Revelation 20:11 -15 - Death is abolished

This is a scene of judgment which John saw where everyone is present. He saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it. Around this throne are …the dead, the great and the small…, all standing before Him who sat on it. The throne of God presented in Revelation, as we have seen, has been a continuing motif. It represents the source of true power and authority in the world as opposed to all the false claims to the throne by the dragon and the beast. It is from the great white throne that judgment ensues, in this world and in the end-time vision. Bear in mind that John’s audience are believers from the churches he is writing this great apocalyptic letter to. They are believers who probably had to face the Roman courts, where they would be judged and condemned for their faithful stand and confession as believers of the Lamb. In John’s vision he sees this final judgement as one that is delivered impartially. And everyone, without exception, is present to receive his or her impartial verdict.  John did not identify the figure seated on the throne. In Jewish tradition, the last judge is of course God. Do know that in certain later apocalyptic traditions, the heavenly “Son of Man” has also been seen to be authorized by God to judge as his representative. John did not specify the figure on the throne. He didn’t say it was God or Christ. Both God and Christ have so often been together in this book. We either see the Lamb-as-representative-of-God or God-who-defines-himself-by-Christ. Here John did not clearly specify or describe the One who sat on the throne. Judgment is based on the books that are opened in this heavenly courtroom. The books have records of human deeds, and everyone stands in judgement for what they have done. This picture tells us that God did not dictate on human freedom. It suggests that each human being is given the responsibility for his or her own action. Every dead person, none was excluded, is summoned to this judgement where the deeds they have done is weighed. Hence we must conclude that what we do matters not only for now but also ultimately. We are told that death and hades are also folded up and thrown into the lake of fire. This is to say that death and hades are abolished. John explained that this lake of fire is also called the second death. Then we see in this scene, another opened book. This is the book of grace, the Lamb’s book of life. Names are written in it. Those whose names are not found in this book will also be thrown into the lake of fire or to face the second death. It’s clear that those who were saved from the second death are not based on their deeds but whether their names are in the book of life.  Remember that making the decision to acknowledge the Lamb and His rescuing death, is a matter of personal responsibility. This will determine whether one’s name will appear in the book of life. Knowing Christ as Lord and Savior guarantees our names will be written in the book of life. Having been saved, we must also consider the fact that our deed matters to God. For we are all created in Christ Jesus for the good works God had beforehand prepared for us, so that we can walk in it. And this we must seek to do for His glory!