3rd Commandment: God's Name

 

"You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God.  The lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name."  

    God's commandments are boundaries.  If you break the boundary then you sin.  The first commandment is about understanding who God is.  The second commandment is about how to worship him.  The third commandment is about honoring Him.  His name is holy.  To degrade His name is to degrade your value.  It doesn't diminish who He is.  It only reveals how unworthy you are.

    God stated to misuse His name would lead to punishment.  He doesn't go into specifics, but if you know the Bible you have a general idea.  Adam and Eve broke His boundary with food and were kicked out of paradise forced to work for what had been given previously.  They still had jobs and purpose, but they also knew one day they would die.  

    Death has always been a mystery.  It can be scary, so knowing that they were sentence to death for their disobedience you can imagine what your punishment could be for insulting the one who created you.  Follow Jesus in obedience and you do not need to fear death.

    What is it to misuse or profane God's name?  It is to belittle, insult, or devalue who God is.  It leads to foul language, but ultimately reveals a lack of respect for the fundamentals of God's values.  It goes further than how you talk.  If you make false vows or accusations, then you are insulting God's creations which is insulting God.  

    Mishandling God's reputation in the world gives His people a bad name.  That is misusing His name.  Do not be careless with your words or actions.  Do not live a hypocritical life by living like the world, but claiming to be a Christian.  If you process faith, then your actions and behavior better back it up.  

    God's name is sacred and powerful.  Do not use it like it is worthless.  If you claim to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus, then you are a representation of God's name.  Honor God and He will protect you.  Dishonor God and deal with the consequences.

Exodus 20:7, Leviticus 19:12, Deuteronomy 5:11, Matthew 5:33-37, & James 5:12

2nd Commandment: No Idols

 

"You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.  You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the El Kanna, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.  I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected - even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me.  But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands."  Exodus 20:4-6

    The second commandment is building on the first commandment.  It is about making objects and ideas into gods.  It is going beyond distraction or desire to putting what you have in your heart into a physical form.  It is a way to physically put something between you and God.

    The first commandment focuses on the only one you should ever worship.  God alone gets worship.  Not his angels, not the prophets, not spiritual leaders, and not anything in the world.  The second commandment is focused on how to worship by setting boundaries.  The boundaries allow you to build self-discipline to know that you are free to worship God.  He just makes it clear that actions (good or bad) have consequences.  

    When God provided the commandment he was talking about wooden, stone, or precious metals being formed in an image to be an idol.  Now it has expanded to technology, art forms, and more things that you may focus on instead of your relationship with God.  Materialism will never fulfill you.  God is the only one that can ever make you feel complete.

    The consequences can be confusing.  When God states that he is a jealous God, it is not saying that He is acting in vengeance or anger.  His jealousy is pure and holy.  It is about who He is and expecting you to keep the standard of honoring the one who gave you life.  The choice of not following Him affect your family because you are teaching them to rebel against God.  They in some way or another will follow your example.  You will lead them to life or to death.  That is the point of the consequences.  He wants you to know how serious it is and that it affects more than yourself.

Exodus 20:4-6 & Deuteronomy 5:8-10

1st Commandment: God First

 

"You must not have any other god but me."  Exodus 20:3

    God's first commandment is clear: He comes first.  That means that you do not worship anything other than Him.  Your allegiance goes to Him before anyone or anything else.  If He calls you stop everything and say here I am what do You want.  God is your master.  You seek to obey Him and make Him happy.  In return you get a slew of blessings.  Your worship belongs to God.  

    Keeping God first is not easy.  You live in a world full of distractions.  You may think you are devoted to God until something comes along and you see yourself choosing something or someone over God.  This is why you need to check in with yourself every once in a while.  See if you have drifted from God at all or if you are still drawing closer.  He alone is God and you need to remember that in your heart and soul.

    Other gods are anyone you put before God, idols, or desires that you prioritize before time with God.  It can be something simple like sleep, comfort, or something else.  It could be bigger and you have to learn how to change priorities because you can't stop.  Some examples are food, work, family, or even church.  

