20250528 [새벽묵상] 약속의 엄중함과 보호자의 역할 | The Gravity of Vows and the Role of the Protector (민/Num 30:1~16)

30:1 모세가 이스라엘 자손 지파의 수령들에게 말하여 이르되 여호와의 명령이 이러하니라

30:2 사람이 여호와께 서원하였거나 결심하고 서약하였으면 깨뜨리지 말고 그가 입으로 말한 대로 다 이행할 것이니라

1 Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: “This is what the Lord commands: 2 When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.

30:3 또 여자가 만일 어려서 그 아버지 집에 있을 때에 여호와께 서원한 일이나 스스로 결심하려고 한 일 있다고 하자

30:4 그의 아버지가 그의 서원이나 그가 결심한 서약을 듣고도 그에게 아무 말이 없으면 그의 모든 서원을 행할 것이요 그가 결심한 서약을 지킬 것이니라

30:5 그러나 그의 아버지가 그것을 듣는 날에 허락하지 아니하면 그의 서원과 결심한 서약을 이루지 못 할 것이니 그의 아버지가 허락하지 아니하였은즉 여호와께서 사하시리라

3 “When a young woman still living in her father’s household makes a vow to the Lord or obligates herself by a pledge 4 and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. 5 But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the Lord will release her because her father has forbidden her.

30:6 또 혹시 남편을 맞을 때에 서원이나 결심한 서약을 경솔하게 그의 입술로 말하였으면

30:7 그의 남편이 그것을 듣고 그 듣는 날에 그에게 아무 말이 없으면 그 서원을 이행할 것이요 그가 결심한 서약을 지킬 것이니라

30:8 그러나 그의 남편이 그것을 듣는 날에 허락하지 아니하면 그 서원과 결심하려고 경솔하게 입술로 말한 서약은 무효가 될 것이니 여호와께서 그 여자를 사하시리라

6 “If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself 7 and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. 8 But if her husband forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the Lord will release her.

30:9 과부나 이혼 당한 여자의 서원이나 그가 결심한 모든 서약은 지킬 것이니라

9 “Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her.

30:10 부녀가 혹시 그의 남편의 집에서 서원을 하였다든지 결심하고 서약을 하였다 하자

30:11 그의 남편이 그것을 듣고도 아무 말이 없고 금하지 않으면 그 서원은 다 이행할 것이요 그가 결심한 서약은 다 지킬 것이니라

30:12 그러나 그의 남편이 그것을 듣는 날에 무효하게 하면 그 서원과 결심한 일에 대하여 입술로 말한 것을 아무 것도 이루지 못하나니 그의 남편이 그것을 무효하게 하였은즉 여호와께서 그 부녀를 사하시느니라

30:13 모든 서원과 마음을 자제하기로 한 모든 서약은 그의 남편이 그것을 지키게도 할 수 있고 무효하게도 할 수 있으니

30:14 그의 남편이 여러 날이 지나도록 말이 없으면 아내의 서원과 스스로 말이 없으면 아내의 서원과 스스로 결심한 일을 지키게 하는 것이니 이는 그가 그것을 들을 때에 그의 아내에게 아무 말도 아니하였음으로 지키게 됨이니라

30:15 그러나 그의 남편이 들은 지 얼마 후에 그것을 무효하게 하며 그가 아내의 죄를 담당할 것이니라

10 “If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath 11 and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. 12 But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the Lord will release her. 13 Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. 15 If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he must bear the consequences of her wrongdoing.”

