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Signals in Creation: Sea & Sovereignty
Signals in Creation: Sea & Sovereignty
“You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, You still them” (Psalm 89:9).
Throughout the Bible, the sea is used as an image of uncontrollable chaos, but God shows His sovereignty in His control of the waters. This article will explore two major scenes in Scripture where the sea is used to show God’s sovereignty.
The Parting of the Red Sea – Exodus 14
If I could witness one miracle from the Bible (besides the resurrection), I think I would want to see the parting of the Red Sea. This climax of the exodus is referenced throughout the Old Testament for good reason. Not only would it have been optically amazing to see this in person, but this miracle also powerfully displays key attributes of God:
- God calls His people to trust Him (Exodus 14:13)
- The Israelites assume they are going to die as they are backed against the Red Sea with the Egyptian army pursuing them. Moses, however, shows his trust in God and encourages the people by saying “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD.”
- God is in control of all nature (Exodus 14:21)
- The Israelites were leaving Egypt, a polytheistic culture that worshipped gods based on the different aspects of nature. Unlike their man-made gods who could not control nature, the LORD shows Himself to be the one true God as He controls the sea.
- God cares about His people (Exodus 14:22)
- The Bible describes the Red Sea as a wall on either side of the Israelites. Not only did God create a way past this dead end, He turned the sea into a protected passageway for His people. Even the Egyptians were able to realize this as they pursued the Israelites, “Let us flee… for the LORD fights for them” (Exodus 14:25).
Jesus Calms the Sea – Mark 4
Fast forward over 1000 years, God is still sovereign and He is still using the sea to show His sovereignty. The way He exercises His power over the sea looks different, but it shows the same attributes of God:
- God calls His people to trust Him (Mark 4:40)
- Amidst this near-death experience, Jesus asks His disciples how it is that they have no faith. This seems harsh considering the extreme circumstances they were in, but God uses extreme circumstances show His sovereignty. Jesus encourages His people to trust in His sovereignty amidst the stormy sea
- God is in control of all nature (Mark 4:41)
- I think the disciples know the answer to their question when they ask “who can this be that even the winds and the waves obey Him?”. The Old Testament makes it clear that it is only God who can control the sea. When Jesus calms the storm He is showing Himself to be God.
- God cares about His people (Mark 4:38)
- Before the sea is calmed, the disciples ask Jesus if He even cares that they are perishing. Jesus uses His sovereignty to calm the sea and save everyone on the boat, answering their question that He does care about His people.
The Sea in My Life
We do not get to see the miracles that the Israelites and disciples saw, but we do see God’s sovereignty over the waters. When you stand on the shore and see the waves going in and out, remember that the ocean obeys God. When there is a downpour of rain, remember that God cares for His people. God is sovereign over the sea and He uses this sovereignty to make Himself known to us. Admiring the awesomeness of nature reminds us how much we should trust our sovereign God.
–William Speer
- Amidst this near-death experience, Jesus asks His disciples how it is that they have no faith. This seems harsh considering the extreme circumstances they were in, but God uses extreme circumstances show His sovereignty. Jesus encourages His people to trust in His sovereignty amidst the stormy sea
