WildB
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By Paul M. Sadler
"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" (Rev. 20:11).
The New York Times recently published an article entitled: New Data on 2 Doomsday Ideas, Big Rip vs. Big Crunch. According to cosmologists, there is an unseen energy force that is gradually pushing the universe apart. If this antigravity force continues to expand, in thirty billion years or so, they theorize it could cause a cataclysmic event wherein our planetary system would be hurled into oblivion. This is known as the "Big Rip." If perchance this energy force should weaken, the universe would collapse in on itself. This version of the ultimate demise of the cosmos is called the "Big Crunch."
Have you ever noticed that unbelieving evolutionists, geologists, and cosmologists always speak in terms of billions of years? That's billions with a "B." In regard to the origin of the universe, many of these intellectuals claim the "Big Bang" theory is a plausible explanation of how all things came into existence in the dateless past. Now they tell us that the termination of all things will probably take place in about 30 billion years with a "Big Rip." Both of these theories are an attempt to explain the complexities of the universe apart from God. Paul said of those of his day that they "changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature [creation] more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever" (Rom. 1:25). The only reliable source to understand the origin and consummation of all things is the Word of the One who created all things.
According to the Scriptures, the day of the Lord will come to a close with the heavens and earth being purged with fire. The foundation of these realms will abide forever. God is simply going to bring forth a new order out of the inferno that is more suitable for eternity (Psa. 104:5 cf. II Pet. 3:10-13). We believe this is also the sense of John's words, "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." The present heavens and earth that have been spoiled due to sin will flee from the presence of the One who sits on the throne. There is no acceptable place for a cursed universe in eternity. Creation as we know it will be gloriously restored to a perfect state in which righteousness will reign.
THE WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT
"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" (Rev. 20:12).
Nothing could have prepared the Apostle John for this incredible revelation of the last judgment. With the heavens and earth ablaze, John's attention is drawn to a Great White Throne. His observation of the throne being "great" has not so much to do with its size as to the extent of its jurisdiction. Looking back the corridor of time, all unbelievers of every age will be summoned before God—both small and great. Those that appear at this judgment have died in their sins; consequently they are already condemned (John 3:18). The Great White Throne is merely the sentencing phase of the proceedings.
The one John sees sitting here on the throne is the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father has delivered all judgment into the hands of His dear Son (John 5:22,25-27). The judge of all the earth is not some far away deity who is unable to relate to the human plight. Christ stepped across the stars into this world of iniquity to die for the sins of the world. As the Son of Man, He took on the form of a servant and came in the likeness of sinful flesh, yet without sin. He identified Himself with the human family, which explains Isaiah's statement that He was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." Christ is the perfect judge because He is wholly God and wholly man!
With this in mind, Paul warned the Athenians of the judgment to come with these words: "He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained" (Acts 17:31). In this life, oftentimes corruption, social status and wealth influence the outcome of the decision in a court of law. Justice is not always served due to dishonesty or lack of evidence. This will not be the case at the Great White Throne—Christ will judge the world in righteousness and expose the secrets of men. Those who defiantly denied Christ's existence, those who rejected His gracious offer of salvation, and those that blasphemed His holy name will one day stand before the righteous judge of the earth. The unsaved may deny Him in life, but they will acknowledge Him at the judgment to come. Paul says of this event:
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9-11).
The believer most gladly confesses that Christ Jesus is Lord. But there is a day coming when every unbeliever will acknowledge Him as Lord as well. Whether the unsaved are "on earth" or summoned from "under the earth" in hades, every last one will bow the knee and confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Theologically this is called universal subjugation. Then the books are opened and the unsaved dead will be judged according to their works.
THE BOOK OF BOOKS
"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" (Rev. 20:12).
We believe there are three sets of books made reference to here by the Apostle John. The statement "the books were opened" includes the 66 Books of the Bible and the books that record the deeds of the unsaved. The third book that is opened is the book of life.
According to the Apostle Paul, "God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel" (Rom. 2:16). Here we learn that the written Word of God will play a prominent role in the sentencing phase of those who reject the gospel. But in what sense is the unbeliever judged according to Paul's gospel, especially since many in the sea of humanity standing before God lived prior to the administration of Grace? How can they be held responsible for a revelation that they never heard? Simple! The answer lies in the mystery of the gospel. The secret of the gospel, which is Calvary, was first revealed to Paul. At God's appointed time it was made known in Paul's epistles that Christ died for the sins of the world—past, present and future. This is the foundation of all of God's good news down through the ages and the ages to come.
For example: in time past, when God required water baptism for the remission of sins, those who believed God and were baptized were saved (Mark 16:16). But all the oceans of water in the world could never wash away one sin! If water baptism could not cleanse them from their sins, then why did God require them to submit to a ceremony that had no saving value, and then accept them for practicing it? The same could be said of the sacrificial system (Heb. 9:10 cf. 10:4). Pastor Stam gives this insightful response:
"The answer is that Christ was to die for sin and that on this basis God could justly accept those who approached Him in the way that He had prescribed....Thus, the judgment of the Great White Throne will be presided over by the One who died for our sins and will proceed on the basis of the good news proclaimed by Paul, that through the death of Christ for sin, salvation is, and always has been essentially by grace, through faith; that never in any age has salvation been denied to one person who has taken God at His Word and has approached Him by faith the way that He prescribed."1
The Books of the Bible reveal the mind and will of God in each dispensation; therefore, they will serve as the final authority in the sentencing of the unsaved. For example, those who lived under the law will be judged by the law (Rom. 2:12). Since both the saved and unsaved failed miserably under the Mosaic system, the issue for the unbelieving will not be if they consistently kept every detail of the law, but did they respond to God in faith. The piercing gaze of the One who sits on the throne will bring to light that they blatantly rejected the counsel of God and went about to establish their own righteousness. The self-righteous ways of those who lived under this system will ultimately condemn them and demonstrate their lack of faith.
