Useful Bible Studies > Revelation Commentary > chapter 15

God’s people stand on the sea of glass

Revelation 15:2

At the end of each letter in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, Christ made promises to those Christians who overcome. That is, they overcome the devil’s power in this world. They do not overcome by their own efforts, but because of Christ’s death for them (12:11). In Christ, they firmly trust.

John had explained how difficult life will be for God’s people during the rule of antichrist (Christ’s great enemy) - Revelation 13:16-18. However, even the worst troubles cannot separate God’s people from God’s love for them (Romans 8:35-39). So, in Revelation 15:2-4, John saw, in heaven, God’s people who had overcome those troubles. There, they sang to praise God with music.

They stood on a sea that was completely still, like glass. Perhaps that is the same sea that is in front of God’s throne (royal seat) in Revelation 4:6. However, there is now a difference in the description of that sea. Then, the sea was clear, like the precious stone called crystal. Now, the sea glows with fire.

Fire is a word-picture for several different things in the Bible. It can express God’s power, his anger (Isaiah 10:16-19), his judgements (Malachi 3:2-3) and his holy character (Isaiah 6:1-7). Revelation chapter 15 emphasises particularly God’s anger against all that is evil (15:1; 15:7). So perhaps this sea shows us that even God’s great anger is under his control. The sea burns with fire, but it is still like glass. God’s anger is great, but his people stand safely upon the sea. (The original language says that, and not that they merely stand by the sea, as in some translations).

As in Revelation 14:2, their musical instruments are harps - instruments with strings, that make a quiet and beautiful sound. John adds here that God himself provided those harps - he calls them ‘harps of God’.

Next part: The song of Moses and the Lamb (Revelation 15:3-4)

 

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© 2016, Keith Simons.