Pensacola Helene Jefferson's Blog

HABAKKUK

“…THOSE WHO HAVE ABANDONED AND FORSAKE GOD…”

“…They have turned away and ABANDONED me….” (JEREMIAH 5:23 NLT). “...[THEY]… FORGOT all about ME,” says the Lord…” (Hosea 2:13 NLT). “…for years on end my people have FORGOTten ME…” (Jeremiah 2:32 NLT). “…They ABANDONED ME and did not obey my word….”(JEREMIAH 16:11 NLT). “…They ABANDONED the Lord… they turned their backs on him….” (2 Chronicles 29:6 NLT).

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Habakkuk is wondering when God is going to judge the evil and wicked Judeans (his own wayward people). Many proclaimed to be God’s people, yet they had abandoned him and turned their backs on his commandments.

The Chaldeans/Babylonians, the heathen nation God planned to USE as agents of correction for his “wayward” people would expose his people’s evil and wicked hearts and some would repent.

The repentant will disconnect with the Chaldeans and return to God. God’s WAYWARD people needed correction and deserved the punishment they experience through the Chaldeans. God was NOT trying to ruin them, destroy, or harm them, but to show them the outcome of their “own” choices.

“…We will continue to live as WE WANT TO, stubbornly following our own evil desires…” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT). “…They (God’s OWN people) KEPT DOING WHATEVER THEY WANTED, following the stubborn desires of their [OWN] evil hearts…” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT).

God’s people know his word and what it says about breaking his commandments. There are NO exceptions. “... Everyone (no exceptions) who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Anyone who continues to live in him (ABIDE WITH HIM) will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him ... who he is. Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s [SPIRITUAL] ... life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone(NO EXCEPTIONS) who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God...” (1 John 3:7-10 NLT).

Thus, God’s people should EXPECT God to KEEP his word about judgement, even if they are the ones violating it.“…Not one of all the LORD's good promises … failed; every one was fulfilled” (Joshua 21:45 NIV).

“...He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he...”(Deuteronomy 32:4 NIV).  “...judgment and justicewill be upheld…”  (Job 36:16-21 NLT).“…My counsel (WORD)… SHALL stand, and I will do all my pleasure…” (Isaiah 46:10 KJV).

If God allowed the wicked Chaldeans to RISE UP, it is not to HURT or RUIN them, but to change their hearts and bring them to repentance. “...God SEES NOT as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART…”(1 Samuel 16:7 NASB).

“…No one needed… to tell him (God) about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart…” (John 2:24-25 NLT). “…[The] ...Lord (God), which knowest the heartsof all men…” (Acts 1:24 KJV). “… He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked…” (Psalm 11:4-5 NLT).

God “….is longsuffering to us-ward, NOT WILLING that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance…” (2 Peter 3:9 KJV). “…The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for YOUR SAKE. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent…” (2 Peter 3: 9 NLT). 

The WAYWARD should be comforted by this, that he loves them enough to correct them and merciful enough to restore the covenant relationship with them. “… The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth…” (Exodus 34:6 KJV). “…But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…” (Psalm 86:16 NIV).

God is“... RICH IN MERCY…” (Ephesians 2:1-5 KJV). “…The Lord is ...of great mercy…” (Number 14:18 KJV). “…The LordGod, [IS] merciful …” (Exodus 34:6 KJV). “…Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because HE DELIGHTETH IN MERCY…” (Micah 7:18 KJV). “…Mercy triumphs over judgement.” (James 2:13 NASB).

The Chaldeans were a WICKED, GODLESS and EVIL nation, who God allowed to prosper for a while. God is a HOLY God and does NOT approve of evil AT ALL. His JUSTICE will be UPHELD against all evil doings. “...But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted; you consider their grief and take it in hand.

The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out. The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land.

You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror...” (Psalm 10:14-18 NIV).

“...judgment and justicewill be upheld…”  (Job 36:16-21 NLT). “…My counsel (WORD)… SHALL stand…” (Isaiah 46:10 KJV). 

Habakkuk, like many of his followers in the 21st century, see HOW wicked, evil and dark people are and it SEEMS, as if, they are getting away with it. It SEEMS as if God, the Holy Spirit, is favoring them and NOT his “own” people.

Some of his followers may feel, WHY serve God, if EVIL people SEEM to be prospering and getting around with doing wrong. In the Old Testament, “…because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily …the HEART of the sons (daughters) of men is fully set in them … to do evil ….” (Ecclesiastes 8:11 KJV). “… [they]... FORFEIT the grace that could be theirs…" (Jonah 2:8 NIV). 

“…THIS IS THE CONDEMNATION, that light is come into the world, and MEN LOVED DARKNESS RATHER THAN LIGHT, because THEIR DEEDS (choices) WERE EVIL. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved…” (John 3:18-20 KJV).

“…The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt (disrespect)?” (Daniel 14:11 NIV). “…my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted (choosing death), following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts (choices). They went backward instead of forward” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT). 

“…the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires (choices)…” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT). “…He who trusts in his own heart is a fool…” (Proverbs 28:26 NASB).

Therefore, “...judgment and justicewill be upheld…”  (Job 36:16-21 NLT). “…My counsel (WORD)… SHALL stand…” (Isaiah 46:10 KJV). 

His people may NOT understand WHY God does what he DOES, but they are CERTAIN that their GOD is HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, LOVING, DOESN’T APPROVE OF EVIL, is JUST and his WORD STANDS!!

 “...you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted…” (Psalm 10:14-18 NIV). “...he (God, the Holy Spirit) loves justice...” (Psalms 11:7 NIV).

“...He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever.He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous...” (Psalm 146:6-8 NIV).

God, the Holy Spirit, will acquit the innocent, condemn the guilty, expose lies and corruption. “...The Lord is King for ever and ever; the nations will perish from his land. You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, so that mere earthly mortals will never again strike terror...” (Psalm 10:14-18 NIV).

God would NEVER approve of those who DISTORT justice by favoring the rich or a select few while oppressing the poor or disenfranchised. “...Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly...” (Leviticus 19:15 NIV). “...He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.He told them, “Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict.  Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery...” (2 Chronicles 19:5-7 NIV). 

“...he (God, the Holy Spirit) loves justice...” (Psalms 11:7 NIV). “...the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice...” (Isaiah 5:16 NIV). “... the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts...” (Isaiah 5:16 NIV).

God is not blind he SEES every wrong and injustice committed. God SEES when worldly leaders and his “own” people DO NOT “ACT” JUSTLY by not looking out for the weak and helpless. “…Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes…” (Hebrews 4:13 NLT). “...You are a God who sees me...” (Genesis 16:13 NASB). 

“…I know your offenses are many and your sins are great, You who are hostile to the righteous and accept bribes, And turn away the poor from justice at the gate...” (Amos 5:11:12 NASB).

God’s people have commandments about justice. “…He hath shewed thee, O man (woman), what is good; and what doth the Lordrequire of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8 KJV). “…O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right (hate injustice),to love mercy (justice), and to walk humbly with your God…” (Micah 6:8 NLT).  

God’s word informs his people: “...Don’t pass on malicious gossip. Don’t link up with a wicked person and give corrupt testimony. Don’t go along with the crowd in doing evil and don’t mess up your testimony in a case just to please the crowd. And just because someone is poor, don’t show favoritism in a dispute...” (Exodus 23:1-3 MSG). 

King David prayed for his son, King Solomon, to be a JUST king: “...Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice...” (Psalm 72:1-2 NIV).

God encourages “his” people to DO RIGHT and ACT JUSTLY while upon earth. “...Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow...” (Isaiah 1:17 NIV).

SINS and EVIL, and WICKEDNESS offend a HOLY God and those who participant in those behaviors will FACE God’s justice. “… O God, you take no pleasure in wickedness; you cannot tolerate the sins of the wicked…” (Psalms 5:4 NLT).

“...THINGS that OFFEND, and them which do INIQUITY … shall [be]…CAST[ED]… into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth...” (Matthew 13:40-42 KJV).

Whatever DIVINE reason God allows wrong to be experienced by his people, through the Chaldeans or anyone, he doesn’t APPROVE or AGREE with it. So, “…Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the LORD always….” (Proverbs 23:17 NASB).

“… Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong ; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lordand wait patiently for him ; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil . For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found . But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity. The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming . The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. But their swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will be broken . Better the little that the righteous have than the wealth of many wicked; for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous. The blameless spend their days under the Lord’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. But the wicked will perish: Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke. The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously; those the Lordblesses will inherit the land, but those he curses will be destroyed. The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.Turn from evil and do good; then you will dwell in the land forever. For the Lord loves the just and will not forsake his faithful ones. Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed; the offspring of the wicked will perish. The righteous will inherit the land and dwell in it forever. The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip. The wicked lie in wait for the righteous, intent on putting them to death;but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked or let them be condemned when brought to trial. Hope in the Lordand keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land;when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it. I have seen a wicked and ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree, but he soon passed away and was no more; though I looked for him, he could not be found. Consider the blameless, observe the upright; a future awaits those who seek peace. But all sinners will be destroyed; there will be no futurefor the wicked. The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him…”(Psalm 37).

NO MATTER WHAT YOU SEE, THE RIGHTEOUS ARE STILL IN A BETTER POSITION, WITH GOD, THAN ANYWHERE ELSE!!

KEEP ABIDING WITH GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT!!

NO MATTER WHAT YOU ARE EXPERIENCING, THE RIGHTEOUS WILL BE ALRIGHT!

“…GOD “ALWAYS” KEEPS A REMNANT…” part 2

“…God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.…” (Genesis 45:7 NIV). “…God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors.…” (Genesis 45:7 NLT).

“…And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you…” (Genesis 45:5 NIV).

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There is APOSTASY recorded throughout biblical history. “… [YOU]… FORGOTall about ME,” says the Lord…” (Hosea 2:13 NLT). “… you became proud and FORGOT ME….” (Hosea 13:6 NLT). “…for years on end my people have FORGOTten ME…” (Jeremiah 2:32 NLT).

“…They ABANDONED ME and did not obey my word….” (JEREMIAH 16:11 NLT). “…They ABANDONED the Lord… they turned their backs on him….” (2 Chronicles 29:6 NLT). “…The Lord replies, “This has happened because my peoplehave ABANDONED MY INSTRUCTIONS; they have refused to obey what I said….” (JEREMIAH 9:13 NLT).

The righteous REMNANT of God is what is LEFT after the great multitude of God’s “proclaimed” people are fallen away after a great calamity, trial, or tribulation.

“…THE WAY is narrow that LEADS TO LIFE, and there are FEW who find it…” (Matthew 7:13-14 NASB). Thus out of the millions and millions of those who claimed to be one of God’s people, there will ONLY be a few LEFT, which is why they are called a REMNANT.

Habakkuk was part of the remnant of Judeans, in his day, who remained faithful to God. 

He was concerned about the WAYWARD Judeans who had fallen away from their God and he did not understand why God wasn’t punishing their many iniquities or doing anything about their conduct. 

They were already living within a nation where they had been in captivity, yet they were still committing great apostasy and idolatry against God.

 Habakkuk simply wanted them to repent and return to the Lord... yet it, in his opinion, he thought God was turning a blind eye to their blatant apostasy.

Habakkuk wanted things back the way they were when God’s people were on one accord with God. It is NO surprise that he was SHOCKED that God was planning to USE wicked Chaldean/Babylonian nation as agents of correction for his covenant people! 

Habakkuk knew the Chaldean/Babylonians were a godless, pagan practicing, evil, and wicked who were worst than the apostates of Judeans.

The Chaldeans/Babylonians were a cruel, pitiless, brutal, violent, and prideful nation. They had an appetite for taking over other nations, they served false gods, their governmental systems were corrupt, and they stole from the people they conquered.

Yet, God had told Habakkuk he was going to use them to punish His own people! Israel's sin did not seem to be so great by comparison. 

However, Habakkuk KNEW “all” sin must be punished, even those continual sinful practices of his “own” people.  God also told Habakkuk that the nation he was using to punish His own people would themselves be punished.

Nonetheless, with this news, Habakkuk knew BIG TROUBLE was coming through the Chaldeans/Babylonians. He was SAD, SORROWFUL, and REPENTANT about it. 

He pleaded with God for remember his MERCY toward his people even though they had become apostate and idolatrous 

However, Habakkuk knew that God's judgement on His people would STAND. “...whatever a person sows, this he(she) will also reap. ..” (Galatians 6:7-8 NASB). “...For the one who sows to his (her) own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh...” (Galatians 6:7-8 NASB).  “...You have plowed wickedness,you have harvested injustice...” (Hosea 10:13 NASB). “...they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own schemes...” (Proverbs 1:31 NASB). “...One who sows injustice will reap disaster...” (Proverbs 22:8 NASB).

Habakkuk couldn’t understand God’s decision, but he also couldn’t deny the goodness of God, his righteousness, his faithfulness, or his unconditional, unfailing love towards His chosen people. “…God is love…” (1 John 4:4-8 KJV). 

“… [Nothing] … will be able to separate … [his people] … from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord…” (Romans 8:31-39 NASB). God, through Christ, has “….loved [you]...with an everlasting love….” (Jeremiah 31:3 KJV). 

God, the Holy Spirit, ASSURED Habakkuk that those he was allowing as his AGENTS of CORRECTION or PUNISHMENT would have a transforming effect on God's people that would lead to repentance and restoration to him.  “...justice will be upheld…”  (Job 36:16-21 NLT). “… [god, the holy spirit]...who judges justly…” (1 Peter 2:20-23 NIV). “…everything he (God, the Holy Spirit) does is right and all his ways are just....” (Daniel 4 NIV). “… “I AM WHO I AM…” (Exodus 3:14-15 NASB).  “…I change NOT…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV).

Habakkuk was informed, by God, like Abraham was. He told the prophet the just or righteous shall simply continue to live by faith and they would be fine. “...Behold, his soul (the wicked soul) which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith...” (Habakkuk 2:4 KJV).“...For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith...” (Romans 10:17 KJV). “...But that no man (woman) is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith...” (Galatians 3:11 KJV).  “...Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man (woman) draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him...” (Hebrew 10:38 KJV).

The righteous are to CONTINUE to trust and depend upon God, the Holy Spirit, and his WORD no matter what they SEE. “…live by faith, not by sight….” (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV).

The righteous are empowered and strengthened by the indwelling Holy Spirit to SEE, through FAITH, beyond the present circumstance with confidence in the God of JUSTICE. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13 KJV).

“…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want…” Philippians 4:11-12 NIV). 

“...He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord , He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust ...” (Psalm 91 KJV).

“...Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler...” (Psalm 91 KJV).

Whether he liked it or not, whether he agreed with God or not, and whether he approved of it or not, Habakkuk surrendered to God’s will.

Even Habakkuk prayed changed, "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.. for the Lord my God is my strength.." (Habakkuk 3:17 KJV).

Habakkuk humbled himself before God’s will and sovereignty. For the moment he was in, he decided to TRUST, completely, in God’s plan of redemption for his WAYWARD people.

The righteous REMNANT always have the most important ROLE, during disasters and calamities, of being beacons or witnesses of God’s mercy and grace.

God has dealt with his WAYWARD children throughout biblical history and God’s people chose to TRUST his WAY and PLAN.

As in Habakkuk’s day so it is in the 21st century, God’s people have BECOME corrupt and have utterly compromised his HOLY WORD.

They are committing apostasy, accepting unrighteous, unjust, and unfair pagan laws, they are following false narratives, they are listening to false teacher and doctrine of demons, they are wearing those teaching on their foreheads, they are changing God’s word to fit into their own selfish agendas, they have allowed corrupt people in God’s churches, and are calling evil, good.

Habakkuk prayed, during this corrupt time, and pleaded for God’s mercy.  In the 21st century, God’s righteous remnant can choose to do the same thing.  The Body of Christ, in the 21stcentury, has not done and is not doing what they were put upon earth to do.  “…when the righteous DO NOTHING, sinful practices are emboldened and evil, wicked way prevail…”

God’s people are either complacent or participating with the world. “…If My people which are called by My name shall humble themselves, and prayand seek My face, and TURN FROM their wicked ways…” (2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV). “… And …“If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?” (1 Peter 4:18 NLT).

Each of us, living in the 21st century, have witnessed how God’s very own people have GONE ASTRAY and FALLEN AWAY for God. “…I KNOW THY WORKS, AND THY LABOR, AND THY PATIENCE, AND HOW THOU CANST NOT BEAR THEM WHICH ARE EVIL: AND THOU TRIED THEM WHICH SAY THEY ARE APOSTLES, AND ARE NOT, AND HAS FOUND THEM LAIRS… [however,] … you hath left your first love…” (REVELATION 2:2 KJV).

Whether they love him or not, God LOVES his people. He demonstrates and expresses that LOVE by ENCOURAGING them to REPENT by going BACK to the position of GRACE in which they have FALLEN. God is merciful. “…The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth…” (Exodus 34:6 KJV). 

“…Don't you see how wonderfully kind …God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (Romans 2:4 NLT). “…He is being patient for YOUR SAKE. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent…” (2 Peter 3: 9 NLT). 

He lovingly encourages them to COME BACK to the position of dependence upon HIS indwelling Holy Spirit so they can AGAIN become EMPOWERED to DO the first WORKS. FIRST LOVE (God) cares for his people. “...He careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 KJV). “…What is important [to God is his indwelling Holy Spirit of] Faith expressing [his LOVE by empowering his people to RECEIVE from his many acts of GRACE]…” (Galatians 5:6 NLT).

God is not pleased when his people choose, to return to, a life of practicing sinful behaviors. Christ DIED that they might have life more abundantly. “…That they might have life … more abundantly…” (John 10:10 KJV).

