The Lamb’s Book of Life in Revelation 5

A very compelling case can be made that the book taken by the Lamb in Revelation 5 is the “book of life” mentioned throughout Revelation (3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12-15; 21:27). First, the internal literary connections in Revelation strongly indicate that the book of life is the same book of chapter 5. Second, several cross-references with other passages in the Bible reinforce or complement this view. These reasons are considered below with some concluding thoughts about the significance of this interpretation.

Internal Literary Connections in Revelation

1. The same Greek word underlies both the “book” in chapter 5 and the “book” of life. Right off the top, it should be noted that the Greek word biblion may be translated “scroll” in some places and “book” in others. This interpretive option is important to understand because an English reader may be thrown off by different translations of the same Greek word. For example in the ESV, CSB, NIV, and NLT the word is translated “scroll” in Revelation 5 but “book” wherever John makes reference to “the book of life.” Continuity is more evident in translations that use “book” in both contexts, such as the NASB and KJV. It is understandable why translators use “scroll” in chapter 5 due to the description, but given the strong literary reasons for viewing the book of chapter 5 as “the book of life” found elsewhere in Revelation, translators would do well to use the same English word in all these contexts. 
   
2. The book of chapter 5 is explicitly connected with the book of life in 13:8. In chapter 5, John in the throne room witnesses “the Lamb” who “had been slain” take the book into his possession. This is a dramatically important scene in the book of Revelation from which everything else in the book flows. It is also the first time Jesus is described as a lamb in the book. Therefore, any other references in Revelation to “the Lamb” and especially to “the Lamb who was slain” are obvious allusions to the scene from the throne room. With this context in view, the next reference in Revelation to the slain Lamb explicitly identifies the book he holds as “the book of life.” In 13:8 after describing the beast, John says, “all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.” This is an unmistakable reference to the throne room scene of chapter 5. As such, it is a linch pin verse that connects the book of the Lamb in chapter 5 with the book of life in the other places it appears.
   
3. The book of life is also called “the Lamb’s book of life” in 21:27, and the reader already knows about the Lamb’s book. It is the one he took into his possession in 5:7. Therefore, John is communicating that the Lamb’s book is the book of life. By deeming it “the Lamb’s book of life” in 21:27 after already calling it “the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” in 13:8, John would be guilty of sending confusing signals if they were not the same book as the book from chapter 5 held by the slain Lamb.
   
4. The book of life is a major thematic element of the book of Revelation mentioned in every major section of the book. It appears in the letters to the seven churches where the Lord promises “the one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life” (3:5). It appears in 13:8 and 17:8 as “the book of life” that has been “written from the foundation of the world.” It appears twice in 20:12-15 at the great white throne judgment as “the book of life” in contrast to “the books” which will condemn the lost to the lake of fire. And it appears in 21:27 as the basis for entry into the New Jerusalem. This repeated emphasis fits well with the book being the focus of attention in the most significant scene of all in Revelation–the throne room scene of chapter 5. 
   
5. The worship given to the Lamb upon his taking possession of the book in chapter 5 strongly supports the interpretation that the book is the Lamb’s book of life. When the Lamb takes the book from the hand of him who is seated on the throne, John says, “the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb” and sang, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth” (5:8-10). The worship immediately connected with the transfer of the book is an explicit celebration of the fact that the Lamb has secured a people for God’s own possession and praise. When one understands that the book in focus is the book of life containing all the names of God’s elect for all time, the symbolism of this moment of worship is nothing less than magnificent and glorious.  
   
6. John’s dramatic reaction of loud weeping indicates that the book of chapter 5 must be ultimately about salvation and not just a book of indictment, judgment, and wrath. While the punishment of the wicked and removal of evil are vital to God’s kingdom, the real desire of God’s people is to experience salvation and joy in the presence of God forever. But if the church is lost, then all is lost. God doesn’t get his kingdom, and God’s people don’t get their God. So it is best to understand John’s grief to be over the prospect of all the people of God being lost because no one was found who was worthy to take the scroll and open its seals.
   
7. The fact that this book is in the hand of God on the throne points to a much larger purpose than just judgment. This book must represent the glorious purpose of God for which he created the world which is to be glorified through his people (Isa 43:6-7). The great storyline of the Bible is that our heroic, loving God has created and redeemed a people for his own possession and praise, not that God is angry and judges. Yes, he is angry with sinners and judges the lost, but this is not his purpose for creating the world. It is more likely that this all-important book in Revelation 5 pertains to his great purpose of redemption than to a subservient purpose such as judgment.
   
8. Also notable from the context of 13:8, John observes that the beast was given authority “over every tribe and people and language and nation” (v. 7b) and that “all who dwell on earth will worship it” (v. 8a). This is striking in contrast to chapter 5 where the hosts of heaven celebrate the Lamb’s ransom of people from “every tribe and people and language and nation” (v. 9) and chapter 7 where the “great multitude” in heaven is described by the same terms of origin (v. 9). The explanation John gives in 13:8 for the difference in who worships the beast and who worships the Lamb is the absence or presence of a person’s name in the book of life. This connection with the “every tribe” phraseology between chapters 5, 7, and 13 is another strong indicator that John views the book of chapter 5 as the book of difference for these two groups, namely, the book of life.

Cross-References that Reinforce or Complement this Interpretation

1. At the beginning of Daniel 12, Daniel has just received an extended vision of the Antichrist at the end of chapter 11 in addition to his previous visions earlier in the book. He is told in 12:1-4a, “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end.” There are many connections in this quotation with the book of Revelation: antichrist, the great tribulation, rapture, resurrection, and final judgment. Significantly, the book mentioned here has the names of everyone who will be “delivered,” and then it is “shut up and sealed” “until the time of the end.” This description perfectly fits the interpretation that the sealed book of Revelation 5 is the Lamb’s book of life. 
   
2. There are a couple of New Testament references to the book of life. In Philippians 4:3, Paul refers to fellow Christians as those “whose names are in the book of life.” And in Hebrews 12:22-24, the author refers to those “who are enrolled in heaven”: “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” These other New Testament references reveal that the concept of the book of life was not new to the church when John wrote about it in Revelation, so his readers would have been able to recognize the book of life for what it is when it appears in his account. Further, the reference from Hebrews connects the book with glorious worship around the throne in heaven that culminates and centers upon Jesus who died for his people.
   
3. In Daniel 7:13-14, the prophet has a vision of the Lord in glory that has several strong parallels with John’s vision in Revelation 5:“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” Here the “son of man,” Jesus, comes before “the Ancient of Days,” the Lord God, and is presented before him. This scene clearly parallels the worthy lamb of Revelation 5 stepping forward before the throne. Then significantly in Daniel 7, he receives an eternal kingdom populated by servants from “all peoples, nations, and languages.” This vision supports the interpretation of Revelation 5 that the scroll is primarily positive in its significance and has to do with God’s kingdom and his people, and not merely negative containing judgments. 
   
4. In John 6:37-40, Jesus does not explicitly mention the book of life but does say something that directly connects to it: “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” In this quotation, Jesus speaks of the church as a gift that he receives from the Father that he will most certainly secure for final resurrection and eternal salvation. This reality is wonderfully depicted in Revelation 5 when the one seated on the throne extends the book containing the names of all he has given to his Son and the Son, who is the Lamb, reaches out and receives it from his Father’s hand. 
   
5. In John 1:29, John the Baptist sees Jesus and declares his redemptive identity, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” This is the first place in the Apostle John’s writings where he identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God, yet it well anticipates the scene of the throne room where the Lamb who was slain has purchased people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation. It might even be said that the scene in Revelation 5 is a perfect heavenly fulfillment of John the Baptist’s exhortation because in that moment the Lamb slain for his people is beheld in perfect awe and joy.
   
6. In John 10:10-18, Jesus declares himself to be “the Good Shepherd” who “lays down his life for the sheep” (v. 11). In these incredible verses, Jesus says a number of things that connect with the Lamb’s book of life and the vision of him as the slain Lamb. Though the metaphor in John 10 is that of being a Shepherd and not a Lamb, when Jesus lays down his life for the sheep, the Shepherd in effect takes the place of the sheep and functions as sacrificial Lamb. In predicting this saving act, he declares himself to be the true owner of the sheep (v. 12) who “came that they may have life” (v. 10). He knows his own, and his own know him (v. 14). He has “other sheep” that are not of the fold of Israel who he must also bring (v. 16). Then he declares his “authority” to lay down his life freely and to take it up again (v. 18). This entire teaching of Jesus corresponds perfectly with the vision of him as the slain, resurrected Lamb standing in heaven with the right to take into his hand the book containing the names of all the sheep for whom he died from every tribe, language, people, and nation.
   
7. A brief word should be said about Ezekiel 2:8-3:3 where the prophet describes a book of “lamentation, mourning, and woe” written on both sides. Many interpreters of Revelation have supposed that the book of Revelation 5 is a book of judgment in connection with Ezekiel’s book. However, the best correlation to Ezekiel’s book in Revelation is not the book in chapter 5 but the book in chapter 10. It is there that the book is open and held forth to God’s prophet, there that John is told to eat like Ezekiel, there that it tastes bitter sweet, and there that the context is judgment and woe. Significantly, the book of Revelation 10 is distinguished from the book of chapter 5 with a different Greek word. It is twice called a “little book” (biblaridion). It appears that the reason it is a “little book” is that it represents the impending final bowl judgments of the Day of the Lord which are just one part of the overall plan required to fulfill the preeminent book, the Lamb’s book of life. Further, the Lamb’s book remains in his possession throughout the rest of Revelation. It is never given away, much less eaten.
   
