White Small

White Small

The Great White Throne Judgment

 

This is the scene that separates the wicked dead forever. It comes after the millennium reign and rule of Jesus Christ here on earth. It is the final judgment of the dead who have been held in Hell since the time of Adam till the commencement of the millennial governance of the earth by Christ. And when the millennial is over they would be recalled from Hell to stand before Christ as Judge sitting on the Great White Throne.

"And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from Whose Face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and Hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire" – Revelation 20: 11-15.

That is the coming Great White Throne Judgment. Nothing can be more startling, grisly and gruesome. It is unimaginable scene. All the horror films of the world put together are nothing to compare. Men's effort to act the scene of the Great White Throne Judgment pales into nothing in comparison with the actually. Before we continue this our topic for today we wish to presently visit other types of judgments in Scripture before coming back to stay on this subject matter of the Great White Throne Judgment.

OTHER JUDGMENTS IN SCRIPTURES

There is the judgment of the believer's sin. This is what the Cross of Christ is about. The judgment of our sins on the Cross of Christ is the guarantee for eternity with God and the guarantee for escaping the coming Great White Throne Judgment. The basis of this judgment is not really our sins (because we have been condemned already) but the perfect Sacrifice of Jesus Christ for me as my Substitute.

When I acknowledge this and go to the Cross to confess my sins and repent I am forgiven by God because Jesus has been judged in my place and His victory becomes mine (see John 12: 31-32; Romans 6: 10; Hebrews 9: 25-25; John 3: 10-21) This type of judgment results in death to Christ or life to believers (Romans chapters 4, 5 and 8). This is life to the man who goes to the Cross. This is what guarantees us eternity with God.

There is also the believer's self-judgment. This one the believer engages in throughout his life here on earth. This is what secures us eternity with God. The basis of this judgment is obedience to God and His Word. Here, we allow God and His Word to lead and correct us. We judge our lives and actions with the Word continually (see 1 Corinthians 11: 31-32; 1 John 1: 7; James 1: 22-25). This type of Judgment results in chastisement or approval from God (Hebrews 12: 5-11). Both are beneficial in the pilgrim walk.

Many have been guaranteed eternity with God who have made shipwreck of their faith because they fail to allow God lead and correct them with His Word. They forgot they were pilgrims. So, they failed to secure eternity with God, they failed to be part of the final salvation, and very pitiably shall appear at the Great White Throne Judgment.

May God help all believers who still have their breath intact to know the way of self-judgment! May you work out your own salvation with fear and trembling if indeed you have been saved (Philippians 2: 12) or will go to Jesus for the salvation of your soul today! Believers who know how to faithfully judge themselves now (and who are not engaged judging and condemning others) will have nothing to fear about the Great White Throne Judgment for they shall not be there.

Then there shall be the judgment of the believers' works: This is the judgment to either reward the works of those who are able to secure eternity with God or to lose such rewards. The life we live after salvation is paramount and determines whether we shall make heaven in the first place or not. It is really of no use doing ‘great works' here on earth and fails to make Heaven, because there will be no one to receive such rewards if there are any reward at all.

The expectation of rewards should therefore represent a call to obedience, consecration, holiness, Christian living; it should stand for a call unto becoming living epistle, example of the believers, light of the world, salt of the earth; for what a highway these represent in our pilgrim walk to Heaven. There is grace, abundant grace for the serious minds. To work ‘great works' at the expense of holy living and so at the expense of Heaven by extension, is one chief way of ‘beating the air', to remind us of the admonition of Paul. Good news: There is no way you line up your life with that of Christ or you become Christ-like (which is the meaning of Christian, anyway) and do not works or ‘great works'. And such works guarantee rewards. Grace not frustrated now, ushers in untold rewards in eternity with God.

It is therefore of utmost importance to make our lives count for eternity. Our lives: our thoughts and words; our relationships and associations; our investments and spending; our time and service all should count for eternity. There is no other reason why we are here. It is expected of pilgrims to so live. That we shall one day be rewarded must be a call to conform to the image of God and to finish or fulfill our ministry. And there is abundant grace for us so to live and so work. We must tap into that grace. And there is abundant grace to so tap. And when we make it to eternity with God, the rewards will be untold.

