We continue our series of the book of the prophet Habakkuk. In the previous article we gave an introduction to this great book, so it would be very important that before you continue reading this article, if you have not read the first one, go now: Introduction to the book of Habakkuk.
The first verses of the book of Habakkuk begin with a complaint from the prophet to God, but in reality it was not a very common complaint, since what the prophet is doing here is being distressed by all the evil that his eyes were witnessing in the Judah’s people. In the Bible we will find other men who also complained about the same situation, as is the case of Jeremiah, who spoke the word of God to the people of Israel but did not listen (Jeremiah 12).
It is important that we understand the passion that these men of God felt, the zeal that ran through their veins, the desire that justice, equity, peace and holiness be part of God’s people. Do we feel the same zeal today when we see things in the house of God that are not to your liking?
2 O Lord, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
Habakkuk 1:2-4
From verse two we have a lot to say. All of us have done the same thing as Habakkuk, we have cried out to God for our nation, for all the injustice that we have seen, however, it seems as if no one listens to us, but that is not the reality dear brother, God is always aware of each situation, He is God.
In verse three Habakkuk asks another important question: “Why do you make me see wickedness, and make me see trouble?” Well, it seems contradictory, but the truth is that God allows us to see iniquity for several reasons: 1) To make us understand that we were once like that, but God saved us through His Grace, 2) To make us value our salvation. Even, sometimes we also see iniquity in ourselves, and that is good, since through it God makes us understand that it is not about our forces, but about the powerful hand of God.
God also allows us to see iniquity so that we remain humble, so that we can visualize what we once were. The apostle Paul in Ephesians chapter five reminds them that those who commit a series of sins will have no inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, and does so to teach them that they once were like this:
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Ephesians 5:8
Allowing ourselves to see iniquity is also a way of showing us what we are now in the Lord, of how we should live, a sample of how we hate now what we loved before and did boldly.
Follow this section of the book of Habakkuk closely, as we will follow up on its three chapters, deepening their prophecies and ultimately hope that these words in one way or another can also echo in our lives.
