Biblical Prayers When We Do Not Like God’s Answer (Habakkuk 1:12-17)

Habakkuk 1:12-17

GBCCR 3/1/25

Introduction

Comments-

I know there is a faux paux on talking about your problems because no one wants to give a pitty party or complain too much, but I think the scriptures do call us to share

And it’s a bit rough right now

Liz looked like she was doing better, but had a bad turn

Her blood work has some issues that are concerning

And now I have to take Katie to the doctor tomorrow too because her foot is swelling

We are so thankful to that it looks like we’ll be closing on the house by Thursday or Friday this week

But honestly, the joy is kinda muted as we trying to figure out what is wrong and how we’re going to get things done

And it’s all just a bit too much, too overwhelming, too hard to make any plans

And I continue to see my sin exposed, which is hard

But even as I find myself saying… why One more time God… why one more thing

I also preach to myself, he’s taken us through the past and most importantly

Jesus still died on the cross, So God is still good

Prayers

Lord, we pray for ongoing evangelism in Ukraine… may lord people get saved through all the difficulties of the ongoing war

We pay for Joy and Tyler’s wedding tomorrow to bring much glory to your name

And Lord may we know trust ourselves to you and your good hands

Catch- There is all sorts of evil actions that take place in our world, some that is clearly caused by man, but some that is not

Steve Saint- son of Nate Saint, the murdered missionary pilot in Ecuador.

Wonderful story of a family that went to live with the very people who killed his father.

Even being adopted by Min-caa-yeh, one man who killed his father

So as Steve had children, this one killed their grandfather became a protective grandfather to them.

Steve cherished his only daughter (Stephanie), his baby,

But she wanted to serve on a year long STM…

So un-surpsingly it has hard for him to let her go.

She came back safely but had great painful headaches. Even as they had a welcome home party she went back to her room, her parents came to visit her and she had a massive cerebral hemorrhage, dying in the hospital only hours later.

That grandfather asked who did this,

with fire in his eyes, ready to kill whoever had caused this.

His only response…no one is doing this.

But then that man who was ready to kill responded, Babae, don’t you see… God himself is doing this.

Steve wanted to say, what is wrong with you dumb tribal man.

But then he realized yes, God was taking her home

Often, in the midst of great pain or sorrow we lose the words to speak or risk saying something stupid

Not just to man, but to God as well

Our passage is a lament in the bible which gives us the words to say

Too often we expect some magical epiphany followed by peace, but that is often not what we see

We have his first question and God’s response

Then a second question and God’s response

And finally chapter 3 all the questions leave way for worshipful trust even in the dark

Lament is a journey from the dark reality of suffering in this world to the trusting faith at the end.

These patterns help us speak our sorrows to God in a way that builds up

Review

Remember, the key to any lament is knowing the whole story, not just the sad beginning

So, let’s review where we have been:

We began with a cry for help from God & with no answer*Habakkuk called for God to do something about the evils he was seeing in Judea

*Habakkuk called for God to do something about the evils he was seeing in Judea

Jehoakim is recorded as the only king of Judah to kill a prophet of God.

The people of Judah were corrupt,

doing evil, sacrificing their children even to foreign Gods, \

yet they thought they were secure just because they “went to church,” that they had the temple

God responded that he is already at work but was building up a greater force, he was raising about the Babylonians.

Recall, last week we looked at how wicked the babylonains were, a people of conquest, of bloodshed, of destruction.

Habakkuk saw what this justice would come against his nation

The pastor James Montgomercy Boice said It would be like crying out to God about the state of the visible church in America and hearing that God is going to destroy it by a Communist invasion.

It would lax theological standards and even open heresy in some places, to lack of discipline and open immorality. We assk for a renewing movement of God’s Spirit and would have been distressed that our prayers had gone unanswered for such a long time. But then, after God had replied that he was going to destroy the church by an invasion of utter unbelievers

So Habakkuk cannot help but bring up second question to the Almighty.

So let’s see

3 truths that guide your prayers in dark times

God is in control (12)

2 ways we can know God is still in control

He does not change

Habakkuk reflects on solid doctrine first, remembering God’s immutability

Habakkuk chooses his words carefully with 3 titles of God that he had grown up learning

O Yahweh… the covenant I am name. The one who can keep his promises

He is the one who chose Israel in the past and keeps His promises to His people

Deuteronomy 7:6- “For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.

God… Elohim, the creator, who has made all

This was a name reminding Moses He was the same

Exodus 3:6- He said also, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

and holy one…

Holy means the completely separate one that requires nothing and no one else to achieve his purposes.

God’s holiness is what defined him as the great one who brought the people out of Egypt

Exodus 15:11- “Who is like You among the gods, O LORD? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, Awesome in praises, working wonders?

And because He does not change he is still these things

We will not die because God you are still faithful

Malachi 3:6- “For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

God is not an impersonal and uncaring “fate” or “force”

He is an unchanging person,

which gives us hope he will continually forgive and care for us

But why does he say they will not die?

