The Name of God

I think we all understand that we're here today because of God. We're here today because God made us. We're here today because God so loved us that He made a way that we could have a relationship with Him. We're here today because He created the Sabbath for us to stop and think and be able to learn from Him, and to rest, and to focus on His plan and what part we have in it. This is a day, I think, that inspires us and helps us to be more motivated to be like our Heavenly Father. And I'd like to begin with a question today, and I think it's a pretty serious question.

What is in a name? What's in a name? Now, you might think, not very much, maybe not very much at all. It's just a name. Well, I want you to listen to some of the names that I'm about to share with you, and as I read them, consider each one. And each one, I think, will have an effect on you or me as we hear the name. George Washington, Winston Churchill, Moses, Abraham Lincoln, Osama bin Laden, Steve Jobs, Mariah Carey, Michael Phelps, Homer Simpson.

All right. Well, you know, it was Shakespeare that asked the question, what's in a name? And I think he said it rose by any other color, would still smell as sweet, or by any other name, would still smell as sweet. But, you know, a name is very important, maybe more important than we thought. You know, parents really consider often, very carefully, what they're going to name their children, because of the importance of the meaning of a name. It's really more than just a label of identification.

It wasn't too long ago that our Anglo-Saxon names were based on lineage. We think of Erickson. We think of John's son. We think of Peterson. And sometimes occupations were very important. We think of Miller or Smith or Carpenter, those types of things.

Thus, a name begins to give a knowledge about a person, about who they are. You know, the Scriptures and God say a name has significant meaning. Often, a name would denote a characteristic or character, or it would be something that's related to a person of their history, who they are.

You know, we know that God changed some people's names. I'll refer to a few examples here. You know, in the covenant that God entered into with Abram, he changed his name from Abram to Abraham. That's in Genesis 17, verse 5. I'll just refer to a few Scriptures. You can look them up if you like.

But that new name significantly stated something about him. That he was going to be a father of a multitude of nations. Remember, Jacob, one of the people that became definitely important in the history of God's people, what his name originally meant was supplanter. And we know a little bit about the story between his brother Esau, who came out first, and Jacob came out later, and how Jacob had to scheme with the help of his mother to supplant and begin to take over the blessings and the birthright of his brother Esau.

Well, God changed Jacob's name later to Israel, which means, prevailing with God. Jacob began to be mature. He began to become spiritually mature. He became a changed man from what he had. And God was working with him all along the way. And he had a wrestling match one evening with probably the one who was Jesus Christ.

And Jesus Christ hit the hollow of his hip and went out of joint, and he was in pain, but he didn't quit. And he continued the wrestling match, holding this particular being in a hold, the wrestling hold, who wouldn't let him go, until he blessed him. And so God changed his name. And that is found in Genesis 32, verse 28.

Moses changed Oshea's name to Joshua, which means salvation, and prophetically spoke about the fact that he would begin to help deliver Israel from their enemies when they came into the Promised Land. Jesus talks about changing the name of a man by the name of Simon to Peter, which means a stone. And so we see examples, and that's found in John 1, verse 42. We see examples of God beginning to change people's names for a purpose and for a reason.

A name. What's in a name? Everything is in a name. It summarizes a person. It summarizes their character. It summarizes so much about them and their history and their story and who they are. And it summarizes their contributions with every mention of the name. You know, consider just for an example, if I say, well, Sam called, you know somebody by the name of Sam, I don't think anybody here has that name.

But all of a sudden, these thoughts come into your mind about Sam. And a picture begins to come in, and thoughts evoke in your mind about who Sam is and what he's done. I can just casually say, I saw Sam today. And the person who hears the word Sam begins to have thoughts and feelings about Sam. It could be fear. It could be love. It could be repulsion. It could be affection. Hello, Sam. And suddenly, you have all of these thoughts. Let's notice Proverbs, chapter 22, and verse 1 as we begin to explore the Scriptures and what they have to say about names.

Proverbs, chapter 22, and verse 1. Here, it's a very, very simple statement. What it says here in Proverbs, chapter 22, verse 1, is, A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches. In other words, this individual having a lot of wisdom and experience in life says this, a good name. When the name is said, it has a good reputation, a good picture, a good mental image, and that that is rather to be chosen than great riches. You know, here's sort of a caveat. We're all human, aren't we? We're human beings and none of us are perfect. In any human name that is spoken will generate a mix of feelings, both good and bad.

You know, there's usually a mix. When he or she or whenever their name is stated, there could be more positive feelings, hopefully the negative, but there could also be negative feelings as well as positive. A mix certainly comes out. But what I want to talk to you today is about a perfect name. I want to talk to you about a name that has no flaws attached, that there's no baggage connected with at all. A name, however, that's often been misaligned, misrepresented, and misunderstood, and a lot of times disrespected. Today we're going to talk about the name of God. The name of God. How important is God's name?

How important is the name of God? Well, I've come to believe that if we don't take God's name seriously, that we will not be granted into the kingdom of God. Now, that may sound pretty strong statement to make, but I think that's how important this topic is, that if we don't honor and take seriously the topic of honoring God's name, He won't let us into His kingdom. We simply won't be there. So let's turn to Matthew 6, verse 9. Matthew 6, verse 9. What we're going to see here, of course, is the example prayer that Jesus Christ gave to His disciples when they asked Him the question, well, Lord, teach us to pray. Now, maybe you're like me, and sometimes when you read the Scriptures and you read it over several times, that something else stands out that you didn't see before. So let's notice Matthew 6, verse 9. We'll see the sample prayer that Jesus Christ gave as a way of teaching us how to pray. It says, in this manner, therefore pray. Now, He had earlier said, don't use vain repetition. So we know we're not supposed to say this prayer the same exactly word for word over and over again. But He says, in this manner, He says, therefore pray, our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Hallowed be your name. Well, I thought about that, and I thought, well, wait a minute. I think when I've thought of that, I've thought about, well, hallowed be you. You know, hallowed be you, God. But that's not what it's saying here. It's saying, hallowed be your name. Now, it goes on later to say, God be the glory and the kingdom forever. But here it says, hallowed be your name. That wondrous, glorious name. What's in a name?

Apparently, a lot more than what we thought. Jesus Christ later goes on to say, like I said, you know, that we glorify God. But here He says, hallowed be His name. Well, then, what does that mean? The word hallowed. What does it mean? Well, if we were to look that up in a Greek lexicon, fair as Greek lexicon, it says this. It says to acknowledge, to render, to hallow, to separate from profane things, to purify. If we go on in the Bible knowledge commentary, it says, God's name is to be revered. But what does revered mean? Well, that means to be honored, to be respected.

So here we find the name is to be revered, and to be acknowledged, and to be separate from anything that's profane or impure or imperfect. You know, Jesus Christ would say a lot in a few words, but you had to know that He thought very carefully about what was going to be in that model prayer. And one of the things that was there that was very important was that we were to hallow His name, the name of God. Exodus 20, verse 7. Some of you may know where we're going here, as we begin to see the Ten Commandments here. And again, as God began to work with the people, as He began to call them out of the world, that they were to be a representative of a way of life, and to be a light, an evangelistic example to the nations around them, God said, there's ten very important commandments. And this is one of the ten that we'll see here in Exodus 20, verse 7. He says here, "...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." So this topic is again not only in the example prayer of Jesus Christ, as we pray, but also in the Ten Commandments. The Bible Knowledge Commentary says, The Adam Clark Commentary says, This precept not only forbids false oaths, but all common swearing, where the name of God is used and where God is appealed to as a witness or the truth.

In other words, we're bringing Him into our life. We're bringing Him into our matters. We're bringing Him into our stuff. We're bringing Him into physical and profane things, in some ways. And we're trying to reach out and grab His name and attach it to our situation to help people to believe us. You know, there are many ways that God's name can be profaned.

Just think, for example, of all the different religions in the world, all the Christian religions in the world that use God's name. And consider what they teach and what they do. Or when they're going about their business of religion and they sling God's name around in their context, or they'll attach it to the name of their church and then do things that are unscrupulous or unbiblical or ungodly. What does that do to the name of God? Let's notice Leviticus. We're here in the Exodus. Let's just go to Leviticus 19 and verse 12. We're going to see some examples. Leviticus 19 and verse 12.

God says through Moses, don't use my name to swear a falsehood and so profane the name of your God. In other words, God says don't say, God is my witness that I know that this is the truth and then swear a falsehood. You know, or don't say, by God, I can tell you what I'm saying. You can count on those types of things. There's an historical example of this that can be found in Matthew chapter 26 and verse 73. Matthew chapter 26 and verse 73. I think when we get there and begin reading the story, it'll be one that you've heard before, but we'll see how it fits into this context. Matthew chapter 26 and verse number 73. It says, "...and a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, Surely you're one of them, because your speech betrays you." So here Peter is caught in a crossfire here of being identified with Jesus Christ the Messiah on the day of His execution, or close to that. Verse number 74, "...then he began to curse and swear, and saying, I do not know the man, and immediately the rooster crowed." I think the new King James says, I do not know the man, and he cursed, and he swore. The new Revised Standard Version reads the verse this way. It says, "...then he began to curse, and he swore, and oath, saying, I do not know the man, and at that moment the cock crowed." And the new Living Translation puts it this way. Peter said, I swear by God, I don't know the man, and immediately the rooster crowed.

