The 2nd Commandment: You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.

Chain the Catechism:A topical study through the Lutheran confessions

Psalm 111:10 The fear of the Lord…Isaiah 9:6  For to us a child…Exodus 20:7  “You shall not …

Numbers 30:2 If a man vows …Ecclesiastes 7:14 In the day of …Psalm 50:15 and call upon me …Ephesians 5:20 giving thanks …

Memorization Verses:

With a partner, write down a name for God for every letter of the alphabet.

Names of God

Based on your list, popcorn all the names in prayer, telling Him about his attributes:

“God you are called...because…”

Prayer Activity

lutheran-hymnal.com/online/tlh-364.mid

1. How sweet the name of Jesus soundsIn a believer's ear!It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,And drives away our fear.2. It makes the wounded spirit wholeAnd calms the heart’s unrest;'Tis manna to the hungry soulAnd to the weary, rest.3. Dear name! The Rock on which I build,My Shield and Hiding-place;My never-failing Treasury filledWith boundless stores of grace.4. O Jesus, Shepherd, Guardian,

Friend,My Prophet, Priest, and King,My Lord, my Life, my Way, my End,Accept the praise I bring.5. How weak the effort of my heartAnd cold my warmest thought;But when I see Thee as Thou art,I'll praise Thee as I ought.6. Till then I would Thy love proclaimWith every fleeting breath;And may the music of Thy nameRefresh my soul in death.

Here, then, let us learn and take to heart the great importance of this commandment, that with all diligence we may guard against and dread every misuse of the holy name, as the greatest sin that can be outwardly committed. For to lie and deceive is in itself a great sin, but is greatly aggravated when we attempt to justify it, and seek to confirm it by invoking the name of God and usiig it as a cloak for shame, so that from a single lie a double lie, nay, manifold lies, result.

Discussion Quote

How can anyone worship a God who shamelessly expresses his malevolence in these words: "For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me"? What a monstrous God of the universe it must be who would make a special Commandment to emphasize his jealous and vindictive nature, and to stipulate the curse he would inflict upon his poor, helpless creatures who fail to worship him!

Discussion Quote

tJ( (t-$m-yhwh (lhyj l%w( Ky l( yn l h yhwh (t ($r-yJ( xlv (t-$mO l%w( 

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.

To use His name…Acknowledge His very existence and eminenceIs to acknowledge the covenant promise with IsraelIs to call upon the One who has rescued Israel and

the Church from slavery and sin.Is to realize a personal relationship with your creator

Second Commandment Exegesis

YaHWeH: The transcendent declaration of “I AM”A specific and personal name, meant for

reverence, promise, and authorityNot Allah, god(s), Krishna, or Bob

Vain ()w#):emptiness, vanity, falsehood emptiness,

nothingness, vanityemptiness of speech, lyingworthlessness (of conduct)

Defining Key Terms

To use His name…Is to bring attention to who He is.Means that you are acknowledging His

existence.Is to call upon the One who has rescued Israel

and the Church from slavery and sin.

The Name of God

In the research teams, after discussing your verses and notes for the week:1. Create a 5 line mosaic

(poem) that draws the redemptive unity of the text together

2. Draw a picture in your notes of each line.

2nd Commandment Mosaic

Questions:What is God’s name? This

means…?How is God’s name

misused/cursed?What about swearing?What about the Satanic arts?What about lying?What is required in the 2nd

command?

Teams:SS: Fearing and Loving God’s

NameM: How God’s Name is MisusedT The Sin of SwearingW The Sin of Satan, Lying, and

DeceivingTh God’s Requirements

Research Teams: The 2nd CommandmentYou shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.What does this mean?We should fear and love God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.

We believe: The fulfillment of all commandments must flow from the fear and love of God. Awe and devotion dwell together in our hearts (Deut 10:12).

Ps. 111:10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts have good understanding. To Him belongs eternal praise.

John 14:23 If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching.

Bible narrative: Jesus asked Peter

whether he loved Him, then He told Peter to feed His sheep (John 21:15-17).

Pray: We implore You, by the memory of Your cross’s hallowed and most bitter anguish, make us fear You, make us love You, O Christ. Amen (Bridget, 453). Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child, Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled, Within my heart, that it may be a quiet chamber kept for Thee. (Luther).

SS. Why do we say in this and in the following commandments, "We shouldfear and love God"? How can we?

