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We're here in Revelation chapter 20, and we're going to finish up Revelation 20 here today. Finally, we're going to talk about the great white throne judgment. And this is the judgment for unsaved people where they're going to be judged according to their works. And notice what it says in Revelation 20 verse 10 to start out. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. So in verse number 10, it says the devil's actually going to join the beast and the false prophet that were already cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. Now I'm not really trying to go off into a tangent, but this disproves the doctrine of the Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists where they say hell is annihilation. We're just out of existence because the beast and the false prophet are in the lake of fire and brimstone, and they got cast in earlier. They are still there when the devil gets cast in. So look, hell is not annihilation where you burn up because it's the soul that goes to heaven or hell when you die, not the body. So this disproves the idea that the Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists say that you just burn up. Well, yeah, if your body was thrown into hell, you'd burn up. It's your soul that goes to heaven or hell. So they are still there and the devil joins them. Verse 11, 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. So we're going to look at three different points here about the great white throne judgment today, which is the judgment for unbelievers. But point number one, at this judgment, it is going to be a reuniting, okay? It's going to be a reuniting of the body and the soul of unsaved people. They will reunite together. Verse 13, and the sea gave up the dead which were in it. You say, why does it say the sea gave up the dead? Well, many people, after someone's dead, they'll toss the ashes in the water. It's very common in a lot of places. I mean, even the US, I'm not really sure about here, but they would just take the ashes of their dead relative and throw them in the sea. Many dead bodies are discarded in the sea, okay? And it says, the sea gave up the dead which were in it, then it says in death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them. Now this is a pretty famous verse and a pretty famous passage of scripture. And I'll be honest, I used to be pretty confused when it said death and hell trying to figure out what exactly is it referring to by death? And why does it say death and hell? Well, I'll tell you what I believe. I believe that death is referring to the physically dead, the bodies, and the hell is referring to the soul. You say, why? Well, what is it that goes to heaven or hell when you die? The soul. So when hell is delivering up the dead, it's not delivering up any bodies because there are no bodies of those in hell. It's delivering up the souls of the people, okay? Now death, death delivers up the dead. Well, I believe that's referring to the physically dead. So basically before this great white throne judgment, death, the bodies, and hell, the souls are going to be standing before God, okay? And I'll prove this to you here in a little bit, but I believe that's what it's referring to when it says death and hell. Now I will tell you my opinion. I do not believe a single person in hell is going to get any break from the torments of burning, okay? I don't believe that people are in hell and then they've got like 20 minutes where they stand before God, where they basically just get some time off where they're not in pain and everything. Then they get thrown back into the lake of fire. I would say this. I believe hell is actually standing before God. And the way that would look is basically hell is before God is kind of like you go front and center where it's like, all right, it's your turn. Then there's the next person in hell and it's their turn, okay? Now we realize God is outside of time. And so it is possible that these people, you know, in that sort of realm, they're still in hell and they're being judged at the same time. But I don't believe anybody has a break because hell is eternal, okay? And I believe it's immediate you go from hell to the lake of fire without a break, okay? Where the lake of fire, you're going to be judged according to your works. Whereas if people die right now, they're just equally in pain in hell, if that makes sense, okay? So death and hell are going to deliver up the dead. It's referring to the body and the soul. You say, how do you know that? Go to Matthew 10. Matthew 10, Matthew 10. See there's, it's very easy to come up with cool ideas, but you got to be able to prove it. And that's why we compare spiritual things with spiritual and we see what the Bible says. Some of this information I talked about several months ago when I talked about the whole body cast into hell and I kind of mentioned this idea and I'm going to kind of go into it a little bit before you get into the rest of the sermon, but I want to show you that at the Great White Throne Judgment, there's going to be a reuniting of the body and soul of unsaved people. Now at this judgment, no saved person is going to be judged, okay? No saved person, I mean all the saved people, they go through the judgment seat of Christ. They're going to heaven. The Great White Throne Judgment is different. It is for unbelievers to be judged, okay? Matthew 10 verse 28, and fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. Well who is able to kill the body but not the soul? Well pretty much everybody. I mean if somebody has a gun and they shoot you, they can kill the body, but you can't take my soul out and say, well I've got Brother Stuckey's soul. I'm going to shoot your soul and kill your soul, Brother Stuckey. No, everyone's capable of killing a body. What they're not able to do is kill a soul. Realize even with your own body, I am capable of killing my body, can I kill my soul? No. I can't take my soul out and say, well here's my soul, I'm going to shoot you, now you're dead. No, I can kill my body, I can't kill my soul. So when it says fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul, God is basically saying don't fear any of those people, which is anybody. Anybody is capable of killing a body, but he says, but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Who is he referring to? Well he's referring to himself, God. The Bible's saying don't fear any man, fear God, okay? That is the only person we are supposed to fear. We're not supposed to fear what man can do unto us because man can only kill your body. It does not affect your eternal destination, okay? It doesn't matter how you die as a saved person, you're saved forever. The Bible tells us we should fear the Lord God, okay? But I want you to notice this. It says fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Now as a saved person though, is it possible you're gonna go to hell one day? Absolutely not. So don't take one verse out of context and misunderstand it, but God is the one who has the power to destroy somebody's soul and body in hell. Now as a saved person, he's not gonna throw you in hell because he gave you eternal life. You will never see death. You will never taste of the second death, okay? But he is the one who destroys people's soul and body in hell. But wait a minute. If somebody dies right now, does their body go to hell? No it doesn't. What goes to hell? Their soul. And yet the Bible is saying that God