20251125 [새벽묵상] 철저한 순종이 이끄는 승리와 회복 | Victory and Restoration Through Total Obedience (수/Josh 8:24~35)

8:24 이스라엘이 자기들을 광야로 추격하던 모든 아이 주민을 들에서 죽이되 그들을 다 칼날에 엎드러지게 하여 진멸하기를 마치고 온 이스라엘이 아이로 돌아 와서 칼날로 죽이매

8:25 그 날에 엎드러진 아이 사람들은 남녀가 모두 만 이천 명이라

8:26 아이 주민들을 진멸하여 바치기까지 여호수아가 단창을 잡아든 손을 거두지 아니하였고

8:27 오직 그 성읍의 가축과 노략한 것은 여호와께서 여호수아에게 명령하신 대로 이스라엘이 탈취하였더라

24 When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai in the fields and in the wilderness where they had chased them, and when every one of them had been put to the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were in it. 25 Twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai. 26 For Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out his javelin until he had destroyed all who lived in Ai. 27 But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the Lord had instructed Joshua.

8:28 이에 여호수아가 아이를 불사라 그것으로 영원한 무더기를 만들었더니 오늘까지 황폐하였으며

8:29 그가 또 아이 왕을 저녁 때까지 나무에 달았다가 해 질 때에 명령하여 그의 시체를 나무에서 내려 그 성문 어귀에 던지고 그 위에 돌로 큰 무더기를 쌓았더니 그것이 오늘까지 있더라

28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolate place to this day. 29 He impaled the body of the king of Ai on a pole and left it there until evening. At sunset, Joshua ordered them to take the body from the pole and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And they raised a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day.

8:30 그 때에 여호수아가 이스라엘의 하나님 여호와를 위하여 에발 산에 한 제단을 쌓았으니

8:31 이는 여호와의 종 모세가 이스라엘 자손에게 명령한 것과 모세의 율법책에 기록된 대로 쇠 연장으로 다듬지 아니한 새 돌로 만든 제단이라 무리가 여호와께 번제물과 화목제물을 그 위에 드렸으며

8:32 여호수아가 거기서 모세가 기록한 율법을 이스라엘 자손의 목전에서 그 돌에 기록하매

8:33 온 이스라엘과 그 장로들과 관리들과 재판장들과 본토인뿐 아니라 이방인까지 여호와의 언약궤를 멘 레위 사람 제사장들 앞에서 궤의 좌우에 서되 절반은 그리심 산 앞에, 절반은 에발 산 앞에 섰으니 이는 전에 여호와의 종 모세가 이스라엘 백성에게 축복하라고 명령한 대로 함이라

The Covenant Renewed at Mount Ebal

30 Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, 31 as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses—an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered to the Lord burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings. 32 There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses. 33 All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Both the foreigners living among them and the native-born were there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel.

8:34 그 후에 여호수아가 율법책에 기록된 모든 것 대로 축복과 저주하는 율법의 모든 말씀을 낭독하였으니

8:35 모세가 명령한 것은 여호수아가 이스라엘 온 회중과 여자들과 아이와 그들 중에 동행하는 거류민들 앞에서 낭독하지 아니한 말이 하나도 없었더라

34 Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.

                오늘 본문은 아이성 전투의 최종 마무리와 그 후속 사건을 묘사하고 있습니다. 이스라엘은 하나님께서 주신 매복 작전대로 순종하여 대승을 거두었습니다. 하나님께서 명령하신대로 그 성의 주민들을 모두 진멸하였습니다. 하나님께서 명령하신대로 노략물을 탈취하였습니다. 전쟁에서 승리한 이들은 에발산으로 이동하여 제단을 쌓고 언약을 갱신합니다. 이 또한 신명기에서 명령하신 하나님의 말씀을 따른 것입니다. 에발산에서 낭독한 율법의 말씀에는 축복과 저주의 말씀이 함께 있었습니다. 철저한 순종을 하는 이스라엘 백성에게는 승리와 회복이, 하나님의 말씀을 어기고 헤렘의 대상이 된 아간과 아이성의 주민들은 영원한 무더기 아래에 묻히고 말았습니다. 우리는 어느 쪽을 선택해야 할까요? 오늘은 철저한 순종이 이끄는 승리와 회복 이라는 제목으로 말씀을 나누기 원합니다.

