When your Father is the King
(Mat 6:9-13 NASB)
"Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. {10} 'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. {11} 'Give us this day our daily bread. {12} 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. {13} 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY, FOREVER. AMEN.'"
These words are Christ's answer to His disciples when they asked, "Lord teach us to pray". This instruction is the inspired, infallible word of the living God. This is the perfect prayer. There is nothing left to pray when we have prayed this prayer to the Father, by faith in Jesus. The prayer is comprehensive, as we have seen in previous studies.
Today's concern is the doxology or the conclusion of the Lords Prayer. It consists of thirteen words that are inexhaustible as to the full discovery of their meaning. Nevertheless we will try to open them up to some degree today.
"FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY, FOREVER. AMEN."
These words are a declaration of faith, of good Theology, of Praise, Adoration, and Thanksgiving. They are a plea or argument for answers to the seven petitions offered up in the prayer. They are a declaration of confidence that the prayer will be heard and answered. These words focus on God, the Alpha and Omega of all true prayer. We began with the address, "Our Father", we end by praising Him as, "King of the Universe".
"For Thine is the Kingdom". The word "for" means "because'. In other words, "I pray to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Jacob, in the way prescribed by Christ, "because", His is the Kingdom, Power and Glory forever. I pray with confidence to my Father in Heaven because He possesses universal authority over all things. I pray in the above way because He does as He pleases among the hosts of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth and no one can stop Him from doing so. The God to whom I address my prayers is God supreme in all creation, providence, and in the disposal of saving grace. All things are under His full and complete control. His is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory. That is why I come to Him with my prayers and to no one else.
Let us look to the scriptures for evidence that the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory are indeed God's.
(Psa 103 NASB) "(A Psalm of David.) Bless (praise) the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name. {2} Bless the LORD, O my soul, And FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS;
One of the reasons praise does not inhabit the prayers and conversations of God's people is because they do not often meditate on the many benefits or blessings that are theirs by way of salvation. Listen to what God has done and will do for His people.
{3} Who PARDONS ALL YOUR INIQUITIES; Who HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES; {4} Who redeems your life from the pit; Who CROWNS YOU WITH LOVINGKINDNESS AND COMPASSION; {5} Who SATISFIES YOUR YEARS WITH GOOD THINGS, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle. {6} The LORD performs righteous deeds, And judgments for all who are oppressed. {7} He (Our Father who is in Heaven) made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the sons of Israel. (The God of the Old Testament is the God of Christians in every age, He has not changed!) {8} The LORD is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. (Toward those who are His redeemed children.) {9} He will not always strive with us; Nor will He keep His anger forever.{10} He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. (Even though His chastisements and disciplines have seemed hard and sometimes extreme, they are less than we deserve having sinned against the most Holy God..) {11} For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward THOSE WHO FEAR HIM. {12} As far as the east is from the west, So far has HE REMOVED OUR TRANSGRESSIONS FROM US. {13} Just as a FATHER, (earthly father), has compassion on his children so the LORD, (Our Heavenly Father), has compassion on those who fear Him. {14} For He Himself knows our frame; (Our character, strengths, and weaknesses.) He is mindful that we are but dust. {15} As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. {16} When the wind has passed over it, it is no more; And its place acknowledges it no longer. {17} BUT THE LOVINGKINDNESS OF THE LORD IS FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM, AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS TO CHILDREN'S CHILDREN, {18} TO THOSE WHO KEEP HIS COVENANT, AND WHO REMEMBER HIS PRECEPTS TO DO THEM.
These are the benefits the Psalmist counsels his soul not to forget. {2} Bless the LORD, O my soul, And FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS; These are the things God has done and will continue to do for all His blood bought children. He will do so because He loves us, He can do so because, "His is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory forever". That our King Father does in fact have the power to do whatever He pleases is seen clearly in the following verses.
{19} The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; And HIS SOVEREIGNTY RULES OVER ALL. (The size and extent of God's kingdom is caught up in the words, "He rules over all", there is no limit to the Kingdom of God!) {20} Bless (Praise) the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! {21} Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will. {22} Bless the LORD, all you works of His, In all places of His DOMINION; Bless (Praise) the LORD, O my soul!"
The phrase we are working with is, "For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory forever". It is critical that you believe this, you must be able to add your amen to these inspired declarations.
When we remember the benefits we have enjoyed from the Father's hand we ask, "How did these things come to me the sinner?" The answer must be, "You presently enjoy the physical and spiritual blessings you do because of who your Father is. "He is God, He sits on His throne, and, His Sovereignty rules over all!" His dominion reaches to all of heaven and earth. This is why and how Divine benefits come to the children of God. As we look at the past and present blessings that are ours we will surely come to believe that future graces await us as well, because, God never changes. "Praise the Lord oh my soul!" The Knowledge of God that I have gained from the scriptures and His dealings with me thus far give me the confidence to pray, "Our Father who art in Heaven Hallowed be Thy name, ect." I encourage you Brothers and Sisters, set forth your petitions, do so with confidence, and, without fear for, "His is the Kingdom, He is the King of Kings, and, Lord of Lords, He is our God and there is no other.
