The sea has always been a powerful and symbolic element in the Bible. It represents both chaos and divine control, uncertainty and faith, trials and God’s sovereign power over creation. Throughout scripture, the sea is often depicted as a force beyond human control, yet fully subject to God’s authority. It serves as both a place of testing and a reminder of God’s mighty hand over nature.
From the parting of the Red Sea to Jesus calming the storm, the Bible is filled with incredible moments where the sea plays a pivotal role. It was through the sea that God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt, showing His power to save. Later, Jesus demonstrated His authority by walking on water, proving that even the waves obey Him. These events remind believers that God reigns over all creation, including the deepest waters.
Many times, the sea is used in scripture to symbolize the unknown, danger, or spiritual battles. The disciples faced fear on the stormy waters, but Jesus brought peace, teaching them to trust Him. In Revelation, the sea represents turmoil, but in the new heaven and earth, it is no more—signifying a future without chaos. Through these images, the Bible reassures us that no storm is too great for God’s power.
Below are Bible verses that reflect the significance of the sea in the scriptures. These passages remind us that no matter how strong the waves may seem, God’s presence is always greater. Just as He guided His people through the waters in the past, He continues to lead and protect those who trust in Him today.
Preachers Quotes
“God never said that the journey would be easy, but He did say that the arrival would be worthwhile.” – Max Lucado
“Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.” – Elisabeth Elliot
“God will meet you where you are in order to take you where He wants you to go.” – Tony Evans
“We may have lost the sense of the sacred, but God has not. He remains holy, just, pure, and true.” – A.W. Tozer
“When you understand that life is a test, you realize that nothing is insignificant in your life.” – Rick Warren
“Christ literally walked in our shoes.” – Tim Keller
“If you can trust God to save you for eternity, you can trust Him to lead you for a lifetime.” – David Jeremiah
You might also be interested in: Bible verses about The Earth
Bible Verses About the Sea
Genesis 1:10 – God named the seas and the land.
“And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good.” – Genesis 1:10
Exodus 14:21 – The parting of the Red Sea.
“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided.” – Exodus 14:21
Psalm 107:29 – God calms the storm.
“He calms the storm, So that its waves are still.” – Psalm 107:29
Matthew 8:26 – Jesus rebukes the wind and sea.
“But He said to them, ‘Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?’ Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.” – Matthew 8:26
Mark 4:39 – Jesus commands the sea.
“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” – Mark 4:39
Revelation 21:1 – The new heaven and earth.
“Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also, there was no more sea.” – Revelation 21:1
Isaiah 43:2 – God is with us through the waters.
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.” – Isaiah 43:2
Jonah 1:15 – Jonah cast into the sea.
“So they picked up Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging.” – Jonah 1:15
Psalm 95:5 – The sea belongs to the Lord.
“The sea is His, for He made it; And His hands formed the dry land.” – Psalm 95:5
Psalm 89:9 – God rules the raging sea.
“You rule the raging of the sea; When its waves rise, You still them.” – Psalm 89:9
Job 38:8 – God set limits for the sea.
“Or who shut in the sea with doors, When it burst forth and issued from the womb.” – Job 38:8
Ecclesiastes 1:7 – The sea is never full.
“All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again.” – Ecclesiastes 1:7
Jeremiah 5:22 – The sea obeys God’s command.
“Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it?’” – Jeremiah 5:22
Matthew 14:29 – Peter walks on the sea.
“So He said, ‘Come.’ And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.” – Matthew 14:29
Luke 8:24 – Jesus rebukes the storm.
“And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water. And they ceased, and there was a calm.” – Luke 8:24
Amos 9:6 – God calls for the waters of the sea.
“He who builds His layers in the sky, And has founded His strata in the earth; Who calls for the waters of the sea, And pours them out on the face of the earth—The Lord is His name.” – Amos 9:6
Psalm 146:6 – The Lord made the sea.
“Who made heaven and earth, The sea, and all that is in them; Who keeps truth forever.” – Psalm 146:6
Habakkuk 2:14 – The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.
“For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea.” – Habakkuk 2:14
Psalm 77:19 – God’s path through the sea.
“Your way was in the sea, Your path in the great waters, And Your footsteps were not known.” – Psalm 77:19
Isaiah 51:10 – The Lord dried up the sea.
