Habakkuk week 2: The age old question (Habakkuk 1:1-11)

Philip Swinburn

Habakkuk • Sermon • Submitted 7 months ago • Presented 7 months ago

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Recently reading and re reading a booking based on a famous Novel.

Let me read an extract.

We’re going on an Easter egg hunt.

We’re going to find them all.

We’re really excited...

Hororay for Easter day!

Oh no - Bees!

Can’t go over them

Can’t go under them.

Can’t go around them.

Got to go through them....

That’s what parents read.

Like all childrens books raises deep theological and philosophical questions. BUT WHY DO WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT?

Age old question for anyone whether believer or not. Behind so much of our struggle and anguish. Why?

There is so much we go through we just don’t understand. Seems to have no purpose or value. Can make us feel like faith is failing or God is not listening.

Habakkuk looks around him to see wickedness winning and doesn’t make sense.

Habakkuk looks around people of God. What does he see.

Corruption. Spiritual state of nation in tatters. 3 Kings (elaborate)

Society is falling apart - destruction and viloence - strife and contention. v3

Why - worse thing Habakkuk sees - Law is paralysed - (elaborate). God’s law - teaching - about how to live as people of God - is completely disregarded. almost nationwide rejection of God’s law as basis of personal and social behaviour. In ancient Israel - people of God recieved God’s law primarily through the priesthood, in close conjuction with the King and the leaders of the people. What we see - The very ones who should have upheld it - God’s leaders and his people - are very ones who have become corrupt. God and his word was supposed to be heart and soul of every area of life - but glue had become unstuck. Society was falling apart at the seams.

Friend in CofE,

Elsewhere all over the church in UK we ar ehearing stories of corrupt leaders exposed, of abuse and scandal and reputation of church wrecked..

This kind of thing Habakkuk sees around him. Those whoa re supposed to lead people of God leading them into wickedness and immorality.

See how relevant this is - apart from a few details this could be today! And though focus is on wickedness - I think its fair to say this question Habakkuk asks and the seeming passiveness of God is something we struggle with in all walks of life, because of the first sin, and curse that fell. Where it be over wickedness we see around or suffering or grief, we find ourselves asking How long.

Love this image of Habakkuk because it so captures how our hearts feel.

Anyone whose been a Christian for any length of time has asked this question

Maybe its in the moment of heartbreak, or the pain of suffering

Might be as we watch the news with mouths open in horror and dismay

Maybe as we look at politics and see everything moving away from sense that this is Christian society

Might be as sit in coffee shop and see behaviour of some around

Might be as we face opposition

Maybe felt its pain, the apparent distance or apathy of God to the way things are.

PAUSE AND SLOW AND HE FEELS TRAPPED.

Seems at point of doubting God is interested or evening listening. Or maybe incapable of putting things right. Even suggests he’d be glad to be rid of the situation - v3

Habakkuk 1:3 (NIV)

Why do you make me look at injustice?

How long O Lord.

How long will you let this happen. Why do you seem silent. Don’t you care about us, about your glory?

Commentator said this

Habakkuk was an unhappy, perplexed and greatly frustrated prophet. Why do good people suffer? Why do the ungodly flourish? Why are justice and mercy flouted with impunity? What is the point of praying? What is the point of having faith in God? What kind of God is he? Why put up with the hasstle of being a prophet? Why not take the wingso fo a dove and opt out? Why is it all such a burden? Habakkuk raises openly the kind of questions any thinking and believing person out to ask.”

Dad walking us a mountain in the fog. leave story in the fog. Mum screaming, brother crying, me fairly oblivious to everything around me.

I wonder if you are like mum screaming at dad or brother crying and frozen.

As we think about Habakkuk and his particular contention - we’ll learn some truths that apply to whatever fog we find ourselves in.

Trust Him!

What do you make of God’s response.

Shout out - single words- how is Habakkuk feeling?

I wonder what Habakkuk wanted God to do. What would have been his answer? Revival? A new King perhaps? National repentance?

