The White Throne

The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 

I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 
   And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints 11:18 
   The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.  
  Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 
And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. 20:10-15

 Judgement

   I saw the dead; we recall that those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus…lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. 20:4-5.  We have come to the point in the narrative where the thousand years are finished, 20:7, and the last war is done with.  Satan has been disposed of, 20:10, and now the rest of the dead have come back to life. 20:12.  

  Except for those martyred for Christ, every human stands before the throne for judgement. According to true and honest accounting practices, the books were opened.  This is not a time for guessing, or for whitewashing.  It is not a time for embellishing good deeds or noble intentions. The open books will reveal all that really matters.

   It is important to realize that another book was opened, which is the Book of Life.  This tells us that it is not until this point, in the affairs of the world, that anyone, except martyrs for Christ, is allowed to enter heaven.

   Those who have lived good lives but were not born again are also destined for the same judgement seat.  Those who have lived decidedly wicked lives must also meet the Judge at the same time.

  Those who have died “in Christ” have been waiting in Paradise for this day. The Bible does not teach that when we die we immediately go to heaven or to the place of eternal torment.  Saint Paul wrote since it is a righteous thing with God ... to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. 2 Thes. 1:6-7.  That rest is coming at the return of Christ - not before.

  They were judged according to their works.  This word, works, basically means, to toil, or, an occupation, but it also can mean, an act or a manner of acting as in a lifestyle. Strong.  It is good to remember that when we are standing at the Judgement seat the great accuser is no longer in the presence of God; he has been cast into the lake of fire. 20:10.

   Unregenerate people will stand alone, face to face, with the Judge.  There will be no one to witness against them and the only thing pleading their cause will be their works and their lifestyle.  Saint Paul again, since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation ... when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. 2 Thes. 1:6-7

  The sea, death and Hades, the unseen (Wuest#), all delivered up the dead, which were in them. Now they have yielded up their dead for judgement.  Death and the unseen are now empty, with no future purpose, and consequently, they are cast into the lake of fire, to join the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. 20:14.

   Being cast into the lake of fire is the second death.  In 20:6 we read that those who were resurrected in the first resurrection (the martyrs) had no need for concern over the second death.    Judgement for all others, Christians and non-Christians, will be at the white throne.

   Christians, who have stood the test and remained true to Christ, that is, all those whose, names have not been blotted out of the book of life, also need not fear the second death.

   Unger++ states that the names of all people are in the book of life at birth and that the names are only removed from the book of life when a person, at his or her last chance, refuses to accept Christ as Saviour (or if a person turns back from following Christ).

  The spirit of God will not plead indefinitely with a sinner to repent.   People who put off "turning to God" until just before they die have no way of knowing whether or not the spirit of Jehovah will call them at that time.  For them, any rejection might be the last.

  All non-believers, those who have not actually accepted Christ, so as to have their manner of life changed (Wuest#) will be judged by their lifestyle alone; as is shown by these words, the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
   
And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Wuest#, whose translation is said to be based on the best manuscripts available, has made an interesting omission in 20:15. His text does not include the part that says, anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. 

Based on the teachings of Christ it is obvious that many who have done good deeds will rise to the resurrection of life.  The Bible makes it apparent that not all non-Christians will be cast into the lake of fire.  Only those, whose lifestyle was decidedly wicked, and those whose names are no longer in the Book of Life, will experience that fate.

   The Bible does not teach that all non-believers will spend eternity in the lake of fire.  In this connection we recall the words of Christ; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. John 5:28-29.  

   Christ is saying that the resurrection that non-Christians are destined for is in accordance with their works; their lifestyle.  Of course, it goes without saying that not only Christians do good deeds.  There are many who do not even profess to be Christians, who by their good works put many Christians to shame!

   To strengthen the argument, let us look at another example Christ left.  Come, you blessed...inherit the kingdom...I was thirsty and you gave me drink...Then He will also say to those on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:...I was thirsty and you gave me no drink...and these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. Matthew 25:34-46.

  Very distinctly, the rewards and punishments are commensurate with the works done by the individual.   I am well aware that this sounds like salvation by works, but we cannot just ignore these, and other Bible portions of this nature, just because they do not agree with what the church has taught us.

  Obviously, though, this is not a teaching of salvation by works, because those who are not saved will not spend eternity in heaven.  It is simply stating, as Christ did, that their eternal destination depends on their lifestyle.

   There is a third option; life on the new earth.  There will be much more about this thought later.

_____________________________________________
++ Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Merrill F. Unger

# An Expanded Translation, K.W. Wuest.

   

The Seventh Bowl of Wrath - The third Woe

   Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”
   And there were noises and thundering and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth.
   Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell.
   Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
   And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great. 16:17-21 

The Angel of the Air

   Here we resume the interrupted story from 10:7.  Remember, this is the third woe which was heralded by the seventh trumpet!

   When this, the last angel poured the seventh bowl of wrath on the air, a voice said, it is done. 16:17.  The words, it is done, surely must include the completion of the Church of Christ and her rapture.

  Emptying the seventh bowl happens immediately after the blowing of the seventh trumpet announces its launch; 11:15-19.  Because this bowl is poured out after the last great battle, it is obvious that the Church will still be on earth during the battle at Armageddon, because, after all, this is the trumpet call that calls the Church home.  When the seventh bowl is empty, Jehovah's wrath, because of mankind's sinfulness, will be appeased.

   In 11:19, when the seventh trumpet sounds to announce the rapture, we find these words, Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.  Here, in 16:18, we find the almost identical words, there were noises and thundering and lightnings, and there was a great earthquake.  Obviously, the seventh bowl of wrath refers to the same scenario as the seventh trumpet blast does; the rapture of The Church and the last great destruction on earth.

After the removal of The Church from this world, doomsday comes quickly and harshly.  Then happens the greatest earthquake that this world has experienced in the history of humankind. 

   Because of this cataclysmic earthquake, the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell.  It is easy to see that a Jewish writer, who hated Rome, could have been referring to Rome, without naming it, as the great city.  The earthquake also destroyed many other cities.  

 If the writer was making reference to Rome, maybe it was not to a geographical place but rather to a spiritual Rome; the Church based in Rome; the Roman church which he saw in the future.  If that is true, the statement, the cities of the nations fell, surely must also speak of all the other non-Christian churches who fly the Christian flag. 

   The islands of the world were moved from their places and the mountains were not found.  Is he saying that the mountains were levelled, or is he saying that they were underwater?  Was it the earthquake, or a giant comet that caused this devastation? 

   On March 12, 1998, a news report said that an asteroid is hurtling towards the earth and that it would probably plunge into an ocean in Oct. 2028 (30 years from the year of the newscast).  The following day the news report said that it would probably not hit the earth at all, but if it did, it would have the impact of 100 atomic bombs such as hit Hiroshima.  If there was any truth to this report would the present day astronomers, twenty years later, not be telling us more about this? 

  I find it interesting that ever since the last comet exploded over Russia astrologers and reporters are talking much about future comets.  Now they are not saying "if", they have changed that to "when".  They are even wondering what the inhabitants of the earth can do to keep the comets from reaching earth.

   Saint Peter, writing about the final destruction of the earth, said, And God has also commanded that the heavens and the earth will be consumed by fire on the day of judgment, when ungodly people will perish. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. 2 Peter 2:7+10 NLT.  According to Peter, our engineers will not save the world from that ordeal.  

   great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent.  If we accept that the word, talent, refers to the “common talent”, and the word, pound, to refer to a 16-ounce pound, we see that each hailstone would weigh about 75 pounds.   That seems impossible, but we must remember that by this time the weather, the sea, and the rivers have changed.  Who knows what these changes might do to affect the hail storms?  

   Because the seventh trumpet has already sounded it will be too late to ask Jehovah for forgiveness and mercy.

The Seventh trumpet - The third woe

K)  The Rapture Takes Place

Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”

   And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
   saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
   The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
   Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. 11:15-19

   The return of Christ is the single greatest expectation of The Christian Church. For the Christian, all of history has led to this point, and this is the climax of all our hopes.

   The mighty angel said, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished. 10:7.  Paul wrote, This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Eph 5:32.  When the seventh trumpet sounds, the mystery, The Church, will be finished.

Paul also wrote we shall all be changed — in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound. 1 Cor. 15:51-52.  The last trumpet sound, the one to which Paul refers, is the sound of the seventh trumpet of The Revelation, when the Church is called home.  

   It is that last trumpet sound, to which the mighty angel is referring here; the trumpet blast of the seventh angel.  This teaching is greatly disputed.  Those who do not accept this theory say that Paul and John are not referring to the same trumpet blast at all.  That argument raises this redundant question; how many last trumpet calls can there be?

   In chapter 10:7, the sound of the last trumpet was announced and in 11:15 we are told the seventh angel sounded.  In spite of that, Concordia writes, The third woe is not pictured at all.  It is illogical to suppose that the fifth trumpet sound heralded the first woe, the sixth trumpet sound heralded the second woe but that the seventh trumpet sound would not herald the third woe.  This is especially true, since the contents of the seventh trumpet blast, so exactly fit the picture of the most horrible of all woes. 

In contradiction to the Scriptures, Dr McGee writes, The third woe is not the blowing of the seventh trumpet.  However, the angel had specifically stated that it was.  I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! 8:13

   In chapter 19, the writer sees another "video", a video in which the rapture of the church and the praise in heaven that accompanies that event, is more fully portrayed.  There is great cause to rejoice: for the struggling church is now “the church triumphant”.  This is the event to which Paul referred, when he said, We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. 1 Cor. 15:51.  

