You have heard the question,
"What's in a name?" Names are important because they
bring certain ideas to mind. Names like, Benedict Arnold, John Wilkes Booth, Ted Bundy or
names like Nathan Hale, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy.
Your name becomes what people think
about you when they hear your name. What do you think of when you hear the name: Hitler?
What do you think of when you hear the name: Batsell Barrett Baxter? No matter what name
we are given at birth, it is up to us to choose the meaning of that name. We do this by
the kind of lives we live. Solomon said, "A good name is more desirable than great
riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold" (Proverbs 22:1 NIV). How
our names are esteemed is entirely up to us.
How do you want your name used? If we
have a good name we want people to speak our names honorably. However, there is something
more important than our personal name; it is God's name. God's name expresses the very
essence of his being. How do we use God's name? What meaning do we attach to his name? Do
we know God well enough to use his name?
The way we use names today is much
different than the way God used names. When God created the first man he gave him the name
"Adam." The word "Adam" means, "man." When woman was created
she was named "Eve," which meant "mother of all living." God changed
"Abram" to "Abraham." God changed "Abram" to
"Abraham", which meant "father of multitudes." The name
"Esau" means "red and hairy," because Esau was red and hairy when he
was born. The name "Jacob" means, "heel grabber."
Jacob was the twin brother of Esau. He
was second to be born but he had a grip on Esau's heal as he was born, thus he was named
"heal grabber." Sadly, it was a name he lived up to throughout most of his life.
He was always trying to trip someone up in a business deal. Later God changed Jacob's name
to Israel, which signified that he was a "prince of God." The name Samuel means,
"asked of God," because his mother pleaded to God for a son.
Many of the Jewish names for God
expressed a significant facet of his character. God provided a lamb to be offered as
Abraham raised his knife to offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice. It was then that Abraham
called God "Jehovah-jireh," which means, "God will provide." Abraham
called the name of that place "Jehovah-jireh" to signify that God provided a
sacrifice on that mountain. The mountain was called the place where God provides. They
sought to lift God’s name in praise as God worked in their lives.
Moses called God
"Jehovah-nissi" when God gave Israel victory over the Amalekites. Joshua went
out to fight the Amalekites while Aaron and Moses went to the top of the mountain to
intercede to God. As long as Moses held up his hands to heaven Joshua's forces prevailed.
Moses called God, "Jehovah-nissi," which means, "The Lord is my
banner."
It was this aspect of God's character
that the psalmist remembered when he called upon God, "But for those who fear you,
you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow. Selah Save us and help us
with your right hand, that those you love may be delivered." (Psalms 60:1-5 NIV)
When God called Gideon to fight the
Philistines an angel appeared to Gideon reassuring him of God's call to deliver his people
from oppression, "Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it
Jehovah-shalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abi-ezrites." (Judges
6:24 KJV) "Jehovah-shalom" means, "the Lord is our peace." When Gideon
built an altar and called it "Jehovah-shalom," he was expressing his confidence
that God would bring Israel peace through his efforts. The altar remained there as a
memorial after Gideon's victory.
Names were used to describe God's
majesty, glory, power and greatness.
These names in themselves reveal how
the faithful sought to exalt God’s name as he worked in their lives. The faithful
Jews sought to exalt God's name to the highest and holiest levels in order to inspire
their descendants to serve God.
Exodus 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the
LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in
vain. (KJV)
The first command states that we must
put God first, the second command states that we must not diminish God by diminishing our
view of him and the third commandment states that we must not use God's name for unholy
purposes.
The word "God", in this verse
is translated from a Hebrew word "Elohim", which means "God is the faithful
one, He is the strong one." Many Jewish names ended with the letters "el,"
which were an abbreviation for "Elohim." Daniel, Joel and even the name Israel
end in "el," as did many other Jewish names.
