SPELLING EDITED Cc-16. WHAT DOES REVELATION 13:8 TRULY MEAN? Here is Revelation 13:8 from the King James Version of the Bible. I have emphasized the phrase “whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb” in order to show how some Christians INTERPRET this verse to try and support what they come to believe.
Revelation 13:8 from the King James Version of the Bible.
“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” So then, when you emphasize this phrase it makes it SEEM like there can be no other possible interpretation of this verse. And when you read this verse with a presupposed belief in a church doctrine, then it seems almost impossible for this verse to mean anything else than what your church denominational doctrine dogmatically demands that it MUST mean. Therefore, Calvinist Christians along with Reformed Theology Christians use Revelation 13:8 to try and support their belief that God chose ONLY certain people to be saved. And according to their interpretation of the scriptures, if you are not one of those so-called chosen people to be saved before the foundation of the world, then it is impossible for you to be saved.
So then, this study in God’s word is to learn the TRUE meaning of this verse by taking a CLOSER look at this verse in its context. You see my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ, almost every verse in the Bible can have more than just one single interpretation. Even some of the verses that SEEM like a statement of fact with absolutely no interpretation needed can sometimes have another interpretation that may have been overlooked. So what I would like to do is for you, the reader and seeker of the truth, is to have three tables. I use the word table as an analogy for laying all your “cards on the table”. This is an expression that is used to be upfront and honest with God, yourself, and others. So what I mean by this is to put all the verses that you use to support what you believe on ONE table. A table could be a literal table or a file drawer or a column on a piece of paper having three columns. Simply list all these verses that support what you believe in one column. Then on ANOTHER table or column, I want you to place all the verses used by others that SEEM to contradict what you believe and teach. The third table or column will be empty or blank for the moment when you first begin with an honest and open-minded examination of what you have come to believe. The third table will be used to hold all the verses that can NO LONGER be used as ironclad positively undeniable proof to YOU that seem to support what you have come to believe and teach to be Biblical. Now, instead of trying to explain away what OTHERS believe and teach we are going to be open and honest with ourselves to seek ONLY what the Bible itself teaches. And in order to do this, it may be necessary to revisit the verses that we use to support our OWN church denominational teaching.
And in this case, since Revelation 13:8 is used to try to prove PREDESTINATION in the way that Reformed Theology Christians teach, then I want all my Reformed or Calvinist brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ to do your best to NOT read INTO Revelation 13:8 your own predetermine belief.
Let us read 2 Corinthians 11:3,4 in the immediate close context which is just a few verses before and after the verse in question. The verse in question is the verse you desire to know the true meaning according to what the rest of the Bible teaches us IN SIMPLICITY. If the gospel is not taught in simplicity then it may very well be ANOTHER gospel that the Apostles of Jesus Christ did NOT teach. So what we desire to know is what gospel is the TRUE gospel of Jesus Christ according to the light of the WHOLE word of Almighty God.
Please read 2 Corinthians 11:3,4.
“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the SIMPLICITY that is IN Christ. 4. For if he that comes preaching ANOTHER Jesus, (That did NOT die on the cross for the sins of the WHOLE world) whom WE have NOT preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or ANOTHER gospel, (Where God predestined certain specific people to be lost and there is nothing that they can do to be saved) which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.”
Let us now read Revelation 13:18 in its immediate context and ALSO place the EMPHASIS on some other words instead of the phrase “whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb”.
Revelation 13:4-10.
“And they worshipped the dragon (Who we know to be Satan) which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5. And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. (Or for 3 ½ years. And almost all Christians agree that this is speaking of the time of great tribulation right before Jesus returns) 6. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. (To me, this speaks of the antichrist system making itself to be the ONLY WAY to receive eternal life in order to DECEIVE Christians into taking the MARK of the beast. And this is exactly what Islam is doing today. They blaspheme God by saying that God does not have a Son. They blaspheme the name of God by saying that Jesus did not die on the cross.) 7. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. (So then, this antichrist system is NOT a peaceful religious group but rather it is a radical system that uses the sword or weapons of war to force people to submit to their god) 8. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (So then, it is the LAMB that was SLAIN in God’s plan of salvation from the foundation of the world and NOT that the NAMES of the people who will be saved were written in the book of life from the foundation of the world.) 9. If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10. He that leads into captivity shall go into captivity: he that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.”
Now, why would the saints of Almighty God need to have PATIENCE to not take up the sword to fight against the beast that is seeking to kill every Christian who does not convert to Islam? Calvinism teaches that the elect were chosen BEFORE the foundation of the world. And to them, this means that ALL of the elect WILL be saved and NONE of the elect can ever lose their salvation. Therefore, to a Christian of the Reformed Theology, those whose names are written in the book of life from before the foundation of the world can never LOSE their salvation. And that means that absolute NO name can ever be BLOTTED OUT of the book of life. So WHY the WARNING to NOT take the mark of the beast? The truth of the matter it that Jesus HIMSELF clearly teaches us that if we do NOT OVERCOME then he will BLOT OUT the names of those Christians who do NOT OVERCOME.
Please read Revelation 3:1-6.
