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Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

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What does this commandment deal with?

The attitude of our worship - Take not the name of the Lord thy God in vain!

What is required? (the positive) By this commandment, God requires:

to use God’s name and ordinances in a reverent manner that gives a correct opinion of Himself

How is this done?

It is done by making the name of God, His titles, attributes, ordinances, Word, prayers, oaths, vows, His works, and whatever else there is whereby He makes Himself known, be holy, fearfully, and reverently held in thought, meditation, word, action, and writing.

What is forbidden? (the negative) to use God’s name or ordinances profanely (irreverently)

How is this done?

It is done by not using God’s name as He requires, and abusing it in an ignorant, vain, irreverent, profane, superstitious or wicked way. It is done by using His titles, attributes, ordinances, or works, by blasphemy or perjury; by all sinful cursing, oaths, vows; by violating our oaths and vows; by murmuring and quarreling with God about His works and providence; by misinterpreting, misapplying or any way perverting His Word; by use of profane jesting, unprofitable and useless questioning, maintaining false doctrines; maligning, scorning, reviling or any way opposing God’s truth, grace and ways; making profession of religion in hypocrisy or for selfish, sinister ends; being ashamed of God or His word and thus ignoring His Word and the commands written therein.

Why should we revere God in this way?

Because He is our Lord and our God, therefore His name should not be profaned, or any way abused by us; especially because He will be so far from acquitting and sparing the transgressors of this commandment, as that He will not suffer them to escape His righteous judgment.

 

Revering the Name of God

Exodus 20:7,8

Someone has said "Speech is evidence of character!" Our Lord said, Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A great philosopher said, "Speak that I may see you!" What we say in the country is "What’s down in the well comes up in the bucket!" In reading our passage it seems obvious that God is dealing with what we say, but what God is really dealing with is our inward hearts of reverence to the very name of God. It is dealing with our inward attitudes and reflections of our fear of God. Like always, it has two distinct parts: 1. Negatively, we must not take God’s name in vanity; that is, we must not cast any reflections and dishonor on his name. 2. Positively, We should take care to reverence and honor his name. In the first commandment we saw the object of worship: God; we then see the proper manner of worship: exclusively God; and now we learn the proper attitude: reverence and honor.

It is at this point that we should clarify a few words. First of all, to "take" God’s name means essentially to become a Christian. A woman "takes" her husband’s name when she takes her marriage vows. By these vows she promises exclusive commitment to her husband. What’s in a name? It is not merely a designation of title, but a description of character. All that a person is displayed by his name. When YHWH was used, it was pronounced only once a year by the priest when giving the blessing on the great Day of Atonement (Lev 23:27). When Scribes copied the manuscripts and came to the name YHWH, they would stop, bathe ceremonially, then go back to the scroll with an unused pen to write that name. YHWH was the majestic personal, covenantal, promise-keeping name of God that must be feared and revered. To take this name, and use it in vain means to make the name of God "unreal, empty, to have no value, frivolous, and insincere." We will look to night at how we negatively cast vain reflections upon the mighty name of God and then we will look at how we should reverence and honor the name of God.

I. Abusing or Misusing God’s Name - How do we abuse or misuse the name of God?

A. Using Profanity. This falls into two categories. The first being the category of swearing by false oaths. In the OT oaths were assumed to be part of a committed life. An oath is a solemn promise and declaration to fulfill the pledge. It was witnessed by a higher power that would make the person swearing accountable. In Deut 10:20 God instructed Israel that swearing in God’ name was a sign of spiritual strength. But once made, oaths were not to be broken under any circumstance. Leviticus 19:12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. Later, people began to swear by their life, or their beard, or by their health but avoided mentioning the name of God so that you would not be bound or held too accountable. In effect, the swearing became trivialized and indicated when a man could lie and when he couldn’t. This devalued integrity and created a picture of a profane God—an empty God, worthless, untrustworthy God and a worthless people. It became like kids crossing their fingers while saying one thing. If their fingers were crossed, then what they were saying could not be held against them. Christ dealt with this in Matthew 5:34-36 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. The reason Christ said this was because when they would swear correctly—by God—God stands behind everything. Oath taking is popular because people are basically liars—But God isn’t. So when we take an oath and do not live up to it, we make God a liar—which He isn’t. It thus profanes the very name and character of God Himself. The other category of profanity is of course uttering curse words or profanity. Someone once said, "Cursing shows an empty head and a wicked heart." This is taking the name of God and using for something other than His own honor and glory. This includes what I call primary cursing—using the names given to our Lord as expletives, or secondary cursing—words that mean the same but are changed - Jeez, gol, golly, jee-wiz, darn are forms of Jesus, God, and damn. These words and their real counter words show an utter contempt of God—that God is meaningless to me; empty and worthless. It shows a rebellion against God, for He clearly says do not use my name this way. It displays a rotten inner character attempts to shed any accountability of the supremacy of God. It shows a hatred for our fellowman when we pronounce damnation upon them or bid them to "go to hell." It also shows a warped view of God—God doesn’t damn anyone to hell—they damn themselves through their own rebellion and sin. This is a fool’s sin—in sin often there is a luring bait—a "reward" for sin—(stealing or adultery) but what do you get when you profane God? His judgement!

