Feast: Standing on the Sea of Glass
#FT23-08AM
Martin G. Collins
Given 07-Oct-23; 60 minutes
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transcript:
What will it mean and what will it be like to stand on the Sea of Glass at the throne of God? That is something that is almost impossible to imagine. I tried to help you to imagine that in the first sermon on God's throne. Also, Jesus Christ revealed to the apostle John that there would be no more sea when the New Heaven and New Earth were made. So what is all that about?
Well, let us look into some of that and see what is going to be going on on the Sea of Glass and also why there will not be a sea (that God is going to take away), and the symbolism and the imagery behind those things. It is interesting that water was talked about earlier. It seems to be a theme today, a theme of water.
As long as there have been sailors, the dangers of the sea have been foremost in their minds. Innumerable books and poems and songs have been written throughout human history containing references to the power, the danger, and the chaos of the sea. Much of the imagery of the sea (that is by definition, a large body of water), in Scripture refers either to its power or its danger. And it is interesting that "the sea," as used in biblical imagery, provides quite a few maritime metaphors and similes that compare the earthly sea with chaos and destruction.
Psalm 65:7 tells us that the roar of the seas is the tumult of the peoples. There is a representation of peoples there. Isaiah 17:12-14 and Jeremiah 6:23 tell us that the sea and invading armies thunder and roar. Jeremiah 49:23 tells us that those fearful of impending judgment are troubled like the sea. And then James 1:6 explains that the doubter is like a wave of the sea tossed by the wind. Interesting metaphors there to consider.
Now, it is interesting to recognize the contrast between the sanctified church and the unclean wicked world in the biblical imagery of the sea. The wicked cannot in and of themselves choose to be cleansed, neither can they find peace.
Please turn with me to Isaiah 57. Now the sea imagery expresses it well. The restlessness and works of the wicked are like mud and mire tossed up by the sea. Isaiah contrasts God's peace and calmness with a description of the wicked.
Isaiah 57:19-21 "I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near," says the Lord, "and I will heal him." But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. "There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked."
So we see the direct contrast between the troubled sea and peace, and they are opposites. The troubled sea represents chaos and war. The Sea of Glass, on the other hand, the spiritual sea of glass before God's throne, represents calm and order and peace. So it is interesting that the beast of Revelation 13 rises up out of the sea.
Revelation 13:1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
The sea in that context represents the Babylonian world system of government, politics, economics, education, and military campaigns, and symbolizes its continued threat and chaotic origin. In fact, one of its mottos is "order out of chaos." So the world government rises up out of the chaos. And the world crisis of confusion will initiate what will seem like order and peace but only for a very short time. It will seem to solve many of the world's problems temporarily. Still, it will bring suffering and death unlike the world has ever seen because Satan uses this counterfeit instrument to try to destroy humanity.
We can see such counterfeiting referred to in Jude 13 where wild waves of the sea cast up their own shame like foam. This is a figurative description of false teachers who throw out their obscene teachings like wreckage on the shore.
Please turn with me to Job 38. The vast earthly sea symbolizes the continued threat the forces of chaos and evil pose against God and creation. Job 38 and Jeremiah 5 describe the sea generally as pushing against the boundaries that God has established against it.
Job 38:8-11 "Or who shut in the sea with doors, when it burst forth and issued from the womb; when I made the clouds its garment, and the thick darkness its swaddling band; when I fixed My limit for it, and set bars and doors; when I said, 'This far you may come, but no farther, and here your proud waves must stop.'"
To enclose the sea with doors is a symbolic expression for restraining and fixing a boundary.
Jeremiah 5:22-23 'Do you not fear Me?' says the Lord. 'Will you not tremble at My presence, who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, yet it cannot prevail; though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it. But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; and they have revolted and departed.'
So we see the world and its enmity against God envisioned there in poetic sense as the sea. In this, we see an inherent characteristic of defiance and rebelliousness in the earthly sea. And if that is not enough, the sea tries to revolt and leave God's control. Here, we see the symbolism of the sea representing people who have a defiant and rebellious heart.
