Big Topics Big Answers: What Does the Bible Teach About the Books in Heaven?

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Big Topics: What Does the Bible Teach About the Books in Heaven?

Specific Question: In Revelation 20:11-15, what other books is John speaking of that the Lord opens?

Text: Revelation 20:11a Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it.

1. The when….
   1. Dispensationalist Premillennial Eschatological View.
      1. Dispensationalism – (Not a Preterism or Amillenialism)
      2. This is a theological framework that interprets history as a series of distinct periods or “dispensations” in which God interacts with humanity in different ways.
         1. Dispensationalists often see a distinct and ongoing role for Israel in God’s plan, separate from the church.
            1. Beware of Replacement Theology here…
         2. Dispensationalists view the Kingdom of God as having a future, earthly manifestation during the millennium, distinct from the spiritual kingdom that exists now.
         3. Each of these dispensation correspond to a covenant between God and man.
            1. Innocence: Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. ( Mt. Eden, Garden of…. Eden)
            2. Conscience: From the Fall to the flood, man ruled by his conscience. (Covenant cut on Eaden – Lived East of Eden)
            3. Human Government: After the flood, humanity was responsible for enacting human government according to the Noahide covenant. (Aararat)
            4. Promise: From Abraham to Moses, God makes promises to Abraham and his descendants. (Moriah or Zion)
            5. Law: From Moses to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, God gave the law to the Israelites. (Sinai)
            6. Grace: From the cross to the rapture of the church, God’s grace is offered to all who believe. (Calvary)
            7. Millennial Kingdom: The time when Christ will reign on earth. (Mt. of Olives, Zion)
   2. After the millennial Reign on the Earth
      1. Satan is loosed, a rebellion ensues, the last and final war

Revelation 20:11b The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.

1. The where…
   1. This happens just before the new heavens and new earth, so we know that they still exist for a short time, but everyone is transported to a place in time that will be far away.
      1. Not on Earth
      2. Not in the Sky – 1st Heaven
      3. Not somewhere in space 2nd Heaven
      4. Not the Third Heaven or prepared place by the Son for the Saints
   2. This is a sobering thought because all who are called here have no hope and will leave this place for the lake of fire.
      1. Some dimension or place that Saints will never see, nor is it given a name in the Bible.
      2. Jesus will be the only one able to go there and return from it that we know of.
      3. John saw a glimpse of it in a vision, and this is all we are to know about it.
   3. Important to note: Jesus and His throne do not move…
      1. Heaven and Earth move or flee from Him!
   4. Romans 14:10 We will all stand before the judgment seat of God.. – Bema Seat, See God’s grace as well as selfish works burn up.
      1. After the rapture and before the Millenial Reign on Earth.
      2. Those who hear and believe God’s Word will not “come into judgment, but [will pass] from death into life.”
         • In John 5:24, Jesus states, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life”.
   5. In some cases, there is some information concerning what is written in the books.
      1. For instance, they contain the painful experiences of God’s servants
         1. The Book of Journey in suffering and Pain: Psalm 56:8 You number my wanderings; put my tears into your bottle; are they not in your book?
      2. The acts of love performed on behalf of others (Neh 13:14),
      3. the conversations of those who fear the Lord (Mal 3:16),
      4. Book of Remembrance: Malachi 3:16-18 “Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored his name. ‘They will be mine,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.’ “

3. The who…Not the Saints!

1. Paul says in fallen angels and the lost will be judged – But only Christ will be there for this. But, don’t the Saints take Part in judging those who opposed God?
2. Why will the future Angels and the world be in need of governance?
   1. Deuteronomy 32:8: “When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God” (cf. Dan. 10:13, 20).
   2. God then pronounces condemnation on these angels because of their unjust rule: “I said, ‘You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men you shall die, and fall like any prince’” (Ps. 82:6-7).
   3. Part of God’s redemptive plan is to overthrow these demonic kingdoms and replace them with the kingdom of his Son, with believers ruling as co-heirs (2 Tim. 2:13; Rev. 2:25–28).
   4. Part of God’s redemptive plan is to overthrow these demonic kingdoms and replace them with the kingdom of his Son, with believers ruling as co-heirs.
3. Once the nations are restored to Yahweh through the gospel, believers will replace the divine beings who presently dominate the nations and rule in their place as Yahweh’s children and co-rulers.
4. Revelation 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
   1. 12 Disciples Judge ( the Twelve Tribes)
      1. Matthew 19:28, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
         1. Additionally, we know that the Greek word for “judge,” krino, also means “to rule or govern.”
      2. 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 “Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world … Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life”
         1. What is Paul saying? That saints must learn to handle their mundane matters now, because they will one day be responsible for handling cosmic matters.
   2. The Father and Christ Judge the Fallen Angels and the Lost
      1. 2 Timothy 4:1 says, “. . . Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom”
      2. This is a reversal of the First Advent.
      3. John 3:17 and John 12:47 tell us that Jesus did not come into the world the first time to play the role of judge.

4. The what…

Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

1. Jesus Christ Himself will conduct the trial (John 5:22, 27), and no one is better qualified.
   1. He did all He could to save the man. Since man has rejected Him, mankind must be judged by Him.
   2. All the unsaved dead will be standing before the throne, the great and the small from all ranks in the Church and in the world.
   3. The greatest and the most famous, down to the least and unknown, will step forth at the awesome and majestic throne.
2. Everyone summoned to the Great White Throne Judgment, regardless of their status on this earth, will have one thing in common: they will have died without Christ, and they will have no hope.
3. Revelation 20:12 says the “books were opened…. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.”
   1. The purpose of the Great White Throne Judgment is not to determine if a person is saved. Anyone God calls to this judgment is not saved.
      1. This is a sentencing for the evil works of the unsaved.
4. John tells us that men are judged “by things which were written in the books.” We aren’t told specifically how many books or what is written in each, but we find verses throughout Scripture that give us clues to this final judgment:
   1. Book of Words: “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matthew 12:36-37, KJV
   2. Book of Works: “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:14, KJV
   3. The Gospel and the Bible: “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” Romans 2:16, KJV
   4. Book of Life: Finally, we are told that “another book was opened, which is the Book of Life…. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:12, 15).
5. Ancient Near East Background: Cities in John’s day had a register that contained the name of every citizen.
   1. If a person committed a serious offence, he could be called before the town tribunal to witness the blotting out of his name from the register. That meant he was no longer considered a citizen of the town and would be forced to move elsewhere.
6. Ancient Near East Background: Considering the plural noun, “books”.
   1. There is a Jewish practice that reminds family members each year on New Year’s Day. On Rosh Hashanah (Head of the Year), three books are opened before God: one for the completely wicked, one for the completely righteous, and one for those of an intermediate class, with the fate of the latter group decided during the ten days leading up to Yom Kippur. (Day of Atonement)
   2. This, unfortunately, will not be the case as Yom Kippur on Earth or the Day of Atonement is over and there is no more time to repent or change minds.
   3. This will not be a “trial” as those not found in the Book of Life are already condemned. The level or the degree of punishment in hell is the only thing left to pronounce.

• Moses asked the Lord to remove his name from “Your book which You have written” (Exod 32:32).
  • He was asking the Lord to exclude him from being part of His plan if that would make it possible for the Israelites, who had sinned against Him, to be part of it.
  • God’s answer came back: “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book ” (32:33).
  • Only on account of rebellious sin would a name be removed from that divine register.
• The psalmist prayed concerning the enemies, “May they be blotted out of the book of life and may they not be recorded with the righteous” (Ps 69:28).
  • Revelation 3:5 reaffirms the regrettable possibility of a righteous person falling from grace and having his or her name removed from the book.

The Final Sentencing

John viewed what happens when a person’s name is not found in the Book of Life: “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

If their name is not written in the Book of Life, they will spend forever in the lake of fire.

1. The lake of fire is literal and eternal.
   1. Revelation 14:11 says, “The smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night.”
2. The lake of fire is eternally dying but forever existing.
   1. Revelation 20:14 says, “This is the second death.” Mark 9:43-44 says, “…into the fire that shall never be quenched—where ‘their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’”
3. The lake of fire is eternally dying in fire and flames.
   1. Revelation 20:15 says, “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

If you knew that God was writing a book about you,

1. What would you want Him to say about you, and
2. What would you not want Him to say about you?
   1. That is important to us, is it not?
      1. Because what is written in a book
      2. stays there forever,
   2. Whatever bad or good,
      1. It remains there,
      2. Although we might forget that it was put there.
      3. Have you written something down as a child only to find it later?

The Book of Faith in Heaven for us on Earth: Jesus Christ has a book right now with your name on it, and it is the story of your faith. He is the author and the finisher of it.

• Hebrews 12:1-2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Psalm 139:16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in your book, they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.