Tag: great white throne
Day 5–Supreme Judge Over All
Scripture reading for May 8: 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” Revelation 20:11-14 “Then I saw a great white throne and Him Who was seated on it. From His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. . . .” vs. 15 “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.“
Whether we are a believer in Jesus or have not chosen to follow Jesus, God’s Word declares that all will appear before the Supreme Judge, Jesus Christ. There, at the judgment seat of Christ, believers will be judged for how they used what God had provided to do the good works He had prepared for them. They will give an account of using the time allotted to them. Some will receive rewards for faithfulness and others for soul winning or stewardship of time and resources. Others will suffer loss and enter the kingdom with few, if any rewards.
The great white throne is the place of judgment for the unbelievers of the world. We note that whether considered ‘great’ or ‘small’ in the world’s eyes, all are judged equally and individually. They all receive ‘justice’ because God keeps good records. There are ‘books’ where every sin and evil deed is recorded for each person throughout their life. Every time they rejected God’s grace is recorded and noted. Another book, the book of life, is where those who have repented of sin and asked for mercy through Jesus Christ are recorded by name. If a name is recorded in the book of life, there will be no record of sins or failures in the other books. God’s grace removes sin and guilt because Jesus willing paid the price of death on the cross.
Prayer: Father God, Thank You for justice and judgment for all without partiality by our Righteous Judge, Jesus Christ. As we serve You, we humbly ask for mercy each day and empowerment by Your Spirit to do Your will and complete the works You prepare for us. Amen.
The Devil’s Lake of Fire
Scripture reading for December 26: Revelation 20
“And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”” Revelation 20:7-10
Every story has a villain and Satan, also known as the devil, is the ultimate villain in God’s Story. The villain was allowed to deceive the nations and blind those who refuse salvation through God’s Son. The devil provided people with a clear choice between God and eternal life or the devil and eternal torment. But he was apprehended and imprisoned in the pit for a thousand years while the saints ruled the earth under Jesus Christ. Jesus’ throne was in the ‘beloved city’ of Jerusalem. He was released from his prison and again was allowed to deceive the nations and those born during the thousand-year reign of Christ. Satan gathers the unbelievers for battle and surrounds the camp of the saints and Jerusalem confident of victory.
But Jesus Christ sends fire from heaven and consumes them. The devil was then thrown into his final place of judgment and eternal torment, the lake of fire and sulfur. The beast or antichrist, and the false prophet were also thrown there to suffer eternal torment. John was shown the ‘Great White Throne”, the place of final judgment by Jesus Christ for those people who had refused the Gospel of grace through faith. Books were opened and each person was judged by his deeds. (Revelation 20:12-15) Those not found in the “Book of Life” were cast into the lake of fire to suffer eternal torment with the devil and his cohorts. This vision of eternal justice and judgment is meant to warn us of the need to choose today.
Have you ever thought of the devil as just a cartoon character who was created just to scare us? Has anyone ever told you they wanted you to go to hell? If these descriptions of hell and those who will go there are true, do you need to make some changes in your life?
Prayer: Father God, thank You that You have stated that You desire none to go to hell or the lake of fire. I have received Jesus Christ as Lord and trust His promise of eternal life in His blessed kingdom. I look forward to the thousand year reign with Jesus in peace on earth. Use me to share the Good News! Amen.
Justice is served!
Scripture reading for December 29th: Revelation 20
“And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.” (Revelation 20:1-3) The Abyss is the jail for Satan during the millennial reign. The “jailer” is an angel with a special chain that is able to bind a spirit being!
“I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4) The faithful and martyred saints are rewarded with resurrection and the kingdom that was promised them! They rule with Christ for a thousand years!
Satan is released for a short time and a final battle after the thousand years. Fire comes from heaven and devours those opposing Jesus! “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10) God is just and true in all His judgments!
Finally, the wicked dead are raised to life and stand before the great white throne with Jesus seated on it. Books are opened and the Book of Life is checked. Each person is judged for their deeds as recorded in God’s perfect books. None written in the Book of Life will be judged here. “Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire.” Revelation 20:14) The final and eternal sentence is passed on those who have died in their sins! This is a warning!
The Lake of Fire!
Scripture reading for December 29th: Revelation 20:1-15
Not all are part of the heavenly army of the King of Kings. The first to be dealt with was the dragon, Satan. He was bound by a great chain and thrown into the Abyss to keep him from deceiving the nations. The set time was a thousand years or what we would call a millennium. (Revelation 20:1-3)
Next John witnessed a resurrection of the souls who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus. These souls came to life and were given authority to judge on the earth and reign with Christ for a thousand years. ” (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:5-6) This is the fifth ‘blessed’ statement of Revelation. These martyrs are now rewarded with rulership with Christ on the earth for his thousand-year reign.
The ‘second death’ is a term defined in this chapter for John. At the end of the thousand years, the devil is released for a short time. He goes out and deceives the nations again and the gathers them for battle. Fire comes from heaven and devours those who are deceived and the devil is thrown into the lake of fire along with the beast (anti-Christ) and false prophet. This lake of fire and burning sulfur is the ‘second death’. (Revelation 20:14) This lake of fire has been long prepared for the devil and his angels who rebelled against God.
However, there will be multitudes of people who will also go to this horrible place of burning sulfur. John saw a great white throne and God as judge. Death and Hades were opened and a second resurrection company of those who had died in their sins were brought before the judge. Books were opened that held the record of their evil deeds and sins. Another book, the Book of Life, was examined to find their names. “If anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15) Each person answered personally to God! Is your name in His Book of Life?