Sermon Tone Analysis

“I AM”?

12  Are you not wfrom everlasting,

O LORD my God, my Holy One?

xWe shall not die.

O LORD, yyou have ordained them as a judgment,

and you, O zRock, have established them for reproof.

This greeting is possibly the tone setting for the questions that are to follow.

Some have said this portion of scripture like the beginning of Habakkuk is accusatory in nature.

However, I do not hold this position.

While his questions are sharp and pointed, I find verses like these additionally show the convictions of the prophet in regards to the object of his speech.

Everlasting

YAWEH “I AM” - deliverer of Israel from Egypt

MY God, not just God

MY Holy One, not just Holy One.

We shall not die.

Confidence not in human perseverance but recalling to his own mind the promises of this Everlasting, Holy, GOD.

God will remain faithful to His promise to the patriarchs (Gen 17:2–8; 26:3–5; 28:13–15), to Israel (Exod 3:3–15; 14:1–6; Deut 7:6; 14:1–2; 26:16–18), and to the house of David (2 Sam 7:12–29).”

YAWEH “I AM” - deliverer of Israel from Egypt

Ordainer of Judgment

ROCK - permanent, stable, steadfast in love, covenant faithfulness

Establisher of Reproof

Isaiah and Habakkuk knew that God is deity and not flesh and that he is perfect moral purity.117

Such holiness is unchanging, separating all humans and all creatures and thus all sin from God. Nothing evil can stand before his holy purity.

As Rudolph notes, he cannot distance himself even for the blink of an eye from his holiness.118

If this is the case, the true description of God, how can he stand silent and inactive before the horribly evil and violent Babylonians?

“Habakkuk knew that God is deity and not flesh and that he is perfect moral purity.

Such holiness is unchanging, separating all humans and all creatures and thus all sin from God. Nothing evil can stand before his holy purity.

As Rudolph notes, he cannot distance himself even for the blink of an eye from his holiness.

If this is the case, the true description of God, how can he stand silent and inactive before the horribly evil and violent Babylonians?”

13  You who are aof purer eyes than to see evil

and cannot look at wrong,

bwhy do you idly look at traitors

and cremain silent when the wicked swallows up

the man more righteous than he?

Now the crux of his concern.

God you are Holy, everlasting, savior.

Notice the irony!

In Verse 3 Habakkuk accuses his own people

3  dWhy do you make me see iniquity,

and why do you idly look at wrong?

Destruction cand violence are before me;

strife and contention arise.

Asks why God looks idly on Judah’s sin?

NOW

In verse 13 God looks idly on Babylon’s wickedness?

THEN HABAKKUK says

Judah is more righteous that Babylon.

In verse 2-4 Judah is a wicked nation and God must intervene.

But NOW they are described as righteous by some subjective measure?!?!?

To say Habakkuk is confused is clearly evident.

Commentator:

“Habakkuk knew that God is deity and not flesh and that he is perfect moral purity.

Such holiness is unchanging, separating all humans and all creatures and thus all sin from God. Nothing evil can stand before his holy purity.

As Rudolph notes, he cannot distance himself even for the blink of an eye from his holiness.

If this is the case, the true description of God, how can he stand silent and inactive before the horribly evil and violent Babylonians?”

His conclusion and final question follow in verse 14-17

14  You make mankind like the fish of the sea,

like crawling things that have no ruler.

15  dHe1 brings all of them up ewith a hook;

he drags them out with his net;

he gathers them in his dragnet;

so he rejoices and is glad.

16  fTherefore he sacrifices to his net

and makes offerings to his dragnet;

for by them he lives in luxury,2

and his food is rich.

17  Is he then to keep on emptying his net

gand mercilessly killing nations forever?

Verse 14 he rights observes that it is indeed God who has ordained these events.

God rose up the Babylonians

God allowed them to grow in power as a world empire.

God allowed the Babylonians to subject the world to such oppression that people were reduced to animal like status: FISH and CRAWLING THINGS

God allowed them to rejoice in their success

God allowed them to worship their might and power

Therefore he sacrifices to his net

and makes offerings to his dragnet;

for by them he lives in luxury,2

and his food is rich.

17  Is he then to keep on emptying his net

gand mercilessly killing nations forever?

Is the everlasting Holy God going to tolerate evil forever?

THE PROBLEM OF EVIL AND THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

As will be evident, his views of God were right (cf.

Ps 82; Isa 57:15), but his perspective was too limited.

He had looked for the punishment of the wicked so that the prosperity of his people could be assured, but God, who knew the end from the beginning, looked for the punishment of Habakkuk’s people so that they could be restored to fellowship.

Many places in scripture show that God is completely sovereign in the midst of all things.

1 In the abeginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was bwithout form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep.

And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

3 And God said, c“Let there be light,” and there was light.

4 And God saw that the light was good.

And God separated the light from the darkness.

5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.

And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for ham I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but iGod meant it for good, to bring it about that many people2 should be kept alive, as they are today.

21 So do not fear; jI will provide for you and your little ones.”

Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

8 And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you nconsidered my oservant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, pa blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” 9 Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason?

10 Have you not put qa hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side?

You have rblessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.

11 But sstretch out your hand and ttouch all that he has, and he will ucurse you vto your face.” 12 And the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand.