20251204 [새벽묵상] 승리자로 사는 삶 | Living Life as a Victor (수/Josh 13:1~14)

13:1 여호수아가 나이가 많아 늙으매 여호와께서 그에게 이르시되 너는 나이가 많아 늙었고 얻을 땅이 매우 많이 남아 있도다

Land Still to Be Taken

1 When Joshua had grown old, the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.

13:2 이 남은 땅은 이러하니 블레셋 사람의 모든 지역과 그술 족속의 모든 지역

13:3 곧 애굽 앞 시홀 시내에서부터 가나안 사람에게 속한 북쪽 에그론 경계까지와 블레셋 사람의 다섯 통치자들의 땅 곧 가사 족속과 아스돗 족속과 아스글론 족속과 가드 족속과 에그론 족속과 또 남쪽 아위 족속의 땅과

13:4 또 가나안 족속의 모든 땅과 시돈 사람에게 속한 므아라와 아모리 족속의 경계 아벡까지와

13:5 또 그발 족속의 땅과 해 뜨는 곳의 온 레바논 곧 헤르몬 산 아래 바알갓에서부터 하맛에 들어가는 곳까지와

2 “This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and Geshurites, 3 from the Shihor River on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite though held by the five Philistine rulers in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron; the territory of the Avvites 4 on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek and the border of the Amorites; 5 the area of Byblos; and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath.

13:6 또 레바논에서부터 미스르봇마임까지 산지의 모든 주민 곧 모든 시돈 사람의 땅이라 내가 그들을 이스라엘 자손 앞에서 쫓아내리니 너는 내가 명령한 대로 그 땅을 이스라엘에게 분배하여 기업이 되게 하되

13:7 너는 이 땅을 아홉 지파와 므낫세 반 지파에게 나누어 기업이 되게 하라 하셨더라

6 “As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you, 7 and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.”

13:8 므낫세 반 지파와 함께 르우벤 족속과 갓 족속은 요단 저편 동쪽에서 그들의 기업을 모세에게 받았는데 여호와의 종 모세가 그들에게 준 것은 이러하니

Division of the Land East of the Jordan

8 The other half of Manasseh, the Reubenites and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them east of the Jordan, as he, the servant of the Lord, had assigned it to them.

13:9 곧 아르논 골짜기 가에 있는 아로엘에서부터 골짜기 가운데에 있는 성읍과 디본까지 이르는 메드바 온 평지와

13:10 헤스본에서 다스리던 아모리 족속의 왕 시혼의 모든 성읍 곧 암몬 자손의 경계까지와

13:11 길르앗과 및 그술 족속과 마아갓 족속의 지역과 온 헤르몬 산과 살르가까지 온 바산

13:12 곧 르바의 남은 족속으로서 아스다롯과 에드레이에서 다스리던 바산 왕 옥의 온 나라라 모세가 이 땅의 사람들을 쳐서 쫓아냈어도

13:13 그술 족속과 마아갓 족속은 이스라엘 자손이 쫓아내지 아니하였으므로 그술과 마아갓이 오늘까지 이스라엘 가운데에서 거주하니라

9 It extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and included the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon, 10 and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, out to the border of the Ammonites. 11 It also included Gilead, the territory of the people of Geshur and Maakah, all of Mount Hermon and all Bashan as far as Salekah— 12 that is, the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was the last of the Rephaites.) Moses had defeated them and taken over their land. 13 But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur and Maakah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.

13:14 오직 레위 지파에게는 여호수아가 기업으로 준 것이 없었으니 이는 그에게 말씀하신 것과 같이 이스라엘의 하나님 여호와께 드리는 화제물이 그들의 기업이 되었음이더라

