REVELATION

The Final Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15) Daniel 12:2: And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

John 5:28-29: Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. Revelation 20:4-6: Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:11-15: Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Christ did not come simply to make our lives better or help with our needs today.

Considering the eternal punishment of the lost, we must seek to see people come to Christ. 1. The setting of the final judgment ❖Revelation 20:11: Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. A. The One on the throne will judge unbelievers. ❖Revelation often speaks of the throne of God. Who is on the throne here? 1. The setting of the final judgment A. The One on the throne will judge unbelievers. ❖John 5:22-24: For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. 1. The setting of the final judgment B. Those facing judgment have rejected the salvation provided by the Judge. ❖Christ offered Himself to provide salvation. But once these people have rejected Him, Christ will be the One to judge them. 1. The setting of the final judgment C. Heaven and earth flee from His presence. ❖Perhaps this refers to the destruction of heaven and earth before the new heaven and new earth are made. ❖2 Peter 3:10: But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 2. At the Great White Throne, all unbelievers will be judged. ❖Revelation 20:12-13: And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 2. At the Great White Throne, all unbelievers will be judged. A. As Daniel 12 and John 5 predicted, unbelievers will be resurrected for judgment. ❖Revelation 20:5-6 said they would be resurrected after the 1,000 years ended. ❖This is a resurrection to judgment, and there will be no escape from God’s all- encompassing judgment. 2. At the Great White Throne, all unbelievers will be judged. A. As Daniel 12 and John 5 predicted, unbelievers will be resurrected for judgment. 1. Both the small and great will be judged. 2. At the Great White Throne, all unbelievers will be judged. A. As Daniel 12 and John 5 predicted, unbelievers will be resurrected for judgment. 2. No matter where someone died, there is no escape from God’s judgment. ❖Revelation 20:13 mentions the sea, death, and Hades giving up the dead. 2. At the Great White Throne, all unbelievers will be judged. B. Unbelievers will be judged according to their works. ❖Revelation 20:12: And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 2. At the Great White Throne, all unbelievers will be judged. C. Some claim there are degrees of punishment in hell. ❖They typically agree that hell is bad no matter what, but that some are punished more severely than others. ❖They say that judging by works determines what level of punishment a person receives. Matthew 11:21-24: Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.

3. Those who face this judgment face final punishment for all of eternity. ❖Revelation 20:14-15: Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 3. Those who face this judgment face final punishment for all of eternity. A. Death and Hades are thrown into the Lake of Fire. ❖Some translations use “hell” to refer to two different ideas. ❖Sheol (sometimes in the OT) and Hades (NT) refer to a temporary place of punishment until the final judgment. ❖Gehenna and the lake of fire refer to the final place of eternal punishment. 3. Those who face this judgment face final punishment for all of eternity. A. Death and Hades are thrown into the Lake of Fire. ❖In the Old Testament, unfaithful Jews offered human sacrifices in the Valley of Ben-Hinnom. ❖Ben-Hinnom was later used as a trash dump for Jerusalem which was infested with maggots and where fires were constantly kept burning. 3. Those who face this judgment face final punishment for all of eternity. A. Death and Hades are thrown into the Lake of Fire. ❖Death came into the world because of Adam’s sin, but now the work of death is finished. ❖Revelation 21:4: He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. 3. Those who face this judgment face final punishment for all of eternity. B. It is a sobering reality to see the judgment of unbelievers for all of eternity. ❖God is a just Judge. They have no defense, no appeal, no mercy, and no hope. ❖This is a necessary subject because it shows our desperate need for Christ. ❖Christ did not come simply as a good example to follow or to help with small, everyday problems. Conclusion: What do we do with what God has revealed? o We need to stop and think on the difficult things in life. o We need to examine our own lives and see if we have received this free gift of salvation. o We need to see the desperate need that others have as well. o Considering the eternal punishment of the lost, we must seek to see people come to Christ. NEXT TIME: Genesis 1 – Revelation 22

•Restoration of Paradise