Biblical Themes

The Bible is one big book. Yes, the Bible has 66 smaller books that make it up. But the Bible is one large story about a good sovereign King who makes a way to redeem a depraved people for Himself.

Knowing that the Bible is one large book, means many of the same themes, topics, and images show up repeatedly. From the very first pages of the Bible through the last pages of the Bible, time and time again themes keep showing up. Working through the Bible as a whole, there are at least 20 themes that are continuously repeated from book of the Bible to book of the Bible. These themes include; kingdom, temple, glory, covenant, priesthood, sacrifice, judgement, creation, wisdom, marriage/adultery, life/death, Son of God, salvation/redemption, rest, and reconciliation. These themes, among others, run through almost the entire Bible. Let's explore one to see how.

The theme of temple begins in the very beginning and runs the entire length of the Bible to the very end. The theme of temple runs from Genesis 2 to Revelation 22. Genesis 2 begins the theme of temple talking about the garden temple and the priest (Adam) told to work in this temple to worship God through obedience. The first 17 verses of Genesis 2 are all about the earth and Eden as a garden temple for God to dwell in. The image of temple moves forward after that with the image of sacrifice in Genesis 3 and in the patriarch (Abraham, Issac, Jacob) period. Think for example Abraham sacrificing at Bethel or the "house of God". Exodus continues the temple theme with a clear design in how to built a temple (tabernacle) for God to well in. Leviticus continues the temple theme with instructions for those working in the temple and orders to keep the dwelling of God pure.

Joshua has temple images, along with a few temple remarks and stories (especially the ark of the covenant) in the book of Judges. David's story involves the temple theme with his desire to build the temple after he established Jerusalem as the visible resting place of God as the holy city. Solomon builds his temple for God and dedicates it for the glory of the most High. Jeremiah has temple themes as the temple of Solomon is destroyed and it appears that God is no longer dwelling with His people. The prophet Ezekiel deals with the temple in a large way, declaring the truth that God has not left His people and God's dwelling place is still very real. All through the 12 (Minor Prophets) the image of God's temple and the point of God dwelling among His people is repeated by each and every one of the prophets. Haggai himself is sent to deal with the physical building of the new temple in Jerusalem, as an example.

The New Testament continues the theme of temple. Jesus clears the temple. The temple curtain is ripped in two when Christ is crucified. Jesus declares He himself is the temple. Jesus foretells the destruction of the temple (taking place in 70 A.D.). Paul to the Corinthians declares the Christian church to be the temple of God. Paul also focuses on the Christian's body as the temple of God. Finally, closing out the story of the Bible is the establishment of a new temple on a new Heaven and new Earth. The future temple of God is clearly seen in Revelation 22. In fact, the temple imagery is in almost every chapter of Revelation.

So the theme of temple runs from the beginning of the Bible through the end of the Bible. And this is significant for us to see and understand. If God has a major theme, like temple, running all through His story, His readers better pick it up and understand why. The readers need to understand what God is declaring about Himself through these repeated themes. And catching these repeated themes helps a reader better understand the whole story, how each story fits into the whole, and the purpose of the stories. So what Biblical themes are you catching as you read God's story?