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The Wages of Sin.
Terms used in book of Revelation.
pp. 31-36
Under this heading we have considered from time to time the various Hebrew and
Greek words which are used in Scripture to teach the nature of the Wages of Sin, and
without exception, whether considered etymologically, or whether considered in the light
of its context and usage, every word demonstrated the fact that utter destruction and
perishing was the wages of sin.
Before, however, we conclude this series and take up related subjects, we will
consider the testimony of the book of Revelation on this question, as some readers have a
few difficulties, which it may be well for us to clear up. First let us notice the expression,
"The book of life." There are seven passages wherein this phrase occurs in the A.V., but
the best Greek texts omit Rev. 22: 19. This leaves six passages for consideration, and
they occur in the following order:--
The Book of Life.
A | 3: 5. Overcomers.
B | a | 13: 8 Earth dwellers--worship.
b | 17: 8. Earth dwellers--wonder.
B | a | 20: 12. Judgment.
b | 20: 15. Judgment.
A | 21: 27. Those who enter the city.
We would point out that in 17: 8, 20: 12, and 21: 27 the word translated book is
biblion (a little book), whereas in 3: 5, 13: 8, and 20: 15 it is biblos (a book),
although, at present, the exact bearing of this distinction is not evident to us. The first
and last passages need not detain us in the present consideration, although they demand,
and we hope will receive, careful exposition in the series of articles just commenced
entitled, "Studies in the Book of the Revelation." Let us notice the four passages which
touch upon the question of the wages of sin. The first pair are used in connection with
the "earth dweller":--
"And all who dwell upon the earth will worship him, (each one) whose name hath not been
written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb slain" (13: 8).
"The beast which thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to ascend out of the abyss, and
to go into perdition: and those who dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose name is not
written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast;
because he was, and is not, and shall be present" (17: 8).
Without entering into the extremely interesting exposition of the verses here, it will
suffice for us to notice the fact that not one of those who worship the beast, or who
wonder at his travesty of the resurrection, has his name written in the book of life. It
must be also noticed that it does not say that upon worshipping the beast their names
were blotted out, but rather that the worshippers of the beast are they who have not their