30:16 이는 여호와께서 모세에게 명령하신 규례니 남편이 아내에게, 아버지가 자기 집에 있는 어린 딸에 대한 것이니라

16 These are the regulations the Lord gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living at home.

                  오늘 말씀을 보시면서 조금 의아하실 수 있을 것 같습니다. 분명히 주말부터 어제까지 각 절기에 따른 제사법에 대해서 말씀을 하셨잖아요? 그런데 오늘은 갑자기 서원에 대해서 말씀을 하시네요? 아니 사실 오늘 말씀 뿐만이 아니지요. 민수기의 내용이 어쩔 때는 이야기 책처럼 서사가 나오다가 갑자기 인구조사가 나오고 부동산 관련된 얘기가 나오는가 싶더니 갑자기 분위기가 바뀌어서 오늘 말씀처럼 각종 규례가 나오고 무척 다양한 장르가 한 책 안에 있습니다. 이것은 민수기가 단순한 이야기 책이 아니라는 것을 보여줍니다. 이들이 약속의 땅으로 들어가는 과정에서 필요한 것들을 하나님께서 다방면으로 알려주시고 계시는 것이지요. 오늘 말씀의 서원과 서약에 대한 규례 또한 마찬가지입니다. 사실 오늘의 말씀은 어제의 말씀과 한 묶음이기도 해요. 왜냐하면 어제 말씀 마지막 구절 29:39을 보면 이렇게 말씀하고 계십니다. “너희가 이 절기를 당하거든 여호와께 이같이 드릴지니” 자 여기까지는 각 절기에 따른 제사법이었지요. 그런데 그 다음을 보시면 “이는 너희의 서원제나 낙헌제로 드리는 번제, 소제, 전제, 화목제 외에 드릴 것이니라.” 하나님께서 각 절기에 따른 제사 뿐만 아니라 이들이 개인적으로 드리는 서원제와 낙헌제를 언급하세요. 낙헌제는 즐거운 마음으로 하나님께 원하는 대로 드리는 제물이라 특별한 설명이 필요 없는데 하나님께 약속을 하는 서원제는 설명이 좀 더 필요한 것이지요. 하나님과 하는 약속이기에 그에 따른 엄중함과 또 주의해야 할 점을 알려주시는 것입니다. 오늘은 약속의 엄중함과 보호자의 역할이라는 제목으로 말씀을 전하기 원합니다.

As you open your Bibles to today's passage, you might be a little surprised. Weren't we just talking about the various sacrificial laws related to the festivals from this past weekend? And now, all of a sudden, we're talking about vows? It's true, the book of Numbers is quite varied. Sometimes it reads like a narrative, then we get a census, then some real estate discussions, and then, like today, a sudden shift to various ordinances. This tells us that Numbers isn't just a simple storybook. It's God, in His infinite wisdom, providing His people with everything they needed in multifaceted ways as they journeyed toward the Promised Land.

Today's regulations concerning vows and pledges are no different. In fact, today's passage is really an extension of yesterday's. Look at the last verse of chapter 29, verse 39: "‘These are the offerings you are to present to the Lord at your appointed festivals.’" Up to this point, it was all about the festival sacrifices. But then it continues, "‘in addition to your offerings for vows and freewill offerings and your burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings and fellowship offerings.’" God mentions not only the festival sacrifices but also their personal vows and freewill offerings. While freewill offerings are simply gifts given cheerfully to God with no strings attached, vows—those promises made to God—require more explanation. Because they are promises made to God, there's a certain gravity to them, and they come with warnings and important guidelines. So today, I want us to consider the gravity of vows and the vital role of the protector.

                  자 첫번째, 서원의 엄중함에 대해서 이야기하기 원합니다. 오늘 서원에 대한 말씀을 하실 때 대전제가 있지요. 그것이 바로 2절 말씀입니다. 함께 읽겠습니다. “사람이 여호와께 서원하였거나 결심하고 서약하였으면 깨뜨리지 말고 그가 입으로 말한 대로 다 이행할 것이니라” 이것이 오늘 본문 전체의 대전제입니다. 짧은 한 절의 말씀이지만 히브리어 원어로 보면 깊은 의미가 있습니다. 하나님과의 약속은 단순한 말이 아니라 반드시 지켜야 할 신성한 의무임을 강조하고 있기 때문입니다. 여기서 서원하였거나. 결심하고. 서약하였으면. 이 단어 하나하나가 모두 같은 말을 반복함으로서 강조를 하고 있습니다. 무슨 말씀이냐면, “마치 꿈을 꾸다” 라고 이야기하면 꿈이라는 말을 두 번 반복하지 않습니까? 똑같아요. 서원을 서원하다. 속박을 속박하다. 맹세를 맹세하다. 모두 두 번씩 같은 말을 반복하고 있습니다. 무슨 말입니까? 하나님 앞에서 입으로 말한 것은 반드시 지켜야 한다는 것입니다. 서원이 무엇입니까? 하나님께 조건을 거는거에요. 하나님께서 이렇게 이렇게 해주시면 내가 이렇게 이렇게 하겠습니다. 저희가 아는 성경 인물 중에 가장 좋은 예가 누가 있을까요? 네 그렇습니다. 사무엘 상의 한나의 기도가 여기에 해당하겠지요. “주의 여종에게 아들을 주시면 내가 평생에 그를 여호와께 드리고.” 하나님께서 한나가 서원한대로 사무엘을 주시시 않습니까? 그러자 한나가 사무엘이 젖을 떼자마자 그를 제사장 엘리에게 주며 한말이 이것입니다. 삼상 1:28 “그러므로 나도 그를 여호와께 드리되 그의 평생을 여호와께 드리나이다.” 이렇듯 서원과 서약은 반드시 지켜져야 하는 것이에요. 신명기 23:21 “네 하나님 여호와께 서원하거든 갚기를 더디하지말라 네 하나님 여호와께서 반드시 그것을 네게 요구하시리니 더디면 그것이 네게 죄가 될 것이라.” 여러분 서원을 깨뜨리는 것도 아니고 서원을 지키는 것을 더디하면 그것을 죄로 물으신다고 하십니다. 맹세, 즉, 서약도 마찬가지입니다. 23:23 “네 입으로 말한 것은 그대로 실행하도록 유의하라” 여러분 이것이 얼마나 엄중한 일인지 얼마나 큰 책임이 요구되는 일인지 그 무게를 느끼실 수 있으면 좋겠습니다. 하나님과의 약속은 엄중한 것입니다.

