WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.040 The following sermon is made available by Lakeside Bible Church in Cornelius, North Carolina. 00:00:15.640 --> 00:00:19.160 For more information about our church or to find more recorded sermons, 00:00:19.660 --> 00:00:22.719 please visit us online at lakesidebible.church. 00:00:22.980 --> 00:00:25.719 We'd also love to connect with you on social media. 00:00:25.719 --> 00:00:30.660 You can find us by searching Lakeside Bible NC on Facebook and Instagram. 00:00:31.660 --> 00:00:37.879 For specific questions about the Bible or our church, please email us at info at lakesidebible.church. 00:00:40.539 --> 00:00:43.960 Well, let's take our Bibles and turn to Habakkuk chapter 1. 00:00:44.120 --> 00:00:47.960 Habakkuk chapter 1 is where we are as we continue our study today. 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:55.299 Last week, we used the three divisions of verse number 1 to introduce the book of Habakkuk 00:00:55.299 --> 00:00:59.539 and his burden and the prophet and who he was and the context around that. 00:00:59.919 --> 00:01:05.099 If you weren't able to watch that study on YouTube, I want to encourage you to do that. 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:09.200 You don't have to pause this one to go back to it, but maybe after this one's over with, 00:01:09.219 --> 00:01:11.560 whenever you have some time, go back to that video. 00:01:11.679 --> 00:01:15.000 It's actually in two parts, the introductory to Habakkuk, 00:01:15.219 --> 00:01:19.340 and it'll really help you as we jump into this study together. 00:01:19.340 --> 00:01:26.060 Well, our study today brings us to Habakkuk's initial prayer and question for God. 00:01:26.260 --> 00:01:27.020 Let's read it together. 00:01:27.480 --> 00:01:30.439 Habakkuk chapter 1, verses 2 through 4. 00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:33.420 Habakkuk cries out to the Lord, 00:01:33.420 --> 00:01:38.519 O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? 00:01:39.379 --> 00:01:44.920 Even cry out to thee of violence, and thou wilt not save. 00:01:45.780 --> 00:01:50.340 Why dost thou show me iniquity and cause me to behold grievance? 00:01:50.960 --> 00:01:56.439 For spoiling and violence are before me, and there are that raise up strife and contention. 00:01:57.520 --> 00:02:02.200 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth. 00:02:02.200 --> 00:02:05.520 For the wicked doth compass about the righteous. 00:02:06.180 --> 00:02:09.000 Therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. 00:02:09.780 --> 00:02:13.819 There are three parts to this study that I want to pull out. 00:02:13.920 --> 00:02:18.180 One really observation for each of the verses here, and the first one is this. 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:19.800 It's found in verse number 2. 00:02:20.140 --> 00:02:23.020 We see the agony of Habakkuk's prayer. 00:02:23.460 --> 00:02:25.740 The agony of Habakkuk's prayer. 00:02:26.259 --> 00:02:27.280 Look with me again at the verse. 00:02:27.379 --> 00:02:28.060 Verse number 2. 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:31.560 O Lord, how long shall I cry? 00:02:32.199 --> 00:02:33.399 And thou wilt not hear. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:36.119 Even cry out to thee of violence. 00:02:36.659 --> 00:02:39.199 And thou wilt not save. 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:46.319 Now the anguish in Habakkuk's prayer has less to do with the sin of the nation, 00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:52.000 and more to do with God's silence and inaction. 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:59.300 Now there's a sense in which he is reverently issuing a complaint against God. 00:02:59.960 --> 00:03:05.960 There would have been a time in this prayer where Habakkuk's focus in his words was really 00:03:05.960 --> 00:03:09.819 on asking God to judge the sin of the nation. 00:03:09.979 --> 00:03:14.159 Maybe, probably even asking God to bring a revival to the nation. 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:22.639 But day by day, the longer God delayed in answering the prophet, the focus of his prayer shifted 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:24.979 to the agony of silence. 00:03:26.060 --> 00:03:30.840 It wasn't so much now the wickedness of the nation that burdened him. 00:03:31.259 --> 00:03:36.240 The agony and the anguish that he felt in this prayer had to do with the fact that God wasn't 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:37.419 answering the prayer. 00:03:37.419 --> 00:03:44.780 It's as if God was silent and it seemed as if God was inactive in the whole thing. 00:03:45.299 --> 00:03:48.819 Look at the way in which Habakkuk addresses the Lord here. 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:49.859 Look at verse 2. 00:03:50.419 --> 00:03:54.299 O Lord, how long shall I cry and you will not hear? 00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:55.579 That's the question. 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:59.399 Not how long is the wickedness going to go on at this point. 00:03:59.579 --> 00:04:01.479 How long will you not hear me? 00:04:01.479 --> 00:04:07.039 Look again, even cry out to the violence and you will not save. 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:12.099 Again, the cry here is not so much in this verse about the violence. 00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:18.620 The cry is about the fact that God is not providing action against the violence. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:19.819 Look at verse 3. 