20250723 [새벽묵상] 행동으로 보여주시는 세가지 징조 | Unavoidable Judgment, Enduring Love (겔/Ezk 4:1~17)

4:1 너 인자야 토판을 가져다가 그것을 네 앞에 놓고 한 성읍 곧 예루살렘을 그 위에 그리고

4:2 그 성읍을 에워싸되 그것을 향하여 사다리를 세우고 그것을 향하여 흙으로 언덕을 쌓고 그것을 향하여 진을 치고 그것을 향하여 공성퇴를 둘러 세우고

4:3 또 철판을 가져다가 너와 성읍 사이에 두어 철벽을 삼고 성을 포위하는 것처럼 에워싸라 이것이 이스라엘 족속에게 징조가 되리라

1 “Now, son of man, take a block of clay, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. 2 Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it. 3 Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the people of Israel.

4:4 너는 또 왼쪽으로 누워 이스라엘 족속의 죄악을 짊어지되 네가 눕는 날수대로 그 죄악을 담당할지니라

4:5 내가 그들의 범죄한 햇수대로 네게 날수를 정하였나니 곧 삼백 구십 일이니라 너는 이렇게 이스라엘 족속의 죄악을 담당하고

4 “Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the people of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. 5 I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the people of Israel.

4:6 그 수가 차거든 너는 오른쪽으로 누워 유다 족속의 죄악을 담당하라 내가 네게 사십 일로 정하였나니 하루가 일 년이니라

4:7 너는 또 네 얼굴을 에워싸인 예루살렘 쪽으로 향하고 팔을 걷어 올리고 예언하라

4:8 내가 줄로 너를 동이리니 네가 에워싸는 날이 끝나기까지 몸을 이리 저리 돌리지 못하리라

6 “After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the people of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year. 7 Turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her. 8 I will tie you up with ropes so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have finished the days of your siege.

4:9 너는 밀과 보리와 콩과 팥과 조와 귀리를 가져다가 한 그릇에 담고 너를 위하여 떡을 만들어 네가 옆으로 눕는 날수 곧 삼백구십 일 동안 먹되

4:10 너는 음식물을 달아서 하루 이십 세겔씩 때를 따라 먹고

4:11 물도 육분의 일 힌씩 되어서 때를 따라 마시라

4:12 너는 그것을 보리떡처럼 만들어 먹되 그들의 목전에서 인분 불을 피워 구울지니라

4:13 또 여호와께서 이르시되 내가 여러 나라들로 쫓아내어 흩어 버릴 이스라엘 자손이 거기서 이같이 부정한 떡을 먹으리라 하시기로

9 “Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the 390 days you lie on your side. 10 Weigh out twenty shekels of food to eat each day and eat it at set times. 11 Also measure out a sixth of a hin of water and drink it at set times. 12 Eat the food as you would a loaf of barley bread; bake it in the sight of the people, using human excrement for fuel.” 13 The Lord said, “In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them.”

4:14 내가 말하되 아하 주 여호와여 나는 영혼을 더럽힌 일이 없었나이다 어려서부터 지금까지 스스로 죽은 것이나 짐승에게 찢긴 것을 먹지 아니하였고 가증한 고기를 입에 넣지 아니하였나이다

14 Then I said, “Not so, Sovereign Lord! I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead or torn by wild animals. No impure meat has ever entered my mouth.”

4:15 여호와께서 내게 이르시되 보라 쇠똥으로 인분을 대신하기를 허락하노니 너는 그것으로 떡을 구울지니라

15 “Very well,” he said, “I will let you bake your bread over cow dung instead of human excrement.”

4:16 또 내게 이르시되 인자야 내가 예루살렘에서 의뢰하는 양식을 끊으리니 백성이 근심 중에 떡을 달아 먹고 두려워 떨며 물을 되어 마시다가

4:17 떡과 물이 부족하여 피차에 두려워 하여 떨며 그 죄악 중에서 쇠패하리라

16 He then said to me: “Son of man, I am about to cut off the food supply in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair, 17 for food and water will be scarce. They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of their sin.

