A NAME above all names
In the ancient world, a name wasn’t just a way to distinguish one person from another. It represented identity, authority, and essence. To speak someone’s name was to invoke their very being. So when God revealed His name to Moses—"The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth" (Exodus 34:6)—He wasn’t simply handing out a business card. He was unveiling His glory.
This understanding forms the foundation of the Third Commandment:
"You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain" (Exodus 20:7).
Most of us, if asked, would reduce this to avoiding profanity. Don’t yell “Oh my God” when you stub your toe. And sure, that’s part of it. But this commandment is so much more than a ban on bad language. It’s about the weight of God’s name and how we carry it in every facet of our lives.
The Sacred Weight of God’s Name
The ancient Israelites grasped the gravity of God’s name in a way we often don’t. Their scribes, tasked with meticulously copying Scripture, treated the name YHWH—the sacred covenant name of God—with unparalleled reverence. Every time they came to that name, they would stop, wash their hands, write it down, and then wash their hands again before continuing.
Imagine that: breaking from your work dozens of times a day to perform a ritual of purification. It wasn’t because the ink was magical or the parchment divine. It was because they knew that to even write God’s name required an acknowledgment of His holiness.
Their reverence is a challenge to us. How often do we toss God’s name around carelessly, as though it’s just another word? Worse still, how often do we live in ways that contradict the holiness of the name we bear as Christians?
More Than Words
The Westminster Larger Catechism offers a stunning insight into this commandment. It teaches that God’s name doesn’t just mean His spoken titles, but everything by which He reveals Himself—His attributes, ordinances, Word, works, and even His character.
To take His name in vain, then, is about more than misusing syllables. It’s about mishandling the weight of who God is. It’s failing to honor His holiness in thought, word, and deed. It’s proclaiming His name in church on Sunday, then living in ways that deny Him Monday through Saturday.
God’s name is not a casual thing. It’s not filler for our sentences or a safety net for our sins. It’s the banner under which we live, the identity we carry, and the truth we proclaim.
The God Who Proclaims His Name
When Moses asked to see God’s glory, the Lord didn’t respond with a display of raw power. No earthquakes, no celestial light shows. Instead, God proclaimed His name. Think about that. His name.
"The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth" (Exodus 34:6).
God’s name is His glory. It’s the summation of His character, His covenant faithfulness, and His redemptive work. To know His name is to know Him. That’s why Scripture declares, “Holy and awesome is His name” (Psalm 119:9) and “My name will be great among the nations” (Malachi 1:11). His name is not just a label; it’s a revelation of His majesty.
Living Out the Third Commandment
To honor God’s name isn’t just about what you don’t do—avoiding swearing or careless speech. It’s about what you dowith your life. It’s about living in a way that reflects His character.
Every act of love toward your neighbor, every moment of integrity in your work, every humble acknowledgment of your dependence on Him—these are ways we honor His name. Conversely, every sin, every selfish action, every word of deceit, is an affront to the name we claim to follow.
And yet, the very name we dishonor is the name that saves.
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13).
The name we’ve treated so lightly is the name that offers us hope. God doesn’t just leave us condemned under the weight of the commandment. Through Christ, He offers redemption. Jesus perfectly honored God’s name in every thought, word, and deed, and through His life, death, and resurrection, He covers our failures.
A Name Worthy of Awe
The ancient scribes paused to wash their hands before and after writing YHWH because they understood something we often forget: God’s name is holy. It is not to be spoken lightly, lived casually, or carried thoughtlessly.
So how should we respond? By treasuring His name. By reflecting His character. By living in a way that proclaims to the world that God is worthy.
This isn’t about legalism or guilt. It’s about awe. Awe that the God whose name shakes the heavens would also write it on our hearts. Awe that the same name we dishonor is the name that forgives us. Awe that we, broken and imperfect as we are, get to carry the name of the living God.
God’s name is not just to be spoken—it’s to be adored. Let it shape your words, your actions, and your heart. Let it lift your eyes to His glory and remind you of His grace. Let it remind you who He is—and who you are because of Him.
