Habakkuk 2 contains the answer that God gives to the prophet's question. Remember: yesterday we looked a the prophet's question of why is there evil in the world and why do the unrighteous prosper while God looks on silently (at least it seems to be that way).
Hab 2:1 is the prophet's statement that he will stand by and wait on God to answer. I imagine I could stop there and preach a message for me on waiting for the answer. (How long should we wait? What did he do while waiting? Was he frustrated as he waited? Did he begin to look at his circumstances and try to process an answer out of them...or did He wait to get the answer God had for him?How did he seek answers...from his neighbors or from the Word of God?) But...we will proceed.
Hab 2:2 is the preparation. The Lord responds: Get ready and write this down plainly so that the messengers may carry the Word out. There was no internet then...so think of a courier or messenger being given an edict to be carried to the farthest parts of the land to post as words of the sovereign ruler who issued it.
Hab 2:3-5 is the pronouncement. The vision you see will be for a time in the future. It may delay...but you are to rest assured...it will come. In enduring the challenges that airse until it comes...know this: the righteous shall live by faith (Hab 2:5). [Now that is a promise verse to be remembered in context. You and I are called to live in faith knowing that the prophesied end will come. We are not to forsake our calling or waste our lives. We are not to become proud or boastful. We are called to live the life given to us and do it by faith...knowing that God is working to bring His plan to pass.]
Hab 2:6-8 is the announcement against the evil nations. As you have looted and prospered at the expense of others...so shall you reap.
Hab 2:9-17 contains the "woe passages" which are the specifics of the calamity to come. In essence...you have ravaged the land and enticed the people to trust in you and your military might. You have promoted their shamefulness...and now your shame will be exposed. As the waters fill the earth...so shall the glory of God be seen and fill the earth (Hab 2:14). [By the way...water fills in every part of the sea. There are no pockets of "non-water" on the midst of the body of water. Water pervades every opening, space, crack, and area. So shall God's glory be seen.
Hab 2:18-20. You may call to your idols but they will not answer. It is foolish to look with hope to that which you created to save you. The fact that you created it...make you a higher form of being. Why would you worship something lower than yourself. When you call to it...it willl not answer. When you beckon for it to arise...it will lie still. While you plead with it...it shall not be animated. However...there is a God...the One, True God who is not contained in an idol's form. He is sitting on His throne in His temple. Fall in reverent worship.
You may agree with me on the foolishness of idol worship. Yet...how often do we look to that which we control to save us? What is it we trust in? Do we trust in our economic theory...our plans to save the planet...our heathcare insurance, fitness/diet plans, or intellect? It is good to exercise wisdom and stewardship in all of these things...but: our trust must only be in the Lord and His power and provision. To trust in anything else...is to commit the same form of idolatry that is condemned here.
Proverbs 7:2 is the takeaway today. There is a focus in some circles today on "grace" to the point that God doesn't want us to "do" anything. This is true and untrue at the same time. God does not need anything from us. God does not want us to "do" anything to earn our righteousness with Him. But, He does give us His commandments and principles to live by. Not to hurt, harm, or hold us back...but to protect and provide. To keep God's Word is to live. To love and guard His teaching as the apple of your eye (your pupil by the way)...is the key to abundant life. Don't buy into the lie that God wants to give you freedom to become autonomous in everything. To the contrary. God wants you to live in sold-out and utter abandonment to Him and His will for your life. This alone is the way to experience God's goodness to its fullest (John 10:10).
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Thinking on Habakkuk, I wonder how long he waited on his answer from God. I wonder if he got discouraged or frustrated waiting. At any rate I think it is interesting that he is told to write it down. How often do we write down the answers of God. I think of when I was younger in a Sunday School class we had a prayer board and on it we wrote our prayer reqests and our answered prayers too. That is probably the closest I ever got to writing down the words of God and that is a stretch!!
The idols oh the idols! I love how God makes fun of us for having idol worship. We make our idols with our own hands, they can't talk and we expect them to work miracles for us, even save us. God knows us better than we know ourselves, it is right here in the scripture. Written many centries before I was created but God already knew me. This is overwhelming. Love so Amazing!!! (I tried Pastor, but I couldn't wait:) )
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