James O. Davis is the founder and president of Second Billion (TM). You are invited to learn more about Second Billion by visiting www.billion.tv.
INTRODUCTION
Our text tells us about the Great White Throne judgment in a message we call, “The Throne After the Second Coming.” This is the saddest & most sorrowful judgment of all. It is the frightening termination of God’s holy wrath upon those who have rejected His Son. It is the time when every person who has rejected Christ as Savior will be tried before the tribunal of heaven. There will be no plea bargaining, no insanity pleas, no taking the Fifth Amendment, and no mistrials. It will be the final judgment where evidence is presented, the facts are weighed and punishment will be meted out.
There are several interesting characteristics about the Great White Throne judgment that need to be understood by both saints and sinners. The first thing I believe we need to notice is that it is a fearful sight.
FIRST, THE GREAT WHITE THRONE IS A FEARFUL SIGHT
A) The Seat of All Power -- Verse 11 calls it “the throne,” the seat of all power. It is the throne of God, a place of intensity, with no place to hide. Guilty sinners are summoned to that throne. All the foolish delusions and statements people have used for not serving God will sudden have no value as they stand before Ruler of the entire universe. It is the seat of all power, where Christ rules and reigns.
B) The Source of All Power -- It is also the source of all power. The Bible says, “He that sat on it…” John sees Him and immediately recognizes Him to be the Lord Jesus. The nail prints are there, the scars, and the wound in His side. Sinful men had beaten Him, ignored Him, denied and cursed Him through the ages. They had refused to believe in Him, but now He is their judge. John 5:22 says that “…The Father judges no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” It is Jesus with His Father at the Great White Throne judgment.
Jesus first came into the world wrapped in swaddling clothes; the last time He will be wrapped in the judicial robes of heaven. The first time He came to a manger; the last time will be to a throne. The first time He wore a crown of thorns; the last He will wear the crown as King. The first time He came with the shepherd’s staff in His hand; the last time He will hold the judge’s gavel. The first time He came as a Lamb to the slaughter; the last time He will come as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He came the first time as the Savior; He will come the last time as the Sentencer and Judge of the entire world.
C) The Sign of All Power -- Not only is the Great White Throne judgment the seat and source of all power, but it is also the sign of all power. The Bible says, “From whose face the heaven and the earth fled away.” No man has ever seen God in all His fullness and power. No man has ever seen Him in all His glory and majesty. What kind of judgment day will it be for those who have rejected, refused and refrained from accepting Jesus Christ into their personal lives?
The ungodly had spat in His face and wrenched the beard from its cheeks. Now they will surely gaze upon Him in fear and torment. Everything about their world that had been stable, solid and familiar will now have disappeared. Every landmark, stone, mountain, river, house, planet, and galaxy are gone because of the awesome-ness and power found in the face of Jesus Christ.
In Daniel chapter seven, the prophet saw two groups at this judgment. One group was serving Jesus and the other was standing before Him. The saints will have already been judged, but now it is time for the judgment of the unsaved.
SECOND, THE GREAT WHITE THRONE IS A FINAL SUMMONS
A) The Presence of the Wicked is Required -- I want you to notice in verses 12 and 13 that the presence of the wicked is required. The Bible says, “And I saw the dead. The sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them.”
There are some religious groups who advocate that once you die everything is ended. If you do go to hell, you are suddenly annihilated and that’s where it all ends. But, the Bible says that the unsaved dead that were in hell were brought out of hell to stand at the Great White Throne judgment to be judged for their sins. “And the sea gave up the dead.” All sinners that have ever died at sea, or anywhere else, will be resurrected to stand at the Great White Throne judgment.
When the saints are resurrected, they instantly put on a glorified body like Jesus. But, the ungodly are given an eternal body at resurrection that will be sentenced to endure eternal suffering and separation from Christ.
B) The Posture of the Wicked is Revealed -- Not only is the presence of the wicked required, but the Bible says that the posture of the wicked is revealed. John says, “I saw the dead. The sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them.” The Bible says that they stand before God. The reason this is important is because there is no place to hide. All excuses will be gone.
No court case in history will ever be as important as when the ungodly stand before God at the Great White Throne judgment. I don’t know how long it will take for Him to review and judge every individual, but what is a thousand years to God anyway? If you had to stand before Him, would all your past be covered by the Blood of Jesus? The Great White Throne is a fearful sight, a final summons, and a factual scrutiny.
THIRD, THE GREAT WHITE THRONE IS A PLACE OF FACTUAL SCRUTINY
A) It is a Total Judgment -- The Lord will have evidence that is accurate and total. The Bible says that John saw the small and great standing before the throne. There will be people from all walks of life there that day. People from all degrees of greatness; the up-and-outers and the down-and-outers; kings and beggars; the prosperous and the poor; the educated and the uneducated; the moral and the immoral; the good and the bad. That’s going to include every individual that has ever lived on this planet. I want you to see that it is a total judgment, but it is also a truthful judgment.