Yes, it must be a call to so live. Bernard Barton (1784-1849) in his "Walk in the Light" has this godly counsel for believers everywhere:

Walk in the light! So shalt thou know

That fellowship of love

His Spirit only can bestow

Who reigns in light above.

Walk in the light! And thou shalt find

Thy heart made truly his,

Who dwells in cloudless light enshrined,

In whom no darkness is.

Walk in the light! And thou shalt own

Thy darkness passed away,

Because that light hath on thee shone

In which is perfect day.

Walk in the light! Thy path shall be

A path, though thorny, bright;

For God, by grace, shall dwell in thee,

And God himself is light.

And there is the great tribulation, a form of Judgment that God allow to come upon Israel and the world for years of disobedience to God and for not believing the Truth: Jesus Christ. Because of this He will send them strong delusion and they shall believe a lie. And that lie is Satan and his Anti-Christ and False Prophet: The trinity of evil unleashing themselves and all they represent on the world. And it will be real terrible (see 2 Thessalonians 2: 3-12 and many other scriptures). Again, the Cross of Jesus is the only rescue presently.

Another judgment we may speak of is the judgment of the living nations. This will take place at the second advent of Christ just before the millennium. This is the great concern of Matthew 25: 31-46. It will determine who continues to live on earth for the millennium. Some will go to hell from here; some others will enter the kingdom. It will separate the bad from the good; and angels will help in this judgment where again Christ will be the Judge. Since the Rapture of the believers or saints would have taken place before now and Christ has actually now returned back with them to rule with them in the millennium, the way men relate with Israel will be the major basis of this judgment of the living nations.

Then again, there is the judgment of fallen angels. We may not concern ourselves with that here except to say that like the wicked dead, of which we shall now visit, they shall be judged at the Great White Throne Judgment (Jude 6) and the result of that is, they will also end up at the Lake of Fire and Brimstone (2 Peter 2: 4; Revelation 20: 11-15).

JUDGMENT OF THE WICKED DEAD

The judgment of the wicked dead is another way to capture the Great White Throne Judgment. Too critical we must repeat this: "And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from Whose Face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and Hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire" – Revelation 20: 11-15.

It is a Great White Throne Judgment: So great, it will accommodate all the wicked dead who had trod this side of eternity. So white (literarily) it will contrast all darkness and make it so glaring and conspicuous wherever it is represented in that record horde of humanity. So white (indicating or signifying total and absolute righteousness and justice of the judgment) that sin wherever it is, will not only be spotlighted by that glorious righteousness but seen by all the wicked dead to the extent that it would be clear to them the appropriate reward or justice to expect. It will be an indisputable and sweeping self-conviction that will fill and envelop (overwhelm that is) those present at the Great White Throne Judgment. We speak of a self-conclusion of a ‘completely guilty verdict' that overwhelm the man's whole being and an equally overwhelming certainty that he irretrievably belonged to eternal damnation, all by the sheer size of the overwhelming multitude gathered that day and by the righteous environment around the Throne that is his host momentarily. That is, even before the judgment; even before the books are opened.

It is the judgment throne of divinity, of God Who is now wrath and ready for eternal divine retribution. No attorney can approach that throne. All worlds' great shall surface on that day to meet their everlasting doom. All worlds' antichrists shall appear to answer for themselves (as it were) on that day but cannot be able for complete dumbness. And founders of religions of all sorts will be there with unblinking gaze wholly dumbfounded. The occult grandmasters and gurus of all ages too and many a popes, emperors, czars, pharaohs, philosophers of all ages shall appear but with their tongues glued to the ceiling of their mouths. Untold Nobel laureates, other laureates, illuminati, so-called role models of the world (actually spoilers of humanity) will be there consumed all over with fright unspeakable.

