20250512 [새벽묵상] 하나님과 함께하는 것이 복입니다 | Being with God is a Blessing (민/Num 22:1~14)

22:1 이스라엘 자손이 또 길을 떠나 모압 평지에 진을 쳤으니 요단 건너편 곧 여리고 맞은편이더라

1 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab and camped along the Jordan across from Jericho.

22:2 십볼의 아들 발락이 이스라엘이 아모리인에게 행한 모든 일을 보았으므로

22:3 모압이 심히 두려워하였으니 이스라엘 백성이 많음으로 말미암아 모압이 이스라엘 자손 때문에 번민하더라

2 Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, 3 and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.

22:4 미디안 장로들에게 이르되 이제 이 무리가 소가 밭의 풀을 뜯어먹음 같이 우리 사방에 있는 것을 다 뜯어먹으리로다 하니 그 때에 십볼의 아들 발락이 모압 왕이었더라

22:5 그가 사신을 브올의 아들 발람의 고향인 강 가 브돌에 보내어 발람을 부르게 하여 이르되 보라 한 민족이 애굽에서 나왔는데 그들이 지면에 덮여서 우리 맞은편에 거주하였고

22:6 우리보다 강하니 청하건대 와서 나를 위하여 이 백성을 저주하라 내가 혹 그들을 쳐서 이겨 이 땅에서 몰아내리라 그대가 복을 비는 자는 복을 받고 저주하는 자는 저주를 받을 줄을 내가 앎이니라

4 The Moabites said to the elders of Midian, “This horde is going to lick up everything around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.”

So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, 5 sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor, who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River, in his native land. Balak said:

“A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. 6 Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land. For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

22:7 모압 장로들과 미디안 장로들이 손에 복채를 가지고 떠나 발람에게 이르러 발락의 말을그에게 전하매

7 The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination. When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

22:8 발람이 그들에게 이르되 이 밤에 여기서 유숙하라 여호와께서 내게 이르시는 대로 너희에게 대답하리라 모압 귀족들이 발람에게서 유숙하니라

8 “Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.

22:9 하나님이 발람에게 임하여 말씀하시되 너와 함께 있는 이 사람들이 누구냐

9 God came to Balaam and asked, “Who are these men with you?”

22:10 발람이 하나님께 아뢰되 모압 왕 십볼의 아들 발락이 내게 보낸 자들이니이다

22:11 보라 애굽에서 나온 민족이 지면에 덮였으니 이제 와서 나를 위하여 그들을 저주하라 내가 혹 그들을 쳐서 몰아낼 수 있으리라 하나이다

10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11 ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’”

22:12 하나님이 발람에게 이르시되 너는 그들과 함께 가지도 말고 그 백성을 저주하지도 말라 그들은 복을 받은 자들이니라

12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.”

22:13 발람이 아침에 일어나서 발락의 귀족들에게 이르되 너희는 너희의 땅으로 돌아가라 여호와께서 내가 너희와 함께 가기를 허락하지 아니하시느니라

13 The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

22:14 모압 귀족들이 일어나 발락에게로 가서 전하되 발람이 우리와 함께 오기를 거절하더이다

14 So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

                  어느덧 광야에서의 40여년이 흘렀습니다. 가나안 백성이 두려워 하나님께 반역하였던 광야 1세대는 이제 대부분 세상을 떠났습니다. 아론마저도 호르산 꼭대기에서 죽음을 맞이하였지요. 이제 새로운 세대가 하나님의 명령을 따라 다시 가나안 땅을 향해 행군하기 시작했습니다. 그런 그들 앞을 가로막았던 것은 백향목처럼 장대하고 상수리나무처럼 강했던 (암2:9) 아모리 족속이었습니다. 그러나 하나님과 함께 하였던 이들은 두려워하지 아니하고 아모리왕 시혼과 싸워 승리합니다. 또 당시에 르바임이라고 하는 거인족의 마지막 후손이었던 바산 왕 옥과도 싸워 승리함으로써 이스라엘은 하나님이 함께하시는 백성임을 만천하에 알립니다. 이 소식을 들은 모압의 왕 발락은 심히 두려워합니다. 그래서 당대에 가장 유명했던 주술사 발람을 고용하여 그들을 저주하려 하였습니다. 그러나 하나님께서 발람에게 나타나셔서 저주하지 못하게 하십니다. 오히려 “그들은 복을 받은 자들이니라” 라고 하시지요. 그렇습니다. 이스라엘 백성들은 복을 받은 백성들이었습니다. 그리고 그들이 복을 받았던 것은 바로 하나님께서 그들과 함께 하셨기 때문입니다. 오늘은 “하나님과 함께하는 것이 복입니다,” 라는 제목으로 말씀을 전하기 원합니다.

