2. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is
good; his love endures forever.
Cry out, "Save us, God our Savior;
gather us and deliver us from the
nations, that we may give thanks
to your holy name, that we may
glory in your praise."
3. Praise be to the LORD, the God of
Israel, from everlasting to
everlasting. Then all the people
said "Amen" and "Praise the
LORD."
4. “So be it, May it
be so”
Firm, trustworthy,
certain or sure
15. When King David told his
advisors he intended
Solomon to be king after
him, Benaiah
said, “Amen! May the
LORD, the God of my lord
the king, so declare it.”
16.
17. Jeremiah is told the yoke of the king of
Babylon will be broken and the exiles
will return, to which he says, “Amen!
May the Lord do so!”
18.
19.
20. “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen!
Come, Lord Jesus! Rev. 22:20
Look at Amen from Biblical perspective. Used many times in scriptures and in a variety of ways.I agree! I affirm! May it be so! Right On!I looked at the word and identified at least 5 ways in which the word is used.Often it is something we say as a group when we agree that something someone else said is right – and we want to identify ourselves with their sentiment.That’s the way it is used in our scripture text.
Background: The Ark of the Covenant had been captured by the Philistines years earlier, but they quickly realized it was a hot potato. Everywhere they put it, disaster fell on them. Finally, they sent it back to Israel, where it remained in KiriathJearim (9 mi. W of Jerusalem) at the house of Abinadab until David was king. 1 Chronicles 15-16 tells of David bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem to replace it in the Tabernacle until Solomon would build the Temple some years later.When the Ark arrived in Jerusalem, David uttered a Psalm of Thanks (16:8-36) that became a model Psalm. Psalms 96, 105 & 106 draw heavily on this Psalm of David in 1 Chron 16. It ends with the words of our Scripture reading.
You see how everyone joined in the sentiments David had just expressed about the LORD, the God of Israel.What does it mean to say “Amen”?
This is the way it looks in Greek. But our word is a transliteration of a transliteration.^ Hebrew “amen” (30x OT) means “to show oneself dependable, to know oneself to be secure, to have faith.” It means something faithful, true, certain or sure.To say amen is to say this is something we can count on. Greek didn’t have a corresponding word, so it simply took the Hebrew characters, letter-by-letter, and fashioned them into a Greek word.^ Basic meaning: So be it; may it be so. Used 129x NT.English “amen” is a transliteration of Greek. To say “Amen” generally confirms a statement made by someone else. It’s a way of saying “I agree,” or “That’s the way it is,” or “That’s the way I want it to be.”Five ways it is used in the Bible.
Some of the “Amens” fall into this idea.
Background: Isaiah 49:1-6 – Messianic text – as though Messiah is talking about what God has planned for him to do to accomplish the redemption of Israel and the Gentiles. He ends with these words of certainty.Isa 49:7 NIV This is what the LORD says-- the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel-- to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: "Kings will see you and stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."^ “Faithful” is “Amen”. Whatdoesit mean tosaythe Lord is “amen”. Itmeansthatyou can countonGodto do what he sayshe’sgoingto do!
Isaiah 65:16 NIV84 Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of truth; he who takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.^ God is true to his promises. The Hebrew word for "true" here is amen.In our words, when God makes a promise, you can take it to the bank!
Proverbs 13:17 NIV84 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.^ “Trustworthy” is “amen” – i.e. a messengeryou can relyon (e.g. anambassador)Ifyousendanambassadorwith a message, youwanthimto be reliable. Youwanthimtodeliverthemessage as youmeantitto be delivered.Game of “Gossip”. Messagechanges as itgoes. Needtohave a true Messenger – onewhodeliversthemessage in itspureform, withoutanyalterations.
No better example of this than God’s ambassador to us – his messenger who delivers the message exactly as God intended it.Rev 3:14 NIV "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.What does it mean to call Jesus the “Amen”? It means he is faithful and true as God’s messenger to his people.
First thing is description. God is faithful, true, reliable – descriptive terms.God is amen, His word is amen, His testimony is amen.^ Affirmation. What has been said is absolutely true and certain. Not just that the messenger is true, but that the message is true.^ When someone speaks and you say “amen” to what they say, you are not necessarily affirming the faithfulness of the speaker, but you are affirming that the message he has spoken is reliable.Think of a time when the messenger was not reliable, but the message was. Several come to mind. In 1 Kings 12, a prophet went from Judah to Bethel to speak against Jeroboam’s altar in Bethel. God told him to return without staying the night, or even eating there. He was going to do so, until an old prophet lied to him and said God had sent him to put the young prophet up for the night. After the young prophet gave in, the old prophet told him the truth – that the young prophet would not make it home alive, because he had listened to the lying old prophet. The old prophet was not faithful, but his message was – the young prophet was killed by a lion on his way home.
John 3:3 NET. Jesus replied, "I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God."I usedthe NETBibleherebecauseitgives a bettertranslation of theGreekἄνωθεν. Most translate it “born again” because that is the way Nicodemus misunderstood Jesus, and it is the popular expression to describe conversion. But John always uses ἄνωθεν to mean “from above”.^ Jesus used a “double amen” here to get the people’s attention. Sometimes translated “truly, truly” or “verily, verily” or as here “I tell you the solemn truth”. The idea is “This is not just true, it is doubly true!”^ Jesus says something like this 75 times in Gospels (of 129 total uses in entire NT). More than half of the uses in NT.
