Who Will Have Their Names in the Book of Life?

From: Questions and Answers on Scripture: From the Bible Treasury

Revelation 20:11‑15 • 1 min. read • grade level: 7

Question: Rev. 20:11-15¹¹And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. ¹²And 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. ¹³And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ¹⁴And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11‑15). Would you kindly explain if any who will stand before the “great white throne” will have their names in the book of life? H. J. D.

Answer: Not one of those who have their names in the book of life will stand before the great white throne. Only the wicked “dead” are there arraigned—no longer dead, but raised for “judgment”! Into judgment the believer does not come, as we are told by the Lord Himself, in John 5 And here (in Rev. 20) we learn that “blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection.” None but the good are here. The rest of the dead are the wicked who lived not again (i.e. were not raised) till a thousand years after. Then they are seen before the great white throne, and each one is judged out of those things which were written in “the books” according to their works. The inevitable issue of judgment is the lake of fire. As the opened “books” reveal positively the wicked deeds of all there standing “before the throne,” so does the absence of their names from the “book of life” negative their title to a place in heaven (c.f. Luke 10:20²⁰Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:20)).

There will be no death during the millennium —the thousand years—except of the sinner, who is accursed (Isai. 65:20). Death and hades, into which the sinner passes (his body into “death,” and his spirit and soul into “hades”), “till the time of the dead that they should be judged,” now deliver up the dead which were in them, and they are judged each according to their works. “Death and hell” (i.e. the contents of both) “were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.