Continuing on the "Lord's Prayer, the phrase "On earth as it is in Heaven" is the next segment to study.
Jesus had just spoke and asked for God's will to be done in this prayer, and now He asks God's will be done here, on earth as it is already being done in Heaven.
Two things to consider: 1) His disciples were like many in Israel during that time, they too were looking for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel from Roman occupation. This is precisely why Palm Sunday became such a celebrated affair. 2) Jesus makes this strong statement in the earthly domain of the Evil One, Satan, who had already proclaimed himself the Prince of this domain (earth). I would conclude Satan had a 24/7 watch on Jesus, and perhaps was right there among them as Jesus was teaching His disciples how to pray. Was Jesus making a Declaration of War on this domain of Darkness as He was teaching on prayer? One could conclude that is exactly what He was doing.
Yet hindsight is clear, Jesus had not arrived to save Israel from Roman occupation. He came to destroy the power of Darkness. The kingdom of Darkness was then and still today out to destroy any attempt by mankind to have a friendship with God...that is, until He arrived and advanced the Kingdom of God...His way. His instructions are laid out specifically in this prayer.
So how is this "On earth as it is in Heaven" thing suppose to work?
In the Gospel of Luke, an interesting event had occurred which is described in Luke 4: 18-21. Jesus was attending service in a local synagogue. He was given opportunity to read the Sacred text in scroll form. He read from the book of Isaiah and orally proclaimed: " The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me, to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind. Those oppressed are to be released (immediately) and proclaim this as the time of the Lord's favor. "
After Jesus had concluded this reading, the scroll was rolled up, returned to the attendant, and He sat down. Everyone had their eyes fixed upon Him. He then spoke again and said: " Today, this ancient Scripture written by Isaiah centuries before, has now been fulfilled in this very synagogue, on this very day." God's will on this earth as it has been proclaimed in Heaven, has now arrived.
God's will on earth is to do the very things Jesus had announced. As His Kingdom arrives in our hearts, we are to distribute this message according to the instructions given in this passage in Isaiah. When pain surrounds us, we are to bring His healing and comfort. Where suffering looms, we are to offer relief through His love for those in such a state. Where injustice is prevalent, we stand for what is right, offering solutions during such times of adversity. Most of all, we are to share with others the good news of the Gospel. The good news is this: He is alive and has come to restore our friendship to God, whom Jesus now teaches us in this prayer, we can call Him "Our Father."
The Sacred Scriptures are viewed, studied, and translated in various methods. One way of interpreting the Scripture is by "painting a picture" in the mind of the reader. Eugene Peterson's "The Messenger" is a version of Scripture that uses this style.
Hebrews 2:15 in "The Messenger"reads: " By embracing Death, taking Death right into Himself, He destroyed all the devil's strongholds and freed all those who cower through this life, scared to death...of Death."
God's will on earth is accomplished when we surrender to His way of life. When we invite Him into our hearts and commit our lives to accepting the ways of His kingdom above all else in our lives here on earth, then we have opened the door for His will to be done on earth...through us!
In Mathew 16 Jesus pressed His disciples asking them: "How about you?...Who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied: " You are the Christ, the Messiah, and You are the Son of the living God!"
The will of God...has come to earth.
Jesus had just spoke and asked for God's will to be done in this prayer, and now He asks God's will be done here, on earth as it is already being done in Heaven.
Two things to consider: 1) His disciples were like many in Israel during that time, they too were looking for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel from Roman occupation. This is precisely why Palm Sunday became such a celebrated affair. 2) Jesus makes this strong statement in the earthly domain of the Evil One, Satan, who had already proclaimed himself the Prince of this domain (earth). I would conclude Satan had a 24/7 watch on Jesus, and perhaps was right there among them as Jesus was teaching His disciples how to pray. Was Jesus making a Declaration of War on this domain of Darkness as He was teaching on prayer? One could conclude that is exactly what He was doing.
Yet hindsight is clear, Jesus had not arrived to save Israel from Roman occupation. He came to destroy the power of Darkness. The kingdom of Darkness was then and still today out to destroy any attempt by mankind to have a friendship with God...that is, until He arrived and advanced the Kingdom of God...His way. His instructions are laid out specifically in this prayer.
So how is this "On earth as it is in Heaven" thing suppose to work?
In the Gospel of Luke, an interesting event had occurred which is described in Luke 4: 18-21. Jesus was attending service in a local synagogue. He was given opportunity to read the Sacred text in scroll form. He read from the book of Isaiah and orally proclaimed: " The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me, to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind. Those oppressed are to be released (immediately) and proclaim this as the time of the Lord's favor. "
After Jesus had concluded this reading, the scroll was rolled up, returned to the attendant, and He sat down. Everyone had their eyes fixed upon Him. He then spoke again and said: " Today, this ancient Scripture written by Isaiah centuries before, has now been fulfilled in this very synagogue, on this very day." God's will on this earth as it has been proclaimed in Heaven, has now arrived.
God's will on earth is to do the very things Jesus had announced. As His Kingdom arrives in our hearts, we are to distribute this message according to the instructions given in this passage in Isaiah. When pain surrounds us, we are to bring His healing and comfort. Where suffering looms, we are to offer relief through His love for those in such a state. Where injustice is prevalent, we stand for what is right, offering solutions during such times of adversity. Most of all, we are to share with others the good news of the Gospel. The good news is this: He is alive and has come to restore our friendship to God, whom Jesus now teaches us in this prayer, we can call Him "Our Father."
The Sacred Scriptures are viewed, studied, and translated in various methods. One way of interpreting the Scripture is by "painting a picture" in the mind of the reader. Eugene Peterson's "The Messenger" is a version of Scripture that uses this style.
Hebrews 2:15 in "The Messenger"reads: " By embracing Death, taking Death right into Himself, He destroyed all the devil's strongholds and freed all those who cower through this life, scared to death...of Death."
God's will on earth is accomplished when we surrender to His way of life. When we invite Him into our hearts and commit our lives to accepting the ways of His kingdom above all else in our lives here on earth, then we have opened the door for His will to be done on earth...through us!
In Mathew 16 Jesus pressed His disciples asking them: "How about you?...Who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied: " You are the Christ, the Messiah, and You are the Son of the living God!"
The will of God...has come to earth.
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