Revelation 20:13
The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.
The sea gave up its dead
The phrase "the sea" in biblical literature often symbolizes chaos, mystery, and the unknown. In ancient times, the sea was seen as a formidable force, representing the depths of the earth and the unknown. The Greek word used here is "θάλασσα" (thalassa), which can refer to a literal body of water or metaphorically to the realm of the dead. This imagery suggests that no place is beyond God's reach, and even those who perished in the sea will be resurrected for judgment. The sea giving up its dead signifies the comprehensive nature of the resurrection, where all who have died, regardless of where or how, will be brought forth.

and Death and Hades gave up their dead
"Death" and "Hades" are personified here, indicating their temporary dominion over humanity. "Death" (Greek: "θάνατος," thanatos) is the state of physical cessation of life, while "Hades" (Greek: "ᾅδης," hades) refers to the abode of the dead, akin to the Hebrew "Sheol." In the context of Revelation, these entities are not ultimate powers but are subject to God's authority. The act of them giving up their dead underscores the temporary nature of their hold over humanity. It reflects the Christian belief in the resurrection, where death is not the end but a transition to eternal life or judgment.

and each one was judged according to his deeds
This phrase emphasizes individual accountability before God. The Greek word for "judged" is "κρίσις" (krisis), which implies a decision or verdict. The concept of being judged "according to his deeds" aligns with the biblical teaching that while salvation is by grace through faith, deeds are evidence of one's faith and relationship with God. This judgment is not about earning salvation but about the demonstration of faith through actions. It serves as a reminder of the moral and ethical responsibilities of believers, encouraging a life that reflects the teachings of Christ.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Sea
Represents the vast and often mysterious realm of the dead, possibly symbolizing those who died at sea or in places unknown.

2. Death
Personified as a force or entity that holds the dead, often seen as the final enemy to be defeated in Christian eschatology.

3. Hades
The Greek term for the realm of the dead, akin to the Hebrew "Sheol," where the souls of the deceased reside until the final judgment.

4. The Dead
Refers to all who have died, regardless of their physical location or manner of death, who are now being resurrected for judgment.

5. Judgment
The event where each individual is assessed based on their deeds, highlighting the accountability of every person before God.
Teaching Points
The Universality of Judgment
Every person, regardless of their status or location in life or death, will face judgment. This underscores the importance of living a life aligned with God's will.

The Reality of Resurrection
The resurrection is not just a spiritual concept but a physical reality that affects all humanity. Believers can find hope in the promise of resurrection and eternal life.

Accountability for Deeds
Our actions have eternal significance. This passage encourages believers to live righteously, knowing that their deeds will be evaluated by God.

Victory Over Death
The passage assures believers of Christ's ultimate victory over death and Hades, offering hope and assurance of eternal life with God.

Preparation for Judgment
This scripture calls for self-examination and repentance, urging believers to prepare for the day of judgment by living faithfully and obediently.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of the sea, death, and Hades giving up their dead enhance your understanding of the final judgment?

2. In what ways does the concept of being judged according to one's deeds challenge or encourage you in your daily life?

3. How do the themes of resurrection and judgment in Revelation 20:13 connect with Jesus' teachings in the Gospels?

4. What practical steps can you take to live a life that reflects accountability to God, knowing that your deeds will be judged?

5. How does the assurance of Christ's victory over death and Hades influence your perspective on life and death?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Corinthians 15
Discusses the resurrection of the dead and the defeat of death, providing a broader context for the final judgment.

Daniel 12:2
Speaks of the resurrection of the dead, some to everlasting life and others to shame, paralleling the themes of judgment and resurrection.

Matthew 25:31-46
Jesus' teaching on the final judgment, where individuals are separated based on their deeds, echoing the accountability seen in Revelation 20:13.

