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STUDY ARTICLE 39

Your Name in “the Book of Life”?

Your Name in “the Book of Life”?

“A book of remembrance was written before him for those fearing Jehovah.”​—​MAL. 3:​16.

SONG 61 Forward, You Witnesses!

WETIN WE COMING LEARN? a

From Abel time up to now, Jehovah been adding people names in “the book of life” (See paragraphs 1-2)

1. According to Malachi 3:​16, what kind na book Jehovah been writing, and wetin in that book?

 JEHOVAH been writing one special book for many years now. This book get one list that starting with the first faithful witness name Abel. b (Luke 11:​50, 51) From that time, Jehovah been adding names in that book, and today that book get plenty names. The Bible call that book “a book of remembrance,” “the book of life,” and “the scroll of life.” In this article, we will call it “the book of life.”​—​Read Malachi 3:16; Rev. 3:5; 17:​8.

2. Who all names in the book of life, and how our names can get there too?

2 This special book get the names of all those who worship Jehovah with deep respect and who love his name. They have the opportunity to get everlasting life. If we want our names to be in that book, we must have strong relationship with Jehovah. We must also have faith in the ransom sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ. (John 3:​16, 36) All of us want our names to be in that book, whether we get the hope to go to heaven or to live on the earth.

3-4. (a) You think it mean we will live forever if our names in the book of life now-now? Explain. (b) Wetin we will discuss in this article and in the next one?

3 But you think it mean if someone name in the book of life nothing will stop them from getting everlasting life? We can find the answer from what Jehovah told Moses in Exodus 32:33. Jehovah said: “Whoever has sinned against me, I will wipe him out of   my book.” So even if your name in this book, it can still be erase. It looking just like Jehovah write the name them in pencil. (Rev. 3:​5, ftn.) So, we must make sure our names remain in that book until Jehovah write it with ink pen.

4 But maybe we get some question them to ask. For example, wetin the Bible say about those who names in the book of life and those who names not there? What time those who names in that book will get everlasting life? What about some people who were not having the opportunity to know Jehovah before they die? You think it possible for their names to be in the book of life too? We will answer these question them in this article and in the next one.

WHO ALL NAMES IN THE BOOK?

5-6. (a) According to Philippians 4:​3, who all names written in the book of life? (b) What time their names will be written in the book of life forever?

5 Who all names in this book of life? To answer that question, let talk about five different groups of people. In these groups some people names in the book of life and some people names not there.

6 The first group that those who Jehovah na choose to rule with Jesus Christ in heaven. You think their names in the book of life now-now? Yes. According to what the apostle Paul told his “fellow workers” in Philippi, the names of the anointed, who will rule with Jesus Christ in heaven already in the book of life. (Read Philippians 4:​3.) But for their names to stay in that book, they must remain faithful. Then when they get their final sealing, their names will be written in the book forever. That one will happen either before they die or before the great tribulation start.​—​Rev. 7:3

7. According to Revelation 7:​16, 17 what time the names of the great crowd will be written in the book of life forever?

7 The second group that the great crowd of other sheep. You think their names in the book of life now-now? Yes. But you think their names will still be in the book of life after Armageddon? Yes. (Rev. 7:14) Jesus said that the sheep will get “everlasting life.” (Matt. 25:46) But those who will survive Armageddon will not just get everlasting life. Their names will still be in the book of life but just like Jehovah write it with pencil. During Jesus One Thousand Year Rule, he “will shepherd them and guide them to springs of waters of life.” Those who will listen to Jesus, Jehovah will judge them to be faithful and their names will remain in the book of life forever.​—​Read Revelation 7:​16, 17.

8. Who all names will not be in the book of life, and what will happen to them?

8 The third group that the goats, who will be destroy during Armageddon. Their names not in the book of life. Jesus say they “will depart into everlasting cutting-off.” (Matt. 25:46) The holy spirit move Paul to tell us that “these very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction.” (2 Thess. 1:9; 2 Pet. 2:​9) That the same thing will happen to all those who mean it to sin against the holy spirit. They too will be destroy forever, they will not get everlasting life. So it clear that they will not be resurrected. (Matt. 12:32; Mark 3:​28, 29; Heb. 6:​4-6) Now, let talk about the two groups that will be resurrected on the earth.

THOSE WHO WILL BE RESURRECTED

9. According to Acts 24:​15, who the two groups of people that will be resurrected on the earth, and what the difference between the two groups?

9 The Bible talk about two groups of people that will be resurrected to live on the earth forever. That “the righteous” and “the unrighteous.” (Read Acts 24:15.) “The righteous” that those who serve Jehovah faithfully. “The unrighteous” that those who not serve Jehovah faithfully. The way they use to live show that they were not righteous. You think because the two groups will be resurrected, it mean that their names in the book of life? To answer that question, let talk about the two groups one by one.

10. Why “the righteous” will be resurrected, and what work some of them will enjoy doing? (Also see the “Questions From Readers” about the resurrection on earth in this magazine.)

10 “The righteous” that the fourth group. Their names were in the book of life before they die. You think when they die their names erase from there? No, because to Jehovah they still “living.” Jehovah “is a God, not of the dead, but of the living, for they are all living to him.” (Luke 20:38) So it mean when the righteous come back to life on earth, their names will be in the book of life, even though it will be like Jehovah write it with pencil. (Luke 14:14) We sure that some of the people that will come back to life will serve as “princes in all the earth.”​—​Ps. 45:​16.

