Unveiling Recurring Bible Themes and Their Significance

BIBLE THEMES TRACING RECURRING THEMES THROUGHOUT SCRIPTURE

DEFINING TERMS A bible theme (motif) is an idea, word, or teaching that is found recurring in stories from Genesis to Revelation. Themes may overlap one another with regards to characters, locations, or events. A theme is recurring only when it is used in a common way in numerous parts of Scripture.

WHATS THE PURPOSE? By stacking these themes throughout scripture, Biblical authors purposefully add meaning to simple terms that couldn t otherwise be easily described. For example, we regularly use short phrases or reference ideas with cue words to bring to mind a larger body of work. We, the people It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. To be or not to be Let it Go! Themes are meant to add another layer of depth to easier teachings and provide a stepping stone to difficult lessons.

ANSWER THIS! By studying these themes, I want you to be able to answer these questions: How does this help me understand what God has done in the past with the people of Israel? How does this help me understand what Jesus did for me on the cross? How does this help me understand what God is still doing for me today?

WATER WEEK 1

GENESIS 2:8-10 8And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.9And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 10A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers.

GENESIS 7:11-13 11In 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.12And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights.13On the very same day Noah and his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah's wife and the three wives of his sons with them entered the ark,

GENESIS 9:11-16 11I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth. 12And God said, This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:13I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.14When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds,

GENESIS 9:11-16 (CONT.) 15I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.16When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.

EXODUS 14:1-4, 21 Then the LORD said to Moses,2 Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea.3For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in. 4And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD. And they did so. 21Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

1 KINGS 5:1-3, 10 5 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman's wife.3She said to her mistress, Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy. 10And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.

PSALM 46:4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.

EZEKIEL 47:1-2 47 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.2Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.

EZEKIEL 47:6-9 Then he led me back to the bank of the river.7As I went back, I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other.8And he said to me, This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, and enters the sea; when the water flows into the sea, the water will become fresh.9And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.

MATTHEW 3:13-17 13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.14John would have prevented him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? 15But Jesus answered him, Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he consented.16And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;17and behold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

JOHN 19:31-37 31Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him.33But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

JOHN 19:31-37 (CONT.) 34But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.35He who saw it has borne witness his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth that you also may believe.36For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken. 37And again another Scripture says, They will look on him whom they have pierced.

ROMANS 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

1 PETER 3:18-22 18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19in which he went and proclaimedto the spirits in prison, 20because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.

REVELATION 7:17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

REVELATION 22:1-2, 17 1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations . 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let the one who hears say, Come. And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? God used water to save, sustain, and deliver his people of Old. God used water to save, sustain, and deliver everyone through Jesus. God continues to use water to save, sustain, and deliver his people through baptism! Noah & the Ark Jesus baptism in the Jordan Baptism saves! Israel traveling through the Red Sea Water pouring out from Jesus side on the Cross River of Life in the New Jerusalem. Naaman cured of leprosy Ezekiel s prophecy

CLOTHING WEEK II

GENESIS 2:20-25 20The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.21So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.22And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.23Then the man said, This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.25And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

GENESIS 3:6-7, 20-21 6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.7Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. ... 20The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.21And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

GENESIS 37:2-3 2These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was pasturing the flock with his brothers. He was a boy with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father.3Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors.

GENESIS 37:18-24 18They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him.19They said to one another, Here comes this dreamer.20Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams. 21But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, Let us not take his life. 22And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.23So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.24And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

GENESIS 39:11-18 11But one day, when he went into the house to do his work and none of the men of the house was there in the house,12she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me. But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house.13And as soon as she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled out of the house,14she called to the men of her household and said to them, See, he has brought among us a Hebrew to laugh at us. He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.15And as soon as he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me and fled and got out of the house. 16Then she laid up his garment by her until his master came home,17and she told him the same story, saying, The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to laugh at me.18But as soon as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his garment beside me and fled out of the house.

GENESIS 41:37-42 37This proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants.38And Pharaoh said to his servants, Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God? 39Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, Since God has shown you all this, there is none so discerning and wise as you are.40You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command. Only as regards the throne will I be greater than you. 41And Pharaoh said to Joseph, See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt. 42Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck.

EXODUS 28:1-5 1 Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests Aaron and Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.2And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty.3You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him for my priesthood.4These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests.5They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.

JOB 1:20-21 20Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.21And he said, Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

ISAIAH 64:6 We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

LUKE 2:1-7 1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.3And all went to be registered, each to his own town.4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth.7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

MATTHEW 6:28-33 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? 32For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.33But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

MATTHEW 27:27-31 27Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him.28And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,29and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.31And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

JOHN 19:23-24 23When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,24so they said to one another, Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be. This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:1-5 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.2For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling,3if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.4For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.5He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

GALATIANS 3:27 27For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. = to put on/ to clothe

REVELATION 3:18 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

REVELATION 7:9-14 (PART 1) 9After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,10and crying out with a loud voice, Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! 11And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,12saying, Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.

REVELATION 7:9-14 (PART 2) 13Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come? 14I said to him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

REVELATION 19:6-8 6Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? Because of our sin, nakedness is no longer a state of perfection but a state of shame and vice. To be naked is a sign of our sinful estate and the fall of man from perfection and paradise. We, as imperfect humans, are incapable of sufficiently covering our own nakedness and shame. Our true clothing must come from God! God is the one who must clothe us, not with shame and sin, but with holiness and righteousness. This is the white garment which is given to us in our baptism. Even further, the Christian life is one of putting on or clothing ourselves with Christ. We wear Christ like a garment, that is, his righteousness, holiness, and perfection. This is the life of Sanctification... Being further clothed with Christ.

WILDERNESS WEEK III

GENESIS 2:5-9 5When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground,6and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground 7then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.8And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.9And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

GENESIS 3:22-24 22Then the LORD God said, Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever 23therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.24He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

GENESIS 16:5-9 5And Sarai said to Abram, May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me! 6But Abram said to Sarai, Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please. Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. 7The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.8And he said, Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going? She said, I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai. 9The angel of the LORD said to her, Return to your mistress and submit to her.

GENESIS 37:21-24 21But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, Let us not take his life. 22And Reuben said to them, Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father.23So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore.24And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

EXODUS 3:1-6 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.2And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.3And Moses said, I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned. 4When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, Moses, Moses! And he said, Here I am. 5Then he said, Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground. 6And he said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

EXODUS 16:1-2 They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.2And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness...