Revelation chapter 20. We are going to be talking about judgment today. One of the values of moving through the Scripture in a systematic, consistent way is you cover everything that God has said, even the things you'd rather not have to talk about. And judgment is not one of the more pleasant subjects that we have to address, but it is certainly one of the most necessary. We realize as adults, that just because we choose not to think about something, or we would prefer that it not be true, reality does not change. And that's true in the context of judgment. Even though we might not like to think about it, even though we might wish that there were not such a thing as coming judgment, the reality of the matter is God has spoken very clearly, directly, and repeatedly. to the matter of judgment and solemnly warned us to be ready for judgment to come. The sheet that you received, titled Judgments of Scripture, is not necessarily a thorough presentation of all the judgments of Scripture, but I have listed here some of those judgments that are yet future. are related to the study that we have been doing. Many people begin the study of the judgments by talking about the judgment on sin and Satan at the cross. And that certainly is a judgment. But these, for the most part, focus on actual judgments when Christ will sit on his throne. One is a little different setting. Let me just walk through these quickly with you. We begin with the church at the rapture, the first judgment listed. That occurs before the seven-year tribulation when all believers are caught up to meet Christ in the air. Then we have what we call the bima seat, the judgment seat of Christ. The objects of that judgment are all believers in the church, the church beginning in Acts chapter 2 down until that rapture. The results of that judgment are believers are rewarded for faithful service. The bima seat, we take that word bima for the judgment because that's the word used for the judgment in the Greek text of the passages that I have listed there. The issue at that judgment seat is not your eternal destiny. Everyone at this judgment seat, the first one here, the Bema seat, is going to spend eternity in the glory of God's presence. They're simply being rewarded for their faithfulness of service. The second judgment listed is the living at the second advent. This judgment will occur at the end of the seven-year tribulation. Before the Millennial Kingdom, when Christ returns to Earth to set up his kingdom, the subjects of this judgment are all those who are physically alive at the end of the tribulation. Jews and Gentiles alike are included. The results of the judgment, all unbelievers are killed. All believers go into the Millennial Kingdom. So this is a judgment of physical people. The results of the judgment are physical death. or continued physical life into the kingdom. The third judgment listed is the resurrected at the second advent. So, we have the living at the second advent. Now, when Christ returns to earth after the tribulation, before the millennium, there will also be a resurrection of believers. Now, we had the resurrection of church saints at the first judgment. That occurred before the seven year tribulation. The end of the seven-year tribulation, now we will have a resurrection of Old Testament saints and a resurrection of those who were saved in the seven-year tribulation and were martyred. The results of the judgment, reward for faithfulness, they rule and reign with Christ in the millennium. We saw this in the opening verses of chapter 20 of Revelation. The fourth judgment are living unbelievers at the end of the millennium. Now, this is not presented with a physical throne, but I've included it here because it's so closely involved with the subject matter that we're talking about. The time of the judgment is the end of the thousand year millennium, verses seven and nine of Revelation 20. The objects of this judgment are those who were born in the millennium, people who go into the millennium, the earthly reign of Christ, In physical bodies, we'll have children and repopulate the earth. We talked about that in a previous study. But those born in the millennium will be born inheriting the sin nature from their parents back to Adam. They're born sinners. They need redemption by faith in Christ the Savior. Satan was bound during the thousand years. At the end of the thousand year kingdom, He is let loose for a time. He goes about and deceives the nations. Chapter 20 of Revelation, verse 8. The result is a number like the sand of the sea respond to Satan's deception and march to Jerusalem to attempt to dethrone Christ. The result of this judgment is fire comes down from heaven and they are killed. In one sense, this judgment has some similarities to number two. where unbelievers were killed at the beginning of the millennium. Now you have unbelievers killed at the end of the millennium. Remember that that millennium demonstrated was the total sinful depravity of man, that even in a perfect world under a perfect king, when given his choice, would rather have Satan as their ruler. Then the fifth judgment is the one that is before us today. It is literally the last judgment of Scripture. This last judgment will have as its subjects all unbelievers who are now resurrected and appear before Jesus Christ in resurrected bodies to receive final sentencing to an eternal hell. In the first judgment of the church at the rapture, all the subjects of that judgment were believers. At this fifth judgment, I've listed all the subjects are unbelievers. This is the last judgment, and it is the judgment of the wicked. It is the final sentencing to hell, and that's what we will be talking about. I brought some statistics for you that appeared in U.S. News and World Report to give you some idea of how people view heaven and hell. This is a survey taken with the Gallup poll organization. The subject of the article was hell, it was a cover story of US News, but they had results of the survey they had taken here. Let me just give you some of the statistics. The percentage of Americans who say they believe in heaven in 1990, 78% said they believed in heaven. 