Whatever is he wants God to act. Theres a desperation. Praying a long time. How long?

But when Yahweh does answer - I bet Habakkuk wishes he didnt!

Look and watch and be utterly amazed. (v5)

I wonder what you make of God’s response.

Imagine Habakkuks jaw drop.

God’s answer seems even worse.

Habakkuk 1:6 NIV

I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own.

Babyloanians were the world superpower. Conquering and devastating all in their path.

God doesn’t shy from details

dreaded and fearsome.

Self appointed judge jury and exocutioner.

v8 Mightiest army - fastest horses, fierces riders, and like eagle swift and hungry for violence.

Latest technology in warfare held by brutal enemy.

Gather up captives:

Genesis 22:17 NIV

I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,

centuries later - people being gathered as sand and carried off.

The laugh at Kings and rulers and fortresses - metaphor - they even move the earth.

They worship their own power.

Outrageous. Imagine

Imagine being a Christian in Ukraine 2 years ago, and praying for God to act, and then Putin is the answer,

Or imagine being a Christian in ?? in 1939 and hearing God’s answer would be adolf Hitler, who would sweep in, conquering and murdering millions.

Shocking image - but that is God’s answer to Habakkuk.

No wonder Habakkuk has a 2nd complaint - which we’ll have to wait for next week to think about.

What do we learn in all this. How can we trust him when this is the kind of thing he lets happen?

Luke made comment that last week after an intro and reading, the annoucenemtn of 6 points was bold!

This week I have 5. But it’s really 3 reasons we are to trust God, with 2 connected points of application.

Trust him because His ways are higher than our ways

So often when things don’t make sense we can feel like Habakkuk - like God isn’t listening or doing anything.

Habakkuk wrestles with what he knows about God and his experience.

Not answer he wanted - but God has been listening to Habakkuks prayer. God isn’t doing nothing.

God responds directly to Habakkuks lament about pervision of justice and violence

Echo of v4 in v7

God’s answer to Habakkuks lament about lawlessness and injustice is greater lawlessness and more injustice at the hands of evil empire and terrifying cruelty.

Seems completely outrageous to us. How can this be the answer. Thrust of Habakkuk’s second complaint. Cannot comprehend how this can be withing God’s plan or purpose. There is something mysterious about the way God works.

So often we struggle because when fog descends - stuck in mud and mess, we can say to God - what are you doing? Are you listening? - because we can’t make sense of it. There is something mysterious about way God works.

But isn’t that kind of the point.

When we were in the fog on the mountain. It was great that dad was with us. But if he was just with us and just as lost and confused as we were that wouldnt have been any help. Dad had the map and the compass. He knew the route we would take, he had memorised it - he knew the way he would take us even through the fog. He had the bigger picture, and was prepared for the weather.

Sometimes it feels messy and confusing and frustrating. But we should find huge reassurance in faith in a God who see the end from the beginning and sees the whole picture.

Playing computer came that has campaign - you really stuck - so you get google walkthrough. Someone who knows the game and knows all the suprises, the secrets, the hidden items.

God has the walk through on history. Because it’s all his and he rules over all of it. When we face things though it might suprise us it doesn’t suprise him, and though we can’t see purpose - doesn’t mean he isn’t working his purposes out.

Ephesians 3:20 NIV

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

we limit that to what we can cope with!

Habakkuk 1:5 NIV

“Look at the nations and watch— and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.

God’s response - I am doing work in your days.

It may be invisible but its in operation.

Something we need to hear thats hard to hear. There is a glorious yet difficult mystery. As God tells Habakkuk to look out and see waht will happen - he is showing Habakkuk that evening God’s enemies do not act fee from God’s direction.

It’s by hidden work of God that nations rise and fall.

There is something mysterious.

Reaeding bible other day 1 Chronicles 21:1 and 2 Samuel

1 Chronicles 21:1 NIV

Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel.

2 Samuel 24:1 NIV

Again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”

Even Satan is subject to God’s sovereign will. Not even Satan can act unless God allows it.

