Habakkuk Pt. 2 Jehovah Quickly Answers Habakkuk with a Hard Message

Good morning to all of you.

We received some refreshing showers that revived the flowers around us and we see other plants perking up in response to much needed moisture. 

This reminds me how the Word of God is compared with rain that drops down from heaven, causing things to grow. God's word is like rain showers upon the parched desert of our soul (Deuteronomy 32:2 & Isaiah 55:8-11). It refreshes us and revives us when we are spiritually dry. It renews our strength and calms our hearts as we focus once more on the vastness and greatness of the God we serve.

Our study of Habakkuk will do the same for us because this prophet is one who spoke about revival for the nation. 

Jehovah promptly answered Habakkuk

Habakkuk 1:5  Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. 

Right after Habakkuk finished pouring out his complaints, God provided him with an answer. From His answer we learn that God is not indifferent to our prayers and that He is not insensitive to all the sinning going on in the world. We see that God was already at work, actively preparing judgment and addressing the concerns of His troubled prophet. He was putting His plans into motion long before Habakkuk poured out his complaint. 

God told Habakkuk to lift up his eyes from Jerusalem, Judah, and the immediate troubles and misery that clouded his vision. Instead he was instructed to look beyond Israel to see the heathen nations because Jehovah was doing a mighty work in them. What the Lord was planning to do would utterly astonish Habakkuk when he saw it, even though God told him about it before it came to pass. 

Babylon: God's chosen rod of correction.

Habakkuk 1:6  For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.

Habakkuk was astonished and really perplexed as God showed him what He was going to do. Judah's sins would not go unchecked. Injustice would be dealt with. Discipline and correction were on the way. The prophet's astonishment was not that God was going to chasten His wayward people. Rather, it was the specific instrument that He said He would use to apply the rod of correction.

God chose to prepare the Babylonians to carry out His judgment of Judah's sins. The name Chaldean's reminds us that they had a cult of mystery religion and wise men. Sexual immorality was a big part of their religious system. Astrology and mathematics were particular skills that their wise men cultivated. 

If you read through the Old Testament historical narratives you soon discover that the Assyrians were a very brutal people. They were murderous plunderers who ravaged each land that they conquered and who flayed the skins of their victims while they were still alive. They dashed babies against stones. (See Isaiah 13:16; Hosea 13:16 & Nahum 3:10).

The Babylonians were even more fierce, cruel, merciless and brutal than the Assyrians. The text makes it clear that they dominated much of the known world in that day. 

A Warring People Dispense Wrath on God's people.

Habakkuk 1:7-11  They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. 8)  Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat. 9) They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand. 10) And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it. 11) Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god. 

We learned several things about the Babylonians in this text. Their military prowess made them a terrible and dreadful opponent to fight against. They fostered national pride through their numerous victories and they recognized no treaties or laws but their own. They had a spirit of disdain and contempt for all other people. 

The Babylonian armies were fast and their warriors were like bloodthirsty predators quickly chasing down their prey in order to devour them.  Hordes of Babylonian soldiers swiftly advanced like a fierce, scorching hot, desert wind. 

Babylonian cruelty to last to king of Judah.

2 Kings 25:5-7  And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him. 6) So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. 7) And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon. 

Zedekiah tried to escape to safety but was quickly caught. He was taken before Nebuchadnezzar and his sons were murdered before his eyes. Then, the Babylonian monarch ordered his soldiers to put out the eyes of Zedekiah so that the memory of the last thing the king saw was the death of his sons. 

Last, we see that the idolatry of the Babylonians was brought into view. They credited various "gods" with their military success. 

This is what God showed to Habakkuk in answering his troubled prophet. In our next post we will hear from Habakkuk again as he pleads for the Jewish people. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

We are a lot like Habakkuk when we are facing the problems and challenges of living in a sin cursed world. We may feel that God is not hearing our prayers. We may think that He no longer cares about us. We may express doubts about God when we are overwhelmed with grief, sorrow, trials and troubles. 

God graciously and promptly answered His prophet. In His reply we see clearly that God was at work all along. Nothing that happens ever catches God off guard. He isn't reacting to Habakkuk's prayer. Instead He allowed the prophet to see how He has been preparing to deal with the injustice and flagrant sins of Judah. 

Therefore, when we are a bit discouraged, we can be encouraged by remembering this prophet. Today God is still active, still accomplishing His purposes and still advancing the kingdom of Christ in the world. We may never see His works unfolding but we can be absolutely confident that He is working all things out for our good. 

 When our own nation is filled with injustice, iniquity and disdain for God's law, should we be surprised if God should choose to use another nation to humble us as a people? In my opinion, there are a great many nations around the world, including America, that are overdue for the correcting rod of God's judgment. 

Last, the born again Christian is caught up in spiritual warfare. The more that we attempt to live in a way that honors God, the more Satan will attack us or will attack strong, Bible preaching churches. This should not surprise us at all. The apostles warned us that trials and attacks would be part of our Christian experience as we trek through this earthly pilgrimage. This world is not our home. The world hated our Lord Jesus Christ and it will hate all true disciples of Jesus Christ. (See Matthew 5:10; John 15:18; 2 Timothy 3:12 & 1 Peter 4:12-14 for examples).

Our high calling in Christ Jesus is to walk by faith and live by faith. Habakkuk is going to teach us the powerful truth that the just (those who are right with God by being born again) shall live by faith.

Are we being faithful in prayer, Bible study, witnessing, loving God and loving others? Are we being faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to our care? Are we living in anticipation of one day being transported to our heavenly home with Christ?

Bob