Christians, Do We Use God's Name In Vain?

Christians, Do We Use God’s Name In Vain?

Isaiah 45:11-19

11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

14 Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.

15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.

16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.

17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

Exodus 20:7

Ex 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

This passage has been misunderstood by many, thinking that it gave the right to the pottery to command the Potter.

This section of Scripture, this morning, is speaking to the Omnipotence and Omniscience of God, and the folly of the individual striving with his Maker.

Isaiah 45:12

12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded

The idea of all this is that God is the one who is commanding and not you.

Isaiah 45:9

Isa 45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

The “woe” announced in verses 9-13 is directed against those in Isaiah’s day among the Hebrews who criticized the action of God in choosing a heathen prince as a deliverer of His people.

These objectors are compared to potsherds objecting to the action of the Potter.

The idea of this passage is that man is no more entitled to lift up his voice against his maker than the vessel to rebel against the man who shapes it.

Isaiah 45:13

13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

The pronoun “him”, refers to Cyrus and to him being raised up by the Lord for a special task and mission.

The Phrase “in righteousness,” means to carry out my righteous purposes.

God was going to direct all of his ways, God was going to make it possible to do what needed to be done.

God gave Cyrus what he needed in order to persevere in his situation.

Look at Isaiah 45:18-19

18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

God made everything that there is and He made it to be inhabited by man.

God did not make the Earth in vain.

God has not spoken in secret; He did not want Israel to seek Him in vain.

The Lord speaks in righteousness; He declares things that are right.