00:04:20.599 --> 00:04:25.639 Why do you show me, and he gives a list of things, iniquity and grievance and spoiling 00:04:25.639 --> 00:04:29.240 and violence and strife and contention. 00:04:29.240 --> 00:04:38.800 As burdened as Habakkuk was about the wickedness of Judah and its leaders, his agony was a result 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:43.720 of the perceived silence and inaction of God. 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:47.379 Now, that doesn't mean that his prayer was sinful. 00:04:48.100 --> 00:04:54.220 He actually approaches God very reverently, as is seen in the way that he addresses God 00:04:54.220 --> 00:04:54.840 in verse 2. 00:04:54.839 --> 00:04:59.919 Those four capital letters is the name Yahweh or Jehovah. 00:05:00.619 --> 00:05:03.299 This is the holy, reverenced name of God. 00:05:03.439 --> 00:05:04.919 This wasn't a sinful prayer. 00:05:05.019 --> 00:05:07.439 He wasn't approaching God sinfully. 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:15.679 This isn't the prayer of a carnal man whose heart is lifted up in sinful anger and arrogance. 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:26.540 It is the passionate, humble cry of a child for his heavenly Father to intervene in his distress. 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:28.600 That's what this prayer is. 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:30.860 That's where the anguish is coming from. 00:05:31.259 --> 00:05:37.040 As he cries out to his heavenly Father and to his God for action, yet he hasn't heard back 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:39.460 and he hasn't received an answer. 00:05:39.459 --> 00:05:46.279 And so his prayer is not just a burden for the sin, but he agonizes in this prayer because 00:05:46.279 --> 00:05:49.479 it seems as if God is so distant. 00:05:50.719 --> 00:05:57.719 How long shall I cry indicates that Habakkuk had been asking for God's help for a long time. 00:05:58.620 --> 00:06:04.799 And with each passing day, his anguish became the result of God's silence rather than the people's sin. 00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:12.620 Now it's at this point that Habakkuk's prayer is so relatable and relevant to us. 00:06:13.780 --> 00:06:21.180 Habakkuk is the parents that, despite their best efforts in raising their daughter to know God, 00:06:21.740 --> 00:06:26.340 watches as her life spirals in rebellion against the Lord. 00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:32.400 No matter how much they've kept her in church, no matter how much they've kept the Scripture in front of her, 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:37.839 no matter how much they've poured their life into training her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, 00:06:37.979 --> 00:06:42.339 they watch as she continues to choose rebellion and to choose sin, 00:06:42.419 --> 00:06:44.439 and eventually they cry out to the Lord, 00:06:44.719 --> 00:06:53.979 Lord, how long, how long, God, must we watch our children spiral out of control and sin? 00:06:54.339 --> 00:06:57.259 How long until you do something, Lord? 00:06:57.259 --> 00:07:00.799 How long until you become active in their hearts? 00:07:02.399 --> 00:07:11.159 Habakkuk is the wife who for years and years has prayed that God would get a hold of her husband's heart 00:07:11.159 --> 00:07:16.539 and draw him to salvation, yet she can't understand why after all of this time, 00:07:17.079 --> 00:07:20.219 his heart is so hardened to the things of God. 00:07:21.179 --> 00:07:22.639 And she cries out to the Lord, 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:25.659 How long must I pray this prayer? 00:07:26.719 --> 00:07:31.439 How long, Lord, before you hear me and answer my prayer? 00:07:31.439 --> 00:07:40.500 Habakkuk is the Christian patriot who for decades prays that God would establish righteousness in leadership. 00:07:41.500 --> 00:07:46.740 But with every passing administration, things seem to just get more and more wicked. 00:07:47.860 --> 00:07:52.759 And the nation is only growing more and more secular and more and more sinful. 00:07:52.759 --> 00:07:56.099 And he cries out, Lord, how long? 00:07:58.019 --> 00:08:08.719 It's the lover of the church that sees how the Christian church seems to continue to plumb the depths of liberalism 00:08:08.719 --> 00:08:14.639 and cheap imitations of the gospel and cheap imitations of worship. 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:16.139 And they cry out to the Lord. 00:08:16.139 --> 00:08:19.500 How long, Lord, until you hear our prayer? 00:08:19.620 --> 00:08:22.159 How long till you revive your church? 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:25.699 How long, Lord, will you be silent? 00:08:26.579 --> 00:08:28.560 How long will I cry? 00:08:29.319 --> 00:08:31.439 And you will not save. 00:08:33.000 --> 00:08:38.000 Many of us understand what it's like to anguish over sin, 00:08:38.000 --> 00:08:45.240 only to see our agony increase as God seems to be silent and inactive. 00:08:47.659 --> 00:08:54.200 Well, it's the loving forbearance of God that explains his delay in judging the sin of the people. 00:08:55.440 --> 00:08:57.480 Peter wrote in 2 Peter 3, 9, 00:08:57.480 --> 00:09:13.659 God's purposes in salvation cannot be stopped. 00:09:14.820 --> 00:09:18.500 And sometimes that means he will allow evil to continue 00:09:18.500 --> 00:09:24.580 in order that he might lead some to repentance and faith. 00:09:24.580 --> 00:09:31.320 It is his love for man that causes what we perceive to be delays. 