A friend was recently called to jury duty. In the case, a woman had been charged with assault and battery with a deadly weapon. The jury unanimously convicted her. But the final sentencing was to come later. At that time the judge would announce the degree of punishment the woman deserved.
Christians often call the final sentencing of those who reject Jesus as their Savior the “great white throne judgment.” The name is derived from a scene in the book of Revelation where the apostle John wrote, “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them” (20:11).
The white throne symbolizes God’s purity, holiness, and indisputable justice. John saw that the throne was “great” or large, representing God’s unequaled authority. The awesome dignity of the one on the throne caused the earth and the heavens (sun, moon, stars, etc.) to flee from his presence. The sin-stained universe cannot remain in God’s holy presence. Because of the initial rebellion of humans in the garden of Eden, God has placed a curse on the earth. It has thwarted human productivity ever since. Science recognizes that things tend to move toward disorder, not order. My desk never gets organized by itself.
The one who sits on the throne is Jesus. He himself said, “the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22). Jesus, who stepped out of eternity, became a human person, and lived a sinless human life, will be the one who will judge all sinful humans. God’s judgment is fair.
Next, John said he “saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” (Rev. 20:12). The books that are opened have a record of everything that everyone has ever done while alive on earth. The point of these books is that all of our deeds, words, thoughts, and emotions will be examined by the Lord.
What is the Book of Life? John explains, “Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire” (20:15). The Book of (eternal) Life contains a list of the names of everyone who has come to faith in Jesus. The lake of fire is the final judgment we usually call hell. The great white throne judgment is a judgment for the one who has rejected Jesus. The books that record their deeds and words, including their hidden motives, will show irrefutably that they are deserving of an eternal judgment.
Some Christians believe that there will be one general judgment for all people. At this single time of judgment, God will determine who has faith in Jesus and has their name written in the Book of Life, and who has not expressed faith in Jesus. But it is more likely that the great white throne judgment is only for unbelievers. Their names are not in the Book of Life and therefore they are judged and condemned based on their deeds.
Believing Christians will escape this judgment because they have eternal life, which includes the forgiveness of all their sins. Their names are written in the Book of Life. Jesus promised, “Whoever believes in [me] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18). Our eternal destiny is ultimately determined on earth.
At the great white throne of judgment, “Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:13–14). Hades is the temporary place of confinement for all those who have rejected Jesus. (For more detail about Hades, see question #34.) They are judged “according to what they had done” (v. 12). Since they are already in Hades, their eternal destiny is both known and fixed. The great white throne judgment determines that they really deserve to be in the lake of fire, and it determines what degree of punishment they should have.
There are degrees of punishment in hell. Jesus criticized the people in a town called Capernaum for not responding in faith to his miracles. “I tell you,” he said, “that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you” (Matt. 11:24). The Old Testament city of Sodom was so wicked that God destroyed it completely. The words “it will be more bearable” suggest that the evil people of Sodom will have a lesser punishment in the lake of fire [= hell] than the people of Capernaum. Greater exposure to truth brings greater responsibility.
FOR FURTHER STUDY
Daniel 7:9–14; Matthew 10:14–15; 12:36; 25:31–46; Acts 17:30–31; 24:25; Romans 2:5; Jude 6