Have you recently contemplated the reality of heaven or hell? The cultural shift away from the acceptance of objective truth, which has been on the rise since the Age of Enlightenment, has resulted in a desensitisation towards the reality of Final Judgment. Kevin DeYoung offers one of the reasons for this shift, stating, “Higher criticism has led many to view the Bible as a human product rather than a divine revelation, undermining its authority and reliability.” [1]
“Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if, I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments.” [2] Resolved. This was the disposition of Jonathan Edwards, the noted preacher and revivalist, toward thinking about hell; with one ear attuned toward the hallelujah chorus of heaven and another strained toward the gnashing, moaning and wailing emanating from the depths of hell.
If you have fallen into a state of apathy, I implore you to pay heed to the weightiest of Scriptural realities: the certainty of hell and the imminence of Final Judgment. Revelation Chapter 20 verses 11 to 15, provides us with a vivid description of the Great White Throne, which serves as a powerful vehicle to explore the reality of Hell and Final Judgment.
The Setting
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. (Verse 11)
After the thousand-year reign of Christ and the ultimate defeat of Satan, John bears witness to a trial scene unparalleled in all of human history. The atmosphere is solemn, and there is an eerie silence that seems to permeate the air. In stark contrast to the Battle of Armageddon, this stillness is almost oppressive, bringing time itself to a standstill.
As John gazes, he beholds the Throne, its supreme authority and sublime purity conveyed through the descriptors: “great” and “white.” There exists no higher court of appeal, cross-examination, retrial, reversal, or mistrial. The Psalmist proclaims, “God sits on his holy throne” (Psalm 47:8). Isaiah depicts the Throne as “high and exalted” (Isaiah 6:1), and the prophet Ezekiel describes it as hoisted above the “living creatures…in appearance like sapphire” (Ezekiel 1:22, 26). The distinction between this Throne and any earthly court is like comparing a candle to the sun.
Seated on the Throne is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of David, who presides over the Day of Wrath (Romans 2:5). As Jesus himself declared, “the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22). His eyes blaze like fire (Revelation 1:14), and He will render the final verdict on “the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42). The fixed Day, attested to by His resurrection, has arrived, and “He will judge the world in righteousness” (Acts 17:31).
The catastrophic event that unfolds is described as “earth and sky fled away,” leaving no place to hide. Peter paints a vivid picture of this moment: “the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (2 Peter 3:10). Even though people will cry out for the mountains and hills to fall on them and cover them (Luke 23:30), the wrath of the Lamb has come, and no one can withstand it.
The Summons
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. (Verse 12, 13).
The Apostle John beheld a truly astonishing spectacle as he witnessed every single human being who had ever lived gathered before the Throne in an instant. From Adam, who was first to draw breath on our Earth, to the most recent conception, every instance of human life was present and accounted for in that moment. How the wise dies just like the fool! (Ecclesiastes 2:16)
Here the undeniable omnipotence of Jesus is attested, just as he summoned Lazarus with the simple command, “Come forth,” (John 11:43) so too will all of humanity appear before him on that day. From the most celebrated historical figures like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar to the most obscure and unknown neighbours, no one will be exempt from standing before the judgment seat of Christ.
The sight of all of humanity gathered before the Throne should impress upon our minds the frightening imminence of it all. This is how Jonathan Edwards captured it: “The bow of God’s wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood.” [3]
The scene before John unfolds with two distinct sets of books being opened. Particularly noteworthy is the use of the plural ‘books’ compared to the singular ‘book’, which is the Book of Life. This differentiation emphasizes the thoroughness of the judgment that is about to take place. Every detail, every thought, and every deed will be laid bare and exposed before the Judge. Nothing will escape His attention.
The phrase ‘according to what they have done’ is repeated in this section. This suggests that there is a graded judgment in view here. Scripture attests to this:
How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? (Hebrew 10:29).
But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. … But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you. (Matthew 11:22,24).
And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. (Luke 12:47,48).
It is crucial to remember that hell is not a temporary place of punishment but rather an eternal one where the torment will be severe in every direction. Though Scripture does not give us a clear understanding of how degrees of punishment will be given out, it does indicate that some will receive a greater degree of suffering.
Little is said about the procedure of judgement for those written in the Book of Life in the passage. That is very much intentional, as “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1) Yet, Scripture does highlight the fact that there will be some kind of evaluation of the believer.
Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10-12).
For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. (Ecclesiastes 12:14).
A word of encouragement and warning to elders and overseers at this point. Consider the words of Paul when he says, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Brothers, you are to “give an account” (Hebrews 13:17), and James says you will be “will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1).
