“And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works,” Revelation 20:12

 “He’s making a list, checking it twice; Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice,” (Santa Clause is Coming to Town, J. Fred Coots, Henry Gillespie (©) 1934).  For most of us being on the “naughty list” is synonymous with that old Christmas jingle, a song that was sung to inspire children to be on their best behavior lest they be left out of the gift-giving that year.  “The list” would tell whether one received a lump of coal or not.

While the idea of Santa Claus and his lists are very much fictional, the stark realities of records being kept are very much true.  A lump of coal would be the least of our worries, for when one stands before the “great white throne and Him who sat on it,” (Rev. 20:11, NKJV), one’s eternal destination is at stake.  “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire,” (Rev. 20:15, NKJV).

For the most part, the book of Revelation is a book that many people try to skip over in their reading.  There’s a lot of vivid imagery that tells us horrible days to come.  But, can it tell you something?  There’s also a beautiful depiction of what the righteous get to experience.

There’s an intimacy that we see where the Father, on purpose, hovers over and protects them that are His.  He prepares this glorious place for us to spend all eternity and the closeness with God cannot be compared.

There, we’ll see the victory of the Lamb come to the forefront once and for all.  Over there, we’ll see everything of this world that tried to come against us be put in its proper place.  All that old junk will be replaced with the glories of the new.  Rivers of life, healing of the nations, every tear wiped out of our eyes . . . oh, yeah!  We have something great to look forward to, as long as we are on the right “list;” as long as our name is “written in the Lamb’s book of life,” (Rev. 21:27).

Those that are on that right list and not the naughty list have endured hardness as a good soldier, 2 Tim. 2:3.  They have fought the good fight of faith, 2 Tim. 4:7.  They have submitted themselves to God and have resisted the advances of the enemy, James 4:7.  They have taken on a new nature and are on that day found “arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints,” (Rev. 19:8).  Being on the right list also gives them an invitation to the “marriage supper of the Lamb,” (Rev. 19:9).

Where one’s name is written matters; it matters a whole lot.  Whatever “list” it’s found on identifies the pathway one has chosen to walk in their life.  For those who have lived life for themselves without any regard to the Father will not receive the invitation to that glorious event.  Opposite of that, he who has managed to live this life in a manner which pleases Him (a life hidden in Christ), will find themselves not only invited, but will arrive in style as an active participant.  “I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying ‘Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!’” (Revelation 19:1, NKJV).  Oh, what a day that will be!

“But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life,” (Revelation 21:27, NKJV).  In other words, avoid the naughty list so that we can all enjoy that great and coming day together.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” 1 John 1:9, NKJV.

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