“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.”
The Hebrew word for “vain” in this text of scripture is “shav”, meaning desolating, (evil as destructive), ruin, idolatry, uselessness (as deceptive), falsely (such as in when a person swears falsely in court or to people), lie, lying or in vain (without legitimate purpose).It also means emptiness or without cause.The Webster’s New world Dictionary and Thesaurus defines “vain” as having no real value, worthless.This includes statements like “Oh my G..”, or OMG, or saying “Jesus Christ” when we are angry, surprised or without purpose.This includes “Jehovah”, “Jesus”, “God”, “Yahwah”, “Yeshua”, “Elohim” or any other divine name that is attributed to the one and only Living God.
This has to do with peoples estimation, respect and honor of God.He is King of King, Lord of Lord’s, and Creator of all, who is due and must be given the highest level of respect.His name is honorable and the mention of it must be with purpose and not futile.Taking the Lord’s name in vain has to do with blaspheme and dishonor.
This commandment also has to do with swearing by God’s name, speaking falsely (such as in speaking over someone’s life) or under inspiration (that may not be the Lord) and declaring that the Lord has said, when He has not said.Taking the Lord’s name in vain can also mean attributing deity to or calling someone else other than the Living God, God.When we attribute God hood to others, it is saying that it is a light thing to be God, and anyone can be God, which again is rooted in idolatry.
Oh how the enemy has caused society today to vainly use the Lord’s name.To society His name has become a matter of purposeless speech, and a word that is used to accent swearing (cursing).So in our society we not only use His name without purpose, but in the most derogatory ways in our speech.To shame and disrespect the Great God and Dignitary of Dignitaries, speaks of hatred and the desire to demean Him in the eyes of His subjects (all creation).This is the goal of the accuser of the brethren and enemy of God, Satan.He speaks to God’s creation, causing them to dishonor His (God’s) name and in doing so, under esteems and disrespects His position as Father, King and Judge.It has the intent to stop men from bowing down and submitting themselves to God, due to a belittling of what is most valuable, His name (which has behind it His authority.The enemy uses the constant misuse of His (God’s) name to cause the world to not accept His authority, thus their need to be saved through Him.Yet God holds man accountable to not do it, for His instructions to not do it has gone forth.His name holds power.In it is resurrection.In it is deliverance.In it is healing.In it is provision.In it is miracles.In it is salvation.In it is the answer to all of the needs that man will ever have.If we are smart enough not to play with the power that comes out of the electric sockets in our homes, then we should be wise enough to know that God’s power is greater, and to play with it and misuse it can cause us great harm.
God will not hold them guiltless (innocent, thus unpunished) who use His wonderful name in vain.This includes Christians who play with the Lord’s name and use it in vain, as the world does.Our God is not a joke or a game piece to be played with; rather His name is great and worthy to be praised and not dishonored.There is a consequence that comes to a person each time they without purpose use the Lord’s name.There are many Christians that use the Lord’s name in vain all day long in their speech, and are not aware of the value of His mighty name.They often are receiving consequences for this action.God means business and we must learn to honor Him as God.I have heard some in the Body of Christ play with God using His name.This should not be.We serve a loving God, who is kind, yet He deserves all the honor, praise and glory.There are many in the entertainment business (actors, singers, and comedians) who carelessly use the Lord’s name in vain as if it means nothing.This includes Christian actors and comedians.
We must declare and use His name for His purposes and to call on Him, and never aimlessly or without real purpose.His name is Holy or Hallowed.Matthew 6:9 says;
“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”
The Greek word for “Hallowed” is “hagiazo” (pronounced hag-ee-ad-zo”, meaning to make holy, purify or consecrate, be holy, sanctify to venerate (to honor with reverential respect).God’s name is holy and pure and should not be used in any way that would defile it.When we say His name it must be with respect and honor, for His name is set apart from other names, because it is holy and pure.It is the enemy that tries to get people to defile this hallowed (set apart and consecrated) name.Beloved, Child of God you must learn to be mindful of what you are being influenced to say by the enemy, especially regarding the name of the Living God.
