Maybe Habakkuk was a lawyer coming out of an unfair verdict. Maybe his career had been swamped by uncovered political corruption oppressing many. Maybe he found overwhelming evidence of much wrong done, yet the judge was blind. Unfairly, maybe the judge was biased, greedy, had his own agenda, and refused to see the oppressed. One thing was certain, Habakkuk knew the courts held an unbalanced justice. The wicked walked free. Habakkuk was tired of it all and angrily complained to God.
He is overwhelmed by all the evil and injustice daily seen in his city, but what bothers him more is how seemingly silent God is.
Have you asked Habakkuk's questions to the Lord? I have.
There are common questions heard often in the face of injustice, oppression, destruction and crime and wickedness.
'How can a good God overlook so much violence, inequality, and destruction?'
'Why is evil allowed to win every time?'
'Why do wicked men walk free among us?'
'Lord, are you blind and cannot see what we see all around us daily?!'
We see. We judge. We deem this display of justice unfair, biased, imbalanced! Rather than blaming sin, deprivation, evil hearts, we turn to accuse and/or complain to God for overlooking the unfairness of wickedness, accusing Him of not acting on what we see as unfair and prevalent.
The Lord answers Habakkuk, just as He answers you & me.
"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."
God says Look & SEE. Wonder! Be astounded!
This takes SPIRITUAL insight.
SEEING evidence while not seeing.
Believing & being assured by substance not seen.
Faith.
Although Habakkuk believes in God, he still clings to physical sight. He needs fairness. He tries to justify the reports he has heard that God is good and his work is mighty among men. (3:2ff) He begins to excuse God because of his goodness. Matter of fact, he reasons that God's goodness is so immense it actually makes Him blind!
He says God has "pure eyes than to see evil and cannot look @ wrong". (1:13)
Habakkuk reasons God's goodness blinds him so that He cannot "idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he". (1:14)
It is hard to find balance between what we define as GOOD as that which allows such wrong to continue! We look to excuse God even by blindness or as some say as "not involved in the affairs of men". Otherwise, how can we justify the injustice decent people suffer at the hands of people with hearts bent on evil?
Throughout my life, I've watched this imbalance growing more intense, often blaming it on too much social networking & agenda-driven newscycles. I see definite wickedness justified by a re-defined right and justice, and even see it overlooked because of one's position, excused by elitism, thwarted by power, and labeled in ethnics, poverty, politics, education, misunderstandings, and just plain greed. My heart aches when I see oppression of any kind, especially when some slip away and others pay dearly. I'm deeply grieved when our courts are ruled by wickedness, falsifying documents, lying political agendas and man-pleasing verdicts, rather than be the havens for justice God meant to give people seeking relief.
I've been challenged by Habakkuk's journal to seriously look at God's response. He told Habakkuk to WRITE down what the LORD tells him SO THAT anyone who reads it may RUN. (2:2)
That word RUN recalls to my memory several NT encouragements to RUN.
Gal 2:2 I set before them the gospel I proclaimed, in order to make sure I was not running or had not RUN in vain.
Phil 2:16 holding forth the Word of life so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not RUN in vain or labor in vain.
Heb 12:1 Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, & sin which clings so closly, & let us RUN with endurance the race that is set before us.
1 Co 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners RUN, but only one receives the prize? So RUN that you may obtain it. (26) So I do not RUN aimlessly...but I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified.
Oh, also remember God's promise that those who WAIT upon the Lord will RUN and not get weary!!
Is 40:31 They who WAIT upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall RUN and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.
We often think WAIT means "sitting around", yet God says that to simply "WAIT FOR IT" includes a RUN with endurance/patience.
WHILE you WAIT...
Finish the race. Win the prize. Don't be weary.
All of this is accomplished when we "Look unto Jesus" who set his face like flint in His WAIT on his Father's will to be victorious on our behalf. He went first. He won first. He was determined to live out his purpose for the pleasure of God. RUN.
RUN strong.
RUN straight.
RUN with patience.
God is not blind, but rather "the truth of God is " for still the vision awaits an appointed time; it hastens to the end - it will not lie." (Hab 2:3)
I imagine a grimacing, subdued Habakkuk climbing the stairs. His heart resigned to just do his duty, his job...the daily chores...
Habakkuk stands at his WATCHPOST and stations himself high on the tower to LOOK out to SEE what God says to him...(even assuming he'll complain again!)
but has to conclude his only way to SEE has God sees is by FAITH.
"The righteous shall live by his faith." (2:4)
When we question God's vision and reason that a good God must be blind, unearthly and not understanding, let's at least take action to do what is required of us... Take our station and stand.
As we go about our day, let's allow our hearts to be silent and LOOK OUT....
We might just STAND STILL and know HE is God.
As we LOOK OUT & WATCH expectantly, our need of faith that God sees beyond our strength may hold the substance (assurance) of things hoped for, and with spiritual insight, we will see evidence (conviction) unseen.
We can trust our all-seeing God.
No matter what distruction happens...
Habakkuk "wrote in large clear letters" (2:2NLT), so I, the runner can SEE & TELL...
In FAITH, I look & by see, so I also write (hopefully clearly) so that "the runner can read it and tell everyone else..." (2:2 NLT)
And together, we TESTIFY...
I will rejoice in the LORD!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.
The SOVEREIGN LORD is my strength!
He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains! (3:18)
Soon...very soon...We are going to SEE the King!!
The vision of God... "it will not lie." (2:3)
We'll understand it all by & by.
Run while we WAIT FOR IT.
