Our Present Age

and how it will end

 

Chapter 23 – The Great White Throne

In Rev 20 we read that after the Devil, the beast, and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire, the dead must stand for judgment before a great white throne.

Rev 20:10-11 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. Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them.

Notice (above) that heaven and earth fled away from the face of Him who sits on the great white throne. This is because the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the earth will be burned up.

2 Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

Jesus, John, and Paul also teach of the passing away of heaven and earth, and that they will “grow old like a garment” and be “folded up” and changed.

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.

Rev 21:1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

Psalm 102:24-26 Your years are throughout all generations. Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You will endure; Yes, they will all grow old like a garment; Like a cloak You will change them, And they will be changed.

Hebrews 1:10-12  You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; and they will all grow old like a garment; like a cloak you will fold them up, and they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will not fail.

When the dead stand for judgment before the great white throne, the books will be opened.

Rev 20:12-15 And 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. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Thanatos and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Thanatos 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.

At the great white throne judgment there will only be 2 categories of people: Those whose names are found written in the Lamb’s Book of Life; and those whose names have been blotted out from the Book of Life. All those whose names are not found in the Book of Life, will be cast into the lake of fire. All those who confess Christ, and overcome Satan and the mark of the beast, they will be found in the Book of Life.

Revelation 3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.