Title: You Have to Live!
Still have to live!
Lamentations 1:1-5:22
1. Introduction
These days, our Korean people are shaking. September financial crisis rumors - Dollar holdings drop for 5 consecutive months - Severe current account deficit - Chuseok bonus decreased compared to the previous year - KOSPI index collapsed at 1450 - Continuing rumors of Korean economic crisis by foreign newspapers - Soaring prices - Suicide with pessimism about living expenses - Increase in livelihood crimes, etc. The news of 'Isn't this another IMF crisis coming?' It makes me tremble with anxiety and fear. In the end, the government announced the “Act on Special Cases for Tax Reduction and Exemption of KRW 26 trillion” on September 1, and the Minister of Strategy and Finance of the Republic of Korea stepped forward and said, “In fact, our economy is the worst since the IMF. However, it is not at the level of concern about the IMF. This year's Chuseok seems to be a new Chuseok.
If I look at the current worries, worries, and anxiety of the Korean people in the Bible (the severity of the situation is not even comparable...) Isn't it like I think.
2. The situation of the times of the prophet Jeremiah
We call the prophet Jeremiah “the prophet of tears”. Why? He wept as he witnessed the destruction of the kingdom of Judah and the utter destruction of the holy city of Jerusalem (Lamentations 1:11, 2:1-2). Young people in exile are killed by the sword (Lamentations 2:21) - Old men and virgins are humiliated (Lamentations 2:10) - Young children die of starvation (Lamentations 2:12) - A mother who was always so kind to her children I wept when I saw compassionate women have cooked their own children. And, as the false prophets say, this tragedy will not end in one or two months or one or two years (Jeremiah 28:1-11), but 70 years until the day Israel pays the penalty for its sins (Jeremiah 16:10-13). He wept because of his existential tragedy that he had to declare God's solemn revelation that it would only end after this. During this vacation, as I slowly read Jeremiah and Lamentations during the Bible reading, I knew that his tears were not tears, but tears of blood. Jeremiah was not “a prophet of tears” but “a prophet of tears of blood.”
Jeremiah pleaded with blood and tears to the people who were left on the mainland and to the people who thought it was better to die from all kinds of inhuman abuse, humiliation, and destruction of self-esteem as prisoners of war in the land of Babylon 600 km away (Jeremiah 29:1-14). People of Israel, build a hut even a hut, plow a stony field, boil blood, eat it, and give birth to children! So please, please, please survive! As Jeremiah appealed, Israel lived and survived in such harsh conditions, and is now living as the world's most powerful people in the 21st century.
3. What will we do in these worry-worry-unsettling times?
first. No matter how much the world fluctuates, we can only live by firmly believing in the promises of our living Heavenly Father. *I know my thoughts toward you, says the LORD, not evil, but peace, to give you hope for your future (Jeremiah 29:12) Rhoda (Lamentations 3:33).
And as the prophet Jeremiah constantly proclaimed, *you call me Father with your mouth, but you have actually left me. Return, you rebellious children, and hear the words of our Heavenly Father, “I will heal your rebellion” (Jeremiah 3:19-22) * Let us examine our own deeds (Lamentations 3:40) and confess our sins ( Jeremiah 3:13) We must return to our Heavenly Father.
second. it is right to live On August 27, at Gaehwasan Station on Subway Line 5, I saw a report that a Hong-mo woman (30 years old), with her son (11 years old) and daughter (5 years old), committed suicide by jumping from pessimism to life (3 children in Incheon on the 14th floor) It reminded me of the case of a woman who died after being scattered in an apartment). Oh, what if I did? I would like to. It's really, really sad. But nevertheless not! no! no! I should never have died and should have lived. I believe that's right.
A housewife from a poor family (husband is a drunkard, wife has terminal lung disease, has 6 children) became pregnant again. Now, in this case, should I give birth? Should I have an abortion?
Most people say, “Abortion!” I thought. Then the interrogator said, "You have now aborted the great evil Beethoven."
third. We have to live even if we are in a situation where “anyone sees that it is better to die than to live like this” You must live unconditionally. I have to live in huts and subway stations, sleeping on blankets - fucking - stocks are running low - debts blown away my house - I can't see an exit until the day I die - even if I have to feed myself with rice provided by social welfare organizations
Or, what is the meaning of such a life? Okay, I say yes, but what's wrong with my children? After all, isn't it normal to die once in one way or another? You may think that However, such a human life - pride - human face - mind that can survive without shame - will - unconsciousness - the totality of all that is the real life force. Because it is not the strong who survive, but the strong who survives.
Why didn't the historically smart and proud Israelites not think that way? However, in obedience to the word of God given through Jeremiah, they survived without committing suicide in the extreme situation of all the tragedy. God blessed the surviving Israel with “Jehovah Jireh-Jehovah Rapha-Jehovah Nissi-Jehovah Shalom-Jehovah Chidkenu-Jehovah Shammah-Jehovah Reha” as promised, allowing Israel to enjoy the 21st century that we all see today.