The Book of the Living

“God’s book” is identified in Exodus. This appears to be the same as the “book of the living,” the “book of life” and the “Lamb’s Book of Life.”

Exodus 32:32–33 “Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.” And the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.”

Moses understood that God had a book from which those who were unforgiven would have their name blotted out. God was clear that the individual was accountable regarding the status of his/her name in God’s book. Job also knew that there was a record in heaven that could serve to witness to his testimony of himself.

Job 16:19 “Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.”

I can’t help but wonder how Moses and Job knew about “the book” and “his record” respectively?

Philippians 4:3 “And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.”

Paul identifies those who co-labor with him in the ministry of the gospel as those whose names are written in the Book of Life. This would seem to go hand in hand with the declaration of the psalmist that the “book of the living” contains the names of the righteous.

Psalms 69:28 “Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, And not be written with the righteous.”

From both the Old and New Testaments, we are told that sinners, the unrighteous and those who are not overcomers will be blotted out of the Book of Life.

Revelation 3:5 “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

Sinners and the unrighteous are easily understood. But who are overcomers?

1 John 5:4–5 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

Overcomers are those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God. John goes on to tell us that the names of those who choose to worship the Antichrist/Satan during the last seven years on earth before Christ returns will not be found in the Book of Life. These people are obviously not overcomers.

Revelation 13:4 & 8 “And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?...All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Daniel makes reference to “the book” which also seems to be a reference to the Book of Life. The implication is that the Jewish people whose names are written in this book will eventually be delivered from Jacob’s trouble, the last seven years of tribulation before Jesus returns as King.

Daniel 12:1 ““At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.”