The DISCONCERTING DILEMMA Of DIVINE INACTION--IV
—Habakkuk 1:4(1:1-4)
Key Words—
•Difficult/Disturbing/Disorienting/Disconcerting/Perplexing/Uncertainty/Unsettling.
•Dilemma/Predicament/Quandary/Situation.
Attention—
The Bronze Rat:
A tourist walks into a curio shop in San Francisco. Looking around at the exotic items, he notices a very lifelike, life-sized bronze statue of a rat. It has no price tag, but is so striking he decides he must have it.
He took it to the owner: “How much for the bronze rat?”
“Twelve dollars for the rat, five-hundred dollars for the story,” said the owner.
The tourist gave the man twelve dollars. “I'll just take the rat, you can keep the story.”
The curio shop owner said smugly, “Okay, but you’ll be back for the story.”
As the man walked down the street carrying his bronze rat, he noticed that a few real rats had crawled out of the alleys & sewers & began following him down the street. This was disconcerting; he began walking faster. But within a couple blocks, the herd of rats behind him had grown to hundreds, & they began squealing.
He began to trot toward the bay bridge, looking around to see that the rats now numbered in the MILLIONS, & were squealing & coming toward him faster & faster.
On the bridge & fearing for his life, he runs to the edge of the bridge & throws the bronze rat as far out into the bay as he could. Amazingly, the millions of rats all jumped into the bay after it, & were all drowned.
The man walks back to the curio shop.
“Ah ha!” said the owner, “You have come back for the story!”
* “No,” said the man, “I came back to see if you have a bronze politician?”
*As the unknown, yet efficient work of the Bronze Rat prompted the man’s search for a ‘Bronze Politician’,
So, There are ‘unperceived’ processes, things you may never have a definite answer for, all of which are at work within the execution of God’s sovereignty. Things that ONLY God is qualified to resolve. God is the Designer & Maintainer...So it is up to you & me to TRUST HIM with His creation & kingdom, as He sovereignly directs it toward it’s decided end.
Do not allow your Disappointment, Dissatisfaction, Anxiety, & Fabrications to misrepresent God’s will, His ways, & His reality.
So I encourage you to Let honesty rule!
Need:
Most of us at times, have questioned:—‘Why doesn’t God do something’ about” whatever difficulty we’re facing.
As Christians, we can allow that insufficiently answered question to become unsettling & disconcerting to our saving faith.
Habakkuk was a prophet of God, who faced the disconcerting/unsettling dilemma of Divine ‘inaction’ towards His people, Judah.
Divine ‘inaction’ presents an unsettling dilemma for God’s people.
We are answering the question:
How is, What makes, & Why is Divine inaction unsettling?
4 ‘fabrications’ that EITHER: accentuate the dilemma,—OR—that muddy/confuse/obscure the answer/explanation of God’s inaction.
A ‘FABRICATION’ is—“The action or process of manufacturing or inventing something.”
•For our purposes here:—A ‘fabrication’ is a misleading attempt to make sense of what might be perceived as God’s inaction.
*First & foremost it must be said, that it is a FACT that God is neither inactive, nor is He negligent, nor indifferent to your need or plight!*
*God’s seeming ‘inaction/inactivity’ is actually a ‘human perception’ problem!*
•That is, unless a person’s ‘limited perception’ of reality is overcome by the Spirit of God, such thinking will continue to muddy the waters of God’s reality!
Previously in this series, we have discovered that,
A fabrication forged thru Divine inaction is An Unsettling...
1. ‘INATTENTION’ To PERSONAL PLIGHT(:2a)
2. ‘REFUSAL’ TO SAVE(:2b)
3. ‘CONTENTION’ In The LAND(:3)
Today we’ll find that:
4—Another fabrication forged thru Divine inaction is An Unsettling...
‘ABSENCE’ Of JUSTICE(:4)
Explanation:(:4)
:4—“Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.”
“The law” mentioned here is “the Law”(for the Jews) brought forth thru God’s devising & wisdom. And so, God’s “Law” was executed or implemented thru the practical out-workings of Jewish CIVIL “law.” And Judah’s civil “law” had become perverted by the people’s dedication to worldliness, & was maintained thru worldly leadership.
And so, God’s “Law” as well as the “law” of the land, had become “powerless” in Habakkuk’s day. That “powerlessness” was due to the hands of men who had distanced & divorced themselves from God’s desire in that “law.” The Judeans had discarded the original intent of God’s “Law” as a tutor, until faith in the One Messiah/Christ would arrive(Gal. 3:22-26).
