Judging from the Book of Life Revelation 20:12

An “angel” from heaven showed John the apostle many things which will occur in the tribulation time on the earth, and John wrote about commercial Babylon's destruction and the people who were affected by it. John wrote about great worship which occurred in heaven afterward and then shared about the birds being gathered together to eat the flesh of the bodies of the opponents of Jesus. Afterward John wrote, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” In Revelation chapter twenty and verse twelve John sees God judge, “out of those things which were written in the books” where we read:

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

The verse reads, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened:” John began with the words, “and I saw” which means “and John perceived, noticed, discovered and discerned” “the dead” or “the lifeless, deceased, departed and ones who breathed their last”, “small and great” which means “little and splendid or grand of rank and influence”, “stand” or “to be placed, put and set” “before God” which means “in the presence and face of the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit”: “and the books” or “the written documents, sheets or scrolls” “were opened” which means “were opened up”. John saw how people who died stood before Almighty God, and whether they were of grand or little “rank and influence”, God's “record books” were unsealed and revealed.

The verse goes on to say, “... and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” John continued the words, “and another book” which means “and one other written document, sheet or scroll” “was opened” which means “was opened up and exposed” “which is the book” or “that was the written document, sheet or scroll” “of life” or “pertaining to the life which is active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed,in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions”: “and the dead” which means “and those who are lifeless, deceased, departed and ones who breathed their last” “were judged” which refers to “were separated, put asunder, pronounced judgment upon and ruled over” “out of those things” which means “from the items and references” “which were written” or “that were delineated and formed with letters” “in the books” which refers to “within the documents, sheets or scrolls”, “according to” or “down from, through out and toward” “their works” which means “the business, employment and occupation of those who died”. John saw how each “dead” person was “judged” for their “works” which were recorded in the “books” including “the book of life” which were “opened” before God.

When we consider John's words in this verse, we see how every person shall give an account of themselves before Almighty God. “Books” will be “opened” in heaven before God who keeps an account of every word, action and attitude of every person in the world. Everything is recorded, and nothing goes beyond His recognition. The key to this passage is “the book of life” within which is recorded the names of each person who has received Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Without one's name being written there, each person will give an account of themselves before God's White Throne judgment, and woe be to those who believe they can stand upon their own merits.

Next time John shares how, “the sea gave up the dead which were in it”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.