00:09:32.600 --> 00:09:35.600 And so as Habakkuk is crying out against this judgment, 00:09:35.740 --> 00:09:40.980 we understand that it's God's mercy that has seemingly delayed judgment. 00:09:42.020 --> 00:09:47.220 The same mercy that he showed to us in delaying judgment in our lives 00:09:47.220 --> 00:09:50.240 prior to crying out to him for salvation. 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:57.960 And while the scripture teaches that our own sin will prevent God from hearing and answering our prayers, 00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:04.180 in the case of Habakkuk, it's not a matter of sin in his own heart. 00:10:04.740 --> 00:10:06.159 He's a righteous man. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:07.960 He's a holy man. 00:10:08.980 --> 00:10:15.879 It's only the wisdom of God that can answer why this prayer remained unanswered for him 00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:19.919 and why this prayer may remain unanswered for you. 00:10:21.059 --> 00:10:24.100 And therein lies the whole point of the book of Habakkuk, 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:27.759 that we must trust God. 00:10:29.980 --> 00:10:35.840 He may not be answering your prayer because it's not right yet to answer your prayer. 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:41.879 He may be delaying for a salvation gospel purpose. 00:10:42.500 --> 00:10:47.620 It may be that he's doing a work in you that has not yet come to completion. 00:10:47.860 --> 00:10:49.980 But God is always right. 00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:56.519 And only in his wisdom can we begin to answer why our prayers remain unanswered. 00:10:56.519 --> 00:11:07.039 What appears to us as God's delays must not be mistaken as indifference or complacency. 00:11:08.220 --> 00:11:12.299 Though his work often necessitates patience on our part, 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:15.559 he is sympathetic to our prayers. 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:24.720 And it should come as a comfort to God's people that it was God who first cried out how long. 00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:27.160 Think about it. 00:11:27.300 --> 00:11:29.519 Exodus chapter 16 and verse 28. 00:11:30.379 --> 00:11:33.120 Israel had just been blessed with the manna from heaven. 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:37.040 And God had instructed that they not gather it on the Sabbath day, 00:11:37.139 --> 00:11:41.000 but rather the day before they would gather enough for two days. 00:11:41.500 --> 00:11:42.460 But they disobeyed. 00:11:42.500 --> 00:11:44.480 And here was God's response to Moses. 00:11:44.779 --> 00:11:46.040 And the Lord said to Moses, 00:11:46.460 --> 00:11:52.200 How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? 00:11:52.200 --> 00:11:56.420 In Numbers chapter 14, 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:00.700 we see as God brings the children of Israel to the promised land, 00:12:01.060 --> 00:12:04.620 and Moses sends the 12 spies into the land, 00:12:04.860 --> 00:12:08.240 their responsibility was not to make a determination 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:12.100 on whether or not the children of Israel should go into the land. 00:12:12.820 --> 00:12:14.340 God had already given them the land. 00:12:14.420 --> 00:12:15.720 It was theirs for the taking. 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:18.440 All they had to do was obey the Lord in taking it. 00:12:18.540 --> 00:12:21.500 Their job was just to see what the land was like. 00:12:21.500 --> 00:12:25.200 Well, 10 of those 12 spies come back with an evil report. 00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:28.200 They turn the hearts of the people against God, 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:30.659 and they rebel against God in that moment, 00:12:30.820 --> 00:12:34.139 right on the brink of blessing and promise. 00:12:34.379 --> 00:12:37.120 And here's what God said in Numbers chapter 14. 00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:38.419 The Lord said to Moses, 00:12:38.860 --> 00:12:41.980 How long will this people despise me? 00:12:41.980 --> 00:12:50.560 How long will they not believe in me in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? 00:12:51.800 --> 00:12:53.960 In Matthew chapter 17, 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:59.220 Jesus was frustrated with the disciples' lack of faith. 00:12:59.980 --> 00:13:00.779 And he said, 00:13:00.980 --> 00:13:03.980 O faithless and perverse generation, 00:13:04.539 --> 00:13:07.519 he's speaking to the disciples there, 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:11.500 How long shall I be with you? 00:13:11.939 --> 00:13:15.340 How long shall I put up with you? 00:13:15.939 --> 00:13:16.879 Jesus said. 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:22.539 God is sympathetic to our cries of how long. 00:13:23.079 --> 00:13:29.340 Because he has made that same cry to us so many times. 00:13:29.340 --> 00:13:36.800 And this is precisely why the Bible says that we can come confidently to him in prayer. 00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:39.300 Remember Hebrews chapter 4. 00:13:39.660 --> 00:13:43.620 We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness. 00:13:44.639 --> 00:13:48.680 He's been tempted in all the same ways that we've been tempted yet without sin. 00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:49.959 And then the writer says, 00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:56.479 Let us therefore come boldly, confidently to the throne of grace, 00:13:56.479 --> 00:14:02.359 that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 00:14:02.539 --> 00:14:05.299 God is sympathetic to our prayers. 