God’s wants his people to CHOOSE to repent and do the first works, which were from genuine devotion. “…Jeremiah, say to the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: “‘When people fall down, don’t they get up again? When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back?Then why do these people stay on their self-destructive path?Why do the people of Jerusalem refuse to turn back They cling tightly to their lies and will not turn around. I listen to their conversations and don’t hear a word of truth. Is anyone sorry for doing wrong? Does anyone say, “What a terrible thing I have done”? No! All are running down the path of sin as swiftly as a horse galloping into battle! Even the stork that flies across the sky knows the time of her migration, as do the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane. They all return at the proper time each year. But not my people! They do not know the Lord’s laws. “‘How can you say, “We are wise because we have the word of the Lord,” when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies? These wise teachers will fall into the trap of their own foolishness, for they have rejected the word of the Lord. Are they so wise after all? ...” (Jeremiah 8:20 NLT).

Throughout biblical history: “…my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT). 

“But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continueto live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT).

Eventually TIME passes, God sends his JUDGEMENT, and “then” his people start to realize they have lost chance after chance to REPENT. “...The Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man…” (Genesis 6:3 KJV). “…They DID NOT like to retain God in theirknowledge, GOD GAVE THEM OVER to a reprobate mind…” (Romans 1:28 KJV). “… I will remove they candlestick out of his place…” (Revelation 2:5 KJV).

However, if judgement has NOT come and you are still breathing, you have a chance. God “… is able TO DO exceeding abundantly ABOVE all that we ask or think…” (Ephesians 3:20 KJV). “…The things which are impossible with men are POSSIBLE with God…” (Luke 18:27 KJV).  “…I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27 KJV).  God is“... RICH IN MERCY…” (Ephesians 2:1-5 KJV). “…Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because HE DELIGHTETH IN MERCY…” (Micah 7:18 KJV).

God prefers for his people to CHOOSE a life of righteousness where his immutable LOVE (God) for them forever EMPOWERS the bond between them. “…love, which is the perfect BOND of unity...”(Colossians 3:14 NASB). “…He that is joined unto the Lord is ONE SPIRIT…”  (1 Corinthian 6:17 KJV). 

He is FOREVER “BONDED” to his PLEDGE of SPIRITUAL LOVE, but his people can willfully and voluntarily CHOOSE to depart from that BOND. “…Choose you this day whom ye will serve….” (Joshua 24:15 KJV). 

It is the righteous remnant that will choose to continue to LIVE by faith. They will PATIENTLY endure with the help and assistance of the indwelling Holy Spirit. “...For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 KJV). “...I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me...” (Philippians 4:13 KJV). 

“…We are PATIENT with those who abuse us…” (1 Corinthians 4:12 NLT). “…Love is PATIENTand kind…” (1 Corinthians 13:4 NLT). “…Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can PATIENTLY endure the same things we suffer…” (2 Corinthians 1:6 NLT). “…We PATIENTLY endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind…” (2 Corinthians 6:4 NLT).

“...HE (SHE) THAT “SHALL” (choose to) ENDURE UNTO THE END SHALL BE SAVED...” (Matthew 24:13 KJV).

It is the RIGHTEOUS REMNANT, that will willingly choose to endure to the end, assured, the indwelling Holy Spirit, will empower them to sustain the journey!

“…GOD “ALWAYS” KEEPS A REMNANT…” part 1

“…God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.…” (Genesis 45:7 NIV). “…God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors.…” (Genesis 45:7 NLT).

“…And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you…” (Genesis 45:5 NIV).

*

God’s remnant people, during Habakkuk’s time, were those who were left keeping the faith, “standing in righteous,” obeying the commandments, and staying set apart for God’s purpose from the rest of the nation of Judeans.

In life, remnants are few in pieces and are not valuable, because they are considered scraps. However, remnants, in God’s sight, are VERY valuable. God’s remnants are HIS faithful servants who STAY in the WAY of righteousness for God’s purposes.

They are those who KNOW they are righteous, because when they accepted Jesus Christ, his righteousness was GIFTED to them when they became NEW CREATIONS. “…God’s …gift of righteousness….. through this one man, Jesus Christ...” (Romans 5:10-16 NLT).

In addition, God’s remnants GIVE witness to Jesus, God’s PLAN of SALVATION, so that others will accept him, as Savior, just as they have. “…LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINEbefore men, that they may seeyour good works…” (Matthew 5:16 KJV.

Finally, God’s remnant are the ONES left over from his covenant people AFTER they go through a calamity.

Habakkuk’s was concerned about the evil and wicked Judeans as well as the Chaldeans, but what of God’s remnant?

God’s JUDGEMENT is HIS RESPONSE to the WRONGS, SINS, and INJUSTICES of the wicked and unrepentant. Abraham had a similar concern as Habakkuk, and he questioned God’s justice too.

“...Abraham confronted him, “Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad? What if there are fifty decent people left in the city; will you lump the good with the bad and get rid of the lot? Wouldn’t you spare the city for the sake of those fifty innocents? I can’t believe you’d do that, kill off the good and the bad alike as if there were no difference between them. Doesn’t the Judge of all the Earth judge with justice?” God said, “If I find fifty decent people in the city of Sodom, I’ll spare the place just for them...” (Genesis 18:23-32 MSG).

God’s JUSTICE “always” expresses and demonstrates MERCY toward his righteous ones. “...So the Lordsaid, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the entire place on their account...” (Genesis 18:23-32 NASB). “...God said, “If I find fifty decent people in the city of Sodom, I’ll spare the place just for them...” (Genesis 18:23-32 MSG).

Abraham had a conversation with God, the Holy Spirit, about Sodom and Gomorrah. He doesn’t talk about the wicked, but he asks God, who deals JUSTLY, would he destroy the righteous along with the wicked. It is the righteous, who are God’s people and it is the righteous who Abraham pleads for. “… Abraham approached and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?...” (Genesis 18:23-32 NASB).

Abraham, being a righteous man himself, boldly pleads for God’s JUSTICE toward the righteous living in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. “...Abraham confronted him, “Are you serious? Are you planning on getting rid of the good people right along with the bad?...” (Genesis 18:23-32 MSG).

Abraham, respectfully, makes inquiries about the JUSTICE of God by starting with fifty righteous and continues until he reduces it to ten righteous in an effort to KNOW God’s standard and depth of MERCY toward his people. “… ABRAHAM APPROACHED and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous people within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it?  Far be it from You to do such a thing, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”…” So the Lordsaid, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the entire place on their account….” ...Then [ABRAHAM] said, “Oh may the Lord not be angry, and I shall speak only this once: suppose ten are found there?” And [GOD]… said, “I will not destroy iton account of the ten...” (Genesis 18:23-32 NASB).                                                                     

God, the Holy Spirit, is patient and kind, during his conversation with Abraham and answers every question.

Abraham is humbled that God would take the time to allow for the questions of a mere mortal. “...And Abraham replied, “Now behold, I have ventured to speak to the Lord, although I am only dust and ashes...” (Genesis 18:27 NASB).“...Abraham came back, “Do I, a mere mortal made from a handful of dirt, dare open my mouth again to my Master?...” (Genesis 18:27 MSG).

It is the privilege of sons and daughters of God to come BOLDLY to God, the Holy Spirit’s throne of GRACE and FIND MERCY to HELP in a time of need. “...Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of GRACE, that we may obtain mercy, and find GRACE to help in time of need…”(Hebrews 4:16 KJV).

Abraham FULLY exercised his privileges, and he was called A FRIEND of God, the Holy Spirit. “...the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called a friend of God...” (James 2:23). “...Abraham believed God and was set right with God,” includes his action. It’s that weave of believing and acting that got Abraham named “God’s friend.” Is it not evident that a person is made right with God not by a barren faith but by faith fruitful in works?” (James 2:23 MSG).

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was SEEN as God’s WRATH, PUNISHMENT, JUDGEMENT, but it was really an ACT of his JUSTICE that was unfamiliar to his “covenant unity” people who were more accustomed to the MERCY and GRACE side of God’s JUSTICE.

Abraham was NOT unaware of God’s WRATH as an act of JUSTICE, because he’d witnessed it upon neighboring, wicked nations and understood it as his righteous judgement.  “...Indeed this city has been to Me a provocation (incitement) of My anger and My wrath since the day that they built it, even to this day, so that it should be removed from My sight, because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah which they have done to provoke (incite) Me to anger—they, their kings, their leaders, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen to accept discipline...” (Jeremiah 32:31-33 NASB).

“... For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness...” (Romans 1:18 NASB).

“...But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself..” (Romans 2:5 NASB).

God’s righteous people were COVERED by his MERCY and PROTECTED by his GRACE, which SAVED and DELIVERED them from being destroyed along with the wicked. “...God is ...a very present help in trouble...” (Psalms 46:1 KJV). “…[God is]…Your rockand Your fortress, your deliverer, Your GOD, Your rock, in whom [you can] … take refuge…" (Psalms 18:3 NASB).

What is NOTEWORTHY, is that Abraham, a son and friend of God, could GO BOLDLY to HIM, the Father and Holy Spirit and remind him of his promised MERCY upon the RIGHTEOUS. “...Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of GRACE, that we may obtain mercy…” (Hebrews 4:16 KJV). “…The Lord is mercifuland gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy…” (Psalms 103:8 KJV). “…For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him…” (Psalms 103:11 KJV). “…But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children…” (Psalms 103:17 KJV).

“….call upon me …and pray unto me and I will [LISTEN] unto you…” (Jeremiah 29:12-13 KJV). “...I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you....” (Hosea 14:5-9 NASB).

Thus, let’s read the conversation again:  “...Abraham approached and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? . So the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the entire place on their account.” ...And He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.”  ...And He said, “I will not do it on account of the forty.”...And He said, “I will not do it if I find thirtythere.”...And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the twenty.”...And He said, “I will not destroy it on account of the ten...” (Genesis 18:23-32 NASB).

God who is a God of JUSTICE told Abraham he would SPARE the WHOLE COUNTRY in an ACT of MERCY toward his righteous ones. “...he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy....” (Titus 3:5 NIV).

Placing the righteous in cities and nations of the WORLD is also a demonstration of God’s JUSTICE. Because of his righteous people, his destruction of those cities and nations are DELAYED, which actually gives the wicked and unrepentant a CHANCE to GET RIGHT with God, the Holy Spirit.

Sodom and Gomorrah were DESTROYED because there was NO righteous in it! NOT EVEN TEN RIGHTEOUS.  “...And the Lord said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave...” (Genesis 18:20 NASB). “...And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's (righteous) sake...” (Genesis 18:32-33 KJV). “...we are about to destroy this place, because their outcry has become so great before the Lord that the Lord has sent us to destroy it.”...”(Genesis 19:1 -29 NASB).

“...Then the two men said to Lot, “Whom else do you have here? A son-in-law and your sons and daughters, and whomever you have in the city, bring them out of the place; ...So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, and said, “Up, get out of this place, for the Lord is destroying the city.” But he appeared to his sons-in-law to be joking. When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he hesitated. So the men grasped his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, because the compassion of the Lord was upon him; and they brought him out and put him outside the city.  When they had brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the surrounding area; escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.”  “...Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah from the Lord out of heaven,  and He overthrew those cities, and all the surrounding area, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground ...Now Abraham got up early in the morning and went to the place where he had stood before the Lord; and he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the surrounding area; and behold, he saw the smoke of the land ascended like the smoke of a furnace. So it came about, when God destroyed the cities of the surrounding area, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the destruction, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived...”(Genesis 19:1 -29 NASB).

WHO ARE the RIGHTEOUS?“...God’s wonderful ...gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ...” (Romans 5:17 NLT). “... [Jesus made]... it possible for many to be counted righteous…” (Isaiah 53:11 NLT). “...[God’s people are]....the righteousness of God…”“in” Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

RIGHTEOUSNESS is a FREE GIFT which comes from God, the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ to NEW CREATIONS. “...God’s wonderful ...gift of righteousness, ...through ...Jesus Christ...” (Romans 5:17 NLT). “…God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son (Jesus) “INTO” [Y]OUR HEARTS…” (Galatians 4:6 NASB). “…GOD IS SPIRIT…” (John 4:24 KJV). “…The Spirit of God dwell[s] in [his people, which “IS” the gift of righteousness)…” (Romans 8:9 KJV).  

“…But he(she) that is joined unto the Lord is ONE (righteous) SPIRIT….” (1 Corinthians 6:17). “...renew a right (righteous) spirit within me....” (Psalms 51 KJV). “...Therefore if any man (woman) be in Christ, he (she) is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new...” (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV).

“… [He sent the] …one … who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus…” (1 Timothy 2:5 NLT). “...God, who hath reconciled [his people]... to himself by Jesus Christ...” (2 Corinthians 5:18 KJV). . “...God’s wonderful ...gift of righteousness, ...through ...Jesus Christ...” (Romans 5:17 NLT).

 “...And you were [lost and spiritually] ... dead in your offenses and sins, in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our wrongdoings, made us alive (righteous) together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)...” (Ephesians 2:1-5 NASB).

As is has been in ALL of biblical history God’s REMNANT people are a SMALL group of his covenant people who SURVIVE trials and tribulations upon earth.

Those who endure to the end of those trials and tribulations, keep his commandments, and have a salvation testimony are promised to be bought BACK home to HEAVEN through Jesus Christ and enjoy eternal life.

God’s remnant people are set apart and willingly choose to REMAIN set apart for God’s holy purpose THROUGH their journey upon earth.

The Chaldeans were USED as agents of correction. When his WAYWARD people witnessed their destruction, they would turn back to God and rely on the covenant relationship with him again.

God does NOT want his people to perish. God always does what is necessary to SAVE his righteous remnant.

Noah and his family were SAVED. Lot and his family were SAVED. Elijah and a small remnant were SAVED. “…Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea, only the remnant will be saved. For the Lord will carry out his sentence on earth with speed and finality….” (Romans 9:27-28 NIV).

“… Jesus opened a new and life-giving way  ... into the Most Holy Place (ETERNAL LIFE)…” (Hebrews 10:19-20 NLT). “Jesus saith…I am the way…” (John 14:6 KJV). “…"This is the way; WALK in it…" Isaiah 30:21 NIV). “…THE WAY is narrow that LEADS TO LIFE, and there are FEW who find it…” (Matthew 7:13-14 NASB).

In Habakkuk’s day as it is in the 21stcentury there WAS a GREAT falling away from God and blatant rejection of his word.

The “falling away” is also called REBELLION, or APOSTASY, or ABANDONMENT of God, the Holy Spirit and his TRUTH. “…the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition…” (2 Thessalonians 2:3 KJV). “…You have fallen away from God’s GRACE…” (Galatians 2:21 NLT).

“…in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. …these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was… evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. …” (2 Timothy 3 KJV).

BUT THE RIGHTEOUS REMNANT ARE TOLD, IN THIS SAME CHAPTER: “….continuethou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works…”(2 Timothy 3 KJV).

“…GOD’S WORK IS CLEARLY SEEN….” Part 2

“…the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are CLEARLY SEEN…” (Romans 1:20 KJV).

"…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…" (Habakkuk 2:1 KJV). “…The invisible [Spirit]…from the creation of the world is …clearly seen, being understood by the things that are MADE …” (Romans 1:20 KJV).

*

God’s people can complain, or blame, or question God about all the injustices and unfairness around them, but it won’t stop his PERFECT and JUST PLAN. “…the plans [God has]…for you….[are]… plans to prosper

you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future...” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

It will appear as if evil and evil people are getting away with their sins, or wicked behavior, or wrongdoing. “….God is leading you away from danger,…to a place free from distress. He is setting your table with the best food. But you are obsessed with whether the godless will be judged.Don’t worry, judgment and justice will be upheld. But watch out, or you may be seduced by wealth. Don’t let yourself be bribed into sin. Could all your wealth or all your mighty efforts keep you from distress? Be on guard! Turn back from evil, for God sent this suffering to keep you from a life of evil…” (Job 36:16-21 NLT).

While God is WORKING, it can become tempting to lose sight of his sovereignty! “….Look, GOD IS ALL-POWERFUL. Who is a teacher like him? No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’ Instead, glorify HIS MIGHTY WORKS, singing songs of praise.Everyone has seen these things, though only from a distance. “Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted. He draws up the water vapor and then distills it into rain. The rain pours down from the clouds, and everyone benefits. Who can understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven?See how he spreads the lightning around him and how it lights up the depths of the sea. By these mighty acts he nourishes the people, giving them food in abundance. He fills his hands with lightning bolts and hurls each at its target. The thunder announces his presence; the storm announces his indignant anger…” (Job 36:22-33 NLT). “…there is NONE like unto thee, O LORD; thou artGREAT, and thy name is great in might.…” (Jeremiah 10:6 KJV). “…There is NONE HOLY as the Lord…” (1 Samuel 2:2 KJV). “… there is NONE GOOD but one, that is, God” (Mark 10:18 KJV).

“….Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE…” (Isaiah 26:3 KJV).  “….Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS…” (Philippians 4:8 KJV).

God was letting Habakkuk KNOW the only ONE who would be able to help them STAND against the Chaldeans was HIM. “…If God (WHO IS “JUST”) is for us, who isagainst us? ... …” (Romans 8:31-39 NASB).

God would protect his righteous ONES who continued to live by faith. “...No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper...” (Isaiah 54:17 KJV). “…He helps me (his people)…” (Psalms 28:7 NLT).   “…The LORD will accomplish (take care of)…that which concerns [his people]…” (John 14:31 NASB). “… THE LORD … is Your rock and Yourfortress, your deliverer...[your god of justice]…” (Psalms 18:3 NASB).

“...Don’t worry, judgment and justicewill be upheld…”  (Job 36:16-21 NLT). “… entrust yourself] to him who judges justly…” (1 Peter 2:20-23 NIV).

“….Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, YE HAVE DONE IT TO ME.” (Matthew 25:40 KJV).

 “...Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God, for it is written: "Vengeance (making things JUST) belongeth unto to me (God, the Holy Spirit); I will recompense (make it JUST)," saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19 ASV).

Even though the Chaldean’s evil ways only SERVED them, God would, according to biblical history, turn it ALL around in order to benefit or SERVE HIS PEOPLE!

