God, Are You Sure About That?

Introduction

Habakkuk 1:12–17 KJV 1900

12 Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment; And, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. 13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, And canst not look on iniquity: Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, And holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? 14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, As the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? 15 They take up all of them with the angle, They catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: Therefore they rejoice and are glad. 16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; Because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. 17 Shall they therefore empty their net, And not spare continually to slay the nations?

Last week, I preached, what I thought would just be one sermon out of the book of Habakkuk, but I just can’t get away from this book. There’s so much treasure here, and last week, by the time I was done preaching that message on “Does God Care?” - I pretty much knew that God wanted me back in this book today.

The book of Habakkuk is all about questions…questions about God’s justice and sovereignty in the face of evil.

We began last week with the question of “Does God Care?”

Why do the wicked become richer and the righteous remain poor?

Why did a corrupt person get a promotion while my work was not recognized?

Why do the wicked enjoy good health while the righteous suffer due to sickness?

Why does God see all this evil and do nothing about it?

Habakkuk asked God, Habakkuk 1:2 “...how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear!...”

He felt abandoned, he felt that God didn’t care, but thank God, the facts were different!

God did care, God was doing something; God answered Habakkuk by telling him that He was going to Habakkuk 1:5 “...work a work in your days, Which ye will not believe, though it be told you.”

Habakkuk wasn’t going to believe how God was going to work, because God was about to use the most evil nation ever to bring judgment upon Judah. This tells us that God answers prayer in unexpected ways, why is this? Because His ways are higher than ours, and we need to remember that!

We ended last week’s message with the fact that God will answer prayer, and He will solve problems in a way that will be unusual, as well as unexpected; but, in a way that will always glorify Himself.

He is not dumb. He is not deaf. And, HE’S STILL IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT! Even when you can’t track Him, just trust Him anyway!

So, in answer to Habakkuk’s question, “Does God Care?” You better believe He does! He is right where He has always been and right where He’s supposed to be; He’s on the throne, He’s still in charge, and nothing is out of His sight!

Now, we ended on a high note last week…But there’s more to the book of Habakkuk.

G. Campbell Morgan said, “Men of faith are always the men who have to confront problems.”

As far as Habakkuk was concerned, God’s first answer to his prayer had not been any answer at all. In fact, it only created a new problem that was even more puzzling.

Habakkuk’s question now became, “God, Are You Sure About That?”

To this point, it seemed that God was being inconsistent. How could a holy God use a wicked nation to judge His very own people?

Beginning in verse 12, Habakkuk prays a prayer that is just full of truth concerning the person of God...

Notice,

God’s Person

Habakkuk asks a rhetorical question in verse 12:

Habakkuk 1:12 (KJV 1900)

12 Art thou not from everlasting,

O Lord my God, mine Holy One? ...

One good thing about Habakkuk is that instead of walking away from God, he reminds himself of who God is. That’s why when we go through tough times, we must go to the Bible because that’s where the Lord often reveals himself. Though Habakkuk had questions, he turned to God.

He affirms his faith in the Lord!

He acknowledged that God is everlasting.

He acknowledged that God is the self-existent One.

He acknowledged God as his God.

He acknowledged that God is the Holy One.

A.W. Pink wrote, “There was never a time when [God] was not; there will never come a time when He shall cease to be. He was neither evolved, grown, nor improved. He cannot change for the better, for He is already perfect; being perfect, He cannot change for the worse. Altogether unaffected by anything outside of Himself, improvement or deterioration is impossible.”

Habakkuk also understood that it is God who ordained the Babylonians to judge his people. He acknowledged God’s sovereignty. So, Habakkuk looks to God.

Habakkuk refers to Him as the “Holy One.” Although God’s plan was not understand by the prophet, God’s person was unveiled to the prophet. He recognized that God was eternal in His existence and holy in His essence.

That is why he continues in verse 13, and we see:

God’s Permissions

Habakkuk 1:13 (KJV 1900)

13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil,

And canst not look on iniquity:...

Habakkuk recognizes that holiness is not something God does; but, holiness is who God is.

Back in verses 2-3, Habakkuk asked, “Why do you idly look at wrong [Israelites] and do nothing?” Habakkuk had been troubled that God’s people sinned and He remained silent about it, but now he’s troubled that god is going to use the wicked Babylonians to disciple his people…in the last part of verse 13, he’s asking, “Why do you idly look at traitors [Babylonians] and remain silent?”

