Lesson 2: The 3rd Commandment

Taking the name of the Lord in Vain

Exodus 20:1-6 And God spake all these words, saying, I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness [of any thing] that [is] in heaven above, or that [is] in the earth beneath, or that [is] in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God [am] a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation] of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

THEN VERSE 7 IS THE 3rd COMMANDMENT… (AFTER One God is fully established)
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.

OUR GOD IS A GOD OF ORDER! There is perfect order to these verses.

1-4 are Vertical issues (Man to God) 5-10 are ethical issues to each other

1. One God 2. Idolatry (images) 3. God’s name in vain 4. The Sabbath 5. Honor Parents 6. Murder 7. Adultery8. Stealing9. Lying10. Coveting

*** David Seamans: Said seminary students were asked how they would order them: 90% changed the order. (( this one last ))
BUT THEY ARE PERFECTLY ORDERED!

Leviticus 19:12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I [am] the LORD.

2 ISSUES HERE ===========> SWEARING —– PROFANING!

SWEARING: Some folks think a vocabulary is not complete w/o cursing!
Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. —->>> A CURSING MOUTH BELONGS TO AN UNSUBMITTED HEART

JAMES GIVES A POWERFUL TREATMENT OF THIS MATTER…
James 3:1-12 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same [is] a perfect man, [and] able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though [they be] so great, and [are] driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue [is] a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; [it is] an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 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.

THIS IS WHY GOD CHOSE SPEAKING IN TONGUES — what man can’t do = God Can!

——>>>> A child of God had better clean up the potty mouth, before you ruin your witness! (LIKE BILLY’S REST.)

PROFANE: — “Hallowed be thy Name” (top of the Lord’s prayer)
( showing irreverence, contempt, to put in an improper use, vulgar )

P R O : “in front of” F A N E : “the temple”

Those who use profanity = take the Holy things out of the Temple”!!
Those that use his name in Vain: Prove they don’t know him!

A PRAYERFUL PERSON UNDERSTANDS HIS NAME IS THE DOORWAY TO THE THRONE!
PROFANITY WILL KEEP YOU FROM HIS PRESENCE! (we can not take his name lightly)

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OUR AMERICAN CULTURE DOES NOT REVERENCE MUCH ANYMORE – but the JEWS did!

Jewish Scribe: would never dipped his quill during the writing of his name
—- WOULD CHANGE CLOTHES EVERY TIME THEY WROTE OF HIS NAME! —–

THE LORD’S PRAYER LACKS PUNCH IF WE DO NOT STAND IN AWE OF HIS NAME!
here’s a little added understanding of the power of his name…

John 5:43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. ( speaking of antichrist )

Revelation 13:16-18 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six.

Man’s Number is 6 — This is 666 ====> Man, Man, Man! (personhood)

John 8:44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

II Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

I Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

SATAN ALSO IS REFERRED TO AS – FATHER, SON, SPIRIT

Isaiah 56:5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. —> PRAISE GOD!

 

We have a NAME that is greater then Father or Son or Holy Ghost…
Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth;

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Another Angle: —-> 3rd Commandment holds against Perjury!

Early humans lied so much that common speech was untrustworthy!
— When pressed they would say: “SWORE ON GOD AS A WITNESS” —
Consequently: if you didn’t say it, you were not bound to be truthful!

Matthew 5:33-37 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine 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.

Jesus taught: Our ordinary speech should be truthful! TOO MUCH LYING!

LET ME SHOW YOU SOME OTHER WAYS PEOPLE PROFANE:

1. Borrowing money & not paying it back:2. Running up a bill with no intention to pay – Romans 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another:…3. Unfaithful to wedding vows4. Unfaithful to vows made to God!5. Parents make vows at baby dedications that get thrown aside in time

IN OTHER WORDS =====>>> WE PERJURE OURSELVES WITH OUR OWN OATHS!

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Remember: Bible names had deep meaning! It was an Extension of character

SO IS GOD’S NAME!
Deuteronomy 12:5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, [even] unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: —> A TEMPLE OF THE NAME!

Acts 4:7-18 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, [even] by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them [is] manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny [it]. But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

THIS NAME SHOULD BE HALLOWED! IT IS HOLY! IT IS RIGHTEOUS!
and the 3rd Commandment tells us to not Profane it!

DOES YOUR LIFE HONOR OR PROFANE HIM?

Ask yourself… Can God stamp his Name upon our…
attitudes, motives, actions, lifestyle, financial choices, relationships

—->>> IF GOD CAN STAMP HIS NAME THERE WITH OUT PROFANING IT…
Then we are obeying the 3rd Commandment!