A Seal of the Living God

SEA:

literal, because it is here connected with the literal earth, and could not be understood unless there was an explanation given for its being used in a figurative sense. With two exceptions, viz: “Sea of Glass,” the word sea is used nineteen times in eleven chapters of the book of Revelations, and in every instance in a clear literal sense, except chapter 18:21 verse; and this I think cannot be understood figuratively, because the 17th and 19th verses of the same chapter speak of the literal sea, that have ships in it. Further, John says when he saw a new heaven and a new earth, there was no more sea 21:1. Some think that cannot be: why not? because David has prophesied that Christ’s dominion shall be from sea to sea, etc. So it is, and will be, for at least one thousand years to come: beyond that we have no need to enquire at present. Does not John also tell us that the DEVIL will be bound and shut up for a thousand years? That certainly must be in the future; unless it can be proved that he has been, or is already bound. Is it not plain then that this same earth and sea, which constitutes the whole dominion of Jesus, will as regularly and as precisely, and minutely continue to make one thousand revolutions round the sun, (in accordance with this prophecy,) as it has the six thousand in the past. In which case, it cannot be shown that the sea will be made void, until the end of the seven thousand years. Then I believe as John has stated, there will be no more sea, because the first heaven and the first earth will pass away, and there will be a new one without any sea. Hence we believe that the word sea in this chapter is to be understood in its most literal sense. SLG 11.1

Once more: John says I saw a beast rise up out of the sea: from the same position (sand of the sea,) he saw another beast coming up out of the earth. Revelation 12:1, 11. Now this is the literal earth of which he speaks, because he says this beast which he saw came up out of it causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the ‘first beast. See 12th verse. It was multitudes of people which he saw, and it will not be denied but what they dwell on both literal earth and sea. Now here is positive proof that this two horned beast was seen coming, or rising up from the literal earth. Then the evidence is as clear that he saw the first beast in 1st verse, coming, or rising up from the literal sea, because it could not be that he saw multitudes of people coming, or rising up out of a symbolical or figurative sea, and from the same position see others coming up out of the literal earth; common sense forbids it. Many expositions of these beasts and their rising or coming up, etc., have been published. My business with this chapter now has been merely to show that the word sea in 1st verse is and must be used in a literal sense. SLG 12.1

If any of my readers should still doubt the literality of the above three texts, viz: 21:1; 12:1; and 18:21, they cannot doubt but the other sixteen are literal. Surely here is a decided majority to settle any disputed question; but I think the proof is clear that in every instance named, the word sea is to be used in a literal sense. It cannot, in any way I think, be disconnected from the literal earth for at least one thousand years in the future. SLG 12.2