Habakkuk’s Problems

Problem 1: The Wicked Surround the Righteous!
(Habakkuk 1:1-11)

“Lord Jesus, Give me a deeper repentance, a horror of sin, and a dread of its approach;
Help me chastely flee it, and jealousy to resolve that my heart shall be thine alone”
The Deeps: Valley of Vision

Habakkuk’s Protest

Habakkuk was troubled about the wickedness of the people of Judah. He cried out to the Lord, “How long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, ‘Violence’ and You will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; there is strife, and contention arises” (1:2-3). Habakkuk is struggling with doubt. He knows the Lord is good, but has a moment of uncertainty because he feels that his prayer is not being heard. Jeremiah, a contemporary of Habakkuk, wrote about the nation of Judah at this time: “Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations?’” (Jer 7:8-10). Habakkuk cried out for salvation, but the Lord hadn’t delivered him yet. All he sees around him is violence, strife, and contention. Where is the Lord in all this?

Habakkuk was troubled about the wickedness of the leaders of Judah. Sinfulness abounds all around him and those in authority were not doing anything about it. He cried out to the Lord, “Therefore, the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds” (1:4). Jeremiah adds this word to King Jehoiakim, “Yet your eyes and your heart are for nothing but your covetousness, for shedding innocent blood, and practicing oppression and violence” (Jer 22:17). The wicked among Israel dishonor God and harm the righteous. Where is the Lord in all this?

Habakkuk’s Presumption

Habakkuk wrongly concluded that God’s delay in judgment was because He either did not care or He was unaware. Habakkuk did not understand why God wasn’t hearing and saving. Where is the Lord in all this? We know from the Scriptures that God is patient with the wicked (2 Peter 3:9). That God had not immediately punished the wicked in Judah was neither a sign of indifference nor apathy; but of forbearance and grace. For example, Nehemiah, in recounting Israel’s past, said of God: “Yet for many years You had patience with them, and testified against them by Your spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; therefore You gave them into the hands of the peoples of the lands” (Neh 9:30). God’s forbearance is Divine compassion and must never be taken for granted.

God’s Promise

God heard every one of Habakkuk’s prayers. God was neither unconcerned nor unaware, but patient and prepared to carry out His promises. God is just and in conjunction with His justice, God let Habakkuk know that He will bring judgment against the ungodly in the Kingdom of Judah. The Lord answered Habakkuk, saying: “Look among the nations and watch–be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you. For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, a bitter and hasty nation which marches through the breadth of the earth, to possess dwelling places that are not theirs” (1:5-6). The Chaldeans (Babylonians) are going to be the rod in the Lord’s hand to punish the people of Judah. The Babylonians are “a bitter and hasty nation…terrible and dreadful…they all come for violence…they deride every stronghold…imputing this power to his god” (Hab 1:6-11). The Lord will punish Judah for their sin.

Our Reaction

Christians struggle with doubt and uncertainty. We know what it feels like to pray over and over and not feel as if God is listening. In these uncertain times, let us remember that God is in complete control. Habakkuk is a timely book because it shows us how Christians should react when confronted with pervasive sin and unchecked wickedness around us. In this section, we learn that we should give impassioned pleas, make imprecatory prayers, and trust in immutable promises.

Impassioned Pleas. Jesus is the only hope of sinners. We are currently in a time of Divine forbearance which means God is being patient with sinners so that they would repent. Christians must fervently pray for the conversion of sinners and be willing to be the means by which God brings the Gospel to them. We grieve over sin and boldly call sinners to repentance and faith so they would know Jesus as Savior and Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” Let us plead on their behalf.

Imprecatory Prayers. Jesus is the righteous judge of sinners. A time of judgment is coming. Christians must humbly pray for the judgment of sinners for the glory of God. Imprecatory Prayers are those prayers/psalms that contain curses or prayers for the punishment of one’s enemies. To imprecate means to curse. The ESV Study Bible helps us better understand these specific prayers, “These curses are expressions of moral indignation, not personal vengeance. These prayers are for God to vindicate his glory and righteousness for the world to behold.” God’s holy judgment reminds us that He sees all and will bring all to perfect justice. Paul warns us, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor 5:10). The Lord said, “I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord…when I am hallowed in you before their eyes” (Ez 36:23). Let us fear the Lord.Immutable Promises. Jesus has become a guarantor of a better covenant (Heb 7:22). Christians must eagerly pray for God’s promises to come to fruition quickly. The early church would cry out, “Maranatha!” Maranatha is an Aramaic word that means, “Come, Lord!” or “The Lord is coming!” Those who live in tumultuous times would cry out to the Lord for relief and encourage one another that the coming of the Lord was near (James 5:8). Our hope is in the Lord! Jesus is the One who brings a better covenant because He is a better priest who is able to completely save His people. So let us pray to the Lord, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). Maranatha!