Habbkkuk's Vision of God (ch. 2)

One of the things about the Bible that is the most fascinating is how consistent it is and how interconnected it is and how it's one message from Genesis to Revelation and how it all fits together and even a seemingly unimportant or obscure book like habakkuk ties in with the major themes of the Bible from beginning to end and that's one of the things I want to say to point to you to point out to you today.

Last week we saw that a backer inter of habakkuk one that habakkuk. The prophet was crying out in a lament for the sin of Judah lived around the time of Josiah, which is about 64640 to 6:09, BC. He's a contemporary of Zephaniah Jeremiah and Ezekiel and Daniel. He is these are the last days of Judah before the fall. The Babylonians are going to destroy the city in 586 and so head habakkuk is maybe 20-30 years before that maybe 40 years before that event. And but it's it's in the countdown stage 2 to that event. And habakkuk says that he's crying out to the Lord can't we do something can't you do something about the fact that Judah is sending the law seems paralyzed is he says in verse 4 and he knows Deuteronomy. He knows that Deuteronomy has says that if the people of Judah if the people of Israel enter the land and they keep the Covenant and they obey the Lord's law then they will live long and prosper in the land. But if they break the cabinet of break the law than the land will vomit them out back up like all the prophets knows. That's his starting point. He knows the Deuteronomy is Tess said this and he knows that Judah has now spent about seven centuries in the land sin and continuously breaking the Covenant continuously there been a few good Kings, but most of them are evil and most of the time Judah has not lived according to the Mosaic Covenant. So Judah is clearly under judgment the northern tribes at 10. Tribes of the north have already been destroyed and 722 the Assyrians destroyed the capital Samaria in the North in the northern tribes go off and Ducks. I'll never to be heard from again only is left in a little tiny city-state gathered around Jerusalem and and the prophets know that if things continue the way they are and they certainly look like they're going to after six centuries. It's going to continue that something terrible is going to happen. God is going to have to read in some way. But the Provident back of seems to be holding out. Hope that God will intervene in such a way as to reverse the sinfulness and brings you to back to himself and then the Lord answers in verse 5 to 11 and he says don't worry have a cock. I am doing something already. I'm preparing the Babylonians. To destroy Judah now the Babylonians were not the world Empire at this moment. The Assyrians were the Babylonians did not rise up and Conquer Syria until just before they began to invade Judah but the Lord says I'm already raising up a Swift and violent and dreaded people the Babylonians were going to come and they're going to destroy Jerusalem know how backup is not surprised by this because he knows the book of Deuteronomy. He knows that the that that that if God is a promise to just do to punish these people. Well, he's not surprised that the fact that there's going to be an exile but he is surprised about the fact that the holy God would use an even more wicked Nation to punish Judah and that's his complaint in versus 12 to 217 e says Lord, I understand that there has to be consequences for the breaking of the Covenant. I understand that what what do do And you're going to going to go back on your work, but Lord must it be the Babylonians. Are the how can you use the Babylonians are idolaters their wicked there an imperial and they're a gang of Thieves. They go around the world destroying and and conquering and looting in and they have no fear of God Before Their Eyes. They don't have anything. How could you use them of all Nations? And then at the end of the chapter having reflected on the nature of God and realize that he's talking to a holy faithful Justin perfect omnipotent Eternal God. He says I'm just going to wait for your answer in verse 1 or chapter 2 cuz I take my stand up the Watchtower. He's going to look up you going to wait for God to speak to him. And in Chapter 2 God speaks.

