You are seated.
If you have your Bibles, just keep them at Habakkuk 2,
because we'll continue in our study of the book of Habakkuk.
And last week, we considered the first chapter
where Habakkuk began his complaint against the Lord.
As he asked the question, how long?
You know, how long?
You see, all around him in Israel, you had injustice.
You know, unrighteousness taking place with fellow Israelites
for sinning against one another, taking advantage of the needy,
worshipping the Baals, the pagan gods.
And in the midst of all of this, with the king and the people,
were out persecuting and even killing the righteous,
those who had followed the Lord.
Habakkuk cries out to God
and receives this unexpected answer.
You see, the injustice of the Israelites will be dealt with
with the injustice of the Babylonians.
But how, Habakkuk says, can a people that is worse than Israel
come to judge them, to be used as an instrument of judgment?
Surely, this cannot be right.
And after Habakkuk's complaint to God,
we come to the first verse here in Habakkuk 2.
Where he says that he will stand
and he will wait to hear the Lord's response.
Habakkuk has said what he once said
and now he will wait to see what the Lord has to say to him.
And before we get into the sermon,
if you would, please pray with me.
Father, your servants are listening.
So we pray this evening that you may speak to us
by your Spirit.
In the name of Jesus,
in whose name we pray.
Amen.
So dark days are before Habakkuk.
As we saw in chapter 1,
he is already surrounded by injustice.
But things are about to get worse.
And as Habakkuk finds himself surrounded
by the consequences of sin
in a fallen world,
what is God's message for him?
And what is indeed God's message for us this evening?
What's to hope in God?
To hope in God.
And why?
Well, to hope in God because God has spoken.
We see first that God has spoken.
And then second, that God will act.
God will act.
We see thirdly, that we shall live by faith.
You know, we shall live by faith.
And then fourthly, that the wicked will perish.
So first then, we'll consider to hope in God
because God has spoken.
If you would look at verse 2 with me.
We see that the very first thing
that the Lord has to say
in his reply to Habakkuk's complaint
to the challenge that Habakkuk had laid forward
of the way that God had planned things,
of how he was doing things,
as he was allowing the Babylonians to come
to roam the earth,
to kill the nation,
to torture them.
If you see that the very first thing
that the Lord responds with
is not a word of judgment.
It's not a word of condemnation.
And is that not what we should expect?
You know, if we stood up to God,
you know, if we told Him
that the way He was doing things was wrong,
you know, what if we as children,
you know, stood up to our parents,
complained to them,
said, no, you're doing it wrong,
I know better.
What should we expect?
But the response here
from the Lord
is not one of condemnation.
No, rather He responds with grace.
He responds with mercy
and with love.
See, dark days are ahead
as God has shown
and as Habakkuk has recounted to Him.
And for these dark days,
what is needed
more than anything else
is the Word of God.
It's the Word of God.
So God tells Habakkuk
to write down this vision,
to write down this message,
that we may have it.
See, the Word of God
is meant to be heard
by the people in Habakkuk's day,
but it's also meant
for future generations,
for those that are to come.
And as I mentioned last week,
within only a couple of years,
the Babylonians would come.
They would take people,
certain ones,
into captivity.
Within a couple of decades,
Jerusalem itself would fall
and be no more.
And most of the people
will find themselves
in a land
that is not their own.
Among a people
that is not their own.
And the promise
that was given to Abraham,
to Isaac,
and Jacob,
the promise
of a land,
the promise of a people,
it seems to be no more.
You know what happened
to this great promise
when they are no longer
a land
to call their own.
They're exiles.
They're sojourners.
They have been,
it seems in their own eyes,
abandoned by God,
left by Him.
And in that moment,
when they find themselves
without hope,
they will need
a message from God,
a prophecy
to explain
the why question.
Why
did this happen?
Do they need hope?
That they may know
that this is not
the end.
That they have not
been forsaken
by the Lord.
And for that reason,
God tells them,
write down this prophecy.
But this vision here
is not only
for the people
in Habakkuk's day,
or for their generation
to come
that will be,
you know,
exiled,
that will be sojourners
in Babylon.
But this vision here
is also for us today.
