Amen and Amen

August 10

Esther 6-7

Psalm 89:46-52

Proverbs 20:5-6

I Corinthians 16

Amen and Amen

“Praise be to the Lord forever! Amen and Amen!” Psalm 89:52 NIV

Have you ever wondered why we say “amen” at the end of our prayers? It has become almost like a period at the end of a sentence or like saying, “bye, see ya later,” at the end of a telephone call. It is just what you do to finish the conversation you are having with God. It really has much more meaning than that. Amen is an ancient Hebrew word that is a pronouncement, “So be it! Let this be done!” It is a firm and authoritative declaration. Amen implies an acceptance of the statement being made and a belief that it will be accomplished. Sometimes we say amen when we hear others praising God or giving testimony about His faithfulness. Amen is our affirmation that we agree with what they are saying. At the end of a prayer, it is affirming that we believe that God has heard our prayer and we know that He will answer us. It is an expression of faith and trust, not just a way to end the conversation. As we discussed a few days ago, Psalm 89 is a reminder to us of the majesty and power of God. The Psalmist tells of God’s faithfulness and love and acknowledges that He is Creator and Sustainer of everything in Heaven and on Earth. He concludes the Psalm with “Amen and Amen.” This is not just an ending to the Psalm. It is a declaration that he believes what he has said, and he is declaring, ‘So be it!”

Amen is one of the few words that is pronounced almost the same way in every language in the world. It is also the same word that has been uttered as a confirmation of belief for thousands of years. We are speaking the same word spoken by the priests, prophets, and Jesus Himself. The word amen is used throughout the Bible in many different situations signifying affirmation and belief. Jesus uses the word a little differently. Instead of speaking it at the end of what He is saying, He uses it at the beginning. There are numerous times where Jesus says, “Amen, I say to you.” It is often translated as, “Truly I say to you,” but it is the same Hebrew word as “amen.” Jesus is saying that what He is about to tell them is truth and they need to listen. In Revelation 3:14, Jesus refers to Himself as “Amen.” So, He is saying that He is truth. He is the author and finisher of truth. When we speak “amen” we are affirming belief and faith in what we have said. Jesus however is affirming that it is true. He can verify that it is true because He is the source of all truth. Instead of mindlessly repeating “amen” at the end of our prayers, let’s try to consciously mean that we know God hears our prayers and we trust that He will answer them. It will force us to be more purposeful and think about what we are saying when we talk to Him.