You say the word Amen often. Do you really know what you are
saying? To Christians it seems natural as we have been saying
it at the end of a prayer for millenniums. The Southern
Baptists and others use it often when listening to a sermon.
Rightfully so, if they are saying it in its true meaning.
Jesus would often start a solemn statement by saying "Verily" or
"Truly". "Verily, verily, I say to you...". This is actually
the word “Amen”. English translations of the word amen
include: "Verily", "Truly", "So be it", and "Let it be".
Instead of saying, "Amen, Amen" Jeremiah paraphrased the second Amen in
his statement, "Amen, the Lord do so" (Jer 28:6).
One of God's names or titles is "The God of Truth". If we left the last
word untranslated, the title would read, "The God of Amen" (Isa
65:16). One of the names of Jesus is "The Amen, the Faithful
and True Witness" (Rev 3:14).
At communion time, we may say Amen to the words when presented the
bread and wine. You could respond, "Yes, it truly is."
These passages show us that the word “Amen” is a solemn affirmation of
truth, a special word that we can use whenever we have said (or heard)
something that is true before God.
So, when ending a prayer with the confidence God will answer it, say
“let it be so”, or “so be it”, or “truly it is” or “the Lord do
so”. If you really mean Amen, that what you said anyway.
God is faithful and true. He is the Amen. Amen.
