BIBLE DOCTRINE 20: THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT

God’s Word teaches:

That the Great White Throne Judgment is when God finally judges all (the living and the dead small and great) who have ever lived on the face of the earth, according to their works.

 This is after the Millennium. At this time the final judgment known as the Great White Throne Judgment will be held. 

All those, from all ages, who have not yet been judged (believers’ judgment, as sinners was accomplished by Christ on the cross – John 5:24; 3:17-19) will stand before God at this time.

John  3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  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.  3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

John  5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

 The devil and his angels are judged at this time also and sent to the lake of fire forever 

Daniel  12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Matthew  10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

– Daniel 12:2,3; Matthew 10:15,21-24; 12:41,42; John 5:28,29; Romans 2:15,16; 14:12; 2 Peter 2:9; Jude 6; 1 Corinthians 6:1-4; Acts 10:42; Revelation 20:11-15.

Matthew  12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.  12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

John  5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Revelation  20:10 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 for ever and ever.  20:11 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.  20:12 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.  20:13 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.  20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

In this teaching on the events of the last days or eschatology, the Lord is graciously unveiling the curtain of eternity to reveal to humanity His programme for this present evil world. 

The doctrine of “The Great White Throne Judgment” opens our eyes to see a time to come when all wicked ungodly people (the living and the dead, small and great who have neglected God’s salvation) will face the final judgment of the living God (Romans 14:12). 

Romans  14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

We caution that the teaching must not be approached with doubtful disputations or viewed as fable or fiction but fact. 

These are true sayings of God written for our learning and admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 

Romans  15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

1 Corinthians  10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Revelation  19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

The Bible (God’s revelation to man) clearly presents the order of events preceding the Great White Throne Judgment and constantly enjoins, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches..

Revelation  2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

.At the close of the Millennium, the devil will be released from “the bottomless pit” (Revelation 20:3) and he will deceive thousands of people and will gather them to fight against the King (Jesus Christ) and His Saints. 

This will be the battle of Gog and Magog but at the end of the battle, when the rebellious have been killed, and destroyed by the fire of His indignation, which comes from heaven, the devil will be cast into the Lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10).

Revelation  20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,  20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.  20:9 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.  20:10 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 for ever and ever.

 After this, the Great White Throne Judgment will be set. God will sit on a throne so white, magnificent and terrible at sight that the whole face of the earth and heaven (the atmospheric heaven) will tremble and flee from Him. 

All those who died unrepentant from the time of Adam till the time of the Great White Throne Judgment will be resurrected (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28,29; Acts 24:15). 

Daniel  12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

John  5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,  5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Acts  24:15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

This is called the second resurrection. And they will all stand before God to account for their deeds. 

This final judgment of sinners (the living and the dead, small and great) is known as the Great White throne Judgment (Psalm 9:17; Daniel 7:9,10; Matthew 11:20-24; 10:15; John 5:28,29; Revelation 20:11-15). 

Psalms  9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

The Bible is replete with pointers to this great and notable day of the Lord (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Matthew 11:21-24; 12:41,42; Romans 2:15,16; 2 Peter 2:9; Jude 14,15; 1 John 4:17).

Ecclesiastes  12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Jude  1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,  1:15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

The world is corrupt and polluted.

 Man is rebellious and disobedient against God. 

For a long time it has repented the Lord that he has made man on the earth, for every imagination of the thoughts of man’s heart has been evil continually (Genesis 6:5,6)

.Will man continue in his willful disobedience and rebellion against God? No, for “…he hath appointed A DAY in which He will judge the world in righteousness…” (Acts 17:30,31). 

Acts  17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:  17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

No true believer whose name is written in the Book of Life will face the Great White Throne Judgment since their judgment as sinners was accomplished by Christ on the cross (John 3:17-19,30; Romans 8:1; John 5:20,24). 

Besides, “…God has not appointed us unto wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ:” (1 Thessalonians 5:9), 

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death’ (Revelation 21:8). 

That great congregation will consist of: i) All categories of sinners (dead and alive) from Adam to date. They will be judged for neglecting the salvation of God (Hebrews 2:3).

Hebrews  2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

 Ii) All backsliders in all dispensations who denied the faith of Him that once bought them (Exodus 32:33).

Exodus  32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

 Iii) All who deny the deity of Jesus Christ (John 3:18,36).

John  3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

 These are the skeptics, the atheists, and the idol worshippers.

 “Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment”.

 Every gossiping, backbiting and slander against our neighbours, fellow believers or church leaders will be judged. 

All foolish unedifying words, corrupt, graceless words, defamatory and abusive words against others will be accounted for at the Great White Throne Judgment. 

“For by thy words thy shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (Matthew 12:37). 

God will judge every unrepentant sinner and backslider according to His divine will of righteousness (Proverbs 11:21). 

God’s judgment will be fair, without partiality or respect of persons (Romans 2:2-12; Job 34:18-22).

 He will judge the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the educated and the illiterate, the highly respected and the most despised. 

“For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty and terrible which regardeth not persons nor taketh rewards (bribe)” (Deuteronomy 10:17). 

The righteous Judge of the universe will receive no bribe to pervert judgment on the great day of His wrath, but …in righteousness He doth judge and make war (Revelation 19:11). 

Without partiality “WHOSOEVER was NOT found WRITTEN in the BOOK OF LIFE was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15

Revelation  20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Let us pray.