10-COMMANDMENTS-2

.Articles

A BASIC STUDY OF
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
x Second Part of Article:
x Ill. "Thou Shalt Not Take the Name
of the LORD Thy God in Vain" (Exodus 20:7).
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In this third commandment we have a transition from the visual to the verbal. As someone has said, "Both image and name are aspects of identity, and man must take care lest he infringe on the sanctity of God in any manner." In the Bible, names are always important, and of all names, the name of God is the most important. "The name of God is the declaration of his being and his character." In a very real sense, it stands for God himself. "The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe" (Proverbs 18:10; i.e., Psalms 20:1; John 1:12; etc.).

The Unspeakable Name of God
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In the Bible what we know about God is largely embodied in the expressions by which He has revealed himself to mankind. "In the beginning God [Hebrew: Elohim, plural] created [singular] the heaven and the earth" (Genesis 1: 1). "And God [Elohim] said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." (1:26a). (From our Christian vantagepoint, this is very interesting, as well as meaningful—Cf. Matthew 28: 19; II Corinthians 13:14). Then along beside of God (Elohim) Moses placed another appellation in Genesis 2:7, "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Moses had been fully familiarized with this name "LORD" in connection with the burning bush in the desert. Here he was called to his great work of delivering the children of Israel from their Egyptian bondage. God reassured him by saying, "I AM THAT I AM...Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." Then he said, "The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations" (Exodus 3:14,15). Furthermore, we read in Exodus 6:2-5ff, "And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the lord: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty (cf. Genesis 17:1), but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. And I have established my covenant with them...and I have remembered my covenant." He continues, speaking of their deliverance and taking them unto himself as a people because of this covenant. All of this is tied up in the name LORD (here also translated "JEHOVAH"). It would seem that the designation God (Elohim) identifies Deity more generically from the viewpoint of His almighty power and might. In LORD (or JEHOVAH) we get a more specific name. Here God intends to identify Himself in covenant relationship to His people. His goodness and benevolence are in the forefront. The English adaptation "LORD" (from the practice of Coverdale) represents the unspeakable name of God. It became unspeakable because the Jews (after the Babylonian Captivity) got to the place they wouldn’t say it (even in worship), lest they take it in vain. Consequently we have lost the exact pronunciation of the name. They used a substitute word for it when they came to it in the Scriptures. That was before they had a vowel system in their written language. Therefore we don’t have the exact pronunciation today.

Exercising the Utmost Caution and Care
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Any way you choose to look at it, man is to exercise the utmost caution and care that he doesn’t take the name of God (in any sense) in vain (or lightly). Reference to Deity should never be made in a frivolous, flippant, insincere way. No, never should God’s name be used as a curse word in blasphemy (or even as a minced byword). Blasphemy was such a serious offense among the Jews that we read, "And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death..." (Cf. Leviticus 24:10-16). God’s name also is taken in vain when men live hypocritical lives, and still profess to be his people. Paul wrote of the common hypocrisy of the Jews of his day. He even mentioned some of the Ten Commandments in this connection, then he concluded, "Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written" (Cf. Romans 2:17-24). Yes, we can make the name of God a curse word by the way that we live. Likewise, in empty, shallow worship God’s name is taken in vain. Quoting from Isaiah, that was the Lord’s indictment of many in his day, "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me…" (Matthew 15:8,9a). And this commandment in Exodus 20:7 is "appendaged" with these words, "For the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." Men may overlook the casual use of God’s name, but God is not going to let the offender get by with it. This is serious.

The Positive Backside of This Commandment
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If man is not to take God’s name in vain, the implication is that there must be a proper way in which his name is to be taken. When our minds are filled with the wonderful truth of the reality and identity of God (just who He is, just what He has done, and is, in relationship to man), there is no problem in knowing how we should do this. It is even as our Lord taught his disciples to pray, putting it uppermost in the prayer, "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name…"(Matthew 6:9b). With the utmost deference, God’s name is to be venerated, honored, glorified, and praised (by word of mouth and by godly lives). The Psalmist said, "Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever" (Psalms 145:2). Amen!

IV. "Remember the Sabbath
Day to Keep It Holy" (Exodus 20:8).
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Israel was told to "remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy." In what sense were they to "remember" it? Had God told them to do this before? There is no record in the Bible that God had spoken to man about the Sabbath before the exodus from Egypt. What we read about in the first few chapters of Genesis is what Moses wrote down during the wilderness sojourn. And the information given in Exodus 20:11 was a backdrop for the commandment as given to Israel (for their benefit). The only hint of information about a Sabbath before the giving of the Ten Commandments was in connection with the coming of the manna (Exodus 16:15-31), foreshadowing the actual giving of the Law. But as far as the giving of the Sabbath law itself, Nehemiah 9:13 and 14 read, "Thou [God] camest down also upon Mt. Sinai...And madest known unto them [Israel] thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant." Perhaps to remember, in the fourth commandment, is best understood in the sense of not forgetting; remember as each Sabbath day comes around week after week. In restating this commandment in Deuteronomy 5:12, Moses simply said, "Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee."

