Unexpected

Habakkuk 1:2-6

O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.
“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told.
For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own.

Habakkuk begins with a question-and-answer between the prophet and the LORD. The first bundle of questions comes from Habakkuk to God:

O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted. 1

Almost sounds like the questions of many Christians on why life isn’t as they would expect, that things happen around us that don’t make sense to our thoughts on how God should do things. Violence, sin, destruction, strife, lawlessness, injustice all are so contemporary. We don’t see what we expect, our world is with chaos when we expect life before God to be peace and tranquility for His followers. Then we ask and even the answer isn’t what we were hoping it would be. God answers,

“Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own…” 2

What!? That’s not what we were thinking! You bet ‘we would not believe it’ for the ones you are ‘raising up’ are not godly, not pious as ourselves, don’t claim your name, are our enemies and yet you God say they are to be your agents. Unbelievable. Habakkuk even comes back with the same questions we would, reciting all the faults of God’s chosen agents for this time and work but acknowledges that the LORD knows beyond the apparent and is able to accomplish His purposes through the most unexpected agencies. 3

It can be a challenge for us to see God’s work in the unexpected especially when we believe them to be ungodly. Our understanding should not stand in the way of our belief that God has capacities beyond our comprehension. He is able to move the ways of civilizations that solidify His longterm purposes while we are focused on the momentary. In Chapter 2, the LORD speaks of the woes that are coming for the Chaldeans for even though they are used of God, they are intent upon rebellion against God. God reminds,

You will have your fill of shame instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and utter shame will come upon your glory! 4

While they may have victory today, their time is brief before their glory turns to shame, God shows the reality of the world before Him.

Do we have God’s long view or do we get caught up in the appearance of the momentary—What we see today becomes our sense of reality of what will be yet to come? Can we trust God to reveal His truth beyond the apparent, to show us what He is doing, what He sees according to His purposes for eternity?

FOOTNOTES & LINKS:
1 Habakkuk 1:2-4 (ESV) Blue Letter Bible link
2 Habakkuk 1:5-6 (ESV) Blue Letter Bible link
3 Habakkuk 1:12-17 (ESV) Blue Letter Bible link
4 Habakkuk 2:16 (ESV) Blue Letter Bible link
KEY TEXT: Habakkuk 1:2-6 (ESV) Blue Letter Bible
All Scripture references from the Blue Letter Bible, ESV
at https://www.blueletterbible.org
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version
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