Great White Throne Judgment Series

Tom Lowe

12/9/17

Book of Revelation Commentary

Topic # V: VISIONS OF THE FUTURE AND BEYOND (20:1-22:5)

Lesson: V.C: THE FINAL JUDGMENT (20:11-15)

Scripture (Rev. 20:11-15, KJV)

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Introduction

Satan has persuaded mankind for centuries that there is no future punishment, no final accounting before God. That lie is now fully exposed.

Commentary

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away.”

“And I saw a great white throne”?This verse begins the description of the final judgment, which continues for the remainder of the chapter. With terrible strokes of the pen, John describes the scene and gives the background for what has come to be called “The Great White Throne Judgment.” We are struck by the severe, straightforward language, and the remarkable economy of words.

The first thing seen in the vision is the fascinating, awe-inspiring throne of the Judge. The things that are specified in regard to it, are that it was “great,” and that it was “white.” The former expression means that it was high or elevated. [“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple” (Isaiah 6:1).] The latter expression?“white”?means that it was “magnificent or shining.” [“Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom” (1 Kings 10:18-20). This is how King Solomon’s throne is described. If a man can make such a throne, can you imagine what the throne of God must look like?] The throne here is the same which is referred to in Matthew 25:31, and called there “the throne of his glory.” It is the throne of God, dazzling to the eye, reflecting purity so intense that before it the very seraphim shrink. Guilty men, summoned to that throne, have no place to hide, nothing behind which to cower. All the foolish little delusions behind which men hide today will be gone, and men will be confronted by a fact too terrible to comprehend—THE GREAT WHITE THRONE.

“And him that sat on it”?The reference here undoubtedly is to the Lord Jesus Christ, the final Judge of mankind [“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory” (Matthew 25:31).], and the scene described is what will occur at His second advent. John sees Him at once and knows Him as the Lord. The nail prints in His hands, the scars upon His back and brow, the spear wound in His side—the marks of what wicked men did to Him. There He is! Men have ignored Him, denied Him, cursed Him, disbelieved in Him, and sold him. Now He is their Judge.

“From whose face”?Or, from whose presence; though the word may be used here to denote more strictly His face?illuminated, and shining like the sun [“And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength” (Revelation 1:16).].

“The earth and the heaven fled away,”? that is, as the stars, at the rising of the sun, seem to flee to more remote regions, and vanish from human view, so when the Son of God shall descend in His glory to judge the world, the earth and all other worlds shall seem to vanish.