And the Lord answered me write the vision make it plain on tablets. So he may run who reads it for still the vision awaits. Its appointed time. It Hastings to the end. It will not lie. If it seems slow wait for it. It will surely come it will not delay. What is this vision? While the word Vision draw says Back 2 verse 1 of chapter one because there it says the Oracle or burden that have backup the prophet. So what's the Oracle that he saw on Oracle is words. It's like a like a sermon for him. And that's what the book of habakkuk like all the writing prophets. It. It's a it's an attempt to express this Vision in words. That's what the book of habakkuk is. And so habakkuk says did the word Sister habakkuk write the vision the other words division. You've seen the vision I'd given to you make it plain on tablets so that he may run who reads it for the vision awaits. Its appointed time it Hastings to the end. It will not lie. But seems slow wait for it. It will surely come do not delay. This reminds us of chapter 8 of the book of Isaiah there Isaiah said something very similar to bind up the testimony seal the teaching among the disciples. I will wait for the Lord who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob and I will hope in him There Comes A Time in the career of several of the prophets like Isaiah and habakkuk and others when they are not getting any real response from the people of Israel and they just write down their oracles and they say we're going to steal these up and we're going to let these be read by a future generation because maybe then someone will listen habakkuk. By the way is the only Prophet who never actually preaches to do this as far as we know. There's nothing in the book of habakkuk to suggest that he stood up in the middle of Jerusalem and preach the word of the Lord as Isaiah didn't Jeremiah did and all the other prophets did this is strictly the prophet habakkuk meditating praying and writing down what the Lord says to him. The whole book of habakkuk is meant for later generations, and that should ring a little bell in your mind and make you think. Oh, maybe it's for us. Because maybe were the later generations that and I believe that the generation that followed it back immediately the the generation that saw the destruction of the temple it was for them. I believe the Next Generation the one in Exile it was for them and for the Next Generation the one that returned from Exile it was for them and for all the generations between the return from Exile and 5:39 and the rebuilding of the temple all the way through to Christ in the first century was for them and it was for the Disciples of the new Church New Testament Church. It was for them and for every generation of church history all the way to forward to us this book of habakkuk is written for us so that we will understand what God is doing in history. And in these days, is there anything more pressing on people's minds and understanding what God is doing in history? What is God doing now? What is God doing in Canada? And in the world today? Because as we are jolted out of our normal routines and as far as our normal way of life comes crashing to a hawk it's natural to ask. What is going on. What is God doing it has God abandoned us is God no longer in control is God. In fact just sending judgment. What is going on? How do we understand? What's going on? And we have the same problem. They had experiencing events that don't make sense and wondering where is God in all of this? What's under? Let's let's Hear What God Says first four is very important behold. His soul is puffed up. It is not upright within within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. Now this verse the righteous shall live by his faith is an extremely important verse one of the most important verses in the whole Old Testament. And how do I know that well because it's quoted several times in the New Testament verse for is is picked up by the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 1 verse 17 and it becomes the theme of the whole letter to the Romans Paul. Paul uses the just shall live by faith as his theme verse for the Book of Romans, which is the most important theological writing in the New Testament. It's the basis of our Christian theology. Our whole doctrine of salvation is based in the Book of Romans. And Paul says it is by faith that the righteous will live In collisions 311 he said he quotes it again and hear the contrast is between the galatian judaizers who are teaching salvation by works versus Paul who is teaching salvation by faith alone, and he quotes this habakkuk 2:4 again, the just will live by faith as opposed to live by doing the works of the law. And then in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 38, we have the right to refuse quotes a backup 224 again and here he says the righteous one who lives by faith does not fail. Because he does not give up or fail or core stop having faith just because the the wait is long and arduous. And so they think the meaning in Hebrews is very similar to the meeting and a backup the idea. Is that even though we have to wait a long time and even though it's hard to wake and even though during this time of waiting. We don't see outward visible manifestation tangible evidence of God being at work. The just person the person who ends up Justified before God the person who ends up in heaven the person who ends up saved that person is the person who lives by faith. Which suggests a couple things number one it's necessary to live by faith. If if we don't have faith, there's no way to get through it. And the only way to get through it is by faith. And faith is ultimately the opposite of taking everything into our own hands. It's leaving things in the hands of God. The just shall live by faith, but it's very interesting if if you read this section, and if you just read it slowly versus 2 3 4 and 5. And meditate a contemplate on what is being said and it have in the back of your mind these new testament references to the just living by faith being Central to the doctor of Salvation And you read verse four and then you notice the first four is sort of encapsulated Encompass buy something that comes before and something that comes after and notice what it is in both cases. It comes before and after behold his soul is puffed up. It is not up right within him. So it's talking about the non-believer the person who does not live by faith who does not have faith and then verse five more over wine is the traitor an arrogant man who was never at rest is greed is as wide as she all like death. He never has enough he gathers for himself All Nations and collect says his own all people seems to describe the the the dictator the emperor the one who who seeks to to control the World by conquering it.

Now we in our modern technological Society often seek to control the World by conquering it we seek to control the World by controlling nature itself. And we by doing that we are really putting our faith in our power our strength our technology.

