Sermons
Sermons
- 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
