Sermon: The Great White Throne Judgement: Revelation 20:11-15

Old Testament Reading: Daniel 12

“‘At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.’ Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, ‘How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?’ And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, ‘O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?’ He said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”” (Daniel 12, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Revelation 20:11-15

““Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11–15, ESV)

Introduction

About a week ago our family was driving across town and we were listening to some bluegrass music. That’s probably not how you expected this sermon to begin. Also, I should probably explain why we were listening to bluegrass. Kalia and David are taking guitar lessons, McKenna is working on the ukulele, and I’m toying around with the mandolin. Bluegrass music is a good choice if you want to hear some inspirational finger picking. But as we were enjoying the music a song came on with some disturbing lyrics. In this song the artist was complaining about his upbringing within the church, and he was most direct about it. He was recalling how as a boy he heard often of the flames of hell while in church. He was hardly tall enough to see over the pew, he said, but to him the flames of hell seemed to be so high. According to his lyrics (whether it is true or not, I do not know) the threat of hell was used in that church to inspire good behavior in the children. Truth be told, the song was so cynical and negative towards the church that my first impulse was to turn it off, but instead I encouraged my kids to listen to the lyrics so that we could talk about them.

It seems to me that there is a ditch on both sides of the road when it comes to the subject of hell.  Read the rest of Sermon: The Great White Throne Judgement: Revelation 20:11-15 »