The Great White Throne Judgment

"The Great White Throne Judgment"

Revelation 20:11-15

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:

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

B.… 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.

C. 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 v. 12 1st phrase

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 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...HELL AND HEHENNA,WHICH CAN BE

LIKENED TO A LOCAL JAIL ANDPRISON...THE ONE IS A TEMPORARY HOLDING

PLACE, NO LESS VILE,JUST LESS PUNISHMEN.

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 SELF-RIGHTEOUS…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