The Neros, Jesuits, Hitlers, and all persecutors of the Church and Israel in history shall be irredeemably there to reap according to what they have sown. Charles Darwin cannot save Himself, let alone, his men on that day; and same truth goes for all founders of world –isms and their adherents who do not know Jesus experientially. What of false church founders, heads and leaders! It will be the same sorry story! The list runs ad infinity. All of them will be face to face with Him "Whose Face the earth and heaven fled away". "And there was found no place for them".

Yes, the ‘great' shall be there, without an attorney in Satan, even the devil who have deceived them and who they have served! They will even now discover that their master the devil has been finally sent to the Lake of Fire and Brimstone being the third creature to go there after the Antichrist and the False Prophet both of whom have actually been sent there a thousand years before. And now the same fate of their master the devil is now staring at them: an inevitable grossly disastrous destiny in all of eternity. And like the devil they will flee at the Face of Him Who is The Way, The Truth and The Life on that day. It is called THE JUDGMENT OF THE GREAT DAY (Jude 6).

But think a minute: how about their devotees, adherents, followers, fans, admirers, lovers and all they had or have queuing behind them respectively? What a multitude! All out of The Way, The Truth and The Life, and out of The Light! Well, both the great and small will be there. In fact, all that went through the way that seemed right unto them would have themselves to blame eternally, just as it is doubly written: "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" – Proverbs 14: 12; 16: 25.

It is instructive to ask here: Who are you following? Whoever he is, you will end up where he terminates his journey. You cannot afford to end up the same way with those great, and small! Therefore, follow The Way, The Truth and The Life, and follow The Light: that you may end up well. For that day will be too gruesome to be imagined.

Note: It is called a judgment. It is no trial. They have been tried. That is what ‘time' does. We are rightly now on trial. The Great Judge has offered two judgments; one at the Cross, the other at the Great White Throne Judgment Seat. At the Cross He stood in for us because we couldn't do it, and also because He is not willing that we face the one at the Great White Throne. At the Cross grace came therefore, at the Great White Throne wrath, if grace is not received. Where grace is welcomed there is no wrath.

BASES OF THE JUDGMENT

The dead, small and great, stood before God; and the books were opened. And another book was opened: the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books. They were judged according to their works.

And the sea gave up the dead that were in it (apparently the dead bodies – and not souls and spirits– that were in it because souls and spirits do not go to the sea at physical death); and death gave up the dead that were in it (again, apparently the dead bodies – and not souls and spirits– because it is only the bodies that die at physical death); and Hell delivered up the dead that were in them (apparently the souls because only souls go to Hell and, here, they are dead souls; that is, dead in sin or spiritual death); and they were judged every man according to their works (apparently after the reunion of the revived bodies with their souls). And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire"

There will be judgment according to the written books; judgment according to works. We do not know for certainty what those books are. In Romans 2: 12-16 we read though: "For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the works of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another;) in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel."

So we know somehow enough to say that the bases of the judgment on that day may include the law of conscience (verse 15); the Law of Moses (Romans 2: 12-16); the Gospel (Romans 2: 16). Others may include the law of memory (Luke 16: 25); the law of character (Hebrews 3: 8-10; Ephesians 4: 19); records of personal acts (Matthew 12: 36; Luke 12: 2-9; 1 John 3:18; Revelation 20: 12); the Word of God (John 12: 48). And of course, the Book of Life (Revelation 3: 5; 13: 5; Daniel 12: 1; Exodus 32: 32-33; Philippians 4: 3).

THE BOOK OF LIFE AND THE BOOKS

Supposing there is a book of your conscience (Romans 2: 15) opened on that day and your conscience plays out from when you knew yourself and became accountable for your sins till when you died and you see at each point how you silenced your conscience to go into one evil or the other. I tell you: You may be guilty, even by your own acknowledgment there and then, a thousand and one times. Why not go to the Cross today; why not ask for the Blood of cleansing today. Can you afford to go there? It is the great day of the Lord.

