Habakkuk – Page 7 – I'm Following Jesus

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Sunday, August 20, 2017
Chapters: Book of Habakkuk
Message: We Will Overcome

Hello My Friend,

The Book of Habakkuk contains three chapters, the author is Habakkuk and it was written to the people of Judah. The timeline for these events took place approximately between 608BC and 590BC. The purpose of the book was to awaken Judah to their spiritual needs and warn them of the impending judgment from God. What we are to learn from the book is that the just shall live by faith alone. “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” – Habakkuk 2:4.

Habakkuk prophesied during the time that the Chaldean’s attacked Jerusalem during Jehoiakim’s reign, in his ninth month of the fifth year of, about 610BC. Here is the scenario, it was full of immorality, idolatry, violence, no justice, and the wicked out numbered the righteous. The Temple, wealthy homes, and businesses were all destroyed, and the walls that protected them were crumbled to the ground. Habakkuk does what all us faithful Christians do when we are facing persecution for something we did not do, he wonders why God is judging His faithful while the wicked are doing as they please.

“O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save! Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention. Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?” – Habakkuk 1:2-5,12-13.

“and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man” Habakkuk was not quite content with God’s answer, he did not want to hear that He would do a great work, and wants to know why God does not intervene and help His faithful. The most interesting thing about how God handles judgment is that He allows us who are faithful to suffer for the sins of the world, while they get to do as they please and not suffer, it is as though He is harder on His faithful than the ones who cause all this in the first place. The truth is, the judgment we face is nothing compared to what the wicked will face, we may not see it, but God will have no mercy upon them. “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” – Revelation 21:7-8.

I get it, I feel the same way sometimes, that no matter what I do I get punished for it, when others, even other Christians, who are living in sin get away with it. And if we complain, well, that only brings God’s wrath more. Habakkuk has more complaints, and he just knows that God is going to reprimand him for it.

“I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And 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 an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” – Habakkuk 2:1-4.

“and what I shall answer when I am reproved.” We somehow get it in our heads that we cannot ask God why or complain about things to Him. God wants to hear our complaints, He wants us to ask questions, but He also wants our trust, and our faithfulness to Him despite our suffering. You see, when God allows us to suffer, it is not that He does it to punish us, He does it to grow us closer to Him, to get us to see that it is all in His hands and His time. Of course, it is okay to confront Him, soon we will discover that the just do live by faith. “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” – Galatians 3:22-24.

God is reminding all us that no sin goes unpunished, we may not see things happening right now, but He is watching and listening to everything that is going on, and when the time is right, judgment will come for all the unjust. Who are the just? Those whom have received Jesus Christ as their Saviour. Since we belong to Jesus we can expect some suffering, even for things we did not do, but what is more important than now is what we will receive when all this is over. Habakkuk realized that while God does allow the pain and suffering in the world because of sin, it does not last, and when we trust God, we will overcome.

“Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation? Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers. The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high. Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters. When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice: rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive 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. The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.” – Habakkuk 3:8-10,16-19.

“Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,” No matter what we go through, no matter what we put ourselves through, we belong to Jesus, if we are saved, He is our strength, and we will overcome it all through Him. We are going to face famines, false prosecution, chastisement for our own sins, rejoice anyway because it is only temporary, we will see an end to all suffering. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” – I Peter 5:6-9.

Jesus Christ Magnified: “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” – Habakkuk 2:4.

Today’s Prayer: God, I may not know what tomorrow brings, but I do know that You will be there and You will see me through everything that I go through. Lord, it’s not always easy to handle the suffering I go through, but with You by my side I know I will overcome. Lead me and guide me, keep me looking to You, let me not turn to the right or left, just keep my eyes straight on You. Give me Your power and strength to endure the suffering I face, even when I am the cause of it. I will rejoice in You for You are the God of my salvation, I am nothing without You, and I know that I can overcome all things with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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