God's name took on meaning as the
faithful Jews witnessed God's activity in their personal lives. Moses discovered God
as his banner during the battle with the Amalakites. It was there that he called upon God
as "Jehovah-nissi." Abraham discovered God as his provider as God provided a
substitute sacrifice for Isaac. It was there in the most trying time of his life that he
discovered God as "Jehovah-jireh." Gideon discovered God as Israel’s means
to peace as he was called to battle against the Philistines. It was when Gideon led 300
hundred against thousands that he named God Jehovah-shalom. The name Moses used for God in
Exodus 20:7 was "Elohim," which means, "strong deliver." It was there
at Mt. Sinai, only a few days after Israel crossed the Red sea that Moses called God the
strong deliver. It was there where they had just witnessed God’s power as they left
Egypt.
The names the Jews assigned to God came
about as they sought to lift their voices to praise God for his mighty works. The names
came into being as God revealed differing aspects of his character. They came into being
as they were seeking to obey the will of God. They discovered these aspects of his
character because they were seeking him.
The third commandment is about lifting
God's name up in vain.
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. (NIV)
Who is to obey this commandment? You.
It is a personal commandment: a commandment given to you individually. How you use
God’s name—how you treat God’s name—is of vital concern to God. He is
the great Creator, the Sovereign LORD and Majesty, the Supreme Ruler and Judge of the
universe; therefore, His name is always to be honored, praised, and worshipped. Because of
His person—who He is—God demands and insists that you never—no,
never—misuse His name.
ÞYou must never curse nor abuse
His name.
Þ You must never use His name in a
frivolous or insincere way.
Þ You must never take the name of
the LORD God in vain.
This commandment is directed to you.
It is directed to me. It is directed to every human being upon the earth.
How long was this commandment to be
in force? As long as people live. No person who has ever lived, who is living now, or who
ever will live is ever to misuse God’s name. The true and living God is God
Almighty, the Sovereign LORD and Majesty of the universe, the Ruler and Judge
of all people. Therefore, any person is a fool to misuse God’s name...
·a fool to curse God
· a fool to use God’s name in any
abusive way or in any frivolous or insincere way
No person of any generation or period
of history—as long as God lives, as long as God exists, from everlasting to
everlasting—is to misuse or take God’s name in vain. This is what God demands;
this is one of the ways we are to relate to God. This commandment is in force as long as
we live and as long as God exists, forever.
The Hebrew word translated "take" means "to lift up". This signifies that we must not lift up God's name in vain. If you have a good name, you don't want it used dishonorably. God doesn't want his name attached to that which is dishonorable.
The third commandment went beyond
simply speaking God's name disrespectfully.
We get overly concerned when we hear
people of the world use God's name in profanity, but the third command wasn't given to the
world. It was given to those in covenant relationship with God. It was given to those who
had taken up the name of God. It had to do with lifting up his name through obedience to
his will.
Deuteronomy 28:58-59 If you do not carefully follow all the
words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and
awesome name-- the LORD your God--the LORD will send fearful plagues on you and your
descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses. (NIV)
When the Hebrew slaves accepted God's
covenant, they accepted the responsibility to correctly represent his name to the world.
They were to live their lives honorably to bring glory and honor to his name.
God had given Israel a name as he
lifted them from the bondage of slavery and now God expected them to live so as to exalt
his name before the world. They were to uphold his name as a people called by his name.
They were responsible for how the world perceived God through their lifestyles. He didn't
want them using his name unless they meant business.
When Christ came the Jews were
blaspheming God's name before the world. Paul wrote, "You who brag about the law,
do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed
among the Gentiles because of you." (Romans 2:23-24 NIV)
What is forbidden by the third
commandment: “You shall never misuse, never take the name of the Lord God in
vain” (Exodus 20:7)? How is this commandment broken or violated?
The Hebrew word “vain”
(lassaw) means empty, meaningless, thoughtless, senseless, frivolous, worthless,
groundless. It means using God’s name in a thoughtless and insincere way. The root of
the word (shawu) has the idea of a vapor that fades and vanishes away, a vapor that is
meaningless and worthless. It also has the idea of a tempest, a storm, a
tornado that is erratic, that jumps here and there, that causes destruction and
devastation, that is totally senseless and destructive.19
How does a person misuse the
Lord’s name? There are at least four ways that a person misuses God’s name or
takes God’s name in vain.
