Run To God For Help
The headlines from this past week have been rather disturbing. But isn’t that true of many weeks? We see the violence, the fighting, the wickedness of society, and so many things that seem unfair. And we try to pray to a God that, from our limited perspective, doesn’t seem to hear or care.
Ours is not the first generation to feel this way. In fact, roughly 600 years before the birth of Jesus, a prophet in the southern kingdom of Judah named Habakkuk was struggling with these same types of concern and frustration. It wasn’t just the wickedness of his own people that disturbed him. He is shown that in order to judge the wickedness within the borders of his homeland, there would come a wickedness from without. God would “raise up” the “bitter and hasty nation” of Babylon to judge Judah (Habakkuk 1:6).
As we read of Habakkuk’s Burden in chapter 1 (vs. 1), his Vision in chapter 2 (vs. 2), and his Prayer in chapter 3 (vs. 1); even though we are separated from Habakkuk by 2,600 years of time and several thousands of miles…
I. We Can Relate To Habakkuk
A. Here Is A Man Who Was Wondering About The Adversity
Has God not noticed how wicked and depraved the nation has become? Is He not going to do anything about it? These are the questions that Habakkuk is asking in the first part of chapter 1. And God told Habakkuk that He would do something about it. But His plan, set forth in verses 5 thru 11, was to use a people more wicked than Judah to judge them. So again, Habakkuk is asking God, “Why?”
B. Here Is A Man Who Was Waiting For An Answer
At the beginning of chapter 2, we find Habakkuk waiting and watching, looking for an answer from God that will somehow bring sense and sensibility to the questions and burdens that are upon his heart. How often have you been distressed over the circumstances of life and asked God, “Why?” How often have you longed for some word from God that would help you to understand the situation that you were in? I think that we could all relate to the bewilderment that Habakkuk was experiencing.
Not only can we Relate to Habakkuk, but…
II. We Can Recognize The Heathen
A. We See The Prevalence Of The Worldly Wickedness
I’m glad to report to you that God did answer Habakkuk in chapter 2, verse 2. And He begins to reveal to Habakkuk certain details about the wickedness of the Babylonians and how He intended to deal with them. In chapter 2, God refers to the wine and plunder and violence of these Chaldeans and how widespread their conquests had been. But God also pronounced five “Woe’s” upon these Chaldeans in verses 6, 9, 12, 15 and 19 of chapter 2. As we see the dominance of the wickedness in our world today, we should also remember that “God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7).
B. We See The Perversion Of The Worldly Worship
In verses 18 and 19 of chapter 2, God magnified the foolishness and vanity of these who made their idols of gold, and wood, and stone and then bowed before them. The reference to “dumb idols” in verse 18 literally means “speechless nothings” (cf. 1 Corinthians 8:4). These idols could do nothing; they could say nothing. How foolish to think that those things that we have made with our own hands should be the gods to which we pray and devote ourselves. How foolish to put inanimate stuff before the true and living God!
Not only can we Relate to Habakkuk, and not only can we Recognize the Heathen, but…
III. We Can Run For Help
Going back to Habakkuk 2:2, the statement: “that he may run that readeth it,” could refer to the heralds that would run to deliver this message to the people once Habakkuk had written it upon the tablets. But according to the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, the meaning of the word “run” is ‘to run for help.’ And it seems clear from reading chapter 3 and certain statements in chapter 2 that Habakkuk did find help for his troubled soul.
A. There Is A Persuasion That Helps Us
The great statement in Habakkuk 2:4 that “the just shall live by his faith” reminds us that, in contrast to the proud heart of the Babylonian, the righteous one can operate in faith toward God. In contrast to the widespread conquest of the Babylonians, Habakkuk was persuaded that there would come a time when the whole world was filled with a wisdom that acknowledges God (2:14). In contrast to the dead religion of this world, we can trust that the living LORD is in His holy temple (2:20).
B. There Is A Perspective That Helps Us
Verses 17 thru 19 of chapter 3 is the climactic crescendo of Habakkuk’s song of joy that rises in sharp contrast to the sad dirge of previous passages. The prophet was able to rise above all of the frustration and bewilderment that he had previously felt. And in the marvelous, majestic, even musical words with which he closes this book, Habakkuk reminds us that our joy is not based upon the circumstances. As bad as things may be, we can still rejoice in Almighty God.
Have you felt frustrated, confused, discouraged? Have you wondered about your current situation and asked God why all of these things were happening in your life? Read the vision. Read the revelation. Remember that God will ultimately judge the workers of iniquity, and He will deal with all of the unfair and perplexing situations of life. And as you read these things and as you remember these things, run to God for help! Don’t hesitate. Run to God for help!