Title: Guilty, No Appeal, and No Acquittal
Bible Book: Revelation 20 : 11-15
Author: Donald Cantrell
Subject: Judgment, Great White Throne; Guilt
Objective:
Introduction
Revelation 20:11-15, "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the 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 death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." (KJV)
On November 2, 1994 the jury was selected for one of the most notorious trails in the history of our country. The opening statements were made on January 24, 1995 and the verdict of not guilty was announced to the world on October 3, 1995. Simpson was tried for two counts of murder, one of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and waiter Ronald Lyle Goldman. The world was shocked that Simpson was allowed to walk from the courtroom as a free man.
One of the greatest defense teams ever was assembled to try the case for Simpson. Robert Shapiro, Johnnie Cochran, Robert Kardashian, and F. Lee Bailey were some of the prominent lawyers on his team. This team of prominent lawyers also incorporated two other lawyers that specialized in DNA evidence. The lawyers found enough wrong doing in how the case was handled by the LAPD and created enough doubt in the minds of the jurors that the world was shocked at the preconceived verdict.
The bible tells us that the greatest trail to ever occur is still in the future of mankind. Once the millennium kingdom is completed, and the worldwide revolt of sinful man led by Satan is snuffed out, at that time God will cast Satan himself into the lake of fire; and then he will summon every lost person to his courtroom.
The unholy trinity is now in the lake of fire, every lost sinner since the creation of mankind is summoned to the courtroom. This will be the most horrific and most horrid scene the world has ever witnessed. The Lamb of God is now The Lion and his is not here to distribute love and grace; but to administer justice and judgment.
This courtroom will not be filled with lawyers and defense attorneys. The judge will be none other than Jesus Christ himself. The defendants will not be there to plead their cases, but to receive their sentence. The verdict cannot be appealed and the sentence will never be reduced. In this courtroom there will be no need for a jury and the witnesses will be all of the redeemed of mankind.
The world has mocked God, made fun of his Holy Word, they have abused and molested his followers since the dawn of mankind. The name of God has been maligned, spit upon, his church has been persecuted, pulverized, and now in the end God will allow his Son to judge them for all of their evil deeds, dealings, and denials. The events of this day will initiate the heavens and the earth to flee from the very face of God. The knees of every sinner will buckle under the fear of facing the God that each one of them had previously rejected. The multitude will be found guilty with no appeal and no hope of acquittal.
I. The Great Scene (11)
This scenario will be breathtaking and mindboggling. The world has never fathomed the events of this day. The lowly Savior of Galilee is nowhere to be found. The meek man that rode into Jerusalem on a lowly donkey has just returned from heaven upon a white horse and he is about to enter this courtroom as the judge and jury of the world.
A) Specifics of this Throne
This throne is unlike any throne the world has ever observed. This throne is one that the creator of the world will sit upon. If the world is his footstool and the mountains are his stepping stones, one can only imagine the vastness of this throne of judgment.
1 – Its Provoking Concept “Great”
2 – Its Pure Color “White”
B) Supremacy of this Throne
The judge that is seated upon this throne is one of the utmost character and honor. His judgment will be pure and his sentence will be correct.
1 – Highest Son
2 – Honored Seat
C) Subjectivity of this Throne
The very heavens and earth flee from his presence; but there is no place that his arm cannot reach or that his eyes cannot see.
1 – Day of Fleeing “His Unique Reverence”
2 – Day of Finding “His Universal Reach”
II. The Godless Summoned
As the judge sits upon his throne, the lost will be summoned to appear. We must remember that these people are already dead, whether their bodies are in the grave, cremated; or in the sea, each and every one of them will be resurrected.
This group will be vast and versatile in their character and their corruption. The common denominator of this multitude will be their sinfulness and their rejection of Jesus Christ. The multitude will be judged individually and decisively by Jesus Christ. This will be the most notorious gathering the world has ever observed.
A) The Dead are Raised “Day of Judgment”
The dead bodies of mankind and their souls will reunite before they are cast into the lake of fire. The bodies are raised up from the earth and the sea, then the souls of each one are released from hell.
1 – The Immensity of this Multitude
2 – The Intensity of this Moment
B) The Deeds are Revealed “Day of Justice”
We cannot be definitive about the books that are going to be opened, but we can assume the books will be data about our life. The books will be opened and show every person how they have lived their lives.
· The Scripture and the Bible “Book of Righteousness”
· The Sinner and their Behavior “Book of Remembrance”
· The Saved and their Believing “Book of Redemption”
The moment the bible is opened, the scoffers and the skeptics will be confronted for their mocking and meaningless boasting. The bible will be used to judge them for their sinfulness and shamefulness.
The other book that will be used is a book of remembrance, this book will pointed and accurate concerning the lifestyle of this entire massive multitude. The group will be standing before a Holy God, that is sitting upon his regal throne and the mood will be anxious and alarming.
1 – The Judge “His Bar of Righteousness”
2 – The Judge “His Books of Remembrance”
III. The Grave Search
The last book to be opened will be the book of life or the book of redemption. The fact is that everyone that is standing at this judgment had their fate sealed the moment they died. This entire multitude will realize that none of their names are in the book.
A) Its a Book of Redemption
The book contains the names of every blood bought believer since Adam and Eve. The book is opened and every person has the chance to see that their name is null and void as far as this book is concerned.
1 – Nature of this Book
2 – Names in this Book
B) Its a Book of Rejection
I suppose every man and woman presence at this judgment will have vivid recollection of each and everytime they rejected Jesus. The lost may remember every opportunity that they scorned or every opportunity that they postponed. The omission of their names will cause their hearts to fail and their knees to quake, eternity is near and the lake of fire is yearning for their sinful and evil souls.
1 – Mindful of their Opportunities
2 – Mindful of their Omission
IV. The Guilty Sentenced
The events of this moment are saddening and sobering to even consider. I am not sure pen can adequately describe the shame and sorrow of that day. The findings of their Lostness will be undeniable and the lake of fire that will seal their fate is unquenchable.
A) The Undeniable Findings
There will be no legal team to debate guilt or innocence. The findings of this day are firm and factual. The sorrow of this day is unfathomable and unfamiliar to our finite minds.
1 – Thorough Search
2 – Tragic Sorrow
B) The Unquenchable Fire
We don’t hear much teaching or preaching on hell or the lake of fire but the bible is very clear and concise about its reality and its relevance.
1 – The Place of this Fire
2 – The People of this Fire
3 – The Pain of this Fire
Conclusion
If you are planning on becoming a Christian, today might be the best day. We have no promise of tomorrow. If we are going to win the lost; it needs to be now. I for one cannot adequately fathom the horror of watching my friends, my family, even my foes being cast into this lake of fire.
