THE THIRD COMMANDMENT: REVERING GOD’S NAME Exodus 20:7 8 July 2012

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FIRST TABLE 1.No other gods 2.No images of God 3.Not taking God’s name in vain 4.Keep the Sabbath holy SECOND TABLE 5. Honour father & mother 6. No murder 7. No adultery 8. No stealing 9. No false witness 10. No coveting

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT Exodus 20:7 [NIV] 7 “You shall not misuse the name of the L ORD your God, for the L ORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. Exodus 19:7 [ESV] 7 “You shall not take the name of the L ORD your God in vain, for the L ORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

GOD’S NAME YHWH Pronounced YAHWEH Translated in English bible as ‘the L ORD ’

Deuteronomy 6:13 13 Fear the L ORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT Exodus 20:7 [NIV] 7 “You shall not misuse the name of the L ORD your God, for the L ORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. Exodus 19:7 [ESV] 7 “You shall not take the name of the L ORD your God in vain, for the L ORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

Exodus 19: On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain.

Exodus 19: Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the L ORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, 19 and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.

1. Revering God’s name in worship

REVERING GOD’S NAME IN WORSHIP 1. No irreverence

Isaiah 66:1-2 1 This is what the L ORD says: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? 2 Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the L ORD. “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.

Leviticus 24: 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. 11 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.) 12 They put him in custody until the will of the L ORD should be made clear to them.

Leviticus 24: Then the L ORD said to Moses: 14 “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. 15 Say to the Israelites: ‘If anyone curses his God, he will be held responsible; 16 anyone who blasphemes the name of the L ORD 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.

REVERING GOD’S NAME IN WORSHIP 1.No irreverence 2.No idolatry

Exodus 23:13 13 “Be careful to do everything I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.

Elton Trueblood (1972): “The worst blasphemy is not profanity, but lip service.”

James 4:4 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Matthew 6:24 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

REVERING GOD’S NAME IN WORSHIP 1.No irreverence 2.No idolatry 3.No misrepresentation

Ezekiel 13:6-7 6 Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, “The L ORD declares,” when the L ORD has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled. 7 Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, “The L ORD declares,” though I have not spoken?

2. Revering God’s name in conversation

REVERING GOD’S NAME IN CONVERSATION 1.No profanity

REVERING GOD’S NAME IN CONVERSATION 1.No profanity 2.No cursing others

James 3: With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

3. Revering God’s name in oaths and promise keeping

Deuteronomy 6:13 13 Fear the L ORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name.

Psalm 15 1 L ORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? 2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart 3 and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbour no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman, 4 who despises a vile man but honours those who fear the L ORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts,…

Matthew 5: “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.’ 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Matthew 26: … 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.” 64 “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. Romans 9:1-2 1 I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— 2 I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 2 Corinthians 1:23 23 I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you that I did not return to Corinth. 2 Thess 2:5 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed —God is our witness.

Matthew 5: “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.’ 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Luke 14:26 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.” Matthew 6:6 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 23: “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.’ 17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18 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.’ 19 You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

4. Punishment and grace

Exodus 19:7 [ESV] 7 “You shall not take the name of the L ORD your God in vain, for the L ORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. Matthew 12: But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Exodus 19:4-6 4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”