The concept of chaos is intricately woven into the tapestry of the Bible, representing moments of disorder and confusion amidst creation’s divine order. Chaos often serves as a backdrop for God’s intervention, illustrating His power and sovereignty. From the tumultuous waters before creation to the tempestuous storms calmed by Christ, these scriptural references underscore the chaos that permeates human existence.
This collection of verses offers insights into the role of chaos and how divine providence can bring tranquility and purpose. Examine these passages to gain a deeper understanding of how the Bible addresses disorder through faith and the divine promise of peace.
Bible Verses about Chaos
1. Genesis 1:2 – The Formless Earth
“Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” – Genesis 1:2
Cross-References
Isaiah 45:18 – “For this is what the Lord says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited— he says: ‘I am the Lord, and there is no other.'”
Psalm 104:30 – “When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.”
2. Psalm 46:1-3 – God is Our Refuge
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” – Psalm 46:1-3
Cross-References
Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Psalm 91:2 – “I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'”
Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”
3. Isaiah 24:19-20 – Earth’s Utter Ruin
“The earth is broken up, the earth is split asunder, the earth is violently shaken. The earth reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion that it falls—never to rise again.” – Isaiah 24:19-20
Cross-References
Revelation 6:14 – “The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.”
Job 9:6 – “He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble.”
4. Jeremiah 4:23-26 – The Aftermath of the Lord’s Judgment
“I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone. I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying. I looked, and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away. I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger.” – Jeremiah 4:23-26
Cross-References
Hosea 4:3 – “Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea are swept away.”
Isaiah 34:11 – “The desert owl and screech owl will possess it; the great owl and the raven will nest there. God will stretch out over Edom the measuring line of chaos and the plumb line of desolation.”
Zephaniah 1:15 – “That day will be a day of wrath—a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness.”
5. Matthew 8:24-26 – Jesus Calms the Storm
“Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’ He replied, ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’ Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” – Matthew 8:24-26
Cross-References
Mark 4:39 – “He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.”
Luke 8:24 – “The disciples went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we’re going to drown!’ He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.”
Psalm 89:9 – “You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.”
6. Jonah 1:15 – Jonah and the Great Fish
“Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.” – Jonah 1:15
Cross-References
Psalm 107:28-29 – “Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.”
Matthew 12:40 – “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
Matthew 8:27 – “The men were amazed and asked, ‘What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!'”
7. Exodus 14:21-22 – Parting the Red Sea
“Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.” – Exodus 14:21-22
Cross-References
Psalm 77:16 – “The waters saw you, God, the waters saw you and writhed; the very depths were convulsed.”
Isaiah 51:10 – “Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made a road in the depths of the sea so that the redeemed might cross over?”
1 Corinthians 10:1-2 – “For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.”
8. Revelation 21:1 – A New Heaven and Earth
“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.” – Revelation 21:1
Cross-References
Isaiah 65:17 – “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”
2 Peter 3:13 – “But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”
Hebrews 1:10-12 – “He also says, ‘In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands[…] you will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.'”
9. Mark 13:8 – Signs of the End of the Age
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.” – Mark 13:8
Cross-References
Luke 21:11 – “There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.”
Isaiah 19:2 – “I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian—brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.”
10. 2 Peter 3:10 – The Day of the Lord
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.” – 2 Peter 3:10
Cross-References
1 Thessalonians 5:2 – “For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.”
Revelation 3:3 – “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.”
Malachi 4:1 – “‘Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘Not a root or a branch will be left to them.'”
11. Job 26:12 – God’s Power over Chaos
“By his power he churned up the sea; by his wisdom he cut Rahab to pieces.” – Job 26:12
Cross-References
Psalm 89:10 – “You crushed Rahab like one of the slain; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.”
Isaiah 51:9 – “Awake, awake, arm of the Lord, clothe yourself with strength! Awake, as in days gone by, as in generations of old. Was it not you who cut Rahab to pieces, who pierced that monster through?”
