The Chaldeans Are Coming

Habakkuk 1:11-12 ESV

The confrontation between God and Habakkuk the Prophet opens the Book of Habakkuk.

The Prophet is pleading with God to intervene on Israel’s behalf. Habukkuk pleads about the gross injustice and asks why God remains silent.

The response Habukkuk receives is not what the prophet wanted.

The prophet was told in Habakkuk 1:11 God was raising up an army of Chaldeans who will:  “sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!”

The prophet then asks in Habakkuk 1:12, “Are you not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof.”

In Habakkuk 1 it’s as if Habakkuk is caught between two evils. The prophet knows Judah in Israel is not without fault but he also knows they are chosen by everlasting God. In other words Israel needs to be exposed and corrected for their sin through guidance without being overcome.

The prophet has a valid point, but so does God.

The Psalmist in Psalm 13:1 asks, “How long, oh Lord?”

In Revelation 6:10 the martyrs cry out, “how long?”

When caught in the middle and trying to wait for God to respond to an evil adversary or a bad experience we feel and experience we are in a frightening place. We may have thought we failed and if we know we made mistakes in that place we might be given the opportunity to change.

But still the waiting can be excruciating.

Habakkuk’s struggle came from knowing Israel had not honored God’s law. There was widespread violence in Israel. The prophet knew the problem came about because of the leadership in Israel. Many of us would be asking if the many should be destroyed because of the few.

God’s response was silence.

In the silence Habakkuk was faced with knowing the coming judgment on Judah for their wicked deeds. God had revealed the Chaldeans from Babylon were coming. Habakkuk knew even though Judah had not honored God's law, the Chaldeans were even more wicked than Judah.

Habakkuk was struggling to understand God’s justice and ultimate plan for Judah.

As the prophet struggled to understand God’s ultimate plan for good and justice for God’s people in Judah he was forced to come to terms with trusting God to do what was needed to bring about God’s desired hope for His people.

They had strayed.

Bringing their hearts back to God would not be easy.

That’s because God’s hope and love for Judah was at stake.

God knew the future For Judah. A lion was coming that would change everything. Judah had been chosen but they had to be ready when the Lion came.

The prophet carried a heavy burden for his countrymen because he loved his people. Habakkuk had to struggle to understand and have faith in the way of God.

Habakkuk knew God was everlasting to everlasting.

The prophet who loved his people…God’s chosen people had to come to terms with trusting how and when God would bring His people back into the arms of the everlasting.

God’s love is stronger that we can begin to imagine or understand.

The prophet had to learn to trust in that love. He had to learn to trust.

Deborah /acrazyjourney.com