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GOD’S SUPREME COURT OF JUSTICE — Part 1 In our previous devotional series, we reflected on the contrasts between the Pharisee and the tax collector in Luke 18. We observed that unless a person sees themselves as a spiritually bankrupt beggar, they will never come to the Lord Jesus on His Gospel conditions. Yet, we must also be reminded that every sinner who rejects or neglects the Gospel duties of repentance and faith will be eternally accountable at the “Great White Throne Judgment”. With this truth in mind, this next devotional series will address that vital issue. “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15). A number of years ago, I recall an incident while preaching an evangelistic crusade in a particular area of India. One of the pastors involved in the crusade invited me to his home for a meal. He and his wife welcomed me into their home and kindly said, “Please consider our home as your home. However, I must warn you not to go into our backyard. Recently, we have killed several cobras in our backyard.” He continued with this warning, “If one of those cobras were to strike, you would certainly die before we could get to the nearest hospital.” Now, allow me to present a question? Do you think that the Indian pastor’s warning to me was an expression of his love and concern? Or, would you say that he was being a harsh and cruel man in issuing this warning? Isn’t the answer obvious for all to perceive! Likewise, in this sobering passage from Revelation, God expresses His compassionate concern for sinners by issuing an ominous warning of the judgment and wrath that are coming upon all who refuse to turn from their sin and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. The word of God describes that last great inquest, when the Holy Judge of the universe will call His supreme court into session. There is coming a day when all of the unconverted must stand, in spiritual nakedness of their utter sinfulness, before the “Great White Throne Judge”. All of their thousands of sins against God will be exposed. There will be no argument about guilt or innocence. There will be only the presentation of evidence and the declaration of the verdict. Consequently, every person present at that Judgment will know the deadly strike of God’s holy animosity, just hostility, and righteous indignation. Upon a serious study of the book of Revelation, one will understand that (in many ways) it is a book of Mystery, because it speaks of coming events. Moreover, it is a book of Majesty, because it speaks of a coming King! However, it is also a book of Misery, because it defines a coming judgment upon all who have not obeyed the Gospel terms. Oh, how sinners need to be lovingly warned of this coming appointment. May I say that born-again believers desperately need to be reminded that ‘the unconverted people, within their sphere of influence, are headed for a catastrophic condemnation, if they fail to enter into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ’. How can we not warn them of their impending doom if they reject or neglect God’s warning?