God had ALLOWED the Chaldeans to RISE for the good of his WAYWARD people. He didn’t want his people to perish, but to choose to REPENT, yet MANY of them continued to do what they wanted. “...I gave you empty stomachs in every cityand lack of bread in every town, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord.  “I also withheld rain from you when the harvest was still three months away. I sent rain on one town, but withheld it from another. One field had rain; another had none and dried up. People staggered from town to town for water but did not get enough to drink, yet you have not returned to me,”declares the Lord. “Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards, destroying them with blight and mildew. Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you have not returned to me,”declares the Lord. “I sent plagues among you as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord. “I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord...” (Amos 4:6-11 NIV).

Like the word says, “…My people would not listen to me. They kept (CHOOSING TO DO) ...whatever they wanted…” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT). “… The people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to (CHOOSE TO) live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires…” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT).

 “…They (MY PEOPLE) broke [THEIR] ... covenant [WITH ME BY CHOICE], though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord…” (Jeremiah 31:32 NASB).

“…. Again and again (over the years as witnessed in biblical history) he rescued them, but they chose to rebel against him ....Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries. He remembered his covenant with them and relented because of his unfailing love…” (Psalms 106:42-48 NLT). “...And now, O our God, what can we say after all of this? For ONCE AGAIN we have ABANDONED your commands!” (Ezra 9:10 NLT).

“...I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God...” (Galatians 5:19-21 NASB).

"…REPENT  AND RETURN, “SO” that your sins may be wiped away…” (Acts 3:19 NASB).

God used the Chaldeans to EXPOSE the hearts of his people to themselves. Though they were NOT ‘as” evil, as the Chaldeans, some of them were PRACTICING the “same” evil behaviors.

Some of his WAYWARD people had become unrighteous judges, demonstrated injustice toward certain groups of people, lacked compassion for the disenfranchised, made excuses for sinful conduct, folded their arms refusing to help the needy, and mirrored many of evil vices of the Chaldeans.

They were SWEEP UP in the TRAP of the Chaldeans and made a HUGE contribution to the SINS and INIQUITIES that was bought upon their people and nation. Stiff-necked is the same as “stubborn.” Stubbornness is a product of an unrepentant MINDSET. “…my people would not listen to me...” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT). “…The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and [YOU]… ARE NOT SAVED...” (Jeremiah 8:20 KJV). “…If My people which are called by My name shall humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and TURN FROM their wicked ways…” (2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV). “… And  …“If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?” (1 Peter 4:18 NLT).

An unrepentant MINDSET is an unchanged mind that refuses to follow God’s HOLY instruction, guidance, or corrections. “... But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good ....” (Romans 2:5-13 NLT).

God’s judgement would be the consequence.“... the Jews (or God’s people), who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. For merely listening to the [HOLY] law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the [HOLY] law that makes us right in his sight...” (Romans 2:5-13 NLT).

 “…REPENT ye (change your mind) therefore, and BE CONVERTED (SAVED), that your sins may be blotted out (that you may be DELIVERED from you sins)…” (Acts 3:19 KJV).

"…REPENT  AND RETURN, “SO” that your sins may be wiped away…” (Acts 3:19 NASB).

“…EXCEPT YE REPENT, ye shall all likewise PERISH…” (Luke 13:3 KJV).

While the Chaldeans DID NOT change their minds, but grew worst, many of God’s people DID change their minds and REPENTED. “[God can]… be touched with the feeling of [his people’s]… infirmities...” (Hebrews 4:15 KJV). “..[His people can]… come boldly unto the throne of GRACE, that we may obtain mercy, and find GRACE to help in time of need…”(Hebrews 4:16 KJV). “…If [his people]… confess [their]… sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 KJV). “…There is …no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NIV). “….mercy triumphs over judgement…” (James 2:13 NASB).

“…My GRACE is sufficient for thee: for my strengthis made perfect in weakness...” (2 Corinthians 12:9 KJV). “...Grow in the GRACE and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… Amen” (2 Timothy 3:18 NIV). “…my power is made perfect in weakness.”(2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).

 “God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9 KJV). “...The faithful love of the Lord never ends!His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning” (Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT). “…he remains faithful ,for he cannot deny who he is…” (2 Timothy 2:13 NLT). “God is faithful...” (1 Corinthians 1:9 KJV).

In the 21st century WAYWARD Christians are “proclaiming” to be God’s people WHILE siding with the Chaldeans of their times. “…If we “SAY” that we have fellowship with him, and WALK IN DARKNESS (unrepentent), WE LIE, and DO NOT THE TRUTH…” (1 John 1:6 KJV).

“…Bring forth therefore fruits (such as spiritual fruit) worthy of REPENTANCE (a true change of mind), and begin NOT to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none…” (Luke 3:8-11 KJV). “…REPENT…” (Acts 17:30 KJV).

WAYWARD Christians are so caught upon in the WORLD they have forgotten about LOST and SPIRITUALLY dead souls. “…They …serve ….their OWN belly (self)…” (Romans 16:18 KJV).  “…thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and …art polluted with their idols…” (Ezekiel 23:30).

“Anyone who wants to be my follower must love me far morethan he doeshis own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters—yes, more than his own life—otherwise he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26 NLT).

“.. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:16-17 NLT).

During Habakkuk’s time God announced judgement upon the Chaldeans and all unrepentant Judeans for their WICKED and EVIL conduct. Some of God’s own people were displaying BAD FRUIT. “…Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them…” (Matthew 7:16-20 KJV).

During Isaiah’s day, some of his “own” people were calling evil, good and good, evil. “…Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!...” (Isaiah 5:20-21 KJV).

LIGHT and DARKNESS will “NEVER” dwell together. By trying to PROCLAIM they were God’s people while actively participating with the wicked and godless nations, as if they were one of the Devil’s people, were signs of an unrepentant heart. “…the one who practices sin is of the devil;...” (1 John 3:7-10 NASB & Jude 1:24 KJV).

“…what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ (the Word of TRUTH) with Belial (the DEVIL or Father of LIES)? Or what part hath he that believeth (depends upon God) with an infidel (one who doesn’t depend upon God)?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15 KJV).

When there is a BARRIER, made by sin, it separates the natural realm from the supernatural realm, and it creates an impenetrable chasm. “... And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm (barrier) has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us…” (Luke 16:22-25 NASB).

 “…[God, the Holy Spirit] can not look on wickedness with favor…” (Habakkuk 1:13 NASB). “…[God, the Holy Spirit’s]... eyes are too pure to approve evil…” (Habakkuk 1:13 NASB).“…Because of YOUR SINS, [God, the Holy Spirit has] … turned away and can… not listen anymore [because he is in the spiritual realm and YOU are not]…” (Isaiah 59:2 NLT).

 “…Be ye NOT unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15 KJV).

There is NOTHING good about wickedness, evil, sin, iniquity, OR the people who are allies with those who practice this kind of lifestyle, upon earth!“…Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!...” (Isaiah 5:20-21 KJV).

The WAYWARD Judeans had REBELLED against the HOLY God, and their perspectives had obviously DARKENED based on their wicked and evil conduct.

Calling EVIL, good, was a SIGN of just how FAR AWAY from God they had become.

Though mankind tries to MEASURE one sin over another. In God’s HOLY eyes sin is sin. Sin is EVIL. INQUITY, which is the demonstration and expression of its corruption, depravity, darkness, etc.

Accepting or Calling ANY, no matter how big or small, EVIL behavior or conduct good is a MOCKERY of the holiness of God’s STANDARDS for himself and his people.

Apart from Jesus, God’s HOLY WORD, mankind’s VALUE system is TAINTED. Some of God’s WAYWARD people are promoting that HOLINESS is “intolerant” or “oppressive” right along with the WORLD and their carnal morality.

God’s TRUTH is only OFFENSIVE to those who OPENLY and PUBLICLY choose NOT to follow its HOLY standards. “…But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward”” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT).

WAYWARD Judeans COULD NOT walk in DARKNESS and LIGHT at the same TIME. THEY ARE LYING! “…If we “SAY”that we have fellowship with him, and WALK IN DARKNESS (compromising the truth), WE LIE, and DO NOT THE TRUTH…” (1 John 1:6 KJV).

The WAYWARD Judeans COULD NOT do both. They had become BLINDED by their participation in EVIL and WICKEDNESS. “… In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them…” (2 Corinthians 4:4 KJV).“… If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get…” (2 Corinthians 4:4 MSG).

Whenever WAYWARD people, claiming to be God’s people, call their EVIL ways GOOD, it is a TELLTALE sign they have STRAYED away from God’s HOLY instructions! “…In the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away…” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 KJV).

The WAYWARD Judeans had STRAYED far from God’s WORD. They couldn’t GIVE true spiritual enlightened to anyone, nor could they sustain a holy understanding without God’s revelation knowledge.“…Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path…” (Psalm 119:104-105 KJV).

The WAYWARD Judeans were FAR from God’s truth and were, openly, walking in their flesh or humanness. “…The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to [the sin nature]. …I don’t really understand myself, for I want to [be holy] …but I don’t [allow myself to depend upon God’s indwelling Spirit]... Instead, I do what I hate. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is [the sinful nature]… living in me that does it.  And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to [be holy) … [which]… is right, BUT I CAN’T…Who will free me from this life that is dominated by [unholiness]?” (Romans 7:14-25 NLT). 

“…The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord…” (Romans 7:14-25 NLT).  “If the Son therefore shall make you free, you SHALL be free indeed…” (John 8:36 KJV). “….Apart from [the indwelling spirit],.. [you]… can do nothing…” (John 15:5 NIV).

The WAYWARD Judeans were like a FRUITLESS field.  “…When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing.  But if a field bears thorns and thistles, it is useless. The farmer will soon condemn that field and burn it…” (Hebrews 6:4-8 NLT).

God’s people apart from depending upon the Holy Spirit, can do nothing. “…The God of peace… that great Shepherd of the sheep …work in us (empowering) what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV).“…Apart from Me (the Holy Spirit), [HIS PEOPLE can] do nothing [spiritually relevant]…” (John 15:5 NIV).

Without depending upon the Holy Spirit, God’s WAYWARD people became impure from self-effort that relies on sinful flesh. “… It is the same God who does the work IN and THROUGH all of us who are his. The HOLY SPIRIT DISPLAYS God’s power THROUGH each of us … (1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NLT). “….Apart from Me, you can do nothing…” (John 15:5 NIV).

The sinful flesh profits NOTHING, especially NOTHING that glorifies God. The flesh, without God, is USELESS and UNPROFITABLE. “…The flesh profiteth nothing…” (John 6:63 KJV). “…Human effort (the flesh) accomplishes nothing….” (John 6:63 NLT). “…If I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but have not love (God is LOVE), IT PROFITETH ME NOTHING…” (1 Corinthians 13:2-3 ASV)."… if the salt has become tasteless … It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out…” (Matthew 5:13 NASB).

If God’s people LOSE what makes them distinctive, which IS the  Holy Spirit, how will they be able to preserve themselves or others from the corruption of sin or depth of iniquity? “….Don't put your confidence in … people [or your OWN flesh]… there is NO HELP for you there….” (Psalms 146: 3 NLT). “…It is impossible to please God without (the indwelling Holy Spirit of) FAITH…” (Hebrews 11:6 NLT). "…That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit…” (John 3:6 KJV). “….Apart from Me (the indwelling Holy Spirit), you can do nothing…” (John 15:5 NIV).

If the carnal WORLD can’t find God through his OWN people where else will they find it upon this earth? “…my people would not listen to me...” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT). “…The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and [YOU]… ARE NOT SAVED...” (Jeremiah 8:20 KJV). “…If My people which are called by My name shall humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and TURN FROM their wicked ways…” (2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV). “… And  …“If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?” (1 Peter 4:18 NLT).

In the middle of a mess, where there is injustice and evil everywhere, God’s people choose to trust and believe, God, the Holy Spirit’s, is working.

God’s WORK is a spiritual reality. “…The person WITHOUT the Spirit DOES NOT accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. …” (2 Corinthians 2:12-15 KJV).  “… BY FAITH we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen…” (Hebrews 11 NLT). However, “…the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are CLEARLY SEEN…” (Romans 1:20 KJV).

Habakkuk didn’t see it, but spiritual realties are “clearly seen.” Spiritual realities don’t rely on MERE human opinions, perspectives, or approval, but GOD’s sovereign truths. God, the Holy Spirit’s sovereign truths, through Jesus, are SPIRITUAL FACTS, and rely on FAITH. “…[Thus, God’s people]… LIVE BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT…” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NIV).

Some things can ONLY be seen through the eyes of the Spirit and NOT the eyes of the flesh. “…The person WITHOUT the Spirit DOES NOT accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. …” (2 Corinthians 2:12-15 KJV).

When God’s people can’t understand, God’s POWERFUL work and justice, by what they SEE in the flesh, they have to choose to TRUST and DEPEND upon what God’s WORD shows them in the SPIRIT. “…the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are CLEARLY SEEN…” (Romans 1:20 KJV).

“…GOD’S WORK IS CLEARLY SEEN….” Part 1

“…the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are CLEARLY SEEN…” (Romans 1:20 KJV).

"…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…" (Habakkuk 2:1 KJV). “…The invisible [Spirit]…from the creation of the world is …clearly seen, being understood by the things that are MADE …” (Romans 1:20 KJV).

*

NEXT, Habakkuk said: "…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…" (Habakkuk 2:1 KJV).

In spite of all his complains and questions, Habakkuk EXPECTED God, the Holy Spirit, to GIVE him an answer.

He was PREPARED to WAIT upon God and look forward to HEARING what HE, the Holy Spirit, has to say.

Habakkuk, in spite, of his ponderings, he does not STOP what he is CALLED to do but continues to act as WATCHMAN.

Habakkuk wasn’t SURE how God would answer him. Afterall he was BOLD with questions and OPINIONATED with his assessment of God’s divine nature. God could very well reprimand him for what he’d said. “…How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? 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. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

Nonetheless, he separates himself, from the wicked and their wickedness UNTIL he hears from God, the Holy Spirit. "…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…" (Habakkuk 2:1 KJV).

God had already answered Habakkuk’s first set of questions and complains. “...Look around at the godless nations. Look long and hard. Brace yourself for a shock. Something’s about to take placeand you’re going to find it hard to believe. I’m about to raise up Babylonians to punish you, Babylonians, fierce and ferocious—World-conquering Babylon, grabbing up nations right and left, A dreadful and terrible people, making up its own rules as it goes. Their horses run like the wind, attack like bloodthirsty wolves. A stampede of galloping horses thunders out of nowhere. They descend like vultures circling in on carrion. They’re out to kill. Death is on their minds. They collect victims like squirrels gathering nuts. They mock kings,poke fun at generals, Spit on forts,and leave them in the dust. They’ll all be blown away by the wind. Brazen in sin, they call strength their god...” (Habakkuk 1:5-12 MSG).

As we have learned God informed Habakkuk, he will ALLOW the Chaldeans to be IN CHARGE, for a while, to PUNISH “his” rebellious children that had been taken into exile. “...I am raising up the Babylonians (Chaldeans), that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own...” (Habakkuk 1:6 NIV). “...I’m about to raise up Babylonians to punish you, Babylonians, fierce and ferocious—World-conquering Babylon,grabbing up nations right and left...” (Habakkuk 1:5-12 MSG).

As is KNOWN they were UTTERLY wicked, evil people, who made up laws that benefited themselves and dominated in a way that FAVORED them. Nonetheless, God USED them, of all the people upon earth, to discipline his covenant children. “...They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor...” (Habakkuk 1:7 NIV).  “...A dreadful and terrible people, making up its own rules as it goes...” (Habakkuk 1:7 MSG).

When the enemy TEMPTS God’s people, - makes them FALL AWAY from following him, influences them to WALK in their flesh, leads them to becoming LUKEWARM, BACKSLIDE, or become COMFORTABLE or COMPLACENT about practicing sin (big, small, or acceptable ones) or LURES them to DEPART from OBEYING his WORD, - he means to HARM God’s people.

But when they willing choose to keep trusting and depending upon God, the bible says: “...No weapon that is formed against ...[God’s people]... shall prosper…This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord…” (Isaiah 54:17 KJV). “….All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose…” (Hebrews 13:5 & ROMANS 8:28 KJV).

God didn’t say these things were good, but they would work together for good.

“…ye thought evil against [God’s people]; but God meant it unto good…” (Genesis 50:20 KJV).

God didn’t say the enemy’s evil thoughts against them wouldn’t cause trouble, but he would only ALLOW it for his people’s good.

 “…The plans [God has]…for you… [are]… plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future...” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). Whatever the evil plans the devil has, God’s plans, for his people, are ONLY to prosper them!

WHY? “...[god, the holy spirit] careth for you (his people)...” (1 Peter 5:7 KJV).  

Therefore, “...whom the Lord loveth he CORRECTETH…” (Proverbs 3:12 KJV).   

 “...If you are not disciplined – and everyone undergoes discipline – then you are notlegitimate, not true sons and daughters at all” (Hebrews 12:8 NIV).

God disciplines his children so “…that [they] might be partakers of his holiness….” (Hebrews 12:10 KJV). “…Be holy, because I am holy…” (1 Peter 1:16 KJV). “…I am the Lordwho makes you holy…” (Leviticus 20:8 NLT).

“… [God allows corrections]…for [their] profit...” (Hebrews 12:10 KJV). “…No chastening (discipline) for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised (trained) thereby...” (Hebrews 12:11 KJV).

The prophet received God’s FIRST message, but Habakkuk didn’t LIKE or AGREE with God’s answer or solution to the PROBLEM. Thus, his complains and questions continue.

Habakkuk was asking, THIS TIME, it seems, for himself. Maybe he couldn’t FIND peace of mind because of all the evil and wickedness he saw through the actions and behaviors of both the Judeans and the Chaldeans.

Before the Chaldeans ROSE UP the wayward Judeans were being violent and wicked all by themselves. Habakkuk was concerned about judgement for the one group of Judeans and protection and safety for the other group of Judeans.

Habakkuk was IMPACTED with the blatant iniquities and calamities HE WITNESSED among those who CLAIMED to be God’s people. He BLAMED God for allowing it to go on so long.

The CREATION belonged to God, but the FALLEN WORLD was under the POWER of the EVIL ONE. The wicked one worked through those who willingly PRACTICED his WAYS and his WICKED WORKS. “…We know … that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19 RSV). “…the one who practices sin is of the devil;...” (1 John 3:7-10 NASB & Jude 1:24 KJV).

