I was recently studying Revelation and was stricken by this
passage:
“And I
saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were
opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead
were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.”
(Revelation 20:12, ESV)
Did you notice that before the Judgment Hall of God there
are books and there is a book? Judgment
befalls those who are “dead”, meaning spiritually dead[1]
and the judgment is the result of what is written in “books”. In contrast if one’s name is in the book of
life (singular) they gain admittance into the heavenly kingdom[2]. This is called in Chapter 21, the “Lamb’s
book of life.” The books contain,
according to the passage, things that the “dead” had done. Indeed it is true to say, “God keeps an accurate record of every human
deed, and will reward and punish with perfect justice.”[3] I think, if I understand the text accurately,
that a “dead person” – a person without Christ is by their deeds compiling a
book and there are many, many books for there are many, many people.
But the other document – the other entry into the courtroom
is A book – a book of life – the Lamb’s book of life. I suggest that what is contained in this book
is Christ Jesus’ record – his deeds. It
is interesting that when a person is saved by faith in Christ, their name is
entered into his book. Their “books”
cease to exist. All that matters is his record
of deeds.
Before the throne of God, there seems to be two
presentations. One is the multitude of
books, records of people who offer their own deeds as evidence; and the other
is The Book of Life, evidence of Christ’s deeds. What is important is that your name be
entered into Christ’s book. If your name
is in Christ’s book, you are excluded from eternal torment and banishment.
It really is a matter of life and death. There really is an eternal difference between
the singular and the plural.
[1] “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which
you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of
the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of
disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh,
carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children
of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (Ephesians 2:1–3, ESV)
[2] “But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who
does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s
book of life.” (Revelation 21:27, ESV)
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