WHEN GOD’S WAYS MAKE NO SENSE: TREMBLE AND TRUST
HABAKKUK 1:1-11
TODAY WE ARE CONTINUING A SERIES OF MESSAGES ENTITLED “WHEN GOD’S WAYS MAKE NO SENSE.”
THE ESSENTIAL ISSUE IS THAT WE HAVE DECIDED THE WAY THAT GOD SHOULD ACT IN OUR LIVES, AND WHEN HE DOESN’T WE FIND IT CONFUSING. WE LITERALLY DETERMINE THE WAY GOD IS GOING TO ACT IN ANY SITUATION.
LAST WEEK WE SAW THAT A RESPONSE TO GOD WHEN HIS WAYS MAKE NO SENSE IS TO RESIST AND RUN FROM HIM. THIS IS WHAT JONAH DID. HE RESISTED THE PLAN OF GOD BECAUSE GOD WANTED HIM TO GO AND PRESENT A MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE TO NINEVAH, THE CAPTIAL CITY OF ASSYRIA, AND A SWORN ENEMY OF ISRAEL. HE DIDN’T UNDERSTAND IT AND HE SIMPLY REFUSED TO DO IT, BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING HE DIDN’T WANT TO DO. HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT GOD WANTED HIM TO DO, BUT WHAT GOD DIDN’T UNDERSTAND WAS THAT JONAH DIDN’T WANT TO DO THAT, AND GOD WAS SUPPOSED TO DO THE THINGS THAT JONAH WANTED HIM TO. THEN JONAH WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM SUBMITTING TO GOD.
GOD DOES NOT ALWAYS ACT IN WAYS THAT WE UNDERSTAND, OR IN WAYS THAT WE IF WE ARE BEING HONEST WANT TO FOLLOW. WHEN GOD WANTS US TO DO SOMETHING GOOD, WE LIKE IT AND IT’S EASY TO SUBMIT, BUT WHEN HE CHALLENGES US WITH THE NINEVAH’S OF OUR LIVES THEN THE WALK BECOMES DIFFICULT.
THE STORY OF JONAH WAS TO RESIST AND RUN FROM THE CALL
TODAY WE LOOK AT TWO MORE RESPONSES:
THE STORY OF SAUL OF TARSUS IS TO DISTORT AND DENY THE GOSPEL.
THE STORY OF HABAKKUK IS TO TREMBLE AND TRUST THE LORD.
WHEN WE DISTORT SOMETHING WE LOSE THE CLEARNESS AND SHARPNESS OF THE ITEM. IF A PICTURE IS DISTORTED IT IS NOT CLEAR. WE CAN’T IDENTIFY FACES OR LAND MARKS CLEARLY. WE MAY HAVE AN IDEA BUT WE CAN’T SAY FOR CERTAIN.
DISTORTED FACTS AND IMAGES CAN LEAD US TO WRONG CONCLUSIONS. THE SAME IS TRUE WITH THE BIBLE. DISTORTED ITERPRETATIONS OF SCRIPTURE CAN LEAD US TO WRONG CONCLUSIONS.
ROMANS 8:28 IS A GOOD EXAMPLE.
ROMANS 8:28: 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.
THIS IS A NICE POSITIVE STATEMENT BY PAUL THAT WE OFTEN MISINTERPRET AND DISTORT TO SAY THAT ONLY GOOD THINGS ARE GOING TO HAPPEN TO CHRISTIANS. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS PASSAGE IS SAYING. THEN WHEN A HEALTH CRISIS ARISES, OR WE LOSE OUR HOUSE OR JOB, WE ARE FLOORED BECAUSE WE THINK THAT ONLY GOOD THINGS SHOULD HAPPEN TO CHRISTIANS, AFTER ALL THAT’S WHAT THIS VERSE SAYS RIGHT!
IN THIS EXAMPLE OF A DISTORTED VIEW, THE VERSE IS TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT. THR TRUE MEANING IS FOUND IN VERSE 29.
ROMANS 8:29: For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
PAUL’S TRUE MEANING IS THAT AS WE ARE CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST WE WILL SEE HOW GOD WORKS FOR OUR GOOD IN ALL THINGS BE THEY WHAT WE WOULD CALL GOOD OR BAD.
DENIAL IS A MORE DELIBERATE RESPONSE TO THE CALL OF GOD. WHEN WE DENY SOMETHING WE KNOW WHAT THE FACTS ARE, BUT WE CHOOSE TO IGNORE THEM. WE THINK IF WE DENY THE FACTS THEN THE FACTS ARE NOT TRUE AND THEY WILL GO AWAY. IT’S FAR MORE DANGEROUS THAN DISTORTION AS IT IS DONE INTENTIONALLY. WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO DENY WHAT THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, YOU ARE BASICALLY SAYING THAT YOU KNOW MORE THAN SCRIPTURE AND YOUR BELIEF IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN GOD’S TEACHING.
CHRISTIANS CAN DO BOTH OF THESE THINGS AND WHEN DONE INTENTIONALLY CAN LEAD US TO QUESTION GOD’S WAYS AND HIS PLAN. WHY THOUGH WOULD WE INTENTIONALLY DO THIS? IT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE FORMULATED IN OUR MINDS THE WAY WE SHOULD ACT, BELIEVING IT IS THE WAY GOD WOULD WANT US TO ACT, AND WE DISTORT AND DENY SCRIPTURE TO HELP US ACT THE WAY WE WANT TO, NOT NECESSARILY THE WAY GOD WOULD HAVE US ACT.
SAUL OF TARSUS OR PAUL IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS. BEFORE HE BECAME A CHRISTIAN SAUL WAS A PERSECUTOR OF THE CHURCH. MANY CHRISTIANS WERE KILLED AND IMPRISONED BECAUSE OF SAUL’S CRUSADE AGAINST THIS “CULT” AS HE BELIEVED.
SAUL WAS A VICTIM OF HIS OWN UPBRINGING AND TEACHING AND DISTORTED AND DENYED THE GOSPEL IN FAVOR OF WHAT WOULD BECOME AN ARTIFICIAL OR COUNTERFEIT GOSPEL THAT LET HIM DO VISCIOUS ACTS OF TORTURE TO CHRISTIANS, BELIEVING THAT HE WAS ACTING ON BEHALF OF GOD.
SAUL WAS BORN IN TARSUS, A UNIVERSITY CITY, SO HE WAS SURROUNDED BY INTELLECTUALS. HIS FAMILY WAS WEALTHY AND EVEN AS A CHILE LIVED A PRIVILEGED LIFE.
PAUL HELD WHAT WE WOULD NOW CALL A DUAL CITIZENSHIP IN THAT HE WAS BOTH A ROMAN AND JEWISH CITIZEN.
PHILIPPIANS 3:5-6:
circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
SAUL WAS RAISED AND EDUCATED IN JERUSALEM, MENTORED BY GAMALIEL, THE LEADING PHARISEE OF THE DAY, AND THOROUGHLY TRAINED IN JEWISH LAWS AND CUSTOMS. HE WAS AS A YOUNG MAN VERY ZEALOUS ABOUT HONORING GOD IN EVERYTHING HE DID, AND THAT CENTERED ON THE PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS. HEAR HIS OWN WORDS OF TESTIMONY:
ACTS 22:2-5:
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison, 5 as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
SAUL BELIEVED THE JEWISH RELIGION ALONE WAS TRUE, THAT JEWS WERE GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE AND GENTILES WERE NOT. HE BELIEVED THAT ALL PEOPLE WHO REFUSE TO COMPLY WITH THE JEWISH LAW AND BECAME DISCIPLES OF JESUS, A FALSE MESSIAH, HAD TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR SLANDERING GOD. HE DID HIS BEST TO SERVE GOD BY IMPRISONING AND PUTTING TO DEATH ALL SUCH HERETICS WHO DEFY THE TRUTH OF GODBY SUBMITTING TO THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS.