“…For you are the children of your father the devil,and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies…” (John 8:44 NLT).

The DEVIL’s children and anyone, including those CLAIMING to be God’s people, who allies with them are DOING the WORK of Satan. “…For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. …” (John 8:44 NLT).

These, children, who are of the DEVIL, and their allies are peace-breakers, who have become emboldened and have risen UP to stir the pot of STRIFE.

The bible says “…A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up conflict. Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,  a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community…” (Proverbs 6:12-19 NIV).

A LITTLE PRACTICE OF SIN WAS “STILL” SOME PRACTICE OF SIN AND “some” PRACTICE OF SIN WAS STILL “TOO MUCH!”

God’s people are “…NOT to give the DEVIL (big or small) an OPPORTUNITY…” in their lives (Ephesians 4:27 NIV).

They are INSTRUCTED to “…RESIST the DEVIL…” and not partner or fellowship with him on ANY level ( James 2:7 KJV).

“…what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ (the Word of TRUTH) with Belial (the DEVIL or Father of LIES)? Or what part hath he that believeth (depends upon God) with an infidel (one who doesn’t depend upon God)?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-15 KJV).

“... Everyone (including God’s WAYWARD people who SIDE with the WICKED on ANY level and) …sins (as a result of JOINING them in their wickedness) is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Anyone who continues to live in him (ABIDE WITH HIM) will not sin. But anyone who keeps on sinning does not know him ... who he is. Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s [SPIRITUAL] ... life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone(NO EXCEPTIONS) who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God...” (1 John 3:7-10 NLT).

“...BRETHREN (FELLOW BELIEVERS)... you were called to freedom ...only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh ... “ (Galatians 5: 13a KJV). “... Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,  idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ...” (Galatians 5:19-21 NASB).

God’s people will NEVER bring God GLORY by joining forces and being in ALLIANCE with the DEVIL or his children.

In the story of the HEBREW BOYS, they did not JOIN forces with the WORLD, the KING, or the PEOPLE who bowed to the false gods.  “…The Holy Spirit ...[gave]... birth to..[their]... SPIRITUAL LIFE …” (John 3:6 NLT). “... The Holy Spirit produce[d]... this kind of fruit in ...[their]... lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. …” (Galatians 5 NLT). "…[God, the Holy Spirit]... is glorified by this, that ... [“the HEBREW BOYS” bore]... much fruit...”(John 15:8 NIV).  

“…Ye shall know [those who are glorifying God]… by their fruits…” (Matthew 7:16 KJV). “…He who ABIDES in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit… ” (John 15:1-11 NASB). “…The fruit of the Spiritis love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance…” (Galatians 5:22-23 KJV). "…My Father is glorified by this, that “YOU” bear much fruit, and so PROVE to be My disciples” (John 15:8 NIV).

Therefore, “…If you love [GOD], you will keep (under all circumstances,)[HIS]...commandments…” (John 14:15).

"…My Father is glorified by this...” (John 15:8 NIV).  WHAT? "… that “YOU” bear much fruit...” (John 15:8 NIV). WHY? "…[Then you]... PROVE to be My disciples” (John 15:8 NIV). The HEBREW BOYS “PROVED” to be HIS disciples.

Like the FISH, in Habakkuk’s metaphor, was caught in the FISHERMEN’S net, so did God’s people, because of their OWN “evil” desires, get caught in the CHALDEANS trap! “…my people ...kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts...”(Jeremiah 7:24 NLT).  

“…This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me” (Mark 7:6 KJV). “…for thy heart is not right in the sight of God…” (Acts 8:21 KJV).

“…What shall it profit a man (woman), if he(she) shall gain the whole world (fool other humans with outward phoniness), and lose his (her) own soul?...” (Mark 8:36 KJV). “...God SEES NOT as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART…”(1 Samuel 16:7 NASB). “…No one needed… to tell him (God) about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart…” (John 2:24-25 NLT). “…[The] ...Lord (God), which knowest the heartsof all men…” (Acts 1:24 KJV). “… He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. The Lord examines both the righteous and the wicked…” (Psalm 11:4-5 NLT).

First the WAYWARD Judeans bought Habakkuk to his knees, then the RISING-UP of the Chaldean’s did. It is for THESE concerns that Habakkuk pleads with God.

Yet, the loving God, the Holy Spirit, answered Habakkuk again. God assured Habakkuk that the Chaldeans would definitely face his JUSTICE. “...Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it...”(Habakkuk 2:2-3 NIV). “...And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it....” (Habakkuk 2:2-3 KJV).

Then God, the Holy Spirit, SAID: “...See, the enemy is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous person will live by his faithfulness—indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples. “Will not all of them taunt him with ridicule and scorn, saying, ‘Woe to him who piles up stolen goods and makes himself wealthy by extortion! How long must this go on?’  Will not your creditors suddenly arise? Will they not wake up and make you tremble?Then you will become their prey. Because you have plundered many nations, the peoples who are left will plunder you. For you have shed human blood;you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. “Woe to him who builds his house by unjust gain, setting his nest on high to escape the clutches of ruin! You have plotted the ruin of many peoples, shaming your own house and forfeiting your life. The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.  “Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshedand establishes a town by injustice! Has not the Lord Almighty determined that the people’s labor is only fuel for the fire, that the nations exhaust themselves for nothing? For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies! You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed! The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory. The violence you have done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and your destruction of animals will terrify you For you have shed human blood; you have destroyed lands and cities and everyone in them. “Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.” The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him...” (Habakkuk 2:4-20 NIV).“...Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay...”(Habakkuk 2:2-3 NIV).

“...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...” (Habakkuk 2:2-3 KJV).

God basically TOLD Habakkuk that the RIGHTEOUS, in the days of trouble, would be the ones who will CONTINUE to live by faith.  “...Behold, his soul (the wicked soul) which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith...” (Habakkuk 2:4 KJV). “..For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith...” (Romans 10:17 KJV). “...But that no man (woman) is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith...” (Galatians 3:11 KJV).  “...Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man (woman) draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him...” (Hebrew 10:38 KJV).

The righteous will CONTINUE to trust and depend upon God, the Holy Spirit, and his WORD no matter what they SEE, HEAR, FEEL, OR EXPERIENCE. “…live by faith, not by sight….” (2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV).

The righteous are empowered and strengthened by the indwelling Holy Spirit to TRUST and OBEY, through FAITH, beyond the present circumstances with confidence in the God of JUSTICE. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13 KJV).

“…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want…” Philippians 4:11-12 NIV).

“...He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord , He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust ...” (Psalm 91 KJV).

“...Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler...” (Psalm 91 KJV).

The righteous are the ONES that know their righteousness is a GIFT given to them through the blood of Jesus. “…the GIFT of righteousness…” (Romans 5:17 KJV). “...God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it...” (Romans 5:10-16 NLT). “...his gift of righteousness ...through this one man, Jesus Christ...” (Romans 5:10-16 NLT).

The righteous, through Jesus, are in right standing with God, the Holy Spirit. ... God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God ... through this one man, Jesus Christ...” (Romans 5:10-16 NLT). “… my righteous servant (Jesus) ... [made]... it possible for many to be counted righteous…” (Isaiah 53:11 NLT). “…[He sent the] …one … who can reconcileGod and humanity—the man Christ Jesus…” (1 Timothy 2:5 NLT). “…[salvation]… IS THE GIFT OF GOD (the Holy Spirit)…” (Ephesians 2:8-9 ASV). “…[God’s people ARE] ... Saved by grace through faith (trust in & dependency upon God)… NOT OF [them]SELVES ... not of works , that no man (woman) should glory…” (Ephesians 2:8-9 ASV).

 “...his gift of righteousness ...through this one man, Jesus Christ...” (Romans 5:10-16 NLT). “…it is the blood [of Jesus] that maketh an atonement for the soul…” (Leviticus 17:11 KJV).

In the Old Testament when God sent a tenth and final plague upon the Egyptians which caused the death of the firstborn of both people and animals. ALL the firstborn of Egypt died on the same night, even King Pharaoh’s son.

All died, except the righteous who were COVERED by the BLOOD. (READ Exodus 11:1-12:36). “…This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt. All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest servant girl who grinds the flour. Even the firstborn of all the livestock will die. Then a loud wail will rise throughout the land of Egypt, a wail like no one has heard before or will ever hear again. …” (Exodus 11:4-8 NLT).

The children of Israel (God’s people, the righteous) that painted their door posts with the sacrificial blood of an animal did not lose their firstborn to death. “… But among the Israelites it will be so peaceful that not even a dog will bark. Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites…” (Exodus 11:4-8 NLT).

This created a FEAR in the hearts and minds of the Egyptians (the wicked ones at that time. “… All the officials of Egypt will run to me and fall to the ground before me. ‘Please leave!’ they will beg. ‘Hurry! And take all your followers with you.’ Only then will I go!” …  The Lordcaused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth!” (Exodus 11:4-8, 12:34 NLT).

IF God’s ALLOWANCE of the plagues CREATED a fear in the hearts of the Egyptians, what will it DO to the hearts of his WAYWARD people through the Chaldeans?

God is trying to get their ATTENTION and SAVE their lives. God has a SET TIME, but it is NOT always easy to ACCEPT his PLAN when so much wickedness is happening and seem to be prevailing. “….And the Lord appointed A SET TIME, saying, To morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land. And the Lord did that thing on the morrow…” (Exodus (9:5-6 KJV). “…At the PROPER time [you]… WILL reap a HARVEST if [you]… do not give up…” (Galatians 6:9 NIV). “…The LORD [is] good unto them that WAIT FOR HIM…” (Lamentations 3:25 KJV). “…WAIT ON the LORD: …WAIT, I say, on the LORD…” (Psalms 27:14 KJV). “…THOUGH IT TARRY, WAIT FOR IT….” (Habakkuk 2:3 KJV).

God’s CORRECTION, and whoever he uses to execute it, is a GIFT. God is STILL in control through it ALL. “…God is mighty, but he does not despise anyone! He is mighty in both power and understanding. He does not let the wicked live but gives justice to the afflicted.He never takes his eyes off the innocent, but he sets them on thrones with kings and exalts them forever. If they are bound in chains and CAUGHT UP in a web of trouble, HE SHOWS THEM THE REASON. HE SHOWS THEM THEIR SINS OF PRIDE. HE GETS THEIR ATTENTION AND COMMANDS THAT THEY TURN FROM EVIL…” (Job 36:6-10 NLT).

God, the Holy Spirit, is trying to get the ATTENTION of his people. “…But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he GETS THEIR ATTENTION through adversity…” (Job 36:15 NLT).

God's people are WAITING upon God to DO his work while they continue to do their work upon earth.  THE RIGHTEOUS, WHILE THEY WAIT , CHOOSE TO LIVE BY FAITH!

“… LIVING THROUGH THE SILENCE…”

“…God, you’re from eternity, aren’t you?  Holy God, we aren’t going to die, are we? God, you chose Babylonians for your judgment work? Rock-Solid God, you gave them the job of discipline? But you can’t be serious! You can’t condone evil! So why don’t you do something about this?  Why are you silent now? This outrage! Evil men swallow up the righteous and you stand around and watch!(Habakkuk 1:12-13 MSG).

“…You’re treating men and women  as so many fish in the ocean, Swimming without direction, swimming but not getting anywhere.Then this evil Babylonian arrives and goes fishing.  He pulls in a good catch.He catches his limit and fills his bucket— a good day of fishing! He’s happy! He praises his rod and reel, piles his fishing gear on an altar and worships it! It’s made his day, and he’s going to eat well tonight!...” (Habakkuk 1:14-16 MSG).

“…Are you going to let this go on and on? Will you let this Babylonian fisherman Fish like a weekend angler, killing people as if they’re nothing but fish?...” (Habakkuk 1:17 MSG). 

*

Habakkuk, no doubt, believes in the sovereignty, power, and authority of God. “…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…” (Habakkuk 1:12 KJV). “…God, you’re from eternity, aren’t you? Holy God, we aren’t going to die, are we? God, you chose Babylonians for your judgment work? Rock-Solid God, you gave them the job of discipline?...” (Habakkuk 1:12 MSG).

Yet, Habakkuk still had some complaints. “…Rock-Solid God, you gave them the job of discipline? But you can’t be serious!You can’t condone evil! So why don’t you do something about this?  Why are you silent now? This outrage! Evil men swallow up the righteous and you stand around and watch!(Habakkuk 1:12-13 MSG). “…You’re treating men and women asso many fish in the ocean, Swimming without direction,swimming but not getting anywhere. Then this evil Babylonian arrives and goes fishing.  He pulls in a good catch.He catches his limit and fills his bucket— a good day of fishing! He’s happy! He praises his rod and reel, piles his fishing gear on an altar and worships it! It’s made his day, and he’s going to eat well tonight!...” (Habakkuk 1:14-16 MSG). “…Are you going to let this go on and on?Will you let this Babylonian fisherman Fish like a weekend angler, killing people as if they’re nothing but fish?...” (Habakkuk 1:17 MSG).

Habakkuk couldn’t UNDERSTAND, with his humanity, how a HOLY God could USE such a wicked people and wicked nation even more wicked that Judah to JUDGE “his” people. 

“…You can’t condone evil! So why don’t you do something about this?  Why are you silent nowand you stand around and watch! (Habakkuk 1:12-13 MSG).

“…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 1:13 KJV).

Habakkuk wants God, the Holy Spirit, to JUDGE, right away, and tells God it seems as if he is “looking” upon the WICKED and their iniquities with approval or favor. “…But you can’t be serious! You can’t condone evil! So why don’t you do something about this?...” (Habakkuk 1:12-13 MSG).

In addition, Habakkuk felt God was allowing the WICKED to, treacherously, capture other nations in the same way people catch fish in a fish net. “…Are you going to let this go on and on? Will you let this Babylonian fisherman Fish like a weekend angler, killing people as if they’re nothing but fish?...” (Habakkuk 1:17 MSG).

Habakkuk’s first complaint was about the wickedness he was witnessing in Judah (God’s people), then he complained about God’s plan to use the Chaldeans (Heathen nation) to resolve the problem.

God ASSURED Habakkuk judgement, against JUDAH, was on its WAY. However, Habakkuk didn’t APPROVE of God’s method or agent of judgement, which were the Chaldeans.

For one thing, the Chaldeans were WAY MORE wicked than Judah, but, nonetheless, they would be God’s AGENT of change to SOLVE the problem of wickedness among his people.

If the problem was already BAD, Habakkuk couldn’t understand God’s wisdom in a cure that “seem” like it would make the problem WORSE. “…everything [God, the Holy Spirit of LOVE]... does is right and all his ways are just....” (Daniel 4 NIV).  “...all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he...” (Deuteronomy 32:4 NIV). “… “I AM WHO I AM …” (Exodus 3:14-15 NASB).  “…I change NOT…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV).

Habakkuk KNEW the nature of God was HOLY and DIVINE. This truth about his nature also troubled him in regard to WHY God would JUDGE Judah by RAISING-UP a nation more wicked than they were.

The heathen nation and their people were so EVIL and WICKED, Habakkuk wondered HOW LONG God would allow the Chaldeans to continue their cruelty.

Especially, when it “seemed” God’s own people were being conquered like fish becoming caught in a fisherman’s net. They were EASILY being destroyed by the Chaldeans. King Nebuchadnezzar was their king, but he was no leader or defense since he was siding with the Chaldeans.

Habakkuk was an eyewitness of the EVIL and WICKEDNESS. They were haughty and insolent. They wanted to autonomously exercise their own rights yet control the rights of others.

They were without God but served the gods Bel and Nebo. They were hardened by their own idolatry and blasphemous attitudes toward the God of Israel. “...Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth...” (Exodus 20:1-4 KJV).

Because they had CONQUERED Judah, they believed their god was more POWERFUL than Israel’s God. They took God, the Holy Spirit’s, glory and gave it to their gods (of their own creation) and themselves. “...Thou shalt have no other gods before me...” (Exodus 20:1-4 KJV).

We have all, like Habakkuk, questioned God’s allowance of wicked people and the corruption of their wicked actions.

Some of God’s own people have thought that God’s allowance of these Chaldean-like nations, across biblical history, damages his holy and righteous character.

The Chaldeans in Habakkuk’s day much more WICKED than the Judean’s (God’s unfaithful, wayward children) he was complaining about in the first 4 verses in Chapter 1.

Yet, God, in his ALMIGHTY and omniscient wisdom was allowing the Chaldeans to be a part of his PLAN of CHASTISEMENT upon his people.

The part that troubled Habakkuk and that may trouble YOU, right now, is how can a HOLY God look upon ALL this wicked and evil behavior and “seemingly” do NOTHING.

Habakkuk BOLDLY questions, like many of his people do, God, the Holy Spirit’s, sovereign wisdom in “overlooking” the Chaldeans sins and blatant iniquities.

The Chaldeans being God’s agents for punishing his people who, in comparison, are LESS sinful seems WRONG.

Habakkuk wondered if the God, who sees EVERYTHING, “saw” just how wicked and evil the Chaldeans were in their ruthless, murderous, careless, vicious, selfish, conduct and actions.  “…Then this evil Babylonian arrives and goes fishing. He pulls in a good catch. He catches his limit and fills his bucket—a good day of fishing! He’s happy! He praises his rod and reel, piles his fishing gear on an altar and worships it! It’s made his day, and he’s going to eat well tonight!...” (Habakkuk 1:14-16 MSG).

It SEEMS, not only was God allowing it, but he was taking NO action either. “…Are you going to let this go on and on? Will you let this Babylonian fisherman Fish like a weekend angler, killing people as if they’re nothing but fish?...” (Habakkuk 1:17 MSG).

God, the Holy Spirit, in his allowance, had UNLEASHED the WICKED and EVIL Chaldeans upon them. “…You’re treating men and women asso many fish in the ocean, Swimming without direction,swimming but not getting anywhere....” (Habakkuk 1:14-16 MSG). "…And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, [that have] no ruler over them?..." (Habakkuk 1:14 KJV).

