The Lamb's Book of Life

This is the second week of Advent. And for this years advent season, we are doing exhortations drawn from Revelation 19-22. These chapters contain a series of visions that were given to John about events of history. Last week we heard the vision of the one riding on the white horse, who is called the Word of God, and on whose robe is written “King of Kings, and Lord of Lords”. This week Pastor Kevin read the vision of the great white throne and the book of life.

One thing that is clear as we look to the end of the Bible, is that history is on a trajectory towards something. It is not endlessly cyclical. The Bible gives us an account of the creation of the world in Genesis and an account of the end of these heavens and earth, ushering in the new heavens and the new earth as described in Revelations 21.

And, the Word, who is Jesus, was with God and was God before anything was created. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us in His first coming. And the Word of God is the rider on the white horse in Revelation 19.

I don’t want us to miss this regardless of how obvious it may be. There is an appointed time when Christ will come again. We are closer to it today than we were last Christmas, we are closer to it today, then we were yesterday. There is an appointed number of advent seasons left on this earth.

That final day is real, and it is coming. And when that day comes, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the one who sits on the great white throne, will come to judge every nation and every person of the earth.

At that time, the opening of the scrolls of history will be completed, the books of all that is done will be opened. And then the book of life will be opened. Revelation 21 also calls this last book, “the lambs book of life”.

There is no book of life without the lamb. Without Christ’s first coming, that book would be empty. If Christ did not come first to pay for our sin, the final book, the final verdict for all of us would be the book of our deeds, filled with sin, rebellion, and faithlessness.

Christ justly could have come in wrath the first time, but he didn’t. He first came for rescue rather than for wrath. In John 12 Jesus says that “[He] did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” He came first with mercy, and willingly laid down his life so that we may be freed from the condemnation of our sin. But when he comes again he will come to judge. This is no bluff, God speaks no empty words.

This day will be terrifying for many. “Wide is the gate that leads to destruction and those who enter by it are many.” It will be so horrific that those who have rejected Christ will cry out to the rocks and say “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb” Christ tells us he will come to judge the living and the dead. This is no bluff, God speaks no empty words.

But it won’t be a terrifying day for all, by God’s mercy there was a first coming. To all who say “I am wrong and I have done wrong. Jesus, have mercy on me.” If you confess your sin and come to Him, He will save you and He will not cast you out!

And scripture goes so far to say that not only will He not cast you away, but it says: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace in a time of need.”

So, for some, for the repentant, for Christ’s bride which is the church, His second coming is a day we deeply long for. A day where we will see our savior and our king. A day where we will be reunited to all who have fallen asleep in Christ. Our faith will become sight, and our sure Hope will have come again. Christ will come again!