1. A person misuses God’s
name or takes God’s name in vain by profanity and vulgarity. This commandment
forbids profanity.
a.
Profanity is the cursing, abusive, bitter, blasphemous use
of God’s name or of any of God’s creation. By creation is meant everything
within the universe. Thus taking God’s name in vain, misusing God’s name,
includes all uses of vulgarity and profanity: the use of foul, distasteful slang words,
and even words such as damn, hell, darn, and other such words.
What do such words have to do with misusing God’s name? Very simply, when we
use profanity, we are profaning and cursing something in creation. And no person has the
right to profane and curse anything in God’s creation. We must never forget this one
fact:
Þ The earth is the Lord’s: He is the
great Creator and Sustainer of everything within the universe. He is the Sovereign LORD
and Majesty of the universe itself and of everything within the universe. All creation
exists because of God, and all creation stands to the praise of God’s name.
Therefore, to profane or curse anything in creation is to take God’s name in vain. To
use profanity—to profane and curse anything—is destructive, totally senseless
and worthless.
b.
Profanity is a terrible thing when it curses God Himself
or uses His name to swear. Using God’s name is an insult cast in His face and will
result in terrible judgment upon the profane curser.
Remember, a person’s name stands for the person. When a person’s name is
mentioned, if we know the person, our thoughts immediately picture him: who he is and what
he is, his nature, character, behavior, and beliefs. We have an immediate image of the
person, the kind of person he is.
This is especially true with God. God is holy and righteous. He is loving, kind,
and gracious. God is the great Creator and Sustainer of the universe, the sovereign LORD
and Majesty of all. Moreover, God is the great Redeemer, the Savior of mankind. He is God
Almighty, the Most High God, the LORD God of the universe, whose name is set above the
heavens, and whose name is called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting
Father, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
God’s name is holy. God’s name is different from all other names, set
apart from all other names. God’s name is above, before, and over all other names.
God’s name is higher than the heavens, far above every name that is named, in both
heaven and earth, visible and invisible.
The point is this: God’s holy name should arouse us to stand in awe before
Him, never to curse Him. God’s holy name should stir us to reverence and adore Him,
even fear and tremble before Him. The last thing any person should ever do is misuse
God’s name:
Þ use His name as a curse word
Þ use His name in a vulgar, disgusting
way
Þ use His name in a profane way
Profanity and vulgarity are sweeping the earth. Cursing, swearing, foul and filthy talk, polluted and distasteful language—even using God’s name in vain—all forms of profanity and vulgarity are flowing from the mouth of man. Words that expose a prejudicial and disrespectful heart and that degrade others are even peppering the daily conversation of people.
Unfortunately, man’s language
has always included gutter talk. But today, gutter talk—profanity—seems
to be running rampant. Profanity is becoming more and more accepted by society. Profanity
is becoming one of the most prevailing sins and ‘popular’ vices of the world.
This is the subject covered by this commandment, a subject that must be heeded or else the
very foundation of society—human language with all the emotions it arouses—will
collapse. Simply stated, profanity is a creeping paralysis that will destroy civilization.
How could profanity and vulgarity
possibly have such a devastating effect upon society? Because civilization is bound
together by the civility and decency of human language and by God’s grace being
poured out upon mankind. Profanity will cause civilization to disintegrate into verbal
attacks that lead to personal violence and lawlessness. Profanity—foul, dirty cursing
and indecent, prejudicial, and damning talk—destroys human language and arouses
emotions and reactions that cause people to strike out against fellow citizens. Thereby
civil and decent societies are corrupted and civilizations destroyed—all because
human language lost its decency and civility; all because profanity paralyzed the growth
and development of human relationships.
Profanity is like a storm, a
terrible, terrifying tempest that is destructive and totally senseless and worthless.
