Topical Encyclopedia
The term "surging" is not directly found in the Bible; however, the concept of surging waters and tumultuous seas is a recurring theme throughout Scripture. This imagery is often used to describe the power and majesty of God, the chaos of the world, or the trials faced by believers.
Biblical Imagery of Surging Waters1.
Creation and God's Sovereignty: In the creation narrative, the Spirit of God is described as hovering over the waters (
Genesis 1:2). This imagery sets the stage for God's control over the chaotic waters, bringing order and life. The surging waters symbolize the untamed forces of nature that are subject to God's command.
2.
The Flood: The account of Noah's flood in
Genesis 7-8 depicts the surging waters as instruments of God's judgment. The floodwaters rose and covered the earth, demonstrating God's power to both destroy and renew.
Genesis 7:18 states, "The waters surged and increased greatly on the earth, and the ark floated on the surface of the water."
3.
The Red Sea: The parting of the Red Sea in
Exodus 14 is another instance where surging waters play a significant role. The Israelites crossed on dry ground, while the waters surged back to drown the pursuing Egyptian army. This event highlights God's deliverance and protection for His people.
4.
Psalms and Poetry: The Psalms frequently use the imagery of surging waters to express distress and divine intervention.
Psalm 46:3 says, "though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge." Here, the surging waters represent turmoil, yet the psalmist affirms God's presence as a refuge and strength.
5.
Prophetic Literature: In
Isaiah 17:12-13, the nations are compared to the roaring of many waters, symbolizing their tumult and eventual defeat by God's power: "Oh, the raging of many nations—they rage like the raging sea! Oh, the uproar of the peoples—they roar like the roaring of great waters."
6.
New Testament: In the New Testament, Jesus demonstrates His authority over the natural world by calming the stormy sea. In
Mark 4:39, Jesus rebukes the wind and says to the sea, "Peace, be still!" The wind ceases, and there is a great calm, illustrating His divine power over creation.
Spiritual SignificanceThe surging waters in Scripture often symbolize the trials and tribulations faced by believers. Just as God controls the physical waters, He is sovereign over the challenges in our lives. Believers are encouraged to trust in God's power and presence amidst life's storms.
Faith and AssuranceThe imagery of surging waters serves as a reminder of God's omnipotence and faithfulness. In times of personal or communal crisis, Christians are called to rely on God's steadfastness, much like the psalmist who declares, "The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea" (
Psalm 93:4, KJV).
In summary, while the term "surging" itself may not appear in the biblical text, the concept is richly woven into the narrative of Scripture, illustrating God's power, judgment, deliverance, and the believer's call to faith amidst life's turbulent waters.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
p. pr. & vb. n.) of Surge.
Greek
2830. kludon -- a billow (of water)... Word Origin from kluzo (to wash over) Definition a billow (of water) NASB
Word Usage surf (1),
surging waves (1). raging, wave.
...Strong's Hebrew
8415. tehom -- deep, sea, abyss... Or thom {teh-home'}; (usually feminine) from huwm; an abyss (as a
surging mass of
water), especially the deep (the main sea or the subterranean water-supply
...Library
The Cross the victory and Defeat of Darkness
... Him. And there is in them, too, a shrinking as of horror from thesurging
upon Him of the black tide to which He bows His head....
Christ
... is packed by the strangest of throngs, by the blind, the lame, the halt, the paralyzed
and the leper-derelicts of humanity"borne thither on asurging tide of...
The Power of Ambition.
... all Calamity's hugest waves confound, Who seems a promontory of rock, That, compasst
round with turbulent sound In middle ocean meets thesurging shock, Tempest...
Reclaiming a Church to Meet a New Age
... Thesurging currents of city life had left old Christ Church in a back eddy, and
certain leaders including the senior warden advocated selling the property or...
Thoughts for the Clergy on the Amusement Question.
... Young girls, who come from quiet country homes to seek employment, cast adrift on
thesesurging tides of life without a friend or an adviser, readily fall...
The Exile --Continued.
... In it we see the psalmist's soulsurging with the ground swell of strong emotion,
which breaks into successive waves of varied feeling"first (vers.1, 2...
Its Effects.
... for the Baptism of the Holy Ghost has changed Peter the craven-hearted into Peter
the lion-hearted, so that he can stand before thatsurging multitude, their...
The Church and the Heathen
... at Magdeburg. Here for nearly a century and a half the House of Billung
did much to keep under thesurging tide of paganism. It...
Introduction.
... See thesurging, tossing mass of human barks and hear their wail of disappointment
as the sweet, golden waters turn to bitter wormwood and gall....
The Signs
... No doubt the rending of the temple veil might appear to some a pure accident, while
in the minds of others it crystallised a hundredsurging thoughts....
Thesaurus
Surging (10 Occurrences)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Surge. Multi-Version
Concordance
Surging (10 Occurrences). Luke 8:24 So they came
...Roused (24 Occurrences)
... Luke 8:24 So they came and woke Him, crying, "Rabbi, Rabbi, we are drowning." Then
He roused Himself and rebuked the wind and thesurging of the water, and...
Drown (5 Occurrences)
... Luke 8:24 So they came and woke Him, crying, "Rabbi, Rabbi, we are drowning." Then
He roused Himself and rebuked the wind and thesurging of the water, and...
Drowning (3 Occurrences)
... Luke 8:24 So they came and woke Him, crying, "Rabbi, Rabbi, we are drowning." Then
He roused Himself and rebuked the wind and thesurging of the water, and...
Boiling (17 Occurrences)
... 2. (a.) Heated to the point of bubbling; heaving with bubbles; in tumultuous agitation,
as boiling liquid;surging; seething; swelling with heat, ardor, or...
Surgeons (1 Occurrence)
Surly (1 Occurrence)
Rabbi (51 Occurrences)
... Luke 8:24 So they came and woke Him, crying, "Rabbi, Rabbi, we are drowning." Then
He roused Himself and rebuked the wind and thesurging of the water, and...
Crying (247 Occurrences)
... Luke 8:24 So they came and woke Him, crying, "Rabbi, Rabbi, we are drowning." Then
He roused Himself and rebuked the wind and thesurging of the water, and...
Resources
What does the Bible say about falling in love? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean to be still and know that I am God? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the meaning of chaff in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgSurging: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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