The sea was no more. Is this referring to the new earth or is it the first seas that was no more?

Question

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. (Rev 21:1 NLT)

It is commonly understood that the sea being no longer in existence refers to the new earth. Gen 1:10 says, "God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good."

Two things on Gen 1:10:

1. Earth is the dry land and Seas is the waters on the surface of the planet;

2. That God created Seas which was good.

I would like to suggest the alternative interpretation of the Seas being no more in Rev 21:1 as referring to the same Seas in Gen 1:10. If this is so, it is reasonable to expect Seas on the surface of the new earth because God said that the existence of Seas was good.

Answer 1

If you may suffer a point of view based upon what Rev 1:1 says summarised by the phrase 'He sent and signified by his angel'; The 'sea' in many places in scripture alludes to all people and nations in relation with activities of wicked entities among them. Psalm 74:13-14; wicked spirits are signified as the dead and often denoted as 'ships', the levianthan who 'plays' in the sea Psalm 104:26, and whom God refers to in Job 41. This is the troublesome 'sea' that will be no more in the time of Rev 21.

Still note an interesting case in Rev 20:13. It directly contrasts that sea with Death and Hades, yet whereas the latter after giving up its 'dead', it's 'thrown' into the lake of fire, the sea on the other hand isn't so judged. Indicating that it had remnnants that God accepts who pass into that age . So it will not be referred to as a 'sea' anymore because activities of all the 'dead'(1 Timothy 5:6), and all the 'Levianthan' from whom it derives that infamous label will have been thrown into the lake of fire.

I hope that helps.

Answer 2

Let's see the consequence of verses containing the word "sea" that leads to Rev 21:1, starting with Rev 16:

3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.

This foreshadows the destruction of the sea. The next verse that mentions "sea" is Rev 18:

17 In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’ “Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off.

The sea is used for delivering wealth and ruin, Rev 18:

19 They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out: “ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’

Rev 18:

21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.

The sea is the destination of violence.

Rev 20:

7When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.

The enemies are as numerous as the sand on the seashore.

Rev 20:

13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.

The sea contains the dead.

After all these negative associations of the sea, the relief comes finally in Rev 21:

1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

OP: I would like to suggest the alternative interpretation of the Seas being no more in Rev 21:1 as referring to the same Seas in Gen 1:10.

The word "sea" appears 22 times in Revelation. It is a key element in this book symbolizing violence, death, and ruin. It is not referring to the good sea in Gen 1:10.

Answer 3

The sea was no more. Is this referring to the new earth or is it the first seas that was no more?

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. (Rev 21:1 NLT)

The answer is "NO". Genesis 1:10 refers to the literal sea, and since God saw that it was good, it is therefore reasonable to expect Seas on the surface of the new earth.

In Revelation 21:1 The symbolic expression "and the sea was also gone. " refers to the nations and the huge masses of mankind who are alienated from God. Why do I say this? The prophet Isaiah 57:20 Figuratively describes the wicked people that reject God as "the restless sea " that is never quiet and constantly tosses mud and dirt.

Isaiah 57:20 NLT “But those who still reject me are like the restless sea, which is never still but continually churns up mud and dirt.

An the seas that was no more?

The restless sea , represents the large portion of humankind that is estranged from God will be cut off from the earth, Proverbs 2:21-22 KJV reads:

21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. 22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

Jesus said the meek will inherit the earth, "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." [Matthew 5:5 KJV] and the psalmist says that God promised they will live in abundance of peace.

Psalm 37:10-11 KJV

10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. 11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

The prophecy of Isaiah about "New Heavens and a New Earth" noted below was fulfilled when the faithful Israelites return to Jerusalem after their release from Babylon. Then, the "New Earth" was the righteous society created, and the "New Heavens" was the new government with governor Zerubbabel and the high priest, Joshua. "New Heavens and a New Earth" also occurs in 2 Peter chapter 3 which has a future fulfillment in our times.

Isaiah 65:17, 66:22 NASB

65:17 “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to [a]mind. 66:22 “For just as the new heavens and the new earth, Which I make, will endure before Me,” declares the Lord, “So will your descendants and your name endure.