20250924 [새벽묵상] 모든 주권이 하나님께 있음을 인정하라 | Acknowledge that all sovereignty belongs to God (롬/Rom 9:14~24)

9:14 그런즉 우리가 무슨 말을 하리요 하나님께 불의가 있느냐 그럴 수 없느니라

9:15 모세에게 이르시되 내가 긍휼히 여길 자를 긍휼히 여기고 불쌍히 여길 자를 불쌍히 여기리라 하셨으니

14 What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! 15 For he says to Moses,

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,

    and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”

9:16 그런즉 원하는 자로 말미암음도 아니요 달음박질하는 자로 말미암음도 아니요 오직 긍휼히 여기시는 하나님으로 말미암음이니라

9:17 성경이 바로에게 이르시되 내가 이 일을 위하여 너를 세웠으니 곧 너로 말미암아 내 능력을 보이고 내 이름이 온 땅에 전파되게 하려 함이라 하셨으니

9:18 그런즉 하나님께서 하고자 하시는 자를 긍휼히 여기시고 하고자 하시는 자를 완악하게 하시느니라

16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden.

9:19 혹 네가 내게 말하기를 그러면 하나님이 어찌하여 허물하시느냐 누가 그 뜻을 대적하느냐 하리니

9:20 이 사람아 네가 누구이기에 감히 하나님께 반문하느냐 지음을 받은 물건이 지은 자에게 어찌 나를 이같이 만들었느냐 말하겠느냐

9:21 토기장이가 진흙 한 덩어리로 하나는 귀히 쓸 그릇을, 하나는 천히 쓸 그릇을 만들 권한이 없느냐

19 One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?” 20 But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” 21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?

9:22 만일 하나님이 그의 진노를 보이시고 그의 능력을 알게 하고자 하사 멸하기로 준비된 진노의 그릇을 오래 참으심으로 관용하시고

9:23 또한 영광 받기로 예비하신 바 긍휼의 그릇에 대하여 그 영광의 풍성함을 알게 하고자 하셨을지라도 무슨 말 하리요

9:24 이 그릇은 우리니 곧 유대인 중에서뿐 아니라 이방인 중에서도 부르신 자니라

22 What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? 23 What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory— 24 even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

                  우리는 어제 11절 “택하심을 따라 되는 하나님의 뜻이 행위로 말미암지 않고 오직 부르시는 이로 말미암아 서게하려하사” 라는 말씀처럼 하나님이 우리를 선택하심이 우리의 행위나 믿음조차도 초월하는 것임을 나누었습니다. 마치 에서와 야곱이 아직 아무것도 할 수 없는 리브가의 뱃속에 아기로 있을 때에 하나님께서 야곱을 선택 하셨던 것처럼 말이지요. 오늘 본문 바로 전 말씀인 13절 입니다. “기록된바 내가 야곱은 사랑하고 에서는 미워하였다 하심과 같으니라” 자 그런데 가만히 생각해보면 한가지 질문이 생깁니다. 하나님이 야곱을 사랑하시는 것. 그건 뭐 그러실 수 있지요. 그런데 에서는 무슨 잘못입니까? 에서가 뭘 잘못해서 하나님께 미움을 받아야 합니까? 자 이 질문을 조금 더 확장해보겠습니다. 구원의 선택이 행위가 아니라면, 즉 선과 악이 기준이 아니라면 하나님의 선택을, 나아가서 하나님을 어떻게 공정하다 말할 수 있습니까? 그렇잖아요? 야곱도 잘못한게 없고 에서도 잘못한게 없는데 왜 야곱만 사랑하시고 에서는 미워하신다는 겁니까? 그런 하나님을 우리는 어떻게 공정하다고 말할 수 있습니까? 자 이것이 오늘의 첫 질문입니다. 오늘은 본문에 나와있는 두가지 질문에 대한 바울의 대답을 통해 하나님의 주권에 대해서 함께 말씀을 나누기 원합니다.

Yesterday, we discussed how God's choice transcends our deeds and even our faith, just as it says in verse 11: "in order that God's purpose of election might stand, not because of works but because of him who calls." This is a powerful truth. God chose Jacob while he and Esau were still babies in their mother Rebekah's womb, long before they had done anything good or bad. And the verse right before today's passage, verse 13, says: "As it is written, 'Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.'"

Now, if we think about this for a moment, a question naturally arises. It's one thing for God to love Jacob. We can understand that. But what did Esau do wrong? What did he do to deserve God’s hatred?

