An Important Name
And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death. Leviticus 24:16
Read Leviticus 24:10-23
Using someone’s name is not a trivial thing. Whenever your name is mentioned, you become involved in a situation. Now imagine if someone continually called out your name and remained aloof, ignoring your response as if they had not called you. That would be a misuse of your name. A person’s name is also misused when it is used in a derogatory manner.
Whenever the name of the Lord is used in a lighthearted way, far greater wrong is committed. Why? Because the name of the Lord expresses who He is! In other words, whoever uses God’s name articulates His existence and what He stands for. The third commandment deals specifically with using God’s name in vain. The term, in vain, means to regard something as a puff of wind or as light as a feather. Using God’s name in this way is seriously wrong. This is especially true when a person uses God’s name to swear falsely or flippantly. If we use the Lord’s name in a casual manner, we are also guilty of misusing it.
Whenever we use the name of the Lord in prayer without feeling the weight of that name and what it stands for, we use His name in vain. When we use the name of the Lord thoughtlessly or quickly repeat a prayer as a matter of course, we violate the majesty of God and insult the Lord. The concept of honouring something expresses the opposite of holding it in vain; it speaks of the weightiness of that very thing. When that is true of the Lord’s name, then we lift His name up, using it reverently.
Thought: How can you show reverence to the Lord when praying to Him?
Psalter 373:1,7,9 (based on Psalm 135) O praise ye the Name of Jehovah, Proclaim ye His glory abroad; O praise Him, ye servants appointed To stand in the house of our God. Thy Name shall abide, O Jehovah, Through all generations renowned; The Lord is the judge of His people, His mercies forever abound. Ye people who worship Jehovah, His praises with gladness proclaim; His servants, and all ye that fear Him, Sing praise to His glorious Name.