Monday, May 17, 2021

Rapture and Great White Throne Judgment

I was doing my "Bible in a year" reading today and came across this passage that I had never really seen before.  Of course we have all read it at one time or another, but I had never really SEEN it. 

John 5

25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.

28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.

Now think about this and tell me if this is maybe what Jesus is referencing.  In 25-27 he is talking about the rapture when all followers of Christ, (his sheep know His voice) those alive on the earth and those whose bodies are already in the ground,, will hear the trumpet and be raised to get our new imperishable bodies.  These are all believers from the AGE OF GRACE that started at Pentecost and will continue until the trumpet sounds at the rapture.

He then goes on to say (28-30) that there will ALSO be a time when ALL who are in their graves will come out.  Those who are righteous will rise to live and those who were evil will be raised and then condemned to hell for their evil works.  Could this then be what Revelation refers to as the Great White Throne judgment?  Is this when the OT saints will be raised to life AFTER the millennial reign of Christ and his Bride?  

We aren't exactly sure and need to look into this further but wanted to lay it out there for your thoughts and comments.

We always thought that the Great White Throne would have all people called to it and condemned.  But maybe the righteous names WILL be found in the Lamb's Book of Life and the evil will be judged by their works recorded in the "books" that were opened?

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Here is a follow up that helps clarify this passage.  I reached out to our pastor and asked him to clarify.

Here is the response I received from him;

You are right that this passage speaks of two different resurrections.  Both are alluded to in Daniel 12.  The first resurrection really has two parts.  Part one occurs at the Rapture.  It is of those who are part of the Bride of Christ.  Part two occurs at the end of the tribulation and is for those who have died, either during OT days or during the Tribulation.  This is the resurrection to life eternal.  The second resurrection is of those who are not saved.  This is recorded for us in Revelation 20 and will culminate in the Great White Throne Judgment.  

The passage in Revelation 20 only speaks to one resurrection – those of the unsaved and their eventual condemnation.  

Great question, Dennis.  Thanks for sending it.  Hope this will help you to understand the two resurrections.  

So...the Great White Throne will ONLY be for the resurrection of UNSAVED people as we had originally thought.  The OT folks like King David, Solomon, Abraham, Moses, etc...will happen when Christ returns at the end of the Tribulation.  Cool beans!


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