Physical Death Is Not The End

Revelation 20:11-15 - And I saw a great white throne and the one who sat upon it, from whose face the earth and sky fled away, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, great and small, standing before God; and The Books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to the things written in The Books, each according to the deeds he had done.  The oceans surrendered the bodies buried in them; and the earth and the underworld gave up the dead in them. Each was judged according to his deeds. And Death and Hell were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the Second Death—the Lake of Fire.  And if anyone’s name was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.

John described the time of judgment to come after God has sent his son back to earth to reign with the faithful in peace for 1000 years. Satan and all evil was locked up for this time in a bottomless pit so that the world would not be deceived and have an opportunity to experience peace with no confusion. Theologians have varying theories about this scripture and its literal meaning…but I think stressing over the details is not what God wants us to remember about the words he had John record. 

God wants us to see the pot of gold at the end of the proverbial rainbow…the hope that the ending of his great story provides. He also wants us to realize that to claim a portion of that hope we must believe and make sure our names are written in that book of life. The details may be a little hazy…but two things are sure.  All people will be judged…and those found to reject Christ will suffer the same fate as the creature who introduced evil and sin into the story to begin with. 

God wants us to realize too that we can’t just accept him and claim our place in his Heaven. The judging process includes a summary of the service we provided for him after we asked him to be our savior. My small brain wants to envision the same relationship we have with an employer.  When we ask God to write our name down in that book of life…we become his employee….and the judging will reveal what pay grade we should receive as we pass from this life into heaven with him. We should not settle for the lowest grade seat in the vast expanse of Heaven. We are to be the best employees we can be…so that we can spend eternity with more of our friends and family.

Father…thank you for the reminder that life with you provides peace and hope for all eternity….but a rejection of your love will end in eternal death. Forgive me for being an average employee…and settling so many times for a mere ticket to heaven.  Help me to be a better servant for your kingdom…following your leading to share what you have done in my life to give me eternal peace and hope…so that the kingdom will enlarge with new believers.  Amen.