14 But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.

                  어느새 추수감사절이 지나고 성탄절을 눈 앞에 두고 있습니다. 이렇게 큰 명절이 연달아 있는 11월과 12월은 미국에서 여행객이 가장 많은 시기이지요.  아마도 예전부터 비행기로 여행을 많이 다니셨던 분은 느끼실 겁니다. 바로 기내식이 예전 같지 않다는 것을 말이지요. 요즘에 국내선 같은 경우에는 아예 기내식을 제공하지 않아서 직접 돈을 주고 구매해야 하는 경우도 있지요. 그래도 한국과 미국을 오가는 국제선 같은 경우에는 비행시간이 긴 만큼 여러 식음료를 제공하는 것을 봅니다. 자 그런데 어떤 분이 처음으로 비행기를 탔다고 가정해보겠습니다. 그것도 한국에서 미국으로 들어가는 국제선을 탔다고 말이지요. 그런데 이분이 비행이 처음이라 기내에서 제공되는 기내식이나 음료들을 한사코 거절을 하는 것입니다. 왜 그랬을까요? 네, 바로 이 음식들이 이미 지불된 것인 줄 몰랐던 것이지요. 배가 고픈데도 음식 값을 따로 내야 하는 줄 알고 계속 거절하였던 것입니다. 저는 가정해서 말씀드린 사례지만 비행기 여행이 익숙하지 않았던 예전에는 이런 일들이 실제로 꽤 있었다고 들었습니다. 참으로 안타까운 일이 아닐 수 없지요. 이미 자신에게 주어졌는데도 그것을 취하지 못하는 상황. 자 오늘 말씀도 마찬가지 입니다. 하나님께서 이스라엘에게 가나안 땅을 주셨습니다. 하나님께서 이미 승리하셨습니다. 이제 그들은 그 땅을 취하기만 하면 됩니다. 그렇다면 이들은 과연 어떤 선택을 하게 될까요? 하나님께서 이미 주신 승리를 믿고 그 땅을 취하였을까요? 아니면 기내식이 유료인줄 알았던 누군가처럼 한사코 땅을 취하는 것을 미루거나 거절하였을까요? 오늘은 두가지 예를 들어 “승리자로 사는 삶”에 대해서 말씀을 나누기 원합니다.

[Introduction]

We are currently past Thanksgiving and have Christmas right before us. The months of November and December, with these major holidays, constitute the peak travel season in the United States.

If you are a frequent flyer, you may have noticed that in-flight meals are not what they used to be. On domestic flights these days, meals are often not complimentary, and you have to pay for them directly. However, on long-haul international flights, such as those between Korea and the U.S., various food and beverages are still provided due to the long duration.

Now, imagine someone flying for the very first time—on an international flight, no less. This person, unfamiliar with air travel, politely but persistently refuses all the meals and drinks offered by the flight attendants. Why?

They didn't realize these items were already included in the ticket price. Though hungry, they kept refusing, thinking they had to pay for the food separately. Though this may be a hypothetical story now, I hear that such incidents were quite common among first-time flyers long ago. It is truly a pity—a situation where something is already given to them, yet they fail to take it.

Today's passage presents a similar scenario. God had already given the land of Canaan to Israel. God had already won the victory. All they had to do was take possession of the land. So, what choice did they make? Did they believe in God's victory and take the land? Or did they, like the inexperienced traveler, refuse or delay taking their portion?

Today, I want to share a message about Living Life as a Victor using two contrasting examples.

