"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain." (Ex. 20:7).  This is the third commandment and one that is very misunderstood.  It is commonly thought that breaking this commandment is when you swear using God's name.  This, however, is a very poor understanding of this commandment.  Not only does it miss the point of the third commandment, but it cheapens the meaning.  With that said, swearing using God's name might be a violation of the third commandment, but this in no way encompasses the entirety of the third commandment.  This commandment comes in two parts.  The first part is to not take God's name in vain.  The second part is that God will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain.

Taking God's Name in Vain:

          There are a few words we need to define to understand the third commandment.  The Hebrew word for "take" is nâśâ', which means, "to lift, bear up, carry, take" (Brown-Driver-Briggs H5375).  The Hebrew word for "vain" is shâv', which means, "emptiness, vanity, falsehood" (Brown-Driver-Briggs H7723).  The third commandment speaks of how we are to "carry"  or "bear up" God's name.  We are not to carry God's name in vanity, emptiness, or falsehood.  When we make a decision to follow YHVH we are to be serious about it.  We are not to take it lightly. 

          The third commandment has to do with ambassadorship.  The Apostle Paul said, "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us" (2 Cor. 5:20).  The word used for ambassador is presbeuō, which means, "to be a senior, that is, (by implication) act as a representative" (Strong's Dictionary G4243).  We are to be representatives for Christ.  To do this we must not take YHVH's name in vain.  The Hebrew word for name is shêm, which means "name, reputation, fame, glory, the Name (as designation of God), memorial, monument" (Brown-Driver-Briggs H8034).  When we represent YHVH we are to keep and carry His name, reputation, fame, and glory.  This is a call to having integrity with our faith.  This is a call to represent our God in truth and righteousness.

YHVH will not hold him guiltless:

          The second part to the third commandment is about discipline.  God "will not hold him guiltless that takes His name in vain."  The Hebrew word for "guiltless" is nâqâh, which means, "to be empty, be clear, be pure, be free, be innocent" (Brown-Driver-Briggs H5352).  Strong's Dictionary says this, "to be or make clean, be blameless, cleanse, (be) clear (-ing), be free, be (hold) guiltless, be (hold) innocent" (Strong's Dictionary H5352).  This is an acquittal.  God will not acquit those who take His name in vain.  The Messiah mentioned this in the New Testament when He spoke of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.  The Messiah said, "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men" (Matt. 12:31).  When you compare the consequence to the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and the consequence of breaking the third commandment you can conclude that they are the same thing.  Here is the context of the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.

          The Messiah healed a man possessed with a devil and the Pharisees accused him of doing so by the power of Satan (Matt. 12:22-24).  The context of the Messiah's answer explains what this commandment is.  The Messiah said, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.  And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?  And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges" (Matt. 12:25-27).  The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is about a divided kingdom.  It is absurd to think that Satan is fighting against himself and equally absurd to think that a kingdom can stand when it is divided.  He continues, "But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.  Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house" (Matt. 12:28-29).  On the contrary, if the Messiah casts out demons by the spirit of God, then this is proof that God's kingdom if here.  The next point made defines the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.  The Messiah said, "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.  Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.  And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come" (Matt. 12:30-32).  The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is when you speak against the Holy Spirit, but there is confusion as to what this actually means.  Here are some key terms to define for better understanding. 

          The Greek word for spirit is pneuma, which means, "a current of air, that is, breath (blast) or a breeze" (Strong's Dictionary G4151).  The Hebrew word is rûach, which means, "wind; by resemblance breath, that is, a sensible (or even violent) exhalation" (Strong's Dictionary H7307).  These two words represent the breath of God and the breath of God represents His purpose and His will.  This is why the Apostle Paul said, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Tim. 3:16).  The Greek word for "inspiration of God" is theopneustos, which means "divinely breathed" or God breathed (Strong's Dictionary G2315).  God's Spirit, or the Holy Spirit, is God's purpose and will as portrayed in His holy scriptures.  The Greek word for blasphemy is blasphēmia, which means, "vilification: - blasphemy, evil speaking, railing" (Strong's Dictionary G988).  The Hebrew word for blasphemy is ne'âtsâh, which means to "scorn, contempt, blasphemy" (Strong's Dictionary H5007, Brown-Driver-Briggs H5007).  Blasphemy in the scripture means to vilify, scorn, or have contempt for.  Probably the best English word for blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is treason.  The definition of treason is, "The offense of attempting to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance; or of betraying the state into the hands of a foreign power" (Black's Law Dictionary, 1891, pg. 1185).  This is what is meant by the third commandment and what the Messiah meant by the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.  When we divide against YHVH and his Holy Spirit or purpose, then we have broken the third commandment and committed treason against YHVH, which is what the Messiah called the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.  Here are a few examples to help clarify this.

          When Judas betrayed the Messiah for thirty pieces of silver he committed the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 26:14-16).  We know this was the unpardonable sin because Judas tried to repent (Matt. 27:3), but he was denied and hung himself (Matt. 27:5).  What Judas did was treason, which is why he was called a traitor (Luke 6:16).  The definition of a traitor is, "One guilty of treason" (A Law Dictionary, John Bouvier, 1856, traitor).  Judas committed treason, which is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and cannot be forgiven.  The Pharisees also committed treason.  They were the rulers of Israel and should have known their Messiah, but they sold out their Messiah with Judas.  This is treason and although the scriptures do not specifically say, many of the Pharisees were probably not forgiven.  It is true that some probably were such as Nicodemus, but the ones directly responsible for treason probably were not.  The unpardonable sin is when we willfully work against YHVH.  It is when we willfully go against God's Holy Spirit, which is His purpose.  It is not when we accidentally, or even purposely, say God's name while swearing.

         This is what the third commandment is dealing with.  It is dealing with the rulers of nations and how they discipline people.  God set down His standard that all nations should follow.  Below is a video to help understand this.

Conclusion:

          The third commandment is specifically about our ambassadorship with the Messiah.  We are His representatives on this earth and we must take that seriously.  Misrepresenting your ruler as an ambassador is a very serious crime in the nations of the world and is also a very serious crime to YHVH.  The third commandment is a call to taking our covenant with YHVH seriously.  This involves keeping all of His commandments and representing Him in a way that honors His commandments and purposes, which is what the Holy Spirit is.  Under the third commandment is all the statutes involving discipline.  Although a direct breaking of the third commandment is not forgiven, other disciplinary actions fall under this commandment as well.  The titles of law that fit under the first commandment are: