"And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books." Revelation 20:12

You've probably seen the movie titles, "Apocalypse Now", "Judgement Day", "Armageddon", "End of Days", and others. Science Fiction writers seem to have endless imaginations, but they didn't just dream these titles up. Although the Bible didn't get credit for them, they could have been taken right from its text. Of course then it wouldn't be science fiction; it would be a hard cold fact.

"Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years." Revelations 20:6

The Bible tells us that we must all die once. This first death, or physical death, is inescapable, and there are no exceptions. Only God knows the day and time of each person's death, and we should all be aware that there are no guarantees. Your time could be today, tomorrow, or fifty years from now. But that time will come and you must be prepared, because you may not have just one death to face, you may have to face two. If you don't prepare your soul before your first death, you will have to face the second death, which is the spiritual death of eternity in hell. The Bible says that after the final judgement, everyone whose name is not found in the 'Book of Life' will be cast into the eternal fire, which is Hell. The two deaths are:

"It is written: " `As surely as I live,' says the Lord, `every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.' " So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God." Romans 14:10-11

Just as our individual days are numbered, the days of this earth are surely numbered as well; the Bible makes this all too painfully clear. Few subjects are written about as often, or imagined about as frequently, as the fact of earth's final days. But the Bible is the only source that predicts the end of the world correctly, in the way it will actually happen.

"I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge... They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection." Revelation 20:4-5

One day, at a time that no one knows, Jesus will arrive in the clouds, and all eyes will see Him. With Him will be thousands upon thousands of His holy ones (those who have died in His name), who will be raised from the dead to reign with Him.

"Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!" 1st Corinthians 5:2-3

Jesus will claim His legitimate throne, assuming His position as judge, and together He and His holy ones will judge mankind. This is the first judgement, after which, Satan will be bound, and Jesus and His saints will rule the world for a thousand years.

"He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time." Revelation 20:2-3

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations, to gather them for battle. In number they will be like the sand on the seashore. They will march across the breadth of the earth and surround the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire will come down from heaven and devour them; and the Devil, who deceived them, will be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

"Then the King (Jesus) will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life" Matthew 25:34,41,46

This is the day when heaven and earth will pass away, and be replaced by a new heaven and a new earth; but first all must be judged. This is the Final Judgement, and the second resurrection. All of the dead not raised a thousand years before, shall be raised imperishable from the earth and the sea. Those still alive will be instantaneously changed into immortal beings, and the fallen angels who were previously imprisoned will be released.

"And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home--these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day." Jude 1:6

Then, all of these beings - the whole race of Adam, without a single exception, and the first inhabitants of the earth, the fallen angels - will stand before the Lord to give an account of their lives and be judged.

"Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:14-15

It is on this last day that God will also cast His final judgement on sin and death, and both of them will be removed from the universe forever. Then Jesus will make everything new in the earth, and a new city will be placed here on the earth, which will be inhabited by God and all of His children. There will no longer be a sun or a moon, for the glory of God and Jesus will give light. There will no longer be any hardships, suffering or sadness; all will live in peace, and God will live among us. Everyone will eat from the trees of life, and drink from the spring of the water of life, and there will no longer be any curse, and there will be no cost.

"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Revelation 21:12-13

No one knows the day or the hour of Jesus return. He said He would come 'as a thief in the night', and that not even He nor the angels know the time of the end; only God the father knows. But you can be prepared, and anticipate His triumphant return with eagerness and hope, instead of fear. You have an invaluable opportunity to accept God's free gift of grace today. You can escape the second death and live in eternal peace and harmony with God, as one of His children. If you're prepared to make this simple, but critical decision, I encourage you to click on the 5 Steps of Salvation.