60% said they believed in hell. And they're quite high percentages, I thought. In fact, those percentages are higher in 1990 than those who were surveyed in 1952. In 1952, only 72% said they believed in heaven and 58% said they believed in hell. In 1990, 60% said they believed in hell and 78% in heaven. Now, that doesn't make it so, but often we think that people have totally abandoned the belief regarding life after death and heaven and hell. But in reality, it's either stayed pretty stable or more of the people have a belief. Now, what they believe about heaven and hell might obviously be different than we would be dealing with scripturally. But at least you realize you do have something to talk about with people. The majority of people you come in contact with When asked, we'd say, yes, I believe there is a heaven. I believe there's a hell. Well, there's a door open. What do you believe about heaven? What do you believe about hell? Who do you think is going to heaven? Why do you think there is a hell and who will be there? We may have more grounds for opening a discussion on the eternal destiny of men and women than we sometimes think. Also, it's interesting to me, the age group The largest percentage who believe in heaven and hell, I would have thought, would probably come from the older people. That's not true. The largest percentage, by a significant amount, is among the age group from 18 to 29. Eighty-four percent of those in the 18 to 29 age group said they believed in heaven, and 71 percent of that age group said they believed in hell. Now again, I usually think that it's that younger group that would have moved away from that faith. In contrast, those in the 50 and up age group, 50 and up, only 74% believed in heaven. And 54% believed in hell. 54% of those 50 and up said they believed in hell. 71% of those 18 to 29 said they believed in hell. That's a significant difference, getting close to 20% more. Perhaps the young people have more thoughts about life after death than we give them credit for. The misconception about heaven and hell comes out when you ask the question, do you think you have an excellent or a good chance of going to heaven or hell? Total percentage, 78% think they have a good or excellent chance of going to heaven. Only 4% think that they have a good chance of going to hell. And those percentages hold up with the 18 to 29 age group. Only 3% of them think they go to hell. What this does say is there is a consciousness and a sense among people that there is something beyond this life and something for the good and something for the wicked. Even though the majority of people would say, I believe there's a hell, They believe that hell is necessary for people who are worse than they are. But it shows that there must be some form of judgment and retribution to carry out justice, even in the confused thinking of fallen man. Now, if we're going to find out anything about heaven or hell, there's only one place to go to get any kind of real objective help, and that is to God himself. You can turn on the talk shows and listen to people who died and went to heaven. Interesting, they don't have many people on who died and went to hell. Usually people died, went to heaven and came back. But if you can die and go to heaven and come back, why can't you die and go to hell and come back? Then you'd really have something to talk about. Well, we have books being written on it. People flocking want information. Well, we are privileged. God has put it down in black and white. What about life after death? What about heaven? What about hell? Who is going there and why? And we are dealing particularly with the subject of hell. At the end of chapter 20 of Revelation, we've already talked about the kingdom and being part of the kingdom. When we come into chapters 21 and 22, we're going to be talking primarily about eternity, what we would call heaven, what it will be like some of the characteristics of eternity in God's presence, and some of what will go on there. We come to chapter 20, verses 10 and following. The final test of mankind has occurred in verses 7 to 9. That was man living under the glorious reign of Christ, but when given a choice, he would choose to overthrow Christ. Now, it says in verse eight, the same went out to deceive the nations that does not alleviate the nations and the peoples of their responsibility. He has deceived them into thinking that they can successfully overthrow Christ. That he could be king in place of Christ. But they are really following the desires of their heart, he's not making them do something they don't want to do. They would like to overthrow Christ. His deception is now you have a chance. And so they express the desire of their heart in following his deception, but they are accountable for the fact they would love to overthrow Christ, given the opportunity. And they're revealing their fallen condition. The problem is not external. The problem is internal. The problem is not what kind of parent you had, what kind of upbringing you had, what kind of environment you have in your world. The problem is you have a sinful heart. I have a sinful heart. My heart is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things, Jeremiah 17, 9 says, and your heart is the same. We are fallen beings. Put us in a perfect