THE PROCEDURE OPERATIVE AT THIS THRONE OF JUDGMENT

THE PROCEDURE OPERATIVE AT THIS THRONE OF JUDGMENT

• There is the Restoration of the Wicked to Previous Conditions

Rev. 20:5, 12, 13 "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works."

This means that by means of physical resurrection the wicked are again joined to the bodies in which they once lived.

Every aspect of human consciousness will be restored so that they can experience again, remember, and comprehend the events associated with judgment.

 

• There is the Removal of any Possible Mistake as to Identity and Nature

Rev. 20:12, 15 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."

The book of life is present to verify identity and nature. The names of the saved are in the book of life. Not one who appears before this throne has his name in the book of life.

 

• There is no Respect of Persons Exercised at this Throne of Judgment

Rev. 20:12 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."

The small and the great appear here. Nothing of prominence or outward show of wealth or position can prevent one from appearing at this throne. Those who appear here are numbered among the wicked, those who have rejected the only Savior and the Lord of Life.

• There is a Record of all Past Performance in the Lives of these People

Rev. 20:12 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."

 

The books were opened. A book is a method of recording and there are many ways of doing this.

l. The book of God - the Bible. John 12:48 "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."

This provides the inflexible principle.

2. The book of memory. Luke 16:26; Mal. 3:16 "And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."

"Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name."

This is the conscious record in the lives of people.

3. The book of conscience. Rom. 2:14-15 "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)"

This is the moral evaluation given by man himself.

 

4. The book of character. Luke 19:22; Jer. 17:1 "And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:"

"The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars."

All men do is written into their characters. Jer. 17:1

Out of this, will come evidence against them. Luke 19:22

5. The book of nature. John 1:3 "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."

Luke 19:40 Even the stones will cry out.

Isa. 65:6 It is written before me.

There is the resolution of judgment for each person on his own merits. Rev. 20:13 "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works."

"Every man," Greek - ekastoV hekastos hek'-as-tos

6. There is the regulation of punishment according to the works of each person. Rev. 20:12, 13

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works."