Can you see the lead the verse but the righteous will live by faith is preceded and followed by the opposite of living by faith. By the person who is proud and arrogant and in control. And all of us from the the most powerful man in the world damn to the ordinary person, we all have this same Tennessee to want to control our environment want to control our circumstances to want to control history the scope of our control might very some of us are very powerful others are less powerful others are hardly powerful at all yet commented human nature. Is this desire to control something to control our little if we can control the whole world at least be able to control our little corner of the world. our little space our little sphere of influence

What these verses are saying to us? If we think about the contrast between living by faith and and being proud and arrogant and wanting to be in control these verses are telling us that these are two contrasting ways of life. One way of life involves being in trying to be in control and constantly bailing and the other way of life means surrendering control and giving up and putting it in God's hands and dust in the ending justify.

This is the message of the Bible consistently from the beginning to the end. It starts back in Genesis chapter 3 where God gives the command to Adam and Eve don't eat of the tree of the fruit of the knowledge of Good and Evil and they can't leave that in his hands. They can't accept that. His word is best for them. They can't obey they can't let God be in control. They have to find out for themselves. What is it like to know good and evil for myself. They have to want to be in control. They are proud. They are arrogant and their sin is a disaster for the world. And this goes all the way to the end of the Bible. And you can see why this verse the just shall live by faith is Central to the message of the whole Bible?

There are those who who know the gospel and they know that Jesus Christ has died on the cross for their sins. They know that they can have forgiveness through him. They know that it's possible to be justified by faith, but they want to be in control board than they want to be justified.

They just want to do it themselves and end and an even they even go so far. We often will try to bargain with God and compromises. I just want to do a little bit of it myself. I know that I've said in the past that you have to forgive me for that, but I want to from now on show that I'm worthy of being saved. I want to be at least that much in control.

Part of the reason God allows us to live in the kinds of times. We live in today in the kinds of times at the back of lived in then.

Still get through to us that we are not in control.

Sometimes we wonder why does God allow all these evil things to happen to us? Why does God allow cancer and car accidents in financial reverses and parents dying and children die. Why does he allow so many evil things to happen in the world and we realize that it's because he wants us to understand that control self control is an illusion. It's a fantasy. It's not real. One of the reasons that God put a guardian angel at the East of Eden to prevent Adam and Eve from getting back in with so that they would not eat of the Tree of Life in their fallens condition.

Because death is a blessing. Death is a mercy for us in our condition. It didn't work the mortality of the human race reminds us that we're not in control. And we can't be in control. And the only way to live there for the only way to have eternal life is by faith.

No, the rest of this chapter is taken up with God trying to explain to a backup that bigger things are going on here than you understand. You complain God says you complained habakkuk you complained that the Babylonians are my choices and instrument to punish Judah. You've suggested that I holy God wouldn't use such Wicked people to accomplish his goal. But I back up with all due respect. Let me suggest that you don't know what you're talking about. That's really what God is saying to him. You have no idea how Becca because you don't even know what is really going on.

The rest of this chapter is divided into five sections and when you see this word, woe in the prophets is often a signal that you should look for structural divisions in the text indicated by this wall. And you see that there are five sections and each section has a theme. Woe to him who keeps up what is not his own verse 6 for how long do loads himself with pledges will not you're dead or suddenly a rise in those awake who make you trouble then you will be spoiled for them because you have plundered many nations all the remnant of the people shall plunder youth where the blood of man and violence to the Earth 2 cities and all who dwell therein.

Babylon is here compared to a thief who has stolen what does not belong to him? Babylon has gone around plundering other than other cities other nations. And God says first of all. habakkuk play number one for you to remember is this Babylon is going to get Justice because the same thing Babylon has been doing the other nations is going to be done to Babylon. Babylon will get exactly what Babylon deserves because Babylon will have other nations do to Babylon what Babylon was doing to the other nations? God says you can't just look at a situation and see Justice instantaneously in history. History is a process but God says about that. You need to know the whatever Babylon does to Judah. Babylon is going to have that done to her. So don't think that they're going to get away with anything. That's Point number one. And then the second woe to him who gets Evil game for his house to set his nest on high to be safe from the reach of harm. You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many people you have forfeited your life for the stone will cry out from the wall of the beam from the woodwork respond. Here we see a person who has has built up wealth than and for his own household by evil means he thinks he will be safe by accumulating great possessions, you know that the great people of the Earth the people that are involved in politics and business and become wealthy. They think that they have security by means of building up a strong bank account in many assets and lots of property. And God is saying here that these people are woefully misguided because they don't understand. That nothing is hidden from the eyes of the Lord. And such people are shameful and they have exposed themselves to the just Vengeance of the Lord of hosts. The holy God who sees all and punishes all sin. So not only will Empires like Babylon be punished but individuals within those Empires will be punished justly as well.

