THE PROBLEMS OF FAITH
TEXT: HABAKKUK
I/ HE THOUGHT GOD WAS DOING NOTHING ABOUT EVIL
Hab 1:1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
Hab 1:2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
Hab 1:3 Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
Hab 1:4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. KJV
A. The unsaved say there is no God, because of all the sickness and poverty and sin.
B. The saved cannot sometimes understand the problems because of a narrow vision. (How could the atheist Madelyn Murray be successful? - Why do the heathen prosper?)
C. Justice in Israel was slack, government judgement was slow
II/ GOD’S FIRST ANSWER
A. He will chasten Israel with another nation(vs 5-11)
B. Our country is not loved more than Israel
III/ WILL GOD HOLD HIS TONGUE? (Vs 13)
"when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?"
A. What we don’t understand, we should wait in faith.
B. When we look back over time, we can see God’s purpose
C. Let us remind ourselves of Gen 18:25b
Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
D. Did not God allow wicked men, to slay the Lord of Glory?
E. Yet victory was the result
IV/ FOR "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH"
Hab 2:4b the just shall live by his faith.
A. Though Israel as a nation is cast out of the land and judicially
blinded, yet the individual Jew may resort to faith to be saved.
B. So may those having not known God, find Him though simple faith!
V/ HE CONSIDERS THE END OF THE UNWASHED SOUL
A. He is proud, he cannot be satisfied.
Hab 2:5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:
B. His end is coming.
Hab 2:6 Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!
C. He is covetous.
Hab 2:9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil!
D. He has low morals.
Hab 2:15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
E. He worships God’s of Gold and Silver.
Hab 2:19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.
VI/ IN THE LIGHT OF ETERNITY HIS FAITH IS REVIVED
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.
A. He started thinking God was doing Nothing
B. He ends up crying for mercy!
C. He thus becomes an over-comer to the problems of faith