Because Habakkuk knew his Torah, he knew this was promised long ago.

Deut 28: 49-50… curses were promised and a foreign power

But God promises to bring them back

Deuteronomy 30:1–3- “So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you, and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you.

Illustration

Notice that Habakkuk starts his question with a praise towards the character of God.

Could you imagine how different even our human relationships would be if we remembered truth before the compalins?

When my wife does something I don’t think is right, or don’t understand what if I saidMy fleshly response: Why did you spend all that money?

My fleshly response: Why did you spend all that money?

But if I honestly say: Love, I know you are a godly and wise woman, you are very practical in what you do and are quite thoughtful. So I know you would never just waste money…so, why did you buy that?

We are to rehearse that God is in contro;

Application

Before you allow yourself to go down the path of why and how, start with what you know to be true.

Those of you who are suffering may be like me stating, but God, do you not say:

1 Corinthians 10:13- No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

Yet, I feel like this is way more than I am able to handle.

And we’re allowed to say that, but let’s say some other things First… God is faithful

Because God is faithful Paul wrote elsewhere

2 Corinthians 1:8–11 we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.

There is a helpful recognition that not only are you to go to God, but you are to tell others so they can pray for you

Trans: Based on who God is, Habakkuk makes a few statements to restate what God has just explained. The second way God is in control.

He uses even the wicked to correct us

Why was Yahweh raising up the chaldeans?

For judgment

reproof= to convince or convict by not just exposing one’s sin, but calling the person to repentance.

*the very word is God-focused,

The goal is to bring the Israelites back to God.

Habakkuk understood that this was God’s answer to his prayer, they were coming to deal with the problems

The injustice and abuse and unrighteousness of his first complaint required turning back to God.

So just like Satan against Job, God allowed the lease to stretch a little bit,

but saying, you shall not destroy my people,

because I am going to bring them back.

God is all good and thus long suffering

Romans 3:24–25- in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

But His goodness does bring judgment after His patience has been exhausted

Illustration point- We need to first remember our theology

We live in a world where feelings rule

If someone feels like a Dog, they must be allowed to act like a Dog

Which while we understand this is utterly ridlicious, Do not forget how easy it is for us to say.. I feel this way, so it must be true

Instead, we must allow even pain to bring us back to the truth

God uses even the wicked to correct, not destroy His people

Application

Remember, that you too can be rebuked by God when evil happens… So ask, do I need to repent?

For example, when we see evil in our government, and we want to ask God why,

But before you go with your first response… ask,

am I doing what God’s word say I need to do?

Repeat his words…even in the first person.

May I obey those who are in authority over me in all things, not with external service as a pleaser of men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever I do, may I work at it with all my heart, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that I will receive the reward of the inheritance from the Lord. It is the Lord Christ I am serving. (Colossians 3:22–24)

Perhaps God is using the wrongs you see to correct your response and desire to solve things your way rather than God’s

Trans: Then after stating God is in control, Habakkuk also reminded himself that the control is not uncaring or amoral, but

God is good (13a).

Habakkuk gives us two similar ways God has shown himself to be good

1) He never approves of evil.

Pure is a moral sense

The word was used to describe something repeatedly refined, removing all the containments until it was like 100% silver

Psalm 12:6- The words of the LORD are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

He knows that God cannot look upon evil in an approving way as the NASB says.

Evil is not a principle in creation itself but is the willful distortion of good gifts into an arsenal deployed against God’s reign." (Michael Horton)

God is aware of sin as judge

But he never smiles towards it

God has a reaction to all kinds of sin that we have when we see something disgusting.

You look away because it is repugnant.

So God looks away from all evil.

He never ignores the abuse

Look back in your bible to see the word used look…

hopefully its on another line to reflect the poetry

“Look” is a stronger Hebrew word than see in the previous line.

*Habakkuk is building his case, intensifying what he knows about god.

This same word look is used elsewhere to refer to those who God approves.

Key cross reference: (Isaiah 66:2) “this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”

Good theology teaches us all over that God is good

God is compassionate, full of grace, patient or slower to anger, and kind…but he is just.

The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”” (Exodus 34:6–7)

Application

Once again, we cannot explain this way with the free will defense

Because he says you have appointed them in v 12

Instead, the call for the christian when we think through our theology is to hold in tension the goodness we know of God with His plan that includes evil

And as we saw with the judgment last week, he will wipe that away one day

Making us all the more amazed that we will not be

Trans: this good theology of God is in control and God is good then gives us permission to express our concern

God wants to handle your complaint (14-17)

There are 4 complaints Habakkuk makes

1) Habakkuk says God seems absent (13b-14)

Why do you look with favor

It is same word as before, you cannot look on wickedness

Right after each other…

Is Habakkuk contradicting himself?

No, I think Habakkuk is struggling with the truth he knows about God vs the situation.

First key to asking a good question to GodRepeat back what the bible says

Repeat back what the bible says

Second keyAsk how the truth compares with what you see.

