An Alphabetical Analysis
Volume 9 - Prophetic Truth - Page 74 of 223
INDEX
Here again we pause.  The testing of the employment of 'white' in the
Apocalypse ranges with and supplements a great number of other features that
testify with one voice, that the Millennium is pre -eminently the sphere in
which the martyrs who suffer during the antichristian oppression will 'live
and reign with Christ a thousand years'.
All theories concerning the Millennium must line up with the positive
teaching of the Apocalypse, all theories that ignore or belittle such
testimony must be repudiated by all who love and honour the Scriptures as the
Word of Truth.  Revelation 20:1 -10 is the only sure starting point for
studying the meaning and character of the Millennial kingdom.  Many
prophecies, hitherto forced into that kingdom, may belong to the succeeding
Day of God (2 Pet. 3:12) which is scarcely touched upon in the Apocalypse.
What John said concerning the earthly ministry of the Son of God in His
gospel, namely:
'There are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they
should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could
not contain the books that should be written' (John 21:25),
could be said of the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy.  The Apocalypse is
as much selected as were the eight signs of the gospel of John.  The purposes
of the Old Testament have a focus, a gathering point, and this is
sufficiently definite to ensure that the student who observes their limits
and the items that converge at the time of the end, will have a sufficient
guide and chart to the outworking of prophecy, until faith merges into sight
as the day dawns and shadows flee away.  (See article, The Converging Lines
of Prophetic Truth, page 55).
No.
14
The
Book
of
Life
(Rev. 3:5; 20:12,15)
If the book of life contains the names of the 'elect', the 'redeemed'
and the 'saved', such passages as Romans 8:31 -39 and John 10:28,29 preclude
the idea that a believer can ever be 'lost'.  If the book of life refers to
the gift of eternal life, it is a gratuitous promise to tell the 'overcomer'
that 'he' will not have his name blotted out of that book; the possibility
does not arise.  In Revelation 13:8 and Revelation 17:8, the book of life is
linked with the words, 'from the foundation of the world', and a reference to
Luke 11:50,51 will associate this period with martyrdom, thus:
'That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation
of the world, may be required of this generation; from the blood of
Abel ...'.
The book of life is the Lamb's 'Book of Martyrs'.  Paul speaks of the
book of life once, not in Romans or Ephesians, but in the epistle of the
'Prize', namely Philippians.  Epaphroditus had risked his life in service,
and with 'Clement' and other fellowlabourers (not simply fellowbelievers) had
their names in 'the book of life'.  The Lamb's book of life may be limited to
the calling that is in view in the Apocalypse, even as the Great White Throne
may be 'The Judgment seat of Christ' for believers of that calling too.  If
the Lord could promise the overcomer that He would Not blot his name out of
the book of life, for the Lord does not trifle with His people, it must mean
that those who failed to overcome did run that risk.  And inasmuch as the