Revelation 20:11-15
In verse 11 we see the first reference of the revered “GREAT WHITE THRONE.” This is the big yet sad moment in the lives of countless numbers of people that refused to receive the redemptive work of the Cross of Jesus Christ.
Every person on this Earth from the age of accountability and up will have been given an opportunity to make a choice. Many may say “how can that be?”
Read the first and second chapters of Romans. It is written that God has put within each person the ability to know Him. His creation was to be a witness of The Creator and to activate this knowledge within through the conscience.
Truth is when someone puts away their pride and follows their conscience; it will lead them straight to Jesus Christ. However man’s so called ‘superior intellect’ has bought the lies from the kingdom of darkness in regard to the big bang theory, to evolution, to atheism, etc…
As a result they have shut themselves off to the truth of creation, The Creator and the entrance of the Gospel that was given to make man free! That is why Romans 1:20 states that man is without excuse.
Many will say ‘Unjust! Unfair! How can God judge us when we did what we thought was right?’ Every person is on a path to eternal destruction due to the fall of man. Only through a redeemer can he get off that path and onto the one that leads to eternal life!
The one sitting on the Throne will be Jesus Christ in judgment power. Similar to how we saw Him in the first chapter of Revelation; such a radiance that John had not seen before on Jesus when he would lay his head upon His chest while on the Earth. However, the role that Jesus is occupying now is different than while He walked the earth. ALL will bow before Jesus, Philippians 2:10-11 and confess Him as Lord!
The earth and the heavens flee at His presence because at this moment His power will overtake anything and everything that has been created. This is a total spirit realm moment.
In verse 12 John is narrating what he is seeing. The dead, which is a reference to those that have rejected Jesus Christ, are spiritually dead. They have also died physically and have been awaiting the Day of Judgment. Small and great will bow their knee before this Throne!
The books were opened; this is a reference to the most sophisticated record and accounting system that has ever existed. Also another book which is the most important book there is and that is the “Book of Life!”
Only those that rejected Jesus Christ will not have their names written in this book. Those that are written in the book have already experienced the Judgment Seat of Christ and have received what reward they had coming.
Once a person is standing at the Great White Throne Judgment they will be shown that their name is not written in the Book of Life. They will then be judged for their works for they did not receive the redemptive blood of Jesus to wash away their sins.
Another thing these will see as the books are opened is all the times that they were exposed to the truth of the Gospel by hearing it, having someone share it with them or sought the truth but did nothing with it, not to mention how many times they ignored their conscience that had the knowledge of God programmed into it, a reference again to Romans chapters one and two.
Verse 13 repeats how all the dead are given up to stand before this Throne. The phrase ‘from the sea’ could be a type and reference to multitudes of peoples which includes every tongue and ethnic group which are dead spiritually.
It may also be literal concerning how many people have died at sea through war, shipwreck, tsunami, buried at sea, etc…
Death, which is a reference to the grave and hell which is the place of suffering and a holding place for those that rejected the redemptive work of the Cross, will yield up an unfortunate mass of people to stand before the Throne. Here is another reference to them being judged for their works in the earth.
In verse 14 death and hell are cast into the lake of fire. I have always found it incredible that these places of torment are going to be cast into the lake of fire. This gives us the indication that there is an even worse place. Much like an incinerator to purge all creation of the iniquity that was found in Lucifer (satan) and passed on to mankind.
In verse 15 the final blow comes to the lost souls that rejected truth. They are cast into the lake of fire. Notice that no judgment was pronounced over them. No, that was already accomplished here on the earth when they had an opportunity to choose life and rejected it.
All will know why they are there and God will be just in the final tally.