destroys bodies in hell. You say well how does that work? Well it doesn't work right now. Right now your soul goes to hell. But after the great white throne judgment, when hell is relocated to the lake of fire, what's taking place in this judgment? The body and the soul are gonna meet together. Death and hell deliver up the dead. And guess what? They're reunited and then they're thrown into the lake of fire forever. God is the one who has the ability to destroy a body in hell. There's something else we can learn from this verse. Hell is gonna be relocated to the lake of fire, but realize it is still accurate to call it hell after it's relocated to the lake of fire. You say why? Because he does not destroy any bodies in hell right now. But he will cast them into the lake of fire and yet that's used interchangeably in the Bible for hell. Hell is relocated to the lake of fire, but it's really just like yes it's the lake of fire and hell is there, okay? So it's accurate to say that when people go to hell they go there forever. Because of the fact hell does not cease to exist. But the Bible's speaking about that God is gonna destroy souls and bodies in hell. How does that happen? At the great white throne judgment there's a reuniting of the body and the soul and then they are cast into the lake of fire. Turn to Isaiah 66, Isaiah chapter 66. You're turning to Isaiah 66, let me read you a few verses. How much less man that is a worm and the son of man which is a worm. And so in the Bible you know the body is sometimes referred to as a worm. It says also in the book of Psalm, but I am a worm and no man, a reproach of men and despised of the people. So sometimes the word man is referred to as a worm, okay? Which is important as we're gonna look at something later on. But notice Isaiah 66 verse 24. And they shall go forth and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me. Now what is a carcass? It's referring to a dead body, right? The carcass of the men that have transgressed against me. For their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh. Notice how it mentions their carcass, the body, and then it says their worm shall not die. See the body is referred to as a worm and the Bible is saying their worm shall not die, okay? What does that mean? It means that their bodies are gonna be cast into the lake of fire. It's not gonna burn up. It's gonna be there tormented forever. Just as we one day will get a glorified body and our bodies will never grow old and it will be there forever, unsaved people will get the opposite of a glorified body and they'll be cast in the lake of fire and it's gonna be there forever. Their worm is not going to die. Their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, okay? Referring to the carcass of the men. Go to Mark 9, Mark chapter 9, Mark 9, Mark chapter 9, and this is a very famous passage on hell here in Mark 9 in verse 43, starting there, Mark chapter 9 verse 43, and if I hand offend thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter into life main than having two hands to go into hell into the fire that never shall be quenched, where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. Doesn't that sound a lot like Isaiah 66 verse 24, right? It's really the exact same thing it said in Isaiah 66 verse 24 where it says their worm shall not die and the fire is not gonna be quenched, neither shall their fire be quenched as said in Isaiah 66. Verse 46 of Mark 9, where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. Verse 48, where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. So it mentions over and over and over again their worm's not gonna die and the fire's not gonna burn out, okay? Now why does it mention those things in tandem? Well apart from the fact that hell is a place of fire that lasts forever, I mean, just thinking of it logically, you would think if a body is thrown into hell, it would burn up. But the Bible's saying, hey, their worm's not gonna die but the fire is still not gonna be quenched. Why? Because they're gonna get a body that's gonna be tormented and it's not gonna burn up, okay? In the lake of fire, their bodies and souls are gonna be reunited, they're gonna be thrown in the lake of fire and they will be tormented forever and ever, okay? Go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5, 2 Corinthians 5, 2 Corinthians 5, 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 10, 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 10. So really it's the same as believers, the difference is the place they're going. Now obviously there's a difference in the body they're getting, they're not getting a glorified body when they're tossed in the lake of fire, I'm not exactly sure what you would call it, it's pretty much the opposite. But the bodies and souls are gonna be reunited, okay? When a person dies, the Bible says the spirit shall return on the Lord who gave it whether they're saved or unsaved, their soul goes to heaven or hell, the judgment seat of Christ, our bodies and souls are reunited, we get a glorified body because at the rapture we will rise, the dead in Christ shall rise first and we which are alive and remain. And then for unsaved people, they will be all judged at the great white throne judgment and they will be given a new body and their worm is not gonna die out, okay? 2 Corinthians 5 verse 10, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad. Now in 2 Corinthians 5, 10, this is not in reference to unsaved people, the judgment seat of Christ, this is for believers, there's another place in the Bible which I don't have time to go into, but what takes place at the judgment seat of Christ, good or bad does not mean non-sinful and sinful, that's not what it's referring to. If you remember the cross reference, basically there's certain things that burn up and certain things that don't burn up, okay? But basically we're gonna get rewards at the judgment seat of Christ. If you did good things that last through the fire, you get a reward. Anything you did that did not have eternal value, there is no reward. But our bodies are gonna basically get what we deserve based on the work we did. Now God gave us a gift and we don't have to pay back that gift because it is a gift. We don't have to pay back any of it, it is a free gift, so everything you do with eternal value after you're saved is gonna give you a reward and it is gonna last through at the judgment seat of Christ, the Bible says. And so the more you do for God, the more rewards you're gonna get. Now it's hard to figure out how God's gonna determine who gets the most rewards. Obviously the more Bible reading you do, the better, the more soul winning you do, the better. But he doesn't necessarily say, well here's your calculator, type these buttons in, here are your rewards, okay? This many hours of soul winning. Well we don't exactly know and that's probably a good thing so we're not trying to compare ourselves, we just say we'll do as much for God and we'll find out one day, okay? But realize the reason for the judgment seat of Christ is this, we need to get rewards based on what our bodies have done. Why is it that people that go to the lake of fire get a body? Because their bodies have to get what's coming to them, does that make sense? Just as we at the judgment seat of Christ, hey we have our glorified body and we're gonna be rewarded based on the good works that we did at the judgment seat of Christ, our bodies are gonna basically find out, hey what rewards do you get? For unsaved people, it's the opposite. They are not saved, it's not any good things they do, it's the bad things they do and their body must be judged for the actions they've done. Now when a person dies right now that is unsaved, their body goes to hell, or their soul goes to hell, not their bodies. Their soul goes to hell. And everybody who goes to hell is being tormented an equal amount, okay? This is who everybody who dies that is saved, they go to heaven and they get an equal reward right now. After the judgment seat of Christ, you get more rewards based on what you did that's good as a saved person. After the great white throne judgment, you get more punishments based on the bad things you did as an unsaved person, okay? Turn in your Bible to Revelation 20. Revelation 20. Revelation 20. Revelation chapter 20. Revelation chapter 20. And so at the great white throne judgment there is a reuniting, okay? Now we understand here in Revelation 20 there's that famous verse where it talks about the second death. We use that soul winning all the time, right? Now personally I believe you say, well the second death, what is the first death? Well I think with the context it's both physical and spiritual death because the bodies and souls are going to be reunited. I don't think it's merely spiritual death. I don't think it's merely physical death, okay? Because us as saved people, we die physically but then our bodies get glorified, okay? They die as unsaved people. Their bodies die. And guess what? They're never going to have eternal life. They're going to suffer the torments of hell. So I look at it as the first death as basically both physical and spiritual personally. But the second death, you know, well you got body and soul reunited. It's the relocation of the lake of fire. It's basically the second death for each of those parts I would say. Revelation 20. So point one is this. There's going to be a reuniting at the great white throne judgment of the body and soul of unsaved people. Point number two is a recompense. A recompense. Notice what it says in Revelation 20. Basically they're going to get what is coming to them. There is a recompense based on what they did. Revelation 20 verse 12, 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 are written in the books according to their works. You say, Brother Secchi, what are these books? Well realize this is a book made up of books, 66 books. I believe the books are the 66 books of the Bible personally. This is a book that is made up of many books. So I believe basically every single book will be opened. Everything that they did wrong. It's like, well, this says it's a sin. This says it's wrong. So the books were opened. I think it's referring to all of the books, you know, the books of the Bible themselves. This is a book made up of a collection of smaller books. Okay. And it says the dead were judged out of those things which are written in the books according to their works. You see, when it comes to man's law, man has a lot of laws that are wrong. Man has a lot of laws that don't make sense. When the unsaved people are going to be judged, how is God going to judge them? Well, the Bible says thou shalt not right here and you disobey. The Bible says thou shalt not right here and you disobey. They're going to be judged based on what is written in God's law. These are the laws. These are the rules of God. The books are going to be opened. They are going to get a recompense for the things they did. Verse 13, and the sea gave up the dead which ran it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which ran them, and they were judged every man according to their works. It's kind of ironic that unsaved people, they think their works will get them to heaven. Right? They want to be judged by their works, and they're going to be judged by their works. I mean, they're going to be judged exactly how they want to be judged. It's like, well, I think if you live a good life, you're going to go to heaven. It's like, all right, well, God says I'll judge you based on you want to judge. If you want to be judged based on what you believe, he'll judge you that way. That's all of us, right? Hopefully, it's all of us, right? And then guess what? Boom, you're saved. You don't have to worry about it. Unsaved people want to be judged by their works. God's going to say, okay, let's look guilty every single time. God's going to judge us the way that we want to be judged, okay? And they're going to be judged based on their works. It's going to be a very easy guilty. Obviously, one sin sends you to hell, but they're going to be punished for each and every sin that they committed. Go to Galatians chapter six, Galatians six, Galatians six, Galatians chapter six. And so when it comes to this recompense, let us understand several things here. One, I want you to understand the law of reaping and sowing in the Bible. Okay, reaping and sowing. One word you will not find in your Bible is the word karma, okay? Now you might hear me preach against that or something if I'm preaching against the Hindus or the Buddhists, but you don't see the word karma. As God's people, we ought to use the words that the Bible says, okay? The Bible says you reap what you sow, okay? Notice what it says in Galatians six verse seven, be not deceived. God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Look, anything you do that's wrong, don't think you're getting away with it. It does not matter if nobody sees it, it doesn't matter if it's just a thought inside your head. You know what? God knows everything, okay? And he's saying don't be deceived because many of us deceive ourselves. We think, oh, I'm going to get away with this. No, you're not. You're going to pay for it. God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to the spirit shall the spirit reap life everlasting, okay? Now as a saved person, we can sow toward the flesh or towards the spirits. When it's saying sowing towards the spirit, he'll reap life everlasting, that is not saying, hey, you'll get to go to heaven if you're living a godly life. That's saying that basically when you're sowing to the spirit, there's an eternal reward, okay? This is not a salvation verse, but when it's saying you reap life everlasting, whenever you do things with eternal value, that is life everlasting, an everlasting reward, okay? But if you sow towards the flesh, that's going to be burned up. As a saved person, here's the thing. When we do things that are good things, where God's going to give us a reward, we might get a reward here on earth. We might not. But we will get the reward in heaven because God said, you know what, this is both in a good way and a bad way, reaping what you've sown. You sow to the spirit, you're going to reap life everlasting, okay? So you might do a lot of great things for God and feel like you get no credit here in this life or no reward, but you're going to get that reward because God said you're going to reap life everlasting. All the good things you do, you're going to get rewards. Here's the thing. If you do something bad, if you commit a sin, are you going to be judged in the afterlife for committing a sin as a saved person? No, you won't. So where are you going to be judged? Here. So look, as a saved person, including myself, you know, we ought to take this seriously. It can be an encouraging verse. It can be a discouraging verse, depending on how you're living your life. As a saved person, guess what? God's not going