1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,500 Well, I wonder if you've ever felt like you know better than God. 2 00:00:06,300 --> 00:00:09,120 The laughs in the room convinced me that you, you probably have 3 00:00:09,120 --> 00:00:10,379 felt that from time to time. 4 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:12,240 Uh, you may not. 5 00:00:12,704 --> 00:00:13,844 Say it that way. 6 00:00:13,875 --> 00:00:17,504 But we've felt that, and, and let me explain a, a couple of 7 00:00:17,564 --> 00:00:19,214 areas that I've felt that before. 8 00:00:19,485 --> 00:00:21,794 Uh, times that I've felt like, God, what are you doing Right? 9 00:00:21,944 --> 00:00:23,504 I, I love them now. 10 00:00:23,504 --> 00:00:27,854 But, uh, eight years ago in some change, when we found out that we were having 11 00:00:27,854 --> 00:00:32,299 twins and we already had three kids, that's a moment where I was like, God. 12 00:00:32,955 --> 00:00:33,944 You sure about this one? 13 00:00:34,845 --> 00:00:36,104 What are you doing right now? 14 00:00:36,854 --> 00:00:40,604 Uh, that was one of those moments in my life or, uh, when I lost more 15 00:00:40,875 --> 00:00:44,444 seriously, when I lost one of my dear friends back in California who died 16 00:00:44,444 --> 00:00:46,035 and, and left his young family behind. 17 00:00:46,035 --> 00:00:49,004 That was a moment, you know, I wrestled with God on that one. 18 00:00:50,235 --> 00:00:54,044 Or maybe you've had a situation like this where, uh, in the early weeks 19 00:00:54,044 --> 00:00:58,244 of COVID you were wondering, okay, God, what in the world are you doing? 20 00:00:59,775 --> 00:01:05,175 Or perhaps I could recount and I, I won't, but all of the different 21 00:01:05,175 --> 00:01:08,325 ministry situations, the difficult times in ministry that I've had to, 22 00:01:08,745 --> 00:01:11,505 to sit in my office and just pray and say, okay, God, I, I, I don't 23 00:01:11,685 --> 00:01:13,185 understand what you're doing here. 24 00:01:14,055 --> 00:01:16,604 I think all of us have probably had times where we feel like maybe we 25 00:01:16,604 --> 00:01:21,015 know better than God, and there are times in life we experience these 26 00:01:21,075 --> 00:01:24,615 situations, and those are the times that we ask the questions of God, God, why? 27 00:01:25,515 --> 00:01:26,865 Why now? 28 00:01:27,345 --> 00:01:35,475 Or why not, or what even still matters anymore, y'all, when, when one of our 29 00:01:35,505 --> 00:01:39,435 fellow pastors died suddenly, as I was just alluding to a moment ago, uh, there 30 00:01:39,435 --> 00:01:44,115 were weeks afterwards that I struggled to figure out how to regain any sort 31 00:01:44,115 --> 00:01:45,405 of sense of normalcy in ministry. 32 00:01:45,405 --> 00:01:49,485 What even matters anymore, how do I show up and go through 33 00:01:49,485 --> 00:01:51,015 the motions and, and do these. 34 00:01:51,570 --> 00:01:52,560 Things that we're doing. 35 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:54,060 I was the college pastor at the time. 36 00:01:54,060 --> 00:01:57,570 How do, how do we do games with college students when this guy who is 39 37 00:01:57,570 --> 00:02:02,070 years old just died and left behind his family and kids times like that. 38 00:02:02,310 --> 00:02:03,240 God, what are you doing? 39 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:06,840 Habakkuk is a book for those times. 40 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,070 It's a book for those times, those times of losing a job or losing 41 00:02:11,070 --> 00:02:12,510 a loved one or losing a child. 42 00:02:12,510 --> 00:02:18,150 Those times of marital strife, those times when you have to trust God when 43 00:02:18,150 --> 00:02:19,620 you're not really sure what God is doing. 44 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:22,590 That's what Habak helps us do. 45 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,000 Habakkuk helps us trust God when we're not really sure what God is doing. 46 00:02:28,305 --> 00:02:30,525 Let's get into it as the book opens. 47 00:02:30,585 --> 00:02:34,365 Uh, before we get to the, the text itself, just to remind us of the, 48 00:02:34,365 --> 00:02:38,235 the, the nuts, the nuts and bolts of, uh, the, the book here, its 49 00:02:38,235 --> 00:02:40,310 author is the, the title Habakkuk. 50 00:02:40,315 --> 00:02:44,565 Habakkuk was a, a prophet, uh, he was a prophet who had a deep concern for 51 00:02:44,565 --> 00:02:46,215 justice, as we're gonna see in the book. 52 00:02:46,305 --> 00:02:49,275 He was a prophet who was also a, a theologian, as we will 53 00:02:49,275 --> 00:02:50,745 find out in the book as well. 54 00:02:51,070 --> 00:02:54,730 And he was also maybe even potentially a Levite, as he had a, a very 55 00:02:54,730 --> 00:02:58,900 knowledgeable depth of understanding of the past of, of God's work. 56 00:02:58,959 --> 00:03:01,030 And we'll see some of that in chapter three. 57 00:03:01,390 --> 00:03:04,660 But Habakkuk is the author, the date around six 40 to six 15. 58 00:03:04,660 --> 00:03:08,019 So we're right in between the two exiles, 7 22 bc. 59 00:03:08,019 --> 00:03:10,390 So before this, the Northern Kingdom, Israel was carried 60 00:03:10,390 --> 00:03:11,875 off by the nation of Assyria. 61 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,520 They're judged by God and carried off into exile. 62 00:03:14,730 --> 00:03:17,939 Well, in 5 86 bc, the Southern Kingdom, the kingdom of Judah is 63 00:03:17,939 --> 00:03:20,460 gonna be taken out by Babylon. 64 00:03:20,460 --> 00:03:22,470 God is gonna judge the southern kingdom of Judah. 65 00:03:22,470 --> 00:03:23,910 They're gonna be taken into exile. 66 00:03:24,210 --> 00:03:27,600 That is really the subject of the book is God's gonna be telling Habakkuk that 67 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:29,369 that's what he's going to be doing here. 68 00:03:29,640 --> 00:03:32,880 But Habakkuk wrote, right kind of in between there, six 40 to six 69 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,130 15, that timeframe BC the audience. 70 00:03:35,635 --> 00:03:38,970 Is Habakkuk and no, I didn't accidentally transpose, transpose 71 00:03:38,970 --> 00:03:40,650 the, the author or the title here. 72 00:03:41,010 --> 00:03:42,300 Uh, this is a conversation. 73 00:03:42,690 --> 00:03:43,950 Between Habakkuk and God. 74 00:03:45,060 --> 00:03:47,550 Habakkuk doesn't prophesy to anyone in this book. 75 00:03:47,550 --> 00:03:48,960 God prophesies to Habakkuk. 76 00:03:49,380 --> 00:03:52,800 God and Habakkuk have an intimate moment that we get to eavesdrop on 77 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:56,190 and it's gonna help us understand how God is a God that we can trust even 78 00:03:56,190 --> 00:03:57,480 when we don't know what he's doing. 79 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:01,049 So the audience of the book is the prophet himself, Habakkuk, and I've been going 80 00:04:01,049 --> 00:04:04,440 through the key words, uh, with these different books that we've been studying. 81 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:06,120 And the key word here that I want you to take away is the 82 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,000 word trust, the word trust. 83 00:04:09,780 --> 00:04:12,540 And there's a lot that goes into our trust or our faith isn't there, 84 00:04:13,139 --> 00:04:15,269 especially during those times that we don't understand what God is doing. 