Commandment 3: Bear God's Name

Introduction

What’s in a name?

“Remember who you are and who’s you are!”

Key Point: Because God has redeemed us from slavery to sin and called us by his name, we must bear his name rightly.

What Is the Commandment?

Exodus 20:7 ESV

“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.

There are two words we need to focus on in understanding this commandment.

First, the word “take” in the Hebrew, means “to lift,” “carry,” or “bear.”

It implies carrying or bearing something. . . and in the verse it refers to bearing the name of Yahweh.

Second, the word “in vain,” means valueless or worthless. So, we should not treat God’s name frivolously, idle, or with insincerity.

So, we can say that in this third commandment, God is calling us to: Honor God’s name as Holy; Bear God’s name rightly.

One thing to notice about this command is that instead of God saying, “You shall not take my name in vain,” He says. . . “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.”

Why does he speak in third person when he spoke in first person in the previous two commands?

This further emphasizes the importance of honoring and revering the name of the Lord.

What Did This Commandment Mean To The Israelites?

We could say that this commandment applies both to how one speaks and how one lives.

How One Speaks

This commandment does not only refer to blasphemy and foul language, but more specifically, it dealt with using Yahweh’s name in magic, sorcery, or to curse someone.

It also refers to using Yahweh’s name in making an oath and not fulfilling what you swore to do.

By using Yahweh’s name in oaths, people would add extra weight to their words and “the power of God” to their claims to make people believe they would do what they said. . . . or that they were right in what they said.

But when they did not fulfill their word, they took God’s name in vain because the invoked the God of truth as a witness over them and then did not keep their truth of doing what they said.

Yahweh is warning Israel against using his name as if it were disconnected from his person, presence, and power.

Misusing God’s name misrepresented his character, purposes, and actions revealed to the people of Israel and amounted to lying about who God is.

The command also is applied to how the Israelites lived.

How One Lives

If Israel claimed to be God’s people and acted contrary to his character, they would be taking his name in vain.

Remember that the definition of “take” in verse 7 means to bear or carry.

So, this command refers to bearing the name of Yahweh in one’s life.

This verb “to bear” is used in one other passage in the Bible in Exodus 28:12, 29 and refers to when Aaron, the High priest, bore the names of the sons of Israel on his shoulder pieces when he entered the holy place.

By bearing the sons of Israel on his shoulder pieces, Aaron was saying that he belonged to Israel and Israel’s God and would represent Israel when approaching God in the Holy place.

Example of bearing the name and character of a football program when you put on the jersey.

Therefore, to bear the name of God means to have his name branded on yourself as a mark of divine ownership.

Since God has chosen Israel as his people, he had branded his name upon them and to honor his name, they were called to obey his commands and represent his character to the nations.

Deuteronomy 28:9–10 ESV

The Lord will establish you as a people holy to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways. And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you.

If the Israelites did not obey God’s commands they would be lifting up his name falsely and in vain. And God would not hold them guiltless. . .

Ezekiel 36:19–20 ESV

I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. In accordance with their ways and their deeds I judged them. But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name, in that people said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they had to go out of his land.’

So, to summarize. . .

The key point is that Yahweh’s name is directly tied to his essence and character.

By Israel being a people called by Yahweh, they bear his name.

If they bear his name, they must live according to the character of his name.

This means they must emulate his attributes and treat others the way he would treat them.

Acting contrary to God’s character resulted in taking his name in vain.

Don’t miss the warning given at the end of verse 7: Yahweh will condemn those who take his name in vain and will not leave them unpunished.

Therefore, taking God’s name in vain is a very great sin.

What Does This Commandment Teach Us About God’s Character?

Like the other commands that have come before us, this command continues to remind us that God is holy. . . and because God is holy, his name must be hallowed in our lives.

Matthew 6:9 “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”

1 Peter 3:15 ESV

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,

The name YAHWEH, itself, speaks of God’s self-existence, self-sufficiency, and supreme sovereignty.

