Kenneth Copeland - Honor the Name of The LORD
— Hello everybody, I'm Kenneth Copeland and this is Professor Greg Stephens. And now you remember when the professor and I and the class did a whole series of covenant and out of that came God, the Covenant and the Contradiction, right? And so, and by the way, if you don't have that, get it. Anyway, here let's go. Deuteronomy chapter five, and Moses called all Israel And said unto them, hear O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that you may learn them and keep them and do them. Oh, and you were saying that the rabbis say he's 120 years old by this time.
— Moses is in the last of his days. He'll die on his 120th birthday.
— Yeah, but he let him climb that Mount Nebo.
— And he saw all of the promised land. That's right.
— Do you know what I started praying this morning?
— No, sir.
— And I was just praying over these today and I was just sitting there and I said, oh, hallelujah. I believe I climbed Mount Nebo today. Anyway, the Lord, our God made a covenant, there it is, a blood covenant. This is actually the first covenant and the new covenant, anyway, because we had to have a virgin birth.
— That's right.
— So animals, circumcision, and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. Praise God. Anyway, here we go. I stood between the Lord and you at that time to show you the Word of the Lord, for you were afraid by reason of fire and went not up unto the mountains, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage. Thou shalt have none of the gods before me. You will make no graven image, any likeness of anything that is in heaven above and earth beneath, that in the waters beneath the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them, for I, the Lord thy God, am a jealous God visiting iniquity. And remember, we talked about this now. Fathers upon the children, the fourth generation. Now I want you to go to the 15th verse. Remember that you were a servant or slave in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out there and through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm. Therefore, the Lord thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day. Honor your father... and you can't just read that 10 and get all that. Now, Greg, tell me what you were talking about in that the rabbis teach, he just said it all one time.
— Okay, so they teach that when God... he said all of them at once. Now how's that possible? I don't know how that's possible, but he did. I'll tell you how it was possible. In the Hebrew, it says Elohim spoke to them. So when I mentioned that the rabbis teach that all the earth stood still, not just the earth, but the heavens, the cosmos, the universe, milky way, everything stood still because he made it all with his words. He spoke the words into existence. And this is, I believe, the first time Elohim is speaking again in this planet. But now he's giving them what we call the 10 commandments. They're actually called the words. And so he gives them the 10 words that they're to follow.
— That's the way John started his gospel. In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God. And it took upon itself flesh.
— So when, that means the rivers stopped flowing, the ocean didn't, there were no waves, everything stood still. It scared them because they heard all of I am come at them from the cloud and they thought they were just because they were born of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who became Israel and God had brought them out. He introduced himself to them. They just thought they were good. You know, well, they're going to make a golden calf before Moses even is down. So they're not good. And so he gives them these things. This is, you want to see the standard of holiness? You want to see the standard that I expect you to live by? Here it is. And it'll begin to govern. So, but back in Deuteronomy five, let me show you this. The Lord made not this covenant with our fathers. Now this is the second generation. Deuteronomy five is the children that came out of Israel. Remember the older generation, because they wouldn't believe Caleb, Joshua went in, they died in the wilderness. And this group are the ones that survived. And they'll, they're the ones that are going to go into the promised land. They're going to cross Jericho, cross the Jordan, rather go to Jericho. Then they'll go to the blessing and cursing mountain with Joshua. Moses won't go in. And the reason Moses won't go in, I'll show you later. It's a commandment number three, is what cost him from going in. But look at this. So the second generation, the Lord made not, the Lord made not this covenant, verse three of chapter five of Deuteronomy, with our fathers, but with us, even us who are all here alive today. Remember their parents died. So which shows us something about the 10 commandments. It passes down.
— 11th chapter of Hebrew.
— It wasn't just for that group. It passed down.
— A great cloud of witnesses.
