Full Transcript

Welcome to Share the Word podcast, episode 270, covering the book of Revelation, chapter 20, and this is part 2. Today, Pastor Paul Nitz talks about the future resurrections as well as the coming judgments, including the White Throne Judgment. And if you’ve never heard of it, keep listening. Revelation chapter 20, part 2: Resurrections and Judgments. I’ll admit off the bat that this is a difficult lesson. Some of the things we’re going to cover in this episode, for me anyway, can hardly be discussed academically in some kind of detached, emotionless manner.

In fact, I’ve dreaded reaching this point in Revelation, but I’ll do my best to keep explaining its biggest ideas. When we reach the end of the Bible’s stories, we come up against the topics of resurrections and judgments. Let’s talk about resurrections first. In chapter 20, verse 4, John is shown this: The souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God, those who had not worshipped the beast or his image nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or hands, they all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the first resurrection, he then adds. The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.

The souls of those who would not bow to the Antichrist during tribulation and who died as a result, we’ve already heard them crying out to God to take revenge on the beast and his regime. How long, O Lord? How long will you let this go on? At the second coming, their prayers are finally answered. Christ, when returning as conquering King with the armies of heaven, utterly defeats the Antichrist, as we saw, the false prophet and their armies. What John sees now, though, is that these martyred tribulation saints, believers from that time period who were killed for their faith, bodily resurrected.

The Greek term translated here, came to life again, is used 40 times in the New Testament. Thirty-nine of them clearly refer to a bodily resurrection, as often Jesus’ bodily resurrection. Just as Jesus came out of the tomb in a real body, and believers from the church age who have died in Christ are bodily resurrected at the rapture, in the same way, these tribulation martyrs at Christ’s second coming will be resurrected as well in new, immortal bodies. Although the Bible does not specifically say when, Old Testament believers will certainly also be resurrected bodily. Job famously said, Though worms destroy my body, meaning his corpse after his burial, yet in my flesh I will see God. In my flesh.

He expected a physical, bodily resurrection. Old Testament writers Daniel and Isaiah, for example, both confirmed that. Some believe that all the Old Testament believers were resurrected when Jesus was, 2,000 years ago, when he came out of the tomb. But Daniel, the Old Testament prophet in particular, which is a book with visions about the end times, sounds like this will happen at the second coming of Christ. When the tribulation era is over, so that means when these martyrs from the tribulation era are also raised. I had to do a little research to get comfortable with the line, This is the first resurrection, because as I said, church age believers, I think, will be resurrected earlier than this at the rapture, and for that matter, Jesus and at least some Old Testament saints were already bodily resurrected back in the first century.

So, in what sense would John call the resurrection of tribulation martyrs here the first resurrection? This isn’t an easy question for interpreters, but the answer seems to be that we should understand first not in the sense of order in time, but in order of kind or importance. There are two kinds of resurrections: a resurrection to life, as here, and a resurrection to judgment. And John does add here, the rest of the dead will not come back to life until the thousand years have ended. That’s the unbelieving dead. So they will not come back to life until after the millennial kingdom has run its thousand-year course.

Who exactly are the rest of the dead? As I said, I think they’re the unbelievers. It appears to be all of them as well: unregenerate people, unredeemed people since the beginning of creation, unbelievers who died during the Old Testament times, those who died during the New Testament times, during the church age we’re in now, unbelievers who took the mark and died during the tribulation time, and those slaughtered at the end of it at Armageddon. All the unrighteous dead throughout the ages, those with no saving relationship with God, who have been held in the place the Bible calls in the Old Testament Sheol, or in the New Testament Hades, all of them will be resurrected after the kingdom era, but only to face judgment.

So, to summarize resurrections, there is ahead a resurrection to life for all believers from throughout all the ages, a bodily, physical resurrection when we are given new, immortal bodies like the one Jesus came out of his tomb in. We discussed this more in detail, by the way, back in episode 125. But there is also coming a resurrection to judgment for all unbelievers from throughout all the ages. It appears they too will be physically resurrected in bodies because, as we’ll see, at the final judgment it says they stand before God’s white throne to be sentenced. Verses 7 to 10 in this chapter seem a little odd and out of place to me. John is shown there that at the end of the thousand-year kingdom, Satan will be let out of his prison for a short time.

Remember, when Christ came with the armies of heaven, the Antichrist and the false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire. That’s the end of them, the place of ultimate judgment. But Satan was not. It specifically said earlier in this chapter that he would be chained in the abyss, prison for demons, and sealed there so that no outside evil forces would be able to disturb anything going on during the kingdom era. But now, we read here at verse 7 that he will be released at the end of the thousand years and, get this, lead another rebellion against God and this, lots of people will join him. Remember, as we’ve already learned, this period of 1,000 years which follows the tribulation will be populated by real mortals, survivors from the large number of people who will become believers during the tribulation era, both Jews and Gentiles.

They will enter Christ’s kingdom on earth into a much better world where the curse is lifted, the knowledge of the Lord fills the earth, Isaiah says. So these people will find themselves in an ideal environment similar to what we read in Genesis existed at the beginning before sin contaminated the world. Yet. Satan was able to deceive Eve then, wasn’t he? And to bring Adam into that rebellion against God with her, wasn’t he? Now, once more at the end here, he will be able to do it again, this time joined by many, many people, descendants of the believers who came through the tribulation era into the kingdom.

