This is our 4th week of dissecting and examining the phrases and components of the model prayer Jesus gave to us.
‘Our Father’, if you recall, was to establish Who God is to us (our Father), who we are to Him (His children), and who we are to each other (co-members of the family of God).
‘In Heaven’ emphasizes His omnipresence and that although He is in Heaven, He is also with us. By remembering He is in Heaven, we are reminded of the sovereign power, authority, and resources that He are His.
So what follows “Our Father in Heaven”? “Hallowed be Thy Name.”
The very first thing Jesus instructs us to do AFTER we acknowledge to Whom we are praying is to hallow His name.
The word “hallow” isn’t used very often in our language today. Pretty infrequently will we hear the terms “hallowed grounds” or “hallowed halls” when referring to special or significant places; however, it’s just not a word that pops up in everyday conversations.
It was also not a word that popped up in everyday conversations back in Biblical times, either.
Hagiasthētō (Hagiazo) is the Greek word for “hallowed” in the Lord’s Prayer. That particular Greek word is only used three times in the Bible. [i]
Matthew 6:9 NIV “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,”
Luke 11:2 NIV “He said to them, “When you pray, say:
“‘Father,
hallowed be your name”
And interestingly enough, in the last chapter of the entire Bible, in Revelation 22:11 CSB “11 Let the unrighteous go on in unrighteousness; let the filthy still be filthy; let the righteous go on in righteousness; let the holy still be holy.”
The term ‘hallow’ signifies treating something as sacred, sanctifying it, or setting it apart. The word ‘hallow’ often carries connotations of formality, rigidity, and solemnity. But I don’t think that’s how God wants us to view Him. In Jeremiah 31:3 CSB, God says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.” There’s nothing formal, rigid, or solemn about that. Instead of thinking of stuffy formality, we should think of reverent worship.
Warren Wiersbe said, “At the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer, the word Father indicates to whom we pray, and the word our refers to those with whom we pray, God’s worldwide family of faith. Now we must examine our motives and ask, ‘Why do we pray?’ The only acceptable answer to that question is that we pray so that the Lord alone will be glorified. That desire is expressed in the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer, ‘Hallowed be your name’ (Matt.6:9).”[ii]
As a child, did you ever approach one of your parents or a teacher or any person in authority dripping with compliments before asking for something? We might refer to it as the Eddie Haskell approach if you’re familiar with the Leave it to Beaver TV series.
“Gee, Mom, your hair looks really good like that! Is it okay if my friend comes over to spend the night?”
“Hey Dad! Your hamburgers on the grill are the best hamburgers ever! Umm, I wanted to see if you’d take me to the mall and drop me off.”
When Jesus instructed us to praise God and to hallow His name before making petitions, He wasn’t telling us to butter God up with insincerity. Rather, He was teaching us to approach God with genuine reverence and acknowledgment of His holiness. This act of hallowing God’s name is not a superficial gesture, but a heartfelt recognition of who God is and His place in our lives. It sets the foundation for our prayers, ensuring that our motives align with glorifying God above all else.
Hallowing God’s name isn’t for His benefit. God doesn’t need us to feed His ego. Certainly not! Hallowing God’s name is for our benefit.
We participate in multiple conversations throughout the day. We engage in conversations that vary from short to long, casual to meaningful. But when we have a conversation with God, it should be different because it IS different. Our mindset, motives, and focus should be different from ordinary everyday conversations with co-workers, neighbors, and friends. In our dialogues with the Divine, we are invited into a space of reverence and holiness, a place where our hearts align with God’s purposes.
“When we pray, we step out of the fundamental reality of the world and into the fundamental reality of God, so we must begin by inviting God to reorder our affections.”[iii]
I can’t even begin to imagine how many prayers I have prayed in my life that were completely void of sincerity, honesty, and genuine appreciation for the opportunity to speak with the Creator of all good things! In my arrogance and self-centeredness, I have thought I was doing Him a favor by saying my prayers of obligation rather than fully understanding what a privilege it is to communicate with God Almighty! And I am embarrassed to admit that many times, my words didn’t match my heart. My petitions, though they may have sounded righteous and pure, were anything but.
Recently, I was watching a Christmas movie, and this ambitious professional woman made a wish and was given a brooch by one of Santa’s elves. Whenever she wore the brooch, she was able to read people’s minds. She knew their thoughts. Regardless of what they said out loud or what gestures they made, she knew what was really going on inside their mind. She was privy to their motives and agendas. Because of this supernatural power, she was one step ahead of everyone else.
She soon learned that the brooch wasn’t much of a gift. Although it enabled her to gain insight and some power, she discovered what people thought of her; it wasn’t all good. She learned that even though some would compliment or praise her, their internal voice was saying something completely different, negating what they were saying.
How different would our prayers be if we remembered that God Himself has that supernatural ability to know our thoughts and our internal voices? He knows if we’re truly repentant or if we have every intention to do it again.
How much more thought would be given to our petitions if we recognized the fact that He knows our motives?
How much more focused would our prayers be if we truly considered Who He is and what a privilege it is to be able to approach Him?
Prior to giving the Lord’s Prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave some warnings and admonishments. Matthew 6:5 CSB “5 “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.[c] 7 When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. 8 Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.”
