Revelation 22:18-19

[Danieltwotwenty]

Hi People's

I have always thought this verse meant that anything written after revelation was an addition to the Bible but now I am not so sure.
It seems to be more talking specifically about revelation and not the whole Bible or am I missing something?

Revelation 22:18-19
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

Dan

[PaulSacramento]

Revelatory prophecies are a big deal in scripture because they of divine origin and to alter them is a big NO-No ( a blasphemy against the HS).
Misunderstanding them and misinterpretating them is one thing, we are after all, only human.
BUT altering them ( adding or taking away), that is a conscious altering of the word of God.
In regards to the Revelation verses you mentioned, yes they are aimed at John's Revelation and what he wrote BUT can also be taken in a wider context to include all divine revelations in the bible.
Not so much writing about it and the bible but the actuall adding or taking away from the bible.

[Danieltwotwenty]

So why do we presume the wider context?

[RickD]

So why do we presume the wider context?

Who are you calling, "we"?

[Danieltwotwenty]

So why do we presume the wider context?

Who are you calling, "we"?

Pretty much everyone I know uses the defence against church of LDS that the book of Mormon is an addition to the Bible as described in Revelation 22:18-19.
I am not saying that I think the book of Mormon is inspired, I just want to be ready to answer hard questions when they come knocking.

Dan

[RickD]

I am not saying that I think the book of Mormon is inspired, I just want to be ready to answer hard questions when they come knocking.

Where I live, it's not the Mormons, but the Jehovah's Witnesses, who come knocking.

[PaulSacramento]

It is clear that the verse in Revelation is DIRECTLY applicable to the Revelation of John that was written down.
Of course on a "wider" scale we can use it to state the importance of NOT altering any part of the bible and by altering I mean adding or taking away NOT interpretation.
BUT there is no DIRECT warning or prohibition in doing so in the bible, probably because the bible is a collection of books and letters or many authors and editors and NOT one book by one authour.
There is no "law" against what the Mormons did, or what the JW's did or what the muslims did or even (from the POV of the Hebrews) what the christians did by "appending" the Bible with their own "conclusion".
It falls on the individual to decide what they are going to follow and believe.
EX:
The Jw's inserted to name Jehovah into the NT and in their view that were justified in doing so.
It falls on the individual to decide of that is the case.

[cheezerrox]

I've heard people use these verses to refute Mormons as well, Daniel. I would say that that's a bit of an error. As others have stated, I believe it's quite clear from the context and the wording that it's referring strictly to that book of prophecy; Revelation ("if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy"). But, I do think they imply that adding or taking away from any of the Bible is wrong, in a broader sense, but not in the same way.
You find very similar words in Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32, and in Proverbs 30:6. I think the principle that is clear in the Word is that changing, altering, adding to, or taking away from the word of ANY prophet of G-d is a grave mistake and folly. Remember, a prophet isn't just someone who sees a vision or predicts the future, it's anyone who the Holy Spirit inspires and uses to communicate to us; anyone who G-d chooses to speak through. So, being that the Bible is all inspired, one could rightly say all of the books have been written by prophets, and to change, add, or take away from their words is wrong, as it is to change the words of G-d.
But, that doesn't necessarily mean that to add a book to the Word is wrong in and of itself, as if that were true, we'd be done after just Genesis/the Torah (depending on if you consider the First Five Books a unit). If the Spirit chooses to inspire another book, He chooses to inspire another book. But that book cannot add or take away from the words of previous revelations, as G-d doesn't contradict Himself. And the Book of Mormon, the Qur'an, and any other books that claim to be new revelations do just that, invalidating their claims of Divine Inspiration.
So, that's how I take it. Hopefully this helps.

[Danieltwotwenty]

Thanks guys I really appreciate the responses, I will now drop that part as an argument and just focus on the contradictions instead.



Dan