성경 주석서

심판은 하나님의 집에서 시작되었으며, 그러므로 그것은 재판관이었던 선지자들로부터 시작되었다. 그러나 그것이 거기서 끝나서는 안 되었으니, 그러므로 선지자들도 거기서 멈춰서는 안 되었다. 에스겔은 예루살렘의 멸망에 관한 증언을 마쳤다. 그것에 관해서는 더 이상 말하지 말고, 자기 파수대 위에 서서 그 결과를 기다리라는 명령을 받았다. 그러나 그는 잠잠해서는 안 되었으니, 이스라엘 땅에 인접한 여러 나라들이 있었고, 그는 이사야와 예레미야가 전에 하였던 것처럼 그들을 향하여 예언해야 했으며, 주로 그들이 하나님의 백성이 재앙을 당하던 날에 그들에게 행한 해악과 모욕에 대하여 하나님께서 그들과 다투신다는 것을 선포해야 했다. 이 장에서 우리는 그의 예언을 본다. 첫째, 암몬 족속을 향한 예언, 에스겔 25:1-7. 둘째, 모압 족속을 향한 예언, 에스겔 25:8-11. 셋째, 에돔 족속을 향한 예언, 에스겔 25:11-14. 넷째, 블레셋 족속을 향한 예언, 에스겔 25:15-17. 그들 각자에게 지워진 책임은 하나님의 이스라엘을 향한 그들의 야만적이고 무례한 행위였으며, 이로 인하여 하나님께서는 동일한 떨림의 잔을 그들의 손에 쥐어 주시겠다고 위협하신다. 하나님께서 이렇게 그것을 분히 여기시는 것은 이스라엘에게 격려가 될 것인데, 곧 비록 그분께서 그들을 이처럼 엄하게 다루셨을지라도, 그분께서 그들을 버리신 것이 아니라 여전히 그들을 자기 백성으로 여기시고 그들의 송사를 변호하실 것임을 믿게 하는 것이다.

이 장에는 하나님의 백성을 미워하고 그들이 곤경에 처했을 때 모욕한 일로 인해 암몬 자손(에스겔 25:1-7), 모압 자손(에스겔 25:8-11), 에돔 자손(에스겔 25:12-14), 블레셋 사람들(에스겔 25:15-17)에게 임할 하나님의 무거운 심판에 대한 경고가 담겨 있다. 이 예언들은 예루살렘이 멸망한 지 약 5년 뒤 느부갓네살을 통해 성취되었다. 다른 여러 선지자도 같은 사건들을 예언했으며, 난외에 인용된 병행 본문들에서 이를 확인할 수 있다.

INTRODUCTION TO Ezekiel 25

In this chapter the prophet foretells the judgments of God upon the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and Philistines, for their ill usage of the Jews; on the Ammonites, Ezekiel 25:1, on the Moabites, Ezekiel 25:8, on the Edomites, Ezekiel 25:12, on the Philistines, Ezekiel 25:15.

XXV.

Prophecies concerning heathen nations, from the time of Balaam down, mark every period of Scripture history. Sometimes, as in the case of Jonah, Obadiah, and Nahum, the utterance of the seer is against a single nation; sometimes, as in the case of Joel, and possibly also in that of Amos, the prophecies against the heathen are merely incidental and subsidiary to those concerning Israel; and sometimes, as in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, they are collected in a special portion of the book. Balaam, Jonah, and to some extent Daniel, addressed their warnings directly to the nations concerned; but in most of the other instances it seems unlikely that the prophecies were ever communicated to the people to whom they directly related. In all cases they appear to have been given by God for the sake of His Church as well as for that of its enemies; even that of Jonah was given to Nineveh probably but a little time before the conquest of Israel, and must have impressed upon its haughty monarchs some respect for the God whose people they were soon to make captive; while those of Daniel were given to kings who already held the chosen people in captivity, and who were thereby compelled to make some acknowledgment of the reverence due to the God of Israel.

