Biblical Ideas about the Ocean

Summer is drawing to a close, and my children have already gone back to school this first week of August. Instagram is flooded with pictures of family vacations, graduation trips, and honeymoons—many of them at the beach. I see church people captioning their pictures with quotes about God’s beauty and power displayed in the waves of the sea. And let me just say: I agree! I love being lulled to sleep on a boat, love how dark the sky is and how bright the stars are in the middle of the ocean, and love contemplating the enormity of earth, sky, and sea all as God’s good creation.

But…you might be interested to know that this belief isn’t exactly the norm in ourBible! Yes, in both the Old and New Testament, the ocean or sea—more often than not—symbolized negative things. In most stories, the sea plays the role of antagonist against God and God’s people. Let’s look at some examples.

Old Testament

In the first Genesis creation story, the writers provide us with a picture of watery tyranny—that’s all there is! God’s act of putting the waters in their place establishes order where previously there was only chaos (1:1-2, 9-10). The psalmist echoes this sentiment by declaring God’s triumph over the sea and crushing the monsters that dwell there (Ps 74:13-14).

In that famous Sunday school story, Jonah runs away from God on a boat. God pursues and kicks up a storm on the sea. After being thrown into the ocean by the sailors,Jonah prepares himself for death. God’s provision is a big fish swallowingJonah. (People always seem to misunderstand this story: the fish is the hero; the sea is the enemy!)

New Testament

In the gospels, Jesus demonstrates his power by stilling storms while on the Lake of Gennesaret. In all three synoptic gospels, this story is coupled with Jesus casting out demons (Mark 4:35-5:13; Matt 8:23-32; Luke 8:22-33). Where do the demons go? Into the watery depths—where the forces that oppose God belong!

InRevelation, John notes that the beast who wreaks havoc on the earth and onGod’s people arises from the sea (13:1). This is not surprising because Roman ships were dreaded around the Mediterranean. In the image here, you can see theGemma Augusta. The Emperor Augustus is being crowned by the whole known world(Oikoumene), and will you look at who supports the emperor with his arm behind him? Oceanus! The ocean was thought to be the vehicle of Rome’s empire and domination.

You might notice that Revelation claims that when God’s reign is fully realized, “the sea will be no more” (21:1). If the sea is thought of as the power of empire and violence, this makes sense theologically that it would be absent from how faithful people imagine God’s kingdom.

Now, I don’t share this in hopes that you will not take beach trips or enjoy a great cruise! Rather, it’s important that we understand the different perspectives about the world based on location and experience. John the Revelator had the experience of being boated out to an island without friends or family, with miles of sea separating him from other believers, and all by the hand of theRoman Empire. Even if we share an opposite view of the sea, can we extend our minds and hearts to read beneath the ire against the ocean? Can we get to the heart of the text that imagines God as the ultimate victor against forces that seem so violent, so unpredictable, and so brutal? Perhaps reading the Bible this way—listening to ancient others and allowing them to be ancient other—offers us an exercise for being in community with others here and now.