At this point in The Apocalypse, all Christians have been changed, and there is much praise in heaven.  The great multitude in heaven says, Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. 19:7

   To John's mind it was as if a great multitude praised God; then he said, no it was louder than that, it was like a giant waterfall.  Actually, he says, it was even louder than that, it was as loud as mighty rolls of thunder.

Of the seven trumpet blasts, only the last three herald a woe.  The reason that the fifth, sixth and seventh trumpet blasts are worse than the first four is that, according to this study, it was immediately before the fifth trumpet blast that Satan was released from his prison.  The last, the seventh trumpet blast and the last bowl of wrath are also the last of the three woes.  

   Being that this is the last trumpet blast it is also the call for the rapture of the church when all the redeemed (excluding the martyred saints), will be caught up in the air to meet their Lord and be rewarded according to their deeds. 11:18.  We, who are redeemed, are so enthralled with this prospect that we overlook the fact that this is really a woe; it is a woe for all those who are not ready to meet Jehovah; the last chance for redemption is eternally past.

   This is the last, and the saddest of all woes.  It is also a woe for Christians who have done no deeds of kindness for which to be rewarded.  They will be eternally without rewards.  They will have no trophies to present to their Master, the Redeemer who bought them.

   When the seventh angel sounded,…there were loud voices in heaven…and the twenty-four elders…fell on their faces and worshipped God.  This seems so fitting and wonderfully glorious.  Christ said that there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, Luke 15:7, but now, the whole church is in heaven; surely, there would be praise, joy and worship in heaven.

   You have taken Your great power and reigned.  Throughout history, from the Garden of Eden onward, humanity has been rebellious against the Lord. Demanding blessings against His wishes and refusing praise.  The Lord in loving kindness and in great patience has been waiting for humans to repent and turn to him in humility.  Now Jehovah will take his rightful place on the throne of judgement.

   Concordia notes, and some Bible translations agree, that in 11:17, the words, and is to come, are not in the best texts.  This seems right, because, at this point in the narrative, Christ has just returned, the rapture has transpired and the temple of God is opened in heaven.  There is no more room for another, is to come, in history.  

   Concordia continues, God is no longer hidden from men’s eyes in the Holy of Holies enthroned upon the ark. His covenant promise … is forever fulfilled, and those that love Him see Him face to face.  Concordia also teaches that God is invisible!  Go figure.

  However, not only is the Church, the Bride of Christ, safe with the Bridegroom, but the Lord God has revealed His great power and has taken His rightful place as the King of all nations.

   the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great. The time has come that the dead should be judged.  Until now, they were dead and were still in Paradise or in Hades.  At the same time that The Church is being raptured, the non-Christians rise up together with The Church to go to their judgment.  All, except the martyrs, will be judged in the same scene. 

For more on this see: https://wwwthinkagai.blogspot.com/2012/07/we-shall-all-be-changed.html

  That people go to their eternal reward at the time of their death is just another unscriptural doctrine, which the church holds.  A careful study of the Bible concerning this teaching clearly shows that together with Paul and Daniel we all must wait until the rapture of the church.

For more on this see: https://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2015/02/56-life-after-death-of-course.html

and: https://spaceshiptheology.blogspot.com/2015/03/57-when-christ-returns.html

The Great Contrast

j. Harvest Time Has Come

   He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 

  “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. 21:7-8

Interlace 21:7 with 21:8, for one is the antithesis of the other.

   He who overcomes is contrasted with the cowardly and unbelieving
Shall inherit is the counter statement of shall have their part
I will be his God is the counterpart of the second death.

  He who overcomes shall inherit all things.  We are adopted by God, and because we are adopted, we are His sons and daughters, and as such we stand to inherit all things that He has promised His children.

   he shall be My son.  Translate this to "The son to Me” as it is in the Greek ... This is a very unusual expression. Vincent calls attention to the fact that this is the only place in John’s writings where a believer is said to be a son (huios) in relationship with God. John writes of us as being God's children. ... God is the One who says “my son,” and He says it here. ... They are the sons of God in a unique and glorious fashion. Dr McGee*

Those who teach that The Revelation was written by two (or more) writers use this statement, "The son to Me” as an argument that John did not write all of The Apocalypse because no where else did John use those words. Dr McGee* 

   The Living Bible clarifies, the fearful and unbelieving, by stating 21:8 like this, But cowards who turn back from following me, and those who are unfaithful to me.

  There are eight sins in this list; four of these are also found among the ten commandments:

1. Fearful, cowardly - Those who will not follow Christ because they are afraid of the possible consequences.
2. Unbelieving - But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Heb.11:6.  It is possible for humans to have faith without accepting Christ as their redeemer.  People can have faith in "their God" without believing Christ.  They can have faith in their lifestyle and still reject Christ.  Abraham believed God, it was counted to him for righteousness, but he never even heard of Christ!
3. Abominable - The Greek word here means foul.  One of the meanings for foul is morally or spiritually odious: detestable. Merriam-Webster
4. Murderers - People with guns find it so easy to kill another person.  Is it because from a distance the murder seems less real; the murderer feels less involved with the action?
   Commandment #6: You shall not murder.
5. Sexually immoral - it is absolutely amazing that so many people think that "sleeping around" is acceptable because "everybody is doing it".  The Supreme Judge does not think that it is acceptable and He is the one who will be sitting in the Judges Chair on that future day.
   Commandment #7: You shall not commit adultery.
6. Sorcerers - For the word, sorcerers, The Living Bible has, those conversing with demons.  We noticed earlier that the word sorcery is also associated with mind-altering drugs.  Doing drugs is not allowed for Christians. see: http://ikefehr1939.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-fall-of-babylon.html. 
7. Idolaters - Some people in some cultures still pray to, and worship idols; we, modern North Americans are much too sophisticated to do that.  We simply put our pleasures and our things first in our lives and Jehovah gets whatever is left over, and usually, that is not much.  Saint Paul wrote, covetousness ... is idolatry. Col. 3:5
   Commandment #1: You shall have no other gods before Me.
8. all liars - Many Christians shun "serious" sins but rather glibly think that lying in business or for convenience sake is all right.  Those Christians ought again to read 21:8; all liars shall have their part.  Christ said I am the Way, the Truth.  How can Christians claim to be His followers if lying is a non-issue with them? 
   Commandment #9: You shall not bear false witness.
   
   

  In linking this phrase, and the phrase all liars, with the rest of the book one can look back at chapters 2+3.   In these chapters, several times Christ said, I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan and I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not, but do lie. 2:9+3:9  It could be that these are the liars that are being referred to in 21:8.

   It is well worthwhile to notice that this verse does not include all those who have never been born again as having their part in the lake of fire.  Why would a person have to have the same "life view" as I do to "be born again"?  Surely Jehovah's mercy and forgiveness extend beyond what we can imagine or believe.  He is not as narrow-minded as Christians are.

Just those, whose lifestyle was drastically contrary to that which God intended for people to have shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone,.  The list in 21:8 may not be all inclusive but it is clear.

   Whether one believes in a literal lake of fire or in a symbolic one, the Bible makes it clear that the difference between being in a place of punishment or in a place of blessing is gigantic. There are those who insist that God would not punish any human so harshly, and that thought is certainly soothing, but while interpreting the Bible we cannot go by our feelings, but only by the meaning of what is written.

_____________________________________

* Through the Bible with Dr J Vernon McGee.

The Beast is Captured

   Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, “Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, 

   “that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great.”

   And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 

   Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 

   And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. 19:17-21

Birds Feast on the Army

   I saw an angel standing in the sun is rendered in The Living Bible and the Greek text as I saw an angel standing in the sunshine.

   This angel, v.17, called together all the flying birds to come and devour the carcasses of the slain soldiers and horses.  In 19:21, we read that the birds were filled with their flesh.  

   the false prophet who worked signs in his (the Antichrist's) presence, by which (signs) he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.  The beast, who is the Antichrist, and the false prophet were both brought into submission.  Then those two were cast alive into the lake of fire.

   Only the beast and the false prophet were cast alive into the lake of fire at that time.  The others: kings, soldiers, captains, freeman and slaves, 19:18, were merely killed with the sword of Him ... that sat upon the white horse.  No human is cast alive into the lake of fire until after a fair trial at the judgement seat of Christ.

   The warning had been clearly given, don’t go fighting against the Lord of Hosts, you will lose the battle and your shame will be great;   Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is the one who watches and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame. 16:15  

   The Taliban, ISIS and their ilk are in for a mighty big surprise when the risen Son of God returns with His army to destroy them and to rescue Jehovah's adopted children; The Church of Jesus Christ.

   the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. Perhaps the sword that Christ is wielding is the sword of instructions.  His army, of devote martyrs, follow His instructions and consequently, the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings.

Just in passing, the word Lord as it is used here does not mean God but rather master.  Because God also has highly exalted Him, and has graciously given Him a name which is above every name. Philippians 2:9  EMTV

   Why did the warning go unheeded?  It is because people count the King of kings, as having no significance!   Some openly mock Him, some completely disregard Him, many believe that He lived a good life, left a good example and because He did not conform to society’s demands, He died while He was still a young man. Some of those same people do not accept that He rose from the grave and is alive now.

   They refuse to accept the history of Christ by faith because the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  With their eyes blinded they believe that He is still dead and so they need not worry about Him coming back as the victorious king.