Sermon #1432[1] Series: Miscellaneous Notes
Title: THE GREAT
WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT
Text: Revelation
20:11-15
Subject:
The General
Resurrection and General Judgment
Date:
Introduction:
Give a little thought to this question: What do we deserve from God? If God
deals with us fairly, in justice, as he most surely will, what shall be our
everlasting portion?
Of this you can be sure
Every one of us will receive from the Holy Lord God exactly what we deserve. Because the righteous Lord loves
righteousness, he always deals with all moral creatures upon the basis of
strict righteousness, both in the execution of his wrath and in the exercise of
his grace (Ps. 11:7). The Judge of all the earth must and shall do
right (Gen. 18:25).
If God sends you to hell, he
will do so upon the grounds of absolute, unquestionable righteousness. If he is
pleased to bring you into the everlasting bliss and glory of heaven, he will do
so upon the grounds of absolute, unquestionable righteousness. The holy Lord
God will never violate, or even bend his holy law. He will not compromise his
justice. And when he gets done with us, every creature in heaven, earth, and
hell will declare, Even so, Lord God
Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments (Rev. 16:7).
With that
in mind, I want us to turn to the Book of Revelation. My text will be
Revelation 20:11-15. The title of my message is The Great White Throne
Judgment. Let's read the text together.
Some time ago I received a
letter from one of God's saints that expressed a concern and a matter of much
confusion to many. She asked, "Will there be one judgment or two? Will we
be judged first by Christ for our sin and second for our works as believers?"
Tonight I want to answer
that dear lady's questions and hopefully some of your own perplexities with
regard to the day of judgment. May God the Holy Spirit be our Teacher.
"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. 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. 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. And death and hell 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."
Here God the Holy Spirit
describes that awesome, glorious throne of judgment before which we all must
appear in the last day. It is called "a great white throne",
to set forth the power, holiness, and sovereignty of the One who sits upon it.
It is called "great" because it is the throne of the omnipotent
God. It is called "white" because it is
pure, spotless, righteous, and just. Nothing proceeds from this throne but
justice and truth. It is called a "throne" because the
Judge who sits upon it, before whom we all must stand, is the holy, sovereign
Lord God.
Proposition: In the last day, when time
shall be no more, we all must appear before the august, great, white throne to
be judged of God, to be judged according to the strict and exact righteousness
and justice of the thrice holy God!
Yet, while the Word of God
constantly warns the wicked of the terror of divine judgment and the
everlasting wrath of God, the day of judgment is never described as a terror to
the believer, or even a thing to be dreaded by us. Rather, for the believer the day of judgment is always set forth as a matter
of anticipated joy and glory.
On this earth God's saints
are constantly misjudged. His servants are maligned and slandered by reprobate
men. But in that last great day, God almighty will vindicate his people and he
will vindicate his servants (I Cor. 4:3-5).
1
Corinthians 4:3-5 "But with me it is a
very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I
judge not mine own self. (4) For I
know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me
is the Lord. (5) Therefore judge
nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the
hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts:
and then shall every man have praise of God."
I am not dreading that day. I'm looking forward to
it! And
I do so with peace. If, as a believer, a sinner saved by God's free and
sovereign grace, through the sin-atoning blood and imputed righteousness of the
Lord Jesus Christ, you understand what the Bible says about that great day, you
will look forward to it too. With those things in mind, let's see what the
Bible teaches about the great white throne judgment.
Divisions: I do not claim to be an
expert on prophetic matters. But I do know that there are five things clearly
revealed in the Word of God about things to come. I want to talk to you now
about those five things.
1. The Lord Jesus Christ is
coming again.
2. When Christ comes again
there will be a great general resurrection of all who have lived upon the
earth.
3. We must all be judged by God
according to the record of our works.
4. Those who are found to be
perfectly righteous before God shall enter into eternal life and everlasting
glory with Christ.
5. All who are found to be
guilty of sin shall be cast into the lake of fire, where they must suffer the
unmitigated wrath of God forever.
