The Great White Throne Judgment occurs at the end of the Millennium. It is the time when all unbelievers will be judged. There will not be any saved people there to be judged. Whether or not they are present to watch the proceedings is unknown.

It is a time when the works of all unbelievers are reviewed and sentenced. No one being judged there will enter Heaven. Since they chose not to trust Christ to be their Savior, their sins are unforgiven. Their lives were lived in rebellion to Christ and His free salvation.

Verse 13 tells us that all the unsaved dead of the ages past – whether they died on land or at sea – or were already in Hell – are called up to face their judgment. Every sin, every evil thought, every word, will be accounted for on that day. None shall escape this unforgettable and most dreadful day. Truly, anyone at this judgment is without any hope of mercy or forgiveness.

Verses 14 and 15 reveal what happens next: “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.”

The only way of escape from this judgment and the following eternal penalty presented here in the Bible is to trust Christ as your Savior. You do this by being willing to turn from sin (repentance) and calling on Jesus Christ in prayer to forgive and save you. Then trust Him to forgive you like He promised: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Have you trusted Him yet to be your Savior? If not, why not call on Him now and get your sins forgiven and your eternal destiny settled?

Paul commended the believers at Thessalonica for their conversion and turning away from idols. Apparently, their conversion was both sudden and complete, and they were actively serving God boldly. Verse 8 makes it known that they were strong witnesses and their witness was even known in nearby regions.

It was not long after their conversion that these believers began to look for Christ’s return. They knew very well that God had raised Christ from the dead and then ascended on high – where He is today.

They did this because they knew that they had been delivered “from the wrath to come.” The “wrath” is speaking of God’s wrath, which will be revealed against sinners during the Tribulation, and at two other times – the Second Coming – when he destroys all those that do not know Him; and at the Great White Throne Judgment – when all unbelievers are judged and cast into the Lake of Fire.

Notice that it does not say: they hoped to be delivered, they wanted to be delivered, or even that they were working hard to be delivered from God’s wrath. Rather it says plainly that they had already been delivered. They had a sure salvation and they knew it.

At the same time, they were not idle. They wanted others to go with them and they spread the Gospel so others could be saved. Their faith produced results. All too many people today saying they are saved have little – if any – evidence that they have been changed. They are totally unlike New Testament Christians.

May God help all that are saved today to bring forth the fruits that God wants to produce in our lives. Knowledge of the wrath of God impacted these believer’s lives – does it impact yours? If not – why not?

Here is what Peter says about it in II Peter 3:11: “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.”