Amen; Alleluia
“And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, “Amen; Alleluia” (Revelation 19:4).
Two men met on board ship. One of them was from India and the other from China, and the language of each was unintelligible to the other. One man happened to say the word “Hallelujah!” and the other instantly responded, “Amen!” From then on, the voyage was an opportunity for fellowship, for they knew they had Christianity in common. They may not have realized Christianity is summed up in these two words from the Hebrew, which have been reproduced in almost every language on the globe.
“Amen” indicates agreement or affirmation found in innumerable Scripture passages. “Hallelujah,” or “Praise ye the Lord,” is always associated with victory. Psalm 104:35 concludes with the first mention of this phrase in the Bible. “Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.” The two words are also found in 1 Chronicles 16:36; “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel forever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.” Also, they are found in Nehemiah 5:13.”
“Amen” indicates that God’s will is accepted. “Amen, literally translated is, ‘It is so,’ or, ‘It shall be so’; but not ever is it ‘May it be so.’ There is no doubt it is not a question or a supplication. It is an affirmation, then, and a testimony to God’s faithfulness.
Jesus said, “And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;” And Paul declared, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). God’s presence is realized in everything. There is nothing apart from Him. The believer sees God’s purpose in everything―nothing is just luck or chance. Believers can trust His power in everything. The believer accepts “…that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform” (Romans 4:21).
And that’s not all. God’s way of doing things and his performance is praiseworthy. That’s why we say, “Hallelujah”! We acknowledge the wisdom of God because of trust in His power and joy in His love.
These two words are inseparable. One follows the other. The order of the two is unchangeable. The second does not come before the first. Their order displays conformity to, then confidence in, the Divine will and way. Their acceptance is inexhaustible.
It means receiving all from God and returning all to God. Since Christ is “God’s Amen,” in receiving and believing in Him, we are saying our best and most profound “Hallelujah!”
Francis Mason Pastor Mason