“Salvation”

Habakkuk 3:16-19

Alec Wallis

30 October 2016

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Question: What does it mean to be saved?

• Hope and despair

For Judah it was because of their sin

God stopped protect them as He had protected them in the past.

God also then was the one to rise up the Babylonians against Judah because of justice

Therefore the law is paralysed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told. I am raising up the Babylonians, that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth

Habakkuk 1:4-6

Habakkuk is showing signs of stress for the judgement that will come

 I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound;
decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled.

Habakkuk 3:16

He knows that while he is living in difficult times with the amount of sin of Judah, worse days await

There is a sense of doom coming in the form of the great Babylonian army, the superpower of the day

…..

Today we also live in difficult times

Habakkuk voiced his despair over the sin of Judah

It is easy to fall into despair over the state of the church

There is an unprecedented number of ways the church is under attack

There is persecution against Christians

Isis is a group known for its persecution of Christians

While the church in the west may experience indifference and hatred, we are not experiencing death and destruction like our Christian brothers and sisters in other parts of the world.

Daily, 273 die for their Christian faith, which translates into 11 each hour. Those numbers don’t even include those who are tortured, imprisoned, exiled, threatened, excluded, attacked and discriminated against on a widespread scale.

Bishop John McAreavey

In the tragedy earlier this week at Dreamworld where four people were killed, it was interesting hearing the comments from Queensland Police assistant commissioner Brian Codd.

He said a boy and girl aged 10 and 13 managed to escape the tragedy “maybe through the providence of God”

While there is despair over the loss of four people there was joy in the miracle of 2 children surviving

The police assistant commissioner was right in attributing God as being in control of the event even if suffering is a part of it.

There is a balance in life between hope and despair

This is what Habakkuk is going through

For him there is the despair of sin and of the prophesised invasion by Babylon

Yet there is also hope in God that he will rescue and save

In life we can fluctuate between hope and despair depending on what is going on in our lives

We like Habakkuk should take heart in knowing God is in control

We find peace in the joy of God our salvation

Though the fig tree should not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fail

and the fields yield no food,

the flock be cut off from the fold

and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the LORD;

I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

Habbakuk 3:17,18

• Judgement and discipline

The major theme of this book is that God brings judgement

God will judge Judah and then the Babylonians

Habakkuk is assured that God’s justice will come to the Babylonians

Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity
to come on the nation invading us.

Habakkuk 3:16

Some groups see disaster as judgement

Malaysia Airlines MH17 crash was punishment for sin, says extremist Westboro Baptist Church group

Christianity Today

 MH17 crash ‘punishment’ for Malaysia Airlines offering alcohol, flight attendants’ dress: Islamic Party

Sydney Morning Herald

Christians should not fear God punishing us for our sins because the punishment has already been paid for

For believers in Jesus, all our sin—past, present, and future—has already been punished on the cross. As Christians, we will never be punished for sin. That was done once for all. “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

J.I. Packer

There is a difference between judgement and discipline

The Bible is clear that the church will receive discipline

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.

Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.

Hebrews 12:7-10

My Mum disciplined me for almost electrocuting my brother. She made me touch an electric fence so I would know what happens if I play with electricity. If it was a punishment, it would have been cruel, as the punishment would not have matched the action of a child. The discipline was to keep me and my brother alive by teaching me how dangerous electricity is. I love her for being a mother who taught me hard lessons even though it hurt her in the process.

The book of Habakkuk is about judgement not discipline

The people of Judah were brought to justice because of their sin

We do not live in the days of Habakkuk

God does not punish us for our sins but we will live with the consequences

Praise be to God that we have Jesus who protects us from the judgement we deserve

Praise be to God that we can be disciplined so that we can grow and move from living sinful lives to becoming Christlike.

• Destruction and salvation

Much of this chapter involves destruction

God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens and his praise filled the earth. His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden. Plague went before him; pestilence followed his steps.

He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed—but he marches on forever. I saw the tents of Cushan in distress, the dwellings of Midian in anguish.

Habakkuk 3:3-7

This is looking to the past of what God did to bring them to the promised land

This book finishes with a beautiful verse on God being our strength

Matthew Henry sums up this chapter with

The prophet, who began his prayer with fear and trembling, ends it with joy and triumph.

