The Prophet's Resolve
Hab. 3:16-18
Jay Horsley
Habakkuk lived in a bad time. He got to see the dreaded Assyrian Empire fall, (612 B.C.) but their successors, the Babylonians, quickly became just as threatening the the ever declining, and now vassal state, of Judah. As the Assyrian nation was dying, Pharaoh Neco of Egypt tried unsuccessfully to march his army to their relief. The last good king of Judah fielded his army to stop them. It was crushed and king Josiah was killed. Jehoahaz was made king until the Egyptians deposed him for his brother, who was made a vassal of the Egyptians. The Babylonians then marched by Jerusalem on their way to chastise the Egyptians for helping the now gone Assyrians. On the way home, after punishing the Egyptians, the Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem and took the first group of captives back to Babylon (606 B.C.).
At some time amidst all of this, the book of Habakkuk was written. He sees that all is going badly for Judah and Jerusalem. In the first of three sections of this book, there are two complaints to God as Habakkuk tries to reconcile the goodness of God with all the evil he sees around him. He is assured that God is still working His plan among the nations and that God's working is beyond man's comprehension. “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days--You would not believe if you were told.” (Hab. 1:5) God tells him that He is going to use the Babylonians to do His work. Habakkuk, exactly as God predicted, is unable to understand what God is doing.
In response to Habakkuk's second complaint, God graciously goes on to explain that the Babylonians will be punished for their evil deeds as well. The second section of the book has five woes pronounced on them for their wickedness. God will dispose of them when He is done with them. The last section of the book is Habakkuk's prayer of mercy in light of this revelation from God. Habakkuk prays for mercy and extols the power of God for all the things that God has done in the past – with the confidence that God is still working in such a gracious way presently.
This attitude of Habakkuk is one that we would do well to imitate. Although his address to God is in the form of a complaint, it is couched in very reverent tones. When Habakkuk makes his second complaint due to being so perplexed by what God is doing, he does so by stating his acknowledgement of God's justice and continual goodness. We need to have such faith and confidence when we face our difficult and perplexing times.
Without giving details such as time and date, Habakkuk is told more than enough to know that things are going to get much worse before they get better. Habakkuk's nation will face an enemy that they cannot defeat. “They are dreaded and feared. Their justice and authority originate with themselves. Their horses are swifter than leopards And keener than wolves in the evening. Their horsemen come galloping, Their horsemen come from afar; They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces moves forward. They collect captives like sand. They mock at kings, And rulers are a laughing matter to them. They laugh at every fortress, And heap up rubble to capture it. Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god.” (Hab. 1:7-11)
What would be our attitude were we to live such circumstances as Habakkuk did – and knowing that worse was yet to come? Yes, the things that he faced were quite unusual, but they are not unknown to man. It is not impossible that they come, even to good men. Habakkuk saw the destruction of his nation, his city, his people. Every physical thing that gave comfort and assurance would be gone. Nothing is left but hope in God. For many, that would not be enough to keep them faithful. Habakkuk resolved that for him it would be.
Habakkuk knew it would be hard. Trembling, quivering at what would come, with fear eating away at the bones – he would still be faithful. Even if every source of food would fail, still he would be faithful. This is the resolve that we all should have. If our resolve is weak, circumstance will overtake us. Habakkuk's resolve was to be faithful regardless of circumstance. Imagine the worst case scenario, will you be faithful in it?
This resolution, and only this, is sensible. Those who contemplate being unfaithful and can see what things are more dear to themselves than their faith may well see the day when they have to choice between them. But for the resolute, there is a satisfactory spiritual end. He'll have a hope that goes beyond the circumstances of this life, beyond the grave and even beyond the judgment. For we know that any loss is possible in this life. The losses that we ourselves have suffered, and that scripture warns us of, are sufficient for us to realize this possibility. But true spiritual joy is because of spiritual blessings and hope, and these are from, and in, the One who promised “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU.” (Heb. 13:5)
How faithful are you resolved to be? What do you know of the will cause you to stumble? And what are you doing to make sure that your heart is unyieldingly the Lord's?