[Introduction]

Today's passage describes the final conclusion of the Battle of Ai and the subsequent events. The Israelites achieved a great victory by obeying God's specific command for the ambush. They utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of the city, just as God commanded. And they took the plunder, just as God commanded.

After the victory, they traveled to Mount Ebal to build an altar and renew the covenant. This, too, was an act of obedience, following the instructions given in Deuteronomy.

The Law read out on Mount Ebal contained both blessings and curses. To the Israelites who demonstrated total obedience came victory and restoration. But for Achan and the inhabitants of Ai, who defied God’s Word and became objects of Herem, they were buried under an eternal heap of ruins.

Which side will we choose? Today, I want to share a message titled: Victory and Restoration Through Total Obedience.

                첫번째, 철저한 순종으로 이스라엘은 승리하였습니다. 24-29절의 말씀은 하나님의 말씀에 끝까지 순종한 이스라엘이 완벽한 승리를 거두는 것을 보여주고 있습니다. 이들은 전투에서 승리하였을 뿐만 아니라 하나님이 명령하신 모든 것을 철저하게 지키고 있지요. 먼저 진멸의 명령입니다. 26절의 말씀을 함께 읽겠습니다. “아이 주민들을 진멸하여 바치기까지 여호수아가 단창을 잡아 든 손을 거두지 아니하였고” 하나님께서 명령하신 매복작전에 순종하여 이들은 텅빈 아이성을 먼저 점령하고 유인책에 속아 넘어간 추적자 들을 포위하였습니다. 이 매복작전의 시작 명령이 바로 단창을 들어 아이성을 가리킨 것이지요. 어제 말씀 18절을 제가 한 번 읽어보겠습니다. “여호와께서 여호수아에게 이르시되 네 손에 잡은 단창을 들어 아이를 가리키라 내가 이 성읍을 네 손에 넘겨주리라 여호수아가 그의 손에 잡은 단창을 들어 그 성읍을 가리키니” 하나님께서 여호수아에게 명령하셨습니다. 여호수아는 이 말씀에 순종하여 단창을 들어 아이성을 가리켰지요. 그런데 이 작전을 시작할 때 들었던 단창을 26절 말씀에 아이 주민들을 진멸하기까지 거두지 아니하였다고 합니다. 24-25절의 말씀을 보니 포위된 추적자들을 모두 진멸하고 아이성으로 돌아와서 남은자들마저 진멸하였다고 합니다. 그 수가 모두 12,000명이었다고 자세하게 적고 있지요. 하나님의 명령이 완전히 지켜지기까지 여호수아는 말씀에 순종하여 그 단창을 거두지 않았던 것입니다. 그 뿐만이 아닙니다. 백성들 또한 하나님의 말씀하신 노략의 명령에 순종하였음을 알 수 있습니다. 27절 말씀을 함께 읽겠습니다. “오직 그 성읍의 가축과 노략한 것은 여호와께서 여호수아에게 명령하신 대로 이스라엘이 탈취하였더라” 말씀이 ‘오직’ 이라고 시작합니다. 여리고성 때와는 다르게 하나님께서 아이성의 노략을 허락하셨습니다. 이 명령을 주신 2절을 일부분만 제가 읽어보겠습니다. “오직 거기서 탈취할 물건과 가축은 스스로 가지라” 이 명령에 비추어 27절 말씀을 읽으면 이스라엘이 하나님께서 명령하신 것을 문자 그대로 지켰음을 알 수 있습니다. 이들은 철저하게 말씀에 따라 순종한 것입니다. 이들이 온전히 순종하였기에 하나님의 심판이 아이성에 임할 수 있었습니다. 28절입니다. 함께 읽겠습니다. “이에 여호수아가 아이를 불살라 그것으로 영원한 무더기를 만들었더니 오늘까지 황폐하였으며” 하나님의 진멸의 대상이 된 아이성은 영원한 무더기만 남도록 황폐하게 되었습니다. 29절의 아이 왕도 마찬가지입니다. 그는 나무에 달려 저주 받은 자가 되었고 마찬가지로 큰 돌 무더기만 남게 되었습니다. 이스라엘의 철저한 순종은 그들을 승리로 이끌었을 뿐만 아니라 하나님의 뜻이 이 땅 가운데 온전히 이루어지게 하였던 것입니다.

