Revelation 20:11
in Revelation 20Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
KJV
And 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.
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This verse in Revelation 20
Commentary
17 notes on this verseAnd in the Apocalypse John saw this new [Jerusalem] descending upon the new earth. For after the times of the kingdom, he says, "I saw a great white throne, and Him who sat upon it, from whose face the earth fled away, and the heavens; and there was no more place for them." And he sets forth, too, the things connected with the general resurrection and the judgment, mentioning "the dead, great and small."
This site's exposition
a great white throne
on Revelation 20:11-12
Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them. Two records are opened, the books and the Book of Life of 3:5 and 13:8, and the dead were judged according to their deeds.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Then shall the righteous answer, astonished at the mighty and wondrous fact that He, whom the hosts of angels cannot look upon openly, addresses them as friends, and shall cry out to Him, Lord, when saw we Thee an hungered, and fed Thee? Master, when saw we Thee thirsty, and gave Thee drink? Thou Terrible One, when saw we Thee naked, and clothed Thee? Immortal, when saw we Thee a stranger, and took Thee in? Thou Friend of man, when saw we Thee sick or in prison, and came unto Thee? Thou art the ever-living One. Thou art without beginning, like the Father, and co-eternal with the Spirit. Thou art He who made all things out of nothing. Thou art the prince of the angels. Thou art He at whom the depths tremble. Thou art He who is covered with light as with a garment. Thou art He who made us, and fashioned us of earth. Thou art He who formed things invisible. From Thy presence the whole earth fleeth away, and how have we received hospitably Thy kingly power and lordship?
It is enough for us, both that it is certain that all things were made by God and that there is no certainty whatever that they were made out of matter.… The belief that everything was made from nothing will be impressed upon us [also] by that ultimate dispensation of God that will bring back all things to nothing. For "the very heaven shall be rolled together as a scroll"; no, it shall come to nothing along with the earth itself, with which it was made in the beginning. "Heaven and earth shall pass away," he says. "The first heaven and the first earth passed away," "and there was found no place for them," because, of course, that which comes to an end loses locality.
And I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it, and from before his presence the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. He calls the white throne, bright and flashing. The passage alludes to …
"The first heaven and the first earth passed away," "and there was found no place for them," because, of course, that which comes to an end loses locality.
John picks up again the theme of the last judgment (which is to accompany the second and bodily resurrection of the dead) and describes the manner of its revelation to him.… Note that he does not say, "One who sat upon it, and from his face earth and heaven fled away," because this "flight" had not yet taken place, that is, not before the judgment of the living and the dead. What he says is that he beheld One sitting on the throne "from whose face earth and heaven fled away"—not then but subsequently. The fact is that it will be after the judgment is completed that heaven and earth will end with the beginning of the new heaven and earth. For it will be by a transformation rather than by a wholesale destruction that this world of ours will pass away. This explains Paul's words: "This world as we see it is passing away. I would have you free from care." It is, to be sure, the visible appearance of the world that is destined to pass away, not its nature.
10 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
The image of the "white throne" signifies the divine rest that God will establish among the saints, who are resplendant with virtues and among whom God will be enthroned. The flight of the earth and sky signifies their transformation from what they were into something …
QUESTION: And I saw a great throne, and one sitting upon it, and before him the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life. ANSWER: Another edition has "which is the book of the life of each person." So, …
And I saw a great white throne, etc. He said he saw someone sitting on the throne from whose presence earth and heaven fled away. This signifies that, after the judgment, there will be no more heaven and earth as they are, because there will …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And I saw - A representation of that great day of the Lord. A great white throne - How great, who can say? White with the glory of God, of him that sat upon it, - Jesus Christ.
And I saw a great white throne,....
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And I saw a great white throne - This verse commences the description of the final judgment, which embraces the remainder of the chapter. The first thing seen in the vision is the burning throne of the Judge. The things that are specified in regard to it are, that it was “great,” and that it was “white.” The former expression means that it was high or elevated. Compare Isa 6:1. The latter expression - white - means that it was “splendid or shining.” Compare 1Ki 10:18-
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Rather, the Son, to whom "the Father hath committed all judgment." God in Christ, that is, the Father represented by the Son, is He before whose judgment-seat we must all stand. The Son's mediatorial reign is with a view to prepare the kingdom for the Father's acceptance.
MANY of the visions which John saw are very obscure, and although a man who is assured of his own salvation may possibly be justified in spending his days in endeavoring to interpret them, yet I am sure of this—it will not be a profitable task for unconverted persons. They have no time to spare for speculations, for they have not yet made sure of positive certainties. They need not dive into difficulties, for they have not yet laid a foundation of simplicities by faith in Christ Jesus.
