Proverbs 9:10 (ESV) - The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Your life begins and ends with God whether you acknowledge it or not (Acts 17:22-31).

· He is the giver of life and the sustainer of life – you have no physical life apart from God.

· He is the one to whom all people will give account.

Acts 17:29–31 (ESV) - Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Revelation 20:1–3 (ESV) - Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

Revelation 20:4-5 (ESV) - Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.

Resurrection: (1 Corinthians 15)
· The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of it all.

1 Corinthians 15:20 (ESV) - But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

· Everyone will be raised from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:22 (ESV) - For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

· Everyone is raised to face judgment.

Hebrews 9:27–28 (ESV) - And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

· What happens before death determines what happens after death.

Revelation 20:6 (ESV) - Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.


1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 (ESV) - For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Revelation 20:7-10 (ESV) - And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Revelation 20:11–15 (ESV) - Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Romans 2:6–8 (ESV) - He will render to each one according to his works: 7to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

Romans 3:23 (ESV) - …for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

1 John 5:11–12 (ESV) - And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

So what?
1. We each have an eternal destiny.

2. God’s judgment is right and just (Romans 2:11; Galatians 6:7)

3. God’s judgment is final.

Discussion Questions

1. What is the most fascinating thing you have viewed through a telescope?

2. “Your life begins and ends with God whether you acknowledge it or not (Acts 17:22-31).” Describe your thoughts on this statement from a biblical perspective.

3. What is your perspective of the one thousand year reign of Christ? Is it literal or figurative? Be sure your answer in rooted in Scripture.

4. Scripture tells us all people will be resurrected either to eternal life with Christ or eternal punishment away from him. Why is the resurrection of Jesus such an important foundation to this truth (1 Corinthians 15:12-27)?

5. Scripture tells us that good works are not the basis of salvation, so why are the works of all people judged according to the “books”?

6. What does “the book of life” reveal about the foundation of our eternal judgment?

7. Why do so many reject the idea of hell – the lake of fire – the second death and how does this reflect on their view of God and humanity?

8. Is your name in the book of life?