A GOSPEL
REVELATION
I. First, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS COMING AGAIN.
Do not concern yourself about the signs of the times
and those things which men imagine are indications of the last days. There is
very little, if anything, of spiritual value to be gained by studying all the
books ever written on prophetic issues. They all have to be rewritten as soon
as the predicted events have failed to come to pass. We are never commanded to
look for signs of our Lord's coming. We are commanded to be looking for him to
come. Get this one blessed fact fixed in your mind - Jesus Christ, our Lord,
our Savior, the Son of God, is coming again!
A. The Son of God is personally coming again to this
earth.
Acts 1:9-11 - "And when he
had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud
received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven
as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said,
Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which
is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen
him go into heaven."
That very same God-man who
was born at Bethlehem, who lived as our Representative, and died as our
sin-atoning Substitute on the cross is coming to this earth again.
·
He said, "I will come
again!" (John 14:3).
·
The Apostle Paul wrote, "The
Lord himself shall descend from heaven!" (I Thess. 4:16).
·
He said, "The Lord Jesus
shall be revealed from heaven!" (II Thess. 1:7).
"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, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for
myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be
consumed within me." (Job 19:25-27)
·
He came once in weakness. He is coming again in power!
·
He came once in humiliation. He is coming again in glory!
·
He came once to be despised. He is coming again to be admired!
·
He came once to suffer. He is coming again to conquer!
B. The second coming of Christ will be sudden,
unannounced, unexpected, and climatic.
"The day
of the Lord will come as a thief in the night" (I Thess. 5:2). Our Lord
said, "I will come on thee as a
thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee" (Rev.
3:3).
The Lord does not tell us to
look for the tribulation, or the regathering of Israel, or the rebuilding of a
Jewish temple. He tells us to look for him! If you look for signs, and times,
and seasons, you will be shocked when Christ comes. The only thing mentioned in
this book that will announce the Lord's coming will be "a shout, the voice of the archangel and the trump of God"
(I Thess. 4:16).
NOTE: No man knows the day or
hour of our Lord's coming; and that is best (Matt. 24:36; Mk. 13:32; Acts 1:7).
If we knew the day or hour, we would become irresponsible and negligent with
regard to our daily duties. Do not seek to know when Christ is coming. Be
content with his promise, and wait for his appearing.
C. Our Lord Jesus may appear at any moment.
"Behold,
he cometh!" (Rev. 1:7) Look for him upon the tiptoe of faith and expectation. All
will be taken by surprise except those who are expecting him to appear. Like
those Thessalonians who believed God, we must constantly "wait for his Son from heaven" (I Thess. 1:10). Faith is
ever "looking for that blessed hope
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ"
(Tit. 2:13). This much I know...
1. Christ is coming now!
2. Soon he shall appear.
3. When the Son of God appears
he will bring with him a crown of righteousness, immortality and life for all
who love him and look for his appearing.
"Henceforth there is laid up for me a
crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at
that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his
appearing."(2 Tim. 4:8)
"Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the
Lord hath promised to them that love him. (James 1:12)
A GENERAL
RESURRECTION
II. Secondly, WHEN CHRIST COMES, THERE
WILL BE A GREAT, GENERAL RESURRECTION OF ALL WHO HAVE EVER LIVED UPON THE EARTH.
"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." -- Rev 20:13
"Marvel not at this: for the hour is
coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall
come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they
that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." -- John 5:28-29
I do not offer any argument
or proof for what I am preaching. I am simply declaring to you the plain facts,
as they are revealed in Holy Scripture. Those who rebel against them, mock
them, despise them, or ignore them do so to their own eternal ruin. But I assure
you that the Son of God is coming again; and when he comes there will be a
resurrection of the dead.
A. First, all who have died in faith
shall be raised from the grave.
All will be raised. But the saints of God will have
distinct priority in the resurrection. "The dead in Christ shall rise
first." The bodies of God's saints shall be raised from their graves and
reunited with their souls.
"I would not have you to be ignorant,
brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others
which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so
them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto
you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming
of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the
trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive
and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the
Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one
another with these words." (1 Th 4:13-18)
·
All The Old Testament Saints!
·
All The Martyrs!
·
All Who Sleep in Jesus!
B. Then, immediately after the sleeping saints
arise, all believers living upon the earth shall be changed and caught up to
meet the Lord in the air.