8. In Exodus 32:32, the people have rebelled against the Lord through the golden calf incident, and Moses attempts to intercede. In the process he prays, “But now, if you will forgive their sin-but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” In this statement, Moses appears to be offering himself as a substitute for the people by suggesting to the Lord that he remove Moses from the book of life. Interestingly, the Lord denies Moses’ appeal: “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book” (v. 33). This answer does two things. First, it shows that God is sovereign over the book. Second, it raises the question of whether someone could be “blotted out” of the book due to sin. This is very similar to a reference in Psalm 69:28 where David prays that his enemies “be blotted out of the book of the living” and “not enrolled among the righteous.” It appears that in these Old Testament references there is some overlap between the concept of a person having human life by virtue of being born and a person having eternal life by virtue of being godly. It is probably best to understand the notion of being “blotted out” in these verses underneath God’s sovereign control of human destiny. In other words, those who are blotted out from human life are those who God did not sovereignly elect for eternal life. Developing this concept in the New Testament, the Lamb’s book of life contains the names of the elect “enrolled among the righteous” for eternal life. This fits with Jesus’ assurance in Revelation 3:5 that he will “never blot out” his people from “the book of life.”
   
9. In Psalm 49, the psalmist rebukes the rich for their trust in their riches. One of the points he makes is that no amount of money can suffice as a ransom for a human life before God: “Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice, that he should live on forever and never see the pit” (v. 7-9). He continues, “Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell” (v. 14). Then he makes an incredible claim: “But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me” (v. 15). In Revelation 5, we see this confidence in the Lord vindicated in the Son of God who became the Lamb of God to ransom his sheep.

The Significance of this Interpretation

1. This interpretation prioritizes John’s own literary indicators concerning how the Lamb’s book is to be understood. Too many approaches to Revelation are outside-in to the neglect of the book’s own explicit content. This can happen by imposing one’s eschatological system on the book or by too quickly jumping to cross-references in search of interpretations. Yes, the book brings together numerous passages from the rest of the Bible, so doctrinal convictions and cross-references must all be considered, but when there are obvious indicators within the book itself as to its meaning, these should drive interpretation. With regard to the book of the Lamb in Revelation 5, we have such indictors. It is extremely difficult to imagine that John expects his readers to understand “the book of life of the Lamb who was slain” and “the Lamb’s book of life” as anything different from the book in the possession of the slain Lamb of Revelation 5. 
   
2. This interpretation also fits with the appropriate tone and spirit of the book of Revelation. Revelation is not first a book of judgment but of salvation. The many judgments contained in Revelation are for the purpose of removing the wicked, vindicating the Lord and his people, and establishing the kingdom of God. The purpose behind it all is to get to a place of glorious joy in the presence of God forever. If the book of chapter 5 is simply a book of indictment, judgment, and wrath, this most important book in this most important scene is merely negatively focused on the lost without positive emphasis on the people of God. Not only does this not fit well with the overall theme of Revelation. It does not fit well with the emphasis of chapter 5 which ends in celebratory worship regarding the salvation of God’s people. For that matter, it does not fit well with the emphasis of the entire Bible on the good news of Jesus Christ and the victory he achieves for God and his people.
   
3. This interpretation may also help with understanding the flow of Revelation. Since the key moment involves the claiming of the Lamb’s book of life, the opening of the seals can be understood as anticipatory of everything that would bring about the final salvation of God’s people. Therefore, once the scroll is at the point of being opened, the story moves to the eschatological Day of the Lord in which God’s people are raptured, the earth is judged, and the kingdom is established. 
   
4. The Lamb’s book of life need not be conceived as merely a list of names. As many interpreters have pointed out, the scroll of Revelation 5 fits the description of an ancient legal document such as a will, contract, or title deed. As such, it is probably best to understand it to contain all the details, conditions, and procedures that must accompany the consummation of the kingdom–including the identification of all the heirs! So the Lamb’s book of life is not merely a list of names. It contains such a list, but it also contains all the final judging and saving acts of God that would usher in his eternal kingdom. 
   
5. A final word must be said about the power of this interpretation for believers personally. It would be one thing for the Lamb’s book in chapter 5 to be a book of judgment upon the enemies of God and his people. Such vindication and retribution is an important theme throughout the Bible and appropriate to be celebrated (19:1-3). And no matter what, the contents of the book would represent a vital part of the process of establishing the kingdom. However, if the book that the Lamb receives in the throne room is the Lamb’s book of life that contains the individual names of all God’s people for all time along with the detailed process of consummation for the kingdom, the significance and power of the scene is off-the-charts glorious for believers. This interpretation allows the reader to more personally identify with John’s dramatic wailing and experience the full swing of emotions to the elders’ jubilant worship. For when the Lamb takes hold of the book, he takes hold of his people, you and me dear Christian, for whom he was slain.