Matthew Henry

God brings destruction because of justice

God will always give a means of salvation

e.g. Noah

We as the church are to share a loving Jesus to a dying world

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:15,16

I don’t agree with the previous headlines that God judges sin even on the unrighteousness

I believe we are living in a period of grace until Jesus returns

Therefore the suffering and destruction in this world is not a result of God’s punishment but rather a result of how the church has become less influential and Christians more insular

With God supporting us, we should be increasing our efforts to help others as this verse says

The church is not punished but disciplined e.g. the church in Great Britain that was refined by the Viking invasions

We will have to give an account of what we did here on earth i.e. the parable of the talents

Not only are we to have hope and joy in salvation

We are to share this with others

God uses us to bring His salvation to others

Challenge: Show a loving Jesus to a dying world

“Justice”

Habakkuk 2:9-14

Alec Wallis

23 October 2016

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Questions: What is justice? How does God’s justice differ from our justice?

1. God is just

Scales

A false balance is an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is His delight

Proverbs 11:1 ESV

God loves justice

We worship an amazing God who can only be just

We praise God for he is perfect and just

The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.

Deuteronomy 32:4

We see the theme of justice repeated in the OT

mishpat = a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially

This word occurs over 400 times in the OT and in English becomes “Justice, judgement, ordinance, and other words to do with the legal process”

The Bible shows God being the one who delivers justice

When people sin they sin against God and also against others

Justice is for people who have been wronged

The Lord executes justice for the oppressed,

The Lord gives food to the hungry.

The Lord sets the prisoners free.

Psalm 146:7

We see justice in the world such as many of the men responsible for WW2 and atrocities against humanity being sentenced at Nuremburg

The problem for us is that even though we may not be guilty of war crimes like the Nazis were, we are still guilty of sin

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Romans 3:23

We are all therefore at the mercy of the justice of God

While God loves justice, He also desires to be merciful

Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;

He rises to show you compassion.

For the LORD is a God of justice.

Blessed are all who wait for him!

Isaiah 30:18

The only way God can show us both justice and mercy is the cross

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!

Romans 5:9

We rejoice because the justice of God is maintained by the punishment we deserve being paid in full and God’s compassion being displayed to us by offering us the gift of grace.

2. Exile as justice

The issue with justice for Habakkuk is that it is the Babylonians who are bringing justice to Judah

You, Lord, have appointed them to execute judgment; you, my Rock, have ordained them to punish

Habakkuk 1:12

God responds with the listing some of the injustices that need to be punished

Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain

Habakkuk 2:9

Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed

and establishes a town by injustice!

Habakkuk 2:12

God establishes that the people of Judah must be brought to justice for their sin

We see that God is the one who determines the history of nations

Judah is sent into exile but justice comes to the Babylonians too

Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us.

Habakkuk 3:16

…

One of the results of the exile is that other nations come to know God

These are the words of King Nebuchadnezzar after Shadrach Meshach and Abednego are rescued from the fire

Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent His angel and rescued his servants!

Daniel 3:28

If it were not for the exile, God’s glory would not have been able to be attributed to Him.

It was because of the Jews that they could know who it was.

3. Refining judgement 

Justice is a good thing as it brings about positive change

The judgement to Judah in the form of exile brought change to Nebuchadnezzar as he realised God was all powerful

Justice does not only deal with sin

Righteousness and justice went beyond the functioning of the court system. They were carried out as a means of legal legislation and social reforms that would proactively care for the weak and protect them

Walton and Hill

Justice brings care and protection for the weak and well as judgement on the wicked

We can rightly see God as a judge

God is judge over the nations and the individuals

His compassion means that his justice brings about reform

Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you;

He rises to show you compassion.

For the LORD is a God of justice.

Blessed are all who wait for him!

Isaiah 30:18

We can look forward to God’s justice because He will be gracious and compassionate to us

While we escape the condemnation from sin by the blood of Jesus, we can still face judgement before we die

It is even something we hope for

Correct me, LORD, but only with justice

Jeremiah 10:24

Justice and judgement refine us as they help us to be made accountable

The hope is that judgement and rebuke can led us back to a right relationship in obedience to God

We see throughout the Bible and history of judgement and rebuke bringing positive change

Jonah prophesised over Nineveh that God would bring about judgement on them and they repented and were therefore spared judgement

King David was rebuked by Nathan the prophet for having an affair with Bethsheba then having her husband Uriah killed. While King David still faced God’s judgement, he had turned back to God.

