The sea evokes awe and wonder, reflecting God’s power and majesty. Here are verses that depict the sea’s significance in scripture, symbolizing God’s sovereignty, provision, and the depths of His love and mercy.
Also Read: Bible Verses About Fall
Bible Verses About The Sea
Genesis 1:10 – God creates the seas as a part of His marvelous creation
“God called the dry ground ‘land,’ and the gathered waters he called ‘seas.’ And God saw that it was good.”
Exodus 14:21 – God’s power over the seas is revealed
“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land; the waters were divided.”
Psalm 104:25 – The vastness of the seas reflects God’s greatness
“There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small.”
Matthew 8:27 – Jesus has authority over the stormy seas
“The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!'”
Isaiah 43:2 – God’s protection through the seas
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”
Jonah 1:15 – The sea demonstrates the consequences of disobedience
“Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.”
Mark 4:39 – Jesus calms the sea, showcasing His divine power
“He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”
Revelation 21:1 – The promise of a new creation beyond the seas
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.”
Psalm 107:29 – God’s mercy in times of trouble at sea
“He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.”
Proverbs 8:29 – Wisdom delights in the boundaries of the seas
“When he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep.”
Ecclesiastes 1:7 – The cyclical nature of the seas
“All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.”
Job 38:8 – The sea as a symbol of God’s omnipotence
“Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb?”
Psalm 95:5 – The sea is part of God’s creation to be worshipped
“The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.”
Isaiah 57:20 – The restless sea as a metaphor for wickedness
“But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.”
Matthew 14:25 – Jesus walks on water, illustrating His mastery over the sea
“During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake.”
Acts 27:27 – The wisdom in navigating the challenging seas
“On the fourteenth night we were still being driven across the Adriatic Sea, when about midnight the sailors sensed they were approaching land.”
Luke 8:22 – Jesus instructs His disciples to cross the sea
“One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and set out.”
Jeremiah 5:22 – A reminder of God’s authority over the seas
“Should you not fear me? declares the Lord. Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.”
1 Kings 18:44 – The promise of rain after lamenting over the sea
“The seventh time the servant reported, ‘A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.’ So Elijah said, ‘Go and tell Ahab, hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.'”
Job 26:12 – God’s power stirs the seas
“By his power he churned up the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces.”
Psalm 24:1 – The earth and the sea belong to the Lord
“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.”
Matthew 17:27 – God provides even in the tricky waters
“But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”
Psalm 148:7 – The sea is called to praise the Lord
“Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths.”
Isaiah 60:5 – The abundance the seas hold
“Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.”
Revelation 13:1 – A vision of a beast rising from the sea
“The dragon stood on the shore of the sea, and I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.”
Isaiah 57:14 – Making way for the Lord over the tumultuous seas
“And it will be said: ‘Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.’
Habakkuk 3:8 – God’s wrath against the seas
“Were you angry with the rivers, Lord? Was your wrath against the streams? Did you rage against the sea when you rode your horses and your chariots to victory?”
Psalms 8:8 – The sea’s inhabitants reflect God’s glory
“and the birds in the sky, all that swim the paths of the seas.”
Isaiah 66:12 – The blessings from the sea
“For this is what the Lord says: ‘I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her hip and bounced on her knees.’
What Does the Bible Say About The Sea
The Bible often uses the sea as a powerful symbol and setting in its stories and teachings. Throughout the scriptures, the sea is depicted as both a creation of God and a force to be reckoned with. It serves as a reminder of God’s omnipotence and the mysterious depths of His creation.
In the Old Testament, the sea frequently represents chaos and the unknown. For example, in the Book of Genesis, the Spirit of God moves over the face of the waters, indicating His command over the primordial chaos. This image shows us that even the most untamed aspects of creation are under God’s control.
The sea also plays a significant role in the story of Jonah. When we consider Jonah’s flight from God and subsequent encounter with a great fish, we see the sea as a place of divine intervention and transformation. It’s within these tumultuous waters that Jonah’s understanding of obedience and repentance deepens.
Moving to the New Testament, Jesus’ relationship with the sea further underscores its role in biblical narrative. Jesus walks on water, calms storms, and calls fishermen to become His disciples. These acts not only demonstrate His divine authority but remind us of His ability to bring peace amidst chaos. The calming of the storm, in particular, highlights Jesus’ power over natural elements, reassuring us of His control over life’s literal and metaphorical tempests.
Furthermore, the sea serves as a metaphor for the nations and people. In the Book of Revelation, turbulent seas symbolize the unrest among the nations and their eventual subjugation to God’s kingdom. This image assures us of God’s ultimate sovereignty and the promise of new creation, where “there will be no more sea,” signifying the end of chaos and the establishment of eternal peace.
Thus, through various scriptures, the sea is portrayed as a multifaceted entity—an element of chaos, a means of transformation, a testament to divine power, and a symbol of all that is vast and uncontrollable. By illustrating these different aspects, the Bible invites us to trust in God’s sovereignty over all the forces that seem beyond our control.