The overwhelming message of Habakkuk is this truth: God is
Habakkuk 1:1–4
1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw. 2 O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? 3 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. 4 So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.
You can always take your
and
to God.
Habakkuk’s Confusion was Caused by God’s
.
Habakkuk was at the end of his rope and he was confused because he believed what God told Moses about himself, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6-7).
Habakkuk was confused because he believed God listened and responded when His helpless children called out to him. He believed that God saves when his people suffer violence. Yet, God was silent. Habakkuk knew something needed to be done and the only one who could provide relief was God, but God wasn’t responding.
Habakkuk was confused because he didn’t understand why God would cause him to see all this evil behavior—the immorality that was characterizing the so-called people of God.
But not only did God cause Habakkuk to see it, Habakkuk acknowledged that God was not ignorant or unaware of the wrong that was taking place. He knew that God declared that his “eyes are on all their ways. They are not hidden from me, nor is their iniquity concealed from my eyes.” (Jeremiah 16:17).
Why would God see everything that Habakkuk could see (and more) and sit idly by and tolerate such wrong?
These are the words of a completely confused prophet?
Habakkuk’s Complaint Exposed Man’s
.
Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, the people perish.
That is not a great quote intended to inspire visionary leadership!
It means, where there is no word of God—no revelation from God that governs a person, a home, a church, or a society, there is chaos, disorder, and injustice.
**Is the Word of God the
Do I humbly and regularly
Do I
Application:
When you are frustrated, confused, and have a complaint, go to God in
Be
Remember that God is never
Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. —Corrie Ten Boom