Sermon Tone Analysis

Habakkuk 1:1-11

April 5, 2007

 

*Intro:* One day, before the rapture, there will be the last Preacher the

           final sermon.

*A-   **There will be that last service and final person saved; just before a voice as a trumpet is heard that says “Come up here”.*

1-    Then, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye,  God’s judgment process will intensify as never before.

a-    Accumulating in the *Great White Throne Judgment.*

*B-  **It is generally believed that before this final sermon, there will be one last Great Revival.*

1-    This is exactly what HAS HAPPENED in Habakkuk’s day and, I believe we are paralleling today.

a-    Habakkuk was one of the final prophets before the fall of Jerusalem to Babylon.

-         Although things did seem to get better as Assyria no longer existed (USSR).

-         Now moving into the created vacuum of power is the Babylonians (Al Queda).

·        The time is about 600 years before the birth of Christ.

Ø     *Judah has just has a succession of ungodly leaders and, as a nation, *their heart is very far from God’s*.*

*A-   **Then enters King Josiah and revival.*

*2 Chronicles 34:1-7, 18-19, 22-28, 31-33*

*2 Chronicles 36:5-7*

*                   *1- *PROBLEM:* You can’t legislate morality or spirituality.

a- Under Josiah there was Revival.

b- BUT there was no Restoration of heart to God.

*Malachi 4:4-6*

* *

Ø     *The name Habakkuk = Wrestling.*

*A-   **And what he is wrestling with is the combination of:*

1-    The love of God, the Judgment of God

a-    God’s promises to Israel and their status as His people.

b-    How the world fits in and why does the world seem so blessed at times.

-         *Really the Prophet Ponders;* Lord as I look at the world and the events of the world WHERE ARE YOU IN ALL OF THIS???

*Chapter 1 = The Prophet WONDERS and WRESTLES.*

*Chapter 2 = The Prophet WATCHES and WAITS.*

*Chapter 3 = The Prophet WORSHIPS and WITNESSES.*

*Read Verses 1-4*

*A-   **The problem with the Prophet and even with us today is: *We see the reality of the world today sometimes leaving faith out of the equation.

1-    It’s why we have the Book of Revelation so we know everything turns out OK for the believer.

a-    So look at a typical example on a typical Christians life.

-         He 1st picks up the paper and reads of the worlds deed of the day.

-         He then reads his e-mail and sees of the troubles, sickness, and problems of those even in the church.

-         He then picks up his bible and does his scripture reading for the day.

·        *Then he struggles:* HOW DOES ALL OF THIS FIT TOGETHER.

*> Know these 4 things and you’ll have understanding: *

*#1- There are certain things in the life we JUST DON’T KNOW.*

*Proverbs 30:18-19, *There are three /things which/ are too wonderful for me, Yes, four /which/ I do not understand: The way of an eagle in the air, The way of a serpent on a rock, The way of a ship in the midst of the sea, And the way of a man with a virgin.

*Deuteronomy 29:29, *“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.

*                   *1- There is no secret code to or in the bible.

*#2- There are certain things that we **will NOT KNOW.*

*          A- At least until we’re in heaven.*

*                   *1- No man will know the day of the rapture, trib, 2nd

                       coming.

2- No man will know, in detail our Spiritual bodies.

3- No man knows who (specifically) will and will not be in

                       heaven.

*Read Matthew 13:24-30 (*tares & wheat*)*

*                             *a- I THINK you’ll be just as shocked as who IS IN

                                heaven as who IS NOT in heaven.

*#3- Now there are also things we SHOULD KNOW.*

*          A- These things I have a responsibility to learn, things the *

*               scriptures tell me to **NOT be ignorant of.*

*                   *1- End time events.

2- Spiritual Gifts

                   3- Spiritual Warfare

                   4- My calling and election

*#4- SO, Things we just don’t know,  Things we won’t know,  *

*      Things we should know, AND NOW THINGS WE DO KNOW.*

*          A- You need to know this because when:*

*                   *1- The death in the family occurs,  The paycheck

                        decreases or goes away,  sickness comes,  or you

                        have children, OR the world seems to be going upside

                        down.

a- The deceiver will tell you otherwise BUT

*(Say it together) Romans 8:28, *... *we know* that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to /His/ purpose.

Ø     *So it’s very important that I (Christian)  need to be knowing of the place of suffering:*

* *

*Romans **8:18**, *For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy /to be compared/ with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

*          A- “Consider” (reckon) = Charge to an account.*

*                   *1- *Paul has put* the sufferings of the present day on one

                       side of the ledger.

2- *AND he has placed the glory* we will experience in

                       heaven for eternity on the other side of the ledger.

*                             *a- AND GUESS WHAT?

They don’t balance.

- There is an infinite discrepancy with *glory* on

                                        the *high side*.

*Hebrews 2:10, *For it was fitting for Him, for whom /are/ all things and by whom /are/ all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain (pioneer)of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

b- THINK OF YOUR SUFFERING SITUATIONS

                                 THIS WAY:

                                       - *The source of suffering* = MAN

                                      - *The giver of GLORY* = GOD

*John MacArthur: *Our suffering is earthly,  our *glory* is heavenly.

Our *suffering* is short,  our *glory* is forever.

Out *suffering* is trivial, our *glory* is limitless.

Our *suffering* is in our mortal and corrupted bodies,  our *glory* will be in our perfected and imperishable bodies       

*B- In order to see the beauty of the Christian life you have *

*     to enter in; BUT in order to see God’s purpose in *

*     suffering you have to GO THROUGH.*

*Psalm 23:4, *Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

(The cemetary places)

* *

Ø     *Now God responds to Habakkuk.*

*Read Verses 1-11*

*A-   **Now what God is specifically referring to here is His raising up of King Nebuchadnezzar and **Babylon**.*

*1-    **But generally what we need to see and understand is ALL OF THE PAWNS (*through out history*) God has used “for the good” to see His will accomplished.*

a-    *Nazi Germany~/Jews* = The restoration of Nation Israel.

*Habakkuk 1:5, *“Look among the nations and watch— Be utterly astounded!