Topical Bible: The Sea: Inhabited by Innumerable Creatures Great and Small

◄ The Sea: Inhabited by Innumerable Creatures Great and Small ►

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The sea, a vast and mysterious expanse, is a significant element in the biblical narrative, symbolizing both the power and majesty of God's creation. It is depicted as teeming with life, a testament to the Creator's boundless creativity and provision.

Creation and the Sea

In the account of creation, the sea is one of the first elements to be formed. Genesis 1:20-21 states, "And God said, 'Let the waters teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the sky.' So God created the great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters teemed, according to their kinds." This passage highlights the diversity and abundance of life within the sea, emphasizing God's command over the natural world.

The Sea in the Psalms

The Psalms frequently reference the sea as a symbol of God's power and the richness of His creation. Psalm 104:25-26 declares, "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." This imagery underscores the sea's role as a habitat for countless creatures, from the smallest fish to the mighty Leviathan, a creature often associated with chaos and strength.

The Sea as a Source of Provision

The sea is also portrayed as a source of sustenance and provision for humanity. In the narrative of Jonah, the sea plays a crucial role in God's plan, as Jonah is swallowed by a great fish, demonstrating God's control over the sea and its inhabitants. Additionally, the New Testament recounts Jesus' miracles involving the sea, such as the miraculous catch of fish in Luke 5:4-7 , where Jesus instructs His disciples to cast their nets, resulting in an overwhelming catch. This event illustrates the sea's capacity to provide abundantly under divine guidance.

The Sea in Prophecy and Revelation

In prophetic literature, the sea often symbolizes nations and peoples, reflecting its vastness and the multitude of life it supports. In Revelation, the sea is depicted as a place of mystery and foreboding, yet ultimately under God's sovereign control. Revelation 13:1 describes a beast rising from the sea, symbolizing the emergence of worldly powers, while Revelation 21:1 envisions a new creation where "the sea was no more," signifying the end of chaos and the establishment of divine order.

Theological Significance

Theologically, the sea represents both the beauty and the unpredictability of creation. It serves as a reminder of God's omnipotence and the intricate balance of life He sustains. The sea's inhabitants, from the smallest plankton to the largest whales, reflect the diversity and complexity of God's handiwork, inviting believers to marvel at the Creator's wisdom and care.

In summary, the sea in the Bible is a multifaceted symbol of God's creative power, provision, and sovereignty. It is a realm inhabited by innumerable creatures, each playing a part in the divine tapestry of life, and serves as a powerful reminder of the Creator's majesty and the intricate design of His creation.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 104:25,26
So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

God's Approbation of his Works
... the ebbing and flowing of the sea; and influencing ... forth creatures, which, as they
inhabited a grosser ... the world at present, that innumerable creatures can no ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 56 gods approbation of.htm

On a Piece of Chalk. A Lecture to Working Men.
... an ancient sea-bottom, is fortified by innumerable independent lines ... now met with
only in the sea, and that ... believe that any one of them inhabited fresh water ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/ix on a piece of.htm

The Treasure of Grace
... the utmost bound of creation inhabited or uninhabited ... accomplish; we look across
the sea to Mexico ... However many, however heinous, however innumerable your sins ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/the treasure of grace.htm

Fifthly, as this Revelation, to the Judgment of Right and Sober ...
... and lives, and to bring upon men innumerable other calamities ... all things therein
contained, are the creatures of God ... Lord, as the waters cover the sea, (Isaiah 11 ...
/.../xiv proposition xiv fifthly as.htm

From John Yeardley's Conversion to the Commencement of his Public ...
... John Yeardley and his wife inhabited, on their marriage, a ... And when I consider the
innumerable favors and privileges ... He whom the waves of the sea obeyed will ...
/.../chapter i from john yeardleys.htm

India as Carey Found It
... I believe the sea makes Felix and me both as ... one-third of Bengal as a jungle inhabited
only by ... Amidst innumerable idol temples they found none erected for the ...
/.../smith/the life of william carey/chapter iii india as carey.htm

Book ii.
... They came [says he] out of Syria, and inhabited near the ... God, the Maker of the heaven,
and earth, and sea, to bear ... 19] Now there are innumerable differences in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/josephus/against apion/book ii.htm

Translated from the Greek.
... He continues "ruling from sea to sea, and from ... God was built by Solomon; and innumerable
other statements ... which the people of this nation inhabited, being given ...
/.../origen/origen de principiis/translated from the greek.htm

Scriptural Predictions of an Apostasy.
... lectures, united choir, and the innumerable fandangoes to ... "Sea" is often used to
represent trouble, upheaval ... Babylon in a fallen condition inhabited only by foul ...
/.../orr/the gospel day /chapter ii scriptural predictions of.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
... commercial intercourse by land and sea"Trade corporations ... children and their attendants,
inhabited the western ... one of those poor little creatures consigned by ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm