QT 8/4/2022 Hab 1:14-17, Trusting and asking the hard questions

Habakkuk 1:14–17 (ESV) —

14 You make mankind like the fish of the sea,

like crawling things that have no ruler.

15 He brings all of them up with a hook;

he drags them out with his net;

he gathers them in his dragnet;

so he rejoices and is glad.

16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net

and makes offerings to his dragnet;

for by them he lives in luxury,

and his food is rich.

17 Is he then to keep on emptying his net

and mercilessly killing nations forever?

 

NOTE: This is a rather sophisticated argument in the Hebrew. Barker explains it best:

 

The argument thus runs: God, you made us like helpless fish without a leader; the enemy Babylonians took advantage of the situation; the natural result is his rejoicing, his self-worship because he is so prosperous so that we must ask if he is allowed to keep this up forever. (Barker, K. L. (1999). Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah (Vol. 20, p. 315). Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

 

It is a fair question, and it does not suggest that Habakkuk did not believe in God's sovereignty, in fact, he almost blames God's sovereignty. This is really another form of the question, 'God, why do you allow evil to triumph?' Heflin suggests that we have two routes now:

 

Habakkuk has two alternatives now. “He can allow his doubts to be either destructive or creative. He can use his doubts, struggles, and agonizing questions to turn from God and to renounce his faith. Or he can keep his hold on God, trusting him for an answer.”

 

I think this is the threshold of faith. I don't like the term blind faith because I have seldom found faith to be blind. I have tremendous resources to stand upon, the most important being Jesus -- his life, his miracles, the historical records, and the resurrection. I have more personal resources / experiences as well, but in this area of evil, there is a certain sense of blind faith. God has allowed evil in the world in response to our rebellion. My eyes can only see the physical world, not the unseen world. And so faith is required to believe that God is bringing about good in my life, even when I think my definition of good is clearly better in my understanding than God's. But I will believe by faith that evil will be judged in his time and according to his standard.

 

PONDER:

1. Am I willing to let go of my definition of "good" to receive by faith God's definition of good?
2. Can I wait upon God's timing or must I have things in my timing?
3. Can I be honest with God to ask any questions and to pour out my complaints to him? Habakkuk could do both (ask questions and trust by faith).

 

PRAYER: Father, speak to us. Reassure us. Give us those tangible reminders of your goodness. But also give us the strength to trust when those moments seem so far apart.