The second vision of God’s throne is found at the end of Revelations in chapter 20:
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who 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, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
Read Revelation 4:1-5. What differences do you see between these two scenes?
Judgment is an uncomfortable topic. Should we focus only on the benefits of Christianity?
Why should we or should we not teach on the judgment of God?
This throne is quite a different picture that the throne of hope found in Revelation 4. One thing to notice is that the splendor of His promises are not found in the images around this throne. The first throne has vivid imagery, rejoicing and splendor. Those around the throne are praising God, worshiping Him, casting crowns before Him and expressing deep gratitude and thankfulness. The angels are crying holy, holy, holy. The elders are praising ‘Worthy is the Lamb’. It is a picture of victory and hope. Life is filled with color and God’s people stand before the throne with great confidence. Those who come before this throne have excitement knowing that they will receive eternal rewards.
The second throne has a strikingly different mood. There are no images of healing, life, and restoration and there is no rainbow to symbolize hope. Those before this throne have no hope. No one is rejoicing; no one is praising God; no one is casting their rewards at His feet to show gratitude. The angels are not shouting ‘holy, holy, holy’ and the saints are not proclaiming ‘Worthy is the Lamb’. There is no color; only a great white throne with a judge opening the books. Those who stand in the emptiness of this place do so in utter silence. They do not eagerly await their reward, but stand to be judged for everything in the books and this without mercy. The debt that was paid at the cross was refused and now the only reconciliation is the payment due upon judgment. All of the Bible proclaims the good news of Christ yet countless people will refuse the eternal good news in exchange for a moment of playing god with their souls. Once the books have been written and there is no promise of salvation or reward that can be added. The trial of this life is over and now the Great Judge is pronouncing the verdict based on the evidence recorded in the books.
Why are the angels silent at the Great White Throne?
Is there a single offer of hope in this scene?
The face on the throne is described as the same One that exposed the entire world and removed each hiding place. Those nations who cried for the rocks to fall and hide them at His appearing are now standing before Him exposed. Only the two books stand as their witness. The Bible says that we will all be judged by our works; however, those who do not know Christ will have their works testify against them. Someone who does not know Christ can’t receive a reward for works because only works (fruit) produced by the Spirit are acceptable to God. Our works are sin before God. Only God working through us is considered righteousness and good fruit from our labors. Isaiah 64:6 says that all our righteous acts are filthy rags in His site and Proverbs 21:4 says that even the plowing of the wicked is sin. Plowing is labor with the intent of producing fruit. The product of our own works is not acceptable to God. Isaiah 61:10 tells us what makes us acceptable before God:
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
It is God who covers us with His garments that make us righteous and holy. John 15 teaches that we are clean because of the Word of God in us. We are righteous because we are abiding in Christ. We also produce fruit by abiding in Christ. Look at John 15:5
"I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
If you have an abiding relationship with Christ, you will bear fruit. To abide is to walk in fellowship with Christ. Abiding is a life lived consistently in the center of God’s will. The fruit is the product of our labors. 1 Corinthians 3:12-14 warns that any works accomplished by our own efforts will be destroyed by fire on the Day we stand before Christ. This passage also promises that all work accomplished by God through us will be rewarded. We are not rewarded by what we have done for God, but what God has done through us. The two measurements of judgments found in Revelation 20 are: is your name written in the Book of Life and if not, what are the charges against you. A true child of God will not stand before the Great White Throne judgment. Our judgment is at the Throne of hope and promise.
The Bible says that the ungodly will not be able to stand in the judgment nor be found in the congregation of the righteous (Psalm 1). At the judgment, the wicked will be judged by the law. Romans 3:19 tells us that the law causes every mouth to be stopped and the whole world to be shown guilty before God. At the Great White Throne, only God will speak. We are all guilty before God. However, those who trust in Christ have had their debt paid. As Colossians 2:13-14 puts it:
13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision (or corruption) of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,
14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Read Romans 3:19-23. Who will be put to silence by the law?
Who will be justified by keeping to good deeds of the law?
Are those who try to use works to justify themselves under the law or under grace?
Read Colossians 2:13-14 and Revelation 20:12 again. What happens to our deeds in the books when we receive Christ?
Our debt has been paid at the cross and the accounts against us were erased from the book. We don’t want anything written in the book of judgment and those who will be rewarded at the throne of hope will rejoice that our debt is not in the book of judgment. It is the goodness of God that draws us into a love relationship with our Savior. We recognize that He first loved us and died for us and then we respond or reject that love of God. It is out of a love for God that Christians submit to and obey the gospel of Jesus Christ. Without repentance we can’t call Him Lord. No one can say they love God and then live in rebellion against God. If I am lord of my life, Jesus can’t be. It is a growing process to learn how to submit areas of selfishness to Christ, but the truth is that anyone who belongs to Him will see the need to conform to Christ. Every book of the Bible preaches that message. Yet a popular doctrine today is that we can live like the devil and love his ways and still claim to be a child of God. The Bible teaches that many who call themselves Christians are living a lie (1 John 1:6 and 1 John 2:4-6). Repentance is a difficult lifestyle, but the benefits are eternal. Part of that difficulty is tribulation and persecution. Look at 2 Thessalonians 1:
6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,
7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,
8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,
10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.
The Lord puts before us the blessing and the curse. We choose which we will receive. We won’t always have to suffer, but there will be times when we do have to count the cost. When I am faced with a choice, I can confidently put my trust in Christ to replace all that has been lost. I can’t suffer in any area that God will not make up for abundantly if I live by faith.
Why does God call us to live separate from the world’s ways?
Are we really missing out when we lose benefits or pleasures in order to follow God?
Read 1 John 1:6 and 1 John 2:4-6. What does this passage teach us about living godly lives?
What does this teach us about living ungodly lives?
What determines which throne we will stand before?
Exchanged Life Outreach
Permission granted to copy and distribute.