Book of Life
Revelation 17:8 KJV, "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."
Since our fates were known before the foundation of the world, it is little mystery that those that did not believe were not found in the book of life at the end of the world. These people chose not to believe God and therefore were open to being seduced (they "wondered") by the beast.
More can be said about this verse. The doctrine of the Book of Life is here. Why did I say that their names were not found in the book at the end of the world? Because, from the beginning, God had all names in the book, both lost and saved. He only removes names from the book, He never adds. Once again, this shows that He wishes none to be lost. His desire is that all should be saved. Here is a verse that helps one to understand this. Revelation 3:5 KJV, "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." When people have committed the sin that takes them into eternal damnation, when God says that is enough, I will endure no more, then their name is blotted out. Usually Christians have this concept that the Book of Life is empty and one must earn the right to have their name entered. Not so. They are already there. Those that are not in the book cause their names to be removed by their unrighteous choices.
Here are more verses that support the doctrine of the Book of Life. Many show that names are removed, none show that names are added.
Exodus 32:33 KJV, “And [Yahowah] said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.”
Psalm 69:28 KJV, “Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.”
Daniel 12:1 KJV, “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.”
Luke 10:20 KJV, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
Philippians 4:3 KJV, “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.”
Hebrews 12:23 KJV, “To the general assembly and [ekklesia] of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,”.
Revelation 13:8 KJV, "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.”
Revelation 20:12 KJV, “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.”
Revelation 21:27 KJV, “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.”
Revelation 22:19 KJV, “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.”
We welcome constructive input supported by Scriptures from the Bible. Please contact us by using the contact icon. Copyright © 2016 Richard Douglas Mauck and/or Sandra Faye Mauck. All rights reserved. This material is copyrighted to protect the integrity of this work. Permission is hereby granted to copy this treatise in its entirety as long as no editing is done, no charge is made to those with whom it is shared, and full credit is given to the authors.