Do you like taking quizzes? This is not an open book, or more correctly, an open Bible, quiz. Most people can recite with ease what are the top two of the Ten Commandments? But can you recite the Third Commandment? If you answered, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain,” you answered correctly, and you get a lollipop. Does it surprise you that the commandment to not take the Lord’s name in vain comes in third place? We know this commandment is important to God because it is the third commandment, but did you know it is also the only commandment among the ten that comes with a penalty if violated? God said he would not leave anyone unpunished who takes his name in vain, so the weight of this sin is heavy. This was something the Israelites must take seriously, something they must not overlook.
So, we know the third commandment is important. But do we even know what it means? What do you think it means to take the Lord’s name in vain? In the many times you read this commandment in Exodus in the past, how have you understood what it meant? The Hebrew word translated, “vain” means “empty”, “futile” or “false”, but that doesn’t help me very much, if I am honest. In addition, the Bible mentions about taking the Lord’s name in vain in Exodus 20. But it mentions again only once more in Psalm 139.20 “For they speak against you wickedly, and your enemies take your name in vain.” Because the Bible mentions taking the Lord’s name in vain so few times, that makes it hard for you and me to know with confidence what it means.
When I was a new Christian, someone taught me that taking the Lord’s name in vain meant using his name as a swear word, or as part of a swear phrase. The words, “God”, “Lord”, “Jesus” or “Jesus Christ”, even “Holy” come to mind. So does OMG. As you already know, it was to the Israelites God gave the commandment to not take the Lord’s name in vain. Does this mean that when God warned the Israelites on that day, he meant for them to never say, “Yahweh” or “Lord” as swear words or say them as part of Hebrew swear phrases? Did the Israelites already know how to swear in those early days? Did they swear, for example, when they accidentally dropped a heavy tool on their toes? Perhaps. When Yahweh wrote the Third Commandment, was he warning the Israelites against saying his name as swear words? What do you think?
It is important for me here to show you two verses in the Bible as we begin our investigation.
Psalm 8.1
O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
Psalm 111.9
He has sent redemption to His people;
He has ordained His covenant forever;
Holy and awesome is His name.
The Psalmists say the Lord’s name is majestic, his name is holy and awesome. When you and I say the Lord’s name, we are not merely saying his name. Something else is going on at the same time. When we say his name, we are also saying something about his name. We are saying his name is majestic, holy and awesome. Those are attributes we cannot say about anyone else. Those are true only about our Lord. There is no one like our Lord. When we say the Lord’s name, we are also coming with an attitude of reverence, respect, honor, glory, and majesty. There is significance attached to the name we are saying. There is weight. This is how it needs to be whenever we say the Lord’s name.
If this is how the Psalmists view the name of the Lord, could it be that taking the Lord’s name in vain means the opposite? I believe so. Taking the Lord’s name in vain has something to do with saying his name, but reverence, respect, honor, glory, and majesty are missing. Whenever we say the words, “God”, “Lord”, “Jesus”, “Jesus Christ”, but we have not attached greatness to the name we just said, we have just taken the Lord’s name in vain.