Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on September 20. Judaism teaches that God opens the Book of Life when Rosh Hashanah begins and closes it when Yom Kippur ends (which is when the sun sets September 30). During these “Ten Days of Awe” Jewish people are trying to convince God to write and seal their name in the Book of Life for the next 12 months. This is what Judaism teaches, but is this what the Bible teaches?
I have created a few short videos to discuss the Book of Life. Throughout the month of September, I encourage you to seek opportunities to engage Jewish people in conversation about the Book of Life. Whenever you see a Jewish person you could greet them by saying: “May your name be inscribed in the Book of Life.” This is the popular greeting Jewish people use during these “Ten Days of Awe.”
It’s possible a Jewish person might be surprised that you know our greeting so be prepared to respond to this if it happens. Here are a few questions you could then ask a person to get a conversation going.
Do you personally believe there is a Book of Life?
What is the Book of Life?
How do you get your name written in the Book of Life?
Can you be certain that your name is written in the Book of Life?
Would you be willing to watch a few short videos to see what the Holy Scriptures teach about the Book of Life?
There are ten Scriptures in the Bible about the Book of Life and I briefly discuss them in a few short videos. Five of the Scriptures are found in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), and five are found in the Jewish New Testament.
“Book of Life” Scriptures
(Exodus 32:31-33) God has a book and sin keeps people out of God’s Book.
(Malachi 3:16) People who fear the Lord (with awe-filled reverence) and esteem (honor) His name will find their name written in God’s Book.
(Psalm 139:16) God has a book which lists the number of days people live on earth, but this is already determined before we are born.
(Psalm 69:27-28) Some people have sinned so much that they will be blotted out of the Book of Life.
(Daniel 12:1-2) People whose names are written in the Book will be rescued from great distress. Some will experience everlasting life (a.k.a. heaven) and others will experience disgrace and everlasting contempt (a.k.a. hell). There is a connection between the book and where people live forever.
(Luke 10:20) Messiah Yeshua told people that they should rejoice because their names were already written in heaven.
(Philippians 4:3) Paul expresses certainty that people who were dedicated to the Good News of Messiah (offering eternal life) had their names in the book of life.
(Revelation 3:5) Once our name is written in the Book of Life Yeshua will never erase it. It will always remain there so we don’t have to try to be good enough to get it written in it every year.
(Revelation 13:8) The Book of Life is associated with Yeshua, the Lamb of God who was slain for our sins at Calvary.
(Revelation 21:27) Only people whose names are written in the Lamb’s (Yeshua’s) Book of Life will enter the New Jerusalem (which comes down from heaven).
After reading these Scriptures we see several things:
Sin keeps people’s names out of the Book of Life.
Names were written in the Book of Life before we were born.
The Book of Life is associated with Yeshua.
Yeshua will not erase names from the Book of Life. Once names are written in His Book they will stay there.
The Book of Life is about whether we live with God forever, or separated from God forever.
Ron Goldberg is a Jew who belongs to Jesus. He regularly speaks to all denominations and faiths about his spiritual journey. Ron was raised as a traditional Jew and was sent to deprogramming by his parents and rabbi in hopes of getting him to reject Yeshua (Jesus). He shares how he met the Jewish Jesus and helps other people meet the Jewish Jesus. Have you met the Jewish Jesus?
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