85 00:04:16,620 --> 00:04:18,659 Open up with me in chapter one. 86 00:04:18,659 --> 00:04:23,579 It says this, the oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw, oh Lord, 87 00:04:23,579 --> 00:04:25,470 how long shall I cry for help? 88 00:04:25,470 --> 00:04:28,980 This is Habakkuk addressing God again, addressing Yahweh. 89 00:04:29,789 --> 00:04:31,530 Oh Lord, how long shall I cry for help? 90 00:04:31,530 --> 00:04:34,980 And you will not hear or cry to you violence, and you will not save. 91 00:04:36,105 --> 00:04:37,424 Why do you make me see iniquity? 92 00:04:37,424 --> 00:04:39,705 Why do you look idly at wrong? 93 00:04:40,215 --> 00:04:42,164 Destruction and violence are before me. 94 00:04:42,164 --> 00:04:44,115 Strife and contention arise. 95 00:04:44,294 --> 00:04:47,564 So the law is paralyzed and justice never goes forth for the 96 00:04:47,564 --> 00:04:48,945 wicked, surround the righteous. 97 00:04:48,945 --> 00:04:50,475 So justice goes forth. 98 00:04:50,924 --> 00:04:56,985 Perverted habak, addresses God with these complaints about the context, what was 99 00:04:56,985 --> 00:04:59,683 going on all around him at this time. 100 00:05:00,300 --> 00:05:04,110 Which in the nation of Israel was not a time of, of moral and 101 00:05:04,110 --> 00:05:08,670 spiritual, uh, prosperity, but a time of moral and spiritual decay. 102 00:05:09,390 --> 00:05:11,250 There was rampant idolatry. 103 00:05:11,250 --> 00:05:13,920 There was child sacrifice taking place. 104 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:15,360 There was oppression. 105 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:19,680 Jeremiah describes in Jeremiah seven, oppression and murder and theft and 106 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:25,260 adultery and idolatry and deceitfulness, Habakkuk's looking around at all of 107 00:05:25,260 --> 00:05:26,610 this saying, God, what are you doing? 108 00:05:27,615 --> 00:05:30,525 In fact, his question is one that maybe makes us squirm a little bit. 109 00:05:30,525 --> 00:05:32,865 God, why do you idly look at wrong? 110 00:05:33,885 --> 00:05:36,375 He says the law is paralyzed. 111 00:05:37,395 --> 00:05:42,825 Again, Habak, the prophet theologian knows who God is, that God is a God 112 00:05:42,825 --> 00:05:45,105 of justice, that God's a God of law. 113 00:05:45,674 --> 00:05:49,755 In fact, if we go back to Deuteronomy 19, you may have that chapter memorized, 114 00:05:49,755 --> 00:05:53,505 and if you do great, the rest of us, we will just need a, a brief reminder here. 115 00:05:54,330 --> 00:05:54,840 Tongue in cheek. 116 00:05:54,840 --> 00:05:57,630 Nobody has that memorized, I I, I imagine in the room. 117 00:05:57,630 --> 00:06:01,350 But Deuteronomy 19 is all about the laws of justice, what is 118 00:06:01,350 --> 00:06:04,170 right, and what is good, and what Israel should have been doing. 119 00:06:05,010 --> 00:06:07,980 And Habakkuk says, the the law is paralyzed. 120 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:10,380 Justice has been perverted. 121 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:16,169 I wonder if we can resonate with any of that as we look around our world today. 122 00:06:17,460 --> 00:06:18,720 Now we are not Israel. 123 00:06:18,900 --> 00:06:20,310 You've heard me say that multiple times. 124 00:06:20,970 --> 00:06:22,110 America is not Israel. 125 00:06:22,110 --> 00:06:22,980 Israel is not America. 126 00:06:23,515 --> 00:06:25,050 And, and, and the church is not Israel. 127 00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:32,490 Um, still we can resonate I think with the feeling of the prophet here as we look 128 00:06:32,490 --> 00:06:36,930 around even maybe at a macro level, and we see just the, the rampant celebration 129 00:06:36,930 --> 00:06:40,800 in the, in the, the, the blood lust for the murder of the unborn through abortion. 130 00:06:41,490 --> 00:06:45,539 Or we look at the abuse that happens in different sectors, or we look at 131 00:06:45,539 --> 00:06:50,190 the riots that take place, or we look at these other examples of injustice 132 00:06:50,250 --> 00:06:51,825 all around us when we say God. 133 00:06:53,370 --> 00:06:55,770 Are you, are you, do you see this? 134 00:06:57,329 --> 00:06:58,590 But how about on a micro level? 135 00:06:59,189 --> 00:07:01,260 How about in, in our own lives personally? 136 00:07:02,280 --> 00:07:04,799 Maybe you're in a working environment where there's, there's 137 00:07:04,799 --> 00:07:06,360 rampant corruption at work. 138 00:07:06,900 --> 00:07:09,120 God, are, are you, do you see what's going on here? 139 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:10,980 Do, do, do you notice what's going on here? 140 00:07:13,020 --> 00:07:16,230 Or perhaps there's sins that others have committed against you and you're going, 141 00:07:16,230 --> 00:07:19,500 God, are you not gonna do anything? 142 00:07:21,330 --> 00:07:24,870 Or maybe you've worked really hard and demonstrated a work ethic 143 00:07:24,870 --> 00:07:28,650 with great integrity and it's just gone unnoticed and unrewarded. 144 00:07:30,475 --> 00:07:33,510 I I, if you can't think of any situations yourself that parallel habakkuk's, 145 00:07:33,539 --> 00:07:36,179 just open up your news browser later on today and you'll be flooded with them. 146 00:07:39,005 --> 00:07:42,179 Like Habakkuk, we can grow frustrated with what seems to be 147 00:07:42,539 --> 00:07:44,640 God's apparent idleness at times. 148 00:07:45,599 --> 00:07:48,270 Those times when we don't know what God is doing and it's difficult 149 00:07:48,270 --> 00:07:50,819 to trust because it looks like God is just not doing anything. 150 00:07:51,900 --> 00:07:56,400 It looks like God's just idle and we like, like the, the prophet can, can sit here 151 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:58,770 and say, God, why don't you do something? 152 00:07:59,939 --> 00:08:03,449 But like Habak, like Habak would come to know. 153 00:08:03,449 --> 00:08:07,020 At least we need to learn and we need to understand that God is never idle. 154 00:08:07,799 --> 00:08:11,699 He's always actively ordaining and working out his perfect and sovereign plan. 155 00:08:11,699 --> 00:08:13,949 So our first point this morning is, do you think about trusting God 156 00:08:13,949 --> 00:08:14,909 when you don't know what he's doing? 157 00:08:14,909 --> 00:08:18,120 Is this humbly acknowledge God's sovereign plan? 158 00:08:19,319 --> 00:08:22,949 Humbly acknowledge God's sovereign plan. 159 00:08:24,630 --> 00:08:26,880 I can't tell you the number of times that my plan has been 160 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:28,890 consistently foiled by God's plan. 161 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:30,750 And you know what? 162 00:08:30,780 --> 00:08:33,419 2020, looking back on it, I'm always thankful for that. 163 00:08:35,039 --> 00:08:38,068 In fact, if I had my way, I probably wouldn't have the job that I 164 00:08:38,068 --> 00:08:40,770 have, the wife that I have, the family that I have, and perhaps 165 00:08:40,770 --> 00:08:42,179 not even the faith that I have. 166 00:08:44,188 --> 00:08:47,579 But because of God's perfect and sovereign plan, I do have those things. 167 00:08:48,660 --> 00:08:50,699 But that doesn't mean that I always liked his plan. 168 00:08:51,749 --> 00:08:53,729 Doesn't mean that I was always sitting there going, oh yeah, 169 00:08:53,729 --> 00:08:54,720 this makes total sense, God. 170 00:08:57,704 --> 00:09:01,035 In a moment of condescension in our text here, God is gonna answer 171 00:09:01,094 --> 00:09:03,615 Habakkuk and actually clue him in on what he actually is doing here. 172 00:09:04,995 --> 00:09:10,485 God owed Habakkuk no response, but he gave him one anyways, and in giving 173 00:09:10,485 --> 00:09:14,145 him one, he gives us one to help us understand something about who he is. 174 00:09:14,145 --> 00:09:14,805 Look at verse five. 175 00:09:15,015 --> 00:09:19,454 Look among the nations and see Habakkuk wonder and be astounded. 