What is God’s answer when men are in control and injustice abounds? Laws are powerless and God appears to be nowhere to be found.
Habakkuk, a minor prophet in the Old Testament, asked this very question. He saw evil all around him in the kingdom of Judah and he wanted to know why God, who cannot look on wickedness (Hab. 2:13), tolerated iniquity, trouble, plundering, violence, strife and perverse judgment (1:2-4).
God answered Habakkuk in a surprising way. God said He was going to bring even more evil on Judah. He would bring the Chaldeans, a ‘bitter and hasty nation’ to bring terrible and dreadful judgment to them (1:5-11).
Habakkuk complained about this answer and said Judah was easy prey (1:12-17) but God responded that the Chaldean’s day would come and all evil would be eradicated (3:13).
Habakkuk was told to wait patiently for that day to come. The day did come and the Chaldeans were no more. The day came for many corrupt dealings in the church to be exposed and removed, such as in the “Me too” movement. The day came when Jesus defeated all the evil schemes of Satan. The day will come when the injustices you suffer will be righted.
One day soon Jesus will demolish all the evil that we see in the nations around us and “as the waters fill the sea, the earth (will be) filled with an awareness of the glory of the LORD” (Hab. 2:14 NLT). Jesus will fulfil everything that Habakkuk was patiently waiting for.
In the meantime, think about this song that Habakkuk penned and share his faith as you await the righteous retribution of the LORD.
“Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights” (Hab.3:17-19 NLT).
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