book of Revelation 22: 18,19. These warnings should fill us with determination to reject those who ignore God’s Word therein, and to avoid like the plague any interaction with them. Not many teachers or pastors in our day seriously take to heart such chilling words as these. The dire warnings are as follows:
“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.
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 things which are written in this book.”
It is an outrageous felony against Almighty God to interfere with His inspired Word, the Holy Scriptures. He has given to the world a completed book, the Bible, and will not turn a blind eye to those who dare to seek to alter it. We must not ADD to the Scriptures, or TAKE AWAY, or “CUT OFF” (same Greek word) unwanted words or passages from the completed Canon. The writer of the book of Revelation, John, the last apostle to write, completed the apostles’ inspired teachings. They were the chosen apostles/prophets of God, the Canon is now assembled and no more is to come. This is quite understandable, for how would the believers ever have known what teachings and doctrines to accept down through the ages if there had not been a completed Canon? The “Word of God” would otherwise have been open-ended, with many and various additions down through the centuries. When would it have ever ended? What confusion would have been the result. But God in His wisdom gave us a completed book, and therefore stopped forever the need to judge between false and true revelations. That is, if we adhere only to the revealed Word of God - the Bible only.
ADDING TO GOD’S SCRIPTURES - cannot be broken.
Now, since the Canon was closed, no angelic being, man
or woman can ever presume to ADD to God’s revelation in His scriptures.
These comments from Henry Morris will enlighten us further:
“We have the actual words of the Lord (Greek logos, same
word as translated “sayings” in Rev. 22:7), and He has promised to bless
all who keep them. Precise words are needed to convey precise thoughts;
we will think the thoughts He desires us to think if we believe the words
He says, and no other words are needed or appropriate.” ( The Revelation
Record, p.p.483,484).
What of those who ignore the warnings of Rev. 22:18?
God has declared that His extremely severe and horrifying judgement will
fall upon them. Those in our own day who come forward with “new revelations”
which they claim are direct inspirations from God and should be followed
as one would follow the Canon of Scripture, are in deadly danger of God’s
judgement upon them. Yet, how many take note of Revelation 22:18?
These “revelations” or “prophecies” which it is claimed are given by God,
ADDING to His Word, can bring the one foolish enough to peddle in them
only sheer disaster. Are you dear reader yielding in any way to extra-biblical
revelation? Cease from doing so, repent before the Lord. Note what the
punishment will be for these false “apostles and prophets” when God
deals with them:
“God shall add unto him the plagues that are written
in this book.”
What are these plagues? The Bible contains the awesome description of the plagues which God will send upon the world in the Tribulation period of seven years. Those who add to the Word of God will be “ cast... into a bed...into great tribulation” (Revelation 2:22). Those who add to the Scriptures demonstrate by so doing that they are NOT truly redeemed, and do not know the Lord Jesus as Saviour. They will not go in the Rapture, even if they profess to be Christians. They lead many astray, and God will make sure they undergo the plagues of the Tribulation in full! The false prophets will one day soon realise their dreadful crime against the Lord has not been over-looked by the Almighty!
This warning does NOT just apply to those who add to the book of Revelation, but to the adding to the whole Bible itself in any way. To merely add to the book of Revelation would have been bad enough, but the Lord is referring to the whole of the Bible when the last prophet speaks in Rev. 22;18. All of the seven churches of Asia knew the apostle/prophet, John, and knew of his writing, he was an old man when he wrote the last book of the Bible. It would have been impossible in that period for some one to come along and add a chapter or two to the book of Revelation. No need to give this warning if that was the only warning intended here. For any false writer claiming to be a prophet who wrote an appendix, (or preached an new “prophecy” claimed to be God’s Word ), which was added to John’s revelation would be immediately branded as a fake and impostor. It was about the whole of Scripture that God inspired John to write when he penned those warnings of Rev.22:18.19. We see the same warnings given in Deuteronomy 4:2 about the revelation given to Moses:
“ Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish [ought] from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. “
WHAT WAS THE DANGER?
