There will be no Sea in Heaven.
That’s what Revelation 21:1 says. Does that surprise you?
When I finished guiding a ladies’ Bible study through the book of Revelation, I wiped my forehead and said, “Whew! We made it!” Teaching Revelation was the most challenging – and rewarding – study I’ve ever conducted. Like many Christians leaders, I’ve been afraid of the book, afraid to get involved in the controversies.
I’m glad we studied Revelation.
I’ve learned so much about worship, God’s intentions for His followers, and God’s response to the evil that is strangling our culture. So many little details surprised me, enough that I needed to ask over and over again, “Why is that so?” One was the comment in Revelation 21 that there will be no sea in the new Heaven.
But the sea is a nice place. Warm beaches, surf boards, crashing waves, and boating. What could be more picturesque and pleasant than watching the waves?
A picture is worth a thousand words and the Apostle John used powerful imagery to prove his points about God’s plan for the ages. The images attempt to describe the indescribable and suggest greater truths. This is especially true in John’s expression that there will be no more sea.
Our Bible study group discovered three reasons why John mentions that there will be no sea in Heaven.
No more fear
According to Matt Proctor, in his book Victorious (College Press, 2013), to a first century Greek, the sea was a place of chaos and evil. Put yourself in some Greek sandals. To your way of thinking, the sea would be uncrossable. Loved ones died in shipwrecks. Enemies arrived in foreign looking vessels. No sonar systems plunged the depths and analyzed strange creatures that lived below the surface. The sea was a place of fear and dread.
No sea means no fear. No more danger, death, or destruction. No more enemies or uncertainty. Wow. Can you imagine life without fear or cause to fear?
No more separation
A good Bible study method is to compare one verse with other verses. Earlier in Revelation, John says there was a sea before the throne of God:
“Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.” – Revelation 4:6
This scene is in the present Heaven, the one that exists right now. The New Heaven in Revelation 21 will be established at the very end of time after Jesus eradicates all evil from the earth and brings His bride, the Church, to live with Him forever.
The only ones with complete access to God’s throne in Revelation 4 are the twenty-four elders, the four living creatures, and the angels. But in Revelation 21, the barrier of the sea no longer exists.
Catch that! We’ll no longer stand at a distance, separated by time and space from the throne of God. While He invites us to draw closer now with confidence (Hebrews 4:16), we’ll have full access to His throne. Isn’t that wonderful?
No more segregation
Over the centuries, what has kept people groups from each other? The ocean. Even with all our modern technology, the sea still separates super-powers. China, Russia, and Australia might as well be in another world. They don’t seem real to us because it takes so long to get there.
At the end of the ages, the sea will no longer separate people groups.
He will raise a banner for the nations
and gather the exiles of Israel;
he will assemble the scattered people of Judah
from the four quarters of the earth. – Isaiah 11:12
That verse refers to both the return of the exiles after the Babylonian captivity and the gathering of God’s people, the Church, at the end of time. Nations will never again be at odds. We won’t be Americans, British, Russian, or Saudi Arabian. Those who follow Christ will belong to God’s Kingdom. We will stand together shoulder to shoulder with people from every nation and every era with no barriers of difference between us.
In the meantime, Eternity starts now. God is with you in this moment. He reigns supreme. He is mightier than anything that threatens to destroy your life and livelihood, separate you from His love, or segregate you from anyone also made in His image. He is more powerful than the mightiest of seas.
He truly has prepared a special place for us (John 14:2,3). It’s more special than anything than we can imagine. It’s little catch phrases like “no sea” that give me a glimpse of Heaven’s reality and convince me all the more – I want to go there.
Check out these resources for more on Heaven’s reality:
Eternal Perspectives: The ministry of Randy Alcorn:
Victorious by Matt Proctor
90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper:
Heaven by Randy Alcorn:
Beautifully written! Was a great study and enjoyed learning Revelation in another prospective( Matt Proctor)author. Enjoyed the women’s fellowship.
