The Book of Lamentations is an acrostic poem that ...

[Anonymous]

The Book of Lamentations is an acrostic poem that begins with the Hebrew letter Aleph (×) in the word "eichah" (×ֵיכָה), which also marks the Hebrew name of the book. "How (eichah) lonely sits the city that once was full of people!" (Lam. 1:1). The sages note that this word "how" (i.e., eichah) could also be read as "where are you?" (i.e., ayeka: ×ַיֶּכָּה), God's first word spoken to Adam after he broke covenant in the Garden (Gen. 3:9). Note that God's question is often our own: "Where are you? Where are you, God? Are you here, in the midst of this tedious moment? Do you know my loneliness, my ache for love?" Yet how many people today live in a state of self-imposed exile from the LORD? God uses our loneliness ("how lonely...") to search our hearts, asking each of us, ayeka – "Where are you?" "Why have you turned away from me and chosen a state of exile?" Our haunting sense of God's absence impels us to seek for him... God awaits our only possible response, "Hashivenu!" -- an imperative for the grace to repent: "You return us (i.e., you cause us to return) so that we may be reunited with you and healed!"

 

[hpetS]

The Book of Lamentations is an acrostic poem that begins with the Hebrew letter Aleph (×) in the word "eichah" (×ֵיכָה), which also marks the Hebrew name of the book. "How (eichah) lonely sits the city that once was full of people!" (Lam. 1:1). The sages note that this word "how" (i.e., eichah) could also be read as "where are you?" (i.e., ayeka: ×ַיֶּכָּה), God's first word spoken to Adam after he broke covenant in the Garden (Gen. 3:9). Note that God's question is often our own: "Where are you? Where are you, God? Are you here, in the midst of this tedious moment? Do you know my loneliness, my ache for love?" Yet how many people today live in a state of self-imposed exile from the LORD? God uses our loneliness ("how lonely...") to search our hearts, asking each of us, ayeka – "Where are you?" "Why have you turned away from me and chosen a state of exile?" Our haunting sense of God's absence impels us to seek for him... God awaits our only possible response, "Hashivenu!" -- an imperative for the grace to repent: "You return us (i.e., you cause us to return) so that we may be reunited with you and healed!"

This is so fascinating how our Lord works out so many details! Details in our lives, details and perfect order in His holy word, details He shows us so we know how much He loves us....God is truly amazing! Lord Jesus I praise Your holy name! Please bless the person who pointed us to yet another aspect of Your greatness!!!

 

[JOE314]

I prayed for this. In Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[Valerie]

I prayed for this. In Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[dcrandjr]

I prayed for this. In Jesus Name. Amen.

 

[hostadmin]

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