Profanity is a prevailing sin that is sweeping our nation and world today. Profanity is
rapidly becoming so acceptable that it is a part of everyday conversation. The terrible
danger of profanity has been forgotten. The danger is tragically ignored and even denied.
Nevertheless, the danger is a true fact: profanity is a creeping paralysis...
· that destroys the source of respect
between people, between the citizens of a diverse society and nation
· that destroys the moral strength and
esteem of a people for one another and for their nation
· that corrupts the language of a nation
and people
· that destroys the ability of a people
to continue to grow, build, advance, enhance, enlarge, and increase the quality of their
lives, society, and nation.
Profanity will destroy a nation by
corrupting the language and respect of people for one another. Over time, profanity will
attack and destroy everything held dear by society.
2. A person misuses God’s name by false
swearing. Perjury—lying under oath—is wrong. Calling upon God to witness to
a lie is misusing God’s name. False swearing may take place before a neighbor, a
business partner, a wife or husband, a judge or jury. Tragically, when we are called upon
to swear or take an oath to verify that we are telling the truth, far too often we lie: we
swear falsely.
3. A person misuses God’s name by
using His name in some irreverent way, in some frivolous, dishonoring, or light
way. How does a person do this? Reverence is the key word. When God’s name is
used, it is always to be in a reverent way. God’s name is never to be used in any
irreverent way whatsoever.
a.
All the little sayings that use God’s name in an irreverent or careless
way are wrong:
Þ God Almighty Þ Sweet Jesus Þ Lord have mercy Þ Oh God Þ The Man upstairs Þ Somebody up there |
Þ God damn Þ God or Jesus Christ or Christ (by
themselves, when spoken carelessly) |
Any use of God’s name that is not reverent—that is not in prayer, praise,
witness, or worship—is wrong.
b.
All the flippant joking about God, the frivolous, humorous stories that use
God’s name, are wrong.
c.
All the prayers that carelessly and repetitiously use God’s name in a thoughtless
and meaningless way are wrong: “Lord do this; Lord do that,”
“Lord bless” and “Lord help.”
God’s name is sacred: it is holy, righteous, and pure. God’s name is the
name of the Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient God. God’s name is to be worshipped
and praised—always reverenced—never used in a thoughtless, meaningless,
flippant, frivolous way; never used in a dishonoring or light way. God’s name is
never to be misused, never to be taken in vain.
Adrian Rogers, in his book Ten
Secrets for a Successful Family, says this: “When you use...profanity, it shows
two things: an empty head and a wicked heart. You see, profanity reveals a feeble mind
trying to express itself. But it also reveals a wicked heart truly expressing itself.
‘Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh,’ Jesus said in Matthew
12:34.... A profane mouth reveals a profane heart!” 20 Or, as the
excellent preacher Vance Havner once said, “What’s down in the well comes up in
the bucket!”
4. A person misuses God’s name
by hypocrisy. This commandment prohibits using God’s name hypocritically,
forbids claiming the name of the Lord in a hypocritical way. A hypocrite....
· is a person who professes the name of
God but lives for self and the world
· is a person who uses God’s name to
manipulate people (to get what he wants)
· is a person who uses God’s name to
secure support for projects that are not necessarily God’s will (for example,
politicians or religious leaders)
· is a person who uses God’s name to
secure followers, to deceive people
In the early days of American history,
the great general George Washington took a strong stand against profanity. He wrote in his
orderly book of August 3, 1776: “The General is sorry to be informed that the foolish
and wicked practice of profane swearing, a vice hitherto little known in the American
army, is growing into fashion...He hopes the officers will, by example as well as
influence, endeavor to check it, and that both they and the men will reflect that we can
have little hope of the blessing of heaven on our arms if we insult it by our impiety and
profanity.”
Why did God give this commandment?
Why does God forbid vulgarity? Why must we never misuse God’s name, never swear,
curse, nor damn anything upon earth, never damn anything in creation? Two reasons are
given within the commandment itself.
