The Great White Throne- Revelation 20:11-15

While many of us, myself included, are looking forward to learning more about the glories of heaven and the eternal state described in Revelation 21-22, there is an important discussion that must first be entertained about an entirely different domain—hell. Would it surprise you to hear that Jesus spoke more of hell that he did of heaven in his ministry? The reality of hell and the judgment that precludes it is something the Bible itself emphasizes time and time again. However, for a whole host of reasons (it is negative, unpopular, uncomfortable, not seeker-sensitive, perceived as harsh, etc.), many neglect passages such as the one that we are going to take a look at today in Revelation 20:11-15. However, I believe that one must be a student of all scripture that has been inspired by God and that the measure of attention one should give to certain passages is not dependent on how cozy it may make one feel. In fact, one might say that a robust doctrine of hell is important to the Christian life. For instance, it creates a better appreciation for heaven, and it stimulates greater urgency in our mission share the message of the gospel to those who are still at risk of being sent there. Therefore, with great reverence for the full counsel of God’s Word, let’s make three observations of the final judgment that is described in Revelation 20:11-15 and come to appreciate both holiness and grace of God.

1. The Judge-20:11

While many debate when the battle of Revelation 19 will take place or where to stick the millennial kingdom of 20:1-6 or exactly what transpires in the final insurrection of 20:7-10, all are agreed that what is portrayed in 20:11-15 will occur at the end of history. This is the final line of demarcation that separates what exists now and the new heavens and the new earth described in Revelation 21-22. This pivotal passage and the vision that it contains is introduced with a familiar literary convention and a new observation—“Then I saw a great white throne” (20:11a). This is reminiscent of John’s first prophetic vision in 4:2 when John passed through the open door of heaven, was taken up in the Sprit and beheld “a throne” and “someone sitting on it.” In the beginning of Revelation (chapters 4-5), God’s unmatched majesty was celebrated as this One on the throne was worshipped for having created the universe. Here, the throne is described in more vivid detail than before--“great white”—and celebrates its occupant’s authority to judge the world. The size suggests the great task of final judgment and the white color demonstrates the purity and holiness of God that makes Him the only fitting judge (Wilson, ZIBBC, 362). After all, white has been used throughout the book to demonstrate purity and holiness in various contexts: Christ has white hair (1:14), sits on a white cloud (14:14), and returns on a white horse (19:11). Also, celestial beings wear white (4:4) and the victorious saints adorn white robes (3:4, 4; 6:11; 7:9, 13). The “whiteness” of this “great” throne encapsulates all of these themes/associations (Osborne, Revelation, 720). It is a victorious throne of holiness from which God will judge that which has been defeated because of its impurity.

This throne is similar to what is found in Daniel 7:9-10.

Daniel 7:9-10-“ I kept looking until thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; his vesture was like white snow and the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were a burning fire. A river of fire was flowing and coming out from before Him; thousands upon thousands were attending Him, and myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; the court sat, and the books were opened.”  

This passage runs parallel to what will take place in Revelation 20:11-15. “All rise for the Judge who is seated on his great white throne!”

So awesome is the presence of the Judge seated on the throne that John describes the courtroom scene as follows: “Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them,…” (20:11b). As the gavel calls the court to order the present earth and the heavens pass away, paving the way for a new heavens and new earth in their place. Isaiah 51:6 predicts this when it says, “The heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment.” 2 Peter 3:7 echoes this when it shares “the earth and everything in it will be laid bare…and the heavens will disappear with a roar.” In many ways, this is what creation has been pining for since it fell due to mankind’s sin (see Romans 8:18-22). Everything that shows the symptoms of decay and the stain of sin vanishes as this court hearing begins—everything, that is, except the sinner who stands before the Judge who is seated on his great white bench. In stark contrast to the fantastic displays of complex phenomena, here, in this somber moment, the scene is simple: you have the great white throne and the line of defendants awaiting their trial.

2. The Hearing-20:12a

After the Judge takes his seat and declares the court is now in session, the hearing can begin. The defendants in the hearing are introduced in the beginning of verse 12—“and I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne” (20:12a). There are two general views about what happens here. First, some believe that given the dead in Christ were raised earlier to life (following the first resurrection) and ruling with Christ in the millennial period, given that in 20:4 a “judgment” of the redeemed seems to have already been rendered, given the parallels between this and verses 13-15, and given that the Bible does not make a habit of referring to the saved as “dead” (except in reference to sin or the “old man”), the “dead” mentioned here are probably all who have ever died who are not among the people of God. In this dramatic courtroom scene, these are raised to life only to stand trial before the great white throne. Notice that regardless of what they may or may not have accomplished in their earthly lives, their sin and this judgment thereof acts as a great equalizer. All, the “great and small,” stand convicted in their sin before God.

Others hold that that verse 12 is a separate judgment from verse 13. In verse 12 God judges the dead in Christ (awarding them with the eternal state of heaven) and in verse 13 the lost are condemned to eternity separated from God. Those that hold this view note the different in tone that is struck between verse 12 and verse 13, and that those in verse 12 are “standing” just as the victorious saints were shown “standing before the throne” in 7:9. Both interpretations are possible.

The trial described here is described as follows: “and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged,…” (20:12b). This reveals that written records of the acts of each individual form the basis of this judgment (Thomas, Revelation 8-22, 431). This is what the first set of “books” contain—a register of human activity and words. The scriptures make many references to such books.

Psalm 56:8-“You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle.
Are they not in Your book?”

Isaiah 65:6-“Behold, it is written before Me, I will not keep silent, but I will repay;
I will even repay into their bosom,”

Daniel 7:10-“The court sat, and the books were opened.”

