Now that I’m focused on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, I’ve been thinking about the Book of Life — what it is, when your name gets written in it, how your name gets sealed in it, or worse — how your name gets blotted out.
What is the Book of Life?
The Book of Life seems to be described as two things: the sum of your life’s thoughts and actions — similar to the life review people with near-death experiences encounter, and a book that God keeps with the names of the righteous who will inherit His Kingdom.
When is the Book of Life opened?
I found from my reading that the Book of Life is opened during your judgment. Which, of course, could mean at a couple of transitions (death, the final judgment day when the Messiah returns, and yearly if you observe Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur ). If the Book of Life is a virtual book of your entire life, it seems reasonable that when you die and have your life review — that is one time the book is opened. I guess this is why it is also called the Book of Remembrance: “And all they who are not found written in the book of remembrance shall find none inheritance in that day” (D&C 85:9)
Of course, God can open the book to blot out your name. Or seal your name in the book.
End-times deliverance for those in the Book of Life
According to Isaiah, those who are saved or remain after the Lord’s Day of Judgement will find safety in Zion/Jerusalem — these are those whose names are recorded in the Book of Life:
Then shall they who are left in Zion and they who remain in Jerusalem be called holy—all who were inscribed to be among the living at Jerusalem. (Isaiah 4:3)
Called “holy” or “sanctified” (qados), those who are left are “inscribed among the living”—that is, their names are written in the Book of Life as Jehovah’s elect. (Isaiah 4:3, Commentary, Gileadi)
It doesn’t matter when you live on earth — God will deliver you if your name is in the Book of Life. The Prophet Daniel had a vision about the end times and referred to those whose names are written in the book, both the living at the time and the dead:
At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people–everyone whose name is found written in the book–will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:1-2)
Enoch had a similar vision of the judgment day when the Ancient of Days or Head of Days (Adam) was seated on a throne of glory, “And the books of the living were opened before Him: And all His host which is in heaven above and His counselors stood before Him,” (Enoch 47:3)
In the book of Revelation, John records the Judgement Day, when the book of life is opened.
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. 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. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)
John records his visions in a book.
Names blotted out of the Book of Life.
There is also the prospect of having your name blotted out of the Book of Life. Therefore, it must mean that even when your name is in the Book of Life, it can be blotted out (erased). That’s unsettling. Perhaps after your name is “sealed” in The Book of Life, it can never be blotted out (unless you murder). Enoch recorded that,
Ye who have done good shall wait for those days till an end is made of those who work evil; and an end of the might of the transgressors. And wait ye indeed till sin has passed away, for their names shall be blotted out of the book of life and out of the holy books, and their seed shall be destroyed for ever, and their spirits shall be slain, and they shall cry and make lamentation in a place that is a chaotic wilderness, and in the fire shall they burn; for there is no earth there. (Enoch 108: 1-4)
In one of the psalms of David, when he is crying out to God — he writes of his enemies,
May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous. (Psalms 69:28)
This reminds me of when a king or pharaoh would erase the name of the previous pharaoh from all of the monuments. I guess this kind of behavior has its roots in God himself. The Lord told Moses, “Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” (Exodus 32:33)
Alma, the son of Alma, in the Book of Mormon, begs the people to repent and come unto Christ — he explains that the wicked shall have their names blotted out:
And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things; and behold, their names shall be blotted out, that the names of the wicked shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous, that the word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people;
For the names of the righteous shall be written in the book of life, and unto them will I grant an inheritance at my right hand. (Alma 5:57-58)
Perhaps everyone’s name is in the book of life (or book to be born), and then, those choosing wickedness get their names blotted out. I read a similar scripture when Alma says,
And those that would not confess their sins and repent of their iniquity, the same were not numbered among the people of the church, and their names were blotted out. (Mosiah 26:36)
I would surmise that the book of life that is the sum total of your life’s choices, your life review, does not get blotted out — as that book is part of your judgment. There must be more than one book of life.
The Book of Life is kept in Heaven.
Joseph Smith wrote a letter dated at Nauvoo, Illinois, on September 6, 1842, in which he talked about the Book of Life regarding baptism for the dead. He referenced the Revelation of John (Rev. 20:12)
Revelation 20:12—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.
Joseph then talks about the concept of more than one book:
You will discover in this quotation that the books were opened; and another book was opened, which was the book of life; but the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works; consequently, the books spoken of must be the books which contained the record of their works, and refer to the records which are kept on the earth. And the book which was the book of life is the record which is kept in heaven; (D&C 128: 6-7)
Joseph explains that they need a recorder to record the baptisms done for the dead — and that what was recorded on earth would be recorded in Heaven. The “other book,” he says, is the book of life and is kept in Heaven. Phew, I could not count on some earthling recording my life. Thank goodness Jesus is at the gate.