Ah, dearest Jesus, holy Child,

Make Thee a bed, soft, undefiled,

Within my heart, that it may be

a quiet chamber kept for Thee. (Luther).

Sing it!

We believe: God is, as He has revealed Himself to us, His essence and His attributes.

Ex. 3:14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I Am." This is what you are to say to the Israelites: “I Am has sent me to YOU.“

Is. 9:6 To us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Jer. 23:6 This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.

Matt. 1:21 You are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.

Matt. 18:20 Where two or three come

together in My name, there am I with them.

Matt. 28:19 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Bible narrative: God revealed His name to Moses (Ex. 3:12-15).

Pray: Your name, great and holy, illustrious and blessed, the blessed and incomprehensible name of Your glorious Trinity, and Your kindness to our race, we ought at all times to bless, adore, and glorify, O Lord of all. Amen. (Liturgy of Addai and Mari, c. 200)

SS. What is God’s name? Why is it important to know the different names of God?

We believe: In the Second Commandment God forbids us to misuse His name. God’s name is misused when people speak God’s name uselessly or carelessly, curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by His name. Cursing by God’s name is blaspheming God by speaking evil of Him or mocking Him.

Ex. 20:7 The Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.

They mocked Jesus when He was hanging on the cross (Matt. 27:39-43).

The Assyrian field commander blasphemed the God of Israel (2 Kings 18:28-35; 19:21-22).

Some Jews accused Jesus of being possessed by a demon (John 8:48-59).

Pray: It is proper, O Lord, just and right in all days, times, and hours, to thank, adore,

and praise the awe-filled name of Your majesty. For You have through Your grace, O Lord, made us, mortal men possessing a frail nature, worthy to sanctify Your name with the heavenly beings, and to become partakers of the mysteries of Your gift, and to be delighted with the sweetness of Your oracles. And voices of glory and thanksgiving we ever offer up to Your sublime divinity, O Lord. Amen (Liturgy of Addai and Mari, c. 200). Awake, dear Lord God, hallow Your name, which they are dishonoring; strengthen Your kingdom, which they are destroying in us, and work Your will, which they want to check in us. Nor, because of our sin, let them tread You underfoot. They are not punishing our sin in us but want to destroy Your holy Word, Your name, and Your work in us, so that You are no God and have no people who preach, believe, and confess You. Amen. (Luther)

M. What does God forbid in the Second Commandment? How is God’s name misused? Isn’t it better to say “Jesus” or “God” when angry or surprised than to say something vulgar?

We believe: Cursing by God’s name is calling down the anger and punishment of God upon oneself or any other person or thing. Swearing by God’s name is taking an oath in which we call on god to witness the truth of what we say or promise and to punish us if we lie or break our promise.

James 3:9-10 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

Bible narratives: The people at Jesus' trial cursed themselves and their children (Matt. 27:25).

Peter cursed (Matt. 26:74). James and John asked Jesus if they should

ask God to destroy a Samaritan village (Luke 9:51-55).

Pray: Let Your name be praised, not mine; let Your work be magnified, not mine. Let Your holy name be blessed, but to me let no part of men’s praises be given. You are my glory, You are the joy of my heart. In You will I glory and rejoice all the day, but for myself, I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. Let others seek honor from one another, I will seek that which comes from God alone. For all human glory, all temporal honor, all worldly highness, compared to Your eternal glory, is vanity and folly, O my God, my Truth, and my Mercy, O Blessed Trinity, to You alone be praise, honor, power, and glory forever and ever. Amen (Thomas a Kempis, c. 1380-1471).

M. What is cursing by God’s name? What is swearing by God’s name? Isn’t it the same thing?

We believe: We are permitted, and even required, to take an oath by God’s name when an oath is necessary for the glory of God or the welfare of our neighbor. Examples include the following: testimony in court, oath of office, wedding vows.

Rom. 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities.

Num. 30:2 When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

Deut. 6:13 Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only and take your oaths in His name.

Heb. 6:16 Men swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument.

Jesus permitted Himself to be put under

oath (Matt. 26:63-64). Abraham put his servant under oath (Gen.

