THE BOOK OF LIFE (PART 2, FINAL PART)
TEXT:
"Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous." - (Psalms 69 stanza 28, King James Version).
In part 1 to these series, I pointed out that "the Book of Life", also variously known as "the Lamb's Book of Life" or "the book of the living" or "the writing of the house of Israel," is a Book written by God containing the names of men.
The public registers of some countries have the names of all that are born of a particular tribe or state, irrespective of their families under that tribe or state (Ezekiel chapter 13 verse 9). This was usually referred to as the book of life, but when any of those died, his name might be considered as "blotted out" from this book of life. Alternatively, others opened the register or book of death for such people. For instance, in Nigeria, every birth is registered with the Nigeria Population Commission, for which a certificate of birth is issued. Conversely, the law also requires that every death be registered for which a certificate of death is issued.
In Exodus chapter 32 verses 31 to 33, we see Israel's sin against God in the matter of the golden calf. Moses was heard interceding for the people saying, "Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book."
Spiritually speaking, sin is regarded as death and it's settled that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die." (Ezekiel chapter 18 verses 4 and 20). This was God's justice!
In God's reply to Moses in Exodus chapter 32 verses 32 and 33, we infer that only those that died (sinned against God) would have their names blotted out of the Book of Life! This is so because it is a Book enlisting only the righteous (Psalms 69 stanza 28). The good news brethren is that as many as are in Christ are made righteous and are justified from their sins (1st Corinthians chapter 1 verse 30, Romans chapter 3 verse 24, chapter 5 verses 1 and 9)
To blot out of the Book of Life is to cut off from fellowship with the Living God or from the kingdom of the living. This is to experience eternal damnation in the lake of fire, otherwise called the second death (Revelation chapter 20 verses 14 and 15). May this never happen to us in Jesus' name.
We have previously noted that we are not certain as to when God wrote people's names in His Book. But we do know that in God's omniscience, it was written before the foundation of the world (Revelation chapter 17 verse 8).
Some hold the view that one has his name in the Book of Life because he is born again. But Moses was not born again, yet he knew his name was in the Book of Life (Exodus chapter 32 verses 32 and 33). It's therefore a grave error to lead new converts when receiving Christ to pray asking God to write their names in the Book of Life and to blot out their names from the book of death. This is so because it's not until you get born again that you have your name written in the Book of Life. But it's certain that in Christ Jesus, you are sure to have your name therein enlisted. In God's omniscience and from the beginning, He knows who will receive Christ and who will not. He knows who will be righteous and who will not. This same omniscience of God made Him declare regarding Esau and Jacob and their respective ways of life: "Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved Jacob, And I hated Esau," ( Malachi chapter 1 verses 2 and 3)
For clarity sake, let me explain that in Moses' days, it wasn't possible to get born again. Indeed, the Old Testament saints couldn't get born again because to be born again is to come back from the dead and to possess God's life in consequence thereof, courtesy of Jesus Christ. The old saints simply had a promissory note that they would receive (Hebrews chapter 11 verses 13, 39 and 40; 1st Peter chapter 1 verse 12). Remember that after Jesus' resurrection, saints of old showed up in the holy city, with their graves having split open (Matthew chapter 27 verses 51 to 53).
All of these saints having a promissory note as aforesaid, had waited in expectation of this event, hence Jesus spoke beforehand of Abraham rejoicing when he saw His day (see John chapter 8 verse 56).
Again, I repeat, to be born again is to be dead to sin (Romans chapter 6 verses 2 and 11) and to be "alive from the dead" (Romans chapter 6 verse 13), which became possible only after Jesus rose from the dead. It's surprising that some don't understand that Jesus was actually first to be born again (Acts chapter 26 verse 23; Revelation chapter 1 verse 5, Colossians chapter 1 verse 18). The Zoe life of God, Eternal Life could be imparted only after Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (John chapter 12 verse 24; 1st Corinthians chapter 15 verses 21 and 22; 1st John chapter 5 verses 11 to 13).
PRAYER:
Father thank You for quickening me in Christ Jesus and having my name written in the Lamb's Book of Life.