WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON? A SERIES FROM HABAKKUK
Live By Faith?
Habakkuk 1:12-2:4
INTRODUCTION:
A. Let me summarize (quickly) last weeks message:
1. Habakkuk was asking God why He did not do something about all the ungodliness in the land of Judah
- He just could not understand why He allowed it to go un-reproved.
2. God answered him and said: Don’t worry son, I got it covered, I’m raising up a nasty bunch, the Babylonians, who will judge Judah for her sin.
3. God answered Habakkuk, but in the process gave the prophet some very unwanted news!
4. In the process we learned God is sovereign working out His will on His timetable, His way, for His kingdom’s purposes.
5. But God’s answer further perplexed the man and brought forth another problem and another whole set of questions.
6. Thit is where we find ourselves this morning.
B. I imagine many of us have found ourselves in a position much like this.
1. Either we can’t seem to find out what God is saying, or when we do, we don’t really like it.
2. Or maybe, we are at the point that we just don’t understand, like Habakkuk, why God would allow something, seemingly so unjust, to happen
3. Unfortunately, neither I nor anyone else, can give definitive answers, but God did not leave us out in the cold to die in despair, either.
4. This is where Habakkuk might be able to help us.
C. As you can see by the title, the question for this morning could be, With all that is going on in the world and my life, how am I to Live By Faith?
1. Lets look at the course of events in this passage and see how it can help us: first we see
a. The Confession, which moves us to
b. An Investigation, and on to
c. A Declaration
2. It is amazing how this process worked for Habakkuk, may be it will help us deal with the things that effect us, as well.
PRAY
We will begin with
I. A CONFESSION, Habakkuk 1:12-13a Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:….
A. When I said confession I mean it in the sense of a set of beliefs
1. What do we believe, in this case, about God?
2. Note what Habakkuk believed about God – His attributes
a. Everlasting, O LORD – God is Eternal - the self existing one
- It should also be noted that Habakkuk, used the covenantal name for God, that is the relational name – My God
b. Mine Holy One – God is Holy - that is God is absolutely separate from and exalted above all his creation, and is equally separate from all moral evil and sin.
c. Thou has ordained – God is Sovereign – he rules over all things and is in control of all things including nations and people
d. O mighty God – God is mighty, in fact Omnipotent, there is nothing stronger and He can do as He wills
e. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity – God is just and righteous, He does what is right at all times
3. Now look at what Habakkuk believes about God – His actions
a. Judgment – God establishes judgment (He will judge sin) and this is in line with all His attributes
b. Correction – God’s purposes in judgment is to correct, to bring back into fellowship and conformity to His word.
B. This is where we must start if we are going to sort out all that is going on around us and to us.
1. What do you believe about God?
2. Jay Adams, one of the leaders in the biblical counseling movement, wrote a book entitled, The Theology of Christian Counseling
a. He did this because it was his belief, one that I hold as well, that all problems that require counseling are at their root theological problems
b. They stem from or are aggravated by wrong thinking about God and His word.
3. What you REALLY believe about God forms the frame work for everything else you believe and do.
4. Here is an interesting question to consider, If someone was going to form an opinion about God based on your life and actions what would it look like? 5. This might be the real test of what we believe about God.
Lets move on. It was his knowledge about God and who He was that was causing Habakkuk such problems. They seemed to be in contra diction. This brought on
II. AN INVESTIGATION, Habakkuk 1:13-2:1 …wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad. Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations? I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
A. The Investigation Begins with What Seems To Be
1. The thought of Babylon being God’s choice for Judah’s judgment and correction is horrific to Habakkuk
2. He brings up some tough questions
a. So why do You tolerate those who are treacherous?
b. Why are You silent while one who is wicked swallows up one who is more righteous than himself?
c. Will they therefore empty their net and continually slaughter nations without mercy?
3. Based on what He knows and believes about God he is asking for some insight on how this could be true.
4. And folks, God has no problem with us asking questions – hard questions even - when they are based on wrestling with seeming disparities.
5. He knows that our limited knowledge and narrow focus keep us from getting the whole picture
6. The problem does not come about because of the questions but rather because we want it our way and now!
7. That is why the second half of this investigation is so important
B. Habakkuk Waits for What Will Be Seen To Be, Habakkuk 2:1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
1. Having expressed his lack of understanding Habakkuk determines to wait for an answer from God.
2. This is by far the hardest part of any investigation of a heart wrenching problem – waiting (we will deal with this more completely in our next message)
3. For now we must see that the waiting is purposeful – I will see what He will say.
4. Two keys to this listening is to be open to the Lord’s answer and be willing to listen as long as it takes.
- Remember God’s ways are not our ways, and he works according to His time table not ours!
5. The answer, or the understanding of His answer, might come quickly or it might take days, weeks or years
6. We must we willing to wait because things are not always as they seem.
7. In the midst of trials, tribulations and temptations are we willing to seek God’s face and wait on Him?
It is from this time of waiting that we are given
III. THE DECLARATION, Habakkuk 2:2-4 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
A. As Habakkuk is waiting on the Lord, He speaks
1. First God Gets His Attention
a. Listen up Habakkuk, this is what I want you to do with what I’m about to give you.
b. Write it upon some tablets so other might read it as well.
2. Secondly, God gives revelation
a. For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it testifies about the end and will not lie. Though it delays, wait for it, since it will certainly come and not be late. Habakkuk 2:3
b. This revelation can be found in Habakkuk 2:5-20 of which we will deal with in another message.
c. But we need to know that God answers Habakkuk’s questions
d. How do we know this, because of what is written in Hab 3:2 O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
3. Thirdly, this revelation is punctuated with an application for Habakkuk found in the end of verse 4: but the just shall live by his faith.
B. This is the crux of life for all of us - the just shall live by his faith!
1. This phrase is used three time in the New testament and can help us to understand three words: Just, Faith and Live
a. How are we to understand the just?
1) Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
2) We are found to be just or justified as we trust in Jesus Christ – His finished work on the cross and not in works (by the law) - for our righteousness
3) Knowing we are sinners, believing that Jesus died, was buried and rose again that we might be saved
b. What is faith? It is a belief that leads to action
1) Hebrews 11 is the great chapter of faith heroes – each person of faith was see as such because of his actions
2) Just prior to this chapter in Heb 10:37-38 we read, For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
c. What is meant by live?
1) Life is not a point in time, but a course of time – it is continual
2) It is to this fact that Galatians 3:11 points, But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
2. If we take our Habakkuk passage as a whole we could say: We take what we know about God to be true, add prayer and God’s words to that and then live by faith even though we don’t understand some things!
3. In this we express our trust and confidence in God, thereby pleasing Him for without faith it is impossible to please God! Heb 11:6
CONCLUSION:
A. LIVE BY FAITH? Yes, it is possible to live by faith – you just have to have faith in the right place, or I should say in the right person – Jesus Christ.
B. The question I end with is “Are You?”
