Great White Throne Judgment
(Sermon Notes) By Warren Zehrung 10/30/2021
“I am the resurrection, and the life!” Those are the words Jesus spoke.
John 11:25 Jesus said unto [Martha], I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Our faith is that Jesus died—and yet He Lives! Jesus was resurrected from the dead by the Father.
Ephesians 1:17-20 {paraphrase} God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, by His exceeding great power, raised Jesus from the dead and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places. That wondrous, mighty power which our Father worked in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, has been revealed to us who believe—that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened. {End paraphrase}
John 5:26 For as the Father hath Life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have Life in Himself;
We are talking about Eternal Life forever more. Jesus is our Source of Life. Jesus demonstrated for us that He is the author and originator of life when He raised the dead to life during is public ministry. The first of the resurrections that Jesus performed was the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:14). Jesus again showed His power over death by raising the young daughter of Jairus (Luke 8:54-55). In my last sermon we took a good look at why and how Jesus raised Lazarus back to life. Jesus said in:
John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world sees me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. [a promise of the resurrection.]
Jesus could say that because He is the resurrection, and the life.
Great White Throne Judgment
The Great White Throne Judgment will be the closing of the Books of the Plan of God. Everything on this physical earth will be finished and completed at that time. The 7,000-year Plan of God will have come to fruition. The entrance to the eternal New Heavens and the New Earth will be opened at that time.
When the Saints come to the time of the Great White Throne Judgment at the end of the Millennium, our work on earth will be complete. That will be more than a thousand years from now, but God wants us to know the details of what is going to take place in advance. That is for our encouragement, wisdom and understanding. God’s Holy Day plan reveals to us His extraordinary Plan for mankind.
What is the purpose of the Great White Throne Judgment? Who will be judged for good, and who will be judged for evil? Why will the Great White Throne Judgment be ‘great?’ The answer is because it will be the greatest and final adjudication of all of mankind. The Great White Throne Judgment will render all things cleansed, spotless of sin, and purified—perfecting all creation into spiritual holiness. Everyone who has ever lived, except for the resurrected Saints, will stand before Jesus Christ:
Revelation 20:12 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 were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Why is the word ‘white’ cited in the phrase, “the Great White Throne Judgment?” White signifies righteousness, and we are told that Jesus will judge in righteousness (Revelation 19:11). Isaiah prophesied that Jesus will judge in faithful righteousness:
Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Isaiah 11:3 And shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and He shall not judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears: [It will not be a man’s imperfect, fallible judgment—but God’s perfect judgment].
Isaiah 11:4 But with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall he slay the wicked. [We see that Jesus’ judgment goes both ways – For the Good and against the Evil.]
Isaiah 11:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins.
The First Resurrection
The First Resurrection includes Jesus and the Saints.
This is the first and better resurrection—to immortality in the God-plane of existence. God is making a separation—even now as we enter the very last days. God is warning us even now! There are brethren in God’s Church who have not yet fully given themselves over to God’s way. They go to services every Sabbath, and they go to the Feast each year—but they have not yet made the final commitment to totally reject Satan in their lives, and worship the True God in Spirit and Truth.
Oh, they have convinced themselves that they worship the True God in Spirit and Truth, but there remain reservations in their heart. They think that they are more special to God than others. They think that they have made choices in their lives that give them a superiority over other brethren. They think that they are a notch above everyone else. They “know” in their hearts that they are more special to God than all the rest.
Brethren, this is so serious: God is about to make a distinction and separation between those who put Him first in every aspect of their lives, and those who rationalize that they are a cut above the rest. Do we worship and obey God – always and in everything? Brethren, time is short for us to get our lives right with God.
Matthew 24:42 Watch, then, for you do not know in what hour your Lord comes.
Only the true Church of God will recognize the Beast and his mark. God is going to make it evident for those who know and love God, and keep His Commandments and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. They will know. The world will not know!
Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
For the Saints, the first resurrection will undoubtedly be the most awesome and glorious event to ever take place. It is what God is looking forward to. The first resurrection is the resurrection of the righteous to immortality in a moment and wink of an eye to meet Jesus in the air. The first and better resurrection will be at the time of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7). Jesus states that when He sends His angels to gather His elect, only the righteous will be gathered; all others will be left behind.
Hebrews chapter eleven contains a partial list of righteous men and women of faith who have already been judged by God to be faithful Saints – of the First Resurrection. Hebrews eleven tells us that Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, King David and others will be in the Kingdom. All these and more, were righteous individuals. Those whom God has called to salvation from the time of righteous Abel until the return of Christ are the ones who will be in the first resurrection. [see chart]
They are the righteous men and women of all ages who have qualified during their lifetime for the First and better resurrection. All of these people worshiped and obeyed our Father—God, loved and adored God, praised and believed God, kept the laws of God, had Faith in God, followed God in all His commands—and for this reason, the Life of Jesus is retroactively applied to them—as assuredly as we are saved by Jesus’ Life (Romans 5:10). The Old Testament faithful will be raised in the First and better resurrection. Jesus said:
Luke 13:28 … you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God.
