이집트에서 2박 3일, 요르단에서 3박 4일, 이스라엘에서 4박 5일을 다녀온 이번 여행의 부제는 “광야에서 가나안으로” 였습니다. 먼저 함께 한 분들과 위해서 기도해 주신 성도들에게 감사하고 싶습니다. UBC(울산방송)가 주관한 ‘울산교회 정근두 목사와 함께하는 이스라엘 문화탐방’(ubc, 울산방송)을 위해 함께한 울산교회 성도들은 모두 23명이고, 타교회에서는 남울산 2명, 새샘 2명, 대영 1명 모두 28명이 교인들이었고, 비교인 참가자 5명과 진행팀 3명이 비교인이었습니다.
이번 일정 중에는 연 사흘 안식일이 계속되었습니다. 금요일은 요르단에서 무슬림의 안식일, 토요일은 이스라엘에서 유대인의 안식일, 그리고 일요일은 우리 기독교도들의 안식일로서 주일이라고 부르는 날이었으니 말입니다. 우리는 갈릴리 바다, 배위에서 주일예배를 드렸습니다. 거기서 부른 찬송 134장과 “당신은 사랑받기 위해 태어난 사람”은, 특히 권, 김 목사님의 이중창은 우리 팀뿐 아니라 그 배의 선장까지 감동시켰습니다. 가이사랴 원형극장에서는 앵콜송까지… 기도는 정천석 장로님께서 인도하셨고 말씀은 누가복음 3:21-22을 읽고 예수님에 초점을 맞추었습니다. 특히 하늘 음성을 통해 ‘사람은 무엇으로 사는가?’란 질문에 대한 대답, 관계에는 사랑이, 사명에는 의미가 중요함을 나누었습니다.
나일강 문명과 메소포타미아 문명에 뿌리를 내린 역사적 종교로서의 기독교를 재확인하는 기회였습니다. 특히 이스라엘 갈릴리에서는 구약의 사건들의 토양뿐 아니라 예수님이 숨쉬고 바라보았던 그 하늘과 바다, 산하와 자연임을 기억할 때 특별한 감동이 있었습니다. 하지만 예루살렘의 소위 성지라는 곳곳은 너무 상업적이고 세속적이며 미신적인 곳들이라서 참 아쉬웠습니다. 그래서 이스라엘과 터키, 두 곳을 모두 다녀온 이들이 초기 기독교 성지인 터키를 더 선호하나 봅니다.
하지만 안타까운 것은 이집트와 이스라엘의 국경 타바에서 일어난 테러였습니다. 게다가 정말 안타까운 것은 단순한 성지순례를 왜곡시켜서 매도하는 국내 언론 내지 악플들이었습니다. 어느 팀도 선교와 관련된 활동을 하지 않았고, 외국 관광객들도 이집트를 채웠고, 국내 타종교인들도 신교 성지순례보다 못지않은 방문팀이 있었지만, 국내언론의 비난이 신교로만 향하는 습성은 이번에도 예외는 아니었습니다. 하지만 그런 와중에도 성도 여러분들의 기도와 격려문자는 정말 감사했습니다. 돌이켜 보면 “아버지 하나님, 이번 여행의 제목이 ‘울산교회 정근두 목사와 함께하는 이스라엘 문화 탐방’ 이니 저를 기억하셔서 순조로운 여정을 주십시오. 순간순간 살아계신 하나님의 선하심과 인자하심을 경험하는 즐거운 여행, 뜻 깊은 여행이 되도록 인도하여 주십시오.”라는 출발한 날 드린 기도를 들으신 하나님을 찬양할 뿐입니다.
With two nights and three days in Egypt, three nights and four days in Jordan, and four nights and five days in Israel, the subtitle of this journey was "From the Wilderness to Canaan." First and foremost, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to all who traveled with us and to the congregation who held us up in prayer. For this "Cultural Tour of Israel with Rev. Keun-Doo Jung of Ulsan Church" organized by UBC (Ulsan Broadcasting Corporation), there were 23 members from Ulsan Church, and from other churches—two from Namulsan, two from Saesaem, and one from Daeyoung—making a total of 28 Christian believers, alongside five non-believing participants and a three-member organizing staff who were also non-believers.
During this itinerary, we observed sabbaths for three consecutive days. Friday was the Muslim day of prayer in Jordan, Saturday was the Jewish Sabbath in Israel, and Sunday was our Christian Sabbath, the Lord's Day. We held our Sunday worship service out on the waters of the Sea of Galilee, aboard a boat. The singing of Hymn 134 and "You Were Born to Be Loved"—especially the duet by Pastor Kwon and Pastor Kim—touched not only our group deeply, but moved the boat's captain as well. At the amphitheater in Caesarea, there was even an encore call... Elder Chon-Seok Jung led us in prayer, and after reading Luke 3:21–22, the message centered firmly on Jesus. In particular, through the heavenly voice, we shared the answer to the question, "What do men live by?"—reflecting on how love is essential to relationships, and meaning is vital to our calling.