Verse 75, "...and Peter remembered the words of Jesus, who had said to him, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times, so he went out, and he wept bitterly." So here's an example of that very thing taking place for Peter swore an oath. And how many times has it taken place in our life that we've attached God's name to something in our situation to try to help us? You know, the Adam Clark commentary continues on the commandment, referring to this commandment of not taking God's name in vain. He says this, he says, "...it also necessarily forbids all light mention of God, all irreverent mention of God." In other words, just casual mention of God's name. Well, you know, I found that parking place because God helped me to find that, or that type of thing. Or God blessed me, or God blessed you, or Jesus blessed me, you know, Jesus blessed you. Not that it's not wrong to say that from time to time, but in a real context where it's not casual, but you know that God has blessed you, or you know that they've blessed somebody else, and you give God the credit. But not just casual mention, where we're just happy to have God in our lives.

It's this casual use of God, and me, and how we bring it in. It makes me sound special, it makes me sound good, that I'm giving God praise for everything. In fact, we're making His name rather well used, but sometimes overly using it, and not glorifying it, just associating it with common, everyday things. It also meant that it forbids all mention of His attributes in a light way, that we're really not serious about it. Every prayer or impulsive statement that is made that is not accompanied with a deep reverence is condemned here also. So says the Adam Clark Commentary. Now regarding the phrase, and I'm still quoting here, the Lord will not hold Him guiltless. It says, whatever the person himself may think or hold, however he may plead on his own behalf, that he intended no evil, in other words. In other words, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. God will understand. But the Scriptures say, if he or she in any way takes God's name in vain, God won't hold Him guiltless. That's what the commandment says.

He will not hold Him guiltless. So you and I can't use God's name in a casual way.

And I guess we could go on and on, because it's an easy habit to get into, isn't it? For humans to inject God's name in everyday things, or even things that aren't even connected. They'll just say, good God, or by God, or, you know, my God, or old God. Just something that says when they hear something that's surprising, or a story that seems to be unbelievable. God's name is mentioned. And sometimes God's name is mentioned, and a damnation is connected with God's name. It's attached to the Father's name, or Jesus's name. Or sometimes people humanly try to get around to do an end-around, or be cute, and they'll say something, they'll use names of animals or something, and say, Jiminy Cricket, or Dog, which is God's spell backwards, and they'll say, well, Dog on it. Those types of things. We tend to get clever. Or goodness stars, or good heavens, or other types of things that often begin with a G or a C, I'm not sure, cotton picker. You know, you've heard them. You know, why is it they often start with a G or C sound, or goodness, or good that? It's just something humans do. They attach good to evil, or good to common, everyday things. Or they attach God's name when something bad happens. They say, oh this, or oh that, and it's what follows that word, oh, that begins to bring God's name in and profanes His name. It's an easy habit to get into, but it's something that God wants us to think about. It can be a part of the normal human psyche, but that's not what God wants us to do as His sons and daughters. You know, I covered this in the sermon last time I was here about words, but in Matthew 5 and verse 37, I'll just refer to that since we covered it last time, is that Jesus said, let your yes be yes, and let your no be no. Don't bring God's name into it. Even if it's true, you're not forswearing a false oath, but you're telling the truth, just let your yes be yes. That's what God expects of His godly sons and daughters. And let your no be no. Don't go about attaching God's name to things. And we know that it's often all around us, whether it be friends around us or associates at work or at school. It seems to be very common.

Well, let's turn to a Scripture here in Exodus 34 and verse 5. You know, how important is God's name? Why does God place such importance on His name? You know, we've touched a little bit on it, I think, because it begins to tell us who a person is, their character, their attributes. And so, since that's how God feels about it, and the Scriptures show that a name has a lot more meaning, maybe, than what we had thought, as it denotes the character. But before we begin reading the Scripture, there's an interesting comment I'd like to make. Did you know, and maybe some of you do, and some of you don't, that in the Old and the New Testaments, that there's over a hundred names and titles for God? Over 100. You know, and the question is, why are there so many names and titles for God? Why is that? Well, you know, when you think about it, really no other personage in history has that many. Not even close. Often it's just one. You know, you think about George Washington, the father of our country, or William the Conqueror, or we talk about David, a man after God's own heart, or Moses, the meekest man in the face of the earth, or Alexander the Great. You know, we could go on and on. Usually it's just one title or one characteristic that is attached to a person's name. But in God's case, there are over 100 that are mentioned in the Scriptures. Why? Why so many? Why so many? Because He has so many qualities. You know, is it because there are so many titles? Is it not? Because even though a name can be descriptive, it could also be restrictive? If you could only put one title to a person's name, would that not also be restrictive?