Then the third wall versus 12 to 14. Well to him who built a town with blood and found a city on iniquity behold is it not from The Lord of hosts the people labor merely for life and Nations weary themselves for nothing what the Earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

There have been many empires throughout history built on blood. many empires built on Conquest practically all empires in fact Even our society today is built on blood.

And the Lord says that all of them will eventually fall every great Empire North Babylon fought that it was permanent. Rome thought that that was permanent the modern West thinks that it's permanent. None of them are permanent. And the one we happen to be living in the middle of to think that this is the one that will never fall. This is what these verses are trying to to correct in our thinking every Empire is going to fall in verse 14 eventually someday the Earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea now. The Lord is really getting to the heart of habakkuk 2 Regional complaint originally habakkuk was despairing and lamenting about not despairing. He was lamenting about the fact that the there is no justice that the laws being ignored that Judah is sinful and hear the word is telling him that one day. The Earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. This is a reference to the coming of the kingdom of God.

Jesus taught us to pray for this in the Lord's Prayer what he said your kingdom come your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Imagine what cataclysmic Transformations will need to be will need to take place in order for this Vision to be realized in order for the kingdom of God to come. This is really the vision that is spoken of inverse to the vision that is spoken of in verse 2 has been seen by Christian commentators from the early church fathers on word as referring not just to the Lord exerting Justice and Vengeance on the Babylonians for their sin. But on the coming of the of the Gospel the kingdom of God the coming of the transformation of the world into the kingdom of God.

when we live by faith and this is really important to grasp when we live by faith. We're living by faith in the fact that God will bring this Kingdom to the Earth not just in our idea that it in the faith that God will save us from the evil as individuals. They're both interconnected. Yes, it is true that as far as each of us as an individual is concerned. We put our faith in in Christ for salvation, and we look forward to 2 dying and Christ and being with Christ in heaven and we look forward to coming the resurrection of the body and eventually being in the new heavens and the new worth what the two things are interconnected. Individual salvation of the coming of the kingdom of God are both part of what we hope for they're both part of what we have faith in with are both part of God's plan. You know in in in the book of a back of Babylon and same and Isaiah same in the other prophets.

Names a certain city. It's on the map. It's in southern Mesopotamia and it's a certain Empire at a certain time in history. But because it was Babylon that was used by God to destroy Jerusalem in 586 and destroy the temple Babylon becomes a symbol of organized world opposition to God and so Babylon becomes in the in the vocabulary of the people of God going forward all through the New Testament. Ended in church history Babylon becomes a way of saying that Imperial power consisting both by the way, human and spiritual forces. That power that organized opposition to the reign of God that opposition to the kingdom of God that is named by Babylon. And this is why if you turn to Revelation chapter 18, this is the chapter right before the second coming of Christ in chapter 19 where Christ comes with a host of angels riding a white horse to to gain the final Victory and be revealed as king of kings and Lord of lords the anointed conqueror of Isaiah just before that. What happens is? the fall of Babylon and I saw another angel coming down from heaven heaven great authority of the Earth was made right with his glory and he called that with the mighty voice Fallen Fallen is Babylon the great she has become a dwelling place for demons that haunt for every unclean Spirit a haunt for every unclean Birds a hunt for every unclean the detestable Beast for all nations have drunk the wine of The Passion of her sexual immorality the kings of the Earth have committed in Morality with her the merchants of the Earth have grown Rich from the power of her luxurious living.

Babylon here is the opposite of the kingdom of God. Babylon is the organized World system that opposes God that is in Rebellion against God. It's both demonic and human and it says that the kings of the Earth the nations of the year at the peoples of the Earth have committed fornication with this evil empire. They have they have done business with his evil empire. They have made accommodations with his evil empire. Before Christ comes in chapter 19 this evil empire has to fall has to crumble to the ground.

So what God is saying to back up? I'm going to punish Babylon. He has a double meaning. He's not just saying I'm going to bring about the fall of that historical Empire called Babylon that was used to destroy the city of Jerusalem in 586. He's not just saying that those guys who destroyed Jerusalem are going to get theirs. He saying something bigger. You saying something much more profound? He saying that spiritual organized opposition to the kingdom of God that exist upon the Earth that takes different manifestations in different historical ages at which can be called as symbolically Babylon. He says that back up. I'm going to destroy that. I'm going to bring that to its knees and I'm going to replace it. with the kingdom of God with the Messianic Kingdom with Jesus Christ ruling with him and his holy angels vanquishing all opposition to his rule in this world and transforming this world.

