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The Third Commandment: On the Power of a Name

In our journey through the Ten Commandments, we’ve covered a lot of ground. We’ve established who we are to worship and how we are to worship. Now, we come to a law that deals directly with the name of the Most High. And as we’ve already discussed, names carry weight. "Thou shalt not take the name of Yahuah thy Elohim in vain." —Exodus 20:7 For many, this commandment is simply a rule against using the name "God" as a curse word. And while that's certainly part of it, the true meaning of this law goes far deeper than just a sound. The Meaning of "In Vain" The Hebrew word for “in vain” is shav. It doesn’t just mean flippant or disrespectful. It means empty, false, worthless, or hollow. So, taking the name of Yahuah in vain is not just a verbal offense—it's a spiritual one. It's the act of using His name in a way that is empty of truth, void of His character, or for a false purpose. Consider what this really means: Using His Name for a False Purpo...

The Power of a Name

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The Power of a Name If you’re reading this, chances are you have a name. Everyone does. Some people have more than one. Some change theirs entirely. Even our pets—dogs, cats, birds, fish—have names. People even name their plants. My snake plant’s named Frank. CoryxKenshin’s got a fern called Momo. Names aren’t just labels—they’re identity. Without a name, who are we? Names give us a sense of self, of meaning. They carry history. They get passed down like heirlooms, from generation to generation. Sometimes you meet someone who shares your name, and there’s an odd moment of connection. Like fate, or maybe just a glitch in the matrix. For people of faith, names take on even greater weight. The name of the one you worship? That’s sacred. Divine. Not to be changed or tossed around lightly. And yet, names change all the time—especially when cultures, languages, and colonization get involved. Some names get mispronounced. Others get outright replaced. Happens to me all the time. T...