Paul affirms that all of God's promises find their fulfillment in Christ. That means we read OT Scriptures as pointing to Christ. Then, Paul expresses his agreement—i. e., his Amen — thus affirming what God has done through Christ.If God has said it, it is true. We can count on God’s promises being fulfilled in Christ.
In some ways, like affirmation. But not the same. You might affirm that something is true, but you might not agree with it.Difference between affirmation and agreement.Remember Parable of Two Sons (Matt. 21:28ff). One said “I will”, but didn’t; the other said “I won’t”, but did.Can’t you identify. There were times Dad wanted me to do something. I could affirm that it was what he wanted, but I didn’t agree that I would do it.^ When preacher says something you agree with – and you say amen – you are voicing your agreement with what was said.
Deu 27:15-26 NIV "Cursed is anyone who makes an idol--a thing detestable to the LORD, the work of skilled hands--and sets it up in secret." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 16 "Cursed is anyone who dishonors their father or mother." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 17 "Cursed is anyone who moves their neighbor's boundary stone." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 18 "Cursed is anyone who leads the blind astray on the road." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 19 "Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 20 "Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his father's wife, for he dishonors his father's bed." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 21 "Cursed is anyone who has sexual relations with any animal." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 22 "Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 23 "Cursed is anyone who sleeps with his mother-in-law." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 24 "Cursed is anyone who kills their neighbor secretly." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 25 "Cursed is anyone who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!" 26 "Cursed is anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"This passage gives a good insight into the way the Law was interpreted, taught and understood. These dozen specific applications of the law were understood as being examples of the broader principles governing Israel. (i.e. not just setting up a secret idol, but having anything competing with devotion to God; not just moving a boundary stone, but doing anything to cheat anyone else; not just the specified sexual sins, but all sexual sin (4 of 12 involve sexual sin – significant to them and to us.); not just secret killing, but any murder; not just bribery, but any injustice. Then notice the last one – God expects compliance.The point is that these are principles that should guide our conduct. People agree that these are principles God expects them to follow. But more, they agree that they will be bound to follow those principles.
1Ki 1:36 NIV Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it.Notonly “Amen” of agreementwithDavid’s plan, butalsothe “Amen” of affirmation – hiswishthatGodmay so orderthat Solomon becomeDavid’ssuccessor.
Jer 28:6 NIV He said, "Amen! May the LORD do so! May the LORD fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the LORD's house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon.Weeping prophet was told that time of exile was coming to an end. His answer is “Amen”. This is Amen of affirmation (i.e. that this is God’s will), and of agreement (i.e. Jeremiah agrees with God’s will), but it is more. It is also the Amen of desire (i.e. this is what Jeremiah and the people all want to happen).
Especially in Book of RevelationStarting study in September that will run through May, 2014 – Not every Sunday, but most, starting the third week of September (first weekend is Labor Day and second is our anniversary, so Mike Young is going to teach a couple of stand-alone lessons.) Will start into Revelation on third Sunday. Plan is to do 6 months worth of study, but to spread it out to allow for occasional breaks when I’m out of town, or holidays when some might be out, etc.Book of Revelation has a thread of breathless anticipation that is punctuated by the word “Amen”
Grk "Yes, Amen." The NET expression "This will certainly come to pass" is an attempt to capture the force of the juxtaposition of the Greek ναί (nai) and the Hebrew ἀμήν (amen).Thisisnotjustdesire – something Iwanttosee. Itisalsoanticipation of SecondComing.Jesus will come as the Son of Man with universal dominion (cf. Dan. 7:13–14), though his subjects pierced him (Zech. 12:10). Some people cannot say “Yes, Amen” because of their sins. Jesus’ coming is not something they desire. They’d rather put it off as long as possible. The mourning (wailing) is a reaction to judgment instead of the kind of grief that leads to salvation.
As we study the Book of Revelation we will see a lot of this desire plus anticipation.The whole book is saying “Lord, come right now!” Can we pray: “Lord, come right now!” That would scare most people.Amen of anticipation.
Macbeth knows right from wrong, but he morally weak. His wife is an ambitious woman who cajoles him into committing murder to seize the crown. He becomes king of Scotland, but he commits greater and greater atrocities until all the people hate him.In Act 2, Scene 2, Two servants were asleep in a nearby room. One shouted “Murder” in his sleep and both were startled awake. They got out of bed and said prayers. One servant cried, “God bless us!” and the other replied, “Amen,” as if they had seen his bloody hands. ^ Macbeth to his wife: But wherefore could not I pronounce “Amen”? I had most need of blessing, and “Amen” Stuck in my throat.In modern vernacular: “But why couldn’t I say “Amen”? I desperately needed God’s blessing, but the word “Amen” stuck in my throat.”He could not ask for God’s blessing because his crimes had put him under God’s curse. That is why “Amen” stuck in his throat.We have need of blessing. But sometimes, because of the cares of this world, or because of our sin we cannot say “Amen” because they do not want to face the wrath of God for their sins. They cannot say “Amen! Come Lord Jesus!” because they want him to delay. Give me another year, another month, another day, to get my life in order for you before you come.Don’t delay. If something prevents you from saying “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” make the needed changes now, so you can be ready if he comes today.