                  첫번째 예는 승리자로 사는 사람입니다. 이는 하나님이 승리하셨음을 신뢰하고 자신에게 주어진 분깃을 취하는 사람을 말합니다. 1절을 함께 읽겠습니다. “여호수아가 나이가 많아 늙으매 여호와께서 그에게 이르시되 너는 나이가 많아 늙었고 얻을 땅이 매우 많이 남아 있도다” 본문은 여호수아가 나이가 많아 늙었다 라고 두번이나 반복해서 적고 있습니다. 이렇게 여호수아는 생애의 끝에 도달해서 더이상 정복 전쟁을 수행할 수 없는 상황인데 하나님께서는 “얻을 땅이 매우 많이 남아 있도다”라고 말씀하십니다. 이는 무슨 뜻일까요? ‘네가 아직 해야 할 일이 많은데 큰일이구나’ 라는 말씀일까요? 하나님께서는 6절에서 여호수아에게 이렇게 말씀하십니다.  함께 읽어보겠습니다. “또 레바논에서부터 미스르봇마임까지 산지의 모든 주민 곧 모든 시돈 사람의 땅이라 내가 그들을 이스라엘 자손 앞에서 쫓아내리니 너는 내가 명령한 대로 그 땅을 이스라엘에게 분배하여 기업이 되게 하되” 하나님께서 나이 많아 늙은 여호수아에게 니가 저들을 쫓아내라고 하시지 않습니다. 그에게 새로운 임무를 주시지요. 그것이 무엇입니까? “땅을 이스라엘에게 분배하여 기업이 되게 하라” 라는 말씀입니다. 자 그런데 앞에서 2절부터 6절까지 설명한 그 땅이 어떤 땅입니까? 얻어야 할 땅입니다. 아직 얻어야 할 매우 많은 땅이 남았다고 하지 않으셨습니까? 그런데 그 땅들을 이미 얻은 것처럼 이스라엘에게 분배하여 기업을 삼게 하라고 말씀하십니다. 무슨 말입니까? 하나님께서는 이미 승리하셨습니다. 그렇기에 그 승리를 믿는 자들은 비록 눈 앞에 있는 저 땅들이 아직 다 정복되지 않았다고 할지라도 믿음으로 그 땅을 자신의 분깃으로 취하여야 한다는 것입니다. 이것은 권장사항이 아닙니다. 하나님께서 “너는 내가 명령한 대로” 라고 말씀하시지 않으십니까? 이것은 하나님의 명령인 것입니다. 그런데 이것이 어떻게 명령이 될 수 있는가? 그것은 하나님께서 “내가 그들을… 쫓아내리니” 라고 약속하셨기 때문입니다. 하나님께서 승리하셨고 그리고 남은 자들을 쫓아내실 것입니다. 하나님과 함께 승리한 자들은 그것을 믿고 하나님의 명령에 순종하여 남아있는 저 땅들을 분깃으로 취해야 하는 것입니다. 우리의 삶도 마찬가지입니다. 예수님께서 우리를 위하여 십자가에서 돌아가심으로 죄와 사망의 법에서 우리를 해방하셨습니다. 가장 큰 승리를 이미 하셨습니다. 우리에게 남은 일은 예수님의 그 승리하심을 믿고 우리 각자의 삶의 영역에서 남아있는 저 땅들을 우리의 것으로 취하는 것입니다. 저 땅들에 머물러 있는 죄악들과 문제들을 쫓아내야 하는 것이지요. 그런데 만약 그렇게 하지 못한다면 어떻게 되는 것일까요?

First Example: Those Who Live as Victors

The first example is of those who live as victors. These are the people who trust in God's finished victory and take the portion allotted to them.

Let’s read verse 1 together:

"When Joshua was old and advanced in years, the Lord said to him, 'You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.'"

The text repeats the phrase that Joshua was "old and advanced in years." Joshua is at the end of his life and is no longer able to lead the conquest. Yet, God says, "there are still very large areas of land to be taken over." Does this mean, "You have so much work left to do, and you're running out of time?"

No. In verse 6, God gives Joshua a new instruction. Let’s read it:

"As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. You are only to allot this land to Israel as an inheritance, as I have commanded you."

God does not command the old Joshua to drive them out. He gives him a new command: "You are only to allot this land to Israel as an inheritance."

Now, what is this land described in verses 2 through 6? It is land that has yet to be taken over. God Himself said there were very large areas remaining! Yet, God commands Joshua to allot this land to Israel as if it were already conquered.

What does this tell us? God has already won the victory. Therefore, those who believe in this victory must claim that land as their portion by faith, even if the land before their eyes is not yet fully conquered. This is not a recommendation; it is a divine command, as God states, "as I have commanded you."

And how can this be a command? Because God promises: "I myself will drive them out before the Israelites." God has won the major battle, and He will drive out the remaining enemies. Those who participate in God's victory must believe this and obey the command to take the remaining land as their portion.

Our lives are the same. Jesus Christ achieved the ultimate victory by dying on the cross, liberating us from the law of sin and death. The greatest victory is already won. Our remaining task is to believe in Jesus' victory and to claim the remaining "land" in our respective areas of life. We must drive out the sins and problems that still remain in that land.

But what happens if we fail to do so?

