Lord’s Day 36
Q100. Is blasphemy of God's name by swearing and cursing really such serious sin that God is angry also with those who do not do all they can to help prevent it and to forbid it?
Yes, indeed. No sin is greater, no sin makes God more angry than blaspheming his name. That is why he commanded the death penalty for it.
Scripture Proofs — King James Version
Leviticus 5:1
“And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and a witness, whether he hath seen or known ; if he do not utter , then he shall bear his iniquity.”
Leviticus 24:10–17
“And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name , and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name , shall be put to death. And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.”
Commentary — Zacharias Ursinus (1616)
God, in the first and second commandments, framed the mind and heart for his worship; in the third and fourth the external members and actions.
The third commandment consists of two parts: "a prohibition and threatening." It first prohibits a rash and inconsiderate use of the name of God; yea, every abuse of the name of God, in whatever false, vain or trifling thing, which tends to cast a reproach upon God, or which does not at least have respect to his glory. "The name of God" signifies in the Scriptures, 1. "The attributes of God." "Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my Name." "Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you; this is my Name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations." "The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his Name." (Gen. 32:29. Ex. 3:15; 15:3.) 2. "It signifies God himself." "Let them that love thy Name be joyful in thee." "I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord." "I will sing praise to the Name of the Lord most high." "Thou shalt sacrifice the passover unto the Lord thy God, of the flock and the herd in the place which the Lord shall choose to place his Name there." "I purpose to build an house unto the Name of the Lord my God." (Ps. 5:11; 116:13; 7:17. Deut. 16:2. 1 Kings 5:5.) 3. "It signifies the will or" commandment of God, and that either revealed and true, or feigned by men. "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my Name, I will require it of him." "I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of hosts." (Deut. 18:19. 1 Sam. 17:45.) 4. It signifies "the worship of God", confidence, prayer, praising and professing God. "All the people will walk every one in the Name of his God; and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever." "Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." "I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus." (Micah 4:5 Acts 21:13.)
"Take the name of the Lord." God does not forbid us to take or to use his name; but he forbids us to do it rashly, which is to use it lightly, falsely, and reproachfully. To use the name of the Lord "lightly", is to make use of it as in ordinary talk and conversation, contrary to what Christ says, "Let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay." (Matt. 5:37.) "Falsely", as in unlawful oaths and perjury; "reproachfully", as in cursing, blasphemy and sorcery, in which the works of the devil are cloaked under the name of God. The sense then, is, "Thou shalt not use the name of the Lord thy God rashly"; that is, thou shalt not only not forswear, but thou shalt not make any mention of the name of God that would not be honorable to him.