Chapter 20:11-15

We now arrive at the last five verses of chapter 20, the ones that describe the final judgment. We've already seen two descriptions before, the seventh trumpet in the seventh seal in chapter 11, and the fourth and fifth angels in chapter 14. Here we get a more complete picture of what it will be like.

Referring to the flowchart again, we see that this box is placed right after the Ch7 box, with the two other descriptions of the judgment referred to above arranged underneath it.

At this point Armageddon is over, Satan and his chief allies, the beast and the false prophet, are already in hell, the second coming of Christ has already occurred, which is virtually simultaneous with Armageddon, and we can see that the scene Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 has by this time also occurred, though not described in the book of Revelation at all. The next step in God's plan now is for the final judgment to be made.

V11 brings to mind the image Peter wrote of in 2 Peter 3:10. At this point in time there are no more physical things left in existence. We will be changed, as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:51, since in the previous verse, v50, he wrote that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. It is a spiritual place, though no less real than if it was physical.

V12 shows everyone who has ever lived standing before the throne awaiting judgment, reminding us of the truth of Hebrews 9:27, "...man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." Of course not everyone will die first. All those alive at the second coming of Christ will be changed, as Paul said, but that doesn't mean that they die first.

An interesting sidelight comes to mind here. If, as some scientists estimate, there have been eleven billion people since Adam and Eve alive on the earth, and if there are over six billion still alive right now, then over half of all the people who have ever lived are still alive! That's a staggering thought. But going back to Hebrews 9:27, we can see that the general rule is that everyone will die once and then face the judgment, unless Jesus comes first. In that case those that are alive will be changed, and then face the judgment. In either case there is no second chance, either after death or after the second coming of Christ.

What are these books that are being opened in v12? Some think that one of them is the bible, since that is the standard by which we will all be judged. But I hardly think that God needs to refer to the bible like we do in order to remember what's in it. No, I tend to think that each person has his own book, with his own deeds recorded in it. The idea of being judged according to what we have done more likely refers to a person's works of faith, not works of merit. In other words, the question is not how good or bad we are, but are we Christians? If we are to be judged merely by our works of merit, then we might as well skip the final judgment and go straight to hell since, according to Romans 3:23 and 6:23, that is what we deserve. Let us not forget what Isaiah 64:6 says, "...all our righteous acts are as filthy rags."

The mercy and grace of God must play a part in this judgment, and so these books determine who gets mercy and who does not. And so the sea and death and Hades all give up their dead to be judged. Those who have expressed faith in Jesus as the Son of God through belief, Hebrews 11:6, repentance, Acts 17:30, confession, Romans 10:9, baptism, Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3-7; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21, and walking in the light, 1 John 1:5-10, will not have their sins counted against them. Thus, their names will be in the book of life. Everyone whose name is not found in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur where Satan, the false prophet, and the beast have been thrown.

Thus we see the utter ruin and everlasting destruction of those who rejected God's love and grace offered through the gospel. As in some sense the consequences of sin became its own punishment in this age, so in the next the rejection of God causes the rejection by God. Those who reject Christ reject God, John 14:6, 1 Peter 1:19-21. and so this judgment is really their own choice, the ultimate unforeseen consequence of sin that could not be more devastating. The time for mercy and grace is past. Now the sinner, who denied the blood of Christ, must pay for his own sins in hell! Yes, they really do pay for their own sins, but the point to be made here is that they cannot pay for their own sins and survive. Jesus' payment for us allows us to survive, even though we deserve to die. We can see here the utter foolishness of rejecting God's grace through Christ, and how there is now no other option left except hell.