B) It is a Truthful Judgment -- The Bible says the books were opened and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books. Seven different books are found in God’s Word that will be used during this judgment.
1) The Book of Members -- First, there is the book of members, Psalm 139:16, “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unperfect; and in your book all my members were written...” For example, fingerprints are taken to identify criminals. May I tell you, God will not confuse you with anyone else on that judgment day? He knows your mark. He knows your members. He knows everything about you.
2) The Book of Words -- There is also the book of words, Matthew 12:36 and Malachai 3:16, “But I say to you that for every idle word man may speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgment.” Malachai uses the word, “Every word that every man has ever spoken is recorded in thy book.” Every curse word, every critical word, every complaint, every word of bitterness, every sin that man has ever uttered from his lips are recorded in the books.
3) The Book of Tears -- There is also the book of tears. In Psalm 56:8, “You numbered my wanderings and put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” God has recorded the tears of everyone you have caused to cry or to be broken-hearted by your wrong-doings. Every time you came against someone and caused them pain and agony, God has recorded their tears in His book.
4) The Book of Deeds -- There also is the book of deeds. Revelation 20:12, “The dead were judged according to their works by the things that were written in the books.” Every wicked, wrong, worldly deed ever committed, that is not under the Blood of Jesus, is written in the book and will be used in judgment.
5) The Book of Thoughts -- Not only is there a book of deeds, but also a book of thoughts. The Bible says in Romans 2:16, “In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.” You might not have done something wrong, but you thought it. You did not speak against someone, but you thought the wrong deed. You maybe did not curse someone, but you thought it. You didn’t get involved immorally, but you thought it. Every time you had a sinful thought, and did not put it under His blood, God recorded it. On that day, God will open the books. When all the books are opened, and all of the evidence is presented, where will you stand?
6) The Book of Opportunities -- There’s another book called the book of opportunities. Every time a person had the opportunity to give his heart and life to Christ, God wrote it down. Wherever you live, God has given man opportunities to accept Christ. Someone may ask, “What about those who have never heard the Gospel message of Jesus Christ?” Paul addresses that issue in Romans chapter 1. He said man can find out about God by just looking at His handiwork, by looking at the things that He has created. Abraham found God because he was looking for Him. Every individual in the world has the opportunity to serve God or not.
In all these books are recorded the filthy, dirty, nasty deeds of sinful man. Please understand there is no hope for the ungodly when God opens the books.
7) The Book of Life -- But there is one more book and it’s for the saints. It’s called the Book of Life. The Bible says, “Another book was opened which is the Book of Life.” Where is your name written, in the Book of Life or the books of the lost? If you’re not sure, get right with God now. Otherwise, you will have to stand before the Great White Throne Judgment. It’s a factual scrutiny. God has all of the facts on your life. God has all of them recorded and on that day they’re going to be made known. Last, there is a final sentence.
THIRD, THE GREAT WHITE THRONE IS A PLACE OF FINAL SENTENCE
A) The Final Prison -- The Bible says that death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. That’s the final prison. Does that mean that the lake of fire is of such magnitude that it can hold hell? Does that mean the lake of fire is worse than hell itself? Those who pass away unsaved are held in hell until the time of judgment, after which they are cast into the lake of fire. Christ is going to take death and hell and cast it into the lake of fire. That will be the home of the lost for all eternity.
B) The Final Punishment -- Not only is there a final prison, but there is a final punishment. The Bible says, “Whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Are you the “whosoever” of Revelation 20:15 or the “whosoever” of John 3:16? Are you the “whosoever” that has refused the love of God and are bound for hell? Or, are you the “whosoever” that has made your life right with Christ and are bound for heaven?
Is your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life or in the books of the lost? Some people live as those they know exactly when they will die. They plan to repent just in time. But, sometimes life ends suddenly, swiftly and tragically.
A few years ago, a teenaged boy held out all week from going to the altar to get right with God during a week of youth camp in Arkansas. Near the end of the week, while playing in the gym with a group of the other campers, he leaped high and grabbed hold of the basketball rim and laughingly dangled upside down. Suddenly, the rim broke free as the fiberglass backboard shattered from the weight of the boy. The young man fell to the concrete floor head-first, broke his neck, and was carried dead from the building. He did not make it through the week of camp and only God knows where he is spending eternity.
CONCLUSION
You and I need to realization that we have today to choose to live for God, but not necessarily tomorrow. That’s why it is important that we make right decisions now. In which book in heaven is your name written? What about other family members and friends? You may stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ as a believer, or you will have to stand at the Great White Throne judgment as an unbeliever. My prayer is that you will make the right choice and be ready for the Second Coming of Jesus for those who are surrendered, obedient, and looking for His return!
