Examples of Natural Elements Used by God in Scripture

In biblical narratives, God frequently employs natural elements to demonstrate divine power, execute judgment, and convey spiritual truths. These elements, though part of the created order, become instruments through which God interacts with humanity and the world ^[9].

From the very beginning, the creation account in Genesis highlights God's direct involvement with natural elements. God created the heavens and the earth ^[5], forming water, land, and vegetation ^{[1, 2]}. The earth itself, along with water, air, and fire, are considered fundamental elements from which all other created things are formed ^{[10, 13]}. Early Christian thinkers like Tertullian emphasized the primordial role of water, noting its abundance from the beginning of creation and its significance as a vehicle for divine operation ^[11]. Similarly, the patristic writer Lactantius considered fire and water essential for human life and even a proof of immortality, as fire is from heaven ^[8].

God's control over natural phenomena is evident in numerous biblical events:

Water: Water is a recurring element. God created the firmament to divide waters and collected them into one place ^[1]. He created fowls and fish from water ^[1]. Water is necessary for vegetation and the comfort of humans ^[1]. In the Exodus narrative, God divided the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to pass through on dry ground while subsequently using the waters to destroy the pursuing Egyptian army ^[15]. This act is often cited as a powerful demonstration of God's intervention ^[15]. The flood in Noah's time also showcases water as an instrument of divine judgment and renewal.
Fire and Brimstone: God used fire and brimstone to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah ^[12]. This event is interpreted by some as a volcanic eruption, where these substances, raised into the air, fell as a fiery shower ^[12]. Fire is also associated with God's presence, such as in the burning bush (Exodus 3) or on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19).
Animals: God created animals, both wild and domesticated, and gave humans dominion over them ^{[3, 6]}. Animals are depicted as serving God's purposes, whether as food for humanity after the flood or as part of the natural order that praises God ^[3].
Earth and Mountains: God formed mountains and gives them strength, weighing them in a balance ^[4]. Mountains are depicted as trembling and melting at God's presence, signifying divine power ^[4]. The earth itself provides herbs and plants for food for both humans and animals ^{[2, 3]}.
Weather Phenomena: Snow and hail are described as being kept in divine storehouses, which God can use as "weapons" in times of battle or judgment ^[7]. God causes rain and dew to nourish plants ^[2]. Even the rainbow, a natural phenomenon, is established as a sign of God's covenant with humanity, promising that the earth will never again be destroyed by a flood ^[9].

Theologians like John Calvin highlight that while natural phenomena may have scientific explanations, this does not negate God's role as the "Lord and governor of nature," who makes all elements subservient to his glory ^[9]. The Midrash Rabbah, a collection of rabbinic interpretations, emphasizes that God did not "find" these elements but created them, refuting the idea that God relied on pre-existing raw materials ^[14]. This perspective underscores the belief that all natural elements are ultimately under God's sovereign control and are used according to His will.

