The Divine Library (2)

"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." (Mal. 3: 16 kjv)

This "book of remembrance" was not written in order to help God remember, for he never forgets, being omniscient. Rather, it was for the benefit of those in his court or house. It was a memorial, like what we read about in these words:

"And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword. And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua..." (Exodus 17: 13-14 kjv)

Even God's name of Yahweh, or tetragrammaton, the four letters making up the name of God, is a "memorial." (Exo. 3: 15; Psa. 135: 13; Hosea 12: 5; etc.) Likewise the story of the woman who anointed the feet of Christ with precious ointment has been made an everlasting memorial by Jesus, so the record says:

“Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” (Matt. 26: 13; Mark 14: 9)

The angel who was sent to Cornelius the Roman centurion told him “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God." (Acts 10: 4)

Based upon these texts we see that all our conversations about God and the things of God with others, and all our prayers and alms and good works done in faith to the glory of God, are written in his book of remembrance and our tears are in his bottle, meaning they are preserved and remembered and memorialized forever. 

This book of remembrance is a registry containing the names of those who thought upon the name of the LORD and a record of their discourses with others about the Lord and his word. The allusion is to kings who keep registers, records, annals, and chronicles, as memorials of matters of moment and importance. This shows that LORD God highly esteems those discourses and conversations. It tells us that God listens in to them. I recall telling my older brother Eddie before he died that God was listening in to our conversations about his word and delighted in them and memorialized them.

The Psalmist alluded to this book of remembrance also when he wrote:

"You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?" (Psa. 56: 8 nkjv)

We will have an eternity to read these books and so learn more about our brethren and sisters. For I do not think that upon entering heaven we will have imparted to us knowledge of the life and biographies of every redeemed sinner, but will learn about them and their previous lives as we meet them and get to know them. I can imagine meeting a saint who lived in the time before the flood and telling me all about how life was then. I can imagine meeting saints who lived in Palestine in the time of Christ and hearing them tell about life at that time. I can imagine meeting saints who lived in the dark ages, etc. It will be a joy and delight to know these things about the saints.

Brethren, how often do you converse with others about God and the things of God? Do you not know that the Lord listens in on these holy conversations? Just as God "dwells in the praises of his people" (Psa. 22: 3) and dwells in "the thoughts" of his people when they think upon him and his word (Psa. 10: 4), so he is present when two or three are gathered together to converse on the things of God. So Jesus said: "where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." (Matt. 18: 20 nkjv)

Wrote the writer of Hebrews:

"And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (Heb. 10: 24-25 nkjv)

Though this verse is often used to encourage church attendance, it ought not to be limited to that. It is as much or more applicable to those small groups of two, three, or more who meet together to converse about the things of the Lord. It alludes to the same thing as in the Malachi passage which alluded to those who feared the Lord speaking often to one another. Oftentimes these conversations and times of fellowship can be far more delightful, to God and to those conversing, than larger gatherings of congregations. In fact, many formal church worship services give little opportunity for saints to converse together, for the only one doing the talking is the preacher or the one leading in prayer. I have often favored assemblies where members had the opportunity to speak, exhort, and share their testimonies, and even to discuss the word of God. The Lord places a high value on these times of conversing and has them memorialized in his book of remembrance.