2. And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God--15:2. Here was the vision of a crystal sea, with the transparency of glass, signifying that the impending events were soon to be manifest. The mingling of fire in the crystal denoted the consuming judgment of God soon to descend upon the beast and his minions. Standing on the crystal sea were the host of martyrs “ that had gotten victory over the beast, and over his image, and over the number of his name . . . having the harps of God,” and they sang “ the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.” The reference to the song of Moses indicated that the elements of this vision were formed from the deliverance of Israel and were a comparison with the Red Sea, which swallowed up Pharaoh and his hosts. The saints had “ gotten victory” over the emperor-beast as Israel was victorious over Pharaoh; and as Israel sang the triumphant “ song of Moses” standing by the sea; so these saints also, standing on the sea, sang “ the song of Moses and the Lamb.” It was Pharaoh there, and the emperor here; the victorious Israelites there, the triumphant saints here; it was oppressed Israel delivered from Egypt there, the persecuted saints “ redeemed from the earth.” The reference to the Egyptian Pharaoh in comparison with the Roman emperor was made clear by the mention of “ the song of Moses, the servant of God” and “ them that had gotten victory over the beast, over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name” --the language identifies Pharaoh Rameses and Nero Caesar. The mention of the victorious host having the harps of God, as in chapter fourteen, could not be literal any more than the angels and martyred saints could be physical. The harps here, as in preceding visions, were the symbol of the perfect melodious harmony of the grand symphony of redeemed voices singing. “ the song of Moses and the Lamb” in exultant victory, standing on the crystal sea; as Israel in the exodus sang “ the song of Moses,” standing by the sea. The analogy drawn enforced the relation between the oppression and deliverance of Israel in the Old Testament, and the persecution and victory of the church in the New Testament. The symbols and apocalypses were parallel, and must be so applied. Otherwise the New Testament history of the early oppressions of the church loses force, and, the visions lose meaning, the symbols become enigmatic, the entire book becomes a dilemma, and its apocalyptic events anachronistic.