Are the Seas Higher than the Land?

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Fly Caster

Puritan Board Sophomore
From Calvin's Institutes, book 1, chapter five:

...[i:7fca2fd603](God) keeping the sea, which seems constantly threatening the earth with devastation, suspended as it were in air; [/i:7fca2fd603]

A group of friends & I had a lively discussion on this yesterday over lunch, trying to figure out what Calvin meant. Someone pointed out Psalm 33:7, [i:7fca2fd603] He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.[/i:7fca2fd603] What we were wondering is are the oceans somehow higher than "sea level" and does God somehow hold them back to keep them from flooding the earth?

Also, does anyone know if its true that one end of the Panama Canal is higher than the other, requiring locks on the canal, even though both ends are at "sea level?":puzzled::puzzled:
 
[b:b412347c78]Timothy wrote:[/b:b412347c78]
...(God) keeping the sea, which seems constantly threatening the earth with devastation, suspended as it were in air;

I think of it this way. There are forces acting on the water (surface tension, etc) that keep the water from moving vertically and completely flooding the land. The waves rage and at times show forth the potential for great destruction, but still God contains them (God's wrath and mercy?). Can you imagine what would happen if these forces weren't acting on the oceans and all that water (about 6 miles deep at the Marianna's trench) was allowed to move vertically? It would ruin your day. I picture these forces as if God were holding the waters with a big rope and not allowing them to drop (and thus flood the earth).

Just some thoughts,
Bob
 
Timothy,

Do me a favor. Stand up. Walk outside. Look up.

See clouds?

:D:D

Ok, so maybe [i:8617b31b32]Calvin[/i:8617b31b32] wasn't talking about the whole water cycle (remember 5th grade science class: Evaporation, Condensation, Presipitation?) but it is a possibility that that is what Psalm 33:7 is [i:8617b31b32]partly[/i:8617b31b32] referring to. Also, there are HUGE amounts of water under ground (called groundwater). What better place to "lay up the depth in storehouses"!

Just some thoughts.
 
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