THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
"Will you not hold me in reverence, says the Lord, who has set the sand as the boundary for the ocean? He did not simply declare: I created the sea; instead, He expresses that He has contained it. This indicates His desire to be known not only as the Creator, but also as the One who governs. It cannot rightfully be claimed to remain untroubled and compliant without undergoing a profound force; yet, even when a mighty force pushes it outward and an intense pressure makes it overflow, it yields to this force while maintaining its position, ensuring that God’s order remains undisturbed. One might argue, however, that this is the way of nature and law, and that I have the capacity to choose wisely according to my own inclination. What then do you contend?
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That the spirit and negative desires influence the soul? Compare them instead with the divine decree. Is nature feeble? Indeed, it appears so, yet the divine command fortifies it; you too are strengthened by the fear of God. There is nothing so frail or powerless that it cannot exceed its natural limitations through the power of reverence for God.
Furthermore, why did He choose to illustrate this with the sea rather than any other element? Because He was addressing the themes of conflict, struggle, and the approach of armies that assail the entire realm like a tempestuous wave. Thus, in wishing to convey that the battles are not a result of the enemies' own strength, but rather according to His divine will, the prophet refers to the sea, illustrating that He who can restrain this immense and turbulent body of water with but a small amount of sand will all the more certainly be capable of subduing your adversaries, ensuring that they cannot advance nor lay waste to your possessions."