John 5:28-29
Jesus speaks of a time when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
Satan LoosedJ. A. Seiss, D. D.Revelation 20:7-15
Satan Loosed from His Prison After the Thousand YearsC. Clemance, D. D.Revelation 20:7-15
The Age of Moral ReactionD. Thomas, D. D.Revelation 20:7-15
The Saints Compassed by EvilWm. Guild, D. D.Revelation 20:7-15
Death and the GraveH. Bonar, D. D.Revelation 20:11-15
Life a BookH. J. Bevis.Revelation 20:11-15
On Future Happiness or MiseryJ. Grant, M. A.Revelation 20:11-15
On the General ResurrectionJames Roe, M. A.Revelation 20:11-15
Society Divided by Christ into Two Great PartsRevelation 20:11-15
Standing Before GodBp. Phillips Brooks.Revelation 20:11-15
The Age of RetributionD. Thomas, D. D.Revelation 20:11-15
The Book of LifeJames Wells.Revelation 20:11-15
The Book of LifeJ. Trapp.Revelation 20:11-15
The Book of MemoryDe Quincey.Revelation 20:11-15
The Books of JudgmentBp. Morrell.Revelation 20:11-15
The Books OpenedT. De Witt Talmage.Revelation 20:11-15
The Day of JudgmentJames Walker.Revelation 20:11-15
The Eternity of the Sorrows of the LostG. Matthew, M.A.Revelation 20:11-15
The Final JudgmentS. Conway Revelation 20:11-15
The Final Judgment Upon Evil ConductR. Green Revelation 20:11-15
The Fourth Scene in the History of Humanity: the Age of RetributionD. Thomas Revelation 20:11-15
The Great AssizeJ. D. Carey.Revelation 20:11-15
The Great White ThroneH. Bonar, D. D.Revelation 20:11-15
The Great White ThroneBp. R. Bickersteth.Revelation 20:11-15
The Great White ThroneC. H. Spurgeon.Revelation 20:11-15
The Great White ThroneH. Batchelor.Revelation 20:11-15
The Great White ThroneS. Coley.Revelation 20:11-15
The JudgmentT. T. Munger.Revelation 20:11-15
The JudgmentCanon Hutchings, M. A.Revelation 20:11-15
The Last AssizeH. Melvill, B. D.Revelation 20:11-15
The Last JudgmentR. W. Hamilton, D. D.Revelation 20:11-15
The Last JudgmentC. Bradley, M. A.Revelation 20:11-15
The Last JudgmentJ. G. Breay, B. A.Revelation 20:11-15
The Last JudgmentJ. A. Macdonald.Revelation 20:11-15
The Open BooksG. Salmon, D. D.Revelation 20:11-15
The Opened BooksJ. A. Macfadyen, D. D.Revelation 20:11-15
The Opening of the BooksW. H. M. H. Aitken, M. A.Revelation 20:11-15
The Revivals of Memory a Prophecy of JudgmentAbp. Wm. Alexander.Revelation 20:11-15
The Sea Giving Up its DeadW. R. Williams, D. D.Revelation 20:11-15
The Terrible Doom of the LostC. S. Robinson, D. D.Revelation 20:11-15
People
Gog, John, Magog
Places
Patmos
Topics
Accordance, Conduct, Dead, Death, Deeds, Delivered, Hades, Hell, Judged, Works, Yielded
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Revelation 20:13

     5493   retribution
     9023   death, unbelievers

Revelation 20:1-15

     9155   millennium

Revelation 20:7-15

     9210   judgment, God's

Revelation 20:10-15

     1310   God, as judge

Revelation 20:11-13

     9230   judgment seat

Revelation 20:11-15

     5006   human race, destiny
     6125   condemnation, divine
     9240   last judgment

Revelation 20:12-13

     1075   God, justice of
     9110   after-life

Revelation 20:12-15

     9420   book of life

Revelation 20:13-14

     4127   Satan, defeat of
     4906   abolition
     5288   dead, the
     9530   Hades

Library
"But if the Spirit of Him that Raised up Jesus from the Dead Dwell in You, He that Raised up Christ from the Dead, Shall Also
Rom. viii. 11.--"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you." As there is a twofold death,--the death of the soul, and the death of the body--so there is a double resurrection, the resurrection of the soul from the power of sin, and the resurrection of the body from the grave. As the first death is that which is spiritual, then that which is bodily, so
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Profanations of Good and Truth
I. Goods and Truths and Their Opposites The Divine good that goes forth from the Lord is united with His Divine truth, as heat from the sun is with light in the time of spring. But angels, who are recipients of the Divine good and Divine truth going forth from the Lord, are distinguished as celestial and spiritual. Those who receive more of the Lord's Divine good than of His Divine truth are called celestial angels; because these constitute the kingdom of the Lord that is called the celestial kingdom.
Emanuel Swedenborg—Spiritual Life and the Word of God

