Readings for today: Habakkuk 1-3
Sometimes it’s easy to miss the forest for the trees. We find ourselves deep in the weeds when we read and lose sight of the larger message. Today’s book is a good example. Habakkuk is an obscure prophet. Not much is known about him. There is no biographical information listed. This is the only work attributed to him. But careful study of the book suggests he was living in Jerusalem around 612 B.C. which locates him towards the end of the reign of King Josiah. The Babylonian (Chaldean) empire is on the rise and will soon sweep in to destroy Jerusalem thus fulfilling the prophecy given to Hezekiah who pridefully showed off the treasure of his nation to Babylonian envoys decades earlier. This whole book is a prayer. A conversation between God and his prophet. As such, it represents an invitation. God inviting us to engage in a similar conversation with Him over our nation today.
“O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.” (Habakkuk 1:2-4) I don’t know about you but I can relate to these words. I look around at the brutality and racism so many of my friends of color endure. I see the abuse heaped upon law enforcement as they try and stand between rioters and the destruction of private property. I watch as our leaders incite violence by their actions and inaction. I watch as evil is called good and good is called evil. It does feel like the law is paralyzed. It does feel like justice is not just delayed but denied. It does feel like the righteous are an ever-dwindling number. What is God’s response?
“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.” (Habakkuk 1:5) God is at work in our world. He is raising up His church in places like South America and Africa and Asia. Millions are coming to Christ in these places and the center of Christianity is shifting. It is dying in the West. Europe is fully post-Christian. America is quickly hastening in the same direction. Thankfully, God doesn’t need us. He moves on. He moves in and among a people who will seek Him with all their hearts. And while it’s heartbreaking to live through times of decline. Times when it seems like our spiritual heritage is being squandered. It is nothing new. Christianity has always tended to “die” when it achieves cultural dominance and it tends to grow exponentially in places where it is persecuted and oppressed. This has been true throughout history.
“Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof…I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.” (Habakkuk 1:12, 2:1) Habakkuk accepts God’s judgment. He doesn’t fight it. He understands God’s ways are higher than his ways. God’s thoughts are higher than his thoughts. God’s purposes transcend the fate of nations…even the fate of Israel! God’s judgments are always righteous and true. So rather than fight or complain or question, Habakkuk simply and humbly and faithfully takes up his post. He is a watchman for Israel. He will warn them of the coming judgment. He will stand as witness of the wrath to come. Most importantly, however, he will be a beacon of hope for he knows God will keep faith with Israel and redeem them in the end.
“And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith…For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea…But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” (Habakkuk 2:2-4, 14, 20) God will never abandon His people completely. He will never break His covenant of faithfulness with us. He loves us which is why He disciplines us. He cares for us which is why He refuses to let us persist in our sin. He is passionate and fierce and jealous for us so He will not let us wallow in our own mess. His judgment is always right. The pain and suffering He allows is intended to purify. Sanctity. Bring us back to Him. At the end of the day, God cares most for His glory. The mandate issued at creation will be fulfilled. The earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord! The earth will bow in silence before Him as He enters His temple!
“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.” (Habakkuk 3:17-19) This is why Habakkuk ends with a song. He sings praises to His God. He knows God is faithful. God is true. God is good. God is glorious and will bring His will to pass on the earth. Habakkuk doesn’t need to worry. Habakkuk doesn’t need to be anxious. Even as he watches God’s judgment come on God’s people, Habakkuk knows God’s love never fails.
We are living through such challenging times. Like Habakkuk, we look around us and it seems like the fig trees aren’t blossoming. There is no fruit on the vines. The harvest has failed and our flocks are dying. People are getting sick. Businesses are closings. Savings are drying up. Retirement funds are disappearing. Everything we have spent our entire lives working for is being lost. So what do we do? Will we rejoice in the Lord? Will we take joy in the God of our salvation? Will we rely on God who is our strength?
Readings for tomorrow: Joel 1-3