17 July 2022
[The Meaning of Life / 삶의 의미]
#강해설교 #열왕기상 #1Kings 19: 19-21 #Hymn찬송가285

열왕기상 19:
19 엘리야가 거기서 떠나 사밧의 아들 엘리사를 만나니 그가 열두 겨릿소를 앞세우고 밭을 가는데 자기는 열두째 겨릿소와 함께 있더라 엘리야가 그리로 건너가서 겉옷을 그의 위에 던졌더니
20 그가 소를 버리고 엘리야에게로 달려가서 이르되 청하건대 나를 내 부모와 입맞추게 하소서 그리한 후에 내가 당신을 따르리이다 엘리야가 그에게 이르되 돌아가라 내가 네게 어떻게 행하였느냐 하니라
21 엘리사가 그를 떠나 돌아가서 한 겨릿소를 가져다가 잡고 소의 기구를 불살라 그 고기를 삶아 백성에게 주어 먹게 하고 일어나 엘리야를 따르며 수종 들었더라

1 Kings 19:
19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth, Elijah passed by him and cast his cloak upon him.
20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”
21 And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him. (ESV)

[The Meaning of Life / 삶의 의미]

The real Christian finds the meaning of life in God’s word and Jesus rather than affections, security, or familiarity in this life.

In the Old Testament all prophets had God’s word and they also were God’s word itself as is Jesus.

When Elisha was called by God’s word he gave up his affection, security and familiarity in his father Shaphat’s house. (19)

Many scholars easily compare v. 20 to Luke 9: 61-62 ‘Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (ESV) that saying good-bye is an obstacle to kingdom commitment. But here Elisha was the entry into kingdom service. 1)
Simply speaking, in viewing Luke 9: 61-62, we Christians sometimes remorse of believing God’s word even though, in viewing v. 20 we started the kingdom of God as God’s word and the meaning of life.

Elisha symbolically discarded his affection, security and familiarity in this life by sacrificing all his assets of cows and having a farewell party with luxurious meat. (21)

Because he really loved God’s word, that was the real meaning of life even though his ministry was simply the personal servant of Elijah.

Guhyun Woo
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1) Dale Ralph Davis, The Wisdom and the Folly (Ross-shire: Christian Focus Publications, 2002), p. 281. Quoting Ellison, The Prophets of Israel, 43.

#강해설교 #열왕기상 #한영예배 #다문화가정예배