Judgement

Revelation 20: 11-15  -  Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.  And I 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.  The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.  If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

The end will come…be sure of it...John says it in plain English. It is just like the ending to a great movie…where they catch the bad guy… lock him up …and you think the movie is over.  But then the bad guy escapes….and you sit on the edge of your seat for just a bit longer…praying for that ‘happily ever after’ ending.  The good guy …this time God himself… is so brilliant that even the Earth and sky hide from his presence. As he sits on his throne his glory will be our permanent light….to live in forever. The ‘happily ever after’ ending comes….but not to everyone.  The particulars really don’t matter…first death..second death…first resurrection…the confusion of the words will be cleared up on that day. The devil…Satan…anti-christ…dragon…or whatever term you choose to give the beast will be forever cast into the lake of burning sulfur…and God will reign on Earth.

John describes for us that scene where we will all be judged.  Everyone who has ever lived will be raised from their graves to stand before the father.  He will open many books…containing all that we have done…and then open the book of life…to see if our name is there. Oh that I wish everyone’s name would be there…but it won’t.  John has already shared this sad fact with us…some of the people will choose to never believe in God…never ask him into their heart…never request that he write their name in the book…so they can be part of the happy ending.  So many people…some you know…some you were standing next to in the grocery isle yesterday....some are even sitting next to you in church on Sundays.

Does John tell me this to give me comfort…or to create a passion in my heart to share the truth of God with others? I think it is both…he wants me to rest in faith that I have reserved my place in heaven…and through my experiences of knowing God…of allowing him to walk beside me and comfort me in all that I do and say..I gain the first-hand knowledge and testimony I need to share what God has done for me.  A passion….even a great longing should build within my heart to share this testimony with those that might still have a tender heart. Remember that the words of this book are not really John’s…they are God’s…seen through a vision… dictated by an angel. God is showing John that our faith is not completed when we give our lives over to his care.  His care creates a passion in our hearts to see others come to know him too.

Father…I thank you for the testimonies of others who understood what to do with your love…and I thank you that they shared it with me.  I thank you that you spoke to my heart with the love of the others around me….and that you helped me see the need to accept your love. Thank you for writing my name in that book and giving me the comfort of your great word to know that I will be in your presence someday…and share the wonders of Heaven along with everyone else who chose to accept your love. Now father…help me to grasp what it really means to have my name written in that book…create in me a passion to share the love you gave me with those you have placed around me….so that you will need to add pages and pages and pages to the names that are already there. Amen