Thewatchfulbrideofchrist.com

Revelation

Chapter 20

In chapter 19 we saw that the beast or the anti-Christ along with the false prophet was taken alive and cast into the Lake of Fire when Jesus returns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Here in chapter 20 we see four major topics:

1. The fate of Satan and thousand- year reign of Chris verses (1-3);

2. The two resurrections verses (4-6);

3. The battle of Gog and Magog (verses 7-10)

4. The Great White Throne of Judgment (verses 11-15).

1. The fate of the dragon, Satan, Lucifer and the thousand-year reign of Christ:

Verses 1-3

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations not more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

We are going to look at first the world without Satan. He is to be bound by a strong chain and cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years. There are some like the Jehovah’s Witnesses among others that say there is no rapture because the word rapture does not occur in the Bible. They also say that there is no Millennial Kingdom because the word Millennial does not occur either. My answer to both of these arguments is this; just because the word does not occur does not mean the event is not going to happen. Just because 1 Thessalonians calls the event a “catching away” or “caught up” rather than rapture does not negate the event. And here we find the term, 1,000 years rather than the Millennial; which means 1,000. The word millennial comes from two Greek words “mille” which means one thousand and the word “annum” which means year.

I think it would be wise at this point to explain the difference between the Amillennialism, Post Millennialism, and the pre-Millennialism.

Amillennialism; These believe that there is no Millennial Kingdom either before or after Christ returns.

Post Millennialism believes that the whole world will be Christianized and being submitted for a thousand years before Jesus returns.

The third which believes that either the rapture or the return of Jesus comes at the mid-point of the tribulation period; there are very few today that hold that position.

Pre-Millennialism believes that Christ will return before the thousand- year period of peace, and actually by His presence brings it in. We as a church are pre-millennialists and also pre-tribulation rapture believers. That seems to be what the Bible teaches and how all the pieces fit together. Otherwise, there are too many questions and too many holes left unfulfilled.

When we think of the world without Satan, we usually think of “heaven on earth.” That would be incorrect. There will still be sin, however it will be dealt with immediately.

First of all, Satan will have lost his title and position as the “god of this world.” Jesus will be God of the Universe, supreme in all his actions. Then we see that Satan will no longer be the “prince and power of the air.” He will be confined to the bottomless pit.

We find in Daniel chapter 10:8-13 that as Daniel had been praying and seeking an answer for his awful dream, God had heard his prayer and dispatched the angel, probably Gabriel, to give him the interpretation of the dream. However, the “prince of Persia” withstood him or prevented him from reaching his destination. God then sent the Arch-Angel Michael to help him which he did and the angel with the message continued to Daniel. This shows that there are demonic angels that have their assigned countries and a hierarchy. This would explain why some countries over the years have opposed Israel and the plan of God for them. This would also explain how and why so much evil exists in our Government and nation.

Life on planet Earth with Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. What will life be like with Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords?

Besides ruling with a rod of iron, we can expect many wonderful changes. First, we find in scriptures a dramatic change in the earth.

With Satan confined and Jesus as the Supreme Ruler in the world, this demonic activity will cease.

At the beginning of the millennium and after the battle of Armageddon, Jesus will divide the goat nations from the sheep nations.

Matthew 25:31-46 When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of His glory 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison , and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord when saw we thee and hungered, or athirst, or a strange , or naked, or sick , or in prison, and did not minister unto thee: 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

All of those nations that have opposed God and the nation of Israel will be no longer in existence. That is probably why the nation of Israel is enlarged to assume the areas that are now Iraq, Syria and Jordan.

Other nations armies such as Russia, Iran, Turkey, and all the other Islamic states will have been so utterly vanquished at the Battle of Armageddon they will no longer be able to resist the Lordship of Jesus. There will be universal peace.

It is important to remember that it is only the armies of the worlds that are destroyed at Armageddon. The particular leaders and citizens of those nations will stand at this judgment of the sheep and goats. Only those that were saved during the tribulation and were helpers of other Christians and Jews will be spared and brought into the kingdom in their mortal bodies.

They will have children that are born with sin natures as well. These sheep will possess the Holy Spirit, but yet have the sin nature, like we today. These children like their parents must accept the Lord Jesus as Savior.

First, what is the Kingdom of the Millennium? What is it for? When does it begin and end, and how long does it last? Who will be in it? what changes will take place in its geography, atmospherically, agriculturally, animal kingdom, politically, religion wise, and what will our role be in this new kingdom?

These are questions that many have and the Bible does give us the answers to these questions.

What is the Millennial Kingdom? It is the Kingdom of heaven that John the Baptist preached that those in the days of Jesus should be looking for and many had been expecting (Matthew 3:1-12).

It is the time when the Messiah will rule with the aid and through the nation of Israel and the Vice-Regent David. It has been promised to Israel and the Jews by God and prophesied about by many O.T. prophets, as well as some N.T. writers beginning with John the Baptist. John was not the first to preach or teach about this earthly kingdom; and nor would he be the last. Many prophets spoke of it in different aspects: Isaiah; Daniel; Ezekiel; Hosea; Joel; Amos; Obadiah; Micah; Nahum; Zephaniah; Zechariah. Jesus spoke of it often in parables as well as plain language and John the Baptist preached it and Paul and Peter spoke of it as well. The disciple John gives us what we have read in Revelation.

We will learn from many of them about this kingdom.

We also must distinguish between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom in mystery form. The kingdom in mystery form was given by Jesus on His knowledge that the earthly Kingdom of God that He had come to establish would be put on hold due to the rejection and crucifixion of the King. The kingdom in mystery form was taught in the parables of Jesus about the Kingdom, and it reflects the church age. The church age was a mystery not known by the Jews (Ephesians 5:28-32). “So, ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.”

As mentioned before such practices of idolatry, witchcraft, demonology, the use, manufacture, and sales of illegal drugs will be stopped. All pornography and the sex industry will no longer be allowed. Abortions will then be illegal and be stopped. The making, selling, and using alcohol will cease. If anyone does take part in these activities, they will be immediately dealt with. Jesus will rule with a rod of iron (Revelation 12:5 “And she brought forth a man child who was to rule all the nations with a rod of iron and her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne).” This is to show how God and His Son regard sin and rebellion.

However, we must not make the mistake of believing that this will be a time free of sin. As we will see in our study of this time period, sin will exist. This is not the time of sinless living or the absence of sin but it will be the time of perfect justice and the rule of iron by the Lord. It will be a time of no Satanic or demonic activity. We will not have the excuse that the Devil made me do it.

The purpose of the Millennial Kingdom:

First of all is to fulfill the promises of God to the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. This time of Jewish rule of the earth under the leadership of the Messiah was promised Isaiah.9:6-7 “For unto us is a child born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor; The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”

Second, is to show that in every person has a sin nature that totally corrupts the person. Tested in the Garden of Delight (Garden of Eden) man broke through the only prohibition laid upon him.

Tested under conscience, (after the eviction from the garden and before the flood) corruption and violence filled the earth, and the scene had to be cleared by the flood.

Tested under the restraining influence of divinely appointed government (judges and kings) man went into idolatry, thus turning his back upon his Creator.

Tested under law (Law of Moses), he cast off all restraint and crucified the Lord of Glory.

Tested under grace in this current dispensation of the Holy Spirit, (Church age) he has shown himself utterly unable to appreciate such mercy and has rejected the gospel and gone ever deeper into sin.

Tested under the personal reign of the Lord Jesus Christ for a thousand years some people will be ready to listen to the voice of the tempter when, at the close, he ascends from the pit of the Abyss bent upon one last defiant effort to thwart the purpose of God. What is God to do?

1. When does it begin and end? It begins with the binding of Satan and the casting him into the bottomless pit or abyss. It extends through this period and with his release for a short season. It will last for a thousand years. The end of this kingdom will have no end, but this portion of the kingdom ends with the Great White Throne of Judgment.

2. Who will inhabit this kingdom?

(a) All the saints that were saved in the church age in their glorified bodies. We return with Jesus at His second coming.

(b) All the converted Jews during the tribulation period. These were those that were evangelized by the 144,000 Jews that were ordained to. A preach the arrival of the kingdom and escaped the Anti-Christ and his armies. These will be in their present human bodies.

(c) Tribulation Saints that escaped the Anti-Christ will be ushered into the kingdom and will be in their human bodies. These will be the ones judged as the “sheep nations” (Gentiles) as Jesus explained in Matt.25:31-46. They will be saved and possess the Holy Spirit but also have the sin nature. They will give birth to unsaved children with the sin nature. These people will receive their glorified bodies at the end of the Kingdom age. Those that have rejected Christ and the gospel message will believe the lie and be considered the “goat nations” by Jesus. This judgment of the “nations” (Gentiles) will be before the Kingdom age begins.

The question may arise of when will these saints receive their glorified bodies? The only answer I can give is the logical answer that it will be at the end of the Millennial Kingdom, after the final battle of God and Magog, before the new heaven and new earth appear.

[d] All of those Jews that turn to Christ at His appearing (Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn).”

Because this time period is contained in only verses 3-7 here in chapter 20, they give very little information about this period. We have to look for our information in other places in the Bible.

Life on planet Earth with Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords: What will life be like with Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords?

This will be a time of universal peace. Two prophets of God spoke of the nations beating their swords into plowshares (Isaiah.2:4; “And he shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”

Besides ruling with a rod of iron, we can expect many wonderful changes.

3. What changes will take place on the Earth?

[a] Geographically: A giant earthquake or a series of earthquakes will alter the topography of the

land of Israel. Jerusalem will be elevated along with the Dead Sea to a height that will allow its now pure waters to flow into the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea; Zechariah 14:8 “And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.”

I have always been under the impression that during the Kingdom Age, the whole earth will be changed and become like the Garden of Eden, on careful study most of the changes that occur are not limited to the land of Israel. Isaiah 51: 3 says this, yet only Jerusalem and Israel are mentioned: “For the Lord shall comfort Zion: He will comfort All her waste places, and He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.”

Can this also refer to the whole earth? Perhaps.

We also see a familiar verse in Amos 9:13 “Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed: and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.” This also is in reference to the land of Israel but yet may have implications and applications for the whole earth.

However, the water flowing out of the Temple and the Temple mount will give growth to trees that have constantly growing fruit will apply only to Jerusalem (Ezekiel 47:8-12).

“Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea; which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed (desalted). 9 And it shall come to pass, that everything that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and everything shall live whither the river cometh. 10 And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, and the fish of the great sea, exceeding many. 11 But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not be healed; they shall be given to salt. 12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.

Joel 3:18 “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.”

[b] Agriculturally: There will be many changes in the rest of the world agriculturally. However, there is a prophecy in Isaiah 30:26 that tells us that during this time of blessing on Israel, that the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven-fold, as the light of seven days. This would seem to include all the earth. This may, along with proper rain cause good crops to grow abundantly world-wide. However, the rain is on the condition that the people of the nations make their trips to Israel to pay homage to the Lord at the feast of Tabernacles; (Zechariah 14 :16 “And it shall come to pass , that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles).”

We must remember that we will be in our glorified bodies and many if not all of these changes will not affect us. We will be where Jesus is and that will be in Jerusalem. We will not have to eat or drink or sleep but if we want to eat of the many trees that give their fruit once a month and drink of that pure crystal water that was spoken of we may.

The worship during the Kingdom of God. There will be a new Temple built to replace the Temple that was built prior or during the tribulation period that was desecrated by the Anti-Christ. This Temple is shown in Ezekiel 40-43. There will be the resumption of the Feast of Tabernacles.

There will be no Ark of the Covenant; no Pot of manna, no Aaron’s Rod no tables of the law; no cherubim, no mercy seat, no golden candlesticks, no shew bread; no altar of incense; no veil, no holy of holies; neither is there any High Priest to offer atonement for sin, or to make intercession for the people. There will be a daily morning sacrifice but no evening sacrifice. The offerings will be the burnt, the meat, the drink, the sin, and the peace.

The Passover will be observed but without the Passover lamb. This will be a commemoration much like the one in the wilderness during the reign of Moses. It will reflect the victory of the Lord over His enemies, Satan, the Anti-Christ, the False Prophet, and Babylon. Where the first Passover was prophetic in that it showed the coming of the Lamb of God, this feast will be commemorative (looking back) and a feast of rejoicing.

The feast of Pentecost will be done away with due to its fulfillment.

The Feast of Tabernacles will be resumed. Just as the original festival celebrated the end of the wandering in the wilderness, so this festival will celebrate the final end of Israel’s wandering. The severe penalty for failure to comply with the wishes of the Messiah shows how He will rule with a “rod of iron.”

For the saints in their glorified bodies, we will experience the full enjoyment of our new bodies (Isaiah 40:31) “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint.”

