20260723 [새벽묵상] 의지할 대상을 무너뜨리시는 하나님 God Who Shatters What We Lean On (겔/Ezk 29:1~16)

29:1 열째 해 열째 달 열두째 날에 여호와의 말씀이 내게 임하여 이르시되

29:2 인자야 너는 애굽의 바로 왕과 온 애굽으로 얼굴을 향하고 예언하라

29:3 너는 말하여 이르기를 주 여호와께서 이같이 말씀하시되 애굽의 바로 왕이여 내가 너를 대적하노라 너는 자기의 강들 가운데에 누운 큰 악어라 스스로 이르기를 나의 이 강은 내 것이라 내가 나를 위하여 만들었다 하는도다

29:4 내가 갈고리로 네 아가미를 꿰고 너의 강의 고기가 네 비늘에 붙게 하고 네 비늘에 붙은 강의 모든 고기와 함께 너를 너의 강들 가운데에서 끌어내고

29:5 너와 너의 강의 모든 고기를 들에 던지리니 네가 지면에 떨어지고 다시는 거두거나 모으지 못할 것은 내가 너를 들짐승과 공중의 새의 먹이로 주었음이라

1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day, the word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt and prophesy against him and against all Egypt. 3 Speak to him and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt,

    you great monster lying among your streams.

You say, “The Nile belongs to me;

    I made it for myself.”

4 But I will put hooks in your jaws

    and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales.

I will pull you out from among your streams,

    with all the fish sticking to your scales.

5 I will leave you in the desert,

    you and all the fish of your streams.

You will fall on the open field

    and not be gathered or picked up.

I will give you as food

    to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky.

29:6 애굽의 모든 주민이 내가 여호와인 줄을 알리라 애굽은 본래 이스라엘 족속에게 갈대 지팡이라

29:7 그들이 너를 손으로 잡은즉 네가 부러져서 그들의 모든 어깨를 찢었고 그들이 너를 의지한 즉 네가 부러져서 그들의 모든 허리가 흔들리게 하였느니라

6 Then all who live in Egypt will know that I am the Lord.

“‘You have been a staff of reed for the people of Israel. 7 When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.

29:8 그러므로 주 여호와께서 이같이 말씀하셨느니라 내가 칼이 네게 임하게 하여 네게서 사람 과 짐승을 끊은즉

29:9 애굽 땅이 사막과 황무지가 되리니 내가 여호와인 줄을 그들이 알리라 네가 스스로 이르기를 이 강은 내 것이라 내가 만들었다 하도다

29:10 그러므로 내가 너와 네 강들을 쳐서 애굽 땅 믹돌에서부터 수에네 곧 구스 지경까지 황폐한 황무지 곧 사막이 되게 하리니

29:11 그 가운데로 사람의 발도 지나가지 아니하며 짐승의 발도 지나가지 아니하고 거주하는 사람이 없이 사십 년이 지날지라

29:12 내가 애굽 땅을 황폐한 나라들 같이 황폐하게 하며 애굽 성읍도 사막이 된 나라들의 성읍 같이 사십 년 동안 황폐하게 하고 애굽 사람들은 각국 가운데로 흩으며 여러 민족 가운데로 헤치리라

8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will bring a sword against you and kill both man and beast. 9 Egypt will become a desolate wasteland. Then they will know that I am the Lord.

“‘Because you said, “The Nile is mine; I made it,” 10 therefore I am against you and against your streams, and I will make the land of Egypt a ruin and a desolate waste from Migdol to Aswan, as far as the border of Cush. 11 The foot of neither man nor beast will pass through it; no one will live there for forty years. 12 I will make the land of Egypt desolate among devastated lands, and her cities will lie desolate forty years among ruined cities. And I will disperse the Egyptians among the nations and scatter them through the countries.

29:13 주 여호와께서 이같이 말씀하셨느니라 사십 년 끝에 내가 만민 중에 흩은 애굽 사람을 다시 모아 내되

29:14 애굽의 사로잡힌 자들을 돌이켜 바드로스 땅 곧 그 고국 땅으로 돌아가게 할 것이라 그들이 거기에서 미약한 나라가 되되

29:15 나라 가운데에 지극히 미약한 나라가 되어 다시는 나라들 위에 스스로 높이지 못하리니 내가 그들을 감하여 다시는 나라들을 다스리지 못하게 할 것임이라

