고래 이야기(WHALE OF A STORY)

💙 고래 이야기

 ✝  요나 2:1 - 2:10 

“여호와께서 그 물고기에게 말씀하시매 요나를 육지에 토하니라”[요나 2:10]

마이클이 바닷물 속에 들어가 바닷가재를 잡는 중 혹등고래가 나타나 그를 집어삼켜버렸습니다. 자신을 쥐어짜듯 압박해 오는 고래의 근육을 어둠 속에서 밀어내면서 이제 죽었다고 생각했습니다. 그러나 고래는 바닷가재 잡는 어부는 취향이 아니었는지 30초 만에 마이클을 공중으로 뱉어 냈습니다. 놀랍게도 마이클의 뼈는 하나도 부러지지 않았습니다. 단지 몸 전체에 넓게 자리 잡은 멍들과 굉장한 고래 이야기 하나가 남았을 뿐이었습니다. 

고래에 잡혀 먹힌 사람은 그가 처음은 아니었죠. “큰 물고기” (요나 1:17)가 요나를 삼켰고 그 뱃속에서 3일 동안 있었습니다(1:17; 2:10). 우연히 잡혀 먹힌 마이클과 달리 요나는 이스라엘의 원수들을 미워하여 그들이 회개하는 것을 원하지 않았기 때문에 삼켜져 버린 것입니다. 하나님께서 요나에게 니느웨로 가서 외치라고 하셨을 때 그는 다른 방향으로 가는 배를 탔습니다. 그래서 하나님은 그를 경고하기 위해 고래만한 큰 물고기를 보내셨습니다.
요나가 왜 앗수르인을 미워했는지 이해가 됩니다. 그들은 과거에 이스라엘을 괴롭혔고, 50년 뒤 이스라엘의 북방 지파들을 포로로 끌고 가서 그들이 영원히 사라지게 했습니다. 앗수르가 용서받을지 모른다는 사실에 요나의 마음이 상했던 것은 당연합니다.

그러나 요나는 온 세상 만민의 하나님보다 오직 하나님의 백성 이스라엘 사람들에게 더 충성했던 것입니다. 하나님은 이스라엘의 원수까지도 사랑하셔서 그들을 구원하기를 원하셨습니다. 물론 하나님은 우리의 원수들도 사랑하시므로 그들을 구원하기 원하십니다. 우리 모두 예수의 복음을 들고 우리 뒤에서 불어오는 성령의 바람과 함께 우리 원수들을 향하여 항해해 갑시다.

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당신은 예수님을 따라야 할 사람이 누구인지 아십니까? 
그들에 대한 사랑을 어떻게 키울 수 있습니까?

<예수님, 주님께서 사랑하신 것처럼 저의 원수를 사랑할 수 있는 방법을 보여주소서.>

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[요나 2:1 - 2:10]
1. 요나가 물고기 뱃속에서 그의 하나님 여호와께 기도하여
2. 이르되 내가 받는 고난으로 말미암아 여호와께 불러 아뢰었더니 주께서 내게 대답하셨고 내가 스올의 뱃속에서 부르짖었더니 주께서 내 음성을 들으셨나이다
3. 주께서 나를 깊음 속 바다 가운데에 던지셨으므로 큰 물이 나를 둘렀고 주의 파도와 큰 물결이 다 내 위에 넘쳤나이다
4. 내가 말하기를 내가 주의 목전에서 쫓겨났을지라도 다시 주의 성전을 바라보겠다 하였나이다
5. 물이 나를 영혼까지 둘렀사오며 깊음이 나를 에워싸고 바다 풀이 내 머리를 감쌌나이다
6. 내가 산의 뿌리까지 내려갔사오며 땅이 그 빗장으로 나를 오래도록 막았사오나 나의 하나님 여호와여 주께서 내 생명을 구덩이에서 건지셨나이다
7. 내 영혼이 내 속에서 피곤할 때에 내가 여호와를 생각하였더니 내 기도가 주께 이르렀사오며 주의 성전에 미쳤나이다
8. 거짓되고 헛된 것을 숭상하는 모든 자는 자기에게 베푸신 은혜를 버렸사오나
9. 나는 감사하는 목소리로 주께 제사를 드리며 나의 서원을 주께 갚겠나이다 구원은 여호와께 속하였나이다 하니라
10. ○여호와께서 그 물고기에게 말씀하시매 요나를 육지에 토하니라

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💙 WHALE OF A STORY

 ✝  Jonah 2:1 - 2:10 

The Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. [ JONAH 2:10 ]

Michael was diving for lobster when a humpback whale caught him in its mouth. He pushed back in the darkness as the whale’s muscles squeezed against him. He thought he was done. But whales don’t prefer lobstermen, and thirty seconds later the whale spit Michael into the air. Amazingly, Michael had no broken bones— only extensive bruises and one whale of a story.

He wasn’t the first. Jonah was swallowed by “a huge fish” (JONAH 1:17), and he stayed in its belly for three days  before being vomited onto land (1:17; 2:10). Unlike Michael, who was caught by accident, Jonah was swallowed because he hated Israel’s enemies and didn’t want them to repent. When God told Jonah to preach in Nineveh, he caught a boat going the other way. So God sent a whale-sized fish to get his attention.
I appreciate why Jonah hated the Assyrians. They’d harassed Israel in the past, and within fifty years they’d carry the northern tribes into captivity where they’d vanish forever. Jonah was understandably offended that Assyria might be forgiven.

But Jonah was more loyal to the people of God than to the God of all people. God loved Israel’s enemies and  wanted to save them. He loves our enemies and wants to save them. With the wind of the Spirit at our backs, let’s sail toward them with the good news of Jesus. 
-MIKE WITTMEN

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Who do you know that needs to follow Jesus? How might you increase your love for them?

<Jesus, please show me how to love my enemies as You love them.>

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[Jonah 2:1 - 2:10]
1. Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish,
2. and he said, "I called out of my distress to the LORD, And He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; Thou didst hear my voice.
3. "For Thou hadst cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the current engulfed me. All Thy breakers and billows passed over me.
4. "So I said, 'I have been expelled from Thy sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Thy holy temple.'
5. "Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, Weeds were wrapped around my head.
6. "I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars [ was] around me forever, But Thou hast  brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God.
7. "While I was fainting away, I remembered the LORD; And my prayer came to Thee, Into Thy holy temple.
8. "Those who regard vain idols Forsake their faithfulness,
9. But I will sacrifice to Thee With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD. "
10. Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.