world and in a perfect environment under a perfect king and that depraved heart is unchanged. It must be cleansed by the power of God. By the salvation that he has provided through the death of his son, we come now to the time when God will meet out final punishment to wicked beings, angels as well as men. Verse 10 focuses on the final sentencing of Satan. Revelation 20, verse 10, And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. It's fitting. that this final phase of judgment should begin with Satan and his casting into hell. He's the one who began the rebellion back in Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28. As the anointed cherub that covered the throne of God, when he acted to attempt to overthrow God, the fall occurred. Then he was involved in the deception of the woman in the garden, which led to the sin of Adam. and the fall of the human race. Now, he is sentenced to hell. He is not the first being sentenced to hell. A thousand years earlier, the beast and the false prophet were cast into hell in chapter 19, verse 20. The end of verse 20 of chapter 19. These two, the beast and the false prophet, were thrown alive into the lake of fire, which burns with brimstone. A thousand years later, they are still alive in the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. Because the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, chapter 20, verse 10, where the beast and the false prophet are also. They're still there. They are still suffering and being tormented. And we are told they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. In chapter 25 of Matthew, in verse 41, Jesus said that hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels, Matthew 25, 41. I take it in verse 10, when we say the devil who deceived them was thrown in the lake of fire, all demonic beings also will at this time be cast into the lake of fire, which is hell. There they, along with the beast and the false prophet, will experience endless torment, day and night, forever and ever. Day and night is a way of expressing endlessly, unceasingly. Nothing breaks it up. Hell is described in the Gospel of Matthew by Christ as outer darkness, Matthew 22, 13. Cast them into outer darkness. Matthew 25 verse 30. Outer darkness. So there's not day and night in hell as we would know of it. It's all darkness. Day and night is the way we have of expressing something that goes on unceasingly. Tormented without break forever and ever into the ages of the ages, literally. No stronger way to speak of eternity in the Greek language. Forever and ever this torment goes on. So what about the torment of hell? It goes on unceasingly forever and ever and ever. This begins to raise questions in people's mind, and I want to say early here that I cannot conceive of what is being unveiled here. People, beings being tormented unceasingly forever. Right away our human emotions come in and you say, do you think God would really do this? I mean really, would you want to do this to your worst enemy? Have them suffer unbelievable agony every second of every day forever. Now, do you really think a God of love and mercy and kindness would act in such a vengeful way? And we begin to try to rationalize in our thinking why this couldn't be so. But the only one who can really tell us is God Himself. Now, most of us don't have a problem with Satan going to hell. If you believe there is a hell, and if you believe there is a devil, There certainly at least is one person who belongs in hell, and that would be the devil. And scripture would agree with that. He does belong in hell. Hell was prepared for him. He will spend eternity in hell. We might even say, well, the beast and the false prophet were those two human beings most totally devoted to Satan and used by Satan in the accomplishment of his purposes. They too belong in hell. They performed the most awful atrocities. in killing other people, in trying to make other people die in as miserable a way as possible. Certainly they deserve hell. We can understand that, at least perhaps say they're worthy. But now we're going to move into an area that stretches us, because in verses 11 to 15 we are going to find vast numbers of the human race. In fact, Jesus Christ said the majority of the human race will be included. in verses 11 to 15. For in Matthew chapter 5, he said that there is a broad gate that leads to a broad way that goes to destruction. And there are many going through that gate and traveling that road to destruction. There is a narrow gate with a narrow road that leads to life, but few enter that gate and travel that road. That comparison would indicate that the majority of people are on the road to hell, while relatively few people are on the road to heaven. That would mean that the majority of the human race will be appearing at the judgment that is recorded at the end of Revelation chapter 20. It's an awesome sight. It's an awesome scene. And the end of it is very striking. Look at verse 11, And I saw a great white throne, and him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. We come to the ultimate fulfillment of Hebrews 9.27, which says, It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this comes judgment. A great white throne judgment, and we often call this the great white throne judgment because the judge here sits on a great white throne. The white indicates the purity of the throne. It is a judgment that will be exercised in purity, in holiness, in righteousness. Come back to Daniel chapter 7 verse 9. Now here you have a scene of the throne of God. The throne is not said to be white, but the one who is sitting on it is described as white. Verse 9, I kept looking until thrones were set up and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His vesture was like white snow and the hair of his head like pure wool. See that whiteness associated with Him, denoting something of His purity. And we still use that color white in certain settings to denote purity. So here it is, a throne of purity. Turn back to Psalm 97. A picture is given of the throne of God. In verse 2, clouds and thick darkness surround Him, adding something of the awesomeness of this scene. Note the last part of verse 2. