Today’s reading: Habakkuk 2
I’ve told you before that I ask a lot of questions (and often drive my family nuts). Sometimes my motive is to find out what is going on so I can meet the demands of the situation – due dates, arrival times, transportation needs, etc. Sometimes it is just because I’m interested in the subject or entertained by the art of the conversation. But some times I ask questions to gain understanding. Either additional information is going to help me connect the dots and buy into the story, or it will help me see through the erroneous information so I am able to help resolve the issue.
What we know about God’s prophet Habakkuk was that he too asked a lot of questions. Habakkuk was a contemporary of Jeremiah. During this period, God’s people were in conflict with the Babylonians who eventually overtook Jerusalem and exiled God’s people into slavery. At the time, Habakkuk didn’t know how things were going to turn out and cried out to God for understanding. The short book he authored, the fifth to last book of the Old Testament, is just three chapters long. The first chapter outlines Habakkuk’s questions for God and the second chapter, our passage for today, records God’s answer. Habakkuk’s questions to God were a cry for understanding.
Question 1 – How long would would the evil ways of the world prevail? 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 1:2).
Question 2 – Why are you letting wicked people win? Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves (Habakkuk 1:13).
When Habakkuk cried out in his time of struggle, God provided a clear answer – wait patiently. God’s timing sometimes seems slow, but we must remember God hates sin even more than we do. He will not overlook it. Eventually, in his time, he will punish the unrighteous. 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 2:3).
God wants us to come to him with our questions. We may not always get the answers we want or expect, but he is sovereign and he will answer.
The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him (Habakkuk 2:20).