Wondering, Watching, and Waiting

Habakkuk 1:1-2:1

November 1, 2020

SERIES – “From Worry to Worship: Lessons from Habakkuk”

“The pronouncement that the prophet Habakkuk saw” (Hab. 1:1, CSB).

“2 How long, Lord, must I call for help and you do not listen or cry out to you about violence and you do not save? 3 Why do you force me to look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates. 4 This is why the law is ineffective and justice never emerges. For the wicked restrict the righteous; therefore, justice comes out perverted” (Hab.1:2-4, CSB).

“5 Look at the nations and observe— be utterly astounded! For I am doing something in your days that you will not believe when you hear about it. 6 Look! I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter, impetuous nation that marches across the earth’s open spaces to seize territories not its own. 7 They are fierce and terrifying; their views of justice and sovereignty stem from themselves. 8 Their horses are swifter than leopards and more fierce than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead; their horsemen come from distant lands. They fly like eagles, swooping to devour. 9 All of them come to do violence; their faces are set in determination. They gather prisoners like sand. 10 They mock kings, and rulers are a joke to them. They laugh at every fortress and build siege ramps to capture it. 11 Then they sweep by like the wind and pass through. They are guilty; their strength is their god” (Hab. 1:5-11, CSB).

“12 Are you not from eternity, Lord my God? My Holy One, you will not die. Lord, you appointed them to execute judgment; my Rock, you destined them to punish us. 13 Your eyes are too pure to look on evil, and you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do you tolerate those who are treacherous? Why are you silent while one who is wicked swallows up one who is more righteous than himself? 14 You have made mankind like the fish of the sea, like marine creatures that have no ruler. 15 The Chaldeans pull them all up with a hook, catch them in their dragnet, and gather them in their fishing net; that is why they are glad and rejoice. 16 That is why they sacrifice to their dragnet and burn incense to their fishing net, for by these things their portion is rich and their food plentiful. 17 Will they therefore empty their net and continually slaughter nations without mercy?” (Hab. 1:12-17, CSB)

“I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the lookout tower. I will watch to see what he will say to me and what I should reply about my complaint” (Hab. 2:1, CSB).

1. God’s ways are oftentimes mysterious.

God may appear –

· Indifferent: “I call for help and You do not listen” (Hab. 1:2, CSB).

· Inactive: “Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Oppression and violence are right in front of me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict escalates” (Hab. 1:3, CSB).

2. God may seem to be inactive, but He is always at work.

“I am doing something in your days that you will not believe when you hear about it” (Hab. 1:5, CSB).

3. It’s ok to question God (Hab. 1:2, 3, 12, 13, 17).

“11 ‘For I know the plans I have for you’—this is the Lord’s declaration—’plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.13 You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart’” (Jer. 29:11-13, CSB).

4. We don’t always get the answers we want or expect.

WALKING POINTS:

When we’re in a state of wondering, watching and waiting, we need to do what Habakkuk did.

· Take it to the Lord in prayer (1:2).

A. He is everlasting.

C. He is sovereign.

D. He is faithful.

· In faith, leave it with God (2:1).

“We know all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Rom. 8:28-29, CSB).