"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall
not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible
shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality,
then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up
in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The
sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to
God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
-- 1 Cor 15:51-58
As our Lord descends in the
brilliant glory of his second advent, we shall go out to meet him and return
with him, as he comes with all his saints to burn up the earth, destroy the
wicked, and make all things new.....What a day that will be!
C. Then,
after the Son of God has gathered all
the ransomed bodies of his elect from the earth, after he has destroyed all the
wicked with the brightness of his coming, all the wicked shall be raised.
There is a resurrection for the wicked too. But, for
you who believe not, there is no music in the resurrection. The Lord himself
shall issue a summons that you cannot resist. You will stand in terror before
him whose grace you have despised, against whom you have sinned!
Your body and soul now
united in sin shall be united in horror! I have no word of comfort for you who
will not bow to the claims of Christ. If you die without Christ, you die
without hope and without peace! Your resurrection shall be a resurrection of
damnation!
A GREAT
RECKONING
III. Thirdly, IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE
RESURRECTION, WE MUST ALL BE JUDGED BY GOD ACCORDING TO THE RECORD OF OUR WORKS.
"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. 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." (Rev 20:12-13)
"It is appointed unto men once to die,
but after this the judgment." (Heb 9:27)
THE JUDGE
A. The Judge before whom we must stand is the God-man,
whom we have crucified!
"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath
committed all judgment unto the Son:" (John 5:22)
"Because he hath appointed a day, in the
which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath
ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised
him from the dead." (Acts 17:31)
"For we must all appear before the
judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his
body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." (2 Cor
5:10)
THE BOOKS
B. We will be judged out of the books, according to the
record of God's strict justice.
When the books are opened, what shocks of terror
will seize the hearts and souls of those who have no righteousness and no
atonement before the holy Lord God!
With the opening of the
books, every crime, every offense, every sin you have ever committed, in mind,
in heart, and in deed shall be exposed! This is what Daniel saw in his
prophetic vision.
"Judgment was set; and the books were
opened!" (Dan. 7:10)
I realize that this is
figurative language. God does not
need books to remember man's sins. However, as John Gill wrote, "this judgment out of the books, and
according to works, is designed to show with what accuracy and exactness, with
what justice and equity, it will be executed, in allusion to statute-books in
courts of judicature".
In the Scriptures God is
often represented as writing and keeping books. And according to these books we
all shall be judged. What are the
books?
1. The Book of Divine
Omniscience (Mal. 3:5)
2. The Book of Divine
Remembrance (Mal. 3:16)
3. The Book of Creation (Rom.
1:18-20)
4. The Book of God's Providence
(Rom. 2:4-5)
5. The Book of God's Holy Law
(Rom. 2:12)
This book of the law has two tables. The first table
contains all the sins of men against God (Ex. 20:3-11). The second table
contains all the sins of men against one another (Ex. 20:12-17).
6. The Book of the Gospel (Rom.
2:16)
7. The Book of Conscience (Rom.
2:15)
ANOTHER
BOOK
C. But, blessed be God, there are some against whom no
crimes, no sins, no offenses can be found, not even by the omniscient eye of
God himself!
"In those days, and in that time, saith
the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none;
and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom
I reserve." (Jer 50:20)
Their names are found in
another book, a book which God himself wrote and sealed before the worlds were
made. IT IS THE BOOK OF LIFE!
1. In this book there is a
record of Divine Election.
2. In this book there is the
name of a Divine Surety.
3. In this book there is a
record of Perfect Righteousness (Jer. 23:6 cf 33:16).
4. In this book there is a
record of Complete Satisfaction - Blood Atonement.
5. In this book there is the
promise of Eternal Life.
D. The question is often
raised, "Will God judge his
elect for their sins and failures, committed after they were saved, and expose
them in the day of judgment?"
The only reason that question is ever raised is
because many try to retain the threat and fear of the Roman doctrine of
purgatory, by which they hope to hold over God's saints the whip and terror of
the law.
Child of God, hear me well. There is absolutely no sense in which
you who trust the Lord Jesus Christ shall ever be made to pay for your sins!
1. Our sins were imputed to
Christ and shall never be imputed to us again (Rom. 4:8).
