Our scripture reading, to which I invite you to turn with me at this time, is found in the Book of Psalms, Psalm 99. In the Old Testament, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, the Book of Psalms, Psalm 99. Psalm 99, beginning in verse 1, we read through the end of the psalm, And we will be selecting several of those verses as our text for tonight, but also referencing the others by way of context of that text. Psalm 99, beginning in verse 1. Hear then the word of the Lord. The Lord reigns. Let the nations tremble. He sits enthroned between the cherubim. Let the earth shake. Great is the Lord in Zion. He is exalted over all the nations. Let them praise your great and awesome name. He is holy. The King is mighty. He loves justice. You have established equity. In Jacob you have done what is just and right. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His footstool. He is holy. Moses and Aaron were among His priests. Samuel was among those who called on His name. They called on the Lord and He answered them. He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud. They kept His statutes and the decrees He gave them. O Lord our God, you answered them. You were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds. Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy. Thus far, the reading of God's holy word. As always, brothers and sisters, I ask and urge you to keep your Bibles open and handy as we look to God's word together this evening, but also to turn with me, if you would please, by way of our common confession in the back of our Psalter hymnals to Lord's Days 36 and 37. Lord's Days 36 and 37 of the Heidelberg Catechism are found on pages 50 and 51 in the back of our Psalter hymnals, pages 50 and 51. Lord's days 36 and 37 as you can see deal with the third commandment of God's law the subject matter of our study of God's Word this evening I would like to have us read these questions and answers responsibly I will read the questions and I ask the congregation to please join with me in unison on the answers question 99 asks what is God's will for us in the third commandment and that answer together is that we neither blaspheme nor misuse the name of God by cursing, perjury, or unnecessary oaths, nor share in such horrible sins by being silent bystanders. In a word, it requires that we use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly confess Him, pray to Him, and praise Him in everything we do and say. Question. 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? That answered together. 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. Question. But may we swear an oath in God's name if we do it reverently? And that answer together. Yes, when the government demands it or when necessity requires it. in order to maintain and promote truth and trustworthiness for God's glory and our neighbor's good. Such oaths are approved in God's word and were rightly used by Old and New Testament believers. And the final question, may we swear by saints or other creatures in that answer? No. A legitimate oath means calling upon God as the one who knows my heart to witness to my truthfulness and to punish me if I swear falsely. No creature is worthy of such honor. Thank you. I'll be referring to those first two questions and answers by way of commentary at the close of our study of God's word this evening. Dear congregation of Jesus Christ, the story is told that many years ago in the city of Detroit, Michigan, there was a very large businessman's banquet being held which featured an internationally known speaker. Reportedly, right in the middle of his address, he began spewing forth profanity. and indeed also began to repeatedly misuse and abuse the name of God's Son. Suddenly, while he was still speaking, one of the several hundred businessmen who were there in attendance stood up. In fact, he not only stood up, he climbed up right on his chair. And he pointed his finger at the speaker, and he said loud enough for everyone to hear, Sir, leave Jesus Christ out of it. And he sat down. That man's name was Mr. Steve Rapicki. He was a Roman Catholic. And interestingly enough, after that banquet, there were more men standing in line to shake Mr. Rapicki's hand And they were standing in line to shake the hand of the internationally renowned speaker who had so seriously and repeatedly violated the third commandment of God's law. The commandment which is recorded for us in Exodus 20, verse 7, and it states, you shall not misuse or take in vain the name of the Lord your God. For the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. Friends, interestingly enough, as the Heidelberg Catechism so clearly reminds us in its commentary on each of the Ten Commandments of God's Law, while each of the commandments certainly condemns and forbids certain types of actions or attitudes or behaviors, It is also true that each commandment respectively also affirms or commends the opposite behavior, or attitude, or action. It's antithesis, if you will. And so consequently, as we turn to the study of our text for this evening, as recorded for us in Psalm 99, especially as it relates to this third commandment of God's law, We find ourselves being both confronted and challenged by the fact that because of who our God is, and because of all that He has done for us, and because of all that He has given us in our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Along with the sacred psalmist of old, brothers and sisters, you and I and all of God's people everywhere are called and commanded to engage in three key spiritual disciplines which are due His holy name. Three key spiritual disciplines which are due His holy name. Now as we work our way through the words of our text then together, please note that the first spiritual discipline, which is due His holy name in obedience to the third commandment of God's law, is the discipline of profession. The discipline of profession. For example, look at verse 1 with me if you would please. Here the