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Habakkuk 1:2 is a verse that often reflects my own internal spiritual struggle. It reads: "How long, O Lord, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, "Violence!" Yet You do not save."
There are times in my life where the living God seems so distant, so removed from my daily struggles. I know I am in good company with these feelings. King David felt the same way (Ps 13:1-2, 22:1-2), Christ felt that same sense on the cross during that dark hour in which he bore our sins and he cries out "My God, My God; why have you forsaken me!" Believers across the course of time have at moments wrestled with this feeling. However, at the same time we claim victoriously the words of Paul, "What shall separate me from the love of Christ in God?" As well we affirm the promise of God from the writer of Hebrews, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." And we recall the promise of Christ that no one can pluck us from His hands. We are His, gloriously all His for all of eternity. A promise signed and sealed with divine blood.
Yet from our humanity it does not exclude those tender moments where we wonder why God tarries. Why it seems like the world spirals out of control, or even in the context of our lives, the events of our lives are spiraling out of control. It is chaos, it is "Violence!" Yet You do not save."
We look around and all we see is wickedness, (1:3) we bad things happening day to day, destruction and violence are before us. Strife exists and contention arises. Ha! Habakkuk could be writing about events happening in our towns, cities, counties, plantations, states, countries, and world right now. Political groups rising up against groups. Gangs against gangs, ethnic cleansing, jealousy, theft, all kinds of malice against others just to raise another person up a little higher than another. It is all evil and deplorable.
Verse 4 sums it up. "Therefore the law is ignored and justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore justice comes out perverted." Those in charge pretend to be law abiding, but they are not. They ignore the law they themselves lord over others and justice is never upheld. Justice comes out perverted. Those who try to live rightly are often sneered at and trampled upon. The righteous sigh and wonder if it is worth it to live righteously in the face of overwhelming perversion of justice. Why everyone else is just perverting the law, and ignoring it, why not me. But instead we cling to integrity.
Verse five is the first response recorded for us from God to Habakkuk. He reminds the prophet that while it seems like nothing is happening and that wickedness is getting away scott-free, indeed God has a plan and it is in action. However, his plan is unbelievable, he is raising up a fierce army to attack Israel, to tear it down and punish it. It is a great army, with swift military might for that day. And that great wall that protects Jerusalem ... well they laugh at such things. However, God says that even though they are His instrument of punishment, He will not leave them guiltless.
Verse 12 picks up with Habakkuk's reaction to the revelation of God's judgement. I love his response and it reminds me to be careful of what I wish for from God because I just might get it. He first affirms that indeed God is Holy and from everlasting, a God who cannot stand evil. He just wants to remind God, just in case he forgot, of the basis of who He is, and that how can he allow a nation who is more evil than Judea, the southern tribe of Israel, to come and be judge over Judea? He does not deny that He has appointed them to judge Judea, but he is astonished that he would use a wicked nation like Babylon. In the end he states that it is not to God that they will offer sacrifices. Chapter 2:1 ends Habakkuk's second recorded discourse with God.
I love the reply of God and it has become a constant reminder for me for many years now.
2:2 God states "Record the vision and inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run."
I often wonder if the recording of this vision on tablets refers to the permanence of God's promise, the certainty of it, similar to the certainty that was behind the giving of the law on Sinai.
I guess the translation "That the one who reads it may run." is not certain. Alternate translations state
"Then the LORD answered me and said: "Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it."(NKJV)The image here is of a herald running forth with a very clear message to proclaim to the provinces of Judea. I wonder if I would want to be that herald running around carrying a stone with the inscription of God's judgment?
Verse 3 states that the vision is yet for the appointed time and it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay.
I love this verse. Oh God is not slack concerning His promises and His plans are never late. They are always for the appointed time and hasten toward the goal. It will NOT fail! Ha! from our perspective it seems like it tarries, but what does God say, wait for it ... it is like us sitting with a child at an event saying "wait for it ... wait for it ... and then BANG! the event happens." God's events will certainly come, it will not delay. We have the author, creator, and sustainer of the universe, of you and me, we have His seal of certainty on it. It will happen.
But to be honest, those days of doubt still creep in on me. I kick myself time and again, bringing myself back to this verse and reminding myself of the certainty of this. God will not forget nor forsake. His plans are certain and timely. Oh that I could trust Him intimately in this every moment of every day for this. How much my life and all of life could be different for this.
There is so much more I can write on this and perhaps I will continue this later tomorrow. For now I thank you blessed God for your tender mercies and timely promises. I thank You that all of your promises never fail and that you care for us with an everlasting love. Amen.
