Years ago, I was at a restaurant, and put my name in. My wife and I watched as people came in and were seated. Finally, after watching this for about a half hour, I went up to find out why we were being forgotten. Come to find out, someone had crossed us off the list, and we were forgotten. According to Revelation 20.12-13, there is going to be a judgment coming that people will hope that somehow they will be lost in the multitude of those being judged. The Great White throne judgment will be a time when God will open the books of heaven, which contains all the thoughts, words, and actions of every person who has ever lived. People will not be lost in the mass of humanity, nor will they be overlooked in the list. People can not hide themselves, and they will all give account of their behavior. This is a scarry time! People have told me for years that when they get to heaven they hope that their good deeds will out-way their bad deeds, but interestingly, this passage reminds us that it is not our deeds that are important, rather our relationship. Those not … READ MORE

What a magnificent and awesome sight we see in heaven as John share with us what he sees in heaven. The first thing John saw was “a great white throne, and him that sat on it!” This is reminiscent of Revelation 4 as John is caught up into heaven, but this time John is looking at the scene of a courtroom. God, as a judge, is on the throne, and so majestic is He that the very creation flees from his presence. Here we are reminded that the day of the Lord will come suddenly, unexpectedly, and with disastrous consequences for the unprepared. Introducing the final element in this fearful scene, John writes that he saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. We are reminded here that no one will escape the judgment of God, people will stand accountable for all their actions, and for their rejection of the work of Christ when He was on the earth. This is a reminder to us, that God is keeping a record of all the things we are thinking, all the words we are saying, and all the things we are doing. Nothing escapes His omnipresent gaze, and it … READ MORE

Revelation 20:11-15 describes the final sentencing of the lost and is the most serious, sobering and tragic passage in the entire Bible. Commonly referred to as the Great White Throne Judgment, it is the last courtroom scene that will ever take place. The accused, all the unsaved who have ever lived, will be resurrected to experience a trial like no other that has ever been. There will be no debate over their guilt or innocence. Ever since the Fall, Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44), has attempted to deceive sinners into believing that they can live as they please in this life, without fear of ultimate accountability or future punishment. Revelation 20:1-5 is a simple but powerful text describing the terrifying reality of the final verdict and sentence on sinners. While this passage carries a dark message for those who reject the atoning work of Christ, there is still hope for all who have their name written in the book of Life. Those who accept the atoning work of Christ as payment for their sin, are spared this judgement and sentence. They are declared righteous, not be the works that they do, but because they are found in a … READ MORE