00:14:05.419 --> 00:14:10.120 And that's exactly why we can come confidently to his throne. 00:14:10.459 --> 00:14:14.639 That's exactly why we should come boldly to him in prayer. 00:14:14.639 --> 00:14:20.299 Because he cares and he understands and he anguishes with us. 00:14:21.220 --> 00:14:26.879 In times of anguish, God's people can take great comfort in this truth. 00:14:28.299 --> 00:14:30.759 Now, Owen Robertson said this, 00:14:31.539 --> 00:14:37.080 Without doubt, the Lord entered sympathetically into the agonies of his prophet. 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:43.639 Although his own long suffering explains his delay in the establishment of justice, 00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:49.620 He nonetheless agonizes with his people in their grief. 00:14:50.580 --> 00:14:52.779 What a wonderful God that is. 00:14:53.639 --> 00:15:01.059 That though his perfect righteousness guides him in waiting to sometimes answer our prayer, 00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:04.539 and waiting to sometimes bring the judgment that we're crying for, 00:15:04.860 --> 00:15:09.700 and waiting to sometimes bring the healing that we're praying for, 00:15:09.700 --> 00:15:14.600 while his perfect righteousness always does what is right in that regard. 00:15:14.800 --> 00:15:18.120 In the midst of our prayer, he grieves with us. 00:15:19.660 --> 00:15:22.160 And he's sympathetic to us. 00:15:22.820 --> 00:15:24.440 What an awesome God that is. 00:15:25.900 --> 00:15:29.640 So if that's you, and you're in a place now where you've been crying out to the Lord, 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:32.840 maybe even for a long time, and you're at the point where you're crying out, 00:15:32.840 --> 00:15:36.280 how long, Lord, am I going to have to say this prayer? 00:15:37.040 --> 00:15:38.700 How long before you answer? 00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:40.920 How long will you be silent? 00:15:41.500 --> 00:15:47.540 Remember that not only is his way perfect, but he grieves with you in that. 00:15:48.600 --> 00:15:51.300 He is sympathetic to your plight. 00:15:51.820 --> 00:15:52.980 And he loves you. 00:15:52.980 --> 00:15:59.659 And he desires for you to continue bringing that prayer to him. 00:16:00.779 --> 00:16:05.240 And so we see in verse number two, the agony of Habakkuk's prayer. 00:16:06.060 --> 00:16:10.860 And if there's nothing else we see, that's really the main thing that's important for us to understand in these verses. 00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:13.379 But let's quickly look at the other two things. 00:16:13.680 --> 00:16:16.620 Secondly, in verse three, we see the substance of his prayer. 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:19.620 The substance of his prayer. 00:16:19.620 --> 00:16:28.379 Now, while the agony of Habakkuk's prayer can be explained by the absence of an answer from God, 00:16:28.980 --> 00:16:32.620 his burden over the sin of the nation was not diminished. 00:16:33.639 --> 00:16:40.200 The entire purpose of his prayer was to seek for God's judgment against the wickedness of Judah. 00:16:40.899 --> 00:16:46.360 And he gives us a general idea of what type of sin had become so prevalent. 00:16:46.360 --> 00:16:51.340 Now, I don't want to take a lot of time with this one because the text doesn't take a lot of time with this. 00:16:51.779 --> 00:16:55.379 But I do want to just mention a couple of things about the sins before we move on. 00:16:55.960 --> 00:17:03.100 He gives a series of six sins, but he groups them in three categorical pairs. 00:17:03.320 --> 00:17:05.339 And I want to mention just each category. 00:17:05.500 --> 00:17:09.319 I want to focus mainly on the first one, and then we'll just touch on the other two. 00:17:09.539 --> 00:17:13.819 The first category of sin that he brings up is idolatry. 00:17:14.539 --> 00:17:14.980 Idolatry. 00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:15.940 Look at verse 3. 00:17:17.140 --> 00:17:18.000 Habakkuk prays, 00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:29.779 Now, this is the primary one that I want us to pay attention to for our purposes this morning. 00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:34.079 Iniquity can be a reference to idolatry. 00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:40.039 In fact, it's often used in regards to idolatry throughout the Old Testament. 00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:55.599 And grievance is really just a general word for wickedness that must be understood in connection to iniquity in idolatry here in this particular passage. 00:17:55.599 --> 00:18:11.000 Now, God had been abundantly clear in the law that idolatry would not be tolerated, and Habakkuk couldn't understand why God was allowing it to continue unfettered. 00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:17.200 Now, the categories of sin listed here in this verse are not meant to be understood as a progression. 00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:26.880 But the fact that sinful behavior is initiated by a departure from true worship is unmistakable. 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:38.060 All sin begins with man's heart turning from God in order to pursue his own will and passions. 00:18:39.900 --> 00:18:43.740 Idolatry may not always involve a carved image or a pagan ritual, 00:18:43.740 --> 00:18:54.460 but sin is always born out of an idolatrous heart that seeks to please self rather than God. 00:18:55.880 --> 00:18:56.900 Calvin said, 00:18:57.059 --> 00:18:59.920 The human heart is a factory of idols. 00:19:01.259 --> 00:19:09.220 Our heart left to itself produces nothing but sinful behavior as we seek to please ourselves and worship our own passions. 00:19:09.220 --> 00:19:12.000 And Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:15.960 At the moment of sin, God is quite unreal to us. 00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:22.960 Satan does not here fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God. 00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:28.240 And it is here that everything within me rises up against the word of God. 00:19:28.620 --> 00:19:33.900 Therefore, the Bible teaches us in times of temptation in the flesh, there is one command. 00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:34.980 Flee. 00:19:35.700 --> 00:19:37.079 Flee fornication. 00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:38.819 Flee idolatry. 00:19:38.819 --> 00:19:40.439 Flee youthful lust. 00:19:40.839 --> 00:19:43.099 Flee the lust of the world. 00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:49.299 Any sin that we fall into is initiated first by a departure from God. 00:19:49.419 --> 00:19:52.000 It's either a departure from genuine worship of God, 00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:56.200 or it's a departure from the faithful study of the word of God. 00:19:56.279 --> 00:19:58.299 And we follow our own pursuits. 00:19:58.759 --> 00:20:02.740 And what that leads to inevitably is an abundance of sin. 00:20:02.740 --> 00:20:09.180 Any struggle of sin in your life is initiated by a departure from God. 00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:14.640 And the sin of the church is a result of its departure from God. 00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:19.920 And the sin of the nation is a result of its departure from God. 00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:35.100 Therefore, the only solution for overcoming temptation is faithfulness to the word of God and genuine worship of God in the way that God has determined in his word for us to worship him. 00:20:35.099 --> 00:20:41.500 Any other sin prevailing in Judah began with the idolatry. 00:20:42.419 --> 00:20:46.539 And Habakkuk couldn't understand why God seemed to be allowing it to take place. 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:52.000 Because what it was bringing about was just more and more and more sin. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:54.939 And he says, how long, Lord, are you going to make me see this? 00:20:54.940 --> 00:20:56.580 How long? 00:20:57.880 --> 00:21:00.380 That's the main substance of his prayer here. 00:21:00.460 --> 00:21:04.519 Let me just mention the other two categories and we'll move on and wrap up for the day. 00:21:04.680 --> 00:21:06.900 The second category is violence. 00:21:07.299 --> 00:21:11.019 And he uses the word spoiling and violence here. 00:21:11.100 --> 00:21:19.519 Now, spoiling speaks of destruction or wreaking havoc, while violence is a reference to cruelty. 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:29.440 Now, removing the restraint of God's word frees the heart to explore the extremes of its own depravity. 00:21:29.819 --> 00:21:35.279 And that was certainly rampant among the Israelites as they pursued idolatry. 00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:43.259 How long would God allow this lawlessness and cruelty to continue without judgment is Habakkuk's prayer. 00:21:43.259 --> 00:21:49.759 How many children would be sacrificed to Moloch before God would take action? 00:21:50.539 --> 00:21:54.799 And it's really not that different from our own society now. 00:21:55.960 --> 00:22:04.920 Between 2010 and 2014, an estimated 56 million babies were aborted worldwide. 00:22:05.619 --> 00:22:08.460 And that's a statistic that doesn't come from a Christian organization. 00:22:08.460 --> 00:22:11.700 It comes with a pro-abortion organization. 00:22:11.960 --> 00:22:13.000 56 million. 00:22:13.259 --> 00:22:14.539 In four years. 00:22:17.579 --> 00:22:23.019 2019 saw the highest homicide rate in Charlotte since 1993. 00:22:25.539 --> 00:22:36.859 In 2018, it's estimated that more than 700,000 women experienced a threatened, attempted, or completed rape in the United States alone. 00:22:36.859 --> 00:22:45.759 More and more support every year worldwide is being given to euthanasia and assisted suicide. 00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:54.259 A departure from God inevitably leads to a devaluing of human life. 00:22:54.259 --> 00:23:01.339 Because if we don't regard God, we won't regard those who have been made in His image. 00:23:02.500 --> 00:23:06.619 And that just brings mass murders and violence. 00:23:06.619 --> 00:23:10.419 And this caused Habakkuk to cry out to God for help. 00:23:10.419 --> 00:23:13.739 And to be honest, it should cause us to cry out to God for help as well. 00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:21.539 I pray that we don't become callous and complacent to the violence that we see in our nation day by day. 00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:24.440 But that we cry out for God. 00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:26.200 To act. 00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:29.460 Thirdly, we see hatred. 00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:32.759 And He uses the word strife and contention. 00:23:32.879 --> 00:23:41.779 And of course, it comes as no surprise that a society overrun with violence would also be overflowing with hatred for others. 00:23:41.779 --> 00:23:46.440 And we don't have time to jump into the depths of those words, but we understand what they mean. 00:23:47.700 --> 00:23:51.099 And the holiness of Habakkuk's heart is seen in his hatred of sin. 00:23:51.980 --> 00:23:59.619 He desperately wanted God to intervene by judging the wickedness and bringing back revival. 00:24:00.700 --> 00:24:05.839 His example should drive us to our knees to beg God to work. 00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:17.319 And our understanding that the eradication of sin can only come from the power of God should drive us to faithful evangelism. 00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:21.859 We should be driven to our knees for God's help. 00:24:22.059 --> 00:24:25.439 And then we should be driven to evangelism to do our part. 00:24:26.899 --> 00:24:30.119 Thirdly and finally, we see the potential fault of His prayer. 00:24:30.899 --> 00:24:32.480 The potential fault of His prayer. 00:24:33.159 --> 00:24:33.919 Look at verse 4. 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:38.180 Therefore, the law is slacked. 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:41.340 And judgment doth never go forth. 00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:44.440 For the wicked doth compass about the righteous. 00:24:45.320 --> 00:24:48.360 Therefore, wrong judgment proceedeth. 00:24:50.340 --> 00:24:53.560 Habakkuk was clearly a godly man. 00:24:54.420 --> 00:25:00.759 And I want to be careful not to assign a sinful attitude to him that's not clear in the text. 00:25:00.759 --> 00:25:18.799 But I do think that there's an element to verse 4 that at least reveals a potential danger of Habakkuk's prayer venturing into the realm of a sinful attitude towards God. 00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:21.960 And the key word here is therefore. 00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:23.440 Look at it with me again. 00:25:24.379 --> 00:25:26.680 Therefore, the law is slacked. 00:25:27.059 --> 00:25:30.059 Therefore, judgment doth never go forth. 00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:33.579 Therefore, the wicked doth compass about the righteous. 00:25:34.119 --> 00:25:38.059 Therefore, wrong judgment proceedeth. 00:25:38.059 --> 00:25:42.539 There was lawlessness among God's people. 00:25:42.539 --> 00:25:53.139 And the main context of this verse has to do with the corrupt political system and justice system in Judah. 00:25:53.140 --> 00:26:07.580 Because of the idolatry and the violence, it permeated the hearts of the leaders who were responsible in their God-given responsibility to actually benefit the nation, to benefit the righteous. 00:26:07.780 --> 00:26:12.200 But because of their idolatry and their own violence, they actually weren't benefiting the righteous. 00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:14.200 They were benefiting the wicked. 00:26:14.440 --> 00:26:16.280 The whole system was corrupt. 00:26:16.279 --> 00:26:21.019 And that's the context of what Habakkuk is saying. 00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:30.259 But when we see the word therefore, we see that Habakkuk is connecting this corrupted judicial system, the worst of the worst. 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:38.539 He's connecting that as a result of something else that he's already mentioned in the previous verses. 00:26:38.539 --> 00:26:48.399 Now, he could simply be saying that the departure from God and the prevalence of hateful violence had resulted in injustice and political corruption. 00:26:48.879 --> 00:26:53.059 And acknowledging the fact that he was a holy man, that's probably exactly what he meant by this. 00:26:53.839 --> 00:27:03.259 But I think we must at least notice that given that Habakkuk was struggling with the silence and seeming inaction of God, 00:27:03.259 --> 00:27:11.480 it's possible that the therefore is a means of casting some blame towards God. 00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:21.180 It's as if to say that the depth of corruption in Judah was a result of God not answering Habakkuk's prayer, 00:27:21.180 --> 00:27:27.920 of God not being more active in judging the wicked and allowing them to go unpunished. 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:36.700 It could be that Habakkuk is somewhat saying, if you had only answered sooner, if you had only judged the wicked like you promised, 00:27:36.860 --> 00:27:39.700 things wouldn't be as bad as they are now. 00:27:39.800 --> 00:27:45.460 And there's a subtle danger sometimes in our prayers when God is silent and it seems like he's inactive. 00:27:45.560 --> 00:27:55.779 There's a subtle danger that as we come to him in prayer, our seeking for answers actually becomes a form of blaming God for the sin of the nation. 00:27:55.779 --> 00:28:00.619 Blaming God, becoming angry at God. 00:28:01.859 --> 00:28:07.579 Jesus had a couple of believers approach him in a similar way in John chapter 11. 00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:16.859 Mary and Martha and Lazarus were three siblings and Mary and Martha had sent Jesus' word that Lazarus was very sick and was about to die. 00:28:17.920 --> 00:28:23.059 And upon hearing that news, Jesus decided in John chapter 11 not to go to Bethany. 