You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
The third commandment, focuses on the importance of God's name. When you hear a name, you picture the person and their characteristics, not the linguistic meaning of the name itself. So, a name represents who someone is and their character.
When we sign legal documents or contracts, we use our names to signify our authority and commitment. For example, currency notes bear the name of a country's reserve bank governor as a promise to pay the sum stated.
Names carry weight and stand for the person behind them.
Importance of name
When Moses asks God to show him His glory, God replies that He will proclaim His name before Moses. This demonstrates that a person's name equals their glory.
And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
The book of Revelation also speaks of God being worthy of glory and worship.
You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.
God takes names seriously. God often changes people's names in the Bible to signify upcoming changes. They're renamed before their lives reflect them.
Abram becomes Abraham, the father of many nations;
No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.
Jacob becomes Israel after wrestling with God and winning;
Then the man said, "Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome."
Hosea's name changes to Joshua – from "salvation" to "Yahweh saves" – highlighting his crucial role in delivering the Jewish nation.
These are the names of the men Moses sent to explore the land. (Moses gave Hoshea son of Nun the name Joshua.)
So when we say "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain," it means not to misuse or disrespect His name, as it represents His character, authority, and glory.
Names of God
In the Bible, God unveils Himself through various names, while people also give Him different names based on their experiences.
When Jesus taught us to pray, He began with "Abba, Father," showing us that God is like a loving father who knows our needs and listens to our prayers. This intimate relationship with God sets Christianity apart from other faiths.
This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,“
The prophet Isaiah prophesied Jesus' birth, saying we would call Him Emmanuel – someone always with us. Jesus later promised the Holy Spirit as a constant companion, fulfilling this prophecy.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Not only these names signify glory, but Proverbs says that the name of the Lord is a strong tower where the righteous find safety. Under His name, we can find shelter from life's storms, illnesses, and confusion.
The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Moses built an altar in Exodus and called the Lord "my banner" – a symbol of victory. Like a flag flying high above an army, God leads us into triumph.
Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner.
In Genesis, Hagar, Abraham's servant, gave God another name when she was sent away: "the God who sees me." This story shows the Bible's inclusiveness: even a woman could name God without any shame or discrimination.
She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”
Each name reveals an aspect of God's character, allowing us to understand Him better and draw closer to His presence.
What it means to take the name of the Lord in vain
What does taking the Lord's name in vain truly mean? First and foremost, it's swearing falsely in God's name, making a promise you know you can't keep. Remember when we were kids, we'd say "God's promise" to make others believe we'd do something? That's one example.
In the past, people would swear on the Bible in court, genuinely fearing the consequences of lying. Nowadays, not so much. That's how we devalue the Bible.
Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.
Jesus goes a step further and says, don't take oaths at all. What is the need for taking oaths? Oath is necessary only if the other party doesn't believe you'll fulfill your part of the deal. What that suspicion arise? Because you don't honor your word.
But I tell you, do not swear an oath 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.
What is the remedy for it? Not more oaths. Not oaths in higher powers. Rather becoming a man of integrity. Walk your talk and talk your walk. Say what you'll do and do what you say. Nothing else. Anything else is from the evil one.
All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
Another way of misusing the Lord's name is claiming divine inspiration for personal gain. I've heard ministers say God told them to build a TV studio or buy a private jet – clearly not true. The Bible warns against such behavior.
I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’
Lastly, don't claim victory in God's name without truly hearing from Him. This is another form of taking His name in vain.
Now Zedekiah son of Kenaanah had made iron horns and he declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’ ”
We have to become like the Lord, a person of integrity. Someone who can be trusted, counted upon even at the worst of the situations. The Lord wants us to be transformed into his likeness. That's what this commandment is about.
References
- My message in Tamil - https://youtu.be/cYislsrEyww
- My message in Tamil & Hindi - https://youtu.be/yo43AWnPnrI