Do We Say “Amen” to God’s Commands?

“Amen” is a word that we don’t always think much about, but it means more than “the prayer is over”—it actually carries a meaning of truth or assent. When we use it at the end of a prayer, what we are really doing is expressing our agreement with the words of the prayer. When someone else is leading the prayer, that is a way for me to join in and echo his words; when it is my own, it serves as a form of emphasis.

Another way we say amen is in response to a speaker’s assertion: the preacher makes a point that resonates with you, and so you say “amen”. The same can also be done in a private conversation. Either way, the function here is very similar. I agree with what was said and I want to vocalize that agreement. 

 

There’s a striking account in Deuteronomy 27 where this word takes center stage. It paints a picture of a powerful moment in the wilderness but also teaches us something about our relationship with God and His covenant. 

 

Keep silent and listen. “Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the LORD your God. You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today” (Deut. 27:9-10).

 

Moses is nearing the end of his life, and one can only imagine his thought process regarding the people of Israel. They have had such difficulty in the wilderness with many failures and times they have disobeyed God. Without Moses leading them, will they remain God’s people and enter the land of promise? It’s a real concern, so Moses gets their attention for a serious reminder.

 

“This day” they have become the people of God—but weren’t they already? Of course they were. This serves as a covenant renewal, which is something that we see periodically throughout the Bible. It’s a way of rededicating themselves in anticipation of a great challenge ahead or after a period of failure. In this case, both are true. The people need greater commitment to the covenant if they hope to be successful. Their track record is spotty at best and it won’t be getting any easier to serve God as they prepare to enter the land. 

 

Amen to the blessings and curses. Moses then instructs the people how to renew the covenant when they enter Canaan. They should assemble half of the tribes on Mount Gerizim and half on Mount Ebal (which face each other). The Levites then call out various curses and blessings from the covenant. After each one, all the people were to express their agreement with an amen. 

 

The list starts with many curses but expands as we keep reading into chapter 28. In fact, when they followed these instructions in Joshua 8, it says that they read “all the words of the law” (Josh. 8:34). By doing it this way, the people’s role was no longer to be mere passive listeners. They took an active role in assenting to each and every command that God gave them. 

 

Can you imagine being in the crowd on one of those mountains? With every curse and every blessing, you add your voice to the chorus of people giving their agreement. This must have been a sobering and unifying event for the Israelites. 

 

Our assent. What does this teach us about our covenant with God today? It certainly gives precedent for  an amen during a sermon or in response to a prayer, but it does something more as well. It shows us what God desires from us. It is sometimes said that the Mosaic covenant was one of ceremony and ritual while the new covenant is one of obedience and love. I don’t think that is an accurate portrayal of the differences between the covenants. God has always wanted the hearts and minds of His people. Mere lip service has never been enough for Him. 

 

In one sense, our assent to God’s laws doesn’t really change much. We don’t have the ability to opt out of God’s covenant with us because we are not on equal footing with Him. He dictates the terms and sets the consequences for obedience and rebellion. But in another sense, our “amen” changes so much about our attitude. We profess our faith in a God that we don’t directly see. We trust Him even when we don’t understand every detail. We obey even when we would make a different choice if it were left up to us. 

 

This is best seen in the assent to the curses. Why would I ever enthusiastically give an amen to God’s declaration of how He will punish me if I disobey Him? It’s because I know that what He says is righteous and that His very nature is righteous! Everything that is against Him deserves to be destroyed. I hate everything that rebels against God, even if it is within me. And so, I bend my will to God. He is worthy.  He reigns forever and ever. Let all the people say, “Amen!”