Let’s take that question a step further. If God’s choice for salvation isn't based on our actions, if good and evil aren't the criteria, then how can we say that God is fair? How can we say that God is just? It doesn't seem right. Neither Jacob nor Esau had done anything wrong, yet God loved one and hated the other. How can we call this God fair? This is our first question for today.

Through Paul's answers to two questions found in our passage, I want us to delve into the sovereignty of God.

                  자 첫번째 질문은 제가 이미 앞에서 말씀을 드렸지요 그 질문에 대한 대답이 14절 말씀입니다. 바울이 이렇게 대답하지요. “그런즉 우리가 무슨 말을 하리요 하나님께 불의가 있느냐 그럴 수 없느니라” 자 대답을 했으니 근거를 대야겠지요. 바울은 두가지 경우를 예를 들어 이 질문에 대한 대답을 합니다.

첫번째는 모세의 예입니다.  자 15절에서 출애굽기 33:19 말씀을 인용해서 이렇게 대답합니다. “모세에게 이르시되 내가 긍휼히 여길 자를 긍휼히 여기고 불쌍히 여길 자를 불쌍히 여기리라 하셨으니” 자 하나님께 불의가 없다 라는 명제에 대해 이 말씀이 어떻게 근거가 되는가? 쉽게 이해가 되질 않지요. 한 번 찬찬히 보겠습니다. 여러분 이 출애굽기 말씀을 하나님이 언제 말씀하신 것일까요? 자 모세가 하나님께 하나님의 영광을 내게 보이소서 라고 간구합니다. 그때 하나님이 이렇게 말씀하십니다. 출애굽기 33:17 말씀, 제가 읽어보겠습니다. “여호와께서 이르시되 내가 내 모든 선한 것을 네 앞으로 지나가게 하고 여호와의 이름을 네 앞에 선포하리라 나는 은혜 베풀 자에게 은혜를 베풀고 긍휼히 여길 자에게 긍휼을 베푸느니라” 자 여러분 이 말씀을 하나님께서 그냥 지나가듯이 하신 말씀이 아니지요. 하나님께서 모세에게 당신의 모든 선한 것을 보여주시겠다고 하시면서 말씀하신 것입니다. 무슨 말입니까? 이것이 하나님이 어떤 분인지를 엑기스로 보여주는 말이라는 것이에요. 하나님의 성품, 하나님의 특징, 하나님이 어떤 분이신가? 바로 긍휼히 여길자를 긍휼히 여기시고 불쌍히 여길자를 불쌍히 여기신다고 하십니다. 이것은 첫째로 하나님께 긍휼히 여길자 불쌍히 여길자를 선택하실 권리가 있다는 것입니다. 두번째로는 하나님에게 그 주권이 있는데 하나님께서 그 주권을 긍휼히 여기시고 불쌍히 여기시는데 사용하신다는 것입니다. 이것이 더 큰 비밀인 것이지요. 이것이 하나님의 성품인 것입니다. 자 이제 16절 말씀을 보겠습니다. “그런즉 원하는 자로 말미암음도 아니요 달음박질하는 자로 말미암음도 아니요 오직 긍휼히 여기시는 하나님으로 말미암음이니라.” 원하는 자나 달음박질하는 자처럼 인간의 어떠한 간구함이나 행위로 하나님의 긍휼하심을 받을 수 없습니다. 오직 긍휼히 여기시는 하나님, 그분의 주권만이 긍휼히 여길 자를 선택하시는 것입니다.

The first question, as I’ve already mentioned, is about God's justice. The answer is found in verse 14. Paul responds, "What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means!"

After making such a bold statement, Paul has to provide evidence, and he does so by giving two examples.

The first is the example of Moses. In verse 15, Paul quotes from Exodus 33:19, saying, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." At first, it's not easy to see how this proves that God is not unjust. So let's look closely at the context.

When did God say this to Moses? It was when Moses pleaded with God, saying, "Please show me your glory." God responded in Exodus 33:17, saying, "I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name, 'The LORD.' I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy."

This wasn’t just a casual statement. God said this as He was preparing to reveal His very nature to Moses. What does this tell us about who God is? It is the essence of God’s character. He will have mercy on whom He has mercy and compassion on whom He has compassion. This means two things. First, God has the right, the authority, to choose whom He will show mercy and compassion to. Second, and this is the deeper truth, He chooses to use His sovereign authority for mercy and compassion. This is God’s very nature.

This leads us to verse 16: "So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy." No human pleading or effort can earn God’s compassion. It is only by the sovereign will of God that He chooses whom to have mercy on.

두번째 예는 바로의 예입니다. 17-18절이 바로 그것이지요. 17절 말씀 함께 읽겠습니다. “성경이 바로에게 이르시되 내가 이 일을 위하여 너를 세웠으니 곧 너로 말미암아 내 능력을 보이고 내 이름이 온 땅에 전파되게 하려 함이라 하셨으니” 자 하나님께서 하나님의 목적을 위하여 바로를 세우셨습니다. 그리고 18절을 보니 그를 완악하게 하셨다고 하십니다. 바로의 예를 통해서도 하나님의 주권이 드러납니다. 하나님께서 긍휼히 여기실 자 완악하게 하실 자를 선택하신다는 것입니다. 자 정리하면 하나님께서 야곱은 사랑하시고 에서는 미워하시고, 모세는 긍휼히 여기시고 바로는 완악하게 하시는 주권을 가지고 계시기 때문에 하나님이 불공평하다고 말할 수 없다는 것입니다. 자 그런데 그러면 문제가 또 하나 생기지요. 이것이 바로 오늘의 두번째 질문입니다.

두번째 질문, 그렇다면 바로와 같이 완악한 사람도 하나님의 목적을 위하여 선택받아 완악한 것인데 그의 완악함을 죄있다 할 수 있는가? 하나님이 그렇게 선택하셨다면 인간이 하나님의 뜻을 벗어날 수 없지 않겠습니까? 그게 19절 말씀이지요. “하나님이 어찌하여 허물하시느냐, 죄를 물으시느냐? 누가 그 뜻을 대적하느냐? 어떻게 인간이 하나님이 정하신 바를 바꿀 수 있겠냐” 는 질문입니다. 이 질문에 대한 대답이 20-21절 말씀이지요. 한 번 같이 읽어보겠습니다. “이 사람아 네가 누구이기에 감히 하나님께 반문하느냐 지음을 받은 물건이 지은 자에게 어찌 나를 이같이 만들었느냐 말하겠느냐 토기장이가 진흙 한 덩이로 하나는 귀히 쓸 그릇을, 하나는 천히 쓸 그릇을 만들 권한이 없느냐?” 자 얼핏보면 두번째 질문에 대한 대답을 회피하는 것처럼 보이지요. 그러나 사실 ‘토기장이의 주권’이라는 논리로 윽박지르며 질문을 회피한 것이 아닙니다. 여기서 말하는 토기장이의 귀히 쓸 그릇과 천히 쓸 그릇은 22-24절의 말씀으로 이어집니다. 바울은 토기장이의 권한을 논함으로 하나님의 주권의 더 깊은 목적을 설명하려는 것이지요. 여기서 인간이 하나님께 불평하거나 따질 수 없는 존재임을 명확히 함으로서 이후에 설명할 하나님의 주권적인 행동을 받아들일 수 있도록 준비시키는 과정인 것입니다.

The second example is Pharaoh, found in verses 17-18. Let’s read verse 17 together: "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.'" God raised up Pharaoh for His own purpose. And verse 18 says that He hardened Pharaoh's heart.

The example of Pharaoh also reveals God’s sovereignty. God has the right to choose whom He will have mercy on and whom He will harden. To summarize, we cannot say God is unjust because He has the sovereign right to love Jacob and hate Esau, to have mercy on Moses and harden Pharaoh’s heart.

But this brings up a second problem, our second question for today.

The second question is this: If a person like Pharaoh is chosen by God to be hardened for God's purpose, how can that person be held accountable for their sin? Wouldn't it be impossible for humans to act against God’s will if He has already chosen their path? This is what verse 19 is all about: "You will say to me then, 'Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?'"

Paul’s answer is found in verses 20-21. Let’s read it together: "But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me like this?' Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?"

On the surface, it seems like Paul is avoiding the question. But he is not simply dismissing the question with a show of force. The potter's right to make honorable and dishonorable vessels continues into verses 22-24. Paul uses the potter's authority to explain a deeper purpose behind God’s sovereignty. By clarifying that a human cannot argue with God, he prepares us to accept the seemingly unexplainable actions of God that he will describe next.