Because we find ourselves
in a time
where the predominant view
is that God does not exist.
That God has not
ever spoken.
That even if there was a God,
He doesn't have anything
to do with us.
We cannot know anything
about Him,
so why even try?
And when terrible things happen,
the only hope there is,
is your own strength,
is your own self-sufficiency.
See, you must be strong.
You must be able
to get through this.
Life is hard.
Well, don't worry.
You know, be happy.
Look the other way.
Just focus on the positives.
Cut off people
from your life
that bring negativity
into it.
Don't put yourself
in a position
where your hope
is in an invisible being
that you can never know
who cannot do anything
to change your lot.
But we are to not listen
to the spirit of the age
which says these things.
In opposition to the lies
of the non-existence
or the absence of God
or the silence of God,
is the fundamental
Christian belief
in Deus Dixit.
The Lord has spoken.
You know, God has spoken.
All of Christianity
rests on this belief.
As my favorite theologian,
Herman Bovink,
you know, says it
when asked,
why do we believe?
Well, the Christian answer is
because God has spoken.
And when you are surrounded
by be it inner
or outer darkness,
why may you yet
have hope?
Because God has spoken.
See, He is the one
who when we walk
through the valley
of shadow of death
is there.
You know, it's His rod
and it is His staff
that is there
to comfort us
as He is with us.
When the clouds
of depression
are so dark
that we seem unable
to peer through it
to even get a glimpse
of light,
the possibility of hope
comes from the promises
that God has spoken.
This is what we see
of the prayer
in Psalm 42
as we sing
this evening.
You know,
why are you cast down,
O my soul?
And why are you
in turmoil within me?
Hope in God.
For I shall again
praise Him,
my salvation
and my God.
Now, in the case
of clinical depression,
medication indeed
may be necessary
to aid
in this great battle,
as will therapy,
but no amount
of medication
or therapy
will relieve
relieve that restlessness
of our heart
of which Augustine
spoke when he said,
you know,
you have made us
for yourselves
and our hearts
are restless
until they rest
in you.
So,
may we,
with the psalmist,
you know,
speak to our souls
to call ourselves
to hope in God
because God
has spoken.
And second,
we are to hope
in God
because God
will act.
You can look
at verse 3
with me.
We see how
God,
having told Habakkuk
to write down
this vision,
you know,
that the people
may have hope,
he goes on
to clarify the vision.
You see,
this vision
will not be fulfilled
tomorrow.
Of course,
the part of the prophecy
that says
the Babylonians
will destroy Israel
is not really
something to long for.
But it is
the second half
of this chapter,
of chapter 2,
that the people
will wonder
whether it will
come or not.
The destruction
of their Babylonian
captors.
You see,
Israel,
the Israelites
will be in Babylon
in a place
that is not their own,
surrounded by a people
not their own,
and they will have
this vision.
This vision here
that God has spoken
which speaks
of the destruction
of Babylon.
But the thing is,
it will take a while.
You know,
I mentioned last week
that Jeremiah
prophesies
around the same time
as Habakkuk.
And we see
the prophecy
in Jeremiah 25
where God says
that the land
of Israel
shall become a waste.
And Israel
will serve
the king of Babylon
for 70 years.
70 years!
You know,
can you imagine
that length of time,
70 years
of being away
from your land,
away from your home,
in Babylon
as captives?
How are you
to hope in God
when decades
have passed
and nothing
has changed?
You may hope
in God
because God
will act.
See,
He has promised
that He will act.
and if He seems slow,
He says,
wait for it.
It will surely come.
Do not,
it will not delay.
So the Israelites
are to live
with this expectancy,
waiting for the return
of the Lord.
Now,
have you ever told
a toddler
that you will do something?
You know,
we have a three-year-old
at home
and I quickly
learn to be careful
of when I say
we're going to do something
before we're actually
ready to do it.
So,
for example,
sitting at breakfast
and I happen to mention
that we're going to go
to the playground.
Well,
suddenly,
she doesn't want
to eat the breakfast
anymore
because she's ready
to go
because she loves
going to the playground.
And now,
I find myself
in quiet the conundrum
because she needs
to eat her breakfast
and we're not ready.
You know,
I say,
no,
we will go
after breakfast
but it's too late.
You know,
she is ready
but the thing is
we are way off
from being ready
to go
to the playground.
And the time
that it takes
between me
mentioning the playground
and actually
being able to leave
for the playground
seems far too long
for her.
It seems like
an eternity.
We will go,
I promise.
You know,
we are not ready
just now.
I think
in a similar manner
the Israelites,
they will hear
this vision
but they'll wonder
when it will actually
be fulfilled.
See,
God said
he will destroy Babylon
and we are ready
for it.
We are ready
right now.
But years
will pass.
Decades even
yet nothing
will seem different.
Can you relate?
You know,
for aren't we
waiting as well?
Aren't we
waiting for the
return of Jesus?
For him to take us
home?
Peter says
there will be
those who come
who say
where is this
promise of his
coming?
For ever since
the fathers fell
asleep,
all things are
continuing
as they were
from the beginning
of creation.
See,
these people
appeared in the
first century
and they're for sure
around today.
how can you say
that Jesus
is coming?
It's been
2,000 years.
Are you sure
he's really
coming?
What do we
answer to that?
What do we
say?
We see
Peter,
he goes on
to say,
do not
overlook
this one
fact,
beloved,
that with the
Lord one
day is as
a thousand
years and
a thousand
years as
one day.
The Lord
is not
slow to
fulfill his
promise,
as some
count slowness,
but is
patient towards
you,
not wishing
that any
should perish,
but that all
should reach
repentance.
See,
God will
act.
See,
he has
spoken and
he has
said that
he will
come.
He is
not slow,
but he
is patient.
See,
the family
of God
increases
each and
every day,
including
people of
every tribe,
tongue,
and nation.
And that's
a picture
that we
get in
the book
of Revelation.
As John
said,
and after
this I
looked,
and a
great
multitude
that no
one could
number from
every nation,
from all
tribes and
peoples and
languages,
standing before
the throne
and before
the Lamb,
clothed in
white robes,
with palm
branches in
their hands,
and crying
out with a
loud voice,
salvation
belongs to
our God,
who sits on
the throne
and to
the Lamb.
This is the
most wonderful
picture of
the people
that we
will spend
eternity
with,
forever
with.
So,
dear believer,
hold on to
this truth
today.
For as
John goes
on to
say,
he who
testifies
to these
things
says,
surely,
I am
coming soon.
Amen.
Come,
Lord Jesus.
So,
hope in
God,
because God
has spoken,
and because
God will
act.
And then
thirdly,
hope in
God,
because we
shall live
by faith.
So,
look at
verse 4
with me.
In the
first line
here,
we see
God
speaking
about
the
Babylonians.
Probably
emphasizing
the king,
Nebuchadnezzar,
his soul
is puffed
up,
meaning
he's full
of pride
and ego.
He thinks
himself
self-sufficient
and without
need of
anything
or anyone.
And in
contrast to
this,
God says
the righteous
shall live
by faith.
First of all,
as we consider
righteous,
we must
point out
that it
doesn't mean
perfect.
It doesn't
mean someone
who is
sinless
when that
is used
in the
Old Testament.
We see
the same
word used
in Genesis
6,
for example.
When God
comes down
and calls
Noah,
he calls
him a
righteous
man,
it doesn't
mean that
he is
perfect
or sinless.
It just
means that
the reason
that God
is,
you know,
when it
says
righteous,
is of
someone who
believes,
someone who
trusts in
the Lord,
who seeks
to follow
him and
obey him.
And the
righteous
one,
God says,
shall live
by his
faith.
See,
unlike the
Babylonian,
who is
filled with
pride,
the righteous
shall live
by faith
in God.
The righteous
one sets
his hope
not in his
own strength,
but in
God.
This verse
we see
picked up
several times
in the
New Testament,
one of
which is
Galatians
3.
We see
Paul saying,
now it
is evident
that no
one is
justified
before God
by the
law,
for the
righteous
shall
live
by faith.
See,
Paul is
clearly
stating that
our salvation
is not
by anything
we have
done,
but only
by faith
in God.
The author
of Hebrews
also picks
up this
verse,
as he
says,
but my
righteous
one
shall
live
by
faith,
and if
he shrinks
back,
my soul
has no
pleasure
in him.
See,
here the
author of
Hebrews
emphasizes the
need for
us to
continue in
our faith,
to remain
in faith,
to believe,
despite whatever
afflictions may
come upon
us.
So,
with these
two,
we see
emphasize that
we shall
live by our
faith.
First,
in Paul,
we see that
we live only
by the
faith,
in that it
is by faith
that we are
saved.
We have
moved from
darkness to
light by our
faith in
God.
And then
second,
we see in
Hebrews that
we shall
live by faith
as long as
we remain
in the
faith,
and as we
persevere in
the midst
of trials
and tribulations.
Christians.
So,
what may we
take from
these two
emphases,
and how we
may think
about faith,
how we
shall live,
and how it
all connects
to having
this hope
in dark
and dreary
circumstances.
You'll remember
that in
chapter 1,
after hearing
that the
Babylonians
would come
to destroy
Israel,
Habakkuk
said,
we shall
not die.
And here,
in the Lord's
response,
in this
vision,
God says
that the
righteous
indeed
will not
die.
They shall
live.
Those who
have been
justified
by faith,
as Paul
highlights,
shall live
by their
continual
faith,
by their
trust in
the Lord,
as emphasized
in Hebrews.
Now,
one of the
things that
is common,
at least in
the States,
I haven't been
here long
enough to
kind of get
a sense
of it,
is the
sharing of
your testimony.
What is
your Christian
testimony?
What is
your story?
There's
something exciting
about testimonies,
isn't there?
To hear of
the marvelous
work of how
God has
worked in
someone's
life,
of taking
them a
sinner,
a rebel,
an enemy
of God,
and making
them a
saint,
a friend,
a child
of God,
to see
that change
in the
life trajectory,
that 180
degree change.
But I'm
always a
little bit
disappointed
when I
hear a
testimony
that only
tells that
part of
the story,
of that
specific
point of
how God
worked in
that moment,
God
will
tell
anything
else.
They
don't go
on
saying
how
God
has
worked
in
their
life
after
that.
What is
your testimony
of God's
work in
your life
in the
past
five,
ten,
twenty,
forty,
sixty
years?
If
anything,
that is
even more
encouraging
and
praiseworthy.
So when we
see here that
the righteous
shall live
by faith,
the faith
here is
not merely
the faith
that saved
us,
the confession
and turning
from sin
based on
none of
our works,
but only
by the
work of
Christ.
The faith
here,
by which
the righteous
shall live,
is also
that continued
faith,
the daily
trust in
the Lord.
All of
the Christian
life is
repentance,
says Martin
Luther.
All of it,
the entirety
of our
lives
shall be
a life
of faith.
And this
is why
Habakkuk
may have
hope,
because despite
the coming
onslaught,
it is by
faith that
he shall
live,
and by
faith we
will live
also.
So we
may hope
in God
because God
has spoken,
because God
will act,
and because
we shall
live by
faith.
And then
fourthly and
finally,
we're to hope
in God
because the
wicked,
will perish.
And here
we're really
considering the
rest of the
chapter.
And we
won't spend
much time
here,
you know,
going verse
by verse,
but I want
to point
out the
five woes
that we
find here.
And,
you know,
an oracle
of woe,
as it is
called,
is a prophecy
of judgment.
And the
five that we
see are,
we see first
in verses
six and
eight,
that God
says that
because the
Babylonians
plundered the
nations,
they will be
plundered by
the nations.
And,
you see the
second one,
in nine to
eleven,
as God says
that because of
their covetousness,
they shall be
shamed.
And the third,
we see in
verses 12 to
14,
that God
says that
because of
Babylon's
violence and
their injustice,
all their
strivings will
be for
nothing.
And the
fourth one,
in 15 through
17,
God says that
because of
their drunkenness
and perversion
and violence,
they will
become drunk,
they will be
shamed,
and they will
be destroyed.
And the
fifthly,
and finally,
the fifth woe
hits at the
heart of all
the sins of
Babylon,
which is
idolatry.
The Babylonians
worship a thing
they made
themselves,
but in
contrast,
the Lord
is in
his temple.
He is in
his throne.
He is
ruling and
reigning.
And this
is the part
of the
vision that
Israel cannot
wait to
be fulfilled.
The destruction
of their
enemies,
all the
evils that
the Babylonians
have committed
will return
to them
an eye for
an eye and
a tooth for
a tooth.
They will
face a
just
judgment.
But it
will take a
while.
as we've
already
seen.
Seventy
years must
pass,
but judgment
is coming.
In the book
of Revelation,
we're given a
glimpse of the
future,
of the second
coming of
Christ and
the restoration
of all things,
the day when he
will bring peace
and make all
things right.
And at one
point during the
vision,
John says,
I saw
under the
altar the
souls of
those who
had been
slain for
the word
of God
and for
the witness
they had
borne.
And they
cried out
with a
loud voice,
O
sovereign
one,
holy and
true,
how long
before you
will judge
and avenge
our blood
on those
who dwell
on the
earth?
And then
they were
each given
a white
robe and
told to
rest a
little
longer
until the
number
of their
fellow
servants
and their
brothers
should be
complete,
who were
to be
killed
as they
themselves
had been.
And here
we have
the men
and the
women
who have
died
for the
sake of
Christ,
martyrs
for the
faith,
and as
they look
to the
return
of Christ,
what do
they seek?
What is it
that they
call for
but the
judgment
of God?
Patience.
That's what
God tells
them.
The day
of judgment
is coming.
See,
throughout
scripture,
there is
no peace
or justice
without
the execution
of judgment.
For there
to be
justice,
injustice
has to be
dealt
with.
Now,
how can
we hope
in God
if the
wicked
will
continue
in their
evil
forever?
And this
is one
of the
parts of
the Christian
faith,
that the
modern
person
has
one of
the
toughest
times
with.
They say,
if God
is loving,
then how
can he
judge
people?
Of course,
at the
same time,
if pressed,
they would
say that
some people
are worthy
of judgment.
Hitler,
Stalin,
so on,
the really
bad ones.
Now,
the Christian
claim goes
even further
than this,
saying that
there's
none
righteous.
There's
not even
one who
is
righteous.
Each
one
of us
is bad
and stand
guilty
before the
Lord,
justly
deserving
his
judgment.
You
know,
we may
read the
description
that we've
seen here
of the
Babylonians
and agree
that saying,
yes,
these
Babylonians,
they're
terrible.
They
deserve
judgment.
But I
don't.
I'm not
that bad.
But when
we consider
who God
is,
the perfectly
holy
and blameless
and pure
and perfect
God,
the one
who made
the heavens
and the
earth,
and when
we,
on the
other hand,
see the
true
heinousness
and vileness
of our
sin,
we cannot
but admit
that,
yes,
we
justly
deserve
his
judgment.
We see
Paul in
Ephesians 2
spelling out
the states
that we
were in.
As he
says,
you are
dead in
your
trespasses
and sins
in which
you once
walked,
following
the course
of this
world,
following
the prince
of the
power
of the
air,
the spirit
that is
now at
work in
the sons
of disobedience,
among whom
we all once
lived in
the passions
of our
flesh,
carrying out
the desires
of the
body and
the mind,
and were
by nature
children of
wrath,
like the
rest of
mankind.
See,
if you are
here this
evening,
and you
do not
believe,
and you
do not
rest on
Jesus Christ
alone for
salvation,
this here is
true of you.
That you
are dead,
you are
separated from
God,
you are
a rebel,
an enemy
of God,
and nothing
but judgment
awaits.
But there's
good news.
No,
there's amazing
news,
for God
did not
leave us
in our
sins.
He did
not leave
us to be
His enemies.
No,
but He
sought us
out.
He came
after us.
That's the
entire story
of the Old
Testament,
that it's
showing us
God seeking
after His
people,
even when
they don't
want Him.
Even here
in Habakkuk,
what we see
is God
seeking
after His
people.
Israel have
turned from
Him,
worshipping the
pagan God,
becoming thieves,
adulterers,
murderers,
and liars,
yet God
still seeks
after them,
because He
wants them
and He
wants you.
Do you
believe
that truth
this evening?
That God
desires you.
See,
so Paul
goes on
to say
that yes,
you are
dead in
your sins,
but God,
but God
being rich
in mercy
because of
the great
love with
which He
loved us,
even when
we were
dead in
our trespasses
and made
us alive
together with
Christ,
by grace
you've been
saved and
raised up
with Him.
See,
even when
dead in
our sins,
God took
the initiative.
We did not
want Him,
but He came
for us anyway.
The coming
of the Son
of God,
of Jesus,
the Christ,
in that we
have the
clearest
picture of
the seriousness
of our
sin on
the one
hand,
and the
depth of
the love
of God
on the
other.
Because the
sin of
humanity is
so vile
and so
terrible that
it took
the death
of the
Son of
God
Himself,
the One
who existed
for all
eternity,
in perfect
union with
Father and
Holy Spirit,
the Alpha and
the Omega,
in order for
sin to be
dealt with,
and for us
to be
reconciled
to God.
So hope
in God,
because God
has spoken,
God will
act,
we shall
live by
faith,
and the
wicked
will perish.
Now,
dear Christian,
do you hope
in God
this evening?
Do you
take hope
in the fact
that God
has spoken?
He could
have remained
far off,
but instead
He has spoken,
He has given
us His
Word.
Do you
in the dark
days when
your soul
is cast
down,
the psalmist
was describing,
do you turn
to God's
Word?
Do you
hear His
words,
His promises?
And do you
take hope
because God
will act?
God has
said that He
will come,
but do you
believe it?
I know
especially on
the days
when the
clouds of
our soul
are dark
that it
is difficult
to believe.
Even asking,
can it
really be
true
that God
loves
a wretch
like me?
We may
even find
ourselves
agreeing
with the
scoffers.
Things have
been the
same for
so long.
Can it
really be
that God
is coming?
Well,
you may
take hope
and the
promises we
have looked
at this
evening,
for He
is coming.
He will
surely
come.
And do
you take
hope?
Because you
shall live
by faith.
Good
doctrine and
good theology,
it will not
save you.
Good works
are of no
use without
faith in
the risen
Savior,
Jesus Christ.
that alone
is what
will save
you.
And is
that your
hope this
evening?
Do you
take hope
because even
though you
as sinner
deserve
judgment,
God has
shown you
mercy?
Habakkuk
said,
are you not
from everlasting,
O Lord my
God,
my Holy
One?
We shall
not die.
And this
is true.
The
everlasting
One,
Jesus Christ,
has taken
your place
on that
cross.
He died
so that you
may live.
He died
an innocent
and a
righteous
man that
you,
a guilty,
unrighteous
sinner,
may live.
So that
you no
longer
shall be
called
sinner.
I shall
be called
saint.
No
longer
wretch,
but
beloved.
No
longer
estranged,
but
child
of God.
May
this be
the source
of our
hope.
May this
be the
source of
our comfort
this evening
and all
the days
to come
until
Christ
returns
or he
takes us
away.
Let us
pray.
Amen.
Father God,
during our
days on
this earth,
there are
days,
many even,
that it is
difficult
to believe,
that it is
difficult
to hope.
Oh,
Lord,
help us
in our
unbelief.
Fill us
not with
the
lies of
Satan,
Lord,
no,
but with
the words
of your
promise.
Fill us,
Lord,
with
indeed,
with
the
first
fruits
that we
experience
even now
of heaven
that is
to come.
The first
fruits that
we experience
by
seeing a
glimpse
of the
Lord Jesus
through the
reading and
the preaching
of your
words,
through
the
fellowship
of
fellow
believers,
through
many,
many more
things of
which you
bless us
while here
on earth.
Lord,
may we
see Jesus.
Yes,
Lord,
may we
see him.
We pray
this in
Jesus'
name.
Amen.
Now,
if you
would,
please stand
as we
will sing
our
concluding
hymn,
Be Still,
My Soul.
Be Still,
My Soul.