The Burning Bush. . . I AM WHO I AM

This is the word LORD in all caps in your Bibles.

The name of Yahweh also refers to his saving power. . .

“I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt.”

How Does This Commandment Apply To Us?

We must not use God’s name flippantly.

This can happen when we say “praise the Lord” or say “God bless you” but just say it as a cliche and don’t mean it.

We also do this when we say “The Lord led me to do such and such a thing.” or telling people “the Lord told me this,” or “the Lord told me to tell you.” This is false prophecy, God has already said whatever he needs to in his word.

Now there is the leading or prompting of the Holy Spirit but this should not be confused and misrepresented as an authoritative word from God.

“As Christians, we need to watch our language. Most Christians try not to curse—at least not out loud (or at least not when anyone else is listening)—but it is not uncommon for churchgoing people to use mild oaths: “Gosh darn it!” “dad gum it” “Oh, my God!” “What the heck?” “Good Lord!” “I swear to God,” “holy cow.” Some people think these are manners of expression, but they are really just a more polite way to swear. They may also be a better indication of our true spiritual condition than what we say in church.” -Philip Graham Ryken

If we claim to be Christians, we must live like it or we take his name in vain.

“Since we are Christians, we bear the very name of Christ. It was by calling on his name that we were saved in the first place (Acts 4:12; Rom. 10:13; 1 John 5:13). We received his name upon entering the church, when we were baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). Since we always carry the name of Christ, God has a personal stake in our ongoing spiritual progress. The Bible says, “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 6:11). Now the very name of Christ is associated with everything we do. Our reputation is a reflection on his reputation; so we should always make it our aim to honor his name.” -Philip Graham Ryken

We should not use God’s name to guarantee our word as some magical way to manipulate someone else.

Like when use God’s name to make people think we are faithful and trustworthy but do not fulfill our word.

We take his name in vain when we worship him carelessly

Not meaning the words we sing.

Glossing over the bible as we read.

Being apathetic while listening to his word preached.

We have all broken this command and are guilty before a holy God. . . and as verse 7 says, he will not hold the one guiltless who takes his name in vain.

This shows us our need for a Savior.

Jesus bore the name of God perfectly in living and walking in his ways, always honoring the Father’s name.

We are cursed for taking God’s name in vain. . . but Jesus became a curse for us, he took our guilt, and redeemed us from the curse of the law (Titus 2:14; Galatians 3:13)

Colossians 2:13–15 ESV

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Through faith in Christ, we can obey this command by. . .

Hallowing Christ’s name in our hearts.

Doing all things for the glory of the name of Jesus

Colossians 3:17 ESV

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Bearing God’s name rightly.

We must remember who we are and who’s we are. . . we must remember who God is and who we are as his children.

Once we do this. . . we must live like we are his children and he is our Father.

This comes from a love for him. . . “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

For Closing:

Matthew 7:21–23 ESV

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Many people will use God’s name and even do great things in God’s name, but Jesus will say “I never knew you.”

They were using God’s name in vain all along.

Although his name was often on their lips, it was not in their hearts, and his character did not manifest itself in their actions.

What about you? Do you profess to know God in your words but you deny him with your actions?

Who’s name are you bearing?

You can’t bear the name of God rightly, if you have not been stamped as God’s possession through repentance and faith in Jesus. . .

You can’t represent the program of the team if you are not on the team. . .

So for those here tonight who have been taking God’s name in vain. . .

ask yourself, am I God’s child?

Do I truly know the Lord?

Am I fully trusting in Jesus for my salvation? Or, am I just claiming to know Jesus but continually denying him with my actions?

My plea for you is to turn from your sin and trust in Jesus for your salvation.

As Romans 10:13 says, For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.””

You see, the Bible says that God has given Jesus the name that is above every name, and one day, every knee will bow, in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

We will bow and worship Jesus as the King one day. . . the question is. . . will you worship him in joy and humility as his blessed child or will you worship him in shame and despair as his defeated enemy?

Let’s Pray. . .