What's the Great White Throne of Christ? | Revelation 20:11-15
Series: Revelation: The Best is Yet to Come
Title: “What’s the Great White Throne of Christ?”
Scripture: Revelation 20:11-15; (Commentary helps listed at the end)
Bottom line: The text teaches us that one day each and every one of us will stand before God and his throne and will be asked to give an account for our lives. (It’s true it’s already written down) There’s a God, you’re not him. Are you ready to meet him?
Are you ready for that? Let’s pray.
INTRODUCTION
Opening story:
Circus elephant when it is born is tied to a stake so that it will learn that even though it will grow way more powerful and is easily be able to uproot a stake, it will believe the lie that it cannot pull the stake up and it cannot walk away. Circus elephants are trained in this way.
Ex. Universalism which says that everyone goes to heaven. God would never send anyone to hell.
Read Rev 20:11-15
Opening question: When you join the ‘great and small’ and stand. Before the great white throne and God asks you, “Why should I let you enter the new city, the new heaven and the new earth, and not cast you into the lake of fire?” What will you say?
A set of scales is how most Americans think about this.
It’s a good question to ponder.
Timeline
OUR NEED
Our need is for mercy before a holy and just Creator—before God himself.
Last week’s bottom line: There’s a God, you’re not him, are you ready to meet him?
Bottom line: The text teaches us that one day each and every one of us will stand before God and his throne and will be asked to give an account for our lives. (It’s true it’s already written down) There’s a God, you’re not him. Are you ready to meet him?
CONTEXT
We have seen:
Jesus and his churches (1-3)
The throne and judgments of God (6-16)
The whore, the King, and his bride (17-22)
OUTLINE (Darryl Johnson Commentary)
I. LThrone (20:11) - The dominate image in Revelation. Shows up 38X. Everything in Revelation happens with respect to the throne of God.
6 scenes:
4:1-5:14:
Door open, throne occupied and therefore not vacant. It’s not up for grabs.
Holy, Holy, Holy
Worthy is the Lamb
7:9-17:
A great multitude from every nation, tribe, tongue, people group
Cry out for salvation
Lamb at the center will shepherd them to the springs of life
8:1-4: Silence in heaven
11:15-18: “The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ and he will reign forever and ever.” V. 15
16:17-19:5:
Loud voice “It’s done”
Judgments over therefore Hallelujah chorus!
Great multitude singing
Marriage supper of the Lamb celebration
20:11-15:
Singing and shouting stops
Nothing but a throne—a mega white throne.
II. Who’s on the throne? God the Father? Jesus Christ? Yes, both.
III. Earth and heaven flee from the throne. Why? Because they’re so polluted by human sin and evil cannot remain in his presence.
IV. The dead, great and small, standing before the throne. (20:12) All of humanity stands on a level playing field in the end.
V. Books were opened.
Books about us.
Bible? (Standard) Perhaps it will be there too.
VI. “The dead…were judged according to their deeds.” (20:12) Not a salvation by works. “It’s just that he’s telling us that deeds are more serious than we in the 20th century think.
Deeds reveal values.
Deeds reveal character.
Deeds reveal our true allegiance.
Deeds reveal what we really believe. -DJ
Saved by faith or good works? Yes, both.
“By their fruits you shall know them” -Jesus, Matt 7:20
“Faith without works is dead.” -James
Do you trust your doctor? (Pp. 352-3 in DJ commentary)
You say you believe the doctor is the smartest in town. (diploma on the wall, reputation, etc.)
Prescription
Walk 1 mile/day
Knock off caffeine
Take 3 pills/day
Come back in 1 week
You leave filled with hope. You trust her! (You say)
But then you don’t follow her prescription fully.
A week later, you return for a checkup.
How are you feeling? Not so good.
Ok, my prescription usually works. Did you do what I told you to do? Sort of.
Did you walk a mile/day? Sort of. Not a whole mile.
Did you knock off caffeine? I drank one Dr. Pepper/day but not a coke!
So you didn’t knock off caffeine.
Do you trust me?
Of course! You’re the smartest dr in town. I’d be a fool not to trust you.
Did you take 3 pills/day? Well, 1-2/day.
I thought you trusted me…had faith in me.
I do!
No you don’t.
How can you judge me that way?!
Because if you really trusted me, you’d do what I told you to do.
Jesus said, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” Luke 6:46
Books were opened.
People judged “according to what they had done” because deeds reveal what we really believe.
VII. Another book opened—book of life. (20:12)
VIII. “Thrown into the lake of fire” (20:15): Symbolizes the state of being marked by deep regret and searing anguish.
Not nothingness.
Not forgetfulness.
IX. “Second death” (20:14)
First death = When we physically die.
Second death = what happens to those who do not repent of their sin and turn to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord—eternal regret, anguish, “Oh God I missed the point!”
First resurrection = life after death/the grave. Being alive with Jesus before his coming glory.
Second resurrection = what happens to believers after going through judgment scene (tribulation)—new creation where our bodies are transformed and made new. (Phil 3:21, 1 Cor 15:51-52)
2 books. Good news. Really?
