Book of Life, from the foundation of the world
See: Book of Life:
Extracts and comments from Revelation Chps. 3, 13, 17, 20, 21 & 22.
3.5
He that (a)overcometh, thus shall be clothed in (b)white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the (c)Book of Life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His (d)angels.
(c) Book of Life; One only, The Lamb’s, from the “foundation” of the world, (Rev. 13:8, 17.8, 20:12, 20:15, 21:27 & 22:19). Also (Dan. 12:1, Ex. 32:32-33, Psm. 69:18, Isa. 4:3, Ezk. 13:9 & Luke 10:20). The word “foundation”, should be translated "overthrow", see comments on these references.
And all that dwell upon the Earth shall (a)worship him every one whose name is not written in the (b)Book of the Life of the Lamb slain, from the foundation of the world.
(b) "Book of the life of the Lamb slain, from the foundation of the world". The word "foundation" in Greek is "Katabole", which means "overthrow". This seems to have occurred at some stage between Gen. 1:1, and Gen. 1:2, see: The Age of the Earth Controversy: No information is given as to the reason, but is implicit in Almighty God's Plan of Redemption in Christ, as the Lamb's Book of Life started after that event! Much clarity is given by Paul and Peter regarding this juncture point. It is clear from Eph. 1:4 and 1Peter 1:20 that some are "known," before the "overthrow", some after. Only Christ and His Body as shown in Eph. 1:4 and 1Peter 1:20 are "known" before the overthrow (foundation). Those after are the Jew, and other groups, i.e. perhaps Christendom (religious but not of the Body of Christ), Overcomers of Revelation, and all who must eventually stand before the Great White Throne for Judgement. Here those after are referred to. Those before are possibly/ probably, in the opinion of the writers, no longer on Earth as mentioned earlier, (see Chp. 8:1(a), last para.). Some opinions are that The Lamb's Book of Life started before the overthrow/foundation, which however is not the writers view, as that does not concur with Scripture's statements, (see ref. Rev. 3:5(c)). What is clear is that The Lamb's Blood is retrospective from the overthrow/foundation, and that there are two groupings, those known before and those after.
(a)The beast which you saw was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into (b)perdition: and they that dwell on the Earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the (c)foundation of the world, when they behold (d)the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
(a) See Chp. 13 and notes.
(b) “Perdition”: (Str. 684 = destruction, wasted, from 622 = perish, destroy).
(c) “Foundation”; (Comp. App. 146). There are two Greek words used in the New Testament, which the A.D. 1611 translators inconsistently used to arrive at the word “foundation”, clearly to suit their own dogma. In this case, the word “KATABOLLE”, they translated “foundation”, but it should have been, “cast down or overthrow”. The translation then would read, “in the Book of Life from the overthrow of the world”. The Overthrow in point, is that prior to the Creation Actions of God in Gen. 1- 2.
“The Body of Christ”, known before the foundation (overthrow) of the world, is by implication not on Earth, (Eph. 1:4), (1Peter 1:20) & (See Rev. 3:5 (c)).
(c)And I saw the dead, the great and small standing before the throne; and (d)the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
(d) "The books"; "these books", i.e. records are kept on ALL humans, in Heaven. They do not apply to those of THE BODY OF CHRIST, or THE OVERCOMERS of earlier Chapters. The results of these records are the judgements about to be given in these verses. The Second Death applies to those people whose life actions are against good conscience, in the case of Gentiles, or the Law of Moses, in the case of Jews, (Rom. 2:12-16), and is the penalty for those failing! (See: Matt. 10:28). Also see App. 131; “fires of destruction”.
Reference has been made to these books from the earliest record in Holy Writ. Some of these are; Ex. 32:32-33, Dan.7:10, 12:1. Rev. 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 20:15 & 21:27.
20.15
(a)And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire.
(a) Lake of Fire and Brimstone; 20:10 (a) & 21:8 (b).
(a)And there shall not enter into it anything that defiles, or works abomination, or lies: but those that are written in (b)the Lamb’s Book of Life.
(a) These have been dealt with, (see Chp. 20:15, and 22:15), and this statement is to give the comparison of the old and new state.
(b) See Chp. 13:8, and notes.
And if anyone shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the (b)Tree of Life, and out of the Holy City, which are written in this Book.
(b) Interlinear states "scroll" (i.e. book), Darby "tree", Bullinger "tree," R.S.V. "tree", Dr. Bullinger's comments based on manuscript copies. The context of this verse shows to be the" Great Tribulation Age", (see Rev. 2:7).
The "Tree of Life", is in the paradise of God, and is the reward for the "Overcomers”, which is the opposite to that of Adam and Eve! There are many of them as shown in Rev. 7: 14. The reasoning is that as above in V14, "the Tree of Life" is available to the "Overcomers".
The "Body of Christ" has been removed at the " Rapture", and therefore the warning is for the people in the context of the "Great Tribulation", and almost certainly those included in the period of the "Book of Life", i.e. from the "foundation" (overthrow) of the world, but not including "The Body of Christ", which was "known" before the (overthrow), Eph. 1:4 & 1Peter 1:20.
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