OH, LORD, HOW LONG
MUST WE WAIT!
As I look around my city, my nation and my world, I see violence everywhere. It seems that nothing is right in the world anymore. We see the economy failing and people losing everything. And people, even God’s people, are losing hope. They are longing for peace and there is no peace. Their hearts are troubled and in despair. People are asking God, “Why don’t you do something?”
Then we can go to God’s Word and find hope and encouragement to go on. For we find there that our God is still in control, and He is not unmindful of the hurts and despair that you and I have to go through here. And it is only in God’s Word and through salvation in Jesus Christ that mankind has any hope at all. And God’s people have a wonderful hope for the future. We know the end, as we have read the end of the Book. Praise the Lord! Sometimes, even though we know that, it is still hard to see through our tears and sorrow, and through the storms that come into our lives.
So as we look to God’s Word, we go to the Old Testament and we find the Prophet Habakkuk crying out against the evils of his day, and like many of us today, he was wandering why God was not doing anything about the present situation in his world.
The people of Judah were in deep sin, worshipping idols and had forsaken the God who had loved them and brought them up out of Egypt and provided for them. And he wondered why God was not punishing them for their sin. He asked why a just God would allow such sin. But we see that God was going to punish Judah by allowing the Babylonians to come in and destroy them and take them captive. But when Habakkuk cried out to God, God promised hope.
“This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received from the LORD in a vision. How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence!” I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see this sin and misery all around me? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed and useless, and there is no justice given in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, and justice is perverted with bribes and trickery” Habakkuk 1:1-4. (NLT)
Habakkuk was saddened by the violence and evil he saw all around him, and he poured out His heart to God. And today evil and injustice are also rampant, but we must not let our concern cause us to doubt God and His purposes. When we see the message that God gave Habakkuk, we will realize that God has long-range plans and purposes, and God is on the Throne and in control even when we do not understand why He works as he does.
But look at God’s answer: “Look among the nations and watch – be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you” (vs.5).
God told the prophet to watch and see the amazing things He was going to do. But again, He is in control and He will judge evil doers in His time. He is doing mighty things in our world today. The Holy Spirit is moving and countless numbers are coming to accept Jesus as their Savior. We think things should be going our way but remember that God is not willing that any should perish. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” II Peter 3:9.
At the beginning of chapter 2, Habakkuk says he will set himself to watch and see what God will do. (vs. 2:1).
God’s answer to Habakkuk is the same answer He would give us today. He tells us to just be patient! It helps us to remember that God hates sin even more than we do. God’s punishing of sin will surely come. As He told the prophet, “Wait for it.” To trust God totally means to trust Him even when we don’t understand why certain events happen as they do.
“Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith” (vs. 4).
This verse has inspired countless Christians down through the ages. Paul quotes it in Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11. The write of Hebrews quotes it in 10:38 and just before that marvelous chapter 11 on faith. And it reminds all of God’s people who must live through hard times, without seeing any signs of hope. We must simply trust in God, put our total faith in Him, that He is working out all things according to His purposes.
And then in chapter 3, after we read the wonderful prayer of Habakkuk, and he praises God for answering his questions. And we can read this wonderful hymn of praise to the LORD his God, describing God’s glory and His majesty. I would advise you to read this wonderful prayer in thanks to God for His mercy and His mighty power.
Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls – yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills. (vs. 17-19).
Though we may lose everything we hold dear to our hearts, the prophet is saying that God will give His people surefooted confidences through these difficult times. We can run like deer across rough and dangerous places. And at the right time, God’s time, He will bring about His justice and completely ride the world of evil. In the meantime, we, God’s people, are encouraged to live in the strength of His Holy Spirit, and to keep our eyes on Jesus, as we look for our “blessed hope,” and in the day when there will be peace and joy forever. Praise His Holy Name!
In Jesus’ Name,
Pastor Sharon
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