1. First, you must not use
vulgarity or misuse God’s name for a very clear reason: because the LORD is your God
(Exodus 20:2, 7). If you have been baptized into Christ, then the LORD has saved you from
Egypt, from the enslavements and bondages of this earth (Exodus 20:2). He has saved you
from sin, shame, and death. He has saved you from the bondages of the flesh, from...
· adultery and immorality · drunkenness and carousing · false worship and idolatry · hatred and strife · jealousy and envy |
· wild living and sensuality · cursing and lying · sorcery and witchcraft · anger and division · selfish ambition and greed |
And on and on. God has saved you from
all this to a life of love, joy, and peace. Moreover, He has saved you from death and the
judgment to come. He has saved you from hell itself. You are going to live forever,
eternally with Him. The LORD is now your God. How could you ever misuse His name?
Now note: if you have never accepted
Christ, then all the above can be yours. God will save you from the enslavements and
bondages of this earth and give you life eternal. The point is this: the drive and energy
of your heart must be not to misuse the name of the LORD God, the Savior of the world. The
drive and energy of your life must be to stand in awe of His name: to praise, worship,
serve, and bear testimony to His name
2. Second, you must not use
vulgarity, must not misuse God’s name for a terrifying reason: because the LORD holds
you accountable if you misuse His name. The word “guiltless” (waqah) means that
God will not count us clear or free from blame. He will not count us clean or pure,
innocent or guiltless. God will not acquit us, not let us go unpunished.
A man may curse God or swear falsely to his wife or neighbor or even to some jury,
and he may not be corrected or punished. But God knows that the man cursed His name or
lied, and Scripture is clear: God will punish him. God will avenge the person who insulted
His great and glorious name. In fact, note what Scripture says: the person who curses and
misuses God’s name stands as an enemy of God.
Þ The person who uses profanity openly
declares that he is the sworn enemy of the high and holy God. This person is condemned;
God shall avenge His name and judge the curser.
Þ The person who swears falsely
deliberately declares that he is the sworn enemy of the true and righteous God. The person
is condemned; God shall avenge His name and judge the false swearer.
Þ The person who uses God’s name in
an irreverent way, who is careless and thoughtless in the use of God’s name, will not
be guiltless. He shall be condemned. God shall avenge His name and judge the irreverent
person.
Þ The person who uses God’s name
hypocritically stands as the sworn enemy of God. The hypocrite is condemned. God shall
avenge His name and severely judge the hypocrite.
Þ The bold sinner—the person who
misuses God’s name—must appear before God and give an account for his cursing
and lying and for his irreverent use of God’s holy name. If a person curses God, he
curses the name of the high and lofty One, the name of the LORD God Himself, the only
living and true God, the only holy name that could have saved him from death and judgment
to come. God shall avenge His name and judge the bold sinner.
What is the decision required by this
commandment? Obedience! Simply stated, we must obey God’s commandments.
1. Note that the commandment can
be stated positively: Honor God’s name—always. This was exactly what Christ
Himself said. In fact, He said that we were to pray every day for God’s name to be hallowed
(Matthew 6:9).
2. Note also that the commandment
can be stated negatively: you shall not misuse God’s name, shall not take His name in
vain.
What decision is demanded by this commandment? We must not curse and swear; we must
turn to God for salvation and forgiveness. We must...
· quit cursing and swearing
· quit using God’s name in
irreverent and thoughtless ways
· quit using God’s name
hypocritically
Note what Scripture says about this
commandment and God’s name.
1. We must not misuse God’s
name, never take God’s name in vain. This is one of the Ten great Commandments.
“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will
not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain” (Exodus 20:7).
2. We must never swear falsely,
not by God’s name: we must not profane His name.
“And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the
name of thy God: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:12).
3. We must fear God’s name.
“If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in
this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; Then
the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful [fearful]” (Deut. 28:58-59).
4. We must not use God’s name
hypocritically nor have a hypocritical tongue.
“Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and
are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make
mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness” (Isaiah 48:1).
“Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which
are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and
cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the
same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries?
either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh” (James
3:9-12).
5. We must not love false oaths.
“And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and
love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD” (Zech.
8:17).
6. We must never swear; rather we
must speak directly, never swearing nor using oaths.
“But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's
throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the
city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make
one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever
is more than these cometh of evil” (Matthew 5:34-37).
“But above all things, my
brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath:
but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation” (James
5:12).
7. We must swear only by the God
of Truth.
“That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of
truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth” (Isaiah
65:16).
8. We are to believe on God’s
name, not curse His name.
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”
(Romans 10:13).
9. We are to walk in the name of
the LORD our God, not curse Him.
“For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk
in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever” (Micah 4:5).
10. We are to proclaim the name of God
to people, bear testimony to His name.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an
answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and
fear” (1 Peter 3:15).
“Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that
ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God
formed, neither shall there be after me” (Isaiah 43:10).
“Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name.
But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with
forbearing, and I could not stay” (Jeremiah 20:9).
11. We must praise God’s name, not
curse His name.
“Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is
pleasant” (Psalm 135:3).
12. We must hallow God’s name, set
God’s name far above all names.
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed
be thy name” (Matthew 6:9).
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).
13. We must not misuse God’s name
by making a false, hypocritical profession.
When we as Christians take up the name
of Christ we take up God's name.
The names for God in the Old Testament
came about in a progressive manner as he revealed himself in a piece-meal fashion.
However, God has been fully revealed to us in Christ. If we have seen Christ we have seen
God (John 14:9). Matthew writes, "'The virgin will be with child and will give
birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel'-- which means, 'God with us'"(Matthew
1:23 NIV). To take upon us the name "Christian" is to say that God is with us.
When we take upon us the name Christian we take upon us the name of God. We accept the
responsibility of honorably lifting God's name to the world.
1 Peter 1:14-17 As obedient children, do not conform to
the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is
holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as
strangers here in reverent fear. (NIV)
When we are baptized into Christ we are
adopted into God's family. An adopted child receives a new name. We receive the name
Christian. We should not lift up the name of Christ unless we mean business.
Revelation 2:12-13 "To the angel of the church in
Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. I know
where you live-- where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not
renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put
to death in your city-- where Satan lives. (NIV)
To exalt God’s name we must seek
and find him for ourselves.
As you study the Jewish names used in
reference to God, you begin to realize how they were enabled to lift God's name up to
honor specific attributes of God's character. The names themselves described the very
essence of God that the Jews had discovered as they sought his will for their lives. When
they coined a new name for God it was because they had discovered an important aspect of
God as he revealed himself in their lives. The names came about through their personal
experience of God.
Failing to discover God’s will
diminishes our ability to exalt God.
To exalt God’s holy name we must
discover him for ourselves. We are not going to know how to exalt the name of God until we
begin to seek him with all our hearts. To exalt him we must seek to discover and obey his
will.
Psalms 1:1-6 Blessed is the man who does not walk in
the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He
is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose
leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff
that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners
in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but
the way of the wicked will perish. (NIV)
The major reason Christians become
bored with church and worship service is because they are not personally experiencing God.
We are not meditating upon his will in order that we might walk in his counsel. You can't
experience God until you walk in his ways. You can't walk in God's ways until you do some
serious thinking about his will for your personal life.
There is a burden being place upon the
church today that it cannot bear. The burden is to make God exciting for her members. Many
get excited by what other churches are doing to create excitement, but how excited are you
about what God is doing in your life. Do other members see that excitement? Does the world
see that excitement? That is where real excitement comes from. That is where God is really
lifted up in honor. There is no other way.
In Psalms 23:1, David calls God,
"Jehovah-Rohi," which means, "The Lord is my Shepherd." David
discovered God as his Shepherd as he sought to do the will of God with all of his heart.
Have you discovered God as your Shepherd? We sing, "Have thine own way Lord, hold
o'er my being absolute sway! Fill with Thy spirit, Till all shall see Christ only, always,
Living in me." But do we study God’s word to learn his will that he might
lead us as he fills us with his spirit. How can God be our Shepherd if he doesn't hold
over our lives absolute sway?
