That’s it! Finished! Ended! No More! Go Home! The End! Finis!
No! No! No! No! No! That is not what the word means, and it is not how it is to be used and understood. Any good crossword practitioner knows that it is the answer to 6 Down – ‘so be it’. But is that the same as ‘it be the end’? No, it means ‘make it so!’ (Number One 😄).
Apparently, during the time of the Babylonians, when the king made a decree it was written down by one of the ever present scribes. These written decrees could not be amended or deleted. We see this practice referenced in the account of Esther. Further, we note that when Jesus was led into the wilderness and tempted by the Adversary, His answers were “it is written”, thus emphasising the immutability of God’s word.
Regrettably over the years our religious repetitive use of the word has rendered it as merely the ‘full stop’ at the conclusion of our prayers, or even as a ‘bravo’ for a particular performance 😞. Even when used as ‘so be it’ with prayer, it is often implied that our supplication to God is wishful, as we beg ‘so be it?’ (often appending ‘if it be Your will’ just to cover our doubt).
In the first chapter of Genesis there are seven examples of “God said . . . and it was so”. This was God saying “I declare – So it will be! (amen)”.
Each time Moses confronted Pharaoh, he did not beg God to perform, but took control and made the seven plagues happen as he said it was to be.
In Ezekiel Chapter 37 God tells Ezekiel to ‘speak’ life into the dry bones. Though we usually view this passage as a word of prophecy about future events (foreseeing), we should also discern that it was an opportunity for Ezekiel to wield his authority. Note that Ezekiel does not say “If it be your will O God could you give these bones life”. No! The bones are given life by the declaration of Ezekiel – his ‘so be it’!
In the Gospels Jesus spoke with authority – teaching, casting out demons, healing, and provisioning. It may be claimed that He could do this being ‘the son of God’, but we are told that He was also a man not unlike us. He even admonished us to do likewise in Mark 11:23 – “For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says”. Paraphrased as, ‘If you doubt not, when you command, so be it!’
In the Book of Acts we read of Peter and John healing the lame man outside the Temple. Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6). He did not go into a long sermon about how deserving this man may be, nor did he request for permission to command the man to stand. He spoke, and expected ‘so be it’.
As ‘children of God’, being of the same ‘genetics’ as it were, then we too have the authority to command ‘I say … so be it’. [In religious parlance this can be termed as ‘prophesy’ (profess-eye) – to speak into being, as opposed to ‘prophecy’ (profess-see) – to foresee or foretell.] Having the authority and power to command those things which are not, to be manifested (Hebrews 11:1) can be used to do good, such as healing the sick or casting out demons.
Notably, the ability is never ‘turned off’ and we often bring into being by our words circumstances detrimental to ourselves, others and the world around us. As St James says, “See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.” (James 3:5-12).
Thus our Lord implores us to ‘walk in the Spirit, and not according to the flesh’. Let your ‘so be it’, your ‘amen’, be a command of Grace!