SUBJECT:  White Throne Judgment -- Second Resurrection

QUESTION:  I understand that the Second Resurrection comes after the 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ, but just how long is this period of time?

ANSWER:

This period of time is not specifically stated in the Word of God.  It has long been taught that the period of time is about 100 years based on these scriptures:

Isaiah 65:17-20

17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.

We know that those brought up in the Second Resurrection are put into new bodies (Ezekiel 37).  We know that these billions of people will then learn of God.  Some have come forth to challenge what some churches teach regarding the length of the White Throne Judgment.  Let us take a look at this period of time and come to a couple of conclusions.

All those who never had the Holy Spirit and possibly never heard the name of Jesus Christ will have their opportunity to know all truth, have access to the Holy Spirit and enter into the Kingdom of God with eternal life.  I would think this fact far outweighs the length of time this opportunity takes.  If we can all agree on this fact, that all these billions will have their opportunity at eternal life, then, in the final analysis, does it matter whether it takes 5 days, 5 months, 100 years or 10,000 years or any length of time between the least and greatest of these time durations?

The length of time of the White Throne Judgment is NOT A SALVATION ISSUE.  My Salvation is not based on my belief of the length of time of the White Throne Judgment.  My Salvation is not based on how long this period will actually be.  If I am a firstfruit Christian, the White Throne Judgment is a period of time long after I have already received my Salvation.

The fact is, right now, none of us has received our Salvation.  Though these non-Salvation issues and subjects are interesting and clearly open to discussion and belief, I would like to think that we could spend the lion's share of our time, effort and discussion on Salvation issues.

Having said this and because I have not responded to my belief of the White Throne Judgment, I want to say that I, personally believe that it IS a 100 year period.  Spiritual logic would seem to dictate that it will be a somewhat shorter period of time than the 1,000 years of the millennium.  Regarding a period of time just prior to the millennium we read,

Revelation 20:2-3
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

In the same breath God specifically says that Satan is bound for that 1,000 years, but then says that he is loosed a little season. The key word here is "little" as in "a little season".  Here is the Greek on the word "little"...

NT:3397
mikron (mik-ron'); masculine or neuter singular of NT:3398 (as noun); a small space of time or degree:

KJV - a (little) (while). ~Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary

Note:  Mikron (little) clearly means a small space of time in this usage.  So, in verse 2, God clearly states a 1,000-year time period and quickly follows with a little season for the loosing of Satan.  It would seem clear that the "little season" has some relationship or comparison to the 1,000 year period of verse 2.  Compared to 1,000 years, how many years would you consider "a little"?  600 years would seem more than a little.  How about 400 years?  This represents more than a third of the 1,000 years. How about 300 years?  If I give you 300 of my 1,000 dollars, did I give you a "little" bit of the money?

Going back to the word "mikron":  It would seem that we get the English word "micron" from this word.  Interestingly, the definition of "micron" is  "the thousandth part of one millimeter; the millionth part of a meter".  In other words..."small".  In the definition of the Greek word, "mikron", above, we read that it is a "small" space of time.  The 1913 Webster's Unabridged give the meaning of the word "small" as...

 "Having little size, compared with other things of the same kind; little in quantity or degree; diminutive; not large or extended in dimension; not great; not much; inconsiderable; as, a small man; a small river."

I am only left to conclude that this "little season" of verse 3 is a small measure of the 1,000 years of verse 2.

Another element to consider is this:  How much time does a person need to go through the Salvation Process.  I, personally, have been in the process for 40 years.  At age 62, I just do not think that I am going to be in this process another 60 years!!  I would think that 100 years will be enough.  A "little season" will be enough.

I cannot speak to any of the other 400 organizations in the Body of Christ, but our church (the ICG) does not state emphatically that this is a 100-year period.  In Mr. Armstrong's booklet, "Europe and America in Prophecy", he states...

"The Last Great Day (Leviticus 23:39), falling immediately after the Feast of Tabernacles is the seventh of God's annual holy days, and portrays the "great white throne judgment' (Revelation 20: 11) and the second resurrection (Revelation 20:5) when, during a period of an apparent one hundred years (Isaiah 65:20), a time of judgment (not sentencing!) will take place for all those who were never called and never given a true opportunity for salvation during their lifetimes."

Note: He says, "apparent one hundred years".  Again, this is not a vital, Salvation-related element.