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The 10 Commandments mini series: 3rd Commandment

Updated: Nov 14, 2023

Exodus 20:7

"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."

The Hebrew word which was originally used for the word “take” in this verse is the word “nasa” (נשא). It means to lift up, bring forth, high, magnify or raise. The Hebrew word that was used for “vain” in this verse is the word “shav” (שוא). Which means emptiness, vanity, false, worthless, common, useless, desolating.


As born-again believers, we are called to lift up Abba’s Name and to bring Him glory with our lives. We cannot lift His Name up through our words and then bring it down again through our actions and the way we live. Our words carry immense weight. We cannot aford to speak things if we are not commited to do what we said.


Proverbs 18:21 says “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” The words and statements that comes out of our mouths, should be things that we plan to keep. In Scripture we also read that our yes should be our yes and our no should be no.


The words we use is a reflection of the nature which is rooted in us! We have to ask ourselves which nature we are giving life to and feeding with the words which we are speaking.


In Proverbs 25:13 we read “Like the cold of snow in time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him, for he refreshes the soul of his masters.” In Ecclesiastes 5:2-5 we read “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few. For a dream comes through much activity, and a fool’s voice is known by his many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed—better not to vow than to vow and not pay.”


We have to realise that not keeping our word, not only goes against Abba’s instructions... but it also hurt those around us.


If we say that we are born-again believers, we carry the Light (Yeshua) of the world within us. Which means that every single time that we do not keep our word - we’re not only damaging our own credibility. But we are also depicting Yeshua in a bad light - as if He also won’t keep His Word (a lie straight from the enemy’s camp).


We are representatives of the Most High! Unless we live 100% devoted to Him - we are drawing down His Name! In other words, we are using His Name in vain through proclaiming that He is King over our hearts and our lives but our words and actions do not testify of it.


In Deuteronomy 23:21 we read “When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you. But if you abstain from vowing, it shall not be sin to you. That which has gone from your lips you shall keep and perform, for you voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.”


When we make vows and not keep them, God is still going to keep us accountable for the vows we have made. The seed we sow always brings forth a harvest.


In Matthew 5:33-37 we read “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”


Abba’s Word never contradicts itself! The New Testament confirms the Old Testament. It does not replace it.


In a recent teaching I listened to, the pastor said that one only has the “need” to swear on someone else’s life (i.e. God’s Name), when their own lives do not meet the standards. In other words when your word is not your word in general. When you often say things that you do not do or commit to things and then don’t perform it. When your yes is your yes and your no is your no - you won’t need to swear on someone else’s live to valitdate what you are saying. Your character would back you up without swearing. If your word is your word and you do what you said you will do, you don’t have to swear on anything other than your own words. In fact, you don’t even have to swear at all. Your words would be sufficient as is.


Leviticus 19:12 says “And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.”


As born-again believers, we are always bringing God's Name into everything because we are His representatives here on earth.


When we don't stick to our word, we are doing damage to His Name. Jim Staley said in his teaching about the 3rd commandment that you can “translate” the commandment in layman’s terms to: "you should not make God's name void or common by making an oath in His name and not keep it. For the LORD will hold him accountable for making His Name no different than any other name."


Imagine signing the words we speak and promises we make with our signature at the bottom. Kind of like a formal contract. When we see a signature on a contract, we know that the person who signed it is commited to the terms connected. The root words of “signature” is sign and nature. In other words... Our signature (physically & spiritually) is a sign of our nature. If we sign things (commit to things, make vows, etc) and break them - it reveals our true nature.


The sign of Abba’s nature is covenant! He ALWAYS stays true to His Word!


The Hebrew word for “covenant” is the word “brit” (ברית). It means to cut. Yeshua’s flesh was crucified for us and the sign of His nature was LIFE!

We have to ask ourselves if the sign of our lives are lifting up His Name!

 
 
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