B. Frivolity - This is making light of the things of God. In the Lord’s prayer, the first thing we are confronted with is "hallowed be thy name." Psalm 83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth. This includes songs that trivialize God. (Happy Birthday to Jesus; "Sitting at McDonalds with Jesus") Eph 5:4 warns of foolish talking or jesting. We don’t joke about God or the things of God.

C. Hypocrisy - When we profess one thing that we do not possess—this is hypocrisy. Isaiah 48:1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. There are three areas of hypocrisy that we take God’s name in vain:

a. Vain Profession - Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

b. Vain Prayer - Matthew 6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. We don’t say prayers, we pray prayers.

c. Vain Praise - When we sing praise God with our lips and our hearts are empty. God calls for the heart for in it draws the will and affections after it. Isaiah 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: "My Jesus I love thee" "I Surrender All," "Take my silver and my gold, not a mite will I withhold…"

God will not hold these people guiltless. Can we not see Annanias and Saphira in this light—profaners of God that God held them guilty? It God condemns, then who can justify them? It God put them in prison, where shall he get bail? It God does not remove their guilt, they are left then only to the tormenter—Satan Himself.

II. Using the Name Reverently - This is the positive side. How then can we use the name of God with honor and reverence?

A. In Salvation! When the angel came to Mary to announce the birth of the Messiah, what did he say? "You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sin!" (Matt 1:21) Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Notice, it is not the Lord, but the name of the Lord—the whole of Jesus—Savior, King, Master, Redeemer—and so much more that all brings salvation! Why does God put stress on the name? Because there are so many false Gods—He reminds us all that there is only one Jesus—One God.

B. In Service! There are two areas that are significant.

1. Authority in Service - Our Lord’s authority is clearly the issue when we serve in the name of Jesus. When we sign our name to a check it authenticates that check showing the authority of the owners of that money that it is issued. In the Gospels, our Lord speaks of "receiving a child in His name; gathering in His name; giving water to drink in my name; ask in my name;" all demonstrating authority and power behind our service. We serve in the name of Christ means we come with the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the Great Commission, "all power is given unto me" was a demonstration of the authority, but also,

2. Approval in Service - When we sign that check, not only is there the authority of the owner, but the approval of that owner is implied that money can be paid to the endorser. This deals directly with the character of the owner—that in fact the money is there. When the name of Christ is there in our service, we have the very character of Christ and His glory that is at stake here.

C. In Security - Proverbs 18:10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. It is our security, our fortress, our safe guard, and our place of rest and health.

You see, the name of God is not empty, vain, or worthless and should not be projected in our lives that He is. Are you profane in your words? If you are, then you are profane in your heart. Do you treat lightly the things of God and treat them with frivolity? Are we hypocritical in our profession, prayer, and praise?

This third commandment says that we are to lift up the name of the Lord your God in everything you are and everything you do. "Speech is the sacred vehicle of the invisible soul." Matthew 12:36-37 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. This must begin personally. We must fear God and personally revere God’s name by what we do and say. We must demand this to be true at home by covenanting with God to see that your home reveres the name of God—not in pious tones of insincerely, but in honest reverence. Lastly, there ought to be a church-wide seeking to not take God name in vain in our worship by possessing what we profess, praying from our hearts, and praising from sincere hearts. Hallowed be the name of God. Philip. 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.