Psalm 74:13 – “It was you who split open the sea by your power; you broke the heads of the monster in the waters.”
12. Psalm 93:3-4 – The Majesty of the Lord
“The seas have lifted up, Lord, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the Lord on high is mighty.” – Psalm 93:3-4
Cross-References
Psalm 29:3 – “The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.”
Psalm 65:7 – “Who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations.”
Mark 4:41 – “They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!'”
13. Isaiah 17:12-13 – The Nations Rage
“Woe to the many nations that rage—they rage like the raging sea! Woe to the peoples who roar—they roar like the roaring of great waters! Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale.” – Isaiah 17:12-13
Cross-References
Isaiah 8:7-8 – “Therefore the Lord is about to bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria with all his pomp. It will overflow all its channels, run over all its banks and sweep on into Judah, swirling over it, passing through it and reaching up to the neck. Its outspread wings will cover the breadth of your land, Immanuel!”
Psalms 18:4 – “The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.”
Jeremiah 51:42 – “The sea will rise over Babylon; its roaring waves will cover her.”
14. Luke 21:25 – Signs in the Sky
“There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea.” – Luke 21:25
Cross-References
Revelation 6:12 – “I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red.”
Mark 13:24 – “But in those days, following that distress, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.”
15. Job 38:8-11 – The Lord’s Command Over the Sea
“Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness, when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place, when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt’?” – Job 38:8-11
Cross-References
Proverbs 8:29 – “When he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.”
Jeremiah 5:22 – “Should you not fear me?’ declares the Lord. ‘Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.”
Psalms 33:7 – “He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.”
16. Nahum 1:4-5 – The Power of God Over Nature
“He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade. The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it.” – Nahum 1:4-5
Cross-References
Isaiah 50:2 – “When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to deliver you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you? By a mere rebuke I dry up the sea, I turn rivers into a desert; their fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.”
Psalms 104:7 – “But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;”
Micah 1:4 – “The mountains melt beneath him and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope.”
17. Revelation 16:18 – The Seventh Bowl
“Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.” – Revelation 16:18
Cross-References
Zechariah 14:5 – “You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.”
Acts 16:26 – “Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.”
18. Daniel 7:2 – The Vision of Four Beasts
“Daniel said: ‘In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea.'” – Daniel 7:2
Cross-References
Jeremiah 49:36 – “I will bring against Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven; I will scatter them to the four winds, and there will not be a nation where Elam’s exiles do not go.”
Revelation 7:1 – “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree.”
Zechariah 6:5 – “The angel answered me, ‘These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.'”
19. Psalm 18:4-6 – A Cry for Help
“The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.” – Psalm 18:4-6
Cross-References
2 Samuel 22:5-7 – “The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me. The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called to the Lord; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.”
Psalm 116:3 – “The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow.”
Jonah 2:2 – “He said: ‘In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.'”
20. Isaiah 5:30 – The Roar of the Sea
“In that day they will roar over it like the roaring of the sea. And if one looks at the land, there is only darkness and distress; even the sun will be darkened by clouds.” – Isaiah 5:30
Cross-References
Isaiah 8:22 – “Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.”
Jeremiah 4:28 – “Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above grow dark, because I have spoken and will not relent, I have decided and will not turn back.”
21. Isaiah 57:20 – The Wicked Like a Troubled Sea
“But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.” – Isaiah 57:20
Cross-References
Jude 1:13 – “They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.”
James 1:6 – “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
Proverbs 25:26 – “Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked.”
22. Ezekiel 26:19 – Prophecy Against Tyre
“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring the ocean depths over you and its vast waters cover you,'” – Ezekiel 26:19
Cross-References
Isaiah 23:11 – “The Lord has stretched out his hand over the sea and made its kingdoms tremble. He has given an order concerning Phoenicia that her fortresses be destroyed.””
Revelation 18:21 – “Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: ‘With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.'”