When it says that the Earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord that word Glory Hebrew Shekinah that word glory is so important. Because the glory of the Lord was the physical visible manifestation of God's presence with Israel in the wilderness. Let the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle, holy of holies. And when Moses went into the Tabernacle to talk to God, he came out his face would be shining. He was in the presence of the glory and that Glory also filled the holy of holies of Solomon's Temple when Solomon prayed the prayer of dedication and it filled the glory of the temple and as long as the Earthly is long as the temple stood right up until just before the Babylonians came in 586. Glory was still in the holy of holies of the temple veil Dan are in Jerusalem. But then Ezekiel has this vision of the glory rising up from Jerusalem and departing. At the glory never came back. Doctors visible physical manifestation of God's presence with his people never came back Dury when the second temple was built in 539. It did not come back between 5:39 and the coming of Christ. Call. Of time. The deer's beat centuries between the Testaments. No glory was there with the physical visible manifestation of God was not with his people. And then when the Apostle John describes what happened with Jesus in John chapter 1 he says we have seen his glory.

The glory of God has appeared to Jesus Christ in the Mount of transfiguration. The bill was pulled back and they got a glimpse of the glory that characterized in filled in permitted Jesus Christ. A. Corey was the same Glory that was in the Old Testament Tabernacle and Temple. And that's the glory that habakkuk is told here is going to fill the Earth. You see that movement in the Bible is from when the glory of God comes and dwells in the midst of his people in the desert in the camp of Israel. And then it's the land of Israel that is full of the glory that it's the Temple of Jerusalem is filled with the glory. But the goal the endpoint is for that glory to spread over the whole Earth. That's what about could just hold is going to happen. The glory of God is going to fill the Earth and cover it like the waters cover the sea.

And then the fourth wall versus 15 to 18. His neighbor's drink to pour out your wrath and make them drunk in order to gaze at their nakedness. You will have your fill of shame instead of Glory. Shame instead of Glory think of it. Drink yourselves and show your uncircumcision the cup in the Lord's right-hand will come around to you and outer shave will come upon your glory.

The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you as well the destruction of the Beast that terrified them for the blood of man and violence to the Earth 2 cities and all who dwell in them.

Here we read a part of yours who have plundered in the stolen from other nations in there now having drunken parties with sexual promiscuity and they will be put to shame instead of Glory. The glory of the Lord is going to fill the Earth, but they're going to have shame instead. It's interesting how tightly connected sexual promiscuity and violence are throughout the Bible.

Throughout the Bible we see these two things going together Babylon is characterized both by the sins of the Flesh and also by sins against the neighbor.

Bible about the Bloodshed they have inflicted will rebound upon them as Jesus would later say those who live by the sword will die by the sword. Then finally versus 18 to 20. We see the fifth wall. What profit is an idle? When is Meghan met her maker? Who shaped it a metal image a teacher of Lies for its maker trust in his own creation when he make speech suicidal to him who says to a wooden thing two assignments Stone Candice teach behold. It is overlaid with gold and silver and there's no breath it all in it, but the Lord But the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the Earth keep silence before him. In this V while we see the condemnation of idolatry idolatry is Central to Babylon. Idolatry characterizes all the Babylons of History. It's the constant thread that runs throughout all these evil Empires. There are three basic reasons to refrain from idolatry. Number one because it's stupid. you take a hunk of metal a piece of wood and you worship at that's stupid. GK Chesterton pointed out sin makes you stupid and that's true. The second reason why you shouldn't worship idols is because it's useless. You really think the idols going to give you what you want. You really think the idols going to protect you you really think the idols going to make things come out right for you and your life it's useless. + 3

Because it's really putting your trust in yourself rather than your creator for its maker the maker of the idle trust in his own creation when he makes speechless Idol T. Trust in his own creation. Did you get that he trusted his own creation? He created the idle and now he's trusting the idol. He's really trusting himself. He's really think I am capable of creating something that will save me.

Does that sound like modern society? We have got all this technology. We've got all this amazing ability and Power. We are so advanced than scientific and we have created things that will save us.

stupid useless that's what God says to that. To trust in Idols is really depressed in a creature to save you from the Creator.

That's not going to work.

The final verse of this chapter is so significant in the Bible. You should always look for what what's at the beginning what's at the end because very often that's very significant. So in your Bible study identify those units get get those get those sections down figure out. What where where does the suction started in the stanza of a Psalm the beginning of a store erepairable and look at what's at the beginning of look at? What's at the end of look at? What's at the end of this chapter after these five woes against Babylon after God says the just will live by faith.

