Jesus' two prayer models
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We have to pray according to the original Christian form of prayer. There are many books on the benefits and miraculous effects of prayer, but it is better to focus on the prayer model of Jesus Christ.
We have two different NT. teachings about the biblical prayer model. The first is the well-known outline, recorded in Mt. 6:
model A - The "Our Father" prayer
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Mt 6:9-13
"Hallowed" - means "revered as holy / saint".
"Your name" - actually Your names must be proclaimed, respected and reflected in our lifes.
"Your kingdom" come i.e. your dominion and territory come. This is related to understanding the previous statement and that His will, the will of the Lord be done.
It is not our dominion and not our will.
The so called "Faith movements" end here, but the believers, the people of faith learn to live in synchronism with the Lord's thoughts and heart. Then we pray according to his will and heaven will be seen on earth.
Study on the "Our Father Prayer"
model B – The 2 phases or 2 stages model
However, Jesus often used the "2 phase prayer model" too. We, sometimes call it: "Tabernacle of David"..or 'Davidic' prayer-tent. Pls. don't forget, this is Jesus' very own family-heritage, the Davidic lineage. Practically this is the technical implementation of the outline model:
- Inside - briefing
- Outside - Action & Mission (and avoiding the seemingly good things.)
We have numerous psalms where we can learn this. Psalms of pain, psalms in times of trouble, psalms in times of struggle and victory...
One good example is the conflict in Psalm 73 {ESV} :
my steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked...
verse 16...
But when I thought how to understand this,
it seemed to me a wearisome task,
The connection between "in" and "out"
Jesus taught his disciples about this lifestyle, and we should be really grateful for the record:
Jn 8:26-27
I have much to say about you and much to judge,
(They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.)
Mk 3:14-15
He also appointed 12 (...)
For many it is important to understand that Jesus Christ is not a priest of the Levitical order but the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek* (Gen 14:17-20 Ps 110 and Heb 7) He consciously prayed and worked according to the two phases and according to the highest authority. Since..
• Melchizedek is the representative of Gd Most High
• Melchizedek is a High Priest with intercessor prayer
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• Melchizedek is a King with delivering power
How can the heart and character of God be seen in the mentored actions of Jesus?
The Tabernacle of David
The Tabernacle - building a place for HIS Presence
Building a place for the - 24/7 worship and adoration, in shifts. 1 Cron 15 & 16 says:
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David built houses for himself in the city of David*, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent** for it.
...
David assembled all Israel at Jerusalem to bring the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it. Then he gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites...
David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar and the Levites...
“You are the heads of the Levite families. You and your relatives must consecrate yourselves so that you may bring the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it.”
...
Then David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their relatives as singers and to have them raise their voices with joy accompanied by musical instruments — harps, lyres, and cymbals...
...
Now David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, as well as the singers and Chenaniah, the music leader of the singers. David also wore a linen ephod. So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouts, the sound of the ram’s horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and the playing of harps and lyres.
...
They brought the ark of God and placed it inside the tent David had pitched for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in God’s presence. When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh.
...
David appointed some of the Levites to be ministers before the ark of the Lord, to celebrate the Lord God of Israel, and to give thanks and praise to Him... regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.
...
*the central part of the ancient Jerusalem
** This is NOT the "Place of the Meeting", not the tent of Moses. David didn't break the Law, stepping into the Holy of Holy. Indeed he himself pitched a tent for the Ark and strangely enough, he didn't die when he went in there. When we understand that David is the ancestor of Jesus Christ and of the lineage according to the blessing and the order of Melchizedek, our wonder is transformed to understanding.
This co-working model is particularly important for us.
