Revelation 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away… I. THE MAJESTY OF THE TRIBUNAL. II. THE PERSON OF THIS JUDGE. Here is justice, we may say, here is retribution, in the very commencement of this judgment, the very constitution of this court — the once abased but now exalted — openly exalted — Jesus, is receiving from His Father a compensation for all His former degradation and shame. III. THE DISSOLUTION OF THE WHOLE MATERIAL WORLD. What is a man advantaged if he gain the whole of such a world as this? The world would be a poor thing to make our portion, even if it were destined to last for ever, but we shall be alive ages and ages after it has perished; and if the world is our all, where then will our happiness be? where will our comfort and support be? IV. THE STRANGE, VAST ASSEMBLY GATHERED TOGETHER IN IT. V. THE PROCESS OF THIS JUDGMENT. 1. Its exactness. "The books were opened." "The books were opened" — the book of God's law; the law of His universe, which every creature is bound by his very existence in His universe to obey. The book of His gospel — a book superadded in man's case to the book of the law, and as binding on man when made known to him as the law itself. And then there is a hook to be opened within us, the book of memory and conscience. There are few of us who have not at intervals been surprised at the power of these two faculties within us; it is an indication of their future power when they are called forth in their full energy before our Judge. 2. The justice or equity of this judgment: "The dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books." False accusers can do nothing against us now. Friends and flatterers can do nothing for us. They will not be listened to. The books — the true and faithful books only — will be regarded, and by their testimony will our sentence be determined. 3. The wonderful grace that will be manifested by Him in this judgment. There is another book mentioned. "Another book was opened, which is the book of life." "He that believeth shall be saved," it says. "Now bring forward that book of life. It is My once secret register of all that are Mine. Open it. There stands that man's name written; I with My own hand wrote it there; and though My law condemns him, and record upon record condemns him, yet he believed in Me for salvation, and that is enough — I will never condemn him. I will not blot out his name out of that book of life, but I will confess his name, declare and proclaim it here as a name dear to Me, before My Father and before His angels." (C. Bradley, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. |
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