Brothers and sisters, can you believe it? Forty long years in the wilderness have passed. That first generation, the ones who let fear of the Canaanites turn their hearts against God, well, most of them have gone on to be with the Lord. Even Aaron, our high priest, breathed his last up on Mount Hor. Now, a new generation has risen, ready to follow God's leading back towards the Promised Land, towards Canaan.

But their path wasn't clear. Standing in their way were the Amorites, a people tall as cedars and strong as oaks, just like it says in Amos 2:9: "Yet I destroyed the Amorites before them, though they were tall as the cedars and strong as the oaks." But this new generation, they weren't walking alone. God was with them! And because He was, they stood firm against King Sihon of the Amorites and claimed victory! Then, they faced Og, the king of Bashan, a descendant of the giants, the Rephaites. And again, with God on their side, they were victorious, showing the whole world that Israel was a people walking hand-in-hand with the Almighty!

Now, word of these victories reached King Balak of Moab, and let me tell you, he was scared stiff! So, what did he do? He hired the most famous spiritual consultant of the day, a man named Balaam, hoping he could put a curse on God's people. But our God is bigger than any curse! The Lord appeared to Balaam and wouldn't let him speak a word of ill will against Israel. In fact, God said, "They are blessed!" Amen! Yes, brothers and sisters, the Israelites were a blessed people, and their blessing flowed directly from God's presence with them.

And that's our message for today: "Being with God is a Blessing!"

                  하나님과 함께하는 복된 사람은 자신도 모르는 사이에 주변 사람들이 자신에 대해 알고 있습니다. 오늘 말씀 1절을 보니 “이스라엘 자손이 또 길을 떠나 모압 평지에 진을 쳤으니 요단 건너편 곧 여리고 맞은편이더라” 이스라엘이 모압 땅을 지배하고 있던 아모리 족속을 진멸하고 그 땅에 진을 쳤습니다. 그리고 그 목적은 요단강을 건너 가나안 땅, 여리고로 진격하기 위함이지요. 이들은 모압과 전쟁을 할 의도가 전혀 없었습니다. 왜냐하면 하나님께서 신명기 2:9에서 “모압을 괴롭히지 말라 그와 싸우지도 말라”고 말씀하셨기 때문입니다. 모압이 이스라엘의 먼 친척, 롯의 자손들이었기 때문에 그 땅을 허락하지 않은 것이지요. 하지만 2절을 보니 모압의 왕 발락은 자신들을 내쫓았던 강력한 아모리인들이 이스라엘에게 진멸된 것을 보았습니다. 그래서 3절을 보니 “모압이 심히 두려워하였으니 이스라엘 백성이 많음으로 말미암아 모압이 이스라엘 자손 때문에 번민하더라,” 극도로 두려워하더라 라고 적고 있습니다. 이스라엘은 모압에 대해서는 아무 생각이 없는데 모압이 오히려 이스라엘에 대한 두려움에 가득차 있는 것입니다. 이것은 모압만이 아니죠. 하나님께서 이스라엘에게 하시는 일을 들을 때에 출애굽기 15:14-15은 여러 나라가 듣고 떤다고 합니다. 블레셋도, 에돔도, 모압도, 가나안 주민도 다 두려워한다고 하지요. 그래서 발락은 당시에 가장 유명하였던 주술사 발람을 고용하여 그들을 저주하고자 합니다. 5-6절 말씀을 보면 발락이 이스라엘 백성들을 어떻게 생각했는지 잘 나와있지요. “보라 한 민족이 애굽에서 나왔는데 그들이 지면에 덮여서 우리 맞은편에 거주하였고 우리보다 강하니” 발락은 이스라엘이 모압보다 강하다고 합니다. 그러나 우리는 알고 있지요. 이스라엘이 강한 것이 아닙니다. 그들이 하나님과 함께 하였기 때문에 강하였던 것이지요. 발락이 말하는 이스라엘은 누구입니까? 바로 애굽에서 나온 한 민족입니다. 그들을 애굽에서 구원하신 분이 누구십니까? 바로 하나님이십니다. 이스라엘의 정체성은 하나님께서 자기 백성 삼으시려고 구원하신 사람들인 것입니다. 하나님께서 그들에게 복을 주셨기 때문에 그들은 40년의 광야 생활을 하면서도 지면을 덮을 만큼 그 수가 많아질 수 있었습니다. 하나님께서 그들과 함께 하셨기 때문에 그들은 복된 민족이 되었고 그들이 인식하지 못할 때에도 이미 주변 나라들은 그들의 이야기를 듣고 두려워하였던 것입니다.

You see, when you're walking with God, you might not even realize the impact you're having on those around you. Look at our text in Numbers 22:1: "Then the Israelites traveled on and camped in the plains of Moab across the Jordan from Jericho." Israel had just defeated the Amorites who had been ruling over Moab's territory and set up camp there. Their eyes were set on crossing the Jordan, on Jericho, on the Promised Land. They had no intention of fighting Moab. Why? Because God had spoken clearly in Deuteronomy 2:9: "Do not harass these people, the Moabites, or provoke them to war, for I will not give you any part of their land as a possession, because I have given Ar as a possession to the descendants of Lot." Moab was a distant relative, the descendants of Lot, so God protected their land.

But look at Numbers 22:2-3: "When Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, Moab was terrified because these people were so numerous. Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites." Moab saw the powerful Amorites, the ones who had driven them out, completely defeated by Israel. And they were filled with fear, deep dread, because of the sheer number of God's people. Israel wasn't even thinking about Moab, but Moab was trembling in their boots!

And it wasn't just Moab. When the world heard what God was doing for Israel, Exodus 15:14-15 tells us, "The nations have heard and tremble; anguish has gripped the people of Philistia. The chiefs of Edom are terrified, the leaders of Moab tremble, the people of Canaan have all melted away." They were all shaking in their sandals! That's why King Balak went and hired Balaam, the most famous curse-caster around. Verses 5 and 6 give us a glimpse into what Balak was thinking: "A people has come out of Egypt; they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I1 can defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed."2 Balak saw Israel as stronger than Moab. But we know the truth, don't we? It wasn't Israel's strength; it was God who was with them!

                  두번째, 하나님과 함께하는 복된 사람은 자신도 모르는 사이에 하나님의 보호하심을 받습니다. 며칠 전 일이었습니다. 그날도 어김없이 차를 타고 교회로 출근하는 길이었는데 반대편 차선에서 오는 차가 갑자기 중앙선을 침범해서 넘어오는 것이었습니다. 다행히 그 정도가 심하지 않아 반대편으로 차를 움직여 피할 수 있었습니다. 그 순간 참 감사하다라는 생각이 들었습니다. 자칫 잘못하면 큰 사고로 이어질 수 있었기 때문이지요. 하나님의 보호하심을 다시 한번 느꼈던 순간이었습니다. 그런데 그 때 이런 생각이 들더라구요. 지금 이렇게 사고를 피한 것 보다 내가 매일 같이 다니는 이 길에서 여지껏 아무런 사고없이 다닐 수 있었던 것이 더 큰 하나님의 보호하심이구나. 내가 알지 못하는 곳에서 내가 평온한 일상이라고 생각했던 당연한 것들이 어쩌면 당연한 것이 아니라 하나님께서 보이지 않는 곳에서 나를 보호하심이 아니었나 하는 생각이 들었습니다. 마찬가지입니다. 6절을 보니 지금 발락은 이스라엘을 어떻게든 모압 땅에서 몰아낼 생각만을 하고 있습니다. 그는 사람 수 즉, 군사력으로는 이길 수 없다는 것을 깨닫고 발람을 통하여 영적 전쟁을 하려 한 것이지요. 그는 발람이 저주를 하면 이스라엘이 저주를 받을 것이라 확신하고 있었습니다. “그대가 저주하는 자는 저주를 받을 줄을 내가 앎이니라” 확신 정도가 아니지요. 기정 사실처럼 받아들이고 있었던 것입니다. 오죽하면 발락이 모압과 미디안 장로들에게 복채를 들려서 600킬로미터가 넘는 거리, 대략 편도 20일 이상 걸리는 발람에게 보냈겠습니까? 그도 그럴 것이 발람이 얼마나 영험함으로 유명했냐면 팔레스타인 지역에서 출토된 기원전 9세기 경의 비문에서도 그의 이름이 발견될 정도입니다. 비문의 기록에 의하면 요단 동편의 유명한 점쟁이이며 꿈을 통해 신탁을 받는 예언자였습니다. 그가 대단히 영험한 사람이라는 것은 오늘 말씀을 통해서도 알 수 있지요. 9절에 보니 제사장도 선지자도 아닌 그에게 하나님이 임하셔서 말씀하지 않으십니까? 하나님께서 질문하십니다. “너와 함께 있는 이 사람들이 누구냐?” 그리고 발람의 대답을 들은 하나님께서 12절에서 이렇게 말씀하시지요 “그들과 함께 가지도 말고 그 백성을 저주하지도 말라 그들은 복을 받은 자들이니라” 13절을 보니 발람이 아침에 일어나 말합니다. “여호와께서 내가 너희와 함께 가기를 허락하지 아니하시느니라” 그러나 가만히 생각하면 이상합니다. 정말 발람이 영험하기 때문에 하나님께서 그에게 나타나셨던 것일까? 하나님께서는 분명히 출애굽기 22:18에서 “너는 무당을 살려두지 말라”고 하십니다. 하나님이 무당을 싫어하시는 것은 분명한 사실입니다. 그럼에도 불구하고 하나님께서 그에게 나타나셨던 것은 이유가 있습니다. 바로 당신의 백성을 보호하시기 위해서 였던 것입니다. 그래서 하나님께서는 점쟁이 발람에게까지 나타나셔서 그에게 명령하신 것입니다. 하나님의 백성은 복을 받은 자들입니다. 그들은 그들이 알지도 못하는 사이에 하나님의 보호하심 아래에 있는 것입니다.

