Tampering with the Word of God as revealed in the book of Revelation attracts the curses of God (whether in the form of adding plagues or subtracting one’s share in the New Jerusalem). The principle implied here is true for the entirety of Scripture as the church has received it, that is, the full sixty-six books of the Bible. Tampering can occur by adding an interpretation that simply does not fit with the revealed word of God (Deuteronomy 13:1–3); it can occur too by ignoring parts of what the Lord has revealed. In our present Western world, perhaps the biggest threat comes through a method of Bible interpretation that ignores the intent of the writer or what the hearers heard, and gives license instead to today’s readers to decide for ourselves what (we wish) the author to say. We could find another example is placing the findings of so-called general revelation above the plain reading of the Bible so that we end up reading a passage to say something different than it plainly says. Rereading Genesis 1:1–31 as poetry in order to give space to evolution is one example; using information from the social sciences or the Western context to justify same-sex marriage or to open the offices of the church to women is another.
18 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,