After the millennium, Satan is released from prison. In his last ditch effort he gathers all the armies of the earth to attack Jerusalem (the holy city). The Bible says fire comes down from heaven and destroys Satan's army. The devil is cast alive into the lake of fire. His global reign of terror on earth is over, forever (Revelation 20:7-10). He is where the Beast and false prophet are.
After this comes the Great White Throne Judgement. All people from the beginning of time up til that time will be resurrected to face Jesus Christ to be judged for everything they have ever done or thought. The writer believes this judgment is reserved for the unbeliever only. Why do I believe this? Because according to 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 believers will face a judgment called the Bema seat. A Bema is a raised platform like you see in today's Olympic games which was invented by the Greeks when athletes receive rewards. The Bema may occur after the rapture of the Church - when the saints of God are caught away to heaven. We are judged based on our faithfulness to the Lord and rewarded accordingly. Where we have not been faithful, we suffer loss, not of salvation, but of reward.
So the Great White Throne Judgment is reserved for the wicked. They will understand why they are heaeded to the lake of fire where the devil, his angels, the beast and the false prophet are.
Jesus will say to those who died in their sins, "Depart from Me you cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41). In Matthew 7:22 Jesus declares to those who believe they have done His will but were imposters, "I NEVER knew you! Depart from Me you who practice lawnesses!" Revelation 20:15 tells us whoever name is not written in the Lamb's book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The Bible describes the casting into the lake of fire as the second death (Revelation 20:6, 14).
The reality of the second death
Anyone that rejects Jesus Christ in their lifetime and dies in their sins is guaranteed this tragic second death. Several of you may have never heard the phrase before. I will explain what it is and how to avoid it.
In this life we have three scenarios that will occur to all humanity.
- Some people die once
- Some people die twice
- Some people will never die
Realities two and three are not common knowledge so I will need to explain them detail.
Those that die once are saved. They will only die physically but not spiritually. In other words, they are in Christ so when they die, the spirit immediately goes to heaven. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).
Those that die twice are those who rejected Jesus' offer of salvation and the forgiveness of sins through repentance when hearing the gospel preached to them. They love their sin too much to recoginize their need for a Savior. These are the type of people that want heaven, but do not want to give their lives over to Jesus to get it. Without Jesus the Bible says that person does not have life (John 3:36), but the wrath of God abides on them. So, instead of God's mercy and grace at the cross, they will receive the Lord's justice. No Jesus, no heaven.
Those that never die are those who will be caught up in the rapture according 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. The Bible says they will be changed instantly, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. What is this change? They will be translated from mortal to immortality - meaing God will make them immortal, no longer subject to death. They will be able speak to death and say, "I defeated you death! My Lord has taken away your sting!"
If you want Biblical accounts of people that never died, read Genesis 5:24 where God takes Enoch to heaven after living 365 years. The other account is with the prophet Elijah in 2 Kings 2:11. God takes him alive into heaven by a chariot and horses of fire. Elisha, Elijah's successor was an eyewitness to this rapture.
Summing things up
This future seems unreal but it is not. All of us admittedly wonder what the future holds. The Bible gives us all the answers. Knowing what God has declared before it happens shows His love for mankind. He is warning us all to obey His commands and follow Jesus Christ so that we can return with Him in glory to the earth when He comes, defeats His enemies and takes His rightful place as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revealation 19:11-21).
Please feel free to comment and ask questions.