And so, we see God cannot be restricted by one title. He's got many titles. In fact, in one sense, I suppose you could say He's the unnameable One. The Lord, the Almighty, the unnameable One.

And so, we see how important a name can be. Let's notice Exodus 34 in verse 7. Exodus 34 in verse 7. As we go back here and we see, we'll see the one speaking as the one who later became Jesus Christ. So, He descended. Exodus 34, verse 5. Now the Lord descended in the cloud, and He stood with Moses there. And what did He do? And He proclaimed the name of the Lord. The name was what is being proclaimed here. Now, what is in the name here? Well, let's go on. The name of the Lord. What's in that name? He proclaimed the name of the Lord. Well, if we look up the word name first in strong, exhaustive concordance, it talks about the fame, it talks about the character, it talks about the authority, it talks about the honor. We begin to see some characteristics as we look up the word name. In the brown drivers Briggs Hebrew lexicon, it says the Hebrew word includes reputation, it includes fame, it includes glory. And so, this name was being proclaimed. So here the name of God is being declared, and it's His reputation, His fame, His glory, His character is being proclaimed to Moses by the one who became Jesus Christ in the flesh. And remember, the name conjures up in the mind everything about the individual. So here, He's declaring the reputation, the fame and the glory. Of whom? Verse 5, of the Lord, which is who we call Jehovah. Or in English, Yahweh, the tetragrammaton, YHVH, which they're not sure exactly how it should be pronounced. But we know what it means is proclaiming the name of the eternal One, the One who is ever existing. He's existed forever, the One that exists on His own. Verse number 6, And the Lord passed before Him and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God. Now here He uses the word God, which is the term El and the Hebrew. It means strength. It means might. It means Almighty.

The self-existent, eternal, Almighty One is the One that's being proclaimed, His name. And then notice, He goes on and shows some of the character of this being, this character of God. Verse number 6, Who is merciful and gracious and long-suffering, and He abounds in goodness and in truth.

Almost right out of Galatians 5, verse 22, where it talks about the fruit of the Holy Spirit of God.

Verse 7, Who keeps mercy for thousands, He forgives iniquity and transgression and sin.

As we heard about in the first message, and He by no means clears the guilty. You know, those that have done wrong things and they refuse to change and they refuse to repent, He's not going to clear them. And He does visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and fourth generations.

Verse 8, So Moses made haste, and he bowed his head towards the earth, and he worshiped. And then he said, Now if I found grace in your sight, O Lord, let My Lord I pray go among us, even though we are a stiff-necked people. You know, it's almost like us. We're humans, we're imperfect, we're physical, we have carnal passions, and yet we want God to be our God at the same time. But if He's going to be among us, if He's going to be among us, we need to revere Him.

Verse 9, And pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as your inheritance. And that's what we all desire, to be the inheritance of God.

Verse 10, And He said, Behold, I make a covenant. So God says, I'm going to make an agreement with you, with you and the people. I make a covenant before all your people, I will do marvels such as not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation, and all the people among you who shall see the work of the Lord. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you. And so it was an awesome thing that He did with them. But it's even more awesome of what God is doing with us.

It is an awesome thing that God is doing with the Israel of God, as we read about in the New Testament. It's an amazing thing. What His desire is for you and me to be part of His firstborn, among many brethren.

We should really admire God and His character, and His name, and His attributes, and His plan. And really hallow and really respect the name. And not just to mentally respect it, and thinking about it that way and honoring it, but to give it honor and respect, not only in what we think, but in what we say, and in how we live, and what we do, or don't do, can either honor or dishonor the name of God. And we'll see that here as we go through in just a moment.

To treat it casually would really, really desoil or tarnish the One, or to be indifferent towards the One who really has given us everything and holds out eternal life. So here's a question for you and for me. Do we really revere and hallow His name? Do we really appreciate the name of God? And if so, how much?

Do you or I ever attach it to the negative trivia in our life? Do we ever stop and think that, you know, I don't want to associate God's name with my trivia or my everyday stuff. I'm not going to use flippant words. I'm not going to use euphemisms, which sounds like God's name, but it's a clever way of getting around it. I'm not going to do that. I won't call on God or use His name or associate it with my business at all in a common way. I'm just not going to do that. What if you or I do use God's name in a disrespectful context? Does it really matter? Is it really just an oops? Well, God loves me or Jesus loves me and that's okay. You know, He knows I'm weak. You know, if I happen to say cheese whiz once in a while or doggone it or that type of thing in a casual way or I'm in a little slack with heavenly terms like good heavens or what have you. Well, let's notice Deuteronomy 28 and verse 58. I think it's a Scripture that's going to get our attention. Deuteronomy 28 and verse 58. And on this particular Scripture, I'm going to read it from the New Living Translation because I think it puts it in our more modern English here a little bit for us to understand in the way we think and speak today. Deuteronomy 28 and verse 58. It says, If you refuse to obey all the terms of this law that are written in this book, and if you do not fear the glorious and awesome name of the Lord your God, then the Lord will overwhelm both you and your children with indescribable plagues.

