Portraits of faith - Joseph

 As we enter the Advent and Christmas seasons, our attention is often focused on the first two chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. I am persuaded that all the folks we encounter in these chapters teach us many things about faith that would be worth looking into.

I want to look at the people in these four chapters, in the order they appear, and see what I can learn about faith. It follows then that I would begin with Joseph.

Everything we will see about Joseph is in Matthew 1 & 2.

1:20, 24  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost . . . Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

2:13-14  And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

2:19-21  But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

2:22-23  But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

Angels played an active part in these chapters - three of Joseph’s encounters involved angels. All four involved dreams. How does this illustrate faith?

First, Joseph believed God speaks to people in dreams – he never doubted that God was speaking to him in his dreams. I remember many of my dreams and I have also had dreams from the Lord. It is really neat that you can tell when your dream is from the Lord!

Second, Joseph believed angels are God’s messengers. They must have identified themselves and he never doubted them for a minute. As I said, I have had a few dreams from the Lord, but I have never seen an angel, but I have a feeling that when angels appear it is pretty evident who they are.

Third, Joseph believed what the angels told him, and he believed this to be the word of the Lord to him and for his situation.

Fourth, each time he had a visit from an angel, or a dream, he believed what he was told to do was from God, and he did it. Every time. Immediately. Joseph had faith to obey.

When you believe you obey: obedience springs from faith. Faith and obedience are like Siamese twins – you never see one without the other. If I say I believe, but I don't obey, then I do not have saving, sanctifying faith; I do not have the faith that pleases God. Throughout the entire Bible, whenever someone believed the Lord it affected what they did; and whenever folks did not obey they were charged with unbelief. We see this in Hebrews 3:15-19:

15 While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.
16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.
17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

We see their problem described as “sinned” (17), “believed not” (18), and “unbelief” (19). “Believed not” in v 18 is a word that means they stubbornly refused to be persuaded to believe and obey the Lord. “They chose to sin, and would not believe. Unbelief produced disobedience, and disobedience produced hardness of heart and blindness of mind.” (Adam Clarke)

Rather than singing the song Israel sang in the wilderness, "I don't believe and I won't obey", I would prefer my song to be:

I'll say yes, Lord, yes
To Your will and to Your way
I'll say yes, Lord, yes
I will trust You and obey
When the Spirit speaks to me
With my whole heart I'll agree
And my answer will be
Yes, Lord, yes
(Lynn Edward Keesecker, 1983)


NEXT: Joseph & Christ: What we learn about Christ from Joseph

The just shall live by faith in the New Testament

 

Habakkuk 2:4 is the central verse in this little book. It is also a fundamental principle of the gospel and the New Testament. It is quoted in Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews. I thought it would be good to take a closer look at this.

Let's begin with Habakkuk.

2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

The righteous man will live, will survive the coming days, by his faith. Not by his righteousness, but by his faith. Faith is powerful.

Faith also has priority. It comes before righteous living, righteousness is birthed in faith.

What is this faith? Belief in the Lord, His Word, His ways, His character, His promises, His faithfulness. It is faith that moves me to obey, to be righteous, to be holy; it is faith that helps me ride out the storm. Not simply faith, but faith in the Lord, because faith connects me to Him.

As I have already said, Paul quotes this verse three times in the New Testament. Let’s take a brief look at each one and see how he uses it.

The Epistle to the Romans 

1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Paul quotes this verse to support his message that salvation comes to every one who believes in Jesus Christ - those who are righteous by faith will live. How do we become righteous by faith?

3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe...

4:4-5 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Paul spends much of chapter 3 and all of chapter 4 explaining and emphasizing this. Salvation is “unto all and upon all them that believe;” that is, it is offered to and actually given to all who believe in Jesus Christ. The just by faith shall live.

The Epistle to the Galatians

3:10-12 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

Throughout Galatians Paul contrasts justification by the works of the law and justification by the faith of Jesus Christ, and says over and over that we are justified by faith in Christ.

2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

We have believed in Jesus Christ, believed He is the Son of God and trusted Him to save us; through this faith we have been justified, declared righteous, made right with God. The righteous by faith will live.