The Vikings were unstoppable from the 8^th to 11^th centuries

One of the major factors that caused them to settle down was Christianity

Many of those they captured converted the Vikings

Some scholars see that just as God used Babylon to bring judgement and refinement to Judah, God also did the same with the Vikings bringing judgement on the British

The Vikings would not have been attracted to churches or monasteries had not these centres succumbed to luxury … a consequence of the invasions was their indirect cleansing and refinement of the Christian movement

Ralph Winter

We therefore must rejoice in the justice and judgement of God

If we are the oppressed, God will care and protect us

If we are sinning, God will judge us so that we can be refined by turning back to God.

Challenge: To pray for God’s judgement so the world will come to a knowledge of the glory of the Lord

 

“Complaint”

Habakkuk 1:1-4

Alec Wallis

16 October 2016

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• Introduction

Prophecy was God speaking to His people

Prophecy is not prediction, it is the proclamation of God’s plan

Walton and Hill

Here is a timeline of the prophets

The prophets can be separated into major and minor prophets

The minor prophets were minor in length not minor in importance

Because Habakkuk is only 3 chapters he is a minor prophet

Almost nothing is known about him. Every other prophet has more information than him

The only details we know are the important ones that he was a prophet in Judah before going into exile

Also, scholars therefore see the book of Habakkuk predating the battle of Carchemish were the Babylonians defeat the Assyrians to become a world superpower

The raising up of the Babylonian army is seen in Habakkuk as the will of God

I am raising up the Babylonians,

that ruthless and impetuous people,

who sweep across the whole earth

to seize dwellings not their own.

Habakkuk 1:6

King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylon’s not only defeats the Assyrians but then sends Judah into exile.

The book therefore has some interesting themes such as God using an evil nation to bring judgement on the evil of Judah

…

• Lament

Earlier this year we looked at lament in the psalms

A lament is a repeated cry of pain, rage, sorrow, and grief that emerges in the midst of suffering and alienation

John Swinton

The Psalms are full of lament but the prophets also experienced lament

This is a picture of Jeremiah, often known as the weeping prophet, who is lamenting over the destruction of Jerusalem

Unlike most prophets, Habakkuk is the one who begins the conversation

Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah

Isaiah 38:4

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah

Jeremiah 32:36

 Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel

1 Samuel 15:10

What we have instead are these words to begin

How long, Lord, must I call for help,

but you do not listen?

Habakkuk 1:2

This chapter has two complaints from Habakkuk

The first asks God to respond

Why do you make me look at injustice?

Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?

Destruction and violence are before me;

there is strife, and conflict abounds.

Habakkuk 1:3

God responds with the plan to bring justice with the Babylonians

I am raising up the Babylonians,

that ruthless and impetuous people,

who sweep across the whole earth

to seize dwellings not their own.

Habakkuk 1:6

Lament at the end of this book gives way to praise

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls yet I will rejoice in the Lord

Habakkuk 3:17,18

Habakkuk acknowledges the suffering that awaits him

In spite of what is to come, he will still follow God

This is at the heart of lament – we know what is wrong in the world but we still belong to God not matter how bad things are

• God answers

One of the important points of this book is that God responds to Habakkuk

This is a key difference to the psalms where it is only the people speaking and not God

Because God responds and has a message for Habakkuk, it becomes prophecy

Maybe the next time you take your issues to God, you should have a pen and paper because God may respond to you like He did to Habakkuk

Habakkuk is to be commended for his faith

I will climb my watchtower and wait to see what the LORD will tell me to say and what answer He will give to my complaint.

Habakkuk 2:1 GNB

Habakkuk is expecting God to answer him

God will not disappoint the believing expectations of those who wait to hear what he will say unto them

Matthew Henry

My Grandad was not healed of his stroke, even though many people prayed that he would be. There was a sense that God answered the prayers by allowing Grandad to continue living and praying for us and being a blessing to us.

Challenge: To take our complaints to God and wait for His response