Good Day, Meetpastordan Readers…Last week, while meeting (via zoom) with one of my Bible studies in St. Louis, it was suggested that we read and study the Book of Habakkuk in the Old Testament, since the concern he expressed is the same lament we feel and hear today. He asked God why the wicked in Judah were not being punished for their sin, and why a just God would allow such evil to exist. It seemed to Habakkuk that the righteous were being abandoned. “Where are You, God? We need You, God!” God’s answers to Habakkuk’s questions might surprise you, as they did him. (BTW, these concerns were expressed around 600 BC)
Selected verses from Habakkuk 1,2,3. (There are only 3 short chapters…45min. read)
“How long Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? I cry out to you, “Violence!”, but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me, and strife and conflicts abound. Therefore, the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so justice is perverted.”
The Lord’s Answer: “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. I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, to sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own. They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law unto themselves, and promote their own honor. They fly like an eagle, swooping down to devour; they all come intent on violence. Their hordes advance like a desert wind, and gather prisoners like the sand. They sweep past like the wind and go on…their own strength is their god.”
Habakkuk’s next question: “You, Lord, have appointed them (the hedonous Babylonians) to execute judgement; You, My Rock, have ordained them to punish? 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?”
The Lord’s Answer: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it lingers, wait for it. It will certainly come.
See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright – but the righteous will (be forced to) live by his faithlessness. He is arrogant and never at rest. Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion. Because you have plundered many nations, the people will now plunder you. For you have shed human blood, now it is time to pay. Woe be to him who builds his house by unjust gain, setting his nest on high to escape the people’s clutches. They will rise up and destroy you.
Habakkuk’s prayer: “Lord I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds. Lord, repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath, remember mercy. (Habakkuk talks of Christ’s second coming, and gives a glimpse of God’s wrath.) Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength!”
In this crazy world…in these crazy times, haven’t we all lamented,” Lord, where are you? Please don’t abandon us to evil.” In view of this perspective, let’s review two fundamental principles: When nations (or people) are in line with God’s will, they are blessed; when they are outside of God’s will, the blessings cease and there will be “hell” to pay. Habakkuk, saddened by the violence and corruption he saw around Him, poured out his heart. He couldn’t understand why God would allow the wicked to flourish at the expense of the righteous. But when God answered with His plan, Habakkuk was shocked. “You, Lord, have appointed them (the hedonous Babylonians) to execute judgement; You, My Rock, have ordained them to punish?
There are two things to be learned here. First: God is a Sovereign God; He is still on the throne and He does have a plan. He hates sin, and He is a just God who will exact judgement on the sinners. Second: “His ways are not our ways”. (Isaiah 55:8) Many times we don’t understand that He is already at work, or that He works according to His perfect timing. Both of these Truths are challenging to our human thinking, but Habakkuk grasped those Truths when he exclaimed, ‘Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength!”
So, how does this lesson apply to our culture right now? Well, our great country is eight months into a new leadership that is committed to Socialism, an agenda that is absolutely contrary to the teachings of God, and the principles of our founding documents. No doubt, this direction is abhorrent to God! “Why”, you ask? Because this country was dedicated to God when George Washington, his cabinet, congress, and supreme court, on bended knee at St. Paul’s Chapel, dedicated this country to God.
For the first two centuries of this covenant, we did aspire to fulfill the commitment that was made: to be that shining light on the hill to all who wanted to experience the blessings of freedom, and a force for good against tyrannical powers that threatened to envelop the world in war. But for the last half-century, our country has lost its direction; we’ve become a country that is morally and spiritually bankrupt; what used to be sacred is now profane; what used to be profane is now basking in the spotlight.
But, there is “Good News”: God is a God of love, mercy and grace. He wants us back; He wants us to participate in the age-old proclamation, “Repent! Turn from your Sin and turn to God!” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
God’s plan in the Book of Habakkuk was to punish Judah’s sin. The irony in this scenario was that He was willing to use evil to punish evil, showing that God will use any means necessary to accomplish His purpose. (Afterwards, the Babylonians were to be punished for their sin against Judah.) God hates sin, but He always exalts the righteous. His desire has always been to win back the hearts of His people.
Could this same scenario be playing out right now before our eyes? Are we being permitted to experience the wrath of evil to wake us up? Is this God’s way of getting His fallen country to repent and return to Him? In lieu of this happening, is there a potential “Babylon” in our future? Hum…let’s see, there’s China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Isis, or the Taliban.
Therefore, I choose to follow Habakkuk’s realization that our God is a Sovereign God who has a plan, and this plan is being worked out right now. And like this example, it is to punish the wicked and exalt the righteous. That is who HE IS, and that is my continuous prayer!
Please feel free to respond to this message, and please share this with other social media friends.
May God Bless You abundantly,
Dan Presgrave (a.k.a. Pastor Dan)
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