Mankind will live to a ripe old age (Isaiah 65:20). “There shall be no more hence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.” It is not hard to imagine that during this time there will be a population explosion. It will be like it was before the flood when mankind lived hundreds of years and produced children in great numbers.

We need to remember that five sixths of the population have been destroyed, and there will be a need to repopulate the earth.

We will be as angels Matthew 22:30 “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.” Notice it doesn’t say we will become angels, but we will be as the angels, in respect to marriage and giving in marriage. Angels are neither male nor female. They are asexual, not capable of enjoying the privilege of the sexual nature that we today enjoy in the confines of marriage.

Our bodies will take on some of the characteristics of angels. Just as angels in the Old Testament were able to eat, drink and converse with mankind we will also be able to do the same. Jesus in His glorified body was able to walk through closed doors and appear at will and ate fish with His disciples. In our glorified bodies we will be able to enjoy the same abilities.

We will not have the appearance of angels. We will retain our physical appearance without our infirmities; no glasses, hearing aids, dentures, crutches, wheel-chairs or anything that helps our physical health today. I personally believe that our bodies will be held at the age that Jesus was when He died and was resurrected however, age will no longer exist for the glorified body. The only scripture that leads me to that assumption is the one that says we will be like Him (1 John 3: 2 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.)”

Those people that are alive and remain to His second coming will enjoy great blessings as well. There will be little sickness. This means that there will be no welfare. There will be no person with a disability to prevent them from working. There will be 100% employment for one thousand years. There will be no hospitals, infirmaries and nursing homes. There will be no hunger or thirst. There will be no jails, orphan homes, or homeless shelters. There will be no prejudice, or racism. No violence will be tolerated. There will be no war, therefore no military budget or expenses. There will be no threat of nuclear war. This then will be the best that sinful man can enjoy while on this earth. If they do not get saved, things will not be good for them as they face the final judgment of God.

Man’s solutions are not the final answer.

Punishment is not the answer, When God releases him, Satan will have been in prison for one thousand years. In His divine wisdom God knows that punishment is not the answer. We have just seen how the Lord judges the world for their sin and rebellion during the Tribulation Period and it didn’t change hearts. We have built prison after prison and still there is an overcrowding. While they are necessary, they are not the answer.

Changing the environments is not the answer. Many people think if you can change the environment, whether the home, educational, occupational or political, that you can change the nature of man. If that were true, Adam and Eve would never have sinned. Make the environment as good as you can, but after one thousand years of peace and righteousness, there will a be sin in the human heart.

Education is not the answer. Some of the smartest men have committed some of the most stupid crimes.

Politics is not the answer. Some of our most renowned politicians have been caught in some pretty gross sins. We have had the Great Society and many other programs to deal with the many problems of our society, to no avail. We are still killing, raping, molesting, stealing, and all the other crimes.

Even religion is not the answer. The false religion of Babylon nor the religion of Judaism could save the world.

Onlya personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the answer. It is Him or nothing. That is the message of the entire Bible. It is the message of the great commission; it is the message that the church is charged to give to all of lost mankind. It is the only hope we have in our world today.

At the end of this thousand- year period we will see that Satan is loosed again for a “short season.” This term “short season” is not defined. But we know that it will not be for long. Just long enough for Satan to again deceive enough people to mount another attempt to overthrow God and take the throne for himself. Of course, this effort will also fail.

2. The Two Resurrections (verses 4-6).

“And I saw the thrones, and thy sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and hall reign ith him a thousand years.”

When we read that there is a first and second resurrection it is to be understood as from that time on. We know that there will be a resurrection at the time of the rapture according to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. This first resurrection spoken of here is the first of the final two; the one of the martyred saints along with all of the Old Testament saints and later the unsaved from all history. These saints were in intermediate bodies; not in their mortal bodies that they were killed in; and not their glorified bodies that they have not received as yet; they are still in heaven. These intermediate bodies are a soulish body like the ones that our loved departed saints have at this time. They will receive their glorified bodies before the thousand-year reign of Christ. No doubt at the close of the Great Tribulation Period after Satan is bound. Notice that it says that they will reign with him for a thousand years, showing that they will be present with Him when He reigns.

3. The battle of Gog and Magog (verses 7-10);

“And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, God and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are; and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.

It is natural to equate this battle with the one found in Ezekil 38-39 but we do see some differences. First, we see that in the battle in Ezekiel, that the armies come from the “north country, while in this battle they come from the four corners of the earth, or from all over the earth.

