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QThank you, thank you, thank you for a wonderful website!
I’m glad I discovered it and I am thoroughly mesmerized by the wealth of information and the delightful manner it’s presented.
My question:
Explain the difference between the Judgment Seat of Christ, where and when it takes place and what happens there, and the Great White Throne of Judgment.
A![Great White Throne Judgement Great White Throne Judgement](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123708772/894909663.png)
The Bema Seat Judgment of Christ takes place in Heaven right after the Rapture and is to award crowns to Church Age believers for the things we’ve done while on Earth. It’s described in 1 Cor 3:10-15 and other places.
The Great White Throne Judgment comes at the end of the Millennium and is meant for unbelievers of all ages. They’ll be judged by their works to confirm that their behavior has not been of a high enough standard to warrant entry into the Kingdom. Then they’ll be thrown in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:11-15)
DIG: Who is the Judge who will sit on thegreat white throne? By what standard will those who stand before it be judged? Why is the earth destroyed? Are there degrees of punishment for unbelievers? What special group will be judged at that time? What is the difference between the book of life, the Lamb’s book of life, and the other books that were opened?
REFLECT: How has the father of lies tempted you recently? Did you recognize the attack? What will you do differently next time? Why is the great white throne judgment something believers can look forward to? How does it make you feel to know that you will share in the judging the world (3:21, 20:4)?
This section describes the final sentencing of the lost and is the most serious, sobering and tragic passage in all the Bible. It will be the last courtroom scene that will ever take place. After this there will never be a trial again, and the Lord will never need to act as Judge. The accused will not be allowed to quibble over their guilt or innocence. There will be a Prosecutor, but no defender; an Accuser, but no advocate. There will be an indictment, but no defense mounted by the accused; the convicting evidence will be presented with no cross-examination. There will be an utterly unsympathetic Judge and no jury. There will be no appeal of the sentence once it is pronounced. The guilty will be punished eternally with no possibility of parole in a prison from which there is no escape. Banished for eternity, they will be without God, without love, and without hope.
The famous words, “Abandon hope, all you who enter here,” appeared above the gates of hell in Dante’s fanciful epic poem Inferno. According to Dante, those who pass beneath that sign will have no hope of ever getting out. Though the details of his fictional picture of heaven, hell and purgatory range from the fantastic to the blasphemous, he was right about this: at the end of the day, the wicked of this world will get a one-way ticket to hell. All hope vanishes and there will be no escape from the lake of fire forever and ever. And forever is a long time. This will be true of those at the great white thronejudgment. They rejected the blessed hope (Titus 2:13); therefore, they will be without hope.
But ever since the fall of mankind in the garden of Eden, Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44), has attempted to deceive people about the reality of this inevitable judgment. He has done his best to convince the lost that there will be no final hearing. Satan has deceived sinners into believing that they can live as they please without fear of ultimate accountability or future punishment. Long ago the devil said to Eve: You will not surely die (Genesis 3:4), thus revealing his lie that sin would go unpunished. The primary means the devil uses in his deception are atheism, especially the godless theory of evolution, and false religion. Atheism’s denial of God’s existence implies there is no moral Judge to whom we are held accountable. This can give the false impression that we are free to sin up a storm and then simply pass out of existence with no consequences. The gods of false religions are not holy. They are appeased by ritual and ceremony; therefore, they inspire no fear of accountability in their worshipers.457
For unbelievers, this may be one of the most frightening prospects regarding the future. Those who are separated from God by their decision to reject Yeshua will nonetheless be judged. For those in Messiah, however, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). In fact, for believers, the great white throne judgment will be something to look forward to, for it will vindicate their lives. Evil will be punished and faithfulness will be rewarded.458
But in stark contrast to these holy ones, unbelievers will stand spiritually naked before the Judge of the earth with only their putrid works as their defense. Mankind has always wanted to be judged according to their works – this will be their opportunity. Separated from Messiah at death, they will have no way of being united with Him again at the great white throne. They had made their choice long ago. God's only option will be to send them away from His presence, saying: Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his fallen angels (Mt 25:41).
