Matthew 6:6-10

 

Mat 6:6 (KJB)

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

 

The closet could have been a storeroom or the innermost room in a home. One was to enter into that room and shut the door. If the door is open just a little bit, our human nature might take over and we will become theatrical. This is why Jesus stated that the door was to be shut. In fact, the word “enter” in the Greek is in the Imperative Mood making it a command for us to pray privately. When we are in the room with the door shut, then we can pray to God the most innermost desires of our heart without feeling embarrassed to do so. If we pray in a group, we will skip anything that may bring shame upon us and the very thing we want to pray about, we won’t. This is why we are to be alone in our room. If we pray sincerely, privately and secretly, then God promises to answer that prayer and answer it openly. (John 1:18 KJV) No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. God is also very private and when we pray in this fashion, it corresponds to God’s nature and that is why He will answer those prayers openly.

 

Mat 6:7 (KJB)

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

 

Vain repetitions - Babble or stutter or stammer

 

Jesus is now going to give an example of how a person is to pray. First of all, He denounces the way some of the pagans had prayed with their foolish talking or their babbling. It was normally done with idolatry. Jesus also denounced the fact that the Pharisees would also make real long prayers for show. (Mark 12:40 KJV) Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. Then other types of vain repetitions would those in Roman Catholicism who recite the Rosary. Then those in Hinduism that recite the same mantras. Then those in Buddhism that use prayer wheels believing that with every spin a prayer goes up to Heaven. Then in the charismatic movement there is the gibberish of the modern tongues movement. Jesus is pointing out that these people think that if they somehow make long prayers or repetitive ones, that they will be heard of the Lord.

 

Mat 6:8 (KJB)

Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

 

Jesus is warning the people that they should not adopt the false practices of these false teachers. Long prayers and gibberish does not make any type of true communication between God and His children. True prayer is opening one’s heart to the Lord, in both glorification and supplication. Jesus then tells the people something very interesting. Notice He uses the term “your Father” and not “their Father.” That is because Jesus had already named who the father of the Pharisees was. (John 8:44 KJV) Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. They are of their father the devil. Jesus tells the disciples and those listening to Him that their Father already knows what they need before they come to Him in prayer. God wants His children to come to Him in dependence upon Him. It is to demonstrate their trust in Him by praying to Him and leaving all the details for Him to work out. In Luke 18, Jesus gave a parable teaching importunate prayer and that true Christians are to continually pray.

 

Mat 6:9 (KJB)

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

 

Our Father - The term “our Father” indicates a personal relationship with God the Father and this only happens when one is saved in the Lord Jesus Christ. The word “our” is plural word denoting a brotherly relationship with other true Christians. While we can think of God the Father as our own personal Father, He has millions of children worldwide. This is not an implication of the universal fatherhood of God, but it states the universal brotherhood of all true believers. "Father" indicates the familial relationship between God and His children.

 

Which Art In Heaven - God is in Heaven meaning that He is higher than man's earth. (Psa 20:6 KJV) Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand. We must realize that God is the King of the Universe and Heaven and that He is the potter and we are the clay. The fact that we realize God is in Heaven, means we understand that we are the creation and He is the Creator. We come to God in faith knowing that we are on earth and He is in Heaven. (Heb 11:6 KJV) But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Some of the New Age based religions teach that we can become a god and that is so false. This is why we acknowledge the fact that the true God is in Heaven and if anyone states they are god, then we know they are false.

 

Hallowed Be Thy Name - God is to be reverenced. Hallowed means to make holy. This is why God’s name is never to be attached to a swear word or even some type of “joke.” Since Jesus and the Holy Spirit are also God, then their names are not to be used as swear words or even in a common manner. His name is holy and we find many places in the Bible where it speaks about the worship of God because of His holiness. David felt this part of prayer was so important that he had a group of men in the temple to do just that. (1 Chr 23:5 KJV) Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise therewith. (1 Chr 25:7 KJV) So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred fourscore and eight. God is so holy that he is worshipped by special angels. (Rev 4:8 KJV) And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. As Christians when we approach God, it must be in the Spirit, that is, we must be saved because otherwise we are in the flesh and God does not hear the prayer of the unbeliever. (John 4:23-24 KJV) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. {24} God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Unsaved man is spiritually dead and still in their sins and therefore can never come into God’s holy presence.

 

Mat 6:10 (KJB)

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

 

Thy Kingdom Come - When Jesus was speaking at this time there was an expectation that the Kingdom of God would arrive when the Messiah came. Many have attached this verse to the false teaching of a literal thousand year reign of Christ. The Kingdom of God which came is made up of those who are born again in the Lord Jesus Christ. The kingdom of God is the church and it will not be a visible kingdom as some are looking for. (Luke 17:20-21 KJV) And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: {21} Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. The only time the church is visible is when it is assembled for worship. The ultimate fulfilling of this coming Kingdom will be when the New Heavens and the New Earth are created after this present age is completed with the Great White Throne Judgment and then God makes everything new for eternity.

 

Thy Will Be Done In Earth As It Is In Heaven - At the present time, God's will is that He redeem a people for Himself. He did this by establishing His salvation plan on earth. God's will for salvation was established in heaven before the foundations of the world. (Eph 1:4 KJV) According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Before Adam and Eve sinned, they walked in harmony with God but once they sinned, that fellowship was broken and had to be restored by means of Christ going to the cross. The ultimate will of God is for His people to become saved. When a person becomes saved in Christ, they are then made holy by means of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. So the believer is the extension of the holiness found in Heaven but on earth. (Rom 14:17 KJV) For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Notice in Ephesians 1:4, we see that the believer should be “holy,” and that holiness comes from Heaven as God establishes His will that His children will be holy for He is holy. That holiness comes to the believer by the imputed righteousness of Christ.

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