What's In a Name?
(Thoughts on the Third Commandment)
Reverend Fred Klett, CHAIM Ministry

“Your name is one of your most valued possessions. How would you feel if your name was connected with something dishonest or wrong?”

Juliet said to Romeo, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." What's in a name? Many today would agree with Juliet that what something is called isn't very important. Names are just symbolic forms of expression. All the different languages of the world use different names for the same things. So what does it matter?

Let me explain why it matters. Your name tells about who you are and where you come from. Children receive their names from their parents. Consider Moses for example, who led the people of Israel out of slavery from Egypt, and the man who wrote the Torah. He received the name “Moses” because he was “drawn out” of the Nile River when he was a baby!

Good parents are to be remembered by honoring the name they gave you! Your name is one of your most valued possessions. How would you feel if your name was connected with something dishonest or wrong? How would you feel if your name was dragged through the mud? You would not like it!

God doesn't like his name to be dishonored, either. Why is God's name so important to him? God's name is connected with his power and authority. It represents him. God is very sensitive how his name is used. Here is the Third Commandment he gave to Moses and the people of Israel: "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." (Exodus 20:7).

The name of God carries great meaning. To proclaim God's name means to proclaim who He is. My friends, God is not to be ignored or taken lightly! Moses wrote: "anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord must be put to death!" ( Lev. 24:16 ). According to Jewish tradition, God's name could not be said out loud, because He is so holy. So no one knows how to properly say “God” in the Hebrew language to this day! What we do know is that the Hebrew word for God means something like “the one who exists in himself eternally.” We should use God's name with great respect!

In the Torah, Moses also said “seek the place the Lord your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling." (Deuteronomy 12:5). This place where God's name resided was the Temple. God told the priests of Israel to proclaim his name over the people: "they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them." (Numbers 6:23-27).

But if Israel failed to respect God's name, they were warned: "If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name - the Lord your God - the Lord will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses." (Deuteronomy 28:58-59).

This is very serious! Judgement would come on Israel if they failed to "sanctify the name" of God! In Hebrew this is called "Kiddush Hashem." Kiddush Hashem is a supremely important principle in both Judaism and Christianity.

Let me ask you a personal question. How do you treat God's name? Do you use it thoughtlessly? The next time you say “O God!”, think seriously what those words really mean. And something will happen to you today that you won't like. Will you use God's name in a bad way? Stop and think. Whom are you are speaking about! It is God, the one who exists in himself eternally, the one who created you.

As a Christian, when I think about the name of God, I see that all these themes come together in Jesus. The name Jesus means, “God is our salvation.” Christians believe that, in Jesus, God's name was again present. In Jesus, in this temple of flesh and bone, God intends to bring back people to himself. When Christians pray "Our Father in heaven, holy is your name," they are agreeing with Jewish tradition that God's holy name is to be proclaimed to all the nations.

So, my friends, let us treat God's name as something wonderful and holy. It's the right thing for loving children to do!