Hey, Remember Us?

I Dont Get It, God!

Habakkuk 1:1-11

Habakkuk 1:1–11 ESV

1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. 2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? 3 Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. 4 So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. 5 “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. 6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. 7 They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. 8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. 9 They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. 10 At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. 11 Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!”

Hook

What do we do when we see bad things happening and we just want to say - “I Dont Get It, God!” What are you doing! Why are you allowing this? What is your end goal and why does this include so much pain and misery?I think we see it in families right now.

Book

Isaiah prophesied about 740–700 b.c. (possibly till the 680s)

The ten Northern Tribes of Israel were overrun and taken into Assyrian Exile (721 BC)

Babylon conquered Assyria sometime around 605 BCCyrus - King of Persia conquered Babylon in 539 BC

Habakkuk was written in 640-615 BC when Babylon was overrunning Assyria where the people of Israel were in exile.

Difference between the people of Israel ( the 10 tribes - Isaiah is talking about this group - the first to fall to the Assyrians) and the nation Judah (tribes of Judah and Benjamin)

Habakkuk was probably written about 640–615 b.c., just before the fall of Assyria and the rise of Babylon (Chaldea).

God used Assyria to punish Israel (722); now he would use Babylon to punish Assyria and Judah. This prophecy would be fulfilled several decades after Habakkuk, in 586. The “theme question” of Habakkuk is, how can God use a wicked nation such as Babylon for his divine purpose?

Habakkuk does not know what we know about Cyrus and the Persians, almost 100 years later but he does know what Isaiah and other prophets have written so he is trying to figure out the long arc of God’s salvation which is always at work even though we cannot fully see the trajectory! (Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, Vroegop, pg 79)

This is what Habakkuk is writing about and we see in this short book a complaint and response sort of style that displays to us so much about God.

Habakkuk 1:1–4 (ESV)

Habakkuk 1:1–4 ESV

The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.

vs 2 - Habakkuk was shocked that God seemed absent in the tragedy that he was experiencing.

vs 3 - Habakkuk was asking “How come I see the sin happening and you aren’t doing anything about?”

vs 4 - Habakkuk describes his own observation of what he feels like he is seeing -

the law is powerless

therefore justice is non-existent

the wicked prevail

therefore justice is twisted

None of this seems right. What are you going to do God?

Vs 2 pretty wells sums it up - “Hey, Remember Us?” we are the ones who you called “your people”. We are the ones who you are supposed to be looking out for.

We are the ones… where are you? why aren’t you listening? Why is our world going to hell in a hand basket and you are doing anything?

Remember your promises?

Genesis 17:1–7 (ESV)

Genesis 17:1–7 ESV

When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.

They all knew God’s promises - Abraham - Isaac

Isaac - Jacob and Esau

Jacob - twelve sons who fathered the 12 tribes of Israel

They became a nation who numbered in the millions.

When we have questions about the plans of God:

Remind Ourselves of the Promises of God

What are promises that you are hanging onto in your life?

I think of things like:

Matthew 11:28–30 (ESV)

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

John 14:1–4 (ESV)

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV)

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Philippians 4:6–7 (ESV)

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 John 1:9 (ESV)

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When we have questions about the plans of God:

Remember God Perfectly Executes His Plans Alone

Regardless of whether we get it

Habakkuk 1:6-11 (ESV)

Habakkuk 1:6–11 ESV

For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!”

God’s answer to Habakkuk seems to be a slap in the face, right?

It seems like His answer is:

“I am preparing a horrible nasty group of barbarians who are bent on promoting fear, they are fierce, they are set on violence, they are out to capture nations upon nations and they have no fear or worry about who they can overcome.”

Wait - that doesn’t sound so good God!

We skipped vs 5 though -

When we have questions about the plans of God:

Let the Anticipation Build

Habakkuk 1:5 (ESV)

Habakkuk 1:5 ESV

“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.

Ephesians 3:20–21 (ESV)

Ephesians 3:20–21 ESV

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Just wait and see

Took

Takeaway

We have a God we can trust

We have a God we can talk to (look at Habakkuk)

We have a God who knows

We have a God who cares

Tell yourself these four things every day - write them on your mirror, post them in your car, at you workplace, in your locker. On your jammies