to send us to hell to be judged, but you'll be judged here when you do what's wrong. So if you commit a bad sin, guess what? You're going to pay for it. Now look, what does a loving parent do to their children? Well, loving parents have mercy towards their children when they act up, but sometimes you got to spank them. Sometimes you have to punish them. What's the same way with God? When you get saved, look, you play by a different set of rules in the world. You become a child of God, and if you disobey, he's going to correct you here on earth. That's the way it works, but for an unsaved person, you know what? This law of reaping what you've sown is true as well. Sometimes in this life, we see bad people do bad things. There are people that are pedophiles that never get caught in this life, or they get caught and they spend one year in jail and they get out. You say they got away with it. No, they didn't get away with it. You say why? At the great white throne judgment, they're going to be judged based on their works, and the more bad they did, the more they're going to pay for it. They don't get away with anything. It's just sometimes in this life, you don't see them getting judged. Now, as a saved person, if you're committing bad sins and you're never getting consequences from God, I mean, you're committing adultery, you're robbing banks, you're stabbing people and no punishment, well, look, you know what? Every single saved person is going to be punished by God. Every single one, okay? But with unsaved people, they might not get punished in this life. But look, God is a just judge and they will be punished in the afterlife for everything bad that they did, okay? Go to Ecclesiastes chapter 3. Ecclesiastes chapter 3. So there's the universal law of reaping what you've sown, and I want you to realize when it comes to reaping what you've sown, this is a law that cannot be broken, okay? When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, it didn't matter how much he tried to cover it up. It was not going to be covered up. He just made things worse. Look, if you've done something wrong and God determines I'm not going to be merciful in this situation, it doesn't matter what you do. You cannot avoid it because it's a universal law of reaping what you've sown, okay? There's no way around it. You see that example with David, okay? Now when it comes to this idea of this recompense, I want you to realize something that God is the judge. God is the judge. Ecclesiastes 3 verse 17, I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there's a time there for every purpose and for every work. God is going to judge the righteous, but he's also going to judge the wicked. When does he judge the wicked? Well, he does it at the great white throne judgment. Now he might pour down his fire upon them here on earth. We understand that. The wrath of God even during the end times you see it, but it might just be at the great white throne judgment, but they will get what's coming to them. Psalm 50, Psalm 50, Psalm 50, Psalm chapter 50, right in the middle of your Bible, Psalm chapter 50 verse 5, gather my saints together onto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice and the heaven shall declare his righteousness for God is judge himself. Say log. God is judge himself. Go to the new Testament. Go to John chapter 19, God 19, God 19. So there's a law of reaping what you've sown. So look, bad people that have committed wicked sins, they will pay for it. You say, it seems like they're getting away with everything. They will not get away with it. They will pay for it. Why? Because God is a judge and when God is a judge, he knows everything that happens and realize God is a just judge. He is a fair judge. So when we go to the judgment seat of Christ, whatever rewards we get, it is fair and God is correct. Okay? He can figure out exactly what rewards we deserve. We're going to get what we deserve. Okay? Unsafe people as well at the great white throne judgment. God's going to look at them and the situation and what they did and the sins they committed and how many sins and the circumstances, and they will have a fair judgment based on what they've done. Okay? There are certain things that a person does that are worse than other things. You know, sometimes you hear this cute doctrine where people say, well, all sin is the same. All sins the same? Murder is the same as stealing a pen at the bank. I mean, how is that the same? Cheating a pedophile is the same as, you know, cheating on your math test in high school. It's just like, how is that the same? Okay, there's no comparison. And look, when people try to say those things are the same, it's just like, I hope you just don't understand the verses in the Bible. But honestly, I'd be kind of scared of that person where it's like, well, yeah, you know, I'm a murderer, but you know, we're all sinners. All sins the same. No, it doesn't work that way. Some sin is far worse than others. You say, how do you know that? Under God's perfect law in the Old Testament, guess what? Certain things got punished worse than others. Certain things got the death penalty, an eye for an eye if you killed somebody, right? If you in cold blood murder someone, you get the death penalty. But look, telling a lie, you don't get the death penalty. Certain things have a bigger punishment. And in John 19, we're going to see where the Bible gives a distinguishing of something that's a great sin, a bigger sin. John 19 verse 10, Then sayeth Pilate unto me, Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee and have power to release thee? This is Pilate talking to Jesus. If you read this whole story, Pilate's actually very scared in this situation, but he's trying to act tough in this verse. I have the power. It's like, no, no, you really don't. Okay. Verse 11, Jesus answered, Thou couldest have had no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above, saying, Unless God gave you that power, therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. Do you see how a sin can be greater than another one? I mean, right there, that's what it says. You know, Jesus is saying, Pilate, you're a little bit more innocent because although you're going through with this, it's because you're in a tough situation and you're just not going to do what's right. Okay. The person who delivered me has the greater sin is what the Bible is saying. Look, certain things are worse than others, and that should be common sense. Certain sins are worse than others. Okay, now turn in your Bible to Matthew 10, Matthew Chapter 10, Matthew 10. What does this mean? It means that Pope Francis and Pope Benedict that are both still alive are going to suffer more in hell than your Catholic neighbor that's not saved. It means pedophiles are going to suffer more than just, you know, just a normal person who wasn't saved. Okay. It means false prophets, religious leaders that are unsaved will suffer more than just the average church member that's being deceived by that false prophet. Okay. And it makes common sense when you think about it, but look, certain things are worse than others. Okay. There are greater sins. Another part of this is this, when you have many opportunities to hear the Gospel and you reject it, the Bible teaches us you will be held more accountable, and that makes sense. If you've heard the Gospel 50 times and you reject it, you're going to be held more accountable than someone who heard it one time. Okay. Notice what it says in Matthew 10, Verse 11. And into whatsoever city or town you shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and thereby till you go thence. And when you come into a house, salute it. This is a passage on soul winning, and he's saying, hey, go and be kind to them. Salute the house. Find out who's worthy or willing to listen to the Gospel. Verse 13. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it. What does that mean by your peace come upon it? It's referring to the Gospel of peace. He's saying if the house is willing to listen, preach the Gospel. But if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. So look, when we go soul winning, if someone says they're not interested, we just go to the next door. Right? We don't try to force them to listen. I wish we could force people to listen and they'd get saved, but it doesn't work that way. God's giving us good principles where if someone does not want to hear, you just move on. It's just the way it works. Okay. Verse 14. And whosoever shall not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. What God's basically saying here is this. Jesus is saying, you know what? It's not your fault if people don't want to listen, but we went soul winning today and we got two people saved on Wednesday. Okay. Hey, it's not our fault that we knocked on 35 other doors and they either didn't want to listen or didn't get saved. It's like, you know what? We gave it a shot. Okay. And God's saying, you know what? As a soul winner, he's like, don't beat yourself up if you give it a shot and they don't get saved. It's not your fault. Just move on to the next door. Because there are people out there that want to listen to you. Okay. And so look, some people will hear and some people won't hear. That's just the way it works. Verse 15. Verily I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in a day of judgment than for that city. I mean, do you notice this verse? I mean, because what are the sins you think of as being terrible sins that we preach against? We preach against the LGBT and pedophiles, which are one and the same all the time, right? But the Bible is saying it's going to be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah. Why? Because of the fact this city got opportunities to hear the gospel and they rejected it. In Sodom and Gomorrah, who did they have to preach the gospel? Abraham? I mean, it would have been good if they had Abraham, right? They had Lot. Okay. Boy, that's great. You've got Lot is who you're counting on to preach the gospel and get this town saved. And realize this, that a town doesn't get to Sodom and Gomorrah unless they got worse and worse and worse. So even before Sodom and Gomorrah, before Lot got there, you know, obviously people were not preaching the gospel. People weren't getting saved. The word of God was not being preached and they got more and more and more wicked. But the Bible is saying this, that if there is an area that has an opportunity to hear the gospel and they do not want to hear it, it's more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah. Okay. Go to Matthew 11, Matthew 11, Matthew Chapter 11. So how does this work? Practically? Well, in the Old Testament, okay, realize when you're going to serve God, you know, you really had to join up with, you know, the Israelites if you're going to serve God. You know, there's the Northern Kingdom, the Southern Kingdom, obviously, once there's a split. But, you know, in terms of, you know, the Levitical priests and all these different things, hey, you know, if you really wanted to serve them, you kind of had to join them. Now we can have church anywhere and anyone can serve God. People could still get saved in the Old Testament, though, that were not part of the Hebrews. Okay, we realize that. But here's what I want you to understand. Who do you think would have been held more accountable? Somebody who lived in a wicked heathen country or someone who grew up in the southern kingdom of Judah that never got saved? Who's going to suffer more in hell? The person that lived in the southern kingdom of Judah that never got saved. But it's God's chosen person, not if they don't believe, my friend. I mean, if they don't believe, they're guilty. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life. Oh, that's New Testament. No, that's before Jesus died on the cross, John 3.36, my friend. That's still Old Testament, okay? That's still before Jesus died on the cross. Look, people that were before Jesus Christ, they had to look toward the coming Messiah to be saved. And if they rejected that, they're going to spend forever in hell. So look, the practical application is this. Someone that grows up in North Korea is going to be more innocent than someone who grows up in the Philippines around other soul winners, right? Someone who grows up in our church. Let's say, you know, we have a young child that grows up in our church that never gets saved. They're going to be held more accountable than someone who grows up in Iraq or Iran or Saudi Arabia or whatever country, whatever heathen country out there, okay? Why? They had more opportunities to hear the gospel, and they chose to reject it. Matthew 11, verse 20. Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not. Woe unto thee, Chorazin, woe unto thee, Bethsaida. For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. And I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment than for you. And, you know, what the Bible's saying here is this. You know what? They would have actually gotten saved and turned to God, okay? Now, I mean, when it says repent there, obviously we know as an unsaved person, the only thing they have to change is what they believe. We do know the story of Nineveh where they did turn from their sin, but also I believe many of them believed on Jesus Christ, okay? But what I want you to realize is what he's saying is this, an area where the word of God was preached and they reject it. Guess what? They're held more accountable than an area where the word of God was not preached, okay? Look, Nineveh was a heathen country. Assyria was a heathen empire. But look, the people that did not get saved after Jonah came through, because look, whenever the word of God is preached, some get saved and some don't, right? Jonah preaches this message to turn and then the king says, go and promote this everywhere, publish it everywhere. They believe, hey, the word of God was getting out, the gospel was being preached. And look, those that lived in Nineveh that did not get saved, once the word of God was being preached and they were able to hear the gospel, guess what? They're going to be held more accountable than an hour ago before the word of God was preached. Why? Because to whom much is given, much is required. You hear the word of God and you reject it, you're going to be held accountable. Verse 23, and now Capernaum, which art exalted onto heaven, shall be brought down to hell. For if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say in you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee. And what it says is this, if the word of God was preached in Sodom instead of you, they wouldn't have been destroyed. Okay? Now, I've heard some people try to take this verse and say, well, see, reprobate doctrine is not true. They say, well, see, the word of God could have been preached to all these homos and they all would have gotten saved and everything. No, no, you can't just take one verse and isolate it and take