Write it Down
Church fantastic you have here this morning. Turn in your Bibles to the book of habakkuk. Old Testament Minor Prophets I will be picking up where we left off last week. Or we could start a let's have a word. Heavenly Father
we got in heaven. We thank you. Thank you for this new year. reminder to continue to move forward
the year-end in the new beginning give us purpose to continue to working in different areas of our lives would like to changed. Or we thank you that your word. So free and open to us today in this country in this place, and we just ask that you would.
You would fill our hearts with a desire in it. drawl tortoise Thank you for the words of habakkuk. While they are challenging we know that your spirit will teach us through them. Or we thank you. Most of all for your son Jesus and is working across his resurrection and we pray this all on
said turn the book of habakkuk.
If you don't want to go to your table of contents find Matthew little bit easier to find and then move back in the book Bible benchley I run into it. chapter 1 verse 12 in following
Are you not from Everlasting? Oh Lord my God my Holy One. We shall not die. Oh Lord, you have or James them as a judgment you have established them for reproof?
You are a pure our eyes then to see evil and cannot look at wrong. what do you idly look at Trader's and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man or righteous and he
You make mankind like the fish of the sea like crawling things that have no ruler. He brings all of them off with a hook. He drags them out with his net. He gathers them in his Dragnet. So he rejoices and just glad Therefore it makes offerings to his Dragnet for by them.
And his food is rich. Is she then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing Nations? forever
I will take my stand at the Watchtower in my wash post my station myself on the tower and look out to see what he will say to me. And what I want answer concerning my complaint. In the Lord answers me write the vision and make it clear make it plain on tablets. So he may run who reads it.
We're still the vision awaits its appointed time and hastens to the end. It will not lie. If it seems slow wait for it. It will surely come. It will not delay. Behold, his soul is puffed up and not it's not up right within him. But the righteous shall live by his faith. moreover wine as a traitor an arrogant man who has never at rest. Is greed is as wide as she'll. Like that, he has never enough gathers for himself All Nations. collects
father You can ask that your spirit would teach us what these words have to say was? Jesus name
like I said, we're picking up where we left off last week. Again is a brief reminder of what were what we're looking at here in the book of habakkuk.
Shorter one, I'm mostly because he's got a particular message to give but unlike the other prophets in the Old Testament about Israel or Judah our or even even Syria. But is accusing.
We have to wrap our minds around. Maybe what we would call the arrogance of habakkuk call and got out on something that he feels is wrong. But I think it's we looked today. We'll see we'll see a backwards heart is probably not arrogant. Last week on the first Exchange in this conversation between habakkuk God. The first thing that habakkuk says is what's going on. Why are the unjust having good things happen to them in the in the just having bad things? It can't actually speaking. We know that her back about a foreign Nation coming in and oppressing. He's talkin about the rulers of Israel Southern Kingdom of Judah. They have they have come in and they have they've done whatever they wanted violated rights and responsibilities and have done little if anything to lead the people in worship of God. So much so that they have perverted. In a lot of ways destroyed God's law amongst the people of Israel. verse 4 of chapter 1 of the laws paralyzed and then God responds
foremost make us feel just a little bit uncomfortable. Habakkuk is he's mad at God for allowing the people of Israel to get away with Injustice. And then God says okay, but I have a plan. I'm going to execute that plan in my timing. And when I tell you what that plan is, you're not going to believe it. Inverse V. I am doing the work that you will not believe in inverse used me for behold. I am raising up. the Chaldeans
Chaldeans are the Babylonians the Babylonians or are considered to be some of the most heinous and vile people to ever walk the earth and God obviously thinks no differently of you better in Hasty Nation taking what is not their own they go to war or violence take my scarf and Destroy and he ends with t men. in verse 11
in the back exactly like God tells him has a hard time believing. And so this is where we pick up the conversation inverse 12221.
He says You are not or are you not? Excuse me from Everlasting the Lord my God my Holy One we shall not die. Oh Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment and you Aurora have established them for reproof.
And I don't think this is what habakkuk goal is but I think it's we observe. I think we should probably follow suit. Old Testament is full of the people of God challenging God. now many of them challenge God as. All the way they worship. Challenging by their actions, but then you have people like a vacuum Jeremiah in the book of Lamentations and David throughout the Book of Psalms challenge. God God's face. And I said on multiplication the perhaps we should take notes because too many of us with a false sense of humility. Maybe I'm going to be a little bit harsh sense of humility.
I haven't really.
Every single time I seen this thing happens on the news.
But then we don't turn to God and give him the credit of being a sovereign God. We are big enough and our questions.
We're probably in an intellectually and honest. But we won't say it to God. Let me let you in on a little secret.
