Topical Bible: The Sea: Numerous Islands In

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The Bible frequently references the sea and its numerous islands, often symbolizing vastness, mystery, and the unknown. The sea is a significant geographical and metaphorical element in Scripture, representing both physical and spiritual realities.

Biblical References to the Sea and Islands

1. Creation and Sovereignty: The sea is part of God's creation, demonstrating His power and sovereignty. In Genesis 1:9-10 , God commands the waters to gather, forming seas and dry land. This act of creation underscores God's authority over the natural world, including the islands scattered across the seas.

2. Prophetic Imagery: The prophets often use the sea and its islands to convey messages of judgment and hope. Isaiah 42:10 calls for praise from the ends of the earth, including "you islands, and all who dwell in them." This highlights the inclusivity of God's salvation plan, reaching even the remote islands.

3. Judgment and Deliverance: The sea is sometimes depicted as a place of judgment. In Ezekiel 26:18 , the islands tremble at the fall of Tyre, illustrating the far-reaching impact of God's judgment. Conversely, the sea can also be a place of deliverance, as seen in the account of Jonah, where God commands a great fish to swallow Jonah, ultimately leading to his repentance and deliverance (Jonah 1:17).

4. The Great Commission: The New Testament expands the significance of the sea and its islands in the context of the Great Commission. Jesus commands His disciples to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19), which includes the islands of the sea. This mandate emphasizes the global scope of the Gospel message.

5. Eschatological Vision: In the book of Revelation, the sea and its islands play a role in the eschatological vision. Revelation 10:2 describes an angel standing with one foot on the sea and the other on the land, symbolizing God's dominion over all creation. Furthermore, Revelation 16:20 foretells a time when "every island fled, and no mountain could be found," indicating the transformative power of God's final judgment.

Symbolism and Theological Significance

The sea and its islands often symbolize the unknown and the unreachable, yet they are within God's sovereign reach. The islands represent distant lands and peoples, emphasizing the universality of God's kingdom. The biblical narrative consistently portrays God as the ruler over the sea, demonstrating His control over chaos and His ability to bring order and peace.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the ancient Near East, the sea was both a source of sustenance and a barrier. It was a place of trade and exploration, as well as danger and mystery. The islands within the sea were often seen as remote and isolated, yet they were part of the known world that God created and governed.

Conclusion

The biblical portrayal of the sea and its numerous islands serves as a powerful reminder of God's omnipotence and the expansive reach of His redemptive plan. From creation to the eschaton, the sea and its islands are integral to understanding the breadth of God's interaction with the world.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 26:18
Now shall the isles tremble in the day of your fall; yes, the isles that are in the sea shall be troubled at your departure.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The General Spread of the Gospel
... kind. Such are the inhabitants of the numerous islands in the South Sea,
and probably in all large branches of the ocean. Now, what ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 63 the general spread.htm

Early Christianity in Other Parts of These Islands. --Ninian in ...
... came to a head, so far as these islands were concerned ... with the north-western part
of France by sea. ... the mountains of Britain, may have been not very numerous. ...
/.../lecture iii early christianity in.htm

American Board of Foreign Missions.
... on the western coast, and a numerous aboriginal tribe ... Siam, China Singapore, Borneo,
and to the Sandwich Islands. ... a total of laborers beyond sea from this ...
/.../hayward/the book of religions/american board of foreign missions.htm

Egypt and Greece.
... more, until only these crowded islands appeared above ... influence of prevailing winds
at sea in driving ... this supposition Herodotus found more numerous and more ...
//christianbookshelf.org/abbott/xerxes/chapter ii egypt and greece.htm

(And Last): Homeward Bound
... the naval squadron, and across a shallow sea white with ... The shell-fauna of the islands
to the south ... Our passengers, certainly, were neither so numerous nor so ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xvii and last homeward.htm

How the Human Race was Dispersed.
... the remaining parts of the earth were inhabited, when men became very numerous. ... on
the earth, as we have already said, the islands also of the sea and the ...
/.../theophilus/theophilus to autolycus/chapter xxxii how the human race.htm

Colonization.
... prophecies that the isles of the sea should belong ... and settled in the West-Indian
Islands, robbing the ... side, as their nation grew stronger and more numerous. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/yonge/the chosen people/lesson xxxiii colonization.htm

India as Carey Found It
... I believe the sea makes Felix and me both as hungry as hunters. ... but a little way
farther; South America, and all the numerous and large islands in the ...
/.../smith/the life of william carey/chapter iii india as carey.htm

The Propagation of Christianity.
... through Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, almost all the numerous districts of the Lesser
Asia, through Greece, and the islands of the Aegean Sea, the seacoast of ...
/.../paley/evidences of christianity/chapter ix the propagation of.htm

Monos
... Our chance of getting them depended on the sea being calm outside the Bocas, as
well as inside. ... Moreover, numerous Coolies from the French Islands are now ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter vi monos.htm