When Judgement Arrives Series

Jesus Is Still Sovereign

Revelation 20:11-15

When Judgement Arrives

In the past 7 weeks the Sunday messages have been focussing on areas and situations which come up in our lives. Consistently, as we have focussed on these situations, we have seen again and again that Jesus Is Still Sovereign.

… the overwhelmed can come to Jesus for soul-reviving rest.

… those in the spiritual battle will stand firm with Jesus.

… the lonely always have an identity in Jesus.

… uncertainty is removed because Jesus knows the plan.

… the powerless are covered by the strength of Jesus.

… persecution confirms that Jesus has called us to follow His footsteps.

… end times events lift our eyes to expect the arrival of our Sovereign Lord.

That is the preaching journey that we have been on together.

Today we come to the last message in the series. With our focus being on the day of judgement.

That day when Jesus returns and there is a public declaration to every person who has ever lived about your and my eternal destiny.

Will we spend an eternity with Jesus?

Or will we spend an eternity in the lake of fire?

It is an unprecedented moment.

How many times have we heard that word in these COVID-19 times … “unprecedented”.

The events are “unprecedented”.

The response is “unprecedented”.

The social and financial cost it “unprecedented”.

I tell you when Jesus returns then we will really know what “unprecedented”.

After judgement day there will be “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth will pass away (Revelation 21:1)

After judgement day “God will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4).

On judgement day the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed … the perishable will be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality (1 Corinthians 15:52-54).

Yes it is true that, for those who believe in Jesus, our faith enables us to push aside all fear, doubt, concern and trepidation about that day. I certainly don’t want to discourage you or suddenly make you question your eternal salvation. Yet, at the same time, we can never just casually brush the significance of this day aside. Judgement day is the last day … the very last day … of this existence as we know it.

So what is going to happen on that day?

Revelation 20:11-15

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

This is an unprecedented event because of the location. “I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it.” Here we are in the very presence of God.

In Exodus 33 Moses asked to see the Glory of God – God agreed but Moses could only see the back of God because God said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live”. (Exodus 33:20)

When Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord seated on His throne Isaiah cried out, “Woe to me ... I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips ... and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6:5)

Sinners cannot look upon God. That is the general rule. But on judgement day there is an exception.

Heaven and earth flee from his presence.

But humanity, the dead great and small, stand before the throne.

The exception emphasises the unprecedented seriousness of judgement day. Judgement day will be a day when very sinner, representing every sin ever committed, stands before God and His throne awaiting God's verdict.

For some it will be the first … and last … time they will be allowed to see the face of God.

For others it is going to be just the beginning of an eternity of being in God’s presence. A delicious entree before gathering to celebrate at the wedding supper of the Lamb.