Friday, 8 May 2020 Revelation 13:1-18
“…whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” -Revelation 13:8
Today’s reading portion contains the most famous and widely discussed topics—'the mark of the beast’ and 'number of the beast’ in Rev.13:16-18. As we are getting closer to the “end times” and the rising of the “sun of righteousness with healing in His wings” (Malachi 4:2), it is worth pondering over this chapter of the book of Revelation.
As God has fixed a day for the coming of Jesus Christ and for judging the world in righteousness (Acts 17:30), it must of paramount importance for all to be present there when the Lord of the lords will reward each one whose name is written in the “Book of Life”! What a sorry state if your name is not found in the Book of Life!
Hence getting our names written in the “Book of Life” and keeping it from getting blotted out should become our priority. This book of life belongs to the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world. In other words, the decision to sacrifice the lamb was taken in eternity (Hebrew 10: 5-10) and it was reminded to the people of God through the many shadow events, God asked them to practice in their worship. John the Baptist introduced Jesus thus: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29) In the fullness of time the real Lamb of God – Jesus Christ- was crucified for the sake of entire humanity for the forgiveness of sins. Thus anyone who repents and calls upon the name of Lord Jesus Christ will find himself in the book of life, even though it was written in eternity before the foundation of the world.
This book of life we see first time in the Bible in the book of Exodus where God makes it very clear to Moses that whoever sinned against God, their name will be removed from the book (Exodus 32:32-33). The key verse (Rev.13:8) makes it clear that those who worship the beast will not have their names written in the book of life. The worldly systems that are in place now, which are in a way the foreshadow of the beast to appear calls for our alertness. It exerts tremendous pressure on the believers and calls them to a holy life under the shadow of Almighty keeping their names in the “Book of life.”
Dear friend, if your name is not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, make sure that it is! Surrender your life to Jesus Christ and accept His death on your behalf as the only means to be made right with God! Repent of your sin and receive Him into your life so that He will be lord of your life from this day on. Ephesians 1:13 point to the privilege of such: “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise…” How great and blessed our assurance when our names are written in the Book of Life!
Think on: And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)
Listen: ‘Blessed Assurance’