Revelation Study: Pulling Back the Curtain – June 29, 2014
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Revelation 20:11- 15 – The Great White Throne Judgment
This week we come to the final event of the Eschaton – JUDGEMENT DAY. The New Testament is very clear that there
will be a “day of judgment”. Here in Revelation 20 that “day” is pictured as the great white throne judgment. When we
come to these 5 verses at the end of chapter 20 we see the final event of history. This world ends with mankind standing
before the throne of God and being judged. This scene is what has been called the final period of the final sentence of
the final paragraph of the final page of human history.
The Judgment Scene – Revelation 20:11
We are told that earth and sky flee from the presence of the one seated on the throne. There is no longer any place for
this world. A new heaven and a new earth are coming. Before the new can be ushered in the old has to go away. Isaiah
prophesied this. “The heavens will vanish like smoke; the earth will wear out like a garment.” (51:6) Peter put it this way:
“By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for THE DAY OF JUDGMENT and
destruction of ungodly men.” – II Peter 3:7
John doesn’t identify who is seated on the throne. But we know from other New Testament teaching that on this day
JESUS WILL JUDGE. In fact Jesus clearly said that HE would judge.
“For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him
AUTHORITY TO JUDGE because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who
are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who
have done evil will rise to be condemned.” – John 5:28-29 (Also Matthew 7:22-23 and Matthew 25:31-32)
ALL of Christianity is in agreement that when Christ returns from heaven he will sit in judgment.
“From thence he will come TO JUDGE the living and the dead.” – The Apostles’ Creed
“And he shall come again with glory TO JUDGE both the quick and the dead.” – The Nicene Creed
“God hath appointed a day wherein he will JUDGE THE WORLD in righteousness by Jesus Christ.” – The
Westminster Confession of Faith, 6.180
“Christ did truly rise again from death…he ascended into Heaven, and there sitteth, until he return TO JUDGE all
men at the last day.” – The Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion, Article 4
The Judgment of the Righteous – Revelation 20:12
That the great white throne is a final judgment on unbelievers is crystal clear. But it’s not totally clear if this is also a
general judgment of believers as well as unbelievers. But it doesn’t really matter. Because the New Testament is very
clear that believers will be judged. The definitive passage is what Paul writes to the Corinthians.
“For we must ALL appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the
things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” – II Corinthians 5:10 (Also Romans 14:10)
John says “I saw the dead”, meaning those who had died. They are alive now because they are “standing before the
throne.” They have been resurrected and now they are being judged. When we face judgment we face judgment in our
bodies. Our souls are not judged. We, as whole persons, are judged. We don’t spend eternity – in heaven or in hell – as
disembodied spirits.
Then John says “books were opened”. Judgment will be based on what is recorded in these books. First, it’s important to
understand that this is not an investigative judgment to determine our eternal destiny. That has already been
determined and we have nothing to fear on that account. It will be a judgment of our WORKS. Everything we have done
will be judged - our words (Matthew 12:36), our motives (I Corinthians 4:5), and our secrets (Romans 2:16). What we
have done in this life, both good and bad, will be revealed.
Why is judgment Necessary? If our sins have been blotted out and buried in the sea of forgetfulness why is judgement
necessary? And, if our sins truly have been removed from us as far as the east is from the west isn’t it contradictory to
have them revealed on judgment day? It is true that our sins are forgiven. Our guilt has been removed. So on judgment
day when they are revealed they will be revealed as forgiven sins. WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE BUT JUDGED BY WORKS.
The second reason judgment is necessary is because our WORKS COUNT. The quality of our life will determine reward or
loss in eternity. (See Matthew 25:14-30 and 34-40; James 2:14-26; I Corinthians 3:12-15)
The Judgment of the Unrighteous – Revelation 20:13-15
Just like believers, the unbelievers are judged according to their works. Again, this is not an investigative judgment to
determine each person’s eternal destiny. No one can be saved by works. Regardless of how “good” someone was their
good works cannot save them. Why? Because no one is righteous. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”
(Romans 3:23). No one has kept the Law of God – except Jesus. He alone is righteous. He took God’s wrath in our place
so that if we place our trust in him we are saved and have eternal life. Those who have trusted in Christ have their
names written in the book of life. Those whose names are not written in the book of life are cast into the lake of fire –
along with the beast, the false prophet and Satan.
Note on Hell and Hades – Hades is not hell. Hades is the term used in the Bible for the realm of the dead (called Sheol in
the Old Testament). The Old Testament term for hell is Tartarus. The New Testament term for hell is GEHENNA which
referred to the Valley of Hinnom outside the gates of Jerusalem. It was where the city’s garbage was burned and where
the dead bodies of criminals were cast. It was constantly burning and thus became an apt metaphor for hell.
When John says, “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire” (v.14) he is describing what Paul taught in I
Corinthians 15:24-26 - “Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has
destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last
enemy to be destroyed is death.”
The Eternal Punishment of the Wicked
The doctrine of eternal punishment for the wicked (i.e. those who reject Christ) is clearly taught in the New Testament.
Jesus said more about hell than he did about heaven. (See Matthew 5:29-30; Mark 9:42-49; John 3:36; Matthew 25:46)
Yet the doctrine of eternal punishment has been under attack. Some common objections are:
 How could a loving God send anyone to hell?
 How could a just God send someone to an eternity in hell for a finite number of sins committed in this life?
Christians have offered two alternatives to the doctrine of eternal punishment in hell:
 Annihilation – Unbelievers are destroyed. The fires of hell are not eternal torment but are their destruction.
They do not inherit eternal life but instead “perish”. The weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth refers to regret
for having missed out on heaven, not eternal torment in hell.
 Universalism – Basically everyone (or almost everyone) goes to heaven. More recent forms of evangelical
universalism teach that punishment is remedial not punitive. God’s love overcomes his demand for justice. The
wages of sin are mild and temporary. Hell is reserved only for the most evil in this world.
WHAT IS CENTRAL ON THE DAY OF JUDGMENT IS THE GLORY OF GOD. HIS JUSTICE IS MAGNIFIED IN THE PUNISHMENT
OF HIS ENEMIES. HIS GRACE IS MAGNIFIED IN THE SALVATION OF HIS PEOPLE.