Sermon Cloud

Habakkuk displays a deep knowledge of the attributes and character of God as he begins to respond to God's announced judgment of Judah at the hand of the Chaldeans.  He understands God to be eternal, holy, faithful to his people, and sovereign over the world.  His eyes are pure in that they find no pleasure in evil and he cannot and will not tolerate sin.  Habakkuk's God is not a god he imagined and made up for his liking.  The God whom he calls "My God" is the creator God revealed to us in Scripture.

Yet it is precisely his knowledge of the holiness and sovereignty of God that makes his 2nd question all the more intense.  If God is GOD, then how does he permit an evil nation to go on a rampage doing this in direct contradiction to the commands of God.  God does not condone sin, yet he is using sinners (and their sin) to accomplish his will.  This is a deep mystery which brings an intense existential struggle to Habakkuk's soul.

Human beings are made such that we need leaders and rulers.  Yet, life in our fallen, shipwrecked world finds us separated from God, our rightful king.  As such we are easily led astray and oppressed by malevolent rulers.  History and our contemporary world are full of examples of man's inhumanity to man.  Many times it is the case that people follow in masses after leaders who care nothing for the well being of their own.

Rulers and Nations who step on the necks of other peoples are usually steeped in profound self-worshipping idolatry.  The oppressor feels himself to be superior to other peoples and justifies the justice of his causes in his own mind.   Self-worship, or nation-worship is nothing other than idolatry, a human fabricated religion that finds no place before the throne of God.