[Point 1: Total Obedience Led Israel to Military Victory]

First, the Israelites achieved a complete victory through total obedience. Verses 24-29 show that Israel not only won the battle but meticulously carried out everything God commanded.

Let's first look at the command for utter destruction (Herem). We will read verse 26 together:

"For Joshua did not draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the javelin, until he had totally destroyed all who lived in Ai."

By obeying God's ambush strategy, the Israelites first captured the deserted city of Ai and then encircled the pursuers who had been lured out. The command to begin this operation was marked by Joshua raising his javelin toward Ai.

Let me read verse 18 from yesterday’s reading: "Then the Lord said to Joshua, 'Hold out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will deliver it into your hands.' So Joshua held out his javelin toward the city."

Joshua obeyed this command to start the operation by lifting the javelin. Verse 26 now tells us that he did not draw back that javelin until all the inhabitants of Ai were utterly destroyed. Verses 24-25 detail how the surrounded pursuers were destroyed, and then the remaining people in the city were annihilated. The total number was 12,000. Joshua did not lower his arm in obedience until God’s command was perfectly fulfilled.

Furthermore, the people obeyed the command concerning the plunder. Let's read verse 27:

"But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the Lord had instructed Joshua."

The verse begins with "But." Unlike Jericho, God permitted the people to plunder Ai. The instruction given in verse 2 stated: "You shall take as spoil for yourselves only the livestock and the goods." Reading verse 27 in light of this instruction confirms that the Israelites kept God’s command to the letter. They were totally obedient.

Because of their complete obedience, God’s judgment was fully executed upon Ai. Verse 28 says: "So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolate place to this day." The city, which became an object of divine destruction, was left as a permanent ruin. The same fate befell the King of Ai in verse 29; he was hung on a tree, becoming a cursed object, and was covered by a large heap of stones. Israel's total obedience not only led them to victory but ensured that God's will was perfectly fulfilled on earth.

                두번째, 이들의 철저한 순종은 공동체의 영적 회복으로 이어졌습니다. 승리의 기쁨도 잠시. 이들은 에발산으로 이동을 합니다. 30절을 함께 읽겠습니다. “그 때에 여호수아가 이스라엘의 하나님 여호와를 위하여 에발 산에 한 제단을 쌓았으니” 에발산은 아이성에서 대략 37Km정도 떨어진 거리입니다. 아이성을 정복한 이들이 굳이 먼 산악지역인 이곳까지 행진해서 제단을 쌓았던 이유는 무엇때문이었을까요? 이는 모세가 이전에 내린 명령에 순종하는 것입니다. 신명기 27:4을 제가 읽어보겠습니다. “너희가 요단을 건너거든 내가 오늘 너희에게 명령하는 이 돌들을 에발 산에 세우고 그 위에 석회를 바를 것이며” 오늘 본문 말씀인 30-35절의 말씀은 신명기 27:1-10말씀을 그대로 따르고 있습니다. 그래서 31절에 “이는 여호와의 종 모세가 이스라엘 자손에게 명령한 것과 모세의 율법책에 기록된 대로” 라고 말하고 있지 않습니까? 이들은 자연석으로 제단을 만들고 그곳에서 번제물와 화목제물을 드렸으며 모세의 율법을 돌에 기록하였습니다. 33절을 보니 모든 사람을 여호와의 언약궤 앞에서 좌우로 나누어 절반은 그리심 산, 절반은 에벨산 앞에 서게 하였는데 “이는 전에 여호와의 종 모세가 이스라엘 백성에게 축복하라고 명령한 대로 함이라.” 라고 전하고 있지요. 이 명령을 신명기 11:29절에 이렇게 적고 있습니다. “네 하나님 여호와께서 네가 가서 차지할 땅으로 너를 인도하여 들이실 때에 너는 그리심 산에서 축복을 선포하고 에발 산에서 저주를 선포하라” 그 말씀에 그대로 순종하고 있는 것을 우리는 34절을 통해 알 수 있지요. 함께 읽겠습니다. “그 후에 여호수아가 율법책에 기록된 모든 것 대로 축복과 저주하는 율법의 모든 말씀을 낭독하였으니” 이들은 말씀에 철저하게 순종했습니다. 명령 받은 대로. 모세의 율법책에 기록된 대로. 기록된 모든 것 대로. 이것이 본문이 말하고 있는 이들의 순종입니다. 이렇게 이들이 순종했을 때에 그 자리에 있던 모든 사람들이 하나님과의 언약을 갱신할 수 있었습니다. 35절 말씀을 보니 “이스라엘 온 회중과 여자들과 아이와 그들 중에 동행하는 거류민들 앞에서 낭독하지 아니한 말이 하나도 없었더라” 라고 합니다. 공동체 전체에 영적 회복이 일어난 것입니다. 그 어떤 사람도 소외되지 않고, 그 어떤 말씀도 누락되지 않는 온전한 언약의 갱신이 일어났습니다. 이들의 철저한 순종이 공동체 전체에 온전한 영적 회복으로 이어진 것입니다.

