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. (Exodus 20:7 ESV)
I was in the shower the other day and this thought came to mind. What if we have been missing a major point of this commandment? Here's my thought:
The normal interpretation of this verse is the way the Holman Christian Standard Bible renders the verse. It reads, "Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God, because the LORD will punish anyone who misuses His name". When we think of "taking the Lord's name in vain" this is the way we think of it. We think of it in terms such as hitting our thumb with a hammer and yelling, "G**DA** IT!" Or some people take it a step further and equate taking the Lord's name in vain as, once we become a Christian, doing anything that doesn't glorify God. This is a proper interpretation of the passage, but I think there is something deeper.
Under what circumstances does a person "take" someone else's name? Well, it is in the situations of marriage and adoption. In marriage, the woman "takes" the husband's name as her own. She goes from being Jane Doe before she marries John smith to being Jane Smith. THe other situation is adoption. The child adopted "takes" the last name of the family he now lives in.
Adoption and marriage are both covenants. Now let's carry that covenant thought into the area of the church.
When a person get's baptized, they enter into the visible church not just outwardly but in a covenant manner. As Peter writes, in speaking of Noah and the ark, "Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the pledge of a good conscience toward God) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21 HCSB). The ark was a symbol of the covenant that God made with Noah to redeem His family from the destruction of the world. Circumcision is a similar symbol. "This is My covenant, which you are to keep, between Me and you and your offspring after you: Every one of your males must be circumcised. You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and you. Throughout your generations, every male among you at eight days old is to be circumcised. This includes a slave born in your house and one purchased with money from any foreigner. The one who is not your offspring, a slave born in your house, as well as one purchased with money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh as an everlasting covenant. If any male is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that man will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant" (Genesis 17:10-14 HCSB).
When a Jew was circumcised, he would become a part of the covenant community of Jews. The Jews were God's chosen people. In a way, they had received His name. Afterall, God was married to Israel. "She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce . Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore" (Jeremiah 3:8 ESV). You can't get a divorce from someone you're not married to.
So, what if, when the commandment says, "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain" it is referring to a covenant relationship with Him? What if, to put this into a Christian context, the commandment isn't saying to not make some statement like "G**da**" (although that is not a good thing to say at all) but is saying to not join the covenant community (aka the church) in vain? To say that another way, what if God is commanding people to make sure they don't join the church as a means to receive a get out of hell free card when in all truth and sincerity they couldn't care less about the things of God?
Names are very personal. When someone tells you their name they are no longer a stranger. Names often tell us something about the person. Not only are names personal they are descriptive. As you know the Lord has several names. They help to describe Him. God’s names are extremely significant. Taking God’s name in vain is much more serious than just misusing it in a sentence it is indeed breaking covenant with Him.
Matthew Henry shows us that taking God’s name in vain can be hypocrisy, covenant breaking, rash swearing, false swearing, and carelessness. We must remember that God will not hold those guiltless who take His name in vain.
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A strict prohibition: Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. It is supposed that, having taken Jehovah for their God, they would make mention of his name (for thus all people will walk every one in the name of his god); this command gives a needful caution not to mention it in vain, and it is still as needful as ever. We take God's name in vain,
[1.] By hypocrisy, making a profession of God's name, but not living up to that profession. Those that name the name of Christ, but do not depart from iniquity, as that name binds them to do, name it in vain; their worship is vain (Matt. xv. 7-9), their oblations are vain (Isa. i. 11, 13), their religion is vain, Jam. i. 26.
[2.] By covenant-breaking; if we make promises to God, binding our souls with those bonds to that which is good, and yet perform not to the Lord our vows, we take his name in vain (Matt. v. 33), it is folly, and God has no pleasure in fools (Eccl. v. 4), nor will he be mocked, Gal. vi. 7.
[3.] By rash swearing, mentioning the name of God, or any of his attributes, in the form of an oath, without any just occasion for it, or due application of mind to it, but as a by-word, to no purpose at all, or to no good purpose.
[4.] By false swearing, which, some think, is chiefly intended in the letter of the commandment; so it was expounded by those of old time. Thou shalt not forswear thyself, Matt. v. 33. One part of the religious regard the Jews were taught to pay to their God was to swear by his name, Deut. x. 20. But they affronted him, instead of doing him honour, if they called him to be witness to a lie.
[5.] By using the name of God lightly and carelessly, and without any regard to its awful significancy. The profanation of the forms of devotion is forbidden, as well as the profanation of the forms of swearing; as also the profanation of any of those things whereby God makes himself known, his word, or any of his institutions; when they are either turned into charms and spells, or into jest and sport, the name of God is taken in vain.
When you read a more thorough explanation of taking God’s name in vain it really causes us to shutter. His name like His person are totally holy and we must not misuse it, disrespect it, nor break covenant with Him in how we live our lives.
Wes
When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride. - Isaac Watts
If you haven't read this sermon already, I would encourage you to do so. It is a marvelous introduction to a right understanding of the Third Commandment and its application to all of life.
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