176 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:21,900 For, I'm a doing, I'm doing a work. 177 00:09:21,900 --> 00:09:25,530 In your days that, that you wouldn't believe, even if I told 178 00:09:25,530 --> 00:09:27,155 you he's gonna tell him anyways. 179 00:09:28,229 --> 00:09:30,569 For behold, I'm raising up the Chaldeans. 180 00:09:30,719 --> 00:09:31,109 Okay. 181 00:09:31,109 --> 00:09:35,939 Chaldeans is another name for the Babylonians, that bitter and hasty nation 182 00:09:35,939 --> 00:09:40,410 who march through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings, not their own. 183 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,140 They are dreaded and fearsome. 184 00:09:43,140 --> 00:09:46,589 That word fearsome is the same word that's used in relation to the fear of God. 185 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,050 He's saying they instill that fear in others. 186 00:09:50,050 --> 00:09:53,020 Their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. 187 00:09:53,020 --> 00:09:53,980 Jump down to verse 11. 188 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:56,410 They sweep by like the wind and go on. 189 00:09:56,590 --> 00:10:01,030 Guilty men whose own might is their God. 190 00:10:02,020 --> 00:10:05,410 Now at this time in, in history, the Babylonians were really just kind of 191 00:10:05,410 --> 00:10:10,300 coming on the scene, but they were known to be the the next power player. 192 00:10:10,890 --> 00:10:14,160 Assy is on the way down, and in fact the Babylonians are gonna 193 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:17,850 be the ones in six 12 BC who take the Assyrians out completely. 194 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:22,740 Habakkuk has heard enough about the, the Babylonians to know that this 195 00:10:22,740 --> 00:10:26,340 is not gonna be good news, but God says, look, they're, they're powerful. 196 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:29,400 He says in verse six and seven, they are devastating. 197 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:29,940 Verse eight. 198 00:10:30,090 --> 00:10:35,700 They are brutal in their execution of their plan and their their attacks. 199 00:10:35,700 --> 00:10:42,120 In verse nine, they are their own God, even whose own might is their God. 200 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:46,560 As we're thinking about God's execution of a sovereign plan, I I, I, I 201 00:10:46,560 --> 00:10:48,930 wonder, have you ever been shocked by something that God has done? 202 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:53,729 Have you ever just been slack jawed, just your mouth is open going, God, 203 00:10:54,479 --> 00:10:59,400 how is this a part of your plan that would've been the impact of what 204 00:10:59,910 --> 00:11:01,589 Habak was hearing God say to him? 205 00:11:01,650 --> 00:11:06,150 At this point, we read it on the backside of the cross, knowing the rest 206 00:11:06,150 --> 00:11:09,599 of the story, as Dave Harvey used to say, and it loses its impact for us. 207 00:11:11,324 --> 00:11:15,105 This would be like, and again, not to conflate American, Israel, 'cause 208 00:11:15,105 --> 00:11:19,064 they're not the same, but this would be like God saying to you today, Hey, 209 00:11:19,064 --> 00:11:23,895 you know what I'm going to use, I, I, I'm going to use China to come into 210 00:11:23,895 --> 00:11:28,485 America and I'm going to use China to completely destroy everything here 211 00:11:28,485 --> 00:11:31,814 That, that, you know and see because of the great wickedness in this nation. 212 00:11:34,814 --> 00:11:38,175 It's that moment that so often happens where we just 213 00:11:38,175 --> 00:11:39,255 say, God, what are you doing? 214 00:11:40,230 --> 00:11:41,790 And again, remember, that's what Habakkuk's about. 215 00:11:41,790 --> 00:11:44,190 It's a book about trusting God when we don't know what God is doing. 216 00:11:45,180 --> 00:11:47,190 What does Proverbs three five and six say? 217 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:48,750 King Solomon says this. 218 00:11:48,750 --> 00:11:53,250 He says, trust in the Lord with all of your heart when it's going your way. 219 00:11:54,840 --> 00:11:57,780 I'm glad you're chuckling because if your Bible says that, I get rid of it. 220 00:11:59,250 --> 00:12:00,510 That's not what it says. 221 00:12:01,710 --> 00:12:05,160 King Solomon says, trust in the Lord with all your heart, and then what comes next? 222 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:08,730 Do not lean on your own understanding. 223 00:12:10,199 --> 00:12:12,209 Have you ever wondered why he says that? 224 00:12:14,099 --> 00:12:18,629 It's because so often you need to trust God when you don't understand God. 225 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:22,829 That's what's going on in Habakkuk chapter one. 226 00:12:22,979 --> 00:12:25,229 That's what might be going on in your life right now. 227 00:12:26,879 --> 00:12:29,010 You're sitting there saying, God, I, I don't understand. 228 00:12:30,119 --> 00:12:30,510 I don't. 229 00:12:30,540 --> 00:12:32,699 I don't know why my marriage is the way it is. 230 00:12:32,699 --> 00:12:34,650 I don't know why my children have rebelled against me. 231 00:12:34,650 --> 00:12:36,749 I don't know why I got this health diagnosis. 232 00:12:36,749 --> 00:12:37,589 I don't know why. 233 00:12:38,220 --> 00:12:40,380 God, I don't, I don't understand, 234 00:12:42,510 --> 00:12:46,350 and I just find it so encouraging that we have a passage like Proverbs 235 00:12:46,350 --> 00:12:47,130 three that says, you know what? 236 00:12:47,130 --> 00:12:48,420 Trust the Lord even then 237 00:12:50,430 --> 00:12:51,690 and don't lean on your own understanding, 238 00:12:53,910 --> 00:12:56,310 because we serve the God who says, my ways are not your ways. 239 00:12:58,290 --> 00:13:05,370 When the flood comes and takes out dozens of children when the accident happens. 240 00:13:06,930 --> 00:13:12,569 When good friends move away, when you don't get the job, when the 241 00:13:12,569 --> 00:13:14,850 political candidate you voted for doesn't win the election. 242 00:13:16,260 --> 00:13:20,670 When you need a new roof, when the medical bills mount, when the 243 00:13:20,670 --> 00:13:24,540 pregnancy test comes back negative again when rent goes up again, 244 00:13:27,420 --> 00:13:29,340 God is still sovereign in those times. 245 00:13:29,495 --> 00:13:32,310 His plan is still active. 246 00:13:32,579 --> 00:13:33,540 He's not passive. 247 00:13:33,569 --> 00:13:34,350 He's not asleep. 248 00:13:35,069 --> 00:13:38,430 He's not unaware and he's not disinterested in what 249 00:13:38,430 --> 00:13:39,060 you're going through. 250 00:13:40,109 --> 00:13:42,959 He's working his plan to perfection in your life. 251 00:13:44,099 --> 00:13:46,829 It's these moments that we have to trust and acknowledge 252 00:13:46,829 --> 00:13:48,449 humbly, his sovereign plan. 253 00:13:48,449 --> 00:13:52,859 We have to remember his plans when it doesn't feel like we should trust him. 254 00:13:54,135 --> 00:13:56,475 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. 