From before human life’s beginnings, God knew that we would struggle between wickedness and His righteousness. To his credit, He made it known that faithful service to Him will not go unnoticed and unrewarded (Luke 6: 23; Revelation 22; 12). He is mindful of the hearts of those who don’t murmur and rebel against him. He honors those who honor Him. From ancient times, He told that He will be faithful in that way. For instance, through the prophet Malachi, came this declaration of encouragement:

Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name. Malachi 3: 16.

Because God often uses metaphors to help us understand, there may or may not be a literal book of remembrance. God probably used the term because the people of that time would have understood the reference. They knew that the Persian kings kept book-records that showed service rendered to them; this in order to be able to rightly reciprocate with rewards. A good example of this is in Esther 6: 1-3.

The point, though, is that for our sake, there is some form of a record kept in heaven of human deeds. It’s not because God forgets. These records were created so that all can see that God’s judgment is good. So I’m guessing that the Old Testament’s book of remembrance is synonymous with the New Testament’s “And books were opened” (Revelation 20: 12).

These books, containing our good and bad works, public and hidden, are the records from which judgment is made concerning who is saved or lost. Therefore, for lack of a better term, these records can be referred to as the books of deeds.

In my mind, the relationship between the book of remembrance and the books of deeds can also be seen in God going on to say in Malachi 3: 17…

“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “on the day that I prepare My own possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.”

The reward related to the books of deeds is that the believer’s sins are erased from the records, covered by Jesus’ blood. The result is that the believer’s name is then retained in the book of life— a separate book also referred to in Revelation 20: 12.*

Listen; God appreciates our service to Him. None of it is lost. He promises to show fairness to those who love and serve Him.

So remember that the time is coming, and coming soon, when we will gain from doing goodness in the Son of God (Galatians 6: 9). Do not weary. Instead take heart and rejoice that the Lord is definitely taking note.

_________________________

*For more on the differing books in heaven, read the subhead The Investigative Judgment in my article 3 Phases of  End-Time Judgment. Click here.