Habakkuk 1:2-11
Habakkuk’s complaint to God
How long, Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.
The Lord’s Answer
“Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.
I am raising up the Babylonians,
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
to seize dwellings not their own.
They are a feared and dreaded people;
they are a law to themselves
and promote their own honor.
Their horses are swifter than leopards,
fiercer than wolves at dusk.
Their cavalry gallops headlong;
their horsemen come from afar.
They fly like an eagle swooping to devour;
they all come intent on violence.
Their hordes advance like a desert wind
and gather prisoners like sand.
They mock kings
and scoff at rulers.
They laugh at all fortified cities;
by building earthen ramps they capture them.
Then they sweep past like the wind and go on—
guilty people, whose own strength is their god.”
The book of Habakkuk is different than other prophetic books in that it does not record any proclamations to the people of God that the prophet received from God. Rather, it records a dialogue between the prophet and God. The reading for today above is the first exchange which has Habakkuk’s complaint, or lament, and God’s first response.
Habakkuk complains that God is allowing so much evil and injustice in the world. The leaders of the nation are corrupt and good people are suffering because of it. Conflict is so intense that only chaos abounds and justice is lost. It’s hard to imagine such a time, right? 😊
God’s answer is not very comforting. The Babylonians are coming and Israel as Habakkuk knows it will be destroyed. God will use the Babylonians to dismantle the injustice of Israel. In chapter 2, Habakkuk answers God by basically protesting, “that’s even worse!” He questions why God would allow an even more evil people to replace the current regime. God answers (and I’m summarizing) that Babylon will also be held accountable. No injustice goes unnoticed. It may not look like it, but a time is coming when all of God’s people will be truly fee and justice will be abundant. You have to trust Me and you have to be patient.
We’ll talk about Habakkuk’s answer in Chapter 3 tomorrow, but before we do, it’s important to acknowledge the questions He asks of God. Habakkuk was a servant of the people and as such, he saw their suffering and distress up close and personal. He did not see God being concerned with their pain and so he asks God the ages-old question, “Why?” I have to confess that I have asked that question of God many times, even fairly recently. I have also asked why God has allowed even more corrupt leaders and institutions to replace the already sad set. Quite frankly, I’m asking that question on multiple fronts right now.
There is good news in just the asking of these questions, perhaps more good news in the asking than in the answers. The book of Habakkuk reminds me that God actually cares enough to respond to our questions even though God knows that His answers will not “make everything better.” It is most likely that Habakkuk never saw the suffering of his people cease, and he certainly never saw Babylon fall, but God took time to let him know that his questions were heard and He was doing something about it.
The good news is that God does indeed hear us when we ask our deepest questions and He responds. We will, in most cases, not be satisfied by the answer itself because the answer is often beyond our perspective and understanding but we should take comfort in the fact that we serve a God who hears us and is responding to our laments. Don’t miss that – the God of all that is in the universe takes time to listen to you and me. Being heard by God is a gift. I forget that sometimes. I suspect you do too. I invite us both to remember it today.
Prayer: God, there is so much suffering and needless conflict in the world today. How long will you allow it to continue? Please help me know you have heard me. Amen.
Prayer Focus: Pray for people who are facing really tough decisions today and don’t know what to do.
Song: How Long, O Lord • Prayers of the Saints Live
Weekday Word w/ Eric 
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