Sermon Title: In God’s Due Time
Scripture: Habakkuk 1:5-11 (NIV)

Contributed by Alice Rydberg

“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 1:5

Last week, we saw the prophet Habakkuk call out to God in lament over the injustice, violence and wickedness that he saw all around him. In Habakkuk 1:5-11, we see God’s answer. In response to Habakkuk’s accusation that He doesn’t listen to his prayers, God gives specific answers to his complaints. In response to Habakkuk’s claim that He tolerates wrongdoing, God reveals His plan to send the fierce and ruthless Babylonian army to destroy the Kingdom of Judah for the wickedness of His people. If Habakkuk was expecting a direct reply from God, this is probably not what he expected Him to say. He probably expected (as we would) that answered prayer would look more like the solutions prayed for.

When reading a book or watching a movie, we often see a story unfold where the central problem gets worse before it gets better. When Habakkuk complains to God about the central problem that he sees in the people of God, God’s answer is basically that He’s well aware and that he should keep paying attention: it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better.

So, is this just a story about the wrath and judgment of God? More will be revealed as the series continues, but there are things that stand out even in this first response from God. From His answer, we see that He hears Habakkuk’s complaints and responds to him. We learn that God is at work (and has been) to address the injustice and wickedness that seemed to Habakkuk to be winning the day. And although the coming of the even-more-wicked Babylonians was a terrifying prophecy (which was a message that God had been sending His people since the days of Isaiah (Isaiah 39:6)), through it we can see that God is sovereign and can use anything and anyone to bring about His plan. God tells His people ahead of time that their kingdom would be destroyed, so that they will understand that the Babylonians are not overpowering God. Bad circumstances and people are not outside of God’s control, but God is not like us – His plans are greater than ours and His timing is His own. That’s where trust comes in.

Habakkuk thinks he is bringing something up to God, something that God perhaps is not aware of, or something that God is not treating as seriously as He should. What we see from God’s response to Habakkuk is that that couldn’t be further from the truth. If there is injustice, our just God knows before anyone else. If there is evil, our holy God knows before anyone else. We are not bringing things to His attention, but if we find ourselves noticing and caring about these things, perhaps God is bringing them to our attention – possibly to encourage us to pray and act, possibly to bear witness to His plan in action; ultimately, to praise and glorify Him. In the end, we will find Him trustworthy and His timing perfect.

Consider—

╬ Do you ever find yourself basing your security on being more righteous than someone else (like God’s people found security in being more righteous than the Babylonians)? Ask God to show you where you might be tempted in this way, and ask Him to help you to find your security instead in the salvation and righteousness that Jesus offers us.

╬ Habakkuk was burdened for God’s people and cried out to God. Is there a burden that God has placed on your heart? Consider sharing that burden with a brother or sister or small group, and commit to pray regularly for it. As we have seen in our text today, God can give us His eyes to see what is going on, and God hears all of our prayers.

╬ Heavenly Father, thank you for the reminder of your holiness, justice and sovereignty. Open our eyes to see ourselves as you do, and move our hearts toward repentance and obedience. In the name of Jesus, through whom we are saved, Amen.