Thus Daniel says, “The judgment was set, and the books were opened.” Daniel 7:10.
And John says: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Revelation 20:12.
--It is evident that the utmost importance is attached to the blotting out of the sins of the righteous from these books.
--When they are blotted out they can never rise up in the judgment against those who committed them; for men give account to God only for those things contained in the books.
It is therefore certain that no individual can have his sins blotted out until the close of his probation.
But when this work is wrought there must be an examination of the books for this very purpose.
The book of life is to be examined before the resurrection of the just. The words of Daniel render this point perfectly clear:
“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” Daniel 12:1.
*We have seen from other texts that the investigation and decision of the judgment in the cases of the righteous precedes the advent of the Savior.
*We have also seen that there is a time before the coming of Jesus when the sins of the righteous are blotted out from the books of God’s remembrance.
---The book of life is examined before the deliverance of the saints. ---Daniel says, “At that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” The book must, therefore, be examined before the resurrection of the righteous to immortal life."
J.N.Andrews