24:3). Pray: O Master, Lord Jesus Christ our

God, the Fountain of life and of immortality, the Author of all creation, both visible and invisible, the Son coeternal with the Father and equally without beginning. Through Your great goodness You have, in these last days, become flesh, and suffered crucifixion and burial for us ungrateful and evil-natured people. With Your blood You have renewed our nature, which was corrupt through sin. Accept, O King immortal, the repentance of me, a sinner. Incline Your ear to me, and give heed to my words. Amen. (Basil of Caesarea, c. 330-79)

T. When are we permitted, and even required, to swear by god's name? Should I be afraid to use God's name at all?

We believe: Swearing is forbidden when it is done falsely, thoughtlessly, or in sinful, uncertain, or unimportant matters.

Lev. 19:12 Do not swear falsely by My name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.

Matt. 5:33-37 You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, "Do not break your oath but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord." But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne, or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your "Yes" be "Yes" and your "No", "No"; anything beyond this comes

from the evil one. Bible narratives: Peter swore falsely and

thus committed perjury (Matt. 26:72). Certain Jews swore to commit murder

(Acts 23:12). Herod swore in an unknown and

unimportant matter (Matt. 14:6-9). Jephthah's thoughtless oath (Judges

11:30-40). Pray: Most glorious Trinity, in Your

mercy I commit to You this day my soul, my body, all my ways and goings, all my deeds and purposes. I pray You, so open my heart and mouth, that I may praise Your name, which above all names alone is holy; and since You have created for me the praise of Your holy name, grant that my life may be for Your honor and that I may serve You in love and fear. Amen. (J.K.W. Loehe, 1808-1872).

T. When is swearing forbidden?

We believe: Using satanic arts by God's name is using God's name in order to perform or claim to perform supernatural things with the help of the devil, such as casting spells, calling up a spirit, fortunetelling, consulting the dead, or other occult practices.

Deut. 18:10-12 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you

The Egyptian sorcerers performed supernatural things with the help of the

devil (Exodus 7-8). The sons of Sceva used Jesus' name to cast

out spirits, but they did not have faith (Acts 19:13-29).

Pray: God, great God, You make Yourself known unto me—oh so graciously!—by revealing us Your name and Your Word. And You will that there I should seek and find You, and let my heart’s delight be in You, and honor, praise, and magnify You. But oh! How sinful, how weak in faith, how tardy, and cold I am! Forgive me this sin for Christ’s sake. Grant to me, I beg You, Your Holy Spirit, that He may draw me, heart, soul, and mind, into Your name and Word, that I may have my being wholly in You . Amen. (C.M. Zorn, 1846-1928

W. What is using satanic arts by God’s name? Does God’s name have magical powers?

We believe: Using satanic arts by God's name is joining with or seeking the aid of people who practice these and similar satanic arts or worship Satan; depending on horoscopes or similar ways to foretell the future.

Lev. 19:31 Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

Eccl. 7:14 When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future.

Bible narrative: King Saul sought the help of the witch of Endor (1 Samuel 28).

Pray: Jesus! Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world, how is my soul ravished at the very sound of Your name! What charms are there in it, to drive away all the gloom of my thoughts? When the consideration of the sins of a whole world is ready to sink that world into despair, did

You, O Savior of mankind, come between them and Your Father’s wrath? My soul shall ever laud and bless Your great and glorious name, and my tongue will ever showing forth Your praises! To You do I make my prayers, You that are the Christ, the true Messiah, the promised seed which was to bruise the serpent’s head, long expected by the Fathers, foretold by the prophets, represented by types, which were all fulfilled in You. O desire of all nations: let me share in Your salvation, for I sincerely love You, and will conscientiously obey You, my Savior. O blessed Jesus, let me feel the kind force of that sweet name in which I, and all sinners, do read our danger and deliverance, our guilt and our salvation. Save me, O Lord, for Your mercies’ sake, and let not Your passionate desires of my happiness be frustrated by any sins of mine. Amen. (Johann Gerhard, 1582-1637).

W. What is using satanic arts by God’s name?

We believe: Lying and deceiving by God's name is teaching false doctrine and saying that it is God's Word or revelation;

Deut. 12:32 See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it.

Jer. 23:31 Yes, declares the Lord, I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, "The Lord declares.“

Matt. 15:9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.

Bible narrative: The lie of a false prophet caused a prophet of God to be deceived and killed (1 Kings 13:11-30).

