Themes of the Bible, Unveiling the Big Picture.

Seeing the bigger picture of the bible through themes

The Bible is an intriguing collection of 66 books, written by 35 to 40 authors, spanning 1500 to 2000 years of history, based on how you view the earliest events. In a previous post, I simplified the Bible into practical knowledge using 12 words starting with "S." Today, I will reveal the broader picture of the Bible through 7 themes. Once more, I must credit Allan Parr for this learning approach, which I learned from his Bible Lab courses.

Theme 1: The Scarlet Thread of Redemption.

• Genesis: the idea of substitutionary atonement is presented, where a substitute is provided to cover our sins.

  • it is stated that eating the fruit would lead to death. The first sacrifice involved an innocent animal to provide clothing for Adam and Eve.

  • God instructed Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah. Just as he was about to do so, the Lord intervened and a ram was provided as a sacrifice.

• Exodus: During Passover, lamb's blood is applied to the doorpost.

• Leviticus: If the priest who has been anointed is the one who sins, a flawless young bull is required to transfer the priest's guilt to the bull before it is sacrificed.

• Hebrews: The Blood of Christ cleanses both our sins and our consciences. Obedience holds greater value than sacrifice.

• Revelations 12:11 "And they have conquered Him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony for they loved not their lives even unto death."

As time passed, the people grew desensitized to the sacrifices, and it no longer troubled their conscience. Similarly, when we seek forgiveness, we often think, "Oh, God will forgive me," and then persist in sinning. However, this was never the intended purpose. It was meant to purify our sins and our conscience.

Theme 2: The Consequences of Sin.

Even though we are forgiven there are always consequences to our sin.

• Genesis: The author emphasizes pain in "The Fall." For women, sin leads to pain in childbirth, intertwining life-giving with suffering. For men, the cursed ground results in demanding, frustrating labor. This marks the beginning of a world of decay and hardship.

  • The Flood.

• Leviticus: Nadab and Abihu, sons of Aaron, offered unauthorized fire before the Lord and the fire consumed them.

• Joshua: Achan stole a robe, silver, and gold from the banned items and hid them in his tent. After confessing, he, his family, and possessions were stoned and burned in the Valley of Achor.

• 2 Samuel: The Ark was improperly placed on a new cart pulled by oxen, violating God's command. When the oxen stumbled, Uzzah touched the Ark to steady it, directly violating God's law, and was struck down for his irreverence.

• 2 Kings: Judgement on Israel and Judah.

• Acts: Ananias and Sapphira, a couple in the early church, sold property and deceitfully kept part of the money while claiming to donate the full amount to the apostles. Ananias died immediately when Peter confronted him, and Sapphira died three hours later after repeating the lie.

• Revelations 3-19. Consequences of sin include idolatry, false worship, blasphemy, sexual immorality, corruption, violence, bloodshed, pride, arrogance, and refusal to repent. God is holy, patient, and just, and while unrepentant sin will be judged, He offers calls to repentance even in judgment.

Sin not only brings us pain but also affects those around us.

Theme 3: The Grace and Patience of God

Although there are consequences, God does not treat us based on what we deserve.

• Psalm 103:8–10 beautifully describes God’s grace by showing His heart toward sinners.

• Examples of God's Grace:

  1. Adam - God said if you eat from the tree you will die, but God gave him many years to enjoy life

  2. Abraham - In Genesis, Abraham lies about Sarah being his sister, and he takes Hagar to fulfill God's promises his own way. Despite Abraham's failures, God remained faithful.

  3. David - David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband, Uriah, killed. Despite his imperfections, he repeatedly received grace due to God's mercy and faithfulness.

  4. Israel - Israel engaged in idolatry, sacrificed children, and oppressed the poor, prompting God to send prophets and wait centuries before enacting judgment. Despite Israel's frequent sins and rebellion, God consistently showed them mercy, forgiveness, and faithfulness, not due to their merit but because of His merciful nature and commitment to His promises.

  5. Assyria - For many years, God showed patience towards pagan nations, sending Jonah to Assyria to preach repentance.

  6. Paul - When Saul, later Paul, was persecuting Christians, his transformation illustrates that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace, which not only saves but also equips and sends.

  God’s grace to all of us is the heart of the Christian faith — it’s God’s undeserved love, kindness, and favor extended to every person.

Theme 4: God Rewards Faithfulness and Obedience.

God is merciful and forgives but the greatest rewards are for those who are faithful and obedient.

• Chronicles: The Lord seeks to strengthen those fully committed to Him. Noah, the only blameless person at the time, was saved with his family while the rest of the world was destroyed.

• Exodus: The Hebrew midwives disobeyed the king's command to kill the baby boys because they feared God. As a result, God blessed them with families of their own.

• Numbers: God rewarded Joshua and Caleb for their faithfulness by allowing them to enter the promised land.

•  Joshua: When the Israelites conquered Jericho, Rahab and her family were spared from the destruction because she hid the spies and believed in the God of Israel.