그렇다면 그 하나님의 주권적인 행동은 무엇일까요? 22-24절은 앞에서 얘기했던 귀히 쓸 그릇과 천히 쓸 그릇의 예시처럼 진노의 그릇과 긍휼의 그릇에 대해 말씀하십니다. 사실 이는 처음에 얘기했던 야곱과 에서, 모세와 바로의 예와도 일맥 상통하지요. 앞에서 우리는 야곱을 사랑하시고 에서를 미워하시는 하나님이 선하다고 할 수 있는가? 모세를 긍휼히 여기시고 바로를 완악하게 하시는 하나님이라면 어찌 악인에게 죄있다 할 수 있는가? 에 대한 질문을 들었습니다. 이는 모두 하나님의 주권에 대한 인간의 도전이지요. 그렇다면 하나님은 당신의 주권을 어떻게 사용하십니까? 22-23절입니다. 굉장히 긴 한 문장인데 수식어를 빼고 얘기하면 이렇습니다. 진노의 그릇을 오래참으심으로 관용하셔서 긍휼의 그릇에 대한 하나님의 영광이 얼마나 풍성한지 알게 하신다는 것입니다. 무슨 말이냐, 진노의 그릇에 대한 오래 참음이 긍휼의 그릇에게 당신의 영광을 알리기 위한 분명한 목적을 가지고 있다는 것입니다. 우리가 하나님의 주권을 모두 이해할 수 없지만 하나님의 주권이 단순히 하고 싶은 대로 하는 것이 아니라 분명한 목적을 갖고 있다는 것이지요. 그것이 무엇입니까? 바로 하나님의 긍휼하심입니다. 당신의 주권을 통하여 가장 완전한 방법으로 당신의 영광을 드러내시는 것. 그 하나님의 긍휼하심이 가장 영광스럽게 나타난 것이 바로 예수님이십니다. 그리고 그 하나님의 주권으로 선택하신 긍휼의 그릇, 오늘 말씀 24절을 보니 그 그릇이 바로 우리라고 말씀하고 계시지 않습니까?

So what are those sovereign actions of God? In verses 22-24, Paul speaks of vessels of wrath and vessels of mercy, just as he spoke of honorable and dishonorable vessels. This directly relates to the examples we just discussed—Jacob and Esau, Moses and Pharaoh. We asked how God could be good when He loves Jacob and hates Esau, or how He could hold people accountable for their sin when He hardens their hearts. These are all human challenges to God’s sovereignty.

How, then, does God use His sovereignty? Verses 22-23 form one long sentence. Stripping away the modifiers, it says this: By enduring the vessels of wrath with great patience, God makes known the riches of His glory to the vessels of mercy.

What does this mean? It means that God's patience with the vessels of wrath has a clear purpose: to reveal His abundant glory to the vessels of mercy. We may not fully understand God’s sovereignty, but we know it's not random. It's always purposeful. And what is that purpose? It is His mercy. God reveals His glory in the most perfect way through His sovereignty. And the most glorious revelation of His mercy is Jesus.

And who are these vessels of mercy, chosen by God’s sovereignty? Verse 24 tells us that it is us! It is us whom He has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles.

말씀을 맺습니다. 우리는 모든 주권이 하나님께 있음을 인정해야 합니다. 마치 만들어진 그릇이 토기장이에게 왜 나를 이렇게 만들었냐고 말 할 수 없듯이 하나님의 주권은 우리를 뛰어넘는 것입니다. 그러나 우리가 이해할 수 없는 하나님의 주권으로 인하여 두려워 할 필요는 없습니다. 왜냐하면 하나님은 당신의 주권을 당신의 긍휼하심을 따라 드러내시기 때문입니다. 그 하나님의 주권이 가장 잘 드러난 것이 예수님이듯이 우리는 하나님께 우리의 모든 주권을 내어드리고 참 평안을 누릴 수 있습니다. 우리는 긍휼의 그릇입니다. 영광을 받도록 예비하신 긍휼의 그릇이며 하나님의 영광의 풍성함을 알게 하고자 계획하신 하나님의 긍휼의 그릇입니다. 그 은혜를 기억하며 모든 주권이 하나님께 있음을 인정하시는 여러분 되시기를 주님의 이름으로 축원합니다.

In conclusion, we must acknowledge that all sovereignty belongs to God. Just as a clay pot cannot say to the potter, "Why did you make me like this?", God's sovereignty is far beyond us. But we don’t need to fear the sovereignty we can’t understand, because God reveals His sovereignty in accordance with His mercy.

Just as Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s sovereignty, we can surrender all our own authority to God and find true peace. We are the vessels of mercy. We are the vessels prepared beforehand for glory, the vessels God planned to make known the riches of His glory through His mercy. May we remember that grace and acknowledge that all sovereignty belongs to God. In the name of Jesus, I bless you.