"All who attain to the heights in God are moved to climb the steep and winding path that leads from the valley of the shadow of death to the everlasting heights of divine life and nature. As we scale the heights of mount Zion we become what we seek! We shall never enter upon the realization of any reality which is external to ourselves. Knowing is being, and apart from being there is no knowing of the things of God! Only those who can stand upon the glassy sea, are those who walk in the spirit and come off victorious in the conflict with the beast of the flesh and the carnal mind. That means waging war with the foul and degrading desires of the flesh and the deceptive illusions of the old Adamic mind — even the "good" religious mind! When the sea waves toss your little ship to and fro in the storms of life, lift up your eyes to the throne in the midst of which is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Understand that that throne is here now — the power and dominion of the Christ within ourselves is strong and mighty enough to cause us to enter into our full heritage in God! To follow Jesus to the heights of victory; to be privileged to gaze upon that infinite crystal sea, the manifested life, light, love, righteousness, and power of Christ in our very own spirits, is the vision John saw and has shared with us. The reality is far greater than the symbol!"
Much more in the link:
If people would only bother to see the whole context of passages they quote:
Revelation 15:2-3 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 **They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, **:
The Song of Moses == Israel these are decedent's of Jacob AND Song of the Lamb == Israel who receive Jesus!
Most of Revelation is addressed to Israel - the majority of the Bible is addressed to Israel, we Christians have come along later and are grafted in. Hallelujah!
When we first see the sea of glass in Revelation 4:6 it is between the thrones of the Elders and the Throne of God, and the sea of glass is empty. Israel is His special treasure and will occupy a special place they are His special treasure Exodus 19:5
Revelation 4 the Elders are a kings and priests (Revelation 5:9) a royal priesthood. Christians
In Revelation 15 we see the raptured believers of Israel who have received Jesus, and are now in their rightful place, close to God's Throne.
"We bear in mind the qualifying words, "as it were…" "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire." If we have considered the matter as we ought, surely we realize that those believers who expect to go to heaven one day and literally stand upon a celestial sea of glass mingled with fire are certain to be disappointed. What John saw was not an actual sea of glass, but as it were, that is, a vision, a symbol standing for reality. The surface of glass cannot ripple or swell or wave as water in a sea here on earth. Water bespeaks the emotions of the multitudes. Here, then, we are shown a vast multitude standing in the glory of God knowing no anxiety, no fear, no envy, no hatred, no distress, no lust or demanding desires. As surely as the raging sea represents multitudes of restless, clamoring, surging, sinning humanity, so does the exquisite sea of glass before the throne of God represent an assembled throng of quickened and transformed saints IN WHOSE HEARTS THE PEACE OF GOD RULES. This great sea of redeemed men is calm and serene, tranquil and quiet, transformed "even as by the Spirit of the Lord." Furthermore, the sea-dwelling beast has been dealt with! The inner nature of man has been transformed, satan is bound, the sea is now calm. In contrast with the hurricane and the tumult of winds and waves, we now perceive the effectual dominion of God — the peace and rest of the divine nature, undisturbed by earth’s changes and storms. The sea of glass illustrates the ineffable calm of the divine nature — a mighty deep within of holy, divine love and purpose, of understanding and confidence, of righteousness, peace, and joy, upon which no wind blows, no tempest strives, no violent currents disturb its unfathomable depths."
"I became a son of God ten years ago." No, you did not! It takes a long time to grow good hickory. You have to grow in grace.
Revelation 22:18 KJV For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
I'm looking forward to this part of the study.
It's going to be while, we'll talk about the plagues soon enough though, it's all written to the children of God, the plagues are teachers, scourgings, stripes purifying the children of God.
"When the hour comes for a son of God to be tried as by fire, first your faith must be tried, your ability to trust God all the time and in every thing. "…who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold testings: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried by fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (I Pet. 1:5-7). Your faith must be tried, and it must possess three qualities, praise, honor, and glory. God won’t put honor on any unless they have become a praise unto Him, and God won’t put glory on any thing He cannot honor. I wish you would get the tremendous importance of these words! Your faith must be tried; then when you come forth unto the praise of His glory He will put some honor on you, and people will say, "Look how God can trust that man or woman." He puts honor on that faith, He will glorify it. When? Now, and at the unveiling of our Lord Jesus Christ within you! This is the first step in the path of sonship to God!"
"Second, you are to be tried. "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing had happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy" (I Pet. 4:12-13). This is not the fiery trial of your faith now; this second trial is upon your character, your virtue, your life, your state of being. Your very nature must be tried, of what kind of fiber you are, what kind of spiritual quality, whether you are a piece of second-growth hickory or just a piece of pine. What is the matter with pine? It works nice, the lathes can be run nearly three times as long turning out pine, as when working on hickory, but God cannot make sons out of pine people! I have heard people say, "I became a son of God ten years ago." No, you did not! It takes a long time to grow good hickory. You have to grow in grace. The temple of God continually groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord. The body of Christ must be edified, built up until we all come unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. You have to grow up into Him in all things! You are a child of God, yes, but that doesn’t make a son out of you; that will start you out in the family of God, but you have to grow, and grow, and keep on growing to become a mature, manifest son of the Father!"
"Third, your work must be tried. "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built…he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" (I Cor. 3:11-15). When your faith has been tried you think you are all through, but some more trials come on and you haven’t spiritual illumination to know the difference, and think your faith is being tried again. Once you understand God’s ways you can see whether He is trying your faith, or your character, or your works, and this sacred knowledge will help you to stand! Mere inspiration and revelation will not take you through these things. You need your soul, your mind, illuminated."