Skip to main content

Heartthrobs

Did you have a heartthrob at some point in your life?

A heartthrob, by the way, is someone who is considered to be an object of romantic desire. The word is also often used in the phrase “teen heartthrob”, referring to a young person, especially a musician or actor, who is the object of teenagers’ romantic affection.

Even the Old Testament seems to have a precursor to that!  Really?  Take a look at what Isaiah said in chapter 60:  “your heart will throb.”

So was this referencing an OT version of a hunky young Jewish man being the heartthrob for all the young Jewish women?  

Definitely not, especially as you consider that the term heartthrob can be used to simply describe a rapid heartbeat. It can also be used figuratively to refer to a passionate emotion.  And there definitely should have been a passionate emotional response to what Isaiah was saying.

“Your heart will throb” is part of verse 5 of chapter 60 which reads as follows:  “Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come.”

The context of the verse gives us an idea as to why their hearts would throb and it has little to do with a heartthrob, as in the object of a teenager’s romantic affection, but it had everything to do with God and His blessings being poured out:

“The splendor of the Lord shines on you” and “His splendor appears over you.” (60:1-2). Splendor here could be defined as “the brightness of His presence”.

“Nations come to your light…” (60:3).  This likely refers to God’s people reflecting the brightness of God’s presence and other nations were drawn to that light.

“Your sons come from far away…” (60:4).  As the Jewish people are drawn to and gathered around the light of God’s presence; this would cause them to “look and be radiant” and would cause their “hearts to throb and swell with joy”.  These were the very passionate emotions they were to experience.

Another aspect of the meaning of heartthrob is this:  “One who is considered pleasing to the senses, often resulting in increased respiration, increased circulation to the face, and a noticeable "pounding" in the chest.”

While that could certainly describe the teenage heartthrob experience, I’m wondering if it should actually be something we feel as we experience the brightness of God’s presence.

 May the Lord’s splendor shine on us so that our hearts will throb in the brightness of His presence!  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Little Words, Big Impact

Sometimes we get caught up in the big words and that certainly has its place.   But, sometimes I think I appreciate the little words even more.   These are one or two or three letters words that can have big meaning and big impact. Take the word “I”.   It is a pronoun that often is used to identify the one who might be communicating.   The communication could be something like “I love you” or “I forgive you” or “I will do that.”   Meaning and impact from a word with just one letter! Take the word “no”.   It can put a stop to things. For example, you could have what you think is a really great idea but if you receive a no, your great idea comes to a screeching halt.   Meaning and impact from a word with just two letters! Take the word “yes”.   It can set things in motion.   For example, perhaps you are in love with that certain special person and you ask that question and they say yes.   Big things are set into motion and yo...
Post a Comment
Read more

Double Entendre

Double entendre:   a word or expression used so that it can be understood in two ways.   For example: Seriously struggle with sin : 1.   Some people seriously struggle with sin.   That is, they see how easily sin entangles and they take their struggle with sin seriously and overcome it. 2.   Some people seriously struggle with sin.   That is, sin easily entangles them and they have serious struggles with sin and they never seem to overcome it. The example is not just theoretical, it is real.   And it is likely that many of us have experienced both over the course of our lives.   But whatever you have experienced, I have some more double entendres that follow a bad news/good news format: 1.   Sin is costly .   The cost is spiritual death.   But we have a Savior who paid the cost with His own life so that we can live spiritually. 2.   Sin has consequences . The consequence of sin is eternal separatio...
Post a Comment
Read more

Flee From/Flee To

If you are going to flee, do it right! What?   Give me a chance to explain! But first, let’s land on what it might mean to flee.   To flee is to run away from a place or situation of danger or evil.   It also means to hurry toward a place of safety. So, here are some possible explanations: 1.   Flee when God tells you: Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt , and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”  (Matt 2:13)   2.   But don’t try to flee from God: But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord . He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord .  (Jonah 1:3)     3.   Flee from danger: For they have fled from the ...
Post a Comment
Read more