Habakkuk: Ancient Words, Eternal Truths

"For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if I told." Habakkuk 1:6a

We live in a chaotic world. Just pick up a newspaper from the last six months, and this is what you will see: pandemic, political unrest, and racial persecution. And perhaps these are only the surface of our problems. Yet what if there were eternal truths that could ground us in these times of unrest? What if there was an answer to the question that we often ask ourselves: what in the world is God doing?

"If God was sovereign, and he was good," we often ask ourselves, "surely he would be doing something different in our world today." If you find yourself asking this question this morning, you're in good company, because the ancient prophet Habakkuk asked this question too. Amidst the time of Judah's wickedness and sin, right before they were overtaken by Babylon, Habakkuk asked God this very question: "O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not here? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save?" (Habakkuk 1:2). In layment's terms, Habakkuk was asking this: "What in the world are you doing? Are you even listening? If you're truly God, surely you'd do something!"

The answer God gave to Habakkuk was unsettling: "For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if you were told" (1:5b). Yet, God continues to tell Habakkuk a part of his plan, though Habakkuk could surely not understand its full scope: in God's sovereign wisdom and justice, he was about to overthrow Judah by means of the wicked nation of Babylon, which we observed in our last devotional. Yet, Habakkuk is outraged about this: for how could God use a wicked nation to destroy his chosen people? (see 2:12-17). Surely this seems unfair, yet it was in the wisdom of God to do so. Yet before Habakkuk loses his rocker, the LORD answers him again in chapter 2 by promising that he will judge Babylon, along with all of the wicked nations of the earth, in due time, but the righteous shall live by faith (2:4). In other words, though God's plans may seem confusing now, there will be a day in which he will ring justice throughout the earth, and evil men will prevail no longer. Sin will be destroyed, but those who live by faith will prevail.

In chapter 3, we find Habakkuk's response to God's proclamation: "You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck" (3:13). Habakkuk, in faith, states here that although he was doubtful of God's plans in the beginning of the book, he now trust that God will eventually punish the wicked and save the righteous, that is, his "anointed," which points us to Jesus Christ. Thus, rather than being angry and anxious, by the end of the book, Habakkuk both fears the LORD's plans for his creation (3:1) and takes joy in the God of his salvation (3:17-18), even though "the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines."

These ancient words from the book of Habakkuk tell of eternal truths that can help us in our day, do they not? For let us not forget that the God of Habakkuk is the same God who rules and reigns in this present day. Thus, his truths, sovereignty, and wisdom remain that same. Thus, how can we apply these truths to our lives today? Let us observe three conclusions:

First, just like Habakkuk, we would not believe what God was doing even if he told us (1:5a). God's ways our higher than our ways, his thoughts higher than our thoughts (Is. 55:8-9). This brings us to a sobering reality, that is, that we are not God. Yet if we were God, comprised of infinite wisdom, loyal love, and soveriegn justice, let us notice that we would be doing the same things in which he is doing in the world today. It is only in our mortality in which we complain, like Habakkuk did, against God's plan. If we had his wisdom, we would not question his plans at all. Yet since we are mortal, our correct response is to fear (3:1) and have faith in (2:4) God's sovereign plan.

Second, we can take hope in God's sovereignty and his wisdom. Though graphic, let us rejoice in what one commentator says about the book of Habakkuk: "In this great and awe-inspiring book, we find the infiniteness of God's wisdom wedded to the splendor of his sovereignty. In these great words of Habakkuk, the husband of God's wisdom kisses the wife of God's sovereignty." And we truly observe this morning that this is true: in the book of Habakkuk, God's wisdom and sovereignty "kiss" and are united to one another. Not only is our God fully in control of every situation, he is also fully wise and always decrees the best circumstance for his glory and his children's good. Here in Habakkuk, we find this proclaimed to be true. What great hope we have in this sobering reality!

Third, we rejoice as Habakkuk rejoiced, that though there be absolutely no hope in our present condition (for the Babylonians will come!), there is everlasting hope in the "God of our salvation" (3:18). In Christ, God will save us from the Babylonians, rescue us from our fears, and make us into a heavenly kingdom (Rev. 1:6).

Thus, according to these ancient truths, what we realize this morning is this: God is both sovereign and wise, and though we do not understand what he is doing in our present age, we can trust and rejoice that God is doing what is right. Let this eternal truth wash over you afresh today. Amen!