Wow! You know, it doesn't say I'm just going to remove the blessings because we think, well, God's not going to bless me if I do that. He doesn't say He's just going to remove the blessings. He says He's going to add plagues. He's going to do both.

Now, we think if we don't obey God, we're not going to receive the blessings, but that's not how He phrases it. And this is Jesus Christ talking here. If we do not fear Him, and I suppose the term fear can mean respect, you know, for the glorious and awesome name of the Lord our God, that's how it's termed for the name of God. So when we say the word God, what does it bring to our mind?

It should bring the wonderful things that God is in everybody who hears the name.

Let's notice Psalm 111, verse 9. Psalm 111, verse 9.

I'm going to again read this out of the New Living Translation.

Psalm 111, verse 9.

Let's look how God's servant honored His name, God's servant David.

Psalm 111, verse 9.

It brings it out a little more clearly, I think, than the Old English. What a holy, awe-inspiring name He has.

Verse 10.

Reverence 4 may say fear in your translation, but fear in the Hebrew is the word yura, y-i-r-a-h. It means fear, awesome, respect, piety, and reverence. That's what the term fear can mean, reverence, for, and deep respect. It can also mean fear or dread if we're on the wrong side of the fence, in a sense, with God, on the wrong side of God, if we disobey. But verse 10.

You know, our actions also either honor or dishonor God's name. And it's important for us to realize that because we often don't think of it that way. But let's notice something here, an example of that in 1 Timothy 6, verse 1. 1 Timothy 6 and verse 1.

It's talking in the context here of bond servants under the yoke. We might tend to pass over this example and say, well, we're not slaves, we're not indentured servants that have been bonded to serve someone and obey some human master. Therefore, this doesn't really apply to us. But I think there's a principle here. Let's listen to something that's being said here by the apostle Paul to Timothy. And it has to do with something that has to do with God's name. 1 Timothy 6 and verse 1.

The new international version puts it this way.

It says, So you see, if we apply this principle, it does have a lot to do with what a person does that has an effect on whether God's name is honored.

Along with the doctrine of God and the teaching of God, whether it's being slandered or not.

The new living translation says this in verse 1. Christians who are slaves should give their masters full respect so that the name of God and His teaching will not be shamed.

So we can bring shame on the name of God by the things that we do.

You and I sometimes do, by the way we live, may honor or dishonor the name of God.

You know, somebody says, well, you know that person. They're in the church of God.

Look at what they do. Look at what they say. They're God's kids. You know, we think about that sometimes. You know, look what they're doing. Look what they're saying. Look how they dress. You know, is that dress too short? Is it too immodest? You know, is that honoring God and His name?

Or, you know, those types of things. Or what we're watching on television or watching on the computer. Is that honoring God's name? Someone will say, well, look at them! They're associated with God.

They're associated with this family. This family name. And look what they're doing. Now, God does call us His children. And it's like little children. We say, whose kid is that? What are they doing? What are they saying? How are they living?

You know, it says something about the family, doesn't it?

What's the kid doing? Are they doing something good? Are they doing something that's not so good? It's a reflection on the family name.

Well, we're kids. We're His children. And sometimes we honor God's name, and sometimes we don't.

And our actions have a reflection on the name of God, and we can bring shame on God by the things that we do.

Let's notice Proverbs chapter 30 and verse 1. Proverbs chapter 30 and verse 1.

Proverbs, of course, is a collection. The book of Proverbs is a collection of mostly from the wisdom of Solomon, but there are some others here besides Solomon. There are several other individuals, and this particular one is someone that's someone other than Solomon. But let's see what's written here. Proverbs chapter 30 and verse 1.

It says, The words of Agar, the son of Jacob, his utterance. This man declared Ithiel, and to Ithiel, and to Euchal. So we're reading here someone's wisdom other than Solomon's. And I think it's very interesting what's on this man's mind. There's two things that he talks about. That were on his mind. And again, I'll read from the new international version, but I think it'll be close to what you have on your table there. It says in verse 7, Two things I ask of you, O Lord, and do not refuse me before I die.

Now, what do you think those two things are that he asked before he died?

How much money I could have? What my position's going to be in the kingdom?