The Life of the Blessed in Heaven.
Having examined the glorious gifts with which the risen body is clothed, and seen that it perfects the soul in all her operations; understanding, moreover, that the glorified senses are to contribute their share to the happiness of man--we shall now consider the happy life of the blessed in heaven, including the resurrection. But, remember, it is not a new life that is now to occupy our thoughts. It is a continuation of the same life that was begun the moment the vision of God flashed upon the soul.
F. J. Boudreaux—The Happiness of Heaven

An Awful Contrast
"Then did they spit in his face."--Matthew 26:67. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away."--Revelation 20:11. GUIDED BY OUR TEXT in Matthew's Gospel, let us first go in thought to the palace of Caiaphas the high priest, and there let us, in deepest sorrow, realize the meaning of these terrible words: "Then did they spit in his face." There is more of deep and awful thunder in them than in the bolt that bursts overhead, there is
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 42: 1896

The Seventh vision "In Heaven"
H^7. Chap. xix. 1-16. The final heavenly Utterances and Actions. We now come to the last of the seven Visions seen "in Heaven," which is the subject of chap. xix. 1-16, giving us the final heavenly Utterances and Actions which lead up to, explain, and introduce the five concluding judgments which close up the things of Time, and pass on to what we call the Eternal State. This last Vision "in Heaven" is divided into two parts, each having its own independent construction. The first contains the words
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

The Sea of Sodom
The bounds of Judea, on both sides, are the sea; the western bound is the Mediterranean,--the eastern, the Dead sea, or the sea of Sodom. This the Jewish writers every where call, which you may not so properly interpret here, "the salt sea," as "the bituminous sea." In which sense word for word, "Sodom's salt," but properly "Sodom's bitumen," doth very frequently occur among them. The use of it was in the holy incense. They mingled 'bitumen,' 'the amber of Jordan,' and [an herb known to few], with
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

A Few Sighs from Hell;
or, The Groans of the Damned Soul: or, An Exposition of those Words in the Sixteenth of Luke, Concerning the Rich Man and the Beggar WHEREIN IS DISCOVERED THE LAMENTABLE STATE OF THE DAMNED; THEIR CRIES, THEIR DESIRES IN THEIR DISTRESSES, WITH THE DETERMINATION OF GOD UPON THEM. A GOOD WARNING WORD TO SINNERS, BOTH OLD AND YOUNG, TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BETIMES, AND TO SEEK, BY FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST, TO AVOID, LEST THEY COME INTO THE SAME PLACE OF TORMENT. Also, a Brief Discourse touching the
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

The Second
refers to Genesis iii., the promise being "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life." "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death" (ii. 10, 11). The reference is to Genesis iii., where death first enters. But the promise goes beyond this; for it relates not merely to the death which came in with sin, but to the "second death," which is revealed in Rev. xx. 14; xxi. 8.
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

The Lapse of Time.
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."--Eccles. ix. 10. Solomon's advice that we should do whatever our hand findeth to do with our might, naturally directs our thoughts to that great work in which all others are included, which will outlive all other works, and for which alone we really are placed here below--the salvation of our souls. And the consideration of this great work,
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII

Jesus Heals Two Gergesene Demoniacs.
(Gergesa, Now Called Khersa.) ^A Matt. VIII. 28-34; IX. 1; ^B Mark V. 1-21; ^C Luke VIII. 26-40. ^b 1 And they came to the other side of the sea [They left in the "even," an elastic expression. If they left in the middle of the afternoon and were driven forward by the storm, they would have reached the far shore several hours before dark], ^c 26 And they arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is over against Galilee. ^a 28 And when he was come into the country of the Gadarenes. ^c 27 And
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The General Resurrection
Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. A n object, great in itself, and which we know to be so, will appear small to us, if we view it from a distance. The stars, for example, in our view, are but as little specks
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Appendix xix. On Eternal Punishment, According to the Rabbis and the New Testament
THE Parables of the Ten Virgins' and of the Unfaithful Servant' close with a Discourse on the Last Things,' the final Judgment, and the fate of those Christ's Righ Hand and at His Left (St. Matt. xxv. 31-46). This final Judgment by our Lord forms a fundamental article in the Creed of the Church. It is the Christ Who comes, accompanied by the Angelic Host, and sits down on the throne of His Glory, when all nations are gathered before Him. Then the final separation is made, and joy or sorrow awarded
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Seventh (And Last) vision "On Earth"
E^7, xix. 17&151xx. 15. THE FINAL FIVE JUDGMENTS. We must get a complete view of these in order to embrace them all and view them as a whole. The Structure shows their true sequence: E^7., xix. 17-- 15. The Seventh (and Last) Vision "on Earth." E^7 A^1 xix. 17-21. MEN. The Judgment of the Beast and the False Prophet. B^1 xx. 1-3. SATAN. The Judgment of Satan (Before the Millennium). A^2 xx. 4-6. MEN. The Judgment of the overcomers. The "rest of the dead" left for Judgment. B^2 xx. 7-10.
E.W. Bullinger—Commentary on Revelation