The Sentence
Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Verse 14, 15).
The ultimate foe, Death, and its accomplice Hades have been conquered, and they will never hold sway over humanity again. Death, which infiltrated the world through the sin of one man, has finally been defeated (Romans 5:12). In an earlier vision, John saw a pale horse with a rider named Death, and Hades followed close behind. They were given the authority to destroy one-fourth of the earth, using various means like sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts (Revelation 6:8).
The punishment inflicted upon the unbelievers is not corrective but retributive, which highlights the perfect justice of God. The purpose of this punishment is not to correct their behaviour as in the case of corrective punishment. In fact, Matthew 25:41 declares that eternal fire is prepared for the devil and his angels. The unbelievers will suffer the same punishment as the demons, who will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10). The fact that both groups will be cast into the same place implies that the duration of punishment will be the same for both. Therefore, there is no basis in this text to suggest that hell will be “corrective” for one group and not for the other.
The final judgment, as described in the Scriptures, marks the ultimate and permanent separation of the wicked from the presence of God’s mercy. Jesus himself teaches that the final judgment will involve an irrevocable separation between the “sheep” and the “goats” (Matthew 25:31–46). The apostle Paul also speaks of this final separation, stating that those who do not obey the gospel will face “the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (2 Thessalonians 1:9). It is crucial to understand that this separation is irreversible, with no chance of reconciliation or redemption after death. The writer of Hebrews underscores this point, saying that “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
In Mark 9:48, Jesus uses the language of the prophet Isaiah, saying, “where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.” Isaiah further elaborates on this, saying that the wicked will be an “abhorrence to all flesh” (Isaiah 66:24). The imagery of the devouring worm feasting on flesh and the unquenchable fire consuming the wicked gives us a glimpse into the nature of the lake of fire.
The eternal torment in hell will be a fully conscious experience for the damned, where they will retain their cognitive functions such as perception, attention, language, and reasoning. They will also possess bodies that will fully absorb the intensity and veracity of God’s wrath forever. As Jonathan Edwards said, they will realize their delusion and foolishness, saying “I never intended to come here. Death outsmarted me and God’s wrath was too quick for me. My foolishness led me to delude myself with empty dreams, and sudden destruction came upon me.” [4] This is the second death that follows the general resurrection, and it is a place of eternal, conscious torment for those who have not placed their trust in Jesus Christ.
The reality of hell is often met with scepticism and even ridicule by some. They may even go so far as to assert that they would prefer to spend eternity in hell rather than heaven, believing it to be a place of rebellious fun and cool company. However, as the quote from Edwards illustrates, this attitude is misguided and reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the severity of sin and its consequences in relation to a holy God. Such a flippant attitude towards eternal damnation reveals a lack of appreciation for the gravity of sin and its ultimate price.
Closing Thought
“The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23).
This powerful statement captures the solemn scene of the Great White Throne Judgment, which serves as a legal trial for our sins. Our transgressions have legal implications, rendering us liable to our Maker. It’s not just that we have missed the mark of God’s law; our rebellious arrows were aimed directly at the Author of Life. Our sins have not only violated God’s holy standards, but they have also placed us in a position of utter helplessness and hopelessness.
At the Cross of Calvary, we witness a moment of unparalleled sacrifice and redemption. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, took upon Himself the weight of the sins of His people and offered Himself as the ultimate substitutionary sacrifice in their place. At that moment, He became the just and the justifier of those who put their faith in Him (Romans 3:26). “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The weight of sin is titanic, a burden too heavy for any mortal to bear. Without the sacrifice of Christ, we would be doomed to bear the consequences of our transgressions for all eternity, enduring a torment akin to the agony of the Cross.
But at the Cross, Jesus took upon Himself the punishment that we deserved. He cancelled the record of debt that stood against us, wiping clean the slate of our sins with his own blood. (Colossians 2:14) In that act of love and selflessness, Jesus Christ opened the way to forgiveness and eternal life for all who believe in Him.
The Cross of Calvary is a reminder of the depth of God’s love for us and the lengths to which He went to come and save us. It is the only symbol of hope, the beacon of light in the darkness of this broken world. And it is a call to all of us to put our faith in Christ and accept the free gift of salvation that He offers us.
O sinner, settle out of court today!
Notes:
[1] Kevin DeYoung, Taking God At His Word, 2014.
[2] Jonathan Edwards, Resolution 55, July 8, 1723.
[3] [4] Jonathan Edwards, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, July 8, 1741.
