Exodus 20:7

7             “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

The Third Commandment

I, like most Christians, was properly taught that was about not saying: “Oh my God,” or anything closely related to this. That saying these phrases was offensive to God. I learned a few years ago through a BibleProject podcast that this commandment wasn’t necessarily about this. It was more so about doing things in God’s name that went against who God was. It revolutionized everything I knew, but was that true? Let’s talk about that.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How do you read the third commandment?

Using God’s Name for Vanity

When we talk about not taking God’s name in vain, it’s about respecting God’s character and authority. Names were very significant in the ancient Near Eastern cultures. Names reflected the nature and essence of a person. God’s name (YHWH) was sacred and powerful, so misusing God’s name would imply a lack of respect and understanding of His holiness. It’s not just about profanity, but also about ensuring that God’s name is not used carelessly or deceitfully.

God’s justice shows that there are consequences for those who disrespected His name. We don’t know what the consequences are. The mention of punishment was to be a deterrent against those that misuse God’s name. Taking God’s name in vain can include swearing falsely by it, using it in magical incantations, or speaking it without the proper reverence. In the New Testament, Jesus builds on this through understand that one’s word reflects their heart condition.

I interpret this information to share that it’s about not using God’s name maliciously. Swearing falsely by something is lying. “I swear to God I didn’t cheat.” You are using the power of God to attempt to hide your sin. This is using God for your own vanity, and that’s where it violates the commandment. The use of God’s name in proper magical incantations is hard to connect to in our world today, because spiritual practices were more common during the time of Moses’. There are some arguments about it that is talking about I personally believe that since God created these things (as he creates all things) that He can speak through them, but we must utilize them as a support to God and not as a god themselves. Humans can turn almost anything—stars, cards, systems—into spiritual tools. If God chooses to nudge us through something, that doesn’t make the tool itself a god. The key is not to treat any tool or practice as having power over God or as a replacement for God. To use God’s name with proper reverence means to be intentional. The many “oh my gods” we say, it’s good to question: “Why am I saying this?” Are we saying this because we can think of a proper emotional reaction? Are we saying this because of its genuine impact on us? We must be intentional with our words, as Jesus describes in Matthew 12:34-37.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: What do you think? The focus of this command is to not swear by God’s name falsely, using it for spiritual purposes, or speaking it without proper reverence. Does this change how you view “taking God’s name in vain?”

Words Can Justify and Condemn

36          But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment.

37          For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

I want to focus on verse 37. The concept of being justified suggests a legal setting, where our words are the evidence of our righteousness and faith. The concept of being condemned is to be warned against the dangers of baseless words and lies.

Our words are expressions of our hearts and minds. Our words have power to love and curse. In the ancient Jewish culture, words were binding. What you said, you committed too. When we speak of God, we are sharing a true representation of who God is. Sharing His name in moments of shock, anger, and stress can be helpful when our focus is to cleanse our soul. Sharing His name carelessly and aimlessly is when it can become dangerous to our soul and relationship with Him.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: How does this statement from Jesus change your view on the third command?

Next part: Rest and Renewal || I Command You || Part 4