psalmist begins by saying, the LORD, notice all the capitals, the LORD, Yahweh, the Hebrew would say, Yahweh, we would say in the English, the LORD reigns. Now friends, according to the best of my knowledge, this is the third psalm which begins with those very same words. If you're taking notes, it's Psalm 93, Psalm 93 verse 1, Psalm 97 verse 1, and then again here in Psalm 99, the Holy Spirit inspired psalmist begins by saying, the Lord reigns, the Lord reigns, right up front. As if he wants to say that this is the most important point he is trying to make. He wants us to know that the Lord reigns. He is sovereign, He is supreme, He is ruling over the nations, and it is He and He alone who is bringing history to its appointed end. Now there are many people today who may not agree with that, who may contend otherwise. There are many people today, for example, who think that there are world leaders who, even more than the Lord our God, hold the destiny of the human race, the destiny of the nations, the course of history, if you will, in their hands. But the Bible says that it is not President Obama of the United States. It is not President Maliki of Iraq. It is not Mohammed Morsi of Egypt. It is not Vladimir Putin of Russia. It is not President Assad of Syria. It is the Lord our God. It is Yahweh or Yahweh, the covenant-making, covenant-keeping God of Israel who rules the nations and He is the one to whom each and every man, woman and child who ever lived will have to give an account. That's what the Bible teaches. That's what the Bible teaches. It says, the Lord, Yahweh, reigns. You know, I was reading something the other day by the great English preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon. And Spurgeon said this, and I quote, he said, the Lord reigns is one of the most joyous utterances which ever leaped from mortal lips. End of quote. And that's true. And so, brothers and sisters, consequently, our text goes on to say, the Lord reigns, look with me at the text, let the nations or let the peoples tremble. And how true that is. Because the Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble. Let those who are numbered among God's people tremble with a reverential fear before the face of our Heavenly Father. And let those who are numbered among the unbelieving and unrepentant of this world tremble before Him in stark terror, because the day is coming when Jesus Christ will return to judge the living and the dead. And everyone will be beheld before His sovereign judgment throne. In fact, Acts 17, verse 31 tells us concerning the Lord our God, that He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead. That is, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The Lord reigns. Let the nations tremble. Look with me. He sits enthroned between the cherubim. He sits enthroned between the cherubim. Now, boys and girls, young people, can you think of any other Old Testament passages where we read about the cherubim, about the cherubim, these heavenly beings which seem to serve at times as emissaries of Almighty God. Can you think of anywhere else in the Old Testament where we read about the cherubim? Well, some of you may be thinking, for example, of Genesis chapter 3. Let's turn back there together just for a moment to the first book of the Bible, the third chapter. The context, of course, is the fall of man, of our first parents, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden. Drop all the way down to the end of that chapter to verse 24. In Genesis 3.24 we read, "...after He drove the man out, He placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword, flashing back and forth to guard the way to the Tree of Life." The cherubim seem in part to be those who guard the holiness of the Lord our God, if you will. That's one place where they're mentioned. That's not the place in the Bible and the Old Testament that came to my mind when I was reading in the text that he sits enthroned between the cherubim. And maybe you were thinking of what I'm thinking of. It's found in the book of Exodus. Let's go there together. Exodus, second book of the Bible, chapter 25, beginning in verse 10. And it concerns the construction of the tabernacle. Exodus 25, beginning in verse 10. Notice what we read. God instructs Moses. Have them make a chest of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long. And boys and girls, this is the Ark of the Covenant. It was only a couple, three feet long and wide. Have them make a chest of acacia wood, two and a half cubits long, a cubit was 18 inches, a cubit and a half wide and a cubit and a half high. Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold so that it could be carried. Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest to carry it. The poles are to remain in the rings of the ark. They are not to be removed. Then put in the ark the testimony which I give you. Now notice this, verse 17. Make an atonement cover, or mercy seat, as some of the translations read, of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other. Make the cherubim of one piece with the cover at the two ends. The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the testimony which I give you. There above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites." Now, friends, think about that. The atonement cover represented symbolically the throne of God, where God was enthroned among His people. And notice here this atonement cover or mercy seat. Leviticus 16 tells us that once a year, on the day of atonement, the priest was to sprinkle blood on that mercy seat, symbolizing the fact that it was only through the shedding of blood that God's people could come into a right relationship with Him. In fact, think of that name, Day of Atonement, or Atonement cover. Can you picture it in your mind's eye? At-one-ment. You see that in the name? At-one-ment. It is through the atonement of blood that we become one, or right, with God. Now friends, something that I never knew before, I only learned this week and in the course of my study for this evening, was that in the Old Testament Greek, the Septuagint is the Old Testament Greek translation, the Greek in verse 17 uses a word for atonement cover that is the exact word used of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the book of Romans. In fact, in Romans chapter 3 verse 25 we read, God presented Him, that is Christ, as a sacrifice of atonement. That's the word used here in Exodus 25 of the atonement cover. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement or propitiation, that which appeases the just and righteous wrath of a holy God. God presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in His blood. Now think about the implications of that. When we put all of this together with the words of our text, the psalmist is saying that we not only serve a God who is almighty, but we also serve a God who is exceedingly merciful. And now we put all that together in our hearts and minds when we read, the Lord reigns, this almighty, merciful God reigns. Let the nations tremble. He sits enthroned between the cherubim. Let the earth shake. It's almost as if all of creation cannot contain the glory and the grandeur and the majesty of the Lord our God. And if we ever have another earthquake here in New Jersey, we had a little one a long time ago, and if we ever read of a big one somewhere in the world, realize that it is because of the majesty and the magnitude, the glory and the grandeur, the power, the grace of the Lord our God. He reigns over all the earth. It says when you consider the name of this God, let the earth shake, let the earth shake. When we consider the power of the God who has revealed himself to us in the person of his son, Jesus Christ, he causes us by his Holy Spirit to cry out, Abba, Father, Daddy, Father. Oh, brothers and sisters, is it any wonder that that with great comfort and with great courage and with great consolation, we need to personally and passionately and persistently profess his name? We need to profess his name to all of the nations, you see. Oh, I love the words of that old Sunday school song. It's in our hymn book. I know the children love to sing it. The words go like this. This is my Father's world. Oh, let me ne'er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father's world. Why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King. Let the heavens ring. God reigns. Let the earth be glad. The first spiritual discipline in which God's people everywhere must be engaged for the fulfillment of the third commandment of God's law with both our lips as well as with our lives is simply the discipline to profess His holy name, to profess His holy name. Well, friends, a second spiritual discipline in which all Christians everywhere must be engaged in order to fulfill God's will for our lives in the third commandment of His law is the discipline of praise, the discipline of praise. Look at verse two of Psalm 99 with me, if you would please. Here we read, Great is Yahweh, great is the Lord in Zion. Zion, boys and girls, is another name for Jerusalem where God's temple was located. Great is the Lord in Zion. He is exalted over all the nations. He is exalted over all the nations. And because that is true, verse 3 goes on to say, let them, that is the nations generally, but God's people specifically, Let them praise your great and awesome name. He is holy. Now, friends, if you've got your own Bible, underscore those three words, He is holy. Very interesting. They are named or they are repeated three times in this psalm. They are repeated here in verse 3. They are repeated in verse 5. And they are repeated in verse 9, leading many commentators to believe that this is an implicit reference to the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is holy. And that word holy, by the way, boys and girls, young people, essentially means set apart, set apart. God is not part of His creation. He is the mighty Creator who spoke galaxies into existence. He spoke and it came to be. The Psalms teach us. He is holy. He is holy. And because He is holy, because He is great and awesome and majestic and all-powerful and merciful, He is worthy of praise. He is worthy of praise. You know, I'm hoping that you're reading the Table Talk devotionals which we give out each month. This one in January I thought was especially inspirational. It had the theme, The Lost Virtues of Listening, Meditating, and Thinking. And again, please avail yourself of this excellent study of God's Word and meditative reflections. But anyway, toward the end of that devotional last month, in a section called Heart Aflame, I came across an article by Dr. Garrett Scott Dawson. He is a pastor in a Presbyterian church down in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. And the article was called Theology and Doxology. Now think about that. Theology and doxology. What does he mean? Well, for example, he writes, the theology of God and the praise of God, theology, the knowledge of God and the praise of God, theology and doxology belong together. They are dance partners in the fulfillment of our chief end, to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. And then he writes, John Calvin was one of the most doxological theologians. In writing about the Lord's Supper, Calvin rejoiced to affirm that through union with Christ, quote, whatever is his may be called ours, end of quote. In what is now a very famous passage, Calvin articulated this wonderful exchange this way. And then he quotes from Calvin's Institutes. Listen carefully, please. This is the wonderful exchange which out of His measureless benevolence He has made with us, that becoming Son of Man with us, He has made us sons of God with Him. That by His descent to earth, He has prepared an ascent to heaven for us. That by taking on our mortality, He has conferred His immortality upon us. accepting our weakness, He has strengthened us by His power. That receiving our poverty unto Himself, He has transferred His wealth to us. That