“Why?” Anyone who has children hears that question dozens of times, sometimes dozens of times in a single day. Why are you doing this?” “Why did you say that?” “Why does this happen?” “Why, why, why?” Simple, childlike curiosity seeks answers. Wise parents help to satisfy the curious mind.
Habakkuk was like a curious child, except his why questions were more than growing curiosity. Habakkuk saw injustice eating away at the fabric of Judah, where he lived. Maybe he was frustrated that his own efforts to call people to right living were ignored, or even ridiculed. So Habakkuk asked God about it.
His first question is simple: “Why, Lord, do you not punish this injustice?” God responds that he will punish it. In fact, he is already preparing the wicked Babylonians to be his agents of punishment. They will be the rod God will use to inflict punishment on his people.
But this stirs Habakkuk’s questioning deeper. “Why, Lord, would you use the wicked Babylonians to punish Judah?” Even at its worst, Judah was not as wicked as Babylon. Was it right for God to use a wicked instrument to punish people who weren’t as bad as they were? How could a just God allow a wicked nation and people to prosper? Again, God answers Habakkuk. The Babylonians are a temporary rod of punishment. They, too, will be punished for their evil, maybe not as quickly as Habakkuk would like. But judgment would come. All sin is judged by God.
Habakkuk was not afraid to boldly ask God questions, and he never doubted that God had the answers. Who among us has not asked why? Why do evil people prosper? Why do they seem to enjoy life more than I? Why do they seem to have all the money? Why do good people suffer when wicked people seem to escape? (Wow! These questions are timeless! Centuries after centuries after centuries, these questions are still present in our everyday lives.)
Don’t be afraid to address your questions directly to God. But when you ask, expect to receive a whole new understanding of the way he works in your life. God knows what’s going on in the world. He declared to Habakkuk, “The righteous will live by their faith” (2:4). God knows it takes faith to trust him to have a plan when the pieces don’t seem to fit, to make things right when they don’t seem to make sense. Remember that God may temporarily allow evil people to prosper, but it is not an enduring or permanent prosperity. God is just, and therefore justice will prevail and so will the godly. This is our great hope and assurance from God." (Touch Point Bible) (Yes, Lord!!! Thank you for blessing us with this understanding.)
Lord, thank you for your Word today! Help us trust in you. Help us embrace your omnipotence and have complete faith in you and the plans you have for each of us, even when we don’t understand. Lord, and thank you for blessing us with another book of your amazing Word. Lord, we love you!
May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26)
….AND MAY WE ALL PRACTICE THIS WITH ONE ANOTHER.
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