As Creator, God controls the sea, producing and calming its waves and keeping it within its boundaries. Nahum 3:8 mentions that God can dry up the sea at will or unleash it to judge the world, as in the Flood. As a result, the threat of chaos and evil is ultimately hollow because God has the power and the authority to control it. The same authority over the sea's turbulence is symbolized by Jesus' calming of it when His disciples became terrified when they are on the Sea of Galilee.
Please turn with me to Matthew 8. Matthew records how Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm that came from it. This is parallel to Mark 4:35-41 and Luke 8:22-25.
Matthew 8:23-27 Now when He got into the boat [that is, Jesus], His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, and saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
We see here that Christ has the authority over God's creation and when He tells it to do or not to do something, it obeys.
With this background on the biblical imagery of the sea, let us shift gears here and look at another type of "sea," one in the Old Testament in the Tabernacle of the congregation in ancient Israel. There were seven classes of furniture listed in Exodus chapters 26 and 27.
Those seven items of furniture that were listed in the Tabernacle (there was a Tabernacle and later the Temple) but in the Tabernacle, which was transportable, there was one ark, one mercy seat, one altar of incense, one candlestick, one table of showbread, one altar of burnt offering, and one laver. Seven items or seven categories of furniture.
But Solomon's temple had eight classes of furniture, which is interesting. One ark, one mercy seat, one altar of incense. So everything is the same so far as the temple. But ten candlesticks instead of one, ten tables of showbread instead of one, one altar of burnt offerings and ten lavers instead of one, and one more item. So those were categories of furniture. The next item was the bronze sea, which was added as the eighth, which is interesting because its symbolism as being the eighth also carries over to what we are going to talk about with the Sea of Glass as well.
Why did Solomon's temple have eight classes of furniture and the Tabernacle only had seven? Why was Solomon inspired to add this eighth item, the bronze sea, in the Temple?
According to E. W. Bullinger's, Numbers in Scripture:
In Hebrew, the number eight is from a root word meaning "to make fat," "cover with fat," or to "super abound." [The last definition I would like you to remember, to super abound.] As a participle, it means "one who abounds in strengths." As a noun, it is "superabundant fertility." For example, oil.
So as a numeral, it is the superabundant number greater than all others, even though seven is a number of completion and perfection, number eight is not only greater than that and more wonderful than that, it is also a new beginning because the number eight begins a new seven-year cycle. So it is interesting to notice that.
Seven means, according to its etymology, "that which is spiritually complete or satisfying," while eight denotes that which is superabundant or satiating. We often find these two numbers associated with these distinctions.
The eighth day is distinguished from the seventh day of the Feast of Tabernacles. Now, the seventh day is spiritually complete or satisfying, and the eighth day is over and above this perfection and completion. It is a superabundant or satiating number.
Please turn over with me to I Kings 7. The temple that David envisioned and Solomon built was of the highest quality and workmanship possible for human beings. No building in the history of man has ever been of that level of excellence and perfection. So let us take a moment to look at an aspect of Solomon's extraordinary Temple for God.
I Kings 7:13-14 Now King Solomon sent and brought Huram from Tyre. He was the son of a widow from the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a bronze worker; he was filled with wisdom and understanding and skill in working with all kinds of bronze work. So he came to King Solomon and did all his work.
I Kings 7:23 And he [that is, Huram] made the Sea of cast bronze, ten cubits from one brim to the other; it was completely round. Its height was five cubits, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference.
The original Hebrew term for sea was yam. It is pronounced yawm. It means a sea or large body of water. The root of this word means "to roar," as the breaking in the noisy surf. So Solomon's bronze sea has similar characteristics to the Sea of Glass before God's throne. The sea of cast bronze was a large metal basin, however, designed to contain water, a type, in a sense, of the Sea of Glass there in the Temple, representing the forces of chaos subdued and brought to order by the Lord, the Creator of the world. And when the Temple was completed, the presence of the Lord was so powerful that the priest lost even the strength to stand in it. Amazing!
