I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this
book: if anyone adds to them, God
will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the
words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in
this book.
You may not agree with everything in the Bible. That’s
your right. But remember this, if it’s in there, it’s true. Granted, you have
to see things in context when you read the Bible or you may well go down the
wrong road to understanding a particular passage. Often the surrounding
material will give clues to the intended meaning of a verse you see by itself.
You’ll find you get a different flavor of the Scriptures
when you read a whole book at once instead of selecting verses to dwell on. I’m
not saying that you shouldn’t memorize helpful passages that will be there when
you need them most. But to be sure you have God’s intent in mind, read the
surrounding verses too. It’s why the Bible is written in books and not just a
compendium of quotes.
The passage in Revelation 22 reveals an important truth.
Take for example, the Ten Commandments. Suppose you don’t agree with number
seven. Does that make it any less devastating for you when you choose to
violate it? Steve Brown states this concept well. He says that if it’s in there
you have to pay attention to it. You can try to erase it but it will leave a
smudge on the page.
Have you ever tried to erase ink from a printed book? You
can’t do it without leaving the page in tatters.
Truth is truth. You can’t see it and then decide it’s not
true. It’s like seeing the bloody devastation of a serious auto accident. It
leaves an impression that is extremely hard to shake off. The impression the
scene leaves will color your perception for possibly as long as you live.
Denying what God says only leads to frustration and facing
consequences that can be avoided by paying attention to what God says.
It’s your choice, though. Will you trust Him or yourself?
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