OBJECTION 2. — ADDING TO THE BIBLE

It is objected again to the visions that they are an addition to the work of God, and hence come under the fearful denunciation of Revelation 22:18, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Those who raise this objection, place themselves under obligation to show that the visions are an addition to the word of God; an obligation which they have never discharged. Whenever they will carefully consider the language of the text above quoted, they will see that it has reference to the book of Revelation alone. That book was given when the Mystery of Iniquity was already at work. A time of apostasy and forgery was immediately to succeed. And it was to guard the purity of this book that this caution was given. Whoever shall endeavor to foist sentiments of his own into the book of Revelation, and palm them off upon the people as a part of the book of Revelation itself, he should be subject to the plagues written therein. And on the contrary, whoever should attempt to suppress any part of the testimony which God had placed in that book as his genuine word his name should be likewise taken from the book of life. But any subsequent instruction given by the Lord to his people through visions, dreams, tongues, or any of the operation of his Spirit, would no more be an addition to the book of Revelation, than the Revelation was an addition to the book of Daniel. If any think it would, they will please account for the fact, in harmony with their view, that the Gospel of John was written by inspiration at a later date than the book of Revelation; for this is a fact which can be most conclusively proved. In harmony with the principle here advocated, we are expressly told in some of Paul’s instruction, which has undoubted reference to the last days, not to despise prophesying, which does not mean the prophecies, but prophesying, or the exercise of the gift of prophecy, in the present tense. 1 Thessalonians 5:20.VEGW 15.2