Thou Shalt not Take the Name of the Lord Thy God in Vain
Deuteronomy 5:11
You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.


With what the heart is full the mouth runs over. If in men's hearts there is the spirit of the idolator, etc. "Mouth and heart," says the proverb, "are but a span apart." "The heart is the spring, the tongue is the stream."

I. THE TRANSGRESSION.

1. The name of the Lord. There are terms by which we speak of God — the Lord, Almighty, the Son, etc., etc.; terms, also, which remind us of Him, and tell of His power, etc. — the Gospel, etc., the sacrament, Cross, heaven, etc. All such terms we are not to misuse.

2. The command is against swearing. Swearers are to be found everywhere, of every age and condition. The young boy, the old man, grey headed and feeble, etc., who curse about nothing and about everything — in wrath, at work or play, everywhere and in every position. Every street and lane witnesses the transgression of this commandment. How can it go well with any who curse more than they pray?

3. The command is against false swearing — against false oaths. Ill every oath conscience should speak. And it matters not whether the perjury is committed for self or for others, or in company with many, or whether it be in regard to a promise, to allegiance, etc.

4. The command is against needless oaths — men are not to swear about trifles. In common life the rule is "swear not at all." Will none believe you unless your words are clinched by an oath? Shame upon you, then!

5. The command forbids lying or deceiving in God's name; it is against hypocrisy. Every preacher of the Gospel should be penetrated with the spirit of the apostle (Galatians 1:8). Yet there are many who are false prophets (Jeremiah 5:31). They appeal to Scripture against Scripture, and destroy those weak in the faith. Those break this command who misuse the Bible and Bible phrases; who, e.g., mock at the sin of a David and leave his repentance unnoticed; who read the Bible to oppose it — making the Word of Life to become a word of death; who, in common conversation, use as exclamations the name of God, Christ, etc.; who mock among themselves at the Christian faith, and yet in the presence of men approach the table of the Lord. To all such the command says, "The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain."

II. THE FULFILLING OF THE COMMAND.

1. Whilst we are not to misuse God's name, at the same time we must not neglect it. What kind of friendship would that be with one whose name is never on our lips? So with the name of God. It must not be used in cursing, etc., but in time of need we must call upon Him.

2. Not only in time of need, however. It were a poor friendship that would lead as to think of our friend only in hours of need. We must "call upon the name of the Lord" in all conditions and circumstances — in joy as in sorrow, in our outgoing and incoming, in our work as in our worship, etc.

3. But we must not only be led to call on God in prayer — at the memory of His goodness and grace, His might and majesty, we should "praise His great and holy name." And whilst those who break this command have their favourite oaths, etc., we shall have our favourite expressions in prayer and praise.

4. It is also oftentimes a sacred duty to praise God, as saw it, to be before his judges when he was asked to curse Christ. "How could I curse my King who has saved me? So for thirty, forty, or fifty years He has followed us with blessing. Is it not our duty openly to praise His name?

5. We should remember also God's name with thankful gratitude. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits." In the world, in heaven and earth, in the history of humanity and of His Church, His praise is written — and in our individual lives. The centuries and millennia proclaim His praise; but so also do yesterday and today — the morning on which you awoke refreshed, and the night which brought you and yours peace and rest (Psalm 92:1, 2).

6. We must thank God for everything, even for the Cross He sends. Thus thanksgiving is often harder than supplication. When we can render both we have learned a noble art. If our life pass in prayer and thanksgiving, then it will follow a true courser and men will see therein how true it is.

"With thy God to begin — with Him to end,

This is the fairest way thy life can tend."

(K. H. Caspari.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: 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.

WEB: "You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain: for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.




The Third Commandment
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