20260716 [새벽묵상] 모든 민족의 주인되신 여호와를 알라 Know Yahweh, the Lord of All Nations (겔/Ezk 25:1~11)

25:1 여호와의 말씀이 또 내게 임하여 이르시되

25:2 인자야 네 얼굴을 암몬 족속에게 돌리고 그들에게 예언하라

25:3 너는 암몬 족속에게 이르기를 너희는 주 여호와의 말씀을 들을지어다 주 여호와께서 이같이 말씀하셨느니라 내 성소가 더럽힘을 받을 때에 네가 그것에 관하여, 이스라엘 땅이 황폐할 때에 네가 그것에 관하여, 유다 족속이 사로잡힐 때에 네가 그들에 대하여 이르기를 아하 좋다 하였도다

25:4 그러므로 내가 너를 동방 사람에게 기업으로 넘겨주리니 그들이 네 가운데에 진을 치며 네 가운데에 그 거처를 베풀며 네 열매를 먹으며 네 젖을 마실지라

25:5 내가 랍바를 낙타의 우리로 만들며 암몬 족속의 땅을 양 떼가 눕는 곳으로 삼은즉 내가 주 여호와인 줄을 너희가 알리라

25:6 주 여호와께서 이같이 말씀하셨느니라 네가 이스라엘 땅에 대하여 손뼉을 치며 발을 구르며 마음을 다하여 멸시하며 즐거워 하였나니

25:7 그런즉 내가 손을 네 위에 펴서 너를 다른 민족에게 넘겨주어 노략을 당하게 하며 너를 만민 중에서 끊어 버리며 너를 여러 나라 가운데에서 패망하게 하여 멸하리니 내가 주 여호와인 줄을 너희가 알리라 하셨다 하라

1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against the Ammonites and prophesy against them. 3 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you said “Aha!” over my sanctuary when it was desecrated and over the land of Israel when it was laid waste and over the people of Judah when they went into exile, 4 therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East as a possession. They will set up their camps and pitch their tents among you; they will eat your fruit and drink your milk. 5 I will turn Rabbah into a pasture for camels and Ammon into a resting place for sheep. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 6 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet, rejoicing with all the malice of your heart against the land of Israel, 7 therefore I will stretch out my hand against you and give you as plunder to the nations. I will wipe you out from among the nations and exterminate you from the countries. I will destroy you, and you will know that I am the Lord.’”

25:8 주 여호와께서 이같이 말씀하셨느니라 모압과 세일이 이르기를 유다 족속은 모든 이방과 다름이 없다 하도다

25:9 그러므로 내가 모압의 한편 곧 그 나라 국경에 있는 영화로운 성읍들 벧여시못과 바알므온과 기랴다임을 열고

25:10 암몬 족속과 더불어 동방 사람에게 넘겨주어 기업을 삼게 할 것이라 암몬 족속이 다시는 이방 가운데에서 기억되지 아니하게 하려니와

25:11 내가 모압에 벌을 내리리니 내가 주 여호와인 줄을 너희가 알리라

[A Prophecy Against Moab]

8 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Because Moab and Seir said, “Look, Judah has become like all the other nations,” 9 therefore I will expose the flank of Moab, beginning at its frontier towns—Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon and Kiriathaim—the glory of that land. 10 I will give Moab along with the Ammonites to the people of the East as a possession, so that the Ammonites will not be remembered among the nations; 11 and I will inflict punishment on Moab. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”