The Gravity of Vows

First, let's talk about the gravity of vows. When God speaks about vows today, there's a foundational principle at play, and it's found in verse 2. Let's read it together: "When anyone makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate themselves by a pledge, they must not break their word but must do everything they said." This is the overarching principle for our entire passage today.

This short verse carries deep meaning in the original Hebrew. It emphasizes that a promise made to God is not just mere words, but a sacred obligation that must be kept. The words "makes a vow," "obligate themselves," and "pledge" are all repetitions of similar concepts, creating a strong emphasis. What does this mean? It means that when you speak something with your mouth before God, you are absolutely bound to it. What is a vow? It's like making a conditional promise to God: "If You do such and such, then I will do such and such."

Can you think of a good example of this in the Bible? Yes, that's right, Hannah's prayer in 1 Samuel. She vowed, "Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life" (1 Samuel 1:11). And what did God do? He granted Hannah's vow, giving her Samuel. And as soon as Samuel was weaned, Hannah brought him to the priest Eli, saying in 1 Samuel 1:28, "So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” This is how serious vows and pledges are—they must be kept.

Deuteronomy 23:21 warns us, "If you make a vow to the Lord your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the Lord your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin1 if you do not pay it." Friends, it’s not just breaking a vow that makes you guilty of sin; it’s even being slow to fulfill it! And pledges, or oaths, are no different. Deuteronomy 23:23 reminds us, "Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the Lord your God with your own mouth."2 I pray that you feel the immense weight and responsibility involved in these matters. Promises made to God are indeed grave.

                  두번째, 서원과 맹세란 이렇게 엄중한 일이기에 보호자의 역할이 너무 중요합니다. 그래서 오늘 말씀 3절부터 16절까지는 전부 여성을 어떻게 보호 할 것인가에 대한 이야기입니다. 사실 여성 뿐만이 아닙니다. 2절에서 말하고 있는 ‘사람’이란 20세 이상 남성을 의미합니다. 마치 영어로 man이라고 하면 남성과 여성, 즉, 사람 전체를 가르키는 것과 같은 용법이지요. 그 말인즉 성인이 되지 않은 남자 아이도 보호의 대상이었을 것이라는 말입니다. 그 예로 현대 유대인 랍비들은 오늘 본문의 규정들을 성인식을 치르지 않은 남자 아이에게도 적용시키고 있습니다. 그렇다면 이것은 단순히 여성을 차별하는 것이 아니라는 것입니다. 서원과 맹세란 너무나 엄중한 일이기에 누군가 책임을 져야 하는데 그 책임을 지는 것이 바로 보호자라는 뜻입니다. 5절 함께 보시겠습니다. “그러나 그의 아버지가 그것을 듣는 날에 허락하지 아니하면 그의 서원과 결심한 서약을 이루지 못할 것이니 그의 아버지가 허락하지 아니하였은즉 여호와께서 사하시리라.” 뭐라고 하십니까? 여호와께서 사하시리라. 이것이 보호자의 역할인 것입니다. 서원을 하면 엄중한 책임이 뒤따릅니다. 서원을 지키는 것을 더디하는 것 만으로도 네게 죄가 될 것이라고 하십니다. 서원을 지키지 않는다면 얼마나 큰 책임을 물으실지 모르겠습니다. 그러나 보호자가 그 서원을 허락하지 않을 때 어떻게 하신다고요? 여호와께서 사하시리라. 보호자를 통하여 죄가 될 것이 용서를 받습니다. 서원과 맹세의 책임이 보호자에게 있는 것입니다. 그것을 가장 잘 볼 수 있는 구절이 바로 15절입니다. 함께 읽겠습니다. “그러나 그의 남편이 들은지 얼마 후에 그것을 무효하게 하면 그가 아내의 죄를 담당할 것이니라.” 서원한 것은 아내인데 그 죄를 담당하게 되는 것이 누구입니까? 보호자인 남편이라고 하십니다. 서원과 맹세의 엄중한 책임을 보호자에게 물으시는 것입니다. 실지로 보호자가 없는 사람은 오롯이 그 책임을 스스로 져야만 합니다. 9절입니다. “과부나 이혼당한 여자의 서원이나 그가 결심한 모든 서약은 지킬 것이니라.” 무슨 말입니까? 그 책임이 그들에게 있다는 말입니다. 이들은 보호자가 없다는 말입니다. 이렇듯 보호자의 역할이 중요하다는 뜻입니다.

