Habakkuk 1 – 3
How much time do you spend waiting? Think about it: waiting
for a traffic light to turn green, waiting in line at the post office,
waiting to check your bags at the airport, waiting for coffee at the
drive-thru, waiting for a phone call, waiting for a birthday, waiting on
someone else. We wait because we know something is coming.
A major factor in waiting is faith—”the
reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen” (Hebrews
11:1). This is precisely what the prophet Habakkuk addressed. He found
himself in a period of waiting, first for judgment and then for revival.
All around him, people were oppressed and violence escalated. “How
long, Lord, must I call for help?” Habakkuk asked. “Why do You tolerate
wrongdoing?”
God
answered Habakkuk. God was going to raise up the Babylonians, and they
would hold captive the people of Judah. Habakkuk prayed again. Yes,
Judah deserved to be punished, but the Babylonians were even more wicked
than Judah; how could God, in essence, bless them? God answered
Habakkuk. He said the Babylonian captivity would not last forever. After
some time, God was going to rescue His people and punish the
Babylonians.
Habakkuk
lived at a time when evil seemed to be everywhere. By faith, he trusted
God's promise that God would deliver His people. Injustice, violence,
and wickedness surround us today, but we can live by faith and trust
that Jesus will return to make all things right. Those who are in Christ
are waiting for the fulfillment of Christ’s return. Until then, we live
by faith. (See Hebrews 10:35-38.)
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