They will be in the First and Better resurrection at Christ’s coming. A few others with righteous Abel are the Prophets, Daniel, the New Testament Saints, and the Two Witnesses. Brethren, do not forget to put your name in that list – and then live up to it! Jesus is speaking here of His promise of the resurrection to everlasting life:
John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believeth on [the Father] that sent me, has everlasting life, [that is what we seek!], and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto Life.
John 5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. [Another picture of the resurrection.]
Jesus tells us here that He has the power to grant us eternal Life.
John 5:26 For as the Father hath Life in Himself [inherent, intrinsic life]; so hath He given to the Son [Jesus Christ] to have Life in Himself; [That is inherent Life – able to create life.]
Here is one of the places where we find that Jesus is the judge at the Great White Throne Judgment.
John 5:27 And [God the Father] hath given Him [Jesus Christ] authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man.
At the very end of His Millennial reign, Jesus will sit upon His throne as Supreme Court Chief Justice—and He will render faithful righteous judgment for all who have ever lived.
John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Jesus makes a self-disclosing statement about Himself:
John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father who has sent me.
The vast majority of people who have ever lived throughout history have died without ever hearing or understanding God’s Plan, or being partakers of God’s Holy Spirit. All those people have not yet been judged by Jesus Christ, but we, the faithful saints of God’s Church, the house of God, are being judged now during our lifetime prior to the return of Jesus Christ.
1Peter 4:17 For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin with us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God?
In today’s sermon we will be answering the second half of this verse – “What shall be the judgment of those throughout all time who do not obey the Gospel of God?” We will also answer the question – “What shall the ultimate judgment be for of all those throughout the Millennium who have God’s Holy Spirit and obey the Gospel of God (Joel 2:28, Ezekiel 37:14)?”
What does the Bible tell us about the order of the resurrections? Of course, we know and understand that Jesus Christ is the first resurrection:
John 11:25-26 Jesus said unto [Martha], I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believeth in me shall never die.
We were buried with Jesus at our baptism, wherein also we are risen with Him through faith in the mighty power of God, who has raised Him from the dead.
Colossians 2:12 Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead.
Jesus is the First Resurrection—raised by the Father.
1Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Romans 8:29 [Jesus is] firstborn among many brethren. (There is an indication there that the Church brethren are a part of the first resurrection.)
Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Colossians 1:18 And [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. [Jesus was the first to be resurrected]
Clearly, Jesus Christ is the first resurrection.
Good News! We, the saints of God, are also to be a part of the first resurrection.
1Corinthians 15:23 Every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming (1Thessalonians 4:13-17). [‘They’ are the faithful Church brethren.]
There are a lot of resurrections in the Bible: Jesus raised the dead (like Lazarus in John 11). The apostles and the prophets raised the dead to temporary physical life. Peter (Acts 9:40) and Paul (Acts 20:9) raised the dead, Elijah raised the widow’s son from the dead (1Kings 17:17–24). Elisha raised the Shunammite’s son from the dead (2Kings 4:18–37). Next, at Christ coming there will be the First Resurrection of the Saints to eternal spiritual Life, then at the end of the Great White Throne Judgment there will be the great resurrection to Eternal Life at the last day (John 6:54).
Matthew 27:52-53 The graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after [Jesus] resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
1Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep [the faithful dead in Christ], that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him.
Brethren, this might yet apply to some brethren in God’s Church! For those saints still living at the time of Christ’s return there will be a unique special resurrection. They will not have to taste death, because:
1Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not precede them which are asleep.
1Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
They are the first Saints of the first resurrection to be resurrected—after Jesus Christ of course!
1Thessalonians 4:17 Then, [this is us] we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
At the first resurrection – the Saints, become divine, eternal, spirit born children of God, kings and priests of God ruling the earth with Jesus Christ throughout the millennium.
1John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the Children of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
Revelation 20:4-5 The [Saints] lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years… This is the First Resurrection.
The First Resurrection is the Better Resurrection.
Hebrews 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
Toward the end of the Millennium, there will be… the second resurrection. It takes place at the end of the one-thousand-year rule of Jesus Christ.
Luke 3:6 All flesh shall see the salvation of God.
The purpose of the second resurrection is for all people to be able to know God, be converted and go on to salvation. ‘Resurrection’ in this case means to be raised from death back to original physical life. All who have ever lived throughout history, not having been partakers of the Holy Spirit, or tasting the good word of God, will be resurrected back to their physical lives:
Ezekiel 37:13-14 You shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live.
There will be a Physical Resurrection Prior to the Great White Throne Judgment
In God’s Church we have called this physical resurrection the Second Resurrection (though those words are not Scriptural) because the First Resurrection of Jesus and the Saints precedes this latter resurrection. There will be resurrection to physical life of all those dead some one-hundred years prior to the Great White Throne Judgment (Isaiah 65:20).
Acts 24:15 …there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
My folks – my dad and my mom, and going way, way back many generations will be there. In my parent’s lifetime they were not called by God to be His elect sons and daughters (John 6:44).
Isaiah 65:20 No longer will there be in it an infant who lives only a few days, Or an old person who does not live out his days; For the youth will die at the age of a hundred, and the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.
Everyone will have more than sufficient and adequate time to repent, grow in faith toward God, and become converted children of God. Their salvation awaits them in two resurrections—one to fleshly physical life prior to the Great White Throne Judgment—and then to spiritual immortal Life in God’s glorified state of being.
The resurrection to fleshly physical life will be for all men who have never had an opportunity for salvation—and then the final resurrection to spiritual immortal Life after the Great White Throne Judgment. Everyone will receive God’s Holy Spirit and be taught the way of God (Isaiah 30:21) (Ezekiel Chapter 37).
Isaiah 30:21 Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
All people who ever died without learning God’s way of life will be resurrected, receive God’s Spirit, and given their opportunity to receive eternal life (Ezekiel 37:1-12). God will give them adequate time to repent.
The immense multitude of converted humanity will not have to die a physical death again. They will be like the Saints at Christ’s coming — there will be no need to taste death because—death is swallowed up in victory—they will be raised to incorruptible eternal life at the last day. Everyone will have to overcome Satan, and choose God’s way of life (Revelation 12:9-11, 20:7).
Revelation 3:21 To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, who deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels [demons] were cast out with him.
Revelation 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the Kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser [Satan] of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.
Lay Down Our Lives
Revelation 12:11 They overcame Satan by the (1.) blood of the Lamb; and by the (2.) word of their testimony; and they (3.) loved not their lives unto the death.
First, Jesus’ sacrifice, the blood of the Lamb, becomes effectual only after one repents of breaking the Ten Commandments. That is when our sins are covered by the blood of Christ.
1John 1:7 If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Second, the word of their testimony is the exact same as the testimony of Jesus Christ—every word of God (John 17:17). The word of our testimony means that we embrace every word and teaching of Jesus Christ – making His testimony our own testimony.
1John 5:10-11 He that believes on the Son of God has the testimony in himself: he that believes not God has made Him a liar; because he believeth not the testimony that God gave of His Son. And this is the testimony, that God has given to us – Eternal Life, and this Life is in His Son.
Third, they loved not their lives unto the death. They laid down their lives daily—following Christ’s example. Laying down our lives is absolutely necessary! Jesus laid down His life for us—and told us we must also do the same as He did (John 13:34, 15:12).
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
That third point is the deciding factor as to who goes to the Place of Safety and who will have to die in the Tribulation to wash their robes [martyrdom – Revelation 12:17]: One must overcome Satan by loving his brethren enough to lay down his life daily for them.
1John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we must lay down our lives for the brethren.
Just how far are we willing to go to save a brother in Christ?
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
James 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
James 5:20 Let him know, that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Will I be be inconvenienced to some degree – lose my job – be put-out, be bothered, – stain my reputation – be troubled, be disturbed from my comfort zone? We must lay down our lives for the brethren to overcome Satan.
Satan is Bound during the Millennium
Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
Revelation 20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
Revelation 20:3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
At the end of the Millennium Satan will be released for a little season, a little while to test those who have never been tested. In the Millennium we will reign and rule under the direction of Jesus Christ. We will literally sit on our own throne as a King and as a Priest over civil and religious matters. Some of the Saints will not be caught up in the air at the first resurrection—but for the glory of God will be martyred as a testimony and witness to our great God. That martyrdom will be a counteraction to those weak and fearful brethren who succumb to the Beast and his image. Those martyred Saints will certainly be in the first resurrection and reign with Christ a thousand years.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
Revelation 20:5 … This is the first resurrection.
Here we find the statement: “This is the first resurrection.” If there is a first resurrection, there must be a second resurrection. But, we find there are those who will live [physically] again at the end of the Millennium.
Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead [My dad and mom, grandparents, Abraham’s “other” children] lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection: on such the second death [the eternal death of no existence—no one will even remember them in the Great Day of God].
Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
Jesus Christ will remove absolutely everything that is spiritually impure, adulterated and that offends—it will not enter into the Great Day of God—on the Last Great Day.
