The Bible makes it clear that heaven keeps record books—Revelation 20:12: All the wicked dead will stand before God at the Great White Throne judgment, just before the renovation of earth, and will be judged according to everything that has been written about them in those books. Every word, thought, action, and intention of every human being is recorded in heaven. That is true of every human being, including us Christians. But, when we get born again we become new creatures in Christ. Old things have passed away, and all things are new; and all those new things are of God (2 Corinthians 5:17-18).

In Christ, all those things that were recorded about us when we were sinners are obviously erased. And that is GOOD NEWS! What else can, “old things have passed away” mean?      Nevertheless, we Christians will be held accountable for our every intention, thought, word and action after we become Christians. In Romans 14:10, Paul stated clearly that every believer will have to stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ. Romans 14:12: “Each of us will give an account of him or herself to God.” Second Corinthians 5:10: “We [Christians] must all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, that each one may receive [reward or loss] for the things done in the body [our bodies], according to what he [or she] has done, whether good or bad.” And now the third witness; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15: “No other [redemption] foundation can anyone lay [establish] than what has been laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now, whoever builds on that foundation gold, silver, precious stones, or wood, hay or stubble, each one’s work [as a Christian] will become manifest, for the Day [the day all believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ] will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; for that fire will test each believer’s work, of what sort it is [acceptable or unacceptable]. If any person’s work which he or she has built on that foundation endures [passes that test], he or she will receive a reward. But, if the Christian’s work is burned up by the fire, he or she will suffer loss. [Not the loss of one’s salvation, for,] the Christian him or herself will be saved; yet so as through fire.” What the Judgment Seat of Christ reveals about each believer will determine the position (not condition) of each Christian in the renovated earth. And the overall lifestyle of each Christian in this life will determine what will be revealed at the Judgment Seat of Christ.      I have been compelled to present this vital revelation about believers, before getting back to the Revelation account of the wicked—those people who remain unbelievers. If we will have to give account to God for every idle word we speak, then God must keep complete records on every human being (Matthew 12:36).     Just as the position of us believers in that next realm will be determined by what has been recorded about us, the wicked dead will be judged by the things written in those books—the Book of Life being the most important book of all.
(Ron Craig is pastor, teacher and author of Christian books; and these articles. You may view all the books by logging onto www.livingwayfellowshiponline.org. While logged on the website you can even listen to audio Bible-lesson podcasts. You may also send your questions or comments to ronwritercraig@gmail.com)

In Revelation chapter 20, between Satan being locked up in the Abyss for a thousand years (verses 1-3) and afterwards his release, and immediate rebellion, and then his sudden descent into the Lake of Fire, where he will be tormented forever and ever (verses 7-10) is sandwiched the prophecy of the wrapping up of the first resurrection.

When it says “this is the first resurrection,” it certainly does not mean that was the totality of the first resurrection, but the end cap of it. Christ was the firstfruits of it, and next will be faithful believers, who will be raised up at Christ’s coming in the air to catch away the church (1 Corinthians 15:23). Revelation 11:11 also tells us that the two witnesses who are killed will be raised from the dead, and will ascend up to heaven. But, perhaps one of the largest groups to be resurrected will be all those who get born again during the Tribulation; many of whom will be beheaded for their accepting and clinging to Jesus Christ. They will refuse to worship the Antichrist, or take the mark of the beast, and therefore will be murdered for their faith (Revelation 20:4). And they will reign with Christ (and all the rest of us resurrected saints) for 1000 years.

Of course, all of us resurrected saints—of both Old and New Testaments—will continue to reign under Christ over the natural human beings who will go into the New Earth (Isaiah 65:17-25, 66:18-20, 21-24, Ezekiel 28:25-26, Zechariah 14:16-17, Matthew 22:30, 25:21, Luke 19:17). Very informative reading!     Back to Revelation 20:5—The rest of the dead [people who died as sinners] will not live again [be resurrected and have indestructible bodies] until after the thousand years are finished [after the Millennium].

Then, verse six goes back to the first resurrection, saying, “Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power.”      Well, what is the second death, and what kind of power was John talking about? Revelation 20:14 tells us that the Lake of Fire is that second death. And Jesus promised in Matthew 16:18 that the gates of hell [Hades] will not prevail over His church. The redemption wrought by Jesus Christ closed those gates to genuine Christians. And, Christ’s blood-purchased redemption is the only thing that will keep anyone out of hell. Of course, one has to believe the Gospel about the salvation Jesus wrought for us on the cross, and confess Christ as Savior.     Revelation 20:11-15 reveals the ultimate fate of those who do not believe the Gospel message and receive the redemption that Jesus provided.