Which is why it's so important really so telling when we see these passages in the Old Testament where we have very real and I'll admit extremely difficult questions that we all go. She allowed to say that to God. something about attitude He first says I don't understand how this stuff is happening. But the reality is the first in the first section. He's he's really addressing something bit.
It is hard. You sort of is. But I realized Christians are not perfect patient. And when we see something happening in the UC and Justin often times, I really wish that was different, but I'm not
but then when things start to get really serious like you start to question whether or not God himself raises up the Chaldeans now use last in our minds. Again, habakkuk seen God saying to habakkuk.
different situation
She noticed in the words from Everlasting.
Oh Lord, my God.
Everything about the attitude it's not questioning because he's losing his his sight of who God truly is. Whether it's in the sight of who God truly is that he has these question.
When we really but when it really boils down to who is who is in control if we're not thinking the way have a key to get it? And perhaps we don't have the right to ask God when we don't give him the credit he deserved. We live we live in a time. Now with Christ is our Hazard mediator and we have because we have been brought into an extremely personal relationship, but don't for a minute diminish in the might in the match of the god of the sea.
Back, it doesn't in any of the writers of the Old Testament who questioned God.
He says look I get it. still in verse 12
You have ordained?
You've established them for reproof. He says I get what you're doing. He said his first right the people the leaders of Israel their failing. Is my plant in the Assyrians before the Philippines?
He says I did it. you are God and you have
What right does the clay have say to the Potter? You have no right to make me what you wish.
He says I did it. I think you're between verse 12 and 13.
You are her eyes.
remain silent when wicked men more righteous than looking at the people of Judah and the leaders of the people.
How on Earth can you allow me more with honey? the more righteous
right That's when that's when we start that's what divided followers.
these questions arise the question that habakkuk is asking. Is what divides? Is we look at the world?
After eating all the time.
You hear on the news child who has been kidnapped? basically imprisoned molested violated for years
If God was truly who he said he was.
This is the most difficult question that we asked. most difficult question that we asked I think we should ask.
Just why is it that the wicked or perhaps we can say in a different way?
For those who can't defend themselves.
Is he goes home verse? verse 1415 16 he can Paris mankind with the fish of the sea.
In fisherman, give me like fish. Sometimes you go fishing. I should probably most of you who are not make a professional fisherman is you go fishing with a fishing pole bait on the hook.
the fish heads doesn't look like and you're doing it in the middle of the water and this in the shark.
And this isn't even what we're talking about. They have 0 0 0 defense. Accessories like you so much. So all the rest of the world has become defenseless.
It's not like the Philistines from from the Book of Judges and Joshua. Write the Philistines got races the Philistines for a Time. In reality is just the fights that happen the wars that happened between Phylicia and Israel were hard-fought battle on was not a hard-fought win. It was a massacre massive Army coming across everybody out.
with hardly even asleep
The world has become like fish because of this nation. Converse inverse 17
Is she done to keep on emptying his nuts and mercilessly killing?
Grace station
When did the name?
You must check out the back exhaust part here.
verse 1 chapter 2 Houston
I will take my stand in my watch post and station myself on the tower in Russia.
What I know what aisle answer concerning my food plate?
Habakkuk, he says I'm going to go out. And periodically on that wall what's called Watchtower? They were a hundred story buildings like in in cities were talking about probably a five-story tower on the top of the mountain we stand on this on this watch now You Can See For Miles the purpose of that is whenever an army come you can see I'm from in 20 miles away billions and protect him in the gates of the city in the in the surrounded walls of the city and send your army out to defend. I'm having a very difficult time understanding how this is you being a right to start. I don't get it, but I want to know.
again, many of us stop look at life in the midst of pain and suffering in Hugo.
And we walk away.
Ghost of the towers. He says I don't get it. You told me I wouldn't believe it but I understand that I am shooting. And you are God.
I will do all that I am I will strain my sight see you respond to this accusation against
in the Lord answers Birds 2 session Lord answered me. Write the vision make it plain on tablets. So he may run who reads it.
Write it down.
You know, it's great when God answers us. I think many people in this room have felt God answer prayers. Applications for friends and family and intercession for for those who are were lost finally come to a saving faith. You know, I got answers us from time to time. But you know how great it is when God says put it on.
Ross is written on the stone tablet.
More serious about what he wants to say to his people the more permanent. The medium is that it said on. Write it down. cleanly
so that he may run.
Anybody have a phone? And has ever have you ever made a phone call? To share information that you have learned with somebody that you care about maybe raise your hands because you've all done it you live in the 21st century. You probably all have smartphones.