— Exactly right. Look at this. The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount of the midst of the fire. I stood between the Lord and you at that time to show you the Word of the Lord, for you were afraid by reason of the fire and went up, not up into the mountain. I am the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt. So he's retelling the story to this generation. He's retelling what happened in Exodus chapter 20, some, what, 40 years later is when this is all happening. And so what I want you to get across to you is this passes down. These were not just suggestions. I'll give you, let's see what Jesus said about it. What Jesus say about the 10 commandments and the law. Matthew 5:17. Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I'm not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled. So it's still in the earth today, Brother Copeland, this is still operation. This is in operation today. Now if you're in Christ Jesus, you're in the fulfillment, you're in a different covenant than that covenant, but this is still in operation and still applies to you. Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least of these commandments and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven, but whosoever shall teach them, that's what we're doing today. The same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you shall in no case enter heaven. Now that was a shock statement to the disciples and everybody, the Pharisees are the most righteous people they know. No, it's a different kind of righteousness. See, that was self-righteousness. They added to the law things that were not part of the law. Jesus came to fulfill. They were always accusing Jesus of healing on the Sabbath. Well he's the Lord of the Sabbath. Sabbath's all about him. We get to that, I'll show you that. But if it's okay, let's pick up three. Commandment number three, Exodus chapter 20, verse seven. If I had to have a favorite of the 10 commandments, I don't know if you have a favorite, I have a favorite. This is my favorite. This speaks to my position in him. It speaks to my authority that I have in him. His authority in me. Moses will not enter the promised land because of three. Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless. Didn't with Moses, that taketh his name in vain. In biblical tradition, the name in Hebrew is Shem. That's literally what it means, Shem, when I say the name. It refers to the character and reputation of the one who carries it. Let me say that again for you. It refers to the character and reputation of the one who carries it. So in the Hebrew, it's the word lo-tosah. It literally means you shall not carry the name of the Lord your God in vain. I'm a carrier of his name. He's given me his name. Which means I can't carry his name in vain. So what does that "vain" mean?
— Greg, may I stop here a moment?
— Yeah.
— For years, I would say, "My goodness". Oh no, Jesus. My goodness, there's nothing good with one and it's you, God.
— Jesus said that, "Why do you call me good"?
— My, it's not my goodness.
— It's goodness.
— Well, that's thin ice. Please forgive me for it. And so what do I say? God's goodness. It isn't a habit of the other one. That doesn't sound quite right. God's goodness. It's the reason this is that way.
— So in the Hebrew, it says lo-tosah. I mean, lo is the Hebrew word for no. No carry. We won't carry his name in vain. The scripture does not say lo-toshavah, which means swear. It doesn't say swearing. It's not about swearing. But swearing his name would be bad as well. You're misrepresenting his character and nature. Vain means empty or in an untrue manner. So you will not carry the name of the Lord your God in an empty or untrue manner. Oh my goodness. That changes everything. What it means to me. Since he gave me his name, since he gave me his authority, I can't flippantly, once I know this, I can't flippantly say, I swear to God. If that child does that one more time, no, you just committed God to something. Oh my goodness. We've all broken this. See, I had the Lord ask me one time, Brother Copeland, when I was first learning this, why do you take my name in vain? I said, "Sir, I don't do that". I used to do that. I GD'd everything all the time. And he said, "Well, who did I say that I am? I am that I am. Are you in me"? Yes. Am I in you? Yes. Then why do you say I am sick? I'm not sick.
— I am blessed and highly favored.
— Why do you say I am broke? Why do you say I'm depressed? Why do you say I'm anxious? I'm none of those things. And I realized I'm taking his name in vain every time I say I am something that he's not. Let that sink in for just a second.
— And I heard you teach that.
— I can't say as God is my witness.
— I heard you teach that. So I am blessed and highly favored. How are you, Brother Copeland? Blessed and highly favored. That's all you need to know.
— I'll say, sometimes I'll say I'm a blessing. I'm blessed. I am pain-free. I am full of the mind of Christ. I just started saying those things. I heard, I think it was Terri Savelle, say when you say something negative, just say right behind it and that's the way I like it. And I caught myself. I began to say that. I said, "I'll tell you what, I just can't figure this out". And then I said, "And that's the way I like it". No, no, no, that sounds like a Savelle. Yeah, no, no, and it put a check in me because I'm making an empty, untrue statement about who I am in Christ. This is why your authority isn't working. It's because you've been making a lot of untrue statements that are against his character and his nature. We can't say as God is my witness. I gotta be certain that he's gonna back what I'm witnessing and what his character and nature aligns with that. So he told, well, I'm gonna go there. We gotta be careful in church saying "Thus saith the Lord". People that operate in the gift of the prophecy or prophetic, you better be careful that thus saith the Lord. Because I can prophesy, but I'm not a prophet. You stand in the office. It's a heavier thing for you to do that. He told Moses, I am. So since he's in me and I'm in him, I can't say the things that I used to say. Now, where did Moses miss it with this? God told him, I want you to go strike the rock and the water will come out. And he went and he struck the rock and water came out. And then the second time, he didn't tell him to strike the rock. He said, "Go speak to it".