The danger was that God’s Word would be swamped by later
prophets who were charlatans. That they would arise and come to the Christian
churches with “new” epistles, “new” prophecies, “new” gospels and “new”
apocalyptic teachings. These might want to have their Scriptures accepted
as new and better Scriptures. This has actually happened over the centuries,
and those who do not obey or understand God’s Bible have been deceived
by these fakes. Consider just a few:
Mary Baker Eddy and the Christian Science organisation;
Ellen White and the Seventh Day Adventists;
Joseph Smith and the Mormons;
The Christadelphians;
Blavatsky, Leadbeater and Theosophy;
“Pastor” Russell and the Jehovah’s Witnesses
and above all the Roman Catholic Church.
ALL the above organisations add to the Word of God! But there are so many others in these days of the Great Falling Away that space could not permit me to write of them. There is a huge proliferation of cults, eclectic doctrines of demons, books of “prophecy” by “apostles”, fake “bibles” and teachers of damnable heresies saturating the earth. ALL have added to the Scriptures their own doctrines and prophecies. There is always a fake “god” who heads up this evil crime against the Lord! Some personable, spiritually empowered demonic leader. Consider just a few of these latter day leaders who add to God’s Word with their own prophecies and doctrines:
Benny Hinn; Kenneth Copeland; Rick Joyner; Kenneth Hagin; Paul Yongghi Cho; Marilyn Hickey; Morris Cerullo; Oral Roberts; Charles Capps; Paul and Jan Crouch; Rodney Howard-Brown; Fred Price; Robert Tilton; Jerry Savelle; Jack Hayford - and scores more of the same brand!
These will all suffer at the hands of God the judgement reserved for those who add to God’s Word! If they die before the Tribulation, they shall “receive the due reward of their deeds” in the Lake of Fire (Luke 23:41). Why does the Lord deem them worthy of great punishment? They have presumed to speak FOR God while they are in the process of destroying the foundational, inspired teaching of the Lord’s authentic prophets and apostles (Matthew 24:24; Galatians 1:8,9; II Corinthians 11:13-15; II Peter 2:1-3). The severe penalty due to these men and women is because of their presumption against the Holy Lord; the spiritual wreckage they have created amongst their deceived victims; and their awesome pride in bringing in added teachings and doctrines declaring these to be “prophecy from God” and “new” inspiration. Do NOT ADD to God’s revelation, dear reader, any extra-biblical “prophecy” or doctrines!
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we
not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in
thy name done many wonderful works? “
(Matthew 7:22).
TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE BOOK - cannot be broken.
Revelation 22:19:
“And if any man shall take away [cut off ] 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.”
When we come to this other offence against the Almighty’s Holy Book we are faced with a formidable mountain of men and women in our time. Consider the theological liberals who are always explaining away huge chunks of the Bible, yet they claim to love and serve God. They dwell in the death-houses called churches all over our land today. Lutheran, Anglican, Catholic and Uniting Church ecumenists who “dialogue” with agnostics and modernists and rip out any portion of God’s Word they do not fancy. Consider the smart intellectuals of these days who attend death-houses called Bible Colleges and Seminaries, and learn how to deny, rend and demolish Scripture and destroy others by doing so. The Baptists who run riot with the Catholics, and remove basic doctrines and prophecies from God’s Word because they might offend their powerful, influential billionaire mentor - the big Daddy of Bible ripper-uppers, the Pope.
Human prejudice, scientific “truth,” higher learning,
evolution, expediency, greed for gain, ambition, the social gospel and
many other reasons cause the deluded of religious organisations and denominations
to “cut off” the parts of the Bible they don’t want - but they will not
reImages unpunished for this. God CANNOT lie, for He is God, and He
has declared that they will suffer this punishment for their offences:
“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.” (Rev.22:19).
Consider now the horrors of the “new” versions of the
Bible. The deliberate “cutting of” of those parts and words which don’t
suit the translation committees, with their bias against “judgemental”
passages and those verses which show God’s wrath against homosexuality
et al. Consider the neo-Judaistic thrust to have the Bible passages removed
where the Jews are held responsible by God for the execution of Christ.
Ponder on the desire of many Messianic Jews to do away with the King James
Version all together, and bring in extra-biblical manuscripts to make a
Hebrew New Testament using other sources beside the recognised text. Here
we see two thrusts:
add to Scriptures, and cut off the Scriptures!
