Habakkuk 2024 Bible Study (When I Don't Understand)

Habakkuk 1:1-4, When God Is Silent

When God Is Silent (Habakkuk 1:1-4)
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There are a group of books in the scriptures that we call the minor prophets. They are given this name because they are small prophetic books when compared to the size of the prophetic books like Isaiah and Jeremiah. But the messages in these books are very practical and very important to building our faith and increasing our knowledge of the Lord. There is a small, three chapter book in your copies of God’s word called Habakkuk. Habakkuk is a unique book. Typically the minor prophets reveal God telling the prophet to go and preach to the people God’s message. But the book of Habakkuk is different because we do not hear Habakkuk preaching God’s word to the people. Instead, we are going to read about Habakkuk questioning God. Habakkuk and God are going to have a back and forth discussion about what is going on in the world. What we are going to see is that Habakkuk has questions that God answers which only leads to Habakkuk having more questions that God answers. So we are beginning our sermon series today called When I Don’t Understand. Habakkuk does not understand what God is doing which is the basis for the many questions he asks. Open your copies of God’s word to the prophecy of Habakkuk.

Why Doesn’t God Listen? (Habakkuk 1:2)

Listen to Habakkuk’s initial questions in verse 2. How long must I cry for help and you do not listen? How long will I cry out about the violence I see and you do not save? Now we see that Habakkuk’s initial problem is all the violence and injustice that he sees. I think it is useful to think about how approximately 2600 years can pass in world history and yet the questions humans have remains the same. More than 2500 years can go by and the world is not any different now than it was then. I was recently watching on the news that laws are being passed to try to give stricter punishments for crimes because violence and theft are on the rise. We can even do that same thing regarding injustice. Why is there so much injustice? But again we see that this was a question asked of God thousands of years ago.

The problem of violence likely seems to be a lot closer to home than it might seem on the surface. It does not appear that Habakkuk is looking out into the world, to the Gentile nations, and complaining about all the violence in the world. Rather, he is looking at those who are supposed to be the people of God and noting the violence in the nation of Judah. We are even told in Jeremiah 26:20-23 that King Jehoiakim hunted down and killed one of God’s prophets (cf. Jeremiah 26:20-23). So these are violent times in the land of Judah.

But the question is really bigger than the question of violence and injustice. The problem that Habakkuk has is not really about what he sees. Rather, his problem has to do with God. Habakkuk does not think that God is listening. Please consider that the way Habakkuk begins his questioning indicates that an extended amount of time has passed. Here is what I mean. Look at verse 2 again. How long do you think you would pray to God about something and nothing happen that you would return to God in prayer and say, “How long must I cry for help and you will not listen?” It does not seem to Habakkuk that God is listening to him. The basis for believing this is because nothing has changed. He is crying out, “Violence!” but God is not doing anything about it.

This is our first touchpoint for this book. Think about how many times you have prayed and prayed and prayed and it does not seem like God is listening. How many times have you cried out to God and nothing changes? How many times are you giving God your requests but there seems to be no answer? You are not the only one to feel this way. Habakkuk felt this way. Many of the psalmists also felt like God was not listening (cf. Psalm 6:3; 13:1-2; 35:17; 74:10; 79:5; 80:4; 89:46; 90:13; 94:3; 119:84). Even the angel of the Lord asked the question of “how long” in Zechariah 1:12. The persecuted people of God cried out, “How long?” (Revelation 6:10). We ask and it does not seem that God is answering. We see Mary and Martha say this to Jesus in John 11. Both sisters tell Jesus that if he had been there then their brother would not have died. Please remember that they had sent for Jesus to come (John 11:3), but Jesus did not come. The implication is that you did not listen when we asked you to come.

Why Doesn’t God Do Something? (Habakkuk 1:3-4)

But Habakkuk has more questions for God in verse 3. Why are you not doing something? Why are you tolerating what is happening? Why do you let things stay the way they are and not fix it? Again, it does not seem like God is listening. It does not seem like God cares. Look at what is happening and you are not doing anything about it! You might remember that Elijah spoke to the Lord in this way. Listen to what Elijah said.

“I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away” (1 Kings 19:10 ESV).

The problem is that God is not doing anything. God needs to do something. This is also a particularly challenging touchpoint that we have with Habakkuk. We feel like God is not listening to us. Then we feel like God needs to do something and he is not doing it. How many times do people look into the world and say, “If there is a God, then he needs to do….” They will say, “I can’t believe in a God that does not do something about….” In every case they see something that they perceive that God needs to do something about but do not see God doing anything. The problems are right in front of our faces. This is exactly what Habakkuk is saying. “Destruction and violence are before me!” (1:3).

Habakkuk further notes that since God is not responding and is not acting that there is a mess in the land. The law is paralyzed. Justice never prevails. God’s ways are ignored. The wicked surround the righteous. So rather than the land being full of justice and righteousness, justice is perverted and the righteous suffer. Since God does not do something, then no one cares about God and his law. So these are the complaints of Habakkuk as he addresses God with his burden. What are we learning from the prophet by coming to God in this way?

Pray Your Doubts

I want us to see that we can pray our doubts and our questions. Whatever is going on in your life, God wants us to pray our doubts and confusion to him. God wants us to bring our frustrations to him. One of the great things we will see as go through this book is God does not say to Habakkuk, “How dare you have questions! How dare you have doubts! How dare you not understand!” God has no problem with our perplexity. Tell God that you do not understand. Give God your questions. So what are you going through in life right now that you do not understand? Take it to God. Do not run from God. Tell God. You have to appreciate that this is what Habakkuk does. Habakkuk’s questions do not take him away from God. Rather his questions cause him to run to God.

Pray Persistently

We also learn from Habakkuk to pray persistently. Habakkuk says that God is not listening to him because God does not seem to be doing something. But Habakkuk does not give up on prayer. Habakkuk does not stop praying to God. Habakkuk is still asking and even though God has not answered, Habakkuk is still asking. One important teaching that God gives to us is the need to pray persistently. Listen to what Jesus taught in Luke 18. Turn in your copies of God’s word to Luke 18:1-8. Notice that Jesus told a parable on the need to always pray and not give up praying (Luke 18:1). Notice in verse 3 that the widow is pictured persistently coming to the judge asking for justice against her adversary. Now notice the conclusion Jesus draws at the end of the parable.

“And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:7-8 ESV)

The picture given is that if an unrighteous judge will respond because of this persistent widow, what will the God who loves his people do for his people who cry to him day and night? This is what God is asking us to do when we see that God is silent. Do not give up! Keep asking! Pray with stopping (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Do Not Misinterpret Silence

This leads us to our final point. Do not misinterpret God’s silence. God not answering our prayer today does not mean that God did not hear our prayer. God not answering our prayers this month or this year does not mean that God does not care, does not see, or does not hear our cries to him. The deafening silence of God is not to erode our faith but to challenge our persistence with God. God’s silence should not be interpreted as God being distant.

Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. (Romans 12:12 CSB)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 NASB)

God is repeatedly telling us that whatever the circumstances are, pray and pray persistently. If you are afflicted, keep praying. If you are anxious, keep praying. If you are confused, keep praying. If you are doubting, keep praying. If you do not understand, keep praying. Do not complain about God. Take your complaints to God. We can be honest with God when we are hurt or feeling hopeless. Pray your doubts. Pray your questions. Pray persistently. Pray through the silence.

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