29:16 그들이 다시는 이스라엘 족속의 의지나 되지 못할 것이요 이스라엘 족속은 돌이켜 그들을 바라보지 아니하므로 그 죄악이 기억되지 아니하리니 내가 여호와인 줄을 그들이 알리라 하셨다 하라

13 “‘Yet this is what the Sovereign Lord says: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the nations where they were scattered. 14 I will bring them back from captivity and return them to Upper Egypt, the land of their ancestry. There they will be a lowly kingdom. 15 It will be the lowliest of kingdoms and will never again exalt itself above the other nations. I will make it so weak that it will never again rule over the nations. 16 Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence for the people of Israel but will be a reminder of their sin in turning to her for help. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’”

                  이번 주 내내 우리는 두로와 시돈이 교만하여 하나님께 심판의 예언을 받는 모습을 보았습니다. 오늘 본문에서 다루고 있는 애굽의 왕도 다를바가 없습니다. 그도 스스로를 창조 세계의 주인이라 말하며 하나님의 심판을 부르고 있지요. 그런데 오늘의 본문은 그와 더불어 알아야 할 맥락이 있습니다. 그것은 1절에 명시되어있는 ‘제 10년 10월 12일’ 입니다. 이는 현대력으로 환산하면 BC 587년 1월에 해당하는 날짜인데요. 이 때는 바벨론의 느부갓네살 왕이 유다의 예루살렘을 포위한지 약 1년이 지난 때이며, 도성이 함락되어 패망하기 약 반년 전에 해당하는 날짜입니다. 이 절체절명의 위기 가운데에서 유다의 백성 일부는 하나님만을 의지하는 것이 아니라 당시 동맹국이었던 애굽의 군사력에 기대어 구원을 받으려는 헛된 기대를 품고 있었습니다. 하나님께서는 바로 이런 상황에서 에스겔을 통해 애굽에 심판을 선포하심으로, 당신이 아닌 애굽을 의지하려는 사람들의 헛된 희망을 무너뜨리시는 것입니다. 오늘은 “의지할 대상을 무너뜨리시는 하나님”이라는 제목으로 말씀을 나누기 원합니다.

Introduction: The False Hope in Times of Crisis

All throughout this past week, we have seen God's judgment prophesied against the pride of Tyre and Sidon. The king of Egypt in today’s text is no different. He, too, claims to be the master of creation, inviting God’s swift judgment upon himself.

However, today's text requires a specific historical context to fully understand. Notice the date specified in verse 1: "In the tenth year, in the tenth month on the twelfth day." In modern calendar reckoning, this corresponds to January 587 BC. This was about one year after King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon began his siege of Jerusalem, and roughly six months before the city fell into complete ruin.

In this desperate, life-or-death crisis, a segment of the people of Judah was not depending on God alone. Instead, they clung to a futile hope of rescue through the military power of their ally, Egypt. Right in the middle of this dire situation, God speaks through Ezekiel to declare judgment upon Egypt, completely shattering the vain hopes of those who trusted in Egypt rather than in Him. Today, I want to share a message titled: "God Who Shatters What We Lean On."

                  먼저는 하나님께서는 애굽의 실체가 무엇인지 밝히 보이십니다. 3절에서 하나님께서는 당신께서 애굽의 왕을 대적하신다고 선언하십니다. 그리고 그를 “자기의 강들 가운데에 누운 큰 악어라” 라고 정의하십니다. 여기서 악어라고 번역된 단어는 주로 거대한 바다 괴물이나 용과 같이 창조주께 도전하는 혼돈의 존재를 가르킵니다. 이제 그가 하는 말을 보십시오. “스스로 이르기를 나의 이 강은 내 것이라 내가 나를 위하여 만들었다 하는도다” 여러분 이 짧은 한 구절에 ‘나’라는 말이 네 번이나 나옵니다. 그런데 특이한 것은 “내가 나를 위하여 만들었다” 는 이 말이 내가 주어이자 목적어라는 것입니다. 이것은 피조물에 불과한 존재가 창조주 하나님을 지워버리고 스스로를 창조하고 존재하는 존재인 것으로 선포한 것입니다. 이전까지 ‘나의 마음이 하나님의 마음과 같은 체’를 한다거나 ‘나는 신이라’ 라고 말하였던 적은 있어도 이렇게 “내가 나를 위하여 만들었다”라고 노골적으로 선언하는 경우는 없었습니다. 그야말로 교만의 극치를 볼 수 있는 것이지요. 자 그런데 4절을 보니 순식간에 상황이 바뀌고 맙니다. 무슨 일이 일어납니까? 하나님께서 주어가 되시고 애굽 왕은 목적어가 됩니다. 그는 하나님 앞에서 갈고리에 아가미가 꿰인 생선에 지나지 않습니다. 자신이 창조하였다고 선언하였던 자신의 강에서 끌려나와 5절을 보니 지면에 떨어져 버렸습니다. 4절을 보니 그 뿐만이 아니라 그를 의지하던 그의 강의 고기들도 하나님의 권능아래 그의 비늘에 붙게 되어 모두 강에서 끌려나왔습니다. 그가 자신을 위해 만들었다고 하였던 그의 강에서조차 끌려나왔는데 들에 던져졌을 때에 그가 무엇을 할 수 있겠습니까? 하나님께서 그를 들짐승과 공중의 새의 먹이로 던져 주실 때에 그는 다시는 그 뼈를 거두거나 모으지 못할 정도로 흔적조차 남지 않게 되는 것입니다. 자신을 창조자, 전능자로 선언하였던 애굽의 파라오는 진정한 전능자이신 하나님앞에 무력하게 유린당하는 아무것도 아닌 피라미였을 뿐인 것입니다.