                  두번째, 승리하였는데 승리자로 살지 못하게 됩니다. 본문의 말씀 12-13절 함께 읽겠습니다. “곧 르바의 남은 족속으로서 아스다롯과 에드레이에서 다스리던 바산 왕 옥의 온 나라라 모세가 이 땅의 사람들을 쳐서 쫓아냈어도 그술 족속과 마아갓 족속은 이스라엘 자손이 쫓아내지 아니하였으므로 그술과 마아갓이 오늘까지 이스라엘 가운데에서 거주하니라” 자 모세가 바산 왕 옥의 온 나라의 사람들을 쳐서 쫓아냈다고 합니다. 그런데 그럼에도 불구하고 이스라엘 자손은 그술과 마아갓 족속을 쫓아내지 아니하였다라고 적고 있지요. 이상합니다. 요단강 동쪽 땅의 대부분을 차지하였던 가장 강한 왕, 아모리 왕 시혼과 바산 왕 옥을 모두 무찌르고 그들을 쫓아내었습니다. 그렇다면 그술 족속과 마아갓 족속이 이들보다 강하였기에 쫓아내지 못했던 것일까요? 아닐 것입니다. 오히려 이렇게 강한 적들을 모두 무찌른 이스라엘에게 그술 족속이나 마아갓 족속은 아무런 위협이 되지 않았던 것이 아닐까 조심스럽게 생각해 봅니다. 왜냐하면 본문에서 “그술 족속과 마아갓 족속은 이스라엘 자손이 쫓아내지 아니하였다” 라고 말하고 있기 때문입니다. 굳이 지금 쫓아내지 않아도 언제든 쫓아낼 수 있다고 생각했을지도 모릅니다. 어쩌면 이미 이렇게 큰 성과를 거두었는데 저렇게 작은 디테일한 부분까지는 신경쓰지 않아도 돼 라고 생각했는지도 모르지요. 그러나 그 결과는 무엇이었습니까? “그술과 마아갓이 오늘까지 이스라엘 가운데에서 거주하니라.” 모두의 마음을 물처럼 녹일만큼 엄청난 승리를 거두었는데도 불구하고 그들은 결국 승리자로 살지 못하게 되고 말았습니다. 마찬가지입니다. 우리의 삶에서 어쩌면 너무나 사소하고 문제 될 것 없어 보이는 죄악이 있지는 않습니까? 이미 하나님과 숱한 영적 전장을 치뤄왔고 엄청난 역경을 이겨왔는데 그깟 사소한 죄악 따위야 하며 넘어가진 않으셨습니까? 문제 될 것이 없어 보이는 그 작은 족속들을 내 마음의 땅에서 쫓아내지 않는다면 여러분도 승리하였음에도 승리자로 살지 못하게 될지 모릅니다.

Second Example: Winning the Battle but Failing to Live as a Victor

The second example is the tragedy of winning the battle but failing to live as a victor.

Let’s read verses 12-13 together:

"All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei and had belonged to the surviving Rephaites. Moses had defeated them and taken possession of their land. But the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites, for Geshur and Maacath live among the Israelites to this day."

The text states that Moses defeated and drove out the people of King Og of Bashan—one of the strongest kings east of the Jordan. Yet, despite this massive victory, the Israelites "did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites."

This is strange. They defeated the most formidable enemies, King Sihon and King Og. Was it because the Geshurites and Maacathites were stronger? I doubt it. Perhaps they seemed so insignificant after conquering such powerful foes that the Israelites thought they posed no threat. They might have thought, "We can always drive them out later." Or perhaps, "We've achieved such great things; we don't need to worry about such small, detailed matters."

But what was the result? "Geshur and Maacath live among the Israelites to this day." Despite having achieved an overwhelming victory that melted the hearts of all their enemies, they failed to live as complete victors.

The same applies to our lives. Is there a seemingly trivial sin or problem in your life that seems too minor to deal with? Have you excused it, thinking, "I've fought and overcome so many great spiritual battles and adversities; surely I don't need to worry about this small sin"?

If you do not drive out those small, seemingly harmless "tribes" from the land of your heart, you may have won the war but will ultimately fail to live as a victor, instead coexisting with the very enemies God told you to eliminate.

                  말씀을 맺습니다. 하나님께서 이미 승리하셨습니다. 그리고 우리에게 아직 다 정복되지 않은 땅들을 분깃으로 나누어 주십니다. 우리는 선택해야 합니다. 하나님의 승리를 믿고, 하나님께서 그들을 쫓아내실 것이라는 말씀을 믿고 그 분깃을 취하는 승리자의 삶을 살 것인가? 아니면 승리자임에도 불구하고 나의 분깃에서 그들을 쫓아내지 않아 결국 그들과 공존하고 마는 이도저도 아닌 삶을 살 것인가? 기억하십시오. 이것은 하나님께서 여러분에게 명령하신 일입니다. 그렇다면 여러분은 어떤 선택을 하시겠습니까?

[Conclusion]

God has already won the victory. And He is commanding us to receive the land—the areas of our lives that have not yet been fully conquered—as our allotted portion.

We must choose: Will we live as a victor, believing in God’s victory and obeying His command to take our portion, trusting that He will drive out the enemy? Or will we, despite being victors, fail to drive out the small enemies in our portion, ultimately coexisting with them in a compromised life?

Remember, this is not a suggestion; it is a command from God.

What is your choice today?