Lord, How Long?

INTRODUCTION: TRAGEDY AFTER TRAGEDY SEEMS TO PLAGUE OUR WORLD. VIOLENCE AND CHAOS ARE THE ORDER OF THE DAY. SOCIAL INJUSTICE, RACISM, AND LAWLESSNESS CONTINUES TO SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE. SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES IS AFFECTING THOSE OF US WHO ARE ON THE LOW END OF THE TOTEM POLE. THE RICH GET RICHER AND THE POOR GET POORER. WORLD HUNGER INCREASES WITH EACH PASSING TICK OF THE CLOCK. WELFARE REFORM NEEDS TO REFORMED IN ORDER TO HELP SOME FAIR WELL. UNBRIDLED HATRED IS ROAMING THROUGHOUT THE WORLD LIKE A MAD DOG THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT TO SLEEP. WHEN I SEE ALL OF THESE INSUFFERABLE EVENTS, I CRY LIKE HABAKKUK, LORD, HOW LONG?

I. TEXT

HABAKKUK SEES THE PERPLEXING CONDITION OF HIS COUNTRY, AND HIS SOUL IS TROUBLED. RIGHTEOUSNOUS HAD VANISHED LIKE A VAPOR. THE SPIRITUAL MORALITY OF THE NATION WAS SWALLOWED UP IN WICKEDNESS. NO DOUBT, HIS MIND REFLECTED ON THE SECOND PSALM, “WHY DO THE HEATHEN RAGE, AND THE PEOPLE IMAGINE A VAIN THING?” WHEN HE CAN TOLERATE IT NO MORE, HE CRIES, O LORD, HOW LONG.

AT FIRST GLANCE, THE BOOK OF HABAKKUK SEEMS DISMAL, BUT IF YOU READ IT IN IT’S ENTIRITY, YOU WILL DISCOVER THAT THERE IS LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. THE BOOK ADDRESSES SEVERAL ISSUES, THE WICKED CONDITION OF A PEOPLE, GOD’S JUDGEMENT ON A PEOPLE, AND GOD’S DIVINE DELIVERANCE OF A PEOPLE.

HABAKKUK WANTED TO KNOW WHEN WAS GOD GOING TO DO SOMETHING. THE CONDITIONS OF HIS COUNTRY HAD BECOME A BURDEN TO HIM. VIOLENCE WAS RAMPANT. STRIFE AND

CONTENTION SURROUNDED HIM. ONLY A FEW ADHERED TO GOD’S DIVINE LAWS. HOWEVER, THE LAWS OF THE LAND WERE NOT ENFORCED. IN THOSE DAYS, EVERYONE DID THAT WHICH WAS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES. ALLOW ME TO MOCK TIME MOMENTARILY AND SUGGEST, THAT NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED IN 2001. WE ARE LIVING IN A DAY AND AGE WHERE PEOPLE ARE DOING JUST WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

II. CONCLUSION

AS GOD’S PROPHET HABAKKUK HAD THE RESPONSIBILITY TO WARN PEOPLE OF THE IMPENDING JUDGMENT OF ALMIGHTY GOD. AS CHRISTIANS WE MUST WARN PEOPLE THAT THEY NEED TO REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS AT HAND. WE MUST SOUND THE ALARM AND LET SINNERS KNOW THAT THE WAGES OF SIN IS STILL DEATH, BUT THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE.

WHEN I LOOK AROUND AND SEE PEOPLE WHORING AFTER OTHER GOD’S, I WONDER LORD HOW LONG? WHEN I SEE THE FOOT OF ECONOMICAL OPPRESSION ON THE THROATS OF THE DISFRANCHISED, I WONDER LORD HOW LONG? WHEN I SEE YOUNG PEOPLE TAKING GUNS TO SCHOOL, I WONDER LORD HOW LONG? SPIRITUAL DEPRAVATION IS PREVALENT AND PROMINENT, LORD HOW LONG? IS THERE NO BALM IN GILEAD?

AS I KEPT ASKING THE LORD THESE QUESTIONS, THERE WAS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR OF MY IMAGINATION. I OPENED THE DOOR AND THERE STOOD THE HOLY GHOST WITH A MESSAGE FROM JESUS. I OPENED THE MESSAGE AND THIS IS WHAT IT SAID. FRET NOT THYSELF BECAUSE OF EVIL DOERS, NEITHER BE THOU ENVIOUS AGAINST THE WORKERS OF INIQUITY, FOR THEY SHALL SOON BE CUT DOWN LIKE THE GRASS, AND WITHER AS THE GREEN HERB. THE SIGN OF THESE WICKED TIMES IS POINTING TO MY RETURN. THESE THINGS MUST BE.

TELL THE FOLK AT ZION TO BE FAITHFUL UNTIL DEATH. TELL THE FOLK AT ZION THAT THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH. TELL THE FOLK AT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH TO WAIT ON THE LORD AND BE OF GOOD COURAGE AND I WILL STRENGTHEN THEIR HEARTS. TELL THE FOLK AT ZION THAT IN MY FATHERS HOUSE THERE ARE MANY MANSIONS, AND I AM PREPARING A PLACE JUST FOR THEM. TELL THEM THAT I HAVE EVERYTHING IN CONTROL.

TELL SINNERS ALL ABOUT ME. TELL THEM THAT I DIED SO THEY COULD LIVE. I DIED SO THEY COULD BE REDEEMED. I DIED FO THEY COULD BE FREE. TELL THEM THAT I GOT UP EARLY SUNDAY MORNING TO PROVE THAT I AM THAT I AM. I AM HE THAT WAS DEAD, AN NOW I LIVE FOREVERMORE.