The Third Commandment

Good morning, Church!

I heard a story recently about a pastor who was teaching a group of young children about the Ten Commandments. He was explaining each commandment in turn, making it as simple as possible. When he reached the third commandment, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain," he asked the children if they knew what it meant. One little boy's hand shot up, and with a confident grin, he said, "It means you shouldn't call God names that He doesn't like!"

Well, that’s a simple and sweet interpretation, but today, we're going to delve deeper into the third commandment as stated in Exodus 20:7, "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name."

What does it mean to "take the name of the Lord in vain"? The term "in vain" means to use something without due respect or consideration, to treat it lightly or carelessly. To take the Lord's name in vain is to use it casually, disrespectfully, or flippantly, and this extends to more than just speech. 

Remember when David was transporting the Ark of the Covenant, as described in 2 Samuel 6? Uzzah, one of the men handling the Ark, reached out to steady it when the oxen stumbled, and God struck him down for this irreverence. Uzzah used something sacred - the symbol of God’s presence - carelessly, and he paid the price for it. This story serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us to treat all things associated with God with utmost respect, including His name.

Jesus emphasizes this in the Lord's Prayer, saying, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name," (Matthew 6:9). "Hallowed" means to be made holy, to be kept sacred. The very first line of the Lord’s Prayer is a request to honor God’s name.

But this commandment also means that we must be careful not to associate God’s name with evil or injustice. Consider this: when people of faith act unrighteously, it reflects poorly on the name of God. As the apostle Paul admonished in Romans 2:24, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." 

In the same vein, we should be wary of false prophets who use God’s name for their gain, as warned in Matthew 7:21-23, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"

The Name of the Lord is a name above all names, and we should use it with reverence and awe. As it says in Philippians 2:9-11, "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Let us pray: "Dear God, we ask for Your forgiveness for the times we have used Your holy name carelessly or without thought. Help us to always treat Your name with the reverence it deserves and to live in such a way that honors Your name. In Jesus' name, Amen."