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries. Note, the foundation of this throne is righteousness and justice. That means that all the judgment exercised from this throne will be perfect in righteousness, perfect in justice. This is where we get into difficulty when we talk about hell, when we talk about the justice and judgment of God. We measure ourselves according to our own standards. That's seen when you have roughly 60% of the people in a survey saying they believe in hell, but only 4% believe they would go there. In other words, we're saying I am better than others. There may be people that deserve hell, but I'm not one of them. So the problem with that is God, who is the judge, who judges with perfect purity, perfect righteousness, perfect justice, says every one of us deserve hell. He says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. You see, the standard of measure is not you or me. The standard of measure is God and His perfection. I tend to fall into the pattern of looking around and saying, I'm not nearly as evil or wicked or bad as someone over here. I don't mean this side of the auditorium is particularly evil, but I mean this other person. And so I feel better, quote, about myself. Even we as Christians do this. Oh, we ought not to think that we're different. In this area of thinking, how often we as a believer are aware that we are not functioning as God would have us to do. We are not as diligent in our service for the Lord. Perhaps we have an area of sin in our life we've tolerated. But I console myself by looking at a believer who is not functioning as well as I am and say, at least I'm better than he is. As though God were in heaven looking down and saying, you know, Gil's just not doing what he ought to. But I got to say, he's doing better than Don is, so we ought to be thankful for that. I mean, what kind of judge would that be? What kind of justice and righteousness would that be? But I sometimes, in my own vileness, console myself as though that was something to, you know, boost me up. One thing we keep in mind, judgment in Scripture, we're going to see this as we move on in chapter 20, is always one on one. God and me, God and you. Not God and you compared to someone else. God and me compared to someone else. It's God and me. Me in light of His perfect righteousness. Me in light of His perfect holiness. Me in light of His perfect purity. And he says, you don't make it. You fall short. Your best righteous deeds are like a polluted, vile rag in my sight, according to Isaiah. I have to keep the standard of measure. clearly before me. So it's a great white throne. There's one sitting on this throne in Revelation chapter 20, and that would be an awesome sight. It will be an awesome sight. I take it the one sitting on the throne is God and particularly God the Son. Turn to the Gospel of John, the fifth chapter. And we don't have time to read the whole section, but you could read verses 19 and following. Down through verse twenty nine, and they're really on down through the chapter. But let me just pull out a couple of verses. Verse twenty two of John 19. Jesus is speaking for not even the father judges anyone, but he has given all judgment to the son. In order that all may honor the son, even as they honor the father. He does not honor the son, does not honor the father who sent him. You see, it's the plan of the Godhead that Jesus Christ, God the Son, be the executor of judgment. So all the judgments that we have referred to are judgments that will be carried out by God the Son. Down in verse 27, God the Father gave him authority to execute judgment because he is the son of man. It is fitting. Here is the son of man. God who became man will exercise perfect judgment over. Man. Verse 28, while you're here, do not marvel at this for an hour is coming, which all who are in the tomb shall hear his voice and shall come forth. Those who did good to the resurrection of life, those who committed evil to a resurrection of judgment. We are to the resurrection of judgment. In Revelation, chapter 20, verses 11 to 15, turn back to Revelation, chapter 20. While you do, let me read you a verse. Second Timothy, chapter four, verse one. I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead." See, again, it's Christ Jesus who is to judge the living and the dead. And the charge is, preach the word. Be instant, in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering. And the fact of coming judgment is to have a direct impact on you and I as the people of God in how we live and what we do. In light of coming judgment, you and I are exhorted to be proclaiming the word of God to others. Back in Revelation chapter 20, heaven and earth flees away before the throne and no place is found for them. And I take it what we have here is the removal of the present earth and heaven. In 2 Peter, chapter 3, verse 10, verse 13, Peter says that this present world will be destroyed by fire. We'll talk about this in a future study. I think what we have here is the removal of the present heaven and the present earth to make way for the new heaven and the new earth. In chapter 21 of Revelation, verse 1, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth passed away. That's what's happening in verse 11. The first