                  아이들이 초등학생일때 학교에서 과학 박람회를 한다고 해서 보러 간 적이 있습니다. 저희 아이들도 몇 주 동안 열심히 준비하더라구요. 가서 보니까 아이들이 얼마나 잘 준비를 했는지요. 아이들이 자신들이 맡은 주제를 가지고 프로젝트 보드를 참 열심히 꾸몄더라구요. 각 스테이션을 맡은 아이들이 설명은 또 어찌나 잘 하는지 모릅니다. 그 중에 특히 눈에 띄었던 것이 화산 폭발에 대한 발표였는데요. 한 아이가 아예 화산 모형을 만들었더라구요. 식초와 베이킹소다, 주방 세제등을 사용해서 마치 진짜 화산처럼 빨간색 액체가 부글부글 끓어올라서 넘치는 것을 볼 수 있었습니다. 비록 모형이었지만 실제로 그 과정을 지켜보니 여러가지 말로 설명하는 것보다 더 확실히 기억에 남더라구요. 우리 말에 백문이 불여일견이라는 말이 있듯이 모형으로라도 한 번 보는 것이 백 번 설명을 듣는 것보다 더 효과적인 것 같았습니다. 오늘 말씀도 그와 같은 선상에 있는 것이 아닌가 싶습니다. 하나님께서 에스겔에게 이번에는 말이 아닌 행동으로 이스라엘 족속에게 징조를 보여줄 것을 말씀하십니다. 그들의 눈으로 보는 징조입니다. 매번 들었던 경고의 말씀이 아니라 눈으로 보는 징조는 그들로 하여금 더 효과적으로 기억하게 하고 생각하게 만들 것입니다. 왜 하나님이 이렇게나 다양한 방법으로 그들에게 말씀하시는 것일까요? 그들로 자신의 죄악을 깨닫고 돌아오기를 원하시기 때문입니다. 오늘은 이렇게 에스겔을 통하여 행동으로 보여주시는 하나님의 세가지 징조에 대해서 말씀을 나누기 원합니다.

When my children were in elementary school, I remember going to their school's science fair. My kids worked diligently for weeks preparing their projects. When I saw what they had prepared, I was truly impressed. The children had decorated their project boards so well, and each child at their station explained their topic so clearly. Among them, one presentation particularly stood out: a volcano eruption. A child had built a volcano model and used vinegar, baking soda, and dish soap to create a realistic, bubbling, overflowing red liquid, just like a real volcano. Even though it was just a model, witnessing the process firsthand left a stronger impression than any verbal explanation. As the saying goes, "seeing is believing," and sometimes, seeing something, even a model, is more effective than a hundred explanations.

Today's passage, I believe, stands on similar ground. God tells Ezekiel to show signs to the house of Israel, not through words this time, but through actions. These are signs for them to see with their own eyes. These visual signs, unlike the warnings they had heard repeatedly, would make them remember and reflect more effectively. Why did God use such diverse methods to speak to them? Today, I want us to explore three such symbolic actions God showed through Ezekiel.

                  첫번째 징조는 포위된 예루살렘의 모형입니다. 1-3절은 마치 서론에서 제가 화산 모형을 언급하였듯이 예루살렘 성이 어떤 결과를 맞이하게 될지를 보여주는 모형입니다. 1절에서는 토판, 즉 넓은 흙벽돌에다가 예루살렘 성을 그리라 하십니다. 2절에서는 그 성읍을 에워싸라고 하십니다. 사다리와 흙으로 쌓은 언덕으로 진을 치고 공성퇴등으로 둘러싸라고 하십니다. 이 모습은 영락없이 예루살렘 성이 적군으로부터 포위를 당하고 함락되는 모습을 보여주고 있습니다. 2절에서 반복되는 단어가 있는데 “그것을 향하여” 라는 말입니다. 영어 성경은 원문의 이 단어를 “대적하여” 라고 번역하였는데 개역개정보다 한 번 많은 다섯번 사용하고 있습니다. 하나님께서 얼마나 강한 어조로 예루살렘을 대적하시는지 보여주고 계시지요. 3절에서는 “또 철판을 가져다가 너와 성읍 사이에 두어 철벽을 삼고 성을 포위하는 것처럼 에워싸라” 라고 하십니다. 여기서 말하는 철판은 제사장들의 제사 물품 중에 하나입니다. 그런데 그 철판으로도 성읍을 에워싸라고 말씀하시지요. 이는 하나님이 성읍을 보호하시는 것이 아니라 오히려 포위하는 자의 편에 서서 예루살렘 멸망을 직접 주관하시는 것임을 보여주시는 것입니다. 즉 예루살렘 성의 멸망은 하나님의 심판이라는 것을 보여주시는 것이지요. 바로 그렇기 때문에 이 징조는 보여주신 그대로 주전 586년에 이루어집니다. 하나님의 징조는 가벼이 여길 것이 아닙니다. 반드시 이루어지기 때문입니다.  

I. The First Sign: A Model of Besieged Jerusalem (Ezekiel 4:1-3)

The first sign is a model of besieged Jerusalem. Verses 1-3, much like my introduction with the volcano model, show what fate awaited the city of Jerusalem. In verse 1, God commands Ezekiel to take a clay tablet, a broad clay brick, and engrave a city on it – Jerusalem. Verse 2 then instructs him to besiege it: "Lay siege against it, and build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and place battering rams against it all around." This scene unmistakably depicts Jerusalem being surrounded and captured by an enemy.

Notice the repeated phrase in verse 2, "against it." The English translation uses this phrase five times, emphasizing how strongly God was setting himself against Jerusalem. Verse 3 further commands, "Then take an iron pan and set it as an iron wall between you and the city; and set your face toward it, and it shall be in a state of siege, and you shall lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel." This iron pan was often a priestly utensil. Yet, God tells Ezekiel to use it as a wall, signifying that God Himself was not protecting the city but rather taking the side of the besiegers, directly orchestrating Jerusalem's destruction. This sign clearly conveyed that the destruction of Jerusalem was God's judgment. And precisely because of this, this sign was fulfilled exactly as shown in 586 BC. God's signs are not to be taken lightly; they are bound to come to pass.

                  두번째 징조는 하나님께서 이스라엘과 유다의 죄악을 얼마나 오래 참으셨는지를 보여줍니다. 4-8절의 말씀을 통해 하나님께서는 에스겔에게 이스라엘과 유다의 죄악을 네가 눕는 날 수대로 담당하라고 명령하시지요. 먼저는 이스라엘이 범죄한 햇수대로 390일 동안 왼쪽으로 누워있으라고 하십니다. 이는 이스라엘이 하나님께 죄를 범한 기간이 390년이라는 의미이지요. 이렇게 긴 시간동안 이스라엘은 하나님을 반역해 왔던 것입니다. 유다도 마찬가지입니다. 유다 족속의 죄악을 담당하여 40일을 오른쪽으로 누워있으라고 하시지요. 에스겔이 1년을 하루로 쳐도 390일에 40일이면 장장 14개월 이상을 누워있어야 했습니다. 1년을 하루로 쳐도 이렇게 긴 시간인데 하나님께서 이들의 죄악을 얼마나 오래 참아오셨는지 에스겔의 모습을 통해 그들은 볼 수 있었을 것입니다. 8절을 보니 그냥 누워있는 것도 아닙니다. 밧줄로 묶여서 몸을 이리저리 돌리지도 못하게 하십니다. 이것을 ‘네가 에워싸였다’라고 표현하십니다. 오늘 말씀을 가만히 보면 이 ‘에워싸다’ 라는 표현이 1-8절까지 반복해서 나오는데 그 때마다 예루살렘의 포위를 표현할 때 사용합니다. 에스겔의 밧줄로 에워싸임은 곧 예루살렘의 에워싸임을 뜻하는 것이죠. 에스겔이 밧줄로 에워싸여 움직일 수 없는 것처럼 그들도 이 심판에서 빠져나갈 수 없음을 직접 눈으로 보여주시고 계시는 것입니다.

