Our Father … Hallowed be Your Name
Luke 11:2 NKJV
So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name…”
In the Bible as well as in various cultures, people are given their names by their parents based on life experience, culture, prophecy, character, or a destiny desired.
When you have a relationship with somebody, one of the first things you should know about the person with whom you have a relationship with, is his/her name. You cannot claim to have a good relationship with somebody without knowing who they are.
Do you know God? Do you know His Name? Do you know what His Name means?
Therefore Jesus when teaching us to pray, advises that us to pray to the Father saying “…hallowed be Your name…”.
Clearly when we are praying, Jesus set a template by which we must always recognize that God’s Name is holy and that we must honour God as being holy. Also we should always take His name seriously.
The word “hallowed” is defined as: To make or set apart as holy ; To respect or honor greatly; revere.
God has many Names and each Name reveals His nature and His attributes. God’s names also enlighten you about who God is and what He is able to do for you in your own personal life. It is therefore very important to know and revere the Names of God.
The following are some of the Hebrew Names of God and their meaning in reference to God’s nature
Elohim
Refers to God as having the nature and attribute of : Creator, Judge, Mighty and Powerful. (In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 NKJV)
Adonai
Refers to the Lordship of God. God is Owner, Master, Lord of all. (For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords … Deuteronomy 10:17 NKJV)
EL Shaddai
Refers to God as the all sufficient One and also as being Lord God Almighty. (When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless… Genesis 17:1 NKJV)
Yahweh
Also spelt as YHWH, Yahweh is the holy name of God which is too holy to voice by Jewish tradition. It is God’s personal name which is used over 6000 times in the Bible, more than any other Name of God. (You shall not take the name of the Lord (Yahweh) your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain… Exodus 20:7 NKJV)
Jehovah-Nissi
Meaning the Lord my banner and the Lord my miracle. (And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; Exodus 17:15 NKJV)
Jehovah-Raah
Meaning the Lord my Shepherd. (The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psalm 23:1 NKJV)
Jehovah-Shammah
Meaning the Lord who is present. (All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE. Ezekiel 48:35 NKJV)
Jehovah-Jireh
Meaning the Lord will provide. (And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” Genesis 22:14 NKJV)
The above are just several of the Names of God. Therefore in order to learn, revere and discover God’s nature and God’s function in your own life, it is important to have knowledge of God’s names.
When Jesus taught the disciples to pray, He knew that we must understand that God’s name should be hallowed whenever we relate to Him.
TODAY. Revere God. Know His Name.