The worst kind of profanity is lip
service.
Whether we lift up God's name to honor
or dishonor is largely contingent upon how we live our daily lives. Many lift up God's
name in marriage vows but dishonor it by failing to live up to the vows they have made. I
have seen many through the years take up Christ name in baptism. But they never darken the
door of the church building again. How many times have we seen those who fail to keep a
business deal?
We sing "Sweet Hour of
Prayer", but fail to pray to God all week. We sing, "Onward Christian
Soldiers," and wait to be drafted into his service. We sing, "Blest Be the Tie
That Binds," and let the least little offense sever it. We sing, "Serve the Lord
with Gladness," and gripe about all we have to do.
We sing, "We're Marching to
Zion," but fail to march to Sunday school, Wednesday evening Bible study or worship.
We sing, "I Love to tell the Story," and never mention it all year. We sing,
"Have thine own way Lord, mold me make me after thy will" but we never study
God’s word and we don’t show up for Bible classes to learn his will.
A young soldier was brought to
Alexander the Great. This young soldier was facing court martial for misconduct. The great
general asked this young soldier three times about his name. All three times he answered,
"Alexander." By the third time though the answer was not with much enthusiasm.
To which Alexander the Great replied, "either you change your name or you change your
actions."
2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, God's solid foundation
stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his,"
and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from
wickedness." (NIV)
The way people feel about God has to do
with how he is perceived through us. Has the blood of Christ changed our very nature so
much that others clearly connect us with the God whose name we bear? If the blood of
Christ has cleansed us from our sins those in this world should notice a real difference.
An engagement ring fell into the sea
off the west coast of Sweden. Almost two years went by before it found its way back to its
owner. A mussel that was caught by fisherman Peder Carisson consumed the ring. Carisson
was able to return the ring to its owner because its owner, Agneta Wingstedt, had her name
engraved on the inside.
Can the world trace our lives to Christ
because they can see his name engraved on our hearts? Do you see the results of His name
in your life, how about family, your neighbors and friends and even your enemies? Are we
glorifying God by being changed into his very image? Paul writes, "So whether you
eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians
10:31 NIV)
What kind of name are you choosing for
yourself? Is it a name that refuses to take God's name in vain? Or, maybe you refuse to
take up God’s name. Remember, even if you choose to make an honorable name for
yourself, you can be saved without lifting up God’s name
Romans 10:13 "Everyone who calls on the name of
the Lord will be saved." (NIV)
Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for
there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (NIV)
God’s people must be concerned
about lifting up God’ name in honor.
We lift God up when we keep our word.
Numbers 30:1-2
Moses said
to the heads of the tribes of Israel: "This is what the LORD commands: When a man
makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not
break his word but must do everything he said. (NIV)
Jesus reiterates this solemn command in
the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 5:33-37 "Again, you have heard that it was
said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to
the Lord.' But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne;
or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great
King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the
evil one. (NIV)
If your word is your bond there is no
need for oaths to confirm your word.
Matthew 23:16-22 "Woe to you, blind guides! You
say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold
of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or
the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it
means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.' You blind
men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, he
who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And he who swears by the
temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by
God's throne and by the one who sits on it. (NIV)
James 5:12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear--
not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your
"No," no, or you will be condemned. (NIV)
However the third commandment does not
forbid swearing oaths in legal proceedings. Jesus answered Caiahphas "under oath to
the living God."
Matthew 26:63-65 But Jesus remained silent. The high
priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are
the Christ, the Son of God." "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.
"But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the
right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." Then the high
priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more
witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. (NIV)
Paul swore by the name of God.
2 Corinthians 1:23 I call God as my witness that it was in
order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. (NIV)
Galatians 1:20 I assure you before God that what I am
writing you is no lie. (NIV)
Philippians 1:8 God can testify how I long for all of
you with the affection of Christ Jesus. (NIV)
The third commandment does not prevent
us from swearing to the truthfulness of our testimony in court proceedings. However, if we
give false testimony, it is a misuse of God's name.