Now there have been kings, human kings, indeed, there are kings on earth today who sit on thrones and have rule over a kingdom, BUT they haven't the power to do with that kingdom what they wish to do. Theirs is the kingdom but NOT the power! Not so with our King! His is the kingdom AND the power!
The King of creation is our Father! You and I as Christians, know someone in high places. We have an in, some pull, as it were, with the one who does ALL things it pleases Him to do. Part of what pleases Him is providing for His children ALL they need, physically, and spiritually. Not only is the King of the Kingdom willing and desirous of giving US our daily bread, forgiving OUR sins, keeping US from the evil one, He is ABLE to do these things as well. When your Father is the King of Kings, you need have no fear of starvation, or, of the enemy, for the King will see to all your needs.
As a human dad I am willing to provide all things physically and spiritually for my children but I haven't the power to carry out that which I am willing to do. Mine is NOT the Kingdom and mine is NOT the power. I pray to God in the way prescribed by Christ because, He is both WILLING AND ABLE to answer the prayer of faith in accord with His will. That He does have the power to do what He wills to do is seen in many texts of Holy Scripture. Let us look at one of them.
(Psa 104 NASB) "Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with splendor and majesty, {2} Covering Thyself with light as with a cloak, Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain. {3} HE LAYS the beams of His upper chambers in the waters; HE MAKES the clouds His chariot; He walks upon the wings of the wind; {4} HE MAKES the winds His messengers, Flaming fire His ministers. {5} HE ESTABLISHED THE EARTH upon its foundations, So that it will not totter forever and ever. {6} Thou didst cover it with the deep as with a garment; The waters were standing above the mountains. {7} AT THY REBUKE THEY FLED; At the sound of Thy thunder they hurried away. {8} The mountains rose; the valleys sank down To the place which Thou didst establish for them. {9} THOU DIDST SET A BOUNDARY that they may not pass over; That they may not return to cover the earth. {10} HE SENDS FORTH springs in the valleys; They flow between the mountains; {11} They give drink to every beast of the field;. . . {13} HE WATERS the mountains from His upper chambers; The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works. {14} HE CAUSES the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the labor of man, So that he may bring forth food from the earth, . . . {19} HE MADE THE MOON for the seasons; The sun knows the place of its setting. {20} THOU DOST APPOINT DARKNESS and it becomes night, In which all the beasts of the forest prowl about. {21} The young lions roar after their prey, And seek their food from God. {22} When the sun rises they withdraw, And lie down in their dens. {23} Man goes forth to his work And to his labor until evening. {24} O LORD, how many are Thy works! In wisdom THOU HAST MADE THEM ALL; The earth is full of Thy possessions. {25} There is the sea, great and broad, In which are swarms without number, Animals both small and great. {26} There the ships move along, And Leviathan, which THOU HAST FORMED to sport in it. {27} THEY ALL WAIT FOR THEE, TO GIVE THEM THEIR FOOD IN DUE SEASON. (Men are certainly included here as dependents on God for all provision.) {28} THOU DOST GIVE to them, they gather it up; Thou dost open Thy hand, they are satisfied with good. {29} Thou dost hide Thy face, they are dismayed; THOU DOST TAKE AWAY THEIR SPIRIT, THEY EXPIRE, AND RETURN TO THEIR DUST. {30} THOU DOST SEND FORTH THY SPIRIT, THEY ARE CREATED; (Our Father who is on His throne in Heaven has in His possession the POWER of life and death. He gives the Spirit of life and He takes it away when He sees fit to do so. That is why we pray to Him concerning these things. He alone possesses the power to do something about life and death.) And Thou dost renew the face of the ground. {31} Let the GLORY of the LORD endure forever; (God's glory consists of all of the above, His rule, His power, His creative and sustaining works.) Let the LORD be glad in His works; {32} HE LOOKS at the earth, and it trembles; HE TOUCHES the mountains, and they smoke. {33} I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing PRAISE to my God while I have my being. {34} Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD. {35} Let sinners be consumed from the earth, And let the wicked be no more. BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL. PRAISE THE LORD!"
My God, is, also my King and Father. He is the King of heaven and earth. His is the Kingdom and He dominates this kingdom with power that is His alone. He never sleeps or slumbers, (Psalm 121:3-4). Nothing is too hard for Him, (Matthew 19:26), and, none can withstand Him, (Daniel 4:35).
