Forbidden Words – Taking God’s Name in Vain

In Exodus 20:7, God said, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” What is this? The word “vain” means: empty, futile, without significance, senseless. The word “take” here means: to lift, bear, carry along. In other words, the prohibition is against using the name of God in an empty, futile, or senseless way. The specific name is the Hebrew word YHWH. That is the name that God gave to Moses for Himself in Exodus 3:14.

God did not want the children of Israel using His name for vows or oaths that they did not intend to keep. Numbers 30:2 says, “If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” Using God’s name in association with an oath was a way of emphasizing that a person intended to complete his promise. This command is, fundamentally, a prohibition against lying about one’s future actions. The command, “Thou shalt not bear false witness,” concerned lying about things that had already transpired.

Not taking God’s name in vain is not limited, however, to just prohibiting empty vows. It also was designed to ensure that God’s name was honored and respected in general usage. The word “vain” can also mean “trivial.” Talking about God as if He were some common, unimportant thing, is also prohibited. The expression “Oh my God,” makes God into a trifle and does not honor or respect Him. It is not in keeping with the spirit of this command and should be removed from our vocabulary.

God bless you, and I love you.

Kevin Cauley