Bible Study With Jairus Revelation 21 (part 2) Why Is There No Sea in the New Heaven and the New Earth?

Bible Study With Jairus

Revelation 21 (part 2)

Why Is There No Sea in the New Heaven and the New Earth?

 

Revelation 21:1 says, "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." Why does it say here that the sea was no more? Does this mean that in the new heaven and new earth there will be no large bodies of water where water gathers? Not necessarily. Revelation 22:1 mentions the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Because this water flows endlessly, it could eventually form a sea. Though we can’t know for sure, I believe that this verse does not refer to literal bodies of water, but to the symbolic meaning of the sea in the ancient world.

 

To many ancient authors and thinkers, the sea represented chaos and unrest. It was a holding place for the souls of the dead and for evil spirits. We can see this idea in several passages in Scripture. The Lord Jesus permitted the unclean spirits to enter the herd of pigs, which then rushed into the sea and drowned (Luke 8:26–39). This suggests that there are unclean spirits in the sea. In the books of Daniel and Revelation, we see many dragons, beasts, and evil powers rising out of the sea with Satanic power and authority (Revelation 13:1–2, Daniel 7:3). These verses indicate that the sea contains beasts and evil spirits.

 

Additionally, the sea was seen as a holding place for the spirits of the dead. Revelation 20:13 says that when death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, the sea also gave up the dead who were in it. This passage equates the sea, death, and Hades as dwelling places for the dead. Verse 14 further states that death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. These passages indicate that the sea is a holding place for the dead.

 

The Bible does not provide many details about the sea as a holding place for the dead. We do not know how the souls in the sea differ from the souls held in death and Hades. However, the Bible does clearly state that these three places will give up their dead. This indicates that they are distinct from each other. In addition to the fact that death and Hades are ultimately thrown into the Lake of Fire, this chapter also mentions that in the New Heaven and New Earth, “the sea was no more.” This likely does not mean there will no longer be any bodies of water in the New Heaven and New Earth, but rather that certain functions of the sea in the old heaven and old earth will no longer exist.

 

I believe that the sea contains the bottomless pit, which confines various evil spirits, including the beast and Satan, and also holds the spirits of those who perished in Noah’s flood (1 Peter 3:19–20). Revelation 11:7 explicitly states that the beast came out of the bottomless pit. Revelation 9 mentions that locusts came out of the bottomless pit. Apart from being the place where the beast and evil spirits are confined, the bottomless pit is also described in Revelation 20:1 as the location where Satan is bound for a thousand years. Once Satan is released from the bottomless pit and thrown into the Lake of Fire, the bottomless pit and the sea will no longer be necessary.

 

When all the dead are resurrected and judged before the Great White Throne, some will enter eternal life, and others will be cast into the Lake of Fire. Evil spirits, the beast, the false prophet, and Satan will all be thrown into the Lake of Fire to be punished forever. Therefore, the sea will no longer be needed as a holding place for evil spirits, the beast, the false prophet, Satan, and the souls of certain people.

 

The sea, as it existed in the old heaven and old earth, served a specific function in the old creation. But when the old creation is rolled up like a garment (Hebrews 1:10–12), the sea's purpose will be rendered obsolete. We will examine this idea in detail in the next section.

 

The Old Heavens and the Old Earth Will Be Rolled Up Like a Garment

 

Hebrews 1:10-12 says, "And you, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end." This scripture is deeply significant and will greatly help us understand the disappearance of the old heavens, old earth, and sea in the book of Revelation. In this passage, the old heavens and earth are likened to an old garment that will one day be rolled up and removed.

 

When my daughter was younger, other families at church used to give her hand-me-downs that their children had outgrown. The clothes no longer fit their children, but they fit my daughter perfectly. Many of the clothes were beautiful and in good condition, and my daughter enjoyed wearing them. In the same way, we used to pass along clothes that our daughter had outgrown. They were not torn or unwearable; they simply did not fit her anymore because she had grown.

 

In the same way, as Christ’s body grows in stature to become more and more like Christ (Ephesians 4:13), she will outgrow her former garments. I believe the old heavens and earth will be laid aside because the church has outgrown them. As Christ’s body, the bride, grows in maturity, she will no longer need her old garments. As God's sons enter into God's glory, they will no longer need the old earth. Instead, they will put on the New Heaven and New Earth as their new garment.

