Good morning, ladies!
Today we’ll be looking at the third commandment found in Exodus 20:7 which tells us, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” I remember when I was a kid that this commandment was used to tell us not to use bad language or cuss words. Most of us in my neighborhood grew up in blue-collar working-class families and it wasn’t unusual to hear our fathers use language that our mothers didn’t want us using. My dad and older brother worked in the lumber yard and did construction, and I can assure you when someone swung a hammer and hit a thumb rather than a nail, I heard some colorful language.
As a matter of fact, and some of you have heard this story, I heard my older brother use a word with his friends to really emphasize the fact that he wasn’t going to do something. I was about 4 or 5 years old and had no idea what the word meant but it sounded like it really drove home a point. So, when my mother told me to go pick up my toys, I let her know with my newly acquired word that I really didn’t want to do that. My own kids referred to it as “dropping the F bomb” and I can tell you that it did not have the desired result. My mom squirted Ivory dish soap in my mouth and made me stand there and hold it in my mouth for what seemed an eternity! Oh, and I did end up picking up my toys!
I think this commandment covers much more than unsavory speech. In today’s world, we don’t have to wait long to hear the name of God used in a pretty unholy manner. The name of God has become almost a slang term that can be added to any statement. How often do we see OMG in a text message? I’ve been unfortunate enough to see an F added for emphasis in social media posts. Even the name of Jesus is tossed around randomly. Scripture couldn’t be clearer that God takes this pretty seriously since He says that the person who does this will not be held guiltless. We will all answer for things we say and do.
I looked up the word “vain” in the dictionary because to me that word signifies vanity or pride in oneself. That is one definition, but I think the one meant here is the other one. It can mean, “without real significance, value, or importance; worthless”. Using God’s name like a slang term decreases its value for the user. It shows that the person using His name in that way has no respect for the one the name belongs to. When profanity is added to the name of God, I believe it takes that disrespect to a whole new level.
Another way I see God’s name taken in vain is when someone swears an oath on God’s name. Have you ever heard someone tell a story that seems pretty unbelievable and then ends with, “it’s the truth, swear to god”. That goes right back to Scripture in Matthew 5:37, which says, “Let what you say be simply ‘yes’ or ‘no’; anything more than this comes from evil.” These are Jesus’ words. In Jewish culture at the time, people were swearing oaths all over the place, swearing by everything they could think of. Not only did they make these oaths, but they didn’t follow thru on them. Jesus told them not to take any oath, simply say yes or no and its pretty good advice for today as well.
Leviticus 19:12 also states, “And you shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.”
I thought of four ways that God’s name is taken in vain:
- Using the name of God or Jesus in a meaningless way, like slang or just for filler.
- Using the name of God in anger or as a curse word.
- False oaths, swearing to a lie using God’s name. It can also be making promises in God’s name that you have no intention of keeping.
- Acting in a way that dishonors God’s reputation, especially if you’re claiming to be a Christian and a follower of His. If we publicly claim to follow Jesus, we need to be acting like it and living in a way that shows Christ-like behavior.
If you have other examples of how God’s name can be taken in vain, please share them in the comments. We all get spoken to uniquely when we read Scripture.
And if you are looking for a church to call home, please visit our little church on the hill, it’s worth the drive!
Lori Hug
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