Habakkuk Part 1-- How Long Lord?
Thesis: When we are upset with God over his willingness to allow evil to continue to impact us and the ones we love we cry out to God “How long Lord will you allow this pain and suffering to go on! Why did you not stop it! He will respond with the quiet words “Trust me you will see!”
Historical Background at the time of Habakkuk’s writing:
From Quest Study Bible page 1293
Sin is rampant in Judah. The people worshiped idols, sacrificed their children to pagan gods and ignored God. The wicked King Jehoiakim not only refused to listen to God’s prophets, but he also burned their writings, arrested several of them and even murdered one. Jehoiakim foolishly aligned Judah between two warring superpowers-the declining Assyrian empire and the rising Babylonian empire.
The result of this nation and its leaders rejection of God led to their destruction.
Scripture Text: Habakkuk 1:1-11:
Habakkuk 1:1 (NIV)
1The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet received.
Habakkuk 1:2 (NIV)
2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
Habakkuk 1:3 (NIV)
3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Habakkuk 1:4 (NIV)
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
Habakkuk 1:5 (NIV)
5 “Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.
Habakkuk 1:6 (NIV)
6 I am raising up the Babylonians,
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
to seize dwelling places not their own.
Habakkuk 1:7 (NIV)
7 They are a feared and dreaded people;
they are a law to themselves
and promote their own honor.
Habakkuk 1:8 (NIV)
8 Their horses are swifter than leopards,
fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like a vulture swooping to devour;
Habakkuk 1:9 (NIV)
9 they all come bent on violence.
Their hordes advance like a desert wind
and gather prisoners like sand.
Habakkuk 1:10 (NIV)
10 They deride kings
and scoff at rulers.
They laugh at all fortified cities;
they build earthen ramps and capture them.
Habakkuk 1:11 (NIV)
11 Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—
guilty men, whose own strength is their god.”
Introduction:
Over the next month we are going to be working our way through an Old Testament book called Habakkuk.
You might be thinking, “Why should we spend the rest of August and study a book that is hard to pronounce and outdated because it was written between 610 and 605 BC.?” You may be thinking like some do today that it has to be out of date with our current culture and time frame. Some think the title is confusing and meaningless to our technologically advanced society of today. There is no relevant teaching for today! But the truth is it is relevant to what ills America today.
Quest Study Bible gives us insight into why we should study and read this book:
Quest: “Have you ever wanted to ask God, ‘If you’re in control, why does evil so often win?’”
An example of this happened to me just last Sunday when I picked up the paper and read of the extremists in Irag who set off car bombs at various Christian churches and killed several people. I said “Why did you allow this Lord?” “How long will allow the Jihad demons to keep this up and do this to innocent people who love you?”
I have also asked this question at other times as well:
Why is it extremist judges can re-write our standard of morality when it comes to abortion, marriage, the Ten Commandments, having “In God We Trust” on our money and even “Under God” challenged in the Pledge of Allegiance.
*Interesting point The Democratic National Committee’s new Senior Advisor for religious Outreach, Rev. Brenda Bartella Peterson, was one of 32 signatories on a U.S. Supreme Court amicus brief backing atheist Michael Newdow, who sought to remove the words ‘Under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance.
If you are seeking the answer to this question then you will relate to a person called Habakkuk. He himself was in turmoil over the advancement of evil in society and how it seemed the righteous were losing the battle. So one day he has had enough and he decides to speak to God on behalf of the people of his day and ask God - even debate with God why he allowed evil to prevail.
I must admit that I can relate to this Prophet- a man of God. It does become frustrating to see the advancement of evil and the demise of godliness in our society. To be honest I sometimes become depressed over it especially as I see it influence the Christians. I have even in my own thoughts said ‘God do something!” “Speak to these hard headed people – give them a divine revelation!”- “Stop evil and it’s ways from gaining ground!” – I have even said, “Strike the evil doers down Lord!” But like Habakkuk God answers and I don’t like what I hear but I do understand and I am convinced that I can trust God no matter what it looks like in the natural realm. He often reminds me and even scolds me that He is in control not evil!
Quest gives us some more insight about Habakkuk when they state:
Habakkuk, whose name means wrestler, grappled with God about questions still relevant today:
*How can a just God ignore injustice?
*Why does God allow the wicked to prosper?
* And how can a good God use evil to accomplish his purposes? Habakkuk struggled to understand how God works…”pg. 1293
And most of us here today can honestly say “I don’t get it God!” “Why, how long must we endure this violence in this world- the injustice- the murder- the crimes- the drugs- the self-centeredness, the evil, the lack of commitment to God’s way, the decline of the church, the un-forgiveness toward others, the _________________?”
Let’s take a quick glance at America’s past and present: Statistics come from sermon on sermoncentral.com called The Spiritual Decline of a Nation By: Donna J. Kazenske:
• From 1960 to 1990 there has been a 560% increase in violent crime, a 419% increase in illegitimate births; a quadrupling in divorce rates; a tripling of the percentage of children living in single-parent homes; more than a 200% increase in the teenage suicide rate; and a drop of almost 80 points in SAT scores.
