GOD ANSWERS
HIS FIRST COMPLAINT

Chapter 1:5-11

Seeing the new decadence of the moral and spiritual state of Israel that followed the revival under King Josiah in 622 / 1 BC, Habakkuk asked the LORD to do something - he wanted his intervention to correct His people, as had been done many times before. To begin the book, he complains: "O LORD, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear?" Not an accusation, but the strengthening of a request to which he wanted an urgent solution.

The response he received from God was daunting: God was not unaware of the situation, but was performing a work, visible among "the nations" (the Gentiles) in which we can distinguish three phases:

The Lord was raising up the Chaldeans in those days.

That God uses nations as an instrument of discipline for His people was nothing new because it was a method that He used from the beginning of the existence of the nation of Israel. Following the attacks and invasions, there was awareness of the people of their sin and then repentance, and God in due course got rid of their enemies.

After the nation split into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom, which continued to be called Israel, had a succession of ungodly kings and became involved in idolatry so tenaciously that God allowed it to be defeated and dominated by the Assyrians, who led the people to captivity in 722 BC (2 Kings 17:1-6,24, 18:7,9).

Now, a century later, God would again use a Gentile nation to comply with His purposes: they were the Chaldeans, who had overcome the Assyrians in 625 BC and were in the process of expanding their empire through an overwhelming conquest of all adjacent nations. What was happening was very visible. In the prophecy of Jeremiah, written shortly after that of Habakkuk, the Lord says that Nebuchadnezzar, the dreaded king of the Chaldeans, was His servant, for he would fulfil His plan. Nebuchadnezzar did not know it until, after leading the people of Judah into captivity, he went through a hard lesson and eventually published throughout all his empire "... the Most High lives forever, for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation ... and He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand, or say unto Him, ‘What have you done?"(Daniel 4:34, 35).

This work would leave them "astonished and dismayed" (NIV).

This time, the rest of the people of Israel would not simply be punished to soon after, as at other times, continue to be an autonomous people in their land, but the invasion of the Chaldeans would comply with the ancient prophecy of Moses "The Lord will scatter you among all people, from one end of the earth to the other ... And among those nations you shall find no rest, nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul ... Your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life. In the morning you shall say: “‘Oh that it were evening!' And at evening you shall say, 'Oh, that it were morning!' because of the fear which terrifies your heart, and because of the sight which your eyes see.” (Deuteronomy 28:64-67). This invasion will initiate a phase in the history of Israel that would last centuries. In our day, the establishment of a new country a few decades ago with the name of Israel in a part of the territory promised to Abraham, where Jews are autonomy and where many have returned and continue to return, indicates that this period is finally coming to an end.

They would not believe in this work when they were told.

Preaching the Gospel to the Jews in the dispersion in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul quotes this passage from Habakkuk to warn the Jews who heard him not to be incredulous over the fulfilment in the person of Jesus Christ of the promises made about the coming of the Messiah (Acts 13:41). But the prophecy given through Habakkuk was fulfilled, as the nation of Israel did not believe the Gospel when they were told.

We learn from the Word of God, that the Lord has supreme control over the course of human history. The people of Israel are an example. So much so that through His prophets He outlines for our knowledge some of the things that will happen in the future, because He already knows all things (Isaiah 42:9, 45:7, Daniel 2:28,29, Acts 15:18, Romans 8:29, 1 Peter 1:2).

We are now in the privileged position of being able to see the exact fulfilment of many prophecies like this one.

Just as the Lord has used Gentiles the even did not know Him to discipline and purify the people of Israel, we can see how, over time, the churches of God throughout the world have gone through great trials, consisting of scorn, ridicule, persecution and martyrdom.

Paul and Barnabas told the first churches in Asia that "Through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22), and Paul wrote that "I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation." (2 Corinthians 7:4), and "we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:3-5).

Peter saw how some of the saints were suffering for their faith in his time, and teaches “rejoice (in salvation), though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:6-7).

History tells us that, from their beginning, churches have suffered tribulations coming from unbelievers, starting with the Jews themselves, then derived by political powers like the Romans, other kingdoms and principalities, which continues to our times through various countries, also from false and Satanic religions, no less hurtful and cruel, and from rich and powerful apostate churches,.

The seven churches of Revelation are types of churches that we find even today, some being in poor internal condition because of alliance with the world, and others because of permissiveness with respect to false doctrine, internal sin and dominion by persons or classes. We also find there the discipline that the Lord uses to purify them.

We know that one day the Lord will come to collect those who are really His, and they will leave the world just as the Jews were taken away from their land. Those who remain in these churches will be subject to the judgement of the Tribulation, seven years under the wrath of God which will be triggered next. The Gospel will continue to be preached by the Jewish converts, and many will still be saved worldwide.

R David Jones

5 "Look among the nations and watch— Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you.

6 For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places that are not theirs.

7 They are terrible and dreadful; Their judgment and their dignity proceed from themselves.
8 Their horses also are swifter than leopards, And more fierce than evening wolves. Their chargers charge ahead; Their cavalry comes from afar; They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat.

9 "They all come for violence; Their faces are set like the east wind. They gather captives like sand.
10 They scoff at kings, And princes are scorned by them. They deride every stronghold, For they heap up earthen mounds and seize it.
11 Then his mind changes, and he transgresses; He commits offense, Ascribing this power to his god."