Matt. 12:37-“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The other book mentioned in this verse is separate from this record of deeds and receives more of the focus in this passage. This is the Book of Life which records the names of those included among the people of God—“a divine register for every loyal believer (Thomas, Revelation 8-22, 432).

Isaiah 4:3-“It will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem.”

Psalm 69:28-“May they be blotted out of the book of life and may they not be recorded with the righteous.”

Luke 10:20-“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

So much hinges “from the things that were written in the books, according to their deeds,” (20:12c).  Daniel prophesied in Daniel 12:1 that “everyone whose name is found written in the book will be delivered.” If you believe that verse 12 involves those who are dead in Christ, then those who stand trial here find that their names are present in this book and will be delivered from the prospect of being separated from God forever. For these, their works recorded in the first set of books coincide and run complimentary to their name being in the Book of Life—(as saving faith works well and good deeds evidence real relationship with Christ). The deliverance promised to the righteous is everlasting life. This was already mentioned in Jesus’ comments to the church at Sardis. Those saints were promised that their names would not be erased from the Book of Life in Revelation 3:5.

For believers, the final judgment will look less like a courtroom scene ending with a charge of guilty and more like a graduation celebration where everyone gets to walk the stage to receive their diploma, having accumulated differing honors along the way toward the same goal.

However, if you hold that this passage describes a single judgment of the lost, the absence of their names in the book of life betrays the litany of wicked deeds found in the other books. Their works condemn them and no deliverance from their fate will be granted. Regardless of which view you hold, those standing trial here are who are NOT found in the book of life, are judged—i.e. condemned to punishment.

For these, judgment will look like being convicted on multiple counts in court only to be immediately rushed to the sentencing hearing.

Among these are those described as having been given up in verse 13—“And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds” (20:13). Though it would appear as though different domains are being referenced with “sea,” “death,” and “hades,” these three are all speaking of the same place—the realm of evil where souls without Christ are held until this occasion of final judgment. The “giving up” described in verse 13 is the second resurrection that is followed by the second death. The deeds of these, as mentioned before, indict the lost on multiple counts, rendering them unfit to enter the new heavens and the new earth. Again, verse 13 is either a retelling of verse 12 in different language or the first description of the judgment of those without Christ. Either way, the lost are condemned and the saved are rewarded following this pivotal eschatological hearing.

3. The Sentences-20:14-15

Once the guilty verdict for the unsaved is reached after the account of their lives is read from the books, the sentences can be read aloud. First, death and hades get what has been coming to them, “then death and hades were thrown into the lake of fire. To what does “death and hades” refer? It is most likely that this is a reference to what Paul called the last enemy to be destroyed in 1 Corinthians 15:26.

1 Corinthians 15:26-“the last enemy to be destroyed is death”

After all, the Antichrist, false prophet, and Satan have already been relegated to the lake of fire. The only thing standing in the way of eternal life with God is death itself. Death will be done away with in this moment, forever banished from the presence of God and his people. 

       

Along with death, “anyone’s name [that] was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (20:15). This is the second death mentioned in Revelation 20:6 when it says, “blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” This is also the second death that Jesus says will not hurt the faithful in the church of Smyrna: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.” (Revelation 2:11).

This second death in the lake of fire is not annihilation—i.e. where the souls of these just cease to exist. It is the conscious separation from God along with its punishment. This is portrayed in Matthew 25.

Matthew 25:41, 46-“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;… These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Joining the beast, false prophet, and Satan in misery, these will spend eternity in dreadful existence.  

Why is hell eternal? Is it fair of God to punish for eternity those sinners who sinned temporally? Ultimately, the answer to these questions is found in a better appreciation of the crime unrepentant sinners commit. J. Warner Wallace writes, “The crime that earns [people] in the place in Hell is rejection of the true, living, eternal God. The rejection of God’s forgiveness is not finite. People who reject Jesus have rejected Him completely. They have rejected Him as an ultimate, final mortal decision. God has the right (and obligation) to judge them with an appropriate punishment. To argue that God’s punishment does not fit [the] crime is to underestimate [the] crime.” This punishment of hell can also be understood as more than appropriate given that eternal life in heaven has been offered by God to sinners in the person and work of Jesus. Not only has the offer for forgiveness of all sin been made to the world and all the blessings therewith, evidence has been made available for the reality of Jesus’ identity and his many claims (1 Cor. 15), and the gospel message has been proclaimed throughout the world (Matt. 28:19-20; Act 1:8). Not only that, but evidence of God in creation is available for all to see (Rom. 1) that can be used of God in conjunction with the Holy Spirit to convict people of their sin and lead them to the special revelation of Christ (Jn. 15:26; 16:8). In other words, as real as hell is, so too is God’s gracious means of avoiding it in Christ. Praise the Lord!

So What?

How will this coming day of final judgment be for you? Might it be comparable to a graduation of sorts in which your good works will testify to the fact that you have been saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ and you name is written in the book of life? Or, at present, would it look more like a trial in which you are accurately convicted of many multiple crimes, the greatest being the rejection of God, denial of Christ, and ignoring the Holy Spirit? Those who graduate will be ushered into a new heaven and a new earth—glorious, perfect, and full of life. Those who are convicted in God’s court will be banished from such for all eternity, forever separated from him and his blessings. Thankfully, God has made a way for people to trade a death sentence for a promise of life. It is found in Jesus Christ. He alone turns the woeful dropout into a decorated graduate, the dead in sin to alive in him, the hopeless to the hopeful. The final judgment is coming. What will be your verdict?