It was a precious opportunity to reaffirm Christianity as a historical faith rooted deeply within the civilizations of the Nile and Mesopotamia. In Galilee especially, I felt an extraordinary stirring of the heart, remembering that this was not merely the geographic soil of Old Testament events, but the very sky, water, hills, and landscape upon which Jesus breathed and gazed. Yet, so many of the so-called holy sites in Jerusalem felt disappointing—overly commercialized, secularized, and touched by superstition. Perhaps this is why travelers who visit both Israel and Turkey often find themselves preferring Turkey, the home of early Christian heritage.
Deeply heartbreaking, however, was the terrorist bombing that occurred at Taba on the border between Egypt and Israel. Even more disheartening was how domestic media and malicious online commenters distorted and vilified what was simply a pilgrimage. None of the groups had engaged in proselytizing or missionary activities; Egypt was filled with foreign tourists, and other religious groups from Korea had sent just as many visitors as Protestant pilgrims. Yet once again, the media's habitual tendency to direct its sole criticism toward Protestant Christianity was no exception. Even amid such turbulence, the prayers and encouraging text messages sent by our church members were an immense source of strength and gratitude. Looking back, I can only praise God who listened to the prayer offered on the day of departure: "Heavenly Father, as the title of this journey is 'Cultural Tour of Israel with Rev. Keun-Doo Jung of Ulsan Church,' please remember me and grant us a smooth journey. Guide us so that this trip may be joyful and meaningful, experiencing moment by moment the goodness and steadfast love of the living God."
Met twee nagte en drie dae in Egipte, drie nagte en vier dae in Jordanië, en vier nagte en vyf dae in Israel, was die subtitel van hierdie reis "Van die Woestyn na Kanaän." Eerstens wil ek my innige dank uitspreek teenoor almal wat saam gereis het en die lidmate wat vir ons in gebed gedra het. Vir hierdie "Kulturele Toer van Israel saam met ds. Keun-Doo Jung van Ulsan Gemeente," georganiseer deur UBC (Ulsan Uitsaaikorporasie), was daar altesaam 23 lidmate van Ulsan Gemeente, asook lidmate van ander gemeentes—twee van Namulsan, twee van Saesaem, en een van Daeyoung—almal saam 28 gelowiges, naas vyf nie-gelowige deelnemers en 'n reëlingspan van drie wat eweneens buite die geloof gestaan het.
Gedurende hierdie reis het ons vir drie opeenvolgende dae 'n rusdag beleef. Vrydag was die Moslems se rusdag in Jordanië, Saterdag die Joodse Sabbat in Israel, en Sondag ons Christelike rusdag, wat ons die Dag van die Here noem. Ons het ons Sondagerediens op 'n boot op die See van Galilea gehou. Die sing van Gesang 134 en "U is Gebore om Bemin te Word"—veral die duet deur leraars Kwon en Kim—het nie net ons groep diep geraak nie, maar selfs die kaptein van die boot bewoog. By die amfiteater in Sesarea was daar selfs 'n versoek vir 'n toegif... Ouderling Chon-Seok Jung het in gebed voorgegaan, en na die skriflesing uit Lukas 3:21–22 het die boodskap geheel en al op Jesus gefokus. Deur die stem uit die hemel het ons veral stilgestaan by die antwoord op die vraag: "Waarvan lewe die mens?"—en gedeel hoe liefde onmisbaar is in verhoudings, en betekenis wesenlik is vir ons roeping.
Dit was 'n kosbare geleentheid om die Christendom opnuut te bevestig as 'n historiese geloof wat diep gewortel is in die beskawings van die Nyl en Mesopotamië. Veral in Galilea in Israel was daar 'n besondere ontroering toe ons onthou het dat dit nie net die historiese bodem van Ou-Testamentiese gebeure was nie, maar dieselfde hemel, water, heuwels en natuur waarin Jesus asemgehaal en waarna Hy gekyk het. Tog was baie van die sogenaamde heilige plekke in Jerusalem teleurstellend—veels te kommersieel, sekulêr en deurdrenk van bygeloof. Miskien is dit waarom reisigers wat sowel Israel as Turkye besoek het, dikwels Turkye, die bakermat van die vroeë Christelike erfenis, verkies.
Wat egter diep hartverskeurend was, was die terreuraanval by Taba op die grens tussen Egipte en Israel. Nog meer ontstellend was die manier waarop die plaaslike media en venynige aanlyn kommentare 'n eenvoudige pelgrimstog verdraai en verguis het. Geen groep was by enige sendingaktiwiteite betrokke nie; Egipte het gewemel van buitelandse toeriste, en ander godsdienstige groepe uit ons land het net soveel besoekers gestuur as die Protestantse pelgrims. Tog was die media se gewoonte om hul blaam uitsluitlik op Protestante te rig, ook hierdie keer geen uitsondering nie. Maar te midde van dit alles was die gebede en bemoedigende teksboodskappe van ons lidmate werklik 'n groot troos en seën. As ek terugkyk, kan ek net God loof wat die gebed verhoor het wat ons op die dag van vertrek gebid het: "Here God ons Vader, aangesien die titel van hierdie reis 'Kulturele Toer van Israel saam met ds. Keun-Doo Jung van Ulsan Gemeente' is, dink asseblief aan my en skenk ons 'n voorspoedige tog. Lei ons sodat dit 'n vreugdevolle en betekenisvolle reis mag wees, waarin ons van oomblik tot oomblik die goedheid en guns van die lewende God mag ervaar."