The Burdens of Habakkuk

The book of Habakkuk begins and ends with the prophet's prayers to his God. Upon discovering the Book of the Law in the Lord's temple, King Josiah instituted a revival among the Israelite people. He burned and destroyed every practice that went against the words God revealed to him in His word, and the people followed (2 Kings 22,23). Upon his death, however, the people quickly went back to their futile ways of chasing after wind, thus begins the book of Habakkuk. The prophet pleads to the Lord, “How long will I ask for help and hear nothing? Why do you cause me to look upon this wickedness and cause me to be burdened by it, but you don't answer me?” (Habakkuk 1:1-4) The Lord then responds in 1:5-11 saying He is raising up the Chaldeans, a fierce and impetuous people who march throughout the earth to seize dwelling places which are not theirs. A people who are dreaded and feared; a people whose justice, authority, rules, and laws, begin and end with themselves. God tells Habakkuk of the speed and keen of their horses; the tact of their armies; the ruthlessness of how they capture. “They whose strength is their god,” He says, also promising they will be held guilty (1:11).  Habakkuk wasn't pleased with the thought of his people being destroyed by such a wicked nation, and he wrestles with God over the response he was given. In verse 12, Habakkuk realizes who he is talking to. “Are you not from everlasting, O Lord, my God, my Holy One?” He accepts God's sovereign decision to use the Chaldeans, “You, O Lord, have appointed them to judge; and You, O Rock, have established them to correct.” But he remains confused over it all and continues to dig for an answer, “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and You cannot look on wickedness with favor.” (v.13) He then goes on to ask a series of 3 questions, that sound so much like the words that come from our lips in moments of tragedy. “Why do You look with favor on those who deal treacherously?” Why do you favor the bad people; why do the good guys always get messed over first? “Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they?” Where are you, God? Where are you when bad things happen? “Why have You made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things without a ruler over them?” How are these men able to keep on living and acting as they please, with no consequences? The close to Habakkuk's second round of questions shows me the heart attitude of the prophet God had chosen to disclose His words to. Finishing his round of questions, Habakkuk says, “I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart; and I will keep watch to see what He will speak to me, and how I may reply when I am reproved.” (2:1) As a child waits for his father, is the picture I have in my head of Habakkuk waiting for His God's reply. He implored his God with a series of questions, that to the onlooker would bring the thought, “Why can't he just trust? Who DARE ask the God of the universe questions about His plans?” But no, this prophet asked and asked, and stationed himself prepared for whatever answer his Father would give Him.

God responds in Habakkuk 2:4, “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.” These words are so profound. Oh, that we could grasp the meaning of this sentence to hold to the rest of our lives on this earth! The one who trusts in himself, as the Chaldeans did, his soul is not right within him. But the righteous, those truly belonging to the family of God, we live by our faith. This sentence sums up the total of what this book is about, and I will try to show you how as I end the devotional.

In describing the evil Chaldeans, God gives 5 woes. “Woe to him who increases what is not his (and makes himself rich with loans)” (2:6). He says the creditors will rise to collect, and the Chaldeans will become plunder for them. Because they have looted many nations, those remaining in the towns they plundered will loot them. “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house..” he puts his house up high, to be delivered from calamity but even the stone will cry out from the wall, and the rafter will respond to it from the framework. (2:9) Even the materials for their homes were stolen, and God is telling Habakkuk they can't even escape that. The stones and rafters of their own homes will testify against the evil nation. “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed and founds a town with violence!” (2:12) “Woe to you who make your neighbors drink, who mix in your venom even to make them drunk so as to look on their nakedness! You will be filled with disgrace rather than honor. Now you yourself drink and expose your own nakedness. The cup in the Lord's right hand will come around to you, and utter disgrace will come upon your glory.” (2:15) The sexually perverted peoples will not escape the wrath of God. “Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, 'Awake!' To a mute stone, 'Arise!'..” Woe to those who bow down to wood and stone. The sins, the evil, that doesn't escape the eyes of the all-knowing God we serve, is brought to light in His words of Habakkuk 2, and He ends the description of these wicked things with, “But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.” (2:20) Think about that! Evil upon evil upon evil, nothing WE can do to stop it, but a God that sees all and knows all-- He is in His temple. Never changing, never leaving, not surprised by the wickedness of man; and even the most wicked of men will be silenced before Him.

Remember, Habakkuk was stationed to hear from his Father. He was ready for whatever reproof he may be given. Our God responded to him with such wisdom! There aren't words to describe the response that was given. He assured the prophet He knows all but is unchanging. In 3:1-14 the prophet sings of the power, might, and strength of the God of whom the whole earth will be silent before. A song in which the true knowledge of, makes his inward parts tremble, his lips quiver; decay enters his bones, and he trembles even more. Because his God has made up His mind, and the prophet must wait patiently for the day of distress, and for the people to arise who will invade his people. (3:16) “Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds feet, and makes me walk on my high places.” 3:17-19. Habakkuk began this book pleading with his God to do something about the sins of His people, and he ended it with Job's cry of Job 13:15's, “Though He slay me, I will hope in Him..” Habakkuk did not understand it, nor was it his first choice of reform for the people of God, but He ended with the thought, “Though everything as I know it should all crumble down around me, my hope is in You, Lord, my all in all.” This, my brothers and sisters, is the righteous living by faith. This is a soul that is right within itself; a soul that completely entrusts itself to its Creator. “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; but the righteous will live by his faith.” Habakkuk 2:4