Habakkuk 1:1-4 (2)

Develop The thought — Now that we understand the setting of the book and the time in which Habakkuk lived we can begin to look into the conversation that Habakkuk has with God.

Habakkuk 1:1–4 NIV

1 The prophecy that Habakkuk the prophet received. 2 How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? 3 Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. 4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

This is the word of God…

Verses 2-4 contain the complaint that Habakkuk has about what appears God doesn’t when it comes to the injustice and violence of Judah and Jerusalem.

The Complaint

Habakkuk complains that wickedness has continued long, and God has not interfered.

Chapter 1:1-4 is only his first complaint about the violence in Judah.

The book was written somewhere in the last decade of the 7th century 610-600 BC.

Judah has been alone in the promise land for a 100 years.

The fall of the 10 northern tribes to the Assyrians in 722 BC.

The godly king Josiah is dead and his evil son Jehoiakim now reigns.

2 Kings 23:35–37 NIV

35 Jehoiakim paid Pharaoh Necho the silver and gold he demanded. In order to do so, he taxed the land and exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land according to their assessments. 36 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah; she was from Rumah. 37 And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, just as his predecessors had done.

From Habakkuk’s point of view God doesn’t: care about the injustice care about the violence — Develop

In all of this Habakkuk doesn’t see God moving — develop God doesn’t!

Habakkuk Questions

Verses 2-4 Habakkuk lists a series of 4 questions directed at God:

How long must I call for help? — 2a

Or cry out to you violence but you do not save? — 2b

Why do you make me look at injustice? — 3a

Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? — 3b

Do these questions sound familiar?

We might add — How can a good God allow evil and violence?

Habakkuk has asked these questions in a time of prayer and frustration for him — Develop that this is okay

The view of Habakkuk he sees a very desperate situation that requires God to act, but God doesn’t do anything!

Even to us in our limited point of view today it seems strange and unfair if God does not answer our prayers.

Didn’t Jesus say — Matthew 7:7

Matthew 7:7 NIV

7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Isn’t Jesus telling us that God will answer all our prayers?

The God of the universe has heard our prayers! That is a reality and it’s the truth!

God always answers our prayers, but only according to His divine will!

Faith and Patience

Perhaps we and Habakkuk need to slow down, have faith and patience, we may have to wait in for God to answer our prayers.

To Habakkuk it seemed like God was doing nothing and ignoring the prayers of the prophet.

Verse three adds to the cry about violence — wrongdoing, destruction, strife, and conflict.

These are a problem in Judah!

The result was God’s law had become paralyzed.

There was no justice in the land of Judah.

The righteous were hemmed in by the violence and ungodliness of the wicked

What makes Habakkuk so relevant today is we see the same evil and violence — Develop idolatry, greed, and self-righteousness

So many are asking the very same questions Habakkuk asked

These are not bad questions, these are questions that arise from faith in any generation!

Conclusion

Habakkuk is going to provide a way to look at our world with God on throne to help us understand the problem of evil and violence against the people of God today — Develop

The thing about asking God questions…is be prepared for the answer!

That is next week!