4th Commandment (Exodus 20:8-11)
“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”
This commandment has caused much debate in the Body of Christ.We question should we worship on Saturday or on Sunday?Is the Sabbath Saturday or Sunday?The Sabbath is Saturday (the seventh day), and what the early Church called the Lord’s day is Sunday(Revelation 1:10).Some question if the Sabbath has any present relevance at all.To put to rest many misconception and address these very real questions, I will attempt by the grace of God and the Leading of the Holy Spirit , to give an answer.
The Hebrew word for “Sabbath” is “Shabbath” (pronounced shab-bawth), meaning intermission.The Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines “Sabbath” as the 7th day of the week, observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening as a day of rest and worship by Jews and some Christians.Sunday is observed among Christians as a day of rest and worship.It is a time of rest.
The first thing that the Lord tells us about the Sabbath is that we should keep it holy.The Sabbath is a day of rest that God directs man to get, yet in it God does not want man to do things that are out of His will or sinful.A day off from work is not a day off from God’s standards.We are to be holy when we are on vacation.We are to be holy when we are in our homes and what we do, say and are entertained by in it.We are to be holy when we are outside in our neighborhoods.We are to be holy when socializing with and visiting family and friends.Our free time or rest times yet require holiness.God’s presence doesn’t leave us on the Sabbath, affording us the opportunity to live sinfully; rather He is in us in the person of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19-20).In our activity in our rest time, we must not cast away God’s standard.We must live Holy.What you watch on television, in the movies or on the internet should not be something that you could not watch if Jesus was physically sitting there. Being a Christian must be who you are, and not something that you do.If you are a Christian then it is constant, if Christianity is something you do, then you can stop and go.Those who are Christians must strive to live holy at all times.In season we must be holy (when it is popular), out of season we are to be holy.
The Sabbath is a time for natural and spiritual replenishing.It is a period of restoration for the body, soul and spirit.Not only should we be restoring physical strength through rest, but also mental peace through the rest of mind, and spiritual restoration, through prayer and reading of the Word of God.A Sabbath causes the body, psyche or soul to release burdens and be refreshed.
God set this great example of rest for mankind to follow, when He established a Sabbath during the creation week.Genesis 2:1-3 gives us the account, it reads;
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.”
God sanctified the seventh day.The Hebrew word for “sanctified” here is “qadash” (pronounced kaw-dash), meaning to make, pronounce or observe as clean.It means to consecrate, dedicate, to keep holy, purify.From the beginning God set a precedence that rest periods are not sin periods.We are to keep rest periods holy.
God did not rest the seventh day because He was tired due to the other 6 days of creation; rather He was establishing a pattern for man to follow.God created the human body and knew its limitations and needs.God built in the human body the need to rest, causing a re-strengthening or recharging to the physical body and the mind.
There is something very important that needs to be pointed out about the Sabbath, and that is the Sabbath was meant for man (causing them to be restored, refreshed thus blessed), and not man for the Sabbath.Mark 2:27 says;
“And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:”
Some have legalized the Sabbath, taking away from it its original purpose, which was the restoration of strength and rest for man.Man was not made to honor a day; rather the day to benefit us, due to the rest, thus the replenishing of strength.
Taking a Sabbath is a statement of trust in the Lord, saying that it is not my strength, business, job or any other thing that provides for me; rather God.Often we feel that we must work seven days a week to accommodate the various things we must do and to sufficiently meet our needs.When we take this approach it says that it is by our strength that we are provided for.God an provide more for us in less time, when we honor His Word and rest.The Sabbath teaches us to rest in God’s providing ability, as well as that He (God) is in control.Taking a Sabbath is a lesson in faith in God.
There are principles that God has given to man for the benefit of man, in which the Sabbath is one of those things.So much of society is stressed out, and are sickly or die early due to the breaking of this basic commandment.Because of a lack of honoring God’s principles we find ourselves physically, mentally and spiritually depleted, causing sickness that can be avoided by simply honoring the principle or commandment of keeping the Sabbath.You must rest.
Is serving the Lord on the Sabbath wrong?No!Jesus healed on the Sabbath, the children of Israel marched around Jericho on the Sabbath, etc….
By the Holy Spirit through Bishop Tony Owens
House Of David Ministries, Inc.
(516) 792-3465 / (877) 35-JESUS
Leader: Tony Owens