Third Commandment

    This is a short comment on God's third Commandment: reading this command from the original Hebrew text as God Jehovah spoke it to the Israelites, translated into English, "You shall not take the name of Jehovah your God in vain; for Jehovah will not leave unpunished the one who takes His name in vain." (Exodus 20:7). When reading this verse with the name "Jehovah" as it was spoken and written by the finger of God, it makes a significant difference in how we should understanding this command, differing from the common Bibles that do not use His personal name, "Jehovah" which also appears seven other times in the first five of His Ten Commandments. Without anyone uttering a single word, the third commandment is already being transgressed by the replacement of His holy name with a common title, "Lord" or any variation other then an acceptable translation of the "Tetragrammaton" (the term given to the four Hebrew symbols that represent His personal name), a Strong's Concordance #3068. The verse quoted is from a Literal Translation of the Hebrew "Masoretic Text". The two most common English translations are "Jehovah" and "Yahweh". It would be your personal preference, which one you decide to use since the original pronunciation has been lost because the vowels were "only" spoken and the actual pronunciation was carried down verbally through the generations of the Israelites. But I am sure man using God, Lord, Jesus and Christ in anger is also offensive to God Jehovah and to His Son, but the third Commandment is specifically about the name "Jehovah", as it was recorded in the Hebrew text. I'm quite sure that knowing this and continuing in leaving "Jehovah" omitted from our Bibles, we are just as guilty as having taken it out ourselves. God warns us: "All the things that I command you, take heed to do them, and you shall not add to it, nor take away from it." (Deuteronomy 12:32).

   "Lord", the substitute (Strong's #s 113 or 136) and "God" (#430, 410, 426, 433 and 401) which are substituted in other places in the Bible for "Jehovah" are His titles, but also used for Jesus and common men, for a slave's master, or for a woman's husband. Making the first letter capitol for both titles doesn't change them to be a name for God, nor can man alter the reality of God's word in any situation, the verse clearly states His name to be "Jehovah" or "Yahweh". Maybe man can justify this change to himself, but according to the word of God, man is certainly not authorized for any Bible changes, "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, to keep the commandments of Jehovah your God which I command you." (Deuteronomy 4:2) and  "For I testify together with everyone hearing the words of the prophecy of this Book; If anyone adds to these things, God will add upon him the plagues having been written in this Book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the Book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and of the things having been written in this Book." (Revelation 22:18,19).

   The Webster dictionary describes, "vain" as: useless, having no real value, worthless and without effect, these are just a few meanings that could apply to the way "vain" is used in His Third Commandment. The list of meanings for the word "vain" don't seem to pertain to using them in anger or disregard, but in ignoring or replacing God's personal name with any substitute, this fits the meanings listed for "vain". Can man make God's name any more valueless then we have done in our replacing it and disregarding it? We, corporately, have taken the name "Jehovah" a step beyond worthless (vain) by removing it from, not only the third Commandment but replacing His holy name throughout the Old Testament text, 6743 times. The New Testament cannot be accurately calculated at this time, but I am quite certain that His personal name appeared in the original text of the New Testament writers. Not all the original New Testament text was Greek, and I believe most was in the Hebrew text, since all of the apostils were Jews reaching out to other Jews, there would be no logical reason to speak or write in the Greek language, this was apparently changed to Greek sometime afterward.

   The simple reality of this situation is, that Jehovah's Third Commandment has been transgressed by the translators and by the leaders of the various churches, for hundreds of years. Most church leaders and especially theologians would and should have become aware of this by their reading the original Hebrew text or an Interlinear Bible they should have available to them, which contain the Hebrew and Greek text and by their special education and studies. As you can see, they have done nothing to correct this error, with a couple exceptions: the Jehovah's Witnesses Bible and the American Standard Version Bible, published early in the 20th Century, but now only available as an internet download, plus the J. P. Green Interlinear Bible, which containing the Hebrew text. This error is tragically, almost totally ignored throughout the Christian community, and the transgression of the Third Commandment continues. This command is foolishly understood by most Christians, by using the substitute title in anger or in humor, as a transgression of the third command, but this can be changed by each one of us, simply by replacing His personal name back in your heart and purchasing a Bible that contains He name where it originally was. Is this a salvation issue, I can't say except it is the right direct.

    Christ used His Father's personal name in the Book He inspired and assembled. at least 6747 times for a good reason and most of the Christian community has collectively ignored this undisputable fact. The J.P. Green Interlinear Bible uses the same Hebrew and Greek original text that was used in translating the King James Version and most other Bibles, available at most any Bible Book store or on line, which is a most valuable tool in correctly understanding God's messages to us. Do we honor God Jehovah properly if we only address Him in our prayers as, "Lord", "God" or "Father", especially since this title "lord" refers to other men? By Christ specifically including His Fathers name thousands of times, He must surely be concerned about us omitting "Jehovah" and not honoring the God of our existence. "Lord" and "God" are His titles, all of which Jehovah deserves, being the One and only Almighty God, in all power and all authority. Are our vain traditions of man more powerful, important and desirable then the truth, which is expressed correctly in God's word? Are there more of God's commands that are being transgressed by our corporate ignorance of the truth, because of incorrect translations into English? A question you need to look into for yourself. Translation are not perfect, as man is not perfect.