Habakkuk 1

September 22, 2024

FBC Baxley

Rev. Fred Anderson

Habakkuk 1

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.

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.

7 They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves.

8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour.

9 They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand.

10 At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it.

11 Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!”

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?

14 You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler.

15 He brings all of them up with a hook; he drags them out with his net; he gathers them in his dragnet; so he rejoices and is glad.

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in luxury,[b] and his food is rich.

17 Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever?

-Pray

Title: "Trusting God's Plan in Troubling Times"

Text: Habakkuk 1

Introduction:

The book of Habakkuk is unique among the prophets because it records a dialogue between the prophet and God.

Rather than proclaiming judgment or delivering a message to the people, Habakkuk questions God about the evil and injustice in the world.

This personal conversation reveals deep theological questions that resonate today: Why does God allow evil to persist?

Why do the wicked seem to prosper while the righteous suffer?

Habakkuk ministered during a time of great moral and spiritual decline in Judah, likely around 609-598 B.C., just before the Babylonian invasion.

The people of Judah were steeped in idolatry, violence, and injustice, despite repeated warnings from prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah.

Habakkuk, troubled by the widespread wickedness, brought his concerns before God, seeking answers.

Historical Background:

Habakkuk prophesied during the final years of the southern kingdom of Judah, a turbulent time of political instability, moral decay, and impending judgment.

The Assyrian Empire, which had previously dominated the region, was weakening, while Babylon was rising as a new superpower.

The people of Judah had turned away from God, embracing idolatry, injustice, and oppression.

Habakkuk, likely living during the reign of King Jehoiakim, witnessed the moral collapse of the nation and questioned why God seemed to be silent in the face of such evil.

The book is composed of three chapters. Chapter 1 records Habakkuk's initial complaint and God's surprising answer. Chapter 2 presents God's promise of judgment on Babylon. Chapter 3 is a psalm of faith, where Habakkuk praises God despite the coming judgment.

I. Habakkuk's Complaint: "Why Does God Allow Evil?" (1:1-4)

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.

Verses 1-4: Habakkuk opens by expressing frustration with God's apparent silence.

He sees violence, injustice, and wrongdoing all around him. The law is ignored, the wicked prosper, and the righteous are oppressed.

Habakkuk's complaint is both bold and honest.

He asks, "How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but You do not listen?" (v.2).

He is grappling with the age-old problem of evil, wondering why God allows injustice to continue unchecked.

Application: Like Habakkuk, we often look at the world and wonder why God allows evil to persist. Injustice, corruption, violence, and immorality seem to prevail, and it can feel like God is distant or unresponsive.

However, Habakkuk models for us the importance of bringing our concerns and doubts before God honestly and openly.

Even when we don't understand His ways, we are invited to wrestle with Him in prayer.

II. God's Surprising Answer: "I Am Doing Something You Wouldn’t Believe" (1:5-11)

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.

7 They are dreaded and fearsome;

their justice and dignity go forth from themselves.

8 Their horses are swifter than leopards,

more fierce than the evening wolves;

their horsemen press proudly on.

Their horsemen come from afar;

they fly like an eagle swift to devour.

9 They all come for violence,

all their faces forward.

They gather captives like sand.

10 At kings they scoff,

and at rulers they laugh.

They laugh at every fortress,

for they pile up earth and take it.

11 Then they sweep by like the wind and go on,

guilty men, whose own might is their god!”

Verses 5-6: God responds to Habakkuk, but His answer is not what the prophet expects.

God reveals that He is raising up the Babylonians—a cruel and ruthless nation—to execute judgment on Judah.

This is shocking to Habakkuk because it seems like God is using an even more wicked nation to punish His people.

Verse 7-11: The Babylonians are described as fierce and powerful, sweeping through the land like a violent storm.

They do not recognize God’s authority and trust in their own military might.

This is a bitter pill for Habakkuk to swallow because the Babylonians are known for their brutality.

Application: God’s ways are often beyond our understanding.

His response to injustice may not align with our expectations.

Sometimes, His methods of judgment or correction seem difficult to accept.

But this passage reminds us that God is sovereign and in control, even when circumstances seem confusing or unfair.

We can trust that He is working out His purposes, even through the most unlikely means.

3. Habakkuk's Second Complaint: "How Can You Use the Wicked to Punish Us?" (1:12-17)

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?

14 You make mankind like the fish of the sea,

like crawling things that have no ruler.

15 He brings all of them up with a hook;

he drags them out with his net;

he gathers them in his dragnet;

so he rejoices and is glad.

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net

and makes offerings to his dragnet;

for by them he lives in luxury,

and his food is rich.

17 Is he then to keep on emptying his net

and mercilessly killing nations forever?

Verses 12-13: Habakkuk struggles to reconcile God's character with His actions.

He acknowledges that God is eternal and holy, but he cannot understand why a righteous God would allow a wicked nation like Babylon to destroy His own people.

"Your eyes are too pure to look on evil," Habakkuk cries, "Why then do You tolerate the treacherous?" (v.13).

Verses 14-17: Habakkuk uses a metaphor of fishermen to describe how the Babylonians sweep through nations like fish in a net.

They gather nations in their dragnet, rejoice in their conquests, and worship their military power.

This seems to contradict God's justice.

Application: When we are faced with suffering or see evil prosper, it is natural to question God’s fairness.

Habakkuk teaches us that it’s okay to wrestle with these difficult questions.

Our faith does not have to be blind or passive. We can engage with God’s Word and His character, seeking to understand His ways more deeply.

Life Application: Relevant for Today

Trusting God in Uncertainty: Like Habakkuk, we live in a world filled with injustice, violence, and moral decline.

When we witness these things, we might feel that God is inactive or distant.

But this passage encourages us to bring our frustrations to God, trusting that He is sovereign over all circumstances.

Even when His ways are hidden, He is working behind the scenes for our good and His glory.

The Problem of Evil: This passage addresses the age-old question of why a good God allows evil to persist.

While we may not always understand God's plan, Habakkuk reminds us that God’s justice is sure, though it may come in ways and times that we do not expect.

Patience in Suffering: God’s timing is not ours. Sometimes we have to wait in faith, trusting that He will act in due time.

Habakkuk didn’t get immediate answers, and neither do we.

But we can find hope in knowing that God hears us and has a plan for justice.

God's Sovereignty: Even in using a wicked nation like Babylon to bring judgment, God demonstrates His sovereignty.

He can use anything, even the evil intentions of others, to fulfill His purposes.

This should give us confidence that nothing is outside of His control.

Conclusion:

Habakkuk teaches us how to navigate moments of doubt and confusion.

His honest prayers and complaints are a model for us when we feel overwhelmed by the evil and injustice we see in the world.

God may not always answer the way we expect, but He is always working according to His perfect plan.

In Habakkuk’s journey, we learn to trust God's timing and His sovereignty, even when we don't fully understand His ways.

As we face our own struggles and uncertainties today, let us learn from Habakkuk to bring our questions to God, trust in His justice, and rest in the assurance that He is always in control.

Even in the midst of chaos, we can have faith that God’s purposes will prevail.

-Pray

-Invitation