255 00:13:56,475 --> 00:13:59,985 That was something that Habakkuk was gonna need to do and need to learn, but 256 00:13:59,985 --> 00:14:01,095 he wasn't gonna get there right away. 257 00:14:01,095 --> 00:14:04,335 In fact, look back in our text at verse 12, Habakkuk says this. 258 00:14:04,335 --> 00:14:06,195 He says, are you not from everlasting? 259 00:14:06,225 --> 00:14:07,905 Oh Lord, my God, my holy one. 260 00:14:08,445 --> 00:14:09,435 We shall not die. 261 00:14:10,155 --> 00:14:13,935 Oh Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment and you O Rock have 262 00:14:13,935 --> 00:14:15,765 established them for reproof. 263 00:14:16,454 --> 00:14:20,985 You who are of pure eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong. 264 00:14:21,165 --> 00:14:25,334 Why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows 265 00:14:25,334 --> 00:14:28,094 up, the man more righteous than he. 266 00:14:29,685 --> 00:14:32,685 Habakkuk hears God, say, Habakkuk, I'm not idle. 267 00:14:32,685 --> 00:14:33,735 This is what I'm doing. 268 00:14:33,735 --> 00:14:36,045 And Habakkuk says, you can't do that. 269 00:14:37,395 --> 00:14:39,194 I wonder if you've ever been there with God. 270 00:14:41,145 --> 00:14:43,094 If we're honest with ourselves, I'm sure we have. 271 00:14:45,255 --> 00:14:46,905 Not only questioning God, why are you doing this? 272 00:14:46,905 --> 00:14:48,555 But God, you shouldn't do this. 273 00:14:50,265 --> 00:14:52,095 This doesn't seem like this is what's best. 274 00:14:54,390 --> 00:14:56,700 Habakkuk appeals to the covenant nature of God. 275 00:14:56,730 --> 00:15:02,040 Here in chapter one, verse 12, he says, he says, you Lord, you are from everlasting. 276 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:05,970 Oh Lord, Yahweh, my God, Yahweh, the covenant name of God, that 277 00:15:05,970 --> 00:15:07,410 relationship with his people. 278 00:15:07,590 --> 00:15:09,420 And he says, you are from everlasting. 279 00:15:09,420 --> 00:15:11,610 In other words, he's appealing to God's immutability. 280 00:15:11,910 --> 00:15:13,530 The God you never change. 281 00:15:15,300 --> 00:15:17,340 And he says, but what you're saying you're gonna do seems 282 00:15:17,340 --> 00:15:18,870 like you're, you're shifting. 283 00:15:20,220 --> 00:15:22,140 And he goes on and he says, we shall not die. 284 00:15:23,610 --> 00:15:26,340 His understanding of the Babylonians were that when they came through, 285 00:15:26,340 --> 00:15:27,630 there was nothing left behind. 286 00:15:28,950 --> 00:15:31,800 When when they set their sights on a target, they decimated 287 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:33,030 that target completely. 288 00:15:34,470 --> 00:15:36,480 And so Habakkuk saying, God, you're gonna bring them against us. 289 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:39,210 That would imply that we're gonna be no more at all. 290 00:15:40,170 --> 00:15:42,630 And Habakkuk saying to God, appealing to his covenant relationship 291 00:15:42,630 --> 00:15:44,400 against saying we're not gonna die. 292 00:15:44,939 --> 00:15:49,800 In fact, back in Leviticus 26, 44 through 45, even as God is talking about the 293 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:53,310 judgment that he's gonna bring upon Judah, if they're disobedient to the law, 294 00:15:53,310 --> 00:15:55,260 which is why he's gonna judge them here. 295 00:15:56,550 --> 00:16:00,479 But in Leviticus 26 44 through 40 45, God told the people of Israel 296 00:16:00,540 --> 00:16:03,750 and the people of Judah, listen, I'm not gonna destroy you completely. 297 00:16:03,750 --> 00:16:05,040 I won't make a complete end of you. 298 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:07,589 And so that's why Habakkuk says, we're not gonna die. 299 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:10,889 He says, you've used them for reproof. 300 00:16:12,525 --> 00:16:13,725 Really it's, it's them. 301 00:16:14,055 --> 00:16:18,525 And then he reminds God of God's character in case God forgot, you 302 00:16:18,525 --> 00:16:23,145 have eyes that are too pure to see evil and cannot look at wrong. 303 00:16:25,545 --> 00:16:30,255 Habakkuk would seem to be implying that that would imply that he can't use the 304 00:16:30,255 --> 00:16:34,365 Babylonians because the Babylonians are somehow too evil for God to ever use. 305 00:16:36,675 --> 00:16:38,925 But if, if God can't use. 306 00:16:39,540 --> 00:16:42,690 Evil and wicked people in the accomplishment of his plan, then 307 00:16:42,690 --> 00:16:43,800 God could never do anything. 308 00:16:46,770 --> 00:16:49,320 It's an uncomfortable element of his sovereignty, but it's true. 309 00:16:50,670 --> 00:16:52,830 We see it abundantly clear right here. 310 00:16:53,460 --> 00:16:54,720 God is the one. 311 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:57,510 And by the way, God is not passive in his sovereign plan. 312 00:16:58,290 --> 00:17:00,690 He's the one actively raising up the Chaldeans. 313 00:17:00,690 --> 00:17:03,780 He's the one that he says elsewhere is gonna whistle for them as 314 00:17:03,780 --> 00:17:06,420 though from the ends of the earth, God is bringing this to be. 315 00:17:06,540 --> 00:17:08,638 And the prophet just can't wrap his mind around this. 316 00:17:08,700 --> 00:17:10,470 He can't understand how this can happen. 317 00:17:10,589 --> 00:17:13,260 In fact, he pits God against Nebuchadnezzar. 318 00:17:13,348 --> 00:17:18,089 He says in verse 14, you Lord, you make mankind like the fish of the sea. 319 00:17:18,089 --> 00:17:19,980 And they're your creation. 320 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:22,409 But then he pits him against Nebuchadnezzar. 321 00:17:22,409 --> 00:17:26,280 He says he verse 15, brings all of them up with a hook. 322 00:17:26,310 --> 00:17:27,990 He drags them out with his net. 323 00:17:28,050 --> 00:17:29,820 He gathers them in his dragnet. 324 00:17:29,820 --> 00:17:31,709 So he rejoices and is glad. 325 00:17:31,980 --> 00:17:35,220 God, the ones that you have made, he's putting himself out there as 326 00:17:35,220 --> 00:17:36,389 the one that they belong to him. 327 00:17:36,389 --> 00:17:38,639 Now, you're okay with that? 328 00:17:38,639 --> 00:17:41,370 God, how can you be okay with this? 329 00:17:42,645 --> 00:17:44,655 Therefore he sacrifices to his net. 330 00:17:44,835 --> 00:17:46,875 He makes offerings to his dragnet for by them. 331 00:17:46,875 --> 00:17:49,365 He lives in luxury and is rich in his food. 332 00:17:49,845 --> 00:17:53,865 Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever? 333 00:17:54,135 --> 00:17:59,265 I'm gonna take my stand at my watch post and station myself on the tower and look 334 00:17:59,265 --> 00:18:04,545 out to see what he will say, God, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. 335 00:18:06,160 --> 00:18:09,825 I, I appreciate Habak and his honesty right here. 336 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:14,355 I, I, I don't think this is a, a pride that's a self-centered 337 00:18:14,355 --> 00:18:15,825 pride, but it's still pride. 338 00:18:15,825 --> 00:18:21,165 Nonetheless, he's positioning himself ready to debate God. 339 00:18:22,995 --> 00:18:25,034 He says, I'm gonna listen to see what God's gonna say, and then I'll, I'll 340 00:18:25,034 --> 00:18:26,325 figure out what I'm gonna say back to God. 341 00:18:30,615 --> 00:18:33,690 God's gonna respond as we'll see here momentarily by reminding 342 00:18:33,885 --> 00:18:36,014 Habakkuk that there's a bigger picture that he's not seeing 343 00:18:38,295 --> 00:18:39,764 that's so important for us, y'all. 344 00:18:40,635 --> 00:18:43,275 As we're looking to trust a God whose ways we don't always understand, 345 00:18:45,795 --> 00:18:50,565 it is immensely important that we remember our finitude and his finitude. 