I Kings 7:24-26 Below its brim were ornamental buds encircling it all around, ten to a cubit, all the way around the Sea. The ornamental buds were cast in two rows when it was cast. It stood on twelve oxen: three looking forward toward the north, three looking toward the west, three looking to toward the south, and three looking toward the east; the sea was set upon them, and all their back parts pointed inward. It was a handbreadth thick; and its brim was shaped like the brim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It contained two thousand baths.
What we have here is to the left of the entrance. On the south side of the court stood the huge bronze sea that replaced the smaller laver that stood in the Tabernacle court. The bronze sea greatly enlarged the basin for washing that was in the Tabernacle.
Now, the Tabernacle only had the laver that served the double purpose of washing the hands and feet of the priests, as well as the parts of the sacrifices. But in the Temple, there were separate vessels provided for these purposes. Solomon's bronze sea was round, a hand breadth thick (it is quite thick), with the image of lilies around the rim and it could hold over 17,000 gallons of water, plenty of water to wash in. The large basin measured 15 feet across and was 7.5 feet high. So quite a large item in the Temple.
I Kings 7:27 He also made [that is Huram] ten carts of bronze; four cubits was the length of each cart, four cubits its width, and three cubits its height.
I Kings 7:38 Then he made ten lavers of bronze; each laver contained forty baths, and each laver was four cubits. On each of the ten carts was a laver.
The carts with their basins represent small mobile versions of the Sea, further emphasizing the abundance of water. The multiplication of water (compared with the single basin for washing in) represents the even greater abundance of the living water provided by God from a river of life.
I Kings 7:39 And he put five carts on the right side of the house, and five on the left side of the house. He set the Sea on the right side of the house, toward the southeast.
So the ten carts and lavers were beautifully decorated metal wagons, 6 feet square and 4.5 feet high, with handles at each corner. Each stand could hold a basin that held 230 gallons of water. The carts were kept in the priests' court right next to the sanctuary. Five on the north side and five on the south side. And since the carts were on wheels, they could easily be moved from place to place. They were used for the washing and preparing of the sacrifices, and for the general cleanliness of the Temple. And keep that in mind, the cleanliness of the Temple.
The dirty water could even be wheeled away and disposed of in a proper place. The basins were then refilled with clean water from the bronze Sea. There must have been a system for removing the small amounts of water so the priests could wash their hands and feet. There might have been something like spigots at the base of the basin or something like that.
Cleanliness and purity were essential in the proper worship of God. The Temple was kept immaculately clean and polished and this was the physical requirement to maintain a holy structure.
What of the water for drinking? If the priests did not keep their hands and feet clean as they ministered in the Temple, they were in danger of death. It was that serious in Scripture. Water for drinking is a picture of the Spirit of God.
John 7:37-39 On the last day, that great [seventh] day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
In comparison, water for washing is a picture of the Word of God, as you well know. Psalm 119:99 says, "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word." John 15:3 says, "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you." And in Ephesians 5:25-27 says, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of the water by the word, that He might present her to Himself, a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."
So, God's throne room is immaculate. Its cleanliness shines with clarity.
Please turn over to Exodus 24. On Mount Sinai, the elders of Israel saw a vision of the God of Israel and there was something interesting under His feet, a clear pavement.
Exodus 24:9-10 [This is on the mountain of God.] Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity.
Clarity is translated from the Hebrew word tohar, which signifies brightness and purity. So there is a Sea of Glass or a pavement of a blue color that has the appearance of glass. And Moses probably saw God's reflection in that representation of the Sea of Glass. He would certainly have been in a position of bowing. God came down the mountain so he so they could see a muted likeness or a reflection of His glory, but not look directly at Him. And they saw the outline of Him, but they could not see Him clearly because death would come to a human who looked upon God directly. So God protected those Israelites from being destroyed by clouding it.
Exodus 24:7 tells us that the glory of the Lord seemed like a consuming fire and a cloud that covered the mountain. And then they had a special ceremony and a meal there commemorating the marriage of Israel to God. But that was the marriage of ancient Israel—physical Israel—to the covenant with God, that was their marriage covenant on a physical level. The marriage of the Lord to ancient Israel was a physical type of the spiritual marriage of Jesus Christ to spiritual Israel, the church.
