The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven.
—Genesis 1:2, 7-8a
”I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
—John 16:33
Turbulent waves of the sea provide a powerful poetic image of the troubles of life. But the One who ruled the waters, divided the waters, and calmed the waters still protects His own.
After explicitly connecting the image of roaring sea waves to the chaos and violence of the peoples surrounding Israel, Psalm 65 goes on to show the Lord transforming water from a terrifying turbulence to gentle rain that waters the cultivated earth, providing abundance. The Lord not only ruled over the waters, He tamed them and turned them to good purpose.
From Genesis to Exodus to Psalms to Jonah (among others), the Hebrew Scriptures provide a rich background of examples showing the Lord's power to bring chaos under control. That can help us to better appreciate the response of the disciples who witnessed the power of Jesus to calm the winds and the sea with only a word: “What sort of man is this...?” “Who is this...?”
And with that personal experience behind them, they were equipped to understand better the reassurance and gift of peace recorded by John. The world is full of turbulence. But—from the beginning—the Lord has overcome it.
Turbulence
O Lord God of hosts,
who is mighty as you are, O Lord,
with your faithfulness all around you?
You rule the raging of the sea;
when its waves rise, you still them.
—Psalm 89:8-9
...who stills the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
the tumult of the peoples...
—Psalm 65:7
The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven.
—Genesis 1:2, 7-8a
”I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
—John 16:33
Turbulent waves of the sea provide a powerful poetic image of the troubles of life. But the One who ruled the waters, divided the waters, and calmed the waters still protects His own.
After explicitly connecting the image of roaring sea waves to the chaos and violence of the peoples surrounding Israel, Psalm 65 goes on to show the Lord transforming water from a terrifying turbulence to gentle rain that waters the cultivated earth, providing abundance. The Lord not only ruled over the waters, He tamed them and turned them to good purpose.
From Genesis to Exodus to Psalms to Jonah (among others), the Hebrew Scriptures provide a rich background of examples showing the Lord's power to bring chaos under control. That can help us to better appreciate the response of the disciples who witnessed the power of Jesus to calm the winds and the sea with only a word: “What sort of man is this...?” “Who is this...?”
And with that personal experience behind them, they were equipped to understand better the reassurance and gift of peace recorded by John. The world is full of turbulence. But—from the beginning—the Lord has overcome it.