heaven and earth are being removed. There's no place for them because God is done with them. We're now going to have a new heaven and a new earth. So this time of judgment is in between the passing away of the old heaven and old earth and the establishing of the new heaven and the new earth. For you see, the final thing that has to be dealt with is sin and sinful beings. They will all be cast into hell so that the new heaven and the new earth is never tainted in any way by the touch or presence of a fallen being. Because all fallen beings who have not been redeemed by God's grace will be in an eternal hell. That's the picture of heaven and earth fleeing away at this awesome time. I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and the books were opened." That's an awesome description, is it not? I saw the dead. There's been a resurrection here because the dead are now standing before the throne. Something of the details of this resurrection will be the subject of verse 13. You remember back in verse 5 of chapter 20, the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Now the thousand years are completed. We have the resurrection of the wicked. The righteous were all part of the first resurrection. Now you have a resurrection of the dead, a resurrection of judgment, as Jesus referred to in John chapter 5, which we just read. I saw the dead standing before the throne. The great and the small are before the throne. It's a reminder. No one is too powerful, too important, too rich. No one is too insignificant, too small, too poor. All unredeemed humanity is gathered before the throne of Almighty God. And here you have standing the powerful rulers of this world and the most insignificant slaves Now they stand on level ground to be judged. Standard of judgment is not their greatness or their poorness, their influence or lack of influence. Standard of judgment is the righteousness of the one who sits on the throne. What will it matter at this time? Their bank account, their house, their job. What will matter is their lack of righteousness. The great and the small standing before the throne. The books were opened back in Daniel chapter seven, where we read about the throne room scene in verse nine of God on the throne. At the end of verse ten of that scene, we're told the books were opened. Same picture. Another book is opened, it's the book of life, and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, plural, according to their works. So the books which are opened contain a record of every thought and every action that every person has ever done. I can't conceive. How could that be? It would take forever to do this judgment. Well, keep in mind, God has forever. But also keep in mind, he is the omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God. And there's no problem for him to exercise this judgment with every individual person. We know that it's not only what they have actually physically done, but what they have thought and conceived in their mind, because Paul, in the connection of talking about judgment, says that God will judge the motives and the secret things of the heart. And Jesus said in Matthew 5 that a person who looks with lust in his heart on a woman has committed adultery in his heart and is accountable to God for that. A person who has hated his brother is the same as a murderer and is accountable to God for that. It's an awesome thought that every thought, every desire and every action has been recorded. It's written down. Now the books are open, for you see, this is a judgment in perfect righteousness, in perfect justice. There's no withheld evidence. There's no technicalities. This is the omniscient, all-knowing God with the record of everything these people have ever thought and ever done right there. They are judged on the basis of their works. All the judgments of Scripture are based on works. We're not going back into the details of this because we've done it previously. The reason, you remember, is because our works reveal our character. Keep in mind here, he doesn't say you'll be saved by your works. In fact, this judgment proves just the opposite. But you are judged on the basis of your works, because your works reveal your heart. They reveal what you are. They reveal you to be a sinner and deserving of hell. Your thoughts. Have you ever in your whole life had an impure thought? Have you ever in your life had a hateful thought? Have you ever in your life had a greedy desire? And on we go without even getting to what we actually carried out, thinking we did it in secret without being known and noticed. It's all been written. Our deeds will show us to be sinners. He's already told us all have sinned. The books will show it to be so. But the book of life is here also. So in addition to the books which contain all the record of our thoughts and deeds, there is the Book of Life. The Book of Life contains the names of the redeemed. The Book of Life is here, even though there are no redeemed people, because it shows the names are not in the Book of Life. Anyone whose name is not in the Book of Life, according to verse 15, is going to be sentenced to hell. We'll see that you couldn't be saved on the basis of your works, even though you're judged on the basis of your works. The judgment on the basis of works reveals your character. It also determines the degree of punishment. Turn back to Luke chapter 12. I hesitate to say this because I fear I'll be misunderstood. When the righteous are judged, there is reward. All the righteous are going to heaven, but there is reward for the righteous. All the unrighteous are going to hell, but there will be degrees of punishment in hell. Make no mistake, hell is hell. It is a lake of burning fire in outer darkness