1. The True Reality of Egypt

First, God exposes the true reality of Egypt. In verse 3, God declares that He is against the king of Egypt, describing him as "the great monster lying among your streams." The word translated here as "monster" refers to a chaotic creature—a dragon or sea monster—that dares to challenge the Creator.

Look at what Pharaoh says:

“He says, ‘The Nile belongs to me; I made it for myself.’”

In this single short phrase, the focus is entirely on himself. Notice how "I" and "myself" function as both subject and object! This is a creature attempting to erase the Creator God from the picture, declaring that he created himself and exists for himself. While others in previous passages boasted "I sit on the throne of a god" or "I am a god," no one had so blatantly declared, "I made myself for myself." This is the absolute peak of human pride.

Yet in verse 4, the situation suddenly reverses. What happens? God becomes the active Subject, and the king of Egypt becomes the helpless Object. Before God, he is nothing more than a fish hooked through the gills! He is pulled out of the river he claimed to have created and cast into the open field (v. 5). Not only that, verse 4 says that all the fish of his streams—those who trusted in him—will stick to his scales and be dragged out into the dry dust along with him.

If he is dragged out of the very river he claimed to make for himself and thrown into the wilderness, what can he possibly do? When God throws him as food to the beasts of the earth and the birds of the sky, he will be left without a trace—unburied and ungathered. Pharaoh, who declared himself the almighty creator, is exposed as nothing more than a helpless minnow before the true Almighty God.

                  바로 이것이 이스라엘이 의지하고자 했던 세상 권력의 실체입니다. 6-7절 말씀이 이를 다시 한 번 보여주고 있습니다. 6절에서 하나님께서는 “애굽은 본래 이스라엘 족속에게 갈대 지팡이라”라고 말씀하고 계십니다. 지팡이란 무엇입니까? 스스로 서있을 수 없는 사람이 자신의 무게중심을 온전히 의지하는 대상입니다. 이는 하나님을 대신하여 애굽을 의지하던 이스라엘에게 하시는 말씀이지요. 갈대는 멀리서 보면 단단하고 쓸모 있어 보이지만 몸을 기대는 순간 쉽게 부러지고 맙니다. 그런데 문제는 그렇게 부러질 때에 그를 의지하던 사용자를 파멸에 이르게 한다는 것입니다. 그것이 7절의 말씀입니다. 함께 읽어보겠습니다. “그들이 너를 손으로 잡은즉 네가 부러져서 그들의 모든 어깨를 찢었고 그들이 너를 의지한즉 네가 부러져서 그들의 모든 허리가 흔들리게 하였느니라.” 바벨론의 압박 속에서 애굽의 군사력과 외교력을 더 현실적인 구원책으로 여겨 의지하였던 유다 백성들은 결국 어깨가 찢기고 허리가 흔들리며 파멸에 이르고 말았습니다. 8-12절까지의 말씀은 애굽을 향한 하나님의 심판 선고입니다. 8절 하나님께서 그들에게 전쟁과 폭력이 임하게 하실 것입니다. 그들은 10절에서 애굽 땅 북쪽 끝부터 남쪽 끝까지 하나님의 심판을 받아 황무지가 될 것입니다. 12절, 40년 동안 애굽 사람들은 각국 가운데로 흩어지게 될 것입니다. 이 모든 심판은 9절을 보니 그들로 하여금 하나님이 여호와이심을 알게 하기 위함이었습니다. 그런데 하나님께서는 이들에게 또한 회복을 말씀하십니다. 13절, 40년 끝에 각국에서 애굽 사람들을 다시 모으실 것입니다. 14절, 그리고 그들을 고국 땅으로 돌아가게 하셔서 다시 한 나라가 되게 하실 것입니다. 그러나 그들은 이제 더이상 예전과 같이 강대한 나라가 되지 못합니다. 14절, 15절이 공통적으로 말하고 있는 것은 그들은 이제 지극히 미약한 나라가 되어 스스로를 높이지 못하게 되었습니다. 그리고 그 결과가 바로 하나님께서 의도하신 것입니다. 16절의 말씀을 함께 읽겠습니다. “그들이 다시는 이스라엘 족속의 의지가 되지 못할 것이요 이스라엘 족속은 돌이켜 그들을 바라보지 아니하므로 그 죄악이 기억되지 아니하리니 내가 여호와인줄을 그들이 알리라 하셨다 하라.” 

