“I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them. I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and they opened books. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.”

Revelation 20:11-15

The rider on the White Horse is now seated on the Great White Throne. This is the Saviour of the world, who is now the judge of every soul. As He sits on the throne, the appearing of His face causes the heavens and the earth to flee away. They are no more. 

The sweet Saviour is now the unyielding judge. The loving Lord now holds the eternal destiny of each individual person in His almighty hands and He will decide what happens to every soul. The judgment is clear, it is already set out for us in holy Scripture. Those who have sought refuge in the Saviour’s love are safe under the refuge of His wings of salvation. Those who reject him and choose their own will and way will be forever sent away from His loving presence. There is nowhere else to go. There is no place to hide…

“The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. They told the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath has come; and who is able to stand?”

Revelation 6:15-17

The time to find a hiding place has long gone by. Choices have been made and now the reckoning is to be faced. John sees those who have died and been raised to face the judgment standing before the Great White Throne. As they stand waiting for the judgment to fall on them and the sentence they know must be faced, the books are opened. These books record all the events and circumstances of the lives of these people and they are judged on what they have done. 

Another book is opened, it is the Book of Life. If your name is not in that book, you are a lost person and have never sought or received forgiveness and your destiny is the lake of fire. This is a very solemn thought. We must not pass over this great and eternal truth. God will judge the ungodly and will pass that sentence on them, as He has promised to do. There is no escape, no reprieve and no re-trial. No one will ask for one, because all will know that the judge is just and they have received what they deserve. 

The sea gave up the dead as well as death and those waiting in hell for this final Judgment Day. When the sentence is passed on the condemned people, God puts death and hell in the lake of fire too, for they will no longer persecute His people and all death and punishment for them has gone. The redeemed people have not deserved this blessing. This outcome has been bought for them at a great price, the price of redemption from the slavery of sin, and sacrifice of a Saviour’s love. 

The lake of fire is the second death, and death itself is put there. There is no way out from this scenario for the people waiting in the judgment hall, and the verdict has already been written in the book, the Bible. We can read it anytime, for God has not hidden it from us but has given many warnings about the perilous state of our souls before the Living God.

Even our sense of natural justice tells us that there will be a reckoning. We must seek the forgiveness of the Son for He is yet the Saviour of repentant souls. 

You dare not settle yourself until you know that you are in the kingdom and will escape this dreadful day. You must ensure your name is in the Book of Life and you will not have to face this Final Judgment. 

“See that you don’t refuse him who speaks. For if they didn’t escape when they refused him who warned on the earth, how much more will we not escape who turn away from him who warns from heaven…”

Hebrews 12:25

The Saviour Jesus stands ready to save you. All, you have to do is come to Him in simple faith and true sorrow for your sin, and he will change you and rescue you from this end state. He has paid the debt of sin already, there is nothing more for you to do but to put your faith, your trust in Him. 

“Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father—to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Galatians 1:3-5

There is no other way to God and no other way to have peace with God. It is a true peace because it depends on His promises to you and not on what you think or feel. 

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness..”

1 Peter 2:24

The Lord JESUS has paid it all already, the work of your salvation is already accomplished and you can go free with a simple bow of the head and a true confession. He had paid that terrible price you deserve in the Lake of Fire, and has made it possible to escape this ending. Why would you ignore such an offer?

“how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation–which at the first having been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard;”

Hebrews 2:3

Beloved, do not take this things lightly, but give them careful and earnest thought, for the Lord is coming soon and will bring all this into full fruition. 

For the Christian it will be so very different. All condemnation is already gone, even in this life. We will enter heaven with real joy, for we will see our Belovèd and know our troubles are completely over. There will be singing and rejoicing on a grand scale and the celebrations of the wedding super of the Lamb will bring real peace into the heart of every believer forever. We will echo the words of the Apostle Paul…

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who love His appearing.”

2 Timothy 4:7-8

The Hosannas and the eternal “Hallelujah!” will forever ring through the delightful courts of Heaven and we will be free of every cloying sinful or earthly power over us. We shall reign with Christ the redeemer and now King of Kings and Lord of Lords. All that is impure and hurtful will be forgotten…

“Even so come Lord Jesus.”

Revelation 22:20