“In this manner, therefore, pray:
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name …”
(Matt 6:9)
In William P. Young’s enigmatic novel, The Shack, the protagonist, Mackenzie, is introduced to Jesus, who responds, “Jesus? Yes. And you may call me that if you like. After all, it has become my common name. My mother called me Yeshua, but I have also been known to respond to Joshua or even Jesse.”
In the previous teaching we have clearly seen that what is important is not the technically correct Name of Jesus, but the state of heart toward the Person embodying this Name. Rom 10:12-13 places it within a clear context: “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the Name of the LORD shall be saved.” Note that no distinction is made between Jew and Greek, thus by implication no distinction made between the language of each prototypical grouping – He is Lord of all, and all who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved, regardless of the Name used in addressing Him!
In Greek the concept name is onoma, according to Thayer “the name is used for everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the name, i.e. for one’s rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, excellences, deeds etc.” Sela: everything the name covers. It further states that the word onoma is derived from the word ginosko, which means to know Him intimately. We thus use his Name, which includes everything He covers – because we have come to know him within that particular manifestation of Character! It is literally as Murdock translates 1 Cor 1:2, “(that we) invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah”. In the original language this invocation means to entitle. You thus gain possession of Who He is as you get to know his Name and Character.
According to Ps 111:9 the name of the Lord is “holy and awesome”. If you know Him He will call out his Name over you – “Then all peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you.” (Deut 28:10).
If this is true, we can understand why Jesus taught us to daily pray: “Hallowed be Your Name …”, as it is through the conduct of those over whom He has called out His name that the unsaved will learn to fear Him (1 Kings 8:43). Jesus states that all who act against us do so, “for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.” (John 15:21). Sela.
- Sela: Has He called out his Name over you? Do you hallow His name? Also pray Ezek 43:8.
- Read: 2 Chr 16; Job 14; Rev 18
- Memorise: 2 Chr 16:9a
- For a deeper understanding: Read Franklin Graham’s book The Name.