“Are You not the One who dried up the sea, The waters of the great deep; That made the depths of the sea a road For the redeemed to cross over?” – Isaiah 51:10
Job 26:12 – God stirs up the sea.
“He stirs up the sea with His power, And by His understanding He breaks up the storm.” – Job 26:12
Isaiah 57:20 – The wicked are like the troubled sea.
“But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.” – Isaiah 57:20
Jonah 2:3 – Jonah in the depths of the sea.
“For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.” – Jonah 2:3
Micah 7:19 – God casts our sins into the depths of the sea.
“He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea.” – Micah 7:19
Zechariah 10:11 – God subdues the sea.
“He shall pass through the sea with affliction, And strike the waves of the sea: All the depths of the River shall dry up.” – Zechariah 10:11
Matthew 4:19 – Jesus calls the fishermen.
“Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” – Matthew 4:19
Mark 6:47-48 – Jesus walks on the sea.
“Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by.” – Mark 6:47-48
Luke 5:4 – Jesus tells them to cast their nets.
“When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.’” – Luke 5:4
John 6:19 – The disciples see Jesus walking on the sea.
“So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.” – John 6:19
Acts 27:41 – Paul’s shipwreck.
“But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern was being broken up by the violence of the waves.” – Acts 27:41
Romans 9:27 – The remnant of Israel like the sand of the sea.
“Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: ‘Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be saved.’” – Romans 9:27
Hebrews 11:29 – The Israelites pass through the sea by faith.
“By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.” – Hebrews 11:29
James 1:6 – The one who doubts is like a wave of the sea.
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” – James 1:6
Revelation 10:2 – The mighty angel stands on the sea.
“He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.” – Revelation 10:2
Revelation 13:1 – The beast rises from the sea.
“Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.” – Revelation 13:1
Revelation 15:2 – The sea of glass before God’s throne.
“And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.” – Revelation 15:2
Revelation 20:13 – The sea gives up the dead.
“The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.” – Revelation 20:13
Exodus 15:4 – Pharaoh’s army drowned in the sea.
“Pharaoh’s chariots and his army He has cast into the sea; His chosen captains also are drowned in the Red Sea.” – Exodus 15:4
Deuteronomy 30:13 – The commandment is not across the sea.
“Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’” – Deuteronomy 30:13
Joshua 3:13 – The waters of the Jordan shall be cut off.
“And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.” – Joshua 3:13
If you’re interested, here’s another article on: Bible verses about The Sky
What does the Bible say about the Sea
The Bible talks a lot about the sea, showing its power, mystery, and how God controls it. From the very beginning, in Genesis, God created the sea and called it good. The sea is often used in the Bible to represent both chaos and order. Sometimes, it is a place of danger, and other times, it is a sign of God’s great power and provision.
One of the most famous sea stories in the Bible is when God parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to escape from Egypt. In Exodus 14, Moses stretched out his hand, and God divided the waters, allowing His people to walk on dry land. But when the Egyptians tried to follow, the sea closed over them, showing God’s power to protect His people.
In the book of Psalms, the sea is mentioned as belonging to God. Psalm 95:5 says, “The sea is His, for He made it.” This shows that no matter how vast and deep the sea is, God is still in control. He rules over the waves and can calm the storm when He chooses. Psalm 107:29 also says, “He calms the storm, so that its waves are still.”
In the New Testament, Jesus showed His authority over the sea. One time, in Matthew 8:26, He was in a boat with His disciples when a great storm came. The disciples were afraid, but Jesus rebuked the wind and waves, and immediately, everything became calm. This showed that even nature obeys Him. Another time, in Matthew 14:29, Jesus walked on water, proving that He had power over the natural world. Peter also walked on water for a moment, but when he doubted, he started sinking. Jesus reached out and saved him, teaching a lesson about faith.
The sea is also used as a symbol in prophecy. In Revelation 21:1, John sees a new heaven and a new earth, and he says, “Also, there was no more sea.” Some believe this means there will be no more chaos or danger in the new creation. The Bible teaches that the sea is powerful, but God is greater. He uses it to test faith, show His power, and remind us that He is in control. Whether the sea is calm or stormy, God’s hand is always over it, just as He is always watching over His people.