                고대 근동의 사회에서 전쟁은 각 민족이 섬기는 신들의 전쟁이었습니다. 그래서 전쟁에서 이긴다는 것은 자기 민족의 신이 상대방 민족의 신보다 더 강력함을 입증하는 것이었지요. 예를 들어 잘 아시는 사무엘 상 4장의 말씀에 언약궤가 이스라엘 진영에 도착하자 블레셋 사람들이 이스라엘의 함성을 듣고 두려워하는 장면, 기억하실 것입니다. 그들이 두려워하였던 것은 이스라엘의 군사력이 아니라 그들을 애굽에서 건지신 하나님이었지요. 자, 이런 맥락에서 이스라엘이 멸망한다면 그 상황은 주변에 있는 나라들에게 어떤 메시지를 주게 될까요? 그렇습니다. ‘아, 이스라엘이 섬기는 여호와가 생각보다 별거 없구나. 애굽의 그 수많은 신들을 물리치고 뭐 대단한 것 처럼 유세를 떨더니 막상 까보니 다른 나라들과 다를바가 없네.’ 라는 메시지를 주지 않겠습니까? 그러나 오늘의 본문은 그들의 이러한 생각이 매우 위험한 것임을 보여줍니다. 하나님께서 그런 그들을 향해 심판을 선포하시기 때문입니다. 오늘은 “모든 민족의 주인되신 여호와를 알라” 라는 제목으로 말씀을 나누기 원합니다.

In ancient Near Eastern society, warfare was fundamentally a battle between the deities worshiped by each nation. Therefore, winning a war meant proving that one's national deity was more powerful than the deity of the opposing nation.

For example, you likely remember the passage in 1 Samuel 4 where the Philistines grew terrified upon hearing the shouts of the Israelites when the Ark of the Covenant arrived at the camp. What they feared was not Israel's military might, but the God who had delivered them out of Egypt.

Now, in this context, if Israel were to be destroyed, what kind of message would that send to the surrounding nations? Indeed, it would send a message like:

"Ah, Yahweh, whom Israel worships, isn't all that special after all. He made such a fuss as if He were something grand after defeating all those gods of Egypt, but in the end, He is no different from the gods of any other nation."

However, today's passage reveals that this line of thinking is extremely dangerous. This is because God declares judgment against them for holding such thoughts. Today, I would like to share the message under the title: "Know Yahweh, the Lord of All Nations."

So then, why was this idea—which might have seemed perfectly natural to them—so dangerous?

                자 그렇다면, 어쩌면 그들에게는 당연할 수도 있는 이 아이디어가 대체 왜 위험한 생각인 것일까요? 오늘 본문의 말씀인 에스겔 25장은 이렇게 시작합니다. “여호와의 말씀이 또 내게 임하여 이르시되” 즉, 이전까지의 말씀과는 다른 새로운 예언이 임했다는 것이지요. 오늘 본문 이전까지의 에스겔서의 말씀은 이스라엘에 대한 하나님의 심판 예언이었습니다. 그리고 오늘 본문부터 열방에 대한 하나님의 심판 예언이 시작되는 것이지요. 이 말은 다른 말로 하면 이스라엘을 멸망시킨 분은 다른 나라의 신이 아니라 바로 여호와라는 것입니다. 여호와께서는 자신의 백성이라 할지라도 그들이 하나님께 반역한다면 그들을 심판하시는 분이라는 것이지요. 그렇다면 열방은 지금 자기 백성마저도 죄악 가운데 거한다면 심판하실 수 있는 신을 마주하고 있는 것입니다. 그런데 이들은 그 사실을 모르고 있습니다. 이들이 만약 알았다면 그들은 이스라엘의 멸망을 보며 두려워해야 했을 것입니다. 애통해야 했을 것입니다. 자신을 돌아보고 나는 저 이스라엘과 같이 하나님께 범죄하고 있지는 않는지 돌아보며 회개해야 했을 것입니다. 그러나 그들은 이스라엘의 멸망을 보며 즐거워하고 조롱하고 있습니다. 이스라엘을 심판하시는 분은 여호와이신데 이들은 그 여호와께서 다른 신에게 패하였다고 생각하고 멸시하고 있는 것입니다. 하나님께서는 이 죄를 가볍게 여기지 않으십니다. 그래서 그들에게 심판을 말씀하시는 것입니다. 그런데 이 심판에는 목적이 있습니다. 그것은 바로 여호와께서 이스라엘의 주인이실 뿐만 아니라 모든 민족, 모든 나라의 주인되신다는 것을 경험으로 일깨워주시는 것입니다.

