Revelation 20:11-15 “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. (12) 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. (13) The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. (14) Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (15) And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
After the destruction of the armies of Gog and Magog the eternal judgement of all unbelievers and all of Satan’s angels will take place. It will be at that time that the second resurrection, which our Lord called the resurrection of condemnation, will take place (John 5:29). The above quoted passage of scripture teaches us that the sea, Death and Hades will give up the dead that are in them. When the scripture speaks of the sea giving up its dead it is not referring to unbelievers that have drowned at sea, but rather it is referring to all the spiritually dead unbelievers that will still be on the earth at the end of the age, for the scriptures often refer to the nations of the earth as the sea (Psalm 65:7). And so, all unbelievers and all of Satan’s angels will be made to stand before the great white throne of God and before the thrones of the saints, for it is the saints who will judge both the world and Satan’s angels at that time (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). The scriptures reveal to us that the books will be opened in which are recorded every aspect of their lives, and based on what has been recorded in the books, the Lord’s saints will be given the honour of pronouncing an eternal judgement on each unbeliever and every demon on that day (Psalm 149:9). As judgement is pronounced on each unbeliever and demon, they will then be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone which is the second death and the reason that they will be cast into the lake of fire is because their names will not be found in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Daniel 7:9-10 “I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; (10) A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.”
God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will look on as their saints pronounce judgment on both the unbelievers and Satan’s angels on that day. The multitudes that will stand before the throne on that day is unfathomable, for as we have already mentioned, the number of the unbelievers alone will be well over one hundred billion people. Over and above that number however, will also be all of the myriads of demons. As per Daniel’s account quoted above, there will also be millions of saints present and billions of God’s angels who will be ministering to Him and our Lord Jesus Christ on that day. This will truly be a momentous day on the eternal calendar. The scriptures reveal to us that both Hades and Death will also then be cast into the lake of fire, for Death is the last enemy that will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26). It is at that time that the current heavens and the current earth will be done away with and God our Father will create the new heavens and the new earth. And we will be there to witness that new creation as it takes place. It is at that point that the city of the New Jerusalem will then descend from heaven to the new earth that our Father will create, and we will thus dwell with Him and our Lord Jesus Christ in the New Jerusalem for all eternity.
Michael E.B. Maher
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