— Yes, he did.
— And Moses, in his anger at the people, struck it again. It cost him. He misrepresented the character and nature of God. He's trying, you know what he's trying to prove to them? Mark 11:23. The first time the rock will be struck, that would be Jesus. From that moment forward, we don't have to strike him again. We now speak to him in faith.
— And he said...
— Whatsoever things you say.
— And he said, "You rebellious people, you do I have to keep doing this for you? Do I have to keep doing this"?
— Because it became him then.
— The Lord said, "You're not going over".
— Cost him.
— So he let him climb Mount Nebo.
— Let him see it...
— ...so he could see it.
— That's the mercy. That's the hesed of God, let him see it. But he can't let him go over because he broke it. He knew he's the one that went and saw God, saw him. Was in there. God placed him. Moses asked for something he's not entitled to. He said, "Let me see your glory". And God responds to him. No one can see... I'm paraphrasing, can see my glory and live. And he said, "But nevertheless, there is a place by me where you can stand". Wait a minute, a place by me where you can stand. And he placed him in the cleft of the rock. For a moment in time, God put him in our covenant so that he could pass by. Because where are we now? Jesus is at the right hand of the Father. There's a place by me. Well, that's Christ. For a moment in time, he put him in Christ so that he could fulfill the man's request.
— The way I read that, I kept reading that and I kept reading that. And I said, "Father, I'm pretty well the same way". He just said, I wanna see your glory... Right in the middle of the conversation. Very well.
— Okay, here's the way you're gonna do it. Here's how we do it. Now let's look at...
— Do you remember what he said? I will let my goodness pass, you can't look upon ma face or you'll die.
— So he saw the hinder parts, he saw the history of all of that, where God had been. Let me show you Jesus talking along the same line about taking the name in vain. Matthew chapter five.
— Yeah, well, of course.
— Matthew chapter five. And let's take a look at verse 34 through 37 here. Matthew five. But I say unto you, this is verse 34. Swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by earth, for it's his footstool, neither by Jerusalem, for it's the city of the great king. Neither shall thou swear by the head because thou canst not make one hair white or black. We got it covered there, brother. But let your communication be yay, yay, nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. He's talking about that commandment.
— No. Yes. I think I told the class before. Oh, this is years ago. And there was a man that wanted me to come preach in his church. And I went before the Lord about it. And the Lord said, "No, I don't want you to go there at this time". And so he called me back. He said, "Did you pray about it"? I said, "Yes, sir". He said, "What's the answer"?
— No.
— Why?
— I don't want to.
— Well, Brother Copeland...
— Maybe sometime. He just heard yes or no and didn't know how to handle it.
— Probably never been told that before.
— On the other hand, had it been from me and someone who said no. All right, praise God. And you and I'll pray about it. Maybe someday the Lord will allow it. So let's agree on that. Not... Class and radio and television audience, let me tell you how far that's gone. A parent saying, now, sweetheart, don't do that anymore, okay? Okay? You don't have to ask that four-year-old's permission.
— My dad used to say it because I said so.
— Now, that's what John's daughter, Alex, he said the same thing. She said, "Why"? He said, "I'm boss". She said, "I want to be boss". No, he said, "Now, you're not old enough to be boss".
— I gave you one verse in Matthew of that. Let me show you James chapter five.
— Oh, yes.
— James chapter five. This is the half-brother of Jesus. So he ought to know something about this. Verse 12, James 5:12. But above all things, all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath, but let your yea be yea and your nay nay, lest you fall into condemnation.
— Now, that's five what?
— Verse, chapter 12, verse 5:12. Verse 12. Do you see? This is new covenant, guys. This is the church age. This is the age of grace, but I got the same commandment said in a different way here for us. We better pay attention to taking his name in vain and misrepresenting his name and his character and his nature, not with just our words, but with our actions and our deeds as well. With our... let me say a word, with our works. James chapter five. But above all... all these things, my brethren, talking to believers, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by an oath, lest you fall into condemnation.
— Okay, I wanna get this out of here.
— I got James five, verse 12.
— Right there. James 5:12. And 5:12. But above all things, my brethren, do not swear either by heaven or by earth, or any other oath. Let your yes simply be yes, and your no simply be no, that you may not come under condemnation.
— This is so good. There's therefore now no condemnation of those in Christ Jesus. If we'll stay with him and his character and his nature, his command for us, you won't have condemnation. It's when you get out from under it that you get to condemnation.
— We're out of time. We'll be back in a minute.