The Suffering

Habakkuk

In Habakkuk, we find judgment looming. God is raising up the Chaldeans (1:6) who are fierce and terrifying (1:7) and come to do violence (1:9). The people have sinned without repentance. They have openly rebelled against God. What is to come for this sin and unrighteousness? The suffering of judgment. God, being just, “will by no means clear the guilty” (Exodus 34:7). Their sin has been seen in greed (2:6), dishonest business (2:9), injustice (2:12), dehumanization (2:15), and idolatry (2:18). Their sin is flagrant and it is before God and His presence (2:20). God says “the righteous will live by faith” (2:4) and the unrighteousness of their actions reveal their faithlessness to God. Judgment looms - and suffering with it. 

In our lives, we find that judgment looms. Our sin is not so different from theirs. Our rebellion is as open as theirs. Our unrighteousness is as plain. We have sinned and judgment looms - it would be just of God to give it. However, we are reminded by Habakkuk that where judgment looms God “will come out to save His people” (3:13). He has come in Christ to make the only way of salvation plain to us in Christ. Without turning to Him, judgment looms. Now, because of Christ, we can join in with Habakkuk: “I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!” (3:18)

Prayer:

Jesus thank you for taking our place, our sin, our judgment, and our suffering. Help us to remember all we have been saved from and rejoice in your Salvation

Question to Consider:

Do you consider the judgment you have been saved from? What could contemplation of our salvation from the just judgment of God for sin form in you?