“IT’S NOT JUST A NAME” (EX. 20:7)
If people violated the commandment that was just read,
God said that He would not hold them guiltless.
In other words, there would be a penalty for misusing God’s name.
This penalty is described in the 24th chapter of Leviticus.
I will be reading verses 11-16 of Lev. 24.
READ.
I. MISUSING GOD’S NAME WHEN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS WERE IN FORCE WAS A SERIOUS OFFENCE. IT WAS SO SERIOUS THAT ON AT LEAST ONE OCCASION IT COST A MAN HIS LIFE.
A. God told the Jews that they were not to use His name in “vain”.
B. The word vain means:
1) Jokingly, jestingly,
2) Foolishly, worthlessly.
3) God did not want His name to be used in an irreverent manner.
C. To appreciate this commandment, we need to understand some background.
D. Within our culture, names do not mean very much.
E. When a baby is born, parents select a name.
F. The name that is selected is usually chosen because it is liked.
G. Or, a name is chosen because some other family member has that name.
H. The culture of the Bible had a different attitude towards names.
I. This is seen from the famous narrative in Lk. 1.
J.
A priest by the name of Zacharias was married to
K.
L.
Finally,
M. We know this John as John the Baptist.
N. Zacharias and Elizabeth did not select the name John.
O. Look
at (listen to) Lk.
P. The people that are described wanted to name this boy after his father.
Q. Notice
what
R.
Why did
S.
Lk.
T. The name John had special significance.
U. This name meant, “The graciousness of God”.
V. The name John was tied in with the work that John would do.
W. Many times in the Bible, we see how names were important.
1) Names described what people would be like.
2) Names were used to describe what people would do.
X. Names were so important, that they were sometimes changed—Abraham.
Y. The savior was given a special name.
Z.
In Matt.
A.
B. In our day and time, names are basically labels.
C. We use these labels to single out and identify each other.
D. With the Hebrews, names were more than labels—much more.
E. Names were chosen for their meaning.
F. Names had significance.
G. In our culture, a name can be about as valuable as a number.
1) I can be called by Brad,
2) Or I can be called by some number.
3) I have been called by a number.
4) I used to play basket ball- I was # 42.
5) At the driver’s license branch I am called by a number.
6) In the catalogue line I am called by a number.
H. Compared to the Hebrew culture, our names have little value.
I. Among the Hebrews, the people embodied their names.
J. If the name of a Hebrew person was attacked, their person was attacked.
K. Understanding this helps us to understand
Ex. 20:7.
L. When people joked about or used God’s name
foolishly,
M. They really were joking about God as a
whole.
N. God cannot somehow be separated from His name.
II. WITH THIS INFORMATION BEFORE US, LET’S SEE HOW THE JEWS WERE ABLE TO USE GOD’S NAME IN VAIN.
A. The first way involved oaths.
B. Oaths were statements like,
C. “As surely as God lives I will help at the temple today.”
D. “By the throne of God I am telling the truth.”
E. “I swear by Jehovah that I didn’t steal your ox.” Oaths were common.
F. There are many members of the church who are confused by oaths.
G. Most of this confusion and error is based upon Mt. 5:33-37.
H. James 5 is also a text that some appeal to.
I. To state the matter briefly, a number of brethren have concluded:
J. It is wrong to take any kind of oath.
K. These brethren insist that saying “I swear” in court is wrong. Using God’s name…
L. The supposed proof for their position is in Matt. 5.
M. Let’s read Matt. 5:33-37. READ.
N. Jesus did not say, “Ye have READ.” It was “ye have heard”.
O. Christ is dealing with Jewish traditions and errors.
P. Christ is trying to show what God’s standard really was in the OT.
Q. Some believe that Christ was condemning all oaths.
R. This is not true.
S. I am going to read from Lev. 19:12; listen carefully. READ.
T. What was condemned in the area of swearing (making oaths)?
1) God said that it was not to be done falsely.
2) If people said, “By the throne of God, I didn’t steal your ox,”
3) That statement was permissible as long as it was true.
4) Oaths were allowed under the OT law.
5) God objected to oaths that were false,
6) God also objected to oaths that were frivolous.
7) If someone said,
8) “By the throne of Jehovah I will be at your house for supper”,
9) God’s name would have been used in a flippant way.
10) Promising to keep a supper invitation does not need an oath.