taking the weight of our iniquity upon Himself, which oppressed us, He has clothed us with His righteousness." And then Dr. Dawson goes on to say, listen carefully please, with this and our theological hymn books, how could Calvinists ever be the frozen chosen? And if you were with us a few weeks ago, we talked about that together. Think about that again. With this and our theological hymn books, how could Calvinists ever be the frozen chosen? In other words, brothers and sisters, Reformed Christians of all people should be the very first to hear and to heed this exhortation from the sacred psalmist. Let them praise your great and awesome name. He is holy. He is holy. He is holy. Praise. Praise of God. The second spiritual discipline in which all of God's people everywhere must earnestly and fervently be engaged toward the fulfillment of the third commandment. of God's law. Well, a third and final spiritual discipline in which you and I and all of God's people must surely be engaged for the fulfillment of the third commandment of God's law is the spiritual discipline of prayer, the spiritual discipline of prayer. For notice, after setting forth once again in verses four and five the might and the majesty and the holiness of the Lord our God, Our text picks up in verse 6 as follows. Look with me. Moses and Aaron were among his priests. Samuel was among those who called on his name. Now think about that. This is true. In fact, for example, let's go back to Exodus 28 together just for a moment. The first verse, Exodus chapter 28, we read of Aaron, the brother of Moses. And in Exodus chapter 28, verse 1, God says to Moses very simply, Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priest." And young people, you may recall what happened to Nadab and Abihu. We studied that a couple of weeks ago when they offered unauthorized fire to the Lord. But here Aaron is set up as a priest, as an intercessor between the people and God. Now, similarly, let's go over to Exodus chapter 32. If you're back in Exodus with me, if you want to just listen, that's okay. But back in Exodus 32, we find that account of the worship of the golden calf, which Moses witnessed when he came down with God's law from Mount Sinai. And we referenced that also a couple of weeks ago when we considered the theme of idolatry and that we cannot have any idols before the face of God. Well, in this account of the golden calf in Exodus 32, drop down to verse 9 with me, please, and following where we read. I have seen these people, the Lord said to Moses, and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them, and that I may destroy them, and I will make you into a great nation. Now notice this. But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. Many people today would have said, this sounds great. I'm going to have, everything's going to be mine. Moses, oh Lord, he said. Why should your anger burn against your people whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say it was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth? Turn from your fierce anger, relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self, I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever. And the Lord relented. and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened. And similarly, concerning Samuel, let's go over to 1 Samuel chapter 7, right before the books of Kings and Chronicles, 1 Samuel chapter 7, in verses 2 through 5, in verses 2 through 5, we read this. It was a long time, 20 years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath-Jerum. And all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord. 1 Samuel 7, 3 now. And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, if you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the Lord and serve Him only. And He will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines. The Israelites put away their bales and ashtoreths and served the Lord only. Then Samuel said, Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with you. I will intercede with the Lord for you, and I will intercede with the Lord for you. In other words, brothers and sisters, Moses, Aaron and Samuel all served as intermediaries. They all had a part in serving as intercessors or go-betweens between the people and the Lord our God. And the psalmist is rejoicing in that here in the words of our text, and so should we. But, oh my dear, dear friends, I ask you tonight, is it not true that by His amazing grace and magnificent mercy, The Lord has provided for you and He has provided for me an intermediary, an intercessor who is far, far greater than Moses and Aaron and Samuel combined in the person of our blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In fact, that is why in the book of Hebrews, the 10th chapter, Hebrews 10, verses 19 and following, Hebrews 10, 19 and following, we read, Since we have confidence to enter the most holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain that is His body. And since we have a great priest over the house of God, listen, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold on swervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. He who promised is faithful. Therefore, let us hold on firmly, firmly to the hope that we profess, because, as I said in the pastoral prayer, all of the promises of God are yes and amen in Christ, you see. So, it is because of that, it is because of these glorious truths that the psalmist picks up again in the words of our text, verse 6, look with me again please. Moses and Aaron were among his priests. Samuel was among those who called on his name. They called on the Lord and what? And He answered them. He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud. They kept His statutes and the decrees He gave them. O Lord our God, You answered them. You are to Israel a forgiving God. O You punish their misdeeds. Exalt the Lord our God. Worship at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy. And oh, my dear, dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, with