SPECIMENS OF SKETCHES ON REV. 20:11–15 - Robert Murray Mcchene

And I saw a great white throne, and Him that 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, 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. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

I. The Throne and the Judge
The Throne. — 1 Great. —Because so many are to stand before it; because so great a Saviour is to sit down upon it, because everlasting sentences are to be given out from it 2 White. —Because of his holiness, because of his equity. He will be righteous in acquitting and in condemning. None can cast a stain upon it. The Judge. —Christ himself. 1. Because He is the Son of man; knows by experience our inmost feelings, John 5:22–27. (2.) As a reward for his pains, Phil. 2. (3.) For the comfort of the godly 4 For the confusion of the Christless.

Lessons. —1 Prepare for it 2 Go to a throne of grace 3 Care for one another’s souls.

II. The Judged. —1 All. The dead, small and great; men of all ranks and degrees; rulers and subjects; parents and children; pastors and people; none too high, none too low. 2 From all places; grave, sea, death, hell 3 Stand together, Phil. 4:1; 1 Thess. 2. (4.) Before God. (5.) Must come forth, John 5.

III. The Books opened. — (1.) The Book of Remembrance. —Malachi 3; Ps. 54. Thoughts, words, and actions; secret sins done in the heart, or in the dark; secret fraud and uncleanness; forgotten sins. The good deeds of the saints; a cup of cold water; Mary’s ointment; not according to your appearance, nor your professions, nor the thoughts of other men, nor your own self-flatteries, but by “works.” (2.) The Bible. —John 12:48. The law; the gospel; not according to your present rule; men judge themselves by
one another, or by themselves, or by their fancy. (3.) Book of Life. —To show that his everlasting counsels had been fulfilled. To show the source from which everyone was saved.

IV. The Sentence. — (1.) This explains why God does not now take vengeance. Did not the hand wither? The atheist in France. The railway. (2.) The folly of secret sin. (3.) Repent. God commanded all men everywhere to repent, because He hath appointed a day in which He will judge the world.