In other words, Habakkuk SAW the “same” people he was complaining about earlier NOW as victims. Let’s look at his original complaint: “…How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? 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. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

Now these “SAME” evil people had NO ONE to protect or defend them against the Chaldeans. The Chaldeans were unrestrained from taking them into captivity or hurting them.

They were in the HANDS of the Chaldeans and exposed to their cruelty as if God they had NO LORD or SAVIOR.

It was AS IF they had NO God of providence to preserve them and keep them from being hurt by these wicked and evil Chaldeans.

In addition, they were weak and powerless against the Chaldeans and without God’s GRACE and MERCY that would continually be OPPRESSED by their enemy.

“…How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? 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. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

The SAME wicked Judeans he complained about to God, Habakkuk was NOW pleading their case against the “seemingly” merciless way God was choosing to CORRECT them. "…They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad…" (Habakkuk 1:15 KJV).

Habakkuk describes these “same” evil Judeans as FISH and the eviler Chaldeans as FISHERMEN who exerted or forced their power upon them in order to take dominion over the Judeans people, their property, and their kingdom.

However, in Habakkuk’s metaphor the FISH were, somehow, LURED to the FISHERMEN’s nets, which means they willingly choose to go into the NET on their OWN volition.

Whatever, within their own hearts, allowed them to be LURED into the nets, is what DREW them into the FISHERMEN’s TRAPS, "… they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag:…" (Habakkuk 1:15 KJV).

On some level the FISH willingly followed the FISHERMEN’S LURE into their nets. All the fishermen wanted was to get the FISH into their NETS by APPEALING to the FISHES’ own desires.

“…My people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT).  “...But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires...” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT).

The NET can catch a LARGE number of FISH into its TRAP and what the net misses, the FISHERMEN catches by using what is called a DRAG. "… they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag…" (Habakkuk 1:15 KJV).

"…therefore they rejoice and are glad…" (Habakkuk 1:15 KJV). The FISHERMEN, in the text, is happy for his CATCH. “…Then this evil Babylonian arrives and goes fishing.  He pulls in a good catch.He catches his limit and fills his bucket— a good day of fishing! He’s happy! He praises his rod and reel, piles his fishing gear on an altar and worships it! It’s made his day, and he’s going to eat well tonight!...” (Habakkuk 1:14-16 MSG).

In like manner, the Chaldeans LURED the wicked JUDEANS through their own evil desires by capturing them into their TRAPS. “…[God said:].... my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. ….” (JEREMIAH 5:23 NLT). “…My people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted…” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT).

“…They have turned away and ABANDONED me….” (JEREMIAH 5:23 NLT).  “...[My people]… FORGOT all about ME,” says the Lord…” (Hosea 2:13 NLT). “…for years on end my people have FORGOTten ME…” (Jeremiah 2:32 NLT).

“…They ABANDONED ME and did not obey my word….” (JEREMIAH 16:11 NLT). “…They ABANDONED the Lord… they turned their backs on him….” (2 Chronicles 29:6 NLT).

The Chaldean’s took their lands, their property, their kingdom, their nation, and draining their riches. "…therefore they rejoice and are glad…" (Habakkuk 1:15 KJV).

The Chaldeans REJOICED over how wickedly clever they had succeeded in TAKING OVER the backsliding Judeans in such a deceitful way.

The Chaldeans, literally, took dominion of the WHOLE NATION and spared NO ONE; not even the ones they’d manipulated and TRICKED into helping them get what they wanted.

The EVIL Judeans were captured by the EVILER Chaldeans. They TOOK everything they HAD and PARTIED with large feasts and banquets. "…Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion [is] fat, and their meat plenteous…" (Habakkuk 1:16 KJV).

The Chaldeans GAVE the credit for the VICTORY to their “own” POWER and NOT God, the Holy Spirit’s.

It was “their” POWER and false gods, whom they burned incense to, that had enlarged their dominion, increased their riches, enhanced their benefits, given them what they wanted, and emboldened their way of life.

The Chaldeans continuously went after, followed, hunted for, stalked, or pursued injustice and every kind of wickedness. "…Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?..." (Habakkuk 1:17 KJV).

HOW LONG WAS GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOING TO ALLOW OR TOLERATE THEIR WICKED AND EVIL BEHAVIORS AND ACTIONS?

God may have allowed the CHALDEANS to RISE-UP, but who had EMBOLDENED their evil ways? God’s own people SUPPORTED them.

In the OLD TESTAMENT, God’s people rejected HIM as their King.  They decided they wanted a HUMAN KING over Israel. “...Now it came about, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.  The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judging in Beersheba. His sons, however, did not walk in his ways but turned aside after dishonest gain, and they took bribes and perverted justice...” (1 Samuel 8:1-3 NASB).

God had RULED over his people through SAMUEL, but his people begin to reject him. “...Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah; and they said to him, “Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint us a king to judge us like all the nations.”  But the matter was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord...” (1 Samuel 8:4-7 NASB).

God respects the human will of his people. “...And the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people regarding all that they say to you, because they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being King over them. Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day—in that they have abandoned Me and served other gods—so they are doing to you as well.  Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of the practice of the king who will reign over them...” (1 Samuel 8:7-9 NASB). “…Choose you this day whom ye will serve….” (Joshua 24:15 KJV).

They were NOT rejecting Samuel, but God, the Holy Spirit. “...they have rejected Me (God, the Holy Spirit) from being King over them...however, you shall warn them strongly and tell them of the practice of the king who will reign over them...” (1 Samuel 8:7-9 NASB).  

God allowed them to HAVE what they WANTED in their “own” hearts. “... The matter was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, “Give us a (human) king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord...” (1 Samuel 8:4-7 NASB).

“...[God, through Samuel warned]...them strongly and [told]... them of the practice of the (human) king who will reign over them...” (1 Samuel 8:7-9 NASB). “...When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the (human) king you have chosen,but the Lordwill not answer you in that day...” (1 Samuel 8:10-18 NIV).

“... “Give us a (human) king to judge us.” ...” (1 Samuel 8:4-7 NASB). The Israelites WERE rejecting God and so were the wicked Judeans of Habakkuk’s day. God, the Holy Spirit, is“....the RULER of the kings of the earth...” (Revelation 1:5 NIV). “... Lord of lords and King of kings... (Revelations 17:14 NIV).

The Chaldeans were OBVIOUSLY a heathen, godless, and wicked nation, but some of God’s people were LURED away by them. “…[God said:].... my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. ….” (JEREMIAH 5:23 NLT). “...We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires...” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT).

Their backsliding ways had already revealed they had REJECTED the covenant relationship with God. “…They ABANDONED ME and did not obey my word….” (JEREMIAH 16:11 NLT). “…They ABANDONED the Lord… they turned their backs on him….” (2 Chronicles 29:6 NLT). “…The Lord replies, “This has happened because my peoplehave ABANDONED MY INSTRUCTIONS; they have refused to obey what I said….” (JEREMIAH 9:13 NLT).

“…We will continue to live as WE WANT TO, stubbornly following our own evil desires…” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT). “…They (God’s OWN people) KEPT DOING WHATEVER THEY WANTED, following the stubborn desires of their [OWN] evil hearts…” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT). “… [YOU]… FORGOT all about ME,” says the Lord…” (Hosea 2:13 NLT). “… you became proud and FORGOT ME….” (Hosea 13:6 NLT). “…Does a young woman forget her jewelry, or a bride her wedding dress? Yet for years on end my people have FORGOTten ME…” (Jeremiah 2:32 NLT).

God gave the Judeans over to the evil ways they had chosen. They willingly followed after the Chaldeans. God GAVE the Israelites, through Samuel, what they WANTED too. “...And the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people regarding all that they say to you, because they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me...” (1 Samuel 8:7-9 NASB).

Even if the Chaldeans had RISEN UP, God’s people had the God-given right to use their human will to choose evil or good. Many of his righteous ones were CHOOSING, during all the Chaldean’s EVIL, to live by faith. “..the just shall live by his faith...” (Habakkuk 2:4 KJV). “...it is written, The just shall live by faith...” (Romans 10:17 KJV). “...for, The just shall live by faith...” (Galatians 3:11 KJV).  “...Now the just shall live by faith...” (Hebrew 10:38 KJV). IT WAS CHOICE TO FOLLOW GOD OR FOLLOW THE EVIL CHALDEANS.“…Choose youthis day whom ye will serve….” (Joshua 24:15 KJV).

The evil Judeans had already rejected the covenant relationship with God, just like his people did in Samuel’s time. “...they have rejected Me (God, the Holy Spirit) from being King over them (their lives)...” (1 Samuel 8:7-9 NASB).

Thus, when Habakkuk questions God, again, it seems he has gone silent.

However, God’s people know what God did in Noah’s day, in Lot’s day, and in Habakkuk’s day. Thus, when it “seems” like God is SILENT or is NOT answering, his “eternal power” is WORKING.

“...God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam ...“Be still, and know that I am God ... The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress...” (Psalms 46 NLT).

THE CHALDEANS

Be horrified! Be frightened speechless!
For I am accomplishing a work in your days—
You would not believe it even if you were told! For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That grim and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth, To take possession of dwelling places that are not theirs. They are terrifying and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves. Their horses are faster than leopards, And quicker than wolves in the evening.Their horsemen charge along, Their horsemen come from afar;They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces moves forward They gather captives like sand. They make fun of kings, And dignitaries are an object of laughter to them. They laugh at every fortress,
Then heap up dirt and capture it. Then they fly along like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god…” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB).

*

“…For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That grim and impetuous people …” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB). After God reassures Habakkuk, his JUSTICE will be served, he tells him the plan. He told him the CHALDEAN (also known as the BABYLONIANS) nation, of that time, would RISE UP and COME TO POWER.

The Chaldeans were coming from a lower status or position, under another nation, and were, at one time, allies with God’s people. They were perceived as a friend, who was on their side.

This group of Chaldeans, however, were wicked, EVIL, godless, unrepentant, and CRUEL. They ATTACKED the FAITH of God’s people.

God’s word says: “… I am raising up the Chaldeans…” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB). The Chaldeans were already a nation, a Semitic race, primeval (they dated back to Abraham), and a conquering people. Thus, God is NOT establishing them, but merely raising them up into power against Judah.

They’d come into the region after being transplanted there by the Assyrians. They settled there and GREW into this conquering nation of people.

Habakkuk describes these people negatively. “grim and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth, To take possession of dwelling places that are not theirs. They are terrifying and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves. Their horses are faster than leopards, And quicker than wolves in the evening. Their horsemen charge along, Their horsemen come from afar; They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces moves forward They gather captives like sand. They make fun of kings, And dignitaries are an object of laughter to them. They laugh at every fortress, Then heap up dirt and capture it. Then they fly along like the wind and pass on…” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB).

The Chaldeans’ violence was their CHOICE, not God’s. They were heathens with their OWN laws and not God’s laws. They conducted themselves according to their OWN standards, and not God’s. They, on their own volition, placed themselves in positions of eminence, over other nations, and not God.

They made themselves lords through force or violence and not by God’s powerful Spirit. They were intensively EVIL (horrifying), animal-like (wolves), savage (violent) heathens (without God) with POWERFUL, earthly weaponry (horses, horsemen, a marching army, eagle-like strength, etc.) and equipment (to capture their prey in a stronghold).

The Chaldeans, advantageously, HELD the POWER to overthrow kings and their kingdoms with their violent, fierce, ferocious, bitter, hasty, grim, impetuous, and EVIL behavior. Therefore, God’s JUDGEMENT is announced upon them:  “…But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god…” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB).

The Chaldeans made their OWN power their god. This HOSTILE people filled the land with its wicked people and their wicked behaviors. However, “…they fly along like the wind and pass on…” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB).

The Chaldeans won’t be around long, they are described as WIND that will “soon” PASS ON. “…Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over…” (Habakkuk 1:11 KJV). “…They’ll all be blown away by the wind…” (Habakkuk 1:11 MSG).

“…PASSING ON, like the WIND…” is the consequence of both their offensive actions and choices as well as God’s judgement.

God ALLOWED the Chaldeans to become RAISED UP “over” his
“own” people. He tells Habakkuk his reasons WHY. “…I’m about to raise up Babylonians to punish you…” (Habakkuk 1:6 MSG).

“…They will march across the world and conquer other lands…” (Habakkuk 1:6 NLT). “…who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own…” (Habakkuk 1:6 NIV). “…which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not their's…” (Habakkuk 1:6 KJV).

“…For behold, I amraising up the Chaldeans, That grim and impetuous people …” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB).

Remember, prior, to God’s announcement about the CHALDEANS Habakkuk made his complaint about the current contention of JUDAH, where God’s people resided.“…How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? 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. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

God ALLOWED the CHALDEANS to be RAISED UP, for a while, to PUNISH “his” rebellious children that had been taken into exile. “...I am raising up the Babylonians (Chaldeans),that ruthless and impetuous people, who sweep across the whole earth to seize dwellings not their own...” (Habakkuk 1:6 NIV). “...I’m about to raise up Babylonians to punish you, Babylonians, fierce and ferocious—World-conquering Babylon,grabbing up nations right and left...” (Habakkuk 1:5-12 MSG).

God KNEW the CHALDEANS were wicked, evil, and godless people. “...They are a feared and dreaded people; they are a law to themselves and promote their own honor...” (Habakkuk 1:7 NIV).  “...A dreadful and terrible people, making up its own rules as it goes...” (Habakkuk 1:7 MSG).

Because God, the Holy Spirit, “...careth for you (his people)...” (1 Peter 5:7 KJV), he will CORRECT them. “...For whom the Lord loveth he CORRECTETH…” (Proverbs 3:12 KJV).   

 “...If you are not disciplined – and everyone undergoes discipline – then you are notlegitimate, not true sons and daughters at all” (Hebrews 12:8 NIV).

God disciplines his children so “…that [they] might be partakers of his holiness….” (Hebrews 12:10 KJV). “…Be holy, because I am holy…” (1 Peter 1:16 KJV). “…I am the Lordwho makes you holy…” (Leviticus 20:8 NLT).

“… [God allows corrections]…for [their] profit...” (Hebrews 12:10 KJV). “…No chastening (discipline) for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised (trained) thereby...” (Hebrews 12:11 KJV).

If a good parent SEES their child going the wrong way, they will CORRECT them and so does God, the Holy Spirit, do the same for each of his children.  “…There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of DEATH...” (Proverbs  14:20 KJV).  “…the way is broad that leads to destruction, …” (Matthew 7:13-14 NASB). “… the way of the ungodly shall perish…” (Psalms 1:6 KJV).  “… Good men and women travel right into life;sin’s detourstake you straight to hell…” (Proverbs 12:28 MSG). “… Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die…” (Proverbs 15:10 KJV). There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of DEATH...” (Proverbs  14:20 KJV).

God’s children have been given HOLY STANDARDS of conduct while upon this earth. Jesus saith…I am the way…” (John 14:6 KJV). “…"This is the way; walk in it…" Isaiah 30:21 NIV). “…THE WAY is narrow that LEADS TO LIFE, and there are few who find it…” (Matthew 7:13-14 NASB). Jesus saith…I am THE WAY …” (John 14:6 KJV).

JESUS (God’s WORD) IS THE “ONLY” WAY, for his people, to walk, while upon this earth.Jesus saith…I am THE WAY …” (John 14:6 KJV).  “…Enter through the narrow gate ...THE WAY is narrow that LEADS TO LIFE…” (Matthew 7:13-14 NASB).

“….Apart from Me (Jesus, the WORD), you can do nothing (YOU CANNOT GO THE NARROW WAY)…” (John 15:5 NIV).  “…This makes it clear that our great power (TO LIVE RIGHTEOUS) is from God, not from ourselves…” (2 Corinthians 4:5-7 NLT). “…the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works…” (John 14:10 KJV).

 “…The GIFTof God is eternal life through Jesus Christ  (THE WAY; THE PATH)….” (Romans 6:23 KJV).

Therefore, "… Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.…” (Matthew 7:14 KJV).

One of the SINFUL practices of THOSEwho have willfully and voluntarily CHOSEN to LEAVE THE WAY is UNBELIEF. UNBELIEF can LEAD to a hardened HEART.  “... [to] ... those who were once enlightened ... who have ... experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit,  who have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the power of the age to come— and who then turn away from God. … [AGAIN]... who  [chooses to]...turn away from God... It is impossible to bring such peopleback to repentance;by rejecting the Son of God...” (Hebrews 6:4-8 NLT).

“... Take heed, BRETHREN , lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief , in departing from the living God. ..” (Hebrews 3:12 KJV).

“... encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin...” (Hebrews 3:13 NASB).

“...I’m about to raise up Babylonians (CHALDEANS) to punish you (OR CORRECT YOU), Babylonians (Chaldeans), fierce and ferocious—World-conquering Babylon,grabbing up nations right and left...” (Habakkuk 1:5-12 MSG).

“... Stand fast (keep living by God’s Word) therefore in the liberty (freedom from sin and freedom to OBEY) wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage...” (Galatians 5:1 KJV).

“my peoplewould not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT). “But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to,stubbornly following our own evil desires” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT).

 “…for years on end my people have FORGOTten ME…” (Jeremiah 2:32 NLT).“…They ABANDONED ME and did not obey my word….” (JEREMIAH 16:11 NLT).

“…The Lord replies, “This (the rising up of the Chaldeans) has happened because my people have ABANDONED MY INSTRUCTIONS; they have refused to obey what I said….” (JEREMIAH 9:13 NLT).

“...For whom the Lord loveth he CORRECTETH…” (Proverbs 3:12 KJV).   “...God SEES NOT as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD LOOKS AT THE HEART…” (1 Samuel 16:7 NASB). “…No one needed… to tell him about human nature, for he knew what was in each person’s heart…” (John 2:24-25 NLT). “…Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men…” (Acts 1:24 KJV). “… He watches everyone closely, examining every person on earth. The Lordexaminesboth the righteous and the wicked…” (Psalm 11:4-5 NLT).