All the wicked dead will stand before God, Who will be sitting on a Great White Throne. They will do so reluctantly, for it says that they will try to flee their fate, but will not be able to do so. Unrepentant sinners will find no place to hide from the Judge. Books were opened! What kind of books? Record books! God does keep records. More will be said about all of that in our next session.  (Ron Craig is pastor, teacher and author of Christian books; and these articles. You may view all the books by logging onto www.livingwayfellowshiponline.org. While logged on the website you can even listen to audio Bible-lesson podcasts. You may also send your questions or comments to ronwritercraig@gmail.com)

That next verse is Revelation 19:20. First, the Antichrist and his false prophet, who will deceive with his false miracles those who receive the mark of the beast, and those who worship that image the false prophet will have made of the beast—Antichrist—will be captured and cast alive into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone. Will angels handle that chore, or will Christ Himself do the honors? Consider Matthew 10:28.     

After the Antichrist has been removed from the planet, his massive army will then be slaughtered by the Lord’s two-edged mouth-sword, and then the multitude of birds of prey will feast upon their remains; for, “Wherever the carcass is the vultures will be gathered together (Matthew 24:28).” Even though the Greek says eagles, some versions render it vultures. That cannot be speaking of the resurrection of the saints, for Christ is not a carcass, and we saints are not vultures. Besides, that Matthew passage refers to the coming of Christ to set up His kingdom, seven years after His saints have been caught up to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). In this coming, Christ will stand on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4). Two phases of Christ’s coming.    

What about the devil, who is the real culprit behind all of this madness? Revelation 20:1-3: An angel will descend from heaven to earth holding a key and a chain. The key will be to unlock the Abyss and then to lock it back. The chain will have Satan’s name on it, so to speak, for that angel will bind the devil with that chain and then throw him down into the lowest pit (Isaiah 14:15) and lock it. This passage must refer to both the Abyss and to the Lake of Fire. The Greek Abyss is also called the bottomless pit.      Notice also that Jesus, the angel and John wanted us to be sure to understand just who will be confined to the Abyss for a whole thousand years. It will be the dragon, the Serpent of old, who is the devil, and Satan. Why will he be chained and confined to the Abyss for a thousand years? Having no contact with the human race, he will be unable to deceive the nations during that time. Humanity will have a thousand years of peace and will experience for the first time since the fall a theocracy. Righteousness will rule on the earth for a thousand years with no interruptions. No deception; no temptation; no sin. There being no sin, there will be no curse, no sickness, no poverty or pain. The human race has searched for such comforting conditions throughout its fallen career.      But a thousand years is not forever. At the end of it, the devil must be released for a short period of time. Why must the devil be released? So that generation may be tested for its loyalty. No other explanation. That is at the heart of angelic and human history. Now you would think that no human being could be tempted to rebel against God after experiencing a thousand years of worldwide peace, health, and prosperity. During that time of universal God-rule, nobody will have to die. Some will live the whole thousand years. But, that generation will consist of the survivors of those nations that will come against Jerusalem under the Antichrist. Thus, they will not be born-again believers; at least at the first. We resurrected saints will rule under Jesus over them with the rod of iron. That generation will be unregenerate human beings, who will need to learn about God. God’s kingdom will need to be established in that generation. And His kingdom is established in individuals, not in whole communities. And, I have found that some people just do not like God—The only reason many will rebel with Satan that one last time.  (Ron Craig is pastor, teacher and author of Christian books; and these articles. You may view all the books by logging onto www.livingwayfellowshiponline.org. While logged on the website you can even listen to audio Bible-lesson podcasts. You may also send your questions or comments to ronwritercraig@gmail.com)

   I need to take further one of my pertinent previous points. It is a sadistictheology that seeks to place the church in the middle of the Great Tribulation. It is a demonic concept that pain makes people better people. If that is so, then why did Jesus Christ bear our pains on the cross. Isaiah chapter 53 does teach that our Savior did bear on the cross everything sin had brought into our lives; including pain. Some translations say that “He carried our pains.”