Jesus Christ will sit on a great white throne (20:11a). AlthoughHe shares the throne with God the Father (3:21), it is through Yeshua alone that ADONAI renders the final judgment.459 Nearly fifty times in the book of Revelation there is the mention of the throne. It is great not only because of its great size, but also because of its importance, magnificence and authority. It is white because its points to purity, holiness, righteousness and justice. Every verdict handed down from this great white throne by the Lord will be completely righteous and just (Psalm 9:7-8) because that is His nature. He cannot act otherwise. Even more inspiring than the throne itself, was Him who sat on it (20:11b). All judgment has been given to Jesus Christ. The Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son (John 5:22). Then several verses later John added: 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 (John 5:26-27). Other biblical writers identify Christ as the Judge also (Acts 10:42, 17:31; Romans 2:16; 2 Timothy 4:1). Therefore, it is the second person of the Trinity, Yeshua Messiah, who will sit in final judgment of unbelievers.
It may come as a surprise to hear that believers will share in the judging. In Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:28-30 Jesus suggests that the Jewish disciples will judge the twelve tribes of Israel. In addition, we are told that believers will sit on thrones and judge the earth (First Corinthians 6:2-3 and Revelation 3:21, 20:4). While we are not told the exact details, Messiah will apparently permit believers to share in this work.460
After describing the vision of Jesus on His throne, John realized that the earth and sky fled fromHis presence. This will be nothing less than the uncreation of the universe. The earth will have been reconfigured by the devastating judgments of the Great Tribulation and then restored during the messianic Kingdom. Yet, it will still be stained with sin and subject to the effects of the Fall (see my commentary on Genesis Ba – The Woman Saw the Fruit of the Tree and Ate It). It shared the effects of man’s sin (Romans 8:19-22), and thus it will be subject to God’s judgment.461 Nothing tainted by sin will be allowed to exist in the Eternal State (see Fq - The Eternal State). Peter wrote: Live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed it’s coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness (Second Peter 3:11-13).
The present earth and sky will not merely be shifted or reshaped, because John saw that there was no place for them (20:11c). They will be totally uncreated. Just as they came from nothing by the word of God (Genesis 1:3-26), they will be sucked into black nothingness by the same word of God. The day of the Lord will come suddenly and unexpectedly, just like a thief.The heavens willdisappear by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare, totally consumed (Second Peter 3:10). It didn’t take eons of evolution to create the universe, and it won’t take eons to uncreate it. The uncreation of the universe will be like its creation, by the spoken word of God.462 That will leave everything ready for the judgment itself.
The prisoners before the bar of justice will all be physically dead, since no one could survive the destruction of the present universe. The last living unbelievers will die when God crushes Satan’s rebellion at the end of the thousand-year millennium (20:8-9). The last living Gentile believers who came to Christ during the Millennium will be translated and transformed into their resurrection bodies, like Enoch (Gen 5:24), Elijah (2 Kings 2:11), and the raptured Church (1 Thess 4:13-18).463
The resurrected dead, however, are pictured standing before the throne of divine judgment. These are not merely the dead from Satan’s last rebellion at the end of the Millennium, but will include all the unbelievers who ever lived (see Fn – The Second Resurrection). To emphasize the broad scope of the judgment, John notes that the grand mass of unbelievers before Messiah will include both the small and the great. There will be a terrible fellowship . . . the dead, small and great, will stand before the Lord. Little men and paltry women whose lives were filled with pettiness, selfishness, and nasty little sins will be there. The small, whose lives amounted to nothing will be there, whose very sins were drab and plain, mean, spiteful, irritable, groveling, vulgar, common and cheap. The great will also be there, men who sinned with a high hand, with dash, courage and flair. Men like Alexander the Great, Osama bin Laden, Adolph Hitler, Chairman Mao and Joseph Stalin will be present, men who went in for wickedness on a grand scale with the world as their stage and who died unrepentant. They will all be arraigned and on their way to be damned; a horrible fellowship gathered together for the first and last time.464 A star is born hevc. What a scene that will be!
Before they are sent to the lake of fire; however, they will experience ADONAI's love. As they stand before the great white throne and He who sits on it, they will be in the presence of the Lord's love. Jesus is God and God is love. If they had never experienced His love on earth, they will experience it in heaven. The last pleasant feeling they will have before spending eternity in the burning, choking, putrid second death, will be His love. The contrast will be devastating. I cannot fathom the hopelessness and the sorrow. No wonder the Bible tells us that there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12, 13:42, 13:50, 22:13, 24:51, 25:30; Luke 13:28).
A book was opened, which is the book of life (20:12b). This book contains the names of every person who was ever conceived: Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be (Psalm 139:16). Believer’s names are retained in the book of life:He who overcomes will be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life (Rev 3:5). However, the lost will have their names blotted out of the book of life. King David said: May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous (Psalm 69:28). Many years before, Moses had pleaded with ADONAI to blot him out of His book rather than withhold forgiveness from the Israelites who had sinned (Exodus 32:30-32).465 Because the names of the lost will be blotted out, they will be worthy of this judgment.
Books were opened (20:12a) . . . and the dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in those books (20:12c). They will contain the thoughts, words, and deeds of each unbelieving soul. The evidence written on the life of every soul will be the basis of the degrees of punishment in hell.466 The purpose of the great white throne judgment will not be to determine if a person is saved or lost, because that will be settled forever (one way or the other) at death. The purpose at the great white throne will be to determine the degree of punishment. There is a principle in the Bible that teaches degrees of punishment in hell are based upon degrees of sinfulness in this world. Jesus talked about things being more tolerable for some than for others in the day of judgment(Mt 11:20-24; Lk 12:47; Jn 19:11). On the basis of what is written in these books that the degrees of punishment will be determined. Consequently, even unbelievers will be treated fairly.
When the Bible says the books are opened and the dead are judged, Seventh Day Adventist’s believe that the dead are closely investigated. From this belief they have invented a doctrine called Investigative Judgment. This blasphemous doctrine states that Jesus can forgive sin, but He cannot blot out sin. They teach that only Satan can blot out sin and therefore the ultimate power of salvation lies with Satan and not Christ! You might want to remember that the next time they come to your door!
One special group that will be judged at that time will be the demons who tried to ruin God’s plan of salvation by creating a race of demon possessed humans that could not be saved before the Flood (see my commentary on Genesis Ca – The Sons of God Married the Daughters of Men). Those demons were so dangerous that Godhad to create a special prison for them called Tartarus(1 Pet 3:19-20; Ju 6), beneathSh'ol. The word translated hell in 2 Peter 2:4 is the Greek word tartarus. For if God did not spare the fallen angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, or tartarus, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment. They were so dangerous that they were not released with Satan and the other demons at the end of the Millennium (20:7-10). Their judgment will come when the books are finally opened (20:12) after the last rebellion is crushed.
Finally, another book mentioned in the Bible is the Lamb’s book of life. This book only contains the names of those who are born again. Interestingly, their names were written into this book before the earth was ever created (13:8; 17:8b). Because of the nine things that the LORD does for us at the moment of faith (see my commentary on The Life of Christ Bw – What God Does For Us at the Moment of Faith/Trust/Belief), it is impossible for believers to be blotted out of the Lamb’s book of life. God’s children do not appear at the great white throne judgment, and nothing further is said concerning them until after the New Jerusalem descends from heaven to the new earth.467
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The Teaching Ministry of Jay Mack 2006-2019
The Great White Throne Judgment is a trial, set in the future, for all people who have rejected God’s Call to salvation. Every person who has lived upon earth and has refused to accept God’s way to redemption from sin, will kneel before their Creator at this time, and acknowledge that He is God–that Jesus Christ is Lord.No person who has not been saved by acceptance of the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross will escape this horrifying judgment against sin. The Lord Jesus foretold of this moment.
Matthew 7:23
“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
“And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
Each will then be cast into the Lake of Fire, which will be their place throughout Eternity. (read Mark 9:43-48) The Great White Throne Judgment is found in the following:
Revelation 20:11-15
“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”.
“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”.
Although the word “throne” appears some thirty times in the Book of Revelation, this is a reference to a throne different than any previously mentioned, and accordingly, it is called a “Great White Throne.” Unlike the previous thrones on Earth or Heaven, it is pictured as being in space and occupied by the Lord Jesus himself. (1)
John 5:22-23
“For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him”.
“For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him”.