Mystery.

We’ll see in few weeks that God will bring justice on the wicked - but here we see that even the wicked God can use as instruments of his justice and to execute his judgement, and instrucment of his divine purpose.

“Every nation on earth is under the hand of God, for there is no power in this world that is not ultimately controlled by him. Things are not as they appear to be. It seemed to be the astute military prowess of the Chaldeans that had brought them into ascendancy. But it was not so at all, for God had raised them up. God is Lord over history. He is seated in the heavens, and nations to him are ‘as grasshoppers, as a drop in a bucket, or as the small dust of the balance.’

Through this exile - not only would God preserve a remenant but bring his word to the nation - including through a young prince named Daniel who would bring God’s call to the Babylonean King Nebuchadnezzar.

Habakkuk had no idea what God was doing. Sometimes neither do we - but God’s ways are higher and he works his purposes out.

Trust him whose word never fails

Temptation for Habakkuk to look around and think God has failed. Plan has gone wrong somewhere.

But in God’s response - not only do we see he is in control, but his word is reliable. Just as God said it was.

Time and time again through OT we see God keeping his word, despite unfaithfulness of people.

Has the sin of his people thwarted his plans - will this invasion stop his promised to give Abraham decendents as numerous as sand

No far from it.

Invasion will simply mean that those descendents are not just from one nation - but from many - as through this invasion - through his people being taking to every corner of the world - so too His word goes, in the mouths of the faithful - like Daniel - who in years to come would be faithful, and speak God’s word to Nebuchadnezar - King of Babylon.

Spread of Judaism across world - and as Jesus arrived many turned to him, and gospel went forth.

His word never fails. Sometimes I wonder if we doubt God’s promises because we believe promises that God never made. That if we trust him we will be materially rich, or physcially healthy or personally successful, or that nothing bad will happen to us.

Why don’t we experience these things- because God doesnt promise them. If he did we would have all of it now.

come back to this - might be thinking - so what if he is higher, and so what if his word never fails - how does that help me trust him now in the mess, mire, mud in the fog. in the dark.

Because

Trust him who works all things for our good.

Romans 8:28 NIV

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

If you are trusting in Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. You can be sure he is working all things for your good.

Hard to see this when we are in the mud. In the fog. If we only looked at today we might think God has failed. I can’t see the good in this. I’m sure Habakkuk felt that.

But because God’s word never fails, we can also trust he works all things for good - even now. Even if we struggle to see how, even if his work is invisble - its in action.

going to dentist, yeats of braces andcicule

Corrie Ten Boom -

Corrie Ten Boom and her family faced an unknown future as they were arrested for hiding Jews and sent to Nazi concentration camps during World War II. Corrie was the the only survivor of her family having watched her sister die in one of the camps.

We all face and unknown future, but we do not have to be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.

How could she be so sure. Because she kept her case fixed on the cross. - Where God’s worked all things for our good.

What do we see in the gospel’s but the mystery of God working out his plan - and also keeping his promises. In jesus fulfilling OT prophecies. In Jesus coming in humiulity. In jesus giving up his glory. in Jesus facing tempation. In Jesus facing rejection. In jesus being mocked and spat at and flogged and crucified. When wickedness seemed at his worse. When Satan thought he was winning. God was working out his purposes.

Pause and slow

As the Saviour who suffered for our sinfulness.

As God let wicked judge the innocent. SO that he might endure our judgement, the seperation, the anquish of God’s wrath, that we might know his mercy. His love. His Fatherhood. That we might be sure that whatever we face, better days are yet to come, and he will see us through.

illustration:

Crossing river with rope?

Because Jesus has gone before us, as the pinoneer and perfecter of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of God.

And this is where we bring things together. Why his ways being higher and his word never failing being good news.

Good news that even wickedness isn’t outside of God’s control - baffling thing to get head round. But also immensely comforting. because means nothing can surprise him or beat him. Because means his word will NEVER fail.