this historical example before our hearts and our minds, ought that not to move us, ought that not to motivate us to increasingly be a people of personal and persistent and passionate prayer? A people who pray with the blessed assurance of knowing that the same God who answered their prayers because of those intercessors, will also surely answer each and every one of our prayers because of our intercessor, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And is this not precisely what our blessed God and Father has promised us in his word? I was looking up a few of the promises of God in where he promises to answer the prayers of his people. And one of those that is very familiar to you, no doubt, is found in 2 Chronicles 7, verse 14, where God says, If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. And our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 7 through 11 says similarly to God's people, to His disciples, ask and it will be given you. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. And friends, these are present active imperatives, which means we have to keep knocking and keep asking and keep seeking. I know that we do that sometimes until our knuckles are bloody and it seems like He's not going to answer, but He has said that He will. He has said that He will. Ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives and he who seeks finds and to him who knocks the door will be opened Which have you said Jesus if his son asked for bread? We'll give him a stone or if he asked for a fish We'll give him a snake if you then though you are evil know how to give good gifts to your children How much more will your father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him? I? And then finally on this score, in Hebrews chapter 4, verses 14 through 16, God's Word says this, Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, We have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. All brothers and sisters, the sacred songwriter has put it this way. Listen carefully. He said, My God, is any hour so sweet? From blush of morn to evening star, is that which calls me to Thy feet. the hour of prayer. Then is my strength by Thee renewed, then are my sins by Thee forgiven, then dost Thou cheer my solitude with hopes of heaven. No words can tell what sweet relief there for my every want I find, what strength for warfare, balm for grief, what peace of mind. Lord, till I reach yon blissful shore, no privilege so dear shall be, as thus my inmost soul to pour in prayer to thee. It's true. Prayer is the third spiritual discipline in which all of God's people everywhere must be engaged toward the fulfillment of the third commandment of his law. Friends, as we close, turn with me, if you would please, in the Old Testament to a very sobering passage of Scripture. It's recorded for us in the book of Leviticus, the 24th chapter. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, chapter 24. Dropping all the way down to verse 10 of Leviticus 24, we begin reading, Now the son of an Israelite mother and an Egyptian father went out among the Israelites. And a fight broke out in the camp between him and an Israelite. The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the name with a curse. So they brought him to Moses. His mother's name was Shalemeth, the daughter of Dibri, the Danite. They put him in custody until the will of the Lord should be made clear to them. Then the Lord said to Moses, take the blasphemer outside the camp. All those who heard him are to lay their hands on his head, and the entire assembly is to stone him. Say to the Israelites, if anyone curses his God, he will be held responsible. Anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him, whether an alien or native born. When he blasphemes the name, he must be put to death. to death. Verse 23, then Moses spoke to the Israelites and they took the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him. The Israelites did as the Lord commanded Moses. Think about that. You see, friends, that is why we read in question answer 100 of the Heidelberg Catechism as follows 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 The answer is 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 And that is also why my dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ As you and I go forth from this place by God's grace, through faith. Let us also hear and heed what we read in question and answer 99 of the Catechism, which states, What is God's will for us in the third commandment? That we neither blaspheme nor misuse the name of God by cursing, perjury, or unnecessary oaths, nor share in such horrible sins by being silent bystanders. In a word, It requires that we use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly confess Him, pray to Him, and praise Him in everything we do and say. Amen. Let's bow our heads and our hearts together in prayer. O Lord our God, Psalm 27, 2800 years ago, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the prophet Isaiah penned the words, In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphs, each with six wings, With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another, Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty. The whole earth is full of His glory. O Lord our God, even as we confess to You the many times in which we ourselves violated the third commandment of Your law by means of the misuse and abuse of Your most holy name. And even as we claim the full and complete cleansing of all such sin through faith in the shed blood of Christ on Calvary, the One who also perfectly fulfilled each and every one of the commandments of Your law for us, we pray, O Holy Father, that Your Holy Spirit would increasingly enable and empower each and every one of us each and every day to ever more faithfully and ever more fervently engage in the spiritual disciplines of profession, of praise and prayer, because Your name is holy. Hear us, Heavenly Father, we pray for Jesus' sake. Amen.