So I ask the question, could it be that that is where the marriage supper is held, on the Sea of Glass before the throne of God? I do not know. Is this a type or not? Anyway, that is just a thought.
This covenant between God and ancient Israel was only a shadow of what was to come. And it was only an inferior covenant that Israel could not keep because of her human nature and the enmity in humans against God. But under the New Covenant, we have been given the means through the indwelling of God's Spirit to keep this covenant on a spiritual level. And we are in the process of doing that now.
If we are faithful to the spiritual marriage covenant, we will be taken by the angels to the Sea of Glass before the throne of God for the marriage supper of the Bridegroom, the Son of God, to His bride and church. Why else would we go to God's throne to worship Him as soon as we are made into spirit beings? That will probably be one of the first things we do after being resurrected as spirit beings. We do not know for sure. I am just speculating at this point on that.
Matthew 24:31 "And He will send His angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the earth to the other."
What is going to happen to us when the trumpet sounds?
I Corinthians 15:51-52 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
I Thessalonians 4 and I Corinthians 15 talk about the first resurrection. We will be caught up in the air to meet Christ. We will be raised and brought to the Sea of Glass in front of God. Will we or will we not? We do not know. We know we are raised but then what happens? In the verse there it appears that we turn around and come right back and fight on the earth. And so there has been a lot of discussion and debate over the years as to what happens in that time frame. How much can fit and how much cannot. And the usual reason that is given is because a year is as a day to God and so forth. So do we go up there and have a lot going on and it is only a few days here? Nobody has satisfactorily explained that. So we just do not know for sure the details. But God knows and will reveal it to us when we should know.
Please turn over to Revelation 19. Revelation 19 describes what is most important about our attire at the marriage supper of the Lamb, whenever that might be.
Revelation 19:6-9 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!'" And he said to me, "These are true sayings of God."
So what is required of each Christian before he is allowed to stand on the Sea of Glass before God's throne? Righteousness and right living, spiritual cleanliness and clarity.
What will it be like for us as individuals and as the church to be on the Sea of Glass before God's throne, bowing before Him, singing songs, worshipping Him on His throne with Jesus Christ at His right hand?
We see the "earthly sea" as a type of perpetual unrest and chaos. But the Sea of Glass at God's throne is in sharp contrast to this earthly turbulence. It is not a raging, chaotic swirl or wave motion. The Sea of Glass in front of and around God's throne represents and reflects God's holiness, His purity, His peace and calmness, His cleanliness and clarity. God's throne is a visible symbol of His sovereign rule. In front of His throne is this crystal clear Sea of Glass.
Revelation 4:6 Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
It is spectacularly dynamic and described in various scriptures as flaming with fire, glittering with sapphires, flashing and crashing with lightning and thunder, and dazzlingly white. It is quite an exciting thing there if we are not too fearful to enjoy it.
In front of the throne is a massive foundation, a Sea of Glass like crystal. This adds to the magnificence of the scene because all the glory that I just described about the throne itself is reflected in the Sea of Glass as well so it is duplicating or increasing its actual effect. Psalm 89:14 says that, "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of [God's] throne." So this is part of the representation here.
The Sea of Glass of God's throne depicts a fixed state of holiness, both inward and outward, and its being before the throne indicates that its purity mirrors the holy excellence of God and His throne. And the Sea of Glass in front of the throne reflects the qualities of God's throne. It is a throne room that is holy and pure and glorious and eternal. Its mirror-like quality symbolizes that before the sight of God, all is revealed.
Hebrews 4:13 There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
The Sea of Glass' crystal appearance describes the splendor and beauty of the scene of holiness spread out before the throne. All of this is beyond breathtaking. The Sea of Glass expresses smoothness and demonstrates that the peace of heaven is not like earthly seas disturbed by winds, but is crystallized into an eternal peace and inherent sparkle.
