Habakkuk's Example for Troubled Times

The past few months have been troubling for the people of God who are concerned about morality. Debates about transgenderism have led to cultural clashes around the country as states and their leaders make decisions that will impact younger, more vulnerable citizens. A recent leak from the Supreme Court on the hot button topic of abortion has reignited emotional responses so much so that fencing has been placed around the Supreme Court building, for fear of attack. Atrocities in a foreign war remain forefront in the news cycle and a reminder of how villainous humans can be to other humans. If one has a steady diet of news consumption, it can lead to hand-wringing worry about the state of the world. Yet, God says to live without anxiety: “The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:5b-7). How is this possible?

There is a temptation to be “present-centric,” meaning that one can believe that things are worse now than they have ever been. Every generation has faced its own battles with immorality and, while these may take on different appearances, the truth of Ecclesiastes rings true that there is really “nothing new under the sun” (1:9). The little book of Habakkuk often does not receive a great deal of attention; however, the prophet’s words provide a good model for any child of God who feels the world is crashing.

The book of Habakkuk is written as a question-and-answer session with God. As Habakkuk viewed his situation, he could not understand why the wickedness of his fellow-countrymen was allowed to go unpunished. When he brought this to God, he was assured that this wickedness would be punished by the powerful Chaldeans (1:6). This led to a further dilemma for Habakkuk; though he understood that punishment was justified, how could God justify using greater evil to punish them? To sum up the Lord’s reply, He allowed Habakkuk to know that evil would never be left unpunished, though it might temporarily appear that this was the case.

At the conclusion of the book, the prophet’s heartfelt prayer is recorded. In it, he recognized God’s splendor, power, and ability to make correct judgments. Consider what the prophet stated about the coming judgment:

I hear and my body trembles

My lips quiver at the sound;

Rottenness enters into my bones;

My legs tremble beneath me.

Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble

To come upon people who invade us (3:16).

Fear is a natural reaction to impending danger and Habakkuk was not criticized because of this natural reaction. Living a life free of anxiety does not mean that one “whistles past the graveyard”; thus, when Christians hear about blatant dismissal of godly values, the endangerment of youth in the name of wokeness, or the threat of physical harm due to standing up for right, it is not something that should bring a flippant spirit of pretending that nothing is wrong. The prayer, however, did not end with his admission of fear:

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 (3:17-19).

Habakkuk dealt with his fear by remembering that while things may look bleak, God is at hand and that God is strength. It is in this that he found joy and had trust that evil would not be the final victor.

Take courage! The people of God have withstood many things over the years, and they can withstand the present culture. Above all, pray for right to win and then set out to lovingly convince others of the superiority of God’s ways. Allow the light of God to shine through a humble spirit that seeks the wellbeing of others. As God set His ancient prophet on the high places, so too will He set His people today.