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No more Sea?

Ed the Ned

Member
"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" Revelations 21 vs 1 esv.
Will there be no more sea?
 
The book of Revelation was "presented...in signs".(Rev 1:1) Thus, this book is mostly symbolic. That the earth and heavens are permanent, Psalms 104: 5 says that God "laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever."(King James Bible) And Ecclesiastes 1:4 says that "one generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever."(King James Bible) Proverbs 3:19 says that "Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding he established the heavens."(American Standard Version)

Hence, the earth and heavens are permanent, lasting forever. The expression at Revelation 21:1, of "a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more" is symbolic. The "former heavens" are what people look up to, and here these represent all human governments, which are under Satan's control. The "former earth" is mankind alienated from God. These symbolic heavens and earth will not survive the heat of divine anger during Jehovah’s great day.(Rev 16:14,16)

The passing away of “the former heaven†means the end of political governments along with Satan and his demons. This identification of “the former heaven†harmonizes with the fact that shortly before the statement concerning the ‘former heaven having passed away,’ John had seen a vision of the complete defeat of Satan’s forces and the casting of Satan into “the abyss.†(Re 19:19–20:3)

The symbolic "sea" is the part of mankind alienated from God that is especially restless, like the waves of the literal sea that never stops moving. Isaiah 57:20 says that "the wicked are like the sea that is being tossed, when it is unable to calm down, the waters of which keep tossing up seaweed and mire." These are elements that create division, stirring up great troubles.

The "former heaven and the former earth....and the sea" are removed and replaced with "a new heaven and a new earth", the "new heaven" being God's kingdom and the "new earth" being the ‘peoples of mankind’, on this earth, who are its subjects and who receive the blessings of its rule forever, as depicted in verses 3 and 4. Of the "new earth", Psalms 37:29 says that "the righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever."(King James Bible)
 
At Revelation 13:1, it says that the "dragon...stood upon the sand of the sea." John now sees "a wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, and upon its horns ten diadems, but upon its heads blasphemous names." Thus, from among the masses of restless mankind, have the "dragon's" or Satan's entire political system of things came forth. All human governments are therefore the product of the "dragon" or Satan.

In the year 553 B.C.E., Daniel "happened to be beholding in my visions during the night, and, see there! the four winds of the heavens were stirring up the vast sea. And four huge beasts were coming up out of the sea, each one being different from the others."(Dan 7:2, 3) Hence, from the "sea" of wicked mankind alienated from God, came forth "four huge beasts", governmental systems, which were ancient Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome.

The "wild beast" seen at Revelation 13 pictures all human governments existing during the "Lord's day"(Rev 1:10, King James Bible), the time period beginning with Jesus enthronement as king in 1914. It is seen as having "ten horns and seven heads", with the number "ten" representing earthly completeness and thus all human governments on earth. The "seven heads" represent the seven world powers that have had direct influence over God's people. These were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome and in our day, the Anglo-American dual world of Britain and America.

These have arisen from the "sea", with wicked restless mankind creating individual human governments rather than submit to God's sovereignty. All these human governments are in opposition to God and that is why God has an appointed time soon to permanently remove them from the earth at the "war of the great day of God the Almighty"(Rev 16:14), called Armageddon.(Rev 16:16, King James Bible)
 
nadab said:
At Revelation 13:1, it says that the "dragon...stood upon the sand of the sea." John now sees "a wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, and upon its horns ten diadems, but upon its heads blasphemous names." Thus, from among the masses of restless mankind, have the "dragon's" or Satan's entire political system of things came forth. All human governments are therefore the product of the "dragon" or Satan.

In the year 553 B.C.E., Daniel "happened to be beholding in my visions during the night, and, see there! the four winds of the heavens were stirring up the vast sea. And four huge beasts were coming up out of the sea, each one being different from the others."(Dan 7:2, 3) Hence, from the "sea" of wicked mankind alienated from God, came forth "four huge beasts", governmental systems, which were ancient Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome.

The "wild beast" seen at Revelation 13 pictures all human governments existing during the "Lord's day"(Rev 1:10, King James Bible), [color=#0000FFperiod beginning with Jesus enthronement as king in 1914.[]the time /color] It is seen as having "ten horns and seven heads", with the number "ten" representing earthly completeness and thus all human governments on earth. The "seven heads" represent the seven world powers that have had direct influence over God's people. These were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome and in our day, the Anglo-American dual world of Britain and America.

These have arisen from the "sea", with wicked restless mankind creating individual human governments rather than submit to God's sovereignty. All these human governments are in opposition to God and that is why God has an appointed time soon to permanently remove them from the earth at the "war of the great day of God the Almighty"(Rev 16:14), called Armageddon.(Rev 16:16, King James Bible)


Please explain "Jesus enthronement as king in 1914." :confused
 
nadab said:
The book of Revelation was "presented...in signs".(Rev 1:1) Thus, this book is mostly symbolic. That the earth and heavens are permanent, Psalms 104: 5 says that God "laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever."(King James Bible) And Ecclesiastes 1:4 says that "one generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever."(King James Bible) Proverbs 3:19 says that "Jehovah by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding he established the heavens."(American Standard Version)

Hence, the earth and heavens are permanent, lasting forever. The expression at Revelation 21:1, of "a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more" is symbolic. The "former heavens" are what people look up to, and here these represent all human governments, which are under Satan's control. The "former earth" is mankind alienated from God. These symbolic heavens and earth will not survive the heat of divine anger during Jehovah’s great day.(Rev 16:14,16)

The passing away of “the former heaven†means the end of political governments along with Satan and his demons. This identification of “the former heaven†harmonizes with the fact that shortly before the statement concerning the ‘former heaven having passed away,’ John had seen a vision of the complete defeat of Satan’s forces and the casting of Satan into “the abyss.†(Re 19:19–20:3)

The symbolic "sea" is the part of mankind alienated from God that is especially restless, like the waves of the literal sea that never stops moving. Isaiah 57:20 says that "the wicked are like the sea that is being tossed, when it is unable to calm down, the waters of which keep tossing up seaweed and mire." These are elements that create division, stirring up great troubles.

The "former heaven and the former earth....and the sea" are removed and replaced with "a new heaven and a new earth", the "new heaven" being God's kingdom and the "new earth" being the ‘peoples of mankind’, on this earth, who are its subjects and who receive the blessings of its rule forever, as depicted in verses 3 and 4. Of the "new earth", Psalms 37:29 says that "the righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever."(King James Bible)

Good points,

When Jesus makes a New Heaven and a New earth, He will not destroy the physical universe to receate it. He makes all things new, I believe means He makes all things spiritual, He takes away the curse of the earth.

And like we become new creations in Christ, we don't change our physical bodies but are changed from the inside out. Or when we say New Jerusalem. Or when we say New wine.

The natural stays but the blessing will be on the land, when the whole world turns to Jesus, He will bless our land.

And when Satan is cast out of heaven and then destroyed forever then we have a New heaven, with no more evil in Heaven and on earth. Amen.
 
whirlwind said:
Please explain "Jesus enthronement as king in 1914." :confused
Its Jehovah's Witness doctrine.

Here is a "conversation" that shows the error of this doctrine:
When did Jesus receive His “authority� Did Jesus begin ruling as “King of God’s Kingdom†in 1914? What does the Bible teach?

KAREN: Hello Cindy I’ve been reading over our next lesson in the Watchtower brochure What Does God Require of Us? and I’m confused about when Jesus would be “enthroned as King of God’s Kingdom.†In this brochure, the Watchtower Society says “When Jesus was on earth, he proved that he would be a kind, just, and perfect Ruler. When he returned to heaven, he was not enthroned as King of God’s Kingdom right away.†Then the Society said that it wasn’t until 1914, that “Jehovah gave Jesus the authority He had promised him.â€Â1. I don’t understand why the Watchtower teaches that Jesus did not receive his authority right away when he resurrected from the dead. Didn’t Jesus say to his disciples at his resurrection at Matthew 28:18: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.â€Â?2.

CINDY: Yes, he did say that, Karen, but that doesn’t mean that Jesus began his Kingdom rule then. It only means that he was given the authority over the Christian congregation of his followers at that time.

KAREN: So let me get this straight, Cindy. Are you saying that Christ’s rulership and authority that was given to him at his resurrection was limited to the Christian congregation until 1914 when he gained rulership over the earth?