Brothers and sisters, think about your own lives for a moment. How many times have you journeyed down a road, and you arrived safely, without a single incident? Maybe you just chalked it up to luck, or careful driving. But could it be that there was a greater protection at work? In those unseen moments, in what we consider our normal, everyday lives, isn't it possible that God was there, shielding us, watching over us in ways we didn't even realize?

That's what was happening with Israel. Here was Balak, desperate to drive them out of his land. He knew he couldn't win with his army alone, so he tried to wage a spiritual war through Balaam's curses. He was convinced that if Balaam cursed them, they would be cursed. He said, "for I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed." He wasn't just hoping; he believed it as a fact! Why else would Balak and the elders of Moab and Midian travel all those miles, carrying payment, a journey that would have taken over 20 days each way, to find Balaam?

Because Balaam had a reputation! Archaeological findings in Palestine, dating back to the 9th century BC, even mention his name. These inscriptions describe him as a renowned seer from the eastern side of the Jordan River, a prophet who received divine messages through dreams. This wasn't just some local fortune teller; this was a man known far and wide for his spiritual power.

And we see that in our scripture today. In Numbers 22:9, God Himself comes to Balaam, a man who wasn't a priest or a prophet in the traditional sense. God asks him, "Who are these men with you?" And after hearing Balaam's reply, God gives a clear command in verse 12: "Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed." Then, in verse 13, Balaam tells Balak's messengers, "The Lord has refused to let me go with you."

Now, think about this for a moment. Why would God, who clearly commanded in Exodus 22:18, "Do not allow a sorceress to live," appear to a diviner like Balaam? God detests witchcraft and sorcery. Yet, He appeared to Balaam for a reason: to protect His chosen people! God Himself intervened, speaking even to this pagan seer, to ensure the safety and blessing of His children. Brothers and sisters, God's people are blessed! They are under His protection, often in ways they don't even know.

                  말씀을 맺습니다. 하나님과 함께하는 것이 복입니다. 우리가 하나님을 떠나지 않고 늘 하나님과 가까이 한다면. 하나님께서 우리의 삶의 주인 되신다면. 우리가 늘 하나님을 생각하며 산다면, 여러분은 복있는 사람입니다. 여러분이 알지도 못하는 사이에 사람들은 하나님께서 여러분과 함께하시는 것을 보게 될 것입니다. 여러분이 알지도 못하는 사이에 여러분은 하나님의 보호하심 아래에 계실 것입니다. 우리가 때로 넘어지고 연약하여 범죄할지라도 하나님을 찾으십시오. 하나님을 붙들고 살아가십시오. 하나님과 함께하는 것이 복인 줄 믿습니다. 오늘도 하나님과 함께하시는 여러분 되시기를 축복합니다.

In closing, let me say it again: being with God is a blessing. If we stay close to Him, if we let Him be the Lord of our lives, if we keep our minds fixed on Him, then you are a blessed person! Without you even realizing it, people around you will see God's presence in your life. Without you even knowing it, you are under His mighty protection. Even when we stumble, when we are weak and fall into sin, let us turn back to God. Let us cling to Him and live our lives with Him. I believe with all my heart that being with God is a blessing. May each and every one of you walk with God today and experience His abundant blessings. Amen.