“And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things says he that has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know your WORKS, that you have a name that you live, and are dead. 2. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found your WORKS PERFECT before God. 3. Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore you shall NOT watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you. 4. You have a few names even in Sardis which have NOT defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are WORTHY. (By keeping sin out of their life and repenting of any sins they may commit) 5. He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will NOT blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.”
Now, in order for one’s name to be BLOTTED OUT of the book of life, it has to be WRITTEN IN the book of life. Calvinist and Reformed Theology Christians demand that the names of ONLY the ELECT are written in the book of life AND that they were written there BEFORE the foundation of the world. Other Christians say that our names are written in the book of life the moment that we BELIEVE in Jesus as the atonement for our sins. Some of you may remember the song A New Named Written Down in Glory that is sung when a new Christian is baptized. But what about babies who are too young to believe and be baptized? This is why I believe that the names of every human being are written in the book of life the moment that they are conceived in the womb. And if they die before birth then God names them. And if they die before the age of accountability they are SAVED and they shall receive eternal life in the world to come. And every name REMAINS IN the book of life UNTIL a person dies or Jesus returns. When Jesus returns he will send his angels to gather the elect and this is why Jesus WARNS use to be READY and not to have our garment defiled with sin.
Please read Revelation 16:15.
“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and KEEPS his garments, lest he walk naked, and they (The angels sent by Jesus to gather the elect) see his shame.”
Any true born-again Christian living in sin when Jesus returns will be left behind to suffer the WRATH of Almighty God. And any Christian who dies while living in sin will NOT be resurrected in the FIRST resurrection and they will have their part in the lake of fire on the final Day of Judgment.
Now let us dig even deeper to see even more of the TRUE meaning of Revelation 13:8.
Revelation 13:8.
“And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain FROM the FOUNDATION of the WORLD.”
Please notice that I have emphasized the phrase “FROM the FOUNDATION of the WORLD”. The Greek word that is translated as FROM also means AFTER.
Here is what the concordance says.
apo apo' A primary particle; “off”, that is, away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literally or figuratively): - (X here-) after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for (-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-) on (-ce), since, with. In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.
The LITERAL translation says from the downcasting or the disruption or the system speaking of the rulership of the world. In other words, the foundation of the world here is speaking of the DETHRONING of Lucifer from his throne of ruling over the world system of the Luciferian age before mankind was ever created. So the whole Bible is speaking of the RESTORATION of the OLD earth and the crowning of a NEW King. The Greek word that is translated as FOUNDATION also means DEPOSITION or to DEPOSE. Here is what the concordance says.
katabolē kat-ab-ol-ay' From G2598; a deposition, that is, founding; figuratively conception: - conceive, foundation.
The word depose means to overthrow, to unseat, to DETHRONE, to remove, and to displace. This Greek word “katabole” is from the Greek word “kataballo” Strongs #2598 and here is its meaning. kataballō kat-ab-al'-lo From G2596 and G906; to throw down: - cast down, lay.
You see my dear brothers and sister in our Lord Jesus Christ, God did not need a PLAN of SALVATION until AFTER the fall of Lucifer and the fallen angels who rebelled to make war with God. So then, it was AFTER the destruction of the old earth that occurred DURING the WAR between God and his angels and Lucifer and his angels.
Please read the LITERAL translation of Genesis 1:2.
“And the earth she BECAME chaos and vacancy…”
And when you study the meaning of the Greek word translated as WORLD, it carries the meaning of TENDING TO earth. In other words, Lucifer, the one tending to the old earth, was found unworthy to continue to have rule over the earth. So God DETHRONED Lucifer and crowned the Son of MAN, Jesus to be his King over the earth for 1000 years. Please read the studies, “UNDERSTANDING WHY?” and “THE WAR IN HEAVEN-REVELATION 12!”. In these studies you will find all the verses that clearly teach us that God is at war with the rebel god of this present world that most Christians know as Satan. You see dear children of God, the writers of the New Testament used a DIFFERENT Greek word when referring to a FOUNDATION as the BEGINNING of something that is being built. Here is what the concordance says concerning this other Greek word translated as foundation.
“G2310 θεμέλιος themelios them-el'-ee-os From a derivative of G5087; something put down, that is, a substruction (of a building, etc.), (literally or figuratively): - foundation. Total KJV occurrences: 16
It is used 16 times and never as the foundation of the WORLD. But it is used one time when speaking of Yahweh creating the EARTH in Hebrews 1:10 where the writer of Hebrews is quoting Psalm 102:26. My point is that it was God’s PLAN of SALVATION that was ordained or CHOSEN AFTER the earth became void and BEFORE God created mankind a little lower and INFERIOR to his previous creation the angels.
The next verse that we will study is Ephesians 1:4.
“According as he has chosen US in him BEFORE the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”
Thanks for reading and may God bless you richly as you CONTINUE to seek the TRUTH of the WHOLE word of Almighty God. Your very eternal life depends upon what CHOICES that you make. So choose wisely according to the SOUND BIBLICAL teaching of the scriptures.
Your brother in our Lord Jesus Christ, Brother Mark.
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The NEXT VERSE we will study is Ephesians 1:4 in the study called “WHAT DOES EPHESIANS 1:4 TRULY MEAN?” |