MANY of the visions which John saw are very obscure, and although a man who is assured of his own salvation may possibly be justified in spending his days in endeavoring to interpret them, yet I am sure of this—it will not be a profitable task for unconverted persons. They have no time to spare for speculations, for they have not yet made sure of positive certainties. They need not dive into difficulties, for they have not yet laid a foundation of simplicities by faith in Christ Jesus. Better far to meditate upon the Atonement than to be guessing at the little horn. Better far to know the Lord Jesus in His power to save, than to fabricate an ingenious theory upon the number of the beast. But this particular vision is so instructive, so unattended by serious difficulties, that I may invite all here present to consider it, and the more so because it has to do with matters which concern our own eternal prospects. It may be, if God the Holy Spirit shall illuminate the eyes of our faith to look and see that "great white throne and Him that sat upon it," that we may reap so much benefit from the sight as forever to make the arches of Heaven ring with gratitude that we were brought in this world to look at the "great white throne." By so doing we shall not be afraid to look upon it in the day when the Judge shall sit, and the quick and dead shall stand before Him. I shall, first, endeavor to explain what John saw. And then, in the second place, I shall try to set forth the effect which I think would be produced by this sight if the eyes of our faith should now be fixed on it. I. First, then, I have to call your very earnest attention to WHAT JOHN SAW.
A great white throne - Refulgent with glorious majesty. Him that sat on it - The indescribable Jehovah. From whose face the earth and the heaven fled away - Even the brightness of his countenance dissolved the universe, and annihilated the laws by which it was governed. This is a very majestic figure, and finely expressed. There was found no place for them - The glorious majesty of God filling all things, and being all in all.
The words behind it
25 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| εἶδον | eidon | I saw | G1492 → | 374 times |
| θρόνον | thronon | a throne | G2362 → | 62 times |
| μέγαν | megan | great | G3173 → | 243 times |
| λευκὸν | leukon | white | G3022 → | 25 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὸν | ton | the [One] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καθήμενον | kathemenon | sitting | G2521 → | 91 times |
| ἐπ᾽ | ep᾽ | on | G1909 → | 883 times |
| αὐτόν, | auton | it, | G846 → | 5565 times |
| οὗ | hou | whose | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| προσώπου | prosopou | face | G4383 → | 75 times |
| ἔφυγεν | ephugen | fled | G5343 → | 29 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γῆ | ge | earth | G1093 → | 248 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανός, | ouranos | heaven | G3772 → | 272 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τόπος | topos | place | G5117 → | 94 times |
| οὐχ | ouch | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| εὑρέθη | heurethe | was found | G2147 → | 175 times |
| αὐτοῖς. | autois | for them. | G846 → | 5565 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
εἶδονI saw
eidonG1492 →374 times
θρόνονa throne
thrononG2362 →62 times
μέγανgreat
meganG3173 →243 times
λευκὸνwhite
leukonG3022 →25 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὸνthe [One]
tonG3588 →19766 times
καθήμενονsitting
kathemenonG2521 →91 times
ἐπ᾽on
ep᾽G1909 →883 times
αὐτόν,it,
autonG846 →5565 times
οὗwhose
houG3739 →1405 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
προσώπουface
prosopouG4383 →75 times
ἔφυγενfled
ephugenG5343 →29 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
γῆearth
geG1093 →248 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανός,heaven
ouranosG3772 →272 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τόποςplace
toposG5117 →94 times
οὐχnot
ouchG3756 →1664 times
εὑρέθηwas found
heuretheG2147 →175 times
αὐτοῖς.for them.
autoisG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 21:1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
it leads to
- Isaiah 65:17–19
For behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
- 2 Peter 3:13
But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.
- Isaiah 66:22
“For just as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, will endure before Me,” declares the LORD, “so your descendants and your name will endure.
- 2 Peter 3:10
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 21:5
And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.”
- Isaiah 65:17–19
Through
Matthew 25:31When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.
it leads to
- Revelation 1:7
Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him—even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen.
- Matthew 19:28
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on His glorious throne, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve…
- 2 Thessalonians 1:7–8
and to grant relief to you who are oppressed and to us as well. This will take place when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels
- Revelation 1:7
Where this verse is studied
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About Revelation
This page draws on 17 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alcuin of York, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS MANUAL ON REVELATION; Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 20:11; Augustine of Hippo, City of God 20.14; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 710: “The Great White Throne” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Hippolytus of Rome, Dubious Hippolytus Fragments; Irenaeus, Against Heresies Book V; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation; Tertullian, AGAINST HERMOGENES 33-34 and Tertullian, Against Hermogenes.