• In 1962, organized prayer was taken out of public schools.
• On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized unrestricted abortion.
• Since 1973, there have been more than 40 million abortions.
• Dr. Billy Graham stated that, according to his research, over 90% of the Christians in America are living defeated spiritual lives.
• 60% of all websites on the Internet are pornographic websites.
• 85% of kids surveyed said their parents didn’t know what they did on the Internet.
• Internet pornography now ranks highest of all causes of divorce.
• Addiction to pornography is rampant among Christian men, and greed, sexual sins, and dishonesty abound in the Christian church.
• Homosexuality is now called “an alternative lifestyle” instead of an abomination in the sight of Almighty God.
• In 1990, Disney’s Magic Kingdom began GayDays, which began as a one day event, has now evolved into a week of celebration designated for the LesBiGay community ‘to wear red and be seen’ while visiting the world’s most popular theme park.
• August 21, 2003 – According to CNSNews.com, an online sperm bank geared toward lesbian couples and single women recorded its first birth. This allows babies to be born to homosexual couples.
• American Airlines can’t pay its pilots, but it can pay to sponsor a bisexual conference in California which will include sexual demonstrations. (http://www.rfcnet.org)
• The divorce rate among Christians in America is now higher than the divorce rate among non-Christians.
• August 5, 2003 – The House of Bishops voted to confirm the Rev. Gene Robinson as bishop of New Hampshire, making him the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church’s history.
• As of July 1, 2000, Vermont recognizes same-sex unions by law.
• 12 million children live in households where people have to skip meals or eat less to make ends meet. That means one in ten households in the U.S. are living with hunger or are at risk of hunger. (www.bread.org)
• It is estimated that over 3 million teens between the ages of 14 and 17 in the United States today are problem drinkers. Nearly 14 million Americans—1 in every 13 adults-abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Alcohol contributes to 100,000 deaths annually. An estimated 6.6 million children under 18 live in households with at least one alcoholic parent.(http://www.alcoholaddiction.info/alcoholism-statistics.htm)
She also sites in her sermon a book about the demise of a nation:
A book published in 1947 by Dr. Carle Zimmerman entitled “Family and Civilization” defines eight specific patterns of domestic behavior that signal the downward spiral and imminent demise of every culture:
a) Marriage lost its sacredness; it was frequently broken by divorce.
b) Traditional meaning of the marriage ceremony was lost. Alternate forms and definitions of marriage arose, and traditional marriage vows were replaced by individual marriage contracts.
c) Feminist movements appeared, and women lost interest in child bearing and mothering, preferring to pursue power and influence.
d) Public disrespect for parents and authority in general increased.
e) Juvenile delinquency, promiscuity, and rebellion accelerated.
f) People with traditional marriages refused to accept family responsibilities.
g) Desire for and acceptance of adultery grew.
h) Increased tolerance for sexual perversions of all kinds, particularly homosexuality, with a resultant increase in sex-related crimes.
The research results listed above were found to be true in 1947. As I read through this list, I felt like I was reading today’s newspaper. Everything listed above is currently taking place in our nation. Are we so desperately blind that we cannot see it?
We complain on and on just like our Prophet Habakkuk-- well I should say some of us do. I believe a lot of people today even Christians do not care about the injustices in our country. They only care when it directly impacts their self-centered little world. But we should care like Habakkuk cared. He saw what it was doing to his nation and he wanted God to do something about it.
T.S.= So let’s get back on track and look at the first complaint that Habakkuk fires at God in chapter 1:1-4 about evils advancement in society:
1The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet received.
2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
3 Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
I. How long, oh Lord?
a. In essence we read these 4 verses and we say like Habakkuk come on God do something- this is insane!
i. Lord I cry – I plead I call for help and all I hear is silence or wait or trust it’s not enough I need more. I need help right now at this very moment. Come on God were are you- I thought you were a God of Love?
1. This is not love this is misery.
2. They hem me in I want to be delivered from this rat race this evil place!
b. So it comes down to a time question- How long?
i. How long must I endure this strife- this violence-this evil-this rotten life-this addiction-this ________?
ii. And the truth is we want deliverance right now – not tomorrow!
1. Besides this is the, I want it now society of fast food fast technology immediate gratification of out desires and God needs to get up to speed.
2. So we yield to this thought and the “Hurry up Disease” invades our life and mind set. And it causes us to get mad at God and even for some to reject God. For some it causes us to doubt His literal reality.
a. Story of an Atheist
iii. We in essence demand that God do something! Besides all He has to do is say “STOP” and it will!
1. But He remains silent – it seems - nothing dramatic like lightening from Heaven happens- the world does not stop moving – it seems like nothing happens- and we feel alone- and even betrayed.
c. Then the question comes to a personal response, “Now what do I do?”
i. Truth is we respond one of two ways:
1. The evil thought invades our mind at this moment “God does not care about you do it your way and toss him out of the picture?”
a. And as the song says “The beat goes on” and people follow the beat of this evil drum and society continues to decline and spiral into destruction.
i. Because we choose to give up our hope in God and we fail to trust that “God knows Best”
1. So we reject God – His church – His way- for our way and it permeates the cycle of evil in the world and we blame God.
