Both the Old Testament and the New Testament alike encourage us to call on the name of the Lord. Yet we are also not to misuse His name. In this Bible study, we seek to ensure we honour His name.

Verses

Exodus 20:7 You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Malachi 4:2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.

John 16:23-24 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

Romans 10:13 Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Observations

In Romans 10:13, Paul quotes from Joel 2, just as Peter did on the day of Pentecost. While Peter had spent 3 years with Jesus, both Peter and Paul will have had the 3rd commandment in the core of their being. Indeed, as the sinless lamb, Jesus will also have been mindful of this. So let’s start from this position. It is permitted for the name of the Lord to be used, but it must not be misused.

Misuse

If we are to call on His name without misusing it, it will help to examine some words. In Exodus 20:7, the word translated misuse in the NIV comes from two Hebrew words nasa (take, lift, carry, exalt, raise) and shav (empty, false, deceit, worthless, desolating, futile). This fits very well with what we found in our previous bible study of Genesis 4:26. We sought to resolve the tension between Christian translations and Hebrew translations. Christian versions interpret the generation of Enosh as a revival, beginning to call on the name of the Lord. Hebrew versions note that this is only one of two meanings. The primary meaning is that the generation of Enosh first began to profane the name of the Lord by falsely equating his name with idol worship.

Here in Exodus, the third commandment follows a lengthy prohibition of idolatry. God has already given Moses the reason for the 2nd commandment, for I am JHVH Elohim, a jealous God (el). This is echoed in Exodus 34:14 where the Lord, speaking to Moses, reveals that His name is Jealous (qanah), for He is, by nature jealous (qanna): zealous for those who are His possession. So the Lord is making something very clear. Not only is idolatry in the form of crafted images prohibited, he has revealed himself by name, and his name is not to be lifted, exalted or raised in a vain, empty, false or deceitful way. So in the 3rd commandment, the Lord is showing Moses how to correct the error of the generation of Enosh.

3rd Commandment Violated

The Prophet Malachi, before he issues the promise of the Lord for those who revere His name (Malachi 4:2), issues a stinging rebuke to people violating the 3rd commandment.

Malachi 3:13-16 “You have spoken arrogantly against me,” says the Lord. “Yet you ask, ‘What have we said against you?’ You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly evildoers prosper, and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’ ”
Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honoured his name.

First, the Lord issues his verdict: the people have spoken arrogantly (chazaq) against him. They have stubbornly rejected his attempts to correct them . Then, doubting the justice of His verdict, they demand His explanation. So second, the Lord patiently answers their demand. The people have claimed that serving God is “futile” (shav). This is exactly the word from the 3rd commandment. They have violated this specific commandment. Finally, He tells them what they are observing as a consequence of this violation. They are observing the arrogant being blessed and evildoers prospering. Those who are arrogant are zed (insolent and presumptuous), and they are blessed, ashar (happy, advancing foward, guiding and leading). Those who are evildoers asah rishah (accomplishing wickedness, advancing moral wrong, committing faults) are prospering banar (building, making, establishing, obtaining children).

The crucial point here is that The Lord here did not proclaim judgements on the evils His people were observing around them. Malachi was speaking to His people Israel, those who were supposed to carry and lift up His name in an honouring manner.

A Faithful Response

Next, we see the response of a faithful remnant. Those with a fearful reverence for the Lord gathered and spoke. They spoke together, and they also spoke to their neighbours, friends and companions. The Lord listened and heard and made His presence known in their midst. The language here indicates that the Lord first inclined his ear to what the people were saying. Then, in addition to giving close attention himself, he turned to those present in the courts of heaven, asking them to listen along with him. While in His presence, under the light of his face, a book was written to remember something important.

That which was written in the book concerned those who feared the Lord and honoured His name. It is possible this is describing the origins of the book of Malachi. However, most Christian commentators, regard the book as being written in the courts of heaven. They did not write about the verdict or the violation that led to the verdict. They did not write about the observations of the state of the world surrounding God’s people. The book was written about those who honoured His name. Here, “honoured” is chasab, meaning they devoted mental effort to think about the name of the Lord, and they wove together a detailed plan to give an account of the value, fame, authority and character of the name of the Lord.

All of heaven watched a remnant return to the Lord. It was recorded as a momentous event to be recalled through the ages.

Declaration of Heaven

Not only did heaven watch and record this remarkable transformation. Heaven and earth then witness a declaration from the Lord Almighty (JHVH tsaba) – the God of the hosts of heavenly armies, awaiting their appointed time.¹ His declaration emphatically promises a time when a distinction between righteous and unrighteous will be unmistakably visible. Those at that time who are arrogant, insolent and presumptuous; those who are accomplishing wickedness and advancing moral wrong will no longer be happy and prosperous. Significantly, the time is not given. Such timing is for the Ancient of Days in the courts of heaven alone to know and decide.

A promise is given to those who revere His name. By implication, this is the promise to those who, at that future time, attract the attention of heaven by devoting mental effort to think about the name of the Lord. Those people will weave together a detailed plan to give an account of the value, fame, authority and character of the name of the Lord. They will know their God by his presence and the light of his face. They will know his name because they remember his character expressed through the pages of history. The promise in Malachi 4:2 is that the bright light of the rising morning sun (shemesh) will shine upon righteous acts of the just and moral (tsedekah).² This will bring healing and wholeness from one extremity of the land to the other, like the spreading of one wingtip to the other in the heavens (kanaph).

The key here rests with those who revere or fear the Lord. The key resides with those who honour his name and call upon his name rightly, without misusing his name.

Prayer

Lord, teach me to honour your name rightly. Please forgive my presumption and pride, my stubborn resistance to your promptings. Cleanse me and create in me a new heart. Grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. May the fullness of Jesus Christ and His word dwell in me richly, as I devote my mind to your name and your word. Help me contribute to your people who are weaving together an account of the value, fame, authority and character of your name.

References