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Before we begin, be sure to get your Bible -- if you haven’t done so already.
It is very important to look up and read each verse of scripture given in an-
swer to the questions. And why not write out these scriptures, just as the
kings of ancient Israel were instructed to write out YEHOVAH God’s
laws? (Deuteronomy 17:18-20.) This will help you understand and re-
member the vital truths you will be studying. Now let’s begin this important
subject.

LESSON 3

When were names written into the Book of Life?

1. What do we find in the Book of Revelation concerning the Book of Life?
Revelation 17:8.

COMMENT: Here it is said to be, “from the foundation of the world.” The
word “world” here refers to the “cosmos” of Israel. Firstly we can look into the
tense of the phrase, “were written.” This is perfect tense and passive in
mood. The perfect tense is indicative of a completed action in the past that
does not need repeating. The passive mood determines that the subject is the
recipient of the action. That is, the subject did not have any part in causing it
to happen. We do not need to analyze the phrase, “the foundation of the
world” further to see that the view of popular religion is quite wrong. The Bi-
ble does not record any progressive or later entries into the Book of
Life!

2. Does the Bible say that all people have their names written in the Book of
Life? Revelation 20:15.

COMMENT: One conclusion that can be drawn from this verse is that all peo-
ples’ names were not written into the Book of Life “from the foundation of the
world”, as this verse says. The phrase, “the foundation of the world” does not
exactly parallel the Old Testament phrase, “the foundation of the earth,” but
both are used in the sense of establishing something in the past.

3. Does Scripture indicate when the names were written down? Job 38:4-7.

COMMENT: As to the time, Job tells us it was, “When the morning stars sang
together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.” The “sons of God” referred
to here are the angels that serve YEHOVAH God.

What we will now consider is whether or not what was “written in the book of
life from the foundation of the world,” might have something to do with genetic
structure or DNA make up.

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