Book of Life

The Lamb’s “Book of Life” from the Foundation of the World

By E.J.Silva

Let us consider the “Book of Life,” mentioned in the Bible, the Word of God. What is the “Book of Life?” Many of us have seen and heard about this very special “scroll” while reading through the Bible or watching and/or listening to a media presentation about this or that religious issue.

In addition to the one book of the Bible being comprised of sixty six individual books (for instance Genesis, Ruth, Proverbs, Daniel, Joel, Matthew, Philippians, and Revelation for example) , we will discover that additionally there are various other books (scrolls) mentioned. We will skim through most of these and then focus our attention upon the “Book of Life,” the subject of this study.

The Book of the Covenant is mentioned starting in the middle of the book of Exodus. This book refers to laws and statutes given directly by God and indirectly by God through Moses. Following are many references to this book: Exo_24:7; Deu_17:18; Deu_28:58; Deu_28:61; Deu_29:20; Deu_29:21; Deu_29:27; Num_5:23; Deu_30:10; Deu_31:24; Deu_31:26; Jos_1:8; Jos_8:31; Jos_8:34; Jos_23:6; 

Jos_24:26; 2Ki_14:6; 2Ki_22:8; 2Ki_22:10; 2Ki_22:11; 2Ki_22:13; 2Ki_22:16; 2Ki_23:2; 2Ki_23:3; 2Ki_23:21; 2Ki_23:24; 2Ch_17:9; 2Ch_25:4; 2Ch_34:14; 2Ch_34:15; 2Ch_34:16; 2Ch_34:18; 2Ch_34:24; 2Ch_34:30; 2Ch_34:31; 2Ch_35:12; Ezr_6:18; Neh_8:1; Neh_8:3; Neh_8:5; Neh_8:8; Neh_8:18; Neh_9:3; Neh_13:1; Mar_12:26; Gal_3:10; Heb_9:19 

Evidently there was a Book of Wars recorded long ago as detailed in the following passage:

Numbers_21:14  Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD,

  What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon,

And the Book of Jasher  is mentioned in two books in Scripture:

Joshua_10:13  And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.

2Samuel_1:18  (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)

The one verse describing the Book of the Acts of Solomon states that Solomon’s book includes “all that he did and his wisdom. Solomon is credited for writing Proverb’s and Song of Solomon, which do not record “all that he did.” Perhaps he wrote more than these two books?

1Kings_11:41  And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?

We next can find three separate books, the Book of Samuel, Book of Nathan, and Book of Gad, found in two verses. The Book of Samuel refers to Samuel’s Biblical book however the books of Nathan and Gad are not part of our Bible. Look at these verses:

1Chronicles_29:29  Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,

2Chronicles_9:29  Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against Jeroboam the son of Nebat?

In the  Book of Shemaiah we would have most likely read about the wars between kings Rehoboam and Jeroboam:

2Chronicles_12:15  Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually.

Our next verse tells us about two books, the Book of Jehu and the book of the kings of Israel, which is listed in the next section.

2Chronicles_20:34  Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.

Another very large category is the Book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel/Judah. Many see the passages using these phrases as referring to 1st and 2nd Chronicles, two prominent Old Testament books. However, others have pointed out that verses within 1st and 2nd Chronicles themselves refer to a Book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel/Judah, outside of 1st and 2nd Chronicles. Check out the listings under those books: 1Ki_14:19; 1Ki_14:29; 1Ki_15:7; 1Ki_15:23; 1Ki_15:31; 1Ki_16:5; 1Ki_16:14; 1Ki_16:20; 1Ki_16:27; 1Ki_22:39; 1Ki_22:45; 2Ki_1:18; 2Ki_8:23; 2Ki_10:34; 2Ki_12:19; 2Ki_13:8; 2Ki_13:12; 2Ki_14:15; 2Ki_14:18; 2Ki_14:28; 2Ki_15:6; 2Ki_15:11; 2Ki_15:15; 2Ki_15:21; 2Ki_15:26; 2Ki_15:31; 2Ki_15:36; 2Ki_16:19; 2Ki_20:20; 2Ki_21:17; 2Ki_21:25; 2Ki_23:28; 2Ki_24:5; 1Ch_9:1; 2Ch_16:11; 2Ch_24:27; 2Ch_25:26; 2Ch_27:7; 2Ch_28:26; 2Ch_32:32; 2Ch_33:18; 2Ch_35:27; 2Ch_36:8 

 The largest category

Book of Chronicles of the kings of Media & Persia

Est_10:2  And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?

Book of Remembrance

Psa_56:8  Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?

Psa_139:16  Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

Mal_3:16  Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.

Book of Records

Ezr_4:15  That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.

Judgment Books

Dan_7:10  A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

Works Books Rev_20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Book of Names

Exo_32:32  Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

Exo_32:33  And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

Deu_9:14  Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they.

Deu_29:20  The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.

Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

2Ki_14:27  And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

Psa_69:28  Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

Psa_109:13  Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out.

Dan_12:1  And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Php_4:3  And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

Rev_3:5  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Rev_13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Rev_17:8  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

Rev_20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Rev_20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Rev_21:27  And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Rev_22:19  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.

Sins Not/Blotted Out

Neh_4:5  And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

Psa_51:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Psa_51:9  Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Psa_109:14  Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

Isa_44:22  I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

Jer_18:23  Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.

Act_3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Col_2:14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

The Book

Heb_10:7  Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

Sealed Book

Rev_5:1  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

Rev_5:2  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

Rev_5:3  And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

Rev_5:4  And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

Rev_5:5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

Rev_5:7  And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

Rev_5:8  And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

Rev_5:9  And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Little Book

Rev_10:2  And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

Rev_10:8  And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

Rev_10:9  And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

Rev_10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

Psa 103:10  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

Psa 103:11  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

Psa 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Isa 43:25  I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

Isa 44:22  I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

Heb 8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Heb 10:16  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

Heb 10:17  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Mic 7:19  He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.