“And I saw what seemed to be a glassy sea mingled with fire, and those who come off victorious from the wild beast and from its image and from the number of its name standing by the glassy sea, having harps of God.”​—Revelation 15:2.

5. What is pictured by the “glassy sea mingled with fire”?

⁵ The “glassy sea” is the same one that John saw earlier, positioned before the throne of God. (Revelation 4:6) It is similar to “the molten sea” (water container) of Solomon’s temple, where the priests obtained water to cleanse themselves. (1 Kings 7:23) It is thus a fine representation of “the bath of water,” that is, God’s Word, by which Jesus cleanses the priestly congregation of anointed Christians. (Ephesians 5:25, 26; Hebrews 10:22)

6. (a) Who are the singers standing before the heavenly glassy sea, and how do we know? (b) In what way have they “come off victorious”?

⁶ The fact that the molten sea in Solomon’s temple was for the use of the priests indicates that the singers standing before the heavenly glassy sea are a priestly class.

7. How was the harp used in ancient Israel, and how should the presence of harps of God in John’s vision affect us?

⁷ These loyal overcomers have harps of God. In this, they are like the temple Levites of old, who worshipped Jehovah with song to the accompaniment of harps. Some also prophesied to a harp accompaniment. (1 Chronicles 15:16; 25:1-3)