No more sea - Revelation

[Mijoy2]

Looking for comments on the meaning of the following verse:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away;** and there was no more sea**.

What do we think about “No more sea”? I sure hope this does not hold some literal meaning. The "sea"has been my heaven on earth.

Thanks much

 

[Fidelis]

The notion of “the sea” in the Scriptures has always been as a metaphor for the regions of darkness, where the fearful and unknown held sway. The Hebrews were not a seafaring people and for them, nothing good could come from the sea.

As far as the book of Revelation 21:1, here’s what the Navarre Bible Commentary says:

21:1 - 22:15. Now that all the forces of evil, including death, have
been vanquished the author turns to contemplate the establishment of
the Kingdom of God in all its fullness. Thus, the climax of the book
shows a new world inhabited by a new race–the new Jerusalem (cf. 21:
1-4); a world guaranteed by the eternal and almighty Word of God to
last forever (cf. 21:5-8).

The focus of attention now becomes the people of God; the new Jerusalem
is portrayed as the Bride of the Lamb; a detailed description shows it
to be a wonderful city of great beauty ruled over by God the Father and
Christ (21:9-2:6). The contrast between this and the pilgrim Church in
its present circumstances is so great that the new city can be
discerned only if one puts one’s faith in what God’s messengers reveal
(cf. 22:6-9). Faith is also an effective stimulus to the Christian to
continue to strive for holiness and the reward of eternal life (cf. 22:
10-15).

1-4. The prophet Isaiah depicted the messianic times as a radical
change in the fortunes of the people of Israel–so radical that, as he
put it, God was going to create new heavens and a new earth, a new
Jerusalem full of joy, where the sound of weeping would never more be
heard, where God would make himself plain for all to see and where
everything would be as it was in paradise before sin (cf. Is 65:12-25).
The author of the Apocalypse uses this same format to describe the
future Kingdom of God. The imagery of a new heaven and a new earth
(taken in a physical sense) was very much in vogue in Jewish writing
around the time of the Apocalypse (cf. 1 Enoch 72:1; 91:16), and is
probably reflected also in 2 Peter 3:10-13 and Matthew 19:28. Scripture
nowhere indicates what form the new heaven and the new earth will take.
However, what is clear is that there will be a radical “renewal” of the
present cosmos, contaminated as it is by the sin of man and the powers
of evil (cf. Gen 2:8-3:24: Rom 8:9-13): through this renewal all
creation will be “recapitulated” in Christ (cf. Eph 1:10; Col 1:16:20).
No reference is made to the sea, probably because in Jewish literature
it symbolized the abyss, the abode of demonic powers hostile to God.

Those who will inhabit this new world (symbolized by the Holy City, the
new Jerusalem) are the entire assembly of the saved, the entire people
of God (cf. vv. 12-14)–a holy people disposed to live in loving
communion with God (as reflected by the image of the adorned bride: cf.
vv. 2, 9). The promise of a new covenant (Ezek 37:27) will be fulfilled
to the letter: God will see to it that none of the evil, suffering or
pain found in this world will find its way into the new world.

This passage of the Book of Revelation strengthens the faith and hope
of the Church–not only St John’s own generation but all generations
down the ages for as long as the Church makes its way through this
valley of tears. The Second Vatican Council says: “We know neither the
moment of the consummation of the earth and of man nor the way the
universe will be transformed. The form of this world, distorted by sin,
is passing away and we are taught that God is preparing a new dwelling
and a new earth in which righteousness dwells, whose happiness will
fill and surpass all the desires of peace arising in the hearts of men.
Then with death conquered the children of God will be raised in Christand what was sown in weakness and dishonor will put on the
imperishable: charity and its works will remain, and all of creation,
which God made for man, will be set free from its bondage to decay”
(“Gaudium Et Spes”, 39).

I wouldn’t fret about there not being a sea anymore. I may be hard for us to imagine (I also love the sea) but if there are no oceans in heaven, there will be something so much better, you’ll never miss it.

**1Co 2:9 -
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him,” **

 

[TOME]

I know there are some OT references about the Sea, however, I’m going to rely on my memory of things I studied long ago.

First, as literature Revelations is what is called apocalyptic literature.The Book of Daniel of the OT is also this type of literature and there are examples of this type of writing found in non-scriptural works. It was a style well known and understood in NT times.

Basically, an apocalyptic work was written for a persecuted people or community. In it we always find a definition of a particular type of persecution, struggle and ultimately the persecuted are victorious and a new society or world is created.

Revelation was written during the time the Church was undergoing a persecution by the Roman Empire. The particular passage you asked about, from the opening of Chapter 21, talks about a new world, after the struggle is over and in effect God has effected His Kingdom once and for all.

As far as the sea goes, through out the Mediterranean World of NT times, just about all cultures believe that terrible forces had a special dwelling place in the seas, rivers and lakes of their world.
The Jews were no different, they too believed that the Devil dwelt in these places (which is part of the significance of Jesus walking on water and calming the seas - by doing such He showed He was Master over them)

So when in Rev 21, it states that the Sea was no more, that was
the authors ways of expressing the final victory over the power of Satan/Devil when God has established His Kingdom once and for all, giving the persecuted Church its share in this victory.