The reasons for the more general prophecies against the heathen must be sought in the special circumstances of each case in which they were uttered. In the present instance these reasons are not far to seek, for both the nations mentioned and the one omitted suggest a common purpose in the prophecy. Those mentioned are seven in number—Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon, and Egypt. All these were so far allies of Judah that they were in common hostility to Babylon; and it appears from Jeremiah 27:1-3 that an attempt had been made in the reign of Jehoiakim to unite five of them in a league against Babylon, while Egypt was continually looked to by the disobedient Jews for aid against their common enemy. It was, therefore, necessary for Israel to know that there was no help to be found against Babylon in any earthly power; all the enemies of Chaldæa were to fall alike. Moreover, it was important to show by these prophecies that the judgment about to come upon the surrounding heathen was from God, since it is thus made clear that all events are of His ordering, and hence that the punishment of His people also must be from His own hand. This was especially the place for the prophet to speak of these judgments when he had just finished his denunciations of wrath upon Israel, and when these denunciations were about to be fulfilled. Besides these general reasons, there were other special ones in the case of each nation. Egypt had been a broken reed piercing the hand of Judah as often as she leaned upon it; while of Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, and Tyre it is mentioned that they had exulted in the profanation of the Temple and the captivity of the people, and this especially from their hostility to the religion of Israel. It would help Israel to know that, while they were themselves punished for their unfaithfulness to their religion, those who altogether hated and rejected it were to suffer still more severely. It is remarkable that there is no prophecy in Ezekiel against Babylon, as there is in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others; for Babylon appears throughout this book as the executor of God’s judgments upon His people, and the effect of this would have been marred by the mention of her own ultimate punishment. For the present, all her enemies are to be overthrown, and she remains in strength; although she also would be punished for her sins when she should have accomplished the Divine purposes, yet it would have been worse than useless for the thoughts of Israel to be occupied with this now.

The number of seven nations against whom prophecies are uttered has been thought by many to be significant. It is made up by separating Zidon from Tyre, for which there were probably special reasons at the time. Zidon had long since lost its importance, and the prophecy against it is very short, (Ezekiel 28:21-24); yet its ancient enmity to God was not to be forgotten, as it might appear to be if left without distinct mention.

The prophecy against Edom is greatly expanded in Ezekiel 35, and there are other prophecies against foreign nations in Ezekiel 38, 39; but these have so much the nature of promises to Israel that they are more appropriately placed where they are than they would have been in this connection. Even here the prophecy against Zidon (Ezekiel 28:25-26) and that of the latest date against Egypt (Ezekiel 29:21) end with promises to Israel.

The utterances against the various nations are very unequal in fulness. Those concerning Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia are all included together in a single prophecy, occupying only one chapter (Ezekiel 25); Tyre is the subject of four separate prophecies, filling nearly three chapters (Eze 26:1 to Eze 28:19); Zidon is disposed of in the few following verses; while Egypt has seven distinct prophecies, filling chapters 29-32. The relative importance of these various nations is represented in this proportion.

The prophecies of Ezekiel concerning these nations had been anticipated by the older prophets, especially Isaiah and Amos, and similar predictions also abound in the contemporary Jeremiah, but with this marked difference: Ezekiel foretells their utter overthrow, while other prophets look forward to a period of restoration and blessing after their punishment. Thus Isaiah (Isaiah 23:15-18) says that after a period of seventy years Tyre shall again rejoice, and shall ultimately be converted to the Lord; Jeremiah says of the Moabites, “I will bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter day, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 48:47), and the same thing of the Ammonites (Jeremiah 49:6); and of Egypt, that after its temporary subjection to Nebuchadnezzar, “afterward it shall be inhabited as in the days of old” (Jeremiah 46:26); Isaiah also describes the time when “Israel shall be the third with Egypt and Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land” (Isaiah 19:24-25). Yet it has generally been recognised that there is no inconsistency in these prophecies. Isaiah foretells a temporary resuscitation of Tyre, at the same time with Judah, in connection with the Medo-Persian conquest of Babylon; but Ezekiel’s prophecies look beyond this, to the final destruction of the Tyrian power. On the other hand, these various prophecies speak of an ultimate gathering of a remnant of the descendants of these nations into the Church of God; while Ezekiel speaks of them only as political powers, and foretells that utter desolation of them which has been so strikingly fulfilled in the course of history.

SECOND DIVISION. CH. 25–48. PROPHECIES OF THE RESTITUTION OF THE KINGDOM

First Section. Ch. 25–32. Prophecies against the Nations

The prophecies of Ezekiel against the nations form a single collection in the Book precisely as the similar oracles of Jeremiah (ch. 46–51) and of Isaiah (ch. 13–27). In the Book of Ezekiel they occupy the proper ideal place, being an introduction to the positive prophecies of Israel’s restoration (ch. 23–39). Israel occupies a place of universal significance in the history of the world, for it is the people of Jehovah, who is God alone. He who is God alone has become God of Israel, and it is through Israel that he is known to the nations, and through Israel and her history that he will fully reveal himself to the peoples of the world. This perfect manifestation of himself will be seen in Israel’s restoration, when his glory shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together (Isaiah 40:5). But this restoration of Israel cannot be without great judgments on the nations who have hitherto harassed her or seduced her. These judgments will awaken the nations to the knowledge who the God of Israel is—they shall know that he is Jehovah; and they will ensure that in the future his people shall not be troubled or led astray. All the prophets have the presentiment of a general judgment upon the world immediately preceding the incoming of the perfect kingdom of the Lord. The idea is shared by Ezekiel, though, as usual, he develops it into much further details than his predecessors had occasion to do.

