Hallowed Be Thy Name (A Sample Prayer for the Lord's Followers, 3)

When Israel was just an infant nation, God gave them a document written on two tablets of stone. This document was the foundational law of the new nation that is to be known as one belonging to God. It is best known as the Ten Commandments¹ . One of it's articles is this: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exo. 20:7)

It has long been ignored by men in the modern world. God's name is mentioned in the most disrespectful, even blasphemous was in television, movies, music and the society  in general. Not so the  ancient Jews. They took the command seriously, so serious that when they read Sciptures and come across the name YHWH, they would not say it. They would instead substitute “Adonai” (Lord God). Somehow in the progression of time, they inserted the vowels of Adonai into the consonants of YHWH. This tradition of being careful about the Lord's name has been carried over into English translations of the Bible. For instance in Psalm 110:1, YHWH was not actually used. In it's place is “LORD” in all caps.

However, the Jews missed this: honoring the name of the Lord is not simply ascribing sacredness to it's letters,  or to how it is said. It is honoring God for who he is.

UNDERSTANDING WHAT HALLOWING HIS NAME MEANS

1. Understand that God's name is holy.
”Hallow” is an archaic English word which means “to regard as holy”. When people refer to such things as “holy week”, they mean it is no ordinary week. They also refer to the bible as a “holy book” and they mean that it is a sacred book unlike the other books. Therefore, to hollow God's name is to regard him as the One and Only and that there is no one like him.

2. Understand that one's name may either refer to your honorable standing or to your shameful reputation.

In 1 Sam. 18:30, it was reported that among the nation's war heroes, it was David who behaved most wisely so “his name became highly esteemed.”. John Macarthur remarks: "The fact that his name was esteemed meant he himself was esteemed. When we say that someone has a good name, we mean there is something about his character worthy of our praise."²  This good name should be highly desired by men “ A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (Prov. 22:1)

When applied to God's name, it makes people trust in him once they understand his excellence: "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:10)

3. Understand that the opposite of hallowing God's name is to profane it.

Charles Quarles wrote: "Honoring God’s name as holy is the opposite of profaning God’s name”^{3 .}

The following verses confirm Quarles' statement:

• "Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. (Lev.18:21)
• "Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. (Lev.19:12)
• “They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name.” (Amos 2:7)

And so there is a great deal of inconsistency on our part if we pray “hallowed be thy name” while at the same time we live a life of profanity.

4. The Lord's zeal for the honor of his name is precisely the reason why blesses us.

Take a look at these verses:

• For the sake of his name, he leads and guides (Psalm 31:3)
• For the sake of his name, he delivers and forgives sin (Psalm 79:9)
• For the sake of his name, he dispenses mercy to sinners (Jeremiah 14:20-21)

And so this should encourage us that as long as we seek to honor God's name, God will also see to it that we will be blessed.

FOOTNOTES:

1. R.C. Sproul, The Prayer of the Lord (Reformation Trust Publishing)

2. John Macarthur, Alone With God (Victor Books)

3. Charles Quarles, Sermon on the Mount: Restoring Christ's Message to the Modern Church (B&H Academic)

----