The heart (the information center of the SOUL) “…is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked…who can know it…” (Jeremiah 17:9 KJV).  "… out of the abundance of the heart (information center of the SOUL) the mouth speaks. The good man, out of his good treasure, brings forth good things, and the evil man, out of his evil treasure, brings forth evil things." (Matthew 12:34-35).

“...I’m about to raise up Babylonians (CHALDEANS) to punish you (OR CORRECT YOU), Babylonians (Chaldeans)...” (Habakkuk 1:5-12 MSG). “...And now, O our God, what can we say after all of this? For ONCE AGAIN we have ABANDONED your commands!” (Ezra 9:10 NLT).

“…sin’s detours take you straight to hell…” (Proverbs 12:28 MSG). “… Correction is grievous unto him (or her) that forsaketh the way: and he (she) that hateth reproof shall die…” (Proverbs 15:10 KJV).

God’s USE of the Chaldeans was to CORRECT his wayward children. CORRECTION is always SAD and GRIEVOUS.

When God’s chosen people, holy nation, royal priesthood, or New Creations are divided against each other, double-minded in their devotion to him, lukewarm, half-hearted children, or have become too WORLDLY or CARNAL God will MOVE, heaven and HELL, to correct his people however HE “chooses.”

The CHALDEANS became a common enemy among God’s people, but when and if his people chose to come together in fellowship and prayer, they will “all” appeal to a COMMON VICTOR, which is God, the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ.

When God’s people began to LOSE their positions and nation, upon earth, to the Chaldeans, God got their ATTENTION.

God had DONE everything to get their attention so they would REPENT, but they continued to do what they wanted. “...I gave you empty stomachs in every cityand lack of bread in every town, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord.  “I also withheld rain from you when the harvest was still three months away. I sent rain on one town, but withheld it from another. One field had rain; another had none and dried up. People staggered from town to town for water but did not get enough to drink, yet you have not returned to me,”declares the Lord. “Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards, destroying them with blight and mildew. Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you have not returned to me,”declares the Lord. “I sent plagues among you as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord. “I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.
You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the Lord...” (Amos 4:6-11 NIV).

However, “…My people would not listen to me. They kept (CHOOSING TO DO) ...whatever they wanted…” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT). “… The people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continueto (CHOOSE TO) live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires…” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT).

 “…They (MY PEOPLE) broke [THEIR] ... covenant [WITH ME BY CHOICE], though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord…” (Jeremiah 31:32 NASB).

“…. Again and again he rescued them, but they chose to rebel against him ....Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries. He remembered his covenant with them and relented because of his unfailing love…” (Psalms 106:42-48 NLT). “...And now, O our God, what can we say after all of this? For ONCE AGAIN we have ABANDONED your commands!” (Ezra 9:10 NLT).

“...I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God...” (Galatians 5:19-21 NASB).

"…REPENT  AND RETURN, “SO” that your sins may be wiped away…” (Acts 3:19 NASB). “…The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes...Your servant is warned. …” (Psalm 19:7-11 NASB).

“...Again and again [God] rescued them, but they [continually]... chose to rebel against him... [until]... they were finally destroyed by their sin…” (Psalm 106:39-43 NLT). “…EXCEPT YE REPENT, ye shall all likewise PERISH…” (Luke 13:3 KJV).

The Chaldeans were INSTRUMENTS of EVIL and wicked destruction who openly and brazenly acted unrighteous.

They meant their ACTIONS for BAD, but God, the Holy Spirit meant them for the GOOD of his people by allowing his PLAN of PUNISHMENT to CORRECT the unrighteous behaviors of his sons and daughters.

The Chaldeans were to become a SCOURGE for God’s people. The Chaldeans STAYED risen for a period of TIME. It is God’s TIMING that make his righteous people WONDER and sometimes QUESTION what HE is DOING.

Long periods of TIME that involve watching or witnessing the activities of the WICKED are MOST challenging. “…I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity…” (John 12:24-25 NLT). “…Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal…” (John 12:24-25 KJV).

Even through there is an expiration date, for the WICKED, that ONLY God knows, WAITING is HARD. God’s people have given up everything to follow HIM and now they must endure the Chaldeans? “…‘We’ve given up everything to follow you…” (Mark 10:28-31 NLT). And Jesus said to him, “…I assure you that EVERYONE who has given up [SELF & STUFF] ….for my sake and for the Good News,will receive NOW in return a hundred times ….And in the world to come that person will have eternal life...” (Mark 10:28-31 NLT).

God has a SET TIME, but it is NOT always easy to ACCEPT his PLAN when so much wickedness is happening and seem to be prevailing. “….And the Lord appointed A SET TIME, saying, To morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land. And the Lord did that thing on the morrow…” (Exodus (9:5-6 KJV). “…At the PROPER time [you]… WILL reap a HARVEST if [you]… do not give up…” (Galatians 6:9 NIV). “…The LORD [is] good unto them that WAIT FOR HIM…” (Lamentations 3:25 KJV). “…WAIT ON the LORD: …WAIT, I say, on the LORD…” (Psalms 27:14 KJV). “…THOUGH IT TARRY, WAIT FOR IT….” (Habakkuk 2:3 KJV).

God’s CORRECTION, however, and whoever he uses to execute it, is a GIFT. God is STILL in control through it ALL. “…God is mighty, but he does not despise anyone! He is mighty in both power and understanding. He does not let the wicked livebut gives justice to the afflicted. He never takes his eyes off the innocent, but he sets them on thrones with kings and exalts them forever. If they are bound in chains and CAUGHT UP in a web of trouble, HE SHOWS THEM THE REASON. HE SHOWS THEM THEIR SINS OF PRIDE. HE GETS THEIR ATTENTION AND COMMANDS THAT THEY TURN FROM EVIL…” (Job 36:6-10 NLT).

God, the Holy Spirit, is trying to get the ATTENTION of his people. “…But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he GETS THEIR ATTENTION through adversity…” (Job 36:15 NLT).

While he is WORKING his plan, God is not asking for his people’s opinion, approval, or perspective, but simply their FAITH in HIM.

God’s people can complain, or blame, or question God about all the injustices and unfairness around them, but it won’t stop his PERFECT and JUST PLAN. “…the plans [God has]…for you….[are]… plans to prosper

you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future...” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV).

It will appear as if evil and evil people are getting away with their sins, or wicked behavior, or wrongdoing. “…. God is leading you away from danger,…to a place free from distress. He is setting your table with the best food. But you are obsessed with whether the godless will be judged.Don’t worry, judgment and justice will be upheld. But watch out, or you may be seduced by wealth. Don’t let yourself be bribed into sin. Could all your wealth or all your mighty efforts keep you from distress? Be on guard! Turn back from evil, for God sent this suffering to keep you from a life of evil…” (Job 36:16-21 NLT).

While God is WORKING, it can become tempting to lose sight of his sovereignty! “….Look, GOD IS ALL-POWERFUL. Who is a teacher like him? No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’ Instead, glorify HIS MIGHTY WORKS, singing songs of praise.Everyone has seen these things, though only from a distance. “Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted. He draws up the water vapor and then distills it into rain. The rain pours down from the clouds, and everyone benefits. Who can understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven?See how he spreads the lightning around him and how it lights up the depths of the sea. By these mighty acts he nourishes the people, giving them food in abundance. He fills his hands with lightning bolts and hurls each at its target. The thunder announces his presence; the storm announces his indignant anger…” (Job 36:22-33 NLT). “…there is NONE like unto thee, O LORD; thou artGREAT, and thy name is great in might.…” (Jeremiah 10:6 KJV). “…There is NONE HOLY as the Lord…” (1 Samuel 2:2 KJV). “… there is NONE GOOD but one, that is, God” (Mark 10:18 KJV).

“….Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE…” (Isaiah 26:3 KJV).  “….Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS…” (Philippians 4:8 KJV).

God was letting Habakkuk KNOW the only ONE who would be able to help them STAND against the Chaldeans was HIM. “…If God (WHO IS “JUST”) is for us, who isagainst us? ... …” (Romans 8:31-39 NASB).

God would protect his faithful ONES. “...No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper...” (Isaiah 54:17 KJV). “…He helps me (his people)…” (Psalms 28:7 NLT).   “…The LORD will accomplish (take care of)…that which concerns [his people]…” (John 14:31 NASB). “… THE LORD … is Your rock and Yourfortress, your deliverer...[your god of justice]…” (Psalms 18:3 NASB).

“...Don’t worry, judgment and justicewill be upheld…”  (Job 36:16-21 NLT). “… entrust yourself] to him who judges justly…” (1 Peter 2:20-23 NIV).

“….Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, YE HAVE DONE IT TO ME.” (Matthew 25:40 KJV).

 “...Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God, for it is written: "Vengeance (making things JUST) belongeth unto to me (God, the Holy Spirit); I will recompense (make it JUST)," saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19 ASV).

What is discovered, in this chapter about the Chaldeans, is that even though their evil ways only SERVED them, God will turned it ALL around in order to benefit and SERVE HIS PEOPLE!

God may have ALLOWED them to RISE-UP, but, like King Nebuchadnezzar, he also KNOWS how to HUMBLE them by letting them know who is REALLY in POWER and CONTROL.  

GOD TOLD THE KING: “…King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times (years) will passby for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereignover all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.” Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled…” (Daniel 4 NLT).

King Nebuchadnezzar didn’t listen and did what he believed was right in his OWN eyes. “….The way of a fool is right in his own eyes…” (Proverbs 12:15 KJV). “…There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death...” (Proverbs  14:20 KJV).  “…There is a way that seemeth rightunto a man, but the end thereof arethe ways of death….” (Proverbs 16:25 KJV).

King Nebuchadnezzar trusted in his OWN way over God’s way. “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe…” (Proverbs 28:26 NIV).

King Nebuchadnezzar’s own POWER and PRIDE were his gods. “… he said, “Is not this the great Babylon “I” have built as the royal residence, by “my” mighty power and for the glory of “my” majesty?” (Daniel 4 NLT).

 “…But the people replied, “…We will continueto live as WE WANT TO, stubbornly following our ownevil desires…” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT).

King Nebuchadnezzar kept doing whatever he wanted to do. “…But my people would not listen to me. They KEPT DOING WHATEVER THEY WANTED, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts…” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT).

King Nebuchadnezzar had human will to CHOOSE his own way, but not the consequences. God’s WORD has all authority and power.  “… Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird…” (Daniel 4 NLT).

King Nebuchadnezzar reaped God’s judgement, but God, as always, was merciful.  “…At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven ... Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever. His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation …” (Daniel 4 NLT).

 “…Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride (over God’s authority) he is able to humble (Daniel 4 NIV).

God is in control ALWAYS.  “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing.He (God) does as he pleases (not mankind) with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth…” (Daniel 4 NLT).

 “… No onecan hold back his hand or say to him: “What have you done?” (Daniel 4 NLT).

The SAME fate awaited the wicked CHALDEANS and their wicked allies, which included some of God’s people!

The CHALDEANS were able to TRAP God’s people into a WICKED relationship with them, because of their OWN underlying WICKED WAYS.

Habakkuk’s original complaint was about THEM (God’s so-called people) and their wickedness, backsliding behaviors.

Thus, because of their OWN wicked LUST and common evils, they were DRIVEN into a relationship with the godless and evil CHALDEANS. In addition, they had rejected the covenant relationship with God.

God’s wayward people IGNORED all the SIGNS of the wicked and evil CHALDEANS that “obviously” indicated “any” relationship with them with be TOXIC, UNHEALTHY, UNGODLY, and DANGEROUS in the long run.

The relationship with the CHALDEANS bought God’s people NOTHING, but disappointment, shame, and sadness.

The CHALDEANS didn’t support their CULTURE, their PROPERTY, their NATION, or religious lifestyle. In fact, they sought to undermine, cause harm, and disrespect God’s people.

God’s people, saw their “own” toxic, evil ways through their unhealthy, unequally yoked liaison with the Chaldeans,

They KNEW the SAME fate that awaited the CHALDEANS awaited them too, IF they didn’t repent.

                        GOD ANSWERS THE PROPHETS QUESTION

“…Look among the nations! Watch! Be horrified! Be frightened speechless!
For I am accomplishing a work in your days—
You would not believe it even if you were told! For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That grim and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth, To take possession of dwelling places that are not theirs. They are terrifying and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves. Their horses are faster than leopards, And quicker than wolves in the evening.Their horsemen charge along, Their horsemen come from afar;They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces moves forward They gather captives like sand. They make fun of kings, And dignitaries are an object of laughter to them. They laugh at every fortress,
Then heap up dirt and capture it. Then they fly along like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god…” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB).

                                                           *

Habakkuk KNEW God’s JUSTICE would, no doubt, be served, but it was HIS TIMING, that always CONCERNS his people.

God doesn’t HANDLE injustice in the WAY or in the time frame his people would handle injustice!

Often, while WAITING on God’s timing, his people WITNESS incredible injustices and utterly depraved acts of wickedness against others, the nation, the creation, etc.

Thus, EVIL was OBVIOUS and RAMPANT upon the earth. God’s answer to Habakkuk starts in Chapter 1 verse 5: “…Look among the nations! Watch!Be horrified! Be frightened speechless! For I am accomplishing a work in your days—You would not believe it even if you were told! …” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB).

God “….is longsuffering to us-ward, NOT WILLING that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance…” (2 Peter 3:9 KJV). “… the longsuffering of our Lord IS SALVATION…” (2 Peter 3:15 KJV).

“…Look around at the godless nations.  Look long and hard. Brace yourself for a shock. Something’s about to take placeand you’re going to find it hard to believe…” (Habakkuk 2:5 MSG).

“…Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe, though it be told you…” (Habakkuk 2:5 KJV).

God informed Habakkuk about a  NATION of wicked people who were godless, unrepentant, and heathen and he was going to allow them to RISE UP in control.

A heathen DOES NOT belong to God, the Holy Spirit, or his FAMILY. They are lost and spiritually DEAD souls and were NOT repentance, and therefore godless. Yet, God’s JUSTICE will be UPHELD, from allowing this EVI nation to RISE-UP and take control over his “own” people. “...judgment and justicewill be upheld…”  (Job 36:16-21 NLT).

This wicked nation would ignore and ABUSE God’s opportunity for salvation and will FACE his JUSTICE. In fact, without repentance, they were CONDEMNED already.“...For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son...” (John 3:17-18 NIV).

“…Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: for I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe, though it be told you…” (Habakkuk 2:5 KJV).

“…Look around at the godless nations.  Look long and hard. Brace yourself for a shock. Something’s about to take place and you’re going to find it hard to believe…” (Habakkuk 2:5 MSG).

“…Look among the nations! Watch! Be horrified! Be frightened speechless! For I am accomplishing a work in your days—You would not believe it even if you were told! …” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB).

The JUDGEMENT of this heathen NATION will be PUBLIC, because he told Habakkuk to WATCH, REGARD, and LOOK. God has made this kind of spectacle before of heathen nations. “…Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the Lorddone thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LordGod of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt…” (Deuteronomy 29:24-25 NASB).

“…All the nations will ask, “Why did God do this to this country? What on earth could have made him this angry?” Your children will answer, “Because they abandoned the Covenant of the Godof their ancestors that he made with them after he got them out of Egypt; they went off and worshiped other gods, submitted to gods they’d never heard of before, gods they had no business dealing with. So God’s anger erupted against that land and all the curses written in this book came down on it. God, furiously angry, pulled them, roots and all, out of their land and dumped them in another country, as you can see…” (Deuteronomy 29:24-25 MSG).

“…regard, and wonder marvelously…” (Habakkuk 2:5 KJV).“…Brace yourself for a shock.…” (Habakkuk 2:5 MSG). “…Watch! Be horrified! Be frightened speechless…” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB).

Not only would Habakkuk WITNESS this punishment, but it would happen during HIS DAY upon earth.

“…for I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe, though it be told you…” (Habakkuk 2:5 KJV). “…Something’s about to take place and you’re going to find it hard to believe…” (Habakkuk 2:5 MSG). “…For I am accomplishing a work in your days—You would not believe it even if you were told! …” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB).

The DAY of RECKONING for that group of wicked people, in Habakkuk’s day, was UPON THEM. Their TIME was up, and God’s threatened JUDGEMENT was NIGH. “…You can’t squirm out of this: Every drop of righteous blood ever spilled on this earth, beginning with the blood of that good man Abel right down to the blood of Zechariah, Barachiah’s son, whom you murdered at his prayers, is on your head. All this, I’m telling you, is coming down on you, on your generation…” (Matthew 23:36 MSG).

“…And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation…” (Matthew 23:30-36 NASB).

“…Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation…” (Matthew 23:30-36 NASB). When men and women inherit and take on the wickedness of past generations, by continuing their EVIL atrocities, they also inherit the SAME JUDGEMENT.

Everyone who chooses to identify themselves with the heathen nation, contributes their own sins to the debt of sin already owed by their forefathers.

The unrighteous, ungodly, and unjust people who DO WRONG often SEEM to go on and on and on without FACING or ANSWERING to God’s system of JUSTICE.

King AHAB, an EVIL leader, reigned for YEARS in Samaria and God’s people “SEEMED” to be the one’s FACING God’s wrath. “...In the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah, Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria over Israel twenty-two years...” (1 Kings 16:29 NIV).

“...Ahab son of Omri became king of Israel in the thirty-eighth year of Asa king of Judah. Ahab son of Omri was king over Israel for twenty-two years. He ruled from Samaria. Ahab son of Omri did even more open evil before God than anyone yet—a new champion in evil!

It wasn’t enough for him to copy the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat; no, he went all out, first by marrying Jezebel daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and then by serving and worshiping the god Baal.

He built a temple for Baal in Samaria, and then furnished it with an altar for Baal. Worse, he went on and built a shrine to the sacred whore Asherah. He made the God of Israel angrier than all the previous kings of Israel put together...” (1 Kings 16:29-33 MSG).

The righteous cried out like Habakkuk: “...How long, Lord, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant?...” (Psalms 94:3 NIV). “...God, the wicked get away with murder— how long will you let this go on? They brag and boast and crow about their crimes!...” (Psalms 94:3-4 MSG).

“...But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.

They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits.

They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.Therefore their people turn to then and drink up waters in abundance. 

