Revelation 20:12
12 And [kai] I saw [eido] the dead, [nekros] small [mikros] and [kai] great, [megas] stand [histemi] before [enopion] God; [theos] and [kai] the books [biblion] were opened: [anoigo] and [kai] another [allos] book [biblion] was opened, [anoigo] which [hos] is [esti] the book of life: [zoe] and [kai] the dead [nekros] were judged [krino] out of [ek] those things which were written [grapho] in [en] the books, [biblion] according to [kata] their [autos] works. [ergon] KJV-Interlinear
12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. NASB
The great court of God has been cleared and made ready for the last and final court appearance of those who have rejected Christ.
In all of history, there are but two great categories of people – believers in Christ, and unbelievers.
In all of history there are but two destinies – Heaven for believers, and the Lake of Fire for unbelievers.
The only difference between the two is a single thought or belief, ‘Father I believe in Jesus Christ.’ That is all that separates everyone between heaven and hell for all of eternity. Quite a major difference because of a simple single thought.
Believers will never face Gods judgment, because "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom 8:1). Everyone "who believes in Him is not judged" (John 3:18); they have "eternal life, and do not come into judgment, but have passed out of death into life" (John 5:24). Far from being judged, all believers in the first resurrection (Rev. 20:6) will have already received their rewards (Rev.20:4; 19:7-9; 1 Cor 3:12-15; 2 Cor 5:10) at the Judgment Seat of Christ with each respective group of believers.
As for unbelievers, this is the "resurrection of judgment" (John 5:29), the resurrection "to disgrace and everlasting contempt" (Dan 12:2), the "resurrection of . . . the wicked" (Acts 24:15).
The planet earth has been swept away (not yet destroyed, but simply pushed aside), and the court of God is going to be held in a venue which will boggle the minds of everyone. The reality of truth will be overwhelmingly apparent to all. And for those who hold on to their contempt and rejection of Christ, then the judgment will again be reinforced in its righteousness.
Court is now in session, and the roll call of names begins. The dead.
All who have rejected Christ as their savior, are identified. They are the great and the small. The somebodies, the nobodies, Rom 2:11; cf. Deut 10:17; Job 34:19; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; 1 Peter 1:17. God has no favorites or bias toward those who reject truth.
Those whose lives were filled with pettiness, selfishness, and little sins. Those whose lives amounted to nothing whose sins were mean, spiteful, peevish, groveling, vulgar, common, and cheap. Those who would be great in their own minds, men and women who sinned with a high hand, and courage and flair. Men and women who went in for wickedness on a grand scale with the world for their stage and who died unrepentant.
Now, one and all (unbelievers only) are arraigned and on their way to their final judgment and sentence before the Great White Throne of Christ.
And all are called before the Throne.
Then the books (plural) are opened. These books are identified in this and the next verse, the books of their ‘works,’ or ‘deeds.’
In them is recorded every thought, deed, action, motivation and so forth of every unbeliever who has or will ever live.
The test for freedom or judgment is based on ‘works.’ The works of man verses the works of God.
Which, will be sufficient to produce salvation and a life with God, versus the insufficient work which will lead to eternal separation from God?
Another book, the single book of life is also opened. In this book all those who have received eternal life, are recorded.
The standard is perfection, Matt. 5:48. If anyone is perfect then they have a right to eternal life. However if they are not perfect, then they do not have a right to eternal life. Only God is perfect and only God is able to make that which is imperfect, perfect. Imperfect man cannot make himself perfect by means of his own efforts.
The standard is holiness, righteousness plus justice, 1 Pet. 1:15-16. Only God is able to make that which is unholy, holy. Man cannot make himself holy.
And since Christ has paid the ultimate and complete price for sin, then human good, mans works, are the only things remaining with which man can claim themselves as perfect or holy. This is mans defense, since unbelievers have rejected God and Gods plan and Gods work.
The scales of justice are set and the works of man, numerous as they are, carry no weight whatsoever and the scales of justice tip in the favor of God, of Christ and His work on the Cross, the only work which has efficacious merit.
That is what the final judgment is based – mans works versus Gods work.
This court appearance is open and public. There is no secret trial, no hidden back room decisions or negotiations. It is thoroughly documented and proven by means of mans own works. Mans condemnation is by means of his (unbelievers) own decisions.
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