CINDY: That’s right, Karen. The Society says in their book Knowledge That Leads To Everlasting Life: “Jesus knew that his rulership over the earth was reserved for the future, long after his resurrection and ascension to heaven.…The Scriptures had foretold this. How so? Prophetically referring to Jesus as ‘Lord,’ King David said: ‘The utterance of Jehovah to my Lord is: “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.†’ (Psalm 110:1)…This prophecy indicates that Jesus’ rulership would not begin immediately after his ascension to heaven. Rather, he would wait at God’s right hand.†Then they reference Hebrews 10:12, 13 and ask the question. “How long would this waiting go on? When would his rulership begin?â€Â3. Karen, would you like to read Hebrews 10:12-13?

KAREN: Sure. “But He [Christ], having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.â€Â4.

CINDY: So you see, Karen, Jesus had to “wait†at Jehovah’s right hand, before Jesus could begin his rulership over the earth.

KAREN: But Cindy, what does the Bible say Jesus was waiting for at God’s right hand?

CINDY: Why, Karen, it says Jesus was “awaiting until his enemies should be placed as a stool for his feet.â€Â5.

KAREN: Cindy, what are the enemies Jesus was waiting to be placed under His feet?

CINDY: I’m not sure, Karen, but I suppose those enemies have something to do with worldly governments.

KAREN: Cindy, would you read 1 Corinthians 15:23-24 in your New World Translation Bible?

CINDY: O.K. “But each one of his own rank: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who belong to the Christ during his presence. Next, the end, when he hands over the kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power.†There you have it Karen! These verses show that Jesus will put an end to all worldly governments and then it says Jesus will hand “over the kingdom†to Jehovah God.

KAREN: O.K. Cindy, now read the next two verses 25 and 26.

CINDY: “For he must rule as king until [God] has put all enemies under his feet. As the last enemy, death is to be brought to nothing.â€Â6.

KAREN: Now, Cindy, according to this passage, what is the last enemy that is going to be put under Jesus’ feet?

CINDY: Well, it says that the last enemy is death.

KAREN: Now, Cindy, we were just reading in Hebrew 10 that Jesus is waiting at the right hand of God until his enemies would be put under his feet. Since 1 Corinthians 15 says that the last enemy is death, doesn’t this mean that Jesus is still waiting at the right hand of God?

CINDY: I never saw that before!

KAREN: Cindy, was death destroyed in 1914? Since all of Jesus’ enemies have not been put under his feet yet, how can Jesus not still be waiting at the right hand of God?

CINDY: Well, I guess your right, Karen. Jesus must be waiting at the right hand of God even today!

KAREN: Now Cindy, if Christ could not start ruling until God had put all his enemies under his feet, how can Jesus’ rule have begun in 1914 “in the midst of his enemies†and why did he have to start his reign with a war against them?

CINDY: I don’t know, Karen.

KAREN: Cindy would you read verse 28 of 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and tell me what Jesus will do after all things have been put under his feet?

CINDY: Sure. It says: “But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone.â€Â7. What was your question again, Karen?

KAREN: My question is, what does this verse say Jesus will do after all things are subjected to him and put under his feet?

CINDY: Well, Karen, it says Jesus will turn everything over to God.

KAREN: Now, Cindy, let me get this straight. According to the Watchtower Society, Jesus is waiting at the right hand of God and cannot start ruling until his enemies are put under his feet, right?

CINDY: That’s right, Karen.

KAREN: Now my question is this. If Jesus cannot start ruling until his enemies are put under his feet and the Bible says at 1 Corinthians 15:24 and 28 that Jesus will turn over the kingdom to God the very moment that his enemies are put under him, when will Jesus be able to start ruling? What happened to His Kingdom? Because the very moment that it is time for Jesus to start ruling, after all his enemies have been put under his feet, it will be time for him to hand over the kingdom to God!

CINDY: That’s a good point Karen. I don’t know.

KAREN: Cindy, will you read 1 Corinthians 15:25 again, please?

CINDY: “For he [Christ] must rule as king until [God] has put all enemies under his feet.â€Â8.

KAREN: Cindy, what does this verse say Jesus is doing while He is at the right hand of God and waiting for all his enemies to be put under his feet?

CINDY: Why, Karen, it says “he must rule as king until [God] has put all enemies under his feet.â€Â9.

