THE LORD’S NAME
In the 24th chapter of Leviticus in verses 10-16 we read of a man of mixed blood. He is the son of an Israelitish woman and his father was an Egyptian. He fought with an Israelite and the Israelitish woman’s son “blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed”. The word blaspheme here means literally “to pierce” or to revile. The word cursed means “to declare something worthless and without any significance. This was condemned by the Third Commandment of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments).
The man guilty of this crime is put in ward until the will of the Lord is determined. The death penalty is certain due to Exodus 21:17, however the manner of execution, as well as the fact of him being a stranger, needs to be resolved.
The Lord commands the man to be brought outside the camp. The witnesses are to place their hands on his head, indicating the guilt and consequences of his act rest solely upon him and their intolerance of his crime. The people were then to stone him to death. This punishment was to be enforced with either the stranger or the Israelite.
This account in Leviticus teaches us several valuable lessons:
It teaches the importance of reverence for the name of God. The prayer which Jesus taught his apostles began with the words, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” Matthew 6:9. Hallowed means “holy, sanctified, set apart from profane things”. God’s name is the greatest. His name is above all names. When we refer to God we are not referring to just anybody, we refer to Almighty God, the One who demands our respect. As the Psalmist said, “Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.” Psalm 148:13
It is a lesson of what happens to a person spiritually today who uses the Lord’s name in a vain, profane, or blasphemous way. Physical death was the penalty for this great sin under the Old Covenant and warns of spiritual death for this great sin under the New Covenant. To not speak the name of God with reverence is a strong indication of the attitude the person holds for God in their heart. The person that does not have reverence for God has no basis for morality and no humility to bow to His will.
We need to appreciate the enormity of this sin. Many in our world need to recognize this. We find in this book and throughout the Old Testament a repeated emphasis upon the character of God. He is very concerned about maintaining a good name among men. For one to lose respect for the name of God, and lose respect for the person of God, is to lose all in this life as well as the next, unless they repent. There is nothing more important than “hallowing” the name of God.
Let our attitude in referring to God be as though we exclaim “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:1
-Jerry D. Sturgill
Lesson Audio – Bless the Lord, O My Soul
Lesson Audio – The Impartiality of God
Keep the Covenant
In Romans 1:31, among a list of sins the Gentile world committed against God, we find the word in KJV “covenantbreakers.” A covenant is an agreement between two parties that is regarded as a solemn vow. An underlying principle of a covenant is the Golden Rule. Jesus said in Matthew 7:12, “ Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” If I want someone to be truthful and keep up their end of the covenant with me, then I should be committed to doing the same to them.
Many today do not keep their word in the business and social realms. An agreed upon contract should be upheld by both parties. There may be some unforeseen circumstances that come up in these realms where changes must occur. Understanding and fairness should be applied while these adjustments are being made.
For years there has been an epidemic in regard to breaking marriage vows. Far too many do not regard the marriage vow as seriously as they should. Because many have long viewed marriage as a trial run, it is not uncommon for couples today to abandon the concept of marriage altogether because, for them, it has no real solemnity and commitment. Marriage is still an institution designed and ordained by God (Genesis 2:22-25; Matthew 19:1-12). He takes it just as seriously as He always has. The Lord hates the breaking of marriage covenants now just as much as He did in Malachi 2:10-17. It is not marriage that needs to change, but the people who regard marriage as frivolous who need to change
In Psalm 15:1, David asked “LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?” The answer is given in the following verses, detailing what caliber of people God will allow in His presence. One of the characteristics, found in Psalm 15:4, is “He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.” God’s approval is on the man who when he makes a covenant will keep it even if it costs him dearly. When one makes a covenant, particularly a marriage vow, the vow is for the rest of one’s life regardless of health problems, financial difficulties, etc.; we need more people who will swear to their own hurt.
What if someone breaks their covenant with me and refuses to make it right? If I have tried to convince them to keep their agreement to no avail, then I should follow the exhortation of Romans 12:21: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” Just because people do not keep their end of an agreement, does not mean I have the right to become bitter and vengeful. We must return good for evil, even though it is a difficult practice.
When one is baptized into Christ, one is making a covenant to die to self and serve the Lord for the rest of his days (Romans 6:3-13; 7:4). Are you keeping your commitment?
-Mark Day
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