HOLY IS HIS NAME

Lev. 22:31-33   “You must faithfully keep all my commands by obeying them, for I am the LORD. Do not treat my holy name as common and ordinary. I must be treated as holy by the people of Israel. It is I, the LORD, who makes you holy. It was I who rescued you from Egypt, that I might be your very own God. I am the LORD.”

Let’s reword these verses today and see how they might apply to us. “You must faithfully keep all my commands by obeying them, for I am the Lord. Do not treat my holy name as common and ordinary. I must be treated as holy by all my children. It is I, the Lord, who makes you holy. It was I who saved you from your sin, that I might be your very own God. I am the Lord.”

Think about how you treat the Lord’s name. Many of us use His name as if He were no different than anyone else we know. We freely throw His name out there without regard for the fact that He is holy and must be revered as such. His name is not like any other name. It is not common and ordinary. It is not to be used like we do any other name.

We use names to identify people. When we speak someone’s name we know who we are talking about or to. One’s name represents who he is. There are certain things that are known about the person whom we identify by name. The better we get to know the person, more meaning their name has to us. Only those whom we know well have names that mean much to us.

We use names sometimes for personal gain.  We use the phrase, “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.”  Because of someone’s reputation or stature in life doors are often opened by using their name. 

God’s name is not like any other name. God is the essence of all life. He is absolute goodness, love, truth, and holiness. There is no one like Him. He is the cause and creator of all things and all things exist for His glory. He is the one who makes it possible for us to have a relationship with Him. He is the one who makes us who we are in Christ, a holy people who are well-pleasing in His sight. He is the one before whom we must bow. He is the one who holds the keys to heaven and hell. He is not like us; He is God.

It is not a good thing, nor is it acceptable to God for us to use His name as if it were common and ordinary. We disrespect God when we do. Let us take an honest look at how we use His name and think about how we use it. If you find yourself misusing His name, repent of it and strive to think twice before you use it. He is holy and our Savior. Let us treat Him like it.