HABAKKUK: A STORY OF TRUST
HABAKKUK 2:1-20
THE SMALL BOOK OF HABAKKUK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US AS WE CAN FIND OURSELVES IN THE SAME POSITION AS THE PROPHET, BUT TREMBLE WHEN IT COMES TO STANDING LIKE HE DID. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE DON’T UNDERSTAND THE WAYS OF GOD. HE DOESN’T ACT THE WAY WE THINK HE SHOULD, AND THE RESULTS ARE SOMETIMES NOT THE RESULTS WE WOULD DESIRE.
WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE URGE TO ACT LIKE JONAH OR SAUL CAN BE STRONG. TO STAND AND TRUST GOD AS HABAKKUK DID IS VERY SCARY AT TIMES, BUT IT IS THE ONLY THING THAT PROVIDES STABILITY IN A WORLD OF CHANGE. ESSENTIALLY IT IS TO SURRENDER OUR WILL INTO THE HANDS OF THE MASTER AND ALLOW GOD TO DIRECT THE PATHS OF OUR LIVES. SOMETIMES IT LEADS US TO THE MOUNTAINTOPS OF HAPPINESS WHILE OTHER TIMES WILL LEAD US INTO THE PIT OF DESPAIR. IN ALL THINGS THOUGH WHEN FOLLOWING HABAKKUK’S EXAMPLE WE CAN SAY AS THE PSALMIST DID:
PSALM 42:5: WHY, MY SOUL, ARE YOU DOWNCAST? WHY SO DISTURBED WITHIN ME? PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD, FOR I WILL YET PRAISE HIM, MY SAVIOR AND MY GOD.
HABAKKUK SERVED AS GOD’S PROPHET IN THE LATTER DAYS OF KING JEHOIAKIM’S REIGN OVER JUDAH. NO KING OF ISRAEL WAS MORE EVIL THAN JEHOIAKIM. HE CUT TO PIECES THE SCROLL OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH AND BURNT THEM BECAUSE HE PROPHECIED THE FALL OF JUDAH TO BABYLON.
JEREMIAH 36:21-24:
THE KING SENT JEHUDI TO GET THE SCROLL, AND JEHUDI BROUGHT IT FROM THE ROOM OF ELISHAMA THE SECRETARY AND READ IT TO THE KING AND ALL THE OFFICIALS STANDING BESIDE HIM. 22 IT WAS THE NINTH MONTH AND THE KING WAS SITTING IN THE WINTER APARTMENT, WITH A FIRE BURNING IN THE FIREPOT IN FRONT OF HIM. 23 WHENEVER JEHUDI HAD READ THREE OR FOUR COLUMNS OF THE SCROLL, THE KING CUT THEM OFF WITH A SCRIBE’S KNIFE AND THREW THEM INTO THE FIREPOT, UNTIL THE ENTIRE SCROLL WAS BURNED IN THE FIRE. 24 THE KING AND ALL HIS ATTENDANTS WHO HEARD ALL THESE WORDS SHOWED NO FEAR, NOR DID THEY TEAR THEIR CLOTHES.
THE EXTENT TO WHICH JUDAH FELL GRIEVED THE HEART OF HABAKKUK. HE KNEW WHAT WAS IN STORE FOR HIS PEOPLE, AND UNLESS THEY REPENTED AND TURNED TO GOD THERE WAS NO WAY TO PREVENT THE DISASTROUS RESULTS.
MANY A PARENT OR FRIEND HAS WALKED THIS SAME ROAD. SOMEONE WE LOVE IS ON A WRONG ROAD, OUR HEARTS BREAK BECAUSE WE KNOW WHERE THAT ROAD WILL END, AND THAT IF THE LOVED ONE DOESN’T TURN TO GOD, IT CANNOT BE AVOIDED.
THE PEOPLE WOULD NOT LISTEN TO HABAKKUK AND EVENTUALLY WOULD GO INTO EXILE. OUR LESSON IS HOW HABAKKUK DEALT WITH THE PENDING DOOM.
