Daily Scripture Reading Revelation 20:11 - 21:9

Modern society puts a lot of focus on feelings and emotions. We give a lot of credence to intentions. Thus, many times, when someone does something wrong, he is excused because his intentions were good.

Today, we will read some verses in Revelation 20 that challenge that mentality. We will see how God will judge all people, and whether or not intentions will counter our bad behavior.

At the end of yesterday’s passage, we read about the end of Satan. After being bound for 1,000 years, he will be released for a short time and allowed to deceive the nations, gathering them together for war. Then fire from heaven will destroy the armies and Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and tormented forever.

Rev. 20:11 ¶ Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sits upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.

Rev. 20:12 Then 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.

Look at the phrase “according to their deeds”. People will not be judged according to their intentions, hopes, or empty words. They will be judged by what they actually do.

Modern society puts a lot of focus on feelings and emotions. We give a lot of credence to intentions. If someone does something wrong, he is often excused because his intentions were good. However, that is not how God will judge people. He will judge people based on their actions.

Rev. 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them, and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.

Once again we see the phrase “according to their deeds”.

Rev. 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

Rev. 20:15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Pay attention to the black and white nature of the judgement. Either their name is in the book of life, or they go to the lake of fire. There is nothing in between. There is no gray area.

Many churches today do not want to talk about hell or the lake of fire. However, the Bible clearly teaches that the lake of fire is a real thing. Many people we rub shoulders with on a daily basis are on their way to hell. The lake of fire is in the Bible; therefore, Christians should talk about it.

Rev. 21:1 ¶ Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.

Rev. 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

Rev. 21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,

Take note of the glorious future. God will dwell among men.

Rev. 21:4 and He will WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away.”

Ponder the phrase “there will no longer be any mourning, crying, or pain’. This is what every human wants. The only way to ever experience this glorious experience is to become a servant of God.

Rev. 21:5 ¶ And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Rev. 21:6 Then He said to me, “They are done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.

Rev. 21:7 He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I WILL BE HIS GOD AND HE WILL BE MY SON.

Rev. 21:8 But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

This is a list of habitual sins that will land people in the lake of fire. Think about the mix of serious sins and what most humans call less serious sins that are included in this list. Most people agree that murder is very bad. On the other hand, lying, while considered bad, is not considered nearly as bad as murder. However, liars will go to hell just as certainly as murderers will go to hell. Cowards will go to hell. This reminds us that there is no such think as a little sin. Every time we disobey God, it is a serious matter.

Rev. 21:9 ¶ Then one of the seven angels who have the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

Modern society puts a lot of focus on feelings and emotions. We give a lot of credence to intentions. Thus, many times, when someone does something wrong, he is excused because his intentions were good.

However, we saw in today’s passage that God will judge based on deeds. Thus, God will not excuse bad behavior just because someone’s intentions were good.

Do you ever overlook a sin because the sinner has good intentions?

To what extent does your pastor or church encourage people to focus on intentions rather than what people actually do?

What are ways you rely on your intentions instead of taking a cold, hard look at your behavior?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”