You know, that type of thing? Well, this man got his two things written up in the Bible, and my two aren't here. So I think it's going to be very interesting to see what he's requesting here. So here it is in verse number, we read verse 7 and 8. Two things I ask of you, and don't refuse me before I die. Keep falsehood and lies far from me. Well, that's an interesting thing. You know, either coming in or going out. You know, I don't want to bear false witness about somebody else, and I don't want anyone to bear false witness about me. Keep this from far from me. Keep falsehood and lies far from me. Either coming in or going out. And then verse 8 he goes on, And give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Now why? Why is he saying that? What's on his mind?

Verse 9, Otherwise I may have too much in disown you and say, Who is the Lord?

Or I may become poor and steal. Now here's a deed. It's not a good deed. It's stealing. I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. So here we see some of the things that we do can dishonor God's name, as well as the things that we say, or the way that we think about it when we're thinking about God and His name. It's much bigger, more comprehensive maybe than what we thought.

Why didn't he want to do these things?

Because he was connected with God. He was an individual connected with God. He didn't want to become poor and steal, and then as he said, he would dishonor the name of his God.

So those are the things that he was thinking about. If he stole, or if he lied, or that type of thing, he would possibly dishonor God's name.

Let's turn back to another Scripture here.

Kind of changed my order here. Psalm 139, verse 23. Psalm 139, verse 23.

Further, David did some soul searching. He was the type of person that did that during his lifetime. And let's notice that in the context here of Psalm 139, verse 23. And I will say as a pastor that this is a good passage for us to follow, all of us as individuals, and I include myself in that. Psalm 139, verse 23. David said this, Search me, O God, and know my heart.

Try me and know my anxieties. And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Now that's a wonderful thing that he did.

He was a man after God's own heart, and he asked God to search his heart. And that's a wonderful thing for us to do too. And not just to pass over time, or the spring holy days, but year-round. But I want you to notice, what was the subject that was on David's mind when he said this in verse 23? What was it that he was addressing in this passage? What context was he saying this in? Let's go back a couple of verses and take a look. Back to verse number 20. Here's what David was talking about when he wanted God to search him, search his heart, and to see if there was any wickedness in him. Notice verse 20.

For they speak against you wickedly, your enemies take your name in vain.

That's the subject here. And maybe we need to soul search as well to look within ourselves to see are we taking God's name in vain?

Are we really honoring it, hallowing it, that name?

Now, if we're not careful with God's name, and if we do take His name in vain, let's notice where that puts us in regards to King David. A man after God's own heart. In verse 21.

Because he says, Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate you? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with a perfect hatred, and I count them my enemies.

You know, we can't be on both sides of the fence at the same time because sometimes we try to do that. We want to be like David in a sense, a man with a heart that's godly in its example. But we can't be on the other side of the fence and taking God's name in vain at the same time.

And then having David hate us, and we become his enemy and God's enemy at the same time.

So we really have to be honest with ourselves when we examine ourselves. Where do we fall? Do we really honor the name of God? Do we really respect it? Can we do better?

I think it would be the right thing to do for each of us to follow David's example and examine our own selves. And to ask God to show us our faults, and then to lead us into the way of everlasting.

Sometimes we can think well. We're honoring God's name by the things that we do. I mean, we're out there publishing a magazine. We're trying to be a light to the world. And say, wait a minute, we're the elect. We're your honorable people. We're Christians. We obey the law of God. We even teach it. We preach it. We proclaim it. And we publish it. And we're all about honoring God in His name. But I want us to notice this over in Scripture, over in Romans 2, verse 17. Let's take a look there. Let's take a humble look at our own situation. We are called by the name of God. His church is called by His name. And each of us are called the children of God, even brothers and sisters with Christ. So we are associated heavily with God. Let's notice Romans 2, verse 17.

Romans 2, verse 17.

It says, now, if you call yourself a Jew, and in fact, don't we? You know, if we go down to verse 29 here, it says, or verse 28, for He is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh, but He is a Jew who is one inwardly. And so, we are a Jew, in a sense, aren't we?

And so, you'll find here that Paul says that we're spiritual Jews. We are the spiritual lineage, in other words, of Abraham.

And so we go on, verse 17. And if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship with God, and well, yeah, we do. In a sense, we do look to God's law, don't we? We rely on it to steer our lives. And sometimes we brag about our relationship with God. We can come before our Father in heaven. The curtain's been rent from top to bottom. We can come boldly before this throne. We can come in, God says. And we can talk to Him. And so, we have that relationship with Him. Verse 18. If you know His will, and you approve of what is superior, because you are instructed by the law, if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, yes, we do publish information about God's way of life and His laws to a world of darkness. People whose eyes right now are closed. Verse 20. And you are an instructor of the foolish. God says that those who don't keep His ways are foolish. A teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth, which it is, all of those things.

Verse 21. You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself?