EVERYTHING THAT SAUL BELIEVED THOUGH WAS IN THE NAME OF RELIGION AND HE THOUGHT HE WAS SERVING GOD. HE USED THE MEANING OF SCRIPTURE TO DEFEND WHAT HE WAS DOING.
WE DO THE SAME THING DON’T WE. IF WE WANT TO BELIEVE SOMETHING BAD ENOUGH, WE CAN FIND SCRIPTURE THAT WE CAN MANIPULATE TO SUPPORT OUR BELIEF. THE PARTS THAT WE KNOW DON’T SUPPORT US, WE SIMPLY DENY OR IGNORE THEIR EXISTENCE.
WHEN GOD’S WAYS DON’T MAKE SENSE TO US WE CAN MAINTAIN THE FAÇADE OF CHRISTIANITY AND BEING GOD-HONORING, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME DISTORT GOD’S WAYS WHICH MAKE NO SENSE TO US INTO AN UNDERSTANDING WHICH ALTHOUGH IS NOT TRUE, DEFENDS WHAT WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND. WE THEN DENY ANY BIBLICAL INPUT THAT EXPOSES THE FALSENESS OF THE GOSPEL WE HAVE EMBRACED.
IF THE RESPONSES OF RESISTING AND RUNNING OR DISTORTING AND DENYING THE CALL OF GOD ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE, AND YET MANY FOLLOW THEM, IS THERE A RESPONSE THAT WE CAN FOLLOW THAT IS ACCEPTABLE WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH?
WE WILL LOOK TO THE STORY OF HABAKKUK TO FIND SUCH AN ANSWER, BUT RIGHT NOW WE MUST REALLY LOOK AT THE PROBLEM.
A PROGRAM I LIKE TO WATCH ON TELEVISION IS “THE GOOD DOCTOR.” SEVERAL OF THE EPISODES INVOLVE A SURGICAL SEGMENT, WHERE WE SEE THEM OPERATING ON A PATIENT.
THE OPERATION HAS SEVERAL STAGES BEFORE THEY CAN GET TO THE CORE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE TO MAKE THEIR INCISION THROUGH THE SKIN, CLEAN AWAY ANY EXCESS BLOOD WHERE THEY ARE OPERATING, GET A GOOD VIEW OF THE PROBLEM AND THEN DETERMINE THE BEST WAY TO SOLVE IT. SOMETIMES THERE ARE SACRIFICES THAT HAVE TO BE MADE FOR THE SURGERY TO BE SUCCESSFUL. SOMETIMES A LOT OF REHABILITATION.
IN ORDER FOR GOD’S WAYS TO MAKE SENSE IN OUR LIVES SOMETIMES WE MUST ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PERFORM SPIRITUAL SURGERY ON US. WE MUST ALLOW HIM TO CUT THROUGH THAT THICK OUTER LAYER OF PRIDE THAT SURROUNDS US, AND LOOK DEEP INTO OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES TO ASSESS THE SITUATION AND WHAT HAS TO BE DONE.
WITH PRIDE OUT OF THE WAY WE ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HAVE CONTROL OF OUR LIVES. HE CAN CUT OUT THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE NOT PLEASING TO HIM. HE CAN MEND ISSUES AND HURTS THAT HAVE CAUSED US GREAT PAIN.
WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT IS OPERATING ON OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES SUCCESSFULLY, THEN WE SHALL SEE THAT WE ARE SEEKING GOD’S WILL, WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IN OUR LIVES, AND NOT MAKING GOD BOW TO OUR WILL. WE LEARN TO TREMBLE AT OUR SELF-CONSCIOUS ATTEMPT TO CONTROL GOD AND MAKE HIM THE WAY WE WANT HIM TO BE. WE WILL LEARN TO GIVE OVER CONTROL OF OUR LIVES TO GOD, AND TRUST IN HIS PLAN FOR OUR LIVES EVEN THOUGH AT THE TIME WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT PLAN IS. TRUST AT THAT POINT IS EQUIVILENT TO FAITH.
CONSIDER OUR FRIEND HABAKUK.
HABAKKUK SERVED AS GOD’S PROPHET IN THE LATTER DAYS OF KING JEHOIAKIM’S REIGN OVER JUDAH. NO KING OF GOD’S PEOPLE WAS MORE EVIL THAT JEHOIAKIM.
HABAKKUK WAS IN THE SAME POSITION MANY PARENTS ARE IN TODAY? THEY SEE THEIR CHILDREN GOING DOWN QRONG ROADS, AND WHEN THEY TRY TO SPEAK TO THEM, FIND ONLY DISRESPECT AND OUTRIGHT REBELLION.
HABAKKUK WAS A PROPHET NOONE LISTENED TO AND AS A RESULT, THE COUNTRY WOULD EVENTUALLY GO INTO EXILE. HABAKKUK WAS FRUSTRATED AND ASKED THE QUESTION OF V. 2
HABAKKUK 1:2: How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?
GOD’S ANSWER TO HABAKKUK IS SURPRISING. GOD RECOGNIZES THE EVIL DONE BY HIS PEOPLE, BUT HE GOES ON TO SAY THAT ISRAEL’S EVIL IS CERTAINLY NOT AS BAD AS BABYLON’S. SO FAR THIS ISN’T HARD FOR HABAKKUK TO UNDERSTAND. BUT THEN GOD GOES ON TO POINT OUT THAT HE IS GOING TO USE BABYLON THAT GREATLY HEATHEN NATION TO PUNISH THE LESSER DEPRAVED ISRAEL.
THIS DIDN’T MAKE SENSE. WHEY WOULD GOD USE A NATION AS HEATHEN AS BABYLON AGAINST ISRAEL. WHAT COULD HABAKKUK DO?
HABAKKUK WENT TO GOD WITH HIS UNCERTAINTY.
HE RECOGNIZED: GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES (V.12)
THE EYES OF GOD ARE HOLY (V.13)
THEN HABAKKUK QUESTIONED GOD. HE WAS NOT QUESTIONING GOD’S PLAN, BUT WAS MAKING CERTAIN OF IT. IS THIS REALLY WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO HE WAS ASKING. ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO ALLOW THIS BABYLONIAN HEATHEN NATION TO CAPTURE YOUR CHOSEN PEOPLE? IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE TO ME LORD?
DID HABAKKUK REACT AS JONAH OR SAUL? NO. HE AWAKENED FROM HIS SPIRITUAL SURGERY AND SOUGHT MORE ANSWERS TO HIS QUESTIONS. HE WAS NOT RUNNING. HE WANTED GOD TO TEACH 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 HAD LEARNED THE LESSON OF WAITING FOR AN ANSWER. EVENTUALLY GOD WOULD REVEAL HIMSELF TO A THIRSTY AND PREPARED SOUL. GOD GAVE HABAKKUK FIVE KEY LESSONS:
1. NO ONE HAS TO BE PARALYZED BY FEAR OR DISPAIR BY WHAT GOD SAYS TO THEM. WHEN WE TRUST GOD WE WILL FIND THE STRENGTH TO MOVE FORWARD IN LIFE, NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION, IN HOPE.
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 YOURSELVES TO LEARN PATIENCE. GOD STORY IS ALWAYS UNFOLDING ON HIS TIMETABLE. AS YOU WAITH THE PLOT WILL 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 GRATEFUL TO BE IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, WALK THOUGH 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 SHALL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE EVIL THEY COMMIT.
5. GOD CALLS US TO BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD, NOT US. THE STORY IS GOD’S STORY NOT OURS. WHO ARE WE TO QUESTION GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY. WE HAVE A PART TO PLAY IN GOD’S PLAN, BUT IT IS A PART THAT HE PREPARES US FOR. AS WE ARE FAITHFUL TO HIM, IN GOOD TIMES AND IN BAD, THE TRIALS THAT WE FACE WILL NOT OVERWEALM US, AND WE WILL NOT BE CONFUSED BY A GOD WHO DOES NOT SEEM TO MAKE SENSE
HABAKKUK 2:20: The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him.
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