II. The Second Sign: The Long-Suffering of God's Patience (Ezekiel 4:4-8)

The second sign reveals how long God had endured the sins of Israel and Judah. In verses 4-8, God commands Ezekiel to bear the iniquity of Israel and Judah for a specific number of days, corresponding to the years of their sin. First, Ezekiel was to lie on his left side for 390 days, representing the 390 years Israel had committed sin against God. This indicates how long Israel had been in rebellion against God. The same applies to Judah. He was to lie on his right side for 40 days, bearing the iniquity of the house of Judah.

Even if a day symbolized a year, Ezekiel had to lie down for a grueling 390 + 40 = 430 days, which is well over a year of continuous lying down. Even if one day represented a year, imagine how long God had patiently endured their iniquity! Through Ezekiel's posture, they could clearly see the immense patience of God. Verse 8 adds that he wasn't just lying down; he was bound with ropes, unable to turn from one side to the other. This is described as being "bound by ropes." If you notice the phrase "lay siege" or "surround" used in verses 1-8, it repeatedly refers to the siege of Jerusalem. Ezekiel being bound by ropes symbolized the inevitable enclosure of Jerusalem. Just as Ezekiel was bound and unable to move, God was showing them directly with their own eyes that they could not escape this impending judgment.

                  세번째 징조는 포로생활의 고통이 어떠할 지를 보여주십니다. 첫번째는 부족한 식량입니다. 9절에서 “너는 밀과 보리와 콩과 팥과 조와 귀리를 가져다가” 떡을 만들어 먹으라고 말씀하십니다. 이는 풍족하게 잡곡밥을 만들어 먹으라는 말씀이 아니지요. 온갖 종류의 곡식을 다 긁어 모아야 겨우 한 그릇에 담을 정도가 된다는 것입니다. 10절에서 음식물을 하루 이십세겔을 계량해서 먹으라고 하시는데 이는 겨우 228그람 정도 밖에 안되는 양입니다. 일반적으로 공기밥 한 그릇의 무게가 약 200-300그람입니다. 390일 동안 하루에 그만큼만 먹으라고 하십니다. 11절에 보니 물은 육분의 일 힌씩 계량해서 마시라고 하십니다. 이는 600ml정도 됩니다. 성인기준 하루 수분 섭취 권장량이 1.5L에서 2L입니다. 겨우 죽지 않을 만큼 먹고 마시라는 말씀이지요. 이는 이들이 겪을 식량 부족에 대해서 말씀하시는 것입니다. 16-17절에 그 어려움이 어떠할지 잘 나와있지요. 식량 공급이 끊어져서 그들은 근심과 두려움에 떨게 됩니다. 어떻게든 버텨보려고 그 양을 조절해서 먹는다 하더라고 그들의 결국은 죄악 중에 쇠패하리라고 말씀하시는 것입니다. 그런데 12절을 보니 그 조금의 보리떡 마저도 그들의 눈앞에서 인분으로 불을 피워 구워 먹으라고 하십니다. 인분 불에 굽는 음식은 부정하여 먹을 수 있는 것이 아닙니다. 오죽하면 에스겔이 하나님께 이 것 만큼은 피해달라고 하지 않았겠습니까? 자신이 행동으로 하나님의 징조를 보여야 함을 알면서도 그는 하나님께 스스로를 부정케는 하지 말게 해달라고 간곡히 요청하였습니다. 그런 그의 요청을 들으시고 하나님께서는 인분 대신 쇠똥을 연료로 사용하는 것을 허락하셨습니다. 쇠똥은 당시 빈민층이 사용하던 연료였지만 종교적으로 부정하다고 여겨지지는 않았기 때문입니다. 그렇다 하더라도 그들이 겪게 될 포로 생활의 극심한 기근과 비참한 현실은 바뀌지 않았습니다. 그들이 죄악에서 떠나지 않는다면 이 모든 징조는 그대로 이루어질 것입니다.