    You know something has power over you when your react to loss or fear of loss.  If you make money your god, then when you loose some or all you go into a panic.  If it is power, you feel crippled or destroyed when you loose it or if it is challenged.  Same thing goes for things like car, boat, tv, books, or anything else you may care about.  Politics can become a god of fear.  It comes down to what you care about most in life.  Is it God or is it other things?

Exodus 20:1-3, & Deuteronomy 5:6-7, 6:4-5

Commandments

 

    God's commandments are a gift for you to have structure in your life.  It is a way for you to know who God is.  He is giving you what you need to build a real relationship with Him.  It also allows you to see how much you need Him.  To break one rule, only one time is to sin.  If you sin there are consequences.

    You were created to be holy.  You have the ability to walk in life with a perfect mind, heart, and soul that aligns with God's standards.  However, Satan has corrupted the world and everything in it.  His influence trips you up as you listen.  In all reality you hear his influence in your life far more than you hear God's because you don't live in a bubble.  

    God's Commandments come in statements, creeds, regulations, and guidelines.  Each one is a blessing because it provides clarity for you on how to live a long, healthy, and thriving life.  God has provided boundaries since the beginning of time, but they were never written down before the 10 commandments.  That is why we typically only think of them when it comes to God's rules.  

    The 10 commandments are the fundamental commandments that focus on how to have a relationship with God.  Then it tells you how to honor yourself as His creation by how you treat other people.  How you treat yourself and other people reflect the relationship you have with God.  If you love God, then you will love yourself righteously and other people as His special creations.  

    All of God's commandments are summed up to the greatest commandment: love God with all your heart and love other people as you love yourself.  You can't really love yourself until you see yourself through God's eyes.  You can't love completely until you experience God's love and let it into your life.  Love God's way summarizes all His commandments and law.  Living out love is living out your faith.

Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy 5:6-21, Matthew 22:37-40, John14:15, Romans 13:8-10, & 1 John 5:1-3

Covenant vs Promise

 

    A covenant is a sacred, binding agreement.  God's covenants were made between Him and humanity.  He always initiated it and upheld all of it or what He said He would do.  His unconditional covenants are based on His grace.  The conditional covenants require people to uphold their part which is always much simpler than God's portion.  All His covenants compounded on each other to make humanity better and bring you closer to Him.

    A promise is declaration or assurance that something will or will not happen.  It is a commitment that provides hope.  It can come in a simple promise or as a pledge, vow, oath, guarantee, or indicated behavior.  

    A promise made by God will never be broken.  His word is true.  His character can't allow Him to lie.  His promises reassure you of His presence and plans for humanity.  God's unconditional promises reflect who He is to give you hope and peace.  Conditional promises tell you how things will be if you do or not do something.  It is meant to give you boundaries.

    Many promises are built in God's covenant.  They are both everlasting unless God gave a deadline.  They are both meant to ensure you of His presence and protection.  They both uphold a purpose, but sometime in different ways.  They are both binding, but work differently.

    God's promises are a declaration of intent or guarantee of events to come.  They are more general to serve a purpose.  God's covenant however is typically more formal.  The promise is based on the relationship.  The Covenant is based on building the relationship.  A covenant has a broader impact on the world than a promise.  A promise is more personal and yet general.  

    An example would be the Noahic Covenant.  God made a covenant with humanity and animals that he would never destroy the world through a single flood again.  Then he made a promise to reassure people of the covenant: a rainbow.  Every time you look at a rainbow it should be a reminder of God's power, promise, and security of the binding covenant.  God's Covenants and promises do not work against each other.  They work together for your best interest.

