As we approach Thanksgiving, when families are gathered along with close friends and guests, when the spirit of this special holiday is filling us with relaxation and with sentiments of joy and love, we’ll introduce in this coming month words and phrases that concur with these fine sentiments of kindness, joy and love as we received requests to present such words for some time.
In the next few days we’ll present expressions of love and endearment that we use today alongside biblical expressions.
Today’s expression is a•ha•vat o•lam, everlasting love. A•ha•vat is the construct state of ‘a•ha•va’, love. ‘O•lam’ means ‘eternity’ and ‘world’. This beautiful biblical expression that is still valid in today’s Hebrew (not surprising for an idiom that claims to be eternal) is a depiction of the most committed level of love. This is love that both lasts forever and at the same time encompasses the entire world. Here is a•ha•vat o•lam in the words of the great prophet Jeremiah:
‘Thus says the Lord, The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest. The Lord has appeared to me, far away, saying, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have remained true to you. Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin of Israel; you shall again be adorned with your tambourines, and shall go out dancing with those who make merry’
A point to ponder upon – there isn’t a stronger proof for human short sightedness regarding the future than the common promise among young lovers: ‘I’ll love you forever’. Sadly, most of these predictions/promises barely live the year. We simply lack the ability to foresee what the day brings. In contrast, when God, who can foresee the future, promises everlasting love we better believe it! When he promises this love to Israel in the verse above He surely means it! Believing that God who makes such a promise to Israel would later abandon it for its future sins, crimes and misdemeanors, believes in the wrong God. His words, just like His love are everlasting. Anyone who thinks otherwise may have made haste while shopping for faith and has picked the wrong god.
Recent Comments