What do we pray when we pray that God’s name would be hallowed? As Luther pointed out, God’s name is indeed hallowed, but we pray that He would be hallowed among us.
How does that happen? Isaiah 5:16 gives us a clue. Yahweh of hosts is the holy ( qadosh ) God who is hallowed ( qadash ) in righteousness. In context, righteousness refers to Yahweh’s exaltation to judge, His humbling of the proud, his judgment on the greedy and the drunkards of Jerusalem. Yahweh’s name is sanctified when He acts to set things right.
This sheds light on the sequel in Isaiah: In chapter 6, the prophet will see the King enthroned and glorified, surrounded by seraphs singing “Holy, Holy, Holy.” The Holy God is hallowed in righteous judgment.
And, to give this an Advent spin, the Holy God is hallowed, is made holy, when He comes. The incarnation is the beginning of the sanctification of God’s name. And we hallow God’s name when we look in anticipation to His continuous Advent – every Lord’s day, in history – and finally at the last day.
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