God has provided us with some very clear directives as to how a relationship with Him is to be developed. It is summarized in the first four commandments. My focus will be on the third commandment: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7). That’s some fairly strong language. It places a very high value on the use of God name. That gives us an idea of the seriousness of the commandment. But there is another aspect of it that I want to develop. It involves the word ‘vain’. What does it mean to take His name in vain? Is there a more subtle aspect that we with God’s Spirit should be more aware of?
The Hebrew word for ‘vain’ is shaw. The Theological Wordbook says: “That the primary meaning of shaw is emptiness, vanity no one can challenge. It designates anything that is unsubstantial, unreal, worthless…It surely covers profanity, or swearing falsely in God’s name. But it will include using God’s name lightly, unthinkingly or by rote.”
This is where the subtlety brings us into the picture very clearly – lightly, unthinkingly. Are we taking it lightly? Do we use it unthinkingly? Are we putting into our mind what is behind that name as we use that name? God’s name is involved with everything that is created, the earth, the universe. He created it all. And His name, when we use God’s name or think about God’s name, it has got to envelope that greatness (Psalms 83.18). And also in Revelation 19:
“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:11–16).
It all started with Adam and Eve’s decision to disobey God. In order to do what they did, they regarded God’s words to them as being empty and vain. We need to think about that. In Genesis 3, God is very clear: “but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’…So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:3,6).
That meant that the words that God had said to her were in vain, were useless and empty. By yielding to the seductive reasoning of Satan, Adam and Eve opened their minds to Satan’s mind. In focusing on that mind, there is one characteristic that stands out: pride.
Satan’s heart was already lifted up against God: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars (angels) of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High’” (Isaiah 14:12–14).
Note how many ‘I’s are listed there. This is the attitude of Satan. In short what we have here is a mind that had a false self-assessment as to who and what he was. One commentary simply notes that it’s the attitude of self-deification. Lifting himself up to be equal to and in fact above God.
The source of that attitude is incredibly important for us to appreciate. Throughout human history we see examples of this attitude being injected into human beings. You’ve got Nimrod and Nebuchadnezzar, for example. And if you want to go into Daniel and look into the future at the king of the north you have the same self-deification being pumped into human beings. It’s an attitude that can be transferred from Satan to man and he does that very well.
What we do know is that at the time of the end, Satan’s base attitude of vanity is expressed in increasing strength. It’s the reality of the world in which we live in: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, (2 Timothy 3:1–3).
All of these qualities that Paul is writing to Timothy about, flow out of a wrong or a false assessment of who and what we are, of what man is: “For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage” (2 Peter 2:18–19).
As followers of God, we need to stringently avoid being “one who is puffed up with a vain concept of his own spiritual insight,” or “a conception of self is devoid of any real content,” an excessively high opinion of oneself. All of this is broadcast as ‘normal’ life by Satan, the prince of the power of the air.
We have been called by God to represent something much different. This is where the third commandment comes into play very forcefully: “Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist,” Says the Lord. “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word” (Isaiah 66:1–2). Also, Isaiah 57:15.
So, how do we go from Satan’s attitude of self-love to this attitude of selfless love? The answer is to replace the emptiness of vanity with the meaningful godly evaluation of self, putting aside the vain evaluation of self that lifts up the self. We now look at it from God’s point of view as He looks at us.
It is difficult but there is a tool that we can use, an attitude changer. Clearly our attitude has to change from pride and vanity, emptiness and uselessness over to something productive that God can use. From the attitude of focusing on self to one that allows the focus to be on God, exalting His name. God defined this tool to Isaiah:
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loose the bonds of wickedness, To undo the heavy burdens, To let the oppressed go free, And that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; When you see the naked, that you cover him, And not hide yourself from your own flesh?” (Isaiah 58:6–7).
“Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday” (Isaiah 58:8-10).
If we choose to change our attitudes and to practice putting our focus on God, then the blessings that flow are not only promises for individuals and also for nations. Sincere fasting produces an attitude of mind which can break us free from that bondage. We do need to break free from Satan’s bondage while he is still alive and active. We must come to a contrite and humble frame of mind while Satan is pumping his vain attitudes into this world full blast (Ephesians 6:12). And God provides that power.
Followers of Jesus Christ need to break away from the hold that Satan wants to place on us so we can be free to advance into a stronger, personal relationship with God: “For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation” (Psalms 149:4).
Humility is essential for a relationship with God. Fasting simply produces humility. The Commentary on the Old Testament states: “The Church…exists in preparation for the family of God. But the family of God will lift God’s name. “Lord of lords, King of kings.” That’s what the world is going to see and hear when Christ returns — that name and all that it means.
Humility produces a submissive mind: (1 Peter 5:5). Humility opens a pathway to God: (James 4:6-8). Humility facilitates relationships: (Ephesians 4:2-3; Philippians 2:3). Humility helps build the mind of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 2:5-9).
We need to see ourselves as God sees us. Not as other people see us. The incredibly humble Christ says: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30).
We are called upon to live a life that exonerates and lifts the name of the Almighty God. Either what we do does that, or what we do does not do that. By our conduct, we either give meaning and substance to God’s name, or we detract from it. It’s not a very difficult equation. But again, this is not a human construct. The attitude of mind that connects us with God is something we can develop.
Brian Orchard