The Great White Throne Judgment does not focus on the question of who will go to Heaven after they die. If we believe that Jesus is the Son of God, we will go to Heaven after we die (2 Cor. 5:1-8; John 14:1-3), but the issue of going to Heaven is not specifically in view. Instead, the Great White Throne Judgement, depicted at Revelation 20:11-15, provides us general information about God’s judgment of humankind.
First, it should be noted that each of the dead will be judged according to his or her works or deeds (Rev. 20:12). All of humanity lives under a moral imperative to live in a way that is pleasing to God. Since the Fall of Mankind, we all encounter good and evil on a daily basis. We all live under a moral imperative to choose good. All of humanity will receive a “good versus evil” evaluation by God. Only God has the credentials to be the ultimate judge of each human being.
The Great White Throne Judgment mirrors Jesus’ judgment and separation of the sheep and goats described at Matthew, Chapter 25:31-46. The “sheep” respond to the voice of the Great Shepherd, but the “goats” stubbornly resist the voice of the Great Shepherd. We are required to do the works that God has called for us to do. We are required to listen to the voice of the Great Shepherd and obey.
Further, the Great White Throne Judgment mirrors Jesus’s discussion of the two general resurrections described at John 5:28-29. Some will experience a resurrection to life, and others will experience a resurrection to condemnation. Those who did “good” will uniquely share in the life of God, and those who did “evil” will receive condemnation. Whether we do good or evil is based on whether we serve God or not (Mal. 3:18). We can serve God and live in a way pleasing to God only by God’s Spirit, Word, and Providence.
In my opinion, the key to unlocking the imagery of the Great White Throne Judgment is understanding the meaning of the following images: (1) the “book of life,” (2) “Death and Hades,” (3) the “sea,” (4) the “lake of fire,” and (5) the “second death.” If we correctly interpret these images, we can correctly interpret the image of the Great White Throne Judgment. We have previously studied most of these images.
As discussed on many occasions, the Book of Life contains the names of faithful/righteous believers (Ps. 69:28; Phil. 4:3). Such believers are “overcomers” (Rev. 3:5). The Book of Life initially contained the names of every believer, but if we do not remain faithful, our names are erased from the Book of Life (Ps. 69:28; Rev. 3:5). It is important to note that having one’s name removed from the Book of Life does not mean that you have lost your status as one who believed; you will still go to Heaven when you die. The Book of Life is equivalent to the Book of Remembrance mentioned at Malachi 3:16-18. The Book of Remembrance records the names of those who serve God (Mal. 3:18).
Like the Lake of Fire, the unique word combination of “Death and Hades” is only mentioned in the Book of Revelation. In the Book of Revelation, “Death and Hades” is used as metaphor and/or personification of apostasy. Every believer who falls away from his or her walk of faith is apostate and not listening to the voice of the Great Shepherd (Heb. 2:1). Such believers exist in a condition of spiritual death or insensitivity to God, and such believers reside in a place of judgment.
As in a number of verses in the Old Testament and Book of Revelation, in this passage, the “sea” represents the unbelieving or pagan world, meaning those that never believed that Jesus is the Son of God (Ps. 65:7; Ezek. 26:3,16; 17; Isa. 57:20; 60:5; Jer. 49:23; Rev. 13:1). The “sea” is a place of inherent instability and chaos.
On many occasions, we have discussed the “lake of fire.” In my opinion, the Lake of Fire is an apocalyptic image of the wrath of God. It is not a literal lake. The “wrath of God” is an image of God’s strong disapproval and punishment of sin and disobedience. Finally, the “second death” is another synonym for apostasy. When we believe in Jesus Christ, we find authentic living in Jesus Christ, but if we fall away from our walk of faith, we will experience spiritual death or an insensitivity to God. Those who experience the “second death” will experience the wrath of God.
After consideration of the forgoing, let us now examine Revelation 20:11-15. Revelation 20:11 states:
Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them.
Since the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is a new spiritual reality. The old Earth and old Heaven have passed away. Now, the God-man, Jesus Christ, sits on His throne at the right hand of His Father in Heaven. We humans now have unprecedented access to Heaven. Millions of believers already reside in Heaven. Faithful believers, like Paul, are already ruling with Christ in Heaven (Rev. 20:4).
The Old Covenant Temples taught us about a great separation between God and man and a great separation between Heaven and Earth. Because of Christ, the veil between us and God has been torn asunder. Further, Earth is different. Of great significance, God resides in us believers, and we reside in God.
At Revelation 20:12, we read,
And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.
The “dead” refers to most all of humanity who will eventually experience physical death after this life. Thereafter, we will all be judged and held accountable for our works, to include our words, attitudes, and actions. Please note in the passage that there are multiple books. However, this verse focuses primarily on the Book of Life, which contains the names of believers who remain faithful. They are faithful servants of God. On the other hand, most probably, one of the other books contains the names of those who never believed, and another book contains the names of those who believed but fell away in their walk of faith. Ecclesiastes 12:14 states, “For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.” God will assess all of the many details of our lives and make the appropriate judgement.
At Revelation 20:13, we read,
And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them; and they were judged, each one of them according to their deeds.
As stated above, the “sea” represents those that never believed, and “Death and Hades” represents believers that fell away from their walk of faith (the apostate). Such believers exist now in a condition of spiritual death in a place of death and darkness. God’s judgment of both unbelievers and apostate believers will take into consideration their actions, whether good or evil.
At Revelation 20:14, we read,
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.
Apostate believers will experience the wrath of God. When we first believed, we experienced a new life in Christ. However, if we believers fall away from our walk of faith, we will experience spiritual death, and ultimately, we will also experience the wrath of God. At this time, we do not know the exact details of how God’s wrath will be experienced by each individual.
Finally, at Revelation 20:15, we read,
And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown in the lake of fire.
We can escape the wrath of God only by believing and remaining faithful. Both unbelievers and apostate believers will be thrown into the Lake of Fire, which is an apocalyptic image of the wrath of God.
In summary, the Great White Throne Judgment identifies three categories of humans: (1) those that never believed (those from the “sea”), (2) those that believed but fell away from their walk of faith (those from “Death and Hades”), and (3) those that believed and remain faithful (those recorded in the “book of life”). All three categories will be judged according to their works (whether good or evil). Those who never believed and those who believed but fell away from their walk of faith will experience the Lake of Fire or eternal fire (a/k/a, the wrath of God). On the other hand, the faithful believers have their names recorded in the Book of Life, and they will receive praise, honor, and glory from God (1 Peter 1:7). They will receive an inheritance in the Kingdom of God, and they will participate in the rule of Christ (Matt. 25:34; Rev. 2:26-27). And as I have stated many times, our ultimate Endstate will be every knee bowing and every mouth praising God (Isa. 45:23; Rom. 14:11; Phil. 2:10). God has the power to subdue all things to Himself (Phil. 3:21). For more confirmation of this Endstate, please read Revelation 5:13:
And I heard every created thing which is in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, or on the sea, and all things in them, saying, “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever.”
For more information on the Great White Throne Judgment, please watch this Bible class on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCAW5X6aUZw