Ask how the truth compares with what you see.

Because v14- you make mankind like these fish

he is sending them so it appears that he approves of their evil actions

It seems as if he is their commanding general, sending them into battle for him.

They have no ruler which is important because in those days the ruler was the one who defended a nation, who lead their armiesSee 1 Samuel 8:20- The people wanted a king to fight Israel’s battles for them.

See 1 Samuel 8:20- The people wanted a king to fight Israel’s battles for them.

But Judah was like a school of fish who had no direction or protection and thus were just caught up in a fisherman’s net

There may be problems in Israel, but how do they compare?

The priests take extra in the temple or the temple is destroyed?

The king makes us work hard, or we’re killed and taken captive?

The Israelite kings would allow the worship of Yahweh, even if polluted, but the Babylonians demanded they bow down to golden statues or be thrown into the fire

So Habakkuk states, it seems like God is absent when this evil is happening

2) Habakkuk says the Chaldeans are abusive (15)

As Habakkuk describes the evil the Babylonians will do in v 15 it is so accurate that scholars debate if he’s just elaborating on what God said or if this is written after a long pause as the Babylonians have grown in power

He gives the picture of one catching the fish and pulling it out of water by both hooks and negs

A demeaning and painful experience

Fish do not do well out of water.

Nations don’t do well when they are conquered.

2 Kings 24 we see that Nebuchadnezzar became the master of King Jehoiakim before he rebelled after 3 years.

V2- Says God sent them to remove them due to the sins of Manasseh, and

v 13, the treasures were taken off.

And what is the Babylonian response to the wailing families and conquered people?

Rejoicing (or being merry) at their success

They had a party.

Jeremiah 31:13 uses this same word.

“Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry.

“rejoice” and “be glad” to express praise and worship

It is one thing to conquer another power, but they have a religious festival over their defeat

This seems to defeat Yahweh

Trans: They have this religious festival because

3) Habakkuk says the Chaldeans are idolaters (16)

V16 says they made sacrifices to their nets, which is just like v11.

As Yahweh said in v11, their God is their own strength.

Trans: After seeing their celebration, he looks to the future and says there is no hope

4) Habakkuk says the Chaldeans will win (17)

Habakkuk finishes his question with will this continue?

Like Psalm 73

Psalm 73:3–6- For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death, And their body is fat. They are not in trouble as other men, Nor are they plagued like mankind. Therefore pride is their necklace; The garment of violence covers them.

And god’s answer in chapter 2 is no. He gives 5 woes against these wicked people.

As Asaph continued

Psalm 73:17–19- I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!

Though God is using them for his ends, he does not approve of what they are doing and will punish them for the sins they commit as well.

Illustration point-God can handle your complaints

Do you know who you do not go to with your questions.. someone who will not answer

There is nothing more frustrating that asking the government to help you

And we stop when we think they wont’ help

But I had a delightful interaction with a few Grass Valley City employees who didn’t have my answer, but seemed to want to help

So I called and emailed them over and over until the problem was solved

Because they seemed to care

God may not always give us the answer we want right away, but he always is worth going to… so we go

The book, Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy says Part of the grace of lament is the way it invites us to pray boldly even when we are bruised badly

Application

In the midst of our doubts and concerns, we need to share them with each other as Habakkuk does to us

Talk about your doubts with wiser Christians who will listen to you and walk with you in your difficulty

You must believe A Christian in isolation is a Christian in danger

Practice the habit of good orthodox reading—both books and online… get that first theology right

When we are Part of the church whom you are vulnerable, self-sacrificing, and accountable to godly living, you’ll never doubt in isolation

There is a difference between prideful complaining and bringing a complaint before God

We can come in humble acknowledgement saying this does not make sense

We are not grumbling, but saying help God

Therefore

Since we have seen (Cohesion)-

Martyn Lloyd-Jones suggests four steps in his classic study of Habakkuk

(1) stop to think, (2) restate basic principles, (3) apply the principles to the problem, and (4) if still in doubt, commit the problem to God in faith. That is the biblical method of dealing with problems you do not seem able to cope with on the basis of your limited experience

We know we must (Resolution)-

And as the chapter continues we will see that clearly what God is doing.

Liz and I lost 3 babies in miscarriage.

Death happens because we live in a sinful world.

I know it is no one’s fault, that death is still the enemy

I know God is working in and through us because of this.

And yet there are times that I still feel great sorrow over the loss of child.

Yet my hope is in God one day defeating death and evil… it is looking to the end

One day it will all make sense and there will be no more reasons for tears

And I trust him because I know He is good

Thus you have faith in the God who has been good to you again and again, waiting to see every clearly on the final day.

Steve Saint said we want every chapter to be a good chapter, but God promises only the last chapter will make all the others make sense.

Closing prayer

Lord may we remember that we have everything because the savior died for us

And since you died, you will give us all good things that we need

So may we trust you.. amen