Reading Habakkuk with the News

The writings of this Jewish prophet have such strong relevance today -or really just about any day you wake up and turn on the news. The depressing nature of the news is often pronounced as murder, robbery, failures, and indictments flood the screen. The same miserable story is played over and over. Then with the cable news outlets the story is played throughout the day including commentary by "experts," who further describe and imagine the grotesque nature of the crime or disaster. The perpetraitor is focused upon, justice is mocked, and the victim is paraded without dignity. Who could bear to watch!?!

As I watch while reading Habakkuk my view changes. Habakkuk's complaints can be taken as my very own. He says "O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you 'Violence!' and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise" (1:1-3).

Don't you feel these same anguishing words? You want justice; you desire the innocent to be safe. Then you see the abusive treatment of children or entire enthnic groups around the globe. "Doesn't God care" we are sometimes outraged enough to whisper.

The Lord's answer to Habakkuk in chapter 1 after his complaint was that judgment is coming. Most likely Habakkuk was speaking of the injustices of his own people, and God was bringing the Neo-Babylonians as His arm of justice.

Without an audible explanation of the judgment God is bringing, don't we at times rejoice in arm of justice that God seems to use to right the wrongs? We are pleased at the heroic efforts of law enforcement or the military in catching the evil-doers and restoring peace. But aren't we even more angry when we come face-to-face with the evil injustice of the people bringing justice? We are angered even more by police brutality, militarily sanctioned torture, legistlative corrupton, and political scandal. How can we get justice from those who themselves are unjust?

Habakkuk struggled with this same question throughout the end of chapter one and chapter two verse one. Then the Lord answers again. In 2:4 the Lord says, "Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith. This famous phrase has been plucked by the apostle Paul and even the author of Hebrews of the New Testament. Hey it sounds good, there is no denying it! Habakkuk understood these words from the Lord to mean that the believer in God must trust and await the timing of the order and justice He will bring. Trust God and live in light of true justice coming.

God promises those bringing justice, though themselves unjust, will receive judgment. He gives 5 woes throughout chapter two to the terrible Babylonians. Thus, God will use evil people to do justice to others. They at times bring temporary relief from crimes against the innocent and for that we can be thankful. We cannot trust in them ultimately though, because they will fail us and because they will be judged as well.

Chapter three is Habakkuk's prayer, which we call should consider praying as we watch the news. In Warrior-like language of a conquering king of the ancient Near East, God's care of his people is retold. Notice throughout the language of "wrath against the rivers" (3:8) and "the flash of your glittering spear" (3:11) and "you crushed the head of the house of the wicked" (3:13). The Lord is a Warrior; He fights to right the wrongs of injustice to His people and will remove their oppressors by force. In 3:16 Habakkuk puts words for how to live by faith as mentioned in 2:4. He says, "I hear, and my body trembles...Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us [the evil people who bring partial justice]."

Now at last read these final words of Habakkuk that reveal utter trust through all the terrible events of life -trust in God, the Lord.

Though the fig tree should not blossom,

nor fruit be on the vines,

the produce of the olive fail

and the fields yield no food,

the flock be cut off from the fold

and there be no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's;

he makes me tread on my high places.

Habakkuk 3:17-19