First, books on those who believe inJesus Christ; there’s a full accounting. God hasn’t missed anything. It’s all there in detail. Thoughts, words nad actions. Awful.
But, good news. Everything confessed is erased or crossed-out. In red. Blood red.
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:8-9 NIV https://bible.com/bible/111/1jn.1.8-9.NIV
Second, more good news because the other book—the Lamb’s book (20:12). It lists the name, yes. But more importantly ti lists the deeds of the Lamb.
The book on me lists my deeds.
The Lamb’s book lists his deeds. His deeds are deeds done on behalf of sinners like me!
Perhaps the first page of the Lamb’s book has these words from Isaiah 53:5-7; 11b-12:
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all…he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth…by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
Isaiah 53:5-7, 11-12 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/isa.53.5-12.NIV
Darryl Johnson writes, “At the judgment, the book on me is going to be opened. Then the book on Jesus is going to be opened. Then the book on Jesus is going to be placed over the book on me! And in place of my deeds, the court sees his deeds!”
CONCLUSION
Opening question: When you join the ‘great and small’ and stand. Before the great white throne and God asks you, “Why should I let you enter the new city, the new heaven and the new earth, and not cast you into the lake of fire?” What will you say?
Funerals are hard when the person who passes is a believer. They’re even harder when we know that they were not a believer or we don’t believe there was fruit in their life to support the belief that they were. Darryl Johnson suggests the following:
“This is how I handle it. I will say something like this: ‘We are all going to die. And each of us is going to have to give an accounting for our lives. On that day we have two options. The firstoption is to take our stand on the basis of what we have done with our lives. The second option is to take our stand on the basis of what Jesus Christ has done with his life. I shall exercise option two. I find no hope in option one.”
“I saw a great white throne.”
What will you do?
A little girl once defined repentance as “Being sorry enough to stop doing it.”
Bottom line: The text teaches us that one day each and every one of us will stand before God and his throne and will be asked to give an account for our lives. (It’s true it’s already written down) There’s a God, you’re not him. Are you ready to meet him?
Pray
Lord’s Supper, 1 Corinthians 11:17-32
OTHER NOTES:
OUTLINE (Don Wilmington’s Outline Bible)
I. The great chain. (20:1-3) LAST WEEK
A. The prisoner.
B. The prison.
II. The great reign. (20:4-6) LAST WEEK
A. The resurrection of the just.
B. The rule of the just.
III. The great revolt. (20:7-10) LAST WEEK
A. The adversary.
B. The apostasy.
C. The attack.
D. The annihilation that goes on forever.
IV. The great white throne. (20:11-15) THIS WEEK
A. The Judge: The Savior is seen sitting on his throne. (20:11)
B. The judged: All the unsaved throughout all human history are now judged. (20:12-13)
The books in this judgment (20:12)
Various books (12a)
The Book of Life (12b)
The basis of his judgment (20:12c-13):Their deeds done while on the earth.
C. The judgment (20:14-15): To be thrown into the lake of fire forever.
Akin’s outline
I. Unbelievers will stand before the sovereign God of the universe. (20:11)
II. Unbelievers will be judged for their righteousness, not the imputed righteousness of Christ. (20:12-13)
III. Unbelievers will spend eternity separated from God in the lake of fire. (20:14-15)
Summarizing Jesus’ teachings on hell in Matt 25:31-46 (by Don Whitley):
Hell is real.
Hell is separation from God.
Hell is for all the ‘accursed ones.’
Hell is eternal.
Hell is fire.
Hell is a prepared place.
Hell is eternity with the Devil and his angels.
Hell is inevitable if you have never come to Christ.
Hell is inescapable once you are there.
Hell is avoidable if you will repent and believe in Jesus Christ.
Add to this
Only God has the power to cast humans into it (Luke12:5)
Both the soul and the body could enter it (Matt 10:28)
See also the story of the rich man and Lazarus, and it becomes clear that our Lord believed hell was real.
No room for universalism
No room for annihilationism
We know that Jesus believed in it because
He thought it.
He died on the cross because of it.
“Would he have died under the wrath of God if there were no wrath to come?” -M’Cheyne
“Why all this suffering in the spotless One if there is no wrath coming Ont he in sheltered, unbelieving head?” -M’Cheyne
OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS:
Tear-filled vs fear-filled converts.
When we’re truly convicted of our sins, we tend to tear up with regret and at the thought of disappointing our loving Heavenly Father because of our thoughts, words, and/or actions. God doesn’t want fear-filled converts but tear-filled converts. (Ray Comfort)
MAIN COMMENTARY HELP:
Exalting Jesus in Revelation by Daniel Akin
Revelation by Jim Hamilton
Revelation by Paige Patterson, New American Commentary series
Breaking the Code by Bruce Metzger
2020 Sermons by Matt Chandler
ESV Global Study Bible
Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumbel
Bible Knowledge Commentary
The Outline Bible, Wilmington
Discipleship on the Edge, Darrell W. Johnson