Are you following this? This is what is so amazing to read. Remember, those who come out of the tribulation into this new world will have every imaginable advantage: the curse of sin lifted, people living long, long lives. There’ll be no wars, no disease, a peaceful world with real justice for all under the administration of Christ Himself. So why? Not why, given the chance, would Satan attempt to lead another rebellion.

He has nothing to lose at this point. Why would God release him and even give him the opportunity to try? And why would so many in such an ideal world join in this rebellion? My answer is speculative because we’re not told, and no one needs to think they can read the mind of God. I certainly don’t. But my best guess is this will be why.

It will be a way before the time of the final judgment for God to demonstrate clearly once for all just how sinful men really are, and why His coming judgments are just. Mortals, people just like us, will be growing up and enjoying a near perfect world then. And aren’t we told by sociologists that people’s problems are all pretty much environmental? If we could only create a better world with better education and better economy and more nurturing and safe environment with justice for all, everyone would thrive. Well, no, they wouldn’t. And they won’t.

The millennial era then will be a time better than the most optimistic sociologists could imagine, and yet even then there will be rebels, and lots of them. People who will go along, no doubt, when they have to, but in their hearts will never respect God or submit to Christ and His rule. People who will be ripe when the tempter is released, the deceiver is loosed that last time, and will gladly follow him and rebel against the righteous rule even of the Lord Jesus Christ. This will prove the depravity of man. And maybe, maybe that’s exactly the point: to prove the wickedness in us cannot all be blamed on others or circumstances or this or that. The wickedness is in us unregenerate people, in our sinful hearts.

Rebellion against God and His ways has always existed, and it always will until every last vestige of what sin has infected is wiped away. So Christ will allow this rebellion to develop long enough to see who’s who in His kingdom, and when that is clear, because it will become clear when these rebellions come up against Jerusalem itself, they will be destroyed. It will be put down, and without a fight, by a fire from heaven. And then Satan, that old serpent who has troubled our world since the Garden of Eden, will join the beast and the false prophet as he is thrown into the lake of fire. Take a deep breath. Now let’s turn the page to be sure we understand the judgments that are ahead.

First, and we have discussed this one in detail back when we were in the Gospel of Luke, I think in particular from chapter 14 and then in chapter 19. This judgment is spoken of several times in the epistles too. It’s usually referred to as the judgment seat of Christ or the Bema seat judgment. It takes place apparently after the raptured church is in heaven with Christ while the tribulation is happening below on the earth. As Paul wrote the early Christians in Corinth, we must all appear here before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may receive what is due for his deeds while in the body, according to what he has done, whether it is good or bad. Bad in the sense of worthless.

That’s 2 Corinthians 5:10. You might remember in another place, Paul compared this coming experience for Christians as having our life’s work tested by fire to see, after coming through the furnace, what remains of value to Christ. This is 2 Corinthians chapter 3. Will it be like wood, hay, and straw all burnt up, or how much will come through as gold, silver, and precious stones? To be clear, there’s no condemnation ahead for those of us who are in Christ. We’re promised this, Romans 8:1.

So it’s better to think of this judgment, if we want to call it that, as an evaluation and a time of rewards or no rewards. But speaking for myself, I cannot imagine how intense it will be to actually stand before the Savior and listen to what he has to say about my life. The outcome of this judgment of believers is hugely significant too. It will have lasting consequences for Christians. For one big thing, it will decide what our role will be during the thousand-year kingdom era. Remember, we discussed this last time, that believers will rule and reign is the term with Christ.

That is, participate in his administration over the earth during that whole era. What is entrusted to us then will be decided at the judgment seat of Christ, but I seriously doubt that will be the end of the effects of that evaluation. I believe its ramifications will extend into eternity as well. We might talk about that more before we finish Revelation. Another judgment overlooked by many who do not take the Bible as literally as I do is what is sometimes called the judgment of the nations, or else by some, the sheep and goats judgment. We learned about this from Jesus’ Olivet discourse in Matthew 25, and mentioned again just an episode or two ago.

This occurs when Christ returns at the end of the tribulation to destroy his enemies and set up his kingdom. Jesus, looking ahead, told his disciples that what is left after Armageddon, as the nations on earth will be gathered before him, the people then will be separated like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. His sheep, believers who survive the tribulation era, will then be blessed by God and move on into his kingdom, still as mortal men. But the unbelievers, those who stayed rebellious and obstinate throughout that time, will be separated out and sent forward to eternal judgment. If you read what Jesus had to say about this in Matthew 25 at verse 31 and following, it sure sounds like what will mark those he calls his sheep has everything to do with them standing up for him during that tribulation time and with and for his brethren, as he calls them.

Remember the questions they will ask, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you a drink, or a stranger and invite you in, or in prison and visit you? And the King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Brothers and sisters of mine. What did he mean? Who did he mean? It’s not legit to pull this out of context and just generalize its application, as most people do.