Gal. 3:22-26—“But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
Thus Judah had set aside the real “power” in “Law/law” given thru the Lord, as inconsequential to their well-being. They set aside the “power” intended in their own witness.
And as a result of powerless law, Habakkuk witnesses that “justice never goes forth”(1:4) from Judah, even though Judah was intended by God, to be a source & land of God’s witness & influence to the world.
“Justice” implies—Not merely “the exercise” of “legal processes, but of all the functions of government.” Thru “justice” lawful order is maintained thru “representation, legislation, interpretation, & enforcement.”(C. Armerding in EBC-1985).
Therefore in Habakkuk’s day, Judah trudged along in a ‘pitiful state of ineptness’ because, as a nation, they openly rejected YHWH God’s “power”!
Like America today, Judah had succumbed to ‘humanism’....That is, prime importance & trust was no longer placed upon YHWH, but upon their own human ability & power. And so, unsurprisingly, Judah succumbed to empty human ‘religion’ as well. And THAT humanism became standardized in the flesh-driven “laws” of the land(as America’s body of “law” tends to be), even though much of Judah’s “law” was originally ‘patterned’ on the ‘practical’ aspects of God’s revealed wisdom. Thereby Judah(as does much of America) celebrated “a form of godliness while denying its power(2Tim. 3:5).
2Tim. 3:1-5—“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
And the unavoidable result of a mere ‘form’ of godliness, without God’s power, is that “the righteous” are completely overrun by those who are wicked(“the wicked surround the righteous”). Thereby “wickedness” prevails in the human “law” that is set forth & followed.
In that “the wicked” now “surround the righteous” & are choosing human “law” over God’s “Law”, the outcome is naturally a “perverse” rendering of God’s “judgment” & “justice.”
•In Habakkuk’s day, that “perversion” of “judgment” & “justice” was given precedence, & so it “proceeds” or ‘reveals itself’(“comes out”) in the standardizing of the governance of the land.
On top of the “perversities”, maintained thru their own civil “law”, Habakkuk would have to ‘ride-out’ the promised/coming destruction of Judah & Jerusalem by a wholly pagan & brutally savage foreign nation.(cf.-:5-11; 2:5-20)
•That pagan nation was one whom God Himself employed for the task of decimating Judah’s dependence upon self!
•That was the only way true “justice” & “judgment” could be restored to God’s people Israel as a whole!
*Their dependence upon God could & would only be restored thru DISMANTLING their fleshly dependences!
God’s people today are not encouraged to militarily ‘overthrow’ the existing or established ‘secular’ government. Christians are ‘landless’ & ‘country-less.’.....
•Intentional human/worldly means of subversion & use of weaponry is NOT what God wants the Church to do! The Church is to operate or bear up as Jesus did.
•God’s people are to depend upon God in righting wrongs. In doing so, God may use His people to right wrongs, but the ‘righting’ must be without violence, & accomplished by & thru YHWH God, & thus in YHWH’s way!
•And Yes, we still must defend our country for the sake of her godly values, & for protecting the ever-fleeting opportunities for godly living.
At this point in history, If there is any means of God being ‘subversive’, it is by the ‘CONVERSION’ of people to the Good News of salvation in Christ alone. Thereby God’s glory will continue to go forth in HIS specified manner.
Regarding CONVERSION:
•1Pet. 2:11-17—“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners & pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers & for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men-- as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”
Regarding CONVERSION:
•Rom. 13:1-14—“Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, & the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, & those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, & you will have praise from the same. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” & if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, & let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry & drunkenness, not in lewdness & lust, not in strife & envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, & make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”
Argumentation:
*God is NEVER the Author of ‘injustice’ or “perverse judgment”! “Justice” comes to anyone or any nation, by means of their seeking God’s compassion, that is manifested in the reality of HIS perfect knowledge & sense of “justice.”
*God’s “justice” is:—His being ‘fair’ & ‘reasonable’ in the administration(punishment &/or vindication) of His authority, that exists within the confines of His perfections & revelations.
*Isa. 56:1-2(See :2b-‘Refusal To Save’)—“Thus says the LORD: “Keep justice, & do righteousness, For My salvation is about to come, And My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man who does this, And the son of man who lays hold on it; Who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And keeps his hand from doing any evil.””