"Now the End of the Commandment is Charity Out of a Pure Heart, and a Good Conscience, and Faith Unfeigned. "
[It is extremely probable that this was one of the probationary discourses which the author delivered before the Presbytery of Glasgow, previous to his ordination. The following is an extract from the Record of that Presbytery: "Dec. 5, 1649. The qlk daye Mr. Hew Binnen made his popular sermon 1 Tim. i. ver. 5 'The end of ye commandment is charity.'--Ordaines Mr. Hew Binnen to handle his controversie this day fifteen dayes, De satisfactione Christi."--Ed.] 1 Tim. ii. 5.--"Now the end of the commandment
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Second Coming of Christ.
^A Matt. XXIV. 29-51; ^B Mark XIII. 24-37; ^C Luke XXI. 25-36. ^b 24 But in those days, ^a immediately after the { ^b that} ^a tribulation of those days. [Since the coming of Christ did not follow close upon the destruction of Jerusalem, the word "immediately" used by Matthew is somewhat puzzling. There are, however, three ways in which it may be explained: 1. That Jesus reckons the time after his own divine, and not after our human, fashion. Viewing the word in this light, the passage at II. Pet.
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

That Gospel Sermon on the Blessed Hope
In 2 Timothy, 3:16, Paul declares: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness;" but there are some people who tell us when we take up prophecy that it is all very well to be believed, but that there is no use in one trying to understand it; these future events are things that the church does not agree about, and it is better to let them alone, and deal only with those prophecies which have already been
Dwight L. Moody—That Gospel Sermon on the Blessed Hope

Sanctions of Moral Law, Natural and Governmental.
In the discussion of this subject, I shall show-- I. What constitute the sanctions of law. 1. The sanctions of law are the motives to obedience, the natural and the governmental consequences or results of obedience and of disobedience. 2. They are remuneratory, that is, they promise reward to obedience. 3. They are vindicatory, that is, they threaten the disobedient with punishment. 4. They are natural, that is, happiness is to some extent naturally connected with, and the necessary consequence of,
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

The Saints' Privilege and Profit;
OR, THE THRONE OF GRACE ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. The churches of Christ are very much indebted to the Rev. Charles Doe, for the preservation and publishing of this treatise. It formed one of the ten excellent manuscripts left by Bunyan at his decease, prepared for the press. Having treated on the nature of prayer in his searching work on 'praying with the spirit and with the understanding also,' in which he proves from the sacred scriptures that prayer cannot be merely read or said, but must
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness.
^A Matt. IV. 1-11; ^B Mark I. 12, 13; ^C Luke IV. 1-13. ^c 1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, ^b 12 And straightway the Spirit driveth him forth ^c and ^a 1 Then [Just after his baptism, with the glow of the descended Spirit still upon him, and the commending voice of the Father still ringing in his ears, Jesus is rushed into the suffering of temptation. Thus abrupt and violent are the changes of life. The spiritually exalted may expect these sharp contrasts. After being
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Resurrection
'Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.' John 5:58, 29. Q-38: WHAT BENEFITS DO BELIEVERS RECEIVE FROM CHRIST AT THE RESURRECTION? A: At the resurrection, believers being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgement, and made perfectly blessed in the
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Word
The third way to escape the wrath and curse of God, and obtain the benefit of redemption by Christ, is the diligent use of ordinances, in particular, the word, sacraments, and prayer.' I begin with the best of these ordinances. The word . . . which effectually worketh in you that believe.' 1 Thess 2:13. What is meant by the word's working effectually? The word of God is said to work effectually when it has the good effect upon us for which it was appointed by God; when it works powerful illumination
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

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