'They that depart from Me shall be written in the earth'--JER. xvii.
13. 'Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.'--LUKE x. 20.
A name written on earth implies that the bearer of the name belongs to
earth, and it also secondarily suggests that the inscription lasts but
for a little while. Contrariwise, a name written in heaven implies that
its bearer belongs to heaven, and that the inscription will abide.
We find running throughout Scripture the metaphor of books in which
men's names are written. Moses thought of a book which God has written,
and in which his name was enrolled. A psalmist speaks of the 'book of
the living,' and Isaiah of those who are 'written among the living in
Jerusalem.' Ezekiel threatens the prophets who speak lies in Jehovah's
name that they 'shall not be written in the writing of the house of
Israel.' The Apocalypse has many references to the book which is
designated as 'the Lamb's book of life,' and which is opened at the
final judgment along with the books in which each man's life-history is
written, and only 'they who are written in the Lamb's book of life'
enter into the city that comes down out of heaven.