Bible Experiment Habakkuk
Before I even start to start, we have GOT to come to some sort of a conclusion about how it is that we should pronounce this confounding book title. You know? Is it, HAHB,uh,kak? Or maybe it’s a little more like hahb-UH-kuk? Or possibly it should be something more like hahb-UH-kuk?!? No idea… so I looked it up and here’s what I found…
Phew. Well know that we have that out of the way… what are we doing here? Well, for a couple years noI have been working on a project. Sort of a simple project in it’s inception… turns out to be a little more complicated in practice. But the general gistwas that I would read through the entire Bibl… and as I did, I would write my honest thoughts and opinions about the book. I’d complain, Id kavetch, I’d whine… I’d rejoice… I’d whatever about this thing that I am experiencing fresh.
You see, there was this guy, an anonymous (oh believe you me I have tried to et in touch with him) fellow that did exactly this – and he whined and complained about the books he was reading until the cows came home. Well, I figured, a Christian should be able to do the same experiment and do it with the same emotional honesty as this guy tried to do it with.
So Today’s Bible Experiment brings us to Habukkuk. We are coming closer and closer to the end of our march through the completion of the Old Testament. And again, we have another extraordinarily short book on our hands. Three chapters. 46 verses. And just one sentiment.
WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON GOD!?
I kid you not. That is what the point of the book actually is. It’s the entire point. Here, let’s see if we can capture a representative sampling of the ‘what the hecks’ I’m talking about here.
“How long, O Lord, will I call for help, and You will not hear?”
“Why do You make me see iniquity, and cause me to look on wickedness?”
As Habakkuk considered the terrible state of his nation, Judah, I’m betting he was thoroughly confused. Even after the relatively recent butt-kicking that the northern kingdom undertook, the people of Judah were still a thoroughly evil people. They were so bad that they didn’t even attempt to hide the fact that they were walking away from God. But God wasn’t intervening – and so it was reasonable for the prophet to be fairly dumbfounded at God’s seeming inaction.
But what about today?
I’m not perfect – but I’m fairly pissed off that God allows all manner of anarchy in the world today. Not quite sure what I’m referring to? How about we refresh your memory a bit.
Right? Or maybe the bombing in Florida? Or possibly the huge bombing that happened yesterday at the airport in Istanbul? Or the downing of the airline heading for Egype? Or global famine. Or global poverty. Or, how about, drunk driving? Or what about serial killers, or better yet, cable bill costs?! No, that last one was a joke. But you know what I’m saying here. The world is a terrible state of disarray. And Habakkuk totally got that. In his day it was different… and he was afraid for the people of Israel… but how is that any different than our fear for the people of the entire global community?
… But with freedom, and autonomy comes will, and with will comes sin. And with sin comes war crimes and mind trauma, atom bombs and global warming. Right? And with these injustices comes a man of God that us wondering why.
But it’s interesting though, the promises that God gives about how he won’t be silent forever. That he will come…. Don’t worry. But the next time he comes, he won’t be riding on a donkey. It’ll be a white stallion… And a vastly different encounter all together. But I am getting well ahead of myself already. take my word for it for now. We’ll get to Revelation soon enough.
There is one section of Habukkuk that I find extraordinarily interesting… God comments on man’s propensity to create gods. Which, is about as meta as it gets. Here, look and see what I mean,
What profit is the idol when its maker has carved it,
Or an image, a teacher of falsehood?
For its maker trusts in his own handiwork
When he fashions speechless idols.
“Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, ‘Awake!’
To a mute stone, ‘Arise!’
And that is your teacher?
We humans love our gods, and our talking idols. We love crafting from stone and gold inlay amazing things that teach us. Back in the day it was literally carved idols. But today it’s our architecture. Or today it’s our technology. Maybe today it’s just our overwhelming ingenuity. We marvel at ourselves as gods. Not a day goes by that I read a headline that says something about technology that will defeat death. We are striving for that laurel… Solely because we want to be gods ourselves.
But this is just madness.
There are two big take always from Habukkuk for me. God sees. And God will act. Right? He knows what is going on in the world, and God will eventually move. Now the question for you is simple enough… What side of this equation are you on? Do you see that God is acting in your life to draw yourself to Him (case in point? Well, you are reading this aren’t you? And I’m certain there are others.) and that He really is actively engaged in your life? Or do you doubt this assertion?
Though the fig tree should not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vines,
Though the yield of the olive should fail
And the fields produce no food,
Though the flock should be cut off from the fold
And there be no cattle in the stalls,
Yet I will exult in the Lord,
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.
Though evil runs rampant in the world, and chaos is all around me… I will wait patiently for you oh God. Just because he has not been active, doesn’t mean He doesn’t exist. God will move, and he will act once again, like he has acted in years past. And for me anyway, I believe, and I will wait for His perfect timing… For His perfect plan for the world.
I will exult in the Lord… No matter what comes, no matter the chaos of the day.