 

When the bride of Christ is fully mature, she will wear fine linen, bright and pure (Revelation 19:8). She will “grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15). Her life will be full of Christ’s life and she will be filled with all the fullness of God. “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:23). When the fullness of God fills the church, and through His body fills the universe, a new heaven and earth must come. The New Heaven and Earth are the new clothes that God has made for Christ’s bride.

 

The New Earth is also a new living and activity space for the bride, and it is full of righteousness. Peter explained, “But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). Before this, Peter also mentioned that the day of the Lord will come like a thief. At that time, “the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn” (2 Peter 3:10-12).

 

Peter said that God’s righteousness will dwell in the New Heaven and New Earth. God is righteous, Christ is righteous, and the bride of Christ is wearing fine linen which represents the righteous deeds of the saints (Revelation 19:8). Daniel 12:3 says, "And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." This indicates that the righteousness of the saints will shine like the stars for eternity. If these righteous individuals fill the New Heaven and New Earth, then we can indeed say that righteousness dwells in the New Heaven and New Earth. For the body of Christ is made up of righteous people, and they will inhabit the New Heaven and New Earth.

 

The New Heaven and New Earth are undoubtedly our dwelling place, but they can also be seen as our garment. As believers grow in maturity and the righteousness of God fills them, the old heaven and old earth will metaphorically burst at the seams. Like old wineskins mentioned in Mark 2:22, the old earth will no longer be able to contain the spiritual growth and expansion of Christ’s body, the church.  At this time, the old heaven and old earth will be removed and will be rolled up like an outgrown garment (Hebrews 1:10-12).

 

In addition, Peter says that the old heaven and old earth will be burned and the elements will melt with fervent heat. When these elements are melted, will they be refined like gold, or will they be destroyed in the Lake of Fire? Will they be purified of impurities and made even more precious? Or will they be annihilated? Personally, I believe that the elements of the old heavens and old earth will be refined and purified of impurities so they can become part of the New Heaven and New Earth.

 

As people of the old creation, we are also part of the old heavens and old earth. Yet inside us is an element of newness that will one day fill our entire being. Paul says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Revelation 21:5 states, "And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.'" Once we have received the life of Christ, we begin the process of becoming a new creation, a process that will ultimately transform us into a bride filled with righteousness. The old heavens and old earth will then be transformed to match our level of growth, maturity, and newness. At this time, the old heavens and old earth will no longer be suitable as our dwelling place because they are filled with impurity. Just like we will one day receive glorious bodies, we will also receive a glorious new place to live.

 

As We Grow Spiritually, We Must Shed our Old Garments

 

Let’s look at some analogies that help us understand that the old heavens and the old earth are like old garments that need to be left behind as we grow. The first analogy is a snake that sheds its skin. As a snake grows, its skin can no longer accommodate its size. Perhaps its skin is only five inches long, but its body inside has grown to six inches long. The five-inch skin can no longer accommodate its growth and has become a hindrance to further growth. At this time, the snake must shed its skin to continue growing.

 

At every stage of spiritual growth, there must be an outward renewal to match our inward growth. When I was 4 feet tall, I wore clothes that fit my height. But when I grew to 5 feet, my 4-foot clothes no longer fit and had to be replaced. This doesn’t mean the 4-foot clothes disappeared; they simply were too small for me. In the same way, why must the old heavens and the old earth be rolled up like a garment? Why will the sea no longer exist? Because the life of God’s Son within us has grown to such a degree that the old heavens and the old earth—like old garments—can no longer contain the new spiritual life we now possess.

 

May God grant us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation to understand this spiritual truth. Paul said, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). Our outer self—our physical body—is temporary, like a garment, while our inner self—our spiritual life—is permanent. As our inner self is renewed and grows day by day, our outer self wastes away. This experience is like the transformation of a dragonfly nymph into a full-grown dragonfly. Each time it sheds its skin, it is more mature and closer to being a full-grown dragonfly. Similarly, as we leave behind our old self, we gain a renewed spiritual life. This is a continuous process. Paul explains, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17–18). We must continually put off the old self, like an old garment, and put on the new self, like a new garment. One day, when we enter into glory and receive our glorified bodies, the transformation from nymph to dragonfly will be complete.