• Ruth followed Naomi's God and became direct lineage to Jesus

• Daniel: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, refused to worship the king’s idol and were miraculously saved from the fiery furnace, King Nebuchadnezzar promoted them to higher positions of authority in Babylon.

  • Daniel was a high-ranking official under King Darius, was targeted by jealous officials who tricked the king into decreeing that anyone praying to anyone but the king would be thrown into the lions' den. Despite the decree, Daniel continued praying to God three times daily. Consequently, he was thrown into the lions' den, but God protected him by shutting the lions' mouths because Daniel chose to obey God over man.

Theme 5: The Sovereignty and Election of God.

From the beginning of time and throughout the entire Bible, we observe God exercising His sovereign Will to select individuals and nations.

• God called Abram to leave his homeland and family to follow Him to an unknown land, marking the start of God's covenant plan of salvation through Abraham's descendants.

• God chose Jacob to confirm the covenant with Abraham and Isaac, changed his name to Israel, and made him the father of the 12 tribes of Israel.

• God chose Israel to fulfill His eternal covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

• God chose Jeremiah to be a prophet, tasked with boldly speaking God's truth to a rebellious nation, despite the risks and unpopularity.

• God chose Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, was chosen and forgiven by Jesus. His transformation demonstrated that no one is beyond the reach of God's grace.

• God chose Christians: “ For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will.” — Ephesians 1:4–5

The harmony between man's free will and God's election is beyond full understanding. Rather than questioning God's reasons, we should choose to rejoice in the fact that He has chosen us and express our gratitude to Him.

Theme 6: The Covenants of God.

God established covenants with His people that can unify the entire Bible.

• Edenic- The first Covenant with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden promised life and blessings if they refrained from eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This tested their obedience and trust in God, but they failed when tempted by Satan.

• Adamic - The covenant made with Adam ( and all humanity) after Adam and Eve sinned. It was unconditional and unchangeable, promising a future Redeemer (Jesus) to crush the serpent.

• Noahic - The covenant, established after the flood with Noah, his descendants, and all living creatures, was unconditional. It promised not to destroy the earth again with a flood, to preserve life and the seasons, to bless with fruitfulness, and to uphold human life's value. The rainbow is a reminder of God's mercy and faithfulness.

• Abrahamic- The unconditional covenant with Abram and his descendants was based on faith. It promised that Abraham's descendants would form the nation of Israel, inherit land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates, and that Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, would bring salvation to the world.

• Mosaic- The covenant with Israel was established on Mount Sinai, where God promised to be their protector, making them a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, blessing them with peace and victory. However, they often broke the covenant, resulting in plagues and exile. This covenant foreshadowed a superior one fulfilled by Jesus, not intended for salvation.

• Palestinian - This covenant with Israel renews and expands the land promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. Made before entering Canaan under Moses, it confirms Israel will inherit the land if they obey God. Disobedience leads to exile, but God promises restoration upon repentance.

• Davidic - The covenant was made with King David. It was an unconditional promise from God for a lasting kingdom through David’s line, regardless of human failure.

• New - The final covenant, and most important in the Bible, is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. God's Spirit transforms us internally. Jesus' death paid for our sins and grants us eternal life through His blood.

Theme7: Types of Jesus in the Bible.

The foreshadowing of Jesus can be found in all 39 books of the Old Testament, often through individuals, events, symbols, or direct prophecies. The list is long and warrants its own post, but here are some examples.

• The Passover Lamb (Exodus 12):

  • The Israelites sacrificed a lamb and put its blood on their doorposts to be spared from judgment.

  • Jesus is the Lamb of God whose blood saves us from sin and death.

• The Bronze Serpent (Numbers 21:4-9):

  • God told Moses to lift up a bronze snake, and anyone who looked at it was healed.

  • Jesus said He would be lifted up on the cross so people could look to Him and be saved.

• Abraham Sacrifices Isaac (Genesis 22)

  • Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son, but God provided a ram as a substitute.

  • God gave His only Son, Jesus, and provided Him as the sacrifice for our sin.

• The Tabernacle & Temple (Exodus–1 Kings):

  • The place where God dwelled among His people

  • Jesus is God with us—the true dwelling place of God on earth.

• The Manna from Heaven (Exodus 16)

  • God gave Israel bread from heaven to feed them in the wilderness.

  • Jesus said He is the Bread of Life that satisfies forever.

• King David (2 Samuel 7):

  • God promised David an eternal kingdom through his offspring.

  • Jesus is the Son of David, the King whose throne will never end.

As I previously stated, this list is comprehensive, and there are many more that warrant examination. Adam, the life of Joseph, Melchizedek in Genesis, Moses in Exodus, the Day of Atonement in Leviticus, and the suffering servant in Isaiah all foreshadow who Jesus is and what He came to do.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, from the very beginning, Your Word has pointed to Jesus. In every promise, every story, and every prophecy, You were revealing Your plan to save us.

Thank You for sending Jesus, the fulfillment of all things. Help us to see Him in every page of Scripture and follow Him with all our hearts.

In His name we pray, Amen.