This is directly in the context of the second coming of Christ, and so its first application, at least, should be for those in that future setting. I believe he meant, in the first place, the Jewish people who were targets of the Antichrist for annihilation during the tribulation time, and as well, his special witnesses, who we’ve read about, who will represent God boldly and faithfully then. But again, even those will be largely the 144,000 Jewish witnesses. One more time I’m going to say this: no hint of anti-Semitism should ever be attached to any of us who want to be on God’s side of things, who call ourselves followers of Jesus Christ.

Those who survive this judgment of the nations will be, among other things, friends and supporters of the Jewish people during that awful time, not unlike the special commendation awarded Gentiles who aided and protected Jews during the Holocaust, those called the righteous among the nations. But this leaves us with one more judgment, the final judgment of unbelievers, the unredeemed, told about here in Revelation 20, beginning at verse 11. Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sits upon it, from whose presence the earth and heaven flee away, and no place was found for them. Then I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged from the things written in the books, according to their deeds.

And the sea gave up the dead which was in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them, and they were all judged, every one of them, according to their deeds. So at the end, all the unbelieving dead will be resurrected for this final judgment before their Creator. He is pictured sitting on a great white throne. The small and the great are brought before him means all the unredeemed will be there without distinctions. John’s description here is very similar to a vision the prophet Daniel had. In the seventh chapter of his prophetic book, he says there, Thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat.

His clothing white like snow, and the hair of his head like whitest wool. His throne was a flaming fire, its wheels blazing as fire. River of fire was flowing, coming out from his presence. Thousands upon thousands attended him, ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. Then court was convened, and the books were opened. They’re seeing the same thing, it sounds like.

The gleaming whiteness of the throne and the one sitting on it speaks to purity, and all the fire to God’s holiness. This will be an awesome and fearsome scene to behold. Earth and heaven itself will flee away, John is seeing. I think this means that this is the point at which they are, as someone has coined the term, uncreated, when the universe, as far as we’ve known, appears to return to nothingness from which God at the beginning called it into being. Second Peter also describes this happening at the end. So all that remains at this point, as the earth and heaven are gone now, is the nothingness with people standing before the Almighty God.

Surrounding His throne are the redeemed and all His holy angels, and the countless masses of unredeemed humanity that have been summoned before His court. This will not be a trial, much more like a sentencing. The judgment then will be based on their deeds as those who stand before God await Him. The books will be opened means God has kept records. He has the receipts, we might say. A person’s deeds, even their words, even their thoughts, their spiritual opportunities, it will all be factored in by the One who alone has the authority to pass the sentences.

The book of life is also there and will be opened. That book, as we’ve previously seen, contains the names of all those who have been saved, those who have been born into God’s eternal family throughout history through faith in God and what He has revealed. Faith in Him is the only way anyone has ever been saved since the beginning. Those before God on that day will be those who have not believed, who have not responded to His grace, and so will be judged according to their deeds. I do believe there will be differing sentences handed down on that day. Otherwise, why this hearing at all?

Why would God have even kept the records? But nevertheless, anyone whose name is not found written in the book of life will be separated from God and good forever, it says, cast into the lake of fire, another name for hell. Two questions I’ve gotten over the years about all this are, first, is the punishment of the wicked really forever? I’m going to be completely honest and tell you, I hope not. Some interpreters have understood the second death to mean the end for the lost, understood Jesus’ word perish to mean they are, after some kind of punishment, ultimately destroyed. But others, I think most conservative interpreters, can’t find any such hope and insist the language in a couple places, other places, describe hell as a place that will go on forever and ever.

Although I think even they would agree there are degrees of suffering or punishment based on what God the judge takes into account at his great white throne judgment. The other question I’ve been asked is, will there be any opportunity to repent after death? You know, some kind of second chance for those who just didn’t take any of this seriously during their lifetime? I wish I could tell you yes, but I do not see that possibility anywhere suggested in the Bible. On the contrary, Hebrews 9:27 says we each have an appointment with death, and after that, our next stop is judgment. So when an unbeliever dies, their soul goes to the place of the dead, Hades, to await the resurrection to this final judgment.

Our most important decisions, friends, are made during our lifetimes here and now, and none is more important than whether we will believe God and accept his offer of salvation through Christ. That’s why we are told over and over, as we’ve seen in the New Testament, today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. And behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. As you hear the gravity and consequences involved at the end of the Bible story, if the voice inside you is urging, you should listen to this. You should respond to this.

That’s the Holy Spirit, and He’s calling you to repent and believe the gospel. Thanks for listening. This is Paul for Share the Word. Thanks, Paul. Share the Word is a Great Commission project bringing you the big ideas of the New Testament chapter by chapter. In today’s episode, with so many things that stood out to me, there is one that frightens me the most: that once you leave this earth, there is no second chance to redemption.

If you haven’t accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, what you’ve done is accepted to spend eternity away from God and away from your loved ones who have accepted Christ. You see, accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior involves personally believing that He is the Son of God, who died for your sins and rose again, and then inviting Him to lead your life. It’s a personal, heart-level decision marked by repentance, asking for forgiveness, and committing to follow Him.