00:28:23.059 --> 00:28:25.519 He stayed where he was for a couple of more days. 00:28:25.919 --> 00:28:33.419 And then it was only after Lazarus died that Jesus went and visited the family and wept with them and grieved with them. 00:28:34.619 --> 00:28:41.399 But when we read down through the chapter, we see that Mary and Martha loved Jesus and they trusted him fully. 00:28:41.400 --> 00:28:49.280 But even despite that trust, when Jesus arrived, both of them, the first question or the first statement that they made to Jesus was, 00:28:49.620 --> 00:28:53.340 Lord, if you had only been here, he wouldn't have died. 00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:58.480 If you had only come sooner, he wouldn't have died. 00:28:58.540 --> 00:28:59.560 But you're late. 00:29:00.800 --> 00:29:02.420 And now our brother's dead. 00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:07.620 And they trusted that God could do something fantastic there. 00:29:07.700 --> 00:29:12.420 But their first statement was almost to cast some blame on Jesus. 00:29:12.500 --> 00:29:14.620 Not so much in the form of a rebuke. 00:29:15.640 --> 00:29:16.880 But as they questioned, 00:29:17.600 --> 00:29:20.940 if you had just been here, our brother wouldn't have died. 00:29:21.100 --> 00:29:23.000 Things wouldn't be as bad as they are now. 00:29:23.100 --> 00:29:27.500 If you had just listened to our prayer. 00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:36.220 But what they didn't understand at the time was what seemed like a delay to them on the part of Jesus 00:29:36.220 --> 00:29:44.839 was actually a means for Jesus to demonstrate his awesome power and love for them and Lazarus 00:29:44.839 --> 00:29:48.519 as he walks up and he raises Lazarus from the dead. 00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:55.220 Far greater than healing Lazarus' sickness was his ability to raise Lazarus from the dead. 00:29:55.220 --> 00:30:00.120 And there's a similar answer that God gives to Habakkuk in this chapter. 00:30:00.620 --> 00:30:01.660 We'll study it next week. 00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:03.140 But basically, God says, 00:30:03.660 --> 00:30:06.440 I am going to judge and I'm going to do something, Habakkuk, 00:30:06.579 --> 00:30:08.079 that you wouldn't believe. 00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:09.920 It would blow your mind. 00:30:10.140 --> 00:30:11.640 I'm going to demonstrate my power. 00:30:11.700 --> 00:30:13.000 I'm going to demonstrate my holiness. 00:30:13.140 --> 00:30:14.400 I'm going to demonstrate my justice. 00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:19.759 And I'm also going to demonstrate my love in a way that you would never even believe. 00:30:20.180 --> 00:30:23.600 Sometimes God's delays or what seems like God's delays 00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:25.379 is not a punishment to us. 00:30:25.519 --> 00:30:28.939 It's that God is doing something that we wouldn't understand, 00:30:29.119 --> 00:30:32.259 that we might not even believe if he told us. 00:30:32.759 --> 00:30:38.980 And we must be careful not to allow our questions to venture into the realm of blame. 00:30:39.779 --> 00:30:44.059 There are some Christians that believe it's wrong to ask God why. 00:30:44.059 --> 00:30:46.299 But that's not true at all. 00:30:47.740 --> 00:30:53.119 1 Peter 5, 7 says that we are to cast all of our care on him because he cares for us. 00:30:53.679 --> 00:30:57.220 And that certainly includes seeking answers. 00:30:57.700 --> 00:30:59.839 So many faithful people in the scriptures did. 00:31:01.019 --> 00:31:03.299 Again, Owen Robertson is helpful here. 00:31:03.399 --> 00:31:03.639 He said, 00:31:03.640 --> 00:31:28.460 The danger that we must be mindful of is when our asking for answers turns into blaming God for evil. 00:31:28.460 --> 00:31:35.140 God is not the cause of evil and of sin. 00:31:35.920 --> 00:31:42.819 Though he does allow it to take place and even uses it to accomplish his purposes. 00:31:43.660 --> 00:31:51.299 He can never be blamed for evil because evil is the result of our sin. 00:31:52.420 --> 00:31:54.019 God cannot sin. 00:31:54.019 --> 00:31:59.639 He can only do what is right, as James tells us in James 1, 13. 00:32:00.079 --> 00:32:02.480 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. 00:32:03.019 --> 00:32:05.960 For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. 00:32:06.980 --> 00:32:09.139 And think about Deuteronomy 32, 4. 00:32:10.059 --> 00:32:13.480 He is a God of truth and without iniquity. 00:32:14.819 --> 00:32:17.539 Just and right is he. 00:32:17.740 --> 00:32:18.740 He cannot sin. 00:32:18.740 --> 00:32:24.120 And we must be careful not to insinuate that he has done wrong. 00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:35.559 We must acknowledge his sovereign reign in using evil to accomplish his righteous purpose and his perfect will. 00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:45.799 These two realities, evil being the result of man's sin, but under the guiding hand of the sovereign God, 00:32:45.799 --> 00:32:53.339 these two realities must be held in tension because the scripture clearly teaches that both are absolutely true. 00:32:55.119 --> 00:32:59.480 There's nothing wrong with seeking answers from God when we're perplexed by his ways. 00:33:00.299 --> 00:33:07.019 But we must never allow our distress to lead us in accusing God of being sinful or unjust. 00:33:07.019 --> 00:33:15.960 Even when we don't understand how he is working, we must trust that God is always right. 00:33:16.900 --> 00:33:19.299 As David said in Psalm 18, 00:33:20.460 --> 00:33:22.759 this God, his way is perfect. 