HABAKKUK 1:1: THE PROPHECY THAT HABAKKUK THE PROPHET RECEIVED
THE WORD FOR “PROPHECY” IS SOMETIMES TRANSLATED AS “ORACLE”, AND IT BEARS A MEANING OF FORBODING DOOM. IT SPOKE TO THE BURDEN IN HABAKKUK’S HEART. WHY DID GOD NOT DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SITUATION TO STIMUPATE REPENTANCE, AS HE HAD FOR THE CITY OF NINEVAH? GOD DIDN’T MAKE SENSE.
TO HABAKKUK AND TO MANY OF US TODAY THE FRUSTRATION OF BEING OBSERVERS IS SOMETIMES TOO STRONG. WHY IS THE LORD NOT HEARING US? COULD IT BE THAT HE IS HEARING OUR PRAYER, BUT OUR PRAYER IS BASED ON WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN, NOT ON GOD DOING HIS WILL IN OUR LIVES. OUR CRY IS THE SAME AS HABAKKUK’S IN V.2:
HABAKKUK 1:2-3:
HOW LONG, LORD, MUST I CALL FOR HELP, BUT YOU DO NOT LISTEN? OR CRY OUT TO YOU, “VIOLENCE!” BUT YOU DO NOT SAVE?
3 WHY DO YOU MAKE ME LOOK AT INJUSTICE? WHY DO YOU TOLERATE WRONGDOING? DESTRUCTION AND VIOLENCE ARE BEFORE ME; THERE IS STRIFE, AND CONFLICT ABOUNDS.
I CAN JUST IMAGINE HOW FLOORED HABAKKUK WAS WITH GOD’S RESPONSE TO HIM. IT COMES IN VV. 5-11 OF CHAPTER ONE AND BASICALLY SAYS TWO THINGS:
1. BRACE YOURSELF FOR SOMETHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN YOU WILL FIND DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND.
2. THE EVIL THAT JUDAH HAS DONE IS NOT AS BAD AS THE EVIL I SEE IN BABYLON, BUT I AM GOING TO USE THEM TO PUNISH JUDAH.
WE’VE BEEN THERE HAVEN’T WE. MANY TIMES IT SEEMS LIKE OUR PLATES ARE FULL OF DISTURBING NEGATIVE SITUATIONS AND STRESS AND JUST WHEN IT SEEMS WE GET ONE ISSUE RESOLVED THREE MORE DESCEND ON US.
THEN WE LOOK AT A SHADY CHARACTER AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL FOR HIM. WE CAN’T MAKE ENDS MEET, AND THEY ALREADY HAVE MONEY, AND THEN WIN A 60,000,000.00 LOTTERY. OUR LOVED ONE DEVELOPS CANCER, WHILE THEIR LOVED ONE DOES MANY ILLEGAL THINGS AND IS NEVER CAUGHT. THIS PLAN OF GOD DOESN’T MAKE SENSE.
IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT HABAKKUK HAD A DECISION TO MAKE AND THAT WAS HOW TO REACT TO THIS PLAN OF GOD THAT HE DIDN’T UNDERSTAND? HOW WILL YOU REACT WHEN THE PLAN OF GOD MAKES NO SENSE IN YOUR LIFE?
HABAKKUK REMINDS US OF TWO IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT GOD:
1. HE IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES. HE HAD A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH ISRAEL, AND HE HAS A COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU AND ME. HE WILL NOT TURN HIS BACK ON US REVEN THOUGH IT MAY SEEM AS THOUGH HE HAD. HE HAS GIVEN WONDERFUL PROMISES THAT WE WILL NOT SEE DIFFICULT TIMES, BUT THAT HE WILL GO THROUGH THOSE DIFFICULT TIMES WITH US.
