First and foremost, I am morally opposed to writing a sermon as I disagree with it in presentation, delivery, and personal connection. After 45 years of teaching and preaching, I have never written a sermon, nor did my father, nor the other gentleman pastors who ordained me. Regardless, because of academic requirement, I write you my sermon on Habakkuk in offense and dispute. I went through countless “murder boards” by three pastors from three different denominations to check my use of language, body language, music selection to complement the sermon, delivery, and substance. But, here it is, absent of any emphasis, intensity, or body language from my receiving audience.
Habakkuk. Today we are going to talk about Habakkuk. Obviously, I’ve spelled it on the slide as many don’t put a focus on this book of prophets, but I assure you, its got some oomph! It is only three chapters, but can sum our entire lives through Habakkuk’s petitions, God’s answering him, and Habakkuk’s prayers—my daily routine!
Let’s go back in time as Habakkuk is facing the imminent Babylon invasion—an event that occurred a smaller scale in 605 BC before the total destruction of Jerusalem, Judah’s capital city and fortress in 586 BC. Habakkuk’s prophecy was interesting in that it was directed to a world that, through the eyes of God’s people, must have seemed on the edge of disaster.
Habakkuk provides us on of the most remarkable sections of Scripture as it contains an extended dialogue between Habakkuk and God. This features a frustrated prophet, much like Jonah, except Habakkuk channeled his frustration into prays and eventually praise to God, rather than trying to run away from the difficult issue like Jonah.
Habakkuk is a man with questions for God. He is disturbed about God’s seeming indifference to the iniquity of His own people. Habakkuk cries out, “Why don’t you do something?” How often do we say the very same thing? In today’s world, we as Christians feel as Habakkuk did. We are asking, “Why doesn’t God do something? Why doesn’t He move in the affairs of men and government and stop the violence, injustice, and suffering?”
So….why was God silent?
Let’s talk about the main truths of this. We live in a moral universe. Sin will be judged. Even God’s chosen people were held accountable for their actions. Galatians 6:7 is quite clear on the subject of sowing and reaping. Yet, even in this fallen world, we have to admit that God is clearly in control of events. After all, He is God. We have to remember that God even uses Satan’s evils for His purposes, but these will also be judged.
Now, it is acceptable to question God, again, I do it all of the time. However, often it is God’s presence, not rational answer, that satisfy—look at the story of Job. In this case, I find that Habakkuk is a source of the Apostle Paul’s theological theme of “justification by faith (Habakkuk 2:4). In reality, evil will destroy itself eventually. God’s people must exercise faith in the midst of evil days. Faith must not be linked to current circumstances (Habakkuk 3:17-19).
I have to ask myself this series of questions. Why was God inactive and silent during this time? Why is it that God permits certain things to happen? Why doesn’t God just strike evil people dead? What hasn’t God answered the prayers of His faithful people?
God sometimes gives unexpected answers to our prayers. Habakkuk 1:5 (ESV) “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.” We all tend to prescribe to God on how we want Him to answer our prayers. We seem to think that God can only come in one way. Often times God answers our prayers by allowing things to get worse before they get better as in Habakkuk 1:6-11.
The next question is how is all of this reconciled with the holiness of God? Well, let’s go back to general Biblical principles. (1) God is sovereign. He is over everything. God started the historical process, He is controlling it, and He is going to end it. (2) God who sees the end from the beginning has a purpose in it all and knows the time, place, and the seasons. (3) God does not stop to consult with us; everything takes place according to the counsel of His own will. (4) God sometimes delays His answer in order to deal with selfishness or things in our lives that should not be there.
Habakkuk is very important in its relationship to the New Testament. It is generally conceded that the three great doctrinal books of the New Testament are Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews, all of which quote Habakkuk directly. Thus the importance of Habakkuk 2:4 as the background of the message “they shall live by faith.” This little book that we tend to overlook looms on the horizon of Scripture as being important. Don’t let the brevity deceive you. Importance is never determined by how much you say, but by what you say.
Key verses from Habakkuk are 1:2, 1:5, 1:12, 2:2-4, 3:2 and 3:19 (read these).
So, what is the practical application for all of us in our lives? (1) Its okay and permissible to question what God is doing, although with respect and reverence. (2) Sometimes it is not evident to us what is going on, especially if we are thrown into suffering for a period of time or if it seems our enemies are prospering while we are just barely getting by. (3) Habakkuk affirms that God is a sovereign, omnipotent God who has all things under control—we just need to be still and know He is at work. He is who He says He is and does keep His promises. He will punish the wicked, even when we can’t see it, He is still on the throne of the universe. (4) Sometimes the way we have to go to get us to where we need to be is through suffering and sorrow. But, if we rest in Him and trust Him, we come out where He wants us to be.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? (WIFM). Six things we can learn from Habakkuk.
(1) God’s ways are not our ways—yet, He can always be trusted. (2) Even when things seem chaotic—God is still in control. (3) God wants what’s best for us even when it’s hard. (4) Understanding how God works is not my job—trusting Him is! (5) Peace and joy don’t come from my circumstances, but from God. (6) My timing is just that, my timing—but God’s timing is perfect.
Sermon link on YouTube is: https://youtu.be/Fe5hNQQ4duo
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