May 27, 2023

Exodus 20: 7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” (NIV)

The name of God is holy beyond any comparison.*

I see how disrespectful it is to use the name of the Lord in profane and idle utterances,* but even more, it is considered “the most godless of sins.”* The Jews went to such extremes to avoid taking God’s name in vain that they completely replaced his name with another word. But, I wonder: Is a nickname really more respectful than actually uttering the most sacred name?

We should be aware that we can be diligent to be obedient to the third commandment and still be disrespectful of that name. It is good that we don’t use God or Jesus as swear words; and we should not swear false oaths in the name of the Lord.  But, as someone has pointed out, the notion that God should be mentioned “seldom and with bated breath” is not so much proof of our reverence for his name as it is evidence of our failure to think of him “aright.”* In other words, in our zeal not to use God’s name improperly, do we actually even use it properly?

Don’t be afraid to call on the name of the Lord – in praise and worship; in times of distress; in daily conversation. We can't praise or proclaim his name if we can't say his name!

To treat Yahweh’s name with disrespect is to treat his gift lightly, to underestimate his power, to scorn his Presence, and to misrepresent to the family of humankind his very nature as "The One Who Always Is."