HALLOWED BE THY NAME OH GOD
Psa 89:5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
Psa 89:6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?
Psa 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
Matthew 6:9. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."
What does it mean to 'hallow' God's name? The word 'hallow' is the Greek word 'hagios' which is the word for 'holy'. "Hallow' therefore means 'to set apart as holy, to sanctify or to treat as holy. The best modern word perhaps is 'reverence'.
When we pray 'hallowed be Your name' we are saying, let God's name be holy and reverenced on earth as it is in Heaven (Psa 9:1 To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. ; 89:5 Psa 89:5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. ); let His name be given the unique reverence that is due His character and nature as the Heavenly Father (Psa 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.). It means to ascend to the very heart of God by recognizing who He is and what He has done (Ps.136:1-4 His Steadfast Love Endures Forever
Psa 136:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 136:4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.).
We show reverence to God by learning how to truly worship Him ( Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. ).
To discover the reasons, methods and benefits of reverencing God.
Through this lesson, you should be able to
a. Understand what it means to hallow God's name.
b. State the reasons for reverencing God,
C. Discover the ways of reverencing God,
d. Explain what they s stand to gain by reverencing God.
WHY AND HOW TO HALLOW GOD'S NAME
Question 1: Why should we hallow God's name?
Answer: We reverence God's name because
1. He is awesome in power and majesty (Lev 19:30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. )
2. It is a prompt response to one's encounter with God's splendour (Num 20:6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them. ; Judg 13:20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground.)
The idea of reverence for God started with God (Deu 5:9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.
3. Deu 5:10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. ).
It is a means of demonstrating Our death to self and obedience to His commands (Gal.2:20
Deu 5:9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,
4. Deu 5:10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments. ).
5. God's name stands for His person and each of His names reveals some aspects of His character (1Ch 16:29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. ).
6. Jesus also reminded His disciples to properly reverence God when He taught them how to pray (Mat 6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. ).
Reverencing God's name makes the presence of God real in our hearts (Ps.16:8-9
Psa 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Psa 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. ).
How should we hallow God's name?
1. An important way to demonstrate reverence for God is by the way we live (Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ).
We reverence by taking seriously God's hatred for sin and the coming judgment on those who refuse to repent (Col.3:5-6 Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; ).
BENEFITS OF REVERENCING GOD'S NAME
What are the benefits that believers will derive from reverencing God?
There are numerous blessings attached to reverencing God's name:
1. It keeps us in close fellowship with God ( Psa 34:1 A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed. I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. ).
2. It rescues us from distress, troubles, sorrow and pain (Ps.116:3-4
Psa 116:3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.
Psa 116:4 Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. ).
3. We become partakers of God's mercy (Psa 86:5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. ).
4. We are filled with God's Spirit (Act 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: ).
5. We also enjoy the riches of the Lord (Rom.10:12 Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. ).
6. We get immediate attention and solution from God (Lk.18:38-40 Luk 18:38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Luk 18:39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Luk 18:40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him,; John 11:41-42
Joh 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
Joh 11:42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. ).
7. We receive deep and secret things from God (Dan.2:20-23
Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
Dan 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
Dan 2:22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
Dan 2:23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter. ).
Kindly share their personal testimonies on the benefits you got from reverencing God.
Believers must understand what it means to hallow God's name and do so in order to enjoy its benefits.
CONCLUSION: We hallow the name of God when we trust, reverence, obey and glorify Him.
PRAYER:
1. Father, give me the grace to hallow Your name at all times.
2. Father, help me to understand who You are and how to reverence your name.
0 Comments