GOD'S ADDRESS – The Lord’s Prayer – Part 2
La Dirección del Señor – La Oración de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo – Parte 2
by
Mary Hunt Webb
Posted Saturday, October 31, 2015
Heaven is God's address. [Photographer: Aka Moraqu. Photo courtesy of Stockvault.net.]
As I think of the opening lines of the Lord's Prayer, I see a resemblance to the format of a letter. Perhaps that's because my second job as a teenager was as a secretary. Although the One to whom we are directing our prayer is the King of kings and the Creator of everything, we use the more familiar term, "Our Father," instead of calling Him Elohim – Strong One, or any of the more formal names of God. In calling Him "Our Father", we recognize Him as being the Head or Patriarch of our spiritual home.
Next, we state His address: "Our Father which art in heaven."
Heaven is the name of God's kingdom. In naming His kingdom, we recognize that He is its ruler. Deuteronomy 10:14 assures us, "Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it." (New King James Version)
Heaven is also our destination toward which we, as believers, are headed when we shed our earthly shells. Although we look upward and think of Heaven as being up there somewhere, Ephesians 6:12 indicates that there are spiritual dimensions that we cannot see with our human eyes: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." (New King James Version)
That tells us that there are principalities of darkness that are not visible to us. Rulers of spiritual wickedness govern those multiple principalities. A principality is a territory or country that a prince governs rather than a king. Therefore, there is an entire spiritual realm that is not visible to us, but it still exists. Within that realm, Heaven is God's kingdom. A kingdom is superior to a principality. Consequently, God ranks higher than the princes of darkness that try to trap us.
Unlike a president, a king is responsible for the well-being of his people. If the citizens are not well-fed and not well-clothed, their state of need reflects poorly on the king's ability to provide for them. That causes him to lose status among other rulers.
Luke 12:29-31 refers to God's obligation as the ruler of His kingdom – Heaven – when it states, "29) And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30) For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31) But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you." (New King James Version)
In the spiritual realm, the kingdom of God stands out as the one in which the Ruler, God, cares for His people and watches over them.
There will always be people that refuse to believe that God and His kingdom exist. The Bible anticipates that in Psalm 14:1-2 where it says, "1) The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good. 2) The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God." (New King James Version)
The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek Him. [Photographer: Jack Moreh. Photo courtesy of Stockvault.net.]
Psalm 33:13-14 reinforces that by saying, "13) The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. 14) From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth;" (New King James Version)
We know He is there because the Bible records several times when God spoke in an audible voice. Once was in the fourth chapter of Daniel when King Nebuchadnezzar was congratulating himself on having such a marvelous royal palace to honor himself, and God stopped him: "31) While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: 'King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32) And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.' 33) That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws." (New King James Version)
Another instance of God speaking in an audible voice is told to us in Matthew 3:16-17 : "16) When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17) And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'" (New King James Version)
The Bible cites other times in which God spoke in an audible voice, but those are sufficient to assure us that He is in Heaven. And, since He speaks, He also listens to us when we pray. In talking to Him, we are seeking Him and following the advice of Luke 12:31 that we read earlier: "31) But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."
We don't have to wait until we are having problems to seek God and pray. [Photographer: Jack Moreh. Photo courtesy of Stockvault.net.]
BIBLE VERSES FOR THIS POSTING
Deuteronomy 10:14 — Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it. (New King James Version)
Deuteronomio 10:14 — He aquí, de Jehová tu Dios son los cielos, y los cielos de los cielos, la tierra, y todas las cosas que hay en ella. (Reina-Valera 1960)
Ephesians 6:12 — For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (New King James Version)
Efesios 6:12 — Porque no tenemos lucha contra sangre y carne, sino contra principados, contra potestades, contra los gobernadores de las tinieblas de este siglo, contra huestes espirituales de maldad en las regiones celestes. (Reina-Valera 1960)
Luke 12:29-31 — 29) And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. 30) For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. 31) But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. (New King James Version)
Lucas 12:29-31 — 29) Vosotros, pues, no os preocupéis por lo que habéis de comer, ni por lo que habéis de beber, ni estéis en ansiosa inquietud. 30) Porque todas estas cosas buscan las gentes del mundo; pero vuestro Padre sabe que tenéis necesidad de estas cosas. 31) Mas buscad el reino de Dios, y todas estas cosas os serán añadidas. (Reina-Valera 1960)
Psalm 14:1-2 — 1) The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good. 2) The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. (New King James Version)
Salmos 14:1-2 — 1) Dice el necio en su corazón: No hay Dios. Se han corrompido, hacen obras abominables; No hay quien haga el bien. 2) Jehová miró desde los cielos sobre los hijos de los hombres, Para ver si había algún entendido, Que buscara a Dios. (Reina-Valera 1960)
Psalm 33:13-14 — 13) The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. 14) From the place of His dwelling He looks On all the inhabitants of the earth; (New King James Version)
Salmos 33:13-14 — 13) Desde los cielos miró Jehová; Vio a todos los hijos de los hombres; 14) Desde el lugar de su morada miró Sobre todos los moradores de la tierra. (Reina-Valera 1960)
Daniel 4:31-33 — 31) While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! 32) And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses." 33) That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws. (New King James Version)
Daniel 4:31-33 — 31) Aún estaba la palabra en la boca del rey, cuando vino una voz del cielo: A ti se te dice, rey Nabucodonosor: El reino ha sido quitado de ti; 32) y de entre los hombres te arrojarán, y con las bestias del campo será tu habitación, y como a los bueyes te apacentarán; y siete tiempos pasarán sobre ti, hasta que reconozcas que el Altísimo tiene el dominio en el reino de los hombres, y lo da a quien él quiere. 33) En la misma hora se cumplió la palabra sobre Nabucodonosor, y fue echado de entre los hombres; y comía hierba como los bueyes, y su cuerpo se mojaba con el rocío del cielo, hasta que su pelo creció como plumas de águila, y sus uñas como las de las aves. (Reina-Valera 1960)
Matthew 3:16-17 — When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17) And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (New King James Version)
Mateo 3:16-17 — 16) Y Jesús, después que fue bautizado, subió luego del agua; y he aquí los cielos le fueron abiertos, y vio al Espíritu de Dios que descendía como paloma, y venía sobre él. 17) Y hubo una voz de los cielos, que decía: Este es mi Hijo amado, en quien tengo complacencia. (Reina-Valera 1960)
"And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." [Image courtesy of freejesuschristwallpaper.com, a former website no longer available]
