"THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT"
Revelation 20:11-15
INTRODUCTION:
There is NO GENERAL judgment, where the lost and the saved stand at the same judgment seat. Some people get the idea that we will all stand together in Heaven, with the “goats” on 1 side, and the “sheep” on the other side.
They think that there will be some kind of a “balance” in Heaven … a “scale”, which weighs the good against the bad. If the good outweighs the bad, you will go to Heaven. If the bad outweighs the good, you will go to Hell.
The Bible doesn’t speak of this anywhere. The “sheep” and the “goats” of Matthew 25 is not talking about “The Great White Throne Judgment”, but entry into the Millennial Kingdom.
I.- THE TIME –
A. This judgment takes place more than 1007 years after the Rapture of the Church
. … after the Tribulation Period
1.… after the Millennial Kingdom
2. … after the 1000 year captivity of Satan in Hell
3. … after the final battle of Gog and Magog
4.… after Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire
5. This will happen just before the new Heaven and the new Earth are created for us to
enjoy for eternity.
B. This judgment will take place at the “throne” of God – 20:11--11Then I saw a great white
throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And
there was found no place for them.
1. It is called “great” and “white”. “Great” because there is none greater.
2. It is God’s final court … there is no higher court to which you can appeal.
3. It is the Supreme Court of Heaven.
4. It is HIS Throne of Judgment … SO … it is called “great”.
5. It is “white”. WHY? BECAUSE … of the purity of His judgment and justice. There’s no
politics involved … no bribery … no plea bargaining … no gain time. JUST … the pure,
holy, and righteous justice of God being poured out.
6. It’s at the “throne”. This isn’t like the “throne” in Revelation 4:2-3 where we see a rainbow
… mercy. There is no mercy at this throne … only justice.
II.- THE PARTICIPANTS – The Accused
VERSE 12 1st phrase
A. The big shots and the nobodies/up and comers and down and outers/CEO and lowest
employee/professors and uneducated/kings and homeless…they all are the accused on
that day if they die lost.
1. v. 13 This is the 2nd resurrection…the resurrection of the lost. The 1st resurrection was
of saints more than 1000 years before this.
2. In other words, this isn’t about whether they are guilty or innocent…it is clear that they
are guilty.
3. This is not a trial to see whether they go free or not. This is not about allegations…this is
making it clear WHY they ARE going to hell for all eternity.
4. They have already been in hell, awaiting this judgment.
Ill.—2 words for hell in scripture…hades and gehenna, which can be likened to a local jail and
prison…the one is a temporary holding place, no less vile, just less permanent.
6. There is no appeal and no parole.
4 GROUPS AT THE GREAT WHITE THRONE.
• THE SINNERS…the ones who hate God and don’t mind speaking out…they hate the
Church, don’t believe the Bible, and are in your face…like Madelyn Murray O’Hare.
• THE SELFRIGHTEOUS…who think they will go to heaven because they live a good life.
They think the gospel is for perverts, thieves, murderers, and don’t see themselves as the
real sinners. [Pharisee and publican…both prayed at the same altar. And only he got saved
that day. There are no big and little sins…it takes only 1 sin to send to hell!] No one can get
to heaven by good works.
Isaiah 64:6 and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.
• THESLOW DECIDERS…they know they need to get saved, they want to get saved, and
they’re “gonna” get saved…someday. But they keep putting it off. “The road to hell is paved
with good intentions.” But the Bible makes it plain how important it is to deal with this
immediately.
…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
• THE SUNDAY CHURCH GOERS…the ones who have their name on the church roll but not
in the Lamb’s Book of Life. They’ll go to hell w/ a Bible in their hand, so to speak. And the
devil doesn’t mind that at all…
They may have a fancy suit or nice dresses, a s.s. attendance pin or an offering statement,
but they never truly accepted Christ for themselves! “Ye must be born again.”
HOW ABOUT YOU? Do you fit into one of these groups?
B. Only the LOST will be at “The Great White Throne” judgment.
1. There is no separation of the “sheep” and the “goats”.
2. Everyone here will enter into the Lake of Fire to be eternally condemned with Satan.
NOTICE who they are – 20:12. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before £God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
1. “dead” – These are the Spiritually “dead” … “dead” in trespasses and sins. They are not
right with God. Jesus came to give us “life” … BUT … they are Spiritually “dead”.
2. “small and great” – TURN to Romans Chapter 2.
2:11 11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
3. – Social status doesn’t matter with God. He isn’t influenced by money, reputation, or even
morality.
1 Samuel 16:7 – “for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” Both the “small and great” will stand before God … and they will stand CONDEMNED because of their sin.
4. How much sin does it take to condemn a person?
5. How much poison does it take in a glass of water to make it deadly? The glass may
contain 99% water, and only 1% poison … but the whole glass is condemned as deadly.
