Revelation 20:11-15, The Great White Throne Judgement

TWO JUDGMENTS

COMPARED

2 Corinthians 5:9, 10

Revelation 20:11, 12, 13, 14, 15

Judgment Seat of Christ Great White Throne Judgment

Only believers Only unbelievers

After the Rapture

Before the Millennium After the 1,000-year reign of Messiah

Before the New Heaven and Earth

Determines

rewards for service Determines

amount of eternal judgment

Revelation 20:11-15 The Great White Throne Judgement

A. The Scene (vv. 11-12)

1. The Place--The Great White Throne “And I saw a great white throne,”

a. The throne is great--because it is God’s throne the Infinite before whom the finite must stand and because it is the seat of this last judgment and eternal decree

b. The throne is white--because it is the unveiled, undimmed blaze of divine holiness, purity, and righteousness of the One seated on this throne.

2. The Person--The Bible tells us that this throne is occupied by a person. “and him that sat on it,”

a. His Name (John 5:22, 27)

b. His Nature--Daniel describes His appearance, Daniel 7:9-10

3. The Perception--“from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away;” 2 Peter 3:10-12

4. The Perturbation-- “and there was found no place for them.” Luke 8:17; Ecclesiastes 12:14

5. The People--v. 12 “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;”

6. The Premise--“and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life:”

a. The Books--God doesn’t forget; He keeps perfect record.

b. The Bible--(John 12:48)

c. The Book of Life--contains all the names of those who have received Jesus Christ by faith.

d. “and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”

B. THE SUMMONS (v. 13)

Hebrews 9:27

The cry of God in Eden--Genesis 3:9-10 “Where art thou?” This cry will come again!

1. There will be no hiding place!

2. Every grave will give up the dead bodies.

3. Imagine the scene before the throne of Jesus!

C. THE SENTENCE (vv. 14-15)

1. The books are read, and the sentence is given!

a. The Fearfulness--Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

b. The Finality--Matthew 25:46 “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment:”

God doesn’t send people to Hell; they send themselves by rejecting the Savior (John 3:16-21).

Hell is real and that lost sinners do indeed go there to spend eternity. Psalm 9:17; Luke 16:19-31).