Ten Commandments: #3

Exodus 20:7

No topic has been more misunderstood among Christians than the Law of Moses and its application to the NT believer today.

Beginning with Ex. 19 and continuing to the cross of Christ (Col. 2:14), the people were under the Mosaic system. This is called "the Law of Moses," "the Law," and sometimes "the Law of God." For the sake of convenience, we often speak of "the Moral Law" (referring to the Ten Commandments), "the Ceremonial Law" (relating to the types and symbols found in the sacrificial system), and "the Civil Law" (meaning the everyday laws that governed the lives of the people).

God did not give the Law to save anybody, because it is impossible to be saved by the keeping of the Law

(GAL 3:11) "BUT THAT NO MAN IS JUSTIFIED BY THE LAW IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, IT IS EVIDENT: FOR, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."

(ROM 3:20) "THEREFORE BY THE DEEDS OF THE LAW THERE SHALL NO FLESH BE JUSTIFIED IN HIS SIGHT: FOR BY THE LAW IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN."

God gave the Law to Israel...

• To reveal His glory and holiness.
• To reveal man’s sinfulness.
• To mark Israel as His chosen people, and to separate them from the other nations.
• To give Israel a standard for godly living so that they might inherit the land and enjoy its blessings.
• To prepare Israel for the coming of Christ.
• To illustrate in type and ceremony the Person and work of Christ.

It is important to note what the Law cannot do. It cannot accomplish these things:

• Make anything perfect, Heb. 7:11-19, 10:1-2
• Justify from sin, Acts 13:38-39 and Rom. 3:20-28
• Give righteousness, Gal. 2:21
• Give peace to the heart, Heb. 9:9
• Give life, Gal. 3:21.

All of the OT Law is an amplification and application of the Ten Commandments. Nine of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the NT and are important principles for believers today. This morning we want to focus on commandment number three.

(EXO 20:7) "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."

I. Note the Description of God’s Name.

A. It describes the character of God.

1. The Hebrew name of God here in Exodus 20:7 is Elohim.

2. Which means God is the faithful One, He is the strong One.

(PSA 111:9) "HE SENT REDEMPTION UNTO HIS PEOPLE: HE HATH COMMANDED HIS COVENANT FOR EVER: HOLY AND REVEREND IS HIS NAME."

(PSA 8:9) "O LORD OUR LORD, HOW EXCELLENT IS THY NAME IN ALL THE EARTH!"

(PROV 18:10) "THE NAME OF THE LORD IS A STRONG TOWER: THE RIGHTEOUS RUNNETH INTO IT, AND IS SAFE."

B. It describes the nature of God.

1. When Moses asked God who he should say had sent him to deliver the nation of Israel.

2. God said, "...Thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Cf Ex. 3:13-14

3. The Hebrew name for God here is Jehovah which comes from three Hebrew words.

a. ‘Yehi’ = future tense; He will be

b. ‘Hove’ = present tense; being or He that is

c. ‘hahyAH = past tense; He was

4. The beasts of Revelation 4:8 say, "...Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come."

C. There are over 300 names for God in the Bible and each one describes who He is to us.

II. Note the Desecration of God’s Name.

A. Through profanity.

1. "Ten Reasons I Swear"

• it pleases my Mother so much.
• it is a fine mark of manliness.
• it proves I have self-control.
• it indicates how clearly my mind operates.
• it makes my conversation so pleasing to everybody.
• it leaves no doubt in anyone's mind as to my good breeding.
• it impresses people that I have more than an ordinary education
• it is an unmistakable sign of culture and refinement.
• it makes me a very desirable personality among women and children and respectable society.
• it is my way of honoring God who said "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."

2. Common understanding of profanity.

a. Crude language in reference to body parts or bodily functions. (example of children)

b. "Go to hell..."

c. These and many more are considered profane because of their crudeness.

d. One of most profane is when the name of the Almighty Holy God is used in a profane manner.

e. God’s last name isn’t ‘DAMN’

f. Those who use profanity reveal an inner sickness within them- selves.

(MAT 12:34B) "...FOR OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKETH."

B. Through dishonesty.

1. The warnings in the Scriptures concerning oaths and swearing have to do with attaching God’s holy name to false statements.

(LEV 19:12) "AND YE SHALL NOT SWEAR BY MY NAME FALSELY, NEITHER SHALT THOU PROFANE THE NAME OF THY GOD: I AM THE LORD."

2. People say, "I swear to God this is the truth..." "As God is my witness.." "...So help me God..."

3. It wasn’t swearing by God’s name that was the problem...it was swearing falsely.

(DEU 10:20) "THOU SHALT FEAR THE LORD THY GOD; HIM SHALT THOU SERVE, AND TO HIM SHALT THOU CLEAVE, AND SWEAR BY HIS NAME."

4. We desecrate His name through profanity, through dishonesty, and ...

C. Through Insincerity.

1. Using His name when we don’t mean what we say.

(MAT 7:22-23) "MANY WILL SAY TO ME IN THAT DAY, LORD, LORD, HAVE WE NOT PROPHESIED IN THY NAME? AND IN THY NAME HAVE CAST OUT DEVILS? AND IN THY NAME DONE MANY WONDERFUL WORKS? {23} AND THEN WILL I PROFESS UNTO THEM, I NEVER KNEW YOU: DEPART FROM ME, YE THAT WORK INIQUITY."

2. He warned about our prayers in Mt. 6:7.

(MAT 6:7) "BUT WHEN YE PRAY, USE NOT VAIN REPETITIONS, AS THE HEATHEN DO: FOR THEY THINK THAT THEY SHALL BE HEARD FOR THEIR MUCH SPEAKING."

3. When we say prayers instead of praying prayers...we desecrate His name.

4. When we sing "O how I love Jesus" but we really don’t ... "I surrender all" but we really won’t.

III. Note the Declaration of His Name.

(MAT 1:21) "AND SHE SHALL BRING FORTH A SON, AND THOU SHALT CALL HIS NAME JESUS: FOR HE SHALL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS."

(ACTS 4:12) "NEITHER IS THERE SALVATION IN ANY OTHER: FOR THERE IS NONE OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN, WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED."

(ROM 10:13) "FOR WHOSOEVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED."

Will you come today and declare the name of Jesus? If you have never been saved come today.

(COL 3:17) "AND WHATSOEVER YE DO IN WORD OR DEED, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS TO GOD AND THE FATHER BY HIM."

Christian, are we declaring His name through what we say and do each moment of every day? Come today and let’s recommit our lives to His name.