THE 10 COMMANDMENTS

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. Exodus 20:7

If you have read the previous post, What Is God's Name then you are already aware that Lord and God are titles not names.  Allah is called god but he is not the God we serve (capitalization is of no affect), and Sarah called Abraham lord (1 Peter 3:5-6).  Now some argue that by using the term Lord or God (or their Hebrew equivalent) we are taking His name in vain, seeing as how we have brought his name to nothing by not even saying it.  While this argument may have some validity I have to point out that the Israelites changed the term to Lord (Adonai), and God (Ha Shem) at some point during the 3rd century B.C. Until the Babylonian Exile in 586 B.C., the divine name was regularly pronounced in daily life. When Israel was allowed to return to the Promised Land by Cyrus the Great, King of Persia the Israelites returned to the land, and soon after returned to their wickedness (which is why they went into exile in the first place).  In an attempt to help the people keep the law the elders created provisions that would prevent the people from coming close to breaking the law.  For example: doing no work on the Sabbath day Commandment #4 is a little vague if you consider that what is called work by one person is pleasure to another.  Therefore they defined the law and by the time Jesus came in the flesh, walking more than one-quarter mile on the 7th day was considered work. This means that there was a synagogue every quarter-mile throughout the land inhabited by Israel because they were also commanded to have a holy gathering on that day.  It is by this same reasoning that the Holy name of God was replaced in everyday speech or scripture memorization by Adonai (Lord) or Ha Shem (God). By the third century B.C., although the name (YHWH) was pronounced by priests in certain Temple liturgies, the children of Israel avoided its use.

There are two things here concerning us using the name in the modern day. 1st of all there are no vowels in hebrew. There are accents which act as vowels but most have more than one sound. Therefore YHWH could be pronounced as Yahweh, Yahaweh, Yahoweh, Yahveh or several other a, e, o combinations.  I mention this because after Israel went into captivity under Rome in 70A.D and Christianity subsequently separated itself from Israel (the Jews) under Emperor Constantine (and every pope since then) we have lost the true pronunciation.  Scholars cannot agree on the subject.

As was pointed out in the 'What is God's Name' post Jesus came in the name of the Father.

"I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not... (John 5:43)"

Therefore the Father's name IS Jesus.  This is why throughout the Gospels and even in the Lord's Prayer He never addresses the Father by name (as this would cause confusion praying to Jesus in the name of Jesus). This is also why, "there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). It is Jehovah/Yahweh that came in the flesh in the name of the Father (Jesus) and died for mankind, so we should take care not to take the name of Jesus in vain.

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness" (2 Timothy 15-16).

LET IT BE KNOWN: That Israel is God's name. The Jews are the children of Jacob. It was Jacob whose name was CHANGED to Israel. The children of Jacob/Israel were the first race of people adopted into the family of God. When you adopt children you change their name. This is why those that are not of Israel (Gentile, Hamite's, Arab's etc) must become spiritual Israel in order to be adopted when Jesus returns.
"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father... For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body" (Romans 8:14-23).
Even those whom were born Israelites in the flesh must become spiritual Israel to partake in the kingdom of God (they should be spiritual already since the law & the testimony came to Israel first). "For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children..." (Romans 9:6-7)

"Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded" (Romans11:7).
And Again,
To Israel, "pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises" (Romans 9:4)

So claiming to be a child of God, or Israelite and not doing what is required of you in the scripture is taking the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
Using the name of God in any frivolous manner is taking it in vain.
Swearing an oath in the name of God and not performing that which you swore is taking the Lord thy God's name in vain & he will not hold you guiltless. "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?" (Ecclesiastes 5:4-6)

Affirming the truth of something obvious (due to its triviality) in the name of the Lord thy God is taking His name in vain.

The use of the name of God in a manner that would dishonor God is taking His name in vain.

To appropriate God's name for deceitful purposes or actions is taking his name in vain.

Why?
"For the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God" (Exodus 34:14)
And
"The LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God." (Deuteronomy 4:24)

May the Lord add a blessing to the study of His Word.

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