As we continue our study of the Lord’s Prayer, I want to provide you with insights from the reading I have been doing in two commentaries and add some personal applications.
Jesus taught us to pray:
May your kingdom come.
May your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6.10)
In today’s YouTube video, Rudy Ross expressed the long-held Jewish desire for God’s kingdom to come. This refers to the end time rule of God, which is longed for and expected by the Jewish people.
After the resurrection, Jesus’ disciples displayed this sentiment: So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).
Jesus proclaimed that God’s kingdom has arrived on earth, but not everyone recognized that fact.
His first message was, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 4.17).
This prayer asks that people will awaken to the fact that God’s kingdom has arrived on earth.
Although we cannot bring God’s kingdom into existence by our own efforts, we are to reflect the good news that its inauguration has come in and through Jesus. We are to show the world the reality of the presence of God’s kingdom.
So, this prayer is one that we will be faithful to our calling.
May your will be done
The prayer for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven is very similar to asking for God’s kingdom to come in all its fullness. When God’s kingdom comes, it will overturn the present evil order into making all things as God has designed them to be.
Doing the will of God is a summary of the disciple’s life.
Jesus taught, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
On another occasion, Jesus said: “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50).
Even Jesus Himself was required to submit His will to that of the Father. At the most critical point in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus submitted His will to the Father.
Again he went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42).
On earth as it is in heaven.
The words, “On earth as it is in heaven,” can be seen to apply to all three of the preceding requests.
The prayer is that the heavenly state of affairs may be reflected on earth.
To offer such a prayer is, of course, to commit ourselves to honoring God’s name, accepting His kingdom, and doing His will.
Give us today our daily bread. (Matthew 6.11)
When God’s kingdom comes in its fullness, we will hear the words of the angel that we are welcome to be part of the marriage supper of the Lamb.
And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 19:9).
As we pray for our daily bread and the fulfillment of our present needs, we are reflecting our anticipation of the end-time fulfillment of all needs and God’s blessing.
Examining this portion of the Lord’s Prayer in light of all that is written in Matthew 6, we see that this prayer reflects being prepared to trust God for food, drink, and clothing. It is trust in its simplest form.
We don’t worry about material provisions because we have trusted God to take care of them.
Let’s remember that Jesus himself had to depend on God for food rather than taking the matter into his own hands.
The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,
‘One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:3-4)
Rudy Ross emphasizes that daily bread signifies being nourished by God’s word, actively seeking all that God has to teach him. He sees this part of the Lord’s Prayer as a “life verse,” because of its profound meaning.
Rudy’s thoughts aligns with Jesus’ teachings about spiritual nourishment through “every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
I believe it is beneficial to incorporate all three perspectives into our understanding of the prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
We can pray for our physical needs, trusting God to provide for our daily sustenance.
We can look forward to one day sharing the Marriage Supper of the Lamb with Jesus.
Additionally, we can find spiritual nourishment by immersing ourselves in the Word of God found in the Bible.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross and I discussed this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling YouTube channel.
Real Voices 