Beloved new covenant saints!  Jesus once declared that, “every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old” (Matthew 13:52). And today, we have before us something that is both new and old. 

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

This petition concerning God’s kingdom and will follows the trajectory of Genesis 3:4-5, where the serpent attempts to overthrow God’s kingdom in His Temple. Notice carefully: the Father’s kingdom is bound up in His will being done on earth as it is in heaven. This is temple language. The Jewish tabernacle/temple was understood spiritually to be the meeting place where heaven and earth intersected, where communion occurred between God and His human servants.

In Eden, the serpent strikes at God’s kingdom, the earthly Temple patterned after the heavenly one (Exodus 25:40; Hebrews 8:5; Revelation 22:1-2). His rebellion seeks to thwart the priestly kingdom of Adam, who was given divine dominion over the earth, including dominion over the subtle beasts of the field. The serpent seeks to undo God’s will on earth by advancing his own twisted will, bringing mankind into the judgment of death through sin. Satan’s intent is to oppose the kingdom of God by overthrowing the Temple and its priestly image-bearers.

Thus, the Lord’s Prayer is a cry to overthrow the devil’s rebellious kingdom and will. It calls saints to pray for God’s kingdom to come and for all competing kingdoms to be destroyed. We cry out for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Ultimately, this petition seeks the perfection of God’s will in His earthly temple dwelling—that is, in us, as it is in Jesus (Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 3:9-10).

(For more on the Garden of Eden as God’s prototypical Temple, see: The City of God and Heaven on Earth, both by Desmond Alexander.)

Matthew 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Here, Jesus teaches His disciples to seek daily provision from the Father of glory. This bread encompasses all that is necessary for sustaining both physical and spiritual life. Saints understand that “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Jesus Himself is the living bread from heaven, the source of eternal life (John 6:48-51).

This petition corresponds to Genesis 3:6, where the woman is tempted by the food of the forbidden tree. The serpent falsely promises her that she will “not surely die” and that eating the fruit will make her wise, “like God.” In this scene, Satan acts as an anti-christ, offering food that promises life and wisdom but delivers only death.

Yet, as only God can, He turns the tables on the serpent. He sends His only begotten Son to die for mankind on a cursed tree. By eating the food of this tree—Christ’s flesh and blood—we are granted the eternal promise of life: we “shall not surely die” but will be conformed to the true wisdom and likeness of God (Colossians 2:3; Romans 8:29).

Let this petition for daily bread be a mighty sword against the devil’s venomous buffet of deception and death. May the Gospel of Jesus Christ be our eternal banqueting feast of love!

Matthew 6:12 “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

Here, the Good Shepherd calls out to His lost sheep, inviting us to seek Him in our sin, shame, and rebellion. He teaches us to freely petition the Father for grace and mercy, crying out for forgiveness. What steadfast love of God is this!

This petition parallels the Genesis 3 scene where Adam and his wife are found naked, ashamed, and hiding from God (Genesis 3:7-12). Having transgressed the covenant command and believed the serpent’s lie, they attempt a desperate, self-righteous covering with fig leaves. Yet, their makeshift loincloths cannot erase their shame, and they hide further among the trees, afraid of God’s presence.

But God comes seeking them—not to consume them but to lead them toward the promise of redemption through the Offspring to come.

In the Lord’s Prayer, this redemptive grace is captured in “forgive us our debts.” And, in extending forgiveness to others, “as we forgive our debtors,” we embody the very grace we have received.

Our sin is never alone, so our forgiveness must never stand alone. A forgiven people must be a forgiving people. Those who have known the unsearchable riches of grace must lavish grace on others. In doing so, we overthrow the devil’s snare, which seeks to drag us into a web of shame, unforgiveness, fear, and self-righteousness.

Run to Jesus always, dear saints! He seeks the lost sheep and brings them home with great joy.

Matthew 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation.”

Here, Jesus teaches us to pray against the many ways in which we are easily tempted and led astray. While God does not lead anyone into temptation, He allows trials to test, refine, and strengthen His people for their ultimate good.

This petition echoes Genesis 3:13, where the woman says, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” The serpent is revealed as a cunning liar and deceiver, using humanity’s faculties—sight, thoughts, desires, and appetites—to lead them astray. In Hebrew, the word for serpent (nachash) is associated with gleaming, deception, and false light, underscoring the spiritual nature of his power.

Knowing the schemes of the devil, we are called to stand clothed in the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11).

Matthew 6:13 “But deliver us from evil (the evil one).”

This is the great petition of the Exodus: “deliver us.” God’s deliverance in Scripture always comes at the expense of His enemies—whether the Flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, Pharaoh, Jericho, Goliath, or the prophets of Baal. Each story is a testament to God’s justice and salvation.

This petition corresponds to Genesis 3:14, where God curses the serpent, condemning him to crawl on his belly and eat dust. This curse points to Satan’s ultimate destruction, fulfilled in the crushing of his head by the promised Offspring.

The garments of skin in Genesis 3:21 symbolize the cost of redemption—a beast meeting a violent end to provide a covering for Adam and Eve. Likewise, Jesus, the Lamb of God, bore violent death to clothe us in righteousness.

Matthew 6:13 “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”

This concluding doxology moves from petition to proclamation! It boldly declares that the Kingdom belongs to God and His anointed King, Jesus. There is no place for the serpent and his brood. The Kingdom of God will come in absolute power and blazing glory, forever.

This declaration ties to Genesis 3:15, where the woman’s Offspring is promised to crush the serpent’s head. This victory, fully secured at the Cross, is proclaimed in Colossians 2:15: “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.”

Conclusion

Dear reader, I humbly rest my pen here. The Lord’s Prayer follows the Genesis 3 pattern and serves as a mighty weapon of the Spirit to tear down strongholds and battle the dragon—the ancient serpent, the devil, and Satan.

Let us pray this prayer with greater confidence, knowing that our God is for us. He will never leave us or forsake us. He pursues us unto victory through the triumph of the Cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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