Habakkuk’s Complaint

 For some reason, I've been drawn to Habakkuk. It is a short but powerful book.

Habakkuk’s complaint is a lot like ours at times: Do You hear me? Why no answer? Even the prophets of old felt this way!

It also made me think about a post I made back in December—Nothing Happens by Chance ( https://arts-bible-scroll.blogspot.com/2025/03/nothing-happens-by-chance.html ). At first, I thought this was a strange connection, but the more I reread Habakkuk, the more I see how it fits. Even though Habakkuk didn’t think God was hearing his cry, God was already moving and working His will.

I have felt like Habakkuk recently. I know that God is in control—I just need to let Him use me and accomplish His will. So, I will take my stand at my watchpost, station myself on the tower, and look out to see what He will say to me and how I will respond concerning my complaint. (Reproof, correction, rebuke, argument).

Habakkuk 1:2-4 (ESV)
O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not hear?
Or cry to you “Violence!”
and you will not save?
Why do you make me see iniquity,
and why do you idly look at wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.
So the law is paralyzed,
and justice never goes forth.
For the wicked surround the righteous;
so justice goes forth perverted.

God had answered Habakkuk, but he just couldn't see it, So God spoke to him and revealed what He was doing.  

The LORD’S Answer

Habakkuk 1:5-7 (ESV)
“Look among the nations, and see;
wonder and be astounded.
For I am doing a work in your days
that you would not believe if told.
For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans,
that bitter and hasty nation,
who march through the breadth of the earth,
to seize dwellings not their own.
They are dreaded and fearsome;
their justice and dignity go forth from themselves.

This was not what Habakkuk wanted to hear. Could this be why we think God is not hearing us because we do not want to hear what His answer is?

Habakkuk 1:12-13 (ESV)
Are you not from everlasting,
O LORD my God, my Holy One?
We shall not die.
O LORD, you have ordained them as a judgment,
and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof.
You who are of purer eyes than to see evil
and cannot look at wrong,
why do you idly look at traitors
and remain silent when the wicked swallows up
the man more righteous than he?

Habakkuk question God because he did not understand what God was doing.
But was willing to wait on God to answers him. He did not doubt God but wanted to understand

Habakkuk 2:1 (ESV)
I will take my stand at my watchpost
and station myself on the tower,
and look out to see what he will say to me,
and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

Habakkuk 2:2-4 (ESV)
And the LORD answered me:
“Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so he may run who reads it.
For still the vision awaits its appointed time;
it 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; it is not upright within him,
but the righteous shall live by his faith.
 

God had Habakkuk write it on tablets so that the one who reads it may run.

God’s timing is not our timing. Habakkuk would not live to see all that God was doing, but God told him that it would happen. The righteous shall live by his faith.

Habakkuk was told that the Chaldeans, which is Babylon, would conquer Israel.

 Habakkuk 2:5 (ESV)
“Moreover, wine is a traitor,
an arrogant man who is never at rest.
His greed is as wide as Sheol;
like death he has never enough.
He gathers for himself all nations
and collects as his own all peoples.”

Habakkuk could not know why God would allow Babylon to collect all peoples.
But nothing happens by chance. All of this was part of God's plan, and we can see this in…

Daniel 1:3-4 (ESV)
Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

Daniel 1:6-7 (ESV)
Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

We can see how God used this for his glory. Sometimes it's not meant for us to understand.
This is why: The righteous shall live by his faith.

Habakkuk Rejoices in the LORD
Habakkuk 3:17-19 (ESV)
Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places.

One last thing did Habakkuk prophecy about the handwriting on the wall?

Habakkuk 2:10-11 (ESV)
You have devised shame for your house
by cutting off many peoples;
you have forfeited your life.
For the stone will cry out from the wall,
and the beam from the woodwork respond.

See Daniel 5 The Handwriting on the Wall 

I highly recommend reading and studying Habakkuk especially before you read Daniel.

Nothing happens by chance.

God has laid out a plan for our lives, our biggest problem is free will—we often get in the way and resist God. We were born in the time and place where God wanted us to be. God does have a plan for you, though you may never fully know what it is. That’s why we must truly die to self and allow God to move us to where He wants us to be, and to be a reflection of Christ here on earth.

