March 22, 2009
INTRODUCTION – Review of last week – big picture – parallel passage = Luke 11:1 Our Father, which art in heaven
Confession – – “Hallowed Be Thy Name” has not been my most favorite part of the Lord’s Prayer or the Model or Disciple’s prayer. I’ve said it a thousand times in various scenarios, but not until this week did it finally hit me that this is a request, not a statement. And not until this week did I ever do some digging as to what is behind this request.
“Hallowed” not used whatsoever in society. No connection to Halloween. Only used twice in the Bible – this passage and the parallel passage in Luke.
In “The New Merriam-Webster Dictionary” – – minimal discussion. “hallow” as a verb means to “consecrate or revere”. Hallowed is an adjective.
In the “Oxford Universal Dictionary” first published in 1933 that weighs probably 20 lbs., 4 definitions of the verb “hallow” 1. To make holy, to sanctify. 2. To consecrate, set apart as sacred to God. 3. To honor as holy. 4. To keep holy; to observe solemnly. (a word on the value of older dictionaries) Comes from greek word – hagiastheto, whose root word is hagios – usually translated – “holy”, but literally means different , separate or set apart. So the idea is “Let God’s name be treated differently from all other names; let God’s name be given a position which is absolutely unique.” A. W Pink in his commentary on the Lord’s prayer says when we pray this prayer we are praying, “that God’s matchless name might be reverenced, adored, and glorified, and that God might cause it to be held in the utmost respect and honor, that its fame might spread abroad and be magnified.
What about the “Name”? In Hebrew culture and language – when referring to someone’s name – not just concerned with their literal name – like Bill or Ralph or Mary. Has to do with their very nature, character and personality. With God as one has said, it has to do with His divine perfections. Examples: Psalm 9:10 “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, For You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” Just knowing God’s name is Jehovah, does not cause me to want to trust Him. It is knowing that He is good and faithful and all knowing and all powerful – – that causes me to trust Him with my life and future.
Psalm 20:7 “Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God.” Again the Psalmist is not saying in a time of war, he will boast and trust in the fact that God’s name is Yahweh or Jehovah. Rather He is saying, in a time of war and crisis and great difficulty we will boast in the name of our God, who is all powerful, mighty, all wise, our vindicator, our fortress, our defender, etc.
Structure of the Lord’s prayer: seven requests: 1st 3 relate to God – God focused; 4th – 7th focused more on our needs; Similar to 10 commandments – 1st 5 focused on our duty towards God; last five focused on our duties towards our neighbors. Only when our priority and passion is God and the things on His heart – – can we have a proper perspective about ourselves and our relationship to others. It is only when God and all that He is in proper focus; that everything else comes into proper focus.
I. The Name of God in the Old Testament – – One of the first questions I asked myself when I began to meditate on this first request in the Lord’s prayer is – – when the disciples heard this – – since there was no elaboration – – what background in the Old Testament did Jesus assume they had?? About 860 verses in the Old T. that have the word “name” in them. Close to 300 in the New Testament. The process of going through.
A. It does refer to or include His proper names such as: Ex. 3:15 “The God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial name to all generations.” Ex. 6:3 “and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Lord, I did not make Myself known to them.” Ex. 34:14 “for you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”
B. We’ve already seen in the Psalms how it refers to His attributes. Let’s look at one or two more in that vein. In the book of Leviticus – the overriding concern appears to be the danger of “Profaning God’s holy name such as in 22:32 “You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be sanctified among the sons of Israel.”
C. God’s name is closely tied with His glory Ex. 33:18,19 “Then Moses said, I pray You, show me Your glory!” And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you…
D. Is this request ever reflected in the prayers of godly men and women in the old testament?
Well we just looked at Moses kind of praying that for himself.
I Kings 8:41-43 – King Solomon – “Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your name’s sake (for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by Your name.”
Neh. 1:11 “O Lord I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name.” cause and effect relationship
Neh. 9:5 “The the Levites (and other Jewish leaders) said, “Arise bless the Lord your God forever & ever! O may Your Glorious name be blessed and exalted above all blessing and praise!”
Job 1:21 he fell to the ground and worshipped, and said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Psalm 86:11 “Unite my heart to fear Thy name…”
Daniel 2:19-22 Neb’s dream “Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven; Daniel said, Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever; For wisdom and power belong to Him. It is He who changes the time and the epochs; He removes Kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding. It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness, And the light dwells with Him.”
II. Theme in the New Testament – A. Does include specific names of Jesus – Matt. 1:21 = Jesus Matt. 1:23 “they shall call His name Immanuel..”
B. But obviously more John 1:12 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” John 5:43 “I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive Me….”
C. Jesus did what He asked us to do. John 12:28 “Father, glorify Your name. Then a voice came out of heaven. I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” John 17:11 “Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which you have given Me, that they may be one…”
D. Slew of promises to answered prayer – John 14:13, 14 John 15:16 16:23 16:24
E. Jesus’s prayer became a passion – John 17:6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave me out of the world.” John 17:12 “While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name, which You have given me..” John 17:26 “and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known.”
III. Practical steps to pray aright re: God’s name 1. Recognize that this great need starts in prayer; Unless God opens eyes and touches and changes hearts, there is little that we can do. God must start the process through our prayers. David in Psalm 119:38 for himself
2. We will never see God’s name aright apart from His word (psalm 119:38)
3. One of the ways you know God is beginning to answer this prayer is when you begin to groan and grieve at the idolatry in our land. Paul in Acts 17:16 “Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was beholding the city full of idols.” My experience at Caroline’s graduation – – politicians refusing to acknowledge our need for God in this crisis Paul’s sermon vs. 22-31
CONCLUSION – David Brainerd