Romans 2:16
“In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”
“In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”
Revelation 3:21
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
The Greatness of this Throne is not in the size of it, nor is it the number of the multitude who stand convicted before it, but in the greatness of the Judge who presides over it–the Lord Jesus. The white color is representative of His holiness and purity, and of how fitting it is that He should judge mankind. (2)
The Bible clearly states that Judgment will follow death.
Hebrews 9:27
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
Our status in the Lord Jesus determines how we will be judged. Immediately following the Rapture, the believer will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:10
“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.”
“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.”
There, the resurrected saints will receive rewards for the good works they performed while on earth. But, this is far different from what will happen to the unbeliever, who will appear before the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of the Millennium. (3)
The Great White Throne Judgment is NOT for Christians. It is only for those who refuse to accept the Lord Jesus Christ in this earthly life. To avoid this judgment, all one must do is repent and believe in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and invite Him to become his or her Lord and Savior. (2)
Romans 8:1
“[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
“[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Those who refuse the free gift wrought by the Lamb of God, will find that
Hebrews 10:31
“[It is] a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
“[It is] a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
As the text (Revelation 20:12-15) makes plain, The Great White Throne is the final judgment. As the righteous have already been judged, this judgment relates to the wicked. It is the final resurrection in contrast to the first resurrection, which had to do with the righteous.(1)
Daniel 12:2
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt.”
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt.”
John 5:29
“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.”
“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.”
Acts 24:15
“And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”
“And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”
Salvation is not the issue, for those in this judgment are described as dead, meaning they are spiritually dead. They have no saving relationship with God and hence, no mediator.(3)
1 Timothy 2:5
“For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”
“For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;”
Those standing before the Throne come from all walks of life but are now being judged on the basis of their works. The judgment is based on what occurs in the books which record their works and whether their names are in the Book of Life.
The Book of Life contains the names of God’s elect. They will experience no condemnation nor judgment. They are not among the dead, for they are alive. (1)
John 6: 50-51
“This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
“This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
Revelation 20:12-13
“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 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.”
The “dead, small and great” refers to those who have lived throughout history and, regardless of their stature or position, died without acknowledging and accepting The Lord Jesus’ payment for their sins. All remains of these deceased will be raised and united with their souls so that they can stand in a resurrected form before the Great White Throne.
After death, the soul continues to exist. Before the resurrection, the soul of the believer is in the presence of God awaiting eternal reward. The soul of the unbeliever is in hades awaiting final judgment. (3)
Ecclesiastes 12:14
“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.”
“For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.”
Romans 2:5-6
“But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:”
“But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:”
After the unsaved are judged, another Book is opened, The Book of Life. The New Testament refers to this Book eight times, while three times the Old Testament mentions a Book in which names are written. (4) John says:
Great White Throne Judgement Images
Revelation 20:15
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
The lake of fire is a punishment of everlasting torment prepared for Satan, his angels and all who refuse the gift of eternal life through the Lord Jesus.
Matthew 25: 41, 46
“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
When this is completed, only one last event is scheduled for the Great White Throne Judgment.
Revelation 20:14
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
In this way, the word of the Apostle Paul will be fulfilled: (4)
1 Corinthians 15:26
“The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [is] death.”
“The last enemy [that] shall be destroyed [is] death.”
1 Corinthians 15:54-55
“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?”
“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?”
Great White Throne Judgement Pictures
God eliminates sorrow, causes crying to cease and wipes away every tear.
Revelation 21:4
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
(1) Walvoord, John F. “Every Prophecy in the Bible.” Chariot Victor Publishing. 1999.
(2) LaHaye, Tim. “The Great White Throne Judgment”. “Prophecy Study Bible”. AMG Publishers. 2000.
(3) LaHaye, Tim and Hindson, Ed (General Editors). “The Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy”. Harvest House Publishers. 2004.
(3) LaHaye, Tim and Jenkins, Jerry. “Are we Living in the End Times”. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 1999.
(2) LaHaye, Tim. “The Great White Throne Judgment”. “Prophecy Study Bible”. AMG Publishers. 2000.
(3) LaHaye, Tim and Hindson, Ed (General Editors). “The Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy”. Harvest House Publishers. 2004.
(3) LaHaye, Tim and Jenkins, Jerry. “Are we Living in the End Times”. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. 1999.