YOU have been such a blessing to us! Thanks for participating.
Thanks for this beautiful post! I enjoyed our Bible Study immensely. Though there are many things in Revelation I still don’t comprehend, the fact that there will be no barriers keeping us from God is such a blessing!
Thank you for being part of the Bible study. Your encouragement kept me going!
Thank you Karen! Wow three great points- No more fear, separation or segregation!! So we won’t even miss the sea huh? One of our Elders is planning a Bible study (very soon) on Revelation….I can hardly wait.
You are so encouraging! I pray the study of Revelation will deepen your sense of wonder and worship. I really recommend this book we used for our study – Victorious by Matt Proctor. I think it is only available through College Press (the link is in the blog article). It’s more devotional and application so it might be a good companion to what your church uses.
A preacher once said that Jesus have cleansed the church who can enter heaven. The sea is a cleanser of the earth now, but it will no longer be needed. Thanks for the three reasons above.
Could you please comment on this? Thank you
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Karen..and also you others..
Now i dont know about heaven..after we pass..from flesh.
But i do know..jesus leads us to the light of life..whom resides within us..
And as i see father..from within hes flowing in a silohet of flowing glowing light which waves at me..when my eyes are closed.
And if i ask..for him to send my dog my dog will be sent…as well as the wind..or what so ever is possible to send..
So me and my father are one..
So its much easier to read scripure..however it has been changed from it original language..as well as is missing much..
But the sea…is referring to a seperate body of water..
However all the bodies will come together..into one body..and that body..is in all of us..yet still separation is..
But god is the light of life within all..
And all faiths and all peoples must come together..as one body..
Which is the body of the light of life…
Of course..Jesus is one with the father..as you and all others..whom are alive..
So when we..understand..we are all …
One body..
The Living god..Elohim..whom dwells within you..
We are gathered..and flow..into one ocean..
There will be no more sea..and the morning stars will sing together..
No more up in heaven..no more in a place afar..
But rather indwelling within you..
And you will see..when you close your eyes..when the time is right..
……
As we are in rather troubled times now..
Lets hope Israel and the nations dont get disiclined to much..because they still believe god is up afar..and will come..as they dont realise..they already have been redeemed..and should of rename israel christian ( christ man ) yet they await a rapture..which of course will not come..but rather if they dont make peace..that temple will fall into ruins..as such..is the Abraham accord..
And all hell will break loose.
….
Always remember..
Greater within..than of this world.
The body is the temple of the holy spirit.
And of course the holy spirit is one with you.
And is god..
Not thoroughly studied or perhaps just came to the wrong conclusions. No fear, no seperation, no segregation, no borders and and and? And all this you attribute to the sea? So what about people? Animals? They also cause fear, seperation, segregation and and and. No it doesn’t make sense. Let’s go take that study prayerfully forward once more.
One scripture passage which comes to mind, is Peter walking on or above the water. The Bible uses the seas as being an illustration of something to humanly fear. At first Peter rises above it in faith as he kept his eyes on Christ. But the sea was rough and scary and once he took his eyes off Christ, he now saw the human factor of the scary seas and he was afraid. In the new heaven and earth, there will be nothing more to fear.
After the tribulation when God sends Satin into the lake of fire, new Heaven and new Earth is created… I am confused about no oceans or seas in Heaven, when he created new Earth, I believed to be new Heaven, therefore, Earth will be created with oceans and seas. My faith in God, I have always believed that Heaven is created with all the majesty of his creation here on Earth… without suffering, pain… filled in his glory of Love… I can not imagine no oceans… His creation of Earth and Heaven… It’s difficult to imagine Heaven without the oceans… His creation of Garden for Adam and Eve, His creation of all life on Earth, I don’t see Heaven as streets of Gold, I see Heaven having the majesty, grandeur, and beauty that is here on Earth. Without cement, and all that man has created, only what God created for us to love.
That was beautiful and I thought the same.