These “scholars” and “revisionists” are without a doubt
unsaved. They have worked to cut themselves off from the book of life,
and to make entry into the holy city, the New Jerusalem and all into the
blessings of eternity for that matter, an impossibility to them forever
- that is unless they repent promptly. Since they reject God’s true Word,
they reject God as He really is. They may profess to know “Jesus” or the
“Messiah” but be far away from the Lord God of the true Bible. The Lord
will bring an end to their destructive work, and they will be separated
from Him and the precious wonders of His Presence for ever and for ever
- in the Lake of Fire. Their names will be blotted out of the Book of Life.
Let us hear Henry Morris on this:
“The penalty for removing anything from the “book” (Greek
biblios, the word from which we get “bible,” the book) is nothing less
than removal of one’s name from the ...book of Life. Those who add extraneous
pseudo revelations to the completed revelation of God may be cast into
the great tribulation, but there may still exist the possibility of repentance
on their part before they die. Those, on the other hand, who presume to
judge and reject any part of God’s true revelations will, by that very
attitude, demonstrate that they are irreconcilably antagonistic to the
revealed will of God. They have read and understood the Word of God and
then repudiated it. Therefore, their names, ..., which have been entered
in the book of life at the time of conception, sadly will be removed from
the book (Revelation 3:5) by the Lord whose word they refused, and they
must then be consigned forever to the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15).
(End of quote).
A QUESTION FOR YOU:
The Jewish people might say that we Christians have added
to the Old Testament books and to the teachings of Moses, so that the warning
of Deuteronomy 4:2 should be heeded by ourselves who have added the New
Testament. What can we see in the Word about this? God told Moses
that He would send One who would bring a greater revelation than Moses
had received, this One was Jesus Christ Himself:
“ I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require [it] of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18,19).
Note that this prophecy has been fulfilled in Christ because this was confirmed by Peter, when he preached at the temple gate! Consider solemnly the plight of those Jews who will not accept Christ Jesus and the New Testament record of the New Covenant in His Blood, according to verse 23:
“And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached
unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution
of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets
since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet
shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me;
him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
23. And it shall come to pass, [that] every soul, which will not hear that
prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the
prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken,
have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the
prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto
Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you,
in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” (Acts 3:20-26).
The Jews today hear of this “prophet” in the NEW TESTAMENT,
unabridged and intact!
WHO SHOULD BE WARNED? - Scripture cannot be broken.
Masses of professed Christians today have fallen into
such diabolical error that they have put themselves upon serious ground
indeed! The wrath of God against those who add to and take away from God’s
Holy Bible is not far off, it is imminent. They seek to ‘break” the Scriptures,
it is impossible to do so, the Scriptures will break them! Those who imagine
it is “tolerant” to insist that there are no absolutes in the Word of God;
that love to be popular by going along with the dialectic process by ”dialogue”
with unbelievers and religious liberals; the unbelieving higher critics
who disgrace the Church by calling themselves “theologians”; the intellectuals
who frequent the comparative religions university courses and call themselves
“Christians” - the warnings in Revelation 22:18,19 are for them.
Those who rip up the Bible, God’s Word. The warnings are for the foolish
and gullible “new prophets” and “apostles” who make up the bulk of the
Charismatic and Pentecostal religious camps. Whose books, videos
and tapes line the shelves of “Christian” book shops, whilst the KJV Bibles,
with fundamental, sound commentaries, are stashed away under the counters
- they are too old fashoined and boring for today’s church-goers’ taste.
These warnings are for the Messianic Jews who seek to bring new Hebrew
“Bibles” based on occultic documents, and want all supposed “anti-semitic”
passages taken out of the New Testament altogether!
Will you IF you follow them suffer the plagues and the wrath of God that they will suffer if they do not repent? Not if you are saved and secure in Christ Jesus. BUT, what shame will be yours at the Bema Seat of Christ if you follow their pernicious doctrines and lies, and/or give them money to aid and abet their causes? Your funds are God-given, and they belong to Him.
“... they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as [they do] also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” (II Peter 3:16).
“THE SCRIPTURE CANNOT BE BROKEN.” (John 10:35).
(Acknowledgement given to the work of Henry Morris,
“The Revelation Record” pub. Tyndale House Publishers).
W. B. Howard ...Editor of Despatch
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