I came across Habakkuk last week and I can’t get out of it. It is so pertinent to our times. The more I read, the more pertinent it seems. Of course, every generation since 600 BC has thought Habakkuk was pertinent to their times, and they were right. The setting of Habakkuk was a turbulent period in history, when the balance of power was shifting. Judah was experiencing an ever changing world and in Habakkuk’s day, things were quite tumultuous. We can relate a little, right? Judah didn’t have a corner on the instability market, did it?
It’s a really cool Book of the Bible, once you figure out how to spell it. It’s tucked toward the back of the Old Testament between Nahum and Zephaniah, also two spelling challenges. The Book of Habakkuk is only three chapters long, a page and a half in the King James, a five minute read but a lifetime of lessons. You must check it out. It’s very unique in that it’s not written to anyone specifically. Although the people of Judah and the surrounding Kings of the time would end up being the audience of the writings, this book is a recordation of the dialog between the prophet Habakkuk and God. The Book of Habakkuk is recitation of the prophet taking his grave concerns to God and God’s response. Isn’t that really how our relationship with God is supposed to work? We take all our concerns to Him and wait and trust and hope in His answer? There are so many things to learn from Habakkuk. One could spend weeks studying this Book. In it’s little page and half, there’s a month of Sunday lessons. I’ll touch on one or two and then leave you to do the hard work.
O LORD, how long must I call for help before you listen, before you save us from violence? Why do you make me see such trouble? How can you stand to look on such wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are all around me, and there is fighting and quarreling everywhere. The law is weak and useless, and justice is never done. Evil people get the better of the righteous, and so justice is perverted. Habakkuk 1:1-4
Is this not a page from our own thoughts? Is this not what we think when we hear the news of any day? Does it not define the social and spiritual corruption of our day too? And aren’t we, like Habakkuk, heartbroken and confused by it? But look at the pattern Habakkuk establishes right from the get go…He takes his concerns to God! He poured out His broken heart to the Only One. And the Only One answered:
Then the LORD said to his people, “Keep watching the nations around you, and you will be astonished at what you see. I am going to do something that you will not believe when you hear about it.” Habakkuk 1:5
The Lord doesn’t rebuke Habakkuk when he brings him his concerns and questions, the Only One answers Habakkuk. He told Habakkuk to look around, to watch. God will always answer the expectant believer. If you continue reading you will see that God explains in detail his plan to address the happenings of the days. It seems harsh, but not surprising. We must remember that God is always just. God is always right. His ways are not our ways. We must trust His perfect plan and wait. Our strength will rise as we wait on the Only One to answer us.
I’m sorry, I’ve run out of time today. Maybe we’ll pick up where we left off another time. In the meantime, get in The Book. Do the hard work. Know Your God. Just as Habakkuk did, take your complaints, your questions, your concerns to God. He always answers with an astonishing plan that He has had before the beginning of time. He’s in control! That’s our Hope!
PERSIST
The Book of Habakkuk
Acts Chapter 13
PURSUE Let’s work on developing that relationship with the Only One. Take it all to Him and wait!