Topical Bible: The Sea of Great Depth

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The term "Sea of Great Depth" is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible as a specific body of water, but it can be understood as a metaphorical or symbolic reference to the vast and mysterious nature of the seas created by God. Throughout Scripture, the sea often represents chaos, mystery, and the unknown, as well as the power and majesty of God's creation.

Biblical Context and Symbolism

In the Bible, the sea is frequently used to symbolize the vastness and depth of God's creation. Genesis 1:9-10 describes the creation of the seas: "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." Here, the seas are part of the ordered creation, set in place by God's command.

The sea also serves as a symbol of God's power and might. In Psalm 104:25-26 , the psalmist writes, "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 passage highlights the sea's immensity and the creatures within it, pointing to God's creative power.

Theological Implications

Theologically, the sea can represent both the beauty and the danger inherent in the natural world. In the account of Jonah, the sea becomes a place of divine intervention and judgment. Jonah 1:15 states, "At this, they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the raging sea grew calm." The calming of the sea demonstrates God's control over the natural elements and His ability to use them for His purposes.

In the New Testament, Jesus' authority over the sea further underscores His divine nature. In Mark 4:39 , Jesus rebukes the wind and the sea: "Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. 'Silence!' He commanded. 'Be still!' And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm." This miracle reveals Jesus' sovereignty over creation, echoing the Old Testament theme of God's dominion over the seas.

Eschatological Significance

In eschatological terms, the sea is often associated with the end times and the final judgment. Revelation 21:1 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." The absence of the sea in the new creation may symbolize the removal of chaos and the establishment of perfect order under God's reign.

Conclusion

While the "Sea of Great Depth" is not a specific biblical term, the concept of the sea as a symbol of God's creation, power, and ultimate authority is deeply embedded in the biblical narrative. The sea serves as a reminder of the mystery and majesty of God's works, as well as His control over all things, both seen and unseen.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 68:22
The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of the [Temple And] Cities that were Built by Herod and Erected ...
... and when any body lets down any thing to measure the depth of the ... raised, and dash
upon the rocks, that upon their retreat the sea is in a great ferment for ...
/.../chapter 21 of the temple.htm

Soul-Rest.
... roar and currents change and tides ebb and flow, but the great depth knows no ... surges
may roll, and water-spouts and tornadoes may make the upper sea boil with ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rees/the heart-cry of jesus/chapter viii soul-rest.htm

"Nineveh, that Great City"
... So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from
her raging. ... "Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to ... "The depth closed me ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 22 nineveh that great.htm

The Story of Jonah.
... he was sinking down into the green depths of the sea to die, a great fish, prepared
by ... compassed me about," he said, "even to the soul; the depth closed me ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxxiii the story of.htm

Sky, Earth, and Sea: a Parable of God
... So the righteousness springs up like some great cliff, rising sheer ... The obscurity
of the sea. ... from mud, or anything added, but that which comes from depth. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/sky earth and sea a.htm

The Passing and the Permanent
... a great thought of Scripture which we far too little apprehend in the depth and
power ... It is only a film on the surface of the great sea of eternity"there is ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the passing and the permanent.htm

A Path in the Sea
... so vehemently in every pulse of that great song, the ... shore, standing on the bank
of the 'sea of glass ... which symbolises the clear and crystalline depth of the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/a path in the sea.htm

How this that is Said of the Devil in the Gospel is to be ...
... simple words have drawn our bark of this Conference from the deep sea of questions ...
will become much further from us than it was, and a great depth; who shall ...
/.../cassian/the works of john cassian /chapter xxv how this that.htm

Psalm XLII.
... If by "abyss" we understand a great depth, is not man's ... They are great ones, severe,
hard to bear; but ... pass through the whole of that sea, without suffering? ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xlii.htm

St. Malachy's Apostolic Labours, Praises and Miracles.
... prayer of a righteous man which penetrates the heavens,[712] penetrated the
abysses,[713] and called forth from the depth of the sea so great supplies of fish? ...
/.../chapter vi st malachys apostolic.htm