Encouraged by Woes

Habakkuk 2:6 CSB

Won’t all of these take up a taunt against him, with mockery and riddles about him? They will say: Woe to him who amasses what is not his— how much longer?— and loads himself with goods taken in pledge.”

INTRO—

((“Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”))

“Woe” = an announcement of doom; of judgment; (This isn’t ‘whoa’ and expression of amazement or astonishment…child of the 80s—Whoa, dude!)

This Hebrew word used this way…is exclusive to the OT prophets.

They announced doom/judgment…on sin—(& injustice [evil] is a word they often used)

God reassures (comforts, shows) the prophet (& his people) that all that he does is consistent—with who he is and what he requires of mankind.

Yes, I said he comforts them through woes…woes directed to Babylon and its king. It would seem that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Let’s look at these woes…be thankful that God is in control…and examine ourselves to fight any tendencies we have toward living in such a way as to affirm these injustices.

[Habakkuk 2.6-8] WOE: Economic Injustice

<plunder; robbery>

“amasses what is not his”

Exodus 20:15 CSB

Do not steal.

(Habakkuk 2.2 “The Lord answered me: Write down this vision; clearly inscribe it on tablets so one may easily read it.”)

For us—the wicked prospering is only temporal…(God) can quickly bring them to ruin by a stronger group, etc.; we must not steal from each other, nor rob God (Malachi 3.8 ““Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me!” “How do we rob you?” you ask. “By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions.” )

(Also note the interwovenness, interconnectedness of sin/injustice [v. 8])

[Habakkuk 2.9-11] WOE: Ethical Injustice

<dishonesty; cheat; manipulate>

“dishonestly makes wealth for his house”

Exodus 20:16–17 CSB

Do not give false testimony against your neighbor. Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

For us—The wicked will ‘lie, cheat, & steal‘ to get what they want—but God will bring even their loftiest schemes to ruin; We must never lie or cheat to get ahead or preserve ‘our way of life.’

[Habakkuk 2.12-14] WOE: Physical Injustice

<violence; hate; slavery (forced labor, evil behavior)>

“builds a city with bloodshed”

Exodus 20:13 CSB

Do not murder.

For us—The wicked kill and hate and abuse without remorse—God’s glory will outlast, outshine, & overcome such evil; We must never advocate for, or turn a blind eye to, violence and abuse.

[Habakkuk 2.15-17] WOE: Social Injustice

<immorality; exploitation>

“gives his neighbors drink…in order to look at their nakedness”

Exodus 20:14 CSB

Do not commit adultery.

Matthew 22:34–40 CSB

34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. 35 And one of them, an expert in the law, asked a question to test him: 36 “Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”

For us—The wicked live by no standard and exploit others to achieve their own lofty status—but God will expose their machinations as worthless, self-serving ‘standards;’ We must never compromise God’s moral standards for our own satisfaction and status.

[Habakkuk 2.18-20] WOE: Eternal Injustice

<religious; idolatry>

“says to wood: Wake up! or to mute stone: Come alive!”

Exodus 20:3–6 CSB

3 Do not have other gods besides me. 4 Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. 5 Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me, 6 but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commands.

For us—The wicked will worship anyone and anything, except the one, true God—but God has, is, and will make himself known throughout the whole earth; We must, both now and forever, worship God—Father, Son, & Holy Spirit—alone!

CONCL—

So…of all the injustices we’ve talked about this morning, which do you think is the most important to God?

The ANSWER, I believe, is…ALL OF THEM. (To claim to have faith in God and a relationship with him…but not live inline with His character is to lie.)

God’s reminder to the Prophet/His People—(Habakkuk 2.20 “But the Lord is in his holy temple; let the whole earth be silent in his presence.”)

I’m reminded of Job 40.3-4 “Then Job answered the Lord: I am so insignificant. How can I answer you? I place my hand over my mouth.”

Habakkuk 2:20 CSB

But the Lord is in his holy temple; let the whole earth be silent in his presence.