Habakkuk probably thought that the Lord should first punish the evil Babylonians. He probably even felt that God’s cure was worse than the disease. That shows that God doesn’t always answer our prayers according to our expectations.

Think about this: this would be like crying out to God about the state of the church in America, and hearing God respond by saying, “I’ll fix the problem by an enemy invasion of America.” We might say, “Wait a minute LORD – the problem is bad, but Your cure is worse than the disease!”

Habakkuk 1:13 KJV 1900

13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, And canst not look on iniquity: Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, And holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

Habakkuk didn’t understand why God would judge a bad nation by an even worse nation; but, He did understand that God was holy, and He could not “look on iniquity.” In other words, he understood that God had an obligation to punish His people for their woes, their wickedness and their ways.

The Chaldeans were wicked sinners, but they were idolaters who didn’t know the true and living God. That certainly does not excuse their sins, but it does explain their conduct. However, the Jews claimed to know God, and yet they were sinning against the very law they claimed to believe. Which was worse?

The sins of Judah were far worse than the sins of the Chaldeans, because Judah knew the way, but refused to obey the way. As a result, God had no choice but to punish His people.

Next we see:

God’s Patience

For a number of years, God had sent His prophets to carry the message of repentance; but, the people would not listen.

Habakkuk’s time would be the time that God finally judged the nation for their sin.

Habakkuk 1:14–17 KJV 1900

14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, As the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? 15 They take up all of them with the angle, They catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: Therefore they rejoice and are glad. 16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; Because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. 17 Shall they therefore empty their net, And not spare continually to slay the nations?

The Babylonians were only interested in materialistic gain and greed. Thus, they were self-sufficient and independent of the God of all creation. They were proud, ignorant and domineering. Yet, these were the very people God was going to use to judge His own people.

All of this serves to remind us that God is a jealous God. He will maintain His honor at all cost. He will not be robbed of His glory by these war-mongers.

Isaiah 48:11 (KJV 1900)

11 ...I will not give my glory unto another.

All of this God saw and was silent. To see such wickedness and do nothing about it. Habakkuk was perplexed, but Habakkuk couldn’t see the big picture!

This

The truth of the matter is that God does not have an identity crisis, nor does He possess an inferiority complex. He is not threatened by these idols, or any other idols.

He knows that He has always been God. He knows that He is God. He knows that He will always be God. Furthermore, He doesn’t have to step into the ring with anyone, because He knows that, ultimately, He will be crowned with glory and honor.

The key to the understanding of this entire passage rests in the latter part of verse 12. After questioning God’s plan, Habakkuk catches a glimpse of God’s purpose, and declares:

Habakkuk 1:12 (KJV 1900)

12 ...O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment;

And, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.

In other words, while Habakkuk didn’t understand it, and didn’t agree with it…He is God, and He is too Holy NOT TO DO RIGHT!

Although God was going to use such a wicked instrument to accomplish His purpose, He had given the people ample opportunity to repent. Therefore, God had no other choice but to implement what he had “ordained” for “judgment,” and what He had “established” for “correction.”

People often say, “God is just not fair.” You know what? You’re absolutely right. God is not fair, and I’m glad that He’s not.

Here’s the thing...if God were fair, we would be helpless, hopeless sinners who would live forever in hell.

But, while God is not fair, He is just! In other words, God is right, and He will always do right. If He were fair, favoritism would exist. However, because He is just, He is “no respect of persons.” Thus, man will always reap what He has sown, without ever being able to place the blame on God.

When judgment comes, it’s a reminder of the many, many opportunities that God has given man to repent!

We all have an appointment.

Hebrews 9:27–28 KJV 1900

27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Christ give His life so that you could be saved from the judgment of God.

Don’t reject Him, today might be your last of many opportunities. If you die and go to hell, it won’t be God’s fault.

Conclusion

Have you ever wondered with Habakkuk, “God, everything is falling apart. If you’re in complete and total control, are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

Be honest, you have questioned, I have questioned, we all have questioned.

We have to remember when we cannot track Him, we must learn to trust Him.

Isaiah 55:8–9 KJV 1900

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are my ways higher than your ways, And my thoughts than your thoughts.

Our faith must walk in the dark because God’s ways are often in the clouds.