KAREN: So when did Jesusâ₠kingship start? When did Jesus start waiting for God to put all enemies under his feet?

CINDY: Well, Karen, He has been waiting since His resurrection. So He must have begun ruling as king at that time.

COMMENTS:
Friends, at Christ’s resurrection, Jesus said that “All authority†both “in heaven†and “on earth†had been given to Him. If “all authority†had been given to Jesus at His resurrection, what authority could be given to Him in 1914 that He didn’t already have?
 
When Jesus arrived on the earth in the first century as the Messiah, few realized that the "appointed time" had come for his appearance, especially the religious leaders. Jesus told them: "In the evening you say, 'It will be fine weather, for the sky is red;' and in the morning, 'It will be rough weather to-day, for the sky is red and murky.' You learn how to distinguish the aspect of the heavens, but the signs of the times you cannot."(Matt 16:2, 3, Weymouth's New Testament)

Daniel 9:25 had given the exact year in which the Messiah or Christ would arrive, being "from the going forth of the word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until Mes·si´ah the Leader, there will be seven weeks, also sixty-two weeks." Thus, from the " going forth of the word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem" in 455 B.C.E when King Artaxerxes gave the command to Nehemiah concerning Jerusalem (Neh 2), 69 weeks of years (483 years) would pass, until the Messiah or Christ came forth in 29 C.E. Only a handful of people came to see this as true, whereas the religious leaders and general masses of people were "in the dark", unaware that God's "appointed time" had now arrived.

Likewise concerning Jesus enthronement in 1914. When the Pharisees asked "when the kingdom of God was coming", Jesus told them that "the kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness".(Luke 17:20) These Pharisees were unable to recognize that the king-designate of God's kingdom was right in front of them, ' in their midst'.(Luke 17:21, Montgomery New Testament) Hence, most would not discern when God's kingdom began operation.

Three days before his death, Jesus told his disciples that the "sign" of the kingdom's arrival (Matt 24:3), his "promised presence"(2 Pet 3:3,4), would have specific features, with "nation will ris(ing) against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another."(Matt 24:7) He then said that these are "a beginning of pangs of distress."(Matt 24:8) However, only a small number would discern that Jesus had been crowned king of God's kingdom, it now beginning operation in 1914, for Jesus said that only those who were like "eagles" could "see" that "kingdom" was now operational, though the evidence was readily apparent, in effect coming out "of eastern parts and shines over western parts".(Matt 24:27,28)

When was the first time that the world was engulfed in global conflict ? When World War I erupted in 1914, followed by "food shortages". Jesus further had said that "pestilences" would occur. One such epidemic of disease was the Spanish Influenza that epidemiologist estimated took upward of 100 million lives over the course of 1918-1919.

Thus, 1914 was a marked year, a year that even Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, noted a marked change, saying: "By all contemporaneous accounts, the world prior to 1914 seemed to be moving irreversibly toward higher levels of civility and civilization; human society seemed perfectible." But "World War I was more devastating to civility and civilization than the physically far more destructive World War II: the earlier conflict had destroyed an idea. I cannot erase the thought of those pre-World War I years, when the future of mankind appeared unencumbered and without limit. Today our outlook is starkly different from a century ago but perhaps a bit more consonant with reality."(The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World, 2007)
 
Ed the Ned said:
"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" Revelations 21 vs 1 esv.
Will there be no more sea?

If you have a chance to be in Hades, you will understand right away that it is a huge "Sea".

So the Bible consistently hints about this characteristic of the death place.

Baptism - means you are dead, buried ( in water ), and raised again as Jesus Christ did.

Red Sea - means Moses led the Jews went across the sea to Canan. It hints that the Greater Jesus will lead both Jews and Gentiles go across the "Sea of Hades" to New Heaven and New Earth.

Noah's Ark - a huge ark carried the saved from being buried by the sea. Another huge spiritual ark is under building that all the saved will be carried to the New Heaven and New Earth. They are saved from the water ( "Sea" ).

...

So "there is no more sea" in New Earth could be both physical and symbolical.
 
Revelation 17:15 And he saith unto me, "The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
 
Ed the Ned said:
"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" Revelations 21 vs 1 esv.
Will there be no more sea?

