"Amen" -- A Word of Power
INTRODUCTION:
1. Common, but sacred Hebrew/Greek/English word -- AMEN.
2. Used 188 times in LXX and NT: Of superlative importance.
3. power and richness of
"amen" seen in its definition.
Lexicons:
"Of a truth; Truly;
Most assuredly; Faithful; Firm; Certain; As an assertion: SO IT IS."
G281 - ἀμήν - amēn
Thayer Definition:
1) firm
1a) metaphorically faithful
2) verily, amen
2a) at the beginning of a discourse - surely, truly, of a truth
2b) at the end - so it is, so be it, may it be fulfilled.
Thayer: It was a custom, which passed over from the
synagogues to the Christian assemblies, that when he
who had read or discoursed, had offered up solemn prayer to God, the others
responded Amen, and thus made the substance of what was uttered their own.
H543 - אמן - 'âmên - aw-mane'
sure; abstractly faithfulness; adverbially truly: -
Amen, so be it, truth
AMEN – In the Word of God
1. AMEN of AFFIRMATION: Says what is spoken is
infallibly certain, absolutely true and
unshakable
2 Cor. 1:20 For as many as are the promises of God, in
Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen [ἀμήν - amēn] to the glory
of God through us.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and
said to him, "Truly, truly, [ἀμήν - amēn] [ἀμήν - amēn] I say to you, unless
one is born again he cannot see the
Rom
2. AMEN Of AGREEMENT to truth
–
1 Chron.
16:8-36 (8-9, 29, 36)
Deut 27:9-26 (12 times);
Neh 5:13 I also
shook out the front of my garment and said, "Thus may God shake out every
man from his house and from his possessions who does not fulfill this promise;
even thus may he be shaken out and emptied." And all the assembly said,
"Amen!" [- אמן - 'âmên - aw-mane'] And they
praised the LORD. Then the people did according to this promise.
1 Cor 14:16 Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who
fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" at your giving of
thanks, since he does not know what you are saying?
3. AMEN of
personal COMMITMENT
Jer. 11:1-5 The word which came to Jeremiah from the
LORD, saying, "Hear the words of
this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of
Jerusalem; and say to them, 'Thus says
the LORD, the God of Israel, "Cursed is the man who does not heed the
words of this covenant which I commanded
your forefathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from
the iron furnace, saying, 'Listen to My voice, and do according to all which I
command you; so you shall be My people, and I will be your God,' in order to confirm the oath which I swore to
your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this
day."'" Then I said, "Amen, O LORD." [- אמן - 'âmên - aw-mane']
Psa 106:48 Blessed be the LORD,
the God of
4. AMEN of one's FAITH/CONFIDENCE
Psa 41:13, Blessed be the LORD, the God of
Eph
5. AMEN of HOPE (anticipation of future good for self and for others)
Psa 72:18-19 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of
ITS USE IN DESCRIBING DEITY
SHOWS GREAT SIGNIFICANCE
1. JEHOVAH
never changes
Psa 111:7-8 The works of His hands are truth and justice;
All His precepts are sure.
[- אמן - 'âmên
- aw-mane'] They are upheld forever and ever; They are performed in truth and uprightness.
Isa 49:7 Thus says the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel and its Holy One, To the
despised One, To the One abhorred by the nation, To the Servant of rulers,
"Kings will see and arise, Princes will also bow down, Because of the LORD
who is faithful, [- אמן - 'âmên - aw-mane'] the
Holy One of Israel who has chosen You."
Isa 65:16 "Because he who is blessed in the earth Will
be blessed by the God of truth; [- אמן - 'âmên - aw-mane'] And he who swears in the earth Will swear by
the God of truth; [- אמן - 'âmên - aw-mane'] Because the former troubles are forgotten,
And because they are hidden from My sight!
Deu 7:9
"Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is
God, the faithful [- אמן - 'âmên - aw-mane'] God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who
love Him and keep His commandments;
NOTE: Deu 32:4 "The Rock! His
work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of
faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.
He is CERTAIN/SURE. Act 27:24-25 saying, 'Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand
before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with
you.' "Therefore, keep up your
courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been
told.
2. CHRIST
is the very essence of truth
NOTE: John
John14:6 Jesus said to him, "I
am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through
Me.
He can be DEPENDED ON - 2Tim
2 Tim. 1:12 For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I
know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.
3. SPIRIT
means what He says
John 16:13 "But when He,
the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will
not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He
will disclose to you what is to come.
His Word is ABSOLUTELY TRUSTWORTHY –
Gal 1:8-9, But even if
we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we
have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to
you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
1
Pet 1:23, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but
imperishable, that is,
through the living and enduring word of God.
ALSO -- Confidence in ALL the
Word says –
Psa 19:7-11 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The
testimony of the LORD is sure, [- אמן - 'âmên - aw-mane'] making
wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD
are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the
LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The
fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The
judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than
much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the
drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by
them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is
great reward.
The sum: Heaven's WORD is AMEN
John
2 Tim 3:16-17
All Scripture is
inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for
training in righteousness; so that the
man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Therefore, ALL God has done for us is complete and certain forever –
1 Thess 5:24, Faithful
is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
PERSONAL APPLICATION OF “AMEN”
1. Can
see its use in the PAST: O.T. –
Neh 8:5-6 Ezra opened the
book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people;
and when he opened it, all the people stood up.
Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered,
"Amen, Amen!" [- אמן - 'âmên - aw-mane'] while
lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
2. And
in the FUTURE: Heaven –
Rev 7:11-12 And all the angels were standing around the
throne and around
the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before
the throne and worshiped God, saying,
"Amen [ ἀμήν - amēn], blessing
and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and
ever. Amen." [ ἀμήν - amēn]
3. Also
in PRESENT era: N.T. church -
1 Cor. 14:16-17 Otherwise
if you bless in the spirit only,
how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" [ ἀμήν - amēn] at your
giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? For you are giving thanks well enough, but
the other person is not edified.
a. Thus the
words of another are made ours: Approval.
b. Out of place
for skeptical, thoughtless, irreverent,
apathetic, formal; Only
the holy say "AMEN."
4. IN
WORSHIP: Have we become cold?
(NOTE: No record was used to interrupt speaker frequently
–
1 Cor.
WHEN HEAR TEACHING OF HEAVEN'S
TRUTH –
Phi
1. Great speakers can move people with most any idea.
2. Powerful TRUTH moves without eloquence –
1 Cor. 2:1-5 And when I came
to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom,
proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
For I determined to know
nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear
and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in
persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of
power, so that your faith would not rest
on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.
3. Early saints in unsophisticated society; We
buttoned down by restraints: "Good taste;" Sit on our hands.
4. Not willing to get involved? -- To commit ourselves?
5. May be in thought; Eventually expressed in word or action.
PERSONAL LIFE: Totally committed, with full confidence and outspoken
conviction –
1. In practical everyday living - Tit 2:12; 2Cor 5:9.
Tit
2 Cor. 5:9 Therefore we also have
as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.
2. Not
waiver: Firm; Settled; Certain; Sure and unfailing -
1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore,
my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of
the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
(Is it true of ME?)
CONCLUSION:
1. He
seeks our faith, our love, and our obedience.
But,
have we yielded soul to Him?
2. Stand
upon rock of truth now –
1 Pet
Act
Act