And supposing there is a book on your memory (Luke 16: 25) played out there. Tell me what becomes of you if you see the replay of your life! You cannot fly away until God is done with you. You cannot sink under until God is through with you. Tell me what you would do when the cassette of your life plays out to the hearing of not only all sinning humanity but of Divinity with the angels. If only you would understand what Scripture means by "your sins would find you out". Today, the Cross of Jesus Christ is the rescue.

In Romans 2: 2-14 we saw the place of the law. Certainly, the Law (the Old Testament summarily called the Law of Moses) will be opened (of which the opposite is Grace or the New Testament summarily called the Grace of Christ. The Law is the law of condemnation. The soul that sins, it shall die, it says (Ezekiel 18: 4). All the righteousness of men are as filthy rags it declares (Isaiah 64: 7) and so no one can therefore be justified in His sight by the deeds of the law, for by the law is the knowledge of sin, the Gospel tells us (Galatians 2: 16; Romans 3: 20).

In fact, when you fail in one law you fail in all. That is to say every man is guilty of all the laws. And that is to say the best of men as far as obeying the law by the flesh is concern is filthy rag in the nose and sight of God. To repeat it: The law has condemned everyone already. By the deeds of the law no man shall be justified. The Cross is the answer and that is now, for God promises no one tomorrow. Today is the day of salvation.

What about the book of your character (Hebrews 3: 8-10; Ephesians 4: 19). Supposing it is opened! I mean supposing it is opened there at the Great White Throne Judgment, in the face of such presence of sweeping divine glow and piercing countenance! Can you begin to imagine the contrasts of extremes, even such a very damning contrast? Why not be grateful that you are still on this side of eternity. Why not now go to Jesus on the Cross to give Him your life and take His. You cannot afford to meet Him as the Judge of the whole world at the Great White Throne Judgment. Never!

Go to Him Who is the Seed of the woman, and Who found the manger (eating trough for animals) as His first place of rest here. How lowly my Creator, for my sake! And having found Himself as man He went to the Cross for which cause indeed He became a Man in the first place. There He died for you and me. He is our Great Substitute. At the Cross: That is where to meet Him. Meeting Him on that great day is too fearsome. Nothing compares in sight and danger to the scene on that day. Don't be there. Turn your character over to Him now; now that your breath you still have.

How about the Gospel? It is the Gospel that removes our names and accounts from those books (of condemnations) that are in Heaven to be opened on the great day. It is the Gospel that writes our names in the Book of Life as well. But what if you reject and refuse to embrace the Gospel now. What do you think will be your lot "in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel"? (Romans 2: 16).

Gospel, you should always remember means good news; and this is the only

good news there is in all of the universe since Adam's fall. This is the only good news that snatches from the grips of Satan, the arch-enemy of God, creation and humanity. This is the only good news that cost God all to give hope to humanity. This is the only news that secures humanity restoration to God's original plan for man. This is the only good news that re-unites men with God, the Creator of the universe, forever. But what if you reject it!

This is the only good news that removes the condemnation of the conscience on that great day because the Blood of Jesus has cleansed our consciences once we bring them to the Cross on this side of eternity while it is still day. And even though Satan may still be trying on this side of eternity to shake us by bringing our forgiven sins into our remembrance and to try to suggest that they have not been forgiven and at such times our faith expectedly rising up to our victory, after we have been caught up in the rapture however we will not remember them at all any longer. They will be forever forgotten, not a dot in the conscience and subconscious. We would be like God Who doesn't remember our sins once forgiven and blotted away by the Blood of Jesus.

But what if you reject the good news! Your conscience or the book of your conscience will be there waiting for you at the Great White Throne Judgment. Who can stand it when the conscience starts reeling out how you disobeyed it from age of accountability to your exit from this world?

This is the only good news that blots out the knowledge of committed sins from the memory on the great day just as God will not even remember our sins when we give them over to Jesus now and bring them under the gospel power of forgiveness. What if you reject it! You will be all memory of your sins that day. Your memory will be in its superlative best (not men's superlative but spirits, for now you will know as spirits, even as the full weight of the result of ‘the fruit of knowledge' comes upon all beings on that great day).

Yes, they will be all memory to know all the evils they have committed from age of accountability till they exited this world. They wanted to know like God, they even wanted to be omniscient. They all saw a way that seems right unto them. Some even thought they knew so much to question God, others to counter Him, yet others to say God was wrong, and just as others thought they know enough to know He does not even exist.

And there they all are stony-faced, unmovable with budging eyes and stone-gaze: knowing all that they should know and remember now: firstly, all that they did against God, man and themselves (being the properties of God), and secondly, the God Who sat on the throne, and then lastly, the gruesome fate awaiting them for all eternity. It is indescribably terrible day on its own, and yet a day that ushers in an indescribably terrible eternity! O how every man needs the Sacrificial Work of Christ on the Cross today!

Then, of course, the records of personal acts (Matthew 12: 36; Luke 12: 2-9; 1 John 3: 18; Revelation 20: 12) will be there. We have spoken of the conscience and memory already. No hiding place. As we said in Eternity: What lies ahead! "The judgment assesses life in ‘time', rewards life in eternity. The Word of God says, after death is the judgment (Hebrews 9: 27). So that, death and judgment are necessary components in the journey from ‘time' (when we sow) to eternity (when we reap); for whatsoever a man sows that will he reap (Galatians 6: 7).

Then, of course, the Word of God will be there as well, as it is written: "He that rejecteth Me, and receiveth not My Words, hath One that judgeth him: the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12: 48). Put all that (the supposed ‘books' mentioned above) and those we don't even know now together, and you will get the very import of this: "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation" (Hebrews 2: 3).

Then the Book of Life, ‘the final stroke that breaks the camel's back' (Revelation 3: 5; 13: 5; Daniel 12: 1; Exodus 32: 32-33; Philippians 4: 3). "And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire" – Revelation 20: 11-15. The Book of Life contrasts those other books in the sense that whoever they (the books) condemn cannot be in the Book of Life. The only time to cross over from those books to the Book of Life is today, and the only place to make that happen is the Cross of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is only Grace in ‘time'. After now it is something else.

And hear this: The Book of Life is actually "the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" – Revelation 13: 8. The Lord Himself shall be on the Throne judging the wicked dead. It is a great and very disastrous day. And it is coming. But you can avoid it.

Go to Jesus today and you would be sure to make this refrain of Isaac Watts (1674-1748) great hymn, At the Cross, experientially yours:

At the Cross, at the Cross where I first saw the light,

And the burden of my heart rolled away

It was there by faith I received my sight,

And now I am happy all the day!

 

About the Author

 

Eferovo Igho is a Nigerian political scientist and had postgraduate training in journalism. A media consultant, he is a secular and Christian writer. He has been extensively published by leading Nigerian dailies including the old Daily Times, The Guardian, Vanguard, Daily Independent and by regional and community papers, and had an op-ed column stint with Daily Independent. As a Christian writer he has also been equally widely published and had a Christian column stint with the National Daily Mirror and Niger Delta Inquirer (the latter now off the streets). Igho is member and contributing author to great media websites. His secular and Christian works have been greatly syndicated.

Small white bump on side of my right big toe?

So this summer i have been running every morning. I couldn't find my running shoes so I put on my vans and went running for an hour. I have been putting on bad shoes and till today I found my running shoes. I have noticed this white small bump on the right side of my big toe. It hurts a lil when I touch it. I was wondering what do I do to make it go away? Does this mean I can't run anymore ?

Kandy,

The white bump you see on the side of your big toe could be a number of skin conditions: a callous, a corn or a blister. For proper diagnosis and treatment, visit a doctor or a podiatrist. Since the area of your foot is sore, I would hold off running so additional pressure does not irritate the already tender spot.

Always make sure you wear proper running shoes when exercising to avoid injury and ensure best performance!

To learn more about foot care for fitness, visit

http://www.foothealers.com/partners/athletic-foot-care

Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah