An axe was being
ground on by a file. The axe complained and blamed the file for what was going
on. The file said, “It’s not my fault. I am in the hands of the woodcutter. I
do what he wants. It’s his desire for you to be more useful. Like you, I’m just
serving at the command of my master.”
A chunk of metal
was sweltering in a hot furnace. The metal complained and blamed the furnace
for what was going on. The furnace said, “It’s not my fault. I belong to the
blacksmith. I do what he wants. It’s his desire to mold you into a more usable
shape. Like you, I’m just serving at the command of my master.”
Isa 10:15 Is
the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt
itself over the one who wields it? Does the club control the one who lifts it.
The hammer, file
and furnace were all operating at the command of their masters. Each was
fulfilling a purpose the master desired. Though to the nail, the axe and the
metal, the process may have been unpleasant, the outcome would be good.
The lesson: the experience
of the action is no indication of the heart of the master. What may appear as
bad can actually be good. And what seems the worst can be the best.
When God told Habakkuk about His plan, Habakkuk’s reaction
was disbelief. In his mind, what God was proposing was totally unacceptable.
Hab 1:5-6 Look
among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days—You
would not believe if you were told. For behold, I am raising up the
Chaldeans, that fierce and impetuous people who march throughout
the earth to seize dwelling places which are not
theirs.
The Chaldeans? Those who are more ungodly than we are? Those
who serve no god but themselves? Those whose only goal is to steal, kill and
destroy? You’re going to use them to correct us?
Two angels stopped by the house of a very poor, but very
hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had, the
couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night’s
rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his
wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead
in the field. The younger angel was furious and asked the older angel, “How
could you have let this happen? This poor family had so little but was willing
to share everything, and you let the cow die!” “Things aren’t always what they
seem,” the older angel replied. “Things aren’t what they seem! Look at how
devastated they are.” “Last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of
death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren’t always what
they seem.”
Amazing what a little insight can do. So, God told Habakkuk,
“Let’s look beyond appearance and let me show you what I’m really doing. Remember:
They will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty…”
“Habakkuk, they not only will be held accountable but they
will be dealt with harshly. And, when My people see what I’ve done: Hab 2:14 the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of
the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. With as much honor as there are drops of water in the
ocean, I will be acknowledged as Lord. This captivity will turn the people’s
hearts back to Me.”
Remember what God was dealing with: Rom 1:21-23 For even though they knew God, they did not
honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations,
and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became
fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible
God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed
animals and crawling creatures.
The Southern Kingdom followed the same empty pursuits as the
Northern Kingdom so God needed to clean house. His goal was to restore His
people to Himself.
Rom 9:22-23 What if God,
although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured
with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, did so to make known the riches of His
glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory,
His ultimate goal was to pour out mercy on His people, but
He must first pour out His wrath. Why not just pour out the mercy instead of
wrath? Their hearts had grown cold against Him. He wanted them back. It would
take wrath for them to realize the seriousness of their idolatry.
Hab 2:18-20 What profit is the idol when its
maker has carved it, or an image, a teacher
of falsehood? For its maker
trusts in his own handiwork when he fashions speechless idols. Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, 'Awake!' to a mute stone, 'Arise!' And
that is your teacher? Behold,
it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no
breath at all inside it. But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the
earth be silent before Him.
“I am the only one who resides in My Holy Temple. I share My
space with no one! Recognize that. Honor that.”
What do we do when we see God in His Temple? What did Isaiah
do?
Isa 6:1-5 In the year of King
Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the
train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each
having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his
feet, and with two he flew. And one called out to another and said,
"Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His
glory." And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice
of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Then I
said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And
I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD
of hosts."
When we recognize the greatness of our God, when we see a
God who can do all things, but we also see we have exchanged Him for some
worthless pursuit, we cry out to Him for mercy. That’s what Habakkuk does. Hab 3:1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according
to Shigionoth.– reel two and fro Hab 3:2 LORD,
I have heard the report about You and
I fear. O LORD, revive Your work in
the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make it known; [but] in wrath remember mercy.
Ps 71:20 You
who have shown me many troubles and distresses revive me again, and will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
What I’ve seen has beaten me down. It has pressed the life
out of me. Therefore, please revive me – bring life back. Let me see the evidence
of Your great work again. Let my heart beat in rhythm with Yours. Revive me to
a godly perspective.
Hab 3:3 God
comes from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His splendor covers the heavens, and the earth is full of His praise.
Ps
19:1 [Even]
The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Everywhere
I look I see your great work! I remember…
Hab 3:13-15 You
went forth for the salvation of Your people, for the salvation of Your anointed. You struck
the head of the house of the evil to lay him open from
thigh to neck. You pierced with his own spears the head of his throngs. They stormed in to scatter us; their exultation was
like those who devour the oppressed in secret. You
trampled on the sea with Your horses, on the surge of many
waters.
Habakkuk rode for a while remembering God’s goodness, but
then… Hab 3:16 I heard and my
inward parts trembled, at the sound my lips quivered. Decay enters my bones, and in my place I tremble. Because I must wait quietly for the day of
distress, for the people to arise who will invade us.
Can you have a moment of praise followed by a clash of despair?
Ps 77:3 I remember God, then I am disturbed; I sigh [as I rest in
Him], then my spirit grows faint.
I see Your goodness, then look at my badness. I remind
myself of Your promise and then I realize it isn’t here yet. I hear of Your
mercy but remember it follows Your wrath.
How do I get out of this yoyo of emotions? Habakkuk thought
it through. I can’t do anything about
the Great Not Yet. I’m stuck in the period between problem and solution,
promise and fulfillment, wrath and mercy. So, what do I do. How do the
righteous live by faith in times like these?
Here’s what I’ll do. Hab 3:17-18 Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the
olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my
salvation.
Habakkuk said
earlier: Will we not die if You do this?
Now he’s having a Job moment: Job 13:15 Though
He slay me, I will hope in Him.
How do the
righteous demonstrate faith in times like these?
·
If God gets greater glory from my circumstances
than the inconvenience I experience in having them changed, I will honor Him.
·
If my faith is so weak that I cannot see His
favor in my life, I submit to whatever it takes for His plan to overshadow my
situation.
·
If He is pleased to crush me in order for Him to
work out His perfect will, I place myself on the olive press.
Even if he faced the worst case scenario, Habakkuk
determined the righteous one surrenders his future to the God who is
already in that future.
There are times we just have to say: God, I don’t understand Your purposes
but I know You do. I can’t see Your plan but I know you can. I can’t see the
good in all that’s going on but I know You’ve placed it there. And that’s enough for me.
Hab 3:19 The
Lord GOD is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds' feet, and makes me walk on my high
places.
When I let faith overcome my fears, strength returns. What if
my faith has let me down, how can that strength return? How can it be revived? By
looking to my answer rather than the problem.
Ps
103:1-6 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the
LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His
benefits; who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life
from the pit, who crowns you with lovingkindness
and compassion; who satisfies your years with good
things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle. The LORD performs righteous
deeds and judgments for all who are oppressed.
TAKEAWAYS:
1.
When we judge our situations too quickly, we
tend to label them inappropriately.
2.
With lack of insight, we will decide something
is bad without considering God’s plan.
3.
Fortunately, our opinion doesn’t change what God
intends to do, it only makes us miserable in the meantime.
4.
Since the God who works all things together for
good is the One in charge, it is always best not fight against Him over what He
knows is best.
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