We are not forbidden to make a vow to
the Lord.
Deut 23:21-23 If you make a vow to the LORD your God,
do not be slow to pay it, for the LORD your God will certainly demand it of you and you
will be guilty of sin. But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty.
Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the
LORD your God with your own mouth. (NIV)
We lift God up by making sure that what
we promise is not in violation to God's will.
2 Samuel 21:1-2 During the reign of David, there was a
famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the LORD. The LORD said,
"It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the
Gibeonites to death." The king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the
Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites
had sworn to them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate
them.) (NIV)
We lift God up by refusing to make rash
vows.
Judges 11:29-31 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon
Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there
he advanced against the Ammonites. And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD: "If you give
the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I
return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a
burnt offering." (NIV)
Judges 1:34-37 When Jephthah returned to his home in
Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of
tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. When
he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You have made me
miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break."
"My father," she replied, "you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me
just as you promised, now that the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.
But grant me this one request," she said. "Give me two months to roam the hills
and weep with my friends, because I will never marry." (NIV)
Another way we can make rash vows is by
promising others what we will do tomorrow or in the future when we don't know what
tomorrow will bring.
James 4:13-17 Now listen, you who say, "Today or
tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make
money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You
are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say,
"If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you
boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do
and doesn't do it, sins. (NIV)
We lift God up when we refuse to scoff
and blaspheme his work and holy name.
Leviticus 24:10-16 Now the son of an Israelite mother and
an Egyptian father went out among the Israelites, and a fight broke out in the camp
between him and an Israelite. The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name with a
curse; so they brought him to Moses. (His mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of
Dibri the Danite.) They put him in custody until the will of the LORD should be made clear
to them. Then the LORD said to Moses: "Take the blasphemer outside the camp. All
those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to
stone him. Say to the Israelites: 'If anyone curses his God, he will be held responsible;
anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must
stone him. Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to
death. (NIV)
We lift up God's name when we worship
in truth.
Psalms 50:14-23
Sacrifice
thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of
trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." But to the wicked, God says:
"What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my
instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join with him; you
throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to
deceit. You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother's son.
These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I
will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. "Consider this, you who forget God, or I
will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue: He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me,
and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God." (NIV)
Jeremiah 4:1-2 "If you will return, O Israel,
return to me," declares the LORD. "If you put your detestable idols out of my
sight and no longer go astray, and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, 'As
surely as the LORD lives,' then the nations will be blessed by him and in him they will
glory." (NIV)
John 4:24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must
worship in spirit and in truth." (NIV)
Our worship becomes vain when we set
aside God's will to follow human traditions.
Matthew 15:1-6 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the
law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, "Why do your disciples break the
tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!" Jesus replied,
"And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God
said, 'Honor your father and mother' and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be
put to death.' But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you
might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' he is not to 'honor his
father' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. (NIV)
Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to me,
'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he 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 perform many miracles?' Then I will tell
them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (NIV)
We must not slander God's holy name by
showing partiality.
James 2:5-9 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God
chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the
kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich
who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they
not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? If you really
keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are
doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as
lawbreakers. (NIV)
If we accept those who slander God's
people, we slander God.
We must not dishonor God's name through
pride and arrogance.
Proverbs 30:8-9 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have
too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so
dishonor the name of my God. (NIV)
We lift God up when we respect those he
has appointed over us.
Acts 23:3-5 Then Paul said to him, "God will
strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you
yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!" Those who were standing
near Paul said, "You dare to insult God's high priest?" Paul replied,
"Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: 'Do not
speak evil about the ruler of your people.'" (NIV)
Exodus 22:28 "Do not blaspheme God or curse the
ruler of your people. (NIV)
From this basic principle of reverence
for God and respect for His authority is derived respect for the authority of the civil
government.
Last modified:
April 18, 2006