Our nations have become cursing nations. Especially is this true in branches of the armed service, where many curse terribly. But also in many schools, teachers as well as students curse! Cursing is done also by the broadcasters of the modern media. Linguists are becoming more and more coarse. Some do it out of custom without realizing what they are doing, but others swear purposely out of public enmity against God. Especially when they notice some religious people within their area, some become much more vehement.

Your Name⤒🔗

Why do you have a name? To distinguish you from someone else. Your name identifies you like a number. Your name is connected with your personality. Your name is "you." It is yourself! Without a name you remain unidentified! When someone mocks your name, you feel the blow; you are insulted.

Biblical people often had very meaningful names. Sometimes their name signified a task in religion or in politics. Think of Joshua, Israel's commander-in-chief. His name means: "Jehovah rescues!" He guided Israel into the promised land, and the Lord was with him. In the New Testament, the name Joshua is translated as "JESUS" which also means: "Jehovah rescues" – and this in a very special way for "He shall save His people from their sins." In His name, the work of the Lord Jesus is declared. However, a name did not always describe a person rightly. Judas means "praising God," but he betrayed the Lord Jesus.

God's Name←⤒🔗

In His name, it has pleased God to reveal Himself. Why? To distinguish Himself from others? From other gods? No! Who is like unto the Triune God? There are no other gods! They are idols, false gods. God is the I AM THAT I AM! He is the unchangeable God, in His promises as well as in His threatenings. The Lord will not hold them guiltless who take His Name in vain. A very pathetic example of this we can find in Leviticus 24. The son of an Israelitish woman and an Egyptian father blas­phemed God's name. He swore! After being arrested, he was stoned by the whole congregation outside the camp at God's command. Indeed, God's name is Himself!

A very special, glorious revelation transpired in the Name "Immanuel," which means "God with us" that is, the Lord Jesus. To know and love Him, is the supreme good. He delivers from the curse of the law under which all of us live. This is God's grace.

Blaspheming←⤒🔗

Just what is blaspheming? It is misus­ing God's Holy Name. This can become a custom. Is that an excuse? No, not at all! When we admonish someone who is cursing we sometimes hear: "Did I swear?" If it is done either unintention­ally or purposely, the Heidelberg Catechism says in Lord's Day 36, Q. 100: "There is no sin greater, or more provoking to God, than the profaning of His Name; and therefore He has commanded this sin to be punished with death."

Unless he becomes converted, a blasphemer of God cannot enter into heaven! He despises God. He does not acknowledge God as God! God wants to have His Name glorified upon the earth. Never become a partner with a blasphemer, but warn that person. "faning of God's Name, by swearing and cursing, is so heinous a sin, that His wrath is kindled against those who do not endeavor, as much as in them lies, to prevent and forbid such cursing and swearing" (Lord's Day 36, Q. 100). Regarding this sin: "Silence implies consent!"

I know by experience how difficult it can be to warn against this sin, if we have to accomplish it in our own strength. If we are in a right frame, to hear cursing will cause us pain. How do we feel when our parents are offended by our neighbors? Does it not cause us pain? How much more when God's child hears how his heavenly Father has been insulted! Shall we patiently and silently listen to it?

The Lord requires respect and reverence for His Holy Name. If we ignore the curser who misuses God's Name by taking no notice of it, holding to a so-called neutral position, this is as bad as cursing itself. It is denying God through us! One of the reactions to our warning against desecrating God's Name can be that the curser may swear more than before we admonished him – action often causes reaction. Nevertheless, it is right to declare the Name of God. Sadly, the church keeps herself much too aloof in this regard.

God Will Not Be Mocked←⤒🔗

Often there was dreadful cursing in my birthplace. I remember how, in my young days, a blasphemer was punished instantly for his act. It happened one Sunday afternoon in a crowded tavern, during a heavy thunderstorm. The drinkers mocked and some of them said, "My parents always told me that God is speaking in a thunderstorm!" Another one in the crowd reacted with terrible cursing. He walked to the open door and screamed: "If God really exists, He would be able to hit me here!" He challenged God, and do you know what happened? Suddenly a fierce streak of lightning struck the man's head and he fell down com­pletely charred! "This was the finger of God!" the local paper wrote. There was no harm done to the house nor to any other person. God had dealt with the blasphemer immediately! God is long-suffering with the greatest of sinners, but when He is challenged, He will sometimes act suddenly to show His almighty power.