Genesis 9:11-13, 15:18, Deuteronomy 7:9-11, Isaiah 54:9-10, Ephesians 1:7-8, Colossians 1:13-14, & Hebrews 8:6

God's Covenant: Christian Foundation

 

31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make ra new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34 ESV

    The last covenant God made is conditional.  God has been building on His foundational covenant until now.  Jesus is the final covenant God made with His people.  It is all inclusive, but also set you apart from the world.  Anyone can have salvation, but only those who accept it and follow Jesus will receive membership into God's family.

    God prepared His people first for this covenant.  That is why He told the Jewish nation that the Messiah was coming.  They had the first opportunity.  After Jesus came, lived out what Christianity was really about, died, resurrected, and ascended to Heaven every thing changed.  

    The Holy Spirit was not a guaranteed.  Only a few people had the Holy Spirit upon them until now.  Now if you become a follower of Jesus you get the title Christian because you are following Christ in life and into Heaven.  It is sealed by the Holy Spirit.  He will never depart from you once He lives within you.  

    True Christianity is not just a title.  It is a way of life.  It is revealed by the Holy Spirit.  It can't be faked.  Anyone trying to claim the name without actually becoming a part of God's family is lying and insulting God.  True Christians have the law imprinted on their heart to obey out of love by the Holy Spirit who lives within the soul.   You train your mind by spending time in God's Word, prayer, and other Christians on being different from the world.  

    The New Covenant is about having a real relationship with God.  It is an internal transformation.  It may not happen immediately.  You may have a lot to deal with, but the point is you are moving closer to God and rejecting your old sinful nature to do be able to get closer to Him.  

    God's people includes every nation and ethnicity as long as you are walking in faith with Jesus led by the Holy Spirit.  It is universal knowledge meaning anyone can learn it if they want to.  Jesus' blood is the way to complete forgiveness.  His sacrifice changed everything for your benefit.  

Jeremiah 31:31-34, Luke 22:20, & Hebrews8:8-13

God's Covenant: Davidic

 

"I will be he father, and he will be my son.  If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would." 2 Samuel 7:14 

"Is it no my family God has chosen?  Yes, he made an everlasting covenant with me.  His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail.  He will ensure my safety and success." 2 Samuel 23:5

"Then Solomon said, My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of the Lord, the God of Israel."1 Kings 8:17

"I will be his father, and he will be mu son.  I will never take my favor from him as I took it from the one who ruled before you.  I will confirm him as king over my house and my kingdom for all time, and his throne will be secure forever."  1 Chronicles 17:13-14

    The Davidic Covenant is an unconditional covenant.  God declared that His bloodline would come from David's lineage.  He declared it and it happened several hundred years later when Jesus was born.  Mary was a direct descendant of David.  It was an unique father/son royal line promise.  It took some twist and turns where it was not as people expected, but it stood true because of God's love.

    When God declares that something will happen, then it is everlasting.  It will happen.  Nothing can stop His Word from being true.  David was a man who had a heart for God unlike anyone else.  He was far from perfect, but He never turned from God no matter what happened.  In return God gave him success, a long life, and protection.  He also disciplined David like a good father.

    David never forgot what God did for him.  He wanted to build a temple to be God's home on Earth to honor him.  However, for all the blood on David's hands from creating this world of peace he was not permitted.  From the beginning of time blood was required to cover sins.  David did the sacrifices and always got right with God, but God wanted him to understand that humans have limits due to our sinful nature.

    The only permanent home that God has on earth is the Holy Spirit living in each of His people.  That will continue until the end of time.  You have to be a follower of Jesus to be a living vessel for the Holy Spirit to live within.  It is walking your life in faith not comfort, complicity, church, or culture.

    Jesus was the fulfillment of this covenant.  David built a strong nation with God, but people struggle with sin.  Some people choose their own path instead of following God.  It was the weakness of humans that David's kingdom did not last.  Jesus is the only one strong enough to rule the world and all people.  Some people may not acknowledge his reign, but it doesn't make it any less true.  One day he will return and everything will be as God has promised.  

2 Samuel 7:14, 23:5, 1 Kings 8:17, & 1 Chronicles 17:13-14