Psalms 139:16 (ESV) Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

The problem we have is that we fight God and don’t allow His perfect will in our lives. When we stop resisting and die to self, God will begin to use us according to His plan. If we continue to live for ourselves and resist God, He will use others to do what we should be doing. If He wanted to, God could even raise up stones to fulfill His will.

Matthew 3:9 (ESV)
And do not presume to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.

A good illustration comes from The Lord of the Rings. At the end, Frodo could not throw the ring into the fire—it had consumed him and taken him over. Gollum actually saved Frodo by biting off his finger and falling into the fire with the ring. This could not have happened if Bilbo Baggins had killed Gollum in The Hobbit. Bilbo chose mercy and compassion for Gollum and let him live. I know this is only a fairy tale, but it illustrates the point that our actions have consequences. We never know how even the smallest of our actions could have major effects.

Consider the boy with five loaves of bread and two fish. That morning, when he woke up to go see the rabbi teaching nearby, he had no idea what impact he would have by letting Christ use what he had.

John 6:7-9 (ESV)
Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?”

Hebrews 13:1-2 (ESV)
Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

We may have no idea how something we’ve done or will do has helped someone accomplish what God wants them to do. Just by giving someone gas money or directions to where they were going, we may have helped them be exactly where God wanted them to be, at the right time. So don’t think you need to do something big to have a major impact for God.

The Shepherd's Place.

Voice in the wilderness

 Matthew 3:1-3 (ESV)
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’”

We need to be like John the Baptist calling out to this world.
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The world needs to hear this today more than ever.
We may feel like we are just a voice in the wilderness, and no one is hearing us. 

Romans 10:14 (ESV)
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

We must get out there in our community proclaiming the gospel. You never know you might be the reason that one person hears you and sees the light of our Lord and Savior.

 

The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few

Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV)
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

What do these verses say about the church today? Or rather, what does it say about me?

We are supposed to be a reflection of Christ here on earth. Yet here we are, just sitting in church pews, hoping people will come in and listen to the preacher. Can we not see the people whom this world is harassing, those who have no hope? Do we really show compassion by just sitting in the pews? 

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” We need to pray earnestly that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers to gather the harvest. I hope you realize that this is a call for us to get up out of the pews and start working the harvest.

What needs to happen in what I just wrote is to take out "we, us" and replace it with "I."

Could your church be in rebellion against God's Word?

 I realize this could be considered a secondary issue, but it is a very important one. If I am correct, many churches today are in rebellion against the Word of God.

I recently had to start looking for a new church home, and this was one of the minor reasons we left our previous church. While searching for a new church, I was surprised by how many churches today list women as pastors or associate pastors on their websites. Many of these churches list a husband and wife as pastors of the church.

At first, I thought this was just a wording issue and nothing more. But the more I investigated, the more obvious it became that it was not just a wording issue. Feminism and inclusiveness have become major influences in today’s church. I wonder if the modern church believes that, in order to stay relevant, it must reflect the culture of the world.

The only thing we need to be reflecting is Christ.
So, here's my take on women pastors and teachers.

Women Pastors and Preachers

I’ve have heard 2 Timothy 1:5 used to defend women as pastors and preachers. The problem is that this verse has nothing to do with being a pastor or a preacher; it is entirely about parenting and raising your child in the ways of the Lord.

2 Timothy 1:5 (ESV) I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV)
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

In contrast, we do have these scriptures that make it quite clear regarding women teaching or preaching.

1 Corinthians 14:33-35 (ESV)  
 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.

I’ve heard some argue that this was simply an issue within this church, where women were causing problems. However, it states, “As in all the churches of the saints,” so this wasn’t limited to one church—it applied to all the churches. Additionally, we see this addressed in 1 Timothy 2:12-15.
I know a lot of people have problems with where it says “keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak” this looks like it is talking about when the pastor, shepherd, or elder is speaking to the main body of believers in the church. Paul did not want the pastor to be interrupted and disrupt the flow of the service. I Can see where it says “let them ask their husbands at home” quite possibly is referring to a smaller gathering much like our Sunday school classes today where they would not be disrupting the service.

