The Book of Life

The reason for the devil’s attacks is worship. The devil wants to be worshiped. Remember, those who worship the beast are really worshiping the devil (Revelation 13:4).

Today’s verse makes plain that someday, there will exist only two groups upon the earth: those who worship the devil and those who worship God. Those who worship the devil do not have their names in the Book of Life; those who worship God do. These are the same two groups distinguished in the final judgment: Those who “come forth … to the resurrection of life, and those who [come forth] … to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:29).

As the Scripture states regarding the final judgment, “The court was seated, and the books were opened” (Daniel 7:10). One of those books is the Book of Life. “And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Revelation 20:12). Today’s verse refers to the final events at the end of the world—right before Christ comes with the sentences of judgment for the inhabitants of the earth (1 Corinthians 4:5).

The Book of Life is Christ’s. He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). But how was Jesus “slain from the foundation of the world”? Jesus didn’t die when the world began; He died at Calvary two thousand years ago.

As Paul explained: “God … has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (2 Timothy 1:8, 9). He also taught: “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).

God, in His divine foreknowledge, established the plan of salvation before He created our earth, even before He created us. God’s first and only intention was for every human being to have eternal life (Matthew 25:34).

Lord, what amazing love You’ve shown us, for You created us even though You knew that meant You’d have to die for us.

For Further Study: Exodus 32:32, 33; Titus 1:2; 1 Peter 1:19, 20

Key Bible Texts

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 13:8 KJV)