There Is No Sea

1 Kings 7:23  And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.

2 Chronicles 4:2  Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.

This is one of many statements futurists confront me with:

"When Jesus returns the earth will have no sea." They are referring to Revelation 21:1.

Then some of their fellow futurists go on and say the old earth will be destroyed when Jesus returns and a new earth will be created that will have no sea. 

Some acknowledge an earth... with no sea. 

And some say there will be no earth left so therefore the contradiction amongst the futurists. 

And when you point this out they bristle and tell me to shut up because they're tired of my preaching.

Revelation 21:1  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.

First of all, it is a "new heaven" and a "new earth" because heaven came down from above and is now on earth- making it a new heaven and a new earth. The new earth is new because heaven is now on earth and is no longer up there where it was before.

When Jesus returned He came down in His Kingdom*. He said He was going to return in His Kingdom in judgment*. John the Baptist said the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand**. Jesus said His Kingdom of Heaven was at hand***. Jesus' Apostles said the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand****. Jesus even told them to pray for the kingdom of heaven to come*****.

(* Matthew 19:28; ** Matthew 3:2; *** Matthew 4:17; **** Matthew 10:7; ***** Matthew 6:10, Luke 11:2)

Revelation 21:2  And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3  And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

The "holy city, new Jerusalem", is Heaven.

The "holy city, new Jerusalem", is the Kingdom of Heaven.

The "holy city, new Jerusalem", is the Kingdom of God.

The "holy city, new Jerusalem", is the "tabernacle of God".

The "holy city, new Jerusalem" (Heaven, the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God, the "tabernacle of God")"is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."

New Jerusalem is not only the holy city, is not only Heaven, is not only the Kingdom of Heaven, is not only the Kingdom of God, it is the tabernacle of God and is now on the new earth.

Let's look at New Jerusalem from the perspective of it being the tabernacle of God.

It is of great significance to realize that in Solomon's temple there was a "molten sea".

1 Kings 7:23  And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about. 

24  And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast.

25  It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.

2 Chronicles 4:1  Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the height thereof.

2  Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.

3  And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows of oxen were cast, when it was cast.

4  It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward.

5  And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it received and held three thousand baths.

This "sea" stood in the south-eastern corner of the inner court.

This "sea" was used by the priests to wash their hands and feet before they entered the temple.

The "sea" that was present in Solomon's temple was probably reproduced in Herod's temple in Jerusalem to be used by the priests for their ceremonial washing.

The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed with not one stone left upon another by Roman General Titus in AD70 and replaced with New Jerusalem, the tabernacle of God.  There was no need for the "sea" in God's new tabernacle because Jesus, the high priest of the new tabernacle, needed no ceremonial cleansing.

The "sea" spoken of in Revelation 21:1 is not the sea(s), the oceans, of the earth or even the new earth.  The "sea" that was once in the outdated old tabernacle(s) is now no longer needed in the new tabernacle of God, New Jerusalem.

New Jerusalem, the tabernacle of God, does not have a "sea", a "molten sea", in it.

There is no need for it in New Jerusalem, the tabernacle of God, because Jesus is the high priest there and Jesus does not need to be cleansed.

2 Corinthians 5:1  For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Hebrews 8:1  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

2  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

Hebrews 9:11  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.