They say, “How would God know? Does the Most High know anything?” This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence.

All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply...” (Psalms 73:2-16 NIV).

God, the Holy Spirit, is a God of JUSTICE. Looking at the wicked, their evil deeds, their worldly privileges, or their temporary comforts, does not look like JUDGEMENT to God’s people, but FAVOR.

God’s system of spiritual justice is WORKING, right NOW as it was in Habakkuk’s day! “...[when]... I entered the sanctuary of God (his presence); then I understood their (the wicked’s) final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! They are like a dream when one awakes; when you arise,

Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will perish;you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds...” (Psalms 73:17-27 NIV).

The 21st century heathens have heathens as their ancestral EVIL forefathers and are, therefore, ONE family in the eyes of the God of JUSTICE.

Repentance, through Jesus, is the ONLY way out, but if they harden their hearts, God’s JUSTICE is their guaranteed REWARD since they decided to share in the guilty behaviors of their heathen forefathers.

If present-day heathens are determined to repeat the wicked, EVIL acts and behaviors of their forefathers, their punishment will be spiritual death upon earth and throughout all of eternity. “…Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation…” (Matthew 23:30-36 NASB).

Wickedness is allowed to accumulate or stored up from one generation to another until it reaches its capacity, then JUSTICE must be satisfied. “... But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. ....” (Romans 2:5-13 NLT).

The blood and wickedness of the past will also be PAID by the “present” generation of heathens. “...he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile....” (Romans 2:5-13 NLT).

“…If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have receivedthe knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left … For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God…" (Hebrews 10:26-31 NIV).

Many heathen nations FOLLOW evil, false gods, wicked leaders, and some of God’s people end up following the heathens too. “...[YOU]… FORGOTall about ME,” says the Lord…” (Hosea 2:13 NLT). “…for years on end my people have FORGOTten ME…” (Jeremiah 2:32 NLT). “…They ABANDONED ME and did not obey my word….”(JEREMIAH 16:11 NLT). “…They ABANDONED the Lord… they turned their backs on him….” (2 Chronicles 29:6 NLT).

“... For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness...” (Romans 1:18 NASB).

An EVIL HEART of UNBELIEF is the ROAD to APOSTASY for ANYONE or EVERYONE, who is UNREPENTENT and who willfully and voluntarily RETURN to or REMAIN in a SINFUL LIFESTYLE. “...Take heed, BRETHREN (fellow believers), lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God...” (Hebrews 3:12 KJV).

The ruin of wicked people and the ruin of some of God’s people is IDOLATRY or ANY “creation” (person or thing) that makes someone REJECT the gospel of truth. “…EXCEPT YE REPENT (change your mind; your direction), ye shall all likewise PERISH (YOU WON’T MAKE IT TO THE DESTINATION: (ETERNAL LIFE)…” (Luke 13:3 KJV).

 “…For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4 KJV). “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Corinthians 10:11 KJV).

“…Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily (because of God’s willingness to suffer long) …the HEART of the sons of men (women) is fully set in them to [continue]... do evil….” (Ecclesiastes 8:11 KJV).

 God, the Holy Spirit WILL wait for your repentance until the DAY OF REDEMPTION and then it will be TOO LATE to turn around or to have a reconciliation with him “…For the vision (the DAY of REDEMPTION) ... [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….” (Habakkuk 2:3 KJV).

“...the TARES (heathens) are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the END of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom THINGS that OFFEND, and them which do INIQUITY; and shall CAST them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth...” (Matthew 13:40-42 KJV). “ ... in the PROCESS of TIME “IT” CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV).

God’s answer to Habakkuk started, in verse 5, as a reassurance that his JUSTICE would, no doubt, be served upon the heathens.

He promises his VENGEANCE will no longer tarry but will COME in Habakkuk’s generation and “…Look among the nations! Watch! Be horrified! Be frightened speechless!
For I am accomplishing a work in your days—
they will be held guilty…” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB).

HABAKKUK DIDN’T “LIKE” GOD’S ANSWER.

GOD'S GOT IT HANDLED!

“…How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? 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. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

“…The problem as God gave Habakkuk to see it: God, how long do I have to cry out for help before you listen? How many times do I have to yell, “Help! Murder! Police!” before you come to the rescue? Why do you force me to look at evil, stare trouble in the face day after day? Anarchy and violence break out, quarrels and fights all over the place. Law and order fall to pieces. Justice is a joke. The wicked have the righteous hamstrung and stand justice on its head…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 MSG).

       *

God’s people KNOW “…his ways are just....” (Daniel 4 NIV).God’s JUSTICE is “NOT” mankind’s JUSTICE, but his JUST ways, which are righteous, are FAR and ABOVE those of mankind. “…his ways [are often]… past finding out…” (Romans 11:33-34 KJV). 

“… [God’s] ... thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways ... [his] … ways ... as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are … [his] … ways higher than you[r] …. ways and … [his] … thoughts than your thoughts…” (Isaiah 55:8-9 ASV).

God’s WAYS are not the WAYS of mankind. Therefore, his JUSTICE cannot be SEEM or UNDERSTOOD as MERE revenge. God’s JUSTICE is about DOING the right thing or restoring things BACK to righteous ORDER. “... for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace...” (1 Corinthians 14:33 NASB).

God’s spiritual system is one of JUSTICE, which stands AGAINST unrighteous and ungodliness by RESTORING “ALL” things back to righteous and godliness through correction or fair judgement. “...God doesn’t stir us up into confusion; he brings us into harmony...” (1 Corinthians 14:33 MSG).

“... I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth...” (Jeremiah 9:23-24 NLT).

God’s JUSTICE requires EVERY person to PAY their DEBT for ALL WRONGS or SINS committed against HIM and others.  “…SIN IS the transgression of the law (violation of God’s instruction)….” (1 John 3:4 KJV). “…The wages of sin is death (spiritual death and eternal SEPARATION from God, the Holy Spirit)…” (Romans 6:23 KJV).

God’s JUSTICE is the supernatural consequence, accountability, or retribution that is REQUIRED to be PAID to SATISFY a WRONG committed by a GUILTY person upon God, the Holy Spirit, LIFE, or another human being. “…The wages (DEBT) of sin is death …” (Romans 6:23 KJV).

Thus, God’s JUSTICE is fair, merited, honest, equitable, impartial, and retributive. “…whatsoever a man (woman) soweth, that shall he (she) also reap…” (Galatians 6:7 KJV).

God’s JUSTICE gives EVERYONE what is DUE to them based on their OWN choices, actions, and treatment of others.

Suffering, sickness, death, loss of jobs, hunger, or other troubles or difficulties are not about God punishing sin. “... Here on earth [God’s people]... will have many trials and sorrows..." (John 16:44 NLT).

“... all His ways are just...” (Deuteronomy 32:4 NASB).

EVIL is not simply an outward ACT, but an inward ATTITUDE. “… The Lordsaw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually…” (Genesis 6:5 NASB).

“…After He called the crowd to Him again, He begansaying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” When he had left the crowd andentered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable.  And He said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.) And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heartof men, proceed the evil thoughts, [fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.All these evil thingsproceed from within and defile the man…” (Mark 7:14-23 NASB). “… the evilman brings out of his evil treasure what is evil…” (Matthew 12:33-35 NASB).

If god was strictly a god of revenge, EVERY HUMAN BEING WOULD BE DEAD, SPIRITUALLY, FOREVER.

GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT, could have left MANKIND to die in THEIR sins, but he is a “JUST” AND “GOOD” God, who paid MANKIND’S debt, instead!

“...God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God ...through this one man, Jesus Christ...” (Romans 5:10-16 NLT). “… my righteous servant (Jesus) ... [made]... it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins…” (Isaiah 53:11 NLT). “…[He sent the] …one … who can reconcileGod and humanity—the man Christ Jesus…” (1 Timothy 2:5 NLT).

“…  [The LOST and SPIRITUALLY dead soul, who OWES a great DEBT of SIN is]…saved by grace through faith…it is the GIFT of God…” (Ephesians 2:8 KJV). “… [SALVATION]... IS THE GIFT OF GOD; not of works, that no man (woman) should glory…” (Ephesians 2:8-9 ASV).

YOUR DEBT OF SIN; PAID IN FULL!!! Before God serves his justice, he gives every man and woman, upon earth an opportunity to get RIGHT with him. He doesn’t want anyone to perish. All those who receive, SALVATION, through Jesus Christ, has their sins erased and their DEBT of sin PAID!

The bible says: “...Thou (God, the Holy Spirit) are GOODand doestGOOD…” (Psalm 119:68 KJV). “... all His ways are just...” (Deuteronomy 32:4 NASB). “…I am the Lord, I change NOT…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV). “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NIV). “…Great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD” (Psalms 117:2 KJV). “…The lord is GOOD…” (Psalm 100:5 KJV). “…Oh how great is thy GOODNESS…(Psalm 31:19 KJV). “...The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just...” (Deuteronomy 32:4 NASB).

Therefore, KEEP IN MIND: “…God is not human (he is not a body, he is not a self, or the flesh, or a soul)…” (Numbers 23:19 NIV). “…GOD IS SPIRIT…” (John 4:24 KJV).

God’s WRATH, God’s PUNISHMENT, and God’s JUDGEMENT is ALL equal to God’s JUSTICE, because they are ALL God, the Holy Spirit’s, RESPONSE to WRONG, SIN, and INJUSTICE. “…everything he does is right and all his ways are just....” (Daniel 4 NIV).  “...all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he...” (Deuteronomy 32:4 NIV). “… “I AM WHO I AM …” (Exodus 3:14-15 NASB).  “…I change NOT…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV).

Another WORD for WRATH is also VENGEANCE, which is God’s JUSTICE. God’s JUSTICE RESPONDS to two things MAKING WRONG things RIGHT and EXACTING WRONGS and INJUSTICES.

God’s WRATH is NOT ANGER. Anger is expressed as fury, indignation, resentment, rage, or exasperation. The OPPOSITE of WRATH is compassion, mercy, reconciliation, joy, kindness, which describe many characteristics of God’s DIVINE, HOLY nature. “… he does ...right and all his ways are just....” (Daniel 4 NIV).   “…I am the Lord, I change NOT…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV). “… “I AM” WHO I AM…” (Exodus 3:14-15 NASB). “…there is nonelike unto thee…” (Jeremiah 10:6 KJV).

God’s WRATH is God’s JUSTICE. God’s JUSTICE is not ANGER, but the FAIR and JUST REPAYMENT or HARVEST for willful and voluntary SIN SOWN by the disobedient, unrighteous, or wicked. indw

 God’s WRATH or JUSTICE will supernaturally MAKE things RIGHT like during the flood (Genesis 6-9), or the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19), or the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of the Egyptians (Ex. 15:7).

God, the Holy Spirit’sallowances of continued wickedness was an opportunity of his grace, in these stories, and reveals how HIS system of JUSTICE towards wickedness repays wicked people the retribution they deserve, which can also include eternal damnation.

God’s WRATH or JUSTICE affirms HIS righteous, sovereign retribution for ALL disobedience, upon unrepentant sinners, and for all wickedness and wrongdoings.

God’s WRATH or JUSTICE is a SERVANT for his vengeance against ALL wrongdoings.“...Go, inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found, for the wrath of the Lord that burns against us is great, because our fathers did not listen to the words of this book, to act in accordance with everything that is written regarding us...” (2 Kings 22:13 NASB).

“...And they abandoned the house of the Lord, the God of their fathers, and served the Asherim and the idols; so wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. Yet He sent prophets to them to bring them back to the Lord; and they testified against them, but they would not listen...” (2 Chronicles 24:18-19 NASB).

“...Yet the Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place; but they continuallymocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against His people, until there was no remedy...”(2 Chronicles 36:15-16 NASB).

“...Therefore the Lord heard and was full of wrath; And a fire was kindled against Jacob, And anger also mounted against Israel,Because they did not believe in God And did not trust in His salvation...” (Psalm 78:21-22 NASB).

 “...Indeed this city has been to Me a provocation (incitement) of My anger and My wrath since the day that they built it, even to this day, so that it should be removed from My sight, because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah which they have done to provoke (incite) Me to anger—they, their kings, their leaders, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen to accept discipline...” (Jeremiah 32:31-33 NASB).

“... For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness...” (Romans 1:18 NASB).

“...But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God...” (Romans 2:5 NASB).

God is NOT a God of REVENGE, but of VENGEANCE, which means the God who makes things RIGHT or RIGHTEOUS. “...Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God, for it is written: "Vengeance (making things JUST) belongeth unto to me; I will recompense (repay)," saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19 ASV).

When God’s ANGER, WRATH, JUDGEMENT or JUSTICE appears it is in RESPONSE to SIN, UNRIGHTEOUSNESS, WICKEDNESS, and ALL WRONGDOINGS! God, the Holy Spirit’sallows HIS system of JUSTICE to FAIRLY repay people the retribution they deserve, which can also include eternal damnation.

God “IS” a LOVING God, and he PREFERS to make mankind HOLY and RIGHTEOUS by putting and keeping them in a RIGHT “covenant unity” relationship with him, but they willingly CHOOSE not to listen or follow his commandments. “ …[God’s people said:]... will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires…” (JEREMIAH 18:12 NLT).

“…[God said:].... my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. ….” (JEREMIAH 5:23 NLT). “…My people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted…” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT).

“…They have turned away and ABANDONED me….” (JEREMIAH 5:23 NLT).  “...[THEY]… FORGOT all about ME,” says the Lord…” (Hosea 2:13 NLT). “…for years on end my people have FORGOTten ME…” (Jeremiah 2:32 NLT). “…They ABANDONED ME and did not obey my word….” (JEREMIAH 16:11 NLT). “…They ABANDONED the Lord… they turned their backs on him….” (2 Chronicles 29:6 NLT).

The bible says: “…God has said “Never will I leave you (without my PRESENCE); never will I forsake you…” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV). “…I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, to the very end…"(Matthew 28:20 NIV).  “…Not one of all the LORD's good promises … failed; every onewas fulfilled” (Joshua 21:45 NIV).

However, “…They ABANDONED ME and did not obey my word….”(JEREMIAH 16:11 NLT). “…They ABANDONED the Lord… they turned their backs on him….” (2 Chronicles 29:6 NLT).

“… he remains ...(STAYS) ... faithful (TO HIS “JUST” NATURE) …” (2 Timothy 2:13 NLT). “…he cannot deny who he is…” (2 Timothy 2:13 NLT).  God STAYED faithful. “…Again and again [God, the Holy Spirit] rescued them…” (Psalm 106:39-43 NLT).

Thus, he repeatedly rescued them. “… Their enemies (the evil one and his workers) [would crush] them and [bring] them under their cruel power. Again and again [God] rescued them, but they [continually]... chose to rebel against him... [until]... they were finally destroyed by their [own] sin…” (Psalm 106:39-43 NLT).

God’s WRATH, ANGER, JUDGEMENT, or JUSTICE is “NOT” rash, but it is LONGSUFFERING, PATIENCE, and COMPASSIONATELY SLOW in responding. “...Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in faithfulness and truth...” (Exodus 34:6 NASB).

“...But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
Slow to anger and abundant in mercy and truth...” (Psalm 86:15 NASB).

“...The Lord is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in mercy...” (Psalm 103:8 NASB). “...They refused to listen, And did not remember Your wondrous deeds which You performed among them; So they became stubborn and appointed a leader to return to their slavery in Egypt.But You are a God of forgiveness, Gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger and abounding in mercy; And You did not abandon them...” (Nehemiah 9:17 NASB).

“...Then he prayed to the Lord and said, “Please Lord, was this not ]what I said when I was still in my owncountry? Therefore in anticipation of this I fled to Tarshish, since I knew that You are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy, and One who relents of disaster...” (Jonah 4:2 NASB).

God is COMPASSIONATE, MERCIFUL, and SLOW to ANGER he doesn’t want ANYONE to perish. “…[God, the Holy Spirit, through Jesus]... CAME (to earth or to mankind) [because HE is], NOT WILLING that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance…” (2 Peter 3:9 KJV).

God, the Holy Spirit, would RATHER be MERCIFUL. HE delights in MERCY. “…Mercy triumphs over judgement.” (James 2:13 NASB).  “…The Lord is ...of great mercy…” (Number 14:18 KJV). “…The LordGod, [IS] merciful …” (Exodus 34:6 KJV). “…Who isa God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because HE DELIGHTETH IN MERCY…” (Micah 7:18 KJV).

God, the Holy Spirit is a MERCIFUL God, which means HE withholds FAIR and JUST punishment from mankind for their many transgressions against HIM. There are several verses in the bible that express and demonstrate God’s “PREFERRED”  MERCY toward mankind.

Those who trust in and depend upon God’s MERCY will not and do not RECEIVE God’s WRATH, PUNISHMENT, JUDGEMENT, or JUSTICE, but the WICKED will receive the justice they deserve, are worthy of, and have earned.

His people, like GOD, the righteous and fair JUDGE, don’t take or desire REVENGE on the wicked, but leave VENGEANCE for the ALMIGHTY.

When God, the Holy Spirit, SEEMS to allow, take no notice, disregard, pass over, turn a blind eye to, or ignore, wickedness or wicked people. HE IS NOT!

When others “ARE” literally suffering while the wicked SEEM to be prospering in their wickedness, God understands his people can’t explain his WORKINGS to themselves or others.

Some of God’s people’s FAITH is SHAKEN by the allowance of immoral, harmful, and illegal wrong of the wicked.

Many have questioned whether LIVING righteous has been in vain. “…Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence… “(Psalm 73:13 NASB). “…What’s going on here? Is God out to lunch? Nobody’s tending the store. The wicked get by with everything; they have it made, piling up riches. I’ve been stupid to play by the rules; what has it gotten me? A long run of bad luck, that’s what— a slap in the face every time I walk out the door….” (Psalm 73:11-14 MSG).

Even God’s people can’t SEE “how” God, the Holy Spirit, could have A PLAN for ALL the horrible wickedness, they are witnessing nor for allowing them to PREVAIL in their wickedness.

It is an honest and fair analogy considering they are experiencing and SEEING the REAL humanity of it all.

