He Who Sat Upon the White Throne

from Google Images

In Revelation 20:11 we are told that John saw a great white throne, and he mentions that he saw One sitting on that throne. It is difficult to read this and not remember the opening of the sixth seal (Revelation 6:12-17). There everyone tried to hide from him who sat upon the throne. Thus, we are faced with the problem of taking the writing of the Apocalypse in chronological order. Instead, it seems that Jesus is presented first as the High Priest (Revelation 1 through 8:5), then as Prophet (Revelation 8:6 through 14), and finally as the King of kings (Revelation 15 through 22). In each representation of Christ (High Priest, Prophet and King) he is seen as coming to judge the earth (Revelation 6:16-17; 14:1, 14-16; and 19:11). Therefore, his offices are overlaid one upon the other, showing Revelation 6:16 is the same time as Revelation 20:11.

 

What is the Lake of Fire?

from Google Images

According to Revelation 20:10, the deceiver and slanderer was taken and cast into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone, thus, receiving the same fate as the beast and the false prophet (Revelation 19:20). In order to understand the terms used in the Apocalypse, we need to keep in mind where all the events of the Apocalypse take place. The book opened with Jesus standing in the Holy Place of the Temple among the lampstands, which we found out later were the churches of Christ in Asia. In chapter four John was taken **up** to heaven (Revelation 4:1), which turned out to be the Most Holy Place. So, in effect, John merely entered the next room; that is, he walked from the Holy Place into the Most Holy Place.