The next icon in this throne room scene is the sea of glass in front of the throne. It is also mentioned later on in Revelation. I see two distinct, yet interrelated, concepts represented by the sea of glass that is clear as crystal. 1) Cleansing, and 2) God’s absolute control over chaos.
Let’s look at cleansing first. Before the tabernacle, and later the temple, stood a brazen laver filled with water for the priests to cleanse themselves while ministering there. In the same way, all of us who are believers are baptized to indicate our cleansing by the blood of Christ and our passage from our old lives to our new life in Christ. In the same way, Noah passed through the water, leaving the old world behind and was brought safely to a new world, cleansed from the past. Moses also passed through the water of the Nile where so many of his generation were drowned, to a life of safety in Pharoah’s house. Later, he and the Israelite slaves passed safely through the Red Sea from bondage to freedom. After their sojourn in the wilderness, the Israelites passed through the Jordan River to a new life in the promised land.
Woven through this tapestry of cleansing and baptism is the control of the sea by almighty God. See how God buoyed Noah in the ark while using the fury and power of water to destroy evil. The same occurs when Moses and the Israelites pass through the sea that very quickly thereafter swallows their enemies. And finally, the scene where Jesus himself walks serenely on the raging Sea of Galilee that threatens to entomb his disciples. Thereafter, he speaks, and the sea becomes calm as glass.
Hence, in this scene, the sea is like glass, clear as crystal. The most feared force of nature sits in absolute subjection to Him who sits on the throne, a simple tool in His hand to bring about both cleansing and judgment.
Let’s look at cleansing first. Before the tabernacle, and later the temple, stood a brazen laver filled with water for the priests to cleanse themselves while ministering there. In the same way, all of us who are believers are baptized to indicate our cleansing by the blood of Christ and our passage from our old lives to our new life in Christ. In the same way, Noah passed through the water, leaving the old world behind and was brought safely to a new world, cleansed from the past. Moses also passed through the water of the Nile where so many of his generation were drowned, to a life of safety in Pharoah’s house. Later, he and the Israelite slaves passed safely through the Red Sea from bondage to freedom. After their sojourn in the wilderness, the Israelites passed through the Jordan River to a new life in the promised land.
Woven through this tapestry of cleansing and baptism is the control of the sea by almighty God. See how God buoyed Noah in the ark while using the fury and power of water to destroy evil. The same occurs when Moses and the Israelites pass through the sea that very quickly thereafter swallows their enemies. And finally, the scene where Jesus himself walks serenely on the raging Sea of Galilee that threatens to entomb his disciples. Thereafter, he speaks, and the sea becomes calm as glass.
Hence, in this scene, the sea is like glass, clear as crystal. The most feared force of nature sits in absolute subjection to Him who sits on the throne, a simple tool in His hand to bring about both cleansing and judgment.
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