PMW 2024-079 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

The Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9–13 is well-structured and beautiful, despite its being quite succinct. If we look carefully at it, we will discover in its structure marvelous insights into just how postmillennial it really is. It is much more postmillennial in orientation than many have thought. Let me explain.

YOUR KINGDOM COME

We all recognize the postmillennial potential for two of its dramatic petitions: “Your kingdom come” and “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” These (and all the petitions in the Lord’s Prayer) are in the aorist imperative form. Thus, they express the urgency of the pleas and the fervent desires behind the petitions.

The petitions currently before us are two future-oriented petitions asking that God bring his kingdom to bear over all the earth (the kingdom of God is his sovereign reign). This will ultimately transpire, of course, at the Last Day at the Second Coming of Christ which brings about the Final Judgment. These history-ending acts will dramatically, permanently, and fully establish the consummate New Heavens and New Earth wherein dwells righteousness.

But the seed of the ultimate new creation has already begun in the incarnational ministry of Christ, especially in his resurrection and ascension. For Paul teaches that we are now little “new creations” (2 Cor. 5:17). This is because we have already been resurrected spiritually (John 5:24–25) in anticipation of and as a pointer to our future, consummate, physical resurrection (John 5:28–29). These and other redemptive truths partake of the “Now but Not Yet” schema of New Testament redemption. For the New Testament teaches that (even in the first century and continuing until today): we are already tasting “the powers of the age to come” (Heb. 6:5) though we are living in the present, the “now” age.

The Truth about Postmillennialism
By Ken Gentry

A group Bible study guide for explaining the optimistic prophetic hope for this world to be accomplished before Christ’s Second Coming. Establishes the postmillennial system in both the Old and New Testaments. Touches on key eschatological issues, such as creation, covenant, interpretive methodolgy, the great tribulation, the Book of Revelation, the Jewish Temple, and more. It presents and answers the leading objections to postmillennialism.Twelve chapters are ideal for one quarter of Sunday School.

See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com

Nevertheless, embedded in the petitions of Lord’s Prayer there is more than initially meets the ear, you might say. In fact, we should look back to the first petition to properly understand it in its contextual flow.

YOUR NAME BE HALLOWED

The first petition in the Prayer is: “Your name be hallowed” (Matt. 6:9b). We must understand that this aorist imperative expression is a petition, not a declaration; it is a plea for divine action, not a simple affirmation. It humbly calls upon God to make his name holy among men; it does not merely state the fact that God’s name is holy.

The immediately following petitions are “Your kingdom come” and “Your will be done.” Thus, we must understand the first petition as a call for God to powerfully act so that all the world can see that he is “holy and awesome” when he sends forth his redemption in history (Psa. 111:9). The first petition is much more than a call for man to simply confess God’s holy name (though it obviously includes that). It is rather more fully, a call for God powerfully to make himself known and feared in history.

The Truth about Salvation By Ken Gentry

A study guide for personal or small group Bible study. Deals with the Christian doctrine of salvation from a Reformed theological perspective. It opens with a study of God as loving Creator, the shows how the first man fell into sin. Shows God’s righteousness requires that sin be dealt with. Presents Jesus as both God and man so that he can be man’s Savior. Includes review questions and questions for further study.Twelve chapters are ideal for one quarter of Sunday School.

See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com

This petition assumes that God’s name is not presently widely revered (“hallowed”) as such. The vast majority of mankind is either ignorant of God’s glory (by suppressing the truth in unrighteousness) or actually defiant against it: they continue in their unbelief and are therefore blind to God’s glory. But when we consider the Old Testament backdrop, we see that such a petition refers to God’s powerful action in defending and promoting his holy name.

In Ezekiel 36:22–23 we see this understanding clearly exhibited: “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went. I will vindicate the holiness of My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord.”

Thus, the first petition introduces and flows directly into the second: “Your kingdom come” (Matt. 6:10a). Christ constantly proclaimed his kingdom during his earthly ministry. So, this call for God’s kingdom to “come” presents a plea to God to act gloriously to establish his kingdom. Consequently, this petition is given as a plea for future action (notice the future expectation in Matt. 25:34; Luke 12:32; 1 Cor. 15:50; 2 Pet. 1:11), even though the kingdom has already come in the person of Christ (Matt. 12:28; 21:31; Mark 10:15; Col. 1:13). After all, Jesus declares while on earth: “behold the kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:21), speaking of his presence among them.

Jesus teaches in many places that the kingdom will come to fruition slowly in history. It will gradually unfold in time and on earth, moving toward a grand conclusion as God answers his Son’s prayer. We see this, for instance, in the parables of the soils (Mark 4:3–8), the planted seed (Mark 4:26–29), the mustard seed (Mark 4:30–32), and the leaven (Matt. 13:33). Consequently, we see this expected in his call to make disciples of all the nations (Matt. 28:18–20).

Greatness of the Great Commission (by Ken Gentry)

An insightful analysis of the full implications of the great commission. Impacts postmillennialism as well as the whole Christian worldview.

See more study materials at: www.KennethGentry.com

YOUR WILL BE DONE ON EARTH

And all of this leads to the third petition: “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10b). Again this is not just a prayer for the conversion of mankind so that they might live for God, seeking to do his will as revealed in his word (though it involves that). Rather it is, once again, a petition, a plea, a call for God to act in history in order to effect his will among men through his powerful redemptive work. It asks God to establish his holy will in the affairs of men and nations.

AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

Then we then hear Jesus add that all is to be done “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10c). This looks back to the whole three-part series of petitions. First, that God powerfully promote his name as holy among the nations. Then that he might act to make his kingdom known and experienced in fullness throughout the world. And finally that in all of this God’s righteous will should be effected among all men, just as God intended in the beginning.

And all of this is the postmillennial hope. Or perhaps better, the postmillennial expectation.

Reformed Eschatology in the Writings of Geerhardus Vos
Ed. by Ken Gentry and Bill Boney
This is a collection of several key eschatological studies by the renowned Reformed theologian Geehardus Vos. We have modernized Vos’ grammar and syntax and updated his layout style according to modern publishing conventions (shorter sentences and paragraphs). We did this without changing any of Vos’ arguments.

For information on the upcoming Geerhardus Vos work or to pre-order it, see:
https://axeheadpress.com/pages/coming-soon-vos