Habakkuk - Tossed by Waves of Doubt

(So glad you are here! If you want to take full advantage of this study, I would suggest either printing out the lessons or having a journal nearby to answer the questions. I'll post new lessons twice a week - Wednesday/Friday. Would love feedback! I'm a first-timer at this!)

There’s a sea that can be wider than the Atlantic and deeper than the Pacific. 

Its waves can be perilous - pulling us away from the shore, tossing us round and round till we don’t know up from down.

Author Kathe Wunnenburg calls it the “Sea of Why.”

Our good ‘ole friend Habakkuk has found himself drowning in the “Sea of Why,” hasn’t he? 

Why does God allow wickedness to flourish? 

Why does He not establish justice? 

Why is He allowing Babylon to take over Judah?

And we have all swum in the sea as well.

“Why did God take her at such a young age?” “Why am I still not married?” “Why did my husband leave me, my boss fire me, my friend hurt me …?”

The Sea of Why is alright to wade in for a while. 

We’ve already chatted about how asking this question to God is not only normal but very permissable. But when we swim out into the the Sea of Why too far, it can suck us into its rolling tide.

When I was going through grief, I found that the only way I could find any sanity, find my way back to the shoreline was my changing that ‘y’ in “Why” to an ‘o.’

Kathe Wunnenburg says it like this: “Choose to look beyond the “why” and to the “Who.”’

That’s what we see Habakkuk doing in today’s reading. 

Yes, he still whines. 

And yes, we still see him shaking his fists at God. 

But c’mon. Doesn’t it take all of us a while to relinquish the fists? 

Just another way I relate to this guy, Habakkuk.

BUT … Habakkuk adds something to his complaints.

He adds some “Who” to that “why.” 

Habakkuk starts professing WHO God is. Professing what he knows about God. 

And I can’t help but wonder if that puts a little sand under his feet ...

READ

Take a moment to read Habakkuk 1:12-2:1. (Yay! We finally get out of chapter 1!)

RESPOND

How do Habakkuk’s questions in v.12 differ from the questions in previous verses? How would you describe his tone?

Habakkuk opens up his dialogue with what seems to be a different tone. Is this a new Habakkuk we are seeing. (Well … hold your horses.)

He opens up by proclaiming WHO God is, what he knows about God.

What language does Habakkuk use in vs. 12 to describe God? 

List his descriptors and names for God:

In the previous verse (v.11) God had just accused the Babylonians of being guilty because who was their God? “Their own might.” Along with their might, came their gods made of wood and stone.

John MacArthur says, it’s as if Habakkuk goes from that verse (v.11) to this one (v.12) saying,"Wait a minute.  Their god, what is their god?  What is he?  Wood and stone? Why my God is eternal, from everlasting, that I know."  He's not like the god of the Chaldeans.  He's not like the god of any man or any nation.  He is God from eternity to eternity.”

So Habakkuk calls God eternal, everlasting. But he doesn’t stop there.

He keeps going, calling God “my God” (v.12).

What does that personal pronoun “my” imply?

The original Hebrew behind that phrase, “my Lord,” in verse 12 is Yahweh.

So Habakkuk addresses God by His personal name that He gave to the Israelites, “Yahweh.”

God first told Moses to call him by that name. It was a name set apart for His people Israel. And it was a name that meant I AM, embodying eternity. He always will be. 

Habakkuk then goes on to call God “my holy One” and his “Rock.”

We will jump back to v.12 but for now, write down more descriptors that Habakkuk uses for God in v.13:

Soon, the worshipful names of God abruptly collides back into the “Why’s” in verse 13, doesn’t it? 

For a while I was led to believe that maybe Habakkuk had a heart change, calling God these beautiful names, but if anything, Habakkuk may have just charged God even more harshly.

What does he charge God of doing in 1:14?

“The prophet charged the Lord with reducing humans to the level of fish or insect and causing chaos among the nations.” (Quoting from my New Illustrated Bible Commentary).

We really see Habakkuk’s big guns come out in this statement. 

I picture Habakkuk slipping on one of those big foam fingers you get at sporting events, aiming it at heaven. 

“You treat us like we mean nothing to you! You aren’t even in control!”

So what happened?! How does Habakkuk go from pronouncing these beautiful names of God to accusing him more harshly than before? How would you interpret this?

I don’t know the answer. And I’m curious to read your thoughts (so comment below). 

