On The Lord’s Prayer: Enter The New Exodus

Jesus regarded his followers prior to Calvary and Easter as still “in Egypt,” and I propose that the Lord’s Prayer was designed to constitute them as “Exodus People,” “Freedom People” — indeed, as “New Covenant People.”

I would encourage you read to through the Sermon on The Mount, particularly the Lord’s Prayer, in light of its similarities and Jesus’s fulfillment of the promises of the Old Testament as a New Moses who would lead his people out of bondage into the Promised Land.

See an example below:

Give Us Today Our Daily Bread

The prayer for bread has its historical background in the provision of manna in the wilderness.  God’s daily gift, following the people’s grumbling, became the stuff of legend.  Jesus’ actions in the feeding miracles alluded to the wilderness stories, as the evangelists (especially John) suggest.  In the context of the Lord’s Prayer, this clause aligns the followers of Jesus with the wilderness generation and their need to know God’s daily supply of not only literal bread but also of all that it symbolized.

Manna was not needed in Egypt, in bondage they were under the watch and keeping of their King.  Nor would it be needed in the promised land.  It is the food of inaugurated eschatology, that is the food of the sojourner, the food that is needed because the kingdom has already broken in, so the people find themselves dependent upon God’s gracious provision and because it is not yet consummated.  The daily provision of manna signals that the Exodus has begun, but also that we are not yet living in the land.

SIX PRACTICAL REASONS TO STUDY ESCHATOLOGY

SIX PRACTICAL REASONS TO STUDY ESCHATOLOGY

Oct 1, 2012 • By David Murray 
 

Harold Camping has a lot to answer for, not least that his outlandish views about the end of the world have increased skepticism, even among Christians, about the value of studying eschatology. Let me try to win you back by providing six practical reasons for studying the Bible’s teaching on the last things.

1. Eschatology helps us to teach the church

2. Eschatology helps us to worship God

3. Eschatology helps us to serve with zeal

4. Eschatology helps us to hope in the midst of trouble

5. Eschatology helps us to prepare for judgment

6. Eschatology helps us to look forward to heaven

You can read brief explanations of these points on the Ligonier blog where this article was originally posted.

Here are a few videos in which I try to summarize the main millennial views.

Amillennialism

Amillennial Timeline from Puritan Reformed on Vimeo.

Postmillennialism

Postmillennial Timeline from Puritan Reformed on Vimeo.

Premillennialism

Premillennial Timeline from Puritan Reformed on Vimeo.

Dispensational Premillennialism

Dispensational Premillennial Timeline from Puritan Reformed on Vimeo.

20 Basic Christian Doctrine Questions

A Theological Test

 by Matt Slick

Do you know your doctrine?  If you are interested, you can take a little theological test.  Following are 20 basic Christian Doctrine questions.  All you need to do is write down the answers to the questions, and when you are done, click on the Answers Page at the end of this test and find out how you did.  Of course, there are a lot more questions that could be asked, but these will serve as a sample.

Also, some of the questions deal with essential doctrines.  In other words, if you deny them, then you are not a Christian.  Do you know which ones are essentials?

 

1. How many Gods are there in the universe?
A. One B. Two C. Three D. Many

2. The Trinity is . . .
A. Three separate Gods B. One God who took 3 consecutive forms C. One God in three persons D. A completely false doctrine

3. Jesus is . . .
A. God in flesh B. An angel who became a man C. A good man D. A great prophet

4. How many natures does Jesus have?
A. One B. Two C. Three D. More

5. The Holy Spirit is . . .
A. An invisible force like radar B. A divine spark in all of us C. Third person in the Trinity D. A god

6. Sin is . . .
A. There is no sin B. A misinterpretation of reality C. A state of mind D. Breaking God’s Law

7. Human nature is basically. . .
A. Good B. Sinful C. Neutral D. Divine

8. In what manner did Jesus rise from the dead?
A. As a spirit B. In the same body he died in C. He did not rise from the dead D. The disciples made up the resurrection story

9. Hell is . . .
A. Right here on earth B. A state of mind C. A place of eternal fire and torment D. There is no hell

10. Heaven is . . .
A. Right here on earth B. A state of mind C. A place of eternal joy and peace with God D. There is no heaven

11. Salvation is . . .
A. A condition of mental awareness B. Within our own essence C. Universal resurrection D. Deliverance from the eternal consequence of sin: damnation

12. Salvation is attained by . . .
A. Grace through faith after all you can do B. Grace through faith C. A state of your mind D. Obeying all of God’s laws

13. The Devil is . . .
A. An equal and opposing force to God B. Not real C. A figment of people’s minds D. An angel who rebelled against God

14. The Bible is . . .
A. The inspired word of God B. A nice history book C. Full of contradictions and errors D. A story book of metaphors

15. The Rapture is . . .
A. A serious head rush B. A New Age meditation philosophy C. The catching up of God’s people into the sky at Jesus’ return. D. An Old Testament Jewish feast

16. Adam and Eve . . .
A. Were the first man and woman created by God B. We’re evolutionary representatives of homo sapiens C. Are mythological figures D. Never existed

17. How many ways are there to God?
A. Just one. Through Jesus B. Many ways C. As many ways as there are people D. It depends on the religion

18. When you die . . .
A. You go to purgatory B. You go to heaven or hell C. You don’t exist anymore D. You are reincarnated

19. Evolution . . .
A. Is how we got here B. Is not a viable option for Christians C. God used evolution to bring man into existence D. Proves there is no God

20. Why did God create us? . . .
A. As an experiment B. He was bored C. To save us, love us, and have us love Him D. For pawns in his cosmic game

Go to Answers to the Test