How Long Lord? #1

 

Read Habakkuk 1

Background: Habakkuk was called because he cared.  He looked out at the violence, injustice, and immorality of Judah during "the beginning of the end" of their downfall just before the Exile and could not understand why God did not do something.  As we look back, it is obvious that God was preparing the evil empire of Babylon to do something, but from his vantage point at that time he could not.  His opening question to God was "How long until you do something?" God answers him by telling him to step back from focusing on Judah alone to see that the Babylonians had already captured everyone around them and soon would be coming for them.  

Key Verses: O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment,
    and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof.
13 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?

When Habakkuk hears God's answer, he doesn't like it.  It was fine for God to use Babylon to chastise Judah, but surely He was not going to totally wipe them out, was He?  After describing the atrocities of Babylon back to God from his perspective, Habakkuk ends the chapter with this new question: Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever? We'll see God's answer tomorrow.