"Unpunished Wickedness"
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A theologian once wrote… You fall off your bicycle and break your leg. You go to the hospital and they fix it. You stagger around on crutches for awhile. Then, rather gingerly, you start to walk normally again … . There is such a thing as putting something to rights, as in fixing it, as getting it back on track. You can fix a broken leg, a broken toy, a broken television. So why can't we fix injustice. It isn't for lack of trying.
And yet, in spite of failures to fix injustice, we keep dreaming that one day all broken things will be set right. Wright contends, "Christians believe this is so because all humans have heard, deep within themselves, the echo of a voice which calls us to live [with a dream for justice]. And [followers of Christ] believe that in Jesus that voice became human and did what had to be done to bring it about."
I bet you did not know this… but the whole concept of justice is a very difficult and frustrating topic and has been and probably always will be until Christ comes. And yet we all continue to dream about it. We all desire it. We fight for it. We work for it. We pray for it. We want it...but then we really don’t want it. In reality we really do need it, but then we really don’t need it. Confusing? Yes we want God to make sure that justice happens when there is wrong done especially when it has to do with us, but if we do wrong then we are not calling for justice, we don’t want justice we want mercy. We will get more into this later, but we struggle with delayed justice if any justice at all.
We question whether God can do anything about it at all. We also question his motives are good. If you can do something about it, but you don’t then can you really be a good God? But if you are a good God but do nothing about then the problem might be that he can’t do anything about it. This is the philosophical and theological paradox… the problem of evil. The problem of evil is the question of how to reconcile the existence of evil and suffering with an omnipotent, omni-benevolent, and omniscient God. The best known presentation is attributed to the Greek philosopher Epicurus. Epicurus's version of the problem as follows: "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then from whence comes evil?"
This is a problem for us still today. We do see all kinds of injustice in our culture and things get really confusing because there is much to it. For many of us we pray and wonder why God’s not doing anything about it. How long is it going to continue. Why does it keep happening? This is some of what our passage of scripture is gonna shed some light on today. Let’s take a look.
This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision.
How long, O Lord, must I call for help?
But you do not listen!
“Violence is everywhere!” I cry,
but you do not come to save.
Must I forever see these evil deeds?
Why must I watch all this misery?
Wherever I look,
I see destruction and violence.
I am surrounded by people
who love to argue and fight.
The law has become paralyzed,
and there is no justice in the courts.
The wicked far outnumber the righteous,
so that justice has become perverted.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.
How Long?
Why?
Therefore...
The first thing we will look at today is the first question or complaint of Habakkuk calling into question the omnipotence or the watchfulness of the Lord asking How long? The second thing we will explore is the second part of the questioning calling into question the motive of the Lord when asking why? Finally, we will look at the results of the violence and sin and how the law of God is paralyzed, but how we find wonderful beauty of the gospel with an act of injustice.
Thesis: Though sin and the pattern of this world may cause us to despair in the ways, plans, and purposes of God as it relates to justice in our world, it is the power of the Holy Spirit and the absolute truth of scripture that will cause us to rejoice in our redeemer that no matter what the circumstance we will say blessed be the name of the Lord.
I. How Long
- Does the Lord hear us when we call?
A. The prophet finds himself in a time when Assyria is on a downward spiral and Babylon is climbing the mountain of world domination. Lots of unrest with all the reform and changes made by king Josiah being undone, Judah is falling into turmoil with an abundance of violence and injustice. Its a mess.
B. The question Habakkuk asks does lead us to understand that the prophet had spent some time in petitioning the Lord for Him to do something about it. All the unfortunate events and happenings the prophet finds himself in a place of heartbrokenness and crying out in agony to God. It seems that enough time had passed where Habakkuk came to a place of puzzlement. How can this be? Are you even listening?
C. This centers in on the infamous topic of unanswered prayer. Now again, there are many factors to why our prayers are “unanswered.” In Habakkuk’s case with the nation of Judah, the scriptures make it clear as to God’s disposition toward the nation as it pertains to wickedness.
And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”
D. The Lord made it clear to the people who rejected God so that they could have a king. And we have seen what Manassah and the sons of Josiah are doing and now the people are having to deal with all the injustice in the land.
E. But many times we see in the scriptures that there are prolonged times of prayer.
I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
F. All of the violence. Surely Lord this is important enough for you to do something. This is horrible. How long will we wait for salvation. But again, right now the people of Judah are violating the covenant they made before God and one of the penalties for violating the covenant is no rescue when we call.
You will grope around in broad daylight like a blind person groping in the darkness, but you will not find your way. You will be oppressed and robbed continually, and no one will come to save you.
G. Oh Lord I am not one of those people. I am following hard after you… do you not care about us?
“Behold, I cry, ‘Violence!’ but I get no answer;
I shout for help, but there is no justice.
H. How long oh Lord will you allow this. Are you able to do something about this? I am calling for help when will you save us?