First: we, Christians can freely step into the place of grace:
Heb. 4:16
Eph 3:12
“I will never leave you nor forsake you”
So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”
Heb 13:5-6 → Ps 56:4; 118:6
Second: this is the very model the apostles saw as the restoration of the Lord:
After they finished speaking, James replied,
“Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And
and I will rebuild the Tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will restore it,
*Cited from Amos 9:11, 12;
The apostles were very consciously following the 'Tabernacle of David' message and model, because this is the Royal House of Jesus Christ. David used the unique opportunity "to be kept in touch". But this is also a prophetical message because it defines the positions and possibilities of the believer up to the present days! As we read, the dynamics of this model consist of two significant parts: Having a briefing in His presence and faithfully taking actions = radiance. For authority & power comes by obedience.
King David's example tells us, that he had inspiration, intimacy and briefing in the prayer tent, he established the 24/7 worship and adoration, his officials were witnesses and highly appreciated comrades during the Davidic kingdom, and the unity between the tribes was inevitable in this period. It is also worth mentioning again that here, in this way David personally was walking in the way of Melchizedek's priesthood rather than in the way of the Ten Commandments. His praise was offered and conducted directly to God and not just through the layer of the priests. He himself initiated others into the priestly ministry, not merely "visiting the professionals" as a top politician.
His personal dependence and accountability were inevitable and inseparable from each other and from his rank and calling. He declared to everyone around him that the countenance and presence of God is the starting point of all earthly power and might. He himself became The Mark, the Banner, the embodied /incarnate Message, the prototype for many.
With this co-working model David has established the State / Kingdom of Israel. This model was well known among The Twelve. And this is a base model for every believer, for every leader, for the people of the responsibility. {Act 6:2,4-5 /a} And yes, for the fathers also.
How many churches wish to reach out to the end of the Earth, sending missionaries - without using the apostolic /Jesus model, without having the Lord's countenance, then sending, activating, facilitating the chosen church members, mentoring and encouraging them by matured leaders?
did they win the land,
nor did their own arm
give them victory;
but your right hand,
and your arm,
command victories for Jacob.
Psalm. 44:3-4
The place for the prayers
Let's look at the physical building first. King David wanted to build a Temple instead of a Tabernacle, but JHVH had other plans:
David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent.”...
But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan,
“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in. For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from dwelling to dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”
.. I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more...
.. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house.
... I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.
The Tabernacle - today
Jesus tabernacled among us. He entered the Earth... Became a body.
And the apostles understood exactly the significance of this and the prophetic context. Let us now return to the great recognition of the apostolic church:
.. as it is written:
and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen;
I will rebuild its ruins,
and I will restore it,
and all the Gentiles who are called by my name,
says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’
Act 15:13-18
The apostles fully understood that Christ's great commission, sending then out to the nations by authority, meant
Mk 3:14-15
The apostles understood perfectly well that Christ's appearing was a significant milestone on earth in the history of the worship and that his perfect priestly ministry required him to serve eternally in heaven as an intercessory high-priest-in-heaven.
Christ has entered,
Heb 9:24
Well - dwelling in HIS Presence is a really majestic task. But surprisingly simple when we understand our new status in the new covenant.
We have... a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,
Heb 6:19-20
These all things happened by the Cross. Through the cross, the veil of separation between God and man was removed.
Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
And behold, the curtain of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
Mt 27:50-51
Thus came the new milestone of the worship, the new era of the Church, which after Pentecost was complete in believers.
you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?... God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
..do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
1Cor 3:16-17 and 6:19
Old truth: When the apostle Paul says: "don't you know?" - we don't know...
All these teachings mean that the original Temple building became idle in the New Testament. We can see in the history that it was demolished. It means that The ark, the shape of the presence bearer has also changed its appearance.
And the Apostles have straightforward teaching about
Rethink: The Lord Almighty is timeless.
This co-working model is timeless.
This is the essence of Jesus earthly mission too. This mission came about in the vertical relationship (praying before the throne of grace), so we can see the results in the horizontal relationship {Jesus and people}. We can also see the fruits in his discipleship and priestly duties. This is what Jesus learned and passed on to the disciples.
summa
The apostolic teaching - non surprisingly - reinforce us to follow the 2 phase model which calls the Lord's countenance and obeying the Lord's briefing. Do not worry, do not forget:
Rm 5:2 {ESV}
Heb. 4:16
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