Ezekiel chapter 25, our text for today, begins like this: "The word of the Lord came to me." In other words, a new prophecy, distinct from the previous messages, has arrived. Up to this point in Ezekiel, the prophecies were focused on God's judgment against Israel. But starting with today's passage, God's prophetic judgment against the Gentile nations begins.

In other words, the one who brought about Israel’s destruction was not the god of another nation, but Yahweh Himself.

Yahweh is a God who will judge even His own people if they rebel against Him. Therefore, the surrounding nations were actually facing a God who possesses the absolute authority to judge even His own people when they dwell in sin. Yet, they were completely oblivious to this truth.

Had they known, they should have trembled in fear upon witnessing Israel's downfall. They should have mourned. They should have examined themselves, repented, and asked, "Am I also sinning against God just like Israel?"

Instead, they rejoiced and mocked as they watched Israel crumble. Although Yahweh was the one administering the judgment, they believed Yahweh had been defeated by other gods, and thus, they despised Him.

God does not take this sin lightly. That is why He pronounces judgment upon them. However, there is a clear purpose to this judgment: to awaken them through firsthand experience to the reality that Yahweh is not only the Lord of Israel but also the Lord of all nations and all peoples.

We can find this clearly illustrated in the prophecies of judgment against the Ammonites and the Moabites. Let us look at verse 3. It begins like this:

"Say to the Ammonites, ‘Hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says...’"

In verse 2, God told Ezekiel to set his face toward the Ammonites and prophesy against them. Therefore, this word is directed entirely at the Ammonites, not Israel. Yet, when addressing them, He emphasizes twice: "the word of the Sovereign Lord"—declaring that Yahweh is indeed their Sovereign Lord as well.

                우리는 이것을 암몬 족속에 대한 심판과 모압 자손에 대한 심판 예언에서 바로 찾을 수 있습니다. 3절입니다. 이렇게 시작하지요 “너는 암몬 족속에게 이르기를 너희는 주 여호와의 말씀을 들을지어다 주 여호와께서 이같이 말씀하셨느니” 자, 하나님께서 2절에서 에스겔에게 그의 얼굴을 암몬 족속에게 돌리고 그들에게 예언하라고 말씀하셨습니다. 그러므로 이 말씀은 이스라엘을 향한 것이 아니라 완전히 암몬 족속을 향한 말씀이지요. 그런데 암몬 족속에게 말할 때에 그들에게 ‘주 여호와의 말씀’ 즉 여호와께서 이들의 주인이 되신다고 두번이나 강조해서 말을 하고 있습니다. 하지만 암몬 족속이 섬기는 신은 여호와가 아니지요. 그들은 몰렉이라고 하는 신을 섬겼었습니다. 그렇기에 그들은 3절 말씀에 내 성소, 즉 성전이 더럽힘을 받을 때에, 이스라엘 땅이 멸망했을 때에, 그리고 유다 족속이 사로잡혀 포로가 될 때에 이스라엘을 향하여 멸시하며 즐거워하여 “아하 좋다”라고 말하고 있는 것입니다. 6절 말씀이 이들이 얼마나 마음을 다해서 즐거워했는지 잘 풀어서 설명해주고 있습니다. 그래서 하나님께서 어떻게 하십니까? 4-5절 말씀에 “그러므로 내가 너를 동방 사람에게 기업으로 넘겨주리니” 그들의 수도인 랍바는 낙타의 우리가 되고 그들의 도시는 멸망하여 풀이 돋아 양 떼가 눕는 초원이 될 것이라고 하십니다. 그런데 그 목적을 무엇이라고 말씀하십니까? 5절 “내가 주 여호와인 줄을 너희가 알리라.” 하나님께서는 이들에게 당신이야말로 이들의 진짜 주인되심을 경험으로 알게 하신다는 것입니다. 6-7절은 이 내용을 반복하고 있습니다. 같은 구조이지요. “주 여호와께서 이같이 말씀하셨느니라” “너를 여러 나라 가운데에서 패망하게하여 멸하리니 내가 주 여호와인 줄을 너희가 알리라” 8-11절의 말씀도 마찬가지입니다. 대상이 암몬에서 모압으로 바뀌었을 뿐, 그 형식은 그대로 유지하고 있지요. 8절, “주 여호와께서 이같이 말씀하셨느니라” 11절, “내가 모압에 벌을 내리리니 내가 주 여호와인 줄을 너희가 알리라.” 여호와께서는 이스라엘 뿐만 아니라 암몬에게도 또 모압에게도 그들의 주인 되시는 분이신 것입니다. 이들이 여호와의 심판으로 이스라엘이 멸망하는 것을 보면서도 그 사실을 깨닫지 못할 때 여호와께서는 그들 또한 경험으로 당신께서 이들의 주인되심을 알려주시는 것입니다.

