These shall wonder at the beast.

B

The book of life opened.

Those not in the book of life.

A

Threat to take the name out of the book of life.

To this list we might add Revelation 22:18 where the plagues recorded in this

book will be added to any who add to the things written, thus rounding off

the intimate connection that exists with the earlier and closing sections of

this prophecy.

Another challenging passage is Revelation 21:7,8.  Over against the

overcomer, who is to inherit all things, is placed a list of evils, that at

first glance belongs only to the wicked, the ungodly, and the unsaved.  Yet

remembering what we have already seen, and observing once more that it is in

contrast with the Overcomer, not with the average believer, that this list is

presented, perhaps the reader will hesitate to pronounce judgment until the

Scriptures are permitted to speak for themselves.  Here is the list:

'The fearful, and

unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and

whoremongers, and

sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have

their part in the

lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is

the second death'

(Rev. 21:8).

Can such a list have any relation with a professed believer?  Before this

study we might have pronounced an unhesitating 'no' but perhaps we are not

quite so sure now.  Let us 'search and see'.

'The fearful' Greek deilos.

This word occurs only three times in the

New Testament.

'Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?' (Matt. 8:26; cf. Mark

These words are addressed to the Disciples.  Deilia occurs but once, and it

is used by Paul in his letter to Timothy in view of the perilous position

Timothy was about to step into:

'God hath not given us the spirit of Fear ... be not ... ashamed' (2

Tim. 1:7,8).

Deiliao occurs but once, namely in John 14:27:

'Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid'.

The LXX uses deilos of Rehoboam who was young and 'tender hearted' and so

understood not 'the children of Belial' (2 Chron. 13:7).  In like manner, and

connected with the overcoming character, Deuteronomy 20:8 uses deiliao for

the soldier who is 'fearful and faint -hearted'.  Here therefore is proof,

that the 'fearful' can and does include many of those who are nevertheless

saved, disciples or servants of the Lord.

'The unbelieving', apistos.  That it is possible for a believer to have

'an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God' Hebrews 3:12

makes clear, and the context likens this attitude to the character of those

who, though redeemed from Egypt, nevertheless 'fell in the wilderness' (Heb.

3:17) and in contrast with the two 'overcomers' Caleb and Joshua (Heb. 3:16).