2. Christ paid our debt to
God's law and justice; and God will never require us to pay.
3. God who has blotted out our
transgressions will never write them again.
4. He who covered our sins will
never uncover them!
5. The perfect righteousness of
Christ has been imputed to us!
6. On the day of judgment,
God's elect are never represented as having done any evil, but only good (Matt.
25:31-40).
7. The day of judgment will be
a day of glory and bliss for Christ and his people, not a day of mourning and
sorrow.
·
It will be a marriage supper!
·
Christ will glory in Church!
·
God will display the glory of his grace in us!
·
We will glory in our God!
A GLORIOUS
REWARD
IV. Fourthly, THOSE WHO ARE FOUND
PERFECTLY RIGHTEOUS, RIGHTEOUS ACCORDING TO THE RECORDS OF GOD HIMSELF, SHALL
ENTER INTO ETERNAL LIFE AND INHERIT EVERLASTING GLORY WITH CHRIST.
They that have done good, nothing but good, perfect
good, without any spot of sin, wrinkle of iniquity, or trace of transgression,
shall enter into everlasting life. It is written
"He that is unjust, let him be unjust
still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is
righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy
still." (Rev 22:11)
A. Who are these perfectly righteous ones?
·
None by Nature and None by Works of Their Own!
·
All God's Elect!
·
All the Redeemed!
·
All the Called!
·
All the Justified!
·
All Who Trust the Lord Jesus Christ! - (Rom. 8:1, 32-34)
B. Though there shall be degrees of punishment for the
wicked in hell because there are degrees of wickedness, there shall be no
degrees of reward and glory among the saints in heaven because there are no
degrees of redemption and righteousness.
1. Heaven was earned and
purchased for all God's elect by Christ.
2. We were predestined to
obtained our inheritance from eternity (Eph. 1:11).
3. Christ has taken possession
of heaven's glory as our forerunner (Heb. 6:20).
4. We are heirs of God and
joint-heirs with Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:17).
5. Our Savior gave all the
glory he earned as our Mediator to all his elect (John 17:5,20).
6. In Christ every believer is
worthy of heaven's glory (Col. 1:12).
7. Glorification is but the
consummation of salvation; and salvation is by grace alone!
That means that no part of heaven's bliss and glory
is the reward of our works, but all the reward of God's free grace in Christ!
All spiritual blessings are ours from eternity in Christ (Eph. 1:3). And that
with which God blessed us in Christ before the world began, he will not take
from us when this world is no more (Rom. 11:29).
A GRAND
RESTITUTION
V. Fifthly, I must warn you who are yet without Christ, if you will not trust
Christ you must be forever damned! ALL
WHO ARE FOUND GUILTY OF SIN IN THAT GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF JUDGMENT SHALL BE
CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE AND THERE BE MADE TO SUFFER THE UNMITIGATED WRATH OF
ALMIGHTY GOD FOREVER!
One by one the Lord God will call you before his
throne and judge you. As he says to you,
"Depart ye cursed!"
He will say to his holy angels, "Take
him! Bind him! Cast him into outer darkness!"
A. There will be no mercy for
you!
B. There will be no pity for
you!
C. There will be no sorrow for
you!
D. There will be no hope for
you!
E. There will be no end for
you!
To hell you deserve to go! To hell you must go! To
hell you will go! Unless you flee to Christ and take refuge in him, in that
great day the wrath of God shall seize you and destroy you forever! I beseech
you now, by the mercies of God, be reconciled to God by trusting his darling
Son! "Knowing therefore the terror
of the Lord, we persuade men!"
Come to Christ now! ETERNITY
IS BEFORE YOU!
1. Behold his infinite love (II
Cor. 5:14-15).
2. Behold his finished
atonement (II Cor. 5:21).
3. Behold his amazing,
almighty, saving grace (II Cor. 5:17-21).
Application: In that great and terrible
day I hope to be found in Christ, not having my own righteousness, but having
his righteousness! How will it be for you in that day.
Illustration: Rowland Hill's Dream
[1] See Misc. Sermon # 1141 preached at Danville Tuesday evening 4\12\94 and Doctrine Series #78 preached at Danville on Sunday Morning 01/16/99.