Let's meet Habakkuk

 

I hope that you will read all three chapters of Habakkuk this week. Right now, if you haven't read chapter one, do me a favor and pause -- read that first chapter and come back! 

We don't know a whole lot about Habakkuk. Scholars tell us he was probably about thirty years old, and they say he was a contemporary of Ezekiel and Jeremiah. Not that he knew them personally, but he lived at approximately the same time period. They also have pinpointed that he was about ten or fifteen years older than Daniel.

When Habakkuk saw the terrible wickedness of Judah, and how they were all heading off the cliff of immorality, like lemmings rushing over the edge, he prayed. He asked God to do something. He probably had in mind that God could raise up another good king to lead the people in the ways of God. 

But Habakkuk should have listened to my grandma.

"Be careful what you pray for."

Little did Habakkuk know that God's answer would come by way of a hated nation that was hostile to Judah!

In the first four verses of chapter 1, Habakkuk cries out to God about the wickedness of the nation. Then the Lord answers him in the remaining verses of the chapter.

Habakkuk lived in very stressful, confusing times. So do we! Habakkuk knew where to go for answers; his book is only three chapters long, but he gives us an awesome strategy to use . . . in the first chapter, we see him ask God for answers. Chapter two finds him waiting. And chapter three finds him praying. 

Some people think the minor prophets are just not books that they want to invest a lot of time into. What in the world could a dusty book of prophecy about wayward Hebrews tell me, they think. 

Au contraire!

Habakkuk is actually a pretty modern book! He raises some of the same questions that we hear people asking today! 

Young and old, people are troubled today, and wrestling with questions. Young people, especially lately, have become disenchanted with life, and they even want to end their lives. They trudge from therapist to doctor and back again, looking for answers, getting prescriptions for drugs, and trying to find meaning and purpose. They feel that God is silent, unmoved by their plight.

Habakkuk looked around and saw a lot of what we see in our world today. Sexual immorality. Idolatry. Robbery. Power-hungry people. Looters. Thieves. Murderers. Political corruption.

Wow.

In the beginning of the chapter, Habakkuk expresses his sorrow and his frustration. 

“How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ but you do not save?” (v. 2).

As he looked around him, Habakkuk wanted to know, how long will You let this go on? Perhaps a mother praying for her wayward son might wonder that. Perhaps a parent praying for a sick child might wonder why God is silent. 

We cry out to the Lord with the psalmist . . . 

Why, Lord, do you stand far off?
    Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (Psalm 10:1)

In addition to our human response to what we think is unanswered prayer, we look around and see increasing wickedness. How many of our cities have experienced looting, violence, and evil? How many people are affected by the break up of the nuclear family? How many adults and children are impacted by the evils of pornography?

Habakkuk saw wickedness and perversion around him. He saw destruction and violence. Things seem to be totally out of control.

So, we can identify with Habakkuk in his conversation with God, no? We can empathize with his questions, with his frustration, too. 

I expect that he wanted to hear a word of comfort from God, don't you? He wanted to hear that there was a good king on the horizon. Or a charismatic, engaging religious leader that would turn the people back to God.

Well, God, DID answer him . . . yep, Habakkuk, I've got this. I have plans that will take care of all these problems. 

“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” (v.5).

Whoooo hooooo! Sounds great, right?

Sounds like God will send a great leader, or send a spiritual awakening in the religious community that will spill over and lead the people back to God.

Well, God is going to send something, but it's totally unexpected! Let's dig into that tomorrow!