God “IS” good, and God “IS” just, but it boggles the MIND when bad and wicked people seemed to be favored while good and righteous people seemed to be opposed.

It is this “allowance of evil” that made Habakkuk humbly PLEAD with God, for an answer.

Habakkuk was not UNAWARE of God’s sovereignty, wisdom, justice, or loving nature, when he asked either. He KNEW who God was and expected a righteous answer.

God’s righteous people are ASSURED, no matter what is happening, that HE is “…[thei]r deliverer…” (Psalms 18:3 NASB). “… I AM WHO I AM…” (Exodus 3:14-15 NASB).  “…I am the Lord, the God of all flesh…” (Jeremiah 32:27 KJV). "… I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God…" (Revelation 1:8 NASB). “… I the LORD … the first, and with the last. I am He...'" (Isaiah 41:4 NASB).  “…there is none like unto thee…” (Jeremiah 10:6 KJV). “…You are very GREAT…” (Psalm 104:1-2 NASB).

God is a God of JUSTICE, so no matter what God’s redeemed people SEE; they are instructed to STAND FIRM! “…Let us NOT become weary in doing good,for at the PROPER TIME WE WILL REAP A HARVESTif we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9 NIV). “... the faithful followers of the Lord ...keep their promises [to God]... even when it hurts...” (Psalms 15:4 NLT).

Yet, God, the Holy Spirit, understands that watching the WICKED and their WICKEDNESS “seemingly” prevail  - and they are “seemingly” getting away with their many crimes - may be challenging for his people to WITNESS. It could put them on the BRINK, BORDER, or EDGE, of utter DESPAIR. “...I [would have]... fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living...” (Psalm 27:13-14 KJV).

During TROUBLING TIMES, like Habakkuk’s, the PATH of righteousness gets MIGHTY narrow. Yet, God’s people are still encouraged to continue to walk by faith and NOT to give up! “…THE WAY is narrow that LEADS TO LIFE, and there are few who find it…” (Matthew 7:13-14 NASB).  “…Let us NOT become weary in doing good,for at the PROPER TIME WE WILL REAP A HARVESTif we do not give up...” (Galatians 6:9 NIV). “...The just shall live by faith...” (Romans 10:17 KJV). “…He willkeep you strong to the end…” (1 Corinthians 1:8 NLT). “...In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world...” (John 16:33 KJV).

“... Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world..." (John 16:44 NLT). “...Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid...” (John 14:27 KJV). “...we must [go]...through much tribulation [to]...enter into the kingdom of God...” (Acts 14:22 KJV). “...Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord....” (Psalm 27:13-14 KJV).

The God of JUSTICE says: “...despite all these things, overwhelming victory is [Y]ours (his righteous ONES) through Christ...” (Romans 8:37 NLT).

Habakkuk HAD no ANSWER as to WHY God, the Holy Spirit.was ALLOWING wicked people and their wicked actions to prevail, but he KNEW God had HIS HOLY REASONS.

Despite it all, God LOVES being JUST and MERCIFUL, because it is WHO GOD is, and thus, it is an immutable part of his divine character. “...justice will be upheld…”  (Job 36:16-21 NLT). “… [god, the holy spirit]...who judges justly…” (1 Peter 2:20-23 NIV). “…everything he (God, the Holy Spirit) does is right and all his ways are just....” (Daniel 4 NIV). “… “I AM WHO I AM…” (Exodus 3:14-15 NASB).  “…I change NOT…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV).

“...For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV). “ ... in the PROCESS of TIME “IT” CAME TO PASS…” (Genesis 4:3 KJV).

Though God’s JUSTICE “seems” LONG deferred against the wicked, their wickedness, and those who suffer from it, God’s people are to WAIT on God, the Holy Spirit’stiming. “...Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord....” (Psalm 27:13-14 KJV).

They are to WAIT without judgement, without criticism, without worry, and knowing that God is not asking for their approval, opinion, or permission for how his chooses to HANDLE the injustices his people are witnessing.

Nonetheless, God answers Habakkuk. “…Look among the nations! Watch! Be horrified! Be frightened speechless!
For I am accomplishing a work in your days—
You would not believe it even if you were told! For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That grim and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth, To take possession of dwelling places that are not theirs. They are terrifying and feared; Their justice and authority originate with themselves. Their horses are faster than leopards, And quicker than wolves in the evening. Their horsemen charge along, Their horsemen come from afar; They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces moves forward They gather captives like sand. They make fun of kings, And dignitaries are an object of laughter to them. They laugh at every fortress,
Then heap up dirt and capture it. Then they fly along like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god…” (Habakkuk 1:5-11 NASB).

GOD ANSWERED HABAKKUK AND HE STILL WASN’T SATISFIED.

“…HOW LONG BEFORE GOD DEALS WITH ALL THIS EVIL?...” PART 1

“…How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? 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. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

“…The problem as God gave Habakkuk to see it: God, how long do I have to cry out for help before you listen? How many times do I have to yell, “Help! Murder! Police!” before you come to the rescue? Why do you force me to look at evil, stare trouble in the face day after day? Anarchy and violence break out, quarrels and fights all over the place. Law and order fall to pieces. Justice is a joke. The wicked have the righteous hamstrung and stand justice on its head…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 MSG).

*

Habakkuk’s oracle with God, the Holy Spirit, is used to offer wise counsel into the workings of God, regarding the prayers of the righteous. It also offers an explanatory prediction about how those prayers IMPACT future events on a WIDE SCALE and global level.

Habakkuk is one of the 12 minor prophets of the bible with a message that God’s people are to LIVE BY FAITH no matter what is going in them, with them, or around them. No matter what they hear, feel, see, or are experiencing.

Habakkuk is said to be the author and may have written it before the Babylonians sieged Jerusalem and took it over.

There is VERY little information about Habakkuk except that he may have been a temple prophet, a singing Levite, had a Hebrew name, may have been the Shunammite’s son that was restored to life by Elisha, and lived during the time of the rise of the Chaldeans.

The book of Habakkuk has 3 chapters, which focuses upon MAINTAINING one’s FAITH during times of uncertainty, injustice, and “seemingly” prevailing evil or evil people.

It is this issue of maintaining FAITH that concerns Habakkuk just like it concerns God’s people in the 21st century.

Habakkuk is OPENLY questioning God about WHEN he is going to EXECUTE judgement on EVIL and EVIL PEOPLE for the MANY horrible sins.

“…How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? 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. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

          Habakkuk can possible HELP God’s people address the EVENTS of their TIME or at least understand

them from a different perspective.

          There is political, social, and personal UNREST everywhere and swept UP in the MIX are the people of righteousness or God’s redeemed people, the Spirit of LIES, and the emboldening of wickedness and wicked people.

          Another similarity to the 21stcentury, is that Habakkuk was also witnessing a SPIRITUAL DECLINE as God’s very OWN “covenant” people started slipping into weariness and sin.

          There will be a DAY OF JUDGEMENT where living and choosing righteousness will END well and living and choosing unrighteousness WILL NOT. There is NO DOUBT that the present WRONGS will be set right, but it is the PROCESS that makes God’s people STUMBLE.

          Habakkuk, himself, is STUNNED by the PROCESS and is “…burdened…” by what he SEES with his human eyes.“…How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-2 NIV).

          The prophet is saddened by the PANDEMIC of sin of his time and grieved over the DECAY of faith and righteousness of God’s people. Habakkuk makes an honest and human complaint to God about what is going on and what he is doing about it.

          In the days of Noah, the bible says: “…The Lordsaw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them… I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe from the face of the earth every living creature I have made…” (Genesis 6:5-6, 7:6 NIV).

“…The Lordsaw … that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. …” (Genesis 6:5-6, 7:6 NIV). SIN had reached a level where the human heart thought about EVIL “ALL” the time.

“…through one man SIN entered into the world, and DEATH THROUGH SIN, and so DEATH passed to all men—“(Romans 5:12 KJV). If DEATH passed to ALL men through “ONE” man’s sin, what does the SIN of MANY men do?

The weak, the helpless, and even the innocent are put on the path of death because of the EVIL actions of others. “… DEATH passed to all men—“(Romans 5:12 KJV).

The bottom line is that the world had become incredibly corrupt and perverted, far from God’s holiness. “… The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled…” (Genesis 6:6 NIV).

Regret can be translated to mean grieved. God grieved over the evil actions of mankind that were so far removed from his HOLY and RIGHTEOUS character. “…So the Lordsaid, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them…” (Genesis 6:7-8 NIV).

“… [Their] … iniquities (sin) …separated[them]… from God… …” (Isaiah 59:2 KJV). “…and SIN, when it is finished, BRINGETH FORTH DEATH…” (James 1:13-15 NLT). “…The wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23 KJV).

All the people were spiritually DEAD in sin anyway. Then, ALL the people DIED physically, except Noah and his family, who were considered righteous, in God’s sight.

God was NOT unjust, according to the scriptures, because he empowered NOAH to preach about the coming flood for 120 years!  “…But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts…” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT). “…and ye will not come to me that you might have life...” (John 5:40 KJV).

God “….is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 KJV). “…They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts…” (Jeremiah 7:24 NLT).

The people refused to listen to Noah and continued to do what they wanted to do. It was the people’s CHOICE to perish in the flood. They choose “NOT” to heed God’s warning of the coming flood through Noah.

 “…Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily (which is because of God’s GRACE and his desire for mankind “NOT” to perish) …the HEART of the sons of men [was still] fully set in them [unrepentant]… to do evil….” (Ecclesiastes 8:11 KJV).

God’s GRACE, in the days of Noah, gave the people AMPLE opportunity to get it RIGHT with HIM. “…Don't you see how wonderfully kind …God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (Romans 2:4 NLT).

“…The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for YOUR SAKE. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent…” (2 Peter 3: 9 NLT).

However, one of these days, “…the harvest [will be] past, the summer [will end], and [YOU WILL] NOT [BE] SAVED...” (Jeremiah 8:20 KJV).

The land is full of violence in the 21st century, the land was full of violence in the days of Noah and the land is full of violence in the book of Habakkuk.

Habakkuk acknowledges it: “…How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? 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. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

There was violence in families, in relationships, among neighbors, in political circles, between church members, in the hearts of racists or the prejudice, business, governments, foreigners, domestic folk, and everyone.

It was as if the GOLDEN RULE was a thing of the past.

Habakkuk talked about being a WITNESS and not necessarily a VICTIM of this violence.  Nonetheless he was STILL grieved about witnessing other people being done wrong. He cried along with the oppressed and couldn’t stomach watching harmless, innocent grossly mistreated. It was an offense against God and his people. “…How long, Lord, must I call for help strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

“…The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV). Habakkuk felt the righteous were overwhelmed or hemmed-in, by wickedness or wicked people, everywhere.

The wicked and their variety of wickedness were becoming like a coalition against holiness and righteousness to the point it seemed as if God’s people were being beset, troubled, or threatened by it. “…The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

In addition, the country or kingdom was broken and divided into parties and factions until strife and contention, between them, were widening and becoming constant. “…strife, and conflict abounds.…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

“…in the last days perilous times shall come . For men shall be lovers of their own selves… unholy… heady, highminded….  evil men …shall wax worse and worse…”(2 Timothy 3:1-13 KJV).

“…The Lordsaw … that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. … ” (Genesis 6:5-6, 7:6 NIV) .

“…For you are the children of your father the devil,and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies…” (John 8:44 NLT).

The DEVIL’s children want to promote division, incite one person against another, sow discord wherever they can and do the WORK of Satan, their Father. “…For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. …” (John 8:44 NLT).

These, children of the DEVIL, are NOT peacemakers, but, in fact, are peacebreakers, who have become emboldened and have risen UP to stir the pot of STRIFE.

The bible says “…A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up conflict. Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, aheart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community…” (Proverbs 6:12-19 NIV).

“…Blessed are the peacemakers (NOT the peacebreakers)…” (Matthew 5:9 KJV). Peacebreakers that spread division and strife, no matter how long they seem to get away with it, will, without a doubt, answer to God Almighty.

It is GRIEVOUS and SAD to witness the wicked destroy what is GOOD, RIGHTEOUS, and DECENT about life, in general and God’s creation(s) as a whole. “…the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. …” (Genesis 6:5-6, 7:6 NIV).

“…The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

“…[They]… are the children of [their]… father the devil,and [they]… love to do the evil things he does. …” (John 8:44 NLT).

“…Therefore disaster will overtake [the wicked]… in an instant; [they]… will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy… the Lord hates (is strongly against or opposes)…  a heart that devises wicked schemes …and a person who stirs up conflict in the community…” (Proverbs 6:12-19 NIV).

It sometimes “seems” like the redeemed are doing the RIGHTEOUS thing and being punished while others are not, and “seem” to be flourishing instead. “…Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily (the unrighteous “seem” to be flourishing, but are not. They are, however, being given an opportunity to get right with God) …[nonetheless]...the HEART of the sons of men (especially the unrighteous) is fully set in them to do evil [instead of repenting]….” (Ecclesiastes 8:11 KJV).

To the human eye, God does not appear to be against the wicked and his judgement is not always immediate as his people MAY prefer it to be.

The crimes of the wicked seem to prevail since there is NO immediate justice served upon them. Yet the bible PROMISES the wicked “will” be served JUSTICE. “…Therefore disaster will overtake [the wicked]… in an instant; [they]… will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy…” (Proverbs 6:15 NIV).

Yet, God, the Holy Spirit, “...He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he...”(Deuteronomy 32:4 NIV). “… “I AM WHO I AM…” (Exodus 3:14-15 NASB).  “…I change NOT…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV).

God’s JUSTICE promises to judge unrighteous behavior. “...judgment and justicewill be upheld…”  (Job 36:16-21 NLT).

God does NOT like those who DISTORT justice by favoring the rich and oppressing the poor. “...Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly...” (Leviticus 19:15 NIV). “...He appointed judges in the land, in each of the fortified cities of Judah.He told them, “Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for mere mortals but for the Lord, who is with you whenever you give a verdict.  Now let the fear of the Lord be on you. Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery...” (2 Chronicles 19:5-7 NIV). “...he (God, the Holy Spirit) loves justice...” (Psalms 11:7 NIV). “...the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice...” (Isaiah 5:16 NIV). “... the holy God will be proved holy by his righteous acts...” (Isaiah 5:16 NIV).

God is a God of JUSTICE he SEES everything, and he SEES when leaders and his people DO NOT “ACT” JUSTLY by not looking out for the weak and helpless. “…Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes…” (Hebrews 4:13 NLT).

“...You are a God who sees me...” (Genesis 16:13 NASB). “…He hath shewed thee, O man (woman), what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8 KJV). “…O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right (hate injustice),to love mercy (justice), and to walk humbly with your God…” (Micah 6:8 NLT).  

God’s Word also warns: “...Don’t pass on malicious gossip. Don’t link up with a wicked person and give corrupt testimony. Don’t go along with the crowd in doing evil and don’t mess up your testimony in a case just to please the crowd. And just because someone is poor, don’t show favoritism in a dispute...” (Exodus 23:1-3 MSG).

King David prayed for King Solomon: “...Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice...” (Psalm 72:1-2 NIV).

When the wicked LEADERS do NOT uphold justice, they WILL answer to God, the Holy Spirit. When they don’t follow the good intentions of the LAW, allow wickedness to continue, and let justice DRY UP like a desert, they will answer to God, ALMIGHTY.

The bible WARNS, “...Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly...” (Leviticus 19:15 NIV).

“…Judge carefully, for with the Lord our God there is no injustice or partiality or bribery...” (2 Chronicles 19:5-7 NIV).

If they don’t do it, god, the holy spirit will: “...judgment and justicewill be upheld…”  (Job 36:16-21 NLT).

When wicked OPENLY and PUBLICLY, without shame or conviction, pervert justice God SEES it ALL. “...You are a God who sees me...” (Genesis 16:13 NASB).

“…Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes…” (Hebrews 4:13 NLT).

“...judgment and justicewill be upheld…”  (Job 36:16-21 NLT).

“… “I AM WHO I AM …” (Exodus 3:14-15 NASB).  “…I change NOT…” (Malachi 3:6 KJV).

“… he remains ...(STAYS) ... faithful (to his “just” nature)…” (2 Timothy 2:13 NLT). “…he cannot deny who he is…” (2 Timothy 2:13 NLT).

Nonetheless, Habakkuk complained about the INJUSTICE he, personally, witnessed being done by the wicked. “…How long, Lord…Destruction and violence are before me…” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

The righteous people of God have a very difficult time watching the wicked and their wickedness destroy people and their nation. It is hard to SEE wickedness in unadulterated action and the depravity in its depth of evil. It VEXES (bothers, irritates, frustrates, etc.,) the redeemed souls of the righteous.

“…For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexedwith the filthy conversation of the wicked:  (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)…” (2 Peter 2: 4-8 KJV).

The righteous would rather NOT be around the wicked or their wickedness and would rather be somewhere PRESENCE with their LORD. But they are on a mission for God. “…For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less. That’s why we live with such good cheer. You won’t see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don’t get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we’ll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.  But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing.Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that’s what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we’ll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what’s coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad.  That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure…That’s why we work urgently with everyone… His love has the first and last word in everything we do… We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you. How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God…” (2 Corinthians 5 MSG).

Habakkuk, thus, was God’s prophet first and foremost. So, he asked God WHY was he allowing him to SEE all this WICKEDNESS that grieved, VEXED, and saddened his soul so very much.“…How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Why do you make me look at injustice? …” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

“…How long, Lord, must I ….cry outto you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? …” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

“…you do not save …Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? …” (HABAKKUK 1:1-4 NIV).

The bible distinctly says: “...Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he(she) will also reap. For the one who sows to his (her) own flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit...” (Galatians 6:7-8 NASB). 

“...You have plowed wickedness, you have harvested injustice, You have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your way, in your many warriors...” (Hosea 10:13 NASB). “...So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled with their own schemes...” (Proverbs 1:31 NASB). “...One who sows injustice will reap disaster, And the rod of his fury will perish...” (Proverbs 22:8 NASB).

GOD’S JUSTICE “WILL” BE SERVED!