I. The background of Jehoiakim’s reign supports the anguish of Habakkuk. Of all Judah’s evil kings, only of Jehoiakim is it said that he killed a prophet. Manasseh had shed much “innocent blood,” but only Jehoiakim had a prophet killed who is specifically named in the Old Testament.
At this time Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim was also prophesying for the Lord. And he predicted the same terrible disaster against the city and nation as Jeremiah did. When King Jehoiakim and the army officers and officials heard what he was saying, the king sent someone to kill him. But Uriah heard about the plan and escaped in fear to Egypt. Then King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan son of Acbor to Egypt along with several other men to capture Uriah. They took him prisoner and brought him back to King Jehoiakim. The king then killed Uriah with a sword and had him buried in an unmarked grave.
It should not surprise us that Habakkuk cried “violence” and wondered when God would act on behalf on his people. How Long oh Lord.
I am sick at heart.
How long, O Lord, until you restore me?
II. Why?
- Is He really a good God?
A. Now we are looking at the why aspect of the complaint. Why oh Lord why are you having me look at all of these evil deeds and misery? Why am I to look at plundering and violence? Why am I looking at strife and contention? Why do you tolerate all of this wrong? How can a good God just sit back and let this stuff happen?
B. The the stacking of words here vivify the seriousness of what is happening in the land. Piling up words to describe the injustice. He describes “aven” evil deeds - Morally objectionable behavior. He describes “amal” misery - a source of much difficulty those things that bring lots of anxiety. He describes “shohd” destruction - an event that brings devastation and destruction destroying things even adding the sense of plundering or looting. He describes “hamas” violence - Acts of aggression especially those that involve physical contact. Gaining by violent behavior He describes “reev” argue - quarreling, brawling, suing, lawsuits, strife disputes, heated contentions. He describes “Madohn” fighting - contentious speech act, disputing.
C. Why would you let it all go? Why wont you stop it? Why in the world would a good and benevolent God who is all powerful and able actually allow this to happen to just sit back and watch?
D. Well let me also tell you what is happening because you are just standing by. The law is numbed. Do you know what happens … your law is disregarded. No one fears the Lord or his law anymore. And if this all continues, having the law of God does us no good anyway.
When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong.
O Palmer Robertson - “God’s law is numbed. It sensitivity to the cause of right has been stifled. The best law in the world profits nothing if it statutes are not maintained.”
E. It gets even worse. There is even no justice in the institutions that is supposed to uphold justice. The courts. Don’t even try appealing to the courts my friend, you will not get justice. Social order will break down and the land will be nothing but chaos. And how will that be??? Because the wicked soround the righteous. The wicked outnumber the righteous. As we can see in light of Habakkuk’s complaint, even leadership is corrupted or has been corrupted. Leadership needs the law.
“When he sits on the throne as king, he must copy for himself this body of instruction on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. He must always keep that copy with him and read it daily as long as he lives. That way he will learn to fear the Lord his God by obeying all the terms of these instructions and decrees. This regular reading will prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens. It will also prevent him from turning away from these commands in the smallest way. And it will ensure that he and his descendants will reign for many generations in Israel.
F. Lord there is chaos. Lord there is injustice. Why no help?
III. Therefore
- Therefore there is now no condemnation.
A. The injustice that we may see today may anger us. We may feel like God is not hearing us and asking how long and why. But before we raise our fists to demand justice be done, lets take a deep breath and think about the injustice we have done.
B. The bible says that the wages of sin is death. All the sin we have done ourselves deserve to be punished. That is justice. When we break the commands of God and I’m sure we all have broken it at sometime in our lives. We deserve to be punished for it. The wrath of God should be upon us all. That is justice. I’m sure many of us today have done something wrong and sinful against someone and that someone may have demanded that God bring retribution upon us. That is justice.
C. Some may even say today that we have not done anything that bad. I’m not perfect but there are many people out there that have done far worse then I have done. I would agree, but the Bible says something important.
For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.
That is justice. There is so much that we are accountable for. The lies, the anger, the lust, the greed, the self-centeredness, the meanness, the strife, the disrespect, the rebellion, the idolatry, the disobedience, the stealing, the sin… oh the sin. And the wages of sin is death. That is justice.
D. So when it comes to us, thank the Lord he had mercy upon us and not bring down upon us justice. If justice was not delayed we would not have made it out of the womb. We were sinful in the womb. We would not have gone very far in life. Thank the Lord for the delayed justice.
E. But if the Lord just did not punish us for all of our transgressions of His law. The Holy and righteous God would now be unjust. That is not possible. So payment of our sin would have to be made. And it was… the wrath of God was not poured out on us, but on His Son. Our Lord Jesus. The chastisement of our sin was upon Him. So today we can have hope because...
F. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures… The saying is trust worthy and deserving of full acceptance… Jesus came into this world to seek and save that which was lost.
G. We can be saved today… If we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts… All who call upon the name of the Lord...
H. And because of what Christ has done… I can say therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in …
I. There is life and life more abundant in Christ and in Christ alone.