The Epistle to the Hebrews 

10:35-39
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

This time Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:3-4 in full. This quote is from the Septuagint or LXX, as is every time Paul quotes Habakkuk. First, the full passage in Habakkuk:

Habakkuk 2:3-4 LXX

3 The vision is yet for a time and will rise up at the end and not in vain; if he seems to delay, wait for him, because he who is coming will come and will not tarry.
4 If he should draw back, my soul has no pleasure in him: but the just shall live by my faith.

You may notice the version in Hebrews is a little different than Habakkuk. It seems that “For yet a little while” is his paraphrase of the first half of v3, "The vision is yet for a time and will rise up at the end and not in vain; if he seems to delay, wait for him." Then he reverses the phrases in v4. Otherwise he is clearing quoting Habakkuk with an emphasis on the just shall live by faith.

There is an interesting expression in Romans 1:17, “from faith to faith.” I have wondered about that expression for a long time. Now I'm persuaded this passage in Hebrews is a wonderful commentary on it. Salvation comes to those who believe in Jesus Christ, they are justified by faith. But this believing in Jesus is not a one off experience, y’know, believe one day and then go your merry way. No, “the righteous shall live by faith,” that is, “believe to the saving of their soul.” On March 4, 1973 I believed in Jesus and was saved. Hallelujah! And lo, these 49 years later I still believe in Jesus. And for all 49 years I have lived by faith, read the Word by faith, prayed by faith, ministered by faith, preached and taught by faith. From faith to faith. Saving faith, walking faith, serving faith, waiting faith. This is exactly what God meant when He told Habakkuk, the just shall live by faith.

In all three quotations Paul is saying that Habakkuk 2:4 reveals a principle, one that is seen throughout the Old Testament, and is now enshrined in the Gospel: righteousness before God comes through faith; and the righteous live for the Lord by faith.



John Chrysostom on “the just shall live by faith”
John Chrysostom (347–407) was an Early Church Father; he was archbishop of Constantinople, and was known as a very eloquent speaker (Chrysostom means "golden-mouthed"). He preached through the Bible verse by verse. Here is his explanation of the the just shall live by faith from his preaching through Romans and Galatians. He says it so much better than I can.

Rom 1:16 the gospel is the power of God unto salvation
For it is not to all absolutely, but to them that receive it. For though thou be a Grecian, and even one that has run into every kind of vice, though a Scythian, though a barbarian, though a very brute, and full of all irrationality, and burdened with the weights of endless sins, no sooner have you received the word concerning the Cross, and been baptized, than you have blotted out all these.

Rom 1.17 for therein is the righteousness of God revealed
and righteousness, not your own, but that of God. For you do not achieve it by toilings and labors, but you receive it by a gift from above, contributing one thing only from your own store, believing. Then since his statement did not seem credible, if the adulterer and effeminate person, and robber of graves, and magician, is not only to be suddenly freed from punishment but to become just, and just too with the highest righteousness; he confirms his assertion from the Old Testament. And first with a short sentence, he lays open a vast sea of histories to one who has a capacity for seeing them. For after having said, from faith to faith, he sends the hearer back to the dispensations of God, which took place thus in the Old Testament, which, when writing to the Hebrews, he explains with his usual great wisdom, showing that both the just and the sinners were justified in that way even then, wherefore also he made mention both of the harlot and of Abraham.

Galatians 3:10-11 For it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them. Now that no man is justified by the Law is evident: for, The just shall live by faith
he again establishes his point by a text which concisely states both points; that no man has fulfilled the Law, (wherefore they are under the curse,) and, that Faith justifies. What then is the text? It is in the book of the prophet Habakkuk, The just shall live by faith, which not only establishes the righteousness that is of Faith, but also that there is no salvation through the Law.

You see how he proves that they are under the curse who cleave to the Law, because it is impossible to fulfill it; next, how comes Faith to have this justifying power? The Law being too weak to lead man to righteousness, an effectual remedy was provided in Faith, which is the means of rendering that possible which was impossible by the Law. Now as the Scripture says, the just shall live by faith, thus repudiating salvation by the Law, and moreover as Abraham was justified by Faith, it is evident that its efficacy is very great.

This is wonderful and comforting news! The just by faith shall live!!