The Vital Role of the Protector

Second, because vows and pledges are so serious, the role of the protector is incredibly important. That's why verses 3 through 16 are entirely devoted to how women are to be protected. In fact, it's not just women. The word "anyone" in verse 2, in the original context, refers to adult males, much like "man" in English can refer to all humanity. This implies that even male children who had not reached adulthood were under the care of a protector. As an example, modern Jewish rabbis apply today's regulations to boys who haven't had their bar mitzvah.

So, this isn't simply about discriminating against women. It means that because vows and pledges are so incredibly serious, someone needs to bear the responsibility for them, and that responsibility falls on the protector. Let's look at verse 5 together: "But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she has obligated herself will stand. The Lord will forgive her because her father did not let her make them." What does it say? "The Lord will forgive her." This is the role of the protector.

When you make a vow, a serious responsibility follows. We just heard that even being slow to keep a vow can make you guilty of sin. Imagine the weighty responsibility if a vow isn't kept at all! Yet, when a protector forbids a vow, what happens? "The Lord will forgive her." Through the protector, what would have been sin is forgiven. The responsibility for the vow and the pledge rests with the protector.

We see this most clearly in verse 15. Let's read it together: "If her husband nullifies them any time after he hears about them, he will be held accountable for her wrongdoing." The vow was made by the wife, but who bears the responsibility for her wrongdoing? The protector, her husband. The severe responsibility of vows and pledges is placed on the protector.

Indeed, those without a protector had to bear the responsibility entirely on their own. Look at verse 9: "Any vow or obligation a widow or divorced woman makes will be binding on her." What does this mean? It means the responsibility was theirs alone. They had no protector. This highlights just how important the role of the protector truly is.

                  말씀을 맺습니다. 오늘의 말씀은 서원제를 드릴 때에 주의 할 점에 대해서 전하고 있습니다. 서원과 맹세란 엄중한 것이며 하나님께서 반드시 그 책임을 물으시는 일입니다. 그렇기 때문에 보호자의 역할이 그만큼 중요합니다. 보호자가 어떻게 하느냐에 따라 하나님의 사하심을 입을 수도 있고 죄를 담당하게 될 수도 있습니다. 그렇다면 여러분, 우리의 보호자가 누구십니까? 바로 예수님이십니다. 우리가 하나님과의 약속을 어겼을 때에 우리 대신 죄를 담당하시고 우리로 하나님의 죄 사하심을 입을 수 있도록 하신 분이 바로 예수님이십니다. 우리의 신랑되신 예수님께서 우리의 보호자 되십니다. 우리는 보호자가 없는 혼자 된 사람들이 아닙니다. 죄인된 우리를 위해 하나님께 완전한 제사를 드리신 예수님께서 우리의 보호자 되십니다. 그 주님을 의지하며 함께 기도하시기 원합니다.

Conclusion

Let me bring this message to a close. Today's passage instructs us on the vital things to consider when making a vow. Vows and pledges are serious matters, and God will certainly hold us accountable for them. This is precisely why the role of the protector is so crucial. Depending on what the protector does, we can either receive God's forgiveness or be held accountable for sin.

So, who is our Protector? It is Jesus Christ. When we have broken our promises to God, it is Jesus who took the punishment for our sin on our behalf, enabling us to receive God's forgiveness. Jesus, our Bridegroom, is our Protector. We are not isolated individuals without a protector. Jesus, who offered the perfect sacrifice to God for us, who were sinners, is our Protector. Let us lean on Him, our Lord, as we pray. Amen.