Maybe Habakkuk’s names for God were in a more sarcastic tone all along.

Or maybe Habakkuk was grasping for the sand in the Sea of Why, reminding himself of whom God was, but the reminder was painful. Painful because God didn’t seem to be living up to those names Habakkuk believed in all along.

I can relate to this heart tug-of-war Habakkuk has with God, can’t you?

Who is the “he” Habakkuk is referring to in 1:15-17?

I wanted to make sure and address this because this pronoun “he” confused me. 

Habakkuk has gone from describing what God is doing (treating them like fish or worms in verse 14) to describing how the Babylonians would treat the Judeans in verse 15-17.

We see how mercilessly the Babylonians were going to treat Judah, hooking and catching them in their net, and then worship their success (v.16).

This fear of the enemy and distrust in God, moves Habakkuk to make a bold move in 2:1.

What does Habakkuk say he will do in 2:1?

Probably metaphorically, Habakkuk stations himself like a watchman in a watchtower or on the city wall that protects God’s people, to look out at the nations, at what is to come. 

Didn’t God ask him to do this in 1:5?

How would you describe Habakkuk’s demeanor in this verse (2:1)?

REFLECT

John Macarthur says, “I'll tell you there's nothing more reassuring, there's nothing more consoling, there's nothing more helpful than in the midst of a time of oppression … when your mind is boggled by the happenings in the world today … than to stand back on solid ground and say, "One thing I know - that my God is eternal."

Habakkuk opens up our reading by describing God’s holiness and eternity. How would proclaiming who God is change your perspective, maybe even alleviate your burdens? Try to be specific to your circumstance. How would it affect your everyday life?

On one hand we see Habakkuk reminding himself of who God is, and on another hand, we see that he is hurt by God not living up to those names. 

I’ve felt that way before - like God was abandoning His character. 

But that is a lie from the enemy. 

Satan wants us to distrust the only One worth trusting. 

To stifle that lie, let’s look at some other verses.

Write down what the following verses say about God. Then circle the one you most needed today and write down why.

Psalm 103:17

1 John 1:5

Exodus 34:6-7

Isaiah 40:22

Hebrews 13:8

Habakkuk ends our reading today with one of the most interesting passages in 2:1. What can we learn from this verse? Can we apply anything from it to our own lives?

Habakkuk finds sure footing amidst the Sea of Why, stationing himself, planting himself in a position to hear from God.

Habakkuk remembers who he is - that he is a prophet of God.

The verb, “look” (“ I will look to see what He will say to me”) is “applied figuratively to the prophets, who as Israel’s watchmen were to see the Lord’s purposes and communicate them.” (Quoting from my Expositor’s Bible Commentary).

He’s also in submission to God. In the second half of the verse, we read Habakkuk admitting that he has been complaining, expecting God to address his sassy attitude.

Another key observation to note in this verse is that he remembers who God is - that He is a God that not only listens but responds, that He has all the answers.

Remember.

It’s a key word to help us find sure footing in the sand as we’re tossed about the Sea of Why.

Remember Who God is. Start reminding yourself of the verses we read about God’s character. Remember He is in charge, He is bigger than us, faithful, always good.

Remember who you are. You are God’s child. Not His pawn, His puppet, His pet fish that He forgets to feed. No. You are His beloved daughter.

And just as Habakkuk remembers his submission, so should we. As daughters, we should be in submission to our Father’s authority. This humility is crucial to trust.  

So next time we are tossed around in doubt and confusion, let’s stop. Get quiet. Start to remember. 

And let's if we begin to feel the sand harden under our feet.

“I remember your name in the night, O Lord” (Psalm 119:55).

PRAY

In this prayer time, let’s exercise remembering.

Remember who God is. Thank God for who He is to you.

Now remember who you are. Thank God for who you are in God’s eyes.

Remember that you are in submission to God’s plan. Ask God to help you surrender your control to His.

Finally, do what Habakkuk does - expect God to speak to you. Get quiet. See if He has anything to whisper to your heart. If you don’t hear anything, that’s okay! Just acknowledging that He is a God who speaks is enough.

Looking Ahead 

Next time we will be talking through Habakkuk 2:2-20, so feel free to go ahead and read it, observe it, even study it.