00:33:23.619 --> 00:33:25.960 The word of the Lord proves true. 00:33:26.279 --> 00:33:31.099 He is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. 00:33:31.099 --> 00:33:35.339 I want to close by looking at Psalm 13. 00:33:35.480 --> 00:33:38.240 Would you just take your Bible quickly and we'll turn there. 00:33:39.240 --> 00:33:40.339 Psalm number 13. 00:33:42.980 --> 00:33:48.099 David here is praying a prayer just like Habakkuk's. 00:33:49.099 --> 00:33:53.019 Except what we see in Psalm 13 is the complete cycle. 00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:56.099 And we're going to get there in our study of Habakkuk. 00:33:56.099 --> 00:33:56.619 Habakkuk. 00:33:57.219 --> 00:34:01.219 But David gives it to us in a really concise way. 00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:03.099 And I think it would be helpful for us to close here. 00:34:04.159 --> 00:34:08.659 There's six verses, each divided into a section of two. 00:34:10.179 --> 00:34:11.960 There is despair. 00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:14.019 There's desire. 00:34:14.539 --> 00:34:15.639 And there's delight. 00:34:16.980 --> 00:34:19.039 Let's read it and you tell me if it sounds familiar. 00:34:19.039 --> 00:34:22.759 How long will you forget me, O Lord? 00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:24.079 Forever? 00:34:25.199 --> 00:34:26.440 You ever prayed a prayer like that? 00:34:29.360 --> 00:34:31.739 How long will you hide your face from me? 00:34:32.599 --> 00:34:35.340 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, 00:34:35.440 --> 00:34:37.039 having sorrow in my heart daily? 00:34:37.940 --> 00:34:41.599 How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? 00:34:42.099 --> 00:34:43.159 That's his despair. 00:34:43.900 --> 00:34:44.880 Here's his desire. 00:34:46.079 --> 00:34:48.860 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God. 00:34:50.039 --> 00:34:51.059 Lighten my eyes. 00:34:51.159 --> 00:34:53.860 Give me understanding, lest I sleep the sleep of death. 00:34:54.239 --> 00:34:56.920 Lest mine enemies say I have prevailed against him. 00:34:57.239 --> 00:35:00.079 And those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 00:35:00.320 --> 00:35:01.199 Now here's his delight. 00:35:01.320 --> 00:35:02.779 This is how the cycle is completed, 00:35:02.980 --> 00:35:05.380 not only for David, but eventually for Habakkuk as well. 00:35:06.460 --> 00:35:09.619 But I have trusted in thy mercy. 00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:15.079 The word for mercy here is often rendered steadfast love. 00:35:15.340 --> 00:35:16.159 I love that. 00:35:16.159 --> 00:35:18.739 As David prays this prayer, he says, 00:35:18.859 --> 00:35:22.659 what I have trusted in is that God's love is established forever. 00:35:23.019 --> 00:35:25.440 It is steadfast and it is immovable. 00:35:25.819 --> 00:35:28.379 And though I don't understand, though I am in despair, 00:35:28.559 --> 00:35:31.719 though I am perplexed by why God is allowing what he is, 00:35:31.779 --> 00:35:36.779 and though I am perplexed by the fact that it seems like he's not hearing my prayer 00:35:36.779 --> 00:35:38.059 and he's not answering my prayer, 00:35:38.059 --> 00:35:41.420 I have trusted in the fact that he loves me. 00:35:41.619 --> 00:35:45.079 And that love is steadfast and it's immovable. 00:35:46.759 --> 00:35:47.599 And he says, 00:35:48.340 --> 00:35:52.380 my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation, 00:35:52.900 --> 00:35:56.059 in the deliverance that God will bring in one way or another. 00:35:56.159 --> 00:35:57.519 I will rejoice in that. 00:35:57.759 --> 00:36:03.639 I will sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt bountifully with me. 00:36:03.639 --> 00:36:06.119 I love this psalm. 00:36:07.379 --> 00:36:15.460 In it is encompassed the relatability of being perplexed by why God seems to delay. 00:36:16.940 --> 00:36:21.579 In the despair that we feel in those moments when we pray and pray and pray 00:36:21.579 --> 00:36:23.219 and nothing seems to change. 00:36:23.339 --> 00:36:27.699 We relate to David and Habakkuk's desire that God would just do something, 00:36:27.699 --> 00:36:31.239 but then we see that without God doing anything, 00:36:32.119 --> 00:36:32.980 David prays, 00:36:33.059 --> 00:36:36.059 but I will trust in your love. 00:36:37.299 --> 00:36:39.799 It all boils down to trust. 00:36:41.039 --> 00:36:42.739 Ask your questions to God. 00:36:42.980 --> 00:36:44.980 He wants you to cast your care on him. 00:36:46.139 --> 00:36:47.159 But be careful. 00:36:48.839 --> 00:36:53.539 Be careful that you don't become sinful in your attitude towards him, 00:36:53.539 --> 00:36:57.759 but rather trust that his way is perfect 00:36:57.759 --> 00:37:01.259 and that he is always right. 00:37:02.000 --> 00:37:05.639 Thank you for listening to this sermon made available by Lakeside Bible Church. 00:37:06.079 --> 00:37:07.739 Feel free to share it wherever you'd like. 00:37:08.259 --> 00:37:10.980 Please do not charge for it or alter it in any way 00:37:10.980 --> 00:37:14.019 without express written consent from Lakeside Bible Church. 00:37:14.539 --> 00:37:17.699 Don't forget to visit us online at lakesidebible.church 00:37:17.699 --> 00:37:22.340 or find us on Facebook and Instagram by searching for Lakeside Bible NC. 00:37:22.340 --> 00:37:25.100 If you live in the Charlotte or Lake Norman area, 00:37:25.240 --> 00:37:27.460 we'd love for you to attend one of our worship services. 00:37:27.860 --> 00:37:29.840 We meet every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. 00:37:30.059 --> 00:37:31.200 We'd love to meet you.