Ps. 10:1-18—“Why do You stand afar off, O LORD? Why do You hide in times of trouble? The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised. For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire; He blesses the greedy & renounces the LORD. The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts. His ways are always prospering; Your judgments are far above, out of his sight; As for all his enemies, he sneers at them. He has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved; I shall never be in adversity.” His mouth is full of cursing & deceit & oppression; Under his tongue is trouble & iniquity. He sits in the lurking places of the villages; In the secret places he murders the innocent; His eyes are secretly fixed on the helpless. He lies in wait secretly, as a lion in his den; He lies in wait to catch the poor; He catches the poor when he draws him into his net. So he crouches, he lies low, That the helpless may fall by his strength. He has said in his heart, “God has forgotten; He hides His face; He will never see.” Arise, O LORD! O God, lift up Your hand! Do not forget the humble. Why do the wicked renounce God? He has said in his heart, “You will not require an account.” But You have seen, for You observe trouble & grief, To repay it by Your hand. The helpless commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked & the evil man; Seek out his wickedness until You find none. The LORD is King forever & ever; The nations have perished out of His land. LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, To do justice to the fatherless & the oppressed, That the man of the earth may oppress no more.”
*Ps. 11:1-7—<<To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.>> “In the LORD I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”? For look! The wicked bend their bow, They make ready their arrow on the string, That they may shoot secretly at the upright in heart. If the foundations are destroyed, What can the righteous do? The LORD is in His holy temple, The LORD’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The LORD tests the righteous, But the wicked & the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire & brimstone & a burning wind Shall be the portion of their cup. For the LORD is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.”
Heb. 6:10—“For God is not unjust to forget your work & labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, & do minister.”
Mat. 10:16, 17—“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents & harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils & scourge you in their synagogues.
Rom. 3:3-10, 19-26—“For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “That You may be justified in Your words, And may overcome when You are judged.” But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unjust who inflicts wrath?(I speak as a man.) Certainly not! For then how will God judge the world? For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not say, “Let us do evil that good may come”?--as we are slanderously reported & as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just. What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews & Greeks that they are all under sin. As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;”.....—:19-26—“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, & all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law & the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all & on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just & the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Illustration:
Three really rough, scary-looking, one-percenters on motorcycles roared into a highway diner parking lot. They parked their rides side-by-side in the front, in the only two handicapped spaces for the restaurant. They strutted into the diner where they spy a diminutive little man sitting at the counter beginning to eat his lunch. They grabbed the man’s lunch, including his sweet tea, laughed in his face, arrogantly walked into the back dining room, & began rowdily eating the lunch they just stole.
The embarrassed man said nothing, but got up, paid for his food, handed the waitress her tip & walked out. The waitress then attended the bikers in the back dining room.
One of the bikers, unhappy that they had not succeeded in provoking the man into a fight, commented to the waitress with a smirk on his face, “He wasn’t much of man was he?”, as they all began laughing & cutting up.
Before she could answer, the waitress hears some commotion up front. So she leans out the back dining room entrance, & looks toward the front door. She then replied to the bikers, “I suppose he wasn’t much of a man.” “But then again, I guess he’s not much of truck driver either.” “Because he just ran his 18-wheeler over three motorcycles parked in the handicapped space.”
Where’s the ‘ABSENCE’ Of JUSTICE?
God’s “justice”, His right, His vengeance, is perfect!
And God is constantly in the process of bringing that “Justice.” His people—the Church—are to exemplify what God reveals to be right & just!
Application:
?Have YOUR Fabrications(failed attempts to make sense of God’s inaction) accused God of plaguing humanity with An Unsettling ‘ABSENCE’ Of JUSTICE?
?Are YOU a Fabricator of false accusations toward God?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
As ‘the Bronze Rat’ prompted the man’s search for a ‘Bronze Politician’,.....
We shouldn’t allow our Disappointment, Dissatisfaction, Anxiety, & Fabrications to misrepresent God’s will, His ways, & His reality! Let honesty rule!
There are ‘unperceived’ Divine processes, that are at work within the sovereign execution of God’s will.
Action:
A fabrication forged thru Divine inaction is An Unsettling...
4. ‘ABSENCE’ Of JUSTICE(:4)
1. ‘INATTENTION’ To PERSONAL PLIGHT(:2a)
2. ‘REFUSAL’ TO SAVE(:2b)
3. ‘CONTENTION’ In The LAND(:3)
Pt.#4 only! presented 11/10/2024am to:
Salem Baptist Church
1618 Salem Rd.
Bennettsville, SC 29512