The First Resurrection is to Eternal Life
Revelation 20:6 Cont. … the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
A physical resurrection prior to the Great White Throne Judgment is for all those who have lived and died, either having been deceived by Satan’s religions or never having heard or known of God’s way of life.
The Second Resurrection will be to Condemnation for Some
In the Great White Throne Judgment, Jesus Christ will perform His final judgment on all as they come before Him—and He will pronounce their sentencing and punishment (Romans 14:10, 12).
Matthew 25:41 Then shall [Jesus] say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his demons:
Matthew 25:46 These shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Sadly, there are those people from the Church and the Millennium who rebel and will not choose to follow God. What happens when a converted person gives up and returns to the world? What happens when a converted Christian turns his back on God’s grace and returns to the ways of this evil world? God says there will be weeping and gnashing.
Hebrews 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit,
Hebrews 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Hebrews 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame.
Those who fall away will be given by God a glimpse of God’s incredible Kingdom—which they have missed out on. It will be only for an instant—but long enough to see what they have rejected, and they will weep and gnash their teeth.
Hebrews 10:26-27 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
In the Great White Throne Judgment, Jesus will sentence sinners to fiery indignation, And Jesus will reward the righteous to Eternal Life. For sinners: There shall be…
Luke 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the Kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
Those faithful saints who were called, baptized and received God’s Holy Spirit will not be in the second resurrection. If they remained faithful, they will be in the First Resurrection at Christ’s coming, but if they were unfaithful, they will be in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8).
Second Death
The resurrection to condemnation is the second death for the incorrigible wicked who intentionally disobey and reject God and refuse to obey his way of life. Those people who will awake to shame and everlasting contempt will have rejected God and His way during their time of judgment. They will have rejected God’s word – the Bible. Jesus said:
John 12:48 He that rejects me, and receives not my words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall condemn him in the last day.
The last day comes at the instant after the Great White Throne Judgment comes to completion and fruition. The last day begins the great Day of God (2Peter 3:12).
Psalm 112:10 The wicked shall see it, and be appalled; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
Jesus will have the last word – it’s a very serious warning:
Luke 13:27-28 He shall say …depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
Their last glimmer of consciousness for the workers of iniquity will be their seeing, and the terrible realization of what they have eternally missed out on—God’s Kingdom in all its glorious ramifications.
Matthew 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
Matthew 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
Matthew 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
The second to last judgment is of the hopelessly incorrigible and irredeemably evil who do not love, obey and worship God. Theirs’s will be the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15).
Daniel 12:2 Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake… some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Revelation 21:8 The fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 20:14-15)
That terrible scenario is not God’s will.
Matthew 18:14 …It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not … willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
God’s will is that all mankind be granted eternal life at the Last Great Day – immediately following the Great White Throne Judgment. He says it repeatedly!
John 6:39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which He hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise [resurrect] it up again [when] at the last day.
John 6:40 And this is the will of Him [the Father] that sent me, that everyone which sees the Son, and believes on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up [when] at the last day.
John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father who has sent me draw him: and I will raise [resurrect] him up [when] at the last day.
John 6:54 Whosoever eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, has eternal life; and I will raise [resurrect] him up [when] at the last day.
Jesus was saying to them that everyone who sees the Son, and believes on Him, may have everlasting spiritual life. He was not speaking of the second resurrection to physical life, but of the resurrection to everlasting spiritual life on the last day—the Last Great Day.
The Last Great Day is the Resurrection to Glory
Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Matthew 25:46 These shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
That is the Plan of God come to fruition. We are looking here at the Kingdom of God at the beginning of the Last Great Day.
John 11:24 Martha said unto [Jesus], I know that [Lazarus] shall rise [be resurrected] again in the resurrection at the last day (John 6:39, 44, 54).
Daniel 12:2 Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting Life…
Brethren, that is the Great Resurrection of the Last Great Day—immediately following the Great White Throne Judgment!
We Shall Be Like God and See Him as He Is
1John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the Children of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.
In his infinite wisdom, the Eternal God has carefully designed His Plan for humanity so that every person will be given an opportunity to have eternal life in God’s glorified state. The comforting truth is that the majority of humanity, past and present, are neither saved nor lost. They simply have not yet been given an opportunity for salvation. Everyone has their opportunity for salvation. In the final resurrection on the Last Great Day, everything in the past old world will be erased and forgotten.
Isaiah 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
The final resurrection will be from physical life to eternal spiritual life.
John 6:40 This is the will of [the Father] who sent me, that everyone who sees the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise [resurrect] him up at the last day.
At the end of the Millennium and Great White Throne Judgment there will be an immense resurrection to eternal life on the Last Great Day.
END: Great White Throne Judgment