III. The Third Sign: The Hardship of Exile and God's Compassion (Ezekiel 4:9-17)

The third sign shows what the hardship of exile would be like. First, it depicts the scarcity of food. In verse 9, God says, "Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt, and put them into one vessel and make bread of them for yourself." This wasn't a command to make a hearty, diverse meal. It meant scraping together every last bit of grain they could find to barely make enough for one serving. Verse 10 specifies that he was to eat this food by weight, about 8 ounces (around 228 grams) per day. To put that in perspective, a typical bowl of rice is about 7 to 10 ounces. He was to eat that meager amount for 390 days. Verse 11 states that he was to drink water by measure, about 20 ounces (around 600 ml). The recommended daily water intake for an adult is typically between 50 to 70 ounces (1.5 to 2 liters). This was just enough to survive, illustrating the severe food shortages they would experience.

Verses 16-17 vividly describe this hardship. With food supplies cut off, they would be filled with anxiety and dread. Even if they tried to ration their meager portions, they would ultimately "rot away in their iniquity." But in verse 12, it gets even more dire: God commands him to bake even that small barley cake over human excrement. Eating food baked over human waste was ritually unclean and forbidden. Ezekiel, despite knowing he had to perform God's signs, pleaded with God, saying, "Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I have never defiled myself." He earnestly requested not to be defiled. Hearing his plea, God allowed him to use cow dung as fuel instead of human excrement. While cow dung was a common fuel for the poor in those days, it was not considered ritually unclean.

Even with this small allowance, the extreme famine and miserable reality of their captivity remained unchanged. If they did not turn from their sin, all these signs would surely come to pass. Yet, even in this harsh command, we see a glimpse of God's compassion for His prophet, and by extension, for His people. He was willing to ease the burden slightly, even as the larger, painful judgment was inevitable.

                  말씀을 맺습니다. 에스겔의 행동을 통하여 보여주시는 세가지 징조는 이스라엘에게 임박한 하나님의 심판이 어떤 것인지를 적나라하게 보여주십니다. 예루살렘 성은 포위 당하여 패망할 것입니다. 이는 이스라엘과 유다의 죄악들이 400년 가까이 쌓인 결과임을 보여주십니다. 하나님의 심판으로 임할 그들의 포로 생활은 필연적이며 고통스러울 것입니다. 그러나 하나님께서는 이들에게 예언으로, 또 행동으로 징조를 보여주십니다. 이들이 잊을 수 없는 방법으로 경고하십니다. 왜 입니까? 에스겔이 이 명령을 들은 것이 예루살렘 패망 7년전입니다. 이렇게 경고를 하시고도 7년을 더 기다리셨습니다. 징조가 무섭고 섬뜩할 수록 하나님께서는 그만큼 이들이 돌이켜 생명을 얻는 것을 간절히 바라고 계시는 것입니다. 하나님께서는 지금도 다양한 방법으로 말씀하십니다. 그 음성에 귀 기울이시는 여러분 되시길 기도합니다.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the three signs shown through Ezekiel's actions vividly portray the imminent judgment of God on Israel. Jerusalem would be besieged and fall. This was the consequence of nearly 400 years of accumulated sin by Israel and Judah. Their captivity, an inevitable result of God's judgment, would be painful and full of suffering.

However, God showed them these signs, both through prophecy and through actions. He warned them in ways they could not forget. Why? Ezekiel received these commands seven years before Jerusalem's fall. God gave them seven more years of grace and warning. The more terrifying and stark the signs, the more desperately God longed for them to turn back and find life.

God still speaks to us in various ways today. Sometimes through clear warnings in His Word, sometimes through difficult circumstances that shake us from our complacency, and sometimes through quiet nudges in our hearts. I pray that each of you will listen carefully to His voice – not just the words, but the actions and circumstances He allows in your lives. May we respond with humble hearts, turning from anything that separates us from Him, and embrace His enduring love and grace.