it away from everything. I believe what he's saying is this, hey, you know what? If the word of God had been preached in Sodom, they would have never gotten to the point where they were basically a reprobate nation that God said, I'm destroying. It was too late for them. Okay? I mean, when you read, when you read Genesis 19, right, when you read Genesis 18, Genesis 19, it's too late for them. Because Abraham barters, hey, I mean, if there's 50 saved people, 40 saved people, I mean, gets down to 10 saved people, it's like you should have gotten lower. If there's one saved person, I mean, please tell me that, you know, Lot's saved, right? It's like, look, God says, no, you know what? There have to be a certain amount of saved people. It's at the point of no return is what God was saying. But you know, if the word of God had been preached 100 years earlier, because a lot can change in 100 years. What was this country like 100 years ago? Do you think there's a bunch of, you know, sodomites walking around, dressed as women, transgenders and no, the world was much different in 100 years, obviously, Sodom got pretty bad pretty quickly. Okay? I mean, if the word of God had been preached there before, guess what? They would have turned, they would have gotten rid of their wickedness before they got to that point. Okay? Now go to Matthew chapter 12, Matthew 12, Matthew 12. But what does that show us? It shows us when you have opportunities to hear the gospel and you reject it, you're going to be held more accountable. And you know what? That makes perfect sense. It makes perfect sense that if someone heard the gospel more and rejected it, they would be more accountable. Okay? Matthew 12, verse 38, Matthew 12, verse 38. Then certain of the scribes into the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. And he answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and there shall no sign be given to it but the sign of the prophet Jonas. All of these unsaved people, they say, Well, if I just saw a sign, right, if God just came down and spoke to me, then I would believe. No, you just become a Pentecostal. Okay? You start speaking in tongues and basically getting devil possessed. You wouldn't have actually gotten saved. Okay? But everyone's just like, if I just saw a sign, you know, if God just appeared to me and everything, it's like, Well, why are you so special that God has to make a special trip to appear to you? Okay? God says, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign, and he says, Here's the sign. Verse 40, For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. He says, You know what? We got a whole book of the Bible. We got the man, Jonah, and he's the example, and here's your sign. This man was in the whale's belly for three days and three nights, which is a picture of Jesus Christ. Okay? For three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Obviously, we know Jesus, his soul was in hell for three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. What is God saying? Hey, here is your sign, the resurrection. And what is the sign that we give to unsaved people? We preach the gospel to them, right? That's all we can do. Yeah, I mean, there's all these apologetics ministries where you want to prove Christianity. Look, you can't prove to people and them get saved that way. It doesn't work that way. I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek and to the Mormon and the Hindu and the Buddhist and the atheist. Look, it's the gospel that has power. It is the word of God that has power. I remember one time I knew this, but I really saw it in action. One time I preached the gospel to someone who believed in evolution. This was a decade ago, and I must have spent, like, one hour talking to him on the street. And I started with the Bible, but I went into evolution. I was spouting off all these facts from Ken Hovind that I had seen years ago and everything like that. And at the end, he would say, man, he's like, you've given me a lot to think about. He did not get saved, though. I ran into the same guy a year later, and I spent about 45 minutes. It took a long time. But, you know, instead of showing him just all these science facts and everything, I just showed him what the Bible said. And whenever he had questions, you know, I remember I went back to the book of Genesis. I went back to the flood. I went back to Genesis 1.1. I said, in the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. According to the Bible, God was here at the beginning. I said, there is no answer. If you reject God, you don't have an answer for the beginning. You believe in the big bang and all the stuff. What's before that? Right? God has the answer, and you don't. And I went back to the gospel. And he had a couple other questions. I went to the flood, and I showed him some stuff. Went back to the gospel. He ended up getting saved after 45 minutes. Look, I'm not saying you can't talk about any science whatsoever, but you know what I found was the science found inside of the word of God had more power. And he got saved. And look, this guy wasn't an atheist, I don't think. He's like an agnostic, but he believed in evolution, the big bang, and all this stuff. Didn't believe the Bible. But he got saved through the word of God, okay? The only sign we need to give unsaved people is the gospel, okay? We show them what the Bible says, and if they're unwilling to listen to what the Bible says, they're not going to get saved. That's the way it works. Verse 41, the men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonas, and behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation and shall condemn it, for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, a greater than Solomon is here. And so the Bible's saying here in Matthew 12 and in 11 and chapter 10, look, if the word of God is being preached in an area, they're held more accountable, okay? It works this way as saved people as well. If you are a saved person and you go to some non-denominational church that doesn't teach you anything, you're not going to be held as accountable as if you go to a church like this where you're hearing the word of God. Whether you hear, you're accountable for that, and this logically makes sense. Look, if I directly tell my son, I do not want you to do this, and he does it anyway, his punishment is going to be bigger than if he does something wrong but I didn't directly tell him. Even if he knew it was wrong, if I directly told him, son, I don't want you to do this, five minutes later I see him doing that exact same thing, I'm going to be pretty mad. Why? Because he is willingly disobeying me and he will be held more accountable because he had more knowledge, more information. It logically makes sense and this is what the Bible teaches. So look, who's going to suffer a lot at the great white throne judgment? Probably a lot of people that grew up in Christian nations or in good churches that didn't get saved and also the wicked evil people like the pedophiles, false prophets, and really wicked people in this world. Obviously, going to hell, that alone is going to be terrible, but the people that had more opportunities are going to suffer more. Go to Psalm 73, Psalm 73 in the middle of your Bible, Psalm 73, Psalm chapter 73. Now obviously somebody who grows up in North Korea, they're not going to be innocent if they don't believe on Jesus Christ, they're still going to be guilty, they're still going to go to hell, but