(All references come from the New Illustrated Bible Commentary, John MacArthur's website at www.gty.org and the Expositor's Bible Commentary)

Habakkuk - An Extra Scoop of Pain Please

(So glad you are here! If you want to take full advantage of this study, I would suggest either printing out the lessons or having a journal nearby to answer the questions. I would also have a Bible or Bible App open. Go about this at your own pace. I will be posting lessons twice a week - Wednesday/Friday - with homework you can do in between. And please offer any feedback. I'm a first-timer at this!)

Do you ever sneakily give God advice? (As if we can ever be sneaky around God.)

I do this when my life feels out of control.

I tell God how I think He should answer my prayers.

I gave God one of those “sneaky” nudges of advice not too long ago. I mentioned before that our family had just walked through a year of losing my father-in-law to cancer. If you’ve walked through loss of a loved one, you understand the initial, unbearable sting of those “firsts” without him or her. First Christmas, first birthday, first meal...

In the middle of that sting, my first instinct was to turn to something for instant relief, just like I would with a burn or a cut on my finger. 

My heart needed a cold compress, Neosporin … something to make it stop.

My husband and I had been tossing around the conversation of having a baby.

We had been married 5 years, I wasn’t getting any younger, and isn’t that what married people do? (It was as unspiritual of a conversation as that.)

But when Wes (my father-in-law) died, my desires for a child increased.  

Looking back, I think I thought having a child would be that “instant relief,” that Neosporin. 

It would bring joy back into our family.

So I started nudging God. “God, a child would really be nice right now. It would bring so much happiness to our family. And you know how hard it’s been …”

At the time, I didn’t see that my prayer for a child was a subconscious expectation I had of God. It was also a desire in me to control our uncontrollable sadness.

God answered my prayer immediately. 

We got pregnant, and I just knew this was going to be the way God healed our family.

But six weeks later I began to bleed. And within two days, the baby was gone.

“That’s okay. We will try again. Shake it off!” I told myself not knowing how to handle the grief of miscarriage.

And so we got pregnant again. Fast. Real fast.

“Okay, this is it. Not only will this baby heal our family, but it will heal me from the last miscarriage.”

But seven weeks later, I began to bleed. Two days later, the baby was gone.

“God! You are answering my grief with more grief!! What are you doing? What happened to this plan WE had of healing?”

My trust in Him cracked, crumbled; some days it was all gone.

Has God ever answered your hardship with an extra scoop of hardship?

That’s where we meet Habakkuk in our reading today. 

Remember in last week’s lesson Habakkuk is questioning how a God, supposedly just and good, could watch the wickedness of Judah and not DO anything. 

In today’s reading God tells Habakkuk about what He will DO. But He unveils a plan that isn’t the one Habakkuk would have “sneakily” advised God to make.

READ

Read Habakkuk 1:5-11.

RESPOND

The first words out of the Lord’s mouth in v.5 are, “Look among the nations and see.”

The Israelites were God’s treasured people set apart from “the nations.”

The “nations” referred to the gentile world, the world outside of Israel.

So God first tells not just Habakkuk, but all the people of Judah, to look beyond what is in front of them.

What would this command do to Habakkuk’s perspective?

God tells His people to wake up, look outside of their small little world, because His plan was bigger than Judah. He was about to use these gentile nations in a historical way.

Look at v.5, and write down how God says the people of Judah (including our friend Habakkuk) will react to what he is about to say.

We see these exact words pop up again in Acts 13:41. 

There, Paul is warning pompous religious rulers, who did not accept Christ as Messiah, that they would be judged harshly by God.

Here it is no different. Judah in its ignorance, in its pompous denial of God’s law, was about to be judged in a way they would never believe.

In the unfolding of v.6, how does God say He is going to judge the wickedness of Judah?

God is going to use the gentile and ruthless nation of Babylon to judge the nation of Judah.

Write down what you learn about the Babylonians in v.7-10. How does God describe these heinous people in v.7-10?

As we read earlier in our “his story” post, the nation of Babylon was rising to power under king Nabopolassar and Nebuchadnezzar. You may have heard that second king’s name while learning about the prophet Daniel. 

They were on the brink of destroying Jerusalem.

(Check out 2 Kings 24, 25 for more on the account of Jerusalem falling to Babylon, as well as, Jeremiah 51:53.)

Compare God’s answer in v.7 to Habakkuk’s cry in v.3-4.

