Onomaticon: The Amen, Redeemer, Author & Finisher of Our Faith
Author & Finisher of Our Faith
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” — Hebrews 12:2
Chapter 11 of Hebrews contains 40 verses describing men and women of God doing mighty acts through faith in God. Author means that He is the captain, or leader, or even the first inventor of this thing. Some theologians believe this should be compared to one who would judge in the games, as the writer references in the previous verse (and let us run with patience the race that is set before us). He has such great things in store for each of us who is willing to run. He is the one that starts us off on this race, and He will be the one to hand His good and faithful servants their reward.
So don’t get caught up in who’s winning, or how hard it is. Just persevere. Despise the shame. That’s what Jesus did. Even if you feel like the old Alabama mule in the Kentucky derby: “I ain’t gonna win but it shore is good to race.” If this name says anything to me personally, it’s this: He didn’t start you on this race, or this walk of faith, to let you wear down, fall behind, and drop out. He’s got everything you need to endure to the prize—from start to finish.
Redeemer
“For I know that my redeemer liveth” (Job 19:25): This is the same word used in the law given to the Israelites by God. Pronounced Gaw-al, it was a very important concept in the Jewish system. If a land owner fell on hard times, he could sell his land to pay off debts. But his land had been given to him by the Lord and that made it inalienable. Therefore, at any time, he or his next of kin could come to redeem the land or property, with a reasonable payment to the current owner.
The law had not even been given yet at the time of Job. However, this concept of redeemer wasn’t created with the law, but rather this law reflects the nature of God. So Job, through his understanding of God, could prophetically say that He will redeem, or buy back for him, what the enemy has taken. Job had nothing, but His redeemer was alive and that gave him hope.
Today we are much the same. We have nothing in this old world, but our redeemer is alive, and for that we can celebrate. He died, but that was only the delivery of the payment for the goods which we are.
The Amen
“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;” — Revelation 3:14
Here the writer refers (he does this in the beginning of every epistle) to a name or attribute of God. He may have been trying to make an impression in the minds of the receivers of the letter as to the type of God that was speaking to them. Here the meaning of the word Amen is immediately given: “faithful and true witness.”
The church at Laodicea is known for being disgustingly lukewarm (3:16) and the simplicity of this definition of God is perfectly suited for that. It contrasts God, who is totally faithful and sincere, against the lukewarmness which signifies insincerity and uncommittedness.
As is stated clearly in verse 20, God is not sneaky or sly. He is going to be straight up with you, and stand politely at your front door. Perhaps they were given to playing games with God, and God does not do that sort of thing. He is the “Amen” – faithful, true, certain. But as verse 21 shows, He is faithful to those willing to do it his way (as I also overcame) and they will be given a great reward.
Great commentary; insightful and clear.
Your comment, “So don’t get caught up in who’s winning, or how hard it is. Just persevere. ” was a great summation of something I preached last Sunday.
I also liked the way you distilled his MO to “God is not sneaky or sly. He is going to be straight up with you..”
Keep writing.