2. The Broken Reed Staff

This reveals the true nature of the worldly powers Israel tried to depend on. Verses 6 and 7 show us this clearly. In verse 6, God says, "You have been a staff of reed for the kingdom of Israel."

What is a staff? It is a support that a person who cannot stand alone leans on with all their weight. God is pointing to Israel, who relied on Egypt instead of Him. A reed staff might look sturdy and useful from a distance, but the moment you lean your full weight on it, it snaps. Even worse, when it breaks, it severely injures the person relying on it! Let us read verse 7 together:

“When they grasped you with their hands, you splintered and you tore open their shoulders; when they leaned on you, you broke and their backs were wrenched.”

Under the crushing pressure of Babylon, the people of Judah considered Egypt’s military and diplomatic power to be a more "realistic" means of salvation. In the end, however, their shoulders were torn, their backs were wrenched, and they fell into utter ruin.

Verses 8 through 12 detail God’s sentence of judgment against Egypt. In verse 8, God brings war and violence upon them. From the northern border to the southern tip, the land of Egypt will become a desolate waste (v. 10). For forty years, the Egyptians will be scattered among the nations (v. 12). Verse 9 reminds us that the purpose of this judgment is "so that they will know that I am the Lord."

Yet, God also promises restoration. In verse 13, at the end of forty years, God will gather the Egyptians from the nations. In verse 14, He will bring them back to their native land to become a kingdom once again. But they will never be a great power as before. Verses 14 and 15 emphasize that Egypt will become a lowly, weak kingdom, unable to exalt itself over other nations ever again.

And this result is precisely what God intended. Let us read verse 16 together:

“Egypt will no longer be a source of confidence for the people of Israel but will be a reminder of their sin in turning to her for help. Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”

                  말씀을 맺습니다. 본문의 말씀은 하나님께서 애굽의 교만함을 심판하심으로 그들을 의지하던 이스라엘에게 세상의 군사력과 외교력을 의지하는 것이 얼마나 허망한 것인지를 보여줍니다. 이 모든 심판의 목적은 이스라엘이 의지하던 대상을 무너뜨리시는 것에 있었습니다. 하나님을 의지하지 않고 우리 눈에 보이는 것을 의지하는 것은 아무런 의미가 없습니다. 우리가 반복해서 하나님이 아닌 다른 것을 의지할 때에 하나님께서는 우리를 위하여 그 갈대 지팡이를 부숴버리실지도 모릅니다. 오직 하나님 만이 우리의 반석되시며 우리의 피할 바위 되십니다. 혹여나 지금 사방으로 포위된 예루살렘과 같이 절망스러운 상황 가운데에 있더라도 오직 하나님 만을 의지하십시다. 우리가 의지할 수 있는 분은 오직 하나님 뿐이십니다. 기도하시겠습니다.

Conclusion: Lean Only on the Rock

Let us conclude. By judging Egypt’s arrogance, God demonstrated to Israel how futile it is to lean on worldly military and diplomatic might. The ultimate purpose of this judgment was to shatter the false support that Israel was leaning on.

Leaning on visible things of the world instead of trusting in God is entirely meaningless. When we repeatedly lean on false supports, God, in His love, may shatter those reed staffs for us so that we turn back to Him.

Only the Lord is our rock, our fortress, and our refuge. Even if you find yourself in a desperate, surrounded situation like Jerusalem in this passage, let us trust in God alone. He is the only One truly worthy of our trust and dependence.

Let us pray.