The Great White Throne

John saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away, and there was found no place for them (Revelation 20:11). The text does not say the specific physical appearance of the one on the throne. John witnessed the dead, small and great, stand before God while books were opened, including another book described as the book of life (Revelation 20:12). The dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

The sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them (Revelation 20:13). Every person was judged according to their individual works. The text does not say the specific dialogue spoken by the judge or the judged during these proceedings. Following this judgment, death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, which is identified as the second death (Revelation 20:14).

Any individual who was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). The text does not say the names of those who were excluded or the duration of time the judgment took to complete. The vision concludes with the finality of this casting into the lake of fire, based strictly on the records found within the opened books (Revelation 20:12-15).