 

Jesus said to His disciples, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Matthew 24:7–8). In this passage, who or what is being born? I believe new life is being birthed into the world in several ways. First, the male child is being born (cf. Revelation 12:5). Second, Christ’s bride is preparing to enter eternal glory (Revelation 19:7 and Romans 8). And finally, the New Earth and New Heavens are coming into being. When the sons of God enter into God’s glory, the New Jerusalem will descend from heaven, and the birth pains will come to an end. At that time, the New Heaven and New Earth will be filled with righteousness.

 

The present suffering we experience—wars, famines, and earthquakes—are birth pains that bring forth the new creation. They are part of the process by which the old heaven and old earth are left behind, much like a snake shedding its skin. In Romans 8, Paul mentions that all things work together for the good of those who love God. Certainly, this includes even the negative things. The old heavens and earth contain many bad things, such as war, famine, earthquakes, and the sea, which may contain negative elements. However, God is using these negative elements to promote the ultimate birth of the new creation.

 

The purpose of the old creation is to bring forth the new creation. Once the new creation is fully revealed, the old creation will no longer be needed. For example, an eggshell is crucial for preserving the life of the developing chick, but once the chick hatches, the shell is no longer needed. Similarly, when the New Heaven and New Earth are revealed, the old heaven, old earth, and sea will no longer be needed. Like an eggshell, they will be discarded after the new life has emerged.

 

However, the converse is also true. Before the new life emerges, the eggshell is crucial for the survival of the growing chick. In the same way, the old heavens and earth are essential for the growth and maturity of the body of Christ. Just as our old bodies are crucial for our survival until we receive our resurrected bodies, the old creation is necessary until we receive new creation. Right now, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Eventually, the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to our mortal bodies. When we finally enter God’s glory, He will give us resurrection bodies. But before the new creation arrives, we must preserve the old creation, because the new creation comes from the old creation.

 

The Sea is a Temporary Symbol of Judgment

 

As we have seen, the sea is a symbol of evil and contains evil spirits, beasts, souls of the dead, and Satanic elements. The sea may also contain the bottomless pit, which holds all kinds of evil. The sea functions like a prison where certain souls and evil spirits are confined as part of God's judgment.

 

1 Peter 3:19-20 says that Jesus “went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.” The prison mentioned here is Tartarus, the deep, dark pit. The same concept is also mentioned in 2 Peter 2:4: “God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment.” Clearly, this gloomy pit contains evil spirits and the souls of sinners—likely the ones who rejected Noah's invitation to board the ark. This passage says that Jesus went to this place of judgment to proclaim the gospel. If, in God's mercy, these souls eventually repent, then some of them may enter eternal life at the Great White Throne judgment.

 

God also mentions the angels that live in this place of judgment. Jude 1:6 says, “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.” When these spirits are judged at the Great White Throne, they will no longer need a temporary holding place. The gloomy pit and the sea will no longer be needed. Even Hades and Death will be thrown into the Lake of Fire.

 

When the sons of God enter God's glory, all creation will be liberated and set free. The entire old creation will pass away. Today, the old creation is gradually passing away. It is decaying day by day, just like our bodies. But the new creation is being renewed day by day. When one day the new creation is fully developed, the old creation will pass away.

 

Conclusion: We Must Experience Continuous Transformation and Growth

 

When the new creation arrives, the old creation will pass away. The new creation grows from within the old creation, and the old creation serves as a protective shell for the new creation, which is developing within it. Just like a snake needs its skin or a growing chick needs its shell, we need the old creation while we are growing and developing. But when we reach full maturity and enter God’s glory, the old creation will pass away.

 

Currently, the evil elements of the old creation are being used by God for his good purposes. They are the suffering that creates our maturity, and the birth pains that bring forth new life. One day, we will be set free from the old creation which has held us in bondage.

The process of growth and renewal is not only being experienced by the church as a whole, but also by individual Christians. Our outer self is decaying day by day, while our inner self is being renewed day by day.

 

We have seen that the sea is a temporary place for holding souls who will be judged. We must remember that judgment is merely a means to an end. God’s end goal is for people to repent, be saved, and mature in eternal life. This is the purpose of our loving God, whose thoughts toward us are thoughts of peace, not of disaster (Jeremiah 29:11). These words were originally spoken to the Israelites while they were in exile for their rebellion. Yet even then, God assured them of his good plans for their lives. In a similar way, we are now under the rule of Satan because of human sin and rebellion. However, God’s thoughts toward us are still good. Our difficult circumstances, hardships, and pain will ultimately help us grow and mature. When our new life is fully mature, we will shed the old life and enter into the new creation.