By: Brian G. Chilton | February 22, 2021
I enjoy going to the beach. There is something soothing and therapeutic about the sound of the ocean’s waves crashing upon the shore. The ocean’s rhythmic sound patterns tend to alleviate the stress and strains of life. The beautiful sunrises and sunsets over the ocean’s horizon are something that no artist can duplicate.
For this reason, Revelation 21:1 has always seemed odd to me. The text reads, “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). Why are oceans and seas not found in the new creation? Heaven is greater than anything possibility imaginable in this creation. If something is good in this creation, then it will be great in the next one. If that is the case, then why would one of God’s most beautiful creations not be found there? Revelation makes it clear that the new creation would have water. Revelation 22:1 notes the existence of a “river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev. 22:1). If there are rivers, would they not pour out into a larger body of water that would be comparable to modern oceans?
The absence of the sea in the new creation holds a deeper theological issue and is most likely not to be taken literally. The symbol speaks to a literal truth. But the concept of the sea is an image that resonates with the overall teaching of Scripture. I have always been taught that the best interpreter of Scripture is Scripture. With that in mind, what does the sea represent throughout the pages of Scripture?
The Sea as a Representation of Chaos
Genesis 1 depicts God’s creation of the universe. While God is shown to be in total control of creation, the text describes an ordering of creation from the chaotic waters of the deep (Gen. 1:1-2). The watery depths of the sea are shown to be a place of chaos as opposed to the stability of the dry land. Yahweh—the personal name of God—brings order by causing the waters to subside and bringing order and stability to the world by the creation of the continental bodies. Considering how dangerous seafaring is today, even more so in antiquity, it stands to reason why the ancients would have viewed the sea in such fashion. David writes, “The ropes of death were wrapped around me; the torrents of destruction terrified me” (Psa. 18:4). While the sea was chaotic, Yahweh, the “God of glory” (Ps. 29:3), “thunders above the vast water” (Ps. 29:3).
The idea of a storm god battling the sea was not unique to the OT. Many beliefs in the Ancient Near East and Indo-European religions held that the storm god battled the chaos of the sea (Green, The Storm God; Ara, Eschatology, 105-107). The difference with the OT is that Yahweh was shown to be the creator over both the clouds and the sea. He was sovereign over everything and brought order from chaos. No other entity was involved in creation outside of Yahweh. Yahweh’s battles did not bring about creation as was found in other worldviews. Rather, Yahweh, and Yahweh alone, was responsible for creation. Nonetheless, the sea became associated with the idea of chaos.
The Sea as a Representation of Evil
While Yahweh was the exclusive creator of the cosmos, the OT still holds that Yahweh was opposed by the enemy forces of darkness. The enemy of God is depicted as a marine serpentine animal known as the Leviathan. The Leviathan is a monstrous beast whose home is found in the chaos of the sea. Yahweh strips Leviathan of his power and causes him to be his servant (Job 41:4). Leviathan, the serpentine dragon of the sea, will be ultimately destroyed by Yahweh at the end of time (Isa. 27:1). This image is continued in the book of Daniel as the evil political powers are shown to be serpentine sea monsters rising from the chaos of the sea (Dan. 7:1-13). The Pharaoh of Egypt is depicted as a monster of the Nile who would be defeated by God (Ezek. 29:3-5). It is unsurprising that the Red Sea kept the Israelites from crossing over into the Promised Land—that is, until Yahweh overcame the power of the seas by dividing the waters and allowing them to cross on dry land. In Revelation, the antichrist is shown to be a beast rising from the chaotic sea (Rev. 13:1-10). Thus, evil serpentine powers of darkness are linked with the chaos of the sea.
The Savior’s Defeat of the Sea
The powers of chaos and evil were about to be dealt a lethal blow by the Savior. Jesus changed everything. He preached that the kingdom of God was at hand (Mark 1:15). He even proved the power of God’s kingdom had come by performing miracles. Two of Jesus’s miracles are especially pertinent. Jesus proved his power over the chaotic seas by walking on the water (Matt. 14:22-33; Mark 6:45-56; and John 6:16-24) and by calming the tumultuous sea (Matt. 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; and Luke 8:22-25). No wonder the disciples feared Jesus’s power after observing these potent displays of authority over the forces of nature and the powers of darkness. Ultimately, Jesus’s victory over the enemies of God will be full and complete (Rev. 19:11-16) in fulfillment of Isaiah 27:1 when the serpentine dragon known as Satan and his minions are thrown into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 19:19-21).
Conclusion: What the Absence of the Sea Really Means
After considering all the biblical data, it seems that the best interpretation of Revelation 21:1 suggests that the absence of the sea is to be taken symbolically rather than literally. Yahweh created the oceans, lakes, and rivers (Exod. 20:11; Neh. 9:6; Ps. 146:6; Job 38:8-9; and Amos 9:6), and his creation was good (Gen. 1). If his creation of watery bodies on Earth is good now, the bodies of water will be perfect in the new creation. Rather than having no oceans or bodies of water in the new creation, Revelation 21:1 teaches that the new creation will bring an end to chaos and evil. The curse will be forever removed. Creation, humanity, and divinity will all live in eternal harmony. God brings order, harmony, love, and peace. His heavenly eternal creation will be a place of perfect peace. Chaos will be no more. As one who hates drama and chaos, this serves as just another reason why heaven is a wonderful and glorious place.
Sources
Ara, Mitra. Eschatology in the Indo-Iranian Traditions: The Genesis and Transformation of a Doctrine. New York: Peter Lang, 2008.
Green, Alberto R. W. The Storm God in the Ancient Near East. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2003.
Sarlo, Daniel. “Sea.” The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Edited by John D. Barry. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture comes from the Christian Standard Bible (Nashville: Holman, 2017).
About the Author
Brian G. Chilton is the founder of BellatorChristi.com, the host of The Bellator Christi Podcast, and the author of the Layman’s Manual on Christian Apologetics. Brian is a Ph.D. Candidate of the Theology and Apologetics program at Liberty University. He received his Master of Divinity in Theology from Liberty University (with high distinction); his Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Gardner-Webb University (with honors); and received certification in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. Brian is enrolled in the Ph.D. program in Theology and Apologetics at Liberty University and is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Evangelical Philosophical Society. Brian has served in pastoral ministry for nearly 20 years. He currently serves as a clinical chaplain.
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