Some of you have had a tough time in the past few months.
And you are getting so sick and tired of this COVID-19
You’ve endured your share of criticism, maybe you’ve lost a job, maybe you’re going through a rough patch in your marriage, maybe you have had tough time at work, maybe, maybe you a tough time with personal issues, or maybe you are having a tough time with your Spiritual life
We see so much evil all around us. We see wars going on in our world, we see death and killings, and lawlessness all around us
If you are honest, you will admit it is sometimes difficult to understand why God allows some things to happen.
When we are confronted with war, disease, and corruption , and yes, a pandemic , people ask, How could a good God allow evil in the world?
Why do good people--even Christians—have to suffer?”
Habakkuk lived during Judah’s last days.
Some people had been deeply affected by the revival under good King Josiah.
But now King Josiah was dead.
Most of the people of Judah followed the example of Josiah’s evil successors until the land was filled with idolatry, drunkenness, lying, stealing, political corruption, and occult practices like astrology and fortune-telling.
The situation raised questions in Habakkuk’s mind.
But instead of expressing his questions and doubts to everyone who would listen, he took them to the Lord.
That was wise. The Lord did not condemn him for his questions; He helped him understand.
1. Why, God?
Christians say God is in control of everything.
But the chaos in our world often makes things seem out of control.
We may wonder about the mysteries of good and evil in the world, we must hold to the belief that God has an agenda and timetable in which He will make everything right.
God has not relinquished His control over the negative experiences in our lives.
Though the timing of events may not always be what we want, God remains in control.
Habakkuk may have wondered if God really did have things under control.
The prophet watched the people grow worse and more open in their rebellion against God each day.
It seemed no one paid any attention to God’s law anymore.
In the midst of this situation, Habakkuk rose up with a question and a protest
Habakkuk 1:l,2
1 This is the message that the prophet Habakkuk received in a vision.
2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save.
He believed God is holy, but everywhere Habakkuk looked he saw rottenness and corruption.
Habakkuk 1:3
3 Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight.
The key word for this part of the Book of Habakkuk is, “Why?”
Habakkuk especially wanted to know why God was not bringing judgment on the sins of His holy city, Jerusalem.
The prophet did not understand how God could allow this evil to continue.
Does any of this remind you of the problems in the world today?
How does this compare to the violence and sin in our own neighborhoods or cities?
Just as Habakkuk lived in the last days of the kingdom of Judah, so we are living in the last days of the Church Age.
The apostle Paul reminds us of what this will be like.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times.
2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good.
4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.
5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
Why did Paul- add a warming to have nothing to do with such people.
Paul knew people are influenced by those with whom they associate. It is important to find friends who love the Lord.
Habakkuk went on to point out no justice could be found in the courts either.
Habakkuk 1:4
4 The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.
Wicked men were clever enough to defeat the people who were in the right, so the decisions of the judges were wrong.
God answered Habakkuk that the Chaldeans from Babylon were already on the way to bring God’s judgment on the people of Jerusalem and Judah.
But this information brought other questions to Habakkuk’s mind. Habakkuk 1:12-14
Habakkuk did not understand how God could use the Chaldeans to punish the people of Judah.
The Chaldeans were worse than the Jews, and to Habakkuk it seemed logical they ought to be punished first.
Besides, Habakkuk wondered how a holy God, who cannot look on sin with favor, could use such wicked people (verses 15-17).
Habakkuk did not give up or tum away, however as we read in Habakkuk 2:1 Instead, he determined to make himself spiritually ready.
With the diligence of someone keeping watch on a tower, he waited for God to answer the complaint about Judah’s sins and God’s way of punishing them.
Habakkuk believed he could still trust God no matter how bad things became.
2. God Is In Control
God’s answer to Habakkuk’s first questions about all the sin in the world showed God did care.
Though at the moment there was no sign of God’s coming judgment, it was close at hand.
Why were the people so blind to the truth?
Why are people today blind to the truth of God?
Sin blinds the mind to the Word of God.
Sinners do not want to believe a judgment day is coming.
But whether the world believes it or not, God will call a halt to evil someday.
In Habakkuk’s day, God planned to use the Chaldeans from Babylon to bring His judgment on Jerusalem. Habakkuk 1:5 -II
While Habakkuk was waiting, however, he needed to be sure he did not develop the same attitudes the Babylonians displayed.
Habakkuk 2:4,
4 “Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God.
The Babylonians were puffed up with pride because of their victories.
Their desires were wrong. But those who are just and have proper desires will live by faith in difficult times.
ls faith just an attitude of the mind—-just a head belief?
Faith is much more than that. It finds its origin in a personal relationship with Christ.
And in that regard, it involves a commitment of trust even when we have no assurance of receiving what we hope for.
Faith in the Bible is always directed toward God.
We must believe God is as reliable as the Bible says, He is and trust Him enough to obey Him.
3. Rejoice In The Lord
By chapter three Habakkuk had learned to trust God in the midst of troubled times; the whole chapter is a prayer
Habakkuk 3:2 Habakkuk felt awesome, reverent fear when he heard God speak.
This fear caused him to cry out for God to revive him and bring new life to his work.
Habakkuk knew Israel deserved God’s judgment.
The people’s sin called for God’s wrath to be poured out against them.
But Habakkuk also knew God is a God of mercy.
When the prophet asked God to remember mercy, he meant he wanted God to show His mercy by sending revival.
The rest of the prayer is mainly praise to God for past blessings (verses 3-16).
Habakkuk remembered the victories and deliverance God gave to Israel from their enemies.
These things helped the prophet recognize God’s greatness.
Count Your Blessings Name them one-by-one
He finally came to the place where he could express complete and total trust in God.
The prophet found joy knowing, God would always be his salvation.
Knowing that whatever happened he could trust in God
Though the negative experiences in our lives and the extent of sin in the world or even this Pandemic, sometimes seem to indicate God is not in control,
We must never forget nothing happens outside the circle of God’s awareness, power, and influence.
I want to encourage you in this time of trouble when our world is crying out in fear, we can put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and rest assured that God has everything under control
Just as Habakkuk did, we need to come to the place where we express complete and total trust in God.
You might say, how can a person have this attitude when everything is lost or seems hopeless?
The answer lies in the fact that God does not change.
We can always trust Him to be faithful and keep His promises.
Habaldruk 3:19
19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.
God himself is our strength. He not only gives us strength; He lives in our hearts and is our strength when we place our faith in Him.
God gave Habakkuk the assurance that no matter how difficult the circumstances became, God would be with him and be his strength
Living The Truth
We live in troubled times just as Habakkuk did.
Crime is always increasing.
Corruption and violence seem to surround us.
Drugs and alcohol are a root cause of many crimes—not to mention the lives they waste.
And if all this were not bad enough, there is a pandemic.
The answer is to look to Jesus and to the Word of God.
He has promised never to leave us or forsake us.
As we go through this trying that we are in right now, with this COVID-19 , and if are feeling a bit discouraged then get out a paper and pen and start listing your blessing one by one
There is an old Hymn that we sing sometimes
“Count your blessings Name the one by one
1. When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings, name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
2.Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly, And you will keep singing as the days go by.
3.When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold; Count your many blessings—*money cannot buy [*wealth can never buy] Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
4.So, amid the conflict whether great or small, Do not be discouraged, God is over all; Count your many blessings, angels will attend, Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
o Refrain: Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God has done! Count your blessings, name them one by one, *Count your many blessings, see what God has done. [*And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.]
And I would like to end this message today with a few verses of scripture found in, I Thessalonians 4:14-18
14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.
15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves.
17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.
18 So encourage each other with these words.
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