346 00:18:51,855 --> 00:18:53,655 It's immensely important that we remember that we are the 347 00:18:53,655 --> 00:18:54,885 creature and he's the creator. 348 00:18:56,145 --> 00:18:59,025 It's immensely important that we remember that his ways are not our ways and his 349 00:18:59,025 --> 00:19:05,325 ways are perfect so that even when we can't see the end, we can still trust him. 350 00:19:07,425 --> 00:19:11,324 Another facet of God's sovereignty in our acknowledgement, uh, of, of 351 00:19:11,324 --> 00:19:15,435 his perfect plan is to acknowledge that he also always knows better. 352 00:19:15,435 --> 00:19:20,024 Point number two, humbly admit that God knows better humbly 353 00:19:20,024 --> 00:19:21,254 admit that God knows better. 354 00:19:23,340 --> 00:19:28,064 I, I If you have kids, you understand this right? 355 00:19:28,844 --> 00:19:31,635 You understand when you give instructions to your kids and 356 00:19:31,635 --> 00:19:34,334 their, your kids, just look back at you like you're from outer space. 357 00:19:35,580 --> 00:19:38,189 You tell them to go do something and they look at you like, certainly 358 00:19:38,189 --> 00:19:39,300 you can't want me to do that. 359 00:19:39,300 --> 00:19:41,399 That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard on the face of the planet. 360 00:19:42,510 --> 00:19:45,629 And you look at them and you think, you know, you, you, you can do it. 361 00:19:45,629 --> 00:19:48,629 You can do it with a sore butt or you can do it just willingly. 362 00:19:49,230 --> 00:19:50,429 Choice is yours on this one. 363 00:19:50,429 --> 00:19:50,820 Bucko. 364 00:19:53,219 --> 00:19:53,909 That's like us. 365 00:19:53,909 --> 00:19:59,520 And God, so often he tells us what he's doing or what we need to do and we're 366 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:02,340 like the impetulant child that looks at him and says, you can't be serious. 367 00:20:03,975 --> 00:20:05,115 You can't be serious. 368 00:20:06,375 --> 00:20:08,415 And that's a little bit of what Habakkuk's doing here, though. 369 00:20:08,415 --> 00:20:09,615 I think his motive is good. 370 00:20:09,615 --> 00:20:14,415 His motive is still for the glory and justice and holiness of God, but 371 00:20:14,415 --> 00:20:17,475 he's missing this key component that God is the God who knows better. 372 00:20:18,225 --> 00:20:21,045 Habakkuk has put God in the docket and is calling God to 373 00:20:21,045 --> 00:20:22,605 explain and justify himself. 374 00:20:24,885 --> 00:20:28,635 How often y'all have our actions and reactions to circumstances in life 375 00:20:28,635 --> 00:20:30,735 revealed a heart that questions the Lord. 376 00:20:32,354 --> 00:20:36,435 We may know in the vacuum, we may know on Sunday morning that God is 377 00:20:36,435 --> 00:20:39,284 sovereign and has a perfect plan and works it out according to his will, 378 00:20:39,284 --> 00:20:40,844 and his perfect plan is always good. 379 00:20:41,895 --> 00:20:46,935 We may know that on Sunday morning, but on Tuesday afternoon when the bad news comes, 380 00:20:47,415 --> 00:20:49,395 our reactions and actions betrayed that. 381 00:20:49,395 --> 00:20:51,435 We don't necessarily always believe that 382 00:20:53,925 --> 00:20:56,294 when we complain about our spouse or our children. 383 00:20:58,665 --> 00:21:04,035 When we complain about a situation at work, when we stew in frustration, 384 00:21:04,035 --> 00:21:09,675 when our plans don't come to fruition, when we make rash decisions without 385 00:21:09,675 --> 00:21:12,585 counsel, just trying to get out of a trial as quickly as we can. 386 00:21:13,965 --> 00:21:16,365 Instead of sitting in it and saying, God, what are you trying to maybe teach 387 00:21:16,365 --> 00:21:20,415 me right now when we're not praying? 388 00:21:22,935 --> 00:21:25,185 You know, these are all ways that we are. 389 00:21:25,695 --> 00:21:27,165 Effectively communicating to God. 390 00:21:27,165 --> 00:21:28,515 God, I know better than you do. 391 00:21:31,365 --> 00:21:33,945 When we grumble about our circumstances, y'all are fantasize 392 00:21:33,945 --> 00:21:35,175 about a different reality. 393 00:21:36,135 --> 00:21:38,985 We are in essence telling God, you made a mistake and I know better. 394 00:21:43,185 --> 00:21:44,625 God answers Habakkuk again. 395 00:21:44,835 --> 00:21:46,095 He condescends to the prophet. 396 00:21:46,275 --> 00:21:48,135 He doesn't consume him in fire. 397 00:21:49,485 --> 00:21:51,585 He lovingly, graciously merci mercifully. 398 00:21:52,245 --> 00:21:53,295 Respond to the prophet. 399 00:21:53,295 --> 00:21:55,245 In verse two says, the Lord answered me. 400 00:21:55,365 --> 00:21:58,695 Write the vision and make it plain on the tablet so he may run. 401 00:21:58,695 --> 00:22:00,075 Who reads it for still? 402 00:22:00,075 --> 00:22:00,825 The vision awaits. 403 00:22:00,825 --> 00:22:01,725 It's a point in time. 404 00:22:01,784 --> 00:22:03,075 It hasten to the end. 405 00:22:03,105 --> 00:22:04,274 It will not lie. 406 00:22:04,635 --> 00:22:05,715 If it seems slow. 407 00:22:05,715 --> 00:22:06,495 Wait for it. 408 00:22:06,764 --> 00:22:07,905 It will surely come. 409 00:22:08,055 --> 00:22:08,745 It will not. 410 00:22:08,745 --> 00:22:09,195 Delay. 411 00:22:09,225 --> 00:22:09,735 Delay. 412 00:22:09,945 --> 00:22:11,625 Behold, his soul is puffed up. 413 00:22:11,655 --> 00:22:16,245 It is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. 414 00:22:17,415 --> 00:22:20,895 God's response to Habakkuk is such that he says, Habakkuk, you need to 415 00:22:20,895 --> 00:22:25,995 trust that I do indeed know better and listen what I'm about to tell you. 416 00:22:26,355 --> 00:22:27,585 I want you to write it down. 417 00:22:27,975 --> 00:22:31,305 And he says that because he says it it, it may not come as 418 00:22:31,305 --> 00:22:32,505 quickly as you want it to come. 419 00:22:33,165 --> 00:22:35,175 It may not happen according to your timeframe. 420 00:22:35,175 --> 00:22:39,525 But Habakkuk, I want you to write this down and know for sure that it will come. 421 00:22:39,525 --> 00:22:41,685 And in the meantime, Habakkuk, here's your job. 422 00:22:41,685 --> 00:22:42,135 You ready? 423 00:22:42,315 --> 00:22:42,705 Habakkuk? 424 00:22:43,035 --> 00:22:45,435 Your job is to live by. 425 00:22:46,185 --> 00:22:49,844 Faith that probably that verse sounds familiar to you. 426 00:22:49,844 --> 00:22:51,195 The righteous shall live by faith. 427 00:22:51,975 --> 00:22:55,334 Paul picks it up in Romans and applies it to salvation that the righteous 428 00:22:55,334 --> 00:22:57,854 person is saved by his faith. 429 00:22:58,125 --> 00:23:01,004 The writer of Hebrews is gonna grab it and he's gonna apply it to our endurance 430 00:23:01,004 --> 00:23:05,115 and our perseverance, our steadfastness throughout our lives as believers 431 00:23:05,115 --> 00:23:10,215 that the righteous adheres to Christ and, and sticks with Christ by faith. 432 00:23:11,655 --> 00:23:13,064 Well that comes all the way back here. 433 00:23:13,095 --> 00:23:16,665 This is where it begins with God's words to Habakkuk as, as Habakkuk is 434 00:23:16,665 --> 00:23:17,715 looking at God going, what are you? 435 00:23:18,254 --> 00:23:18,945 What are you doing? 