Notes of an Address
Revelation 20, to 21:1-8
Part 3
I suppose you have heard a great deal about the beast and the false prophet; where are they during that thousand years of blessing on the earth when all the earth is rejoicing? They were consigned immediately to their eternal abode, as we read in the 19th chapter. So we read in chapter 20:10.
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
After the thousand years, many, many will join their company as we shall see directly, and he who had given to that beast his throne and great authority, is now consigned with them; the deceiver and the deceived are together, and together forever!
“If the blind lead the blind” said the Saviour, “both shall fall into the ditch.” The leader and the led. What a word of warning!
What a solemn thing to take the place of being a leader of men, or preacher to men. It has to be feared, many a preacher and those he has preached to, will find themselves together in this way. One doesn’t let his mind or imagination run (must not do that in Scripture), but there are several scriptures not to develop this, but intimate it.
What a reception we gather from that scripture will be found in the other world. “Where the beast and the false prophet are.” Mighty here upon the earth for a short season. One mighty politically, the other mighty religiously. Hand in hand they were here on earth, and hand in hand they are in hell! Hell is a general word there, and it is called the lake of fire.
What is symbolized by the lake of fire burning with fire and brimstone is confinement under the severest judgment of God forever and ever. That is the second death. That is, it is everlasting separation from God under His judgment.
The Millennium is past, the devil is consigned to his everlasting abode, what takes place now? There is an awful scene. I know of no more awful scene in Scripture than that!
“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.”
Who do you think that is? Other readings omit “God”. Who is it that sits upon that great white throne? It is the one the gospel presents as Saviour. It is Christ.
We have seen and heard this one on another throne in Scripture; the throne of His glory as Son of Man in Matthew 25, and we have heard Him speak blessed and awful words from that throne; we have heard this Son of Man from that throne say,
“Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” And we have heard Him say,
“Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”
The righteous go into life eternal, and the wicked into everlasting punishment. It is the judgment of the sheep and the goats.
Here we find that one, not upon a dispensational throne, but upon a great white throne, and such is the terror of His face that earth and heaven flee away,
“From whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.”
What scenes we get in Scripture! In how many ways the earth-rejected Saviour is brought before us, for it is He who is here.
“Before whose face earth and heaven fled away.”
That one is your Saviour and mine, if you are a believer in Him. He is our life and righteousness, but He is the sinner’s judge.
“And there was found no place for them.” There is one thing yet remains in this book, ere God can bring in His own eternity. What is it? Every unsaved soul has remained in death from the beginning down to that hour.
“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 are judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
There they stand, upheld in space by the almighty power of that Judge before whom they stand. What a tremendous sight! Peter tells us that the earth is going to pass away with a great noise, and the elements melt with fervent heat.
Those who believe the Scripture know what is to become of heaven and earth—and of saint and sinner as instructed by God and His Word.
There they are, small and great—ruler and ruled—prince and pauper; all stand there and as far as we gather from this word, stand there dumb and in awful silence. There sits that Judge upon the judgment throne, and the books are opened, and every man’s record as the divine Recorder has kept it, is there, and there is no hiding place like in the end of the 6th chapter where they cry to the mountains and rocks to cover them; every hiding place is gone! Everyone remembers what his life has been, and is judged by it.
There are two books here (there are more, but) one is the book of righteousness, and the other book of grace. The book of righteousness records our deeds. The book of grace is the book of life. Suppose my name isn’t in that book of life (that is what saves me), but not a soul that stands there, dear friends, has his name in the book of life! He is a sinner, and as a sinner, is judged. In every dispensation men have had the gospel, not the gospel of the grace of God, but a gospel (1 Peter 4:66For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (1 Peter 4:6)).
(To be continued)