THE HOLINESS OF HIS NAME
You shall not take the name of Jehovah, your God in vain, for Jehovah will not hold guiltless him who takes His name in vain.
Name is something very unique. Naming a baby yet to be born are an effort that is not taken lightly by many parents to-be. Much thought and consideration are given to a name. In many cultures, name contains meaning, the name of a child mostly reflect the hope that parents put on them. In the bible, often times names are descriptive of personal attribute or personality character. Peoples in the bibles even have their names change or given new name as a result of God’s work or God’s message in and through their lives. So name is not something to be taken lightly.
This commandment teach us to have a reverent attitude to God’s name and all that His Name stands for. Since ancient times, the jews are very serious in regards to God’s name. The scribes or anybody in jewish society that are writing God’s name will take a bath to clean themselves and wear an attire they believe are fit when they wrote God’s name. Everyone will ensure that they have enough ink on his / her pen to finish writing God’s name because it was deemed as disrespect and irreverent to dip the pen back in the ink in the process of writing God’s name. From some oral tradition, it was even said that if someone was writing God’s name, he or she will ignore completely whoever are calling or talking or addressing, even if that person is a king. They held His name in awe and utmost respect that they would not even pronounce it. The way jews uphold God’s name is so contrast in comparison to today’s indifferent attitude shown to God’s name in our society.
In the bible, God’s name is also a revelation. In every new title by which God made Himself known to man, He reveal a new aspect of His characters. We can do many series on study of God’s name. But in relation to understand why this commandment are so important, let’s do a short survey of God’s name in the bible :
1. Elohim / God, His power and might Gen 1:1; Psalm 19:1
2. El-Elyon “The Most High God” Gen 14: 17-20, Isaiah 14:13-14
3. El-Olam “The Everlasting God” Isaiah 40: 28-31
4. El-Roi “The Strong One who sees” Gen 16:13
5. El-Shaddai “ God Almighty” Gen 17:1, Psalm 91:1
6. Adonai “Lord”, Lordship of God Mal 1:6
7. Jehovah (Yahweh) “The Lord” Gen 2:4
8. Jehovah-Jireh “The Lord will provide” Gen 22:13, 14
9. Jehovah-Maccaddeshem “The Lord your sanctifier Exodus 31:13
10. Jehovah-Nissi “The Lord our banner” Exodus 17:15
11. Jehovah-Rapha “The Lord our healer” Exodus 15:26
12. Jehovah-Rohi “The Lord my Shepherd” Psalm 23:1
13. Jehovah-Sabbaoth “The Lord of Hosts” Isaiah 6:1-3
14. Jehovah-Shalom “The Lord is peace” Judges 6:24
15. Jehovah-Shammah “The Lord who is present” Ezekiel 48:35
16. Jehovah-Tsidkenu “The Lord our righteousness” Jer 23:6
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, seeing above Names of God, can you relate the importance of this commandment? Knowing God’s name that reveal His natures, His characters, His works, how can we ever dare to take His name in vain?
Even Jesus taught the importance of God’s name when He taught about The Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.
Did you see that Jesus taught His disciples to pray about Heavenly Father’s name be hallowed? It is something that are so important.
Now let us see some examples in the bible about God’s name that we should avoid:
1. Malachi 1: 6 – 8 show us that people despised His name when they offer defiled food upon His altar. It is an evil thing for Him when they offer animals which are blind, lame and sick.
2. Isaiah 48:1 tells us that when people swear by God’s name but not in truth or in righteousness, He is not pleased.
We misuse the name of God when we don’t use it in the way God intended it should be used. We also take His name in vain by not being true and not according to the revelation of God as His name explain. When we call Him Lord, but we don’t do the things He ask us to do, we are dishonouring His name as well.
Beside the prohibitive aspect of this command, instead we can do to God’s name as bible authors suggest:
Psalm 135:3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good, sing praise to His name, for that is pleasant.
Psalm 113:3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.
Psalm 105: 1-3 Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name, make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him, tell of all His wonderful acts, glory in His holy name, let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
Psalm 103: 1 Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being, praise His holy name.
Psalm 66:2 Sing the glory of His name.
Psalm 34:3 Glorify the Lord with me, let us exalt His name together.
Psalm 33: 21 in Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.
Psalm 29: 2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name, worship the Lord in the splendour of His holiness.
Psalm 7: 17 I will give thanks to the Lord because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.
2 Tim 2:19, 22 Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness. Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
God Bless.