“You are not to use lightly the name of YHVH your God, because YHVH will not leave unpunished someone who uses his name lightly.”
What’s in a name?
Honestly, everything.
The idea behind a name in Hebrew is that it describes character. This really is who you are. In our culture (western culture, anyway), a name is just an identifier. It helps single you out of a crowd. Some people are named after family members or respected individuals, but trace their name back and you’ll find that it began with much less than a bang.
No matter, though. Your name describes you. That is, your character describes you. So instead of your name describing you, we now define our name. You’ve heard people talk about the “family name” or “family reputation” and this is exactly what we’re describing.
Are you proud of your family’s heritage? Or embarrassed by it? Not what you think the family name stands for in the culture, but what it represents spiritually. Do you even know what this means?
Let’s try to understand this idea of a name and how it relates to us.
We’re all familiar with the name YHVH (“Yahweh” being the most common phonetic interpretation). This is God’s name. And “God” in Hebrew is Elohim. The short versions being “Yah” and “El”, respectively. A fair percentage of people in the Bible have some variant of Abba’s name built into their own, and they carry a different facet of who God is in their own identity.
To iron this concept out a bit more, let’s look at a handful of prophets to see if their names in anyway reflected their role here on earth:
Isaiah (Yesha‘yahu) = Yah saves
Major themes: The judgment of YHVH's people, followed by their ultimate salvation.
Jeremiah (Yirmeyahu) = Yah lifts up
Major themes: YHVH is a covenant keeping God. Israel will be lifted up.
Ezekiel (Yechezk’el) = God will strengthen
Major themes: God will judge Israel, God will judge the nations, Future blessings of Israel
Daniel (Dani’el) = God is judge
Major Themes: End Times, God’s judgments.
Can you see how their identity played a role in what they were here on earth to do?
So names matter. Especially His.
What does it mean to use His name (character) lightly?
This word, lightly, is often interpreted as “in vain” but it literally means “a desolating storm” -- desolate, empty; empty words or actions (ref: H7723).
We are told: Do not use His name with empty words or empty actions. If you invoke His name you had best be prepared to back it up. If you call upon His name, get ready to walk it out. You are representing the Creator of the Universe and He doesn’t just believe in you, He goes to work for you.
They say you should be preaching the gospel always. And if you absolutely must, open your mouth.
This implies actions and behaviors. Your actions, not your words, show who you actually support. And people are always watching. Especially if you claim to be a child of Yah.
We tend to mimic what we believe speaks of us. Love gangster rappers? You’ll look like them. Want to be like that professional athlete? You’ll look like them. Want to be a child of God? You should look like Him.
Note that this is not a commentary on fashion. It's the motivation behind that fashion. Who are you? This is the question.
Let’s go beyond clothes and now look at behaviors.
Do you crave attention? You will act in ways that get it. Do you love rejection? You will do things to ensure you are rejected. Do you feel better being offended? You will seek offense.
These seem ridiculous until you realize a lot of believers, while saved, live in this space A LOT. They are wounded and hurting but it’s time to seek healing.
We can glorify His literal name and continue to live in our woundedness, or we can walk in the weightiness of His character and be healed. This isn’t hard:
Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Take His yoke upon you and learn from Him. Simple.
Yeshua never used empty words or actions. He did what He saw the Father doing. Every step He took was in perfect union with His Father. You, likewise, have been called to walk as He walked. Do you believe in the Messiah? If so, you should look just like Him: always preaching the gospel -- and if you must, open your mouth.
A good child honors the family name. And His Name is far above all principalities, power, might and dominion.
Why would He punish someone for using His name lightly?
Years ago, we had someone come stay with us and they were a bit on the selfish side. They were mostly concerned with what they could get in every situation and didn’t mind throwing people to the side to get it. Typically, people suffer the consequences of their own actions but this person was using our reputation in the community to establish these relationships before casting them aside. So our name was attached to his actions.
Twenty years of building trust started to crumble in a matter of months.
This type of behavior cannot go unpunished or else our family’s name would be brought low and relationships would be destroyed. In a big city, you can get away with this because your life typically isn’t woven into the community. But living in a small town does not allow one to hide the consequences of their actions.
The point here is this: One person’s actions can tarnish in a matter of days what someone else has built up for years.
Is the fullness of your relationship with Abba wrapped up in just words and t-shirts with verses on them? Or are your actions displaying the majesty of the King?
Your answers to these questions are very important.
This command to not use Abba’s name lightly aligns itself with the command: Do Not Steal.
When you steal, you take what belongs to someone else. When you use His name lightly, you take what belongs to God.
His name is His name. You are not to take it for yourself and bring it low. You are not to reduce His character. Do not steal what belongs to God.
My character should carry the family name so anyone that sees me, sees my Father. He has built a reputation in the earth and it is my responsibility to not embarrass the family name, but to honor it. This isn’t tradition or putting on airs but a true reflection of the sincerity of His family line.
Like Father, like son.
“You are not to use lightly the name of YHVH your God, because YHVH will not leave unpunished someone who uses his name lightly.”