- Habakkuk –

 

Every Christ-follower will need to wrestle with these four issues:

1. God’s Character in regard to His dealing with Wickedness.

2. God’s Timing in regard to dealing with Wickedness.

3. God’s Method in regard to dealing with Wickedness.

4. Whether I will TRUST God in His dealing with Wickedness.

…such was Habakkuk’s wrestling in his mind and heart

 

The Dating Of Habakkuk’s Prophecy

 

- 722 B.C. = Israel (north) taken captive by Assyria (world power)

- 612 B.C. = Babylonians destroyed Nineveh the capital of Assyria,

                     and became the new world power

- 609-597 B.C. = Jehoiakim, a godless king, reigned in Judah (south),

             led God’s people down a destructive path (2 Kings 23:34-24:5)

- 607 B.C. = most likely time of Habakkuk’s prophecy; the invasion

             by Babylon was to happen soon   Habakkuk 1:6, 2:1, 3:1

- 605 B.C. -Nebuchadnezzer of Babylon deported 10,000 of

                   Jerusalem’s leaders

- 586 B.C. = Babylonian Captivity of Judah is complete (for 70 years)

 

Overview Of Habakkuk

 

A. Habakkuk’s Problem / Perplexity    Habakkuk 1:1-1125

   1. First Question = “How long will God allow the wickedness of

                 Judah to go on unpunished?” (Habakkuk 1:1-4)  _permits injustice

   - God’s Reply = God is not indifferent (Habakkuk 1:5, 6)  He will judge

                 Judah’s crimes by bringing the Babylonians. (Habakkuk 2:12, 13)

B. Habakkuk’s Problem / Perplexity   Habakkuk 1:12-20

   2. Second Question = “How can a righteous God (Habakkuk 2:12, 13) punish

                 Judah by using a nation even more wicked?” (Habakkuk 1:11-2:1)

                - rewarding Babylonians for their evil?

   - God’s Reply = God does not reward the wicked; He is judging

                  them even now (Habakkuk 2:2-20)  Consider the 5 woes due to:

                  - greed and aggression  Habakkuk 2:5-8           - immorality Habakkuk 2:15-17

                  - exploitation and extortion  Habakkuk 2:9-11

                  - violence  Habakkuk 2:14-15                            - Idolatry Habakkuk 2:18-20

…Judah and Babylon are under judgment for the same offenses

2

 

- Habakkuk 2:20 = statement of God’s Sovereign Majesty

C. Habakkuk’s Prayer and Praise  Habakkuk 3:1-19

   1. Prayer for Mercy  Habakkuk 1-2

   2. Praise for God’s PE RSON (Habakkuk 1-3), POWER (Habakkuk 4-12 – at Midian (Habakkuk 3-7),    

                  the Flood (Habakkuk 8-10), in the Exodus (Habakkuk 11-15)), and PLAN (Habakkuk 13-19)

POINT = Habakkuk sees God’s saving ability

   3. Praise as he trusts in God’s Salvation  Habakkuk 16-19

NOTE: Chapter 3 is referred to as a psalm of praise

 

THEME:  A Developing FAITH in God

Key Verses:  Habakkuk 2:4, 3:17-19

Purpose: to stand firm having faith in God when He disciplines

 

“What Does Habakkuk Teach US?”

 

1. Christ-followers are Thinking People

- see Habakkuk’s burden, wondering, restlessness, perplexity, complaint

- He ran to God, called to God _PRAYER

…being Holy and being a Thinker go together   Prov. Habakkuk 1:7, 9:10 cf. 8:13

2. God is Able to Answer the BIG Questions

- God and Evil is a big issue…seekers gain understanding

- Issue: God as Sovereign will judge wickedness in His time, and in His

             way.  He is Faithful, Righteous, and Just to do so.  Gen. 18:25

NOTE: there may be degrees of sin, but the reality is we have ALL

             Sinned   Rom.3:23, and we will be judged   2 Cor.5:10

3. “The Righteous WILL Live By Faith.”    Habakkuk 2:4

= Believe what God stated

= Believe when Difficult Days are Coming _need to WAIT patiently

    Habakkuk 3:16-17  cf. God uses hardship to mature us   Heb. 12:7-11

= Believe in the Sovereign Lord’s ability to save; have confidence

    in Him = FAITH    Habakkuk 3:18-19

4. Praise God Right Now

- Chapter 3 is a psalm of praise in spite of coming judgment

- See Psalm 73; 91:7-12    Faith in God -> REST and a SONG