Hallowed Be Thy Name

As we begin today, I ask that you pray for our friends in Florida who have been impacted by Hurricane Ian. I have faithful listeners in Florida, and I want them to know that I have been praying for them and will continue to.

We're now at week three in our study of the Lord's Prayer: "Hallowed be thy name." Hello is not a word that we toss around very often. What does it mean to hallow? It means to make holy. We're to make holy God's name.

In the next few moments, I want us to look at some biblical stories where some failed to make God's name holy, and there were consequences, and then we'll look at some who did. As I was thinking about it, there are two reasons to hallow God's name. The first is fear, to have a healthy respect, but that's not the number one reason for me to hallow God. I think love is the greatest motivator, the reason to hallow.

We've talked about this before. A hello got out of love, out of gratitude for all he has done for me and all he continues to do. I also am amazed at what he has not done to me. If we all got we deserve, got what we deserved, our lives would be much different, wouldn't they?

Now let's look at a few stories of people not hallowing God. There's a story in Numbers chapter 22 about the children of Israel complaining to Moses and Aaron. I actually said Numbers 20. As you likely know, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before they were allowed to enter the land of promise, and this story, we are close to year 39.

The Wanderers are in a place called Kadesh Barnea. It's only a little over 30 miles from there soon to be new home. Miriam, Moses's sister, died there and was buried. As Numbers 20 begins, the crowd was upset because there was no water to drink.

As was their sad custom, the people began to complain and blame Moses for their situation. They, as usual, forgot all about God's protection and the Miracles that they had seen. The people once again told Moses that they should have stayed in Egypt as slaves. That's really interesting to me, because there's a new generation that has been born in the wilderness that we're never in bondage. However, it's likely that their parents made the past look way better than it really was, and while doing that, they ignored the future and the promise of God.

As The Story Goes, Moses and Aaron go to the Tabernacle, and the Lord appeared to them. I'll read from Numbers chapter 20, verse 8. This is what the Lord told them: "You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You'll provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and the livestock."

We are told that Moses did as he was instructed. He got his staff, he gathered the people, and then this happened. I read from Numbers 20, verse 11: "Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the staff, and water gushed out, so the entire community and their livestock drank their full."

Did you notice what Moses did? He was told to speak to the Rock; instead, he hit it twice with his staff. It was good theater, perhaps, but it was not what he was told to do. In that moment, Moses did not hallow God. He was not obedient, and there were dire consequences.

We're told in Numbers 20:12, "The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my Holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land that I am giving them." When God said, "You did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness," it's really the same as "You did not hallow my name." God is serious about this, and as a result, Moses never entered the Promised Land.

I will retell another story that we've looked at before, or I won't retail the whole thing. I'll tell you a little bit about it, I'll remind you of it, but in Acts chapter 5, we see Ananias and his wife Sapphira are killed as a result of not hallowing the name of God. You can read that for yourself.

To hallowed God's name is to hold him in such reverence that we believe what he says and we do what he tells us. This really reminds me of the third commandment, from Exodus 27: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him Guiltless who takes his name in vain." This commandment reminds me of signs that we see at Power stations: danger, high voltage. We need Revere and respect and hallow God.

Let me show you a positive example. And Revelation chapter 22, John is getting a tour of Heaven by an Angel, and verse 8, John says, "I fell down to worship at the feet of the Angel who showed everything to me." Look what the angel does in verse 9. After John bows down at his feet, the angel said, "No, don't worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God." This Angel was Halloween the name of God, just the opposite of what the Fallen Angel Lucifer did.

By the way, it's also interesting to me that these words, "Hallowed be thy name," come after we began with "Our Father." One commentator wrote, "Too much Our Father, too much Abba, too much Daddy turns into too much comfort, and we drag God down and we make him a nice kind of buddy buddy." The commentator went on, "We've done that in American Christianity to the point where it's a real problem. People talk to God in such a low level, in such low-level Concepts and terms, that they really don't do justice to his hallowed name." I agree. Be careful. Remember who you are speaking to. Hallowed be his name.

Pray with me. Father God, to thank you for your word, and we pray that it digs deep into our soul, that we realize that you are to be hallowed, revered, feared, loved, and you are our God. Help us to never get too comfortable with that. Help us to never get too complacent with that, but help us to be in awe of that.

Lord, I do pray for our friends impacted by the storm. I pray for those that have gone to help. A lot of churches will raise funds and take supplies and food and go and do wonderful work. Maybe a revival can come as a result of that in this land. We'll pray for that too. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

God bless you. Thanks for being with me today.