“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,” Exodus 20:7.

The Lord sets forth a reason why we must “not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.” “The LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”

1. Though taking the Lord’s name in vain is a very common occurrence and committed with utter carelessness, it is viewed by the Lord as a serious breach of His law! Each time it happens those who engage in it will be held accountable. We are warned of this by the Saviour. “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned,” Matthew 12:36-37.

2. There is great guilt attached to taking the Lord’s name in vain. The word ‘idle’ in the above text means ‘thoughtless’, uttered without consideration or effort to consider what it that is being said. Nothing better illustrates the utter ignorance of mankind than the utterly careless way this sin is committed, Lev 24:10-16. Other sins may be accompanied by twinges of consciences but not this sin.

3. Men shall not escape judgment for taking the Lord’s name in vain. Deuteronomy 28:58-68. The sad state that Israel has often been in and the present state of affairs, existing for some 2000 years and the precarious state she remains in still, all serve to show just how terrible is the sin of failing to reverence and “fear this glorious and fearful name.”