23. Jeremiah 50:42 – Babylon’s Downfall
“They are armed with bows and spears; they are cruel and without mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Babylon.” – Jeremiah 50:42
Cross-References
Isaiah 5:28 – “Their arrows are sharp, all their bows are strung; their horses’ hooves seem like flint, their chariot wheels like a whirlwind.”
Jeremiah 6:23 – “They are armed with bow and spear; they are cruel and show no mercy. They sound like the roaring sea as they ride on their horses; they come like men in battle formation to attack you, Daughter Zion.”
Revelation 9:9 – “They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.”
24. Habakkuk 1:15 – Cruel Conquerors
“The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks, he catches them in his net, he gathers them in his dragnet; and so he rejoices and is glad.” – Habakkuk 1:15
Cross-References
Amos 4:2 – “The Sovereign Lord has sworn by his holiness: ‘The time will surely come when you will be taken away with hooks, the last of you with fishhooks.'”
Psalms 10:9 – “He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net.”
Ezekiel 32:3 – “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘With a great throng of people I will cast my net over you, and they will haul you up in my net.'”
25. Amos 9:3 – Escape is Futile
“Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, there I will hunt them down and seize them. Though they hide from my eyes at the bottom of the sea, there I will command the serpent to bite them.” – Amos 9:3
Cross-References
Psalms 139:9-10 – “If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
Jeremiah 23:24 – “Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do not I fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.”
Isaiah 29:15 – “Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, ‘Who sees us? Who will know?'”
26. Psalm 107:25-28 – The Lord Calms the Turmoil
“For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.” – Psalm 107:25-28
Cross-References
Jonah 1:4 – “Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.”
Lamentations 3:55-56 – “I called on your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: ‘Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.'”
Psalms 18:16 – “He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.”
27. Revelation 13:1 – The Beast from the Sea
“The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.” – Revelation 13:1
Cross-References
Daniel 7:3 – “Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea.”
Revelation 17:12 – “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast.”
Revelation 12:3 – “Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads.”
28. Matthew 24:7 – Earthquakes and Famine
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” – Matthew 24:7
Cross-References
29. Proverbs 21:1 – The Heart of Kings
“In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.” – Proverbs 21:1
Cross-References
Ezra 6:22 – “For seven days they celebrated with joy the Festival of Unleavened Bread, because the Lord had filled them with joy by changing the attitude of the king of Assyria, so that he assisted them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.”
Daniel 4:35 – “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?'”
Ezra 7:27 – “Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way.”
30. Joel 2:10 – The Day of The Lord
“Before them the earth shakes, the heavens tremble, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine.” – Joel 2:10
Cross-References
Amos 8:9 – “‘In that day,’ declares the Sovereign Lord, ‘I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.'”
Isaiah 13:10 – “The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.”
31. Isaiah 13:13 – The Sky and Earth Tremble
“Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.” – Isaiah 13:13
Cross-References
Hebrews 12:26 – “At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.'”
Joel 2:31 – “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”
32. Zechariah 14:4 – The Day of the Lord Comes
“On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south.” – Zechariah 14:4
Cross-References
Matthew 24:3 – “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?'”
Ezekiel 47:1 – “The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.”
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Final Thoughts
The Bible presents chaos not as a force beyond comprehension but as a canvas for divine influence and providence. Through the verses, we discover a God who orchestrates divine order from the formless expanse and stills the tempestuous seas, demonstrating His ultimate authority. These accounts are not mere legends, but rather profound reflections of humankind’s intrinsic search for peace amidst the turmoil of existence. As believers, we are invited to navigate through the chaos with the assurance that God’s sovereignty ultimately governs creation and maintains harmony.
The depicted scenes of chaos not only alert us to the reality of disorder but also comfort us with the persistent promise of divine intervention. Studying these passages can strengthen our faith and deepen our cognition of God’s omnipotence and constant presence, offering solace and hope amid life’s inevitable uncertainties.