Some Summary Statements About the Sabbath
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God made known the Sabbath to Israel (Nehemiah 9:13,14). It was part of that body of laws that constituted the Old Testament (or covenant) (Deuteronomy 5:2ff). It was a day of rest (and the order of creation is remembered). God expressly said to Israel (through Moses), "It is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you" (Exodus 31:13; Ezekiel 20:10-12). And this day of rest commemorated their deliverance from Egyptian bondage (Deuteronomy 5:12-15), where they had little rest. Of all the Old Testament laws, the Sabbath was the one with which Jesus had the most trouble involving the Jewish leaders of his day, and it is the only one of the Ten Commandments not found in the New Testament in some sense. In fact, Paul pictures it as nailed to the cross with the rest of that system of religion as far as Christians are concerned (Colossians 2:14-16; Galatians 4:10,11; 5:4). No one is to judge us by whether we keep the Sabbath or not today (Colossians 2:16). We are under the New Testament (Hebrews 9:15-17), and the early church met on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 2:1,42; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Revelation 1:10). Christ came forth from the grave on the first day of the week (Mark 16:9; Psalms 118:22-24).

The Backside of the Fourth Commandment
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Although Sabbath observance was not incorporated into the New Testament religion, mankind generally has seen the wisdom of having a time for rest. And the "backside" of this commandment, which is actually spelled out, is very relevant for us today. It reads, "Six days shalt thou labour" (why talk about rest if they hadn’t been working?). The work ethic is engrained throughout the Bible. Proverbs 6:6 strongly admonishes, "Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise." In the Roman world that was largely shackled by slavery, and consequently with the tendency of free men to look upon work as degrading, the apostle Paul was quick to maintain its dignity and necessity. Foregoing his privilege of being supported in preaching the gospel many times, the apostle Paul worked with his own hands, setting an example for new Christians (Cf. II Thessalonians 3:7-12; Acts 20:33-35). Paul even said (and very emphatically), "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat" (II Thessalonians 3:10). In this day when leisure and pleasure are deified, we need to get back to the basics. Work, productivity—very essential; and how honorable! There is much enjoyment to be found in employment.

V. "Honour Thy Father
and Thy Mother" (Exodus 20:12).
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This great commandment serves as a transition from the first four to the ones that follow. From worshipping the Creator and source of life, parents are to be honored who pass this sacred life on to others, and the image of God in all men is to be mutually respected by all with deference and dignity. Paul summed up the remaining commandments under loving neighbor as self in Romans 13:8-10, then he said, "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." This love is agape, the love of esteem and respect.

"Double Honour" to Parents
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The word "honour" here is from a verb that means, "to be heavy," and hence also "to be rich, to be honored" (it is said). Even as Paul instructed that certain elders in the church were to be counted worthy of "double honour" (I Timothy 5:17), the Jews realized this significance in reference to parents. (1) Parents were to be honored in the sense of being highly respected, venerated, and even feared (Leviticus 19:3). Mentally, they were to be held in the highest esteem, and by word and deed. (2) This brings us to the second aspect of this honor. Even as they were told in Proverbs 3:9 to "honour the LORD with thy substance," they were likewise to honor their parents in a material sense (especially helping them with their material needs in their old age). But some tried to get around this responsibility later (Matthew 15:4-6; Mark 7:10-13). Such honoring is to be carried out in the context of the church, too (i.e., "Honour widows that are widows indeed," I Timothy 5:3; Cf. verses 4 and 8). In oriental fashion, we even find children bowing before parents in the Bible (Genesis 48:12; 1 Kings 2:19). Even though parents sometimes were not honorable, they were nonetheless to be respected by their children (Genesis 9:20-27).

The Backside of This Commandment
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The violation of the negative backside of this commandment was a capital offense. Exodus 21:17 dealt with those who cursed their parents (just the opposite of honoring), "And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death." Exodus 21:15 had to do with "smiting" (assaulting) parents (just the opposite of giving them a helping hand), "And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death." Leviticus 20:9 further emphasizes the death sentence in connection with this offense. The Lord Jesus definitely saw this as the negative backside of this commandment to honor parents (Matthew 15:4). An amplification of this negative problem is seen in Deuteronomy 21:18-21. But it seems that this part of the commandment was never extensively carried out.

The First Commandment with Promise
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Looking back from the New Testament, the apostle Paul speaks of this commandment to honor father and mother as "the first commandment with promise" (that they would live long upon the earth) (Ephesians 6:1-3). It was the first of the Ten Commandments actually to "spell out" such a promise (or any promise). God attached this promise to the commandment when He initially uttered it (Exodus 20:12). However, years later when Moses rehearsed all of the commandments before Israel, he amplified the promise in connection with this one by saying, "That thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the lord thy God giveth thee" (Deuteronomy 5:16). Longevity was not the only thing involved. God made the honoring of parents a prerequisite for the people remaining in the Promised Land. As someone has said, "The Holy Land will not tolerate you if you will fail to honor your parents, for in such a case harmonious social life by Biblical standards would be impossible." The family unit built around respect for parents is the very basis for an enduring, stable, and orderly society. Take this away, and they would be in trouble (any people will be in trouble). If they obeyed God, the land would be theirs (Deuteronomy 6:17,18). Otherwise, like the nations before them, the land would "spue" (vomit) them out (Leviticus 18:24-28; 20:22; 26:33; Deuteronomy 4:26,27; 28:62,63).

VI. "Thou Shalt Not Kill" Exodus 20:13).
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In speaking to those who sought to kill him, Jesus said, "Ye are of your father the devil…He was a murderer from the beginning..." (John 8:44a). Yes, the old devil was, and is, involved in the death of the human race. Next Cain, being inspired by the devil, became the first man to take another’s life in the slaying of his brother Abel (Genesis 4). Although many concepts of right and wrong were vague during the patriarchal age, the "wrongness" of murder was self-evident. God made it plain to Noah after the flood in Genesis 9:6, "Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." Before the flood, "The earth was filled with violence" (Genesis 6:11-13). Now, as part of the Old Testament, God explicitly said in the Ten Commandments, "Thou shalt not kill (murder)" (Exodus 20:13). This imperative commandment very appropriately followed the one involving honoring parents in their sacred trust of passing life on to posterity. This most radical crime against human life is forbidden. Except for taking human life judicially (only at God’s command), this injunction was general. Capital punishment itself was a basic part of the Old Testament system. As Paul said, it was the law of sin and death. However, personally God commanded, "Thou shalt not kill." Murder personally was forbidden (even suicide) for man was made in the image of God. What an awful thing (the ultimate crime), taking the life of another! Man is more than an animal.

The Deeper Spiritual Significance
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The Lord Jesus Christ used this commandment to show the deeper spiritual significance of his teachings. He said, "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill…But I say unto you…" (Matthew 5:21,22). To him, uncontrolled anger and malicious name-calling came from the same source as murder and were in the same category. Behind it all was the heart of man, and as a man thinks in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:19). Then when man speaks, it is "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matthew 12:34-37; Luke 6:45). James speaks of cursing man "made in the similitude of God" (James 2:9,10)---how wrong it is! Then John, getting right at the heart of the matter, said, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" (I John 3:15). According to the New Testament, the person who hates is guilty of murder in the sight of God. And malicious name-calling is simply an outward venting of that which is within.

The Positive Backside of This Commandment
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The opposite of hate is love in the immediate context of I John 3:14,15. And, looking at the legal application of this commandment, "Thou shalt not kill," the positive backside would be to save and preserve life. Let us illustrate this from the fuller New Testament application of this truth. One time when Jesus and his disciples were passing through Samaria, they were not welcomed or received by the local people. Agitated and angered, James and John wanted to call fire down from heaven to consume them. Jesus said, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them..." (Cf. Luke 9:51-56). Another place Jesus said, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). We can see this bold contrast in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37). A man had been robbed, wounded, and left near death. The Good Samaritan finds him, has compassion on him, and, treating his wounds, takes steps to restore and preserve the man’s life. The positive backside of this commandment can also be seen in the contrast of Romans 12:19-21. "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Yes, any way you look at it, Jesus came to save, not to destroy; to give life (even life eternal), not to kill. As Christians, that is our mission in the world, too.

Additional Thoughts on This Commandment
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Following, for your consideration, are one writer’s thoughts on what is included in this commandment (for us today):

"This commandment, which is general, prohibits murder of every kind. 1. All actions by which the lives of our fellow creatures may be abridged. 2. All wars for extending empire, commerce, etc. 3. All sanguinary laws, by the operation of which the lives of men may be taken away for offences of comparatively trifling demerit. 4. All bad dispositions which lead men to wish evil to, or meditate mischief against, one another; for, says the Scripture, He that hateth his brother in his heart is a murderer. 5. All want of charity to the helpless and distressed; for he who has it in his power to save the life of another by a timely application of succour, food, raiment, etc., and does not do it, and the life of the person either fails or is abridged on this account, is in the sight of God a murderer. He who neglects to save life is, according to an incontrovertible maxim in law, the same as he who takes it away. 6. All riot and excess, all drunkenness and gluttony, all inactivity and slothfulness, and all superstitious mortifications and self-denials, by which life may be destroyed or shortened; all these are point-blank sins against the sixth commandment" (Adam Clarke).

To this could be added abortion, which is killing (the cutting off of human life). Then we oppose smoking (any use of tobacco) for the same reason that we oppose abortion---human life is sacred.

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