Anybody ever been on Facebook Instagram Twitter? iMessenger Anybody ever been on the internet? We have instant instant instant communication with literally everyone on Earth.
The Queen of England dies in the next hour every person on Earth pretty much know about it within 20 minutes. nature world months why cuz the way you got information was to give it to a messenger and Harold that message to the cities. And because the message is urgent, they would run or ride a horse and they would shout it in the streets. Call says make this message simple make it understandable and make it so you don't have to think about it when you're running from city-to-city. It's just me and you lie in your mind. So you get it. You want to see you can tell everybody about it, but there be no hindrance.
What is this message that he says first three? For steel Division of Weights if it seems slow wait for it. You will surely come it will not delay the whole history of right within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith moreover wine as a traitor never at rest.
like death He has never enough he gathers for himself All Nations and collects as his own All Peoples. I'm going to cheat a little bit. And I'm going to tell you what follows in the rest of chapter 2.
Is Evan ever use the word woe in a regular everyday conversation?
Woe is a is a is a is a prophetic terminology. That means judgement.
loaded hemorrhoid a hemorrhoid a hand
over the next couple weeks. The judgment is coming to those who violate. His rules lost means his kingdom. is coming For we get to judgement is coming. We have to recognize. God's time
You just listen. Write this down make it if it seems like it's not coming.
If you think it's slow, it's not. Boracay human control 2nd Peter chapter 3 you don't necessarily have to turn there if you don't want me and if you would like. Just going to read it for you. 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 9 and 10
He says the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but his patient toward you not not wishing that any should perish but that all should reach repentance. The day of the Lord will come like a thief. and Heavens will pass away with a roar in the heavenly bodies will be burned off and dissolved in the earth in the works that are done on it will be exposed
art clay pots
we are inanimate objects that have no idea. The magnitude of what happens on this Earth? I said this before and undoubtedly, I will say it again.
If we had to control. What was happening in this world? Be a sad place.
Has his plan?
And not only does he have his plan, but he is in acting.
Because well the statement God is just is 100% true. So is the statement God is merciful.
Do we think that these two statements cannot coexist? But in God they do. And we by night. at times worthless an arrogant memes
we don't get it. When it's plainly told to us.
Did you notice something now in the middle here of God's response? He tells us that wine is a traitor arrogant men who are never at rest and then he goes on these walls. He tells us judgement is in fact coming, but did you notice what he says in verse 4?
You said Hold Us. Soul is puffed up. It is not up right within him but the righteous. I went by his feet.
What time is in our pursuit of what we call righteous? We end up being just as wicked as everybody else. We have no right to speak judgment on those who are around.
Is Sovereign hand at work is? is righteousness manifest NC I think he means you're my safe is is not as much Saving Face. Relinquishing our control over salvation and our lives over to Christ Jesus.
I don't trust to God's work.
Because we so often we get caught up in what I would do or how I would do it in yet.
It's bigger than they are. It's bigger than you. imagine for a minute even even thinking it went Babylon crashes through the walls in Jerusalem and start to kill people who are around you burn the houses for like ever would have thought that's gone at work. But you know what happened?
the people of Israel realized their foolishness desperately need
do you think for any moment that went heater in John and James were standing looking at the cross?
a man who really even look This Jesus of Nazareth.
Planes are bigger more complex. More perfect than ours.
And we as righteous individuals are those who might seek after righteousness for those who place our faith in the righteousness of work of Christ.
I have nothing else to hold onto but God's goodness in his work.
It's we were linquist control to you. We place our trust in Our Hope in his work. And not only do we place our trust in him, but we recognize that God has shown himself to be working God from the very beginning. the pages of the Old Testament story after story after Story of seeming lost and yet.
We see a seeming loss on the cross of Christ and yet. God was in control and we could go even today we can see. Seeming lost to wickedness in World War II and yeah.
Doesn't control your shown himself to be so.
Chris doesn't answer the question. This doesn't make that doesn't make things easy.
This is the hope we have. God is in control.
Heavenly Father or John heaven. We thank you.
We want to place Our Hope in our trust. RCC
The good news is that your scripture teaches us.
when we see Brokenness around us
You are in control.
We also recognize that you are not you're not the author of our sin.
We are the ones who salmon have corrupted. We are the ones who would put herself into the situation that we are. So thankful that you did not. step away But instead have used our Brokenness.
patiently wait draw souls to you
We are thankful that in times when? We have failed.
Your merciful hand has been. It's been steady.
So you can continue to change in Transformer.
Alright. Thank you for your son Jesus. Who is the ultimate picture? the plan that didn't seem to be right across you suffered and you died. so that we
return Arvak's only
All right thinking equation. For this you Precious Moments in Jesus.