Prayer & Psalm of Habakkuk

 

Chapter 3 Prayer and Psalm of Habakkuk

Chapter 3 is a prayer, psalm, and outburst of praise. It begins, "A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth" (v1) and ends (v19), “To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” I'm not sure what 'Shigionoth' means, but it appears the entire chapter was meant to be sung. See, nothing gets by me!

He begins (v2) with a powerful prayer, O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. Amen. Is this not a great prayer? As we pray for our church, our city, our country, can this not be our plea, “O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years”? I say, Yes!

Then, in 3-16, we find the heart of the song, which begins:

3:3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.

3:4 And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.

“The prayer of the prophet, in the strictest sense of the word, is contained in the words of verse 2. The rest is, in its form, praise and thanksgiving, chiefly for God’s past mercies in the deliverance from Egypt and the entering into the promised land. But thanksgiving is an essential part of prayer, and Hannah is said to have prayed, whereas the hymn that followed is throughout one of thanksgiving (1 Sam 2:1). In that also these former deliverances were images of things to come, of every deliverance afterward, and, especially, of that complete Divine deliverance which our Lord Jesus Christ wrought for us from the power of Satan, the whole is one prayer. ‘Do, O Lord, as thou hast done of old; forsake not Thine own works. Such were Thy deeds once; fulfill them now, all which they shadowed forth.’ It is then a prayer for the manifestation of God’s power, and with that the destruction of His enemies, from that day to the Day of Judgment.”
~Albert Barnes, Commentary On The Prophet Habakkuk

3:13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.

with thine anointed - "anointed" is Messiah or Christ; "with thy Christ." Is it possible he is looking forward to Messiah? Yes!! This is a very old understanding of this verse.

The Catholic Church, which is pretty old, understands it this way:

“The Prayer of Habakkuk is a song that describes a grand vision of God, shining forth in glory upon a mountain. It refers back to the events of the Exodus – and points forward to the coming of the Messiah. The prayer, also known as the ‘Canticle of Habakkuk’, is now used as part of the Church’s worship.

In some ways, the Prayer of Habakkuk – which is found in chapter 3 of the book – stands on its own. The song draws upon images from the Exodus, when God revealed himself in glory on Mount Sinai and rescued his people from the Egyptians. Using poetic language, Habakkuk describes God going into action in his own day to save his people and destroy their enemies.

However, in Christian tradition, the song was also often interpreted as a mysterious reference to the Transfiguration of Christ. This was when Christ was glorified before his disciples on a mountain, his face shining as brightly as the sun (Matthew 17:1-8). A line in the Prayer of Habakkuk reads: “Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people: for salvation with thy Christ.” (3:12 Douay-Rheims). This was understood, along with Habakkuk 2:3, as an ancient hint to the coming of the Messiah. (cf Hebrews 10:37)”
The Prayer of Habakkuk

The Orthodox Church, which is just as old, also understands it this way:

Habakkuk 3:3 “God will come from Teman, The Holy One from the mount of shaded leafy trees.”

This verse is quoted in Orthodox hymnology. The Prophet Habakkuk prophesied that the Son and Word of God would be incarnate from the Virgin Mary, who he described as a “mount of shaded leafy trees,” from which “the God of all shined forth in fleshly form.”

“Rejoice, the shaded virgin mountain from which the holy one of Israel appeared, according to the God-proclaiming Habakkuk.”
Holy Prophet Habakkuk As A Model For Our Lives Protopresbyter Fr. George Papavarnavas

Amen and Hallelujah!

Habakkuk ends on one of the highest notes of praise, praise which flows from faith.

3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
3:19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

Man, Habakkuk begins and ends with conviction! Am I as faithful, fervent, and expectant in prayer as Habakkuk (1:1-4)?? Do I have a faith which blossoms into such bouquets of praise?? 

We used to sing these verses - sometimes singing the Word helps us be doers of the Word.

Though the fig tree does not blossom
And there be no fruit on the vine
The produce of the olive fail
And the field yield no food
Though the flock be cut off from the fold
And there be no herd in the stalls

Yet will I rejoice in the Lord
Yet will I rejoice in the Lord
I will joy in the God of my salvation
God the Lord is my strength

God the Lord is my strength
(Tony Hopkins © 1972 Scripture in Song; Habakkuk 3:17-19 RSV)

Click here to give a listen. It starts slowly, then perks up!