436 00:23:19,845 --> 00:23:20,925 Are you sure about this? 437 00:23:20,925 --> 00:23:24,225 God, I think I might know better than you do on this one. 438 00:23:24,225 --> 00:23:29,865 God, God's gonna say, Habakkuk, I do have a plan that you can trust, 439 00:23:30,495 --> 00:23:33,675 but as you wait, you need to trust that my plan is always better, 440 00:23:33,915 --> 00:23:35,834 and you're gonna do that by faith. 441 00:23:37,635 --> 00:23:39,765 You're not always gonna be able to see what God is doing 442 00:23:39,825 --> 00:23:41,055 with the trial in your life. 443 00:23:42,795 --> 00:23:46,095 You may never, this side of eternity, know what God is doing with the trial 444 00:23:46,095 --> 00:23:51,075 in your life, but you can maintain a confidence that he's doing something. 445 00:23:52,185 --> 00:23:54,225 You can have a faith that he's good. 446 00:23:55,125 --> 00:23:59,565 You can have a faith that says, God, I'm going to to trust you, and in 447 00:23:59,565 --> 00:24:02,235 the meantime I will remain patient. 448 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:07,530 One of the best ways that you can humbly admit that God knows 449 00:24:07,530 --> 00:24:09,900 better is by staying patient. 450 00:24:10,620 --> 00:24:12,270 In the midst of the trial, 451 00:24:14,670 --> 00:24:17,040 God tells Habakkuk of Babylon. 452 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:21,960 In the rest of this chapter, he says they are going to get what they deserve. 453 00:24:22,740 --> 00:24:24,390 Justice will be done to them as well. 454 00:24:24,390 --> 00:24:28,275 Habakkuk, it's a reminder that, like we talked about last week, that 455 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:29,910 that God's perspective is eternal. 456 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:33,570 God is not bound by our timeframe. 457 00:24:34,650 --> 00:24:37,680 God will see to it that every sin is dealt with, that every offense, 458 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:40,290 that every injustice is addressed. 459 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:42,060 And that's what he's reminding. 460 00:24:42,060 --> 00:24:45,330 Habakkuk, write the vision down Habakkuk, I'm gonna deal with them. 461 00:24:45,570 --> 00:24:48,240 In fact, he goes in, in the rest of chapter two with these woes, 462 00:24:48,270 --> 00:24:51,480 these curses of judgment against the Chaldeans, the Babylonians. 463 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:55,020 And God is going to deliver this justice. 464 00:24:55,170 --> 00:24:59,040 He's gonna say there in verse 16, you will have your fill of shame instead of glory. 465 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:02,490 Speaking of the, the, the ruler there of Babylon, you will have 466 00:25:02,490 --> 00:25:04,170 your fill of shame instead of glory. 467 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:06,630 Drink yourself and show your uncircumcision the 468 00:25:06,630 --> 00:25:07,680 gentile nature of these. 469 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:10,950 These evil people that were coming against God's people. 470 00:25:11,100 --> 00:25:13,620 The cup in the Lord's right hand will come around to you. 471 00:25:13,620 --> 00:25:19,110 The wrath that he is using you to execute will be executed upon you and 472 00:25:19,110 --> 00:25:20,970 utter shame will come upon your glory. 473 00:25:21,180 --> 00:25:24,810 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, as will the destruction 474 00:25:24,810 --> 00:25:26,760 of the beasts, so forth and so on. 475 00:25:27,570 --> 00:25:30,660 So God says to Habakkuk, I will deal with Babylon. 476 00:25:30,690 --> 00:25:31,650 They will know. 477 00:25:31,885 --> 00:25:33,264 That I am God. 478 00:25:33,264 --> 00:25:37,615 In fact, he goes on to say the whole earth will be full of the glory of the Lord. 479 00:25:37,615 --> 00:25:41,065 Verse 14, the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters 480 00:25:41,065 --> 00:25:44,155 cover the sea and so Babylon. 481 00:25:44,635 --> 00:25:47,095 This nation that was all about their own glory would be humbled 482 00:25:47,095 --> 00:25:50,155 and their glory would be supplanted by the glory of the Lord. 483 00:25:51,715 --> 00:25:53,725 Again, God's saying, Habak, it's gonna happen. 484 00:25:54,504 --> 00:25:55,735 You may not live that long. 485 00:25:56,365 --> 00:25:59,455 It may not be according to your timeframe, but trust that it will. 486 00:26:00,645 --> 00:26:03,074 When we don't know what God is doing, one of the best ways that we can trust 487 00:26:03,074 --> 00:26:07,845 that his will and his way is better, is by remaining patient and living by faith. 488 00:26:08,175 --> 00:26:10,485 That's not possible in and of ourselves. 489 00:26:11,355 --> 00:26:14,475 Our flesh is going to grate against that with every ounce of its being. 490 00:26:15,465 --> 00:26:17,595 It's gonna say, man, I don't want to be patient. 491 00:26:18,405 --> 00:26:20,054 I don't want to live by faith. 492 00:26:20,955 --> 00:26:22,095 I want results. 493 00:26:23,774 --> 00:26:26,564 But with the spirit dwelling within us, we can overcome that. 494 00:26:27,495 --> 00:26:30,135 This is what it means that, as Paul writes in Philippians chapter four, 495 00:26:30,135 --> 00:26:34,935 that we can have a peace that surpasses what understanding, which would imply 496 00:26:34,935 --> 00:26:40,335 that there's a peace that we need when we don't understand that can be ours 497 00:26:40,335 --> 00:26:44,385 through the spirit, or we can live by faith in the promise that Paul records 498 00:26:44,385 --> 00:26:48,675 in Romans eight, that God is working all things according to our good. 499 00:26:49,905 --> 00:26:51,705 That is that we would be made more like Jesus. 500 00:26:54,060 --> 00:26:56,820 We can wait and we can trust in the midst of the plan and say, 501 00:26:56,820 --> 00:26:59,400 God, your way is better than mine. 502 00:27:00,180 --> 00:27:05,070 I wouldn't do things this way, God, but I'm gonna trust that your plan is better. 503 00:27:08,010 --> 00:27:11,340 When you're tempted to complain about a circumstance in life, perhaps stop 504 00:27:11,340 --> 00:27:14,580 and ask yourself if you might be implying that you know better than God, 505 00:27:16,860 --> 00:27:19,440 because we need to remember God's place in our place, and that's 506 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:20,940 where he ends in chapter two. 507 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:24,930 He says, look at verse 20, but the Lord is in his holy temple. 508 00:27:25,170 --> 00:27:30,690 Let all the Earth, including you, Habakkuk, keep silence before him. 509 00:27:32,580 --> 00:27:35,070 This is that moment where God is saying, okay, enough is enough. 510 00:27:35,940 --> 00:27:38,670 You've challenged my goodness, you've challenged my holiness. 511 00:27:38,670 --> 00:27:40,020 You've challenged my character. 512 00:27:40,020 --> 00:27:41,130 You've challenged what I'm doing. 513 00:27:41,460 --> 00:27:44,700 Now it's time to simply trust me and submit to me. 514 00:27:47,190 --> 00:27:49,710 The good news is, is Habak is not Jonah. 515 00:27:51,270 --> 00:27:52,500 Habakkuk gets the message. 516 00:27:53,490 --> 00:27:54,750 In fact, look at chapter three with me. 517 00:27:55,440 --> 00:27:59,940 Says this, a prayer of Habakkuk the prophet according to the shaana. 518 00:27:59,940 --> 00:28:02,580 And you're all better off because I mispronounced that Hebrew word for you. 519 00:28:03,960 --> 00:28:06,030 But Habakkuk's gonna respond with this prayer. 520 00:28:06,030 --> 00:28:07,020 And I love the prayer. 