Hello again! I pray that all is well and all will be well in your lives.
This week we’ll finish up the first set of the ten commandments. Again, this is the set that deals with our relationship with God and it’s the set that Jesus summed this set up by saying:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30 (NIV)
(3) — “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”
I was watching a streamer play a game a while back and something went wrong. The streamer’s reaction was to blaspheme the name of Jesus Christ along with a curse word. It screeched me so bad and I immediately closed the stream. I thought it would bother The Spirit too, but I didn’t feel anything. Does God take issue when people say stuff like OMG or what the streamer did? Absolutely! However, remember that God wrote these commandments for those who follow him. It is crucial that you understand that and not only for this, but with all commandments, teachings, etc.
This commandment is about keeping the reputation and the character of God holy.
God is holy! He is holy, holy, holy!
He is not common and mankind is not at his level. However, we who are called by his name must represent him in this world. Our living and our conduct are the only Christ some people will see.
When a person calls themselves a Christian, but does not follow the teachings of Christ, not only are they a liar, but they break this rule, because they misuse (profane and bring a reproach against), the name of God. Anything that you do that profanes, brings a reproach or mockery to the reputation and the character of God is to misuse his name! This includes when so called Christians are hateful, without compassion, greedy, self-righteous, and fanatical, just to name a few. Those things drag God’s name through the mud, because that’s what the unbeliever will associate with God. In fact, it’s probably why the streamer felt no conviction to say such a thing. Since this commandment is directly addressed to the believer, He is more grieved when his people misuse his name rather than the unbeliever as with the streamer noted above.
As noted above, Jesus said what is the greatest commandment, but this is the one commandment that can get you into serious trouble. He is very serious about it. In fact, from this commandment, we have the warning from Jesus (remember this is about God’s reputation and the character!):
Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. Matthew 12:32 (NIV)
I’ve seen and read about people doing some of the most awful things, but since we live in the age of redemption, they were given time to repent. However, those who messed with his name, the reputation and the character of God, got cut short.
(4) — “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God.
On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.
For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but He rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
We often stop after the first or maybe even the second sentence of this commandment. It seems straight forward and simple, but it’s the longest of the ten commandments, so take the time to understand what God is saying.
The sabbath was not created for God per se, it was created for you!
Then He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27-28 (NIV)
God created the sabbath for two things: so that you would have time acknowledge him and so that you could rest from work. This commandment talks more about work than anything else.
We live in a time where the economy is global and it runs 24/7. Even those who work five days a week are expected to be available at any time if their work needs them. Yet, notice what the third sentence says about others. Some countries have toxic work cultures and others have lazy work cultures, where is the balance? Further, as we turn more and more towards AI and automation, what will that leave people to do?
First, let’s understand that work here is best understood as “being productive” with your life. Being productive is anything from working to make money, studying, or simply cleaning/taking care of your house. It does not mean be consumed and/or only care about your job where you make money: we should work to live and not live to work.
And, for those familiar with scripture, do not take “By the sweat of your brow” in Genesis 3:19 out of context.
By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Genesis 3:19 (NIV)
God created the garden of Eden for man, and He gave man a purpose in it, as noted in Genesis 2:15. He did not create man “because of” the garden.
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15 (NIV)
The judgment in Genesis 3 is saying God will no longer provide you with work/purpose (the safe/easy garden): you are on you own and need to fend for yourself. And notice, it was the ground that was cursed. That is, it would be more difficult to work, not kill yourself working. [Edit 1]
Cursed is the ground because of you Genesis 3:17 (NIV)
Mankind still has that need for purpose “to work and take care of”. When we don’t have purpose and are not productive it creates a void in our lives.
All that said about work…
The sabbath is still a day for you to be dedicated to God; not sleep in to catch up from your work week. You can do that after you’ve made your devotions to God 🙂
To those who have not found a place to worship, set aside a consistent day of devotion. Take a day to acknowledge him, give him thanks, read/study the word of God. The sabbath is set aside for you to fellowship with him. Take advantage of the right you’ve been given and don’t let anyone, including yourself, take it away.
May God bless and keep all who read this.
May God bless and keep all brothers and sisters, new and old, in the faith in his name.
With his love and mine,
Chrom
[Edit 1] I wanted to clarify this part of the post when I said “God will no longer provide you with work/purpose”. God has a spiritual purpose for everyone’s life, including those with a calling. You need to find that out what that is and do it, but I’m not talking about that here.
I’m talking about what you, the average person, chooses to do to put food on your table, as in your education or career path.