The two symbols, glass and crystal, are similar but not quite the same. For example, glass is a manufactured article, whereas crystal is a natural substance, more natural anyway. And there is an inherent beauty in crystal that is not found in glass. The glass and crystal are stationary, representing peace and calmness. And the peace and calmness of the Sea of Glass symbolize the absence of evil and chaos in heaven. The Sea of Glass is an emblem of peace, of a vast dominion, omniscience, righteousness, and justice. And it emphasizes the throne's eternal quality and endlessness.
Now, there is another astonishing quality of the Sea of Glass and in the vision of heaven in Revelation 4:6 and 15:2, the likeness of a glassy sea is seen in front of the throne of God.
Please turn with me through Revelation 15. The pure translucency of the sea is indicated in the words like crystal. Its fiery appearance is suggested in Revelation 15, verse 2 by the words "mingled with fire." On the sea stood the victorious martyrs with harps in their hands, singing the Song of Moses and of the Lamb. This is the prelude to the bowl judgments.
Revelation 15:1-2 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete. And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
So that is what it looked like. It was created out of spirit and shining very brightly. We see here that those who have spiritual victory over the beast and all it represents will stand on the Sea of Glass. And of course, God's throne and His temple are also on the Sea of Glass.
The cycle of bowls containing the seven last plagues in which God's wrath on the rebels is completed, is preceded by a scene of celebratory worship offered by the saints who share the Lamb's victory.
Please turn over to Revelation 14. The harps of God and the song of the Lamb indicate that this choir is the same as the 144,000 saints who appear with the Lamb before God's throne in Revelation 7:1-8 and Revelation 14:1-5.
Revelation 14:1-5 Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.
So here are the 144,000 with the Father's name on their foreheads, identifying them as His Family, standing on the Mount of Olives after standing on the Sea of Glass in front of God's throne.
Now back to Revelation 15, verse 1. In contrast to a picture of peace on the Sea of Glass before God's throne, the "sea" is said to be mingled with fire. What is that all about? God's throne is spectacularly dynamic, described in various scriptures as flaming with fire, flashing and crashing with lightning and thunder, and dazzling light.
Revelation 15:1-2 And then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them, the wrath of God is complete. [These angels signify another turning point in the war between God and Satan and the completion of God's triumph in destroying His enemies.] And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on a sea of glass, having harps of God.
The portion of the sea that seemed to be crystal glass stands for justice and holiness; while in this case, intermingled with that image is the image of just anger or righteous indignation represented by the portion that was fiery. Fire in Scripture represents the impending judgment of God and it is also signifies cleansing and refining and even protection for God's people, depending on how God decides to use it.
Let us look at how the imagery of fire is used in Scripture. Notice how God often reveals Himself.
In Exodus 3:2, God is known to Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. And later in Exodus 19:18, God descends upon Mount Sinai in fire. That there is thunder encourages us to think of the lightning as well.
Please turn over to Ezekiel 1, verse 4. Here a little, there a little, huh? Let us go all over the place to put this together. Here, the prophet sees a storm wind come out of the north, and a great cloud with brightness all around it and fire flashing forth continually.
Ezekiel 1:4 Then I looked, and behold, a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with a raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber, out of the midst of the fire.
And when Ezekiel tries to describe the indescribable form of the divine throne in verses 26 through 28, he says this:
Ezekiel 1:26-28 And above the firmament over the heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. Also from the appearance of his waist upward, I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all all within around and within it; and from the appearance of his waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. Like the appearance of a rainbow and a cloud on a rainy day, so is the appearance and brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.
So if the glory of God Himself appears as fire, so do the things around Him.
Described in Scripture, His throne appears like fiery flames, its wheels burning fire, His angelic servants are flames of fire. And between the cherubim are fire and coals of fire. In front of God's throne is a Sea of Glass mingled with fire—symbolically, as a physical type, the cast metal Sea in Solomon's Temple was made of polished bronze. And when light shined on it from the torches in the Temple, there was a flickering effect reflecting off the bronze Sea, giving the effect of fire reflecting the flames around the temple in heaven.
