Sermon Tone Analysis

OPEN: Sometimes you just need to here a message that encourages you or gives you hope.

Like when I would hurt myself as a kid and my dad said, “it will be better before you get married.”

The doctor says the bad new is you have this disease but it is treatable . . .

Habakkuk and God’s people needed a message that somehow God would make this terrible judgment and suffer alright.

I’m not sure how comforting this particular message can be unless one exercises “Faith”.

God is asking Habakkuk and His people to wait.

Habakkuk says “waits” for a reply in 2:1, God says their is an appointed time so “waith for it” in 2:3, Habakkuk says “I must wait quietly for the day of distress.” in 3:16b

A. Record this Vision so those who read it may run! (v.2)

NOTE: One reason Habakkuk’s writing is considered prophecy is God is specifically asking him to record this vision.

NOTE: What vision?

Chapter 1 verse 1 says that the oracle Habakkuk “saw”.

Is Hab 1:5-11, when God says “look among the nations, observe.”

But here specifically an answer to Habakkuk’s question in 1:17 “Will they therefore empty their net and continually slay nations without sparing?”

Habakuk was quit concerned if the Chaldeans would get away with what there are doing and if God would continue to allow it nation after nation.

ILLUST: The word “reads” can also be translated “call or proclaim” so you could say the one who proclaims it may run”

Why would you run and warn others?

a.

Maybe to encourage God’s people to wait on Him because he would judge anyone who separates themselves from Him?

b.

Maybe to warn anyone that has separated themselves from God to turn and repent?

B. This prophecy will not fail.

Though it tarries, wait for it.

V.3

1. “appointed time” God’s time table

ILLUST:

2 Peter 3:3–6 (NASB95)

3 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?

For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”

5 For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.

ILLUST: This judgment was partially fulfilled when the Babylonians were conquered by the Persians.

There is still a future fulfilment yet to come when all the nations who have gone against God will be judged.

(Rev.

17-18) Babylon the Great has fallen.

NOTE: I find the rationale of most commentators a bit lacking of the nature of God and His plan for his creation.

Most say that these words are to comfort His people that the invading people would one day get was is coming to them.

However this doesn’t make sense to me the message that He called Israel and Judah to.

To be a blessing to all the nations by bringing salvation.

So I found it odd that God would comfort His people with a message that He would destroy those nations?

2. “hastens toward the goal.”

I was thinking about what the goal was or is?

Redemption, restoration, Judgment (Partial and Final) . . .

3. “though it tarries . . . it will not delay.”

meaning it will happen in accordance with God’s time table.

We don’t know but God does and we must trust Him.

The Proud one’s soul is not right within him but the righteous will live by his faith.

V.4 Key Verse

CLOSE: The proud soul is the one who lacks the humility to live a life surrendered to wait for God’s plan.

The proud soul wants God to act on there commands while the righteous live day to day trusting that loving others, helping people become students of Jesus and learning to live by His power and grace can actually save and restore all this stuff that’s broken.

We have to believe this because the only hope the world has is Jesus.

God is calling us, individually as well as a church and I’m going to ask Jan and Jeanne to come share how God has been speaking to them.

A Needed Message!

Part 2 (Hab.

2:2-20)

Quick Background: Habakkuk is writting possibly duriing the reign of Manasseh (687-643BC) This is a time of corruption and violence Hab.

1:2-4.

Habakkuk doesn’t understand why God is using this Babylonian people who are a violent people to judge Judah. 2 Kings 23:26 (NASB95)

26 However, the Lord did not turn from the fierceness of His great wrath with which His anger burned against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked Him.

God says to Habakkuk, “I AM Doing Something” Hab.

1:5, and Habakkuk is searching for understanding why God is using this people, why he is correcting them in this way and will these violent nations be allowed to do this to nation after nation or will they be judged.

God explains you will need to live by faith (hab.

2:4) and you will need to wait quietly (hab.

3:16) while the Lord is declaring who He is.

So while He is declaring who He is you might want to listen (Hab.

3:3-15), and Learn how to live while you wait.

(Hab.

3:16-19)

A. Attitudes like pride and foolishness bring utter devastation.

V.4-5

NOTE: V.4-5 explains the pride, foolishness, and selfishness that devastates humanity.

1. “Proud one, His soul is not right within him.”

this is in direct opposition to the “righteous” who will live by “faith”.

This is what devastates populations of people, families, communities, entire nations; where by men and women arrogantly run their lives apart from the wisdom and the dependence on God.

ILLUST: luxury Lifestyle magazine 2020 “The Rise of New Age Spiritualism: Could this be the Latest Luxury Trend.”

wrote “And, the revival of new age spirituality has also seen many publications aimed at 20 and 30 somethings, such as Refinery29 and The Cut, regularly covering topics such as tarot, astrology and crystal grids – yet another sign, if it was needed, that there is an increasing appetite for mystical topics such as these.”

ILLUST: The Guardian March 2022“Making dreams come true: inside the new age world of manifesting” There is a new form of positive thinking that is believed to manifest what you desire.

This is not new but a new spin.

Moon Onyx Starr.

founder of Manifest 2022 says “You are co-creating with the universe,” ““You can only manifest in line with your higher purpose.”

(Essentially, the universe can say no, which is often the explanation when things don’t happen.)”

This idea goes back to the “Secret” Rhonda Byrnes.

Why do I use these illustrations?

Because the majority of your entertainment, media outlets that we listen to and watch is highly influenced with these belief systems.

2. “Wine betrays the haughty man” Is this a reference to Belshazzar Daniel 5? Partial fulfillment??

More than that it is the foolishness of man that thinks they can handle substances or that allows substances to control them finding that in their lack of control life, which needed their attention falls apart.

ILLUST:

3. The haughty man “enlarges his appetite like sheol.

And he is like death, never satisfied” death and destruction encourages more of the same.

a.

The person who finds themselves indulging in substances often times will never be satisfied.

This feeling of dissatisfaction drives one to hunger for things that are not only destructive for their own lives but destroys the lives of those around them.

b. drugabusestatistics.org

1.

Among Americans aged 12 years and older, 31.9 million are current illegal drug users (11.7%)

2. 53 million or 19.4% of people 12 and over have used illegal drugs or misused prescription drugs within the last year

3.

If alcohol and tobacco are included, 165 million or 60.2% or of Americans aged 12 years or older currently abuse drugs (i.e., used within the last 30 days).

NOTE: this does not include sex addiction, food related addictions, gambling, etc.

As this hunger for more grows appetites like “sheol” are not satisfied which means man kind is more willing to do things they once thought were diabolical.

4. The haughty man “gathers to himself all nations and collects all peoples”.

This reference appears to be to a future world leader like the anti Christ?

While at the same time it is referring to the influence of this alluring promise of life without God.

ILLUST: The global governance and the global desire to meet the lustful desires of man is pushing us back into the dark ages.

TRANS: This cycle is making a way for anti Christ, it is developing a society of self absorbed, lustful people who long to indulge in the flesh rather than know the living God.

CLOSE: The Righteous must live by faith.

We must continue to encourage one another to live as Christ.