Isaiah 57:15 Eternity is a vast place where God lives. The subject of eternity can be both entrancing and off-putting at the same time. It is something that we want to comprehend, and yet something that we fear to explore. I have written a little about the subject of eternity in two prior blogs, which you may be interested in reading, if you haven't seen them yet. They are: From One Side of Heaven to the Other and Chariots of God.
Edgar Allen Poe was a brilliant man, in some ways much like Steve Jobs today. But, he lived in the first half of the 1800's, and only lived forty years. He was a writer, and wrote short stories of invention, mystery, macabre, and poems. He often wrote of characters using opium, and of opium dens, and it was widely rumored that he used opium, though this is disputed. The circumstances of his death are quite mysterious. But, he is most well remembered for his lengthy poem, "The Raven," which I have included at the end of tonight's blog. If you care to read it, just click the line at the bottom to see more.
In the poem, the narrator is mourning the loss of his love, Lenore. Poe did lose his wife to sickness in real life. The narrator of the poem is surprised by a bird... a dark raven that appears on his window ledge and alights on a statue of Pallas, the God of Wisdom. The man had been sitting in his study remembering sadly Lenore when the bird appeared and he took it for an omen, because the bird only spoke the one word, "nevermore," at each of his questions about the future. Revelation 21:4
The poem is an exploration of the idea of eternity and pain without God. Those of us who believe, we have a hope for no more pain. Those who do not believe, can only look for an eternity of emptiness and pain. This is what makes Poe's poem so devastating... the lack of hope for eternity. I wouldn't want to face an eternity of nevermore. I choose the eternity of no more pain.
Edgar Allen Poe was a brilliant man, in some ways much like Steve Jobs today. But, he lived in the first half of the 1800's, and only lived forty years. He was a writer, and wrote short stories of invention, mystery, macabre, and poems. He often wrote of characters using opium, and of opium dens, and it was widely rumored that he used opium, though this is disputed. The circumstances of his death are quite mysterious. But, he is most well remembered for his lengthy poem, "The Raven," which I have included at the end of tonight's blog. If you care to read it, just click the line at the bottom to see more.
In the poem, the narrator is mourning the loss of his love, Lenore. Poe did lose his wife to sickness in real life. The narrator of the poem is surprised by a bird... a dark raven that appears on his window ledge and alights on a statue of Pallas, the God of Wisdom. The man had been sitting in his study remembering sadly Lenore when the bird appeared and he took it for an omen, because the bird only spoke the one word, "nevermore," at each of his questions about the future. Revelation 21:4
The poem is an exploration of the idea of eternity and pain without God. Those of us who believe, we have a hope for no more pain. Those who do not believe, can only look for an eternity of emptiness and pain. This is what makes Poe's poem so devastating... the lack of hope for eternity. I wouldn't want to face an eternity of nevermore. I choose the eternity of no more pain.
The Raven
poem by: Edgar Allen Poe...click to read poem
poem by: Edgar Allen Poe...click to read poem
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