NEXT: The just shall live by his faith

This final post is possibly the best one of all. And that's saying a lot because I have been blessed and challenged throughout Habakkuk!

God explains His answer

Habakkuk 2:4-20 God Explains His Answer

In 2:1 Habakkuk determined to wait upon God for more information regarding God’s troubling revelation of the Chaldeans being used to bring judgment upon Judah. In 2:2-3 God answered him, “the vision is yet for an appointed time…wait for it, because it will surely come.” I pointed out that this was a far bigger answer than Habakkuk was expecting, The vision is yet for a time, the Chaldeans are coming and it will be a difficult season, but there is something bigger, someone greater coming, “The vision…will rise up at the end…wait for him.”

2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.
The Lord presents two men, the proud and the righteous. I think the Douay-Rheims Bible (translation of the Latin into English) captures the sense and intent of the first half of this verse, “Behold, he that is unbelieving, his soul shall not be right in himself.”

Here is the answer Habakkuk is looking for, “the just shall live by his faith.” The righteous man will live, will survive the coming days, by his faith. Not by his righteousness, but by his faith. Faith is powerful.

Faith also has priority. It comes before righteous living, righteousness is birthed in faith.

What is this faith? Belief in the Lord, His Word, His ways, His character, His promises, His faithfulness. It is faith that moves me to obey, to be righteous, to be holy; it is faith that helps me ride out the storm. Not simply faith, but faith in the Lord, because faith connects me to Him.

This verse is vital to the gospel and the New Testament – it is quoted three times in the New Testament. I plan a separate post on the just shall live by his faith as quoted in the New Testament.

What follows is really powerful. Faith is not something I work up or decide to have, it is always and only a response to something God has said or done. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” This was as true in the Old Testament as it is in the New. So what God does in verses 5-20 is give them the word to believe. This is expressed in five woes and an amazing promise:

2:5-8 6 Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! … 8 Because thou hast spoiled many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee

2:9-11 11Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house … 10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.

2:12-13 12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and establisheth a city by iniquity!

2:15-18 15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!

2:19 Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach!

What is this all about? Judgment is coming. There will be justice. God has promised. You can count on it. The just shall live by this faith.

In the midst of all these woes we read;

2:14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

This is a wonderful, faith building promise! What a day this will be!


The chapter ends with this: 

2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.

Many years ago I often visited a church that sang this as their call to worship. What a sad misunderstanding. This verse is saying “sit down and shut up.” This is not a call to worship!

Here are calls to worship:

I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart, and into his courts with praise.

O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.

O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.

Hallelujah!

So what is this verse? It is a call of judgment. Just like in our courts, as the judge enters:

Bailiff: All rise. Department One of the Superior Court is now in session. Judge Roberts presiding.

You see, people have a tendency to justify themselves, to explain away their faults. At that Great Day the call will go forth, "The LORD is in his holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before him." Excuses, vindications, explaining away will not work in that Day because God knows everything. As we read in Revelation 20:11-13 11 

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.  

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.  

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 

If we haven’t settled our account before then, it will be too late for our souls. Come to Jesus now.

Isaiah 45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

NEXT: Chapter 3 Prayer & Psalm of Habakkuk

Habakkuk's plan

 

Habakkuk Chapter 2

Habakkuk’s Plan

Habakkuk had a rather turbulent first chapter! He opens with a complaint, “ O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear!” Then he is blown away and befuddled by God’s answer, “I will raise up the Chaldeans.” So he devises a plan:

2:1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.

This is a good plan. “God, I don’t understand, so I will wait on You for more information.” This is a further indication of Habakkuk’s faith: he believes that whatever God will do will be right, (even though he doesn’t understand), and he believes God will answer him. And He does!

God’s Answer

2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Here is God’s initial response, “Write it down, make it plain, it’s going to happen.” I admit, this doesn’t seem to answer Habakkuk’s question - the Lord will make that clear beginning in v 4, but let’s look at this first, after all, God spoke it first!

Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it – a vision has not been mentioned so far, but it must be referring to the revelation of the coming of the Chaldeans in ch 1. “Write it down and make it clear so they will know what I am going to do.”

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry – “I have set the time for the Chaldeans to come; they will surely come.”

at the end it shall speak - This is very interesting, it seems to speak to the immediate situation, the Chaldeans, as well as something else more significant. This is brought out in the Septuagint (or LXX, a translation made by the Jews of the Old Testament Hebrew into Greek):

The vision is yet for a time and will rise up at the end and not in vain; if he seems to delay, wait for him, because he who is coming will come, and will not tarry. (LXX)

Very interesting! “He who is coming will come, and will not tarry.” The pronoun was changed from it to he: “it will surely come” to “he who is coming.” I believe the “he” is Christ.

Hebrews 10:37 quotes this and says it does indeed speak of something greater, the coming of Christ:

For yet a little while, and he who is coming will come, and will not tarry.

This could be applied to the first coming of our Lord, as it says in Galatians 4:4-5, "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son.” And it is true, “he who is coming” came in the incarnation, life, ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But I think that in Hebrews Paul is referring to the second coming of Christ. He is taking the situation in Habakkuk’s day (suffering because of the Chaldeans) and applying it to their day (suffering because of their faith in Christ) and his encouragement is, “The vision is yet for a time and will rise up at the end and not in vain; if he seems to delay, wait for him, because he who is coming will come, and will not tarry.” And it looks like Paul interprets “if he seems to delay, wait for him” to mean, “Yet a little while”.

Amen! Yet a little while and he who is coming will come and will not tarry!

Habakkuk got a big answer in response to his waiting on the Lord. “The vision is yet for a time”, the Chaldeans are coming as I showed you, and it will be a difficult season for you; but there is something bigger, someone greater coming, “The vision…will rise up at the end…wait for him.”

As the LORD said in Isaiah, "Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory." (Isaiah 46:12-13)

This is by no means the end of God’s response to Habakkuk, in 4-20 He expands upon His answer. It just keeps getting better!!


Tomorrow: 2:4-20 God explains His answer to Habakkuk 

Habakkuk's Response

1:12-17 Habakkuk's Response

 

Habakkuk opens with a bang, “How long, O LORD will I cry out to you and you won’t answer!”
 
Then God answers with a bigger bang, “I’ll tell you what I’m going to do, but you won’t believe it.” Then He reveals that He will use the Chaldeans to bring about His judgment on Judah. The ungodly, unrighteous, idolatrous Chaldeans!
 
Today, we consider Habakkuk’s response. Simply put, he couldn’t believe his ears! It’s not that he couldn’t believe God would bring judgment on Judah, he couldn’t understand how God could use the Chaldeans to do it.
 
He has two objections:
 
The LORD is holy

1:12  [Art] 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.

Here is his conundrum: The LORD is the everlasting God, the Holy One, yet He has declared He will use these Chaldeans for judgment and correction.
 
1:13  [Thou art] of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, [and] holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth [the man that is] more righteous than he?

You can’t look on iniquity (that is, approve of iniquity), so how can You look upon the Chaldeans, who deal treacherously and devour Your covenant people?
 
The Chaldeans are idolators

1:14  And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, [that have] no ruler over them?
1:15  They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
1:16  Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion [is] fat, and their meat plenteous.
1:17  Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?

These Chaldeans don’t recognize You, they don’t honor You. They are idolators. He compares them to fishermen who use nets to catch their fish. They “rejoice and are glad” when they devastate and captivate, then they worship their net, as God had said, “imputing this his power unto his god” (1:11); and they start all over, they are insatiable in their lust for power and riches.
 
"O LORD my God, mine Holy One, how can you use these idolatrous, ungodly, unrighteous people to judge your covenant people?"
 
This is a good question, a tough question, a hard question. God is holy, but sometimes His ways are hard to understand. As God Himself explains in Isaiah 55:8-9:
 
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. [The entire chapter is great!]
 
Being the Almighty, God can do whatever He wants. What protects us from arbitrary abuse of this power?
 
