The campaign for ocean conservation and the Blue Economy by global bodies such as the World Bank, Center for the Blue Economy, The Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Nations is getting renewed hope that there is numerous economic potential in the oceans.
Defined as the positive exploitation of the resources in the marine environment to create jobs, and improve livelihood without harming the ocean ecosystem (more economic benefits of the blue economy are in this article), there are at least five biblical verses that support the idea of the blue economy.
Exploiting the resources in the ocean
Countries such as Belize and Seychelles have dedicated ministry and department to manage the resources in the ocean. And on Monday, August 21, 2023, Nigeria – Africa’s biggest economy – officially joins the list of blue economy countries by inaugurating a Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
The blue economy is estimated to be worth more than US$1.5 trillion per year and provides millions of jobs globally, says the London School of Economics.
That said…
What are the biblical verses that support Blue Economy?
Genesis 1: 10:
“And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering of the waters called Seas; and God saw that it was good”.
This means God created the waters and Seas for a purpose. It isn’t just for creation’s sake. Now, it is left for man to know how to put them into use.
Isaiah 60:5:
“Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.”
A study shows that there are more than 200 animals in the seas and ocean, they include crabs, seals, fish, whales, penguins, octopuses, lobsters, shrimp, otters, sea anemones, and seal lions among others for human use and conservation and tourism to create jobs and wealth.
Psalm 104:25:
“There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number — living things both large and small.”
Psalm 104:25 and Isaiah 60:5 complement each other about the verse resources that abound in the ocean. God has created them, now left in the hands of man which He created to rule other creatures.
Genesis 1:20-22
“And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21) And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22) And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.”
Conclusion:
These Bible verses about waters, ocean, and sea and their resources therein show that man better their standard of living by harnessing the economic potential of the Blue Economy.