Decoding Malachi 3:16, What is the Book of Remembrance?
The Book of Remembrance is mentioned in the Bible in the book of Malachi 3:16, which says:
“Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name.”
The Book of Remembrance is believed to be a record kept by God of the faithful who fear Him and follow His commandments. It is sometimes interpreted as a record of the righteous deeds of the faithful that will be remembered and rewarded in the final judgment. It is also thought to be a book of remembrance of God’s promises to his people, particularly in the context of the restoration of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple. The concept of a “book of remembrance” appears in other parts of the Bible, such as in Psalm 56:8 and Daniel 12:1.
In addition to the reference in Malachi, the idea of a book of remembrance or a book of life appears in several other books of the Bible. For example:
- In the book of Exodus, Moses speaks to God about the sin of the Israelites worshipping the golden calf, and asks God to forgive them or else “blot me out of the book that you have written” (Exodus 32:32). This suggests that there is a book in which the names of God’s chosen people are recorded.
- In the book of Psalms, the writer asks God to remember him and his righteous deeds, and to record them in his book of remembrance: “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” (Psalm 56:8).
- In the New Testament, the book of Revelation describes a vision in which the apostle John sees a great white throne, and the one seated on it judges the dead according to what is written in the books: “And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done” (Revelation 20:12). The book of life is also mentioned in Revelation as a record of the names of those who will inherit eternal life: “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).
Overall, the concept of a book of remembrance or a book of life is linked to the idea of divine judgment and the recording of the deeds of human beings. Those who fear God and follow his ways are said to have their names written in this book, and will be rewarded with eternal life, while those who do not will be judged accordingly.
Bible verses that mention the Book of Remembrance
There are only two verses in the Bible that specifically mention the “book of remembrance,” and they are both found in the Old Testament book of Malachi:
- Malachi 3:16 KJV – “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.”
- Malachi 3:18 KJV – “Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”
While the term “book of remembrance” is not used in any other verses of the Bible, there are several passages that refer to the idea of a book in which names are recorded, such as:
- Exodus 32:32-33 KJV – “Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.”
- Psalm 56:8 KJV – “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?”
- Psalm 139:16 KJV – “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”
- Daniel 12:1 KJV – “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.”
How does it compare to the Book of Life?
In the Bible, the “Book of Life” and the “Book of Remembrance” are two distinct concepts.
The Book of Life is mentioned in several places throughout the Bible, including Psalm 69:28, Revelation 3:5, and Philippians 4:3. It is a metaphorical record of the names of those who belong to God and are granted eternal life. It contains the names of all those who have accepted God’s offer of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.
On the other hand, the Book of Remembrance is mentioned in Malachi 3:16, where it is said to be a book of remembrance written before God. This book contains the names of those who fear the Lord and who speak often with one another about Him. It is a record of the faithfulness of God’s people and their obedience to His commands.
While both books involve record-keeping, they serve different purposes. The Book of Life is a record of salvation, while the Book of Remembrance is a record of faithfulness and obedience.
"For 30 years I've been gaming. I lived it, grew up in it, and for most of my life I thought I could live in the world and live in Christ too. I was WRONG. After years of unknowingly running FROM God, I finally surrendered and trusted fully in him instead of myself. He then in 2018 pulled me out of the world and showed me his truth, showed me what it means to truly follow Jesus. Now I bring the gospel message directly to other gamers, I won't be able to pull them out of the world, but we can plant seeds from God to water! This channel is dedicated to preaching the Three Angels Message across the internet broadcasting community and preaching the gospel for all who are willing to hear, and teaching people what it means to "Forsake the World". Edward came from a Baptist and Catholic family background. Very familiar with scripture, but not fully understanding it until 5 years ago. Now he is on fire for the Truth and the Bible. A Christian and Seventh-day Adventist. A layman just wanting to help spread the Gospel to gamers. - Read more about Edward Preach.