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Water — One of the elements of the world -- Ge 1:2. God originally Created the firmament to divide. -- Ge 1:6,7. Collected into one place. -- Ge 1:9. Created fowls and fishes, &c from. -- Ge 1:20,21. Necessary to vegetation -- Ge 2:5,6; Job 14:9; Isa 1:30. Some plants particularly require -- Job 8:11. Necessary to the comfort and happiness of man -- Isa 41:17; Zec 9:11. Collected in Springs. -- Jos 15:19. Pools. -- 1Ki 22:38; Ne 2:14. Ponds. -- Ex 7:19; Isa 19:10. Fountains. -- 1Ki 18:5; 2Ch 32:3. Wells. -- Ge 21:19. Brooks. -- 2Sa 17:20; 1Ki 18:5. Streams. -- Ps 78:”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Herbs, & C — Called the green herbs -- 2Ki 19:26. God Created. -- Ge 1:11,12; 2:5. Causes to grow. -- Job 38:27; Ps 104:14. Each kind of, contains its own seed -- Ge 1:11,12. Given as food to man -- Ge 1:28,29; 9:3. Found in The fields. -- Jer 12:4. The mountains. -- Pr 27:25. The marshes. -- Job 8:11. The deserts. -- Job 24:5; Jer 17:6. Cultivated in gardens -- De 11:10; 1Ki 21:2. Cultivated for food -- Pr 15:17; Heb 6:7. Require rain dew -- De 32:2; Job 38:26,27. Mode of watering, alluded to -- De 11:10. Mentioned in scripture Aloe. -- Song 4:14. Anise. -- Mt 23:23”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: B — Created by God -- Ge 1:24,25; 2:19. Creation of, exhibits God's power -- Jer 27:5. Made for the praise and glory of God -- Ps 148:10. Differ in flesh from birds and fishes -- 1Co 15:39. Herb of the field given to, for food -- Ge 1:30. Power over, given to man -- Ge 1:26,28; Ps 8:7. Instinctively fear man -- Ge 9:2. Received their names from Adam -- Ge 2:19,20. Given to man for food after the flood -- Ge 9:3. Not to be eaten alive or with blood -- Ge 9:4; De 12:16,23. That died naturally or were torn, not to be eaten -- Ex 22:31; Le 17:15; 22:8. Supply clothing to”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Mountains — The elevated parts of the earth -- Ge 7:19,20. God Formed. -- Am 4:13. Set fast. -- Ps 65:6. Gives strength to. -- Ps 95:4. Weighs, in a balance. -- Isa 40:12. Waters, from his chambers. -- Ps 104:13. Parches, with draught. -- Hag 1:11. Causes, to smoke. -- Ps 104:32; 144:5. Sets the foundations of, on fire. -- De 32:22. Makes waste. -- Isa 42:15. Causes, to tremble. -- Na 1:5; Hab 3:10. Causes, to skip. -- Ps 114:4,6. Causes, to melt. -- Jdj 5:5; Ps 97:5; Isa 64:1,3. Removes. -- Job 9:5. Overturns. -- Job 9:5; 28:9. Scatters. -- Hab 3:6. Made to glorify ”
Genesis “Genesis 1:1 (Geneva1599) — In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth.”
Genesis “God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good. -- Genesis 1:25”
Job (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Job 38:22: 38:22-23 Snow and hail are kept in divine storehouses such as those for the deep seas and winds (Pss 33:7; 135:7; Jer 10:13; 51:16). God uses these elements as weapons (Job 36:32; Isa 30:30; Ezek 13:11-13; Rev 16:21) in the storms he sends on the day of battle and war (e.g., Josh 10:11; Judg 5:20-21; 1 Sam 7:10).”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 7: Lactantius, Venantius, Asterius, Victorinus, Dionysius — CHAP. X.--OF THE WORLD, AND ITS PARTS, THE ELEMENTS AND SEASONS. (part 4): sentenced. Of such importance were these two elements considered, that they believed them to be essential for the production of man, and for the sustaining of his life. One of these is common to us with the other animals, the other has been assigned to man alone. For we, being a heavenly and immortal race,(6) make use of fire, which is given to us as a proof of immortality, since fire is from heaven; and its nature, inasmuch as it is moveable and rises ”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 96: God, that the earth will never be destroyed by a flood. Wherefore, if any philosophaster, to deride the simplicity of our faith, shall contend that the variety of 2505 colours arises naturally from the rays reflected by the opposite cloud, let us admit the fact; but, at the same time, deride his stupidity in not recognising God as the Lord and governor of nature, who, at his pleasure, makes all the elements subservient to his glory. If he had impressed memorials of this description on the sun, the stars, the earth, and stones, they”
CCEL (Eastern Orthodox) “John of Damascus, An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, section 20: Chapter V .— Concerning the visible creation. Our God Himself, Whom we glorify as Three in One, created the heaven and the earth and all that they contain 1682 1682 Ps. cxlvi. 6 . , and brought all things out of nothing into being: some He made out of no pre-existing basis of matter, such as heaven, earth, air, fire, water: and the rest out of these elements that He had created, such as living creatures, plants, seeds. For these are made up of earth, and water, and air, and fire, at the bidding of the Creator. 1682 Ps. cx”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. III.--WATER CHOSEN AS A VEHICLE OF DIVINE OPERATION AND WHEREFORE. ITS PROMINENCE FIRST OF ALL IN CREATION. (part 1): Mindful of this declaration as of a conclusive prescript, we nevertheless proceed to treat the question, "How foolish and impossible it is to be formed anew by water. In what respect, pray, has this material substance merited an office of so high dignity ?" The authority, I suppose, of the liquid element has to be examined.[1] This[2] however, is found in abundance, and that from the very beginning. For water is one of those things which, before al”
Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 19:24: Then the Lord rained . . . brimstone and fire from . . . heaven--God, in accomplishing His purposes, acts immediately or mediately through the agency of means; and there are strong grounds for believing that it was in the latter way He effected the overthrow of the cities of the plain--that it was, in fact, by a volcanic eruption. The raining down of fire and brimstone from heaven is perfectly accordant with this idea since those very substances, being raised into the air by the force of the volcano, would fall in a fiery shower on the surrounding re”
Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Foundations of the Torah 4:1: These four bodies: fire, wind, water, and earth are the fundamental [elements] of all the creations below the sky. Everything that exists - [be it] man, beast, fowl, crawling creature, fish, plant, metal, precious stone, pearl, building stone, mountain, or lump of earth - the body of all these [entities] is a combination of these four fundamental [elements]. Thus, all the bodies which are found below the sky, with the exception of these four bodies, are a combination of matter and form, 1 Here and in the following halac”
Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Bereishit Rabbah 1:9: A certain philosopher once asked Rabban Gamliel, saying to him: ‘Your God is a great artist, however he found many excellent raw materials that helped him: Emptiness, disorder, darkness, wind, water, and depths.’ He said to him: ‘May the spirit of that man depart from him; regarding all of them, creation is written.’ 32 God did not “find” these materials; He created them Himself. Emptiness and disorder, as it is stated: “Who makes peace and creates evil” (Isaiah 45:7). Darkness, “who forms light [and creates darkness]” (Isaiah 45:7); water, “Praise Him, he”
Exodus (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Exodus 14:21: We have here the history of that work of wonder which is so often mentioned both in the Old and New Testament, the dividing of the Red Sea before the children of Israel. It was the terror of the Canaanites (Jos 2:9, Jos 2:10), the praise and triumph of the Israelites, Psa 114:3; Psa 106:9; Psa 136:13, Psa 136:14. It was a type of baptism, Co1 10:1, Co1 10:2. Israel's passage through it was typical of the conversion of souls (Isa 11:15), and the Egyptians' perdition in it was typical of the final ruin of all impenitent sinners, Rev 20:14. Here we have, I. An insta”

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