521 00:28:07,080 --> 00:28:11,010 He says, oh Lord, I have heard the report of you and your work. 522 00:28:11,010 --> 00:28:15,870 Oh Lord, do I fear in the midst of years, revive it in the midst of the years. 523 00:28:15,870 --> 00:28:18,600 Make it known in wrath. 524 00:28:19,350 --> 00:28:20,130 Remember mercy. 525 00:28:21,690 --> 00:28:24,870 And so the prophet appeals back to what he knows to be true about God. 526 00:28:24,870 --> 00:28:27,845 Now he's appealing back saying, God, you are right. 527 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:30,209 I know who you are. 528 00:28:30,209 --> 00:28:30,810 I know. 529 00:28:30,810 --> 00:28:34,350 And if he, he's gonna go on in chapter three here and talk about the works 530 00:28:34,350 --> 00:28:37,860 of God specifically during the Exodus, how God led his people out in such a 531 00:28:37,860 --> 00:28:40,860 powerful way from slavery in Egypt and brought them into the promised land. 532 00:28:40,860 --> 00:28:43,949 And Habakkuk is gonna say, Lord, I'm asking you to bring those 533 00:28:43,949 --> 00:28:47,159 years back in the, the midst of your, your, your time right now, 534 00:28:47,159 --> 00:28:48,330 the judgment that you're bringing. 535 00:28:48,330 --> 00:28:52,259 Lord, I I would ask that you revive the, the good times that 536 00:28:52,259 --> 00:28:55,259 we've had, the, the goodness that you've showed to your people. 537 00:28:57,090 --> 00:28:59,040 And so Habakkuk, praise in your wrath. 538 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:01,830 Lord, please remember mercy too. 539 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:10,740 The vision that Habakkuk saw here and heard from the Lord encouraged him in 540 00:29:10,740 --> 00:29:13,500 the face of the impending judgment at the hands of the Babylonians, that God 541 00:29:13,500 --> 00:29:18,750 was going to in fact see to justice being administered, and it reminded 542 00:29:18,750 --> 00:29:22,170 him of God's past faithfulness in tearing, taking care of his people. 543 00:29:23,010 --> 00:29:26,340 Which gave him the confidence that he would continue to do the same. 544 00:29:27,510 --> 00:29:32,880 So when we don't know what God is doing, there's that moment that we can get 545 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:36,960 to a sense of peace, and this indeed is part of the peace that surpasses 546 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:40,860 understanding, that's rooted in our understanding, in our memory of all 547 00:29:40,860 --> 00:29:44,850 the good that God has done to us in the past, where we can get to the place of 548 00:29:44,850 --> 00:29:48,000 saying, God, if you've been faithful in the past, you'll be faithful to me still. 549 00:29:49,255 --> 00:29:52,095 I want you to note here that God doesn't tell Habak Habakkuk. 550 00:29:52,140 --> 00:29:53,100 It's all gonna be okay. 551 00:29:54,870 --> 00:29:57,480 He doesn't tell Habakkuk, Hey, Habakkuk, the Babylonians aren't 552 00:29:57,480 --> 00:29:58,800 as scary as you think they are. 553 00:30:00,630 --> 00:30:03,090 He doesn't tell Habakkuk, Hey, everyone you love is gonna 554 00:30:03,090 --> 00:30:04,140 come through this thing, fine. 555 00:30:07,980 --> 00:30:11,940 Habakkuk is still gonna have to face the reality of the impending judgment that 556 00:30:11,940 --> 00:30:17,670 God was bringing, but he's gotten to the place now with God's gracious help. 557 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:22,470 To say, okay, to live by faith means to trust in who you are. 558 00:30:23,490 --> 00:30:26,790 And part of that means rehearsing who we know him to be, who he's 559 00:30:26,790 --> 00:30:30,390 proved himself to be time and time again over our lives in the past. 560 00:30:30,390 --> 00:30:32,580 So our final point this morning is this, humbly, remember 561 00:30:32,970 --> 00:30:35,610 God's past kindness humbly. 562 00:30:35,610 --> 00:30:37,770 Remember God's past kindness. 563 00:30:39,795 --> 00:30:42,945 To help bolster and strengthen your trust in God when you 564 00:30:42,945 --> 00:30:44,415 don't know what God is doing. 565 00:30:44,595 --> 00:30:48,375 Remembering how faithful he's been to you and your family in the past is 566 00:30:48,375 --> 00:30:54,525 gonna help you walk by faith in the moment that he will be faithful to 567 00:30:54,525 --> 00:30:55,965 fulfill his promises in the future. 568 00:30:59,900 --> 00:31:00,190 When 569 00:31:02,625 --> 00:31:07,335 the twins were newborns every morning, they woke up. 570 00:31:08,610 --> 00:31:11,490 Just irate that they had not yet been fed. 571 00:31:14,010 --> 00:31:14,940 We fed them every day. 572 00:31:16,199 --> 00:31:17,550 It's like, why don't you remember this? 573 00:31:17,550 --> 00:31:20,159 Well, because all the brain chemistry and everything else like that, we 574 00:31:20,159 --> 00:31:21,749 can't expect too much of, of infants. 575 00:31:21,749 --> 00:31:22,020 Right. 576 00:31:23,129 --> 00:31:24,090 They don't know. 577 00:31:24,120 --> 00:31:25,979 'cause they don't remember because they, they're not 578 00:31:25,979 --> 00:31:27,120 there yet in their development. 579 00:31:27,270 --> 00:31:31,620 I remember Amanda, I think, shared this with our, our ladies, but there was a, a 580 00:31:31,830 --> 00:31:35,040 professor that we had back at Masters who he and his wife adopted a little girl from 581 00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:39,239 a, an Eastern bloc country and they are a Soviet bloc country and they, they brought 582 00:31:39,239 --> 00:31:42,600 her home and they took her to church and. 583 00:31:43,035 --> 00:31:45,465 They're sitting in church and her number flashes up on the screen 584 00:31:45,465 --> 00:31:47,385 that says, Hey, you need to come to the, the kids' ministry wing. 585 00:31:48,254 --> 00:31:49,125 So they get up quickly. 586 00:31:49,125 --> 00:31:51,525 This is their, her first Sunday at church, and they go back into the kids' 587 00:31:51,525 --> 00:31:55,514 ministry wing and they, they open the door and they're wondering if maybe she 588 00:31:55,514 --> 00:31:59,235 just is scared and she's crying and she's upset because this is all new to her. 589 00:31:59,595 --> 00:32:01,545 Well, no, she's happy as she could be. 590 00:32:01,845 --> 00:32:06,345 She's sitting at the table, in fact, and she's got so much food in front of her and 591 00:32:06,345 --> 00:32:08,295 she's just mowing down on all this food. 592 00:32:08,790 --> 00:32:12,810 It was every single other kid around the snack table that was in tears. 593 00:32:15,030 --> 00:32:19,649 The reason being she grew up in a situation where she 594 00:32:19,649 --> 00:32:20,550 had to fight for her food. 595 00:32:21,990 --> 00:32:25,440 So when they passed out snacks, she was like Game on. 596 00:32:26,100 --> 00:32:29,220 And all these little Southern California kids that had no clue what was going 597 00:32:29,220 --> 00:32:33,780 on, they just got mugged by this little kid from, from Eastern Europe. 598 00:32:34,754 --> 00:32:36,375 And she just grabbed it all and brought it in. 599 00:32:36,615 --> 00:32:36,915 Why? 600 00:32:36,915 --> 00:32:39,675 Because she had not been shown the past kindness enough to 601 00:32:39,675 --> 00:32:40,784 know that, you know what? 602 00:32:41,324 --> 00:32:44,715 You're gonna have food today and you're gonna have food tomorrow, and you're 603 00:32:44,715 --> 00:32:45,824 gonna have food the next day too. 604 00:32:48,074 --> 00:32:51,945 You know, we need to remember God's past kindness to us in the times, 605 00:32:51,945 --> 00:32:55,304 especially when we don't know what he's doing, because it reminds us 606 00:32:55,304 --> 00:32:58,304 that he's good and he loves us and he's gonna continue to provide for us. 607 00:32:59,534 --> 00:33:02,445 Don't hear me say the trial's gonna be taken away immediately. 