"And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works" (Rev. 20:12).
Interestingly, all of the future judgments of God are a review of works. For the believer, our rewards, crowns, and reigning position with Christ will be determined by our conduct and good works after we were saved. The works of the unbeliever will be reviewed as well to ascertain the degree of punishment they will endure throughout eternity in the lake of fire. Nothing has escaped the all-seeing eye of Almighty God. In preparation of that day, a meticulous record is being kept of the unrighteous acts of the unsaved.
Seeing that unbelievers are judged according to their works, some evil deeds will carry a greater penalty than others. The same is true in the affairs of men. A man who steals from his employer is likely to be placed on probation and have to pay restitution, while a man who commits an armed robbery at a bank is given prison time. The penalty always matches the violation, or at least this is the intent of the law. In God's court of justice perfect retribution will be paid. "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord!" The atrocities of evil men and the corrupt influences that remained after their death will be carefully weighed out on the scales of God's justice and they will suffer the degree of punishment that is equal to their sins.
"And the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life" (Rev. 20:12).
The subject of the "book of life" has suffered greatly at the hands of well-meaning Bible teachers. The traditional interpretation goes something like this: when a sinner trusts Christ as his personal Savior the angels in heaven write his name in the book of life and seal it there with the blood of Christ. But does this interpretation pass the Berean test? We believe just the opposite is true. Clearly the Scriptures teach that from the foundation of the world every name has been recorded in the book of life. God has made reservations for all! When the enemies of David sought to trouble him, he lifted his voice to God with these words:
"Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into Thy righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous" (Psa. 69:27,28).
David was so perplexed over the actions of the unrighteous who were hindering the plans and purposes of God that he prayed God would blot them out of the book of life and not allow their names to be written alongside of the righteous. Obviously the names of the unrighteous appear in the book for there to be the possibility to blot them out. Once again, God has made a provision for all to be saved on the basis of the shed blood of Christ, but only those who believe the gospel in whatever age they lived will receive the benefit of His once-for-all sacrifice.
If a sinner dies in his sins having rejected the three witnesses of God: creation, conscience, and the Word of God, his name is blotted out of the book of the living. This will serve as a testimony against the unsaved because their names will not be found in the book of life at that day. Those who are cast into the lake of fire will be haunted for eternity by that blank space where their name once appeared. If only I had believed!!! Beloved, have we faithfully upheld our responsibility to warn them of this peril?
DEATH, HADES AND THE LAKE OF FIRE
"And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell [hades] delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell [hades] were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:13-15).
The moment death claims a sinner who has rejected the gospel, his soul and spirit separate from the body. In a disembodied state he immediately descends into hades located in the heart of the earth where he awaits the future judgment (Isa. 14:9,10 cf. Luke 16:19-31). The body of the unsaved is buried either in the earth or at sea where the atoms and molecules are preserved until the resurrection of damnation. Job's words confirm the laws of conservation and disintegration that God put into place at creation. "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body [mortal body], yet in my flesh [resurrection body] shall I see God" (Job 19:25,26).
For those who question whether or not God can raise the dead from the sea, John sets the matter to rest once and for all with the statement: "and the sea gave up the dead which were in it." Nothing is impossible with God! But there could be another reason the Holy Spirit emphasizes the dead being raised from the sea. The deep might well have been the final resting place of those who were sent to a watery grave in the days of Noah. Thus we are apparently to understand that the unsaved of both the old and the new world will be resurrected to stand at the Great White Throne (II Pet. 3:5-7).
We established from an earlier study that the fourth horseman of the apocalypse was death, with hades following close behind (Rev. 6:8). These two angelic beings reap havoc throughout the Tribulation—one claiming its victims and the other holding them captive in the infernal region called hades. But the day is soon coming when death will be required to release the bodies of the unsaved from the grave. Simultaneously hades will empty itself as well. Then the souls and spirits of the unsaved will be reunited with their bodies in the resurrection of the unjust.
As the unsaved stand before God at the Great White Throne, every man shall be judged according to his works. While they are raised from the dead as a group, they will be judged individually. Nothing will escape the justice of God! Every religious act that condemned men's souls to perdition shall be exposed. Every immoral deed that destroyed a young life will be brought to light. Every hidden sin shall be manifest. Both small and great, rich and poor, bond and free will stand before God. When a judge is preparing to pass a final sentence, he has the offender stand before him. So it shall be at that day!
"Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Paul says that those who obey not the gospel "shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power" (II Thes. 1:9). This is the second death. The "second death" is eternal separation from God in the lake of fire. The realm known as the lake of fire and "hell" are synonymous, but do the Scriptures give us any indication where it is located? We do know that "hell" will not be located in the heart of the earth where the unsaved are presently tormented in the fires of hades. The fires of hades will be extinguished when God renovates the earth and restores it to a perfect state where, as we have seen, righteousness will reign. Apparently the location of hell (Gr. Gehenna) is somewhere in the outer reaches of the universe. The Lord spoke of the unbeliever being cast into "outer darkness" (Matt. 8:12). Jude adds: "to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever" (vs. 13). Such places do exist in the universe. In fact, astronomers recently discovered a black hole located in the far reaches of outer space. As it is written, hell is reserved for:
"The fearful, and unbelieving [incredible], and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Rev. 21:8).
Endnote
1. Romans, by C. R. Stam, Berean Bible Society, Germantown, WI, Page 69.
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That is all.....
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