IN our meditation in the Lord’s Prayer we come now to the first group of petitions. Many people do not see these three phrases as petitions, but rather an example of praise and worship. However although these three sentences inspire worship and adoration, they are in fact petitions, for we are asking God for these three things.

In the Lord’s Prayer we have seven petitions. Some people do question this and say there are only 6, and for this they group the last two petitions together and say they are really one petition. The sentences being referred to are “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” The point does not matter, except if perhaps you are interested in biblical numbers. If there are seven requests in this prayer then we have two divisions. The first three are concerned with God and his glory. Three is the number associated with the Deity, and points us to the three persons of the Blessed Trinity. Four is the number of earth and points to all things concerning humanity and this world. Four points to the world which symbolised by the four points of the compass. Then three and four make seven which is a perfect number in Biblical terms.

We need to take to heart straight away that the first three petitions are all concerned with God, and so Jesus is teaching us that in our praying, as in all things, God must come first. We must never start with ourselves when we are praying. Jesus teaches us first to reflect on the one to whom we are coming, that is to Almighty God who is our Father through Jesus Christ, and this leads naturally into pray for his glory and his kingdom. When we look at the prayers of the saints in the Old and New Testament, one thing is particularly noticeable and that is these prayers always commence with God and concern for his glory. Even though the need which has caused the prayer to be offered is very great, the one praying always commence with God. Just one example must suffice, and this the prayer of Nehemiah in Nehemiah 1:5ff.

The first petition which Jesus puts on our lips is “Hallowed be your name”. This is where we start. We start with a deep and earnest concern for the glory of God. When Jesus speaks of the Name, he is speaking of and referring to God himself, for the name in the Bible always stands for the person and all that makes up the essence and character of that person. The name of God was so sacred to the Old Testament Jews that they could not use the name of God, Jehovah, and always spoke of God as the Lord. God revealed himself in the Old Testament is successive ways and in each case it opened up to the people something more of his greatness. So we have Jehovah-jireh - the Lord who provides. Again Jehovah-rapha - the Lord who heals. Again Jehovah-nissi - the Lord our Banner. Again Jehovah-shalom - the Lord our peace. Again Jehovah-raah - the Lord our Shepherd. Again Jehovah-tsidkenu - the Lord our Righteousness. And again Jehovah-shammah - the Lord is present.

In a real sense we can’t increase the hallowedness of the God. He is perfectly and eternally holy and glorious. In heaven he is given all the honour due to his great and glorious name. He is given perfect obedience. All the angels and the saints who have gone before us into heaven, all have just one desire and that is to do the will of God, and uphold the hallowedness of his name.

However things are not like this on earth in any way whatsoever. Humanity in general despises the name of God. To fallen humanity God’s name is not hallowed, and not sacred. God’s name is taken in vain. God is left out of the lives of most people. Thoughts concerning God in the best and most moral are below standard, and people do not seek the will of God as paramount. So we pray that in our world the name of God may be hallowed, that is that God may have his proper place in peoples minds and hearts; and in their living they may live to please God in all things. When we pray that God’s name be hallowed we pray that God may be loved, worship, obeyed and adored.

This leads naturally on to the next petition. If God’s name is not hallowed in the world then we pray that God’s kingdom may come. This is a prayer that people may own God as their king and give him reverence and obedience. In such a prayer we are praying for the conversion of people that they may be reconciled to God through Jesus and so live as his children and serve him in their lives. This prayer is possible because in Jesus Christ and his life and death the kingdom of God has come in the sense that his kingdom has entered this world in the fact that Christ has opened up to all who believe entrance into the kingdom of God. Jesus said that he was the stronger than the strong man, the devil, and that he had come to overthrow the devil’s kingdom and spoil his goods. This means that Jesus said he came to overcome Satan, and free people from his power and dominion, so that they may enter his kingdom, the kingdom of God. The fact that the world still remains largely in darkness and under the devil’s dominion, means that although God’s kingdom has come in that those who truly believe in Jesus for salvation have entered that kingdom, and are freed from Satan, and now belong to God their King; yet so much more of the population of the world needs to be brought into the kingdom of God, so that God reigns supreme. This will not happen entirely in time, but when Jesus returns he will judge the world, and he will judge Satan and cast him out, and with him all who follow him, and so there will be only one King, Jesus Christ and the Father, who will reign over all. When we pray that God’s kingdom may come, we are also praying for this final consummation.

The last petition of these three follows naturally also, for when God’s kingdom comes then God’s will shall be done in earth and heaven, and God will be all in all, and supreme over all, and all will be filled with the glory of God. Then true joy and righteousness will exist.