GRACE BAPTIST CHURCH

THE GREAT WHITE THRONE
The General Resurrection and General Judgment
Revelation 20:11-15

Don Fortner

My subject tonight is The Great White Throne. This is the throne of judgment before which we all must appear in the last day.

• It is "great," because it is the throne of the Omnipotent God!


• It is "white," because it is pure, spotless, righteous, and just!


• It is "throne," because from here the sovereign will of Almighty God is executed!

In the last great day, we must all appear before the august, great white throne to be judged according to strict righteousness, holiness, justice and truth.

Tonight, I have upon my heart the heavy, heavy burden of the Word of the Lord. My subject is too awesome, too solemn, to serious for me to think of entertaining you with pleasant stories and flowery illustrations. So without further introduction, let me proclaim what God has laid on my heart. May he now, effectually, lay it to your heart as well.

1. The Lord Jesus Christ is coming again.
2. When Christ comes again there will be a great general resurrection of all who have lived upon the earth.
3. We must all be judged by God according to the record of our works.
4. Those who are found to be perfectly righteous shall enter into eternal life and everlasting glory with Christ.
5. All who are found guilty of sin shall be cast into the lake of fire, to suffer the unmitigated wrath of God forever!

I. First, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST IS COMING AGAIN.

Do not concern yourself about "the signs of the times" and those things which might be indications of the last days. There is very little, if anything, of spiritual value to be gained by studying all the books ever written on prophecy. We are not looking for signs of his coming. We are looking for him to come! Get this one blessed fact fixed in your mind – Jesus Christ, our Lord, is coming again!

That very same God-man who was born at Bethlehem, lived as our Representative, and died as our sin-atoning Substitute on the cross is coming to this earth again (Job 19:25-27). "The Lord himself shall descend from heaven." (II Thess. 1:7). "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven." (II Thess. 1:7).

• He came once in weakness. He is coming again in power!


• He came once in humiliation. He is coming again in great glory!


• He came once to be despised. He is coming again to be admired!


• He came once to suffer and die. He is coming again to judge and reign.

B. The Second Coming Of Christ Will Be Sudden, Unannounced, Unexpected, And Climatic.

"The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night" (I Thess. 5:2). Our Lord said, "I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee" (Rev. 3:3). The Lord does not tell us to look for the tribulation, the gathering of Israel, or the rebuilding of the temple. He tells us to look for himself. If you look for signs, and times, and seasons, you will be shocked when Christ appears. The only thing that will announce his coming will be "the voice of the archangel of God" when he appears (I Thess. 4:16).

"Behold, he cometh!" (Rev. 1:7) Let us look for him upon the tiptoe of faith and expectation. All will be taken by surprise except those who are expecting the Lord to appear. Like those Thessalonians who believed God, we must constantly "wait for his Son from heaven" (I Thess. 1:10). Faith is ever "Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ" (Tit. 2:13). I know this:

1. Christ is coming now!
2. Soon he shall appear.

3. When the Christ appears, he will bring with him a crown of righteousness, immortal life to all them who love him and look for his appearing. (2 Tim. 4:8)!

II. Secondly, When Christ Comes, There Will Be A Great, General Resurrection Of All Who Have Ever Lived Upon The Earth.

I do not offer any argument or proof for what I am preaching. I am simply declaring to you the plain facts, as they are revealed in the Word of God. If you rebel against them, mock them, ignore them, or despise them, you do so to the ruin of your soul. But I assure you that when the Son of God is comes again; there will be a resurrection of the dead.

A. First, All Who Have Died In Faith Shall Be Raised From The Grave.

All will be raised, but God's saints shall have priority in the resurrection (I Thess. 4:13-18).

• All the Old Testament Saints.


• All the Martyrs.


• All Who Sleep in Jesus.

B. Then, Immediately After The Sleeping Saints Arise, All Believers Living Upon The Earth Shall Be Changed And Caught Up To Meet The Lord In The Air (I Cor. 15:51-58).

As our Lord descends in the brilliant glory of his second coming, we shall go out to meet, as he comes with all his saints to burn up the earth, destroy the wicked, and make all things new. What a day that will be!

C. Then, After The Son Of God Has Gathered All The Ransomed Bodies Of His Elect From The Earth, After He Has Destroyed All The Wicked With The Brightness Of His Coming, All The Wicked Shall Be Raised.

Hear me, stout hearted sinner, you who rebel against the claims of Christ, you who will not bow to the rule of Christ, you too shall be raised to meet him whom you despise. There is a resurrection for you too. But for you, the resurrection has no music – The Lord himself shall issue a summons that you will not be able to resist. You will stand in terror before him whose grace you have despised, against whom you have sinned. Your body and soul, now united in sin, shall be united in horror. I offer you no word of comfort. If you die without Christ, I give you no word of hope or peace. Yours shall be a resurrection of damnation!

III. Thirdly, Immediately After The Resurrection, We Must All Be Judged Of God, According To The Record Of Our Works (vv. 12-13).

"It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment!" What horror awaits you! How can I make you see? God help me to preach plainly and effectually to your heart. There is a judgment to come!

A. The Judge Before Whom You Must Stand Is The God-Man Whom You Have Crucified – (John 5:22; Acts 17:31; II Cor. 5:10).

B. You Will Be Judged According To The Record Of God In The Books Of His Law And Justice.

When the books are opened, what shocking terror shall seize your soul! In these books every offense you have ever committed is written.

1. The first book contains your sins against God (Ex. 20:3-11).
2. The second book contains your sins against men (Ex. 20:12-17).
3. But there are some against whom the books of God's law and justice contain no crimes written – (Jer. 50:20).

C. Their Names Are Found In Another Book, Which God Wrote And Sealed Before The World Was Made, It Is The Book Of Life.

1. In this book there is a record of Divine Election.
2. In this book there is the name of a Surety.
3. In this book there is a record of Perfect Righteousness (Jer. 23:6; 33:16). 4. In this book there is a record of Full Satisfaction.
5. In this book there is the promise of Eternal Life.

IV. Fourthly, Those Who Are Found Perfectly Righteous, According To The Records Of God Himself, Shall Enter Into Eternal Life And Everlasting Glory With Christ.

They that have done good, nothing but good, perfect good, shall enter into everlasting life – (Rev. 22:11).

1. God's Elect.
2. The Redeemed of The Lord.
3. The Called.
4. The Justified.
5. Those Who Believe.

I beseech you now, by the mercies of God, to be reconciled to God in Christ. "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade" you to come to Christ.

1. Behold His Love!
2. Behold His Atonement!
3. Behold His Grace!

V. Fifthly, I must warn you if you will not trust Christ, you must be forever damned – All Who, In That Day, Are Found Guilty Of Sin Shall Be Cast Into The Lake Of Fire To Suffer The Unmitigated Wrath Of God Forever!

• Take Him!


• Bind Him!


• Cast Him!

In that great and terrible day, I hope to be found in Christ, not having my own righteousness. But having his righteousness.

Illus: Rowland Hill's Dream.

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