Wrestling with God
Trouble at Home
INTRODUCTION
It is easy for us to believe that the books of the Old Testament have little to say to us today. After all, they were written several thousand years ago, to a people in a very different place, with a very different culture.
The writer of Ecclesiastes definitively answers our objection. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Eccles. 1:9
The book of Habakkuk could have been taken from the pages of today’s newspaper or gleaned from the latest news item on the internet. It speaks to the struggle we all face; where is God when bad things happen in our world?
The book of Habakkuk is one of the twelve minor prophets. These books are designated as minor prophets, not because of their importance, but because of their size. Each is a relatively short book. Habakkuk consists of just three chapters.
The majority of the minor prophets are declaring God’s judgment against the sins of Israel and Judah. These prophets were sent by God to warn the people of His coming wrath due to their rebellion and disobedience. God’s intention is to call people to repentance.
Habakkuk is unique among the minor prophets, because rather than speaking for God, Habakkuk is speaking to God. It is a dialogue between the prophet and God around the question of evil in the world.
We know very little about the man Habakkuk. We know that he was a contemporary of Jeremiah, and that he lived at the end of Josiah’s reign (640-609 BC) and the beginning of Jehoiakim’s reign (609-598 BC) in Judah. This book was probably written around 605 BC.
Habakkuk is a lament; a complaint to God about the conditions of the world and God’s seeming indifference to them. It echoes the laments in the Psalms where David cries out “How long, O Lord”.
The book is divided five major sections.
I. Habakkuk’s first complaint about the sin of Judah.
II. God’s answer declaring that he was sending the Babylonians to punish Judah.
III. Habakkuk’s second complaint about how could God use the Babylonians to punish His people.
IV. God’s answer that Babylon will be punished for their actions.
V. Habakkuk’s prayer of trust and faith in God.
Today we see violence, evil, and sin running unchecked through our world. Our nation moves ever farther away from God, as our world is being torn apart by violent forces bent on destroying everything in their path. Like Habakkuk, we find ourselves crying out to God; :Where are you God, in all of this?”
Habakkuk cried out to God, not because he didn’t believe in the sovereignty of God, but because he did. We too can cry out to God from the solid foundation of our faith in Christ, and our hope in the promises He has given to us.
Study 1: Habakkuk 1:1-4
Habakkuk begins at the outset with the prophet’s complaint to God about the sin of Judah.
1. In verse 2, Habakkuk expressed his frustration with God.
a. What is the tone of this verse?
b. What is it that Habakkuk is complaining about?
2. Verse 3 begins to outline Habakkuk’s complaint against God.
a. What is it that so disturbs Habakkuk?
b. What does this verse tell us about the environment in which Habakkuk found himself?
3. Verse 4 tells us about the outcome of this toxic environment.
a. What does it mean that the law is paralyzed?
b. Who has the upper hand in Judean society at this time?
c. What are the conditions for those who are trying to live righteous lives according to God’s Law?
MAKE IT PERSONAL
1. In what ways can you identify with Habakkuk’s complaint?
2. In what ways does our world mirror the world of Habakkuk?
3. Do you think Habakkuk might have been overstating his case? Why or why not?
4. Under King Josiah, worship in the temple was restored and reformed. The nation was “purified” of foreign gods, and the people were called back to faith in Jehovah. For many, these reforms were cosmetic rather than substantive. How can a superficial application of faith in God be as bad a no faith in God?
5. After Josiah’s death, Judah quickly reverted back to their old, pagan ways. In what ways is this a warning to us about passing on the faith to the next generation?
Study 2: Psalm 13
During my ordination council, someone posed the question to me, what would you tell someone to do who was angry at God? My answer was, I would tell them to tell God. We are often timid to express our disappointment and anger to God. King David was never afraid to take his complaints to God. Habakkuk may have drawn courage from David to express his disappointment.
1. David expresses his feelings to God in verses 1-2.
a. How would you describe the tone of David’s words?
b. What do these verses tell us about the duration of David’s struggle?
c. What are David’s specific complaints against God?
2. David challenges God to act on his behalf in verses 3-4.
a. How do you respond to David’s boldness?
b. What do David’s words say about his relationship with God?
c. What does it mean for God to give light to David’s eyes?
d. What reasons does David give for calling God to act? Look at Psalm 6:4-5.
3. David ends his lament with a statement of confidence.
a. What is the basis for David’s confidence?
b. Why do you think David is able to end this Psalm in this way?
MAKE IT PERSONAL
1. When you think about prayer, how would you describe it?
2. Reflect upon your own prayer life. What types of things dominate your prayers?
3. How comfortable are you expressing disappointment or anger to God?
4. How can the Psalms be a resource for you to help you express your deeper emotions to God?
5. Even though David struggled, he was still confident in his relationship with God.
a. How confident are you in your relationship with God?
b. What can you do to increase your level of confidence?
Study 3: Habakkuk 1:5-11
God answered Habakkuk’s complaint, but not in the way that Habakkuk expected or wanted.
1. Overall, what is God confirming to Habakkuk about the situation and His response?
2. In verse 5, God assures Habakkuk that He will act.
a. What insight into God’s timetable does God give Habakkuk?
b. What is God affirming for Habakkuk?
3. What surprising information does God give to Habakkuk in verse 6?
4. How does God describe this new power in verse 7?
5. What is the image God is creating in verses 8-9?
6. How does God describe the attitude of these people in verse 10?
7. What is God’s estimate of these violent people in verse 11?
MAKE IT PERSONAL
1. What group or groups of people today mirror the ancient Babylonians?
2. What makes these kind of people so dangerous?
3. Why is making power your god both dangerous and destructive?
4. This passage raises the issue of God’s sovereignty. How is God’s sovereignty affirmed in this passage?
5. God cannot commit evil, nor does He condone evil. Yet, God can, and often does, use the evil of others to accomplish His purposes. How do you respond to this?
Study 4: Isaiah 40:15-26
Throughout the Bible it is clear that God is sovereign over all the earth. As the sovereign God, He has the right to use the nations of the earth to accomplish His purposes.
1. Read Isaiah 40:15-17
a. How does Isaiah describe the nations of the earth?
b. How is this different from the way we view nations?
2. Read Isaiah 40:18-20
a. What is Isaiah’s point in these verses?
b. What does this say about the futility of worshipping false gods?
3. Read Isaiah 40:21-24
a. How does Isaiah describe God’s greatness?
b. How does God exercise His sovereignty over the nations?
c. What does this say about God’s ability to use the nations for His purposes?
4. Read Isaiah 40:25-26
a. What is the important question that Isaiah raises for the second time?
b. How does Isaiah describe to superiority of God?
MAKE IT PERSONAL
1. What is your understanding of the sovereignty of God?
2. In what ways does this passage in Isaiah speak into our chaotic world?
3. Why do we see the nations as such formidable forces in our world?
4. How can understanding God’s sovereignty temper our awe or fear of the nations?
5. In what ways does this passage speak to those who are in power at all levels of society?
6. What does this passage teach us about God’s involvement in the affairs of our world?
7. Spend some time reflecting upon the incomparable greatness of God. Ask God to open your eyes to see His greatness in new ways.
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