Old Testament Scripture had mentioned several divine books. Psalm 139:16 mentions a book containing God’s plan for every individual; Ezekiel 2:9–10 mentions a book recording God’s plan for the world. Exodus 32:32–33 suggests that God has a book containing the names of those he will save (see also Daniel 12:1; Luke 10:20). Daniel 7:10 indicates that God also has books to be used in judgment (see also Isaiah 65:6). These latter books contain a record of every transgression anyone has ever committed (Jeremiah 17:1) and provide the reason why Jesus could say that “on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” (Matthew 12:36). The reference to “books” does not imply that God has a library in heaven (i.e., literal) but is an anthropomorphic metaphor to convey that the almighty God keeps an accurate and complete record of every word and deed ever spoken or performed by each individual, irrespective of when or where that person lived; the great and the small, the strong and the weak, the rich and the poor will all alike be confronted with all possible evidence of their rebellion against the Great King.
12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.