Now compare God’s answer in v. 9 to Habakkuk’s complaint in v.2-3.

Are you seeing the irony in all of this?

God is answering Habakkuk’s complaint of violence with MORE violence. He’s answering Judah’s need for justice with MORE injustice.

God’s answer is basically: You think it’s bad now? Just wait.

God even admits in the last verse of our reading today, v.11, that the Babylonians are guilty men. Yet, the guilty men of Babylon are going to judge the guilty men of Judah.

REFLECT

After reading this section, what are your first internal questions for God, maybe even accusation? Write them down. (And be honest.)

If you’ve ever felt like God was answering pain with pain, then you can relate to Habakkuk. I read these verses and question God’s character, wondering if He’s trustworthy, if He’s good.

Okay, so Judah needs a spanking. But Babylon? Really?

Can God use godless people in His plan? Can He use godless people to bring about goodness? Write down your thoughts.

Check out Isaiah 44:28 real quickly.

Here Isaiah prophecies the reign of King Cyrus (150 before he exists), saying that through this pagan king, God would deliver Israel from captivity. God even calls this pagan king His what? His “shepherd.” He would use this man to lead His people out of slavery.

Can God use the godless for His good? He does it all the time.

So in Habakkuk, can He use an unjust people like Babylon to bring justice to Judah? Absolutely. Can He use the violence of Babylon for a greater purpose? Yes.

Can God use our pain to bring about something good? Absolutely.

When God allowed the miscarriages of my babies to happen, I yelled at Him, wept on the ground, literally pointed at Him. I was doubting. I was angry. I was confused.

But something happened in that time where it seemed only pain was answering pain.

An intimacy with the Lord began to form.

I NEEDED Him like never before. Nothing else was working. And though I didn’t trust Him on the surface, something in my soul knew He was my only safe place.

Has that ever happened in your life? Have the moments of pain and doubt ever brought you to a new level of trust in God? If so, write about it. If not, write about what your pain does to your relationship with God. If it puts a wedge in between you two, do you think God could be asking you to press into Him in a new way?

It’s alright to question, even doubt God. 

We are small humans with a small capacity to understand. But don’t stop there.

Instead, take advantage of your doubt; take advantage of those moments of confusion.

How?

By using those moments as a chance to press into His sovereignty.

By using those moments as a chance to look back on God’s faithfulness during previous seasons of suffering in your life.

God uses the godless for His good, and He can use our doubt, our pain, our confusion for good too.

PRAYER

Take a minute to talk to God about any pain, stress, burden going on in your life.

Then, read Romans 8:28. 

Ask God to help you trust in this promise, trust in His plan to use your pain. 

Finally, if there is any bitterness in you toward the Lord for pain in your life, ask Him to meet you in that place. He wants to show you how good He is, even in our suffering.

(References for today's lesson come from The Expositors Bible Commentary, www.biblehub.com, John MacArthur's sermon on Habakkuk at www.gty.org.)

Habakkuk - Ummm, God, You Sure You Got This?

My hard drive crashed the other day and so did I.

No really.

Ask my husband.

It was more than a tear trickle and frustrated grunt. I melted like a popsicle in July.

Face transforming, snotting, door-slamming kind of cries and yells.

My husband tried to console me. I just grabbed the keys and said (not very nicely), “I’m going for a drive!”

I made it halfway down my street before I couldn’t see out my eyeballs anymore, before my cries about the hard drive turned into personal cries against God.

“I don’t understand! Why won’t you heal him? We’ve prayed and prayed, but You aren’t helping! Where are You?”

My husband and I were going through the hardest season of our lives at the time.

His hero and best friend was dying.

His dad, Wes, was losing his life to a brain tumor.

Only 60-years-old, elder at the church, faithful husband, community servant, involved dad.

What are you doing, God? Are you there, God?

And at the root of those questions was an even bigger question in my heart:

God, are you sure you are good?

Yes, at the chore of my pain I was questioning God’s character even more than His plan. Could I trust Him?

And that’s exactly where we meet Habakkuk.

READ

Go ahead and read Habakkuk 1:1-4 again. (And if you are just now joining me, then I would suggest backing up a little bit and starting from the beginning to get the most out of this study.)

RESPOND

Habakkuk 1:1 -

Your version may say “The oracle Habakkuk saw” or “The prophecy Habakkuk received” or even “the Burden Habakkuk saw.”