ISAIAH 43:1-3:
BUT NOW, THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS— HE WHO CREATED YOU, JACOB, HE WHO FORMED YOU, ISRAEL: “DO NOT FEAR, FOR I HAVE REDEEMED YOU; I HAVE SUMMONED YOU BY NAME; YOU ARE MINE. 2 WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH YOU; AND WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE RIVERS, THEY WILL NOT SWEEP OVER YOU. WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE, YOU WILL NOT BE BURNED; THE FLAMES WILL NOT SET YOU ABLAZE. 3 FOR I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD,
2. THEN HE IS REMINDED THAT THE EYES OF GOD ARE HOLY, AND CANNOT SEE EVIL AND NOT DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. HABAKKUK ASKS THE QUESTION OF GOD IN VERSE 13.
HABAKKUK 1:13: YOUR EYES ARE TOO PURE TO LOOK ON EVIL; YOU CANNOT TOLERATE WRONGDOING. WHY THEN DO YOU TOLERATE THE TREACHEROUS? WHY ARE YOU SILENT WHILE THE WICKED SWALLOW UP THOSE MORE RIGHTEOUS THAN THEMSELVES?
LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO TURN AGAINST YOUR OWN SON OR DAUGHTER? CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING SO HORRIBLY WRONG THAT YOU WOULD JUST SAY “YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN. I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU”. I DOUBT IF ANYONE HERE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THIS. WE MAY NOT LIKE WHAT A SON OR DAUGHTER DID, BUT TURN OUR BACKS ON THEM, I THINK NOT.
YET FOR GOD THE FATHER OUR SIN MADE HIM TURN HIS BACK ON HIS SON. ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO THINK OF THE ANGER AND PAIN THAT OUR SIN HAS CAUSED GOD.
GOD WOULD NOT ALLOW THE SIN OF JUDAH TO GO UNCORRECTED. HE WOULD USE THE VILE NATION OF BABYLON AS HIS AGENT OF CORRECTION. BUT BABYLON WOULD ALSO NOT ESCAPE THE PLAN OF GOD FOR HE WOULD DESTROY THE NATION OF BABYLON FOR HARMING HIS PEOPLE.
HABAKKUK REALIZED THAT HE HAD TO ALLOW GOD TO BE GOD IN HIS LIFE. HE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND GOD’S PLANS BUT HE WAS STILL GOD, AND HE WOULD TRUST HIM.
HABAKKUK 2:1: I WILL STAND AT MY WATCH AND STATION MYSELF ON THE RAMPARTS; I WILL LOOK TO SEE WHAT HE WILL SAY TO ME,
AND WHAT ANSWER I AM TO GIVE TO THIS COMPLAINT.
HABAKKUK DETERMINED THAT HE WOULD WAIT ON GOD FOR AN ANSWER AND TRUST THAT ONE WOULD COME.
I REMEMBER WHEN MY SISTER WAS FIRST SICK BEFORE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH M.S. THERE WAS A TIME WHERE SHE WAS IN BED AND IN GREAT PAIN. WE CALLED THE AMBULANCE, BUT MOM NOR LOIS (A REGISTERED NURSE) WOULD GIVE HER ANYTHING FOR THE PAIN.
DAD AND I DIDN’T THINK THAT THIS MADE SENSE. SOMEONE WE LOVED WAS IN PAIN AND THAT PAIN NEEDED TO BE STOPPED. IT SEEMED SIMPLE. IT SEEMED LIKE THE RIGHT THING TO DO. WE COULDN’T WRAP OUR MINDS AROUND THE FACT THAT THEY NEEDED THE PAIN TO HELP DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM.
IT ALSO EXPOSED SOMETHING I REALLY DIDN’T WANT TO LOOK AT. WHO REALLY WANTED THE PAIN TO STOP? THE ANSWER WAS US. IT IS TRUE WE DIDN’T WANT HER TO HURT, IT BROKE OUR HEARTS. WE WANTED THE PAIN TO STOP SO THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO REALIZE THAT SHE WAS SICK. NO PAIN NO PROBLEM. WE WANTED TO BE IN CONTROL, AND NOT THOSE WHO KNEW THE PLAN AND TRUSTED IT.
