In Revelation 20:11-15, the apostle John saw a vision of the great white throne of God. This is the last judgment at the end of the millennium, or thousand year reign of Christ on this earth. The throne of God is described earlier in Revelation as surrounded by a rainbow, a sign of God's mercy (Rev. 4:3). Now, the rainbow is gone. White is symbolic of God's holiness. Those who are lost shall be judged without mercy.
God's great white throne is the end of this present age, making way for the eternal age. John's vision sees this earth passing away. He testified, "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away" (Rev. 20:11). Believers shall see a new heaven and a new earth where righteousness dwells (Rev. 21:1; 2 Peter 3:13).
God's great white throne is the last judgment. The dead are judged according to the open books. John had a vision of the books of works and the Book of Life. "And the dead were judged according to their works" (Rev. 20:12). The Book of Life has the names of all who are redeemed. Elsewhere, it is referred to as the Lamb's Book of Life (Rev. 13:8). Jesus is every believer's Passover Lamb. We are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.
"And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:15). The lake of fire is the place of everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:41). It was prepared for the devil and all fallen angels. It is also the place for all who are lost.