That word “burden” strikes me.

Write down what you picture when you hear the word “burden”?

We see the prophets use this word when they are given a prophecy/vision from God that is going to pronounce destruction (Isaiah 13:1, Nahum 1:1).

God was giving Habakkuk a picture of doom for Judah and for Babylon.

And instead of receiving the message from God and dutifully relaying it, Habakkuk opens up and wrestles with God about this vision. 

I love that about him.

He wasn’t just going to share this prophetic “burden” with the people; he was going to share it with God.

Habakkuk 1:2-4 -

Write down the questions that Habakkuk asks God.

Let’s break down what’s going on behind these questions.

How long will I cry for help and you won’t listen? (v. 2)

How long implies that Habakkuk had been going to God with the same cry for help, over and over, yet heard nothing in return.

Or cry to you “violence” and you will not save? (v. 2)

Why do you make me see iniquity? Why do you idly look at wrong? (v. 3)

The violence Habakkuk refers to is happening before his very eyes. It’s the violence in Judah by his own people. Habakkuk is seeing God’s people gravely sin against one another and blaming God for not doing anything about it. Habakkuk doesn’t spell out the exact acts of violence, but we know Judean society was morally ungluing since the death of King Josiah.

Write down how Habakkuk describes the Judean people during that time (refer to v. 3-4):

You probably wrote down words like “destructive,” “unjust,” “wicked.”

Yes. All of that and more. The people of Judah had turned from God. The rich were oppressive and greedy. Violence and corruption sat on the throne.

And God wasn’t intervening.

And because God wasn’t intervening, Habakkuk lists everything falling apart in Judah.

(I tend to make lists when my life feels out of control too:) Do you?)

Fill in the blanks. What are the results of God’s hand not intervening (v.4)?

• The _______ is paralyzed
• _______ never goes forth
• The _______ surround the righteous

So God’s Law (the Torah) is forgotten, justice is non-existent and the wicked are winning.

Does this at all sound like the world we live in today? If so, how?

Through Habakkuk’s list of fears and complaints, I believe there are even more questions implied. We listed the three obvious ones he stated in verses 2-3, but do you think he was thinking any of these?

(I’ve contemporized my language a little … no … a lot.)

God, are you in control, because you sure ain’t actin’ like it?

God, why are you being so unfair?

God, why do you let the wicked win?

God, why aren’t you protecting the the good guys?

God, are you there?

God, are you sure I can trust you?

REFLECT

Habakkuk chose to share the prophetic burden FROM God, WITH God. He asked Him about it, wrestled with Him.

What does that say about the way we should approach our burdens, even when they are God-ordained?

Read 1 Peter 5:7- What does God ask us to do with our burdens?

God actually WANTS our cares. He WANTS our burdens. I don’t want them, yet all too often I hoard my burdens like pantry food during a snowstorm.

Instead, let’s cry out, yell out, throw our burdens into the arms of God.

When was the last time you questioned God the way Habakkuk did (questioned his plan, His character)? Write about it - what was going on that caused you to question; what was hurting or confusing?

What keeps you from being honest with God about your deep, even doubtful questions?

What are the dangers of not being transparent with God?

Matt Chandler, a pastor I admire, says that “when you refuse to be honest with God, worship becomes an impossibility.” 

Why is that?

Well, God tells us in Psalm 51:17 that what He desires most in worship is a “broken and contrite heart.” That word, “contrite,” in the original Hebrew means “broken or crushed.” A contrite heart is humble. It’s low, “crushed” into reverent submission to God. When we are humble before God, we aren’t pridefully hiding secrets. With humility comes transparency.

So if God desires a broken and contrite heart, that means He desires our honesty.

When our hearts are not honest with God, our worship is not honest to God.

By Habakkuk being so honest with God, what does that say about the type of God we serve and the relationship He has with His people?

PRAY: 

Get honest with God during this time. If you have fears, burdens, questions, ask Him about it. He can take it. But then take a minute to be still. Listen for His voice. And ask Him to assure you of His sovereignty. Thank Him for the intimacy He allows for us to have with Him.

Looking Ahead: 

Next week we will look at Habakkuk 1:5-11. So take some time to read and journal about those verses before our next hangout.

(I referred to www.biblehub.com for commentary help as well as Matt Chandler's sermon series on Habakkuk - http://www.thevillagechurch.net/resources/sermons/.)