When I Don’t Understand
Notes
Transcript
Psalm 100 / Habakkuk / Job
What and Why?
What and Why?
What is going on in the world? - Habakkuk
What is going on in the world? - Habakkuk
Habakkuk’s Prayer:
1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. 2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? 3 Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. 4 So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.
God’s Answer:
5 “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. 6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own.
Habakkuk’s Confusion
12 Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof. 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 silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?
Habakkuk Summary:
~ 600 years before the birth of Christ
Assyria will conquer Israel in judgment for their sin
Babylon will then conquer Assyria and Judah in judgment for their sin
English Standard Version Introduction
The “theme question” of Habakkuk is, how can God use a wicked nation such as Babylon for his divine purpose?
Habakkuk is thoroughly confused. He looks at the world around Him. He knows 2 things:
God is Sovereignly in control
Assyria, a wicked nation, seems to be winning over God’s People
THIS MAKES NO SENSE! This in no way fits into Habakkuk’s understanding of God and His plan for Israel. From his point of view, Habakkuk cannot make sense of what is going on. Sometimes we are in the same place as Habakkuk.
Why is this happening to me? - Job
Why is this happening to me? - Job
13 Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 16 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 17 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” 18 While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. 8 And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes.
14 How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him? 15 Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser. 16 If I summoned him and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice. 17 For he crushes me with a tempest and multiplies my wounds without cause;
Job does not question the right of God to judge, but he honestly cannot understand why these calamities have befallen him. From the depths of his suffering, Job cries out for relief. He also cries out for understanding. Why God is this happening to me?
In both cases, God’s servants do not understand.
The Absolute Sovereignty of God
The Absolute Sovereignty of God
God has the power
God has the power
Creation
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
God has the right
God has the right
Creation
5 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
God has the right to do with His creation as He sees fit. None can take that claim from Him. He has the right to judge, to destroy, and praise be to Him, the right to extend grace and mercy.
Paul quoting from Ex 33 in Romans 9:15
15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
literally I will mercify who I will mercify
He wields both
He wields both
God makes no apologies for being God.
Isaiah 40:13–15 (ESV)
13 Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? 14 Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust.
It is God’s Divine Prerogative to do whatever He wills, and thanks be to God that He does!
9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’
Church Family, stand in awe of your great God. Be shaken to the core when you hear the almighty and untamed roar of Aslan.
If this truth were able to be undone, the security of every believer resting in the rock solid hope of Christ Jesus would be worth nothing more than the air expelled from my lungs speaking the words. Nothing.
Either God is Sovereign, or He is NOT God.
Walking By Faith
Walking By Faith
We are not God
We are not God
Who ever told you that you should understand God?
We are neither capable, nor are we responsible with understanding all of God’s plan.
Recall that John was comforted in his vision that the lion who was a lamb (Jesus) was found worthy to unseal the scroll of God’s will, but remember NO ONE ELSE was able or worthy.
Also, remember that God never directly answered Job’s questions. He was NOT given the full explanation that we get to read, yet Job wound up finding comfort, finding his rightful place, repenting of thinking of himself too highly, and resting in God’s Sovereignty.
1 Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2 “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. 3 ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. 4 ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ 5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; 6 therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
God is revealing Himself (as He wills)
God is revealing Himself (as He wills)
Job said, “now my eyes see you,” to God. This is because He is a God who desires to be seen, to be known. He is a God who reveals Himself.
All that we need to or should know, God does reveal.
Habakkuk also came to rest in God’s sovereignty, even when he did not understand, because God DID cause him to understand (as should we) that God is in control.
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.
God is working to rescue us Eternally
God is working to rescue us Eternally
We may not know the way, but we know the destination. Though we may forget, God has been consistent from the foundation of the world about His plan.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Church Family, there are many times we do not understand God or His plan. It can be troubling even to the point of questioning our faith. When these times come, let us seek and find our solace in what God has revealed, namely that He is Lord, and we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