That's what the Scripture says, and that's what It means, literally. It is not symbolic. It's for the future new heavens and a new earth timing, i.e., God's Eternity. All of God's Word is literal, meaning even the many parables or metaphors and allegories used still point to very literal truths. In Rev.13:1 and 17:15 the sea or waters represents peoples, nations, tongues, and multitudes. Clearly those will not be gone in the world to come, because it would go against God's promise that the meek shall inherit the earth. God said in Isaiah 45:18 that He created this earth to be inhabited, to be lived upon, and it will be, even through Eternity. He's going to bring a shaking of this earth, and a consuming fire to end this present world order (per 2 Peter 3 and end of Hebrews 12).

PM me if you want to go any deeper than that.
 
God's Word speaks of three literal periods of earth history. Peter covered those in 2 Peter 3 with "the world that then was", the "heavens and the earth, which are now" (today), and the "new heavens and a new earth".

There's some debate on what that first period was. But the second period, the "heavens and the earth, which are now" is about today's time. Peter says this period we are in today will eventually be burned up, the heavens being on fire. The Greek word 'stoicheon' ("elements") used in 2 Pet.3:10 means an orderly arrangement, not physical elements like earth matter. Paul at the end of Hebrews 12 showed that a consuming fire will destroy the things off this earth made by man, so that only the things made by God will remain.

So the subject is about the same kind of end of the world that ended the first period of the earth's history, by a flood, except this next one will be by fire. The first period end wiped all the inhabitants off the earth, cleansing the surface of the earth. It did not literally destroy earth matter, only the surface was cleansed of man's order. Likewise it will be with the next one by fire. That's part of what Paul was talking about on the "last trump" change to our "spiritual body" at the "twinkling of an eye", meaning it will happen as fast as one can blink. In Isaiah it's said to come at an instant.

Naturally, because of how comfortable many have become with this earth period we're in now, they don't want this world to end. But those in Christ Jesus are to have a hope for that future period, when Judgment will come, and there will finally be true peace on the earth with Christ reigning with His elect priests and kings. Those in Christ are given a comfort Message about that coming consuming fire event. It's the event of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego cast into the hot fiery furnace heated seven times hotter than necessary, but with their coming out of it unharmed, their clothes not even smelling of smoke because of Christ being with them (Dan.3).

God ending the world that then was certainly was not symbolic, it was literal. The future ending of this world won't be symbolic either.
 
veteran said:
God's Word speaks of three literal periods of earth history. Peter covered those in 2 Peter 3 with "the world that then was", the "heavens and the earth, which are now" (today), and the "new heavens and a new earth".

There's some debate on what that first period was. But the second period, the "heavens and the earth, which are now" is about today's time. Peter says this period we are in today will eventually be burned up, the heavens being on fire. The Greek word 'stoicheon' ("elements") used in 2 Pet.3:10 means an orderly arrangement, not physical elements like earth matter. Paul at the end of Hebrews 12 showed that a consuming fire will destroy the things off this earth made by man, so that only the things made by God will remain.

So the subject is about the same kind of end of the world that ended the first period of the earth's history, by a flood, except this next one will be by fire. The first period end wiped all the inhabitants off the earth, cleansing the surface of the earth. It did not literally destroy earth matter, only the surface was cleansed of man's order. Likewise it will be with the next one by fire. That's part of what Paul was talking about on the "last trump" change to our "spiritual body" at the "twinkling of an eye", meaning it will happen as fast as one can blink. In Isaiah it's said to come at an instant.

Naturally, because of how comfortable many have become with this earth period we're in now, they don't want this world to end. But those in Christ Jesus are to have a hope for that future period, when Judgment will come, and there will finally be true peace on the earth with Christ reigning with His elect priests and kings. Those in Christ are given a comfort Message about that coming consuming fire event. It's the event of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego cast into the hot fiery furnace heated seven times hotter than necessary, but with their coming out of it unharmed, their clothes not even smelling of smoke because of Christ being with them (Dan.3).

God ending the world that then was certainly was not symbolic, it was literal. The future ending of this world won't be symbolic either.

I agree with a great deal of what you have written on various threads Veteran...and by the way, welcome to the forum :) . However, on this topic I believe the "no more sea" is spiritual.

I'm glad you mentioned the first age as it needs to be taught more. That was the age in which Satan rebelled.
 
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