He is light – there is no darkness in Him at all
 
He is holy – He can do no evil
 
He is righteous – everything He does is right
 
He is love – we can trust Him
 
All this is why Isaiah says in the verses that come just before those quoted above:
 
Seek ye the Lord, and when ye find him, call upon him; and when he shall draw nigh to you, let the ungodly leave his ways, and the transgressor his counsels: and let him return to the Lord, and he shall find mercy; for he shall abundantly pardon your sins. (Isaiah 55:6-7 LXX*)
 
Habakkuk’s question is also filled with irony - the “covenant people” were idolatrous, ungodly, and unrighteous themselves.

 
The chapter division is rather awkward here as the thought continues in the first verse of the second chapter, which we will see
 
 
NEXT WEEK: Habakkuk 2 The LORD provides more information

* LXX is the Septuagint. Both LXX and Septuagint mean 70, tradition tells us 72 Jewish scholars translated the Hebrew Old Testament in Greek.

God Answers Habakkuk

1:5-11 God Answers Habakkuk

In these 7 verses we see that Habakkuk did indeed speak in God-pleasing faith when he cried, “O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear!” We also see God’s answer to Habakkuk’s cry.

1:5  Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for [I] will work a work in your days, [which] ye will not believe, though it be told [you].

God introduces His answer by basically saying, “Habakkuk, I’m gonna tell you what I’m going to do, but you’re not gonna believe it.”

Behold ye among the heathen – I’m about to do something among and with the heathen

regard, and wonder marvelously – wonder marvelously is wonder wonder in Hebrew, being repeated for emphasis; the Septuagint† does the same, wonder marvelously (or marvel at marvelous things); I think the Tanakh* captures the meaning, Observe well and be utterly astounded.

I will work a work in your days – in that generation

which ye will not believe, though it be told you – Wow! What could God do that is so astounding?

1:6  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.

Ah! I will raise up the Chaldeans. The Chaldeans were a tribe in southern Babylon who took over Babylon. “In process of time, as the Kaldi grew in power, their name gradually prevailed over those of the other tribes inhabiting the country; and by the era of the Jewish captivity it had begun to be used generally for all the inhabitants of Babylonia.” (Smith Bible Dictionary)

The first unbelievable part is that these Chaldeans would break the power of Assyria and become a world power. Second, the LORD is bringing them into Judea to judge Judah.

1:6  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.
1:7  They [are] terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
1:8  Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle [that] hasteth to eat.
1:9  They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up [as] the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.
1:10  And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.
1:11  Then shall [his] mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, [imputing] this his power unto his god.

This is shocking! The Chaldeans are described:

v6 bitter and hasty
v7 terrible and dreadful
v8 their horses are swift and fierce, their horsemen will devour
v9 they are marked by violence and will lead the Jews into captivity   
v10 they shall scoff at kings, scorn the princes, and deride strongholds
v11 worst of all they shall say their god gave them this power and victory

No wonder this is a report that will not be believed! As we will see, Habakkuk is shocked!

Tomorrow: 1:11-17 Habakkuk’s Response

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!
1:5  Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for [I] will work a work in your days, [which] ye will not believe, though it be told [you].

Verse 5 is the first of two passages quoted in the New Testament. Paul quotes this in his sermon in Acts 13:
Acts 13:41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you.

Do I hear you saying, “What? This isn’t the same.” That’s because here, as in the majority of New Testament quotations of the Old Testament, Paul is quoting from the Septuagint†. Here is Habakkuk 1:5 in the Septuagint:

5 Behold, ye despisers, and look, and wonder marvellously, and vanish: for I work a work in your days, which ye will in no wise believe, though a man declare it to you

Now that we have that cleared up, this is still confusing. Habakkuk spoke this in his day regarding the Chaldeans. Is Paul saying that the Jews of his day are fulfilling this prophecy by rejecting Christ? No. His sermon is full of Old Testament references. After giving a brief history of Israel he makes six references to prophecy:

Acts 13:23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:

13:29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, 
33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.

34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.  

35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.  
In all of these he clearly says they were spoken of Christ and fulfilled in Jesus.

40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in the prophets;

But, when he provides his quotation from Habakkuk 1:5 he introduces it a little differently, lest that come upon you. He is saying Habakkuk 1:5 contains a principle: God often does a work that people find hard to believe. And he exhorts them, Don’t be those kind of people! What has Paul said that they would find hard to believe? That God had raised Jesus from the dead, and that this crucified and raised again man is the Christ.

