The Lord by wisdom founded the earth;
By understanding He established the heavens.
Prov. 3:19


Part 3 - The Fall and the Restoration

The Model of Restoration: Commandment Three

"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" (Deut. 5:11).

God has revealed Himself to us in His name. The word "Lord" is actually Jehovah or Yahweh, meaning "the Self-Existent One" or "I AM WHO I AM." This name is used in compound forms to signify Yahweh as the Becoming One, the One who becomes to us all that we need. Some of these names are:

  •   "The Lord will Provide" (Jehovah-Jireh)

He provides for all our needs, especially a sacrifice for sin (in context).

  •   "The Lord Who Heals" (Jehovah-Rapha)

He heals us not only physically, but spiritually.

  •   "The Lord My Banner" (Jehovah-Nissi)

He leads us in the battles we face, for we live under Him.

  •   "The Lord Our Peace" (Jehovah-Shalom)

Jesus has made peace between sinners and a righteous God.

  •   "The Lord Our Righteousness" (Jehovah-Tsidkenu)

Our righteousness is His righteousness first imputed to us, then worked out through us.

  •   "The Lord is Present" (Jehovah-Shammah)

He continually abides with us.

  •   "The Lord Our Shepherd" (Jehovah-Rohi)

From Psalm 23, He leads and guides us.

  •   "The Lord Who Sanctifies" (Jehovah-M'Kaddesh)

He separates us from a fallen world and sin back unto Himself.

  •   "The Lord Our Salvation" (Yeshua, Joshua, or Jesus (from the Greek))

Our hope of salvation is in Him, not ourselves.

Psalm 20:7 says, "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God." David says in Psalm 124:8, "Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth." Solomon writes in Proverbs 18:10, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe." These are scriptures showing the putting of faith in the God who has revealed Himself to be all things to those who come to Him.

Faith and trust

The commandment is to those who "take" the name of Yahweh. This word is used in various scriptures as "bear," "carry," "hold up," "receive," "regard," and "lift up." The commandment concerns those who accept and put themselves under Yahweh. They acknowledge and lift up the name of Yahweh. To such, Yahweh says not to take His name in "vain." This means "falsely," "lying," or "vanity." To take His name falsely or in a lying way is to receive His name but not to trust Yahweh for who He says He is in that name. It is to walk under His name but not to put faith in it. We are told in several places in Scripture that "the just shall walk by faith." God has shown in His name that He will become all things to those who trust Him. It is the putting of faith and trust in the God who reveals Himself to be all things that forms the third point of a proper relationship with Yahweh.

Rather than trusting in God, Adam and Eve relied on their own understanding. God had provided all they needed. They ignored who He was and what He had provided. They counted as "vain" the sustenance of God and looked to that which was not of Him or His provision. This indicates a lack of trust that all their needs would be provided by Him.

Restored to a place of faith

God by His name has revealed that He is sufficient and complete to those who would come to Him. To those who take their place under His name, He desires a relationship of faith and trust in Him. The model of restoration from the fall in this aspect concerns the mind of man. Man in the fall elevated his own understanding above God's understanding. A restored relationship between God and mankind involves man once again submitting to God's understanding and judgment through faith and trust. God's name provides a basis for that faith and trust.