The place of these prophecies in the Book of Ezekiel is important, because it suggests the place which the judgments on the nations had in his scheme of thought, and his construction of the history of redemption. So far as the prophecies themselves are concerned they belong either to the last years of Israel’s existence as a nation, or to the period immediately following the downfall of the state. The prophecies are seven in number, being against (1) Ammon, (2) Moab, (3) Edom, (4) the Philistines (ch. 25), (5) Tyre (ch. 26–28), (6) Sidon (Ezekiel 28:20-26), (7) Egypt (29–32). Those against the first six countries seem immediately posterior to the destruction of Jerusalem; those against Egypt belong to the time from the 10th to the 12th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, that is, the year before the capture of the city, the year in which it was taken, and the year after, with the exception of the passage ch. Ezekiel 29:17-21 belonging to the 27th year of Jehoiachin’s captivity, which is probably a later insertion.

Chastisement overtakes the nations for two sins. First, because of their demeanour towards Israel, the people of Jehovah. Either they bad taken part in Jerusalem’s destruction (Edom, Ezekiel 25:12, the Philistines, Ezekiel 25:15), or had rejoiced over it, whether out of malice (Ammon, Ezekiel 25:3), jealousy (Moab, Ezekiel 25:8), or for selfish reasons (Tyre, Ezekiel 26:2); or else they had been a snare to Israel, inspiring false trust and seducing her from the true God (Egypt, Ezekiel 29:6). And secondly, because of their ungodly pride and self-deification (Tyre, ch. 28, Egypt, Ezekiel 29:3). This conduct of the nations and these feelings bring them into relation with Jehovah, either mediately through Israel the people of the true God, whom they injured or despised or seduced; or immediately and in a wider way in their not recognising him as God,—him who was God alone. Hence in all cases his judgments upon them have this purpose and result—they shall know that I am Jehovah.

The prophet has a very lofty consciousness of God, which he expresses by the word “Jehovah.” To be Jehovah is to be God alone, and all which he who is God alone is. It is from this conception of the God of Israel that the prophet speaks. But he estimates the conduct and feelings of the nations as if they also had or should have the same consciousness of Jehovah, as if they knew him as the prophet himself does. Other prophets speak in the same way, e.g. Isaiah 10:6-7. His way of thinking arises from the fact that the one true God was God of Israel. He whom the nations knew as Jehovah, the God of Israel, was the one living God. And when they did despite to his people, it was not a nationality among other nationalities that they injured, nor a mere tribal god whom they scorned, they were moving in a far higher plane than this, they were doing despite to the people of him who was God alone, and were injurious to the one living God. Again, Jehovah being God over all, pride of heart in the nations or their rulers, and self-deification, as when the prince of Tyre said, I am God (Ezekiel 28:2), or when the Pharaoh said, My river is mine, I have made it (Ezekiel 29:3), was blasphemy against him. This self-exaltation detracted from him who is alone exalted (Isaiah 2:11). This is the prophet’s conception. In a certain way his manner of thinking may do an injustice to the nations, who might not know that Jehovah, God of Israel, was God alone. The question is not quite simple. For this pride and self-deification of rulers and nations was a sin against God, it was on the part of man a lifting-up of himself against what the human mind feels to be above it. And it is not just quite clear that Israel’s neighbours were altogether guiltless in not knowing Jehovah to be God alone. He was in the world, though the world knew him not. The Light had appeared. How far men everywhere are responsible for not coming to the Light when it has anywhere appeared is a question not to be settled just off hand (John 18:37-38). The prophet appears to intimate that the neighbouring nations were not unaware of Israel’s pretensions to be different from themselves (Ezekiel 25:8). The superiority claimed by Israel was a religious one (Deuteronomy 32:31), and when the prophet represents the nations as aware of it, he is not to be thought as speaking merely from his own point of view (Numbers 23:21-23; Lamentations 4:12).

Ch. 25 contains prophecies directed against four peoples: Ezekiel 25:1-7, Ammon; Ezekiel 25:8-11, Moab; Ezekiel 25:12-14, Edom; and Ezekiel 25:15-17, the Philistines.

