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The first thing we must note is that in Rev. 21:, the doom of those parallel with
verse eight is said to be exclusion from the heavenly Jerusalem (Rev. 21: 27). Let us
make sure of this:
Rev. 21: 8.
Rev. 21: 27.
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and
"And there shall in no wise enter
the abominable, and murderers, and
into it anything that defileth, neither
whoremongers, and idolators, and all
whatsoever worketh abomination, or
liars, shall have their part in the lake
maketh a lie: but they which are
which burneth with fire and brimstone:
written in the Lamb's book of life."
which is the second death."
Someone who was timid, who had flinched under the dreadful persecution of the time
of the Beast and False Prophet--this one who fell and against which sin Paul even
warned Timothy (II Tim. 1: 7), he has his part in the lake of fire, whereas any one that
was defiled was excluded from the heavenly Jerusalem. Yet this, while it sounds odd
enough, will be seen more strange for in one verse the abominable and "ALL" liars are
destined for the lake of fire, while in the corresponding verse ANYTHING . . . . . that
worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, is excluded from the Heavenly Jerusalem! Surely,
if the Scriptures are inspired, this means that the reference to the lake of fire, the
reference to the second death, the reference to the book of life, and the reference to the
entry into the heavenly city are to be read together. This lake of fire is said to have been
"prepared" for the devil and his angels (Matt. 25: 41) in contrast with the kingdom that
had been "prepared" for those who received the Lord's commendation (Matt. 25: 34);
the "Bride" also is prepared for her husband (Rev. 21: 2). In each case they are
exceptional, and cannot be spread wider than the contexts will allow. This dreadful lake
of fire had not been "prepared" for any other than the Devil and his angels, but if anyone
yielded to the pressure or the temptation of the last days so as to ally himself with the
Devil and his emissaries, he could be "hurt" of the second death, he would find that the
fire that destroyed the enemy, could also burn up his fleshly "works", and he could
"suffer loss" even the loss of the Heavenly city, yet "he himself could be saved so as by
fire".
Closely connected with all this is the question, to what does the Book of Life refer,
does it speak of the redeemed or of a special company from among the redeemed? Let us
see. For our present study, we shall attempt no distinction between the Greek words
biblion a little book, and biblos a book. The first reference is found in Phil. 4: 3 where
it relates to service. Had the Book of Life appeared in Ephesians and Colossians, we
might have thought that it was tantamount to the choice of the believer before the
foundation of the world, but Philippians is the epistle of service, it opens with a reference
to bishops and deacons, it urges the believer to "work out" his salvation, it holds out a
"Prize" and even tells us that the Apostle, who was sure of his salvation and hope, was
not at the time as sure of the Prize as he was at the end of his course (Phil. 3: 11, 14 and
II Tim. 4: 7, 8).