Topical Bible: Water: Congealed by Cold

◄ Water: Congealed by Cold ►

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In the biblical context, water is a fundamental element of creation, often symbolizing life, purification, and divine intervention. The phenomenon of water congealing by cold, while not explicitly detailed in the Bible, can be inferred through the understanding of natural processes and the divine orchestration of the natural world.

Biblical References and Symbolism

The Bible frequently uses water as a symbol of God's provision and power. In the account of creation, water is one of the first elements mentioned: "Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters" (Genesis 1:2). This passage highlights the primordial presence of water as a foundational element of the earth.

While the Bible does not specifically describe water freezing or congealing due to cold, the concept can be understood through the lens of God's control over nature. In the book of Job, God's sovereignty over the elements is emphasized: "From whose womb does the ice emerge? Who gives birth to the frost from heaven, when the waters become hard as stone and the surface of the deep is frozen?" (Job 38:29-30). This passage poetically describes the transformation of water into ice, attributing this natural process to the divine will.

Theological Implications

The congealing of water by cold can be seen as a testament to God's intricate design and order in creation. It reflects the idea that God governs the natural laws that sustain the universe. The transformation of water into ice serves as a metaphor for the transformative power of God, who can change the state of the heart and spirit just as He changes the state of water.

In the broader biblical narrative, water is often associated with cleansing and renewal. The congealing of water, while a natural process, can also symbolize the preservation and protection of life. In the account of Noah's Ark, water is both a means of judgment and a vehicle for salvation, as the floodwaters recede and life is preserved on the ark (Genesis 7-8).

Practical Observations

From a practical standpoint, the congealing of water by cold is a reminder of the changing seasons and the cycles of nature that God has established. It serves as a metaphor for the periods of stillness and reflection in the spiritual life, where believers are called to pause and consider the works of God.

In summary, while the Bible does not explicitly discuss water congealing by cold, the concept is woven into the broader tapestry of God's creation and His sovereign control over the natural world. Through the lens of Scripture, the freezing of water becomes a symbol of divine order, transformation, and the sustaining power of God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 38:29
Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who has gendered it?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 147:16,17
He gives snow like wool: he scatters the hoarfrost like ashes.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Anaximenes; his System of "An Infinite Air;" his views of ...
... And that hail is produced when the water borne down from the clouds becomes congealed;
and that ... earth is altered into a larger (bulk) by heat and cold. ...
/.../the refutation of all heresies/chapter vi anaximenes his system of.htm

1 Thessalonians iv. 13
... And what, tell me, is not the water that descends from above one thing? ... How is the
moist and soft congealed into the dry and cold, that is, bone? ...
/.../homily vii 1 thessalonians iv.htm

Acts xii. 1, 2
... every night will I wash my bed, I will water my couch ... lanes (stenophon) and alleys,
oftentimes drenched with rain and (all) congealed with cold, for thee ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xxvi acts xii 1.htm

Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Words of Jesus on the Cross.
... to give him a little water: they refused to ... his death-struggle had commenced; a cold
sweat overspread ... wounds which were covered with congealed blood appeared ...
/.../the dolorous passion of our lord jesus christ/chapter xlv fifth sixth and.htm

On the Words, Maker of Heaven and Earth, and of all Things visible ...
... works: but in winter contracts his course, that the period of cold may be ... RV
"congealed"). ... There is a similar passage on the various effects of water in Cat. ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture ix on the words.htm

Psalm CXLVII.
... for thee to give a cup of cold water to; see ... While men are yet unbelieving, and cold,
and sluggish, let Him ... is very hard, it is very tightly congealed; it can ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cxlvii.htm

The First-Born
... Below a fountain of running water, issuing from an ibis ... The blood congealed in her
veins and her steps lagged ... weeping, and he flung himself upon the cold clay of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xl the first-born.htm

The Inexhaustible Barrel
... Did not the water-floods divide before you? ... upright as a heap, and were not the floods
congealed in the ... Say ye, have not your visits to the cold mountains of ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/the inexhaustible barrel.htm

Christian Morals. Part ii.
... the eyes of our posterity may be happy, a few ages may joyfully declare; and is
but a cold thought unto ... [100] Warm water. ... [121] "In a congealed or compressed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/browne/christian morals/christian morals part ii.htm

Three Homilies. On Our Lord.
... which he had wrongly withheld: I entered thy house; thou gavest Me no water for
My feet. ... For the waters that are congealed by the force of a cold wind, the ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/three homilies on our lord.htm