But the Lord is in his holy Temple. What is his? Holy Temple? Is it just that building in Jerusalem?

What think about it if you're if if if you if I backup was here today, and I said to him have backup when it says here. The Lord is in his holy Temple is this verse talking about the Lord being present in the temple in Jerusalem a backup would hardly know what to say. I thought the one hand he would say. Well I Yes, I mean when Solomon prayed that prayer the the glory of the Lord descended and filled the holy of holies of the temple in the Shekinah Glory of God is in the in the temple. Yes, but no camping because

Europe is the temple. The cosmos the universe the whole creation. Was created to be the temple of God.

Not just a building in Jerusalem and not just a bunch of Christians walking around because it's true. We're temples. When Jesus came he pronounce judgment on the temple and he declared himself to be the new Temple and all those who are in the Messiah are in the temple. So there's a sense in which the temple was. Yeah the temple in Jerusalem and there's a sense in which you and I are the temple of God, but there is a deeper more profound or long-lasting Eternal sense in which the whole Cosmos is the temple. And that's where God is going to rain over the whole Cosmos the heavens and the Earth. That's why in Revelation every knee bow and every tongue confess his all opposition is vanquished and the Babylon Falls once and for all and the kingdom of God is set up and in the new heavens and the new Earth the whole Cosmos is one grape Temple, you know, there's one fact that John points out or add that is has pointed out to him in Revelation 21 and 22. It says it in that city the city of the New Jerusalem come down to earth when Heaven and Earth come together, there is no Temple. Because it is a temple.

That's where this is going. To the renewal of the entire Cosmos as the temple of God. Where his glory is made visible and made known and seen? and all the Earth needs to just shut up. All the chatter all the Babbling. It's an interesting the English word Babel and Babylon go together not to mention the Tower of Babel. If there are any connections there. Or if he has to be quiet.

No more theories about how we're going to run history. No more scientific ideas about how we're going to control nature. Not just be quiet.

Because the Lord is in his holy Temple. Let all the Earth keep silence before him. That's where history is going. That's where we're moving to. The train is leaving the station in the only question is who's going to be on it? Clearly habakkuk is giving a prop a choice here. Habakkuk through his prayers come to realize that you can either have faith and be justified and be in God's kingdom or you can refuse to have faith and be arrogant and proud and you can end up being falling with Babylon and having shame heaped upon you and not seen the glory of the Lord.

This chapter is a response to habakkuk complaint that God seems to be doing nothing while sin and Rebellion run rampant and unchecked and folks when people say what is the answer to the question. It seems like God is absent it seems like God is doing nothing the proper response to that is not to say don't worry because some unidentified unknown point in the future. God will finally get around to doing something. That's not the right answer. The right answer is not to agree to accept the premise that God is doing nothing now. When the question is asked God seems to be absent and doing nothing. What's the answer to that? The answer is not. Oh, well he's doing nothing now, but someday he's going to do something. No. what this chapter is saying is he's already at work. He's already doing his work went when an Empire like Babylon or Rome Falls. That's God's judgment. God is already involved in doing so we see many acts of judgment and salvation all through history. We we see acts of judgment and salvation in The Exodus from Egypt. God judges the the pride of Egypt and saves the slaves of Israel. I received judgments. We see the Judgment of the flood. We see we see judgment all the time. It's not that God is doing nothing. It's that only the eye that is informed by biblical Revelation can make sense of what's going on in the world. Habakkuk helps us to do that a backup helps us understand the wettest happening in the world is that the arrogant and proud and boastful characterized by by plunder and violence and sexual promiscuity that those people those nations are being pulled down and judgment and God's people are being preserved through this and one day this process is going to come at 8 in the return of Christ in the kingdom of God coming and spreading over this entire world in the final Judgment of all evil. That's what a backup is saying to us. Hope that's what you need to believe to be a Christian. You need to believe that God is in charge God is at work. And God is bringing the kingdom of God. That's what you need to believe. He's doing it through Jesus Christ is Messiah and when we put our faith in him, that's what we're putting our faith in. When you sign up to be a Christian what you're signing up for is to believe that God is at work now will continue to be at work and ultimately his kingdom will be revealed and final judgment will happen in the whole Cosmos will become a holy Temple of the Lord. and then all the Earth will keep silence before him and the glory of the Lord will cover the Earth as the waters cover the sea. how to spray