Wait For It

He is Never Late

How often have we questioned God because we see terrible things happening around us. We see the unrighteous lord it over the righteous. We see injustice. We see the innocent being put to death while the guilty go free.

Where is God? Why do His people seem so weak and ineffective?

Today I believe that God is calling us to learn to wait on Him. Wait on His Spirit and His presence. His Call and His coming.

I. Wait for the outpouring of His Spirit

A. Fools Rush In

The phrase “Fools rush in where Angels fear to tread”, originally comes from the English poet Alexander Pope's An essay on criticism, 1709

It was later used by Edmund Burke, in Reflections on the Revolution in France, 1790

We have all heard the song by Elvis. How often do we play the fool rushing into something before we hear from God. Often, we are desperate to get the answer by our own strength.

B. Wait for His Presence

The call for us today is to wait upon God’s Spirit. To wait to be endued with Power from on High!

Acts 1:4–11 (ESV)

4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” The Ascension 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Luke 24:49 (NKJV)

The Ascension 49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

We must wait for the power of God to come on us. Quiet our spirit till His Spirit is able to flow through us.

C. Waiting on God is possible because we know Jesus is coming again

The Fool rushes in to bring vengeance upon wrong doers. How often have we heard Christians think like James and John who wanted to call fire down upon those who came against Jesus. We are called to move by His Spirit and see the enemies of God to repentance. To see the power of God bring conviction, calling them to repentance and be reconciled with God.

1. Vengeance is Mine says the Lord!

The author of Hebrews writes this passage to encourage the persecuted church. He quotes Habakkuk to bring comfort.

The day is coming when the King of Kings will reign in all the earth!

Heb 10:28-39

28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How much worse punishment, do you, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. 32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property,since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will comeand will not delay; 38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

2. Only God Knows the Hour

Matthew 24:36–37 (ESV)

No One Knows That Day and Hour 36 “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. 37 For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.

3. God is not slow. He wishes that no one should parish

2 Peter 3:8–10 (ESV)

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Lamentations 3:25–27 (ESV)

25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. 26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. 27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states that:

Underlying the expression “wait for the Lord/God” is the faith that Yahweh is a God who delivers those who put their Hope in Him. But this expression also implies a faith that is willing to operate on God’s time rather than one’s own. The emphasis may be on waiting with endurance and patience (which does not exclude the frequent cry, “How long, O Lord?”) or on confident assurance (e.g., cf. Ps. 27:13f.). But in each case the biblical author recognizes that it is God’s people who must conform to God’s design for history.

In the NT the expression “wait for the Lord/God” does not occur, but the theme of expectant waiting is strong, particularly with reference to the eschatological hope. Christian expectation centers on the return of Christ (1 Cor. 1:7; 1 Thess. 1:10; cf. Lk. 12:36; Jude 21), on the “coming day of God” that will usher in “new heavens and a new earth”(2 Pet. 3:12–14), and on the full manifestation of those who have been adopted as “sons of God” (Rom. 8:23; cf. vv 19, 25).[1]

Psalm 27:13–14 (ESV)

13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! 14 Wait for the Lord;be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

II. Habakkuk: Wait For It

While sleeping a few weeks ago, God came to me in a dream, which focused on these passages in Habakkuk. The Lord was speaking to me that this message is for Goodnews Church. There are people here that have been crying out to God for answers and are feeling like He has abandoned you. Like He is never going to answer you. Your circumstances don’t seem to change, and you feel like you are stuck.

There are some here that look and see the open ungodliness of our day and wonder why the Lord does not intervene.

The introduction to the book of Hapakkuk in the ESV Study Bible says:

Habakkuk was probably written about 640–615 b.c., just before the fall of Assyria and the rise of Babylon (Chaldea). God used Assyria to punish Israel (722); now he would use Babylon to punish Assyria and Judah. This prophecy would be fulfilled several decades after Habakkuk, in 586. The “theme question” of Habakkuk is, how can God use a wicked nation such as Babylon for his divine purpose?God judges all nations, said Habakkuk, and even Babylon would eventually be judged (Babylon fell to Persia in 539). Though God’s ways are sometimes mysterious, “the righteous shall live by his faith” (2:4) while awaiting salvation. These words are quoted three times in the New Testament (Rom. 1:17; Gal. 3:11; Heb. 10:38).[2]

A. Habakkuk complains to God

Habakkuk 1:13 (ESV)

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 silentwhen the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?

