I had been taught, and had read, that the sea that the beast rises up from symbolically represents the Gentile world, or nations.
Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
If that is so, that the sea means that the beast rises from among the Gentiles, than what does "the sand of the sea" mean, that John said that he stood upon? Wouldn't "sand of the Gentiles", or "shore of the Gentiles", sound rather silly?