The Day of Judgement.

There will be many people who will not want to know about the future Judgement by God, they just do not want to admit that there is a pure and Holy God who has great love for His creation, and is offering a gift of salvation. "I am alright, me, myself and I come first.

The Bible has a number of references to the coming Judgement upon the human race, this prophecy should be having a great effect on each of us, especially when you read Revelation 20:11-15.

"11 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.
12 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.
13 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.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

This passage tells us of a future and final judgement which will involve all the inhabitants of the earth, past, present and future. Note the final words "whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire."

Most people have some feeling or consciousness that the future has some sort of a judgement for their behaviour but most chose to ignore the idea, "themselves comes first," in how they live. Those who do consider the possibility of judgement for their life tend to have the idea that the evaluation will include their personal life, good or bad works and behaviour, but nothing can be further from the truth. The Bible tells us that the judgement God has planned is far more sophisticated than that.

Hebrews 9:27.

"27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"

This passage seems to indicate that there is only one judgement, but the biblical text elsewhere tells us that there will be two separate judgements, first will be the "Judgement Seat of Christ",which is the next prophesied event. The second will be the "Great White Throne judgement," which will take place after the thousand year reign on earth by Jesus Christ. Our personal relationship with Jesus Christ will determine which judgement we will be involved in.

There are two groups.
1) Those who believe that Jesus was the Son of God and that He was crucified on the cross for the forgiveness of each of us and all who have lived on the earth. These will have to stand before the "Judgement Seat of Christ".
2) Those who have rejected the gift of salvation through the death of Jesus, these will have to stand before the judgement of the "Great White Throne."

The Father God judges no one.

John 5:22,23 and John 5:26,27.

"22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 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.

......... 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man."

The person who will be the judge on both thrones is the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul confirms this in Romans 2:16.

"16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel."

And in, Acts 10:41,42.

"41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead."

It will be Jesus Christ who will be the judge of the True Believers at the "Judgement seat of Christ." and those who are spiritually dead at the "Great White Throne."

Who will be under the judgement at the "Great White Throne."?

The "Great White Throne judgement," will not take place until after the thousand year reign on earth by Jesus Christ.

John was shown the future of mankind in Revelation and he was shown a "Great White Throne." Those who were before this throne of judgement were "the dead, small and great, stand before God;" people of all nations, religions, classes and ages, all who had rejected the gift of salvation through Jesus. These people were then judged by what was recorded in the "books," according to their works.

Revelation 20:11-15.

"11 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.
12 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.
13 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.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

There will be many who claim that they were living for God, but they will be told by Jesus the words of Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

There are many religious people but only a few have really repented and turned to Jesus Christ for salvation.

There will be no difference between the rich or the poor, the clever or the untrained, famous or unheard of, there will be no respect of persons and each will be judged individually, for their life, their behaviour and the fact that they have rejected their personal forgiveness through Jesus Christ and His death on the cross in their place.

What will happen at the "Great White Throne?"

"12 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."

This passage tells us that heaven keeps a complete record of each of our lives, our thoughts, our actions, our relationships with others and God. The passage tells us that when a person stands before the Great White Throne, "books" will be opened, they contain a separate record for each of person. All of the persons life will be exposed, every thought, everything done in secret or public, each and every action is stored there in those books. That is very frightening.
Following this examination, another book, the "Book of Life" will also be opened. This appears to store the details of every person ever created, even if not born alive. If they reject the love and forgiveness of God through Jesus then their name is removed from that record at time of death. "Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." By their works they will be judged, and by their works they will be punished.

Will all the unsaved people be punished to the same level?

The following words given by Jesus seems to indicate that there will be different levels of punishment, the main decision seems to depend upon the "works done on earth" and the relationship with Jesus Christ. However, having to receive eternally any punishment cannot be tolerable, whatever the level.

Matthew 11:20-24.

"20 Then began he(Jesus) to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:
21 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.
24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee."

At the "Judgement seat of Christ," which has already happened by now, we will also find that the judge, Jesus will have examined a persons records. The True Believers, the saved through Jesus, also have records of their lives, when they placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their Saviour, the records of their sins were erased, their debt of sin has been paid in full by Jesus, but there will still be a record of their failures in serving their Lord and unforgiven behaviour since their salvation. This record on how they served Him after their salvation will be put under His examination. They will not lose their salvation, just possibly effecting any rewards for service.
Revelation 3:5.

"5 He that over cometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."

John 5:24.

"24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."

Romans 8:1.

"1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."

Our Secrets.

Luke 8:16-18.

"16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have."

Romans 2:16.

"16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel."

There is nothing hidden from God, He knows all things, but at the "Great White Throne." every secret that the unsaved believe that they have hidden will be revealed. All their thoughts, all the words that they have spoken for good or evil,
Matthew 12:34-37.

"34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

The final stage of the "Great White Throne," the Punishments.

This does not happen until after the 1000 years reign of Jesus Christ on the earth. Finally, after the 1000 year reign of Jesus, Satan is briefly released from the "Bottomless Pit," prison where he has been locked away for the last 1000 years. Many of the people who were born in the last 1000 years will not be satisfied with their the life under Jesus and will turn to again follow Satan.

Revelation 20:7-10.

" 7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, After the Tribulation.
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

Revelation 20:14,15

"14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

Every one who has ever been created has eternal life, but there are two kinds of person when they die. When a person, who has rejected the gift of salvation dies, they stop living in the world, the physical body goes into the grave, while the soul and spirit goes to a "place of waiting" which the Scriptures called "Hades." There the soul remains awaiting for the final Judgement Day.
" As part of the final days of God’s plan Death and Hades are destroyed by God, then all those who have been "waiting there in Hades will be brought back to life, both their resurrected bodies and their soul / spirit will be brought together at the "Great White Throne," for their final judgement. On completion of their personal, individual, judgement they will be sent to punishment, to "the lake of fire," which has already been prepared for the evil angels.
This is the "second death." It will not be a place of parties run by Satan, as often predicted in the writings of mankind, it will be a place of terrible pain, total darkness and total isolation, forever. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 2 Thessalonians 1:9.

Matthew 25:41,46.

"41 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:

46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."

What is hell like?

We are given a description of what will happen to those who worship the Antichrist / Beast,
Revelation 14:9a-11.

"If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name."

A list of those who will also go into the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone:, note the "unbelieving"

Revelation 21:8.

"8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, 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."

Mark 9:48.

"47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

"19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."

Finally, after the 1000 year reign of Jesus, Satan is briefly released from the Pit and turns many to follow him again.

" 7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, After the Tribulation.
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

"16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

Is your name in the BOOK of LIFE?