Seeking An Answer From God
Habakkuk 1:3
2/3/91

The prophet, a contemporary of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel
c. 600 B.C. (Or a little earlier)
Facing the doom, destruction of the nation by invading Chaldeans, Babylonians, (today - Iraqis)

1:2 Pray, beg and see answer
Cried with eyes a fountain of tears
Prayed until voice hoarse

1:3, 4 Why doth Jehovah permit such evil?
Ps. 73:3, 5,12-14
John Stuart Mill (English philosopher, logician, political economist)
“If there is a God, he is not Almighty, or He would put an end to war, pain, death, and
trouble of every kind.”
Why do the righteous suffer? - Job
Truett’s nephews, Penland (Paul) brothers

1:6-11 The terrible coming invasion

1:12 For judgment, for correction
Jeremiah had preached this - flung in a pit to die
Isaiah, pure-hearted patriot, so warned (Heb.11 - “sawn asunder”)
Micah, God-sent prophet, resisted his entreaties
Nation continued in sin - judgment of God inescapable

1:13 But Habakkuk is torn in his soul
Yes, he saw the evil among his people
But = they better than Chaldeans - were wicked, violent, treacherous, cruel
How could God use such to execute judgment upon his chosen people?
(a) German Lutheran pastor seeking help for Protestant churches in Germany. . Stronghold of Protestantism was East Prussia. Now-destroyed by Russia, their churches given to the Poles, converted into Catholic churches. How many in Germany must fail: their terrible sin, but the greater sins of Russia, the rod of their correction.

In despair, perplexed. The tragedy seemed to have no beginning, no end.


II. The Waiting Servant
2:1 Withdrew to hear the answer from God
the reproof for his agonizing doubts, questions


If we turn to God for an answer, must be willing to consider

There is an internal, unseen working in the universe, the purpose of God in time, history, an election, a destiny, one we cannot resist

External appearance deceives - to see this self, is to see but the foam that lies on top of the water - ignoring the great current beneath

We live in a geographic view of our earth - a measurable globe
mts., valleys, rivers, canyons, plains

But such also an astronomical view
(cf. If reduced to size of a billiard ball, smooth, beautiful, shining.
cf. Camera turned after Uranus, Jupiter, beyond into infinity, to Earth a little blue dot

cf. Our mts. of difficulty
Hills of regret, failure \
Rivers of sorrow
Caverns of trouble /
Waves upon the shores of our lives

An eternal view with God who rests in eternity
Cf. Rev. 6:10 - fifth seal, “How long . . . ?
But with God: Ps. 90:4; II P. 3:8 - turn a page, 1000 years
cf. This invasion, captivity, so tragic Ps. 137
But (1) idolatry
(2) the synagogue
(3) the Scriptures
cf. Paul in Mammertine Dungeon, beheaded
Nero, golden chariot up Capitoline Hill to his golden palace
But turn 2 pages (2,000 years) Cathedral for Paul (St. Paul’s)
Dogs named for Nero

III. The Answer of God
2:2 To be written plain

2:3 The certainty of the outworking of the will, plan, purpose of God
May take long, be delayed, but will certainly come (quoted in Heb. 10:37)

2:4 “The just shall live by faith.”
Where originated this line?
Luther? Up Scala Santo steps, down, Wittenberg, 95 Theses
Augustine? 400 A.D. The sovereignty of God
Paul? The doctrine of justification by faith (not by works)
Habakkuk - His song - 3:17, 18
(a) Ben Franklin *


The meaning of life: beyond our weaknesses, sorrows, disappointments
answer “ ” : the omnipotent hand of God working His purpose
(a) Pon. $20 a month
(b) Hands, Bible trembled, Paul Danna

(c) I go on, not knowing
I would not know if I sought
I had rather walk with Christ by faith
Thank to walk by myself with sight.
I had rather walk with Him in the dark
Than to walk alone in the light.




*Ben Franklin

"Bible Doesn't Need Champion"
It's Only Defense Is In The Reading Of Contents
"It is said of Dr. Franklin that, during his residence in Paris, being invited to a party of the nobility, he produced a great sensation by one of his bold and ingenious movements. In the course of the evening, the company engaged in free conversation. Christianity was then the great topic. The church was always ridiculed, and the Bible treated with unsparing severity.
Growing warmer and warmer in their sarcastic remarks, one nobleman commanded for a moment universal attention by asserting in a loud voice that the Bible was not only a piece of deception, but totally devoid of literary merit.
Although the entire company of Frenchmen nodded assent to the sentence, Franklin gave no signs of approval. As he was at that time a great favorite, his companions could not bear even a slight reproof from him, and they all asked his opinion. Franklin replied that he was hardly prepared to give them a suitable answer as his mind had been running on the merits of a Book of rare excellence, which he had just fallen in with at one of the bookstores; and as they alluded to the literary character of the Bible, perhaps it might interest them to compare with that old volume the merits of the new prize.
All were eager to have the doctor read a portion of the new Book. In a very grave manner he took the Book from his pocket, and with a propriety of utterance, read to them a poem. The poem made a deep impression. The admiring listeners pronounced it the best they had ever heard.
'It is beautiful,' said one. 'It is sublime,' was the unanimous opinion. They all wished to know the name of the Book, and whether what had been read was a fair specimen of its contents.
'Certainly, gentlemen,' said the doctor, smiling at his triumph; 'my Book is full of such passages. It is no other than your good-for-nothing Bible, and I have merely read to you the prayer of the Prophet Habakkuk.'" ___ London Christian Life.