The names we bear identify who we are. When someone says our name, an image of who we are appears in the mind and all of our characteristics known to that person are seen. One of greatest blessings of being a child of God is to know that our names are written in heaven. When the seventy returned to Jesus following their exhaustive work in preaching the good news of the Savior, they were filled with joy because "even the demons are subject to us in Your name" (Luke 10:17). Jesus commends them for the excellent work they did in the face of Satan and how powerful the gospel worked in the lives of those the seventy taught. Then Jesus said, "Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven" (Luke 10:20).

What a magnificent thought to consider on the pages of Jehovah's eternal record of this world, our names are inscribed. The name given to us by our parents represent our life and who we become. In death, we engrave our names on marble monuments to stand as a testimony of the days of our lives. In all of this, nothing gains a higher place than the thought our names are written in heaven. Paul rejoices with the saints at Philippi when he writes: "And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life" (Philippians 4:3). The book of life is that place in the mind of God that He ascribes eternal life and redemption.

Only Jehovah possesses the book and adds names to its pages. Luke wrote that the Lord added those who were being saved (Acts 2:47). The Holy Spirit bears witness before the Father those whose names should be placed in the book of life (Romans 8:16,17). John writes about the book of life in the Revelation. He shows the declaration of Jesus of those who would be "clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life" (Revelation 3:5). He refers to those who "are not written in the book of life" in Revelation 13:8; 17:8 and 20:15. Those not written in the book of life were cast into the lake of fire.

On two occasions, John refers to the book of life as the Lamb's book of life (Revelation 13:8; 21:27). The book of life is possible because of the Lamb (Revelation 5). How fitting to understand the book of life as the Lamb's book. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7). Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). Life is in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 1:1). The proofs of His life and work are evidence for us to believe and to find eternal life in Him (John 20:30,31). The book of life is the Lamb's book because eternal life can only be found in Jesus Christ.

The Lamb's book of life is the place where all spiritual blessings are found (Ephesians 1:3). To enjoy these blessings and to have your name engraved upon its pages, you must be in Christ Jesus. There is no condemnation when we are in Christ because we are made alive in Christ (Romans 8:1; 1 Corinthians 15:22). The new creation is in Christ as we are all sons of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 3:26). The Lamb's book of life is filled with the names of all those who are "sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ" (Galatians 3:26,27). Not everyone will be saved as not everyone will have their name in the book of life (Matthew 7:21-23). The only way a name is placed in the Lamb's book of life is when one obeys the gospel of Jesus Christ. What a wonderful book!

By Kent Heaton

Return to the General Articles page