In this thought-provoking episode of Hope for Today, Pastor David Hawking offers a deep dive into the profound realities of the Great White Throne as described in Revelation 20. Through a mixture of biblical exegesis and heartfelt appeals, listeners are called to reflect on the essence of faithfulness over worldly possessions and the sobering truth of eternal judgment. Drawing from scripture and personal insight, David invites us to live with a kingdom perspective, reminding us of the inevitability of standing before the throne where true faithfulness is measured.
It’s much more important how we live for the Lord than any of the bloom and junk and stuff that we have. We need to understand that, especially in times that are hard. When we start questioning God’s purposes and we lose our job and we lose our things that are precious to us. Hey, understand something. The whole thing’s going to be blown up. You brought nothing into this world. It’s certain you’re not going to carry anything out.
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Thank you.
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There’s coming a moment when every voice falls silent. Just the soul standing before the great white throne. Revelation 20, 11 through 15 reveals that scene. Earth and heaven flee from his face and nothing remains but truth. Not our career, not our achievements, not the things we treasured. Because as scripture says, you brought nothing into this world and you will carry nothing out. In that moment, the only thing that matters is whether we lived for the Lord. Just faithfulness, faithfulness to Jesus Christ. On this edition of Hope for Today, David Hawking takes us into its unavoidable reality with day one of a message called The Great White Throne.
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First, here’s David with a special word. Folks, we need your help. Can you give us a call and say, hey, we’d like to help support Hope for Today. Get that contribution in for your taxes and for the following year. But beyond all of that, we depend upon God’s people. We have no organization or church or foundation behind us. All of our broadcasts are supported by the listeners in those areas. So would you please give us a helping hand at this time and give a call and let us know that you’re behind us. in prayer and financial support. God bless you and thank you ahead of time for your kindness to us.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, thank you, David. And folks, to give, you can call 1-800-75-BIBLE, that’s in the U.S., or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. And Bible is 24253. You can also make a donation online securely at davidhawking.org. That’s davidhawking.org. And as promised, here’s David with today’s study.
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People say, well, the only hell I think exists is what I’m going through. No, there’s something far worse that’s coming. chapter 20 of Revelation, 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 it was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were open. And another book was open, 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. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and hell, delivered up the dead that 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. Will you join me please in prayer? Father in heaven. You have warned us frequently throughout the New Testament as well as the Old about this terrible day that awaits those who reject you, who turn their backs on you, who have nothing to do with you. Lord, I pray that you’d bring some strong conviction to our hearts and some perspective from your heart about this place that we call hell. We remember that he said more about hell than heaven. He warned us, repent or perish. And I pray, Lord, that you will give us a new desire to tell people about Jesus because we know that hell is a reality. How we need to have your heart. We don’t want anybody to go to hell. Help us, Lord, to understand. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. Take your Bibles and turn to Matthew, please, chapter 7, just to give you a little background from the lips of our Lord. In Matthew 7, in the Sermon on the Mount, there are two verses that indicate the two ways that everybody is going and that most people are going the wrong way. Matthew 7, 13 and 14 says, enter in at the straight gate. Some translations translate straight as narrow. Straight. It’s difficult to go through it. It’s not very big. But the next statement says, For wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in that way. Because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. I’ll turn, please, to Mark chapter 9. The Gospel of Mark chapter 9. And verse 42, start there, there’s quite a discussion by our Lord about this place that is called the place of destruction that many people are going to and they don’t know it. They’re on that road that leads there. He describes hell in some detail. It’s no joke or laughing matter. In Mark 9, 42, it says, “…whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me.” It is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter into life maimed 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. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter… a halt or lame into life than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched, where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out. It is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire, where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. Now, we have in this passage five times the statement that it is fire that will never be quenched, a fire that never goes out. We have also the statement where the worm dieth not, mentioned three times. That’s referring to man, his nature, who he is. The worm that he is refers to his true self-esteem before God. He’s a worm. But it dies not. People are going to live forever in hell. Hell is not a period of time. Hell is forever. And it’s an awesome place indeed. Let’s go to Luke, please, chapter 16. Luke chapter 16, beginning of verse 19. A story Jesus said with the name of a person in the story, making it something more than a parable, a true story. the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16, beginning at verse 19. Jesus said there was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus who was laid at his gate full of sores and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. I mean, he’s a mess. And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried, and in hell he lifted up his eyes. being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivest thy good things and likewise Lazarus’ evil things. But now he is comforted and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you, there’s a great gulf fixed so that they who would pass from here to you cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from there. Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, Father, that thou would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brethren, that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. He said, Nay, Father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Well, there’s a lot in the Bible about this subject. Let’s go to Revelation 20 where our text describes the judgment that will result in people being cast into the lake of fire. We’re talking a place of torment. Now, we’re going to just divide this little section, verses 11 to 15, into four subjects. First of all, we want to look at briefly the description of the one who judges. In verse 11, it says, 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. Go back to John chapter 5, the Gospel of John chapter 5, and look at verse 22. The great white throne judgment. And John is looking at the one who sits on it. He’s looking at his face. And earth and heaven literally fled away from the face of the one on the throne. Now, all of a sudden, the central feature of everything John sees in the future is this great white throne. Awesome in its purity and holiness. In John 5, we’re told a little bit about who may be on that throne. Verse 22, Jesus is talking. He says, Imagine the one who walked the hills of Galilee and was born in Bethlehem. Imagine the Savior who cared and had compassion and healed so many people. The one who went to the cross and died for our sins and rose again from the dead. Imagine. standing before him, having ignored him, neglected him in your life, rejected his offer of salvation, never really made a personal commitment to him, and now standing before the very one who died for you at this great white throne judgment. Awesome. Look at verse 27 of John 5. It says the Father has given him, the Son, authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of Man. That’s interesting. His humanity gives him the right or understanding or perspective so that none of us can say, you don’t know what it was like. Yes, he does. It behooved him to become like unto his brethren, says Hebrews 2, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest. He was tested in all points as we are, yet without sin, and therefore we don’t have a high priest who cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmities. That’s a positive, but there’s also a negative. So humanity also gives him an understanding of human life by personal experience so that when we stand, if we do, in front of him, we have no excuses whatsoever. He knows us better than we know ourselves. Turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Yes, Jesus is the judge. Jesus Christ will cast folks into a lake of fire who have rejected him. In 2 Corinthians 5, verse 10, we have mention of another judgment of believers, an issue of reward. And once again, it is a judgment place of Jesus Christ. It says, verse 10 of 2 Corinthians 5, for we must all, all of us who are believers, appear before the judgment seat of Christ. Clear who’s judging. that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad. You’ll find additional statements on this in 1 Corinthians 3, verses 11 to 15, as well as in Romans 14, verse 10 and following. It is a serious subject, the judgment that Jesus Christ will bring. In the case of judging believers, it will be according to our works. In the case of judging unbelievers, it will be according to their works. Both judgments will be according to their works. But the issue that involves their final destiny is not works. The issue is faith in Jesus Christ. And that’s why it’s so serious what we do with Jesus Christ. Now, we’re also told that there was found no place for heaven and earth in the presence of Jesus Christ, our King of kings and Lord of lords. Go back to Revelation, take another look at that in chapter 20, and let’s just dip into 21. Revelation 21.1 says, And I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea. There will be water, there will be a river, but no more sea. Many people connect verse 11 of chapter 20 with this because it says, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away. In chapter 21, verse 1, the first heaven and the first earth were passed away. Apparently, they’re passed away in the light of the presence of the majesty and glory of Jesus Christ. You say, well, when does this happen? The Bible even says heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away, Matthew 24, 35. Turn to 2 Peter chapter 3. 2 Peter chapter 3. What’s going to happen to the present heaven surrounding the earth? There are three heavens. There’s the atmospheric heaven around the earth, there’s clouds, the birds, etc. There’s also what we call outer space, the stellar heavens. And then the third heaven is where God dwells, which is outside of all of it. In 2 Peter chapter 3, Verse 10, it says, but the day of the Lord, that’s always a day of darkness and judgment. It’s referring to the tribulation period. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. Same thing is said in 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 2. The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night. In which, watch this, the heavens shall pass away with a great noise. Same language. Heaven and earth passed away. It was found no place for them in the presence of the one who sat on the great white throne. The elements shall melt with fervent heat. By the way, the words in Greek behind this English text use the same kind of words that today we use in nuclear power. The Bible’s becoming increasingly more relevant when we see it in the light of what we know today, which, of course, when they wrote it in that day, they didn’t know what they were talking about, but we know now. The elements shall melt with fervent heat. The earth also and the works that are in it shall be burned up. That’s what the Bible says. seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved. That’s what the Bible says. What manner of persons ought you to be in all holy conversation or conduct and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God in which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which dwelleth righteousness.” Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for such things, be diligent that you be found of him in peace without spot and blameless. And he goes on to mention a number of things. But the point is there is going to come a dissolving of the present material order that we see. We’re going to see the earth blown up. We’re also going to see the heavens melt and be dissolved. Can you imagine this? It’s going to happen. It’s going to happen, and the Bible describes it. Some say this is a thermonuclear war that’s totally out of control and whatever. God doesn’t need a thermonuclear war. He can do this all himself without anybody’s help. But it is indeed awesome to read about what’s going to happen. And all Revelation 20 does is say that in front of the face of him who will sit on that throne, everything is going to be blown sky high. The point of it is not timing like there’s a sequential order here. The point of it is understand something. The one who’s bringing judgment. the one who will come again and wipe up the earth with his own vengeance and tread out the winepress of God’s wrath and spatter his garments with blood, the one from whom all these heavens will be melted and destroyed and dissolved, the one who is doing that is Jesus Christ our Lord, King of kings and Lord of lords. The majesty, the power, the sovereignty of our blessed Lord. When you see it in Revelation, what a difference from the Gospels. And we need to understand who we’re talking about here. Jesus Christ, the king of the universe. And all this is going to happen. And in front of him, in front of his face, all of this melts away. That’s how powerful he is. All he has to do is blink his eye, give the word. Hey, let me tell you something. All of creation, according to the psalmist, was just a finger play of God. That’s all it was. Hey, this whole thing will be dissolved. All it takes is a look of Jesus Christ. That’s all it takes.
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That’s Bible teacher and author David Hawking, and this is Hope for Today. Just before David closes out today’s study, Matt and I want to share a powerful resource with you. And this is coming just in time for Christmas.
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Matt? What evidence does the Bible give us that Jesus is in fact the Almighty God? And can that claim be proven from the scriptures? Yes, indeed.
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Yeah, the evidence is found throughout the Bible on virtually every page. And David Hawking takes readers to that evidence with his concise, encouraging, and hope-filled compact book, Jesus Christ the Reason. And Matt, this book really broadens and deepens our appreciation for Christmas.
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You know, Isaiah 9-6 says, and we hear this often at the Christmas season, for unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.
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And when we dive deep into the scriptures to study our Savior, Christmas becomes brighter, more vibrant, overflowing with hope. And that’s just what Jesus Christ the Reason brings to readers.
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Which is exactly why we’re offering it as part of a special Christmas 2025 Hope for Today Christmas Package for our listening family. The 2025 Christmas Package also contains a three-message audio miniseries taught by my dad that also carries the title Jesus Christ the Reason. And the complete package is just $20.
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Your purchase today will make the holidays that much more meaningful and special for years to come, and it will help the ministry of Hope for Today. We are a listener-sponsored radio and online ministry. And as you consider year-end giving, please prayerfully consider Hope for Today as the Bible teaching here ministers to you. Help others to hear the same with a generous year-end donation. And please continue praying for Hope for Today. Yes, please do be in prayer for this ministry. Amen. In fact, put a reminder on your phone or on your calendar to pray for Hope for Today every day. We sure appreciate that. And Matt and I also want to mention David’s book, his one-year devotional, Learning to Praise in the Psalms. Listen, get this now, and you’ll have a devotional for every day of 2026 in the Psalms. And learning to praise in the Psalms, this is a print edition of his study through the Psalms. It’s just $20. It’s a powerful tool for your quiet time. Again, as you enter 2026, you can order by phone at 1-800-75-BIBLE. That’s in the U.S. Or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. Or go online at davidhawking.org. Now, as we come to the close of this year, we want you to know how important your financial gift really is to this ministry. Hope for Today is a listener-sponsored broadcast. We depend on listeners like you to keep this broadcast online and on the air, and your giving helps us continue teaching the Bible clearly, faithfully, and without compromise, reaching people all over the world who may never hear God’s Word any other way. Your year in support is going to help us move forward with the ministry opportunities ahead in 2026. If you’d like to help, you can write Hope for Today, Box 3927, Tustin, California, 92781. That’s in the U.S. Or in Canada, write to Hope for Today, Box 15011, RPO7OAKS, Abbotsford, B.C., V2SHP1. To get by phone, call 1-800-75-BIBLE in the U.S., 888-75-BIBLE in Canada, and again online at davidhawking.org. And once again, here’s David.
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Thanks for listening today. I hope you’re as excited as I am about teaching the great white throne judgment. There are many judgments in God’s Word. And Israel will be judged by God, but Israel is going to be receiving the wonderful salvation and blessing of God. Israel is forever, folks. They will never cease to exist. But this particular judgment called the great white throne, our Lord Yeshua is on the throne. He is the judge to whom the Father has committed all judgment. And who is standing before him? Well, all the dead, small and great, they open the book of life. Your name has to be in that book or you will not spend eternity with our Lord. And the basis of judgment is going to be those things that are written in the books that record all of their works. But these are unbelievers. resurrected to stand before God, but they are facing an awful sentence for their refusal to put their trust in the Messiah of Israel, our blessed Lord Yeshua. I certainly hope you have made that decision and that you’re ready to meet the Lord and your life has trusted in Him and what He’s done for you. God bless you and thanks for listening.
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Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Or go online to DavidHawking.org. On our next broadcast, this is Day 2 of the Great White Throne from Revelation 20, verses 11-15. Imagine facing the one who knows every thought, every motive, every moment of your life with nothing left to hide and no second chance. It’s the most serious scene in all of prophecy. David Hawking will take us back into the passage next time here on Hope for Today.