For some individuals, praying aloud in front of others can be daunting. This is often because they are more focused on making a positive impression on their audience rather than solely expressing their devotion to God.
Before giving The Lord’s Prayer, Jesus tells the people that God values a relationship where you recognize His holiness, authority, and uniqueness, rather than eloquent speeches or fancy words. God wants sincerity from us.
If we begin our prayers hallowing His name, acknowledging the uniqueness of Who He is, then our attitude and frame of mind transport us to a completely different level.
Warren Wiersbe said it best when he said, “When we pray ‘hallowed be your name,’ we should pause to worship. We know that times of true worship give us better perspectives on the matters that concern us. The things that bother us don’t seem quite as threatening when we quietly contemplate the greatness of our God and worship him. Children who speak to their parents only when they want something are selfish and forfeit a great deal of love, peace, and wisdom.”[iv]
The same is true for us if we only pray to ask for things. We lose out on the relationship aspect that should be at the core of our existence.
In Revelation 4, John sees a vision of God’s throne in Heaven. You may recall that surrounding the throne were four living creatures with six wings and their entire bodies covered with eyes. “Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.” (Revelation 4:8 NIV)
“God is the designer of every creature. He gave fish gills so they could breathe underwater, and birds wings so they could fly through the air. So what is the function of all these eyes? To see. Their purpose is to hallow God’s name, so he gave them as many eyes as possible so they could fully see him.”
“And seeing God as he really is leads to a chorus of unceasing, eternal hallowing. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.’ They never get over it, never grow tired or bored, never get too sophisticated for the wonder of God. And neither do we.”[v]
Think about the third commandment.
The Bible places a serious emphasis on revering God’s name. We often overlook the gravity of taking God’s name in vain, yet it is explicitly included in the Ten Commandments alongside other significant prohibitions. This demonstrates that in God’s eyes, how we use His name is as important as avoiding murder, theft, and adultery. The respect and reverence we show for God’s name reflect our acknowledgment of His holiness and our submission to His authority.
In Exodus 20:7, we are reminded, “Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses his name.” This commandment underscores the importance of recognizing the sacred nature of God’s name and the weight that our words carry.
It’s not just about avoiding profanity; it’s about honoring God in every aspect of our lives, including the way we speak of Him. When we truly understand the magnitude of God’s holiness, we will naturally uphold His name with the highest respect.
“In Scripture, the name of God implies a very much greater concept. ‘Thy name’- God’s name- implies the title, person, power, authority, character, and the very reputation of God. So enormous was the respect of the ancient Hebrew people for the name of God that they dared not even formulate it with their lips nor attempt to put it into human language.”[vi]
“The phrase ‘hallowed be your name’ implies not only that we know God’s name but also that we reverence God’s name in every area of life.” “In ancient Israel, blaspheming the holy name of God was a capital crime (Lev. 24:10-16).”[vii]
Leviticus 24:10 ERV “10 There was a son of an Israelite woman and an Egyptian father. He was walking among the Israelites, and he started fighting in camp. 11 The Israelite woman’s son began cursing, using the Lord’s name in a bad way, so the people brought him to Moses. (The name of the man’s mother was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, from the tribe of Dan.) 12 The people held him as a prisoner and waited for the Lord’s command to be made clear to them.
13 Then the Lord said to Moses, 14 “Bring the man who cursed to a place outside the camp. Then bring together everyone who heard him curse. They will put their hands on his head.[c] And then all the people must throw stones at him and kill him. 15 You must tell the Israelites: Anyone who curses their God must be punished. 16 Anyone who speaks against the name of the Lord must be put to death. All the people must stone him. Any foreigner or anyone born in Israel who uses the Lord’s name in a bad way must be put to death.
17 “And whoever kills another person must be put to death.”
A death sentence was equally given to those who had murdered and those who had used God’s name in a bad way.
“Hallowing God’s name is a multifaceted practice that encompasses acknowledging His holiness, worship and praise, obedience to His commands, proclaiming His name, reflecting His character, maintaining purity in speech, prayer, and even suffering for His name. Each of these actions reflects a deep reverence and honor for God, recognizing His greatness and holiness.”[viii]
We hallow God’s name by:
1.Recognizing and appreciating the holiness of His name
2.Praying with worshipfulness
3.Glorifying Him to others. Give Him credit for what He has done!
4.Living in obedience to Him
5.Conduct ourselves in a way that is pleasing to Him and brings honor to Him
William Barclay sums it up with this. “We reverence God and we hallow God’s name when our life is such that it brings honor to God and attracts others to Him.”
[i] Greek Concordance: Ἁγιασθήτω (Hagiasthētō) — 3 Occurrences
[ii] Warren W. Wiersbe, On Earth As It Is In Heaven
[iii] Tyler Stanton, Praying Like Monks Living Like Fools
[iv] Warren W. Wiersbe, On Earth As It Is In Heaven
[v] Tyler Stanton, Praying Like Monks Living Like Fools
[vi] W. Phillip Keller, A Layman Looks at the Lord’s Prayer
[vii] Warren W. Wiersbe, On Earth As It Is In Heaven
Beacons of Light 