The Third Commandment – The Lord’s Name

1. Read: Exodus 20:1-17

2. About the Text:

1) God spoke the ten commandments directly to from heaven.

2) They are referred to as such in Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:3 and 10:4.

3) These commandments were the basis for the rest of the Mosaic Law.

4) They form the nucleus of God’s desires for men to live a moral and godly life.

5) They are not to be taken lightly.

6) The commands are also in two parts.

a. Love for God

b. Love for man.

3. The Ten Commandments today.

1) Today, we see the Ten Commandments in our schools.

2) They are a symbol to many for morality and righteousness.

4. The third commandment.

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

2) We see two parts to this commandment: command and consequence.

5. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. This is the first part: “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.”

1) The command is prohibitive like the first two.

2) In that regard, for one to do what is prohibited is sinful.

3) Remember the great command, “and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).

4) To take God’s name in vain is to disrespect God instead of love him.

2. The name of God.

1) The reference to God’s name here is to the name Yahweh.

2) When Moses asked God what his name was on Mount Sinai.

3) “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” (Exodus 3:14).

4) The name of God, however, goes beyond the mere four letters in the Hebrew alphabet with which God’s name is spelled.

5) It is the concept of God, the Great I Am, which we are to respect.

6) In essence invoking God’s name, or any word which would refer to God, is the concern of this commandment.

7) More specifically, God’s name was often invoked during oath taking and this command in essence states that if one is to use God’s name in an oath, he better be prepared to keep it.

8) Numbers 30:2 states, “When a man voweth a vow unto Jehovah, or sweareth an oath to bind his soul with a bond, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.”

3. To use God’s name in vain is to use it in an empty or meaningless way.

1) Cursing or Blaspheming God.

a. Pronouncing a curse or speaking ill of God.

b. “Then you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. And whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land. When he blasphemes the name of the LORD, he shall be put to death” (Leviticus 24:15-16).

2) Those who refer to God flippantly also take God’s name in vain.

a. This, in essence, makes God no more than a common slur.

b. The expression “Oh my God” is one that is used flippantly and without meaning by many.

c. “You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you” (Leviticus 22:32).”

d. “When they came to the nations, wherever they went, they profaned My holy name—when they said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and yet they have gone out of His land.’” (Ezekiel 36:20).

e. “That you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean” (Leviticus 10:10).

f. “And they shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the unholy…” (Ezekiel 44:23).

g. One would do well to avoid any euphemisms for God also.

3) Those who invoke God’s name in an oath without intending to follow through take God’s name in vain.

a. As we’ve seen, oaths were taken seriously by God.

b. Leviticus 19:12 “And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, and profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.”

c. Deuteronomy 23:21-22 “When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not be slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee. But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.”

4. Let’s also consider some New Testament principles in this regard.

1) Jesus taught clearly that we are not to make oaths.

a. Matthew 5:33 “Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: but I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by the heaven, for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one.”

b. James reiterates: “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by the heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath: but let your yea be yea, and your nay, nay; that ye fall not under judgment” (James 5:12).

c. “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name” (Matthew 5:9).

2) We also need to keep in mind respect and honor for God at all times.

a. Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer each one.”

b. Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but such as is good for edifying as the need may be, that it may give grace to them that hear.”

c. And certainly we don’t want to blaspheme God’s good name (2 Timothy 3:2).

1. The consequence of violating this command was that God would not hold one guiltless.

1) That is to say that one who uses God’s name in vain is guilty and will be punished.

2) Leviticus 24:10-16 sets forth an example of what happened to those who used God’s name in vain by cursing God.

3) For failing to follow through with an oath, one was held guilty and had to present a guilt offering to the Lord.

4) Read Leviticus 5:4-6.

2. Jesus also pronounced consequences upon vain or empty words used. Matthew 12:36-37 “And I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

3. This leads us to the concept that the guilty will be punished.

4. We have, however, the opportunity today for forgiveness.

1) Sins can be forgiven through the blood of Christ in baptism (Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16).

2) For Christians, sins can be forgiven through confession and prayer to God (1 John 1:9).

1. Let us remember the third command, not to take God’s name in vain.

1) The content of that command.

a. Not to make vain oaths.

b. Not to blaspheme God.

c. Not to refer to God disrespectfully.

2) The consequences of violating that command – we will be held guilty.

2. Keil and Delitsch in their commentary write: “The [command] prohibits all employment of the name of God for vain and unworthy objects, and includes not only false swearing, which is condemned in Lev_19:12 as a profanation of the name of Jehovah, but trivial swearing in the ordinary intercourse of life, and every use of the name of God in the service of untruth and lying, for imprecation, witchcraft, or conjuring; whereas the true employment of the name of God is confined to “invocation, prayer, praise, and thanksgiving,” which proceeds from a pure, believing heart. The natural heart is very liable to transgress this command, and therefore it is solemnly enforced by the threat, ‘for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless’ (leave him unpunished), etc.”

3. Invitation