You who preach against stealing, do you steal? Well, we certainly preach against stealing, don't we? We know God says it's wrong, but do we ever slip? We think, oh, no, not me. I don't slip.

But have we ever slipped at tax time?

Have we ever slipped at the grocery store?

Have we ever slipped when we owed somebody money and promised to pay them back? And here it's ten years later, and we still haven't done it. You know, borrow something and don't return it. You know, what kind of a name does that give when somebody says that that person owed me $100 ten years ago and they still haven't paid me?

Verse number 22.

You who say do not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? Well, hopefully not literally. But mentally, what are our thoughts at times? What are our actions? What are we watching? What are we being entertained by? What are we talking about? What are people seeing us do in that regard?

You who are poor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law? Do you dishonor God through breaking the law?

Now, let's ask that question. Do we dishonor God by breaking the law?

Does anyone here not break the law of God?

We all have, haven't we? You know, we could look at 1 John 1, 2, 3. It says that anyone who says they haven't sinned is a liar, and the truth isn't in them. So we've all broken the law.

So do you dishonor God by breaking the law? Yes, we have. I have. And then I can't get around it.

Verse number 24. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. Now, it's irreverent, I suppose, as to who Paul is really talking about in this Scripture, because I have to include myself in this passage.

And if you think it applies to you too, great. I think it applies to me. When we slip and when we sin, it dishonors God and dishonors His name.

We were redeemed, as we heard about in the first message.

We were redeemed from slavery by the blood of Jesus Christ. Christ was paid. So what business do we have of going back into sin again?

Well, we don't. And hopefully none of us deliberately dishonors God in His name and goes out and says, well, I'm just going to go and trash God's name today or just apply it to my everyday things. Hopefully that doesn't happen.

But what will God do to a society that exists that does do that openly and profanes His name and does it without any contempt or without any due regard? Let's notice with Psalm 83 and verse 16. Psalm 83 and verse 16.

It says, "...fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O Lord. Let them be confounded and dismayed forever. Yes, let them be put to shame and perish, that they may know that you, whose name alone is the Lord." You, the Yahweh, the Jehovah, that you, your name alone is the Lord, means the eternal, the self-existent one, and that you are the most high over all the earth. You know, our society is heading in some wrong directions more and more. We've seen a lot of it even in our lifetime.

Society will not always dishonor God's name. Jesus the Messiah will return, begin to teach people the way of God, and begin to teach people to respect that name. You know what? First, mankind is going to resist the Messiah. He's going to resist that way of life. Let's notice in Daniel 11 and verse 36.

It will at first be resisted. Daniel 11 and verse 36.

It's towards the end of the age. It says, then, the king, and the king that we're talking about in this context is the beast power, someone that we think will be over ten nations.

It says, then, the king shall do according to his own will. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god. He shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper for a while. Shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished, for what has been determined shall be done. He shall neither regard the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god, for he shall exalt himself above them all.

So here we see the mentality of a leader at the end of the age that openly just trashes. God's name blasphemes his name. And then God sends some plagues upon mankind at the end of the age and the day of the Lord. Let's go back to Revelation 16 in verse 9. Notice that. Revelation 16 in verse 9.

It says, and men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God. So just like their leader, they followed that example. They're blaspheming the true God. The word God in the Greek is theos. It means supreme divinity. The supreme divinity. It says that the supreme divinity, or this God, has power over these plagues, and they did not repent nor give him glory.

Now you know what's happening here at the end time. And eventually Jesus Christ does come back and establish the Kingdom of God upon the earth. He removes Satan the devil. He removes the beast. He removes the false prophet, and then sets up a kingdom. And this thousand-year period begins. And then, of course, the firstfruits help at the beginning of the thousand years as they're resurrected to meet the returning Jesus Christ in the year. And let's go to Micah chapter 14, or excuse me, Micah chapter 4, in verse 1. I'm going to read something here to you.

You want to see how this takes place. And there's a very interesting part here that I think ties in very well with the topic today. Micah chapter 4, in verse 1.

So, Scripture, we read a lot during the fall, the east, the tabernacles.

But there's something I want to focus on as we get further down in the context here that ties in to our topic today. It says, "...Now it shall come to pass in the latter days, so we know the time frame, that the mountain," which means government, "...of the Lord's house shall be established on top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills." For God's government will reign over all governments.

"...And people shall flow to it, many nations shall come, and say, Come, let's go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths. For out of Zion, the law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations from far off. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. And nations shall not lift up sword against nation, and neither shall they learn war anymore. And everyone shall sit under His vine and under His fig tree, a time that pictures peace, as it takes years to grow a vineyard and the fig trees, and for them to bear fruit, that represents a time of peace. And no one shall make them afraid, because the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. So God will bring it about. And now I want you to notice verse 5.

