Many of us have heard the word "amen" hundreds if not thousands of times at the conclusion of prayers, sermons, or depending on your church background, as the enthusiastic response of a believer to something being said at the pulpit. But what exactly does the word "amen" even mean? According to the Hebrew, it means "verily," "truly," "truth" and/or "so be it" depending on its context.
Where/how is "amen" found/used in Scripture?
Revelation 3:14 is certainly not the first time we hear this word utilized in Scripture. In fact, in Isaiah 65:16, what is often translated as "the God of truth" in English translations in Hebrew actually reads "the God of amen". We find in the gospels that Jesus often used "amen" to emphasize his own words. Paul's letters also illustrate the use of "amen" as the conclusion of prayers or praises as we typically experience today. The concept of Jesus as the "amen" is not, in and of itself, new to Revelation 3 either. We read in 1 Corinthians 1: 20 that "no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God." The idea behind this Scripture is that ALL of the promises God has made (though there be multitudes) are all found answered and attested to in the faithful obedience and steadfastness of Christ.
When "amen" is used by man, it signifies man's assent to God's Word, truth, and will. When Christ says "amen", He is affirming His own truth and testimony. It is as if He is saying, "as I live, [fill in the blank] is true." When 1 Corinthians 1:20 (above) says that through Christ in whom all promises are proved true, we can speak an "amen" to the glory of God, the Word is saying that when we see these promises proved true, we will assent to the truth of God's word and promises and God will be glorified.
So, what does it mean that Jesus is Himself the Amen?
Jesus as the Amen speaks of His unchanging faithfulness and steadiness of purpose and character as well as the unchangeable truth of His promises. He does not just know the truth. He is the truth. He does not just make promises. He is the fulfillment of them.
Why should it be significant to know that Christ is the Amen?
Allow me to begin to answer this question with a quote...
F.A. Hughes states, "it is a blessed Person bearing the title "Amen" — the God of truth, who presents Himself to the Laodicean Church in Revelation 3 in all its breakdown and failure. Stability, truth, faithfulness and witness were all absent, are still absent, from the great professing mass of Christendom, but are all seen in their power and perfection in the "Amen." Another has said, "He is the Amen, the fulfilment and verifier of all the promises, the real Witness and Revealer of God and of truth, when the assembly is not — Head over all things, and the glory and witness of what it is as from God — as the new creation" (J.N. Darby).
One thing that I deeply appreciate in Christ as the Amen is that He is the true and faithful testifier to God. Though you and I are called to testify to Christ and His Father in and through our daily lives, I find much hope in the fact that He knows our frame and the fleeting nature of our zeal and faithfulness in doing so. As Darby states, Christ is the real, faithful witness and revealer of God and truth even when we as His church are not being faithful to reveal that truth as we have been called to be. I do not see this truth as an excuse for laziness or sin, but when I look at the frailty of my life, I am exceedingly grateful that the work is Christ's and not mine.
The fact that Christ is the Amen also affects many other things. First of all, we can trust His witness and testimony in regards to who His Father is. This is imperative, as we will go through seasons where we will doubt, or, at the least, be tempted to doubt, the character of our God. Suffering or trials tend to provide a perfect environment for this doubt to flourish. It is in these times when we can cling to Christ's testimony regarding the goodness and love of His Father. It is also during these times when we need to know that the promises of God will be fulfilled. Promises like these..
- The dead in Christ will be raised to new life.
- The sick will be healed- whether in this life or the next.
- The sins of the redeemed will be forgiven.
- Justice will reign.
- Vengeance will be the Lord's.
- All we lose or let go of for the sake of Christ and His kingdom will be rewarded.
- In the valley of the shadow of death and through the fire, we have the intimate company of God.
- Jesus has the victory. Satan will not have the last word.
- The Lord will provide for His children just as He provides for the birds and the fields.
- He will bring all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
- Those who earnestly seek Him will find Him.
- The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
- Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. One day He will come back and take us to be with Him where He is.
Christ has verified and fulfilled the promises of God made in the prophetic texts of the Old Testament. Jehovah promised a day when the hearts of the Israelites would be exchanged so that they could love and obey Him. Christ came and made us new creations. Jehovah promised a Messiah who would save us. Christ came and died a horrific death to save us from the wrath of a holy God against an unholy people. God is always faithful to His promises and His character. We see this in Jesus Christ, the "Amen", to whom I say this day, "Amen, my Lord. Amen to your character, your promises, and your will."
Our study for tomorrow will be from Hebrews 6: 19, looking at Jesus as "the anchor".
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