Another Complaint

Session 1 Recap

Last week week we studied in the book of Habakkuk that the prophet had a complaint.

What was his complaint? How long will Judah live in wickedness before you do something about it?

Habakkuk obviously believes in God. He has faith that God will do something, but his cry, “how long?” shows us that there is something else that is accompanying that faith. What is it? Doubt. But Habakkuk’s doubt, instead of propelling him to unbelief, is driving him to seek the Lord. So he does… with this question - “how long?”

Habakkuk sees the evil of his own people, God’s chosen people. We read in the first few verses that they are immoral, violent toward each other, and that justice is pretty much dead.

Habakkuk is frustrated with God’s inactivity. It seems to him that God is just not paying attention.

So what was God’s response?

I’m haven’t forgotten you. I am well aware of what is happening, and I am working on something.

Habakkuk 1:5 KJV 1900

5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: For I will work a work in your days, Which ye will not believe, though it be told you.

I am working on something that you would not believe.

What is God’s plan that He is working on? God is going to use the nation of the Chaldeans, the Babylonians, to bring judgment on Judah.

Why is this so surprising? Why would God call it a work that Habakkuk would be amazed at?

Because they are evil! Super wicked! Does anyone remember some of the ways that God describes them? (v.6-11)

-Bitter and hasty (6)

-Good marchers (6)

-Steal - plunder (6)

-Dreaded and fearsome (7)

-They have their own definitions of justice and dignity - and it is very pagan, very contrary to the word of God (7)

-Their war ability is described as horses (like leopards and wolves [wolves are often used to describe false teachers]) and the riders (fast as eagles)—vs. 8

-They are fierce and intent (9)

-They gather enemies like sand - scoop them up easily (9)

-Foreign kings and rulers are nothing to them. They just scoff and laugh at them (10)

-They are as fast as the wind - it is a fast spreading empire (11)

-They are arrogant and worship their own might (11)

Last week we left of with this thought and a look toward this session where we talk about Habakkuk’s reaction to God’s plan. Before we get into that, let’s look at the theme passage of Habakkuk 3:17-19.

Theme Verse: Habakkuk 3:17-18

Habakkuk 3:17–18 KJV 1900

17 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: 18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

Our series title is called Pray Yet. Even when everything looks bad, and there seems to be no hope, pray yet. But not just any prayer, a prayer of rejoicing in God.

Habakkuk’s Second Complaint

Habakkuk’s first complaint is, “How long until you actually do something God?”

And God has responded, “Don’t worry, I got something in the works. So now let’s see Habakkuk’s response.

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. [Here, we see Habakkuk start to respond, and I want you to see how he responds. How would you characterize his attitude? Respectful. Notice how he still addresses God with respect, using His titles and attributes. But also, notice this. What is Habakkuk’s complaint? Judah is being wicked, and he’s about to complain that Babylon is even more wicked, so he appeals to God’s holiness. This is something that we covered back when we studied through the Model Prayer. We ought to approach God in the way that we need Him - peace? Jehovah Shalom; protection? the Lord of Hosts; provision? Jehovah Jireh - the God who sees/provides. “We shall not die.” A declaration of faith. The Northern Kingdom of Israel had all but disappeared and had been absorbed by the Assyrians. Habakkuk knew of God’s promise to always leave a remnant of His chosen people, so in faith he declares, “We will not die out.” “Ordained them for judgement.” - Habakkuk is coming to the realization that God is going to use the Babylonians for judgment of His people and for their 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? [Habakkuk takes it upon himself to remind God of how wicked Babylon is in comparison to the Holy God. “God, your eyes are pure. They can’t tolerate sin. You can’t even look at it. Your normal way of doing things is not to let evil progress, but to step in and do something when the righteous are being swallowed up by the wicked.”] 14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, As the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? [One of the symbols for Babylon was the fish hook. They would take people representing nations and run fishhooks through their lips as a way of saying, “You’ve been caught by Babylon.” There are depictions in art that has been uncovered that tell the story of Babylon conquering other nations, and the conquered people are often represented as people having fishhooks in their lips. ] 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 idea behind the imagery of people with hooks in their lips is that if Babylon hooks you, you will never escape, and this is what Habakkuk is worried about. Is God really going to let Judah be caught up in Babylon’s nets and hooks?]

Unsure of what to do with this revelation that God has given Him concerning Judah being judged by Babylon, Habakkuk goes to his watchtower to pray, meditate, and wait on the Lord.

Habakkuk 2:1 KJV 1900

1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, And will watch to see what he will say unto me, And what I shall answer when I am reproved.