One of the most confusing references to the book of life comes from the 17th chapter of Revelation. John talks about the mystery of the beast in the bottomless pit, and he seems to preach predestination — “And the people who belong to this world, whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made, will be amazed at the reappearance of this beast who had died.” I looked at several different translations, and it still has that predestination theme. So, I think something is wrong there since it does not match up with other teachings. God gives us our agency.
Maybe everyone who is born to live on earth is recorded in the book of life. Then, your name can be either blotted out or sealed. Hmmm. Somewhere, there has to be a difference between your name written in the book and sealed in the book.
Paul’s letter to the Phillippians includes a reference to fellow-laborers (male and female) whose names are in the book of life:
And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:3)
Your name sealed in the Book of Life
I’m not sure if the Book of Life is specific to exaltation. Still, this Revelation given through Joseph Smith in Kirtland, Ohio in 1832, seems to refer to “the book of the names of the sanctified” because, in this example, the Lord says that He is giving them another Comforter — the Holy Spirit of promise — the promise of eternal celestial glory. This reference would support the concept that your name can be sealed in the book of life:
Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you who have assembled yourselves together to receive his will concerning you:
Behold, this is pleasing unto your Lord, and the angels rejoice over you; the alms of your prayers have come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded in the book of the names of the sanctified, even them of the celestial world.
Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.
This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;
Which glory is that of the church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus Christ his Son— (D&C 88:1-5)
So, I’m not clear on whether there is the book of life with various levels or kingdoms of glory, and part of that book has the sealed names of the sanctified in the celestial world.
There are a number of scriptures that do not mention a book per se, but instead say things like “your name is written in heaven.” (Luke 10:20)
I think that there are many books kept. The Lord tells Nephi,
Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every man according to their works, according to that which is written. (2 Nephi 29:10-11)
The Nephites are always writing and commanded to write. Yet, I find comfort that God our Father writes in His book — and thus I am assured of an accurate accounting;
And behold, all things are written by the Father; therefore out of the books which shall be written shall the world be judged. (3 Nephi 27:26)
I hope my salvation does not depend on what some earthling has written down about me in their journal. Our lives must be inscribed somehow and somewhere. As I mentioned, the near-death experiences where people see their lives. That’s one book of life.
Talk of the Book of Life is also found in the Revelation that Joseph Smith received about the new and everlasting covenant regarding marriage and plural marriage. I think that was very specific to his asking God about David, Abraham, and the ancients who had plural wives. That’s another subject, but he refers to The Lamb’s book of life — those married in the covenant and then “sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise” (which is not the ordinance of marriage itself — it must be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, which is after the temple ritual of being sealed by a temple worker –D&C 132:7). Regarding this reference, getting your name sealed in the book of life requires receiving your calling and election made sure.
Perhaps, as we prepare to be born into this earth, we receive our calling and election, and our names go down in the book of life, but then, to have our names sealed in the book, we must have our calling and election made sure. And of course, our names can be blotted out of the book before that time. After our names are sealed in the book, it’s a sure thing, unless we shed innocent blood. (D&C 132:19)
Remember
Perhaps, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are good times to reflect on your life and learn of your calling and election, repent, and return to God. I don’t believe that seeking our calling and election made sure, and the second comforter should be our focus, as it is the result of choosing good over evil, and we need to enjoy the process. I recently read this great quote from an interview with Adam S. Miller when he was asked what was the best piece of advice he had received:
The best piece of advice I ever received came from the Bhagavad Gita (a beautiful little book of Hindu scripture). The advice is basically this: keep your focus on the action to be performed and forget about having any attachment to the fruit of that action. In short, treat every work as a grace, as a duty to be lovingly performed for its own sake, and let God sort out the rest.” (Adam S. Miller, LDS Living, Sep/Oct 2018, p. 75)
And although we don’t need to make it our focus, we still need to remember to repent, so our names don’t get blotted out in the book of life — we need to avoid that tendency to be prideful:
And it also came to pass that whosoever did belong to the church that did not repent of their wickedness and humble themselves before God—I mean those who were lifted up in the pride of their hearts—the same were rejected, and their names were blotted out,(Alma 6:3).
At some point, God will seal your name in the Book of Life in conjunction with receiving your calling and election made sure — And God always knows the best timing for this. But we need to be aware of the process and look forward to that time as we express gratitude for the journey.
