Taking God’s Name in Vain

A SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLE TO GIVE READERS A GLIMPSE OF WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT TO READ IN THE FULL EDITION

Biblical Command	Exodus 20:7 warns against taking the LORD’s name in vain, interpreted as using it carelessly or without genuine intent.
Example in Media	Criticism of films like those produced by Netflix, where God’s name is used disrespectfully, contrasted with how some preachers may use these films to make the Gospel appealing (aka Roedolf Botha and Stephan Joubert of ekerk).
Stephan Joubert’s Approach	Joubert captivates audiences through storytelling; his interpretation seesaws between contradictions of professed love for Jesus and adherence to His teachings.
Kingdom-Now Theology	Joubert suggests that God’s blessings are currently fully realized in a “Kingdom-Now” framework, which raises questions about the interpretation of Biblical promises of the Kingdom blessings for believers in the future. Present-day blessings include persecutions, hardship, false accusations,. and even martyrdom and death which will be completely absent in Christ’s futture Millennial Kingdom on earth when He rules from the throne of his father David in Jerusalem. GENUINE PEACE AT LAST (Luke 1:32)
Misuse of God’s Name	Joubert misuses God’s name by presenting a theology that conflicts with solid interpretations of Scripture, appearing to promote a message of Kingddom disconnected from future promises.
Contrast of Blessings	The blessings described in Matthews 5:10-12 relate to present-day sufferings and future eternal rewards, differing from the blessings anticipated in the Millennial Kingdom characterized by peace and absence of warfare.
Scriptural References	Includes verses from Corinthians, Revelation, and Micah to highlight discrepancies between current realities and prophetic promises about peace and prosperity in the future Millennial reign of Christ.
Contemporary Implications	Questions arise about current realities versus prophetic Scriptures; if blessings are fully realized now, there should be no warfare, as prophesied in Micah, indicating a disconnect in Joubert’s claims.

The command found in Exodus 20:7, which states, “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain,” is commonly interpreted to mean that one should refrain from using God’s name as a curse or uttering it without genuine intent to communicate with Him or express faith.

An example of this would be most Netflix’s movies that include actors who unashamedly use the F-word in conjunction with Jesus Christ’s holy Name. Nonetheless ekerk’s most esteemed Hollywood preacher, Rudolf Botha, endearingly uses these Netflix movies to make the Gospel more palatable – supposedly.

Stephan Joubert displays the same remarkable talent for captivating his audience with his whimsical approach to storytelling, particularly when he describes an emotional moment in the film “Gravity,” featuring Sandra Bullock, a Buddhist, and George Clooney, an agnostic. For those who are interested these profound truths may be found in Bullock chapter 4 and verse 6 and Clooney chapter 13 and verse 7.

While this interpretation of taking God’s Name in vain holds validity, there exists a more insidious and damaging manner of misusing His name.

This often involves a dual agenda, where individuals outwardly express profound respect, adoration, and love for Jesus Christ, yet simultaneously distort His teachings and doctrines, rendering it difficult to reconcile their professed love with the true essence of His message.

A relevant case in point, and regrettably, I must again cite Stephan Joubert to illustrate this phenomenon, as he is unparalleled in this domain, is found in one of his most recent posts on his ekerk site titled “Jesus Visible, Tangible, Understandable.”

In this article, he explores the idea that “That ‘something better’ which God had in mind for you, has already been realized.” He wrote:

“The Lord has something better in mind for you.” People like to say this to each other in times of crisis, without thinking carefully about what they mean. Well, those words have long since reached their expiration date. We are already living in that somewhat-better-time, which the Lord had in mind for all of us. No wait, it’s not “something better” that God had in mind for us then – it’s Someone better! I’m talking about Jesus! He Himself confirms this in Luke 10:23-24, when He tells His disciples: “Happy and privileged are those who see what you see. I tell you the truth: Many prophets and kings were eager to see what you saw but did not see it. They also really wanted to hear what you heard, but didn’t hear it.”

Blessed are you yourself if you understand these words of Jesus. Blessed are you if you have made it your own. Then you live in “better times” for a long time with “Someone Better.” Then you’re living in God’s season of grace. You are experiencing in these days that the heavens are wide open. You experience these days that it rains blessings. You experience it all, because the Lord has opened your eyes to experience His grace and His goodness firsthand. That is why Jesus’ prayer in Luke 10:21 came true about you as well. He knows you’ve embraced His gospel, His good news, with childlike sincerity. That is why Jesus prays jubilantly, also over you: “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You made sure that wise and clever people did not understand these things, yet made them clear to little children. Yes, Father, that’s how you wanted it.” (NNT)

If Stephan Joubert’s above mentioned Summa Theologica serves as a representation of God’s blessings in the present moment within his Kingdom-Now framework, characterized by wars, chaos, corruption, civil unrest, and demonic turmoil, it prompts a critical question regarding the implications of Jesus’ words in 1 Corinthians:

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” [1 Corinthians 2:9].

It stands to reason that “the things which God has prepared for them that love Him” must refer to far superior realities than those currently observed in Joubert’s heretical Kingdom-Now narrative filled with wild imaginations.

It is noteworthy that Joubert advocates for the use of imagination, claiming it to be a divine gift, as if God would bestow gifts that He Himself despises, as indicated in Genesis 6:5.

Nevertheless, Joubert appears to withhold this truth from his followers, seemingly intent on suppressing the truth in unrighteousness, as articulated in Romans 1:18. This represents, in essence, a profound misuse of God’s Name.

With the sleight of a magician’s hand Joubert introduces his heretical Kingdom-Now Theology to his unsuspecting audience, employing eloquent phrases such as,

“Blessed are you if you comprehend these words of Jesus. Blessed are you if you have internalized them. In doing so, you will experience ‘better times’ for an extended period alongside ‘Someone Better.’ You are living in God’s season of grace, where the heavens are wide open, and blessings are abundant. You are experiencing this reality because the Lord has granted you the insight to witness His grace and goodness directly.”

Indeed, Christians are continually experiencing the refreshing downpour of God’s blessings each day; however, these blessings differ significantly from those anticipated during the future Millennial Age of peace on earth, when Jesus Christ will reign physically from the throne of His father David in Jerusalem (Luke 1:28-33; Psalm 2).

It is essential to examine the blessings that Jesus offers to those who love Him within Joubert’s Kingdom-Now context and to contrast them with the blessings that will be realized during God’s Millennial Kingdom, which He will establish upon His Second Coming.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. [Mat 5:10-12].

The blessings referenced above will not be essential for the millennial residents during the time of peace on earth, as stated in the Lord’s Prayer: “Let thy Kingdom come; Let thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Satan will be imprisoned in the abyss for a thousand years, thereby ceasing his ability to deceive the nations into warfare.

Henceforth the wonderful promise in revelation 20

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. [Revelation 20:1-3].

Now, read this together with Micah 4:3

And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat OgBreakr swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. [Micah 4:3].

If contemporary Christians are presently experiencing it all as suggested by Joubert, it follows that all modern weaponry should have been transformed into agricultural tools such as ploughshares and pruning hooks.

This implies that warfare would cease to exist within humanity, leading to significant economic and agricultural prosperity. The fact that this is not presently the case demonstrates how deep Stephan Joubert as sunk into his symbolic imaginary world of fantasy.

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. [2 Timothy 4:4].