38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Habakkuk 1:5 contains a principle and Paul is saying, “Don’t be those kind of people.”

How does this apply to us? God has made many wonderful promises to us in Christ, let us embrace and believe them, and not stumble over them in unbelief.


† The Septuagint, also known as the LXX, is a translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek made by the Jews in Egypt some 300 years before Christ.

* The Tanakh is a modern Jewish translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into English.

O LORD, how long!

1:1-4 Habakkuk’s Complaint

1  The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

This was a common way for prophets to introduce a prophecy. It tells us they have received a word from the Lord and that this word is heavy, serious, hard.

Jewish tradition tells us the Habakkuk prophesied between Nahum (who prophesied to Assyria) and Zephaniah (who prophesied in the days of Josiah). Habakkuk indicates that he prophesied when the Chaldeans (Babylonians) were coming to power.

2  O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! [even] cry out unto thee [of] violence, and thou wilt not save!

3  Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause [me] to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence [are] before me: and there are [that] raise up strife and contention.

4  Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.

He opens with a bang:

how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear!

[how long shall I] cry and thou wilt not save!

This is a strong complaint. What is going on that he would protest so?

He states it in 5 couplets:

v3 iniquity and grievance
v3 spoiling and violence
v3 strife and contention
v4 the law is slacked and judgment never goes forth
v4 the wicked compass the righteous.

The covenant people in Judah (especially Jerusalem) had sunk to such low depths of spiritual life that wickedness rather than righteousness was the norm. And this wasn’t a new thing – this had been going on a while. Not only had this become the norm, they had ignored the warnings the prophets had proclaimed.

“O LORD how long!” Habakkuk had been praying for his people, interceding fervently for them. He had not only been praying faithfully, he had also been praying in faith. He fully expected God to hear his prayers and answer them. Now, in faith he refuses to give up.

This raises personal and theological questions!

Personal – I have to ask myself, Am I praying for my family with such fervency and faith? Am I praying for my church? my neighborhood? my state and country? Ouch!

Theological – Can we speak to God this way? I mean, is this acceptable? Is He pleased with this or is Habakkuk way out of line?

Yes! This is fully acceptable. He is asking in the same faith that he had been praying. This will become clear when we look at 1:5-11. When we speak in faith we can pray this way. Let me go further, God is pleased when we are so zealous in our prayers. This is wrestling with God.

I believe we have a powerful example of this type of wrestling with God in Genesis 18. It begins with the LORD having dinner with Abraham (!!), then in v 17-33 we see Abraham wrestling with God as he intercedes for Sodom. Notice, the LORD invited it!

17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do?
20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 

25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

See how bold he is? He is interceding, praying in their stead for them.

In v26-32 Abraham wrestles with God: 50? 45? 40? 30? 20? Then, in v32 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.

Even 10 righteous people would have saved the entire city! But we know the story, Sodom was destroyed - was all this prayer and wrestling a holy waste of time? NO! Because of Abraham Lot and his family were rescued.

O brother, O sister, stand before God; draw near; pray; intercede; don’t give up! God delights in this kind of wrestling! And souls are rescued from the fire!

Finally, coming back to the beginning, O LORD, how long! Twelve times in the Old Testament we find the phrase, “O LORD, how long?” This is the cry of people who are seriously living for the Lord, who are fervent in their prayers, who have prayed in faith, fully expecting God to answer, but have not yet seen the answer. It is okay to cry out, “O Lord, how long?” But we have to be careful to ask in faith. Mary and Zacharias were both visited by the angel and told they would have a child. This was not possible in the natural for either of them: Mary was a virgin, Zacharias and Elizabeth were old. They both responded, “How can this be?” But only Mary was asking in faith. How do I know this? Zacharias was rebuked, Mary received an explanation.

I believe the first four verses of Chapter 1 encourage us to pray for our family, our church, our country; to pray fervently, expecting God to hear and answer our prayers. They also teach us that such faithful praying may often include wrestling with God. In other words, we are encouraged to persevere in prayer, what used to be called “praying through.”

Tomorrow: 1:5-11 God Answers Habakkuk