For all people will walk, each in the name of His God. But we will walk in the name of our God forever and ever. The name of God is going to be reviewed in a future world. When Jesus Christ reigns, the name of God will be associated with His laws, which are wonderful, are out of Zion. The law is going to go forth, the law of the God of Jacob. And people are going to want to learn. People are going to see the change. They're going to see the results. They're going to see how this way works.

And they'll be taught a way of peace. And all that comes from that, good things, are going to come as a result of that. And people will walk in the name of God forever. Let's go over to Psalm 34, verse 3.

Psalm 34, verse 3.

I'm going to ask a question.

You and I, what can we do for God's name? What can we do? David, a man after God's own heart, gives an answer to that question right here. In Psalm 34, verse 3.

It says, O magnify the Lord with me, and let's exalt His name together. Wow! David is appealing to God's people. He said, let's magnify. What's that mean to magnify? Because the more we magnify God, the more wonderful things we begin to see. I mean, it just keeps getting better and better and better when we magnify God.

And so mentally and verbally, the things that we say, the things that we think about, the things that we do, we can begin to magnify God like David said. Let's magnify Him together. And let's exalt His name together.

You know, not just through our thoughts, but through deeds and through actions. Not just emotion. Yes, emotion too, but not just that.

It's a complete package. That's the way that God has always worked. That's the way that David and the Scriptures are talking about it. Paul, when he's writing to Timothy, to exalt Him in all ways.

When we pray, when we speak, that we do so with reverence for the name of God.

Not just emotional, that something in our hearts is jumping around and we're just proclaiming verbally how special He is. Oh, there's a time for that. But when it is done that way, it should be with reverence. But it should be in ways other than that. Now, what about God's name and you?

What about His name and you and me?

You know, we tend to think of God being up there in heaven, and we're being down here on earth, and there's this great chasm between the two, this great space here. There's huge separation. You know, God's name is perfect, and your name is not, and my name is not.

Why does God want us to hallow His name? Why does He want us to emphasize His name? Well, I think we've touched on it.

But let me just say this.

If you and I are really trying to expand what Jesus Christ meant when He said, hallow His name, the name of our Father, with appreciation, with respect, with admiration, with honor, and with holiness, then there's something that's unexpected that's going to happen to you and me if we're able to accomplish that the way God intended. Let's go to Revelation 3 and verse 12. Revelation 3 and verse 12.

Remember, I told you at the beginning of the message, there's a connection between this topic and our entrance into the Kingdom of God. Well, here's an unexpected thing here. Revelation 3 and verse 12.

Last book of the Bible here. Jesus Christ is speaking. He said, He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more, and I will write on him the name of My God.

So now, that name becomes our name.

If we really reverence the name of God and all that it means, and all that He is, and all the characteristics, and all that we say, and all that we feel, and all that we do, that precious name, the name of the Father, and Jesus Christ is speaking here, as the red letter edition shows. In verse 12, He says, I will write on him the name of My God, referring to the Father, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and I will write on Him My new name, the Messiah.

So you have the name of God, you have the name of the new Jerusalem, and you have the name of the Messiah.

What's the God name? The God family name.

It'll be the name of the Father, the name of the Christ, the name of their government, their capital city, if we honor and give reverence to it. Then eventually, that name will be placed on you and on Me. God turns around, and He puts His name on you.

If we honor it, if it's special to us, if we think about it that way and what we say and what we do, let's read something that King David wrote that I think sums up our desire for the name of God. It's found in Psalm 72 and verse 18. Psalm 72 and verse 18.

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only does wondrous things.

How's that?

Blessed be God, for He only does wondrous things.

Nothing negative. Only wondrous. Only positive things.

Verse 19. And blessed be His glorious name forever.

And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.

I think that sums it up pretty good, doesn't it? Blessed be His glorious name forever. And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.

We want to be filled with His glory. We want to have His name put on us. God is a wondrous God who only does positive and wondrous things.

Father, let's turn back to Matthew 6 and verse 9.

Matthew 6 and verse 9.

The beginning of the message Jesus taught us how to honor God.

How to hallow. He talked about hallowing His name when we prayed. He taught us that we should in our own way not just mouth the words. Hallowed be Thy name. For by our own way acknowledge His preciousness, His specialness, His holiness, the sanctity of His name.

Now, that can be done in a number of ways.

As it says here in this manner, therefore, pray, our Father in heaven.

Hallowed, sacred, holy in a sense, is Your name.

Don't lead us, the verse dropping down to verse 13. Don't lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Or so emphatically, so be it.

Brethren, as David said, let's magnify God together. Let's exalt His name together.

Let's really honor and respect and deeply reverence the name of God in everything that we say, in everything that we think, and in everything that we do.