look, they're going to be more innocent than someone who grows up in a Baptist church with the right gospel that just doesn't get saved because they heard the gospel, they had opportunities and they rejected. That is what the Bible teaches. Now I want to talk to you when it comes to this recompense, I want to talk to you about the importance of preaching about this great white throne judgment. Why is this important? Because none of us, hopefully we're all saved in this room. None of us are going to be at the great white throne judgment. We are saved. We don't have to worry about our sins being brought up by God and being embarrassed by our sins. Our sins are as far as the east is from the west, the Bible says. They're gone. Okay? But it's very important for us to preach this and you say, why? Because of the fact a lot of bad people get away with a lot of bad things and if our answer is this, well, I mean these people, they're not getting away with it because they're going to go to hell one day. Well, every unsafe person goes to hell. So look, unless they're actually paying specifically for what they did in terms of getting a bigger punishment then they are getting away with it because you go to hell for not believing on Jesus Christ and look, if there was no judgment, then that means bad people can do whatever they want and they're not actually paying for that. The only reason why they're in hell is because they didn't get saved. But when you realize that unsaved people for every sin they commit, it's more of a punishment, then you know what? Because when we see bad people that get away with stuff, you see wicked politicians and evil people and, you know, evil false prophets and they seem to get away with stuff, realize they're not getting away with anything. Psalm 73 verse 17, Asaph in the Bible felt depressed at one point. Okay? And it's directly related to this Asaph or not Asaph, Psalm 73 verse 17, and he talks about being depressed in this entire chapter. In verse 17, he says, until I went into the sanctuary of God, when I went into the house of God, then understood I therein. He talks about these wicked people that are prospering in this world and nothing bad is happening. He's like, man, I'm making an effort to try to live for God. I'm reading the scriptures. I'm praying. I'm trying to do what's right. And then these evil people are making more money than me. They're successful and they're getting away with what they've done. That's what he's saying in Psalm 73. He felt this way until he went into God's house, then understood either end. You say, how did he understand it when he went in God's house? Well, probably primarily from the preaching, right? I probably snapped him out of it. Now look, this was a godly person who wrote part of the Bible. And what this shows is every single one of us will feel this way from time to time. We see these bad people that seem to be getting away with stuff, but when he went into the house of God, then all of a sudden he's like, man, what was I thinking? He heard the preaching. He had the fellowship, all these people that are loving God, people are encouraged. I'm sure back then, what are people doing? They're coming to the house of God. They're talking about soul winning and people they got saved. Same thing we do today. Verse 18, surely thou didst set them in slippery places. Thou castest them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation as in a moment? They are utterly consumed with terrors. As a dream when one awaketh, so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image. Thus my heart was grieved and I was pricked in my reigns. So foolish was I and ignorant. I was as a beast before thee. After he heard the sermon, you know what Asaph says? You know what? What was I thinking? He's like, I was acting very foolish. I was acting very ignorant. I was acting very bobo. I forgot about why it's so important to serve God. But you know, the reality is all of us will get to this stage many times in our life where quite honestly, we feel like just giving up. You know, it's hard. It's difficult. You know, what's the purpose? I feel like, you know what? If I did something else with my life, I could make more money, go to all these nice places, have more fun and everything foolishness. It's foolishness. It's not going to make you happy. The Bible says, if you know these things, happier ye, if you do them, look, if you want to be happy in life, what's the answer? Read the Bible makes you happy. Pray. It makes you happy. Serve God. Care about other people. It makes you happy. That is reality. But you know, we get brainwashed by the world. Sometimes Asaph right here is getting brainwashed by the world and he's seeing all these wicked people prospering. Imagine, though, if he walked into victory that morning or CCF that morning, do you really think there would have been a face ripping sermon about how these wicked people are going to pay in hell for their sins? Probably not. I don't think that rock music would have really gotten him past this depression stage. Look, you need preaching like this to keep you in the fight. That's reality. Look, it's easy to serve God when you're going through ups. When you're going through downs, it's not easy to serve God. You need this kind of preaching to remind you of things you already know. We need to be reminded of the things we know over and over and over and over again. And at the end of this, what Asaph says is, man, I was foolish. He went into the house of God and he heard the word of God. He was around God's people. He said, you know what? How foolish was I? The worst thing you can do when you're getting depressed is skip church. So worst thing you can do throughout the Bible when people are depressed, what do you see them do? They isolate themselves. What is Eliza do? He just leaves his servant behind. It's like, good night. You're one of the greatest people in the Bible. You just basically got rid of your servant that was trying to serve God. You just kind of forgot about him. And what ends up happening after that? He ends up being more depressed right after that. Why? Isolating yourself is the worst thing to do when you're depressed. But what do we feel like doing when we're depressed? We feel like isolating ourselves, right? Look, the world lies to us and we feel like we'd be happy. But in reality, what makes you happy is coming to the house of God, being around your friends, hearing the preaching, being in the routine of soul winning and serving God. Look, it keeps you on the right path. But from time to time, we will have the foolish idea. Well, maybe if I wasn't so involved, I'd be happier. No, you wouldn't. You would be miserable. Okay, go to Revelation 20, Revelation 20, Revelation 20, Revelation chapter 20. So it's important for us to understand the great white throne judgment because it makes everything we do worthwhile. They're not getting away with anything. That's what Asaph needed to be reminded of that. These wicked people that are prospering, all they will pay for it. It's not just that they go to hell. No, they will pay for each and every sin that they commit. So at the great white throne judgment, there is a reuniting of the body and soul of unsafe people. There is a recompense for the things they did. And then there is a relocation to the lake of fire. Revelation 20 verse 14 and death in hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Okay, so basically the first death being cast in the lake of fire equals the second death. And we're seeing hell is relocated to the lake of fire. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast in the lake of fire. So any unsafe person is going to be cast into the lake of fire if they are not in the book of life. Okay. Now go to second Thessalonians one. Second Thessalonians one. We'll look at a few more places. Second Thessalonians one. My personal opinion is that the lake of fire is probably the sun or on the sun, I would say. I would say that's probably the location. I'm like, I cannot prove this biblically, so this is just my thoughts. So I'm like, I don't know, 72%, something like that, 68%, 72%, somewhere around there. I'm not really sure. But it does give a purpose for the sun even after we have a new heaven and new earth and things such as that. But I believe it's probably the sun. Brother Mateus mentioned something interesting when I talked about this a couple months ago. He said he had heard in a class or documentary or something like that about how supposedly there's different parts of the sun that are hotter than other parts and everything like that. Now, look, I've never made a trip to the sun. I don't think he has either off desk or off the surface. I don't really know what science says about the sun, but quite honestly, I mean, I did watch a documentary several months back on the sun and everything. I was curious about it, but I don't really think that this world has a perfect handle on the sun. Quite honestly, you know, I don't think you can really send much machines up there to test it. It's probably going to burn up and everything. So, look, I don't think we necessarily have a ton of information. But my personal opinion is probably that hell is going to be relocated to the leg of fire, which is probably the sun or on the sun or part of the sun or whatever. I could be wrong, but it's a possibility. Obviously, it could be anything. God could just create this new lake or whatever. We don't really know. It could be anywhere. Right? Second Thessalonians one, verse eight, inflaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power. Now, when you look at people that are part of false cults, they'll often go to this verse, verse nine, and they'll say, Well, see, you're destroyed, you know, away from the presence of the Lord, you know, away from the glory of his power. I mean, actually, many Baptists will say that, you know, hell is separation from God. Right? You've heard that before, right? Hell is separation from God. Well, it's kind of hard to be separated from God when God is omnipresent mean God is everywhere. So I don't really understand how you say you're separated from God. But they'll go to this verse and they say, Well, see, everlasting destruction. You're away from the presence of the Lord and away from the glory of his power. It does not say away from the presence of the Lord. They're adding a word there. The word from can be used in many different fashions, okay? When it's saying everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord is saying the presence of the Lord is the cause of this destruction. The presence of the Lord is the one who's basically heating hell. Why is it that hell has not gotten cold after 6000 plus years? Right? I mean, hell is still hot. God's keeping it hot, my friend. That's the reality. Okay, now, if the world was 4.5 billion years old, good night. How is hell still hot? How's the center of the earth still hot after this long? That wouldn't make any sense. But look, hell is still hot because the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power. He's the one who's heating it. Okay, go to Daniel seven, Daniel seven, Daniel seven. And guess who's keeping the lake of fire hot for all eternity? God. Look, people that go to the lake of fire, they're not going to escape the presence of the Lord. They're going to be in the presence of the Lord. They will be tormented in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb, the Bible says. They will be in God's presence because God is omnipresent and God is the one. It's not the devil that created hell. It's God. Okay, Daniel seven, verse nine. I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the ancient of days did sit whose garment was white as snow and the hair of his head like the pure wool. His throne was like the fiery flame and his wheels as burning fire, a fiery stream issued and came forth from before him. Thousands thousands ministered onto him and 10,000 times 10,000 stood before him. The judgment was set and the books were open. You say, Brother Stuckey, who is it that is basically heating hell up and heating the lake of fire up? It's coming directly from God. He's the one who's doing it. Look, I don't believe these people. I mean, they're gonna be tormented in God's presence. They're gonna go straight to the lake of fire. Okay, it's not gonna be hard to transport them. It's gonna be immediate, and the lake of fire is gonna be burning as a result of God. Okay, go to one last place. Hebrews 12, Hebrews 12, Hebrews 12, Hebrews chapter 12, verse 29. Hebrews chapter 12, verse 29 in the Bible reads this for our God is a loving God. Is that what it says? I mean, it's true God's a loving God, but that's not what it says. Our God is a God of peace. Well, that's true, but that's not what it says here. Any fastest to who God is for our God is a consuming fire. Look, if the devil was the one who created hell, like the people try to teach you, I mean, the devil's evil. God's all good. God would never punish anybody in hell, right? Look, if God is all good and he's all powerful, then wouldn't he just force everybody to go to heaven? Like if he's all powerful and could do that? I mean, look, when people say this, that, well, you know what? God is all good and the devil's bad and everything like that. Look, if God was all good and he's more powerful than the devil, then he could just force people to go to heaven. Then if that were the case, if the devil created hell and the devil wants to get people in hell, God wants to get them to heaven. No, but the reality is you got to believe on Jesus Christ and the reality is God is the one who created hell and the reality is in his judgment. If you do not believe you deserve hell. That's what he says. God determined that it's not the devil that determined that those that deny Jesus Christ go to hell. It's God that determined that. God is the one who determined, God is the one who created hell and guess what? God is a just judge and the great white throne judgment, unsaved people are going to pay for their actions. It is going to be a fair award. The body and the soul are going to be reunited. There's going to be a recompense and then it will be relocated to the lake of fire where they will burn for all eternity. Let's close my word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for allowing us to be here today and just getting to see your word on this topic of the great white throne judgment, God. Help none of us to ever be envious at the wicked like Asaph was and obviously this something from time to time we get tired, we get exhausted, you know, maybe sometimes we get envious of people that get to go on all these nice vacations and stuff like that and we feel like we'd have a better life and be more happy, but that's not what your word teaches. Happiness is found in serving you, God. Help us to never be envious of the wicked and help us to understand these things in the Bible. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.