God’s first Commandment establishes fundamentally that He is the only
true and living God and has no equal. His second Commandment demands that He
must not be made to look like any of His creation. Any worship of any
misrepresentation of Him would provoke His jealousy and incur His judgment. Now, this third Commandment has to do with God’s reputation. It is about upholding
His name. It says, “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.”
Profoundly,
Israel’s calling was to be a set-apart people of God amid a pagan world.
Corporately and personally as an individual, everyone was expected to conduct
their lives befitting God’s people. As a people belonging to God, none should
act out of character and tarnish the reputation of God. Remember Israel as a
nation had been delivered from Egypt and chosen to be God’s covenant people.
They were called to be His ambassadors and spokesmen in the world. How they conducted
themselves would provide the correct image of Him or misrepresent Him and
inaccurately portray Him.
God’s name must never be used as a curse or a swear word as if they were magical words with power. Haven’t we heard people expressed words such as “Jesus” and “My God”, when things go haywire? Some would even use the name of God to bring about a guilt trip. The Bible warns us to be careful not to misrepresent God in words or deeds. We must always place God at the center of our lives and seek to love and obey Him in all areas of life. To do otherwise would invite His discipline. We must conduct life in such a way that will not cause His name to be blasphemed. But instead, to live in such a manner that will promote His glory. Remember that He is still the Almighty God!
No comments:
Post a Comment