[Point 2: Total Obedience Led to Corporate Spiritual Restoration]

Secondly, their total obedience led to the spiritual restoration of the entire community.

The joy of victory was quickly followed by a movement to Mount Ebal. Let’s read verse 30:

"Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel."

Mount Ebal is approximately 37 kilometers from Ai. Why would the victorious army march to this distant, mountainous region to build an altar? It was to obey a previous command given by Moses.

I will read Deuteronomy 27:4: "When you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I command you today, and coat them with plaster."

Verses 30-35 of our text today perfectly follow the instructions laid out in Deuteronomy 27:1-10. As verse 31 states: "as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites and has written in the Book of the Law of Moses." They built an altar of natural stones, offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and inscribed the Law of Moses on the stones.

In verse 33, we see that all the people were divided, half standing facing Mount Gerizim and half facing Mount Ebal, before the Ark of the Covenant, "just as Moses the servant of the Lord had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel."

This command is recorded in Deuteronomy 11:29: "When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess, you are to proclaim the blessings on Mount Gerizim and the curses on Mount Ebal."

We see their complete obedience in verse 34. Let’s read it:

"Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the Law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law."

They were absolutely obedient: "as commanded," "as recorded in the Book of the Law," "all the words of the Law."

Through this obedience, everyone present was able to renew their covenant with God. Verse 35 says: "There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, the children, and the foreigners who lived among them."

A complete spiritual restoration took place for the entire community. No one was excluded, and not a single word of the Law was omitted. Their total obedience led to the complete spiritual restoration of the community.

                말씀을 맺습니다. 아이성의 전투는 아간의 불순종과 이스라엘의 성급한 작전으로 패배로 시작했던 전투입니다. 그러나 이스라엘이 철저하게 하나님의 말씀에 순종할 때에 우리는 그들이 승리 뿐만 아니라 공동체 전체가 영적으로 회복되는 것을 보았습니다. 본문은 계속해서 우리에게 하나님께 온전히 순종할 것을 말하고 있습니다. 다른 그 어떤 인간적인 생각이나 작전이 아닌, 오직 여호와께서 명령하신대로 순종할 때에 우리 또한 하나님의 승리에 참여하고 회복 될 줄을 믿습니다. 철저히 순종하십시오. 그래서 여러분 또한 승리하시며 하나님의 회복을 맛보시는 하루가 되기를 축복합니다.

[Conclusion]

The Battle of Ai began with defeat due to Achan’s disobedience and Israel’s hasty plan. However, when the Israelites submitted themselves to the total obedience of God's Word, we see that they achieved not only military victory but also the spiritual restoration of the entire community.

The text constantly urges us to render total obedience to God. I believe that when we obey exactly what the Lord has commanded, setting aside all human strategies and thoughts, we too will participate in God’s victory and experience His restoration.

Be totally obedient. May you experience God's victory and restoration today. Amen.