11. Wetin “the unrighteous” need to learn before their names can be in the book of life?

11 The fifth group, that “the unrighteous.” Maybe because they never knew Jehovah law, they were not able to live by it before they die. So, their names were not in the book of life. But God will resurrect them, so that they can get the opportunity for their names to be in the book of life. All the “unrighteous” ones will really need help. Before they die, some of them use to do plenty bad-bad things. They will need to learn about Jehovah and live by what they learn. God will use his Kingdom to direct the greatest teaching work that will ever happen on the earth.

12. (a) Who will teach the unrighteous? (b) What will happen to those who will refuse to do what they learn?

12 Who will teach the unrighteous? That the great crowd and the righteous people who will be resurrected. For the unrighteous people names to be in the book of life, they will have to get good relationship with Jehovah and give their life to him. Jesus and the anointed will be watching carefully to see whether the unrighteous will apply the things they will be learning. (Rev. 20:​4) If anybody refuse to do what they will learn, even if they 100 years old, they will be destroy. (Isa. 65:20) Since Jehovah and Jesus can read hearts, they will make sure that no one will cause trouble in the new world.​—​Isa. 11:9; 60:18; 65:25; John 2:​25.

RESURRECTIONS TO LIFE AND TO JUDGMENT

13-14. (a) Before, how we use to understand Jesus words in John 5:29? (b) Wetin we notice about what Jesus said?

13 Jesus also talk about some people who will be resurrected on earth. For example, he said: “The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:​28, 29) What Jesus mean?

14 Before, we use to understand Jesus words to mean the things people will do after they come back to life on earth. This one mean, when they come back to life, some of them will do good-good things and some of them will do bad-bad things. But, Jesus not say as soon they come back to life they will do good things or they will do bad things. He use past tense. He said, those who “did good things” and those who practiced vile things.’ So Jesus talking about the things they did before they die. It really make sense, because nobody will be allow to do bad things in the new world. The unrighteous did bad things before they die. So, what Jesus words about “a resurrection of life” and “a resurrection of judgment” mean?

15. Who will receive ‘the resurrection of life,’ and why?

15 The righteous, or those who did good things before they die, will receive “a resurrection of life,” because their names will already be in the book of life. So it mean, the resurrection of “those who did good things” that John 5:29 talk about, that the same resurrection of “the righteous” that Acts 24:15 talking about. This understanding agree with what Romans 6:7 say: “The one who has died has been acquitted from his sin.” So when the righteous die, Jehovah can forgive all their sin, but he can remember all the good-good things they did before they die. (Heb. 6:10) But for the righteous ones that will be resurrected, they will need to remain faithful for their names to stay in the book of life.

16. What “the resurrection of judgment” mean?

16 How about those who did bad things before they die? Even though when they die their sins were cancel, they never serve Jehovah when they were living. Their names not in the book of life. So the resurrection of ‘those who practice bad things’ and the resurrection of “the unrighteous” in Acts 24:15 talking about the same group. That them will receive “the resurrection of judgment.” c This judgement mean the time Jesus will be watching the unrighteous to see whether they will serve Jehovah or not. (Luke 22:30) After some time, Jesus will know whether they qualify for their names to be in the book of life. The unrighteous names will be in the book of life, only if they leave their bad ways and give their life to Jehovah.

17-18. Wetin all those who will be resurrected need to do, and what the “deeds” Revelation 20:​12, 13 talking about?

17 Whether they were righteous or unrighteous before, all those who will be resurrected will need to obey the laws that will be in the new scrolls. And these new scrolls will be open during the 1,000 years. The apostle John describe something he saw in vision: “I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. The dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds.”​—​Rev. 20:​12, 13.

18 The people that will come back to life will be judge base on what they will do. You think they will be judge base on the things they did before they die? No! Remember, when they die their sin cancel. So then, “their deeds” not mean the bad-bad things they use to do before they die. But it talking about the way they will apply the things they will learn in the new world. Even faithful man them like Noah, Samuel, David, and Daniel will have to learn about Jesus Christ and exercise faith in his sacrifice. So if the righteous will need to learn about Jesus, then the unrighteous will need to learn more about him!

19. What will finally happen to those who will refuse to do what they will learn in the new world?

19 What will finally happen to those who will refuse to do what they will learn in the new world? Revelation 20:15 say: “Whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.” Yes, they will be completely destroy forever. So, it important for us to make sure that our names be in the book of life and that it remain there!

One brother taking part in the preaching work that will go on during the 1,000 year rule (See paragraph 20)

20. During the Thousand Year Rule, what kind na work people will enjoy doing? (See cover picture.)

20 The Thousand Year Rule will really be wonderful! It will include the greatest teaching work that God people will ever do on the earth. At the same time Jesus will be watching the righteous and the unrighteous to see whether they will be doing the things they na learn. (Isa. 26:9; Acts 17:31) How they will do the teaching work? The next article will help us to understand and be grateful for this wonderful work.

SONG 147 Life Everlasting Is Promised

a In this article, we coming get new understanding about the thing Jesus say in John 5:​28, 29 about “a resurrection of life” and “a resurrection of judgment.” We will learn what these two resurrections mean and who will be resurrected in each of them.

b Jehovah started writing this book from “the founding of the world.” The world the scripture talk about here mean people who can be save from sin. (Matt. 25:34; Rev. 17:​8) So it look like righteous Abel that the first person who name got in the book of life.

c Before, we use to explain that the word “judgment” use here mean bad judgment, or punishment. That true the word “judgment” can have this meaning. But here, when Jesus use the word “judgment” he was talking about something very general. He was talking about the time he will be observing to see whether people will be practicing the things they will be learning. One Greek dictionary call it the time to ‘examine someone actions.’