The Just Shall Live By Faith – Page 2

KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Monday, August 20, 2018
Chapters: The Book of Habakkuk
Message: The Just Shall Live By Faith

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 remind them that God is merciful to the just. 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.

As faithful Christians we do not want to see our nations being judged as they become more and more corrupt, we do not want to be in the midst of all the chaos as they rebel and become down right fools, bringing their own judgment upon themselves. 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. If you match up the two, this was about the time that Jeremiah was either in the prison or just released and got stuck with the rebels as they were fleeing to Egypt and took him with them. 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 the city 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 the ones causing all this, He sends his complaint to God.

“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. For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves. 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 1:2-7,12-13.

“their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.” Jesus said, and I am paraphrasing, “A house divided cannot stand.” We can fuss at God all we want for all the fighting that is going on, but God is standing on the sidelines here, He does not have to do anything Himself because the people are destroying themselves. Look around, especially during elections, our nation is divided, people cannot even get along withing their own parties, you hear of candidates bashing the very people who are supposed to be on their side. If we do not straighten up and become united as one nation under God again then our nation is going to fall, and hard, it will be destroyed worse than Judah. “But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.” – Luke 11:17-19.

“therefore shall they be your judges.” Do you see? Jesus Himself said that they judge each other, they will fight with themselves until their own destruction. God does not want to see us suffer while all this is going on, but since we are here it is something we have to endure right now, as the world gets more corrupt. Habakkuk was not quite content with God’s answer, he did not want to hear that through his suffering he would do a great work, and wants to know why He does not intervene and help His faithful out. God answers.

“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. Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:” – Habakkuk 2:2-5.

“but the just shall live by his faith.” Does this sound familiar? It should, we heard it before. Let me open it up a little bit. “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:” – Galatians 3:10-13.

“The man that doeth them shall live in them.” I really do not like it when God reveals things to me when I am not trying to learn anything new. I am joking, He is just reminding me of what I seem to have let slip my mind. You see, salvation has always been about faith, from creation we have been going against God’s commands, so man has always had to be justified by our actions toward God. What makes our faith so much stronger today that we live a sinless life? Nothing. We are, and always will be sinners saved by the grace of God. We do not live by the Word of God to keep our salvation, we do it because we are faithful. We are not perfect, we mess up every day, but we are justified by faith, Jesus just made it official and permanent by the way. And here is more Scripture to show that. “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:” – Romans 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, He truly is our salvation.

“O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 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? Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah. 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.” – Habakkuk 3:2-3,8,13,16-18.

“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, and even chastisement for our own sins, but rejoice anyway because it is only temporary, we will see an end to all suffering. The wicked on the other hand will suffer for eternity. “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: “Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.” – Habakkuk 3:13.

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, 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, 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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