New Year Cheer From Habakkuk

Reflection on world conditions at the beginning of another year may well prompt questions which the prophet Habakkuk was asking 2,600 years ago:

O LORD, how long shall l cry, and Thou wilt not hear?

I cry out unto Thee of violence, and Thou wilt not save.

Why dost Thou show me iniquity, and look upon perverseness?

for spoiling and violence are before me:

and there is strife, and contention riseth up (Hab. 1:2,3).

For such questions are widely relevant to conditions in many parts of our 1995 world. Despite twenty-six centuries of 'advancement' since Habakkuk's day, human society is still pervaded by the same malaise. Sin in every person's heart finds its frequent outworking in selfishness, greed, violence and oppression. Habakkuk's problem was why God continued to allow these things, why He 'held His peace' and did not intervene.

Living at a critical juncture of Old Testament history, when the mighty Chaldean power would shortly swallow up the kingdom of Judas, Habakkuk had a clear vision of the sovereignty of the Holy One of Israel.

Referring to the Chaldean threat, he wrote:

Art not Thou from everlasting, 0 LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. 0 LORD, Thou hast ordained him for judgement; and Thou, 0 Rock, hast established him for correction (1:12).

While recognizing God's chastisement of Israel for their backsliding, Habakkuk nevertheless felt justified in the complaint that the Chaldeans were themselves even more wicked than many whom they were being used to chastise. Tossed about in his mind as he wrestled with the problem of God's dealings with the nations, the prophet finally stood back to view the scene from the divine perspective:

1 will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look forth to see what He will speak with me, and what I shall answer concerning my complaint (2:1).

Nor was he disappointed.

The LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hasteth toward the end, and shall not lie: Though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay but the just shall live by his faith (2:24).

Habakkuk was given a clear vision by God. He was to record what had been revealed, so that others could read it and be speeded forward in His way. What had been revealed would surely come to pass in God's appointed time. In waiting for its fulfilment the just would live by his faith.

Deriving from this divinely given reassurance came the prophet's calm confidence despite all appearances to the contrary. Recounting God's glory in creation and His sovereignty among the nations; Habakkuk rose by faith above all prevailing discouragements to triumph in the God of his salvation:

For though the fig tree shall not blossom, Neither shall fruit be in the vines; The labour of the olives shall fail, And the fields shall yield no meat; The, flock shall be cut off from the fold, And there shall be no herd in the stalls:

Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation

(3:17,18).

This New Year let us also stand upon our watch, set ourselves upon the tower, and look forth to see what God will speak to us. The Holy Spirit takes up the words of Habakkuk in Hebrews chapter ten. For the Hebrew disciples and ourselves the vision centres on the glorious hope of our Master's return:

For yet a very little while, He that cometh shall come, and shall not tarry (Heb. 10:37).

We too may often find the question arising in our heart, '0 LORD, how long?' Meanwhile '... My righteous one shall live by faith: and if he shrink back, My soul hath no pleasure in Him' (Heb. 10:38).

The challenge then faces us in 1995 to walk by faith in expectation of the Master's return.

Through faith we shall share Habakkuk's triumphant joy: 'Jehovah the Lord, is my strength, ... and will make me to walk upon mine high places' (3:19).

Through faith we shall seek revival despise spiritual apostasy and decline:

'0 LORD, revive Thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make it known' (3:2).

Through faith we shall draw inspiration from the lovely prospect that this sin-blighted world will yet be 'filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea' (2:14).

unknown | Jan 1995
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