So brothers and sister when he says....

He who began a good work

Nothing can seperate

I have come to give you life and life to the full

Wipe every tear

come to me all who are weary

In this world you will have trouble

You think of any word of assurance. or hope. any promise about Kingdom, about salvation,

you can be sure. So sure. absolutely without a doubt, put all your money on it, no question.

Do you see how him being bigger than us and his ways being higher than our ways is good. Becuase it means that even when we can;t understand he is faithful to his word, and nothing will stop him working his purposes out not just in the world but in our lives - his good purposes for our good.

Trust Him

Romans 5:1–8 NIV

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

There is a difference between not knowing what the purpose is and not know that there is a purpose.

Do you want to know Jesus better. Be like him. Want to see him grow you into image of Christ. Want him to produce in you such a longing for heaven and for him that this world seems like garbage in comparrison.

Trust him in the process. Even when it doesn’t make sense.

I would love to be able to play guitar. Problem is I don’t like the process of learning to play guitar.

The callouses on fingers, the aching hands, the broken strings and the tedious exercises. But if I ever want to play guitar, I have to go through the process.

Trust him in the process. Because in his death and ressurection he has shown he is workign all things for our good. He will see his promises through He will get us where we want to be.

Keep clinging to Christ.

Not quality of our faith but quality of our Saviour. Its who our faith is in. Trust him.

Why do we have to go through - Except that we are to walk by faith and not by sight

Don’t have answer to the why - but we do have answer to the who. -

Our faith is in God who in control, who is completely faithful, whose word never fails, and who is so good.

- but oh boy can we trust him.

Answer is not to stop longing but to long faithfully and wait patiently and depend on him fiercly.

Trust him together

Because sometimes when we are in the thick of it. in the fog, stuck in the mud, we freeze. Hard to see beyond.

I remember walking up Hellvellen in Lake district. Wanted to walk it for so long. So one March when we were up I took the dog and went. As I climbed the rain turned to snow and the fog came in so I couldnt even see top, even though I was only 5m from it. and temperature dropped below zero and -9 windchill. Dog just froze. Got to point tale went down, couldnt go on. So I picked him up and put him inside my warm coat and carried him until we got below the snow and mist. Then he wagged his tail and happily went on his way again.

Sometimes when fog descents. When storm comes in. We freeze. Faith just about holding up, but only just. And this is why God in his goodness has designed us to be part of church family. Not supposed to do it on our own. Because we need people who have the map and compass and a big torch to join us in the fog, and then slowly, gently, carefully leaed us out.

People who will walk with us, cry with us, pray with us, but also remind us that God is still there. God is still good. God is still at work, and God will see us through.

Maybe you are in the mist at top of mountain freezing at moment. Don’t struggle on your own. It means being vulnerable. But thats okay. Faith calls us to be honest and if we let it God will use it to grow his church. Who know maybe God will use what you are growing through to bring community together in some way. And what if as you experience his comfort he is equiping you to comfort others.

When you see wickedness.

Or trials

or sufferings

and it doenst make sense.

Cling to Christ together - and nothign will be wasted. He is working all things for our good.

We are going on an egg hunt. We going to find them all. We’re really excited, Hooray for easter day.

Oh no - bees. Oh no mud. Oh no mess. Oh no trials, pain hurt, storms.

We can’t go over it, under it round it, got to go through it. We might not understand it, but he has gone before us and he willl see us through it and IT WILL BE WORTH IT.

Illustrate: Dad leading us through the fog (see phone notes)

Cling to him

When dehabiliatating illness comes and isnt an answer or hope, but long suffering is likely

When political situation destresses us

when see brothers and sisters around world persecuted

when society norms seems demented and in any conversation we risk being outcast

Cling to him. His ways are higher. His word can be trusted. It never fails. He has secured your life and will see you through.

Easter day declaration that all that didnt make any sense to grieving disciples was part of God’s glorious plan to save them. Same hope that helped them face the years ahead.

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