89 THE SEA OF GLASS

Revelation 4:6:  “And before the throne there is as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.”

The sea of glass is before the throne of God. We see again the multitude of the redeemed in chapter15 verses 2-4 standing “on” (KJV, or "beside" RSV) the "sea of glass," and we know that they are before the throne of God.

The waters above the firmament, (Genesis 1:6-7), were thought of as being contained by a large transparent glass bowl so to speak. Children often have this impression of what we call the sky. It is a natural impression from the appearance of things. The phrase "sea of glass mingled with fire" may be in reference to this commonly held view of the skies as a sea, or great bowl as was made for the temple, I Kings 7:23. The sea of the sky is mingled with the fiery lightnings, stars, meteors, etc., as described in Revelation 15:2.

Note that the great vat used in the Old Testament temple ceremonies was called a sea, (1 Kings 7:23, 39; 2 Kings 16:17; 25:13, 16; 2 Chronicles 4:2, 6.) These too were made according to the Pattern shown to David, 1Chronicles 28:11, 12, 19. This sea was a large container for holding water. If the RSV translation is correct "beside the sea of glass,” then Revelation 4:6 probably refers to a vessel similar to those used in the temple ceremonies. If the KJV translation is correct "on the sea of glass," it probably refers to the idea of the sky as a great sea, containing, or holding back the waters above the firmament.

We know that Moses built all of the tabernacle, its furnishings and its ceremonies according to the Pattern which God showed him in the Mount, Exodus 25:9, 40; Numbers 8:4, Hebrews 8:5. These Scriptures show that the earthly tabernacle, temple and all of the furnishings and the ceremonies were only "example(s) and shadow(s) of the heavenly realities.

Thus we know that the sea in Revelation 4:6 is the heavenly reality of which the sea in the Temple was only a copy, or an example.