WHILE WE DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT, WE HAD TO SURRENDER OUR WILLS TO A GREATER PLAN THAT WOULD TURN OUT TO BE BETTER FOR NANCY THAN WE KNEW. THERE IS MUCH TO BE LEARNED IN SURRENDERING OUR WILLS TO GOD.
1. NO ONE NEEDS TO BE PARALYZED BY DESPAIR AND FEAR AT WHAT HAPPENS IN LIFE. NOT ALL EXPERIENCES IN LIFE ARE PLEASANT BUT WE ARE NOT ALONE.
HABAKKUK 2:2: THEN THE LORD REPLIED: “WRITE DOWN THE REVELATION AND MAKE IT PLAIN ON TABLETS SO THAT A HERALD MAY RUN WITH IT.
2. ALLOW YOURSELF THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN PATIENCE. GOD’S STORY UNFOLDS ON HIS TIMETABLE, NOT OURS. AS YOU
WAIT THE PLOT MAY BECOME VISIBLE.
HABAKKUK 2:3: FOR THE REVELATION AWAITS AN APPOINTED TIME;
IT SPEAKS OF THE END AND WILL NOT PROVE FALSE. THOUGH IT LINGER, WAIT FOR IT; IT WILL CERTAINLY COME AND WILL NOT DELAY.
3. FOOLISH PEOPLE MANAGE THEIR LIVES IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT THEY CAN SEE, AND WHAT THEY CAN UNDERSTAND. WISE PEOPLE ARE GRATEFUL TO BE IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, AND WALK THROUGH LIFE IN THE LIGHT OF WHAT GOD REVEALS. IT IS A WALK OF FAITH AS WE DEPEND ON THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD TO DIRECT OUR LIVES.
HABAKKUK 2:4: “SEE, THE ENEMY IS PUFFED UP; HIS DESIRES ARE NOT UPRIGHT— BUT THE RIGHTEOUS PERSON WILL LIVE BY HIS FAITHFULNESS
4. GOD CAN AND DOES USE EVIL PEOPLE TO FURTHER HIS PURPOSES AND OWES NO EXPLANATION TO ANYONE. WHAT HE DOES IS DONE TO ADVANCE THE BEAUTY OF HIS STORY, AND THOSE NATIONS AND PEOPLE WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE EVIL THEY COMMIT.
5. GOD CALLS US TO BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD, NOT US. WHO ARE WE TO QUESTION GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY. AS WE ARE FAITHFUL TO HIM, THE TRIALS THAT WE FACE WHETHER GOOD OR BAD WILL NOT OVERWEALM US, AND WE WILL NOT BE CONFUSED BY A GOD WHO DOESN’T SEEM TO MAKE SENSE.
HABAKKUK 2:20: THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE; LET ALL THE EARTH BE SILENT BEFORE HIM.
WHEN HABAKKUK HAD THIS EXPERIENCE WITH GOD THAT REACHED DEEP INTO HIS SOUL, BEAUTY AND PEACE ROSE WITHIN HIM. THE WORDS HE USES TO FINISH HIS BOOK SPEAKS OF THIS SERENITY AND PEACE.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR US WHEN WE REACH SUCH A PLACE WITH GOD. WE CAN KNOW THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL OF ALL THINGS AND AS SUCH LEARN TO DEPEND ON HIM.
MY DAD LOVED TO HOLD BABIES, AND I THINK HE PASSED THAT ON TO ME. THERE WAS A CERTAIN WAY TO HLD THEM, AND IF YOU DID IT RIGHT YOU HAD A VERY COMFORTABLE AND PASSIVE INFANT.
WHAT I DIDN’T REALIZE IS THAT BABIES LOVED TO BE HELD BY HIM. THEY WOULD FALL ASLEEP ON HIS SHOULDER OR OVER HIS ARM. THEY HAD TOTAL TRUST IN HIM, AND WERE NOT AFRAID AT ALL OF FALLING OR BEING DROPPED.
WE CAN HAVE THAT SAME TRUST RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, BUT IN ORDER TO DO SO WE MUST SURRENDER OUR WILLS TOTALLY TO HIM. WHEN WE DO WE WILL KNOW THE PEACE OF BEING IN THE FATHER’S ARMS.
HABAKKUK IN CHAPTER THREE REFLECTED ON THE WAY GOD HAD LED HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE, AND KNEW THAT HE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO SO IF THEY TRUSTED HIM.
THIS IS A GOOD LESSON FOR US. THINK OF THE WAYS GOD HAS LED US SAFELY IN THE PAST. DOES IT NOT MAKE SENSE THAT GOD WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO NOW? WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND HIS PLAN, WE MAY NOT EVEN WELCOME HIS PLAN, BUT WE DO HAVE TO SUBMIT TO HIS PLAN TO GAIN HIS PEACE.
CONSIDER THE LAST FOUR VERSE OF HIS BOOK.
HABAKKUK 3:16-19:
I HEARD AND MY HEART POUNDED, MY LIPS QUIVERED AT THE SOUND; DECAY CREPT INTO MY BONES, AND MY LEGS TREMBLED. YET I WILL WAIT PATIENTLY FOR THE DAY OF CALAMITY TO COME ON THE NATION INVADING US. 17 THOUGH THE FIG TREE DOES NOT BUD AND THERE ARE NO GRAPES ON THE VINES, THOUGH THE OLIVE CROP FAILS AND THE FIELDS PRODUCE NO FOOD, THOUGH THERE ARE NO SHEEP IN THE PEN AND NO CATTLE IN THE STALLS, 18 YET I WILL REJOICE IN THE LORD, I WILL BE JOYFUL IN GOD MY SAVIOR. 19 THE SOVEREIGN LORD IS MY STRENGTH; HE MAKES MY FEET LIKE THE FEET OF A DEER, HE ENABLES ME TO TREAD ON THE HEIGHTS.
THESE VERSES DESCRIBE THE MORALLY EXCELLENT AND PERSONALLY ADVANTAGEOUS RESPONSE TO GOD WHEN HIS WAYS MAKE NO SENSE, AND IT IS FOUND IN TWO WORDS: TREMBLE AND TRUST.
DON’T PRETEND EVERYTHING IS TO YOUR LIKING WHEN IT IS NOT. FACE THE TRUTH THAT GOD MAY ALLOW TERRIBLE SUFFERING IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE HE LOVES FOR AT LEAST TWO REASONS.
1. TO PROD US TO WAIT EAGERLY WITH GREAT ANTICIPATION FOR THE TROUBLE-FREE LIFE WE WILL HAVE IN HEAVEN.
2. TO DISCOVER THE SPIRIT’S POWER TO LOVE LIKE JESUS IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE OF LIFE.
WE LIVE IN A FALLEN WORLD SO EVIL, FAMINE, DISEASE, NOR HARDSHIP OF VARIOUS KINDS SHOULD SURPRISE US. WE SERVE GOD WHO IS GREATER THAN THE EVIL IN THIS WORLD. WE CAN TRUST AS ISAIAH DID:
ISAIAH 40:27-31:
WHY DO YOU COMPLAIN, JACOB? WHY DO YOU SAY, ISRAEL, “MY WAY IS HIDDEN FROM THE LORD; MY CAUSE IS DISREGARDED BY MY GOD”? 28 DO YOU NOT KNOW? HAVE YOU NOT HEARD? THE LORD IS THE EVERLASTING GOD, THE CREATOR OF THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.
HE WILL NOT GROW TIRED OR WEARY, AND HIS UNDERSTANDING NO ONE CAN FATHOM. 29 HE GIVES STRENGTH TO THE WEARY AND INCREASES THE POWER OF THE WEAK. 30 EVEN YOUTHS GROW TIRED AND WEARY, AND YOUNG MEN STUMBLE AND FALL; 31 BUT THOSE WHO HOPE IN THE LORD WILL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH. THEY WILL SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES; THEY WILL RUN AND NOT GROW WEARY, THEY WILL WALK AND NOT BE FAINT.