However, Yahweh was not the god whom the Ammonites worshiped; they worshiped a deity named Molech. Because of this, as verse 3 describes, when My sanctuary was profaned, when the land of Israel was laid waste, and when the house of Judah went into captivity, they sneered and rejoiced over Israel, saying, "Aha! Good!" Verse 6 explains in detail just how wholeheartedly they gloated and rejoiced.

So, what does God do? In verses 4 and 5, He says:

"Therefore I am going to give you to the people of the East as a possession..."

He declares that their capital, Rabbah, will become a pasture for camels and their cities will be ruined, becoming a resting place for flocks. And what does He state as the purpose? Verse 5 says:

"Then you will know that I am the Lord."

God is saying He will make them realize through raw experience that He is their true Lord. Verses 6 and 7 repeat this message using the exact same structure:

"For this is what the Sovereign Lord says..." "...I will wipe you out from among the nations and destroy you. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

The same applies to verses 8 through 11. Though the target shifts from Ammon to Moab, the format remains identical. Verse 8: "This is what the Sovereign Lord says..." and verse 11: "I will execute judgment on Moab, and they will know that I am the Lord."

Yahweh is the Lord not only of Israel, but also of Ammon and Moab. When they failed to realize this truth while watching Israel fall under Yahweh's judgment, Yahweh made sure they would learn—through their own painful experience—that He is indeed their Sovereign Lord.

                말씀을 맺습니다. 암몬과 모압은 이스라엘을 향한 하나님의 심판을 보면서도 자신의 모습을 보지 못하는 영적인 교만과 둔감함 가운데 있었습니다. 그런 그들을 향해 하나님께서는 심판을 명하십니다. 그런데 그 심판의 목적은 그들로 하나님께서 그들의 주인되심을 알게 하기 위함이었습니다. 지금 우리의 영적인 상태는 어떻습니까? 하나님께서 우리에게 다른 사람의 상황을 통해 말씀하시는데도 영적으로 무지하고 교만하여 알아채지 못하고 있지는 않습니까? 하나님의 훈육을 경험함으로 하나님이 우리의 주인되심을 알게 되는 것 보다 우리가 먼저 우리의 마음을 돌아보아 우리의 주인 되신 여호와를 알게 되기를 주님의 이름으로 축원합니다.

Conclusion

Let us conclude today's message.

Ammon and Moab lived in a state of spiritual pride and insensitivity, unable to examine themselves even while witnessing God's judgment upon Israel. To them, God declares judgment. Yet, the sole purpose of that judgment was to make them know that God is their true Lord.

How is our spiritual state today? Are we spiritually blind and prideful, failing to perceive when God speaks to us through the circumstances of others?

Rather than waiting to learn that God is our Lord through the painful experience of His discipline, may we first examine our own hearts and acknowledge Yahweh as our true Lord. I bless you all in the name of the Lord.