The seven spirits of God are torches of fire. Heavenly chariots are made of fire and even the eyes of the glory of Jesus Christ and other heavenly creatures are like flames of fire. In Acts 2:3-4, the Holy Spirit is also associated with fire.
Now, according to the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, it describes fire compared to God this way:
Just as fire lights up the blackness of night, so does God overcome the dark powers of evil justice. Fire is mysterious and immaterial, so too is God enigmatic and incorporeal. And just as fire is always flickering and changing in shape and can't be held for examination, so is God always indefinable in human terms.
His glory is beyond our comprehension and description with human terms.
Notice how God uses fire for His own purposes. Fire represents God's desire to destroy sin and to purify people. Being tested by God is like being purified by fire. So God appears as fire for many reasons. Similar to the way all physical life depends on fire, that is, the sun, so does all spiritual life depend on God.
Revelation 16:8-9 [This is the fourth bowl judgment and the fourth plague.] Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.
God's Word is fire in that it destroys people who reject it.
Jeremiah 5:14 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: "Because you speak this word, behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them."
Just as fire purifies and destroy, so does God purify the righteous and destroy the wicked. "For our God is a consuming fire."
Prophecies of destruction by fire are often figurative ways of saying that God's judgment is sure and thorough. Please turn with me to II Thessalonians 1. The association of fire with wrath and the fact that God sometimes destroys the wicked by raining fire down on them, make it natural that judgment be depicted as fire. In II Thessalonians 1:7 it says that, "the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire."
II Thessalonians 1:6-8 Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now flip back to Ezekiel 1. There is something else that appears to be like fire and lightning here and this may help explain the fire mingled with the Sea of Glass. The movement of the angels often resembles flashes of fire and lightning.
Ezekiel 1:13-14 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches going back and forth among the living creatures. The fire was bright, and out of the fire went lightning. And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.
So this may be what is seen mingled with the Sea of Glass. As we stand on the Sea of Glass, will the angels appear as torches of fire and flashes of lightning? It appears so from this description. But again, we just do not know for sure, but it is something to think about. And how wild to be on the Sea of Glass—wild in a good way, not chaotic.
Revelation 15:2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
This happens just before the bowl judgments of the seven last plagues of God's wrath are poured out on earth.
Flip to Isaiah 4. The Sea of Glass mingled with fire appears to have the seven angels who are about to pour out the seven last plagues, actively preparing to carry out the Lord God Almighty's true and righteous judgments against the wicked inhabitants of the earth. But when God's Kingdom is established on earth, fire is not destructive. Isaiah prophesized in Isaiah 4 that there will be over Mount Zion a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night.
Isaiah 4:2-5 In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious; and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing for those of Israel who have escaped. And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem [this is the church] will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning, then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering.
So this prophecy bears in mind the pillar of fire of the Exodus. Also an example of God's fiery protection is seen in the miracle to protect Elijah in II Kings 6.
II Kings 6:17 And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
Zechariah 2:5 [God promises] 'For I,' says the Lord, 'will be a wall of fire around her [meaning Jerusalem, the church], and I will be the glory in her midst.'
God protects His people with fire.
Revelation 15:2-4 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints! Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, for Your judgments have been manifested."
The calm glass-like sea before God's throne is never stormy. Nevertheless, it is interfused with flames.
Now, the Sea reflects the counsels of God, His purposes of righteousness and love, which are often fathomless and but never obscure, always the same though sometimes glowing with holy anger. And this too is represented in the flames. The Song of Moses recorded in Exodus 15:1-18 points to the song of victory sung by Moses and the Israelites after their passage through the Red Sea. This song may be sung on the Sea of Glass. And if it refers to the Red Sea crossing, that spiritually symbolizes the process of salvation from God's calling to our baptism, overcoming and leaving sin behind, and entering God's Kingdom.
The ancient Song of Moses is fulfilled in the future song of the Lamb, which tells of a greater redemption of a new kingdom of priests, the bride of Christ. Essentially the song pictures the majesty, holiness, and purity of God. A later song of Moses praises the Lord whose ways are just. This latter song of Moses is found in Deuteronomy 32:1-43.