에스겔 25:1-17. 유대인들에 관하여 침묵하는 기간에 알맞게, 에스겔은 제25장부터 제32장까지에서 이방 세계 왕국들에 대한 심판을 선포한다. 이스라엘도 아끼지 않으셨다면, 이스라엘이 최악의 상태에서도 가지고 있던 진리의 일부조차 없는 완전히 부패한 이방인들은 더욱 아끼지 않으실 것이다(베드로전서 4:17, 18). 그들의 파멸은 완전하지만 이스라엘의 파멸은 일시적이다(예레미야 46:28). 심판받는 민족들이 일곱인 것은 완전수로, 하나님을 대적하는 이방 원수 전체에 심판이 임함을 암시한다. 바벨론은 현재 하나님의 보응적 공의의 막대기로 여겨지므로 예외다.

이교 민족들을 향해 말씀하는 것은 성경 예언의 뚜렷한 한 부분이었다. 이사야 13-19장, 예레미야 46-51장, 그리고 여기 에스겔 25-32장에서는 그러한 예언들을 모은 한 단락이 특별히 마련되어 있다. 이 모든 예언의 일반적인 목적은 하나님의 종들과 세상 권세 사이에서 언제나 벌어지는 충돌을 보여 주는 것이었다. 그리스도의 교회는 아직도 원수들과 씨름해야 하지만(에베소서 6:12), 이 싸움에서 반드시 승리할 것이다.

이교 민족들을 향해 말씀하는 것은 성경 예언의 뚜렷한 한 부분이었다. 이사야 13-19장, 예레미야 46-51장, 그리고 여기 에스겔 25-32장에서는 그러한 예언들을 모은 한 단락이 특별히 마련되어 있다. 이 모든 예언의 일반적인 목적은 하나님의 종들과 세상 권세 사이에서 언제나 벌어지는 충돌을 보여 주는 것이었다. 그리스도의 교회는 아직도 원수들과 씨름해야 하지만(에베소서 6:12), 이 싸움에서 반드시 승리할 것이다.

이 일련의 예언들은 한 가지 예외를 제외하면 예루살렘이 무너지던 때에 전해졌다. 어떤 것은 성읍이 함락되기 조금 전에, 어떤 것은 조금 뒤에 전해졌다. 이 예언들은 이웃의 몰락을 기뻐하지 말라고 민족들에게 경고하려는 본래의 목적을 드러내도록 함께 모였다. 이스라엘 자손과 가장 많이 접촉한 일곱 민족이 대상이다. 동쪽 경계에는 모압과 암몬, 남쪽에는 에돔, 남서쪽에는 블레셋, 북쪽에는 상업 도시 두로와 더 오래된 시돈, 마지막으로는 선택받은 백성에게 번갈아 채찍과 거짓 의지처가 된 애굽이 있다. "일곱"이라는 수는 완전함을 상징한다. "일곱" 민족의 우두머리인 애굽을 향한 "일곱" 예언은 하나님 나라의 대적자인 이교 권세가 완전히 무너질 것을 나타낸다. 다른 선지자들은 이 이교 민족들에게 장래의 자비에 대한 어느 정도의 소망을 제시하지만(예: 이사야 16:14; 예레미야 49:6, 49:11), 에스겔은 그들의 완전한 파멸을 말한다. 그는 "민족적" 파멸을 바라보고 있었다. 예루살렘에는 민족적 회복이 있을 것이나 이교 민족들에게는 그러한 회복이 없었다. 그 "민족적" 파멸은 돌이킬 수 없었다. 다른 선지자들이 자비의 소망을 제시한 남은 자들은 민족으로 다시 세워지는 것이 아니라 개인으로서 하나님의 교회에 모여 자비를 발견할 것이었다. 에스겔은 다른 선지자들과 달리 바벨론을 향해 예언하지 않는다. 잠시 동안 바벨론이 하나님의 원수들을 벌하여 하나님의 일을 행하는, 신적 진노의 의로운 도구임을 보여 주는 것이 그의 사명이었기 때문이다. 에스겔은 이방 민족들을 향해 예언할 때 종종 앞선 선지자들의 표현을 채택한다.

에스겔 25장에서는 지리적 위치와 접촉 면에서 서로 가장 밀접하게 연결된 네 민족을 향해 몇 개의 짧은 문장으로 말씀한다. 각 말씀은 "너희가 내가 주인 줄 알리라"라는 같은 후렴으로 끝난다(예: 에스겔 25:5). 이 예언은 느부갓네살이 성읍을 함락한 직후에 전해졌으므로, 시간상 뒤이어 나오는 몇몇 예언보다 나중이다.

암몬 사람들은 아브라함의 후손들에게 뿌리 깊은 원수였다.

주의 말씀이 — 연대순으로 이 장은 에스겔 33:21 이하 뒤에 놓인다. 뉴컴 대주교를 보라.