Second, we see that the battle in Ezekiel is ended by earthquake (38:19-20 “For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground,”

The Lord turns every man’s sword against his brother (verse 21 “And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord God: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.);

And an overflowing rain (flooding), great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. The enemy of God will be a prey and food for the birds Isaiah 39:4 “Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured.”

The Jewish people will set on fire the weapons and burn them for seven years ( Ezekiel 39:9-10).

Here in Revelation we read that God just sends fire from heaven to consume them, totally and forever (verse 9).

In one sense, the millennial kingdom will “sum up” all that God has said about the heart of man during the various periods of history. It will be a reign of law, and yet law will not change man’s sinful heart. Man will still revolt against God. The Millennium will be a period of peace and perfect environment, a time when disobedience will be judged swiftly and with justice; and yet in the end, the subjects of the King will follow Satan and rebel against the Lord. A perfect environment cannot produce a perfect heart. God is now about to “wrap up” human history. One great event remains.

4. The Great White Throne of Judgment (verses 11-15).

Revelation. 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that 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, stand before God: and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

God will judge these unsaved people on the basis of what is written “in the books.” What books? For one thing, God’s Word will be there. “The Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). Every sinner will be held accountable for the truth he or she has heard in this life. There will also be a book containing the works of the sinners being judged, though this does not suggest that a person can do good works sufficient to enter heaven (Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:5).

Why, then, will God consider the works, good and bad, of the people before the White Throne? To determine the degree of punishment (not the length of sentence) they will endure in hell. All of these people will be cast into the Lake of Fire. Their personal rejection of Jesus Christ has already determined their destiny. But Jesus Christ is a righteous Judge, and He will assign each sinner the place that he deserves.

The question has been often asked in response to the statement that there will be degrees of punishment in hell or the Lake of Fire, as to what these degrees of punishment are and how they will be administered. I wish I had a good bible answer to that, but I don’t.

We know that our God is a just God, and we also know that everyone that refuses his grace and mercy is deserving of His judgment. However, in our system of judicial justice, we do not give a person that commits a crime of shoplifting the same sentence as person that has committed murder, rape or child molestation. We understand that our God of the Universe is no less just than the least of our human judges. Of course, we may not be there at the sentencing session and it is no doubt good for us that we would not be. It would not be of any advantage to any of us at that time to know how many of our unsaved friends, neighbors and family were going to spend eternity.

Ecclesasties.12:14 tells us this “For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.”

This ought to be a sobering thought. We need to remember that this is not a judgment of guilt or innocence. Romans 3:19 says “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God.”

We also find Jesus saying this in John 3:18 He that believeth on Him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

This scene is strictly a sentencing session. It is to give the degree of punishment.

There are degrees of punishment in hell (Matthew 11:20–24). Each lost sinner will receive just what is due him, and none will be able to argue with the Lord or question His decision. God knows what sinners are doing, and His books will reveal the truth.

The Book of Life” will be there, containing the names of God’s redeemed people (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 21:27; note also 13:8; 17:8). No unsaved person will have his or her name in the Lamb’s Book of Life; only true believers are recorded there.

The question often comes up, “Where will the saints or redeemed people be at this time?” The Bible doesn’t give us a clear answer, and any answer would be conjecture and assumption. But we do know that after this Judgment scene the new heaven and new earth will be instituted. Then we see the New Jerusalem descending down out of heaven as a bride adorned for her Husband. It is altogether possible that we will be removed into heaven in the place prepared for us until the judgment is finished and the new heaven and new earth is completed. Again, this is only conjecture and I cannot be dogmatic about it. I will give my understanding of this in chapter 21.

Others think that we will be present and that will be the cause of the tears that God will wipe away (Revelation 7:17 and 21:4).

Just recently, in the last few days, Pope Francis made the statement that there is no hell, that people that won’t repent and cannot be saved or admitted to heaven, just cease to exist. The Bible and the word of God begs to differ. It clearly says here that there is both a literal hell and a Lake of Fire. It will be the final destination of all who reject Jesus as Savior. This makes the purpose and commission of the church more important.

When preachers have stopped preaching hell, judgement, and the wrath of God against sin, there will be no fear of any of these. They will not get these truths from our educational or political systems, nor will they get it from our news media; it has to come from the pulpits of our churches.

With that said we will continue on with chapter 21 and a much happier time period.