Habakkuk 1
Verse of the Day: V2 “O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!”
1. The Law (V1-4)
V2 “O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!”
Prophet Habakkuk was getting impatient with God as he saw the wicked prospered and the righteous suffered, and there seemed to be no law and justice in the land of Israel.
V4 “Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.”
2. The Land (V5-11)
V6 “For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.”
Habakkuk could not understand why the Lord sent the Chaldeans to invade the land of Israel, when God could have just judged His own people. Habakkuk saw the Chaldeans mocked the true God of Israel thinking that their god was more superior to the God of Israel, and continued in their wickedness and idolatry. However, God is not mocked as subsequently God judged and punished the Chaldeans for their wickedness and idolatry.
V11 “Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.”
3. The LORD (V12-17)
V12 “Are thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.”
Habakkuk finally understood that the LORD was an everlasting and holy God and that His ways and thoughts were different from man’s ways and thoughts. Habakkuk realised that the reason why God seemed slow to judge and punish the wicked was because He is longsuffering, and is not willing that any should perish, but that all should believe in Him, repent of their sins, and have a glorious heaven to gain, and a fiery hell to shun.
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be longsuffering and trust You in everything.
