So be it!

Amen is a unique word. One of my dictionaries says that it was transliterated directly from Old Testament Hebrew into New Testament Greek, then into Latin and into English and many other languages. This makes it practically a universal word. Some say it is the best-known word in human speech.

People say Amen when they want to affirm their agreement with something. These days, that could be anything, but in the Bible it was associated with certainty and solemnness. It means “it is the truth” and could begin a statement of truth, even be doubled for emphasis or style. Here are two examples: 

For truly (amen), I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. (Matthew 5:18)

And he said to him, “Truly, truly, (amen, amen) I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:51)

Amen is also used at the end of a passage in Scripture such as in Romans 11:36, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

Amen is directly related and almost identical to the Hebrew word for “believe” (amam), or faithful, so Amen came to mean “sure” or “truly” and an expression of absolute trust and confidence. Its use was a custom that began in the Jewish synagogues and became part of Christian gatherings. When someone read or preached or offered prayer to God, the others responded with Amen. This meant that they were stating that the substance of what was said was also their own; they totally agreed with it.

It is also used one more way. As many times as I’ve read the following verse, this didn’t register in my mind until today that Amen is also a title for Jesus Christ. 

The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. (Revelation 3:14)

By calling Jesus the Amen, the Bible affirms that He is the ultimate certainty, the supreme faithful one. He is the only One that can be absolutely trusted. When I say Amen, I am claiming truth, embodied in the One who said, “I am the Truth” and affirming that I am totally agreeing with all that He is, says and does. (One note, in this verse, “beginning” means the “origin or active cause.”)

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Lord, sometimes I say Amen rather casually, such as when someone says they like a certain movie or a brand of cookie and I agree. No more. I see how this word is another way of declaring who You are. I’m actually saying one of Your names. I do not want to trivialize this because I see now the importance of this word. Besides the word itself, many rich thoughts that go with it. You are the ultimate Amen, the only secure and completely trustworthy person I know. I want to glorify You each time I say Your name, each time that I utter Amen.