Habakkuk - Sermon 1

Introduction

Time frame:

Habakkuk lived during the time frame of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

His prophecies occured before Judah was defeated by Babylon. Even before Babylon was a threat to Judah.

Habakkuk lived when society was shaken by violence.

Sunk deeper into disobedience from God’s word.

And the fabric of society was unraveling.

And, unlike prophets like Joel, Zephaniah, and Amos his prophecies have no hope of being spared destruction. Judah had finally crossed a line where there was no return.

Theme:

Is not academic, theoretical, or philosophical - rather - Personal perplexity with God.

This short book is a journey the Habakkuk went on to resolve his personal perplexity with God.

Relevance for us:

We have sunk deeper into disobedience.

Our society is unraveling

There is violence:

Violence in our homes

Violence in our streets

Violence in our schools

Violence in the public square

Violence in the market place

Violence in the womb

It is easy to question - God, I do not understand.

I do not know why my children want nothing to do with you

I do not know why my husband or wife is leaving me

I do not know why it is unsafe to go anywhere

I do not know why it seems wickedness is winning

I do not know why it is there is so much corruption with the Christian community

I do not know why a sovereign God does not bring about revival

I do not know why you are sitting there doing nothing

Burden

Habakkuk 1:1 “The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.”

The word “burden” has the idea of an oracle received.

There is a nuance to the meaning of the word “Burden.”

To lift up - To lift up one’s voice regarding the oracle (threat or promise).

To carry or to bear the burden of the oracle received.

Both of these apply to Habakkuk

As a prophet, he would have lifted up his voice about the judgement to come

And the wickedness of the Jews and the judgment to come created a heaviness in his heart.

The first phrase of this book there is tension:

What God allowed him to see from his people

God’s fix to the problem

The oracles of God became his burden - what he saw and heard

In general oracles of God (In our case - God’s word) is a burden

God’s word is a burden because it is never light or trifling

Weighty, serious, and heavy

Substantial.

People mock, scoff, reject and mischaracterize God’s word do so becasue truth is something they toy with rather than a prized and valued item.

Psalms 19:7-11 “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: And in keeping of them there is great reward.”

God’s word is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, and righteous altogether

Power in God’s word is convert the soul, make wise the simple, rejoicing the heart, enlighten the eyes - Therefore, God’s word is more to be desired than gold, yea, than much fine gold.

Even when truth is good news, people will reject truth

However, this is not the sense of Habakkuk’s burden. His burden was specific, particular and personal. It was not so much how other people would respond but how he responded.

Truth is a burden becasue it does not care about feelings or emotions or perspectives. Truth cares about God’s plan.

Truth is a burden becasue it’s allegiance is to God, the source of truth.

Is not to people, nationalities or a way of life.

Truth is a burden becasue he could not change the truth.

Truth is a burden becasue it created conflict with his view of God.

Truth is a burden until he submit and rejoice in God.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, Neither shall fruit be in the vines; The labour of the olive shall fail, And the fields shall yield no meat; The flock shall be cut off from the fold, And there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, And he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, And he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.”

This book is less about Judah and more about Habakkuk. And, it is for this reason the book is important for us. Grappling with events that unfold in our lives, and understanding these events in light of God’s revelation about Himself. The task is not just submitting to who God is but rejoicing in who God is!

Habakkuk needed to be faithful to the burden that God gave him

There were many false prophets - Lamentations 2:14 “Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: And they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; But have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.”

There were many false prophets in the last days of Judah, according to both Jeremiah and Ezekiel. They promised that God would rescue Jerusalem and Judah from the Babylonians and that He would quickly bring back your captives. They were all false prophecies and delusions.

This book has a lot of raw parts - emotions that are new, fresh and unprocessed. Yet, he was faithful to write these raw moments he had with God.

“We are given profound insight into the prayer life of the prophet and, in the process, his whole relationship with God becoming public. It is a moving and challenging experience.”

In order for him to be faithful in a God honoring way, he needed to get beyond these raw moments to joy in God so that he could glorify God in his life.

Illustration: Jonah

Jonah 4:1 “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.”

Jonah 4:8 “And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.”

The burdens of God are the responsibilities and challenges that God gives to His people. They may be a result of our own actions or a part of God's plan for us. They may also be a burden in the sense that they require us to be faithful, obedient, and worthy to represent God. The burdens of God are meant to test, refine, and strengthen us in our relationship with Him. How will we carry out these burdens? We have to so not to be punished or we have to becasue we love God?

The burden was intensely personal to Habakkuk.

It affected people that he loved.

Challenged his view of God!

Habakkuk

His name means to aggressively embrace - possibly, even to wrestle.

Both of these ideas fit Habakkuk:

He wrestles with God in the beginning and embraces God at the end.

The book can be viewed in terms of a Habakkuk’s journey from wrestling with God to embracing God.

What is more meaningful for me is not what his name may mean but his position. He is a prophet of God. Based upon Habakkuk 1:1 “The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.”

His title being a prophet - a seasoned saint who struggled with God’s plan.

Environment - Matthew 11:2-15 John the Baptist struggled with clarity regarding Jesus Christ.

Goes against our agenda - Peter Matthew 16

Emotionally and physically exhausted like Elijah - 1 Kings 19:4 “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.”

Defeated - Thomas

It is not unusual to struggle with God - John 20:28 “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.”

Communication

This book is not about Habakkuk communicating with others, rather communicating with God!

Illustration: Cuban Missile Crisis - What averted catastrophe in Habakkuk’s life was communication with God!

We need to communicate with God

Psalm 10:16 “The Lord is King for ever and ever: The heathen are perished out of his land.”