Week 31 Habakkuk
The first words out of Habakkuk’s mouth are How Long?
The big question he raises in his book is like this – ok…the Lord is right in punishing Judah’s evil-actions. But how much retributive violence will the Lord let Babylon get away with …and how long will they get away with it?
In Habakkuk the prophet complains to the Lord twice and the Lord answers him twice. In the first answer the Lord tells Habakkuk something that’s a bit counter-intuitive. The Lord says: I am raising up the Babylonians to be a new power on the world scene. Hmmmm…the Evil Empire is evil because being evil is who they are…but they’re becoming an empire because the Lord is elevating them. Becoming a world power isn’t an accident.
The second answer the Lord gives Habakkuk relates to Time: How Long? The Lord says a couple of things:
These things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches…
The time is coming…
Babylonian captives will eventually say: at last justice has caught up with you!…
Soon it will be your turn…
For the time will come when all the earth will be filled…with an awareness of the glory of the Lord.
Habakkuk’s complaint about evil and suffering is totally understandable.
Where he got fouled up was in thinking that the Lord didn’t much care. Or thinking the Lord would never get around to doing anything about it if he did care.
Note: quotes from Habakkuk 1:6, 2:3, 6, 16, 14 (NLT).