Pray: My God: without ceasing, I will tread the threshold of Your house. I will ask with boldness, that I may receive with confidence. For I, O Lord, the earth multiplies a single grain of wheat, how then shall my prayers be enriched by Your grace! Because of the voices of my children—their sighs and their groans—open to me the door of Your mercy. Make glad their voices, the mourning of their sackcloth. For a flock, O my Lord, in the field, if it has seen the wolves, flees to the shepherd and takes refuge under his staff. He drives them away that would devour it. Your flock has seen the wolves, and lo! It cries loudly. Behold: How terrified it is! Let your cross be a staff, to drive them that would swallow it up. Amen. (Ephrem of Syria, c. 306-73)

W. What is lying and deceiving by God’s name? Can I trust

someone because they speak in god’s name and use the Bible?

We believe: Lying and deceiving by God’s name is cover up an unbelieving heart or a sinful life by pretending to be a Christian.

Matt. 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.

Matt. 15:8 These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

Many scribes and Pharisees were hypocrites (Matt. 23:13-33).

Ananias and Sapphira were hypocrites (Acts 5:1-11).

Pray: Lord God, dear Father we beg You to hallow Your name both in us and in all the world. Destroy and exterminate the abomination, the idolatry, and the heresy of all false

teachers and sectarians, who falsely bear Your name and so shamefully misuse and so terribly blaspheme it. Boastfully they say that their teaching is Your Word and the commandment of Your church; and yet it is the devil’s lie and fraud, by which they miserably mislead so many poor souls in all the world and even kill them, persecuting and shedding innocent blood, thinking that thereby they are serving You. Dear Lord God, convert or restrain them. Convert those who are to be converted, that with the right and pure doctrine and with a good and holy life they may hallow and praise Your name with us, and we with them. But restrain those who will not be converted, so that they must cease to abuse, disgrace, and dishonor Your holy name and mislead poor people. Amen.

W. What is lying and deceiving by God’s name??

We believe: We should call upon His name in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.

Ps. 50:15 Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.

Ps. 103:1 Praise the Lord, 0 my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name.

Ps. 118:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.

John 16:23 My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.

Eph. 5:20 Give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Bible narratives: The 10 lepers called upon Jesus in their trouble (Luke 17:11-13).

The grateful stranger thanked Jesus and

glorified God for the healing (Luke 17:15-16).

Hannah petitioned and thanked God for the gift of a son (I Samuel 1-2).

Mary's Song (Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55). Zechariah's Song (Benedictus, Luke 1:68-

79). Pray: O Father, we acknowledge our guilt.

Be a gracious Father and do not call us to account, but grant us Your grace so to live that Your holy name may be hallowed in us. Let us in no way think, speak, do, have, or attempt anything unless Your praise and honor are included. Then above all things we will seek Your glory and not our own vainglory. Grant that as children we may love, fear, and honor You as Father. Amen. (Luther).

Th . What does God require of us in the Second Commandment? How can I honor God’s name?

Questions: What is God’s name? This means…? How is God’s name misused/cursed? What about swearing? What about the Satanic arts? What about lying? What is required in the 2nd command?

Answers The fulfillment of all commandments must flow

from the fear and love of God. Awe and devotion dwell together in our hearts (Deut 10:12).God is, as He has revealed Himself to us, His essence and His attributes.

God is, as He has revealed Himself to us, His essence and His attributes.

In the Second Commandment God forbids us to misuse His name. God’s name is misused when people speak God’s name uselessly or carelessly, curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by His name. Cursing by God’s name is blaspheming God by speaking evil of Him or mocking Him.

We are permitted, and even required, to take an

oath by God’s name when an oath is necessary for the glory of God or the welfare of our neighbor. Examples include the following: testimony in court, oath of office, wedding vows.

Swearing is forbidden when it is done falsely, thoughtlessly, or in sinful, uncertain, or unimportant matters.

Using satanic arts by God's name is using God's name in order to perform or claim to perform supernatural things with the help of the devil, such as casting spells, calling up a spirit, fortunetelling, consulting the dead, or other occult practices.

Using satanic arts by God's name is joining with or seeking the aid of people who practice these and similar satanic arts or worship Satan; depending on horoscopes or similar ways to foretell the future.

Lying and deceiving by God's name is teaching false doctrine and saying that it is God's Word or revelation;

Lying and deceiving by God’s name is cover up an unbelieving heart or a sinful life by pretending to be a Christian.

We should call upon His name in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.

Conclusion

The 3rd Commandment:Remember the Sabbath day

by keeping it holy.

Next Week…