1 Timothy 2:12-15 (ESV)

I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

 Again, I’ve heard people argue that this was specific to the time and culture they lived in. However, Paul stated that it was because Adam was formed first, then Eve. Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. I don’t see how the message could be any clearer. Yet, we still try everything possible to justify women as preachers and teachers.

Now, I will add that there is nothing in the Scriptures that says a woman cannot teach a child or other women. 2 Timothy 1:5 shows us how a grandmother and mother should raise their child in the ways of the Lord. If you’re a woman with a youth ministry or a women’s ministry, I see nothing wrong with that, nor can I find anything in the Bible that speaks against it. In fact, I believe the Bible supports that role for women. I have heard this scripture used several times in defense of women pastors and preachers.

Acts 2:17 (ESV)
 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;

But then again, this verse does not say women can be pastors or preachers. It says, “and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,”

I like this from Bible.org. Prophecy is not identical to preaching but involves both forthtelling and foretelling. The reason women may prophesy but not teach or preach to men is that the message that the prophet gets from God is not filtered through the interpretive process—that is, it is directly mediated by the Spirit. Hence, in effect, prophecies are ‘tamper-proof,’ whereas teaching is not.

Why do we have a hard time believing what Paul is teaching here? Why do people bring up stuff that is very vague and try to say see it's alright for women to be preachers and pastors? We need to remember use the Bible to interpret the Bible so when we have scriptures that are black and white and very clear we need to use them to interpret what is not so clear in the scriptures.

I know people that say they believe the Bible is God's inspired word. But go on and discount what Paul teaches by adding in stuff that's just not there. I have had a pastor tell me they think John got it wrong in 1 John 2:1 (ESV) My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.
He thinks it should say “when you will sin”. To me it looks like they think Paul and John just got it wrong.

So why do we struggle so much with what Paul teaches? Why do we try to find reasons to go against his teachings? If Paul was wrong about this, what else might he have been wrong about? Do we truly believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God?

Posting what I believe on Facebook has gotten me into trouble recently—lol. You don’t have to agree with me on everything, and that’s okay. You’re welcome to tell me why you think I’m wrong, but please make it biblical and include your scriptures. Simply saying, “So-and-so is doing great work for the Lord,” and using that as proof doesn’t cut it.

Voddie Bachman has said it would be easier to make a biblical argument for polygamy than for women preachers.

Are we just a product of an accident

When you look around and see the wonders of nature
that abound, how can you not believe that there is a Creator?

Does not all creation cry out that there must be a Creator?
Could this all just be an accident, with all the atoms randomly
coming together to create all living things?

Are we merely the product of chance, with molecules and atoms
coming together by accident to form our brains—allowing us to
see and comprehend this creation?

I cannot see that.
This leaves us with two Question we must ask.
Who is this creator?
How do we find Him?

John 14:6 (ESV)
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.

Either Jesus was a madman, a liar, or a con artist
willing to die for a lie. If that’s true, then we can
throw the Bible away. Or He is the Son of God,
who died and rose on the third day for our sins.

Don't wait and watch the movie read the book
and get to know Christ for yourself.

Art a prisoner of Christ.

Here's a song I wrote for this Accident or Design https://youtu.be/kJU5JDUgItY

Preach the Word

I find it hard to believe that more people are not going to the church we have just started attending. The pastor preaches solid Bible teaching, but then I am reminded of what 2 Timothy 4:1-5 says about this.

2 Timothy 4:1-5 (ESV)
​I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

We can see this in today’s modern church! Worship has become entertainment. People are just looking for a feel-good service; they want their ears tickled. They simply want to experience the buzz of excitement. They don't want to hear about true discipleship and what it means. They don't want to understand what it means to die to self and pick up their cross.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV)
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

What can a small church do to combat this? I think we need to wake up, get out of the pews, and go where the people are, showing them the love of Christ and what it means to be a true believer. We have spent too long sitting in the pews, hoping that others will go out and bring people into the church.

Now, when I say church, I don’t mean a building. We need to bring people into the true body of Christ—the community of true believers—and show them what it really means to die to self and pick up our cross. We also need to emphasize the importance of finding a body of believers to fellowship with.

1 Corinthians 15:34 (ESV)
Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

You can start by simply inviting someone to come to church with you. But remember, we need to wake up, die to self, pick up our cross, and follow Christ. Be His reflection here on earth.