Standing on the Sea of Glass: A Vision of Victory in Christ
Background
Walking on an island in the Swan River I felt wonderfully gripped by a sense that I never have to achieve anything. In Christ we have arrived (Col 2:10; Heb 10:14). Off the beaten track I could see two quite distinct bodies of water: the main body of the river whose surface was chopped up by the wind and an inlet that seemed perfectly still, like glass. This evoked a range of reflections. “Peace I leave with you; my Peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14:27). The plan of God cannot fail, because the plan is in Christ the author and preserver of all things (John 1:3; Eph 1:10-11; Heb 1:2). This means deep rest (Matt 11:29).
Introduction
In the COVID19 era, words like “reset” and “rest” have become common. As have psalms, like, “be still and know that I am God” (46:10). I affirm these convictions and desire to set them in a strong scriptural framework. For we do not pray for the victory of Jesus but within his Victory. This message is clearest in the Apocalypse i.e. Revelation.
A Sea of Evil
John’s vision of the eternal state has no sea, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.” (Rev 21:1 From the disordered pre-creation state (Gen 1:2) on, in scripture the sea is a place of trouble. It is inhabited by “dragons”, Leviathan and Rahab (Ps 74:12-15; Is 51:9-11; Ezek 32:2), evil end-time empires emerge from its stirrings (Dan 7) and from it “the beast” arises (Rev 13:1). In the identity-forming history of Israel the Red Sea is the sight of God’s great victory over Pharaoh and his hosts (Isa 51:9-10). By the sea Israel witnessed the Lord’s great victory (Ex 14:19-31). When the sea obeys its true Master the Egyptian gods are exposed as powerless frauds whilst the people of Israel break into spontaneous praise (Ex 15:11). In the Gospels Jesus shares the divine attribute of walking on the sea (Job 9:8; Matt 14:25). Likewise, he exhibits authority to rebuke the demonic powers whipping up the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:39 cf. 1:25; 9:25). The tranquil undisturbed “glassy sea” of Revelation (4:6; 15:2) is the anthesis of the primordial and apocalyptic seas of scripture. But is this an important image for us now?
Revelation
The source of Revelation’s shiny sea imagery is the celestial pavement, “an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal” on which God’s throne sits (Ezek 1:22 cf. Ex 24:10). Expounding on such clear, calm penetrating beauty will take us to the cross.
Commentators on Revelation 4 relate “the crystal sea” to the “sea/basin” in which the priests were to wash for their services (2 Chron 4:1-6). Failure to wash would result in death (Ex 30:20). The glassy sea also accentuates God’s splendour and holiness, it has a “distancing” function: what creature can cross the shining sea to the throne on High? Additionally, the restful sea may symbolise the subduing of the chaotic fallen world order by divine sovereignty (Rev 4:11). Since however the fiery torches reflected in the sea (Rev 4:5) speak of judgment before God’s throne the conscience of sinners cannot yet be perfectly at rest. Thankfully, between the first vision of the glassy sea and the second (ch.15) the Victory of the Lamb is revealed (Rev 5).
This second scene depicts worship in the heavenly temple. “And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing on (Gk: epi Rev 11:11; 12:18; 14:1) the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty!”” (Rev 15:2-3) Fire symbolises judgement (Rev 9:17; 11:5 etc.), and the worshippers are those who through the blood of the Lamb have conquered the dragon and the sea beast (12:9; 13:2 cf. 17:15). These saints are in a place far superior to the old covenant dynamic in Revelation 4 (cf. Heb 9:9-10); having washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb they approach God’s throne without fear of judgement. Whereas the old covenant saints stood passively by the Red Sea as observers (Ex 14:30-31), then rejoiced over their defeated enemy, the new covenant saints stand boldly in the Lamb’s Victory (cf. Eph 6:11, 13, 14) and glory in God’s acts.
Standing on the Glassy Sea
All of us must pass through an end-time flood of troubles in order to enjoy the Victory of Christ; ours is the real exodus (Col 1:13-14). Since “in the Spirit” we inhabit the heavenlies (Eph 2:6; Col 3:1-3) the war against the Church applies to us. “it (the beast from the sea) opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God…his name and his dwelling…those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them.” (Rev 13:6-7). Like it or not, in the visible world we are “ struck down, but not destroyed (2 Cor 4:9). The Lord has ordained vile attacks on the Church to be the occasion for a testimony to his Victory To endure faithfully against all measurable odds we must look to Christ.
Jesus took the fire of judgement on the cross (Luke 12:50) and was immersed in the chaos waters of cosmic evil for us (Ps 69: used of Jesus in Matt 27:34, 38; John 2:17; 15:25; Rom 15:3). The sea of evil has been subdued in him. In triumphant resurrection he is now putting all his enemies under his feet (1 Cor 15:25; Eph 1:22) through his Church. This promise is ours, “I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Rom 16:19-20 cf. Gen 3:15). Our enemies are now being placed under our feet. As we yield our spirits to the Lord in unity with his triumphant death (Luke 23:46) we rest in the Lord, watching and waiting for heaven-sent deliverance. As the people of God take up this posture in prayer and praise the Church worldwide will enter the place of realised intercession and witness a mighty kingdom advance.
Conclusion
The demonic waters of deception have long been flowing over the Church (Rev 12:9,15-16), but the Lamb “sits enthroned over the flood” (Ps 29:10). Standing victorious on the sea of glass we applaud his victory and by refusing to compromise his testimony we silence (Luke 20:6; 21:15) the accusations of the wicked. As we celebrate the righteous redemptive acts of God in Christ by defiant praise and prayer we will know in the Spirit the tranquillity of sharing with saints departed and living the celebration on the glorious sea of glass.