Habakkuk
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Major Lessons from Minor Prophets
Does God even care?
Does God even care?
Book Background:
Historically the once unbeatable Assyrians, had themsevles been conquered by a new foe, a might nation: Babaloyn.
Their King Nebecanesser was on an unstopible path.
he had already defeated the mighty Epypt and had noe set his eyes on the nation of Israel. His attack would be inevitible.
In fact so severe was Nebbecanser that when he did attck his armies invaded Juda, destroyed Jerusalem, demolisherd the Temple and sent the Jews into exile.
Habaccuk knew all this was going to happened and was so distrought that he called out to God in private - a private conversation that was so important that God told Habakkuk:
1 I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
2 And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.
This is that conversation:
Question 1: Why is God so indifferant?
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save?
3 Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.
4 So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.
The prophet is in anguish because he sees all the evil around him, he sees the violence, he sees the destruction, he sees the injustice.
He looks around and he sees the innocent suffer, while the corrupt leaders get fatter and fatter.
He sees the poor spiritual state of his people and asks God why he does not do anthing?
God answers:
5 “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.
The first thing to note is verse 5.
God assusers and comforts the prophet that He is not indifferent. He too has seen what is happening and perphaps most importantly:
He is doing a work. A work that is not yet seen or obvious - but a work that will bring about change and reform.
We must always remember that just because he do not immedietly see the workings of God that does not mean that God is idle.
The book of Ruth is the best example of this.
Did you know that in the whole book of Ruth thyere is not a single refrence to God at all?
You can go through Ruth, line by line, word by word and you will find zero evidence of God.
Yet by the end, when Israels enemies are hanged by their own rope - the hand, plan and purpose of God is clear.
Habakkuk cannot see God doing anything so God assures him that indeed He is.
You would think this would calm and satisfy the prophet, but what God says next shocks him to his very core:
In fact look at V5:
A work that the prophet is not going to believe!
6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own.
7 They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves.
8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour.
9 They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand.
10 At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it.
11 Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!”
God says:
I am going to use the fierce armies of the Chaldeans to do my work for me.
God had warned his people over and over and over again.
He had sent prophet after prophet after prophet.
he had sent lesser disciple like plagues, famine and locuts.
he had allowed various small military defats.
All this was done to bring Isral to repentace and commitment.
But the people refused to listen - They had tested God’s longsufferering long enough.
The Bayalonians would come in voilence and sweep over Isral like the wind sweeps over the desert.
This was not the answer Habakkuk was hoping for.
Habaukkuk answers Godf:
12 Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof.
13 You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?
14 You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler.
15 He brings all of them up with a hook; he drags them out with his net; he gathers them in his dragnet; so he rejoices and is glad.
16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in luxury, and his food is rich.
17 Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever?
Here in verse 13 is the core of Habakkuk’s destres.
Yes, Israel has gone astray. Yes, they have lost their direction. Yes they has sinned against God.
But, why is God using a nation more sinful than Israel to punish Israel?
In his eyes its like i steal R10, but another person steals R1 million. Then the theief who steals the million gets to punch me for only stealing the R10.
It just not seem right.
How could a holy God who loves His people use an evil and wicked nation like babaloyn to disciple His people?
God is going to answer but before we look at the answer we must examine ourelves.
Are fully serrendered and yelded to God AND willing for Him to do do whatever He must for our good and His glory?
That is not an easy question to answer if you take it seriously.
Because we have examples in scripture of many people wgo suffered terrible in order that God would atchive His goal.
Joseph was forgotten in prison.
Job lost everything he had.
David was driven into the wilderness.
and ultimatly: God did not even spare his own Son as Jesus suffered on the cross.
God’s reply:
4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.
God’s answer is so humbeling.
First God does not give an explanation. God does not need to explain himself.
Instead of an explanation God gives somthing which matter more: a Revelation.
“The righteous shall live by his faith”.
here is what God is saying:
I am going to use this army to punish my people.
They are savage, ruthless an cruel.
They will tear through Jerusalem, they will levl the holy Temple built by Solomon. they will drive my people from their homes and make them strangers and beggers in a foregn land.
Thats what im going to do: here is what you are going to do:
You are going to have faith and trust me.
This is the message for evey Christian today.
Have you not noticed how crazy upsidedwon the world is today?
Have you not wondered why God seems so silent?
Covid shutting down churches while bars and casios stay open.
Murder, rape and violece at an all time high.
Evil paraded as good and good shown to be evil.
In all this chaos we might call out to God for an explanation:
here is God’s responce to us all:
Have faith and Trust me!
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
We must not foget that not only are we saved by faith but we are also called to live and walk by faith!
7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Walking by faith means stepping into the river BEFORE God stops the flow.
Faith says: I dont know what happening. I dont know why its happening. Bujt i know God and He is faithful.