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Great White Throne Judgment

Great White Throne Judgment

text: Revelation 20:11-15

The Judge of this Court (vs. 11)

A Great White Throne and Him that Sat on It

11 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.

Compare this Throne with details given in Revelation 4 (vs. 11).

  1. chapter Four described the throne of God just as the judgments of God on the earth were to begin. That throne was set in Heaven, but in Revelation 20 we are not told where this is set.

  2. The first has a rainbow around it signifying God's covenant and promises. This was the revelation of grace and mercy. This throne is naked for it has no hopes, no covenant of good in Hell.

  3. The firsth had lightnings, thunders and voices which are indicators of warning. To this throne is nothing like that ascribed but greatness and whiteness. Immeasurable power and pure justice. No more warning, probation. This is the "third strike".

  4. The first had 7 burning torches and seven spirits of God. The fulness of Redemption. This is accompanied with nothing gracious.

5.the first had beforre it a glassy sea. Here nothing celestial is visible.

  1. The first had singing and joyful exultation, the giving of praises to God and the lamb and rewards for righteousness. Here is no song or voice of gladness.

The Standard of Proof of this Court (vs. 12)

The amount of evidence which a plaintiff or prosecuting attorney must present in a trial in order to win is called the standard of proof. Different cases require different standards of proof depending on what is at stake.

There at least 3 common standards of proof in courts of law:

  1. "beyond a reasonable doubt"
  2. "clear and convincing evidence"

This standard is often applied to civil cases. According to this standard a person has to prove that it is "more likely than not" that the defendant committed the crime. This standard is not as strict as "beyond a reasonable doubt".

  1. "preponderance of evidence"

This Court's Standard of Proof

  1. "beyond all doubt"

The Judge will require no third-hand testimony. He is the "Faithful and True Witness". Jesus Christ is the incriminating witness against all who reject God's plan of salvation.

Revelation 3:14—And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Proverbs 15:3—The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.

In this court, the standard of proof will be "beyond all doubt". God does not make mistakes.

  1. Judged Out of the Books

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.

Judged out of the book according to God's law and not the law of man. Each biography will be opened.

  1. Demas - The backslider, I preached and sang and lost it
  2. Agrippa - Almost I became a Christian
  3. Ananias and Sapphira - I love God, I just want to have the world at the same time. (Professed it, but didn't live it)
  4. Judas Iscariot - Lived, walked, called by Jesus and even obtained part of the ministry, yet he traded his soul for 30 pieces of silver. (Matthew 26:15)
  5. Herod - Why didn't you give up your unlawful wife? I loved her too much.
  6. King Ahab - My wife is to blame.
  7. King Saul - I wanted to please the people.
  8. Cain - I thought my offering was just as good as my brothers.

When placed in the context of eternal judgment our excuses for sin are so trivial!

The Jurisdiction of this Court (vs. 13)

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.

The Severity of this Court (vs. 14)

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

God is not soft on sin!

The Failure to Appear Rate of this Court (vs. 15)

The State of Maine's Maine Pretrial Services claims a "failure to appear rate" of less than 1% of its clients. That is pretty good, but not as good a rate as the Great White Throne Judgment. There will be a judgment and all will be there (Rev. 6:15). There will be no place to escape this appointment. There will be no jumping bail—failure to appear rate: 0%.

This will require a resurrection

Roll Call for a Hell Bound Train

Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10—Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

fearful, unbelieving, fornicators effeminate, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolatars, liars

Psalm 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

James Reynolds -- They say Hell is a place without the presence of God, but that is not altogether true. Hell is a place filled with God's wrath— no love, no mercy, no grace. Hell will never experience joy or peace.

  • Hell is a place of torment
  • Hell is a place of crying (everyone)
  • Hell is a place of memories (prayers of loved ones, godly counsel ignored, pleas of loved ones, times of conviction, times of nearness to God,
  • Hell is a place of no rest (not physically, mentally or spiritually. eternal exhaustion) Isaiah 57:20,21 (no peace to the wicked)
  • Hell is a place of profanity (Rev. 16:11)
  • Hell will be void of singing (only moaning and screaming)
  • Hell will be filled with demons (tormenting and biting Acts 7:54)
  • Hell is a place of darkness
  • Hell is a place of unbridled passion

Hell is a terrible place and it was not made for man (Matthew 25:41). God does not want anyone to go to hell (2 Peter 3:9). God does not send anyone to hell so much as each one there chose it for themselves (Hebrews 10:29): 1) They refused the remedy , 2) insulted the Grace of God, 3) pushed aside the prayers of the righteous and 4) rejected the Love of God.

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