Revelation 15:5-6 And after these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, having their chests girded with golden bands.
So there we are on the Sea of Glass. The throne of God is there and we see the seven angels come out and get the seven bowls for the last seven plagues. God gives us the blessing of His promise that He said that we should see His vengeance, and this may happen while we are on the Sea of Glass with Him on His throne. Again, we do not know for sure. This is just a speculation.
Now turn over to Revelation 21. Christ revealed to the apostle John that there would be no more sea. So what is that all about?
After the White Throne judgment, there is no longer an earthly sea, which seems to indicate in symbol that there will be no more threatening attempts against the creation and sovereignty of God.
Revelation 21:1 [about all things being made new] Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more [and I will add, earthly] sea.
Today, the seas and oceans occupy about 3/4 of the surface of the globe. And of course, to that extent, prevent the world from being totally occupied by people, except by the comparatively small number of mariners. In the present physical state of things, these vast oceans are necessary to make the world a fit habitat for humans, as well as to give life to the innumerable species of animals that find homes in saltwater.
The earthly sea is a symbol of the seething nations of the world and of the troubled lives of the unrighteous. This is why the apostle John spoke of the glorious New Heavens and New Earth as a place where there was no more sea. No more sea does not mean no more water. It simply indicates that the New Earth will have a different arrangement or consistency as far as water is concerned. In the future state, the present physical ecosystem will be unnecessary. Spirit beings will not have physical restrictions for inhabiting the New Earth. Also immense bodies of water will be unnecessary.
Whatever the details of God's creation of New Heavens and New Earth in general, these descriptive images point out great changes in the universe—it is a change from physical to spiritual. It will not have the same parameters, so to speak. So this new creation is described as a totally New Heaven and New Earth—and not the present heaven and earth renovated. This is made clear by the additional statement, "for the first heaven and first earth had passed away."
Very little information is given about the New Heaven and the New Earth. But one major additional fact is stated in this verse. Not only had the first heaven and earth been wiped away, but there was no longer any sea.
When we look out over a churning sea or ocean, it is very easy to see its power and relentless pushing at its boundaries, and all the time eroding away whatever it pushes and pulls against. In this, we see in symbols the effects of sin on our own lives. Sin hits every bit as hard, shockingly, and destructively as a rogue wave. A rogue wave gives no warning but it is devastating when it comes, as is Satan's deceptive influence and sin.
As beautiful as the earthly seas and oceans are, they are deceptively destructive. As useful as they appear, they carry with them terrifying danger. People drown, ships sink, tidal waves wipe out coastal communities, and hurricanes gain their power from them. As enticing as the many entertainment and sports activities, they are watery graves.
God's forgiveness and salvation are portrayed in Micah 7:19 as casting sin into the depths of the sea.
Micah 7:18-19 Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
This has a positive cleansing effect, destroying the poison of sin permanently. Not only is sin conquered and destroyed, but apparently the place it is cast also ceases to exist. In this, we see the totality and finality of God's judgment, mercy, and love, from which eternal peace will come.
For a final scripture, please turn to Revelation 22. In contrast to the perpetual unrest and chaos seen in the earthly sea, the Sea of Glass at God's throne reflects and symbolizes God's holiness, His purity, His peace, His calmness, and His purposes of righteousness and love.
Revelation 22:1-5 And he showed me a pure river of life [that is, the Holy Spirit], clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. [So in a sense, the Holy Spirit is so clear and pure it is invisible.] In the midst of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it [and I will add with the Sea of Glass before the throne], and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
So the message of the biblical image of the Sea of Glass is that the Eternal is the God of holiness who demands righteous living from His people—a spiritually clean life. And it may be that this will begin when we stand on that Sea of Glass before His glorious throne with God sitting there in all His majesty!
May God help us to live our lives in a way that pleases Him in obedience, submission, and righteousness so we may stand on the Sea of Glass before the throne to share in His glory!
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