6. How much sin does it take to condemn a person to Hell? Since we were BORN in sin, and
we are 100% sinful by nature, that question isn’t even relevant. The glass contains 100%
poison.
The wages of sin is death … yours … or Jesus.
III. - THE JUDGE –
A. The Judge isn’t named here … BUT …we know who He is. John 5:22 – “For the Father
judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:”
1.Jesus has the right to be the judge, jury, prosecuting attorney and witness. After all, it was
His grace that was spurned
2. … He is the One who was rejected. It is only fair that Jesus is the One to be the judge at
the “Great White Throne”.
3. Rom. 2:2 2:2 – Jesus is the God of TRUTH. Jesus said in John 14:6 – “I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
4. Man tries to hide his sins under the blanket of respectability … decorating his immorality
with bows and ribbons.
5. BUT … the TRUTH will come out in this judgment. They will be seen for who they are …
Spiritually dead.
6. They haven’t gotten away with sin. “Be sure your sins will find you out
7. BUT … this is the “Great White Throne” judgment. Nothing has escaped the eye of the
Omniscient Judge.
8. – All secrets will be revealed … secret sins, secret thoughts … the secret intents of
the heart.
9. The EVIDENCE will be presented. No high paid defense attorney to get you off. No hung
jury. No loophole in the law. No evidence that has been compromised or withheld.
Everything will be revealed. The Judge is in charge.
IV.THE EVIDENCE – What will be judged? Back to Revelation Chapter 20.
20:12 – 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.
A. The EVIDENCE will all be there … written down … in the “books”. Every thought, word, and
deed has been recorded. Nothing has been left out … nothing too small or incidental to be
recorded.
1. “But what about all the GOOD things that I did … won’t they count for anything?
2. I went to church … I tithed … I was a pillar in the community …
3. I was a good father, wife, neighbor!” LISTEN to Hebrews 11:6 – “But without faith it is
impossible to please him:” Romans 14:23 – “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”
4. Multitudes say that they want to be judged by their good works. That’s what they’re
counting on. BUT … Ephes. 2:8-9 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
5. The PURPOSE of the “Great White Throne” judgment is to reward the wicked for their
wickedness. They AREN’T judged out of the “book of life” … they’re judged out of
the “books” … of works. There are no good works that they can point to … BECAUSE
… salvation doesn’t come by “works”.
6. Their monuments that they built will be gone. The charities that they gave to will be
destroyed. The churches that they attended have been dissolved. They have no treasures
stored up in Heaven. They have no inheritance, because they aren’t a child of God. Their
whole life centered on planet earth … AND … now it’s GONE! They have nothing to point
to … it’s all GONE.
7. The “books” will condemn them. The “book of life” is just there to SUPPORT the verdict …
an awful BLANK with your name no where to be seen.
8. In 20:13 we see the TRIAL. All the LOST will appear. The SEA will give up its dead. The
2nd RESURRECTION will take place … the resurrection of all the LOST.
9. John 5:28-29 – “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the
graves shall hear his voice, [29] And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the
resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
V. THE VERDICT!
A. There’s 1000 years that separate the 2 resurrections.
1. When Jesus comes at the Rapture, those Christians who have already died will come
with Him to receive their glorified bodies … the 1st RESURRECTION.
2. Those of us who are taken in the Rapture, our bodies will instantly be changed into our
new glorified bodies.
B. What about the resurrection of the LOST? They will ALSO receive a resurrected body …
ONLY … it will be different. It will be a body fitted for destruction. They will be able to burn in
the Lake of Fire for eternity … YET … never be burned up.
C. - THE REWARDS – The PURPOSE of the “Judgment Seat Of Christ” is to reward His bride
. The PURPOSE of the “Great White Throne” judgment is to REWARD those who rejected
Him.
Take a look at the VERDICT – 20:14. 14Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.The 2nd Resurrection results in the 2nd DEATH. You see, the 1st DEATH doesn’t end it all, does it? There IS life after death. Hebrews 9:27 – “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
DEATH is just the beginning of eternity.
WHERE you spend eternity is determined BEFORE you die the 1st time. Afterwards, it’s too late.
If you are a Christian, you are born TWICE … AND … you die once.
If you are LOST, you are born once, and you DIE twice. This 2nd death is the gateway to the Lake of Fire.
See 20:15 – There is NO APPEAL … the verdict is FINAL. The PENALTY is eternal torment in the Lake of Fire. No hope … no peace … no end. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Jesus offers an alternative to the Lake of Fire. Jesus said in John 6:37 – “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Jesus wants to save you from the penalty of your sins … AND … be the Lord of your life. If you’ve never come to Him, won’t you come to Him tonight.
