I’ve read different views and commentaries on the Book of Life plus Scripture and some of it sounds kind of “predestinationalist”.
In the Old Testament, people talked about “blotting out of names from the book that God had written. Is this the same as the “Lamb’s Book of Life”?
A passage in Rev. 13:8 NASB refers to those who’s name has not been written from the foundation of the World in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. I think it means the book of the Lamb who has been slain from the foundation of the world.
Anyway, would you comment on the “Book of Life”, when the names are there, whose they are, how they get there, do you have to be an overcomer to stay there? etc.
According to Jewish theology, God keeps a record of everyone’s deeds good and bad. The books are opened every year on Rosh Hashanna and those who’ve led exemplary lives are written in the Book of Life and appointed another year of life. Those whose lives are completely without merit are scheduled for death, and those who are in between are given 10 days to tip the balance in their favor. These are called the Days of Awe and Jews go around trying to right all the wrongs they’ve done, seeking forgiveness for their sins and and reconciliation with their adversaries, all in an effort to have their names inscribed in the Book of Life for another year. On the 10th day, Yom Kippur, the books are closed and their fates are sealed.
In Exodus 32:31-32 Moses asked the Lord to blot him out of His Book instead of punishing the Israelites for their sins. He was offering his life for theirs, a model of the Redeemer.
The Lamb’s Book of Life is different. According to Rev. 13:8 it was written before the foundation of the world and contains the names of every believer in the history of man. In Rev. 3:5 Jesus told the Church that He would never blot the names of those who overcome out of his book of life. In 1 John 5:5 John said that those who overcome are those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. In John 3:16 He said that God so loves the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him will never perish but have everlasting life. If you’re in the Lambs Book of Life it’s because you believe that God gave His son’s life for yours. And once you’re in it you’re in it forever.