Part 4 - HEAVEN
Heaven’s Judgment
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
INTRODUCTION
Revelation 20:11-15
11Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Two resurrections, two judgments, at which will you stand?
First Resurrection - Judgment Seat of Christ (For the redeemed)
Second Resurrection - Great White Throng Judgment (For the unredeemed)
I. THIS IS THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT
a. This is the final judgment of the unredeemed that takes place at the end of the thousand year reign.
b. Who is it that John sees on the great White Throne in heaven?
i. Matthew 25:31
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
The Lord Jesus who is our Savior today will be our Judge tomorrow.
c. The earth and sky fled from his presence...
i. Why? Because there is coming a new earth and a new sky (heaven)
II. TWO RESURRECTIONS
There are going to be two resurrections.
a. The First Resurrection
i. Revelation 20:4-6 4I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
ii. Those who lived and died for Jesus Christ, and did not worship the beast and had not received his mark will be resurrected and rule with Christ during the thousand year reign!
iii. This reign takes place at the end of the 7 year tribulation.
1. All others will be resurrected at the end of the thousand year reign for judgment. Until then, they are kept in Sheol, in torment.
2. Those who are part of the First resurrection, the second death will have no power over you. The second death is the final lake of fire, Gahanna.
3. I Thessalonians 4:13-18 16For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18Therefore encourage each other with these words.
b. The Second Resurrection
i. Revelation 20:12 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
1. Notice, this is the “Book of Life”, NOT the “Lamb’s Book of life”
ii. This second resurrection is the resurrection of Damnation
1. It takes place AFTER the thousand year reign
III. THE BOOKS WILL BE OPENED
a. We see from the scriptures that only unbelievers will appear at the Great White Throne Judgment.
i. It is true that believers must appear “before the Judgment Seat of Christ” (II Corinthians 5:10) and we will be rewarded according to our stewardship; but that will take place at the marriage supper of the Lamb, just after the first resurrection (After the rapture and during the 7 year tribulation we are in heaven with the Lord).
1. Traditional Jewish marriage, adorns the bride at the feast!
ii. THEN, after the thousand year reign (millennium) the wicked will stand before the Great White throne to be judged “Out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
IV. THE RECORDS
a. Make no mistake - God keeps perfect records! His books contain no errors.
i. Luke 12:2,3 2There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
ii. Matthew 12:36, 37 36But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every idle (careless) word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
b. There will be no arguing your case, or debating your situation.
i. This is not a trial, it is a judgment.
ii. You will stand before a righteous Judge and hear Him say, “Depart-I never knew you”.
c. John 12:46-48 46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
47"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. 48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day.
CONCLUSION
The library in heaven contains books and records beyond number-books that record in detail the works and deeds of every man.
God has record of everything we have ever done, every place we have ever gone, every word we have ever spoken.
He even has record of every thought that has ever or will ever pass through our mind.
Matthew 10:30
... even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
It is according to God’s records that men will be judged.
The righteous will be rewarded for deeds done to the glory of God, and the wicked will be tormented according to the record of their wickedness.
The scripture clearly teaches that there will be degrees of rewards in heaven, and degrees of punishment in hell.
They also teach that there is no such thing as a “general” judgment. The saints will be judged immediately after the rapture-not as to whether they are saved or lost, that is settled on THIS SIDE of judgment, but judged for stewardship.
The degree of reward for the believer will be according to the quality (not quantity) of stewardship.
Some will receive a FULL REWARD
II John 7-11
7Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. 9Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. 11Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.
Some will receive a PARTIAL REWARD, and some will receive NO REWARD AT ALL.
Paul deals with the two types of works that may be built upon the foundation which is already laid.
I Corinthians 3:11-15
11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.
Any works done for any other reason but Jesus Christ, (done for fame, glory, riches on earth, praise of men), when you stand before the judgment seat of Christ, fire (judgment) will burn away all that was not done for the Lord.
Many waste their time doing “good works” for themselves, to “feel good”, or to get praise of others.
These works were not done for Christ, and will be burned away at the judgment seat of Christ, and you will not receive any reward in heaven for them.
Matthew 6:3-5
3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
Next week we will talk about THE NEW CREATION
