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"former resurrection", the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God
and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. Judgment according to
"works" is repeated seven times in the letters to the churches (Rev. 2: and 3:), and "the
overcomer" is specially addressed with words of encouragement in each church:
Ephesus
Promise
Paradise (2: 7 and 22: 2).
Smyrna
Promise
Second Death (2: 11 and 20: 6).
Pergamos
Promise
New Name (2: 17 and 19: 12).
Thyatira
Promise
Rod of Iron (2: 27 and 12: 5).
Sardis
Promise
Not blot out (3: 5 and 20: 12, 15).
Philadelphia
Promise
New Jerusalem (3: 12 and 12: 2).
Laodicea
Promise
Sit in throne (3: 21 and 20: 4).
Let us examine a little more closely those passages in these letters to the seven
churches that impinge upon the subject before us namely, the resurrection.
"He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" (2: 11).
This assurance follows the reference to martyrdom:
"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some
of you into prison, that ye may be tried: and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou
faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Rev. 2: 10).
It is impossible to read these two verses as though they said "You will have a crown--
so do not fear Hell"! Why should such an assurance be necessary? Again in Rev. 3: 5
"He that overcometh, shall clothed in white raiment: and I will not blot out his name out
of the book of life".
The Book of Life
(Rev. 3: 5;
20: 12, 15).
If the book of life mentioned here contains the names of all the elect, the redeemed
and the saved, such passages as Rom. 8: 31-39 and John 10: 28, 29 preclude the idea
that a believer can ever be "lost" or his name blotted out. If this 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 Rev. 13: 8 and
Rev. 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 in the Revelation 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 fellow laborers (not simply fellow believers) had their names in "the book of life".
The "Lamb's" book of life in the context we are considering may be limited to the calling
that is in view in the Apocalypse. 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