Book of Living–Summary
- Every Birth. At the time of birth, God Himself apparently records in the Book of the Living every live birth on earth.
- God Himself Records and Removes. God Himself wrote down every individual born under heaven into the Book of the Living. We know this fact because every individual name of the people of Israel could be removed individually from the Book of the Living.
- Individual Sin. One single sin can cause God to blot out that sinner’s name from the Book of the Living.
- Not Every Sin. God exercises perfect, loving judgment in the decision to blot out a name from the Book of the Living. Not every sin requires that sinner’s name to be removed from the Book of the Living, because Moses sinned, and his name was not blotted out in Exodus 32.
- Distinction. The Book of the Living may be distinguished from other books because this Book of the Living has every name written in it, and only God records births and blots out names as a judgment for individual, not corporate, sin.
Book of Remembrance
In Malachi 3:16, page 1497, we read about a Book of Remembrace. ((The Hebrew phrase there for “Book of Remembrance” (“סֵפֶר זִכָּרוֹן”) means a book used to remind the reader.)) [stextbox id=”black” caption=”Malachi 3:16, Page 1497″ float=”left” width=”610″ bgcolor=”19679C” bgcolorto=”19679C”]Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem Him.[/stextbox]
In the same verse, we also learn about the persons described in that book. Only those who “fear the LORD” and “esteem Him” will have their names written in the Book of Remembrance. ((The Hebrew phrase for “fear the LORD” (“לְיִרְאֵי יְהוָה”) (notice the masculine noun for “fear” in construct with Yahweh) used a common word for “fear” and here it stands directly related to “esteem Him” (“לְחֹשְׁבֵי שְׁמוֹ”–qal particple). Taken together, only those who have an abiding “fear” of Yahweh and “esteem” Yahweh will have their names recorded in the Book of Remembrance)) Yahweh directed that those names be written down in the Book of Remembrance before Him. ((The Hebrew term for “before Him” (“לְפָנָיו”) means literally before His face, and in this context indicated that Yahweh had the Book of Remembrance written down before Him, apparently at the time the living men “feared” and “esteemed” Yahweh.)) The purpose behind the Book of Remembrance may be seen clearly in Malachi 3:17, page 1497.
In Malachi 3:17, page 1497, we read: “They will be Mine.” This phrase summarized well the purpose for memorializing the men who “feared” and “esteemed” Yahweh. When Yahweh prepares His possession, He will spare the people named in His Book of Remembrance as a man spares His son.