U. Christ condemned oaths that were needless and false.
V. The OT and the NT permit oaths that are true and important.
W. Proof that this view is right is found in James 5.
X. James 5 has been used to condemn all kinds of oaths.
Y. The supposed condemnation of oaths is really commendation of oaths.
Z. As you are turning to James 5:12, let me give you this notation.
1) There are two words for other in the NT.
2) One of these words is allos—another of a similar kind.
3) If you had one catfish, an allos fish would be another catfish.
4) The second word is heteros.
5) Heteros describes another of something that is completely different.
6) If you had a catfish, a second heteros fish would be a bluegill.
A. Here is what we have in James 5:12. READ.
B. James says, “swear not by any other oath”.
C. James could have used the word heteros.
D. This word would have included every kind of oath.
E. Heteros describes things that are completely different.
F. James did not use heteros.
G. He used the word allos; OATHS THAT ARE ALIKE.
H. What kind of oaths were being used by these people?
I. The immediate context gives us a pretty good idea.
J. Let’s back up to verse 4. READ.
1) I imagine that some of these people were saying,
2) “By the throne of God I will pay you.
3) I swear to God that you will get your check.”
4) The money was never paid.
5) These oaths were false.
6) False oaths have always been wrong.
K. It is not wrong to make an oath if it is true and important.
L. If you want additional proof of this, let me offer this.
M. God made an oath. Do you know that? He did.
N. Heb. 6:13—QUOTE.
1) God “swore” (He took an oath).
2) God swore “by Himself” since He could go to none greater.
3) Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, also responded to an oath.
4) Listen to what Matt. 26:63 says.
5) Pilate put Christ in the position of accepting an oath.
6) What did the sinless Son of God say? Did He say,
7) “I cannot respond to the oath. That’s against the rules.”
8) Rephrase your question.
9) Jesus said, Mt. 26:64.
10) Jesus responded to Pilate’s oath in an affirmative way.
11) Oaths that involve God’s name, or oaths that ask us to swear
12) To the truth: are permissible.
13) Only oaths that are false and needless are condemned.
O. Since I have dealt with oaths, let me move on to another area.
P. The commandment in Ex. 20:7 could be violated in another way.
Q. This way can be called “personal irreverence”.
1) People have come upon accidents and said something like,
2) “Oh, Christ, what happened here?”
3) People frequently say, “My God”.
4) God’s name is used when people smash their thumb.
5) God’s name is used when people get a flat tire.
6) God’s name is used to curse others.
7) It took me some time to learn the meaning of the word damn.
8) When I found out what this word means, I was surprised.
9) As a swear word, damn asks God to:
10) Send someone/something to an eternal hell.
11) This request may be tied in with personal irreverence.
12) People are not really asking God to do that.
13) As a means of releasing anger,
14) People unwittingly ask God to use His worst punishment.
15) Abusing God’s name in this way, or abusing God’s name by
16) Cursing with it, violates the commandment that was given to the Jews.
17) This violation was serious. It justified death.
18) Paul said that we are to learn from this, Rom. 15:4.
R. Another way of violating Ex. 20:7 invloves the way we speak about God.
S. Not long ago, a man called me from the jail.
T. I went to visit him.
1) His story was that he was a good man. In for DWI.
2) His bond was $4,000; 10% of that was required for him to be released.
3) Someone was willing to put up the 10%.
4) In addition to the 10%, someone needed to sign the little paper.
5) If this prisoner was released and didn’t stay in the area,
6) The person who signed the paper would be coughing up $3,600.
7) As this man spoke, I kept thinking of Prov. 6:
8) Flee as a bird from this kind of situation.
9) When I made it clear to this man that this was not my purpose,
10) He became irreverent towards God.
a). God doesn’t care.
b). God doesn’t respond to prayer.
c). Christians, God’s people, are worthless.
d). They don’t offer help to good people like me.
e). If God really loved me, I would be out of here.
f). If God cared about me, He would see that I cannot stand this place.
g). I saw this man last Sunday.
h). He seemed to have modified his thinking.
i). This man represents many.
j). If they don’t get their way, they are irreverent.
CONCLUSION:
1. Ex. 20:7 is not a law that we are under today; the 10 commandments are done away with (abolished).
2. Though this commandment has been removed, it still has meaning – Rom. 15:4.
3. As we go through life:
A. We need to avoid casual and irreverent use of God’s name.
B. False promises that use God’s name need to be shunned.
C. We must never use God’s name as a means of exclamation.
D. Asking God to damn someone or something, is always wrong.
4. God’s name is to be used, and He wants us to use it.
5. However, misusing it is a serious sin.
6. If you have been leading a life where the misuse of God’s name has been commonplace…