with agony and suffering you cannot conceive of. But even within that framework, there will be variation in the punishment. In Luke chapter 12, verse 47, break into a parable in the explanation of a parable. Verse 47, that slave who knew his master's will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will will receive many lashes. But the one who did not know it and committed deeds worthy of a flogging will receive but few. And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required. And to whom they entrusted much of him they will ask all the more. So here comes out the people say, what about people who are born, live and die in a place in the world where they never hear the name of Christ? They are never exposed to a Bible. God says they are sinners lost and without hope, and if they die without repenting of their sin and believing that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for them, they have to go to an eternal hell. They deserve it. But obviously, they have not had the same chance as people who would sit here. and hear that God has said you are a sinner on your way to hell, but there is hope. You can turn from your sin and believe that Jesus Christ died for you. Claim the mercy of God and be saved. Much has been given to you. More has been given to you than to some others. There will be fairness in judgment. When the books are opened, it will be revealed. When you share the gospel, keep that in mind. Someone goes out and shares the gospel. We say, what happened? You say nothing. I presented the gospel to them, but they didn't believe it. Nothing happened. Yes, you presented the gospel to them and something happened in the books of the records. It was written down. On such and such a day, at such and such a time, the eternal gospel of Jesus Christ was presented to this person and they didn't believe it. And to whom much is given, much is required. That's why the Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians, the end of chapter 2 and the end of chapter 3, every time we give off the knowledge of Christ, we are a fragrance of life to life and death to death. And who is sufficient for these things? Every time you present Jesus Christ, something of eternal significance has transpired. It's been recorded for eternity. If they never believe, it will come up at the judgment of the great white throne. I need to keep in mind the significance of what is taking place. We're dealing in eternal realms. That's why Paul goes on in 2 Corinthians 3 to say only God makes us adequate for this ministry. Our adequacy is not of ourselves. It is of God who has made us adequate as servants of the new covenant. So back to Revelation chapter 20, verse 13 describes the resurrection He has stated the fact that these people have been resurrected. Now, verse 13 tells us the sea gave up the dead which were in it. Death and Hades give up the dead which were in them. They were judged every one of them according to their deeds. So where did the dead small and great come from? They came from the sea. They came from those who had died. They came from Hades. The sea is mentioned here as a special group because one of the worst things that could happen to you in biblical times, this part of the world, was you didn't get a fit burial. And many ships went down at sea. Those days and many lives were lost at sea. Those people never received a fit burial. They were just lost at sea, quote. So here's a reminder, it's not only those who died and are buried, but it is all the dead. Those lost at sea weren't lost at sea from God's perspective. Those who died. The place of departed spirits is Hades. King James here says hell, but it's a different word than hell. It's the word Hades. Now, Hades is the place that the spirit of unbelievers goes following death. We have to look at Luke 16. Many of you are familiar with this passage. Here you have an account of the death of a poor man and the death of a rich man. At the end of verse 22, the rich man dies and was buried. And note verse 23 of Luke 16. And in Hades, he lifted up his eyes being in torment. You see, the body without the spirit is dead, James 2.26 says. When an unbeliever dies, immediately their spirit leaves their body and goes to Hades. Hades is a place of fiery torment. In verse 24, this man cries out for a little relief from his suffering. Someone to dip the tip of their finger in water and touch his tongue. Why? At the end of verse 24, I am in agony in this flame. So Hades is a place of fiery torment. All the questions, well, could a spirit suffer pain in fire? Well, of course, if God made the fire to inflict pain on a spirit. I mean, he made hell for the devil and his angels, and the devil is a spirit. But the intention of hell was to inflict eternal torment on angelic spirit beings. Is that difficult for God? No. Well, doesn't fire have to burn you up to nothing? No. Here is the man in the torment of the fire of Hades. Now, what we have in Revelation chapter 20 is all of those who are unbelievers who have been suffering torment in Hades are now taken out of Hades, brought before the great white throne for final sentencing. And it's similar, if I can use a weak analogy, to being in jail, waiting, sentencing to prison. We see some of this going on in our television now. And here's a man in a jail cell. They tell you the size of the jail cell. Waiting what his day in court and what the sentence will be if he's found guilty. We have people in jail in our city awaiting sentencing to the prison. What's the difference duration? I mean, you're still in a cell of about the same size, but when you're sentenced to the prison, what is it? It's a longer duration. What's the difference between Hades and hell? Hades is where you're held in torment, awaiting your final sentencing by the judge to an eternal hell. That's the difference. So when you read in Revelation chapter 20, Hades gave up the dead which was in it. Well, you're just talking about the spirits are now joined to the bodies that had died. They're resurrected. so they can appear for their judgment. They were judged, every one of them. You note the last part of verse 13. They were judged, each one of them, every one of them. They, the whole group, but they're judged individually. Each one of them according to their deeds. And the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient God will call all unredeemed humanity to be resurrected in His presence. Each one of them will be individually judged and finally sentenced to hell. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. Death and Hades, in reference to all those who were dead at this judgment, all those who had been in Hades. Death will no longer exist now and Hades will no longer exist. And the final enemy, death, is destroyed. And all of those who had died and all of those who had been in Hades. are going to be thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. We had the first resurrection, the first part of this chapter. Now we have the second death. Death in Scripture, separation, physical death, separation of a person from their body. The body without the spirit is dead. Spiritual death in Scripture, we were dead in our trespasses and sins. We were separated from God, spiritually dead. The second death, eternal death, separation from God forever in hell. This is the second death. The lake of fire, the end of verse 8 of chapter 21. Their part will be in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Note verse 15. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. No one is saved by their works. They are judged by their works, but they can't be saved by their works. Your name is in the Book of Life by the grace of God. The Book of Life was mentioned in chapter 3, verse 5 of Revelation. Chapter 13, verse 8 of Revelation. It contains the names of the elect of God. Only those in the Book of Life are redeemed. Spend eternity in glory. Why are we judging them on the basis of their works? Their works reveal their character. Their works determine where in hell They will spend eternity. No one can be saved by their deeds. You and I, the redeemed today, our lives are transformed by the power of God. We're new creatures in Christ. We could not be saved by our works. Paul says, by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight. And that's all that matters. That I would be justified or righteous in your sight does not matter. I must be righteous in his sight. And he says, by works, no one will be justified in his sight. Isn't it amazing? Talking to someone in Israel, a Jewish man, he was explaining what he thought it was going to be like after death. We're going to be called before God. He's going to put all the good that I've done on one side of the scale, all the bad, and I hope it tilts in my favor. You know, that's like betting all that you have on last week's baseball game. Someone says, I'm betting a million dollars. on the outcome of this game. So wait a minute, that game was played last week. They've already broadcast the score. The team you're betting on lost by 20. Well, that doesn't matter. I'm going to bet. What kind of fool? I'll take the million. Thank you. Well, you know, that's where we are. The one who will judge all humanity has told us the outcome. He says, when all your works are put on the scale, you will be found wanting. Isaiah 64 says, all your righteous deeds will be like a filthy, polluted rag in his sight. So he's told us the outcome. The result will be you'll be sentenced to an eternal hell. People say, I'm going to take my chance. You don't understand. There is no chance. The judge has already rendered the verdict. He's told you the outcome. That's why Acts chapter 17 says, God today commands all men everywhere to repent, for He has appointed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a man that He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead. Almighty God knows how awful hell is. He knows how serious the issue of our sinfulness is. He commands all everywhere to repent. But they don't. There will come a time when we reach the great white throne. There is no mercy. There is no grace for those appearing at this judgment. The day of mercy, the day of grace has passed for these people. Today is a day of grace. Today is a day of mercy. God offers to you salvation today, full and free. Turn to Romans chapter 3, verse 9. What then? Are we better than they? Jews better than Gentiles? Gentiles better than Jews? Not at all, for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks all are under sin. You want to know God's verdict on you personally? On me personally? Verse 10, there is none righteous, not even one. If you think you're the exception, the judge has already rendered his verdict. There is none who understand. There's none who seeks after God. They've all turned aside. There is none who does good. There is not even one. That's God's evaluation. So you come down to verse 22 of this chapter. Now the righteousness of God is manifested through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe, for there is no distinction. Note this, no distinction. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That's the issue. You've sinned. I've sinned. God demands perfection, absolute holiness, perfect righteousness. So we are being justified as a gift by his grace. through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, whom God publicly displayed as a propitiation or a satisfaction in His blood. God provided His Son to pay the penalty for our sin. He gives us forgiveness and cleansing and righteousness as a gift when we repent of our sins and believe in His Son. There is no other way. This is a day of grace. God offers this now as a free gift. When we come to the great white throne, there is no grace. There is no mercy. It is a time of judgment. It is a time of wrath. It is a time of condemnation. Turn over to Revelation, chapter 14, verse 10, describing some of those going to hell. He will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of his anger, full strength, no mercy, no grace mixed in. We say, oh, isn't God a God of love? Yes, he is. But God is also a God of wrath. a God of justice, a God of holiness. We cannot just decide what aspect of God's character should we want to focus on. His love, His mercy and grace is being demonstrated today in offering salvation to fallen men. For those who don't avail themselves of that mercy and grace, there is only pure, unmixed wrath ahead. He will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. And they have no rest day and night. Hell is awful, more awful than you and I can imagine. Only God ultimately knows how awful hell is. Could it be any clearer in giving us the warning? Is it any wonder that His message to all everywhere today is repent, for I have appointed a day in which I will judge you in righteousness." But he says, I offer you my righteousness to spare you from wrath to come. There's no other way. I don't want to be here and claim or give you the idea that I understand all about hell. I don't. But I believe with God a sinner. I'm taking Him at His Word. I'm a sinner like every one of you are. And I'm availing myself of His mercy and grace. That I don't understand at all, but your evaluation of me is true. I am a sinner. I want to claim your mercy. I want to claim your grace. I'm placing my full trust in Jesus Christ as my Savior. And He cleansed me. He made me new. He says, I spared you the wrath to come. One word as we close. Ezekiel chapter 33. You and I who experience this grace have a solemn responsibility before God. Ezekiel is the one in view in Ezekiel, chapter 33, verse seven. But we already saw in Second Timothy, chapter four, where Paul exhorted Timothy in light of the fact that Jesus Christ will judge the living and the dead. We are exhorted to preach, proclaim, give forth the word of God. Look at Ezekiel 33, seven. Now, as for you, son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel, so you will hear a message from my mouth and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity. He is accountable to God for his sin, but his blood I will require at your hand. For you see, I am also accountable to God for my obedience. But if on your part you warn a wicked man to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity. But you have delivered your life. You see, I am accountable for this God that I'm talking about. He says, you understand there is coming a day when Jesus Christ shall judge the living and the dead. You understand that the wage of the sin is death. You understand that men and women will be sentenced to an eternal hell because of their sin. You have been entrusted with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. If you do not tell them, they will die in their sin. But I will hold it to your account. If you warned them and they don't believe, they'll die in their sin. But you have been faithful. You know, we get concerned. We don't want to share the gospel because we're afraid people might not believe it. People might become hostile. People might turn against us. Does that matter? Is that what's really important? Is what we've studied this morning is true? Does it matter what people think? No, only one thing matters. What does the judge of all humanity think? What does he say? How do I measure up before him? That's the only thing that matters in eternity. That's all that really matters in life. Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for who you are. We easily forget that you are God. And we are but frail, created beings. Lord, we're mindful of our own sinfulness, our own depravity, our own unworthiness. How could we, so marred and covered by our sin, be acceptable before you? And yet you, the righteous and holy God, have acted on our behalf in love and mercy and provided salvation through the death of your Son. That that salvation should be offered to us as a free gift is amazing and awesome. Lord, we give you the praise and thanks for the free gift of salvation through faith in Christ. Lord, you know our hearts as we're gathered here today. You know us as we'll be revealed in the coming judgments. It will not matter whether we have fooled one another, whether we have convinced others that we are righteous. You know us as we are. Lord, I pray the Spirit might convict each one, that those who are unredeemed might heed your call of grace and repent of their sin and believe in the Savior. Lord, I pray for those of us who have been redeemed that we would take to heart the message of your Word. It's not enough just to understand something of the doctrine of coming judgment, but we have been given a solemn responsibility to warn fallen men and women of wrath to come. We have been given the solemn privilege to exhort them to repent in this day of grace and believe. Lord, I pray that we will be bold and faithful in the responsibility that You've entrusted to us, so that in that day when we stand before You, we might hear well done, good and faithful service. Thank you, Lord, for a salvation that is so wonderful, so great, so awesome, that it will deliver us from wrath to come. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? We pray these things, Father, in Christ's name, Amen.