When we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Hallowed be your name,” (Matthew 6:9), what are we asking God to do? Exodus 34 uncovers the majestic nature of God’s name.
The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name, “The Lord.” The Lord passed before him and proclaimed,
“The Lord, the Lord,
a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger,
and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
Keeping steadfast love for the thousandth generation,
forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,
yet by no means clearing the guilty,
but visiting the iniquity of the parents
upon the children
and the children’s children
to the third and the fourth generation.”
And Moses quickly bowed down to the ground and worshiped. (Exodus 34:5-8)
Name = Presence
The first thing we notice about God’s name is that it reveals God’s presence: “The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there.”
In Deuteronomy, we learn that God dwells in the place where His name resides.
But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes as his habitation to put his name there (Deuteronomy 12:5).
You will recall one of Jesus’ prayer promises. Note, how He says He will be present when we are gathered in His name.
Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:19-20).
God’s name should always be revered as holy, because where God’s name is present so is He.
God’s Character and Nature
When we pray for God’s name to be hallowed, we are asking for God’s character and nature to be revealed on earth. When God revealed His name to Moses, He identified various aspects of who He is.
Below is a word study I did on the keywords in this passage. I hope they add meaning to your devotion as you use them to pray for God’s name to be hallowed.
(1) Merciful: This root meaning of the word in Hebrew signifies “to love deeply,” “to have compassion,” or “to show mercy.” It points to a deep, inherent, and often maternal-like compassion, which is a core characteristic attributed to God.
(2) Gracious: This word broadly signifies “to be gracious,” “to favor,” “to show pity,” or “to implore favor.”
Grace is when a superior grants favor to an inferior, not out of obligation or the inferior’s merit, but out of their own free will and goodness. It implies a kind inclination or a willingness to bestow a gift or show kindness.
While mercy speaks to an internal feeling of empathy, grace emphasizes the outward action of showing favor or kindness, often in response to a plea or simply out of benevolent character.
(3) Slow to anger: In Hebrew this phrase is “long of nostrils.” The fire is hottest right over the coals, but at the top of the chimney, it is cooler.
Someone slow to anger has a “long fuse,” as it were. It implies patience and forbearance.
(4) Steadfast love: The Hebrew word describes a loyal, steadfast love or commitment within a relationship, especially a covenant relationship. It’s not just a feeling, but an active, enduring faithfulness.
When God’s covenant people failed to fulfill their part of the covenant, God remained faithful. His love is faithful, even when we are not.
In today’s YouTube video, Rudy Ross reminds us that when we speak of God Keeping steadfast love for the thousandth generation, humanity hasn’t begun to reach the thousandth generation.
(5) Faithfulness: The Hebrew word has this range of meanings: “truth,” “faithfulness,” “reliability,” or “firmness.”
Truth is not just an abstract concept, but something that is solid, firm, reliable, and trustworthy. It’s something you can depend on, providing a firm foundation. Regarding God, it speaks to God’s unwavering faithfulness and reliability in His promises and character.
Full of Love, but Not Soft
Bonhoeffer’s famous book, The Cost of Discipleship, spoke of cheap grace. God is not the purveyor of cheap grace where He is “played” like a toothless old grandfather.
God has grace for humans, but there is a cost to sin, just as there is a cost to those who follow Him.
Dallas Willard had it right when he said, “The cost of discipleship is great, but the cost of non-discipleship is greater.”
God, above all, recognizes this truth and refuses to allow humans to play around with sin, as they claim His grace in their lives.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 