In this verse, Habakkuk is in conversation with himself. And he says to himself that he is looking to see how God will speak, literally, ‘in me’, and not merely ‘to me’. On the basis of God’s response to him, the prophet will then be able to answer his own complaint. In other words, Habakkuk is hopeful that, once God responds to his complaint, he will be able to explain the issue to himself and to others. And so here stands the expectant prophet.

- John D. Currid, The Expectant Prophet: Habakkuk Simply Explained

“When I am reproved” could also mean, “concerning my complaint.” When he gives this message to the people of Judah, they will demand an answer from him about what God said when Habakkuk brought up this second complaint.

It is now time for Habakkuk to stop and listen and wait on the Lord.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon tells us that, with regard to the sovereignty of God, humans can question and seek to understand how God is working on the earth (Eccles. 3:16–4:16). However, he also teaches that there comes a time when we should ‘go to the house of God’ with a receptive attitude and listen (Eccles. 5:1).

Ecclesiastes 5:1 KJV 1900

1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

It is a grave thing to lecture God on how he ought to work, and we should not be impulsive or hasty to do it (Eccles. 5:2).

Ecclesiastes 5:2 KJV 1900

2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

We must truly understand our position in the universe in relation to God: he is in heaven, and we are not! He sits enthroned over the universe, and we do not! We must, therefore, stand in awe of him and listen to what he tells us.

It is a dangerous and foolish thing to anticipate how God will act in the circumstances of life. In the Chronicles of Narnia, C. S. Lewis refers to Aslan, the figure who symbolizes God, as ‘not a tame lion’. He acts in ways that we do not fully understand or appreciate. How little we know of his work! Let us look at an example.

John Flavel was a preacher in England in the seventeenth century. One Sunday morning before he preached, Flavel prayed fervently that someone would be saved in his congregation through the preaching of the word that day. When he concluded there was no evidence that anyone had been converted.

Another man, named Luke Short, grew up in England, but emigrated to New England to be a farmer of the land. He reached his 100th year in good health and vigour, yet he had never sought peace with God. One day, as he sat in the fields reflecting on his long life, he recalled a sermon he had heard as a boy in England before he sailed to America. He was converted there in the fields through a sermon he had heard preached by John Flavel some eighty-five years before. Flavel had been dead over fifty years, yet God answered his prayer on that Sunday morning that someone would be saved through his preaching of the word. How little we see of the providence and work of God!

Lessons Learned

We can take away three things from today’s study:

God is amazingly consistent in His character. So even though Habakkuk thinks that God is dealing with Judah more harshly than he should by letting a more wicked nation judge them, we need to understand that in this moment that Habakkuk is doubting, God is still taking into account the wickedness of Babylon and has plans to judge them for it.

God is incredibly patient. He will allow evil to continue and go on for years, decades, and even centuries, but can, and does, use the worst of situations to accomplish His purpose. God is sovereign.

3. We’ll discuss the third thing in just a bit, but before we do, let’s break off into groups and have a discussion time.

Discussion Questions

Why can we rejoice in the Lord even if nothing is going well?

Abraham, Moses, and Job all questioned God, but they were respectful about how they did it. Can you give an example of a respectful question that you would have for God?

What is it in the character of God that makes him be repulsed by sin?

Why do even God’s faithful people have to suffer along with others who are not totally committed to him? How is sin an equal opportunity destroyer?

How can God’s patience be seen in the Bible in when he punishes and when he redeems?

Conclusion

God is so much bigger than us, but he does care for us. When we pray, we ought to wait for His response. We ought to take time to listen.

Immanuel Journalling

IMMANUEL JOURNALING

Immanuel Journaling is a method of prayer for conversing with God to receive empathy and encouragement. To write your two-way prayerletter simply complete each sentence. It’s helpful to read your letter out loud to a friend or small group who listen and pray for you.

WRITE YOUR PRAYER

Dear Lord (orother name for God)                                                   ,

I need your help with (e.g., your situation or concern)…

I appreciate that you are (e.g.,emotionally present for me, empowering me)…

LISTEN FOR GOD’S RESPONSE, THEN WRITE

Dear         (YourName)        ,

Isee you in this situationand notice your physical demeanorof… (e.g., being busy, tossingand turning in bed, clenching your jaw, slumping your shoulders, crying).

I hear what you’re saying (out loud or in your mind)…

I understand you’refeeling (e.g., angry, afraid, anxious,guilty, sad, alone)…

I realizethis is reallybig for you because you want…

I’m glad to be with you and I’m proud of you for your (e.g., vulnerability, courage, perseverance, kindness)…

I want to encourage you and help youby (e.g., a Scripture promise)…