Topical Bible: The Sea: God: Created

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The sea, a vast and mysterious expanse of water, is a significant element in the biblical narrative, symbolizing both the power and majesty of God's creation. From the very beginning, the sea is depicted as a fundamental part of the world that God meticulously crafted.

Creation of the Sea

The creation of the sea is first mentioned in the Book of Genesis. On the third day of creation, God gathered the waters under the heavens into one place, allowing dry land to appear. This act of divine organization is recorded in Genesis 1:9-10 : "And God said, 'Let the waters under the heavens be gathered into one place, so that the dry land may appear.' And it was so. God called the dry land 'earth,' and the gathering of waters He called 'seas.' And God saw that it was good."

This passage highlights the intentionality and orderliness of God's creative work. The sea, as part of the created order, is declared "good" by God, reflecting His perfect design and purpose.

The Sea as a Testament to God's Power

Throughout Scripture, the sea serves as a testament to God's immense power and sovereignty. In the Book of Job, God challenges Job to consider the vastness and complexity of creation, including the sea. Job 38:8-11 states: "Who enclosed the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and thick darkness its blanket, when I fixed its boundaries and set in place its bars and doors, and I declared: 'You may come this far, but no farther; here your proud waves must stop'?"

This passage underscores God's authority over the sea, setting its limits and controlling its mighty waves. The sea, often seen as chaotic and untamable, is subject to the command of its Creator.

The Sea in the Psalms

The Psalms frequently celebrate the sea as part of God's magnificent creation. Psalm 95:5 proclaims, "The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land." This verse affirms God's ownership and craftsmanship of the sea, emphasizing His role as the Creator of all things.

Psalm 104:25-26 further illustrates the sea's role in God's creation: "Here is the sea, vast and wide, teeming with creatures beyond number, living things both great and small. There the ships pass, and Leviathan, which You formed to frolic there." The sea is depicted as a habitat for a multitude of creatures, showcasing the diversity and abundance of life that God has brought forth.

The Sea in Prophetic and Apocalyptic Literature

In prophetic and apocalyptic literature, the sea often symbolizes chaos and opposition to God's order. However, it also serves as a backdrop for God's ultimate victory and restoration. In Revelation 21:1 , the apostle John describes a new creation: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more."

This imagery signifies the removal of chaos and the establishment of God's perfect order in the new creation. The absence of the sea in the new heaven and earth symbolizes the complete and final triumph of God's peace and righteousness.

Conclusion

The sea, as depicted in the Bible, is a powerful symbol of God's creative authority and sovereign control over the natural world. From its formation in Genesis to its symbolic representation in Revelation, the sea reflects the majesty and mystery of God's handiwork, serving as a constant reminder of His power and purpose in creation.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 20:11
For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: why the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 95:5
The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
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Acts 14:15
And saying, Sirs, why do you these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach to you that you should turn from these vanities to the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein:
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Library

The Sea of Glass
... And the boundless sea is the great ocean of time"of God's created universe, above
which his Spirit broods over, perfect in love, and wisdom, and almighty ...
/.../kingsley/the good news of god/sermon xxxiv the sea of.htm

The Six Days' Work Described.
... sea, and over the fowl of the heaven, and over the cattle, and over all the earth,
and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. And God created ...
/.../theophilus/theophilus to autolycus/chapter xi the six days work.htm

The vision of Creation
... On the fifth day sea and air are peopled, and ... prominence: its possession of the image
of God, the equality ... the remarkable wording of verse 27: 'created He him ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the vision of creation.htm

The World, Created by God, Still Cherished and Protected by Him. ...
... if a sudden gust of wind at sea causes shipwreck; if ... they are merely instruments,
into which God constantly infuses ... No created object makes a more wonderful or ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 16 the world created.htm

Concerning the Waters.
... And first God created the firmament to divide the water above the firmament from
the water below the firmament. For in the midst of the sea of waters the ...
/.../john/exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter ix concerning the waters.htm

God's Approbation of his Works
... causing the ebbing and flowing of the sea; and influencing ... earth, through fossils,
vegetables, animals, to man, created in the image of God, and designed to ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 56 gods approbation of.htm

The Creation
... up; and this volume has three great leaves in it, heaven, earth, and sea. The author
of the creation is God, as it is in the text, God created.' The world was ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/13 the creation.htm

The Constitution of the World and the Disposition of The
... 1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth ... and a wind moved upon its
surface, God commanded that ... the dry land to appear, with the sea itself round ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 1 the constitution of.htm

The Disciple, -- Sometimes this Question is Asked, "Since God is ...
... sweet and refreshing water, falls in showers on the earth (for the sea water as ... For
this very purpose God created the world that men might make use of it, but ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/singh/at the masters feet/section i the disciple 3.htm

The Earthy Material of which Flesh is Created Wonderfully Improved ...
... The Earthy Material of Which Flesh is Created Wonderfully Improved by ... You surely
are not more careful than God, that you ... and the pearls of the Red Sea in lead ...
/.../on the resurrection of the flesh/chapter vii the earthy material of.htm