Habakkuk 3:1-16 Looking Forward
Habakkuk is looking forward. Not in anticipation but in resignation. He KNOWS that God’s plans are ultimately good, but the steps there are HARD.
Habakkuk began his conversation with God by ‘complaining’ about all the sin he saw going on in Judah. “How long before You do something about this?!” God didn’t give him an exact “how long” but He did give him a “what”. And that what scared Habakkuk.
Next, Habakkuk asked; “Isn’t this a little harsh? Are You switching sides?” To which God assures Habakkuk that the ‘other side’ is a tool that He is using but that He WILL repay them for their ‘enjoyment’ in the wielding of that power.
Now, Habakkuk sits down and accepts what is to come. He knows there is judgment coming or his people; rightly deserved judgment. And he knows that the one used for that purpose will also be judged for their part in it. ALL is set. ALL is just. And ALL is in God’s hands.
No matter how scary or harsh God’s actions sound, Habakkuk KNOWS that there is a purpose behind them. Their purpose is to bring restoration. God’s people have brought Him to the point of “wrath” and He HAS to act. He HAS to enforce the limits He set. If He doesn’t then NONE of His promises mean anything.
It feels like we are standing in the same place as Habakkuk. We can see ALL the evil around us today. We KNOW the there is judgment coming and restoration after that. We also know that the path there is NOT pleasant. And we KNOW that the ‘instruments’ God uses in this process will receive ‘repayment’ for their part in it. All we can do is wait, and pray.
We can look forward and see the storm coming. And we can TRUST the Bringer of the storm. We can trust that He KNOWS what He is doing and what is BEST. As HARD as this process is; there IS restoration on the other side.
Habakkuk asked for mercy within the process and we can too. We can TRUST God to bring about mercy in what is coming for our world because of the promises He has made. HE tells us that there will be those who come to Him in the midst of the storm, because of what they have previously known and will recognize.
I’m certain that the same was true for Israel and Judah. There were those ‘in the storm’ who had listened to God’s warnings and dismissed them, until the storm was raging around them. THEN they turned to Him in TRUTH and received a measure of protection. They still had to walk through the storm that they could have avoided but they no longer walked alone.
God’s first choice is NOT the stick. He calls out in love first. He exhausts all other options until only the ‘stick’ remains. Then He ‘picks it up’ and uses it with FIRM resolve. He WILL see the response of repentance, no matter how much it hurts Him to do so. He will NEVER give up on His creation! He LOVES US too much to see us left to our own devices.
Father God, THANK YOU that You DON’T give up! If it were me, I would have washed my hands of the whole planed before now. I am in AWE of Your patience! I have earned NONE of it, yet You shower me with it every day. I KNOW there is a time of EXTREME judgment coming. I’m looking forward at it. Parts of it I’m even looking forward to. What I’m MOST looking forward to is what is on the other side. To restoration and life with You. I will hold fast to the promises for the end.