2. Or we trust God that he has a path that we do not see laid out for us and we must endure and press on in the journey.
a. Video Clip from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: From Videos that Teach page 90:
i. Movie is about two men who embark on a quest in search of the Holy Grail, Jesus cup from the Last Supper.
ii. Clip at 1:47:59-1:52:19
iii. Indy shot and injured by Nazis who also desire the grail, Dr. Jones survival depends on Indy reaching the grail first. (Legend claims that drinking from the grail brings eternal life.) To get to the grail, Indy must pass three tests: he must become a penitent man ( a humble man who kneels before God), he must follow the Word of God, and he must take a step of faith. He passes the first two tests, but with time running out, Indy must summon all his courage, step out in faith and cross an impossibly wide ravine. On the opposite side lies the grail.
b. Brian J. Waldrop relates this slice of life: "Flipping through the channels of my TV the other morning, I stopped to watch a painter skillfully painting a desert landscape. As the man proceeded to color the canvas in deep browns, reds, and yellows, the picture really started to look good. I felt that the painter ought to stop. To me, the picture looked complete. "As I was thinking those very words, I cringed to see the artist add a dark blackish color of paint to the canvas. As I had feared, the dark blob looked awkward and out of place. But as the man continued to add texture and other colors to the blob it began to take shape. When the painter was finished, the part of the picture that I thought was ruined looked great! It was exactly what the painting needed to make it beautiful and complete." As I sat there watching the program that day, I was really surprised to find myself cringing at many of the moves the artist made with his brush. I got to thinking how typical this is of my Christian life. Many times in my life, after much struggling and hardship, I have come to a place where I am comfortable. As I am basking in the goodness of the Lord, God has chosen to institute a change I neither expected nor wanted. During this time I cry out, ’No, Lord, You are ruining the picture!’ But often, as I allowed God to continue His work on the canvas of my life, to my surprise the picture would begin to look pretty good. Finally, I would thank Him for the addition or subtraction to my life." There have been times, however, that the change never looked good to me and perhaps never will. During these times I must remember that God is still painting. The picture has not been completed yet. I must travel on in faith knowing that when I see Him face to face, my painting will be beautiful." In the meantime, I can take comfort knowing that every situation, though it may be ugly and bad, is paint that the Master Craftsman can use for good." Paul stated it this way, ’And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose’ (Rom. 8:28 NIV)."Lord Jesus, take my life and create a masterpiece!" From Stories for Preachers.
c. It really comes down to us to decide if we will have hope.
i. I read an article from Discipleship Journal July/August 2004 edition sitting on the river in my boat. I was thinking about this message and prayed for the Lord to give me insight. I then picked up this magazine and turned right to this article called “Hope in Baghdad”by Jamie Winship.
ii. Jamie is a missionary in Irag and wrote this article in the midst of war torn place filled with hate and hostility.
iii. He relates how overwhelmed he had become in Iraq with all the bombings, the killings, the suffering and the despair of this place. During this time of despair he was driving to a small English language institute were he taught English to the business people of Irag and also shared about the love of Jesus Christ. He came to a check point were he was checked by an American MP, who looked like he just graduated from high school. The MP smiled when he saw that his ID was a North Carolina Drivers Lic. He said, “You must be a missionary!” Jamie responded, “Why do you ask?” MP responds “Why else would you live here?” He notes in the article how they chatted and the MP shared how he missed the fellowship dinners at his Baptist church in Missouri and especially the fried chicken. Jamie decided to encourage the MP and said, “You’ll be there again soon.” The MP responded, “I hope so,” waves and then adds as Jamie drove off, “Hope is all we got here.” As he drove away he came up with the following idea for this article on HOPE:
1. Hope stands for the 4 results of a Christ-centered life. (The outline is Jamie’s and I have added my thoughts under his points.)
a. H=Honest acknowledgement
i. We need to honestly evaluate our life and ask ourselves if we believe God works on behalf of our good. If we do it will drive away the despair.
b. O=Optimistic Attitude
i. The idea here is to be positive even in the midst of hardship. To be convinced that God is working it out and will take care of you.
c. P=Peaceful Relations
i. When we have hop we are more willing to be at peace with those around us. More willing to forgive and forget. More willing to love those who do not love us. Hope drives out hate!
d. E=Eternal life
i. When we have hope and the assurance of God’s provision and guidance then we have peace in life and this life lived out here will lead us to eternal life.
ii. Hebrews 11:1 reminds us 1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
II. God’s answer to Habakkuk’s complaint.
a. Habakkuk 1:5-11 -- Read
i. Summary of God’s answer, “I am going to do something Habakkuk that will amaze you and others I am going to judge the sin rampant in your society with the use of the evil nation of Babylon. They are my appointed judge to wake up this nation that has rejected me and my ways. They will be over run and destroyed and sin will be dealt with my way.”
Conclusion: Notice Habakkuk is not real happy with God’s answer to his first complaint. So the debate escalates. Next week we will look at Habakkuk’s second complaint and God’s answer.