Seeing that these things are true, what sense does it make NOT to be people of prayer without ceasing. May God cause the truth of His greatness and love for His redeemed people to fill our hearts and souls. Hear the words of one who knew our God well.
(Psa 44:1-8 NASB) "O God, we have heard with our ears, Our fathers have told us, The work that Thou didst in their days, In the days of old. {2} THOU WITH THINE OWN HAND didst drive out the nations; (See here God's control of men.) Then THOU DIDST plant them; THOU DIDST afflict the peoples, Then THOU DIDST spread them abroad. {3} For by their own sword they DID NOT possess the land; And their own arm DID NOT save them; BUT THY RIGHT HAND, AND THINE ARM, AND THE LIGHT OF THY PRESENCE, FOR THOU DIDST FAVOR THEM. {4} THOU ART MY KING, O GOD; COMMAND VICTORIES FOR JACOB. {5} THROUGH THEE we will push back our adversaries; THROUGH THY NAME we will trample down those who rise up against us. {6} For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me. {7} BUT THOU HAST SAVED US from our adversaries, And THOU hast put to shame those who hate us. {8} IN GOD WE HAVE BOASTED ALL DAY LONG, AND WE WILL GIVE THANKS TO THY NAME FOREVER. SELAH."
What words of faith these are! "Thou art my King, command victories for Jacob!" Who is Jacob? Jacob is true Israel. Not flesh and blood Israel, but, the elect from every nation under the sun, both Jew and Gentile, all who have, do now, or, shall believe in Christ alone for salvation. These are Jacob and we can all say, "Thou art my King, command victories for Jacob!" We can and ought to pray thus for "His is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory.
What about this Glory, the Glory that is God's, what is it? In the first place it is not something that men add to God. He is and always has been glorious beyond measure. When Christians are told to glorify God it does not mean that we add to His glory but that we REVEAL something of His inherent glory to others by the way we live, play, work, and, speak.
God has been glorious from all eternity, and nothing created by Him can add to that glory. God's glory can only be revealed. This is the purpose of creation, the unfolding of history, the fall, redemption, damnation, the judgment, the new heavens and earth, and, of the eternal heaven. It all has to do with revealing the glory of God. Hear the word of the Lord.
(Psa 19:1-6 KJV) "The heavens declare THE GLORY OF GOD; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. {2} Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. {3} There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. {4} Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (This declaration of God's glory reaches every man in every age, none are left out. As to the extent of and the detail of this declaration and revelation of God see Romans 1:18-21.) In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, {5} Which, (Sun), is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. {6} His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof." (The Sun with its brightness and glory points to God the Father, God the Son, i.e., the Bridegroom, and God the Holy Spirit. That glorious ball of fire casts its rays on every man and beast. It declares God's glory to all, without exception. This is the purpose of the Sun, and the Moon, the Seas, the beasts and of man himself, to reveal something of the glory of God.)
The beautiful world that God has created was designed to mirror, or, reflect His Glory. This is why the physical universe exists. It is also why Christ came. This goal was reached in perfection.
(John 17:4-5 NASB) "I GLORIFIED THEE ON THE EARTH, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given Me to do." And now, glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was." Christ came to glorify God. He did just that and continues to do so today.
The same is true of Christians. Our purpose for existence is to reveal something of the Glory of God.
(1 Cor 6:20 NASB) "For you have been bought with a price: THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD in your body." (1 Pet 2:12 NASB) "Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may ON ACCOUNT OF YOUR GOOD DEEDS, AS THEY OBSERVE THEM, GLORIFY GOD in the day of visitation." (1 Pet 4:16 NASB) "but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name LET HIM GLORIFY GOD." That is, let him reveal something of God's Glory.
But what is God's Glory? When the word is used to describe God it refers to the majesty associated with God's revelation of Himself. God's glory has to do with everything that He is. The root word from which glory originated has to do with the Idea of something being heavy or weighty. The greater the weight the greater the glory. God is the most glorious of all, because He is the heaviest of all.
Let me put it like this. If it were possible to place all the glory of universe along with all the glory of all kings and princes of all the ages on a scale opposite the glory of God, what would happen? Its obvious, the moment the scales were released God's Glory would so far out weigh the glory of His creation that it would all be tossed violently into oblivion. He is the heaviest of all, by far the most Glorious. For, His is the Kingdom of Heaven and of Earth, His is the Power to do as He pleases, and His is the Glory immeasurable and great. Beloved of God, He is the heaviest of all, He is most glorious.
This ladies and gentlemen is, "Our Father in Heaven", to whom Jesus tells us to pray for all that we need both spiritually and physically. The seven petitions we are to set forth are comprehensive, that is, they cover everything we could possibly need. These requests are in accord with the will of God for us, therefore, we may know when we pray, that God will answer them in the affirmative.
Let us stand together and pray the Lord's Prayer.