A. THE GREAT WHITE JUDGEMENT THRONE
“And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:11-15, NLT).
B. WHAT WILL HAPPEN AT THE GREAT WHITE JUDGEMENT THRONE?
1. Christians will not be there. They will be rewarded for their faithfulness at the Bema Judgement Seat.
2. “I saw a Great White Throne.”
a. “I saw,” probably located in God’s space.
b. Great in ultimate authority, not necessarily size.
c. White, purity of motive, not necessarily physically clean.
3. “The One sitting on the throne,” is the Lord Jesus Christ. “The Father judges no one, but has committed all judgement to the Son” (John 5:22).
4. “Small and great,” reference to social, political, financial, and “spiritual.” Great spiritual leaders, i.e., “Beware of false prophets . . . not everyone who says to Me Lord, Lord, shall enter . . . have we not prophesied in Your Name, and done many mighty wonders in Your Name . . . I never knew you” (Matt. 7:15, 21-23).
5. “Stand before God,” to face the accusations against them.
6. “Books . . . and another book,”
a. The Lamb’s Book of Life: that has names of saved people in it.
b. The Book of Works: that shows the number and gravity of their sins which leads to the degree of their punishment.
7. “The sea gave up their dead.” Even those whose bodies were never recovered or found will be judged. 2000 years before DNA was discovered, God knew what He was doing!
8. “Death and hell delivered up,” death had the physical body, hell had the eternal soul.
9. “The Lake of Fire,” could be a black hole in space. It is a liquid object with extreme density that no light or physical object can escape its grasp, i.e., a voracious whirlpool of energy seeking everything into its grasp; nothing escaping its power.
10. The Lake of Fire has:
a. Actual existence
b. Eternal
c. Conscience
d. Unceasing torture
e. Separation from God
11. “Death and the grave were cast into the Lake of Fire.” Hades will be cast into Gahanna. God did not create these from His nature. Our sin demands their existence and God permitted their creation.
12. “Whosoever,” (anyone not found written) not what they have done, but what they haven’t done, i.e., rejected God’s rule over their life.
13. “Was cast” all inclusive from Cain to some of your best friends and relatives.
C. THE SEVEN JUDGEMNTS:
Because God is all knowing, no sin escapes His awareness; and because God is law, all broken laws have consequences and/or judgements.
1. Judgement at the cross. Man’s sin was judged . . . he is able to be cleansed, pardoned, and declared righteous.
2. Judgement of the sinning believers. If they do not judge themselves they will be judged (consequences and/or punishment).
3. Judgement of the believer’s works, i.e. the Bema Seat.
4. Judgement upon Israel. After the tribulation, based on their reception of Messiah.
5. Judgement upon the nations. After the tribulation, based on their treatment of the brethren.
6. Judgement on fallen angels and satan (2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6).
7. The Great White Judgement Throne.
D. APPLICATION
1. Since all time and space are a perfect symmetrical system held together by laws, who can say broken laws have no consequences.
2. Since God will punish in wrath (anger), we should pray and witness.
3. We should make sure of our relationship with God.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
All PBC lessons are available online at trbc.org/pbc. Go to www.Hopenow.tv for the current program schedule.
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Dr. Towns' email is ELTowns@liberty.edu
Dr. Towns’ web address is www.elmertowns.com
