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What does Amen mean

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Posted by: JG

Amen!

Do you know what you are saying and mean what you say. MAR 7:6     He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me.
2CO 1:20    For all the promises of God in him [are] yea, and in him Amen, unto  the glory of God by us. MAT 12:36   But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

One very important word that comes up so often and is abused and taken for granted in this way is the word Amen. Everybody says it, but what does it really mean?  It does not mean, I am finished with the prayer.

Even  I have said, that Amen means "so let it be", or "so be it."

Actually, the word comes out in its full meaning in Isaiah 65: 16, where it says, "...he who pronounces a blessing in the land shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he who takes an oath in the land shall swear by the God of truth." The words translated 'by the God of truth', both times in this verse, are really 'by the God of Amen.

Amen means the absolutely perfect, always faithful, totally reliable Truth. When someone says Amen to God, they are actually saying that what they have said is from the heart and absolutely true. So this word is used as a solemn oath here in Isaiah and in other places in the Bible. This is a word that is not to be taken lightly.

Every true prophet, when he spoke for God, had to say, 'Thus saith the Lord.' If Jesus had been o­nly a man, if he had been o­nly a prophet, as so many people seem to think, He too would have to have said 'Thus saith the Lord.' But, Jesus didn't ever say, 'Thus saith the Lord.' Jesus said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you..." These words in the original are, "Amen, Amen, I say unto you..." As in John 8:51, "Amen, Amen, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death." or, as in John 5:23, "Amen, Amen, I say unto you, he who hears my words and believes o­n Him who sent me has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life."

The reason why Jesus didn't ever say, 'Thus saith the Lord,' is because Jesus is the Lord. Immanuel, that is, God with us, God born into the family of man to be our Kinsman-Redeemer. "Never man spake as this man." Jesus is even called "the Amen, the faithful and true witness" (Rev. 3:14).

One of the criminals who was dying, nailed to a tree next to Jesus' repented and looked to Jesus and said, "Lord, remember me when you come into you kingdom."

Jesus said to him, "Amen, I say to you, today, you shall be with me in paradise." Many people have said Amen to God with their lips, but o­nly those who have hated their own lip service and empty promises to God, who have repented of them, are the o­nes who have told the truth to God. When the Son of God puts it in your heart to do that, you'll be saved.

I got part of this from Edward Crawford





Posted by: vring

Jerry -

Thank you for this important study!

God's blessings,
-Vicki



Posted by: JesusFreakCK

Wow,  I find this facinating.  I always thought that amen meant so be it.  But to mean as a solemn oath of truth...that takes it to whole new levels.  I am reading the old testament right now and o­ne of the things that I think is cool about this....is God laid down the rules about oaths and that they were to be taken very very seriously.  So I would think that when Jesus was going around saying amen amen...hahaha I am sure the people around him must have thought whoa this is serious, what is this guy saying.  Thanks for the new insight!



Posted by: mred2nice

Good Afternoon

I have a question about the "so be it" concept relating to Amen. A friend of mine named Jim is seperated from his wife who started threatening divorce 2 months into the marriage. When they are discussing situations they have differences in for which Jim references irefutable evidence that his position on the topic is the most logical, she would be at a loss for words and just say "so be it". She is catholic...does this apply to what you all are saying about "so be it"?

Thanks for the help,
Ed