The Ten Commandments III: God's Name In Vain

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Exodus 20:7 (ESV) — 7 “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.

Intro:

Our series on the 10 commandments

Israel has been redeemed from slavery

God is revealing to them His character and what it means to live like those who have been set free/to be His people among the nations.

1st Commandment - There shall be no other gods besides YHWH.

2nd Commandment - We are not to make graven images of God.

Summary: 1st command is to worship God only, and the 2nd command is to worship God rightly (not by our imaginations, but by revelation).

Romans 8:1–4 (ESV) — 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. [We are fulfill the law, lead by the Spirit]

Today we will be looking at the 3rd commandment: “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” (Ex. 20:7).

What Does It Mean To Take God’s Name As Vanity?

It is to use God’s name, or associate God’s name, in such a way that the name is held weightless, futile, useless, pointless, worthless, purposeless, idle, fruitless, or profitless.

It is to flippantly or sinisterly attempt to empty God’s name of holiness and worth and wonder.

It is to trivialize God’s majesty.

What Is The Significance of A Name?

Not just a word or letters, but God’s character.

Sometimes people try to honor the letters, or honor the name as a word, but fail to honor the meaning of the word: the character and person of God.

Matthew 15:8–9 (ESV) — 8 “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 9 in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

God’s character associated with His name:

Psalm 8:1 (ESV) — 1 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

Psalm 148:13 (ESV) — 13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven.

Isaiah 25:1 (ESV) — 1 O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure.

Psalm 148:13 (ESV) — 13 Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven.

Examples: Common ways we take God’s name in vain

Blasphemy/Swearing:

Using God’s name as a swear word/curse word. (Indiana Jones gets smacked by his father)

Using God’s name as an oath (let your yes be yes and your no be no)

to attach God’s and to a political movement, candidate, bill, movement

Manipulating people by saying that “God told me”. You put them in a position where disobeying you is equivalent to disobeying God. That’s blasphemy.

Vanity/Weightless repetitions:

OMG, slang

Vain repetitions

Cursing: Hell, Damn — lightly handling the judgements of God. (what the Auschwitz, What the 911 - Kevin DeYoung example)

Meaningless worship:

Saying great truths about God’s name without genuine affection.

Malachi 1; Isaiah 1 (vain sacrifices)

Lying:

God will not be party to a lie or falsehood (Prov. 12:22)

Bearing the image in vain: the Hebrew word for take here can also mean to bear (Aaron bearing the names of Israel on his breastplate - Ex. 28:29, Mark of the beast vs. mark of believer — association with and allegiance to a name)

They wanted to stone Jesus when he said “I Am”. They knew what was at stake here. He was, according to them, violating the third commandment.

Nazi’s used to wear the name Immanuel on their belts (they believed that God was with them)

God’s name among the nations

Ezekiel 20:9 (ESV) — 9 But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

Ezekiel 36:23 (ESV) — 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.

Connection To Gospel:

“for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain” (Ex. 20:7b)

John 3:19 — Man preferred darkness than the light. We didn’t like to honor God and his authority. We scoffed at the Lord of glory and the maker of heaven and earth. We shunned his mercy and pledged allegiance to ourselves, our emotions, our lusts, and our idols. We have spread the sickness of sin and self throughout the ages. But no longer as Christians.

Christ redeems us from the curse that this commandment promises to those who dishonor and vainly bear God’s name.

Christ alone has fulfilled the law on our behalf.

Christ stands before us honoring the Father perfectly where we fall short.

As Christians (little Christs), we bear the name and have a commission to spread allegiance to the name of Christ. It’s a name that means salvation. A name that means redemption. A name that means paradise and wholeness and perfect love that casts out fear.

Matthew 6:9 (ESV): Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Matthew 28:19 (ESV) — 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Christ: The Name Above All Names

Philippians 2:8–11 (ESV) — 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Revelation 19:11–16 (ESV) — 11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Confession of Sin

Assurance of Pardon

Communion