Crystal appears in Scripture as a picture of clearness. Job says wisdom is so costly that “the gold and the crystal cannot equal it” (Job 28:17). In Ezekiel’s vision, the dome over the living creatures shines like “the terrible crystal.” Then Revelation uses the same word twice at the end of the story: a sea of glass before the throne, and a river of the water of life, “clear as crystal,” flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Revelation 22:1). Each time, the stone is a way of saying that nothing is hidden or clouded.
5 verses
The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.
And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth over their heads above.
And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Matthew George Easton, 1897
(Ezek. 1:22, with the epithet “terrible,” as dazzling the spectators with its brightness). The word occurs in Rev. 4:6; 21:11; 22:1. It is a stone of the flint order, the most refined kind of quartz. The Greek word here used means also literally “ice.” The ancients regarded the crystal as only pure water congealed into extreme hardness by great length of time.
William Smith, 1884
the representative in the Authorized Version of two Hebrew words.
(1.) Zecucith occurs only in (Job 28:17) where "glass" probably is intended.
(2.) kerach occurs in numerous passages in the Old Testament to denote "ice," "frost," etc.; but once only (Ezekiel 1:22) as is generally understood, to signify "crystal." The ancients supposed rock-crystal to be merely ice congealed by intense cold. The similarity of appearance between ice and crystal caused no doubt the identity of the terms to express these substances. The Greek word occurs in (Revelation 4:6; 21:1) It may mean either "ice" or "crystal."