I have been studying the book of Habakkuk lately and it has really given me some beautiful insight. The reason I love this book is that it is still so relevant today. God didn’t need to continue to write down the history of His people because history just keeps repeating itself. Nations rise and fall, and people continue to whore themselves out to many other gods. They then get corrected and fall back into line with God’s plan for them, only to be led astray once more. Everything we need to know about the history of mankind is in the Old Testament and is very useful still today.
If you haven’t read the book of Habakkuk or haven’t read it recently, let me give a brief overview. The book is basically a conversation between Habakkuk and the Lord, and it starts off with Habakkuk crying out to the Lord in frustration. Before this book is written, Isreal has been split into two kingdoms, Israel and Judah. Israel has already been taken into captivity by the Assyrians and Judah has a time of peace and prosperity.
Israel goes through periods of being reigned by good and by evil kings, and the people thrive under the godly kings. However, shortly before the book of Habbakuk is written, the Egyptians attack Judah and kill the good king Josiah, leaving Judah in the hands of more evil kings. These evil kings mistreat the people of Judah, rejecting God and worshipping false gods. Under the reign of the evil king Jehoiakim, Judah quickly falls apart, and evil and violence reign with him.
This sets the stage for Habakkuk’s cry to God. He has seen Judah flourish under a godly king and now God’s people are being abused and His laws thrown away. Habakkuk is distraught and feels that God isn’t listening, just allowing evil to run rampant. Yet God answers Habukkuk and tells Him not only is He aware of His people’s distress, but He already has a plan to raise up the Babylonians to punish the evil leaders of Judah.
Habakkuk is shocked by this answer because He can’t understand why God would allow the evil Babylonians to be used for justice. The Babylonians are violent, cruel, and completely wicked. Habakkuk most likely wants to see peace and prosperity come back as it was before, without violence or punishment involved. Yet by the end of the book, we see Habakkuk humbled before God, accepting that He is a terrifying and awesome God who has proven Himself throughout history. He does not tolerate evil nor does He allow the evil to flourish.
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!
Habukkuk 3:17-18
Habakkuk proclaims his worship for the Lord, even though he knows what impending calamity is coming. He trusts in the Lord, and he surrenders his wants to what is ultimately going to be the greater good for God’s people.
We are once again in a time where we are under evil leaders who have led our country against God’s commands. We murder our own children to further our careers and prostitute ourselves out to whatever makes us feel good or valuable at the moment. We put God last and often times we don’t even believe in God or His goodness. Many of us cry out, just like Habakkuk, and say, “how long oh Lord must I call for help, but you do not listen?” Habukkuk 1:2
Habakkuk is such a great reminder that God’s ways are so much higher than ours. His plans are from an eternal perspective, a heavenly perspective, while ours are grounded in our emotions and circumstance. We think leaders should change, or people should change, or laws should change, but God sees through all of that and when He executes His plans they are perfect. The book of Habukkuk shows us that not even evil truly reigns in this world because God controls even that.
but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.
Psalm 139:12
God does not allow evil, nor is He afraid of evil. We think that evil is an all-encompassing force that runs rampant, but the darkness is as light to God. He sees the plans of the enemy and is an eternity ahead of every plan Satan makes. Evil can never triumph over God, and truly, there isn’t really even a fight. All the classic stories of good vs evil are still just a myth because in God’s reality evil never had a chance.
I know it can be so disheartening to see the evil and suffering in the world, but please know that God does not allow things to happen arbitrarily or in vain. He uses all things for the good of those who love Him, and He brings redemption to all our pain and suffering. I know that after a lifetime of being whored out to the occult I am finally on the other side of redemption. Instead of being afraid of what evil can do to me, I am learning to see what God inside of me can do to evil.
I will not be overcome, because I am an overcomer, and so are you. No matter what it feels like, no matter what your circumstances are, you are indeed victorious through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So I urge you to continue to be steadfast and secure in His strength and His plan.
I will climb up to my watchtower
and stand at my guardpost.
There I will wait to see what the Lord says
and how he will answer my complaint.
Habukkuk 2:1