In Chapter 1 of Habakkuk the prophet complains about God not judging the wicked. How could God use the unrighteous to bring discipline to God’s people?

The Bible Knowledge Commentary says:

A burning question remained in Habakkuk’s heart. Why would the everlastingly preeminent Yahweh, the absolutely Holy One, the immutably permanent Rock, utilize so wicked a people to administer discipline on Judah? Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, complained the prophet. You cannot tolerate wrong? . . .

Why would God allow such a wicked nation to devour those who were more righteous? That seemed like a perversion of justice. Sinful though Judah had been, her wickedness was dwarfed by the atrocities committed by the Babylonians. Habakkuk was in a dilemma. Certainly his concern over God’s seeming silence has concerned many of God’s people[3]

Have you ever thought God was silent?

B. Go to the Watchtower

Habakkuk 2:1 (ESV)

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.

You cannot just sit idly. You must go to the watchtower and look out for God’s answer. You must press into Him.

You must press into prayer and seek God’s answer.

4. What is a Watchtower? 📷📷

WATCHTOWERPlatform from which farmers protected their land and livestock and from which soldiers guarded their cities. Watchtowers were built in the vineyards of Palestine. From the tower the watchman was assigned to oversee the vineyard, protecting it from wild animals and thieves (Is 5:2; Mt 21:33; Mk 12:1). Such structures are still used for similar purposes in Palestine and serve as the living quarters for the vineyard workers. Some watchtowers, like the tower of Eder (Gn 35:21), were constructed in wilderness areas. They provided a protected shelter for shepherds to watch their flocks and a fortified outpost for sentinels to guard a city and to safeguard its commerce from marauding bandits (2 Kgs 18:8; 2 Chr 20:24; Is 32:14).[4]

5. God is seeking a generation that will arise, climb the watchtower and protect the land.

Spiritual warriors who guard the city of God. He calls us to be on the Watchtower protecting the flock. Also, protecting the vineyard (anointing).

Will you be one that will rise and seek God’s answer? One who will intercede for God’s purpose in our day. Who will say, “I see the enemies of God all around, but I’m one who waits upon the Lord!

Isaiah 21:8–10 (ESV)

8 Then he who saw cried out: “Upon a watchtower I stand, O Lord, continually by day, and at my post I am stationed whole nights.9And behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!” And he answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground.” 10 O my threshed and winnowed one, what I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I announce to you. It’s time for Believers to go to their prayer closets – to go to their WAR ROOM and press into God and KICK THE DEVIL’S BUTT!📷

C. The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith

Habakkuk 2:2–4 (ESV)

2 And the Lordanswered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. 3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. 4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. We must be those who see Him even when it does not look like God is doing anything.

Romans 1:17 (ESV)

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Galatians 3:11 (ESV)

11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.”

III. Waiting on the Lord Revitalizes your Strength

Isaiah 40:28–31 (ESV)

28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renewtheir strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Waiting on the Lord. Putting our Hope in Him will allow us to walk through these last days as we wait for His return.

A commentary on Isaiah says about waiting on the Lord:

Thus native strength, whether simply natural or specially cultivated, can fail, but those who hope in the Lord … renew their strength. Hope (with, of course, its biblical component of certainty) is one meaning of √qāwâ, which also means ‘wait’ (patiently) and ‘rest’ (trustfully). Here it is a participle, pointing to a maintained relationship.[5]

Psalm 17:8–9 (ESV)

8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, 9 from the wicked who do me violence, my deadly enemies who surround me.

Exodus 19:4–6 (ESV)

4 ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possessionamong all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

[1]G. Chamberlain and N. J. Opperwall, “Wait,” ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1979–1988), 1003. [2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Hab. [3]J. Ronald Blue, “Habakkuk,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1511. [4]Walter A. Elwell and Philip Wesley Comfort, Tyndale Bible Dictionary, Tyndale Reference Library (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), 1297. [5]J. Alec Motyer, Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 20, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), 283.