Remember ME?
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Remember ME?
Remember ME?
Hook - Recap
Hook - Recap
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.
After Habakkuk’s first Lament - God offers this profound statement which we do not want to understate!
If God tried to explain to us all that He was doing and why, to paraphrase a movie quote: “we couldn’t handle the truth.”
Jack Nicholson - A Few Good Men
God’s expectation of our trust in Him is extremely high.
3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.
When God responds initially to Habakkuk’s second Lament - he gives him a few steps forward. Initially, God says, I’m going to speak now and you need to write this down and share it with others!
Then he says this profound truth that easily syncs up with His response in 1:5 -
There is a time for My plan to culminate, which I decide, and we are careening toward that time. It is going to happen and I just need you to wait for it.
It will surely come.
Herein lies the difficulty for us… 700 years later the write of Hebrews and Peter - the author of the Peter epistles - bring these same concepts up again.
32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,
33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.
34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.
35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;
Isn’t it interesting how God knows not only what was already happening but how those same words can reflect our current condition - YET the promises remain!
Peter echoed the need for patience in his 2nd epistle to the believers around the world.
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
Herein, we see the reason for God’s timing over our timing - God wants to give every possible person every possible chance to choose the only possible way toward eternity with Him.
That leads us to Today’s message!
Book
Book
Let’s look at God’s overall response and His ultimate reply - vs 20
We will see that God explains in detail some of what is coming and yet He issues a reminder -
Remember Me? Remember who I am?
20 But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves too far!
Back up and lets see God’s reply to Habakkuk regarding Nebuchadnezzar!
Read...
Description of
Nebuchadnezzar’s arrogance.
4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.
5 “Moreover, wine is a traitor, an arrogant man who is never at rest. His greed is as wide as Sheol; like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations and collects as his own all peoples.”
Never enough...
Therefore - here are
Five indictments and Five consequences:
6 Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say, “Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own— for how long?— and loads himself with pledges!”
7 Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them.
8 Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them.
Indictments
You are a Pillager
exploitation for personal gain
9 “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm!
10 You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life.
11 For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond.
You are a Plotter
planning personal gain only to benefit yourself.
12 “Woe to him who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity!
13 Behold, is it not from the Lord of hosts that peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing?
14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
You are a Promotor of violence
All of their takeovers were unnecessarily and extremely violent
Foundations of their main centers of society are founded on violence.
15 “Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink— you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness!
16 You will have your fill of shame instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! The cup in the Lord’s right hand will come around to you, and utter shame will come upon your glory!
17 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them.
You are Perverse
All of this was about causing some to be intoxicated while then pushing them toward immoral behaviors for the sake of shame and manipulation.
18 “What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols!
19 Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it.
You are a Pagan Idolator
All of your trust is focused upon something you can control even though there is absolutely no evidence of power from the wooden idol.
20 But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”
A Fitting response to the One True God.
Took
Took
9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,
Why?
11 I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
Again, Why?
5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands.
To what end?
My humble answer:
I am reminded of how mindful You are of all Your people have endured and it accentuates how You choose to work for Your glory in the lives of Your people.
I remember who You are and that You always are who You always have been.
You are not impacted by what happens around You but You are steadfast, immovable, faithful, loving, just, present, powerful, purposeful, helpful and gentle.
And then I remember that I am not You. I am Your creation to be molded and shaped into the form You choose.
So when I reflect on what You have done, I am reminded of Who You are. When I am reminded of Who You are then I believe and trust You to still work in and through me today, tomorrow and the next day.
Therefore - lets do what Habakkuk 2:20 tells us and sit for a moment in silence.
20 But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”
Prayer