Those of us living in a landlocked place may not think about the importance and design of the oceans. They cover 70% of Earth’s surface, and life could not exist without them. The more we learn about the oceans, the more we appreciate their role no matter where we live.
How much the oceans have changed and altered life on our planet became more apparent with a study published by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science on August 26, 2024. Scientists in South America and Africa discovered that dinosaur tracks on both sides of the Atlantic matched in age, shape, and geological context. The tracks are on the elbow of northeastern Brazil in South America and Cameroon in Africa. This verifies that at the time of the dinosaurs, the two continents were joined together in a supercontinent called Gondwana, which had broken away from a more massive landmass called Pangea.
Reconstructing the history of the continents reveals the importance and design of the oceans in the past and still today. Water is essential for life to exist. However, most of us may not understand that over 50% of the oxygen we inhale is produced in the oceans. Preparing an environment in which humans can live and breathe is not easy. Oceans have been a tool God has used to prepare the Earth for humans.
When we read the biblical account of the preparation of the planet for life, we note that Genesis 1:2 indicates that God’s spirit was active in the waters. In Genesis 1:6-10, we see more information about the importance and design of the oceans in forming Earth’s ecosystem to support human life. The first chapter of Genesis tells us that God established water in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere and gathered the waters in one place and the land in another (verse 9). The first ten verses of Genesis 1 deal with the forming and shaping of the land, with water being a major focus.
Just as the oceans have been essential to preparing Earth for humans, we humans must take care of them. We must manage the design God built into them for our own well-being, no matter where we live.
— John N. Clayton © 2024
Reference: CNN Science