God Will Be Gracious Also←⤒🔗

Two ministers, one older and another younger, traveled together in a train. En route, two servicemen came and sat across from them. The conversation of the soldiers was interspersed with many curses. The young minister waited to see if his older colleague would admonish them. But the old servant just quietly stared ahead.

Finally, the younger one said to him: "Please, say something!"

The older minister answered, loud enough for the blasphemers to hear him: "I have the impression that they who are sitting across from us are two hardened and reprobated sinners whose place shall be in eternal damnation!"

Soon after this, the train stopped and the two soldiers left.

Then the young minister asked: "Did you have nothing more to say to those soldiers?"

"No," answered the older one, "the Lord gave me nothing more to say, and what I said can be enough!'

Many years later a man called at the parsonage of the older minister. "Reverend, may I have a moment of your time?"

"Of course, come in! But who are you? I do not know you!"

Moved emotionally, the man said: "Reverend, I am one of the two cursing soldiers who sat across from you in the train some years ago!"

The old minister was very surprised when the man told him how he was won over by God, how the minister's words had been blessed by the Lord. He had become a sinner before God. The Holy Spirit had led him through a deep way to confess his sins and guilt before the Lord. And not only this, but He also had opened his eyes to look outside of himself to Christ as his Surety who became a curse for all of His people.

Dear young people, God's free and sovereign grace speaks in this. "God has mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom he will, He hardened" (Romans 9:18). "The Lord's testimonies are wonderful, the entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple" (Psalm 119:130). God calls you in His Word, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of the youth."

Speak Frankly About God←⤒🔗

Do we dare to do this? If we dare to speak frankly about God, in this world which hates His Name, it must have a personal meaning for us. God's love must dwell in our hearts by His Spirit David prayed in Psalm 51: "Uphold me with Thy free Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee." To confess, worship, and glorify His Name in a right way, we have to know His Name. Even God's people, who may know His Name by grace, have many difficulties in performing this. Usually it is not so difficult to do this within our own circles, but outside of this when we stand unprotected in the world, it is not only difficult but can also be dangerous. The Lord Jesus pictured His Church as being "lambs among the wolves." Still, sometimes God will grant his people liberty to testify for Him – sometimes here or there, when we expect it the least Hear the Lord's promise in Luke 21:14, 15: "Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist" If this may happen, we can speak for and about God with liberty!

What Else Could She Do?←⤒🔗

She was a very quiet girl. When I would ask her something in catechism class, she would blush profusely. Later, in nurse's training, she still had a hard time. She always felt tense among the other easy-going girls. She was a modest girl, who kept to herself. One morning, while I was visiting some sick people in the same hospital where she worked, I saw her standing among the other girls. I hid myself so that she could not see me, but I could still hear her talking. You know what she said? "You girls talk so easy about dying and death, as if it means nothing! Don't you know what this means for everyone? It means to appear before God as our Judge, to give an account of all we did or failed to do in our entire life. If we are not converted, we shall be lost eternally. But the Lord God still invites us by His Word and presents to us in His Word, sinners as we are, the way for the eternal wel­fare of our poor souls." This is what she said! It became very quiet in the group of nurses; obviously her testimony had made some impression.

Later on, I met her in the hall. She said: "Oh, you have heard it all?" "Partially," I answered.

Flushed, and with her hand before her mouth, she said: "Their mockings with God and death are so dreadful. You taught us to testify wherever we are. I wanted to do it before, but I never dared. This time, however, it just happened as a matter of course. I do not know where I got the courage," she said. "The other girls were impressed and no one offended me because of it."

"What else could I do?" she said. Well, young people, how is it with us? Are we able to stand by patiently and silently when we hear someone mock­ing or blaspheming God? Let's search our own hearts! How much value does the Lord and His name have for us? Can you endure to be among cursers and mockers while in the armed forces or in any other field of activity?

Yes, indeed, you can turn away from them silently, ignoring them! But if there is some degree of respect for God and His Name in your heart, you will feel hurt when you hear His Name dishonored.

I know we do not always have this liberty, but we may ask the Lord for it by grace He will grant us all we ask of Him – for the glory of His Name. But unfortunately, in many of our prayers, we pray only for our own welfare. More often than not we have only ourselves in view. Still the Lord wants to be honored and feared by us. In 1 Samuel 2:30 He says: "Them that honor Me I will honor, and they that despise Me shall be lightly esteemed." He will give us the courage if we, by faith, expect it from Him alone!

"What else could I do," the young nurse-trainee said, "it just happened as a matter of course." The Lord had given her the courage to testify and used her testimony to impress others. May God grant us similar grace and experience.