608 00:33:03,900 --> 00:33:05,700 Or per, perhaps this side of eternity. 609 00:33:08,490 --> 00:33:10,740 That's not what we read about in Habakkuk. 610 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:13,320 The Babylonians still show up, 611 00:33:16,470 --> 00:33:20,669 but I want us to land here to, to understand why this is, how 612 00:33:20,669 --> 00:33:23,640 this all fits together with, with what Habakkuk says in the end. 613 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:25,200 Look at verse 17 with me. 614 00:33:27,345 --> 00:33:30,765 He says, though the fig tree should not blossom nor fruit beyond the 615 00:33:30,765 --> 00:33:34,515 vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food. 616 00:33:34,665 --> 00:33:38,295 The flock be cut off from the fold, and there'd be no herd in the stalls. 617 00:33:39,945 --> 00:33:43,095 He's depicting, uh, an apocalyptic wasteland here. 618 00:33:44,099 --> 00:33:44,320 In. 619 00:33:44,324 --> 00:33:47,534 In fact, this is the, the imagery of a war, war torn country. 620 00:33:47,985 --> 00:33:50,864 This is what Babylon would do to the nations that they came through. 621 00:33:50,864 --> 00:33:52,034 They would destroy the crops. 622 00:33:52,034 --> 00:33:53,024 They would destroy the herds. 623 00:33:53,024 --> 00:33:57,224 They would take away all the sources of what Israel needed to be able to 624 00:33:57,224 --> 00:33:59,564 subsist to be able to simply live. 625 00:34:01,004 --> 00:34:05,144 Habakkuk says, even if that happens, God, he says in verse 18, 626 00:34:05,144 --> 00:34:09,074 yet, I will rejoice in the Lord. 627 00:34:09,585 --> 00:34:10,605 I will take joy. 628 00:34:11,565 --> 00:34:15,585 The God of my salvation. 629 00:34:19,304 --> 00:34:20,565 That's the key here. 630 00:34:22,185 --> 00:34:26,385 When you remember how faithful God has been to you in the past, it reminds you 631 00:34:26,385 --> 00:34:31,815 that God will always be faithful and there is a promise if you are in Christ, that 632 00:34:31,815 --> 00:34:36,105 is yours this morning, that no trial, no tribulation, no amount of suffering, 633 00:34:36,105 --> 00:34:39,014 no loss can ever take away from you. 634 00:34:40,440 --> 00:34:47,639 And that promise is that one day you will go to be with him forever, and there will 635 00:34:47,639 --> 00:34:50,250 never be another Babylon in your life. 636 00:34:50,820 --> 00:34:53,760 There will never be another trial that comes against you. 637 00:34:54,449 --> 00:34:56,820 There will never be another sickness. 638 00:34:56,820 --> 00:35:00,840 There will never be another moment of strife in a relationship. 639 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:05,580 There will never be another moment of injustice in your life. 640 00:35:08,475 --> 00:35:11,175 And then you will be with him and in the, the twinkling of an 641 00:35:11,175 --> 00:35:13,905 eye, revelation 21 will be here. 642 00:35:15,555 --> 00:35:18,735 And you will realize, man, this is what it is for God to be with us as 643 00:35:18,735 --> 00:35:20,295 our God, for us to dwell with him. 644 00:35:20,295 --> 00:35:21,645 He's gonna wipe away the tears. 645 00:35:22,125 --> 00:35:22,965 There's no more sickness. 646 00:35:22,965 --> 00:35:26,115 There's no more sorrow, there's no more devastation, there's no more enemies. 647 00:35:26,115 --> 00:35:27,915 There's, it's, it's gone. 648 00:35:30,045 --> 00:35:32,565 And not just for a, a, it's not a vacation. 649 00:35:33,615 --> 00:35:34,485 That you're headed towards. 650 00:35:34,485 --> 00:35:36,525 It's an eternity that you're headed towards that way. 651 00:35:39,495 --> 00:35:40,995 God's been faithful in the past. 652 00:35:40,995 --> 00:35:42,285 He's shown himself that way. 653 00:35:43,335 --> 00:35:45,975 Part of the reason is, is so that when we don't understand what he's doing right 654 00:35:45,975 --> 00:35:50,235 now, we remember that that's the promise that ultimately matters for us, and 655 00:35:50,235 --> 00:35:52,365 that nothing can take that promise away. 656 00:35:52,905 --> 00:35:54,105 Nothing will change that. 657 00:35:55,665 --> 00:35:59,535 If you are in Christ, you are in Christ forever. 658 00:36:00,885 --> 00:36:02,745 And he will see to it that he brings you home to be with him. 659 00:36:05,175 --> 00:36:08,355 The righteous can live by faith and hold onto that no matter what happens. 660 00:36:10,755 --> 00:36:12,735 So Babylon may come now, 661 00:36:14,835 --> 00:36:15,765 but they won't be there then. 662 00:36:18,255 --> 00:36:20,715 You know Babylon may come and take away health now. 663 00:36:20,895 --> 00:36:23,355 May take away relationships, now. 664 00:36:23,385 --> 00:36:25,275 May take away a job now, 665 00:36:27,555 --> 00:36:29,355 but it can't take away your future with Christ. 666 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:36,810 So in the end, we can say with Habakkuk, Lord, if you take everything 667 00:36:39,180 --> 00:36:40,230 and I've got nothing left 668 00:36:42,390 --> 00:36:48,225 yet, I will rejoice and I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 669 00:36:50,745 --> 00:36:54,510 I hope this morning that you know that confidence. 670 00:36:55,740 --> 00:36:56,880 I hope this morning that you. 671 00:36:57,750 --> 00:37:03,120 Feel that I hope this morning that you can say, yes, I, I, I have a 672 00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:07,470 future confidence that I'm in Christ and I will be with him forever. 673 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:15,090 If you don't have that this morning, you can before you leave this place, 674 00:37:18,330 --> 00:37:22,110 it's not a prerequisite of certain amount of Bible knowledge. 675 00:37:22,110 --> 00:37:25,260 It's not about cleaning yourself up before you come in here and sit down. 676 00:37:27,315 --> 00:37:31,425 It's not about who your family is currently or was or any of that. 677 00:37:34,365 --> 00:37:39,075 It's about surrendering in faith to Jesus. 678 00:37:40,815 --> 00:37:44,085 The Bible talks about it as a transaction of repenting from our 679 00:37:44,115 --> 00:37:47,115 sins and putting our trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. 680 00:37:47,270 --> 00:37:52,755 The transaction that takes place there is that you get his full righteousness. 681 00:37:55,335 --> 00:38:00,165 And he gets your sin, all of it, and he goes to the cross, which 682 00:38:00,165 --> 00:38:05,925 he's already done, and he paid the penalty so that the receipt left 683 00:38:05,925 --> 00:38:07,395 on your life says paid in full. 684 00:38:09,765 --> 00:38:13,275 If you'll repent from your sins, which simply means to turn to do an 685 00:38:13,275 --> 00:38:17,535 about face, to turn from your sins and to trust in Jesus as your Lord and 686 00:38:17,535 --> 00:38:20,025 Savior, that he died on the cross for your sins, that you can be forgiven, 687 00:38:20,025 --> 00:38:22,485 that he rose again from the dead, so that you will live with him forever. 688 00:38:23,010 --> 00:38:26,640 This morning, you can walk out with that guaranteed future promise 689 00:38:26,640 --> 00:38:27,840 that nothing can take from you. 690 00:38:29,010 --> 00:38:32,550 So I hope if you haven't done that yet, that you'll do 691 00:38:32,550 --> 00:38:33,870 business with God this morning. 692 00:38:36,180 --> 00:38:38,550 Will you stand with me as I pray and we'll be done?