The lost city of Atlantis has captured the imagination of people for centuries. Atlantis was first described by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato around 360 B.C. In his writings, Plato described Atlantis as a powerful island nation located in the Atlantic Ocean that sank into the sea around 9,600 B.C. Many have speculated and searched for evidence of this once great civilization without definitive proof that Atlantis really existed.
The Bible does not directly mention Atlantis by name. However, some have theorized that Atlantis is referred to symbolically in Scripture. The main biblical passages put forth as evidence for Atlantis are Genesis 1-2, Genesis 6-9, and Revelation. Let’s look at what these passages say and how they could relate to the legend of Atlantis.
Genesis 1-2 – Creation
Genesis 1-2 describes how God created the heavens and the earth in six days. On the second day, God made the expanse called “sky” and separated the waters below the expanse from the waters above it. Genesis 1:9-10 states, “And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.”
Some conjecture that the waters mentioned here refer to the ancient land of Atlantis which was still submerged under water at this point in creation. Then when the waters gathered and dry land emerged, the continent of Atlantis arose. However, Genesis 1 does not specify any particular land mass emerging from the waters. Later in Genesis 1:24-31 when God creates animals and man, there is no mention of them being created specifically on Atlantis.
Genesis 6-9 – Noah’s Flood
Genesis 6-9 chronicles the global flood during Noah’s time. Genesis 7:11 describes the onset of the flood, “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened.”
Some theorize that this flood corresponded with the destruction of Atlantis around 9600 B.C. Perhaps the “fountains of the great deep” refer to the seas flooding and covering Atlantis. However, Genesis does not mention Atlantis being flooded, but rather specifies that the flood waters covered “…the mountains high above the earth.” (Genesis 7:19). The entire world was flooded rather than just a single continent.
After the flood waters receded, Genesis 8 and 9 record how the earth was repopulated beginning with Noah’s family and the animals that were on the ark. Again there is no mention of Noah and his descendants resettling Atlantis. The Table of Nations in Genesis 10 lists out the countries and peoples descended from Noah’s three sons after the flood. Atlantis does not appear in this list.
Revelation – Mystery Babylon
The book of Revelation prophesies events that will occur in the end times preceding the return of Christ. In Revelation 17-18, an entity referred to as “Babylon the great” is described as a powerful city that has corrupted the earth and will be destroyed.
Some propose that Babylon the great symbolically refers to Atlantis. Revelation 17:5 states, “And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: ‘Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.’” Atlantis has been portrayed at times as an advanced island civilization with great riches but steeped in immorality and occult mysticism.
However, there are some problems with equating Atlantis with Mystery Babylon. Revelation 17:18 states, “And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.” Atlantis supposedly sank into the sea long before John’s apocalyptic vision. It no longer had dominion during his time. Furthermore, Revelation 17:1-5 indicates Mystery Babylon refers figuratively to an evil spiritual system of idolatry and immorality, not necessarily a literal city.
Overall, there does not seem to be strong evidence for Atlantis in Genesis or Revelation. Neither passage mentions Atlantis directly or clearly alludes to it symbolically. Any supposed parallels require reading Atlantis into the text rather than deriving hints of its existence from Scripture.
Other Possible Bible References
A few other biblical passages have been speculated as containing clues about Atlantis, though rather vaguely.
Isaiah 23 – Some conjecture that the chapter prophesies the destruction of Atlantis as the seafaring city Tyre. However, the passage is most likely referring figuratively to the literal city Tyre.
Daniel 11:41 – Mentions an area called the “Glorious Land” which some have speculated could refer to Atlantis. But this interpretation is not clear or widely accepted.
Ezekiel 26-27 – Likens the ancient city of Tyre to “Eden, the garden of God”, which some believe could be a reference to Atlantis as a lost paradise. However, Eden here is likely being used metaphorically rather than referring to the original Eden from Genesis.
Job 26:5-6 – References the dead trembling “beneath the waters”. Some speculate this alludes to inhabitants of Atlantis dwelling beneath the sea. However, no such direct connection is made in the passage.
In summary, there are no clear and explicit references to the lost continent of Atlantis in the Bible. Any supposed allusions to Atlantis are speculative at best and not widely supported interpretations. The focus of Genesis, Revelation, and other prophetic passages seems to be on spiritual truths and applying to the universal human condition rather than revealing geographic histories or lost civilizations. Despite the legends surrounding Atlantis, the Bible neither confirms nor denies its existence but rather remains silent on the topic.
The Bible’s Purpose Compared to Atlantis Lore
Why doesn’t the Bible mention Atlantis when many people in ancient times apparently knew about the story? There are a few factors that help explain this:
- The Bible’s purpose is to reveal salvation through Christ, not provide comprehensive ancient history or commentary on legends and myths.
- Atlantis was part of Greek mythology, not Hebrew history. The authors would have had no reason to include pagan lore.
- Affirming the validity of Atlantis would not have served the Bible’s aim to direct faith towards the one true God rather than false idols.
- The legend of Atlantis did not originate until around 360 B.C. so Genesis would not have referred to it at the time of writing.
- If Atlantis really existed, its memory had likely already faded from Egypt and the Near East by the time authors like Moses wrote Genesis.
- The Bible includes some rhetorical allusions to other ancient myths like Leviathan but does not affirm their factuality.
In conclusion, despite many theories, the Bible does not directly mention the lost continent of Atlantis. This is understandable given the very different purposes of biblical literature compared to ancient mythology. The aim of Scripture is to reveal God to humanity and point us to salvation through Christ. This central message takes priority over tracing histories of vanished civilizations from ages past. The Bible focuses on eternity rather than ephemeral legends.
Yet Atlantis still intrigues modern man as a tantalizing mystery and metaphor for hubris. The flood judgments in Genesis and apocalyptic prophecies like Revelation still speak powerfully today of God’s overarching sovereignty. They warn against idolatry and immorality which may hasten future calamity. Though Atlantis itself remains elusive, the Bible’s spiritual lessons endure. God calls people in every generation to place faith in Him over human wisdom or strength which time may erase. Atlantis stands as a cautionary tale against the fragility of power and how quickly earthly glory fades. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12).